Inside 15000 December Edition

Inside

An infamous Friday the 13th A tumultuous start to the Season of Peace Pages 10-11 Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 3 December 2015

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Shout-out to

In this

issue: pg. 4-5

Edited by Kirsten DeZeeuw & Emma Hummer

pg. 6-7

Edited by Heather Trobridge

pg. 8-9 Edited by Elizabeth Wheeler

pg. 10-11

Contemporary Music Center for hosting our Open Mic Night fundraiser! and Haymarket UPS for printing our magazine every month!

Thank you to our patrons!

Renee Riddle - Dwyer Family - Amy EthridgeConti - Holtz Family - Laurie Payne - Licinio Garcia - Hughes Family - Michael & Nancy Barbuti - Glenn Pritchard - Nick Baker - Kate Harris

From the farm to table 5 big events of 2015 New Years' Eve Attractions Holiday happiness It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Spreading Christmas cheer How not to drive Do's and don'ts of the parking lot COVER STORY:

Edited by Alie Paoli

An infamous Friday the 13th

pg. 12-13

Profile of althlete Emily Ignacio NBA 2014-2015 power rankings Straight out of the pool J.K. Rowling or Robert Galibraith?

May the force be with you Ivory Ella

Edited by Jessica Kronzer & Lily Bartone

pg. 14-15 Edited by McKenna Roper

pg. 16-17 Edited by Sydney Guyton 2

Homemade for the Holidays Green and black Bobcats

Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015

December EDITORS-IN-CHIEF McKenna Roper Kirsten DeZeeuw Jessica Kronzer

BUSINESS MANAGER Justin Michna

EDITORS Alie Paoli Emma Hummer Heather Trobridge Lily Bartone Sydney Guyton

DESIGN EDITOR Elizabeth Wheeler

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Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015

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16:34) i love this

From the farm to table

Why we treat livestock and domestic animals differently

By Kelly Cooke and Sidney Werth Six percent of BHS students say that they have a problem with the slaughter of livestock (cows and pigs), while 98 percent of BHS students say that they have a problem with the killing of domestic animals (dogs and cats).

What is the difference between livestock and domestic animals?

Freshman Katie Saunders says, 0There is no difference, people think it (livestock) is food, that is why they treat them differently.1 Sophomore Brad Ingalls disagreed, saying, 0They2re made to be eaten...1 Many argued that humans have deep connections and bonds with pets, that they (domestic animals) are smarter and more lovable than any other creatures, yet pigs are proven to outperform 3 year old children on cognitive tests (test for memory and delayed recall). IQ tests also reveal pigs are smarter than any other animals.

Experts from the University of Cambridge consider them more

trainable than domesticated animals such as cats and dogs.

Not only are livestock smart, but cows are also proven to form lifelong friendships, and one recent study from PETA shows that they also are very intelligent, showing excitement when learning new things.

While Freshman Brandon Leurson says, 0I don't have a problem eating meat, as long as the process wasn't cruel1; other students, such as freshman Chris Beckworth differ in their opions, 0I don2t care how it2s killed, I care how it2s cooked.1 According to hedweb.com, factories use stun guns to prevent any pain to the animals, but more often than not, the stunning process is done incorrectly, leaving the livestock to feel intense pain. When going through the process of killing chickens, they are lifted by their legs and dunked in water to make electrical contact, but most times the chickens flutter and do not get

stunned. They then get dipped in scalding water to remove any hair or feathers. Throughout, research shows that the chickens feel everything.

While meat and animal products from livestock provide a good source of protein, they increase one2s risk of heart disease, cancer, strokes, etc. According to the European Prospective Investigation in Cancer and Nutrition study in England and Germany, people who did not consume animal products were 40 percent less likely to develop various cancers. Along with the risks of disease, all processed meats contain chemicals and pink slime (ammonia-treated paste used as a filler in meats).

Junior Andrew Sanregret states he's not sure where the differernce lies, 0I don2t know, I don2t really have a reason.1 Even though there are risks with both domestic animals and livestock, why is it okay to selectively slaughter?

Photo Courtesy Steven Tian

Photo Courtesy Marley McLaughlin

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Marley McLaughlin with her two pigs in her yard.

Steven Tian with his pet duck

Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015

5 big events of 2015 The major news of the year

By Katarina Ayala The year 2015 has been a year filled with ups and downs, scandals, campaigns, and crisis. Sophomore Aliyah Desautels says, 0I think ISIS is the biggest news story this year worldwide.1 Other sophomore Samara Beyene says, 0The Germanwing plane crash was prominent event that occurred this year.1 Freshman Megan Curtis comments, 0The attacks in Paris were a huge event that happened.1 Lots of world changing events have taken place in 2015. Here is a summary of several events that occurred this year.

Presidential Campaigns

Gay Marriage On June 26, gay marriage was legalized by The Supreme Court nation.

The Supreme Court decision was made on a vote resulting in gay marriage being legal by one vote.

The start of the president campaigns for the 2016-2020 presidency began in early 2015. There are currently three candidates running for the Democratic Party, fifteen for the Republican party, and one candidate for a third party. The Russian athlete doping Democratic contenders are Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Martin O2Malley. The Republican contenders are The World Anti-Doping Agency found out Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Jeb Bush, Mark Rubio, Chris through test that there is a widespread use of Christie, Carly Fiorina, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Lindsey performance enhancing drugs and blood doping Graham, Mike Huckabee, Jim Gilmore, John Kasich, (the injection of oxygenated blood) by Russian track Bobby Jindal, George Pataki, and Rick Santorum. and field athletes. This was covered up previously by coaches, doctors, and other officials.

