Tag Archives: Activities

Clubs and Activities

What is Highland Live and who runs it?

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By: Siri David

Photo: Blen Tesfahiwet

Highland Live is a new advisory that was brought to Highland this year. The advisors are Ms. Summerville and Mr. Gullickson. I am a member and have done a lot of different things for the advisory. My whole friend group is a part of it, and there are around 25 of us in the advisory. Every person has a different job, for example, some people run the cameras, some people interview students at Highland, and some people run the games. There are a lot of different things you can do to help.

Our whole goal is to get people to participate in more activities during advisory. Every Tuesday we go live on Youtube and every advisory in the school watches it. We have games like Name That Tune, Family Feud, and Hungry Hippos. Students from advisories can sign up and then will come down on Tuesday to play the games. We also want to keep people informed of things happening within the school, so oftentimes important games for sports teams and club meetings are shared. We also interview the captains or members of the team/club and ask them to share important dates and information about them to hopefully draw more students in.

Another section we have during the live show is the weather. The weather is run by Will, Charlie, and Arthur who call themselves the “Weather Boys”. They share the forecast throughout the week and what to expect. This is a very loved section as it is pretty funny.

Another popular section is the trivia section. We have done normal trivia as well as Family Feud. Myself and others have helped in running this section many times. It is very popular because the questions are often based on what is happening in the community or the world. For example, this past week we did questions about Thanksgiving because it is coming up. We try to mix things up every week with different games and different people, hoping to keep things interesting.

Highland Live is a fun and exciting new addition to life at Highland, and a lot of effort is put into running it by the students but especially by the advisors. Ms. Summerville and Mr. Gullickson work hard to run this and make things successful. If you have the opportunity to partake in Highland Live please sign up. It is so fun, and the more the merrier!

Advice/How To

Summer activities

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By Evie Beaumaster

Sundown near Westerland, Sylt, Germany (August 2002). By Magnus Manske via Wikimedia Commons

Summer is right around the corner and you might be starting to think of fun summer activities! Summer always promises fun and relaxation. With more time on their hands people often wonder what they can do with their time. Here are some activities that are free (and few you have to pay for) and available around the Highland area from the city of Saint Paul Parks and Rec department!

There are many free fitness classes that are available from the city of Saint Paul!

  • At parks around Highland there is Zumba every Saturday at 9:30 am, and there is also yoga Friday nights and Saturday mornings.
  • Hidden Falls has dance classes that are available on Saturday nights.
  • Mattocks Park has yoga Tuesdays at 6 pm and Wednesdays at 9 am.
  • Summit overlook has Monday night yoga as well as Tuesday night yoga.

For more info: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b1JbB-BZ4OhccX0a5OBk6wX83rA6bCh3/view?usp=drivesdk

Saint Paul hosts movies in the parks free at several different parks. The movies this summer include: ‘Clueless’, ‘Men in Black’, ‘Toy Story’, ‘Cool Runnings’, ‘Jumanji’ and ‘Bad Boys’. There are food trucks available and these events are pet friendly! 

For more info: https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/activities-events/summer-activities-events/movies-parks

There are also many fun activities that you can do around the Highland area for a bit of a cost. On July 18-20th the Minnesota Yacht Club Festival takes place and many musical artists will be there such as: Hozier, Fall Out Boy, Weezer, Green Day, Sublime and more!

For more info: https://www.minnesotayachtclubfestival.com/

The Saint Paul Saints games are a fun way to spend a summer night and their tickets cost anywhere from $5 to $35, making it a low cost activity.

For more info: https://www.milb.com/st-paul

Saint Paul also has aquatic centers that are open during the summer. For a pass over the summer it is $138. These are valid for the Highland pool, the Como pool and Great River water park. While this is a more costly option it is definitely worth the investment.

For more info: https://mnsaintpaulweb.myvscloud.com/webtrac/web/search.html?module=AR&type=Aquatics&_csrf_token=fJ6O1B6S1Q6X2I411Z3A2V4B505W4C6F1D715Z5958016Y5P5A4Z076T5859421I5R4Q6R571E5L4J536F005P5R4J556D5S615B52056Z4C6I67036W4L554B1D4S625B

The Highland Park area and the city of Saint Paul have many activities for the summer and there are so many opportunities to spend time doing fun activities with friends!

