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.
Above: Juniors Katie Tennis, Isabella Isett, Natalie Duncan, Keiko Hilmo, and Audrey Dombro pose with Leiv Sydnes of the OPCW.
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.
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.” )
Above: Jay Asher speaks with Highland Park students at the assembly
Friends of Highland Arts (FHA) is a newly launched organization here at Highland that supports both curricular and extra-curricular arts education. Visual, cultural, musical, literary, and performing arts will be supported. FHA believes the arts are a great way to create a stronger community for students, families, teachers, and volunteers.
This new non-profit organization will reach out to the middle and elementary schools in Highland in an effort to support arts programming and to facilitate older students mentoring younger middle school and elementary aged children. The vision is to create a unique Highland Park arts identity.
FHA will also strive to develop community partnerships and funding for arts education. In addition, the organization will provide exciting volunteer opportunities for parents to get involved.
Mrs. Colleen Zuro-White and Mrs. Anne Gimpl (my mom) developed the organization as new parents to Highland Senior last year. Conversations and early reports indicate a great deal of support and enthusiasm for the organization. Highland Park Senior High School’s IB Coordinator Ms. Charlotte Landreau has agreed to serve on the board. After asking what FHA is hoping to accomplish in the near future, Mrs. Gimpl replied, “Right now, Friends of Highland Arts is in its beginning stages. We want to get the word out and create some enthusiasm for our awesome arts programs!”
CALLING ALL THOSE WANTING TO SHOW OFF THEIR EXCELLENT DESIGNING SKILLS: Friends of Highland Arts is looking for a logo to represent their organization. Stay tuned for more info on the HP website.
Nine students from Kari Rise’s IB Geography class were able to attend the 7th annual Great Decisions Conference last Friday. Each year, this conference tackles issues that have global relevance. The topic for 2014 was energy independence. Speakers ranging from experts from the University of Minnesota and the Star Tribune to foreign affairs specialists of Germany, Mexico, and Canada brought their voices to the panel.
Discussion about energy independence began with an overview from foreign relations expert Tom Hanson about foreign policy and America’s history with oil. His speech was particularly startling because it introduced the politics surrounding energy, an issue that many of us, especially as high school students, do not even think about.
Part of learning about energy independence was understanding the complexity to any subject. While all the speakers were highly educated, they had different, and sometimes opposite, opinions. As many spoke of the economic and political benefits from obtaining oil in the US, others spoke to their concerns about the environment or the lack of sustainability in continuing current patterns. For some, the United States has made incredible progress in a positive direction because of their increased energy independence. Oil ties countries together politically. 80% of China’s oil comes from the Middle East, causing lifestyle in China to hinge on the political stability of the Middle East. The US does not have this issue, as only one third of our oil is imported. On the other side, localization brings into play the environmental impact. It is important to remember that the reserves of oil will not be able to sustain increasing energy needs forever. Respected intellectuals and members of the public presented on each side of the debacle.
To Highland Park students, one of the most intriguing facets of the conference was Hector Castro’s presentation on Mexico. Hector Castro described a progressive situation in Mexico. Since the election of President Enrique Peña Nieto, the Mexican government has instituted sweeping structural reforms, including 21 new laws. Regarding energy, laws were adopted to try to decrease the monopoly of the government petroleum and electricity companies of PEMEX and CFE. The presentation was thought-provoking because of the efficiency of the Mexican government. HPSH students commented on the contrast with the difficulty in passing legislation that the United States government often faces.
This wasn’t the only opportunity to compare and contrast. Energy dependence is a problem that many countries have had to face. As Mario Ingo Soos, Deputy Consul General of Germany in Chicago, explained, for Germany, the solution to becoming independent was turning to renewable energy sources. About 27% of their energy is from renewable sources. When faced with the same dilemma, the United States has resorted to a dramatic increase in local hydraulic fracking. Both ways have been successful in reducing international dependence, but each have a very different set of outcomes and consequences. It was interesting to see the different methods of solving a problem.
Every day in school, we learn the skills that we need in our future, but our education in the classroom doesn’t always enter into current events or share in the concerns of the “adult world.” It felt refreshing to be aware of something that matters and to take part in contributing ideas. Our choices with energy are going to shape future generations and being informed is critical.
(Above) Several geography students who attended the conference pictured with Kari Rise, HPSH IB Geography instructor, Mario Ingo Soos, Deputy Consul General of Germany in Chicago and Carol Engebretson Bryne, President of Minnesota International Center
(Below) Students with Star Tribune energy reporter David Shaffer, and Dan King, US Department of Energy.
It might seem as though the controversy over proposed sulfide mining plans in the Northeastern region of Minnesota doesn’t directly affect high school students. But in reality, this is the generation that will be feeling the effects of any decisions made, so it is crucial that we are involved in this process.
Recently, PolyMet, a Canadian corporation hoping to begin mining in 2016, released the Environmental Impact Statement of the proposed mine. The environmental review has received over 40,000 comments on a public comment thread. For those in support, the resulting economic growth and job creation are incomparable, while those opposed raise concerns about the environmental impact.
