Tag Archives: Editorial

Editorials/Student Voice

Why being bilingual is important 

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By: Alexia Williams

Multilingual information board in Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia. July 2023 by: Mudroslov via Wikimedia Commons

As someone who has been learning Spanish for over 10 plus years, I’m extremely grateful that I was given the opportunity to learn a language that is very versatile in many aspects, and fun to learn. Although neither of my parents speak the language, my grandfather is from Panama and Spanish is his first language. Given that, my parents placed me into a Spanish immersion program in kindergarten, which is something I’ve been continuing doing all the way up until now in high school.

Being bilingual and having the opportunity to learn Spanish for so long has been very beneficial for me because not only am I getting the opportunity to be able to learn the language but I also get the opportunity to be immersed in the various different cultures that speak Spanish. Whenever I go out with my parents, and are at a restaurant where we encounter workers who may not speak English, my parents immediately grab me to start speaking/translating for them. Sometimes it’s out of nowhere, but either way I genuinely do enjoy being able to lend a helping hand and communicate.  

My mom has always told me that being bilingual will always come in clutch, especially when I apply for jobs and start working. What she said was completely true because ever since I started working at my current job, I’ve had to use my Spanish on more than several occasions. 

Studies have shown that bilingual employees have 5-20% higher salaries compared to employees who only speak one language, and they have a 45% higher chance of promotions within their first five years in the workforce.

Not only does being bilingual provide career advantages and better job opportunities, but it also enhances cognitive abilities  meaning that bilingual individuals showcase better focus, and mental flexibility because of the fact that they have to navigate two language systems which strengthens the brain’s executive function.

There are many reasons why being bilingual is important and I think it’s critical that everyone gets the chance to learn another language. 

Editorials/Student Voice, School Life

The pros and cons of the ACT and the SAT

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By: Karl Salkowski

(Image Credit Unsplash)

Both the SAT and ACT are standardized tests used to gauge college readiness and academic ability. Almost every college in America accepts scores from both the SAT and ACT in order to determine admissions, scholarships, and possible financial aid. Both tests are timed, and have been shortened recently in order to make them less fatiguing for students. For example, the ACT has been shortened by 44 questions and the SAT by 56. Which test you choose to take doesn’t really matter, as universities do not accept one test over the other.

Overall, the SAT tends to be the more popular exam, with over 55% of students taking it in 2019. Both the SAT and ACT are learnable, and with studying many people are able to significantly improve their results. The math portion of the SAT calculates towards 50% of your total score, while the ACT is weighted equally. For the most part, ACT questions tend to be more concise and clear than SAT questions, but you have less time to answer them. However, both tests have no penalty for guessing, and you should leave no questions unanswered. Only your correct answers are factored into your score for both tests. 

The digital SAT has a total time of 2 hours and 14 minutes, graded on a scale of 400 – 1600. It includes only two primary sections, math and reading/writing, both making up 50% of your total score. Science has no dedicated section but sometimes appears in part in the reading section. Overall, the SAT gives you more time per question on average. Both tests allow the use of a calculator for the entire math section as well. The SAT’s main difference to the ACT is that it uses an adaptive structure. Module two changes based on your performance in both sections. 

The ACT is usually 2 hours and 55 minutes long and graded on a scale of 1-36 for your composite score. It is composed of reading, English, and math with optional science and writing sections. All scores are weighted equally. On average, you have less time to answer questions, but they tend to be more concise and clear. The ACT has a linear structure; all modules are independent and your scores from each don’t affect which modules you receive later in the test. 

Overall, the tests are very similar, so I would personally recommend taking whichever test is offered by your school. I also recommend studying for the tests, as the question formatting can be a little confusing. 

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Editorials/Student Voice, Advice/How To

The importance of social interaction

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By: Alexsia Williams

happy summer, 2 July 2011, 20:04:14, by:
Viktoriia 1987, via Wikimedia Commons

As someone who values social interaction it was beyond devastating when in 2020 we were forced to go on lock down due to the COVID-19 virus. Having to go on lock down also meant we weren’t able to go to school, which also stopped us from having  our daily social interactions with one another, at school.

