New Literacy Lounge: Book readings and creation of community
A new lounge in the Professional Studies Building has been dedicated to students and staff as a place to read, attend events and talk with other members of the community.
By Hannah Dillon opinion2@thenorthernlight.org
A new lounge has been dedicated to students and staff as a place to read, attend events and talk with other members of the community. Located in the Professional Studies Building room 102, the Literacy Lounge has taken the place of the former office area.
Walking through the lounge, you are greeted with aesthetic and cozy decoration against a dimmed background. A neon “Literacy Lounge’’ sign casts light on column bookshelves which stand in front of the rest of the decorated lounge’s hallway.
“The Literacy Lounge is both a destination to hang out and feel comfortable, but also a way to integrate what we’re doing in the classrooms,” said Dean of Education Tonia Dousay.
The idea for a new and welcoming space was kickstarted after staff in PSB room 102 had been moved numerous times.
The idea for the Literacy Lounge developed as Dousay was told the Provost would be moving into PSB 102, forcing other staff to move their offices once again.
Senior Operations Manager, Amanda Vredenburg explained that someone who worked in the
space had moved six times in nine years.
Dousay shared “the concerns with the faculty and the general traumas that are still raw from moving” with the Provost and the idea for the lounge began to take shape.
The lounge has been active for around a month.
The Literacy Lounge was
started from young readers books that were already available. “Knowing we had all of these books sitting in boxes and they were collecting dust, knowing that our students could be doing something purposeful connected to their learning experience and these books, the lounge presented itself as the solution,” explained Dousay.
“We can do things like have the students in a particular class get in groups, and based on whatever themed month it is, the students would curate a collection of children’s books around that topic, based on what we have available in the library.”
The lounge will also have a future ambassador program where student ambassadors may participate in setting up displays for curated collections.
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District Library Citizens Advisory Committee meets for inaugural meeting
The committee discussed rules going forward, laws and the 56 books on the list up for consideration for removal from school libraries.
By Kaycee Davis features2@thenorthernlight.org
The inaugural meeting of the Mat-Su School District Library Citizens Advisory Committee met at the Matanuska Susitna Borough School District Building in Palmer on Thursday, August 10th. In attendance were the 11 members of the advisory committee and about fifteen audience members.
The Matanuska-Susitna School District has a noted history of book challenges. In April of 2020, they voted to remove “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison, “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller, “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou and “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald from the school curriculum.
The removal of the novels made national headlines. According to Alaska Public Media, the books were later sent to a library council for review after the board rescinded their earlier vote. The books are still available in the Matanuska-Susitna School District libraries and are able to be seen in the Mat-Su School District Library Catalog.
Associate Superintendent of Secondary Schools for the MatSu Borough School District Dr. Justin Ainsworth facilitated as chairperson for the meeting and called it to order. Each member introduced themselves, with an option of stating what they did in life, if they had children in the district and how long they have lived in Mat-Su. There were several teachers – current and retired – presenting, most with children either in or graduated from the school district. There were many parents of homeschoolers in the group.
The meeting went smoothly as procedures were stated. Ainsworth frequently paused to tell the group, “This is your committee,” and explained choices they could make. He told them that they had 56 books to read and that they could read three books per month to discuss and make recommendations to the board on.
The school district attorney, Saul Friedman, explained the difference between curriculum books and books for the library. He told the committee that their purpose is to make decisions about the list of books “that have been selected because of some controversy that they may
have engendered.” The committee would decide if they met the standard of pornographic or indecent material as outlined in Alaska Statute 11:61.128, then make recommendations to the school board.
Friedman told the committee that the books are library books, not curriculum material and that there has to be “more substantial reasons [to exclude a book] other than that we disagree.”In a nutshell, library material is voluntary while curriculum is mandatory and part of the classwork.
He quoted the United States Supreme Court in a case of the Island Tree School District, “The special characteristics of the school library make that environment especially appropriate for the recognition of the First Amendment rights of students. And why is that? It’s because students can literally explore the unknown, discover areas of interest and thought not covered by their prescribed curriculum. The student learns that the library is a place to test or expand on ideas presented to him in or out of the classroom.”
Friedman said that the school library is something “different and special” and that the committee has to decide on which
The lounge has not only literary aspirations, but will include lab-like activities as well.
“Dr. Cathy Coulter is our language and literacy education faculty member and she researches literacy development. So she could run a workshop here for teachers, showing them how to apply certain techniques, and she could collect data on that experience,” said Dousay.
Dousay sees potential for involving UAA-run art and science camps with featured activities in the lounge.
Dousay is also planning Sunday read-aloud sessions where the public may be invited to join. Guest speakers are also on the table for the lounge’s activities.
The lounge might celebrate Banned Books Week in October with sessions where anyone can read from their favorite banned book – either on display in the lounge or brought from home.
“I’ve already put the chancellor and Provost on notice. We’re trying to nail it down but we’re going to have featured campus leaders. I’m going to invite every Dean, the Chancellor, the Provost, we’ll invite President Pittney, I’m also going to invite our school superintendent, if I can get Mat-su to come down, absolutely,” said Dousay.
With a new lounge comes new responsibilities and job openings. The lounge is currently looking for two new student workers this fall.
the criteria to be pulled or kept without knowing what people found concerning.
side of a “thin line” the committee will find the books. Is each book protected by the student’s first amendment rights to enrich the student’s learning experience, or is the book pornographic and indecent to the point that students need protection?
Friedman directed the committee and the audience to examine the “Distribution of indecent material to minors” statute, and explained how to read it and why it is a concern to school districts and school libraries.
Freidman let the committee know that they need to tell the public what books they will be discussing or voting on in a meeting. Ainsworth reminded the committee that they have resources available such as the administration, subject matter experts, staff and Mr Friedman who added that“we don’t want you to think you have to navigate this by yourself.”
