Category Archives: Entertainment
Michaela Olafson, a senior on the Northside varsity volleyball team, also got a surprise as we took her out of her class to interview her.
Apparently winning their first game against Callaway sprung a winning streak. The girls have won five out of seven games and are excited to see how the rest of their games play out. Tonight, August thirtieth is another game against Callaway and they’re hoping to pull a win again.
“State is a long ways away,” Michaela said when asked about it. “I’m pretty sure it’s a team goal of ours to go, though.”
We also interviewed Morganne Harper, a freshman about how it felt making the varsity team.
“It was a pretty big accomplishment to me. Knowing that I had made varsity as a freshman is pretty good,” Morganne said.
The First Game!
Jonathan Karastury, the starting quarterback for the varsity Northside High School football team, got a big surprise when we pulled him out of Mrs. Housand’s AP World History class to interview him about their first game against Shaw High School. He didn’t really know what to say when we interviewed him, but it seems he eventually found some good answers for the questions we had prepared for him.
“I’m pretty excited because I know we will beat them,” he told us while laughing. How does he know that? I could say the many days after school with bone-crunching practices
Jonathan also told us how he think the season will go. “We have a lot of good players so I expect it to be a pretty good season.”
If you want to go and cheer the Patriots on to give them even more motivation to win against the Raiders, be at Kinnet Stadium at seven.
The CandyLand Couture Fashion Show
Have you found your perfect prom dress or tux yet? If you have not then you probably missed out on this year’s CandyLand Couture Fashion Show. This extravagant show was extremely inspiring and helpful for guys and girls alike in their search for the most stylish looks this Prom season. Many beautiful prom dresses and handsome tuxedos were modeled by our very own Northside students. These students modeled a variety of dresses and tuxes from stores such as David’s Bridal, Men’s Warehouse, Marie’s April Showers, and Cache. This annual and always fabulous show was organized by Mrs. Styers and her fashion marketing classes. The show was held on March 9, 2012 during fourth block which allowed students who purchased a ticket to miss that entire class period. Who would not be ecstatic to miss class for a fashion show that only cost five dollars? Many students agreed that their five dollars definitely did not go to waste since it was such an enjoyable show. Unfortunately there were only 600 tickets available so every student did not get to attend. Many people were dazzled by the beautiful dresses, but there was much more to the show than just modeling. Some of our talented students also entertained everyone with their performances of singing or dancing. The dance team started the show off with a bang by presenting their best dance moves. A little later into the show Abby Blair and Drew Dutoit performed “Sparks Fly” by Taylor Swift. Drew played the drums while Abby played the guitar and sang, but little did she know she was in for a surprise. Drew’s best friends were in the crowd with signs spelling out “PROM?” that they held up at the end of the song. Of course, Abby said yes and almost everyone in the crowd adored that sweet surprise. Halfway through the show Rachel Hawk and Devyn Seifert performed “Sweeter” by Gavin Degraw with Rachel playing the guitar and Devyn playing the piano. They both sang and sounded absolutely wonderful. The two girls had every eye on them and even had the entire crowd clapping along to the song. Last but certainly not least was a duet by Gabby Wilson and Juan Rodriguez as they sang a mix up of “You and I” by Lady Gaga and “Teenage Dream” by Katy Perry. Juan played the piano and sang “Teenage Dream” while Gabby sang “You and I.” Their voices sounded amazing and collaborated extremely well together. Everyone agreed they wanted to hear more. The CandyLand Couture Fashion Show was definitely a success and everyone agreed they enjoyed it immensely. If you did not get the chance to see the show this year, make sure you do not miss it next year. You will certainly be glad you saw it.
Blockbuster Bust
Attention Northside, I am very upset!!! What am I so upset about you may ask? Why that’s an excellent question and I shall tell you. It is that new special-effects laden monstrosity that Disney churned out through Indonesian orphans chained to a type writer in the basement of the Cinderella castle… John Carter.
Now before I begin my tirade, you need to know a little about the books that preceded this movie. Popular pulp fiction author Edgar Rice Burroughs, best known as the author of Tarzan, wrote a series of novels about a civil water Veteran on the planet Mars. After being transported to Mars through a magic cave, John Carter soon becomes embroiled in the political intrigue of the squabbling races that inhabit Barsoom (the Martians’ name for the red planet). Due to small gravity levels on Mars, Carter’s Earth-strength muscles allow him to perform incredible feats of strength and agility on this alien world. Carter soon becomes a legendary figure to the red men and the four-armed green men as he fights for the heart of the beautiful princess Dejah Thoris (thus the title of the first book in the series, A Princess of Mars).
