SAT Tests Under Criticism
UC utilization of standardized test in applications are under fire.
Published on Feb. 26 2020
CAMPUS
By Sebastian Lopez
Dry Gulch Gazette
Published on Oct. 22, 2020
October Issue
Cancelled Arts
Art teachers speak on cancelled arts due to COVID-19
By Jeneen Doctor
As the world was hit by COVID-19, graduations, events, parties, and many other social gatherings got canceled. Art school events were not spared from these cancellations. For example, the Spring musical: Cinemagic, the Spring concert, the choir banquet, 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee Musical, and the marching band season, all got canceled due to COVID. While these cancelations became a disappointment for many students, the teachers that were in charge of those events have a new plan for the school year.
Pat Schultz, the choir teacher, was already well in progress with her choir students’ rehearsals for their musical: Cinemagic before COVID hit. Instead, this year Schutlz’s choir students are participating in SF Opera’s program called “Voices for Social Justice”, where they will be working with two guest artists for twelve weeks to create a musical production from scratch around a social justice theme of the students’ choosing. When asked about what are some of the pros in this whole online schooling situation, Schultz replied,
“Getting to do this program with them is a pro. It was really important to me that my students get a chance to express their creativity through music, especially in these difficult social and emotional times. It’s important to me that they get to sing.”
Photos Courtesy of Vernon Miyata and Jill Jacobs
Drama teacher and director of the 25th Putnam County Spelling Bee Musical Jill Jacobs, had also already begun her rehearsals before COVID hit. Jacobs was devastated in losing this opportunity to get her students to perform, but she still has hopes for this new coming school year.
“We are doing drama club. And there will definitely be some kind of opportunity that exists in this COVID era that we’re all in and I think that it’s going to force us to be really creative.” Jacobs said.
The instrumental music teacher Vernon Miyata was also disappointed that the marching band season got canceled also due to COVID. Last year, the marching band was only able to compete in just two Saturday shows before the wildfires started because the Bay Area became engulfed in smoke. Miyata now hopes that the marching band will be able to have their Spring Winter percussion and Winter guard seasons, but there’s nothing set in stone yet.
“So far we are planning for the spring Winter percussion and Winter guard seasons. But only time will tell whether or not we will have a season,” said Miyata.
Although we’re facing an unknown school year, AHS staff and students are adapting and making the most of it.