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aPPlauSe “public education with passion” A L A B A M A S C H O O L O F F I N E A R T S F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 The Children’s Hour opens Feb. 14 The Alabama School of Fine Arts Theatre Arts Department will present the classic drama The Children’s Hour Feb. 14-15 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 16 at 2:30 p.m. The stage play was written in 1934 by popular playwright Lillian Hellman and “tells the story of how rumors and a single lie can escalate, destroying people’s lives,” said Jonathan Fuller, artistic director of the Theatre Arts department and director of the ASFA production. The play is set in small private girls’ boarding school in New England where one student overhears a conversation between two adults that casts doubts on the relationship between the two women who lead the school. “The rumor fuels mass hysteria, a libel suit and the consequences of that,” Fuller said. The Children’s Hour successfully appeared on Broadway for two years and later in London and Ireland but was banned in some American cities for its controversial subject matter at the time. It was turned into a film in 1961 and staged again in London in 2011, starring Pirates of the Caribbean English actress Keira Knightley and Mad Men American actress Elisabeth Moss. The play has a cast of 14 characters, 12 of which are women with a wide age spread, which was an added benefit and played into the department’s decision for choosing this particular production, Fuller said. The Children’s Hour will be the second production presented as part of the school’s “Friday Night Lights” entertainment series. “We want to show the high level of acting and production values that ASFA’s Theatre Arts Department can produce for the subscribers of the “Friday Night Lights” series, Fuller said. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for non-ASFA students and free for ASFA faculty, staff and students. AllThatJazz: Congratulations to the 12 ASFA Music Department students who were selected to participate in the All State Jazz Bands this year. There are two high school bands. Gold is the top band; silver is the second band, and there is only one middle school band. These students were invited to perform at the All State Jazz Band Festival in Montgomery Jan. 23-25 in conjunction with the Alabama Music Educators Association Conference. The following students were selected to attend: HIGH SCHOOL GOLD BAND Matthew Belser, 2nd tenor saxophone Ayana Jacobs-El, baritone saxophone Wisdom Bibbs, 1st trumpet Julian Williams, 5th trumpet Charles Renneker, vibraphone page 2 12 STUDENTS SELECTED FOR ALL STATE BANDS HIGH SCHOOL SILVER BAND Jaylen Leonard, 1st alto saxophone Justin Sims, 2nd trombone Alex Toole, trombone alternate Stephen Harper, drum set alternate MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND Josh Myers, 5th trombone Caleb Edwards, bass Patrick Morris, drum set alternate Charles Renneker named finalist in state Young Composers Competition Congratulations to 10th grade Music student Charles Renneker who is one of two high school students selected as a finalist in the Alabama Young Composers Competition. Charles was recognized in a short presentation at the Alabama Music Educators Association Convention in Montgomery last month. Two students place second in Lois Pickard Concerto Competition Two ASFA Music Department students placed in the Lois Pickard Concerto Competition at the Alys Stephens Center in January. Seventh grade violinist Haeun Kim placed second in the string category, and 10th grade percussionist Charles Renneker played the xylophone and placed second in the woodwind, brass, percussion category. YOUR ASFA LIBRARY IS BOUND TO PLEASE! CaseInPointe: SENIOR CHOREOGRAPHY SHOWCASE IS FEB. 21 & 22 Congratulations to the Juniors and Seniors who made the grade Congratulations to the following juniors and seniors who earned Grade Excellence Recognition for the past semester: Director’s List for Grade Excellence, recognizes juniors or seniors who have earned all A’s in every course— required and elective—for one semester during 11th and 12th grades. The ASFA Dance Department will present its annual Senior Choreography Showcase Feb. 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m. in the Dorothy Jemison Day Theater. The showcase is the pinnacle moment in an advanced dancer’s tenure at ASFA and provides the chance for a senior dance student to premiere his or her very own dance work. This year the performance will feature choreography by Dance Department Seniors Carla Burroughs, Mackie Harrison, Ben Klein, Annie Morgan, Jessica Plumeri, Chasity Ramsey and Ayaka Yoshikawa. Each student has worked for weeks creating an original dance composition and choosing music, costumes, lighting and casting for the show. