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Sports

NBA All-Star Weekend 2017

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This year the NBA All-Star Weekend is set to take place in great city of New Orleans. A lot of drama, excitement, and effort has been put into this year’s All-Star Weekend. This year, the festivities will begin Friday night, February 17th, and promises to be a fun and exciting experience for both players and fans.

A lot of drama has surrounded the location of the All-Star festivities this year. The original location of the All-Star Weekend was Charlotte, North Carolina, which would have have been Charlotte’s 2nd time hosting. However, due to the implication of the HB2 bathroom bill, the NBA decided they wouldn’t have an All-Star Weekend there until the bill was repealed. The NBA decided to move the game to New Orleans, an All-Star favorite, this will be the city’s 3rd time hosting the game (the last time the city hosted was in 2014).

The NBA All-Star Weekend starts out on Friday with 2 events. The first one is the All-Star Celebrity game. This is a game played by retired NBA players, athletes from other sports, and various celebrities. The second event on Friday is the Rising Star game. This is a game played entirely by players new to the league. This year, the game features players like Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Kristaps Porzingis.

On Saturday, there are 4 events. The first event is the D-League All-Star Game. This is a game played by the best players chosen from the NBA Development League. The second event is the Slam Dunk contest. The contest features some of the league’s best dunkers, who show off their most creative and impressive slam-dunks. The third contest is a Three-Point contest. Three of the league’s best shooters are chosen to participate, and they each get 5 shots from different points around the 3-point line. The player who makes the most shots wins. The fourth event on Friday is the Skills Challenge. For this event, players have to navigate their way through an obstacle course full of dribbling, shooting, and passing.

On Sunday, there is the actual All-Star Game. All of the best players from the league are chosen and placed on two teams. The two teams play each other, and this always makes for a very exciting game

The formula used for this year’s All-Star game has been changed. This year, and most likely for years to come, the fans made up 50% of the vote and the players and media each made up 25% of the vote.

The 5 starters have been announced for the West and the East already. Headlining the front court for the West is James Harden, of the Houston Rockets. Having an amazing season so far, Harden leads the NBA in assists, averaging 11.6 per game. Then we have the two teammates Steph Curry and Kevin Durant representing the Warriors, arguably the best team in the league. In the backcourt, there are the defensive stars Kawhi Leonard and Anthony Davis.

In the East, making his 13th All-Star appearance is the King, Lebron James. Accompanying Lebron is his teammate Kyrie Irving at Point Guard, and the Raptors Demar Derozan, at Shooting Guard. Also on the East, making his first appearance, is Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Bulls super-star Jimmy Butler.  

This All-Star Weekend is shaping up to be a great one, so mark your calendars and get ready to watch some great basketball.  

 

Advice/How To, Local, News

Dealing with the cold

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Minnesota is having one of the coldest winters of any state in the U.S. This means residents from all over the state have to prepare to face the cold in order to get wherever they are going. Students are especially affected by the cold because they have to commute to and from school every week-day. We asked students of Highland Park Senior High how they deal with the cold inside or outside.

A common response from students was to wear lots of layers. Ranging from jackets, sweatshirts, and blankets students said they wore whatever they could to stay warm traveling to and from school.

At home, some students said that the best cure for the cold was a warm blanket and a hot beverage. One student said, “I deal with the cold by bundling up, then I go home to drink hot chocolate, or tea, then watch a movie occasionally.”

Some students were pros when it came to the cold, and didn’t feel like it was something to deal with. “ The school is warm, so I don’t worry about the cold before I go to school,” one student said. “ I don’t wimp out, and go outside without fear,” another student exclaimed. Cold doesn’t seem to bother these people which is a trait most wish they could have.

Some students, however, simply are not coping with the cold at all. Despite living in Minnesota, some people just do not get along well with frigid weather. One 10th grader said, “I don’t deal with the cold. I get frostbite.” Another senior student said, “I just look forward to getting back indoors.” It seems some of us Minnesotans can barely make it through each winter alive and well.

So far, this winter has been very cold, and there has been quite a lot of time with temps below zero. But, we are looking towards a warmer few weeks coming up, and spring is coming right around the corner.

Entertainment, Movies/TV/Theaters

Top 10 holiday music albums

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The holiday season is for spending time with family and friends. What better thing to do then listen to some great holiday music while you do just that. Holiday music has been around for many years dating back to the 13th century. Today many talented artist create new holiday music or give their voice to old classics. Through the years there have been lots of holiday albums, but we are going to count down our picks for our “Top 10 Best Holiday Music Albums Ever.”  

