Singer Chris Cornell Dies at 52

By Carleigh Ehlenbach & Daisy Flores

Thursday, May 17 was a sad day for rock music. Chris Cornell, lead singer of Soundgarden and Audioslave, died in his hotel room in Detroit, Mich. The singer had just performed a show there hours before his death. Cornell was found hanging in his room at the MGM Grand in Room 1136. The cause of death was reported as a suicide.

A family friend of Cornell called 911 around midnight. They found Cornell unresponsive on the floor of the hotel bathroom. His representative said that his death was “sudden and unexpected”. His wife, Vicky Cornell, called him earlier in the night and she reportedly noticed slurring in his speech. Cornell told Vicky that he had taken two or three more of his prescribed anxiety pills that night.

Cornell posted a tweet earlier that day that read, “#Detroit finally back to Rock City!!!!” at 8:06 pm. Sales and streams of his music have gone up 552% since his death. The rock world will never be the same without him.

Breakout of Breakout Escape Rooms in Downtown Greenville

By Avery Albright

Breakout Escape Games provide a chance to work together with a group to reach a goal. The different games are all real life adventures where you only have an hour to get out of a room with a locked door. “I did The Kidnapping, and it was a lot of fun. We really had to work together,” Emma Shurley says.

There are six different rooms to engage in, including The Kidnapping, Hostage, Museum Heist, Casino, Island Escape, and Haunted Schoolhouse. All of these rooms involve cracking codes and finding clues to escape. Anyone can go, but children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. The franchise is based in Kentucky, but the Greenville location is on 614 N Main Street. They are open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays!

Breakout Escape Rooms is the perfect place to be involved in the action and get to know the people in your group. Just call ahead of time to make sure you get the room you want, and you’re all set!

"Something Rotten" Performs at the Peace Center

By Emma Shurley

“It’s a musical, a musical, and nothing’s as amazing as a musical.” And they couldn’t be any more right. Something Rotten is the story of two brothers Nick (Rob McClure) and Nigel (Josh Grisetti) Bottom who are playwrights in the 1590’s living under the shadow of Shakespeare (Adam Pascal). In order to try to get out of the shadow, Nick pays a soothsayer named Nostradamus (Blake Hammond) to look into the future and see what Shakespeare's next greatest hit will be.

The show was at the Peace Center from Apr. 11-16. I wasn’t expecting much as I had only heard the first song and knew nothing about it, but by the end of the performance I had followed the show on every social media platform possible.

The writers had an interesting approach to the character of Shakespeare and portrayed him as a leather-wearing rock god. At first I wasn’t sure about that but by the end I had fallen in love with this new Shakespeare. Overall I thought it was done really well. The cast was extremely talented and had amazing voices. So if you are looking for a fun show to see, Something Rotten could be it.

New Netflix Show Causes Controversy

By Quin Robinson

Netflix’s new show, 13 Reasons Why, is causing major concern among parents, educators, and some psychologists. For those who don't know, Netflix’s new show is about a 17-year-old girl named Hannah Baker who commits suicide after a series of unfortunate events unfold in her life. After her death she leaves thirteen cassette tapes about why and who drove her to kill herself. Netflix’s new show quickly gained popularity among teens, but people are concerned.

Schools in Philadelphia, South Jersey, and Florida have all sent warnings home to parents about the dangers of the show. Katherine C. Cowan is a spokeswoman for the National Association of School Psychologists. Cowan released a statement saying, “The outpouring concern over the show has been larger than anything the group has experienced since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.”

While many are against the show, the actor who plays Hannah Baker’s mother, Kate Walsh, released a statement defending the show: "Part of the problem is not talking about it and not seeing it, and not seeing what really happens, and that it’s this mysterious kind of thing that’s never spoken about or never seen," she continued. "And we just shove it under the rug, and nobody talks about it, and we just hope that it doesn't happen to them or their children or friends or family. So I think that (for) Brian, it was an important decision to be as real and as accurate as we could and show how painful it is, physically, emotionally and in every other sense." Netflix's new show has been renewed for a second season.

"Get Out" Breaks New Record

By David Olerum

Jordan Peele’s movie Get Out has broken many records since its release on Feb. 24. Quartz.com says, “Get Out is officially the highest-grossing original debut ever, adding to its rapidly growing list of box office records.” That record is added to the other records that the horror movie has broken. The movie was on a very low budget at only $4.5 million. The movie has made Peele the first African american to have a $100 million film debut. For right now it is also the third highest grossing horror film of all time behind The Exorcist and Hannibal, but it is expected to pass the two of them very soon. The movie has many other accomplishments and is planned to gain many more later.

Get Out is officially the highest grossing movie Blumhouse Productions has ever made, and Blumhouse is the company that created all The Purge movies and all the Paranormal Activity movies. I think that it's fair to say that Get Out will be one of the best movies of the year and one of the best horror movies to ever be put in theaters.

"All My Sons" Has All of My Stars

By Anna Knobel

Imagine a play where both pure joy and sorrow are combined and you get All My Sons a play about, you guessed it, a man and all of his sons’ drama.

This past weekend, I had a chance to see All My Sons by playwright Arthur Miller at The Warehouse Theatre.

Going in, I already had an idea of what the show would be like from previously reading the play, but this performance truly exceeded my expectations. It was a suspenseful drama that left me wanting more by the end. Every character had their own secrets, and somehow they all tied together beautifully. The director, Blake White, made great use of the space and actors. Every bit of movement was powerful and purposeful. The directing and writing of the play isn't the only thing that made me thoroughly enjoy this, the acting was phenomenal as well.

