the
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The Rubicon student newspaper of St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave St. Paul, MN 55105
IN DEPTH
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Volume 52, Issue 1 - Sept. 29, 2026
SURVEILLANCE STATE STOPPING SURVEILLANCE. Due to recent advancements that can make technology more invasive, students find themselves being more cognizant of how they protect their privacy.
Taking control of personal security JACK GAO
THE RUBICON
Every addition of security measures begins with the same promise to protect the people, but the truth is far more complicated. From the installation of Flock cameras to the development of artificial intelligence, technology, privacy, security and the use of technology have become more than just nuanced issues. According to a 2026 Sahan Journal article by Katelyn Vue, Flock cameras — cameras that capture and analyze vehicle data on roads — have faced backlash and distrust among the Minnesotan population due to fears over warrantless surveillance and federal access to camera data. Despite this, 59 law enforcement agencies continue to use them to conduct operations. continued on pg. 10
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TRADE WAR TROUBLES Rising tariffs between the United States and Canada threaten Minnesota as a frequent trade partner. Read more in NEWS.
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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: Sam Galarneault
CONSTANT RECORDING New discreet recording technology such as Meta glasses may be legal, but their ethics are being questioned. Read more in OPINIONS.
IN THIS ISSUE:
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DIGITAL ATTACHMENT Is screen time taking over your life? Find out how to break your phone addiction with these tips. Read more in FEATURE.
2-4 News • 5-9 Opinions • 10-11 In Depth • 12-13 Feature • 14-16 Sports • 17-19 A&E • 20 Solutions
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NEWS THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
PHOTO: Ariella Kim
PHOTO: Caden Deardurff
CRUNCH TIME. Senior Florence Barrera, co-president of the Student Activities Committee, directs a weekly meeting. Since the beginning of the school year, SAC has been planning the activities for Homecoming week. “[Planning the individual events are] not very big tasks when you separate them, but when you are in a two week crunch and everyone’s trying to figure out what to do, it can get pretty overwhelming,” Barrera said.
CROWD WORK. Last year’s Spartan Patrick Wall hypes up the crowd at the 2025 all-school assembly. Spartans Nico Martin and Richard Romans will take on the same role in the all-school assembly this year, which kicks off the school spirit week.
Students prep for the pep of homecoming week ARIELLA KIM
THE RUBICON
As chatter of dance attire and homecoming games filled the halls, student leaders were hard at work preparing for the spirit week ahead, hoping to ensure a positive experience for students in the midst of their busy fall semesters. Co-presidents of the Student Activities Committee, seniors Florence Barrera and William Drake, have been working to get homecoming week planned through regularly scheduled meetings. Balancing the logistics and the tight timeline is no small feat, so clear communication between SAC and administration is a necessity. “[Planning the individual events are] not very big tasks when you separate them, but when you are in a two week crunch and everyone’s trying to figure out what to do, it can get pretty overwhelming, especially with corresponding with admin,” Barrera said. “There’s a lot of communication that has to go on.” A Sept. 10 SAC meeting included a discussion of homecoming T-shirt
FROM THE WEB
sales, assigning members’ specific roles at the events and brainstorming dress up day ideas.
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There’s a lot of spirit behind [pep-fest] that brings everybody together, not just factions of people.
senior William Drake
Other tasks that SAC takes on include preparing the captains’ challenge, skits and music for pep-fest. Drake said that “there’s a lot of spirit behind [pep-fest] that brings everybody together, not just factions of people in grades or sports.” SAC’s work won’t go unnoticed, as those uninvolved in the behindthe-scenes are hoping for an entertaining week of school spirit. Ninth-grader Emma Sanders is excited to finally be experiencing homecoming as a high schooler. “I think it will be different in high school because I’ll be more in-
volved with different activities that are happening throughout the week, and especially on homecoming day, being more in the student section,” she said. While homecoming week is meant to be a lighthearted time, has a broader aim. Barrera believes that school events can mitigate students’ worries and bring an optimistic outlook to the beginning of the year. “I think especially right now … with the uncertainty of the entire world, it’s definitely nice to have these schoolwide spirit events that help make people feel like they belong, and just kind of bring an attitude of positivity to otherwise stressful times for everyone,” Barrera said. Similarly, Spartans Nico Martin and Richard Romans believe their role is to make sure everyone feels a buzz of excitement heading into the new year. “[We’re] just hype people, getting everyone hyped about homecoming because we are the Spartans, the face of homecoming, [one] could say,” Martin said. As the mascots of the school, the Spartans’ objective is to take away
HOCO 2026
WHAT HOMECOMING WEEK HAS TO OFFER
some of the sense of dread for the busyness ahead and turn it into enthusiasm. They also plan on practicing specific skits to make the environment especially fun and lighthearted during homecoming week. “I think just making sure that everyone is excited during the fall, knowing that there’s gonna be harder classes, or a whole year of school coming up,” Romans said. As homecoming nears and school spirit heightens, student leaders continue to plan events with the focus on making the week as enjoyable as possible for all members of the school community. Dress up days, the homecoming dance, sports matchups and pep fest are among the activities to look forward to in the upcoming week. with additional reporting by Lina Abid and Sunde Auberjonois
PAJAMA DAY MONDAY, SEPT. 28
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TUESDAY, SEPT. 29
WACKY SHIRT, DODGE BALL WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30
DRESS YOUR GRADE THURSDAY, OCT. 1
BLUE AND GOLD, PEP FEST, SOCCER GAME FRIDAY, OCT. 2
HOMECOMING DANCE
SATURDAY, OCT. 3
READ MORE about homecoming fun and FOMO in OPINIONS pg. 6
PHOTOS: Free Use; pixabay.com; SPA SmugMug; Google Creative Commons; Sam Galarneault
Club fair offers exploration of new and old clubs
Senior speeches begin: a look behind the scenes
ELLIE WHITCOMB
SHREY NEMANI
THE RUBICON
CLASS COLOR
RUBICONLINE
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NEWS THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
Stewardship initiative fosters student engagement SUNDE AUBERJONOIS MANAGING EDITOR
This year, the upper school will be adopting a new stewardship initiative designed by faculty and staff in an attempt to strengthen community management of school spaces. “I wanted [to establish] something that was internal, manageable, that’s consistent [and] can be done year after year,” said Dean of Students Mollie Ward. She and Facilities Manager Pete Kilibarda were responsible for creating the initiative. Kilibarda thinks the program is an important one for students. “It’s a beautiful campus, and I think sometimes when you’re surrounded by that all the time, you can take it for granted,” he said. The stewardship initiative will aim to give advisories a designated space where they can practice gratitude by being responsible for its cleanliness. The intention behind this action is for there to be less busy work for upper school cleaning staff. “I’m not saying you gotta wipe your table every day after lunch, but I would say, if you get up
from your table and it’s a mess, you think about helping … we pay our cleaners to actually deep clean things, not tidy up messes,” Ward said. Kilibarda and Ward want to ensure that students understand what the cleaning staff ’s real responsibilities are, and what responsibilities students are expected to take care of themselves. Sophomore Alex Gossman also thinks students could do better with cleanliness. “It’s harder with spaces like the cafeteria. I think people make other people’s jobs harder than they have to be,” she said. Senior Soren Zuehlke sees stewardship as a form of prevention from mess. “It kind of means leave no trace, except leave no trace is not proactive, stewardship is proactive,” Zuehlke said. Through the stewardship initiative, students will also have the opportunity to meet members of the faculty who are daily stewards of the Randolph campus. “I think at the school the staff does a lot for us. It’s a big school … they’re here every day, just like us, and probably more,” senior Maisy Torres said.
PHOTOS: Yasmin Khan
L. READY FOR THE YEAR. Senior Eli Sanders attentively watches presentations at the opening assembly of the 2026-27 school year. The stewardship initiative was introduced at this assembly. R. STARTING WITH STEWARDSHIP. Dean of Students Mollie Ward and Assistant Principal for Student Life Stacy Tepp introduce the stewardship initiative.
The initiative is tied to many aspects and values of the school community, and intentionally so. Senior class advisor Amy Stading thinks the initiative strongly correlates with the value of belonging, which was a focused value of the 2025-26 school year. “It’s not just you come in and take, take, take. You come in, and you also give back, and you are part of what we do, and you’re part of our daily rhythms,” Stading said. “You’re part of this family, you belong to this family, and you help this family. And this family helps you. So I think of it
as really connected with belonging.”
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You’re part of this family, you belong to this family, and you help this family. And this family helps you. senior class advisor Amy Stading
While stewardship has been a part of the upper school in the past, with 10th volunteer hour re-
quirements and service during senior projects, the stewardship initiative is meant to not only have lasting impact on the community at the Randolph campus, but beyond. While learning how to take care of spaces in more organized ways may be a learning curve for students, its aim is to help strengthen the community in the long run, and help students be better members of communities they might be a part of in the future. “I don’t think it feeds your soul or future purpose, your values, your community, to just walk around without any con-
sciousness about your space or your impact on it,” Kilibarda said. “I think [stewardship is] just part of being a good human.” The stewardship initiative’s rollout will continue throughout the year, with assigned cleaning spaces for different advisories and opportunities for students to meet faculty and staff who work on campus behind the scenes.
Polling shows Flanagan, Tafoya even in U.S. Senate race TALLULAH DOGWILL THE RUBICON
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Republican nominee Michele Tafoya are deadlocked in pre-election polls, with results within the margins of error, in the race for U.S. Senate. The polls are not the only place where competing politicians Flanagan and Tafoya present similar statistics. According to the Federal Election Commission, both candidates have secured over 95% of their campaign funding from individual contributors and less than 5% from party committee contributions and political action committees.
“The significance of not using PAC money to fund political campaigns is to show yourself as someone who is supporting the interests of the everyday working Minnesotan,” senior Aiden Esmaeelzadeh said. Both Tafoya and Flanagan hosted booths at the Minnesota State Fair, only one street away from each other. Although many candidates see the State Fair as a productive place to campaign, not all fairgoers do. “The State Fair is a place for me to do stereotypical State Fair things, and I feel like it’s always just politics. It’s a lot to deal with,” sophomore Delaney Anderson said. While their campaign finance and State Fair campaign approaches are similar, stark differences emerge when examining
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Not using PAC money ... is to show [support for] the interests of the everyday working Minnesotan. senior Aiden Esmaeelzadeh
their personal histories and legislative priorities. Flanagan emphasizes local concerns in her campaign, such as affordable housing, healthcare and raising the minimum wage. A top priority for Flanagan is pushing for the Justice for Native Survivors of Sexual Violence Act. Flanagan is a member of the White Earth Band
of Ojibwe and currently holds the highest ranking of a native woman elected to executive office. Growing up, Flanagan lived in federal housing provided by Section 8 housing laws, attended government-run childcare assistance programs and relied on food stamps for groceries. In a statement to The Rubicon, Flanagan said, “I’m running for the Senate to help people afford the lives they want to live. That means raising the federal minimum wage and indexing it to inflation — just as we did here in Minnesota — so that young people can afford rent, groceries, or gas without having to choose between one or the other.” She said, “It’s also why I’ll fight to pass Medicare for all so no one is forced to sacrifice
essential healthcare simply because they can’t afford it.” The Rubicon contacted both candidates, but at press time Tafoya had not responded. “Minnesota has so many Native American roots and so much of the culture has been stripped away because Native American people have been abused by the government,” ninth-grader Bea Martin said. “I think [Flanagan’s Senate election] would mean a lot to people who are Native American or have connections to Native Americans.” On the other hand, Tafoya is only recently entering the political sphere. For three decades, Tafoya worked in sports, known for her sideline reporting for NBC Sunday Night Football.
Growing up in California, Tafoya moved to Minnesota in 1993. She lives in Edina with her husband and children. Tafoya’s website states that “After years of asking tough questions on the sidelines, Michele Tafoya is stepping up to lead — determined to help restore integrity, reclaim Minnesota’s reputation, and show the nation what resilient, principled leadership looks like.” To Tafoya, this leadership involves initiatives to “Stop the Fraud,” provide “Law and Order” and “Cut Costs and Taxes for the Middle Class.” Minnesotans will vote Nov. 3.
WHO WILL ADVANCE TO THE SENATE? VOTE COUNTS: Based on the New York Times 2026 Poll Tracker, all 15 polls cannot predict this race.
42% TAFOYA
FLANAGAN 42% INFORMATION: Survey USA poll data reported Sept. 24 - INFOGRAPHIC: Evie Gardener
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NEWS THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
Boundary Waters begins recovery after summer wildfires EVA BURNS
THE RUBICON
The next time campers paddle into the Boundary Waters Canoeing Area and Wilderness, they may find a forest that, in some areas, looks unrecognizable. After the series of wildfires this past July, trees that once formed a dense canopy may stand blackened or lie on the ground. But a burned forest isn’t necessarily a dead forest. Fire is a necessary part of life for some plant species, initiating a cycle of destruction and renewal; this damage sets in motion a long recovery. For visitors in the area this summer, the fires were more than just an ecological process. They were a disruption to trips, camps and routines. Senior Gavin Leuthold experienced the fire firsthand while attending a leadership development program at Camp du Nord. “There was ash falling from the sky that morning, and it was really scary,” he said. The fires began after a July 6 storm brought lightning and rain to northern Minnesota. Over the following days, several fires started in and around the Superi-
or forests, including the Little Knife, Thumb and Bear Trap Fires in the Boundary Waters. As the fires rapidly spread amid dry conditions, many visitors and campers were forced to evacuate, but by early September, major fires were contained. The Bear Trap Fire forced Camp du Nord, located on Burntside Lake just outside Ely, to evacuate its campers.
