December 2018 Issue

POETRY OUT LOUD Catch up with the students reciting poetry and vying for a spot in the state competition.

A&E p. 13

@therubiconspa @TheRubiconSPA TheRubicon.SPA The Rubicon

LONELINESS

TOURNAMENTS

Explore how loneliness is a factor in every student’s life and how it is perpetuated by social media.

See how tournaments are helping teams bond outside of every day games.

IN-DEPTH p. 8-9

the

SPORTS p.15

the student newspaper of St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave, St. Paul, MN 55105 Volume 46. Issue 4.

December 18, 2018.

www.rubiconline.com

Violence at border spurs debate SALAH ABDULKARIM ELIZABETH TREVATHAN STAFF WRITERS All students from St. Paul Academy and Summit School, even though it might not be obvious at first glance, have a connection to immigration.

Whether the recent news of violence at the border has added stress to their lives, or if one of their family members has struggled with immigrating, everyone is linked to immigration. “[The media] depicts immigrants as being criminals in a lot of ways; they don’t depict them as being people who deserve to be here,” 9th grader Katherine Bragg said.

According to the Associated Press, in recent weeks thousands of migrants have fled poverty and violence by joining caravans to request refuge at the U.S. Border. Their goal of refuge has not been met. Instead, violence has continued.

“There seems like a lot of controversy around [President Trump] speaking on the behalf of people who he doesn’t have a connection to. Especially because all of these people are coming from war and are trying to flee and have a better life for their family, and they aren’t allowed to do that just because of decisions he’s making without knowing where they’re coming from,” sophomore Aman Rahman said.

Immigration has dominated recent public discussion. Currently, immigration rhetoric has been focused on the “migrant caravan” moving towards the US-Mexico border. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, a rainstorm on Nov. 27 destroyed the Benito Juárez shelter in Tijuana, Mexico, forcing hundreds of caravan migrants to be transported 11 miles farther from the border to another shelter. The officials who were leading the migrants away from Benito Juárez said that the new shelter would allow for safer conditions including a roof and electricity. The migrants would also be allowed to come and go without restrictions.

The National Commission for Human Rights in Mexico recommended that the migrants relocate, but the 30-minute drive to the new and supposedly better shelter made it difficult for many to leave. They had already traveled more than 2,000 miles in the caravan, and many were unwilling to risk getting any farther away from the border.

ISSUE INDEX

1-2 ... News 10 ... Health

“I think it is important to have regulations at the border like I don’t think we should have open borders but I do think that if people are trying to get into the country, we should provide pathways that make it easier for them to come legally,” Sophomore Isabel Toghramadjian said.

Senior Joe Kase voiced a similar opinion: “I think we should make it easier for people to immigrate here rather than force them out.”

Even though they had been warned by Tijuana officials that food and medical services would stop being provided at the Benito

Regions of birth of U.S. immigrant population

4% 7%South

4%

subSaharan Africa

The Middle East

America

8%

Central America

27%

Mexico

INFOGRAPHIC DESIGN: Quinn Christenson, Maren Ostrem, Lucy Sandeen

10% 27% 13% South and

The Caribbean

Europe/ Canada

Juarez shelter soon, fewer than 500 migrants decided to move to the new shelter. In the Benito Juarez shelter, migrants had started selling cigarettes and renting out phone chargers, desperately trying to earn enough money to buy food. On the same day that the migrants left Benito Juárez, a group of migrants marched to the Mexican Immigration offices near the San Ysidro Port of Entry and were planning to stage a hunger strike until both sides of the border sped up the asylum process.

“I think that the way that the U.S. system is set up is going to lead situations like this because we’ve drastically cut down on the pathways to legal citizenship, so the people who are seeking opportunities, safety, or whatever, are kind of forced into unfortunate situations which are not good for them and aren’t really good for the country ei-

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East India Asia 4%

Infographic data from the Pew Research Center

“

[THE MEDIA] DEPICTS IMMIGRANTS AS CRIMINALS...

THEY DON’T DEPICT THEM AS PEOPLE WHO DESERVE TO BE HERE.

”

- Katherine Bragg ther,” 9th grader Milo Zelle said.

Mexican border officials stopped the migrants, stating that they did not want a repeat of Nov. 27, where a peaceful march quickly turned into hundreds of

4-5 ... Opinions 12-13 ... A&E

migrants at the border, with many acting violently.

According to the Washington Post, the majority of the migrant caravan approached the border peacefully with the intention of convincing the officials to increase the speed of the asylum process, but hundreds still tried to cross the border. Mexican authorities said that they would deport any member of the caravan if they attempted to cross illegally.

The Chicago Tribune reported that a few of the migrants threw rocks at US Customs and Border Protection agents, who responded by releasing tear gas into the crowds of migrants and their families. The Border Protection agents also released pepper spray balls, which were an on-the-spot decision.

President Trump responded to

6-7 ... Feature 14-15 ... Sports

this by saying that the officers used a safe form of tear gas.

“It makes me really upset and disappointed because what I heard was that they put tear gas on people that were still in Mexico. And I also think that there are other ways to do something then to release gas,” Toghramadjian said in response to the tear gas incident.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the U.S. authorities arrested 69 people, and Mexican authorities arrested 39 people.

U.S. officials shut the border down for several hours after the incident, costing Mexico $6.3 million in revenue. The incident cost $6.3 million in revenue for Mexico because the U.S. officials shut down the border for several hours after the incident.

“I think if we can give them more opportunities to come to the country legally, we won’t have to deal with this,” Zelle said.

8-9 ... In-Depth 16 ... Photo Story

2CAS ties up year NEWS

THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2018

with blanket making NOOR CHRISTAVA STAFF WRITER

Community Action and Service Club advisor Mollie Ward likes the idea of kids getting to help others. One way CAS is making this possible is by providing two opportunities in December to help people in need. The group collected toys for Hallie Q Brown’s store and donations for My Very Own Bed, and capped the service by hosting a tie blanket party. Advisories worked together on Dec. 12 to make blankets.

“Most of us here have a lot,” Ward said, “and we’re going to get more if we celebrate any holidays at all over break,” Ward said.

CAS co-President Annie Bottern helped with the change from Support a Family, a long-standing service practice

WILL BE “ ITMORE FUN

FOR EVERYONE TO DO THIS TOGETHER. - Annie Bottern

”

at SPA. “I’ve always liked the holiday events,” Bottern said.

Members of CAS cut the fabrics in advance so the blankets could be tied in a 40 minute advisory period. These blankets were sent to My Very Own Bed as part of the dream kits: sheets, pillow, mattress pad, blanket and a stuffed animal.

This organization helps families that are coming out of homelessness. One of the last things

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Noor Christava HOLIDAY SPIRIT. Sophomores Kate Hick and Margot Bergner along with 9th grader Graciela Whitaker-Castañeda prepare blankets for the CAS blanket tying party. most families are able to get is a proper bed for their children.

In 2017, My Very Own Bed provided about 300 new mattresses and box springs.

This year, they have a goal

of delivering about 500 beds.

Giving a child a bed not only allows for a more comfortable place to sleep at night, but also helps with the child’s growth, stress control, and learning.

The event was an opportunity for the SPA community to come together in the holiday season.

Before the event, Bottern said, “I think that it will be more fun for everyone to do this together.”

Students travel to Nashville for diversity conference

Photo submitted by Karla Garcia INTERCULTURAL IMMERSION. Senior Ethan Dincer, Junior Arie Walker, Sophomore Gabriella Thompson, Senior Rachael Johnson, Sophomore Karla Gracia, and Senior Imran Umer traveled to Nashville for the 2018 SDLC.

ANNIKA ROCK STAFF WRITER Basking in Tennessee’s sweater weather, six Upper School students and three faculty members attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference in Nashville, Nov. 28 - Dec. 1 with 1700 other independent school members from around the country.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the SDLC conference, which SPA has attended for 15 years, according to US Director of Intercultural Life Karen Dye.

“I feel like everyone’s experience is different, but I feel like you learn a lot about yourself and about how to interact with communities of people and with other students. And it’s just a place where everyone has something in common,” sophomore Karla Garcia said of the conference as a whole.

This year’s theme was Listening for the Grace Note: Finding Harmony within Cacophony.

During the conference, attendees worked to improve their communication skills across different cultures and topics, cre-

ate social justice strategies to use throughout life, and make connections with like-minded people. Students were put into three different groups over the course of the conference: affinity groups, regional groups and family groups. Within these groups students had discussions, played games, and performed exercises.

This gathering of multiracial and multicultural students is taught by a skilled and diverse team of adults. The students participated in many different activities, such as listening to notable guest speakers like Lisa Ling from CNN and Christian Picciolini, an “ex-skinhead and white supremacist who now works to reform young white supremacists out of neo-Nazi groups,” according to senior Ethan Dincer. Guest speakers shared specific events that occurred in their lives that they thought were important for students to hear.

“

FOR STUDENTS PLANNING ON GOING TO SDLC, I WOULD SAY THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS IS THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE. - Ethan Dincer

”

Students chose to attend affinity groups that aligned with one or more pieces of their identity.

“My favorite part was the affinity groups that I went to because it’s really amazing to be in a room full of people that look like you and share your experiences,” sophomore Gabriella Thompson said. “That was kind of a first for me, coming from a primarily white institution.

It was really incredible to be in that environment where it is was super diverse and everyone was really supportive and willing to be vulnerable and open.”

There were approximately 10 affinity groups that met throughout the four days. Most groups focused mainly on racial and ethnic backgrounds, but some also focused on sexual identity or family structure.

Each affinity group contained as few as 40 or up to 200 students.

“For students planning on going to SDLC, I would say that one of the biggest takeaways is that you are not alone. Too often as students of color, we feel isolated and without community in our independent schools.

SDLC really shows students how to not only do the work for racial equity in schools, but also how to do the work while still maintaining a sense of yourself.

I think that sometimes when students, especially those of color, try to improve the communities around them, they forget to take care of themselves.

SDLC instills the the sense that we are all in this fight together, which is a reminder of how you aren’t alone,” Dincer said.

SDLC provided a space for students from Minnesota and outside of Minnesota to bond and make connections.

“I enjoyed SDLC a lot. It was… life changing,” Garcia said.

CORRECTIONS POLICY

NOVEMBER CORRECTIONS

Corrections are printed at the bottom of News p. 2. Corrections will be printed in the month following the error and, if the story is also published online, will be corrected following the online corrections policy.

IN DEPTH 8: Attack on Free Speech text box was incomplete.

IN DEPTH 9: Jasper Green credit for bar graph.

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Addie Morrisette RIDE. Ninth grader Olivia Szaj sits on her bus ride home.

