Seniors lead team to an exciting year

Dixie High School Boys Basketball begins the 2010-2011 season in the Opening Game last December. | Photo Credit: Shaun Smith, The Dixie Blog

Seniors lead team to an exciting year
by Samantha Aldrich
Sports Editor, Flyer Flash


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This year’s Boy’s Basketball teams is stacked. It must be hard to wait to destroy every team that goes up against Dixie’s Flyers. 


The strong team has a great blend of sophomores, juniors, and seniors with the seniors leaders excited for this season and the opportunities to unite with the younger players.


Senior Deshon Brown shares this excitement of being a senior leader, “It’s got a lot of high expectations attached to it.”


But, like most teams, Brown said winning will define how fun this year's team has, “Win. Fun. It’s fun to win.” To make a team great it requires dedication, team work and effort, and a good attitude about everything thrown at the tightly knit basketball team. 

Is "Black Friday" worth it?

Is "Black Friday" worth it?
by Samantha Aldrich
Sports Editor, Flyer Flash


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Shoppers are getting their credit cards and cash ready. 


Black Friday and Cyber Monday are fast approaching and no matter what age, all need to buy gifts for loved ones.


Mrs. Gifford said, “I try to avoid shopping on that day. It’s too crazy. But my favorite store is Target.”


Black Friday is always the Friday after Thanksgiving, which means that Cyber Monday is always the Monday after Thanksgiving.


People are out in droves looking for deals trying to get their shopping done early and cheaply.

Exchange Student Views

Students from around the world come to Dixie High as part of a foreign exchange. | Photo Credit: Will DeViney, Flyer Flash

Exchange Student Views
by Heidi Harris
Staff Writer, Flyer Flash


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Ever wonder what it would be like to go to a new place out of your country? What kind of cultures do other people have? Here at Dixie High, students from all over the world visit as apart of the exchange program from Japan, China, Norway, Italy, and Moldova.
 
Natalia Cojuhari, an exchange student from Moldova, says that everything here is so different. There is lots of good food such as ice cream but everyone is eating fast food and she is not use to it.

When asked why she came here she replied, "To have a good experience, see different people, different education-[there are] no uniforms, and [there is] more freedom. Everyone is friendly." In Natalia's country she was unable to choose her classes and the teachers are much more strict. 

She was asked what she thinks about Thanksgiving she said, "Good but strange." They don't have a holiday like Thanksgiving in Moldova. They do have Christmas, Birthdays, Valentines Day, and New Year's. 

Arts department stuns audiences again

The cast of Les Miserables after a performance. | Photo Credit: Sophia Ford, The Dixie Blog

Arts department stuns audiences again
by Shaun Smith
Editor, Flyer Flash


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Opinion | Upon arriving to the school for Les Miserables, there was an aura of anticipation and excitement as audiences waited for the doors to the auditorium to open. The Dixie High Arts Department has created a standard that has yet to be matched by any school in the state of Utah. For a high school drama department, their performance was stunning, professional, and engaging for audiences.


As a student at Dixie, I’ve observed for over a year how the plays encapsulate the entire school. Students and teachers alike are involved in putting on the play, and countless hours are spent perfecting the details. Having heard much about the performances at Dixie, last year I attended Phantom of the Opera with much indifference, anticipating that it would be similar to other high school plays.


It’s clear now, however, that the arts department here is not to be compared with any other high school. The hard work put into the plays is evident in the details of the sets, the emotion of the characters, and even mood put into the entire evening.


One of the most intriguing areas is how efficiently the stage is used by performers. From the rotating platform to the various backdrops, the stage is used to tell the story of Les Miserable in a unique and satisfying way for audiences.


Having the opportunity to sit closer to the stage, I was also surprised at how much emotion the actors and actresses put into the characters. The students we recognize in the hallways disappear into much more complex and mature characters. The leads were particularly able to engage the audience and create an entertaining environment.


It’s exciting to think that as an audience, we may be witnessing some great entertainers embarking on a career. The talent that was brought together to produce the play was superb for high school, and these students have potential for success later on.


For only having seen a small number of performances by the arts department, I’m anxious to see what they will do in the future. I’ve yet to be disappointed, as the talent and work put into the plays seems to only get better. Congratulations to the cast and crew of Les Miserables for their outstanding success.

"Leads" Miserables

"Leads" Miserables
by Sara Jewkes
Staff Writer, Flyer Flash


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From a seat in the Dixie High auditorium love appears real as Marius (Tanner Hafen) and Cosette (Avonlea Dalley) share multiple kisses.


Although it appears to be real, the Dixie High junior, Hafen explains “It was great working with a friend, it made it much easier to 'fall in love' on stage when you're good friends.” On the other hand Junior Avonlea seemed to think it was harder, “It was very hard to get into character because he's like my brother and I've known him for so long.”


When asked about funniest moments during rehearsal some things were left unsaid. One moment in which Tanner, Nate, and Avonlea  all agreed upon but said the moment will stay under lock and key, “Let's just say it was something that Mr. Saxton said to Nate that I won't repeat.”


