Vol. 7, Issue 4
739 Academy Lane, Newport News, VA 23602
May 2010
eDITORIAL
sports
FEATURES
seniors ‘10
Coastal drilling to solve oil woes? Page 2
Fraenk to continue track career at HU Page 4
Gator gala marks anniversary Page 5
A salute to the Class of 2010 Page 8
HRA promgoers enjoy ‘A Night In Vegas’ By Robyn Becker ''A Night in Vegas'' was definitely a night to remember! After much time and preparation, on Saturday, April 24, Hampton Roads Academy juniors and seniors and their dates boarded the Spirit of Norfolk for Prom 2010. Everyone was greeted by friendly waiters and the familiar faces of the teacher chaperones. After a delicious dinner and dessert, the dancing began. In addition to the normal festivities of an HRA dance, the DJ organized a “Dancing With the Stars- HRA Edition.” Joe Saunders, a junior, and his outof-school guest Rebecca Brindza were the stars of the night. According to Courtney Crowder, “Prom was so much fun. I liked having a dance out of school because it was fun to ride in a limo with all of my friends. Also the Spirit of
Photo by Robyn Becker Mary McLachlan, Graham King, Gus Altschuler and Whitney Shephard enjoy prom!
Norfolk was a nice change from the MPR.” After a few hours of dancing, the boat docked in Norfolk, and everyone headed to the Hampton Teen Center for afterprom. Upon arrival at afterprom,
everyone was greeted by the parents at the Teen Center. Instead of the usual afterprom t-shirt, students received plaid pajama pants to go along with the pajama party theme. After students changed into more
comfortable clothes than gowns and tuxedos, they were able to explore the multiple activities. There were many raffles including a TV, bicycle and Juicy Couture sunglasses. Other activities included blackjack, laser tag and inflatable obstacle course, video games, hulahoops, pool, a photo booth and an abundance of breakfast foods. Senior Marshall Jordan said, “Afterprom this year was so much fun because there was so much to do, but my favorites were playing blackjack and pool!” By 3 a.m. most people were probably exhausted, so they found their respective limos and went home after a great night. All in all, most students who were at prom would probably agree that it was a highlight of the year. If you weren't there, you definitely missed out.
Cum Laude Society inducts 15 HRA students By Joel Kauder On April 12, a total of 15 students from the senior and junior classes were inducted to the Cum Laude Society, a significant honor at Hampton Roads Academy. The Cum Laude Society was founded in 1906 to honor outstanding academic achievement by juniors and seniors at schools of exceptional academic caliber. As stated on the Cum Laude Society website, the society recognizes academic achievement in secondary schools for the purpose of promoting excellence, justice and honor. HRA faculty member Dr. Rubinstein stated, “The Cum Laude ceremony is one of HRA’s most important and
Photo courtesy of Hampton Roads Academy Fifteen HRA students recently were inducted into the Cum Laude Society, founded in 1906 to honor outstanding academic achievement by juniors and seniors.
dignified events. On other occasions, we honor students for their achievements in sports, the arts, community service, etc.
The Cum Laude ceremony honors students for high academic achievement and the hard work and self- discipline required for
that achievement.” This year, eight seniors and seven juniors were inducted to the Cum Laude Society. The new senior inductees for this year are Kate Donaldson, Robyn Becker, Elizabeth Evans, Elizabeth Heifetz, Megan Rinderer, Bryan Basnight, Sarina Patterson, and Priya Vyas. The new junior inductees for this year are Austin Sarfan, Aleck Berry, Gemma Pansch, Ben Lanning, Peter Chiappa, Siyao Sun and Katie Schwarting. Being inducted to the Cum Laude Society is a great honor at Hampton Roads Academy and is a well-respected academic achievement. Congratulations to all the new inductees.