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I’m concerned about the increasing wildfires in the Boundary Waters because it’s a really precious place. senior Gavin Leuthold
“The air quality was really bad. The fire was like five miles from camp,” Leuthold said. During the BWCA evacuations, many campers were forced to leave behind more than empty campsites. Junior Henry Kansas, a Camp Widjiwagan camper, has signed up to volunteer to help collect abandoned camping equipment this fall.
“Some groups had to evacuate really, really quickly, so they left a lot of stuff at campsites and on portages,” he said. As wildfires continue to reshape forests across Minnesota and the country, the recovery of the BWCA raises a broader question: how does the wilderness heal after devastation? Landscape left behind by a wildfire can look very different from what it will eventually become. Trees may be blackened and vegetation destroyed, but the forest’s recovery can begin almost immediately after the fire. “I’m assuming, just based on that evolutionary trait, that most plants there will likely be able to recover,” junior Eamon Bakker said. While the fires created many immediate challenges for campers, some forest species in northern Minnesota have evolved alongside and even depend on fire. The University of Minnesota estimates that about 3.8 million acres of Minnesota forests are what’s known as “fire-dependent ecosystems,” meaning that fire plays a key role in returning nutrients to the soil and creating conditions for some species to reproduce. One
SUBMITTED PHOTO: Gavin Leuthold
SMOKY SKIES. The view of Burntside Lake from Camp du Nord during the summer wildfires. Senior Gavin Leuthold attended a leadership development program at du Nord over the summer and had to evacuate the camp the day this photo was taken due to fires in the area. “There was ash falling from the sky that morning, and it was really scary,” he said.
common example is the Jack pine. “Jack pines need fires to actually open up their pine cones,” Bakker said. For Leuthold, the fires raise concerns beyond this summer. He believes climate change could make wildfire threats more severe in the future, putting extreme pressure on one of Minnesota’s most treasured wilderness areas. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the state’s fire season has been getting longer, and during the 2020s,
there have been more warm and dry conditions that favor fire than in previous years. “I’m concerned about the increased fires in the Boundary Waters because it’s a really precious place,” Leuthold said. The future of the Boundary Waters is not defined by the acres of forest lost this summer. As the smoke clears away and new growth starts to occur, the burned forest will slowly change and rejuvenate. As of Sept. 23, approximately 73% of the BWCA
is open. Only certain areas, like entry points undergoing wildfire damage rehabilitation, remain closed or canceled through the end of the permit season.
Scan this QR code access the MN DNR Wildfire Risk Explorer to stay up to date on areas that are at highrisk for wildfires.
Minnesota caught in the middle of ongoing U.S.-Canada trade war NIKO LIFTON
THE RUBICON
In response to tariffs levied by the Trump Administration in early 2025, Canada launched a counterattack with tariffs that took effect Sept. 8, which have created instability within Minnesota industries. In February 2025, President Donald Trump tariffed goods such as steel, auto parts and aluminum from Canada by 25%. In late August 2026, the Trump administration charged 50% tariffs on all Canadian goods such as construction materials, alcohol, hockey sticks, clothing and furniture. In response, Canada has counter-tariffed $20 billion of American imports, with tariff rates ranging from 15% to 50%. The U.S. has aimed to use these tariffs to pressure other countries into proposing better trade deals. Junior Hank Harp believes that tariffs were, at some point in the U.S.’s
history of trade, helpful. “I think in the past [tariffs] helped promote domestic industries,” he said.
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I think in the past [tariffs] helped promote domestic industries. junior Hank Harp
However, this tariff war has put Minnesota, specifically, at an economic disadvantage, as Canada is the state’s primary trading partner. The two traded more than $18 billion in goods in 2025, making Canada’s business a key part of the Minnesota economy. Students are seeing the impact of these tariffs in the goods they interact with every day. “When I was in Canada this summer, we
MUTUAL U.S. AND CANADA TARIFF RATES
50%
50%
CLOTH PRODUCTS
IRON OR STEEL PRODUCTS
25%
CHEESE PRODUCTS
15% FORK-LIFT TRUCKS
INFORMATION: Department of Finance Canada
TWO WAY TARIFFS. In response to 50% tariffs put in place on $27.6 billion of Canadian goods, the Canadian government responded by matching the American tariffs exactly, implementing tariffs which will cover $27.6 billion U.S. imports.
stopped at gas stations, and I noticed that buying American candy that wasn’t made in Canada was more expensive than it would be in the U.S.,” senior Avital Coleman said. Sophomore Lucas Messier has noticed a
change in pricing, as well. “Whenever I go driving with my brother, it feels like more of a burden to him just because it’s so much more expensive to get gas,” he said. U.S. industries have already felt the effects; in 2025, 6,100 manufactur-
ing jobs were lost because of the tariffs imposed by Trump, according to a July 22 data analysis by the Midwest Economic Policy Institute. Additionally, MEPI reported that new tariffs from 2025 have cost a $2.3 billion household burden in Minnesota alone. Now, as trade with Canada becomes increasingly expensive, Minnesota farmers bear the brunt of the load. Previous tariffs have already driven up costs for fertilizer and other farm equipment, causing more Minnesota farmers to shut down their farms in 2026 than in the past three years combined, according to Gary Wertish of the Minnesota Farmers Union. Because Minnesota farmers don’t have the ability to set prices for their major crops, the effects of tariffs are predicted to make it nearly impossible for farmers to break even in 2027. In 2026, farmers without
federal assistance who grew the nine principal crops lost $31 billion. The current tariff war with Canada is controlled by national leaders; however, its impacts run deeply among Minnesotans. From food to gas, the overall prices of goods are up. Many businesses will be forced to change their plans for the future, as cheap goods from neighboring allies aren’t a guarantee.
Scan this QR code to read Jack Gao’s report at RubicOnline about how tariffs have changed teen buying habits.
OPINIONS THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
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OUR MISSION We strive to capture the spirit of the community through its stories while inspiring deeper conversations. Above all, we stand for integrity in our pursuit to inform and engage our readers.
THE RUBICON St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave • St. Paul, MN 55105 rubicon.spa@gmail.com www.rubiconline.com @TheRubiconSPA
26-27 STAFF THE RUBICON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING EDITORS CHIEF VISUAL EDITOR NEWS EDITORS OPINIONS EDITORS PAGE ONE/IN DEPTH EDITOR FEATURE EDITORS SPORTS EDITORS A&E EDITORS SOLUTIONS EDITOR DATA/INFOGRAPHICS EDITOR
Evie Gardner Wynter Feiner Sunde Auberjonois Sam Galarneault Sylvia Westra Grace Berger Eva Burns Ariella Kim Lina Abid Lilly Parr Peony Steele Ellie Whitcomb Niko Lifton Ivy Evans Tallulah Dogwill Izzy Middlebrook Jack Gao
RUBICONLINE DIRECTOR OF RUBICONLINE PRODUCTION MANAGER CREATIVE DESIGN MANAGER BEATS MANAGER ENGAGEMENT MANAGER NEWS EDITORS OPINIONS EDITORS FEATURE EDITORS IN DEPTH EDITOR A&E EDITOR SPORTS EDITORS RUBICON TV PRODUCER SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Yasmin Khan Winston Arvidson Senetneb Theba Audrey Jansen Audrey Peltier Peter Lipinsky Ike Obi-Walker Zahir Hassan Auden Zheng Kathrine Lin Nabeeha Qadri Dhru Chaney Aiden Ruediger Eli Kardasis-Sturtz Shrey Nemani Naomi Zins
CONTRIBUTORS Milena Gatto Paz, Echo Gilbertson, Grace Hunt, Eddie Sofen, Kate Tuttle ADVISER Kathryn Campbell, CJE PUBLICATIONS ASSISTANT Scott Gillespie MEMBERSHIPS
Columbia Scholastic Press Association National Scholastic Press Association Private School Journalism Association MN High School Press Association Quill and Scroll Honor Society
CURRENT PUBLICATION AWARDS
2026 NSPA All-American 2026 Pacemaker Winner (online) 2026 Pacemaker Finalist (print) 2026 CSPA Hybrid Gold Crown Award Winner 2026 SNO Distinguished Site 2025 JEM All State Gold
EDITORIAL CARTOON: Kate Tuttle
BURNOUT BADGE. Working to exhaustion should not be considered a badge of honor. Even when surrounded by others who glorify sacrificing sleep to study or spending egregious amounts of time on assignments, resist the temptation to do the same. Instead, embrace individual needs and focus on protecting mental and physical health.
100% ofstafftheagree
Prioritize personal well-being to avoid burnout EDITORIAL THE RUBICON STAFF
Everybody seems to love the grind. Walk into school in the morning and friends are comparing how little sleep they got from studying. Look at a phone and an influencer is showing all the work they completed in a day. Self-help gurus love to promote hustle culture. It seems the only way to succeed is to push past the limit. It seems like success is just sheer willpower. It isn’t. It’s easy to buy into the grind, as schoolwork and other obligations can seem never-ending. Maybe it feels like the only route forward is to push. However, that is not always the right choice. According to Unity Point Health, burnout can cause decreased efficacy, fatigue, detachment, sleep issues and sometimes physical illnesses. Without having critical resources like memory and energy, producing quality work is significantly more difficult, and building long-term study strategies is even more challenging. In a 2025 study titled “Burnout and stress: new insights and interventions,” burnout was found to affect not only the burnt-out individual but also those who surround them. According to Reach Link Therapy, recovering from burnout can take anywhere from weeks to months. Even if it feels simple to follow a path of constant busyness and work, burnout will always get worse. It doesn’t stop at a due date; there will always be another goal to reach. Along with the other imminent effects of burnout, constantly grinding impacts understanding in classes. Instead of studying to absorb the material fully, studying becomes transactional for a grade. Cramming the knowledge becomes commonplace. According to a 2023 study titled “Mentally Demanding Work and Strain: Effects of Study Duration on Fatigue, Vigor, and Distress in Undergraduate Medical Students,” researchers found that mentally demanding work done in one consecutive period of time over two hours results in lower recollection and vigor, higher fatigue and distress. So what is the point of competing to win that grind? The rivalry over who can overwork themselves the most is disheartening. Burnout is a competition with no true winners, only exhaustion, no matter how satisfying completing an assignment is. Constantly attempting to one-up a friend by pulling an all-nighter for a test, forgetting to eat all three meals or overloading class schedules does not make somebody smarter. It just wears them out. Rewarding and encouraging burnout leads people to lose themselves in pursuit of whatever goal hides behind their hustle. Feeling gratified from burnout is not a reward. It is indicative of a larger problem. Instead of simply trying to work harder or feeling like others are better because they prioritize grades over learning, consider individual needs. Burnout is not a badge of honor and grinding is not always the answer. If there’s an opportunity to relax, take it. If a friend starts bragging at school about how little sleep they got, check in on how they are and don’t make their personal choices a comment on somebody else’s individual needs. If an assignment requires more time, give it that time, but not at the expense of health.
REWARDING AND ENCOURAGING BURNOUT ONLY LEADS PEOPLE TO LOSE THEMSELVES IN PURSUIT OF THEIR GOAL.
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OPINIONS THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
REFLECTIONS
One year since Annunciation HEALING
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My community’s first instinct was not anger or hatred, it was immediate kindness.
ECHO GILBERTSON
UNITY
STRENGTH
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The green and blue ribbons signified our community coming together.
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Communities should continue the activism demonstrated after the shooting.
CONTRIBUTOR
CONTRIBUTOR
GRACE HUNT
EDDIE SOFEN
Up until the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School, school shootings seemed like a distant possibility, a nightmare that I read about in the news and something that was only passively prepared for at school. However, this one proved that nothing is untouchable. The Annunciation Catholic School shooting occurred right by the Walgreens my family frequents, across the street from a grocery store I have been to many times, just blocks away from my home. To me, the most prominent detail about this event was not the shooting itself, but how my community responded. Love and compassion emanated from everyone. People gathered in solidarity and remembrance of those who had been lost, supporting the impacted families and the school. Community members walked for miles, tying blue and green ribbons -- the school’s colors -- around trees and lampposts to signify community and support. Signs speckled lawns across the Twin Cities reading, “Our heart is with Annunciation.” Even a year later, those signs and ribbons still remain. My community’s first instinct was not anger or hatred, it was immediate kindness, which is the most important reaction of all.
