“About four years ago I connected with Junior Achievement ,” South social studies teacher Richard Nohel explained, “I learned about the Titan Challenge and thats how we started.” The Titan Challenge lets students take on the role of a chief executive officer and control the selling, manufacturing and upgrading of the futuristic holograms. While at first glance this simulator might seem like a game it’s anything but, “It shows students that running a business is very difficult,” Nohel continued, “and that there a lot of risks you have to take.”

This simulator, The Global Titan Challenge, is based on JA Titan and allows teams of high school and university students from around the world to run simulated businesses that mimic real-world conditions. Teams are prompted to make decisions that affect the profitability and sustainability of their virtual company and attempt to outperform their competitors in profit, sales and market share.

South had nine student teams go to the Metro competition, which had forty three teams overall from schools all over the metro area, “fourteen of the forty three teams went on to regionals and two of those were from South,” said Nohel.

Regionals will be held at the Best Buy headquarters in Richfield sometime in late May, where South students will compete to become the top high school business executives in Minneapolis.

Share this:

    Each play had great actors, and some had outstanding ones. Often times when the story or writing seemed to be lagging a great performance picked it right up.

    While the night as a whole consisted of very solid plays, the more iffy moments came with the drama’s which were sometimes confusing or strange, and when in some plays  the genders of the characters did not match the actors. This was confusing and made it hard to remember which character was which.

Overall, the one acts shined with witty writing terrific acting and rock solid directing.

Share this:

Johnson Jensen said that he feels that their version is more representative of the South community. “It’s a more fair one …we’re a multicultural building.”

Boucher had skipped saying “under God” both times he said the pledge over the announcements, and was warned not to do so by Waldeland. On Monday, Johnson Jensen also chose not to say the phrase.

“[She said I] did not have the right to not say it,” he remembered, “ I could continue to be the announcer and say it, or resign.”

Both students made the choice to resign. Johnson Jensen described it as a personal choice, as an atheist student. “I understand that doing the announcements is not a right … it’s a privilege, but one that is only afforded to people who are willing to acknowledge a belief in God.”

The phrase “under God” was added to the pledge during the Red Scare in the 1950s. This is one reason Johnsen-Jensen said they both objected. “It isn’t relevant anymore,” he stated. He also cited separation of church and state.

Other students may agree with him. Johnson Jensen described his peers’ reactions by saying, “they [students] thought that they [administration]  had asked us not to say ‘under God’ because it’s more equal.”

He said, “[Waldeland] should just turn away when I don’t say it.” However, according to Minnesota State Statute 121A.11, Waldeland could lose her job  if the pledge of allegiance is altered.

Share this:

The movement to provide support to Trinidad’s family and to each other was led by a Student Council ribbon campaign. The campaign allows students to buy red ribbons at lunch (red was to Student Council’s knowledge Trinidad’s favorite color) all proceeds go to helping Trinidad’s family.  According to Student Council member Lena Pelini, the original idea was to use flowers but as these would only last a short time, they would only be able to be sold for small window in time. Ribbons, however, can be worn on purchasers clothing to support Trinidad.

The event began in a classroom on Wednesday, April 24th, when 17 kids met to make the ribbons which are being sold for however much students wish to pay.

“People have been giving everything from the change in their wallets to today when someone gave me $15…they have been very generous” said Pellini. She sees this as very positive development and notes that after only 2 days about half of the original 380 ribbons are gone totalling about $150.

As a ribbon bearer himself, sophomore Seamus Hawley reflected, “It feels good. I’m proud to have provided support.”

Ribbons will be sold in all three lunches, but can also be procured by giving money to any student council member. The sale will continue until all ribbons are sold.

Share this:

There was some initial difficulty in getting Sample into speak. Berglund said that they, “scheduled for a couple of visits, but the weather interfered.”

The goal of bringing in the speaker was open up a discussion about race relations.  “We wanted it to be a positive experience for the students and non disruptive for the school,” Berglund said.  He complimented the speaker, saying, “What was good about her was that she was real, she experienced it.  And she made sure she included every kid in the room.”

