December 2019 Issue

RUBICON

the

the student newspaper of St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave St. Paul, MN 55105 Volume 47. Issue 4.

December 17, 2019

www.rubiconline.com

Cardboard creations raise funds Screenings offer proactive Design contest replaces Support a Family

mental health approach

ELOISE DUNCAN THE RUBICON

Seasonal music filled the cafeteria as students roamed around munching on cookies, drinking hot chocolate, and observing gingerbread houses.

Community Action and Service hosted a cookie exchange and gingerbread house competition on Dec. 4 to raise funds for two organizations, Avenues for Homeless Youth and My Very Own Bed.

US Counselor Susanna Short MAREN OSTREM THE RUBICON

WANTED TO “ WE DO SOMETHING INTRICATE AND EXCITING. Will Sedo

”

Advisories brought in gingerbread houses that they created out of cardboard and decorated with things such as candy canes, marshmallows, lights, glitter, and popular holiday characters. Students voted for their favorite gingerbread houses using money as their ballots. The money raised was then split evenly between the two organizations.

Treasurer of CAS Maxanne Millerhaller helped plan the event, and is in charge of handling the money raised.

“It’s really exciting to have the SPA community come together for a fun seasonal celebration that will benefit the broader community,” she said.

The gingerbread houses allowed advisories to showcase their creativity and building skills. The Lockwood advisory chose to utilize the laser cutter to create a miniature version of the Notre Dame, which raised the most amount of money, winning the competition.

“We wanted to do something really intricate and exciting, so we decided to use the laser cutter to help create our Notre Dame. I think it is really fun because we got into the little details like the rose window, which was really well cut by the laser cutter. It was a really fun project,” sophomore Will Sedo said.

THE RUBICON PHOTOS: Eloise Duncan CATHEDRAL BURNING. Crowd gathers around the Lockwood advisory rendition of a burning Notre Dame.

The Lockwood advisory used the laser cutter to render the iconic burning Notre Dame.

The Bollinger-Danielson advisory made a cardboard house featuring a gingerbread man of their advisor.

The Bussey advisory made a cardboard and button house with an underwater theme.

Their rendition of Notre Dame was certainly up-to-date - they even added fake flames.

“We also decided that we didn’t want just a simple Notre Dame, so we chose to be very current and set it on fire,” junior Tobi Polley said.

CAS usually organizes a seasonal volunteering event around exams week, but this years’ was different. Instead of asking individual advisories to create their own kits consisting of materials for the organizations, they used the ginger-

bread house competition as a fundraiser.

“In the past, Ms. Ward, the past adviser, had worked with My Very Own Bed and other agencies, and we knew we wanted to continue that tradition. However, in the past, [we had] blanket making and kit construction for bedding,” CAS Adviser Andrea Moerer said.

“This year there wasn’t as big of a need for creation of the kits as there was a need for funds, so CAS decided to do some fundraising and to split proceeds be-

tween My Very Own Bed and Avenues for Homeless Youth.

Dr. Lockwood and her advisory came up with the idea of building the gingerbread houses out of cardboard and having that be a competition in helping to raise funds.”

The competition raised $400, and an advisory donated $150 after the competition.

Due to the large turnout of the event, CAS plans to continue the tradition in future years.

SM SC

SUICIDE PREVENTION Individuals must be educated about suicide to recognize warning signs in themselves and their friends.

EDITORIAL pg. 3 ISSUE INDEX

1-2 ... News 10 ... Issues

THE SCIENCE OF SMELL Scent isn’t a universal experience: it depends on memory, culture, and science.

IN-DEPTH pg. 8-9

8-9 ... In-Depth 3 ... Editorial 4-5 ... Opinions 6-7 ... Feature 16 ... Photo Story 11-13 ... Sports 14-15 ... A&E

During the week of Nov. 18, all ninth-graders and juniors attended a mandatory Mental Health Awareness assembly within their grade level. The assemblies were part of the SOS Signs of Suicide Prevention Program, which focuses on awareness about suicide.

Although SPA has participated in this program in the past, significant changes were made this year.

“Last year we set an unrealistic goal of connecting with each student the day of the screening. It was a worthy goal, but proved to be impossible to achieve,” US Counselor Susanna Short said.

This year, students go through a screening process and are then met with based on their results. This way, the meetings can be more in-depth and less rushed.

During the meetings, students watched a video made by SOS that highlighted various warning signs observed in people before a suicide attempt.

Actors in the video portrayed different scenarios that students could potentially find themselves in. These scenes showed students at risk and modeled appropriate responses from friends.

The acronym used for prevention was ACT, standing for acknowledge, care, and treatment. The first step to take after noticing warning signs in a friend or peer is to accept that they are struggling. Take their problems seriously, and be there to listen. Second, care.

Tell them that you are concerned about them, and show them that you are there to help. Lastly, reach out for help from a trusted adult or medical professional.

MENTAL HEALTH (continued on p. 2)

WINTER SPORTS

Catch an overview of winter sports so far and read what the season holds for the newly formed teams.

SPORTS pg. 11-13 @TheRubiconSPA

2

NEWS THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2019

Supreme Court leans towards ending DACA DACA: from beginning to end AUGUST

JUNE

JANUARY

Obama announces DACA as a “stopgap measure” to stop deporting undocumented immigrants if they meet certain qualifications.

At a campaign event, Trump promises to “immediately terminate President Obama’s illegal executive amnesties,” referring to DACA.

Trump is inaugurated as POTUS.

2012

2016

2017

NOVEMBER

JUNE The House of Representatives passes the American Dream and Promise Act to give Dreamers a path to citizenship.

The Supreme Court indicates that they will side with Trump on ending DACA.

2019

SEPTEMBER Trump releases a statement ending DACA and calls for a final Supreme Court decision on the matter.

JUNE The final Supreme Court decision as to whether or not the Trump administration’s 2017 decision was legal is expected by June 2020.

2020 INFOGRAPHIC DESIGN: Quinn Christensen

UNCERTAIN FUTURE. The supreme court is currently considering the constitutionality of Obama’s 2012 decision to implement DACA and the legality of Trump’s 2017 decision to end the policy.

QUINN CHRISTENSEN

THE FUTURE OF DACA

The DACA program began under former President Obama in 2012. It effectively delayed decisions about depor-

tation for around 700,000 undocumented immigrants who were under the age of 16 upon their arrival in the U.S. People who live in the U.S. under DACA have been residents since they were children, meaning that deportation would mean sending immigrants to countries where they have never lived, don’t remember living, or are in potential danger.

MENTAL HEALTH (from p. 1)

Teen activist educates students on climate strike

EDITOR IN CHIEF

The supreme court suggested on Nov. 12 that they would side with President Trump on ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

WHAT IS DACA

This could include a school counselor, a parent, or, in extreme cases, even a call to 911.

After the juniors and 9th graders watched the video, they filled out a form that was designed to recognize potential warning signs of suicide that students expressed.

Each student answered multiple yes or no questions, identified adults that they trusted within and outside of the SPA community, and named any friends that they were concerned about. SPA counselors took action if they saw responses in the form that sparked concern.

“We [followed] up with urgent concerns the day of the screening, flagged but non-urgent concerns within a couple of days, and no mandatory follow-up for students with no concerns,” Short said.

According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, warning signs include: anger, substance abuse, isolation, lack of energy, mood swings, sleeplessness, and feelings of hopelessness. These symptoms could signal serious depression.

CORRECTIONS POLICY:

Dreamer status lasts for two years, although it can be renewed.

up in the air.

Now, it seems that Congress plans to take the action that Trump has been hoping for. “[T]he Department of Homeland Security… determined that it no longer wished to retain the DACA policy based on its belief that the policy was illegal,” Solicitor General Noel Franco said in court on Nov. 12, where he represented the administration.

“DACA was always meant to be a temporary stop-gap measure that could be rescinded at any time, which is why it was only granted in two-year increments. So I don’t think anybody could have reasonably assumed that DACA was going to remain in effect in perpetuity,” Franco continued.

“What good would another five years of litigation over the adequacy of that explanation serve?” Justice Neil Gorsuch who represented the presidential administration said, seemingly pushing for a final decision.

Congress to finally act,” Trump said.

HISTORY OF DACA

WHAT WAS ARGUED IN COURT

On Sept. 5, 2017, Trump first announced his decision to end the DACA program by slowly phasing out the work permits that were already in place.

“I am not going to just cut DACA off, but rather provide a window of opportunity for

Then, this past June, the House of Representatives passed the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019, which sought to create a path to citizenship for “Dreamers”.

Between these two decisions, the future of DACA has been

“

IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT STUDENTS SHOW UP AND PROTEST SO THE MESSAGE IS VERY CLEAR TO LAW-MAKERS. Adri Arquin

RUBICONLINE PHOTO: Lucia Granja Teen activist Adri Arquin speaks to students about climate change and how to get involved in fighting climate change during clubs on Dec. 2.

LUCIA GRANJA RUBICONLINE

On Monday Dec. 2, PEP hosted student activist Adri Arquin to give a presentation about the student climate strike planned for Friday, Dec. 6. The strike was organized by MN Youth Climate Strike, a student run organization that

has organized a number of climate strikes, including the climate strike on Sept. 20 that gathered nearly 8,000 strikers outside of the State Capitol.

Arquin spoke about two aspects of the strike that took place, the main strike on the State Capitol at 3 pm organized

by MN Youth Climate Strike

”

and another protest earlier in the day organized by the Twin Cities charter of MN Youth Climate Strike.

For the earlier protest, strikers gathered at 12 pm at Central Library in Downtown Minneapolis and where they walked to “target company offices to demand that they take action to stop the climate crisis,” according to the Twin Cities Youth Climate Strike’s Instagram. The strikers then took the light rail to the State Capitol to make it to the 3 pm strike. The 3 pm strike took place inside the Capitol Building and differed slightly from the Sept. 20 strike with a teach-

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

NOVEMBER:

The Supreme Court’s final decision regarding DACA is expected by June 2020, at which point they will decide whether or not Trump’s decision to end the program was legal or if DACA was unconstitutional in the first place.