Given that 6 years have passed since the pandemic, and we don’t have to do distance learning anymore, my favorite part about coming to school is being able to see my friends and being able to interact with all my other peers and teachers in person.

Studies have shown that people who have  face-to-face social interactions with each other have a better likelihood of survival by 50%. Having social interaction can also  prevent anxiety and depression, which people living alone and in isolation can experience if they spend their time in isolation instead of going out and having social interactions.

Actively going out and meeting new people, which for some that can mean meeting new people at school, joining a club or extracurricular, or even simply going to a coffee shop are ways people can form connections. Being able to form new connections with people and form meaningful relationships with others can raise your own senses of connection, belonging and purpose.

Although social interaction is important there are some people who struggle to talk to new people due to stress and social anxiety. As someone who struggles with anxiety, especially when going up and talking to new people, nine times out of ten, that other person also may feel the same way and feel a little nervous, as well.

Some techniques that can help calm your nerves before talking to new people can include deep slow breathing, utilizing  positive self talk prior to talking to that person, and visualizing a successful interaction with that person, instead of thinking and visualizing about  the worst of what could happen. Having been able to do this myself beforehand, has been beneficial because these techniques have led me to some of my best friendships I have now. 

Baseball, Editorials/Student Voice, Sports

World Baseball Classic

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By: Fred Gallatin

In a society that has never been more divided, countries across the globe have discovered a sense of unity in an unexpected way — competition. 

Every four years, countries such as the United States, Japan, and Venezuela compete in a 20-team baseball tournament called the World Baseball Classic (WBC). 

Qualified teams are sorted into four different pools, or groups, each consisting of five teams. The teams play each other once each and the top two move into the 8-team elimination bracket that determines the winner. 

Tensions across the world are being felt now more than ever, and some were worried that extra competition between countries would exacerbate this. 

Immigration tension between the United States and Central America (home to eight of the countries competing) headlined these worries. Additionally, Israel’s plummeting global popularity led some to speculate that the tournament would be used as a political platform by many different parties.

The WBC began in early March and immediately proved it would not negatively influence the state of the world. In fact, it could be argued that the 2026 World Baseball Classic was vital to repairing the damaged bonds between countries around the world. 

With the United States and Japan heavily favored to win the tournament, many assumed the other countries would simply roll over and accept the success they earned before bracket play. These expectations meant that Japan was not prepared for the scrappy Venezuelan team they met in the quarterfinals. 

With their home country facing political and economic difficulties, the Venezuelans were playing for more than a trophy. Omar Lopez, the team’s manager, said that the goal of the team was to bring pride and joy to the people back home. This mindset drove Venezuela to play with heart, emotion, and unity. 

On the other side of the bracket, the United States took down Canada in the quarterfinals and advanced to play the dangerous lineup of the Dominican Republic. Fans packed the Miami Marlins’ stadium for what was expected to be a high-intensity and entertaining game. 

In a low-scoring and, as expected, intense game, the United States took down Fernando Tatis Jr. and the Dominican Republic en route to advancing to the final round.

After upsetting Japan, the Venezuelans, led by Ronald Acuña Jr. and Salvador Perez, beat Italy to advance to the championship game against the star-studded United States of America. 

As seen many times in sports, the David vs Goliath narrative was on full display prior to the game. Analysts, fans, and players were not asking if the United States would win, but asking how many runs they would win by.

Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Bobby Witt Jr, and many more stars looked to avenge the United States’ WBC loss to Japan in 2023. On paper, they would beat Venezuela every single time. Thankfully, baseball is not played on paper. 

Through eight innings, Venezuela had a 2-0 lead and limited the United States to just two hits. After a two-out walk, Phillies star Bryce Harper stepped up to the plate with the weight of an entire country on his shoulders. 

