April 2012 by Dulaney Griffin

Our mission: to enlighten and to entertain

Dulaney High School Timonium, Maryland

Volume 52, Issue 6 MUST WE?

see page 5 # TO KNOW

the percentage of social studies classes with more than 30 students

the griffin

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April 20, 2012

Cheating statistics barely budge M taylor roberts, staff writer ore than a year after launching the honor board, the percentage of students who admit to cheating sits at 82.1 percent, a tenth of a point higher than last year, an anonymous Griffin pen and paper survey finds. Some 74 percent of those who admitted to cheating said they never got caught, down seven points from last year. The nonchalant response of a sophomore resembled that of many who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “Cheating can give you the extra little push,” the sophomore said. “I don’t do it a lot, but sometimes

you just need a little help.” The Griffin surveyed 324 students in all grades and instructional levels of English. Last year’s survey, conducted in the same manner, questioned 380 students. The most popular form of cheating remains copying assignments from classmates; 79 percent of students admitted to cheating using this tactic, compared to 83 percent who used it last year. The second most popular method of cheating is writing answers on note cards or body parts, something 31 percent of students say they do. That’s up 3 percent from last year. Again, an anonymous student

seemed nonplussed: “I write notes on a Post-it and stick it to the Which subjects have you cheated in? bottom of my shoe. I call them foot notes,” he said. Next in popularity is copying and pasting parts of essays found online, a tactic used by 13 percent of this year’s survey sample. That’s 6 percent higher than last year. Next comes resubmitting another student’s work, done by 10 percent of students, down 3 percent from last year. Least popular among cheating methods listed on the survey was buying essays online, but it increased from 1 to 2 percent this year over last. continued on page 3

Sweet sound to busy students: Zzzz...

Taking a break in the grass

ACE ARCHER

ali kochesfahani & laura mayhew, staff writers etween Advanced Placement review sessions, research papers, spring sports, and S.A.T. tutoring, yawns have become more common. Does school force students to forfeit sleep? Yes, says junior Rebecca Turlington, who goes to bed at midnight at the earliest. She thrives on naps. “I set an alarm and I sleep for 30 minutes after school because that’s normally all I have time for.” Turlington said with her AP course work and a demanding job at Let’s Dish, she does whatever she can to stay awake to finish homework. “I drink a LOT of coffee,” Turlington said with a chuckle. She typically drinks one cup in the morning before school, a cup during school, and two cups after school. The National Sleep Foundation Senior Tony Choi, sophomore Mindy Cheng and juniors Sai Vedati, Lisa Ann Tang and Soophia Ansari (left to right) form a massage actually labeled teens and young

see page 7

# TO KNOW

the number of students registered to vote by Young Democrats’ drive ALTERED LOCKS

train after round-robin games at the GrassrootSoccer tournament in Owings Mills April 9. The event, staged by students from Division 12 Key Clubs, drew more than 200 participants and raised more than $4,000 for HIV research. photo by yejin yoon

Students relate to Trayvon Martin case

S see page 9

INDEX 2 -3 4-5 6-8 9-12

news opinion sports features

yon je kim, staff writer tudents following the Trayvon Martin case were quick to share their reactions a day after Zimmerman was charged with second degree murder in the death of the unarmed black teenager. “Zimmerman deserved it,” freshman Anna Johnson said. “As far as I’m concerned, even if in self-defense, he has to face charges for what he did.” Junior Zoss Assefa said there’s a lesson to be learned here. “State laws on self defense need changing,” he said. “Currently, if someone provokes

you, you are allowed to use deadly force, and I think that needs to be changed.” Junior Erol Hoke shared Assefa’s view and added that people blew this incident out of proportion. “I think the real issue is the ground laws,” he said. Freshman Harrison Bartlett saw another societal issue. “This whole ordeal was definitely an incident of racial profiling-- if what the media has said is true,” Bartlett said. He added, “We still have a long way to go in reaching racial equality.” Several black students following the

FYI: NHS Blood Drive

April 22 Classic Cafeteria 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Spring Instrumental Concert April 24-25 Auditorium 7:30 p.m.