The teacher was also not short of praise for the students who attended, “It was a nice group of kids who wanted to talk about it, it was actually a very positive experience.”

There was one disappointment, Berglund said, “The kids who probably would have benefitted more, they weren’t there.”  But the negatives were easily overwhelmed by the positive things he had to say about the meeting.  “My biggest happiness,” Berglund said, “is that it was a full class, about thirty kids, and everyone of those kids had a positive life experience.”

Katie Sample’s visit will probably not be the last, as Berglund explained, “we’re hopefully going to have her back or another speaker.  We’re trying to get people on this stuff.”

Share this:

“We don’t go every year, it really depends on the novel,” said Spanish teacher Sheila Willette, “but this was a really manageable storyline to follow and there was high interest.” Usually, classes attend the production of a novel they’ve read, but because of the multitude of levels this was not possible.

“We try if we find one that is appropriate and of high interest,” Willette commented.

For junior Vivi Grieco, the experience was new and a different way to challenge listening skills. “It was the first play field trip that I remember going to. I really like the Mixed Blood Theatre…it was really interesting because it was a bilingual play. That was really fun for me because I was able to understand it very well.”

Choosing a bilingual show for students offered the opportunity to understand more opportunities to understand than had it been exclusively in Spanish. Taking students to a play is a great way to incorporate the arts into learning. It also provides an alternative way to enhance listening abilities and pushes students to see what they know, “It’s a very engaging way to practice listening skills,” reported Grieco.

Hopefully using the feedback from students, more language classes will consider looking into opportunities to involve the arts in their curriculums.

Share this:

Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) has made the switch to public transportation for multiple reasons including budget cuts, an attempt to increase attendance, and the availability of public buses to students who live outside of the attendance zone. Because of this switch, I have decided to take three separate forms of transportation to school to see if switching to public transportation will benefit the students as much as it benefits MPS.

Stepping onto the school bus, I look around at the small and graffiti-covered seats as students fold up their legs to let me pass. It’s the first day of my transportation odyssey, and after a short sprint to the bus stop I step onto the bus, barely making it. The bus lurches into motion before I sit down, forcing me to fall back into the seat next to me.

It’s a bumpy and slightly chilly ride, but looking around I notice other kids laughing and talking and realize even with it’s small discomforts the school bus is more of a place for friends to catch up with each other than a ride to school.

Within fifteen minutes of getting on the bus it pulls up to South and stepping off I notice being dropped off directly in front of the school is another plus. When taking the light rail or public buses, just walking from the station to school can be several blocks and in the middle of winter with temperatures below freezing that extra distance can make a huge difference.

That said, riding the school bus does have its drawbacks and frankly, as a junior, the excitement of riding the bright yellow bus to school everyday has worn off. Ducking my head as I walked up the bus’s steps I thought of how the public buses and light rail not only give students a

chance to catch a later ride if they’re running late, an opportunity to experience the world outside of school, and see how other adults commute to work.

I then set out to travel to school by bicycle. Earlier that morning, I had missed the bus, again, and grabbing my pack and bike I sped off, or more accurately, slowly pedaled through the foot-high snow.

The trek through snow and ice is not an easy one. With no hat, hood or gloves I leaned forward and started the usually 7-minute ride along Hiawatha. I knew it was slightly chilly out when my left ear grew twice its size and became bright red for three days.

By the time I lost complete feeling in my ear I was only a block away from school, so I bent my head down to protect my face from the wind and pedaled up the final hill and slid into the parking lot (literally). With shaking hands I locked my bike. The five-mile ride to school is not always this harsh, but with windy weather and cold temperatures, it’s days like these I can see the sense in taking public transportation to school, or wearing a hat.

The light rail suddenly came whooshing past, blowing snow and icy air into my face, its warm occupants staring out at me with happy smiles. For a few seconds I hated them but quickly forgot as my bike hit a patch of ice. Slowly pedaling forward, I turned my handlebars and pushed my way onto clear cement.

