Former first lady Laura Bush speaks at the Amarillo Civic Center

Former first lady Laura Bush spoke at the Power of the Purse luncheon April 5 at the Amarillo Civic Center to support the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center Laura Welch Bush Institute for Women’s Health.

Following her address, Bush participated in a question and answer session with Texas Tech Chancellor Kent Hance, who was once a political opponent of her husband.

Bush spoke about many issues, among them women’s health awareness and origin of the “Power of the Purse.” In addition, Bush shared personal stories and family updates as well as sharing the institute’s impact on women worldwide.

Bush told one story of a woman in Africa who was shunned by her family after being infected with HIV. The woman began to make purses as a way to support herself and was eventually able to regain her independence and her children. Now, others in the woman’s family look to her for financial support.

“That,” Bush said, “is the power of the purse.”

Attendees bid on donated purses to raise funds for the institute, and culinary arts students from Canyon and other area high schools set tables and served at the event.

Internationally known Deaf comedian visits school

Deaf comedian and storyteller Peter Cook taught a workshop and performed in the Canyon High auditorium for the second consecutive year Saturday, April 14.

During the interactive workshop in the morning, Cook taught many deaf individuals and ASL students the fundamentals of ASL storytelling, which include facial expression, body language, classifiers, gestures and sign production.

Through the planning of ASL teachers Chelsea Phemister and Traci Prather, the performance that night brought in more than twice the number of deaf individuals as last year, and $2000 dollars for the ASL Honor Society. To applaud using sign language, participants must shake raise their hands and shake them. As Cook signed and the interpreter translated to the audience, the entire auditorium was filled with laughing and shaking hands from the deaf and hearing.

The two worlds were connected through laughter.

Fifth annual ‘Eagle Idol’ raises $1400 for foundation

 A record number of 21 acts auditioned to win one of the five finalist spots in the annual Eagle Idol competition Friday, March 9. Students competed to raise money for the Education Foundation and were awarded prizes sponsored by the foundation and D-Fy-It.

Master of ceremonies and choir director Brandon Farren coordinated auditions early in the week and the five finalists were announced Thursday, March 8.

 ”I think it was the strongest field of finalists we’ve ever put on the stage,” Farren said.

The band Formal Straight Jacket with juniors Alegria Castro, Phillip Tijerina, Cory Sampson, Pedro Garcia and Talyn Duncan took top honors. Sophomore Sarah Williams placed second, the duo of seniors Diego Dominguez and Brandon Tidwell placed third, Hunter Kershen placed fourth, and J³+2 placed fifth with seniors Jenci Jones and Janae Robinson, and juniors Jessica Crump, Rachel Smith and Abigail Walsh. The prizes included an Xbox 360, a flat screen television, iPod speakers, and gift cards to Wal-Mart.

“It was a lot of fun but it was nerve wracking getting ready,” junior Alegria Castro said. “My favorite part was just being able to sing in front of my peers with my friends for fun.”

A student jazz band opened the show while students were being seated. After the finalists performed, sophomore singer Riley Kelly, accompanied by sophomore Kori Adair on the piano, entertained the crowd by performing “Turning Tables.”

 According to Education Foundation spokesperson Delores Fincher, the competition raised more than $1400 for the foundation, which provides supplies and equipment for teachers across the district.

Chorale women named Texas Honor Choir

 The Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) has selected the chorale women’s choir as a Texas honor choir, and the women will perform in San Antonio next February for the entire music community of Texas at the TMEA state convention.

 Two women’s choirs are selected from approximately 275 applicants from Texas schools ranging from 1A to 5A in classification. This is the second time TMEA has selected a choir directed by Brandon Farren; the last time was in 2007.

 “I was very excited but also it put me into a work mode because I knew we had a lot of work to do,” Farren said. “It’s going to be much more intense. We’re going to have to get into ‘contest mode’ from the first day of school.”

Farren submitted recordings from the past three years although next year’s women’s choir will be the choir that performs. Senior Erica Hinders has spent four years in the choir program.

“It’s a little bittersweet because we’ve worked so hard over the past three years and been so close to making it quite a few times but it’s definitely exciting knowing that my class was a part of every recording submitted,” Hinders said.

Sophomore Tasneem Alvi will be performing with the choir next year in her third year of choir.

“I was so excited, but not as excited as the juniors,” Alvi said. “I didn’t know why, but now I do, because it’s a huge honor. We’re one of the top two women’s choirs in the whole entire state of Texas. The fact that I get to be a part of it is really exciting because I get to be a part of history for the town of Canyon, Texas.”

Listen to Canyon High’s choirs singing.

Eagle Idol raises $1000 for foundation

The annual Eagle Idol competition sponsored by D-FY-IT raised more than $1000 for the Education Foundation March 11.

The five acts competing included Chesley Hedger, “The Fighting Arrows,” “We Don’t Go to Bed on Time,” Ryan Thompson and “Ethnic Twist.”

Junior Hayden Williams performed with “We Don’t Go to Bed on Time.”

“I’ve been playing guitar for four and a half years,” Williams said. “I felt exhilarated. Seeing that many people pumped me up a lot.”                                   

While the judges collaborated juniors Chandess Yerby and Tori Wright participated in the group performance of “Stacy’s Mom.“

I feel like I’m really comfortable being with Chandess,” Wright said. “I think I wouldn’t have done as well without Chandess because she’s like my sister.”

Winners received prizes that included a television and an Xbox. Coming in first was Hedger, followed by second place “We Don’t Go to Bed on Time” with members Yerby, Wright, David Martinez, Tyler Emmert and Williams. Finishing in third place were “Ethnic Twist” members Janie Johnson, Jesse Potestas and Michael Seth.               