The committee’s questions showed that they are a group that is concerned with doing the job well. The members seemed humble without being self deprecating.
Committee member Katie Clark asked if there was a way that they could find out what concerned people about the books. Ainsworth said that the committee’s job is to evaluate the books and see if they meet
Other questions touched on the sheer number of books to get through, and that books varied in complexity and tone. They also asked if there was someone who could help them prioritize the book reading list. Answers from Friedman and Ainsworth reaffirmed that they could decide those things within the group.
In an email to The Northern Light Jillian Morrissey, the public information officer for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District wrote, ”In the past, if a family member of a student had a concern about a book, this was handled at the school level with the School Librarian and/or Principal working towards resolution.”
Ainsworth said during the meeting that the board is looking at revising the policy since it had not been evaluated since 2008.
The meeting ended with the committee members taking home four books “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, “Drama” by Raina Telgemeier, “It’s Perfectly Normal,” by Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley and “Lovely Bones,” by Alice Sebold.
Future meetings will be held on the second Thursday of each month from 5-7 pm at the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District Building.
PHOTO BY HANNAH DILLON.
Photo of the new literacy lounge in the Professional Studies Building.
Photo by Hannah Dillon.
‘Oppenheimer’ is a subjective account about the father of the atomic bomb
Audiences are faced with the reality of the atomic bomb head-on as Christopher Nolan’s latest film hits theaters. Spoilers ahead!
By Taylor Heckart new3@thenorthernlight.org
It’s nearly impossible to engage with the news these days without some mention of nuclear weapons and nuclear warfare. A top concern is Russia’s possession of nuclear weapons, especially troubling given their invasion into Ukraine, stoking up old Cold War fears. With China’s nuclear arsenal growing, some fear the increasing threat of nuclear warfare between China and the U.S. Then there are also North Korea’s relentless attempts to develop nuclear weaponry.
The threat of nuclear war seems to be looming, and the implications are terrifying. Maybe now was the perfect time for the release of “Oppenheimer.”
“Oppenheimer” follows physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer throughout his life up until his recruitment to become the director of the Manhattan Project– the research program that would eventually produce the atomic bomb. The movie follows not just Oppenheimer’s scientific breakthroughs, but also his far-left politics, love affairs and the far-reaching implications of creating the atomic bomb.
The main stars of the cast are household names, with Cillian Murphy playing Oppenheimer and Emily Blunt play-
ing his wife, Kitty. Florence Pugh plays his lover Jean Tatlock, Matt Damon plays General Leslie Groves and Robert Downey Jr. plays Lewis Strauss. Each performance is masterful, with the actors truly leaning into their roles.
At the helm is Christopher Nolan, the same director behind “Inception,” “Interstellar” and “Batman Begins.” This is Nolan’s first R rated movie in twenty years. It’s also his longest film to date, with a runtime falling right at three hours.
“Oppenheimer” may not have the billion dollar box office returns that “Barbie” did, considering both released on the same day, but it was still a success in theaters. With an estimated budget of $100 million, Oppenheimer made over $82 million at its domestic opening and over $653 million at the box office worldwide.
“Oppenheimer” is by no means a documentary and shouldn’t be interpreted as an unbiased presentation of facts. Instead, it’s a subjective account of Oppenheimer’s life following what he considered to be pivotal events.
Nolan said in an interview with Empire Magazine, “I wanted to really go through this story with Oppenheimer; I didn’t want to sit by him and judge him. That seemed a pointless exercise. That’s more the stuff of documentary, or political theory, or history of science. This is
a story that you experience with him — you don’t judge him. You are faced with these irreconcilable ethical dilemmas with him.”
Nolan was dedicated to experiencing the story from Oppenheimer’s point of view.
“I actually wrote [the script] in the first-person, which I’ve never done before. I don’t know if anyone’s ever done it before. But the point of it is, with the color sequences, which is the bulk of the film, everything is told from Oppenheimer’s point of view — you’re literally kind of looking through his eyes.”
That subjectivity is evident throughout the film as well, as Oppehnheimer is sometimes plagued by the ghosts of his decisions or swirling atomic visions of what theoretical physics could look like.
Sometimes those ghosts are graphic and are a part of what gives “Oppenheimer” its R rating.
There are two things Nolan is notorious for in his work – shooting on film instead of digital, and preferring practical effects instead of CGI whenever possible.
For “Oppenheimer,” this meant that the final IMAX film roll stretches to 11 miles long and weighs over 600 pounds. Because not all of “Oppenheimer” is shot in color, the Associated Press reports that the first ever black and white IMAX film was created for this movie.
Those that want to watch the film exactly as Nolan intended should watch it in theaters that show IMAX 70mm film. But that may be a difficult task considering that, according to the AP, only 25 theaters in North America will be screening the movie on 70mm film.
When it comes to Nolan’s use of practical effects, the explosions you see onscreen are real. Obviously, it wasn’t a real atomic bomb, but there was a real explosion to mimic the Trinity test – the United States’ first nuclear explosion.
In an interview with IGN, Nolan said: “We were out there in the desert of New Mexico, just like the scientists of the Manhattan Project. We built the bunkers, we built the tower. We’re out there at night preparing for these very large-scale explosive events that have to be conducted safely and with great care. So there’s a tension, there’s an anticipation in what we are doing as filmmakers that I think helps the actors, helps everybody under-
stand, gain some small understanding of what must it have been like to be there that night, that early morning at the Trinity test.”
At the end of “Oppenheimer,” one thing is abundantly clear: After the creation of the nuclear bomb, the world will never be the same again. In an interview with the New York Times, Nolan called Oppenheimer “the most important person who ever lived.”
His reasoning?