  1.  Noel: Josh Groban

His one and only holiday album, Josh Groban brings the spirit to you this season. Released in October of 2007 Noel is one of the best selling holiday albums and best selling albums ever. Selling over 3 million copies in 2007 it is easy to see why people love it so much. The melodious vocals of Groban complement the piano that is usually present and the choir in the background perfectly. Highlighted by the “The First Noel (with Faith Hill)” this album makes you feel in the mood to relax with family and friends on a cold day.

  1.  Christmas Portrait: The Carpenters

This album was The Carpenters only Christmas album, and was released on October 13, 1978. Since the album’s release, there has been about 1,950,000 copies sold, and the album has reached a peak position of number 93 on the Billboard 200 in 2015.

  1. The Beach Boys’: Christmas Album

Released in 1964 at the peak popularity of The Beach Boys, this album will make you say “Merry Christmas, Baby!” With almost all original songs, this album brought a lot to the table. Highlighted by the hit single “Little Saint Nick” the Beach Boys tight knitted harmony and swinging beats translate perfectly into great Christmas music.

  1. Michael Buble: Christmas

The album Christmas is Michael Buble’s second Christmas album. It was released October 21, 2011. This album has reached number 1 on the Billboard 200, and was his third album to reach this position.

  1. Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas

Mariah Carey is very well known for her Christmas music, and this album has been one of her biggest claims to fame. The album features the song “All I Want for Christmas is You,” which is  one of the most popular Christmas songs to this day. The album was Mariah Carey’s fourth Christmas album recorded, and was released November 1, 1994.

  1.  Charlie Brown Christmas

Accompanying the classic Christmas movie a Charlie Brown Christmas, Vince Guaraldi’s melodies make wonderful holiday music. These songs have gained a good reputation, and many people love listening to this music during the holiday season.

  1. A Christmas Gift For You: Phil Spector

A Christmas Gift For You is an album where Phil Spector collaborated with some of the best musicians of the time to create one good holiday album. Phil Spector, most famously known for his role in creating the Wall of Sound, recorded a rockin’ Christmas album in 1963. Highlighted by The Ronettes rendition of “Sleigh Ride” this album will get you rockin’ and rollin’ this holiday season.

  1. White Christmas: Bing Crosby

Bing Crosby’s White Christmas album is a wonderful trip back in time when vocals were all you needed. This smash hit of an album headlined by the songs “White Christmas” and “Mele Kalikimaka” is a measuring tool for all other Holiday music albums.

  1. The Christmas Song: Nat King Cole

The Christmas Song is one of the all time classic albums for Christmas. Headlined by the Christmas anthem “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)” this album has reached critical acclaim in the music world.

  1. Christmas Album: Elvis

Elvis is most well known for his rock and roll music, but he did release a very popular Christmas album in 1957. This was his first of two Christmas albums, his second was released in 1971. Since its release, the album has sold around 15 million albums worldwide. It shows some of the best music from Elvis even as a Christmas album. Some say it was his last “real” album.

Sports

College Football Playoffs

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The college football scene is alive and well at the end of November. With teams approaching their final games, the stage is set for another great bowl season. Coming into the third year of the College Football Playoffs, teams are waiting for the final poll to decide if they’re “in.” The final poll comes out on Sunday, December 4, and will decide the games played on Jan 1, and 2, of 2017.

The College Football Playoffs have been in place since the 2014-2015 season. The system has a specific way to choose who makes it to the playoffs. First, a committee chooses the top 25 teams. They choose these teams based on their record, their schedule, and overall talent of the team. From these 25 teams, the top four are chosen to go into the playoffs. The four teams play two semifinal games, and the winners play each other in a final championship game.   

The 7 teams in contention to win the championship this year have all had rollercoaster rides to get where they are now. The Alabama Crimson Tide are this year’s favorite to win it all. Coming off a great win against the Clemson Tigers in last year’s championship game, the Tide has kept rolling and finished the regular season with a perfect 12-0 record. Led by a stout defense and a more than capable quarterback in Jalen Hurts, Alabama is a sure bet to win it all as they haven’t moved from the No.1 ranking since 2015. Alabama plays No. 15 Florida this Saturday for the SEC Championship.

The next team with the most mojo coming into the College Football Playoffs is the Ohio State Buckeyes. Finishing with an 11-1 record the Buckeyes look to claim their second championship in 3 years. Led by their head coach Urban Meyer, and Senior quarterback J.T Barrett, the Buckeyes are on fire. Winning all of their games against ranked opponents, at the time of the game, the Buckeyes have a good resume with wins over #14 Oklahoma, #8 Wisconsin, #10 Nebraska, and #3 Michigan.  Ohio State is currently ranked No. 2 in the latest Playoff Poll.  

