From LAto PVA

paper*
From
*TheHighSchoolforPerformingandVisualArtsNewspaper
LA to PVA
“Wesley, would you go get her?” Mrs. Jennings requested. The boy’s
mouth dropped as he shook his head no.
“What do you mean ‘no’? This is such an opportunity!”
Two enthusiastic students chimed in, “I’ll do it!” and “No, I will!”
“I asked Wesley to.” Mrs. Jennings stood her ground. A few people
in the room began to chant his name, and off he went to escort Chandra
Wilson from the front office to the black box for her master class.
From the minute she entered the room, she glowed. It was as if
she truly were back home. After the master class I met Ms. Wilson in
the theatre office, and surprisingly, she defied my preconceived notion
of celebrities having
some sort of guard up. She laughed and
was honest as possible with all of her
mistakes, experiences, and flaws. In
the same way, actress Mireille Enos
and her husband Alan Ruck freely
gave their wisdom and vast
experiences when they visited around the same time.
Even Hannah Jones did her
best to stay out of drama and
keep her head held high during
her run on America’s Next Top
Model. It would seem that
PVA has recently been
starstruck by warm and
caring celebrities
who aren’t short
on talent either.
*PVA
Alumni
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DENMARK DKK 75.00
CANADA $ 9.50
FRANCE € 8.50
U.K. € 10.50
HOLLAND €8.50
ITALY€ 9.00
JAPAN ¥ 1740
SINGAPORE S$ 18.20
SPAIN € 8.50
SWEDEN SEK 75.00
SWITZERLAND CHF 16.00
UAE AED 45.00
VOL 2 ISSUE 8 JUNE 2011
Chandra Wilson (cont.)
Interviewed by Alyssa McIntyre
ALYSSA McINTYRE: Just to start, what brings you back to your
alma mater, good old HSPVA?
CHANDRA WILSON: (laughs) I have established the Sermoonjoy
in the theatre department to be awarded to two seniors who meet
certain academic criteria and have a need for a scholarship. So I
come back every year and conduct the auditions and pick two students. They just have to have maintained a C average by the time
they're graduating and also have not received any other scholarships awarded through HSPVA and... there's a third thing. What's
the third thing? (laughs) Right... OH! And then they are definitely
going forward into the arts.
AM: You had mentioned earlier during the master class that you
didn't want to be here for the first two weeks [of your freshman
year]. What exactly changed that perspective?
CW: Coming out of junior high school, I kind of got used to a culture
of, you know, you're divided into groups, and there's the popular
group and the not-so-populars. (laughs) I wasn't happy in junior
high school, but I was just doing what everybody did, you know? So
anyway, everybody was going
to go to Lamar, and part of trying to fit in was you go and do
what everybody else was doing. So when my mom insisted
that I come to audition for HSPVA, I just couldn't understand.
[But] for whatever reason I was
accepted, and she said, “That's
where you're going to go.” I was
really upset after that because
of my friends. They weren't
great friends, but they were my
friends. And as soon I walked
in--and you know, you hear the
music and everybody at school
is having lunch at the same
time--I just had never seen anything like that; I had never seen
kids excited to go to school! (laughs) And early on, like, probably
within the first two weeks, there was a kid that went to my junior
high school; his name was Trent Roberts. He saw me standing
at the lunch line, and he said, "Oh no! Not her!" (laughs) And he
looked back and was like, "I remember you from Lanier! You used
to throw your book bag down and get in fights with people! Whatcha
doing here?!" He gave me grief that day, and he did not stop until
last November when he passed away. (laughs) Very good friend of
mine. But I just vividly remember that and his impression of me…
and how I didn't need any of that.
AM: What obstacles did you find here and also leaving here, including all of the nostalgia and whatnot?
CW: Well, first of all to this day it's very difficult for me to wake up,
so I was always tardy to first period. (laughs) I just was. And my
senior year I lived four blocks down the street, and I could not get
Karina’s Comics
By Karina Farek
to first period. Just couldn't do it. (laughs) But, let's see... obstacles.
So you know, even though my self-confidence was being built and
my self-esteem was being built, I still wasn't 100% confident as
a performer. I was learning. I did at least have the nerve to try.
(laughs) But you know, I just had really good friendships that I still
have to this day, and we had a really cool class before us. We were
all really tight, so leaving here was hard because it was like a little
safe haven. It wasn't going to be fun to go out without having that
safety net. But I'm very thankful for having felt so protected and so
taken care of, and you know, it spoiled me to how things could be.
AM: What was one of the most valuable lessons you learned
throughout everything, starting from HSPVA all the way to where
you are now?
CW: I guess it's what I said earlier. You are your instrument, so do
whatever you can to take care of it--mentally, spiritually, and physically. And take the opportunities life gives you! If you have the opportunity to travel, do it! If in college you have the opportunity to do
an exchange program and spend a semester in another country,
go do that! Because when else are you going to do it?
(laughs) All of that stuff colors who you are. All of those
things makes the kind of human being you are and
even shapes the kind of actor you are.
AM: Do you have any last things you want to tell everyone here?
CW: Hmm… let's see. Okay, so this is like a big crazy
adult thing to say. (laughs) The one thing that I certainly know now is that life is SUPPOSED to be fun.
Bottom line: it is supposed to be fun. So if you are
doing anything at all--whether it's work or a relationship or whatever--and you honestly can't say it's fun,
there's no reason to be doing it. So even as an actor, if
you're stressing all the time--you know, thinking about
your last audition and "Did I suck?" (laughs)--the fun is
gone! If the fun is gone, then that is not the thing you
need to be doing, or you need to refocus the purpose
and bring the fun back. So one thing you have to be
careful about is, whatever it is you're involved in, if it
doesn't feel good... don't do it. Leave! Fly Away! (laughs) I mean,
that's your intuition right there, and have to trust that. Run away far!
Go to the fun place! Well, without the use of any pharmaceuticals.
(laughs)
AM: Well, thank you so much for letting me talk to you. It really was
fun!
CW: (smiles)
I collected my things and walked away from the interview
with quite a new perspective. As much as any senior, I am prepared
to walk out of here at any given moment. But as much as we complain about PVA and crave the freedom and independence college
brings, I wouldn’t be the person I am today without this school. And
I’m sure many of you could say the same. Ms. Wilson taught me
not only that I am exactly where I’m supposed to be at this very moment, but also that I must be grateful for this moment.
Mireille Enos’s Tips
For Surviving Theatre
By Gregory LaMontagne
To us attendees of a renowned art school, fame may be an
ultimate goal. We see celebrities everywhere: on commercials, on
billboards, in obituaries. We research in magazines about their new
favorite restaurant, new human rights foundation, new cocaine addiction. Who cares if being a household name doesn't make them
role models? Celebrity is as celebrity does, right? Wrong when
you're Mireille Enos, alumna from the HSPVA class of '93. She has
an amazing career on stage and on screen; has a lovely family consisting of her notable husband, Alan Ruck (Ferris Bueller's sidekick,
Cameron), and her adorable newborn; and has yet to be involved
in any kind of scandalous divorce, drug arrest, or other typical Hollywood behavior. Wondering how she "made it" while keeping her
head above water? Then you would be feeling exactly what a black
box full of eager theatre students did when Ms. Enos recently visited
and gave a masterclass on her professional experience, husband
and baby included. (Her husband and she would take turns answering questions and quieting the child.) If you care to read more, then
this is what was said, verbatim:
Mireille Enos: My four years here was one of the most important
moments of my life. Don’t take for granted the training you get here;
HSPVA really is the foundation for all the training that comes after.
