Cutting the arts now will produce ‘mind-numbing bores’ later

by Meghan Poff

“The school is the last expenditure upon which America should be willing to economize.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt.

But it’s happening. Programs are getting cut. Teachers are getting laid off, and it’s going to keep happening.

So what?

 I’m not a teacher, it’s not my job. I’m not in elementary school, so why should I care if they get art class or not?

But what do you remember from your grade-school days? Not math class, that’s for sure. I remember my time at Floyds Knobs Elementary. During art, my drawings were probably bad at best, but it was my favorite hour of the whole week because it made me feel like I was some sort of creative genius. And as for music, well, when I rocked it out on the xylophone or the recorder, I was somehow put under the illusion that I had some real talent going on here.

In fact it was those fallacies that prompted me to take theater freshman year because, of course, I would be a natural. But, I didn’t end up “commanding the stage with my acting excellence.” Floyd Central has some great actors; I’m just not one of them. Even though I fell flat, I got to see others in my class shine. I’m a bit jealous of their talent, I can’t lie. So I had to ask — how did they get so good?  

“Oh yeah I got into theater when I was younger. I was pretty good in art and music, so I thought I’d give it a try.”

“Wow, really, because that’s what I did too, but as you can see, the ‘actor thing’ didn’t really work out for me…”

So obviously, I’m not aiming for a violin scholarship when senior year comes around. But the experience was worthwhile, and you would be surprised how often an embarrassing artwork story of mine fills the awkward gap in conversation.

But what would I do without this vast artistic experience I’ve acquired in my six years of elementary education? Well, I would probably be a square, to say the least. It’s actually a very simple mathematical equation. School, six hours a day + five days a week + too many academic classes – art – music = boring children. If this becomes the trend, my future child might be forced into private school just so he doesn’t become a mind-numbing bore.

The school board will soon realize the error of their ways. Without these foundational classes at the grade school level, creative geniuses such as myself will soon become few and far between. And even if you haven’t been blessed with my God-given abilities, take advantage of the fact that you’ve got that experience under your belt. When you go off to college for instance, your advanced psychology professor doesn’t have to know that the sculpture contest you received first in took place in the second grade. Or that the symphony you composed all by yourself was really a five-line piece on the maracas.

So whether you’re the first chair viola, lead in the school play, or the kid in choir who was told to mouth the words because they were so bad, remember the joy felt when you were younger, creating something magnificent.

Cutting back on elementary arts and other programs will cost us all in the long run

by Nathan Hemminger

The lights dim. The audience has been nestled in their seats for several minutes now, chatting about the program they picked up on the way in. There is a sudden wave of hushes and then silence. The lights are raised, and a man in a tuxedo walks onto stage. He greets the audience, talks about the program, and tells everyone to enjoy the show. The curtain is then slowly raised, and everyone gasps so that no fresh air is left in the room. Everyone expects the sound of a violin being strummed or a timpani being rolled. However, nothing but empty chairs, abandoned instruments, and dust are on the stage.

The passage above was, in fact, fiction. However, it could be closer to reality than a lot of us would like to think. The New-Albany Floyd County school board has just voted to remove certified teachers of performing arts at the elementary level in an effort to cut the budget, in addition to eliminating elementary sports programs altogether a year ago. This means that the teachers that will teach these subjects will be an unqualified teacher, leading to a lack of knowledge to be taught to the students. Although this seems like a simple cut in the budget, it is really a decision that’s outcome could be scarier than any horror movie.

Children are not labeled when they are born according to what talent they will have. It isn’t identified in their birth certificate, either, so no one has any way of knowing what a kid will enjoy doing when he grows up. The elementary level is the stage in a kid’s life when he begins to explore his talents and hobbies. If there is no performing arts or sports in elementary school, kids in middle school will become the pre-pubescent version of a deer stuck in the headlights. They will have no direction and no sense of purpose.

Kids get involved in activities for one of two reasons. Either their parents choose their hobbies for them, or they join whatever their friends are involved in. However, with this new cut, I fear the latter reason will cease to exist. How will kids join what their friends are involved in if their friends aren’t involved in anything?

