Myers Park Hoofprint

The Myers Park High School Newspaper

Mattie Stillerman

Get Ready 4 Graduation

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Cue Pomp and Circumstance because it’s time for the senior Mustangs to walk across the stage and get their diplomas! On June 12, 2023, at 7:30 pm the graduation ceremony will begin promptly at Spectrum Center. But before the ceremony begins, there are many things students and parents need to know. A lot goes into putting together this memorable ceremony and getting over 800 seniors their diplomas. This is why the cooperation of students and parents is crucial to preserving the elegance of the ceremony.

Tracy Zornow and Anne Toth have been the graduation co-coordinators for several years. While a graduation memo has been sent out and a senior graduation meeting has been held, students are bound to forget important information about graduation. 

The first is everyone’s favorite: dress code! Students must have a 2023 Myers Park Cap and Gown, a medallion, and a tassel. If any of these items are lost, students are in charge of replacing them in order to participate in the ceremony. Along with the cap and gown, students must adhere to the formal dress code. According to the graduation memo, students must wear “dresses, dress pants (no jeans or shorts), a collared shirt with necktie and appropriate shoes”. Appropriate shoes mean no plastic footwear such as flip-flops or Crocs, and sneakers are not allowed. Sandals are allowed as long as they are leather or not worn down and do not flip when walking. Students are highly encouraged to be thoughtful of their footwear and not wear shoes that are difficult to walk in. Every year, a student in hard-to-manage shoes falls into the arms of Mr. Colson. Don’t let that be you! Finally, students are allowed to wear up to three cords and unlimited school-related pins on their robes. Stoles are prohibited and will be taken away from students and returned after the ceremony. If you have any clothing needs, please see Mr. Jeffus or Ms. Armstrong. If you have any cap and gown issues, reach out to Mrs. Raybon. 

Appropriate behavior is also expected from all students and attendees of the ceremony. Students are expected to behave as adults in order to uphold the long history of this classy ceremony. Ms. Zornow adds, “We have been asked to stress that this is an important, serious program, not a sporting event. Appropriate audience behavior is essential to maintaining the dignity of the program. We have talked with all graduates about their behavior and the consequences of misbehavior. We ask that guests show the same respect to the graduates’ families and guests as they will show to their classmates”.  

However, before students are allowed to walk across the stage, they are expected to have completed the following senior tasks. By May 15th, seniors are expected to reread the graduation memo, update Naviance with their post-grad plans and log their earned scholarship money (even if you don’t intend to use it). Students are also expected to pass all courses to ensure their graduation status. By June 9th, students must return their Chromebook and charger to ParkIT and ensure that all their financial obligations are clear. Mark June 5th in your calendars Mustangs! It is important for students to note that their diploma will have the name as seen in PowerSchool. If there is an error, talk to Mr. Unger ASAP to correct the mistake. This is the day of the graduation rehearsal. Those who do not attend will not be allowed to walk on June 12th. Arrive at Spectrum Center by 5:30 pm and expect to be present until 7:30 pm. Finally, on June 12th, students must be standing in line and through security at 6:30 dressed appropriately. 

It has been a long time coming Mustangs! Seniors started high school in 2019 and finished their sophomore years on Zoom. Junior year started with masks and now seniors have finished their senior year. Congratulations Mustangs!

Quality

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Now more than ever, movies, music, and television are being created at an obscene rate! This brings up the age old question: is more always better? No! There’s a reason for the phrase quality over quantity. This is an obvious fact as there are many beloved movie franchises with sequels we all choose to forget. One of the best examples of unnecessary sequels are Star Wars episodes one through three. Star Wars episodes four through six were immediate successes as they made hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide. The huge monetary success and popularity of the trilogy is what inspired producers to create another sixteen years later.

According to Screen Rant, the main reason the sequel trilogy failed was due to the lack of chemistry between the lead actors. The amazing chemistry between Han Solo, Leia, and Luke Skywalker led to high expectations in the sequels. The major success of the first trilogy set the sequels up for a flop. There was no way the new movies could beat the beloved original episodes. 

For years, Hollywood has tried to replicate the success of movies but have failed miserably with their sequels. Additionally, with the advancement of streaming services such as Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney +, new movies come out every week. There is constantly new content to be absorbed by the public. In fact, there are approximately 2000-3000 movies produced worldwide each year. 