Open Mic Night

May 3 Amphitheater 6 p.m.

http://myhsj.org/md/timonium/griffin

continued on page 3

Trayvon Martin case recalled receiving warnings from their relatives regarding how to act to avoid racial profiling from the police. Dre Lewis, Junior: “Around cops, don’t act like a black guy with your pants down and hood up and being rude.” Zoss Assefa, Junior: “Don’t be obnoxious around anyone but especially white people.” Jordan Williams, Junior: “You have to have knowledge of the situation and your Junior Zoss Assefa has followed surroundings. If a white man looks down the Trayvon Martin case for on you, show that you know what you several weeks. are doing.” photo by emily park

Advanced Placement Exams May 7-18

Sequel Preview Night May 10 Room 309 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Sophomore Retreat May 29 (New date)

news

april 20, 2012

the griffin

Funded by grant, poster aims to inspire

amanda bank, staff writer Stanley, who introduced the posters to the leven hands are stacked in a pose remi- school on the morning announcements during niscent of pre-game pep cheer. The words third quarter, sees potential in the posters’ respect, responsibility and relationships are superimposed on limbs and hands. Copies of the poster bearing this image are the administration’s latest effort to maximize the school’s atmosphere for learning. “The intent is to communicate positive attitudes,” principal Lynn Whitlock said. She added that the posters are just visual reminders of the school’s core values. Nine of the 3 feet by 2 feet posters dot the halls of the new wing; eight appear in the old wing. All teachers were given at least one 8.5 inch by 11 inch version of the photograph. “We want to reinforce the school-wide initiative to respect each other, to be responsible, and to build good relations with photo by amanda bank each other,” assistant principal Elizabeth Stanley said. message. Why use them? Some students lose She said the target audience is middle-tier focus during the school day, she said, adding students, in hopes that they will become that the posters are a way of reminding these stronger at academics and push themselves to students to focus on what matters. take more advanced courses. Money for the posters came from an MDS3

grant, which is funding the Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools Initiative, a joint effort by the Maryland Department of Education, Johns Hopkins University and Sheppard Pratt Health System. The initiative pays for “evidence-based programs to improve the school climate and optimize conditions for student learning,” according to the MSD3 flier tacked into the March PTSA newsletter. Working on this initiative, the school’s climate committee approached art teacher Dena Voluse and asked her Digital Art Technology Applications (DATA) class to make potential designs for the poster months ago. The winning design was made by senior Lauren Daughtery and edited by senior Hunter Mazza. The MDS3 program has backed other changes to improve the performance of middle tier students. Administrators said teachers have begun tutoring sessions during A and B lunches. Those sessions are underway, Stanley said. She added that detention is being redesigned to build character rather than merely punish students.

Teachers explain how to shape student behavior

yon je kim, staff writer alking when not supposed to, walking around the class just to get tissues and not getting started on classwork are some of the most commonly seen behavior problems in classes. So why can’t students just make the right judgments? John Billingslea pulls out a bit of psychology into his reasoning. “Teens are more likely to show risky behavior because their frontal lobes, which control executive functioning, aren’t fully developed,” Billingslea said. English teacher Sue Wachter attributes her ninth graders’ incessant talking to their social priorities. “I would think that socializing is about a 90 percent priority and school is about 10 percent in many

freshmen. So blow their that’s the bignoses!” sogest problem cial studfor me, they ies teacher just are social R a c h e l people,” WaBaikauskas chter said. said. Noticing the Spanish inappropriteacher ate behaviors Meghann have made Russell impetus for said “I resome teachpeat myself English teacher Sue Wachter conducts her ers to act. a lot- which fourth period Honors English 9 class. “I keep the photo by leroy sharpe drives me tissues in the crazy.” closet and I close the door because Wachter, Baikauskas and Russell if there are tissues sitting out, it’s find that after lunch rather than really strange. Kids look for a dis- before is when problem behaviors traction and when they see the tis- are most frequent, in addition to sues, they get up and take seven of before and after holidays, Fridays them. And they don’t even have to and seventh periods.