Q: What happened after HSPVA?
ME: Well, I then attended Brigham Young University, and, unfortunately, it wasn’t the school for me. I was coming from a small school
in a large city to a gigantic school in a small town in the middle of
nowhere. So I got a one way bus ticket to New York, and... well,
went to New York.
Q: That’s it? Holy heck! How did you get your career started?
ME: Well, one important rule once in you’re in New York City is
to keep busy. I created a sort of conservatory program for myself.
I would take voice class, acting class, and Alexander [technique]
class to always stay busy and keep honing my craft. But you also
have to remember to get a part-time job with flexible hours so you
can pay the rent. I worked in a ticket booth at a theater. I then got
my first agent by being a part of a showcase with other actors and
inviting a bunch of agencies to come watch. His agency was an
agency of one, but he truly believed in me and worked hard to get
me bit roles. Eventually, though, I was cast as an understudy in a
production at Lincoln Center, which is how I got my Equity [union]
card and my first Broadway show, actually. The casting director for
The Invention of Love on Broadway talked to the director of the
show at Lincoln Center, called me in for an audition, and I got the
part. This play was where I met my husband. It took me five years
to book a Broadway show, but five years is actually a very short
amount of time. I consider myself lucky.
Q: Wow! The Great White Way! How was it?
ME: It was awesome. Just awesome. But I wasn’t home-free yet,
once that show closed I had to keep finding work, of course, so I
would do regional theatre, then come back to New York for an OffBroadway show, then go back to regional theatre, then come back
to New York for a voice-over. And I continued to do that until I got
a part in the revival of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Playwright
Edward Albee, who was very involved in the process, considers this
revival to be the definitive version of his text. The rest of the cast
and I really worked hard to be loyal to and trust the writing, and our
work paid off--we were all nominated for Tonys and the revival was
nominated also. From then on, I didn’t have to support myself with
a part-time job anymore.
Q: What made you transition into screen acting?
ME: Well, I had finished a show in the West End and decided, you
know, I want to do something different, and that something has to
be a little more stable. I was married then, and now my priorities
had shifted. So we moved to Los Angeles, and I began auditions.
I had already gotten my Screen Actors Guild card from saying one
line in a Sex and the City episode.
Q: Did you need to create another conservatory-like program for
yourself in LA?
ME: Yes, actually. I found tai kwon do to be a very good activity for
me because tai kwon do is all about goal-setting. It’s very important
in this business to have something that’s un-theatre related and
keeps you with goals in mind. I was fortunate to be married, an automatic stabilizer right there. No matter what, live life.
Q: Then what?
ME: Then, I was cast in Big Love. And what became a three-episode arc character became a full season recurring character which
became a three-season arc supporting cast member which became
twins, two characters. I was very lucky. But the last season was
more focused on the main family, so I left that show and picked up
the script for The Killing, the AMC show I’m currently on right now. I
was actually pregnant while we were shooting, and you can see the
police jacket I’m wearing become bigger and bigger into the largest
jacket the costume department possessed.
Q: Wow. Finally, what’s next for you?
ME: I got a call while I was shopping for diapers that told me I would
be in the film adaptation of the book World War Z playing the wife
of Brad Pitt. (After a round of applause) I know! You never know
what’s going to happen to you in your career.
So there you have it. Mirelle Enos exemplifies what it means
to be an artist, exuding complete kindness, commitment to the craft,
and a humble attitude. Still, Mireille Enos is going to appear in a
big-budget film opposite BRAD PITT. Her hard work allowed her to
succeed as an artist, but her humility, compassion, and generosity
set her apart from most actresses. Ms. Enos is not the typical movie
star; she’s brighter.
Where In The World
Is The Class Of 2011?
By Ava Barrett
The Class of 2011 will be
scattered to the wind next
year. Who will be near you?
The numbers correspond to the list on the next page.
Going, Going, Gone
Compiled by Taylar Lewis
The numbers correspond to the map on the previous page.
Name | School | Major | Alternative Plans
1. Ben Adams | Marine Corps Band | Music | year off with a full-time job or community college
2. Drew Adams | University of Arizona | Dance!
3. Amanda Alexander | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Architecture | Travel around the world
4. Cris Amador | Rice University | Biology | Fighting crime
5. Sean Amenson | University of Houston | Business Finance
6. Sarah Andreeff | Maryland Institute College of Art | Visual Arts, Culture, and Politics | Live with Amazonian tribes
7. Yessica Aviles | Texas Tech | Graphic Design
8. Adriel Ayala | Houston Community College | Physical Therapy | Chef
9.Gabriella Barboza | University of Houston | Dance
10. Anne Barkley | Loyola University (New Orleans)
11. Ava Barrett | The School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Starving
12. Amelia Bell | Northwestern University | Theatre | Stay at PVA and live amongst the rats in the tech booth
13. Chelsea Bohny | Texas Tech University | Dance Education
14. Kinsey Britton | New York Conservatory for the Dramatic Arts | Theatre and Film | Become a gypsy with a clan of traveling performers
15. Aubrey Brown | Blinn Junior College/Texas A&M University | General Studies
16. Chris Brown | Manhattanville University | Psychology
17. Libby Buck | Columbia College Chicago
18. Alexandra Buddingh | West Texas A&M University and Joffrey Ballet Trainer Program (New York) | Dance
19. Evan Burrus | Eastman School of Music | Jazz Studies
20. Gabrielle Byrd | University of North Texas | Jazz Studies and Music Education
21. Alexis Castillo | University of Houston | Baking and Pastry Arts
22. Saxon Clay | Nebraska Wesleyan University | Political Science | Make it in Hollywood doing only his Rabbit Hole piece
23. Shelby Colona | The Ailey School | Dance | Engineering
24. Gray Crawford | St. John’s College | Enter his Macbook by means of a laser and just ride lightcycles everyday
25. Terrica Daniels | Sam Houston State University | Computer Science | There isn’t one. Lord help me.
26. Avery Davidson | University of Houston | Architecture | Joining the Amish
27. Jodie Davidson | Taking a year off | Winning the lottery
28. Liza Davydova | Texas State University | Dance | No college.
29. Ralph De La Calzada | Houston Baptist University | Nursing
30. Adrienne Duncan | University of Houston | Business | Selling a kidney
31. Raffles Durbin | University of Arizona | Transmogrification | Take over Libya
32. Rebecca Echols | Texas State University | Theatre
33. Janai Edwards | Texas Woman’s University | Kinesthesiology
34. Kelly Engler | Northwestern University | Theatre and Psychology
35. Bailey Enloe | University of Alabama | Education | Get married and be a soccer mom (hopefully that happens anyway)
36. Will Eriksson | The School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Sound Art and New Media
37. Lenaa Escandon | Pepperdine University | Psychology | Marry Shia LeBeouf
38. Elizabeth Esquivel | University of Houston | Architecture
39. Carol Fairbanks | William Carey University | Music Therapy | Join the circus
40. Esperanza Falcon | Lone Star College then Texas Woman’s University | Nursing (Midwife Nurse)
41. Karina Farek | School of Visual Arts | Animation
42. Alexz Faulkner | Cornell University | Restaurant Management | Professional Name That Book member
43. Jessica Feist | Texas A&M | Business with a minor in Dance | Joining a convent
44. Capra Fellows | University of Houston | Business and Communications
45. Caleb Fields | Ball State University | Theatre
46. Jessica Flores | University of Houston (Downtown)
47. Yanira Flores | Houston Community College | Physical Therapist
48. Jorge Garcia | Manhattanville University | Music
49. Rudy Giron | Pepperdine University | Theatre and Vocal Performance
50. Belle Gomez | DePauw University | Vocal Performance
51. Justin Gonzales | New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts | Acting
52. Sarah Gore | Texas A&M University | International Studies
53. Katherine Greene | Undecided | Art or Education
54. Sarah Griffith | The DePaul of St. Louis (St. Louis University) | Waitressing (Acting) | Saturday Night Live or Bust!
