The CHIEF December 2024

CHIEF PONTIAC TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL The

DEC, 2024

UPPERCLASS ACTS

2024 MADRIGAL DINNERS RECAP Read about this year’s Madrigal Dinners performances

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

2024 Madrigal Dinners By Devin Skrzypiec

Working since late July, the Madrigal singers have been hard at work throughout these past months to create the amazing experience that is the Madrigal Dinners, which took place on December 6-8th. At these events, the talented singers and actors work together to put on a play, followed by a Christmas concert, while guests are served a meal. At this dinner, the audience is transported back in time to old England and is surrounded by a festive atmosphere. The groups that performed were the Madrigal singers and court singers led by Mr. Durbin, the Madrigal recorders led by Ms. Woock and Mr. Valois, and the Mad brass led by Caitlyn Ricketts. The dinner consisted of roast beef and chicken, au gratin potatoes, green beans, salad, meat and cheese rolls, desert, and wassail! The performance this year included themes such as true love, the Christmas spirit, time-traveling, gratitude, and making fun of France. Highlighting the music, the groups sang tunes like “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and “Joy to the World,” along with numerous other familiar tunes. Overall, the nights were filled with fun, emotion, and the Christmas spirit, and highlighted the incredibly talented musicians at PTHS.

2024 Court Singers By Angelyn Lee

As another year and round of Madrigal Dinners has passed, let us focus on the Court Singers and their experience throughout their practices and performances. I asked one person from each grade a different question based on how they felt during Court Singers. I asked Ashlyn McCabe, Alto 2, about the freshman perspective: “How did you feel coming into the new group, were you nervous? How do you feel now after performing?” Ashlyn responded, “I definitely was nervous at first because I was on the opposite side of people I knew more, but being there more everyday got me closer to the older kids and more comfortable being around them and expressing myself to them and it just made me more relaxed because they are such nice girls and it was such a fun experience.” The next singer I interviewed was Kylie Hall, Soprano 2. My questions for her were: “How did you feel about the music when we first got it? How do you feel about it now performance wise?” Her answer was, “When we first started out singing with our music, I didn't think we would end up doing very good, but we progressed really quickly throughout rehearsals, and I think we ended in a really good spot with how our music was.” Next is our Junior, the one and only Natalie Zimmerman, also an Alto 2. I asked her: “Which song was the most difficult in your opinion? Is it easier now with the practice we have, and why?” She said, “The most difficult piece in my opinion was Cradle Hymn because it was hard to stay in time with the complicated rhythms but after practicing it a few times I can sing it in my sleep.” Last but most definitely not least our Senior Soprano 1, Nola Zehr, who is also in Madrigal Brass. My question was: “How did you feel about the whole group in the beginning? How about now after the dinners? Also, did you enjoy your last year performing for Court Singers?” She responded, “I didn’t expect for us to have such a big group this year, usually we only have around sixteen or so, but I feel like the interest from the younger girls is good for the group to get stronger later on. I do think we struggled a lot with focus and memorization of the music, but that’s usually to be expected. I think we have a group of very strong voices, but there’s still some hiccups from time to time. Whether it’s not being able to keep time, or sing in tune, or just getting along with the rest of the group has to be left up to the individual for it to be fixed sometimes though it’s difficult. I feel like I usually have a somewhat different experience with Court Singers just because I'm not able to be there for the whole dinner service part, and I'm really just there for the performance. I wish we could have been able to do more difficult music, but I understand that the group usually can’t because of the varying experience levels. I enjoyed my last year, but it was still a very bittersweet ending after being a part of the performance for three years.”

I think we all can agree that this year might have started off rough, but with Mr. Durbin’s teaching and our desire for an incredible performance, we persevered and gave it our all. This led to a lovely performance we all loved.