Refugee Crisis

Approximately 10.5 million Syrian refugees were forced out of their homes due to poor conditions in their homeland. This year the amount of refugees has spiked due to the conditions in Syria not improving over the past four years. The EU has been debating about the topic and have to come to a solution. The U.N is running out of money to help refugees, making conditions at camps harsher.

Attack on Paris On November 13, the city of Paris was under attack by ISIS. It started with two explosions near the Stade de France around 9:20 p.m and continued with open fire at civilians towards the center of Paris. It ended around 12:30am with the death of 129 people.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia via Creative Commons

Pictured to the right are those affected by the refugee crisis on strike by the Budapest Keleti railroad station in September of 2015.

Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015

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New Year's Eve attractions How to ring in a new year

By Michael Barbuti

With New Year's Eve coming up, there are many fun and enjoyable ways to celebrate 2015 and ring in the new year, 2016.

There is the world renowned ball drop in Times Square, New York City that has so many famous music artists performing there every year. However, living in Virginia, New York City is a long drive away and an even longer time standing around in Times Square to even get a decent position in the crowd.

Luckily, there are many attractions nearby that can still be a lot of fun.

In Winchester, Virginia, there is an annual New Year s Eve celebration called First Night Winchester. It is an event where many artists perform their acts throughout the town. To see the acts, a purchase of a First Night Winchester button is required. The price is $10 with an additional $2 convenience fee if the button is purchased using a credit card.

Buying the button gives the purchaser access to all of the day s events, including children s events beginning at 10 am.

Finish the day as we

countdown the end of 2015 with our Apple Drop and welcome 2016 with a spectacular fireworks display at Midnight! . The Apple Drop is Winchester s version of the ball drop in Times Square, taking place in the town square of Winchester.

In Harrisonburg, Virginia, another festival is being held to welcome 2016. First Night Harrisonburg is an event with many live performances going on all over Harrisonburg. A list of all performers that are currently scheduled to perform can be found on firstnightharrisonburg.com. To see the performances, a button must be purchased. Buttons bought in advance are $6 while buttons bought on the day of the event are $8, and children under age five gain free access.

Downtown Harrisonburg has a burgeoning culinary culture and an array of offerings not typically found in cities of our size." (firstnightharrisonburg.com). There are over twenty-five restaurants in 2

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downtown Harrisonburg to choose from for dinner on New Year s Eve. These restaurants range from many different ethnic specialties; from Cuban to Indian food, or just plain pizza. At midnight a fireworks display will be set off from the Cassco Ice Building.

These venues have many things to offer to help say goodbye to 2015 and welcome 2016 with open arms. Music, dancing, food, and fireworks are all used in an attempt to celebrate the New Year in style. For those who are not able to travel to a fancy destination to celebrate New Year s Eve, these local attractions offer a great way to start 2016 with a bang.

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Holiday happiness

Bobcats spreading holiday cheer

Religious organizations do a lot for the holiday season as well.

One way to give is through By: Emily McCauley and Maggie Ryan Sophomore Brayden Gault does big organizations. Senior Hailey lots of donating and gift giving at Everybody deserves a little Comer shares how she helped Park Valley Church. Gault states, I happiness around the holiday others during the holiday season. get a great feeling by giving to season. Giving presents to loved Last year Chick-fil-a was doing a others. No matter what, giving to ones is always a fun and uplifting hygiene product shoebox drive. It is those less fortunate will always thing to do, but making a good to give products like that, stranger's day is a great deed and because they are essential for health, have a positive impact. . Donating food, treats, hygienic products, toys, is fulfilling. There are many and people forget about those little and clothes is a great deed and is organizations and drives that things. Although it might not seem a genuine gesture to make around Battlefield students take part in like a big deal, donating little gifts like the holiday season. Spreading where they give to those less that could really impact someone in cheer and happiness is essential fortunate during the holidays. need. for the winter season.

6 Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015 1

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Photo Courtesy of Google images via Creative Commons

It0s Beginning to look a lot like Christmas By: Jake Dedekind and Regan Buckley As the temperature begins to drop, and all the decorations begin to be put up in people's homes, malls, and other shops, the festivity looks great.. The transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas is huge. Everything begins to become cheerful. The Santa dolls come out, and the reindeer begin popping up in everyone's yard.

There are millions of different Christmas decorations. Whether it is all the red and green lights or the amazing drive through the Festival of Lights that sprouts up in the month of December, all the amazing transitions are pretty, and such a sight to see.

As the holidays approach, everything becomes more jolly, bright, and fun, but one of the main attractions is the Festival of Lights.

Sophomore Kelsey Brown says, It makes me happy, but what about it is so cheerful? Here s what: people drive through a 20 minute presentation of many beautiful Christmas lights, and it is something all have to see. At the end, there is a little carnival with games, food, and other little things to ride. It is an activity that is open from mid-November through December. I plan to go. I just wish I had a boy to go with, junior Leah Lewis adds with a sigh.

Also, enjoyed in the month of December is people s decorations at their own house. Driving through neighborhoods has never been so pretty. Junior Zachary Demuth shares his opinion, [They] help everyone get into a more festive mood and lightens their spirits.

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The decorations are not the only thing that make it feel like Christmas. Junior Jake Foster says that the colder weather and snow days make the season feel complete. While the cold may not please some people, it is definitely a complement to the merry season.

Whether one likes it or not, one is bound to run into decorations, drive past lights, blow-up Santas and plastic reindeer sporting shiny red noses, so whatever Christmas song is stuck in your brain, belt it out, because if one can not beat em, join em.

