The FAHS Phoenix Newspaper

By Nunu Bryant

Across the hall, Adult Based Education expresses culture with a big celebration including music, different foods, and cultural attire. Here at FAHS, the staff encourage celebration and education about our diverse cultures. We have a collection of diverse ethnic groups who can celebrate our heritage with traditional clothing, hair styles, patterns, and colors. 

Unfortunately, instead of empowering our differences and uplifting each other, many of our peers can’t see each others’ heritage without being unmannerly. Advice we could all use is setting clear boundaries and be respectful. We all have the right to define how we express our heritage and culture.

My experience as a multiracial person, growing up my heritage wasn’t talked about as much. We observed Dia de los Muertos and Three Kings Day. We ate fry bread and soups. I was a courageous child when it came to learning about my cultures. My family expresses our heritage in everyday life with remarkable colors, wearing braids, even living in tipis and cottages. We recognize how our ancestors put their wisdom in all of our spirits. We show grace and unity and speak for our people who didn’t get the chance. 

Understanding your cultural inheritance matters. It opens paths to not only your character development, but to a new cultural life. Some of us don’t get to experience the big communities and devotion that comes along with their own culture, but everyone is welcome to feel pride. By celebrating ourselves, we can make connections to other people’s cultures as well. Negativity will always be there. Be who you are, come as you are. It's your job to protect your peace and continuously develop as a person.

We can encourage and celebrate each other by creating an appreciation wall to provide visibility for those who don’t feel seen and inspire our peers. Creativity and identity can help express personality and emotions through our hairstyles, clothes, and music. Personally, I love antiques, statues, and colorful artwork. There are many beautiful representations of cultures that can keep you mindful. 

We can remind the school we want to build a more common humanity. To better understand us, working together can uplift our empathy for family, friends, and our peers at school.

By Jayvon Perry-Rouse

I know a lot of people who knew what they wanted to be since they were kids. I also know some people who didn’t know what they wanted to do until their last year of college. It really doesn’t matter when you follow your passion; it matters how you attack that passion. 

I started playing basketball for the first time at 4 years old. When I played in my first rec game at 8 years old and scored a game-winning point for my first shot ever, I knew from that moment I wanted to go to the NBA. It was my passion. So I kept playing. I came back season after season trying to get better. Then in the 5th grade I was introduced to football. I hated it. I wanted to quit after my first practice, but my mom wanted me to finish out the season. I came practice after practice and the day came when we got pads. It was also the day I figured out I wasn’t built for football. I couldn’t keep up. I got out hustled and out hit every single day. 

Halfway through the season, we were playing our rival when my friend, Julius, got injured and had to come out of the game. My coach called my name and said “go out there and ram your shoulder into their linemen.” So I went out there and lined up at defensive end. I wasn't scared of them. I was scared of the fact I might mess up. I rammed my shoulder into those linemen as soon as that quarterback said “HIKE!” I was in the backfield so I ran and hit that quarterback with everything I had and he fumbled that ball and came off the field with an injury. At that very moment I fell in love with football. 

Fast forward to my sophomore year, I remember going into our storage room and seeing a box of clippers. My friend said he wanted to cut his hair off so I asked him, “can I cut your hair? I wanna see if I can do it.” He agreed, so I cut his freeforms and gave him a taper. I got compliments from his dad so I stuck with it. I practiced on myself for weeks until I started cutting my friends' hair and that’s how I started growing clientele. 

Now I’m going to barber school after high school, but I also hope to play semi-pro football for a season while I work on getting my barber license. 

All this is to show, you can change your passion. You can take as long as you need to find that passion, but when you find that passion you have to give it everything you’ve got because if you don’t have the will to work towards it then it probably isn’t really your passion. As you can see, I have multiple passions and work towards them. If you know what you like, please pursue it. You can do anything if you go at it with passion.

By Lindsay Navas Mendoza

Roseville Area School District’s Attendance policy 504 is in place to support students' success in academic work, as well as emotional and social development. RAS have an attendance requirement of 165 school days, a number chosen by the Minnesota department of education. Grades 7-12 require 1,020 hours yearly, less for those 1-6 and kindergarten. 

