Category Archives: Events

Entertainment, Events, Music/Concerts

Nerf Wars

As you all might know, Nerf Wars has started here at Highland. Every year students organize it and it lasts for about a month. Some of you might not know what it is, so what does Nerf Wars consist of and how does it work?

Nerf Wars are very fun to play with friends and family. It is an activity using Nerf guns or other toy weapons. Nerf Wars include outdoor battles and shoot-outs, it can take place anywhere, any area with a good amount of space are good candidates. With a large range of participants, outdoor areas are great for Nerf War battles. Nerf guns are relatively safe and cheap.

Here at Highland, there’re about 30 teams, each team including 5 players on each team, and all grades can participate. It is not a school planned activity, usually a group of seniors set it up and are known as the commissioners. Everything takes place outside of school and is not associated with any SPPS extra curricular activities. The commissioners set up a bracket, the rankings are based off of how many seniors are on the team, athleticism, how many licensed drivers, and car access.

Nerf Wars can be an entertaining event for people who are not playing as well. Teams and Highland Nerf Wars have set up twitter pages where you can interact with each other, read funny updates on teams wins and loses, and see photos people post about it.  Overall, Nerf Wars is an annual game that many enjoy participating in to end off the year with some fun.

Again, as previously mentioned, Nerf Wars are not a school sponsored event, and the school takes no responsibility for student conduct connected to Nerf Wars. Bring Nerf Wars to school at your own risk, as school discipline related to unacceptable behavior may apply.

Clubs and Activities, Events, School Life

Let’s talk about Benstock 2016

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Hmmmm……What can you do with that lucky $2 you surprisingly found in your back pocket, especially on a Friday night? Come to Benstock on Friday March 11, held in the auditorium from 7-9:30 pm! Tickets are only $2 for students, and $3 for adults. However, if you bring in a canned good, you will save $1 off the ticket price. 

At Benstock you can enjoy a series of performances featuring a variety of singing, dancing, not to mention it is a show of amazing talent.

Benstock has been a rewarding tradition for the past 17 years, and every year students have the chance to see their classmates show off their talent. In the past years, there have been performances by rock bands, breakdancers, spoken word artists and singers. 

Benstock is also Highland’s annual student charity event, hence another fantastic opportunity to share back with the community. The amount accumulated from ticket admissions will be used to donate to a charity of choice, still to be decided. All of the canned goods will also continue to be donated to the local food shelf Francis Basket. 

History

The original event began with a student’s desire for a trip to Australia. In 1999, student Ben Rosales organized a way to fund the trip by performing with his band on the school stage. Now where did the name Benstock originate from? His inspiration was developed from the music festival Woodstock. To personalize the name of the show, he decided to replace the ‘Wood’ prefix with his own name, thus the name Benstock was created.

The shows started mainly with performances from bands. Many of the past performers have grown successful musical careers. Eventually, the show expanded into a talent showcase encompassing a wider range of performances such as spoken word and both original and cover music.

It was not until 2007 that HPSH’s National Honor Society started to sponsor Benstock. This was also the same year Ms. Landreau became the adviser for NHS. The thing that makes Benstock special is that it is a production where everything is student led. Ms. Landreau and Ms. Hanson only stand back to support by the executive control.

 Spreading the Word

In the recent years, promotion through social media such as Twitter and Facebook event invitations have been considered to be effective on some level. This method of advertisement is more relevant for student to student promotion rather than the way publicity was handeld in the past. The effects of media usage to spread the word about Benstock was more centered around Highland students, and therefore, more Highland students attend the event now in comparison to previous years.

T-shirts were originally a major factor towards promoting Benstock, as executive members would travel around town selling the personally designed Benstock t-shirts, and advertise by posting flyers around the neighborhood. As a result, historically, there the audience was more diverse in that that there were not only students, but also people from the local community, including more teachers.

Risk Takers: First Time Performers

Other than the fact that Benstock is a student organized production that is both fun and entertaining, it is also an amazing opportunity to encourage students to try something new and become risk-takers. Every year there are several students who admit that Benstock was their first stage performance in front of anyone. Yet, every year, Ms. Landreau is astonished by the audience members themselves. “They are just the nicest crowd, with wonderful affirmation, and every year the crowd shows their love to the people on stage. I want people to feel safe.”

