Pitchfork, Issue 5, 2022-2023, March 29, 2023

PITCHFORK

THE

EST 1928

Marietta, Georgia

Marietta High School

Issue 5

Friday date creates a planning Prom-blem

@mhspitchfork

March 29, 2023

Lily Konigsmark Staff Writer Prom has a different and unexpected date for the 2023 school year. The dance has been moved to a Friday night. This has created massive tension between students and the planning committee.

“I feel like the school did not prioritize the interests of students,” Josh Beyene (12) said.

Students started pointing fingers as to why the Saturday prom had been moved. The initial and biggest blame was the Taylor Swift concert in Atlanta that is on the same weekend as prom, but Tswizzle is not the reason. The prom was scheduled prior to the release of Taylor Swift concert dates.

Many students have to make the choice to go to prom or the concert since they bought tickets for Taylor Swift before dates for prom were published. ¨When I found out my ticket was the same day as prom, I was upset that I would be missing my first prom, but I was not going to pass up the opportunity to see her in concert,¨ Ella Patterson (11) said.

Plenty other students feel the same way with previously made commitments because they did not think prom would be on a Friday. ¨We wanted to keep it on Saturday, but the Marietta City Club Conference room was booked that same Saturday, so we put it on Friday,¨ Mr. Cole, junior teacher sponsor, said.

This hot topic has sparked conversations of frustration amongst Marietta High uperclassmen students.

Continue to pg. 5 for “Prom-blem”

Matilda, played by Mikayla Waters (11), stands defiant under her father’s gaze. Kaly Piovesan Toussaint (11) performed in his second major role of the year as the angry, yet amusing, Mr. Wormwood. Photo by Amelia Jenkins

Bringing Matilda to life

Marietta performs their take on hit broadway musical Amelia Jenkins Staff Writer Matilda: The Musical, follows a young girl named Matilda as she faces the challenges of living with her parents and starting school. Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood, her parents, dismissed her as their child from her birth, calling her ugly and unwilling to accept her. The Wormwoods ignore and stay oblivious to what Matilda has gone through as a child while her older brother, Michael, torments her, and her family mocks and mistreats her.

Kaly Piovesan Toussaint (11) plays Mr. Wormwood.

“I relate to [Mr. Wormwood’s] drive.

He is very determined to get things done in the best way that he can do it for his family,” Toussaint said.

As Matilda starts school, she forms a close bond with one of her teachers, Ms. Honey. Ms. Honey is impressed with Matilda’s intellect and ability, and suggests she moves up to the top class with older children. During her time at school, Matilda meets the spiteful headmistress, Ms. Trunchbull. She watches as Trunchbull abuses and punishes bad children, locking them in closets as punishment.

“I am playing Agatha Trunchbull.

She’s the headmistress of the school.

I don’t consider myself to be a mean person, and she’s just a really terrible human being,” Tiah Carthers (11) said.

Carthers expressed the difficulty of playing a character so different from

herself, and the challenges with the role.

“It’s finding out how she would act in situations versus how I would act,” Carthers said.

Ms. Trunchbull’s cruelty continues, Matilda fights to stop it and rallies her classmates together. She learns of Ms. Trunchbull’s cruelty to Ms. Honey and helps Ms. Honey get her home back. The children work together to rid the school of their evil headmistress, and Ms. Honey takes over the job.

At the end of the musical, Matilda talks with her parents, and the Wormwoods allow Matilda to live with Ms. Honey.

Continue to pg. 12 for “Musical”

Malachi Sanders wins 7A wrestling state title Alyssia Hamilton Editor-in-Chief Malachi Sanders took on Walton’s Emil Necula for the 150-pound state championship match on Feb. 18 in Macon, Georgia. The day before, Sanders had to win his first three matches to compete against Necula.

“I started off by listening to music while doing a 30 minute warm up to get me pumped for the match,” Malachi Sanders (12) said.

Dec. 16 at the Cobb County Invitational was the last time Sanders matched up against Necula. Necula won the match. Sanders knew before the state championship that the final match would be between the two of them.

“I knew that I was going to have to work extremely hard to pull it off and I knew that I would have to switch up my game plan,” Malachi Sanders (12) said.

As Sanders took the floor to battle Necula for the title, bringing home a win for the Blue Devils weighed on his mind. Necula led 9-3 in the first two periods until Sanders took charge in the third period.

“Even though he started behind, I knew that if he stuck to the game plan we established then he would be fine,” Coach Tommy Carthers said.

Sanders’ quick thinking led him to escaping his opponent’s control, he added a takedown to turn the match around. He used three pins to take the lead with two minutes left of the match. Sanders earned the state title with a score of 11-9. Sanders was in disbelief because he knew how hard the match would be, but he was relieved to see his hard work pay off. Malachi is the second person to win an individual state title at our school this year.

“I believe our program is so successful because of our coaches and our strength program having high expectations. Our student athletes have to work year round to be successful. Having those coaches here working with our athletes through the summer and the school year adds to an athletes success. The work during the season and the off season is what really helps the hard work pay off and it’s what helps them achieve their goals,” Athletic Director Craig McKinney said.

Malachi Sanders (12) wears his state champion medal in front of the state place winners wall, where his name will be placed. Photo by Alyssia Hamilton.

Opinions

@mhspitchfork

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Editorial: women slowly change the world March is the month that everything becomes brighter and happier. Spring is on its way, there is less than two months until graduation, and it is women’s history month. President Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8, 1980 to be known as national women’s history week. It didn’t become a national month until 1987, when the National Women’s History Project protested for it. This led to congress passing the Pub.L. 100-9 in March 1987 designating it as National Women’s History Month.

Throughout history, men have always been deemed to be superior to women. Women have had to fight to earn respect in America. The 19th amendment, which granted women the right to vote, was the start to women paving their way in the world. After the 19th amendment was passed, women continued to fight by using politics to improve society. In 1923, the National Women’s Party proposed the equal rights amendment to ban discrimination based on sex. This amendment wasn’t passed until 1972, the push to get this passed came from the hard work women contributed in World War II. Without these women contributing to this movement, women would have never gotten the opportunities they now have.Women’s History Month is not appreciat-

ed as much as other national months. For example, on the school news, women’s history month isn’t shown as much as hispanic heritage month or black history month, and the morning song hasn’t focused on women

There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.

-Michelle Obama either. There is not any program to celebrate the accomplishments of women. If there were more implications to improve the engagement on Women’s History Month, then it would help with the empowerment of girls.

