Campus News

Myers Park prides itself on having an extremely talented student body. Whether it’s basketball, swim & dive, or speech & debate, we always show up and make our mark in any competition. In early March, The MP orchestra proved they are no exception to this when Mr. Freeman conducted them to straight Superiors (the highest scores possible) at North Carolina’s Music Performance Adjudication (MPA). 

The MPA, which orchestra director Freeman refers to as “the gold standard in the state for performing arts assessment,” typically consists of the performance of 2-3 rehearsed pieces followed by the sight reading of a new work, both in front of a panel of 4 judges. Based on their performance and the difficulty of the piece, they are allotted 1-5 points, 1 being highest and 5 being lowest. A Superior is achieved when a 1 overall score is received from the judges. “Technically, you only have to get two judges to give you the higher ranking and they’ll take that.” Freeman explains. “So say you get two twos and two ones, they’ll give you the one overall… So then the highest score is called a Superior and there’s a difference between having two twos and two ones with a Superior as opposed to getting all ones which is where the term Straight Superior comes in, all four judges gave you a one.”

He was humble in admitting that our two competing groups, one performing pieces of the highest difficulty, got Straight Superiors, making us one of the only groups from our area to achieve such an accomplishment. However, a senior orchestra member and 7-year cellist, Abby Barton, acknowledges this feat wasn’t a surprise. With after-school rehearsals and intricate pieces, Barton says, “It is more commitment than last year but we definitely saw it pay off and we can even tell the difference in class when we’re rehearsing… It’s so rewarding to hear us all come together in the end to create a quality piece of music that we can be proud of.”

Barton explains that another element of their success was their growth as a whole unit and how much they have improved their ability to play as a group. Freeman also stresses this idea of cooperation, expressing, “Everybody has to at least understand how to work with the people around them in order to make, in our case, the music happen.” He goes on to say, “One of the biggest things people need to learn in life is how to get along with other people. The performing arts in particular, if you can’t get along with the people sitting around you it’s not going to happen and it’s so obvious.”

Freeman believes collaboration is one of the most important skills we learn in school. In other classes, teachers might encourage group work to better understand the content, but in orchestra class, the content is group work. He explains that in a typical class day, while individual performance is important, the group sound is more pressing. Instead of tests, this music-based class opts for performances meaning your success in class is based on how well you work with the group. Freeman notes, ¨As we get closer to the concerts it’s less about the “oh do you know your notes and rhythms?” it becomes more about, not only do you know your part, but again going back to collaboration. Do you know what’s going on on the other side of the room? Do you know your part and do you understand how the other parts interact with yours?”

While there isn’t a beginner’s orchestra class at the Park currently, Mr. Freeman encourages anyone interested in the musical arts to stop in and check it out. Barton notes, “Orchestra offers a unique opportunity to constantly collaborate with peers while building skills that just couldn’t be learned elsewhere.”

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!

February, or Black History Month, commemorates the generations of African Americans who struggled amidst adversity to gain full citizenship into American society. The celebration of Black History Month, though the name wasn’t officially coined until February 1976, dates back to the early 1900s. The month was created to further National Negro History Week, which took place during the second week of February in 1926, according to the Women’s Day website. The events that took place during this week became so popular throughout the nation that the mayors in cities who participated began issuing a proclamation each year that recognized the celebration. 

This is a significant time for Myers Park’s Black Student Union, which aims to reach people by acknowledging Black achievements that may otherwise go unrecognized. The members work to help create academic equity throughout the entire school population by helping connect students with tutors and other academic resources. Additionally, the BSU engages in conversations during their meetings about racial issues at school and work together to try and resolve the problems that arise. They try to plan events that allow African American students at MP to further engage with and demonstrate their interests and talents, such as last year’s step show. To learn more about African American culture, members plan to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. 

When asked what Black History Month meant to this organization, Blake Williams, the social media manager of BSU, said, “Black History Month is a month of celebrating and acknowledging the accomplishments, struggles, and hardships black people have in order to put us in the better position we are in today. During this time, we also remember the numerous significant figures and idols that risked, lost, and gave their lives for the dreams of black people, which was freedom.”

Keep a look out for all that the Black Student Union has planned for this month! Members are working hard to schedule as many events as possible to celebrate. Another step-show is in the works, with possible recruitments from various African American sororities and fraternities. The Union will also be leading a Black History Month Spirit Week full of activities for the Myers Park student body to enjoy. A sneak peek of a few of the themes includes HBCU day (Historically Black College or University), Blackout day, and Cultural day. Not only is there an opportunity to dress up, but there will also be delicious food! The Union hopes to bring in Cuzzo’s, a local food truck for the Myers Park teachers. Every member of the Myers Park community can take part in the celebration of Black History Month. Students can show their support by donating or directly supporting local black businesses and entrepreneurs. You can also take a trip to The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture in Charlotte to dive into African American history and culture through its various exhibits. 

