The Ordway Honors Concert is a district wide opportunity for students, from various SPPS schools, to perform at the Ordway Center and show off their talents. The performances include: choir, band, and orchestra. For students to be able to participate, they had to audition at their school and be accepted.
I interviewed a friend who participated in the concert. She said there were 3 rehearsals – 2 of which were at Central, and 1 at the Ordway. Each rehearsal was about 4 hours long, but the piece she played was about 20-25 minutes long. She said that the students worked with professional conductors, which was really exciting for her.
Her favorite part about participating was getting to play challenging pieces. It gave her a reason to practice more and get better. What she didn’t enjoy most was that she missed a lot of school days, which made her fall behind in class a bit.
Overall, she said performing at the Ordway was great and exciting; she got to meet and work with new people. It is a great experience to work with people across SPPS. She said she would recommend auditioning to people who are dedicated to music, and are willing to put the time into practicing. She said she would do it again if she was given the chance.
On May 4th, Highland is going to have its Cinco de Mayo celebration and performance.
Last year’s performance included dances like, Bachata, Cumbia, Duranguense, traditional Aztec dances, and several Folklorico dances, most of which were choreographed by students.
I asked Sunthany, a junior at Highland, her thoughts on last year’s Cinco performance and she said, “I liked how the whole stage was decorated to fit the occasion.” She also said, “I liked how they brought in dancers other than the students.”
I also talked to Jennifer, another junior, and she said, “In my opinion, some of the dances were a little too long. They were good but they kinda went on for a long time.”
Xitlaly, a freshman, was also asked about the performance and said “I’m glad that Highland takes out time to celebrate different cultures. And I’ve heard that the performance is good. I’m glad all 7th hours get to go.”
The performance, and celebration, is put on by Union Latina, an after school group here at Highland, to celebrate the Mexican Army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. This year, the dances were choreographed mostly by the students, and the art and decorations were made here at Highland.
This year’s performance is going to be in the auditorium during 7th hour on Thursday, May 4th, and all classes were invited to attend. A second performance will take place after school at 7:00 pm. There will be a dinner held before the performance, at 6:00 pm, in the cafeteria.
This past week at Highland Park Senior High, from Monday the 17th to Friday the 21st, was Diversity Week, as organized by the students of our Gender-Sexuality Alliance.
(The GSA meets Wednesdays after school in Ms. Ostendorf’s room, if anyone is interested in joining.)
The Day of Silence is usually an international day solely focused on raising awareness for silenced members of the LGBTQ+ community. However, due to the success of the event in the past, and because of the wonderful diversity of our school, the students organizing it made the decision to expand it into a full week, covering other kinds of diversity and culminating in the Day of Silence.
Each day, leading up to Friday, was dedicated to a different kind of diversity, with an associated color for participating students to wear:
Monday was gender diversity day, with red
Tuesday was ability diversity day, with blue
Wednesday was sexuality diversity day, with green
Thursday was race diversity day, with purple
Friday, as the Day of Silence, didn’t really have a dedicated color, but students were encouraged to wear white and/or black if they were participating
Friday, then, was the Day of Silence, dedicated to people of all walks of life who are discriminated against and silenced. Many Highland Park students signed up for the day, and were given bright orange pieces of paper explaining why they were silent. They were also given the chance to write on a long roll of paper explaining why they were silent. There was also an option to buy a pin, for support, for twenty-five cents.
The students who organized the event also created a video, recording the voices of dozens of people talking about why they were going to be silent for the day. Though participants were not excused from giving presentations, and similar projects, that were already scheduled, they could hold up the pieces of paper to explain their silence if called on in class.
Nerf wars is an annual event for Highland Park students taking place after spring break. Students who wished to participate had to create a team of 5 and each team member was required to pay a fee of $5 to play.
The competition, this year, began with 21 teams, and now is in the second round with 16 remaining. Any student was able to participate as long as they paid the fee and had a team of members. The teams were then seeded by grade, number of drivers on the team, previous experience, and if they played any sports.
A team with multiple drivers, and previous experience, is at a much higher advantage than the other teams, but this year’s Nerf wars, in the community, has changed a little. Most parents are not allowing their sons or daughters participate due to the serious risks that come along with the game.
On December 4th, 2015, two Lakeville South students, who were participating in a Nerf wars game, were killed in a car accident. Jacob Flynn, 17, and John Price, 18, were the two students who were killed. Mason Kohlbeck, 18, and Alexander Hughes, 17, were among the ones injured in the car accident. Hughes was driving the pickup truck when it crossed over the center line and flipped multiple times before it stopped.
