VJ Day Success - Stivers School for the Arts

Issue 1
September 7th, 2010
The Tiger Times
S
T
I
SPECIAL
MIDDLE
SCHOOLER
EDITION:
17 ways to gain
upperclassman respect
Who among us intimidates you?
Learn why not to
fear.
What famous
model is a Stivers
grad?
V
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F
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V - J D ay S u c c e s s
Chrystyan Marlow
It is hard to believe the men
and women who helped
save the world were nervous
to sit in front of an auditorium full of people. Lucky for
them, Ms. Federspiel was
pretty
much
Wonder
Woman and was everywhere at once. From arranging the event to personally
Thurgood Marshall Color Guard
which brought WWII to a
close. On this, the 65th celebration, there was not an
ounce of disrespect shown
during the assembly; once
again, Stivers can say with
full conviction that we're
worth every bit of the praise
we receive. The most amazing part of the ceremony in
presents colors
Read veteran Robet
Goodwin’s poetry
T I G E R T I M E S
S T A F F :
Taylor Kingston
Chrystyan Marlow
L
Veterans being escorted to
Centennial Hall
ensuring every veteran was
comfortable, Ms. Federspiel
brought the smooth-sailing
event together.
VJ Day is a day Americans
have set aside to celebrate
the victory over Japan
In good form, an honored veteran salutes
Nicole McLaughlin
Natasha Ivery
Jackson Sibbing
Sara Valiquette
Ciera Coleman
AnDraeh Heard
Noah LaChance
Letter
Taylor Kingston
If you have ever been a character in an epic fantasy,
awoke to the gentle nibble
of a wallaby, or found yourself wandering through pale
green high school hallways
in the middle of your sum-
from
the editor
mer, then you have experienced what it is not to believe that you aren’t dreaming. Alas, my friends, we
must come to face it. Schedules have been straightened
out, lunch buddies have
been claimed and our lockers are well on their way to
being trashed. And so, for
me, the nightly ritual begins
at the moment I lay my head
down to do the mental tally:
homework, check; other
homework, check; back-up
other homework; check. I
calculate the meager number of remaining hours be-
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T h e
T i g e r
T i m e s
V J D ay S u c c e s s
my opinion would be when the
Thurgood Marshall Color Guard
made its entrance. I think it came
as an extremely striking spectacle
when the veterans stood up and
saluted the Color Guard with everyone else following their lead
with applause. Thurgood Marshall
definitely defied expectations with
their crisp and precise presentation of the colors.
Of the two videos shown, one in
particular hit home to everyone.
The World War II Tribute captivated every member of the audience and created an unmistakable
swelling of pride and patriotism.
As for the veterans, some turned
to their neighbors and nodded;
Shelbi August and the Stivers Jazz Band
perform “I’ve Got you Under My Skin”
others bowed their heads in tearful silence.
As a guest speaker, Shirley Campbell was a representative from
Honor Flight who shared what
Honor Flight’s mission is. Honor
Flight is a non-profit organization
L e t t e r
-fore the alarm will go off, hoping that
someone will save me from myself
and pry me out of bed. If it’s a good
night I will sleep, yet there are times
when each tick of the cursed clock
begins to represent things left undone, decisions not made, a future
too uncertain.
It is on such nights that I am inclined
to recall with sweet reverie those
dreamy summer mornings of not so
very long ago when I would rouse at a
F r o m
t h e
that works to fly World War II veterans
to see their memorials in Washington
D.C. To this day, Honor Flight has flown
over 37,996 veterans at no cost to
them- a small feat considering we lose
approximately 1,000 WWII vets a day.
Every one of the 26 men and women
were individually recognized for their
heroic contributions to the war, followed by thundering applause at every
pause. The Stivers Jazz Band then followed up with “I’ve Got You Under My
Skin,” with the famed Shelbi August on
vocals. The closing remarks were made
by Taylor Kingston, who read a poem
written by recognized veteran, Robert
Goodwin, who just so happens to be a
Stivers alumnus.
E d i t o r
time of my choosing. With sun shining
and birds chirping, I preferred to leave
the morning undisturbed by remaining
in my bed. With the remote control at
the ready, I would turn on the television
and then surf the channels until finding
that one program that could always
satisfy my mood…Walker Texas Ranger.