Runner up last year for the championship, the Clemson Tigers look for another shot at glory. Led by Heisman candidate Deshaun Watson the Tigers finished the regular season with a 11-1 record and are currently ranked No. 3 in the latest Playoff Poll. Clemson plays Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship Game this Saturday which could decide if they’re in or out of the playoffs.  

The last team currently ranked in the top 4 is the Washington Huskies. Finishing with an 11-1 record as well, the Huskies have had a magical season, but their playoff hopes might come to a close come Saturday. Washington plays Colorado on Saturday for the PAC-12 Championship. With a fairly weak schedule, Washington needs to win this game to get into the playoffs. If they don’t, three other teams might take their place.

The other three teams in contention all hail from the BIG-10. The Wisconsin Badgers, Penn State Nittany Lions, and Michigan Wolverines all are looking to sneak into the playoffs. The committee will have to make a tough choice if Clemson or Washington loses in their respected games this weekend. To increase their chances, Penn State and Wisconsin play each other in the BIG-10 Championship Game this Saturday.

This weekend will be a big weekend to decide the 2016-2017 College Football Playoffs.

Editorials/Student Voice, School Life

6 period school days

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While the St. Paul Public School Board is still deciding whether to change the school start times, a motion for days to be cut down to 6 periods is already in motion. The current school day at Highland Park Senior High consists of 7 classes spanning about 45 min each with a lunch of 20 min in the middle of the day. This new format would have 6 classes spanning about an hour each and with the same lunch time of 20 min. This system, much like the the school start times, could benefit students and hinder them at the same time.

Many students will have one type of class that they enjoy taking, and they will take that type of class every year. For example, many students like band, orchestra, art classes, and PLTW technology and engineering classes, and they will take one of these classes each year. This can benefit the students in a few ways. They can learn more about things that interest them, and colleges will give thousands of dollars in scholarship money to students who take these classes each year. When the school changes from a 7 period to 6 period day, students will no longer have that extra period to take a class of their choice. They would likely need to take a specific class to earn the correct credits.

A benefit of a six period day is that it will give more focus on the core classes of: math, science, English and history. This can be good because some classes like study hall have the same amount of time as science or English classes. This will limit the number of classes that don’t pose much benefit, such as study hall. Giving more time to the classes that need more time to learn will make it easier on students and teachers.This will allow teachers to not rush classes or deadlines because of the short time students have in class. This might limit homework with more time in class to work on assignments.

In the end, the change to 6 periods can benefit some people more than others. Some people, such as the people who always take an elective of their choice, will be rather hindered by this change. However, people that take all sorts of classes, and do not prefer to take one specific type of class, may benefit more by the change.

Local, News

SPPS school start times

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During a school board meeting on November 1st, of this year, the St. Paul Public School’s (SPPS) administration presented a plan to change the school start times of most secondary schools in the SPPS district. The current start times for most of the secondary schools in Saint Paul is 7:30 am. The proposed plan would change all secondary schools, who start at 7:30, to 8:30, an hour later. This would also result in the changing of end times at secondary schools from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

The board is scheduled to vote on the motion to change times on November 15th. This motion would take full effect in the 2018-19 school year. The change would have a large impact on students, teachers, and parents in the SPPS system.

This new system could have a few benefits. One advantage is that it could increase productivity, due to the fact that it would supposedly allow for more sleep for students. Studies show that when students get less than 8 hours of sleep, they have a much higher chance of developing depression, anxiety, and fatigue. Also, when students sleep for longer each night, they are much less likely to be involved in criminal behavior, or take part in the use of drugs. In theory, if the start time is moved back, students would have higher grades, they would have better mental and physical health, and would be more likely to make more logical decisions throughout the day.

As this motion proposes later start times for secondary schools, primary education would in fact see earlier start times. According to the SPPS website, most elementary schools are getting a reduction of start times by about an average amount of 45 min. Schools such as Horace Mann, Hamline Elementary, and Highland Park Elementary would have a school day from 7:45 am till 2:15 pm under this proposal. An issue that is presented by doing this would be family routines. With younger children getting out earlier than their older siblings from school, there might not be anyone to watch them if both parents work. While after school child care is available like EDL or Discovery Club in some schools, lots of families won’t be able to afford these necessities.

Another consequence of the start times changing is the end times changing too. With a lot of students who do after school activities that usually take about 2 hours, they would get home at 5:00 pm which is fairly late in the day. Getting home this late gives students less time to do their school work, which results in them staying up later. By changing these times, students truly get the same amount of sleep as they did before, but will feel more stress to finish their homework late at night.  

This change in start times at HSPH has it’s advantages, but it also has many disadvantages as well. We will have to wait till November 15th when the board votes on the motion.

