the The Rubicon student newspaper of St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave St. Paul, MN 55105 Volume 51, Issue 2 - Nov. 4, 2026
Our links to the past
the future we craft IN DEPTH
10-11
The psychology and sociology of traditions GRACE BERGER THE RUBICON
It starts with a cake and a bean. For junior Zoe Wagner, her family’s holiday tradition takes place on Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas. “We bake a cake, hide a bean in it, and then cut the cake up, and whoever ends up with the piece with the bean is the bean king or the bean queen,” she said. For many, religion plays a major role in appreciating shared traditions. According to a 2024 Pew Research Center study entitled “Views on the importance of customs and traditions to national identity,” those affiliated with a country’s primary religion are more likely than those who aren’t to place importance on participating in that nation’s traditions. Additionally, the study indicated that observance of religious traditions has decreased significantly, but they remain crucial to national identity. Religious based customs surround many holidays but take on new meaning for students practicing
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CLEVER CONNECTIONS Mentor-mentee program kicks off with new activities for ninth-graders and their mentors. Read more in NEWS.
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in countries apart from which the traditions originated. As students think about their practices, they consider the variety of popular traditions and the purpose each serves. Ninth-grader Edgar Ojala-Barbour celebrates multiple traditions with his family. “In the fall I celebrate the Chinese mid-autumn festival with my mom because she’s Chinese, but Thanksgiving, for example, I think I do more on my dad’s side, just because there’s more family in the U.S.,” he said. “I think [celebrating traditions] is a way to feel connected to people,” Ojala-Barbour said. “Also it just feels kind of like a norm to do it, especially the really popular ones.” Traditions vary for everyone, each holding a unique meaning and experience for those who practice them. In a progress-driven society, origins are often overlooked - the origins of tradition especially, given the amount of grey area the term tradition encompasses. Students practice familial, cultural, religious and schoolwide traditions, but it’s important to remember that each evolved from a specific origin. continued on pg. 10
HAIR-ITAGE Functional hair is the name of the game in sports. Student athletes reflect on the impact of hairstyle. Read more in SPORTS.
IN THIS ISSUE:
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ORWELL OCCASION Going into tech week, the cast of “Animal Farm” blocks scenes and builds trust. Read more in A&E.
2-4 News • 5-9 Opinions • 10-11 In Depth • 12-13 Sports •
14-16 Feature • 17-19 A&E • 20 Solutions
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NEWS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
Pumpkin carving tradition endures as seniors travel to lower school
PHOTO: Kathryn Campbell
GREAT PUMPKIN. Seniors Dagny Bruun and Sofia Rivera look through class photos from 2014 with a kindergarten student before carving their pumpkin.
LINA ABID
THE RUBICON
Guts, seeds and memories. On Oct. 28, seniors visited the Goodrich campus for the annual pumpkin carving tradition. After the nine-minute bus ride between campuses, seniors were guided past the playground — with the promise of free play later — and split into lines for KA or KB depending on the class of their assigned kindergartner. The kindergartners were ready at the tables with pumpkins about the size of their head when the seniors arrived. The tasks were delegated so that only non-kindergartners would handle the sharp carving tools, with the younger students handling pumpkin design and gutting. Senior Olivia Andres observed how her classmates collaborated with the younger students. “It was really fun to see the seniors with the kindergartners,” she said. Some recognizing each other from the bead ceremony during homecoming week, three to four seniors stood grouped around their kindergartner, standing tall over their 5-year-old-sized chairs as the young artists began work with Sharpies. Senior Margaret Bonin enjoyed getting a glimpse of the younger generation. “It’s really fun to see what the kids born in 2020 are up to, which is crazy, and it seems like they’re essentially the same,” she said. “They just like to play, they just want to have fun.” For seniors who attended lower school, it was particularly meaningful. Though she began at the lower school in fifth grade, Andres enjoyed seeing the lifers’ class picture from their kindergarten year. “That was really nice to see. [It was] a full circle moment,” she said. Once the designs were executed and satisfactory, the groups posed for a photo before being released to the playground. Many, kindergarten and senior alike, had to wash orange goop off their hands, arms, and wherever else it managed to end up before running outside. Senior class leader Amy Stading noted the weather conditions. “Ideally the weather is really nice, so that after we carve pumpkins, the kids can play, and I would say right now, this is just about perfect playground weather,” she said. “We’ve had years where it’s not nice … but it’s beautiful weather today.” Swinging on the swing set, senior Aiden Esmaeelzadeh was able to reflect on his time at the lower school. “I joined in fourth grade … [This] was very nostalgic,” he said. Bonin also found that being on the Goodrich playground brought back specific memories. “I’m having fun just pointing out my own memories of what’s happened out here to the people who’ve never been here before,” she said. “Like ‘that slope right there, that’s where I gave myself a black eye.’” After several rounds of tag and hill soccer, kindergartners riding seniors like horses and making them fetch like dogs, everyone said their goodbyes with a new connection.
PHOTO: Peony Steele
COMMUNITY BUILDING COMPETITION. Teams of mentors and mentees send students racing into a center circle of musical chairs with their needed items. In an effort to build mentor-mentee connections, the Upper School Council organized an activity for all mentor-mentee groups similar to the homecoming captains challenge.
Mentor-mentee program unites PEONY STEELE THE RUBICON
It’s 9:30 a.m. Oct. 5 in the big gym, and all mentors and mentees are scrambling for shoes, necklaces, hair ties and other everyday items. The activity, a variation of the captains challenge, was part of a new mentor-mentee activity designed to bring students together through friendly competition. Ninth-grader Brandon Bachleitner enjoys these sorts of activities for getting to know others. “It brought a sense of togetherness with the people in my mentor group,” he said. Teams of mentors and mentees, in groups of four or five, joined forces in a high-energy race, quickly tracking down each requested item and dispatching a representative to the judge, Upper School Council co-president Aldegundo Brenneman. With groups eliminated each round, the competition ended with one winning group. Senior mentors Evie Gardner and Cormac Graupman’s group came out on top, earning vending machine treats. The activity for this meeting was brainstormed by the USC mentor-mentee subcommittee, then laid out in a document. Brenneman shared their plans with the administration and coordinated necessary
CORRECTIONS POLICY Corrections are printed at the bottom of News p. 2. Corrections will be published in the month following the error and, if the story is also published online, will update following the online corrections policy.
PHOTO: Ariella Kim
MEETING WITH MENTOR. Ninth-grader Maxine Servaty discusses how her year has been going with her mentor-mentee group. For the 2026-27 school year, groups of three to four first-year students are paired with a mentor from the junior or senior grade.
equipment such as the microphone and chairs, as well as preparing to run the activity. “We were thorough, figuring out a list of possible objects and an elimination pattern. Later that day, Izzy [Middlebrook] made a group of pairings, so everything was ready almost a month in advance,” Brenneman said. Mentors coordinate meetings with mentees at least once a month to check in, with a few meetings also facilitated by USC. During these meetings, mentors ask about their mentee’s life and experience at school, while also being available to answer questions or assist when needed. While mentors are there to offer support, the program also gives students a chance to form connections across grades they might not otherwise have made.
“I think one of the benefits is showing underclassmen that they don’t need to be intimidated by us and show them that we can be approachable,” senior Asha Peckosh said. For her, the opportunity to build connections across grade levels was one reason she chose to become a mentor. “I really like building friendships and relationships across grades. I found friendships like that in my sports and extracurriculars, so I thought that it would be fun to also have an official version of that [as a mentor],” Peckosh said. Over the past few years, the mentor-mentee program has undergone some changes. In the 2024-25 school year, new students and all ninth-graders had oneon-one mentors, while in the 2025-26 school
year, the program was limited to only new students, including new ninth-graders. This year, the program returned to providing all ninth-graders and new students a mentor. At the Oct. 5 meeting, mentors and mentees had the chance to work together in fast-paced competition. The competition gave students a chance to interact with people they might not normally spend time with. “It helps with the entire grade,” Bechleitner said, “talking with them sometimes and competing with each other in a friendly environment.” Mentors also learned about their mentees. “The challenge during tutorial let me get to know how well my mentees know each other: which ones speak more than others and which ones step up first,” mentor Baron Bailey said. For a program centered on helping students feel more comfortable, these bonding sessions offer a way to make those connections a little more fun. The mentor-mentee program, aims to give ninth-graders an upperclassman they can turn to as they adjust to life in the upper school, and creates opportunities for students across grade levels to build relationships.
SEPTEMBER CORRECTIONS NEWS Pg. 2 - “meant to be a lighthearted time, it has a broader aim” was mistyped; OPINIONS Pg. 6 - Eddie Sofen is a contributor to The Rubicon; SPORTS Pg. 14 - Sam Worrall was misspelled in a caption, Keian Bietz was misspelled in a caption; Wolfpack was misspelled in a caption; “many” was misspelled; SPORTS Pg. 16 - Peter Lipinsky is on RubicOnline, Ariella Kim is on The Rubicon.
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NEWS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
Film club starts off year with outdoor movie night TALLULAH DOGWILL THE RUBICON
Within moments of sundown, sounds of excited students murmuring, “it’s starting,” came flooding through the viewing area for “The Princess Bride.” October 9 marked the beginning of Film Club’s first-ever outdoor movie night. Located in Lilly Courtyard, the event started at 6:30 p.m., and although students trickled in slowly, by 7 p.m., there were over 40 attendees. This fall, Film Club has fostered community through cross-grade participation. Ninth-graders and seniors represented the majority of attendees at Film Club’s outdoor movie night and first club meeting. Film Club co-president Soren Zuehlke values this unique representation. “I love the fact that [at the outdoor movie] the primary demographic was seniors and freshmen. It’s a nice dynamic to have everybody together like that and laughing as a group,” he said. “The first meeting, a lot of people came, especially freshmen, which was cool because you can tell [film
club is] a place … where they could hang out with people who maybe weren’t their friends.” Shortly after the movie began, dark set in, and with it came a breeze. Film Club co-presidents Sunde Auberjonois, William Drake and Zuehlke fought the wind as it blew the outdoor projector screen back and forth, occasionally causing its stakes to come up from the ground. They took turns running up to the screen, catching it before it blew over, to ensure an uninterrupted screening for the audience.
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During [the movie night] I got to talk to a couple people new to SPA, actually, and ended up connecting really well with them.
ninthgrader Clare Barlow
Throughout the event, ninth-grader Clare Barlow found connection with students she hadn’t yet crossed paths with.
“During [the movie night] I got to talk to a couple people new to SPA, actually, and ended up connecting really well with them,” she said. “Even though I don’t have classes with these people, we still have found time to talk before, after and between classes, and this connection came from the movie night.” Halfway through the movie, a drop in temperature caused students to wrap themselves in their blankets. Chatter and laughter emerged and soon the focus for many wasn’t on the movie itself, rather engaging in conversations with their friends and others. “People were sharing extra blankets they brought with others and the whole atmosphere of the event felt inviting and warm and everyone felt very approachable,” Barlow said. Senior Quentin Sentz enjoyed the setting of the movie. “I was able to watch [the movie] and talk to my friends at the same time. It wasn’t super serious like in a movie theatre,” he said. At around 8 p.m. the movie came to a close, chatter slowed and eyes
PHOTOS: Tallulah Dogwill
AS YOU WISH. All eyes turn to the screen as “The Princess Bride” begins at Film Club’s outdoor movie night in the Lilly Courtyard Oct. 9. Since the beginning of the school year, Film Club has notably been attracting many first-year students. “I love the fact that the primary demographic was seniors and freshmen. It’s a nice dynamic to have everybody together like that and laughing as a group.” Film Club co-president Soren Zuehlke said. A VERY COZY VIEWING. Students get comfortable at the Film Club’s outdoor movie night. As the sun set, it got much colder, and students began to share blankets. 'The whole atmosphere of the event felt inviting and warm and everyone felt very approachable,” ninth-grader Clare Barlow said.
turned towards the screen as the audience focused in, not wanting to miss the ending. According to Zuehlke, the outdoor movie night was inspired by parks in Minneapolis that offer similar experiences throughout the summer and fall. The Minneapolis Parks and Recreation
Board routinely hosts outdoor movies on lawn spaces throughout the city, often attracting crowds in the hundreds. “They’re always so much fun to go to,” Zuehlke said. “And so it was this on a more intimate smaller scale”. With only a few meetings and one event un-
der its belt, Film Club continues to cultivate cross grade bonds. Heading into the winter, Film Club co-presidents hope to offer more movie nights, possibly utilizing indoor spaces such as the Huss projector to screen movies.
Standards-based grading to be implemented across ninth, tenth grade fall ‘27 LINA ABID
THE RUBICON
The upper school faculty have begun the process of integrating Standards Based Grading into the curriculum. The change serves to increase clarity for all by detailing intended takeaways from classes. Upper school principal Minnie Lee emphasizes that the initiative is a work-in-progress. “We are starting it, and as we pace ourselves, our goal is to hopefully implement by 2027, 2028 … It’s hard to say.” Director of academic programs Natalie McElligott has overseen much of the progression of this grading system. “[Teachers] need to be able to define exactly what [they] hope to teach and for [their] students to learn,” she said. “There should be some type of iteration. Some math teachers use reassessment, science teachers use reassessment. But for the humanities, maybe that’s just a second attempt at writing.”