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Photo by: Heather Trobridge

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Spreading Christmas cheer Bobcats deck the halls of BHS By: Inez Asiama and Allison Brown Have you ever wondered who's behind the Santa Clause at Battlefield around Christmas time?

Have you ever wondered why they dress up like they do?

Senior Tommy DeAngelus is behind the big, red suit and big, white beard. He wanders the halls of Battlefield with candy canes and Christmas cheer. This happens the day before Christmas break, and all the returning students look forward to it. DeAngelus is accompanied by his friends who are typically dressed in Christmas sweaters.

Santa and the ugly Christmas sweater squad roam the halls giving the students of Battlefield candy canes and smiles.

This all began DeAngelus sophomore year, I got the idea from the Christmas Sweater Club, and I asked myself what I could do to leave a legacy. He then decided on dressing as Santa and spreading Christmas cheer.

According to senior Steven McCleskey, It is one of the best traditions at Battlefield. Junior Brittany Borders agrees saying, It gets me into the Christmas spirit, and I love getting the candy canes.

Last year, sophomore Savannah Nash had not known about this tradition and was both surprised but delighted to see Santa DeAngelus. It made me feel extra festive and ready for the holidays.

This year's freshmen are new 0

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The Gainsville Promanade lit up festively decorated for the Holidays. to the Santa tradition at Battlefield.

Hunter Key and Ben Brower both agreed that seeing a Santa around school will make them happy!

Tommy DeAngelus has left a legacy at Battlefield by starting a tradition that gets students excited and ready for the holidays. His favorite part of being the Battlefield Santa includes seeing the smiles on everyone's faces. Although he is a senior this year, it is left for the students of Battlefield to wonder who will be our next Battlefield Santa...

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Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015

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Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

How not to drive

Students share their bad experiences on the roads

There are many means of transportation that take students to and from school. Some ride the bus, others bike, and a handful walk. Then there are the drivers, the ones who cause the most trouble in the parking lot. With a massive amount of people trying to make their way to the school, it is extremely dangerous to drive recklessly. Both students and parents drive to school and recently people have been questioning: who are the worst drivers?

Accidents do happen and they happen to involve mostly drivers. There have been accidents involving cars hitting buses and even cars hitting people. Senior Madeleine Barrett, a frequent bike rider, has been hit in the morning on the way to school. She explains that, 0The guy that hit me was terrified. I knew it would jack up his insurance rates, scar his record (which he probably just started), and since I wasn't hurt I thought I'd just tell him to be more careful.1 During the morning commute, it is

usually somewhat dark, as the sun is still rising. Visibility is a major issue during this time.

Barrett states that she, 0...wear[s] a helmet, as well as reflective gear, two lights (one headlight and one red taillight), and use[s] hand turn signals.1 Had she not been wearing this protective gear when she got hit, she could have been severely injured. Drivers have not only hit bikers, but worse, pedestrians.

Not only do accidents happen within the Battlefield parking lot, but right outside it too.

Drivers leaving the parking lot continue to drive dangerously.

Senior Hannah Morgan has been hit, by someone she assumed to be an adult, right outside at the crosswalk at Graduation Drive and James Madison highway. She describes the story, 0She was turning right but was looking left and I waited for her to go, but she never went and it was my time to walk or I would miss it. She started turning right, when I started walking, but she never looked right, and hit me.1 As a pedestrian,

people do not have any gear to protect them. In Virginia, if the pedestrian has the right of way, all cars must stop to let them cross the road safely. Morgan expresses her frustration by saying, 0Just because you're older or own a car, doesn't mean you rule the lot and shouldn't pay attention. Do your part and actually look around.1 A lot of students walk across the street at the end of the day over to the Dominion Valley shopping center and others walk home. It is important, even though cars have left the school zone, that they drive cautiously because there are other people on the road.

Paying attention to the road is mandatory, no matter how long people have been driving. It has become frustrating to those who do not drive to the school. Barrett states, 0...I hate joining the bugs on the windshield.1 Whether the speed limit needs to be better enforced or there needs to be a policy when receiving a parking permit, stricter rules need to be implemented for the drivers at the school.

Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Wheeler

Cars sit parked in the Battlefield student parking lot.

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By Sydney Guyton

Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015

Safety first

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

The Do's and Don'ts of the Battlefield parking lot

By Elizabeth Wheeler and McKenna Roper There has been a growing concern from a few of the Battlefield faculty and students regarding the safety of the student parking lot. The dangers of the parking lot have become a huge topic among student conversations and have spread all over social media.

Mr. White, a driving instructor here at BHS, believes that the parking lot is more dangerous now than it has ever been, saying, 0Students are on their phones more, and there are more students in the parking lot now more so than ever.1 As class sizes continue to grow, so do the number of cars owned by students, greatly increasing the amount of traffic seen before and after the school day.

Pravin Mahadevan, a senior who was involved in an accident in the parking lot, makes the point that, 0There is only one exit out of a parking lot that holds nearly 400 cars.1 An increase in students results in more aggressive driving as they are leaving the school.

0It2s ridiculous that the parking lot is a one way in, one way out,1 says Anderson Plaster, also a senior. 0Traffic really hinders people2s ability to get out. It2s really difficult to exit the parking lot,1 Students express concerns daily about the dangers of the

parking lot, some being more outspoken than others. Plaster continues, 0[My biggest pet peeve] is when kids walk in the middle of the road because people need to get to their spots. I feel bad sometimes I have to honk at them.

