Vol. CI. IS. April 22, 2016
photos by Mr. Prusko
A growing double standard? Every year in April, Ashland High School puts on a theatrical production to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network. The charity-centered male pageant, Mr. Grizz, has been a favorite at AHS for many years and normally sells out. Audiences enjoy its humor as well as its heartwarming nature. Mr. Grizz recruits two boys from each grade level to compete in raising the most money and wowing the judges. They even take a field trip to Asante Medical Center to visit the infants and children who benefit from the services provided by the Children’s Miracle Network. The participants make a huge commitment, spending hours in rehearsals, creating several exposes of their life and twerking out of their comfort zones. The eight boys learn and perform a choreographed group dance. Participants must identify and perform a talent. They write, film, and produce a video depicting “a day in the life.” Each contestant also creates a skit involving a young child that shows their childhood vision of what they wanted to be when they grew up. Competitors have the opportunity to present a rose and acknowledge the most inspirational person in their lives, and finally each aspiring Mr. Grizz answers spontaneous interview questions. At some point in the evening, the audience also hears a poignant, personal story from a benficiary of the Children’s Miracle Network. The male-only Mr. Grizz contest pokes fun at the stereotypical objectification of female beauty pageants, something many people find both amusing and lighthearted. In recent years, the Mr. Grizz Competition has taken a turn toward more provocative acts and dance moves, prompting community con-
by Skylar Zundel cern. Ashland High School math teacher, Tamara Anderson, believes that the sexualized nature of the show is “a reflection on our society” and exemplifies the “lowering of our standards.” Junior Evan Peck expressed that he would like for there to be a change, “It’s not so much about them being guys and doing that. I think it’s really about them being people who wouldn’t regularly do it. I think it’s a satirical pageant. I don’t feel like we have to make it exclusive to men and I don’t feel like it has to mock female beauty pageants in order to achieve that.” In light of these sentiments, the leadership class plans to broaden the scope of participants, like they did with the Homecoming Court a few years ago. Next year, Mr. Grizz has the potential to welcome contestants regardless of their gender identification. “I think the change isn’t that big of a deal. This is just another way to attract a more diverse, competitive group of contestants, and raise more money,” said ASB Co-presidentelect Amelia Zeve. The details of what this change may include are vague for the time being because it’s still early in the process. Leadership advisor and art teacher, Sam Scharf, is hopeful, “Next year we will get student feedback by having a survey or a town hall, or working with Student Senate. There’s no harm in including more people in Mr. Grizz. There’s a good potential that there will be a change, but it has to be driven by students.” Outgoing, talented, and willing contestants will be needed to make the event all that it can be and set it on a course to be not only entertaining but to also avoid the questionable elements of this event.
Outside the Classroom Spring Sports by Sophia Hajje and Maisie Roberson
Baseball
Baseball has started their season strong this year. Varsity has won ten out of their eleven games, and their next game is on Saturday, April 23 at Churchill High School. Junior Varsity has competed in nine games, with their next one also on Saturday. The freshman team has played in six games, with a game on April 27 at North Medford High School. Junior Christopher Buckely, pitcher, enjoys that while playing you have to stay calm while keeping your energy up, and senior Noah Falkner, left fielder, says that he enjoys being on the team and has made a lot of friends.
Softball
Softball has won one game and lost five. Although they haven’t started out the season too well, sophomore April Clark is very optimistic and says that she loves that she can leave everything behind and just
focus on the game while playing. She thinks that this is a very rewarding sport socially, mentally, and physically. Their next game is Saturday April 23.
Boys Tennis
Boys varsity tennis has had eleven matches so far and their next game is on Saturday April 23 at South Medford High School. Sophomore Henry Cook has been playing tennis for nine years and really enjoys the Ashland team. He says that the they have been having a good season so far.
Girls Tennis
Girls varsity tennis has had eight matches so far with their next one on Saturday April 23 here in Ashland. Sophomore Ivy Amann says she loves how close she gets with the group. She loves that in singles you are relying on yourself, but also working with a partner in doubles which is great for getting closer with the team. Freshman Molly Bloom has been playing
for three years and says that the varsity team has been doing well this season.
