Applause Volume 20, Number 5 School of the Arts, North Charleston, SC February 2019 soa-applause.com Page 2 Patrons January 2019 GARNET TOPAZ Maria Augustine Anonymous Natasha Fields DIAMOND Kathy Bailey Baraba George Bill Hipp Susan Bennett Amber Honeycutt Ben Traywick Yvonna Bennett Ms. Horschell Scott K. Carpenter Ms. Mahoney Karl Clark Ms. Orchard Law Firm Susan Pace Joe Clarke Cindy Phillips Danielle Detiberus John Paul Schuster Sylvia Edwards Dean Walters EMERALD Ann-Marie Fairchild Melanie Wise The Abedons Fitz TURQUOISE F. Rutledge Hammes Ms. Bednarczyk School of the Arts Andrew Greer Kimberly Davis Rhetta Foster Elizabeth Hart Tristan Hill PTSA Henry Hipp Brian Johnson Kathy Jones Brett Johnsen Kathleen Kelley RUBY Marion E. Johnson Stacey LeBrun Larry Krasnoff Mark Ms. Mitchum David & Judith Anderson Ms. Lasley Mr. Naas Dr. Shannon Cook The Lee Family Colleen Rodenberg Laura Smith John & Anna Cusatis Ed and Linda Lee Kindall Smith Brandon Lyons Mr. Southwick Susanne Drennan Ms. Sullivan Jennifer Mathis Ms. Traylor Harold & Katie Johnson Alea McKinley Bethany Weeks Katy Richardson & David Bundy Amanda Miller Mr. Wells John Morrin PEARL Chris & Kristen Salisbury Danyelle Altman Logan Murray Alan Bi Leigh Bolten Heath Orvin Anne Cimballa Woody & Regi Rennie Lou Collins AMETHYST Connor Denny-Lybbert River Abedon Mark Ruppel Katie Dorn Dylan Enriquez Kevin Short Ciara Greco The Baker Family Diane Hoagland SOA Deaf Program Kaitlynn Ishler Bud and Kay Hipp K. Lyle Meg Voelker Mr. Morelli Tina Shaw Aaron Voelker Ms. Penneti Jack Rigsbee Lowcountry Shellfish Inc. The Washingtons Luke Shaw Caitlin Shelor The Varnado Family Alfonso White R. Stalsmith Maddie Thomas Linda West Cass Wauben February 2019 News Page 3 Letter From the Editors Dear Readers, Applause Welcome to this month’s very special Black History Month and Valentine’s Day issue! The entire since 1999, the official student publication of staff has worked tirelessly on lots of captivating and School of the Arts intriguing articles that we’re sure will capture all Founded in 1995 by Rose Maree Myers this month has to offer. To fully immerse yourself in the spirit of Editors-in-Chief: Black History Month, be sure to give this month’s Maya Cline playlist (pg 26) featuring prominent black artists M. B. McConnell a listen. SOA’s faculty shared their favorite black Tes Smoak artists on the centerfold, and page 7 recounts this Cover Artist: Cartoonist: year’s staple soulful vocal performance, Music Jaden Brown Maddie Thomas Down in My Soul. If you’re inclined to activism, Business Manager: Photographer: page 4 features students speaking out as part of John Allen White Jr. Parker Thompson Charleston’s MLK Day celebration, and page 16 shows the importance of social justice and unity Staff Writers: with an exclusive discussion with John Wilson. River Abedon Loulou Hranowsky Don’t miss our interview with Black Student Union Galen Berger Elle Hueske founder, Thomas Polkey! Who’s the real Applause editor-in-chief? Hannah Burton Adam Krasnoff If your heart pines for some Valentine’s You can decide! Draw your own editor! Kyliah Catalan Roey Leonardi Day romance, make sure to check out SOA’s cutest Lou Collins Christina Lewis couples on page 20 and special Valentine’s themed Cecilia Connelly Chassee Palmer horoscopes on page 26. If not, our signature features have you covered, with sudoku and Arden Dodge Liv Provosty mazes aplenty (pg 27)! Lisa Fimian Jayla Sanders As always, big thanks to our dedicated staff, generous patrons, and wonderful Katie Jo Gelasco Luke Shaw readers for their continued support. Thank you for reading! Make sure to check back in Maya Green Zachary Shirley next month for a very special fashion issue! Evelyn Howe Carson Stehling John Cusatis, Ph.D., Adviser Love, Charleston County School of the Arts Your Editors 5109-B West Enterprise St. Maya Cline, M. B. McConnell, and Tes Smoak North Charleston, SC 29405 soa-applause.com Editorial: Even Today, the Fight for Equality Still Rages On As we celebrate Black History Month, we urge readers to think about Applause, SOA’s official student publication since 1999, presents the ways in which the fight for racial equality is an ongoing process. Even though America has evolved significantly since the Civil Rights Movement, the legacy of segregation in the Charleston area is still prevalent, especially within American Pie education. In 2018, the district paid for a study conducted by Clemson University A tribute to 1950s & 60s Rock ‘n’ Roll that advised increasing accessibility to magnet schools as one of many solutions A live documentary concert that brings the lyrics of Don McClean’s 1971 classic to life. to the extreme diversity problem in Charleston County, and just a few weeks Featuring more than three dozen SOA and AMHS students, under the direction of Dr. ago the school board met to discuss