Tremendous 12 – Catie Schirmers

Rachel Kaplan
May 24, 2010
Filed under Features, Student Life

Few can boast over 100 hours of dedication to a single activity, much less find time to participate in nine other activities, volunteer at a local hospital, and become a horror movie aficionado: all within four years of high school. Senior Catie Schirmers has managed to do just that. Though many support... Read more »

Target Field a big hit in the Twin Cities

Rachel Kaplan
April 29, 2010
Filed under A&E, Area Hot Spots, Twin Cities Hot Spot

Few times in Minnesota Twins history has the team started out the season so strong, with a 14-7 record against some of the arguably best teams in baseball. It is hardly a coincidence that with the Twins' unprecedented performance comes the ultimate new ballpark--Target Field--combining a spectular view... Read more »

The Potter-less generation

Rachel Kaplan
March 1, 2010
Filed under Features, Top Stories

Harry Potter. If you're a senior, chances are simply uttering the name brings to mind magic, wonderment, and a life-changing obsession. However, many underclassmen, such as freshman Max Holly simply think, "That book is too long." Ninth grader Alex Rios agreed, "it's just not that important." Both statements... Read more »

Harry Potter

Rachel Kaplan
February 26, 2010
Filed under Q&A

Kelsey Myhre: "All that time turner business blows my mind everytime I read it." KE:If you could marry one character, who would it be? KM: Harry. I had the biggest crush on him when I was little. Actually, who am I kidding, I still do. KE: What HP memorabilia do you own? KM: I have a cloak, invisibility... Read more »

Over 100 protest Rice’s visit to Beth El Synagogue

Rachel Kaplan
November 29, 2009
Filed under News

Holding candles, singing songs, and clutching signs, over one hundred protesters filled the parking lot behind a roped off area designated by police. Among their chief complaints were Condoleezza Rice's involvement with the Iraq war and supposed role in allowing torture as National Security Advisor and... Read more »

Project Runway returns on new network

Rachel Kaplan
September 19, 2009
Filed under A&E, TV Reviews

After a long-awaited return due to a nasty legal battle, many fans were apprehensive about Project Runway's network change from Bravo to Lifetime. Luckily, the worries that the move to a channel known for its cheesy straight-to-TV movies would mess with the Emmy -nominated reality show have been put... Read more »

Skip-a-Final Suspended Due to Health Concerns

Rachel Kaplan
September 13, 2009
Filed under News

Friday, September 11, students were dismayed and shocked when they heard an announcement that the BSM tradition of Skip-a-Final was suspended for first semester. Citing the H1N1 virus and oncoming flu season, the administration has decided that perfect attendance incentives did not contribute to a healthy... Read more »

BSM Boasts Record Enrollment

Rachel Kaplan
September 3, 2009
Filed under News, Top Stories

Unexpected Numbers Last September, the Benilde-St. Margaret's administration planned a conservative budget for the 2009-2010 school year, aiming to keep on eye on the down-turned economic climate and how that might affect enrollment and tuition income. However, it seems that their fears were almost... Read more »

Half-Blood Prince Delivers Near-Perfect Paradox

Rachel Kaplan
July 16, 2009
Filed under A&E, Movie Reviews

Harry Potter. Simply uttering the name--as famous in the Muggle world as the magical one-- immediately associates it with a mega-phenomenon about some boy with a funny scar, brooms and flying gold balls, and people who carry around sticks muttering gibberish. If critical of the movie series, however,... Read more »

Students organize dress drive for Elk River girls

Rachel Kaplan
May 5, 2009
Filed under News

Evolving from the Glass Slipper drive, juniors Rose Geiwitz and Katie McClurg coordinated a new Adopt a Prom Princess drive to provide free prom dress for students who wouldn't otherwise be able to go to their school's biggest dance of the year. Culminating in a dress and shoe extravaganza, Geiwitz and McClurg's efforts... Read more »

The invasion of the creepy college letters

Rachel Kaplan
April 27, 2009
Filed under Humor

Ever since discovering the plastic Play-mobile mail center in Community Childcare Center when I was four, I have realized my true love of life: getting mail. Unfortunately, because I have a significant lack of tall, dark, and handsome secret admirers and Australian pen pals, my side of the hall table––where... Read more »