Yes, I admit it. Cordell Walker is my
hero and not just because he gets to
wear that really cool coat or because he
I s s u e
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Robert Goodwin’s Poetry
A Tanker’s Hit
Sailor’s Last Port
There is a place far over the sea
Uncharted and unknown;
But soon or late, it’s bound to be
Every sailor’s home.
Have you ever seen a tanker hit?
It’s not a pleasant sight;
The ship from stem to stern is lit
With fires that burn so bright.
Smoke pours from her into the blue
And forms a mighty cloud,
Then turns into a ghastly hue—
Some day the pilot will board his ship
And see him safely through;
Master of Ceremonies, Taylor
It will indeed be a wonderful trip
Kingston, reads “A Tanker’s Hit.”
And he’ll have a gallant crew.
A ship that was so proud.
Then men on ships about do stand
And sadly watch her burn
There is no way to lend a hand,
Just watch, and wait your turn.
So down into a watery grave
She takes her gallant crew;
And all of those who had been brave,
A trip to heaven drew.
L e t t e r
F r o m
walks around with a rifle and can still
enter any public building that he
pleases. I suppose I appreciate that
“champion of the underdog” and
“fine, upstanding citizenry” persona
as well, but the real reason that I
love Walker Texas Ranger is that the
guy landed a great job, even though
I’m pretty sure he doesn’t have a
college education.
Fact…
Robert Goodwin,
Stivers Alumnus,
has saved issues
of the Tiger
Times from the
1940’s
t h e
He’ll go ashore in this new port
And be surprised to find
Pleasures for him of every sort,
And the people to him will be kind.
There’ll be things for which he’s always
schemed,
And beautiful girls to count;
He’ll know contentment far more than
he dreamed
When he docks at the sailor’s last port.
E d i t o r
His English is good enough though his vocabulary is fairly limited. He never employs
scientific logic when chasing down the bad
guys nor have I ever witnessed him need to
figure the square root of something before
he could move on. As I think of it, Walker’s
only knowledge of history involves an occasional flashback to his youth when he was
raised by Native Americans. The character,
played by the great Chuck Norris, answers to no man- but most importantly, Walker Texas Ranger has no
particular schedule and, therefore,
lives completely free of the need of an
alarm clock. And so, I’m asking myself, “Where does a person sign up?”
You’ll know when I know.
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T h e
Get
to know
My name is Chrystyan Marlow, and
I’m proud to say that this is my sixth
year at Stivers. This is my first year in
journalism, but my interest began in
7th grade. Back then, the Tiger Times
was my never-ending search. I knew
it existed and I knew I wanted to get
my hands on it, but I didn’t know
where to get it. It practically drove
me insane; no one seemed capable
My name is Nicole McLaughlin,
and I am a senior at Stivers High
School. My magnet is band. I like
to have fun and be enjoyed by
my friends. I like to be with my
sister, Angie, when she’s not busy
with anything or anybody else. I
also like to have fun with my family. When we have the chance to
T i m e s
us
Hey, this is Taylor.
Taylor Kingston
Senior
T i g e r
It is, but actually it’s kinda not. As I
consider all the times I have set
down to write a snapshot description of myself over the past six
years at Stivers I am overcome
with the strangest sense that all of
a sudden I, chicken, have become
tuna- that I, paper, have become
plastic- and that I, yin, have become yang. Though I fear that I
tread dangerously in the zone of a
Britney hit with a “not a girl, not
yet a woman” refrain, I feel it is
necessary to chance because I refuse to tell you simply that I’m a
Creative Writer, that I catch for
Chrystyan Marlow
Senior
the softball team and that I may be
most-easily identified by a pair of elfears sticking through red hair. These
are the constants. Here is the news…
As a middle schooler, I was so afraid
of social interaction that I wouldn’t
even join the chess club- now I’m
class prez. I fretted that my writing
skills would expose me as a charlatan
artist and that I’d be tossed from
Stivers altogether- now I’m editor of
the Tiger Times. And now I’m propositioning to make you a deal- mark all
of my mistakes in red, but don’t be
too quick to mark yourselves up
since you will not even be you in six
years’ time.
of giving me any useful information on where to find it. Finally, I
came across an issue lying around
the Creative Writing room, and
my curiosity was fulfilled. I knew
then I someday wanted to be a
part of the creation and distribution of the paper, if only for the
sake of the greater good.
do something together, we go
to the movies or go out to dinner. If I don’t have anything to
do, I try and call one or two of
my friends to see if they would
like to hang out and go somewhere.
