All posts by Hadley Garufi

Entertainment, News

Speech & Debate hosts Battle of the Bands

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The Speech and Debate team provided a chance for students to express themselves and show off their musical talents.

On Fri., March 20, Battle of the Bands took place at SMFHS at 7:00 p.m.

This night was put together by The Speech and Debate team. There was a fee of $5.00 to enter to listen to the bands.

There were three judges. These judges were Shawn Denton, Alex Norman and Jacob Konicek. Denton is a bus driver, and Konicek is Stow Alumni.

The judges had categories to make scores in for each band. These categories were: originality, visual, entertainment value, musical quality and audience response.  Each of these categories was an equal percentage in the final score to be tallied up by each judge.

There were two bands and a solo who participated in this event. They performed in the commons with a circle of chairs around them that everyone sat in.

The first performance was a solo by Adam Murray.

Adam Murray had announced that his brother was originally supposed to perform with him but was not able to make it. He first sang one of his favorites, “Eighteen.” After he sang and played his guitar to that song, he sang, “Thumb Thumb Thumb” by The Naked Brother Band. The third song he decided to perform was, “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons. This was an audience catcher. When he announced this would be his third and final song to sing, he said the song is a common song that everyone would know. He was right. As he was singing deeper into the song, people in the audience joined in.

The second band that performed was a two person band, “Working Class Boys.” All three of their songs performed were all created by their selves. One band member, junior Charles Blair, sang and the other member, junior Jason Rozak, played his guitar.

The third and final band that performed was, “Close Call.”  “Close Call” consists of four band members. The four Band members are senior Taylor Herring, senior Zach Alberez, who actually attends Hudson, senior Jonas Dorton and junior James Brownrich. Herring sang, Alberez and Dorton played electric guitar and Brownrich played the drums.

This band was as announced by lead singer, Taylor Herring, as “untraditional” music style. The music style would be labeled as heavy metal. They only performed one song and that was created by themselves.

The winner of first place was “Working Class Boys.”

“I feel happy and shocked that we won first place,” Blair said.

His band mate, Rozak also had something to say about winning first place.

Rozak said, “I Feel excited that we played our first show and happy that we won it. I loved the reactions we received from the audience.”

In second place was “Close Call,” and in third place was Adam Murray.

Even though “Close Call” came in second place, Dorton said he was glad for the experience received, as well as Taylor Herring, lead singer, said, “I feel pretty good still, I think we did a good job.”

News

DECA students show off latest prom fashions

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Beaded dresses, gemstone dresses, strapless and sweetheart neck dresses, short and long, puffy, mermaid and straight; it all was modeled at DECA’s Prom fashion show last Friday. Black and white jackets and pants, yellow, red, hot pink, teal, green, blue, white, and black ties and vests. Red, blue, black suspenders and bow ties, top hats and canes; yes, it was all modeled as well.

On Friday March 6, the Business and Merchandise Career Program, “DECA,” hosted, prepared, and modeled a Prom Fashion show.

This fashion show was put on with the help of Kent Roosevelt’s Cosmetology Program, Mary-Kay Cosmetics, David’s Bridal and Tuxedo Function.

All the gowns modeled were from David’s Bridal and all tuxes were from Tuxedo Junction.

This fashion show was held during third and most of fourth period. Tickets were sold during lunch on Wednesday through early Friday. Tickets were $2 each.

All seniors received a yellow line marked on their tickets. This yellow mark was put on the tickets for the ones drawing to be aware and knowledgeable of it. All seniors were to be given a special reward, if drawn. The special senior rewards were a prom ticket or a senior banquet ticket. Others received gift cards to restaurants around Stow, such as the ice cream shop Handle’s.

The fashion show was held in the auditorium seat sections closets to the stage.

It was not just classmates modeling prom dresses. There were also several acts put on.

Senior Rachel Huber performed the opening act by baton twirling to “Great Gatsby.” Huber baton twirled starting with only one baton then progressed to two and ended with three.

Then after her performance, the first run of selected couples walked out and modeled their prom fashions. After that, the second act was performed by Jalen Hooks, who sang.

As the next group of dresses and tuxedos were modeled, the third act was preparing to go on stage. Austin Raleigh rapped a song he wrote himself. Although he was a little nervous and re-performed at the end of the night, everyone cheered for him to come back on stage immediately after the modeling from David’s Bridal and Tuxedo Junction was done.

The fourth act was sang by the amazing Kayla Thompson. Thompson sang “Listen” by Beyonce. After her performance the finale runway walk was done and the finale dresses were modeled.

Then there was a finale act put on by Ashley Ostrowski , President of DECA and the person who was in charge of the fashion show. She also modeled dresses throughout the fashion show. She performed a lyrical dance.

