The IB program will give students a head start into a music program. Students will be able to increase their knowledge of music while earning what could become college credit. Junior Lowell Hagberg states: “Being in a music based class is educational as well as a ton of fun”.

 Statistics show that, on average, a student involved in music does better in school than one who does not. Lizzy Bunton, member of the advanced band, says “The music programs in school not only are fun, but they help the students learn and grow together…The people in the music programs have known each other for years, and they’re all really good friends. Music brings people together”. Musicians are able to form a community with each other through their creation of music. Not one person is more important than the rest; everyone has their part to play—literally.

 In the last ten years music programs have been diminishing in size. People have been unable and uninterested in fitting band or choir into their schedules forcing the ensembles to grow smaller in size and make cuts in directors and opportunities. The advanced band currently has less than 30 students, when it should have at least 40 to 50, if not more.

Moving back into the 3×6 schedule and the addition of the IB program hopefully will spark more interest in music. Students will be able to jump-start their abilities in music. Theory classes, intertwined with the normal band and choir classes, will be offered. These classes will especially help students who are interested in music as a profession. Students will also be able to be involved in both band and choir, without filling too many electives. Choir director Ben O’Connor, and Band director Peter Bergman, are very interested in allowing students the ability to take part in both ensembles, spending every other day in each group.

 Creativity and imagination are essential in building one’s own character. Through music programs, students are able to exercise the use of these skills. IB programs will only improve what is already an incredible music department.

                “You guys should be very proud,” Coach Werner beamed on the bus ride home after the first meet, “Over twenty percent of our team made it to finals. Go Wolfpack!”

                The speech season will continue for another seven weeks, with hopefully many more awards to come to Park High School.  Trophies and ribbons are showcased in the Speech trophy case, located across the hall from the second staircase, next to room 112. With the help of the seven coaches, Park plans to fill the case by the end of the season.  

Eden Prairie Meet:

THIRD PLACE

Dorsey Sprouls and Brittany Affolter, Duo Interpretation (Novice)

FOURTH PLACE

Nicole Schank. Extemporaneous Reading (Varsity)

Navita Lakhram, Storytelling

Ariel Kleidschmidt, Great Speeches (Novice)

FIFTH PLACE

Rebecca Holland, Great Speeches (Novice)

Prior Lake Meet:

FIRST PLACE

Camira Houston, Drama

Gabrie Riley, Humor

SECOND PLACE

Elena Christensen, Disco

Emily Beaver, Poetry

THIRD PLACE

Frannie Sprouls, Poetry

Ariel Kleinschmidt, Great Speeches

Brittany Affolter & Dorsey Sprouls, Duo Interpretation

FOURTH PLACE

Kayla Green, Drama

Navita Lakhram, Storytelling

FIFTH PLACE

Jacob Hitchcock, Extemporaneous Speaking

Nicole Schank, Extemporaneous Reading

Emily Evans, Humorous Interpretation

SIXTH PLACE

Brittany Eckes, Storytelling

Forest Lake Meet:

 FOURTH PLACE

Navita Lakhram, Storytelling

SIXTH PLACE
Kayla Green, Drama
 
 TENTH PLACE
 Brittany Affolter, Duo Interpretation
 Dorsey Sprouls, Duo Interpretation

 ELEVENTH PLACE
 Emily Evans, Duo Interpretation
 Frannie Sprouls, Duo Interpretation
 Ariel Kleinschmidt, Great Speeches

COACHES

Liesl Werner Thomas
 Maria Tol
 Brandon Scholl
 Jim Schofield
 Dana Larson
 Nancy Bielski
 Laura Beard

Picture by: Rebecca Holland

                A lot of enthusiasm met Park High School’s performance of “Flaming Idiots”. First, on January 20 during the evening of One Acts hosted by East Ridge High School, audience members laughed uproariously at the show.  

                “It was ridiculously awesome,” grinned junior Logan Greene, “It was hilarious and far exceeded expectations.”  Other Park students, such as Nikki Soler and Ann Haering also agreed, saying that the performance was very funny.

                Then on January 26, Park performed the comedy in front of judges in the prelims, against Woodbury’s dramatic performance of “Crimes of the Heart” and East Ridge’s bleak play “Dracula.” At the end of the night, Park had received all ones from the judges, meaning that they had done the best. Therefore, the seven actors went into the section finals with some added confidence.