Now this is where the movie begins to suck a lot. The plot of this film as it relates to the books… never happened. There was no magic medallion, no Colonel Powell, no Therns on Earth, no secret energy weapon, NONE OF THAT!!!! Where did they get all of these disgustingly unnecessary plot devices? If the writer had stuck closer to the original story of A Princess of Mars, then maybe they wouldn’t have had to rely so much on visual effects.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love some good old fashioned special effects, like the next guy and John Carter with spot on special effects. However, no amount of special effects smokescreen is going to make up for an extremely weak plotline. It’s like putting a brand new tire on a totaled car… or Avatar…, Andrew Stanton just doesn’t know how to handle himself when directing real people instead of computer animated robots and fish.
Andrew Stanton… the name brings to mind some of the greatest animated films in the history of cinema, including FINDING NEMO and WALL-E, but he falls flat here in his live action debut. You may know the lead actor who plays John Carter, Taylor Kitsch, as Gambit from Wolverine… frankly I don’t blame you if you don’t; his performance wasn’t really anything to remember. But he redeems himself in John Carter by fitting the needs of an ideal action hero quite well. Lyn Collins, who plays Princess Dejah Thoris, not only pulls off the sexy, half-naked Princess Leah-like character but also does a fine job as an actor.
John Carter gets an A for effort but it’s just not enough to launch a major movie franchise like Disney wanted. I’d recommend seeing it just for the stunning visual effects and thrilling action sequences (brief flashpoint piercing an otherwise over-complicated story line) but it’s also an excellent example of how to waste 250 million dollars… and they wonder why there’s a recession. What I’d recommend more is reading the classics of American literature that this movie tries to recreate. Stop by the bookstore or download them on your nook or kindle. I assure you, they’re worth it.
The hype over ‘The Hunger Games’
Katniss Everdeen lives in Panem, a nation located in the post-apocalyptic ruins of North America. Panem is divided into twelve districts that surround the Capitol, an oppressive and powerful government. In order for the Capitol to keep their subjects loyal, they host an annual Hunger Games, a competition where participants – called “tributes” – fight to the death in a vast and treacherous arena until only one is left standing. For each district, a young man and a young woman are chosen via lottery to compete. When Katniss’ younger sister, Prim, is selected, Katniss volunteers to take her place, and enters herself in the dangerous competition.
The release of 'The Hunger Games' is being widely anticipated by many Northside students.
Suzanne Collins, the author, keeps the reader hooked with an engrossing plot, thrilling action, and even a bit of a love story. Throughout the book, Katniss and her fellow tributes have to battle thirst, hunger, fire, water, wild animals, injuries, and even each other in order to survive. By the end of the book, I was left attached to Katniss and her fellow tribute from District 12. The end is somewhat of a cliff-hanger, however, as it provides a transition into the next book in the series, Catching Fire.
For those of you who prefer the silver screen to the book pages, you are in luck: The Hunger Games hits theaters this spring on March 23rd. Northside students Ashley Moss and Alyssa Harris are thrilled about the upcoming film. “I’m definitely going to look into going to the midnight showing.” Ashley says. Alyssa, who has read all the books, agrees. “The best part is seeing all the characters and the scenes from the book that I love become so life-like. I’m really excited.”
The Grammys 2012
February 12th was the live showing of the 54th annual Grammy awards which pulled in the program’s largest viewing audience since 1984 with 39 million viewers tuning in to the three and a half hour broadcast.
This year’s Grammys proved to be a big night for Adele, who won a record-tying total of six awards, two of them in the Pop Field. While accepting the Best Pop Solo Performance award for “Someone Like You” Adele noted that since this was a vocal performance award, she wanted to thank her doctors who brought her voice back. Adele triumphantly returned to the Grammys stage with a soaring performance of “Rolling in the Deep.” Fully recovered from her vocal cord surgery, the singer hit every note with precision. At the end of the song, the entire crowd stood to their feet for a standing ovation. These awards were not Adele’s first. She won Best Pop Female Vocal Performance in 2008 for “Chasing Pavements.” That same year she won Best New Artist.