The importance of  attending school goes far deeper than what we think. You decide to skip a class, then a whole school day, then maybe a week. Maybe even more. What happens then? You’re behind in classes. You’ve missed out on all the information you need, now you’re back at class, lost, not knowing what’s going on. 

When a student doesn’t attend school it doesn't just affect that student. Teachers have many students throughout the day and oftentimes have to derail their classes to help out the student/s that decided to not attend. 

RAS has a committee supported by teachers, staff, administrators and district level employees. The committee creates a school calendar that takes into consideration the community's needs. RAS Director of Student Achievement, Jake von de Linde explained, “In Roseville we encourage 80% attendance for students throughout the year,” and “Covid and distance learning changed the ways in which schools were able to deliver instruction.” 

For all of us who have experienced online learning due to COVID, we know that there is a big difference between learning in person rather than online. Many students, including myself, found it difficult because we couldn’t get the help we needed. Some of us would join zoom meetings and go back to sleep. The academic downfall during those tough times further proves we need to attend school.

When asked “What do you believe has impacted attendance?” Principal Freer stated, “Covid greatly impacted how our FAHS students navigated school as far as attendance and credit earning.” 

In 2018 FAHS started their early release for teachers to be able to have weekly meetings discussing curriculum goals, school goals, and overall performance. This also allowed FAHS students to work an earlier shift. 

By comparison, Colorado state law has the lowest number of required attendance days at 160, while Kansas has the highest at 186. A pretty big gap, a difference of 26 school days. Think about how much learning you’re missing.

The takeaway is to encourage each other as students to attend school, because it goes far beyond what we see right now.

By Brodee Ferguson 

The mountains rose up around us, their peaks disappearing into the clouds. It was amazing, but unfortunately there were challenges to achieve that amazement. 

It was Wednesday, October 22nd when I got a text in the “Colorado Trip” group chat from our friend that said, “I can't go, I didn't take the time off.” All he had to do was call in. He had 2 months of preparation. It caught us off guard. We put so much into the trip; so much effort just for him to not even try to go at all. That really taught me a lot. Not everyone might want to do the same things as you want even if they say they do. For you to get the best experience and satisfaction within yourself you need to do what’s best for you. 

We were so close to canceling the trip but Aidan and I decided we should still go because we’re not just going to cancel the trip and ruin all the fun. After school, I finished packing my bag and we got on the road. 

We anticipated that the drive wouldn’t be too long, but see that’s another thing I took away from the trip. Don't anticipate things because there is no 100% certainty in anything until it comes to the pass. Always be ready for things to change. 

Unfortunately just 2 to 3 hours in we knew that we had our work cut out for us on the road. We didn’t do much while driving besides eating at some nice diners because we wanted to spend the most time in Colorado. We were only staying Wednesday until Sunday morning so we decided to stop at a hotel later that night in Omaha, Nebraska. 

Shortly before, we saw this really cool gas station with graffiti all over it and the inside looked like an old auto shop. It was beautiful. 

We had another 6-7 hour drive ahead of us. There was a lot of flat land through the bottom of Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska. We stopped at this very cool, nice diner. It was pretty big. You know they would be watching football there if it wasn’t in the middle of nowhere off an exit, it was very filling I’d say, but we enjoyed it. We were probably about 3 hours away from Denver, Colorado where our friend, Abenet was. I wish I could say he was patiently waiting, but we haven’t seen him in a few months so he couldn’t stop calling us, rushing us. We finally made it to Denver. Abenet’s aunt and uncle greeted us and gave us some extra things for camping which I really appreciated a lot and really helped. 

The rest was history and went very smoothly. The most fun I ever had was camping, eating, talking, and having fun. That's all we really did other than too much driving. I loved it and enjoyed it and of course it was gorgeous! 

By: Ashley Ceja-Minero 

Health and wellness is something not a lot of people prioritize, nowadays many people invest in other things like makeup, clothes, cars, or going out to eat with friends. These investments are nice, but we are forgetting to invest in our food and our health.

