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DimensionGarber High School - Home of the Dukes

December 2 0 1 3 ’ S

WiththesnowfallandseasonalcheercomesGarber’sannualholidayShow-Off.Amixtureofextraordinarymusicaltalents,dancersandentertainersmakestheirwaytothestagetoflauntwhattheyhavebeenpracticingformonthsonend.Entitled“AClassicCartoonChristmas,”thewidevarietyofactsshowcasessomeofGarber’smostcreativeindividualsandbroughtoutmanyasmileinthecrowd.Thisyear’saudiencewasincrediblyenthusiasticandjoinedintheactswhenevertheygotthechance,eithersinging“Hallelujah”withtheAlumniBandorclappingtothebeatofvariousothermusicalnumbers.

Garber’schoirs,handbellplayers,GarberGuysandLadiesGleeClubsharedthestagewithquiteafewnewfacesthisyear.The2013VarsityFootballTeamhelpedtheCheerteamtocreateanexquisitepresentationbyliftingandtossingmanyofthegirlstowardsthesky.Beginningwithafewcartwheels,theboysdidafantasticjobandtheCheerteam,asalways,wasspectacular.NextwehadmembersoftheGirlsCrossCountryTeam,whodemonstratedproofthatnotonlyaretheysuperbrunners,theycanalsoholdtheirownonthedancefloor.DancingtoaremixofthefamousLionKingopener“CircleofLife,”theteammadepowerfuluseofthefirstlyricsinthesongbyhavingcoachMarkKnappliftfreshmanJennaJeczmionkaoverhisheadtorecreatethemovie’smostfamousscene.

Theschoolboardmadequitethesplashonstagewiththeirperformanceof“Cups”fromthemoviePitchPerfectandtheirhilariousbutimpressivecostumes.ForeignLanguageDaydancersalsogottheirchancetohitthestagewitharenditionoftheiraward-winning“Señorita”dance.Thesehard-workingindividualsbroughtanexcellentbitofLatinspicetothisyear’sshow.

JohnVanDenBoom,CoordinatorandDirectoroftheHolidayShow-Off,gracedtheaudiencewithhispresencebyactingalongsideLaurenOuellette,SpencerSmigiel,AubrieSmithandothersinaCharlieBrownChristmasnumber.Playingpianoandconductingthescene,VanDenBoomwasabletogiveanincredibleperformance.RoundingofftheactswerebrilliantfluteandsaxsolosbyAmandaBrantleyandCarterSpearstadtoBeyonce’s“Halo”aswellasLydiaGreaniaplayingherbaritonetothetuneof“Demons”byImagineDragons.Garber’sdanceteamperformedalyricalroutinetotheholidayclassic,“AllIWantForChristmasIsYou.”

Allinall,thisyear’sperformancesbroughtholidaycheertoallandleftthecrowdwithsmilesallaround.Withtheadventofafewnewfaces,wehopethatthisyear’sshowwasthestartofsomenewtraditionsonthestage.

Showing Off: Garber’s Talent Hits The Stage

By Brady Kenniston

2 LOCALTheDimension-December2013

2013-2014 Dimension StaffLayout:BradyKenniston

Staff: HannahNelletBreaSiegristSienaStetsonMelanieThomasElizabethTraver

StevenAxtellCarlyGrillsOliviaGrillsAdamGuntherSpencerJohnsonAlexWhiteKaraBadour Advisor:Mrs.Bromberg

Where Have All the Bears Gone?Opinion: The Standardized Testing

Inrecentyears,bothpoliticiansandscientistshavediscussedthetopicofglobalwarming.It’sapressingissueonitswaytobeingsolved,butit’saslowprocess.Theoriginofourcurrentclimateclimbcomesfromus,humans.

Wehaveemittedsomuchcarbondioxideandhaveallowedsomuchofthegreenhousegasestobuildupinouratmospherethatthereisnowaholeinourozonelayer.Itnolongercanprotectthatareaofearthfromtheharmfulraysoftoomuchsun.Icethatwasnormallyreflectingheatbackintospaceisnowmelting.Thelandandwateritexposestrapsinheatandcausesmoreicetomelt.It’sadownwardspiral.

ThemostconcerningpartofitisthatithasaffectedthewildlifefoundneartheArcticCircle.Particularlyupsetarethelivesofpolarbears.