Allow me to create a new scenario: a middle school classroom, filled with students. Every student is wearing similar outfits (even though there is no uniform rule) and making the same conversation with each other. Everyone has a blank expression on their face, ultimately focused on nothing but the lesson at hand. After school, the building will be empty. The students will be at home, having nothing to do but their homework.

To me this sounds like some sort of corrupt government in action. The scariest part of it all is that it is incredibly close to reality in our own school system.

Children absorb things at elementary level. They discover their strong qualities, which will lead to success on teams and in clubs in middle and high school. This, in turn, could determine a child’s career. If the school system remains the way it is now, the children of today will all be working in cubicles tomorrow, aimlessly clicking away on a computer. Kids should grow up to be individuals, not part of the “team” staff at Staples.

Review: Orchestra delivers A+ performance at annual pops concert

by Cody Repine

Last Thursday, March 10, the stage was set for the FC Orchestra Department’s 18th Annual Winter Pops Concert. Well, actually it was set for “Willy Wonka,” but the musicians crammed themselves onstage amidst the remnants of the set and the open orchestra pit. As cramped as they were, the musicians still managed to make enough room for orchestra director Doug Elmore’s sternly uproarious conducting. The orchestra performed pieces by Elmer Bernstein, Hans Zimmer, and John Williams, and finished with a practice run of its ISSMA Contest pieces.

The evening kicked off with the theme from “The Magnificent Seven,” a classic piece of American cinematic music, complete with brassy fanfares and an added dash of lively Latin rhythm. After the first few notes, nods and smiles from sheer nostalgia began to spread through the auditorium. A sense of excitement, of something building, prevailed throughout the night, and continued to build until the last crushing blows at the bass drum in Allegro non troppo from Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony. Even guest conductor Gabrielle Boguslaw from U of L seemed caught up in it when she directed Slavonic Dance no. 8 entirely too fast.

After “Slavonic Dance,” Elmore turned out the lights and brought the excitement down a notch, making a point regarding budget cuts and the arts. The momentary silence and darkness starkly illustrated the reality of the loss of the arts in schools.

Two softer pieces, “Aria” and “Schindler’s List,” allowed the musicians to showcase their lyrical prowess. The Stokowski arrangement of Bach’s “Aria” stripped most of the original melody from the violins and placed it upon the cellos. It takes a talented musician to play that high on a cello. The performance was as light as air, as the Italian word “aria” would suggest. In both pieces, the musicians allowed themselves to be moved by the music, not enslaved to the notes on the page. I’m not a highly emotional person, but “Schindler’s List” made my eyes misty and my throat tense, and I haven’t even seen the movie. The piece was originally composed for a small ensemble and violin soloist Itzhak Perlman. The symphony orchestra kept true to Williams’ vision with its unified voice, leaving me feeling as if I could have been listening to a chamber group.

Also from Williams, the ever-popular selections from “The Empire Strikes Back” generated much excitement. The FC symphony orchestra is no London Symphony, but its sound was just as impressive as the original score. The strings provided the solid base for the brass and woodwinds with their pin pointed intonation and dynamics.

By far, the highlight of the concert was “Shostakovich 5,” the most ambitious contest piece the orchestra has attempted in over 20 years. The performance was a little rough around the edges, but the strings were remarkably together in their bowing. The Memoirs of Dmitri Shostakovich quoted one moved listener from years ago as saying of the piece, “It is high voltage, nervous electricity.” The orchestra still has a little ways to go before contest next month, but the musicians definitely nailed that level of energy and intensity.

The symphony orchestra’s precision bowing, spot on dynamics, and overall cohesiveness made this the year’s best concert to date, an A+ performance. At $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, and free admission for students, such concerts can be an inexpensive way to entertain your family. The ambitious spirit of this orchestra and drive of the individual musicians create a a unique musical experience that keeps me in eager anticipation of each concert.

Don’t miss the upcoming Spring Concert on April 17.

