February 8, 2012 Volume XV Issue 2
intermission What’s in this Issue Studentcreated petitions flood the Internet Page 2 Students help design rocking chair for Wells Fargo Page 3 Seniors share advice for Graduation Project Page 5 Northwest building layouts from 1930 to present Page 6-7 12 Things to Look Forward to in 2012 Page 10 The Snail Mail Revolution Page 11
School News Features Opinion
2-5 6-9 10-12
Northwest School of the Arts 1415 Beatties Ford Rd. Charlotte, NC 28216
‘This job is a perfect fit’ Northwest mourns the death of beloved principal Samantha Sabin Editor-in-Chief The memories of Principal Dr. Barry Bowe speed walking in the hallways, greeting every student with “Hey sweetie, how are you?” with his clipboard in hand and bow tie poised will live with students forever. Bowe told friends he loved his job and had the school’s initials, NWSA, on his personal car, according to the Charlotte Observer. He took every chance he had to make sure local artists, art organizations and other Charlotteans noticed Northwest. Bowe lived and breathed for this school, and for three years, Northwest was his home. Bowe wrote on his website he “is honored to continue his passion for leadership and the fine arts at Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, N.C.” On January 23, students and faculty received the news that Bowe passed away unexpectedly, according to CMS officials. Students immediately turned to social media to express their grievances. Many wore black the next day at school, while others chose to wear colorful clothing because “his personality was like a rainbow,” junior Jacob Caceres said. Most seniors wore black for the senior class photo the following Wednesday in Bowe’s memory. And many students shared their favorite memories of Bowe on the wall in the cafeteria. Bowe received his undergraduate degrees in music and photography. He created West Virginia’s first magnet school for the arts at Chandler Elementary in Charleston. Bowe served as the founding project manager for Arts Alive: The Best of WV, an annual showcase featuring the best in performing and visual arts across West Virginia. He taught a range of subjects, from computer science to journalism to music. He taught the mentally impaired and the intellectually gifted. And above all, he was our beloved principal for three and a half years. He was the perfect fit for Northwest. “This job is a perfect fit,” Bowe said in an article for
Intermission in 2008. “It combines all the things I love with education.” The Northwest community noticed his dedication to the school. “Dr. Bowe’s death will be a profound loss, particularly to the children whom he took under his wing. I can hear his voice ringing in my ears -- ‘I love my kids,’” wrote Friends of Northwest School of the Arts president Ginny Brien. “No matter how tough a morning I could not help but smile when I’d see him in the car circle ushering in the kids with his own genuine smile,” wrote Linda Whitley on the Friends of Northwest Facebook page. Bowe was unique and accepting, embodying everything Northwest represents. Parent Shalon Byrd wrote on the Friends of Northwest Facebook page “The first time I met Dr. Bowe was when my daughter had to audition. School was over for the day and he was putting up posters for upcoming plays and clubs... “He was wearing his socks and said he was so comfortable with his shoes off. He made us so comfortable in his presence. He was always outside in the morning to greet students and spoke to everyone... As a parent I will miss him, he was a perfect principal for Northwest.” His death should not diminish the legacy he has left behind. “Northwest is a unique learning environment where all students are respected, valued and loved,” said Bowe in an article for South Charlotte News on Oct. 19, 2011. “We are truly a family. The parents and staff embrace every student. My kids know that my door is always open and that I am there for each of them.”
Student Leadership and Friends of Northwest organized a memorial service on Feb. 4, at Friendship Baptist Church for Bowe.
Photo from barrybowe.com Former principal Barry Bowe dedicated the last three and a half years to improving the school. During his time, test scores improved and the school gained more recognition in the Charlotte arts community.
Photo from cms.k12.nc.us Bowe gives a speech after receiving the Friends of the Arts Award for School Administration last October. As principal, Dr. Bowe pushed and prodded many artists, arts organizations and Charlotteans to make ‘note’ of NWSA. He never let an opportunity pass to bring accolades to his students.
2 news
Feb. 8, 2012
Moving to the Halton Theater
Very Important Spring musical moves to its new location at CPCC Gabby Ross Dates Features Editor Feb. Game On 4:30-6 pm 9 Feb. Performance 10
Company Show 7pm
Feb. Scholarship Piano 18 Festival
4:30-6 pm
Feb. 29
HS Orchestra Pre-MPA Fest 7 pm
Mar. 8
HS Chorus Pre-MPA Fest Concert 7pm
Mar. MS Chorus Pre-MPA 15 Fest Concert 7pm
Mar. West Side 17-19 Story 2 pm, 7pm, each day
Mar. HS Dance 22-24 Concert 7 pm
Mar. 10th Annual M. 25 Washington Piano Benefit
West Side Story will be the first spring musical held at CPCC’s Halton Theater, due to a terminated partnership with the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. “When Northwest began 17 years ago, we had a partnership with the education institute at the Blumenthal,” said theatre arts teacher Corey Mitchell. “Essentially what started to happen was it got more and more expensive to go to the Booth Play House and mostly because of union labor.” Unlike the Booth, the Halton Theater is non-union. “What was happening with the Blumenthal is that we weren’t getting any money back,” Mitchell said. “We weren’t putting out that much, so it became a wash. Now what we’re able to do is collect the box office and be able to build for ourselves.” Mitchell said he chose to do West Side Story as the spring musical hoping to gain revenue with a good box office. “There is a criteria we generally do: size of cast, title recognition, and difficulty,” Mitchell said. “West Side Story is iconic and a lot of people would know it.” The theatre department
also received the Parker Poe Theatre Education grand from the Arts and Science Council, which is worth $10,000. “Fortunately it is a twoyear grant,” Mitchell said. “The money from the musical will go back into the musical.” The Blumenthal has reinvested the money they used to fund Northwest productions with in to a district-wide competition called the “Blumies.” It’s open to 25 local high schools for their spring musicals. “Instead of concentrating the money that was allotted
on one school, especially since it’s becoming so expensive that they’d spread it out over across the district,” Mitchell said. There is an award ceremony in May that offers the chance for the best lead actor, actress, supporting actor, and actress to go on a four day paid trip to compete in the New York “Jimmy’s,” named after James Nederlander. Northwest entered with West Side Story. “They’re doing the regional to go on to the nationals,” said Mitchell.