There are many young girls that have dreams of earning male-dominated jobs. The stereotypes of women in the workforce can cause an overpowering feeling for girls that want to accomplish their dreams. Women have given constant stereotypes of only being able to have the jobs of a homemaker and not having the strength to do “male jobs.” As previously stated above, World War II showed that women can do any job a man can do, but there are people in the world that still think otherwise.

For example, journalism is a male-dominated field and it’s very apparent through the news as men are shown more on screen than women. A specific department that is very male dominated is the sports industry. According to Zippia.com, 20.9% of sports reporters are women, and 79.1% are men. Over the years, women have broken this barrier by integrating women into the field.

This is empowering for young girls to have someone to look up to knowing that they can change the world in a way. This shows how much the world has grown and evolved. The world will never be perfect, but we can slowly change the world by calling out the importance of women in this world.

Who’s the most influential woman in your life and why?

Grant Phillips (12)

Elyria Turner (11)

“Mrs. Herrero. She helps me stay on track with work and inspires me to always be the best version of myself.”

“NerdECrafter. She’s a content creator on YouTube who inspires me to work on art.

Watching her reminds me that you can’t necessarily be good at a skill without failure.”

Libby Barnes (10)

Dominik Chong Qui (9)

“My mom because I’ve learned everything I know from her and she sets a good example for me.

She’s one person a strive to be like because she’s a wonderful person.”

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Prom Song Request With prom quickly approaching, we need to ensure that the student body has a great time. Juniors and Seniors please take the time to fill out this google form to submit what songs you want to hear at prom. All valid requests will be sent to the DJ. Just SCAN the QR code!

“My mom because she supports me in everything I do and makes my life easier. She’s hard working and inspires me to be the same.”

Followers will be chosen each issue to win a Zaxby’s gift card from @Zaxbys591SMP, This issue’s winner is Danielle Isom (12).

Pitchfork is published by journalism students at Marietta High. It is free to the student body, staff and community. The views and opinions expressed in the Pitchfork are not necessarily those of the administration and faculty. Letters to the editor should be brought to room J208 or emailed to the staff: pitchfork@marietta-city.k12.ga.us

Managing Editor Etinosa Ogbomo

Mission Statement: Pitchfork is a student written and produced newspaper aimed at educating, enlightening, and entertaining Marietta High’s students. All content is determined by the staff in an attempt to be relevant and give voice to the student body.

Business Managers Dylan Buehner Ada Chesney

Editors-in-Chief Alyssia Hamilton Wes Harrison Assistant Editor Zaria Byers

Adviser Andrea Lyons

Staff Writers Adalyn Law Addison Moreland Aidan Allegro Alex Kelly Amber Ryan Amelia Jenkins Icy McFall Kaia Kirkpatrick Lauren Kelley Lily Konigsmark Mae Bullington Quinn Mulkey Sydney Hernandez Sydney Martinez Trinity Seals

@mhspitchfork

Opinions

Can I ask you a question about prom?

Wesley Harrison Editor-in-Chief Since the late 19th century, high school students have enjoyed nights of dancing and fun at their high school prom. Originally meant to showcase the newfound manners and social standing, prom has greatly evolved from its original intent. , students get to enjoy buying new clothes and spending the evening with their friends.

Months go into planning the most amazing night for their juniors and seniors.

Caterers are chosen, venues booked, and the theme chosen. All these aspects are planned before tickets are even sold. These plans all go into making the night perfect for the school’s juniors and seniors..

Prom can be a night that’s perfect for everyone; however, there can be many things that go wrong with a student’s “perfect night.” For instance, they could have to go with someone they don’t want to or someone may be wearing the same outfit, or they might not fit in with the rest of their group. These may seem like nonconsequential items in the grand scheme of things, but it matters greatly in the moment.

Prom also costs a large amount. The average cost of hosting a prom is $20,000 for the school. Tickets for prom at Marietta High School already cost upwards of 100 dollars and that’s just the start of the cost for attendees, they also buy an outfit, can choose to go to dinner before the event, and can rent a car out to take them.

These costs start to pile up on each other and make way for high expenses.

So why would students want to spend their money on prom when there are so many things that go wrong? Why would schools want to invest money in something that’s so nonsensical? There are so many questions about the need for prom in our modern day. It’s overly expensive and has so many things that can go wrong.

This leaves me with the question: why is prom so important to American high schools?

In my opinion, prom represents tradition. Similar to homecoming, students may have heard stories about the dance from their parents and dreamt of when they would get the chance to experience the magic night.

We, as students, love the feeling of prom and the history behind it. Leading up to it, there’s the constant debate of who will be asking whom. It’s a night we get to dress up and dance with our friends. For seniors, it might serve as a final hurrah before graduation, giving one last chance to celebrate and have fun with their friends.

Schools will pay for prom because they want their students to have fun. People often like to discount schools as businesses that suck the life out of children before sending them into the world; however, this is not true. Schools want their kids to gain beneficial life experiences and learn how to be good people.

High school is the time to make mistakes and have fun with life. Prom gives srtudent the opportunity to have fun and make lasting memories with their classmates. Prom night represents the passeddown tradition of fun for students and serves as a chance for the camaraderie that it provides. It doesn’t have to be perfect, students try to have the most fun possible for a night to remember.

Agree? Disagree? Let me know on Instagram @mhspitchfork or email pitchfork@marietta-city.k12.ga.us.

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Climate Change is real, End of Story

Dylan Buehner Business Manager We have known about Climate Change for most of modern human history. NASA reports that the first fundamental theory about climate change came out in 1896.

We have then realized that the Earth shifts its climate every few thousand centuries and that there are warming and cooling periods within the Earth’s life cycle. But we’ve also learned just how humans have accelerated the production of greenhouse gases on Earth and thus accelerated global warming on a massive scale.

From the beginning of the Industrial Revolution into the modern day, humans have burnt various fossil fuels. From coal to crude oil to natural gas. all of these produce compounds that trap heat within our atmosphere and ultimately warm up our planet. Countless reliable sources have provided charts, graphs, and data that show how since the Industrial Revolution, the temperature on Earth has only risen with no correlation to natural temperature changes. Individual scientists and global climate groups have repeatedly outlined humanity’s impact on global warming. Oil companies, some of the most polluting entities on this planet, even knew about climate change in the 60s.

Yet in the united states, portions of the population still believe lies about climate change. That it’s not real, it’s overblown, or it wasn’t our fault, to begin with. Public figures, both educated and otherwise, stand up and spout these same beliefs, perpetuating a cycle of misinformation

by Sydney Martinez

among their supporters. The largest polluting corporations have repeatedly tried to cover up their role in the climate crisis or greenwash themselves out of the picture. Major political parties, often backed by these same corporations, push against Climate Change initiatives and regulations that could put us on track to fix climate problems.