Harper patiently waited on a breaking ball and sent it into the center field maintenance tunnel, tying the game with one swing. The game had been flipped upside down and Venezuela’s first WBC title appeared to be slipping away. The Americans were imminent. 

After a walk by Luis Arraez and an electric steal, Venezuelan slugger Eugenio Suarez stepped up to the plate and calmly sent a ball into left-center field, giving his team a 3-2 lead. 

After the United States continued their offensive struggles during their last at bats, flamethrowing closer Danny Palencia struck out Roman Anthony to end the game. 

Jubilation broke out across the stadium as Venezuela’s players poured onto the field to celebrate the monumental win. Right fielder Ronald Acuña fell to his knees in tears, as did many others on the field and in the stands. 

Suarez, overcome with emotion, draped the Venezuelan flag over his shoulders and thanked God while embracing teammates and coaches. 

With immigrants and minorities being targeted in today’s society, the importance of this pride cannot be overlooked. Often, people only represent their cultures when they are being oppressed or treated unfairly.

To see diversity being proudly displayed on a world stage is something that everyone should be able to appreciate. The players and fans showed pride for their country and compassion for others, which is something that people around the world should strive to do. 

On a global stage, people put their differences aside and honored their country, culture, and families through baseball. The critics who said that the WBC would create division and chaos have been silenced, and the global baseball community has been brought closer together.

As hate and persecution plague our world, the 2026 World Baseball Classic will serve as a reminder to represent your culture well, respect the culture of others, and remember that all humans strive for peace, prosperity, and happiness above all else. 

Editorials/Student Voice, School Life, Tech/Games

AI’s impact on education

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By: Karl Salkowski

(Image Credit Unsplash)

As artificial intelligence continues to become more and more widespread and accessible, it only becomes more prevalent in our day to day lives. Every year AI plays a larger role in public education, but it is not always constructive. Although AI can be used to enable student creativity, it comes with the risk of over dependence. With artificial intelligence models becoming more aware and accurate it becomes harder to distinguish between human and artificially created work. New systems such as ChatGPT Zero and Turnitin have gained popularity as systems able to verify human work, but they aren’t always accurate.

AI can help students understand difficult concepts, simplifying details through instant feedback and explanations. However, AI can also be used maliciously in order to pass off assignments as student work. Over time many students become over-dependant on artificial intelligence leading them to fall behind.

AI has changed the landscape of education, forcing both students and teachers to adapt very quickly. Many schools use certain firewalls and tools to ban AI software on school WiFi, while others have opted to create policies on constructive and safe AI use. Many use these strategies in conjunction, such as Highland Park Senior High, which has chosen to block less trustworthy cites, while also integrating an AI responsibility policy.

AI forces educators to rethink how to assess students, figuring out new methods to preserve academic honesty. As AI continues to integrate more with our lives, students will continue to rely more heavily on artificial intelligence and online resources. This makes it significantly harder to judge whether student work is genuine or manufactured. In my own experiences, many of my teachers have decided against more traditional testing methods and started using new types of essays and activities that are harder to cheat on.

When used responsibly AI can be an incredible resource for students, but it is likely that most students have already developed an over dependence on it, leading to more of a struggle long term.

Editorials/Student Voice, School Life

Personal Project stress

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By: Merob Geleto

The Personal Project is a semester-long project completed by 10th graders for IB schools like Highland Park. Students have to choose a topic, create a product, and submit a paper about the process.

The Personal Project is stressful for students due to it usually overlapping with other academic pressures, being more of a self-directed project, and being long-term. The project spans over several months meaning students have to manage their time wisely so they can submit the project on time. Some students have a lot on their plate with school work or extracurricular activities so students usually push off doing their project which leads to extreme procrastination.