Track and Field
Track and field draws large numbers with their vast variety of events. Senior Christine Impara does the 800, high jump, and 4×4. She said she has participated in track since 6th grade, and loves that it’s a team sport and the “pure competition.” They have had nine meets so far and their next meet is on April 27 here in Ashland. Sophomores Sasha Azami and Tess Gibbs also enjoy the team aspect, as well as the individuality of the sport. Sasha Azami, who does javelin and runs, says she benefits from track because it gets you fit and she likes being on the team. Tess Gibbs enjoys the individuality and personal goal-setting. As coach Hans Voskes always says “stick your nose in it.” This saying encourages the track members to be more competitive and inspired.
Clubs by Allayana Darrow, Payton Onesti, Izzy Nicolier, Dale Fulton and Tia Wilhelm
Model UN
This year the Ashland MUN club traveled to the Eugene conference representing Turkey and Saudi Arabia. At the beginning of each year, Model United Nations (MUN) advisors and delegates have the opportunity to bid for which countries they want to represent. At the three day conference, delegates spent hours in committee debating topics such as the environment, human rights, health services, and economics. Those who chose to be in the general assembly debated resolutions proposed by the afore mentioned committees. Each delegate is responsible for debating from the perspective of their own country—even if it goes against their personal beliefs. This combination of acting, debating and public speaking can go from civil to heated in seconds, depending on how dedicated the committee members are. Though Model UN is not a competitive event, senior and four year Model UN veteran Ethan Carrier and freshman Alexandra Westrick both won speaking awards for their exceptional participation in their committees. Model UN is an opportunity for students to better understand international relations and debate policy while also mingling with 1200 other Oregon high school students. “I encourage other people to try Model UN. It’s a great experience because you get to spend a lot of time just enjoying Eugene—you have a lot of freedom to meet other people and make friends and come outside of your social bubble,” said sophomore Dylan Kistler. Talk to Jamie Hirsh for more information!
Robotics
The Ashland High School Robotics Team is known to be a successful program. Their recent performance at districts verifies that fact. The interactive, student-led club took 5th place at the district tournament with a creation of their own, which they call Théoden. The Robotics team labored for six long weeks assembling and perfecting Théoden. During a regular week the team would meet every weekday for four to five hours and some Saturdays for more extensive work. Their undeniable commitment to Théoden is the reason they managed to complete the robot in time for the competition. Building a robot is no easy task. There are many components to building a robot, which is why the 40 members are broken into sub-groups such as design, manufacturing, strategy, and more specialized additions. After the competition, Théoden will continue to be used for demonstrations, fundraising and recruiting more students into the club. Each year the previous robot is
used as an example and new club members pull good things and not-so-good things as a starting point for their next robotic invention.
Debate
This year there are an impressive number of Grizzlies headed to the National Speech and Debate Tournament. Out of the seven students attending nationals, two of them, Gillian Mullane and Rob Stallman, placed second last year in World Schools Debate, setting the bar high for this year’s competitors. The Ashland High School students competing in nationals are: sophomore Sam South, juniors Karl Moeglein, Carson Barry, Kate Joss-Bradley, John Ropp, and Rob Stallman and senior Gillian Mullane. This year, nationals will be held in Salt Lake, June 12-17. The team will compete in a variety of forms of speech and debate. Barry and South are competing in Public Forum, a style of debate which is based off of the old CNN show Crossfire, in the respect it is geared towards the average person and lacks the technical language of other forms of debate. Joss-Bradley qualified in Lincoln Douglas, a one on one debate on values, ethics and morals. World Schools is a style created for international debate. The team going is composed of competitors from around Southern Oregon which will feature Mullane as the lone AHS representative. This is the second year that this style of debate has been a national event. Ropp and Stallman will debate in Policy, a debate in which there is one topic of focus over the entire year. This style is unique in its high level of speed and debate jargon. Extemporaneous Speaking is a limited preparation speech about current events, with Karl Moeglein making his second appearance in as many years.