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for non-ASFA students and free to ASFA students, faculty and staff. ASFA plays host to Alabama Dance Festival Jan. 17-19 The ASFA Dance Department hosted 100 young dancers on campus January 17-19 as part of the 17th annual Alabama Dance Festival. The festival was held in conjunction with several partners including the Alabama Dance Council, Alabama Ballet, Birmingham-Southern College, Samford University, the Birmingham Museum of Art and many others. Students attended master classes, scholarship auditions and workshops with professional dancers and internationally known choreographers. The Koresh Dance Company of Philadelphia and Bridgman/Packer Dance of New York City were this year’s guest companies-in-residence. Ayala Abrams (11) Kendall Buckingham (11) Katharine Conaway (11) ColbyHollman (11) Carly Jo Martens (11) Gwenafaye McCormick (11) Victor Sui (11) Nath Tumlin (11) Zoe Willis (11) Executive Director’s List for Grade Excellence, recognizes juniors and seniors who have earned all A’s in every course—required and elective— for two semesters during 11th and 12th grades. Melody Dailey (12) ASFA Foundation Board Award for Grade Excellence, recognizes juniors and seniors who have earned all As in every course—required and elective— for three semesters. during 11th and 12th grades. Katharina Fox (12) Ayaka Yoshikawa (12) page 3 CrimeSeen: ASFA STUDENTS PEEK INTO THE FASCINATING WORLD OF FORENSICS Math team competes in tournament ASFA’s math teams competed in a mathematics tournament at Vestavia Hills High School just before the winter break. This particular tournament is one of the most challenging tournaments in the southeast. Math team members did not disappoint while competing in a field of over 1,600 participants and 33 schools. Below are the results: ASFA Math and Science students got a peek into the life of a real forensic scientist when two forensic scientists from the Alabama Department of Forensic Science spoke to students in December. Their visit was the first in a Lecture Series that the Math & Science Department launched this school year. Forensic scientists Geaneé Quinney and Courtney Jenkins spoke to students about their day-to-day work life at one of the four state’s official crime labs. The women work at the state’s Birmingham office, but explained there are also labs in Huntsville, Montgomery and Mobile. “I love my job and it’s very fulfilling,” said Quinney, who majored in chemistry at Alabama A&M University and obtained her master’s in forensic science from UAB. “I work with a great team of people. It’s great to know that I can make a difference by using my skills to help solve crimes. Both women talked about the variety of unique fields in forensic science, which include, biology (including information about anthropology, entomology, page 4 odontology and pathology), forensic biology, chemistry (including drug chemistry and fire debris), toxicology, physics (including firearms and toolmarks), computer forensics, crime scene analyses and fingerprinting. “As forensic scientists in the forensic biology section, our job consists of maintaining the care, custody and control of evidence; screening items of evidence for biological fluids; performing DNA analysis, and reporting the results of our tests. Outside of the laboratory, we testify in court,” Quinney said. “It’s definitely not what you see on television,” Jenkins added. “Crimes are not solved in five minutes. Some cases can take quite some time.” Jenkins majored in biology at Alabama A&M University and received her master’s in forensic science from Alabama State University. She also said that she loves her work and encouraged students to consider it as a career choice. Geometry: 3rd place team Matthew Zhu – 10th place individual Dhruval Gadhia – 9th place individual Eli Getman – 6th place individual Algebra II: 2nd place team Maya Samuels-Fair – 10th place individual Turner Atwood – 8th place individual Andrew Boyd – 3rd place individual Pre-calculus: 2nd place team Priya Shah – 2nd place individual Calculus: 2nd place team Victor Sui – 10th place individual Ali Hakim – 9th place individual Adam He – 6th place individual Devin Sun – 4th place individual On Saturday, January 25, ASFA’s Geometry team won first