Editorial: FC students should appreciate what they have

The critical thing when it comes to life is whether you take things for granted or you take them for gratitude.

Every day somewhere in this critical world, a teenager skips school. Students do not like the fact of waking up every morning to go to all their classes throughout the day.  Instead, they prefer to not go to school so they can hang out with friends or because they just simply do not like going to school at all.

So many children in America take so much for granted even without knowing it. In some countries, children cannot go to school not because they don’t want to, but because they just simply can’t due to the lack of money people have and the supplies needed.

Here at FC, we have the opportunity to play sports and be coached by really great coaches. We have the opportunity to play an instrument with perfection while being conducted by some of the best conductors. We have the opportunity to take theater and to create a story. And when it is time to go to the game or the play, the crowd will be amazed at how great our students perform.

Here, we have a chance here that many children do not have. We can all read, write, and do all these amazing things. We need to take chances and do what our mind is set to. We shouldn’t wait until the last minute to take chances. Instead, we should appreciate our blessings and take some chances as soon as the opportunity is opened for us.

These are just a few opportunities we have here. We also have the opportunity to be taught the material we need to know in our classrooms.  Some FC students take learning in general for granted because we have been learning our whole lives, so it’s easier to take our education for granted.

We each have the opportunity to make the grades we want and earn the diploma we want. But will we take charge of our lives and actions? Do we realize how lucky we are being here today, and the great things we all can accomplish here at this school?

America and other countries have schools, but some schools do not provide the opportunities our school does. We shouldn’t take what we have here for granted. Instead, we should all be thankful for what we have at FC.

Editorial written by Lauren Holstner, Chase Palmer and Elizabeth Harrison.

Editorial cartoon by Chase Palmer.

Editorial: Good times can lead to bad choices during spring break

March 19-27. For that coveted break in the year, thousands of teens from all over the country flock to the beaches for a week of fun in the sun. It could only be spring break.  From Florida to the coasts of Mexico, a ‘let-the-good-times-roll’ atmosphere radiates off every building rising from the sandy shores. The ultimate 24-7 party.

Unfortunately, drinking and doing drugs is not uncommon among teenagers during spring break. Most go to cities like Miami and Panama City in Florida. Television stations like MTV often portray spring break as a fun time and tend to glorify the ‘partying’ aspect.

But, according to the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs, 1,500 teens are arrested during spring break each year, mostly related to marijuana use.

Binge drinking is also not uncommon. Men can consume up to 18 drinks per day and women 10. Forty percent of all women said they drank until got sick or passed out. This is very dangerous and does not come without unwanted side effects. Binge drinking can lead to nausea, unconsciousness, and even death.

“Short-term decisions can have long-term effects, so you have to take that into consideration,” said resource officer George Shultz.

Therefore, many teens choose to get drunk or high while on spring break. And men who drink more than five drinks and women who have more than four, 49.7 percent engage in unplanned sex, and 52.3 percent engage in unprotected sex, which can lead to diseases that will affect someone for the rest their life.

Spring break fun is fine as long as you make sure you are staying safe and are aware of your surroundings. Shultz said when out on break, always stay in a group, and if you are with someone that is intoxicated, be careful.

There are much better options for spring break fun that don’t include taking dangerous risks and engaging in harmful behaviors. Taking family trips, for example. Hanging with friends is still acceptable and most teens will want to, but if your parents are with you, it’s less likely that decisions will be made that can lead to harmful outcomes.

And the beach isn’t the only place to go. If getting to the shores isn’t an option, just grab some friends and head for the nearest amusement park.  Cedar Point in Sandusky Ohio, is one such park for those who live for thrills that can provide the same rush without the negative consequences.  And, if the beach is calling, places like Florida’s Emerald Coast are a safer solution.  It’s not hard to find shoreline that isn’t cluttered with drunken partiers, but still with lots to do. In cities like Destin you get the Florida experience without the negative influences, and Shultz agrees.

Some will say we only live once and that we might as well have a good time while we can, so it’s all right to drink and do drugs. While it may be true that humans do only live once, if you drink and do drugs, that one time may be very short.

