Dr. Sidener Interview, May 19

Magnet School Article

“When the school is finished with construct6ion it will seat an adduiti8oanl 800 kids, and we need to fill the 800 seats.

We’re not going to change our academies. We may expand some of the ones we already have, because they have room to add more teachers, but in terms of what we have here I think we’re pretty much going to stay with the academies we already have.  We have ten.

The Magnet Grant provides release time. Like for your lead teachers. Which then will create empty seats. So more kids brings more teachers.

The active goal of the grant is to decrease minority isolation, which means for our school, increasing the white popu8lation. But you go out there and recruit. You can’t admit kids on a quota, or anything like that, but the hope is that you get the balance a little more balance. Right now, the schools is at about 72% Hispanic.

All the academies will be magnet academies. Just like every kid- well we’re through the tenth grade right now- is in an academy.

2011

That’s part of the whole package. I mean the perception is changing already. Just because you’re a magnet doesn’t mean like “boom” it changes the school. It changes because you do things better, kids win more awards, kids go to better colleges, kids come home and talk  about cool things that are happening in their classes. That’s how it changes. So I think the most important thing is that you’re doing things in the classes that kids like to do, or that are project orientated, or they see is relevant, and that’s how it will change.

 

UTD/Teachers Contract Article

The district has been in a very tenuous financial position- all districts in the state  of Florida have been, but our district is more so than others for a number of reasons. First of all, Dade is just more expensive. Things cost more here. Secondly, our previous administration at the district level brought in a whole lot of people at the higher level of administration, like in the budget office that really didn’t have experience in the county schools, and they didn’t quite understand how things work, so there were some fatal flaws.  The salary calculations were off. I think that is was off almost a million dollars a payroll, so the projected budget was already off $20 million for the future.

Inherited technical deficiencies in the budget process resulted in $202 million budget and reduction appropriations between July 1^st and September 2008. The fragile fiscal condition was compounded by a worsening national and state economy resulting in the exorbitant funding reductions from Tallahassee forced the district to make drastic cuts required an additional $123 million reduction in November. In January, the special legislative session resulted in the need to cut an additional$ 55 million from the budget.

So add it up, 202, plus 123, plus 55 is a lot of money. That’s $380 million. And the whole budget is a 3 billion dollar operating budget and you’re talking about cutting $400 million of it.

The state constitution requires that the district not go in the red. They have to end the year, by June 30^th, in the black. So the plan that they came up with was to ask employees to defer some of their pay till next year. So the plan was- depending if you were a 12 month employee, it was three days, if you’re a 10 month employee it’s two days- so basically what was agreed to by all of the unions except the teacher union, was to take

So let’s say I make a hundred dollars a day. So you’re going to take $300 of my pay and you’re going to wait and give it to me in October, instead of me getting it now. And they took that $300 and put it over five payrolls and $60 come out of each paycheck and you get it back. And they gave you’re the recess days, so you could take the days off so you could work. So essentially you’re kinda getting paid time off, but you’re deferring the payment until next year.

So the custodians agreed to it, the bus drivers agreed to it, the techs agreed to it, the administrators agreed to it, but the teachers union did not agree to it- until recently.

They did a straw vote which isn’t binding, but when it came down to the actual MOU (memorandum of understanding) went into effect, it went to a real vote. It was a vote on the binding contract.

Either way, they were going to end school early. No matter what, they had to have the money. But the difference is whether you were going to give your pay willingly and get it back in October or whether you were going to say “no” and they take it and you don’t get it back. When it finally came to that-when they were told ‘well it’s going to happen anyway. You can either vote yes and get the pay back or vote no and not get the pay back.’ So they voted yes.

They’re very upset about it. I think there’s a feeling that the Union didn’t do the right thing by them, they never really gave them the information from the beginning. I think that had they known it was going to happen anyway, they would have been more willing. I think there’s a distrust of the district whether or not they’re really going to give the money back, that maybe they’ll never see it again. Basically-everyone was supposed to get a raise but Alessia, who’s getting a raise right now? In the world? That’s just not happening.