Read more about DACA in

OPINIONS pg. 4

in on the topic of the climate crisis.

Arquin stressed the purpose of having two climate strike events on Dec. 6, “It’s really important that students show up and protest so that the message is very clear to law-makers... having two different times that students can protest during the day makes it more accessible so that people can show up for at least one,” he said.

A climate strike in Minnesota during December brings up the question of weather. Luckily, the majority of the strike was inside.. More information about future strikes can be found on MN Youth Climate Strike’s Instagram account: @ mnclimatestrike.

How well do you know the climate crisis? Take the quiz at

RUBICON online

NEWS 3: META leaders: Winfrey Oenga, Ana Keller-Flores, Ijeoma Ugboajah, Sara Flores, Britney Chino, and Miski Omar

3

EDITORIAL THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2019

EDITORIAL CARTOON: Adrienne Gaylord It’s vital that warning signs of depression are recognized early on, before escalation.

Suicide prevention starts with education EDITORIAL

THE RUBICON STAFF

Learning about how to support friends with mental health issues is an essential skill that everyone needs. For the second year, the US Counseling staff screened students for mental health issues, with a focus on depression. This screening is one of the ways St. Paul Academy is taking steps to support students with mental health issues. SPA students need to follow suit and learn how they can be there for peers who have depression.

In 2017, an estimated 3.2 million adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 have had one or more major depressive episodes according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Major depressive episodes are defined as ‘a period of at least two weeks when a person experienced a depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities, and had a majority of specified symptoms, such as problems with sleep,

IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW TO RECOGNIZE SIGNS OF DEPRESSION. NOT EVERY CASE OF DEPRESSION IS THE SAME.

eating, energy, concentration, or self-worth.’ This 3.2 million represents 13.3% of the adolescent population in the United States.

If you are not suffering from depression, chances are someone around you is. Given the prevalence of depression, it is crucial that students educate themselves on how to support their friends and peers who suffer from it.

It is important to have an idea of how to recognize signs of depression. Not every case of depression is the same—the way a person walks around

with depression is as varied as the possible diagnoses or treatments. But if you notice behavior changes in a friend, rather than brush them off, start a conversation. Even if their changes in behavior aren’t due to depression or another mental health issue, it’s always good to check in.

Focus on supporting them and connecting them to others: talk to a trusted adult who can help them get in touch with a health professional. Doctors can do evaluations and rule out any physical conditions that could impact mental health.

Then from there they can provide a referral to a mental health professional, who can diagnose and treat depression or any other mental health issue.

Professional help is important for those with depression, especially considering that, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, most people suffering from depression need some kind of treatment, usually psychotherapy or medica-

tion, to get better.

Beyond guiding your friend towards professional help, be supportive and encouraging, even when you don’t understand the way they are feeling.

There are a lot of things to think about when talking to peers about their depression.

Acknowledge that your understanding is limited to your experience. Never minimize what they are feeling, even if something seems small to you.

Different things affect people in vastly different ways.

Take mentions of death, suicide, or self harm very seriously, even if they seem like jokes.

Avoid triggering topics but don’t treat them like they are fragile— they are still the same person they have always been.

If you are not sure what they need from you, ask them how you can support them, and suggest options you think would be helpful. Remember that depression is not simply being sad. People with depression experience a range of emotions while still suffering from depression. Once your peer gets access to more resources, be there for them as the process of treatment is long and hard. Remind them that even though it may seem impossible, it will get better.

If someone around you is talking about self harm or suicide, make sure they are safe and talk to a trusted adult immediately. Telling a trusted adult is the first step to supporting and protecting your peer. If someone is making direct statements claiming they are going to commit suicide, do not leave them alone. It is also important not to promise to keep someone’s suicidal thoughts or actions a secret, as telling a trusted adult is the number one priority, and no promise should stop you from doing this. If you fear for their safety, bring them to the nearest emergency room or call 911.

If they don’t have access to a therapist or don’t feel comfortable talking to people about their mental health issues, help them access online resources as well as a trusted adult.

Depression can be a scary thing, but learning how to offer support can change and save lives.

PsychCentral

Questions to ask yourself if you think you may be depressed: Do you experience unexplained intense sadness that lasts or multiple days at a time or longer?

Do you find yourself lacking in energy for no reason, or taking lots of naps through out the day?

Do you feel hopeless?

Are you overeating or under-eating?

Are you experiencing a loss of interest in things that used to excite you?

Do you feel more irritable or angry?

Crisis Hotlines National Suicide Prevention Hotline: (800)-273 -8255 Crisis Text Line: Text “HOME” to 741741 YouthLine: (877)-968-8491

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 NEWS EDITORS OPINIONS EDITOR ISSUES EDITOR IN DEPTH EDITOR FEATURE EDITOR ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR SPORTS EDITORS PHOTO STORY EDITOR ILLUSTRATOR

Quinn Christensen Evelyn Lillemoe Lucy Benson Julia Baron, Charlie Johnson Maren Ostrem Meagan Massie Lizzie Kristal Sharee Roman Jenny Ries Salah Abdulkarim, Tommy Stolpestad Eloise Duncan Adrienne Gaylord

DIRECTOR OF RUBICONLINE CREATIVE DESIGN MANAGER PRODUCTION MANAGER SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER NEWS EDITORS OPINIONS EDITORS FEATURE EDITORS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS AUREUS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SPORTS EDITOR PHOTO AND VIDEO

Melissa Nie Noah Raaum Lynn Reynolds Bobby Verhey Liv Larsen, Elizabeth Trevathan Tana Ososki, Lara Cayci Annika Rock, Elle Chen Lucia Granja, Zekiah Juliusson Sam Hanson Martha Sanchez, Will Schavee Henry Burkhardt

ADVISER

Kathryn Campbell PUBLICATIONS ASSISTANT

Megan Erickson

4

OPINIONS THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2019

Responsible self care includes productivity LIZZIE KRISTAL THE RUBICON

When schoolwork is piling up and stress seems to be nonstop, will a bubble bath and a face mask really help with the stress? While a pamper session is sometimes a great way to relax, it’s not necessarily the best way to go about relieving stress and, in fact, might just extend it. Sometimes the best form of self-care is to sit down and get stuff done.

A big misconception about self-care is that it’s glamorous.

Marketing companies advertise their products as the sole solution to life’s problems. The selfcare industry is worth about $10 billion a year in the U.S. The truth is these items can only go so far to improve mental health. Effective self-care isn’t a treat-yourself moment; it’s about finding a routine that helps take care of oneself, whatever that may be. For many people, this comes in forms of

ILLUSTRATION: Evelyn Lillemoe Self care is more about hard work paying off than luxurious relaxation. physical activity, sleep, productivity, and more.

Specifically when it comes to schoolwork, getting it done is often the best way to destress.

Lighting candles isn’t going to do much when you have two essays and five other assignments to get done. The only way to stop worrying about that work is to get it done. There’s noth-

ing better than watching Netflix after grinding out a ton of work that was bringing you down.

Self-care is a cycle; you can’t be productive if you aren’t taking care of yourself, but you also can’t take care of yourself if you aren’t being productive.

You have to find the balance that works for you between

ultimately turned the decision over to Congress. The decision has faced multiple lawsuits by the University of California’s president, former Arizona congresswoman, and 7 separate states, all arguing that the repeal is unlawful. The decision is currently in the hands of the supreme court, and with the conservative majority, many people are predicting them to side with Trump and end the DACA policy that protects 703,890 people according to U.S Citizen and Immigration Services as of July 2018. The supreme court indicated on Nov. 12 that they would side with Trump, but the decision that will produce tangible action for dreamers is predicted to be made by June of 2020.

Immigrants and dreamers are an essential part of The United States, and have been for hundreds of years. Deporting hundreds of thousands of people to a country that they have hardly lived in, and could be physically harmed in, is not only unnecessary, because their

not supplying any harm to the U.S, but also inhumane.

These immigrants are human beings that are currently living in a state of fear over the looming threat of this supreme court decision. Many of these people have lived here for decades, and are currently of legal status. Current DACA recipients are encapsulating what American ideals were founded on. Being an asylum for refugees is key to American success, and immigrants are helping our society. According to a study done by The Center for American Progress, 96% of persons in the U.S under DACA are either enrolled in schooling and pursuing education, or employed. DACA recipients are also helping to simulate the economy. After receiving DACA 54% of people surveyed bought their first car, 16% of people bought their first home, 69% moved to a job that paid better wages, and 56% started a job that provided better working conditions.

Additionally, 5% of DACA

light activities such as pampering, and more productive activities such as doing homework or cleaning. Without one or the other, it’s challenging to function at your best.

Another misconception surrounding self-care is that it looks the same for everyone, which is false. Everyone’s lives and needs are different, so there is no set list of activities that’s going to be universally effective in reducing stress.

In order to have self-care, you need self-awareness to figure out which activities work for you and what kind of balance you need. The combination of self-care and self-awareness is what you need in order to find the perfect routine for you.

The majority of stigmas surrounding self-care comes from advertisements and social media. Many influencers who have accounts that only post the perfection of their lives show selfcare products like facials and

bath bombs as life-changing. In reality, most of these posts are sponsored, or they are posting to gain followers because the relaxing lifestyle is attractive.

THERE IS NO SET LIST OF ACTIVITIES THAT’S GOING TO BE UNIVERSALLY EFFECTIVE. Next time you feel like you’re suffocating in work, sit down and get it done. Save the bubble bath for after you’ve lifted the stress off your shoulders and can truly enjoy the relaxation. Try not to fall into social media traps that suggest what self-care techniques to use; instead, tune into what your own needs are and find a routine that works for you.