It2s a dog eat dog world.1 Senior Ariel Wu states, 0Students drive way too fast. It2s a parking lot, you really don2t need to drive that fast.1 Some students believe that the school should take action in helping to prevent accidents and lower the amount of traffic. Junior Christina High suggests, 0The school should direct the flow of traffic more so it doesn2t get so congested.1 Junior Shannon Lee agrees, saying, 0We need to get more teachers out in the parking lot to make sure we are being safe.1 Without the ability to increase the size of the parking lot, it is up to the students to take safety into their own hands. There are steps students can take to secure their own safety and to prevent potential accidents. The Do2s and Don2ts below should be kept in mind by those students who have the privilege of driving to school to ensure the safety of all drivers and pedestrians.

Don0t: -Cut people off.

-Leave your lights on in the morning if you2re just sitting in the car.

-Drive across the parking lot to get to the first rows.

-Use your cell phone while operating the vehicle.

Do: -Drive slowly.

-Let people out of their spots and into traffic. Each person should let one car go.

-Stop at the crosswalk so pedestrians can pass safely.

-Look both ways before pulling out of your spot and turning out of the parking lot.

-Come to a complete stop at stop signs.

-Use your turn signals.

Tweets courtesy of twitter.com

Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015

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A tumultuous start to the Season of Peace

By Alie Paoli Moments of silence have been held around the world in reaction to the tragedies that occurred on Friday, Nov. 13. CNN reported that 0deaths from global terrorisim increased by 80 percent in 2014."

As it appears, the world erupted into chaos in a mere period of 24 hours.

Beirut, Lebanon It began on Nov. 12 with ISIS bombings in Lebanon's capital, Beirut. Here, two suicide bombs deployed in the shopping district during rush hour. This attack killed nearly fifty people and injured upward 200 other civilians of numerous religious and racial backgrounds. This attack marked the most catastrophic attack the city has seen in years. The New York Times reported that ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, saying they were targeting a Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

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specific organization located there run by Shiite Muslims, whom they view as a personal opponent.

Paris, France

Makurazaki, Japan On the other side of the world, panic wracked Japan as a 6.7 magnitude earthquake shook less than one hundred miles off the coast at 8:51pm UTC time. The original reading clocked the earthquake at a magnitude 7, but was later adjusted. Although there was no immediate threat, a Tsunami warning was issued. On Nov. 18, the island nation was again struck by a 4.7 magnitude

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

An infamous Friday the Thirteenth

Following the attacks in the Middle East, not even a day later, Paris was thrown into the turmoil as mass shootings and bombings targeted the French capital beginning at 9pm CET. At multiple venues terror rippled through the population as suicide bombers at the Stade de France, Bataclan, and other various restaurants. The Wall Street Journal recounts the attacks, describing that one of the two bombers that attacked the France vs. Germany game had a ticket into the stadium. However, the assailant never made it into the game.

The media focused more intently on France 0because the violence in Beirut is more common, in that area of the world, so we in the west have gone numb to it." -Matt Brandt, junior

earthquake near Kagoshima.

Despite the panic, there were no deaths associated with these natural disasters.

Lebanon Nov 12 11:00am EST Attack during rush hour in Beirut 40 dead

Japan Nov 13 3:51pm EST Original 7.0 earthquake hits off west coast

Muslim security guard Zouheir noticed the man1s explosive vest, but when approached, the man backed away and detonated his bomb outside of the venue fifteen France Nov 13 3:20pm EST First suicide bomb at stadium 1 dead

Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015

France Nov 13 3:25pm EST First restaurant shooting 15 dead

minutes after the exhibition game started. Mere minutes later, a second suicide bomb also detonated explosives and bolts just outside of the match. Wall Street Journal describes how the police believe that the terrorists were attempting to set the bombs off within the stadium with the goal of creating a deadly stampede. One civilian died in this portion of the attacks. At first people assumed that the explosions were merely firecrackers, a typical occurrence at European sporting events. But the terror did not stop here, a third bomb went off in a local McDonald's. In addition to the fast food attack, gunmen in a black

Metal, was performing. Not even an hour after the first bomb detonated, three men wielding assault rifles entered the concert, reportedly crying, 0Allahu akbar2 and other references to Iraq and Syria. They spread out and began throwing grenades and firing into the crowd of unsuspecting civilians. The musicians fled from the stage as other attendants attempted to escape the carnage and climb to the upper level boxes of the concert hall. Some fled through side exits, one woman hung from a third story window to escape the fire of the attackers. Another woman, Isobel Bowdery, gave her account of how she laid amongst the dying,

There's a feeling as a teenager of being 0invincible, but it's still scary [knowing they've

France Nov 13 3:30pm EST Second stadium bomb detonates

France Nov 13 3:32pm EST Restaurant shooting 5 dead

pretending to be dead in order to survive. Her Facebook account immediately grew in reverence as she described the heroism and terror around her. A standoff between police and attackers lasted nearly two hours as the three assailants held the concert hall full of hostages before police stormed the building. At this time, two of the men detonated the explosive vests and the third was set off by police fire. Nearly a hundred innocent civilians were killed in this attack bringing the death toll to a devastating 129 lives lost.

France Nov 13 3:36pm EST Restaurant shooting 19 dead

in the US?"

By Neika Menafi and Jordan Sisson

Q: Do you think we should allow Syrian refugees into the US, even knowing some of the attackers in France were refugees?

A: Matt Brandt

Any refugees we let in would need to be heavily screened and then watched in order to keep America safe.

A: Taylor English

made these threats] because my dad works in the Pentagon." -Cassidy Laskodi, junior vehicle with Kalashnikov assault rifles opened fire at other local restaurants, killing fifteen and seriously injuring ten others.

