New Drama Club spawns Christmas production
By: Amy Lament
There's a new Drama Club at WCHS.
There are no requirements to be in the drama club, and all students are encouraged to join. According to Mrs. Thomas, the drama club sponsor, the goal of the drama club is to help students develop singing and acting skills.
The first performance that will be given by the Drama Club is A Christmas Carol, a musical adaptation of the Charles Dickens' classic. The production will take place on December 4, 5, and 6 at the Whitley County Middle School Gymnasium.
Auditions were held on Sept. 23 and 25 in the Whitley County Middle School choir and band room. Students auditioned for 25 character roles that ranged from Ebenezer Scrooge to Tiny Tim. There are a variety of roles such as singing, speaking, and non-speaking roles.
Several high school classes are involved in the production. The media class will video the production of the musical, the marketing class will take charge of the ticket sales and advertising, the vo-ag classes will be building the flats for stage scenery to be painted on, and the banking and entrepreneur classes of Mrs. Conlin will be doing stage make-up for the actors.
The WCMS Choir will also be involved in the musical production. These performers will be singing all of the choral music. A few of the Whitley High Chamber Choir students will also sing in the production.
Dr Weidman from Cumberland College will collaborate with Mrs. Provost's art classes at WCMS to paint the scenery for the play. In addition, Dr. Nazworth, Director of Cumberland College Theater, will be involved, helping with the drama aspects of the production.
WCHS teachers, Ms. Freshour and Mr. Brashear have also volunteered their time to help out in all areas of the production.
"With all of the fantastic help we are going to have our Christmas musical is bound to be the best ever!," stated Mrs. Thomas.
*Editorial*
Why Drink and Drive?
By: Amy Lament*Editorial*
Why do some adults and students drink and drive? Both adults and students drink and drive to draw attention to themselves. Many people in our community have been caught drinking while driving. Even after the warnings, some people still continue to drink and drive. I would think that people who are caught driving while drunk would stop while they were still ahead. Unfortunately, most people are not that smart. People who drink and drive want peers to think that they are cool. They do not realize that they are risking their lives for popularity.
Drunk driving is the greatest cause of fatal crashes. According to Maddvocate Magazine, the number of young intoxicated drivers involved in fatal crashes dropped 14.3% between 1993 and 1994. This was the largest decrease of any age group. During the last decade, the proportion of 15 to 19 year old drivers who were intoxicated and involved in fatal crashes dropped from 26.3% to 12%. Since 1975, the minimum age 21 drinking laws are believed to be responsible for saving approximately 14,816 lives. Even though the statistics show that the number of fatalities are dropping, there are still people drinking, driving, and dying in car crashes. Many innocent bystanders are also killed because of drunk drivers' carelessness. People who drinking and drive still have a long way to go.
According to Maddvocate Magazine, the 21-34 age group has a significantly greater problem with drinking and driving than teenagers. The 21-34 age group also have the highest blood alcohol concentrations when involved in fatal crashes.
Almost half of 990 governmental leaders surveyed by USA Today identify alcohol as the highschooler's #1 problem. Statistics support this. According to Maddvocate Magazine, 58% of high-school students drink beer at least once every week. Another 47% are said to have drank liquor at least once every week. So more than half of all high school students are drinking.
Drunk driving can be an example of how far people will go to get noticed. If more than half the high school students in the United States are drinking, then we have a real problem. If the I.D. laws were more strict on teens to get alcoholic beverages, then the rate of students who drink and drive would decrease. Drinking and drunk driving are senseless acts not worth risking, both your own, and possibly someone else's, life.