BSM basement: an arctic tundra

Rachel Kaplan
April 27, 2009
Filed under Humor

The basement of Benilde-St. Margaret's is a scary place. Labyrinthine halls, window-less corridors, and rooms better suited to solitary confinement in Alcatraz than learning are enough to make anyone cringe, but none of this compares to the real torture of the basement. In the very depths of the school,... Read more »

Knight Errant wins Online Pacemaker award

Rachel Kaplan
April 22, 2009
Filed under News

In time with the one year anniversary of Benilde-St. Margaret’s Knight Errant website, this past weekend the school’s online newspaper received a prestigious award from the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) during a national journalism conference in Phoenix, Arizona. A nonprofit membership... Read more »

Religion classes to meet fives days a week

Rachel Kaplan
April 21, 2009
Filed under News

In coordination with U.S. Catholic Bishops’ new national faith formation goals, Benilde-St. Margaret’s will instate several major changes to the religion department for the 2010-2011 school year. Among these changes will be new mandated classes for underclassmen, five-day a week schedules, and an... Read more »

Clarkson attempts to regain past glory with new album

Rachel Kaplan
April 7, 2009
Filed under Music Reviews

Coming back from a virtually forgotten third album, canceled tours, and disappointment, Kelly Clarkson's new album has faced much speculation from both critics and fans. With her fourth effort, "All I Ever Wanted," she has made strides toward re-becoming the pop star the country once knew and loved. ... Read more »

Senior high actors return to roots

Rachel Kaplan
March 3, 2009
Filed under Activities

A Brief History Four years ago, Benilde-St. Margaret’s revolutionized its junior high theater program by performing an original debut, “Junior High: the Musical,” written by choir teacher Ms. Nancy Stockhaus along with her nephew Dylan Lamb. In 2005, the same year, the theater department added... Read more »

Math competition challenges students

Rachel Kaplan
February 20, 2009
Filed under News

Benilde-St. Margaret's students took the yearly American Math Competition in the Great Hall on Tuesday, February 10, intending to spur interest in mathematics and develop talent through solving challenging problems,"It's a really awesome experience," said AP Calculus BC teacher Ms. Jean Nightingale. Given... Read more »

NHS helps pay for life-changing surgery

Rachel Kaplan
February 20, 2009
Filed under News

Contributing to the Minnesota-based, non-profit organization Children's Surgery International, the Benilde-St. Margaret's National Honor Society chapter ran its second successful Send a Kiss, Spread a Smile Hershey Kiss Drive, which raised a substantial $662.50. "It definitely went better than last... Read more »

Two seniors nominated for Triple ‘A’ award

Rachel Kaplan
February 12, 2009
Filed under News

Every year, Benilde-St. Margaret's nominates two seniors "who have excelled in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in a fine arts activity" for the Minnesota State High School League Triple "A" Award. This year, Drew Breyer and Caroline Hendrickson were nominated for their outstanding participation... Read more »

Juniors win ExCEL award

Rachel Kaplan
February 12, 2009
Filed under News

Along with the Triple "A" Award, the MSHSL and Minnesota's Private Colleges sponsor the ExCEL award-- standing for Excellence in Community, Education, and Leadership. Juniors John Karlen and Maddie Jobe were nominated for the award designed for students active in fine arts and/or athletic activities... Read more »

Students advocate for social justice causes

Rachel Kaplan
February 11, 2009
Filed under News

On February 3, 18 students from the Social Justice/Non-Violence class got a unique opportunity to visit the state capitol. Taking part in the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition’s “Day on the Hill,” about half of the Social Justice class joined with four other students interested in advocating... Read more »

BSM artists excell at Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards

Rachel Kaplan
February 10, 2009
Filed under News, Top Stories

Out of 1147 individual entries and 121 portfolio entries submitted to the 2009 Minnesota Scholastic Art Exhibition, 54 Gold Keys and 121 Silver Keys were awarded, with twelve going to Benilde-St. Margaret’s students, whose pieces are now on display at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design Concourse... Read more »

Totino Teacher takes over Spanish Classes

Rachel Kaplan
January 26, 2009
Filed under News

After the administration announced that Spanish teacher Mrs. Lidibette Rosado-Guzman would be taking over the vacant spot of the  diversity coordinator, it became clear that someone would need to teach some of her classes. Intending to answer an ad in the Star Tribune, St. Louis Park resident Ms.... Read more »