News

The Ken Bone phenominon

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During the highly anticipated second debate of the presidential election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, one winner would be crowned but no one expected it to be an audience member. Kenneth Bone, a member of the town hall style debate, came into the spotlight later in the debate when he asked the question to the candidates, “What steps will your energy policy take to meet our energy needs, while at the same time remaining environmentally friendly and minimizing job loss for fossil power plant workers?”

Ken Bone was praised for his lovable exterior, and honest question about the energy policy that the candidates would bring if they were elected. People found that Ken Bone was something that could distract them from the harsh presidential cycle of 2016. With the candidates both having the lowest approval rating for candidates of the two main parties in a long time, people wanted someone better. So when he showed up wearing a red sweater, glasses, and a mustache, the people of America chose him as their hero.

This has happened before where a certain person, object, or animal has become the focus of an entire nation during election week. For example, during the 2008 election the whole nation focused on Joe The Plumber, who was the Ken Bone equivalent of the time. He asked a question about small businesses, and the nation obsessed over him just as they are with Ken Bone right now.

In recent months, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have been appearing all over the Internet, but ever since  Bone made an appearance in the most recent presidential debate, and he has been an Internet star. People fell in love with him almost instantly after his debut. Ken said that as soon as he checked his phone after the debate, he had already gained hundreds of Twitter followers. Since then, he has shown up on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, CNN, and many other talk shows as well. Now the base of, a popular Halloween costume, a trending meme, and even a fan club, what hasn’t Ken Bone done?

Well, there is a lot of speculation circulating through the Internet about whether or not Ken Bone is a good person. This is primarily based off of his unprotected Reddit history, but most of this has been proven to be a hoax, constructed by various people on the Internet trying to make controversy out of the man. His popularity has dropped because of some of things that have been said about him, which don’t appeal to most Americans.

The legacy of Ken Bone may have seemed to come to an abrupt end due to the discovery of his Reddit history, but like most other Internet stars, his fame would have ended soon anyway.

School Life

A Highland Freshman’s first week

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Becoming a Freshman at a new school can be exciting, frightening, and new to most. Link Leaders are here to make it easier for the Freshmen to find classes and feel welcome at Highland, but do they really? We wanted to see how Freshmen really felt during their first couple of weeks at Highland by surveying a class of thirty-four students.   

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Freshman Will Altman

We developed nine questions, to ask Freshmen, to cover a wide range of things that they experienced during their first week here. We asked the students the following questions:

  • Our first question was about about the school itself, we asked them what their favorite part of Highland was. Their answer could be about the environment, the people, the classes, or even some of the clubs or activities.
  • The second and third questions asked about Link Crew events, and the Link Crew leaders themselves.
  • The fourth and fifth questions were about whether or not students were going to school events, and or if they joined any sports or clubs.
  • The sixth question asked what the students were expecting, and whether or not the school is close to their expectation.
  • The seventh question asked about which class was their favorite.
  • The eighth was about if they felt welcome at Highland.
  • The last question asked how they felt about their first week overall.   

The Link Crew leaders made a presence to the Freshmen. A lot of the Freshmen saw their Link Crew leaders and maybe said, “Hi” if they needed help with something. The Link Crew did their job and helped out the Freshman which is good to hear.

With Link Crew comes Link Crew events, almost every Freshman attended the events of Freshmen Fun Night and Shananalympics. Even though the Link Crew events were a hit, the Friday night football game was a not with most of the Freshmen because about 68 percent decided not to go.

Many sports and clubs are available to incoming Freshmen, ranging from soccer to science . We asked if they had joined any clubs or sports and most had. Freshmen in our survey joined a wide variety of clubs which included: cross country, football, dance, tennis, and robotics. A common answer was “not yet” so we’re expecting more Freshmen to join clubs in the latter part of the year.

The second part of the survey was more about the Freshman experience with the the school and its environment. Right off of the bat we asked the students what their favorite part of Highland was. Although it would be hard to list all thirty-four students responses, here are some of the best and most interesting:

  • Lots of students liked seeing their friends and meeting new ones, many Freshmen thought the teachers use the class time wisely which is nice.
  • The athletic program seems to be enjoyable for a lot of Freshmen especially for the football players.
  • People seem to think that Highland is a comfortable environment to learn. Link Crew leaders contribute to this feeling with their events that they run for the Freshmen.
  • Freshmen seem to think that a lot of the students here are nice and treat one another with respect.

We asked them what they thought of the first week overall, and most students said that they had enjoyed it, liked their teachers, and felt welcome.

Being a Freshman is a challenge at first, but from the responses we got Highland seems to make it an easier experience.