The science department has the longest history of Standards Based Grading in the upper school, consistent across classes with a “beginning - developing - secure” system per standard. New to the school and standards-based grading, junior Jake Olson likes having standards in class. “I think it really does put learning forward instead of just luck or accuracy,” he said, “and it makes sure you learn the core material and have understanding, instead of just memorizing tidbits of stuff.” Since the reevaluation of the geometry curriculum before the 2024-25 school year, teachers have spent time identifying and articulating standards for precalculus and calculus courses. “The hope was that it would sort of trickle up through the courses with that grade level, and for the most part, it has,” McElligott said. Sophomore Zoya Jameel prefers standards to stand-alone percentages, but stresses the impor-
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8 6
BEGINNING DEVELOPING
Student demonstrates a beginning to understand a concept or standard.
Student has demonstrated a that their understanding of a concept or standard is still developing.
SECURE
Student has demonstrated sufficient understanding of a concept necessary to the curriculum.
INFORMATION: “The Standards-Based Classroom: Make Learning the Goal”
MEET THE STANDARDS. St. Paul Academy and Summit School bought public-school educators Emily Rinkema and Stan Williams’s book “The Standards-Based Classroom: Make Learning the Goal” in bulk and have given teachers the option to use it as a guide to implementing standards-based grading across the upper school curriculum.
tance of specificity: “I feel like it’d be extra helpful if teachers had exactly what each one meant, so it’s easier to see what your four means, what your six means, what your eight means,” she said. The desire for more understanding and clarity is the driving force of this initiative. McElligott notes this importance for students and faculty. “It really helps teachers because teachers then have to be really clear about what their learning goals are for students,” she said. “Why are they doing the things that they’re doing in their classes? Do those lead to the learning goals? And then when [they] give an assessment, is it clearly assessing those things?” Ninth-grader Benton Smalley finds there are pitfalls to relying on this outlined approach, because different students may digest content in different ways. “I’s a lot of pressure because there’s not a lot of room to persuade or move the grades. So you have to get it and you
have to know [the content] specifically how it was taught,” she said. Before the formal discussion of extending standards-based grading to the humanities departments, there were already teachers employing this method. “A lot of these initiatives, especially here at SPA, they’ll start with things that the teachers feel like would make teaching and learning better, and then we get to a point where sciences is doing it one way, humanities is doing another way,” McElligott said. “We gotta have some parameters around it, so it’s not so confusing for students.” The ultimate goal is for all course assessments to operate using a Standards Based Grading System. Until then, teachers and administration will continue to collaborate to plan the methods and execution of this process.
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NEWS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
United Village developments raise gentrification concerns NIKO LIFTON
THE RUBICON
Allianz Field, the home of the Minnesota United Football Club, was completed in 2019 after a $250 million investment. With it came extensive development to the surrounding area, called the United Village. Now, investors are looking to the surrounding areas for more development opportunities, potentially negatively affecting the nearby Rondo neighborhood.
DYNAMIC DEVELOPMENTS United Village was envisioned as a walkable, public open space mixed with office and entertainment uses. Concrete plans are still not fully set, as investors assess the surrounding residential area. Junior Soren Guettler would like to see more outdoor socializing areas added. “I think that they could also add more outdoor seating and make [United Village] more like a park. ... Putting in a playground, chairs and stuff where people can eat before [the game]
could be a good idea,” he said. As reported by Mpls.St. Paul Magazine, lead MNUFC investor Bill McGuire put $170 million toward the first stage of development in 2023, which included an office building, a hotel and two restaurants in the United Village area. However, gentrification of the neighborhood is a concern among nearby residents. Many community committees, including the Snelling-Midway Community Advisory Committee, have guided decision-making every step of the way.
GENTRIFICATION IMPACTS Committees have voiced concerns about potential development that could price out many low-income residents in the neighborhood, which could undermine the diversity of surrounding shops and businesses. Middle school social studies teacher Eric Salverda is concerned about gentrification in this area. “The big struggle with [gentrification] is how do we improve [a] neighborhood and make it a more desirable place for people
to live without it suffering from gentrification,” Salverda said. The areas to the north and south of Rondo Avenue are near the University Avenue neighborhood, meaning many Rondo areas are very close to Allianz Field. This means they could be directly affected by the project, as it has been in the past, being torn up by the construction of interstate highways in the name of progress. Rondo Avenue has had a long and storied history; by the 1950s, about 85% of St. Paul’s African American population lived in the neighborhoods, but soon after it was settled, it was torn up to make way for the construction of Interstate 94, demolishing 700 family homes and closing 300 businesses. The families were also given inadequate compensation, forcing a slow rebuild.
POTENTIAL RESOLUTIONS However, there are aims by nonprofit ReConnect Rondo to create a land bridge that would reconnect the two sides of the neighborhood forced apart by the freeway. The
BY THE NUMBERS OF RONDO NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS:
63%
ARE RENTERS, MAKING THEM MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DISPLACEMENT AND RAISED RENT
>40%
EARN INCOMES BELOW 185% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL
>50% ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR
BEACON LOON. The loon at the intersection of Snelling Ave. and University Ave. in the St. Paul Midway acts as a welcome figure to the United Village. According to MPR News, the statue, designed by artist Andy Scott in 2024, is one of the first projects of the United Village development.
INFOGRAPHIC: Wynter Feiner PHOTO: Sylvia Westra INFORMATION: University of Minnesota Twin Cities
proposed project hopes to rebuild the community lost in the 1900s. Salverda supports this project. “The land bridge is an outstanding idea in my opinion. There’s almost no downside to doing the land bridge. Especially since they have quite a bit of community involvement in terms of the initial [phases] of the plan,” Salverda said. The project is expected to cost around $458.9 million. Junior Sophia Obi has enjoyed the infrastruc-
While the revitalization of Allianz Field and United Village may bring community benefits, the renovations could cause further damage to the already-hit Rondo neighborhood.
ture that has already been built near Allianz. “I think the green spaces they added recently are really nice because they give people with kids the opportunity to come to the games early and are available to residents of Midway at all times. I know my siblings really enjoy going to the playground before games,” she said. But as more development is completed, prices will begin to rise and many Rondo residents will be priced out.
Scan this QR code to learn more about the ReConnect Rondo nonprofit.
Minneapolis public schools steps back from closures; shortfall unresolved ELLIE WHITCOMB THE RUBICON
After seeing the opposition from families, teachers and members of the community, Minneapolis Public Schools paused district transformation plans due to worries that the changes would cause more harm than good within the district. The Minneapolis budget shortfall and proposals to close 16 schools across the district may seem like a distant concern, but for a number of upper school students, MPS school decisions over the past several years are what prompted them to leave the district and enroll here. Sophomore Lucas Messier was moved from Dowling Elementary School to Lake Nokomis Keewaydin Elementary School following the district’s previous restructuring plan, the Comprehensive District Design, in May 2020. “All my friends were at Dowling, so when I transferred to Keewaydin, I didn’t really know anyone. It just wasn’t a good year for me,” Messier said. Over the years, declining enrollment has become one of the biggest challenges MPS faces. As expressed at the public listening session Oct. 7 at North High School, the board believed redistricting would increase enrollment by more than 20%. On Oct. 13, the Minneapolis School Board voted unanimously against merging or closing schools for the 2026-27 year.
MINNEAPOLIS DISTRICT SCHOOLS’ TRANSFORMATION PUBLIC RESOLUTION LAUNCHED SCHOOLS’ REDISTRICTING DECEMBER PLANS 2023
In September 2026, the school district proposed three different plans to close or reconfigure up to 16 Minneapolis public schools due to enrollment, which had decreased by nearly 20% in the last 10 years, and a nearly $40 million budget deficit. The new framework and school boundaries were intended to improve students’ educational experiences.
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[The proposal] really doesn’t help reinforce trust in the Minneapolis public school system at all.
sophomore Ruth Kenny
Howe Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Valerie Peterson-Brandt has a personal stake in the district’s plans. “It’s about politics and money, and not about the actual quality of the schools here. The families and community are outstanding, and their district is letting them down.” In two of the three proposals, plans called for Howe Elementary to be closed. At the Oct. 7 listening session, families expressed concerns about loosing access to specialty programs that encourage identity, culture and community.
2024-26 PARENT FEEDBACK REVIEWED BY MPS
RESOLUTION WITH PARAMETERS FOR REDISTRICTING PLANNING PASSED
JUNE 2026
PUBLIC SCHOOLS SURVIVE. The redistricting of Minneapolis Public Schools has been an initiative since December 2023 after consistent low enrollment. Three plans to redraft districts were vetoed after the MPS district board voted against any school closures until 2028.
In response, Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams said that decisions are centered on learning success. “Students need strong academics, meaningful opportunities beyond the classroom, sense of belonging, and a path to the future … which is not consistently taking place in all [Minneapolis] schools at the time,” she said. While district families’ push back against the plans worked, it is only a temporary solution to action from MPS. The board just paused plans; choosing not to incorporate proposed differences for the 2026/2027 school year. This delay puts a greater emphasis on the upcoming Minneapolis School Board elections, which could select three to five new members. Candidates’ chances are impacted by their response and thoughts about the proposal plans Sophomore Ruth Kenny acknowledged that the proposed changes could weaken the district. “It really doesn’t help reinforce trust in the Minneapolis public school system at all,” she said. This decision to put off proposal plans leaves MPS with the challenge of finding a solution that provides equitable resources without sacrificing the relationships and specialized programs that make each school important.
SEPTEMBER 2026 THREE REDISTRICTING PLANS PRESENTED TO MPS BOARD
SCHOOL CLOSURES VETOED BY MPS DISTRICT BOARD
OCT. 13, 2026
INFORMATION: Minneapolis Public Schools, Sahan Journal INFOGRAPHIC: Evie Gardner
OPINIONS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026 OUR MISSION We strive to capture the spirit of the community through its stories while inspiring deeper conversations. Above all, we stand for integrity in our pursuit to inform and engage our readers.
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THE RUBICON
St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave • St. Paul, MN 55105 rubicon.spa@gmail.com www.rubiconline.com @TheRubiconSPA
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EDITORIAL CARTOON: Kate Tuttle
NECESSARY NEWS. Unlike national news organizations, college journalism has the unique ability to shine a light on important stories happening on campus. When campuses are faced with problems surrounding protesting, tuition and other various issues, college journalists provide an important perspective that would be otherwise lost.
100% ofstafftheagree
Protect college journalism, keep highlighting campus issues EDITORIAL THE RUBICON STAFF
The threats facing college journalism today are nothing new. They may look and harm differently and spark new methods of survival, but they are ultimately the same dangers that student journalism has faced since the beginning, one of the biggest of which is censorship. Student journalists have the unique opportunity to honestly and openly report on institutions, specifically their own, reporting on the people and places they interact with daily. It is an ability that, while not limited to college journalism, thrives within it and should be protected. As a result, their reporting is often more accurate and thorough than that of nonlocal professional news outlets. Those in positions of power on college campuses, often administrators, teachers or benefactors, are known to be dedicated to censoring college journalism when it casts a negative light on their actions. According to a report conducted by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, called “Shifting Winds: Students Under Fire,” from 2020-24, over 1,000 students and/or student groups were “either targeted for or recipients of punishment from either their administration or student government in response to their protected speech.” They also found that 63% of cases involving student free speech and protest resulted in one or more punishments from college administration. When college journalism programs have only their administrators’ interests in mind, they are unable to produce fully accurate, ethical journalism. No student journalism program should be forced to risk censorship or restrictions on its program or staff to do their job well. Such was the case in 2025 when administrators at the University of Texas at Dallas dismissed the editor-in-chief of “The Mercury,” the campus publication, after he vindicated the program’s coverage of students’ pro-Palestinian protests. In response, students created a new, independent paper, “The Retrograde,” which doesn’t receive funding from UTD, even though it covers it. They are “currently pursuing 501(c)3 nonprofit status,” a title that would make them tax-exempt. In February 2024, the University of Florida’s Brechner Center for the Advancement of the First Amendment released a study titled “Freedom In College Newsrooms,” reporting that 56% of students’ journalism programs in the United States get “some sort of direct or allocated funding” from their school. It may seem hard to think that 56% of college journalism programs could come toppling down depending on the financial choices of their parent school, yet that is the reality that haunts editors, writers and advisors across the country. “One of the biggest things that clicked for me … was the idea that there’s no such thing as a truly independent institution in this realm. Instead, what we’re looking at is, how vulnerable are you as a publication to the pressure or censorship? And what can you do to mitigate that vulnerability?” said Auburn University journalism professor Jessica Spark in response to the Florida study. If students aren’t permitted to report on their communities, who will? When college journalism ceases, students lose access to knowledge, stories and relevant understanding of their communities. When those in power turn the lights off on student journalism, they turn access off for everyone else, too.
WHEN THOSE IN POWER TURN THE LIGHTS OFF ON STUDENT JOURNALISM, THEY TURN OFF ACCESS FOR EVERYONE ELSE, TOO.
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OPINIONS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
ILLUSTRATION: Ariella Kim
BARRIERS IN BELONGING. Despite school efforts to bring student’s together, it is up to the students to branch out and break through their social bubble to get to know new people. Leaning into school’s opportunities for connection instead of resisting them is key to a cliquefree environment.