“His story is central to the way in which we live now and the way we are going to live forever. It absolutely changed the world in a way that no one else has changed the world. You talk about the advent of the printing press or something. He gave the world the power to destroy itself. No one has done that before.”
It’s also important to note, though, there are important parts of the real story of the Manhattan Project this film doesn’t address at all.
Though the historical narrative is often that there was nobody in the area of New Mexico where the Manhattan Project moved in; that’s incorrect. Oppenheimer in the film gives brief mention to the indigenous people that lived there, but it’s less than a line or two with no bearing on the plot.
Reuters reports that 32 Hispanic families homesteading on that land were given 48 hours to leave to make room for the labs.
Homes were destroyed and livestock killed. If families were even compensated, it was done at much lower rates than their white counterparts.
An essay in the New York Times says that descendants of people who lived in the area also say that inhabitants weren’t properly warned about the dangers of the test, causing generations to be diagnosed with higher rates of cancer. NPR reports that though the military knew about the dangers to people in the area after the Trinity test, they chose to do nothing about it for fear of lawsuits.
“Oppenheimer’’ is a well-produced film that makes audiences experience the stress, fear and consequences around nuclear warfare. It’s dark, dramatic, sometimes graphic and does nothing to glorify the use of nuclear weapons.
At some points it feels like a bomb has truly gone off in the theater.
Those that watch the movie need to remember, however, that this isn’t a documentary; it’s a subjective account of one person and misses some other important narratives.
Podcast Review: ‘Ye Gods! With Scott Carter’
This podcast fills an hour with thoughtful celebrities and new ways to think of religion.
By Kaycee Davis features2@thenorthernlight.org
I have an hour-long commute. To pass the time and expand my mind, I usually listen to podcasts. When I choose a podcast for the road, I look at the length and my interests. I come from a religiously diverse family, so religion is a topic that comes up often.
One of my favorite hour-long podcasts on the topic of religion is “Ye Gods! With Scott Carter.” Carter is the Emmy nominated TV producer of “Politically Incorrect” and “Real Time with Bill Maher”. Carter has a background in stand-up comedy, which comes through in his discussions with guests.
The tagline for “Ye Gods!” begs the question –, “Is there a God, Holy Spirit or Force with us?” He interviews a diverse list of celebrities about what they
think on a spiritual level, how it influences their lives and how they make choices. People who might otherwise never reveal their religion get to talk about the nuances that shape them.
Larry Wilmore interviewed Scott Carter in “Larry Wilmore: Black on the Air” and Carter explained that he is “coming from a place of interest, but not of conclusion… I’m not being underwritten by any religious organization.” The podcast is not focused on any particular religion or philosophy, and Carter doesn’t try to steer the conversation.
With Wilmore, Carter shared that his religious background is one of his parents choosing a church based on the church’s proximity to his family home “where coffee and donuts were as important as wine and wafer.” They wanted a community for their family, so his personal beliefs were not dedicated to a
philosophy as much as they were to a sense of friendliness and acceptance.
Carter told Wilmore that he was asthmatic and his mother sometimes took him to faith healers – his lack of healing affected how he felt about God and how he thought God felt about him.
With episodes coming out every Friday, Carter has interviewed a smattering of personalities. Among other guests, he’s had Susie Essman – an actress and comedian – who talks about “praying to the humor gods and the connection between comedy and Judaism,” Michael Patrick King – a writer on “Sex and the City” – who relayed his experience of growing up Catholic and finding a way to be authentic, Sam Harris – “a neuroscientist, philosopher, and author of five New York Times best sellers,” – who explained the importance of meditating, and Patricia Heaton – from Everybody Loves Ramond – who discussed sobriety and being Catholic.
Carter has a double feature with Rainn Wilson, who played Dwight Schrute from “The Office” and wrote “Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution.” Wilson – born in the late 1960s– grew up in the Baha’i faith with how he described his “enlightened” parents in Seattle. Wilson talks about his exit and eventual return to the Baha’i Faith and his struggles as a young actor. The Baha’i faith is a religion that was developed in 19th century Persia that promotes one god, unity of the world’s people and value in all religions.
A heavy duty chat with Anna Marie Cox, a writer, includes a suicide warning. Cox is a political commentator and culture critic who discussed her initial exposure to evangelical youth groups as a teenager, struggles with substance abuse as an adult, going to Alcoholics Anonymous accepting a higher power and making things come full circle as she dedicated her life to Jesus when she was ready.
I never cared about celebrities until I started listening to “Ye Gods!”-- Carter shares the deeper, brighter side of the entertainment industry. None of these folks are pushing an agenda, but are sharing what they have seen and what works for them. Religion may be a private facet, but if the artist is willing to share it, religion can also be a fascinating facet.
PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES.
Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer.
PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB.
Scott Carter hosts, “Ye Gods! with Scott Carter”. New podcasts come out on Wednesdays.
Movie Review: Beyond the doll, ‘Barbie’ examines what it means to be a woman
Not only is Barbie a record-breaking success, but it’s also a pink-infused celebration of womanhood with a critique of society’s often contradictory expectations. Beware, spoilers ahead!
By Taylor Heckart new3@thenorthernlight.org
If you didn’t yet know that the Barbie movie is out, that’s a pretty impressive feat. According to Variety, the movie had an estimated $150 million dollar marketing budget – offering everything from pink Xbox dreamhouses to pink Burger King meals. And then there were the Barbenheimer memes joking about the fact that “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” were coming out on the same day.
Despite the frivolous hype and the fact that the Barbie movie is about a kid’s franchise, the film shouldn’t be discounted as a movie meant solely for kids.
Not only is it funny and entertaining, but it also analyzes what it means to exist as a woman in the world, both good and bad, and the impacts of patriarchy on society. It’s deep stuff.