All students were welcome to audition for Benstock. This year, there are even three acts that include freshmen. Ms. Landreau hopes for Benstock to continue in the future years to come, and for more teachers to come and discover and be awed by the talents of students and encourage individual voices.

Here are some video clips of past Benstock Events : Benstock 2014  Benstock Intro 2009

People who will be featured in the performance include:

Raquel Loera
Ramona and Maeve
The Father
Maeve and Roland
Schyler Jackson Fish
Charlie, Alex, Thomas, Evan, and Fernanda
Owen Stanley
Olivia Mason and John Manning
Taji and Nehali
Kenji Callahan
Malik Griffin
Claudia Stensrud
Paige and Sydney
Leah and Maria
Pohla and Manning
Francisco, Zach, and Nathan
Sami and Sydney Linssen
Dean and Ricardo
Makeshift

People who have passed the auditions have worked hard and are proud of their talent, and therefore it is our obligation as awesome Highland classmates to come support the talent in our school.

Events, News, School Life

51st anniversary

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Highland Park, home of the Scots, has been around for almost 50 years!

1964 is when Highland Park Senior High opened, and 1965 was the first graduating class. Students who graduated in 1966 started off in a different school such as Central, Washington, etc, but when they heard about Highland and how it just opened up, some of the students transferred over, and enjoyed Highland better.

Highland was known for its academics, fellowship, and how good the athletics were. Some called it the “dream school”, while others just thought it was just another school.

Over the years major changes have been made to HPHS. Back in 1965 there were just designated areas that are now football, baseball, and soccer fields. Cheerleading outfits have changed, such as in the fabrics used, and the Highland logo has evolved.

As we were looking through the past yearbooks, we saw so many interesting, and amazing activities that Highland delivered for the students. We saw a large assortment of clubs, and the many different homecoming activities that they had around that time. The yearbook used to be called “Tartan”, and Highland’s neighborhood rival used to be “Derham Hall”, as said in the 1965 yearbook.

Reunions are for people who want to come together again after a long period of separation, and the second graduating class from 1966 is reuniting once more! The founder of this reunion is Synthia Van. The reunion is Saturday August 13, 2016. There is a tour on August 13 at 9:30 A.M. at the Lost Spur Country Club in Eagan.

On that day, 50 years will have passed by for these grads. May that day be filled with happiness, joy, and miracles.

Events, Local, News

St. Paul Winter Carnival

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One of the most important events in St. Paul during the winter season, is the Saint Paul Winter Carnival, starting this weekend (1/29-1/31) and continuing the following weekend (1/5-1/7). Some of the events include; ice carvings and an ice palace in Rice Park, a snow sculpting competition at the State Fairgrounds, and of course, the Winter Carnival parades.

This year’s festival has three parades, each ending in Rice Park. The first, the Moon Glow Pedestrian Parade, will be on Thursday, beginning at 6 P.M., at 401 Robert St. The next, the King Boreas Grande Day Parade, will be Saturday, beginning at 2 P.M., along West 7th. The last, the Vulcan Victory Torchlight Parade, will be Saturday, Feb. 6, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in Lowertown.

If you’re looking for a way to challenge yourself to get out in the cold, the Securian Winter Run may be for you. It features 3 races; a 5k, 10k, and half marathon. The starting time is 9 A.M., beginning this Saturday, January 30, 2016.

Whether it’s going to a parade, ice skating in Rice Park, appreciating the snow and ice sculptures, or running in the cold, the St. Paul Winter Carnival has an event for any winter-lover. More information on the Winter Carnival can be found at https://www.wintercarnival.com.

Events, Local

Highland Park Students at the Youth Nobel Peace Prize Forum

Last Friday, Highland Park was privileged to send a delegation of students with teacher Kari Rise to the Nobel Peace Prize Youth Forum at Augsburg College. The group was able to hear from several speakers, notably, Leiv Sydnes of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Director-General of the OPCW Ahmet Uzumcu, and former President Jimmy Carter.

