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The Warrior Weekly

Volume 4, Issue 16

December 15, 2011

In This Issue
Holiday Traditions
Holiday Performances
Globe Trotters
Community Spotlight
Sports Snippets
This Week at the ESC
PFC Events
What's Happening?

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"The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves."
- Hellen Keller 
Holiday Traditions  holiday luncheon

Holiday Luncheon Exemplifies Spirit of the Season

For nearly 30 years, on a special Friday in December, Lakehill has continued a holiday tradition that remains in the hearts of attendees long after the apple pie is finished.

  

Lakehill's annual Holiday Luncheon brings more than 150 elderly residents from around east Dallas to the Lakehill campus to share the spirit of the season with the Lakehill family. This year's event, held on December 9, continued the much anticipated tradition.

 

holiday luncheon2Members of Lakehill's senior class, along with their parents and class sponsors, joined forces with juniors and sophomores to provide a memorable holiday experience for senior citizens. Many of these guests are regular attendees who look forward to the luncheon every year. Good food, good music, and enjoyable conversations with the students seemed to get everyone in the holiday spirit. Guests were thrilled to receive a variety of gifts, including framed photos with the junior class Santa and Mrs. Claus, lovely poinsettias, and gift-filled stockings prepared by Sisteens.

 

Headmaster Roger Perry explained, "The Holiday Luncheon is a wonderful tradition that truly reinforces the meaning of the holidays. For many guests, this special annual event is the highlight of their holiday season. We also hear time and time again from our alumni that the Holiday Luncheon is their most treasured memory of their time at Lakehill."   

 

Lower School Joins in Reindeer Gamesreindeer games 

Lakehill's junior class carried on a long-standing tradition on December 9 with the school's annual Holiday Parade and Reindeer Games. 

Since 1976, when it was known as the Junior Parade, the junior class stages the event for the benefit of the Lower School children. Students lined the parade route in anticipation of the dancing reindeer, joyful elves, and Santa and Mrs. Claus riding in a convertible. After the parade, juniors led the Lower School students onto the practice field for Reindeer Games, including "Red Light Green Light" and "Santa Says," and an afternoon of holiday fun.

 

See more photos of the Holiday Luncheon and Reindeer Games. 

Holiday Performances

olympiaganza
Photo by Irwin Thompson.

Middle School Play  

Lakehill's seventh and eighth grade drama classes performed The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza by Don Zoldis on December 9. Their performance was directed by Elizabeth Schmitt and produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc.


This hilarious parody of Greek mythology had the audience rolling in the aisles as familiar characters from Ancient Greece like Zeus, Hercules, and Pandora performed their respective myths with side-splitting twists.


The two battling narrators, played brilliantly by McKinney Waggoner and Noah Bernstein, attempted to cover the entirety of Greek mythology using popular culture, plastic army men, and the occasional Barbie. The story of Pandora becomes an Oxygen Network movie, Hercules interns at a variety of jobs (traffic reporter, masseuse, actor) before becoming a  member of the Argonauts (here, the original Super Friends), and Orpheus and Eurydice is told as the first emo love story. Lesser known myths, such as the story of Linus, are told as terrifying bedtime stories. The final section retells the Iliad through playground battles, a beauty pageant and, ultimately, the two narrators re-enacting the storming of Troy with toys and the army men. The result of all this silliness and chaos was audience hysterics.

  

The play also included the versatile talents of Charity Abengowe, Johnathan Bellew, Seven Benjamin-Wright, Lily Bines, Stephan Cohen, Elizabeth Collins, Declan Devine, Brandon Douglas, Katie Duke, Salma El-Feky, TaTa Fortune, Helena Granstrom, Afton Guedea, Alandria Hampton, Libby Higgins, Kate Hornbach, Sarah Lacerte, Natalie Lasko, Dailyn McAdoo, Tillie McCoskey, Abi Price, Camryn Thompson, Olivia Wagner, Laura Walton, Kyra Wilmes, and Andrew Witcher.

  

Drama teacher Elizabeth Schmitt remarked, "The combination of the actors, the material, and the audience made for a truly magical evening of theater beyond my expectations!" 
 
See the photos from the play.

  

Singing in the Seasonwinter concert 
The Middle and Upper School Choirs performed on Thursday night, December 8, in the Wyly Auditorium for faculty, students, and friends. Under the direction of Tracy Herron and Linda Booth, the concert featured the vocal talents of the 5th music classes, the seventh and eighth grade Allegro Singers, and the Upper School Chorale. 
 
