The online student newspaper of Vandegrift High School

Vandegrift Voice
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The online student newspaper of Vandegrift High School

Vandegrift Voice
The online student newspaper of Vandegrift High School

Vandegrift Voice
Harshita Avirneni

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor

Harshita Avirneni is a senior and this is her third year on the Vandegrift Voice staff. She joined newspaper because she wants to pursue a career in journalism. Harshita is also involved in UIL journalism, robotics and FCCLA.

All content by Harshita Avirneni
Seven seniors commit to Ivy League schools

Seven seniors commit to Ivy League schools

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
May 15, 2020

Harshita Avirneni

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
April 17, 2020
The original series can be streamed on Netflix and Hulu.

‘Gossip Girl’

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
February 18, 2020
The cast rehearses a beginning scene where Iseult gets put into the ocean.

Sailing to a new land

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
February 18, 2020

PODCAST: Consperacies with Vandegrift Voice

Harshita Avirneni, Eilla Reid, and Riley Stinson
February 18, 2020
Unidentified car without parking pass gets booted in front lot.

Upperclassmen speak out on parking situation

Eilla Reid, Harshita Avirneni, and Codi Farmer
February 13, 2020
Avery Lewis, Sydney Bell, Faith Anton and Audrey Brink (left to right) pose in their uniforms on the day of the parade.

Freshmen perform at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Harshita Avirneni and Claire Lawrence
December 13, 2019
Participants hold up encouraging stickers to promote Glow On Fun Run.

Juniors organize fun run for scholarships

Claire Lawrence and Harshita Avirneni
December 9, 2019
Sam Galyen (left) and Anthony Monte (right) speaking to the crowd before the performance began.

Debuting Dad Chair

Harshita Avirneni and Codi Farmer
November 12, 2019
Jenna Rigney (right) and Priscilla Leafblad (left) pose in Colorado on Sept. 20 while filming a practice video for the fall update.

A seasonal project

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
October 26, 2019
Seniors Sam Smoot, Zander Harrison and Mick Smith (left to right) perform "Thank You for the Music" during the rehearsal run through of Act 1.

Musical director finds replacements for missing roles

Harshita Avirneni and Claire Lawrence
October 3, 2019
Legacy seniors at NRG stadium in Houston before performing in front the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump.

Preforming for the President

Codi Farmer and Harshita Avirneni
October 3, 2019
Choreographer Dion Schaffner teaches leads Raine Collier (Tanya) , Izzy Mendoza (Donna Sheridan), and Julia Jones (Rosie) (left to right) the dance to “Super Trouper.” This is Schaffner’s first year choreographing for a VHS Theatre Company musical.

GALLERY: The cast of ‘Mamma Mia!’ rehearses until midnight for their crock pot rehearsal

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
September 22, 2019
Devon Schaffner (Pepper) gazes into Collier’s eyes (left to right) during the comedic performance of “Does Your Mother Know?” Devon Schaffner is the son of the show’s choreographer Dion Schaffner.

Mendoza and Schneider face off in the dramatic performance of “S.O.S.” Schneider chose to fill in for Sam during this number because it is one of her favorites and was choreographed by her.

Vanna is surrounded by his bachelor party attendees during “Lay All Your Love On Me.” Almost all of the bachelor party boys are actually played by girls from the ensemble because of the lack of boys in the production.

Gavin Vanna (Sky) dips Gilbert (right to left) as they perform “Lay All Your Love On Me.” This is the first big number Vanna is in during the show and is a love song sang between the characters Sky and Sophie.

Jeyashri Rameshbabu (Sam Carmichael), Zander Harrison (Harry Bright), Woodrom (Bill Austin) (left to right) sing “Thank You for the Music.” Along with Woodrom, Rameshbabu is also a stage manager, and the two were filling in for the missing parts in the show.

The ensembles surrounds Mendoza as the cast performs “Money, Money, Money.” This was the first number that was taught to the cast and the first big number the ensemble is in during the show.

Kelsey Woodrom (Ali), Gilbert and Claire Lawrence (Lisa) (left to right) strike a pose while performing “Honey, Honey.” Woodrom is actually a stage manager and was filling in for Kayla Stewart during the full run through of the show.

Ainsley Gilbert (Sophie Sheridan) performs the opening number “I Have a Dream.” The role of Sophie is double-cast with Gilbert and Kylie Diefenthaler.

Students line up in the dressing room to get dinner. Almost every student brough crock pots filled with food so the entire cast and crew could eat a full meal during rehearsal. Schneider named the rehearsal the “crock pot rehearsal” for that reason.

Schneider and Schaffner talk to the cast right before dinner. The cast had already been rehearsing for two hours before this and were hoping to recharge with a 45 minute break.

The ensemble joins leads Collier, Mendoza and Jones during the “Super Trouper” dance. They hold up a number one to go with the symbolism of the iconic line “feeling like a number one,” from the classic ABBA song.

Director Celeste Schneider reads through her script as she writes out the blocking for future scenes. This is Schneider’s third musical at Vandegrift and has served as a vocal and acting coach for 10+ years.

The FCCLA national competition took place in Anahiem, Calif..

FCCLA competitors win 1st, 2nd at nationals

Natalie Brink and Harshita Avirneni
September 12, 2019

‘The Last Summer’ movie review

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
May 31, 2019
Senior Peyton Klam shows his tattoo of the number 23 on his bicep.

The tattoo trend

Harshita Avirneni and Claire Lawrence
May 24, 2019
Seniors stand with choir directors Michael Zook (left) and Megan Goodman (right) on the fine arts signing day.

One last song

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
May 14, 2019
"Almost, Maine" opens this Friday at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center.

Theatre to debut ‘Almost Maine’

Harshita Avirneni and Claire Lawrence
May 8, 2019
The Special Olympics invited students from elementary school to high school to represent their school districts in track and field events.

Clubs come together for Special Olympics track meet

Harshita Avirneni and Natalie Brink
May 8, 2019
The Summer Reading for All book drive is tonight at Half Price Books.

PALS hosts SR4A book drive

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
April 15, 2019
The tennis team smiles as they wear purple for Epilepsy Awareness Day.

Tennis team supports epileptic teammate through Epilepsy Awareness Day

Harshita Avirneni and Codi Farmer
April 2, 2019
Junior Jenna Rigney works on a new post for her lifestyle blog during PIT.

Ranting through life

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
April 2, 2019
The cast and crew of "Johnny Belinda" smiles as they come back from the clinic.

UIL theatre attends clinic in preparation for competition

Natalie Brink and Harshita Avirneni
March 2, 2019

Comedian sets stage for other specials

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
February 18, 2019
Student Nicholas Scoggins participating in one of G-Company’s WW2 events.

Living history

Natalie Brink and Harshita Avirneni
February 14, 2019
Dawson released Episode 1 of the series Jan. 30 and Episode 2 Feb. 11

YouTuber Shane Dawson’s conspiracy series strikes conversation

Claire Lawrence and Harshita Avirneni
February 12, 2019
Junior Anthony Monte poses at the Nike world headquarters in Portland on Nov. 29.

A race of a lifetime

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
December 8, 2018

‘Friday Night Lights’

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
November 25, 2018
The Pomerantz family stands outside P.F. Chang's on Thanksgiving day while volunteering at Operation Turkey.

Pomerantz family volunteers at Operation Turkey for tenth year in a row

Harshita Avirneni and Natalie Brink
November 22, 2018

‘All American’

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
November 16, 2018
Counselors take selfie after running races in Nashville on Nov. 10.

Counselors run half-marathon and 5k in Nashville

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
November 15, 2018
Students make last minute changes to their robots for scrimmages after school on Nov. 8.

[Photo] Robotics prepares for first competition of new season

Jakob Tan, Contributing Writer
November 8, 2018
John Paul Kinney and his fellow actors sing "The Sound of Music" as the von Trapp family at the theatre's production of the show on Oct. 24.

The show must go on

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
October 31, 2018
The last haunted house will be put on from 6 to 9 p.m. Halloween night.

Theatre hosts Fatal Fear haunted house fundraiser

Harshita Avirneni and Natalie Brink
October 30, 2018
Sophomore Judy Shawabkeh uses the da Vinci Surgical System during Ms. Martin's 6th period biomedical science class.

STEM students interact with surgical robot on campus

Harshita Avirneni and Peyton Klam
October 23, 2018
The float featured a basketball hoop, a basketball and a viper fighting a maverick.

Girls basketball wins best homecoming float

Natalie Brink and Harshita Avirneni
October 12, 2018
Juniors start theatre tech club

Juniors start theatre tech club

Harshita Avirneni and Codi Farmer
September 28, 2018
Student musicians perform at Pop-Unplugged

Student musicians perform at Pop-Unplugged

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
September 20, 2018
IB program begins first year

IB program begins first year

Harshita Avirneni and Megan Messer
August 28, 2018
A behind the scene glimpse at a dance rehearsal

Theatre begins fall musical rehearsal

Claire Lawrence and Harshita Avirneni
August 24, 2018

‘Station Eleven’

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
June 6, 2018
Chosen students direct one-act plays

Chosen students direct one-act plays

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
May 31, 2018

To Kill A Mockingbird Book Review

Claire Lawrence and Harshita Avirneni
May 9, 2018
Student musicians perform at Relay for Life

Student musicians perform at Relay for Life

Harshita Avirneni and Natalie Brink
April 20, 2018

Interior Design 2 designs new classroom for Incubator EDU

Harshita Avirneni and Claire Lawrence
April 12, 2018

Love, Simon Review

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
March 27, 2018

‘All the Bright Places’

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
February 23, 2018

The Good Doctor Review

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
February 23, 2018
FFA attends Greater Leander Project Show Auction

FFA attends Greater Leander Project Show Auction

Harshita Avirneni and Claire Lawrence
February 6, 2018

‘We Were Liars’

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
January 29, 2018
Harvey Players start production of UIL show

Harvey Players start production of UIL show

Harshita Avirneni and Claire Lawrence
January 19, 2018
Varsity girls soccer looks forward to new season

Varsity girls soccer looks forward to new season

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
December 15, 2017

Justice League Review

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
December 13, 2017
QuadX places first at FTC qualifer

QuadX places first at FTC qualifer

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
December 13, 2017
Red Cross Club sponsors goods drive for Hurricane Harvey relief

Red Cross Club sponsors goods drive for Hurricane Harvey relief

Natalie Brink and Harshita Avirneni
November 17, 2017
Student competes in Special Olympic bowling

Student competes in Special Olympic bowling

Harshita Avirneni and Claire Lawrence
November 14, 2017
Spanish classes celebrate Day of the Dead

Spanish classes celebrate Day of the Dead

Natalie Brink and Harshita Avirneni
November 8, 2017
Viper grad part of TX guard

Viper grad part of TX guard

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
November 8, 2017
Family Community Service class conducts project to encourage positivity

Family Community Service class conducts project to encourage positivity

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
October 31, 2017

Atypical Review

Harshita Avirneni, Spotlight Editor
October 9, 2017
Student Council Sponsors Theme Days

Student Council Sponsors Theme Days

Harshita Avirneni and Claire Lawrence
October 6, 2017

Varsity volleyball loses district opener to Lake Travis

Harshita Avirneni and Natalie Brink
September 11, 2017
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