2 Vol. 7, Issue 4
EDITORIAL
May 2010
Va. coastal drilling to solve energy woes? By Charlie Spencer On March 31, President Barack Obama reversed a ban on offshore drilling. The plan will allow offshore drilling off most of the East Coast from Delaware to Florida. Seventy-six percent of people who participated in an online poll on Pilotonline.com believe that oil drilling off the coast of Virginia should be allowed, while 20 percent thought it was a bad idea, and 4 percent were undecided. Although the poll results are not scientific, it seems that many residents in Hampton Roads want offshore drilling. What is the point of offshore drilling on the East Coast? President Obama would argue that millions of gallons of oil are lying just below the ocean’s floor; using the resources we have in the United States would help decrease our reliance on foreign oil. Sure, our reliance on foreign oil would decrease, but what about the steps we should be taking to become more environmentally friendly? There he would say that he would be pushing for alternative energy sources while drilling. President Obama supports offshore drilling in the United States and it seems that his constituents do, too. I see this as taking one step forward and two steps back in the “greening” of our country. While we would not be relying on other countries as much for oil, we would increase our dependence on the oil itself. If we have more access to oil and it’s being pumped locally, why “go green” when gas and oil are now more abundant? We have already put a big enough strain on the environment with increased CO2 emissions and we are already starting to feel the climate change, though many are reluctant to admit it. We need to stop thinking about the present and think more about the future of our country and the environment. We shouldn’t be drilling, disrupting marine life and constructing hideous oil rigs that after sucking all the oil off our coast (the little we have left in the world) will have no use and will rust away. My solution is to rely on foreign oil for a bit longer, but go
HRA Winter Break policy creates schedule flexibility By: Vanessa Arvidson Yes, the rumors are true: There will be no Winter Break next school year. Cue the groans and sighs of displeasure. Winter Break has been a tradition at Hampton Roads Academy for what seems like the beginning of time. It was something students could lord over public school kids everywhere. Not one, not two, but three breaks per year! No longer. Next year, instead of a week-long break, there will be an extended four-day weekend in the beginning of March. “I’m glad I got out when I did,” exclaimed Senior Charlie Spencer. Surprisingly, not all students shared this view. “I think it is good because we missed so much school this year,” declared sophomore Morgan Blalock. So what lead to this drastic change in HRA tradition? The decision arose from an array of factors. According to Mrs. Reynolds, dean of faculty and associate head of school, "We struggle daily, as do students, with finding a balance between academics, arts and athletics. Shortening Winter Break allowed us to do something that benefited all three areas. It gave us three more instructional days, allowed the play to go back to two weekends, and made it possible for an athlete to participate in the play." In years past, due to an approximate four-week overlap between the upper school musical and spring sports, students who wished to play a spring sport could not participate in the musical. In conjunction with moving the musical up slightly in the calendar, this will put a slight break between the two and minimize the overlap. This will allow people who play spring sports to audition for
Photo courtesy of Flickr.com Oil platforms like this one -- in British Columbia -- could be commonplace off the Virginia coast if President Obama’s new offshore drilling rules are enacted.
all-out with a push for alternative energy sources and transportation projects. Some progress with the “greening” of Virginia can be seen with the new mass transit project that is set to open next year, the new light rail system in Downtown Norfolk, The Tide, a big step towards excellent mass transit in the Hampton Roads area. Hopes are that light rail will come to Virginia Beach and then to the Peninsula, providing reliable, safe and cheap transportation.
the musical letting any student who wishes to audition and participate do so without compromising spring sports, she said. This decision definitely has mixed reactions. With students at HRA doing a million things at once, there are never any easy solutions when it comes to scheduling. Finding the right balance is a constant work in progress.
The Compass Staff Editors: Vanessa Arvidson News Editors: Morgan Blalock, Allison Mui Sports Editors: Daven Patel, Erik Spatz Features Editors: Winston Davis, Kevin King, Joel Kauder, Joseph Montgomery Opinion Editor: Charlie Spencer Reporters robyn becker, Helen Sporkin Samson Canavos Contributors: Chloe Rento Advisor: Mr. Lidington
Vol. 7, Issue 4
news
3 May 2010
Virginia ‘lift laws’ limit lofty lorries By Samson Canavos What do you think when you think of lifted trucks? Perhaps a southern boy blasting country music in a truck with tires that are bigger than half your body? This is a common misconception that it is the “redneck” thing to do to have a jacked-up truck. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are many types of people who have lifted trucks. No matter what kind of person you are, the love and obsession of lifted trucks can consume you. With this new piece of information one can conclude that there are many different types of people in Virginia and there are big trucks everywhere. With all of these people who have fallen into the lifted-truck obsession, there is one thing that hinders Virginians: The commonwealth has extremely strict lift laws which restrict how high a truck can be.