Sulfide mining, also known as hard rock mining, is the extraction of minerals like Minnesota’s vast reserves of copper, nickel, cobalt, and platinum from sulfide ore. Polymet workers estimate that the Duluth Complex in Northeastern Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range has 4.4 billion tons of minerals. The plan projected by PolyMet is to reuse existing infrastructure from Erie Plant, a 1957 taconite processing facility.
The proposed mine is in an ideal location of economic need. As stated by Ely resort owner Joe Baltich at a public hearing of the Polymet proposal, “I’m in the tourism industry, and I certainly don’t want to shoot myself in the foot. But we’re losing businesses right and left. We have 360 properties that are for sale, and no one is buying… We’re going to lose our schools, our grocery store. We’re going to lose everything, and it’s my hometown.” Baltich, and many others, support the mining project because they believe it could mean increased jobs and a revitalized Minnesotan economy. PolyMet estimates that mining could generate 360 jobs, and hundreds for construction workers, for 20 years. The University of Minnesota-Duluth calculated the mining would produce over 550 million dollars per year, clearly an economic stimulant.
Proponents of Minnesotan sulfide mining also emphasize the positives in obtaining metals locally, reflecting a problem that the United States as a whole faces: dependence on foreign minerals. Mining nationally has been promoted to reduce international dependence, and allow us to more closely monitor conditions for miners and for the environment where the metals are extracted, which are often unsafe due to few regulations. This Minnesotan mine could be a step away from foreign dependence and towards a self sufficient America.
But it isn’t this simple. The Great Lakes contain 18% of the world’s fresh water, and mining could be a threat to this valuable resource. 99% of the rock that is unearthed is waste rock or sulfides. When the sulfides are exposed to air and water, the waste could be subject to acid mine drainage, which would create sulfuric acid. This acid could be a potential pollutant for water, as well as for wildlife and fish. Water is difficult to contain and to treat, and the interconnected water systems in Minnesota are a concern if any pollution were to occur. Minnesota isn’t the only state that has undergone mining turmoil. “Other states have suffered because their leaders saw dollar signs when they should have seen question marks. Leaders believed promises that the mines wouldn’t pollute, but ignored all the times those promises had been broken,” stated Friends of the BWCA Executive Director Paul Danicic, in a Minneapolis Star Tribune editorial, referring to pollution in Colorado, Montana, and South Dakota mines. According to the project Mining Truth, there has not been a single sulfide mine that has not polluted.
Furthermore, environmentalists claim the PolyMet plan is riddled with gaping holes. The water treatment after the project could last for 500 years or longer in cases of high levels of pollution. Scott Helgeson of Bloomington spoke at a public hearing on January 28, stating, “What prevents [PolyMet] from going bankrupt 30 years from now and saying, guys, we just can’t pay the bills anymore. Are we insane?” Helgeson’s concerns echo those of taxpayers across the state. The cost of cleanup after the mining is complete could thrust Minnesotans into an economic deficit. For some, the risk of a costly cleanup outweighs the prospect of economic thriving for twenty years.
Of course, the economic gain could be very substantial, but here’s the question Minnesotans are asking: is any amount of money worth putting natural beauty at risk? The solution isn’t clear cut. Minnesota is undisputably host to a plethora of natural minerals, something Minnesotans should be able to harness to economic advantage. However, we need to know how to do this correctly, without environmental harm as a stipulation. Mining could leave Minnesota’s next generation–our generation– in an economic deficit. So we need to be involved. Aaron Klemz, communications director for Friends of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, in a personal interview March 10, stated,
“When regulators know that tens of thousands, and hundreds of thousands of people are watching their decision-making process, they make better decisions, because they have to actually know that they will be held accountable for what’s happening. Part of it is about being involved in the process, and part of it too is making sure the DNR understands that Minnesotans want to preserve our water for the next generation, because it is probably our greatest natural resource.”
The Minnesotan debate is bringing to the surface decades of dispute that pit mining against the health of the environment. Japan, Spain, Peru, and Indonesia are only a few examples of the many countries dealing with mining pollution. Our world depends on minerals to make products, and countries need the money from this international trade. Together, we are going to have to work to find a balance to eventually obtain them in a safe manner, or risk trashing our environment.
Minnesota is going to be a leader, but whether for a successful or destructive sulfide mining project or an environmental victory, is a choice that Minnesotans are going to have to make.
(Boundary Waters photos courtesy of Karl Boothman)
Jeremy Olson of the Star Tribune wrote an article about the Minnesota Student Survey which included interviews with five HPSH students. Seniors Nguyen Lu, Caroline Hewes, Tarik Kidane, Sofia Cerkvenik, and Andrew Chung spoke about their experiences in high school related to alcohol, drugs, and other social constraints. The survey provided interesting insight into the practices of high school students all across Minnesota. Congratulations to the HPSH students who had the chance to be interviewed!
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