The MPHS Black Student Union wants its club to be long-lasting, and to do so, they are always looking for dedicated, goal-oriented, organized, and determined individuals to join the club. If anyone is interested, please feel free to reach out to the BSU Instagram @mphs.blackstudentunion to fill out an application and schedule an interview with the BSU executive board. 

 Williams says, “If you are interested in the Black Student Union, please don’t hesitate to join. This is a fun club, and we don’t have too many meetings, so if you have a busy schedule, meetings won’t be too much of a conflicting issue. We really just want our members to have a good time while being in the club and feel as comfortable as possible around other black students!” Stay on the lookout for the Morning Announcements to stay informed for any upcoming BSU events.

Heading into the new year, let’s look into the Myers Park High School’s 2022-23 Auto Club to get an inside scoop on their regular meetings and some of the club’s recent accomplishments. The club has been active at Myers Park for over ten years, and its attendance continues to prove vital with students who share similar interests in the automotive industry. Whether it is simply a hobby where one can learn many tasks to last them a lifetime, or a possible kickstart to a career path for a stronger auto future, the club helps motivate young students to be involved in something greater than themselves. 

Separate from other clubs at Myers Park, , many activities made possible by The MP Auto Club are planned monthly for attendees. Along with the extensive activities, there are also weekly meetings held by the club to learn more about fixing and the basic necessities of automobiles. Some responsibilities taught through experience involve oil changes, rotation of tires, pulling nails out of tires, paint fixes, and more. There are constant learning experiences from teachers who bring their automobiles into the shop that need little fixes on their cars free of charge, so it is a win/win situation for both students and educators at Myers Park. Students at MP know the famous green gator driven around by administrators; well, there was a recent fix to one of them made by the club. They keep the park up to date and automobiles all around town in good shape. The club’s supervisor, Ms.Carlevatti, who has been a teacher at MP for many years, has always been beloved by members for her strong, loving attitude toward cars, her mentorship with the students, and her welcoming demeanor. 

From the start of the 2022 school year, the auto club has had many successful movements toward raising money for basic necessities within the club. One of the most recent was the December car show, held in the Myers Park back senior parking lot. People all over Queen City registered their cars to be shown at the show, and the people from all over Charlotte did not disappoint and showed up to show their strong support of the auto club. Just to name a few car brands that showed up, there were cars such as Lamborghini, Ferrari, Mclaren, G-Wagon, and many more. The round-up had a huge turnout of viewers to spectate the amazing cars. During the roundup, an associate working for O’Reilly Auto Parts came to show their support and donated buckets with general car maintenance materials that will definitely be crucial for the club and put to great use. The company had heard about the car show on local radio just the day before. There was said to be over $2,700 raised in profit through registrations of cars, spectator support, and donations. The expensive and beautiful exhibited cars were said to be worth more than half a million dollars when added up to just under 90 cars registered. Members of the Charlotte community, MP students and faculty members, club leaders, and more were all part of the over 200 spectators total during that show. 

After speaking with Junior club member Harris Jones, and Junior social media manager Hadley Smith, both had spectacular things to say about their experience in the club over the past couple of years.

When asked about what they enjoy most about the club, members said “…we are a family, we are the only automotive club in Myers park, and we have a racing team.” and Harris also said “The people, the teacher, Ms.Carlevatti, her daughter, and the atmosphere.” When describing their favorite aspects of the club.

It is always important to find a close community of people you can connect with that has similar interests to yourself.

 I also had the chance to ask members if there are strong relationships that have been formed through the club; to which they said “Yes we have all created a big group of friends, getting along is not hard considering we have the same interests.”

The auto club is now planning a similar event to their December car show since they had such a successful turnout and a great time. The date has yet to be determined, but it will be around mid-May. Show your support, and be sure to check out the club’s Instagram page @MP_autoclub to find out more information. 

Are you looking for a fun new book to read? Look no further. Best friends Liza Mackey and Mae Sellner have built not only a unique and inclusive book club but also a mini-community within. 

“I feel like it’s such a community. It’s intimate in a sense that we all get to talk about something we enjoy talking about,” said Liza. 

Since their Sophomore year at Myers Park, Liza and Mae have been discussing, planning, and organizing ways to make the Park their own with Women In Literature.

Since the pandemic, when everyone was cooped up at home, Liza and Mae resorted to reading books in their spare time. 

When pitching the idea to Mae, Liza noted, “Mae has always been like my little reading buddy so whenever I read a book that I think she would like, I always give it to her. I didn’t want to do this with someone I didn’t know, I want my best friend to do it with me.”  