Disney and the Marvel Cinematic Universe have taken the most advantage of producing mass content on both their streaming service and in box offices. Starting in 2021, the MCU released four TV shows to supplement the lack of content in 2020. While Wanda Vision, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, and Hawkeye were critically acclaimed and loved by audiences, that quickly changed as more content was produced. She-Hulk was released in the summer of 2022 and was not enjoyed by audiences. Rotten Tomatoes reports an audience rating of 33%. 

As we move on to Marvel movies, it doesn’t get any better. Marvel has put out 31 films since Iron Man in 2008. 19 of these movies were produced in the last 7 years. Starting with Black Widow being released  in July of 2021, it received a Rotten Tomato score of 79%. Unfortunately, reviews only decrease from there. Later in 2021, Eternals received a Rotten Tomatoes score of 47%, Ant-Man: Quantumania received a score of 47%, and Thor: Love and Thunder had a score of 63%.Although fans may still have exceedingly high hopes, it’s not looking good for upcoming movies.

I considered myself a big fan of Marvel movies. In the past, I have been extremely excited to be blown away by action-packed and hilarious movies in the theater. Each week, I waited in anticipation for the next episode of one of the Disney + Shows to release at 3:00 am. Marvel has been spitting out films at almost lightning speed, my excitement for them is coming to a rolling stop. I used to be able to go into the theater knowing I was going to love whatever was on screen. Recently, I have found myself constantly disappointed. I used to see Marvel’s new movie the day it was released. Ant-Man: Quantumania released over a month ago and I have not gone to see it due to the bad reviews. 

Quality over quantity. Movies and shows are meant to be savored. Time should be allowed for movies and TV shows to be perfected for audiences. For too long, movies and series have felt rushed due to the new culture of Hollywood to produce as many things as possible. Even though media has the ability to rapidly be produced, does not mean it should. 

Legally Blonde!

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Omigod You Guys! This is SERIOUS! The Myers Park Theatre is back on stage for their biggest and final performance of the school year, and it is exactly WHAT YOU WANT! It is SO MUCH BETTER than anything you can ever imagine! It’s Legally Blonde the Musical! 

The plot of Legally Blonde the Musical closely follows the 2001 movie starring Reese Witherspoon. Riley Bullard, Elle Woods herself, says it’s about “A young girl (Elle Woods) prepares for the proposal of her dreams when her boyfriend (Warner) breaks up with her because she is not “serious” enough for his future Harvard-attendee-self. To win him back, she works to get accepted into Harvard Law, just to find out that he is engaged to another girl (Vivienne). Throughout the show, Elle comes to realize that she doesn’t always have to prove herself for a man but can work to make herself happy and feel accomplished.” 

The cast and crew have definitely been WHIPPED INTO SHAPE. “There are a lot of moving parts as this is a dance-heavy show,” says the director, Amanda Roberts. “Students go through music rehearsals, choreography rehearsals, and blocking. While our actors and dancers are doing that, we have our orchestra pit students who are rehearsing once or twice a week because they all play the music as none of it is pre-recorded. Finally, we have our tech students that have worked on pulling props and putting set pieces together.”

Ms. Roberts highlights, “The show is very peppy and upbeat with some nice ballads. We start the show with ‘Omigod You Guys,’ which sets the tone for the overall show. It will get stuck in your head, and it is very catchy. If you know the music, you will want to sing along, tap your feet to it, and dance in the seats. It is very different from ABBA and Mamma Mia last year.” 

“Behind the scenes, the cast and crew are just as lively as the show itself. “We are all such a close-knit group of friends!” says Bullard, “Our theater program has always been extremely inclusive and supportive of everyone, so whether someone is new to theater or has done it for four years, everyone gets to know each other really well and form super strong friendships!”.

Last year’s production of Mamma Mia was very memorable, but things are going to be a little different this year. Ms. Roberts exclaims, “I am excited for audiences to see us back in the auditorium for the musical. We loved doing Mamma Mia outside last year, and a lot of people have asked when we are going to do another show outside because they really enjoyed it. But, there is something magical about doing a musical inside with the pit right there in front and getting to do light changes and having actual set pieces we get to move around. It’s exciting to have five different quick changes happening throughout the show. It’s something that I feel like Myers Park has been missing since our last musical on the stage in 2019.”

