Debate and Speech

Bethany’s speech and debate teams participate in the Indiana High School Forensics Association and the Northwest Indiana District of the National Forensic League. See schedule of events. For information on past years, see season summaries.

Participating in speech and debate can help students become more effective communicators, ethical individuals, critical thinkers, and leaders.

• Debate offers students a chance to bring critical thinking skills to bear on real-life issues. The ideas that are considered require research, composition (of speeches), and a grasp of the issues underlying the presenting issues debated. Debate in the classroom leads to gains in engagement and participation, skill development, content knowledge, and academic performance.
• Speech events can provide students opportunities to hone a plethora of speaking skills in public. Separate events emphasize interpretation, public address, and broadcasting abilities.  

According to the National Forensic League, students who are involved in speech and debate:

• demonstrate higher levels of critical thinking and intellectual curiosity.
• typically score higher on standardized tests and classroom assessments.
• are more likely to be self-confident and independent.
• tend to feel more included and accepted socially.
• can benefit in the college admission and scholarship awarding process (see Yale study).

Debate and Speech Schedule

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Season Summaries

2009-10

Theater

Scenes from recent performances
Dead Man Walking	Godspell
	Zink

In addition to these performance options, juniors and seniors may take the following drama course:

Theater Arts (grades 11-12)

This course explores dramatic forms such as theater, public speaking, debate, film, and the mass media.

Emmaus

Emmaus is an auditioned performing arts troupe.

The class is designed to provide an additional opportunity for promising fine arts students to be stretched in new ways and to blossom into well-rounded artists. In some cases, this means that students who previously concentrated on musicianship will learn about acting and dancing and how to perform and interact with others on stage. Other students who have excelled in learning music and choreography will be introduced to arranging, teaching, and staging music.

This versatile performance group also provides exposure to the arts in the community, while promoting goodwill for the school. Emmaus will perform at a wide variety of venues, from public elementary schools, to Sunday morning worship services, to a casual performance at the Electric Brew. The challenge is developing material that appeals to every age group, to be adapted for both secular and religious settings, and to have elements of both performance and interaction.

In the fall students participate in workshops in Orff (a philosophy of music), group and stylistic singing, playing musical instruments (from the ukelele to found objects), story-telling, improvisational theater, tap, ballet, clogging, STOMP-style dance, and musical theater history. However, the class is designed to draw upon and cultivate the gifts of the students. This is very student-led and student-directed with the teacher facilitating the process. Students will write, direct, and choreograph their shows that they peform in the community.

The theme of the 2009-10 program is “Calming the Storm.” The 30-minute show follows the theme of the storms of life, starting with a more harsh visual and aural storm and a litany of personal storms, asking the question “Where is God?” After coming through the storm, the pieces follow the relief and happiness of being at the other side of the storm. The conclusion begins with the realization that “God is in the storm.” The show ends with learning to dance and have joy in the storm.

Troupe members include: Emma Caskey, Sara Erb, Emily Grimes, Taek Guan, Karsten Hess, Mikey Kelly, Sara Klassen, Clarissa Lora, Ben Mast, Anna Nafziger, J.D. Nafziger, Emily Shenk, and Blake Shetler. The group is taught and directed by Talashia Keim Yoder.

Schedule

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Instrumental Music

The instrumental music program offers classes (course descriptions listed below) and private instruction for beginners and advanced students. The annual Mennonite regional orchestra festival provides an opportunity to perform with musicians from other schools. For more information about the instrumental music program, you may download a pdf copy of the Instrumental Music Handbook.

Agape Ringers (grades 7-8)

The handbell choir at Bethany is a group of ten to twelve ringers selected by audition in August. Students perform in four settings throughout the year. Classwork focuses on sight reading, eye-hand coordination, understanding handbell notation, and mastering bell ringing techniques. Literature includes hymn and arrangements appropriate to various themes and church settings. Problem solving, performance techniques, sight reading, mastery of rhythmic coordination, through group bell ringing, all enhance the musical development of each student. The strengthening of right brain and left brain connections enhances the learning in all academic and physical learning settings. Handbell Choir is a co-curricular activity.

Beginning Instruments (grade 6)

A course for all students in grade 6 wanting to learn to play a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument. Students are introduced to the range of instruments available for study. After acquiring an instrument, the course begins with the basics and develops skills in a sequential fashion. The course focuses on playing the instrument and basic skills in music literacy. Students are encouraged to develop individual playing skills alongside their ensemble participation.

Mid Level Instrumental Music (grades 6-8)

This class combines strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments into a performance ensemble. Students explore a variety of musical styles.  The ensemble demonstrates course outcomes through specific pieces performed at the Christmas and spring concerts. Course content is concentrated around string orchestra and wind band performance with some combined material.

Bruin Jazz Ensemble (grades 9-12)

The jazz ensemble, Bruin Jazz, introduces students to a uniquely American style of music.  Students experiment with various forms of jazz music including ragtime, Dixieland, big band, swing, bebop, cool jazz and latin jazz styles. Instruction is provided in written and improvisational solos. Students advance their skills in rhythm and musical interpretation. Studying jazz music, a uniquely American form of music, also gives some insight into US History and the ways people responded to their circumstance using creative outlets, such as music. Performing in an ensemble also allows students to work together toward a common goal, and to enjoy the rewards of a disciplined, team approach.

