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SLS Meets Mickey Emily Bergmann Contributing Writer
With the fourth quarter in full swing, finals and AP exams are looming over us like Dementors. Some of the readers of this article probably long for their youth, when math homework was addition and they were able to frolic and gambol in the spring weather. If you a. have these feelings, and b. are a member of one of the St. Luke’s Choirs or Bands, then you are most likely feeling worse and having withdrawals from Walt Disney World. From April 22-25, the vast majority of the St. Luke’s Chorus, Chorale, Concert Band, and Jazz Band headed to Orlando to participate in the music competition Festival Disney against several other ensembles. The itinerary was jam-packed, not only with the Chorus and Chorale competing against each other, but with male members competing as
OPINION the Men’s Choir, female members competing as the Treble Choir, and Take Note and Acafellas competing as jazz choirs. The endless rehearsals all paid off in the end, because St. Luke’s brought home “Excellent” ratings for all six competing choirs and the Jazz Band. The Concert Band improved from 2008’s competition with a “Good” rating. However, even with the busy schedule, there was still time for fun; those on the trip received passes for the parks in their downtime. Disney World is fun for everyone-those students who had never been, those who hadn’t since they were small (myself included) and even those who attended Festival Disney 2008 (in which St. Luke’s also brought home several trophies). For most of us, the sight of the cerulean towers of Magic Kingdom’s castle was enough to widen our eyes and awaken our inner children. But like anywhere, some experiences at Disney can be less than positive. Here’s a list of some good and bad things about going to Disney World:
Ellie Speaks the Truth
Top of the Hilltop
Ellie Werner Contributing Writer
As the year is coming to an end, there is one thing that I have noticed throughout my years at St. Luke’s that has always been troubling to me. The lack of sleep that us students get is extremely absurd. There are many factors that contribute to this sleep deprivation problem that is sweeping our school. Every day we have to be at school by 8:00 am. For most of us, this means waking up between 6:30 and 7:30 am to allow us enough time to get ready. This would seem like a reasonable for us to wake up and to get to school, if we could get to sleep every night by 10:00 pm or earlier. However, I can speak for the majority of the upper school when I say that 12:00 am is an early night. With having to do an after school activity, whether it be a sport or the play, most of us don’t get home until around 6:00 pm. Add in the hours of homework, the time your family forces you to eat dinner with them, showering, getting your stuff together for school tomorrow, and everything else that has to be done once you get home… it’s surprising that we even have enough time to sleep before getting ready for school the next day. The pressure of teachers to get the piles of homework done keeps us up until the wee hours of the morning. Add on the pressure from coaches or theater directors, and you have one extremely stressed, and completely sleep deprived teenager. The school expects so much out of us, that we end up walking through the halls every day like zombies, exhausted from getting 3 hours of sleep the night before. We all know that by the time the weekend comes, we’re not excited for the time we get to spend hanging out outside of school, but for the chance to catch up on sleep. Also… JUNIORS STOP PARKING ON CAMPUS!!!!!
Song: Like a G6
Movie: The Last Song
TV Show: Glee (finally returned)
Celebrity: Sandra Bullock
Awaited Event: Prom
Restaurant: Filling Station
Technology: iPad
Birthday: Charlotte Seiler’s Half-Birthday
Trend: Seniors and sophomores going to prom together
April 2010
Different Strokes Theodor Trampe Staff Writer
A number of countries in Europe have brought up proposals to ban the usage of Muslim body-covering burqas and face-covering niqabs. This proposition is being considered in France, Italy, and Belgium because leaders from these nations feel that these items devalue the secular nature of their countries. Leaders from these countries also feel that the burqa and the niqab demean women. Due to events such as the War in Afghanistan, the western world has been taught to view Islam as a religion in which women are treated as inferior by their male counterparts. It is true that in some cases, the burqa and the niqab serve as a tool to subjugate women. During the Taliban rule in Afghanistan, women were required by law to wear burqas at all time. Clearly, some sects of Islam use these articles of clothing to control women; however, it is not representative of the entire religion. In fact, some women actually choose to wear these pieces of clothing as a sign of their religious devotion. Although it is a commendable effort to try to invigorate women’s rights, it’s disturbing that anyone would think their system of beliefs is more righteous then that of a distinctly different group. Somebody who proposes any sort of regulation on a cultural practice that they have no exposure to can only base
Theodor Trampe, ‘11 their opinion on prejudice. Furthermore, in principle, how is banning the burqa and niqab any different then requiring women to wear these garments? From an objective perspective, there is no difference between these two situations. Both situations involve restricting the freedoms of women and because of this, neither situation is justified. Social issues are always a hotly debated topic because there can always be different sides influenced by different cultural values. The government can never win in this kind of situation. Although banning the burqa and the niqab could help to improve the status of Muslim females in society, it also reduces the power of freedom and personal choice; key tenets of a democratic society. The lawmakers who proposed this ban may feel that their actions are honorable; however, they are better off simply ignoring the issue and allowing people to act on their own accord. This path can place no blame on the government and ensures equality for everyone.
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