By: Helen Aweke, Siyam Kedir, and Yasmin Roba
Category Archives: School Life
1st Quarter Attendance and Goals for 2nd Quarter
By: Jannely Gomez Pacheco and Yalecxy Hernandez Lopez
10th grade vice principal
By: Jannely Gomez Pacheco & Yalecxy Hernandez Lopez
Why it’s important to stay organized in school
By: Seng Nhkum
School starts at Pre-K all the way to 12th grade or later on to college etc. Elementary school and middle school may not be as important, but in high school it’s important to stay organized. These are my 3 reasons why I think it’s important.
First, it’s important to stay organized because more students have said when they are organized for school they have better grades. You can stay organized for school by using a planner to keep track of all the homework you need to do and the assignments you have to submit. This prevents you from forgetting to submit assignments you have to do, and it helps improve your academic performance.
Second, it’s important to stay organized for school because you can manage your time better. Managing your time helps a lot in school because I personally lose track of time, and I always procrastinate homework. So, when I actually manage my time it helps a lot because I have an alarm time set for how long I should do my homework. I no longer need to stay up to finish homework I procrastinated over.
Lastly, it’s important to stay organized in school because it reduces stress. High school can be stressful especially when there are lots of assignments you have to do, and having your backpack and desk organized and clean helps reduce stress. Most students find that a clean environment helps reduce their stress, and gives them a clear mind in school.
Overall, why is it important to stay organized? Because it improves your academic performance, time management, and stress. Also, start staying organized for school when you’re a freshman, so you can continue this good habit.
Spirit week
By: Jannely Gomez Pacheco & Yalecxy Hernandez Lopez
My freshman homecoming experience
By: Seng Nhkum
This year is my first homecoming dance as a freshman in high school, and my first school dance I’ll be attending. I hope it goes well.
First, the hardest part of going to a dance is finding the perfect dress. I had to go to the mall 3 times in order to find a perfect dress! Before they announced the theme ‘Midnight Ball’ for homecoming, I bought this cute hot pink dress for homecoming that fit me perfectly, and then went to the mall 2 more times to finally purchase a lavender sparkly dress which is so pretty.
The homecoming dance was at Highland Park Senior High school in the field house at 7:00-10:00 pm on a Friday. Before that, our school day was shortened by a bit so we could have a pep rally at 2:00-3:00 pm. It was funny, but not when everyone cheered “Go home Freshman”. Like yes, I will gladly go home.
After I got back home at 3:30 I was procrastinating for 30 whole minutes to decide whether I should curl my hair for homecoming or straighten it; I decided to curl it. I finished getting ready, and arrived at the high school at 7:30.
In the field house there was a place where you could take photos, and there they sold snacks and drinks. Also, in the gym was the dancing area and at the time there weren’t that many people in the gym. But oh my, a little later, even more people showed up and the gym was so overstimulating and hot. People were also crowd surfing and throwing themselves back which caused lots of chaos.
At 9:00 it actually got more fun, it felt less awkward, and me and my friends decided to just have fun and sang our hearts out till our voices were gone.
Overall, my first homecoming experience was a 7/10. The best parts were making memories and having fun with my friends, but the worst part was the heat and due to all the jumping my feet hurt so bad. I do recommend you go to homecoming because of the memories and the fun! (just don’t wear high heels for the homecoming dance…)
Minnesota phone ban
By: Alayanna Bouwens
I’m sure we are all aware of the Minnesota state wide, and school wide ban on phones; but what is that ban really about and how does it affect our learning? The ban states that in elementary and middle schools phones will be completely banned from the time school starts to the time school ends, while in high schools the ban aims to limit students time on their phone during class by banning the phones in classrooms but allowing students to use their phones during passing times and lunches. The ban, and specific rules, vary school to school. Here at the Highland High School, phones are banned only in class while for the Highland Park Middle schoolers, phones are banned from 8:30-3.
One of the big things today’s teens battle is phone addiction. Whether it’s pulling out your phone during an awkward situation or reaching for it when you’re bored, nearly every student today struggles with some sort of screen addiction. The phone ban is designed to help students learn how to be without their phones, or other screens, during the school day. This also encourages more genuine face-to-face interactions and helps cut out unnecessary distractions from learning, schoolwork, etc.