how to change the application process. John Cusatis and Mr. Ian Grimshaw, collaborating on adaptations of songs by Buddy While they did vote to reintroduce paper applications for families without Holly, Ritchie Valens, Big Bopper, The Monotones, The Everly Brothers, Elvis Presley, computer access, they decided to wait until next year to discuss more drastic Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Byrds, and Janice Joplin. policy changes that could encourage and foster diversity throughout the school district. This is an issue that affects School of the Arts directly, and there is an Thursday, May 23, 2019, 6:30 PM opportunity here for students to get involved in a solution. This Black History Rose Maree Myers Theater Month, we should all reflect on how so many black activists throughout history (such as SOA’s own John Wilson, see article on page 16) worked to create the A Free Event world they wanted to see, learn from them, and channel our artistic talents to Donations will be accepted for the tenth annual Rose Maree Myers Scholarship for Artistic Excellence enact positive change in our school and community. News MLK Breakfast a Celebration to Remember Creative Writers Speak Out and Win by John White Jr. Big at MLK Youth Poetry Slam Provided On January 22nd, I by M. B. McConnell had the pleasure of attending the Martin Luther King Jr. This past January, two creative writing students read at this Business and Professional year’s MLK Youth Speak-Out Poetry Slam, an anticipated part of Breakfast at the Charleston Charleston’s MLK celebration organized by Charleston YWCA. Galliard Center. The breakfast Charleston poet laureate, Marcus Amaker, hosted the event has been a key event in alongside local activist and hip-hop artist, Benny Starr, both of which Charleston’s 10 day long MLK performed their own works to open the event. Activists, artists, and celebration, the longest in the everyone in between were in attendance to, as attendee Brenda J. state, led by the Charleston Peart put it, witness “[the] youth speak from their hearts.” YWCA. The poetry slam was comprised of three rounds, with Provided This years theme was, The breakfast is packed with eager activists and eliminations each “Embrace the Dream, Create community members. round. As per typical the Change.” The breakfast, the final event of the celebration, was attended poetry slams, the by nearly 700 business and community leaders from small non profits to MLK poetry slam large corporations like Boeing, who was one of the many sponsors of the encouraged audience event, in addition to congressman Joe Cunningham, Mayor Tecklenburg, participation alongside and students from several high schools in the area. SOA was represented by traditional scoring by myself and Asa Caldwell, an 11th grade strings major. judges. A total of nine Keynote speaker Cynthia Bramlett Thompson challenged the students from across audience to face up to our country’s growing racial problems calling Charleston shared them “America’s historical and future Achilles’ heel.” A talented orator, their works, with most Thompson encouraged us to be leaders in our community, “none of us will centering around ever be a Martin Luther King, but all of us can be like Martin Luther King in themes of activism Thompson (top, middle) and McConnell (bottom, small and big ways.” and social progress to middle) pose with their fellow poets. She ends on a positive note citing the growing diversity in our commemorate Dr. King’s legacy. Among these students were SOA’s government and charges us, “Dr. King did not walk alone and neither do own Ramie Thompson, sophomore, and M. B. McConnell, we, let us leave together not only having honored Dr. Martin Luther King senior, who both let their vunerability shine through heartfelt jr. but continue to build on his legacy of action, continuing to fight against performances. Thompson thought the event “was a super great racism, sexism, homophobia, discrimination against any person or group experience” for her first poetry slam. Both writers earned ample and hate to police economic and social justice for all.” cheers and high scores for their poetry, with McConnell winning first She ended by having all of the attendees standing to sing one stanza prize overall. of Stevie Wonder’s Happy Birthday to Dr. King. The Galliard Business and The event as a whole highlighted how impactful and important Professional Breakfast will continue to serve as a catalyst for change in our mediums such as spoken word can be in spreading the values Dr. community for years to come. King held so close to his heart. Peart sums the slam up best in a social media post: “WOW! So freaking inspiring!” February 2019 News Page 5 Senior Strings Thesis by Katie Jo Gelasco For six months, strings seniors have been preparing both a solo piece and an ensemble piece for one big recital.