Thursday, September 11, 2008

MHTV Class of 2000 STAR Talks TV & More!!

i am so blessed to work with such great kids! year in and year out i get to know them and sometimes they come back to visit and even email! i recently got an email from a former MHMS student and MHTV crew member who updated me on her life. WOW!
LeKesha Lewis was one of those kids who was VERY involved and pitched in to learn and help wherever she could! i have some great memories of her...what a great kid!
here are some excerpts from her and my emails back and forth and pics of her all grown up~!

"Hi Mrs Jones!!!

How is everything? I wish I still lived in the area so I could come and visit.
I can't say I expect you to remember me, but I was one of your kids from the Murray Hill's class of 2000. I got a little nostalgic and Googled MHMS and wondered if you had any more pictures from MHTV 99-2000. I'd love to be able to see if I can remember anyone

Thanks so much!

LeKesha Lewis

and my reply was:
"AWww you're gorgeous!!
i'm so happy to hear from you and see what an outstanding, smart, accomplished and AWEsome person you stayed! (cause you always WERE!) and got even better growing up! i'm SO proud of you!! congrats baby!
~gwyneth"
(and yes MHMS kids, when you turn 18 & graduate HS you can call me gwyneth, too! LOL)
and hers:
"Well, I'm an event planner in DC and I will be graduating from UVA next summer (Architecture major, minor in Japanese language). You can imagine how gas prices have been murdering me between Charlottesville, VA and DC. I will also be getting married May 22nd 2010 to this absolutely amazing guy. He's a teacher and mixed martial arts instructor. We'll be opening an MMA school in the DC area in a few years.
The black and white picture is of me and my best friend Chelsea. The second one is me in an awesome leather mask at a Renaissance festival last year, and the third picture is of Dave and I at a John Mayer concert at Merriweather in July.

thanks so much for the link and i'll be in touch with wedding invitations as soon as I start sending them."


i then asked her...since we're doing MHTV apps this week to write a little something about her experiences on the show and how it helped her in her school career and life! and if i could post these, show her super cute pic and quote her.... here's her answer!

"I LOVED MHTV. When I got to Long Reach I was on their TV crew as well. In 12th grade I became Director of LRTV, composed the Senior Video (much like the experience I had doing the 8th grade slide show!) and I was the greeting speaker at our graduation. I was in the Visual Communications practicum at LRHS as well and MHTV definitely helped me as far as developing that all-important sense of teamwork and basic understandings of visual artforms and technology. That, of course, led me into my major in Architecture, so in a way all the magic started in MHTV!
THe TV studio became something of a haven for me. It was a creative outlet and often got me out of class. ;) There was always something new to learn. It was especially rewarding to be able to go to bed at night, then get up in the morning and have an idea for a new segment or way to run the show, and have the support system there that is willing to develop your ideas. Everyone had an important role in creating a successful and unique show everyday. Anchoring helped build my confidendce in public speaking (and I do a LOT of that), and camera work and research prepared me for team-leading and directing. Its definitely a uique experience that not a lot of people especially at that age, can say that they have.

I definitely miss it!

You can totally use my picture. I think it would be an honor to help get kids interested in one of the principle programs that made me so happy as a kid and played a role in defining what I do with my career."
So see? being part of the MHTV crew helps in SO many ways that you will later see...and if nothign else it may get you out of class....wait! Mr. D! i'm just kidding about that part!!!
and let me say it again....i'm so proud of you LeKesha!

~Miss Jones

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Welcome Back to School! & Twilight and Harry Potter!

News@School Live!
YAY!....it's a new year and i'm so excited to see all the new kids coming to MHMS!!...Welcome 6th graders AND welcome to any transferring 7th and 8th graders.

MHTV is advertising for applications for the new crew NEXT week in all the lunches...check out the stage steps for your app & make sure to get yours! a big part of the interview process of hiring new MHTV crew is did the student listen and follow directions as given on the MHTV show. did the student follow directions, fill out the application fully, get a parent and teacher signature, and turn it in on time? these are all things we examine before we choose which kids to audition. last year we had almost 100 kids working with MHTV..it's a vital part of the murray hill middle school community. how do we do the TV show every day and how is it a best practice of technology integration? check out our News@School Live! check it out!

NEW Books in the Media Center!
we always try and have the latest hot book or series for you our dear customer! and we have the 4th of the Twilight Series ...Breaking Dawn...!!
Twilight fans.....Ok, you know...it's killin me! i haven't read it yet because as SOON as i got it from Amazon ....all 4 copies! i turned them back around and had Mrs. Black quicky send them to get processed so YOU could check them out! it was Soooo tempting!! i think i may have to just break down and buy my own copy...but you know how i like using the library but the HCL waiting list for Breaking Dawn is still at 10+. so if you haven't read it yet...we've got them!~ ok...here's a pic from the movie! i'm sorry...i'm a Jacob fan....readers...COMMENT TIME...is Bella a Mary Sue?
don't know what that means? here....a Non-Twilight fan friend of mine wrote in their blog recently
"And to all the Twilight fans, educate yourselves on Mary Sues. Bella is a Mary Sue, Edward is a Gary Sue. It's Mary Sue land I tell you! [link] Read Wiki's article. And understand the concept."

sounds harsh, right? i hate to say it but i see some truth in it and Mrs. Singleton and the book club and i will be talking about Marysues and fanfiction this year! we may even blog or wiki about it
...but Twilight series?
it's still a good read!!!...
the movie coming out around Thanksgiving sounds good, too!


And have you heard? Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has been delayed!
"Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that it has moved back the release date of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” to Summer 2009. The sixth installment of the blockbuster Harry Potter franchise will now open day-and-date domestically and in the major international markets on July 17, 2009. The announcement was made by Alan Horn, President and Chief Operating Officer, Warner Bros. In making the announcement, Mr. Horn stated, “Our reasons for shifting ‘Half-Blood Prince’ to summer are twofold: we know the summer season is an ideal window for a family tent pole release, as proven by the success of our last Harry Potter film, which is the second-highest grossing film in the franchise, behind only the first installment."

My theory is that it has something to do with that Warner has no big tentpole movie next summer after Justice League fell apart. Oh and the Stephenie Meyers blog says it's NOT Twilight's fault!

***August 15, 2008***

Movie News Flash!

So, many of you have heard that the release of the sixth Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, has been moved from this Thanksgiving to next summer. First and foremost, please know that this schedule change has absolutely nothing to do with Twilight, me, or Summit Films (so enough with the imdb death wishes, okay?). This is Warner Bros. decision, and it was not motivated by anything Twilight-related.

Now for the good news! Though we're all sad to have to wait for Harry Potter, this open spot at the theater creates a cool opportunity. The good people at Summit were thrilled to let me know that now Twilight fans are going to get their movie three weeks earlier than scheduled. That's right—Twilight will be released in theaters November 21st! Let the merry-making commence!

--Stephenie


Whatever, i want both! Twilight and the Harry Potter movie!! and the sooner the better!~
~Ms. Jones
Ok..... comments peeps! you know we like comments!!!