The Highland Park Senior High band has had many exciting, recent events. One was the trip over spring break to San Francisco. The band traveled to California to participate in an event called “Music in the Parks,” which is a competition hosted at a school right outside of Santa Cruz. This trip was not only a band trip, but an opportunity to visit many different tourist destinations including: the Twin Peaks, Fisherman’s Wharf (Pier 39), Chinatown, California’s “Great America” Amusement Park, and even the Cable Car museum. The trip was definitely worth the money, and the Highland Park band also won 2nd place in the competition.
Another recent event of Highland’s band, was the experience of marching from Rice Park, down to the Saints stadium. Many different schools went back to back marching down the streets of downtown St. Paul including: Central, Humboldt, Washington, Murray, Randolph Heights, and many more. After the event, the students got to enjoy the Saints game at CHS field.
The last event that the band will take part of, is on May 25th, when the spring concert will take place. The Scot’s band, Honors Band, Symphonic band, and Jazz band will all play. All these bands, and their teacher, Mr. Matuzak, have been working hard all year to have the best performance!
Many children complain about the healthy school lunches and how to change them, but a lot of parents with children in schools are very happy with the healthy school lunches. Michelle Obama’s campaign “Let’s Move” was an attempt to lower the child obesity rates by putting nutritional standards in school lunches, and encouraging kids to be active. She set many bars in food safety as well for kids, making sure that all food packaging was properly labelled so it was safe for kids with allergies or other medical conditions. According to the American Medical Association, this campaign actually worked. The child obesity rate in kids ages 2-5 has decreased by 5.4%. It may not seem like a big change, but it definitely helped the child obesity problem. Now with a new president, and new ideas, the standards for school lunches have changed once again.
Some specific changes that are going to happen are to whole grains, salt and milk. As far as whole grains go, states with trouble meeting the 100% whole grain rule (100% of grains served must be whole grains or grains that contain an endosperm, bran, and germ) can get an exemption to only serve 50% whole grains. Salt requirements are being lessened so schools don’t have to meet sodium requirements, and live up to what some believed to be unrealistic standards. In regards to milk, the only changes that are occurring are to the type of milk that can be served. The standard previously was that if the milk was flavored (chocolate, strawberry, etc.) it had to be fat-free, but now it can be 1% instead.
President Donald Trump has changed the standards for school lunches under a new slogan labelled “make school meals great again.” According to PBS’s Newshour his argument for this change is that it will lower the cost of school lunches. The USDA reports that school lunches in 2012 (after the increased health requirements were enacted) cost a total of $11.6 billion dollars, but before healthier school lunches were put into schools, the cost was $6.1 billion in total.
Making the school lunches less healthy would decrease the cost of school lunches, but it could also increase the child obesity rates. The USDA also said that the amount of waste from raw, and cooked, vegetables has risen in the years since the new restrictions have been implemented, so the standards are perhaps defeating themselves because kids aren’t even getting the full nutritional value of the lunch.
Another argument made by the president, in favor of changing the school lunch restrictions, was that by having only healthy options it put the agriculture industry in a bad place. This was created by forcing them to conform to unrealistic standards and constant quality checks. In an official statement, on the now president’s campaign website, it even went as far as to call the FDA the “food police” and regulation of school food “overkill.” The FDA didn’t fire back at the comments on the website, only saying that the repeals of health regulations for school foods would be unpopular because people are now much more concerned about healthy food.
Friday, May 5th, 2017, was Highland Park’s prom, located at the beautiful Landmark Center. The theme for this year was “Una Noche Inolvidable” which translates to “An Unforgettable Night.” Since prom was on Cinco de Mayo, the people of the prom committee wanted to embrace the special day.
Around 400 people showed up to the event, and everyone looked amazing; so did the decorations. There was of course a table set up filled with snacks and drinks such as: jamaica, water, chips and bean dips, as well as candy from Dulcemex. Ms. Becker, the prom committee leader/teacher, had decided on decorating the tables with vases of bright and colorful flowers such as red and orange flowers.
Aside from the wonderful decorations and food, they also had a little photo booth in the corner of the room; everybody loved it and couldn’t stop going back in for more.
Now, the music of course is very important when it comes to prom, it helps set the mood, and this year we incorporated plenty of reggaeton, bachata and much more to try and stick to the theme. Plenty of people came out onto the dance floor and danced the night away.
I think it’s safe to say that prom 2017 was most definitely an unforgettable night.
On Thursday, May 4th, Highland had its annual Cinco de Mayo performance.
photo courtesy of Señora Romero
The day performance took place during 7th hour and most classes got to go down to the auditorium to watch it. Outside the auditorium there were paintings reflecting the Latino culture. The stage was decorated with red, green and white balloons and a 3D flower backdrop. Pinatas hung from the balcony and banners the 1862, Battle of Puebla painted on them were displayed across the walls. On the stage a Mariachi played while students, parents and teachers found their seats. The performance started shortly after everyone was seated.
This year was a little different than last year. This year’s dances included Bachata, Traditional Aztec dancing and El Baile de Los Viejitos. There was also a special performances by Sra. Nelsons first and fifth hour Spanish Immersion classes. Her first hour danced Cumbia and her fifth hour danced Merengue. The Folklorico dancers had the Mariachi play live during their performance and it was a surprise to everyone.
All performances and dancers looked amazing and well rehearsed, and even though the bell rang during the last performance, it was a very well put together performance.
photo courtesy of Señora Romero
Before the night performance, families were invited into the field house for dinner. Everyone who showed up seemed to enjoy the meal.
The night performance went in the same order as the day version. The night show did not have a live Mariachi performance, but it did included more Aztec dancers and drummers than the day show. Overall, the performance was the same except the Folklorico dancers actually got to finish without the interruption of the 2 o’clock bell.
In my opinion, with more dances and the stage being decorated very nicely, this years Cinco de Mayo performance was my favorite so far.
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!
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