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Volume 80 No. 6
Grimsley High School
801 Westover Terrace
Greensboro, NC 27408
Friday, February 27,2004
Junior wins annual school-wide
Shakespeare recitation contest
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Sophomore testing
creates heated debate
While many argue that
the practice competency
test sophomores took
will prepare them for the
real exam, others say
that it just wastes
valuable class time.
By Brian Gould
Staff Writer
The sophomore class will
be given a comprehensive test
later this year to determine if
students can graduate.
Sophomores have recently
taken a practice comprehen
sive test to prepare for the re
quired exam.
However, the days missed
due to inclement weather,
along with many other distrac
tions from the normal class
schedule, have caused some
to question the wisdom of two
mornings devoted to
faux-testing.
The practice test was taken
Wednesday, February 4, and
Thursday, February 5, during
first and second periods.
Freshmen, juniors, and
seniors only missed
second periods.
Sophomores missed two
periods, which concerned
many teachers and students
who need class time to make
up the missed material from
snow days.
“The practice tests were
pointless. [The tests] made
sophomores miss first and
second period for two con
secutive days, which put us
back on our work,” said
sophomore Chris Lutz.
The missed classes are not
the only source of unease for
students. English and math
teachers have stressed the
importance of these tests as
imperative to a student’s abil
ity to graduate.
“I think we should prepare
for them within English or
math once a week if the 10th
grade competency test is that
important. We take plenty of
standardized tests as it is, but
I’m not sure if that will ever
change,” said sophomore
Mary Grace Miller.
Though some sophomores
are anxious about the actual
tests later this year, many stu
dents view it as another re
dundant test that will be eas
ily passed.
“We’ve taken so many
tests like this that we’ve been
prepared. [All that should be
done] is review; I don’t think
we need to practice,” said
sophomore Rachel Higgins.
English teachers also ex
press opinions on the tests
because they not only have
to prepare 10'" graders for the
Continued on page 2
Lauren Wagoner, the
winner out of six
students, will continue
to the county-wide
competition and hopes
to go as far as last year’s
winner. Jack McDonald,
who placed second in
the nation.
By Sarah Hampton Cheatham
Copy Editor
Rodriguez photo
Six competitors in Grimsley’s annual Shakespeare recitation competition line up on stage to
take a bow after their performances. Junior Lauren Wagoner, second from left, won the contest
and will continue to the county-wide competition.
On February 11, junior
Lauren Wagoner won
Grimsley’s annual school-wide
Shakespeare Recitation Com
petition with a monologue
from “The Taming of
the Shrew.”
Meghan Hoffman came in
second, and Kelsey Simmons
took third.
In addition to the three
placers, Lacie Katz, Zach
Brown, and Kathleen Casto
also participated.
Though some contestants
participated mainly for Mrs.
Angie Kratzer’s extra credit in
centive—all six participants
were her students—others
took advantage of the oppor
tunity to practice their acting
and gain exposure to new
types of theatre.
“I am interested in acting,
and Shakespearian acting is a
type I’d never done before, so
I wanted to try it,” said Wag
oner. “I really just wanted to
expand my acting skills, but
the extra credit was certainly
an added bonus.”
“I do a lot of theater, and
this was another outlet for me.
Shakespeare is unlike any
other writing out there, and it’s
definitely an experience to per
form his works,” said Hoffman.
Mrs. Kratzer, the competi
tion organizer, feels that the
contest is a positive experi
ence for all students, not just
actors looking to perfect
their craft.
“Students need exposure
to literature that authors fre
quently make allusions to in
their works,” said Kratzer. “I
think students should take
advantage of every public
speaking opportunity given
to them.”
Wagoner will compete at
the county level on March 6.
If she makes it to the nation
wide competition, she will
travel to New York to compete
on the stage of the famous
Lincoln Center. If she wins
the national contest. Wagoner
will receive an all-expense paid
trip to England this summer.
“I’m very nervous about
the county contest,” said
Wagoner. “My win here was
very unexpected, and I’ll be up
against much more experi
enced students. But you
never know. I’ll just have to
see what happens. I only hope
I can uphold the reputation
set by Jack McDonald, last
year’s winner.”
Quarter Update
Third Quarter
End of Quarter: March 19
Fourth Quarter
Interim Reports: April 6
Prom: May 14
Graduation: May 23
End of Quarter: May 26
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News 1
Opinion 3
Features 5
Sports 11