Listen to the festive Variations on Jingle Bells performed by the Upper School Choir.

Lakehill choirs also shared songs of the season at the Sammons Cancer Center at Baylor Hospital. The fifth grade music classes performed on December 9, while the high school choir performed on December 12. 

  

northpark choirAs part of the Sights and Sounds of the Season festivities at NorthPark Center, area schools were invited to perform. Lakehill's Upper School Choir performed on December 10 and the Elementary Choir on December 14 to crowds of family, friends, and shoppers. Upper School Choir director Tracy Herron and Elementary Choir Director Linda Booth led their respective choirs in songs of the season. This is the third year that a Lakehill choir has performed at NorthPark. 

See photos from the Elementary Choir performance.   

Listen to the Elementary Choir perform. 

Globe Trotters

Third Grade Hosts Trip Around The World
Trip around World

Travelers to Lakehill's cafeteria on December 12 were treated to a fascinating global tour as third grade students shared the histories, cultures, costumes, and cuisines of a variety of countries.   

 

No tickets, passports, or luggage were required for the annual Trip around the World. Visitors were free to wander from country to country, exploring the sights, smells, and sounds from around the globe as third grade students served as ambassadors and tour guides. Third graders completed a research report, developed a poster highlighting interesting aspects of their country, and prepared a sample of the cuisine representative of that country. Some students dressed in native costumes and brought music and artifacts to share with visitors.

 

Tour the world with photos from the event.

 

Upper School Debate Team Advances to Statedebate
The Upper School Debate Team competed in the YMCA Youth and Government District Tournament at Jack Singley Academy in Irving. Six Lakehill teams competed in State Affairs Forum and all six teams will advance to the state tournament in Austin on Jan. 26-29. 
 
Taylor Pike and Mari Eboli were ranked highest for their topic: mandating driving tests every two years for seniors over the age of 65. In addition, John Devine and Clayton Drazner were awarded Outstanding Delegate for their superior performance in pro/con debate.

 

The club will have the opportunity to attend Minnesota's Model United Nations conference again in March. Lakehill was chosen as one of two pilot schools to represent Texas as the YMCA of Texas prepares to add its own statewide Model United Nations Conference.

 

Middle School Forensic Team Heads To State and Model United Nationsforensic

The  newly formed Middle School Forensic Team also competed at the District conference. Approximately 200 middle school students from across the metroplex participated in the event.

 

Team members Griffin Burt, Declan Devine, Ryan Hancock, Destiny Ripka, and Karl Sheeran participated as mock legislators at a legislative committee hearing. Each student drafted a law and argued for its passage before a committee of peers. The team's proposed laws included a plastic bag tax, a ban on the use of hand-held devices in automobiles, a requirement for companies, farms, and cities to filter estrogen from wastewater, an age restriction on ATV use, and a Texas Rangers holiday. 

 

The team's next competition will be held February 24-26 at the State Capitol in Austin. The team has also been invited to attend the Minnesota YMCA's Model United Nations Conference in Minnesota in March. 

Community Spotlight

Spreading Good Cheer
 
Holiday Angels8th grade angels

The eighth grade class is grateful to everyone who donated gifts to help make the holidays special for their adopted family from the Family Place, a community organization that houses abused mothers and children. The students received numerous items from Lakehill families and staff members and were able to purchase the remaining items on the family's wish list with class donations. The students delivered their gifts to The Family Place on Wednesday afternoon.

  

  

A Good Readccdc

The National Honor Society (NHS) members visited the Christian Childhood Development Center (CCDC) in December to read Christmas stories to the children. This is the first time that the group has read to younger children. 
 
 

Artists Reception at CC Young

The artwork of twelve talented Lakehill sixth grade students is currently on display at The Point at C.C. Young Retirement Community.

Local artists were invited to participate in the annual Holiday Season Art Show. Sixth grade artists selected for display are Gretchen Amerine, Juliette Bennie, Shelby Britton, Joseph Cavouti, Kate Fehan, Gerard Franklin, McKenna Martin, James Praeger, Trey Reed, Autumn Scales, Mia Vafa, and Max Wieduwilt.