That way, you’ll have a surefire way to stay mentally healthy throughout the school year.

Advocate for DACA recipients, fight inhumane policies JULIA BARON THE RUBICON

As Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is currently under fire by the Trump Administration, it is important, even more than ever, to stand with “dreamers”, and protest their deportation.

President Trump has been a long critic of DACA, often describing recipients as criminals, saying on Twitter on Nov 12 “Many of the people in DACA, no longer very young, are far from “angels.” Some are very tough, hardened criminals.”

He is now taking action on this hateful anti-immigrant rhetoric, and is currently attempting to terminate DACA, a program instituted by former president Barack Obama in 2012. The policy guarantees that children brought to the country without legal status before the age of 16, and meet multiple other standards, a two year deferred action plan that can be renewed by recipients.

Trump announced his repeal plan of the policy in 2017, but

recipients also started their own business, and became entrepreneurs, showing that DACA recipients are ahead of the whole American population on this front, where the rate is 3.1%.

DACA BY THE NUMBERS There are currently

703,890

THESE DREAMERS ARE HUMAN DACA recipients in the U.S BEINGS THAT ARE CURRENTLY LIVING IN A STATE OF FEAR. Even ignoring the human component, ending DACA would be detrimental to the economy. According to the Center for American Progress, ending DACA and deporting dreamers would result in 685,000 workers, and lower the national Gross Domestic Product by $460.3 billion over the next 10 years. There isn’t any reason to end DACA, as it would destroy the lives of thousands and put a tremendous strain on the U.S. economy.

5%

of DACA recipients start their own businesses

INFORMATION: The Center for American Progress and U.S Citizen and Immigration Services

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.

ADVERTISING The Rubicon does not accept advertisements.

ANONYMOUS SOURCES Although

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

UPDATES AND CORRECTIONS

MEMBERSHIPS

opinion of The Rubicon staff, while mini-editorials, opinions pieces, arts reviews, and columns belong to the author.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Opinions are welcomed as Letters to the Editor or Submitted Opinions and may be published in the print or edition. Letters to the Editor should not exceed 400 words and Submitted Opinions should not exceed 650 words.

Both may be edited for length and

During the post-critique process, staff members identify inaccuracies and report feedback from readers. The staff publishes corrections when an error is discovered during critique or reported to a staff member. Corrections should be directed to the Editor in Chief or appropriate section editor.

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

Columbia Scholastic Press Association National Scholastic Press Association MN High School Press Association Quill and Scroll Honor Society

PUBLICATION AWARDS

NSPA All-American, Pacemaker (Online) and Finalist (Print) CSPA Gold Medalist (Hybrid), Silver Crown Award (Hybrid), SNO Distinguished Site JEM All State Gold

OPINIONS THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2019

5

Connections between subjects provide depth

Numbers don’t belong at the holiday table

JENNY RIES

THE RUBICON

ILLUSTRATION: Melissa Nie Commenting on food can cause unintentional harm.

QUINN CHRISTENSEN EDITOR IN CHIEF

As someone who has struggled with an eating disorder, here is what my holiday calendar looks like: Thanksgiving: Field comments about my weight, my health, and what’s on my plate.

Christmas: Cringe as relatives brag about how “good” they are for refusing a cookie.

Try not to let it stop me from eating a cookie.

New Year’s: Watch as everyone and their mother announces their newest diet.

For anyone struggling with food, the holidays are a minefield of numbers and food shame. So when I first started writing this piece, I wanted to say: be careful about commenting on food and weight when you see relatives this holiday season because you never know who in your family might be struggling with food.

But then I remembered that it’s more complicated than that.

You do know who is struggling with food: everyone is. It’s practically tradition to eat past satiation for November and December while simultaneously planning your New Year’s diet. Forget eating disorders this is cultural.

So this year, I want to challenge you to disrupt the cycle.

Yes, be conscious of what’s happening around you, of what you’re saying, of what your family is saying. Be conscious of the ways that your holiday conversations may perpetuate judgment of food and body.

But there’s something else.

Something bigger, even. I want you to recognize that the numbers and diet talk and food shaming that rears its ugly head during the holidays doesn’t only affect people with an eating disorder diagnosis. It affects everyone.

This holiday season, remind yourself that food has no morality. There is no good or bad food. There is just what your body wants - no matter what time of year it is.

ILLUSTRATION: Adrienne Gaylord AGEISM OR HARMLESS JOKE? “OK Boomer” is a phrase used by Gen Z to combat insulting stereotypes, not an ageist term.

Think Gen Z is rude and addicted to technology?

“OK Boomer” BOBBY VERHEY RUBICONLINE

Since the beginning of time, in many civilizations, being respectful and of older citizens has been a key part of the education of youth. Recently, the more experienced group of people have called into question whether this relationship is gone after the spread of a viral meme.

The meme spawned from TikTok, a recent social media platform that has become very popular with younger generations, specifically Generation Z, (people born between 19962010). This meme is a response to someone who is older and is generally a part of the Baby Boomer generation, (born between 1946-1964), whenever they make a statement that is out of touch. These comments can be from just about anything—spanning from technology to politics to marriage. With this, the phrase “Ok Boomer” was born.

This is how the phrase works. After a Boomer makes an out-of-touch statement, a person from a younger generation responds with “Ok Boomer,” quickly discredit their statement in a sarcastic way. This response quickly transpired from an internet meme into normal-day conversation; it even the New Zealand Parliament, when a 25-year-old politician used it against her older coworker who insisted that Climate Change was not real.

Gen Z has decided to throw the insults right back in the Baby Boomer’s faces, saying “Ok Boomer.”

While the reason for its rise was accredited to kids being fed up with the older generation’s views especially in this current political climate, it also could be due to how the Baby Boomers and Millennials, (born between 1981-1996), relationship has developed.

“OK BOOMER” IS A JOKE, AN INTERNET MEME THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY MISCONSTRUED

BY BABY BOOMERS WHO... HAVE IMMEDIATELY CLAIMED THAT IT IS AGEIST. It has unfolded in front of Generation Z, as Baby Boomers have criticized nearly everything that Millennials have done often calling them lazy, entitled, and addicted to their phones. This attack on Millennials has often gone uncontested as the Baby Boomers have poured insults down without much of a response.

With Millennials getting older, attention has now turned to Generation Z. Despite Generation Z getting a much better shake than Millennials, and even are said to have characteristics such as hardworking and pragmatic, criticism has started to come from older generations. This criticism has mostly come from comments regarding their reliance on technology. In response to this,

Generation Z has taken a much different approach than Millennials as rather than letting it go and having stereotypes spiral out of control, Gen Z has decided to throw the insults right back in the Baby Boomer’s faces, saying “Ok Boomer.”

Gen Z is not willing to wait like sitting ducks, with insults being hurled at them, but are instead sending a clear message they will not follow the path of the Millennials.

This has not come without controversy. Many Baby Boomers have claimed that the phrase is ageist. More radical thinkers such as when a radio host, Bob Lonsberry, from New York equated “Ok Boomer” to the n-word of ageism. This quickly, and obviously, backfired on him as there are clear differences between the two.

On top of that, it played directly into Generation Z’s hands as Lonsberry’s response is exactly how a Baby Boomer is expected to respond; with an off-color reference that is socially insensitive.

Overall, “Ok Boomer” is a joke, an internet meme that has been completely misconstrued by Baby Boomers who instead of acknowledging what it is trying to say, have immediately claimed that it is ageist.

However, the ironic part about it is that the ageism of Boomers is what started the trend in the first place. Their degradation of Millennials and criticism of Gen Z has culminated to this and it is their own fault. So if they are not okay with this, or still see this as equivalent to a slur, then there is only one response: “Ok Boomer.”

Though academic disciplines are often taught separately in a school setting, interdisciplinary collaboration is an effective way to draw connections between subjects in a way that mirrors the world outside of the classroom. One common complaint that some high school students have is that they are expected to be everything: a mathlete, a deep analyzer of literature, a promising scientific thinker. They argue that in the “real world,” people are not expected to exhibit this degree of versatility.

This may be the case, however, it is important to recognize the connections that exist between areas of different academic subjects, and how ideas from one course can enrich a student’s understanding of another.

Recently, there have been multiple instances of interdisciplinary collaboration within the SPA community, such as a history class incorporating student journalism in order to cover the annual naturalization ceremony here, and the Literature of Migration and History of Refugee classes going on a joint field trip.

IN THE REAL WORLD, THINGS ARE NOT AS CLEAR CUT AS THEY SOMETIMES ARE IN THE CLASSROOM. These collaborations allow students to recognize where different subject areas intersect and inform one another. For example, in order to understand a social movement, it may not be enough to simply look at it from a purely social-historical perspective, when it may have been influenced by scientific discoveries, journalistic participation in its time. This also presents students with multiple lenses through which to appreciate information, preventing oversimplification of a concept. For example, studying climate change through a purely scientific lens means failing to note the social and cultural exploitation connected to its causes, or the effects that it has on communities that did not cause it.

In this way, interdisciplinary collaboration reflects how, in the real world, things are not as clear cut as they sometimes are in the classroom. It is important that this sort of collaboration continues to promote a better understanding of the outside world.

6

FEATURE THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2019

FIRST PERSON FEATURE

1

Do

thing that scares you...

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Eloise Duncan Although the only words I know in French are “bonjour” and “baguette” being in an immersive language space wasn’t as intimidating as I imagined it could be.

Kristal attends French V

(without ever studying French) LIZZIE KRISTAL THE RUBICON

I don’t speak French at all.

I know “bonjour” and “baguette,” but beyond that French is a language that goes completely over my head.

So, considering my lack of understanding, sitting in on a French V class was quite the unusual experience.

Whether it’s because I like feeling comfortable or because I like investing in the stability around me, immersion in any kind of unfamiliar condition has always scared me.