                The section finals took place on February 3 in Park’s auditorium.  These performances had increased pressure because whoever won would proceed to the State competition on February 11.  Park competed against Eagan and Tartan in the section finals, with the winner advancing to state. Unfortunately, Park received second place to Eagan’s “Aftermath”, which was a drama about an Iraqi family’s reaction to the war that was occurring in their country.

                “Eagan’s play was very good,” stated one anonymous audience member, “At one point an actor was asking the audience ‘Why did you kill my family?’ and I actually felt guilty. It was very moving. ”

                However, while “Flaming Idiots” did not make it to State, the cast has a lot of which to be proud.  The comedy was cast impeccably and the actors provided many laughs for the audience. Senior Erica Ashleson, who played a deaf cook, was excellent at portraying a humorous character by using only body language and facial expressions, senior Sam Salwasser was wonderful at dramatic entrances, exits, and poses, and Thomas Lankow was exceptional at being the naïve and somewhat dense sidekick. The entirety of the cast shared a good amount of laughs and represented Park very well despite the title of “Flaming Idiots.”

                  The Kindness Retreat began with a few icebreaking games to get the youth energized and excited for the intense day ahead of them. Volunteers as well as fifth graders competed to see who the best thumb wrestler was, who the most cheerful greeter was, and who could follow the directions the best. However, while cooling off, the students split into the first of three small group discussions of the day, where the students had the opportunity to talk about topics involving kindness. These groups, led by high school volunteers, allowed all fifth grade students to have a chance to speak about what they felt were significant unkind issues in their school. The first group session discussed what types of bullying happen at Armstrong Elementary. The most common answers between the twelve groups were gossip, physical bullying, and name-calling.

              After the first small group session, the youth regrouped into a large assemblage to sing some songs together about kindness, such as “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and “Lean On Me”, which both emphasized the power of teamwork.

             “I liked when we all sat on the floor and sang songs like ‘Lean on Me’,” Park junior Paige Carter grins, “It was really cute.”

            Also, the fifth graders got the chance to hear the Youth Frontier Leaders, Seniz and Sam, talk about some of their experiences with bullies in elementary school. Both of the stories finished with an effective way to stop a bully, which led to the second small group discussion.

          During the second small group session, the fifth graders compiled a list of all the ways to stop a bully from causing harm to an innocent victim. The most prevalent answers were to tell a trusted adult, walk away, or tell the bully to stop. With the answers collected, Seniz and Sam led a game of “Survey Says”, in which students played a Family Feud style game to guess the ten most popular responses.

           The third and final group session asked the students to think about ways they each could spread kindness in their daily lives. By this time of the afternoon, the youth were well enlightened and were able to say their answers much quicker than before ultimately composing a list that consisted of; help classmates with homework, include someone left out, and give compliments to your peers or teachers.

         The final, and most solemn activity of the day was titled the Kindness Boomerang, and was a slip of paper in which each student would write areas in their lives in which they wish to be more kind. Students were allowed to share their answers in front of the entire group, which included apologies for past unkind actions.

           “The saddest apology was that boy who apologized for being so annoying to everyone,” stated one anonymous volunteer, “I just wanted to give the boy a hug.”

            Overall, it appeared as if the fifth graders benefited from the day dedicated to kindness and appeared eager to utilize their newfound knowledge in the classroom.

           “The kids definitely got stuff out of it and were really into the day,” Carter assures “I would totally come again next year!”

Photo by: Samantha Hartfiel

            After a brief synopsis of the rules and regulations for the tournament, the games began. The tournament ran quickly because there were two Wii consoles set up, one in Frau Tol’s room and the other in Ms. Barrett’s class. The relaxed environment allowed students to come and go based on their personal schedules and games were open to anyone interested. German club members cheered their teammates on as they swung, punched, and putted their way to overall victory. Other club spectators also encouraged their teammates, including French teacher Ms. Paleen, who screamed and coached her students in the spirit of friendly competition.

            After an hour and a half of intense video gaming, the results were in. German club won for the second year with a total of 14.5 points after winning Boxing, Tennis, and tying with the French in Golf. The French club came in a close second with 10.5 points, winning Bowling, and tying with the Germans in Golf. Spanish Club ended in third with 9 points, and American Sign Language finished last with 6 points.