In Virginia it is illegal to lift your truck so that the bottom of the front bumper is over a certain height. The height limit is constituted by how much your truck weighs. For example there are three different limits for the Ford F-150, F-250 and F-350. Even though it changes by the weight of the truck. the limits are still very restrictive and allow for no expression when it comes to one’s lifted truck. The reason for these lift laws is because the state of Virginia feels that if a truck is lifted too much and the bottom of the bumper is too high it could be dangerous; if the truck hits a regular-sized car it could slide the whole truck over the other car potentially resulting in death for both drivers. Although this may be true it is very rare. When you are that high off the ground
Summer Jobs By Joel Kauder During the summer of 2010, there are many seniors who will be getting jobs to earn some extra spending money for the summer and for when they go off to college this fall. There is a great deal of diversity in the types of jobs the seniors have decided to take this summer. Charlie Spencer, Nick Livingstone and Kevin King are going to be lifeguards at different pools. King said, “I just love making bank for college, and I love college.” Bryan Basnight has taken a job at The Crabshack in Newport News as a busboy. Vinny Buffa is going back to the place he traveled to so often for his senior project, The Boys and Girls Club, to take a paying job there. Caroline Suttle is working at the tennis courts at JRCC and Justin Currin is doing landscaping around the area. Vince LeNoach has decided to take a job as a pizza boy for Domino’s Pizza. Robyn Becker is serving as a camp counselor and Erik Spatz is returning to Busch Gardens to work. Rachel Edwards is going to be a hostess at 99 Maine and
Brandon Gdovic is taking a job at Gdovic Motor Sports. Joe Montgomery is living in Virginia Beach and working at 17th Street Surf Shop. He said, “I want to make money so I can spend money on things.” This summer there are a wide variety of jobs being taken by the seniors and this is their last chance to make some extra money before we all head off to college for the first time in our lives, and most of us are taking full advantage of this.
it is actually easy to see far in front of you and keeps you from getting into a rear-end collision. Another fact is that people who drive trucks lifted over eight inches typically don’t drive crazily, such as speeding, weaving in and out of traffic and overall doing stupid stuff on the road. Our neighbors to the south in North Carolina have a grand freedom when it comes to their trucks. North Carolina has no lift laws, allowing their citizens lifts as high and tires as big as they desire. When one looks at the statistics they will find that the accidents in Virginia, with lift laws, that were worse because of a truck being lifted are the same amount in North Carolina that has no lift laws. Kirk Huck of Off Road Innovations in Yorktown said, “The laws in Virginia are ridiculous. I don’t drive any
crazier than another person, but I still seem to get pulled over every week for my truck being too high.” Many share his view. Most truck owners in Virginia say that if the accident statistics in North Carolina are the same as here, we should not have to have lift laws either. Without lift laws, the citizens of Virginia can express themselves through their trucks. Some people like rugged mud trucks that don’t look good but perform well off-road; some like clean, nice-looking trucks that never see the mud; and some like trucks that are jacked up higher than an 18-wheeler. Without lift laws we would be able to provide our citizens with the correct amount of expression they can have through their vehicles. Maybe some day the biggest nicest trucks will come out of Virginia.
Summer Trips By Charlie Spencer It’s that time of year again when school comes to an end and summer begins. Some students are taking some exciting trips over the summer. From cruises to Mexico and trips to Spain and France, students from Hampton Roads Academy are traveling to some exotic destinations this summer. The summer is a great time to visit places you have never been and also a great time to relax after a long year full of work, and lots of days off.
Image Courtesy of American Red Cross A typical summer job at a typical summer destination (lifeguarding at the beach).
Students have had many opportunities to travel abroad with the school. In recent years groups have traveled to France, Greece and Rome during the summer. Students who have taken the trips really enjoyed the experience abroad. This summer Spanish students are visitng Spain for a week with Mr. Kiser and Ms. Barker. Beach trips are always top on the list for the summer whether it’s down to the Outer Banks in North Carolina, to Cancun or to the Bahamas the beach is always the best place to relax with friends and family after a year of school. For example, junior Emalee Sarrett is excited about going to California to watch baseball and relax with her family. Trips like hers are the best for relieving all the stress built up towards the end of the school year. So kick back, relax, and enjoy the beginning of summer! And wherever your destination may be this summer, safe travels!
