The student news of St. Paul Academy and Summit School

The Rubicon
SERVICE TIME. A sophomore is shown logging their hours into the sophomore community service form. Sophomores are supposed to log hours into a Google form, citing what work they did and the number of hours completed.
Sophomore service hours reintroduced; students give back
September 30, 2024
SPARTAN SPIRIT. Spartan mascot Cassandra Overholt high fives students after defeating the BSM Crusader in a pre-game skit.
[HOCO Day 5] Pepfest pumps up fans before weekend games
September 30, 2024
CHARGE. The Spartan leads the way as everybody sprints down the hill towards Lang FIeld, where the soccer game is about to begin.
[HOCO Day 5] Spirited Spartans storm field ahead of homecoming game
September 28, 2024
AFTERNOON FUN. Young students enjoy the variety of activities the carnival has to offer, from the inflatable attractions to the spartan colored thunder sticks.
[HOCO Day 5] Together again: K-12 comes together for Homecoming Carnival
September 27, 2024
READY TO THROW. Team Dodgy Business and Ballsagna sprint from the midline to behind the throw line to begin the match.
[HOCO Day 3] Teams spice it up in Dodgeball tournament
September 25, 2024
The Sift is a weekly The Rubicon opinions column focused on the impacts and implications of new technologies.
AI’s gone nuclear
October 4, 2024
New phone policy ignores student perspectives
New phone policy ignores student perspectives
October 3, 2024
PROJECT 2025. The project, mainly created by the Heritage Foundation, will have many limiting effects on public school curriculums and student expression.
[POLITICAL PULSE] Project 2025: a startling initiative for the nation and school system
October 2, 2024
INTERNET INVALIDATION. Jokes and generalizations about mental illness are common on social media. These comments can make light of the seriousness of mental health, making people who are struggling feel misunderstood.
Social media discredits mental health crisis
October 2, 2024
Turned 16? Get on LinkedIn
Turned 16? Get on LinkedIn
September 30, 2024
COMMUNITY VALUES. Administrators, teachers and students should put in the work to reflect the new five school values: community, purpose, kindness, excellence and belonging.
[STAFF EDITORIAL] Let the new values shape your heart and mind
September 25, 2024
INSPIRE ACTION. Land Acknowledgments serve to spread awareness about the Indigenous communities that inhabited this land and remind listeners of Indigenous peoples’ ongoing presence. Students have a responsibility to take these Land Acknowledgments seriously and advocate for further restorative actions.
[STAFF EDITORIAL] Land Acknowledgments are more than just empty words
September 24, 2024
VALUES REIMAGINED. The school’s six core values are: achievement, accountability, community, resilience, inventiveness, and passion. These can remain important guiding principles for current students and alumni/ae of the school; they take on new meaning but are still applicable for graduates’ next journeys.
[STAFF EDITORIAL] Packing up the school’s greatest gifts doesn’t require a backpack
May 28, 2024
PROTESTING FOR GENERATIONS. Protests are disrupting and attention catching. That is why it is a powerful tool for change that can be used by everyone, including students.
[STAFF EDITORIAL] Bring back student led protests
May 23, 2024
DIVERSE DIRECTIONS. Students are given a wide range of opportunities to engage in diversity-related programming at school. Now, to combat complaints that diversity training isn’t engaging enough, it’s time to apply what they’ve learned.
[STAFF EDITORIAL] To make diversity training meaningful, engage when it’s hard
April 30, 2024
The Sift is a weekly The Rubicon opinions column focused on the impacts and implications of new technologies.
AI’s gone nuclear
October 4, 2024
PROJECT 2025. The project, mainly created by the Heritage Foundation, will have many limiting effects on public school curriculums and student expression.
[POLITICAL PULSE] Project 2025: a startling initiative for the nation and school system
October 2, 2024
The Sift is a weekly The Rubicon opinions column focused on the impacts and implications of new technologies.
Is AI capable of reasoning? OpenAI thinks so.
September 27, 2024
The Sift is a weekly The Rubicon opinions column focused on the impacts and implications of new technologies.
E-cars don’t solve the greenhouse gas issue and may contribute to tech waste
September 20, 2024
The Sift is a weekly The Rubicon opinions column focused on the impacts and implications of new technologies.
Apple’s Glowtime event didn’t shine
September 13, 2024
New phone policy ignores student perspectives
New phone policy ignores student perspectives
October 3, 2024
There are healthier ways to find value in life than thinking about death
There are healthier ways to find value in life than thinking about death
December 5, 2023
No longer a bystander
No longer a bystander
November 29, 2023
Bring more awareness to seasonal depression
Bring more awareness to seasonal depression
November 4, 2023
Community time worth more than passing time
Community time worth more than passing time
October 5, 2023
