Fun After Finals

You did it, Falcons!

The first semester is officially in the books tomorrow (Jan. 26), and we think you should go explore the Twin Cities and enjoy the unseasonably warm weather after studying hard for finals all week!

So here’s a list of some events going on around St. Paul and Minneapolis you should definitely check out!

St. Paul Winter Carnival | Downtown St. Paul

Ice carving, automated snowplow competitions, ice skating, food, snow sculptures, and… ICE CASTLE! St. Paul’s Winter Carnival promises to be bigger and better than ever in its 132nd year, and there are nonstop events from Thursday (Jan. 25) evening and for the next 17 days! Most events are free.

Art Shanty Projects | Lake Harriet, Minneapolis

Take a ride on The Thwing, snag some free coffee, and visit the Tomb of the Unknown Minnow. Confused? That’s because the Art Shanty Projects are something you have to see to believe! Head on over to south Minneapolis from 10am-4pm on weekends through February 11. Free.

U.S. Pond Hockey Championships | Lake Nokomis, Minneapolis

If you’re more sporty than artsy, then you’ll want to head to a different lake in south Minneapolis and take in the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships. Teams from around the world make their way to Lake Nokomis to battle for the Golden Shovel this weekend. Free.

City of Lakes Loppet | Bde Maka Ska, Minneapolis

If you haven’t noticed a theme here yet, basically if there’s a frozen lake, you’ll find Minnesotans on it. Taking place all weekend (and next) is the City of Lakes Loppet Festival, a celebration of all things cross country skiing, on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun).  Be sure to check the website for the list of events. Most stuff is free.

Championship Cat Show | Roy Wilkins Auditorium, St. Paul

Come see some #floofs, shop for cat things, and view some cat royalty in all their splendor at the Saintly City Club’s Annual Championship Cat Show in at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul. Tickets are $4, and the event runs from 9-5 on Saturday, January 27. More of a dog person? Good news! The Doggie Depot runs from 10am-1pm at Union Depot in St. Paul. You can chat with doggie experts, buy doggie trinkets, and see the Canine Royal Court. You can see the doggos for free.

Want to know more going on this weekend? Citypages.com is a great resource for everything happening in Minneapolis and St. Paul!

Basketball Warms Up

Though the basketball season is officially underway, things really heat up this week as the St. Paul Prep/High School for Recording Arts (HSRA) boys JV and varsity basketball teams play their first two home games of the season!

Members of the team include:

• Telmo
• Matteo
• Alejandro (Alex)
• Anh
• Tae Rim (Kim)
• Demdindori (Demi)
• Pavlomyr (Paul)
• Kunihiro (Kuni)

Catch the Falcons on Tuesday or Thursday this week on their home court at HSRA, located at 1166 University Ave W. in St. Paul. Cost for tickets is $2 for students and $5 for adults. SPP is in a co-op with HSRA for basketball, meaning students from both schools practice and play together. All home games are played at HSRA.

On Tuesday, the Falcons take on Minnesota Transition High School. JV tips off at 5pm and varsity at 7:15pm (times subject to change due to back-to-back games).

Lincoln International visits on Thursday, with JV tipping off at 5:30pm and varsity begins at roughly 7:30pm.

Click here to see the rest of the schedule.

Let’s show up and loudly declare our support all season long! Go Falcons! #WhoAreWeSPP

Traveling? Know Your Forms!

With holidays and Winter Break right around the corner, now is a good time to refresh everyone’s memory on all of the paperwork we require to ensure our international students have a safe trip!

Any international student planning to travel with or without their host family must follow the SPP Travel Procedures. International students may only travel independently by air, and must be accompanied by a relative or adult who is at least 25 years old.

If a student is planning to travel outside the U.S., they should first talk to the Admissions Office regarding any visa forms that need to be signed in order to re-enter the U.S. Students must abide by visa restrictions of the country they plan to visit.

Forms are due 2-4 weeks before the start of a trip.