As a result of the move to the Halton, Mitchell said there was a loss of costume and production funding. But at the Halton, the students have opportunities they never had at the Blumenthal, Mitchell said. “A part of the sadness is that we had been in a truly professional venue and we were in a professional venue in which they paid for the production,” Mitchell said. “That had it’s blessings and it’s curses.”
Student-created petitions swarm the Internet
Alleged comments made by administrator sparks online petition Samantha Sabin Editor-in-Chief Assistant Principal Marshall Gore publicly apologized for an allegedly offensive comment he made about girls’ fashion choices during an assembly on January 5. “The safety of students at NWSA is always my top concern,” Gore said in a Connect-Ed message on Jan. 6. “I am sorry I was unable to convey that message.”
“The safety
of students at NWSA is always my top concern.” -Marshall Gore
7 pm
For more calendar events go to www.cms.k12.nc.us
Photo courtesy of CPCC Because of a terminated contract with the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, the spring musical will be performed at the Halton Theatre
During the 11th and 12th grade assembly, Gore reminded students of the CMS dress code, but students were not upset with the stricter enforcement of the rules as much as they were by the alleged scenario he used
to back up his statements. Senior Arychez Lynch Gore allegedly said created a counter petition if students didn’t dress in response to Clemente’s properly, petition. they could “Our safety be putting is at risk and veryone themselves in we no longer has gone on danger. feel safe at a rampage Later Northwest against him that night, School of the because he a petition Arts,” Lynch is enforcing began wrote in the circulating petition. “I rules that the Internet. have attended have been in Created by Northwest effect forsophomore School of the ever.” Crystal Arts since the -Arychez Clemente, 6th grade and Lynch the petition never in my life received 622 have I ever felt signatures that my safety as of Jan. 8 from was at risk until people across the nation. now.” “Mr. Gore has recently “Everyone has gone on a declared war on dress code rampage against him because violators,” Clemente wrote he is enforcing rules that have in the petition, “specifically been in effect forever.” people wearing non-religious Eighty-one people have head coverings of any kind… signed this petition, including and dancers in leotards and science teacher Treva Hunt. tights/leggings outside of the “I believe a full dance rooms.” investigation did not take Clemente said Gore place before phone calls believed when girls wear were made and petitions dance clothes they are a were created and faxed to distraction to other students the media,” Hunt wrote as a and construction workers. comment on the petition on
“E
Jan. 7. “Students don’t like change especially when they have been having their way for so many years. It’s time for stability and Marshall Gore is just the man to bring it.” Lynch said she wanted people to know the truth. “I wanted them to understand that he never said those things that people are saying he said,” Lynch said. “People don’t understand that despite everything that was said, he’s a great AP, and I’ve never said that about any of our administrators in the past.” According to a CMS spokesperson, the matter is being looked into.
“Mr. Gore
has recently declared war on dress code violators.” -Crystal Clemente
Razzle Dazzle Them
news 3
Feb. 8, 2012
Chicago marks ten year anniversary of fall musical
Intermission Online Exclusives
intermissiononline.com
Photo Slideshow:
In memory of Dr. Bowe -Memorial Service News:
Mark Bosco named Interim Principal at NWSA Photo by Katie Bannerman From Dec. 2 to Dec. 3, advanced musical theatre students performed songs such as “All that Jazz” and “Roxie” for sold-out audiences for Chicago the Musical
Catt Giammarresi Staff Writer Dec. 2 marked an important date for the Musical Theatre Department. Not only was it the opening night of Chicago, this school year’s fall musical, but it marked ten years since the opening night of the very first fall musical. Sitting in the audience was Linda Francise, one of the two faculty members who founded the fall musical ten years ago. After the show, she told theatre teacher Corey Mitchell, director of Chicago and the other founder of the fall musical, about how impressed she was with the growth the show had made in just ten years. “In the beginning, it was hard to get a big crowd,” Mitchell said. The first two shows, Boyfriend and Will Rogers Follies were the forty-five minute
shows taken to NCTC. Audiences for these shows were relatively small even after a lot of effort had been put into advertising. “If you noticed, we didn’t put up a single poster for Chicago, yet we had a full house every show,” Mitchell said. Mitchell believes that the crowd grows with the show. The growth really began four years ago, according to Mitchell, when he announced the Musical Theatre 3 & 4 classes would be performing All Shook Up, a successful show with name recognition. Title recognition is key because it is a matter of people being curious as how you pull it off, said Mitchell. This most certainly rings true for the 2009 fall musical, Hair. So many people lined up to see this show, that hundreds had to be turned away due to lack of space. Mitchell said he doesn’t just choose a title to be a
‘provocateur.’ “The shows are iconic for a reason,” he said. As many of the more recent fall musicals have, Chicago gained popularity because it sparked much conversation throughout the student body and even in the community. When some people heard about which show would be performed in the fall, they were a bit shocked. And as
Mr. Mitchell had predicted, audiences flocked in by the hundreds, curious to see if Northwest could pull it off. When asked what Mitchell had in store for next year’s fall musical, with a smirk, he said “Oklahoma,” his usual reply. Then he said, “I always love to give a surprise.”
