Humboldt High School Essay Contest - See Below! (by Ms. Jenna Mensen)

 Contact Email: jenna.mensen@stpaul.k12.mn.us 

March 2022: Women's History Month

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in commemorating and encouraging the study, observance, and celebration of the vital role of women in American history.

About Women's History Month

Women’s History Month had its origins as a national celebration in 1981 when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28 which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982, as “Women’s History Week.” Throughout the next five years, Congress continued to pass joint resolutions designating a week in March as “Women’s History Week.” In 1987 after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which designated the month of March 1987 as “Women’s History Month.” Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month. Since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” These proclamations celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields.

Other Dedicated Web Sites

• National Endowment for the Humanities

• National Archives

• National Park Service

• Smithsonian Education

• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

It's bad enough we don't really celebrate Black History Month at our school...

Francesca V. - Senior Editorial Columnist 

It's bad enough we don't really celebrate Black History Month at our school. Being a Black student is troublesome here, and it must be more critical for the three Black teachers in our school, one Black male. I don't think Black students are the focus of anything here, and it bothers me that when you mention Black, Black power, or Black education, some teachers take it as a sign of revolt or anger. We have no protections like other castes of students that are catered to, coddled, and celebrated on their cultural holidays. To make matters worse, our principal, the first Somali principal, and a major St. Paul Public High School resigned last week citing 'family challenges,' that we can respect and honor, but now Humboldt High School and its Black students don't have an example of Black Excellence. 

I notice that there are barely black teachers working at Humboldt, plus when it was Christmas all the teachers put up decorations on their door but when it came to black history month none of the teachers besides the two put up decorations but took them down quick. At Humboldt some people don’t understand that what they're wearing on their head is inappropriate because it’s someone's culture which is called keffiyeh which is something that they wear for culture day, every-time I walk in the hallways I see people wear them but people don’t stand up for their culture and tell them that’s inappropriate to wear.

When it was black history month the school only did three stories about three black people and stopped for nothing but I think they should've done it every day so people can learn about what happened to the people we call heroes today, for me, I think we should’ve talked about the people that were killed this year and last year. At least have like a group of all black people and try and see if they can change the rules around Humboldt for Black History Month every year instead of doing nothing.

Black and Hispanic graduates also generally have attended institutions that have less money to spend on offering quality education. And they are significantly underrepresented in important fields such as engineering and education, mathematics and statistics, and the physical sciences. Black students are two times more likely to be suspended without education services compared to their white peers. 

Let’s talk about the first three people that went to college, in 1850 Harvard Medical School accepts its first three black students, one of whom was Martin Delany. But Harvard later rescinds the invitations due to pressure from white students.1845 Ashmun Institute (now Lincoln University) is founded as the first institute of higher education for black men. But the list goes on and on if you guys want to look at the website about all the black people that got accepted to college visit  https://www.jbhe.com › chronology.

So the next time we have Black History Month think about what you guys wanna do for black history month like actually do something exciting and talk about new things about black people and what you think we should do about it.

Lavon's Top 5 Songs and Music Videos of 2022

By LaVon W. - Entertainment Columnist 

For the #1 spot, we have Meek Mill and his single and also the intro to his album hate on me this song saw at least 8,671,815 YouTube views

 

Second, on the list we have Kanye West's "Off the Grid; this song saw 13,625,887 views at the end of august 2021 

For the third spot on our top five list, we have Kodiak Black "Super Gremlin."  This track peaks at 108,944,814 views on YouTube the song was uploaded by Kodiak at the beginning of November.

For our fourth pick on the list, we have a joint album with rapper Lil Baby and Lil Durk the track "Voice of the Heroes Landed" at 30,409,006 views on YouTube and was uploaded May 31.

For our last and final track on the list, we have Youngboy never broke again with his single "Heart and Soul." This was one of the first songs he dropped since his release this track was uploaded December 2 2021 and peeked at 40,249,722 YouTube views

LaVon is HHS's music and entertainment review and will be a monthly contributor. 

Ms. Mensen's 10th grade Journalism Project: Poetry 101

Poetry submission: One of them is using “The Shovel Method” (where you take a line of a poem and write your own based on how the line inspired you). We read “Like an Eagle” by Nikki Grimes so this first submission is based on inspiration from that, though it is an original piece.  The second poem is a free-verse poem about the pressure of always following the rules. Both of these were submitted by 10^th graders.

“Proud to be Me”

By Elizabeth T. 

I’m proud I got this colored skin.

I’m proud my eyes have a brown tint.

I’m proud my hair is dark and runs

long to tell my story.

I’m proud it’s my father’s blood I carry.

I’m proud to be in my shoes. 

I wouldn’t trade my melanin skin 

for any other hue.

I’m proud to me. 

“Clean and Smooth”

By Than S.

I try to be.

I slowly figure out I 

can’t be seen.

I start to fade into

the dark.

So smooth.

So clean…

I couldn’t be seen.