Sophomore expresses self through dance
May 5, 2020
What are you doing? So right now we are working on starting a dance team. Hopefully like next year we would probably have a performance team in the fall and potentially in the winter, but probably just the fall. Right now we are working on finding coaches, setting up information sessions and things lik...
Sophomore goes bald to raise awareness of childhood cancer
April 24, 2020
Why do you shave your head? I shave my head because my brother's best friend, who was also really close to me, passed away from childhood cancer. His mother and his family still do it and my brother and I still do it in honor of Adrian and his memory. We go bald by choice so that hopefully no kid ha...
Junior works to brighten hospital stays with gifts
March 4, 2020
What is Packages of Hope? Packages of Hope is emotional-based rather than charity. I put together care packages fit to one’s needs and hand deliver or ship them out to patients. What is the mission of Packages of Hope? Our saying is “giving a different type of care than in a hospital” or also ...
Senior elected as youngest chairwoman for human rights commission
January 21, 2020
What is your role in the city of St. Louis Park? My current role is Human Rights (Commission chairperson) for the city. I was appointed about two years ago and I was reappointed a couple months ago. Our whole thing is bringing support and racial equity to different parts of the city, so a lot of our tim...
Junior commits to prestigious academy
January 9, 2020
What exactly is the IMG Academy? It’s a sports academy in Bradenton, Florida for top athletes. It’s basically just a normal high school. We live on campus, there are dorms and then (they provide) some of the best training facilities in the country. How long will you be there for? I know for sure I’m going to b...
Sophomore creates nonprofit organization
December 18, 2019
What inspired you to create the Pocket Change Foundation? I hated seeing homeless people in the streets and people suffering because they messed up in life or (experienced) a family crisis that put them on the streets. Having to go through that without having hope made me feel sad for them. Wha...
Kiran Alwy competes on Chopped Jr.
December 2, 2019
What did you do to prepare for the competition? “My dad talked to a lot of award-winning chefs and they gave me some tips and then the producers of the show sent a lot of stuff that they wanted (me) to practice and then I just watched Youtube videos.” What are some of your favorite dishes to cook and why...
Senior Will Pinney leads fundraiser for breast cancer
October 10, 2019
What is the October Saves fundraiser? “October Saves is a charity for breast cancer that hockey goalies from all over can be a part of. Goalies create an account on the October Saves website where people can donate. The goalie’s job is to count the amount of saves they get throughout October ...
Junior shares passion through performing
April 26, 2019
What do you perform at your church? I sing and play the acoustic guitar. When did you start playing the guitar and how did you learn? I started playing the acoustic guitar when I was in middle school. I started taking guitar lessons, and over time I just self-taught myself. Do you sing alone o...
Sophomore works on Sports-Check It Out
March 16, 2019
How did you start your business and what were your inspirations? My inspirations (came from) seeing only in the Somali community there were three sports we played, basketball, football and soccer and I wanted to bring more variety to the community. They started out with a program called AdVenture Ca...
Junior plans to graduate early
February 16, 2019
Why are you graduating early? My mom took me out of the country (before I went to Park), and I went to a boarding school (in Somalia), and my boarding school was very strict when it came to educational topics and the education system. So I guess I did a lot of requirements over there, but it was mo...
Junior returns from school in Bahamas
January 20, 2019
Where were you for the first few months of school? I was in the Bahamas. I was in Eleuthera at a program called The Island School. How would you describe what The Island School is? It is a semester school in the Bahamas that requires an application to get in. The school does a lot of free di...
Gabriel Kaplan and Talia Lissauer
Over the course of a four-hour school board meeting the St. Louis Park School Board voted 7-0 for all students to begin the 2020-2021 school year via distance learning. A hybrid learning style will begin...
Anna Benishek and Talia Lissauer
Despite being able to play club volleyball throughout the summer, senior Hannah Howell will have to wait until the newly created fourth season in March to play in the Minnesota State High School League. “I...
Maggie Klaers and Molly Schochet
One month after the death of George Floyd, Park students continue to participate in Black Lives Matter protests. Rising junior Ezra Hudson said he came to the June 25 protest to continue to work toward...