Even though attending a French class wasn’t exactly like wandering the streets of Paris, the intensity of the class gave me a sense of what that would be like.

It’s only imaginable that when I first sat down in the class, I got some weird looks.

I’m sure they were thinking: “Why is a German-speaker in the most advanced French course offered at school?” After an explanation, things got a little more comfortable.

The students started a goaround. I couldn’t understand the question at all, but I started to gather what it was about.

Two people said the names of movies in English, so maybe it had something to do with a favorite film. Another said something about Thanksgiving, so I was thinking it was somewhere along the lines of “What are you doing during Thanksgiving break?”

Once the go-around reached me, I stuttered and asked what the question was.

“What’s something you’re doing over Thanksgiving break to take care of yourself?” recited the teacher. I was close.

Slowly, I began to gain confidence in my understanding of what was going on.

Next, they began playing a game called “Loogaroo” which is French for werewolf. To help me out, someone whispered to me: “It’s like Mafia,” which I was familiar with due to the

obsession with the game my advisory had in sixth grade.

Okay, I could do this. Deciding not to participate in the round, I watched the game.

Everyone put their heads down, and one by one, students “woke up” and pointed at another student.

ALTHOUGH FOR MOST OF THE CLASS I WAS VERY CONFUSED... I WAS SURPRISED AT WHAT I WAS ABLE TO PICK UP. The issue was that it wasn’t like Mafia, because on a few instances multiple students woke up and there were also more roles than were in Mafia, so once again, I was completely lost. I lost some hope in following the game.

The last activity of the day was the game where everyone would split into two teams and one person on the team would go through different objects and describe them so that a member of their team could guess it.

Even though I didn’t understand anything they were describing, it was very entertaining to watch.

Periodically, I’d understand a word because it resembled the English version, but other than that, it all sounded like gibberish to me.

Although for most of the class I was very confused and would just nod my head to act as if I had some idea as to what was going on, I was surprised at what I was able to pick up.

If I listened closely, I could understand some words that reminded me of their English counterparts. Sadly, I didn’t walk out of the class fluently speaking French, but it gave me a sense of how intense language immersion actually is.

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: Mia Hofmann BODY TALK. Mia Hofmann steps in front of an opposing teammate to catch the ball before the defender blocks her. Hofmann communicates using body language to see who she is going to pass the ball to next.

What verbal and nonverbal strategies work best for communication between team and coach?

Between players?

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Sharee Roman Speaking Chinese during fencing matches allows Jax Wittenberg and Luka Shaker-check to strategize discreetly.

Language: a winning strategy for athletes LULU PRIEDE

STAFF WRITER

It is a given that different sports have their own jargon.

Team members use language to plan their next move and how each move will be played out. It is an important factor to consider in how the sport runs as a whole.

But what about when players and coaches adopt nonsports language as a strategy?

Baseball player Jake Therien explains how interactions with a coach can be critical to the flow of the game.

“Our coach is on the sideline and he does some signs and if you see signs we practiced, you know what to do at bat,” Therien said.

Some of the communication is verbal, while some are gestures. For example, if the coach touches his hat with both hands, it means to bunt.

For lacrosse player Mia Hofmann, nonverbal traditions become as important as verbal ones.

“In lacrosse, when you score a goal or have a good play you

click sticks. That’s universal in lacrosse; it’s not just for our team,” Hofmann said.

DON’T NEED “ WE TO REVEAL OUR STRATEGY... WE CAN JUST TELL EACH OTHER WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

”

Luka Shaker-Check Specialized communication isn’t limited to high school; it’s also used by professional sports teams.

According to an article published on the Arkansas State University Sports Administration website, “The Importance of Communication in Sports,” players who know how to interact with each other make a team stronger.

Junior Luka Shaker-Check has been fencing since last year and practices almost every day after school for three hours.

During fencing season, Shaker-Check and his teammates use Chinese to communicate with the coach, hiding game strategies from opponents in characters.

Shaker-Check is in Chinese IV; his coach is from Taiwan and speaks Chinese. Their fencing captain was interested in learning, so it just became their thing.

“Outside of fencing, I generally talk with one or two of my friends in Chinese,” Shaker-Check said.

While he doesn’t know exactly how their unique strategy came to be, it allows the team to plan in secret: “It’s nice for when we’re playing against other teams because then we don’t need to reveal our strategy,” he said.

“We can just tell each other what we need to do,” Shaker-Check added.

Languages are used all across the world to bring different types of cultures and communities together, but not many people are aware of the languages used to communicate in sports and everyday life.

FEATURE THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2019

7

Faculty sports both native and learned speakers JENNY RIES

THE RUBICON

Within the US language department there are an even number of teachers who are native speakers in the language that they teach, and teachers who are teaching their second language.

These teachers note how there is a difference in the way that they approach teaching a language if it is their second language, and recognize that there are multiple ways to be a “native speaker.”

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Jennifer Ries US Chinese teacher Tian Wang helps junior Maya Choi with her classwork.

WANG STRIVES FOR AUTHENTICITY

“

Tian Wang

”

She studied to be a teacher at Hubei College of Education before getting certified to teach English. She began teaching English after her graduation, and came to the United States in 2006.

“In April of 2006, Mounds Park Academy [hired] me as MPA’s first Mandarin teacher during a trip...I taught Chinese at MPA for 3 years and had to go back to China because my [visa expired],” she said. She later moved back to the United States.

As a Chinese teacher, Wang’s primary focus is teaching about Chinese culture and about the language itself.

“Being a native speaker, my

Minnesota-born French teacher Sophie Kerman has been studying French since middle school. She did not fall in love with French until her time at Carleton College, where she worked as a Teaching Assistant in the French classes.

“Language learning was much more by-the-book at my high school, so I didn’t get really excited about French until I was able to study literature and culture in college - and I didn’t feel confident in speaking until I lived in France for a year as an English teacher,” Kerman said.

This experience guided her towards a career in education.

“Going to graduate school

GROWING UP GERMAN INFLUENCES CROWDER’S CURRICULUM DESIGN Born in Hanover, Germany, German teacher Jutta Crowder previously taught in her home country before coming to the United States.

Chinese teacher Tian Wang was born in central China. She began learning English in middle school and she excelled in the language.

“I decided to major in English when I was in college to learn more about the language and hoped to teach English in the future,” Wang said.

MY GOAL IS TO BRING AUTHENTIC LANGUAGE AND CULTURE TO THE STUDENTS.

KERMAN DISCOVERS LOVE FOR FRENCH LITERATURE AND CULTURE

THINK THAT IT IS “ IGREAT THAT MY STUDENTS CAN, AT TIMES, TEACH ME THINGS. Jutta Crowder PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS: Evelyn Lillemoe goal is to bring authentic experiences to my students,” she said. “I focus a lot on teaching my students the accurate pronunciation.”

Wang also uses her personal connection to China to stay current on the material she teaches.

“I still have friends and family in China who I talk to all the time. This gives me the opportunity to learn what is new in my home country, and how vocabulary has been changed throughout the years, so that I can have the most updated [version of the] language in my classroom.”

In addition to presenting a full picture of Chinese culture to her students, she considers it is possible for non-native speakers of a language to achieve mastery of it through hard work and a consistent practice schedule.

”

In the US, Crowder designed a German language program at the Breck School. In her eyes, some benefits of having a native speaker as a language teacher is how the methodology of how the language is taught.

TO DANIELS, THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY TO BE A NATIVE SPEAKER Spanish teacher Peter Daniels first started to learn Spanish as a child in Minnesota. He gained experience studying, teaching, and living abroad.

Daniels cautioned against using the binary of ‘native’ versus ‘non-native’ speakers of a language.

“There’s that duality of where we look for teachers that are both masters of the craft of teaching,” he said, “and also masters of the content of the target language.”

Daniels pointed out that

in French confirmed to me that while I love the academic side of language, I much prefer the variety and challenge of being in the classroom,” she said.

Kerman noted that being a non-native French speaker influences the way that she teaches the language.

“I think being a non-native speaker has a profound effect on my teaching. I went through the same learning process that SPA students are experiencing.

I know some of the tricks, and also some of the insecurities and frustrations, in learning the language as a teenager who didn’t grow up as a native speaker,” she said.

There are also benefits that come from being taught by a native speaker.

“I think that native speakers contribute an incredibly valuable lived experience as immigrants from another culture who also have better access to the idioms and nuances of their native languages and cultures,” Kerman said.

“It depends really on the teaching style— and that is the most important piece, I think— for language teaching. When I think about content based curriculum, then I think sometimes it is maybe advantageous to be a native speaker,” Crowder said.

The language department is currently designing advanced language courses.

“I think I can bring some additional insight to developing content on that level… to make it very real and really bring it to the actual experience that you will have in the respective country,” she said.

“I can create some activities where that grammar becomes very real... I think that’s always important to really relate it to the actual experience that you would have with that language in a specific place.”

She has experience as both

a language teacher and learner.

“I love that I’m also learning English, and I think that’s great, that my students can, at times, teach me things. I can ask them things. And they can be cultural things, they can be things… about the country, just as they ask me, I can ask them,” she said. “I think that’s an awesome kind of give-and-take in a classroom.”

the language department strives for specificity in how they teach about a language and the culture around it.

“We’re trying to bring out more diverse perspectives in our curriculum to showcase the uniqueness of the different cultures and communities,” he said.

Daniels stresses the importance of the work that done by the department.

“The work that we’re doing as a department is to take and speak from our own experiences, but also find authentic texts that can speak for themselves

and analyze the thoughts of those that are willing to share their thoughts.”

The language department has teachers from various backgrounds who bring their own experiences to the classroom.

8

IN DE

SM SC

THE RUBICON - D

Smelling has been deemed one of the most underrated sense in the five senses while sight is considered most superior.

Between the scent industry and how our brain connects smells to memories, they take a much more prominent role in our society than expected.

