Ms. Roediger in the art room

There are a lot of teachers out there on planet Earth. In fact, in the United States alone, there are 6.2 million teachers, 71 percent of whom are women, according to the U.S. Census. However, not all teachers manage to paint, sculpt, do metalwork and run the Student Activities Board all while having over 150 students. Not all teachers do all of this and run marathons on the side. Not all teachers are as unique as Ms. Roediger. Most University High School students know Ms. Roediger as Ms. Stuart’s counterpart in Freshman Western Civilization or the AP Studio Art teacher. Ms. Roediger does all of this and manages to find the time to pursue her other passions which include running and art.

In fact, Ms. Roediger has been running marathons for “about eighteen years” but she says that “I’ve been running regularly in the mornings for about 25 years, since my daughter was five.” When Ms. Roediger first started running, she would run with her three dogs and sometimes her sons. Ms. Roediger has participated in numerous marathons before, but plans to keep running; she has another marathon coming up soon. On May 1, Ms. Roediger will be a runner in the Whiskey Row Marathon that is held in Prescott. The Whiskey Row Marathon is the oldest marathon held in Arizona, but oldest definitely does not mean easiest. The race starts at an elevation of 5,280 feet and “the elevation is going to go up 7500 feet,” Ms. Roediger said. She says that “it’s an altitude test.” Runners that run at high altitudes have to adjust to the reduced oxygen levels, which can be extremely challenging. Ms. Roediger has been training “since January” and she’s not racing alone. Her husband is going to be racing along with her. To train, Ms. Roediger and her husband have been practicing on the weekends and focusing on hills. Ms. Roediger says, “Usually one day a week we do sprints at the school, early in the morning.” Not only is Ms. Roediger a runner but she says, “I’m always cross training with swimming.” Along with swimming Ms. Roediger does yoga and she says that her favorite yoga move is the pigeon. When asked what her breakfast of champions is, Ms. Roediger goes for a simple, reliable choice: oatmeal with soy milk and a banana.

When Ms. Roediger is not running across mountain trails or teaching, she runs the Student Activities Board.  She has been doing this for six years. Ms. Roediger says that, “It’s my last year.” The Student Activities Board has done many great things for the school like raising money for prom and planning University High School’s other events such as the Inaugural Ball. So, who would take her place? “I hope Rhiannon Patrick takes it,” says Ms. Roediger. “Just like any club the amount of time put in is squished,” she says. Ms. Roediger understands the amount of work put into clubs because she says, “Since my daughter was a freshman, I’ve been doing extracurricular for the high schools.” This adds up to twelve years. To sum her experience as the Student Activities Board advisor, Ms. Roediger says, “It’s been a thrill, but it’s time. Six years is good.”

Another one of Ms. Roediger’s multiple identities is an art teacher. Surprisingly, she says, “Drawing, I did not learn for quite a while.” Ms. Roediger focused on art in college and was exposed to a multitude of mediums like clay and metal. Her favorite medium, she says, “besides mixed compositions, is oil and pastels.” Ms. Roediger has a passion for teaching students art, but she does have a least favorite part: attendance. She says with a laugh, “I hate it every year; that’s what I’m going to work on.” However, “the seating chart does help.” Ms. Roediger teaches two periods that hold 60 students. Although this is a lot of students, “what helps is the art grading.” Ms. Roediger ends on an appreciative note by saying, “Besides the students that I work with I am assured that all the teachers I work with are doing the best that they can do. Everybody is doing their ‘do’. It’s a nice place to be in that respect.”

Wednesday after school seems an ordinary enough afternoon; students hurry home to savor as much “early out” time as they can while teachers mosey on over to their weekly staff meetings to discuss the future of University High School, but if you were to stop and listen before rushing to the parking lots, you would hear the bizarre, spellbinding sound of none other than bagpipes coming from the South Gym. Sam Leopold-Sullivan, a UHS senior, is the person behind the blowpipe. Every Wednesday, she practices with her fellow piper, or bagpipe player, Collin Stewart, in the field area behind the North Gym both for fun and in preparation for the rehearsal with her band, the Hugh O’Conor Memorial Pipe band, every Thursday evening. In 2005, when Sam was in middle school, she made the decision to take up bagpipes. “I decided to learn an instrument, and I loved Celtic music, so it was between, fiddle, drums, and bagpipes,” she said. When she saw pipers playing in the St. Patrick’s Day parade that year, she was sold.

Bagpipes are ancient instruments with uncertain history and origin, but are most renowned in the British Isles of Ireland and Scotland, where they have a rich cultural significance. The four-part instrument, which is traditionally played to provide music for dancing, has made resurgence in modern culture, and pipers and pipe bands are becoming increasingly popular. “It has nine notes,” Sam said, “so you don’t have to worry about sharps and flats and you don’t have to read music.”