Along with other CMS schools, Northwest students designed rocking chairs to put on display in different Charlotte area cultural centers and later auctioned off to benefit the Arts and Sciences Council of Charlotte. Wells Fargo donated the rocking chairs to the numerous schools, and from there students designed the chairs with various patterns. Wells Fargo has been supporting
Editorial:
Review:
photo by Katie Bannerman Musical theatre 3/4 students perform “All I Care About is Love” with large white fans.
Photo students and NAHS create rocking chairs for Wells Fargo these types of projects to help present Charlotte as an art and cultural city, according to Wells Fargo’s Youtube page. For one day, Wells Fargo made it so that all of the city’s art facilities would be open for free, while the rocking chairs were placed around the city. One of Northwest’s rocking chairs were placed in Spirit Square. It was designed with the artwork from the photo IV class. Each chair included a collage of photos from each of the students, and on the back, a representation
A playlist for your morning
Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich, what are you doing?
Northwest brings art to the community Allie Hunter Staff Writer
Feature:
of Charlotte’s skylines by photo scraps. “Aesthetically, I feel that the chair embodied many eye-grabbing elements and, although putting it together seemed hopeless for a while, it came together better than anyone had hoped or thought,” junior Max Boudman said. Northwest’s chapter of National Arts Honor Society designed another chair, and it is located near the Gannt center in uptown. “We decided to paint the chair because we felt it would
allow the Charlotte community to see a sample of the art that our students could produce” NAHS president and senior Kilee Price said. The chair’s theme was a representation of the different regions of North Carolina -- the Coastal, Piedmont, and Mountain regions. Senior Annie Elberson, head of the NAHS chair project said, “It was fun to work on it with friends and I learned a lot about overseeing projects like this.”
Radcliffe proves he is more than a wizard Intermission wants you! Do you want your voice to be heard at Northwest? Do you love to write? Come to Ms. Wesselman’s room, E 134 at 8am, on the first B day of every week. Want to write a review for our book blog? Send reviews to us at: Intermissionbookblog@gmail.com
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Feb. 8, 2012
‘Let the Dionysus begin’
The student-written and student-directed shows at Dionysia Title
Written By
Directed By
All In Your Head
Alma Washington
Andrew Berenfeld
“Think The Fairly Odd Parents, but they don’t grant wishes” Berenfeld said. Briefly, “All in Your Head” could be described as the story of two kids that want to go on a date without wanting the other to think they’re crazy for having imaginary friends. Hilarity, a girl who has imaginary friends, ensues when they realize the two can be crazy together.
Essays Are Everyone’s Worst Nightmare
Justina Hauss
Allen Bosbyshell
Dealing with a stressed out senior who has nightmares about trying to get into college. The play takes a look at the college admissions officer’s point-ofview on the college admissions process, and one student’s dream of crafting the “perfect essay.”
Red Bean Congee
Sophia Zang
Regina Grier
Red Bean Congee took the audience behind-the-scenes of the life of a pop star, his nagging manager, and the everyday groupie. The crisis and scandal that follows when the media mistakes him for being the father of a crazy fangirl.
There’s No Time Like The Present
Zoe Zander
Guthrie Howard
Boy genius thinks he’s created time travel yet he is stuck in the present and does not know it
Wenchefer’s Woes
Lexi Hooton
Lexi Hooton
Summary
Wenchefer, a poor butler, works for Lady Cumberdale an English socialite who hopes to “pimp out” her distant relative to her ex-husband. Wenchefer falls in love with Cumberdale’s relative, leading to a series of awkward encounters and situations. Written by Joneka Percentie, Business Manager
Interested in buying a yearbook? See Ms. Schmitter or yearbook staff today.
Cartoon by Lexi Hooton
news 5
Feb. 8, 2012
Seniors share tips for the Graduation Project After enduring the project, seniors share their experiences and advice for underclassmen Carlynn Richter Staff Writer On December 6 and 7, seniors went through the final step in their graduation project: presenting it to the judges. Seniors Lauren Perillo, Matt Carlson, and Kathleen Brien all received the two highest scores on their presentations and topics. Perillo based her project on the multiple benefits of imaginative play on child development. “I have always been fascinated by how kids can
completely lose themselves in their own realm and still live in reality at the same time,” Perillo said. Perillo created a vacation bible school for preschoolers who normally can’t participate because they are too young. Through research, Perillo learned that it is very important for them to get the opportunity mostly because their imaginations will only develop them further. “Administrators and parents don’t see the value of what they see as absentminded play, but in all honesty it actually helps
formulate a child’s physical, mental, social, and emotional development,” Perillo said. Carlson also chose a topic passionate to him. He selected the topic of “How to become a working musician in the 21st century” because music along with the industry is important to him. “There are several ways you can go about becoming a working musician,” Carlson said. “You can work your way up from the bottom producing your own music, do open mics, or you can go the professional way of doing it.” As an aspiring musician,
Carlson’s topic gives him an edge over his competition. Brien’s topic revolved around politics. She wanted to know about partisanship in Congress and what drives that activity. Her product was a 21-page illustrated allegory that looked at the media’s part in partisanship. “It took me over 50 hours of planning, sketching, inking, editing, writing, and finalizing the whole project,” Brien said. “I would advise future seniors to sit down with a friend, no computers or phones or any distractions, and brainstorm with each
other on products.” Perillo distinguished the need for an early start and a topic of importance, also. “It’s extremely important to make sure you can answer ‘Why is this important?’ while writing a paper and creating a product to go with it,” Perillo said. “The process of senior exits is long, but you can’t say you didn’t have enough time. Time flies, so I say to use it wisely while it’s still there.”