Moments later shooting broke out at a separate restaurants where similar attackers killed twenty-four more and injured seventeen. At yet another local restaurant, a bomber with a similar detonator as those from the stadium set of his bomb, critically injuring a civilian.

Perhaps the most morbid of the Paris attacks was that which transpired at the Bataclan concert venue where a sold out concert for American band, Eagles of Death

Do you support the idea 0 of allowing Syrian refugees

As citizens of the world we have a humanitarian duty to help those who are in need.

Around the World In reaction to the devastating attacks in Paris, cities around the world honored the lives lost through displays of colored lights, bathing countless landmarks in the colors of the French flag: blue, white, red. In addition many displayed their support by applying the same colors to their profile pictures across social media.

However, not all reactions were quite so confluent.

France Nov 13 3:40pm EST Restaurant suicide bombing

France Nov 13 3:40pm Concert hall massacre 89 dead

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Q/A Q) How did you get started in gymnastics?

A.. I wanted to be a cheerleader when I was younger and the only option was to do gymnastics and I just stuck with it cause I realized I didn't want to do cheerleading.

Q) What do you love about it?

Being able to do your own thing individually but also being on a team and having people around you for a support."

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Q) How was your season last year?

A.. The season last year was really good, considering the fact that my freshman year was a building year, because we lost a lot of good seniors the year before.

So last year was a big improvement and we made it to states so that was a big surprise!

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Q) What were your personal accomplishments?

A.. I would have to say just going out and doing my best and making sure I hit what I knew I could.

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Q) How do you plan to do better this year?

A.. This year I plan to practice more outside of school and go to open gyms for my personal skills. As a team, I think we have a lot of Gpeople coming up who are really strong.

Q) How did it feel winning at states 2

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Profile of athlete Emily Ignacio

By Heather Trobridge last year?

A."It was really exciting, quite honestly we were surprised that we were going to make it to states so when we got there we just felt really lucky to be there. We knew there were a lot of teams that had a lot more experience and talent at the time; they had been going to states a lot more in previous years then we had so it was really exciting, and not stressful since we were just there to have fun since it was the last meet of the season.

We didn t do our very best but we ended up getting 4th!

and the music that s playing is really crowd oriented.

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Q) What is your best event?

A. "I'm gonna have to go with beam; I don t like it but it seems to be my best event, always has been for some reason even though I m kinda scared of it.

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Q) Favorite skill/trick?

A.. Probably fulls on the floor or off the beam. A full is a 360 degree turn while flipping once.

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Q) How do you train?

A. Training typically goes like at the beginning of the season we just get our skills back since it's only a winter sport and get back into shape, and Coach Mary gives us a number of routines or skills we have to do and then we ll do that. Like we ll do the first half of bars a few times and then the second half a few times and then the whole thing two or three times [during a practice].

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Q) What's your favorite event? Why? A. "...I have to say its floor, it might not be my best event but I just like it because, if you have a certain routine it gets the crowd going

Q) Do you plan to do anything with gymnastics in the future? (i.e. college, professional, etc.)

A. ...I ll probably stop gymnastics after high school only because you can't really do college gymnastics coming out of high school gymnastics you have to do club. If I did something it would be coaching on the side during the summer while I'm in college or something like that.

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Q) How has the transition been from gymnastics to cheer?

A. "I think that gymnastics definitely gives you a lot of techniques for cheer like flipping wise, because that kind of technique takes years and I already have the background of flipping and staying tight. There's a lot more trust that goes into cheer, since you're not throwing someone else in the air, not your self.

Photo courtesy of Healther Trobridge

Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015

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NBA 2015-2016 power rankings

Straight out of the pool Varsity swimmers dive in

Who will make the top three?

By Brandon Hoagland

By Mark Skorija and Ahmad Frej The clock is ticking. The crowd on their feet silent enough to hear their heartbeat quicken.

The ball gets thrown up in the air.

The basketball game starts.

October 27th marked the first game day of the 2015-2016 NBA season. Players coming back from the offseason relaxed and ready and most of all healthy. Here are our season s power rankings predictions: 0

1. Golden State Warriors: It is simply no doubt that the defending world champions still stand as number one. There have been no significant changes made on the team, and the splash brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are still in the prime of their careers.

2.. San Antonio Spurs:The addition of Lamarcus Aldridge takes the Spurs from being a great team to an elite team.

Adding the colossal big man shooter is going to give San Antonio a shot for another ring this postseason.

3. L.A Clippers: Giving Point Guard Chris Paul more options to pass to is the best thing the GM for the Clippers could ever do, by adding Paul Pierce, Josh Smith, Lance Stephenson and Wesley Johnson to the team. With their tenacious off season, do not be surprised to see the clips succeed in June.

Winter is here, and that means it s time for Battlefield s swim team season to start. The Battlefield swim team is ready to have another successful season with Head Coach Jay Thorpe, and Donny Marzalek and Kara Lawless as assistant coaches. Thorpe has been the Bobcats head coach since 2010; he has worked hard for the past five seasons to help the Bobcat swimmers improve in the water, and to compete in the Cedar Run district. Senior Nihar Bhat has known Coach Thorpe since he was seven years old and says, He would always push me to embrace new strokes and techniques, he is an instructor, a motivator and a competitor that wants the best for the athletes under him.

Unlike many of the other teams Battlefield has, the swim team practices at Central Park Aquatic Center. The team practices from 7-9 p.m. everyday except for Fridays. However instead of a break, the team has meets on Fridays and some Wednesdays.

