All posts by j3nniferperez

Advice/How To

Things to do if you’re not going to prom

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This years prom will be on Friday, May 5th. Some people are very excited and are planning on going, while others aren’t. If you are not planning on going, but still want to do something fun with your friends or alone here are some ideas:

Mani-pedi 

Getting a manicure and pedicure done is always fun and relaxing. You can sit back, read a book, watch videos on your phone, or catch up with whoever you went with. Tams Nails (Woodbury) is one of my favorites.

Movie night

By yourself or with family and friends, binging on movies you love is always a good time. Some of my recommendations are Grease and The Breakfast Club. But if you’d rather go to the theater these are some of the movies that are currently playing, The Fate of the Furious, The Boss Baby, Beauty and the Beast and Smurfs: The Lost Village.

Bake!

Bake something new. If you’re into baking, you can find a new recipe online and try out! This is extra fun if you do it with friends or siblings. But if you prefer the easier route, you can head to a grocery store and buy your favorite cake mix. Whatever you make will be great to eat as you watch movies!

Have a photoshoot!

Dress up in your favorite outfit and go to a park or to your friends house and take pictures! You don’t need any kind of fancy camera; your phone will do just fine! Be creative and have fun! You can buy props from places like Urban Outfitters or a dollar store.

Go to a party/teen event

Prom isn’t the only place where you can dress up and dance the night away. If you’d rather go to a more casual event/dance than prom, start looking now for events. Myth Nightclub (Maplewood) sometimes hosts events for teens ages 16-21. There are also more venues in Minneapolis that do events for teens so start looking!

There are many more things you can do if you choose to not go to prom. These are just some of my ideas. Whatever you choose to do be smart and safe.

For even more ideas, go to: https://www.buzzfeed.com/meganbeese/19-things-to-do-instead-of-prom-15s00?utm_term=.xoBlqGdrY#.imgxdoGDr

Getting To Know/History, School Life

Great news at Highland

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On Friday, March 24th, there was a college fair here at Highland. In the morning two students, Mason Corhouse and Vanessa De La Vega Meza, were presented with scholarships (Dease Scholarship ) to the University of St. Thomas, from a St. Thomas representative.

The Dease Scholarship Program was created by St. Thomas’ 14th President, Dennis Dease. He initiated this program to increase access to a St. Thomas education for students historically underrepresented at the school. These (full-tuition) scholarship are generally awarded to students of color, first generation students, and graduates from urban high schools.

I was able to ask our lucky winners some questions about the scholarship, and how they felt. This is what Vanessa had to say:

photo courtesy of Vanessa

Q: What did you have to do in order to apply for this scholarship?

A: Well in order to apply to the scholarship I first had to be accepted to St. Thomas. Then I had to fill out an application, and write some essays!

Q: Why did you pick St. Thomas?

A: The reason I decided to go to St. Thomas is because it really is such a wonderful school. I have family members who went to St. Thomas and they have always spoken about St. Thomas in such a good manner! I also had a ton of people tell me that it was an excellent school. So I did some research and I was actually excited about this school. I then did a campus visit, as well as an overnight visit and I was thrilled. As I visited the school I noticed a lot of things that I loved about St. Thomas! But the way that St. Thomas treats their students truly got me. They treat their students like actual people, rather than just a number.

Q: Do you know your major? If so, what is it and why did you pick it?

A: The major that I would like to pursue is Civil Engineering. The reason behind this is because I have always been interested by the structures of buildings and bridges and such. At one point I thought I wanted to be an architect, but I realized that just wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to be a part of the math behind the building, and to be a part of the safety of the building. It was then that I found civil engineering, which incorporates everything that I desired to be in my future.

Q: How do you feel knowing that you were chosen out of the 300 applicants?

A: It feels crazy to think that I was chosen out of 300 applicants! Even thinking of it today I am still astounded to think that I was chosen. It really does feel like I am living in a dream!

Q: Fun fact about yourself? 

A: Hmmm I can’t really think of a fun fact.

 

photo courtesy of Mason

Here is what Mason had to say:

Q: What did you have to do in order to apply for this scholarship?