Revamping Lunches Cafeteria adds more options for lunchtime Alice Wilder Opinions Editor CMS cafeterias make up one of the largest restaurant chains in Mecklenburg county, so it didn’t take long for students to notice when the menu changed. This year, Northwest students are enjoying some additions to the lunchtime options. “There’s more variety this year,” senior Kacie Watson said. “It used to be just pizza and a food of the day. I love the Chex Mix and Goldfish so much more than potato chips.” In addition to these packaged snacks, items like granola bars, and ice cream are on the scene, along with increased fruits, veggies and salads. These changes came with the introduction of Laura Dolan to the Northwest staff. Dolan is the cafeteria manager, and has implemented menu changes this year. With the help of the menu committee, the CMS head nutritionist designs the school lunch menu. Although the committee has to abide by regulations from the FDA and the State of North Carolina, the committee makes choices, “based on what our sales are. We are also always looking to better ourselves,” Dolan said. One way the cafeteria staff is improving is by helping students to make informed choices in how they eat. The cafeteria has increasingly healthy food. Dolan has advice for students looking to get the most nutritious meal possible. “Follow the menu. Get your entree,” Dolan said. “There’s five parts to the meal,
the entree, a milk, a bread, a fruit and vegetable. Get all the parts to lunch. The breads a whole wheat, and I really encourage you guys eating fruits and vegetables.” Watson also appreciates the addition of salads to the menu. “I appreciate having salads every day, it’s so convenient,” Watson said. Many students noted that they liked being able to take a salad with them to long afterschool rehearsals. When it comes to entrees, Dolan says they are all healthy, especially because of cuts in sodium content. “The pizza is actually healthy to me because it hits a lot of food groups,” Dolan said. “It has a whole wheat crust so it’s not unhealthy. I love our salads, those are the healthiest.” Dolan also suggests eating the roasted chicken. But above all, Dolan suggest eating breakfast. “It really gets your day going,” Dolan said. “Especially because you all come here (the cafeteria, in the morning). If you’re eligible for reduced lunch, it’s free.”
Photo by Samantha Sabin Middle school students pay for their lunch. They enjoy the new lunchtime options, too.
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Feb. 8, 2012
Northwest, before
Old building layouts shed ligh
Northwest 1996 building layouts courtesy of Carol Buchanan
Samantha Sabin Editor-in-Chief
The complete overview of how the school was laid out in 1996.
One room. That’s all each arts department had to its name back in 1994, according to former principal Charles LaBorde. “The main building was there, and the auditorium,” LaBorde said. “What is now the cafeteria was the gym, and the building where all the arts classes are now, that is where all of the art were. That housed all of performing arts, too.” LaBorde said the room furthest from the street in was the band room, when he started at Northwest. And next to it was the orchestra room. The room in the middle was the chorus room, and the theatre and dance departments just kept in the auditorium, or they worked in the chorus room when it wasn’t being used by the chorus teacher. “The E-building was not there,” LaBorde said. “That was a parking lot and then the lower part where the gym is now was field mostly.” Northwest opened as West Charlotte High School in 1937. Media specialist Carol Buchanan said the school only had the C-Building when it opened, and the D-Building was added when West Charlotte moved to its current location, and the school became Northwest Junior High. When the name of the school changed from Northwest Junior High to Northwest Middle School in 1983, only the C-, D-, B-, and A-buildings existed. In a copy of the 1986-87 “Cub’s Review”, the yearbook for Northwest Middle School, photos show that where the Fand E- buildings are currently located were either a parking lot or a field. The A-building housed the gym, while the cafeteria was located on the first floor of the D-building. At first, the C- and D-buildings were only connected at the second floor. “You had to go from what is the old cafeteria into the C-building doors to get to the Dbuilding,” LaBorde said. “If you go up on that third floor, you’ll notice the floors don’t quite match. The hallway is a ramp, and the floor on one building is higher than the other.” Specific dates cannot be found for this renovation, but LaBorde said the construction took place sometime during his 15 years at the school.
Feb. 8, 2012
features 7
e you were here
ht on the school’s rich history But the school did not become Northwest School of the Arts until 1996. “The district had approved bond money to renovate the school before they decided to make it an arts school,” LaBorde said. “When they decided to make it an arts magnet, middle and high school, they looked around for a place that already had money. “They had a bond issue to convert space downtown for an arts high school, and it failed by like 76 votes. So they had to go to plan B, and that’s how Northwest became an arts magnet.” With the new name, came a new building: the E-building. “It was sort of our goal to make sure the money was spent on arts, and to also try to create spaces that would not be useful to anything other than an arts school,” LaBorde said. The addition of the performing arts building in 1996, or the E-building, was the first of the major building changes. Next up was a new roof for the A-building. “That was with the second little pot of money we had,” LaBorde said. The next phase of renovations was to create a new cafeteria. “They decided to make that by converting the old gym,” LaBorde said. “So to do that they had to first create a new gym.” Until the F-building was built, the gym was located in the A-building, where the cafeteria is now. Construction for the new gym began in 2004. A photo on page one in the eighth edition of “Renaissance”, the school’s yearbook, shows the construction at near completion. The photo also shows that at the same time the gym was built, the upper parking lot was created. “And then later on, yet another phase really took place as I was leaving,” LaBorde said, “and that was when they converted the old cafeteria space, which is down there on that main floor into classrooms.” The latest phase took place in 2008. This addition created five new classrooms on the first floor of the D-building. “We cemented the fact that it wouldn’t be too easy to get rid of an arts school once the facility was built,” LaBorde said. “You wouldn’t need an orchestra room and two chorus rooms at a regular school.”