Nicole McLaughlin
Senior
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T i g e r
What's up? So the name is Natasha Ivery (most people call me
Mama T), and if you don't know
me by now, you better ask somebody! Seriously, this is my third
year on the Tiger Times staff, and i
am a newly-minted junior. I LOVE
journalism and Creative Writing;
they are my life. AP English with
Murdock goes hard, also because
i'm a self-proclaimed nerd. When i
was in middle school, i had a slight
T i m e s
S ta f f
T i g e r
T i m e s
B i o s
panic- attack when i walked
through the hallways, because i
believed all of the bad myths
about high school kids. Slowly, the
upperclassmen stopped looking
like vicious Amazon hunters and
more like normal people. If you're
a middle-schooler, don't be afraid.
We don't bite. So let's make this
year rock everyone's socks.
Natasha
Ivery
Natasha Ivery
Junior
Junior
Hi tigers!
When I was in the 7th grade, I
would have to say I was a lot like
the majority of the 7th graders
we have now: unorganized, anxious to fit in with the highschoolers, and striving to get attention.
My name is AnDraeh Heard, and I
am new to the Tiger Times. I am
16 years old and I am a junior“whoop, whoop c/o '12!” In my
spare time, I like to write, hang
with friends, and just chill.
Andraeh Heard
Junior
Jackson Sibbing
Junior
Hello, my name is Jackson Sibbing. I
am a junior at Stivers High School, and
this is my second year in journalism.
While I have been at Stivers, I have
had many experiences- some good,
some bad, but I have always been
relatively happy with my time here. I
have been in the Creative Writing
program for five years, and it is currently my first year in the Theatre
magnet. Outside of my responsibilities
at school, I enjoy playing video games,
hanging out with friends and sleeping;
these are my three favorite activities.
I don’t know what I plan to do with
my life after high school, but until I do
know I plan on doing everything I can
to the fullest of my ability to leave all
my doors open. Oh, and if you see me
after school or in the hallways, come
talk to me. I love making new friends.
My advice to the middle school students here is to always be yourself and
don’t conform to anything that the
other students here tell you to do.
People will respect and like you more
if you have individuality and aren’t just
a puppet of another student you look
up to. Getting good grades is not
“lame” or “nerdy”; it means that
you’re smart. And I don’t know about
your peer group, but I personally
would prefer a genius to an idiot any
day of the week.
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Hey! My name is Sara Valiquette. I
am from the class of 2012 and have
been here since my seventh grade
year. My magnet is theatre, but I also
enjoy writing, music, watching movies, running and swimming. I plan on
being a bilingual doctor after high
school and after many other years of
schooling. I am usually quiet at
school, but I am really a crazy, hyper
person filled with epic ideas once
you get to know me. My memories
of middle school include irrational
Ciera Coleman
Junior
Hello Stivers! My name is Noah LaChance and I am currently a freshman
in the Creative Writing department.
This is my first year writing for the
Tiger Times, and I am looking forward
to it. I have been attending Stivers
since the seventh grade and love it.
Playing on the Junior Varsity soccer
team, this is now the twelfth year I
have played soccer. I have two older
brothers, Evan and Nathan, who attend Stivers along with our little sister
T i m e s
S ta f f
Sara Valiquette
Junior
Almost 17 years ago, a
poet was born. They
would call her Ciera Coleman (Cee Ra for short). In
grade 8 she would begin
attending Stivers, frightened and intimidated by
the high school busybodies with no time for
n o n s e n s e .
Noah LaChance
Freshman
T i g e r
T i m e s
B i o s
fears of being kidnapped at my bus
stop, my first part in the Middle
School Showcase in theatre, and the
overall nervous and anxious feeling
I had every time I stepped in the
doors. What I remember most was
that my sister was a senior at
Stivers while I was a seventh grader
and she'd unlock my locker and put
the lock on backwards so I'd have to
get down on the floor and look up
to see the numbers...ahh good
memories!
The next year she’d become a
vegetarian and play the best
sport known to man: soccer.
She would enjoy parties and
books. She would become
mildly obsessed with Kid Cudi
and The Hush Sound. Then, her
glorious junior year she’d pursue journalism. Thus, a legend
was born. Also, I LOVE tacos.
in the seventh grade. Throughout my
years at Stivers, my favorite teacher
has been Mr. Risner. He was a great
teacher, and he is the reason why
history is my favorite subject. At the
District National History Day competition last year, I placed first and
qualified for a spot in the state competition. Out of school, I enjoy hanging out with friends and playing
sports in the neighborhood.
