Renaissance The LSMSA
November 2013 Volume XXXI, Issue 3 The Louisiana School 715 University Pkwy. Natchitoches, LA 71457 Praecellemus
Trunk or Treat bewitches students in CPT Kyle Welch
Assistant Editor
Trunk or Treat met a frightful obstacle this year, as forecasts of rain caught Samhain in a sticky web. Fortunately, Ms. Emily Shumate and Jenny Schmitt, SAB sponsor, hatched the scary good idea of hosting Trunk or Treat in the CPT. The second floor of the CPT was decorated and adorned with webs and festive light fixtures. Participating teachers—like Dr. Robert Dalling, Mr. Brad Burkman, and others—were assigned rooms on the second floor where they passed out candy to eager and dressed up students. LSMSA students face a unique conflict regarding Halloween. Because Natchitoches enforces specific times and age limits for official trickor-treating, LSMSA
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students are not allowed to participate in citysponsored activities. Furthermore, students are prevented from trickor-treating at private residences in order to protect the school’s image. Trunk or Treat has been hosted by the school since 2008, but, in the past, Trunk or Treat has been held in the parking lot of the HSB. Teachers have usually decorated the trunks of their vehicles for the occasion, and some have even brought along their pets. “Trunk or Treat is probably my favorite school event,” said Shumate. “I kind of get to merge two worlds with my kids and the students. I don’t really have to choose between staying home or leaving my kids, because I know it’s something they’ll enjoy. I
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can’t really do that with a play or a colloquium.” But because of the haunting forecasts, other plans had to be made. “I was looking out of my office,” said Shumate, “and I said ‘Here are a lot of rooms that don’t really belong to anyone in particular; why not have it here?” And so it was. Schmitt and the rest of SAB set up the decorations in the CPT and assigned rooms to teachers. “I really liked it inside,” said Shumate. “It felt more like traditional trick-or-treating.” Shumate noted that she enjoyed decorating her car, but preferred the CPT because she could see students better. It also felt more exclusive to LSMSA and friends; in the past, people who didn’t even go to LSMSA would show up at the event.
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In This Issue:
Return of the Ducote Wait, so Wesley Ducote actually exists and isn’t some legendary myth? Cinema at 6 Review: The Man Who Would Be King Hmm, I guess Sean Connery’s bare butt is educational enough for me. Coach Dale Clingerman: ballin’ for 20 years Get to know LSMSA’s favorite bald (and ballin’) eagle. Computer Science Dept. introduces new course Programming is classy and you can be too.
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1. Dr. Hynes happily hands out candy to Isabel Milton. 2. Dr. Wood and his wife bake cookies to hand out every year. 3. Dr. Dalling dishes out some sweets to Kyle Frederick. All taken by Brandon K.
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Mr. Burkman dressed as the Big Bad Wolf dressed as Grandma from “Little Red Riding Hood” preparing to pass out candy in the same manner as he passes out tests. Taken by Brandon K.
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The Halls of LSMSA The halls of LSMSAwould not be complete without the Halls of LSMSA All hail Queen Isabel! There is only one queen, and that is Isabel Milton. Disagree? You try taking Biochemistry, then talk to me. Ebarb captures the history of LSMSA I don’t know about you, but I want a signed copy of Dr. Ebarb’s book. Manhein gives students a peek at the bare bones of forensic anthropology It’ll tickle your funny bone. ...and more!
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November 2013
The Renaissance reaps rewards Carlie Procell Editor in Chief
You’re now reading an award-winning publication. The Renaissance staff attended the Louisiana Scholastic Press Association’s conference for the first time at LSU on Thursday, November 14th. The conference The staff with their awards after the conference. Taken by Ms. Lillian Gray consisted of journalism workshops, tours of LSU student media, and on-site competitions. Schools could also submit materials beforehand to be judged in categories such as design. Schools from all over the state attended, such as Captain Shreve High School in Shreveport, and Baton Rouge Magnet High School in Baton Rouge. In total, The Renaissance hauled back six awards. Three were from individual on-site competitions, two were for the layout and design of the paper, and the last was for the entire paper itself. Allison Boudreaux received 3rd in the Headline and Cutline Writing Competition, Brooke Mendoza received 2nd in the Copy Editing Competition, and Carlie Procell received 1st in the Photo Editing Competition. As for design, Procell was awarded an honorable mention in the Inside Spread Design category and 1st in the Front Page Design category. Lastly, The Renaissance was given an honorable mention for Best Overall Newspaper, which resulted in a trophy.
“2π radians. That’s the same as one French Revolution.” -Dr. Dalling “German movies are like German cars--perfect.” -Dr. Olson Matthew Fults: “What’s w?” Dr. Dalling: “You mean ω (omega)?” “It’s how you know the surfers in California are mathematicians: they keep it real.” -Mr. Andersen “Haha, instead of Foil you can use Foli...oh.” -Nickolas Walling “Partial fractions are fun.” -Mr. McGrath
Coming Soon: Dec. 5 Science Fair//6:30pm//Gym “Talking With”//7pm//Black Box Dec. 6 “Talking With”//7pm//Black Box Dec. 7 LAN Party//12am-8pm//CPT Dec. 8 Fall Concert//3pm//Recital Hall Dec. 9 Fall Concert//6pm//Recital Hall
The Winter Formal King & Queen for 2013, Gabe Chappell & Isabel Milton. Taken by Brandon K.
