RamPage EASTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL: SPRING 2011
Forensics Team Update Inside this issue:
Mulan Review
2
Black Swan Review
2
Fashion Scoop
2
In Memory of 4 Sarah Landauer Senior Memories
5
EHS Men’s Soccer Review
6
Chinese New Year
7
And more!
The Eastside High School Forensics Team finished another incredible season, with three members qualifying for the National Catholic Forensics Grand National Tournament, held in Washington D.C. Taonga Leslie, a senior, qualified in the Student Congress section. Junior Jon Yoo qualified for the Lincoln-Douglass debate category. inally, sophomore Flora Huang qualified in the category of Oratorical Declamation.
These three team members qualified for this prestigious tournament by placing in the top six at the finals competition. There were also several members selected as alternatives: Akash Salwan and Arnav Gupta in the Public Forum Debate, and Michaela Iwinski in the category of Oratorical Declamation. The coaches of the forensics team are Alice Iwinski and Heather Christian. Eastside is proud to be well represented by these talented students.
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RamPage staff for this issue: Elijah Muhammad Christine Pu Benjamin Whitehead Sponsor: Katy Tonnelier
Editor: William Hahn Takeria Blunt Katherine Hahn Bakr Muhammad
Mulan Jr. Review By Katherine Hahn Directed by senior Colton Harper and drama instructor Tammy Meyers, Disney’s Mulan Jr. is based on the ancient Chinese legend about a young woman who joins the army disguised as a boy in order to take her elderly father’s place. The themes that run throughout the story—those of destiny, honor, strength, and love—transcend cultures and speak to us all on a universal frequency. This musical adaptation that ran from March 1 to 12 was the result of the diligence and creativity of the Eastside Thespians, marking their final production of the school year. Seniors Emily Hart and Kendall Nettles were both compelling as the rebellious leading lady, singing the beloved songs with all the passion and poignancy of the age-old story itself. Particularly memorable was “Reflection,” capturing the yearning for belonging and self-identity that permeates the play as an evocative undertone. Siobhan Mulhern, Malachi Gordon, Owen O’Grady, Michelle Williams, and Brittany Bennet sparkled as the vibrant Ancestors, who were majestic yet touchingly human in their subtle squabbles and cheeky one-liners.
Patric Mann, Rebecca Di, Samantha Spiers, Lisa Tessmann, and Jalia Smart were hilariously barbarous as the Hun Army, and senior Nicole Janiszewski was an absolute scene-stealer as the feisty dragon Mushu. “Cricket” Chelsea Hoyt’s soaring violin melodies added depth to the traditional music that filled the auditorium, and the purposefully simple set design allowed the talent and charisma of the actors to shine. There’s something about a Disney production that never fails to make me nostalgic for the times when each day was simple and every moment enchanting—just the way life should be. From “Honor to Us All” to “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” to “A Girl Worth Fighting For” to all the songs I hadn’t heard before, the Eastside Thespians’ Mulan was a truly beautiful show from start to finish.
EASTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL: SPRING 2011
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Black Swan Review By Benjamin Whitehead Darren Aronofsky’s psychological thriller depicts a dancer, named Nina (played by Natalie Portman) who gradually loses her sanity while trying to perfectly encompass the role of Odeele and Odette (the white and black swans). The movie mirrors the actual story of the Swan Lake quite beautifully however; Aronofsky falls short by not carrying the metaphor as far as a lover. It is obvious to the audience that neither Nina nor Lily (her competitor played by Mila Kunis) are competing over the affections of any prince. So instead, Portman has to create a manic obsession with perfection that allows her to compete with herself and in the end free herself from the Black Swan within.
Portman certainly earned her Oscar by adapting to this pitfall in the plot, but she also seems wholly human (even when she is hallucinating). Her emotions are raw, her nerves palpable and somehow the audience remains connected to her even while she borders schizophrenia. The cinematography gives a very personal feel to the dancing and the rituals surrounding the stage, with many circular shots and close-ups, which sometimes seem intrusive, but add to the purposeful craze of the film. Overall, the movie is a beautiful work playing to the strengths of Natalie Portman and I highly recommend it.