PolarbearsarerelativesofthegrizzlythatliveshereintheUnitedStates.Theyfeedmostlyonseals,butalsoconsumethecarcassesofwhalesandthelike.Denstypicallyaren’tapartoftheirlifestyle,althoughwhenabearhascubs,theymakethewarmabodesforthem.Theyswimbetweenicefloessearchingforfood,normallypullingsealsthathavesurfacedforairontotheicetoconsumethem.Theproblemisthattheiriceismelting.

Likethemajorityofmammals,whenpolarbearshavetoswimfortoolong,theygetexhausted.Thishasledtodrowninginsomecases.ANationalWildlifeFederationarticlestatesthat,“Afemalepolarbearreportedlyswamforninedays-nonstop-acrosstheBeaufortSeabeforereachinganicefloe,costingher22percentofherweightandhercub.”Surelythisisnottheonlycaseofitskind.

In2008,thepolarbearbecamethefirstvertebratetojointheU.S.endangeredspecieslistduetobeingatriskfromclimatechange.Themoreicemelts,thelargerthedistancethereisbetweensheets.Fewersealscanbeseenbythenewiceedge.Thebearsarebeginningtostarveforlackoffood.PolarbearswholivesouthoftheArcticCirclehavetowaitlongerforicetofreezesotheycanhunt.Inthistimetheymustfast,butthespanbetweenmealsisgrowingtoogreat.

Tolearnmoreaboutwaysyoucanhelpthisdwindlingpopulationofmagnificentbears,goonlinetohttp://bit.ly/1iNae2t

It’snottoolatetohelp;everysmallchoicemakesadifference.

Standardizedtesting.Everystudent,teacherandfacultymemberatGarberisfamiliarwiththesebeasts.Throughoutourtimeinthedistrictwearegivenanumberofthesetests,theMEAP,ACT,SAT,MME,theAPexams,andeventhosedreadedpre-testsweallgrumbleourwaythrough.Andalloftheseservesomegoodpurpose.Idounderstandthattheprogressofteacherandstudentdoesneedtobemeasured,andIfindnofaultwiththat,butatwhatpointisitbecomingjusttoomuch?

PerhapsmymainproblemlieswiththeMEAP,oratleasthowearlywestartit.Fromthetimeweareinthe3rdgrade(8yearsold)wearefocusingnearlytwowholemonthsononetest.Andtheworstpartisthattheteacherswilltellustogetagoodnight’ssleep,andeatagoodbreakfast,andwillgiveusallsortsofstudytools,andheck,weevengotagranolabarandjuiceboxonthemorningofthetest.It’sasifastarving8-year-oldkidworkingonnobreakfastand4hoursofsleepdoesn’tmatteranyotherdaybesidesMEAPday.Whenthestandardizedtestscomeout,apparentlysodoesourempathy.

Donotgetmewrong:Idon’tblameourschooldistrictorourteachershereoratanylevel;Iblamethewaytheentiresystemissetup.Wearefocusingallthisattentionononeobjective,randomizedtest.Notallkidsaretheperfectpieceinthestandardizedtestingpuzzle,andbyquiteliterallytryingtoforceourkidstospendalloftheirtimeonthiswearelimitingtheirabilitytodiscoverothertalents,findnewinterests,readnewbooks,andjustbecuriousandinquisitivekids.

Iunderstandtheneedforsometrackingofprogress,butourobsessionwiththesetestsreallyscaresme…Anditshouldscareyoutoo.

By Kara Badour

By Adam Gunther

3TheDimension-October2013

Humanshaveaproclivitytojumptoconclusionsaboutpeoplebasedonhowtheylook.It’sthefirstperceptionreceivedofaperson;thefirstclueofwhetherornotyou’dgetalongtogether.Thisbasicconceptpeakedourinterest.Whatifweweretodressandactdifferentlythanourusualselves?

