Las Vegas Academy’s Series of Short Plays Showcases Student Talent in Las Vegas Schools
Las Vegas Academy, one of the magnet schools of the Las Vegas Public School District, has prepared a series of student produced and student led theater performances.
The Five Plays
• You Want Freedom Fries With That?
“An original theater piece about being an American teenager in an increasingly small world, written and conceived by the Roncalli drama Festival Ensemble, performed at the Roncalli Drama Festival in Poggibonsi, Siena, Italy, in the heart of Tuscany.”
• Mixed Babies
“Five teenage girls of color discuss life, love, relationships, and friendship in this compelling short play.”
• Coffee Con Carnage
“An original sketch conceived and performed by the students of the Mime and Improvisation Class.”
• Sorry, Wrong Number
“A classic one act thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.”
• The Intermission
“A playwright listens clandestinely to the reactions of the intermission crowd at the premiere of his new play: a surprisingly insightful look at how we perceive what others think about our art.”
History of the Las Vegas Academy
Established in 1992 by the Las Vegas Public School District and area universities, the Las Vegas Academy is committed to fostering student skills in the arts and communication. This magnet school includes students from all over Clark County at its campus in an historic urban shopping district.
Las Vegas Schools students pursue a major in one of the following fields: dance, vocal music, instrumental music, international studies, piano, theater, theater technology, and visual arts. The school operates longer than other schools in the area in order to pack in all the subjects that students need to study in this arts intensive program. Classes are organized on a block schedule, in which students take regular academic classes every other day and major classes every day.
This aggressive approach to education has earned the Las Vegas Academy many honors, both state and nationwide. Including awards from the White House, Senators Reid, Bryan, and Ensign, former Governor Miler and former Las Vegas mayor Jones, the Academy has also garnered attention from the International Network of Performing and Visual Arts schools and been labeled a STAR school. In addition to winning three Grammy Signature School awards, the Academy has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as both a New American High School and a U.S. Blue Ribbon School.
The Student Experience at Las Vegas Academy
Students of the Las Vegas Academy compete through a tough screening process just to attend, including an audition as well as maintaining a high grade point average in their regular academic subjects. While students at other area high schools attend class for 50 minutes a day, students at Las Vegas Academy go for 86 minutes. The school day also goes one hour longer overall. This hard work pays off with over sixty percent of graduates enrolling in four year universities. The series of short plays to be produced by the theater and theater technology departments will be just one of many ways in which Las Vegas Academy students present their hard work and dedication to the local community.
Stacy Andell
http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/las-vegas-academys-series-of-short-plays-showcases-student-talent-in-las-vegas-schools-37527.html
I had a dream that my high school drama teacher was ignoring me?
The other night, I had a dream that my high school drama teacher was at a restaurant with my best friend. I wanted to say hi to them, but she was trying really hard to make sure that I didn’t see her.
In reality, we had a good relationship, but there was a little tension because she gave me the lead role in our senior play, but I had to back out because I had an academic competition to go to the weekend of the play. What significance does this dream have in my waking life?
You are probably feeling guilty about letting your teacher down and this is the way your subconscious is handling it. Just try to stay in a good relationship with her as there probably are no hard feelings on her part.
A Girl Like Me by Swati Kaushal
Recently transplanted from the quiet, green suburbs of Minnesota to the bustling concrete jungle that is Gurgaon, sixteen-year-old Anisha Rai is determined not to take to the new place she must call home. While her irrepressible mom, Isha, thrives on the crazy juggling between a hotshot job and their new home, Annie?desperately clutching on to memories of her father whom she lost three years ago?plods through each day with as little enthusiasm as she can.
But it?s not going to work, is it? Not when she?s discovered that her goofy childhood friend Keds has transformed into quite a dude and still remembers their first kiss; that she?s been severely infected by her quirky classmates? zest for everything fun despite utmost resistance; that the H-O-T-T college-going theatre enthusiast Kunal wants to teach her a lot more than drama . . . And when her deceptively unassuming neighbours reveal hidden agendas, Annie?s life suddenly becomes hotter to handle than she could ever have imagined.
Deftly weaving through home and school and the secret places in Annie?s world, A Girl Like Me is an unforgettable story, crackling at every turn with the heartbreak and promise?and the breathless exuberance?of teenage life.