The Minnesota phone bans purpose is to help students stay focused by limiting screen time during school hours. Screen addiction is a very common struggle among kids today and the phone ban was created to help break those addictions down. The rules change school to school but the goal is always similar; to reduce phone use so students can be more present in class while promoting face-to-face interactions. The ban encourages better habits, fewer distractions, and more real-life social interaction throughout the day.
For more information, please visit:
Montessori to high school
By: Charlotte Aver
Last year I was in a Montessori public middle school, making it my 9th year in a Montessori school. I had 4 teachers and their names were Christine, Kyle, Brooke, and Amy; they had told us to call them by their first names. This year I have had teachers tell me that under no circumstances am I or any other student to call them by their first name. This amongst many other things is something that has been a culture shock to me coming from a Montessori school.
One of the most different things is how our day is structured. At my Montessori school we would have meetings in the morning and midday, in between we would have lessons and a work time to finish all of our work. In the afternoon we would have occupations which are essentially the same as electives. Something that made this conventionally odd schedule possible was that my graduating class of 8th graders was only 16 people and we had all known each other since 3rd grade. Here in high school there are bells separating the day, and A days and B days. We also have upwards of 200 people in one grade.
The classroom at my Montessori school was much smaller than anything at this school. We had three connected rooms, and a modular, and that was our whole middle school. We only had enough chairs and tables for half the middle school class to sit at once which meant that we would sit on the floor for the majority of the time. This obviously is not true for high school, and I am incredibly thankful for being able to sit at tables and chairs.
In our classroom we also only had four iPads and a Mac book, this made it excessively hard for us to do some of the work that was assigned to us. In high school, every student has their own iPad.
We also ran a farm stand and had our own farm at my old school. We would work throughout the year to make our own money as a class. At the end of the year we would use the money we made to go on a trip at the end of the year.
The transition was quite jarring but I feel as though I have adjusted quickly. Almost everything is different from Montessori to public High school except for the essential idea that you are learning. There are pros and cons to each way of learning: not enough students, too many students, no technology, too much technology. Which ever way you were taught it all evens out in the end.
AP and IB: A comparison of two accelerated programs
By Hannan Mohammed
Most high school students in America have heard of either the Advanced Placement program or the International Baccalaureate program, and many students take classes in these programs as a way to either earn college credit or to be better prepared for college with rigorous courses. However, many students also wonder what makes these programs different from, or similar to, one another.
There are two main differences between these two programs, which are their goals and what they emphasize: Advanced Placement emphasizes college-level courses to prepare students for success in higher education, while International Baccalaureate emphasizes global citizenship and a well-rounded education to prepare students for life beyond college.
But how do these two main differences show up? The differing emphases these two programs have reflects in how/where they were created, and the classes/curriculum.
Origins
While both the AP and IB programs originated in the same time period of the 1950s-60s, they were created in different countries and for different reasons as well.
In the 1950s, after the end of World War II, there was a gap between high school graduation and college graduation in the U.S.; the Ford Foundation created the Fund for the Advancement of Education, conducting two studies that found that high schools and colleges should work together to let high-achieving students work at a higher level. A pilot program was launched in 1952, and the College Board started administrating the Advanced Placement program in 1955.
From the 1970s through the 1990s, the College Board continued to expand its reach across America, including making efforts to include low-income students and using Pre-AP initiatives to prepare middle school students to take AP courses and exams in high school.
These efforts to reach more students and give them more access to higher-level classes that can prepare them for success in college and higher education reflects the AP program’s goal of closing the gap between high school graduation and college graduation by preparing students with college-level work.
The IB program, on the other hand, originated in Geneva, Switzerland in 1962, with English and French as the official languages. Originally, the first IB exams were taken in 1970; students from 12 schools in 10 countries took exams in the IB Diploma Programme, the first curriculum of the program.
Over the course of the 70s, new requirements were added, such as the Extended Essay in 1974, and IB conferences were held in The Hague, Geneva, and London, where 32 countries were represented. As the IB program continued to expand across the world, more curriculums were added: the Middle Years Programme in 1994 for students ages 11-16, the Primary Years Programme in 1997 for students ages 3-12, and the Career-related Programme in 2012 for students ages 16-19.
