Cabaret is Coming

Cabaret is Coming

Skyler Powers

The much-anticipated Cabaret Night is this upcoming Saturday, April 1st, at 7 pm in Homer High School’s new gymnasium. This night is very special because it showcases the talents of Homer students from multiple schools. Every year, Cabaret offers performances from the best musical groups that Homer has to offer. Some favorites include the Ruby Rhythms, the Blue Notes, the Men in Black, the High School and Junior High Jazz Band, and the Soul Singers. Cabaret also gives individual students and groups a chance to shine, as there are several soloist and group performances. On top of all that, you can enjoy these wonderful performances while eating delicious desserts made and served by gracious volunteers. All proceeds from Cabaret Night will go to the Homer Music Boosters, so come and enjoy! It is is a great way to watch stellar performances, eat delicious desserts, and support the district’s music program.   

“This Changes Everything”

“This Changes Everything”

Sophia Thomas

Homer High School welcomes the new addition of a Bible-study group based on the Book of James. The group is called FCS, Fellowship of Christian Students, led by Sophia Thomas and Andrew Fagerheim, both of whom are dedicated to exploring God’s Word with fellow students. The group meets every Thursday during 9th period in Mrs. Burghardt’s room, 215. Each week FCS discusses what it means to live as a Christian in a public high school. In particular, topics include faith and works, joy in pain, and a life of consistency. During meetings, we watch short video clips and then discuss them. All are welcome to the meetings. Homer students are guaranteed a great time learning about God’s Word with a welcoming group of fellow students.  

Beauty and the Beast Review

Beauty and the Beast Review

Skyler Powers

The original animated version of Beauty and the Beast received critical acclaim upon its 1991 release, and it went on to be the first and only animated film ever nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It has since become a Disney classic that has made its way into the hearts and minds of adults and children across the world. It was very exciting when Disney announced that it was making a live-action version of the beloved classic. Early trailers and promotional videos made it look promising and controversy surrounding it catapulted it into the media. This only helped the film gain awareness; it quickly became the number-one movie in the world upon its release.  

All controversies aside, this movie did not fail to impress me. It was extremely well-made and it was a truly spell-binding experience. If you are looking for a complete reimagining with an altered plot, then this movie will disappoint you. While there are a fair share of minor changes and an addition of some new scenes and songs, the overall plot is essentially the same. It is basically a live-action remake of the animated original. If you are okay with that, then this movie will surely impress you. The acting in this film is wonderful and the casting was on-point. Emma Watson was a perfect choice for Belle, as was Luke Evans for Gaston. The classic songs are well sung and the new songs only benefit it. I would even go so far as to say that the choreography is superior in this version.

Everything else about the movie is impressive too. The set design, costume design, and special effects are all intricately detailed and very beautiful. You really feel like you are in eighteenth century France. The camera work is also impressive and the sound design is really deserving of praise. The film was extremely well made and was very engaging.  

Filmmaking and acting aside, this film has also been subject to immense controversy.  Some people have begun boycotting the movie, or even Disney as a whole, and some countries have even banned the movie from theaters. All of this controversy surrounds one aspect of the movie: the character Le Fou. Le Fou happens to be the first openly gay character in a Disney film, and this has caused both some serious backlash. As a supporter of LGBT rights, I had no issue with Disney including a gay character, as long as it was kept to a family-friendly level. I saw the inclusion of a gay character as a great effort by Disney to diversify their cinematic universe and take a political stance that could increase awareness about the LGBT rights movement.

Due to the excessive backlash, I was expecting a very bold scene or message. Why else would there be be so much controversy? After seeing the movie, however, I can say that the way Disney included this gay character deserves no controversy. Without spoiling anything, there are some subtle references that most likely children won’t pick up on, but they are by no means inappropriate. There is one scene near the end of the movie, but it only lasts for a couple seconds. It is basically a single camera shot, but it is by no means inappropriate. It is completely family friendly. I saw this movie with a group of people; they believed that the controversy was unnecessary and were expecting something much more “out there.” In fact, my mom did not even notice the scene.

