2 NEWSFEB. 10, 2012

Iliad

Poway High School’s annual musical, Bye Bye Birdie, opened successfully last weekend.

Shows took on place on Feb. 2 and 3, and there are more performances tonight, Feb. 9 and tomorrow.

Bye Bye Birdie takes viewers back to the late 50’s. It tells the story of a teenage heartthrob Conrad Birdie, who has recently been drafted into the army.

Smitten teen girls everywhere are devastated, and in order to send him off, his managers arrange for him to give a goodbye kiss to a randomly selected high-schooler. Intermingled love stories, humor, and lively songs dominate this feel-good show.

“It’s a fun show about teenagers, so students can relate to it,” musical director Nancy Gray said.

The musical, which has been an annual production at Poway High for years, was originally cut due to a lack of funds.

However, dedicated musical fans banded together in order to try to bring it back.

Emails to Principal Fisher circulated, fundraising efforts were made, and parents volunteered for jobs, like set-building, to cut costs.

A situation that originally seemed rather dire was turned around by the determination of musical performers and attendees.

Leads of the show include senior Luke Castor as Albert, Conrad’s manager, juniors Claire Davis as Kim, the girl chosen for Conrad to kiss, Chase Cullen as Hugo, Kim’s boyfriend, and sophomores Jackie Foster as Rosie, Albert’s secretary, and Forrest Jenkins as Conrad.

“The fact that we pulled such a complicated show together in such a short amount of time is a demonstration of how much the cast, crew, and community is willing to give,” Luke Castor said.

“It’s become a fantastic show and it is an honor and a privilege to have worked on it with everyone.”

Students still have two more chances to see it- tonight and tomorrow night.

The show starts at 7 p.m. and student tickets are $10. “The musical is very fun and everyone should go see it!” Jackie Foster said.

CARLY METZStaff Writer

Bye Bye Birdie makes debutPoway play makes successful showings

star of the show: Junior Forest Jenkins takes center stage, playing Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie. The character is a celebrity heartthrob who is set to join the army. ~Courtesy of Rex Castor

Club presidents seeking to withdraw funds from their account may be disappointed with new limitations for the rest of the semester. State regulations placed on ASB this year may alter the way Poway High clubs operate, restricting how funds can be utilized pertaining to donations and spending.

According to ASB director Emily Petterson, there are many new laws that specifi cally target the spending of club funds. In order to protect Poway High’s credit, ASB has the responsibility of closely regulating all money.

By the district’s interpretation, the new law states that all spending related to ASB must benefi t the student body in some way. For clubs that focus on the local level, this may have little impact. But for international clubs, like Care Highway and Key Club, this rule has a potentially great hindrance.

“Key Club is the oldest and largest organization on this campus. We need that money to achieve our goals,” Won-Ji Lee, president of Key Club, said. The club sponsors events that promote leadership and community service; however, a majority of these activities take place around the local and

national community, not within our campus.Care Highway, an organization that provides aid to countries

in poverty across the globe, was given $3000 by the national Care Highway organization last year. President Haley Urbach planned to spend a large portion of that money to support starving children in Kenya. Now, she fi nds that money cannot be applied to such expenditures because the money lies within the school’s sphere of power and must be regulated by strict laws.

“Care Highway’s sole function is to support international programs. Without the right to our own money, we lose all legitimacy,” Urbach said.

The regulations have little impact on ASB’s activities because the organization’s purpose is to spend money on the students and the school’s affairs. “As much as it may be needed, we cannot use our funds to help Mr. Harris’s photo program or buy new computers,” Petterson said.

ASB insists that their responsibility cannot be altered. They are simply carrying out the laws to prevent any legality issues. Especially after such problems in the San Diego and Sweetwater School District, where a lack of regulation led to corruption, even criminal charges for some individuals, Petterson is taking

stronger precautions to prevent fi nes that could damage our school.

“I don’t want to go to jail,” she remarked.Whether or not these precautions are necessary or simply

driven by paranoia, they are being enforced strictly. “I appreciate ASB’s intentions to monitor funds, but these regulations are really hurting Poway High clubs,” Urbach said.

She believes that since her club’s funds were received last year, before the regulations, the money should be exempt from new policies. The plea has been considered by the fi nancial offi ce.

The only advice ASB can give is that students raise money in different ways. “Clubs can spend their money on T-shirts or bracelets to give out to spread awareness,” Petterson said. Creative thinking may be necessary in order to fi nd legal fundraising methods, despite the ineffi ciency.

Collecting cash or checks made out to the national organization, not the club itself, will allow students to spend the money in any way they see fi t. While these steps are logical, they also seem to debunk the entire ASB system. To advise students to sidestep ASB is to avoid and disregard authority completely.

“I think they’re failing to create unity or order, but are actually tearing apart the foundation for all of these clubs,” said Lee.

State requires ASB to restrict club fundsCHASE PADOLUKE CASTOR