Sumner Academy of Arts and Science - Excalibur Yearbook (Kansas City, KS)

Page 53 text:

Music Department Provides Variety The head of the vocal music department is Ms. Annette Fick Her classes consist of two 8th and 9th grade mixed choruses: a senior mixed chorus, including grades 1O,11, and 129 and a girls glee, composed mostly of 8th and 9th graders. She has a select group called the Cavaliers that meets after school. Ms. Fick hopes in the future to have a large group of people for chorus and more men. She feels that in the coming years this will be a top group to contend with. The head of the instrumental department is Mr. Jeffrey Beck Mr. Beck's classes include a beginning band, a concert band, a symphonic band, an orchestra and a beginning strings class. Mr Beck's main goal this year has been to bring all the different levels of students together to per- form as one. He says that the orchestra and the other two bands are at a high level. He also says that in the future the bands will be more select and, in turn, be a force to deal with. With the higher level of concern on the part of the students and two teachers who care as they do, the music depart- ment at the Academy is a depart- ment all students can be proud of I 49

Page 55 text:

Mr. Alan Gould, who teaches speech and debate, declares that life has taught him many lessons, but the greatest lesson he probably ever learn- ed took place on the farm when he was growing up. Look before you take the next step! Debate and Drama Enjoy Busy Year The Drama department, headed by Mr. Shepherd, had a busy year. Rehearsals for the first production of the year, COMPANY OF WAYWARD SAINTS, in spite of an over-abundance of snow which resulted in school closings, went well, and the production was given on February 2 and 3 in the school auditorium. In addition to major play productions, the department offers such courses as Introduction to Theatre' and various levels of acting. In debate, students were kept quite busy, especially since Sumner hosted its first invitational in September, 1978. When the Debate Team started this year, it was not widely received by the student body because they really didn't know anything about the subject. The students who are in- volved in Debate Tournaments enjoy debating very much. ln fact, they enjoy it so much that they have been bringing awards back from the tournaments. There are many 8th graders who take part in the debates. Most schools don't have 8th grade debaters. The first year for the Sumner Academy Debaters has been a good'year and Mr. Gould is anticipating ex- cellent debaters in the future as the program continues to grow.