Farewell for now

Wachter personally uses positive and negative reinforcements, adding or removing rewards to get a behavior to occur again, but finds that positive reinforcement “really works better.” “I praise my students for doing good work, especially if it’s not their usual way; I reward them with good grades and extra credit,” Wachter said. But Billingslea said otherwise. “Extinction works the best. If you don’t acknowledge it, there’s no benefit to the organism, the student in this case, to do it again,” Billingslea said. “The least effective way to contain an organism’s behavior is punishment. Punishment, to be effective, has to be severe and swift. So if it’s not highly unpleasant, and happens immediately after the behavior, punishment is not effective.”

Bilinguals have edge

katie evans & keval patel, staff writer he power of language has always been recognized by writers and bibliophiles, but scientists are coming to acknowledge its benefits as well. But, aside from being able to talk about people without them knowing, does speaking another language help students significantly? According to psychology teacher Kendra Swam, students who are bilingual do have some advantage over monolingual students. “Most agree that one should acquire a language before the age of 7 in order to speak it fluently,” Swam said. “Concentration and attention are key components to bilingualism.” The New York Times reports that several studies show that bilingualism helps improve the brain’s executive function, or the “command system.” According to these studies, tasks that fall under executive function Sophomore Kyra Twohy hugs her Chinese exhange student, nicknamed Gloria, before she include focusing attention and returns to China after living with Twohy for about two months. Twohy and other student retaining information. hosts will leave for China May 20, and will return in July. In an open letter to Dulaney, “My years of study support Gloria wrote, “I enjoy life here. I can study my favorite classes. I even designed my own CD cover using Photoshop. I’d never done anything like that before. My classmates were this,” Dawn Mitchell, a Latin also very nice. We chatted, studied and laughed together. Thanks, American friends.” Read teacher, said. “The more I learn, the rest including Twohy’s impression on our Web site. the easier I find it to learn other

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things, and I certainly find it true with students.” Another study shows that bilingual preschoolers are better at tuning out distractions while working on a task. “Students have to reorganize what they are going to say. Taking a language that is not Germanic shows you how to unpack your thinking in a different way,” Mitchell said. “You have clarity of thought that speakers of one language don’t have.” French teacher Kopp added that bilingualism makes people sensitive to the difficulty of learning new languages. “That’s why firstgeneration immigrants may not speak the tongue of the country into which they are moving right away.” Brain imaging showed that bilingual speakers had denser gray matter compared with monolingual participants. Gray matter involves sensory perception such as seeing and hearing, memory, emotions, and speech. LC Tao, a bilingual senior fluent in Chinese, takes the whole concept one step further. “Learning a language doesn’t help you get smarter,” he said. “It proves you are smarter.”

You have clarity of thought that speakers of one language don’t have.

photo from twohy

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News in Brief POLICE Student Resource Officer Jennifer Berg reports two cases of note. There was an alleged narcotics violation on March 28; the student received both school discipline and criminal charges. Bathroom graffiti was discovered March 29.

CHESS TEAM WINS The chess team won the county’s chess tournament April 14. Freshman Rex Ledesma and Steven Zhang were the only undefeated high school players. The two played each other in the final round of competition. They played to a draw and received first place individual awards as cochampions.

ROBOTICS COMPETES Robotics team members are battling in the VEX World Championship Robotics Competition in Reseda, Calif. The group returns from the four-day competition April 21.

SPEAKER WINS Junior Minwei Cao won the county level of the Hunt Valley Rotary Club 4-Way Speech Competition. Students from Dulaney, Loch Raven and Hereford competed for a cash prize. Cao argued that people suffering from severe disabilities or drug and alcohol-related problems should have the same opportunities for organ transplants. She made it to the semi-finals on March 17 in Glen Bernie.

MATH CHALLENGE Five students placed in Moody’s Mega Math Challenge, a nationwide high school math competition. Juniors Casey Lim, Minwei Cao, Kushal Byantal, Jaesang Han, and Lisa Ann Tang were in the top 134 teams out of the 961 competitors. Teams created mathematical models to solve an applied mathematics problem concerning new rail lines as part of a revived HighSpeed Intercity Passenger Rail Program.

