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1, 1, 1: the overall scores of the three bands from the MS-BOA District Band Festival. The groups all received the highest ratings possible, out of 5, at the competition, March 15.

The groups had to prepare three pieces prior to the festi-val to perform in front of three judges. When the students arrived at South Lyon High School they were taken to a room to warm-up for half an hour, then went on stage to perform.

“I was pretty confident [in our pieces],” principle trumpet play-er, sophomore Jennifer Hepp said. “We have been going through the pieces for a long time.”

All groups performing at the festival were required to have a march as a part of their set

lists. The concert band, primar-ily composed of underclassmen, performed “Advance,” “Varia-tion Overture” and “The Raven,” which is based off of Edgar Allen Poe’s poem.

“My favorite was the march, ‘Advance,’” freshman flute play-er Dana Kilponen said. “We have been working a lot on our march style … we focused more of our time on it and it went really well.”

The next level of band, Sym-phony, presented “Pentland Hills Concert March,” “Serenade for Wind Band” and “On an Ameri-can Spiritual.”

The highest group, Wind En-semble, performed “The Little English Girl,” “Mother Earth” and “Angels in the Architecture.” The last piece was unique,as it featured a vocalist, Micaela Dun-bar-Gaynor, during the beginning and end of the 15-minute song.

“A lot of the song was pretty dark,” Dunbar-Gaynor said. “I represented the angel and was the ‘good’ of the song.”

After the students performed the prepped pieces, they were taken into a room for sight reading with band director, Mark Hourigan.

The bands were given a com-pletely new piece they had never seen before and had five min-utes to prepare before perform-ing. The sight read song is at the same level as the three prepped pieces, requiring bands to play with the same accuracy as they did on songs they had practiced for months.

“When we get into the room, Mr. Hourigan gives us a minute and has us look at the piece by ourselves and with the people next to us,” Kilponen said. “Then we recuperate with Mr. Hourigan and we all sing along with the

rhythm in the piece to practice.”As the festival came closer,

Hourigan prepared the classes by presenting them with new pieces they had to prepare quickly, simu-lating the process at festival.

“We don’t just practice the three songs,” flute player junior Amanda Chiu said. “Coming closer to the festival we start prac-ticing sight reading …we look at what’s important, anything that stands out and then we play it all the way through.”

The practice paid off for the bands because all received supe-riors with the Symphony Band and Wind Ensemble earning 1 from all four adjudicators.

“I was really hoping that we would get everything right be-cause we’ve spent so much time preparing,” Chiu said. “It just worked out really well; it turned out in the end.”

Chevy Cruze Review PG. 9Novi High School - 24062 Taft Road - Novi, MI 48375 - March - 2013 - Volume XLII - Issue 6

Musical Preview PG. 10

Ex UH-60 Blackhawk helicop-ter pilot and alumna Beth Ellis re-calls standing in an aircraft hangar in 2006 while two Task Force op-erators briefed her on a mission to recruit talented soldiers, aviators and aircraft mechanics. After they described the mission she said they made a point to look directly at her and say “And no females.”

“The fact that they are recruit-ing women now is not only per-sonally satisfying, but also a win for both sides,” Ellis said. “Wom-en can now enter an elite organi-zation and compete more equally with their peers in aviation for promotions and merits, while TF can now access a previously un-realized pool of talent to recruit the best for their organization, no matter their gender.”

U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced the removal of the 1994 ban that had restricted women from performing in com-bat positions in the military.

The change in legislation will open thousands of jobs for women in the United States Armed Forces in Infantry, Field Artillery and Ar-mor, which women were previ-ously prohibited from entering.

The law was passed in 1994 because of concerns about the strength and ability of women to fight on the front lines.

“I suppose this progression follows along that of other minor-ity groups such as African Ameri-

cans and gays in the military,” Ellis said.

Ellis said she thinks that as with the repeal of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, this legislation will likely be anticlimactic.

“Gay military members were already serving honorably in the military,” she said. “What mat-tered was whether that individual was a quality soldier. Women have been serving in ground or air combat units for some time now.”

Ellis served as a commis-sioned officer in aviation. She trained in Fort Rucker, Alabama and worked in Korea, North Carolina, Afghanistan and Geor-gia. After seven years of military service she moved back to Michi-gan and is now a government em-ployed civilian working in Army Community Services.

“Equality for those protecting the nation seems to be a process that occurs incrementally and slow-ly,” Ellis said. “My opinion about the legislation is one that many of my female counterparts would likely agree with: It is already hap-pening, let’s make it official.”

Ellis was a Platoon Leader for three and a half years and aligned herself to an aviation mainte-nance track, which did not typi-cally attract many women.