For more information on any event, contact us at: newspaper@student.lsmsa.edu
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Honorary Hispanic Society hosts Return of the Ducote Carlie Procell Induction Ceremony Editor-in-Chief
Cosette Zacarias Staff Writer
The LSMSA Plus Ultra chapter of the Honorary Hispanic Society held its annual induction ceremony on November 4, 2013. Led by the society’s president, Cosette Zacarias, and sponsor, Maria Sanchez, the ceremony welcomed 22 new members. HHS members are invited to join once they have maintained an 88% average throughout at least three semesters of Spanish at LSMSA or placement in level 4 or above in Spanish at LSMSA.
The new inductees to the Honorary Hispanic Society with Dr. Maria Sanchez. Taken by Cosette Z.
Members of the Honorary Hispanic Society work to promote Hispanic culture throughout the school and local communities while refining their Spanish
School honors veterans in annual ceremony Carlie Procell Editor-in-Chief
On Thursday, November 7 at 4 p.m. in Treen Auditorium, all of LSMSA gathered to recognize local veterans in a ceremony. Keynote speaker Lt. Col. Dr. Bob Gillan, a veteran of the U.S. Army, spoke about the importance of remembering those who have served our country. Along with speaking about the significance of Veterans Day, Gillan introduced the Natchitoches Parish Veterans and Memorial Park, which is currently under construction. This park, located by Lasyone’s on Second Street, is dedicated to memorializing the service of our veterans, and in particular, those who
were never welcomed home in the Vietnam War. Fourteen veterans from the community were recognized at this ceremony along with Gillan. Included were faculty members and residents of Natchitoches, those honored were: Allan Bedoya, David Zolzer, Frank Fuller, George Rhymes, James Findley, James Brunsgaard, David Andersen, Shanon Ledet, Macky Underwood, Carey Hendrix, Arthur Williams, Jackie Jacoby, Jack Brittain, and Raymond Gilbert. Each was interviewed by a student beforehand, and that student gave an introduction of the veteran before he or she was announced.
language skills. Each year many members are selected to represent LSMSA in foreign language competitions, Literary Rally, and as peer tutors in Spanish.
A 2012 graduate, Wesley Ducote was known throughout the school for being a gifted pianist. Seniors who knew him still reminisce on his musical ability to underclassmen. As if he was answering their prayers, Ducote returned to Natchitoches to present a piano recital for Homecoming Weekend. On Saturday, November 2 in the Recital Hall, Ducote performed five pieces ranging from different genres to parents, students, faculty, and the public. Ducote played from
Wesley Ducote in his natural habitat. Courtesy of Welsey Ducote
memory pieces written by Johannes Brahms, Frederic Chopin, Nikolai Kapustin, Charles Ives, and Alexander Scriabin.
Students perform concert Carlie Procell Editor-in-Chief
Four students, under direction of Dr. Al Benner, performed a Chamber Concert on Thursday, November 21 in the Recital Hall. With Soojin Lee on violin, Marika Buchholz and Sammie McWilliams on clarinets, and Ethan To on alto saxophone, the four
performed two pieces by Claude Debussy and Joseph Haydn together. Lee started out with a solo piece by Dinos Constantinides, followed by a clarinet duet of Buchholz and McWilliams who performed two pieces by Charles Koechlin and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Then, To played a solo piece by Barton
Cummings and Buchholz played a solo piece composed by Benner himself. The pieces were each preluded with an introduction by Benner complete with his usual hilarious jokes. The concert was fantastic and I’m excited to see what else Dr. Benner will come up with this year.
From left to right, Soojin Lee, Marika Buchholz, Sammie McWilliams, and Ethan To play in the Chamber Concert. Taken by Brandon K.
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November 2013
Getting to know Stan Nash Allison Smith Staff Writer
If you step inside the LSMSA cafeteria you will notice a few things: the line of students waiting for food, the hustle and bustle of the cafeteria, and most importantly, the staff. Stan Nash is a current employee at the LSMSA cafeteria and he does his best to make students’ days brighter. Nash has been working in the LSMSA cafeteria for eight months now although he used to work at the school in its early years. Nash recalls having to transport the food from the kitchen to the old
cafeteria underneath the dance studio. Now-a-days, Nash gets the opportunity to work in every aspect of the cafeteria everything from doing dishes to helping in the food line. Although most students know him for his work in the cafeteria, Nash has an interesting past. Between the years of 1983 and 1985 Nash was a soul train dancer. He also managed to be an extra in five films including the famous Steel Magnolia that was filmed in Natchitoches. When he was not participating in films, Nash managed to sing in a
gospel choir directed by Grammy Award winner Andrae Crouch. This choir gave him the opportunity to sing in songs by Madonna and Michael Jackson. Voted Most Talented in his class at Natchitoches Central, Nash has met famous stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Gladys Knight, and Quincy Jones, and he has the pictures to prove it. Aside from his star studded past, Nash loves volunteering to help the senior citizens of Natchitoches. When he is not working in the cafeteria, Nash is a dedicated sports fanatic and al-
Stan Nash serving food in the cafeteria.
