All we hear about recently is how there is no money in our government. We’re in the hole. Things aren’t going so hot. And we’re blaming the banks, but it is painfully obviously that it affects more than just Wall Street.
The school I attend is definitely not in the rich part of town. I had the option to go to school in places like that, but selected the ‘ghetto’ high school for its support of the I.B. program. I’ve been (mostly) happy with the results, academically, of the high school. But there is a lot more to school than Biology and French.
I’m active in my school’s choir department, and I’m proud to have one of the top-rated choir directors in the state. (St. Olaf graduate with degrees in music and performing arts…you don’t get that much better unless you add chocolate somewhere in there.) Unfortunately, a choir department can’t be supported by a good director alone. It needs support; emotionally, physically, and…financially. It is this problem that holds the music and arts program back at THS. The once award-winning choir (1991-1995) is now fairly mediocre. The teens involved love it, but there isn’t much to say for choir on paper. In an attempt to generate interest in the program, the department holds a yearly spring musical. This year’s peice is the challenging “Les Miserables,” in which I will be appearing this coming Wednesday and Thursday.
It’s not going to be the best show ever. It has only a paino accompinament (even though our school has a more than adequate orchestra and band…?) it’s being performed in the lunch room, and the vast majority of the show’s props are pantomimed. What can be said for Thornton High School’s “Les Miserables” is that it has heart. Every kid and faculty member involved pours their heart and soul into the production, which is what is keeping it alive. At other schools, their shows are big and flashy because it is very easy for those neighborhoods to get a fantastic quality production simply by signing a check. THS kids sign their souls away for two months.
Perhaps if the department director didn’t have to pay for every bit of the show out of pocket, there would be more than just heart and talent in the spring show. Maybe a bigger set. Maybe a fuller musical support. (Even though that’s possible without extra monetary assistance.) Maybe more realistic costumes. Maybe better michrophones. Maybe a better performance venue. If any one of these things were added, the production value of “Les Mis” would shoot straight up.
So, I ask you, to please give 120% of support to your school’s music and arts department. Make it a good “Les Mis” production…one with heart, and with a set.
Hey everybody! I am sitting in the library with the ever-so-famous Chloe Mays, and I have another coolio world health organization to share with you guys.
Yesterday, my school’s Key Club held a showing of the documentary Invisible Children, an extremely moving piece about child soldiers in Uganda. Young boys, and girls, are being taken in the middle of the night from their families, desensetized by watching others being maimed, and then handed a gun and told to fight for a child army led by a man hell-bent on overthrowing the Ugandan government.
The movie really put in perspective how different the world I live in and the world these children suffer in are. But this raises the question…why are they so different? Can we just turn a blind eye to such atrocities? Can we let this continue? I’m thinking that the most powerful country on the planet Earth has the responsibility to make a change in Ugandan child soldiers’ situation.
The Invisible Children organization (www.InvisibleChildren.com) has, since 2003, been fighting against these wrongs in Eastern Africa. Recently, they held a global-scale effort (called The Rescue) to bring attention to the growing issue. Even Oprah Winfrey spent 7 minutes of her television program discussing the matter with Invisible Children activists. (7 minutes of Oprah time is like 5 hours of regular person time. Or like 3 months in dog years. But I digest…) Colorado’s Governor sent representatives when the event hit the Mile High City, pledging his support to the cause.
I ask you to help too. How can you do this? You can join in the next Invisible Children event (to be held in Washington DC this summer) buy Invisible Children merchandise, watch the full documentary on DVD or YouTube, get others ‘in the know,’ and there are even opportunities to travel to Uganda to help in the most hands-on way there is.
Please visit www.InvisibleChildren.com for more information.
By the way…Chloe says hi.
Filed under: School
Not for you. 
I was sitting in the famous Career Center with Chloe (GenYBlogger.com) and she introduced me to an awesome new site. It’s www.FreeRice.com. It quizzes you on vocabulary, chemical formulas, and other school-related material. Interactive review is the only style of studying that works for me, so it’s a fantastic tool.