Finding an end to clique culture is in students’ hands SYLVIA WESTRA THE RUBICON
Many of the routines that the school embeds into daily student life include activities that aim to dismantle clique culture. Dyads encourage students to connect with individual peers, and advisories provide an intermixed group for students to revisit each day. When clique culture threatens to restrict and isolate students, seeing these everyday opportunities as a challenge to build welcoming and supportive relationships can serve to counteract the detrimental effects cliques have on adolescent mental health. Newport Academy, a network of treatment centers for mental health in adolescents, defines negative cliques as groups that enforce conformity, create hierarchies and exclude others. In contrast, a positive friend group welcomes others, encourages individuality and supports the formation of new friendships. In a 2021 Psychology Today article, psychologist Carl Pickhardt suggests that while cliques pressure adolescents to conform to a group identity, many cliques offer students a sense of security, belonging and social importance. However, students must recognize for themselves when the downsides of cliques outweigh the benefits they may experience.
Often, cliques form to reduce students’ feelings of social uncertainty, which are normal in a high school setting. In a smaller group, students know where to sit, who to talk to, and who to identify with. As the California Teen Center notes in an article on cliques in schools, teens in an unhealthy group stay in it not because they love it, but because they fear a social free fall if they leave.
The school’s value of belonging has no meaning if students aren’t willing to put it to the test. Sylvia Westra
One effect Newport Academy notes that exclusive clique culture has on clique insiders is a “fear of the other.” When cliques grow too isolated, their members often struggle to socialize with those outside the clique. This fear is the primary reason students must be cautious when exclusive cliques develop, as such cliques pose the greatest threat to the school’s value of belonging.
Regardless, the school’s value of belonging has no meaning if students aren’t willing to put it to the test. The daily opportunities the school provides for different students to engage act as a safety net for social “free fall.” Take the risk, test the limits of a clique, and know that there are ways to feel a sense of belonging outside of a friend group. At a school with roughly 110 students per grade, students have the unique opportunity to be known and appreciated as their authentic selves by the whole student body. The community becomes much stronger when the diverse array of interests that each student has are celebrated. Each student must approach all peers with kindness, acceptance and an open mind, a mindset which cliques risk damaging. To do this, it is incredibly important that students take advantage of every opportunity to bond with classmates. Small class sizes should encourage students to work closely with their peers, but clique culture can cause division. Dyads are opportunities for students to make new friends if they put in the effort. These opportunities will have no impact without students’ intentional efforts to reject clique culture. Create a community where social “free fall” is unfathomable; be authentic, include others and branch out.
The major state educational divide damaging for economy CALCULATING THE GAP
On average, Minnesotan eighth grade Black students scored 36 points lower and Latino students scored 37 points lower than their white peers who scored on 290 out of 500 on The Nation’s Report Card standardized math test in 2022.
INFORMATION: EdAllies
DANGEROUS DISPARITY. EdAllies, a Minnesota based organization, is a Black, Indigenous and people of color led advocacy nonprofit that partners with schools and communities to fight for systemic change within the state’s education system. They focus on transforming raw data from state departments and independent studies into policy insights tracking literacy disparities, access gaps, educator diversity, chronic absenteeism, discipline trends and general systemic lags.
NIKO LIFTON
THE RUBICON
Many have heard some version of the words “If you don’t go to college, you won’t succeed.” However, many people will never be able to attend college, as the barriers in their way seem unconquerable without the proper resources. The current lack of progress is disheartening, but gubernatorial candidates now have the chance to enact change. According to a 2023 Minnesota Public Radio article, COVID-19 greatly affected Minnesota test scores, where in the math and reading sections, people who qualified for free or reduced-price lunch had higher scores, as did people who identified as white, meaning that both race and wealth disparity are issues when it comes to quality of education. In fact, Minnesota ranks 46th in racial equality in education among the 50 states, underscoring how bad the issue has gotten compared to other states.
This issue affects everybody. According to a study conducted by children’s early learning scholar Katharine B. Stevens and the American Enterprise Institute, the problem costs the United States nearly $700 billion annually. So far, Minnesota has not been successful in solving these problems. Despite hundreds of studies and recommendations, few effective policies have been developed. However, in this year’s Minnesotan election cycle, both gubernatorial candidates proposed solutions to the issue. Republican candidate for Minnesota governor Lisa Demuth’s Education Comeback Plan included school safety grants that increase funding for security, one-on-one assistance with struggling students and the empowerment of parents to help. On the other hand, Democratic candidate Amy Klobuchar’s plan included tutoring, banning cellphones, boosting attendance, avoiding student homelessness
and starting career exploration and work-based learning early. Although Klobuchar’s plan was considerably better thought out than Demuth’s, both plans overlooked single parents.
The quality of a student’s education shouldn’t depend on something as uncontrollable as a parent’s marital status. Niko Lifton
Many struggling students are put in situations where they must stay home to care for their families, thereby missing valuable information. These situations usually arise in single-parent households, where the parent is often forced to work long hours to provide for their family. This is unacceptable. The quality of a student’s
education shouldn’t depend on something as uncontrollable as a parent’s marital status. According to the Minnesota Department of Education, performance on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments has declined by about 10% since before the COVID-19 pandemic. This left fewer than half of Minnesota students able to read and do math at grade level. The rate at which education is improving is undesirable for everyone. It seems that most people in power are also unwilling to motivate themselves to pass new legislation to address educational disparities, as they believe it doesn’t directly affect them. The educational barriers that have been built need to be torn down as soon as possible because it is a costly and devastating problem in both Minnesota and the United States. As of press time there was no update on the results of the Nov. 3 midterm election results.
OPINIONS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
7
Cornell case raises concerns about college safety SUNDE AUBERJONOIS MANAGING EDITOR
Trigger Warning: The following opinion addresses sexual violence on postsecondary campuses and proposes actions students can take to increase safety in the first year of college. One academic year on a college campus isn’t a very long time. It’s approximately 180 days. It’s two semesters or three trimesters. Yet in their first year at college, one in six women will experience sexual violence. The first year at college is an infamously transitional one, and big transitions make individuals more vulnerable. College also falls right in the middle of the years between adolescence and adulthood. A transitional period within a transitional period. A year certainly isn’t a very long time, but given the right external factors, it can result in a lot of change. With the current statistics, it’s important to build up the on-campus systems that can provide support for survivors. Not only for the aftermath, and not only for the survivors. For everyone. If informative courses on consent and assault are made widely available and mandatory, those conversations become more generally destigmatized.
One year isn’t a long time. But it’s enough time to take some tangible steps toward progress. Sunde Auberjonois
While it has been heartbreaking and terrifying to read about the Cornell 7 case, it’s also been remarkable to see the calls for greater accountability and campus resources for survivors. Cases like this one that reach a broad audience have the ability to inspire more campus support during transitional moments. But the reality is that preparation for that first six months starts in high school. Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network offers a comprehensive online guide on how to discuss sexual violence on college campuses. It starts at the family level, with conversations about consent, safe substance consumption and campus resource availability.
FROM THE WEB
This means that incoming students, newly away from home, know where to go if they need help and how to step in if they see that someone else might need a bystander to intervene. Hearing stories of violence can sometimes be paralyzing. In moments where one’s first instinct is to simply repost and move on, it’s important to be able to step outside of the bubble of social media and look at actionable steps - of which there are many. Cautionary tales don’t just have to make people more fearful; they can motivate people to take action. One actionable step is, of course, protest. Since the Cornell 7 case went viral, there have been many instances that exemplify protest at its most effective. Locally, over 200 people gathered at Van Cleve Park near the University of Minnesota to stand with students all over the country and demand accountability in college sexual assault cases. Raising one’s voice and bringing issues straight to the people in power is sometimes one of the most impactful things one can do. Since the Cornell 7 case came to light, protests have flared up at college campuses across the country, prompting people to examine the systems immediately around them. But there’s no reason to wait until a case like this comes up to examine the systems in which one takes part. Protest doesn’t always have to mean holding a sign and a megaphone; change can happen in many different ways. When people consistently resist and question harmful institutional norms, those institutions are forced to change. Actionable steps aren’t always huge, grandiose gestures. Taking action can mean getting educated, or showing up to a protest or club meeting or sharing resources with friends. If everyone started taking these actionable steps and sharing these resources, imagine how much less stigmatized these conversations would be. Imagine how much more prepared society would be to handle conversations around assault, consent and a need for institutional change. One year isn’t a long time. But it’s enough time to take some tangible steps toward progress.
Female reports of unwanted sexual contact by college year
THE RED ZONE
16%
IN THE FIRST YEAR
14%
IN THE SECOND YEAR
12%
IN THE THIRD YEAR
11%
IN THE FOURTH YEAR INFORMATION: Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network
Scan this QR code for information about how to report sexual violence in Minnesota, a hotline for those affected by sexual violence and more.
Does putting mental health in the spotlight hurt more than help?
ELI KARDASIS STURTZ RUBICONLINE
YEAR ONE. The first year of a woman’s undergraduate experience is often referred to as the “Red Zone,” a high risk time for nonconsensual sexual contact. It’s important that colleges communicate the resources they have available early in a student’s college experience.
In wake of school shootings, don’t let fear paralyze action TALLULAH DOGWILL THE RUBICON
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OPINIONS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
The dangers of approachable AI JACK GAO
THE RUBICON
Trigger Warning: The .following story discusses topics surrounding mental health and self-harm. Artificial intelligence has no feelings, consciousness or subjective experiences. While this may seem intuitive, the distinction between AI and human interaction is becoming increasingly subtle, and not in a beneficial way. According to a 2026 study published in Nature Communications Psychology, AI outperforms humans at building closeness with other humans through engaging interactions, but only when participants believe they are interacting with another human. As human and AI interactions become more indistinguishable, AI’s illusion of intimacy creates multiple risks, including psychological harm and threats to personal data and privacy. To understand how AI has become so approachable, it is vital to see how AI differs from conventional forms of technology. While most other technologies are retrieval tools that find existing web pages by matching
keywords, AI is a reasoning system that generates unique answers based on patterns it learns from training on billions of web pages. For example, when searching for a math solution using the quadratic formula, retrieval tools use key phrases like “quadratic formula” or numbers and symbols to direct users to the webpage that best matches the query. In contrast, AI’s reasoning system defines the quadratic formula and uses internalized patterns to solve the problem, learning how to apply it.
Ultimately, approachable AI is a design choice, not one made with genuine empathy or true heart-toheart connection.
Jack Gao
However, AI learning does not only come from recognizing patterns in data. In a 2022 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Computer Sciences, human interac-
tions made AI more approachable by implicitly learning social norms, human language and conveyed emotions. As a result, humans interacted with AI more, sending more detailed responses and engaging with it for longer. However, this positive engagement harms not only the user, but also those close to them. According to a 2025 New York Times article by Kashmir Hill, emotional dependency is one of the greatest risks facing individuals surrounding AI. Hill finds that AI chatbots are a major part of the danger AI poses because of their abnormally conversational nature. Considering ChatGPT specifically, several cases have been reported where individuals were led astray in moments of emotional vulnerability and mental crises. This led to psychosis, delusional behavior and tendencies for self-harm, mirroring an echo chamber of thoughts with no way out. In most cases, the effects were irreversible, with familial connections permanently severed and individuals’ lives permanently altered by the AI. These instances aren’t just limited to young adults, however; for teen-
ILLUSTRATION: Eli Kardasis Sturtz
EMULATING EMOTION. As artificial intelligence has progressed, it has become increasingly difficult to tell when something is human-made or conceived by an artificial bot. AI will continue to adapt and improve in the coming years, so it is important to be aware how its apparent humanness can cause negative and potentially dangerous situations.
agers, a 2025 risk assessment by Common Sense Media found that because teenagers’ and children’s prefrontal cortices are not fully developed, they are more prone to acting impulsively, which causes greater vulnerability when discussing topics on self-harm, violence and racial stereotypes with AI chatbots. Combined with the fact that adolescence is often the time for identity exploration, social comparison and emotional upheaval, teens are vulnerable to
parasocial attachment, avoiding real relationships and stunting vital brain processes. Age safeguards and topic restrictions did not provide adequate levels of safety either; the study determined that AI chatbots still engaged in abusive and manipulative behavior even when 18-year-old age limits and strict topic warnings were implemented. Ultimately, approachable AI is a design choice, not one made with genuine empathy or true
heart-to-heart connection. As AI becomes more prominent in daily life, from social media to academia, it is imperative to understand the choices individuals make in their connections with AI. To navigate this era of digital dependence, users must maintain strong digital skepticism by appreciating the utility of AI, but also retain boundaries over personal connections by remembering that AI cannot care as those around them can.
students to choose their identity, grow from their mistakes and decide how they want to show up in their classroom, it is assigned for them when they sit down in their spot.
pectations and goals for a course, or they may have a previous interpersonal conflict. While sometimes this can be accounted for, situations where seating can feel uncomfortable in the classroom still arise. There is also unconscious bias in assigned seating. In another 2023 study published by The Review of Economics and Statistics entitled “Social Exclusion and Ethnic Segregation in Schools: The Role of Teachers’ Ethnic Prejudice,” it was found that teachers who have a bias against a specific ethnic group create spatially segregated classrooms. This has the potential for minority students to be at a greater risk for peer violence. The role of unconscious bias in seating charts should not be taken out of the equation. While there are certainly situations in which assigned seating may be
necessary, when it comes to classroom disruptions, there is an opportunity for students to learn and grow from their mistakes. Instead of giving that opportunity, however, students are simply sent to the opposite corner of the room in hopes that they will not talk out of turn again. That does not correct behavior; it simply pushes it off. If there is no trust in students to do the right thing, how will they do what they came to school to do: learn? Instead of immediately assigning seats, teachers should assess the class’s needs. Jumping into a course where things are already determined has the potential to remove autonomy, even when faculty encourage students to take ownership of their own education.