Managing your time and doing the project is a challenge but picking a topic is usually what is most stressful and hardest for students. From what I’ve seen from my peers, many students don’t know their topic until December or even January. There are a lot of topics to pick from, too many in fact, which makes it harder for students to choose. A common issue when picking a topic is picking one and it being too broad and actually being three projects. This usually leads to a burnout.

Usually students find a way to deal with the stress and submit their Personal Project finished. Many students, including me, broke down the project into smaller pieces. Some made a schedule to make sure they were on track.

I interviewed a sophomore who had just done their Personal Project and asked how stressful the Personal Project was and how he dealt with it. The interviewee replied with “It was extremely stressful because I procrastinated a lot”. He then said that when the stress was too overwhelming, he went to his PP advisor. His advisor gave him a layout and some advice which helped him a lot. The interviewee ended up finishing his project on time.

No matter what method, most students doing the Personal Project managed themselves well enough to prevent burnout and to pass.

Editorials/Student Voice

Why do some people prefer solitude?

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By: Ro’Mel Bryant-Oliveraz

Photo by Buwaneka Boralessa on Pexels.com

In the modern world with constant stimulation, forced routines, and social gatherings, being alone for some people lets them feel free. Maybe by having a routine they can control having the freedom to not perform, or creative freedom to do things their own way. Most people prefer being alone often but some people revolve their day around being alone. Some people may go to sleep early because they are lonely, while others stay up late because they love being alone.

People that prefer solitude often prefer to do casual things alone than to do what people think is fun in social settings. They might prefer to go exercise at home than to go to a party, not because they don’t like people but simply because going to a party is less fun than being alone.

One big reason people prefer being alone is because they have the freedom to focus deeply without distractions, whether on themselves, work, or the future, thinking often can be better alone. Many innovative jobs have come from people with preferences like this. Think scientists, coders, artists. You can dig deep into the technicals when you’re alone and have the chance and freedom to really focus. From people at school buried in homework to someone with a career that demands focus, solitude is often a tool you can’t afford to skip out on.

Also, while in solitude, you can vent much more. Most people like to vent about things, and people do this in different ways. Many ways of venting can only really be done when alone. Things like writing in a diary, talking out loud, exercising, or having a hobby, are usually about having a time when you feel free and can be yourself, often when alone.

It’s about focus and balance, not dislike of people. I personally think about my day as getting through it alone, and social settings can just cloud my routine. I usually set up alone times, like studying time, exercising time, and time with my hobbies in order to feel complete and stay on routine. This only is one example of why people may prefer solitude.

In the end, solitude is about balance, physical freedom, creative freedom, and routine. People may need their alone time to exercise, make something new, build skills, and manage time, ensuring their entire routine is structured and on schedule. If you notice someone probably prefers solitude it could be because of one of these reasons or similar, it’s not a bad thing.

Editorials/Student Voice

ICE Effects in Minnesota

By: Siri David

ICE has been showing up in the Twin Cities more than ever, and there are a lot of things to know and keep in mind during these hard times.

Trump has sent at least 2000 ICE agents to Minnesota to detain undocumented immigrants, but that is not what they have been doing. These agents have been racially profiling people all over Minnesota. They target specific neighborhoods, restaurants, and schools just based off of the diversity in each area.

There have been two fatal shootings in the month of January. The first shooting was of a 37-year-old white woman named Renee Good. Renee was shot on January 7th as she was trying to drive away from officers and help protect her neighbors. An officer shot her through her window while she was driving and she accelerated on the gas and crashed and died almost immediately after being shot. The most recent shooting was of Alex Pretti. He was a 37-year-old white man who was shot by an ICE agent while he was protecting his neighbors from ICE.

These horrific killings have led to Minnesotans taking a stand. The largest strike in the last 70 years happened in Minnesota last Friday. Over 10,000 Minnesotans marched in downtown Minneapolis in -20 degree weather. Schools, restaurants, and many small businesses were closed.