The protagonist, Joe Keller, was played by Chip Egan, a local actor and director. His character development was very good and you could tell he was into his character’s thoughts and feelings completely. A showgoer who wished to remain unnamed stated when speaking about Egan, “His acting was really powerful.” Another incredible actress, Mimi Wyche, took the role of Kate Keller and made it amazing. When reading the play, I never enjoyed Kate, but the way Wyche characterized her made it hard not to love her. My personal favorite character was Lydia Lubey played by Prentiss Standridge. Lydia is a bubbly character that added light into a very heavy show, and Standridge portrayed her perfectly. All in all, the acting was on a completely different level.

Acting and directing aren't the only things that matter in theatre though, the set, sound, and lights are very important. The set for this play was stunning and really gave off homeliness in a small town within the first minutes of viewing it. My favorite part about the overall aesthetic was the lighting and sound. The sound designer, Marc Gwinn, did a wonderful job of bringing the outdoors in with sounds of birds chirping and wind blowing. Tagging into sound, the light designer, Tony Penna, added very interesting lights that gave off a sense of different moods throughout the play.

Overall, this play would receive a five out of five star rating from me due to the incredible acting, directing, set, lighting, and sound design. I recommend seeing it if you are a fan of Arthur Miller or really enjoy talented people. This play does cover mature subjects like suicide and imprisonment and has minor cursing and kissing, so it is unsuitable for young children or those who are immature. Tickets are 30 dollars. It runs until Apr. 15, so get your tickets now.

Stone Fire Inspired Pizza Opens on Stone Ave.

By Liam Simpson

I walked into Stone Fire Inspired Pizza. 1980s music played as people talked and laughed, eating their food. This is the new restaurant on Stone Avenue. I was greeted by the waitress, who smiled and told me to sit anywhere. I sat at the outdoor bar. Four minutes later, the waitress brought me my water and asked me for my order. I ordered a four-cheese Neapolitan pizza with garlic, mozzarella, gorgonzola, parmigiana, asiago, and added ham. When I requested added ham, the waitress said, “Oh, we might not be able to do that.” When I asked why, she replied, “Oh, our bakers are only experienced with putting ham on the New York Style pizza.” I thought, “What’s that supposed to mean? Is it that big of a deal?”

I asked her if I could get ham anyway. She said, “Maybe.” I waited and waited, my hands drumming on the bar top. Finally, my pizza came out--a 12-inch, not a 16-inch as it appeared on the menu. When I asked them, they said it was an error. There was no ham, so I asked them again. They came back with a little cup of ham that I had to apply myself. The pizza was very good--good texture, flavor, and cheese. I ate it up, but was still hungry due to expecting a 16-inch. Total: Roughly $20 for a 12-inch pizza plus tip.

Overall review: Great food, not so great service.

Taste: ★★★★★

Freshness: ★★★★☆

Menu Variety: ★★★☆☆

Service: ★☆☆☆☆

Timeliness: ★★☆☆☆

Atmosphere: ★★★★★

Value: ★★★☆☆

Swamp Rabbit Cafe Opens Swamp Pizza

By Aleta Larkin

Swamp Pizza is an extension of the Swamp Rabbit Grocery Store, located on Cedar Lane Rd. There are a variety of pizzas and appetizers available, and the cafe has an array of food items as well. The pizza parlor has vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, and only uses local organic ingredients.

The menu is small: Classic Margherita Pizza, Sweet Potato Kale, Classic Pepperoni, Swamp Veggie, Kale and Sausage, and Breakfast Pizza. They also have Kale and Pepita salad. A gluten-free crust is available for one dollar extra.

The Swamp Rabbit Cafe has a lovely ambiance. There is outdoor seating, and you have a choice of either going under the shelter or sitting completely outside. It was very crowded and filled with happy people. Smells of fresh pizza were wafting through the air. The waitstaff was polite and efficient. They came quickly with our food and drinks despite it being a busy day, and they helped us locate silverware.

The Kale and Pepita salad has fresh kale mixed with pumpkin seeds and sweet potatoes, drizzled with organic lemon and olive oil dressing. It's very refreshing for a warm spring day. The main meal was the Kale and Sausage pizza. It had white parmesan sauce and very gooey cheese. The sausage and kale paired delightfully and were cooked to perfection. The crust was crunchy yet doughy and was flavorful yet thin. It was a truly delightful pizza.

The pizza parlor is open Monday - Friday 4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4 p.m.-7:30 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Online ordering is also available.

Overall rating: ★★★★☆

Standardized Tests are Quickly Approaching

By James Davis

The SC READY and SC PASS tests will be taking place from Friday, Apr. 21 through Friday, May 12. Although these tests sound very similar, they are based on different subjects. SC READY focuses on reading, writing, and math. SC PASS focuses on Science and Social Studies. They both are computer-based format only with a few exceptions. Students who cannot take these online assessments due to their disabilities, can use a paper-based format.

These tests are very important. The entire school has to stay as silent as possible when these tests are taking place. There are a whole bunch of legal matters when these tests are taking place, and it is too complicated to explain them all.

Most teachers have been working hard to prepare their students for these tests. Teachers have been instructing students on how to use all the tools on the test, so they can do better. They have also recommended getting a good night's sleep and eating a healthy breakfast.

The tests will most likely only take 2 to 3 hours. It varies for everyone so there isn’t an exact time. The testing will start in 1st period. These tests are not timed so no worries. May 12 will be the end of all standardized testing for the rest of this school year.