“Barbie” is directed by Greta Gerwig, who also directed “Ladybird” and “Little Women.” The film stars Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, and is filled to the brim with other celebrities, including Dua Lipa, Simu Liu, Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, John Cena and more. And none of these actors phone it in – ev-
eryone gives 100% with each performance.
When it comes to the box office, Barbie was an immediate success. It’s estimated that Barbie had a $145 million budget, and made $162 million on its opening weekend. After seventeen days, the movie surpassed $1 billion worldwide at the box office, breaking the record for the most money ever made from a female-directed film.
The movie begins with the so-called “Stereotypical Barbie” – played by Robbie– living her dream life in Barbieland.
In Barbieland, women hold all of the jobs, while the Kens only find purpose when the Barbies are around. One day, Barbie suffers from an existential crisis, which begins to make her imperfect and terrifies her. Barbie learns this happened because whoever is playing with her is sad. Along with Beach Ken, she has to travel to the real world to find the girl playing with her and make her happy again. Along the way, both Barbie and Ken learn about the complicated lives of humans as the CEO of Mattel attempts to track them down and return them to Barbieland.
One of the first things you notice while watching the movie is the Barbieland set. Everything is built and modeled after actual
plastic homes and toy sets; it’s incredibly nostalgic for anyone who played with dolls as a child.
So much pink was used on these sets that, according to NPR, the movie depleted an entire company of their pink paint. That’s a lot of pink.
The trailers for the movie say, “If you love Barbie this movie is for you,” immediately followed by, “If you hate Barbie this movie is for you,” and both of the statements couldn’t be truer.
In an interview with ScreenRant, Robbie said, “When I first read the script, I was like, ‘We’ll never make this movie, and that’s such a shame, because it’s such a great script, but there’s no way Mattel is agreeing to this.’”
Though the movie celebrates the Barbie franchise and has a lot of easter eggs for Barbie fans, it’s also deeply aware of the brand’s shortcomings and makes many jokes at Mattel’s expense.
In the same film where Barbies are celebrated as being role models for young girls, Mattel is also depicted as an organization filled almost entirely with men who spout empty platitudes about the importance of women without actually doing anything to make them equally as powerful.
Throughout her journey in the real world, Barbie’s plastic
and simplistic view of womanhood gives way to a recognition of the real and challenging ways that women move through and experience the world. Barbie’s character arc masterfully captures one of the film’s core messages; that life is filled with complexities and contradictions.
“Barbie” isn’t necessarily a movie that I would recommend for young children, only because they’re not the core audience for this film. They’ll definitely love the adventure, but the people who would most resonate with the core message of “Barbie” are the girls who have long since moved on from playing with dolls, and have been forced to deal with a world that isn’t nearly as fair as what they were led to believe.
Barbie celebrates female friendships and empowerment while also directly highlighting the abundance of contradictions that women are expected to constantly uphold.
America Ferrera, who plays mother and Mattel employee Gloria, at one point gives a speech about these contradictions, saying in part, “You have to answer for men’s bad behavior, which is insane, but if you point that out, you’re accused of complaining. You’re supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so
pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you’re supposed to be a part of the sisterhood.”
It’s also refreshing to see that Barbie is a woman-centered film, which is vital considering Variety reported that only 33% of top-grossing films last year centered on female protagonists.
There’s been some discussion online about whether men should even consider watching the Barbie movie because men only exist as side characters. It’s an argument that doesn’t hold much water, considering that women have been watching films with exclusively male protagonists for years and have found lots of meaning relating to folks with different lived experiences than them.
Not to mention, as Barbie learns how differently women are treated in the real world, Ken also learns about how much power real men have compared to the Kens in Barbieland. Thus, Ken’s side journey is equally important to the message of the film as he discovers that patriarchy is just as damaging to men as it is to women.
At the end of the day, it may be a mistake to dismiss Barbie based on it’s bright-pink exterior or a long-held childhood grudge against the doll. Barbie is a hit in more ways than one, and it’s worth buying a ticket to check it out.
‘HAMILTON’ hits Anchorage, discounted tickets for UAA students
The Tony Award winning broadway musical — now playing in the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts — tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, America’s “Founding Father without a father.”
By Matthew Schmitz editor@thenorthernlight.org
The 2,000 seat Atwood Concert Hall was filled Friday night with theater goers who came to see one of Broadway’s biggest successes in recent years. And the thundering standing ovation at the end testified to an extraordinary performance.
Performed by the Phillips Cast of the North American Tour, “HAMILTON” was created by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the music and lyrics. He also played the titular character when the musical debuted in 2015.
The performance is running in Anchorage through Sept. 10, and UAA students can get a discounted ticket for $29 by purchasing tickets with the code HAMSTUDENT on CenterTix. com. The code only works if seats colored red or yellow are selected.
The three hour performance is notable for its use of hip hop, rap and showtunes to tell the story of Alexander Hamilton — from his tragic and humble beginnings to his rocketing success as a key figure in the Revolutionary War and founding of the country.
Hamilton helped draft the U.S. Constitution, wrote many of the Federalist Papers and organized the finances of the fledgling nation.
The musical also touches on the sadder and scandalous aspects of Hamilton’s life, including an affair and untimely death of his son.
An elaborate set was constructed on the stage of the Atwood Concert Hall, built of rough-hewn wooden catwalks and brickwork.
Coiled rope, crates and barrels helped complete the picture of a nondescript part of New York City in the 1700s.
The set was easily transformed into a war room, tavern or city street with the addition of a desk, drinking table or street lamps. An interesting feature of the set was a spinning section in the middle.
The cast was dressed in period piece outfits, and the extra dancers wore white stockings with white corsets.