55. Charlie Haehl | University of Alabama | Biology
56. Hayden Hamilton | Berklee College of Music | Jazz Composition | Get my swag on
57. Hillary Henderson | Minneapolis College of Art and Design | Illustration
58. Nikki Henderson | HCC or Kansas City Art Institute | Digital Textile Printing
59. Ian Hill | Southern Methodist University | Theatre Studies | RuPaul’s Drag Race season four winner
60. Jesus Hinojosa | University of Houston
61. Trent Howison | University of Texas (San Antonio) | Vocal Performance
62. Colby Hutcherson | Huston-Tillostson | Music Studies
63. Katherine Inman | Colorado State University | Biology
64. Moretta Irchirl | Southern Methodist University | Vocal Performance
65. Shira Israel | University of Washington | Health Science | Run from the rain
66. Brittany Jiles | Howard University | Music Therapy
67. Amber Johnson | Nebraska Wesleyan University | Theatre and Psychology
68. Brittany Jones | community college to avoid major debt | Dance and Psychology | Travel and get out of my parents’ house, FINALLY!
69. Kyla Jordan | Fashion Institute of Technology (New York)
70. Shelby Jordan | University of Houston--Moores School of Music | Vocal Performance | Travel, start a portfolio for photojournalism
71. Zack Kampf | New York Film Academy (Los Angeles) | Film
72. Michael Karl | Belmont University | Musical Theatre
73. Jonathan Kaspar | Dallas Baptist University | Kinesthesiology | Go play basketball overseas in Europe
74. Brittani Kelley | University of Houston (Downtown) | Psychology | Becoming an artist
75. Katie Kelley | Vocal Performance or Bust | Haha…
76. Kaitlin Kennedy | Shorter University
77. Michael Kibbe | University of Washington | Engineering
78. Lauren Kramer | Maryland Institute College of Art | Illustration
79. Brian Kyles | Loyola University (New Orleans)
80. Zachery Lacy | University of Houston | Vocal Performance | Pro Cage Fighter...jk.
81. Gregory LaMontagne | Penn State University | Musical Theatre
82. Morgan Leonpacher | Herp | Derp | Moving in with a few people and working for a year
83. Taylar Lewis | Howard University | Musical Theatre
84. Julia Lin | University of Washington | Computer Science
85. Veronica Long | University of Southern California | Theatre
86. Martin Longoria | Houston Community College | Music
87. John Maaskant | Texas Tech | Business | Become a super-spy
88. Morgan MacInnes | Texas State University | Musical Theatre
89. Kambale Malemo | Columbia College | Business/Law (Music)
90. Aaron Malone | Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design | Graphic Deign
91. Mary Alice Martin | Mount Holyoke College | Critical Social Thought and Pre-Med | Become a nun
92. Katharina Matocha | Weihenstephan (Freising, Germany) | Land Management/ Brewery
93. Alyssa McIntyre | Sarah Lawrence College | Look at brains and stuff (Neuroscience) | Sell her kidney and buy a kitten to cuddle
94. Meredith McGrath | Rice University | Economics
95. Aphtan Mellado | Pacific Northwest College of Art | Undecided | Starving artist
96. Staci Merritt | Nebraska Wesleyan University | Musical Theatre | Russian Ballerina/Fortune Cookie Writer
97. Clarence Miller III | Join the U.S. Navy
98. Louis Monroe | Loyola University (New Orleans) | Music Industry Studies
99. Whitney Morrison | University of Houston | Biology (and later, optometry) | Nursing
100. Betty Marie Muessig | Texas State University | Musical Theatre!! | Nothing
101. Briana Munfus | Oklahoma Baptist University | Pre-Allies Health
102. Willie Napier | Drag University | Cosmetology | RuPaul’s Drag Race
103. Caitlin Otto | Texas A&M | Biomedical Engineering
104. John Owens | Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design | Advertising | Marry rich
105. Elizabeth Passmore | Drexel University | Construction Management | THERE IS NO ALT!!!
106. Thaddeus Patterson | Houston Community College | Mathematics | Year off with a job
107. Alex Perez | The University of Texas at Austin | Clarinet Performance and Music Education
108. Ellen Phillips | Maryland Institute College of Art | Painting and Drawing
109. Sam Phillips | University of Houston (Honors) | Undecided | Work and travel
110. Paige Pollicoff | University of Texas | Electrical Engineering
111. Allison Pylant | Stephen F. Austin State University
112. Faith Pruneda | University of Houston (Downtown) | Industrial Design (maybe)
113. Taylor Rawley | Carnegie Mellon University | Vocal Performance | Homeless in Pittsburgh
114. Leo Rayon | Undecided | Jazz performance
115. Cristina Reyes | Texas State University | Music and Audio Engineering
116. David Reeves | Trinity University | International Business and German
117. Alejandro Rivera | Kansas City Art institute | Graphic Design | Join the new wave of costumes vigilantes and fight crime under “The Fez”
118. Lilian Rodriguez | University of Houston | Biomedical Engineering | Become a street performer in Hollywood...so add me on Facebook