“I encountered a certain amount of prejudice as a female in a male-dominated profession, which was to be expected I sup-pose,” Ellis said. “As a Combat Arms branch, Army Aviation was opened to women only a decade

prior to my joining the ranks, so I prepared myself by training and studying hard and by learning all that I could along the way so that I would be characterized as a com-petent equal among my peers.

“At times, I would be in a meeting and find that I was the only woman in a room full of men, mostly older than myself. I would remind myself that I was a professional in my field and that I was there because my participa-tion mattered as much as any one of these guys’, otherwise I would not be there.”

Alumni Chad Odell, a special-ist in the U.S. Army is trained as an unmanned aerial vehicle main-tainer and technical inspector. Stationed in Fort Campbell, Ken-tucky, he is currently deployed in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

“The adding of women into combat roles will not have much of an effect on my area, if it has one at all,” Odell said. “There are no jobs in my area that men can do that women are not yet a part of.”

Women were used in the Ma-rine’s before the repeal of the ban with Female Engagement Teams to help with searches and intelli-gence collection in Iraqi villages.

“The feminine touch proved invaluable in connecting with the women in these villages,” Ellis said. “Women in these teams were inte-grated with combat hardened men, kicking down doors, riding in con-voys, braving attacks and risking their lives to support the mission.”

Odell said he thinks there

may be some resistance to the law at first.

“I think friction is going to be involved, just like there is with any change,” Odell said. “In the long run, it is going to be a good step for the United States Armed Forces to remove gender discrim-ination from our organization.”

Ellis left the military in May 2011 to settle down in Michigan, but through her husband is mar-ried to the military indefinitely.

“I was a part of something bigger than myself,” she said. “I could contribute to a cause that protected our nation’s freedom. I am still grateful and in awe of that opportunity and I have the brave women who paved the way be-fore me to thank for that.”

Rachel MurrayNews Editorrmurray@novischools.net

Kelly Norris/Rose MaylenBusiness Manager/Staff Writerkenorris/rmaylen@novischools.net

Nine songs, three bands, one score

Change in combat regulations opens job positions

Bands earn overall ones at MSBOA Festival

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43536 W. Oaks Dr. Novi, MI 48377 (248) 348-3544

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Top: Beth Ellis stands in Bagram, Afghanistan with the Medevac Aircrew after flying a mission with flags onboard.

Above: Battalion Commander, LTC Hopkins pins Ellis’ Air Medal on after a 12-month deployment in Bagram, Afghanistan.

Basketball MeetingThere is a meeting for boys interested in varsity basketball April 19. There will be information regarding spring and summer basketball.

CO-OP Job OpeningsCurrent sophomores or juniors interested in a paid office job in a school, City of Novi or medical office please see Mrs. Clift during lunch to pick up an application. Applicants must be available right after school and be able to select CO-OP for 6th hour next year. Interviews start in April.

Volunteer Opportunities

Math Tutor at Parkview Elementary - April 13 and April 27Orchard Hills Elementary Fun Fair - April 19

Math Club Tutor at Orchard Hills Elementary - March 28

National Women’s History Month Poster ContestStudents can submit a poster honoring National Women’s History Month. Posters must be submitted to Mr. Nuckolls by March 25. The first prize winner will receive a $20 gift card to The Cat Rack. See Daily Announcements for poster criteria.

Get Caught Reading ContestsTeachers received a stack of yellow coupons in their mailboxes. Additional coupons will be available from the Media Center. Coupons will be given to students who are caught reading when not assigned to do so. Each student who brings a completed coupon to the Media Center will be given an opportunity to select a small prize from our gift basket and entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card from Barnes & Noble or Best Buy.

The 2013 Quiz Bowl State Championships are April 19 and 20 at Michigan State University. This will be the team’s last opportunity to qualify for nationals. “As a team, it’d be best if we can qualify [for nationals], but if not, at least we did our best and we worked well with our teammates,” senior Kathy Ren said.

Quiz Bowl State Championship

Students interested in becoming a CPA, Entrepreneur, Marketing Specialist, or a Lawyer can attend the Career Showcase Wed. April 17 at 6 p.m. at the Novi Public Library.

Career Showcase

The Wildcat Roar would like to thank to Sherry J. Glassco, Business Solutions Consultant at Toshiba, for printing the Blush inserts on such short notice and free of cost.

Thank you

Sherry J. Glassco Business Solutions Consultant 37987 Interchange Drive Farmington Hills, Michigan 48335 Office: 248-427-5473 Cell: 248-396.5390 Sherry.Glassco@tbs.toshiba.com

Top: Symphony band members warm up and practice together before performing.

Above Left: Band Director Mark Hourigan gives a thumbs up to students after discovering they earned all ones.

Above Right: Tuba players sophomore Osman Zuberi and junior Josh Scarlett set up their music and instruments upon arriving to their practice room.