7th Graders Visit Roper Mountain Science Center

By Emma Laing

Recently 7th graders went on a field trip to Roper Mountain Science Center to learn about DNA and genetics. The two teams went different days 7-3 went on Thursday while 7-4 went on Friday.

On the field trip, students uncovered the mystery of the missing chef and went to three stations. One station was a mysterious powder found on the crime scene and students had to mix different substances to find the answer. The second station was finding blood types based on mixing fake blood and other substances to figure out whose blood was on the knife or on the floor. The third station was all about finding DNA. In that lab, students looked at DNA of the suspects and extracted DNA from a strawberry.

Most students seemed to enjoy this field trip much more than sitting in a classroom. Jenna Karamol, a student who went on the trip, said she liked “Finding the strawberry’s DNA.” 7th grader Gillian Drake said she liked the “blood lab and blood samples.” Her favorite station was “the mysterious powder station.” When asked what she wished was different about the trip, she said “That they would have gave us more realistic substances.” Overall, many students agreed the field trip was a fun experience.

Ms. Payne is Showin' You What's Up

By Carleigh Ehlenbach & Daisy Flores

Nicole Payne is a 7th grade teacher at League Academy who is very interested in the arts. Payne is a native of Greenville and has lived here her whole life. She has a passion for “staying WOKE”. Payne she believes that seeking truth and being honest are two of the most important things in life and she stands for them more than she stands for anything else.

She gets most of her inspiration from her grandmother, Virginia Uldrick. Payne says that Uldrick “taught me how to function in the world, how to be successful, and how to overcome mountains of adversity.”

One of Payne’s biggest passions is art. She wants to one day do something meaningful with her art. In her free time, she likes to draw and have deep conversations with people. In twenty years she wants to live on a small piece of land with a lot of animals and a self-sustaining garden. She would like to give back to the community as much as possible. Nicole Payne is a teacher who has a deep passion for art and people. Payne loves her students and her art.

Mrs. Rigot Named 2017-18 Teacher of the Year

By Avery Albright and Emma Shurley

Sixth grade teacher Erin Rigot was selected as the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year for League Academy. Teachers in the school nominate and then vote for who they think should represent their school. Every year, one is picked for each school in Greenville County.

“My favorite part about teaching is building a relationship with students,” Mrs. Rigot states. Being a teacher for seven years, she also mentions that she is proud of how she has grown professionally over the years. Sixth grade is a transitional year for all students, and Mrs. Rigot believes she can help with that. “Best teacher I’ve ever had,” seventh grader Kaleigh Nelson says. Mrs. Rigot tries to make it an enjoyable and fun curriculum, and also creates lessons for all types of students.

Being a good influence on many scholars, Mrs. Rigot was definitely a great choice for teacher of the year. Anybody would be lucky to have her as a sixth grade teacher, which is why teachers made a good decision by nominating Erin Rigot for teacher of the year.

League’s Magnet Coordinator Wins MAC Award

By Jemyah Jones

Elaine Donnan, League Academy’s Magnet Coordinator, won the Metropolitan Arts Council Award on Mar. 22.

This was a surprise honorary award that Ms. Donnan knew nothing about. Ms. Donnan says she feels very humbled and very special to win this award because she’s been in the art community for over thirty years. The MAC award is very meaningful to her because she got it because of her peers.

Ms. Donnan hasn’t always been League’s Magnet Coordinator. She has also been a student teacher, an Art teacher, and then League’s Magnet Coordinator. “Magnet Coordinator is a big job,” says Ms. Donnan. As Magnet Coordinator, she recruits new magnet students and give tours of the school. She says it's very hard to decide who should be recruited.

With all of the hardships that come with her job, she loves her job and League Academy dearly.

VOICE club lends a helping hand

By Aleta M. Larkin

The VOICE Club is a club here at League devoted to promoting equality and forward thinking within the student body. They take part in acts of kindness and charity to support our school and community. Ms. Walser, one of the leaders of the VOICE Club, describes it like this: “It’s a club where we volunteer and give back to the community, with a focus on equality for everyone.”

The club’s most recent big act of kindness was writing Valentine’s Day cards for all the teachers. In the last meeting, VOICE Club members and staff watched documentaries promoting equality. The documentaries were about a variety of topics, including disability, bullying, and immigration.

These, however, are far from the first events held by the VOICE Club. VOICE also participated in several drives. This included a book drive and coat drive. For the coat drive, members of the club asked students and staff to donate old jackets to them to be given to the homeless and poor.

The VOICE Club has also done many things for the students and staff here at League. In addition to making Valentine’s Day cards, club members also baked cookies for the staff. As for the students, members of the VOICE Club participated in random acts of kindness and put up the “take what you need” posters around the school. VOICE Club also has been an active member in beautifying our school by doing a trash pickup with the basketball teams on the League campus and surrounding areas.

VOICE Club meetings are held on the first and last Tuesdays of each month (although this may be changing soon due to scheduling difficulties). The next meeting will be next week on Tuesday, Mar. 7. All students are welcome.

League spring teams play second games against Sevier

By Jackson Smith

League spring sports teams played Sevier Middle School last Thursday. The girls' soccer team beat Sevier 4-0. Boys' soccer tied 2-2 in a shortened game due to the lack of sunlight. They were missing one of the captains of the team, Parker Tollison. They were also missing a starter, Will Flora. They will be back for this game. Head Boys Soccer Coach Corey Chinn said, “You guys can definitely beat them” so there is some confidence in the League boys' soccer team.