Advice/How To

Summer activities

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By: Chloe Rocha

Now that the weather is warming up, it’s hard to know what to do without spending loads of money. If you are in this situation then this article will help give you ideas on what to do without using money.

1. Go on a walk

There are a lot of beautiful trails in Saint Paul that you can explore and see the beautiful sights.

Some of my favorite places to go are the Summit overlook park, located on Summit Ave and Ramsey Street. Another one of my favorite spots is an overlook along the Mississippi River. This place is located at the World War I monument and there are many trails that you can follow.

2. Go to the beach

The beach can offer many different activities for you and your family or friends to do. You could go swimming in the water, or just lay and relax while enjoying the summer weather. A bonus to this is that you will also get a good tan, but make sure to apply sunscreen.

3. Have a picnic

You can find a nice park outside and pack up some of your favorite foods and a blanket. This is one that you can do with your friends, family, or even by yourself too!

4. Stargazing

Once the sun goes down, you can go outside and look at all the beautiful stars. To have a better experience you could drive further away from the city so all the lights don’t take away from the stars.

5. Gardening

There are so many beautiful flowers and plants that you could place in your backyard. Gardening is a great way to brighten up the exterior of your house

6. Backyard Camping

You don’t always need to go to a camping ground to go camping because you can do it in the comfort of your own home. Just get a tent and set it up in your backyard.

7. Garage sale

Having a garage sale is a great way to declutter your house and also you can make some money by doing this as well.

8. Hammocking

You can set up your hammock almost anywhere. This could be done at home in your backyard or at a nice park in the shade.

9. Tour a museum

Many museums offer free admission days. On one of those days you could go and tour the museum and see all the different things they have inside.

10. Game night

For this one you only need a few friends or family members. Find some of your favorite games to play and make a night out of it.

If you have a very competitive family like I do, you could even create a tournament and see who wins!

All of these are options that you can do throughout the summer without having to spend too much money.

Travel/Food

4 places you should visit in Minnesota

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By: Jooney Freddieson & Aalovely Lor

Picture Generated by Canva Ai

Are you bored with time to waste but can’t decide where to go? Saint Paul, Minnesota, offers a variety of indoor and outdoor venues where you can enjoy fun activities, eat delicious food, and create fun memories.

Puzzle Works – Located in the Twin Cities, offering the most exciting and intense escape rooms.

They provide a variety of rooms including The Loose Sleuth, The Vault, The Dungeons, The Hospital, and The Nightmare at the Museum, difficulty levels ranging from 5-10.

The game allows you to work together with a minimum of 4, and maximum of 10, people to solve puzzles located inside the rooms. Your mission is to complete objectives within a set time and escape.

  • The Vault: Assist an exiled prince into retrieving treasures from the bank.
  • The Loose Sleuth: Investigate the mysterious disappearance of a top detective.
  • The Hospital: Return a misplaced heart before the upcoming surgery.
  • The Dungeon: Escape execution after being caught stealing from an enchanted avocado.
  • Nightmare at the Museum: Bring an end to a doll exhibit that has been terrorized by a ghost.

A minimum of four participants are required for bookings.  Tickets cost $32.99 per person Sunday through Friday and $34.99 on Saturdays.

Location: 755 Prior Avenue North, Suite 007A, Saint Paul, MN 55114

The Burrow – A multifaceted venue that offers a variety of entertainment that is suitable for different age groups.

They offer various entertainment like axe throwing, pickleball, a private karaoke room, rope courses, outdoor mini-golf, laser tag, and multiple arcade games.

Axe throwing allows you to throw axes on targets, engaging in sessions ranging from 30-60 minutes. $20 per person for 30 mins and $30 for 60.

Pickleball can be played on their indoor courts with a price of $15 per person for 2 hours. The private karaoke room rents for $55 an hour.

Rope Courses and Outdoor Mini-golf are seasonal, only being offered in specific weather conditions. Both activities are filled with their creatively designed courses and are set at a price of $15 per person.

Laser Tag is a fun elimination game where you get to shoot players with a laser gun, earning points for either yourself or your team, costing only $10 per person each round.

Not only does this place offer various entertainment options but they also offer dining areas with delicious food and an adult menu allowing people to relax and chill.

Location: 7053 10th Street North, Oakdale, MN 55128

Can Can Wonderland – An artistic entertainment venue filled with vintage arcade games, live performances, a mini-golf course, and a unique food and drink menu.

They offer over 150 vintage arcade games along with modern arcade games that are free to play.