Some swimmers on the team are also part of year round swim teams such as Nation s Capital Swim Club, Occoquan Swim, and Potomac Marlins. Club Swimmers only have to go to Battlefield s once a week, since they have their club practices every day, some days starting at 4 a.m., and again in the afternoon on the same day.

Sophomore Alex Segura is a club swimmer and says, Doing high school and NCAP is hard and 0

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really tiring but it is worth it.

Swimming is different than many of the other sports because it is more of an independent sport and with swimmers mainly worrying about how they perform and trying to improve at each meet.

There is still a team aspect to the sport when the whole team is trying to make sure they beat more swimmers from the other team during the races, and winning the relays so the Bobcats can win the meet. High school gives more opportunities for swimmers to work together in accomplishing a shared goal which is winning and beating other schools, states senior Katie Tillotson on some aspects she likes about high school swim.

Swimming is a great way to make many new friends since many of the swimmers will be practicing with the same people every day.

This year s team looks to have another strong season as the team last had an overall of 7-1, and the men s team took third at conferences while the women s team took second. The Bobcats have no returning state qualifiers from the guys, but there are five swimmers from the girls side returning, sophomores Emily Hetzer, and Savannah Nash, juniors Stephanie Reheuser, and Claire Schroeder, and senior Katie Tillotson. With a new class of freshman filled with talented swimmers coming in, the Bobcats look to have another successful season in the water.

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Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015

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May the force be with you

JK Rowling or Robert Galbraith?

Preparing for the release of the new Star Wars movie

The Harry Potter author takes a new pen name in her upcoming book series

By Jacob Baker

By Thayer Cumings

Star Wars was a huge hit when it was first released in 1977. It was a movie-going experience unlike anything anyone had ever seen before.

People both young and old lined up outside theaters to see Captain Han Solo fly the Millenium Falcon and Obi-Wan fight Darth Vader. The movie was an instant classic. In 1999, people went crazy again when "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" was released. Now, in the year 2015, a new Star Wars film, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," is going to be released on Dec. 18. With the film coming out in just a few weeks, people could not be more excited. Both casual movie-goers and sci-fi dorks have been waiting for this moment for a long time, and the hype is certainly being felt at BHS. The new Star Wars films were first announced in October 2012. Since then people have been eagerly anticipating the new films. This is a unique experience for many BHS students, since most

were too young to remember the craze that surrounded the release of The Phantom Menace. Star Wars is such an iconic franchise that everyone on the planet really knows about. Surprisingly, our generation has never really experienced the release of one of these masterpieces, commented junior Christian Artz.

It truly is special to experience a cultural phenomenon that future generations will talk about. With all sorts of companies coming out with Star Wars themed products, the excitement is certainly being felt by everyone.

The Star Wars hype is absolutely ridiculous! says Artz.

I thought the new trailer was really good! I watched it a few times the next day with my kids! I think the new bad guy will put on a satisfactory performance, says Mr. Bair.

In the same way that the empire infiltrated Cloud City on Bespin, the hype has infiltrated BHS, and now there are only a few more weeks until the new movie comes out. So hurry up and buy tickets, fly an X-WIng to the theater, and get ready to experience Star Wars: The Force Awakens on Dec. 18, 2015! Remember: the force will be with you. Always.

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Most people know her as JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter novels, but what many people do not know is that JK Rowling and Robert Galbraith are the same person. On April 4, 2013, Joanne Rowling went under the pen name Robert Galbraith and published the first book in the Cormoran Strike s novels, The Cuckoo s Calling.

[I wanted to] work without hype or expectation and to receive totally unvarnished feedback, Rowling says when asked why she when under her pseudonym, through Robert Galbraith's website. It was a fantastic experience and I only wish it could have gone on a little bit longer than it did.

On October 20, 2015, her third book in the Cormoran Strike s novels, Career of Evil was released. Unlike the mostly light-hearted Harry Potter books, the newest addition to Robert Galbraith s collection is supposed to be very dark, and only for mature audiences.

My research into the subject matter of #CareerOfEvil literally gave me nightmares, which has never happened before. It s a scary book, says Rowling through Twitter.

Although the murder-mystery book has been said to be the scariest thing Rowling has ever written, that did not stop it from being on Amazon's top best sellers list for 24-consecutive days before it was released.

I m really excited to read it, says freshman Sam Kwon, It s on the top of my list of books to read.

Photo courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org via Creative Commons 14 Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015 0

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Ivory Ella

A small business aspires to save elephants

By Jessica Kronzer

Photo by Jessica Kronzer

Last April Ivory Ella, an online small business, struck the internet with the founder's brilliant idea to combine preserving the elephant species with fashionable shirts. The company strives to stop illegal poaching. In 1979 over 1 million elephants roamed our earth. Today, less than 450,000 of these gentle giants are left in the wild due to excessive poaching. According to one of their co-founders, Matt Fiano, Ivory Ella's ultimate goal would be to end elephant poaching but our short term goals involve raising awareness of the growing issue and doing our best to raise as much money as possible for the Save The Elephants Organization."

According to their website, a portion of each purchase made goes directly saving elephants, By donating 10 percent of net profits to savetheelephants.org, we hope to help end elephant poaching worldwide. Donations are made to the Elephant Crisis Fund, E.C.F, and Monitors the Illegal Killing of Elephants, M.I.K.E. As of now, Ivory Ella has 1

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donated $165,000 directly to research, protection, and awareness of the significance of ivory poaching.

This money is forwarded to an elephant sanctuary in Africa, which is run by the Save the Elephants organization. Fiano says the sanctuary, is used to rehabilitate sick and injured animals and also protects the elephants from danger.

All details can be found on their many social social media platforms and their website.