Sophomore Jayden Jones takes a whiff of fresh lavender “I’ve always like kind of floral stuff like lavender,” they said.

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Sharee Roman

9

EPTH

DECEMBER 2019

Processing of smells complicates their perception MAREN OSTREM THE RUBICON

When sitting in the last class before lunch, the smell of the meal fills the school. Standing in the lunch line gives students plenty of time to breathe in the sweet or savory scents. Sometimes these scents determine whether students will get the hot lunch or skip straight to the salad bar.

termine how pleasant the brain will find the scent. According to neurobiologist Rachel Herz, the reason that scent is associat-

FAST FACT

BRAIN SCIENCE BEHIND SCENTS

Humans can detect more than one trillion distinct scents. Once the scent is in the olfactory bulbs, it sends a unique combination of activated nerves to the brain.

Why does smell have such an effect on our emotions and perceived experiences? Why do certain smells have the ability to transport people back to specific memories? First of all, it’s important to mention how smells are processed in the brain.

When a scent is breathed in, it is processed by the nerve tissue called olfactory bulbs inside of the nose. Scents don’t simply pass through the bulbs, but the olfactory bulbs also de-

ed with emotion is that the olfactory bulbs are close to other parts of the brain that process emotions, such as the amygdala, and the orbitofrontal cortex.

It has also been proven that scent triggers more immediate reactions and feelings in the brain than visual, auditory, or tactile triggers. These reactions include disgust or pleasure.

This is because the visual, auditory, and tactile experiences have to be processed through

the brain stem and thalamus, while scent doesn’t. This may have a connection to why smells have such a strong connection to emotions. It has yet to be discovered whether the emotional information is more accurate when triggered by scent versus other senses.

THE CONNECTION TO MEMORY Along with this, there is a very strong connection between memory and smell which comes from an evolutionary need to survive. The categorization of smells into unpleasant and pleasant smells results from the contexts in which humans experience them. Scents encountered in pleasant situations will trigger pleasant emotions and vice versa. Memories of unpleasant smells kept early humans from eating poisonous foods after encountering them the first time.

Scents are also used to determine sexual partnerships. Al-

though this trait has decreased as humans have evolved, the pheromones that humans emit can influence their perceived attractiveness. While the scent of pheromones is usually not a conscious observation, it does affect the subconscious.

PERCEPTION OF SCENT Some scents cause nearly universal reactions. According to Psychology Today, the smell of lavender incense causes pleasant feelings, but detract from one’s mathematical ability. It was also found that the scent of lemon increased the subjects’ perception of their own health.

It has been proven that memories triggered by scent can be traced all the way back to infancy. Memories brought on by smell oftentimes cause higher levels of brain activity, although they aren’t always more accurate. Because of this, a study done by Herz showed that if a student smells something while studying, and then

Scent appeal depends on memory and culture SHAREE ROMAN THE RUBICON

Smell is not just a biological and psychological experience - it is also a social and cultural phenomenon. Think about it. In modern Western culture, the sense of smell is not as valued as the other four senses.

THE UNDERRATED SENSE According to scientist David Howes, the intellectual elite of the 18th century decreed sight to be the superior sense, while the sense of smell was deemed less useful. Howes felt that sight and hearing were more practical in everyday life for conversation, observation, and determining the importance of something.

“I think it is one of the least important senses because it is not required for daily functions and activities unlike sight and touch, smell isn’t used for conversations or used to complete homework,” said ninth grader Leona Barocas.

COMMON APPEAL TO SCENTS Scents are by no means universally pleasing, but certain chemicals make smells attractive. For example, to many people, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee is attractive. According to Coffee Science, the rich, satisfying smell of coffee is almost entirely due to the volatile compounds produced when roasting coffee beans.

Coffee contains molecules for almost every attractive scent including spicy, sweet, fruity, floral, and smoky. Not every scent is as welcoming as freshly brewed coffee, though.

“I feel like there are some scents universally disliked; rotting things and strong chemical smells for example, but I think there is a wider range of what people find particularly pleasant,” junior Katherine Goodman said.

Our sense of smell has developed over millennia to detect dangerous compounds.

Chemicals produced by rotting meat such as cadaverine and putrescine can be detected by our nose at very low concentrations. The same can be said of sulfur-containing compounds such as hydrogen sulfide also known as rotten egg gas.

GENDERING OF SCENTS While humans have developed a way to detect dangerous compounds by smell, humans also respond to ones that aren’t dangerous. Flavourists and perfumers have developed a system called odor activity values which show how people respond to particular compounds and they use those responses to create perfumes and fragrances.

“When I think of a masculine scent, I think of Ax and I feel like a lot of masculine scents tend to have a similar aroma. And like for females, like as I said before its really flowery and fruity,” said senior Ashely Su. The neuroscience behind the gender-scent connection shows that an association with a certain memory influences your reaction to a scent. If someone feels that flowery scents are feminine, it may be because those are the fragrances their mom always wore, and she wore them because their

mom did, and so on.

Companies have started to move away from purely gendered fragrances. To appeal to both men and women equally, companies rely on the middle of the road scents including crisp citrus fruits like lemon, pungent spices such as nutmeg, and heady florals like jasmine.

“Big companies have gotten into the idea of mixing them.

It’s like the other day I bought this sample from Sephora and in the sample there two perfumes: one was fruity and the other was more masculine, but they were both marketed for women,” Su said.

For sophomore Jay Jones, both stereotypically masculine and feminine scents are appealing.

“I’ve always liked kind of floral stuff like lavender. I like bergamot a lot. Its really good.

I like stereotypically masculine scents on me personally.

In terms of other people, so long you don’t smell like BO or nothing nasty like that. It doesn’t really matter to me,” Jones said.

DEPENDING FACTORS OF SCENT RECEPTION While some people find the smell of campfire, gasoline, and laundry detergent oddly pleasing, Jones find those three smells horrific. There are some smells that universally smell bad because of a built in reaction to the dangerous components within. But all the good and the in between smells are not universal. People’s perception of what smells good and what smells bad depends on many factors some including culture and memories.

smells the same thing during a test, they might get a memory boost.

While there are still many things to learn about the science of scent, a few things are definite. For one thing, smell is strongly connected to emotions and memory. Secondly, smell can be used to our advantage in ways that aren’t entirely understood yet. Scents dictate lives much more than one might think. They take part in what people eat, who they’re attracted to, and more.

So when students stand in the lunch line, and feel themselves making judgments on the food before they’ve even seen it, the reasoning behind their reactions may be even more complex than meets the eye.

Learn more about how to use scents to your advantage on Pinterest @rubiconspa

Visual recall sinks to accuracy after three months while scent has accuracy after one year

50%

65%

As of 2019, the world’s fragrance industry is valued at

$43.9 billion

INFOGRAPHIC: Lizzie Kristal Scent shows to play a very prominent role in the economy and especially when compared to the power of sight.

Information courtesy of Statista

10

ISSUES THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2019

Astrobiologists strive to clean up space junk

Don’t space out: orbital debris may cause more trouble than expected TOMMY STOLPESTAD THE RUBICON

What happens to scraps of metal that are orbiting the earth at 17,500 miles per hour? What happens if there are hundreds of thousands of those scraps orbiting the planet every second? These scraps, also known as space junk, culminate from a variety of manmade waste. Whether it is old rocket propellers from NASA missions, dead satellites, or pieces of metal, these pieces of debris take up a significant part of what orbits the Earth. But what happens to the junk that is left in space? How does space waste that orbits our planet affect us? Space junk affects us in more ways than one might think.

Senior Space Science student, Helen Bartlett, shares her concerns about space junk.

“The issue with space junk is the lack of consideration or regulation about what we are putting in Earth’s orbit,” Bartlett said.

NASA defines space junk as, “Orbital debris is any manmade object in orbit about the Earth which no longer serves a useful function. Such debris includes nonfunctional spacecraft, abandoned launch vehicle stages, mission-related debris and fragmentation debris.”

Space junk can range from tiny pieces of paint to large pieces of metal, all orbiting around Earth’s atmosphere.

While they may seem harmless from a point of view on Earth, they can cause complications for space programs around the world.

Senior Jack Guinan, a Space Science student, shares why he thinks space junk can be a serious problem for NASA. “The more space junk we put up [into space], the higher the risk of a collision with other objects. It seems like a problem to me because if NASA is spending millions of dollars on these projects, it seems worthless if they get destroyed before even getting to space,” Guinan said.

“

THE MORE SPACE JUNK WE PUT UP [INTO SPACE] THE HIGHER THE RISK OF A COLLISION WITH OTHER OBJECTS. Jack Guinan

”

While launch delays can slow the process of sending satellites and other objects into space, space junk poses a much more significant threat to satellites and space stations already in orbit. US Space Science teacher, Steve Heilig, shares some reasons why space junk is a significant problem.

“There were a couple of satellites that collided with each other accidentally about ten years ago or so. One of them was an old satellite that was dead, but it was still in orbit, and there was another satellite that was in orbit that was being used, and they just happened to collide,” Heilig said. “When

those two satellites collided, their relative velocity was pretty high and so they just sort of shattered. And now that means there’s all that debris from those two satellites that is now orbiting the earth, and that can hit other things.”

Due to the incredible speeds that space junk is moving at, these pieces of waste can destroy satellites and anything else in orbit with ease. Because of this, collisions act as a sort of domino effect by creating more, smaller pieces of junk that make the problem even worse. The danger is that an undetectable piece that is the size of a paint chip can cause extraordinary damage to anything in its way because of how fast it is moving.

“One of the space shuttles they got hit by, I think that one was a bit of paint and it left a little chip in the window,” Heilig said.

To put this in perspective, the window that was chipped was thick, reinforced glass meant to protect astronauts from the dangerous environment of space. This shows that if a small piece of junk can do that much damage, a larger collision could be catastrophic.