August 27, 2025 was a day I will never forget. I live about 10 blocks away from Annunciation Catholic School, and have many connection inside that community, including close family ties to Harper Moyski. That August day was horrible, but despite the tragedy there were also many moments of hope and action. I have vivid memories of how our neighborhood, our city and our state immediately sprang into action. Everywhere I looked I saw schools making signs of support, people protesting for stricter gun laws and everyone helping the Annunciation community any way they could. Most of all I saw blue and green ribbons everywhere. Those ribbons, for me, signified our community coming together and supporting each other. I was moved by how quickly vigils and gatherings were planned to assist and support Annunciation. I was inspired by how the city reacted immediately with action and hope. A year after the shooting, my neighborhood is still gathering to honor the victims and act for change. Choose to see the hope that persevered, and believe that our community can and will get through anything in the future.
After coming home from work on the day of the shooting at Annunciation Church, the first thing my dad did was hug me with tears in his eyes. As a man from the Navy, I found his behavior unusual. Even with the increase in gun violence over the past few years, he had never reacted to it this emotionally. It wasn’t until I was told Harper Moyski, a 10-year-old girl who lived down the street from me, was one of the victims, that it made more sense. I’d met her before when her family moved into the neighborhood in 2019, and it was devastating to lose a familiar face so soon. The solidarity and organization of protests against gun violence were the most impactful to me when students, myself included, participated in a walkout over the shooting. Moving forward, communities should continue the activism demonstrated after the shooting, as well as try to get our representatives to change by contacting your House member or senator. READ MORE about the community response to the mass shooting at Annunciation and ways to advocate for change in SOLUTIONS pg. 20
Don’t let FOMO distract from the fun of HOCO SAM GALARNEAULT
CHIEF VISUAL EDITOR
Don’t let the fear of missing out distract from enjoying the moment. Homecoming isn’t a competition, but sometimes it feels like it, and people experience it differently. FOMO is the desire to be constantly involved with what others are doing. The week of homecoming is filled with games, festivities and socializing. The expectation to find time to participate in all aspects of homecoming is unrealistic, yet it can feel crucial to fit into the social atmosphere. In a 2021 study published in the World Journal of Clinical Class titled, “Fear of missing out: A brief overview of origin, theoretical underpinnings and relationship with mental health,” the authors examined the cause and effect of the psychological phenomenon known as FOMO. They found this feeling to be rooted in social media
use, social comparison and anxiety. The studies reported a correlation between FOMO and poor sleep, academic performance, physical health and social functioning. Letting this feeling overcome one’s life and decisions is harmful.
Limiting social media use is a great way to separate individual priorities from others and reduce FOMO. Sam Galarneault
It can be easy to feel FOMO during a time like homecoming week when there are so many activities to take part in. Don’t confine to other people’s schedules out of fear that homecoming won’t be memorable or perfect.
Putting oneself into situations that may create an uncomfortable and unhealthy scenario just to feel socially involved in life can restrict one from making the most out of their individual time and mental health. The joy of missing out (JOMO) is the peace of mind that comes from focusing on ones’ own life rather than feeling stressed by others’ pressure. Prioritizing ones’ own time and needs is what actually creates a fulfilling feeling. Understanding how this feeling can impact one’s experience and mentality at homecoming is crucial to the experience. According to the meditation app Calm, the benefits of JOMO include reduced stress and anxiety, improved mental health and self-esteem and greater appreciation for the present moment. Implementing this mindset has the potential to make every day better. Ways to integrate JOMO can include setting
clear personal boundaries and priorities. Another way is view every interaction with grace and take time to be present. Limiting social media use is also a great way to separate individual priorities from others and reduce FOMO. Students manage busy lives in and out of school. Embrace JOMO by creating a schedule that makes space for things worth anticipating that bring excitement and joy. In a jam-packed week, it’s important to plan for how to care for personal needs, and not let an overly booked calendar for fear of missing out take over.
ILLUSTRATION: Milena Gatto Paz
READ MORE about homecoming plans and preparation in NEWS pg. 2
JOMO JOLLY. Homecoming isn’t a time to make it to every single event or spend lots of thought deciding on where to go during the festivities. To get the most out of it, focus solely on the events that will bring the most personal happiness and foster friendships.
OPINIONS THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
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ILLUSTRATION: Ariella Kim
META MADNESS. The increasingly frequent use of Meta Glasses has recieved mixed reactions from the public. While they can have legitimate uses, smart glasses eliminate the certainty in knowing whether or not one is being recorded. Additionally, social media rewards content in which the person being recorded is unaware that they were on camera, creating a toxic online environment that encourages recording without permission.
It’s time to learn when to put the camera down PEONY STEELE THE RUBICON
Imagine having a conversation with a stranger at a coffee shop, only to later discover that you were unknowingly recorded by their smart glasses. It might have been completely legal, but that does not automatically make it ethical. Being in public should not be an assumption that one is being recorded. Minnesota law establishes a one-party consent rule for audio and video recording, meaning only one individual involved in the recording needs to consent. However, strict criminal and civil privacy laws prohibit secret surveillance in places where people expect privacy, including dressing rooms, bathrooms and locker rooms. Something can be legal and still feel like a violation of trust. As recording technology becomes smarter and harder to notice, the difference between what we are legally allowed to record and what we should ethically record becomes increasingly important. There is no doubting the value of recordings. They can provide evidence when someone’s word might otherwise be dismissed and bring justice, such as Darnella Frazier’s historic recording of George Floyd’s murder that led to the direct conviction of Derek Chauvin. Even smart glasses such as Meta Glasses have legitimate uses, including accessibility, navigation, hands-free recording and personal safety.
The issue is not whether people should be allowed to record, but whether people should have to wonder if they are being recorded every time they interact with someone. A society where everyone suspects they are being recorded is not the solution to holding people accountable for harmful behavior.
The issue is not whether people should be allowed to record, but whether people should have to wonder if they are being recorded every time they interact with someone. Peony Steele
A phone held up in front of a face at least gives a straightforward indication to a person that a camera is pointed at them, but smart glasses diminish that security. Now, the camera can be built into something that looks like an ordinary pair of glasses, allowing indiscernible recordings. This becomes especially concerning as social media rewards content creators for putting innocent strangers in uncomfortable or embarrassing situations for views, likes and follows. Smart glasses are only one part of a much larger trend. Doorbell cameras, dashcams, body cameras
and other wearable devices have made recording an increasingly ordinary part of life. Some may argue that this is simply the reality of being in public. People shouldn’t be able to claim privacy to prevent documentation of wrongdoing. No one should create privacy rules so broad that they prevent people from proving malfeasance, protecting themselves or holding others accountable. Recording is an important safeguard, particularly when there is a significant reason to document what is happening. But accountability should not require humans to accept a world where everyone assumes they are being recorded. Being in public never meant surrendering every expectation of personal boundaries. If the norm becomes that any conversation could secretly be recorded and shared, it could change how we interact with one another. People may be less willing to have spontaneous conversations or hesitant to express opinions they fear could be taken out of context. Making it more possible to record someone without their knowledge does not make it any more right. Society needs stronger rules in public spaces in regards to discreet technology, recognizing the difference in documenting something for safety or just because there are no legal consequences. The goal should not be a world without cameras, but a world where we know when to put them down.
PUBLICATIONS POLICIES PUBLICATION INFO The Rubicon is published eight times a year. We distribute 500 copies of each issue on the Randolph Campus which are available for free. The Rubicon is the student news organization of St. Paul Academy and Summit School. We operate as a public forum for student expression, produced and edited for students by students. The viewpoints published in The Rubicon do not represent the opinions or positions of St. Paul Academy and Summit School administration, the collective student body, or its employees. ADVERTISING The Rubicon does not accept advertisements. ANONYMOUS SOURCES Although it is always preferable to use names when reporting, there are times when it is
necessary to protect those we report on. Use of grade level or first name only are the most commonly used methods of anonymity. BYLINES credit the individual who conducted interviews, drafted, revised and fact-checked an assigned story. Shared bylines are given to joint effort assignments. Stories that include supplemental materials include a credit at the bottom that states “Additional reporting by” followed by the name of the reporter. EDITORIALS articulate the collective opinion of the staff, while minieditorials, opinions pieces, arts reviews, and columns belong to the author. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Opinions are welcomed as Letters to the Editor
or Submitted Opinions and may be published in print or online. Letters should not exceed 400 words and opinions should not exceed 650 words. Both may be edited for length and style. All pieces are published with a full name. UPDATES AND CORRECTIONS During the post-critique process, staff members identify inaccuracies and discuss reader feedback. The staff publishes corrections when an error is discovered during critique or reported to a staff member. Corrections should be directed to the Editor in Chief or appropriate section editor. IN PRINT Corrections are printed at the bottom of News p. 2. Corrections will be printed in the month following the error and, if the story is also published
online, will be corrected following the online corrections policy. PHOTO CREDITS Photos are labeled with the photographer name, whether on staff or freelance. Images sourced outside the staff are credited with guidance from the National Press Photographers Association guides. NAME AND PRONOUN USE The Rubicon uses the name and pronouns shared by individual sources during interview. Each interview and survey begins with a request to say and spell the person’s name and to share the pronouns they would like to see published in the story. The reporter is transparent about where the story will be published. If a mistake is made, a correction will be posted per the corrections policy.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST The Rubicon news and Ibid yearbook avoid conflicts of interest while also honoring the fact that our reporters are involved in the school and local community beyond their work on staff. Staff members avoid writing about students, teachers, student clubs, affinity groups, and organizations that they are involved with. The reporter is always responsible for disclosing conflicts of interest, but if a conflict of interest arises after publication, the story is not removed. If it is in the best interest of a source to be interviewed by a close friend in the case of a sensitive topic, the interviewer will not write the story, only conduct the interview. Unavoidable conflicts of interest are mentioned at the top of a story. Photographing or videography of news events is never a conflict of interest.
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OPINIONS THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
‘Hot Ones’ turns up the heat on long-form journalism LILLY PARR
THE RUBICON
How does watching Gordon Ramsey eat chicken for half an hour set viewers up to consume long-form journalism? Food, drink and pop culture site (and host of “Hot Ones”) First We Feast, 136 million people have viewed Gordon Ramsey’s episode of “Hot Ones” with host Sean Evans. While those 136 million folks were likely looking to see how the award-winning chef would react to the infamous chicken wings, they simultaneously participated in the growth of long-form journalism. While long-form media is a term that can be different to everyone, Merriam-Webster categorized long-form as something “notably long in form in comparison to what is common or typical for works or content of a particular category.” Journalism, a field with numerous disciplines, styles and formats, counts long-form in anything from a 1,000-word op-ed to an in-depth news broadcast segment. The Feb. 11 Pew Research Center study “Why Americans think news habits are changing” found that 50% of U.S. adults consume more news than they did 10 years ago. Despite this upward trend, 52% of Americans tune out the news, or follow it less closely, because they are “worn out by it.” Instead, many turn to social media’s entertainment and distraction. In an age of short-form content, with addictive social media apps like TikTok and Instagram reaching large levels of popularity, it can feel hard to focus or comprehend long-form content, especially if it covers a serious or saddening topic. Ramsey’s season eight episode of “Hot Ones” can be a perfect first step because of its length and detail. In the 31-minute video, which is significantly longer than an Instagram Reel, Evans asks Ramsey questions about his career, food and upcoming projects. The amount of background research conducted by Evans and his team is a key factor in how “Hot Ones”
interviews are able to shine, Ramsey’s being no exception. Evans asks about significant mentors, moments and critiques Ramsey has received. Evans is thoughtful and concise in his questioning, allowing Ramsey time to eat and answer.
The amount of background research conducted by Evans and his team is a key factor in how “Hot Ones” interviews are able to shine.
Lilly Parr
While “Hot Ones” isn’t necessarily the highest quality of journalism, Evans is a good interviewer, being both welcoming and professional, allowing guests to feel comfortable in the space. The interview becomes a great way to explore long-form media because it is rooted in journalism practices but is presented in a lighthearted manner. Viewers will be able to watch the episode for longer because it covers a topic as easy-going as someone eating chicken, yet it has research and polished skill behind it. Of course, this specific episode of “Hot Ones” is not the only way to bridge the gap between a 50-second TikTok video and hours of journalism. In the realm of chicken-themed interviews, try Amelia Dimoldenburg’s “Chicken Shop Dates.” Don’t want to watch someone eat? Dive into one of the many late-night TV shows, spanning decades, topics and styles. A comedian doing crowd work, Ziwe Fumudoh rage baiting her guests or some karaoke (while carpooling), can also be a part of the long-form journalism world. Will watching something like this completely alter the way most Americans view and consume news? Probably not. Can it lead in the right direction? Maybe.
ENGAGING INTERVIEWS. From Amelia Dimoldenburg’s “Chicken Shop Dates” to Sean Evan’s “Hot Ones,” entertaining and lengthy interviews with fun aspects, such as tasting hot wings or singing in the car can help transition viewers to start consuming more long-form journalism.