Hamilton, played by Pierre Jean Gonzalez, changed his garb throughout the performance, donning the iconic blue jacket of the Continental Army when joining the war and a green jacket and breeches during his time in politics.
For those familiar with the original performance by Miranda, Gonzalez brings a slightly deeper, smoother voice to Hamiliton, making him sound more mature.
Deon’te Goodman plays Aaron Burr, whose life parallels Hamilton’s. Though born to wealth, he, like Hamilton,
was orphaned. They both attend King’s College and eventually become lawyers, entering into politics.
Initially, Burr tries to help Hamilton, sharing his strategy for climbing the social ladder. He advises Hamilton to “talk less, smile more.”
Burr can be seen following his own advice during the performance, smiling obsequiously at powerful figures such as George Washington.
But Burr begins to seeth at Hamilton, who, despite his unrestrained and outspoken manner, outdoes Burr in appointment and prestige, being handed a sword and command by Washinton and later a seat in his presidential cabinet.
The rivalry between the men culminates in the famous duel that leaves Hamilton dead and Burr’s remembered as “the villain in [our] history” and “the damn fool that shot him.”
Another important pair of figures are the Schuyler sisters, Eliza and Angelica Schuyler — played by Candace Quarrels and Lencia Kebebe respectively. They enter into Hamilton’s life as the war begins.
Though Angelica possesses a mind and wit to match Hamilton’s, she passes him off to her sister Eliza, whom he eventually marries.
But there is a deeper relationship between Angelica and Hamiltion. In written correspondence, there are hints dropped that only a writer like Hamilton could appreciate, such as a specially placed comma in a letter to Angelica, which reads, “My dearest, Angelica.”
Angelica’s feelings are explored in a stunning performance that takes place during her sister’s wedding to Hamilton.
During the song “Satisfied,” a flashback sequence takes full advantage of the rotating stage,
which, like a record playing backwards, spins the actors backwards as they go through the motions of the wedding ceremony in reverse.
The flashback takes us to when Angelica meets Hamilton and realizes that they are kindred spirits, and, for various reasons, she must stand aside for her sister Eliza.
This sequence is one of many that utilize the spinning stage, which makes the exceptionally choreographed dances all the more impressive, consider-
ing the actors have to time their performances with the spinning mechanism.
The audience was totally absorbed in the performance and watched in silence, bursting into applause and cheers at the culmination of various numbers.
Another notable feature of “HAMILTON” is the racially diverse cast, which plays the parts of leading historical figures. They breathe new life into roles that are normally associated with stereotypical “old dead white guys.”
A stand out was Marcus Choi, who played the part of George Washington. His energetic performance brought intensity to a figure who often has an air of unapproachable stately dignity. And his thoughtful reflections conveyed wisdom in the nation’s first president.
Choi stole the march on the show with his thunderous performance of “Goodbye,” which details the drafting of Washington’s famous Farewell Address.
An audience favorite was King George, played by Neil Haskell. He took to the stage wearing a large crown sparkling brilliantly with jewels and gems.
With a smile and a sneer, the king feigned concern for the rebellious colonies and took evident vindictive pleasure at the thought of sending “a fully armed battalion to remind [them of his] love.”
Haskell added menace to the character, lurking toward the audience while singing his first number. And he earned some laughs by dancing and frolicing during the chaos and confusion of the Adams administration.
Thomas Jefferson, played by Jared Howelton, was also a delight to watch. Making his appearance in the second act, his intelligence and flamboyant style rivaled that of the Hamiliton, giving the outspoken lawyer a serious opponent for the first time.
Sporting a cane and wearing a deep red jacket to contrast with Hamilton’s green, Jefferson stood opposed to Hamilton’s plan to finance the state’s war debt through the federal government.
Jefferson forces Hamilton to come to terms, negotiating an agreement locating the nation’s capital near Jefferson’s home state of Virginia in exchange for support of Hamilton’s debt plan.
As Hamilton, Jefferson and Madison clink mugs to celebrate the agreement, Burr is seen sulking outside the “The Room Where It Happened,” envious of Hamilton’s access to power.
And for all the energy and worry that Hamilton and others poured into efforts to establish their legacies, it turns out to be Eliza, Hamilton’s wife, who bears much of the responsibility for telling their stories. In the finale, it’s revealed that she worked to preserve not only his legacy but that of Washington, Lafayette and others.
While the performance was stunning, there were some problems with the sound in the first half that muddied the vocals, making the songs difficult to understand. The problems seemed to be resolved by the second half, which was much easier to follow along.
But despite the audio issues, it was obvious that this was an extraordinary performance by top class performers.
And for musical fans, the opportunity to see “HAMILTON” is not something that should be passed up. Tickets can be found on CenterTix.com.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ALASKA CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.
Pierre Jean Gonzalez, center, stars as Alexander Hamilton in the Philips Cast. To his left is Marus Choi playing George Washington.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ALASKA CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS. Neil Haskell plays King George III in the Philips Cast of the North American Tour.
Seawolves announce 2023-24 hockey schedule
In their second season back after facing budget cuts, the UAA hockey schedule is packed with 32 games, including 16 home games and 16 away games.
By Avery Williamson sports2@thenorthernlight.org
The Seawolves hockey team has announced their 2023-24 season schedule.
The Alaska Airlines Governor’s Cup is the highlight of the schedule, a six-game series against the University of Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks. The Governor’s Cup dates back to a rivalry that sparked between the two teams in 1994.
The Seawolves will face off against the Nanooks three times at home, on Dec. 1 and 2 and on Feb. 3.
The Seawolves kick off their season on Sept. 29 in an exhibition game against Vancouver Island University at the Avis Alaska Sports Complex.