Assigned seating limits student agency, increases bias HOW EFFECTIVE ARE ASSIGNED SEATS?
IZZY MIDDLEBROOK THE RUBICON
20 UPPER SCHOOL TEACHERS RANKED THEIR OPINION ON A SCALE OF 1-10
Number of Responses
7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
1
2
3 4 5 6 7 8 Ranking from 1-10
9 10
INFORMATION: A poll conducted Oct. 20 sent to all teachers, of whom 20 responded.
SEATING SELECTION. For many teachers, assigned seating is a way to limit disruptions and make sure students work with peers they wouldn’t otherwise. Of the teachers who responded to the poll, 30% teach with Harkness tables, 25% teach with desks in pods, 20% teach with shared lab tables and the remaining 35% teach in other classroom setups.
A student walks into a classroom only to see on the board that their role in the room has already been decided for them. Their seat has been chosen, and, in their mind, their position in the class has been defined. A 2023 study published by the Journal of College Science Teaching found that students who were sitting farther away from teachers attended class less, showed reduced engagement in the course and performed 13%-22% worse than students who were in closer proximity. Seating a student in a certain place can lead to worse grades or reduced engagement, as opposed to their sitting where they choose to. Once a seat is assigned, it is anticipated that students will act immaturely. Instead of allowing
Instead of immediately assigning seats, teachers should assess the class’s needs.
Izzy Middlebrook
When a student is unable to choose their position in class, there is also a potential for conflict. Maybe a student doesn’t feel comfortable participating to their fullest potential with their elbow buddy. Two students may be misaligned in their ex-
9
COLUMNS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
Are energy drinks helpful or harmful?
HARMFUL EVA BURNS
THE RUBICON
It’s a common sight. In the early mornings, energy drinks line the Harkness tables, powering students through just another day of classes. But Alani, Celsius, Monster, Bubbl’r and Red Bull all have one thing in common: high levels of caffeine, which could cause long-term negative health effects. The high caffeine content can create a reliance on these drinks among many high school students. It’s time to remove these drinks from the classroom and replace them with healthier alternatives, such as sparkling water or electrolyte drinks. Although many students argue that they need an extra burst of energy to get through the day and make up for the lack of sleep from doing homework the night before, these energy drinks create an unhealthy dependency. Research has linked energy-drink consump-
tion among adolescents to sleep problems, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and other adverse health effects. A 2024 Public Health systematic review of 57 studies on children and young people found that energy-drink consumption was also associated with short sleep duration, poor sleep quality and lower academic performance, among other health consequences.
If students are tired, the solution should not be another can of caffeine. Eva Burns
More recent research continues to examine the cardiovascular effects of high caffeine intake in young people, showing many concerning longterm impacts. A 2026 study by the Pediatr Cardiol journal identified reported cases of arrhythmias and other electrocardiographic abnormalities associated with high-dose caffeine exposure in adolescents. While these findings do not mean that every energy drink causes a heart problem, they add to the existing evidence that high caffeine intake in young people
2
SIDES
ONE ISSUE deserves caution. It provides enough reason to question whether highly caffeinated beverages belong on classroom tables in the first place. Schools should provide healthier, caffeine-free beverage options that are easy and accessible, so that energy drinks are not the only option. Sparkling water, still water and other non-caffeinated beverages can provide alternatives without adding another stimulant to an already taxing school day. Most importantly, all energy drinks should be removed from vending machines to reduce the accessibility of the drinks. Conversely, many students find that having a daily energy drink with them in class creates a sense of pride, and that some sort of status symbol is at least proof that they are putting in effort
by trying to stay awake. It’s time to break that mindset and stop normalizing this unhealthy habit in the classroom. Prioritize healthy learning, not another can of
HELPFUL ZAHIR HASSAN RUBICONLINE
Walking into school and seeing Monster, Red Bull and Bubbl’r cans across the tables might raise concerns about health, but not all energy drinks are bad for students, as they can help power them through a long school day. While it may seem like students
are dependent on these drinks, there are many benefits that can come from them. Although there are health concerns about energy drinks and the levels of caffeine that high school students are getting hooked on, with certain amounts of caffeine, students can experience increased alertness and awareness and better performance in school. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the guideline daily limit of caffeine intake for children ages 12-18 is 100 mg. Smaller energy drinks like an 8.4 oz Red Bull and V8 +Energy contain 80 mg of caffeine, staying under the recommended 100 mg daily limit for teens while providing a great-tasting drink to help them get through the day. In addition to the benefits during school, students should be able to make choices that best suit their needs. Schools should not have a say in what students are allowed to consume. Taking away energy drinks from students could disrupt their routines, leading to worse academic performance. Taking away students’ autonomy in their decisions can lead to less motivation, focus and a will to learn. When students can make their own decisions
about what they consume, they are learning important life skills that will take them further than being told what to do. For students to learn, they have to experience
While it may seem like students are dependent on these drinks, there are many benefits that can come from them. Zahir Hassan
what is helpful and unhelpful to them. Schools should not have to take energy drinks away from students for change to happen. Students can stay healthy while still enjoying energy drinks by getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep, following a healthy diet and exercising daily. Students will have to make decisions about their body, their health and what they consume. After weighing the pros and cons, they can make that decision themselves. When schools decide for them, they take away students’ autonomy.
The brain’s natural tendency to focus on negativity
COLUMNIST
Audrey Peltier
MINNESOTA FREE SPIRIT SCHOLAR As the 2026 Minnesota delegate to the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference, Peltier attended a journalism and leadership program in Washington, D.C. with 50 other scholars—one from each state— over the summer. Every month, she’s using that knowledge to teach *you* a little more about your First Amendment rights. Scan this QR code to follow and watch Peltier’s Free Spirit vertical videos on Instagram.
NIKO LIFTON
THE RUBICON
You are hardwired to be negative. Whether you consider yourself an optimist or a pessimist, your brain prioritizes negative experiences. This is because of something called negativity bias. Negativity bias explains that humans are more affected by a negative event than by an equally positive one. Say, for example, a student gets many compliments throughout their day but receives one critique; they will remember the critique and shut out all the positive comments. So why does humanity do it? Part of it is protection. Our brains are built to prioritize threat detection, learn quickly from dangerous mistakes and prioritize survival over happiness. Negativity bias also helps with memorization. If a person thinks about something bad for an extend-
ed period of time, it will eventually be committed to memory and will be easy to avoid if it comes up in the future. However, negativity bias is strong. When everything is viewed as dangerous, life can feel exhausting and difficult. For many people, this can contribute to heightened anxiety, which can cause both physical and mental stress.
Negativity bias explains that humans are more affected by a negative event than by an equally positive one. Niko Lifton
Negativity also tends to draw more attention than positivity. This often manifests in media: a negative news story draws more attention than a positive one, so outlets feed us negative news because it sells. According to a 2025 article from Psychology Today, this is because our amygdalas hyperfocus on fear so as to be better prepared for danger. But how can this be stopped? Focus on the positive comments. Take the bad comments as suggestions rather than as gaping issues. Stop negative self-talk. It may seem simple, but negativity bias can be both conscious and subconscious. Stop and think about what went well rather than focusing entirely on what could be improved.
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IN DE
shaping the minds
THE RUBICON - N
PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY continued from pg. 1
how the brain stores and recalls traditions
Students who carry on traditions often find their roles have changed as they get older. Junior Ruby Fenton-Rutzick remembers a fall tradition her family celebrates. “Every year, like a week before Halloween, my family goes up to this Halloween party with all of our friends in northern Minnesota. [Originally,] I used to walk around as a little kid and go to all of the stations and get candy. But now, I run the stations,” she said.
EVER-EVOLVING
CEREBRAL CORTEX the place in the brain where the nervous system converts and interprets physical stimuli—such as touch, pressure, temperature, pain, and body position—into conscious awareness.
In the case of common traditions such as Halloween and Thanksgiving, the origins are not part of many Americans’ heritage. These holidays gained popularity long after first beginning and for reasons that contrast their initial meaning. With the knowledge that Thanksgiving is far from historically accurate, it may not be surprising that it originated as a harvest celebration – later popularized by the U.S. government to create national unity around gratitude. Despite the holiday’s universal concept, it is observed in different ways across the country. Science teacher Stuart Arey practices Thanksgiving every year. “I think having family traditions [like thanksgiving] sort of builds a community within your family, a sense of trust. A sense of looking forward to something,” he said. “I think we live in a society today where people are not always that close together [...] and I think having a family tradition is a good way for families to communicate with each other, and try to build that togetherness.”
STAGNANT SETBACKS
HIPPOCAMPUS
the place in the brain where memories are formed, stored, and retrieved.
SOURCE: Nature Neuroscience INFOGRAPHIC: Lina Abid
CEREBRAL SENTIMENT. The hippocampus, the memory center, and the cerebral cortex, controlling perception, are linked in a Nature Neuroscience study titled “Shared memories reveal shared structure in neural activity across individuals.” It found that people who have shared memories of events also share similarities in their general perception and recall. Traditions have the power to deeply connect individuals within a community by creating shared memories.
At the same time, when traditions are used as a benchmark for who does or doesn’t belong in a community, they have the possibility to contribute to othering; the treatment of certain people as different or inferior to the dominant group. “I feel like a lot of times, especially with certain … traditions, if one of them is highlighted more than other traditions, people become unfamiliar with [those other traditions] because they are not represented equally,” senior Lila Montgomery said. “So when they do see it, they’re like, ‘Oh, that’s kind of weird’… They see it as more of a foreign thing than something that happens in their community.” One specific example of a changed tradition that comes to mind for Montgomery is the renaming of formerly titled Lake Calhoun to Bde Mka Ska, in order to honor the original Dakota inhabitants of the land. “I remember when they changed the name for that, it was kind of a big deal because some people were saying, ‘Oh, this is how it always has been. It’s breaking the tradition,’ and they weren’t able to recognize that the tradition [of having those types of titles] was harmful, just because it was so familiar to them,” she said. Research shows that holding onto traditions can lead individuals towards stagnation. According to a 2024 research article entitled “Integrating the Philosophy and Psychology of Well-Being: An Opinionated Overview,” overly adhering to a tradition can lead in-
dividuals to struggle with adapting to change. When traditions become closely tied to community values, they can leave less room for growth along with individuality. While Wagner recognizes this to be true, she also feels that there is a way to find a balance between maintaining both individuality and long-lasting customs. “I think traditions can leave little room for creativity or people wanting to do their own thing, but I think if done well, it provides a baseline understanding that people can then build upon and find connections between people who are different from them,” Wagner said.
INDIVIDUAL INTERPRETATION Over time, societal changes have caused new needs that traditions have adapted to fill. A Thanksgiving practiced with gratitude in mind has evolved to fit modern needs for familial connection. For ninth- grader Brandon Bachleitner, the answer is not to fully abandon traditions, but to allow traditions to evolve to reflect changing societal norms. “I think [traditions] should be [preserved] to an extent. I think that certain traditions, if things have changed, need to be more contemporary,” he said. “It can be important to change our traditions or adjust them slightly to match our needs.”
CONSISTENT COMFORT Even when traditions no longer cater to the needs of a community, completely breaking away from them can be difficult because of the familiarity they provide. “Traditions bring a sense of comfort, and by breaking a tradition, that sense of comfort can break as well, and by breaking your traditions, you don’t have a feel for what there once was, and that change can feel really sudden and unnecessary,” Bachleitner said. Montgomery emphasizes the importance of striking a balance:“[We] don’t have to scrap a tradition altogether, but it’s important to change its connotations if you feel like it could be negative,” she said. A 2025 Texas A&M study found that the preservation of certain traditions is part of human nature but is dependent on aspects that descendants find most important at the time. This evolution creates a cultural continuity based on perceived value; such as personal belonging and identity. As the holiday season rolls around once again, considering how traditions have evolved can serve as important insights into one’s personal history. “People are trying to incorporate more personalization with [holidays] and I think they are just trying to use different styles and unique stuff rather than just what everybody else is doing,” senior Stella Hunter said. From religiously affiliated traditions, such as crowning a bean king or queen on Epiphany to societal ones, such as Thanksgiving, traditions are integral aspects of students’ lives. Rather than eliminating these practices, communities can preserve their cultural and social significance while adapting them to reflect changing social norms and their own unique needs. with additional reporting by Ariella Kim
memory makers
The Rubicon editors CRAZE. Solutions editor Izzy MidSKIING SLOPES. Opinions editor Eva Burns offer a glimpse into COMIC dlebrook sits happy with her haul. She has stands with her brothers after a ski race every free comic book day with her in 2018. She learned how to ski when she traditions that spent dad since she was four, going to comic book was only one year old because skiing is a shape us stores around the Twin Cities. “Knowing that tradition on her dad’s side of the family. “I SUBMITTED PHOTO from the editor featured in the image and quoted.
every first weekend of November I get to do this with my dad is a great feeling,” she said.
don’t ski race anymore, but skiing is a big part of my life because both of my brothers still race,” she said.
CELEBRATION COOKING. Editor in Chief Evie Gardner regularly bakes desserts with her cousins for thanksgiving and other holidays. The tradition has been long standing. “I’ve baked a lot of desserts over the years, but my favorite has been baking my grandmother’s chocolate pecan pie for thanksgiving,” she said.