Screen time limits prove ineffective when unexplained LINA ABID
THE RUBICON
‘Strict parents raise sneaky kids.’ While the verbiage may vary, proponents of this saying agree that one is undoubtedly linked to the
other. When it comes to screen time, a generation of technology-fluent teenagers and their often less-fluent parents creates a tense dynamic. Just as the world is now evaluating what acceptable use of AI can
PERCENT OF TEENS WHO SAY THEY SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA
27%
2023
45%
2024 INFORMATION: Pew Research Center
TICK TOCK TIKTOK. The amount of teens who say they spend too much time on social media has increased in recent years. Teens are often resistant to restrictions from their parents despite being aware of their overuse. This can stem from a lack of clear communication or explanation behind screen time restrictions.
look like as it develops, parents across the world have had to make decisions regarding what role technology, and especially social media, will play in their children’s lives. In the interest of effectiveness, reasoning behind these parental decisions need to be clarified so that limitations do not end up feeling like unfair restrictions. Outside of parent-child relationships, social media companies and users also have work to do in controlling the role it plays in day-to-day life. There is plenty of evidence that excessive screen time has negative effects, especially on children and adolescents. A 2023 article in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science titled “Effects of Excessive Screen Time on Child Development” states that while screens may improve learning in some circumstances, they present a risk to the “cognitive, linguistic and social-emotional growth” of children. The study encourages promoting knowledge about technology and
alternative activities to discourage children from reliance on screens. The instinct of many parents, however, is to enforce rigid screen-time limits, whether it be through iPhone settings or by physically removing devices. Regardless, the problem remains. Strict parents. Sneaky kids. Society has witnessed them irrevocably tied together. According to a 2026 study from NUS Psychology, stricter parenting styles, especially those involving harsher limitations and punishment, result in habits of deception and dishonesty in children. Applied to the restriction of technology use, kids and teens will find ways to evade restrictions and lie about their screen use to avoid reprimanding or an increase in screen time limits. In general, rules are more effective when they are understood. A baby cries because they genuinely have no idea why Mom would take away the fork they were planning on shoving in an electrical socket - it just seems cruel.
If parents make sure their teenagers understand the benefits of restricted screen time, and what they are expected to be doing instead, the teens could move forward with their own plan to find a balance.
In general, rules are more effective when they are understood.
Lina Abid
With encouragement and communication from parents, but without direct intervention, the hope would be that teenagers are able to develop time management, self-advocacy and healthy relationships with technology through their own experience. This would reinforce understanding of the potential negative consequences of excessive social media and screen use while forcing lasting functional habits that teens can take into adulthood.
Much of the motivation to have and keep apps that make screen time problematic is likely due to the social aspect of social media. When it comes to inapp restrictions, the same potential for being left out does not apply. As a part of an August 2026 settlement concerning severe social media addiction among teens, Meta has committed to implementing a two-hour limit on Instagram and Facebook for ages 13-17, in addition to other restrictions regarding notifications and scrolling time. The new regulations in Meta’s apps to decrease their addictive nature are a step towards a better social media environment. But, in the grand scheme of screen-time limits, it is more beneficial to develop the skill and willpower to put away the screen as an individual rather than have the restrictions built into everyday life.
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COLUMNS THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
Is being busy beneficial to high school students?
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WHY BEING BUSY IS GOOD FOR STUDENTS EVA BURNS
THE RUBICON
Between clubs, homework, sports, the arts and other extracurricular activities, it can be hard to leave room to breathe. For many high school students, being busy is simply a part of life. While an overloaded schedule can lead to stress and burnout, having a well-rounded, full schedule isn’t necessarily a negative thing. In fact, research suggests that participation in structured and varied extracurricular activities can benefit teenagers in several ways, from reducing passive screen time to developing skills and preparing students for academic life after high school. Doomscrolling, something most teenagers are very familiar with, is one of the biggest alternatives to extracurriculars. A 2020 National Institute of Health study of more than 28,000 adolescents a n d found that
students involved in extracurricular activities were less likely to spend two or more hours on screens after school. Extracurricular participation was also associated with greater life satisfaction and optimism, and fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression. Although it can be
Being busy can also provide necessary structure during a time when students are gaining more independence. Eva Burns
tempting to decompress by scrolling through TikTok or Instagram, choosing to do something else, such as an activity or something meaningful, is a better choice. Extracurricular activities are opportunities for students to explore new things and spend their time developing diverse skills rather than mindlessly consuming content. Future academic attainment is another benefit of a broad range of extracurricular activities. A 2019 study from the National Library of Medicine found that the intensi-
SIDES
ONE ISSUE ty of extracurricular involvement during tenth grade was strongly correlated with future academic achievement. Just as standardized test scores are considered good predictors of a student’s success, extracurricular activities function in a similar way, highlighting a student’s skills and commitment. Being busy can also provide necessary structure during a time when students are gaining more independence. A 2026 Public Library of Science study found a significant association between greater amounts of unstructured time outside the home and adolescent legal offenses. The study also found that teenagers who spend lots of time in unstructured settings outside their homes were more likely to report legally offend-
ing behavior. While these findings don’t mean that teenagers with any free time are doomed to get into trouble, they do suggest that how teenagers spend their free time matters. Consider for a moment what students actually learn outside the classroom. A student on the newspaper may develop writing and interviewing skills, someone in sports can learn discipline and a student in student government can gain experience with leadership and public speaking. These formative experiences are all opportunities to help students discover their future career path. Trying different activities is a great chance for teenagers to explore their interests, so don’t let it go to waste.•
WHY BEING BUSY IS NOT THE ANSWER ZAHIR HASSAN RUBICONLINE
Whether it’s sports, picking up siblings, clubs, hanging out with friends or finishing up assignments, high school is full of constant activity. Students often carry so much responsibility; it seems like they are always busy with one thing or another. This sense of being constantly busy isn’t always a good thing. If children are constantly being held to the standard of balancing everything in their lives, how are they expected to show up for those around them? Too many activities can lead to stress and anxiety, especially for kids in high school. Not only do they have to constantly balance responsibilities, but do it again and again until a break. One day can feel like a year, getting through it feeling like a challenge in itself. This can lead to burnout. Students who are burnt out may feel fatigued and experience negative impacts on their mental health and academics. When mental health drops, sleep cycles can be disrupted, students lose focus more
quickly and the well-being of students is at risk. While students juggle their lives and navigate daily stressors, they lose track of time and often compromise their sleep schedules. Sleep is the key to a healthy lifestyle: essential for improved focus, mood, proper bodily functions. Being busy with activities can disrupt routines and change sleep schedules.
Too many activities can lead to more stress and anxiety[.] Zahir Hassan
All of this doesn’t mean that students shouldn’t engage in extracurricular activities or hang out with their friends; it means that finding a balance is key to navigating high school life. Instead of piling up activities, students should take time for themselves and understand that health is more important.
Why does humanity have the urge to send itself to its own demise? nuclear weapons, which eventually led to the understanding of “M.A.D.,” or mutually assured destruction, in which both parties at war understand that if one launches nuclear weapons, the other will follow suit, decimating both the attacker’s and defender’s land. For better or for worse, as humanity developed, so did its ability to create things.
For better or for worse, as humanity developed, so did its ability to create things. Niko Lifton
NIKO LIFTON
THE RUBICON
From the creation of the nuclear bomb to the overfunding of the military, humanity has consistently supported companies, people and politicians who seek to fill their own pockets rather than thwarting their oncoming demise. “Mankind invented the atomic bomb, but no mouse would ever construct a mousetrap.” Those were the famous words Albert Einstein said about the nuclear bomb. In August 1942, the Americans began building the nuclear bomb, in what is known as the Manhattan Project. Then, three years later, the first nuclear test, or Trinity, was conducted July 16, 1945. In August of that same year, two atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Other countries soon followed suit, building their own
Eventually, despite all the warnings from pop culture movies, the first viable artificial intelligence system was created. Even the name is a warning. Artificial intelligence connotes replacing human intelligence. Humanity has already begun to build a reliance on AI. According to an MIT Media Lab study done in 2025, “83% of participants who wrote essays using ChatGPT couldn’t quote a single sentence from what they’d submitted moments earlier.” A percentage this great seems concerning, and it is. To be unable to retain information means that one can’t learn and develop, leading to other learning disorders, and eventually relying on AI completely and as a worst case scenario, losing all critical thinking skills. Of course, going down this path isn’t easy, at least not yet. However, as humanity develops, AI will increasingly appear, as it is currently doing.
For example, many years ago, Google would only either provide the link to a source or an excerpt from a source. But in 2024, Google AI overviews were introduced, placing AI at the front and center of every Google search. This is obviously a smaller replacement, but it has been woven into the very fabric of our lives, from our “smart systems” to the many chatbots added to social media platforms. This isn’t easily avoidable, as the people pulling the strings within their brands attempt to force AI content on users, as it pulls in revenue for them. While humanity has created many things that push it toward its own demise, at heart, humanity is mostly good, merely misguided by the people in power. Society is told to believe a narrative based on accusatory facts so that aristocrats can get their way. Could we consider the possibility that their greed is the reason we push ourselves to our demise? Not our creations, but greed, power and herd mentality? Is that what drives humans to blindly create things that bring themselves one step closer to death? Perhaps so.
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IN DE
THE RUBICON - S
PROTECTING YOUR PRIVACY concern among older generations.
TAKING CONTROL continued from pg. 1 Flock cameras have faced criticism over weak software security, mirroring mass surveillance states and the collection of data on appearances. Despite the claims that Flock cameras are strictly used in investigating vehicle theft and other crimes, junior Zoe Brenner questions their use for strictly safety-related purposes. “People criticize the usage of [Flock cameras] facing playgrounds to watch children and how predators with access to the footage abuse that,” Brenner said. “I think that’s a bit of an extreme way to think, with how unfortunately readily available content for these predators is on the internet.” Outside of Minnesota, the definition and standards of privacy have also evolved online. Before personal information was considered valuable for selling or advertising, apps would just ask
for a name, email and a few other minor details. Now, websites ask for cookies to be accepted, location tracking data and other personal information that can be obtained without user knowledge.
INDIVIDUAL AGENCY While privacy concerns have existed for a long time, evolving technology has made information theft and unauthorized data collection a lot easier, more widespread and increasingly difficult for individuals to detect or prevent. In particular, privacy concerns have moved from what people choose to share to what is collected automatically, potentially without prior knowledge or consent. For senior Sam Hilton, the difference between automatically collected information and given information has been blurred by technology choices.
DATABASE DETAILS “There’s a massive difference between giving [websites] information and them just taking it,” Hilton said. “It is tricky because there are cookies which allow them to take [information], but it’s hidden in a way that doesn’t feel very threatening.”
“
There’s a massive difference between giving [websites] information and them just taking it. senior Sam Hilton
However, privacy-related technology did not come out of nowhere. Ninth-grader Yeleen Kamia reflects on the evolution of good and bad technology as a factor of
“I think as the internet has advanced, so have the good and bad things and the ways that you can use them. All of that advances together because the internet is a place that can be incredibly dangerous for vulnerable people, including elders and people who don’t have the internet skills,” Kamia said. Privacy today is marred by increasing concerns over data security and publicly available data with the addition of AI. With so much personal information stored within website and app databases, Statista determined that in 2024 nearly 12% of people were affected by data breaches, hacks or leaks. While these issues seem distant, they can affect everyone. Brenner has noticed that AI-powered internet searches can now find information that was previously limited. “My dad’s in information security. So in-
formation about me online is really super limited … Before, if you searched up my name, nothing relating to this Zoe Brenner would pop up. It was always about someone else,” she said. “I asked [ChatGPT], ‘find a Zoe Brenner from Minnesota,’ and it kept saying it couldn’t. Finally, ChatGPT was like, ‘I found one entry for Zoe Brenner that was in a wedding as a flower girl.’ That was me, and I thought it was insane how I couldn’t access this information years ago, but ChatGPT was able to, with just a bit of pushing.”
TANGIBLE ACTION With privacy being a common topic of discussion, staying safe online is increasingly important to keep personal information secure. According to the Federal Trade Commission, keeping software up to date, securing home networks and using security questions are several ways to stay safe online. Kamia finds that securing her phone is a way she keeps herself safe from phishing and scams.
“On my phone I get a lot of scam calls, and I turn off unknown numbers, so that they can’t contact me on my phone,” she said. Privacy affects everyone at the national and local levels. From social media apps to Flock cameras, being private may no longer mean being completely invisible. Instead, it may mean deciding how much information is given away – and whether individuals have more control over what happens to their information that they did not choose to give away.
SPA THINKS:
How do you protect your privacy online?
“
I have a private Instagram account.
sophomore Donek Marthaler
“
I don’t allow apps to access my entire camera roll.
senior Juliette Smith
“
I don’t post super personal things online. junior Abby Tilton
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EPTH
SEPTEMBER 2026
IS OUR SECURITY AT RISK? How common are security breaches?
3,322 data compromises in 2025 278.8 million confirmed breaches in 2025, 74% decrease from 2024
What is the scale of exposed information?
What are the real world consequences of cyber insecurity? How many scams are started on social media?
$15.9 billion fraud losses in 2025 About 30% of scams in 2025
INFORMATION: Identity Theft Resource Center, Federal Trade Commission
SAFE SEARCHING. The internet and specifically social media create many opportunities for fraud and scams. Knowing the extent of this risk can be important for frequent users.