UAA will return to the Sports Complex on Oct. 7 and 8 to face
off against UMass Lowell in the first games of the regular season. Up until March 9, the Seawolves will be competing just about every weekend:
Oct. 13-14 – Lake Superior State, away-game
Oct. 20-21 – Air Force, home-game
Oct. 26-27 – Penn State, away-game
Nov. 3-4 – Alaska Fair-
banks, away-game in Governor’s Cup
Nov. 10-11 – Robert Morris, home-game
Nov. 17 and 19 – Arizona State, away-game
Nov. 24-25 – Wisconsin, away-game
Dec. 1-2 – Alaska Fairbanks, home-game in Governor’s Cup
Dec. 8-9 – Massachusetts, away-game
Jan. 13 – Alaska Fairbanks, away-game in Governor’s Cup
Jan. 19-20 – Providence, away-game
Feb. 3 – Alaska Fairbanks, home-game in Governor’s Cup
Feb. 10-11 – Long Island
Sports Series: The sport that started all other sports – track and field
This story is part of a series about how popular sports began. In this story, the history of track and field is explained.
By Avery Williamson sports2@thenorthernlight.org
If you follow the rabbit hole of, “When did competitive competitions begin?” you’ll find that it all started with a fairly simple sport: track and field.
It’s speculated that track and field began in 776 B.C. at the first ancient Olympic Games held in Olympia, Greece.
At these games, the “stadion” was the only track event. The stadion was a race of about 200 meters – the length of the stadium.
Coroebus won this race, becoming history’s first Olympic champion.
According to athleticscholarships.net, some literary traditions claim “this (the stadion) was the only athletic event of the games for the first 13 Olympic festivals.”
As the Olympics grew in popularity, other athletic events were added to the games. Soon, discus, javelin and the broad jump were added to the competition.
Around 393 A.D., the ancient Olympic Games came to an end, and track and field was merely a memory.
Between the 12th century and the 19th century, track and field was revived intermittently. The competition reemerged as a popular sport in 1864, when Cambridge and Oxford University competed in the first university track meet.
Only a few years later in 1873, the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America held the United States’ first collegiate races. In 1888, the Amateur Athletic Union – an organization that governed track and field for nearly a century –put on the U.S.’s first championships.
Track and field quickly
gained popularity in the United States, but athletes were soon faced with a complicated issue: professionalism.
According to athleticscholarships.net, “a major issue for all athletes was their status as amateurs.”
“For many years track and field was considered a purely amateur sport and athletes could not accept training money or cash prizes. If charged with professionalism, athletes could be banned from competition for life.”
This issue arose in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. After winning both the decathlon and pentathlon, U.S. athlete Jim Thorpe was robbed of his medals and banned from further competition because the International Olympic Committee discovered he had played semiprofessional baseball.
Thankfully, the IOC returned Thorpe’s medals to him in 1982.
In the 1920s, the sport began to reach a larger demographic.
The first National Collegiate Athletic Association national championships were held for men in 1921. Seven years later, women’s track and field joined the Olympics.
From the 1950s to the 1980s, the United States and the Soviet Union battled for Olympic medals in what athleticscholarships. net calls “one of the sport’s longest and most competitive rivalries.”
Out of the nine Olympics the Soviet’s appeared in between 1952 and 1988, they were able to win six of them.
Before disbanding in 1992, the Soviet’s were able to rack up 64 gold medals, significantly more than the 36 gold medals the United States had received.
However, nowadays the United States dominates in track and field. From Allyson Felix and her 11 Olympics medals to Us-
ain Bolt and his two Olympic records, the U.S. puts the rest of the world to shame.
Track and field – the sport that started all other sports – is a competition that appears to only
gain in popularity as it ages. It will be exciting to see what records the U.S. takes down in the near future.
University, home-game
Feb. 16-17 – Lindenwood, away-game
Feb. 23-24 – Augustana, away-game
March 1-2 – Stonehill, home-game
March 8-9 – Arizona State, home-game
Compared to last season, the Seawolves are playing four more games and competing at home nearly twice as much.
In an interview with UAA Athletics head UAA hockey coach Matt Shasby said, “we are incredibly excited about our schedule in our second season as an independent.”
“We have a nice mix of nationally ranked opponents and new teams to college hockey. Our fans will get to enjoy the new seating at the Alaska Avis Sports Complex for 16 games, watching NCAA Division I hockey at the highest level.”
In addition to a great season line-up, the Seawolves also have new seating in the Avis Sports Complex to look forward to. This renovation is expected to be done for the second half of the season.
Don’t miss this year’s exciting hockey line-up. Head to the Alaska Avis Sports Complex when the Seawolves are playing at home, and tune into the livesteam to watch them compete across the country.
PHOTO BY JUSTIN COX.
The Seawolves hit the ice at the Avis Alaska Sports Complex on Sept. 29th in their season-opener.
Tragedy and triumph: Red Sox send a message about the Boston Marathon bombing
This story is part of a series about how, historically, sports teams are triumphant after a tragedy in their town. This story explores the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Marathon bombing.
By Avery Williamson sports2@thenorthernlight.org
The Boston streets were flooded with athletes, supporters and officials on April 15, 2013. Excitement ran like electricity through the anxious crowd. They were all waiting for the starting gun to go off, commencing the 117th annual Boston Marathon.
The Boston Marathon is a wildly popular event, clocking in as the world’s oldest annual marathon. According to the Boston Athletic Association, the race “ranks as one of the world’s most prestigious road racing events.”
As a bunch of runners began to cross the finish line, the crowd erupted into cheers. Yet, the excitement quickly turned into terror. At 2:49 p.m., the first bomb exploded, and only 14 seconds later, another bomb went off.
Immediately following the bombing, people fled the streets,
but runners continued to race. Eight minutes after the first bomb exploded, the Boston Marathon ended, and over 5,700 runners weren’t able to finish what they started.