The League baseball game is still under review what the score was and who won. The League girls' softball team got beat 15-3. Most teams are prepared and excited to get a rematch against Sevier. The next games are Mar. 27 at home this time.

League Academy orchestra performs one last time this school year

By Anna Knobel

On Tuesday, May 16, Orchestra students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade performed multiple pieces to celebrate the end of school and all of their hard work.

6th grade started the night off with the piece “Gaelic Castle”. It was an interesting song with a very catchy tune. Next, they played “Sahara Crossing”. This song was like a Middle Eastern movie’s soundtrack. Their third song was “Zuma Breakers”. Their final piece was “Kabuki Dance”. It is an African tribal piece. Margaret Walser conducted two pieces.

7th grade played multiple pieces. They opened with “Spring Breezes” a Taiwanese folk song. Concert mistress, Claire Taylor, led the solo. Their next piece was “Tango D Amour”, a sassy, power song. Next, they played “Eleanor Rigby” a classic song by the Beatles. In between the last two pieces, strings teacher Rebecca Leonard gave out awards for Region and All County Orchestra. Their final piece was the popular song “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay. After 7th grade, Wire Choir played “Brave” from the Disney animated film Brave.

8th grade played their final performance at League with the songs “Lullaby”, “Lion City”, “Pirates of the Caribbean”,“Oblivion”, and “See You Again”. Soloist, Julia Rhyne, led “Oblivion” the entire time. Gabriel Boyd conducted “Pirates of the Caribbean”. Their goodbye song was “See You Again” a song from Furious Seven. It was very emotional.

Overall, all of the grades finished the year strong in the spring concert. Congrats to Strings students in all grades!

League dancers give sneak peek of May 4 performance

By Anna Knobel

On Monday, May 1, and Tuesday, May 2, dancers in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade performed dances they choreographed themselves for their peers.

7th graders in the Intermediate Dance Class performed “Goodbye” an abstract, lyrical dance. The dance is about someone losing their life too soon. It expressed anger and sorrow of those grieving. With leaps and turns, they told a story.

The Intermediate Dance Class is a semester long class for 7th graders. Students in the class learn the basics and technique of Modern Dance and Ballet. They choreograph their own dance towards the end of the semester and perform it for peers and parents. Ms. McCain teaches the class and helps lead the students to have the best choreography possible.

The music used in the dance was very intense. It heavily affected it. Every measure helped empower the dance. Lindsey Trotter, a 7th grade student, spoke about the music, “The music expressed the tone and the emotion in the dance.”

The Intermediate Dance Class worked very hard to create a very impressive dance. Congrats to them for having a successful informance.

League orchestra prepping for upcoming Strings concert

By Avery Albright

All grade levels in the orchestra program are prepping for their annual Strings concert on Tuesday, May 16. The two orchestra directors, Becky Leonard and Margaret Walser, are conducting their students for this performance!

To prepare, the teachers lead their students through each of their songs and then the students critique themselves. They also record themselves and then listen to it to improve each performer’s playing. Full-grade rehearsals are held in the mornings in the Strings room to make sure each student is ready. Regular class rehearsals are during each student’s related arts class period. The order of performance at the concert this year will go like this: 6th grade, 7th grade, Wire Choir (an auditioned class made up of 7th and 8th graders), and 8th grade.

The concert will be held in the League Academy auditorium at 6:30 p.m. on the day of the performance. They strongly encourage you to go watch!

Ms. Madison Earls: Music and Chorus student teacher

By Morgan Weiner

Ms. Madison Earls, the 2017 Music and Chorus student teacher, has learned a lot about teaching this year.

She is from Georgia, but she is in Greenville, S.C. for college. She has already graduated Furman University. She enjoys teaching because of how amazing the children have treated her. “I was scared of teaching middle school, but I actually like it a lot.”

Students are saying that they have really enjoyed having a second teacher, but especially having Ms. Earls. “She is good at explaining,” Zay, a 7th grade music student says.

She has taken piano lessons, guitar lessons, and even banjo lessons. She also sings and plays the ukulele.

After this year, she has a summer job as an art teacher at a summer camp, but she does not know what she will do permanently yet.

Springing into the Spring Concert

By Jenna Karamol

There is only a couple weeks until the annual Chorus Spring Concert. This event takes place on Tuesday, May 23. Mrs. Kerr, the choral director, is preparing all of her chorus students for this exciting concert.

One of the students in the 7th grade Intermediate Chorus, Lindsey Trotter, stated,” I think we are pacing the preparations well.” They are even doing an all girls song and an all boys song!

Each class Mrs. Kerr has is working hard and making great progress to learn and memorize all of their songs.

Another 7th grade Intermediate Chorus student, Quin Robinson has said,” I think Mrs. Kerr’s music selection is amazing and I’m looking forward to the outcome.”

Even with Mrs. Kerr out a couple days, Ms. Earles, her student teacher, has faithfully taken over, and each chorus class has made great progress. “I think she did well and portrayed herself as a good teacher,” says Emma Laing, 7th grade Intermediate Chorus.

League Academy actors put on a great performance of The Audition!

By Anna Knobel and Lindsey Trotter

On Thursday, Apr. 6, Students had the opportunity to see League Academy’s production of The Audition by Dan Zolidas in the League Academy auditorium.

Actors in the Theatre Production class played characters who were auditioning to be in their school show. Characters face many challenges like popularity, lack of talent, pressure from parents, and many insecurities.

An actress in the cast, Amelia Watson, stated when talking about developing her character Carrie, “It was hard to develop an authentic scene with a lot of emotion because I've never experienced a relationship with my mom like the one I had with my character’s mom.”