4 Vol. 7, Issue 4
Sports
May 2010
Senior Emmy Fraenk to continue track career at Hampton University By Helen Sporkin This track season marked the beginning of senior Emmy Fraenk’s career as an HRA outdoor track participant. This event sparked interest for all Hampton Roads Academy track enthusiasts and runners as news spread of her innate running abilities. Fraenk definitely lived up to her reputation when she broke the HRA record for the women’s 400-meter race at the first meet of the season. Fraenk was born in St. Maarten, an island in the northeast Caribbean, and came to Virginia her junior year. She attended Bethel High School that year and participated in their track program. There she had major success, with her 4x400meter relay breaking the Virginia state outdoor record, and her 4x200-meter relay making the fifth fastest time in Virginia history. But her involvement in the Bethel track program was short-lived, as she decided to attend HRA for her senior year. Fraenk stated that she made the switch because “HRA was a better school academically.” In the summer before attending HRA, Fraenk competed in the World Youth Championship in Italy. Here she placed 7th and she regards it as her favorite achievement in track. Over spring break she attended another international meet, as she competed in the Caribbean Free Trade Association
(CARIFTA) games where she represented St. Maarten. Her HRA running career began before our track season even started. Fraenk became the sole member of the HRA indoor track team, and went on to compete in the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association’s State meet, where she placed first in all her events. Even though HRA only had a single runner in this meet, it won a total of 30 points, and beat several other schools. Now that outdoor track season has begun, Fraenk has competed in three meet’s for HRA. In these meets she ran the 400-meter, 200-meter and 4x400-meter relay, which are her areas of expertise. Fraenk this season has added two field events to her list: long and triple jump. She hasn’t done much work with long jump before and she tried triple jump for the first time this season. This unfamiliarity proved to be no set back for her, as she has placed first in all her field events. In fact, Fraenk is currently running undefeated in all her events. This season hasn’t only given her victories on the track, because her success has also awarded her a full scholarship to Hampton University, where she will continue her track career next year.
Photo courtesy of Milestat.com HRA Senior Emmy Fraenk, middle, set several track records at the school this year.
College lax’ers’ goal: Win national title By Kevin King The 2010 college lacrosse season has been both exciting and stable. As usual, the ACC was the most dominating conference. The University of Virginia, rocked by the murder of a women’s lax player, and Syracuse University, with near perfect seasons, swapped back and forth in the number one ranked spot. UVA beat every team that they faced in the regular season
except Duke. However, Virginia proved themselves by avenging their loss to Duke in the ACC Tournament Semifinals. Virginia then went on to become the ACC Champions. However, in terms of the NCAA tournament, Many of the other ACC powerhouses such as Maryland, Duke and UNC pose a legitimate threat as contenders to the No. 1-seeded Virginia and Syracuse teams.
World Cup 2010 kicks off soccer summer By Daven Patel The 2010 FIFA World Cup will take place this summer in South Africa. The 32 teams that have qualified for the World Cup have been working for the past four years to get into the tournament. The tournament is the mostwatched event in the world. It is full of surprises, suspense and intriguing story lines. The last World Cup in Germany was won by Italy. Although Italy is still a strong team, I do not see them winning it again this year. Unfortunately, the United States are not
a favorite. Although Charlie Davies had a terrible auto crash and has skipped out on his European club this past year to recover for the World Cup, his spot on the team is still uncertain. Even though they are a good team and they have a good chance of advancing out of their group, I do not see them going any further than that. The favorites for the 2010 FIFA World Cup are Spain, Brazil and Argentina.
Spain showed the world that they are an elite team by winning the Euro Cup in 2008. They are a very talented team with stars like Xavi manning the midfield. Brazil has always been an elite team year in and year out. Although their roster may consist of fading stars such as the great Ronaldhino, they still have one of the world’s best in Kaka. The team that I believe that will take the cup is Argentina. My simple logic behind pick-
ing this team is simply one man: Messi. Lionel Messi, the reigning World Soccer Player of the Year, is simply a scoring machine. His quick moves, creative scoring ways and speed are simply too much for many teams to handle. Argentina won the Gold Medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing which showed the world that they are a rising young talented team. As usual, it will be fun to watch merely to see who starts out of their embarrassment of riches in talent.