Space junk is a significant problem because of the threat it poses for anything launching into space, and every satellite and human in space. Due to the rising concern for the increasing amount of space debris orbiting the earth, experts are trying to find out how to start tackling this problem.

According to NASA, the Department of Defense’s Space

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Tommy Stolpestad SEARCHING FOR STARS. Dr. Heilig stands with the telescope that he uses for his star parties in Space Science.

Surveillance Network tracks the number and size of space junk in orbit. Despite this, little progress has been made in taking the space junk to a place where it is no longer a threat.

“Dr. Heilig has taught us about a lot of proposed theories for cleaning space junk. My favorite was a method where a probe of some sort would use solar energy to send energy waves through space junk, tethering it, and naturally getting the junk to move down the atmospheric levels of earth until it eventually naturally burned up,” Bartlett said.

The problem is that there are thousands of tiny pieces with seemingly no way to clean

them up.

“Think about sustainability at home. So you think the first thing is, try not to throw things out. That means if you are going to drop off pieces on your way to space, drop them off at a low enough elevation that they’ll either immediately drop into the ocean or maybe you let go of them before you’re fully out of the atmosphere,” Heilig said.

“If you let go of things at that elevation, in a few years, they’ll burn up in the atmosphere.”

Engineers are figuring out ways to trap the larger pieces of debris and bring them lower into the orbit so that they can burn up, but the solution is still years away.

200-400 space debris enters Earth’s atmosphere per year.

500,000 + pieces of space junk orbit the Earth going at speeds of over 17,500 miles per hour.

: TO O PH

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2,300

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fragments can be released into the atmosphere if a collision occurs.

O N:

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Ad rie nn eG ay lor d

SPORTS THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2019

11

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Sharee Roman FAST BREAK. Junior Jane Christakos (4) dribbles the ball down the court on a fast break vs. Saint Paul Johnson Nov. 26. On the court with are Rashmi Raveendran (1), Abby Hedberg (14), Gabriella Thompson (12) and Julia Baron (41). The Spartans won the game 46-26 in a dominant home performance and third win.

Spartan winter seasons heat up

Girls basketball shoots for success on and off the court I AM HOPING “ TO CREATE AN SHAREE ROMAN THE RUBICON

ENVIRONMENT WHERE EACH PLAYER FEELS SUPPORTED. Abby Hedberg

”

Spartan girls captains senior Abby Hedberg and junior Rashmi Raveendran captainship of the team.

As a new captain Hedberg said, “I am hoping to create an environment where each player feels supported on and off the court. I want to be the player that always works hard and has a positive attitude.”

In order to do this, Hedberg

plans to continue the tradition of the yearly social, a gathering where with food, drinks, and lots of laughter. At the social, the team is able to bond and talk to each other about life outside of the game.

“Team bonding is important because it helps players connect and thus work better with one another,” Hedberg said. “The program has done a great job of being inclusive throughout the last few years...

and a traditional event that helps form team camaraderie is the social. It is hosted by a captain at the beginning of the season so everyone can get to know each other. They are always memorable.”

Bonding is not only about creating memories; it is also about team dynamics before, during, and after practice.

“To make practice fun, we listen to music during conditioning and always cheer each

other on. The team is always encouraging which helps make tough workouts more bearable,” Hedberg said.

While training may be difficult some days, players have found ways to find strength.

“Under pressure, I always take a few deep breaths to calm myself down and recite Philippians 4:13 in my head,” Hedberg said.

The Spartans play at home Jan. 11 @ 4:30 p.m.

Win or lose, boys basketball focuses on fun Spartan boys captain Adam Holod has both personal and team goals set for the season.

“For this year I want our team to be able to get to the section finals,” he said. “Personal goal? I want to be a better playmaker and passer.”

Holod hopes that regardless of the wins and losses, he can instill joy in play: “Team bonding is really important; winning isn’t fun if no one’s happy about it.”

Captain Liam Will encourages the team to play together in order to help them accomplish the goal to make it to the state tournament. “[Last year,] we made it to the section semifinal game

and lost on a last-second shot against St. Croix Prep. Our lineup is very different this year, and we have a new coaching staff, so we’ll have to do a lot of things differently to adjust this year,” Will said.

Keeping a positive mindset is vital to the team dynamic.

“Just by staying enthusiastic and clapping and everything like that keeps the team positive,” Holod said.

Despite changes in the structure, the team continues to follow a pre-game routine that centers on preparation.

“Pre-game we all gather in the lunchroom for our pregame meals, then we watch the other games [C team and JV]

“

TEAM BONDING IS REALLY IMPORTANT. WINNING ISN’T FUN IF NO ONE’S HAPPY ABOUT IT. Adam Holod

”

and then go back to the locker room to get changed. Then we have a huddle before doing our warmups: shooting, defense, and passing drills,” Will said.

The Spartans play at home Dec. 21 @ 4:30 p.m.

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Salah Abdulkarim Guard Ethan Richman takes the basketball down the court to set up a play in an early season game. As of press time, the team was undefeated.

12

SPORTS THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2019

Rebuilding year will not foil co-ed Fencing team success YEAR WAS “ LAST MY FIRST YEAR JULIA BARON THE RUBICON

Fencing has a very supportive environment; teams are encouraging of one another both on and off the court.

It is sophomore Val Chafee’s second year on the girls team and she is grateful for this kind of atmosphere. “[The team’s environment is] incredibly supportive, everyone is there for you when you need it,” Chafee said.

The sport is individual in nature, and the team doesn’t do much to cultivate team bonding, but it is something that they want to focus on this year.

“We work out and warm up together, but I wished we did more team bonding outside of practice,” Chafee said.

Chafee is excited to be able to have more focused goals and she moves into the season.

“Last year was my first year on the team, so now I know more of what to expect and how to improve,” she said.

Her goals for the season are “to get one touch [a point] per bout [a match] in every tournament,

ON THE TEAM, SO NOW I KNOW MORE OF WHAT TO EXPECT AND HOW TO IMPROVE. Val Chafee

THE RUBICON ARCHIVES Jax Wittenberg lunges at an opponent during an elimination round. “More than half of our team is new to the sport, and for about another 40% this will be their second year,” he said. and win at least one bout at every tournament,” she said.

The boys fencers will focus on rebuilding and individual improvement. After losing many seniors, the team is working on setting individual goals that motivate them.

As the captain of the Foil team,

junior Jax Wittenberg wants his team to focus on developing as fencers, as many of them are unfamiliar with the sport.

“This season will be an especially tough one, as it is a rebuilding year. More than half of our team is new to the sport, and for about another 40%, this will be

their second year. I am happy to be a captain this year because it will be very rewarding to watch my team grow and improve,” Wittenberg said.

Wittenberg also wants the team to incorporate more activities that could unite them outside of practice and meets.

”

In the past they haven’t done much, but it’s something that they look to improve this year to make the fencing environment a closer-knit one.

“Our fencing environment is something I know our team as a whole could work on as the team is separated into three weapons with their own set of rules. A lot of members are very serious and it is something I would like to change,” Wittenberg said.

Spartan fencing hosts a meet on the Randolph Campus Jan. 18 @ 9 a.m.

Boys hockey hopes to trek to the “X” CHARLIE JOHNSON THE RUBICON

Minnesota: it’s the state of hockey.

Captain Will Rathmanner was very direct about the team’s goals (the ones going in the net and otherwise): “Our goal is to be state champions,” Rathmanner said.

Spartan hockey hasn’t set foot on Xcel Energy Center ice, where the state tournament is held, since 2015.

The team has been inconsistent in past years: their 2016 season record was 21-4 and in 2017 they went 4-20.

Rathmanner is part of a group of seniors who have played on

“

OUR GOAL IS TO BE STATE CHAMPIONS. Will Rathmanner

”

the varsity team all of their high school career: “[The] team is unique because there are only two [9-10 graders) on the team. So we have a lot of... experience,” he said.

Captain Duncan Fleming tries to use the same tactics previous captains and leaders used on him when he was younger.

“The one thing that I always felt that motivated me was just kind of being part of a group of

guys that you felt like you had a responsibility to play for, and like playing for the guy to your left and right, and so I kinda just wanna build that on the team,” Fleming said.

Forward John Becker agrees that experienced leadership is crucial to their season.

“A lot of the guys have played together for a couple years so we’re a pretty close knit group and I think that’ll help us in the long run,” he said.

Still, state is a long way away, and for now the Spartans are just focused on the next game in their schedule.

The Spartans play at home Jan. 2 @ 7 p.m.

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: Milo Waltenbaugh Frank Tsiouvaras (39), Jake Hosszu (20) and Michael Bagnoli (8) celebrate Duncan Fleming (10) and Quinn Appert (22) after a goal. The Spartans have, for the most part, played together on varsity all of their grades 9-12 seasons.

PHRASE “ THE ‘ROAD TO STATE’

United hockey dynasty looks to continue dominance on the return road to state The state tournament is not a rare sight for United Hockey. The last time the girls failed to reach the state tournament, seniors were in middle school and the 9th graders were finishing elementary school.

Defenseman Kathleen Bishop is no stranger to playing at the Xcel. As a senior, she’s played there every year of her high school career.

“The United Hockey program always has a season-long goal to compete in the state tournament.

The phrase ‘Road to State’ or ‘RTS’ helps remind us of this goal

throughout the season as we work to achieve it,” Bishop said.

United is a co-op team with players hailing from Saint Paul Academy and Summit School and Visitation. Players expect to continue the dynasty they have built in class A. Bishop is confident in her team’s ability.

“This season we have a strong returning roster in addition to numerous first-year United players. We work really well together which proves to be a strong asset to the team,” she said.

“In addition, we are focused

or ‘RTS’ HELPS REMIND US OF THIS GOAL.

”

Kathleen Bishop

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: Lucie Bond Forward Lucie Bond recovers the puck at the boards. “This season we have a strong returning roster,” Kathleen Bishop said.