Theatre Production had been working on this play since January. They worked privately on scenes together to become their characters. In the days leading up to the performance, they did informances for 6th and 7th graders. The end product was very comedic and left play-goers crying laughing.

Thank you to the Theatre Production Class for putting on an amazing performance!

Big Orlando Fest Win for League Academy Chorus and Orchestra

By Anna Knobel and Lindsey Trotter

This past weekend, the League Academy Orchestra and Chorus went to Universal Studios in Orlando for the Orlando Fest Music Competition, bringing back multiple titles.

The 7th and 8th grade students performing in the competition left League Thursday afternoon and drove to Orlando to compete. On Friday, chorus performed the music pieces “Psallite” and “Elijah Rock”, receiving an overall superior. Chorus student Jenna Karamol stated when asked about performing, “I feel like we did really well, but I saw things we could improve.” On Saturday, 7th grade orchestra performed the pieces “Night Shift” and “Spring Breezes”. The 8th grade orchestra played “Lullabye”, “American Landscape”, “Pié Jésus”. Both grades received a superior.

Saturday evening was full of great excitement for awards. League Academy proudly took home many awards such as: 1st Place Middle School Orchestra for 7th grade, 2nd Place Middle School Orchestra for 8th grade, and 2nd Place Middle School Chorus for Intermediate and Advanced Chorus.

Congratulations on the wins to those students who are in chorus or orchestra. You make League proud!

Intermediate/Advanced Chorus Auditions: My Experience vs. Mrs. Kerr’s Experience

By Jenna Karamol

League Academy’s 7th grade intermediate/ 8th grade advanced chorus auditions were held by Mrs. Casey C. Kerr, the chorus and music teacher. There was an option for students to audition on Thursday, Feb. 23 or Tuesday, Feb. 28. I have auditioned on Thursday, Feb. 23, and definitely believe that my tryout experience went well. However, when it comes to tryouts, the student and teacher perspectives and experiences are somewhat different.

My Experience:

I was the first student to audition on Thursday, so I stayed in the chorus room instead of waiting for my turn out in the hallway. First, I did vocal warm-ups to get my voice ready, for Mrs. Kerr to hear my choral voice, and for her to see if I have met her requirements. Then, I sung my chosen song from the list of options, which was “Amazing Grace.” The last part of my audition was singing back the pitches Mrs. Kerr played on the piano, and to clap back the beats that she had clapped. After my chorus audition was over, I felt relieved and was anxious to know if I made it in or not.

Mrs. Kerr’s Experience:

During the auditions, Mrs. Kerr was looking for specific requirements that the students presented while they auditioned. Some of these are correct intonation, strong support, good tone quality, projection, tonal memory, rhythm echo, range, and sight reading/ singing skills. She has stated, “Chorus is not just a place where you can improve your singing voice. It’s a class where you can learn to be a part of a team, work toward a common goal, be encouraged by others , and encourage others.” During the auditions, she explained that she was excited to hear all of the students and how some have improved since their previous classes and auditions with her. She also enjoys the audition process she has put together, and she believes that it gives her a chance to seek out more students if needed. Being the judge of her own intermediate/advanced chorus class auditions, there are both difficult and enjoyable parts in her experience. The most difficult for Mrs. Kerr is selecting specific students that will create a good balance, and the most enjoyable part is to teach the students who are truly excited about taking chorus. In order to audition, students had to choose to sing one of the following songs: Silent Night(1st verse), My Country ‘Tis of Thee (1st verse), Jesus Loves Me, Amazing Grace (1st verse), Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, and the most popular song, Happy Birthday. Finally, she has advice for the students who may not make it into intermediate or advanced chorus. So Mrs. Kerr has addressed, “ Remember, there is always something you can work on, and if you aren’t at the level you need to be, push forward to become better and audition AGAIN!!” So, a student’s and a teacher’s perspective on a tryout experience can definitely be similar, yet very different as well.

Drama Auditions at League Academy!

By Anna Knobel and Lindsey Trotter

Attention League Academy students, it’s that time of year again, time for auditions for intermediate and advanced classes. This week, Drama auditions for rising 7th and 8th graders will be occurring after school in Mrs. Swartzel’s room.

Auditions for Intermediate drama occurred on Wednesday, Mar. 1 and Thursday, Mar. 2. Auditions for Advanced drama will be held on Monday, Mar. 6 and Tuesday, Mar. 7. They will be held from 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Mrs. Swartzel says, “Actors should bring a water bottle, their memorized monologue, and a great attitude!”

For those auditioning for Theatre Production, we interviewed a current student in the class, 8th grader Ethaniel Curcio, and he said some good things about the program here at League, such as, “The play we are doing currently, The Audition, is the best play we've done yet.” And Curcio also gave some advice for people auditioning: “Know your monologue and take some risks. I had my back turned to the judges the whole time I was auditioning with my monologue.”

The Intermediate course is a semester long, and the Theatre Production course is a year long. The Theatre Production course also counts as 1 high school credit. In both classes, students will learn improv, characterization, technical theatre, and theatre history.

As they say in the theatre, break a leg on your audition!

Solo and Ensemble Taking Place at Wade Hampton High School

By Avery Albright

6th, 7th, and 8th grade Strings students are all preparing for the Solo and Ensemble event to occur on Friday, Apr. 21, at Wade Hampton High School.