A: To apply for the Dease scholarship, I had to be an accepted student, fill out a scholarship application with information about myself, and complete 2 essays. I don’t recall if letters of recommendation were required though.

Q: Why did you pick St.Thomas?

A: I chose The University of St. Thomas because it is a beautiful school with great programs and educational opportunities.

Q: Do you know your major? If so, what is it and why did you pick it?

A:  The major I am seeking is Actuarial Science, and I am seeking this major because it is very rigorous and requires a lot of mathematics which I enjoy.

Q: How do you feel knowing that you were chosen out of 300 applicants?

A: I am very proud that I was selected for the Dease scholarship; it is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Q: Fun fact about yourself?

A: A fun fact about me is that I can bench my own weight.
Mason and Vanessa both have an incredible things ahead for them. Make sure to congratulate them when you them!

Entertainment

Quinceañeras

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Every culture has different traditions. In the U.S., we have Sweet Sixteens, and in the Latino culture, we have quinceañeras.

Quinceañeras are a rite of passage for fifteen-year-old girls (also referred to as quinceañera) who are going from a little girl to a young woman. Some families also celebrate the quinceañerea when their daughters turn 16, but still celebrate quinceañera style. People that celebrate this might switch it up due to their religion and/or their beliefs, but the celebrations include the same things.

Planning a quinceañera is a long process; people usually start planning 3-4 months in advance considering everything from the dress, to the color, to what kind of dances she wants. Many companies have quinceañera expos where they show dresses, cakes, invitations, decorations, and basically anything you need for your dream party. Here in Minnesota, El Nuevo Rodeo (located in Minneapolis) has a quinceañera expo every year around the end of January, beginning of February.

One of the most important things involved in a quinceañera are the dances the girl will be doing. Usually, there are 3-5 dances which include:

  • Entrance dance
  • Main waltz
  • Father-daughter dance
  • Surprise dance

There will also be a coronation, where the quinceañera will receive her last doll, her crown, a change of shoes, and a surprise gift – usually given by the parents or the godparents. The last doll, and the shoe change (flats/sneakers to high heels) are another way of showing that this is her growing up from a little girl to a young woman. The crown is given not only so the quinceañera feels like a princess, but to show that you are the princess within your family.

Once the coronation is over, the quinceañera will usually have a surprise dance, where she and her court perform a choreographed dance which usually involves an outfit change and the use of props. Once the surprise dance is over, the real dancing begins.

Quinceañeras are a very important tradition in a young Latina’s life. Mine was a day I will never forget.

Artículos en Español & Xov Xwm Hmoob, Editorials/Student Voice, Events, Local, News

Día sin inmigrantes

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“Día sin inmigrantes” fue el jueves 16 de febrero de 2016. Los Estados Unidos se unieron para protestar. Aquí en Minnesota, tuvimos una marcha que comenzó en el Consulado Mexicano (797 7th St E 55106) pasado centro de la ciudad, todo el camino a la capital. Durante la marcha hacia la capital hubo muchas paradas para ver a los bailarines aztecas. Cerca de 300 personas marchaban, y había más gente allí.

Muchos grandes restaurantes y tiendas estaban cerrados, tales como:

  • El Burrito Mercado
  • Boca Chica Restaurant & Taco House
  • El Nuevo Rodeo
  • La Loma Tamales
  • Las Mojarras
  • Panaderia San Miguel
  • Los Ocampo
  • Taqueria Los Paisanos
  • Los Gallos (las 15 localidades)
  • Salón de Belleza Avandaros

Estos eran sólo algunos de los lugares populares que estaban cerrados, pero había muchas más empresas que estaban cerradas. Mi papá cerró su negocio, J.P Auto Body pero no asistió a la protesta conmigo. En la capital, los bailarines aztecas continuaron actuando y gritando “Un pueblo unido, jamás será vencido”, “Si se puede” y muchas cosas más, Dirigido principalmente a Donald Trump.

Como alguien que tiene inmigrantes en su familia y en su grupo de amigos, esta protesta fue muy importante para mí. Ver el apoyo de no sólo mi carrera, pero muchos más fue increíble. Esperemos que esta protesta trajo a todos más cerca y que trajo más conciencia de cómo los inmigrantes afectan no sólo la economía, sino todo lo demás.