(Above) Northwest has not always been a arts school. Back in 1983, the school was known as Northwest Middle School. During that time, only the A-, B-, C-, and D- existed. The above photo shows the building layout for Northwest Middle School in 1996, after the addition of the E-Building right before Northwest Middle School officially became Northwest School of the Arts. (Left) The gym, or F-Building, was added to the Northwest campus in 2004. A photo from the eighth edition of Renaissance, the school’s yearbook, shows the gym at near completion.
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Feb. 8, 2012
Thespian Triumph Under new leadership, the Thespians undergo changes Allie Hunter Layout Staff At the usual Wednesday morning meeting for International Thespian Society Troupe 5634, members sit around and discuss the various ways they could raise money for Broadway Cares or they continue preparing for an upcoming event. But one meeting stood out as the beginning of senior and president Lauren Perillo’s favorite event so far this school year: “Zombie Attack.” “The students auditioned on a Wednesday meeting day and we had a fun time getting it finished within two weeks,” Perillo said. “We were able to pull a lot together in a short amount of time and all of the funds went towards Broadway Cares.” The Northwest Thespian Troupe has reached new heights this year under Perillo’s leadership. Perillo has been in the Northwest troupe since her sophomore year and has realized that the key to success is organization. Perillo achieves this through the meetings every two weeks before school. They plan events and brainstorm ways to raise money for Broadway Cares. “The Thespians are something that every serious theatre student should want to be a part of, not something that they feel like they should do just because they are a theatre major,” Perillo said. Another change in the group this year is the attendance policy. Before, it was possible for someone to be inducted into the group, then not show up to any meetings.
Now, officers pay attention to who is and isn’t at the meetings. Whenever someone misses three meetings, they are given a warning. “Attendance is important because not only does it show dedication to the troupe and upholds the pledge that inductees and members take when they are inducted, but it gives everyone a chance to participate in creating and performing in the events that we have coming up for the rest of the year,” Perillo said. ” Thespians have also been using their Facebook group more frequently. In the past, the group was only updated once a month, but now it is updated regularly with reminders for meetings and what is being worked on. “Last year, we were pretty all over the place; things happened last minute,” Caroline Oswalt said, junior and Thespianmember. “It was a lot of fun, but it’s nice that this year we’re still having fun but have a planned schedule. Everything is planned ahead of time.” Another difference is how the Thespians interact with NWSA TAG, the Northwest Theatre Arts Guild. It is made up of volunteers of teachers and parents who want to further the theatre education at the school. Through this partnership, the Thespians have been able to get adults involved with shows. Thespians ordered their t-shirts through TAG. The differences from the past are only making this group more successful. As of Jan. 29, they have raised $1,169.73.
Photo by Samantha Sabin
Photo by Katie Bannerman
Photo by Katie Bannerman Top left: Senior Hannah Risser shows off her dance skills during Thespians Induction Week. Top Right: Sophomores Crystal Clemente (left) and Emma Gardiner-Parks (right) sport an outfit from their inductors during Induction Week. Bottom: Theatre teacher Corey Mitchell performs at Backwards Broadway.
Community service-based club gives back Students interested in dedicating time and service to the community are welcomed in Key Club Erin Reed Staff Writer Students who are interested in giving back to their community are welcomed to the lesser known Key Club. “Key Club is awesome because helping the community counts for volunteer hours, and it’s really fun” said sophomore and member Emmanuel Espinoza. Specifically held in high schools, Key Club is sponsored by Kiwanis International. Its overall
mission is to promote Kiwanis’ message of serving the world’s children, but the group also performs environmental and community service acts. Senior and vice president Komikka Patton said, “There is nothing better than helping out someone in need or helping to shape your community in a positive way.” Science teacher Lucinda Supernavage and media specialist Liz Romanek serve as the faculty advisers. It is their first year sponsoring Key Club, and they are looking
forward to future service projects. “I’ve always loved helping out in my community and watching kids grow as they volunteer is a great experience,” Supernavage said. So far, the club has held a Plant-A-Tree day and assisted in the cleaning up of creeks and lakes in the area. The group also helps out at the Saturday food shelters sponsored by the Second Metrolina Food Harvest. “[I enjoyed] the tree planting project we did
for the elderly in north Charlotte,” Patton said. “We made many new friends and proved to ourselves that community service isn’t just working for a charity or giving donations, but something as simple as planting a tree.” Although the club has leadership positions, Supernavage said the experience shouldn’t be focused on that. “If you’re helping out in your community, you’re a leader within your peers,” Supernavage said. “You
get the opportunity to do good things for others. It exposes you to different career opportunities, and it’s also a great addition to your resume.” There are no fees or requirements to join, just be willing to “pay it forward,” Supernavage said.
Key Club meets 4:15 - 5:15 p.m. every Wednesday in room D-305.
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Feb. 8, 2012
Cobra impresses students
“I think I can foster a lifelong interest in my students,” Madison said. Madison also enjoys the “mythological and iconographic history of the snake, from Adam and Eve, to the symbol for medicine, to Slytherin from Harry Potter.” He believes others will find Cobra as interesting as he does.