            The ultimate goal of the day was definitely reached since about forty students came to the tournament to either play or watch the afternoon of fun, bringing the languages together.

            “It was awesome,” grinned freshman April Molohon, “It was nice to see some of my friends from other language classes able to play together for a meeting.”

Photo By:Samantha Hartfiel

Tom’s prize winning essay follows:

            Everybody has their own stereotype about what makes a hero. To tell the truth, none of these are wrong. With this logic, America has many heroes. The most common type of hero that people talk about are the war heroes, but then there are the lesser-known heroes that people seldom talk about; for example, firefighters, paramedics, and police officers. Then, there are the heroes that no one talks about, the ones that live in the home. Although no true American would dispute that there are heroes in America, many have no idea where to find them, or what traits make an individual a hero.

War heroes have specific qualities that separate them from other heroes. Take for example this man, Sgt. Paul Smith. Many would call him a hero. Sgt. Smith was stationed in Iraq supervising the construction of a POW camp near the Baghdad International Airport. On April 4th, his Task Force was violently attacked by a large enemy force greatly outnumbering his own. When he realized the vulnerability of his men and himself, he quickly organized a defense of his men, one Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and three Armored Personnel Carriers. As Paul personally engaged the enemy forces with grenades and anti-tank weapons, one of the APC’s was hit by an RPG and a 60 mm mortar round. Without thinking for his own life, Sgt. Smith ran through enemy fire to mount the 50-caliber machine gun on the mortared APC. He maintained this exposed position to create a distraction while the wounded were evacuated. Unfortunately, he was mortally wounded. His family was presented the Medal of Honor that Sgt. Smith had earned for saving the lives of his men without regard for his own life.(“U.S. Army Center of Military History”) To his platoon, I am sure that Sgt. Smith is a hero.

People don’t have to be away fighting a war to be considered a hero. Two firefighters named David Johnston and Keith Grant risked their lives by throwing themselves on top of a victim while the intense heat of an apartment fire nearly caused their death. Another victim of the apartment fire was trapped inside his home but these two firefighters were able to pull him out just as its roof collapsed. They were awarded the Medal of Valor for their heroism. “Clearly, if not for the heroic efforts of these two courageous and valiant firefighters, both of these innocent victims would have succumbed,” said Fire Chief Daniel J, Gaumont, (“Fire Rescue1” 1). These two are, without a doubt, heroes.

Another example of a hero would be Sgt. Muller, of the Rochdale police force. Sgt. Muller saved the life of a young girl when her drunken father came home and threatened to kill her with a kitchen knife. Muller talked the man down from his drunken rage and stopped him from murdering his only daughter, (Appleton 1-2). Every day, that girl thanks god for people like Sgt. Muller. Heroisms aren’t always confined to the men and women who risk their lives everyday. On February 22nd, 2002, paramedic Ted Ziegler was returning home from work, and came across a horrible looking car accident. Strewn outside of the car was an unconscious 8-year-old Kaitlynn Comer. He called for backup and proceeded to perform CPR on the unconscious girl. When the medics arrived, she was awake and breathing. Later, the thankful Kaitlynn and her mother wrote a poem for Ted, entitled “Our Hero” and it explains what a hero is. Some of the lines explain what qualities define a hero:

A hero is someone who hears a voice, and does a job without a choice, by using their courage they will find a way to do what’s right. Fear won’t knock a hero off track, they’re generous, faithful, loving, and strong, they serve their public night and day, they’re committed to people in so many ways, they risk their life for strangers, and always do their part, their role is weary, they do their best, and their life is about helping the needs of me and you. Then there are just the last lines of thanks that Kaitlynn gave to Ted;

My hero loves his uniform, he loves his risky life,
He’s proud to be a blue shirt, I’m proud he saved my life
Love Kaitlynn

By Kaitlynn’s own words, all of these men are heroes, (“Pittsburgh Emergency Medical Services.”)