A lot of times we don’t have time to make a nutritious meal so we grab the first thing we see or something fast like McDonald’s or Starbucks. Starbucks can be fast and yummy, but the amount of processing and high sugar, fat, and calories are bad for our bodies if not eaten in moderation. A lot of people love their Venti iced white mocha with sweet cream cold foam and extra caramel drizzle, and let’s not forget the food: a sausage egg and cheddar sandwich. That was my order everyday before school my freshman year. This caused me to crash and burn at school by the 2nd hour and be starving after consuming too much calories for breakfast. 

It was until junior year that I decided to make a change for myself. I wasn’t able to concentrate in school, I was overweight, sluggish and unmotivated. My mental health got worse day by day. Seeing myself drained and at my lowest, I knew I had to make a change and the first change was the way I eat.

Growing up in an "ingredient household," every time I looked in the fridge there were just ingredients. I had to use my creativity to make snacks and meals. I had to do online research for recipes with ingredients I had in my fridge.  

The reason why we are still hungry 2 hours after unhealthy meals may be the lack of protein. Studies show that the more protein you consume in the morning the more full you will be later in the day and the less you will binge food at night. Sometimes investing your money in clean, whole foods can be expensive, but being in the Starbucks or McDonald’s drive thru can amount to over $200 every month. We can still enjoy our fast food every once in a while, but we should limit the amount of processed food we eat to fuel our bodies. Moderation is key.

Clean eating doesn’t always mean losing weight, but feeding the  right foods for our bodies can come with many benefits. For example, reducing the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. It can also improve blood pressure and increase energy levels. Your immune system is a very important system in your body. It is the first line of defense which protects you from germs. A weak immune system can lead to illness and digestive issues. This is caused because you are not taking care of your body with the right foods.  

Another great benefit that clean eating helps is your mental well-being like improving your mood and cognitive function due to the nutrition you are feeding your body. Stress and anxiety is a big mental health factor for a lot of people struggling.  According to MN.gov stats  around 44% of students grades 8-12 struggle with stress and anxiety.  Studies have shown that making healthy dietary choices may reduce stress and anxiety. 

Healthy eating can also reduce binge eating. Whole, unprocessed, foods and the protein you have in your meals will keep you fuller throughout the day.

By Felix Wolf.

5: Eraserhead (1977)

Eraserhead is a surreal body horror film following Henry and his attempts to search for love in his apartment complex. Unsure what she gave birth to, the mother leaves Henry to raise it on his own, an impossible task as the baby can not be consoled. The poor thing is in constant pain on top of looking quite bizarre.

The world around Henry is a surreal industrial city that twists and warps as the visions he has takes him to the stars with imagery of women, factories, and babies wreaking havoc in his mind. 

4: Creep (2014)

Creep is a psychological horror film that starts with a terminally ill father’s wish to record a video diary for his unborn child and turns into a nightmare for both the audience and the hired videographer the story follows. This movie is truly one of the most disturbing films I’ve seen and while it isn’t gore-driven, it lives up to the psychological horror name with its heavy and disturbing themes. 

Creep 2 (2017) is also worth the watch as it continues the story of the “father” filmed in the first movie. Be on the lookout for a third movie that’s confirmed by the creator, Patrick Brice, to be in the works.

3: Possum (2018)

Possum is a psychological horror film about a children’s puppeteer named Phillip who returns to his childhood home after becoming disgraced in the family profession. The building suffered a fire that took his parents yet he shares the ruined house with his uncle. Phillip wanders his childhood home and the surrounding area as visions and dreams of his puppet haunt him. 

He’s forced to face his past traumas by Possum, the spider-like puppet he can’t seem to get rid of no matter how hard he tries. The film covers heavy themes of bullying, abuse, and sexual assault but covers it well and how it affects Phillip throughout the film.

2: Pearl (2022)

Pearl is about a girl who’s staying with her German immigrant parents on their farm as her husband serves in The Great War. With her father paralyzed and the Spanish Flu wreaking havoc across the country, her mother insists that Pearl stays to take care of her father and the farm. Pearls real dream is to become a dazzling show girl and she makes sure to prove that she’s a star. 

