Hoover Challenger http://hooverchallenger.com The student run newspaper of Herbert Hoover High School, Des Moines, Iowa Mon, 10 May 2010 15:35:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Hoover Challenger http://hooverchallenger.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/hoover.png http://hooverchallenger.com 32 32 The student run newspaper of Herbert Hoover High School, Des Moines, Iowa
It’s the end http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/05/its-the-end/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/05/its-the-end/#comments Fri, 07 May 2010 15:18:16 +0000 Edward Rodriguez http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=2033 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> When you’re a senior the last few months of school zip on by. There are only 14 days left of school now and I can’t help but wonder how it all went by so damn fast. A lot of seniors think of graduation as the end of an incredible experience. I, however, see it differently. Either way, it’s great to remember how you got where you are today. Below is my journey through highschool.

Freshman year: A time when I had a fear of teachers and upperclassmen. I was overwhelmed by faces I didn’t recognize and friends that I didn’t know yet. I tried out for my first play and got in. Drama became a huge part of my life and the people I met because of Drama would become my friends forever. I worked really hard on my homework and found school to be a breeze. I excelled in everything I tried to do and ended the semester taking journalism.

Sophomore year: A time when I wanted to get on everybody’s good side. I knew a lot of upperclassmen from plays. I added newspaper to my schedule at the very last minute (just the day before school started). I started out on the newspaper staff and right off the bat I’m given the title of an editor–something that usually doesn’t happen to sophomores. I continue my involvement in drama and make it to All-State….twice. This is also the year when we all discovered that Mr. Hildreth would no longer serve as a drama teacher. Everyone involved in drama worried about the future of the department. I continued in newspaper, becoming the number one staff member in the class. At the end of the year I was awarded co-editor in chief with Bea Rendon

Junior Year: Newspaper took over my life. I started working at Carlos O’Kelly’s and was in the fall play. My workload went on overload and I tried my hardest to keep my grades up. That didn’t work out so well. My perfect GPA went on a decline. The newspaper looked good….most issues. And it ended receiving a gallup award. That was cool.

Senior year: It’s all a blur.

Today: Is the beginning.

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Its the end
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/05/its-the-end/feed/ 0 Little Shop of Horrors http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/05/little-shop-of-horrors/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/05/little-shop-of-horrors/#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 02:09:12 +0000 Jason Reichenbacher http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=2014 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> Tomorrow i am going on a publicity tour for the show, i am playing guitar for the pit. i enjoy it alot. The Musicians pit is fun for me because the style of the show is disco funk. i like playing funk music.

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Little Shop of Horrors
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/05/little-shop-of-horrors/feed/ 0 The block blues http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/the-block-blues/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/the-block-blues/#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:09:37 +0000 Michael Roby http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=2017 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> Not everyone can be at their best all the time. Sometimes you’re exhausted, sometimes you have a headache and sometimes you just don’t feel like doing whatever it is you enjoy. In literature, it’s called writer’s block, and it’s a recurring theme for me.
As a practicing author who hopes to go big some day, I often find myself sitting down to write and I just don’t manage to get anything out. I end up just sitting, staring at a blank white document page on my computer, sigh, close the document and check my facebook. The process repeats itself and sometimes it takes what feels like forever to get even a few paragraphs of thought in.
This kind of thing isn’t limited to writers. It can come up in anyone in anything they care about, no matter how passionate you may be. Sooner or later all burn out a little bit. It’s not a good thing, but it’s inevitable.
My advice for these difficult times in waves of passion is to just take a little break. Don’t push yourself too hard, just step out every now and again and enjoy something else for a little while. A few little bumps in the road can easily be solved by some motivational fun.
When you feel ready to go back to whatever you enjoy, put on whatever music is going to put you in mood, envision what it is you want to accomplish and just give it a try.
No matter how good you may be at something, sooner or later weakness will start to show. When it does, don’t be too intimidated. Just be prepared, have a little fun, and get right back up on the wagon.