Rivalry was rampant at the Grammy Awards on Sunday when electronic acts Deadmau5 and Skrillex went head to head for Best Dance Recording and Best Dance/Electronica Album. Skrillex came out on top, but Deadmau5 most definitely stood out. His trademark mouse head was not the only part of his outfit that caught viewers’ attention. He has Skrillex’s number, and now we all do, too. Deadmau5’s idea of Grammy fashion was wearing Skrillex’s cell number on his shirt with “u mad bro?” written below. Skrillex had the last laugh though, taking home three Grammys including Best Dance/Electronica Album.
The Grammys did not only consist of excitement and laughter but also of sorrow and grief for the death of Whitney Houston only one day before the show. There was no better performer to pay tribute to Whitney Houston than Jennifer Hudson, who says she idolized the late superstar as a young girl. Hudson, an Oscar winner and celebrated singer in her own right, performed an emotional rendition of Houston’s hit, “I Will Always Love You,” appearing on the verge of tears. She ended the song with a lyrical switch, singing: “Whitney, we love, we love you.” She was also one of the few artists who was honored with a standing ovation.
Other memorable performances from the Grammys on Sunday night included a banjo-playing Taylor Swift who took to the stage for a very country performance of her Grammy-winning hit “Mean.” Other country stars also performed, such as the gorgeous Carrie Underwood who performed a duet with Tony Bennett singing “It Had to Be You,” as well as Jason Aldean’s duet with Kelly Clarkson of “Don’t You Wanna Stay.” We also saw the entertaining singer and dancer, Chris Brown, come back to the Grammys with the Best R&B Album and not one, but TWO performances. It’s pretty incredible how he has risen out of the controversy of his violent past with his ex, Rihanna. Nicki Minaj’s controversial performance, “The Exorcism of Roman,” caught everyone’s attention. At the end of the number, Minaj levitated. Her performance did not seem to express her intentions very clearly, and those viewers who were not terrified by it were utterly amused.
The usual Grammy atmosphere seemed to be cast in shadow with those mourning the death of Whitney Houston, but the show did go on. Many artists blew the audience away with their performances- others, not so much- but this year’s Grammys was definitely one to be remembered. The Grammys, the show that is known as music’s biggest night, did not let its audience down.
Prom: This one-syllable word brings forth thoughts of fancy dresses, slick tuxes, expensive dinners, and a magical night of dancing and fun to teenagers across the country. For Northside High School, prom is scheduled for April 21st, making it a distant thought for many. However, Orin Lincoln, a senior here at Northside, has taken the initiative to ask his dream date to prom two whole months in advance. At first, this seems to be a very premature decision. But when one considers the fact that this perfect girl’s name is Betty White (yes, THE Betty White), the early invitation doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. Orin, being a very intelligent individual, realized that a simple email saying “Wanna go to prom?” just wouldn’t cut it for the hilarious and very esteemed actress. So Orin stepped it up a notch and wrote Betty White an original song (which you can watch on the link below). He put on his tux, pulled up a chair to his piano, and made a video of himself singing his heart out in hopes that Betty White would see his unique invitation someday soon.
Orin’s video has captured the attention of students, teachers, parents, and even local news stations WTVM and WRBL.
Many Northside students (including Tara Tompkins, Reagan Lammert and Patrick Ndungu)are raising awareness of Orin's dream to go to prom with Betty White by tweeting about it on Twitter.
And Orin isn’t the only one who wants to see his dreams come true. Dozens of people have re-posted and shared the link to Orin’s video through Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Junior, Bryce Jackson, is currently keeping a running count of how many mentions the hashtag #OrinAndBettyWhite is getting on Twitter, and several students, including senior Emily Fitts and Northside alumnus Liz Carson, have submitted the video to popular talk-show host Ellen Degeneres through Facebook and her show’s website. Carlie Cooper, Orin’s public relations representative, says “When Orin mentioned the idea to me, I was absolutely thrilled and I told him I would do anything to help him. So, I sent the video to WTVM. They aired it the next evening.”
