June 2010
Films showcases creativity
Last Wednesday, students filed into the auditorium to watch Marshall?s first student film festival. The event showcased short films produced by Marshall students and was arranged by Film Studies teacher Pierce Bello.
Governor school excites attendees
Several students will participate in the Virginia Governor?s School program this summer. The program consists of a collection of magnet schools and summer programs for select students throughout the state.
In addition to offering students an enrichment opportunity, the program aims to provide talented students with academically and artistically challenging courses beyond the offering of their base schools.
Teachers leaving for new options
As seniors clean out their lockers, preparing never to return to school again, some teachers are preparing for a similar farewell. While some are retiring, others are pursuing personal goals or simply teaching at another school.
Among the teachers leaving is English teacher Kelly McDonald. She is returning to Gar-Field High School after teaching here for two years.
McDonald is "leaving for new opportunities and new challenges," she said.
McDonald cites the awards ceremony as one of her favorite memories.
Hayes says thanks, farewell
With the publication of this final issue, volume 48 of Rank & File is officially complete, marking a day I never thought, or hoped, would come. Over the course of this year, our staff has diligently worked to fulfill the promise I made in September to provide this community with a worthy record of its achievements and particularities. This year has provided us with ample material for the stories that filled our pages and inspired our work.
Censorship is detrimental to students? rights
For years, Alabama resident Laura Mallory campaigned against the wildly successful Harry Potter books, claiming them to be "dangerous and deceptive" and blaming them for "mainstreaming witchcraft [for children]".
Mallory challenged the books? placement in school libraries and appealed multiple times in effort to have the Potter series banned from her local schools. However, Mallory no longer had any children in public schools by the time she was making her most recent appeals.
Rebecca's List: Top ten things to do when your teacher thinks you're taking notes
The opinions presented in this article reflect those of the individual reporter, not of the Rank & File collectively.
Aid often poorly allocated
Recently a show was performed after school to raise money for international charity. Although the International Club?s efforts should be applauded and supported, the effectiveness of foreign aid on a world scale has yet to be determined. Charity is one of the most celebrated acts of humanity, but many have accused foreign aid recipients and producers of corruption. In addition, many believe that charity organizations fail to support the deprived public in various disadvantaged areas.
School food contract limits health options
The crackle of the wrapper sounds deafening in the hush of the early morning. School is beginning and the nauseating, repulsive smell of fake strawberries is just too much. Are Pop-Tarts really necessary at such an early hour? All you want is tea ? an idea is born. Why not have a fund-raiser for your club and sell tea on Friday mornings?
Films give depth, emotion
When African Americans tried to mix with Whites during the Civil Rights years, the police and citizens enforced segregation by all means necessary. This fact is crucial to understanding an important time in our American history. But when merely communicated through the spoken word, can students truly grasp the hate and agony experienced in this time? For very few, maybe so. But for most, no.
Rank and Profile: Grad speaker selected for unique style
Though history teacher Tim Kane has spoken at three graduations already?most recently for the class of 2007?the senior class has once again elected him to be the speaker on June 18 at DAR Constitution Hall.
Kane believes that his popularity as a speaker is due to his eccentric nature.
Kane believes the reason the speaker is selected is because the students think he or she will be entertaining. "The voting simply comes down to who would be funny," Kane said.
Foreign Flavors in your own backyard: Papa John's lacks pizzazz in its flavorless pizza
As expected, Papa John?s pizza proved to be a disappointment. It showcased an uninteresting flavor accompanied by a steady stream of grease.
The pizza as a whole was completely bland and had a minimal number of spices in the sauce and crust. The only source of flavor was the complimentary garlic sauce. Buttery but lacking any strong garlic flavor, the sauce is hardly worth the extra calories.
Many small pools of grease speckled the pizza and added to the disaster.
Foreign Flavors in your own backyard: Domino?s new taste offers a new and authentic feel
Domino?s was not lying in their recent commercials. The crust, cheese and sauce have changed and they are absolutely superb. Upon first bite, the unique, foreign taste is startling(in a good way, of course).
Foreign Flavors in your own backyard: Pizza Hut?s greasy pizza does not top the list
In terms of toppings, Pizza Hut is a refreshing break from Papa John?s and Domino?s. In addition to using quality toppings, Pizza Hut actually puts a reasonable amount of toppings on their pizzas. Moreover, the toppings were evenly spread throughout the pizza, though in a messy way. In a pizza with ground beef, bell peppers, onions and mushrooms, I could taste each ingredient in every single bite.
Summer Movie Preview
The summer movies lineup is filled to the brim, and, as with any set of choices, has good and bad options. The comedic stylings of the third movie in the Twilight series, which I hear is a full-movie buildup to a dramatic battle that does not actually take place, only brings the quality of summer movies lower. Additionally, The Last Airbender, directed by hack director M. Night Shyamalan, has a depressingly horrific lineup. But there are good choices as well, and I?ll direct you to the top two movies you need to see this summer.
Heart of the Matter showcases emotional plot
New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin?s novel Heart of the Matter is the story of two women whose lives are brought together by a tragic accident. On one side is Tessa, a happily married mom who recently gave up her career to stay at home with her two kids. Her husband Nick is a pediatric plastic surgeon. On the other side is Valerie, a single mom who has given up on relationships and love. At a slumber party, Valerie?s young son suffers burns, and Nick is the doctor who treats him at the hospital.
Killers leaves audiences begging for speedy death
Completely bogged down with clich?s and dripping with overdone ?jokes?, Killers is a physically painful waste of two hours. Although summer movies tend to be ridiculous and stupid by nature, this film takes it to a whole new level, failing to capture even a full minute of humor among the preposterous and dumb. Everyone involved should be drawn and quartered for committing such a criminally bad project to film.
?Police? mature, retain upbeat sound
In their first release, Elephant Shell, Tokyo Police Club moved at a frantic pace in most of their songs that would seem difficult for many artists to sustain. However, in their latest effort, Champ, they have not slowed down one bit.
Their new work remains as catchy and upbeat as ever, although the band has shown some signs of maturity as well. While many of their previous songs were simplistic beats with few complexities, the songs on this new album do occasionally take some time to slow down and explore some more nuanced elements.
Hanson makes a 'shout out' to retro pop
Hanson was a staple in the music repertoire of every girl in the late 1990s. They rose to fame on the wings of a song with lyrics nearly impossible to understand and a chorus comprised of total gibberish.
Thirteen years after their hay day, their legacy in pop culture is little more than a reference to their only famous single ?MMMBop? and infinite number to which they are the punch line.
Koma's Kolumn: Wall may not be right choice
On the morning of May 20th, the day after the National Basketball Association?s (NBA) draft lottery, the headlines of newspapers around the nation were plastered with grand pronouncements, such as ?Washington Wizards Win the John Wall Sweepstakes,? or even weighty questions like ?Can John Wall Save the Wizards??
Track and field faces conflicts with states
Spring track and field competed at district and regional competitions this season, with seniors Brittany Johnson and Meara Goss qualifying for the 2010 VHSL Group AAA State Outdoor Championships.
Neither Johnson, who qualified for the triple jump, nor Goss, who qualified for shotput, actually competed at the State Championships. Johnson was injured, so she did not participate. Goss, on the other hand, went to prom instead of competing at States.