Recently transplanted from the quiet, green suburbs of Minnesota to the bustling concrete jungle that is Gurgaon, sixteen-year-old Anisha Rai is determined not to take to the new place she must call home. While her irrepressible mom, Isha, thrives on the crazy juggling between a hotshot job and their new home, Annie?desperately clutching on to memories of her father whom she lost three years ago?plods through each day with as little enthusiasm as she can.
But it?s not going to work, is it? Not when she?s discovered that her goofy childhood friend Keds has transformed into quite a dude and still remembers their first kiss; that she?s been severely infected by her quirky classmates? zest for everything fun despite utmost resistance; that the H-O-T-T college-going theatre enthusiast Kunal wants to teach her a lot more than drama . . . And when her deceptively unassuming neighbours reveal hidden agendas, Annie?s life suddenly becomes hotter to handle than she could ever have imagined.
Deftly weaving through home and school and the secret places in Annie?s world, A Girl Like Me is an unforgettable story, crackling at every turn with the heartbreak and promise?and the breathless exuberance?of teenage life. Log on for more http://www.kenbooks.com/subcateg.php?item_code=895
kenbooks.com
http://www.articlesbase.com/book-reviews-articles/a-girl-like-me-by-swati-kaushal-745468.html
Drama Over Atkins Weight Loss Plan
It all started when a doctor sparked on a topic within earshot of an ardent low-carb blogger. The doctor, an associate professor, Dr David Katz of Yale University was reported by Forbes to have claimed that the Atkins diet had resulted to the hospitalization of one of his patients. The blogger and also purveyor of low-carb diets Jimmy Moore of Livin La Vida Low-Carb Blog felt his feathers ruffled by this claim.
Moore, author of the weight loss book with a similar title to his blog, and the subtitle ‘My Journey from Flabby Fat to Sensationally Skinny in One Year’ claims to be living proof that low-carbs work. He says he has lost over 180 pound on a low-card diet in a year. In his blog on he posted an article titled ‘Health experts gang up on Atkins Diet’ where he criticized, first the media for a seemingly regular “orchestrated negative splash against low-carb diets”. The article in contention was one appearing in Forbes titled “Atkins diet not safe for everyone” where Dr. Katz was reported to have had a patient that developed serious ketoacidosis which he linked to the Atkins diet the unnamed patient was on.
Secondly, Moore turned on the doctors cited in the article starting with Kartz. Moore went to the extent of calling the co-authored diet book by Dr Katz Flavor Point Diet “one of the biggest fad diet books you’ll ever read”. Disdainfully, but seemingly aggrieved, the good doctor responded to the posting by email. Moore went on to dissect the email in his blog.
Dr. David L. Katz is a clinical professor, division of Health Policy and Administration, Epidemiology and Public Health of Yale University. Even Moore, though sarcastically, thinks of him as a nutritional genius with his string of titles.
Katz asserted that Moore has no academic ground to differ with him. And on the doctor’s bashing of the Atkins diet, Katz says he wasn’t starting on bashing the diet rather he’s “been beating up on Atkins for years, never wavered never will”.
He further criticized the diet as lacking in fundamentals of healthful eating and sustainable weight loss. Moore on the other hand defended it on grounds that he’s 180 pounds lighter.
Atkins diet is a low-carb ketogenic diet designed for weight loss using significant changes in your dietary macro-nutrients. It recommends you eat fat and more proteins to replace the highly restricted carbohydrates. This is unconventional as carbohydrates are considered to be the primary source of calories for the body. Often this drastic change of dietary requirement is viewed with great suspicion. But the underlying question and continued basis of feuds such as this is how do we explain outstanding results by people like Jimmy Moore?
Lyn Steffan of the University of Minnesota school of Public Health was reported in the contentious Forbes article as saying that low-carb diets are not diets for life. She went on to recommend a healthy diet that results to weight loss and that can be used for life. But the question still remains unanswered. How do Moore and others who swear by low-carbs mange to shed off pound of body fat, improve their cholesterol and claim to be healthy.
Steffan seems to think it’s not sustainable long-term. Then one wonders what she thinks of the massai diet that is low-carb, high fat and high protein like Atkins. Yet the East African massai, who are extremely lean, have lived with the diet for centuries.
So would this comparison vindicate Atkins diet?