Teens need to consider the risks and outcomes before partying on spring break. These young people are the future of our nation, and we don’t need them making poor decisions that can lead to problems later on in life.

Humans may only live once, but given the wrong choices, one time may not be long enough.

Editorial written by Meghan Poff, Jared Hinderer, Chelsea Donnelly and Mikayla Sumner.

Editorial cartoon by Mikayla Sumner and Chelsea Donnelly.

Editorial: Students should respect the Pledge of Allegiance and moment of silence

When you experience something everyday it can become monotonous.  While the importance of that particular task may not be displayed in your actions, should it still hold the same importance?  Could it hold more meaning to another individual?

Third period everyday, near 9:30 a.m, the Pledge of Allegiance to our country is said over the announcements, followed by a brief “moment of silence and reflection.”

Picture your third-period class.  What do you see during these times besides texting, talking, or general disruptions? That’s right: the occasional few students acknowledging the reverence expected at these times.

For instance, in some classes a large amount of students don’t even stand, and a smaller amount respectfully recite the pledge.

Although it is not a requirement to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance, it is expected of students to remain respectful during this time.  If you choose not to take part, don’t distract those who do by being disruptive.

After the pledge comes the moment of silence: a time when the school is to remain quiet.  This time is allotted for those students to reflect on their day, pray, or remember loved ones.  Even during this serious time, students are disrespectful.  A simple moment of silence can feel like a zoo in some classrooms at FC.  So one has to ask, is it the students?  Or is it the teachers?

Teachers are supposed to maintain order in their classrooms. Letting students be disruptive takes away from the importance of the pledge and moment of silence.  Teachers should hold their class responsible for their actions, and students should understand the respect required during these times.

Students, whether we choose to participate or not, need to allow others the same opportunity by respecting their rights as Americans.  If you do feel strongly about either of these traditions, don’t become discouraged, but rather, continue to set a good example through your actions. Next time third period comes around, realize there are other individuals who enjoy this 45 seconds.

Respect one another, allow each other the allotted time, and set an example for those who don’t.

Editorial written by Ruthanna Fritzinger, Briana Larsen, Tyler Coleman and Cody Repine.

Editorial: Teenagers who text while driving may not ‘brb’

A teenage girl sits in her car on her way home from school. She’s focused, making sure her hands are at 10 and 2. Then she feels that familiar vibration. Her friends call to her via text. Maybe it’s that guy in her math class she’s been staring at. Or maybe it’s her friend asking about plans for the weekend.

She knows she shouldn’t answer, but the phone taunts her, almost daring her, saying, “I bet you won’t answer me.”

She slowly pulls the phone out of her pocket, making sure to keep one eye on the road. However, the one second she doesn’t look at the road in order to type the letter “K,” she swerves into the other lane, heading towards an opposing car. You can probably guess what happens next.

The epic battle: texting vs driving. Although there is never a winner in this conflict, there is always a wounded patron: the driver. Texting while driving is a serious problem in the United States now more than ever. People use texting as their main means of communication, and communication doesn’t stop at the car door. Car crashes caused by texting are becoming more common every year, so it only makes sense that it be illegal for people of all ages, not just for those under the age of 18.

Resource Officer George Shultz said he thinks texting is one of the most dangerous activities we can do while driving. “You’re driving a 2,000-pound bullet, and you’re not even looking where it’s going,” he said.

Texting while driving can be just as dangerous as driving under the influence. The driver isn’t looking at the road and doesn’t have his/her hands on the wheel. While it only takes about 10 seconds to write and send a text, it only takes two for you to swerve into the wrong lane. Texting while driving is currently illegal for people under 18, but not everyone likes to follow the law.

Only 13 percent of American teenagers admit to texting while driving, but Shultz thinks kids are being a little less than truthful.

“It’s hard to catch people texting while driving, because, unless there’s a wreck, they’ll never admit to it,” he said. It turns out it’s easier to tell the truth when you’re not the one to blame, because 48 percent of Americans ages 12-17 admit to being in a car while the driver was texting.