For those unable to read Spanish:

“Day Without Immigrants” was on Thursday, February 16th, 2017. The United States joined together to protest against President Trump and his immigration statements. Here in Minnesota, we had a march that started at the Mexican Consulate ( 797 7th St E 55106 ), went past downtown, all the way to The Capital. During the march towards the capital, there were many stops to watch the Aztec dancers. About 300 people were marching, and there were more people there.

Many big restaurants and stores were closed, such as:

  • El Burrito Mercado
  • Boca Chica Restaurant and Taco House
  • El Nuevo Rodeo
  • La Loma Tamales
  • Las Mojarras
  • Panaderia San Miguel
  • Los Ocampo
  • Taqueria Los Paisanos
  • Los Gallos (all 15 locations)  
  • Avandaros Beauty Salon

These were just some of the popular places that were closed, but there were many more businesses that were closed. My dad closed his business, J.P Auto Body, but did not attend the protest with me. While in the capital, the Aztec dancers continued to perform and to yell “Un pueblo unido, jamás será vencido” ( a nation united, will never be defeated), “Si se puede” (yes we can) and many more things, mainly directed at Donald Trump.

As someone that has immigrants in their family and in their friend group, this protest was very important to me. Seeing the support from not only my race, but many more was amazing. Hopefully, this protest brought everyone closer, and it brought more awareness to how immigrants affect not only the economy but everything else.

Artículos en Español & Xov Xwm Hmoob, Clubs and Activities

Debate en español

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Highland es una escuela muy diversa. Tenemos un programa de inmersión en español, varios actividades después de la escuela relacionado a diferente culturas y mucho más. Uno de los actividades incluye debate en español.

b074682Debate en espanol es exactamente igual como el debate en inglés pero en español. La maestra o la “coach” del debate es la Sra. Boe. Ella ha hecho el dabete por al menos 3 años. Ella y alguien de Augsburg College se reúnen para planificar como va ser la temporada cada año. Hablan sobre cuando serán las prácticas, y cuando sean los turneos y otros detalles.

Muchos estudiantes piensan que es difícil el debate. Piensan que va ser como otra clase, tienen que buscar toda su información, escribir más y todo eso. Pero la realidad es que la Sra. Boe te imprime un paquete lleno con toda la información que vas a nececstar. Es mucho más fácil de lo que piensan!

Durante las reuniones/prácticas vamos a leer el paquete que nos imprimió, hacer mimi y prácticas de debates, y otros juegos para poder mejorar nuestro español y la manera que hablamos ( nivel, velocidad, etc.).

Los torneos todavía están en por determinar, pero van a comenzar entre marzo y mayo. El equipo se reune casa jueves en el salon 1211 (salon de frances) de 2:15 hasta la 3:30. Puedes venir a las reuniones aunque no sepas inglés!

 

For those unable to speak Spanish:

Highland is a very diverse school. We have a Spanish immersion program, several after-school activities related to different cultures, and more. One of the activities includes debate in Spanish.

Debate in Spanish is exactly the same as debate in English, but in Spanish. The teacher, or the coach, of the debate Spanish team is Sra. Boe. She has been doing debate for the last 3 years. She, and someone from Augsburg College, comes together to plan how the season will be every year. They talk about when the practices will be, when the tournaments will be, and other details.

Many students think debate is difficult. They think it’s going to be like another class, that they have to find all the information, write more, and all that. But the reality is that Sra. Boe prints a packet full of all the information you need. It is much easier than you think!

During the meetings/practices we will read the packet that Sra. Boe printed, have mini and practice debates, and play other games to improve our Spanish and the way we speak (level, speed, etc.)

The tournaments are still to be determined, but will be starting between March and May. The team meets every Thursday in Room 1211 (French Room) from 2:15 to 3:30. You can come to meetings even if you do not know English!

Advice/How To

Valentine’s Day gift ideas

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Valentine’s Day is filled with love and happiness, but if you’re a last minute shopper, it’ll be a day of stress for you trying to find the perfect gift for anyone special in your life. Here’s a list of a couple of ideas for everyone.