New Teacher Report: Ms. Jones By Nevaeh Lee

As we wrap up the Fall Semester, let’s get to know the new math teacher here at Pontiac Township High School. Ms. Jones grew up in Highland, Illinois, a small town just outside of St. Louis, and she attended Highland High School. She attended Illinois State University all four years, majoring in Secondary Math Education and minoring in Cognitive Science, focusing on Psychology. Ms. Jones has always loved math and numbers, as her dad was an accountant and would give her and her brother math problems when they were bored. She was surrounded by teachers in her youth; her mom taught FACs and her grandma taught biology. What truly pushed her to teach math was a tutoring program at her high school. As a sophomore in high school, she began to tutor math and loved being able to help others and see their faces when concepts finally clicked. Her biggest inspiration was her Algebra 2 teacher, who not only taught her math, but also the importance of kindness, patience, and understanding. When asked what her favorite thing about PTHS is, she stated, “The community. Everyone is here to help anyone. You may have never spoken to someone before or even know their name, but if someone needs help, you help them.” Her biggest piece of advice, to students and teachers alike, is to not care what others think. Most of the time, everyone is too worried about themselves to care about you. As a closing statement Ms. Jones said that she is ecstatic to be a part of the PTHS community and she is looking forward to teaching here as long as she can. Let’s give her a warm welcome! Over the years, many have been debating whether Christmas music should be played before Thanksgiving or after the November holiday, but did you know a very famous Christmas song was originally a Thanksgiving classic? The Thanksgiving turned Christmas song is none other than Jingle Bells ! This classic song, written in 1850 by James Lord Pierpont, was performed by a Sunday school choir right before Thanksgiving. However, it was performed under a different name. The One Horse Open Sleigh was the original name for the song. Over a couple decades, the song transitioned into the Christmas song known today. Pierpont, known to be quite the rebel, wrote a happy-going, joyful song; however, according to sources, some of the original lyrics for the song were a bit too improper. Now, the writer has a pretty rambunctious story of his own, but the song also has a cool story! In fact, it was the first song to ever be broadcast from space! This had happened about nine days before Christmas in 1965, so Jingle Bells itself has a fun background to be told around either Thanksgiving or Christmas! Fun Fact of the Month By Taylor Henson

Pontiac Boys Basketball December Update By Ben Melchers

This year's Christmas concert was a “must-see” program expanded to an hour and twenty minutes. Featured on Sunday, December 15, we had a fantastic start off by our PTHS Symphonic band. They played “Waltz No.2,” “Ave Maria,” and the infamous “Sleigh Ride” featuring the one and only Superintendent Jon Kilgore. Then we transitioned to the Men's Quartet starring Elijah Hartke, Levi Reints, Jacob Davis, and Isaac Yedinak singing “The Man With the Bag.” The Festival Choir followed by singing, “Bidi Bom,” “Somewhere in My Memory,” and “O Christmas Tree.” Circling back to the Madrigal Dinners, the Mad Recorders played “We Three Kings,” “Jeanette Isabella,” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” Again with the continuum of Madrigal Dinners, our court singers sang, “I Saw Three Ships.” With a break from Madrigal songs, the Concert Band presented their lovely pieces to the audience: “Forward March!” and “Fanfare and Prelude on Joy to the World.” “What Child is This” and “Sing We Now of Christmas,” were next performed by Madrigal singers. “Angels We Have Heard on High” and “Go Tell it on the Mountain” were played by our Mad Brass and Concert Choir came in hot with “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Angels in Seven,” “Glow,” and finally “Brightest and Best” with Dr. Lisa Nelson as a violin soloist and Devin Skrypiec as the bass soloist! All choirs sang “Let There Be Peace on Earth” beautifully. Last but not least… “Hallelujah Chorus” was performed by the combined band and choir! I could not have asked for a better concert! Pontiac is 1-6 so far throughout the 2024-2025 high school boys' basketball season. The team isn't starting the year like they thought they were, but the boys just won a Wednesday, December 11, home non-conference game against Bartonville’s Limestone Rockets by a score of 60-56. Coach Matt Starker and his boys had a great game plan going into the game against the Rockets: taking their star players out of the game by putting great defenders on them and making sure we rebound everything and always find an opposite color jersey to box out. Pontiac was losing the game 43 35 going into the 4th quarter. They put up some great defense and some amazing offense to hold the Rockets to only 13 points in the 4th quarter and the offense putting up 25 points in the 4th quarter. What a game it was for Coach Matt Starker and the team! Even though they’re only 1-6 right now, Pontiac is missing two of their starters Amazin King because of an ACL tear over last summer and Conrad Pfaff, once Pontiac gets all of their guys back other teams should be in for a rude awakening for what this team is capable of. PTHS Christmas Concert By Lily Raby