I do [think Dade will follow through with their promises]. I trust the superintendent. I think he understands that he has asked his employeesto put themselves on the line and that he understands that his credibility and his ability to do the job will be completely undermined if he doesn’t come through. I think he’s smart enough to do that. He always talks about the human side. If you’re going to balance the budget, you’re either going to fire people- lay people off- or somehow you gotta get the money. In a school district money is spent on staff. It’s a people profession. It’s people intensive- that’s where our money is. 

It’s a constitutional law- all districts must balance their budgets.

 

And then the Unions position was’ find it somewhere else’ but the district kept coming back with ‘we’ve cut, we’ve cut, we’ve cut and the only thing we can do now is cut jobs.’ And we’re trying not to cut jobs.

Remainder for Miriam

Here are the remainder of the edits for the News Section. Due to the additions of two new pieces (in progress) of the Magnet Schools and the UTD Agreement, I’ve decided to cut the Day of Silence article. Josh and I will get the articles uploaded ASAP.

 –Plagiarism article was written by Helen Rynor

DECA EDIT (Lyssa Goldberg)

Five students in the Academy of Hospitality and Tourism at Miami Beach Senior High will attend the International Career Development Conference in Anaheim, California after winning at the DECA Career Development Conference in Orlando from March 5 to March 8.

“I am extremely proud of our DECA students and the success of DECA at Beach High,” praised Dr. Lupe Ferran Diaz, business and marketing teacher and club sponsor.

Seniors Janessa Cuba and Viviana Yerex placed third for their Public Relations Project describing the club’s participation in the AOHT auction. The two students compete at the national level from April 29 to May 3.

“We prepared by staying after school, even until 7:30 or 8:00, working on our written report, and then on our visual project board,” explained Yerex.

Juniors Hanibegk Coll and Karl Laxy placed sixth in Hospitality Management, which evaluates knowledge of hotel operations. The pair will participate in the Leadership Academy to enhance their leadership skills.

“There are really no words to describe the feeling of hearing your name called out in between hundreds of students hoping for the same chance,” expressed Coll.

Senior and DECA President Angela Castro won the Gold Chapter Program of Work for a written report detailing club activities, making Beach High the only Gold Chapter in Miami-Dade County.

Castro will be the first Beach High student to participate in the Senior Management Institute, a seminar for high school seniors who wish to pursue DECA in their future.

Social Studies teacher Eduardo de Varona, secondary sponsor of the club, was recognized for his “tenth year of outstanding service to Florida DECA”.

The Beach High chapter had no winners at the state level last year. The victors feel that Castro and Diaz led them to this year’s triumph.

“Angela has always taken things to another level, and because of her leadership along with our sponsor, Dr. Diaz, Beach returned with a state championship,” commented Cuba.

“We have a good chance this year to again place in the top ten,” predicted de Varona, hopeful for another eventful competition in Anaheim. “Our third-place state finish could turn into a top international winner.”

The students were honored for their achievements at an honorary ceremony, held in the Beach High Media Center on March 24, in which Miami Beach Commissioner Deede Weithorn presented awards.

“We are always very thrilled having students in our community display their success at a state level,” remarked Weithorn. “We’re a world-class city, and when we can display that through our students, it makes the entire city very proud.”

 

 

GRANTS EDIT (Nadine Goldberg and Rachel Coller)

Grants totaling over $84,000 were awarded to 59 clubs, sports teams, programs, departments and academies at Miami Beach Senior High School on March 16, in return for their members’ assistance at the PTSA Boat Show Fundraiser.

According to Kathy Bass, PTSA member and former Boat Show chair, grant applications were due before winter break, and requests ranged from “science supplies [to] math CD’s, language learning tools, PE equipment, computer tools and much more.”

“Over 110 people (teachers and parents) worked over 1200 hours directing parking at Miami Beach High during the Miami-International Boat Show,” shared Leslie Coller, PTSA Vice President of Advocacy. The PTSA members who volunteered for the most hours between February 9 and February 16 “were given the privilege of having voting rights on the grant committee.”

“We all take the task of allocating the grant money very seriously,” Theresa Sutter, PTSA Treasurer, said, “and we try to be as fair and equitable as we possibly can.”