11
EPTH
NOVEMBER 2026
TRADITIONS AT SCHOOL
Meanings change as students grow
retreats advisory speeches spirit week assemblies homecoming
ARIELLA KIM
THE RUBICON
Pumpkin carving with kindergartners. Storming the field. School assemblies. Talk to Spartans past and present, and they can likely share one (or many) anecdotes from these experiences. Some origin stories start with humble beginnings and have blossomed into a cornerstone of connection. The importance of these traditions lives in student and alumni minds, literally, impacting neural patterns and connecting individuals across generations. For St. Paul Academy and Summit School lifers, the pumpkin carving tradition has a special significance as it brings back memories from their own lower school experiences. This year, Stella Hunter finds herself looking back at pumpkin carving as a kindergartner in 2014. “I remember just being super excited. I think I was I really like also kind of nervous because assemblies. I remember thinking that the ... Ever since seniors just looked like adults the lower school, to me. And I remember my assemblies have pumpkin carving people [...] been a core part of I just thought it was really fun,” she said. “This year I’m our community. really excited to work and talk with the little kids.” This tradition goes back ninth-grader all the way to the late 1990s Brandon when now retired kinderBachleitner garten teacher Jayne Nelson needed some extra hands to help her kindergartners with their pumpkin carving. She reached out to upper school seniors, and it was a success from the beginning, building meaningful relationships between different generations of students. A tradition was born that lives on today. For kindergartners, traditions like pumpkin carving can build a positive association with rituals at an early age, cementing their social significance. In a 2017 study entitled “The early social significance of shared ritual actions,” it was found that infants perceive ritualistic actions to carry social meaning and to indicate patterns of social relationships. Along with creating a sense of belonging and connection within communities, studies have also shown that the positive effect of traditions on school culture can translate to a positive effect on academic performance. A 2009 study in the International Journal of Leadership in Education by Angus J. MacNeil et al. directly linked school environment and culture to the academic achievement of students.
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COZY CUSTOMS. Managing Editor Sunde Auberjonois has inherited many a pajama set from her mom and grandma, who she called Mormor. All flannel, all Lanz of Salzburg. “Once in elementary school I took them on an overnight trip and everyone called me the Queen of England when I broke them out,” she said.
LINKED TOGETHER. Senior Miles Messier said that the school traditions “help people connect ... [to] a shared identity with past and future generations.”
Ninth-grader Carter Dodson believes that school traditions have helped him in his classes and collaboration skills. “I think the traditions that we do as a school can help build the community so that people are more collaborative, and it can help make people more focused,” he said. “On homecoming, I got to bond and meet new people that I don’t know if I’d necessarily otherwise meet. And now I’m more collaborative with them, and so I probably work better with them [in school work] than I did before.” Another crucial tradition to the school community are assemblies. They provide opportunities to come together and support one another, whether it’s for senior speeches or information about various events or cultures. While time spent in assemblies is not time spent on academic studies, it reinforces school values of mutual respect and good citizenship. Assemblies have changed a lot over the years. Dean of Students Mollie Ward has witnessed this evolution. “When I went to school here [as a student], there was an auditorium over by where admissions is, and we gathered every morning instead of advisory to do attendance and to have announcements,” Ward said. When Ward returned as a teacher in 2003, assemblies had been moved to the gym. “They’d pull the bleachers out [for] senior speeches, if we had any kind of speaker come, it was not super regular,” she said. Once The Huss Center for Performing Arts was built, assemblies mostly occurred for senior speeches, and blocked out times for students to gather together and celebrate each other became rare. Eventually, the current schedule emerged, which provided these opportunities for connection: two assemblies in Huss each week, one on Friday for senior speeches and one on Tuesday for student announcements, presentations or guest speakers.
BOOK FLOOD. Adviser Kathryn Campbell, observes their own little version of the Icelandic Jólabókaflóðið or “Book Flood” on Christmas Eve. Campbell said, “We order Chinese food and every person in my home for the holiday is given a book I chose for them and a bar of bougie chocolate. We snuggle in and read until bedtime.”
Ninth-grader Brandon Bachleitner looks forward to assemblies, in part because of his lower school assembly experiences. “I really like assemblies,” he said. “Ever since the lower school, assemblies have been a core part of our community. … They are an amazing way to spend time with other people and get a view of things going on.” The way traditions bring a community together can be connected to neural similarities. In a 2024 study entitled “Synchrony across brains” by Leonhard Schilbach et al., it was found that when individuals share focus on the same stimulus, their brains exhibit joint response patterns, reflecting shared understanding of narratives. The evolution of school assemblies from daily attendance gathering to weekly Huss events reflects how origin stories anchor school rituals. When traditions adapt across years, their main purpose of fostering shared citizenship remains the baseline narrative of how students interpret the event. Senior Miles Messier believes that traditions not only unite a presently existing community, but also connect current students of that community to past generations of people who participated in that same tradition. “I think [traditions] help people connect … to a community that’s existed before them, and it’s a way of upholding heritage, culture or a shared identity with past and future generations,” he said. Even for graduates, some – like Homecoming or reunions – are designed to not only remind them of where they’ve been but give current students a glimpse into what the future holds. Even “Shaping the minds and the hearts of the people who change the world” lights up brains for leaders and learners, because of the shared experiences created under this mission. with additional reporting by Grace Berger
READY SET GO. Opinions Editor Ariella Kim sits by a rock with her brother, cousins and grandma, getting ready to race across the park. “Whenever my cousins and I would see each other when we were little, we would go to the park, sit on the same rocks and run across the field, competing for who could get to the other side first,” she said.
BUBBLE BATH. News Editor Sylvia Westra poses with her arms covered in soapy bubbles as she gives her grandpa’s Saab it’s annual wash in summer 2014. Westra’s extended family always turned the car wash into a battle of suds and hoses. “I remember always having such a fun time with my grandpa while washing his car,” Westra said.
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SPORTS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
ASHA NEPAL’S
Lifelong love of fencing IZZY MIDDLEBROOK THE RUBICON
Fencing captain Asha Nepal’s pathway to fencing began with an animated children’s show about cat and ladybug-themed superheroes. “I’ve been watching ‘Miraculous Ladybug’ since I was really little, and they do a little bit of fencing in that ... so when my mom signed me up for it, I was really excited,” she said.
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[Nepal] brings a positive attitude to all our meetings and makes everyone feel included in our discussions. ninth-grader Kate Gao
“It” was the lower school’s after-school fencing program in third grade, and Nepal was instantly hooked. “I’ve done previous sports, but nothing really ... clicked until I started doing fencing,” she said. After beginning her competitive career at Twin Cities Fencing Club, Nepal joined the high school’s team in sixth grade. Due to her
prior experience, she never felt behind her teammates. “I wasn’t overly intimidated or nervous by anything, but it was a new experience, and it was probably one of the best things I’ve ever done,” Nepal said. Joining the girls fencing team brought her some memorable victories. Last year, she assisted her team in finishing second at the state tournament. “That’s just a huge accomplishment not only for me and the girls fencing, but also for the team in general,” she said. “That brought me a lot of joy getting to lead my fellow fencers.” Fencing takes up much of Nepal’s time all year, and she is no stranger to questions like “Why do you keep doing it?” Her answer is simple: community. “It’s an individual sport, so everyone’s very competitive and very like ‘I have to win’ ... but that drive also inspires others that you’re around,” Nepal said. Her teammate, captain Kate Gao, agrees with Nepal’s self-assessment. “She brings a positive attitude to all our
meetings and makes everyone feel included in our discussions,” Gao said. The road to success in fencing is not easy. Nepal has had to master its meticulous nature. “You’re constantly improving one thing, but something else gets left behind ... so you have to figure a way to balance everything,” she said. N e p a l has learned about balance through fencing and applied it to everyday life. “As schoolwork builds up, I’ve learned to adjust what I need to do before and after practices, and I’ve tried different things,” she said. After much trial and error, Nepal has her study routine down to a science. “I think I’ve finally found my sweet spot of when and where I should work,” she said. Nepal has begun preparing for her role as a leader on the team in the upcoming season by teaching beginner classes at TCFC and the lower school, where her fencing journey began.
PHOTO: Sam Galarneault
“Seeing the little kids’ faces light up once they understand part of fencing,” she said, “seeing them enjoy something that has brought me so much joy, just makes me really happy.” Nepal looks forward to growing with the team as the high school season begins and she steps into greater leadership.
YOUNG TALENT. Fencing captain Asha Nepal found her love for fencing at a young age. “[It] has brought me so much joy, just makes me really happy,” she said.
SUBMITTED PHOTO: Asha Nepal
SMART STANCE. Captain Asha Nepal sits low to get a good angle to attack her opponent.
SEASON CHAMPIONS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL After a dominant
regular season record of 9-1, girls volleyball won the IMAC Conference championships. Leading player stats: captain Murphy Miltner, who had 241 kills, captain Louise Mahoney with 132 digs and ninth-grader Sasha Lekah, who assisted 550 points during the regular season. The team placed fourth in their section, rewarding them a two game bye. All-Conference awards will be announced at their team banquet Nov. 9.
GIRLS SOCCER Finishing the regular season
6-6-5, girls soccer went into the 3A section championships with experience. After a long game, the team lost in penalty shootout, with a fianl score of 4-5. Captains Sofia Johnson and Sampsell-Jones received All-Conference honors while players Ellie Whitcomb and Thaim received honorable mentions, as well as All-State Second Team honors.
CROSS COUNTRY Girls CC earned
section champs Oct. 30 and are state bound. Nils Lajuzan qualified for boys CC as a state individual competitor. The runners will compete at the state tournament Nov. 7.
MIC’D UP: inside the action
SOCCER STAR
Since her eighth grade year, Phoebe Gottlieb has been on the girls soccer team. Currently, she is a sophomore on the team and has grown in many ways since her middle school days. She shares this growth, future ambitions, how she is a leader now and more while being MIC’D UP. PHOTOS: Auden Zheng
Scan this QR Code to watch Gottlieb’s MIC’D UP video on The Rubicon on YouTube.
GET YOUR KICKS
Captain Erik Bjorgvinsson has been on boys soccer for all four years of his high school experience. This year he led the team through a memorable season with strong leadership and smart strategies. Scan this QR Code to watch Bjorgvinsson’s MIC’D UP video on the Rubicon on YouTube.
Scan this QR Code to watch Bjorgvinsson’s MIC’D UP video on The Rubicon on YouTube.
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SPORTS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
Athletes learn to use nutrition to fuel success SYLVIA WESTRA THE RUBICON
What are an average teenager’s nutritional requirements on a day-today basis? How many carbohydrates does a high school athlete need to fuel themselves? Is there a limit to how much protein an athlete should have? A 2024 study done by the University of Connecticut found that only 35% of high school athletes could answer these sports nutrition-related questions correctly. The researchers realized that a lack of knowledge concerning healthy sports nutrition is the most common barrier preventing athletes from meeting the nutritional requirements of their sports. According to dietitian Rachel Parks’ 2023 book, “The Youth Athlete,” sports nutrition is the application of nutritional science to enhance athletic performance. Phys-
ical education teacher Rebecca Bjork guides her ninth-graders through a Fueling for Health unit centered on nutrition.
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Having enough energy to focus in school and having a balanced diet helps not just athletics. Henry Childs
“It’s a very factual unit because I know there can be a lot of different emotions and experiences with food, and [I] really want to be mindful and intentional about all of that, while still giving our students information that then they can decide how they want to use it in their lives about fueling for health,” she said. Bjork’s goal for the unit is to help her students make informed decisions. PICKLE POWER. Boys varsity soccer athletes drink pickle juice before their games. This tactic helps athletes prevent cramps during the game.
“[We are] relating food to performance in a general way, but still with the sports performance, talking about how athletes’ needs are different than the general population,” Bjork said. For athletes, the ways they recover and fuel often require some degree of strategy. Ninth-grader Natalie Henry is a competitive figure skater and has noticed nutrition affecting her performance in the past. She realized, though, that the nutrition needed to provide energy for skating is dependent on who you are as an athlete. “If you’re super into skating, then you might need more [energy,]” Henry said. “[And] if you’re skating longer, you’re probably gonna need more fuel to do well. But if you’re just [skating] for fun … then you don’t really need as much.” Additionally, according to the Mayo Clinic, timing your meals and snacks around a workout is critical for performance. The Mayo Clinic staff recommends eating large meals at least 3-4 hours before exercising, saving small snacks to have 1-3 hours before exercise. For Henry’s figure skating competitions, she
usually has to wake up early, which affects how she plans her meals before she hits the ice. “We wake up, and we get breakfast, but the breakfast tends to be really small because you’re about to go and skate, [so] you don’t have waffles before you compete because it kind of weighs you down.” Boys soccer player Max George attends team meals hosted by the players’ parents on game days, scheduled two to three hours before kickoff. The coaches encourage the team to practice sports nutrition habits by suggesting the players drink pickle juice to prevent cramps during games and by providing electrolyte packets to help the team stay hydrated. “I would say [nutrition] makes me more focused on the game because I’m not thinking ‘I’m hungry’ or that type of thing,” George said. In addition to Bjork’s Health and Wellness class, which all ninth-graders take, the school provides students with other opportunities to learn about sports nutrition. Sophomore Henry Childs attended the Taher Sports Nutrition Seminar Sept. 23, and thinks that students could take something away from it.