Madison’s interest in snakes adds to the classroom Brittany Rowell Staff Writer Students in science teacher Christopher Madison’s classes have a new class pet: Cobra, a ribbon snake. “I chose a snake because snakes do well in captivity, they’re easy to take care of, and they’re fun to watch,” Madison said. The students named the snake Cobra as a joke because he is harmless. Cobra is not poisonous and has never bitten anyone before. “He is like a skinny insect, almost,” Madison said. Madison regularly attends a reptile show in South Carolina, which is where he found the snake. The snake he chose was a ribbon snake, which is the same breed of snake he owned as a child. “I’ve always had a interest for snakes, ever since I was a
Photo by Samantha Sabin Sixth graders Trevon Sanders, David Dixon, and Armani Frazer show off their class pet, Cobra, with science teacher Chirstopher Madison
kid,” Madison said. Besides attending reptile shows, Madison enjoys studying live reptiles in places, such as Latta Plantation and other nature sites. He studies all kinds of reptiles including snakes and lizards. Along with the snake, he also has a rabbit at home and two lizards, which are also kept at
the school. “Taking care of Cobra is easy,” Madison said. Cobra only requires a clean cage, a diet of six minnows a week and a regularly moisten cage--which is done by dropping chemical-free water in his tank. “I swear, the first time he ate, he smiled at me with his
little mouth,” Madison said. Cobra is a very “active” and “interesting” snake, according to Madison. “He likes to put his head up and crawl around the tank,” Madison said. “He isn’t a lazy snake.” Madison likes to show his students that snakes are less frightening than they seem.
Photo Illistration by Samantha Sabin
Indiana Jones settles for student teacher
The process of becoming a student teacher and the importants of history Zöe Zander Staff Writer Although he almost set his eyes on becoming Indiana Jones, social studies teacher Aaron George’s student teacher, John Hayes, decided he was better suited for a job as a history teacher. Hayes is implementing the “Impact of Student Learning Project” on his A-Day third block class. It includes a pretest, lessons, and a final test to show the overall improvement in his students. It should prove that he was able to impact their learning. When he first entered the program, his grades were examined, and he was asked to pick his top three schools. Out of Northwest and two schools in the Cabarrus County School District, he was assigned to NWSA. Hayes spent a lot of time, prior to his student teaching job, observing at Northwest, shadowing a former NWSA history teacher, Jeffery Joyce, who now teaches at William A. Hough High School. Hayes is no stranger to CMS and the Charlotte area. He attended East Mecklenburg High School, and is
currently in the graduate program at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. All types of history fascinate Hayes “[World History is] a little harder to figure out,” Hayes said. “Recent history, there’s a lot of interpretation and we have a better picture of that, while with ancient history, there’s still a lot we don’t know, and I find that interesting.” Hayes said he likes the mystery aspect that lives in all kinds of history. “We come to conclusions every now and then, and suddenly we have a breakthrough that completely changes the way we think about it,” Hayes said. “It’s not like everything we know right now is all we’re ever going to know about it, people make new discoveries all the time.” Upon completing the student teacher process, he plans to look in the Harrisburg school district, which is closer to where he lives, or a job as a high school history teacher. “Right now looking at the job situation, CMS is pretty filled up,” Hayes said.
Photo courtesy of John Hayes Hayes was a student teacher at Northwest durring the majority of first semester. He hopes to be a teacher after finishing the graduate program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
10 opinion
Feb. 8, 2012
recommends: 12 Things We’re Looking Forward to in 2012 Alice Wilder Opinion Editor
1. The Democratic National Convention Come next September, Charlotte will be in the national spotlight.
2. John Green’s “The Fault in Our Stars”
This Printz award winning author’s new novel was released on January 10. Be sure to pick it up in your local independent bookstore and check out a review on the Intermission book blog
3. West Side Story
This musical has already created a flurry of controversy and we’re sure it won’t disappoint once it hits the stage in March.
4. The end of Republican debates
These endless debates have seemed more like a season of Survivor than part of our democratic process. But alas, all entertaining things must come to an end.
5. The new dark room
Photo students rejoice! The expanded darkroom will allow students to flex their photo muscles more than ever
6. The “Hunger Games” movie
The entire staff is obsessed with these gruesome books, and we can’t wait to see them on screen in March. Make sure to keep an eye out for junior Morgan Wardlaw and Opinions Editor Alice Wilder, who were extras in the film.
7. Twilight is over
It seems like no one is more excited for this than Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, but we’re taking a close second.
8. Upcoming Concerts
Calling all Gambino Girls! Childish Gambino, aka Community’s Donald Glover will be playing at the Fillmore on March 17. Also, The Black Keys will be in Charlotte on March 24.
9. 3D re-releases
Haven’t cried lately? Miss seeing people freeze in the Atlantic? Titanic is just one of a few movies being re-released in 3D this year.
10. The 2012 Olympics
All eyes are on London this summer. Whether or not you’re a sports fan, these games are always entertaining. Doctor Who fans will surely keep an eye out for David Tennant.
11. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in “The Amazing Spiderman” Admit it, you want to be best friends with Emma Stone, but you also want to steal her boyfriend Andrew Garfield. It’s okay, the Intermission staff is with you on that.
