Community Focus
Editor: Laurel Mishevski
MVHS hosts its annual Mountaineer Serve Day
On November 23, MVHS continued its yearly tradition of spending a day helping the community, a day that is known to many as Mountaineer Serve Day. Most of the students attending MVHS have become very familiar with the day and are accustomed to the event taking place every school year. However, students that are new to MVHS might be confused over the true meaning of the important day. What exactly is the point of Mountaineer Serve Day, and why do we do it?
In the beginning, Mountaineer Serve Day was an event that was only recognized by members of FFA (Future Farmers of America). It was a day where students would gather and participate in helping their community. The simple act was fueled by appreciation and was a way of saying “thank you” towards the support given by the Mount Vernon community. Over some time the day became bigger and bigger, finally leading to a day where almost the entire student body participated in helping the community.
Many local businesses participate in the event every year, ranging from the Hope Center (Mount Vernon’s local thrift store), fire department, food bank, all the way to the public library. Businesses are eager to get as much help as they can from MVHS students. Unfortunately, due to the chaos that COVID brought over the past school year, Mountaineer Serve Day was unable to happen. This is why this year was more important than ever. It was a way to finally bring the community back together and offer our support.
Students got the opportunity to decide on which businesses they wanted to help with and spend the day giving back. It was a successful day full of students giving back to the people that show them so much support over the school year. Overall Mountaineer Serve Day isn’t just a day away from regular school, it’s a day of serving our community and giving some gratitude back!
Going behind the scenes of MVHS’s drama production: 'Seussical'
“Stage. Lights. Action.” These three words swirled in the minds of MVHS students who performed in this fall’s MVHS drama production: Seussical. Many students and faculty roaming the halls of MVHS might recall spotting bright green posters labeled with the production's headline and the dates of its showing at the Marc. November 18-20. So much more goes into a play than specified dates, times and eloquently presented posters. The number of people who participate in creating each MVHS production is diverse and delicately assembled. To fully understand the world of drama and acting, we have to start at the beginning.
“I decided on Seussical almost three years ago when I first came to Mount Vernon High School.”
To start the journey of fully comprehending what goes into a beautifully crafted production Brook Olinger, MVHS’s main leader in the drama department, speaks about her early decisions of collectively putting Seussical together. When asked about her navigation process with deciding on the magical world of Dr. Seuss, Mrs. Olinger states that she decided on the play three years ago when she first arrived at MVHS. “I had wanted to perform it last Fall, but with that being the Covid year, it wasn't possible. This fall was the next best time!”
The average lay person might wonder how much organization is behind making a production. For them, Mrs. Olinger has a cheeky answer. “Two Words: A lot.” Envisioning a concept can be a simple task but actually making that vision become a reality is when things become a little stressful. This exact ideology carries into the enriching world of drama. Mrs. Olinger can quickly launch into detail about exactly what she had on her to-do list in order to make Seussical come to life. “I spent about hours hours alone putting the rehearsal schedule together (when certain students are called for rehearsal, how long, etc.). Then, we got middle school students involved, so it's been a scheduling puzzle, but we've somehow made it work.” Countless unseen hours go into the beginning of building a full production. Mrs Olinger continues with, “On top of that we have to organize prop and set creation, if we have tents or not (because backstage at the Marc can't hold many props or set pieces), when we can get into the performance space, when we need to be at The Marc instead of school, etc.”
Now, as much as Mrs. Olinger might seem like a superhero with the magical ability to handle all these hectic tasks, she confesses that she could never do it all alone. “A lot of organization goes into putting on a play or musical. It literally takes a village.” Mrs. Olinger mentions some of her helpful sidekicks saying “I've been very fortunate to have the help of Mrs. McBaine, our musical director, and Mrs. Hazelton at the middle school, our middle school director.” Simply put, many creative souls put in hours of effort to create a masterpiece.
“I hope the audience realizes how much talent is at Mount Vernon HS. I am continually surprised by the work I'm seeing from some of our older students.”
Though the basic planning of a play is crucial, the most important factor is the actors themselves. Students here at MVHS get the opportunity to audition for the play and potentially earn a spot in the show. Once roles are sorted out, students then contribute a multitude of hours to rehearsing and getting their lines memorized. Mrs. Olinger also spoke about this. “We've been in rehearsal since September 20. We rehearse each weekday from 3:15 - 5:00. When we perform...over 70 hours will have gone into rehearsals, which honestly is very little compared to other musical productions.” The pure dedication of the performers is something that can’t go unnoticed.
Students also put in many hours building the set for the plays. Ordering customs, designing props, and in simpler words “setting the stage” is a task many MVHS students help with. The amount of supplies needed for a full production can certainly heft up a heavy cost. Mrs. Olinger, however, says that “We have a budget that we use from prior ticket sales and other fundraisers throughout the year that help pay for our shows.” It seems that with the help of a community these plays are made possible.
“It means a lot to the actors and crew when lots of people come to watch it.”
Overall, acknowledging what happens behind the scenes of a drama production is important for viewers to remember. Students and teachers dedicate so many hours to creating something strangers can enjoy. From elaborate planning, countless rehearsals hours and even the painting of a piece of cardboard to build a prop, the work and time behind each MVHS production is something truly extraordinary. In the wise words of Mrs. Olinger herself, “Blood, sweat, and tears go into a theatrical production,” and every component is a small but important piece that makes up the magical and enriching world of theatre.
