• HOCO 24 dress up (Friday): show Spartan Pride with BLUE and GOLD.
  • HOCO 24 dress up (Thursday): get cozy because it's sweater weather.
  • HOCO 24 dress up (Wednesday): it's "rhyme without reason" so mix it up with your twin from another mother.
  • HOCO 24 dress up (Tuesday): grades wear green (9), yellow (10), red (11), blue (12) for class color day.
  • HOCO 24 dress up (Monday): wear your stars and stripes for USA day.
  • German Exchange students arrive Sept. 29.
  • Want more photos? Find them in the yearbook galleries on the Ibid Flickr.
The student news of St. Paul Academy and Summit School

The Rubicon
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 traditional storming of Lang Field
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
READY TO THROW. Team Dodgy Business and Ballsagna sprint from the midline to behind the throw line to begin the match.
[HOCO Day 3] “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball”
September 25, 2024
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
September 25, 2024
STRETCH OUT. Freshman Winston Arvidson reaches out to hit a forehand after his opponent, freshman Liam Burns, angles a shot to the corner of the table. Participants competed in the ping pong tournament on Monday and finalists face off during the Pep Fest on Friday.
[HOCO Day 1] Students demonstrate competitiveness in annual ping pong tournament
September 24, 2024
Turned 16? Get on LinkedIn
Turned 16? Get on LinkedIn
September 30, 2024
STAR POWER. Celebrities’ and influencers’ political stances can overshadow politicians. Their statements have power to influence an audience, so they must recognize the danger in spreading information.
Celebrity politics have power
September 29, 2024
The Sift is a weekly The Rubicon opinions column focused on the impacts and implications of new technologies.
[THE SIFT] Is AI capable of reasoning? OpenAI thinks so.
September 27, 2024
HELPFUL HABITS. Take the beginning of the school year as an opportunity to establish consistent routines, such as going to bed at the same time every night.
Start the school year off right with healthy habits
September 26, 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
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.
[THE SIFT] 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.
[THE SIFT] Apple’s Glowtime event didn’t shine
September 13, 2024
FIVE FREEDOMS. The First Amendment of the Constitution lays out five essential freedoms for American citizens. Over the summer, co-Editor in Chief Orion Kim dove deep into the nuances of the Amendment.
[FREE SPIRIT] U.S. should employ harsher online restrictions regarding free speech
March 12, 2024
FIVE FREEDOMS. The First Amendment of the Constitution lays out five essential freedoms for American citizens. Over the summer, co-Editor in Chief Orion Kim dove deep into the nuances of the Amendment.
[FREE SPIRIT] Claudine Gay’s controversy pits free speech against morality
February 12, 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
An adjunct to an adjunct professor's disjunction
An adjunct to an adjunct professor’s disjunction
February 18, 2023
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
AROUND THE WORLD. Junior Salma recently moved from Zurich to St. Paul, just in time for the beginning of the school year. She found much of American culture interesting but also misses aspects of her life in Europe. "My daily life in Switzerland was quite different due to the change in school system," Blagui said.
Switzerland to St. Paul: Blagui navigates continental differences
September 19, 2024
PIZZA PREPARATION. Junior Bokii Mullataa is a pizza professional after working at Domino's this summer.
Summer fun, summer productivity: students gain job experience
September 16, 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
Our Town cast announced
Our Town cast announced
September 20, 2024
COFFEE, PIE AND BISCUITS. Hot Hands provides a variety of different drinks, pie and biscuit dishes ranging from cinnamon rolls to maple fried chicken.
[AROUND TOWN] Hot Hands Pie & Biscuit delivers delicious pastries and biscuit meals
September 16, 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
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
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
CAMRADERIE. Both girls' and boys' cross-country teams sit in a circle while listening to the coaches.
Cross country pushes boundaries and builds community at Metro Invitational
September 17, 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
SERVE. Larson prepares to serve the ball against her opponent from Hill-Murray.
Nellie Larson balances mind and body in pursuit of tennis success
September 11, 2024
CHEER. Benched players and Spartan audience members roar in celebration of a goal.
Boys Soccer rallies to win season opener agaisnt rival Scots
September 3, 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
Amanda Hsu

Amanda Hsu, In Depth Editor

Amanda Hsu (she/her) is a talented and hard worker who gets down to the details in all aspects of her life, including but not limited to artwork, volleyball, academics, and journalism. She works as In Depth Editor on The Rubicon and can be reached at [email protected].