119. Bradford Roland | Berklee College of Music | Vocal Performance | Work at my father’s church
120. Matthew Rusk | Indiana University | Ballet
121. Avery Sanford | Loyola University (New Orleans) | Music Performance | What alternative plan?
122. Katie Sauer | Pacific Northwest College of Art | Illustration
123. Paige Seber | Webster University | Lighting Design | Be famous
124. Matthew Seferian | Loyola University (New Orleans) | Music Industry
125. Lillian Seidel | Rice University | English | Marry rich
126. Gage Self | Fordham University | Dance
127. Sasha Shahriari | Suffolk University Boston | Engineering | Psychology
128. Alex Skalany | Berklee College of Music | Performance | Superhero: Cat Man
129. Camilla Smith | University of North Texas | Fashion Design | Marine Biology
130. Wallace Stelzer | City College of New York | B.F.A. in Jazz Studies
131. Alex Stone | Lindenwood University | B.F.A. in Directing
132. Warren Sylvester | Berklee College of Music | Piano Performance
133. Xavier Tamez | San Jacinto College | Engineering
134. Leonor Tran | Houston Community College or University of Houston (Downtown)
135. Abby Veliz | University of Houston
136. Valeria Villanueva | University of Houston | Undecided | Las Vegas
137. Vanessa Villanueva | Texas Woman’s University | Nursing
138. Nicolette Villarin | Undecided | Nursing | Travel
139. Allison Villarreal | Texas A&M | Psychology | Trash Truck Driver
140. Chloe Welch | Pacific Northwest College of Art | Illustration | Get married to a superhero
141. William Wheaton | Morehouse College | Political Science with a minor in Economics
142. Sarah White | Baylor University | Psychology
143. Alauna Wilson | Loyola University (New Orleans) | Vocal Performance
144. Emma Wilson | The University of Utah | Modern Dance and English
145. Matthew Wilson | Prairie View A&M | Computer Engineering
146. Margaret Winchell | Wheaton College | Undecided | Quit school to edit paper*
147. Damone Wright | Prairie View A&M University | Engineering | Business
148. Meridith Wright | Indiana University | Music Performance | Be a bum on the streets of Houston
149. Ben Zannoni | The Juilliard School | Music Performance
Story Time
with Dr. Robbins
By Taylor Rawley
Our last story with Dr. Robbins (for
this year!) begins with Dr. Robbins taking his
senior year AP English test. As we all know,
Dr. Robbins is a genius, and apparently he
thought so his senior year as well. So Dr.
Robbins was pretty confident when he went
in to take arguably the most dreaded of AP
tests.
Dr. Robbins flew through the objective questions in no time at all; those simpleminded question writers were no match for
the superior intellect of our choir director.
Next came the daunting essay questions.
When it was time to answer the final question, Dr. Robbins decided on a novel idea.
He was so confident in his ability to write
a high quality essay, he chose to use the
first 40 or so minutes doodling in the writing
space. This, he thought, would let the grader
know that his superior intellect needed but a
fraction of the time allotted to write the per-
fect essay. So Dr. Robbins began his masterwork, a beach scene. His pencil flew as
he traced the white sand beaches and the
tropical palm trees, complete with ripe coconuts. As a finishing touch, Dr. Robbins added a sailboat in the distance, sailing across
the vast AP ocean. Dr. Robbins looked at
the clock when the final stroke of his pencil
ran across his paper. Forty minutes
left.
“More than enough time,”
he thought to himself.
Dr. Robbins then looked
at the prompt. It was a prompt so
sinister, so time-consuming, that
it sent shivers down his spine. He
quickly realized that he was no
match for these crafty AP test
makers. So Dr. Robbins
quickly turned to Plan B.
Instead of starting the
essay and not finishing it, Dr. Robbins decided instead to start several award-winning
essays, all on the same prompt, to prove to
the graders that he had the ability to write
several essays on the same prompt in a
short amount of time. Every time he would
end an introductory paragraph, he would
stop, loosely cross it out, and move on to
the next; every paragraph had a different
style, tone, and verbiage, but almost certainly WOULD have answered the prompt
brilliantly.
Time was called and Dr. Robbins
glanced at the final product: half a
dozen excellently written introductory paragraphs and a beautiful
beach scene.
Dr. Robbins scored a five on the
AP test that year.
Note: paper* does not condone
this behavior.
Hunger Games Movie Casting
By Elizabeth Passmore
Enraged: the only word that could
describe how I feel about the casting of The
Hunger Games! WANNA KNOW WHY? I’LL
TELL YOU WHY.
1. Katniss Everdeen: Jennifer Lawrence. OH
GOOD LORD IN HEAVEN! Yeah, I know this
qurl got nominated for an Academy Award.
I’m not doubting that she’s a fine actress,
BUT if she wants to successfully play Katniss she better dye her hair brown, lose 50 pounds, and get a breast reduction!
Let’s just say she should look like Nicole
Richie--a girl on the brink of starvation.
2. Gale: A young, handsome man who would
do anything for Katniss. He’s strong and has
brown hair and won’t take anything from
anybody. Liam Hemsworth--a young, scrappy lookin’ man with blond hair that costared
in a movie with Miley Cyrus! Yeah, I said it,
he’s that dude that starred in The Last Song!
Sorry, sir, but you have permanently
tainted your career!
3. Peeta: Josh Hutcherson!?!? Really!?! It should have been Hunter
Parrish! He cute, he cool, and he
was on the best show ever: Weeds!
So good freaking luck, Josh. Who
did you have to brown-nose to get
this role?
Well that’s all I’m really upset about…
BUT that’s like the main people! So it matters… right?
N.E. WAYZ, these are da castin’s I’m really
happy ‘bout:
1. Prim: Willow Shields
2. Effie: Elizabeth Banks
3. Haymitch: Woodie Harrelson
4. Caesar: Stanley Tucci--who doesn’t love
him?
To Bring Or Not To Bring?
Everything You’ll Need For Summer Fest
By Natalie Reilley
Camera: Bring a small digital camera with
an attachable wristband for easy access.
Even though small digital cameras don’t
take photos as well as your fancy, new Nikon
D3100, no one wants to try and weasel his
way through the concert crowd with a bulky
camera hanging from his neck. Always bring
a back-up memory card and extra batteries.
Rain poncho: Even if the weather report says there is no chance of rain the day
of the festival, bring a poncho just in case. A
little rain won’t ruin a concert, but a little rain
can ruin a camera and the rest of the items
in a backpack.
Sun protection: A hat, sunscreen,
and sunglasses are essential for the outside concerts. Squinting in the sun during a
whole concert isn’t fun, and no one wants to
come back from the festival with a burned
face and shoulders, giving friends an open
invitation to slap you on the back.
Water bottle: Instead of paying an outrageous amount of money for a bottle of water at the festival, bring your own bottle. Festivals vary, but many allow people to bring
their own refillable water bottles. Some festivals even have filling stations where you
Backpack: You’re going to want to carry
can refill your water bottle.
Cash: At a festival it is much
easier to handle cash than it is to
handle credit cards, but remember
to bring enough to get you through
the day. Food is quite expensive
at festivals, and bands are always
selling their overpriced merchandise.
Toilet paper: It’s never fun to
battle the long lines in front of the
port-a-potties, and it gets even
worse when you find out it’s out of
toilet paper.
around your camera, rain poncho, water
bottle, wallet, and toilet paper in some kind
of bag, and a backpack is your best choice.
Keep in mind that you will have to carry this
around with you all day, so only pack the necessities, and always leave a bit of room for
items you might want to purchase during the
festival.
Ticket: Some summer music festivals
have admission at the door, but if you paid
for your ticket online, DON’T forget to print
it out.
Check the festival website for permitted items. If it’s
not permitted
and
security
sees it, you’ll
have to throw
it away or take
it back to your
car.
Tickets to Summer Fest may
be purchased
online or at Urban Outfitters.
Kate Middleton
By Drew Jones
As I’m sure you all know, Her Royal Highness Princess William Arthur Philip
Louis, Duchess of Cambridge, Countess
of Strathearn, Baroness Carrickfergus and
His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur
Philip Louis, Duke of Cambridge, Earl of
Strathearn, Baron Carrickfergus, Royal
Knight Companion of the Most Noble, Order
of the Garter, Master of Arts were united in
holy matrimony on April 29, 2011. Millions
of people watched as celebrities and members of the Monarchy drove through the
streets of London to arrive at Westminster
Abbey. It was a riveting experience for all,
watching the high society of England (and
Victoria Beckham) gather to see these two
royal folks put a ring on it. The ceremony
was practically as traditional as it could
have been, except for His and Her Royal
Highness’ exit in a 1969 Aston Martin DB6,
which was pretty royally awesome. Everything went according to plan throughout the
day, which left everyone extremely happy,
except for the TMZ guy.
