The CHIEF January 2020

JAN, 2020

The

PONTIAC TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL

UPPERCLASS ACTS

SAVE DRIVING ADVICE School Resource Officer Enderli offers his best advice for safe driving

Check out which PTHS seniors are this month's Upperclass Acts!

A NOTE FROM YOUR EDITOR

By Sunn y Ho l t

Hello and welcome back to a new edition of The Chief ! We hope you all had wonderful and warm winter break. Now, it ’ s time to buckle down, stay focused, and finish the school year off strong! In this month ’ s edition, we have articles ranging from Christmas movie reviews to the latest in musical performances at Pontiac Township High School. Students, remember to stay focused and work hard!

N O M A D I C |

2 4

Safe Driving with Officer Enderli By: Joe Gilmor

As we return from Winter Break, the time has come to get back to school- and back on the roads. Of course, with more vehicles on the roads, the need for safe driving techniques is greatly increased, especially in our current winter weather conditions. Thankfully, our very own school resource officer, Officer Enderli, is here to help with some great advice for driving in inclement weather for both inexperienced and veteran drivers alike. According to Officer Enderli, the most important thing to remember when driving in cold conditions is that your vehicle does not operate the same as it does in the summer time. For example, vehicles take longer to slow and stop on slick roads, and the cold temperatures may reduce tire pressure- something Officer Enderli often observes in the PTHS parking lot. Officer Enderli also suggests that all drivers keep an emergency kit in their vehicle. This kit should contain such items as extra gloves, hats, and blankets, and can help you stay warm and safe should a dangerous situation arise. Additionally, your vehicle’s gas tank should be kept as close to full as possible during the wintertime in order to prevent condensation from forming in the tank. If you are involved in an auto accident, it is important that you notify the Pontiac Police Department immediately. Failure to report such an incident may be classified as a hit and run, which can lead to multiple citations and possible arrest. As the winter season continues this year, Officer Enderli and The Chief staff would like to wish all of our readers a fantastic second semester, and remember: be alert, be prepared, and be safe!

Resolution to Graduate By: Madison McDormand

Welcome to the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020! The semester is drawing to a close, and whether it flew by or dragged on, this is the halfway mark of the 2019 - 2020 school year. To address the majority of the student body: prepare for your upcoming year(s) here at Pontiac Township High School. These four years will be influential and memorable to say the least. I warn you, there will be hardships and beauty to come; you will experience failure, success, and other variables. Nothing comes easy, so work for your grades, for your future and make your life everything you want it to be. Dream big and don’t let anyone tell you to stop. All the greatest things in the world were once a dream. trade school, join the military, etcetera. I am here to remind you that you can be an unstoppable force for good if you put the work in. It is never too late to try something new, so apply for your dream school. I know the world beyond high school may seem scary or even far away, but people have done this for years and they lived to tell the tale. Keep your head held high and your expectations higher; this world is what we choose to make it. I do not promise changing the world will be easy because people are often stubborn and set in their ways, but yet I promise you can do it. Become the best version of yourself, whatever that means to you. No one has the power to decide what you will do besides you. Today, I challenge you, for every nine times you fall down and think you can’t get back up, pick yourself up ten times and leave the world to question how you did it. Always remember if you can dream it, you can do it. Now, to address my fellow graduating class of 2020: our time at PTHS is drawing to a close. Soon, most of us will part ways, and we will rush the workforce, go to college, attend

By Ava Nollen

Madrigals 2019

As the semester draws to a close, so does the Madrigal season. The 53rd Annual Madrigal Dinners ran from December 9-11th, with a great outcome. The dinners consisted of a play, written by the Choir director Joseph Durbin, and a concert performed by the Madrigal singers, Court singers, Madrigal brass, and Madrigal recorders. This event is a team effort, with everyone from each group giving their all. Olivia Schickel, a soprano 1 in the Madrigal singers said; “My favorite part was the camaraderie. We all became a big musical family. The honor of being in this group was made even better by the people I shared these experiences with.” The court singers not only sing, but also serve the meals to the attendees, which is no easy feat. The dinner songs consist of traditional songs, such as “Silent Night” (Madrigals) or “Good King Wenceslas” (recorders). The dinners also consist of more obscure Christmas songs, such as “Run Mary Run” (Court singers) and in some cases, not Christmas style songs at all! This year the madrigal brass not only learned the Christmas songs they needed to, but also learned a mariachi type song for the play portion of the dinners. The dinners this year were a success for all who participated, and this tradition is one that is revered amongst all of the many students and alumni who have participated in it throughout the years

By Alyssa Rodriguez

Music Update

Annual Christmas Concert

As the winter months have been in full swing, it was time for the high school's annual combined Christmas concert. The title for the performance this year was “Christmas isn’t a Season, it’s a Feeling.” The concert was kicked off with Symphonic Band playing “Patapan,” and after two other songs Festival Choir took the stage over. This group sang three songs, one being “Holiday Road of Carols.” The next few groups to perform consisted of the Girls Quartet, Court Singers, Madrigal Brass, and then the Madrigal Singers. After the ensembles, the next big group to shine was Concert Choir. The choir performed three songs which included one piano feature and a vocal soloist. As the concert went on, Concert Band was brought to the stage playing two pieces. “Hallelujah Chorus” was then performed by the entirety of the students involved in the music program. Another round of small ensembles such as the Madrigal Recorders and the Boys Quartet performed while the students got ready for another combined piece. “Christmas on Broadway,” arranged by John Higgins was performed as a final full piece for the concert. The song consisted of several Christmas melodies to make sure the audience was in the mood for the season. To end the concert entirely, “Silent Night” was performed by four selected flutes and was played as the Band, Choir, and audience left. The students had been working on all of the pieces since their last concert, and everyone was happy with their performances.