The explosions killed three spectators and injured 281 others. Out of these casualties, 14 people required amputations.
For the next few days, police examined the bombing site, and citizens were advised to stay inside and not answer their doors.
Additionally, almost all public transportation was suspended, and many schools and businesses closed until further notice.
With the help of witnesses and surveillance cameras, on April 19, the police tracked down the suspects: brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
Early that morning, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar were located and began firing at the police.
The police fired back, and Tamerlan was severely injured by
In the last issue, the story “WOLF-E the robot
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the gunshots. He was captured and died at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center less than an hour later.
Though Dzhokhar also suffered a few gunshot wounds, he managed to get away. The police continued their search for him.
Later that night, resident David Henneberry noticed something suspicious. There was a loose tarp on his boat, and a body lying inside it, surrounded by blood.
Henneberry immediately contacted authorities. The police surrounded the boat, and Dzhokhar was captured.
Dzhokhar was tried, found guilt and is currently behind bars in Florence, Colorado. His prison records show that his release date is classified as “death sentence.”
Of course Boston found peace after the Tsarnaev brothers were found, but that alone did not mend their wounds. The city had still faced a tragedy.
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However, Boston began to feel a sense of normality again when their Major League Baseball team the Red Sox resumed their season on April 20 against the Kansas City Royals.
Before the game, Red Sox legend David Ortiz rallied his team with a pregame speech. According to wcvb.com, the speech ended with “this is our city, ain’t nobody going to dictate our freedom! Stay strong!”
Ortiz’s speech worked, because the Red Sox defeated the visitors 4-3. And with that win, the city of Boston had found something to celebrate for the first time since the bombing.
From that point forward, the Red Sox continued to dominate the MLB. As wcvb.com puts it, “that emotional victory [against Kansas City] sparked Boston’s championship run that season.”
The Red Sox went on to defeat the Saint Louis Cardinal 4-2 in the World Series, claiming
their eighth franchise title.
The Red Sox’s World Series title in 2013 wasn’t just about baseball, though. It was about sending a message to Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
While these brothers may have ruined the Boston Marathon, the Red Sox showed them it would take a lot more to destroy their spirits.
Before the 2014 MLB season, president Barack Obama invited the Boston Red Sox to the White House to congratulate them on their World Series title.
In his speech, accessible on archives.gov, Obama notes, after the Boston Marathon bombing, “Boston stood resolute and unbowed and unbroken…. And as the smoke cleared, we gained inspiration.”
“It was a drive to do more for the city that had their backs that took them on to win in the World Series.”
The 2013 Boston Red Sox may not go down in history for having the most impressive season, but it should go down as the most inspirational season.
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Receive credit internationally through UAA study abroad programs
Abroad programs offer students the opportunity to learn Japanese language and culture in Japan, culinary arts in Florence, Italy and more.
By Hannah Dillon opinion2@thenorthernlight.org
Studying abroad can be a life-changing experience in which you gain cultural knowledge and skills that accompany you for a lifetime.
UAA offers a study abroad program for students, with multiple program types and scholarships available. Abroad programs can last a few weeks to a full academic year.
Assistance with payment for abroad fees is available through most UAA and third party scholarships to ensure a more inclusive experience, according to UAA’s Education Abroad Scholarship Information page.
Students who are a part of the international exchange program can attend universities in places such as Japan and Italy.
One UAA program offers Japanese language and culture classes as an area of study for an immersive experience.
UAA also has a culinary and hospitality program in Italy.
Ella Bryner, a former exchange student who spent nine months in Granada, Spain attended classes such as Spanish Cinematography and Intercultural Development during her study abroad program.
Bryner also participated in a student-teaching internship, where she taught English to Spanish speaking children.
Students studying abroad will continue to receive credits for their degree at UAA and “will still be considered a UAA student and may choose to continue working on major requirements within their degree, fulfill classes for a minor, work on language skills, or dive into a new area of study. All course work will return to the student’s UAA transcript and will be calculated within their GPA” according to the Preparing for Education Abroad webpage.
You must be a degree-seeking student at UAA to be considered eligible for the program.
New students will need patience as they must first complete 2 full-time semesters or 24 total credits and have a minimum GPA of 2.5, according to the Minimum Eligibility Requirements page.
After being accepted into a program, maintenance and organization of acquired documents is important
when studying abroad. It is recommended that all students keep “any course syllabi, course schedule or outlines of courses that you take while you are abroad” as this helps when determining which UAA requirements are met by courses taken abroad.
Study abroad programs do not utilize UAOnline to sign up for classes. With assistance from the Education Abroad Coordinator, students will sign up for the program by registering for a placeholder course.
UAA study abroad programs are limited to 16 credits per semester. For example, if a student received 19 credits, it can not be guaranteed that the exceeding credits will be counted toward graduation or a degree.
Third-party credits are also considered resident credits. Resident credits are credits that directly affect GPA, eligibility for honors and financial aid.
Nearly everyone who is interested in abroad programs worries about the price, but assistance is available from third-party providers.
Students may “use financial aid to help pay for program costs” at organizations like International Studies Abroad, Semester at Sea or other partnered international exchange programs.
Comparing the cost of UAA classes, in-state and abroad, Bryner felt both domestic and foreign classes were comparable in price. “I still received my performance and other scholarships so it’s pretty comparable. It was all included within my one study abroad fee,” said Bryner.
When it comes to the cost of living day-to-day, Bryner felt that “it really depends on what kind of situation you’re living with. The first semester, I was with the host family and so all the food was covered. The second semester, I was in an apartment so I paid for my own food, but it still was very minimal compared to what groceries would cost here.”
In addition to international exchange programs, faculty-led programs may interest students.
Faculty-led programs are in a foreign location with classes taught by UAA professors to UAA students and are generally shorter classes during summer or winter break.