All content by Amanda Hsu
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 traditional storming of Lang Field

Amanda Hsu, Sonia Kharbanda, Lani Ngonethong, John Grimsrud, and Greyson Sale
September 30, 2024
STAR POWER. Celebrities’ and influencers’ political stances can overshadow politicians. Their statements have power to influence an audience, so they must recognize the danger in spreading information.

Celebrity politics have power

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
September 29, 2024
WIND UP. Senior Ethan Peltier prepares to throw a dodgeball at the faculty team.

HOT FEET. History Teacher Jon Peterson puts on a show, dramatically dodging several throw.

GO. "Roll Tide," a team comprised of juniors, rush to grab as many dodgeballs as they can.

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

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
September 18, 2024
HEALTHY HOUSING. Senior Ayla Rivers builds houses alongside Habitat for Humanity for her senior project. She started volunteering Apr. 26 and completed her 21 hours of service. "Typically, alongside senior's capstone projects, they will also be completing community service ... however, my project is completely volunteer work," Rivers said. (Submitted by Ayla Rivers)

Rivers builds community homes by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
May 16, 2024

Overgaard and Welsh break rocket launch record

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
May 9, 2024
PRACTICE PARTNERS. Oliver Thompson passes the baton to his younger brother Langston at a track practice. The siblings have been on the track and basketball teams together. “I give him more direction than other people,” Oliver said.

Thompson brothers fuel each other’s athletic ambitions

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
May 4, 2024
TASTE TEST. Junior Talia Cairns is working on a food-related topic with her classmates, junior Deling Chen and senior Annika Lillegard. (Submitted Photo: Karissa Baker)

ASR and ATP come together for final projects

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
April 24, 2024
PRECOCIOUS PRETEENS. Kids that wander into social media spaces curated for older people may end up imitating the trends they find. But this phenomenon isn’t completely innocent — it often ends up rushing their childhoods.

Kids should to take a step back from consumerism and societal trends

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
March 14, 2024
OBSERVATION. Sophomore Lam Le observes his ants in their test tubes, checking to see how their condition is while in hibernation.

From ants to shrimp, unique creatures spark curiosity

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
March 1, 2024
NEIGHBORHOOD CLASH. Incidents of bikers and pedestrians being hit by cars are among the city’s top considerations regarding this proposal. Initially proposed in 2021, backlash from neighbos pushed back the approval until October of 2023. “In reality, it’s just safer bike lanes,” said sophomore Roman Farley.

Residents resist council-approved Summit Ave. reconstruction

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
February 21, 2024
CITY LIGHTS. SMALL TOWN CHARM. Downtown Stillwater offers it all.

[AROUND TOWN] A winter day in Stillwater offers picturesque, small town Minnesota at its finest

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
February 8, 2024
SILVER MEDALISTS. Sophomore Zain Kizilbash and freshman Nabeeha Qadri pose with the University of Wisconsin River Falls mascot after placing second in the Fossils event. (Submitted Photo: Nabeeha Qadri)

Science Olympiad competes fiercely at UW River Falls invitational

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
January 29, 2024
TESTING THE WATERS. Environmental Science students tested lake and river water for contaminants. “We tested the water for... nitrates, phosphates, pH, and dissolved oxygen,” senior Clare Kimmel said.