12. The end of the world
We got through the last one, but just in case, the Intermission staff wants you to know that it’s been a pleasure to write snarky articles for you
Feb. 8, 2012
Bringing back snail mail one letter at a time Dear Reader,
opinion11
Uncovering student bands Anissa Aguero Columnist
See that extra piece of paper you have in your notebook that was going to be used to doodle something creative and random? Or to write one of your poems? Well, instead of leaving that piece of art in the notebook to never be read again, grab an envelope and send it to someone you have not talked to in a while (Unless it’s completely inappropriate. Then I would advise leaving it in that notebook for later. You don’t want to freak somebody out). Help bring back “snail mail,” one letter at a time. The U.S. Postal Service plans on closing more than 3,700 post offices and about 250 mail-processing facilities to cut down on costs. And according to the Washington Post, USPS hopes to end Saturday mail deliveries, slow the delivery of first-class mail and change labor-union contracts to possibly cut as many as 120,000 jobs. These cuts are due to the Postal Service’s current financial situation and the dwindling volume of mail. Write a letter thanking your aunt for the sweater you received for Christmas. Write a letter if you need help with something. Or about how much you love a CD you just bought. Write a letter about how your day went, or about what you ate for lunch. Personally, I would be ecstatic if I received a letter that only said “Hey, I had a sandwich for lunch today.” But that’s just me. My letters range from the typical summary of my goings-ons to my reactions during the premieres of shows like 30 Rock, Parks & Recreation, and The Office. The reactions letter included statements like “8:01 pm: LIZ LEMON IS ON MY T.V. SCREEN!!” and “8:13 pm: Kenneth is my favorite. I just want to put him in my pocket.” The other day, I sent a letter analyzing a Florence + the Machine song (seriously, what exactly is “What the Water Gave Me” about?). The possibilities are endless, and letter writing benefits both the writer and receiver. Steve Toepfer, associate professor in Human Development and Family Studies at Kent State University at Salem, conducted a study and published the results, showing that writing a series of letters expressing real gratitude improves levels of happiness and that improvement increases with each letter. According to information released by Kent State, Toepfer said, “What we come away from this study is that if you are looking to increase your well-being through intentional activities, take 15 minutes three times over three weeks and write letters of gratitude to someone. You’ll feel better on those three variables. There is a cumulative effect, too. If you write over time, you’ll feel happier, you’ll feel more satisfied, and if you’re suffering from depressive symptoms, your symptoms will decrease.” Toepfer studied 219 adult participants whose ages ranged from 18- to 65-years-old. The participants in the experimental group were instructed to compose a letter of gratitude for four weeks. Participants were aware that their letters would be mailed to the intended recipients, therefore increasing the psychological realism and ownership of the exercise. As Toepfer expected, a participant’s level of happiness was significantly higher after the study was completed. And with non-profit organizations like Snail Mail My Email who will write and send the letter for the “writer,” there is no excuse for not writing a letter. Snail Mail My Email was started to remind people of the communication alternatives outside of social media. The organization said the project has also brought into light what the appeal of snail mail symbolizes—the importance of slowing down, being mindful and deliberate and truly connecting with other people in more thoughtful and meaningful ways. So, for those who think they won’t have time to handwrite and personalize their letters, send it to Snail Mail My Email. They’ll do it for you. Sending a letter is the next best thing to showing up personally at someone’s door. So, before you recycle that piece of paper, think about how it can benefit someone else. Even the ones that only have stick figures.
Sincerely, Samantha Sabin Editor-in-Chief Photo Illustration by Samantha Sabin
The music department is home to singers, songwriters, and musicians alike. But what you may not know is that the music department is also home to many student bands, one of them being the Dylan Flanagan Band, with senior Dylan Flanagan and junior Sam Allison. The idea of a two-man band was new to me. Only having been part of wind ensembles or pit orchestras, I always wondered how one decides to work with another person, or to share a passion, on such a creatively intimate level. Sometimes it happens by chance. Flanagan mentioned that he had performed and written songs on his own, but when he and Allison played together, he was surprised and pleased with what Allison came up with. “It was a hard decision to make, whether or not to keep playing solo or not. Ultimately my better judgment kicked in and we started,” Flanagan said. I commend Allison, a mostly Jazz/Latin drummer for being able to mesh so well with a guitarist whose style could be classified as a derivative of Folk and Bluegrass. It sounded difficult to me, having to combine two various styles and create harmony. “The only disadvantage,” Allison said, “is coming up with something never heard before that compliments what Dylan writes.” Flanagan admits that lacking a bassist poses a problem at times, but that only pushes him to pay attention to “…the minor details of the music, focusing on tone, dynamics, and the fullness of the sound in general,” Flanagan said. Although the two have only played around nine shows total in the past two years, they know where they’re going; they both are certain that they want to pursue a career in music. “Music is the mouth of the unexplained,” Allison said. “Music tells all secrets, and my nosy self wants to know them all.” I think all musicians will agree that regardless of what genre, instrument, or facet you choose to create with, that we all have a desire to explore and to create something that which cannot be simply said or seen, only experienced.