WetestedourtheoryattheBayCityMall,showingupinbaggysweatshirtsandjeans.Inthisoutfit,wewereessentiallyignored.Peoplepracticallylookedthroughusaswewalkedfromstoretostore.Wequicklyabandonedthatoutfitandchangedintoourmostfemininegetup.Westruttedaroundthemall,talkinginloudvoicesaboutalltheshoppingwehaddoneovertheweek. WhilewalkingoutofMarshall’s,weoverheardpeoplemockingourhigh-pitched,squeakytonesthroughtheirsnickering.Ofcoursetherewereoddglancesexchangedwhenweheardthem,buttheykeptontheirway.AtDeb’s,wewerewelcomedwarmly;howeverwecouldn’tsaythesameforSpencer’s.Afterafewminutesofconfusedeyesstaringatus,theemployeesgotbacktotheirwork,stiflinglaughteraswepointedtoaposterofamarijuanaleafandnoisilyaskedeachother,“Whyaretheremapleleavesalloverthisstore?Thisisn’tCanada!”

Thefinalensemblewasanalternative-punkoutfitjustdarkenoughtofrightenseveralgroupsofpre-teengirls.Mallemployeestriedtheirbesttoavoiduscompletely--exceptforClaire’s,thatis.InClaire’s,wesawapersonworkingformallsecurity,whomadeeyecontactwithusandimmediatelypickeduphisradioandstartedtalking.Afterbrowsingthroughthegauges,wenoticedanothermallsecuritycophadbeensummonedintothestore.Takingthehint,weshuffledout.

Butthemostsubstantialoccurrencewaswhenwewentintothebathroomtofixourmakeup.Afterweheardawomanmuttertoherfriendthatwe“lookedlikeHarryPotter”,anelderlywomanapproachedthemirrorwestoodinfrontof.Weexpectedamuchmoreshockedreactionfromapersonherage,but,instead,shesmiledatusandsaidwelookedverypretty.Shetoldusthatshewasyoungonce,too,andthatsheunderstood.Aftercommentingthatwehadmadeherdayandutteringablessing,thewomanwalkedoutoftherestroom.

Ifanythingistobetakenfromthis,itistoenforcetheoldsaying“don’tjudgeabookbyitscover.”Inreality,weactnothinglikethepersonalitiesweportrayed.Hadthepeoplewhosnickeredatourpitchyvoicesandstaredinhorroratourblacklipstickcameuptochat,theywouldhaveseentherealpeoplepeekingoutthroughourfalseidentities:twoteensjustasaverageastherest.

Holiday Word SearchC G H O T C O C O A L T W K B S I N G V E S N O WF T I H K I M O E A H W P C A T M X M F M R C Z LS K A T I N G S V I Y C G S D O V Y I U M Q K J ME L E L L N W B R L P A M X K C E W I S H L I S TP E C F O R F N X I G N P D R K Q R U D O L P H KM C C H P V I S G C P D S L E I G H V J D W V O AQ O O H R P E H R L F Y J X K N W B E L L S V X EH G O S K I N D S I R C B T S G D F F R O S T Y OU V K R H J S V P Z I A B R V S L H Y P X K P H QQ W I Q L O O T T N E N A W U C V A C A T I O N SW R E L P D M C M C N E L V T G D Z K R X H K T KE T S S S R G E K A D H H Q G I K M W Y M W S B EI G P N P S C A X D S D U N G F C X O K A A V W N

Q K P O R E I N D E E R I O Z T G P S T E M F L IW M B W P F V R S D L P B S T S R T M F S Z Z K OY K J M S K V S K B P X Y P G I N G E R B R E A DF J O E F L A R S O I O Y O X E I R U K O K F D PX O W N N D N F H N T E M N M T N L Q K A U A Y PI D N P Y E T S F I O M L A I Q M S A N T A I N WC C H U R C H R A G J W N V Q B I Q O F U J F L UM J U X I C E Q E S S R M Q E G A B S Z I N V F MF M F A M I L Y V E O W R A U S I C I C L E S N US T A R C Q L R P H S W A G N S R V O T P A O W QF H P M M I X D D A N C I N G B J I G Z I D Q J DC A R O L S B W U Y O L Q L P J O N V V W V G D C

santa reindeer snowman christmas candycane bells giftssnow rudolph elves sleigh cookies hot cocoa carolsornaments family snowmen frosty gingerbread star vacationtrees skating icicles friends dancing feasts lovesing church toys home stockings wish list shopping

Costumes at the Mall Gives Wearers a Taste of Bullying

Social Experiments:By Elizabeth Traver & Brea Siegrist

4TheDimension-December2013

Overthepastyears,Garberhashadmanyhomecomingqueensenjoythespotlightforaday.Thistime,oneofourhomecomingqueensgetstoenjoythespotlightasecondtime,NATIONALLY.Thisyears’homecomingqueen,SummerSharrard,wasselectedbytheAutoZoneLibertyBowltojointhemforthegameinMemphis,Tennessee,alongwithotherselectedhomecomingqueens.