ways makes sure to keep up with the latest sports news. Although his past involved a lot of famous celebrities, Nash enjoys
Taken by Brandon K.
working at a school that has a collaboration of children that are willing to learn and admire the curriculum.
Cinema at 6 Review: The Man Who Would Be King Kyle Welch
Assistant Editor
Cinema at Six explored themes of colonialism and imperialism this month, a subject of Dr. Pamela Francis’s expertise. One of the more representative stories of imperialism is Rudyard Kipling’s The Man Who Would Be King. The story was shown as a film adaptation directed by John Huston and starring Sean Connery and Saeed Jaffrey. Kipling is primarily
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known in imperialistic history for his poem The White Man’s Burden, which was pivotal in encouraging American imperialists to colonize foreign countries. The poem did so by justifying colonization with a noble cause. That is, the poem fed the appetites of American and European imperialists by superficially calling upon them to civilize uncivilized lands. In doing so, it added to the ideas of Eurocentric racism and superiority, which can also be seen in The Man Who Would Be King. Kipling’s short story relates the adventures of two British soldiers stationed in India. They seek fame and glory by conquering and becoming kings of Kafiristan, an imaginary country. The journey to Kafiristan from India, however, is arduous and fraught with mountain-
ous terrain and violent indigenous Afghans. But the soldiers survive the journey and ultimately make a grand impression on the people of Kafiristan with the help of their Western technology and practices, such as rifles and judicial processes. By uniting various tribes in decisive battles and by revealing his Mason membership, Daniel Dravot makes such a strong impression on the people of Kafiristan that they hail him as Sikander II, a descendant of Alexander the Great. With this title, he exercises divine authority over Kafiristan until he is ultimately overthrown after revealing his humanity. The film and story, however, are both much deeper than an entertaining plot. Evidence of Eurocentric racism and notions of superiority
are most clear in the soldiers’ desire to conquer an “uncivilized” land as well as the soldiers’ assumption that the people of Kafiristan would not recognize Dravot’s human characteristics because they were ignorant. The very first images of the film even depict very clichéd and generalized behaviors of the Indian people, such as playing didgeridoos and playing with snakes. In addition, there are several remarks concerning the inferiority of Kafirstan culture. When the people of Kafiristan play polo with the head of an executed member of the tribe, Peachy, one of the soldiers, calls them beasts. Shortly after, Dravot also calls them beasts when the tribe’s leader offers him his daughters and sons for sexual pleasure. When it is implied
that a child is being sacrificed at the marriage of Dravot and Roxanne, a woman of Kafiristan, the soldiers again make racist remarks. Such evidences of racism and notions of superiority in The Man Who Would Be King could be read at face value as blatant Eurocentrism on Kipling’s part, or they could be read as illuminations of detestable behavior on the part of British imperialists. Regardless, the film and Kipling’s story serve as important historical pieces that offer insight into the ideas of European imperialism and the people it affected. (The film also serves as important documentation of Sean Connery’s bare buttocks.)
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Coach Dale Clingerman: ballin’ for 20 years Soojin Lee Staff Writer
The current and past athletes of the Louisiana School all know Coach Dale Clingerman from Odenton, MD. It seems that he has been here since the beginning of time, sitting in that same chair and joking around with everyone who comes his way. “I absolutely love my job!” Coach Dale exclaimed. His sentiments have not changed throughout the 19 (now going into 20) years he has worked here as the Coordinator of Athletics and Recreation. He accepted this job and began to work immediately after graduate school, bringing a new recreational sports program for the students. “Due to the efforts and hard work of the students, we now have the recreational sports program as well as an interscholastic athletic program,” stated Coach Dale. “The interscholastic athletic program has grown, and we con-
tinue to add more every year.” The sports he has introduced are girls and boys basketball, girls and co-ed volleyball, ultimate Frisbee, cheerleading, and flag football. Although not all of these sports are involved in the interscholastic athletic program, they continue to be available to the students for recreation and more. The current sports interns are Victoria Kwentua and Mike Sumner, who are both alumni of the Louisiana School. When asked about them, Coach Dale praised, “I am blessed to currently have several people... we could not survive without them, and would not have a program at all if it wasn’t for their hard work and dedication.” “I just hope they are able to stay involved with our program as long as they can and as much as they want,” he added. Seeing these two interns and Coach Dale
interact truly reminds one of the family-like atmosphere of the school in general. “I try to stay in touch with our past athletes as much as possible,” said Coach Dale. “I always look forward to homecoming so that I can see former athletes... some of them still stay in touch over the phone, and will pop in form surprise visits,” he said. “I enjoy hearing about their lives and all of the wonderful things that they are doing.” His message about sports in general was that “Success in sports, just as in life, should not be about talent or winning... The scoreboard is merely a tool that tells us when we ahve to stop playing. The game itself, and the experiences of being a part of a team or family is what it is really about.” When asked about possible retirement, Coach Dale smiled and assured, “I have no plans to leave this school anytime soon. It is my life.” He added
Coach Dale Clingerman talking to the boys basketball team. Taken by Khalilah Al-Amin
that he could not even think about leaving and would no know what to do afterwards. “Don’t want to even think about leaving this place. If I ever did, I think it would be very difficult to stay away for too long,” added Coach Dale. “I enjoy working with the students. I look at them as my family.” Coach Dale’s last statement was his thanking various people and groups. They included everyone in-
volved with the athletic program such as the coaches, athletes, and the administration of the school. His services to LSMSA have been great and significant to everyone, not just the student athletes. It is safe to say we can expect to enjoy many more years of his excitement, passion, and childish jokes on and off the court.