They offer a wide range of products to choose from their online store including women and men's shirts and sweatshirts, and accessories. The company sells shirts with various funky prints including a paisley or Aztec prints.

This trend hit the halls of Battlefield this fall and many are sporting products from the popular brand. Junior Sydney Failla says, I bought an Ivory Ella shirt because I absolutely adore elephants, they are my favorite animal and a symbol of good luck. They are very gentle creatures and do not deserve to be hunted for their ivory. I just believe that there really is no good reason to 1

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kill such kind animals and I wanted to be apart of a movement to help protect them, explains Failla.

Freshman Abby Houchin plans to buy a shirt, I love the overall cause of the company, because I love elephants. Houchin thinks it is terrible that elephants are hunted and thinks that it should stop. She believes that this company is a cute a great way to save the elephants.

Skye Niemczyk, Director of Customer Relations for Ivory Ella, explains the company s success.

Our cofounders started out as social media marketers and over the past year they noticed a growing trend, which of course, was elephants! They had always wanted to get involved in a charity and this was the perfect opportunity to do so," Niemczyk says. Ivory Ella can be followed on social media @shopivoryella on Twitter and @ivoryella on Facebook and Instagram. Post a picture with the product and tag the post with #ivoryella, they may be featured on their pages.

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Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015

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Homemade for the holidays 3 DIY Christmas Gifts

By Sydney Natysin and Alyssa Elazar Holiday season is a very expensive time of the year. Here are some ways to create cheap presents!

These are the three gifts that you can make at home for a friend or family member!

M&M poem Ingredients: -Green or red M&ms -Large mason jar -Poem (handmade or printed Directions: -Place red and green M&M s into a small mason jar -Print or make a creative poem or note and glue onto jar -Add decorations to create a Christmas feeling and you are done!

Lemon scrub -Mason jar -2 ½ to 3 cups of sugar -½ cup of olive oil (coconut or almond oil) -1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice -1 teaspoons of orange zest

Photp Courtesy of Sydney Natysin and Alyssa Elazar

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Pretzel hugs Ingredients: -Medium sized mason jar -Pretzels (square) -Hershey Kisses -Green and red M&M s -Mini Christmas Card -String to attach to card Directions: -Preheat oven to 350 -Place the pretzels all over a baking pan -Place a hershey kiss on top of every pretzel -Place pan into the oven for 1-2 minutes -Once you take the pan out of the oven, immediately push a M&M on top of every melted hershey kiss -Put pan into the fridge to cool -Enjoy!

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Photp Courtesy of Sydney Natysin and Alyssa Elazar

Photp Courtesy of Sydmey Natysin and Alyssa Elazar

Suicide Prevention

By Kyleigh McGinnis and Cheyenne Shifflett

Suicide is quite literally a permanent solution to a temporary problem. You are never alone. The recent suicides throughout Prince William County are devistating and 16

effect everyone around them. If you or someone you know is thinking of comitting suicide, please call this number: 1-800-273-8255

Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015

Green and black bobcats Students share what it is like to be in a military

By Andrew Young and Grant Donaldson Battlefield High School sits a mere thirty five miles from the Pentagon, the fortress-like headquarters of the United States military, a massive force dedicated to the protection of the American people interests all over the globe.

Composed of five separate branches of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, the military has provided an armed force all throughout the world dedicated to achieving the goals of the nation.

Due to close proximity to the national capitol and numerous defense installations, Battlefield is home to a mass of military brats, an affectionate term often given to children of parents that serve in the military. On top of that, our school is home to those who have siblings that serve in the armed forces, as well as students with aspirations to join the military in their adult lives.

Along with being a military brat, comes the constant struggle that the kids have to endure, constantly moving, and never being able to settle down or stay at one school for a long period of time. According to dodea.edu, ...the average child in a military family will move six to nine times during a school career.

That's an average of three times more frequently than non-military families. This large amount of transition, involved with a new school, friends, and location, can lead to a high amount of stress and can take a huge toll on the life of a child.

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miss them." For Thill, moving to Virginia has been a big adjustment from the West Coast, as Battlefield is a significantly different structured school than the one she previously attended. This makes the class transitions especially difficult, new teachers, new material, and sometimes new curriculum can force a kid to attempt to catch up super quickly which can take a toll on an already hard new social setting For military brats all over the country, constantly moving and dealing with the absences of loved ones on deployments can be a grueling task. Schools often realize this, especially Mountain View elementary school, located right in our town of Haymarket. To help students cope with the lifestyles of military families, the school has created a group called "Young Heroes," dedicated entirely to focusing on children with military parents and military family members. The ultimate goal of the program is to make military children feel at home with others like them.

For those all over the nation however, some children may still feel the hardships of being in a military family. Students have to cope with difficult situations with relocation and adjusting to parental and sibling absences. The Virginia-DC area is a large central hub where a lot of military families end up at, and it can always help to reach out, and give them a helping hand, to make them feel more at home.

Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015 17 2

Military families often find struggles in constantly relocating, as well as obvious concerns with deployments of loved ones.

Sophomore Chase Pacchioli has experienced both. A navy brat with both parents serving, he has had to move quite frequently as well as endured long periods of time with them on deployment. An experienced mover, Pacchioli has lived in states such as Hawaii, South Carolina and North Carolina.

To him, constantly moving has taken a toll on his networking, causing him to constantly "make friends and have to lose them again." This can often bring forth inevitable challenges upon children. In addition to such challenges domestically, many students like Pacchioli can often find deployments of parents to be a stressful experience. About deployments of his mother, Pacchioli said, "it is pretty hard. I do get to talk to her sometimes, but I've heard some pretty awful stories."