PREGAME PREP
Before every competition, athletes fuel up with electrolyte powders, water, fruit, creatine and carbohydrates to supply glycogen These measures are taken to avoid cramps, stay hydrated and remain at peak energy, preventing burning out or throwing up during the event. PHOTO: Ian Hang INFORMATION: 2026 study by Judd of John Hopkins Medicine
POSTGAME PLAN
After the competition, the main goal becomes recovery. Athletes consume food with high protein to build muscle. Other methods of recovery include ingesting items with high calories and sugar, replenishing electrolytes and injury prevention. PHOTO: Caden Deardurff
INFORMATION: 2024 study by Wang et al., in Nutrients
NONSTOP NUTRITION. Athletes use specialty foods to fuel and recover from their sports. Top: captain Louise Mahoney goes up for a jump serve. Bottom: junior Lucy Lowman prepares to shoot.
“Having enough energy to focus in school, and having a balanced diet, helps not just athletics. [Dietitian Melanie Wirth] was talking about [how nutrition helps] your brain learn, so [does] staying hydrated as well,” Childs said.
In addition to training, conditioning, or lifting to enhance athletic performance, rest, recovery and sports nutritional habits are key components of being a healthy student athlete.
Stylish significance: the importance of hair in sports EVIE GARDNER
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The undiminishable significance of hair has been traced back thousands of years, from ancient stories such as Samson, Delilah and Medusa to Disney’s “Tangled.” Hair is incredibly important, representing identity, emotion and sacrifice, and it also comes with the biological advantages of protecting skin temperature
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3. SUBMITTED PHOTOS: Iris Bergad
BIG BRAIDER. 1. Runner Iris Bergad braids cross country teammate Leah Passe’s hair before a race. 2. Bergad styles track teammate Tallulah Dogwill’s hair before a meet. 3. Bergad braids a camp friend’s hair before going on trail. “I feel like it’s a fun thing to do before a meet,” Bergad said.
and preventing eye damage. Hair in sports combines all of these factors. Junior Iris Bergad has utilized the functionality of a classic hairstyle on the track, Nordic ski and cross country trails, and has observed the connection hair can foster on sports teams. She has braided hair for every team she’s been on. “I’ve always been the braider,” she said. “I’ve made friends by braiding people’s hair [in] different grades, and if I wasn’t in cross country or if I didn’t know how to braid hair, maybe I wouldn’t be as close with my teammates.” Despite the bonding potential of hair, many athletes agree that the purpose of athletic hairstyles is for functionality. Hair can obscure vision, cause discomfort or get caught in equipment. In certain sports evaluated for aesthetics, such as gymnastics, hair may cause a loss of points. Tennis player and track runner Jocelyn Rog agrees with prioritizing functionality. “I don’t wear my hair down just to make it look better. I have it always up and off my neck, so I can stay focused on what my actual task at hand is, rather than obsessing over my hair,” she said. Additionally, hair can improve confidence in athletes, and translate to their on-field performance. As former National Football League and Major League Baseball player Deion Sanders puts it, “If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good.” Junior Jake McCrady finds a similar correlation between work ethic and hair care in hockey, a sport known for its more elaborate styles. “More than any other sport, [in hockey,] people always focus on hair more than any other kind of look. Everyone’s going for flow, longer hair, trying to get wings on the sides of their head,” he said. “I think a lot of people spend time on trying to make their hair
look good, and I think that does correlate to practices and trying to get better.” In fact, famous athletes’ hairstyles are so impactful that they are often predictors of societal hair trends. For example, figure skater Alysa Liu’s trademark raccoon stripes at the 2026 Winter Olympics inspired many to emulate the hairstyle, and track runner Sha’Carri Richardson’s embracement of natural hairstyles during her races encouraged many female athletes of color to do the same. In women’s sports, hair is often seen in more elaborate styles to prevent longer hair from getting in the way. Rog finds doing hair with teammates to be especially empowering and bonding.
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I’ve always been the braider. I’ve made friends by braiding people’s hair [in] different grades. junior Iris Bergad
“Right before a track meet, we’re all in the bathrooms doing our hair together and we’re all sharing glitter gel, and we’re helping each other, sharing supplies and braiding hair. I feel like it’s a fun thing to do before a meet,” she said. “I feel like it’s female empowerment and also just confidence. It’s putting each other up and helping each other out to look our best and feel our best.” From the trails to the rink, the importance of hair in sports is undeniable. It encourages higher performance, team bonding and most importantly, confidence.
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FEATURE THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
OFFICE VISIT:
Technology staff does it all EVA BURNS
THE RUBICON
Tucked into the side of the hallway, next to the debate classroom and across from the lower library, sits the tech office. Easily overlooked, the office is the backbone that keeps the school running smoothly. The tech office can always be depended on to fix the problem: from a broken screen to a jammed keyboard, a missing charger or a forgotten laptop, the tech office is effectively addressing all the tech needs of over 600 students and faculty. Even a small technical problem can become a major inconvenience when the majority of homework and class activities are done online. A computer that cannot function properly may result in a missed assignment or an inability to participate in class. The tech office provides a place where students can get these problems resolved, without having to go far from their classrooms. Senior Griffin Roy has experienced many laptop related issues that have sent him to the tech office. Currently, he has a broken keyboard at a Lenovo repair center and is borrowing a loaner computer until it comes back. “It’s been in the shop for a week or two, and they send email updates every few days to say where it’s at in the process, so it’s really helpful,” he said. Since his computer breaks so often, Roy has spent a lot of time in the tech office trying to fix his laptop issues.
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[The tech office] will always give you a good quote on when things will be done, which definitely makes planning your life out a lot easier. junior Mae LaChance
“They’re always so helpful and so kind and also know what they’re doing, unlike me,” he said. Roy also appreciates how willing the tech office has been to replace his lost stylus multiple times. Student Technology Committee sophomore representative Aaryan Bahadur considers the use of technology in the school community. “I think the tech office is a really important part of the community because ... it’s a really awesome resource for everyone to have,” he said. Bahadur has used the tech office’s resources multiple time. “The last time I had to go to the tech office was a few weeks ago because I forgot my charger and they have chargers there,” he said. For students in situations like Bahadur, the office can be useful for problems that are much less serious than a broken computer. Forgetting a charger is an easy mistake to make and can make it difficult to get through a full day of classes with a low battery. Having chargers and other loaner equipment available means
PHOTO: Eva Burns
A FIX-ALL. Media and Technology Coordinator Gene Swanson assists eighth grader Lars Piñero with a computer inquiry. The tech office offers services and solutions to many technological challenges, one of which is malfunctioning computers. They are also responsible for administering chargers, handling classroom technology and creating student accounts.
students have a reliable backup when those small problems arise that disrupt their daily routine. Junior Mae LaChance brought in her computer due to issues with her trackpad and hinges. “They took it right away and told me when it would be done and gave me a loaner,” she said. LaChance reflected on how the tech office has helped the community and made her life run more efficiently. “[The tech office] will always give you a good quote on when things will be done, which definitely makes planning your life out a lot easier,” she said. Khangpao Lee is an Information Technology support technician at upper school. “I think we help the school run more efficiently by making sure everything’s working for the kids and for the teachers,” he said. Lee has handled many tech issues with community members. “[One issue] I can say is usually with [students’] cameras. There’s a camera switch off on the top [of the computer screen], and most of the time the kids forget that it’s on,” he said. Whether the problem is a laptop with a broken keyboard headed to the repair center or a charger simply forgotten at home, the tech office handles the everyday technical setbacks that come with a school system increasingly dependent on technology. Students may only spend a few minutes in the office, but those minutes can be the difference between being stuck without a device and getting back to class to participate in the learning activity that uses a laptop. For a place that is usually only visited when something has gone wrong, the tech office has become an essential part of making sure the rest of the school can keep going right.
Three things you might not know the tech office does:
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Monitors printers and takes time to fix simple mishaps like paper jams.
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Supervises livestreams and takes care of any recording and editing needs for Randolph campus.
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Leads technology for Huss productions and other special events, including guest speakers and outside events, like Commencement. INFORMATION: Gene Swanson
SPA THINKS:
How has the tech office helped you?
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You can very easily just send your computer to them, and they can fix it for free.
They give me a charger when I don’t have one.
I like how the tech office takes time to troubleshoot my computer.
junior Samuel Krueger
senior Emma Tan
junior Nolan Rosenberger
FEATURE THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
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Do you believe in ghosts? Supernatural sightings WYNTER FEINER
MANAGING EDITOR
“Absolutely not.” “Did I finally snap?” “Am I losing it?” were the words senior Eli Perry thought to himself as what he could only describe as a sixfoot-long arm advanced toward him from the sky. During the summer before his sophomore year of high school, Perry visited the Rocky Mountains through Camp Widjiwagan. After deciding to venture through a side path with a friend, Perry “made a joke about how I was glad that they were in front of me because it meant if there was anything in front of us, they would be the one to face it, not me, and I could run.” Seconds later, Perry and his group mate found themselves sprinting in the opposite direction. “We both, pretty much at the same time, looked
up and saw a six-footlong arm reach towards us, and then we … ran the other way. I have not been back to that camp since,” he said. While no words were exchanged amid the runin, Perry noted that after they evaded the path, the two group mates were in agreement about what they had just witnessed. Published in a Gallup news article, journalists Rachael Yi and Sarah Hogenboom-Jones found that 39% of Americans express a belief in ghosts. In comparison, 24% to 29% believe in other supernatural phenomena, including telepathy, communication with the dead, clairvoyance, astrology, reincarnation and witches. Perry’s encounter is not unique. Though sophomore Jack Miltner had convictions about the paranormal prior to his trip to Northern California, he had nev-
er witnessed anything he would categorize as paranormal until he embarked on the trip to surf camp through Pacific Coast Surf Lessons.
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When someone dies, a part of them stays on Earth and never actually leaves. ninthgrader Julia Lau
“We go to the beach. It’s pitch black. It’s midnight. I swear I saw something knee deep in the water, just looking at me,” Miltner said. “I looked away for half a second to point it out to my friend, and then it just disap peared without a trace, no ripples in the water.” While Miltner may not be able to explain
his encounter, Perry ties religious beliefs to his, pinpointing the entity as the wendigo, a spirit originating from Native American mythology. “The other person I was with is Native American. I believe they’re Dakota, and you cannot see [the wendigo] alone as someone who is not of Native American descent, but if you are with someone who is, you can see it,” he said. The origin of beliefs in supernatural beings can be traced to the 15th century. Early associations were concerned with theology. As time passed, however, the supernatural grew to encompass entities and phenomena that are not intelligible to natural law. Diversely, although she has never encountered anything she has described as paranormal, ninth-grader Julia Lau believes in ghosts. “I believe that when
someone dies, a part of them stays on Earth and never actually leaves,” Lau said. “I’ve just always believed since I was little. I’m just waiting for something to happen.” From translucent and amiable fictional characters, such as Casper the Friendly Ghost, to eerie shadows that disappear upon a second glance, the paranormal has infiltrated pop culture, mythology and now, stories belonging to St. Paul Academy and Summit School students.
GHOSTLY GROVE. Senior Eli Perry was at Camp Widjiwagan, hiking with a group mate, when he had his encounter: “We both, pretty much at the same time, looked up and saw a six-foot-long arm reach towards us,” he said.
ILLUSTRATION: Ariella Kim
Sustainability: individuals find meaning in some greener solutions SAM GALARNEAULT
CHIEF VISUAL EDITOR
Finding how to contribute to a healthy environment may not be as challenging as it seems. Whether at one’s house, school or with transportation, students find different ways to incorporate sustainable actions for a more healthy environment. The practice of sustainability is to continually support a system and ensure its longevity and health. Ninth-grader Rosalyn Bailey understands the importance of practicing sustainability as a part of showing care for the world she lives in. “To protect the environment, we can find better ways [to be more eco-friendly], because we’re killing it right now,” Bailey said. Bailey’s weariness reflects a broader environmental challenge. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration released a 2025 report titled “2024 Was the Warmest Year on Record,” which showed that 2024 broke records in global temperatures and shares the continuation of earth’s deteriorating health. Junior Noah Miller-Fimpel agrees with the necessity to find ways to reduce carbon footprint for a more healthy en-
vironment around him. He reflects on his contribution to living a more eco-friendly lifestyle through transportation. “When the weather is nice or you don’t have to drive, I try to bike to school a lot,” Miller-Fimpel said.
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To protect the environment, we can find better ways [to be more ecofriendly], because we’re killing it right now. ninth-grader Rosalyn Bailey
He believes that it’s important to find a way to maintain sustainable lifestyle practices when able. Ninth-grader Alexa Ball also advocates for small gestures to help protect against climate change. Ball finds consistency to be a main way she is able to help make an impact on her carbon footprint. “I am also about how I have to be mindful of how my everyday actions affect our planet,” she said. “Small changes can make a huge difference. When many people do them consistently, it can show that everyone has a huge role in saving our planet. I believe sustain-
ability should be done consistently because protecting the environment requires ongoing effort.” Bailey, Miller-Fimpel and Ball all advocate for not wasting common use resources if necessary. They all find simplistic, non-challenging ways to improve the health of the environment around them. At home, Bailey does this by prioritizing small tasks that will reduce wasted energy. “We make sure to keep our light off when we’re not in the room [and] keep the tap off … because that is just wasting water,” she said. “We also don’t throw away a lot of food scraps and instead we put them in the compost because then we use it for our garden.” Similarly, Miller-Fimpel emphasizes the impact of conserving energy in his day-to-day life. “I don’t want to spend a lot of necessary energy [on sustainability] if I don’t have to,” he said, “I think it’s important that everybody has their role, so we can have a better future.” Ball also shares the volume mundane tasks can have on contributing to a sustainable world. She shows that the idea of making an impact can be daunting but in reality, it might be a lot less tricky that one might assume.