Declining ridership brings changes to Metro Transit bus routes ADDIE MORRISSETTE STAFF WRITER Students who take the bus to and from school rely on the fact that buses provide a timely, environmentally friendly, and dependable commute. Due to a declining number of public transit riders, Metro Transit changed its routes and schedules on Dec. 1.

The ridership report released in September highlighted the two percent decrease in rides since the same time last year. The ridership decline is prompting changes in routes and schedules that no longer serve a large audience.

Many of the modifications include schedule changes, meaning some buses come at a lower frequency. This could be an inconvenience for student riders who rely on the consistency of buses to get to and from school on time.

Read the full story at

RUBICON online

J

EDITORIAL:

EDITORIAL THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2018

-Term addition would recharge third quarter

THE RUBICON STAFF EDITORIAL

When the upper school schedule changed from an eight period day to a block schedule in 2015, the decision created a learning environment that allowed for deeper immersion, fewer transitions, and more time for student-centered, inquiry based learning. It was an excellent first step; the next one should be to add a January term.

”

The January Term, or J-Term, is an example of holistic education which aims to create a healthier learning environment and provide a space where students can grow into well-balanced people. Most colleges and some high schools have created room in between semesters for students to take a break from their normal curriculum in exchange for a period of focused study on a topic of interest.

Teachers are some of the best experts on their interests, and during the month of January after winter break, they would

Large number of clubs encourages variety of interests Walking down the hallways of Schilling, orange bulletin boards line the walls with a variety of displays from clubs. Having a large selection of clubs gives all students a chance to explore interests and passions that may be pursued in the future and to connect with like-minded students across grade levels. Especially with the flexibility of SPA clubs, students are able to roam between multiple clubs within one meeting session. This broadens horizons of different fields of interests. Next time Thursday comes around, stop into a club space.

Lockers must return to hallways

“ INSTEAD OF HAVING

TO DIVIDE ONE’S FOCUS BETWEEN SEVERAL CLASSES, STUDENTS CAN DEVOTE MORE TIME TO THEIR PASSIONS TO GET MORE OUT OF THEM.

MINI EDS:

3

EDITORIAL CARTOON: Jenny Ries J-TERM. The J-Term comes to the rescue to substitute regular school in January. be able to opt-in and facilitate J-Terms for students to choose from and sign up for.

Instead of having to divide one’s focus between several classes, students can devote more time to their passions and get more out of them. One of the reasons for the schedule shift from having eight periods a day to four a day was to give students more time to engage in there classes.

The activities and field trips of a J-Term would give students a reason to be intrinsically engaged because it would allow them to dive deep into their interests for a month. It would give students a reason to enjoy their education more than ever before.

For instance, imagine how the expansion of the language program’s exchange trips into a four-week time-frame would increase students’ fluency and knowledge of foreign culture

compared to the two weeks spent over spring break. Or a J-Term where students could prototype new inventions, perform field research on the Mississippi, or work on a short film.

This time period would provide the school with a means to stay true to their mission statements. If one of the main purposes of education is to train students into well functioning members of society, the system needs to do a better job at facilitating personal growth, and a J-Term would provide SPA a month long time-frame specifically for this.

The niche groups of J-Terms would enable students to form connections across grade lines easily in a space where geeking out can be celebrated. During the J-Term, the avid participation of students would break down the status quos that are formed

during the first half of the year and ultimately create a more compassionate environment.

When students are bogged down by performance, they can lose track of why they have come to learn in the first place. The pressure of school can compromise the ability of some students to learn, and by switching up the system during a J-Term, the root of the cause can be dismantled.

According to The Mayo Clinic, if stress is left unchecked, it can cause sleep problems, lack of motivation, and depression. By making the grading process for a J-Term summative rather than assessment oriented, day-to-day stress would be removed from the equation. Students could rejoin their education in a safer space. By reintroducing a love of learning into students’ lives, SPA can jump to the forefront of holistic education.

When thinking about the necessities of maintaining a productive high school experience, few come to mind faster than lockers. Lockers serve to house binders and books in-between classes, but are also a popular hang-out location for students, a place for team posters and college banners. Unfortunately, the administration chose to relinquish many of the freedoms having a locker entails by confining them to classrooms. Students and faculty tried to make in-classroom lockers work for a whole semester. They don’t. Lockers need to return to the halls, where they belong, so students can use them at their convenience.

College apps cannot quantify passion More and more of the high school experience focuses on getting into college. The competition of college admission can make students forget about what is important to them. Students should focus less on what they think colleges want and more on what they are passionate about.

Whether it’s English, math, or science, focus should be on activities that students get fulfillment from. Follow a passion; it will to the right place to go.

THE RUBICON St. Paul Academy and Summit School • 1712 Randolph Ave St. Paul, MN 55105 • rubicon.spa@gmail.com • www.RubicOnline.com • @TheRubiconSPA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CHIEF VISUAL EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR STORY EDITOR NEWS EDITORS OPINIONS EDITORS FEATURE EDITORS IN DEPTH EDITOR ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS SPORTS EDITORS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR HEALTH EDITOR PHOTO STORY EDITOR

Jack Benson Quinn Christensen Chloe Morse Andrew Johnson Maren Ostrem, Lucy Sandeen Lizzie Kristal, Kat St. MartinNorburg Lucy Benson, Meagan Massie Jasper Green Eloise Duncan, Evelyn Lillemoe Julia Baron, Tommy Stolpestad Sharee Roman Jenny Ries Claire Hallaway

DIRECTOR OF RUBICONLINE CREATIVE DESIGN MANAGER PRODUCTION MANAGER SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER NEWS EDITORS OPINIONS EDITORS COLUMNIST FEATURE EDITORS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS ARTS CRITIC SPORTS EDITORS RUBICON T V PRODUCER INTERACTIVE STORYTELLING TEAM

Mimi Geller Noah Raaum Isabel Gisser Annie Bottern Martha Sanchez, Kelby Wittenberg Will Rinkoff, Isabel Saavedra-Weis Kieran Singh Sam Hanson, Melissa Nie Koji Gutzmann, Lynn Reynolds Michael Forsgren Emma Sampson, Bobby Verhey Ellie Nowakowski Tristan Hitchens-Brookins (Lead), Rylan Hefner, Liv Larsen, Tana Ososki

STAFF WRITERS

Salah Abdulkarim, Eric Bottern, Sara Browne, Henry Burkhardt, El Chen, Noor Christava, Ganga Corsaro, Duncan Fleming, Adrienne Gaylord, Tessah Green, Josh Harrison, Addie Morrisette, Sarah Oppenheim, Anna Perleberg, Annika Rock, Elizabeth Trevathan ADVISER

Kathryn Campbell

PUBLICATIONS ASSISTANT

Kate Glassman

4

OPINIONS THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2018

EIGHT

TEN

IN UNAUTHORIZED MEXICAN ADULT IMMIGRANTS HAD LIVED IN THE U.S. FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS IN 2016.

INFOGRAPHIC BY: Salah Abdulkarim

DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES:

Tear gas usage reignites asylum rights debate Immigrants unfairly face American violence EVELYN LILLEMOE THE RUBICON EDITOR

The immigrants that are currently seeking asylum in the United States are scared. The vast majority of them are coming for safety from often dangerous and unjust situations in their home countries. And, by international law, they have a right to do so.

America should not greet them

with hatred, but open arms. The reason they traveled hundreds of miles to reach the borderis not to commit a terrorist attack, to steal jobs; it is simply to be safe and live without fear. The countries many of the migrants are fleeing from, such as Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, have some of the highest levels of violence in the world. The murder rates in these countries are three to eight

times over epidemic levels by the standards of the World Health Organization. The people who have traveled to the border to get away from that violence are met with hate from the United States.

These are mothers, fathers, and children: people who simply want a better life for themselves and their families, who are faced with anti immigrant rhetoric and the president himself gen-

eralizing them as “criminals.”

The hate towards undocumented immigrants in this country is based on viewing them as not simply people just like us, but as a group that is different from other Americans. For many, these immigrants don’t speak their language, didn’t grow up with their culture, and are often not the same race. This creates a sharp contrast between native born cit-

izens and immigrants. Americans need to remember that unless you are a Native American, your ancestors were once immigrants too, just looking for a better life for them and their family. Our country should welcome immigrants who are looking for a better life and focus more on how we can help people seeking asylum and and how we can keep them safe.

Support towards foreign countries will reduce issues SHAREE ROMAN THE RUBICON EDITOR

In 2018, Gallup announced that illegal immigration surged to the top of the nation’s most important problem list and along with it was the anxiety. The concern about illegal immigrants seems to be less about the people and more about the process and structure of receiving a large number of people from different countries. Questions like “how will the healthcare be impacted” and “how will taxes be impacted”, are more common than actual consideration of immigration policy and procedure. While much of the focus is on border enforcement, the solution to the problem is more complex.

The present immigrant arrivals from Central America do

not represent a national security threat. Some are escaping poverty; others seek protection from violence that may make them eligible for asylum. The rising number of families and unaccompanied children arriving in recent years is a serious concern.

It causes problems with the fostering, healthcare, and tax system. Yet this increase is a development that can be addressed by the United States and its neighboring countries.

There is a way that preserves the opportunity to provide humanitarian protection while also discouraging unfounded asylum claims (false statements of persecution) and the formation of caravans as a new migration pattern in our region. These large groups of people traveling together to seek asylum is becoming more of

a problem in the wake of funding cuts to the U.S Refugee Program.

This path requires immediate, near, and long-term actions that should begin with changes to the U.S. asylum system.

One reason for undocumented immigration is the difficulty associated with achieving proper admittance to this country. Presently, asylum seekers who pass the initial screening are referred to immigration courts, where they are at the end of a backlog of more than 760,000 cases. Allowing the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) officers who conduct the initial screening interview at the border to complete the full adjudication of cases would greatly increase the speed and effectiveness of the process. Timely processing of asylum claims would allow for

a decrease in wait time and for backlogs to be eliminated.

Immigrants present for academic reason and immigrants who are truly in danger and live in peril should be allowed seek refuge in the United States.

Mexico is an essential player and partner, as are smaller neighboring countries such as Guatemala and Honduras. Mexico and the United States should set the goal of establishing a safe third-country agreement, whereby the United States and the international community can be confident of humanitarian protection in the first safe country reached, as is the case between Canada and the United States. Such an agreement would, as the name suggests, designate Mexico as a safe country to receive asylum seekers and would stop almost

any asylum seeker who sets foot on Mexican soil from later lodging a claim in the United States.