WRITER WINS Sophomore Isabel Garcia placed at the state level in this year’s Letter About Literature contest. Sponsored by the Maryland Humanities Council, the contest invites students to write letters to authors. Garcia, honored in an April 14 ceremony at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, wrote to Kamala Markandaya, author of “Nectar in a Sieve.”

ARTIST AWARDED Sophomore Lizzie Muangrat’s art is on display at the state capitol. Her chalk pastel of a London street scene featuring Big Ben reflected in a sidewalk puddle was selected from dozens submitted by the state’s art teachers. It hangs in the hallway leading to state house and senate offices.

the griffin

3 news

april 20, 2012

Cheating statistics barely budge Rating the honor board continued from page 1

often turn to cheating because of intense pressure and extracurricular commitment but added that teachers Like many of her co-workers, English teacher Jody are understanding of students’ other responsibilities. Wicks said teachers work to quell cheating. “If students simply took the time to She employs an arsenal of strategies: approach their teacher to ask for an extension multiple versions of tests and quizzes or a flexible deadline on a homework per class as well as separating desks and assignment, teachers are generally willing walking the room constantly during tests. to work with the student,” Turek said. But chemistry teacher Ned Lyons said Science teacher Marty Stranathan cited catching cheaters gets cumbersome. cheating as a detriment to a student’s “I don’t have time or inclination to monitor career in the long run. Students who cheat the homeroom next door,” he said. don’t learn how to persevere and push Cheating levels here mirror those themselves, something vital to success in recorded elsewhere. On their university’s English teacher Jodi higher level courses and in college. Web site, two Stanford professors report Wicks For those who refuse to buy into that that 86 percent of American students have photo by erin briggs message, Wicks has a suggestion. cheated during their high school years. That “We need to be strict and bring obvious percentage has increased 11 percent since last year. consequences so it makes kids really afraid.” History teacher Karen Turek said that students Sam Fishman contributed to this report.

ali kochesfahani, staff writer nonymous and chosen for their character, honor board members are asked to assign consequences for alleged, anonymous cheaters. They’ve been at it for more than a year now. How well is it going? “So so,” said one member. Earlier this year, she was in the same class as the accused cheater whose case she was to review. Initially, she said, the administration assured her that her identity would be protected in part by avoiding such a situation. Another said his homeroom teacher last year actually announced his appointment to the class. “People in my class gave me looks like I’m a ‘tattler,” he said.

Late start, no go

Sweet sound to busy students: Zzzz... continued from page 1 adults as “a population for problem sleepiness,” a label that may sound humorous but is associated with risks, such as falling asleep while driving. The foundation also reports that teens need a minimum of 8.5 hours of sleep nightly and that only 15 percent get that much. It cautions against teen use of too much caffeine. For some students, a lack of sleep has led to drastic measures. Two anonymous girls – a junior and a senior – admitted to buying the attention deficit prescription drug Adderall from a classmate. The senior finds the benefits tangible. “School goes by quickly,” she said. “I have energy without a lot of sleep, I don’t get hungry throughout the entire day, and I test better.”

“Everyone could benefit from it,” the junior said. Taking any prescription drug without a doctor’s supervision can be dangerous. Published reports say the amphetamine Adderrall can be addictive. Side effects for the drug include speeded heart rates and insomnia. Junior Kelsie Swanson said the early start time of school and her work load have left her sleep deprived. Her week consists of a nonstop schedule with school followed by lacrosse followed by driver’s ed. She said Tuesdays and Thursdays are especially tedious because of weightlifting for lacrosse. “I’m awake from 5:40 in the morning until around midnight, so I can’t help but to sleep in my classes because I can’t focus,” she said. Her recent strategy? Energy drinks. “I have this one kind that’s lime green, but I also drink Crystal Light energy packets,” Swanson said,

On a more positive note, another anonymous board member said his case load is a good sign. “Last year there were a lot more cases, so maybe the system is working,” he said, noting he had judged three cases this year compared to five last year, most homework related. “No one can say no when their friend wants to copy it,” he said. So what are the consequences? “Redo the homework for half credit or get a zero, (depending on the discretion of the teacher) and either have morning or after school detention for an hour with the teacher.” As for suspensions, this member said he’ll probably never issue one. “It’s just wrong for a student to give another student a suspension.”