Go Tigers!
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H o w t o M a k e
A c k n o w l e d g e
O r M a y b e
T i g e r
T i m e s
U p p e r c l a s s m e n
y o u r H u m a n i t y …
J u s t S a y H i
1. Don’t stampede us! Use all available doorways to avoid unnecessary traffic jams.
2. Be nice to our teachers...we love them.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help– older kids love to feel like they can come to your
rescue.
4. Clean up after yourselves at breakfast so we don’t associate you with left-over
table trash.
5. Do not try to date high schoolers. It may
seem cool, but it just makes us worry
about you.
6. Act your age– not your shoe size.
7. Just be nice. “Faggot” and “retard” are
words that sometimes slip out when we
don’t mean it, but they really are offensive.
8. Smile– what’s the worst that could happen?
Upperclassmen, Bob and Marilyn, smile
and look altogether unintimidating.
9. Recycle. Stivers is so very environmentally conscious
10. Show Tiger pride! Become part of the family.
11. Above all else, don’t feel insignificant when we don’t notice you. High school is
fast-paced, and everyone in the hall is probably on his or her own mini-mission.
Eleven tips for middle schoolers to get the respect
of the class of 2011…
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T i m e s
Middle School Mania
There are those kids at every school who unnerve you when you walk past. Maybe they’re
uber-edgy, super-tall or just kinda colorful, but for whatever reason they catch our interest. To middle schoolers, such individualistic people can be intimidating. But what you
always must remember is that they live silly, goofy lives just like the rest, and some of
them were even little kids once themselves...
Jake Jarrell…
Jock to Hard Rock
(Played soccer as a whippersnapper)
Skyler Carman…
Contemplation to Aggravation
Julian Lieu...
Is a closet poet
Zuri Ali…
Munchkin to Mohawk
I s s u e
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Middle School Mania
Anne O’Hair…
Sleeps entangled around a body pillow
Ben Gottschlich…
Cosby Sweeter Cute to Calm, Cool &
Collected
Alex Simpkins...
Precious to Pretty Darn Tall
(She’s 6 foot)
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S t i v e r s
T h e
t h r o u g h t h e E y e s
Yo u n g . . .
T i g e r
o f
T i m e s
O u r
Kenia Lander
th
In the 8 grade, Kenia is an up and coming Visual Arts student.
Friends describe her as adventurous, sweet, and as the kind of
person that everybody loves. When asked what the most important thing in her life is at the present, she didn’t hesitate
before responding, “My mommy.” The lunch table giggled, but
she stood by her guns. Kenia says that what she will miss the
most when she moves from middle school into high school is
the coziness of the fourth floor. She isn’t sure about walking
among the really tall upperclassmen but is excited nonetheless.
Erin August
A very talented young lady, Erin
is a violinist for the Stivers orchestra. Though she is only in
the eighth grade, she knows
quite a few high schoolers
through her big sis, Shelbi.
When asked what older students scared her, an ornery
smile spread across her face.
“Shelbi,” she said. “Yeah, put
that down. Put that down,” she
insisted. Though Erin- who
classmates call Barbie after her
blonde hair and cheery disposition- seems a confident girl, she
says that Stivers is intimidating
because you always feel like
someone might be better than
you. But she looks forward to
the years ahead and to the
freedom that comes with each
graduated grade.
Justin Dawson
Though he is only twelve years old and in the eighth grade,
Justin doesn’t shy away from the prospect of being interviewed for the school paper. A member of the Orchestra
magnet, he plays the violin but is also an athlete we can look
forward to having on our Stivers high school teams. In fact,
what he looks forward to most about leaving middle school
is not having to ride the school bus and being allowed to ride
his bike here instead. When asked what intimidates him
about Stivers, his bright blue eyes look around the cafeteria.
“I don’t know,” he says. “The guys with long hair, I guess.”
Solemnly, the table agrees.
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T h e
T i g e r
T i m e s
T h e “ F M L , I O v e r s l e p t B e c a u s e I w a s
o n F a c e B o o k L a s t N i g h t ” C h r o n i c l e s
Natasha Ivery
It’s the second week of school.