They include regular live performances including music, themed nights, and talent shows. The venue updates its event calendar with upcoming shows and performances.

Can Can Wonderland offers a diverse food and beverage menu that complements its whimsical and wacky atmosphere while also including an adult menu, making this place suitable for various age groups.

Location: 755 Prior Avenue North, Saint Paul, MN 55104

Spirit Mountain – Located in Duluth, approximately 150 miles away from Saint Paul.

They offer outdoor activities, including snowboarding, skiing, adventure parks, and mountain biking. They also include a jumping pillow attraction for young kids, making this place suitable for all ages.

Winter Sports: Include 22 ski runs, terrain parks, and snow tubing.

Mountain Biking: A lift-accessed trail that caters to various skill level courses, offering both smooth and rugged paths.

Adventure Park: Features a 3,200 track alpine coaster, a 700-foot zip ride, scenic chairlift, jumping pillow, and mini-golf.

Winter Lift Tickets:

  • Alpine (13+): $80 (weekday), $86 (weekend)
  • Youth (6-12): $65 (weekday), $70 (weekend)
  • Senior (80+): $40 (weekday), $45 (weekend)

Adventure Park Tickets:

  • Alpine Coaster: $16 (online), $17 (ticket counter)
  • Zip Ride: $10 (online), $11 (ticket counter)
  • Scenic Chairlift: $14 (online), $15 (ticket counter)
  • Jumping Pillow (30-minute session): $10 (online), $11 (ticket counter)

Location: 9500 Spirit Mountain Place, Duluth, MN 55810

These spots offer many different activities and entertainment that are suitable for all interests. Next time you’re wondering how to spend your free time, consider one of these places for a fun experience and memories.

Advice/How To

The ultimate summer bucket list

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By: Kate Tabor

image created using ChatGPT

Summer is coming up, and everyone’s excited. The sun’s out, school is almost over, and everyone is getting excited about everything they’re gonna do this summer, but what are some actually fun things to do in summer? Well, here are some ideas I’ve collected.

Bikini boxes!

Need somewhere to put all your swimsuits? Well, pick up a little wooden crate and some paint, and there you have it. You can paint cute seashells, the sun, or anything your heart desires. This is a really fun arts and crafts project you can do alone or with a friend! A fun day out in the sun painting? Sign me up!

Water balloon fight!

Gather up all your friends, pick up some water balloons, and pick teams. A water balloon fight in the hot Minnesotan sun is the perfect way to spend a summer day. This one is super cost friendly, and super fun.

Bike ride at sunset!

I’m a firm believer that bikes are the best way to get around in summer, and what’s better than taking a bike ride at sunset? Nothing. This is something you can do alone, or with some friends. If you wanted to, you could probably do this everyday. What a great way to end the day!

Have a picnic!

Picnics don’t have to be a huge hassle, just grab a blanket and your favorite foods from the fridge, and bike on down to Lake Nokomis and set up. Super cute, and then you’re already at the lake, so when you get too hot you can jump right in!

Play a sport!

Whether it’s captains practice for a school sport, or beach volleyball with your friends, staying active is a great way to spend your summer! Sports are a great way to spend time outside in the summer, and get to spend time with your friends. 

Really, the best way to spend your summer is to do anything and everything you can think of. There’s no way to have a boring summer when you’re constantly moving!

Editorials/Student Voice, Events

Christmas is America’s most popular holiday

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By: Isabel Strack

Image created: Freepik AI

There is a survey on YouGov.com that shows that more than ⅓ of America stated that Christmas is their favorite holiday.

Christmas is celebrated to remember the birth of Jesus Christ who people believe in as the son of God. The name “Christmas” comes from the mass of Christ which is a mass service. Mass service is where Christians can remember that Jesus had died for us then came back alive. Christmas was a holiday in the mid-1800s. It was seen as a day of peace and rest.

Many people also enjoy celebrating Christmas because that is when you can see your loved ones that you may not have seen in a while. Some people will celebrate with just their immediate family and others will celebrate with their extended family. It is very common for people to have family reunions over the holidays. It’s a perfect time to spend with family, as you can decorate your Christmas tree with ornaments or make some Christmas baked goods. It is a celebration of love. The Christmas season provides great opportunities to strengthen bonds with friends and family.