Climate Change is not a debatable issue. There is no merit to any argument that suggests that Climate Change isn’t real or that countries shouldn’t be pushing for more action. Climate Change is indeed a massive problem that seems, to many, too far off to fix. But any questions about the validity of scientific data surrounding the issue, let alone discussion of whether it’s fake or not, is not only a waste of time but outright reductive to the discourse.

This issue isn’t a moral one or a beliefs-based argument, it is a fundamental problem that this planet faces, and anyone arguing against climate programs is doing so in bad faith. An example of this bad faith is anti-climate politicians. These individuals (who are often right-leaning) push hard against Climate Change initiatives like funding renewable energy projects, regulating polluting companies, or replacing fossil fuel sources. At the same time, they take massive donations from the same companies and polluters that these types of legislation seek to stop.

Next time a representative pushes reductive climate deregulation or openly supports big fossil fuels, take a look at their donations list, to see who’s really talking. Throughout the coming years, citizens around the country must support leaders that believe in the truth, who keep climate change at the forefront of lawmaking. We must also vote out the corrupt and unrepresentiveive figures that continue to disregard this growing issue. Voting promotes progress, and to prevent our world from surcoming to Climate Change, we must not surcome to bad ideas.

News

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What is climate change?

Earth has always had a changing climate; however, the change has been increasing drastically since the start of the 20th century. Throughout history the earth has undergone a total of eight warming and cooling periods naturally.

But most of these changes have not been as detrimental as the current warming cycle Earth is experiencing. Climate change is the long-term change of different climates in different regions around the world; for example, this could mean that climates with heavy rainfall are now experiencing drier weather. This is detrimental for the wellbeing of plants and animals that have adapted to these specific climates. Through research from both space and land it is clear to 97 percent of scientists that these current changes are a direct result of irresponsible human interaction with the planet.

“I think it is scary to think about the effects that climate change could have on us and future generations,” Nicole Githanga (11) said. “I hope that the impacts that we have had can be reversed.”

Since the Industrial Revolution, the state of the planet has been under observation. The conclusion of scientific data reveals that human activity has increased the Earth’s global temperature by 1.8 degrees. The burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil creates greenhouse gasses around the Earth. This effect causes temperatures to rise considering atmospheric gasses such as carbon dioxide and methane are trapping the sun’s energy. This not only results in global temperatures rising, but, sea levels rising, melting glaciers, and extreme weather patterns.

Carbon dioxide is the leading greenhouse gas causing rising temperatures. Without climate change, the Earth would be too cold to support life. However, with a growing population and more fossil fuels being burned, the temperature is rapidly increasing. This is because CO2 can absorb infrared energy at different wavelengths. As the inferred energy is absorbed, it moves in all directions.

Half of the energy emitted goes back into space, but the other half returns to heat up the Earth.

Symptoms of climate change

Similarly to climate, many of the Earth’s systems change naturally throughout time. According to NASA, the shape and size of our oceans have changed multiple times considering the dramatic ice age cycles; however, throughout Earth’s history the level has remained quite constant until recently. Due to the increasing temperature, the ocean is expanding contributing to the seven inch rise over the past century. The ocean absorbs most of the heat being trapped in our atmosphere meaning that expanding seas could become an even bigger problem in the near future. Many cities such as Venice, Italy are becoming submerged in the ocean due to the rising sea

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levels. Although many of these coastal cities are small, they contribute to thirty percent of the world’s population.

“It’s sad because Venice is historic and beautiful and has a lot of historic significance. I think we should use more sustainable products to protect cities like Venice,” Tori Barnes (12) said.

Over the last few centuries, glaciers have been retreating at an increasing rate. At the end of the last ice age, the total amount of glaciers covered a total of thirty percent of the Earth. However, in our current time, they now cover around 10 percent of the planet. Although Antarctica holds the most ice on earth, the Greenland ice sheets are losing the most ice every year. Greenland only accounts for 10 percent of the total ice sheets found on Earth, however if it melted it would lead to a seven meter increase in sea level. Over the last 24 years, there has been a total loss of 28 trillion tons of glaciers world-wide.

Since the 1950’s the record high temperatures have been increasing while record low temperatures have been decreasing specifically in the United States. Considering the rising temperatures, the warm air holds moisture and leads to increasingly heavy rainfall. The extra heat accumulated in the air and oceans leads to larger and more intense storms. The effects of these massive storms are extreme weather events such as floods.

In 2022 the United States experienced 18 extremely devastating natural disasters ranging from hurricanes to drought, caused by our changing climate. This resulted in 474 deaths and cost our economy around $165 billion.

Currently, specifically in Georgia, the climate is starting to heat up rapidly. Currently Georgia averages about twenty dangerously hot days per year. This is expected to increase to around ninety days within the next thirty years.

Luckily Marietta City Schools is taking a stand against climate change.

this zero waste policy into their learning by producing a zero waste lunch to present to their class.

“In science class, we talked about how every piece of trash gets put into a landfill and over time will cause an abundance of waste,” said Thompson.

The school’s lessons about sustainability are not over yet. Students will soon be going on a field trip to honor students that have completed a project on the 17 global goals provided by the United Nations. At the end of the year students will start to learn about how their actions do not just impact …, but impact the climate as well.

At Marietta High, faculty is advocating for better waste management strategies. Our school does not offer recycling as a method of waste management, however Michelle Logue, a science teacher, is trying to make a change.

“I would like recycling bins because when you recycle materials you’re putting less in the environment. When trash goes into regular landfills and decomposes it releases extra gases into the atmosphere” Logue said.

Excess amounts of plastic, cardboard, and paper are wasted throughout the school. This can have a bigger impact on the environment than one would think. These materials can get into our local rivers and even make it out to the oceans, so reducing and recycling can help save aquatic and land species.

“I recycle and grow my own vegetables and herbs. I also reuse a lot because I don’t like to waste plastic,” said Logue.

Logue encourages students to try to practice sustainable methods at school and home to limit the effects of climate change. She also encourages students to pay attention to the changing environment and not turn a blind eye to the effects of our actions.

Local support for awareness

Good news about the ozone layer

Marietta High School and Marietta Sixth Grade Academy (MSGA) are trying to advocate for more sustainable practices to combat climate change. At MSGA students are currently learning about how their sustainable actions can impact the planet. They recently went on a field trip to the Mercedes-Benz stadium to learn about their zero waste policy.