The group of girls and boys in DECA whom modeled the dresses and tuxes on the runway were Alayna Bechtel, Ashley Ostrowski, Rebecca McClelland, Gino DeMarino, Abby Haynes, Jake Dohar, Nina Capatosto, Blake Stevens, Zach Taylor, Tyler Bonina, Tyler Hallam, Jalen Hooks, Tyler Bonina, Rachel Johnson, Alliah Awad, Summer Passeos and Chrissie Vaughan.

The two DECA teachers in charge, Lisa Mowls and Carrie Harris were honored and presented flowers.

Feature

Student makes great achievements in singing

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For eleven years and counting, Senior Rayla Garske has been focused on singing.

From singing her heart out at every opportunity given, overcoming her nerves, practicing over and over again

and giving it her all, she has made singing her official career choice.

Garske has sung in small groups, in front of family and friends, in front of small crowds and at competi- tions. She has had leads in school plays and ETC show choir competitions. She competed and won “Stow Idol” and “Ohio Idol,” performed at Cleveland sports games, which included singing the National Anthem at a Cavaliers game. She also sang in her second, fourth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh grade talent shows; in her eleventh grade musical; and now plans to sing in her twelfth grade school musicals.

Rayla Garske was born to be singer on Broadway. She dreams of making a career out of her singing, and she is completely capable of doing so.

“Rayla is awesome. She has so much talent,” senior Sean Flemmings said.

Sophomore year, Garske won her first show choir solo competition, fourth best soloist in a show, best vocalist music in Parks with Jazz Band and “Show Choir Camp of America” talent contest. In eleventh grade, she won two show choir competitions and one best soloist
in the show, Stow’s high school Talent Show and “Ohio Idol.”

To top off how incredibly talented Rayla is, she also dances, plays the flute and is very artistic. She has been singing since she was seven-years-old and in second grade.

With all of the competitions and shows Rayla has participated, she says her favorite is the Show Choir Camp talent show, “Hearing the Roar of the crowd.” She also says her best accomplishment she has achieved so far has been winning “Ohio Idol” and meeting so many new people from it.

Her plan for her future is to attend “American Dramatic Arts Academy” in Hollywood for two years. Then attend their branch in New York for two years to graduate and obtain a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts. She hopes to obtain her degree and pursue a future in performing.

Rayla has accomplished so much already and still has her whole life ahead of her, filled with opportunities.

She says all that she thinks of and all that fills her once she starts singing is simply joy.

“Music and singing are what I love,” Garske said.

Rayla puts so much work into performing and the star she looks up to for her singing is Beyonce Knowles.

Although she does look up to the star, that is not the only person who keeps her going with performing an following her dreams.

“I Have a lot of support from my mom, brother, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, teachers and ETC family,” Garske said.

The first competition Garske ever participated in was when she was in second grade, which started her whole singing path.

“I wanted to sing in it, so I did,” Garske said. “My mom helped me find a song, which ended up being ‘Somewhere over the rainbow’ by Louis Armstrong. When I sang it, people stopped to listen, and it felt right.”

She took lessons for a few months in seventh grade.

Rayla also has taught herself to play the guitar and has played the flute since fifth grade.

Rayla says she enjoys playing the flute and thought Marching Band was so much fun. She also loves to hang out with her friends, take naps, watch show choir and look up new songs to sing.

World Headlines

Disney measles outbreak spreads across America

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A thought to be “eliminated” disease has resurfaced and is spreading outbreaks quickly from country to country. Measles is a disease known as a “horrible, painful, bright red-raised rash,” and is more well known to older generations.

This disease was thought to be eliminated 15 years ago, but that has not been the case these past three years with little known cases, and now, major surfacing outbreaks. The recent outbreak has been traced back to cases in Northern Nigeria and Disney Land in California.

Measles is a skin rash known to start on ones waist and then spread to one’s whole body. It makes one itch and then when itched, the rash hurts and bleeds.

There is no cure or treatment, just a vaccine,.

Data from “World Health Organization” informs us that there has been a huge decrease of immunization in several countries including Canada, Denmark, Belgium and Spain, meaning not as many people are getting the vaccination for this disease.

Since there is no cure for measles there is an extra importance of making sure that people have received the vaccination. Sometimes parents disagree with childhood immunization because many people believe that these vaccines cause mental illness like Autism. The vaccine is not required for children, although it is well recommended. In fact, most children get the vaccination with their required school shots.

The vaccine for Measles was first available in 1963, a little after the first outbreaks of the disease spread.

Statistics show that in 1950, 319,124 people had measles. In 1960, 441,703 people were reported with Measles and in 1970, 47,351 people were reported with it.

From data of 2014, the Philippines had the most cases of Measles compared to any other country. A group of Amish missionaries who came back to Ohio from visiting the Philippines infected 383 people.

In 2014, there was one outbreak and 103 cases in the U.S. In 2015, there has only been one breakout in Disneyland, California, with little cases in other states in the U.S.

The outbreaks of Measles are currently taking place in Nigeria and California. It has been studied that the majority of these cases are in children of families that have not been vaccinated. With this data it is important to make sure that oneself has at least looked into weather or not they have been vaccinated.