12opinion
Feb. 8, 2012
Editor’s Roundtable
Government unveils its secret 4-yearlong project Intermission staff voices their opinion against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is designed to crack down on websites based offshore that peddle illegal content, but unlike SOPA and PIPA, this is an international agreement. Now don’t get us wrong, the Intermission staff thinks this is an honorable goal, but if ACTA is passed and if the government continues to close other file-sharing sites, it will have too much control over the Internet. Government, please leave the Internet alone. Sure, the Internet blackout on Jan. 18 ultimately lead to the weakening of SOPA and PIPA, but the rise of ACTA terrifies the Intermission staff’s First Amendmentloving hearts. ACTA is a teenager’s worse nightmare because social
media sites like Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter will have to create and enforce stricter guidelines for what can and cannot be shared on their sites. Because ACTA is on an international scale, we have no control over countries that put this bill into law. It’s been negotiated by the European Union, the United States, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Australia, Mexico, Morocco, Singapore, as well as a few other countries, whose aim is to enforce copyright and tackle counterfeited goods, according to www. stopacta.info. The negotiations were done secretly--the public and civil organizations had no say in the deal. All information about ACTA gathered until 2010 was from leaks that
reveal international secrecy to mislead the public. The deals for ACTA actually began in 2007 and were not finalized until 2010. And the worse part? Because the countries negotiated instead of democratically debating, ACTA bypasses parliaments and international organizations in order to enforce the regulatory regime. It would profoundly alter the very nature of the Internet as we know it by putting legal and monetary pressure on Internet providers. ACTA will give the music and movie industries a legal weapon to enforce them to police their networks and users themselves. We don’t know about you, but if various countries have agreed to change the way we use the Internet, we’d like to
know ahead of time, not right before it is supposed to be finalized and enforced. It’s like the administration saying “So, CMS agreed that we will be following a year-round program for the rest of the year,” a few weeks before school is suppose to end. The timing for the ACTA publicity just doesn’t add up, especially if negotiations began in 2007. The EU states it supports ACTA because it “ensures the EU’s already high standard of protection for intellectual property... [and] protecting jobs in Europe. Because Europe is losing 8 billion Euros annually through counterfeit goods flooding our market,” as said on the European Commission website. We’re sure there are other ways to solve your economic problems other than restrict-
ing our Internet and freedom of expression, EU. So, here’s what you can do. Instead of brushing this article off and ignoring every word in here, go online and start signing petitions. Because this is an international agreement and because the United States already signed the bill in October 2010, nothing much can be done in this country. But your voice can still be used to stop other countries from signing ACTA. Contact journalists and bloggers and ask them to talk about it. Blog about ACTA, link to websites talking about it, and analyze its contents. The backdoor deals and negotiations won’t fly anymore. Exercise those democratic rights.
-Intermission Staff
Don’t blame the victim Analyzing the anti-rape strategies taught in society Alice Wilder Opinion Editor Think of how many antirape strategies most girls are taught, from health class to talk shows. Keep the police on speed dial. If you’re walking to your car at night, park close to the building and ask police to walk you. Take a sweater to cover up a low cut dress, don’t walk alone at night. Be careful how you look at strangers. Don’t drink too much. Go out with a group of friends at all times. Keep pepper spray with you at all times. Always be aware of your surroundings. Don’t talk to strangers. Don’t wear a short skirt in a bad neighborhood. Don’t wear a lot of make-up. Now do all of that, all day every day. That’s a lot of rules to ask someone to follow. All of these rules play a part in rape culture, an environment where sexual violence is common, and social attitudes as well as media normalize and tolerate sexual violence. Without even knowing it, rape culture controls the way almost all women live their day to day lives. The truth is, the only thing that causes rape is rapists. The number one way to prevent rape is to not rape anyone. For example, I’m awesome at preventing rape because I don’t rape people. It’s that easy. However, rape culture teaches that victims are responsible for preventing rape. Ninety-nine percent of rapists are male according
to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, but (whether we know it or not) most of us are responsible for perpetuating rape culture. When we ask what a survivor was wearing when they were attacked, or if they were under the influence, we’re asking the wrong questions. The real question is, why did the perpetrator think that rape was okay? There’s no way to get into the mind of a criminal, and I’m not about to go interview a rapist, so here are some of my tentative theories. Boys are taught, from sports, movies and video games,that masculinity and aggression are inseparable. Maybe these guys assume that women wearing revealing clothes are asking for attention and/or harassment. Or they think that their friends and peers tolerate sexual assault. When you make rape jokes, they may seem harmless, but when a potential rapist hears a rape joke, what they hear is their peers accepting rape. Rape culture is a real issue that does nothing but hurt survivors and create more potential rapists. Not to mention how it controls the lives of every woman. But you know what’s awesome? To end rape culture you don’t need to donate tons of money or go on a hunger strike. Next time you hear a friend, or yes, even a teacher or administrator make rape jokes or participate in victim blaming, all you have to do is speak up. Because we all have the right to feel safe, regardless of what we’re wearing.
Photo by Rebecca Martens Photo from NYC Slut Walk, an organized protest against sexual violence. protests have occurred across the United States and internationally. These protests are controversial, even in the feminist community, but have sparked a national conversation.
Editor-in-Chief Samantha Sabin Business Manager Joneka Percentie News Editor Naja Richburg Features Editor Gabby Ross Opinion Editor Alice Wilder Layout Editor Rene Vanek Photo Editor Katie Bannerman Online Editor Justina Hauss
intermission 2011-2012 staff Layout Staff Allie Hunter Lincoln Frye
Staff Writers Catt Giammarresi Erin Reed Carlynn Richter Brittany Rowell Contributors Anissa Aguero Lexi Hooton Rebecca Martens Kilee Price Adviser Barbara Wesselman
In compliance with federal law, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools administers all education programs, employment activities and admissions without discrimination against any person on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, national origin, age or disability.
The opinions expressed in Intermission do not necessarily represent those of the school’s faculty or administration, the CharlotteMecklenburg School Board or its administration. Intermission is a public forum for student expression. Send any story suggestions or submissions to intermission.nwsa@cms.k12. nc.us