Dane Stracener. They kept the night lively with various comic remarks and performances such as a dance off. There was a myriad of foods such as cookies, brownies, popcorn, and pigs-in-a-blanket. Waitresses, as always, served the audience throughout the night, keeping the crowd’s appetite satisfied. Although not as many people came as in previous years due to the basketball game and other various
events, a large group of students came and stayed the whole night. The event also ended earlier than ever before, but, in accordance with tradition, a thirdyear senior nevertheless did not fail to read a physics text book as the closing act.
SAB presents Open Mic Nite Soojin Lee Staff Writer
The bi-annual LSMSA Open Mic Nite sponsored by the Student Activities Board took place at 8:00 pm on Friday, November 15 in the big lobby of Caddo Hall. Students were allowed to enter a few minutes early to grab the best seats in the house in exchange for a donation of a canned good. More than twenty cans were collected. The SAB Executive Board, as always,
opened up the night with a dance. This year they danced to the hit song “Gas Pedal,” creating excitement in the crowd. Various performances followed. They ranged from the traditional acts such as the Senior Class singing “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from the Disney movie “Mulan” to the Improv Girls showcasing their talents acquired from their Improv class. The hosts this year were DeJhane Lee and
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Review of LSMSA’s “The Canal” Johnnette Johnson Staff Writer
“The Canal”, a comedic radio play written by Spike Milligan, was presented by the LSMSA theatre department on October 31, November 1, and November 2. The play was directed by Jeff Thomakos, the Director of Theatre at LSMSA. Actors included were Chase Bernard as Neddy Seagoon; Jordan Chauncy as Lord Valentine Seagoon; Glen Underwood as Eccles, Dr.Yakamoto, Miss Minnie Bannister, and Miss Throat; and Collin Jenkins as Flowerdew, the Driver, Major Denis Bloodnok, Gravely Headstone, Dr. Justin Eidelburger, Mr. Henry Crun, and Bluebottle. This production differed from other theater productions, because there was not any
anything to achieve a was when Glenn Un“acting” as one would fortune. He makes vari- derwood performed normally think. The “The Dance of the actors used their voices, ous attempts to kill his son, Neddy Seagoon, Seven Veils.” Bernard, costumes, and facial by drowning him in the Chauncy, Jenkins, and expressions, without Canal so as to collect Galatas produced the moving their bodies Neddy’s life insurance. song and beat for the or adjusting props, to dance on set the stage drums for a typical located radio show. at upOne of the stage other unique left. Durqualities of ing the this production was the dance, live sound Underwood effects, got a which were member produced by of the auJohn Galatas. Some of dience to the effects hold one ranged from of the From left to right, Collin Jenkins, Chase Bernard, John Galasloshing ends of tas, Jordan Chauncy, and Glenn Underwood, all star in the water in a his scarf LSMSA Theatre Production’s performance of “The Canal.” bucket to Courtesy of Mr. Thomakos while ringing the tearing There were several dial on a telephone. at the other end of the moments of the show The plot of the scarf. when the audience show centers around Another hilarious applauded or laughed a money-hungry man moment during the frantically. One of named Lord Valentine show was when Miss the key moments Seagoon who would do Minnie Bannister and
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Mr. Henry Crun heard a gentleman in the canal. As the gentleman yelled for help and struggled to stay afloat, Miss Bannister and Mr. Crum merely introduced themselves and asked if he was drowning. The audience responded favorably; there was consistent laughter and applause throughout the play. “It was funny, and I laughed a lot,” said DeJhane Lee. “Shoutout to the sound guy, he was phenomenal.” “The Canal” was a terrific production that was greatly anticipated. All members of the cast and production deserve credit for their hard work. I, personally, can’t wait to see what else the theatre department has in store for the rest of the year.