When I finally made it home that day, I found out I had a bad case of frostbite on my left ear.

When you miss the bus and have no other way of getting to school, biking, at least for me, can be the last and only option. And when the school bus comes at an exact time and stops for fewer than thirty seconds it can be pretty easy to miss. With the new transit passes, however, students running late only have to wait five to fifteen minutes for the next bus or train.

So with a giant left ear, red and swollen, I took the light rail the next day. The short walk to the train station was chilly, but being properly dressed, hat and all, it was nothing compared to the previous day. I waited about three minutes for the train, huddled under one of the heat lights, and, getting on, realized I was the only person under the age of twenty boarding.

Having not taken the train that often, I had assumed the Hiawatha light rail would be full of other high schoolers going to either Roosevelt or South, but looking around at the adults dressed in suits and ties, I realized I was wrong. The ride to South was much shorter and warmer than the bike ride or even the school bus, but without other kids my age or even the usual loudness of the bus, the train felt awkwardly quiet.

The two-block distance from the train station to South was short and quick. Taking the train home was just as uneventful, with the only difference being the addition of a few South and Roosevelt students getting on. Walking home I realized getting to school through public transportation was not only fast and warm, but more convenient for students either needing to get to school early or leave late because of afterschool activities. With a train coming on a regular schedule you never have to wait long, and running late only means catching the next train.

In the end, the light rail took the least amount of time, taking approximately ten minutes for the four-mile distance to school but looking back, to me, the school bus seemed to be the fastest, even with the  frequent stops and red lights.

So the switch to public transportation, while exposing students to the world outside of school,  gives up the old familiar school bus most students have grown up riding, and for good or bad pushes students another step forward in their transition from children to adults.

Share this:

But the internet is not the source of enlightenment that it is commonly made out to be; rather, it is a world of unspoken laws where the slightest mistake can tarnish your reputation forever. Without clearly defined rules, people routinely suffer for material that they put out on the internet without understanding why what they did was wrong. When it comes to posting inappropriate things online, it is often ignorance mistaken as irresponsibility.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the highly socialized aspects of this new media. Whether it’s sharing self-created videos on Youtube, or wishing someone a happy birthday over Facebook, the concept is simple. The internet is a void and you choose what you put out there, you can create an idealized image of yourself. This is an incredible opportunity, especially for young adults, who have always struggled with the problem of balancing the need for peer relationships and developing the self-confidence to stand without them.

But maintaining such a perfect persona is a chore as well. In an interview with Forbes, Evan Spiegel, creator of Snapchat, said, “People are living with this massive burden of managing a digital version of themselves; it’s taken all of the fun out of communicating.” Indeed, the struggle of the online world is maintaining a profile that is interesting to friends, acceptable for family members, and appealing to colleges and possible employers. Inevitably, people mess up and post things that they should not.

Whether it is posting pictures of underage drinking or complaining about teachers, it is a rude awakening when the truth is revealed. The Internet is not free of consequences and people suffer socially, academically, and even legally for transgressions. But there is a backlash to the common conception that those who post inappropriate or inflammatory material are getting their just desserts. Not every offender is motivated by malice, rather ignorance plays a larger role.

The counterargument is two-pronged. The first part calls for an end to the laser-like focus that is used on postings on the Internet. By nature, people say stupid things. But there is no outcry when people say offensive or ignorant things in the company of their friends, as long as it’s private and in person. And for better or worse, those are two traits that many teenagers apply to their Facebook page. Which leads to the second argument: that there is not enough effort being taken to educate Internet users of the consequences of their actions.

To many, the damage done is only apparent after the fact. Only when rejected as a job applicant or being picked up by the police, do the offenders regret their actions. In the moment, though, it is as easy as sharing a joke with a close friend.

There is not enough education regarding the internet, and this lack is not only evident in the large absence of basic respect and dignity. Behavior should not be punished when information about the offense is not widely disseminated. How can we expect people to follow rules if those who break them are not aware of their existence? Our very system of Western rule of law is established by a contract between the people and their government, the criminalization of ignorance is in direct contradiction to this fundamental pillar of a free society.