place at the Briarwood Christian School Math Tournament Large School Division. Ninth grader Eli Getman placed second, and ninth grader Summer Vo placed 3rd overall. We are very proud of their excellent performance, so please congratulate the geometry team members when you see them. CreditScore: Thanks to the hard work of a committee including ASFA Computer Science Instructor Carol Yarbrough, the Alabama Board of Education recently approved a motion that allows two specific computer science courses to count as a math credit towards graduation. This change provides additional ways for students to earn their high school diploma by completing the state’s required courses. Students may now take Computer Science Principles or Advanced Placement Computer Science A in place of a traditional advanced math course. This new idea developed from a committee spearheaded by University of Alabama computer science professor Dr. Jeff Gray along with three high school computer science teachers, two State Department of Education administrators and two state college readiness officials. “We mapped all the learning objectives for computer science courses to those existing math courses to show that computer science will teach students all of the things that have already been deemed necessary in math courses,” Yarbrough said. “I was amazed that it was almost a complete mapping. Now, other states are using Alabama’s mappings to make the case for their computer science courses to count towards graduation too,” she added. Alabama is only the15th state in the nation to count computer science courses as credit for graduation. The recommendation of the committee was that students must have completed math courses through Algebra II and Trigonometry in order to take the computer science courses, Yarbrough added. “This opens the door of opportunity for our arts students, who before now only had the option of statistics or pre-calculus as math course beyond Algebra II and Trig,” Yarbrough said. “If traditional math isn’t (continued on page 8) COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSES APPROVED FOR MATH CREDIT Supervisor for the supplier Sodexo at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. “I also enjoy working with teenagers and seeing what factors impact their food choices, be it environmental, social and personal choices.” ASFA welcomes two new employees A love of science, food and people led ASFA’s new Child Nutrition Program Director Brittany Foster to a career she never imagined as a child. “I love learning how food impacts the body, and I love interacting with people,” she said recently. Ms. Foster grew up in Wetumpka, AL, and attended an agricultural science program the summer after graduating from high school. “While I was there, a nutrition professor took me under her wing and shared her passion for nutrition and showed me a variety of options related to careers in the nutrition industry.” Foster obtained her undergraduate degree in nutrition dietetics from Alabama A&M University in 2008, and her master’s in Family Consumer Sciences with an emphasis in nutrition in July 2013. She completed a dietetics internship at Utah State University and is currently studying to become a registered dietician. “I chose nutrition sciences because it allowed me to enjoy the educational aspect of nutrition, the science aspect of food and how it impacts the body, and I could combine that with my love for cooking,” said Foster, whose father worked as a cook in the Army Reserves for 26 years. Foster comes to ASFA most recently from Challenger Middle School in Huntsville, where she worked as a Family and Consumer Science teacher. She also has experience as a Food Service Retail ASFA welcomed Karen Kennedy in January as its news administrative assistant in the Student Support Services Department. Mrs. Kennedy is responsible for assisting students, teachers, staff and parents with all matters related to the Student Support Services Department, which include student counseling, college advising, health and wellness and the dormitory. She also issues transcripts and ACT and SAT fee waivers. “Everyone has been so friendly,” Mrs. Kennedy said recently. Mrs. Kennedy fills the position of Connie Whaley, who retired in December, and comes to ASFA from St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Mobile where she worked as a counseling assistant for 19 years. She moved to Birmingham in May when her husband Palmer became the headmaster at Advent Episcopal School. Mrs. Kennedy was born in Nashville but grew up in Memphis and lived in