Intermediate Orchestra (grades 9-12)

This a performance-based ensemble comprised of string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments. Students rehearse and perform various styles and levels of music. The orchestra rehearses in a “sectional” format with winds and percussion meeting twice per week, strings meeting twice per week, and the full orchestra meeting three times per week.  In addition to school concerts in fall, Christmas and spring, the orchestra participates in the Midwest Regional Mennonite Orchestra Festival each spring. Hosted on a rotating basis, Bethany will host in spring 2013.

Vocal Music

All students in grades 6-9 take choral music and students in grades 10-12 can choose further training and performance (course descriptions listed below). The annual Mennonite high school choir festival provides an opportunity to perform with musicians from schools throughout the U.S. and Canada. Students also have opportunities to learn to lead worship in chapel, participate in school musicals, and take private lessons. The select high school choir has received first-place ratings at district contest each year since 1997.

Vocal Music 6

This exploratory class invites students to discover the language of music, tools for composing, history of our present contemporary styles of music (both sacred and secular), with hands on creating and visual expression of music.  In a rapidly changing culture, students experience music in worship and recreational forms. With a limited exposure to diverse styles, this class enables students to see music broader than their personal tastes.  Students become active listeners and participants in creating and understanding music through a lens of faith, structure, and culture, making music relevant to their life experiences beyond passive listening.  

Vocal Music 7 and 8

Self-expression is an important part of development. Seventh and eighth grade students need music tools to navigate through the vocal changes happening within their own physical and psychological development.  Students are challenged to find their own voice. Through creating music students develop the ability to listen, respond, and problem solve. By making connections between their own lives and music, students learn the relationship between faith and music, as well as their daily use of music in an ever-changing culture.

Semester 1: This exploratory class invites students to discover their own voice, experience singing in a group, with a cappella and accompanied literature in a gender specific setting. Activities in this class include singing, hands-on creating and composing, and experimentation with the voice. Instruction is designed to enable students to connect, examine, imagine, define, try, extend, refine, and integrate music study into other subject areas. A limited number of public performances serve as a culmination of daily rehearsal and music goals. Students must participate in performance opportunities, outside of the school day, that support and extend classroom learning.

Semester 2: A continuation of semester 1 for students desiring further vocal learning, but in a combined-gender class. Instruction is designed to enable students to connect, examine, imagine, define, try, extend, refine, and integrate music study into other subject areas. A limited number of public performances serve as a culmination of daily rehearsal and music goals. Students must participate in performance opportunities, outside of the school day, that support and extend the learning in the classroom.

Beginning Chorus (grade 9)

Chorus classes provide instruction in creating, performing, conducting, listening to, and analyzing music, in addition to focusing on the specific subject matter. Students develop the ability to understand and convey the composer’s intent in order to connect the performer with the audience. By making connections between their own lives and music, students learn the relationship between faith and music, as well as their daily use of music in an ever-changing culture.

Students develop musicianship and specific performance skills through large and small ensemble singing in gender specific classes for one semester. Activities develop quality repertoire in the diverse styles of choral literature appropriate in difficulty and range for the students. Instruction is designed so that students are enabled to connect, examine, imagine, define, try, extend, refine, and integrate music study into other subject areas. 

Concert Choir (grades 10-12)

Through singing, students express themselves creatively, while acquiring knowledge of reading music, and creating music from varied traditions and cultures equips them to learn and experience new music independently throughout their lives. The ability to listen with understanding provides students with a broad cultural and historical perspective. The skills, knowledge, and habits developed in the study of choral music equip students to create and enjoy music, as well as develop a lifelong appreciation for aesthetic values.

Students develop musicianship and specific performance skills through ensemble and solo singing. The Concert Choir is composed of mixed chorus singing of a cappella and accompanied literature from the Renaissance to the present century. Instruction is designed to enable students to connect, imagine, define, try, extend, refine, and integrate music study into other subject areas. Coursework provides instruction in creating, performing, conducting, listening, analyzing, and focusing on specific subject matter. Students develop the ability to understand and convey the composer’s intent in order to connect the performer with the audience. 

The choir performs in local churches, district choral contest, and takes an annual tour. Each April the choir joins twelve Mennonite high schools across Canada and the U.S. for the Mennonite Schools Council choir festival. Participating schools host the event on a rotating basis.

Spring Arts Day

Spring Arts Day is an all-school competition in the fine arts. Art and writing categories include writing, drawing, painting, and program cover design. Performance categories include drama, readings, poetry, instrumental music, and vocal music.

Faculty leader J. D. Smucker says, "The emphasis is on trying and through the experience possibly become more involved in the arts at school, at church, or in the community. And at times when students are less than perfect in their performance, their peers (the audience) applaud, affirm, and encourage in a way that is life giving."

See results/photos from 2008. 

Schedule of Events

All School

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High School

[view:eventlist=100=Music and Drama HS]

Middle School

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Emmaus Performing Arts Troupe

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