For the past five years, Sam has been mastering the art of piping with incredible success. Two weeks ago, Sam and her pipe band traveled north to compete in five events in the annual Phoenix Highland Games, coming home with astounding victory. They received first place in the classical music of the bagpipe, called the Piobaireachd, and several second, third, and fourth places in other events including the two-four march, Timed Medley and the Jig.

Beyond bagpipes, Sam is one of University High School’s most popular knitters. She attends knitting club every Tuesday after school, is often seen wearing garments of her own creation, and is even rumored to be knitting a hat for English teacher David Herring. Sam is able to take her love of knitting to her place of work, Kiwi Knitting, where she sells knitting accessories and teaches customers how to knit. Aside from all of the accessories she creates, Sam was voted “Most Knit” in the 2009-2010 Senior Superlatives by her fellow seniors, and will be recognized in the 09-10 yearbook for her talent in the hobby.

Next year, Sam will leave Tucson to study Art and Environmental Science at Macalester College, a private Liberal Arts school in St. Paul, Minnesota, but before she goes, she has a lot to do. This Sunday, her Hugh O’Conor Memorial Pipe Band will be performing in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and she has upcoming piping competitions in which she will solo compete. Her band is also recording for their latest CD this week.

Sam has had a wonderful career at UHS, and has nothing other than a bright future in front of her. With such unique hobbies and interests, she is more than worthy of recognition, but at the end of the day, she says, “Thanks for wanting to learn about me, I’m glad I’m interesting enough.”

The R/UHS Drama Club hams it up

After school on a seemingly ordinary Tuesday afternoon, the whole school is empty and quiet. That is, excluding the Little Theater. Every Tuesday afternoon, from three to four, the University/Rincon High Drama Club holds its meetings in the Little Theater. The Drama Club completely contrasts the school’s quiet, calm atmosphere and creates its own organized chaos. In one corner of the Little Theater, a girl picks out her dress for the upcoming Variety Show and in the opposite end someone is up in the tech booth, working the lights. All of this goes on while two boys on stage are practicing a song.  Yet everyone’s individual business connects somehow, and at the snap of a finger everybody comes together to practice a song.

Drama teacher Maryann Green is the Drama club’s proud advisor. Before this year, the Drama Club has been “a little spotty,” Green says, but “this is the first year with a true core group.”  There are many things the Drama Club has to offer.  Currently, the club is “working on a Variety Show and for Valentine’s Day we’re hoping to have a Sonnet Sale where people can buy a Sonnet for someone special and the actors from the Cast of thousands will come and recite them during class,” says Green.  Green admits that the group spends a little bit of time goofing off, but tells prospective club members to “Come every Tuesday even if we’re not being productive.”  Green also says, “I’m really excited about what’s coming up. We’re pretty laid back and not as much of a time commitment.” When asked what it takes to become a professional actor, Mrs. Green jokes, “Act more, suck less.” On a more serious note, she advises to “work in the theatre whenever you can.” Drama Club provides the perfect opportunity.

The student members seem to love Drama Club just as much as Mrs. Green does.  Rincon High freshman Cameron Tresswell says, “It’s a lot of fun because you get to hang out with your friends.” University High senior Briana Corkill says, “Drama Club is more relaxed than the class and we have more say in what we get to do.” Drama Club is “a really good thing to do,” and, “it looks good on transcripts and you get the opportunity to meet new people,” says Rincon sophomore Janelle Effiwatt, who is also a member of her school’s Student Council. When asked why she decided to join Drama Club, University High freshman Kristina Tharpe says, “I was in Drama in Middle School and I really wanted to add more Drama to my life,” (the theatre kind, of course).

Drama club appeals to all different types of people. Acting is only one of the components of Drama Club. Rincon student Karysta Srieblime works with the technical aspect of the theater. She says, “I haven’t been in tech for very long but it’s a really big contribution because it brings out more of the play than just acting alone.” Normally, Srieblime would be on the stage acting, but she says, “Getting a chance to do lighting is not something I would normally do.”Both Briana Corkill and Janelle Effiwatt are Drama Club officers. “Basically I come to meetings and report it to the class,” says Effiwatt. Corkill was recently put in charge of the upcoming vaudeville show, and contributed by holding auditions and getting others involved. “It’s pretty awesome,” she says with a smile. Kristina Tharpe’s passion is acting and she says, “I love going through the costume room and making individual personalities.”

The University/Rincon High School Drama Club is more like a big family than just a club dedicated to drama.  University High freshman Alyssa Clark says, “It’s a lot of fun. We get to see people from Rincon and people in different social circles. We’re all friends.” When asked what advice they would give to people who want to get involved the members gave a variety of answers.  Effiwat advises to “Work really hard, do your best and get as involved as you can.” “Do any drama you can. If you like it, just do it. There’s more to the theatre than just acting and drama club needs more people,” says Corkill.  Srieblime says, “Bring an open mind an open spirit because in the end, it’s absolutely amazing.” If you want to become a part of the Drama Club, do not hesitate. Tharpe says, “Come to drama club! Try your hardest and have fun with it.” Corkill says, “Show up any Tuesday,” and “Don’t be scared we’re all friendly.” Even if you decide not to join, keep an eye out for the upcoming vaudeville/variety show and the sonnet sales in February.