Upperclass Acts

Tyler Hanson

NAME: Tyler Hanson

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

NICKNAMES: Tyrone

MOST POSITIVE MOMENT: I felt the best at school making it to state in cross country and we had an assembly and it was a lot of fun.

ROLE MODEL(S): My dad

ACTIVITIES @ PTHS: Track, Cross Country, and Basketball

PET PEEVES: I hate it when people stop walking in the hallway or take up chunks of it.

FONDEST MEMORY OF HIGH SCHOOL SO FAR: Going to state and staying in the dorms with my friends and playing video games.

WHAT MY FRIENDS WILL REMEMBER ABOUT ME: I’m super tall and I like LeBron James a lot. Also, I ran pretty fast. HOW WOULD YOU SPEND $1,000,000? I would invest all of it so I could be rich in the future. Or I would open up a small business. IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 ITEMS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU? A water purifier, a flare gun, and a fishing rod. LAST WORDS OF ADVICE: “Join extracurriculars so you can make new friends and have a lot of fun. Also don’t do anything stupid and hurt yourself.”

3 MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST: I love history, basketball, and staying in shape and being healthy.

PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: I want to go to college to be a teacher or something else.

FAVORITE MOVIE: Forrest Gump

MOST INSPIRATIONAL SONG: “Forever” by Drake, Kanye, Lil Wayne, and Eminem

FAVORITE TEACHER/CLASS: My favorite teacher is Mrs. Babb but I really like Mr. Hackler’s Physics.

Upperclass Acts

Mason Brewer

NAME: Mason Brewer

FAVORITE TEACHER: Mrs. Sawyer

ACTIVITIES @ PTHS: Class Businesses (OB Joes, Snack Shack, Write Stuff)

MOST POSITIVE MOMENT: Getting my driver’s license

FONDEST MEMORY OF HIGH SCHOOL SO FAR: Going to the Riverman’s Hockey Game.

WHAT MY FRIENDS WILL REMEMBER ABOUT ME: I am kind, quiet, funny, and have a good smile. HOW WOULD YOU SPEND $1,000,000? I would buy a car, house, and save the rest. IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 ITEMS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU? Food, family, and electronics

3 MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST: Foods class, employment, and being active

PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: Get a job and my own house.

FAVORITE MOVIES: Comedies

MOST INSPIRATIONAL SONG WRITER: Luke Bryan

LAST WORDS OF ADVICE: “Be respectful.”

Upperclass Acts

Alix Robinson

NAME: Alix Robinson

FAVORITE AUTHOR: Lois Lowry

NICKNAMES: Alix, Al, Big Al, A-Rob, Robii

MOST POSITIVE MOMENT: Anytime I’m playing volleyball, I try to always stay positive and have lots of energy.

ROLE MODEL(S): My mom, my coaches, my grandparents, Robin Williams

PET PEEVES: When people try to out-argue me or wearing your hair down playing a sport.

ACTIVITIES @ PTHS: Volleyball, Wrestling, Track, Choir

WHAT MY FRIENDS WILL REMEMBER ABOUT ME: My humor, the food I always bring on the bus or eat before game and my stupid/funny moments.

FONDEST MEMORY OF HIGH SCHOOL SO FAR: Senior Leader of the football student section.

3 MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST: Law, Politics, English/History

HOW WOULD YOU SPEND $1,000,000? Find the cure to any cancer and buy a decent house.

PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: Going to college.

IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 ITEMS WOULD YOU WANT WITH YOU? My phone, my entire bed including the set, and a volleyball. LAST WORDS OF ADVICE: “Don’t survive the day, live the day, you never know when it’s your last.”

FAVORITE MOVIE: Dead Poets Society

MOST INSPIRATIONAL SONG: “O’Children” by Nick and the Bad Seeds

FAVORITE TEACHER/CLASS: Rhet 3 with Mr. McElwee

Music Review

A Countdown of My Three Favorite A Charlie Brown Christmas Songs by the Vince Guaraldi Trio

By Michelle Stevenson

3: “Christmas is Coming” This upbeat jazz piece features a playful, lively piano melody that makes me want to move! The cheerful, energetic vibe of the song creates a festive atmosphere that feels timeless and modern all at once. The charm of this song for me lies between its bright, cascading melodies and intricate improvisational sections. This song takes its place on the album as my third favorite! 2: “Skating” Skating is my second favorite song on the album. Its gentle cascading melody creates a lively feeling, perfectly capturing the gliding feeling one feels when skating. In A Charlie Brown Christmas , this tune accompanies the scene shown above when the Peanuts gang delights in some outdoor holiday entertainment. 1: “Christmas Time Is Here” (Vocal) This song takes the top place as my favorite on the album due to its nostalgic downcast quality. The tempo is insinuatingly smooth and steady, and it always causes me to slow down and listen closely. I prefer the vocal version sung by a children’s choir to the instrumental. This song isn’t outright somber, but it serves its place as a melancholy Christmas song in comparison to the manically happy Christmas songs you hear at the mall. I believe while Christmas is a time for cheer and happiness, it also, for some, is a time to reflect upon the past year and the memories it holds. This song perfectly captures that reflective mood, making it a unique and cherished song of mine.

Movie Review

Ikiru (1952) Directed by Akira Kurosawa

By Tyler Drechsel

It’s that time of season yet again. Snow is coming down hard and melting quickly, Christmas lights are being put up, and everyone’s dog is going commercial. That last one’s a Charlie Brown reference by the way. There really is no time of year quite like Christmas, and while of course everyone loves the festive feelings that come along with Christmas, none of them compare in my opinion to the moral obligation everyone has to simply be nice to everyone else. The true meaning of Christmas has been repurposed in many ways, but for me, the true power of Christmas comes from its ability to unite everyone in the nation to simply treat everyone with respect and help others in any way they can. Which brings me to Akira Kurosawa’s magnum opus, Ikiru . The year is 1952. The place? Tokyo. A bureaucrat named Kanji, who has worked thirty years without ever taking a day off, misses days of work after he finds out that he has terminal stomach cancer with less than a year to live. At this moment, he is hit with the cruelest realization any man can ever have: he wasted his entire life and has amounted to absolutely nothing. Kanji has a moment of reawakening and makes a last ditch attempt to add meaning to his life. He goes on a magnificent journey throughout Tokyo and goes on several dates with a younger girl, but it ultimately amounts to nothing. At his absolute lowest point, Kanji decides to stop trying to make life better for himself and instead make it better for others, dedicating the rest of his life to using his connections in the public works department to replace a cesspool with a park in the community. Akira Kurosawa, who also helmed masterpieces such as Seven Samurai and High and Low, is hailed by film geeks as one of, if not the greatest, director in all of cinema history. Ikiru’ s themes are very layered and thought provoking, yet accessible, particularly the value of one’s life as well as the impact that one man and dedication can have on the world. The performances are absolutely astounding with Takashi Shimura having the capability to make one cry with facial expressions alone. The story is somewhat predictable, but it ultimately doesn’t matter because the way the last forty minutes of the film unfolds makes the predictable ending artistic brilliance.

Many people won’t watch it because it’s black and white and foreign, but it truly is an emotional masterclass of cinema that I can’t recommend enough. Rank: 10/10.

