theview
November 2018
.com
Page 15
arlington high
Congressman
Kustoff Visits
AHS for National
Principal
Shadowing
Week
AHS Presents The Wizard of Oz
Story and Photos by Jackson Norman, AHS Tiger Life Staff Writer
Special to THE VIEW 38002
Special to THE VIEW 38002
U.S. Congressman David
Kustoff visited Arlington High
School last month to shadow
Principal Chris Duncan as part of
the National Principal Shadowing
Week.
Rep. Kustoff, congressman for
Tennessee’s 8th Congressional
District, first met with Principal
Duncan to talk about the latest in
education and how schools have
adapted overtime to meet the
needs of students. He then toured
several classrooms, meeting with
teachers and speaking to students
about the importance of voting
and making the best of
educational opportunities.
“I am really impressed with
Arlington High School, from the
administration to the teachers to
the students,” Kustoff said. “It’s a
first-class,
well-run
school
system, and the children are just
getting a terrific education in
Arlington.”
Rep. Kustoff specifically
pointed to the STEM IV class he
visited for placing an emphasis on
hands-on,
interactive
and
challenging
learning
opportunities.
“Some of the work I’ve seen
today is absolutely amazing,” he
continued. “Schools weren’t
doing this 5, 10 years ago.
Schools today need to be teaching
and training the students for the
jobs of tomorrow, and it’s
apparent Arlington is doing that.”
Student designs
artwork for
upcoming Wizard of
Oz performance
Most know the story of the
Wizard of Oz well. The tale of
the girl from Kansas longing
to find her way home has
been adapted countless times
through the years, from book
to movie, even its own
Broadway adaptation.
We’re off to see the wizard
this fall with Arlington High
School’s fall production of The
Wizard of Oz. This production
is being directed by new AHS
Theatre Director Cynthia
Wieland,
alongside
new
Assistant Director
and Film Teacher Patrick
Ashbee.
This production features a
cast of approximately thirty-
five people. AHS Senior
Samantha Mulder, who is
playing the cowardly lion, is
excited about this year’s
production. “Even though the
Wizard of Oz isn’t what we are
submitting to the High School
Musical Theatre Awards show,
expect to see award winning
material,” she says. Tori
Morrison, the AHS Senior who
won the lead of Dorothy in the
show, says “I think this show
is gonna be above and beyond
any other show we’ve done in
the past. Mrs. Wieland’s vision
is very extravagant and
extremely refreshing.”
Both actresses also had
positive things to say about
their fellow cast members,
“There are so many new
people and I am overwhelmed
with kindness and support. I
really believe this will be one
of our best groups so far,” says
Samantha
Mulder.
“I’m
extremely excited to get to
know my fellow cast members.
They’re all so talented,”
bragged Tori Morrison.
Rehearsals began in early
September, and technical
design and construction of the
set has started. Arlington High
School’s production dates of
Wizard of Oz are November 8
– November 11. Tickets are $
for 15 adults and $12 for
seniors and children under 10.
This fall, Dorothy will
leave Kansas once again as
the Arlington High School
Student Theatre takes on the
iconic story. “Everything in
the show is made or
performed by students,” said
AHS junior Elizabeth Acton,
pictured below, who’s serving
many roles in the play from
paint crew chief to actress.
“All of the technical pieces,
the artwork, the performances
– it will all be student lead.”
Photo Courtesy of ACS
That includes the show’s
poster artwork, which Acton
commissioned last month to
help with the announcement.
Like Technicolor did for the
1939 MGM film, Acton’s
poster artwork is already
bringing the show to life
through its vivid colors and
storytelling style.
“I began with the idea of
the yellow brick road,” Acton
explained. “The yellow brick
road is so iconic so I built
around it by having the four
friends heading towards Oz.”
Acton said she had a
certain creative process when
mapping out this design. She
started with a clean page in
her sketchbook. One after
another, she drew her ideas on
paper, ending up with 30 to 40
different sketches before
making her decision. “It was
really overwhelming at first,”
she said about the decision.
“It’s such an iconic story with
many aspects, but I ended up
liking this one because it
shows
the
witch
encompassing everything and
everyone.”