This movie is another Psychological horror movie, but is more gore and shock driven. I typically leave out the fact it’s a horror film when watching it with friends or family since the story is all the more impactful with the mindset of watching a “The American Dream” film.

1: Possession (1981)

Possession is a psychological horror drama where a man named Mark finds out his wife wants a divorce and has already found someone new, sending him into a spiral of despair and depression. After finding out she’s been neglecting their child, he hires a personal investigator to follow her. It seemed like a simple task, but led to a rabbit hole of gore, death, and erratic behavior as Mark does everything in his power to get back a woman who might already be long gone.

The film is quite disorienting and uses that to its advantage to drive scenes where desperation takes over a person. Imagery and religious metaphors are used more often to drive the plot rather than verbal dialogue and is my personal favorite because of it.

By Ashley Ceja-Minero

The Roseville Area School district discrimination policy 104 protects students and employees with disabilities from discrimination. This policy helps protect people of color and people with a disability to feel safe in school and at work.

According to the  RAS district website, “The purpose of this policy is to provide non-discriminatory employment, working and learning environments in compliance with state and federal law.” The general statement of the policy provides a Roseville equity statement with equal educational opportunity for all students and equal employment for all applicants regardless of their race, gender, sex, or ability. 

How do we measure the impact of discrimination in schools and workplaces in the Roseville district?  Negative attitudes about school can lower someone's academic motivation and performance at school. Psychology studies show that students who experience discrimination are more likely to have an increased rate of dropping out of high school. 

The cost of inequality is common in today’s society because of financial decisions. Sometimes not having enough money in a school district can impact giving people with disabilities more support.  According to the National Equity Project, ”Educational equity means that each child receives what they need to develop to their full academic and social potential”. This quote defines equity in schools as they try to recreate an educational landscape for everyone to feel supported.

By Alexis Mendez 

Maintaining a job as a student attending high school can be very beneficial, but it can also be very tricky to organize your weekly life.

Working a job while in high school can benefit you as a teenager. You can improve your social skills, which is very important as a young person going into adulthood. Growing your social skills can help aid you in future work environments that demand more professional social skills. 

Time management and responsibility are also important to your job and helpful in building you up for other responsibilities you’ll have as an adult. One of the main reasons people work while still in high school is to offer a source of income and to start managing our own money.

Managing a job while in high school can also be very stressful. As a student, having a job can negatively impact your grades if you aren’t giving school and work the same attention. You might have to neglect other activities like sports or extracurricular activities for work. Juggling school, work, and extracurricular activities can have a huge impact on your stress levels.

To maintain a healthy balance, look into choosing a fitting job for your schedule and other responsibilities. Make sure you're still prioritizing your education and staying organized. Make sure you have the right tools, such as transportation and good communication with your employer/manager.

Working in my mom's restaurant since I was 13 helped me learn a lot about the work industry. I picked up skills that have made me a more resilient person.

By Jayvon Perry-Rouse

From attendance, sexual harassment, drug possession, to physical assault or verbal assaults, some of Roseville Area School's policy disciplinary actions are reasonable, but some regarding student discipline seem unfair to students. The policies themselves aren't the problem. It's the consequences for students that fall under these policies that some students find challenging.

For example, under physical violence/fighting it says ”any action which is intended or which should reasonably be expected to inflict bodily harm upon, or causes injury to or otherwise endangers  the health, safety or welfare of students, school district personnel or others.” This also includes consequences for self-defense and defense of other students. The consequences for fighting at school in this district can start with a suspension as much as ten days. Fighting can also lead to expulsions. It can even get so serious that law enforcement may have to get involved. When asked why consequences for self-defense and defending others exist, Assistant Superintendent Mr. Delon Smith explains, "The expectation is that if you can avoid a fight, you should. That also goes for defending another student. You have to ask yourself if there is another option to defend this person besides getting into a fight yourself.”