You might be asking yourself: how do I FIND MY WAY to the show? It’s all THERE! RIGHT THERE! on the Myers Park Theater website and Instagram. No need to have a CHIP ON YOUR SHOULDER if you don’t buy tickets beforehand because they will also be sold at the door. It may seem like there is BLOOD IN THE WATER when competing for tickets before they sell out, but stay POSITIVE! There are four shows between April 27th to the 29th! Don’t find yourself in IRELAND or settling for HARVARD VARIATIONS. Bullard and the cast want everyone to know that there will be “dogs, drumline, dance core, pink, gay pride, Irish dancing, jump rope choreo, and BEND AND SNAP!” Make sure you come and see this wonderful musical!

Jeff Jackson: TikTok Star?

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While the social media sensation TikTok was originally for dancing videos, sketches, food reviews, and vlogs, it has recently been a political education tool. Politicians have been popping up all over the For You Pages (FYP) of one billion active TikTok users. However, it is unclear whether or not Tik Tok is an effective and safe way for politicians to communicate and interact with voters.  

Different politicians actively running for government choose to use the social media platform differently. Some choose to post simple campaign videos, while others decide to make opposition videos against their opponent. The most popular videos are of candidates encouraging the sole age demographic of the app, Generation Z, to go out and vote if they are eligible. 

Many Myers Park students may have seen the user @jeffjacksonnc appear on their FYP. With around 330,900 followers, North Carolina congressman Jeff Jackson has taken on Tik Tok. Jackson is a Democratic politician, lawyer, and Major in the NC Army National Guard. From 2014-2022, he represented the 37th NC district in the state senate. As of 2023, Jackson serves as the US representative for North Carolina’s 14th Congressional district.    

Politicians have struggled to get younger generations to vote for decades. However, Congressmen Jackson has not only taken an approach to encourage young voters to head out to the polls but has also provided informative videos on how campaigns and elections work. As Jackson was campaigning for the November 2022 midterm elections, his videos aimed to show complete transparency on  his policies and the process of being elected to Congress. He has posted videos on policies and issues that are essential issues in the eyes of younger generations, including LGBTQ and reproductive rights, gun reform, affordable health care, the legalization of marijuana, gerrymandering, and the raising of minimum wage. If North Carolinians want to learn about their 14th congressional district congressman, TikTok is a legitimate educational resource. 

Even though Jeff Jackson won the midterm election, he continued to post videos informing viewers on what goes behind being sworn into Congress and a member of Congress. Jackson has used TikTok to educate users on the procedures a congressman has to undergo between the time they are elected and the time they are sworn in. He has committed to documenting his time in Congress on the app.

In a video posted on December 12, 2022, Jackson said, “Going forward, I want to give you something we don’t see too often, which is a real-time, first-person account of being a freshman member of Congress. I think sharing that perspective is important because transparency is important, but I also just think you’ll find it interesting, so that’s what you can find here”. 

According to the Alliance for Securing Democracy at GMC, as of 2022, 227 accounts have been made and used by major party candidates in the Senate, House, governor, and secretary of state races. However, researchers Lindsay Gorman and Nash Miller bring up   national security. Technology can be dangerous as it can spread deep fakes and false information. A deep fake is a video of a person whose face or body has been altered to appear as a different person, such as political candidates. Global Witness and New York University performed an experiment that found that TikTok overlooked 90 percent of political ads submitted to the platform that featured false or misleading election claims. TikTok has promised to prevent political misinformation from spreading, although that appears to be a near-impossible task. 

The question still stands: Is TikTok an effective way for political candidates to get younger generations to vote for them at the polls? Is it enough for TikTok to post disclaimers warning users to be weary of political information posted on the app? Is it sufficient for TikTok to verify politicians who create accounts? In the age of technology, information online has to be taken with a grain of salt. Social media can be both a handy tool and a dangerous weapon.  

Marching Mustangs

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The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by PLAYING loud for all to hear! This year, the Marching Mustangs have not only shown school spirit but Christmas spirit as well. For the 2022 competition season, the Myers Park marching band performed a holiday music medley called ‘Tis the Season. Beloved Christmas songs such as Carol of the Bells, Skating by Vince Guaraldi, and many more are in the show. 

