HOCO Night Rally
By Arik Sala
“No party’s fun without fireworks and Baja Blast,” Naveya Barlow said Thursday night. On Thursday September 11th the high school held a night rally on the football field from 7 to 9 p.m. to prepare for the Homecoming game. The night rally was planned by the student government with help from Mr. Lloyd. In the rally there were performances from clubs like Band, SOS, POP Club, BSU, Asian Alliance, Cheer, Drill Team, and shoutouts for all the fall sports at West Jordan High School.
At the end of the rally they burned the WJ and had a beautiful fireworks show. In an Interview with an anonymous audience member they said, “I never thought I would get as much dopamine from a school event as I did at Disneyland". The rally had a large and enthusiastic crowd full of Teachers, Students, Parents, and WJHS supporters,
The Hoco Pep Rally brought all the viewers and performers together in one night. There was also a dance battle between all the Homecoming royalty nominees. It also had something for everyone like dance, sports, music, and fire to make sure everyone was hyped up. The rally showed how excited everyone was for the Homecoming game and Dance and their support for the Jags.
Autumn Melodies
By Lily Jensen
With plenty of stomping and a decorated stage, this year’s choir concert was a great way to start feeling excited for fall. Starting with Lovely Day by Bill Withers the concert was off to an upbeat start, continuing into Homeward Bound by Peter Hollens which was as autumnal as you could get.
Then out came Take 10, the men’s choir which was outfitted with matching vests and the energy you would expect from a group of teen boys. They brought a wonderful folk feel with their dancing and a violin solo. The concert continued with the different choir groups, along the way they experienced mic difficulties of all kinds but they powered through.
Ending off the night was the well known choir group, the Madrigals. A favourite song of the night among those I talked to was Fireflies by Owl City, a song I usually despise hearing but when the auditorium lights completely shut off and the group members revealed their handheld lights I instantly got excited. The choreographed movements and flickering lights brought an atmosphere of nightlife you wouldn’t think is achievable inside.
As always the choir concert was well worth going to, but if you missed this one don’t worry. They usually perform once every season, so get ready to put the next one on your calendar.
Nature photos
Working Together
By Rain
Last year, I went to an orchestra competition, and was utterly disappointed by the lackluster support of the crowd. I wrote about this, pointing out that nobody enjoys the little things anymore. I explained that very few parents showed up, and the few that did were on their phones the whole time. This year, I went to the concert, and I was shocked to see the auditorium almost all the way filled. Parents were paying close attention and recording, and everybody clapped after the performances. I did not imagine so much support would be offered up by the crowd. The performances themselves were impressive. West Jordan high school sounded fantastic, but I think one or two of the instruments were out of tune, unless the dissonance was a stylistic choice. When West Jordan and Copper Hills joined forces, the music was so crispy. I had to make the stank-face, because those chords were scrumptious to my ears. I asked a classroom of West Jordan students whether or not we hate Copper Hills, and everybody yelled an enthusiastic “YES!” without any hesitation. Yet our school’s orchestra managed to partner with Copper Hills’ and make some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard. If anyone in the orchestra is reading this, I want you to know you are dueling the Eckle’s Theatre Orchestra’s talent when you work together!
Spotlights, Camera, Action!
By Emery Balmforth
The three fates. Hamilton and Burr. A prima donna and her lover. Sodapop and Darryl. A fiddler on the roof. Timon and Pumbaa. What could possibly have them all? The lights come up in the choir room and we have our answer: the Spotlights Showcase!
Here at West Jordan, students have the opportunity to audition for an advanced musical theater class called Spotlights. The Spotlights Players learn about storytelling through theater and the skills they need to succeed as actors and actresses later in life. Instead of boring essays or trigonometry assignments, in this class they prepare pieces from various Broadway musicals. Then, they perform them at Spotlights Showcases throughout the year. If anyone ever thought that high schoolers can’t be good at musical theater, the Spotlights Players are here to prove them wrong!
Friends, family, and peers filed into the choir room (lit by—you guessed it—spotlights) for their chance to see the Players in action. First, Mr. Keith Evans, co-teacher of the class, told the audience the criteria for the students’ songs:
The piece had to be from a musical that won the Tony Award for Best Musical.
There had to be a “moment of realization” in the piece.
They had to use at least one prop.
Even though it was only the first showcase of the year, the talent was absolutely staggering! As the Spotlights Players took the stage, I enjoyed dizzying three-part harmonies from the fates in The Chips are Down, a hilarious lesson from our favorite savannah duo in Hakuna Matata, a grief-stricken revolutionary in Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, and many, many others. I certainly wasn’t the only one who was having fun; the crowd hooted, hollered, laughed, and cried. “The talent pool was incredible,” says audience member Carter Mann. “I wasn’t expecting that many people to be, like, that good. It made me feel things.”
But Spotlights isn’t only enjoyable from the outside. Students praise its educational value and friendly, supportive class members. “[Spotlights] is a really nice community,” says Michael Mortenson, who performed as Raoul in the song All I Ask of You. “It’s a very small group of people—we’re small but mighty. I love theater and it’s very enjoyable to be in.” Michael’s insight is evident in the way Players talked and joked with each other, socializing on the stage after the showcase was over. They’ve clearly formed a very tight-knit group. “I love that Spotlights is a very educational class and the whole community is very loving and kind,” says Camryn Ridley after performing a breathtaking piece from Sunset Boulevard. “We’re just so full of talent that we can give each other critiques and know that it comes from a place of love.”
On the whole, the Spotlights Players did a fantastic job. Going to a showcase was an amazing experience that I would definitely recommend to anyone interested in musical theater—or anyone who just wants to have a good time!