Global Citizen Corps
Within the confines of the security bubble of Ashland it is easy to succumb to the phrase “ignorance is bliss,” and turn a blind eye to issues consuming our planet. Global Citizen’s Corps (GCC) is one of the many clubs at AHS that is determined not to give in to this temptation and instead confront issues and make a positive impact on them. The name tells all, agreed members Bella Mannray, Molly Bloom, Nicole Mullen and Gabby Odger. “I think that everyone should be a global citizen and they should be informed on things happening in our world,” expresses Nicole Mullen. The club’s motto is “Think Globally Act Locally,” meaning that they address global issues by inserting themselves within the community so as to make a positive impact on the bigger picture. GCC’s upcoming project is geared towards helping North Korean refugees by raising money for the pro-
gram called Liberty In North Korea (LINK). LINK provides refugees with assistance once they have escaped the most repressive regime on earth. Though they have taken the first step on their own by crossing the North Korean border into China, refugees are still at risk of recapture until they have cleared China’s border. All who are involved in this 3,000 mile journey are putting themselves in danger. Sarah Lasoff suggested the idea of contributing in some way to this cause last year and club members readily embraced it once again this year. GCC is pairing with Louie’s Restaurant and bar downtown to raise money for this cause. If you mention the LINK cause 100% of profit from your meal will be contributed to this effort. “We shouldn’t pass up on this… the owners have granted us with such a great opportunity and we must utilize this resource,” states co-president Rob Stallman. Club members are excited for this project and intend to publicize as much as possible so as to obtain the most success overall. The event will be happening the first week in May, so go get a killer meal and help this cause!
Math Team
Though it may not be the first thing that comes to mind when one is asked about sports at Ashland high, this year the math team has proved its intellectual endurance to be worthy of a Varsity letter. “At Ashland its cool to be a really good student and its cool to be a really good math student,” proudly states Mrs. Anderson, who is head coach of the math team. This past meet which was held on Tuesday, April 12, meant many victories for Ashland High School. As a team they received first overall as a result of remarkably high scores individually. In addition, students Eryl Kenner, Henry Cobb, Julian Rice, John Almaguer, Claire Prior, Lily Dunlap and Athena di Properzio all qualified for the state math competition which will be held in May. Another noteworthy achievement was student Erol Kenner’s placement at second out of all competing students this year. This means he only missed one problem in the entirety of the season. Mrs. Anderson was happy to declare that this year there were so many freshmen interested in the program that she had to turn kids away. “They actually had to compete to compete.” The success of the team is reflective of the very smart and motivated environment which we are lucky to have here at AHS. Mrs. Anderson speaks to this saying, “It’s cool to be smart at Ashland high school and that’s just not the case everywhere you go… and I think that sets Ashland apart.”
*All of the sports events listed above are home games. Away games are not included.
Monthly Heritage Celebrations “Recognizing those groups, through things like special months, are key to breaking down the constructs of privilege in today’s society and moving closer to a world where special months aren’t needed because everyone gets the full story from the start.” -Karl Moeglein
Editorial by Maisie Roberson In the United States, we have many commemorative months. They were created to highlight minority groups by raising awareness of them, celebrating them and creating inclusion. While the intention of commemorative months is not bad, they should not be needed. The fact that they are needed says something about our society. We have a habit of covering up society’s less desirable facets, and have created these months to justify overlooking slights in our everyday lives. Only by cultivating consistent awareness throughout the year, which is what these months are failing to do, can this pattern be broken. Commemorative months form a habit of only discussing these issues at certain times of the year if we discuss them at all, of briefly touching on the topics of the more prominent months such as Black History or Women’s History month in a classroom before quickly moving on to finish the regular curriculum that does not deem minority groups important enough feature
prominently. We lose societal cohesiveness by not remembering these parts of who we are. Commemorative months are like a crutch: the more we lean on them the more we need them. By making us feel like we are doing something, we feel like we do not need to do anything the rest of the year; that the issues they are in place to resolve are no longer issues. This exacerbates the problem. We cannot ignore these issues eleven months of the year if we ever want them to be resolved. Rather than having commemorative months, a greater effort should be put into incorporating awareness of the many cultural backgrounds into our lives. How is this done? While the answer to that question may not be immediately clear, recognizing that an answer is needed is one step towards to social equality. Realizing that commemorative months are not the solution moves us closer to finding a remedy and ultimately achieving the goal for which commemoratives months were created.
