Windsock

The Washington D.C. E-Term

On a sunny Sunday afternoon in April, 13 EMHS students and 3 faculty members loaded up two vans and began their journey to Washington, D.C. Their E-Term week was spent serving the various needy inhabitants of the city through the Center for Student Missions. “[The Washington, D.C. E-Term] really opened our eyes and made us truly willing to help others without hesitation,” said freshman Sarah Boshart.

5 Shows to Skip

Don’t be fooled into thinking a musical is good just because it is on Broadway. In fact, there are more flops than hits in the average Broadway season. To help you save your money for tickets to great productions, here is my list of five shows from the 2010-2011 Broadway season, in alphabetical order, to skip.

Jack's Recommendations

Following up on my recent article about discount tickets, I am also asked often to give recommendations for Broadway shows to see when friends and acquaintances visit New York. No Broadway show is perfect, and everyone has their own personal taste, but there are several shows that exceed the quality of the average show. This week, I will be giving you, in alphabetical order, my top five recommendations of new musical productions to see from the 2010-2011 Broadway season.

How to Audition for Theatre?

If you are interested in theatre, making a great first impression in the casting room is a must. If you have awful auditions, you will never be given the opportunity to show off your talents in front of a paying audience; therefore, you must learn how to perfect the art of auditioning. I’ve been on both sides of the casting desk, so I know both how the actor feels and what the director wants. While this article does not provide you with everything you need to know, following my five tips is certain to make you a much more sought-after performer.

The SAT Experience

The long weekend over March 12-14 was warmly welcomed by the student body of EMHS. Many spent the first of their three days off by sleeping in, a favorite activity of many teenagers. However, I was not able to do so. I awoke very early on Saturday morning, along with a few other EMHS students, and headed to Harrisonburg High School to take the SAT Reasoning Test, which began at 8:00 AM.

The SAT Reasoning Test, better known simply as the SAT, takes 3 hours and 45 minutes to complete, excluding breaks, and consists of 10 sections. The first is an essay, which is followed by multiple choice and student-produced answer sections in the categories of writing, critical reading, and mathematics. Scores can be received online a few weeks after the test is administered. SAT or ACT scores are required when applying to most universities.

Locked in the School? Overnight?

On Friday night, many students returned to school after a long week of classes for the annual SCO Lock-In. These students spent the night at school, participating in a variety of activities and getting very little, if any, sleep.

Jessica Crawford, a local musician, kicked off the evening at 9:00, accompanied by her acoustic guitar. Crawford played a variety of both original and cover songs for about an hour before handing the microphone over to the students and faculty. Highlights of the open mic time included Mr. Elwood Yoder’s performance of “Build a Bridge,” which he wrote as a part of the Global Education theme a few years ago, as well as several songs performed by members of EmptySet, a student band.

English Field Trip to D.C.

The following is a responsive essay about the 10th grade field trip to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., written by Jack Cline.- ed.

Driven by my desire to learn more about the Holocaust, I sprang out of bed at 4:00 in the morning to start preparing for the long day ahead of me. After a quick workout, shower, and breakfast, I bubbled with excitement as I headed to school to board the bus. Once on the bus, I enjoyed bonding with classmates and learning many trivial, but interesting things about who they are while munching on granola bars and sipping cool water. After the three-hour drive, we arrived in Washington, D.C., and were greeted by the beautiful and intricate architectural designs of the historic city, rich with grainy bricks and stones. Finally, we reached our destination: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Principal Actress: Laura Osnes

For many actors, it takes years to end up being cast in a Broadway show. If they are ever cast in a principal role, it is usually after many years of swinging and performing in ensemble tracks. However, some lucky performers are cast in lead roles shortly after or even before moving to the Big Apple. Laura Osnes is one of them.

Laura shot to stardom in 2007 when she participated in a reality television series, Grease: You’re the One that I Want, which was used to cast a Broadway revival of Grease. “I decided to fly to LA and wait in line with thousands of other contestants to audition,” Laura said. “I kept making it to the next level of the competition, eventually performing live on national television every week. There were three judges on the show, but America called in to vote for their favorite contestant every week, and I ended up winning the competition and getting to play Sandy in Grease for a year,” Laura said.

Summing Up the Fund Drive

The 2010-2011 Christmas Fund Drive, an annual fundraising campaign in which students solicit donations from supporters of the school, concluded with an assembly and celebratory carnival on January 28. This year, the students, faculty, staff, and community successfully raised $215,028, over $30,000 more than the goal of $180,000.

Mary Golden-Hughes, Director of Advancement, led Christmas Fund Drive for the first time this year. Inspired by the popular children’s book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” Mary Golden-Hughes and her student committee spent countless hours encouraging the student body with their theme “Give a Whole Heart Offering.” Mrs. Golden-Hughes is no stranger to managing large projects such as Fund Drive. Coordinating the Big Read program at Massanutten Regional Library, she successfully planned and executed 30 events in 30 days. “This didn’t seem that big,” said Mrs. Golden-Hughes. “I was left great records by Mrs. Leischner,” Mrs. Golden-Hughes added, praising her predecessor.

Driving Towards Perfection

Almost every teenager longs for their learner’s permit, which allows them to drive a vehicle under the supervision of an adult. I, however, did not have a strong desire to receive the rectangular piece of plastic that allows a 15 and ½ year-old to get behind the wheel of a car with absolutely no experience. Having dreams of moving to New York City, I never thought that driving would be an important part of my future, so I didn’t feel the need to learn how to drive.