#SJW2015 Sample Muse

Scholastic Journalism Week 2015

SPRAINED BEFORE THE GAME byChloeKrammel

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hile focusing on her footwork and practicing her groundstrokes, visual senior Camila Gonzalez sprained her ankle by rolling on it and then falling down the weekend before an important tennis match that took place on Feb. 24. Gonzalez is not yet sure of when she is allowed to get back on the court but until then the Dreyfoos girl’s tennis team has many willing alternates.

“I think the team is going to be fine [without Gonzalez], we have great alternates that are always ready to come and play and we will miss Camila while she’s recovering but the team will work just as hard and will be just as good when she comes back,” member of the tennis team and communications sophomore Natalia Civin said.

Gonzalez is a driven member of the tennis team that frequently attends the practices and matches.

“I think [my injury] will be fine but I still wish I could go out and play and do my best for the team,” Gonzalez said.

The Dreyfoos girl’s tennis team is like a family. They all help each other in times of need and in Gonzalez’ case her teammates are supportive and wish for the best during her recovery.

“Getting back into matches and a new season is always tough but the girls are all amazing players and we work together really well and encourage each other,” Civin said.

Visual junior Nicole Lindner prepares to serve at the match against Palm Beach Central.

Photo by Maria Grosso

SINGING IN SALT LAKE byBrittanyMckenzie

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en years since their last invitation, the Dreyfoos School of the Arts Singers were invited to perform at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. They were one of only three honors choirs from around the country selected to perform for the attendees.

“For me, it recognizes how hard we have all worked and shows our dedication to be the best choir we can be,” vocal senior Jessica Hamorsky said. “It’s nice for our talent to be recognized on a national level.”

After their notification in late November, students of the advanced choir under the

Vocal director Arlene Sparks (left) speaks to students before a workshop at the ACDA.

instruction of vocal director Arlene Sparks and other distinguished guest directors dedicated countless hours after school to rehearsals and clinics to refine their work for the two feature performances at the end of the convention.

“It seemed a bit daunting at first looking at the rehearsal schedule, but hearing how our sound has developed has been amazing,” Hamorsky said. “The rehearsals brought out talent inside all of us and made us work together efficiently.”

During the convention, the choir was involved in a workshop for the attending choral directors which showcased effective rehearsal techniques.

“It involved movement, always being active while singing and incorporating different things every rehearsal so students have a high chance of remembering the music and the cues,” vocal senior Daniel Domingos said.

Although the Photo courtesy of Ali Zaidspiner

Photo courtesy of Daniel Domingos

timing of the event conflicted with the inschool SAT testing day, participation in the event was more important.

“I’m taking the SAT in March,” vocal junior Abigail O’Donnall said. “I’d rather be here in Utah.”

Despite participating and winning at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod last summer and the participation of some students at previous ACDA National Conventions as part of the Bak Girls Chorusthis event was significant due to the scale of recognition, as it identifies the Dreyfoos School of the Arts Singers as the standard for the rest of the country.

“It means a lot to have worked for four years and to finally be recognized at a national level,” vocal senior Drew Tanabe said.

#ProjectIntegrity SAT by School Standards byJuliaHorneck hard to pass up, some students have f the many things high school made the decision to take the test at juniors have weighing upon different testing locations over concern their shoulders, the SAT generally and issues with the proctors and prior seems to be at the top of the list. experiences with in school testing.

How well one scores on the SAT plays “Almost every time I’ve taken a a significant role in the impression a standardized test at Dreyfoos, I’ve had transcript can make on colleges. One a really negative experience either thing that students have to take into with the proctors or something else,” consideration, though, is where to communications senior Shane Meyers attend this highly said. “As a result I anticipated test decided that it was day–at school in my best interest with their peers to take the SAT at my or at a separate home high school.” location on their Aside from own time. these factors, many “The students decide SAT is good for against taking the SAT everybody if at school with the you’re going to belief that the score college and it’s a of the test taken in good experience school automatically to take it this transfers to early in your transcripts, while junior year out of school because then test scores don’t. you can see what However, many may you need to do be surprised to know to improve,” that this is merely a Assistant misconception.

Principal Leo “SAT scores go Photo by Julia Horneck Communications junior MJ Pleasant gathers her directly on your Barrett said. pencils and admissions pass before the SAT.