CLUB FAIR CHAT TIME. Senior Ava Schulender and Senior Cassandra Overholt discuss club sign-ups. “It can get easy to get wrapped up in the whole idea of ‘I need to focus on school and get good grades’. That’s all important but you can forget to enjoy the not-school part of school.” Schonwald said.
As the year begins, students take a risk and join in
October 3, 2024
DRIVING DRONES. Johnson leads an activity at her volunteer job, flying drones with children. “Volunteer for the things you care about; I care about my community and helping,” Johnson said.
Volunteering brings passion to students’ lives
October 1, 2024
CLASS OF 2015. Alexis Irish, second from the right, graduated in 2015. She poses with her friends in a white dress, a graduation tradition, holding her diploma.
Digging up spartan history
September 30, 2024
PLAYTIME. Lower school students play on the playground after school. When the weather is nice, students in the Adventure Kids after school program spend most of their time outside. "After school, they have to be outside until 4 p.m.," junior Laura Kimmel said.
Every day at work is an Adventure (Kids) for these students
September 28, 2024
CLUB FAIR. Senior Bora Mandic (left) and sophomore January Cook (right) promote Brikshare at the club fair. “We're trying to build a team here at SPA… Because, at the moment, it's just me and Bora," Cook said.
Brikshare: Helping kids one brick at a time
September 24, 2024
CLICK. Junior Thomas Ferguson lines up the perfect picture with his digital camera. While he prefers the digital camera over his phone camera, he still recognizes it's drawbacks: "It's kind of difficult to work with because the battery dies in 10 minutes," Ferguson said.
A new age of Digi-Cams
October 2, 2024
LOCKING IN. Junior Fletcher Coblentz listens to music throughout the day to get him in the right attitude for his role as a defensive lineman for SMB Wolfpack. "I listen to music with the intention of making sure I'm sufficiently aggressive," he said.
Music helps athletes get in the right headspace
October 1, 2024
THERAPY. Will Hunting (Matt Damon) and Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) sit in Maguire's office in one of the various therapy scenes in the film. (Screen capture from Miramax)
[OFF-SCREEN WITH OSTREM] Good Will Hunting tells an intimate story of growth and connection
September 30, 2024
BEHIND BARS. Classic, well-known banned books line shelves facing the library windows.
Banned books display spotlights censorship
September 29, 2024
VARIETY. Juniors Luwam Mebrahtu and Lilly Spurgeon and seniors Lucy Thomas and Olympia Wolff (left to right) display their varying outfits for the day. Mebrahtu went for a simple SPA sweatshirt, Spurgeon chose a flashy yellow skirt, while Thomas and Wolff wore their overalls.
[HOCO] Dress up day-by-day
September 27, 2024
THERAPY. Will Hunting (Matt Damon) and Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) sit in Maguire's office in one of the various therapy scenes in the film. (Screen capture from Miramax)
[OFF-SCREEN WITH OSTREM] Good Will Hunting tells an intimate story of growth and connection
September 30, 2024
COLORFUL COVER. The book's cover art features popping bright colors, mimicking the novels child-like creativity.
[BOOK REVIEW] Van Pelts fantastical “Remarkably Bright Creatures” teaches important lessons
September 14, 2024
ORIGIN STORY. One day, after a traumatic incident on the job Cassie discovers she can sense what is about to happen in the future. (Screenshot from Madame Web Official trailer)
[MOVIE REVIEW] Madame Web spins a mediocre tale
May 24, 2024
ACTRESS. Zendaya is outstanding in her leading role, embodying the films messages and themes in one character.
[OFF-SCREEN WITH OSTREM] Challengers’ excellent acting and cinematography provides intense viewer experience
May 9, 2024
DAUGHTERS. Directors Angela Patton and Natalie Rae created a beautiful film centered around the Date Your Daughter program. (Fair Use Image: MSPIFF Website)
[OFF-SCREEN WITH OSTREM] Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Film Festival highlights new filmmakers
April 22, 2024
CELEBRATION. Forward Maggie Sampsell-Jones and Center Midfielder Lucia Gonzalez celebrate after Sampsell-Jones scored a goal.
[HOCO Day 6] Spartan soccer owns Saturday in 6-2 win
October 1, 2024
SUBTITUTIONS. The Wolfpack's bench walks up to the line and gets ready to enter the game.
[HOCO Day 5] Intense homecoming football game ends in Wolfpack defeat
September 30, 2024
SPRINT. Senior Taylor Barkwell is on the heels of the second place runner.
[HOCO Day 4] Cross country dominates the Farmington Cowbell Run
September 28, 2024
SWARMED. Senior Masumi Kouakou gets possession of the ball while surrounded by opponents.
[HOCO Day 5] BVS defeat Crusaders in dominant homecoming win
September 28, 2024
GET HYPE. The volleyball team celebrates after gaining a point against Providence.
[HOCO Day 3] Volleyball loses three close sets to Providence
September 26, 2024
CELEBRATION. Forward Maggie Sampsell-Jones and Center Midfielder Lucia Gonzalez celebrate after Sampsell-Jones scored a goal.
[HOCO Day 6] Spartan soccer owns Saturday in 6-2 win
October 1, 2024
SPRINT. Senior Taylor Barkwell is on the heels of the second place runner.
[HOCO Day 4] Cross country dominates the Farmington Cowbell Run
September 28, 2024
GET HYPE. The volleyball team celebrates after gaining a point against Providence.