Computer Science Dept. introduces new course Carlie Procell Editor-in-Chief
After reading The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch as required student summer reading, many students became interested in the software project Pausch helped create, known as Alice. Alice is a programming environment that Pausch envisioned would help ease young people into object-oriented programming. Users can create three-dimensional movies and simple video games with the dragand-drop tile interface, similar to Scratch and MIT’s App Inventor.
It is now taught in many schools and universities across the nation. LSMSA’s Computer Science Department, always eager to get students interested in CS, decided that offering a course with Alice would attract students who would otherwise not take a CS course. Mr. David Zolzer and Ms. Sanjeetha Peters make up the CS Dept. at LSMSA. Between the two, they teach over ten different courses in CS ranging from novice to advanced. Along with the Alice course, C++, Python, Data Structures (has
C++ pre-requisite), Web Design, Robotics, and Exploring Computer Science will be taught in the spring semester. With the increased
demand for CS jobs, having even minimal knowledge in CS is valuable. If you have any questions about any of
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the CS courses being offered next semester, please contact Mr. Zolzer or Ms. Peters. To find out more about Alice, visit Alice.org.
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Homecoming Week 2013 Soojin Lee Staff Writer
Homecoming Week at the Louisiana School took place from Monday, October 28 to Sunday, November 3, 2013. Students were encouraged to show school spirit throughout the week by dressing up in certain ways each day. Monday’s theme was “Crazy Sock Day;” Tuesday was “Dress Like a Teacher;” Wednesday was “Be a Team Player;” Thursday was “Class Pride;” and Friday was “School Spirit.” For “Class Pride,” the colors assigned were gold for Sophomores, blue for Juniors, and white for Seniors. Even teachers participated. For example, Mr. Brad Burkman of the Math department dressed up as Dr. Jason Anderson of the Biology
department. The weekend kicked off with a Homecoming Basketball game against Central High School from Grand Cane, LA. The Eagles prevailed in the last quarter to win 35-30, keeping the students, teachers, alumni, and parents riled up until the very end. Then the fun really began. On Saturrday, the day started with multiple colloquiums open to anyone. The first by Dr. Bill Ebarb, former Director of Finance and Operations, was a presentation of updated information on the LSMSA History Book project. (Turn to Page 10 for more information on Dr. Ebarb’s colloquium.) Then the student performances followed. Many current students showcased their talents in various
ways. Some talked about their Distinction projects, danced, sang, or played different instruments. Afterwards, the field by the CPT bustled with students, teachers, alumni, and parents eating BBQ supplied and cooked by the Alumni Association and the Parents’ Council of the LSMSA Foundation. Directly following this was the Theatre Repertoire production of “The Canal,” a comic radio play. (Turn to Page 6 for more information on “The Canal.”) Then the anticipated Alumni vs. Students athletic games took place in the Gym. First was basketball where the boys and girls basketball teams joined forces to compete against the alumni who had returned. As always, the alumni overpowered the students by far.
Ross Jourdan makes a free throw at the homecoming game against Central High School. Taken by Khalilah Al-Amin
Cheerleaders Glenda Winfield (left) and Helena Palmisano (right) cheer during the homecoming game. Taken by Khalilah Al-Amin
Then the volleyball game took place where the alumni defeated the students once again. The flag football game followed with the same results. During these games was another event. An alumnus of the Louisiana School, Wesley Ducote, performed a piano recital in the CPT Recital Hall. As always, his performance wowed the crowd. (Turn to Page 3 for more information on Ducote’s performance.) Later that night was the Louisiana School Foundation dinner for alumni belonging to the society of 1983 at Merci Beaucoup. Old connections were renewed and new ones made as they are each year. As the alumni slowly returned to their
respective colleges and occupations and the students to their homework, the campus quieted once more. The current Senior class may have been most affected by the exciting Homecoming Week activities, anticipating their return and visit next year as alumni.
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The Halls of LSMSA Johnnette Johnson Staff Writer
The halls of LSMSA wouldn’t be complete without the Halls of LSMSA. Dr. Link Hall and Dr. Elizabeth Hall, who is
and well-liked throughout the LSMSA community for their unique personalities and humorous anecdotes. Both Halls received their doctoral statuses at the University of North
Mrs. Dr. Hall and Dr. Hall, LSMSA’s cutest couple. Taken by Brandon K.
referred to as Mrs. Dr. Hall as to distinguish herself from her husband, have been a part of the Louisiana School since its humble beginnings in 1983. Both are professors at LSMSA in English and Latin respectively. They are both well-known
Carolina at Chapel Hill and came to Louisiana to help establish LSMSA. They planned on staying here for a few years to finish their PhD’s, but they fell in love with the school and stayed here a few more years (31, to be exact.)