Janae Klumpp mentioned that her funniest moment was “when Casey (Hobson) was creepin' on me in 'Lovely Ladies,' and when I went to hit him he missed my arm and we had a weird hitting fight.”

The Perfecter Director

Mr. Saxton has produced numerous plays at Dixie High, including Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables. | Photo Credit: Will DeViney, Flyer Flash

The Perfecter Director
by Brandy Kraiprai
Staff Writer, Flyer Flash


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Directing a play is more than just putting on a good show. It's also more than giving the audience a play to remember or even expressing your love for the arts; Putting on a play is all about the people you’re around.

Mr. Saxton doesn’t do plays just to satisfy his love of theater, he does it because he loves working with the students and making a positive difference in their lives, “It’s who I am.” he said.

The point is obviously clear on how much he loves his career.

On Friday night during the play, some students crashed the stage and did cart wheels across it, disrupting the play. Mr. Saxton was angry and chased the students but still has no idea who the culprits are.

Life in the Pit

Students in the pit spend hours working on the play to provide the background music that enhances the actor's performances so much. | Photo Credit: Sophia Ford, The Dixie Blog

Life in the Pit
by Mack Peterson
Staff Writer, Flyer Flash


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Dixie High School is known for its drama and music. It is a lead competitor with local Tuachan school for performing arts. The amount of work and effort put into the play is difficult to comprehend, yet Mr. Saxton, Mr. Stucki and Mrs. Snow accomplish it every year with perfection. 


Although the actors receive almost all credit for the spectacular performance little thought and applause is given to the music department. The pit is what makes the play pop and come to life. Their music is rehearsed continuously until every participant has the notes mastered. 


Imagine watching Les Miserables and closing your eyes to picturing what is happening up on stage. This is exactly what the musicians in the pit deal with every night it is performed. “To tell you the truth, I've never seen any play by Dixie High School. I'd love to, now that I have every line memorized of every character,” said Pit musician Chris Flinders. They can only perceive what is going on up above, but it is a sacrifice they are willing to make in order to exceed in music. 


Many think the pit is the best seat in the house with the music playing so loudly. Some tend to sing along with the actors. All of the pit musicians at Dixie find something enjoyable to do while listening to the amazing vocals and melody of the mini orchestra. 


In a survey only about five percent of pit participants would rather be in the play, which definitely shows their dedication and camaraderie developed throughout their experiences together. While many are wishful that Dixie had an open pit, the musicians are truly grateful to be a part of this play and contribute even with the sacrifices they have made.

The thought behind the Walk-a-thon

The thought behind the Walk-a-thon

by Tyler Johnson

Staff Writer, Flyer Flash

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Dixie's Walk-A-Thon this year has a powerful idea and a great amount of emotional effort put into it.

This powerful idea was created from a beloved teacher that Dixie lost one year ago to breast cancer.

Paula Freeman is deeply revered as an amazing person who touched the lives of all those she came in contact with. The Walk-A-Thon was organized to honor her by raising money for the Paula Freeman Scholarship, which directly helps her children.

Students and faculty donated their own money along with getting pledges from various people and businesses around the community.

Mrs. Peterson, one of the wonderful staff members who helped set up the Walk-A-Thon, helped to clarify what exactly the sponsorships were a bit further, “you could get a donation for so many laps depending on the person giving the money, but we just wanted everyone to walk whether or not they had sponsors.”

Mrs. Paula Freeman was a great person who will always be remembered because of the life and joy she brought to the school.

Kelly Andrews, a senior who took a class from Mrs. Freeman, said she will remember how she was always full of life, even up to the very end. She also remembers the support she gave her family, “Probably last year towards the end was what I remember most. When she was sick she came to 'Phantom' because her daughter was in it, she also came to support the kids too, and that is what kind of teacher she was.”

Even though she was sick she would put out a great amount of effort into every aspect.

This is why Dixie would like to remember Mrs. Freeman and the spirit she brought to each person she knew.

Story behind the characters

The character of Javert in the opening scene of Les Miserables. | Photo Credit: Shaun Smith, The Dixie Blog

Story behind the characters
by Evan Albright
Student Life Editor, Flyer Flash


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Les Miserables is a story of unmeasurable struggle, hate, misery, and love.

Often referred to as Les Mis, it was written in 1862 by a Victor Hugo. The play was written by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg. Les Miserables was largely acclaimed as the greatest novel of the 19th century as it follows seven french characters over a 17-year period that ended in 1832 with the June Rebellion in the French Revolution.

Our very one Dixie High produced Les Miserables as it’s latest spectacular production!

These students spent most of their time the past few weeks working every day after school to put this production together for Dixie High students, and for what? Is it to be in the spotlight, have a moment of fame, or just have fun? Do the students in the production even know where this play came from?

When Senior Nate Myers was interviewed about his part as Jean Valjean he expressed, “Um, the thing about Les Mis and my part is for me it's all about redemption. How one man can do a good deed to another and receive redemption. I really wanted to portray the struggle he had. Like when the bishop gives Jan Valjean the silver and basically he becomes a saint if you will.”