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FUTURE TENSE(ION)
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Drama Club Performs Riggs' 20th Play
When Julie Riggs started Lakehill's
Drama Club eight years ago, she had a hunch that fifth and sixth grade students
would love the opportunity to perform. Her hunch was right, and because of the high level of participation she has
divided the Club into a fall group and a spring group, usually holding
performances in January and April.
Shortly after the inception of the drama club, Riggs
began writing her own plays, customizing them
for the kids she had in her club. She has now done this 20 times. Three of her plays have been published by
Brooklyn Publishers, and two have been performed, one in Colorado
and one in Canada.
Riggs is adept at crafting plays kids
will enjoy, focusing on whatever is hip and popular. She asks for student
ideas about the types of roles they would enjoy, and then writes a pilot script
and holds auditions. Riggs explains, "The script becomes a kind of balancing
act based on giving kids their fair share of the action either in one large
role or at least two smaller ones. This sometimes makes for unwieldy and
improbable plots, but the kids are happy."
Riggs' 20th play, Future Tense(ion): Adventures in the Frontiers of Time and Space, was performed by an all fifth grade cast on Thursday, January 29. A science fiction time travel spoof, the characters were based on Star Trek and Doctor
Who. Cast members included Attiyya Fortune, Abby Kieker, Mark George, Natalie Guess, Katie Duke, Charlie Whisnant, Karl Sheeran
Elliott Jacobsen, Zach Kern, Kas
Tebbets, Cammie Ormsby, Vincent
Greene, and Kyra Wilmes. Seventh grade student Cameron Gavinski served as Riggs' assistant.
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GREEN, BLUE, AND WHITE!
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Color Wars Build Spirit and Unity
The week of January
19 marked Lakehill's first-ever Color Wars celebration. The event was initiated
by the Student Council as a means of strengthening school spirit and class
unity through a variety of fun events. It was scheduled to coincide with the Warriors
Basketball season, serving as a Spirit Week for our basketball teams.
Colors Wars featured an array of activities designed to showcase a wide variety
of talents. From the artist to the athlete, all Upper
School students were able to
participate.
The Color Wars kickoff began on Tuesday with blind
basketball, a challenging event that called for students to try to make as many
baskets as possible during the allotted time, all, of course, while
blindfolded. Continuing throughout the week, each consecutive day featured
activities that joined each Upper School
class together as a team to compete against the other grades.
Points were tallied as the contests continued throughout the
week. Athletic pursuits ranged from blind basketball and capture the flag to
tug-of-war and relay races. Everyone could participate in contests like Name
that Baby, a game requiring contestants to identify baby pictures of Lakehill
basketball players, as well as Teacher Trivia, and Pictionary. And what class contest
would be complete without a good old-fashioned pie eating contest?
Students received points for attending athletic events all
week. By the end of the week, the score was so close between the classes that
attendance at Saturday's basketball games was the ultimate decider. In the
final outcome, the seniors came out on top, followed by the freshmen, juniors,
and sophomores. The winning class was announced at the culminating event,
a neon-themed dance held on Saturday night in the Lakehill Student Commons.
"We really tried to promote class unity and our
basketball teams and to get people involved and excited," Student Council
sponsor Kaye Hauschild said. "It was a great
effort between Student Council, the athletic department, and class sponsors.
Color Wars was just a great way for all of us to take pride in Lakehill."
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STOP TALKING. START DOING.
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My Turn Day
Kidd Kraddock, radio personality on KISS FM, is ready for people to stop talking and start doing. That is the motto behind his idea that spawned My Turn Day. Kraddock was inspired by our new President's challenge to be part of positive
change in our nation, by getting involved in volunteer projects in our
community. He listened to the message and wondered, "What if."
"What if you woke up one morning, and you were
flooded with messages from people you know...all talking about the same thing? On
your cell phone, on your Facebook and Myspace, on Twitter and Linked-in, in
your email and on your instant messenger, virtually everywhere you turned, you
saw a message about yet another American giving their time to a great cause. Think of the statement that could make."
According to the My Turn website, on February 10, it's your turn to announce to the
world exactly what you're doing to serve your community. You blog it, text it,
email it, twitter it, webcam it, maybe even write it on the back window of your
car. Let the world know exactly what you're DOING. Chances are, all those
messages will inspire others to serve too.
For one single day, America will unite in a single cause, and Lakehill faculty, students, and their families are encouraged to participate. February 10 is a day of announcement. It is not the day you have to actually volunteer or do the work. It is simply the day you announce what it is you are committed to doing. It doesn't matter whether you pledge to work in a homeless shelter, drive an elderly neighbor to a doctor's appointment, or clean a local park--just do something. Then make it official. Call the organization or go to their website and sign up.