The teens aren’t the only part of the problem, however. Twenty-five percent of annual car crashes, counting drivers of all ages, are caused by cell phone use. One-fifth of experienced drivers in the U.S. send text messages while driving regularly. While it is illegal for people under 18, texting while driving should be illegal for all ages because even the most experienced driver could make a stupid decision on the road.

Some drivers have developed a natural sense of multitasking, and texting while driving seems to be no challenge to them. They can pop out a 20-word text and still have time to change lanes. Some people have even mastered the art of driving with their knees. These people are somewhat common, but not common enough for us to ignore the problem.

There may never be a victor in this battle of texting vs driving, but we can all come out of the battlefield unwounded if we just wait the extra 10 minutes to answer that text.

Editorial written by Jessica McNally, Nathan Hemminger, Kyle Stefanick and Claire DeFrancisci.

Editorial cartoon by Nathan Hemminger.

Editorial: Year-round schedule will benefit students and school corporations

The number of year-round schools has quadrupled over the last 10 years. The test scores of these schools have increased dramatically due to the evenly spaced breaks and constant learning. Our school would run much more efficiently on a year-round schooling system and it would cut extra costs such as summer school.

Year-round schooling systems run on 180 days just like we do, but instead of having a long summer vacation, the administration splits up the days, giving us smaller breaks, but more frequently. Students can forget a lot over summer vacation and this will allow them to still take time off of school, but keep up with their learning. There will be no need for summer school because students will be coming to school during part of their summers.

Going to school in the summer also means that the school building will need to be running and air conditioned. To save money, the school day could be lengthened another 30 minutes, adding an extra four minutes to every class period. This would decrease the number of days we go to school in the summer, which means there would be fewer days to air condition the school.

Schools in Japan operate on a year-round schooling schedule and the students test scores there are significantly better than ours in the United States. Many other countries around the world use this schedule and are ahead of Americans in education as well. If we were to switch to year-round school, students would learn much more and will bring this knowledge into the work force. This will allow them to get into better colleges and get better jobs.

In the 2004-2005 school year, 1,439 public schools in California were using year-round school schedules. 1,250,00 students started year-round schooling in that school year.

While many students say that they hate the idea of year-round schooling, they know little about how it works. They judge it before they understand it. They believe they will be attending school all year round, when in reality they will attend school the same number of days.

Additionally, year-round schooling reduces stress. Students get stressed out by having to go to school so many days in a row and only getting a couple of breaks that last for a long time. With the year-round schooling schedule, they have a two-week break after every nine weeks in school. These frequent, short breaks help to reduce stress by giving them a little time off.  These breaks also allow families to spend more time together.  Instead of just having the weekends and summers to do fun things together, they get a vacation every nine weeks to do something enjoyable.

Year-round schooling will benefit students, teachers, and parents.  This system is used by many countries around the world and it has helped increase many of their test scores.  Students will learn more and will not forget things over long summer breaks.  Families will become closer due to more time off to spend together.  Most schools show improvement after starting on the year-round schooling system, and students will begin to enjoy it once they realize they get the same number of days off.   Year-round schooling helps many students retain knowledge because of the shorter more frequent breaks.

Editorial written by: Ashley Vance, Allison Walker, Saige Farese, and Mackenzie Power.

Editorial cartoon by Saige Farese and Mackenzie Power.

Editorial: Merit passes should be adopted to reward deserving students

We know some students that enjoy being rewarded for good behavior and terrific grades. Everyone should have a chance to be given a “freebie” at least one day out of each nine weeks. This is what a merit pass is. Simply said, a merit pass is a card that allows a student to leave school with a group of other “merit kids” for a day filled with fun.

Chisholm High School (Oklahoma) sophomore Jacob Cooper has experienced merit passes before.

“They [merit passes] are rewards for excellence and hard work. A school’s way of saying, ‘Good job, keep it up’,” said Cooper.

Cooper said merit passes give students another reason to try. They tell students who are trying and who are not. He also enjoys being able to skip finals for getting a merit pass.