Mass surveillance cont inu IVY EVANS
THE RUBICON
“Big Brother is watching you,” George Orwell wrote in his dystopian novel and critique on mass surveillance “1984.” Although the novel was a guess at the future, mass surveillance has become increasingly prevalent in today’s world, blending historical definitions of “dystopian” with current events. However, though mass surveillance feels like a relatively recent topic, variations of the practice have been around for centuries.
ADVANCING TECH
FAIR USE IMAGE: Tony Webster
FIGHT OR FLOCK. The presence of Flock cameras in the Twin Cities has raised questions about their intended purpose. They have since been taken down in protest in some cities.
Surveillance technology has become incredibly advanced in the last few decades, but it wasn’t always. The first instances of surveillance appeared in national censuses designed to collect data on U.S. citizens, slave patrols and wiretapping. Now, most programs are accessed via computers. No matter the method, government surveillance puts senior Chloe Kovarik on edge. “I just don’t think that government surveillance is necessary. It just feels very out of the ordinary,” she said. “Sure, it can be necessary in some places, but the thought of the government tracking everything I do is overkill and an invasion of my privacy … I’d go as far as to say my rights as well.” Government surveillance is currently, and has been for many years, a complicated and contro-
versial topic. Especially now, with the rise of the internet, social media and telecommunications, it’s become a concern for more and more people in the United States. Junior Kieran Ahearne-Kroll, who participated in last year’s upper school book club reading of “1984,” is also concerned with the issue of government surveillance and how similar the novel’s events look to real life. “It’s so strange how similar [the story] is to today. I feel like … whenever I have my phone or my iPad, I always try to cover the camera if possible. … I’m aware of where it is at all times and … where the camera is pointing because I don’t want it to see my daily life,” they said. Ahearne-Kroll is also wary of how social media intersects with surveillance and the idea that their phone often seems like it is listening to them.
SIRI SUSPICION “It’s horrifying … it knows what I want. Like when I search something and I tap on one thing, there’s a bunch of other things that are not really related to it, … yet somehow I’m interested in them,” Ahearne-Kroll said. They still recall a specific moment when that very scenario played out. They were having a conversation with their family, and upon opening their phone later that day, a video popped up on
es to raise concerns
YouTube about the topic they’d been discussing. Though Ahearne-Kroll does not remember the specifics, the aversion they had to the idea of being listened to stuck with them. “It was so scary … I did not search [for it],” they said. “I don’t even know if I had my phone on me. I probably did, but it’s still super weird.”
“
I’m aware of where [my phone]is at all times and … where the camera is pointing because I don’t want it to see my daily life. junior Kieran AhearneKroll
Although there is no confirmation that phones and other devices are choosing content by listening to their users’ conversations, there are a few instances of surveillance where the government did or does have access to many communications across the country. Recently, a technology called Flock cameras have popped up around the Twin Cities, with the aim to increase traffic safety. However, many police departments have allowed U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents access to the cameras, some-
thing many citizens have found concerning. After being part of a car crash three years ago in which security cam-
MEANING AND MISUSE eras were used to determine which driver was at fault, sophomore Ava Mays feels that the cameras themselves can be helpful in certain situations. She also believes they can have negative impacts when used inappropriately. “I think it’s frustrating that it’s not being used in the way it’s intended to be used for. I think if the goal of the cameras is to be used to catch people who are speeding through lights or I don’t know running red lights, then it should be used for just that, not tracking people down,” Mays said. There are other past programs that have similarly targeted non citizens. A program called X-Keyscore, for instance, was created by the National Security Agency and designed to search and analyze internet data of foreign nationals, or people in the United States who are not citizens. It can access emails, website traffic and location data, as well as phone calls, browsing history and Word documents. The concern many have with this program is that there is no authorization needed for NSA analysts to access it, and the only step one must take to
do so is to fill out a form with the reason for access. This form is not reviewed by any court or other organization. The lack of authentication and professionalism in many of these scenarios concerns many U.S. citizens, especially as they seem to still be occurring today. Ahearne-Kroll believes that the situation will not escalate far enough that the country would be completely akin to the dystopian backdrop of “1984,” though they also retain some doubt. “I know there’s a lot of resistance to it already, so I feel like … the place that the government got to in ‘1984,’ I don’t think it’s as likely as they think it was, because enough people would be angry … We would have a strong resistance to it,” they said. “I don’t think it would get to that point, but then again, technology is always improving. They could hide it from us.” The future of government surveillance is uncertain, but it is ingrained in more and more aspects of society. In the Twin Cities, surveillance is a factor every driver must consider every day. Whether the practice retains its prominence or not, mass surveillance has made many U.S. citizens hyperaware of how they go about their lives.
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FEATURE THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
DIGITAL DEPENDENCE. Students seeking relaxation often find it in technology. It can feel easy to doomscroll and stare at a phone in stressful situations. “I feel like that happens when I’m stressed or in situations where it feels awkward. I wish I could just be ... on my phone,” junior Lucy Byrnes said. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: Izzy Middlebrook
Hack high-tech dependency
Intentional reflection on use nets better habits GRACE BERGER
and are trying to combat them.
As the school year launches into full swing, so do homework assignments, long nights of athletics and hours of brain power. With a packed schedule, students seek comfort in technology. When situations become overwhelming, uncomfortable or boring, students find themselves reaching for their phones. “I feel like that happens when I’m stressed or in situations where it feels awkward. I wish I could just be ... on my phone,” junior Lucy Byrnes said. “I definitely want to try and have a lower screen time since I feel like the year’s going to get busy.” This dopamine-filled reaction can become a habit for teenagers and adults alike, often an instinct but for young people, the cognitive consequences are significantly greater. According to the National Library of Medicine, excessive screen time can reduce attention span, decrease creativity and limit problem-solving abilities. Upper school students are aware of these effects
TRACKING TIME SPENT
THE RUBICON
Sophomore Elliott Hazzard has already made changes to his screen usage. “It felt like I was spending a lot of time on my phone and ignoring things that I had to do, so I felt like, if I stopped doing that, I could focus more,” he said.
Many other students actively limit their use of technology. Here are some recommendations to ease one’s way into a more productive, present and focused school year. One of the most useful methods to manage screen usage is simply becoming conscious of it. Many phones include features that monitor how many times the phone is picked up and which apps are used most. Time limits are helpful because
they disable certain apps after a set amount of time spent on them. It is often when there is a lack of awareness that time is easily spent on screens.
PAUSING THE PINGS Lucy Byrnes spends her summers at camp, where phones aren’t allowed. “I didn’t think about my phone once. I never wished I could sit and scroll on my phone,” she
SCREEN TIME STRESS
BY THE NUMBERS
24.8%
reduced symptoms of depression
14.5%
reduced symptoms of insomnia
52%
people found success using screen-time limiting apps
16.1%
reduced symptoms of anxiety INFORMATION: Yougov, Georgetown University
TROUBLING TECH. Apps, specifically made for reducing screen time led many people to use their phones less. Various positive symptoms were seen as a response.
said. “It makes me realize how much time at home I spend on my phone.” Once students become aware of where their usage comes from, the next step is to limit notifications from those apps. Notifications draw users in by creating unknowns. These alerts have little context and draw users in by making them feel curious or even creating a fear of missing out. It can be easy to tell the difference between necessary and unnecessary alerts, and can be done by switching a phone to do not disturb or selecting which apps or texts from certain people use push notifications.
REGULATING YOUR ROUTINE This is as simple as looking for activities away from technology. Ninth-grader Norah Callahan already spends her free time with this in mind. “To avoid social media I like to bake a lot, go to tennis at my club, take photos at sports events and hangout with my friends,” she said. Intentionally blocking out screen-free time is an im-
portant step in decreasing one’s dependency. Technology is inherently addictive, making it difficult for students to avoid. When considering a change in habits, think of small achievable goals that are easy to stick with.
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To avoid social media I like to bake a lot, go to tennis at my club, take photos at sports events and hangout with my friends. ninthgrader Norah Callahan
“I think for sure making that first step, because sometimes it’s hard to delete an app or grow away from that for social reasons, or emotional reasons. But what I found is after leaving it, I felt like I was being a lot more active and I was sleeping better and focusing,” Hazzard said. Attention is precious; be thoughtful about how it is spent, and it’s never too late to reclaim it.
13 Four new faculty join multiple departments FEATURE
THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
THE RUBICON
SARAH BERNDT HISTORY Sarah Berndt joined Saint Paul Academy and Summit School’s history department after five years of teaching at La Lumiere, a boarding and day school in Indiana. Becoming a teacher wasn’t always her plan. After college, she worked at a museum as an assistant director. She moved to Minnesota because of her desire to live in a city. Berndt was drawn to SPA’s unique student-based Harkness discussions, friendly environment and beautiful campus. FAST FACT Sarah Berndt is a certified Pilates instructor.
“I was looking for a school that had a strong sense of community and was able to offer robust support to students,” she said. One of her main excitements for school this year is to spend time with her students: “[The students] seem really interesting and kind,” she said.
In her free time, she is a Pilates instructor, likes to stay active and enjoys time with her three-yearold dog, Friday. Berndt has spent years perfecting her chocolate chip cookie recipe, and she’s hardly ever seen without a cup of coffee in her hand. “It’s a comfort thing,” she said. She is looking forward to her first Minnesota winter and wants to learn how to Nordic ski. “I get the sense that people here enjoy winter ... so I’m going to try and embrace it,” she said. With many new experiences ahead, she’s excited to take on unique, new challenges.
KATERI ANDERSON HEYMANS SPANISH From African foothills to SPA, Kateri Anderson Heymans known to her students as ‘Señora Anderson,’ has lived an adventurous life. Coming from a multilingual family, Anderson Heymans grew up speaking Spanish. She lived in Peru when she was a kid and has spent around six
years in Spanish-speaking countries. From an early age, her lifelong goal was to travel the world. In college, she took every opportunity– whether a weekend off or a seasonal break–to travel. After about a decade, she’d traveled to 30 different countries while teaching Spanish on online tutoring platforms to fund her trips. In December 2025, after a year acting as a longterm substitute teacher in the Robbinsdale district, she decided to settle down. FAST FACT Kateri Anderson Heymans taught online to fund travels.
“I enjoyed teaching Spanish online so much. ... When I tried long-term subbing, I realized I really liked it,” Anderson Heymans said. “[Coming to SPA] felt like the next step for me.” This year, she is teaching Spanish I and II. She has enjoyed the upper school’s support and friendliness and the students’ desire to learn. “I feel like it’s a very positive, safe environment,” she said. Apart from traveling, Anderson Heymans uses her free time to embrace nature. She loves trying new things and is excited to see what the Twin Cit-
ies has to offer and where she can explore.
UMUT GÜRSEL MATH Umut Gürsel started her career as an investment banker in New York. After finding her passion to teach through training new hires, she pursued her first educational role at college prep school Horace Mann, NYC. She was a well-traveled academic—teaching in Qatar and Ghana as her career progressed. After this, Gürsel returned to college to achieve her master’s degree, before moving to Minnesota in 2021. This year, she is teaching Geometry, Honors Geometry, Geometry Recitation and Algebra Recitation. FAST FACT Umut Gürsel worked as an investment banker in New York.
She was drawn to SPA’s tightly knit community and small class sizes. “I’ve known some graduates and people who have worked here. It’s a very well-rounded school,” Gürsel said.
She’s especially excited to work with students who are new to the upper school as well. “I think we’re all in the same boat,” she said. This year, she looks to bring out her students’ curiosity. In her free time, she likes to stay active, enjoying walking, hiking and running. She also loves card and board games, especially Sudoku puzzles and Quarto.
AMANDA MINOFF ENGLISH Since working for a semester at SPA during the pandemic, Amanda Minoff has returned to the upper school’s English department after teaching undergraduates at the University of Minnesota. Although she enjoyed her time at the U of M, she found herself missing the connections she had built at SPA. “I really missed teaching high school-age students, so I was really happy when the opportunity presented itself.” This year, she looks forward to teaching the English elective Literature of Comedy and Satire the most. Outside
of school, Minoff enjoys writing, knitting, yoga, hiking and cooking. She prefers improvising in the kitchen, as opposed to following a recipe. FAST FACT Amanda Minoff writing, knitting, yoga, hiking and cooking.
“I love making soups, stews or curries—one-pot things where I can just throw a lot of stuff in,” she said. Traveling to Japan and experiencing its food and culture is at the top of Minoff’s bucket list. Although she’s traveled to a few places in Europe, she looks forward to more opportunities to travel. PHOTOS: Wynter Feiner
GAME TIME: Match the item with the hobby.
A.
B.
C.
D.