President Carter highlighted the many issues that hinder gender equality. In the US, rape in universities and the US military perpetuates gender inequality. In other countries, women face genital mutilation, higher abortion rates for female babies, and a deeply-rooted cultural inferiority. Carter reminded students that although there has been much work for peace, many are unaware “we have more slavery on Earth now than the 19th century.” While his speech gave appreciation for our progress, he sent a message to our generation that there is more to be done.

The OPCW speakers, Leiv Sydnes and Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu remarked about chemical weapons and the OPCW’s leading role in the worldwide effort for the eradication of these dangerous weapons. Natalie Duncan from Highland Park Senior High was privileged with the opportunity to ask a question to the Director-General. Her question, “How will the OPCW work to engage the six non-member countries?” led to much explanation from Uzumcu.

The most remarkable part of the forum was that those in attendance were very diverse. People of all ages, races, and religious groups united on their common goal of peace. During the hour designated for discussion about peace, called the “World Café,” participants were able to share in a dialogue with a wide range of individuals and enjoy multiple perspectives. The forum was also brought to a real-life level when students were split into groups to work on service projects. Projects included visual art, spoken word, writing letters, dance, and bookmaking. Natalie Duncan enjoyed her service project in which “we talked about what’s in our hearts, what drives us to act, and the actions we take in our community.”

YouthThrive, the organization that partnered with the forum to host this event, is made up of high school students from across Minnesota. Kevin Nguyen and Grace James, students from Highland Park are members of the program.

 

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Above: Juniors Katie Tennis, Isabella Isett, Natalie Duncan, Keiko Hilmo, and Audrey Dombro pose with Leiv Sydnes of the OPCW.

 

 

Events, School Life

Host a Spanish Exchange Student with Exatur!

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Have you ever been interested in hosting a Spanish exchange student? Worried about making a whole year commitment? Look no further. From their website: “Exatur is a small, local company. Our founders are passionate about intercultural immersion as a valuable, life-enhancing and educational experience. We have all personally benefitted from our experiences as exchange students as well as hosts of international students in our homes. For many years, we’ve helped hundreds of students become world citizens breaking down barriers of language, culture and geography.”

This week on Thursday March 12th, Exatur is hosting a Spanish tapas party and open house. It’s a chance to learn more about the program, and how you can host one of the 20 Spanish high school students who are visiting with the program this summer. Information about the tapas party is below. For more information on Exatur, contact Director Katie Sterns (who is also a HPSH parent!) katie@exatur.com or 651-295-1730

Spanish Tapas and Info Night Open House
Thursday, March 12  3-7 p.m.

(special presentation for educators from 3-5… but you can drop by anytime!)

Macalester Alumni House
1644 Summit Ave. St. Paul, MN 55105

“Spanish Tapas and info” are fun opportunities to enjoy great traditional Spanish foods, to learn more about our programs, ask questions and register.  You will meet the fabulous and friendly Exatur staff and former program participants!   Join us !!!

Events, Local, School Life

FHA: Engaging Students and Empowering the Community

Friends of the Highland Arts is a new non-profit organization that is forming, to help support all types of art in Highland area schools. Currently, they are actively involved in organization development stages, and are well underway to becoming a strong presence in the Highland community. Here are some progress updates about what they’re up to:

First Annual Highland Arts Showcase

FHA will be promoting the first Annual Highland Arts Showcase to be held 7 PM Thursday March 19 in the HPSH auditorium. The program is free (donations accepted) and FHA will promote to the greater Highland Park and St Paul community.

There will be selections from HPSH IB band, choir, jazz, and dance performances.

HPSH visual/media art work will be exhibited in the auditorium lobby.

They will invite elementary and middle schools in the HPSH articulated network to display some of their student artwork.

There may be a music ensemble from Capitol Hill perform, either on stage or in the lobby before the Showcase.

They hope to have a table staffed with student volunteers to help younger children create a simple art project before and after the performances.

FHA will create the Showcase program (Playbill) and solicit advertising to raise funds for Highland Arts programming.

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FHA has done a great job of engaging students thus far in the process. Congratulations to Meagan Blair for submitting the winning logo design in the recently held contest. She gets to work with a professional graphic design artist next! Also, 11th grader Misha Prasolov is working on website development. In the future, they have talked about forming a student advisory board, to give guidance and direction to the organization from the student’s perspective.