Drama becomes soap opera

Rachel Kaplan
November 19, 2008
Filed under A&E, TV Reviews

One Tree Hill, once a captivating drama, has turned into a melodramatic soap opera better suited for daytime television than Monday night prime time. After the cast of One Tree Hill miraculously aged four years after season 4, the entire plot has become absurd. Season 6 plot lines include psychotic... Read more »

Junior receives college credit and experience

Rachel Kaplan
November 18, 2008
Filed under Student Life

With his mental calculator, photographic memory, and amazing calculus skills, there is no doubt that John Karlen is one of the smartest students at Benilde-St. Margaret’s. Many, however, do not realize that every day after homeroom, Karlen leaves these very halls to study Calculus 4 at the U of M,... Read more »

Cancer clubhouse hosts fashion benefit at Sak’s

Rachel Kaplan
November 18, 2008
Filed under News

Each year, 1.2 million people across the United States are newly diagnosed with some form of cancer, and at least 8,000 of these diagnoses are in Minnesota. Thanks to the Gilda’s Club organization, cancer patients and their families will soon have a place where they can join others to build a personal... Read more »

Girls Soccer takes 3rd at State

Rachel Kaplan
October 28, 2008
Filed under Fall Sports, Sports, Top Stories

As rain poured down, a small contingent of loyal fans cheered on the girl's soccer team in their first state soccer game against St. Michael-Albertville, putting up with soaked sweatshirts, frozen toes, and chattering teeth. Even more withstanding than the fans, however, was the team its self, who successfully... Read more »

Now showing: MOA new theaters

Rachel Kaplan
October 28, 2008
Filed under scene featured, Theater Reviews

Six months ago, the movie theaters at Mall of America were filled with ratty, non-stadium seating, surly ushers, and outdated screens and speakers. After a long renovation, these less-than-desirable characteristics have been replaced with brand new features in an exciting attempt to re-attract movie... Read more »

MLB announcers biased towards big-city teams

Rachel Kaplan
October 28, 2008
Filed under Opinions

As the 2008 Major League Baseball season comes to a close, baseball fans across America are glued to their televisions to watch their favorite (or most hated) teams fight for a spot in the World Series. Unfortunately, throughout the entire season--and now the playoffs--viewers everywhere are forced to... Read more »

Women should not switch votes to McCain

rachel kaplan
October 10, 2008
Filed under Opinions

After the Democratic Party officially chose Barack Obama as their nominee, Hillary Clinton was ousted from the 2008 presidential election, leaving many Democratic women upset over losing the prospect of a female president. Their situation was made even more difficult when John McCain chose a woman, Sarah... Read more »

Battle with cancer inspires brilliant album

Rachel Kaplan
October 8, 2008
Filed under A&E, a&e featured, Music Reviews

Spending three years in the process of completing their long anticipated second album, Jack’s Mannequin has finally released The Glass Passenger, featuring 16 new tracks and two live versions of old songs, with darker sounds and vivid themes. Just after Jack’s Mannequin, a solo project headed... Read more »

Stereotypical Comedy Still Funny

Rachel Kaplan
September 16, 2008
Filed under A&E, Movie Reviews

Anyone going to see The Rocker, whose movie poster features a middle-aged, half-naked man, and expects to see a masterful film is sadly mistaken. Although it has been dubbed as a disappointment by critics, this summer movie serves its purpose as a hilarious, though somewhat stereotypical comedy. Rainn... Read more »

APUSH Teacher Ventures into Unfamiliar Territory

Rachel Kaplan
September 16, 2008
Filed under News

Sister Jeanne, known best for teaching the revered––though perhaps GPA-killing––AP U.S. History course, is adding a new class to her repertoire: seventh grade religion. The prospect first came about at the end of last year, when Dr. Skinner asked if she would be willing to teach in the junior... Read more »

Number of AP Students Jumps

Rachel Kaplan
September 16, 2008
Filed under News

Walking into their AP classes the first day of school, many students, who were expecting about 15 students, were extremely surprised to find their classrooms filled with close to 30 of their peers. Whether it's pressure from colleges, low prerequisites, or unusually ambitious students, an exceptionally... Read more »