For interested students who are seeking more information, UAA hosts study abroad general information Zoom meetings to explain UAA’s abroad process, according to the Study Abroad Session Schedule page.
Preparing for unexpected emergencies
By Kaycee Davis features2@thenorthernlight.org
September is National Preparedness Month. It seems like almost every week we are reading about some disaster affecting entire towns or regions due to weather, wildfires, earthquakes or the many other dangers nature has to offer. As college students who may be living somewhere for only a semester at a time, going back home miles away and returning for another semester, it might be hard to decide how to prepare.
Living on or off campus, you should have UAA’s emergency numbers and alerts. Dial 911 for emergency and 6-1120 for University Police. You can also download the Rave Guardian app, which you can use for
UAA campus notifications, contact authorities and find other resources. The Municipality of Anchorage even has a website on emergency preparedness. Emergency manager for Brigham Young University, Ryan Rasmussen said in “The Daily Universe” that “It’s not a matter of if an emergency will happen, but when.” He recommends that students create a 72 hour emergency bag. What each person needs and where each person would go in an emergency is highly variable, but we all need some of the same things. CollegiateParent advises students to create a kit “that includes a three-day supply of non-perishable food (dried fruit, nuts, bars, tuna packets, crackers, etc.) and water, a flashlight and extra batteries, a battery-
A non-perishable recipe for your emergency stash
By Kaycee Davis features2@thenorthernlight.org
It’s dinner by flashlight for many families when the electricity goes out. Whether you are a college student or a person out on your own, it’s a good idea to have items on hand to make a meal when your oven doesn’t work. My favorite is cowboy caviar with corn chips.
Southern Living food magazine says that – according to legend – Nieman-Marcus food director Helen Corbitt first served this at a Houston country club during a New Year’s Eve party in the 1950s. She was creating a simple pickled black-eyed pea salad, but the combination of the buttery legumes and vinegary dressing became such a hit that guests dubbed it “cowboy caviar.’
There have been some changes over the years, and certainly my version – adapted for emergency pantry use from AllRecipes.com – is not the one Ms. Corbitt intended.
powered or hand-cranked radio, first aid supplies, any medications they take, rain gear and warm clothes.”
Ready.gov, a national public service campaign that prepares Americans for disasters, also reminds readers to keep a manual can opener, moist towelettes and garbage bags with ties. Whether you have to grab your stuff and leave, or you just need nonperishable foods for a snow day, the bag is there.
There is always something you can add to make your bag better.It can be easy to start thinking about what can happen and get swept into spending beyond your budget and available space. FEMA has a basic list that is a great place to start when assembling a bag.
BYU recommends three tips
Any students are welcome to attend the meetings, but “each session will focus on programs in a specific area of the world.”
Leaving home to study abroad in an area where English may not be the primary language can be daunting for anybody, but many programs “are taught in English and/or offer beginning-level language courses.”
Offering language courses can help ease the transition into a study abroad program but interested students may want to participate in language courses before applying to the program.
Because of Bryner’s understanding of the language before going abroad, she said her transition to the country was much easier.
Bryner notes that adjusting to life abroad can be difficult, but if students are aware of some of the complications before traveling, it can help you through the culture shock of visiting any new nation.
Bryner felt her greatest experience while studying abroad was the immersion of herself into the culture.
Taking the steps toward studying abroad can be quite tiring and competitive, but these obstacles may add to the feeling of accomplishment once living and learning somewhere new.
“Definitely go for it. It’s a lot of fun. Know that you will change as a person if you’re willing to be open to the culture and open to finding how you fit within it,” said Bryner.
on maintaining your 72 hour bag. First, change out your food and any medications regularly. Second, make sure the kit is actually portable. Third, have a kit for your car and for your home. Changing out food regularly includes switching out your medications and looking at your nonperishables. Peanut butter has a short shelf life, as do rice and dried fruits. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stock these things, it simply means you need to look at the expiration dates and remember to change them out when you go grocery shopping around that date.
Costco has a car kit for $49.99 with many basic car repair items in case of emergency such as jumper cables. I have become nervous about having a bag of any kind in my car at local parks because they invite burglaries, but sometimes it is wise to pack an extra emergency bag. If you
Obviously, the fresher the vegetables are, the better this is, but it’s a decent meal even when it’s made with items found on your shelf.
Ingredients:
3 15.5 ounce cans of beans, well drained
1 15.25 can of corn
1 jar of your favorite jar of salsa
1 cup Italian salad dressing
Optional:
Dried onion
Dried peppers
Dry seasoning, like Mrs. Dash, or dried cilantro or parsley
Instructions:
Drain the beans and corn into a strainer, add to a bowl with salsa. Pour in salad dressing.
If you have dried onion and peppers, mix in. Add several tablespoons of dried seasoning, cilantro or parsley. Serve with a flashlight and corn chips.
are driving out of Anchorage to Girdwood, the Kenai Peninsula, Mat-Su or beyond, you should be prepared for possible delays. Have period protection, infant formula, drinks, snacks and clothes that protect you and your passengers from the elements.
For your mental health, it’s a good idea to pack some books you like along with board games and playing cards into your home emergency bag. If you are waiting out a power outage, you won’t want to keep your phone on. A paper book, especially one that you love, is a good way to pass the time.
So create your emergency bag and have something for your car. Hope you won’t need to use either. In the event that you need them, they will be ready for you and you will be glad you thought ahead and prepared.
PHOTO BY KAYCEE DAVIS. If your oven is out of commission for any reason, it is a good idea to have a non-perishable dinner in mind. This is all you need to throw something together that is fast and easy.
PHOTO BY ELLA BRYNER. Centro de Lenguas Modernas in la Universidad de Granada.