This year's blood drive at MLWGS was the most successful ever, with 91 students who signed up to donate blood. Over 68 units of blood were collected, and the school was able to assist Virginia Blood Services in saving over 100 lives.
"We had our best turnout ever for a blood drive," said Mr. Don Blanton, Blood Drive organizer and Key Club Sponsor. "The new law [which allows for 16 and 17 year-olds to donate] that was passed was a big factor... more donors were able to sign up than in previous years."
The field hockey team challenged all school clubs and sports teams to have the most participants in the blood drive. Field hockey won the ice cream party prize, with 12 donors participating. Volleyball came in a close second.
Friday, October 17, 2008
ASL No Longer A Dual Enrollment
The American Sign Language (ASL) class at MLWGS no longer has Dual Enrollment status with J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College (JSRCC). In order to keep the class a dual-credit course MLWGS would have needed to pay around $20,000 to JSRCC.
According to the MLWGS Director, Mr. Douglas Hunt, there just isn't room in the budget right now to be able to pay for the Dual Enrollment credits. "They're reorganizing the whole community college system, [such as] the financial and teaching requirements," said Hunt.
The end of the program was unexpected and, for many current ASL students, highly disappointing.
According to the MLWGS Director, Mr. Douglas Hunt, there just isn't room in the budget right now to be able to pay for the Dual Enrollment credits. "They're reorganizing the whole community college system, [such as] the financial and teaching requirements," said Hunt.
The end of the program was unexpected and, for many current ASL students, highly disappointing.
World Hunger Day
The halls of MLWGS were alight with orange ribbons on Thursday as the Global Citizens Corps, a recently founded club at the school, led in various activities to celebrate World Food Day.
“We’re raising awareness and taking action so that we can make an impact,” said Sam Halle, one of the co-presidents of the Global Citizen Corps.
Students could donate towards several charitable organizations and in exchange receive orange ribbons as a sign of gratitude. Other activities included wearing duct-tape Xs over shirts to represent the hundred children who die every ten minutes due to hunger. and providing canned food for the food bank.
“We’re raising awareness and taking action so that we can make an impact,” said Sam Halle, one of the co-presidents of the Global Citizen Corps.
Students could donate towards several charitable organizations and in exchange receive orange ribbons as a sign of gratitude. Other activities included wearing duct-tape Xs over shirts to represent the hundred children who die every ten minutes due to hunger. and providing canned food for the food bank.
New Digital Lab On The Way
MLWGS is currently in the process of installing a brand new Digital Media Lab intended for a wide variety of student uses. The lab will contain 7 iMac and 3 Mac Pro Computers complete with state-of-the-art music composition and graphic design software.
"The lab is intended for, its goal is, to be used in all of the curriculum," said Mr. Jeff Hall, MLWGS Art Department Chair. It is Mr. Hall's hope that the lab will be of use to all students, not simply those taking Art or Art-related classes.
One of the new computers is already in place and the other 9 are on the way. The lab is expected to be completed around mid-November and will be located in Room 109. It will eventually contain a wide variety of multimedia equipment and will become publicly available to MLWGS students to use as they please.
"The lab is intended for, its goal is, to be used in all of the curriculum," said Mr. Jeff Hall, MLWGS Art Department Chair. It is Mr. Hall's hope that the lab will be of use to all students, not simply those taking Art or Art-related classes.
One of the new computers is already in place and the other 9 are on the way. The lab is expected to be completed around mid-November and will be located in Room 109. It will eventually contain a wide variety of multimedia equipment and will become publicly available to MLWGS students to use as they please.
Young Republicans Support Palin
MLWGS' Young Republicans are supporting their candidate via a variety of means this election season, including groups who “occasionally go to the phones to help out,” according to club sponsor Mr. Matt McGuire. Other endeavors include “stuffing…envelopes, putting up yard signs, [and] handing out literature.”
When asked to describe the group’s efforts on behalf of the McCain campaign, Mr. McGuire called them “traditional campaign activities” overall and added that they are “fun” but “productive.”
Despite these various projects, when asked about the McCain campaigns prospects Spencer Pigg ('11), a member of the Young Republican team that participated in a lunchtime debate with the Young Democrats, said, "I think it's pretty hopeless."
Sarah Palin speaks in Richmond on Monday. Photo by Danny Yates
When asked to describe the group’s efforts on behalf of the McCain campaign, Mr. McGuire called them “traditional campaign activities” overall and added that they are “fun” but “productive.”
Despite these various projects, when asked about the McCain campaigns prospects Spencer Pigg ('11), a member of the Young Republican team that participated in a lunchtime debate with the Young Democrats, said, "I think it's pretty hopeless."