You wake up Monday morning;
roll over to press the snooze
button on your alarm clock for
the 15th time, when a mini
panic attack starts to induce:
YOU OVERSLEPT, SO YOU
MISSED FIRST PERIOD. You
quickly scramble out of bed,
muttering a few choice fbombs and assorted swear
words while you pull on your
jeans, Converse, and a cardigan. You grab your (now late)
homework, scarf down a PopTart, and toss the lunch money
Mom left on the counter into
your backpack. Luckily, your
older brother decides to be
nice this morning and give you
a ride, so you think of a good
excuse to tell your teacher on
the ride to school. Sound familiar? According to the U.S Census Bureau, 10 million high
schoolers this fall will be going
through the same episode.
Dayton Public Schools started
August 23rd. Stivers hallways
were lit up with bright backpacks, girls in scantily clad
clothing (I’ll discuss this later)
and lots of chatter. I’m pretty
sure that it’s safe to say most
of us are still stuck in summer
mode. I love summer as much
as the next person, but fall is
slowly approaching. Especially
to my SENIORS!!!! While I am
extremely proud of you guys,
do me a favor and set a good
example for us juniors: DO NOT
get Senioritis! I’m already seeing it slowly creep in, and that’s
not good at all. Please, go to
class. This is not the year to go
to the bathroom during Spangler
or Murdock and take pictures on
your smartphone and post them
on FaceBook. (This applies to my
sophomores, too. Plus, posing in
=
the bathroom screams tacky.) You
have an exciting year ahead of
you, but if you haven’t realized it,
you guys are also becoming adults.
Step up your game, guys. For everyone else, here are some tips to
make the back to school transition
a tad easier:
Pack your backpack the night before. You’ll save yourself time and
a headache in the morning.
Eat a good breakfast. The
American School Nutrition
Association points out that
breakfast is the most important meal of the day, because
it gives our teenage bodies
the nutrients we need. So if
you grab a Pop-Tart, get a
whole grain one. Toast with
peanut butter is always a win-
ner. Kashi cereal with fruit and
milk rocks my socks, too. Studies show that teens that eat
breakfast get better grades, so
take time to eat.
Pick your outfit out at night. If
you can’t do that, try to wake
up a few minutes earlier to
decide what you’re going to
wear. Dress according to the
weather so you won’t get sick
and fail Spangler. As far as my
under (and upper) classmen
ladies go, PUT ON SOME
CLOTHES. We all know that
your milkshake brings all the
boys to the yard, and that the
Stivers guys certainly aren’t
ready for your jelly, but leave
a little to the imagination.
We’re all beautiful, so there’s
no need for us to put our body
parts on display.
If you’re sitting in AP Lang and
the look on your face is saying
that you want to slice your
wrists because you are beyond confused, say so! Don’t
wait until it’s too late. Talk to
your teacher after school. It
seems like common sense, but
you don’t understand how
many kids could avoid Credit
Recovery and summer school
if they took that advice.
I hope these tips helped.
Let’s have an amazing school
year, and remember: “You
can get all A’s and still flunk
life.”-Walter
Percy
Oh, and P.S-get on FaceBook AFTER your homework is done, or
you’ll be staring at a halfcompleted essay at twelve AM,
saying “FML!!”
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Tocarra Jones:
Fa m o u s A l u m n u s
Noah LaChance
If you attended Stivers in the
late 1990’s or are a fan of America’s Next Top Model, then you
might recognize the name Toccara Jones. I am a ninth-grade
ginger who would rather watch
ESPN and I did not know who
Toccara was until the first week
of school when I heard her name
mentioned when she visited the
school. I wanted to find out
what the entire buzz was about,
so I did a little research.
Toccara Jones is one of many
Stivers success stories. She was
born March 13, 1981 in Dayton,
Ohio. She attended Stivers
School for the Arts and went on
to become a plus-sized fashion
model and TV personality, making her known worldwide. She
appeared in the hit modeling
show, America’s Next Top
model, she worked for Ashley Stewart, New York and
Company, Target, Essence
magazine, Vibe magazine,
and Smooth magazine.
Model, in 2003 where she
finished in seventh place.
Toccara then went on to
appear on Celebrity Fit Club.