According to PTSA President Karen Rivo, the PTSA raised more than $100,000 from the Boat Show Fundraiser. However, the turnout was down by about eighteen percent.

 ”The economy really played a big factor in what we didn’t get,” Sutter explained.

About 73% of Boat Show revenue went directly to grants. The balance covered other PTSA programs, the cost of the Boat Show fundraiser and administrative expenses. 

Junior States America, the boys’ Basketball Team, the Football Team, the Cheerleading Squad, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America and Future Business Leaders of America are among the grant recipients.

 ”The grants provide a sum of money that would require hours and hours selling boxes and boxes of candy,” said Julie Rivo, senior and governor of the JSA Southeast Territory.

 Students were not allowed to participate in the Boat Show Fundraiser. Patricia Gregory, math teacher and grant recipient, explained that she understands the liability issue associated with students working near motor vehicles. However, she believes that they benefit most from the grants, and should therefore play a role in the fundraiser.

Sutter recalled that three or four grants were not approved, either because the requests were already being funded by other means or because “the timing wasn’t right.”

 

 

DIVING EDIT (Nadine Goldberg)

The Women Divers Hall of Fame awarded a $1,500 Women’s Scuba Association Training Grant to sophomore Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps. cadets Andrea Orduz, Sasha Dyroff and Adriana Chait on February 16, 2009. The funds will be submitted directly to the recipients’ training facility and will help cover the $250 fee for each diving license and the cost of equipment such as wet suits, fins, snorkels, masks and booties.

The WDHOF is a nonprofit organization devoted to honoring female divers. It awards several scholarships and training grants annually to individuals of all ages. According to the organization, a candidate for the Women’s Scuba Association Training Grant must be enrolled in the NJROTC or NROTC program and be a “deserving young male or female who wishes to begin or further his/her dive education/training”.

“I decided to apply for this scholarship because I’ve always had a passion for the ocean,” Chait shared.

Applicants were required to submit an application, their picture, a 750-word autobiography, an essay on their role in JROTC and an explanation of their desire for the scholarship.

According to Orduz, NJROTC instructor Ronald Hunter facilitated the application process. “He was always encouraging us and reminding us about deadlines,” she explained.

Hunter discovered the scholarship in an email from the ROTC. “It came at the right time, while we were starting the SCUBA club,” he remarked.

In preparation for their scuba diving certification, the grant recipients have begun classes, practice pool dives and open water dives with the SCUBA club.

“Even though I haven’t started diving yet, I’m more than positive I’ll enjoy it,” Chait mused. “It’s a completely different world down there and I can’t wait to explore it.”

 

UNIFORM EDIT (Rachel Coller)

The “reinforcement” of uniforms at Miami Beach Senior High School began on March 18 2009 but ended soon thereafter. The week of March 18, administration gave students without proper school uniform a uniform violation citation from the Center of Special Instruction (CSI) before proceeding to class. However, a week later students donning shorts and tank tops freely roamed the hallways.

Parents were contacted by phone and letters concerning the enforcement of the uniform policy. “I thought the administration was really going to follow through,” Phillip Cohen, sophomore expressed, “but now no one takes the policy seriously considering the administration doesn’t seem to care.”

Last Year on April 29 2008 it was decided that a uniform policy would be implemented for the next three school years. According to a MBSH website bulletin, the policy allows red, white and silver gray shirts along with black tweed, jean, or khaki bottoms. The bulletin explained that MBSH strives to create productive citizens and leaders of the future, and that in order to “prepare for this role,” the bulletin reads, “students will be dressed in school uniform.”

According to Assistant Principle Raymond Patrice, the uniform policy has always been enforced; only becoming more lenient for the sake of the cold weather. Students were allowed to wear jackets and sweaters that were not red, silver gray, or white.

“A week ago we were not allowed to wear sweaters that were not the colors of dress code,” explained Adam Haas, senior, “this week [March 23] the administration announced that as long as the undergarment was a dress code color, the sweater color did not matter.”

During the period of uniform enforcement, the security monitors stopped students violating the uniform policy at the front gate of the school. The students were forced to wait outside of the gate until they received a citation. According to Gabriela Gerinska, freshman, a week later students were able to walk past security monitors and into the building without wearing uniform.