Class, elected group take action to preserve clean water

Amanda Hsu, Rubicon
December 19, 2023
LEARNING EXPERIENCE. The Eureka Recycling Plant offers tours to student groups to help them learn more about sustainability and the recycling process. (Submitted Photo: Leo Benson)

Eureka! That’s a lot of recycling

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
December 15, 2023
Amidst rock-bottom vaccination rates, stay up-to-date with yours

Amidst rock-bottom vaccination rates, stay up-to-date with yours

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
November 29, 2023
HARD AT WORK. Juniors Rohan Kharbanda and Humza Jameel work together to build a concrete mixer during an Advanced Science Research class. (Submitted Photo: Rohan Kharbanda)

Kharbanda puts the planet first in ASR

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
November 10, 2023
IN THE LAB. In her ASR class, Lillegard likes working in a lab environment and designing her own experiments. “Having my own project and getting to decide what I'm going to do with it is just super cool,” she said.

Lillegard’s ASR project attempts to cure aging

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
October 19, 2023
VOLLEYBALL “POWERS” UP. The varsity volleyball team watches a Powerhouse trainer demonstrate a boat hold exercise. “There are many things that can be done to decrease the odds of [injury],” SPA alum and Powerhouse co-owner Jill Lipset said.

Powerhouse strengthens female athletes

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
October 6, 2023
SCHEDULE SHIFT. The main change to the schedule is the switch between X-period and tutorial. “When we have crossover between middle and upper school teachers and middle and upper school students, [the new schedule] would work more fluidly,” Dean of Academics Tom Anderson said.

Schedule change does not diminish complaints

Amanda Hsu, Rubicon
September 29, 2023
INCLUSIVE. Science Alliance has previously been a predominantly-male student group. Vice-captain Shefali Meagher said, "I'm hoping this year we will have an even more diverse group of people [...] at least one girl please!"

Science Alliance sets hefty goals for the new year

Amanda Hsu, RubicOnline
September 26, 2023
UNEQUAL VISIBILTY. The captains wall is the center of the fight for visibilty. Club captains are currently not recognized on the captains wall. Athletic Director Taylor Tvedt said, “We just want to make sure the leadership that’s up there is all going through the same process.”

MSHSL sports prioritized over clubs

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
May 31, 2023
OVER-COMMUNICATION? OR UNDER WRAPS? There are a number of ways for Elected / Selected groups to engage with the student body, but that’s a two person process. If students want transparency from student groups, they need to actively communicate their feedback. On the other side, student groups should respond with concrete changes.

Elected hopefuls promised full transparency, but is that really what the student body wants?

Amanda Hsu, The Rubicon
May 31, 2023
PREDICTIVE POINTING: Head coach Angie Kritta points out the bumps in the turf that the players need to watch out for during their afterschool practice on Apr.11. Team members listened intently while Kritta explained how to use the unevenness of the ground to their advantage. “We were looking for the angle of the putt,” Freshman Millie Farrington explained.

Girls golf grows in number and talent

Amanda Hsu, Staff Writer
April 26, 2023
FLYING HIGH. Tom Cruise performs his own stunts in his new movie "Top Gun: Maverick".

[OSCAR REVIEW] Top Gun: Maverick hits the top of VFX game

Amanda Hsu, Staff Writer
March 12, 2023

1986: Bethel vs Fraser

Amanda Hsu and Shefali Meagher
February 23, 2023
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY? Do the benefits of affirmative action balance out its flaws?

[2 SIDES, 1 ISSUE] Debating the merits of Affirmative Action

Amanda Hsu and Shefali Meagher
February 21, 2023

The Disadvantages of Affirmative Action

Amanda Hsu, Staff Writer
February 21, 2023
GRADES & RUBRICS. The History department utilizes similar lesson plans and rubrics across class periods, but the grading can differ. Other subject areas use completely different methods for assessing students, such as standards-based grading in the Science department.

Departments take differing approaches when grading across sections

Amanda Hsu and Shefali Meagher
February 15, 2023
Load More Stories