D Junior Rebecca Turlington, flanked by fellow coffee drinker Courtney Cooper, enjoys a cup of during English class. photo by amanda bank

adding that despite the bottles of energy drinks she consumes, she feels drained, as if she’s sick every day. Along with school, assistant principal John Billingslea said jobs and too much caffeine rob students of rest. But they aren’t the only culprits. “Students would rather spend time on Facebook than finishing their homework,” Billingslea said.

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jenny park, deputy editor islike the early hours of high school? Principal Lyn Whitlock agrees with you and those Anne Arundel County mothers who recently launched an effort to push back secondary schools’ start times. “I’m not a morning person, so anything later would be great,” Whitlock said, “But because the decision is highly driven by economics, it’s highly unlikely.” Despite the local pessimism, a petition bearing signatures went to Maryland’s members of Congress last month. The Baltimore Sun reported that the mothers hoped to start a national movement. In their favor is a Brookings Institute study released in September proposing that a later start

time for middle and high school students would boost achievement. Such headlines don’t sway sophomore Madeline Fontinell. “It’s not realistic,” she said, “School activities and schedules rely on the school time too much and that would have to be entirely remade.” Sophomore Kevin Halliday shared similar concerns. “I would love to get more sleep, but the stuff after school would get moved back, and that leaves less time at night, which sucks.” Whitlock said the biggest concern would be if teenagers could work one or two hours later, but if this policy were to gain traction, her suggestion would be to have morning practices.

the griffin

4 opinion

Sleep depraved

april 20, 2012

Proposed suspension policy will benefit

So you think you can Dance?

anna jensen, chief copy editor

ast month I warned you all of the dangers associated with Dance epidemics. But you know what? I hope you do Dance. S. Dallas Dance, that is. At just 30 years of age, Dance was selected on March 27 and officially approved on April 10 as the new superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools. Charismatic, optimistic and energetic, Dance stressed the importance of technology in the classroom for the development of modern communication skills in a plugged-in world. Dance admitted to being a “manic texter” himself, according to the Towson Patch. Could this mean that ring tones could become commonplace here in the next few years? It’s a possibility. Though I’m sure that many students are positively salivating at the chance to (legally) put their touch screens and QWERTY keyboards to good use, it wouldn’t be an immediate change. We certainly will not be a 4G school during our high school careers. Still, it’s promising. Dance seems to donate a lot of thought to the students he will govern.

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Someone who knows we don’t mean birds when we say ‘Tweet.’

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“Folks need to understand that I’m going to value people, but I’m going to value students more,” Dance said in an interview with the Baltimore Sun’s editorial board. Additionally, upgrading academic facilities is prominent on Dance’s list of priorities. Perhaps that will translate to books that are not ducttaped together, classrooms that are not bereft of their ceiling tiles and bathrooms complete with working faucets. Naturally, the young man who speaks happily of change is met with much opposition. Foremost, complaints over his age. “He will be younger than most people he leads,” wrote Liz Bowie in the Sun. It’s true. Dallas also hadn’t completed the three years of classroom teaching required for the job. He was granted exception to the rule, but he will have to complete a year of guest teaching in middle and high schools throughout the county to remain eligible for the job. Technicalities aside, Dallas said that age would not be an issue, according to the Patch. He has alluded to young leaders like President Teddy Roosevelt as examples. It’s about skills, he says. It doesn’t matter how old someone is if he has the necessary skills. Personally, I welcome the change. It’s about time we had someone more like us taking the reins, someone who understands what we’re going through as teenagers, someone who knows we don’t mean birds when we say “Tweet.” Furthermore, people can hardly pull the experience card—Dance was the chief officer of middle schools in the Houston Schools System. I repeat, middle schools. If he can handle the raginghormonal-puberty-madness of the nation’s seventh-largest school district, he is more than qualified for the job here. Dance is due to take office on July 1, after current superintendent Joe A. Hairston steps down from his 12-year term. If he truly is as in touch with students as he suggests, maybe we can look forward to a Dance Dance Revolution.