FEATURES
Vol. 7, Issue 4
HRA spring musical features ‘Babes’ By Allison Mui On March 25-28, 2010, the Hampton Roads Academy Performing Arts presented the Rodgers and Hart musical, “Babes in Arms.” Not only did “Babes in Arms” incorporate the efforts of more than 50 students, including 11 seniors, but was also the first HRA musical presented on only one weekend. Social studies teacher Mrs. Diette said, “I was very impressed at the level of professional performance from the actors on stage to the band in the orchestra, and I was proud to be a part of such a talented HRA community.” Taking place in the early 1950’s in Cape Cod, “Babes in Arms” follows the apprentices of the Surf & Sand Playhouse in their efforts to put on a revue in order to help the theater stay open, against the wishes of
the owner Seymour Fleming, played by sophomore Billy Steinberger. The apprentices, led by Valentine White, played by sophomore Tim Ayres-Kerr, face the competition of director Lee Calhoun, played by junior Charlie Bowen. Calhoun plans to present his play, “The Deep North,” which is set to feature an upcoming actress, Jennifer Owen, played by senior Margot Mellette. Various subplots in “Babes in Arms” include the romantic struggles between Valentine, Susie Ward - played by sophomore Catherine Goodson - and Owen, and between Terry Thompson and Gus Field, played by Stephanie Parker and Will Atkins. In the two acts, eight musical numbers were presented by the actors and the orchestra, which in of itself included 14
students, three faculty and four guests (one on the Sunday show only). In addition, a topic of great discussion were the small errors that in reality added to the comedic plot of “Babes in Arms.” For example, sophomore Stephanie Parker recounted her difficulties during a musical number, when her microphone box fell off during the Sunday matinee performance. She said, “My greatest acting challenge also brought me a standing ovation. I was surprised I pulled it off.” Moreover, during the Deep North scene, junior Charlie Bowen, during the Friday night performance, accidentally tripped and broke a lamp. The small blunder brought laughter from the crowd, such that Bowen repeated this “mistake” again on the Sunday showing.
2010 Senior Awards The Hampton Roads Academy Navigator Award
Margot Mellette The Hampton Roads Academy Navigator Award is presented in memory of Mrs. Elinor Hedrick Buxton by her family to a graduating student. This award is the highest award the Academy presents and is based upon significant scholastic achievement, outstanding leadership, high personal standards and demonstration of sound citizenship.
The Moonves Prize
Sarina Patterson The Moonves Prize is presented in memory of Mrs. Sylvia F. Moonves to the graduating senior, who, through conscientious effort, high ambition and courage, outstanding character and excellent deportment, has made Hampton Roads Academy a better and more friendly place to live
The Lee Award
Caroline Suttle The Lee Award is presented in memory of Mr. Joseph E. Carpenter to the graduating student who, through genuine enthusiasm for school activities and active concern for the rights and feelings of other people, has contributed significantly to the development of school spirit and morale.
The Hampton Roads Academy Service Award
Nicole Patterson The Hampton Roads Academy Service Award is presented in honor of Mrs. Robert L. Trimpi to the student who has most unselfishly served the Academy during the past year. This award is based upon consistency of effort and loyalty to the ideals represented by the founding of the Academy.
5 May 2010
Gator gala marks HRA golden anniversary By Morgan Blalock Hampton Roads Academy’s 50th anniversary gala was held on Mar. 20. Former faculty, staff, students and trustees came together with current members of the community to honor memories from the school’s history. Headmaster Mr. Harvey welcomed the attendees, including former Headmasters Dr. Robert Cox (1972-89) and Thomas Read (1961-67). Alumni came from as far away as Kansas and Tennessee to enjoy dancing, dining and catching up with former classmates. The 50th Anniversary video was premiered and then the band The Janitors played. Mayor Joe Frank had a special message for the group: “From the hearts and minds of a handful of visionaries, this young academy sprang forth to represent the best in independent education on the Peninsula. Those early founders transformed a muddy farmer’s field into an unparalleled educational institution for our young students…Today thousands of HRA alumni are involved in their communities across the country and around the world, helping to make a difference. And it all started here, in Newport News, Va.” Laura Geddy, class of ’75, was one of the alums that helped to organize the event. She said the committees had been planning the gala for seven to nine months. Although the association budgeted for around 300, 420 attendees came. According to Mrs. Geddy, the event was important to the school because “it was a chance to reengage alumni and former parents, to show them the improvements made on campus” and the vigorous history of the school—still in play today.