“Mercedes-Benz Stadium focused on how the stadium was built using “green” practice, said science teacher Amy Thompson. “They showed us the garden where they grow fruits and vegetables which they use to produce food and sell to guests in the stadium.”

Students learned about the stadium’s commitment to keep 90 percent of all trash away from landfills. Students were able to visit the waste recovery room where workers sort through all wasted materials to determine what is compostable or recyclable. Students have incorporated

In better news, Earth’s ozone layer seems to be restoring itself. The ozone layer protects Earth from damaging ultraviolet rays. Scientists have been worried about the depletion of our ozone layer since the 1980’s due to a hole forming in it. Chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons, which used to be found in refrigerators, have caused a hole to form in the layer. Since 1989, these chemicals have been banned and are starting to phase out of our atmosphere.

If the policies that are banning harmful, ozone-depleting chemicals, the layer should be restored by 2040 for the majority of the world. Unfortunately, it may take longer for the ozone to recover in the arctic. This may be a big step towards emitting less greenhouse gasses and limiting the effects of climate change.

Take the climate change quiz Participants will be entered in a raffle to win a prize

How much of the world’s population see climate change as a threat to their country over the next 20 years?

A: 25% B: 45% C: 65%

What is the main cause of global warming?

A: rising levels of greenhouse gasses B: energy radiated from sun C: natural warming of Earth

During the past 40 years, the amount of oil and natural gas remaining in known reserves: A: reduced more than half B: remained the same C: more than doubled

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School News

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Alumnae of Marietta

Mae Bullington Staff Writer

As the class of 2023 comes upon graduation, there are only 58 days till they walk across the stage to become Marietta High alumni. Two memorable people stduents and Pitchfork staffers are Jamie Patrick, who graduated in 1998, and Savannah Hernandez, who graduated in 2021. Look for more amazing women on Instagram @mhspitchfork.

Savannah Hernandez- Class of 2021

Jamie Patrick- Class of 1998

Savannah Hernandez is a University of Georgia student that will graduate in 2025.

She is majoring in Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. Hernandez also is a part of the Foundation Fellowship. Foundation Fellowship is a program that provides funding for academics, a year of studying abroad, research grants, and much more.

She was on Pitchfork all four years and concluded her time as Editor-in-Chief. "I was able to view Marietta through a unique lens because Pitchfork connected to all walks of life," Hernandez said.

While at Marietta, she won multiple Georgia Scholastic Press Association superior ratings as an indvidual and with the team, and she captured the best photo in the state. She won leadership and photography awards from National Scholastic Press As-

Jamie Patrick was a former Pitchfork staff member. During her time, she was a Business Editor, and she was on staff during her junior and senior years.

"Pitchfork was one of my favorite classes at Marietta.

I loved following in my dad's footsteps and being a part of something that my dad also loved, and then my brother was an editor of Pitchfork a few years after me. It was a fun class where I made some great friends - many I am still close with today and still get together with as we all live in this Marietta community.

One of my favorite things about Pitchfork class was the freedom that came with it, where we could come up with interesting things to write about and leave class to interview and research. It also allowed me to improve my writing skills which I used as a marketing major at U.G.A., along with

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sociation as well, and many journalismrelated scholarships.

She became a photographer and communications coordinator for Rouge Magazine from August 2021- June 2022 and interned at the Marietta Daily Journal, as a sports writer, from June-August 2022.

She will cover the FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand for the Associated Press from July-August.

She has been involved in sports marketing in Athens while at UGA. "Sports journalism creates a network between the event and people, being one of the few things people still experience simultaneously in a live setting," Hernandez said.

Presidential Scholar and Dean's list in the spring of 2022 and many more. She also volunteers at Grady Newsource in Athens, Georgia.

"I love connecting with people and their stories, and that's the fundamental element of journalism. It's selfless work, but I love it," Hernandez says.

Prom being on a Friday not only interferes with a school day, it also interferes with the time an individual has to get ready for the dance. There has been no issues with prom being on Saturday in previous years because attendees have the entirety of Friday night to get everything situated. For instance, some girls do night preparations such as prepping their hair or fake tanning without worrying about waking up early to go to school to feel humiliated. With prom being on a Saturday, everybody can get their beauty rest and have a Friday night and half of a day on Saturday to get ready for prom. ¨I feel so stressed about looking my best for prom.

There is no way I am going to school with my bonnet on,¨ Makayla Farris(11) said.

It is pretty disappointing to many to have prom on a school day, and the school is requiring students to attend first and second block on Friday in order to go to prom.

Students are not eligible to get into prom if they skip the first half of the school day. The school gave students a half day rather than requiring the full day since they didn't plan

for prom being on a Friday. Students attending prom will be dismissed at 10:50 a.m. to go get ready for the fun night ahead.

Planning prom is a lengthy process and the student council is working hard to meet the high expectations of their peers. Even though students do not like the change and see it as inconvenient, it is what they are stuck with.

Planning ahead for preparation time and pictures will help.

There were many questions as to why the council didn't just change the location to have prom on a Saturday.

"It was too late to even attempt looking for a new place,” Mr. Cole said.

Many students are concerned with what the big deal is with changing location since the Marietta City Clubs conference room is a little dated and plain. ¨I think all students would appreciate it if they would invest time and money for their students to have a better location. I think they just take the easy way out by avoiding change of routine,¨ Samaraiah Upchurch (12) said.

Those complaints have been heard and luckily for class

college internships and my first marketing job. It was a fun and interesting class where I learned a lot and made many fun memories." Patrick said.

Patrick went to the University of Georgia and Patrick graduated in 2002. At U.G.A., she majored in marketing. Her dad, Mayor Steve Tumlin, was also in Pitchfork Now Patrick is an accountant living in the city of Marietta. She is a P.T.A. member at West Side Elementary. Patrick also oversees sponsorships for Marietta High School tennis. She also works heavily with the mayor of Marietta in helping whenever she can with his roles around the city. For example, Patrick is the campaign treasurer.

She was very involved with clubs and sports during her years at Marietta. Patrick was a part of the Spanish club, the global awareness club, the executive experience club service club, the students against the drunk driving club, F.C.A., the student council, the Interact club, and the Beta club. Patrick was also on the Varsity tennis team and an honor roll student.

of 24´ and 25´, the student council will be choosing a different location for the 2024 prom. This may not be great news for the seniors because they, too, have wanted a different location, but instead they were given a prom in the same place on a Friday.