But what makes it so cool? For each question you answer correctly, the site will donate 10 grains of rice to various charities overseas. In just over 10 minutes, I’ve donated 3 bowls (each with 100 grains of rice) to the cause.
And hey, it’s helping my math grades.
Filed under: School
Holy. God. I hate exploitation project. The group can’t work together well, won’t treat me like a leader, and won’t for the love of God listen to each other. I was elected group ‘leader,’ but all they expect me to do is follow, follow, follow. Gr.
Filed under: School
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I completely forgot about it when I was getting dressed at 6:00 am this morning, so I had to jack my friend’s necklace. It says ‘Kiss Me I’m Irish.’ Yessir. So when I get home, I am going to deck myself out in green and be totally Irish-oriented for rehearsal tonight.
Speaking of rehearsal, the show is going great. I’m just starting to realise what a HUGE responsibility an understudy has…I think more so than the lead itself, since they only have to learn one part. I’m loving the Be Our Guest sequence…I’m not the best tangoer, but I’m passable. And this kid, Jordan Manchego, is like the coolest co-candlestick ever. He’s freaking awesome, and so is my other new friend, Kayleigh, who plays ‘Babette,’ Lumiere’s love interest.
So, Happy Patty’s Day and come see me be Lumiere on May 2nd at 7:00 pm (NOT the Gala performance…those are the regular leads. 
)
Filed under: School
Again it’s really from the lamo Career Center, but any computer in the counseling office counts as Mr. Burn’s office to me. Bronson is looking at really awesome cell phones. I SO want an iPhone…but I can’t because I have Verizon. I guess I could get the dumb knock-offs, but those really aren’t worth my money. I’ll just stick with my enV 2 then.
We had SUCH a great time during both my block classes. Among the inside jokes discussed were Friday the 13th, fellacio, Harry Potter, tangerines, and Humphrey. Oh, and ‘Jason, say hi to mommy. In hell.’ Good times.
I should go study for math finals. Talk to y’all later!
Filed under: School
For those of you who have been reading my blog for a long time now know that I used to occasionally post from my counselor’s (Mr. Burn’s) office. I haven’t posted from this area in over a year, so I figured it was time for another edition.
Chloe is working on her blog at the moment as well. I am jealous of her wordpress.org account. As of yet, I have used almost all memory on my computer and thus have no room for the program. I did, however, attend WordCamp Denver. We streamed live feeds of interviews for over 8 hours before giving the presentation on Podcasting. Hopefully, they’ll be up soon on bitwiremedia.com.
Kate is weird.
Filed under: School
Je suis tres excitement parce-que je verrai a l’performance du Horizon de Thouroughly Modern Millie a vendredi! And now no more French.
But seriously, it’ll be kick ass. My really awesome friend Brandon is playing this Asian dude, even though he’s not Asian and thus must wear a ridiculous amount of eye makeup. I’m way pumped…it took much in the convincing category for my rents to let me go. TTYL!
Filed under: School
So, TODAY I went to school, which was difficult enough. I was sitting in Burns’s office, doing my math homework, and these people were by far the most dramatic ones I’ve ever met. And I’m a theatre kid. I’m so glad that I did not have their lives…I actually think some of it was made up. Poor Tsuzuki and I kept exchanging sad looks. Megan seemed very interested in it.
I was also texting everyone about auditions. I can’t wait till Friday to see/hear/eat the callback list! It’ll be fun times no matter what the outcome.
ALSO, I went to see Katherine and Emma’s personal project presentations. Of course, they both did a fantastic job. Katherine was totally honest, and the teachers ate it up, and Emma talked slow but covered EVERYTHING from the Amazon rainforest to midevil jewelry styles. Good times.
And then I went downtown. Yeah.
Filed under: School
I hate both. So much. But there’s not much you can do. This was a short post…haha.