There are so many steps you can take to help during these hard times- whether it’s protesting, collecting food and money, or just helping protect your neighborhood. A lot of organizations and non profits in the Twin Cities are finding ways to help families who are struggling because they can’t leave their houses, so donating money, food, or household needs can be really helpful. At Highland, some of the club leaders came together and made a plan to help raise money and get necessities out to students and their families that go to Highland. There are so many ways to help during these times and anything is better than staying quiet.

During these difficult times it can be hard to find the good, but take the time to look around you and see the strong community that has come together to fight back. Minnesota is a strong example of what resisting and fighting back looks like. It is so inspiring to see and don’tbe afraid to strive to make a difference. Everyone’s voice matters and can make a change.

Editorials/Student Voice, School Life

Pros and cons of standardized testing

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By: Siri David

Photo by Andy Barbour on Pexels.com

Standardized testing is a type of testing that happens throughout all school programs. It is a test that is set up where every student answers questions from the same pool. The goal is to see where students are at in their learning process and it helps create a benchmark to compare students and their average scores. This also helps show how successful teachers are with their lesson plans and learning process.

Standardized testing can have a lot of benefits. It helps lower the chances with bias because it has a more consistent scoring process. In the tests, if the questions are multiple choice or true or false this can lead to more accurate results for the education system.

Another pro to the testing process is that the results can help show teachers what certain areas the students need more time on. Along with that, it can help show if certain teachers need more professional development. Overall, standardized testing is one of the main things that helps maintain the education system.

Standardized testing does have downsides. The lead up to testing oftentimes causes a lot more stress for students than the average test. A very important con is that all students learn and process things in a different way, so everyone taking the same test can affect students who might struggle more to understand the material because of the layout.

Another downside is that most tests are around the core subjects, so more art and physical based classes don’t get as much attention which can then make it harder for those subjects to grow and change.

Normally large standardized tests happen once a year, like the MCA’s for example. Since these happen once a year if a student has a bad test taking day it can throw off their score for the whole year.

Overall, there are a lot of pros and cons for standardized testing. In the larger perspective there’s a lot of pros but closer up there are also a lot of flaws within the process. The pros tend to affect the education system well, the cons affect each student.

Editorials/Student Voice, Music/Concerts

How is Spotify Wrapped assembled?

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By: Karl Salkowski

(Generated with Microsoft Copilot)

On the morning of December 3rd, hundreds of millions of people opened their Spotify Wrapped, resulting in millions of shares and posts. But what is a Spotify Wrapped? And why are so many people embarrassed about it?

Every year since 2015 Spotify has released a personally curated selection of each user’s listening habits. The specific day it releases is always a mystery, but Spotify Wrapped day always lands sometime between the last week of November and the first week of December.

Since the beginning, Spotify has shown you your top artists and songs, but each year they add more and more new features and interesting statistics. The highlight of Wrapped 2024 was an AI personalized podcast discussing your listening habits, while in 2025 Spotify gave out estimated listening ages and had you guess who was your top artist of the year. Needless to say, each year Spotify adds new and inventive features to their yearly marketing campaign in order to make it more trendy and viral.

But the question still remains: Why are so many people embarrassed of what they listen to? It turns out that this is actually much more complicated than it seems. Spotify stops collecting data for Spotify Wrapped sometime between mid-October and early November. This means that everything you listened to in the last month to 6 weeks prior is not taken into account. Many people feel that their Wrapped feels weighted towards the beginning of the year, and this explains why. It’s natural that people’s music tastes evolve over time, which explains how these otherwise mundane statistics can actually be very interesting and surprising.

Over the years, as Spotify Wrapped becomes more and more viral, imitations become more and more common. End-of-the-year recaps have become common in an abundance of apps including Apple Music, Amazon, YouTube, and Duolingo.

Spotify Wrapped is a genius marketing campaign only becoming more popular and mainstream each year. End-of-year recaps across websites and apps will only become more and more common, but these recaps aren’t just silly and fun; they also raise important questions about personal data and how it’s stored and shared online.