For a field trip, students would pay half the total cost, their half and food. The school would pay the other half, which is the price of going somewhere.

“Last time it was 10 dollars not counting the cost of food. It [cost] changes every time,” said Cooper.

To notify students that they have the privileges of a merit pass, would be the same way students now figure out if they have a Renaissance card–apply and check at lunch time.

About 85-90 percent of students apply for Renaissance cards. Many students appreciate being rewarded for hard work, and Renaissance cards make that possible. However, what if there was a different option for being rewarded? Merit passes grant a student one day out of each nine weeks to go out and enjoy themselves on a field trip with other merit pass holders. Merit passes are not just for fun. They are for other incentives too, such as receiving full credit on an unfinished homework assignment.

The requirements to receive a merit pass are very simple, for most students. An A/B average will need to be maintained, less than two tardies in each nine weeks, no disciplinary measures, such as a detention or SAL, and be respectful and courteous to staff, teachers, and other students. Really, just being hard working is how a student can receive a merit pass.

Students have an interest in starting a new program for their hard work. In addition, other staff members in the school would like to have another program for academics, attendance, and attitude. “[We] wish we had an incentive program to improve attendance and the tardy problem,” said student development liaison Becky Clifton. This possible reward program is not too far from reality. Clifton thinks the school could get funding for a new program to help students achieve higher grades and better attendance.

“There are organizations and companies that want to see students succeed,” said Clifton. This hope for a new option is quite possible.

Therefore, the only way for this to be possible is if enough students ask to have a new program. Then, the students would have to have a meeting with principal Louie Jensen and show their idea to him. Letting the principal know that students have an interest in making the school better will show him that as a student body we care for each other. And we do in fact, care for one another.

Editorial written by Nicollette Barreras.

Editorial cartoon by Nicollette Barreras.

Editorial: Students would support year-round school if they understood it

Usually when a student hears the words ‘year-round school,’ it strikes terror into their hearts. Students hold onto their precious summer break with a tenacious grip.

However, what most students don’t understand is that year-round schooling is actually a good idea. With year-round schooling we still have a summer break, but we also have other ‘mini-breaks.’ We still go to school for a total of 180 days, but those days are broken up into smaller bits and pieces.   If more students understood this concept of education, then more students would support it.

The basic plan for year-round school is that students will go to school 45 school days and then have 15 school days off.

When most students are asked about year-round school, they say they oppose it because there is only a ‘two- week summer.’ However, this is actually incorrect. On the traditional year-round school plan, the summer is six weeks long, which is much longer than two weeks. On the traditional plan, spring break and fall break would be extended to three weeks. Does that not sound better than the plan we are on now?

Students always complain about the length of the school and the burn-outs. Imagine this: if a runner was in a marathon, would the runner rather have more water breaks so that he is at his top performance? Or would he rather take one long water break, but then not be able to get back into his rhythm?

Another important argument for year-round school is the retention rates of the students. Countless students complain each year about how they cannot remember anything after the long summer break. However, year-round schooling eliminates this problem because the summer break is shorter, but not so short that students cannot relax.

The greatest argument against year-round school is the shortening of the summer break. Yes, the summer break has been cut in half. Yes, many students go to school and only think about summer break. What students need to remember, though, is that summer break is not non-existent, it is just shorter. Many students complain about how after the first month of summer they are bored. With year-round school, that issue is no longer a problem.

With a shorter summer vacation is the absence of summer school. This seemingly large problem has a rather simple solution. Just make the amount of time students go to summer school per day longer. Instead of going to summer school for four hours a day, go for six. This takes care of the problem.

Year-round schooling fits students’ desires and educational needs more than the traditional schedule. Contrary to popular belief, year-round school provides a six-week summer, not a two-week vacation. Year-round schooling does not increase the number of days in the school year. Instead, year-round schooling takes that long, sometimes boring summer break and spreads it out across the year.

More breaks are better than fewer breaks. And, you know what they say — all work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy.

Editorial written by Jacob Bales and Everette Barr.

Editorial cartoon by Everette Barr.