“We work really well together.” and work extremely hard to achieve our goals,” Bishop added.

Last year, United upset the number one seed, South St. Paul,

in sections to make their fifth consecutive trip to state.

This year United players hope to compete with their rivals again.

Sophomore Lucie Bond is excited for the challenge that this season brings.

With 28 regular season games leading into playoffs, “We have a really hard schedule this year,” Bond said, “but It will just make us more prepared for sections.

The biggest goal for this season is probably to make it to the state tournament again,” Bond said.

United Hockey returns to Drake Arena Jan. 7 @ 7 p.m.

SPORTS THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2019

Alpine hopes to build on reputation for wins MEAGAN MASSIE THE RUBICON

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: Isabelle Wolpert Spartan Alpine Ski gathers in the athletic hallway to stretch before practice.

Zipping down the snowy hill and surpassing the other teams in sections and state is exactly where Alpine Ski is projected to go based on their last season performance. Captains Isabelle Wolpert and Kate Thomas are optimistic.

“We have two great coaches who are new, so we’re excited to potentially go to state,” Thomas said.

Wolpert said, “We’re doing a lot of training in the weight room this year, mostly to prevent injury and just get stronger for the season. We’re also

working on agility, balancing, and team bonding.”

The team has a lot of new people this year, growing by about 10 members. More middle schoolers have joined the team. Alpine skiing tends to be a male dominated sport but Wolpert sees changes this year.

“I think it’s a good [gender] ratio and we’re more of a family this year than we were last year,” Wolpert said.

The girls team wants to go to state and potentially get top three in sections which is also a personal goal of Wolpert’s.

Their next race is Jan. 8 at 4 p.m. at Buck Hill.

Nordic runs, lifts, sprints into shape

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PRESS TIME

SCORES and NEXT MEETS GIRLS BASKETBALL Dec. 5 vs. Hope Academy (W)

BOYS BASKETBALL Dec. 5 vs. HS Recording Arts (W)

BOYS HOCKEY Dec. 5 vs. Mahtomedi (L)

GIRLS HOCKEY Dec. 5 vs. Tartan (W)

BOYS SWIM AND DIVE Has their next meet against Hopkins High School

DEC RUBICONLINE PHOTO: Melissa Nie UP, UP & AWAY. Captain Lauren Dieperink makes her way up a hill on the Nordic trail at Elm Creek Park on Dec. 5.

As the Nordic team starts off their season, their main focus has been on uniting a team that is small while also recruiting new skiers.

“We currently have a little more than 30 people signed up, but we only have four or five boys on the team this year, so we’re really hoping more guys will join,” captain Lauren Dieperink said.

They are doing a variety of exercises to start the season off strong.

“Our main priority is getting in shape. This means leading the team in long runs that help with endurance, and grueling interval workouts that replicate sprinting while skiing.

These—combined with consistent core workouts—will help us to achieve our goals,” captain Jonas Bray said.

Along with building their endurance and stamina, Dieperink is preparing the team by doing exercises such as running, roller skiing, and

lifting weights in the weight room. One of the most important aspects to the team is the necessity for team bonding.

“We do team bonding by doing weight room workouts together or going on skis together,” Dieperink said.

A team needs to consist of 6 or more people, which may impact the team’s success.

“Boys should join [Nordic] ...Now, we don’t have enough to get points in conference or sections,” Dieperink said.

The captains are optimistic about their season. They want it to be a safe and welcoming space for everyone who joins.

“Anthony, Maddy, Lauren, and I are really excited for this season, we’re going to try and make it competitive without losing the most important piece, fun,” Bray said.

Their next race is Jan. 7 at 4 p.m. at Elm Creek.

Trojan Swim and Dive bring positive attitude to the pool ADRIENNE GAYLORD ILLUSTRATOR

“Take your marks,” rings out from the loudspeaker. The buzzer sounds and the swimmers leave their blocks.

The Trojans are excited to see how this year will play out.

“We’ve lost a lot of strong swimmers, but a lot of swimmers have come in,” junior Sean Ege Stephenson said.

That hasn’t affected their positive attitude, though. The time the team spends together is full of playful banter.

“It’s like a big family sitcom,” Stephenson said.

Whether it’s night before meet spaghetti dinners, pool traditions before and after meets, or post-meet snacks, the team is together for it all.

“We’re very tight-knit,” Stephenson said.

This swim and dive season promises to be full of surprises, but one thing’s for sure: the team can’t wait to dive in.

See the Trojans swim Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at Hopkins.

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FENCING Has their next meet against Blake

JAN

10 ALPINE SKIING Has their next meet at Wild Mountain

DEC

20

NORDIC SKIING Has their next meet at Como Park Golf Course THE RUBICON PHOTO: Adrienne Gaylord The Trojans stand together before a practice at Highland Park Senior High. The team’s home pool is at Humboldt High School.

JAN

7

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2019

Orchestra members wait in Driscoll in between acts.

View from the catwalk.

THE RUBICON PHOTOS: Adrienne Gaylord SONG AND DANCE. Singers extend their arms and move out into the walkways during the finale in a dance choreographed by junior Gavin Kimmel in the annual Pops Concert.

Percussion upstage from the band and orchestra.

Performers pull out all the stops for POPs ADRIENNE GAYLORD ILLUSTRATOR

“Don’t stop me now. I’m having such a good time…” at the POPs Concert, that is.

More than 250 students gathered Dec. 6-7 to perform over 15 unique pieces, ranging from the short and sweet “Ukrainian Bell Carol” to a rocking rendition of Guns n’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle.”

Academy Symphony, Honors Sinfonia, Jazz Band, Academy Chorale, Summit Singers, and Summit Chamber displayed the hard work they’ve put in first semester.

“It’s the culmination of months of work,” one of the concert masters Henry Burton said, “so it’s pretty satisfying to play and have friends and family come over.”

There were four concert masters for the orchestra, giv-

ing the tuning note from the first chair of the violin section at the start and intermission.

The stage was reconfigured to bring the choirs to the front of the stage. In previous years the three choirs stood at the back of the stage on tall skinny risers. They were often hard to hear, especially during solos and the finale. To solve this, the front of the stage was lowered to create the pit, but instead of filling it with instruments, it was filled with singers.

“The new formatting was a little bit of an adjustment, but I think it’s gonna work,” sophomore Val Chafee said before the shows.

The finale also offered something new. Alumnus J.J. Gisselquist (2018) crafted an arrangement of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” for orchestra, band, and choir.

This was complemented by a dance number choreographed by junior Gavin Kimmel and performed by the choirs, who filled the aisles of the Huss.

Orchestra Director Almut Engelhardt was elated: “I’m really, really grateful to J.J. Gisselquist, because he did such a terrific job and pulled it together so quickly,” she said.

The emcees, Kathleen Bishop and Sydney Therien, ruled the mics with cheeky stage presence that made dad jokes slap, and brought comedic breaks to the two hour show.

The jazz band brandished sweatbands, glasses, and instrument choreography. They modeled a wide variety of eyewear from heart shaped glasses to scuba goggles, and on their final song surprised the audience by standing up and moving in unison.

“The second night of the concert we were confident in our abilities, and we were just having a fun time with it,” junior John Hall said.

The singers filled Huss Auditorium, and sang and danced within the crowd. Some got invested into having a good time and their energy radiated for the enjoyment of all viewers.

The soloists guided audience members through songs, and brought the runs and trills that are hard to achieved within a large choir.

Engelhardt said, “Hopefully in the end it all looks like nothing...because that’s usually a sign that it was done well.”

There’s much that can’t be taught in the classroom, and can only be gained by performing in front of a large audience.

“It’s an opportunity for people to find out how hard it is to entertain,” Engelhardt said.

MOVIE REVIEW

It’s a test of musical skills, with far more spectacle than your typical exam.

“You have to have full attention to what you’re doing so it’s right,” Englehardt said, “but at the same time pay attention to everybody else so it fits in.”

The concert is important not only for what happens on stage, but also for what happens off.

“The POPs concert went great, and I think now that we’re one band we have a lot more potential to be better than we’ve ever been,” Hall said.

Although the POPs Concert performances have ended, the audience listening “doesn’t wanna stop at all.” read a profile on Band Director Randy Reid’s first POPs at

RUBICON online

Gender stereotypes compromise mission of Charlie’s Angels reboot LUCY BENSON

MANAGING EDITOR

FAIR USE:charliesangels.movie The Angels: Jane Kano (Ella Balinska), Elena Houghlin (Naomi Scott), and Sabina Wilson (Kristen Stewart), prepare for a mission. The movie was released nationwide Nov. 14.

The original Charlie’s Angels film was released 2000, following the television show that ran from 1976-81. The most recent remake hit box offices in November. The new film tells the story of an elite, interconnected network of highly trained spies, called angels, who fight against corrupt organizations and abuses of power.

In this reboot, the task of preventing a highly weaponized object from falling into the wrong hands is taken up by angels played by Kristen Stuart, Ella Balinska, and scientist played by Naomi Scott.

The angels belong to an organization known as

THE MOVIE CONTRADICTS ITSELF AS AN ODE TO FEMALE EMPOWERMENT. Townsend. It is primarily made up of women however the majority of the leadership in the organization is men.

At the beginning of the film, this structure feels counter-intuitive to the theme of the film, as while women do the heavy lifting of their organization, men are still in the main power roles.

The movie contradicts itself as an ode to female empower-

ment when they undermine and villainize the women in the movie. By having mainly men in positions of power and framing the first female Bosley as a manipulator, they play into harmful stereotypes that don’t make sense for a movie that centers around women.

Twists in the movie help it to diverge from this initial impression of the movie as they undermine the viewers’ own assumptions about the roles of women in the movie and the narrative is reframed in a way that better centers women without the stereotypes.

However, not all aspects of inclusivity are addressed in the movie, as the men still have a majority hold on leadership

positions, and white actors have a majority hold on the leading roles.