6 Vol. 7, Issue 4
FEATURES
May 2010
Celebrity sex scandals dominate media scene By Joseph Montgomery In modern society, you can’t turn on the TV without hearing about a new scandal of some sort. Whether it’s a criminal act by a celebrity, a celebrity sleeping around, or whatever, we all hear about it. Sex scandals seem to be particularly popular with people nowadays. According to USNews.com, 15-18% of married people cheat on their spouses. golfer Tiger Woods and TV personality Jesse James were involved in the most recent scandals. While it is amazing to me that a man of Tiger’s celebrity could keep that many women on the down-low for
that long, it is still a bad thing to betray your faithful wife and young children. Jesse James, while he only has a quarter of the mistresses Tiger had, betrayed one of the most famous and beautiful women in the world for a woman who looks like she let a class of kindergarteners draw on her face. Sophomore Morgan Blalock explained her feelings as follows: “I don’t think it’s that important and did not need that much media attention.” While we may never be able to understand why these men did what they did, we can certainly look forward to hearing about it in the media.
Photo courtesy of Flickr.com Golfer Tiger Woods’ indiscretions have become fodder for media hype.
Shakespeare piece to be fall play next year By Vanessa Arvidson Auditions were held on April 16 and 19 for next year’s fall production of William Shakespeare’s ‘‘Twelfth Night.’’ Anyone getting a feeling of Déjà vu? Two years ago, ‘‘Twelfth Night’’ was scheduled to be the fall play. Scripts were printed, auditions were held, but the show never happened; not enough males auditioned to do the show properly. The 2008 fall play was instead ‘‘Everything I Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten.’’ So what has changed? Due to the growth in the program,
Hampton Roads Academy not only has enough people to perform the play, but to perform it to the high theatrical standard that has been set in the past few years. Next year’s production of ‘‘Twelfth Night’’ will be offered as a class. Students auditioned and, if cast, will sign up to take the class as an elective in the fall semester next year. This means there will be no rehearsals after school up until the week before Tech Week, two weeks before the production opens. This is a new approach the theatre department is testing. It will allow more students
Films offer titanic clashes spanning the ages By Winston Davis In 1981 the original ''Clash of the Titans'' film was released, gathering attention and fame. On April 2, 2010, a remake of the original ''Clash of the Titans,'' directed by Louis Leterrier, was released, this time in 3-D. ''Clash of the Titans 3-D'' was supposed to be the hit film of the year with well-known actors such as Sam Worthington, Jake Sully from ''Avatar,'' and Liam Neeson, Qui-Gon Jinn from the ''Star Wars'' trilogy. Tension and excitement reigned in movie theaters, but this all changed when the movie began. The new film begins with a narration that explains the three Olympians who are fighting againse the titans, the three gods, Zues, Hades and Poseidon. Perseus, Zeus’s son, was found by a fisherman and then raised to be a man. He realizes the god, Hades, has promoted fear among the people and threatens them to rejoice and pray to the gods or else he would
release his ultimate beast, the Kraken. Perseus rises to defeat this beast with a little help. Reviews of this movie were gathered from different movie reviews, which had different opinions. The movie review web site RottenTomatoes.com gave Clash of the Titans a 4.4 out of 10, while The Chicago SunTimes gave it 3 out of 4. Asking around, the movie did not reach the expectations the trailer showed. People were expecting more action, violence, and the Kraken. The movie’s story was weak and the action was dull, making this movie a disappointment for movie viewers. According to the site, critic Peter Travers of Rolling Stone magazine said, ''The film is a sham, with good actors going for the paycheck and using beards and heavy makeup to hide their shame.'' Richard Corliss of Time magazine said, ''I liked it. This is a fullthrottle action-adventure, played unapologetically straight.''
to be part of the show by reducing interference with the numerous after school activities in which students are involved. Instead of a traditional cast list being posted, a class list was instead put on the call board, announcing the members of the cast without roles, which will be decided and announced once class schedules for next year are finalized and a final list of members of the class is released. The students in the class will rehearse during the 50-minute class period. As the show rarely
has every cast member onstage at once, about 60 percent of class periods will be available as a study hall, so the class does not get in the way of school work. There are also a couple of walk-on roles, performed by a small group of students not in the class who will be incorporated a couple weeks before the show opens. Also unique is the incorporation of live music as a centerpiece to the show.