89th Annual Pontiac Holiday Tournament

By Joe Gilmor

This past month, Pontiac Township High School hosted its 89th Annual Holiday Tournament- a chance for basketball teams from all around the state to come together in order to compete for the championship. Over the course of 26 games held, Curie Metropolitan High School took first place, with Bloomington High School close behind after a narrow defeat by five points in the final game. However, the Holiday Tournament is much more than a crowd spectacle to PTHS. Every year, PTHS uses earnings from the Holiday Tournament to fund various programs around the school. Most notably, all of the earnings from the concessions stand, which was staffed with members of Student Council, will be used to help fund this year’s Prom, as well as the subsequent Post-Prom activities. In short, the Holiday Tournament is more than a basketball competition- it is a chance for students of schools around the state to join together in order to express their passion for basketball- and an important fundraiser to help provide valuable opportunities to all PTHS students.

Upperclass Acts

Macey Rice

NICKNAMES: Mace,May May

FAVORITE AUTHOR/BOOK: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

ROLE MODEL(S): My parents

ACTIVITIES @ PTHS: Peers In Action, Student Council, National Honor Society, Tri - M, Key Club, Golf, Marching & Symphonic Band, Concert Choir, Jazz Band, Madrigal Brass. FONDEST MEMORY OF HIGH SCHOOL SO FAR: Going to New York City freshman year during spring break with the Music department.

MOST POSITIVE MOMENT: Getting recognized at the State capital for receiving the Unified Champion School National Banner Award.

PET PEEVES: Slow walkers in the hallways

WHAT MY FRIENDS WILL REMEMBER ABOUT ME: My long curly hair

3 MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST: Music, volunteering & helping others, and teaching

HOW WOULD YOU SPEND $1,000,000? I would invest most of it and give a portion to charities in need. IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 ITEMS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU? My dog, a fire starter, and a pot. LAST WORDS OF ADVICE: “Never be afraid to try something new, it could lead into new hobbies and talents you never knew you had!”

PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: Major in Special Education

FAVORITE MOVIE: Moana

MOST INSPIRATIONAL SONG: “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman

FAVORITE TEACHER/CLASS: Mr. Blair’s Speech class.

Upperclass Acts

Andrew Babb

NAME: Andrew Babb

FAVORITE BOOK/AUTHOR: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

ROLE MODEL(S): Mr. Ritter for his continuous projects that give back to the community.

MOST POSITIVE MOMENT: Presenting in front of the State’s Attorney conference for P2D2.

ACTIVITIES @ PTHS: I am involved in the National Honors Society and I am a part of the golf and tennis teams. FONDEST MEMORY OF HIGH SCHOOL SO FAR: Helping Mr. Ritter with P2D2 and the Gravestone Project.

PET PEEVES: Wasting time

WHAT MY FRIENDS WILL REMEMBER ABOUT ME: The hard work I put into my studies and work. HOW WOULD YOU SPEND $1,000,000? I would use it to start non-profits to benefit those seeking to further their education but cannot due to financial reasons. IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 ITEMS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU? Food, water, and a boat.

3 MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST: Computer Science in Programming, Cyber Security, and Engineering

PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: Complete my Gen Eds at Heartland and then attend Webster University to earn my degree in Computer Programming.

FAVORITE MOVIE: Avengers: Endgame

MOST INSPIRATIONAL SONG: “Life is a Highway”

LAST WORDS OF ADVICE: “Find your passion and it will guide you in the right

FAVORITE CLASS: Environmental Earth Science

Classic

Movie

Review

Classic Movie Review: Home Alone

By Jasmine White

A good way to start these winter months is to watch a classic Christmas movie like Home Alone . This movie is good to watch to get a good laugh and with friends and family. Loaded with good old fashion humor that will always make you laugh, some scenes stand out. One scene is when Kevin drops down a paint can on a burglar, and then drops another that hits the other burglar, causing them to fall down the stairs on a floor covered with marbles and other little things. Other scenes show the burglars falling into Kevin ’ s traps throughout the house to stop them from robbing his family. In addition to being funny, the movie also has a heartwarming feeling, especially towards the end when the neighbor finally sees his son for Christmas as Kevin watches through his window. With this Christmas classic, I rate this a 5 out of 5 and would definitely recommend watching the other ones in the series.

The Chief Staff

PTHS Looks Back on 2019 By Marley Noles

Sunny Holt: Co Editor-in-Chief Joe Gilmor: Co Editor-in-Chief

Favorite Song? Donovan Murphy: "Hollywood's Bleeding" by Post Malone Zoe Noles: "Falling" by Harry Styles

Madison McDormand Luke Morrissette Marley Noles Ava Nollen Alyssa Rodriguez

Favorite Movie? Donovan Murphy: Frozen 2 Grace Mund: Aladdin Zoe Noles: Spider-Man Homecoming

Lauren Smith Jasmine White

Mr. Blair, Faculty Sponsor Dr. Soares, Faculty Sponsor

Favorite Fashion Trend? Donovan Murphy: Mullets Grace Mund: Birkenstocks Zoe Noles: Scrunchies

Favorite Social Media App? Grace Mund: Instagram

Enjoy creative writing? If you ever would ever like to see your creative pieces in The Chief , contact Dr. Soares or Mr. Blair!

Zoe Noles: Snapchat Mr. Fiorini: MySpace

Favorite Moment? Donovan Murphy: Music Dept.'s Disney Trip Grace Mund: Marching Band Season Zoe Noles: The whole summer break