[HOCO Day 3] Volleyball loses three close sets to Providence
September 26, 2024
WIN. The Girls Varsity Soccer team joins each other in a huddle a couple minutes before the game begins.
[HOCO Day 2] GVS defeats Minnehaha Redhawks 6-0
September 26, 2024
READY TO SWING. Senior Sydney Zimmerman prepares for a serve against Washburn doubles opponents.
[HOCO Day 1] Tennis celebrates Senior Night
September 24, 2024
GOOD JOB. Captain Mikkel Rawdon goes in for a hug after freshman John Grimsrud makes his first basket of the game. “It felt good for this one to go in with everyone cheering” Grimsrud said.
Spartans win section semi final, compete in finals tonight
March 15, 2024
EN GARDE. Senior Maik Nguyen gets into position to fence his first round in Junior Men's Épée in the large gym as his friends watches from the sidelines.
SPA hosts fencing state tournament
March 10, 2024
SHARP SHOOTER. Captain Mikkel Rawdon prepares to pass during a game at the Target Center. Rawdon has tallied a high number of points during his two years playing for varsity.
The “trifecta” is completed: Mikkel Rawdon reaches 1,000 points
March 6, 2024
How do winter athletes stay healthy?
How do winter athletes stay healthy?
March 5, 2024
RELAY. Senior Connor Overgaard begins the first leg of the 200 medley relay with backstroke. "I'm proud of this relay," he said.
Bhargava and Overgaard compete at state following a record-breaking performance at sections
March 3, 2024
GAME TIME. The game's first faceoff, with sophomore Dia Chaney, after gaining possession for the Spartans.
Girls lacrosse falls 17-4 to Breck, aims to turn season around
May 20, 2024
Freshman Adem Rivers, practicing his short game at University of Minnesota Driving Range.
Golf Captain Peltier brings leadership, pride to growing team
May 14, 2024
IN PURSUIT. A Roseville player chases after a Blackhawks player trying to get the ball.
JV Blackhawks Lacrosse loses close game to Roseville
May 13, 2024
THE PRESSURE IS ON. Mckinley Garner guards Kieran Monahan, forcing one direction as he counts down the seconds Monahan has left to throw.
Spartan Ultimate glides through season with exceptional spirit
May 7, 2024
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. Elizabeth Tuttle practices for her next meet by leaping over the hurdles. Last year, Elizabeth qualified for state after she finished in second place in the 100m and the 300m hurdles.
There is no “I” in Track
May 6, 2024
INVOLVED CITIZEN. Junior William Hanna poses with with their "Vote Betty!" sign. Hanna spent this summer volunteering for the Congresswoman Betty McCollum's campaign.
[PODCAST] Students get involved this election season and share their opinions
September 30, 2024
BEHIND THE SCENES. Sonia Kharbanda interviewed five new teachers: Librarian assistant, Tina Tsui; math teacher, Jack Kinseth; english teacher, Meghan Joyce; councelor, Jake Turnbloom; and math teacher Rane Bice.
[STORY BEHIND THE STORY] Sonia Kharbanda’s “Two truths and one lie,” teachers edition
September 18, 2024
[QUIZ] What are the most common names of SPA students?
[QUIZ] What are the most common names of SPA students?
September 8, 2024
[TRENDING] Intro with Lucy Thomas
[TRENDING] Intro with Lucy Thomas
September 4, 2024
EXCITING EXCHANGE. Read about the daily experiences, from attending school at Colegio Malvar to excursions in Spain.
[BLOG] Adventuras y Aviones
June 24, 2024
BEHIND THE SCENES. Sonia Kharbanda interviewed five new teachers: Librarian assistant, Tina Tsui; math teacher, Jack Kinseth; english teacher, Meghan Joyce; councelor, Jake Turnbloom; and math teacher Rane Bice.
[STORY BEHIND THE STORY] Sonia Kharbanda’s “Two truths and one lie,” teachers edition
September 18, 2024
[TRENDING] Intro with Lucy Thomas
[TRENDING] Intro with Lucy Thomas
September 4, 2024
BEHIND THE STORY. Writers Lani Ngonethong, Tamari Christopher and Elizabeth Tuttle put together a three-part story tracking student elections.
[STORY BEHIND THE STORY] Election continuous coverage
May 31, 2024
IT'S A PROCESS. Liza Thomas said, "My work is called 'Night in the Wildwood.' It's eight photos that I took on a film camera and then got developed outside of school because we don't have the chemistry in our photo lab to develop color film."
Thomas and Dalton take the “Backroads” through Advanced Art
May 29, 2024
BOOKS UNITE. Book Club members come together in the math classroom to celebrate the class of 2024 before senior projects. Junior Grace Medrano said, "We [Medrano and Raven Glaser] took over last month [as the new leaders], so we’ll be running it next year." (Submitted photo by Grace Medrano)
[PODCAST] Book Club plans for next year
May 22, 2024
Senior superlatives for the Class of 2024
Senior superlatives for the Class of 2024
June 9, 2024
[HOW TO] Got time? Make slime.
[HOW TO] Got time? Make slime.
May 30, 2024
Out on the road: life as a student driver
Out on the road: life as a student driver
May 24, 2024
[SPARTANS MIC’D UP] Triple Jump with junior Julia Taylor
[SPARTANS MIC’D UP] Triple Jump with junior Julia Taylor
April 25, 2024
DIY: Vision Board
DIY: Vision Board
March 13, 2024
September 2024 Issue
September 24, 2024
May 2024 Issue
May 28, 2024
April 2024 Issue
April 30, 2024
March 2024 Issue
March 5, 2024
February 2024 Issue
February 9, 2024
The student news of St. Paul Academy and Summit School