1. _____ Sarah Berndt 2. _____ Kateri Anderson Heymans
3. _____ Umut Gürsel 4. _____ Amanda Minoff
KEY: 1D, 2A, 3B, 4C
ELLIE WHITCOMB
Bettenburg braves Arctic, returns with stories “ The beauty of it all was so LINA ABID
THE RUBICON
“What if we die?” was not the question that senior Jack Bettenburg expected to be asking himself as he set off on his 50-day Arctic trip - at least not on the first day. With the help of both van and air travel, he and his group - consisting of four other campers and two guides - made it to Yellowknife, Canada where they put in on Desteffany Lake to begin their route down the Coppermine River. “We set up our boats, we look at the water- and as we were flying, we saw this too- we’re like, are the lakes frozen?” Bettenburg said. He was quickly able to confirm that, yes, the first lake of the trip was mostly ice. “There was this tiny, tiny little channel from the center of the ice, and that was just how we
66° 33’ N 0-180° E+W Because the Arctic is a circular region spanning the top of the globe, all 360 degrees of longitude pass through it, converging at the geographic North Pole.
were gonna have to get through. And we’re like, cool. That’s great. What if we die? … We got to like three fourths of the way through [the lake] and we’re sealed in. I was at the bow of the first boat, so I had to spend four hours paddling three meters.” Bettenburg set off to the trip with YMCA Camp Menogyn, where the “Arctic Canoe” stands as the longest program a camper can register for, and is only available upon recommendation from a trail guide. He has been going to Menogyn for six years, venturing on trips increasing in length that
have all built up to this one. Senior Eliza Bray, who has been a camper at Menogyn in past summers, acknowledges the significance of this trip. “The scenery is so different from anything that we have around [the Twin Cities] or the Boundary Waters, so it’s a big change, and it’s really exciting for him because I know he’s been wanting to do this for a long time,” she said. While Bettenburg has trouble distilling his entire experience into one or two favorite moments, he specifically notes the scenery. “The beauty of it all was so expansive in a way where when you look at it from a distance, it is so beautiful: the rolling hills, the lack of trees, these huge sandstone cliffs or the canyon walls. But also at such a small scale, where you look at the ground, and you see
this beautiful lichen and these stunning Canadian Shield rocks,” he said. After 40 nights under the midnight sun, Bettenburg has plenty of stories. Drinking crystal clear water from frozen lakes, heat-induced hallucinations in a stuffy tent, wrestling giant lake trout and eating it for dinner, but there were quieter moments that stood out, too. Senior Margaret Bonin heard about some of these before any others. “He told me all the small stories,” she said, “like how he read an 800 page book in five
expansive in a way where when you look at it from a distance, it is so beautiful[.] senior Jack Bettenburg
days, and how he wrote a bunch of poetry but it got washed away.” Now, after returning home and acclimating to the pace of the school year, Bettenburg has written enough to replace the poetry now lost somewhere in the Arctic. As part of an independent study, he plans to make a
book of poems inspired by his trip. Despite facing immediate and trying obstacles in his first few days in the Arctic, Bettenburg has returned with enough fond memories to fill several pages with.
HAPPY HIKERS. Senior Jack Bettenburg and his fellow campers rest during their “Arctic Canoe” trip, part of the offerings through YMCA Camp Menogyn.
SUBMITTED PHOTO: Jack Bettenburg
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SPORTS THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
Spartan spirit fuels athletes, community GRACE BERGER THE RUBICON
Spartan spirit is an integral part of the game experience. Whether it’s by cheering in the stands at a soccer game or running alongside cross country athletes; one supports their school community. Football player Peter Overgaard noticed these effects firsthand. “I think [cheering] builds a community that’s positive and supportive in school and out of school,” he said. Student athletes’ experience competing allows them to understand the importance of supporting fellow players. In a 2004 sports psychology article by the LA Times, it was noted that when crowds were present at sporting events involving players’ strength, endurance and teamwork, players’ athletic performance improved. When athletes are cheered on by spectators it can give them the boost they need to perform at the next level. This added energy can create a fun atmosphere
for both the players and spectators. During early season games, however, fan turnout can be hard to find. Soccer player Xavi Markowitz Mulet noticed this shortage at games. “We don’t have the best fan base. We usually get minimal supporters,” he said. “It would be better if we had more people show up. … It brings a better ambiance to the game when there’s more people. I think the team tries harder because there’s more encouragement.”
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I think [cheering] builds a community that’s positive and supportive in school and out of school. ninthgrader Peter Overgaard
Overgaard believes that there is an appropriate level of encouragement depending on the sport. “At football games
you can be loud for your team, but don’t hate on the other team too much. Always build a positive atmosphere with your peers,” he said. Often, support looks like crowded bleachers and fans being loud. However, sports like tennis hold different expectations for spectators. Tennis player Bridget Hatch experienced this on the court. “With tennis, it can distract me sometimes if they are too loud. How loud you are depends on the sport, but for my sport … you don’t want to distract the player,” Hatch said. “I definitely appreciate it if there’s a lot of people there.” While engagement at all sports is important, it can be difficult to know the proper etiquette for each event. If it is someone’s first time at a sports game, it can be helpful to research what is polite or ask a player what they enjoy. For example, at tennis matches, people support the player only after they make a good shot. Student spectators do their own part in contributing to the spirit of the game in addition to the
SENIOR CELEBRATION. Seniors Erik Bjorgvinsson, Charlie Zakaib, Andrew Sullivan and William O’Brien cheer on the SMB Wolfpackn as the team beat Winona at TCO Stadium in their first game of the season.
community. “My role [as a spectator] is to build a stronger community within SPA, and I think by showing up to events, we as a whole build a stronger community, and it’s just fun,” Markowitz Mulet said. Supporting athletes does more than just improve performance, it enhances the school experience. By cheering for the success of the school, students contribute to an exciting atmosphere that can lead to wins, personal records and a closely knit community.
PHOTOS: Caden Deardurff
BRILLIANT BASKETBALL. Juniors Sam Worall, Nils Lajuzan, Kiean Bietz and Eli Kardasis-Sturtz cheer on their peers at a basketball game.
Coach Overgaard fosters growth in swimmers in and out of the pool On top of her support for her swimmers on the individual level, Overgaard encourages them to think about their roles in the program like pieces of a puzzle: working together to achieve what’s best for the collective team. “Just because something might be your favorite event, it may not be where it fits with what the team needs you to do in order to win,” she said. Sophomore Parker Frosch appreciates Overgaard’s encouragement to explore things that feel unfamiliar. “Last year, I stuck to a lot of what I’m comfortable with, and this year Ms. O has made sure that we all try something new,” she said. “I tried a new event that I’d never done, and it went a lot better than I expected.”
PHOTO: Sam Galarneault
CONFIDENT COACHING Head Coach Stacy Overgaard enthusiastically cheers on her swimmers. Her energy was infectious among players. “Every member of the team matters, regardless of how fast you are or how mant flips you can do off the board,” Overgaard said.
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I feel like she starts every practice really connecting with the swimmers one on one, and she just promotes their self confidence. junior Emma Brewton
ARIELLA KIM
THE RUBICON
Before every meet, Trojans swim and dive coach Stacy Overgaard gives her swimmers a two-part directive: “Swim fast, have fun.” Overgaard has coached the boys swim team and served as an assistant coach for the girls team, Sparks Swim and Dive, a co-op program with Highland Park High School, for the past two years. This year, she returns as co-head coach alongside Christopher Rupp. As Overgaard stepped into the lead role this fall, she brought with her a clear vision to her coaching style: “I am kind and direct,” she said. “I encourage people to try hard things. You think you can’t do an event, we practice [and] practice to make sure that you actually can.’”
Although Overgaard helped out last year with technical tasks, transitioning to head coach comes with an abundance of new duties. “Last year I was just an assistant a couple days a week, and I managed the test set data,” she said. “But this year, I’m in charge of lineups, all the stat data, like everything about our times and our best times and our records … I also manage our managers … which means I help them be successful keeping track of data numbers.” Overgaard’s structured approach is deeply appreciated by junior Emma Brewton, one of the team managers for the program. “[She] comes very prepared for all the practices, which is really helpful for us,” she said. As a middle school science teacher, Overgaard transfers her scientific background into her coaching.
“I bring a lot of my science to coaching. I’m a data coach,” she said, explaining that she uses spreadsheets to determine lineups based on the team’s numbers. She also uses her scientific knowledge to teach athletes about heart rate monitoring and recovery techniques. While data plays a big role in her coaching, Overgaard also values the culture and relationships within the team. She is thankful for the supportive environment the swimmers have fostered. “I’m incredibly fortunate that we have a culture with our co-op that is very positive,” she said. Overgaard makes sure to recognize each individual’s unique contributions to the program, viewing hard work before an event as equally significant to the results. “Every member of the team matters, regardless of how fast you are or how many flips you can do off the board,” she said. “For me, success does not simply boil down to times and points but all the little moments that lead up to a race and meet.” Brewton recognizes this care for each individual of the team from Overgaard and feels that it has an extremely positive impact on the swimmers. “I feel like she starts every practice really connecting with the swimmers one on one, and she just promotes their self confidence,” she said. “She also cares about the whole person and not just the swimming aspect of them.” Similarly, Frosch thinks that Overgaard’s positive pep-talks are effective for her mindset. “She’s been talking to us a lot about telling yourself you can do things and not talking down to yourself … I feel like it’s really helped me,” she said. The team continues to grow both in and out of the pool thanks to Overgaard’s guidance. Their next meet will be an opportunity to put that growth to action. Sparks co-op swim and dive will compete on Sept. 29 at Humboldt High School.
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SPORTS THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
GIRLS SOCCER
PHOTO: Caden Deardurff
Ninth-grader Fatim Thaim’s first season on the girls soccer team has begun on an upward climb. “Our team has really started to be better,” she said. “In the beginning, I wouldn’t say we were super great or anything, but now we’ve started playing as a team more.” This improvement in play and collaboration comes, at least to some extent, from the team’s wins. “We won our first game against Minnehaha, … and I think that’s what our team really needed … [and] it was really good to get a win,” Thaim said. “It just lifted us up.” She looks forward to the team’s next game Oct. 3 against St. Paul Humboldt High School at home at 12 p.m.. Currently, the team sits with a record of 2-3-4.
Halfway point: fall sports update LILLY PARR
THE RUBICON
with additional reporting by Izzy Middlebrook
FOOTBALL
BOYS SOCCER
The Wolfpack football team, which consists of Saint Paul Academy and Summit School, Minnehaha Academy and The Blake School, has had a strong start to their season. Winning their latest game against the Richfield Spartans, by 40 points, they’ve crafted a current record of 3-0. Junior Miles Coates Cush is confident in how far the team can go this season. “We’re off to a good start,” he said. “We have a good energy. We are looking to be state bound this year.” With energy and positivity, the Wolfpack looks forward to its next game Oct. 2 against the Academy of Holy Angels at The Blake School at 7 p.m..
Boys varsity soccer had a “rough game against Blake and Breck,” said junior Xavi Markowitz Mulet. Nonetheless, he is optimistic. “We play Breck [on Sept. 22], so hopefully we’ll be able to get our win back against them,” he said. Markowitz Mulet’s confidence was well placed; the boys soccer team beat Breck 2-0. It has been this spirit of hope that has propelled the team to a current record of 7-3. In fact, such confidence has led Markowitz Mulet to look forward to winning state this year. Their next game is Oct. 2 against Saint Agnes at home at 4:30 p.m..
PHOTO: SPA SmugMug
PHOTO: Zoe Wagner
GIRLS TENNIS
GIRLS SWIM AND DIVE
Like a swift volley, the girls tennis team has set their season off on the right foot. Sophomore Brooke Spilseth spoke highly of the tennis season so far. “The season has been super fun so far, as a team,” she said. “We’re really close and have a positive team environment … One of my favorite parts of playing tennis at SPA is that everybody cheers each other on even after their match is done.” The environment of support and teamwork is helping on and off the court. The girls hold a current record of 4-7. Their next game will be during sections.
PHOTO: SPA SmugMug
PHOTO: SPA SmugMug
The fall sports season of 2026 may feel like it has just begun, but time has flown by and the teams are making big moves. From the speedy Sparks swimmers and divers to the powerful setters and hitters on the volleyball court, this fall has certainly been a busy one. Learn more about the successes of the season for these student athletes, and what is coming up for them.
“Energetic,” is the word that ninth-grader Eloise Wittmer used to describe her experience so far on the Sparks Swim and Dive team, a coop with Highland Park Senior High School. “[The team] is super adaptable and ready to learn,” she said. Wittmer has been swimming competitively since fourth grade, but this is her first year as a part of Sparks. “I wasn’t really aware, from being on a club team, but just swimming with all these different girls, everyone has such an amazing time, and you form so many new connections,” she said. These connections are serving the team well so far. Their next meet is Oct. 3 at Macalester College. PHOTO: Dhru Chaney
CROSS COUNTRY
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
One of the best ways to grow and build a sports program is to have participation. Undoubtedly, that is something the cross country team has mastered. “[The season’s] been really amazing,” senior Rachel Guo said. “I love that we have a really big team.” With their 87 participants and a supportive coaching staff, the cross country team has been consistently performing in races. Girls cross country placed 10/29th and boys 25/26 Sept. 20 at the Roy Griak Invitational. Their next meet is Oct. 13 at Battle Creek Regional Park at 5 p.m..