Solo and Ensemble is a competition that occurs once a year for all middle school students that play a string instrument. It’s a chance for them to experience performing for a judge and practicing a new, possibly challenging song. You can play a solo or in an ensemble, hence the name. Students from the high school are there helping you get ready before your performance. When you are done performing, the judge will write down comments and suggestions that are made to help you play the song in a more advanced way. You are then scored a Superior, Excellent, Good, Fair, or Poor.

All in all, it is a great learning experience. This one event could help your overall performance levels, and help critique your playing for future occurrences!

League Redesignated as a National School to Watch

By Jemyah Jones and David Olerum

On Monday, May 15, League Academy became a Redesignation II National School to Watch and had an assembly to celebrate. The school had previously received the award twice before. The most important people of the district came and spoke at the assembly. Their presence showed how they support us and how proud they are.

“This is a national thing so it is really hard to achieve, so you guys should be proud,”said Dana Swartzel, League’s Drama teacher. She was chosen to speak by our school principal, Mary Leslie Anderson. This award was earned by us League students because of our great leadership skills. Mrs. Swartzel said, “We won this award because all of the other schools should watch League and copy what we are doing.” Superintendent of Greenville County Schools, Dr. Burke Royster, also spoke. Also in attendance were Dr. David McDonald, Linda Allen, and Larry Allen from the South Carolina Schools to Watch board.

League hosting the Spring Book Fair this week!

By Avery Albright

League’s media center is hosting the Spring Book Fair. PTA representatives, staff members, and volunteers have been getting ready for this Read S’more Books event. It goes on all through the week of March 27 - March 31, and they strongly encourage anyone to go!

The Book Fair includes many books of all different genres. One of these is Shadow House, an edge-of-your-seat read by Dan Poblocki. Another one is Pieces of Why, a teen drama by K.L. Going. The Book Fair also posts a daily question concerning information in a pamphlet that was given out at the beginning of the week. After finding the answer, you can visit the library and write your answer on a small slip of paper that is then put in a jar. There are winners every day who receive prizes!

Along with the many genres of books you can buy there, they also have different erasers, posters, and more. Hurry and go while it lasts!

8th graders recognized at awards ceremony

By Aleta Larkin

Last Monday, May 15, League Academy held the 8th Grade Awards Ceremony after school. The ceremony began at 5:30 p.m. and ended shortly after 6:30 p.m.

The 8th Grade Awards Ceremony began with a performance of commedia dell'arte by the 8th Grade Advanced Drama class. Then, Principal Mary Leslie Anderson made a welcome speech to the audience, after which Student Body President Elizabeth Cole led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The order in which the awards was held was Fine Arts Awards, Athletic Awards, Academic Awards, and finally the Character Awards. The ceremony was ended with a sendoff by school counselor Lauren Wilhoit. She read an excerpt from Dr. Seuss’ Oh The Places You’ll Go. Closing remarks were made by Principal Mary Leslie Anderson.

Newspaper and Creative Writing teacher Allison Franke said what she would want to tell the graduating 8th graders is “You have the skills to succeed. All you have to do is make the personal choice to achieve it.”

Music on a whole new level

By Kaleigh Nelson and Quin Robinson

League Academy is known for being an arts school and next year, an all new class is being added, and it's taking its involvement of arts to a whole new level.

Music X is a semester-long class being held by band teacher, Mr. McBride. “Music X is a class to explore all musical-based subjects that aren't normally covered in band or strings," says McBride. Students will be analyzing music videos, composing, and conducting music videos. The class is offered to all eighth graders who are interested.

McBride says he had the idea because he wanted to promote eighth grade musical skills.

So if you're a rising eighth grader and are interested in these topics, stop by the band room, grab an application form, and turn it in as soon as possible.

Advanced Art auditions

By Emma Laing and Gillian Drake

Advanced Art auditions for rising 8th graders is a fun way to express your creativity. Mrs. Hernandez, the art teacher, is looking for “kids who love [art] and take it seriously." There is a variety of medias to work with, some of which are painting self portraits, printmaking on linoleum block, enamel (painting on glass), drawing, anti-drug posters, and how to keep a sketchbook. These are a variety of medias that everyone will find something in.

If you are a rising 7th grader, you can try out for Intermediate Art, which focuses on similar topics, but only lasts a quarter. If you enjoy Intermediate Art then it's recommended that you take Advanced Art. The project students struggle with is “the printmaking," says Mrs. Hernandez. Anyone is able to try out, even if you haven't taken Art before.

If you want to audition, you have to “bring in your signed parent letter and your portfolio to the Art room” by Mar. 3.

League Academy band concert 2017

The League Academy Band concert was at 6:30. The first group that played was the prep ensemble. They played A Shaker Hymn, Atlantis, and the Tempest. Then was a solo by Hannah Hodge (Cavatina) and a solo by Kathryn Yanov (Capriccio). The wind ensemble played the Incredibles theme. After that, Bennett Thomason played a solo, Sailor’s Song, with the wind ensemble. The minor/major League band played The Thunderer, an intense tune. David Hamme and Jonas RIvard had this to say about The Thunderer: “We felt embarrassed and awesome at the same time [during the performance]”. Then Sonja Hamme David Hamme’s mom) and Mrs. Pruitt were given flowers for their involvement in the band this year. After that, the minor/major band played one last thing, Into the Arctic. After that, the 8th graders presented Mr. McBride with the Band Teacher of the Year award and for doing a great job with the spring concert festival.