The upper school offers a number of ways to be eco-friendly CAFETERIA COMPOSTING Within the cafeteria’s trash receptacle, a green compost bin sits at the ready to gather any food scraps, napkins and disposable cups.
PHOTO: Lilly Parr
BOUNTIFUL BICYCLES The bike rack located Lilly Courtyard, serves as the perfect spot to store bikes during the day.
PHOTO: Sam Galarneault
PUBLIC PASSES The school provides students with free bus passes if they live within a certain distance from campus. Access to public transportation is a way for students to explore the Twin Cities while lessening PHOTO: Wynter Feiner their potential carbon footprint.
“My family and I have already been doing tiny little tasks every day that make a huge difference for our environment. One thing we do is compost our waste and little scraps of food, instead of throwing it away in the trash,” she said. “I think
that sustainability starts with personal responsibility, but everyone can make an effort to improve their habits.” These students all advocate for a communal appreciation for the planet’s health. They find it important that
everyone finds small ways to contribute to a more eco-friendly environment. Understanding where to start can be difficult, but these students don’t let that stop them from trying and leading by example on how to add to a healthier planet.
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FEATURE THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
YOU CAN DO IT. Baseball captain Henry Fenlon encourages a lower school baseball player running through bases during a baseball drill.
SPORT SUPPORT. Baseball captains Henry Fenlon and Gus Hembre take time to work with lower schoolers. “It’s a good opportunity to learn from experienced players and coaches at a pretty young age. That’s always important,” Hembre said.
PHOTOS: Tallulah Dogwill
FRIENDLY FACE-OFF. Boys lacrosse captain Richard Romans teaches younger athletes how to properly perform a lacrosse face-off, a method used to put the ball in play at the beginning of each quarter and after every scored goal. The girls’ coach taught them the basics and had them practice. “Once they did it a few times, I corrected some things ... like a basic description and then a more in-depth one once they sort of got the hang of it,” Romans said.
Sports clinics build cross-campus bridges TALLULAH DOGWILL THE RUBICON
The lower school buzzed with excitement, kids swinging their arms back and forth on the Goodrich campus field, preparing for an hour of drills ahead of them. After their warm up was complete, baseball captains Gus Hembre and Henry Fenlon, along with baseball clinic coaches Rick Magnuson and Nick Palombo called the kids in to circle up around them. Attention was scattered as there were over 30 kids attending the clinic. After multiple calls of “c i rc l e up, circle up,” from Hemb r e
and Fenlon, the corral of students made their way towards them. A few times a week in the fall, after the school day ends, Hembre and Fenlon make their way over to the lower school to help lead baseball clinics for third, fourth and fifth graders. Hembre has been involved with the clinic since his junior year after being invited by former upper school baseball coach Rob Thompson. “It’s a good opportunity to learn from experienced players and coaches at a pretty young age. That’s always important, just to build the foundation for the future of sports,” Hembre said.
Sports clinics at the lower school are one of the lesser known programs around the Randolph campus, and a way for students to bridge the physical gap between campuses. Every athletics season, a small group of varsity athletes lead clinics in their sports, a unique opportunity for high school athletes to mentor the younger
generation. The clinics are designed to build the foundational skills needed for young athletes to eventually excel on a team.
“
I’ve had younger and older coaches ... it’s more like another player when you have a younger coach.
senior Henry Fenlon
Back on the field, Magnuson and Palombo directed Hembre and Fenlon to lead the kids through throwing drills. A small wave of laughter emerged from the group, as two lower schoolers ran up to Fenlon and Hembre pretending to chase them. This type of spirited atmosphere is what lacrosse clinic coach Rob Pottle believes the upper school athletes create at the clinics. “The high schoolers are role models for the kids. I think they bring all the perspectives and knowledge. They just bring a lot of fun … [and] a lot of great energy,” he said. Similarly, Fenlon emphasizes the unique type of relationship that
younger coaches cultivate with the lower schoolers. “I’ve had younger and older coaches … it’s more like another player when you have a younger coach,” he said. “I think it allows [the lower schoolers] to be less formal.” Ten years ago, when current Interim Head of School Chris Hughes was the high school principal, he was part of the team that pushed for this program. “This is something I’ve tried to foster since I’ve left here. I love the fact that it’s happening,” he said. Hughes believes that the clinics offer a space for lower schoolers to identify with their fellow older students. “Educationally, psychologically, emotionally, you know, in our case, at pre-K-12 school, [lower school] students get to see themselves, kind of their future selves, in the students around them,” he said. In the spring, the school hosts clinics in other sports – purposely planned to operate during the off-season of high school athletics. Boys soccer captain Erik Bjorgvinsson coached lower school soccer clinics his sophomore year. He believes that the clinics “help bridge the connection between the lower school, upper school and middle school.” Bjorgvinsson found joy in connecting with
the students he helped coach years later. “I see some of the [previously lower schoolers] now in middle school … and I see them at our games coming to watch; it’s always fun to see and talk to them,” he said. The clinics allow for cross-campus connection beyond the bounds of a normal school day. Both high schoolers and lower schoolers find connection over their shared dedication to learning and sharing knowledge through athletics.
PERSONALIZED PRACTICE. Boys lacrosse captain Richard Romans passes a lacrosse ball to fourth grader Olivia Casanova. “Olivia and I were practicing our catching before the scrimmage,” Romans said.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
FROM ACTORS TO ANIMALS:
Inside ‘Animal Farm’ ELLIE WHITCOMB THE RUBICON
During a theater performance, complicated movements, stage display and lighting seem effortless. However, behind the scenes, every step, position and action are carefully and purposefully articulated. For the cast of “Animal Farm,” that includes figuring out how to transform from actors to animals throughout the production. Junior Eamon Bakker, part of the ensemble, observed the unique challenge of maintaining the identity of an animal throughout the production. “You have to take on the likeness of whatever animal,” he said. “A horse, for example, would hold its head up high and walk in a rhythm.” The costumes resemble various animals as they interact throughout the play. At the beginning of the production, the actors plan to walk
on all fours to convey their animalistic nature to the audience. As the production moves on, the characters will begin to display more human-like behavior.
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We’ve all [collaborated] really well, and it’s starting to become a very tight-knit community. ninth-grader Lucy Johnson
The first few rehearsals have been less focused on the actual performance, and more on building a community within the cast. Rather than working through the script, cast members spent their first rehearsals playing games designed to help them become comfortable around each other.
Ninth-grader Sully Tietz recognized the importance of the cast members’ bond with each other. “I think it really benefits us as a group because [the bonding] brings everyone together,” he said. “Animal Farm” will be Tietz’s first high school production. The emphasis on interpersonal relationships in the theater department has helped him adjust to the new environment. Bakker agrees: “It really allows you to connect with other people and work with each other better, which helps the acting to seem more interconnected,” he said. As rehearsals continue, there has been a shift in focus from bonding to the performance itself. The cast is currently in the process of blocking scenes, a system that involves deciding where actors stand, how they navigate the stage and how every movement will work together through-
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PHOTO: Ivy Evans
A PIG’S PLAN. Ninth-grader Sully Tietz, who plays the Young Animal, and ninth-grader Lucy Johnson receive instruction from director Jon Ferguson. Tietz appreciated the closeness of the theater community. “[The bonding] brings everyone together,” he said.
out the scenes. Blocking also helps to determine where set items are placed and the general components of imagery as the scenes play out. For the cast, their focus is on helping each other as a united group to develop the complexity of their animal role. These small details among the cast ultimately shape the final production.
FILM REVIEW
‘Best of the best’ is best of the best
COMING OF AGE.The two main characters in “Best of the Best,” Anjali and Maya, stand surrounded by fellow Bollywood dancers. The film, directed by Lena Khan, follows the story of two college students as they navigate their changing lives and relationships. It was released Sept. 18, 2026, and is now available to stream on Netflix.
Like Tietz, ninth-grader Lucy Johnson has found the cast’s unity to be a welcoming aspect of her first upper school theater production. “I think [rehearsals are] going great,” she said. “We’ve all [collaborated] really well, and it’s starting to become a very tight-knit community.” “Animal Farm” performs in the Huss Center
for Performing Arts Nov. 13-14 at 7 p.m.
Scan this QR code to watch “behind the scenes” posts @spatheater on Instagram.
Q&A: Serena Hodges ‘13, cinematographer on the documentary that inspired ‘Best of the Best’
SCREEN CAPTURE: @Netflix on YouTube
JACK GAO
THE RUBICON
“Best of the Best” (2026) is a comedic coming-ofage story that explores the challenges of adolescence, personal identity and navigating familial and cultural expectations. Through the experiences of the main characters, Anjali and Maya, the movie captures the uncertainty of adulthood through a constantly changing cultural landscape within the South Asian community. By combining personal struggles with broader cultural themes, “Best of the Best” offers a meaningful look at finding a sense of belonging in a constantly changing world. One of the movie’s greatest strengths is its portrayal of two young women navigating college under very different circumstances. Anjali’s journey begins with barely securing admission to UCLA, forcing her to balance academic pressure and personal life. Maya, meanwhile, carries the emotional weight of a viral video in which a drone malfunctioned and hit her in the face during a high school dance show. Together, Anjali and Maya’s arcs demonstrate that coming of age is rarely
easy. Instead, it involves uncomfortable questions and moments of self-reflection. Beyond its central characters, “Best of the Best” stands out for exploring cultural transformation within the South Asian community. The film’s events symbolize a shift away from strictly traditional experiences towards a more blended cultural identity. Rather than presenting tradition and modernity as opposing forces, “Best of the Best” suggests that younger generations can honor their culture while developing identities that reflect their own experiences. Ultimately, “Best of the Best” succeeds because it connects Anjali and Maya’s personal experiences to a larger conversation about identity, belonging and change. Its depiction of college life and cultural change makes it more than a conventional coming-ofage storyline. It is a story about defining success while recognizing the experiences and traditions that shape individuals. By emphasizing growth over perfection, the film ends with a well-thought-out message: growing up through cultural expectations is not about abandoning the past, but finding a way to balance cultural roots with individuality.
Best of the Best Writer/Director Starring Running time Rated Watch next
Lena Khan Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Priyanka Kedia 112 minutes PG-13 (from Letterboxd) Work It (2020), Sweethearts (2024), Kuch Kuch Hota v (1998)
SUBMITTED PHOTO: Serena Hodges
HARD AT WORK. Serena Hodges works behind the scenes on “Bollywood Dance U,” which inspired parts of “Best of the Best.” Both films were released in 2026.
Q: Do you feel like ‘Best of the Best’ is a portrayal of specific metaphors within your documentary? A: There are many themes between ‘Best of the Best’ and ‘Bollywood Dance U,’ one of them being the ability to hold two cultural identities: that of being South Asian and growing up in the United States. There is a lot of social and cultural pressure students have to reckon with in the same way that the characters in ‘Best of the Best’ have to. Q: What inspired you to [work on] the original documentary? A: I actually had no idea about the world of Bollywood Competitive Dancing until [the documentary director] pitched the idea to me. ... When we started living in Texas and following the teams at the University of Texas at Dallas, I was floored by the dedication and work each student poured into dancing. Q: What was your immediate reaction after watching ‘Best of the Best’ for the first time? A: ‘Best of the Best’ was a fun film to watch. It was even exciting to see some of the footage I shot in the documentary series make it into an interlude of the film.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
Artist spotlight:
DeRuggiero plays to grow musicianship, build skill set LINA ABID
THE RUBICON
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: Lina Abid
SOUND STRATEGY. Sophomore Zoe DeRuggiero began her guitar journey by taking lessons. Now, she often turns to YouTube tutorials when looking to learn a new song. DeRuggiero is inspired by music she listens to regularly, “Probably one of the most influential guitarists for me would be Johnny Greenwood from Radiohead,” she said.
Repeat, repeat, repeat. When it comes to guitar, sophomore Zoe DeRuggiero puts in the time. She received her first guitar when she turned 11, and since then has devoted many hours to learning the instrument, both in school and on her own time. DeRuggiero doesn’t approach practice as a task to be procrastinated, but as a skill to nourish. “I think the best way to practice is just to play songs that you like, and that way it doesn’t even feel like practice,” she said. “I usually end up playing for upwards of an hour every day.” This time is used for repetition. DeRuggiero operates by starting to learn the notes, then working up to the tempo once comfortable. Given the choice, her practice is spent mostly on learning songs that she would regularly listen to, which mostly consist of rock and metal. “Probably one of the most influential guitarists for me would be Johnny Greenwood from Radiohead,” DeRuggiero said. Initially, she took guitar lessons to familiarize herself with the instrument, but now when she sits down with her guitar with a song in mind, she heads to YouTube to look up a tutorial. Not included in the hour or more of time DeRuggiero spends playing her favorite songs at home is her participation in jazz band. DeRuggiero recalls a particularly time-consuming challenge she faced while preparing for the annual upper school Pops Concert.
“
I think the best way to practice is just to play songs that you like, and that way it doesn’t even feel like practice.