“It was kind of unbelievable, because you’d think an upperclassman would usually win,” winning sophomore Chesley Hedger said. “I almost cried.”

Four choir students earn all-state honors

Of the 24 music students who tried out for the area band and choir, four choir members will represent the school on the state level at the All-State Choir Feb. 16 in San Antonio.

Senior Blair Carpenter and juniors Chandess Yerby, Jenci Jones and Janae Robinson advanced on to the state women’s choir after competing on the district, regional, pre-area and area levels.

“It was a huge relief to make it,” Carpenter said. “I woke up sick that morning and I was really worried I wasn’t going to make it. I grew as a musician because of the process, and I got a huge patch for my letter jacket.”

Jones and Robinson said they agreed with Carpenter about making the choir.

“It feels marvelous to have made it, because we’ve been trying for three years and we finally made it,” Robinson said. “It was challenging to motivate myself to practice over the Christmas break, but the trip to Austin is worth it.”

No band members made it on to the state level, but sophomore Brittain Mudge and junior Ephraim Lorenz said they enjoyed the trip, and they will just practice more next year.

“The trip in itself was fun…until the audition,” Lorenz said. “Then it took five hours of sleep and Five Finger Death Punch to get over it. I think if you can fight your nerves during the audition, you can do really well. Next year I’ll  just practice more and start as soon as the music comes out.”

Mudge placed second place in the clarinet section, and Lorenz came out fifth of bassoons. At the area level in band, only the first chair goes on to state.

“I thought I was going to come out last,” Mudge said. “I think everyone thinks they’re going to come out last at that level, though. Now I know what to expect for next year.”

New student reaches for Olympic dream

Heart racing, eyes wide open to a blurry setting, a sea of people cheering…and then she landed. Her feet pounded against the hard floor. A burst of cheers arose from the crowd. “Wow…I can’t believe I just did that,” 16-year-old freshman Angel McKay thought after her perfect finish.

McKay competes as a gymnast in various contests across the world and is training to be a part of the USA’s Olympic Gymnastics team. Five weeks ago, she competed in Dallas with the top gymnasts in the area. She received second place all-around with first on floor, second on beams, and third on bars and vault.

“I’ve still got a long ways to go,” McKay said. “We have to go through the training camps, and the qualifications for the team, trials for the Olympics and stuff.  It’s a long road.”

McKay has lived in Amarillo all her life and recently transferred from Tascosa to Canyon High School. In her twelfth year of gymnastics, she practices four hours a day on weekdays and about seven hours a day on weekends.  She works about 40 hours a week in the summer.

“I’ve dreamed about being on the Olympic team since I was really little,” McKay said. “I’m looking forward to being able to have the U.S.A. on [the] shoulder of my gym suit and to represent my country.”

Thousands of people watched McKay perform in Dallas, excluding her parents.

“They don’t watch because they’re more nervous than I am,” McKay said. “Really, it doesn’t matter if they’re there or not. I mean, it’s their choice.”

McKay first performed at the age of five. She has traveled to foreign countries such as Russia and Australia.  She trains at Amarillo College, and she said training for the Olympics is the most intense training she’s ever done.

“My parents wanted me to do something, so they put me in a gym,” McKay said. “I never expected to perform, but I was just there to have fun. I never really saw myself as competing. They couldn’t get me out of the gym.”

Even after McKay fractured her neck, dislocated her shoulder and elbow, broke her leg, ankle, three ribs, and both feet five-six times each, she said all the pain is worth the gain.

“The injuries that you overcome make you who you are,” McKay said. “The best thing about being a gymnast is people asking for your autograph and saying they want to be like you someday.”

McKay said it feels awesome to know that you worked so hard in the gym and to land a skill at a competition is awesome.

“You can’t think about it, you just have to do what you do in the gym,” McKay said. “You’ve got to be prepared.  Suck it up and deal with it.”

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’

Filming a Christmas movie during the summer with 6,000 gallons of fake snow might be seen as a challenge for many actors, but the cast of “It’s a Wonderful Life” accomplished the task using foamite (a fire-fighting chemical), soap, water and a high-powered wind machine. And, of course, lots of Christmas spirit.

George Bailey, a frustrated businessman residing in Bedford Falls, discovers that $8,000 has disappeared from his family business and believes that he will have to go to jail. All of the other frustrations of his life pile on until he wishes he had never been born. His guardian angel comes to grant his wish so he can see what others’ life and surroundings would be like if he had never been born.

When “It’s a Wonderful Life” first debuted in 1946, the movie was not popular with critics or audiences, but was nominated for five Academy Awards, including James Stewart for “Best Actor in a Leading Role.” The film was quickly forgotten, shown on television occasionally in the late 1950s. In 1973, its copyright lapsed, and it grew greatly popular for the first time since its release.

This movie carries a great message: even when life seems to be trying, people should always remember that they have a wonderful life.  James Stewart (George Bailey), Donna Reed (Mary Hatch), Lionel Barrymore (Mr. Potter), Thomas Mitchell (Uncle Billy), Beulah Bondi (Mrs. Bailey), and H.B. Warner (Mr. Gower) portray their roles with perfect character and style, and writer Philip Van Doren Stern created a moving and well-paced storyline. With the perfect balance of humor, drama, and romance, the feel-good film leaves the viewer with a positive perspective on life.

Although it premiered 63 years ago, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is my favorite movie, and it has become a tradition for many families to watch every Christmas.

Originally produced in black and white, the colorized version of this movie are available locally at Hastings.

For “It’s a Wonderful Life” trivia and quizzes, visit  http://www.funtrivia.com/quizzes/movies/movies_h-k/its_a_wonderful_life_.html