Orin says that the thought of asking Betty White to prom surfaced during Ms. Mion’s AP U.S. Government and Politics class last semester. One of his classmates joked that Orin should ask Ms. White to prom and he immediately loved the idea. At first he was uncertain if asking her to prom would be a good idea. However, when his grandmother, approaching the age of 92 and an avid Betty White fan, encouraged him to pursue his dream, he got to work on his catchy song that has captured the attention of the entire community.
Surprisingly, Lincoln’s original song was created in just one night. Using a chord progression from a song he had entertained at GHP (Governor’s Honors Program) as a Piano Minor this summer, Lincoln says that the lyrics fit well and suited his singing style. He also says he got inspiration from several famous pop artists. “Anyone who has ever heard me sing Florence and the Machine or Lady Gaga should not be surprised at how I composed the melody,” said Lincoln.
Although his hopes of attending prom with Betty White are very high, Orin says that he would understand if she
Orin's personal tweet about his dream date and the sensation he has created in the community.
has prior commitments on April 21st. “If Betty White even acknowledges the video, I think that would be fantastic. But of course, I would love for her to come. Hopefully Betty White will be glad to know how much people want her to come to the Northside High School prom,” he said.
Help Orin Lincoln reach Betty White by posting the video to your Facebook and Twitter pages. The more people that know about it, the more likely Betty will see it.
Winter Cabaret 2012
Northside’s most recent Drama production was the 2012 Winter Cabaret hosted on Friday, January 27 at 7 pm and on Sunday, January 29 at 2 pm. Formerly known as Dinner Theater, the show has been a tradition at Northside since the school’s opening in 2002. This year’s show was as entertaining and enjoyable as ever.
The show is always famous for its hilarious and well played MCs, but this year they raised the bar for future MCs to come. The theme was based on the well-known movie, Back to the Future, that hit the box office in 1985. Blake Lowry and Abby Fitts wrote the scripts for MCs and incorporated Back to the Future with some of our favorite teachers here at Northside, creating a twisted tale that kept everyone laughing. Brooks Bennett did a wonderful job playing our principal, Mr. Wilson, and enjoyed saying “schedule” just as Mr. Wilson would. Other MCs included Gabby Wilson as Mrs. Powell, Emily Fitts as Mrs. Fasick, Donavan Weldon as Coach Laney, and TJ Moore as Mr. Harper. MCs who played characters from Back to the Future were Blake Lowry as Doc, Abby Fitts as Jennifer, and Juan Rodriguez as Marty. The show consisted of the three main protagonists from Back to the Future going back in time and meeting our teachers as teenagers. Through their time traveling escapade they managed to skew the history of Northside which everyone found was the most memorable part of the show.
The cast blew their audience away with the first song “Back in Time” that corresponded with the Back to the Future theme. Another memorable number from this year’s Winter Cabaret was a duet by Gabby Wilson and Juan Rodriguez as they sang a mix up of “You and I” by Lady Gaga and “Teenage Dream” by Katy Perry. The cast left the stage on a more serious note just as the curtains closed for intermission after they sang “I Need You to Survive.” This number was different than any other number because they used sign language to interpret the song, making it all the more beautiful. Most of the audience found that the second half of the show was even better than the first. In the hippie number the cast interacted with the audience while singing the song “Hair.” The cast agreed that this was one of their favorite numbers because they loved dressing up in hippie attire. A student here at Northside, Kaysee Cross, was a member of the audience and said her favorite number was “Hair” as well. Jessica Shadix also saw the show and said she loved the couples’s number in which they danced and sang to “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” The show came to a close with some astounding numbers including the famous O’ Girls and O’ Boys. The O’ Girls based their entire number on a rain theme this year and blew the audience away. “I was really excited to be a part of O’ Girls as a first year cast member of Dinner Theater, it was an honor,” said Katelyn Marrone. The show went out with a bang with the well-known song “I’m a Believer” from the cartoon movie Shrek.
The show was a huge success as it is every year. Dinner Theater is the biggest fundraiser each year, bringing in thousands of dollars to benefit the always growing Drama department. Mr. Harper, the director/producer of Winter Cabaret thanks all who came and supported the show. He also hopes it was enjoyable for everyone. The cast is also thankful for their supportive audience. They agree that this production is much more than just a show but an experience from high school that creates memories to last a lifetime. I would recommend to anyone that they should certainly buy a ticket to next year’s show. Winter Cabaret is one show you do not want to miss.
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The Patriot Reveille 