“The administration only enforced the uniform during the first [and last] quarter,” explained Micaela Burlando, freshman, “if they wanted to make sure that the students wore their uniforms, they should have enforced the policy year round.”

Patrice explained that students who do not follow the uniform policy are allowed three warning violation citations. If a student violates the policy a fourth time, the school will contact their legal guardians to discuss the situation.

According to Advanced Placement World History teacher, Nadia Zananiri, teachers were initially instructed to send students who did not abide by the uniform policy to CSI. Administration later decided that students should remain in their classrooms until security picked them up.

“If [the uniform policy is] only going to be enforced when it’s convenient for the administration, can we only wear [uniforms] when it’s convenient for us?” senior Hannah Snitzer mused.

Plagiarism edit

Teachers at Miami Beach Senior High School have recently started to incorporate the TurnItIn.com plagiarism detection service into their classes to deter students from using unauthorized work as their own.

Plagiarism programs, such as “Turn it in .com”, require students to upload assignments for classes thruogh the website which will automatically verify the authenticity of the student’s work.  Once an analysis is completed, the program generates a report that categorizes the plagiarism percentage of the report/essay by sources. The website has access to all online sources, publications, and reports, as well as papers by other students who have at one point in time, uploaded to Turnitin.com.

Patricia Gregory, AOHT department leader and math teacher finds plagiarism to be dishonest as well as despicable, all the more fueled by the fact that almost every single one of her students has plagiarized at least once this school year.

Chemistry teacher Carlos Rodriguez believes that plagiarism is always a problem for teachers because “students are taking someone else’s work and claiming it as their own. That’s the same as stealing.”

           Gregory supports the new plagiarism program and her claim that a majority of students have plagiarized is supported by 45% of student’s admission to cheating in an anonymous poll.

The penalty for plagiarizing is dependent on the individual teacher involved. Some teachers give warnings for a first offense, while others immediately fail the student.

“In my class, you get an F for the nine weeks,” said Eduardo Devarona. He believes a stricter penalty will prevent students from cheating because it will cause students to seriously reconsider the choices they make.

First Draft

Beach High Wins Again

First drafft

Beach High Wins Again

Lyssa’s Edit, 423 words

DECA

Take Your Pick!

Welcome to the BEST section in the paper

New Articles for the Taking:

-JSA Goes to DC

-FBLA goes to states

-Debate Team goes to states

-Economic Stimulus

-AOHT States

-National Ocean Science Bowl

-Law Club Mock Trial

Silver Knight

Silver Knight

 

I think it’s close to 400 words, so I just kinda tried to stop myself after a while. Let me know what I can do tomorrow.

 

And of course, I don’t think the post is working. I’m copying pasting the article, as well as notes and quotes. Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

Each year since 1959, the Miami Herald recognizes exceptional high school students who have “unselfishly applied their special knowledge and talents to contribute significant service to their schools and communities” through their Silver Knight Awards Program. This year, Miami Beach Senior High identified 5 students as Silver Knight nominees and will be interviewed by a panel of judges in late March.

                Although there are 15 categories in the Silver Knight program, five students are representing Beach High this year. Julie Rivo is the Social Sciences nominee, Hannah Snitzer was nominated for English & Literature, Taylor Calibo was nominated for Athletics, Kylie Montero is the Speech and Debate Nominee, and Miriam Kolker is the _____ (sorry I’m not sure?) nominee. Each senior has at least a 3.2 unweighted GPA and a strong record of service to their school and community.

                “As the Social Sciences Nominee my volunteer work should reflect the way in which government, law, economics, and the general study of the human condition can be learned,” explains Rivo, “my various projects relate to the study of humanity and how social sciences can be utilized to improve our world. “

                Hannah Snitzer’s project brought teens and adults together to dress up as clowns, and visit children in residential shelters. “I was nominated because of my community service hours and for my project that I’ve been participating in for years now.” She goes on to say that albeit none of this work was done for the recognition, “it’s also nice to be recognized.”

                “Personally I never did any of this work thinking that I was going to be a Silver Knight winner,” says Taylor Calibo, ”it’s just something that I kind of fell into.”