There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work that goes into perfecting this performance. Mr. Blount, Myers Park’s band director, stated, “The preparation for the season starts in the winter of the previous school year. That is when we start designing what the show is going to be. By the spring, we know who is going to march and we start spring training. This is where we will bring students in once or twice a week to learn basic marching skills. This includes figuring out the perfect technique for moving or spinning a flag. However, a month before school starts,

the season really cranks up when we start ‘band camp’.” 

During “band camp,” the marching band goes over marching fundamentals and begins to set their show. The band works tirelessly over 13-hour days for five days a week over two weeks. Kip Sullivan, the band’s mellophone section leader, added, “The show we learn for the competition is very complicated. There are 70 “dots,” aka separate places on the field that we have to memorize. We have to be at these dots at certain times while doing music and choreography. We spend a lot of time learning this very complicated show.”

All the hard work put in by the band paid off in terms of tall trophies! For the 2022 season, the Marching Mustangs brought home two Grand Champ titles from East Lincoln High School and North Davidson High School. “I have been marching since 2019,” said Sullivan. “We had not won a Grand Champ since 2018, which I was not a part of. It had been three years and we showed up to the first competition with our band full of rookie marchers. We had no idea what to expect. After our great performance, we stood for awards and we heard our names be called for Grand Champions. It was the best moment because it had been four years of cumulative effort for this moment.”

The marching band had a lot of great memories this season. “Our first competition this year was great!” explains second-year baritone Charlie Aliotta. “All of our work had paid off! It was a culmination of all our hard work. Winning Grand Champ was a surreal feeling that we had done it!” Beatrice Polk, the drum major, recalled, “The atmosphere after we won Grand Champion at our last competition was super exciting! Everyone was on the field, yelling and screaming. It was a big emotional moment and a great way to wrap up the season.”

Nine drummers drumming! The addition of the third-quarter drumline performance has enhanced the atmosphere of the football games. Drumline section leader, James Dunlevey, says, “Lots of schools perform in front of the student section during the third quarter but before this year this is something Myers Park has never done. I had the idea and in the first game, I asked the cheer coach if we could play a few songs. It was madly popular from there. It can be very intimidating to have the WHOLE student section screaming at you but I love the energy and seeing all the videos on social media the next day.” 

Mr. Blount explains, “I started to see a connection established between the marching band and the student body. That had never been strong before and that was something that made this season unique and fun.” The Marching Mustangs use music to enhance school, and sometimes Christmas spirit, creating a welcoming environment for all students. 

A New Black Panther

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In 2016, Chadwick Boseman introduced Black Panther to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in Captain America: Civil War. Then in 2018, Black Panther got his own movie and became the first MCU film with a Black director and a predominantly Black cast. Black Panther stars Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o, Letitia Wright, Dania Gurira, Winston Duke, Michael B. Jordan, Daniel Kaluuya, and Angela Bassett, to name a few. 

Black Panther was one of the first superhero movies where Black people truly felt represented on the screen. In the Time magazine article, The Revolutionary Power of Black Panther, author Jamil Smith writes, 

“If you are reading this and you are white, seeing people who look like you in mass media probably isn’t something you think about often. Every day, the culture reflects not only you but nearly infinite versions of you—executives, poets, garbage collectors, soldiers, nurses and so on. … Those of us who are not white have considerably more trouble not only finding representation of ourselves in mass media and other arenas of public life but also finding representation that indicates that our humanity is multi­faceted. Relating to characters onscreen is necessary not merely for us to feel seen and understood, but also for others who need to see and understand us.” 

Chadwick Boseman was not only a superhero on screen, but also off-screen. In 2016, Boseman was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer. Sadly, after four long years of fighting, he passed away in 2020. Family, friends, and fans were devastated by the news, heartbroken to lose such an inspiration. His death created a large hole in the MCU and led to the question: How would Black Panther live on?

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the long-awaited sequel that came out in November of 2022 after it was announced in June of 2021. According to Vulture, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever started to film in June 2020 with Chadwick Boseman. After his passing, Marvel reshot the film and created a new storyline.

SPOILERS AHEAD! 