Due to this tragic event, regarding the Lakeville South students, Ramsey County Attorney, John Choi, sent out an email to many administrators and parents of students participating in Nerf wars this spring. The email brought to attention the potential dangers of the game for the students who chose to play. Choi met, and talked, with parents of different schools, “I learned a lot about what is happening and am concerned that some of these activities are not only dangerous, but also illegal, and could result in serious injuries and/or prosecution.”
In his email, he stated what parents have said about how many different students that have partaken in the game “Have used cars to block other teens; jumped on top of moving vehicles; slashed tires; gotten into car accidents; crawled into homes, garages and/or on roofs without the homeowner’s permission, often in the dark and in violation of curfew laws.” With that being said many of the schools’ administrations are encouraging students not to play.
School administrations aren’t the only ones who are concerned; many parents won’t let their sons or daughters play, which has lowered the number of teams playing. In the past there have been around 34 teams and this year their was only 21 teams.
This year for prom, like previous years, the prom committee will be selling tickets for those who want to go. All tickets will be handled, and sold, in Ms. Becker’s room – 2214.
Each week, the price of the tickets will go up by $10, so we encourage you to buy your tickets as soon as possible to spend less. The first batch of tickets will have the starting price of $35, and can be purchased at the following times:
Wednesday, April 19, at 2:05 PM
Thursday, April 20, at 2:05 PM
Friday, April 21, at 7:00-7:15 AM, during 2nd lunch, and at 2:05 PM
Monday, April 24 – Friday, April 28, the price of tickets will be increased to $45. The tickets will be sold at:
Monday, April 24 – Thursday, April 27, at 2:05 PM
Friday, April 28, at at 7:00-7:15 AM, during 2nd lunch, and at 2:05 PM
The week that will be different is the week of prom. The tickets will be avalible for $55 on:
Monday, May 1, at 2:05 PM
Tuesday, May 2, at 7:00 – 7:15 AM, during 2nd lunch, and at 2:05 PM
Make sure to remember to buy your tickets as soon as possible! Not only will this help you, but it will help us, the prom committee, as well.
PROM RULES:
– Anyone age 21 and above may not attend prom.
– If you are bringing anyone that does not attend our school, then you will have to go to Ms. Becker to get a permission form. This form will have to be submitted by May 2.
– Unapproved guests will be turned away, even if they have a paid ticket.
*All attendees must have a photo ID to enter prom.
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!
The American Red Cross (ARC) is an organization which focuses on providing emergency and disaster relief to families. The ARC has services in 4 different areas: comfort and communication for military service and their families, collecting blood donations, educational programs, and international relief programs.
One of the most well known, and highly needed services, the Red Cross offers, is the process of collecting blood. According to the ARC, about every two seconds someone in the US needs blood, and the most needed type of blood is O negative. O negative is important because if there is no time to test for a person’s blood type, O negative will work with any blood. Many cancer patients will need a blood transfusion frequently – sometimes every day. The average blood transfusion is 3 pints, and every donor will give about 1 pint of blood, but the average car accident victim can use up to 100 pints of blood.
The process of donating blood is a very safe process. The nurse drawing blood uses a sterile needle, which is only used once, then discarded. Blood donation has four steps to it.
The first step is registration
The second step includes having the doctors/nurses get a medical history and do a mini physical
Third, you donate
Fourth, afterwards you receive refreshments
The actual time it takes someone to donate their blood is 10-12 minutes, but the whole process can take up to an 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Highland Park Senior High hosted the Red Cross on March 17th. Highland had 50 people show up – giving a total of 41 pints. Many of the students at Highland were very anxious and scared. One student, Michaela Malone (11) said, “I’m very nervous to give blood because I’m afraid of needles.” Later she said, “I’m scared that I will faint, but I’m excited that I will be helping a person in need.”
As I talked to other students the word was the same, Lane Fry (11) mentioned, “I feel like I’m gonna die. I wanted to donate my blood because it’s St. Patrick’s Day, and I thought many people might need blood tonight. I also just wanted to do something good for myself.”
Many of Highland’s students also volunteered to help run the event. Highland students did most of the stuff that kept things running smoothly so the nurses could focus on collecting blood. I asked Jilly Wortman (11) what she did to help out. Jilly replied with, “I signed people in, gave information to donors, supplied water for people, and I also comforted people while they were donating blood.”
Will Pribula (12) was donating not only for the good of other people but for himself. As I asked him how he was feeling before the donation he said, “I’m really bored and kind of wanna get this over with. It’s not what I thought. I imagined that I would come donate blood and leave but instead I’ve been sitting for an hour, getting bored and the music selection is poor, but at least I’m getting out of class.” His reactions after we’re surprisingly different as he said, “It was very relaxing and I feel great about donating today.”
Neesha Moore (11) felt the same after the donation process as she told me “It was a blast! I encourage everyone to do it. It was a weird feeling of happiness, dizziness, and relaxation. I feel like I should be giggling, but that’s probably due to the amount of blood loss.”