If you and your partner struggle to decide what to do on date night, give them a mason jar full of date ideas so when date night rolls around you two are set! This link is a DIY on how to make this gift, http://www.bigdiyideas.com/diy-date-night-jar-for-100-great-dates/

You can never go wrong with giving chocolate and/or candy as a gift! Thankfully, many candy companies come out with heart shaped boxes full of their candy. You can get them at places like Walmart, Target, Walgreen’s and many other stores. Prices go from $1 and up. 

Stuffed animals are also a super easy choice. Again, you can find them in almost any store. Since prices are $5.99 and up, you’ll be able to find something that fits your budget.

If you and your significant other have been together for a while, or you just want to get them something more sentimental you can get them a personalized keychain. Gift.com has this, and many more items, you can customize to give to your significant other. 

Another easy option is to put all of the person’s favorite candies, snacks, and anything else they might like, or need, into a gift basket. You can buy Valentine’s Day themed candies and decorate the box with pink red and white decorations. You can also buy them from various websites. This gift basket is from fromyouflowers.com.

For anyone that enjoys food, chocolate covered strawberries are a must! You can DIY (do it yourself) it and make as many as you’d like, or you can buy them and have them delivered to whoever you’d like. Prices depends on where you buy them, but it will be cheaper if you do them on your own.

If you are really out of time, you can always get a cute, funny, cheesy card, and just write down your feelings for the person you will be gifting this to. Add in a gift card to their favorite store or restaurant and they’ll love it and you!

Entertainment

Shawn Mendes tour

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18 year old singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes is one of the biggest singers today as he has had two of his singles reached the Top 20 on Billboard’s Top 100 and Radio Charts.

Shawn got his start after posting a 6 second video on the app, “Vine,” of him singing an acoustic version of Justin Beibers “As Long As You Love Me” on July of 2012. Overnight he got over 100,00 likes and his follower count kept increasing. His fan base grew quickly over a course of a couple of months as he was on Vine, YouTube and Twitter.

When he began posting videos on YouTube, he posted himself doing covers and also posted videos teaching people how to play the guitar. According to an interview he did with The Telegraph UK he claims that, “If you look on YouTube and see some of my first covers you will hear that I did not sound good.” Regardless, he continued to post covers and improve his singing. Now, according to cheat sheet.com, he has over 3.5 million followers on Vine, 2.4 million on Twitter, over a million ‘likes’ on Facebook, and over a million subscribers on YouTube.

Shawn signed with Island Records in June of 2014. He released a 4 song EP, The Shawn Mendes EP which reached No. 1 on iTunes in 37 minutes. He then released his first album, Handwritten on April 14th, 2015, which later on reached No. 1 on Billboard’s 200 chart.

After releasing his sophomore album, Illuminate he has announced his first ever headlining arena world tour for the spring-summer of 2017! According to the website z90.com, his tour will start on April 27th, in the U.K, and will end on August 23rd, in Boston, MA with many more dates yet to be announced in North America and globally.

His newest album, Illuminate, includes his latest hit single “Treat You Better” which has reached the top 10 on both of Billboard’s Hot 100 and Radio Songs chart. Again, according to z90.com, this is Shawn’s second top 10 single on the Hot 100 after “Stitches” reached #4 last year.

Shawn will be in St. Paul, at the Xcel Energy Center on August 6th. If you want to buy tickets, or just get more information about the tour, you can go to, http://shawmendesofficial.com/tour.

If you want to keep up with him, you can follow him on these social media sites:

Twitter – @ShawnMendes

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/qzMendShawqz

Facebook – ShawnMendesOfficial

Moxie: @GoMoxieMusic

Travel/Food

DIY Christmas treats

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One of the best things to do is eat. But it’s a lot more fun when you get to eat holiday snacks and treats, because making them is even more fun, and surprisingly easy. During these past two days I’ve made a handful of treats that I’ll share with you.