OP-ART: emily park

ethan levy, business manager hypothetical student named Fred has his phone out in the hall. A nearby teacher, Mrs. Hope, notices the violation and politely asks him to hand over the phone. “It’s school policy,” she says. Fred doesn’t cooperate and simply puts it in his backpack. The teacher won’t succumb to his misbehavior and pressures him to cough up the device. Fred talks back, cursing in total outrage. He was just calling his mother to ask her to pick him up after school. In some cases, the consequence of this offense would be suspension. But in the near future, such an offense would most likely result in detention.

The Maryland state school board is taking comments on a proposal that would lessen the punishments for this and other nonviolent offenses. To me, this change in policy makes complete sense. Suspensions are designed to punish students for misconduct, but suspensions are hardly painful. They’re time off for people who generally enjoy time away from school. Advocates for suspension believe that parents are the rightful enforcers of punishment and they are ultimately held accountable for their children’s’ actions. Parents tend to be stricter than the school when it comes to punishment, they claim. But the reality is that, for most students,

a suspension translates into more free time at home, often unsupervised.. Suspension keeps kids who are in need of education and career goals away from teachers and other school staff who can help them. It is counterproductive. Detention, on the other hand, means more time at school under the supervision of an adult, preferably an educator. To combat misbehavior, students should have more schooling, not less. This would better teach them how to act in accordance with the school’s rules and regulations. Although I rarely like to compliment the actions of the Maryland school board, I admit that this initiative is a worthwhile pursuit. I hope it passes.

Yes, pay extra for fat

Editorial: Get real

kevin halliday, contributing unhealthy foods will convince writer people to change their diets. eing obese is defined The revenue from this tax could as weighing over 203 also be used to help improve pounds and having a public health. People will body mass undoubtedly OP-ART: katie walters index of over 30. continue to In the US, over buy foods with one third of saturated fats; it the population is unavoidable. is obese. In But increasing Denmark, the price of about ten these foods percent of the can produce population is. revenue to be Last October, put towards D e n m a r k programs to established a help improve tax that attacked people’s diets foods with a saturated fat and knowledge of food. content of 2.3% or higher. Our With this tax, it’s going to be government should consider a harder for the people who can fat tax similar to Denmark’s to only afford cheap high saturated improve public health and the fat foods to stay fed. But with economy. the money that is made by this Though you only indulge tax, programs can be made to in fast food once in a while, help give more unfortunate there are people who eat at people better access to healthier McDonald’s many times a foods so that their general week, or even daily. Saturated health will improve. fats at McDonald’s can range All in all, this tax will from a few grams to over 20, positively affect most, and and over a long period of time, negatively affect only a few. this content can add up. The cost of fatty foods will Eating foods with high increase—which may cause saturated fat contents can a minimal dip in your bank increase risk of diabetes, account—but in the end, it’s coronary heart disease, high beneficial. With this tax, we can blood pressure, and high levels fight the huge percentage of of LDL cholesterol. With a tax obesity in our country and start on foods high in saturated fats, on a new path to increasing the maybe the extra cost of these health of all Americans.

hile we wish the administration well, we don’t expect miracles. The new Respect, Responsibility, and Relationships posters displayed in halls and classrooms since last quarter aren’t likely to make much of an impact. Funded by grant money, the student-designed posters are supposed to inspire average or underperforming students by reminding them of values that lead to success at school. But with spring in the air – especially after a winter with no snow days—it’s doubtful many students have bothered to notice them at all. Most are too busy flirting, hurrying to lunch or eyeing a rival’s new outfit. Assistant principal Beth Stanley was wise to appear on the morning announcements to inform students about the posters and their purpose, but her single plug didn’t muster much attention. Not that looking at a poster would accomplish much. Thankfully, some of the money from the MDS-3 grant will go toward what we believe are more practical means of inspiring lackluster students. Plans to have faculty conduct tutoring sessions during A and B lunches along with infusing character education into detention have

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Most are too busy flirting, hurrying to lunch or eyeing a rival’s new outfit.