There is no easy solution to this problem. Human beings are by no nature perfect, we make mistakes in real life as well as online.  But as long as we make the mistakes of ignorance into unforgivable crimes, there will continue to be problems with internet conduct. If we can educate the young people who are most likely to stumble and fall, as well as enact softer penalties for the natural mistakes of youth, we can create a base of American citizens who are not only free of the criminalization of adolescence, but also retain a faith in the governing systems of Western relations.

Share this:

While the exact details of a new policy regarding security staff throughout the district are unclear, what we do know is that many of the well-respected and crucially important personalities roaming the hallways and ensuring our safety may not have a presence at South next year. These are the same employees that have been at South for many years, have formed relationships with students and established themselves as prominent parts of our community. This redefining of the position, initiated by the district, will cause a complete turnover of the security staff, destroying these bonds.

These are relationships that are not formed over several days, weeks or even months. Relationships of trust, respect and security like those between South students and our hall monitors are cultivated over many years. Though new staff would surely be equally responsible and capable, strong relationships take time to develop. These relationships are vital for the school community, as they can promote students to respect the rules of South. If rules are being enforced by adults whom students respect and value, they will often be more likely to follow them for the sake of that relationship.

Especially in the light of events that have occurred this year, the Southerner believes that it is important to appreciate the hard work that the security staff does on a daily basis. They ensure our security at school, a place where our well-being should never be a concern.

Although we may not see the same familiar faces roaming the halls on the first day of school next year, all we can hope to do is continue to spread “just a little bit of love.”

Share this:

For the purpose of anonymity, this drug dealer will be named Jay. “I just started dealing and it hasn’t changed my life that much really,” Jay stated.

Illicit drug use by high schoolers, specifically marijuana, has risen in recent years.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) stated that in 2012 approximately 30% of High School seniors used marijuana in the past month compared to only 19% monthly use in 2007.

Jay explained that getting into the business seemed easy, natural, and kind of fun.

“A lot of my friends deal and I wanted the money. I’m pretty careful and not much has changed,” Jay said. “It’s also pretty easy to deal in high school because you can talk to people who want to buy in class or the halls and meet up at lunch or after school. It’s easy to find buyers in school.”

An anonymous buyer, who will be named Mary, spends up to thirty dollars weekly on marijuana. Mary elaborated on the idea of high school being a good place to find dealers.

“Everybody knows somebody who sells, and in school you can bring up buying to the the person relatively casually. Its better than awkwardly texting a guy you know nothing about. Tried that once, super sketchy and scary,” she laughed.

A former South dealer links the sketchy and dangerous nature of some situations while dealing to his decision to stop.

“The guy I was picking up from so I could sell was really drunk. The amount he gave was less than we agreed on so I rejected it. I got punched in the face and then I ran away. I realized the legal and physical risks just weren’t worth it,” he said.

Legal risk is a huge factor in the lives of many dealers. Possessing anything more than five grams of marijuana can result in a felony and a $10,000 minimum fine.

Anne Gorton, the chemical health counselor at South, said that students often have misconceptions about the definition of dealing, and these misconceptions can get them into lots of trouble.

“If drugs are passed on from one friend to another, students might not consider it an official drug deal, but the police do. One thing students should realize is that there’s no legal difference between friends selling to friends and buying from an official dealer,” explained Gorton.

Selling marijuana on school property, no matter who it’s to, can result in a felony, up to 15 years in jail, and a $100,000 dollar fine.

These severe laws aren’t always present in the minds of South’s dealers, but sometimes the risk can become very real.

An anonymous student drug dealer, who will be named John, felt the presence of these legal risks in an intense run-in with the cops.

“I was acting sketchy in my friend’s alley and I had a lot [of marijuana] on me at the time. The cops got so close they tried to rip me off my bike but they ripped my shirt and I got away. I could’ve gotten a felony, I was lucky,” John said.