Prom is on April 28 and will be held at the Marietta City Club Conference Center, 500 Powder Springs St., Marietta. Details concerning class pictures have finally been posted. Seniors will be taking their pictures at Brumby Hall (472 Powder Springs St. SW) and arrival is at 5:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. is the class picture. Juniors will be hosted at the Ivy Grove (475 Cherokee St) and arrival is 4:30 p.m. with their class picture at 5:15 p.m. Mrs. Herrero highlights the importance of attending these pictures. ¨This is an over 80 year unifying event in Marietta to gather all of our students to take pictures with one another. Marietta is one of the only schools that has this inclusivity for all students¨ Mrs. Herrero said.

Both class pictures will be posted on the Marietta Families Facebook page.

Harper Mangine (11)

Josh Beyene (12)

Aden Canty (11)

Raygon Granston (12)

“I won’t be able to focus on school because I’ll be thinking about getting ready later.

I am not excited to see a lot of orange girls.”

¨I don't really care what day, just as long as I get to wear a tux because I look good in a tux¨

“I don’t see a problem with it being Friday but why can’t we skip the day to get ready?

It takes a lot of time to look this good.”

“ It's ridiculous cause there is less time to prepare and it messes with my A day classes.”

Graphic by Icy McFall

Being aware of mental health issues makes eve

Adalyn Law & Staff W The topic of mental health is being heard more in daily conversations. Although it is becoming more accepted to talk about, it once was not. During the Middle Ages, mental disorders were seen as signs of demonic possession and supernatural forces.

Asylums were built where patients who were deemed mentally ill underwent cruel treatments. While society has come a long way from the past, there is still a stigma surrounding the topic, thus making students afraid to talk about it.

Society tends not to view mental illness as a real medical condition. When people think of mental health, they associate people suffering with being weak. Mental health issues come from a number of contributing factors such as life experiences, biological factors, and family history with disorders.

“Where [in our larger society] for a long time there’s been this misconception that if you have issues with your mental health, then there must be something ‘wrong with you,’’’ Ms. Papini, counselor and Marietta Student Life Center (MSLC) coordinator, said.

The definition of Stigma is a negative attitude or idea about either a mental, physical, or social feature of a person or group.

The stigma surrounding mental health has come from a lack of understanding and even fear. Students cannot openly discuss mental health with peers without first understanding it.

“There’s this ‘I’m okay so why aren’t you okay? We went through the same thing’ mentality. What we forget is everyone’s experience in life is unique to them,” Papini said.

Mental health affects how a person thinks, feels, and acts as well as how they handle stress and interact with others. This applies to students as statistics show that from ages 10 to 19, one in seven adolescents suffer from a mental disorder, leading to depression, anxiety, and behavioral problems. Among 15 to 29-year-olds, suicide is the fifth leading cause of death.

Due to the increase in how many teens suffer from mental illness, the MSLC has worked on providing help to students seeking it. Recently, the school participated in Speak Life week where the goal was to spread knowledge and awareness of mental health.

“I think the school does a good job with helping people with mental health issues and those who seek help as there has been a lot more talk about the topic and acceptance around the school,” Kathryn Tillis (12) said.

While mental illness cannot be seen externally, some common signs of anxiety include restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and distress in social settings. For depression, watch out for signs of avoiding activities once loved, significant change in weight, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating.

By taking the appropriate steps to learn this information, society can more comfortably talk about mental health issues.

MENTAL HEALTH MYTHS

Mental health has constantly been misunderstood and "improper" to talk about in public. This caused rumors about the topic to be spread and many are still believed.

By becoming aware of these myths, society can create a feeling of comfortableness surrounding mental health conversations.

Therapy is a waste of time.

Treatment varies from the individual. 75% of people in therapy benefit from it.

There is no way to prevent a mental health issue.

By addressing known risks (like trauma) one can impact how a child develops mental health problems.

Personality and character flaws cause mental health problems.

Mental health issues don't come from your character. However, life experiences and biological factors cause them.

eryone better able to respond and cope

Quinn Mulkey Writers

The Marietta Student Life Center is a program that offers various resources to students in need. Marie Papini, a counselor at the MSLC, spends one on one time with students and offers programs that help students feel comfortable at Marietta High. Ms. Papini expresses how the MSLC staff is different from the other counselors.

“We have seven school counselors that can offer basic mental health, they deal with the academic related issues while the Student Life Center focuses more on the social and emotional side,” Papini said.

Along with counselors, the MSLC also provides clubs and groups to students to improve their mental health.

Letters of encouragement, “Mint” to be here treats, and Joy, the therapy dog. photos courtesy of Marietta Student Life Center

Sports

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New coach, new field, new opportunities Aidan Allegro Staff Writer The season kicked off with the establishment of the new baseball field built

by Hellas Construction Inc. The team currently holds an overall record of 9-10, and a region record of 1-1. The Blue Devils are ranked second in the 7A Area 3 region.

The other teams in the region started playing region games earlier than Marietta.

The Blue Devils have ten more region games to determine if they make it to the playoffs.

“This season has been really fun so far and the work we have put in is starting to pay off. You can expect to see good things in the future,” Ethan Stanley (11) said.

The team is led by the new head coach, Josh Davis. Coach Davis transferred from Harrison High to Marietta High in 2022.

He believes that the team has adjusted well with him coming in, and he is very confident in their abilities.

“So far I feel like this team is in a good spot and they work really hard. They don’t stop, nor do they quit,” Coach Davis said.

Along with the new coaches, the team has implemented several new strategies.

“We’re very aggressive in the way that we run our offense and defense, we’re just working on being smart and being one play ahead,” Coach Davis said.

Andy Watters (11) on the mound against Harrison on March 21 He pitched several innings, ending his game with a 1.17 ERA. Photo by Aidan Allegro The team strength has been displayed through the standout players dominating to achieve their goals. Junior Andy Watters, is one of the biggest contributors by leading the team in batting average (0.500), on-base percentage (0.604), home runs (1), hits (21), runs (14), runs batted in (14), slugging percentage (0.809), and triples (3). Sophomore shortstop Mason Gazaway, is the second biggest contributor

Game, Set, Match For many students, taking part in a school sport is a terrific opportunity to get involved in their school and broaden their social circle. Multi-sport athlete, Maggie Hyland, is an example of this.

“I decided to play tennis because I wanted to participate in another sport. I love being active in our community and competing with different sports is a great way to get involved,” Maggie Hyland (9) said.

As a member of the girls varsity tennis team, Maggie began playing tennis at a young age. She has invested a lot of effort throughout practice by partaking in a range of challenge matches to guarantee her place on the court, despite her injuries this season.

“Athletes should attend Coach Ravenscraft's preseason training before trying out. It's a great way to get to know the team while also getting in a lot of extra practice,” Hyland (9) said.

