Written by
Erin Lauters, SMT Writer
Dexter, Missouri - The Dexter Senior High School Foreign Language Club, (FLC) sponsored by Mrs. Kapelski, foreign language teacher, has been selling foreign candy this week.
They will continue to sell the candy over Christmas break.
The candy is from France and Spain. The French candy includes Eiffel Towers and fruit flavored Bon Bons. The Bon Bons are strawberry, green apple, or blue raspberry flavored. Blue raspberrry seems to be a favorite among high school students!
The Spanish candy is called Sour Rayitas. They look like small strips of Air Heads Extremes. These items are for sale to anyone interested and are only $1.00 per package.
If you are interested in purchasing and helping to support the Dexter Senior High School Foreign Language Club, you may call Kerigan Brady - (573)820-1879, Courtney Scholl - (573) 421-5584, or Alex Moeller - (573) 421-3637.
These three Dexter Senior High School Sophomores are pictured with packages of the candy.
Written by
Erin Lauters, SMT Writer
Dexter, Missouri - T.S. Hill Middle School Band hosted their annual Christmas concert on December 19, 2013. The band was split into three groups- 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade.
The bands were under the direction of Jim Wade, Scott Rybolt, and student teacher Cody Jinkerson. These three musically inclined men took holiday classics and gave them new direction. The program started with a welcome, with no empty seats in the stands and people lining the walls to see their children. "Well this solves our problem with having not enough people," Wade later joked.
The 6th grade band kicked off the concert on a cheery note playing "Jolly Old St. Nick" by Bruce Pearson. They then played "Up On The Housetop" by Chuck Eiledge. Their third and fourth pieces, both written by Bruce Pearson, were "Angels We Have Heard On High" and "Deck The Halls". Their fifth and final piece was "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful" by John Francis Wade.
The sixth graders waited patiently then (or at least most of them did) while The Trashmasters played their tune. The Trashmasters are a group made of six boys who have a way with rhythm. These boys met before and after school to practice their uncommon talent- playing on trash cans. The group includes 8th grader Sean Rybolt, and 8th grader Matthew Chesser, who originally play in the percussion section, 8th grade Aaron Wells, who originally plays baritone (he plays trombone in high school Jazz band), 8th grade Dylan Long, who plays baritone saxophone, 8th grader Logan Elders, who plays Alto saxophone, and 7th grade percussionist Joe Rice. This group played a song entitled "Stinkin' Garbage" by Ed Argenziano.
The 7th grade band played, in this order, "Home For The Holidays" arranged by Eric Osterling, "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" arranged by Mike Story, "I'll Be Home For Christmas" arranged by Kim Gannon, "Trombones on The Housetop" written by Mark Williams and featuring the whole 7th grade trombone section and some duet on the trumpet section's part, and "Holly Jolly Christmas" by Johnny Marks. The 8th grade band played "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" by Johnny Marks, "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" arranged by Michael Story, the patriotic "Last Full Measure" by Michael Sweeney, "Santa Meets Sousa" arranged by Mark Williams, and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" arranged by John Edmondson. This cheery concert put all in the Christmas spirit.
In the pictures are the 6th grade band, Trashmasters, Trombone Section, 7th grade band, and 8th grade band.
Written by
Erin Lauters, SMT Writer
Dexter, Missouri - The Dexter Senior High School Band was unable to travel to Columbia, Missouri today for the All-State Concert and Jazz Band Auditions due to winter weather up in the northern half of the state.
As opposed to canceling the auditions, Scott Rybolt, Cody Jinkerson, and Adam Clark met at Dexter Senior High School at a little before 10:00 a.m. to start the recorded auditions to send to Columbia. Each of the instruments had a list of scales and études to record. The students were devastated when first finding out about the cancelation.
The students in the picture were welcomed to the warm-up room with donuts, milk, chocolate milk, orange juice, and bananas, which were graciously provided by Mr. Rybolt.
If they make this honorable group, they will travel to Lake of the Ozarks on January 22, 2014 and will perform on January 25, 2014. This prestigious group determines the best in the best of Missouri.