Sarah Palin speaks in Richmond on Monday. Photo by Danny YatesLove Gone Bad
By Gabrielle Cifu, Jabberwock Staff Reporter
There is nothing less inspiring than a love story performed badly. Nights in Rodanthe delivers one of the worst performances of recent memory.
Adrienne Willis (Diane Lane) is a mother of two, recently separated from her husband. One weekend, while her children are visiting their father, she offers to oversee a friend’s inn in scenic Rodanthe, N.C. There, she meets Dr. Paul Flanner (Richard Gere), a physician, who is in town to resolve unfinished business.
At first, Dr. Flanner seems distant. As the weekend evolves, he and Adrienne begin to connect as they share their similar pasts, involving marital strife and their children. Flanner discloses his strained relations with his son, and the accident that brought about the end of his medical career.
Predictably, Paul and Adrienne fall quickly in love, despite barely knowing each other. As they become closer Adrienne encourages Paul to amend the strained relations between himself and his son, resulting in Paul’s decision to visit his son who is working as a doctor in South America. In other movies, spontaneous romances are plausible, but especially with Paul’s sheltered disposition, the romance between these two does not come across as realistic.
This was one of those movies you wanted to like. The previews foretold heartwarming romance, and the actors were promising. However, the movie was impossible to connect with. The scenes were choppy, and the story had no build-up.
One minute they barely know each other, the next they are madly in love. Not to mention, their entire love affair supposedly occurred within a four day period.
It’s hard to believe Nights in Rodanthe was written by Nicholas Sparks, the same man who wrote The Notebook, which was both a great movie and book. Viewers expected another great love story, or at least a heartfelt movie. They were sorely disappointed.
The actors picked for the roles seemed well chosen. Both Lane and Gere have been in substantial, successful films in the past. In Nights in Rodanthe, neither of them was necessarily bad playing their role, but since neither part was well written or developed, it made no difference.
One of the best characters was Jean (Viola Davis), Adrienne’s inn-owning friend. Though only briefly in the film, her character was personable and added humor, as well as a more down-to-earth perspective on life.
Also disappointing, was the lack of good scene conclusions. One scene abruptly ended when Adrienne unexpectedly stated, “I have to go to bed.” Scene endings such as this made the movie awkward and lessened the build-up to their romance.
Furthermore, certain scenes lacked the drama they could have added to the film. For instance, a violent hurricane was supposedly heading towards Rodanthe. Yet, with all the build-up, the hurricane lasted no more than two minutes and only culminated in a brief semi-romantic moment between the leads.
If you’ve seen the previews, you need not look any further. The previews capture the extent of the romance in the film. When the credits rolled, I was left completely unexcited. A movie with such a terrible plot simply cannot force the viewer to care.
This love story had the potential to be the best of the year, but it failed to reach my expectations. Many viewers assumed Nights in Rodanthe would be up to par with such films as The Notebook. I guarantee those same viewers are now banging their heads on the wall, asking themselves how hard it is to create a respectable love story.
I now realize that I misinterpreted the movie’s tagline, “it’s never too late for a second chance.” More appropriately, it should read, “it’s never too late for a second chance…to leave the theater.”
Diane Lane and Richard Gere. Photo courtesy of http://blogs.nypost.com/movies
There is nothing less inspiring than a love story performed badly. Nights in Rodanthe delivers one of the worst performances of recent memory.
Adrienne Willis (Diane Lane) is a mother of two, recently separated from her husband. One weekend, while her children are visiting their father, she offers to oversee a friend’s inn in scenic Rodanthe, N.C. There, she meets Dr. Paul Flanner (Richard Gere), a physician, who is in town to resolve unfinished business.
At first, Dr. Flanner seems distant. As the weekend evolves, he and Adrienne begin to connect as they share their similar pasts, involving marital strife and their children. Flanner discloses his strained relations with his son, and the accident that brought about the end of his medical career.
Predictably, Paul and Adrienne fall quickly in love, despite barely knowing each other. As they become closer Adrienne encourages Paul to amend the strained relations between himself and his son, resulting in Paul’s decision to visit his son who is working as a doctor in South America. In other movies, spontaneous romances are plausible, but especially with Paul’s sheltered disposition, the romance between these two does not come across as realistic.
This was one of those movies you wanted to like. The previews foretold heartwarming romance, and the actors were promising. However, the movie was impossible to connect with. The scenes were choppy, and the story had no build-up.
One minute they barely know each other, the next they are madly in love. Not to mention, their entire love affair supposedly occurred within a four day period.