Prom
And
The
Prince William has been a part of this
family since he was born; however, Kate
Middleton is giving up a lot to join this family.
Some of these things are rather large sacrifices; others, not so much. An example of
something that will be a large change in the
Duchess of Cambridge’s life is that she will
have to give up her career; the only
work she will be able to do will be
charity work. An example of something not-so-serious that she will
have to give up is Monopoly. The
board game. The Duke of York decided in 2008 that the game can get
much too vicious. So if the Countess has a craving for a financial
board game, she will have to venture into the underground Monopoly clubs of Central London. She will
also have to give up shellfish because the Royals have a fear of being poisoned. Come on, guys. No
one poisons anyone anymore. Get
with the times, people. On the other
Kelly’s Korner
&Alan’s Alley
With Kelly Engler and Alan Gonzalez
Dear Kelly,
My best friend keeps lying--like saying she
has a laptop, or she has a job, or that she’s
a dancer and the best one at our school (and
no, she’s not a dancer at all). I’m tired of her
lying, but now some of my other friends have
started to think she’s really cool and are copying her! What should I do to make them stop? I
hate it when people lie!
-Irritated
Dear Irritated,
The next time she lies about something, ask her to
show you this new laptop or amazing dance move.
If she comes up with an excuse, CALL ‘EM OUT!
2HOT2HOLD2MUCH2HANDLE
Kelly <3
Dear Kelly,
I’m taking over Kelly’s Korner. And I’m nervous. Am I going to do
well? What is your advice? How can I stay at your standards??
Please help.
Future writer for Alan’s Alley,
-Alan Gonzalez
Half-Bald
Prince
side of this double-edged sword of sacrifices, Baroness Carrickfergus will be inheriting
more money than the wedding guests could
fit in their hats, so I’m sure that makes up
for some of it, not to mention having her one
true love and blah, blah, blah...
In any case it was a momentous occasion, and those of you
who got up at three in
the morning to watch got
to experience a piece
of British history happen live. Fortunately for
me, paper* sold enough
freezie pops to send me
back over to my homeland (first class), and I got
to be a part of the whole
thing. You would’ve seen
me on television, but unfortunately, I was standing behind Tara PalmerTomkinson’s hat.
Dear Alan,
I know it must be difficult for you to step into my shoes as the
advice columnist next year. My advice for you is to let all of your
advice come from the heart. I know it must be difficult for others
to come up with good advice because they’re not as flawless and
perfect as I am. Just be you, and remember to help the peeps.
ThUg LiFe FoReVeR lOvE fOr ThE lAsT tImE
-KeLlY EnGlEr
Dear Alan,
I’m going off to college like the good scholar I am, and I need to
know that my Korner will be left in good hands. Are you going to
do a good job, Alan?!
U bEtTa RePreSeNt!
-KeLlY EnGlEr
Dear Kelly,
Trust that I can handle it. There wasn’t a huge standard to live up
to anyway. JK. I loved every single article. I’m a huge fan. And that
is why it’s time to take this Korner to an Alley. I will answer every
question with the harsh truth while being helpful. So get ready,
PVA. Cause I’m ready to answer yo questions! Wurd!
Welcome to Alan’s Alley.
-Alan Gonzalez
paperviews*
Books
Paperview Ratings
YouTube Edition
*In case you care what we think
The Claidi Collection (Books I-III) by Tanith Lee
Reviewed by Shaun Lesniewicz
Now that the school year is over,
it is time to put away your well-worn copies of The Scarlet Letter, Hamlet, Ender’s
Game, and The Great Gatsby. It may be
too much to part with those beloved pages, but there are other books out in the
wide, wide world.
Take a journey with Claidissa Star
as she travels into the great unknown
realm of the Waste with her handsome
yet aloof escort. Her only constant com-
panion is you, her beloved journal.
Universally adaptable lessons of
love are hidden in imaginative scenarios
that cover sea and sky, mountain and
valley, river and desert. The casual writing style and rather dynamic main character keep you wanting more as the plot
continues to surprise you with every twist
and turn. Call it a fantasy bildungsroman
for girls.
Jersey Shore Goes Wilde
Marcel the Shell with
Shoes On
Very Mary Kate
News reporter has a stroke
on the air
Rebecca Black--“Friday”
Kathryn Stockett Book Signing
Reviewed by Alexz Faulkner
Showing up to Barnes and Noble an
hour early for the signing of Kathryn Stockett’s popular novel, The Help, was a rather
interesting experience. I was approximately the sixth person to arrive and
by far the youngest. As I awaited Ms.
Stockett’s appearance (and for Mary
Alice and Mrs. Cardenas to kindly show
up) I was vacuumed into a discussion
about silly books and sororities with
about a zillion middle-aged women.
The kind of crowd brought together by
The Help was not quite what I expected but perfectly fitting all the same. I
was relieved by Mary Alice’s and Mrs.
Cardenas’s arrivals so we could cut the
small talk and get down to business.
Momentarily, Kathryn arrived.
She has a tiny voice, not anything I expected from reading her novel.
Her characters are so bold and outspoken
that I suppose I expected she would reflect
Places
that. I was wrong. Kathryn herself seemed
surprised by the success of her own novel,
which was a trait I found quite endearing.
Her tiny southern drawl made the reading
she performed entrancing. You felt like you
were standing in the stuffy kitchen of a white
folk’s home right smack dab in the middle of
Mississippi, hearing the thoughts of someone you knew intimately but had never met.
It was strange how my perception of that
scene changed after she read it because
I heard it spoken as it was intended to be
heard. At the risk of sounding trite, it really did make the novel come alive. Typical questions were asked and typical answers received. Fans told cute anecdotes
about the book’s effect on their lives, and
Kathryn laughed and commented politely, clearly enamored with the reactions
engendered by something she created. It
was really cool to see.
And then she signed my Kindle. It
was awesome.
I highly recommend going to a book
signing for any book--whether you’ve
read it or not. Seeing artists and their final
piece in the flesh is an experience you won’t
soon forget. Curves
Reviewed by Mary Alice Martin
Mrs. Cardenas and I have recently
begun attending Curves workout center for
women. For those of you who haven't heard
of it, or only know it by the commercials, this
is how it works: You go in for an initial consultation where the manager (JoAnn) takes
your measurements and has a discussion
with you about your target weight. You are
then expected to come work out at least
three times a week.
A Curves workout consists of a circle
of machines and spring boards. There is a
CD (usually of bad dance music) playing,
and every thirty seconds there is a voice recorded over the music telling you to "change
stations now."
Unfortunately for the image of Curves,
there is an overweight, older-lady stigma that
is associated with the gym. I have told many
of my friends that Mrs. Cardenas and I have
started this regimen and have only been met
by laughter. I must say, Mrs. Cardenas and I
(both) are the youngest members of Curves.
We have recently become "superstars" because last week we actually made it into the
gym three times.
Now, for every week we come in three
times or more we earn a sticker (yay)! They
also have a cute little drawing each week.