Legal, safe, and orderly migration should be the aim throughout Central and North America. To get there, serious security challenges in the Northern Triangle countries -- Guatemala Honduras, and El Salvador-- must be addressed, as must improving economic prospects for their populations. These are goals that must be embraced and accomplished by the foreign countries themselves. The United States can play an important role in advancing and supporting promising efforts by these countries on a sustained basis.

United States Government greets immigrants with shame JULIA BARON THE RUBICON EDITOR Desperately grabbing on to her twin daughters arms, one of them wearing a pull-up diaper, and the other missing shoes, 39-year-old Maria Mesa races from the tear gas hitting her and her family. The image released on Nov. 25 of Mesa and her 5-yearold daughters has become a viral image, but Mesa is just one among the many helpless people that were hit by tear gas shot at them by U.S border patrol in Tijuana, Mexico. This brutal treatment of migrants seeking refuge is unacceptable, and the U.S Government needs to be held respon-

sible for their inhumane approach for how they deal with desperate refugees.

Although President Donald Trump is trying to downplay the effects of the tear gas by saying that it was a “very minor form” and that it was “very safe”, the effects of tear gas can be devastating and dangerous. According to the International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations, tear gas can cause permanent injuries, and in some cases death.

Mesa’s son fainted after getting shot with tear gas, and Mesa commented to a reporter from NBC News that “one of them could have died.” Tear gas has been globally banned by most

countries for international warfare. If tear gas isn’t even used in some of the most violent of wars, then it should not be used against helpless immigrants with no means to protect or defend themselves from it.

Trump is also trying to defend the use of tear gas on immigrants at the border by saying, “We had tremendous violence — three Border Patrol people yesterday were very badly hurt through getting hit with rocks and stones,” Although Trump’s hasty remarks to defend this form of assault do have some truth behind them, in the sense that migrants did throw rocks and other objects at border pa-

trol agents, the Department of Homeland Security stated that no border patrol agents faced any injuries.

Unfortunately, Trump’s statements about the use of tear against migrants are not in any way a surprise, as he has proven to not be in favor of migrants getting into the U.S, and has used immigration as a main selling point for his campaign. Trump recently traveled to Duluth, Minnesota and riled up his supporters by leading chants such as “The border is going to be just as tough as it’s been,” and “Build that wall! Build that wall! Build that wall!” The United States was intended to be and continues to

be a nation of immigrants. Every U.S citizen’s ancestors, except Native Americans, came to the U.S on some type of caravan. As much as Trump wants to criminalize and dehumanize these migrants and label them as criminals, rapists, terrorists, and illegal aliens, in reality, they are people that have traveled thousands of miles to seek refuge for themselves and their families, only to be faced with violence and hatred against them.

Read more about immigration on: News 1

5 Mars Rover landing raises ethical colonization questions OPINIONS

THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2018

CHLOE MORSE MANAGING EDITOR

While space has long fascinated people of all ages and backgrounds, it’s always seemed like a distant, unreachable location.

Now however, scientists have presented a way for human civilization to possibly be semi-transplanted to space: terraforming Mars. There are a variety of ways to terraform Mars, but on a fundamental level, terraforming entails changing Mars’s biology to make it fit for Earthly life, including humans. While terraforming Mars may seem like an incredible initiative, it also raises countless ethical and moral concerns that outweigh any positive effects.

One of the larger issues with terraforming Mars, and subsequently developing a human colony there, is that it’s not within humanity’s rights to terraform another planet. By fundamentally changing the environment of Mars, humanity essentially takes control of the planet, developing a human-centric mentality that assumes dominance over other areas of space. This mindset fos-

ters the idea that humankind is a superior race of space creatures, and therefore, prioritizes human life over what could be found in space. Considering the fact that scientists have a limited understanding at this point about how space works, prioritizing humanity could have dangerous repercussions that humans won’t even know about.

The main reason to terraform Mars is the idea that humanity could build a colony there, which would function as a backup home in case Earth stopped being habitable. However, this argument is inherently flawed. According to Upper School science teacher of the Space Science class, Steve Heilig, Mars isn’t a feasible location for Earth’s current population.

Because Mars is smaller than the Earth, it’s not like we can take everybody and move them [there],” he said. In the case that Mars were to serve as an outpost of human civilization, it wouldn’t even be able to save everyone on Earth. In the event that human civilization were to transplant to Mars, some people would be chosen to go, while others would

be left behind on Earth. This choice could exacerbate power structures already in place, leaving marginalized communities on Earth, and saving people in privilege. Therefore, a colony on Mars isn’t a viable back-up plan.

Mars also isn’t the only location where humans could have an outpost of civilization, and therefore, it doesn’t need to be terraformed. According to Heilig, asteroids pose a viable alternative to colonies on Mars.

“There’s a lot of opportunity to live in space other than the surface of Mars...You could take a big asteroid, and drill tunnels into it and turn that into a giant city in space,” he said.

In fact, according to Heilig, terraforming Mars would cost more time and resources than building a colony elsewhere in space.

“To [make] a whole planet [habitable], that’s a tricky thing, but to build a space colony, that might be something we can do in short time,” he said.

While some people argue that terraforming Mars is necessary to have a back-up plan for human civilization, it actually isn’t need-

Core Ethical Issues: Not every human would be able to go.

More expensive than other space options.

Human life would be prioritized over other possible space life THE RUBICON PHOTO: Kat St. Martin-Norburg EXPLORATION. Dr. Heilig makes a list of the pros and cons to colonizing the solar system in the Space Science class. ed at all. Humans can develop a colony in space not just outside of Mars, but more easily. For people who are interested in a space colony, developing one on an asteroid is actually a more viable, and time-efficient plan. Mars isn’t the only or best option for a space colony, and therefore, doesn’t need to be terraformed for human benefits.

Terraforming Mars would do more harm than good. It would violate the respect humans need to have for space and destroy the potential for life. Even the suggested benefit, human life in space, has other, better, ways it can be achieved besides terraforming Mars. Ultimately, because terraforming Mars is unnecessary and harmful, humankind should not pursue the idea of terraforming Mars.

Dress code needs to be updated to allow more freedom of expression ELOISE DUNCAN THE RUBICON EDITOR

Clothing is a form of self expression, and should not be regulated by others. Telling someone what they can and cannot wear is taking away individuality and independence. In the past month, an announcement was added to the daily Blue Sheet regarding the dress code, and more specifically, the “uptick in dress code violations.” The last time the dress code at St. Paul Academy was reflected upon and altered by Upper School Council was in 2015 because “the old version was too gendered, it didn’t feel safe and inclusive for all students,” USC Vice-President at the time Moira McCarthy said. However, even though the dress code was relaxed, it is still restrictive in multiple ways.

There are four things that are required under the dress code: “shirts or tops with sleeve openings that extend no lower than midway down the ribcage, shirts that extend below the waist, over the navel area, and pants, dresses, skirts, or shorts that extend

Undermining the spirit of the dress code?

ILLUSTRATION: Kat St. Martin-Norburg RESTRICTION. Even though the SPA Dress Code has been revised to be more lenient, the guidelines that remain are surprisingly restrictive. at least to the mid-thigh” are re- dress code, shortening it to only still understand that their clothquired at all times, with the only two words. It used to be a long ing choice has to be appropriate other required thing being foot- and detailed 10 page long rule for the workplace. wear. Although the intention be- book, but after taking over as Students at SPA may not be hind these rules is to ensure that CEO, she changed it to “dress adults like the people working everyone is properly covered, appropriately.” This rule is short at General Motors, but they these rules are outdated even af- and sweet, yet effective. It gives have the maturity to know what ter a short span of three years. the employees a way to express should and should not be worn General Motors CEO Mary themselves and have freedom at school. Some schools, such as Barra recently changed their with their clothing choice, but East Longmeadow High School

in Massachusetts have changed their dress codes to saying that all clothes must cover up all private parts of the body, which encompasses every student and does not imply that only some need to cover up. This is a smart idea because it gives all students the independence to choose what they wear, but also forces them to gain and utilize their understanding of what is and what is not appropriate.

It has been three years since the dress code was changed, and three years is a long time for teenagers. Clothing has not only changed since then, but also the rest of the world, including school rules. Clothing is a way of expressing oneself, and should not be focused on over school work. The dress code at SPA should be reevaluated by USC and the administration, and a helpful way of doing this would be to talk with students about their issues with the dress codes and ways that they think could fix it, because, after all, administration does not have to deal with dress code. Students do.

POLICIES, MEMBERSHIPS AND AWARDS 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.

PUBLICATION INFO The Rubicon

is published eight times a year. We distribute 750 copies of each issue to the Upper School which are available for free.

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it is always preferable to use names when reporting, there are times when it is necessary to protect those we report on. In the case of a student, the use of grade level as a name designation (i.e. Sophomore Student) will be the preferred method of anonymity.

BY LINES credit the individual who

conducted interviews, drafted, revised and fact-checked an assigned story.

Shared bylines are given to joint effort assignments, with reporters listed alphabetically by last name. Stories that include supplemental materials include a credit at the bottom that states

“Additional reporting by” followed by the name of the reporter.

style. All pieces must be submitted and will be published with a full name.

published online, will be corrected following the online corrections policy.

EDITORIALS articulate the collective

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IN PRINT: Corrections are printed at the bottom of News p. 2. Corrections will be printed in the month following the error and, if the story is also

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6

FEATURE THE RUBICON -DECEMBER 2018

Hoven’s biking 3000 miles in a month this summer to fight Type 1 Diabetes.

Would SPA students want to bike along?

“It takes a lot of dedication and I think I would like to do it. I don’t think I’m in shape enough... to bike across the country.”

-Senior Iris Shaker-Check

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: Matt Hoven MOUNTAIN HIGH. Hoven poses while on solo journey on the Colorado Trail, south of Lake City, Colorado.

Crossing continents: “It would be really awesome. I don’t have time to do that because I have work over the summer and training for cross country. I’d love to, I just don’t have the time.”

-Sophomore Michael Moran

“I would do it if I had the chance and if I had an open summer because it’s for a good cause and it sounds like fun!”

-Junior Kathleen Bishop

Additional reporting done by Meagan Massie

Hoven to travel 3000 miles on bike ERIC BOTTERN STAFF WRITER For US English teacher Matt Hoven, embarking on a month long bikepacking journey across the continental divide this summer is a no brainer.

Bikepacking is a form of backpacking, but instead of travelling by foot, a bikepacker travels on their bicycle. The official kickoff for Tour Divide 2018 starts in Banff, Alberta on June 8, but Hoven will start a week later so he can finish out the school year.

The official ride ends at the US-Mexico border in New Mexico on July 15 and is 2,745 miles according to the website. But Hoven’s decided to go the extra mile, literally: his ride will surpass 3000 miles because he will finish with a 300 mile trek to Taos, New Mexico to visit a friend.