The applied to the positions are: freshmen Emily Johns on French horn, Abby Mangum on oboe, sophmores Kerigan Brady on flute, Courtney School on soprano clarinet, Erin Lauters on soprano clarinet, Gina Magarian on trumpet, Addison Moore on jazz percussion, juniors Toni Curran on alto saxophone, Brooks Propst on trombone, Lacey Midgett on contra alto clarinet, seniors Sara Durham on jazz baritone saxophone, John Durham on jazz and concert percussion, and Chandler Crowley on soprano clarinet.
This picture includes from left to right: Chandler Crowley, Courtney Scholl, Brooks Propst, Emily Johns, Toni Curran, and Gina Magarian.
Written by
Beth Farrah, SMT Writer
Essex, Missouri – Richland was visited by not only Santa Claus, but also the Grinch. But no worries, the Grinch was in the Christmas spirit and passed out candy canes to each of the students. The Grinch and his dog Max were escorted around the campus by high school principal Mrs. Rhodes on her Christmas-themed golf cart. The Grinch had a couple elves helping him pass out the candy as they sang the Grinch theme song. The elementary students loved the candy canes but loved petting Max most of all.
Written by
Beth Farrah, SMT Writer
Essex, Missouri – Amber Duley has been very busy with Richland’s music department throughout this holiday season. After putting on both a junior high band and a high school band concert, a short kindergarten Christmas program, an elementary student Christmas program, and a high school Christmas program, the students are officially retiring their elf costumes, animal masks, and instruments for the 2013 holiday season.
The high school students successfully put on a Christmas program called “Computerized Christmas”. Duley did not fully write the script by herself, but she used a script and edited to fit the students and Richland in a better way, making her own sarcastic jokes that fit the characters and actors perfectly. The lead role of father time was casted to senior Kannon Qualls, who has also starred in multiple other plays at Richland as well as other places. The play centers on Father Time and the stress of keeping the holidays in order. He is eventually pushed into buying a smart, talking computer by a computer salesman named Buzz (played by junior Joe Foster) to help keep him on schedule. The humor begins when the recently purchased talking computer, Jerry (voiced by senior Adam Lane), misinterprets everything Father Time says. Father Time is set on calling Santa Claus to let him know that Christmas is just around the corner, but Jerry has a different idea. Instead of just calling Santa Claus, the lazy computer calls all sorts of characters such as the Tooth Fairy (played by senior Kaitlyn Jones), Wanda the Witch (played by sophomore Jamie Smith), the Easter Bunny (played by eighth grader Joshua Shidler), Lucky the Leprechaun (played by freshman Garet Phillips), and even had a visit from George Washington (played by sophomore Travis Grubbs).
Throughout all of the visits to Father Times’ office, there are multiple songs sung by the cast that Duley remixed herself. The Tooth Fairy mashed “All I Want for Christmas is Your Two Front Teeth” with Lady Gaga while Wanda the Witch sang her own tune called “Don’t Mess with a Witch”. Lucky the Leprechaun even got his chance to shine and sang a rap written by Duley.
The play’s main issue is finally solved by Richland’s Tech Guy Adam Touchette (played by senior Gatlin Hux) when he is called by Father Time to fix the computer. He decides to update Jerry to Siri—while jamming on the guitar while he waited, of course. When the lazy computer’s update is complete, Father Time is finally able to call Santa Claus and warn him about his upcoming holiday.
The junior high students volunteered to be stagehands and helped Duley with props and whatever else she needed. In the play, Father Time had three different assistants that played a large part in the comedy. Charlie the Assistant (played by sophomore Parker Miller) was on stage almost the entire time trying to help Father Time deal with whatever characters that were called by Jerry. George the Assistant (played by eighth grader Luke Rhodes) helped try to fix Jerry along with the help of Jen the Assistant (played by sophomore Skie Pinkley).
The play was an overall crowd pleaser. Students of all ages and their families came to see the play and were treated to cookies and milk afterwards. Now that Christmas is over, the students are now looking forward to Duley’s annual Talent Show held in the spring. While they wait for the Talent Show, Jamie Smith will be preparing to perform at Branson for Beta Club’s State Convention in March where she will represent Richland High School.