THREE SIMPLE STEPS:
1. Figure out what you want to do to help your
community.
2. Make the formal arrangements to get it done.
3. On February 10th announce your plan to the
world.
Click here to let
me know what you are doing. If you are involved with a cause and
could use volunteers, let me know that, too!
According to Kraddock, "We can't institute change by just TALKING ABOUT IT.
It's time to start doing." Spread the word.
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CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS
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Testing the Water
The Environmental Technology Club (EnviTechClub) is open to students in grades eight to twelve. Sponsored by Dr. Onabajo, the Club meets weekly
after school to explore topics such as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, water management in homes, pollution control, and wastewater treatment technology.
In January, club members were able to participate in a project on the treatment of wastewater sludge. The objectives were to
remove suspended solids, dissolved solids/chemicals, pathogens, and other
biological organisms and to produce an effluent that is safe to be discharged
into lakes and rivers. To conduct their experiment, students collected run-off wastewater from the roof of a home and transferred it to the Lakehill lab. The treatment process involves removing the grit and debris from the sample of water, adding some chemicals to condition the water so that it can be disinfected, and then reusing the water. The Environmental Technology Club has the equipment, materials, and the knowledge to analyze the final product and determine how "green" it really is.
Some might ask why go to all this trouble? The answer is simple. Wastewater can be a danger if not treated properly. With the "nudge" toward green, the treatment of wastewater is coming to the forefront as schools, scientific researchers, and the EPA make sure that it is treated properly for reuse by all.
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SPORTS SNIPPETS
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Varsity
Boys' Basketball
February 6
Lakehill at Dallas Lutheran; 7:30pm
Varsity
Girls' Basketball
February 6
Lakehill at Dallas Lutheran; 6:00pm
JV Boys'
Basketball
February 6
Lakehill at Dallas Lutheran; 4:30pm
Middle School Boys'
Basketball
Lakehill lost a heartbreaker to St. John's on Monday, 59-56, to end a winning season 10-4 (5-3 in district).
Middle School Girls'
Basketball
Lakehill played the best game of the season, but lost by four points to Levine in the
first round of the TAPPS Middle School playoffs.
Mixed Tennis
February 10 Lakehill at Prince of Peace - 3:00pmFebruary 17 Lakehill at Ovilla Christian - 3:00pm |
WHAT'S HAPPENING?
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February 5
Senior Day Assembly - 1:45pm
Join us as we celebrate the accomplishments and memories of Lakehill's Class of 2009. Parents are invited to attend. Everyone is invited to wear their favorite college sweatshirt or t-shirt and
JEANS in honor of Senior Day! February 6
Fourth Grade Mini-Musical - 1:30pm "Shh!
We're Writing the Constitution" is a mini-musical performed by fourth
graders for grades K-4 and parents in the auditorium. This play, which
coincides with the fourth grade American History unit, focuses on the
trials and tribulations of the states' delegates, including secrecy,
hot weather, and distrust among themselves.
February 10 Admission Preview - 9:30am Admission Previews provide an in-depth overview for
prospective parents considering a Lakehill education for their children. To reserve
a place at one of the Admission Previews, please contact the Office of Admission
at 214-826-2931 or email visit@lakehillprep.org.
February 10PFC Speaker Series - 7:30pm The Lakehill Parent
Faculty Club (PFC) Speaker Series presents "Ice and Fire: Social Aggression" by
Marion K. Underwood, Ph.D. on Tuesday, February 10 at 7:30 pm in the Wyly Auditorium. Dr. Underwood is a professor
in the School of Behavioral
and Brain Sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas.
According to the United States Department of
Health and Human Services, bullying-both social and physical-is a serious
problem for today's children. It goes beyond "kids being kids" and has serious
repercussions for everyone involved. Even in an environment as nurturing as
Lakehill, at some point in your child's life, he or she may be exposed to
bullying, including socially aggressive behaviors like gossip, friendship manipulation,
and social exclusion. Join us as Dr. Underwood guides us in learning how to help our
children deal with such problematic situations. Free child care for children
ages 5-12 will be provided in the Lower School Library during the discussion. If
you would like to reserve a child care spot, please contact Tina Simpson.
February 17
College Night for Freshmen - 6:00pm
Mrs. Dondis will discuss PSAT scores as well as introduce topics related to the
college process itself. All freshmen and their parents are encouraged to
attend. Sophomores and their families who missed their meeting may also attend.
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