There are heroes that are rarely mentioned, heroes that don’t receive any praise. A hero like the single mother working four jobs to keep her apartment, but still finds time to take her son to soccer practice. Or heroes like the alcoholic father who gives up his crutch to give his daughter a better life. Especially the parents who can barely afford food but still give their children a very merry Christmas are heroes. These are the lesser known heroes. These are heroes that aren’t recognized by the eyes of the public, but instead the eyes of their children. People who do their best with what they are given, and still will do anything for other people. Those people are heroes.
            America still has its heroes. From the war hero to the firefighter, the policemen to the paramedics and the heroes in homes right now. Some of them are recognized by millions, and some of them are thanked everyday with the shining eyes of happy children. So yes, America still has its heroes. You just need to know where to look.

Works Cited

Print sources:
Whitehead, Alfred. The Heart Behind The Hero. Trabuco Canyon, CA: Stony Creek Press, 2000. Print.
Whitlock, Chuck. Police Heroes: True Stories of Courage About Americas Brave Men, Women, And K-9 Officers. New York, NY: St. Martins Press, 2002. Print.
Non-Print sources:
Appleton, Dave. “Hostage Saved by Police Hero.” Rochdale Observer 28 Sept 2004: 1-2. Web. 14 Oct 2009. <http://www.rochdaleobserver.co.uk/news/s/345/345237_hostage_saved_by_police_hero.html>
“Paramedics Save Little Girl’s Life” Pittsburgh Emergency Medical Services. Web. 14 Oct. 2009.<http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/ems/html/zeiglersaveslife.html>
“Medal of Honor Recipients: Iraq” U.S. Army Center of Military History. 03 Aug 2009. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Web, 14 Oct <2009.http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/iraq.html>
“Two NY firefighters receive IAFC’s highest award for valor” Fire Rescue1. 15 Aug 2008: 1. Web. 14 Oct 2009. <http://www.firerescue1.com/awards/articles/425112-Two-NY-firefighters-receive-IAFCs-highest-award-for-valor

“I think that the caroling went great,” she grins, “I believe that the residents really enjoyed hearing some of the kids from the community perform for them.”

As a group, the scholars were able to sing for three different groups of elders in various areas of the grand nursing home. Each audience, which included dementia residents, dinner guests, and visiting family members, was treated to five or six classic songs that alternated between each set. The seniors seemed to appreciate the music deeply as they smiled, sang along, or tapped their feet to the beat.  Before departing, the students would finish with “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” to finalize their endeavors to spread good cheer.

Unfortunately, because this was the first year that the National Honor Society went caroling at the Nursing Home, the members were a little confused on what to sing and where they were going at first. Although each student was provided with a packet of about twelve songs, there was not a set pace, which caused many of the songs to be sped up. Fortunately, the junior members learned many ways to improve the event if the activity were to become an annual tradition.

“I think that adding more songs, longer songs, or instruments, such as jingle bells or tambourines could greatly improve the caroling. It was just over very quickly and they didn’t get to hear much,” Schwen adds.

Generally, the night went very well for the students, and despite a bit of a hectic start, the students sang well together by the end of the hour.

“It would be sweet if it became a tradition!” Schwen exclaims, ”It was really fun, and as I said, the residents seemed to really enjoy it.

Photo by: Samantha Hartfiel

Have you found yourself in class lately, sitting in a circle, struggling to find “serious” things to say about literature or current events?  You may have just experienced a Socratic Discussion. 

Many teachers are experimenting with this technique as they move towards the more rigorous IB curriculum.  It involves preparing ideas to talk about in class, sitting in a circle, sharing ideas one at a time.   Some teachers grade and some don’t.  Some teachers interfere; other teachers let the conversation ball role.  Almost all teachers seem to want their students to stay on task and not starting talking about Saw VI,Call of Duty: MW2 or Lady Gaga.  Picky, picky… at any rate, this trend of encouraging focused discussions seems to be catching on in the Park classroom.

The idea seems to have ancient roots, back to the days when men, (no chicks allowed!) sat around in togas and talked about truth and the nature of reality.  The idea of bringing this ancient practice into classrooms isn’t new by any means, and yet it seems to be a relatively new practice here at Park. According to teachers it, “builds critical thinking skills” and “real world connections.”  

Here are few tips for being successful in a Socratic Discussion:

1.  If you are shy or don’t like to talk, don’t worry.  Teachers like it if you ask follow up questions, ask for clarification, or encourage other speakers.