This trip is about more than biking across the American West for Hoven; it’s about the fight against Type 1 diabetes.

“My father, my sister, and my uncles, and my sisters all had it,” Hoven said.

The Great Divide Mountain Bike Race, the official name of the ride, is not officially a race that raises money for the fight against Type 1 Diabetes, but is instead a challenge for experi-

enced bikepackers. Hoven alone is doing the race to raise money for the fight against Type 1.

Type 1 diabetes affects approximately 1.25 million Americans, with 40,000 people of all ages being diagnosed annually. The race has been in his plans for four

have a GPS, “Iand it lets me

know roughly where to go... but I’ll literally be hiking through a creek for a while.

”

- Matt Hoven years, and this year Hoven will be able to knock this off his list.

Though he’s never done the race, the route isn’t unfamiliar to Hoven. “I’ve done a couple short sections of it, but never the whole thing,” he said.

Of the 3,000 mile trip, 90% of the route is unpaved, with a total

ascent of 45,618 miles. Hoven is planning on doing the whole ride solo.

“For now [I am planning on doing it alone]... unless I can convince anybody to come with me,” he said.

The race isn’t particularly difficult rated a 5.5/10 difficulty on the official bikepacking website, bikepacking.com, but the path itself is difficult to find.

“I have a GPS, and it lets me know roughly where to go and if I go too far off I can find my way, but I’ll literally be hiking through a creek for a while,” he said.

Despite what it may seem, finding a place to sleep on the 30-day journey shouldn’t be too hard for Hoven. “You stealth camp sometimes [and] find a little hidden place along the ride.

There’s tons of space to camp; a lot of it is national forests, so you just pull over,” he said.

However, not all of the trip will be spent camping under the stars.

“There are a couple places I’ve planned to stop that are bike hostels,” Hoven said.

Ever since Hoven started thinking about this trek, he has intended to raise money for the fight against Type 1 diabetes.

All the money raised will come through donations to Guidestar,

or through a fundraising page, specifically to support Hoven, which will open this spring. Donations through either site can be given in Hoven’s name or in support of his ride this summer.

Google maps photo TREK. The 3,000 mile route that Hoven will be taking this summer across the continental divide for 30 days.

FEATURE THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2018

Celebrations across cultures

7

Pongal-making connects Raveendran to Hindu culture GANGA CORSARO STAFF WRITER Every Thursday, Sophomore Rashmi Raveendran and her family make pongal.

Pongal is a sweet, sticky, rice meal that is often made in celebration of the Tamil and Hindu holiday festival Thai Pongal.

“It’s made by first boiling rice. Then, putting milk and brown sugar in. After, you add cashews and raisins. Finally, you just let it cook until it’s soft and sweet,” Raveendran said. “There

are also other foods like dates, sugar cubes, and bananas that are served as well.”

Thai Pongal is one of the few Hindu holidays that is based on a solar calendar instead of a lunar one, because it’s celebration is in honor and appreciation of the Sun god’s harvest. It’s one of the most important holidays celebrated by the people of Tamil; an ethnic group of people that live in Southern India and Sri Lanka.

“Our family does not intensely celebrate it, but it’s something important we do because my

mom is from Sri Lanka,” Raveendran said.

Thai Pongal falls on the first day of the Tamil calender, which is normally around mid-January.

It marks the beginning of the six month period when the sun moves northward. It’s celebrated with feasting and family.

“On the day of the celebration, I will do a 30 minute prayer but only with my mom because it was passed down from her grandmother.” Raveendran said.

“After, me and my parents as a family will eat the pongal and the

other variety of foods as a feast.”

Raveendran is thankful for the celebration her family takes part in.

“Thai Pongal makes me feel more connected to my religion because other than prayers and this one holiday, we don’t really embrace our culture to much,” Raveendran said. “It’s just really fun.”

Tradition builds familial bonds for Avasthi-Yopp ADRIENNE GAYLORD STAFF WRITER Junior Savita Avasthi-Yopp greatly values her family’s traditions for how they bring them together as a family. She was raised Hindu, and the traditions that came with that upbringing have helped her develop closer relationships with the people in her family.

“It’s a statewide connection, I think that’s the most important part of it,” she said of being Hindu. Avasthi-Yopp and her brother learned their Hindu holidays and traditions from their grandparents.

For Diwali, The Festival of Light in late October, Avasthi-Yopp and her family

light candles and put them in every window of the house. The candles glow as they place symbols they want blessed in front of gods and goddesses. Saraswati is there for education, Ganesh is traditional, and Lakshmi is the family goddess. Then they sprinkle a dust of red powder upon these idols. As a family they pray, and she and her brother take turns reciting the lines in the prayer.

“I’ll remember some parts better than him [her brother], he usually remembers the beginning better than me,” said Savita. These traditions bring them closer together. “It’s really significant for us.”

Rahki, also known as brother and sister day, also fos-

ters sibling connection between Avasthi-Yopp and her brother.

Whenever Avasthi-Yopp and her brother are with their grandparents, they make each other traditional bracelets. Together they paint a bindi on Avasthi-Yopp’s forehead and a line on her brother’s, and they give each other presents along with the bracelets.

“I don’t know if this is traditional or not, but he and I will have cookies,” said Savita, “and we’ll tease each other with them.” They’ll try to bite the cookie as the other is moving it away. Sometimes it can get dangerous and they let each other bite it when they’re worried about keeping their fingers.

“My brother and I both be-

ing Hindu has definitely brought us closer.” Avasthi-Yopp said.

But ties with her brother aren’t strengthened by holidays as much as connections to her grandparents are. These traditions are not only celebrated with their grandparents, but taught by them. Avasthi-Yopp and her brother are carrying on their grandparents’ culture. “[Tradition] ties us to our grandparents,” said Savita.

Avasthi-Yopp finds the celebration of holidays and traditions important, and learning more about other cultures will help the ability to see new perspectives.

“There’s a lot that can be gained, if you take the time and look into it,” Avasthi-Yopp said.

Hagi Aden broadens world view with Islamic holiday celebrations GANGA CORSARO STAFF WRITER 9th grader Nafisa Hagi Aden rarely receives presents during the winter holidays due to her religious traditions she takes part in with her family where they believe the gift of giving is much more important.

The Islamic calendar, or Hijri calendar is based on the monthly cycles of the moon’s phases.

Every year it changes, as does the Islamic holidays and rituals, which include Eid al Adha and Eid al Fitr.

“When it’s the year Eid falls on, our family will focus on its celebration more than our celebration of Christmas,” Hagi Aden said.

Eid al Fitr is the celebration following the month of Ramadan, where Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

“During Eid al Fitr there will be a feast that is prepared where we eat xangero, a flatter pancake like food, couscous, as well as a type of soup called marap,” Hagi Aden said. “We give gifts like

money or presents for younger children as well.”

Eid al Adha is the beginning of the Muslim new year, which centers around gratitude and self-improvement.

“It’s a new year, and a new opportunity to become a better person,” Hagi Aden said.

At both Eid al Adha and Eid al Fitr celebrations, it is custom to wake up early and pray at a mosque. The rest of the day is spent with family. Hagi Aden also goes to places like Feed My Starving Children to volunteer.

“A big part of our family tra-

dition is to volunteer and help others which is something I really value,” she said.

Hagi Aden loves celebrating Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha, because it gives her something to think about that she normally wouldn’t.

“It gives me a lot of self awareness; how I’m acting as a person, to others, and my surroundings,” Hagi Aden said.

“Everyone is particularly nice on these celebrations, and try to maintain generosity and being a better person after the Eid celebrations as well.”

8

IN DE

THE RUBICON - D

The “Loneliest Generation” and the rise of the technological life KAT ST. MARTINNORBURG THE RUBICON EDITOR

Technology and Social Media As the presence of social media grows in our lives, so does the degree to which individuals digitalize themselves. By being exposed to picture perfect moments throughout the day, students can feel dissatisfied with their own life and anxious that they are missing out on what they see others doing online.

“Sometimes it happens because of scrolling through social media, because you look at all these people and it seems like they have these lives that are like brighter and shinier, and have all these friends and all these things going on, and it sometimes makes you feel like you aren’t good enough, and that’s part of loneliness, but it also just kind of hits you sometimes,” Smetana said.

Social media does not portray real life because it leaves out all of the parts that the account owner does not want to show. This can increase how lonely others feel because from an outsider’s perspective, the account owner is living the perfect life.

“I think a lot of it is idealistic, what you see [on social media.] And obviously you know what problems you have yourself, but you don’t really see that in other people, and so that can make you feel lonely,” junior Ayla Straub said.

Senior Phillip Bragg believes that although the internet provides the ability for people to connect across vast distances, it is overall a toxic presence in our lives.

“Social media has been overall a negative thing, because everyone puts this emotional value in getting likes and things like that which is kind of toxic, but also, the fact that you can talk to your best friend even if they’re halfway across the world is huge. But I still feel like it’s done more harm than good,” Bragg said.

Connection is an important part of what it means to be human, but Gwin believes that online connection today does not provide the same benefits as face to face interaction.

“I feel like social media, on the surface, appears to connect people, but deep down on

THINK THERE’S DEFINITELY STILL A “ INEED FOR FACE TO FACE INTERACTION,

IT’S OKAY TO DO A DECENT AMOUNT OF INTERACTION THROUGH A SCREEN BUT AT SOME POINT YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE OTHER PEOPLE...

Micah Gwin

”

a more complicated level it can actually separate us because a lot of the time aspects of people’s life that are ‘fake’ are the ones that are expressed on social media, and parts of their private life and how they interact with others daily aren’t shown at all... I think there’s definitely still a need for face to face interaction, it’s okay to do a decent amount of interaction through a screen but at some point you really do want to see other people and do stuff with them,” Gwin said.

Smetana thinks that ultimately, screens and loneliness could be solved together.

“If we could use the screen and use Face Time and all those things correctly, it could be similar [to in person]. If we’re able to use technology in a different way than it’s used now we would maybe be able to fix that [generation of loneliness],” she said.

QUINN CHRISTENSEN CHIEF VISUAL EDITOR

The Relationship Between Generation and Loneliness 50

38.6%

35 30 25 20 15 10 5

45.3%

Generation Z (1995-2012)

40

Baby Boomers (1946-1964)

42.5%

45.1%

Milllennials (1980-1994)

45

Generation X (1965-1979)

48.3%

The Greatest / Silent Generations (1910-1945)

Our generation also known as Generation Z is lonelier than ever. Gen Z include people born in the mid 1990s to mid 2000s. This generation of people are now are considered the “Loneliest Generation” according to a study conducted by the health company Cigna, with 48.3 percent of Generation Z-ers responding as lonely, compared to 45.3 percent of Millenials and 42.5 percent of Boomers. The oldest generation alive, the Greatest Generation has a loneliness score approximately ten points below that of the Generation Z score, at 38.6. At St. Paul Academy and Summit School, students are noticing how being a member of the “Loneliest Generation” has impacted them personally.