Editorial by Karl Moeglein I’m about as privileged as they come. I’m a straight white cis male. None of the months that recognize specific group are about me. That’s why they are so important. Ashland is a bubble. We can have this idea that oppression is solved and the world is singing kumbaya, but the truth is far from this optimistic idea. We live in a world of sexism, racism and heteronormativity. While we have taken strides towards equality the fight is far from over. These months are a way of recognizing the privileges that exist in the world because without recognizing it, we can never fight it, and that deconstruction of privilege is a large part of ending the oppressive power structures of the world. This is not to say declaring a national (insert oppressed group here) month is going to solve the problems any oppressed group faces. One act will never solve the systemic issues society has created. It is because of this that we must weigh the benefits having these months against the specific detriments instead of questioning if it completely solves the problem. Other things like increased education are key to solving systemic issues that are rooted in ignorance. A deeper understanding of the history of all groups is important to ending bigotry in all forms. However when looking at a world with minority focused months against a world without them, it is clear that they are adding to society more than subtracting. They are a stepping stone to ending the ignorance that permeates through American society when it comes to any history that isn’t about white men.
A common criticism of these minority focused months is that every month should be about that topic, that relegating black history to one month means we ignore it for the rest of the year. In a perfect world we don’t need to tell people to care about black history. We are not in that world. We are not relegating black history, we are getting people to pay attention to the issues that don’t directly affect them for once in their lives. Some people ask, “Why don’t we have white history month if we have black history month?” Every month is white history month. Every month is male history month. We may not notice it, but without these injections of alternative versions of history we completely ignore significant parts of the human story. The simple fact is that as sad as it is, American classrooms and society needs months like these to create awareness and dialogue about many issues. I can never empathize with someone who has gone through the systemic oppression that many people face today because I have never had these experiences, which makes understanding and sharing the feelings of another (the definition of empathy) impossible. What I can do is attempt to recognize my privileges and have sympathy for those who are hurt by the rules of the game. Recognizing those groups, through things like special months, are key to breaking down the constructs of privilege in today’s society and moving closer to a world where special months aren’t needed because everyone gets the full story from the start.
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Editorial by Zaida LaRose and Mouminatou Thiaw A Drop in the Ocean The intention behind the heritage months is to raise awareness and to educate people about cultures, struggles and accomplishments of various minorities, all of which have records of oppression and impact on the history of this country. Therefore, it is essential that we take full advantage of the opportunities we are given each month to recognize and appreciate these influences. Though there are more kinds of people to celebrate than months we have to celebrate them, at least we live in a nation that attempts to address the history of races and genders despite their minority status. The most commonly known commemorative months include Women’s History, African-American History and LGBTQ+ months. It is true that countless other groups don’t get acknowledged, but these barriers can surely be overcome if the months are considered just one element in an ocean of celebratory mindsets. The benefits of these months can clearly be reaped when we perceive them as further means to draw attention to current and important global issues. Rather than condensing and reserving
all education on these important matters to one unit in school, it is our opinion that the education of these topics should be incorporated into the everyday curriculum of our nation’s youth, along with a continuation of the monthly recognition of minorities. Not only would this support further understanding of the diverse cultural history of our nation, but it would also implore our citizens to make the conscious effort of creating an equal country. Certainly, if the population is generally more informed about the rich and complicated stories of our citizens, a more welcoming and equal country could be created and maintained. As long as these months are in place, we must ensure that they are implemented in an active and impactful way, rather than merely passively acknowledging their presence. It is only we when we involve ourselves, when we recognize that these groups are not remotely finished with their path to equality, that we can fully utilize these celebrations to their fullest potential. If done correctly, monthly heritage celebrations can be catalysts for change, tools for improvement, and outlets for inspiration that could create a ripple in the social justice movement.
torial by Allayana Darrow
onal Women’s History month just passed, and we are now way through what Wikipedia considers to be Arab-AmeriMonth. While (according to the internet) the intent of these age months is to raise awareness and create inclusion in erican society, I believe these monthly recognitions simply t out how far we as a culture have to go before achieving able equality.