Fashion Scoop By Takeria Blunt Here are a few fashion do’s and don’t-even-tries for 2011: DON’T wear a big, baggy, collared shirt. Just because we have to wear them doesn’t mean we can’t wear ones that fit! DO spice up your outfit with a few bracelets (ladies) or one of those necklaces out of Spencer’s in the mall. Accessories aren’t against school policy. DON’T sag your pants. That is so last season, and no one wants to see your Gluteus Maximus. DO pair a knee-length, high-waist skirt with any color tights and the standard collared shirt. Skirts and tights are SO 2011. DON’T show up with last week’s spaghetti on your polo. Cleanliness always adds to the appearance.
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In Memory of
Sarah Michelle Landauer September 8, 1993-March 9, 2011
as tside w s a E t t e th a nt as a amma to her tale yers. e t le d up redib er pla an inc yone looke ven the old ent an exs a w r w h “Sara have. Eve s a friend, e llenge and . Nothing o a t a ith h d y w c luck yer an afraid of a presented la p r e was ever s oc c was n rything she anted it.” h a r a e w S wski v rzano e in e r when she h il C m a e r t e G r ac s to p h could
#15 A school memorial took place on Saturday, March 19, with a brief program and a tree planting following Beautification Day.
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“Sarah La She wa ndauer was the s alway best frie s th talk to a n nd she w ere for you wh d anyone could en you n ould alw inspirati ask for. ee on ay at 110% to everyone in s support you. ded someone to S h w fun, and hether it was s er love of life. S he was also an oc w h ing and as very strong cer, track, sch e did everythin ool work g we will n in her fa , it ever for was.” get wha h. She never s or having to t a wond erful pe pped smilrson sh e Pieter D e
:13 To commemorate Sarah, Eastside students gathered to paint her a mural on 34th Street.
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EASTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL: SPRING 2011
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EHS Men’s Soccer Season Review By Benjamin Whitehead This past season was very successful one for the EHS men’s varsity soccer team who finished with a record of 21-2-3, a Bobcat Invitational Championship, and a District Championship. The team was a wellmixed crew of veterans and new additions led by head coach Ron Messick. Coach Messick favored a 3-5-2 with a strong midfield, consisting of Trace Rohlwing (senior), James Davis (junior), T.J. Filmer (junior), and Pieter De Wolf (junior). These central midfielders provided the freeflowing attack-minded offense that characterized the EHS team this year. Cheyne Lehnick (senior), the leading scorer for Eastside this season benefitted greatly from the strong central midfield. However, the strongest component of this year’s team was its defense. Led by central defender Trevor Mimms (senior), a four year starter on varsity, Eastside’s de-
fense played the offside trap with amazing efficiency. Trevor was accompanied on defense by three-year veteran Zayne Miller and first year Tucker Mastin, who for his first season of EHS soccer showed tremendous talent and promise for the future. In the goal, Alon Krauthammer struggled early on in the season to find his form but more than made up for his earlier mistakes with impressive performances against Vanguard and Buchholz towards the end of the season. Alon, was not alone in his sparkling end of season form as every player contributed to a thrilling win over Vanguard to take back the district championship. The Eastside Men’s Varsity Soccer team would like to offer its condolences to the Landauer family and sorely misses Sarah, who is forever in our hearts.
OUTSTANDING RAM SCHOLARS Once again, Eastside has proved its academic prowess. Two Eastsiders have been selected to receive the prominent National Achievement Scholarship, which is awarded to the top AfricanAmerican students in the nation. Seniors Taonga Leslie and Rachel Mizell will receive a $2,500 scholarship through the program. The program has rigorous requirements: after performing well on the PSAT/NMSQT, Leslie and Mizell then had to keep up their grades, be recommended by a school official, write an essay, and do well on the SAT. Both students have big plans for college and beyond: Taonga will be attending Harvard University, and Rachel plans on going to the University of Central Florida. Both cite their passion for learning and hard work as reasons they have achieved so much. These two students are a perfect example of what makes Eastside the incredible school that it is today.
EASTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL: SPRING 2011
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Chinese New Year by Will Hahn February 3rd was the 2011 Chinese New Year, marking the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit. In China, this holiday is known as the Spring Festival, as it marks the ending of winter and the beginning of spring. It is marked by fifteen days of festivities, culminating with the famous Lantern Festival. The Chinese calendar is based on a 12 year repeating lunar cycle, with each year having an animal symbol associated with it. The year you are born in determines what your sign will be. When the year of your sign comes around in the cycle, you should enjoy additional luck and prosperity. Each sign is traditionally associated with certain characteristics and unique qualities; a person born in a Rabbit year, for example, is said to be lucky, diplomatic, and peaceful. In Chinese astrology, there are 28 constellations, far fewer than Western astrology. The Chinese New Year is a holiday that not only has an incredible history and tradition but can still be enjoyed by everyone today.
Once again, the Eastside Conferencia team won the Florida State Spanish Conference, extending Eastside’s dominating streak of victories, under the fearless leadership of Srta. Haedo, Sr. Avendaùo, and Sra. Zelaya. The 16 members of the team were: Sophomores Angela Acosta, Janke Mains, Akshaya Nataraj, and Toni Veltcheva; Juniors Will Hahn, Jennifer Kizza, Nora Moraga-Lewy, Audrey Simmone, Lindsay Troll, John Yoo, and Leydi Wong; Seniors Hannah Kruger, Shane Loomis, Radhika Rajan, Celeste Rousseau, and Sonja Samant. Everyone gave an impromptu oral speech, 6 members presented poetic declamations, and the other 10 performed a short dramatic comedy. Overall, Eastside scored an outstanding 994 out of 1000 total points. Also, Radhika Rajan won a scholarship in the senior essay contest. We would also like to thank Ajit Vakharia and Medha Ranka for all their help.
Which Directions are Eastside Rams Headed? Below is a list of some of the schools that our graduating Senior Class of 2011 will be attending this fall. Florida State Schools: UF, UCF, UNF, UWF, FAMU, Gulf Coast, FSU, USF, USF St. Pete, New, FAU, FAU Honors, Santa Fe, TCC, Valencia CC Florida Private Schools: Eckerd, Nova Southeastern, Stetson, Jacksonville U, U. Miami South: Duke, UNC/Chapel Hill, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech., College of Charleston, Wake Forest, Louisiana State, Morehouse, Auburn, Western Carolina, SCAD, University of Alabama, UNC/Charlotte, Davidson, Clemson, University of Georgia, University of Tennessee, Tulane, Baylor, Emory, Virginia Commonwealth, Emory (Oxford), University of South Carolina, University of Louisville, Elon, North Carolina State. University of Virginia Midwest: Washington University (St. Louis), Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati, Purdue, Southern Illinois, School of Art Institute/Chicago, University of Minnesota/Twin Cities, Case Western Reserve, University of Nebraska West: Stanford, UC Berkley, University of Washington/Seattle, Western Washington University, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, University of Arizona, UT/Austin, University of Colorado, University of Southern California, University of Oregon, UCLA Northeast: Northeastern, Harvard, Wellesley, Boston University, Brown, Yale, Bart, Dartmouth, Amherst, Williams, NYU, Wesleyan, U Penn, Penn State, University of Maryland, Princeton, University of Delaware, Syracuse, Villanova, MIT, University of Massachusetts/Amherst, Georgetown, American, Drexel, Mount Holyoke, Smith, Cornell, Clarkson, Coast Guard Academy, Brandeis, Colgate
A Message to the Readers of Rampage: WE NEED HELP!!! Anyone who is interested in being a part of next year’s Rampage Newsletter Staff is welcome to join our editing team or to submit articles for publication. We cover a wide variety of topics in our articles, and we are always open to new suggestions and ideas. We encourage anyone interested in journalism, communication, or advertising to consider helping out. Those of you interested in participating can send an email to wwhahn123@gmail.com. Please include your name and grade. We will get back to you as soon as possible with details about nest year’s meeting times and plans. We especially encourage underclassmen to join, as we are looking to invest in students who will be available for multiple years. Thank you all for your support & have a safe summer!