The motivating factor for student athletes is balance. While participating in athletics, countless teenagers struggle to maintain decent grades and to be engaged in class, due to their extracurricular commitments. Balancing school life and sports is must to be eligible for school sports.

Ohm Desai is an example of a balanced student athlete.

Being brought up in a family where tennis is highly regarded, Ohm started his tennis career in sixth grade.

“Off the court, I've managed to keep everything in its due time and place, such as sports and school. Which can be challenging at times, but I've grown to adjust and improve my time management.” Desai (9) said, “As a result, I've improved on the court by better controlling my serves and shots,”

by leading the team in stolen bases (10) and doubles (2). "[Leading with those stats] I feels really good, the season is only halfway over so there is a lot of work to still do so I am not satisfied," Andy Watters (11) said. "Our coach is really good and we have been winning more games this year, so far so good."

Jacob Bohacek, leads the team in strikeouts with a 0.5 run average. Carson Snipes and Alex Whiteside share the lead in field percentage of 0.971. The players believe that their work ethic and respect for one another allows them to push each other towards greatness.

“Coach Davis is great and he really has helped the team reach our goals,” Karsten Leibel (11) said.

The players feel good about the direction the new head coach is leading them in.

They describe their coach as making a definite impact on them.

“The new coach is good, he has helped reshape our culture as a team, this includes our work ethic, mindset, and understanding of baseball," Mason Gazaway (10) said.

"We are really competitive this year and are playing really well right now. The new coach is awesome and has rebuilt the culture of this program."

The community has noticed the improvement in the team, as the stands are filled with fans at every game. The baseball team has nine regular season games left, eight are region games while one is a non-region game. The next four upcoming games are at home against Hillgrove on March 30, away against Hillgrove on March 31, at home against Wheeler on Arpil 6, and at home against McEachern on April 8.

Addison Moreland Staff Writer Since she was seven years old, tennis has been an important part in Kate Corr's life. She appreciates the sport for a multitude of reasons, but most notably for its strategic nature. Despite her weaknesses, Kate employs a variety of tactics when playing tennis to build on her own advantages and capitalize on those of her opponents. Her life has been largely shaped by tennis, and she frequently demonstrates this while representing her team on the court.

“Our team values giving it your all as an individual, but supporting your teammates in their matches is equally crucial,” Kate Corr (11) said.

As a devoted player for the girls varsity tennis team, she continues to give her all at both practices and games and she intends to play for the remainder of her high school career.

In a family with a rich history of tennis players, Ali Patrick is one of three women to partake in the sport. She began playing in fifth grade and has not ceased since. By boosting her overall mentality, tennis has helped her become more self-assured both on and off the court, which has benefited both her and her team.

“Don’t sweat the small stuff. Stay confident, even if you are having a hard day,” Ali Patrick (10) said.

Ali is a vital constituent of the Lady Blue Devils tennis team by fulfilling the role of a student athlete.

Sports

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Eat, Sleep, Golf, Repeat Sydney Hernandez Staff Writer

Ethan Herndon (10) putting the ball.

We all know that the common goal of golf is to get the ball into the hole with the fewest hits possible. It can also be known as a club-and-ball sport. Golf is known throughout the world and is played in many places. Many famous golfers, including Tiger Woods, Rory Mcllroy, and Rickie Fowler, participate in world golf tours. Marietta athletes train to reach the level of these world-renowned athletes.

There are many different types of events these athletes go to.

Tournaments consist of players participating either individually or in teams using a variety of scoring systems and tee time arrangements. This is slightly similar to matches.

Matches are a competition where each hole is played hole-by-hole and is won by the golfer with the best score on that particular hole.

“I love going to practice and golf tournaments because it gives me time to myself and relaxes me. Playing with this team advances my skills and gives me the opportunity to hang out with my friends as well,” Charlotte Sundvik (9) said.

The team travels to many different courses. Some include the City Club Marietta and the Marietta Country Club. When traveling to these places, the team dresses in matching Lululemon skirts, shorts, and tops.

page 9

Ethan Herndon

Ethan Herndon is a sophomore on the golf team. He started playing golf around the age of eight.

“My dad taught me how to play, and I ended up being pretty good at it, so I just ended up continuing to play,” Ethan Herndon (10) said.

Herndon continues to grow his skills and wants to continue playing golf. He explained the many opportunities he could receive by playing golf.

“In other sports, once you get to a certain age, you usually have to stop playing, but with golf, I can continue playing and gain many different career opportunities,” Herndon said.

Herndon usually tries to get a decent amount of sleep, get there an hour early, warm up, and stretch.

“I don’t see [golf] as a lot of pressure. That’s the problem I had coming into my freshman year. My advice would be to keep it simple and not stress over little things,” Herndon said.

Herndon wishes to continue playing for the rest of his high school career.

Katherine Sundvik

Katherine Sundvik is a senior at Marietta High and plays on the Varsity Golf team. Katherine started her freshman year of high school and has enjoyed it thus far. She sees golf as a very relaxing sport and enjoys spending time with some of her best friends.

“Sometimes, I listen to music with my friends. After that, I usually start warming up and shaking off my nerves,” Sundvik

(12) said.

Sundvik values the time she has had on the golf team and being able to play with her friends throughout her four years. Sundvik hopes that in the coming years she will be able to help the team and advise them on how to make it through.

“I think the advice I could give to the upcoming golf players is just to stick with it because you must be patient, and the skills come over time,” Sundvik said.

Sundvik has enjoyed her four years on the team and looks forward to growing as a student-athlete in college.

On the ground and playoff bound Ada Chesney Business Manager Girls: The girl’s varsity team has an overall record of 8-3 this season, and a region record of 3-1. The team is ranked fourth out of the eight teams in the 7A Area 2 region. The team has made significant improvement this year, as the overall record for last season was 4-12.

“I am super excited about this season and the possibility of making it to the playoffs for the first time in team history,” Caroline Owen (12) said.

Of the eight teams in the region, six make it to the playoffs. The team qualified for the playoffs after the game against Campbell on March 22. They won the game with a score of 17-2. If the team beats Wheeler on April 14, they will host the first round of playoffs.

The varsity team has 16 players, the jv team has 19 players, and there are 7 swing players who play in both varsity and jv

games. 14 of those players will be seniors next year.

“I feel great about the rising senior girls that are coming up next year, there is some amazing talent and leadership ability between them,” Owen said.

There are five seniors who will be playing their last game of high school lacrosse this year, and moving on to a new chapter in their life.

“I feel kind of sad but also really proud.