Ryanhood was invited by Students Against Destructive Decisions (S.A.D.D.)  to host Battle of the Bands Friday night in the Rincon/University auditorium where seven bands went head to head in a rock out frenzy. First place earned five hours of recording time at Allusion Studio, and of course, bragging rights. All of the competing bands were talented but only one drew inspiration from the Jurassic period.

It takes quite a bit of brain power to come up with a band name like Jurassic Parking Lot, no question about it, but it takes four well practiced musicians devoted to creating original music to win a cutthroat competition. Jurassic Parking Lot is comprised of lead singer and guitarist, Elliott Morse, drummer, Zach Wojtowicz, lead guitarist Chad Vietti and Phil Hielman on bass.

They had planned on “wingin” their performance, but really, in anticipation of the battle, Elliott scoped out his opponents on Myspace as well as posted and re-posted his bands website, http://www.myspace.com/jurassicparkinglot three or four hundred times a day on Facebook in order to increase popularity and establish a group of Jurassic Parking Lot lobbyists. In addition to politics, it took passion and countless hours of practice to win.

Zach has only been playing the drums two years but practices the most out of his bandmates.  His rhythms are a tremendous ingredient in the euphonious music the band creates—they are unique, complex, and extra loud. When asked how he expected Battle of the Bands to turn out he answered, “They’re all better than us, but we’re gonna win.” He was confident in Chad and Elliott, who have been guitarists for over a decade, in Phil who has been playing bass five years, and in their originality and hard work.

They put in several hours and string multiple ideas together in order to meet their musical standards. The most important aspect of creating pre-historic new music is the originality factor. Jurassic Parking Lot pledges to focus on making music that has intrinsic value—music with both instrumental and lyrical meaning. The band believes that music is a “fun way to create art” and has found it to be a habitual outlet for expression. When asked if they have a formulaic approach to constructing music they answered like true pragmatists—they do whatever works, exploring every possible approach to music making. No formula’s, no rules. They just want to be proud of the music they orchestrate and they want to have fun doing it. Incorporating each musicians musical tastes, however, is a difficult task.

It took roughly a year to agree on an overall sound and it takes several days of debate and compromise to write a single song. Luckily, in the end, the four members always find themselves at a consensus. All of them agree that “The Problem” is their favorite Jurassic Parking Lot song. It took a combined effort to develop and it holds an enormous emotional significance to the band. It began as a guitar melody and grew to be a truly original piece. It’s the kind of song that gets stuck in your head and you can’t stop yourself from singing it and nobody around you asks you to stop singing it because they like the way it sounds. It evokes the exact response any band would want and need to survive a Battle of the Bands competition. Maybe that’s why they chose to play it last Friday night. The audience absolutely loved it. Many leaped  on stage enthusiastically, danced with the band, and ran around the stage with bright cut-out dinosaur signs. Elliott’s posts had obviously worked.

Jurassic Parking Lot is anxious to get in the music studio and produce more tracks. Keep an eye out for them in upcoming performances, or book a gig with them, whatever the venue they are sure to  deliver a star quality performance.

Athena Myers is a senior at UHS and is passionate about putting words into action. She is the president of New Global Citizens and member of Key Club—two advocacy and volunteer clubs offered at University—as well as a member of Beth Braun’s organization, Esperanza. After, as Athena calls it, “ninja-ing” the members of SAB into a consensus, she contacted Tucson Clean and Beautiful. She hoped to add some green to the black and white scene by making recycle bins accessible throughout campus. Both representatives Athena spoke with had personal ties to the campus and were more than willing to help. This surprised Athena since she figured Tucson Clean and Beautiful was a busy organization and would have a difficult time getting back to her. She was even more delighted when they offered to donate the bins at no cost. That is, except for the cost of manual labor.

Yes, that’s right, SAB members are responsible for taking out the bins when they need to be emptied and stationing them at various places around campus. Though it may be a burden, it is a small price to pay for a less grotesque campus, Athena said. When I asked whether she believed the project was a success Athena stated that she did indeed feel that there was an improvement but also stressed the importance of knowing what and how to properly recycle.

“Most people just don’t know what to do,” she said, and mentioned two common recycling errors. In order to be accepted boxes must be completely flattened and if placing items into a bag the bag cannot be black. Black trash bags are not acceptable because improper items like dead animals can be hidden in them.

Tucson Clean and Beautiful has addressed this issue by adhering flyers to each recycling bin lid. These flyers contain instructions and a list of recyclable materials. This flyer along with other recycling information can be found at tucsonrecycles.org.