Musical Review

By Mady Herkert

Musical Theater Review: Into the Woods

Be careful what you wish for, as Stephen Sondheim’s and James Lapine’s fascinating fairytale comes to life in this adaptation of their groundbreaking, Tony Award-winning musical. Into the Woods features all of your favorite characters — Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and his beanstalk, and the Witch — in this lyrically rich retelling of classic Brothers Grimm fables. The stage is set with a story of wishes, family, and the choices we make. The story follows a baker and his wife who wish to have a child, Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King's Festival, and Jack who wishes his cow would give him milk. When the baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of a Witch's curse, the two set off on a journey to break the curse. Everyone's wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later with disastrous results. You can watch this 1986 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim on Disney+, YouTube, and Amazon Prime.

Recipe of the Month

Every year, Hallmark releases numerous holiday movies in order to count down the weeks until Christmas. Many people agree that every one of these movies has the exact same plot, and that they can be painfully predictable. I, too, would agree with some of these claims. However, that does not take away from the fact that sitting down in warm, fuzzy pajamas, with a cup of hot cocoa, cuddled up on the couch watching one of these productions is the best part of the Christmas season. Nothing gets me more excited for Christmas time than seeing two old friends reunite in their hometown and rekindle all of the old feelings from their youth. Watching every new movie they come out with feels like the same world in a different font, but it is entertaining either way. These movies bring out the heartwarming feeling of Christmas in everyone who watches them, and nobody can deny how they bring a certain mood into the house after they are played. I would even argue that these films are the main reason for spirit and cheer for most of the population. Hallmark movies are the glue that brings together the masses in the Christmas season.

By Alexis Legner

World Wonders: DUBAI

By Myley Remkus

With the holidays coming up and a chill in the air, learning about Dubai’s history and winter activities seemed perfect! To begin with some background, Dubai dates back to 3000 BC. In the 5-7th centuries, Dubai was known as a trading route that connected Oman to what is now labeled as Iraq. Dubai’s population was filled with pearlers, fishers, and boat builders! Now, this city in the United Arab Emirates is known by many for their lively experiences and beautiful architecture, especially around the holidays. Dubai has numerous Christmas markets which provide one with some festive shopping, holiday cheer, and unique souvenirs. If you have kids traveling with you, the Winter City at Expo City looks to provide copious amounts of joy. This extravaganza includes a special team-up with Toys R Us to turn Al Wasl Plaza into a jolly toy factory. Children under five are provided with free admission, and they can experience the joys of meeting Santa Clause, explore the North Pole Market, and learn crafts taught by Santa’s elves! For all ages, the Madinat Jumeirah Festive Market has proven to be wonderful! Fort Island is transformed into a winter wonderland, with about 18,837 square feet of festive foods and drinks, a snow fight zone for kids, bungee jumping and a North Pole train ride. The most magical part of this market is the 36-foot Christmas tree, decorated with festive bulbs, stars, and candy canes! Along with Christmas markets, Dubai offers snow parks and ice-skating rinks! Many that are not from Dubai wonder what a snow park entails, but this is a place where you are able to indoor ski! Sky Dubai offers skiing, “thriller” rides, and chairlift rides. Additionally, Ski Dubai offers penguin encounters (how cool!!), slope access, and a chance to meet Santa Clause! As shown in the various activities Dubai provides, this would be a perfect location to spend the holidays due to its unique and festive atmosphere! If you are ever provided with the chance to travel somewhere far during the holiday season, give Dubai consideration, I definitely would!

Madinat Jumeirah Festive Market

Editor-in-Chief: Lilian Rainbolt The Chief Staff Tyler Drechsel Brieaunna Duck Emmaleee Hammer Taylor Henson Mady Herkert Abe Jean Jacques

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

Angelyn Lee Nevaeh Lee Alexis Legner Ben Melchers Lily Raby

Myley Remkus Hannah Ricketts Devin Skrzypiec Michelle Stevenson Casey Taylor

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