Read more at Hoover Challenger

The block blues
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/the-block-blues/feed/ 0 Stressful week http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/stressful-week/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/stressful-week/#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:07:52 +0000 Erik.Hoffman http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=2009 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> This week has been very stressful as my grandma died on Monday of a heart attack and newspaper is wiping me out. I have my page almost done and i hate it that i didnt get done because that means more work for Edward and he definitely doesn’t need more work. Tomorrow is my grandmas funeral and i hate being around sad people but i have to go. Apparently she didn’t even like me very much but its still my grandma. I went to the visitation on Thursday and people cried alot it was sad to see her go but it happens. I hoped to get the position on staff that i wanted but i turned in my application late so he gave the features spot to Katie congrats Katie hope you do good at it. My second choice was news editor and i hope i get that because my third choice is a tad unrealistic as i applied for editor in chief and we already have Alex as editor in chief so congrats to you to Alex and i hope you can do as well as Edward does.

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Stressful week
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/stressful-week/feed/ 0 Suicide http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/suicide/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/suicide/#comments Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:01:45 +0000 aaron.homard http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=2016 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> Two days ago in the middle of working on my AP Literature homework, my dad calls me upstairs. He sits me down next to my mom with a serious face.

“I just got a call from Danielle from church. Becky had been missing for about two hours. She committed suicide…” my dad told us.

Just the thought of death is something I don’t wish to talk about but the fact that someone I knew, someone close to me had left me for good just scared me.

Death. The only things I have ever become so emotional about were my great grandmothers, my dog, my grandfather and now Becky.

And for that matter: suicide. Suicide is the most selfish thing in the world. The fact that someone thinks that their life is not worth living and that others will not care confuses me.

Becky was depressed but never showed it. Every time I saw her, she was always smiling and making sure my theatre and band activities were keeping up. During the holidays, she would make different things to make people go “awww” when they saw them.

She must have been so lonely and scared about what she may have to do. I still don’t understand why she did it but there must have been a reasoning behind it. Whatever the reasoning was, I hope she found it under the water where she was discovered.

Someone will always care for you. No matter if you leave someone with infinite amounts of debt, someone will still care for you. If you feel like everyone around you does not like you, in fact someone still will care about you.

Rest in Peace Becky Herring wherever you may be.

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Suicide
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/suicide/feed/ 0 Assistant Stage Management http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/assistant-stage-management/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/assistant-stage-management/#comments Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:58:55 +0000 katie.steingrabe http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=2012 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> I am currently the assistant stage manager for our spring production of Little Shop of Horrors and it is a lot of work. Never before did i realize all the work that is put into pulling off a production of something. At rehearsals I am constantly doing something. Down time is very limitted. The job I am doing isn’t a glory job either. No one thinks about stage management. The credit they get is very slim. I am glad I have had this opportunity though because it has made me look at theatre in a whole different light.

All the time and work people put into pulling something like this off is tremendous. Stage management must sit through all the rehearsals and production meetings. It’s fun though because we get a dose of everything. When the actors are missing we get to fill in for them and we also get to help out the production team when they are working on the set.

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Assistant Stage Management
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/assistant-stage-management/feed/ 0 http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/2007/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/2007/#comments Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:47:26 +0000 katie.steingrabe http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=2007 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> What’s up? I can’t hear your answer, it’s a blog, so don’t bother replying to me. My name is Sam Hinman. I am a student at Ankeny High School who is visiting for the Student Council exchange. While here I went to a biology and newspaper class. The biology class seemed similar to what mine was at Ankeny. I’m not in newspaper at Ankeny, so I can’t make any connections. Classes here are blocked, but at Ankeny we have 45 minute periods and cevery class every day. Well since I was only here for one day and two classes I’m out of ideas.

You can text and harass Katie Steingrabe at 202-9926

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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/2007/feed/ 0 When friends become family http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/when-friends-become-family/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/when-friends-become-family/#comments Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:56:33 +0000 Michael Roby http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=1985 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> What a family really is should be more than just who the people you were born to are. A family should be the people you consider yourself close to and the people you love. In this right, your friends and the people they are surrounded by could just as easily come to be considered family as your biological one is.