This affects students who are scared to defend themselves against other students because they worry about the consequences that they’ll face from the school. This also affects parents of the students who have to see their child come home all beat up because they’ll get in trouble if they defend themselves. 

By Devon Thao

Music has always been a part of everyone’s life. we listen to music everyday because it’s relatable, calming; it helps us escape from reality and gives us stimulation. 

Music is scientifically proven to help us. It releases dopamine and can trigger certain emotions and memories. Most people have a certain song they strongly relate to or have a deeper connection to. 

Music can also change our moods. Lots of times sad music will actually make you more sad and happy or joyful music will brighten your mood. 

Music also brings us together. We always see music bringing communities together like at a concerts. 

A lot of songs are written then sung out. It’s like poetry or writing out your feelings. Music allows us to express ourselves and we don’t have to feel bad or feel embarrassed because almost everyone can relate. 

We listen to music almost everyday of our lives, at school, at home, in the car, literally anywhere. Music is so used that many buildings have speakers just to play music. 

We also see different types of music in different cultures. Every culture has different music, and they all have different sounds and styles, but they bring people of those cultures together. 

In my own experience, music has helped me in many scenarios. I've used music to calm down, sleep, have fun, and to express myself. Music also just helps me escape from reality sometimes. 

Good music will make you feel a way you haven’t before. Music has also helped me build connections. Many of my friends and I listen to the same artist or songs. This honestly makes the music better when you have people that you can listen to music with. 

Music matters because it’s always different, you will never find a song that is the same unless it’s copied. What I really enjoy about music is that it’s generational and you have free access to music. The best part about music is that it helps us all connect not just as a certain group of people, but as humans. 

By Lindsay Navas Mendoza

“Why wait for a new year to start, start now.” Maybe you’ve heard it before, maybe  not.  

The gym is not something that’s easy, which is why many fail. The good thing is even if you fail it’s something you can always try again and again.  The progress whether it’s for increased weightlifting, weight loss, or simply seeing physical appearance progress doesn’t just happen over night or in a couple days. It’s something to stay consistent with. 

During that consistency you’ll learn that discipline overrides a lack of motivation. There will be days you won’t have motivation to go to the gym, and maybe you won’t. But if you are far enough along in your journey you will reach a point where that motivation could be a person, event, etc. It doesn’t matter as much anymore, because whether you feel motivated or not you have enough discipline to go and get that workout in. It won’t just be something that helps you physically, there’s much more to it. 

Of course one of the benefits is muscle strength and endurance, whether it’s losing weight or gaining muscle, it improves overall physical fitness. For others like me, going to the gym can or is more than just that. I’ve never been “skinny.” I was more on the chubbier side. I was insecure, still am sometimes which is okay. We’ve all felt insecure. I started going to the gym a couple years ago and can't remember exactly why. Probably because my insecurities were getting the best of me. I used to think I was going to look like all these other women I would see at the gym, but that’s not how it is for me anymore. As time went on with my journey in the gym I started realizing that I was never going to like them. Which doesn't mean it has to be something bad, make it a goal to be a better version of yourself instead. 

This recent year, I’ve started seeing more youth in the gym which is great to see. I like to think they probably have a common reason for why they are there. I’ve gotten to know a few. We share a bit about our stories. Most of us share the same motives and why we started going to the gym. 

You’d be surprised how the gym can bring you comfort. My personal experience has a lot to do with my mental health as well.  I soon realized the gym was a place where I could let out emotions I had kept to myself. I would use those emotions to keep me pushing through my workout. It helped. I felt more at ease with myself oftentimes including crying in the women’s locker room. My mental health has improved since.  

If finance is a concern there are gyms that don’t require crazy budgets, as well as other resources that can help depending on the gym. 

Coming from a student who's experiencing the benefits of including the gym in their life, I’d say give it a shot. you miss 100% or the shots you don’t shoot.

By Nunu Bryant 

The Roseville Area School district Wellness policies ensure free nutrition, physical activity, and community support for students and families. Our staff benefit from the policy’s equity and inclusivity, professional development, and academic or personal support which benefits students and families in turn.