A couple of [the seniors] got into their dream schools, but the team is definitely going to miss them because we do have a good amount of seniors and they are our starters. The team is definitely going to feel it but we are still looking forward to next year, but overall it is kind of a bittersweet feeling,” Madison McKinley (11) said.

The varsity team has four more regular season games left this year. They play at home against North Paulding on April 11, away against Wheeler on April 14, away against Woodward Academy on April 18, and at home against River Ridge on April 20.

Caroline Owen (12) defends against a penalty shot during the North Cobb game on March 20. Owen has 23 shots on goal this season.

Boys: The boy’s varsity team has an overall record of 5-6 this season, and a region record of 2-3. The team is ranked number four out of the eight teams in the 7A Area 2 region.

“If we hold steady and continue the path, we are looking at a chance to host a state playoff game, giving Marietta a chance to go to the playoffs for the first time in school history for men’s lacrosse,” Coach Hunter Fisher said.

Coach Fisher is the new varsity head coach. Before coming to Marietta, he coached at Campbell, Druid Hills, Lakeside, and Cherokee.

“I am the luckiest coach on Earth to be here at Marietta with this group of young men. I say it often, but I know I was “bornon-third” with the talent level on this team,” Coach Fisher said. “Not only are these young men talented, but they are also incredibly humble and kind to one another.

I love being here at Marietta.”

The boy’s lacrosse program consists of only a varsity and jv team, getting rid of

the swing team put in place in recent years.

The varsity team consists of 23 players, eight of whom are seniors.

“It is going to be weird not having [the seniors] on the team because I have played with them throughout high school and it will feel like a part of the team is missing,” Will Tudor (11) said.

With the seniors gone, it will be up to the current juniors to lead the team to victory next season.

“I am excited to see how the class of 2024 leads the team. They’re a great group of guys and I think they’re up for the challenge,” Ethan Payne (12) said. “They are the first class to play a full four seasons of lacrosse at Marietta and their impact has been monumental.”

The varsity team has five more games in the regular season. They play at home against Kell on March 31, away against North Forsyth on April 11, at home against Campbell on April 14, away against North Cobb on April 18, and at home against River Ridge on April 20.

David Mosgovoy (11) clears the ball during the Sequoyah game on March March 7. The team went on to win the game with a score of 11-3.

Photos by Ada Chesney.

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Features

page 10

ASL class provides awareness about deaf culture Alexandria Kelly Staff Writer

The ASL program began in the fall of 2021 at Marietta High. This school year, the ASL program added a second level class.

“I wanted to join the ASL class because I have always wanted to learn it, and this was the way I could do that,” Izzy Foresee (11) said.

Rose Hicks (11) became interested in the class because she believes the language is beautiful and wanted to learn more about it.

The new class and curriculum introduce Deaf culture and the importance of the language. For some students it was a newfound interest while others were excited for the opportunity to arrive at MHS. "I wanted to join ASL because I wanted to be a foster parent for kids that are deaf. I know that some Deaf kids go into foster care and end up feeling isolated from the people in their homes. I wanted those kids to have a safe home where they could feel seen and heard in their language,” Simone Mollohan (12) said.

The ASL course has brought a new culture to light: Deaf culture. Prior to the modern American Sign Language, one would learn today, there were many different sign systems created in America. One was Martha’s Vineyard sign language that sprung from a large and close community in the east islands of the early United States that chose to see Deafness as a superpower and not a disability.

Throughout the early history of America, Deaf individuals were subject to getting their hands tied behind their backs in oralist schools if they tried to sign, a failed attempt at eugenics which tried to “breed out” Deafness and doing insane tricks in airplanes in attempts to shock them into the hearing.

Even one of America’s heroes is a 'villain' in Deaf culture. It is well known that Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone was a mistake. The original goal of the machine was to help his Deaf wife hear. Bell’s attempts at “helping” the Deaf community however did not stop there. Bell went on to open many oralist schools and without knowing enough signs to ask for a Deaf person’s opinion, declared that it was immoral to not help deaf people learn to speak and advocate for themselves rather than learn their language.

In 1864, Gallaudet University was established as a nonoralist school for the Deaf. Deaf people eventually created their own schools and the most famous is Gallaudet University where ASL got its parameters, making it an official language in the year 1964.

Deaf culture still has its trails in today’s education system with there being so many different options such as oral school, mainstream school, online school, and boarding schools for the deaf.

Each of these options does have its pros and cons. When a student is sent to oral school, they can often feel disconnected from their culture as signing is not encouraged, but they will have a better time communicating with the hearing population and are surrounded by deaf individuals.

Online schools can often be a task due to the affordability of tuition and devices. The distance between the student and teacher can also be an issue for behavioral reasons because once a deaf student turns away from their device it becomes almost impossible to get the student’s attention. Glitches in devices can also interrupt communication.

On the positive side, these schools have flexible schedules and keep students close to home. Boarding schools encourage signing and that sense of community but the number of schools for the Deaf are scarce and are expensive and often far from home.

Mainstream schools are schools like Marietta High in which a Deaf student goes to school with the general population. There is usually not a large deaf population in these schools creating a sense of isolation from other deaf individuals; however, the students do learn how to interact with hearing students and stay close to home.

Cities often have hotspot schools with deaf programs in each district. A.L. Burruss is one of those schools. On April 28 and March 1 Marietta High’s ASL 2 classes on field trips to A.L. Burruss to meet some of the Deaf students. One group met up with the second-grade class to observe and with the fifth-grade class to teach signs. The other went into the second-grade class to observe an interpreter in action as she communicated to the Deaf student in the class during their math time.

They then traveled to the fifth-grade class and showed them what the silent social was about and treated the class to iced tea and hot chocolate in preparation for the MHS annual Silent Social. In 2022, MHS held its first annual Silent Social. The most important aspect of a Silent Social is the theme, consistently highlighting milestones in the deaf community. Last year’s milestone was CODA, the 2021 Oscar Award-winning drama. Activities of last year’s silent social included: Enjoying food donated from our Zaxby’s sponsor, and pizza, an ASL scavenger hunt, and the possibility of being sprayed with silly string if caught by the “Shhh Police” and watching CODA. The movie conveys the life of a 'Child Of a Deaf Adult' and their adversities in life being both a translator and a child, feeling caught in between two completely distinct cultures and not knowing how to balance both. In honor of its epic Oscars win, all participants of the event dressed in their finest apparel. Ms. Sims, the teacher who brought ASL to Marietta High was awarded the actual Oscar by student Rose Hicks.

“I wanted to give her [the Oscar] because she has impacted my life so much. She deserves to get recognized and to know she is appreciated. I know I wanna be an interpreter because of her. She has just inspired me so much,” Rose Hicks (11) said.