ngling out particular ethnic or minority groups, we continue flate the stigma that cultural diversity is a dividing factor in ety, rather than a vessel for appreciating cultural differences. hermore, a white, male, middle-class American who, while an immigrant, will likely not include themselves as part of particular heritage month celebration and dismiss these ths as spotlights for “other people.” Women, blacks, LGQ members, Jewish-Americans--these are a few of the groups have been chosen to stand out year after year, reminding masses of how much discrimination these groups underwent ughout American history.
brating individuality is a founding concept in the United es; we teach our toddlers that pulling yourself up by your straps is a noble path. But allowing individuality to morph discrimination and intolerance is a slippery slope, and we as ciety are continuing to slip.
erstanding our past is vital. I believe that understanding way that minorities have been discriminated against in the can change the way they are treated in the future. However, after studying the Civil Rights Movement, has the last debeen all that different? According to The Guardian, 1,134 ng black men were killed in 2015 by police. While this is a oundly smaller number than the number of blacks killed by ce during in the 1950’s and 60’s, the 2015 statistic is five times e than that of white men of the same age that year. Is that due
to socio-economic status? Coincidence? A more violent disposition? No. In the last decade, American society has relapsed as far as ethnic equality. By “celebrating” various ethnicities, heritages and sexualities, we are creating a further divide between acceptance and discrimination, between tolerance and intolerance, between black and white, hispanic and white, male and female. By throwing the odium toward minority groups into the light we are justifying the claim that minorities are weak and incapable of integrating into “normal” American life--also supporting the idea that minorities aren’t “normal” Americans. If discriminators weren’t reminded on a monthly basis of how good whites had it compared to everyone else in the last century, an attitude of superiority might not be able to sustain itself. Furthermore, who gets to decide which ethnicities are worthy of recognition? Thus far, all of these monthly assignments have been decided by presidential decree, and up until 2008, all of those decrees were made by white men--the youngest of which was 42 years old. As politicians try to compensate for the poor treatment of minority groups in the U.S., they settle for the symbolic nod of a monthly celebration rather than calling out for cultural change. Rather than instigating cultural diversity and individuality as a social norm, they exploit the divide between the social statuses of ethnic groups. Minority groups have fought for centuries to obtain equality in this country, and equality in conjunction with individuality is not something that can be left in the hands of the government, it requires a change in societal attitude. As Howard Zinn said, “We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.”
“We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.” -Howard Zinn
I F YOU G I VE A K I D A Q U E S T IO N photos by Lauren Pauli
Inspired by the children’s book “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,” we decided to “Give a Kid a Question.” The Rogue News went to Helman Elementary School and interviewed first graders about their impressions of high school and what they think teenagers do. These five kiddos were great sports and had sweet and amusing responses. Here we have documented the highlights of our interviews with Hazel, Noah, Elle, Vaeh, and Maddox.
Elle! Greetings From Vaeh &lovel y first graders,
These two Vaeh and Elle, told us about their favorite books. Vaeh is an exceptional math student, e while Elle loves to read. Thes two were very kind and were incredibly disappointed by the ol. idea of no recess in high scho
ddox: Chores for Ma at recess?
Noah’s Report Card
RN: Guess how many hours we spend on homework each night? N: 60,000. RN: How long does it take you to do your homework? N: It mostly takes one minute. ? RN: What would you put in your locker l N: If I wanted to I could hide my schoo to do work in [my locker] so I didn’t have math if it’s too tricky. RN: What class do you want to take? me N: Is there a potion class? Please tell there’s a potion class!
by Lili Smith, Lauren Pauli and Liv West
H
Helpful Hazel
RN: What do you do M: Um… just look for bugs. like? RN: What kind of bugs do you ed beetles, ? Dragonflies, ladybugs, horn M: I... wait aren’t insect bugs fire ants, ants, bees, spiders. , tises man ing pray , pers bees, grasshop subject? RN: What’s your favorite class e what is it called...? We use thos M: I like science because... Well that you can’t see with gs thin little tiny y teen see things where you can the real human eye. you look at? RN: A microscope? What did thingy, We took this little small glass M: We did something weird. . that on ed look we then then someone sneezed on it,
RN: What do you think about high school? H: Kinda big and scary. RN: Did you know that we only have one break during the day? What do you think about that? H: It’s just kinda weird. RN: What do you think teenagers talk about? H: Stuff you did in school.