At the end of the day, this movie was extremely well-made and very entertaining. It did the original justice while adding some nice new touches to make the experience a little bit different. If you are thinking about seeing this movie, I wholeheartedly suggest that you do, and I hope that you do not let the pointless controversy stop you. It truly is a real treat to watch.      

Youth and Government Conference

Youth and Government Conference

Catarina Kruman

The 2017 Youth and Government conference was a success! YMCA Youth and Government, also known as YAG, is a nationwide program that teaches students across the U.S. about the importance of democracy. Teens meet at their local YMCA to debate issues that citizens are facing. Members can choose to join the judicial branch and see what it is like to be an actual attorney and argue a case. Another choice is the legislative branch; you can propose your own bill which could even become a law! YAG helps teens nationwide learn about their government and actively participate and use their voice. After all their hard work throughout the year, members travel to the New York State capital, Albany, and test their voices in actual Senate and court rooms. On Friday, March 10th, students left school early and spent a weekend meeting like-minded individuals who want to make a difference. This conference helps future leaders develop their skills and confidence in the hopes of being able to better serve their community.

Homer Artist Wins Nationals

Homer Artist Wins Nationals

Stephen C. Hyde

Meagan Condie is a senior at Homer High School. Condie has been creating art since freshman year. It was just last year, however, that she realized it was her passion. Last year Condie received a gold key for her art at the Central New York Scholastics. This year, she won much more. She received a silver key for her eight-piece portfolio; one piece received a silver key, and another two were awarded golden keys. Her skull drawing also received the best drawing in the show. Her skull was selected as one of five drawings to move to nationals for the American New Visions award. When the national judging was done, Condie's skull piece was selected as the winner of the American New Visions award. In June 2017, Meagan will go to Carnegie Hall in New York City, where the award ceremony will take place. Scholastics will hold onto her piece and place it in an undetermined art gallery.  

This is not the end of Condie’s art career. In the fall of 2017, she will be attending Alfred University for art. She has received the art portfolio scholarship, one of the hardest to receive at the University. Meagan has also been chosen to draw the new design for the Homer High School diplomas. The members of The Olympian wish Meagan Condie luck as she continues her art career.  

                 

AP U.S. History Students Are Hunting Communists

AP U.S. History Students Are Hunting Communists

Skyler Powers

Mrs. Knight’s AP U.S. History (APUSH) classes are currently learning about the Cold War. In order to bring a little fun into the time-consuming and challenging class, Mrs. Knight is having her students gather “evidence” to accuse their fellow classmates of being communists.

The activity is inspired by the practice of McCarthyism, named for former Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy. He made a name for himself in the 1950s by accusing innocent people of being communists with little-to-no legitimate evidence. McCarthyism is defined as the politically motivated practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. This activity is very much a satire of the practice and some of the communist “giveaways” are purposely made to be more ridiculous that the actual ones that McCarthy used. That being said, the main concept remains the same and students are allowed to do anything that McCarthy would do.

Some of the “giveaways” include wearing red, talking to one’s locker, spending time in the library, sending text messages, wearing sneakers, participating in after-school activities, possessing potatoes, writing or passing notes, winking, high fives, and bringing a packed lunch. Each class also came up with a small list of their own unique giveaways to make the activity a little more fun.  

Each APUSH student drew the name of a classmate and is expected to legally spy on that classmate and gather evidence of communist behavior. The students will then compile this “evidence” into a dossier and present their findings to the class. To support their dossier, students are expected to have three pieces of written evidence, two pictures, and two miscellaneous items. Just like McCarthy, however, they can forge the evidence.

This activity is a fun way for APUSH students to learn about American history and the concept of McCarthyism. The upcoming presentations are sure to be amusing.     

Casino Night

Casino Night

Skyler Powers

Casino Night, one of Homer High School’s most popular events, is only a few weeks away! This year, the event will be held on Friday, March 31st, from 8-11 pm. Tickets will be sold ahead of time for $10 and at the door for $12. It is sure to be a fun night filled with food, games, prizes, and dancing. Be sure to come out and have a fun night of games and dancing! The event is sponsored by Homer High School’s Student Government, and all proceeds go to them. Don’t forget to buy your tickets ahead of time to save some money! This event is sure to be a blast, and it is a great way to support a Homer High School club!   