I’ve been dating my girlfriend for coming up on a year and a half. Without question I love her, and I have come to love her family as well, even looking at them as a second family of my own.

When her grandmother died last year I was genuinly saddened. I attended her funeral and reception, feeling the same kind of pain I feel when I’ve lost loved ones in the past. I’d known her grandmother for some time, and she really liked me, and it was truly like losing a family member to see her just go away.

Whenever I’ve heard of her or her family suffering from health issues, I feel myself becoming overwhelmed with fear and worry. I’m scared because I know that even if you haven’t known someone as long as another person, it is still so easy and so common to love them.

Friends, after you truly know them, do become like family. I’m glad I’ve made a new, true family around my friends, and, even knowing how much it can come to hurt, it can also feel so amazing and wonderful to have another family by your side.

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When friends become family
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/when-friends-become-family/feed/ 0 Chamber Choir http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/chamber-choir/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/chamber-choir/#comments Thu, 08 Apr 2010 20:12:54 +0000 Aleksandra.Vujicic http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=1995 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> Picture 004 350x232 Chamber Choir Picture 017 350x232 Chamber Choir Picture 002 350x232 Chamber Choir Picture 026 350x232 Chamber Choir Picture 025 350x232 Chamber Choir Picture 023 350x232 Chamber Choir Picture 016 350x232 Chamber Choir Picture 011 350x232 Chamber Choir

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Chamber Choir
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/chamber-choir/feed/ 0 Texting Ban http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/texting-ban/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/texting-ban/#comments Sat, 03 Apr 2010 21:33:49 +0000 katie.steingrabe http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=1986 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> Should you be able to use your cell phone while you are driving? A new ban says no.In six states you may not use a handheld cell phone while you are operating your vehicle. Though no state has completely banned the use of cell phones all together, I don’t think it would be such a bad idea.I am unable to drive so I cannot say from experience, but I have been in the car with people while they have been using their cell phone. Usually they are texting. Once they finish their text they look up and have drifted over to the other lane because they were not paying attention.There are many distractions to drivers in the first place, and to not have your full attention on the road is quite dangerous. Most of the time drivers have passengers in the car and are listening to the radio, which means they obviously are not completely focused on the road. Texting or talking on the phone pulls their focus even more.It is sad that now-a-days people cannot be separated from their cell phone for 15 minutes while they drive to the store or mall.I feel it should not be that huge of an issue to be apart from your phone especially if it could potentially protect you and others from harm. The usage of cell phones has gotten ridiculous. They are just supposed to be a convenience not a necessity.The way people are reacting to this ban just shows that technology is taking over this world and eventually everything will be run by robots.Maybe if we all just put our phones down for five minutes and, stop and smell the roses this world would be a better place.

Read more at Hoover Challenger

Texting Ban
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/04/texting-ban/feed/ 0 Spring Pep Assembly http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/spring-pep-assembly/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/spring-pep-assembly/#comments Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:35:51 +0000 Aleksandra.Vujicic http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=1980 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> DSC 0052 350x526 Spring Pep AssemblyDSC 0043 350x526 Spring Pep AssemblyDSC 0024 350x526 Spring Pep AssemblyDSC 0019 350x526 Spring Pep AssemblyIMG 0179 350x233 Spring Pep AssemblyIMG 0162 350x233 Spring Pep AssemblyIMG 0161 350x233 Spring Pep AssemblyIMG 0157 350x233 Spring Pep AssemblyIMG 0141 350x233 Spring Pep Assembly

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Spring Pep Assembly
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/spring-pep-assembly/feed/ 0 Orange cones and spring break randomness http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/1950/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/1950/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:13:48 +0000 katie.steingrabe http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=1950 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> So today when I got home there was an orange cone on my porch that said “Bunny #31″. I feel pretty special for getting a cone. Not going to lie. I’d heard about a lot of people getting them and I was sad I didn’t. I am pretty sure it is Amy and E-rod that have been putting all the cones on people’s porches. I think it is quite clever. I wish I could come up with something cool like that. Oh well!