Stone Academy hosts annual Arts Alive festival

By Jemyah Jones

On Apr. 28 Stone Academy hosted their Annual Arts Alive Festival on their school playground. Arts Alive is a time for everyone to enjoy artsy ways to have fun and interact with others. Some of the Arts Alive activities include: mash tents where people can get fake bruises and scars, cake walk where people can win free baked goods, dunk tanks, and much more. Arts Alive is a fundraiser for stone and many people come yearly such as, former students, parents, teachers, and anyone who wants to come. Everyone is welcome.Stone Academy students participate in a flash mob choreographed by Dance Teacher Cynthia Waddell and then her and her students perform in front of everyone at the festival. If the dance is learned fast enough then people are welcomed to jump in and enjoy themselves. Volunteering can also be fun while at Arts Alive, like for instance being in the dunk tank is fun and volunteers get to interact with the people playing the games.

8th Grade Orchestra performs at The Peace Center

By Carleigh Ehlenbach & Daisy Flores

Monday, May 8, League Academy 8th grade orchestra performed at the Peace Chamber Student Showcase. During the performance the orchestra played three songs, “Lullaby”, “American Landscape”, and “Oblivion”. The other schools that performed were Legacy Charter School and Stone Academy.

The first song was “Lullaby”. The vibrato in the song was excellent. All of the notes were in tune and the overall sound was good. The second song was “American Landscape”. Margaret Walser conducted instead of Mrs. Leonard. Again, the vibrato was amazing and all of the notes were perfectly in tune. The second violins really shined in this piece. Their final song was “Oblivion”. Violin player Julia Rhyne performed a solo in this piece. She sounded beautiful, along with the rest of the orchestra.

Overall, the 8th grade strings class did very well in the showcase and Mrs. Leonard did a very good job conducting.

National Nurses Week

By James Davis

National Nurses week takes place May 6 - May 12. In 1995, ANA made May 6 through May 12 National Nurses week. May 6 is National Nurses Day and May 12 is Florence Nightingale’s birthday. (Florence Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing.) So they just made this week National Nurses Week.

The purpose of this week is to honor all the contributions nurses make to their communities. This year is the year of the healthy nurse. This year’s theme is “Nursing: the balance of Mind, Body, and Spirit.” Nurses have done so much for us so why not thank them.

There is always the nurse at our school you could thank. Nurse Ejiri has been working as hard as she can to make sure everyone stays nice and healthy. She has been with us for a long time now, so why not thank her for everything she has done. She deserves the utmost respect from all of us.

Some restaurants are giving freebies or discounts for nurses. Most freebies have to do with cinnamon rolls or bagels. If nurses come into certain restaurants and show their ID badge then they can get a cinnamon roll or a bagel.

Man from Nepal dies trying to become the oldest person to climb Mount Everest at 85

By David Olerum

This past saturday a man by the name of Min Bahadur Sherchan died while trying to become the oldest man to climb mount everest at age 85. He was found dead at the Everest Base camp. It has been said that his cause of death was not known until later. It has been theorized that Min Bahadur had died from cardiac arrest. The 85 year old was trying to reclaim his record as the oldest man to climb to the top of Mount Everest. He became the oldest climber to reach the peak in May of 2008 when he was 76 years old. Min Held his record for around 5 years until a japanese man by the name of Yuichiro Miura would beat his record in 2013 at the age of 80 years old. It was said that his respiratory systems were normal and since he was born in the mountains the high altitudes were not a problem for him.

Prominent Greenville man fatally shot

By Quin Robinson

This weekend a Greenville man was shot and killed in his car. His body was found shortly after 3 am on April 14. According to his brother, he was shot once in the head. The man, Mike Mecklenburg, was currently in between jobs and was using Uber to sustain his income. He reportedly picked up his last rider around 2:50 a.m. at the dead end road Power Street. Michelle Johnson, who lives on Power Street, said her dogs woke her up when they heard a gunshot. Mecklenburg was a member of the Design Review Board, which is a city body that advises projects downtown and in historic neighborhoods. His death has been ruled as a homicide. Greenville Police department has released no other statements saying the case is still too early. No suspects have been arrested as of today, but if anyone has any information contact crime stoppers at 23-CRIME.

Man kills elderly man and posts the whole thing on Facebook

By Daisy Flores and Carleigh Ehlenbach

On Easter Sunday a man named Steve Stephens posted a video on Facebook which showed Stephens killing a 74-year-old man named Robert Godwin Sr.

Stephan was driving a white Ford Fusion as he approached this older man. He got out the car and said "Find me somebody I’m about to kill, I’m gonna kill this guy right here. The older dude.” Stephens said as he was recording. He told Godwin "Hey can you do me a favor by saying Joy lane?" Godwin Said "Look, I don't know anybody about that name.” Said Godwin. "Joy Lane...She’s the reason this is about to happen to you." Stephen said as he pulled out a pistol and shot Godwin.

Stephens was found 100 miles from the the murder scene at a McDonald's. One of the employees at McDonald's saw the white Ford Fusion in the drive thru and quickly called the police. Since Stephens ordered McNuggets and fries employees told him that the fries would take a while, so that police had enough time to come. He didn't wait for his fries and drove off. Police spotted him and hit his bumper hoping it would stop him, but caused him to turn. As police were getting out their vehicles they heard a gun shot. Stephens shot and killed himself April 18, 2017.

Snapchat creates the new world lenses!

By David Olerum

The people at snapchat have created the new world lenses as a filter. The world lense allows people to add 3D effects to the real world that actually move through out the video. It allows you to place crazy and random things around you, people, and places around you. The new update gives people the option to completely change the world around them. These type of visual effects are the similar type that were used in pokemon go and it is called augmented reality. Step Feed says”The technology is similar to the augmented reality used in Pokémon Go, and makes it seem as if animated graphics in a camera lens are appearing in real life.”