The plot of this movie with its surprises and revelations is a lighthearted, fun watch filled with action and humor.

It steers mostly clear of played out female tropes and centers women as smart and humorous characters. However, men still occupy positions of power in the organization and the movie’s leads are primarily white, making it clear that there is room for growth in the next film or remake.

RATING:

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2019 ARTIST PROFILE

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Baxter blends line between art and makeup ELOISE DUNCAN THE RUBICON

For most people, painting brings to mind paintbrushes and a canvas. However, painting takes on a different form for sophomore Maggie Baxter.

This summer, Baxter began to experiment with painting on something other than a canvas: a face.

“I had seen other people doing fun face makeup on Instagram. So it all started from looking at Instagram accounts and seeing people doing makeup, and I was like ‘oh, this is cool, I should try this,’” she said.

As someone who enjoys painting on a canvas and has done so for years, Baxter is able to translate that painting background to a new form. Face makeup, or face painting, can range from simple and natural to extravagant and complex.

“I’ve been drawing, painting, and making art since I could hold a pencil or paintbrush. I grew up in a family of artists and I have always been surrounded by art either made by my family or pieces that my parents had. My mom always made art supplies accessible to me and never told me what to do with them, so I was able to be creative at a young age which I think has really shaped me as an artist and creative person,” she said.

Baxter mainly uses her own face as her canvas, but has experimented with using other peoples faces. She was able to utilize her skills in the fall play The Madwomen of Chaillot.

“I had so much fun doing makeup for the play and I got to do some fun looks with really dramatic eyelashes and

“When I did my garden brow look, I looked at my eyebrows and thought that they looked bushy like grass and created the look around that idea,” Baxter said.

Baxter’s clips match the blue butterly masking her eyes.

“Everyone’s face is different and when you do things like contour, you have to adapt to the face,” Baxter said.

doll-like features. Working on different faces is fun because everyone’s face is different and when you do things like contour you have to adapt to the face,” she said.

Her process starts out with inspiration. After that, she starts painting the look onto either her face or someone else’s, and it tends to change as she goes on.

“Inspiration for my looks comes mostly from seeing the ways in which I can adapt art to my face like when I did my garden brow look, I looked at my eyebrows and thought that they looked bushy like grass and created the look around

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY: Maggie Baxter HEAD IN THE CLOUDS. Sophomore Maggie Baxter uses her face as a canvas for unique makeup designs. “I’ve been drawing, painting, and making art since I could hold a pencil or paintbrush,” she said.

“

INSPIRATION FOR MY LOOKS COMES MOSTLY FROM SEEING THE WAYS I CAN ADAPT ART TO MY FACE.

”

Maggie Baxter

that idea. I also come up with looks based off of a theme like with the look with flowers that turned out to look kind of like a Monet painting, I wanted it to be like a blushy fairy. I often

start a look with just a general idea of what I want to do and then it develops as I go like maybe I’ll add glitter or lashes or do my brows differently.

I like the process of creating a look,” she said.

Face makeup, or face painting, is a very unique form of art. Artists are allowed to get creative with what they put on both canvas and faces, but being shown on a face brings its own uniqueness to the art. Baxter loves how unique makeup and face painting is and hopes to continue exploring it.

See more of Baxter’s make up looks on her instagram @magsbaxt

Redmouth dissects (poetic) human experience MEAGAN MASSIE THE RUBICON

“Field, night, water, eyes, mouth, sky, eye, sun, hands, light, snow, world, fall, body, and face,” US English teacher Claire Wahmanholm said describing her recently published poetry collection.

Her book REDMOUTH is a culmination of poems about grief and loss with a focus on the deconstruction of humans and the natural world. Published on Oct. 29, 2019, the book took about four years to write and is Wahmanholm’s most recent publication. Wahmanholm’s inspiration to write the book didn’t necessarily start out with the idea to create a completed manuscript. Rather, she had written over 50 pages of poetry and decided they all had one thing in common: the negatives of human experience.

“Poetry books work a little differently than other types of

books—generally it’s not like you have an idea and then say, ‘Hey, I’m going to write a book about that!’ You just slowly work on whatever poems are interesting to you, and then at some point you say ‘Huh, looks like I’ve got about 50 pages of poems here, and I feel like starting a new project, so I guess it’s time to send this one out,’” Wahmanholm said.

Before she published REDMOUTH, she published Wilder in 2018. Wahmanholm has found it difficult to write a book quickly when she is unable to dedicate 100 percent of her time to it. Wahmanholm leads two lives that mesh together harmoniously: her writing side and her teaching side.

Teaching is a passion of hers which is why she is a part-time poet, yet it can still be difficult to maintain a balance between her interests.

“The most challenging part was coming up with an order

for the book. The best poetry books have an arc of some kind—a through-line that will tie the poems together and make for a satisfying read. Unlike with novels, there’s no plot or character development to propel a reader through the book, and there are probably several orderings that would work. It’s more like putting an album together,” Wahmanholm said.

Any book can be difficult to write, which is why Wahmanholm shared her work with others so that they could bounce ideas off one another.

“I had a really great group of friends in my PhD program and we would get together once a week and workshop each other’s stuff. Of course there were ‘official’ workshops as part of my PhD coursework, and they were helpful in their own way, but being able to show your work, some of which was pretty unpolished, to people you

really trust in a casual setting is a different beast. We could be like, ‘this is garbage’ or ‘this is brilliant, send it out’ without worrying about saying the ‘right’ academic things,” Wahmanholm said.

A philosophy that Wahmanholm lives by while writing her poetry is: you are not able to be a good writer without being a good reader. Whenever she encountered writer’s block for a specific poem, she would find inspiration and creativity in the heart of other poetry.

“I would get ideas for structure or rhythm and that would often put me back on track,” Wahmanholm said.

REDMOUTH can be purchased from Tinderbox Editions.

BAXTER’S TIPS FOR MEMORABLE MAKEUP 1. Figure out your skin type and what works best when it comes to base makeup (foundation and powder). Base is the most important part.

2. Product labels are just suggestions: feel free to use a lipstick as a blush or highlighters and blushes as eyeshadows.

It’s all just pigment.

3. Practice is the best way to get better at makeup. Instead of spending time watching tutorials, spend it trying out what works for you.

4. You don’t need expensive products to have good makeup. There are so many amazing and inexpensive products out there. Look at reviews.

5. If you are looking to branch out and start having more fun with makeup, go for it. Makeup is an experimental art and you can pretty much do anything with it, so be expressive and try new things.

COVER, AUTHOR: clairewahmanholm.com Wahmanholm’s third poetry collection focuses on the deconstruction of humans and the natural world.

Want to hear more?

Listen to the podcast at RUBICON online Episode 3 of Crossing the Rubicon: “Given” by Claire Wahmanholm

PHOTO STORY THE RUBICON - DECEMBER 2019

The Ragpicker (Maren Ostrem) engages the people of Chaillot in a mock trial.

The Flower Girl (Val Chafee) shows The Juggler (Annika Brelsford) her flowers.

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The Policeman (Per Johnson) stands at attention while the crowd watches.

The Socialite Ladies (Maggie Fried, Raina Fawcett, Parisa Gavami) look at menus at cafe.

A Street Musician (Tyler Christensen) performs outside the cafe for spectators including The Ragpicker and The Deaf-Mute (Grace Krasny).

PHOTOS REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION: John Severson MADWOMAN. The Presidents (Jayden Jones and Clea Gaitas) push for Countess Aurelia (Ananya Narayan) to sign a contract.

THEATER REVIEW

Audiences go mad for fall play

Madame Constance (Gracie Tilney-Kaemmer) scolds her imaginary dog while Madame Josephine (Tina Wilkens) enjoys her tea.

The Madwoman of Chaillot transforms Huss into French cafe CHARLIE JOHNSON THE RUBICON

Laughter echoed through the school as the Upper School put on the first play of the year: The Madwoman of Chaillot. Set in 1940’s Paris at cafe “Chez Francis,” The Madwoman of Chaillot’s set transported viewers to the cafe where the play took place, with bright colors, foot traffic, and music all working together to bring a slice of France to the Huss Center.

Though not as well known as other productions put on by the drama department in past years, The Madwoman of Chaillot certainly did not disappoint.

The show checked all of the boxes: humor, action, music.

Because the entire first act took place in the cafe, one might think that the play would be repetitive, but thanks to the technical movements that were constantly happening onstage it felt like a new twist or turn could happen at any moment.

The Madwoman of Chaillot brought up ideas such as greed,

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[THE PEOPLE IN THE THEATRE COMMUNITY] ARE ALL SO SUPPORTING AND UNDERSTAND THE UPS AND DOWNS OF BEING IN A SHOW.

”

Parisa Gavami

corruption, and rights for all, all of which are relevant today.

This particular play may not be quite as popular as past US productions such as Rent or Into the Woods, but the motifs and ideas that it centers around are still important now.

The madwoman Countess Aurelia (Ananya Narayan) was the star of the show. Narayan moved confidently and projected her lines clearly and proudly. Her costume: a colorful robe and dress, with a large

red wig, personified her role as she walked with power and sophistication. Other standouts included the Ragpicker (Maren Ostrem), The Prospector (Nathan Forsberg) and Irma (Isobel Alm), all of whom performed as if they lived their roles in 1940’s Paris. These actors and actresses Like any team, the easiest way to find success is through a sense of community. The theater family had been working for months to put on a show like The Madwoman of Chaillot, and their hard work and dedication was shown through their performance.

Madame Gabrielle (Annika Findlay) having tea with the other madwomen, as they discuss how to save Paris.

RATING: Watch the video series at

RUBICON online

Fall Play Behind the Scenes

by Henry Burkhardt

THE RUBICON PHOTO: Charlie Johnson Crowd gathers around an unconscious Pierre (Rylan Hefner).