Offering transcript regardless students the ability to take the SAT of where you take the test,” Guidance at school is a district wide initiative, Counselor Georgia Mounce said. which aims to allow students the This year Dreyfoos’ SAT testing day opportunity to gain early exposure had an overall good turn out, with to the test and to ease any economic only 27 students not having attended pressure that may accompany taking it - many of whom were vocal students at a separate location or at a different on the ACDA trip. While it seems that a time. majority of students opted in favor of

“The district takes a taking the test at school, this decision percentage out of the AP funds so that should be based on what will suit the everyone has the opportunity to take particular person in the end. [the SAT],” Assistant Principal George “It really comes down to what the Miller said. “Some schools don’t individual wants and what they think generate enough funding, so taking is best for themselves,” Meyers said. money out of the AP funds allows “Everyone has different experiences everyone the ability to take [the test].” and needs.”

Yet, while these perks may seem

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Students band together for integrity

by FrancesLandrum hen getting their work done students tend take the easy way out, turning in work for the grade instead of using it as an opportunity to cement their understanding of a lesson. From copying another student’s work to sending around the answers on social media, cheating has become common at Dreyfoos, making the integrity of students’ work questionable. Looking to redefine and promote the concept of integrity, the National Honor Society dedicated a week to Project Integrity.

“Project Integrity is an effort to reinforce the honor code,” said visual senior and NHS Social Coordinator Emily Gerstein. “We want to bring academic honesty back to Dreyfoos.”

As part of the event, throughout the week students pledged to abide the honor code by signing a banner large banner during lunch, getting a #INTEGRITY bracelet in return. On Friday, Feb. 27 to make evident the project is a school-wide initiative students and staff were prompted to wear white and participate in a White-Out lunch party where sweet treats were distributed.

“Through the event NHS hopes that the students [will] realize that an effort to have integrity can be fun and rewarding,” Gerstein said.

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Photo by Julia Horneck

Visual senior Emily Gerstein (l-r) and communications senior Steffan Gawlikowski pose with the NHS mock Instagram, prompting students to use the hashtag #projectintergrity.

Photo by Julia Horneck

Communications junior Alexander Plansky signs his name on the integrity banner in the cafeteria during the White Out party. Signing the banner, though symbolic was a public way of asserting integrity.

NOTE FROM THE EDITORS

This is a sample of the work that goes into producing and publishing every issue of The Muse. We chose to do this because we feel it showcases scholastic journalism which aims to relay important news to students and staff. As a magazine, The Muse works in the long-term in contrast to daily or even weekly publications; which have a shorter turnaround time for all the elements involved in its creation. Within this space we showcase four different stories that occurred during Scholastic Journalism Week, among them the basics of news publication: sports, news, features.

BRAINSTORMING: The start of the creative process begins with a large staff brainstorming session where we work on compiling ideas and leads of potential stories. Next we research these to verify that they are substantial and should be covered. Ideas come from the world around us.

PHOTO: Once the idea has been chosen and finalized, photo assignments are distributed to the photographers.

Here they receive a brief rundown of the topic and the angle as well as any specifications concerning the preferred subject or composition of the photo. Occasionally this process is forgone in instances where on-the-spot coverage of an event is required. Photos are important because they play a main role in the appeal of the piece on the final page layout.

INTERVIEWING: The interviewing process is the most important part of the story writing process because it provides evidence while humanizing the story. During this process the writer meets one-on-one with a series of people who are important and knowledgeable about the subject matter of the story. In this time the writer will ask pre-written questions, but always looks to ask follow up questions which may provide more information.

WRITING/EDITING: The most important part of as story is the lead: it should inform while drawing the reader in to read more. Generally, stories follow a quote-transition-quote format giving priority to the best quotes and most important information in the beginning of the story. During the editing process, the story is reviewed by copy editors who ensure the writing is free of grammatical, mechanical and stylistic errors.

Then it is approved by assistant managing editors who check the piece for continuity and overall flow.

LAYOUT: Layout aims to create a space to showcase the piece visually. By taking the textual and visual elements created by the writers and photographers and arranging them within the spread on the computer, a layout designer effectively creates the final product which you see on print.