                Another senior who combined academic integrity with community service is Taylor Calibo, starting the Athletes for Academics Club at MBSH, which allows the Honors Societies to contribute to athlete’s success in school. “It is a great honor, but that’s not why I did it. If you’re recognized for it; awesome. If someone thinks you’re great; awesome.”

                Silver Knights will receive $2,000, a statue, as well as a medallion presented by American Airlines and in addition to each winner, three Honorable Mentions per category will be awarded $500 and an engraved plaque.

 

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This year marks the 50th anniversary of the awards, which are sponsored by American Airlines, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida and the Blank Family Foundation.

In addition to each winner, there were three honorable mentions in each category. Each received $500 and a plaque.

 

Julie Rivo

As the Social Sciences Nominee my volunteer work should reflect the way in which government, law, economics, and the general study of the human condition can be learned and embraced so that one can do volunteer work and serve the community so that one can better humanity. I am the Social Sciences Nominee because my volunteer work with the Junior State of America, my summer spent in NNIcaragua, my partnership with Business, Going-Green partnership with Publix, and my various other projects that do relate to the study of humanity and how social sciences can utilize to improve our world.

I don’t know what my fellow nominees have done but I do believe that my work has had a great, positive, wide-spread influence on the use of America and all citizens of this country who benefit from the work that these incredible young people do and I have helped make that happen.

I believe it’s very important for other students to see the work that they can do for others by my being a silver knight nominee, simply because it is odd?

More importantly I think it’s important for the school to receive good publicity if my fellow nominees and I win. I mean, just being nominated is a great honor, and it’s beneficial to show our peers and our community members what a positive impact young people can make on society.

 

Hannah Snitzer

 

I’m a nominee for the English and Literature category of the Silver Knight. For silver Knight I was nominated because of my amount of community service hours and because of my project that I have been participating in for years now. The project is a Clowning Project, where teenagers and adults dress up as clowns and they learn to do magic tricks and make balloon animals and visit children in residential shelters.

I think a lot of people are not often recognized for the amount of community service they do, so I think it’s a great honor to be recognized for something you do; not for the recognition, but just

Often times, in community service, you don’t get recognized. Not that you do it for recognition, but it’s also nice to be recognized, so I really felt honored to be nominated as a Silver Knight Nominee. All the nominees from all the schools have done a lot of community service and are all overly qualified to win the award so really just being nominated from my school is a big honor and something I’m really proud of .

The Silver Knight Nominees were not really told with that much ample time, “so this past week has been really stressful trying to figure out the application. But Dr. Sidener has really been helping us edit our application and make it better. She called two people who were past teachers and past principals to help us edit, and I met with them today, and they went ovdr my application.

I don’t think the school facilitates a lot of group community service, so I think most of the community service done is self-motivated, but you know, the school’s never stood in the way of the kids wanting to do a project. For example, Claire Austin did the Schoool Wide Recycling Program that the school has been really helpful with, so I think that once the school is presented an idea, they do run with it, but they don’t often come up with, or push for one.

It would be a great honor to win in my category, it would really be a nice validation of all my work of community service in high school but I think that one of the reasons that me and many of the other nominees were chosen for Silver Knight is because we’re not looking for that validation because the community service that they have done is already enough of a validation.

For many of the nominees the application would not open at home, and they had to work on it at school, where they could acces the advanced Adobe software that it requires.

Mr. PResswood helped, he was good.

 

Taylor Calibo

I was nominated for athletics. Since my freshman year in high school I’ve actually been working with students at Nautilus, mentoring them in full style wrestling. We actually started practicing on Tuesdays and Thursdays during my freshman year and we worked all the way up to my junior year and since I hit my junior year, I decided I wanted to create a club that kinda was a pass-the-torch type of opportunity for the school to basically involve it’s honors societys, which hadn’t been doing too much with athletes who really needed the extra help due to the lack of time, and increase in the amount of practice and I was nominated for the category just because all of my projects have dealt with being an athelete, what it takes to be an athelete and working with atheletes. So it was really the main focus  of my project. Also because I’m an athelete, and the captain of the wrestling and baseball teams.

You’re selected as a silver knight, and if you’re interested, you continue on with the process, if you’re not, you can hand down the nomination. But you put in your application to the school which is really a page long  and you fill out your gpa and which categories you might be interested in, and the community service you’ve done which relate to certain categories. And the school selects you as a silver knjight nominee.

Athletics was good for me just because at MBSH I’ve dedicated over three thousand hours to becoming a better athelete, just by showing up to practice everyday, and tournaments on the weekend and any additional community service that I’ve done has been involved in atheletics so I knew off the get-go that that’s what I wanted to do.

It’s really the opportunity, not to get recognized, but to have someone else recognize that the work you’ve done has made a difference is really what the honor entails. Personally I never did any of this work thinking that I was going to be a Silver Knight winner, I mean, I didn’t do it specifically for Silver Knight, it’s just something that I kinda fell into.

Freshman year he would spend time after practice helping the other kids on the team with their homework and studies

By my junior year, I wanted to have a really good wrestling team to go to districts, and the fact was that the kids weren’t making the grades so you know all the time that  I had spent tutoring them  on the back of buses on the way to meets, I didn’t care that I didn’t receive community service for, I just watned to havea winning time. So when I wrote the proposal for the atheletes for academics club I really just wanted to see people getting involved with athletes because I felt it was so important to have  a team that caould actually play at districts and that they didn’t lose half their players.  And that’s just something that’s happens at Beach High which is really pathetic and I wanted to make sure that didn’t happen.

As far as getting a silver knight goes, yeah sure,                

The school has given me the best opportunity to compete in three varsity sports and actually be a student as well. I mean, most schools will actually tell you that’s impossible, some coaches just don’t let students participate just because of the whole academic courseload. And some coaches bicker and argue about competing in more than one sport because their athlete needs to compete year round if they’re going to be successful athlete. But Beach High has really given me the ooportunity to shine in athletics and join every team that I’ve wanted to, and join every club that Ive wanted to and that ability has made me who I am.

Dr. Sidener provided all the Title I funding for the club to take place and she was really beneficial in helping me start the club, and in the end she was the one that really saw that the club was available and had every opportunity to succeed as a club. She’s also helped out tremendously with the silver knight application. She had two people from the district speak to us and correct our papers. Just former administrators and former teachers who have dealt with silver knights before they’ve really been a huge help in trying to work out this application. 

Vicky Cristina Barcelona Review

 ”Cristina,” he whispers, “this is Maria Elena.” Enter Penelope Cruz, who looks incandescent despite the fact that her character has just attempted suicide. Makeup artists try as they may; her beauty is almost comparable to that of the warm Spanish gold’s shining from the screen. A mentally unstable ex-wife is just what Allen needed to complete such a twisted plot in his newest film, Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Juan Antonio, without any better alternative, takes Maria Elena in for a couple of weeks, to live with him and his new girlfriend, American tourist, Cristina (Scarlett Johansson). Cruz outshines herself in her aptitude to adapt to a character almost too complicated for words, and balances the role of psychotic lover, intense artist and just a generally mysterious character.
Javier Bardem plays Juan Antonio, a Spanish artist who seduces Cristina and Vicky (Rebecca Hall) to spend a weekend with him. Opening their eyes to a world unimaginable to the average New Yorker, Antonio whisks them away on a care free weekend in the rich fields of Spain. Love, infidelity and self discovery are the main topics Allen touches upon as the movie unfolds. It would be an understatement to say that without Penelope Cruz, the story line would have been a waste of the audience.
 From the moment she walks onto the screen, it’s almost impossible to take your eyes off her. Be it from the pure astonishment at this incredibly wild character, or the simple captivation of such a unique scenario, Cruz unquestionably steals the spotlight. There is absolutely no other actress that can manipulate the screen so eloquently and be able to convincingly channel the message that “only unfulfilled love can be romantic.” Living with her ex-husband and his new lover, she often breaks out into aggressive fights, fast-paced arguments and eventually pulls out a gun in enraged emotion. However, she also allows for the relationships to flourish into an inimitable threesome with each person fulfilling the missing parts of the others. To attempt to describe the movie would really do no justice to Penelope Cruz’ performance because of her vital role, but it can be simply state the she truly shines from the moment her name is first uttered, to the final credits, and is remembered long after the audience leaves the theatre.

Dreamboat Annie

Dreamboat Annie 1^ST EDIT

           For the first official performance in the new Miami Beach Senior High auditorium, the Rock Ensemble opened in style, with their tribute performance of Heart’s Dreamboat Annie Album.

            The night started off with a video montage from Heart describing their album and what inspired them to perform the pieces they did.  Once the band began to play, a wave of enthusiasm washed over the crowd. The opening song was Magic Man, sung by senior, Joselyn Martinez; instantly setting the mood for a killer night. Wearing stiletto boots, skinny jeans and a vest, Martinez carried herself with confidence, poise and spunk that radiated throughout the auditorium. Following Magic Man, Jouberte Milfort blew everyone away with her sweet and powerful voice that contrasted Martinez’ dynamic vocals in Magic Man.

            One of Heart’s most popular songs, Crazy on You, was a definite crowd pleaser, surprising the audience with the range of Michelle Granados’ voice that paralleled her sparkling spandex pants, and the bands impressive showmanship.

            The concert continued with other enjoyable songs, including Kourtney Howard’s rendition of White Lightening & Wine and the rest of the night was clear sailing, (pun intended!)

            After the girls had their time, dominating the microphones, the boys got to show off their vocal talents in the spotlight. Lucas Qeiuroz, Guiseppe Rodriguez, Brian Martinez, Elvis Hatcher, and Andrew Mamber lined up for an upbeat performance of Black Water by The Doobie Brothers.

            Once the last beat resounded in the halls, the crowd shouted “Encore!” and “One more song!” but Mr. Burris came out to thank everyone for coming.

Release from the stress throughout the week.

 

 

Not many students knew about the tributed Dreamboat Annie album, or the band Heart for that matter. “[Quote saying that they didn’t know about the band]” Expectations for the Rock Ensemble performance, however, were far from unknown,  [Quote along the lines of, “The Rock Ensemble always does such a good job on their shows, we wanted to see what they would do this time.”]

Hearts’ debut album was released in 1976 and reached platinum by November of that year.

Drawing upon the significant influences affecting the world in the late 20^th century for inspiration, some songs are about war, some about love, and others Dreamboats.

“Quote describing what the dreamboat signifies”

Playing the entire album straight through, the Beach High Rock Ensemble not only did a professional job but kept the rhythm flowing all night long. Judging from the flawless performance you would have never guessed that this 9-member band had only two months to prepare.

Directed by Doug Burris, Rock Ensemble Advisor, the concert was an unforgettable experience. Joselyn Martinez and Michelle Granados blew the house away with their strong voices while Jo sang “Dreamboat Annie” throughout the night in a voice sweet enough to satisfy even the most loyal fans.

The concert did,however,  have its mishaps, “So on Friday night, after the whole set, someone tripped over the cable and dropped my guitar,”said lead guitarist, Lucas Queiroz.

            “And by someone, he means me,” interjects Joselyn Martinez, lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist, “but it’s not like I kicked it!”

            Queiroz continues, “The head snapped right off, so a very nice gentleman took the microphone and started a fundraiser to buy me a new guitar.” Three days later, he received a new Epiphone Casino guitar.

            Behind the scenes, Eitan (“Light-on”) Rabinovich, was directing the lights during the show. “He’s new at this,” proclaimed Burris during the concert, “but he’s learning as he goes.

            And although the lights weren’t perfectly coordinated throughout the show, the mood on stage was peaceful and serene, intensified with bright oranges and blues, and softened with the haze of the fog.

            The only major obstacle, Burris explains, was setting up the lighting. “The school auditorium has lights that you cannot change without going up to the ceiling and changing them yourself.” Only days before the show, Burris and company rented a lift to manually go up, change the lights, put colored film on them, and make sure everything was set for the performance.

            “We had to move everything we set up, like three days before our opening night” who said this??

            Obstacles aside, the performance was stellar and it isn’t doubted that every one of the audience members left the auditorium blown away, moved and delighted.