So I went tanning today. It was nice and relaxing. Yup! Hopefully spring break doesn’t go by too fast but I’m pretty sure it will. Aw sad face. But i guess the quicker it goes by then the faster summer will get here. WOOT WOOT!

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Orange cones and spring break randomness
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/1950/feed/ 0 Student performs at diversity assembly http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/student-performs-at-diversity-assembly/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/student-performs-at-diversity-assembly/#comments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:26:24 +0000 Challenger Staff http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=1947 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> Sophomore Quan Troung performs a Vietnamese dance at the school diversity assembly. Troung coregraphed the dance himself and recorded the song in his house.

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Student performs at diversity assembly
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/student-performs-at-diversity-assembly/feed/ 0 Flocks of sheep-original song and lyrics by senior http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/flocks-of-sheep-original-song-and-lyrics-by-senior/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/flocks-of-sheep-original-song-and-lyrics-by-senior/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:51:04 +0000 Challenger Staff http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=1944 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> Senior Cassie Tant created this video just for fun with simple equipment. Enjoy!

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Flocks of sheep original song and lyrics by senior
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/flocks-of-sheep-original-song-and-lyrics-by-senior/feed/ 0 School band performs at Vaudville Mews http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/school-band-performs-at-vaudville-mews/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/school-band-performs-at-vaudville-mews/#comments Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:23:22 +0000 Challenger Staff http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=1915 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> The Manics, a four man band, performed their new song “Sain” at the Vaudville Mews. Check it out!

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School band performs at Vaudville Mews
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/school-band-performs-at-vaudville-mews/feed/ 0 Bored during spring break http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/bored/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/bored/#comments Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:39:11 +0000 Erik.Hoffman http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=1907 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> My phone sucks! I have a juke from Verizon and it’s a really bad phone and I’m surprised I haven’t broken it yet. I get an upgrade sometime this year and I will finally get a better phone.

I’m so bored it’s 10 at night on a Friday and I have nothing to do. I’m going on a trip to St. Louis for Gear Up and everything is paid for. I go on Monday and get back Thursday it should be fun for the most part even though some people I don’t like are going.

 After I get back I might go to Carroll, IA to visit my grandma which will still be boring.

I’m still learning how to play guitar; I haven’t had any lessons but I’m in guitar club at school so hopefully I’ll get better as I practice more. I know how to play the beginning of Day Tripper by the Beatles, and I know how to play a little of Lithium by Nirvana.

It’s 10 p.m. on a Friday night and I have nothing to do….

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Bored during spring break
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/bored/feed/ 0 Creative video-Clouds http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/creative-video-clouds/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/creative-video-clouds/#comments Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:23:45 +0000 Challenger Staff http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=1904 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> This video was created by senior Anna Swan just for fun. Enjoy!

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Creative video Clouds
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/creative-video-clouds/feed/ 0 Channel 12 reports on Challenger award http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/channel-12-reports-on-challenger-award/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/channel-12-reports-on-challenger-award/#comments Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:40:19 +0000 Challenger Staff http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=1899 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> The following is a news channel 12 clip on the Challenger with journalist senior Alexis Andrews.

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Channel 12 reports on Challenger award
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/channel-12-reports-on-challenger-award/feed/ 0 New Media Music Video-Love of Hope http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/new-media-music-video-love-of-hope/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/new-media-music-video-love-of-hope/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:49:21 +0000 Challenger Staff http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=1884 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> The Hoover New Media class requires students to create a music video as a class project. Here is one of those videos created by Kevin Chanthavong.

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New Media Music Video Love of Hope
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/new-media-music-video-love-of-hope/feed/ 0 New Media Music Video-Obsessed http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/ajlas-test/ http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/ajlas-test/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:20:08 +0000 Challenger Staff http://hooverchallenger.com/?p=1869 Read more at Hoover Challenger

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]]> The Hoover New Media class requires students to create a music video as a class project. Here is one of those videos created by Kinsey, Johnelle and Amela.

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New Media Music Video Obsessed
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]]> http://hooverchallenger.com/2010/03/ajlas-test/feed/ 1