“I think sometimes it can just be a cycle of go to school, go home, and watch TV or browse social media and even if you’re interacting with your friends it’s through a screen and not face to face, so I notice that there’s less of going out and doing things together, and if it does happen it’s during breaks when we don’t have school,” senior Micah Gwin said.

News sources and medical studies alike have asserted that loneliness has become an epidemic in our society. It can have serious long-term impacts, and the fact that it is rising in young people does not bode well for the future. A psychology study released

by Brigham Young University found that “loneliness has the same impact on mortality as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, making it even more dangerous than obesity.”

While loneliness has no specific cause according to the National Institute of Health, some wonder if the rise of social media has contributed to our generation’s loneliness.

After all, building personal connections is much more difficult if everyone is on their phones.

“Personally, I like to interact with people, I have had a lot of friends that are across the country, and I find it hard to constantly keep in touch with them because I’m really quite bad at long distance communication. I think it’s a little bit easier for me personally to maintain communication if I’m talking to someone one on one or if I’m interacting with them not on a screen,” junior Nina Smetana said.

Percent who responded as “lonely”

LUCY SANDEEN THE RUBICON EDITOR

Generations Information is compiled from a survey done by health company Cigna.

Looking for Solutions During the school year, students can grow lonely during periods when they have a greater amount of work to do and the weather chilly.

“When it comes to school, around this time of year specifically, people are focused on schoolwork and have to get that done. I try to sometimes hang out with my friends outside of school, but that’s also difficult because of the season. No one wants to hang out on a cold, Tuesday night. So the weather also makes it difficult,” sophomore Michael Moran said.

According to the American Psychological Association, loneliness is a natural response to certain situations. Emotional and social isolation are separate situations, meaning that someone can feel lonely or isolated even if they aren’t being isolated by their peers. For example, facing a difficult problem can invoke feelings of loneliness even when surrounded by friends and family.

“Usually when I can’t figure something out, like whether it be a subject in school or any kind of problem, I feel like it’s me that doesn’t understand it and I don’t know how to figure out the solution and then I feel like I’m the only one,” Straub said.

Bragg believes that loneliness doesn’t arise from physical isolation, because some people need time to themselves to restore their energy. For Bragg, loneliness originates from a feeling of failure and he believes that it can be a self-perpetuating cycle.

“I’m most lonely when I’ve failed at something, or I’m in a bad mood and it’s being made worse because I’m not talking about it,” Bragg said.

Sometimes all that’s necessary to break down feelings of isolation is to reach out.

“If it has to do with school, I’ll go ask the teacher for help, or my parents. Just talking to somebody about it, talking through it,” Straub said. “Usually when I have a problem, it’s not really that I don’t understand it, it’s that I feel like I can’t find the solution. So if I can talk through it with someone, no matter what kind of problem it is, it usually helps.”

However, when loneliness isn’t incited by a specific problem, battling it can feel less straightforward.

“If you feel like people aren’t as willing to talk because of the work, working with people while talking, at least to some extent, can work… I feel like that’s a really good way if you need to connect with people,” Moran said.

When students turn to the places and moments they feel most connected to others such as extracurriculars, it can alleviate their feelings of loneliness.

“I feel most connected to those around my when I am playing sports. When you’re on the team, you’re doing work together, but it’s also fun, and you’re working together to accomplish a goal,” Straub said.

It is also possible to combat loneliness individually, through a devotion to hobbies.

“I listen to music. I like music that tells a story because then you can listen to the story and focus on that,” Straub said.

EPTH

DECEMBER 2018

IT HAPPENS BECAUSE OF SCROLLING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA... YOU “ SOMETIMES LOOK AT ALL THESE PEOPLE AND IT SEEMS LIKE THEY HAVE THESE LIVES THAT ARE

9

BRIGHTER AND SHINIER, AND HAVE ALL THESE FRIENDS AND THESE THINGS GOING ON, AND IT SOMETIMES MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU AREN’T GOOD ENOUGH...

Nina Smetana

”

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Lucy Sandeen

10

HEALTH THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2018

Scent -sational oils Natural remedies gain popularity

THE NOSE KNOWS. Sophomore Allison Audette uses essential oils. Essential oils are most commonly used to benefit physical and mental health. When the aromas from the oil are inhaled through the nose, they make a direct path to the brain.

EL CHEN STAFF WRITER

Backstory

People today still have an incomplete understanding of essential oils, and scientific studies have yet to confirm all the effects they have on the human body.

But even still, many students at SPA choose to use essential oils as a remedy, perfume or diffuser scent over synthetic scent-based products.

Essential oils are concentrated liquid with aroma compounds from plants. They can be produced by steaming a plant to make water vapors, which carry the essence of the oil. Once the vapor cools down into a liquid, the oil is collected with a condenser.

The name “essential oil” comes from the belief that the oils carry the essence of the plants. Records show that essential oils have been used since at least 5,000 years ago.

Student Experiences

Sophomore Saffy Rindelaub is one of the many students at SPA who use essential oils. Rindelaub said,“ I put them into my vapor thingy [diffuser] to make my room smell better, and it gives me a good vibe. My favorite scents are cinnamon, lemon, and mint.”

In the cold, dry long winters of Minnesota, essential oils can be useful for moisturization.

9th Grader Nina Starchook is also one of the many students who use essential oils at SPA. Starchook said, “In the winter since I don’t want dry, flaky skin, I use tea tree oil on my face. It’s really good for moisturizing.

Also, if you have rashes or scars on your face, they help get rid of them.”

SCIENTIFIC STUDIES HAVE YET TO CONFIRM ALL THE EFFECTS [ESSENTIAL OILS] HAVE ON THE HUMAN BODY. Uses

Essential oils are most commonly used for physical and mental health benefits. The aromas from the oil when inhaled into the body through the nose has a direct path to the brain. Once inhaled, it can stimulate your limbic system which controls functions like breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, etc. When applied to the skin, the oil is absorbed across the skin cells and quickly absorbed into the bloodstream.

The oils help prevent water from evaporating the skin, which prevents skin from becoming dry. In addition, essential oils can also be used as natural medicines to reduce discomfort and illness. They can also help you sleep and heal skin conditions or muscle pains.

Diffusers

Starchook uses lavender essential oil in her diffuser. A diffuser creates water vapor to moisturize the air while spreading the essence of the essential oils around the room. The aroma coming from the oils helps her calm down and sleep following a stressful day. Sometimes after physically draining dance practices, Starchook drops some essential oils into her bath to help relieve sores and pains.

Starchook said, “I really enjoy the smell of them, but I mainly

THE RUBICON PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: JENNY RIES

use them for the health benefits.

I would really recommend them.”

9th Grader Max Endorf also uses essential oils in his diffuser.

Endorf said, “I have a diffuser in my room and that kind of helps with everyday things, sometimes sleep. It has a citrusy smell.”

Perfume

Another very minor use of essential oils is in perfume. Though perfumes often contain minimal amounts of essential oils in them, it is not as common or popular to us just pure essential oils as perfume.

9th grader Emily Gisser said,”Sometimes when I run out of perfume at home, I use this vanilla bean oil and rub it on, and it smells just as good.”

Gaps In Information

With the limited research people have of essential oils today, humans know that most essential oils are safe to be inhaled, applied to the human body, and are a natural way to help with health benefits and physical disease. But using essentials oils may also come with some repercussions. So far, scientists know that if essential oils are overused, they may cause dangerous side effects and cause skin irritation or worsen antecedent conditions.

Also, according to MedShadow. org, essential oils are not FDA regulated, which leaves the risk out there that some sellers may not be selling safe substances for customers to use.

Because little scientific research on essential oils has been carried out, scientists still believe that more studies have to be done on them to confirm their safety and efficiency. For some people, they may work magic, while for others they may not be effective.

The future of essential oils is yet to become better and better as more and more research is done on it.

SUBMITTED PHOTO: KATHERINE BRAGG

Essential (oil) Essentials Tea Tree Oil

“Tea tree oil is antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and exhibits anticancer activity.”

Lemongrass Oil

“Research… shows that lemongrass essential oil is antibacterial and antifungal, antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, and can be a potent insect repellent.

Its antifungal properties are especially helpful in combating the nasty yeast associated with dandruff.”

Cinnamon Oil

Lavender Oil

“Lavender is: sedative, antispasmodic, antianxiety, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antibacterial, anesthetic, immune-boosting, and antiviral.”

Peppermint Oil

“Peppermint oil is made up mostly of menthol and menthone. It is a stimulant, antispasmodic, antiviral, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant. It is an effective treatment for headaches… It helps soothe nausea, improves concentration and memory, and is an analgesic, which means it numbs and kills pain on the skin.”

“In aromatherapy, cinnamon essential oil can be used to help clear up chest colds. Applied topically, it can soothe muscle aches and pains, Clary Sage thanks to its antispasmodic “Clary sage possesses and analgesic properties. myriad beneficial It’s also an antiseptic properties for the skin: It’s and makes a powerful antibacterial, astringent, natural preservative. It antiseptic, and can help is both antibacterial and improve circulation.” antimicrobial, as well as being anti-inflammatory, According to Just the Essentials and pain-relieving.”

by Adina Grigore

11

SCI-TECH THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2018

Exploring the scientific benefits of gratitude ANDREW JOHNSON THE RUBICON EDITOR

LIGHTS UP THE BRAIN’S REWARD When it comes to gratitude, PATHWAY

there is more than meets the eye.

For most, the concept of gratitude simply means “to be grateful,” a general and wide scoping definition. While technically correct, employing true gratitude in real life requires a more focused definition. Gratitude, it seems, is a key—perhaps the key—to feeling more satisfied with life.

It improves a person’s relationships with loved ones. It’s even good for their heart. To truly be grateful, one must actively practice finding specific things or moments in their lives that impact them in a positive manner.

“I think it’s important to realize what I am grateful for because I spend a lot of time thinking about the stuff that is a problem in my life, and so it’s good to look at the other side and be happy,” senior Gabi Seifert said.

