Stevens was chosen as one of seven students from Charlotte to go to France in December to play in concerts, which included representatives of other countries including Japan and Belarus.

Every representative country played their own music, with the orchestra from the United States playing music by composer Aaron Copland. “We put on three concerts in different venues for crowds of hundreds,” Stevens said.

The musicians ranged in age from 12 to 21, and they were housed primarily in Limoge, France, a sister city of Charlotte. The ages of the musicians ranged from 12 to 21. The family who conducted the event was a French couple who did not understand English, so a language barrier was also present.

 “I could not speak French,” Stevens said, “ and my host family could not speak English well. We used Google Translate with their iPad to converse.”

She also experienced a bit of cultural shock. “When we were in Paris, we were at the Eiffel Tower taking a picture,” said Stevens,” and a gypsy walked up to our group and took a pastry from the hands of someone in our group.”

Stevens and the other musicians also enjoyed all the attention.

 “Our first concert was at the Opera House of Limoge and there was where we got our own professional dressing rooms to get ready for the concert. The concert was sold out, the news station was there, and we had three encores and an after party.”

The first night into the trip, Stevens attended a dinner party with her host family. The dinner party included friends of her host family who were also hosts for other musicians. The dinner party consisted of the host families speaking broken English and the younger children playing Wii.

“The French kids wanted to talk to me in the English they had learned in school that day.”

In spite of the barriers, Steven said she thoroughly enjoyed her time there. 

The entire trip was sponsored by the Charlotte International Cabinet.

Students at East Meck will choose their favorite nominee by donating money to each student. The Reverse Homecoming candidate who raises the most money by the game on Friday, February 3^rd will win the crown.

“I think East should vote for Homecoming Queen and King at the same time,” said nominee Ben Lineberger, “But I think the charity is a great cause.”

On February 1^st the guys on the court all endorsed the cause they were supporting by appearing on the announcements and spreading the word.

“Last year we raised $1,189 for Stand Up for Kids, this year we hope to be able to match that,” said advisor Martha Deiss.

This year the money raised will go to an organization called A Child’s Place (ACP). This group raises money for children who live without a home. The money obtained goes towards paying for homeless students’ education and a place for them to stay.

“A lot of people consider being homeless as sleeping under bridges,” said Deiss, “but it’s actually mostly couch surfing and finding a place to stay.”

ACP will pays for a hotel room for student and their families during their time of need. While it costs $62,000 for a child to be held in the juvenile court system, and $39,000 to be later incarcerated as an adult, ACP only pays $695 dollars for one year of housing.

“The charity is such a great cause,” said nominee Aaron Grant, “I am honored to be a part of it.”

The ten Homecoming candidates, Aaron Grant, Nick Mariano, Andy Thun, Antonio Crosby, Tennant Gardner, Ben Lineberger, Stanley Weaver, Sam Shisso, and Dhruv Pathak, who are raising money this week and right up to the game against Ardrey Kell on February 3^rd.

Fifteen current college students in the Great Neck area of New York, all from top-ranked high schools, were found to have paid five other students to take their college entrance exams using fake ID’s in the past couple of months.  The scandal is now becoming national news, as it stirs up an ongoing debate about the pressures high school students are under to score well on such tests and get into a good university, a discussion which has now hit East Meck.

“As a kid who lives in a household of immigrant parents, I feel pressured to achieve a high score on the SATs,” said junior Hakeem Oufkir. “I feel like society has brought us as a whole to think that SAT scores are all that colleges care about.”

“So much of college acceptance relies on ACTs and SATS,” said senior Emma Wiebke. “If you don’t do well, you’re out of luck.”

Test anxiety is seen as a major problem by many parents and educators.

“Students are very fearful and anxious thinking they need name-brand education to get a job,” said counselor Sandra Rhinehart.

Some students may have a firm grasp of material, but under certain time restraints and the pressure to succeed some students cannot perform up to their full capability.

“It is such a long test I can’t remain focused,” Wiebke said. “I’m a good student but my SAT scores are average. I’m just a bad test taker.”

Some colleges, such as Wake Forest University, have made submitting SAT and ACT scores optional. Other schools have put less weight on scores and have begun to focus on other admissions criteria such as the student’s transcript, including difficulty of classes taken and grades.

“These test don’t truly reflect someone’s level of intelligence,” Wiebke said. “The ACT and SAT are based on basic knowledge. It isn’t stuff that we are learning in class every day.”

“I think colleges should focus more on what the student is capable of doing and what [he or she] has done the past four years of high school,” Oufkir said.

                Rhinehart suggests that many colleges are beginning to see the value in other aspects of a student’s high school record other than test scores.