There is a theme object such as a flower,
star, a pair of earrings, or Curves workout
wear. If you have it on your person when
you come in that week, you get entered into
a drawing to win a Curves t-shirt!
The newest thing at Curves right
now is Zumba classes. These are Spanish
dance-workout classes that start at six every night, and it has been stressed to us that
we will be kicked off the workout circuit once
Zumba starts. Zumba classes are only two
dollars (BEST DEAL EVER), but I can't convince Ms. Cardenas to stay for one because
she “doesn't dance."
This experience is also opening my
eyes to some facts about old age. Just as it
is difficult for young people to approximate
the age of old people, it is apparently also
difficult for old people to approximate the
age of young people.
For example, Mrs. Cardenas and I
were asked by Lucy (age 77-87?) whether
we were twins. Another lady asked whether
we were sisters "or something,” and the other day we were asked if we were teachers at
a school together. I'm eighteen, and I won't
tell you how old Mrs. Cardenas is.
I've also come to realize that older
ladies are very nice to one another. I am
always greeted with an enthusiastic "hello,
Mary!" when I walk in and a friendly "have a
great day!" when leaving. The women never
have petty, gossipy conversations, and they
revel in one another's weight loss success,
even at the smallest amounts. The best
part? After going to work out just five times,
I’m strong enough to do a side plank in yoga
(for the first time), and I’ve already lost three
pounds.
Movies
Battlefield Earth
Reviewed by Jay Reed
There is no movie quite like Battlefield Earth. No movie, no matter how bad,
has been able to take itself seriously while
incorporating as many plot holes, as many
obnoxious special effects, as many scenerychewing actors to the extent that Battlefield
Earth has.
This scum casserole of a movie was
lovingly based on a science fiction novel
pumped out of the typewriter by none other
than L. Ron Hubbard, the man who created
Scientology. John Travolta, a devout Scientologist since the 1970s, took it upon himself
to produce Hollywood’s latest blockbuster,
heralded by Travolta to be “like Pulp Fiction
for the year 3000” and “like Star Wars, only
better.”
After many studios bailed out on his
project, he finally got a deal with Franchise
Films, a new company fabricated by Elie
Samaha, the owner of a local dry cleaner
store.
The movie begins in the year 3000,
and humans have become enslaved by a
race of aliens called “Psychlos,” which resemble fat businessmen with dreadlocks.
The main Psychlo, Terl (portrayed by,
you guessed it, John Travolta), finds a human, Jonnie, who wants to lead a rebellion
against the Psychlos. Travolta… I mean…
Terl… doing what any right-minded being
would do, trains Jonnie to rebel against and
kill the Psychlos. Let me repeat that: Terl, a
Psychlo, trains Jonnie, a human, to kill all of
the Psychlos, which includes Terl. Brilliant.
As if this gripping storyline wasn’t enough,
the audience is also treated to a wide variety
of superb camera effects, such as angles,
curtain wipes… and that’s it. Every single
scene change is a curtain wipe, and every
Summer Movie Preview
single shot is at a weird angle.
The only variation is that the
angles range from 20 to almost 80 degrees.
The special effects are
reminiscent of Star Wars recreated on a
state-of-the-art Windows 98 computer that
has been enhanced by Line 6 stack amplifiers. The acting is beyond words. The only
way to even get a taste of the ham acting in
this movie is to go on YouTube and look up
the boardroom scene.
While Travolta’s egotistical spew was
both a critical and box office flop, it still provides great entertainment fodder to this day.
Just as one smells an expired foodstuff at
the urging of a friend, just as one listens to
Rebecca Black, just as one watches reruns
of the Rocky Horror episode of Glee, people will watch Battlefield Earth for years to
come.
By Emerald McLaughlin
X-Men: First Class--A good action movie, probably worth seeing in theaters.
Super 8--Very enticing trailer; looks very much like War of the Worlds meets Independence Day with a few
kids thrown into the mix.
Mr. Popper's Penguins--Doesn't look like it has any plot; seems to rely on Jim
Carrey doing his normal wacky character work; reminiscent of Ace Ventura
(one of my favorites). Great book though.
Cars 2--In my mind Pixar can do no wrong. The first Cars movie was good, so
I will give this one a chance, but the trailer doesn't get me too excited.
Bad Teacher--Cameron Diaz doing what she does best: comedy. She usually
sticks with the ditzy blonde; now she is the evil blonde. For the ladies you get
Justin Timberlake, and for the guys you get Cameron Diaz washing cars.
Larry Crowne--Hadn’t heard of this, but it looks very good. With Tom Hanks and
Julia Roberts, it’s bound to be a hit.
Transformers--After the last Transformers movie, I don't have high hopes for this one.
Looks like the whole movie is stuff crashing into other stuff, then blowing up, plus Shia
Lebeouf and that Victoria’s Secret model running away from the explosions.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2--Dressing up for the midnight IMAX 3-D
showing is a must, and then seeing it over and over and over again is a triple must.
Everyone is dying to know how Warner Brothers will wrap up the most beloved film
franchise of the 21st century.
Winnie the Pooh--So adorable it will be impossible to resist. Grab the closest small
child for a legitimate excuse to go.
Captain America: The First Avenger--The focus of the first half of the trailer is Chris
Evans' head Photoshopped onto an unnaturally scrawny body. This probably just won't
deliver as an action movie.
Friends With Benefits--Hopefully Mila Kunis's attempt at this plot line will be better than her Black Swan costar's. May be a bit cliche and
corny.
Cowboys & Aliens--Not your grandfather's action movie, but hopefully it will end with Harrison Ford riding off into the sunset.
Crazy, Stupid, Love--Chick flick guys will go for Steve Carell; girls, for Ryan Gosling.
The Help--Highly engaging trailer. Name That Book members hope it won’t be unduly cheery.
Music
Arcade Fire Concert
Reviewed by Keenan Hurley
Grammy-winning artist Arcade Fire
made a visit to the Woodlands this month,
but this was not an ordinary concert for this
Canadian indie-rock group. The Suburbs,
which won the Grammy for album of the
year, is about Butler and his brother’s experiences growing up in the very suburban
sprawl in which this concert was held--the
Woodlands.
When Arcade Fire returned to this
small, pleasant, affordable housing “paradise” that inspired an album, it made quite
a splash at the biggest award show in music. Butler, sporting his classic mullet with
shaved sides, stepped up to the mic and
said, “Hey. It’s good to be home. We’re gonna play our fuddling asterisks off.” (Well, for
paper*’s sake.) The band then burst into one
of their classics: “Ready to Start,” an appropriate choice. The band played with such life
yet such a similar sound to their recordings,
recreated beautifully by the large band and
their additional tour members.
After several songs, Butler came to
the mic and said that this especially felt like
home because he had worked as a ticket
taker in the very venue in which he was now
playing. He then broke into one of the best
performances of the night, “Haiti,” which
was wonderfully led by Butler’s wife Régine
Chassagne. She adorably pranced around
the stage hand dancing while William Butler suddenly jumped from his keyboard midsong. He clapped and danced across the
stage, sat down at the empty second drum
set beside drummer Jeremy Gara and started playing. No big deal, mid-song instrument
change. There were pauses between the
songs as the multi-instrumentalists traded
instruments and were handed accordions
and hurdy-gurdies by tech members.
After one of these changes mid-show,
Butler again stepped up to the mic and subtly
slipped in, “When I was a ticket-taker here,
this is the point of the show where I’d stop
taking tickets and just let people go in the
front.” As he began playing “Neighborhood
#3,” the faces in the crowd looked at each
other in shock before jumping over the walls
separating levels of seating and sprinting to
the pit, avoiding the security trying to control the adrenaline pumped indie-rock rave.
Within minutes there were no longer walkways in the closest sections as people gathered in. The crowd continued going wild as
Will Butler grabbed a signature single snare
drum in one hand and a mallet in the other
and began slamming the drum to the beat
of the music. He jumped up and down like
a wild man until he could no longer be contained to the stage and jumped out into the
crowd, fell, hurled the drum back on stage,
picked up the dented snare, and resumed
playing.
The band strummed the last note before walking off stage, leaving the crowd immediately cheering for an encore. Then the
band came back to deliver their most epic
performance in “Wake Up” and finished with
Chassane’s Sprawl II. They sang while twirling colorful ribbons in a rainbow of lights as
Butler thanked the audience for their support and their beautiful neighborhood.
What We’ll Miss Most About PVA
AFS Edition
Things we will miss about PVA, after our
one and only year:
Music in the hallways
Mariachi--that trumpet during third period
Ms. Ballard--Strunk & White will make its
way into New Zealand grammar, I promise.
Chilling in our groovy Library with Mrs.
Cardenas and Mrs. Stovey
Dancing in the commons
The AMAZING School Store
Dr. Allen--I swear the best principal our
school could ever wish for
Mr. Springfield--jumping into tap class and
giving sweet, encouraging notes before performances!
Vocal--and vocal friends
The ENTIRE theatre department (particularly Levels 2 and 3)
Ms. Jennings’s hugs
Jazz Combo 2
Mr. Trout constantly reminding the dancers
they cannot eat upstairs…
Manuela’s group of dancers--loved baking
for you guys!
CRAZY PVA
Piano lessons
The fact that everybody gets along well with
one another
The lovely people
The other exchange students
The size of PVA and managing to say hello
to at least half the school in only one day!
paper*
without the occasion of a costume party
That Texas pride we have become so fond
of
Swirl
The mentality that bigger is always better :D
with and spend time with you. I’m very sad
to leave here. I do wanna meet you again.
=)
Japan
[email protected]
Things we will miss about the USA:
Football
Bacon for Breakfast (mainly for the Italians)
Reese’s--how we have survived without
them we have NO idea!
American diners
Freeways--except for Arne who is going
back to the Autobahnen
Seeing legit movie stars in person
Vilde Bolstad Bakken:
People:
Our host families
Our friends--you are all forever welcome at
our homes abroad!
Our classmates for your patience, kindness,
and encouragement
Our fabulous teachers who tolerated our jet
lag
If you are ever in one of our neighborhoods,
come and visit …
Haruka Koizumi:
I’m definitely gonna
miss my friends. I was lucky to meet you all,
and it was always really nice to just hang out
Things we’ll miss about Texas:
GOOD Mexican food
Spanish
Country music and line dancing everywhere
Baseball games where we sing
“Deep In The Heart of Texas”
The weather for those of us who
get rain A LOT in our home countries
Whataburger and their HBCBs
Good restaurants and good service
Mardi Gras in Galveston
Coming from hot outdoors into cool
indoors
The excuse to wear cowboy boots
What I
Miss Most
About PVA
By Terrance Turner
Being confused by Mr. Sanders with Phillip
Young.
The speech classes during senior year that
turned into study labs most of the time.
Getting to recite poems during said class.
Lunch with the always-entertaining jazz kids.
The laughter-inducing desserts that some students sold during lunch.
Playing trombone in band.
Spending half of jazz class waiting for rhythm section players to show up.
The often unusual smell of the jazz room.
Getting to skip class in order to watch previews of dance/theatre productions.
Being kicked out of the library at 3:45 by Ms. Cardenas at least once a
week because she had to pick up her children.
The joy of finding an empty practice room after school.
The unbelievably long lines of people at the school store who would rather
buy Ramen noodles than actual food.
Getting to watch combo practice during third period--and always being
blown away.
Being called disgusting.
Being around people who were not only good (often great) students but
also gifted and unique human beings.
I am going
to miss people who ask where in Sweden
I’m from, random conversations in practice
rooms, Dr. Robbins’s stories, secret handshakes, teriyaki beef, bringing my snuggie everywhere I go, listening to amazingly
talented singers and how there’s always
something awesome to go see, concerts,
exhibits, and plays. But most of all, I’m going
to miss all the gorgeous, hilarious people I
am proud to call my friends.
Norway
[email protected]
Arne Imig: I’ll miss playing jazz here… it
has been great fun!
Berlin, Germany
[email protected]
Manuela Bianco:
I’ll miss everything
about America. I’ll leave a little piece of my
heart here!
Via G. Pisanelli n’80,
73025, Martano (LE)
Italy
[email protected]
Anneke Brouwers:
I’ll miss
HSPVA as a whole. This school will
forever be my favorite thing about
my exchange. I have learned so
many valuable skills and formed
so many special friendships that
I know will last a lifetime. You
are all such beautiful people,
and we thank you for giving us
the best exchange we could
have hoped for. Continue to
be fabulous, PVA! WE LOVE
YOU!
New Plymouth, Taranaki
North Island - New Zealand
[email protected]
Random
Facebook
Statuses
Compiled by Corwin Stoddard
Renato Josue Flores: That awkward moment when
you are at a dance concert and all you can
think is I AM THE SWAN QUEEN!
Irene Simmon: My mom saw both Arcade Fire and the
Strokes in one weekend while rocking
her beige TOMS... what a hipster.
Andrea Popova: Whoever said “the freaks come out at
night” has obviously never been to
Montrose during the day.
Malcolm Mateo Porto Mpinduzi-Mott: You know
you’re in Ballard when you start using sentence
patterns in text messages.
Kirk Murrell: Singing while doing dips in
Madrigals. You jelly
Capra Fellows: It’s been hitting me at the most random
moments that we’re graduating in less than a month.
I was signing the Black Box wall during rehearsal like
I’ve done a million times over the past 4 years,
and I got choked up. Imma really miss pva.
Jay Reed: ‎”We’ve had a request to make the mood
more romantic.” - Olen Rambow
How Do You Solve A
Problem Like Maria?
Maria Stovey. The library clerk. The lady. The legend.
By Drew Jones
Of course, we
all know of this enchanting
woman
who dwells primarily in the library, but
what is this perplexing enigma really all
about?
It struck me-and when I say that
“it struck me,” I mean
a pencil flew through the air and hit me in the
back of the head--on April 7 as I sat in the
library in my ninth period study hall.
The blunt object made contact with
my head, and I proceeded to turn
around slowly to search for my assailant, only to be met by the glamorous, glittering, glaring cat eyes of
Ms. Stovey. I gazed longingly into
her fierce, piercing glower, searching for an answer to the question
that plagued my mind: “Why did
you just throw that pencil at me?”
But I found nothing. It was at this
very moment that I realized that
there was no reason. She needed
no reason. She is Maria Stovey.
I first encountered her when I arrived
at this school and ventured into the library
Can We Be
to collect my textbooks; I picked up my
books and went to check them out, only to
be greeted with a blunt “What you want?”