Looking at the girls volleyball team solely by their statistics, success is more than evident. Other than a dominant 10-0, they’ve beaten highly competitive schools such as Minnehaha Academy and Providence Academy. The team has also begun a season built on team-bonding. “[We have] a team sleepover the day after teams come out, which kickstarts our team chemistry and breaks the ice, which I think allows for a deeper connection between teammates,” senior Murphy Miltner said. The next game is Oct. 5 against Providence Academy at home at 7 p.m..
PHOTO: Ian Hang
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SPORTS THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
GIRL ON THE RUN. Captain Sophie Kannapiran darts towards the finish line. Kannapiran has claimed the title of fastest runner on the girls varsity cross country team. ALMOST THERE. Sophomore Henry Stenzel pushes through the final stretch of his race. Stenzel joined the team as a ninth-grader and witnessed the increased number of athletes on the boys varsity cross country team.
PHOTOS: Katherine Lin
BANG. Girls varsity cross country runners dash into action as the starting gun fires. Many track and field athletes followed head coach Ben Bollinger Danielson to the cross country team after his first year coaching the track team. “I feel like so many people were brought in by that track environment,” captain Alyda Overgaard said.
Team growth ignites competition, unity WYNTER FEINER
MANAGING EDITOR
Bang, a starting gun goes off; racers dart away, feet pound against wellkept, vibrant green grass and echoes of hollering teammates ring throughout the course this year, louder than ever. The cross country team has found its numbers substantially increased as they race into a fresh season. In 2024, Ben Bollinger Danielson stepped up to the plate, adopting the role of head cross country coach. He embraced and quickly expanded the team, combining the middle school and upper school teams. Just two years later, in the spring of 2026, Bollinger Danielson was crowned head track and field coach. Now, emerging from a successful season, many track and field athletes made the decision to continue their running endeavors, migrating from track and field to cross country.
TRACK NEWCOMERS Junior Nils Lajuzan was one of the five boys
who joined the team after being recruited from the track team. “The track coaches told me that I would be a really good addition to the cross country team. They didn’t have many members at the moment, and so they needed some new people,” Lajuzan said. “Compared to track, everybody’s just running the same race, so there’s more of a team spirit. In cross country, you have the support of everybody on the team all the time.”
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The competitive nature is overall good for our team because it pushes people to grow in their capabilities as runners and athletes. sophomore Henry Stenzel
Captain Alyda Overgaard, who has run for the team for the past five years, acknowledged that the addition of many new athletes may also have stemmed from the
Wolfpack celebrate with FROM SMB win in style against Winona THE WEB PETER LIPINSKY THE RUBICON
culture of both the cross country and track teams. “I feel like so many people were brought in by that track environment,” Overgaard said. “There are many people who are just coming to run, but also joining because they heard that [the team] is such a positive place.”
STRONG COMPETITION, STRONGER COMMUNITY The addition of many new athletes has also reshaped team culture. Sophomore Henry Stenzel has noted some differences in this year’s dynamics. “This cross country season there’s a lot more competition overall compared to last year. The competitive nature is overall good for our team because it pushes people to grow in their capabilities as runners and athletes,” he said. Despite the competition, Lajuzan highlighted the team’s unity. “Even though it’s an individual sport, there’s a lot of team spirit. You know, everybody is do-
ing things together, looking out for each other, especially in meets too.” On Aug. 22, the team traveled to St. Olaf College to honor one of their long-standing traditions, running a one-kilometer loop on one of the school’s courses. Bollinger Danielson, being an alum, imparted his knowledge of the course with athletes. After, the team came together for lunch at a nearby restaurant. “It was just really fun to have everybody there, and to go out to lunch as a team,” Overgaard said. PHOTO: Katherine Lin
REAL RESULTS The activity launched the team into their first race. Gathering at Lake Elmo Park Reserve for the Cretin-Derham Hall Cross Country Invitational, the girls team took a first-place trophy for both the two mile and the 5K, while the boys team placed third out of five teams in their 5K race. Captain Aldegundo Brenneman noted a third place position for the boys team happened “in an unprecedented show of events.”
READY BOYS. The boys varsity cross country team has doubled in runners this season. Many of these newcomers have migrated from the track team. “Compared to track, everybody’s just running the same race, so there’s more of a team spirit [on the cross country team,]” Junior Nils Lajuzan said.
And placing that high “likely has not happened in at least two decades.” A week later, the team continued their season at the Bauman-Rovn Cross Country Invitational held at Gale Woods Farm. Despite their breakout meet at Cretin-Derham Hall, top athletes on the boys team found themselves injured for the Bauman-Rovn race, plac-
[Q&A] 10 questions with Sophie Karmaliani ARIELLA KIM
RUBICONLINE
ing them in last place and the girls team in 10th. The team is early in their season, and their next meet is scheduled for Oct. 13 at Battle Creek Regional Park.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026 NOW
HISTORY OF FIRE. Ceramics teacher Daryn Lowman holds two of the bricks from the original kiln. He hopes students will find “... a metaphor for the idea of the byproduct of what it is that we’re trying to achieve that also has results.”
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Kilns shape a ceramics program Updated kiln changes results, but not artistry EVIE GARDNER
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
SUBMITTED PHOTO: Daryn Lowman
NEW AND IMPROVED. The new kiln sits outside the art wing, ready for ceramics students to load their finished pieces into it, where previously this was done by teachers. The kiln was introduced this year, and operates on a rail system, making it more accessible and reliable for students. “With this style of kiln, which is a car kiln, the body of the kiln pulls out on a rail system. It will be beneficial to have students there, and they can actually load it themselves,” art teacher Daryn Lowman said.
THEN
Fifty-three years ago, students and teachers gathered outside of the art wing to build a gas kiln by hand, and it soon became central to the ceramics program. However, its decay over the decades motivated its replacement with a new electric kiln. In the same way the old kiln shaped the program, the new one will change a little of how ceramics teacher Daryn Lowman and his students calculate and see results with their work. Every ceramic piece is contingent on the kiln. Kilns melt together glazes and solidify the outside of the ceramic piece into a shiny, hard texture. The internal pressure and temperature of the old kiln were manually controlled, leading to inconsistent yet beautiful results. Junior Jay Tilton experienced these unpredictabilities as a Ceramics I student. “If you put in yellow, it would come out green every single time for me, green and brown. Everybody would always get green and brown on their things, and they would never put green and brown in,” she said.
[kiln], so it was so natural that it was really a surprise. “If you had put the same exact piece in twice,” Tilton added, “two different pieces would have come out. So it taught you patience and just to accept things.”
ADVANTAGES OF NEW KILN The new kiln does reduction firings that reduce the amount of air and oxygen and increase gas that causes oxides in glaze to come to the surface. This will provide for more consistency and brighter colors. The new kiln will also allow students to become more acquainted with firing their own pieces. Lowman said that “With this style of kiln, which is a car kiln, the body of the kiln pulls out on a rail system. It will be beneficial to have students there, and they can actually load it themselves.”
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[The kiln] sort of created a forceful learning curve … It taught you the fundamentals of how to be creative with the natural things. junior Jay Tilton
SURPRISING BEAUTY
SUBMITTED PHOTO: Daryn Lowman
RELISHED REMNANTS. The historic 53-year-old kiln fires its last pieces before being retired. The Randolph campus staple was replaced over the summer with a newer, more consistent kiln. Art teacher Daryn Lowman saw past some of the setbacks the historic tool introduced. “[The inconsistency of the old kiln] challenges students to continue to push to investigate,” he said.
Stories from the old kiln
Though the old kiln was erratic and at times frustrating, its variations provided a meaningful lesson for students. Senior Ann Li used the kiln’s unpredictability to reclaim her meaning of art. “When I was younger, I studied art in China, and the teaching method there was if it’s not perfect, it’s not worth anything. So I’ve been trying to deconstruct that viewpoint since growing up because it’s not healthy and not fun,” she said. “I think the old kiln taught me that [art] doesn’t have to be perfect for me to like it too.” The kiln is one part of Lowman’s method to give students hands-on experience with the science behind ceramics. “[The inconsistency of the old kiln] challenged students to continue to push to investigate and look at their results, and based on … what materials they used, how thick they put on a particular layer of slip, what combination of glazes they dumped, they could respond to it and understand why these three things are reacting that way,” Lowman said. Senior Kieran Monahan enjoyed investigating the chemistry behind different glaze combinations. “I would use a lot of different glazes and see how they interact,” he said. “A lot of them came out pretty weird. I remember once, [the glaze] started peeling off, and it ended up looking cool and kind of bubbly.” Tilton also found meaning and joy in the skills the old kiln taught her: “It sort of created a forceful learning curve … It taught you the fundamentals of how to be creative with the natural things because it was a gas
UNEXPECTED RESULT. There were changes in junior Jay Tilton’s glaze color that the old kiln produced. “This one was meant to have a purple [or] burgundy glaze,” she said.
SUBMITTED PHOTO: Jay Tilton
The kiln will assist in more dependable work, but won’t change the learning style of ceramics classes. “We will be able to create more vibrant and … prettier glazes because of this kiln, but it’s not going to change my philosophy of trying to get students to make better sculptures or better forms first, and [then] choose the glazes,” Lowman said. “If that’s a browner or a kind of a dirty glaze that is best fitting for their form and idea, then that’ll still happen. But if you’re looking for a glaze that really fits a very pristine and elegant form that’s going to be fitting for that, then we’ll be able to do that more successfully.”
LEAVING A LASTING LEGACY Despite the old kiln being torn down, its remnants still have a place in the school. Lowman found the old kiln bricks to be a perfect example of “unexpected art,” in which the art was unintentional, but nevertheless meaningful and beautiful. The kiln bricks are now fused with exploded clay, whole pieces and glaze that make it look cool. “I think there’s just a lesson to be learned and a metaphor for the idea of the byproduct of what it is that we’re trying to achieve that also has results and that can be looked at,” Lowman said. Though the gas kiln’s time has ended, it leaves a lasting impression and legacy on the ceramics program and all students who crossed paths with it. The new kiln will help realize the artist’s vision, but will not replace the teaching of art as profound.
SPIRITED CERAMICS. Senior Kieran Monahan has experienced a few unplanned results in his projects. While experimenting with different glazes, he found that one such experience added to his art. SUBMITTED PHOTO: Kieran Monahan
SUBMITTED PHOTO: Ann Li
MISHAPS IN PURPLE. When creating pieces, senior Ann Li often finds it difficult to plan what the glaze will look like, such as in this piece. She attributed this instance to the unpredictability of the oxidation reduction pattern in the old kiln.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
Artist spotlight: Anneli Wilson paints to reminisce on identity, reflect on roots NIKO LIFTON
THE RUBICON
In order to choose the theme of her painting, senior Anneli Wilson had to go back. Way back. Back to her roots in Chinatown, San Francisco. “It’s a part of my family that people don’t really know about,” she said. The painting, first penciled before being painted over, is based on a photo taken during a family reunion many years ago, depicting her grandfather holding her in her aunt’s wok shop in San Francisco. “They sell woks … a lot of steamer baskets, woks, chopsticks, just like dishware in general,” she said. It’s a time Wilson would rather look back on than revisit. “I think it’s not really wanting to go back to a time like that, but just remembering it for what it was and how I’ve grown as a person,” she said. That photo will remain by her side for the duration of the project. “I always have a photo reference next to me,” Wilson said, “and then I just use that alongside the guidelines I’ve spaced out.” But the painting won’t be a copy of the photo, “A lot of things do get covered up while you’re painting,” Wilson said. Wilson’s goal is to keep the painting warmer in color, using mostly brown and orange. At the same time, she and her grandfather will wear brighter, more colorful jackets. Wilson hopes this will help them pop against the busy background filled with a variety of items, from steamer baskets to woks and chopsticks. Wilson wanted to push herself creatively by experimenting with the background. “I’ve never really done anything like that before [stylistically], and I wanted to challenge myself,” she said.
PHOTO: Tallulah Dogwill
ANCESTRAL INSPIRATION. The piece senior Anneli Wilson is currently working on is inspired by a photo of her with her grandfather in San Francisco’s Chinatown, taken during a family reunion. Wilson chose the theme as a way to revisit that part of her family, which is unknown to many people in her life. SUBMITTED PHOTO: Anneli Wilson
RELIABLE REFERENCE. Wilson based her project off of a photo from her childhood, depicting her and her grandfather at a wok shop owned by her aunt. This photo, as in many of Wilson’s other projects, will remain by her side throughout the entire process. “I always have a photo reference next to me, and then I just use that alongside the guidelines I’ve spaced out,” she said.