On March 23rd, Highland held their Personal Project Showcase, the showcase is where students get a chance to show others what they did for their Personal Project. The showcase was held in the field house. There were many long tables with each person’s name in alphabetical order. Students could bring anything they wanted to show.
I went around to talk to some of my friends who did the project. One of my friends said that she started the project just about two or three months ago, then did the rest of the work two weeks before it was due. She composed a song on her own, she chose to do this because music is really important to her. She stated, honestly, that she hated the project, and hated that she was forced to do the project, and then came the due date which made everything worse.
I asked her that if she had a chance to redo her project would she take that chance, to which she replied that she would redo her project if she was given another chance at it.
I also talked to others who did the personal project. They stated that the Personal Project was given to them early, so they had the whole summer to do it, or plan things out. But with the assignment given early, they felt they didn’t receive good guidance on what was to be expected until the meetings with their advisors.
After talking to people that completed the project, I went to talk to some Freshman on their thoughts about the project. One of them said that they thought the project was cool, interesting, and it was very fun to see everyone’s projects. Another one said they were scared of the project, and wanted to wait before doing the project. Most of them didn’t have ideas yet for their projects, but it’s something that has been on their mind for a while.
The project went well for everyone: people had boards and videos of what they did. The showcase had many people and a lot of other students came to look at the projects. Overall, the showcase was fun and Sophomores are glad the project has ended.
Last Thursday, on March 16th, Highland Park had its annual Spring Showcase. There were many performances including: dance, band, choir, etc. There were also many displays shown within the Spring Showcase. Many families and friends came and looked around, at the displays, before the showcase began.
There were also some school clubs selling things to eat and drink. A.C.C. sold egg rolls, with sauce, in three flavors – chicken, pork, and veggie, and there was also a table selling sodas, cookies, and candies.
The displays that were shown were also created by Highland Park clubs, along with some from the Floral Design class.
A.C.C. had a display with paintings and Chinese lanterns. Anime Club had anime character pins for sale, and many other cut out pictures for their displays. The Black Student Union had a display with “Soup Bowls” and a poster talking about “Super Soups.” The Union Latina had a display explaining their culture, etc, and displayed a hat. Ms. Wedger also had flowers on display from her class, “Floral Design.”
The performances were also really good! The orchestra played very well, and the dances performed were also very good. There were many different dances performed within the showcase including: IB dances, the A.C.C.’s Hmong Dance and Thai Dance, Union Latina’s dance, and more.
I was lucky enough to be a part of the Hmong Dance this year. It was really fun and enjoyable, and I feel like we did a really good job and had a lot of fun.
The Thai Dance, was also very good, and they did a good job. The clothes were actually sewn by a senior’s (Pajaie) mom, and were really pretty. Pajaie’s mom, and a few other Hmong girl’s moms, came and helped the Thai dancers dress up. This ended up being really helpful because some of the dancers were in other performances.
Everything went by quick though, and there were many families and friends that came and watched. It was a good show, with good food and drinks, and many displays to see.
The Showcase was a huge success! Everyone that came to watch seemed to enjoy it.
Also, to all the performers that performed: You did such a good job!
Highland Park’s annual talent show, Benstock, happened Friday, March 10th. The event included a total of nineteen acts, each showing off many different talents such as: rapping, singing, dancing, spoken word, and even some magic. All nineteen acts were pretty great, and some even had people up on their feet dancing along to the music. The performers worked on their acts for weeks before the show, and you could see that in all of their performances.
Image courtesy of: Danasja Hall
The beginning of the show started with a short act performed to let people know that cell phones should be turned off, and the acts following only got better.
Fatuma Harbi, a junior at Highland said, “My favorite part of the show was the last act. The dancing and music was amazing and it just made the whole crowd happy.”
Out of all of the acts that were performed that night, my favorite had to be the magic act. Not only did it amaze many, but it was hilarious. For this act, members from the audience got pulled up on stage and got to participate in the show themselves. No one in the audience will be able to forget the little kid who got up on stage and made everybody laugh.
The show included many vocal acts (singing, rapping, spoken word), all of them unique in their own way – from piano to guitar to even accapella singing.
The spoken word performance left many with tears, and everybody, including myself, loved it all.
Dancing included everything from K-pop dances to hip-hop, as all were included in this show. Many of our talented dancers blew us away with their dancing skills; it was something you wouldn’t be able to forget.
Benstock lasted for three hours, with a fifteen minute intermission, in between the acts, for people to be able to stretch out and take a small break. The line for tickets stretched out of the silver doors, and out to the parking lot in front of the main office.
This year’s Benstock was one that people had to be there for; all of the acts were amazing, and everybody left the show happy and satisfied.
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