In the RAS community, some students do not come to school due to lack of motivation, not getting enough sleep, poor diets, or having to work. All staff are required to have mental health training through local and state resources. 

Ms. Loge, a district social worker at FAHS explains, “The school makes sure to have course requirements of health and physical education.” A better alternative could be making certain classes required for students to have a good boost for their time at school.

Roseville Area Schools insure their 580 wellness policy utilizes well-trained support teams that include professional expansion opportunities for staff to meet a student's mental health needs. Students at alternative high schools often have unique challenges that require a supportive environment. Ms. Loge, also states “We push for additional funding to continue to improve nutritional services in our schools." In RAS school communities getting breakfast in the morning is a fresh brain starter for a person’s day even with lunch. Staff make sure they’re students have nutrition and have a good well-being altogether. 

Case managers and care coordinators create a plan addressing students' unique needs. Health classes overall are good for students at FAHS and other schools because they provide insight and skills to build resilience and develop lifelong healthy behaviors. 

I have a mixed view of the 580 wellness policy. I do feel more rules and restrictions need to be specified. Different examples would be promoting learning, establishing direct expectations, and supporting mental health.

The district recognized they need to be proactive and understanding when it comes to students and families that have trouble understanding a policy. This priority is in contrast to other districts, particularly those in higher-need districts where policy and financial support may be lacking.

Roseville Area Schools value the importance of balanced health. It’s important for students to have the opportunity for physical activity and to adapt physical education and activities for students as needed. 

The district wants to create places that meet student needs, if they are ever in need of clothes, food, support, and varied education programs.

By Preston Lo 

Everyone makes mistakes—especially in high school. What matters isn’t avoiding them, but learning from them. Mistakes show you what doesn’t work and help you understand how to do better next time. They highlight your weaknesses so you can improve. They teach responsibility, problem-solving, and resilience. They encourage a growth mindset, which means believing you can get better with effort.

Common Mistakes & Lessons

• Bad grades → Improve study habits or ask more questions.

• Poor time management → Learn to plan ahead.

• Friendship conflicts → Practice better communication.

• Overcommitting → Learn to balance your priorities.
  
  

How can we learn from our mistakes? Reflect on what went wrong. Make a plan to do better next time. Don’t be ashamed—everyone messes up. Ask for help if you need it. Try again using what you learned.

Mistakes don’t define you. They teach you. If you learn from them instead of giving up, every setback becomes a step forward.

Riding a barge on the Mississippi River and learning about jobs connected to the river.

The Long Jump tradition

College field trips and the good food at the colleges!

Human evolution block class

Learning about St Kate's nursing program, seeing the lifelike dummies they use, and the beautiful chapel

Doing the car crash simulator for car collision science class.

Celebrating every student who earned 3 or more credits Term 1

The beautiful Ofrenda display and commemorating loved ones who have passed.

Studying the Salem witch trial

 Basketball at WIN time

Seeing all the different programs and opportunities at the College Fair 

Creating a Newspaper 

By Preston Lo

Most school dress codes require that clothing be safe, appropriate, and not disruptive to learning. Typical rules include covering undergarments, banning offensive or inappropriate images, and prohibiting unsafe items. The goal is to maintain a respectful, distraction-free, and equal learning environment.

Reasons in Favor

Focus and Discipline – Dress codes help reduce classroom distractions.

Equality Among Students – Dress codes can reduce pressure to wear expensive brands, minimizing socioeconomic differences and bullying.

Safety and School Identity – Dress codes can make it easier to identify non-students and promote school pride and professionalism.

Opposing Arguments

Bias and Inequality – Dress codes often target girls and students of color more harshly, reinforcing stereotypes and limiting self-expression.

Limited Evidence of Academic Benefits – Studies show little to no link between dress codes and improved grades or behavior.

Many educators advocate for inclusive policies that allow comfort, self-expression, and gender-neutral language instead of strict rules. A balanced approach that involves student input and emphasizes fairness, inclusion, and comfort may better serve schools.