John explained that although he had a close call, surprisingly not much else in his life has changed.

“I spend maybe an hour or less a day dealing. Socially and at school not much changed, maybe a little bit at home but my parents aren’t too nosy. They ask about where I’m going and pick up on it sometimes, but its really not too bad,” he noted.

Jay agreed that socially and academically life stayed the same, but the atmosphere of his home life did shift once dealing became a part of his daily routine.

“I got caught smoking once and now a lot of little things at home have changed,” Jay explained. “My grandma asks to see my receipts if I say I’m going to get food, small things like that. The trust changed a little, honestly not much else.”

Gorton agreed that one of the risks associated with dealing or selling is the change in relationships.

“Kids who get caught have a very different relationship with their parents. The level of trust and the way they interact is different and rebuilding that trust is always a process,” she said.

Student buyer Mary did notice a difference in the way she interacted with students after she realized they were dealers.

“I wasn’t just normal friends with them anymore, I was friends with them for a purpose. I knew them as ‘the dealer’ not as ‘that person from math, or history, or science.’ It changes how you look at them a little,” Mary said.

“When I buy from someone, I want to get the weed and leave. Sometimes I smoke with them, but that seems sort of forced. Its kind of sad but it’s easier to just keep friends and dealers separate.”

Although some relationships might have changed because of dealing, all the students agreed on the main thing driving them to sell: money.

The Huffington Post reported that the average part time marijuana dealer makes between $100-$600 a week depending on location, hours worked, and general ability of the dealer.

Another former dealer, who will go by Jason, said, “I made an average of about $400 a week, which was nice, but also I got in trouble.” Jason further explained, “The parents started asking where I got all this money from, and they figured it out. The consequences weren’t as bad as they could’ve been though, I just got grounded for a while. I still decided to stop dealing though.”

While parents may not give severe punishments, the school responds harshly to dealers who are caught.  Dealers can face heavy suspensions or expulsion, in addition to legal penalties.

When dealers are forced or decide to stop dealing, the process of getting out of the game isn’t always an easy one.

Buyers are often unaware of the former dealer’s decision, and the pressure of friends or lack of money can make the transition very difficult.

Principal Cecilia Saddler addressed the difficulty for dealers to stop, saying it’s important “to work through peer pressure, a person has to feel that they can safely talk.”

At South, Gorton is an available resource for students looking to stop dealing. “Anything that impacts a student negatively… [is] always going to be a concern to us at South,” said Saddler.

“Sometimes when I’m just chilling or people hit me up for weed I imagine how easy it would be and how much money I could be making, but I still don’t do it,” Jason explained about sticking with his decision to stop dealing. “I never felt bad about actually dealing; it’s just safer if I don’t.”

Mary shared Jason’s lack of guilt when it came to the act of dealing and smoking marijuana.

“I don’t feel morally bad at all. Dealing and smoking are super common, aren’t that harmful, and smoking’s just a fun social thing to do. I’ve been told ‘all drugs are bad’ since kindergarten, but especially with the legalization laws its way more accepted now.”

The NIDA states that as the perceived risks of using marijuana drop, the rate of use rises. The perceived risk of using has dramatically dropped from 2009 to 2012. NIDA explained this rise in use and acceptance as a possible reaction to recent social and political movements surrounding marijuana.

According to the NIDA, “Young people are showing decreased perception that marijuana is dangerous. The growing perception of marijuana as a safe drug may reflect recent public discussions over medical marijuana and marijuana legalization.”

Gorton said that although the perception of marijuana as a safe and risk free drug is growing, students should understand the reality of the risks surrounding drug use.

“The laws about marijuana might be changing but it will always be illegal for teens. It has long-term effects on development, too,” she said.

Although risks are high, the convenience and profitability of dealing illicit drugs in high school seem to continue to make this a popular part-time job. As Jay said, “I just got started, and it’s going well. I’m making money and I don’t plan on stopping.”

Share this: