Page 18 July 2013 Arwood for President: Arcadian plans for Boys Nation By Danika Worthington With a term as governor and a successful bill under his belt, an Arcadia resident is aiming toward the presidency. Valley Lutheran High School senior Jimmy Arwood was one of two high school students selected from Boys State, a camp where participants create their own local government, to represent Arizona in Washington, D.C. at Boys Nation in July. Boys Nation is a simulation of Congress – high school students act as senators and congressmen. But only one of the 98 participants is elected president. A position Arwood said he hopes to fi ll. “I think a lot of people are going to try for it because they’ve already made it to this point. Why not go the extra mile and try it? The president has it all,” Arwood said. Contemplating pursuing a political career, Arwood said he is looking forward to Boys Nation and the experience it will provide. While in the nation’s capital, Boys Nation participants meet with President Obama, something Arwood said he is excited about. If Arwood’s presidential ambitions fall short, he said he will turn his attention toward presenting his energy bill as a senator. All participants must write a bill and present it on the senate fl oor. Debates are held, committees formed and bills voted on. Arwood’s bill mandates that every state must require utility companies to have 25 percent renewable energy by 2025. “I think it would be a prosperous future for our country,” Arwood said. “I think renewable energy is the way to go. I think there’s a lot of perks to it. We should take the free energy where we can get it.” Renewable energy is not a new fi eld for Arwood, who wrote a similar bill while in Boys State. At Boys State, Arwood ran for governor and won. The well-sought-after position came with dangers, however.Kidnapping the governor is a tradition at Boys State, Arwood said. “I was in my room and I hear my friend say, ‘Quick, we gotta hide Jimmy in another room. There are people coming to take him.’ So I ran into my friend’s room,” Arwood said. Despite numerous attempts, Arwood was never kidnapped. “It’s defi nitely been a ride,” Arwood said. “A lot of teachers at my school have really prepared this for me very well and I think it shows in the fact that I won governor. “I don’t think I could have done it without my teachers and the faculty at Valley Lutheran.” The school chose Arwood and another junior to represent the school at Boys State, principal Bob Koehne said. Arwood’s interest in politics and his student-council experience sets him apart. “We’re very proud of him for being able to go to Boys State and do as well as he did and be selected to go to Boys Nation,” Koehne said. “We’re excited for what he learns from that.” Arwood will be student body president next school year, Koehne said. AP government and politics teacher Mark Doebele said Arwood was one of a few junior boys in the advanced placement government class. Doebele also said the teen was active in student council and sports but still makes academics a priority. “He’s impressive with how much he gets done and still keeps his sanity,” Doebele said. arcadiadaily.com

Page 19 July 2013 Vocal Edition sets sight on international contest Arcadian Eric Bjornsen (far right), Dan Davenport, Tim McMullan and Danny Ryan are Vocal Edition. By Cristina Peralta It’s a Saturday evening in Phoenix, and the harmonious musical arrangement of voices can be heard through the halls of a small church. Unaccompanied by drums or guitars, these are the powerful voices of four men. Vocal Edition Barbershop Quartet, formed in March of 2011, is four men who met after having sung or competed with one another while in other quartets. Eric Bjornsen, an Arcadia native, sings tenor, which is a chord sung mostly in falsetto. Tim McMullan of Surprise sings the lead, carrying the melody most of the time. Danny Ryan of Phoenix sings baritone, which requires him to master harmonic voice crossing with the lead singer’s. Dan Davenport of Mesa sings the powerful bass section for the quartet. “Quarteting is a lot like marriage,” Bjornsen said. “You get together and hopefully it works out. It doesn’t always, but if you’re still interested, you start up another one sometime.” The Barbershop Harmony Society is one of the largest barbershop harmony groups in the United States, with over 25,000 members that preserve and sing the art form, according to the society’s website. Generally, the focus of barbershop harmony is a cappella music. Bjornsen began singing at a young age after being inspired by the Dapper Dan Barbershop Quartet in Disneyland. He sang in church groups and choirs, which eventually led to singing in quartets and choruses. Vocal Edition formed after Bjornsen had joined and competed with The Spirit of Phoenix Chorus, the Greater Phoenix Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society. Each member of Vocal Edition had competed with each other at one point and was looking to form a new quartet. “I had yearned for a quality of sound that I knew we could put together,” Bjornsen said. “I asked if they wanted to get together to sing, and when we did, it was magical.” One month after the quartet was formed, it won its fi rst title, the AZ Division Quartet Championship of the Barbershop Harmony Society. Two years later, they won again. “When we won, it was rewarding and fun to be at the top of the Arizona game,” Bjornsen said. “You always try to be the best you can be. There’s a lot of fanfare and fun that goes with that. Those things happen when you make it for yourself.” Vocal Edition has always found a way to overcome the ups and downs of their quartet “marriage,” Bjornsen said. Having fun together and recognizing each member has a different life is important, he said. It’s what really brings them closer together. Lynnie Nguyen, a junior at Arizona State University, said she loves the special sound of Vocal Edition because music gives her a nostalgic feeling of childhood. “They are beautiful singers,” Nguyen said. “They remind me of the Christmas carolers that would come to the door when I was a kid. They are so timeless.” Vocal Edition will compete June 30-July 7 in Toronto in their biggest competition yet. They are among hundreds of quartets competing for the international gold. Bjornsen said even if the group doesn’t win, members are excited to entertain the audience, especially those who aren’t familiar with barbershop vocal harmony. “We remind ourselves, let’s go out there and have fun, because that’s what it really is all about,” Bjornsen said. “If you’ve entertained the audience, you’ve probably entertained the judges.” This Month’s Theme: SPORTS! Congratulations to this month’s photo contest winner! Lou receives $50 worth of treasure to one of our local nosh spots. His photo is also eligible for our grand prize, which we will announce in April! upcoming themes & deadlines upcoming themes & deadlines upcoming themes & deadlines SPORTS! SPORTS! Congratulations to this month’s Winning Entry by Lou Parker Runners Up (Clockwise from top left): Bianca Forst, Jennifer Turelli, Alex Lebel, Melissa Erickson, Allison Johnson. ARCADIA NEWS PHOTO CONTEST Black & White – Due 8/30 | Photog’s Choice – Due 9/30 Send your pics to photos@arcadianews.com or upload them at our photo contest website, arcadiapix.com !