at AHS by Zaida LaRose Mindfulness is a therapeutic technique, focused on the acceptance gives them the tools to improve patience through making mindfulness and understanding of one’s feelings, thoughts, and overall conscious- a habit. The importance of educating youth to respect yoga is unparalness. The recently-formed YoMind Ambassador’s Club was created leled; it is an activity for those of all shapes and sizes, it is welcoming to by Hesperus di Properzio, and is centered around using the method all genders, it is embracing of all mindsets and it is a lifelong practice. of mindfulness to bring students’ awareness to the present moment. The workshops always end with savasana (corpse pose) and games, Yoga is used to gain energy, release stress, and ultimately provide the prac- making the experience relaxing and fun for the kids. One of the most titioner with a stronger connection between mind and body. YoMind ap- popular workshop games is “Wood Chopper Breath,” wherein the chilplies mindfulness through a variety of proven neuroscience techniques, dren stand in a large circle and imitate the act of chopping wood - an such as “tuning outward and turning inward”- a method proven to calm exercise that improves focus and breathing, along with lower back and clear the mind, wherein the subject lets go of every-day pandemonium strength and flexibility. Once a club member has taught at a workshop, and focuses on their deepest internal thoughts from moment to moment. they have earned the title of YoMind Ambassador. The club hopes to hold The YoMind Ambassador’s Club held their first meeting on Thursday, more workshops with kids for early exposure to mindfulness routines. April 14. The principal purpose of the club is to improve each ambasPairing yoga and mindfulness, the YoMind Ambassador’s club makes their sador’s practice and teaching abilities, so that their methods can eventu- techniques accessible to all ages and body types. According to di Properzio, ally be spread to the whole community, especially in elementary schools. this freedom to tailor the method to individual wants is one of the most The ambassadors offer mindfulness workshops for 1st-5th graders, and beautiful things about mindfulness: regardless of where one begins physiuse yoga as a tool to teach kids how to focus, sit still, and relax - some- cally or mentally, one can sculpt the practice to their own unique needs. thing children don’t often resort to, but (given the proper resources), can learn to incorporate into their everyday lives. YoMind Ambassador’s Club
by Ia Balbuena-Nedrow Every football season, Ashland High School’s Walter A. Phillips Field transforms from a well-groomed grass field to an oozing puddle of mud with a few sparse patches of grass, the only thing protecting its dignity as a sports field. Despite the old field having seen its fair share of glory days, student-athletes, coaches, and the greater Ashland community have decided to renovate the Walter A. Philips field into a synthetic turf field. In light of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigating the health risks that rubber turf imposes on athletes, AHS is committing to a healthier alternative: coconut fiber turf. Here are the benefits of the natural alternative:
Better for the environment
One of the problems with a rubber turf field is the crumbs contain chemicals such as zinc, lead, chromium, and arsenic- all toxic metals. Runoff from rainfall, especially after warmer weather, may contain toxic materials which holds the potential for contaminating the community’s ground and drinking water.
Healthier for students and student-athletes
In 2014, NBC ran a story on the potential health hazards rubber crumb turf may pose on athletes, with a focus on soccer goalies in particular. Amy Griffin, University of Washington’s Associate Head Coach, came to NBC with this story when she noticed a troubling connection between the number of adolescent cancer patients in a Se-
attle hospital and the number of those patients who were soccer players. As Griffin investigated further, she compiled a list of 38 American soccer players who had been diagnosed with cancer. Of those 38, 34 were goalies. With goalies flying from side to side, hitting the surface of the turf field, they are very susceptible to have crumb rubber hit their faces, getting lodged in cuts and turf burns, and being accidentally ingested, which would be most detrimental to athletes health. Though the EPA had conducted a safety inspection on rubber turf fields, they have backtracked in recent years, suggesting that their studies were “limited.” Though no scientific data has directly linked turf toxicity to cancer, there are enough connections to make environmental activists and the athletic community ask questions. With the coconut fiber turf, students would no longer be exposed to toxins and students would be less prone to turf burns, as the coconut fiber will naturally cool itself, unlike rubber crumb turf that raises the temperature upwards of 10 degrees higher than the outside temperature. Though construction has just begun, the vision of the new field is well developed and on its way to becoming a reality, thanks to Ashland Alumni Jeremy Guthrie, a Major League Baseball pitcher who donated a copious $650,000 towards the renovation. The golden shovel broke ground on Friday, April 15, and the field is projected to be completed in mid-July.