Mobile most of her adult life. Her husband and she have one daughter who is a junior studying graphic design at Auburn University and one son who just graduated from Auburn and began Beeson Divinity School at Samford University in January. Kennedy said she loves to travel, snow ski, ride bikes and enjoys the page 5 great outdoors. AlumNews: Three thousand people spoke, and two ASFA alums were among those chosen as “Birmingham Best of 2013.” AL.com published its “Birmingham Best” list in its Dec. 27th issue and featured ASFA alums Bethanne Hill and Jonathan Fuller. Bethanne Hill (Visual Arts, Class of 1985) was selected as Best Local Artist. Jonathan Fuller (Theatre Arts, Class of 1974) now works on staff as the ASFA Theatre Arts Department’s Artistic Director and was recognized along with his professional artistic partner Alan Gardner. Fuller and Gardner are the co-founders of City Equity Theatre, which was named Best Live Theater in town. Fuller was also runner-up for Best Local Actor. Congratulations to everyone! page 6 ALUMNI HILL AND FULLER MAKE “BIRMINGHAM BEST OF 2013” LIST ASFA ALUMNI 40 & BETTER REUNION WEEKEND June 20-22 Tutwiler Hotel Stay tuned for more details coming soon. HAVE YOU UPDATED YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION ON ASFA’S NEW ALUMNI DIRECTORY? Let us know about anything new going on in your life.Recent graduation? Job change? Address change? We’d like to know.You can update your profile on the ASFA Alumni Directory at www.asfa.k12.al.us. Alums can also email ASFA Foundation Director Leigh Horsley (Theatre Arts, Class of 1984) at [email protected]/apps/directory/. if they prefer not to have their contact information available in the online directory. JOIN YOUR FRIENDS ON THE OFFICIAL ASFA FACEBOOK PAGE! Bethanne Hill and Darius Hill announce February exhibit ASFA Alum and Visual Arts Department Chair Darius Hill (Visual Arts, Class of 1985) and his wife Artist Bethanne Hill (Visual Arts, Class of 1985) will have their individual art work on display in a joint showing through Feb. 24. A reception will be held Thursday, Feb. 6, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Bonnie Bolding Swearingen Hall on the Samford University campus. Bethanne Hill’s artwork has appeared on the covers of numerous magazine, books and CDs and has been shown in galleries across the Southeast. All of her paintings are done in acrylic on wood, paper or canvas. Darius Hill is a mixed media artist, and his work has also appeared in numerous galleries across the southeast. For more information about the art show, contact Samford University at 726-2508. NightLights: “FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS” OPENS WITH HOLIDAY CONCERT Friday the 13th proved to be a lucky day for series subscribers to the Alabama School of Fine Arts inaugural performing arts series entitled “Friday Night Lights”. The ASFA Music Department opened the series with its Holiday Music Concert after a subscriber and donor preperformance cocktail reception at Mix Restaurant. Guests were shuttled from the Dorothy Jemison Day Theater to the cocktail party then back for the performance on two “Mix Mobiles” hosted by ASFA Student Ambassadors. Approximately 80 guests attended the party and were greeted by ASFA staff and faculty. Series Presenter Patty McDonald, escorted by Jeffrey Klinner, was stunning in a long black ensemble accented with sparking snowflake holiday bling. The room was lit with candlelight on snow white table cloths, which were accented with seasonal floral arrangements by Michael Dyer of Uncut Flowers. Chris Dupont’s Mix staff presented guests with canape favorites of salmon on cucumbers, steak crostini, twice baked potatoes, a selection of cheese and fruit, roasted red pepper bruschetta, and a selection of sweets. Wine, generously donated by Anthony Osborne and Charles Yeates of International Wines, and artisan beer was served. Forstall Art Center provided signage for the fun-filled event. Classical holiday carols played in the background and set the seasonal mood. ASFA Executive Director Michael Meeks and ASFA Development Director Leigh Horsley welcomed the crowd and gave thanks to McDonald for her generosity and From left: Michael Meeks, Series Presenter Patty McDonald and Jeffrey Klinner vision. McDonald developed the idea and support for the series as well as a special scholarship program for ASFA students in the performing arts. McDonald addressed the audience and verbalized the need to support the state’s only school for the performing arts as well as the city’s performing