As they flew through one book after another, they used inspiration from Reese Witherspoon’s book club to get their club started. Each month, Reese selects a new book that focuses on the empowerment of a female main character. They decided to incorporate the same method into their club. At the end of every month, a meeting is held to discuss the previous book and introduce the next one. In a typical meeting, members will go around and answer discussion questions and participate in fun icebreaker activities. Behind the scenes, both Liza and Mae have dedicated roles for their contribution to the club. 

“Mae does an awesome job at all of the social media stuff. She makes it so aesthetically pleasing and it’s cool to see it all come together.” Liza said. 

Mae enjoys creating all of the graphics for Instagram and sending messages in the Remind. Liza comes up with and researches the discussion questions to include in the slideshow to present on the day of the meeting. 

For the month of October, the book assigned was Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It highlights young, beautiful, talented singer Daisy Jones and her ascent into the music industry when her producer pairs her up with The Six. This novel is filled with unruly details on love, friendship, hardship, and even substance abuse. 

“I have always been very passionate about reading, but that was the first book that Liza suggested to me that really got me into reading. We both love that book, I’d say it’s one of our favorites,” said Mae. “We wanted to go out with a bang and Daisy Jones is easy to get into and even easier to get people excited about.”

Over the past year, the recognition of female authors has grown tremendously. Authors such as Colleen Hoover, Taylor Jenkins Reid, and Jodi Picoult have written novels that are not only entertaining but also influential. In today’s society, it’s important that young women, such as the ones in Women in Literature, know their worth and significance in the world. Reading novels about young girls is educational and inspirational. It’s amazing and beneficial to have a safe place like this within the community of Myers Park.

Literature is something that has become very normalized within today’s standards. This club has allowed so many young women to open up and talk about something they love. Liza voices, “It’s very welcoming and peaceful, you know. We’re all just a couple of gals talking about books and I love that.”

 If you are interested in becoming part of their club, visit the Instagram page @womeninliterature_mphs, click on the link in the bio, and join the Remind to receive updates.

Did you know that Myers Park offers five different foreign language courses? Students have the opportunity to explore up to six levels of either Spanish, French, Latin, German, or Chinese courses during their four years here. These language courses are taught by the wonderful teachers of the department who dedicate their time in order for students to excel in their discovery of multilingual studies. These teachers ensure that students are engaging in unique activities in class and taking risks as learners. On top of each of these courses offered here at Myers Park, students can engage in their language through clubs or honors societies for each language and through study opportunities offered through these clubs, the school, or other outside organizations.

There are countless benefits to exploring the language offerings at Myers Park, with a few of them highlighted during an interview with language department head Ms. Szell. “A benefit of taking a second or third language is a better understanding of your own languages and nuances in your own language,” says Szell, emphasizing the ways that world languages teach you more skills than you might expect. Szell says culture is what inspired her own studies of the world languages, and that all the teachers in language programs at Myers Park make it a focal point to explore the cultures of the people who speak the language that the students are learning. Cultural opportunities are also offered through the clubs and organizations that support the world language department. In the Spanish club, Szell says they will make sugar skulls to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos. Other clubs like the Chinese Club will visit the Asian Supermarket or explore the culture within the Charlotte community. Through these programs teachers and students learn more about another culture as well as the educational system.

Szell also touches on the important benefits of world languages for students as they look toward post-graduate educational and career opportunities. Students can “do better on standardized tests like the SAT and ACT” from taking a few years of world language and this experience can also “make you more attractive to those [competitive] colleges.” These points touch on the idea of becoming a more well-rounded student, a skill and asset that is extremely valuable to colleges and employers as students continue to grow after high school. These skills are also highlighted in the workforce as being even partially fluent allows you to “communicate with twice as many people” and make connections in your endeavors that others are unable to.
Not only do the teachers in this department love creating this learning environment, but the students engaging in the opportunities at Myers Park love the program. Hannah McGee, a Myers Park senior in the IB program, has been learning Chinese since she was five years old. McGee says this interest “was initially prompted through watching Ni Hao Kai Lan” and she became fluent at nine years old! McGee goes on to talk about the challenges of learning Chinese with its unique and varied dialects, tones, and characters. However, she says that “although it is challenging, it is very rewarding to recognize how many more opportunities for connection you have created through learning a language.” McGee also spent time as an exchange student in Beijing with the opportunity to further strengthen and study her language skills in an immersive setting. Hannah says that there is more to learning a language than one might initially think and that “it is a means of communication accompanied by rich cultural and emotional implications.” She says she wouldn’t have been able to communicate with her peers on the deepest level without those skills. McGee says that the opportunities available at MP have allowed her to continue this passion for language and she encourages students to participate in these amazing courses so that they may develop similar connections to new cultures and open new doors.