Here is a summary of the forms needed for various types of travel:

FORMS REQUIRED MUST BE SUBMITTED TWO WEEKS BEFORE TRAVEL DATE	Travel Proposal Form	Host Family Permission Form (on proposal form)	Natural Parent Release	Independent Party Receiving Form	I-20 must be signed for re-entry to the  U.S.
Travel with a Host Parent	yes	—	—	—	—
Overnight travel with an adult other than the Host Parent	yes	yes	yes	yes	—
Independent travel to meet a third party (relative)	yes	yes	yes	yes	—
Travel outside the U.S. with a Host Parent/Family.	yes	—	yes	—	yes
Travel outside the U.S. with a non-Host Parent adult.	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Holiday travel to home country	yes	yes	yes	—	yes
Overnight travel in U.S. with Natural Parents	yes	yes	yes	—	—
Traveling with Natural Parents outside of U.S.	yes	yes	yes	—	yes

Find these forms and more on the St. Paul Prep website.

Upcoming Events & Activities

Though it may be the last month of the year, we’re not slowing down at St. Paul Prep! We’ve got a ton of great activities planned for our students in December that’ll take us right into winter break (Dec. 22-Jan. 8). If you have any questions about anything you see below, please contact Ms. Leko!

December 1: SPP Night Out: Bowling

Join us for a few hours of unlimited bowling! For $9, students (and their host families) get shoes and two hours of knocking down pins.

December 8: No School

Enjoy the long weekend! Maybe check out some of these noteworthy spots around the city.

December 11-15: Spirit Week

Spirit Weeks at St. Paul Prep are a time to dress up and celebrate everything that makes our school great. Stay tuned for more details!

 

December 14-15: Art Showcase

Come view (and buy!) beautiful works of art created by St. Paul Prep students. In the Galtier theater foyer starting at noon on the 14th.

December 14: Talent Show

From 2-3:15pm, students will play, sing, and perform for a chance to be named SPP’s brightest star! We’ll also live-stream the event on Facebook!

December 15: Winter Dance

Break out your finest (and warmest!) clothes for our annual Winter Dance. Held in the Galtier Theater.

Host Family Photos

Since we’re a high school full of international students, that means most of our student body lives with host families while attending St. Paul Prep. These homestays help our students better understand the culture and language of the U.S., which in turn helps them succeed in the classroom.

Below are some of the best photos we’ve received from St. Paul Prep host families. Do you have pictures you’d like to share? Please send them to skoob@nacelopendoor.org!

Pictures from WE Day Minnesota 2017

On Wednesday, November 8, 38 St. Paul Prep students joined 18,000 others from all over Minnesota for a day of inspiration, learning, and planning in order to make a positive difference in the world.

WE Day Minnesota featured speakers and guests who talked about issues impacting the local and global community, and how students and educators can make a difference today.

This year’s star-studded lineup was headlined by journalist Ann Curry. WE Day Minnesota took place at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

 

 

Spanish Class Learns About Dia de Muertos

Students in Spanish Class recently learned about Dia de Muertos (Dia de los Muertos in English-speaking countries/Day of the Dead in English). Dia de Muertos is a Mexican holiday which brings families together to pray for their deceased friends and relatives, and to help support their spiritual journey in the afterlife. The holiday runs from October 31 to November 2.

Traditions of the holiday include constructing ofrendas. These private altars are created to honor the dead, often with calaveras (representation of a human skull), flowers (specifically aztec marigolds), and the favorite foods and beverages of the deceased. Festivals and parades are also often associated with the holiday.

Thought to originate some 2500-3000 years ago from an Aztec festival to the goddess Mictecacihuatl, Dia de Muertos has since spread throughout the world and celebrated by many cultures.

SPP Night Out: Science Museum of Minnesota

While we’ve already hosted a SPP Night In this school year, we’ve yet to have a SPP Night Out! That all changes this Friday, when students can explore the recently famous Science Museum of Minnesota for just $6!

From exhibits on the human body and Mississippi River to one of only four real, complete Triceratops fossils on display in the world (and the largest, to boot!), there is plenty to explore and learn.

Please see Ms. Leko for a permission slip. Students meet at SPP at 4:30 on Friday, November 3, to check in. Then we’ll walk through the Skyway over to the museum, and return to SPP around 8:45pm.

Remember: All the cool kids are doing it…..

#TBT: Best Halloween Costumes

With the spookiest of holidays right around the corner, we thought it’d be fun to dig into the SPP archives and find some of the scariest, funniest, and all-around amazing costumes we’ve seen at St. Paul Prep over the years. Enjoy!

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Spirit Week: Pajama Day!

Dress up days are a common American high school experience, and SPP is no different! We have a different theme for each day, and on Monday (Oct. 23), we asked students to come dressed in their comfiest pajamas! Here are some highlights:

And the winners for best dressed….