Casting Call! Students tryout for Fiddler Jr.

By: Katie Benjamin

Many students tried out for "Fiddler on the Roof Jr.", so many in fact, that practically all of the sheets for tryouts were filled and overflowing! Many students hoped to get a main role. Wood Hill students could be heard singing in the halls and practicing their lines for the upcoming play. 

Many students reported being nervous, but they all have high hopes for their parts. Mrs. Murray and Mrs. Rey directed the students. They played the piano while the people stood on stage and sang and acted their very best. 

Seventh grader Griffin Vieira said he was nervous, “But I went up there and Mrs. Rey and Mrs. Murray made me feel a lot better. I was still nervous a little bit, but at least I wasn’t as nervous as when I came in.” 

Viera and other students were hopeful they landed their part. “Yeah, I think I have a fair chance of getting it,” said Viera, who landed the role of Perchik.  

“I was pretty scared because I never did this before and there was no one but the teachers in there,” said eighth grader Audrey Bartlett, who was hoping to land her dream role. Many seventh and eighth graders tried out for the play. Bartlett said the teachers were very helpful, "they were nice, and they didn’t make you feel nervous.” Bartlett joins the Tuesday Chorus. 

“I was a little nervous, to be honest,” said Michael Makiej, a seventh grader, who will play Mordcha on stage.  “The teachers seemed to help out a lot and they relieved my stress, and they said it was okay. They were overall helpful.” 

Student Valerie MacDonald reported getting nervous before her audition and wasn't sure about what role she'd play. “I didn’t have a specific part (in mind), and I don’t think I got a good one,” she said. MacDonald joins the Thursday Chorus. 

Was stage fright an issue? Not for Farrah Sousa, who joins the Tuesday Chorus on stage.  

“First, I sang, and the teachers said I was the first to do some choreography, and they could tell I have been in plays before,” she said. “My voice was very shaky, but they made me feel very comfortable.” 

She added, “It was a lot of fun. I can’t wait to find out what I’ll get!"

Ameera Mazraany was feeling slightly nervous after her audition and wasn't sure she landed her dream role, saying, “I was really shaky and I wasn’t sure what they were going to think of me.” Mazraany will sing with the Thursday Chorus. 

Wood Hill students were enthusiastic about putting on "Fiddler on the Roof Jr." The Gazette would like to wish good luck to all of the students and teachers in this year’s school play, and to all of the stage and tech crew. 

Come listen to the sounds 'of the night'

By Lekhya Sathi

On Oct. 30, seventh and eighth grade students from Wood Hill, West, and Doherty will gather at the Collins Center to play in a Halloween-themed concert dubbed Music of the Night. Chorus singers will perform the songs “A Night Ride” and “Old Abram Brown.” Band performers will play “Phantom of the Opera Medley” and “Japanese Folk Trilogy.” The orchestra will perform “Nightshift,” “Butterflies at Night” and “House of Untold Horrors.”

Chorus, according to an eighth grader at Wood Hill, was doing okay and would be ready by the concert if everyone keeps practicing. Another eighth grader from the same school, said band was doing good but didn’t elaborate, while an 8th grade orchestra student said orchestra wasn’t completely ready but was doing well, especially considering the difficulty of the pieces.

Do these groups ever feel competitive when performing to a large crowd? According to a Wood Hill chorus student all three programs showcase different talents so there should be no need to compete with each other.

Students visit Holt Hill

Students on 6West visited Holt Hill in Andover on Tuesday, Oct. 7 to take photographs to go along with their haiku poetry project. Check out some images below.

The Snazzy, Jazzy First Dance

Seventh grader Nick Moore assists DJ 1 O'clock Waffles. 

By: Celestine Gonzales

Wood Hill’s first dance on Friday, Sept. 26, proved to be a major success! Students had a lot of fun dancing to their favorite songs, talking to their friends, and stuffing themselves with candy. Some songs that girls really liked included: “Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift, “Problem” by Ariana Grande, “This is How We Do” by Katy Perry, and “Neon Lights” by Demi Lovato.

The boys’ favorites were: “Turn Down For What” by DJ Snake and Lil Jon and “Animals” by Maroon 5. All around favorites were: “Fancy” by Iggy Azalea, and “Bang Bang” by Jessie J, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande.

About halfway through the dance a dance contest was declared. The song was “Happy” by 

Sixth graders strike a pose at the dance. 

Pharrell Williams and the judge was student DJ Ethan Gasse, aka, 1 O’clock Waffles. The winners of the contest were: sixth graders Benji Mirragliotta and Joel Asare.

Wood Hill students form a conga line at the dance. 

Overall, the dance was a huge hit and a great kickoff to the school year. It was a truly memorable dance, students said.

We All Scream for Ice Cream at Wood Hill Social

Jasmine Stevens, Renee Boulanger, Grace Gervais and Giovanna Drake enjoy a bowl of ice cream.

By Emme Pitts

Students' sweet teeth were fully on display Friday night, Sept. 26, at the Wood Hill Ice Cream Social. Scoops and scoops of the vanilla dessert were served to sixth and seventh graders. The social took place in the school cafeteria before the first middle school dance of the year. The ice cream bar had many different toppings. Some of the toppings were chocolate sauce, marshmallows and M&M’s. 

“I like the idea of making your own sundae,” said Katie Budinger, a student on 6West. 

Parents scoop up sundaes. 

Principal Mr. Bucco was there, along with many other parent volunteers scooping up the dessert.

One of the parent volunteers, Kathy Quill, said, “The ice cream is great, and I love the fact that there are a variety of different ways people dressed.” 

It was a great opportunity before the dance started to relax and talk to friends. Overall, students felt the ice cream social was a success and everyone had fun.

Reut Berman, Abigail Taylor, Solace Lockheardt, Mrs. Singleton, Mrs. Spataro, Alistair McBrien and Julianna Barbaro enjoy an ice cream sundae before the school dance.