arts community in general. She graciously thanked the subscribers for recognizing and supporting the cause. Platinum level partners include LIVE Design Group, Southeastern Outings and Protective Life. Gold sponsors are Al.com/Birmingham News and Birmingham Investment Group. Silver sponsors include Catherine and Bill Cabaniss, EBSCO Industries, Inc., Lisa and Rad Gaines, B.L. Harbert International, Barbara Hirschowitz, Luckie & Co, ASFA Foundation Board president Jim Pool, Publix Super Markets and Unus Foundation. From left: Alumni Leesa Lewis, Jonathan Fuller, Jim Pool (ASFA Foundation Board President) with wife Jayne From left: Leigh Horsley, Stan Ingram and Rad Gaines page 7 S PT O TOMMY WAGGONER: NEWS FROM THE Welcome to 2014 and the second semester of the 2013-2014 school year! The first half flew by and I have no doubt the second half will seem to disappear just as quickly. Before we turn our attention completely to the new year, I’d like to take a moment to comment on our final PTSO event of 2013. On December 20, the PTSO hosted a luncheon for the ASFA faculty and staff before they left for the holiday break. The feedback we received from those in attendance was extremely positive, and the meal was much appreciated. The faculty and staff were very appreciative of the opportunity to come together as a group and informally talk amongst themselves and the parents in attendance while enjoying a delicious meal. Thanks to Hanna Schock, PTSO Event Facilitator, for arranging the catered meal, coordinating volunteers and doing all the little things along the way that events like this require. Also, thanks to all the parents who contributed by sending donations, providing desserts and volunteering to help with set up and clean up. I’d also like to thank the PTSO Executive Board for their continuing efforts to help plan and carry out the many things the PTSO does to help make ASFA a better place. I appreciate each of you for volunteering to give up some of your valuable personal time to serve ASFA, and I know that the administration, faculty and staff do too. I should also point out that several members of the Executive Board are the parents of seniors, so there will be vacancies on the board for next year. If you are interested in becoming more involved with the PTSO, please reach out to any of the board members to learn more about what we do. Election of officers for the 2014-15 school year will be this spring. The rest of the school year is sure to be busy! Be on the lookout for announcements of upcoming PTSO events and communications from your specialty support group liaison on how you can help out! (Computer science story continued from page 5) one student’s special area of interest, now they have another option. It also gives our students another way to express their creativity, particularly in music and in art. If they can program and they are artists, the job opportunities are incredible.” In other related news, Yarbrough is emerging as a national leader in K-12 computer science education. She is one of five teachers and the only high school instructor to receive a travel grant to attend an upcoming Computer Science Education Conference in Atlanta in March. As a pilot teacher for Advanced Placement Computer Science: Principles (AP CSP), Yarbrough has been invited to participate in workshops related to the national College Board’s computer science pilot program. AP CSP will be introduced in thousands of high schools in fall 2016, and its first AP Exam is scheduled in May 2017. The goal of the computer science initiative is to increase and attract a diverse range of students, introduce computer science concepts and explore creative aspects of computing at the high school level. Yarbrough also will be a featured speaker at the Computer Science Teachers Association Annual Conference sponsored by Google in July. Applause, Vol. 27, issue 5 was generously printed by Alabama Power Corporation Jaronda Little, Editor 205.252.9241 [email protected] Peggi Davis, Art Director It is the policy of ASFA not to discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sexual orientation or any other proscribed category, in its educational programs, activities or employment policies as required by local,state, and federal policies and laws. Inquiries or complaints regarding compliance with applicable laws or this policy may be directed to Dr. Michael Meeks at [email protected]. page 8 ALABAMA SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS 1800 Reverend Abraham Woods, Jr. Blvd. Birmingham, Alabama 35203 www.asfa.k12.al.us