Junior Bethanie Thill is a proud child of an Air Force parent, one who says being in a military family is like being in "an ordinary family, living an ordinary life." Like Pacchioli, Thill has had to move quite frequently, her latest move to Virginia from California, making her a new member of the Bobcat community. About the transition away from the Golden State, Thill said, "it's been a little rough, I've left a lot of friends in California. I really

Colophon Endsheets

Cover -Color: CMYK -Paperstock: 60 LB Text Boise Polaros -Photo by: Kirsten DeZeeuw

Typography -Copy font: Olympia Light, 12 pt -Headline font: Stafford Bold -Subheadline font: Olympia (Xlight) Italic -Byline font: Olympia Medium Condensed, 14 pt -Photo credits: Olympia Xlight condensed, 8 pt -Caption Font: Olympia Xlight Condrensed, 12 pt

Type styles: Stafford, Stafford Bold Graphics: All photos taken by the journalism staff

Design

-Program used: Studio Works by Balfour -Printed by UPS -Color Process: Digital Printing

Photography -Photos: Orignal photos taken by the journalism staff. Picture on page 12 courtesy of Vicotr O'Neil, Clipart on page 4 and 9 by Balfour clip art.

-Graphics: Graphics courtesy of Creative Commons -Infographs and charts created using Piktochart

Buy a and subscription! Finance Operation Want a copy of Inside 15000 delivered to your house or to a family member or friend? Stop by room 1144 or email Mrs. Peyton (Peytonkc@pwcs.edu) for more information!

-Donations: $142 -Subscriptions; $200 -600 copies printed Open Mic Nights $1350

Cost: $25 for an entire year's subscription

Staff Writers: Esperanza Almeda, Mary Alphonse, Inez Asiama, Katarina Ayala, Tristan Baird, Jacklyn Baker, Jacob Baker, Michael Barbuti, Isabelle Barrett, Lily Bartone, Lauren Bennet, Allison Brown, Regan Buckley, Taylor Cambell, Maggie Chi, Destinee Clay, Kayla Coleman, Kelly Cooke, Thayer Cumings, Rebecca Cutsinger, Kyle Dean, Jake Dedekind, Tara Delaney, Caterina Deuser, Kathleen Dwyer, Grant Donaldson, Alyssa Elazar, Brendon Estridge, Kennedy Evans, Iana Fields, Taylor Fisher, Ahmad Frej, Fabi Garcia, Nicholas Gonzalez, Charis Hadginikitas,, Hartley Hall, Kate Harris, Dan'Nika Hill, Emily Hillig, Brandon Hoagland, Madison Holtz, Emma Jacobs, Jay Kim, Jean-Luc Klingensmith, Lauren Kronzer, Alex Lopez, Luis Marte, Neika Manafi, Emily McCauley, Kyleigh McGinnis, Sarah McLain, Julian Moore, McCall Moran, Sydney Natysin, Anna Parsons, Rohit Netala, Tori Nguyen, McKenna Palmer, Emilene Parham, Anna Parson, Emily Payne, Bryan Plonk, Maheen Quereshi, Alexis Radun, Annabelle Ramos, Meriam Rihani, Mary Riley, Margaret Ryan, Cheyenne Shifflett, Jordan Sisson, Mark Skorija, Olivia Stickel, Linda Tran, Tylin Turner, Derek Viator, Heidi Watts, Sidney Werth, Tessa Wisenbaler, Alex Young, Andrew Young, and Savannah Zambudio

A big Thank You The editors, staff writers, and photogrpahers of Inside 15000 want to give thanks to all those who participate in making the news magazine possible. With all the dedication that has been put into the magazine, Inside 15000 won first place in a statewide competition judged by VHSL.. Thank you to Ms. Ethridge-Conti and Mr. Hintosh for proofing the content and allowing the magazine to happen. Thank you to all of the generous patrons and all those who support Inside 15000. Lastly, thank you UPS for printing the news magazine.

Photo by Mrs. Peyton

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Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015

Letter from

the Editor

This issue: With the holiday season at its peak and turkeys on every table, concerns about the treatment of animals arise among the Bobcat community. Five major events that have stirred up controversy and changed the course of history are also highlighted.

Christmas is around the corner, and with sleigh bells ringing and students singing, the Bobcats find ways to spread holiday cheer, preparing for Christmas, New Year's, and all of the winter holidays.

After several car accidents near the school, concerns are raised for student safety in the parking lot. The Do's and Don'ts of the parking lot are explored and

other methods to ensure proper driving are discussed.

With the recent attacks from ISIS on Lebanon, Japan, and France, everyone across the globe is coming together to support these countries. Social media has especially raised awareness with people adding a French flag filter to their Facebook profile, and people posting pictures with #prayforparis.

Now that winter sports are kicking off, student athletes who participate in the less recognized sports like gymnastics and swimming are getting a bit of the spotlight.

Also, students are preparing to geek out with the release of the new Star Wars movie. But the fans

of the series Harry Potter also get a sneak peak of Rowling s alter ego-author.

Preparing for the holidays, Bocats are getting ready to find, or make, the perfect gifts for their family and friends. Military families share what it is like to live the life of serving their country while living in the Bobcat community near D.C. Say goodbye to 2015, and get ready for all the new events that will come in the next year. Have fun with friends, be safe during the holidays, and prepare for a new year.

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-McKenna Roper and Kirsten DeZeeuw

Inside 15000 Battlefield High School News Magazine Volume 2, Issue 4 December 2015

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Art created by Sabrina Drescher (12) in Adobe Illustrator

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