                “Colleges are looking for a well-rounded student with good grades, extracurricular activities, and good leadership roles,” she said. “For the more competitive colleges, the essays are very important. Schools want to know what students have done in their school career that sets them apart from a kid with the exact same [scores].”

                “Colleges are looking for some innovative idea that has made a difference in a student’s community,” she added.

Officials have also suggested that the National Merit Scholarship Association move away from using PSAT scores as the only measure of awarding scholarship and focus on a more well-rounded means of selecting students.

“My father repeatedly tells me that SAT scores are what matter and to focus on getting a high score for scholarships,” Oufkir said. “In his opinion, SAT scores make you or break you.”

In February 2011, East Meck received a sanitation score of 82. The B grade was solidly average – newer schools, such as Ardrey Kell and Rocky River, earned A ratings, whereas schools closer to East Meck in age, such as Myers Park, South Meck and Garinger, also received scores in the 80s.

“A lot of [the reason for the score] is just the building, and how old it is,” said Principal Rick Parker. “It’s things like tiles or water fountains.”

The report cites minor violations of regulations involving, among others things, bathrooms and storage areas. East Meck lost 40 out of 40 points in lighting and ventilation, and 60 out of 80 for water fountains.

The Health Department has no authority to force schools to make changes, and cannot close a school for sanitation problems unless it poses a threat to the public. However, East Meck’s score has risen in recent years, and head custodian Michael Johnson said his staff frequently performs maintenance.

“We’re constantly replacing lightbulbs; we check the bathrooms constantly and keep graffiti off,” said Johnson. “It’s my custodians’ job to report [issues such as] leaks and to come and fix them.”

As a result of budget cuts, CMS has reduced its custodial staff 17% since 2008, and has stopped performing certain types of “preventative maintenance”, such as refinishing and painting, as often.

“I had mold on that ceiling tile until there was a school board meeting in my room, and then suddenly it was gone,” recounts social studies teacher Martha Deiss.

“Mold is an allergen,” said school nurse Joyce Kramer. “Allergies…affect your immune system and can make you more susceptible to viruses, or trigger asthma.”

Kramer said that cleanliness is the first step in preventing illness.

“The number one way to prevent communicable disease, like the flu…is hand washing,” said Kramer. “That itself shows how important it is to keep surfaces clean, to keep bathrooms clean.”

She added that CMS implements strict protocol when it comes to preventing the spread of disease and has been successful in preventing breakouts of illnesses like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.

Nevertheless, many students complain about sanitation, especially about the cleanliness of school bathrooms.

“I think [the school] is sort of clean, [but] I’ve seen cockroaches and mice in the bathrooms,” said sophomore Sarah Franco.

“It would help if some kids would use better bathroom etiquette,” said principal Rick Parker. “It’s a matter of pride in the school.”

Christopher Williams, the 10th and 11th grade IB English teacher, has used numerous websites to network with his students and provide them with cutting edge learning tools. Among them are Twitter, Quizlet, GoAnimate, Evernote, Ning, Google Groups, and Google Docs.

“When people just started using computers, they were only useful to programmers and people with software knowledge,” said Williams. “Web 2.0 is basically a more accessible version of the web where users can get information without a large hassle.”

Williams has recently started taking advantage of Twitter, one of the web’s fastest growing sites, to accompany his teaching.

“I use Twitter to socially bookmark things so that students can have it out there to see,” said Williams. “I had also hoped that students would eventually start using twitter to start developing their interests and hobbies, and to keep up with politics and the news. Most students either like it or hate it.”

Williams is just one of several East Mecklenburg teachers using social media to educate. This recent movement has swept through schools across America, and East Meck is among the better ones at using it well.

“Right now, East Meck is at a good place in terms of how we use technology,” said Williams. “One thing that I would like to see started is Bring Your Own Technology. It would be great if students were allowed to use their own tools to help them learn.”

One of those students, sophomore Bokar Diaby, had some thoughts on Williams’ use of technology.

“I barely have time to get on the computer sometimes, I would rather have everything on a piece of paper so I can look at it whenever,” said Diaby. “I can see how it might work for some people, but I don’t really like it that much.”

Other students have different opinions.

“When things are online, it’s convenient because it’s there whenever you need to look at it, and It won’t ever get lost,” said sophomore Lawrence Pittman.

Williams has given much thought to the use of technology in his classroom. As more teachers start adopting social media into their routines, a danger emerges of alienating students that lack consistent access to a computer.