Reed About Politics: Homer Prepares for Mayoral Election

Reed About Politics: Homer Prepares for Mayoral Election

Reed Cleland

When it comes to politics, every voice matters.

We have all seen the signs popping up around town. On March 21st, residents of Homer, New York, will determine the identity of their next mayor!

Our nation operates on a two-party system. From presidents to school board members, politicians of every level tend to identify as either a Republican or a Democrat. This will hold true with Homer’s two mayoral candidates.

Hoping to win re-election is current Republican Mayor Genevieve Suits. Suits is hoping to turn out her loyal supporters who have kept her in office since 2011.

The challenger is Democrat Darren “Hal” McCabe. He is hoping to mobilize support by emphasizing his political background and service as the Outreach Director for Cornell University’s FarmNet.

Elections will be held in the Paul Hill Memorial Community Building, located behind the Homer Fire Station. There seems to be a lot riding on this election, as the previous one was decided by fifteen votes.

When it comes to politics, every voice matters.      

Seussical Review

Seussical Review

Skyler Powers

Every year, Homer High School puts on one main musical production. This year’s musical was Seussical, centered around many of the famous characters created by the beloved children’s book author, Dr. Seuss. Some of the most notable characters that make an appearance are the Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz, Thing 1 and Thing 2, and Yertle the Turtle. These characters, and many more, are combined into one great story about uniqueness and respect.

This performance blew me away. The sheer talent behind the production was amazing. All of the actors and actresses were great. There was not a single bad performance. Some of the standout performances were Julia Gustafson as the Cat in the Hat, Bella Sprague as Jojo, Chris DeLage as Horton the Elephant, Maddie Kote at Gertrude McFuzz, Jenniellen Withers as Mayzie La Bird, and Kate Halstead as the Sour Kangaroo.  

The songs were outstanding as well. I was not familiar with the musical beforehand, and I did not know what to expect for songs. It turns out that this musical is filled to the brim with tons of catchy songs; they were all performed marvelously by the actors and actresses. Some of my favorites were “Oh the Thinks You Can Think,” “Biggest Blame Fool,” “Amayzing Mayzie,” “How Lucky You Are,” “Green Eggs and Ham II” and “Havin’ A Hunch.” These songs were accompanied by great choreography, as well as light and sound effects which were enhanced by the newly remodeled auditorium.  

This was probably the most visually appealing Homer musical that I have seen; it might be my favorite because of the Dr. Seuss uniqueness. I also loved how the Cat in the Hat “broke the fourth wall” throughout the play. In other words, this character knew that it was in a musical; it interacted with the audience regularly and even briefly conducted the pit orchestra. It was very unique and entertaining.

The pit orchestra played the music for all of the songs; without them, there would be no music, and they performed amazingly. The tech crew was responsible for all of the microphones and lights; without them, the musical would have been unable to function. These two groups of students made everything possible, and they enhanced the production into the amazing show it was.  

This was a wonderful production that exceeded my expectations. The choreography, music, and visuals were all spectacular! The Homer High School students performed exceptionally well.  

Seussical is Approaching

Seussical is Approaching

Reed Cleland

On Friday, March 3rd, and Saturday, March 4th, Homer High School (HHS) will be unveiling their production of Seussical!

The cast and crew have been working for many long weeks in order to make this production a success. The plot includes many beloved characters from the Dr. Seuss storybooks, such as Cat-in-the-Hat, Horton the Elephant, and Gertrude McFuzz.

There will be a total of three performances. Friday and Saturday both have evening performances at 7:00pm; Saturday also has a matinee at 2:00pm. Tickets can be bought at the door at $6 for kids and seniors, and $8 for adults.

Come see the show and all of the hard work that Homer actors, actresses, singers, dancers, and musicians have done! Good luck to the cast and crew!

Later this week, visit http://homerolympian.blogspot.com/ for an exclusive interview with a Seussical tech-crew member and an official review of the show!