PHOTO: Ivy Evans
SWITCHING STYLES. In addition to the hour or more of time sophomore Zoe DeRuggiero spends playing her favorite songs at home, she also participates in jazz band, utilizing time at school to practice the repertoire assigned
sophomore Zoe DeRuggiero
PHOTO: Evie Gardner
ENSEMBLE EXPERIENCE. Sophomore Zoe DeRuggiero and ninth-grader Kirby Iverson rehearse with their band, Eruption, for the Oct. 30 Battle of the Bands competition.
SUBMITTED PHOTO: Zoe DeRuggiero
LONG-TIME MUSICIAN. Playing Weird Fishes/Arpeggi by Radiohead, Sophomore Zoe DeRuggiero stands gazings down at her guitar on the Old Port Square stage in Portland, Maine. DeRuggiero started playing guitar at 11, by 13-years-old she had taken to the stage.
FROM THE WEB
“Last year we did a big band arrangement of ‘Blackbird’ by The Beatles, and there was this ending section that was really hard, and I kept breaking on that. Eventually, I basically had it, but I messed it up at the concert. That was pretty terrible,” she said. DeRuggiero usually uses jazz band class time to learn the assigned songs. This leaves all the more time to focus on her own taste outside of class, but she appreciates the variation that jazz band adds to her guitar skills. “I knew nothing about jazz previously, so it’s wonderful to be sort of expanding your repertoire,” she said. No matter what the musical challenge, DeRuggiero tackles it with the same principle: “Generally, it’s just keep practicing and just persevere, and then you get better.” DeRuggiero has also spent time experimenting with composition and songwriting. She brings her same approach to this extension of her ability. Try, try again, and don’t get discouraged by the learning curve. “I’m not an amazing songwriter, but I eventually want to be able to be good at that,” she said. “[I] come up with a song idea and try to add stuff onto it. … It starts with the music.” Memories of past slip-ups or new and foreign skills do not stand in the way of her desire to learn and improve every day.
“Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story” is not about Lizzie Borden
Hudson Stone releases second, mediocre single
SUNDE AUBERJONOIS
IZZY MIDDLEBROOK
THE RUBICON
THE RUBICON
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
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Street art shapes civic pride in Twin Cities LILLY PARR
THE RUBICON
She smiles, her bluegreen lips curving upwards. Amid locks of her painted hair, creatures and crustaceans swim. They are frozen in time, their movements paused by the artist’s brushstrokes. To the right, a blue-haired man in a tan suit is drowning. His face is frozen in fear, as tentacles surround him. Bubbles escape from his agape mouth. Is this the scene of a drowning, while someone watches passively? Has Medusa materialized on 2290 Waycliff Road? No, it’s a mural by Chuck U for the 2019 Chroma Zone Art Festival. Murals are an essential part of Twin Cities. According to Find MASA, Minneapolis alone hosts over 80 murals, a number that doesn’t include graffiti or other forms
of public art. Walls, windows and fences become a vessel for something that shapes the Twin Cities identity so distinctly.
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Using murals ... is really powerful because it shows we’re in this together. senior Griffin Roy
“[Murals] bring attention to new artists, and I think it kind of makes the Twin Cities feel more characterized,” junior Kate Tuttle said. Tuttle’s favorite mural is located on the corner of Saratoga and Selby. Painted by Megan Moore, a message above it reads, “Healing is an
art. It takes time. It takes practice. It takes love.” Tuttle has grown to love the mural after she drove past it multiple times when commuting to and from school. Tuttle is not the only one: sophomore Lily Bryan is also acquainted with the fondness murals often bring to Twin Cities residents, largely because of their accessibility to all. “I think [murals] make [the Twin Cities] a more fun spot to be in,” Bryan said. “I think it will make it more enjoyable for kids and people in general.” In addition to the ways in which murals provide many students with an appreciation for beauty, joy and existing within the mundane, they also gain worth in times of struggle. In the past few years, the Twin Cities have overcome their fair share of crises, and its streets have plenty of art to show for it.
PHOTOS: Lilly Parr
HOOKED ON ART. A mural of bell hooks, painted by Leslie Barlow sits in an intersection in Minneapolis. It was painted by Leslie Barlow for a 2023 Chroma Zone art festival.
It’s a type of art senior Griffin Roy has found particularly influential in the Twin Cities. “Using [murals], where it’s public and for everyone to see, is really powerful because it shows we’re in this together,” Roy said. Following George Floyd’s murder in 2020, Urban Art Mapping, an organization founded
by students and faculty at the University of Saint Thomas, worked to archive and record art pieces across Minneapolis made in response to the murder. Similar art has appeared all across the nation in response to crises that affect the Twin Cities and beyond. “[Murals] … show the struggles in a clearer way that more people can un-
derstand what’s going on and so it allows [them] to learn,” Bryan said. Art of many forms is valued in the Twin Cities, but the way murals are appreciated is unique to each individual. Unlike masterpieces in a museum or homemade crafts, they exist in our streets, communities and neighborhoods, living and breathing alongside us.
Chimborazo offers taste of Ecuadorian culture, cuisine in Minnesota EVA BURNS
THE RUBICON
PHOTOS: Eva Burns
TASTE OF ECUADOR. Chimborazo offers an opportunity for students to experience Ecuadorian culture in St. Paul. NOT A DAINTY DISH. Llapingachos con Chorizo is a favorite of junior Clara Lovelace. “I think that’s something that is very Ecuadorian,” she said. YUMMY YUCA. One of Chimborazo’s most popular dishes is their yuca frites, served with aji criollo sauce. COLORFUL COMBOS. One of Chimborazo’s 12 entrees is the Encocado, which is served with a choice of shrimp, mahi-mahi or a combination of both.
In 2009, chef Marcus Pinguil opened traditional Ecuadorian and Andean highlands restaurant Chimborazo, located in Northeast Minneapolis. Exactly 15 years later, Pinguil opened another location in St. Paul at 508 Lexington Parkway. Located just over a mile from the Randolph campus, Chimborazo offers students and faculty a nearby opportunity to experience Ecuadorian cuisine. Named after Ecuador’s Chimborazo volcano, the restaurant draws on the country’s culinary traditions and cultural identity. The restaurant stands out for its colorful interior, generous portions and welcoming atmosphere. For some St. Paul residents, it has become a place to gather to enjoy a restaurant that offers something different from more familiar dining options. For junior Clara Lovelace, the restaurant’s atmosphere is one of the most memorable features. “It’s very orange and yellow, which I associate with Ecuador. I feel like they’ve sort of coordinated their interior themes with the colors of the Ecuadorian flag,” she said. Dalena, a longtime server and hostess at Chimborazo, finds positive, close bonds among the staff. “It’s like working with your family. It’s still a job, but we all know each other,” she said. Dalena likes to specially customize a dish, where she takes the Hornado Con Papas, removes the hominy and replaces it with some rice and a fried egg. Hornado Con Papas is slow-roasted pork served with three llapingachos, mote and curtido. A few years ago, Chimborazo was recommended to English teacher Akie Kutsunai by a former student. Now, she says that a lot of the upper school faculty enjoy going there. Kutsunai prefers the St. Paul location because it tends to be less busy.
TRY IT YOURSELF
508 Lexington Parkway S, St. Paul 2851 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis Sat. 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun. 8 a.m.-9 p.m., Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m.10 p.m. $ $20-$30 per person “Here the space is still beautiful, but it’s a little more relaxed,” she said. Lovelace enjoys the restaurant’s Llapingachos dish, but she also enjoys the steak. One thing that sticks out to her about the service at Chimborazo is the generous plating. “I think that it’s nice because they serve you on big plates of food. I think that’s something that is very Ecuadorian, that you get a big plate of food versus [multiple little plates],” she said. Junior Caleb Colton has eaten at Chimborazo in the past and would recommend it to others looking to try authentic Ecuadorian food. “I thought the food there was really good. I really liked their rice and yuca fritas, which I would recommend,” he said. Chimborazo features rice at the center of almost all its dishes, sometimes topped with a fried egg. The yuca fries, or “yuca frita,” as written on the menu, are a very popular order at the restaurant. They come with a fresh aji criollo sauce and are topped with onion, garlic and citrus sauce. From its traditional Andean cuisine to its colorful atmosphere, the restaurant gives diners the opportunity to explore delicious Ecuadorian and Andean cuisine in a welcoming environment. With two locations in the Twin Cities, and one being very close to the school, Chimborazo features the flavors of Ecuador to the local community.
SOLUTIONS THE RUBICON - NOVEMBER 2026
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Shop for Change carries out thrifting mission IVY EVANS
THE RUBICON
Solutions journalism is reporting about social problems that includes community or policy response, stakeholder insight, data and research evidence, and limitations of the solution. As homeless encampments shut down across the Twin Cities and inflation rises, low-income and homeless communities continue to lack proper resources and support. According to a 2026 National Low Income Housing Coalition report on housing needs by state, there are 41 homes for every 100 low-income renters in the city of Minneapolis, causing an extreme shortage of affordable housing for those who need it. However, an organization called People Responding in Social Ministry is working to change this narrative and have proved to be instrumental in providing aid for those in need. PRISM’s mission, as their website states, is to provide “dignity-based resources for food, housing and other basic needs.” The organization, founded in the 1970s, runs a food shelf, services for homelessness prevention and a program that helps children experience cele-
brations they may not experience otherwise. Shop for Change Manager Teresa Deming appreciates being part of the welcoming community PRISM creates. “Anybody can come to the food shelf,” she said. “We are just very grateful to be here.”
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I feel like there’s a lot of good pieces, especially in thrifting, that ... a lot of stores won’t have. ninthgrader Caroline Janus
Many years ago, PRISM opened a thrift store in Golden Valley called Shop for Change. According to PRISM’s website, as of February 2026, Shop for Change raised $109,000 to assist in housing payments in the midst of Operation Metro Surge, exceeding their original goal of $100,000. Shop for Change’s strategy aligns heavily with many teenagers’ hobbies. The practice of thrifting has become increasingly popular with young people in recent years, evidenced by the increase in secondhand
sales, according to a 2026 report by ThredUp Resale. Senior Margaret Bonin thrifts because she finds the hobby fulfilling, and appreciates that she can reap the benefits where she puts in effort. “It can be very rewarding. … It’s like, if you try hard and if you commit yourself, you can find some really good stuff,” Bonin said. Ninth-grader Caroline Janus practices thrifting because it aligns with her interests. “I think I’m a very fashion-centered person. I am very into fashion and I feel like there’s a lot of good pieces, especially in thrifting, that … a lot of stores won’t have,” she said. For many teenagers, thrifting is just a hobby, but at Shop for Change, it means more than that. Shop for Change is run by and sends 100% of its proceeds to PRISM. The store has over 400 volunteers, though not all are currently active. Deming has been an employee of Shop for Change for three years, but began volunteering six years ago. She believes volunteering is often the first step in getting involved with PRISM. “It’s great to get to know what social services programs … are out there,” she said. “Volunteering is a great way to do it.”
WANT TO DONATE? ACCEPTED • • • • • •
• •
Clothing, outerwear and shoes for all ages Jewelry and accessories Linens Kitchen items Home decor Working small appliances like toasters, lamps, irons, clocks, vacuums and coffee makers Toys Games and puzzles
NOT ACCEPTED • • • • • • • • •
Large electronics, televisions, VCRs, and computer equipment Furniture Sports and exercise equipment Building materials Vehicles and bicycles Baby strollers, car seats, etc. Microwaves Books Hangers
PHOTOS: Ivy Evans INFORMATION: People Responding in Social Ministry
ACCEPTED ITEMS. People Responding in Social Ministry’s thrift store Shop for Change accepts a multitude of items. Donating to or purchasing from Shop for Change supports PRISM as 100% of proceeds go to the organization.
Prospective volunteers must attend an orientation, after which they are eligible to help at Shop for Change, PRISM’s food shelf or both. Student participants’ shifts range from two to four hours. Shop for Change’s website offers instructions on how to volunteer. Despite its immense impact on local communities, Shop for Change cannot continue its efforts without help. However, students may not be aware of or may have minimal interest in going to thrift stores that are farther away when they have access to so many much closer ones. Since
much of the appeal of thrift stores lies in their collective sustainability and affordability, many people do not pay attention to which stores they frequent most often, so long as these demands are met. Deming emphasized the importance of contributing to the community: “There are a lot of needs out there, and there are a lot of ways that we can all be giving back, and the benefits of giving back are amazing,” she said. When enough people are mindful about where their money is going, organizations like PRISM and the people they serve
reap the benefits. Without this intentionality, Shop for Change could not function as it does now. In Janus’s opinion, this mindfulness is not only applicable to habitual thrifters. “I actually started [thrifting] last year and this year where I really got into fashion,” she said. “I think it’s really fun, especially if you’re getting into fashion. … If you’re interested, you should do it.” Shop for Change is located at 1220 Zane Ave N. in Golden Valley. They are open six days a week and hours are available on their website.
PURPOSEFUL PURCHASING. Shop for Change’s proceeds focus on making an impact. They surpassed their original goal of $100,000 to support housing payments during Operation Metro Surge, ultimately raising $109,000. “There are a lot of needs out there, and there are a lot of ways that we can all be giving back,” Shop for Change Manager Teresa Deming said.
Be part of the solution scan the QR codes to learn more
volunteer
shop online
Shop for Change is entirely run by volunteers; they welcome student volunteers to help at the store.
If you can’t make it in person, Shop for Change has a Poshmark where they sell items from the store.