In the “Science of Gratitude,” a one hour radio special narrated by Academy Award-winner Susan Sarandon, she combines scientific research with personal stories illustrating the benefits and obstacles to feeling truly grateful. Throughout the hour, she gives practical insights into how to cultivate more gratitude in a person’s life, their families, and beyond. While difficult scientific studies show that being grateful physically rewires the brain. A research study from Indiana University called “The effects of gratitude expression on neural activity” consisted of 43 people who suffered from anxiety or depression writing letters of thanks to their loved ones and undergoing brain scans three months later. After, they found “long lasting neural effects” from the brains of each participant, and more of an inclination to continue practicing gratitude outside of the study.

For sophmore Adeline DeHarpporte means practicing gratitude

LESSENS ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS

Thinking about other people doing nice things flood the brain with positive chemicals and sparks brain activity critical to sleep, mood regulation and metabolism

Challenging negative though pattens, helps calm the anxious and boost the moods of those who are depressed

IMPROVES PHYSICAL HEALTH

Strengths the immune systems, lowers blood pressure, reduces symptoms of illness, less bothered by aches and pains

CONNECTING THE BODY

Increases coherence of body functions, which facilitates higher cognitive functions, creating emotional stability and facilitating states of calm

INCREASES SOCIAL CONNECTION

You can feel greater connection and feel more satisfied with friend, family, school, community and yourself.

INCREASES RESILIENCE

Helps you bounce back from stressful events and helps you deal with adversity by acting as a buffer against internalizing symptoms.

INCREASES EMPATHY & COMPASSION

The more thankful we fee; the more likely we are to act pro-socially toward others, causing them to feel grateful and setting up a beautiful virtuous cascade.

INFOGRAPHIC DESIGN: Sharee Roman

means being appreciative and charitable.

“I think if you have practice gratitude then you can be more appreciative of the things you have and can be more giving and thoughtful to the people who don’t have as much as you,” DeHarpporte said.

Keeping a gratitude journal is a great way to integrate gratitude into the everyday lifestyle.

A gratitude journal is an accessible, inexpensive, and rewarding practice that has incredible physiological and psychological benefits. It’s a shift in a person’s mindset and energy that will also attract more positive experiences into their life. While gratitude can help adopt a fresh perspective on life, it’s not always easy to automatically shift into a state of gratitude. Some sources even suggest that humans are hardwired to focus on the negative, so training yourself to shift into a state of gratitude every day can take practice.

However, keeping a journal can be cumbersome in a technology-dominated world. Fortunately, phones offer a virtual platform to practice being grateful.

Whether in the form of guided app from the App Store or a more free-flowing independent journal in the virtual notes section of a phone, there are plenty of options people have to stay active in their pursuit of gratitude. You don’t need to be in one place at one time to keep a physical record, either; because phones are mobile and are with their owners at virtually all times, they will be available for use whenever inspiration strikes for the user.

In any case, being actively aware of how grateful you are for the things and those that are meaningful to you is essential to maximizing the happiness you can obtain during the inevitable ups and downs of life. Specifically, apps offer a prime opportunity to spark productive and reflective thought.

CONSUMER GUIDE: Top 5 apps you should be grateful for 1. Grateful

Grateful: A Gratitude Journal allows the user to write down things they are thankful for in a customized setting. It features daily prompts at the end of each day to inspire users to think critically about who or what made their experiences worthwhile. It also allows users to write their own prompts and share them with other users.

The app is free, but a premium version can be purchased for an additional fee.

2. Get Gratitude

The Get Gratitude app experience emphasizes the scientific benefits of gratefulness. In just 5 minutes a day, the user’s brain will be rewired until they reap the benefits to their happiness. Their mission is simple: they want their users to “get gratitude,” which is done by using the online journal. Get Gratitude is great for people who are extremely busy and just want to practice gratitude on the go.

3. Headspace

The app Headspace instead of offering an online journal option, Headspace features an experience dedicated to supporting meditation to incite gratefulness.

The app uses the mindfulness to help users think about what matter most to them. They claim that for only a few minutes a day, their meditation system allows its users to decrease their stress, sleep healthier, which in turn, leads to stronger reflection periods.

4. 365 Gratitude

365 gratitude is perfect for people who want to start a journal, but are not sure where to start.

Their daily prompts guides you with simple practices, such as a gratitude latter and reflecting on the they have received. It’s not just a journal, its a game, a social network, a mood tracker, and much more. The app is free, but in app purchases are required for the GratPlus version.

5. Five minute Journal The Five Minute Journal is the simplest, most effective way to become happier in 5 minutes a day with a simple journaling format built on proven principles of positive psychology. The app cost $5.00 to use and it features daily quotes and weekly challenges along with reminders to ensure you never miss a day of journaling.

12

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2018

MANY

VISIONS, MANY

VERSIONS

Weisman exhibit showcases Indigenous Indian art MAREN OSTREM THE RUBICON EDITOR On Oct. 6 an exhibition called Many Visions, Many Versions: Art from Indigenous Communities in India opened at the Weisman Art Museum on the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus. The exhibit explores the great diversity of art and culture produced by four different indigenous tribes in India. These tribes are the Gond, the Warli, the Mithila and the West Bengal.

Many Visions, Many Versions is divided into four sections: Myth and Cosmology, Nature Real and Imagined, Village Life, and Contemporary Exploration.

The exhibit is specifically divided by themes, rather than tribes, in order to demonstrate both the diversity and similarities between tribal communities.

The exhibit combats the largely dominant narrative of urban western society, by showcasing the work of tribal Indian groups. Sophomore Will Shrestha said, “It’s important to learn about culture because you can be more aware about how other people think, because not everyone comes from the same exact background as you.”

This exhibit is an intimate look into the thinking of people in other parts of the world, who live in very different societies.

The artwork covered everything from traditional myths, with paintings of gods and goddesses worshipped by the tribes, to modern issues.

The artwork depicts the events of 9/11, the shunning of those with HIV/AIDS from society, the gender based abortion, and the struggle of villages destroyed by natural disasters, showcasing the use of traditional art and mediums in a modern context. This shows that the idea of tribal people of India being removed from the rest of the world is a big misconception.

The issues and ideas addressed in this artwork are similar to concepts being discussed in the western world, and even specifically in the SPA community. “My favorite part was how the artists incorporated earlier art styles as well as gods to depict more modern places and events,” Sophomore Saffy Rindelaub said.

“

THE EXHIBIT MADE ME FEEL EAGER TO LEARN MORE.

”

- Saffy Rindelaub The piece depicting an abortion clinic showed a mother forced to give up a child due to it’s sex. Gender based abortion, while technically illegal, is a very common practice. It is essentially when women are forced to abort their unborn children when they are revealed to be female rather

than male. The painting was an intimate, emotional scene, the doctor being represented as a snake with other unborn female babies trapped in its tight coil.

Pieces like this are only a small sample of the wide variety being displayed at the Weisman.

The exhibition is a spectacular look into the similarities and differences between the largely dominant western culture and the overlooked communities of tribal India. “I enjoyed it and feel like I learned more about Indian culture. I hadn’t gone to many art exhibits before, especially ones about Indian culture, the exhibit made me feel eager to learn more.” Rindelaub said. The exhibit will remain on display until Jan. 6, 2019.

BOOK REVIEW:

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Maren Ostrem STUDY. Sophomores Addie Morrisette and Will Shrestha dig deeper into the museum.

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Maren Ostrem FOCUS. Sophomore Gabe Ramirez concentrates on learning more about Indigenous Indian Art.

Obama opens up on hardships she faces in Becoming MEAGAN MASSIE THE RUBICON EDITOR

PHOTO TAKEN FROM: MICHELLE OBAMA’S INSTAGRAM

Strong and independent is exactly what describes Michelle Obama. She is a role model and leader to a large portion of the country, even after she has left the White House. Her new book, “Becoming,” is a memoir depicting Obama’s life thus far. She describes the hardships she has faced as a black woman, a lawyer, the wife of a politician, a daughter, and a mother. In her book she spoke about the struggles of being the First Lady of the United States.

“It challenged me and humbled me, lifted me up and shrank me down, sometimes all at once,” Obama said.

The book is distinctly patriotic. She describes her rise to success through her aspirations throughout her life and how hard it has been for her to achieve

them, thus embodying the American dream. Her interpretation of the American dream shows what it means to be a black woman in America. She also spoke of the struggles that she has faced and how she has overcome them with strength and grace.

She sheds light on the difficulties that she faced when she was younger. When she was a child, adults liked her answer when she said that she wanted to be a doctor, only to realize that they thought it was a good career path because of the money. Although she wanted to become a doctor because of her love for children.

Instead of becoming a doctor, she chose to pursue a career in law that she worked hard to obtain. She fought hard to become the woman she is today and with that, comes many hardships in

rooms full of the majority being white men.

“I’ve been the only woman, the only African American, in all sorts of rooms,” Obama said.

Obama talks about the difference between her own self esteem and her husband’s. She says that he is unique and comes from a diverse background and doesn’t fit in in any one place, but Michelle has a harder time finding where she wants to belong. She depicts how it has been a lifelong difficulty for her, so she is happy that she found Barack who inspires her. Being the first African American first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama faced, and still faces, criticism of her actions, her words, even her body.

“I’ve heard about the swampy parts of the internet that question everything about me, right

down to whether I’m a woman or a man. A sitting U.S. Congressman has made fun of my butt.

I’ve been hurt. I’ve been furious.

But mostly, I’ve tried to laugh this stuff off,” Obama wrote while narrating the critiques of being the first lady.

She is a role model for all girls of color across the world. She uses her voice with confidence and power to overcome racist and sexist tensions.

“Since stepping reluctantly into public life, I’ve been held up as the most powerful woman in the world and taken down as an ‘angry black woman.’ I’ve wanted to ask my detractors which part of that phrase matters to them the most -- is it ‘angry’ or ‘black’ or ‘woman’?” Obama wrote.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2018

ARTIST PROFILE:

13

Musician turned composer, Starchook creates spring piece

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Sara Browne PLAY. Flutist Ivan Starchook practices outside of class.

SARA BROWNE STAFF WRITER To sophomore Ivan Starchook, music composition has never been anything other than “fun” and a way for him to express himself artistically. He’s been given the opportunity to have one of his pieces played by the orchestra in the 2019 spring concert. While this brings some pressure, he is ready for the challenge and new experience.

Starchook has been composing music since the end of 7th grade,and since then he has continued doing it as a pastime. He

composes music because, “for me, it’s just fun. It’s been just to pass time, and it’s honestly fun to just mix certain notes and rhythms and to see what comes out of it.

For my piece for orchestra next semester, it wasn’t originally an assignment, it started with me just sitting down to write something, and it formed into a full piece. I showed it to a friend, and she was the one that gave me the idea to show it to Ms. Englehardt, and from there, we decided to perform it at next spring concert.”.

On how he goes about composing Starchook said, “I can’t

say I have a specific process.