For more information about FHA, email: friendsofhighlandarts@gmail.com or contact Colleen Zuro-White or Anne Gimpl. 

 

 

Events, School Life

HPSH Showcase

By: Emma Dombrow

Tomorrow night at 6pm, HPSH is hosting their annual student showcase.  It’s a time where prospective families can see the school building, meet teachers, and visit tables where you can learn more about student clubs and activities.  Please join us tomorrow for some fellowship and Highland Park pride. More information about this event is listed below.


Prospective Student Open House

Thursday, January 22, 2015

6:00 pm – Auditorium

Please join us for an evening designed for 8th graders and their

families to explore Highland Park Senior High School.

Information on curriculum, academic programs, athletics, activities and more!

Events, Local, News

Acclaimed Author Makes One Stop in Minnesota – At Highland Park Senior High

Jay Asher had no idea how much of an impact his book would have on students when he originally wrote it as a response to the suicide attempt of a close relative. In fact, his book was originally not received well, as it was rejected 12 times, to the point that he likened every rejection letter to a breakup, noting to HP students, “If I was going to get through this rejection process, I was going to have to make a game out of it.” His good humor and resilience kept him moving forward and he was eventually signed on by a publisher. Since then, Asher’s book has become a call to action for an anti-bullying campaign. This year, he has launched a tour called 50 States Against Bullying and is visiting a school in each state. Highland Park was honored to be the Minnesota school.

Asher’s book, Thirteen Reasons Why, deals with suicide and a lot of issues that teens face in their time in high school. Today, Asher offered wise words to Highland Park students. With regard to the people that we see at school every day, Asher stated, “A lot of what you know about them is just what you’ve heard about them.” There is a quintessential truth to this statement, as gossip and rumors can become commonplace in high school, so often accepted as truth that they lock high school students in an ongoing battle to be who they are amid the overpowering idea of how others perceive them. Asher’s character faces a similar dilemma. Hannah Baker has a series of vicious rumors that circulate about her, rumors that, according to Asher, “change how they see her and then change how they treat her and eventually how she sees herself.” Although Asher never meant to challenge how we treat each other, his book seems to reminds high schoolers of their power and influence in the lives of each other.

Asher’s book resonates with different teens in different ways. That is one of the reasons why it is such a powerful story. At his presentation, Asher shared many of the responses that he had gotten. Many cited the book as a life changer; some realized that they weren’t alone in their struggles, while others pledged to open their eyes to how they treat people and work for others.

It isn’t hard to see why Asher’s book was such a success. His presentation was loaded with wit and humor, and he seemed to connect with the struggles of high school students that often seem overlooked especially by adults. On behalf of Highland Park students and staff, thank you Jay Asher for choosing our school and for all your work to bring awareness to bullying and suicide.

Follow Jay on Twitter @jayasherguy and visit his blog at jayasher.blogspot.com  (As he said, “This is how we can all stay friends when I go home.” )

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Above: Jay Asher speaks with Highland Park students at the assembly

Events, School Life

Highland Wellness Committee event: Work experience showcase

Co-Written By: Izzy Rojas

Today in the community garden, the Highland Park Wellness Committee conducted an event showcasing the work experience program coordinated by Mr. McCann. Several booths were set up as part of the display, including: fresh vegetable stand, produce trivia, work experience program information, and a soccer/physical activity circle. There were also tours of the garden by Ms. Rise. Many classes came down to participate in the event and to support the hard work that the students have done over the last year.

One class in particular that came to the event was Ms. Ketterling’s Horticulture class. The Horticulture class is connected with the agriculture department here at Highland, and is a new class offering this year. “The Horticulture class is all about learning about plants and the environmental factors that effect the proper growth of the plants. We go from learning about soils, to different non-soil media, propagating plants sexually and a-sexually, light requirements, things like that”, said Ms. Ketterling. Horticulture students also do AP-Bio level labs, measuring things like porosity and textures of soils.

It was a great event, ending with tours and fellowship in the garden. Below are some pictures of the morning:

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