The Rubicon
The student news of St. Paul Academy and Summit School

The Rubicon
MEET THE SPARTAN. The class of 2027 welcomes the lower school to the assembly.

[HOCO Day 2] K-12 assembly encourages all to stand up and celebrate

Murphy Miltner, RubicOnline • September 25, 2024
Students clapped their hands and stomped their feet for the first time with Spartan Josh Holloway... and sang "Stand up."
ACTIONS SPEAK. Tents on the Northrop Mall at the University of Minnesota on May 5. Sam Konstan (SPA ‘21), a U of M student, said, "How much [the tent encampment] affects somebody’s day-to-day life is a combination of a choice and their schedule.“ However, he added, "the discussions around [the protests] were a lot harder to avoid.” (Photo Reprinted with Permission from Winter Keefer, MinnPost)

Nationwide protests bring demands to university campuses

Sam Galarneault, The Rubicon • June 7, 2024
Encampments on the U of M campus reflected a nationwide movement that started at Columbia University in mid-April.
CAPTIVATING THE CROWD. Sophomore Adonjiah Johnson delivers their inspiring speech. She discussed her plans to foster inclusivity during Spirit Week.

Newly-appointed student leaders plan for the future

Elizabeth Tuttle, RubicOnline • May 13, 2024
Even before the results were released, all candidates had clear-cut plans for the next year's student-led initiatives in upper school elected groups.
7th-grader Howard Huelster shows off his vaccination bandage. "[The shot] didn’t really hurt," said Huelster. "It felt like a pinch."

After-school vaccination drive immunizes students

Mimi Huelster, RubicOnline • May 19, 2021

This Tuesday after school, a COVID-19 vaccination drive immunized 123 SPA community members. Sponsored by St. Paul Corner Drug and organized by parents and health care workers alike, the drive offered...

(From left) Senior Evelyn Lillemoe, senior Aman Rahman, junior Ellie Murphy, and senior Gavin Kimmel sit in a minute of silence in honor of police brutality victim Daunte Wright.

Student protest organizers dissatisfied with admin response

Mimi Huelster, Staff Writer • April 19, 2021
Students walked out of class today to honor Daunte Wright, support the Black Lives Matter movement, and voice dissapointment with administration.
US science teacher Steve Heilig and a student observe Mercury's transit across the sun last year. Star parties have still been able to happen this year with the addition of safety measures like masks, goggles, and social distancing. "The cool creativity and the insights people have, there’s no other way to have them except star parties,” Heilig said.

Heilig saves star parties, brings back some normalcy

Liv Larsen, RubicOnline • December 5, 2020
With COVID-19 pushing school to distance learning, the fate of star parties was looking bleak. US Science teacher Steve Heilig worked to make sure they could continue.
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