She signed a modeling contract Wilhelmina Model
where her career truly began. Since, she has posed for
quite a few magazines: Be,
The Next Level Magazine,
Black Men Magazine, Black
Hair Magazine, Braids Magazine and King Magazine. As a
She also participated in
many fashion shows including: Hot 97’s Third Annual
Full Frontal Hip Hop Fashion
Show; Luxe and Romance
Fall 2005; BET Presents: Rip
the Runway 2; and Ellegirl
presents Dare to be You:
Wal- Mart Meets America’s
Next Top Models 2005. She
has won “Covergirl of the
Week” five times. She has
appeared on the Tyra Banks
Show and hosted “America’s
Next Thick and Sexy Model”
on the show. The results of
being a fashion model and a
TV personality have made
Toccara known worldwide.
Stivers Sports Scene
Tiger Nation, here’s Ciera and Andraeh with your Stivers sports. The girls’ soccer team
won their match against Dayton Christian, as did the boys. Nathan LaChance scored a
sweet goal in the top left corner, and captain, Chris Todd, also scored one for the tigers. The girls’ volleyball team (to no surprise) defeated Belmont with incredible plays
from juniors, Kaitlyn Danner and Angela Hall. Catch us next issue for more sports!
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Unwrapping the Dream
Natasha Ivery
Imagine you stepped into a
world of magic where pink
sugared cotton candy was
spun, lollipops were in abundance, and everyone was
happy. Imagine a world
where bright fashion pieces
were the star of the show
and the runway sparkled
with a candy-coated sheen.
Now open your eyes. This is
the exact image that was
shown at the „A Touch of
Jazz Productions Presents‟:
Unwrapping the Dream
Fashion Show at the Masonic
Temple on August 29th,
2010. The powerhouse
young woman behind this
show was Jasmine J. Taylor.
Jasmine is a 2006 grad of
Stivers. She graduated from
the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in
Los Angeles, California. Jasmine earned two Associate
of Art degrees in Fashion
Design and Advanced Footwear Design. In ‟09, she was
the 1st place winner of the
World Shoe Association
(WSA) Shoe Show Footwear
Design contest in Las Vegas,
Nevada. She has sold her
shoe design to the fabulous
shoe designer Donald J.
Pliner and Montaege, a plussize footwear company that
makes sizes 9-13. The fashion
show was a fundraiser to help
assist with the costs of tuition
so Jasmine can attend the prestigious Polimoda Design Academy in Italy. The show also
spotlighted two up-and-coming
designers, Jamila Jones and
Jamae Abney. Jamae is a 2007
grad of Stivers while Jamila is
graduating with the amazing
upcoming senior 2011 class.
The show started off with a
bang, with the “Divas with Attitude” (consisting of Stivers
dancers Crysten Moore, Lauren
Holland, Tobi Ewing, Jacqueline
Brito, and Brianna Johnson)
dancing to a Willy Wonka
techno mix. The first collection
was “Paper Dolls” by Jasmine.
Out marched a bunch of girls in
candy-inspired dresses and outfits. After the first collection
debuted, 2010 Stivers grad,
Tyrone Martin, came out and
performed on his famous saxophone while Major Entertainment Ent. Came out and performed their single, “She‟s
Beautiful”. (I liked it because
one of the guys had dreads.)
Collection 2 took the stage, this
one by our very own senior,
Jamila Jones.
Her collection
was “Garden Party”. It was absolutely beautiful. The models
just so happened to be senior
Kimmy Issacs (who was bad, let
me tell you!), Sherrun Walton,
Emily Harm, Teah Stafford
(another Stivers grad), Maya
Jones (really pretty), and two of
our sophomores, Da rrea
Ragland and Keke Ford. Keke
and Darrea looked like grown
women! They were amazing.
Next, we had an intermission,
where 2010 Stivers grad, Prentiss Haney, debuted a short
video featuring the models
which led into the Back to
School Collection, a collabo of
all three designers. The song
was Kanye West‟s new single,
“Power”. Josh Reece played
Lady Gaga‟s „Paparazzi” on the
piano. He was…interesting, to
say the least. After that, Collection 3 bounced on stage: Jamae
Abney‟s “Playing with Fire”. The
models strutted their stuff to a
Barbie/Rihanna mix. Once that
ended, the Divas with Attitude
performed a tribute to Michael
Jackson for the second anniversary of his death, moon-walking
to „Smooth Criminal”. The fifth
and final collection, „Rockstar‟,
was accompanied with “The
Wait is Over” and “Rock Star”,
both by Rihanna. The models
came out, dancing and strutting. They went hard! All in all,
the models and designers were
amazing, and the whole night
was magic. It was a testament
that dreams really do come
true…and if you wish hard
enough, they can be as sweet
as candy.