It’s hard to believe Nights in Rodanthe was written by Nicholas Sparks, the same man who wrote The Notebook, which was both a great movie and book. Viewers expected another great love story, or at least a heartfelt movie. They were sorely disappointed.
The actors picked for the roles seemed well chosen. Both Lane and Gere have been in substantial, successful films in the past. In Nights in Rodanthe, neither of them was necessarily bad playing their role, but since neither part was well written or developed, it made no difference.
One of the best characters was Jean (Viola Davis), Adrienne’s inn-owning friend. Though only briefly in the film, her character was personable and added humor, as well as a more down-to-earth perspective on life.
Also disappointing, was the lack of good scene conclusions. One scene abruptly ended when Adrienne unexpectedly stated, “I have to go to bed.” Scene endings such as this made the movie awkward and lessened the build-up to their romance.
Furthermore, certain scenes lacked the drama they could have added to the film. For instance, a violent hurricane was supposedly heading towards Rodanthe. Yet, with all the build-up, the hurricane lasted no more than two minutes and only culminated in a brief semi-romantic moment between the leads.
If you’ve seen the previews, you need not look any further. The previews capture the extent of the romance in the film. When the credits rolled, I was left completely unexcited. A movie with such a terrible plot simply cannot force the viewer to care.
This love story had the potential to be the best of the year, but it failed to reach my expectations. Many viewers assumed Nights in Rodanthe would be up to par with such films as The Notebook. I guarantee those same viewers are now banging their heads on the wall, asking themselves how hard it is to create a respectable love story.
I now realize that I misinterpreted the movie’s tagline, “it’s never too late for a second chance.” More appropriately, it should read, “it’s never too late for a second chance…to leave the theater.”
Diane Lane and Richard Gere. Photo courtesy of http://blogs.nypost.com/movies
Friday, October 3, 2008
Scoreboard Now Working, Concession Stand Likely.
Contributions from MLWGS Athletic Boosters Brings New Scoreboard and Plans for an Outdoor Concession Stand Are in the Works
by Alex Bergman and Grant Euen, Jabberwock Staff Reporters
Many at MLWGS have noticed the newest addition to the athletic department: the outdoor scoreboard.
Visible both from the athletic field and the eastbound lane of Richmond’s I-95/64 interchange, the new scoreboard is now fully functioning.
“We’ve been waiting eight years for this so it’s pretty exciting,” said MLWGS Co-Activities Director Ms. Paige Hawkins.
Construction on the scoreboard began near the end of last year and was finally completed during the second week of September.
Funding for the scoreboard was provided by MLWGS Athletic Boosters organization.
Recently, the controls used for changing the score were made portable by jerry-rigging a rechargeable car battery.
This invention allows scorekeepers to change the score without walking over to the board after every goal.
On another note, MLWGS Athletic Boosters are considering another improvement to the track, field, and tennis court complex.
MLWGS administrators and athletic booster board members hope to building a concession stand for use during sporting activities.
The snacks stand would be situated next to the track near the bottom of the stairs extending to the double gates.
“Currently it’s on a drawing board,” said Mr. Hunt, Director of MLWGS, “though there are plans sketched out.”
At the moment, the planned concession stand would possibly stand sell food and drinks in addition to selling also tickets to sporting events. It would also have restrooms for athletes and spectators and could be used for storage.
by Alex Bergman and Grant Euen, Jabberwock Staff Reporters
Many at MLWGS have noticed the newest addition to the athletic department: the outdoor scoreboard.
Visible both from the athletic field and the eastbound lane of Richmond’s I-95/64 interchange, the new scoreboard is now fully functioning.
“We’ve been waiting eight years for this so it’s pretty exciting,” said MLWGS Co-Activities Director Ms. Paige Hawkins.
Construction on the scoreboard began near the end of last year and was finally completed during the second week of September.
Funding for the scoreboard was provided by MLWGS Athletic Boosters organization.
Recently, the controls used for changing the score were made portable by jerry-rigging a rechargeable car battery.
This invention allows scorekeepers to change the score without walking over to the board after every goal.
On another note, MLWGS Athletic Boosters are considering another improvement to the track, field, and tennis court complex.
MLWGS administrators and athletic booster board members hope to building a concession stand for use during sporting activities.
The snacks stand would be situated next to the track near the bottom of the stairs extending to the double gates.
“Currently it’s on a drawing board,” said Mr. Hunt, Director of MLWGS, “though there are plans sketched out.”
At the moment, the planned concession stand would possibly stand sell food and drinks in addition to selling also tickets to sporting events. It would also have restrooms for athletes and spectators and could be used for storage.
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