The sequel opens with Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) scrambling in her lab to save her brother, T’Challa (Boseman), from an unknown, terminal disease. Despite her efforts, her mother, Ramonda (Angela Bassett), enters the lab and announces that the king has died. The movie then jumps to a year later, and Wakanda is still grieving the death of their king. Furthermore, Namor, a mutant and king of an unknown underwater civilization that also relies on Vibranium, arises. When young scientist, Riri Williams, creates a machine that the CIA can use to sense Vibranium, Namor strikes. Namor and his people want to kill Riri, but Shuri intends to keep her safe in Wakanda. This leads to an attack on Wakanda, where Namor kills Queen Ramonda, and Shuri becomes queen. Shuri becomes consumed by vengeance and finds a way to recreate the lost heart-shaped herb that will make her the Black Panther. There is an epic battle between the new Black Panther and Namor, where she fights him nearly to death. Ultimately, Shuri presents a truce, and an alliance is formed. 

Shuri, the new Black Panther, surrenders her crown to M’bacu (Winston Duke) and goes to live with Nakia (Lupita N’yongo), T’Challa’s love, at a Haitian school. There, Shuri can grieve the loss of her family and rediscover who she is as the Black Panther. In the end-credit scene, Nakia introduces a 5-year-old boy named Touissant. All along, King T’Challa had a son growing up away from Wakanda. The Black Panther legacy will continue. 

This movie is genuinely about grief and how one rises above it. Grief is a powerful emotion that can cause one to grow vengeful. In these times, one must rediscover who they are and learn to live without their lost loved one. However, especially in Wakanda, it is known that our loved ones live on through us.   

Life’s A Mystery

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The Myers Park theater program left us stunned and amazed after its excellent productions in the 2021-2022 school year! Last year’s spring musical, Mamma Mia, had the audience laughing, smiling, crying, and dancing. This year’s shows follow the theme, “Life is a Mystery.” Ms. Roberts’ chosen lineup for this year does not disappoint!

“We have four production opportunities this year,” says Ms. Roberts. “The first one is a set of one-act plays. One revolves around The Art of Murder (that is what it is called). The second show is a student-written piece from a student who graduated last year, Roddie Trotter, called Dentist Office.” From October 6th through October 8th, audiences are welcome to enjoy these thrilling mysteries.

On November 17th, the MPHS theater will open its second show of the year. “The second show that we are doing is Clue! If you love the movie and the board game, that is what the show is,” emphasized Ms. Roberts. 

In December, Myers Park theater invites students to write their own one-act plays to be performed by their peers. “Our student-written production is Original Works. Students submit their scripts, and students vote on them. The shows are then performed on the stage in January and will receive full tech support from the technical theater classes.”

Myers Park theater is again taking on a big musical to perform in the spring. “Wrapping up for the year is our musical, Legally Blonde!” says Ms. Roberts. The beloved Broadway show will open on April 27th. 

There are many different ways for students to get involved in theater at Myers Park. “We have the after-school theater program where any Myers Park student can audition for a production. Students do not need to be enrolled in one of the theater classes. We also have students who tech the productions. Any students are welcome to sign up for tech, but it helps if you have previous tech experience.”

Another way students can get involved is through Myers Park’s Theater Honor Society, the International Thespian Society (ITS). “Troupe 780 meets the first Friday of every month to do an hour-long workshop to connect other theater students,” says Ms. Roberts. This is an excellent way for students to introduce themselves to the theater program. 

Auditioning for shows can seem like a scary task to many students. “It is important just to try,” emphasized Ms. Roberts. “You never know whether or not you’re right for the part. Freshmen have always been cast in shows in their first year. You never know if you are going to get it unless you audition! Everybody gets nervous. Everybody is anxious and questions whether or not they will get in. I continue encouraging people who do not make it to continue auditioning and to come and ask for feedback. I always offer feedback to students who have auditioned so they can learn what to improve on for the next audition.”

The Myers Park community should come to show their support and see the spectacular productions the school’s theater program put on. “Live theater is so cool and amazing because no show is ever the same…. The cast and the crew feed off the energy the audience gives them. They find new ways to explore their characters every night. Just come out and see these shows. These students work countless hours rehearsing and fine-tuning these productions. They love whenever their peers and the community come out to support them. The theater is a chance to escape from everything in the world now.” 

Getting involved in theater is a great way to “Make the Park your own.” Follow @mphs_theater on Instagram and explore the theater website, bit.ly/mphstheater, to find everything you need to participate in the program.