Vol. 7, Issue 4
FEATURES
7 May 2010
Rapper Common among top new CDs coming soon to a store near you By Erik Spatz The year 2010 is looking to be a great year for the music industry, especially in terms of the hip-hop/rap genre. Many artists will be showing their prowess this summer and fall with the following CDs. First, rap artist Common has excelled in everything he has been involved in, from the music industry to films, where he played an assassin in the 2008 film “Wanted.” His last album “Universal Mind Control” in 2008 was a big hit across the country, with songs such as “Universal Mind Control” and “Announcement.” Combining his unique style with other artists such as Kanye West and Pharrel made this album widely successful. Coming in December 2010, we have his new album “The Believer”; if it is anything like his last it will affect the entire hip-hop/rap genre. Second is one of the most highly celebrated artists of the time, Drake, a mix tape sensation long before he stood in the spotlight. He had numerous albums such as “Comeback Season” and his most well-known album,” So Far Gone,” which had numerous hits such as “Successful” and “Best I Ever Had.” “So Far Gone” has now moved from being a mix tape to an album sold in stores. Drake will drop his new album “Thank Me Later” on June 15, leading into the release with singles such as the widely popular song, “Over.” This album is supposed to lean more towards hip-hop than his album “So Far Gone” did; it had been compared to the style of Kanye West’s album “808s and Heartbreak.” This album is so highly anticipated because of immense popularity the young artist achieved so quickly. Third comes another widely known artist, Lupe Fiasco. His last album was “Lupe Fiasco’s the Cool,” with songs like “Superstar” and “Hip-Hop Saved My Life.” The album rocketed across the nation into the hearts of many. Now Lupe Fiasco is releasing his new album called “Lasers,” which is not only important because of the success of his previous album, but also because it is most likely his last. Fiasco announced his probable retirement after the release
of this album. He decided that he will retire and move on to other things. What those things are, no one is completely sure. However “Lasers” is sure to be impressive as Fiasco wants to leave a mark on the hip-hop nation, which will remain long after he is gone. Finally comes an artist whose success is incredible: Kanye West. Though West has had his share of controversy, such as the Taylor Swift incident, he is still seen as one of the greats. His last album, “808s and Heartbreak,” was widely debated for his change in style. The album was meant to be an experimental album while Kanye and his producers toyed with auto tune and brought a different aspect to his music. It was an album that seemed to have no middle ground. It was either loved or hated. However, even this risk created highly popular songs such as “Heartless” and “Love Lockdown.” No matter what he does West always aims to please with his music and he has always succeeded. The story should be no different in June 2010 when his new album “Good A-- Job” is released. This album goes back to the Hip-Hop/ Rap true Kanye, before the “808’s and Heartbreak” experiment. This is expected to be one of the best albums of the year. Music is meant to touch the hearts of the audience, and I have no doubt that these artists will meet that goal. These albums are only a few among many to look forward to this year, which will surely hold many musical rewards.
‘Iron Man’ sequel, ‘Letters’ supervise summer cinema By Joe Montgomery Summer is always a great time for moviegoers and concertgoers alike. Quite possibly the biggest movie of the summer is anticipated to be Iron Man 2. The hype is already building about this film, and it stars Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson and a rare appearance by Mickey Rourke. The film starts where the last left off and includes several new characters. In this sequel, Tony Stark uses his Iron Man suit to confront new foes and forge new alliances. If action adventures aren’t your type, “Letters to Juliet,” starring Amanda Seyfried, is going to be a big summer hit
in the romance department. In this film, Seyfried’s character discover’s old letters to Juliet from Romeo in Verona, Italy, which set off a chain of events that will eventually lead to her falling in love. In the way of concerts, there are many concerts in the summer. Among the biggest names coming are John Mayer and the Dave Matthews Band, both in mid-July. Of course, this is just for the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater. There are lots of other bands coming to The Norva, which should be even more exciting. These include Pitbull, Hole, and Adam Lambert. Enjoy this summer’s entertainment!
Photo courtesy of Marvel Comics Scarlett Johansson co-stars in “Iron Man 2” in theatres now.
Vol. 7, Issue 4
Like stars spun out of distant nebulae, so are Hampton Roads Academy seniors sent out into the college universe. May they shine their lights for all the world to see. - The Compass Staff
SENIORS ‘10 8
May 2010