Itallstartedfromjustthecompletionofoneform.Mrs.King,ascienceteacheratGarberaswellastheStudentCouncilAdvisor,informedSummeraboutthisopportunity.Summerfilledintheforms,whichbasicallyaskedaboutherinvolvementinthecommunity,school,gradesetc.Itwasanoverallevaluation.

Shesaidthatshewasn’treallyexpectingit,butshewassuperexcitedwhenthecongratulatorylettercamehome.“Everyoneinmyfamilyisexcited.MyparentsandoneofmysisterswillbejoiningmedowninMemphis.”

Familyisn’ttheonlyfactorthatsupportsSummer.Herfriendshereatschoolalsosupportheralot.“Allmyfriendsareexcitedandreallyhappyforme.WhenIgottheletter,Itexted[myfriend]ThressabecauseIhadtoldheraboutthiswhenIsentitin.” Summerwillbejoiningotherhomecomingqueensfromdifferentpartsofthecountry,participatinginmanyfun-filledactivities,fromtakingpartinaparadetovisitingSt.Jude’sChildren’sHospital.Asidefromtheseperks,shewillbeparticipatingintheHalftimeShowoftheAutoZoneLibertyBowl,whichwillbetelecastonESPN.

SummerhasraisedthenameofGarbertoanationalplatformbydemonstratingleadershipinhercommunityandbeingacommittedstudent.SoifyouseeSummerinthehallway,congratulateheronreceivingsuchanamazingopportunity.She’sastudentofwhomwecanallbeproud.

Mrs. Bromberg

“WhenIwassix,myparentsbribedmygreat-uncleandmycousintocomeovertomyhouseonChristmasEveandpretendthattheywereSantalandingonmyroofwithhisreindeer.Hethrewsnowballsontotheroofandbangedonthewallsandthedoorwhileringingsleighbells.MysisterandIwerescreamingwithexcitement,butwhenthenoisesdiedout,wewereterrifiedthatSantahadleftwithoutcominginbecauseweweren’tasleep.Ourparentstoldusthathemightcomebackifwewenttobedrightaway.InthemorningwediscoveredSantahadreturnedandleftpresentsforeveryone.Yearslater,Ifoundouttherealstory.ThesadpartisImanagedtoconvinceanon-believingboyinmythirdgradeclassthatSantaClausisreal,basedonthisstory.Hewasprobablycrushedandshockedwhenhedidn’tgetanythingfromSantathatyear.”

Mr. Discher

“ItwasthedaywhenSantapulledupina1968green,rustyChevyvan.WhenIaskedhimwherethereindeerwhere,hesaidtheywereresting.Heproceededtoopenthetrunkofhiscarandhandmeatoy,ashrunkenheadkit.“

Mr. Shannon

“WhilewatchingHowtheGrinchStoleChristmas,mydadturnedofftheTVbeforetheGrinchgothisheart.So,IthoughtthattheGrinchneverhadaheartsohewasajerkandendedupruiningChristmasforeverybody.”

Mr. Knapp

Mr.Knapp’sfavoriteChristmasmemoryisonefromhishighschoolyears.It’sreallyquiteaninterestingstory.Hesaysthathisfamily’ssumppumpquitworkingonChristmasEve.Theyallwenttochurchthatevening,butuponreturninghomediscoveredthebasementfloortobesubmersedinwater.Thebestsolutiontothisuntimelymess,itwasdecided,wastosweepalloftheoneandonehalfinchesofwaterbackintothesumppump.TothisdayhestillregardstheoccasionasbeingpossiblythebestChristmasmemoirthusfar.Itisn’texactlyatraditionalChristmas-eysortofmemory,butdefinitelyoneworthhearing.

Summer Sharrard to Memphis!By Melanie Thomas

Memorable Christmas Moments