Of course, this being my first encounter with
Ms. Stovey, I took her words very seriously.
I felt like I had done something wrong which
had provoked her; however, I soon discovered
that she meant no harm.
Ms. Stovey just enjoys
watching people being
taken aback after she
playfully harasses them.
Like I said--harmless.
Once you get to know
Ms. Stovey, you will find
out that she is the kindest, sweetest, most
generous person you will ever come across.
If you need food, if you need a button sewn
back on to your shirt, if you’ve been locked
out of your locker and need someone to rip
the lock off with their bare hands, then she
is one to go to.
So the lesson to be
learned here is that after
high school, you will be
thrust into the real world.
People may not always be
nice; people may not always act the way you want
them to, but you have to
just let yourself know that
“That’s Life,” as the great
Frank Sinatra once said.
Ms. Stovey is preparing
you for life. So if you feel
like she’s acting hostile
towards you and it upsets you… GET OVER
IT. She’s all bark, no bite.
That, my friends, is
how you solve a problem
like Maria.
Facebook Friends
Now?
With Mr. and
Interview by Emerald McLaughlin
Emerald McLaughlin: When did you start teaching at HSPVA?
Mrs: Fall of '91
Mr: 1987
EM: Why do you choose to retire this year?
Mrs: I don't have the energy I used to have, so I feel like it is time
for a younger person to come in here. Also, my husband is retiring
and I am retiring with him, and we have been very lucky in that we
can retire.
Mr: Twenty-five years is long enough I think, and I've completed a
good arc, I think, and I'm ready to move on, and they're ready to
move on, too.
EM: What are you looking forward to in retirement? Do you have
any special plans?
Mrs: Rix and I teach a film workshop. He teaches the technical film
part, and I teach the acting, and we are hoping to open that up. I'm
going to be working at Prairie View A&M with that. He has a couple
businesses that he will be selling pieces, and I will help him with the
business end of that. I have written a children's book, and they are
illustrating that. And we’re going to travel as much as we can afford.
Mr: Lots. Travel for one, but mostly working in the studio and having time that's not structured in the nine-to-five.
EM: What will you miss most about HSPVA?
Mrs: Children. Watching children grow and develop.
Mr: Students.
EM: What will you miss least about HSPVA?
Mrs: Paperwork, testing, the hours, the way HISD is heading us in regards to that everything is so regimented. The
inability that such a large district has to treat teachers and
students as individuals. That we are missing out on the quality of education possible with a better teacher-student ratio. The lack of respect for the teacher as an artist.
Mr: Politics.
EM: What is one thing you feel you can take away
from your experience as a teacher at HSPVA?
Mrs: I know that I have contributed to the world.
Mr: Seeing all the different forms of creativity. The quality, the energy, getting to see
a lot of people working in lots of different
ways together.
Mrs. Jennings
EM: Whom influenced you the most in your years here?
Mrs: The children.
Mr: The students.
EM: How do you feel you have changed HSPVA since you have
been here? What is your legacy?
Mrs: In the Theatre Department, that the whole child is more important than the craft, that everybody gets the opportunity to be onstage and to learn in his own way, and that as much as time allows
us to give the kids time and space to grow into who he is. Let them
draw from the source of their spirits and be who they really are. And
giving them emotional intelligence, personal boundaries, the ability
to know what their limits are, to know where I end and someone
else begins, and personal safety.
Mr: Working in lots of different areas. I had a big impact on photography here and the digital lab was my creation. I think my biggest
role here though in was in teaching drawing, a traditional, real solid,
fundamental approach to drawing that sets a really good foundation.
EM: Is there something you would like to say to the students before
you leave?
Mrs: HSPVA is unique in all the world, but it's sad that we have
to depend on such a large district. As you guys graduate,
you have to continue to give back. You need to volunteer if
you’re in town, and if you have the funds to donate, do.
The situation with the budget has caused the teacher-student ratio to get out of hand. It is going to
be important to come back and give back to the
school.
Mr: They need to realize how much power
they have and the impact they have; they
need to be aware of this. Sometimes
students feel powerless, at least at
the beginning, and maybe not until
they are seniors they realize the
control they have over the system. It would be good for everybody if they realized this.
H0r0$K0p3$
By PnG
Libra: DOUBLE THE ONE, DOUBLE THE FUN, WE DID WORK, WE GOT SUM! C/0 ‘11!!!!
Leo: yhu shuld continyhu 2 read paper* nxt year, even though the horoscopes will be grossly inadequate, because dem trifflin fools don
even no how to read the MOON and tha STARS like ~*~PnG~*~ do!!!!
Aquarius: yhu shud rly read tha reviews dis monf. whu knus? may-b u’ll c sum10 u lyke?
Pisces: it is rly tyme 2 clean out ur loker
Taurus: NERD!
Virgo: if yhu think yhu b-ing qutte by wearin dem b00ty shahts 2 skool - yhu ain`t. it is 2 cold in dis
buildin to be wearin no clothes
Cancer: stop riding the drama llama bc you wil fall off an die. TRUF
Capricorn: don’ go to botswana u won b safe
Aries: educate b4 u l3g!sl@Te
Sagittarius: go on gurl and werq dat new swimsuit!! yhu earned da rrriiight 2 wear dat SO YHU
BETTA WHEAR DAT
Gemini: qurl yhu betta study 4 ur finals! o nvm u gon fail anywayz
Scorpio: BUH_BYE DIS IS IT
Year In Review
By Amelia Bell
Across
3. _____ _____ Walking (two words)
6. The last name of the YoungArts finalist from the Theatre Department
7. _____ Joe’s Cafe
10. The second paper*-sponsored themed dance was the “Let’s
_____ _____ ” Dance. (two words)
12. The first name of the YoungArts finalist from the Art Department who is not on the paper* staff
13. What did the underclassmen get as a reward for doing well
on their TAKS tests?
14. The first name of the YoungArts finalist from the Art Department who IS on the paper* staff
Down
1. What month came directly before the month of Spaghetti Supper?
2. What is the website that we use to fulfill our P.E. credit?
3. What kind of animal made a special appearance in the Spring
Dance Concert?
5. HSPVA is thirty-_____ years old.
8. A _____ Night Music
9. What rapper did we spend hours voting against St. Agnes to
have perform at HSPVA? (two words... even though we lost :[ )
11. What grocery stores chain nominated Dr. Allen for an award?
paper
Staff
Editors-in-Chief: Margaret Winchell/Laura Lisk
Art Directors/Formatters: Ava Barrett/Emily Fens/Cara Butler/Carlos Womack
Managing Editors: Ian Hill/Cece White
Marketing Editor: Emerald McLaughlin
Junior Editors: Ira Schlosberg, Pauline Berens, Jay Reed, Spencer Shen
Standardized Testing Proctor: Amelia Bell
Photoshop: Allen Robbins, Julia Lin
Senior Staff Writers: Elizabeth Passmore, Sarah Griffith, Alyssa McIntyre, Gregory LaMontagne,
Alexz Faulkner, Mary Alice Martin, Kelly Engler, Taylar Lewis, Karina Farek, Taylor Rawley
Contributing Writers: Shaun Lesniewicz, Natalie Reilley, Drew Jones, Anneke Brouwers, Alan
Gonzalez, Keenan Hurley, Corwin Stoddard