Generally, I’ll just sit down with a blank document and just write some different notes or rhythms and see what I can form from it. It usually always starts with something simple, and once I start writing, I just go from there and see what other harmonies I can find to go along with it.

There’s a lot of starting over, and frustration, but once I find something that clicks, it becomes really nice.”

For this process, Ivan uses a program called Musescore.

“Personally, music means a lot of things to me. It’s a great way for artistic expression, just like someone with literature, or art.

I think writing music is a very complex process and a lot can be expressed and put into a simple four-minute piece of music.

Whenever I write something and am able to complete it, I’m proud of that work… it means a lot as I’ve put effort and a lot of emotions into it.”

As for his other musical tal-

ents, Starchook has been playing the flute since sixth grade for school and once he joined jazz band in eighth grade, he began the alto saxophone. He continues to do both band and orchestra and plans to for the rest of his high school career.

“With how the music industry is evolving, as well as it’s competitiveness, I think it’d be a harder industry to compete in. Yet it’s always been a passion, and I’ve still been considering a job in music at some point in my life, likely after I retire” Starchook said about looking further into the future with his music. Starchook’s involvement in music programs at school has influenced his interest for the construction of music.

“I’ve been interested for a while on just the construction of music - from the top of the melodies all the way to how the bass line is formed around the rest of the music. It just fascinates me on what someone can make out of the most basic level of music and form it into something much

more grand and powerful, elegant, exciting or fun,” Starchook said.

These are the main reasons he got into composition, but he also gives credit to his music teachers for keeping him involved in music, making it fun to play and interesting to learn about.

Starchook doesn’t feel much pressure going into this new experience as a composer, rather than playing in the orchestra or band like he’s used to. “I’m not too worried about people not liking it or about any criticism I could receive. Yet even right now, around five months away from the concert, I’m nervous thinking about getting on stage and performing it, but I’m sure after months of work and practice, I’ll get more comfortable with it.”

“I am excited to see how my changes translate to our orchestra,” he said.

After he finalizes his piece Starchook will, with a positive attitude and confidence in his piece, be well-equipped for this concert.

process: choosing poems, recitation, or as Wahmanholm explained, answering the questions that come with performance.

“How do you present it in the best way possible? How do you not look awkward standing in front of people? What do you do with your voice? What do you do with your hands? What do you do with your face?” she said.

Their help is not limited to the physical aspects of presentation but also what goes on behind the scenes of the performance. “ We ’ r e trying to give students more ways of understanding their poems and

more techniques for presenting their poems to other people,” de Sa e Silva said.

“A lot of it is focused on close reading and making sure you totally understand the poem.

If you totally understand the poem then you can bring more depth to it,” Wahmanholm added.

Wahmanholm and de Sa e Silva see POL for both its necessity and community.

“It’s one of the few forms of language that isn’t trying to sell you something,” de Sa e Silva said in reference to the words of poet Tracy K. Smith.

They also acknowledged what comes after the process, the presentation. Wahmanholm remarked on the warmth of the school competition.

“How many people bring their whole advisory to watch this person from their advisory perform and how full Driscoll gets...that’s super super charming,” Wahmanholm said, “It’s very affirming to watch students picking poems...not that they were assigned but that they personally chose and connected to. [Students] putting in the effort to present in a really beautiful, poignant way to a group of people.”

What Wahmanholm describes seems to embody the POL experience; poetry and connection.

“It’s just a very authentic way of interacting with language and poetry...someone who knows a poem really well and hopefully loves the poem a lot, presenting it and sharing it with other people,” de Sa e Silva said.

Poetry Out Loud competition grows as sophomore curriculum includes recitation LUCY BENSON THE RUBICON EDITOR Reciting a poem of choice in front of many faces may seem scary to some, but for others it is their moment to shine. This year, for some participants, it may have been both.

For the first time in Poetry Out Loud’s(POL) four year history at SPA, a sophomore from every English class participated in the competition. As a part of the tenth grade American Literature curriculum students memorized and recited two poems in front of their class. A winner from each class was chosen to participate at the school competition.

“

IT’S JUST A VERY AUTHENTIC WAY OF INTERACTING WITH LANGUAGE AND POETRY.

”

- Philip de Sa e Silva The competition that centers around student recitation of poems previously relied solely on

volunteer participation. However, this year as a part of the tenth grade American Literature curriculum students memorized and recited two poems in front of their class. A winner from each class was chosen to participate at the school competition.

Which still was open to any students who wished to participate, and many sophomores who didn’t win in their class competition still competed in the school-wide one.. US English Teacher Philip de Sa e Silva explained the change.

“This year is different because the past... years we’ve just asked students to volunteer to participate, but this year the whole sophomore class...” de Sa e Silva said.

“Was forced to participate.” Claire Wa h m a n h o l m , US English teacher, finished.

De Sa e Silva and Wahmanholm are the advisors of Poetry Out Loud, in addition to teaching poetry in their own classrooms.

T h e i r roles center around guiding students through the

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Lucy Benson PREPARATION. de Sa e Silva THE RUBICON PHOTO: speaks to sophomore competLUCY BENSON itors before they recite.

RECITATION. Sophomore Gavin Kimel competes in the schoolwide Poetry Out Loud competition.

14

SPORTS THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2018

Rolling on a river

The water may be frozen. That doesn’t stop rowers from cutting an oar.

TESSAH GREEN STAFF WRITER The first week Junior Sonja Henze tried out rowing, she would regularly come home with bloody knuckles and wake up too sore to even move. Despite the pain, she knew it was something she wanted to keep doing and instantly fell in love with the sport.

Now Henze has been rowing for over a year and a half. The team dynamic is what makes the sport so special to Henze, and why she initially wanted to stay.

“People were instantaneously welcoming to me and went out of their way to help me learn,” she said.

The hardships and the amount of time rowers spend together (about 300 days a year) foster a supportive and loving community and bring people together because of the challenges they face and conquer together.

9th grader Noa Gross started rowing two summers ago. “I started rowing because from a young age I was around people who had rowed competitively.

My mother rowed in college, and I always wondered what rowing felt like; then, two summers ago, my mother’s university offered a beginning rowing camp, and I thought Why not?”

Ever since Gross attended

that first camp, she has grown to love and appreciate the sport.

“My favorite part of rowing would have to be during a regatta—being part of eight girls moving in perfect sync as our oars just skim above the water.

The best feeling is when your mind goes completely blank and your focus is solely centered on

“

YOUR FOCUS IS SOLELY CENTERED ON THE COXSWAIN’S INSTRUCTIONS. - Noa Gross

”

the coxswain’s instructions and nothing else.”

“Another thing I love about rowing is that it has helped me find strength in myself I did not know I had,” Henze said.

The best feeling for Henze is knowing that she has pushed herself all the way to the finish line, right through her last stoke: “Knowing that I have to make it to the end of the workout has shown me mental and physical strength I did not know I had.

On my own, I would have given up, but when my team is depend-

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: Sonja Henze ROWING THROUGH PAIN. Junior Sonja Henze (back) rows at a regatta in Kenora, Canada with her partner Inga Smith. Henze said, “[Rowing} has helped me find strength in myself I did not know I had.” ing on me and everyone is watch- still being, physically and men- said. ing and cheering, I am able to ac- tally challenging.

During the winter months Especially during the winter at Twin Cities Youth Rowing, cess the last ounces of strength season, people may wonder how Gross and her team participate I have.”

Like Gross, sophomore Pat- rowers prepare and keep in shape in a number of dry land exercise, rick Hooley is following in family when they are unable to be in the holiday camps (intense one-week footsteps by becoming a rower. water. workout camps), and the majoriFor Henze, rowing in the win- ty of the team works out on their Hooley’s father rowed in college and Hooley decided he would ter is definitely not as fun, but own other days. test out the waters and tried out necessary to keep in shape and Winter may not seem like the rowing for the first time over test her individual limits. For season of rower, but the cold the summer. Hooley’s favorite Hooley, he plays basketball and weather conditioning routine and thing about rowing is that it is a works out like he normally does continued team building means non-contact sport: “It puts me in to stay in top shape for the up- that when the snow melts, it will good shape for the sports I care coming rowing season. When be their time to shine again on more about.” Hooley suffered the time finally comes to start the water. from a bad concussion so the rowing again, it’s like he never fact that rowing is a non-contact stopped: “When the time comes, sport is perfect for him, while I just kind of start rowing,” he

Feeling cooped up? Take that energy outdoors and get moving

FAIR USE IMAGES: Afton Alps website, Groveland Ice Rinks website, Buck Hill website, Three Rivers Park District website SKATE. SKI. SLED. There are so many urban places to get active in Minnesota in the winter: 1. Afton Alps, 2. Groveland rinks, 3.

Buck Hill tubing, 4. Hyland area parks

DUNCAN FLEMING STAFF WRITER During the winter months, it is easy to get trapped inside, but there are plenty of options for activities outdoors right here in the metro area, there are plenty of things to do outdoors during the winter. Warm clothing and a little bit of knowledge on where to go can turn any winter day into an adventure. Compiled here are just a few of the spots frequented by outdoor enthusiasts.

Places to skate:

The Groveland Ice Rink.

A volunteer maintained rink in Saint Paul near the Groveland Recreation Center. One key feature is the lights that keep the skating going into the night and the warming hut with bathrooms and concessions, according to Thomas Bagnoli. The skating surface is composed of two rinks with wooden boards surrounded by a skating loop.

The Guidant John Rose

Minnesota Oval. A larger outdoor skating option, that also offers Learn to Skate programs for both ice skating as well as speed-skating. The Roosville Oval is a fairly inexpensive way to enjoy a day full of skating, six dollars is the cost of a pas that lasts all day. If needed, rental skates are available for an additional four dollars.

Wells Fargo WinterSkate.

An outdoor rink in downtown Saint Paul. Provides a picturesque view of the adjacent Rice Park. “Definitely my number one spot because it’s in a cool and convenient location,” Thomas Reinhardt said.

Places to ski:

Buck Hill. A popular ski and snowboarding area located in Burnsville. It has sixteen total trails available at the cost of forty-seven dollars for an all-day pass, prices vary for early bird or night skiing.

Afton Alps. The largest ski and snowboard area close to the metro, it boasts forty-eight trails, as well as a more than three hundred foot change in altitude across the hills. It is located just south of the town of Afton along the Saint Croix River. Full day passes are offered at forty-five dollars, with rental equipment available for more. “I love skiing

“

I LOVE SKIING AT AFTON BECAUSE OF THE SIZE AND VARIETY OF TRAILS.

”

- Peter Moore

at Afton because of the size and variety of types of trails, from beginner to some that are more challenging,” said Peter Moore, a frequent skier of both cross country and downhill styles.