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It’s not really wanting to go back to a time like that, but ... remembering it for what it was and how I’ve grown. senior Anneli Wilson
She added that, “with paint, you can only get so light, and I want there to be a good amount of shadows and contrast. ... It’s one of those things where it’s hard to see on a white canvas, so I was just like, ‘I’m just gonna make it darker so it’s easier to paint.’” Over the pencil will go a coat of acrylic paint, which will darken certain features and add shadows and contrast, so the painting doesn’t feel bland. So far, Wilson estimates that “this is like five to eight hours [of work] right now.” But as Wilson’s most ambitious piece because of the scale, detail and time commitment, she predicts the full project will take around 20-30 hours. The painting may not bring back the memory, but it captures a moment in time: “I was too young to remember it, so I always see photos of it, and I wish that I could remember it just because I’ve never been to San Francisco or my aunt’s shop again,” Wilson said. For now, the in-process work can be viewed in the art wing.
grapples with FROM ‘Obsession’ gendered autonomy on screen and off THE WEB SUNDE AUBERJONOIS THE RUBICON
PHOTO: Tallulah Dogwill
IT STARTS WITH A SKETCH. Wilson typically begins a painting with a pencil sketch, using it as a guide for the remaining steps.
PHOTO: Tallulah Dogwill
NEXT COMES PAINT. Wilson chooses color arrangements strategically, letting her painting come alive one brush stroke at a time.
Music with Middlebrook: Summer picks to bring into autumn IZZY MIDDLEBROOK THE RUBICON
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
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Twin Cities music venues nearby and worth a listen PEONY STEELE THE RUBICON
When big-name artists come to Minneapolis, their stops typically include venues like Grand Casino Arena (formerly known as Xcel Energy Center) or the U.S. Bank Stadium and tickets can sell for hundreds of dollars. These large venues attract thousands of fans, but they are far from the only live music places in the Twin Cities. Minneapolis has plenty of smaller venues that showcase local artists and emerging musicians. Show costs run up to $30 per ticket, and local punk or smaller acts typically range $5-$15. They offer a core set of operational, physical and technical components designed to create a memorable, up-close experience.
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The [First Avenue] community was connected very well and very cohesive.
senior Saif Mujahid
Senior Via Campbell frequently attends niche concerts around the Twin Cities, getting much of his information from Minneapolis record store Extreme Noise. The store, and eclectic coffee shop Caffetto, distribute the “Punk Calendar,” on-paper work of art that includes submitted local events hand-written along with locations and times.
DAKOTA JAZZ CLUB Rather than hosting massive crowds and internationally famous stadium acts, the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis focuses primarily on jazz, blues, soul and other styles of music. The smaller setting—including front-row tables, communal seating and booths—allows audiences to sit close to the performers while enjoying food and drinks during the show. Using deep, low-profile styling, the Dakota creates an upscale and dark jazz lounge atmosphere. Junior Ronan Keel will perform at the Dakota in February as part of Minnesota All-State Jazz.
He described what makes the genre special: “Every performance is unique, so if you only listen to recordings, you listen to the same thing [repeatedly], but in jazz, going to live music is something truly new and it can’t be recreated.” The Dakota’s smaller setting allows audiences to experience that spontaneity up close. Students can sit near the musicians and experience the performance as it happens, with tickets starting at around $25.
FIRST AVENUE
First Avenue is a familiar place to many students, and remains an important part of Minneapolis’s music scene. Located in the heart of downtown, First Avenue has hosted generations of musicians and has become closely connected to the city’s musical identity. Senior Saif Mujahid attended back-to-back concerts featuring rappers Che and Nettspend at First Avenue in April, with tickets generally sold at around $50. For him, attending these concerts is more than simply listening to the artists online; being surrounded by other fans and experiencing the music in person creates an energy that cannot be replicated through headphones. “The community was connected very well and very cohesive,” he said.
SUBMITTED PHOTO: Via Campbell
CLOSE CROWD. Underground Music Cafe hosted Bug Hunter and The Narcissist Cookbook Aug. 4. This was the second time senior Via Campbell had seen them perform, the first time at the Grenada Theater in 2025.
VARSITY THEATER
A historic event venue stationed in the heart of Dinkytown near the University of Minnesota, the Varsity Theater regularly hosts touring indie rock, pop and alternative artists. It features striking decorations and designs including exposed masonry, vibrant greenery, velvet curtains and sparkle ceilings. With a capacity of around 600-900 guests, the Varsity Theater is considered a small and intimate venue, with compact space and a close-up view of performers. Campbell has gone to a few concerts there, including Armor for Sleep, Flycatcher and Spanish Love Songs. “The crowd was pretty thin,” he said. “I think our mosh pit got up to eight people and there was one person who really liked to crowd surf.” Because it is a compact space, it offers the energy of a packed club show rather than a massive arena or stadium, making the experience personal and high-energy.
SUBMITTED PHOTO: Saif Mujahid
PHOTO: Tallulah Dogwill
HEART OF DOWNTOWN. Located in downtown Minneapolis, First Avenue is small but well-known. “The community was ... very cohesive,” senior Saif Mujahid said.
YOU LIKE JAZZ? The Dakota Jazz Club sits in downtown Minneapolis. Junior Ronan Keel will perform there in February with Minnesota All-State Jazz.
How ‘theater kid’ became politicians’ favorite insult IZZY MIDDLEBROOK THE RUBICON
Did U.S. citizens anticipate their president’s insults would include “theater kid”? That may not have been expected of their administration, but it seems to be the reality. However, U.S. politicians have been using “theater kid” as a deprecating term to describe liberal politicians they see as weak politicians. Junior Oakley Schonwald, who has participated in every upper school theatrical production, is disappointed in sheir politicians. “These people are in government. In theory, you’d expect them, not necessarily in practice, you’d expect them to be more mature than to use high school insults and just petty bullying,” shay said. In recent years, political figures have increased their usage of “theater kid” as an insult. At an Aug. 16 campaign trail rally held by Sen. Jon
Ossoff, he said “[Trump] doesn’t want to do the job,” stoked the flames of the insult of “theater kid.” While political insults are not new, “theater kid” is being used at an increasingly frequent rate.
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[Theater kids] are very upbeat and really passionate about things, ... and that can sometimes be overwhelming. ninth-grader Cece Pierce
It was first noticeable Nov. 4 when New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani gave a victory speech and was graced with the term by conservative comic Tim Dillon. Dillon deemed Mamdani’s acceptance speech “a little cringe,” on his podcast. Right-wing website Daily
Caller wrote an article about Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) titled “Democrat Theater Kid Learns He’s Not Above the Law.” Conservative news site America Thinker published a list of democrats who were most likely to be theater kids. Ninth-grader Cece Pierce, who has participated in middle school theater productions, acknowledged the negative connotations her peers may have with theater: “[Theater kids] are very upbeat and really passionate about things, and they’re very loud and direct about how much they love this, and that can sometimes be overwhelming,” she said. While Pierce acknowledged the overwhelm, she does not think that it is warranted. “I don’t think giving a stereotype to [theater kids] is fair,” she said. Schonwald believes that the reason “theater kid” is viewed as an insult is because theater
does not encourage conformity. “Theater is very artsy and creative but you also definitely have to put yourself out there, and whenever you’re putting yourself out there in any context, sometimes things work, sometimes they don’t,” shay said. Senior Eva Johnson performs in productions outside of school in addition to participating in high school productions for all four years. She does not appreciate the prominence of politically charging the term “theater kid.” “I think it’s not a responsible use of the word, and especially in politics, I don’t think it’s necessary,” Johnson said. The arts have historically been used as a way to rebel against people, systems and ideas. In the 1930s, the New Deal’s Federal Theater Project used stage plays to call attention to labor exploitation. In the 1990s, AIDS activism groups like ACT UP used public
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: Ivy Evans
ABNORMAL AFFRONTS. In recent months, right-wing politicians have begun to use the label “theater kid” as a derogatory term for Democrats.
theater disruptions to call for health intervention. In 2026, as a response to the increased presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, the Glendale Theater in Los Angeles staged a performance of “Unquiet: A Night of Creative Resistance” to respond to both ICE and the Trump administration’s attack on the arts. The prominence of
this insult shows an uptick of insults in politics. “Criticism and insult culture of politics has gone way up in recent years, so I think [theater kid] should just be left out of it altogether,” Johnson said. The use of “theater kid” in politics not only affects the arts, but politics as a whole.
SOLUTIONS ONE YEAR AFTER A MASS SHOOTING
THE RUBICON - SEPTEMBER 2026
Annunciation inspires gun violence prevention advocates SYLVIA WESTRA
CALLING FOR A SPECIAL SESSION
TW: discussion of school shootings, grief and loss.
In response to the shooting, MDA tried to persuade Gov. Tim Walz to call a special legislative session to pass necessary gun violence prevention laws. “We were very focused on that and lobbying for that and pulling all of our coalition partners in together, trying to get that going,” she said.
THE RUBICON
Science teacher Amy Stading still remembers the shock she felt a year ago.: “I was sitting at my desk and I got an alert on my phone that there was a mass shooter at Annunciation, at this place where I have four loved ones,” she said. August 27 marked the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting in the church at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. The shooter killed two elementary schoolers and wounded 27 others, a loss that rocked the Twin Cities and sent residents searching for ways to heal and prevent more tragedies like this one. A statement made just hours after the shooting by Annunciation Catholic School Principal Matt DeBoer became a guiding message for the response: “When you pray, move your feet.”
MOMS DEMAND ACTION As the initial crisis response wore off, residents like Carla Gillespie, legislative lead for the Minnesota chapter of Moms Demand Action, turned their focus to a more permanent effort to prevent future instances of gun violence. Gillespie’s work with MDA involves organizing legislative efforts for their volunteers. She stepped into the role in June 2025, just three days before the assassination of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman. When the Annunciation shooting occurred in late August 2025, Gillespie described everything as “happening all at once,” noting that Minnesotans wanted to do something in response. According to Gillespie, in the month following the shooting, 5,000 Minnesotans signed up for MDA.
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This isn’t going to change overnight, but concentrated effort from a group of people will help. senior Eli Perry
By October, Gillespie found that Walz would not call for a special session due to a lack of cooperation from the Republicans in the Legislature. “So we were like: we have three months, and we need to keep the momentum going. What are we going to do?” Gillespie said.
CHANGING THE MESSAGE MDA chose to focus on getting as many different people as possible on board with their mission for the next legislative session in February: to pass an assault weapons ban, a high-capacity magazines ban, a ban on binary triggers and a ban on ghost guns. Each of these extensions of assault weapons makes shootings especially deadly. According to Everytown for Gun Safety, high-capacity magazines can hold up to 100 rounds of ammunition, resulting in 400% more victims in mass shootings involving one high-capacity magazine. Since February, both MDA and the Annunciation Light Alliance, an advocacy group formed by parents of Annunciation
Be part of the solution scan the QR codes to learn more
students, have worked tirelessly to demonstrate their support at the Capitol and push legislators to make the gun-safe choice. In late February, the ALA arranged 60 empty desks on the lawn of the Minnesota State Capitol to advocate for gun safety legislation. “When you see the desks where children are supposed to be sitting, and they’re not sitting there now, … that sends a sober message to lawmakers [about] what needs to happen,” sophomore Miles Rorvig said. During the legislative months, Gillespie and the MDA attended committee meetings wearing their red Moms Demand Action shirts. One result of their efforts is a statewide law requiring school boards to adopt a policy implementing the use of an anonymous threat reporting system. It went into effect July 1. Minnesota schools have the option to use an application developed in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012. The Sandy Hook Promise developed an anonymous threat reporting program in 2014 called “Say Something,” which has reported and prevented 19 planned school shootings. In early May, the Minnesota Senate passed the package of common gun sense laws that MDA had been championing throughout the legislative session. To pass, the bill was set to be brought to the floor for a vote in the House of Representatives; however, Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth blocked the vote. The legislative session ended May 18, and members of the House were not given a chance to vote on the bill.
LOOKING AHEAD TO WHAT’S NEXT As a result, “We feel like we have unfinished work to do,” Gillespie said. “We’re gonna get this across the finish line
get active
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this session. We’re trying to change the makeup of the legislature right now because we need to get some more gun sense candidates elected, and then we will have a chance at passing that important legislation.”
STUDENTS RESPOND Junior Abigail Tilton has mostly seen the yard signs saying “We stand with Annunciation” in the past year, following the shooting. While they keep the school and the mass shooting on people’s minds, Tilton said, “I’m not entirely sure how much that’s doing to stop more shootings.” She would like to learn more about the legal efforts to make policy changes. Senior Eli Perry believes that Minnesotans need to go beyond showing support for Annunciation and get involved at the state level to push for gun control. “This isn’t going to change overnight, but concentrated effort from a group of people will help.” From personally knowing a teacher and parent at Annunciation, Stading knows that none of the work over the past year has been in vain. “I think it’s all worthwhile and important, no matter how small the victories,” she said. “The call of their principal was to move your feet, do something, whatever that is. And so, even if the wins are small and the progress is slow, you have to move your feet.”
Everytown for Gun Safety lists local and national options for volunteering, petitions, starting groups, and raising funds.
EFFORT’S IMPACT. The Annunciation shooting made many students eager to take action in their community. “I think that sends a sober message to lawmakers [about] what needs to happen,” sophomore Miles Rorvig said.
PHOTO: Sylvia Westra
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Connect with Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE). Find a group near you or consider starting a chapter.