Wildlife photography changes perspective
January 29, 2020
I take a silent deep breath as I look into my viewfinder — I am in the presence of a great horned owl, an apex predator that just landed on a perch in front of me. The adrenaline rush that proceeds, is characteristic of almost all of my wildlife encounters. For as long as I can remember, I have ...
Visit to Saudi Arabia deepens religious knowledge
January 14, 2020
Recently, I went on a trip to Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, which was an amazing experience. The reason I visited Saudi Arabia was because in my religion it is the holy place and where the religion was created. I got to see some of the most significant historical sites in my religion, such as M...
Music inspires passion, spreads hope
December 9, 2019
Music is something I have loved since I was a child. Every time music played on the radio or on television, I used to get up and dance. As I grew up, I began developing a special attachment to it. Around age 12 or 13, I realized I wanted to be a part of making it. That’s when I started writing songs ...
Voting sparks responsibility for change
November 15, 2019
Turning eighteen this year has opened up many new opportunities in life, possibly the most exciting being able to exercise my right to vote. At first I was hesitant to vote at all. The local election snuck up on me and I didn’t know much about the candidates. I felt that since it was a smaller sca...
Local action counteracts division
October 24, 2019
It’s no secret the modern political world is more polarized than ever, but by coming together locally, we can break through the divisiveness. Over the past two months, I’ve had the opportunity to manage Larry Kraft’s campaign for the At-Large A seat on City Council — who I chose to support not...
Scientific study exceeds expectations
May 9, 2019
The day I went around school sticking a thermometer in the air, a lot of people gave me some skeptical looks, even after I explained it was for a scientific study. Running around with a thermometer might not seem significant, but it was beyond meaningful to me. Dr. Michael Sheterensis, my bio...
Unique experience expands horizons
April 27, 2019
As a freshman, I would have told anyone that I couldn’t see myself travelling south of the equator anytime soon. Now, as a senior, I am excited and grateful to have been able to experience Latin America in a completely individualized, one-of-a-kind way. I travelled with a close friend to her homet...
Lobbying at Congress gives new outlook on political ideology
April 25, 2019
When I got off the plane in our nation's capital, I had no idea what was in store for me. I knew I would be lobbying at Congress and learning about important political issues, but I was unsure how the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC) was going to make it happen. I was in D.C. with 12 o...
Unconventional learning makes life long impact
April 24, 2019
When it comes to race, there is a difference between learning and understanding. Most people know only what they have learned in school about the history of race in the United States. A trip through the south allowed me to understand this history and the impact it still has on our society. Over sp...
Paint nights spur ingenuity
March 25, 2019
Many people believe that artistic ability is a genetically built-in talent, when in fact most of the skills involved in art come from practice and repetition. Even so, art isn’t meant only for those with the dexterity to turn their own artistic vision into a reality, it is meant for everyone. A ...
Self-defense class proves helpful
February 19, 2019
While I am lucky to say I have never needed to use self-defense, the stories I see on social media show the possibility is real. Because of that I, along with three friends, recently attended a women’s self-defense class at Warrior’s Cove in St. Louis Park. Warrior’s Cove offers free monthly wo...
My first Senate testimony
February 18, 2019
When the chair of the Minnesota Senate E-12 Finance and Policy Committee, Carla Nelson, called my name and invited me to begin my testimony my heart began to pound. I could hear myself speak as I presented my prepared remarks about the importance of personal finance education in high school in support of SF...
After Park boys’ swimming placed second at Sections Feb. 22, coach Amanda Forsberg said the team’s success was greater than she had anticipated. “They far exceeded my expectations. So it's been...
Maggie Klaers and Ruthie Posada
After the Feb. 20 Sections loss to Cretin-Derham Hall, Park players gathered around each other on the ice in tears and in support of each other. Senior Will Pinney said the emotions were running high throughout...
Isabel Kjaer, Marta Hill, and Kaia Myers
Though the decision to resign was hard to make, Principal Scott Meyers said it was ultimately made easier because of the potential positive effects on his life. “I'm going to miss being a part of...
When playing against Minnehaha Academy and its nationally ranked player Jalen Suggs, coach David Breitenbucher said the plan was to keep him away from the basket. “We tried to have a game plan to...