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They both agree that their stay at LSMSA has been a great adventure. “It is a teacher’s paradise,” said Mrs. Dr. Hall. “Most of the students work hard and are interested in learning,” said Dr. Hall, “I also have great colleagues.” They also stated what they wanted to see of LSMSA’s future. “I’d like to continue to see strong student bodies enrolled each year,” said Dr. Hall. Mrs. Dr. Hall then went on to talk about how students of LSMSA tolerate the dorms. “I would like to see the new dorms,” said Mrs. Dr. Hall. “I would also like to see higher salaries to continue to attract higher leveled professors,” said Mrs. Dr. Hall.
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Interact Club helps local schools Carlie Procell Editor-in-Chief
Interact Club along with the Natchitoches Rotary Club helped local schools in the area by providing personalized student dictionaries to hundreds of 4th graders. On the night of Thursday, November 14, members of Interact Club gathered in the CPT to label the dictionaries. Each dictionary included the child’s name and will be hand
delivered to the schools in the future by the Rotary Club. Interact Club is a community service club sponsored by Mr. Zolzer, a member of the Natchitoches Rotary Club.
Shiva Velingker & Ashlyn Anderson help label dicitonaries. Taken by Mr. Zolzer
Allen and Mosley tap into talent Kyle Welch
Assistant Editor
This month marked the debut performance of LSMSA’s Dance Department under the new mentorship of Ms. Audra Allen. The Fall Dance Concert of 2013 featured various choreographies by Allen herself, Eboni Mosley, NSU Theatre & Dance, and others. Many of the performers were enrolled in Allen’s dance courses, though there were three guest performers from NSU Theatre & Dance. Performances were vast in style, offering tastes of hip hop, jazz, ballet, and modern dance. Mosley, guest choreographer and SLA
Third year senior Darby Breaux dancing. Taken by Brandon K.
at Caddo Hall, choreographed an exciting hip hop dance to the Black Eyed Peas’ song Boom Boom Pow. It was performed by Emma Barham, Elizabeth Cassibry, Kristen Dhaliwal, Ethan Guerra, Caroline Henry, Cheyenne Ortiz, Ashley Reddicks, Allison Smith, and Ryan Wills. A playful dance choreographed by Allen, Les Trois Soeurs, was performed by Emma Barham, Elizabeth Cassibry, and Brianna LeBoeuf to the tune of France Gail’s Laisse Tomber Les Filles. The dance was a comical narration of three clumsy and discordant French women. Performances were
given by Emma Barham, Waania Beg, Darby Breaux, Kristen Dhaliwal, Abigail Dowd, Katelyn Fitzpatrick, Ethan Guerra, Caroline Henry, Madeline Inzenga, Brianna LeBoeuf, Ashley Reddicks, Allison Smith, Ryan Wills, Elizabeth Cassibry, Cheyenne Ortiz, Lee Hoyle, Lillian Poe, Jeffrey Sykes, Julia Landon, Isabela Walkin, Waverly Huang, Samantha Bush, and Charlot Amadi. Guest performers from NSU Theatre & Dance were Polanco Jones Jr. Addie Wilson, and Ebony Johnson.
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Myers’ last push for The Last Lecture Allison Boudreaux Staff Writer
Rolanda Myers, the Coordinator of Advising and Student Support at LSMSA, is planning to incorporate this year’s common reading into programs for students in the spring. This summer students were asked to read Randy Pausch’s The Last Lecture. During the first required weekend, students took a quiz and discussed the book with a faculty member. Fortunately, there will not be another quiz for students, but there are talks of creating a lecture series. The lecture series would feature current teachers and other members of the community. Students absolutely seem interested in the idea of hearing their favorite faculty and staff members give life lessons and tell stories in a sort of “last lecture.” While it is not clear if these lectures will be required, there will likely be a great turn out regardless of whether or not the program will be mandatory. Though the dates are not set in stone, Myers suggested that the lec-
Mrs. Rolanda Myers, more commonly known as “Ro.” Taken by Allison B.
tures may be a part of a required weekend in the spring so that all students will be on campus in order to maximize the turnout for each lecture. “I think it would be good for students to see their teachers in a personal way outside of the classroom,” said Myers. “It is a nice way to get to know them.” Getting to know teachers is one of the best parts of going to a school such as LSMSA. A last lecture series would absolutely allow students to bond with their instructors on a very personal level. While this may not be for everyone, for many teachers it may be a great way to express some ideas that are not necessarily academic.