It is best to view weight loss in the environment in which it occurs. A particular lifestyle is associated with obesity. Naturally, to deal conclusively with the menace one has to deal with the environment in which it occurs. Permanent weight loss is possible; it is also possible that it can be achieved relatively fast, safely as well as healthy. But this requires a holistic and long-term approach. Such a weight loss plan should deal with most of the reasons that result to weight gain.
Mark Kimathi
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/drama-over-atkins-weight-loss-plan-65076.html
Im going to drama school to do musical theatre, what tap shoes do I get, and what new pointe shoes?
I haveto get tap shoes for next year as im going to drama school but ive never done tap! what shoes should I get for a good price and that are good quality? Also can you recommend some good pointe shoes as Im getting new ones but dont know which to get, thanksxxx
check out this awesome collection of fly london shoes
What are the chances of getting into drama school in London?
Im applying for 5 drama schools next year 4 in London and 1 in wales, i just want to know what the chances are etc etc.
Sometimes they have as much as 3000 people applying for 24 places, competition is tough, but you should still go for it.
What Can Parents Do to Ensure a Positive School Experience For Their Children?
Being a good parent is a HUGE responsibility. There are so many tasks involved with child rearing and parenting that there’s really no way to be completely prepared. Late nights, diapers, reading “Goodnight Moon” and “Green Eggs & Ham” thousands of times, buying bigger shoes every few months, the list never ends. Parents want their children to grow up to be good, successful adults but it can be difficult to know what to do or how.
Children depend on their parents for everything. It is up to parents, then, to give their children the very best they can: healthy food, clean clothes, good moral lessons and the best education. Good parents work hard to make sure their children are polite, that they know how to tie their shoes and dress themselves. Parents read to their children, helping them learn their letters and numbers and to speak well. All this effort is in preparation for the Big Day when their child will head out into the world and go to school.
The first day of school is a milestone in a child’s (and a parent’s) life. New clothes, a new backpack filled with fresh paper and pencils. That first day is exciting for the whole family. Will the child be happy? Will they make good friends? Will they like their teacher? So many questions, so many unknowns. The truth is, most parents feel they have little or no control over their child’s school experience. They stand at the curb, waving to their child, fervently praying everything will go well.
So, what can parents do to ensure a positive school experience?
Actually, there is a lot they can do. Knowledge is power. The Internet provides a medium in which parents can research all of their school options. There are websites that offer parents access to the various schools in their area and to compare notes with other parents about the focus, philosophy, programs, achievements and challenges faced by each school.
As every parent knows, each child is different. What works for one may not work for another. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to education. Some children need to be nurtured while others need to be challenged. Some children thrive under military school discipline while others would wither and fail. Parents need to ask themselves if their child would do better in a large school or a small school. Does the child have special interests or needs? Only with the answers to questions like these can parents select the best school for their child.
School review sites provide parents with a forum where they can learn about each school’s philosophy of education and any special programs they might offer. School profiles gives parents access to the information needed to make the best choice. How is literacy developed at each school? What physical education and extracurricular activities are offered? Are the school’s teams well organized and successful or are they neglected and under-funded? What clubs are available? What forms of technology being used and taught at each school? Does the school have a traditional approach to teaching or do they use an alternative approach? How does each school promote the fine arts? Do they have a drama club or student chorus? What about transportation and bus service?
School profiles can also be used to view student diversity, school calendars, teacher-student ratios, faculty, student performance data, class sizes, before and after school programs, teacher development programs, academic resources, availability of tutoring programs, administrative leadership, enrollment procedures and fees, class placement and parental involvement opportunities.
Schools can be searched by a variety of criteria including location, type of school and parent ratings. School profiles should include the school’s address and phone number, communities served, homepage information and parent reviews. The best sites offer viewers an opportunity to post their own personal reviews. Each addition to this kind of knowledge base provides parents with the information they need to make an informed decision about where their child will succeed academically.
Each parent knows what works best for their child. School review sites make the information parents need about schools more easily accessible and empower them to make the best decision possible for their child’s education.
Rado Lang
http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/what-can-parents-do-to-ensure-a-positive-school-experience-for-their-children-741284.html
angelangelsvideo’s webcam video May 21, 2010, 03:15 AMWhat Does an Independent Junior School Education Offer?