P a g e
1 4
T h e
L i v i n g
Noah LaChance
I am in my third year at Stivers, and
my two older brothers have been
right there with me. Evan, the oldest, is seventeen and a senior; he is
in the Theatre magnet and has been
in many school plays. Nathan is the
second oldest and is sixteen; he is in
choir and piano. He’s the outgoing,
fun-loving kind of guy. Then, there’s
me. I’m fourteen, in creative writing, and love sports. Going to school
with my brothers has advantages as
A
L o o k
i n
I have been in band since my sophomore
year. I play trombone, and band is my the
only magnet I’ve ever had. As for Mr.
Thomas, he can be a nice guy to get along
with as long you do as he says- and don’t
get suspended. If you’re ever good
enough to play in his band, he’ll let you
be in a concert. If you get suspended
more than once, I bet that he will not let
you play in a concert because of the suspensions that you have had. Plus you
wouldn’t have been there enough to rehearse with your band members and you
likely wouldn’t have practiced over your
“vacation” time enough to play in a
school band concert. It seems that Mr.
Thomas picks out the best player in each
of his concerts to perform a solo.
If you were to have Mr. Thomas’ class,
you would basically have to live up to his
expectations to be a good band player. If
you’re not lazy and actually have the
time on your hands after doing homework, you would definitely have to prac-
T h e
T i m e s
s h a d ow s
well as disadvantages. Some advantages are that they helped me
settle in as a seventh grader. They
helped me become a little more
“popular” since they know so
many people. They also can give
me the inside scoop on the teachers they had that I now have and
what they look for. I played the
trombone and I decided to stop
because I didn’t really want to play
any instruments. Since Nathan
knows Mrs. Matthews, he was
able to help me join the Ringing
I n s i d e
Nicole McLaughlin
t h e
T i g e r
Tigers. But, attending the same
school as them definitely raises
the expectations. The disadvantages are that you are always
someone’s little brother or
sister. You can never establish
your own identity and the
teachers have certain expectations because of this. For the
most part, having older siblings
in the school is a good thing as
long as you realize you have to
live in their shadows.
B a n d
tice your instrument A LOT to be a great
player! If you’re good enough to play in
a concert, then he prints out information about, you. You definitely have to
let your parents know beforehand so
they can try and make it to a good concert. Your parents would be proud to
see you play in a school concert for the
first time (if this would be the first time
you play in a school concert.) If he ever
has some kind of portfolio that he needs
you to practice on; you just make sure
that you get ready for it so you can get a
really good grade.
When Mr. Thomas chooses his songs, he
seems to choose them wisely. He just
gives you a sheet of paper with some
good music on it and basically says,
“‘Here, were going to practice this for a
while, and I’m going to help you learn
this song.” For Mr. Thomas’ different
class periods, it affects what BAND class
that you have. Whether it is beginning
band, regular band (where you know
how to play really well), or jazz band.
Last year in my junior year, I was put in
M a g n e t
regular band, and I thought that I
played pretty well sometimes,
though other times Mr. Thomas
said I wasn’t playing the right
notes. As you come and go from
day to day, he expects you to go
into the band locker room, get
your instrument, go to your seat,
and warm up before he tells you
to get out a certain piece of music
that he wants to be played.
Once you’re in band and have
your instrument, Mr. Thomas
tells you what section that you’re
supposed to be in. The section
that you’re in is the section that
you stay in so everything will
make sense. The section that you
play in effects your experience in
a good way. It effects you in a
good way because if there is
more instrument players in your
group, then you basically learn
from them or they learn from you
if you’re having some trouble on
a piece of music.
P a g e
1 5
T h e
I n s i d e
t h e
M i n d
o f
Jackson Sibbing
Q. In your time at Stivers, what has been your
best experience?
A. Our first Write of Way Café in the new
building. It was a sell-out audience, and my
Creative Writing students were able to share
their writing through spoken word.
M r .
T i g e r
T i m e s
S t e i n m e t z . . .
Q. When not writing, reading, or teaching,
what is your favorite hobby?
A. I have several hobbies: collecting art,
gardening, cooking, listening to old rock n’
roll, and hanging out with my dog.
Q. What made you decide to be a creative
writing teacher at Stivers?