This year’s Silent Social Theme will be Silent Starbucks.

The theme was chosen in honor of the Silent Starbucks in Washington DC near Gallaudet University. It was created to give drive-through and overall easy access for Deaf students and other deaf individuals

Pitchfork is grateful for support of student journalism

@Zaxbys591SMP

American Sign Language teachers, Ms. Sims and Ms. Cornog, collaborated with A.L. Burruss elementary classes to provide a learning experience for their students.

ASL student Kindle Martin (12) signs to A.L. Burruss fifth graders.

ASL teacher, Ms. Sims, teaches A.L. Burruss students about Deaf culture. Photos by Alexandria Kelly

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Entertainment

page 11

Search Results: Trending Now

Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil Lauren Kelley Staff Writer

Alix Earle skyrocketed to TikTok fame in Dec. 2022 when she gained nearly two million followers over a one-month period of time. Girls from middle school to college graduates have openly expressed their love and adoration for TikTok’s latest “it girl” and some have even confessed that they want to purchase any items endorsed or shown

by Earle.

Earle gained popularity through her chaotic and enjoyable getready-with-me videos. The TikTok star strives to maintain a relatable and down-to-earth personality in her videos, which has led many high school and college aged girls to become obsessed with her. These girls find comfort and relatability in Earle’s day in the life, get ready with me, and house tour videos.

Oftentimes, the products she displayed, including the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream, Contour Wand, and the Drunk Elephant Bronzing Drops, sold out almost immediately after their debut in her videos.

On December 27, 2022, Earle made a TikTok that showed her top 2022 Amazon purchases, one

of which was the Mielle Organics Rosemary Oil. In the video she said, “I’ve only been using this for a little over a month, and I’ve already seen tremendous hair growth.”

Rosemary Oil is a product aimed to help stimulate hair growth and thickness while repairing damage on curly, textured hair. The Mielle oil is a blend of various thick oils that are only adequately absorbed by coarse, thick hair types.

Because Alix Earle and her predominately white, female fanbase have been selling out the oil made for textured hair, she has been subject to backlash from black women.

Mielle’s loyal customers are not upset that the oil is selling out, rather they are upset at the demographic that is selling it out.

“I have two issues with the Alix Earle scandal. First, purchasing a hair product that openly caters to the Black community and then advertising it to a primarily white audience seems ignorant to me. Secondly, I think that her fans purchasing the product, selling it out, and then leaving bad reviews was extremely inconsiderate. I believe Alix Ear-

Trending Now on TikTok

le should’ve put more thought into advertising the product knowing her demographic,” Asha Jones (11) said.

Products in the beauty industry have historically favored the needs of white people, so because white women are taking over a product that caters to the needs of black hair, black women are upset.

“It’s great that more people are being exposed to a product that I love, but what I don’t love is how it is flying off the shelf. It’s hard enough to find products that work for black hair, and it’s upsetting that people who the product wasn’t meant for are buying and then complaining that it doesn’t work,” said Mariama Nije (12).

This isn’t the first time black companies have changed focus from black to white women. In 2017, Shea Moisture, another haircare brand that focused on the needs of black hair types, adjusted the formula of one of their most popular products to better suit white hair types.

Situations like this further fuel the fear that Mielle will become yet another product for black women that white women have appropriated.

Popular trends on TikTok from the perspective of a Marietta High School student

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School News

page 12

Continued from page 1

Casting of Matilda

Matilda Rehearsals

The cast of Matilda had to go through extensive auditions and callbacks before starting rehearsals for the show. The auditions consisted of singing one minute of a song inspired from the show.

“Auditions are the worst thing I have ever done in all my years in musical theater but it’s a really good experience and really good training,” Waters (11) said.

“I want to do this as a career, so right now it’s really good experience and training but it’s also a really good way to express my own creativity and kind of say the things I want to to express Ms. Honey, played by Erin Johnson (12), listens to the singing of Rudolpho, played by Khaleb my own talents.”

Many of the cast members had McIntosh (11), and Mrs. Wormwood, played by Margaret Black (11). multiple callbacks for characters before the final cast list was posted. When a student got a callback, they would be assigned a character based on how they performed in their first audition.

Because they were assigned a character based on their previous auditions, there were a different amount of people getting called back for each role.

Afterwards, they had to learn a song and rehearse a scene to then perform with others in a group.

“Everyone was nervous for the list to come out, but when it finally did the day before break, we were all relieved to finally know the results,” Charlotte Common (9) said.

Cast rehearsals occur every other day during their theater class block. Rehearsals go on for many weeks until their tech week before their shows on March 24, 25, and 26 when they finally get to perform on stage.

Tech week starts Monday, March 13 and starting on Monday, March 20, the cast has dress rehearsals leading up to the shows. The cast has been rehearsing during their theater class period since the beginning of second semester and starting on Wednesday, March 8, the cast had extensive after school practices leading up to the shows.

During their rehearsals, they rehearse songs, practice choreography, and eventually run full scenes and acts from the show. As well, the cast is required to wear all black for their rehearsals and report to MPAC Theater during their class period.

“It’s really cool to see all the different songs and scenes we’ve worked so hard on since winter break come together as a show,” Common said.

“Mrs. Peck is our amazing choreographer and she choreographed all our dance numbers.

Ms. Colby is our vocal director and she makes sure all our harmonies are perfection.”

Kalyan Piovesan Toussaint (11), kneels on the ground shocked after his character, Mr. Wormwood, unintentionally dyes his hair green.

The Show

Before the shows begin, the cast has several procedures that they have to go through. They all have to get in costume, hair, and makeup before getting their mics set up on stage. After setting up their mics, they go through mic checks to make sure the mics pick up their entire range for all the songs. Each character sings a part of any song allowing for them to hear their entire vocal range and make sure the mic picks up every sound. Afterwards, the cast continues to get ready for the show. The set for the beginning scene starts to come together and final costume and makeup touches are put on. After the show, the cast bows on stage taking in the roaring applause.

Lavender, played by Charlotte Common (9), stands with Matilda as she decides to help her learn the ways of her new school.

The schoolchildren stand and sing for Headmistress Agatha Trunchbull, played by Tiah Carthers (11), while she talks to Ms. Honey.

Owen Dennis (9), as Bruce Bogtrotter, confesses about eating Headmistress Trunchbull’s cake that morning, but not wanting to get caught.

Matilda tells a story to Mrs. Phelps, played by Trina Whitaker (11), while she sits on a stool, mesmerized. Photos by Amelia Jenkins