The people at snapchat say that they are a camera company. This new update gives that statement more credibility. The world lense gives us new ways to experience the world around us and how we act towards it.

North Korea is getting aggressive

Kim Jong Un thinks they can call the shots. They have stated multiple times that they have and will use nuclear missiles. The U.S. wants more information but does not have any proof that North Korea has an operational Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. We do know that they have nuclear power but we do not think that they have a weaponized warhead. If they do have one then we will return attack with a special drone that can carry 4 Hellfire missiles that can home in on the ballistic missiles. The drone can stay in the air for 24 hours. The U.S. is more concerned about its allies than it is about itself. North Korea is more likely to hit Japan or South Korea which has potential to start WW III. You know what happened in WWI and II. North Korea is an important threat, and they need to be stopped.

Man dragged off United flight

A 69-year old physician named David Dao was forcefully removed from a United Airlines flight.United Airlines claims that the flight was overbooked.

A women recorded the encounter between the man and military police. First, $400 compensation was offered. When no one took the offer, they offered $800. Four `passengers were randomly selected and three got off quietly. When Dao refused, authorities were involved. He was dragged out of his seat and down the aisle.

He ended up having a broken nose, concussion, and a few cuts and bruises. Dao told CNN that “‘For a long time, airlines, United in particular, have bullied us…”.

Dao will sue United Airlines and Chicago since they helped remove Dao from the plane. This event has traumatized Dao and even said that he will “...take a car home to Kentucky”. His daughter is extremely upset at what happened and speaks against what United did, just as many other people backing up David Dao.

Star football player killed his friend

By Avery Arends

Aaron Hernandez, a 27 year old football player for the New England Patriots, was accused of killing Odin Lloyd who died on June 17, 2013.

He was shot in the head and chest. It was considered a drive by shooting since he was shooting into the nearby car. He shot another passenger and some other people in the car were injured.

Right before it happened he was at home with his fiance and his sister in law and he left the house with a gun in his hand. It was on the opposite side of him which made it harder for them to notice though.

It was taken place in a town in Massachusetts and he was put in jail for a life sentence. He recently used his mattress in his cell to hang himself because he didn’t really have another way out. New York Posts states that “Prosecutors said last week there was no chance Hernandez would ever be a free man again.”

Protesters march for science on Earth Day

By Aleta Larkin

The March for Science was a nationwide phenomenon occurring last Saturday, which was also Earth day. Protesters marched, held signs, and listened to speeches explaining their concern for budget cuts for health, science, and the environment.While the D.C. march began at 9 a.m., and began their actual march at 2 p.m., Greenville’s march was much shorter, beginning at 12 p.m., and ending at 2 p.m.. The Greenville march also did not move, compared to The D.C. one. It was held in the ONE City Plaza.

With both marches, much of the content for the speeches was about climate change or the budget cut that are being made by the current U.S. legislation. Cuts would include a $9.2 billion cut to the education department, a $17.9 billion cut to the agriculture department, and a $2.5 billion cut to the Environmental Protection Agency, which would be a 31 percent cut to the agency. These are a few examples.

Climate change was the other big talking point for both marches. Many Senate and House officials have come out denying the existence of climate change, so many speakers called them out on it. About 97 percent of climate scientists agree climate change is real and caused by human beings, thus the concern.

To find out more about the Science March, visit their website. The Greenville Science March also has its own Facebook page.

Surfer found at sea after 32 hours

By Avery Arends

Matthew Bryce, a 22 year old, from Glasgow, went surfing on Sunday morning and didn’t come back until he was reported missing and they found him 13 miles off the Scottish coast. It took them 7 hours to find him.

He went so far out because of the strong tide that goes toward the Atlantic Ocean. The wind was also strong the day he went out to surf, so that made him go out even farther than the tide could have taken him.

When they found him he had a thick wet suit on with rubber boots and a jacket with a hood. That helped him survive from hypothermia. He was found conscious after being out there for 32 hours. The authorities that were sent out to find him were losing hope. They thought that if they found him he he would’ve been dead.

MOAB dropped in Afghanistan

The US dropped the biggest non-nuclear bomb in Afghanistan. There were reportedly an ISIS controlled cave system in Eastern Afghanistan. The US was trying to send a message to ISIS.

The bomb did not take the lives of any civilians. The remote part of Afghanistan was left in ruins. The countryside used to be a green forest but was turned to rubble. 94 ISIS militants were killed as well as 4 ISIS leaders. These are just confirmed deaths and their could be more. Many houses were destroyed as well as some of the mountain side. No civilians were killed in this bombing.

It is very hard to get anywhere close to the bomb site given it is an ISIS controlled area. U.S. troops had to cross windy, rocky roads with a highly trained Afghan military convoy.There are very limited pictures of the aftermath.

Yosio Lopez was handcuffed for being disruptive in class

By Avery Arends

Yosio Lopez, a 7-year-old, is in a special needs program at Gabe P. Allen Elementary School in Dallas, Texas, was put in handcuffs for being disruptive in class.

He suffers from a mood and hyperactivity disorder which affects his behavior. Yosio told his mom that they forced him up against a desk and put cuffs on his hands while the principal had her elbow up against his neck and was choking him.

The Dallas ISD Police sent him to a mental health facility without telling his mom. They sent him to be there for a week, but he was released earlier than that. He was heavily sedated while he was at the health facility. His mom wasn’t allowed to see him those 2 days because they claimed that he was a “danger to himself and people around him.”