Hyland Hills Ski Area. A smaller area with less change in elevation, this makes for a more relaxing experience. It is located in Bloomington and offers an allday pass for thirty-five dollars.

“Hyland is my favorite place to go with a group because it’s casual and convenient,” said Pia Shultz, a member of the Nordic team.

The area is located in Bloomington, south of the twin cities.

Como Park Ski Center. A smaller ski and snowboard area near Lake Como with two tow ropes, instead of lifts. Adults can ski for fifteen dollars, and youth (seventeen and under) for twelve.

As well as downhill, Como Park Ski Center also offers over 5K of groomed cross-country trails that are free to use. Rentals for

snowboards or either type of ski are available for fifteen dollars for adults, twelve for youth.

Highland National Golf Course. During the winter, this usually green area turns to a near perfect sledding hill, with many options. “Its fairly big, and has varied routes and speeds,” according to 9th-grader Charlie Johnson.

Places to sled: Buck Hill. Along with skiing, Buck Hill has a full setup for tubing, which is great for all ages.

Reinhart prefers tubing at Buck Hill because of the tow rope that attaches to the tubes for a quick ride to the top, he said, “It makes the whole experience a lot more relaxing.”

Columbia Park. Columbia Park is located in Northern Minneapolis. It hosts one of the steepest hills in its area. Columbia park also offers snow tubes, or allows for sledders to bring their own sleds.

Edina Park. Edina Park has many different hills, all varying in their steepness. This means it’s a great place to go for sledders of all different abilities.

15 Tournaments inspire athletic comitment SPORTS

THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2018 ments will have a bracket system at the end where they’ll pair you up with teams from other pools and you’ll just play to see who is. If that takes place, it can go until around 5:00, so it can really be a whole day process,” Therien said.

As an athlete with lots of experience attending tournaments, Therien has learned some of the key tips to getting through the long day. One of the most important parts is just to have fun and enjoy what you are doing.

“They’re a lot of fun…. just really like that it’s something to

“

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: Sydney Therien HUDDLE. Sydney Therien and her teamates huddle up before playing.

CLAIRE HALLAWAY THE RUBICON EDITOR Even students who aren’t directly involved in team sports can see that time commitment is a big part of what being an athlete entails. There are many lengthy practices held to prepare for games and sections, and for some sports, tournaments are a huge part of the season.

Tournaments are a vital component to athletic teams as they fuel team bonding and a greater

sense of community.

Junior Sydney Therien has played on a club volleyball team ever since middle school. She currently plays for the Impact Volleyball Club team and has been a part of the team ever since 9th grade. Therien estimates that her team plays around 10-12 tournaments throughout their season.

For Therien, tournament days first start off with a very early morning. Tournaments usually start around 8:00 or

9:00 and will lead off with “pool play”, a round of games between 4 different teams. The majority of tournaments will involve playing no more than 4 teams but occasionally there are exceptions.

“Playing the other three teams [in the pool] will usually take you to anywhere between noon and 2:00, depending on how fast the games go. It also depends on the type of tournament and what the level of seriousness is, but some tourna-

I’TS A GREAT TIME FOR BONDING

”

- Thomas Kurisack

do for the whole day, to just be around a group of girls that I love and to just spend a day with them playing the sport I love..I think that’s really special, even if it can be a grind sometimes,” Therien said. “You have to eat a big breakfast and eat a big lunch, because your burning a lot of calories, and then eat a big dinner afterwards. Lots of protein-heavy food especially,” Therien added.

Junior Thomas Kuriscak has played on the boy’s varsity hock-

ey team for two years and one of his favorite parts of being a player is attending seasonal tournaments. There are two tournaments in the season: the Thanksgiving tournament and the holiday tournament.

“It’s a great time for bonding with our teammates, we get to build up chemmy, goof around and eat food. [...]We always become closer after a tournament just because it’s so much time together,,” Kurisack said.

“There’s usually a lot of in-between time so we have to make sure to use it well. We’ll always make sure to eat a lot.

We also will go to the wellness room to listen to music or watch highlights, or just take a nap there. Basically anything that makes us feel more prepared,” Kurisack said.

Kuriscak also recognizes that playing in a tournament can be a really long day. He keeps himself going by the positive energy that surrounds him from his teammates and the feeling of satisfaction after working hard. “[My favorite part] is probably playing for the championship, there’s always a really great feeling that comes with playing hard and knowing you did your best. I don’t think the tournaments ever feel too long because you’re always surrounded by the boys so you can never run out of things to do,” Kurisack said.

From hills to courses, a skiing rivalry flourishes HENRY BURKHARDT STAFF WRITER

Of the many rivalries found within St. Paul Academy and Summit School, the Nordic vs.

Alpine feud, although a subtle one, is nonetheless ever-present in the minds of many skiers. If you’re not on either the Alpine (downhill skiing) or Nordic (cross country skiing) team you may have never even heard of it, but this friendly clash over two different types of skiing draws deep competitiveness from many spartan skiers.

This rivalry is truly in good spirit, but many skiers still have strong opinions about their sport’s supremacy.

“Nordic sucks,” freshman Sophie Cullen said, barely suppressing a smile. This is her first year on the Alpine team but she’s a fierce defender of her team’s superiority. “Alpine is a smaller team; we all share a strong bond,” she said.

Sophomore Isabelle Wolpert shared a similar attitude. “I’ve been downhill racing since I was 5 [...] and Alpine is way better… you’re going down hills, not hiking up them.”

Wolpert showed an ultimate position of loyalty towards her team earlier this year when she produced a 2 minute long video arguing Alpine’s superiority over Nordic. In it, she argues, among other things, that alpine skiers have better attitudes, fast-

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Henry Burkhardt SKIS. Nordic skis stand in the bridge. “With Nordic, you are working your mind and your body and your soul,” Nordic skiier Nina Smetana said. er speeds, and even greater style.

“The Alpine Team has so much more prestige than the Nordic Team,” 9th grader Will Sedo said, half joking. “It’s just so obvious that everyone likes Alpine a lot better, and that shows up in everything that the Alpine and Nordic Teams do. I mean, if you ask basically any student, they’ll say ‘wait, we have a Nordic team?’” Although there is no concrete evidence of this fact, it is still a popular idea among the alpine skiers.

Members of the Nordic Team defend their team with the same passion as the Alpine skiers. “I believe that we do a more difficult sport: we spend more time outside every day, we do more cardio, we have to go up

the hills,” Nordic captain Eliza Reedy said. “And because we have to suffer so much outside in the cold, I feel like we have a closer bond and it really brings us closer together as a team.”

Nordic captain Peter Moore also believes work ethic plays a big part in his teams superiority over the Alpine team. “[Nordic skiing] actually takes effort, so when you go ski you feel like you accomplished something,” he said, “can’t really say that about Alpine.”

Even though this is Junior Nina Smetva’s first ski season with SPA, she too defends her sport with dedication. “Alpine you’re just going down a hill, whereas with Nordic you actually have to work hard,”

she said.“With Nordic, you are working your mind and your body and your soul [...] it’s better.” Smetana said.

This argument could go on forever, but there is a way these teams have found to show once and for all who’s the better team.

The Nordic vs. Alpine annual capture the flag game is a highlight for many skiers. “It happens every year... It’s really to prove which team is better,” Clara Garner, a freshman, said jokingly. Although this is, in general, a lighthearted game, it definitely gets competitive. “On the day of the capture the flag game… both teams are out for blood,” Reedy added.

However cruel the clash might sound, many agree that at the end of the day the friendly feud elicits more laughter than tears. When asked about the rivalry Reedy said, “I think its friendly, I don’t despise the Alpine Team as people, I just despise their sport.” “It’s a more friendly rivalry then a true all-out fight to the death,” Sedo agreed with Reedy. Wolpert believes that the rivalry is more than just friendly; she believes it’s actually a form of comradery between the teams, “It brings the teams closer together because we all appreciate skiing at some degree,” Wolpert reflected, “and just because we do different types of skiing doesn’t mean that we’re all completely different.”

First snowfall intensifies Alpine and Nordic capture the flag game

RUBICONLINE PHOTOS: Liv Larsen

LIV LARSEN RUBICONLINE EDITOR The 30° weather and a little snow couldn’t stop the Alpine and Nordic Ski teams from competing in their annual game of capture the flag. Stretching from the upper fields to Lang, the teams played for about two hours.

“I’m excited for it to actually snow more so we can actually ski, and I’m excited for our trip to Maple Lag for our team trip over Winter break,” senior Tessah Green said.

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PHOTO STORY THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2018

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Technology enhances Pops concert

SUPER TROUPER. The Academy Chorale Senior Women’s song this year was “Super Trouper”. They also had a choreographed dance.

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The soft shuffling of audience members taking off coats and hats, the stomping feet as Director of Orchestras Almut Engelhardt walks on stage, the single slow note played by the concert mistress or master which leads to a serendipitous cacophony of flutes and violins as the each student tunes there instrument.

These are the familiar sounds one would hear at any St. Paul Academy and Summit School Pops Concert, but this year there is a new entrant to this classic group: the humm of projector, as it is raised and lowered.

This year the Pops concert did not have any emcee’s or at least not any live ones. Each song was introduced by SPA students on the projector screen. The show even began with a “carpool karaoke”, a trend started by The Late Late Show with James Corden.

Students sang along to a medley of Queen songs.

For senior and Honors Sinfonia Concert Master Husaam Quireshy, the highlight was the music itself.

“My favorite part of the concert was when we played Lord of the Dance (the song that we stood up in) because I could tell that the audience really enjoyed it,” Quireshy said.

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JACK BENSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

THE RUBICON PHOTOS: Jack Benson THAT WAY. Academy Chorale’s senior men performed “I want it that way”. The number was choreographed by Reuben Vizelman and other members of the Academy Chorale.

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d t i o n be w r o B

BIG FINALE. The entirety of the music program performed “Born to be Wild.” There were mixed responses to the finale. “I think what could have gone better was the finale,” Quireshy said. “I didn’t really love the song.”

You’re w elco e m

CURTAINS LIT. Advanced Jazz Band played “You’re Welcome” from the Disney movie Moana. Another benefit of having the Huss center was the lighted curtains surrounding the stage.

SMART BOARD ACTION. Seniors Max Moen and Mimi Geller perform a Queen song as they drive through St. Paul. Many other students were featured in the Carpool Karaoke.

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TUNING. Hussaam Quiershy tunes the orchestra. While the orchestra often appears as a well oiled machine, sometimes mistake are made. “In the second concert, there were almost four places where we were not playing in sync and almost messed up,” Quireshy said