You could also get gifts for yourself and other people. If you love giving gifts to other people this is a perfect opportunity to do that. It’s also a perfect time to do secret Santa with your friends, family cousins, etc. Secret Santa is like another word for a gift exchange, but Secret Santa can be a little bit different. In Secret Santa you don’t know who’s giving you your gift or what you are getting. You only know who you’re getting a gift for. You can pick names out of a hat or find an app that can pick the names for you.

Christmas falls on a different day every year so sometimes it’s hard to plan a time to get together with your family, but if you are able to plan it right it is always worth it. Christmas is a perfect time to pause and spend quality time with loved ones.

Advice/How To, Entertainment

Advent calendar activities

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By: Priya Anderson & Ruby Anderson

For those who celebrate Christmas, participating in advent is a fun way to celebrate during the holiday season with friends and family. Here are five fun winter and Christmas activities to put on your advent calendar this year.

1. Decorating for Christmas

Some people might claim the best part of the Christmas season are the lights and decorations and most people who celebrate Christmas decorate anyway, so adding this to your advent calendar can make it more exciting. There are so many ways you can decorate for Christmas. For example, you can hang up stockings and wreaths as well as decorate a Christmas tree with ornaments, tinsel and lights. You can also decorate outside and spread the Christmas spirit to others around you. Decorating with your family or friends can be a fun way to spend time together while also making your home feel festive and cozy.

2. Ice skating and Sledding

Going outside during the winter months can be hard because of the cold weather but ice skating is a great way to spend some time outside and enjoy the winter months even if they aren’t your favorite. Especially if it’s on your advent calendar, it’s even more reason to do it! There are many ice rinks around the Twin Cities to visit which have skates to rent if you don’t own your own pair. Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, going ice skating can create a fun and memorable day.

If ice skating isn’t for you, another great outdoor activity you can do is going sledding. Sledding can be an easier activity compared to ice skating and is still a lot of fun. As long as there’s snow, you can use almost any hill to go sledding which makes it a very accessible activity as well.

3. Watching Christmas movies

Watching Christmas movies can be a fun way to celebrate Christmas in the comfort of your own home. There are many great movies to watch during the Christmas season including favorites such as ‘Elf’, ‘Home Alone’, ‘The Polar Express’, ‘The Grinch’, ‘Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer‘, and many more. Making popcorn and hot chocolate is our favorite snack to have during a Christmas movie marathon and the perfect treat to have. Sitting down and turning on any of the Christmas movies we mentioned or any holiday movie is another easy way to get into the holiday mood.

4. Baking Christmas cookies

One of the most popular advent calendar activities is baking Christmas cookies. This is a tradition favored by many and is another fun way to bring the Christmas spirit into your home, as well as an excuse to eat delicious treats. There are many different cookies to choose from based on your preference from gingerbread to snickerdoodle. You can even decorate sugar cookies to look like Santa Claus, a Christmas tree, or a snowman! Invite friends and family to fill your home with the sweet smell of cookies and make sure you don’t miss out on this advent activity.

5. Building snowmen

A tradition many people look forward to during the winter is building snowmen. As kids we loved building snowmen and sometimes forget it’s another fun and simple way to enjoy going outside during winter. If it snows enough, bundle up and go take the chance to have some fun in the snow and use your creativity to build whatever you can imagine. Whether you can only build a simple snowman or if you can sculpt a masterpiece, don’t forget to put this classic activity on your advent calendar this year.

Local, Science/Nature

Minnesotan winter activities and climate change

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By: Gabriella Bell

Minnesota is most commonly recognized for its drastic weather changes, harsh summers and winters alike. It’s also known for its diverse range of winter activities such as hockey, skiing, ice fishing, and more. Although in order to partake in these recreational hobbies, the most important factor is for there to be cold enough weather, and most importantly snowfall. In Minnesota this would normally never be much of a problem, however as of recent years, data is demonstrating that climate change is having a severe impact on not only these winter sports, but also local wildlife as well as our environment.

According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, worldwide climate change is also leading to a warmer Minnesota. Their stats represent an increase in the daily minimum temperature of 7.3f in the northern regions of Minnesota, 6f in the central regions, and 4.9f in the southern regions (per data from 1895-2021).