Those fire alarms
#BoardingSchoolProblems Allison Smith Staff Writer
You know that feeling when you have finally started to focus, you have your music up, you’re flying through those Calculus problems and right when you are about to start studying for that looming Feske test the most obnox-
ious sound known to man blasts through the dorms. That’s right, the fire alarm. For Caddo residents, it’s a familiar sound, as the fire alarm goes off at least once a month. However, the Prudhomme residents don’t have the same problem. Some people
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All hail Queen Isabel! Brandon Kongphongmany Staff Writer
Winter Formal Queen and third year senior Isabel Milton has a reputation for having a shining personality, but many don’t really know her. Here’s your chance to get to know the Queen. With a love for education, senior Milton has taken some the most challenging classes offered at LSMSA. This ranges from Biochemistry to AP Calculus BC. In fact, during her junior year, she was the only student to remain in Biochemistry. Many of the students in Biochemistry dropped the class because of how challenging it was. Now looking at her schedule this semester, it doesn’t seem very challenging (at least to her) but she explained that she wanted to relax for a semester. She hopes that when the next semester begins, she will be able to get right back up. She plans on taking Analytical Chemistry and Differential Equations. With a student like Milton, one would expect that education comes before all, but that is anything but true. Her main passion blame it on the old fire alarm, while most guys claim their ability to cook is superior. Even though some of these reasons have a ring of truth to them, everyone agrees that the amount of fire alarms is increasing too quickly. Caddo Hall wins with an impressive six alarms (one being a drill), while Prudhomme checks in with the more reason-
lies in helping people. In the previous summer, Isabel traveled to Haiti to help in some local hospitals. This left her no time for her to do any research, but she says that she does not regret her decision. She explains that she helped many people and was able to experience something very unique.
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theories about composing your own music. Recently she was able to have students perform her pieces in a concert and is hoping to do that again for a senior recital. So Milton is pretty much a well rounded student. She can play music, derive equations, operate on Haitians--she
Isabel Milton preparing to sing beautifully in Chorale. Taken by Brandon K.
When she’s not doing work or helping others, Milton enjoys playing music. Many of her close friends recognize her as a great pianist as well as a singer. In fact, this semester makes her fifth semester taking Chorale. She also takes a class called Music Composition which teaches you the techniques and
has it all. But because she has so many interests, she is lost as to what profession she wants to go into. She says that she is leaning towards the medical field but she isn’t sure. “Who knows, maybe I’ll write movie scores one day,” said Milton.
able two (again, one being a drill). Every time an alarm goes off, students gather their things and make the trek outside. There is always a shower girl/ guy (someone who has not finished their shower upon this untimely event), and you will be hard pressed to find someone not doing homework, even if the alarm does go off at one
in the morning. People who pass by Caddo Hall during a fire alarm will most likely see girls with laptops and papers strewn about, because everyone knows that time is precious and fire alarms take up too much of it. It’s one of the several inconveniences you get when you live at school as opposed to home.
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November 2013
Ebarb captures the history of LSMSA Allison Smith Staff Writer
On November 2, 2013 the Recital Hall was packed with people who cared deeply about LSMSA, its alumni, and supporting faculty. They were all present to hear Dr. Bill Ebarb speak about his project of chronicling the history of LSMSA. Ebarb came to the Louisiana School at its start in 1983, and even from the very beginning, he voiced the need to record the history of the school. After retiring from the school in 2009, he
more material as he continues to interview current and past students of the Louisiana School. Ebarb started off his colloquium my mentioning the people of the Louisiana School. “Without Governor David Treen, there is no Louisiana School,” stated Ebarb. Treen created the legislation to start the Louisiana School and even helped with funding the institution. Another influential person of LSMSA is state representative Jimmy Long. Long visited a school much
Patrick Widhalm holds today. “He did the research and leg work that actually made the school go. Jimmy had the idea to make it happen and Bobby went out there and found out what it would take to make it happen,” said Ebarb. Treen controlled the purse strings that would allow it to happen, Alost borrowed various concepts from the few elite schools in Louisiana and combined them to create the idea of LSMSA. Because of this, the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the
Dr. Bill Ebarb speaks about his book at a colloquium in the Recital Hall. lsmsa.edu
Former NSU Director Dr. Robert Alost (left), former Governor David Treen (center), and former Representative Jimmy Long (right) were all influential people in LSMSA’s history. nsula.edu, nbc33tv.com, beta.lp.org
quickly returned to help keep track of the history of the school. Ebarb states, “For about the last 20 years I hounded every director of the school about the need to start collecting the history of the Louisiana School or it will be lost and you will never get it back.” This history project that Ebarb is working on is expected to be published in May, and consists mostly of stories from LSMSA alumni. Ebarb has written seven chapters so far, and expects to have
like LSMSA in North Carolina in the early eighties and it sparked the idea causing him to question why Louisiana could not have something like that. As the chairman of the Education Committee in the House of Representatives, Long pushed for the creation of the Louisiana School and eventually his wishes were granted. Robert “Bobby” Alost was another influential member in the starting of the school. Alost was the school’s first Executive Director, the position that Dr.
Arts is one of the only schools created to elevate the importance of arts to that of math and science. After giving the history of the ‘founding fathers of the school’, Ebarb went on to talk about the history of LSMSA that has been lost. For example, students will never know of the murals painted in the old cafeteria (some are not even aware that there was an old cafeteria). Alumni reflect back on these murals that they painted in between
classes as a form of entertainment. Only a few pictures remain of these paintings. Ebarb flips to a picture of the High School Building on a weeknight. The old Louisiana School sign glows and every window in the building is lit up. In the beginning years of the school, every student had guided study varying over the years from 6:30-9:00pm. During this time, teachers skilled in every subject were at the high school building providing help for their students. Along with pieces of lost history like the one mentioned above, Ebarb also touches on payphones in the dorms, and renovations such as replacing the windows in Prudhomme. Overall, this book is designed to capture the
history of LSMSA for years to come. “I need help,” Ebarb said. “I know the old history; I was there. I remember a lot of it, I spoke with a lot of people about it and recorded what I could, but I get to a point where I just don’t have any more material. That is from the last several years. I need current students to step up.” If you have any stories you would like to share with Dr. Ebarb feel free to contact him at bebarb@lsmsa.edu.