Everyone loves chocolate, and almost everything goes good with chocolate. One of the simplest treats you can make are chocolate covered pretzels. All you’ll need is chocolate melts, pretzel rods or regular pretzels and anything you want to use to decorate them; I used white chocolate. All you need to do is melt the chocolate in either the microwave – mixing it every 30 seconds – or in a double boiler. Once you have your chocolate melted you want to dip your pretzels in it and set them on a cookie sheet covered in either wax paper or aluminum foil. If you choose to decorate your pretzels, you can add sprinkles or white chocolate to create stripes, but remember that you want to do it before the chocolate completely dries. I think these are the easiest and quickest treats you can make.

Something else you can make is Christmas tree Rice Krispy treats. They take a little more time but the end result is worth it. You’ll need the rice cereal, marshmallows, butter and green food coloring. First you need to melt your butter on the stove, and once the butter is completely melted you want to add your marshmallows and mix it until the marshmallows have been completely mixed in. Then, add the green food coloring and take the mixture off the stove. Start adding the cereal to the marshmallow mix and mix until well combined. Let it cool a little, but not too much, and then put a little bit of butter on your hands and start forming the mix into the trees. If you want a little extra something, you can add red M&M’S to act as ornaments. Let them cool for about an hour, or less if you put them in the fridge.

These are just a couple of the treats you can make for the holidays, and if you wrap them up in a cute bag and twist tie, or a Christmas box, you can also give them as a little present.

Links to the full recipes with measurement :

http://www.rachelcooks.com/2015/12/16/easy-christmas-tree-rice-krispie-treats-recipe/

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/chocolate-covered-pretzels-with-sprinkles-recipe2.html

Editorials/Student Voice, News

Recent hate crimes

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Since Tuesday, November 8, 2016 the amount of hate crimes and many other types of discrimination have gone up rapidly.

The amount of threats, vandalism and harassment that we have seen all over the news and social media are much more than what we saw after the terrorist attacks on 9/11 according to experts. Although some of these hate crimes that we see on social media are not all true, there are still many that have been happening in our country.

Many of these hate crimes, and threats, have been towards Muslims, African-Americans, Mexicans and the LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) community. Obviously, they are not the only groups that have been attacked, but these are the groups that have been attacked the most. For example, in Ohio, a black male was beaten by two white males just because he was an African-American.

While browsing the web I came across an image that was very disturbing. On a wall, in an alley, there was the words “Black lives don’t matter” spray painted on it.

There was also a case in New York where a white male banged on the door and window of a Muslim woman’s car, with her children and grandpa in the car. Also in New York, two men threw rocks at a young male because he “looked gay.”

As a country we all need to stick up for one another instead of putting each other down. Now more than ever.

Entertainment, Movies/TV/Theaters

The Space Between Us review

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We all love going to the movie theater to enjoy a good movie, some popcorn and spending time with people you like, even though you do have to be quiet during the movie. Evelyn, a couple of our friends, and I had the great opportunity of being able to see an advanced screening of The Space Between Us directed by Peter Chelsom.

This movie is about a boy named Gardener, who was born on Mars, who starts talking to a 16-year-old in Colorado named Tulsa. They have an online friendship until Gardner finally gets the chance to go to earth. While he is on his way to earth, he stops talking to Tulsa because there is no way to contact her. She thinks his story is crazy because she doesn’t believe he’s really from Mars.

Once they meet their connection only grows. While Gardener is having the time of his life on earth scientists discover that his organs can’t withstand the atmosphere and he has to go back to Mars. He and Tulsa are on the run from the scientists so he doesn’t have to go back.

While they are on the run from the scientists, they are also trying to find Gardener’s dad, because all he has of him is a picture, and his mom is dead.

“I really enjoyed the movie, it was romantic and cute. I also hated it because it made me cry!” said our friend Michael.

“I liked it because it showed how just because someone is completely different from you that doesn’t mean you just deny them.” said Manuel Perla.

Evelyn and I talked about our thoughts and we really enjoyed it. We both liked how you kinda knew what was going to happen, but it turned out to be something completely different, which was good. We both enjoyed the movie and we both cried.

Overall, we all really enjoyed this movie and would definitely recommend it to anyone! Make sure to check it out on December 16th 2016 when it’s out in all movie theaters.

Movie trailer: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AFjJ7Itetgk