Another major impact that climate change has is in our ice cover, with an observed 10-15 days less as of these past few years. With these changes, it is ultimately impacting Minnesota fish as well, considering they are losing necessary days of ice cover, which protect them from the harsh winters. With the lack of ice, it is also contributing to the inability to begin and prolong ice fishing, ice skating and other ice-related activities that many people participate in during our Minnesota winters. Along with this unpredictable ice cover, it’s affecting the amount of flooding that the state receives, as the ice forms and then melts soon after. It then continues to follow this repeating cycle throughout the winter months until late spring.

Another factor is the inconsistent snowfalls that have been recently scattered across the winters. One of Minnesota’s most notable aspects is their snow! Not only does this affect the ability to play certain winter sports such as skiing or snowmobiling, but it also impacts the enjoyment of participating in them as well.

Per stats from the EPA, carbon dioxide levels across the world have risen over 40% since the late 1700’s, which is what’s contributing to the immense amount of climate changes worldwide, as well as in Minnesota. Not only is this a serious issue which is affecting our environment, but Minnesota’s winters are progressively growing to be much shorter, warmer and unpredictable than ever before.

As a unified community I believe that we can make changes in our lives, even small ones, in order to begin to help the restoration and conservation of our Minnesota winters, as well as the environmental health of our world.

For more information, please visit:

Advice/How To, Events

Top 5 Christmas activities

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By: Isabel Strack

Image created with Pixabay:https://pixabay.com/illustrations/ai-generated-christmas-8400419/

Putting up Christmas decorations

Whether you decide to get a fake Christmas tree or a real one, making a perfect tree is a classic Christmas activity. Many people think that putting up Christmas decorations in November is too early, but studies show that people who put Christmas decorations up early are happier. A lot of people enjoy putting decorations up with their family, especially when you’re decorating your Christmas trees. Christmas trees are some of the most popular and traditional symbols of the Christmas season.

Building gingerbread houses

Many people enjoy building gingerbread houses during the Christmas season, but outside the holiday season it doesn’t get much recognition. You can make your own gingerbread house by scratch, or like many others you can buy a gingerbread kit from a store if you want things to be easier.

Exchange gifts/Secret Santa

During the holiday season it’s very popular for friend groups or family to do gift exchanges. If you aren’t aware of what a gift exchange or Secret Santa is; it’s basically where you and your group of family friends draw a name out of a hat and whatever name you get is the person you buy the gift for. There will usually be a budget you have to stay in for the gift.

Bake Christmas cookies

A classic Christmas tradition for families during the holiday season is to bake festive Christmas cookies together. Many people will use Christmas cookie cutters for the cookie dough to make it into holiday shapes like trees, bells, stars, wreaths, etc. Once your cookies are out of the oven you should let them cool down and then you can decorate the cookies with whatever color icing you like and any sprinkles you’d want to use.

Build a snowman

It’s like a tradition every Christmas season for kids to build a snowman right after it snows. Once you throw your jacket on and gloves to build your snowman you can use carrots for the nose, blueberries for the eyes, buttons, and mouth. If you have old hats and scarfs laying around your house you can add those to your snowman. This is a great activity to do in the winter when you’re bored and want to feel festive.

Clubs and Activities

Featured Activity – Friendship Club

Friendship Club is a club at Highland advised by Parent and Community Liaison Nancy Kolb. Friendship Club’s mission is to establish and maintain a communicative relationship between the Special Ed program at Highland and the rest of the student body.  Friendship Club has several different functions. One of the main activities of the club is to hold regular breakfast clubs and 7th hour socials, which are an opportunity for members of Friendship Club to get together with students in the Special Ed program to spend some time getting to know each other. Everyone involved really likes the opportunity to spend some time each month getting together and talking about what’s going on in each others lives. It’s a really neat thing.

Another function of Friendship Club is going to Bridgeview Community Center on W 7th Street to support programming for developmentally delayed adults. You can find members of Friendship Club on Wednesday and Friday evenings at the center playing bingo, creating art, cooking, or sharing popcorn and movies.  Weekend events have included bonfires, riverboat cruises, and outings to Valley Fair.

Elowyn Pfeiffer, a student co-leader of the group, shared why being a part of Friendship Club means so much to her: “Friendship Club has been one of the greatest experiences I’ve had in high school. The people are so nice and appreciative of you being there, and very genuinely interested in how you are doing and what you are up to.”

If you’re interested in joining Friendship Club, you can signup/get more information by visiting Ms. Kolb’s office (Room 1311, next to the CCRC) or by talking to student co-leaders Elowyn Pfeiffer or Sofia Cerkvenik.