 

A Meet-the-Artists Reception was held on Friday, December 9. The art is on public display at The Point, Center for Arts and Education at C.C. Young until January 2.

The Point Center for Arts and Education at C.C. Young Retirement Community is located at 4847 W. Lawther Drive in Dallas.
 

See all the pictures from recent Community Service projects.

 

See how students in Lower School celebrated the last day with holiday parties. Some Lower School classes even chose to include service to others as part of their holiday celebration. Students in Ms. Shaw's class made cards for children at St. Jude's while students in Ms. Poore's class made gift bags for children spending the holidays at Children's Medical Center.

Sports Snippets   

Basketball Season Continues                 

Basketball Austin
Photo by Robert Walton.

The boys teams lost on Friday to CCA. The girls won on Friday against CCA and lost on Saturday to Canyon Creek. Both teams travel to Galveston over the holidays for tournament play.

 

See Robert Walton's photos from the Dec. 9 Varsity Boys and Girls games here and the Dec. 10 Varsity Girls game here.

 

Middle School Basketball 

The Middle School girls defeated Dallas Thunder on Dec. 9. Coach Charlie Kodatt says he is proud of the girls and believes they are great winners. "As their coach, it is great to see everyone believing in themselves and each other," he explained. The Middle School Boys Blue team also beat the Dallas Thunder on Dec. 9 night, 28-19. They are now 2-1 for the season, their next game will be Jan. 6 against the Chant Chargers. 

This Week at the ESC ESC11
Second graders continued their study of insects' mouths at the ESC this week, finishing a lab and free discovery centers.


First graders learned what birds have in common with humans and what differences they have as well. Both classes made bird feeders to hang on the trees so that their feathered friends will have a nice holiday meal while we are on break. 

See all the ESC photos here.

PFC Events 
Mark you calendar for these upcoming PFC Events! To volunteer or for more information, contact Colleen McCall, PFC President.
 

 

Second Annual Dad's Club Poker Night
Save the Date! February 4, 2012 poker3
Join us for the second annual Dad's Club Poker Night on February 4 at 6:30 p.m. at Bolt Studios in the Design District. 

 

With a Texas Hold'em Tournament, Black Jack Tournament, food, drinks, and lots of fun, this is one night you do not want to miss! The buy-in is $150 to play poker. 

 

Don't Play? 
Don't Worry...$50 lets you enjoy the night, eat and drink, and even try your hand at Blackjack. There are great prizes to be won and all proceeds will fund infrastructure upgrades at the main campus.
  

Lakehill Rocks Benefit Auction - March 31

Lakehill Rocks

New Start for Your Art

Have you grown tired of a piece of art or just don't have the room for it? This is your chance to donate it and do something good for Lakehill. Just pick up a donation form and drop the art off in the PFC closet. We'll store it until time for the big event!

 

Art Stars

As part of the Lakehill Rocks Annual Benefit Auction, the very successful Art Stars/Wine Pull party is back! Mark your calendar for February 9 at Galleri Urbane.
 

Retail Rebates

Target Rewards target logo
Don't forget to sign up for a Target Debit Card or Target Credit Card and link it to Lakehill before you start your holiday shopping! Reward yourself and our school by signing up for a Target Debit Card or Target Credit Card. The card instantly gives you a 5% discount on every purchase. Once you sign up, just link your card to Lakehill to earn money for the school every time you shop. Find out more
The Warrior Shop 
snuggie
Visit us for all your spirit wear needs! 

Mondays, 7:45-8:45 a.m.
Thursdays, 2:45-3:45 p.m. 

 

finger with string

What's Happening?    

  

Want to know more about Lakehill's Upper School? See what students and parents are saying about their experiences here. 

 

Happy Holidays 
Need great holiday gifts? Check out all the merchandise available on SmugMug. From puzzles and playing cards to mugs and magnets, take care of all your holiday shopping and benefit Lakehill while you do!

 

December 14-16
Exams (grades 6 - 12)
View the December Exam Schedule.  
 
December 19 - January 2
Have a wonderful Holiday Break!  
 
January 2
Teacher in-service  
 
January 3
School begins  

  

Middle School Adventure Week
March 5-8, 2012 
Middle School Adventure Week will be here before you know it! All Middle School parents should have received an informational letter about this exciting Lakehill tradition. Please contact Kaye Hauschild with any questions.
 
Take a look at the Preliminary School Calendar for 2012-13.