2.  Refer to text.  (Your teacher will be so excited; they will probably throw twenty dollar bills at you and mistake you for Einstein!)

3.  Don’t talk while other people are talking.  Big no no. (Insert teacher frowny face here.)

4.  Build on the discussion.  Add stuff, comment, nod a lot, no drooling.

5.  Be civil.  No swordplay, ninja moves or face slapping allowed.  Disable your enemy with text and witty wordplay instead.

Whether you like it or not, it looks like Socratic Discussion is going to be a regular feature in the Park classroom from here on out.  With a little practice, a little play acting, and a little preparation, you can impress the opposite sex with your dazzling intellect AND develop your critical reasoning skills at the same time.

                 The Park girls volunteered on December 14 and 15 outside of the local Rainbow from 5 PM to 7 PM, so they encountered many people coming home from work. Even though it was bitter cold, the girls utilized many techniques to stay warm, including wearing numerous layers of clothing, using hand and feet warmers, and donning Santa hats. However, the most effective and entertaining way that the youth kept warm was singing Christmas carols as well as dancing for incoming customers. “It was really enjoyable to sing carols while we were volunteering. Not only did it help pass the time and distract us from the cold weather, but it also seemed to make people more apt to donate,” one of the young volunteers believed.

               The girls sang several holiday classics including “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”, “Frosty the Snowman”, and “Jingle Bells,” causing many consumers to smile or even sing along. Yet after two hours of singing holiday songs, the girls added variety to their musical repertoire and belted several Disney songs and Speech warm ups to passerby. Largely, the girls found the experience to be very enjoyable and gained a new appreciation for the Salvation Army volunteers.

                    “It’s not easy to stand outside in such cold weather,” the girls agreed “However, people seem to recognize the good cause and are openly willing to donate. It was really great to have that experience. ”

               With only two months to prepare and two productions to perfect by December 13, the theatre department was very busy. Unfortunately, it appeared that the large task was too much for the department to handle, ultimately producing two mediocre shows in comparison to the average excellent performances. Yet while the shows were not necessarily noteworthy, the impact of the theatre is increasing in the school, for the number of students involved was tremendous. Therefore, after two months of hard work produced by a dedicated cast, the assembly performed two shows on December 13^th, one at 1 PM and the other at 5 PM.

                The show began with Alice in Wonderland, starring junior Brittany Eckes as innocent Alice. The hour long performance directed by Ms. Ball included many of the elements that made Alice in Wonderland so imaginative such as the Mad Hatter’s love for tea parties, the mischievous Cheshire Cat played by Dalton Schank, and the obnoxious Queen of Hearts followed loyally by her band of cards screaming “Off with their heads!” However, overall the play was extremely chaotic and difficult to follow. Since the production had to be downsized due to timing, the scene changes occurred without any obvious change in scenery, thus characters seemed to be constantly running on and off the stage with no real purpose. Also, there were so many characters that no development of anyone was breached because the amount of time that they were showcased was extremely limited. Yet the characters that were continually included, such as Cody Klipsic and Dorsey Sprouls as the Mad Hatter and the March Hare brought humor to the show and were seen as favorites at the end of the performance since they were given the opportunity to be developed.

                After a short intermission, the collection of plays continued with Pinocchio. The Disney classic, which starred Mike Soto as Pinocchio and was directed by A Midsummer Night’s Dream Mrs. Caponigri, was a shorter play and only lasted about forty five minutes. This colorful production was much more interactive with the audience, including a scene where Geppetto, played by senior Zach Butler, addressed the audience to help him collect Pinocchio’s school books, which were placed under audience members seats during intermission. The piece included many of the scenes that made Pinocchio a classic as well, such as the marionettes, which were played by students whose lips moved almost in perfect synch to their respective puppeteers, the whale made up of cast members, and also Hickory Cricket who called for help from the audience via chirps.  

                Generally, the Chamber Theatre’s double feature proved to be an adequate opportunity for students to experience theater. The expansion of the theater department highlights the growth in the school and provided new stars for later productions. Ultimately, the Park High School’s season of dreams continued with a positive note and ought to continue to provide entertainment for the rest of the season.

Picture Drawn by Samantha Langenfeld (12th grade)