“As a teacher, you want to be consistent, but so many new things are always coming out,” he said. “You can’t invest in things only to realize that they have their limitations. More technology isn’t necessarily better, and I have to be conscious about not overdoing it.”

Nixon worked for Charlotte- Mecklenburg Schools for 34 years as a principal and a teacher. He taught at South Charlotte and Sedgefield middle schools as well as Independence, South Mecklenburg, and Myers Park high schools.

No interim principal has been announced for Rocky River yet.

The accident occurred somewhere between 6:45-6:50 am during the carpool rush.  Counselor Sandra Rhinehardt was turning left into the school parking lot from Monroe Road when another driver‘s car crashed into the passenger side of her vehicle. Rhinehardt was shaken, and suffered a broken collar bone along with some bumps and bruises and was sent to the hospital. She was released from the hospital later in the day.  

Recently, speeding has become an issue in the East Meck school zone, where cars are exceeding the zone’s speed limit of 25 mph.

Soltys received the award on Nov. 13. In order to be nominated, according to the North Carolina Music Educators Association, one must teach at a North Carolina school for at least 10 years, demonstrate excellence in music education, make significant contributions to the improvement of that education and maintain a consistently amazing band for a long period of time, among other requirements.

Soltys directed at both McClintock Middle School and at East Mecklenburg High School from 1969-1998. During his tenure as a director, Soltys had numerous successful bands, receiving collectively 33 superior ratings at symphonic contests.  His impressive career also includes being a member of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, conducting the NC All-State Honors Band, serving as president of North Carolina Music Educators Association and as a chairman and vice chairman of the South-Central Band Directors’ Association. On top of that, he has also held other leadership roles in several additional band associations, including being state chairman of the National Band Association.

All of this experience and leadership is a direct reflection of his leadership and guidance in the classroom. The East Meck Marching Eagles won many marching contests and other awards not only in North Carolina, but also in Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia under Soltys’ direction. Of the stacks of trophies which decorate the band room, a large portion of them are a direct result of his guidance and dedication to East Meck during his tenure as a teacher.

Soltys may have retired, however, his legacy has not ended at East Meck. His influence still lives on through the direction of Scott Clowes, the current band director, whom many students say acts just like his mentor. Soltys also continues to make appearances in band class at East, occasionally subbing for Clowes during his absences.

While recognizing his career success, Soltys attributes his great accomplishments to the people he has met and worked with along the way.

“I was fortunate enough to work with East Meck students and parents,” Soltys said. “They are such an unbelievable group of talented and unselfish student musicians.”

Cheswick was among 58 female competitors, all high school seniors, gunning for the first-place finish of Carrousel Scholar. That high honor was awarded to Molly Walker of Jay M. Robinson High, thanks to her community involvement, academic achievement, and poise. Cheswick displayed such classy qualities as well, earning the Wingate University award alongside five other graceful girls.

Cheswick said she found it interesting how other schools decided who their representatives would be. While East Meck’s high-achieving student won her spot through an inner-school Carrousel Pageant, other schools used GPAs and interviews to their competitors.

“There were a lot of really good girls from all over the state,” said Cheswick. “It was really fun.”

Vincent performed in the auditorium for French students from various CMS high schools including Rocky River, Providence, and Independence. The show was put together by East Meck French teacher Diane Smith, who, along with senior and French V student Jessie Nejberger introduced Vincent to the crowd.

“I was really excited,” said Nejberger. “We spent the whole morning together before I introduced him and we had a great time.”

Vincent played a number of songs, all in French, which primarily revolved around his travels. “Seme L’Amour” featured music from one of Vincent’s famous friends James Taylor, a native North Carolinian.  Another song, “Haiti Kimbe Fo” featured lyrics about Vincent’s experience in the Caribbean nation after the earthquake which hit last year. Accompanying his songs, Vincent played his guitar and occasionally pre-recorded music. In between each song Vincent maintained participation from the crowd and encouraged the students to sing along.

Junior John Johnson poses for a picture with french singer/songwriter Eric Vincent during the luncheon after Vincent's performance.

After the concert Vincent participated in an intimate lesson with advanced French students in the culinary program’s restaurant Feathers. Culinary students prepared a French meal which consisted of a baguette, chips, and sorbet for dessert. While students ate, Vincent discussed his career and other influential French musicians. He also spoke to the diverse crowd about his many travels from Argentina to Morocco.   

Before Vincent left Charlotte, Smith presented the singer with a token from the students and staff, an East Meck windbreaker while the students left with a new appreciation for French music and culture.

“It was a wonderful experience that I’m happy to have been a part of,” said junior and French IV student Jake Parrott.  “It was my first concert and I will always remember it.”