featured above: Liam Atkins and Lily Rider
photos courtesy of Amelia Sorensen
Money Can’t Buy Me Love An Ashland High School Production by Frankie Mora
a large amount of time figuring out exactly what shots she wanted Whether it is due to societal pressures or fear of failure, young to implement and how each shot would transition into the next. adults often perceive their age as a limiting factor which prevents Since the movie could only be a few minutes long, each scene had them from achieving greatness. There are a courageous few, howto be efficient yet fulfilling: a mix that Sorensen found a bit chalever, that ignore such restraints. One of those people is Amelia Solenging. rensen, a senior at Ashland High School. With passion and effort, A lot must be said in those few minutes of film, but Sorensen Sorensen set out to create a short film, something she had never embraced that challenge. Though there were certain scenes she was done before. In a recent interview, Sorensen explained that she forced to cut out, a small time-frame is one aspect of the short film chose to delve into film-making seeing that it was “naturally the that Sorensen really enjoys. Since most people possess terrible atnext step” after photography. Following three hours of hard work, tention spans, short films seem to be the perfect Sorenson along with AHS Junior, Tessa Buckley, length. “Once films get past fifteen minutes,” she completed a rough script for Money Can’t Buy Cast and Crew: Me Love, a five-minute-long movie that would Amelia Sorensen, Cinematographer added, “people aren’t as interested in watching them.” While five minutes of film is not very go on to win the LAUNCH Student Film Comand Co-Writer long, it’s important to not underestimate the petition for their age group. This meant that Tessa Buckley, Co-Writer amount of work that is required. From writing their film would be screened at the Ashland InCailyn Caldwell, Line Producer dependent Film Festival April 7-11. Emma Hassell, Assistant Producer the script, making storyboards, casting capable and experienced actors, putting together outfits Money Can’t Buy Me Love, set in the 1950s, and Extra and props to reflect the time period, requesting centers on a small town girl named Georgia Ryan Hoe, Sound Operator permission to shoot at different locations, film(played by Lily Anne Rider). Georgia meets a Liam Atkins, Actor Playing Dean ing, editing and making sure the audience is left mysterious man by the name of Dean (played by Lily Rider, Actress Playing Georgia feeling satisfied, there is a lot of effort that goes Liam Atkins Granger) in a retro diner. A strong Jack Kleen, Extra into creating a great short film. flame develops between the two as they open Sara Buckley, Extra When asked about her plans for the future, up to each other about life. But when she disshe responded by saying she most prominently covers Dean is actually a bank robber, Georgia wants to be an actress. She also expressed a deep love for cinemafeels a strong disconnect between what’s morally right and what tography and photography. Most simply put, she would be content her heart longs for. He assures Georgia that, with him by her side, falling into any of those occupations. Observing Sorensen’s sucher dreams will come true. cess and the amount of avidity propelling her speech, one might Clearly, this flick pays homage to the infamous crime couple, forget that she’s merely a high school student. While also being Bonnie and Clyde. Sorensen explained that because “criminals someone that disregards age and goes after what she wants, there’s are such an American past-time and are generally a well-received not an ounce of entitlement or conceit in her body. Whether it be topic,” she believed it would be wise to root her creation in that behind the camera or in front of it, don’t be surprised if she makes genre. Another source of inspiration for her was an independent her way to the big screen. With talent like hers it’s only a matter short film called Young Americans. Sorenson expressed a deep apof time. preciation for the feature’s striking visuals and revealed that it left an evident imprint on her own work. She also admitted she spent