The Renaissance
November 2013
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Students DJ at local radio station Brooke Mendoza Staff Writer
“KNWD the Demon 91.7 FM Natchitoches” is a phrase widely recognized by much of the LSMSA student body. Students know it as one of the better radio stations around town. Whether students are jamming to the beats while finishing up an art assignment in the MAB or just lazing around enjoying some quality music in between classes, they know the sweet sound of KNWD’s music is
waiting for them. LSMSA offers a unique opportunity for its own students to try their hand at disc jockeying as volunteers at the non-profit radio station. At the beginning of the year, an LSMSA teacher, Dr. Robert Dalling, approached a select few students he believed would be interested in joining in on this unique experience. Some of these students include Victoria Wilson, Madeline Read, Brandy Ledet, Terra
Jordan “JoJo” Williams and Haley Robinson. Taken by Brooke M.
Allen, Zachary Quiros, Jordan “JoJo” Williams, and Haley Robinson, as well as many others. Each student disc jockey plays his or her own variety of music collected on a flash drive. A few students do their shows in pairs, such as Williams and Robinson, co-presidents of the Music Appreciation Club here at LSMSA. They have their own show called “Diverse” that features a variety of different music from many genres. “We’re trying to play music of some local artists that aren’t discovered yet,” says Williams. “Whenever we play popular people, we tend to play their more unpopular songs.” Although they try to get many different types of music on their show, they primarily focus on indie rock, electronica, and other various forms
collegeradioday.com
of rock. “One time, in the middle of one of our shows, the manager called and was like ‘I really like your music.’ So some of the music we play is now going to be on the master list,” said Williams. “It was the first time someone called, and we thought someone was calling to complain,” said Robinson. “JoJo finally worked up the courage to pick up the phone after the sixth or seventh ring.” Some students enjoy doing talk shows, but
Robinson and Williams mainly focus on playing music during their session with the occasional introduction of a song or public service announcement. “I eventually want to start talking about how the bands got started,” said Williams. Tune in to KNWD the Demon 97.1 FM Natchitoches every Wednesday between 7:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. to hear Robinson’s and William’s assorted playlist.
Manhein gives students a peek at the bare bones of forensic anthropology Allison Boudreaux Staff Writer
Helping students bone up on anatomy while speaking about her career, Mary Manhein, the Director of the LSU Forensic Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services Laboratory in Baton Rouge, gave a lecture to students and the community followed by a book signing on Thursday, November 7, 2013 as a part of the Fleming Thomas Lecture Series at Northwestern State University. Manhein is also the
Mary Manhein, a forensic anthropologist and author. nsula.edu
head of she is director of the Louisiana Repository for Unidentified and Missing Persons Information Program and has written several
books on the topic. Manhein focused on specific examples in her life that illustrated certain aspects of forensic anthropology as a science and a career field. She stressed that crime scene investigation was a serious and not like CSI at all. She has had experience working on cases from Civil War battleship recovery to analyzing mummies for museum purposes. “We don’t go out dressed up in heels into a well-lit parking lot all of the time,” said Man-
hein. “We go out in the woods and get muddy and are stung by bees.” She clarified many of the misconceptions that are associated with crime scene investigation. Additionally she provided students with a bit of background about the science of the profession. Between explaining the differentiations of skull structure and skeletal shape of females and males and the role of forensic entomology, Manhein gave a very broad and informative
overview of forensic anthropology. “I always wanted to be a comedian,” said Manhein. “I just wasn’t quite that funny.” Her comedic take on certain situations really lightened up what could be a potentially bleak topic. Manhein provided a very informative and entertaining discussion about her life and the overall discipline of anthropology.
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The Renaissance
The Fun Page
November 2013
This month’s puzzle topic is “Thanksgiving.” By Allison Boudreaux
ACROSS:
1. First president to proclaim Thanksgiving as an official holiday. 4. Month in which the pilgrims arrived in America. 8. Company that puts on the Thanksgiving Day Parade. 9. Sport watched by many Americans on Thanksgiving. 10. Pilgrim settlement. 11. Number of days that the first celebration lasted.
DOWN:
2. Horn of plenty. 3. Native American known for helping the pilgrims on the first Thanksgiving. 5. Fruit used to make a red jellied side dish. 6. Name of the ship that the pilgrims sailed on. 7. Fowl of choice during the holidays. 9. Thursday on which Thanksgiving is celebrated each year.
Comic by Soojin Lee