Dear Students, We are excited to announce a new event that is sure to bring lots of fun and excitement to our school campus. We will be hosting a Mascot Dance Competition next month and we encourage all of you to participate. The main idea of this competition is to showcase your creativity, enthusiasm, and dance skills while dressed in our school mascots' costumes. It will be a chance for you to showcase your school spirit and entertain your fellow students. We want to see unique and engaging dance routines that incorporate the personality and charm of our school mascots. You can choose to dance to any genre of music and bring your own creative flair to the performance.
In Burkittsville, Life's A Witch
The Blair Witch people are back. And this time, Burkittsville is ready.
Last summer, curiosity seekers overran the startled western Maryland hamlet where the hit hoax horror film, The Blair Witch Project, is set. They snatched road and cemetery signs and vandalized tombstones.
But with the movie's recent release on home video and Halloween coming up this weekend, many of the 214 townsfolk are embracing opportunity instead of bracing for invasion.
Amble down the town's Main (and only) Street and you'll see no convenience stores, no restaurants, no service stations. You will, however, see a hand-lettered cardboard sign, "WITCH STUFF," on a telephone pole near Trude Head's 200-year-old house.
Her sidewalk display offers $7 versions of the rock and stick totems featured in the film. A few dollars more buy a good-luck Blair Witch spell.
"I'm doing very well, selling things to the people who want to have something from the witch town," she says, smiling brightly.
So is Margaret Kennedy, a painter and gallery owner with a profitable sideline in Blair Witch T-shirts; her photographer friend Warren Morrow doesn't even live in Burkittsville, but he's made some stick figures, too.
The surprise hit movie purports to show the final days of three student filmmakers who vanish mysteriously while traipsing through the Black Hills Forest, making a documentary on the legendary witch of Blair.
In Burkittsville, the Blair itch has become a cottage industry.
"Kind of weird, isn't it?" said Linda Prior, a local grandmother who was among the first to see the sales potential, selling sticks and stones on the online auction site eBay.
An outfitter offers weekend "witch hikes" on the nearby Appalachian Trail. A Baltimore entrepreneur organizes Blair Witch camping trips.
Not all Burkittsville is pleased by its sudden notoriety.
A.K. Cox has been bothered by drive-by tourists with video cameras.
"I think that makes any parent nervous," she said as a white van with Ontario plates cruised by, camcorder rolling.
Mayor Joyce Brown says Blair Witch-related patrols have consumed half of the village's $3,000 contingency fund. She phoned officials in Amityville, New York, scene of another cinematic legend, The Amityville Horror, for a consultation.
"We're not going to let these people control our lives," said Deborah Burgoyne, mother of a 5- and a 10-year-old.
But mostly Burkittsville is taking the phenomenon in stride. The village, after all, has been invaded before -- most recently in 1862, during the Civil War.
At that time, the forest behind Burkittsville was the site of the Battle of South Mountain, a warm-up to the slaughter at nearby Antietam. Wounded soldiers streamed into the village, where any available public building was turned into a hospital, said Mark Hudson, executive director of the Frederick County Historical Society.
Not surprisingly, legends have sprung up over the years about ghosts of Civil War dead roaming the hills near the town.
Few residents say they have seen the film, not even Mayor Brown, though she plans to buy the video for the town archives.
And of course, no one in Burkittsville takes the Blair legends seriously--though Trude Head sells a "witch chaser" bag, containing stones, garlic and lavender, just in case the filmmakers are on to something.
First published on October 28, 1999 / 3:41 PM EDT
© 1999 CBS. All rights reserved.
Boy, 17, ‘dies’ after car crashes into telephone pole and electrocutes him
A 17-YEAR-OLD male has reportedly died after he was electrocuted when his car crashed into a telephone pole.
The incident involving a senior at Auburn High School, located about 100miles Southeast of Birmingham, Alabama happened on Thursday, June 16.
17-year-old Dylan Pegues has reportedly died Credit: INSTAGRAM/dylan.peguesDylan Pegues, 17, ran off the road into a ditch and hit a telephone pole, according to local reports.
Dylan endured an electric shock as a result of the accident, the outlets reported.
According to WRBL, he was life-flighted to UAB in Birmingham, where he was listed in critical condition.
Despite fighting for his life for multiple days, Dylan passed away, friends of the family told Opelika-Auburn News.
The exact location of the crash has not been pinpointed, according to media reports.
You can choose to dance to any genre of music and bring your own creative flair to the performance. The competition will be judged by a panel of esteemed individuals from the dance and entertainment industry, who will evaluate the overall performance, creativity, and synchronization of each team. The top three teams will be awarded prizes and recognition for their outstanding performances.
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The Sun reached out to the Auburn Police Department, but they were unavailable for comment at the time of publishing.
A GoFundMe page was set up to help cover costs for Dylan's care and has so far raised nearly $50,000.
On the page, Dylan was described as a "bright spirit," who was always smiling and laughing.
To participate, form a team of 3-5 members and register your team with the school office. We encourage teams to start practicing their routines as soon as possible to ensure a polished performance on the day of the competition. Remember, the main idea of this event is to have fun and showcase your school spirit, so let your creativity shine. We can't wait to see all of you in action! Best of luck! Your School Organizing Committee.
Reviews for "Dancing Through Adversity: The Challenges of Competing as a Mascot"
1. Emily - 2 stars - The mascot dance competition was a complete disappointment. The costumes were tacky and poorly made, and the choreography was lackluster at best. The dancers lacked energy and enthusiasm, making the whole performance seem extremely boring. It felt like a waste of time and money attending this event. I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and entertaining dance competition.
2. David - 1 star - Unfortunately, the mascot dance competition was a complete disaster. The performances were uncoordinated and chaotic. It was evident that the dancers were not well rehearsed, as their movements were clumsy and out of sync. The choice of music and stage setup did nothing to enhance the overall experience. I left feeling extremely underwhelmed and would not attend this event again.
3. Samantha - 2 stars - I had high hopes for the mascot dance competition, but it fell short of my expectations. The choreography lacked creativity and originality. It felt like a generic routine that I could have seen anywhere. The dancers' energy levels seemed low, and it was difficult to feel engaged and excited about their performances. Overall, it was a forgettable event that failed to leave a lasting impression.
4. Michael - 1 star - The mascot dance competition was a complete waste of time. The costumes were poorly designed, and it was challenging to identify the different mascots. The dances lacked flair and style, and I found myself losing interest within the first few minutes. It was clear that there was a lack of effort put into the production and organization of this event. I would not recommend attending it if you're looking for a memorable and enjoyable dance competition.