Independent Junior Schools offer a broad curriculum, specialist teaching, small classes, a fantastic range of facilities, wholesome food, teacher-parent partnerships and a huge focus on the development of the individual child academically, socially and spiritually.
On receiving a prospectus from an independent school it will often say that they offer a broad curriculum, but what does this mean? The broad curriculum relates to what the children will do in school. As well as offering the core subjects most independent schools offer much more.
Art, drama, languages, design technology, music, Latin, religious education, personal, social, and health education, physical education and games are some of the things common to the curriculum. Within these subject areas will be additional disciplines. In music, for example children will have access to individual music lessons. The instruments and teaching are supplied by the school at no cost to parents. Specialist choral training and opportunities to perform in a range of contexts, all from an early age are all on offer. It is common for games to be undertaken every day and form a core part of the daily routine, promoting fitness, working as a team and contributing to a healthy lifestyle. The teaching of foreign languages often begins at an early age. French is the most common but I have known Spanish and Chinese also to be undertaken.
The term ’specialist teaching’ often crops up in a prospectus and is a core aspect of the Independent School way of life. This term relates to teachers and how the children are taught. Instead of having a single teacher who teaches them for all subjects, Independent Schools organise their curriculum so teachers who are specialists in their subjects (i.e. their first degree is in the subject they teach) undertake tuition of the pupils. For example a science teacher will teach all the science lessons and so the children receive input from a teacher who has outstanding subject knowledge. Depending on the school this may range from one or two subjects being taught by specialists to the whole curriculum. The level of subject input the pupils get is second to none often resulting in a higher level of understanding being achieved by the pupils.
Coupled with outstanding teaching are small classes. Class sizes often range from eight to twenty children per class but are on average around fourteen to eighteen. This enables an enormous amount of interaction between the teacher and pupil and also enables children to contribute to all aspects of class life without having to struggle to be heard or seen. This single fact allows teachers to develop outstanding relationships with pupils and help them to become good citizens.
When introducing reading to young children the ability to spend a great deal of time individually with them empowers all children to develop confidence and the necessary decoding skills needed for future development. Small classes enable teachers to provide the necessary attention required for the acquisition of this important skill. As the child is working in a one-to-one situation, the teacher is able to establish a unique programme of development for that child which enables him or her to develop exactly the skills they need.
You may have wondered why I have mentioned wholesome food. In this world where we are all bombarded by advertisements for all kinds of foods it is essential to teach children the importance of good, wholesome food. School lunches have had bad press recently but not all schools are the same. Some schools have stuck to their guns and have always offered their pupils a good, healthy balanced diet without the threat of the vending machine! Staff also play their part when they sit with the children for lunch and discuss worldly affairs and guide children into choosing a healthy meal.
Of course, one of the most important parts of a child’s education is their parents. Schools only have children for part of the day therefore it is essential that parents play their part. Parents are usually always welcome in a Prep school environment. Teachers pride themselves on the relationships they establish with parents and the role they are encouraged to play. A good school will foster good relationships with parents and guide them on how they can play their part in the development of the whole child.
When you visit an Independent School with a view to placing your child or children, discover whether the education on offer really does offer a broad curriculum. Is it taught by specialists in an environment supported by outstanding facilities where excellent pastoral care supports each child’s moral and spiritual development coupled with an individual learning plan ensuring a tailored education?
Jo-Ro Haffenden
http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/what-does-an-independent-junior-school-education-offer-706655.html
How hard is it to get in to a Drama school?
Well, I’ve always want be actor but in my area the drama group is full and my school doesn’t do drama at all. It doesn’t even do school shows anymore. I was wondering if it would still be able to get into a BA acting course without any experience.
It’s hard. In the UK the acceptance rate is between 2 & 10% but don’t let lack of experience put you off. They are looking for potential – they are there to train you, not employ you and so are looking at how they think you can be developed.
A couple of links from the UK – although not directly relevant to the US I’m sure there are a lot more similarities than differences (with the obvious exception of available funding)
General info on drama training:
http://www.ncdt.co.uk/
More specific information on auditioning:
http://ncdt.co.uk/files/NCDTAuditionsBrochure.pdf
The below is an excerpt from the above PDF
"Don’t be tempted to exaggerate or invent what you have done before. If the school
knows that you have limited experience they will take this into consideration. The course
tutors are expert at spotting potential and suitability for training. They are not looking
for a finished product."
Good luck