Jael Masi – Providence Academy Word

January 9, 2014January 9, 2014

A Chance for High School Quiz Bowl

The Providence Academy High School Quiz Bowl, is well underway in their second week of competition tonight held at Minnetonka High School.

The club, which started this year, consists of twelve members so far with four members per team, making up three teams.

“Even though we have groups the members have to bring in for themselves,” said Mr. Kevin Keiser, the club advisor

These members meet every Mondays and Fridays after school and every Tuesday mornings.

Though meetings are encouraged, Mr. Keiser states that “We are laid back, sometimes students don’t make it to all meetings.”

“Quiz Bowl is an academic competition for schools all over country,” says Mr. Keiser.

Like any sport, Quiz Bowl has competitions. These competitions consist of Invitationals which are on Saturdays and run through the entire day. They also have League nights, which run through three evenings for about three hours as from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Last but not least they have the playoffs.

During the invitationals and playoffs the top sixteen teams advance to the Nationals, which will be held in Chicago next year. On their last invitational on November 9th the club was so close to going to the Nationals when they placed seventeenth. But all hope was not lost for the club; a light could be seen at the end of the tunnel.

Thursday November 21st the club had a competition that was held in Minnetonka High School where the three teams competed and did a great job. Team A won 2 rounds and lost 2, Team B won 1 round and lost 3, Team C won 1 round and lost 3.

“It was an overall success,” says Rachael Maguire, one of the club members.

“Anyone who enjoys trivia and quiz games and in 9th to 12th grade is allowed to join,” says Mr. Keiser. With time still left to join and more competitions coming, everyone is welcomed to help keep the High School Quiz Bowl dream of reaching the finals alive.

December 19, 2013January 9, 2014

Opinion: Christmas Break, Study Time?

Christmas break is supposed to be time set aside for students to get into the festive mode, having fun with family and friends, enjoying gift exchanges, and relaxing after tiring and stressful days in school. But for many PA students, Christmas break turns out to be a time for finals preparation due to Providence Academy’s schedule of finals shortly after Christmas break.

Having finals after Christmas break takes quite a toll on the students, for some of them find themselves stressing over their finals. For every chance they find themselves enjoying themselves, they start thinking about the tests that will be awaiting them when they are back in school. Many of the PA students have friends that have already finished their finals by the break. While teachers think they are giving students time to go over the study guides, the students find themselves hanging out with family and friends and never get the chance to study.

Not studying during break is just fine according to PA administrators. Upper School Director Dr. Kevin Ferdinandt, in his most recent blog post, encourages students to use “a significant portion of Christmas break to spend time in positive and constructive forms of leisure.” He points out that PA’s policy is to give no homework during Christmas break. If you do decide to study, Dr. Ferdinandt recommends that it be brief. He writes, “Remember, no work is required in any shape or form. All students may choose to take the entire break off.”

While relaxing over the two weeks of break is great, students can tend to forget most of what they have learned before break and it is harder for them to come back and adjust to school and be ready to take the finals.

As for me, it would be great if the finals would be before Christmas break, therefore every PA student will be done with tests and would have stress free time to enjoy with their family knowing, that once they are back to school, they’ll be starting anew.

Though this may bring a lot of changes to the teachers’ schedules, maybe it is time for a change.

November 5, 2013November 7, 2013

A Busy Week For PA Faculty

With Parent-Teacher Conferences beginning at 3:30 this afternoon, teachers and administration will kick off an extremely busy week at Providence Academy.

As most PA students will be home enjoying time with families and sleeping in, teachers will be busy meeting with parents. With a 12 hour day in school today, the teachers will also have to come in tomorrow from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Conferences, like we all know, include a lot of talking. However, the teachers still must come in Thursday morning and teach all day, which can be a strain on their voices, and possibly their nerves.

Religion teacher Dr. Arthur Hippler has another problem.

“The challenge for me is that we have a 2 months old new born baby and I don’t really get too sleep that much,” said Dr. Hippler. For all students who think no one knows what you go through, Dr. Hippler understands. “I appreciate the sympathy, but you students don’t get it easy either.”

Some students, scared of what their teachers are going to say about them, are not looking forward to Parent-Teacher Conferences. However, religion teacher Mr. Edward Hester says that students should not worry about that.

“I always enjoy talking to parents,” said Mr. Hester. ” I always try to remind them that we are all in this together.”

October 11, 2013

Opinion: Nairobi events have impact close to home

The death of 69 people in Nairobi proves to have quite an impact on us as Providence Academy students, Mall of America shoppers and Minnesota residents as well.

Its been two weeks since Islamist militants attacked the Westgate Shopping Mall, one of the largest and busiest malls in Nairobi, leaving 69 people dead and many injured. Due to the event, the Mall of America last week released information stating that they are going to increase the security measures in the building. Built in 1992 , the second-largest mall in the United States (a Pennsylvania mall now tops MOA) attracts both tourists and the states’ residents.

Mall of America security committee members have gained my respect for caring about the safety of their customers. Improving the entire system of a mall that can hold up to seven Yankees Stadiums is going to take a lot of money and time. Money that could have been used to build more stores and maybe even getting a larger parking lot. (Let’s face it, we have all experienced the parking problems when we visit the mall.)

With the bad economy, it would be easy to ignore safety. However, as the tragic events in Nairobi show, we live in a world where safety cannot be ignored. The Mall’s decision to improve their security, especially as the busy holiday shopping season is about to begin, is comforting.

October 10, 2013November 1, 2013

Stefanie Palmer featured as Channel 12’s Student of the Week

Last week one of PA’s own was featured in Channel 12 News as a standout student.

Stefanie Palmer ’14, a senior here at Providence Academy has achieved something many people have not been able to achieve, in order to be honored as an outstanding student. Through her high school career she has maintained a 4.0 GPA. With such an outstanding GPA you would think that all her time would be spent on books and academic activities alone, but that is not the case.

The truth, she said, is “I’ve always had an emphasis on academics,” but that’s not all. Stefanie is in the school spirit squad, the drama club, a play and a musical. she is also a member of the National Honor Society.

Regarding time, with all the extracurricular activities and school work Stephanie admits to her plate being full but said, “school has always been my first priority.” A typical week for Stefanie consists of tutoring every Monday and Wednesday through the National Honor Society right after school. She also has play practice every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Last but not least she has spirit squad every Tuesday and Thursday.

Cathryn Quinn, Stefanie’s spirit squad coach, said, “Stefanie is a true leader.”

With all the activities and meetings that Stephanie attends to during the week she says, “Its hard to balance everything, Homework comes first; but I try to give time to all things.”

“I’m looking forward to college, there is more freedom but I will definitely miss my friends and the safety that is at Providence. The teachers are open and care. We are all a big community.”

As for the future Stefanie hopes to get into either Marist College, Davidson or Vanderbilt, where she’ll be studying creative writing.

For the rest of students who have some time left, Stefanie advices you to do your very best and enjoy your time at Providence Academy.

“A 4.0 GPA is not impossible to achieve but you have to work for it.”