Each of these programmes are meant to give students a well-rounded education from a young age, prioritizing a global perspective with world languages and drawing attention to how students interact with the world in different ways, which reflects the IB’s goal of global citizenship.
Curriculum
The second way that the major difference between the AP and IB programs is shown is the structure of the curriculum and requirements to pass.
To start, the AP program offers about 40 different courses in basic subjects such as the arts, math and computer science, English, history and social sciences. However, these classes are more in-depth with specific focuses. For example, taking an AP History and Social Sciences course could mean taking a class that focuses on African-American studies, psychology, human geography, or even macroeconomics, depending on what a high school might offer. This is one way the AP program’s goal of college-level education is reflected; through highly-focused classes that are similar to courses you might take in college.
In the May of each year, AP exams are administered to students to show their mastery of what they learned. For most classes, this includes multiple choice questions and free-response questions. Most exams take around 3 hours. Then, students are given a score of 1-5.
The scores on the exams are important, since this can determine whether a student can earn college credit for the class; most colleges require a minimum score of 3-4 before awarding credit.
The IB program has a different structure; for students going into IB high schools in America, 9th and 10th graders are required to participate in the Middle Years Programme, which is meant to prepare them for either the Diploma Programme or the Career-related Programme. Most 10th graders are required to complete the Personal Project, which gives them a chance to explore their own interests and develop research skills.
After 10th grade, students can either go into the Diploma Programme (taking and testing in 6 IB classes), the Career-related Programme (the same requirements as the DP with the CP core and career-related studies), or to take regular high school classes and test in a few IB classes.
The IB DP courses can either be standard level (SL) or higher level (HL), and while they’re more broad compared to AP courses, they reflect the program’s emphasis on global citizenship by offering a more well-rounded education. In addition, DP students also have to complete a Theory of Knowledge (TOK) class, an Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS). These extra requirements are meant to give students a chance to take their learning beyond the classroom and apply it to themselves or others, which reflects the program’s goal of helping students to succeed beyond higher education.
The IB exams are often taken in the spring of each year, which consists of internal assessments (fieldwork, laboratory work, investigations), which come from the classroom, and external assessments (essays, structured questions) which come from the IB program itself. These exams can take most of the day, and are scored from 1-7. These scores, along with completing TOK, the Extended Essay, and CAS, count towards completing the DP or the CP. Some colleges accept IB exam scores, but they are not as widely accepted as AP scores.
This curriculum structure reflects the IB’s goal of being well-rounded by giving students a broad range of subjects and it reflects the goal of success beyond higher education by giving them a chance to apply their education to themselves and the world.
Conclusion
The Advanced Placement and the International Baccalaureate programs share some similarities as programs that help high school students be more prepared and successful in higher education. However, their different goals of college preparation vs. preparation for global citizenship are reflected in their origins (AP starting in the US and IB originating internationally) and their curriculums of focused, in-depth classes (AP) and broad classes that can be applied beyond school (IB).
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For more information about either of these programs, please feel free to visit their websites here:
Nationwide walkout
By: Siri David
On July 27th, at Annunciation school, Minneapolis Catholic school students were sitting in the pews of church during mass. Sitting outside of the windows was 23-year-old Robin Westman. Once mass started Robin shot through the window. Robin killed 2 kids and injured 19 other people. Robin shot a total of 116 rifle rounds. After Robin did this he then shot himself. Robin had attended Annunciation and was always known to be quiet and reserved to most people; it seemed he didn’t like school.
This shooting was heart breaking. Over the past decade school shootings have become a lot more common. They are the leading causes of death right now for teenagers and children. In 2025 there were a total of 90 incidents of gunfire on school campuses. It has become a nationwide issue that our schools need to be better protected and that kids should feel safe within their place of learning.
The shooting at Annunciation helped start the idea of doing a nationwide walk out. This walk out was put together by an organization called Students Demand Action. The organization used social media platforms to spread the event. Most schools had a club within their school that organized everything for them. Highland had our school’s Good Club organize the event. This club is led by three members who brought together Highland students by posting all over their social media.
The walk out lasted around an hour and a half. We met up with students from two other private schools (CDH and SPA). There were over 100 kids who were participating from Highland.
The whole goal of this walk out was to raise more awareness to the fact that students don’t feel safe in schools, and that gun violence is affecting our day to day life and whether students feel safe in school or not.
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