A. I am a writer, and I know that human beings have ideas, experiences, and emotions
they need to share. The arts allow them to do
that, and what better place than Stivers to fulfill my desire to guide kids in that direction?
Q. If you could meet or have a conversation with one person who you have never
met, who would it be and why?
A. Kiran Desai. She wrote my favorite
book, The Inheritance of Loss, which made
a huge impact on me. She divides her time
Q. What is your favorite genre of music and/or between New York and India, and one of
your favorite band?
these days, I’m going to run into her. If I
A. I love old rock n’ roll, and my favorite
could meet someone who isn’t living, it
group is the Rolling Stones. I also love opwould be Bette Davis, the actress, because
era, Puccini being my favorite.
she was a tough old New England broad,
and I think a conversation with her would
be delightful.
P a g e
1 6
T h e
T i g e r
T i m e s
15 Ways t o M a k e T h i s Ye a r a
Great One...
Sara Valiquette
1.) Stay Positive- The way you feel about your day will
ultimately determine how your entire day will go. If you
insist that it will be a bad day, then it absolutely will.
2.) Stay Confident- You are who you are; there is no
changing it, so you might as well embrace it and be
grateful for the person you get to be! This will also
make all of your days, months and years much better!
3.) Don't Procrastinate!- We have all heard this from
teachers as well as parents, but who actually listens?
Staying on a schedule that puts homework first will lead
to less stress and more time to do what you want to do!
In the end, you will be so happy you didn't wait until
the last minute. Trust me, I have learned this lesson the
hard way many, many times.
4.) Manage Your Time Wisely- Again, we have all heard
this one, but I have learned that organizing your priorities and making time for the most important ones will
lead you to accomplish everything you planned to doand more!
5.) Get Involved!- Middle school and high school are
important times to spend with friends and new people.
The more clubs and sports you join, the more you learn
about yourself and others. Not to mention how great
memberships look on a college application!
6.) Try Everything!- Whether it's a new sport, a different magnet, or even a unique pair of shoes, try it all!
These are the years in which we find ourselves. It is crucial that we explore and discover every detail of who
we are and who we'd like to become.
7.) Have Fun!- Even though schoolwork should be a top
priority, there is no reason for seriousness all the time.
Be sure to make time for friends, and make these years
full of moments to remember!
8.) Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help- Here at Stivers, we
have an incredible faculty of teachers and administrators who are happy to help. It is better to ask than to be
left behind.
9.) Keep it Peaceful- Never let the little things bother
you. There is no point in making a big deal out of something that you won't remember in a week.
10.) Remember to Smile!- It is not impossible to just
decide to be in a good mood and then be in a good
mood. Plus, it makes the stressful environment of
school a much lighter, happier place to be.
11.) Never Let a Break-Up Break You- I know, just as
well as everyone else that no wise words of advice can
make a break-up suck any less. Yet, I still feel it’s important to remind all of you that if it happens to you, it
is not the end of the world, so don't let it tear yours
apart. There is always tomorrow; all you can do is enjoy the moments you have, and let life happen for better or worse.
12.) Respect Yourself- How will anyone else respect
you if you don't treat yourself with the respect you
deserve? You better believe that respect is a necessity
in all stages of life and the work place.
13.) Stay out of the Drama- Everyone always complains that high school is so filled with drama. However, drama cannot spread like wild fire through only
one person. If you stick to your own business, you
won't have to deal with the messy drama of everyone
else. Be wary of all spreading rumors.
14.) Put Dating Aside- If you have learned anything
from this article, let it be that IT IS OKAY TO BE SINGLE! Sure, dating is wonderful, exciting and highly recommended, it can also be very messy and complicated. These years are important to learn how to depend on yourself and just have fun being you without
additional stress. Sometimes it is better just to dive
into studies and let the relationships come to you. In
fact, it is common that they show up at the exact right
time, while you’d been looking the other way. Education will last you a life time; a high school boyfriend or
girlfriend could last maybe a month unless you count
those many following months of heartache. Who says
that awful mess can't wait a while? Not me.
15.) Make friends With Your Teachers - In saying this,
all teachers, elders, and persons of authority should be
treated with utmost respect. Getting to know your
teachers is part of the whole high school experience. It
also comes in handy when you need help with homework or a project you don't understand. You also have
to remember, if you're not respectful to your teachers,
no one will be there to write your college recommendations!