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some potential. Beyond these moves, we’d like to see the grant money fund career and course guidance to students in both tutoring sessions and detention. Doing so would make school more meaningful and fruitful to the students targeted by the MDS-3 grant. Like anybody, average students are much more likely to respond to something if they see personal benefit from it. We don’t believe in miracles—just common sense.

the griffin

opinion

april 20, 2012

Coping with implications of Trayvon’s death

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jenna depasquale, opinion editor eople die all the time, so what makes Trayvon Martin so special?” This is what a Facebook friend of mine asked in the wake of the controversy over the Florida murder case that has ignited national discussions of stand your ground laws and racial profiling. The facts of the case are complex, but crucial for understanding the incident’s meaning. On April 11, following protests against police inaction in several U.S. cities, a special prosecutor charged George Zimmerman with second degree murder. Zimmerman, a Latino neighborhood watch volunteer, shot and killed Martin – a black, 17 year old – Feb. 26. Since the night he was arrested and released by Sanford, Fla. police, Zimmerman has said he was acting in self defense. Zimmerman shot Martin after pursuing the teenager, whom he deemed suspicious, despite a police dispatcher advising him to leave the matter to the police. Martin, who was wearing a hoodie as he walked through the rain to his father’s girlfriend’s house, was headed home after a trip to a convenience store, where he had bought Skittles and iced tea. Sadly, death is not uncommon, especially untimely deaths among young African American males. According to California Watch, black youth are 14 times more likely to be murder victims than white

OP-ART: malcolm peacock

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youth. But what makes Martin’s death so significant is that it has much wider implications. Martin was racially profiled. His killer was initially set free. Sure, Zimmerman has finally received a sentence, but that came only after the dedication of Martin’s family and countless protestors who demanded an investigation. If not for citizen outrage and demands, Zimmerman would most likely still be a free man. Justice for a murder should not be something that has to be fought for. It should come automatically through the criminal justice system. The roots of bigotry run deep in America and are hard to extirpate. Those unaffected by prejudice may believe that the battles or race have already been fought and that the issue of skin color is obsolete. Certainly, as a society we have made great strides. People of all races and ethnicities work collectively to make our country as our first African American president stands watch. Yet delayed justice such as what happened in Florida proves a sad truth. Neither our society nor our justice system is color blind. Although it is impossible for Martin to return to his loved ones and fulfill his dreams of attending college and becoming an aviation mechanic, it is imperative that his spirit be kept alive and that this tragedy be discussed. It is not only the least of what this ambitious young man deserves, it is a valuable step toward rectifying racial profiling and prejudice.

The roots of bigotry run deep in America.

Stereotypes, far from benign, can harm us

tionne barmer, contributing writer enerally, people assume every black person is a thief. All Asians have small eyes. Gay people aren’t strong enough to serve in the military. All Muslims are terrorists. Some people think that these stereotypes are funny, but the reality is that they are our innate impressions of people. We should see all people with a “blank canvas” sort of mind. We should see everyone equally, no matter how different they may seem. The truth is that discrimination harms society and is a major problem. We need to change our attitudes. Many people argue that discrimination is no longer a problem in America. Columnist Carl T. Rowen said, “It is often easier to become outraged by injustice half a world away than by oppression and discrimination half a block from home.”

Discrimination can be found even in your friends or acquaintances. Think about it—high school is a center of discrimination. We judge people every day, labeling them “nerd,”“black,” “Jew,” “prep,” “drama kid,” etc. These labels hurt. Every day, about 1,329 black males and 896 white males commit suicide due to discrimination. We shouldn’t degrade peoples’ characters with common stereotypes that are untrue. A recent study shows that equallyqualified applicants for job interviews are 50 percent less likely to get called back if they are perceived as “sounding black.” Just because some people may be different from society’s norm, they don’t have an equal chance at getting the jobs or education. Luckily, Affirmative Action laws are in effect that attempt to eliminate this discrepancy. This is our way of compensating for

society’s tendency to judge and discriminate people. Discriminating, and labeling others will destroy and prevent goodwill and better friendships. When we discriminate, people feel alienated and alone. To remedy this, we can learn to have friends of different types and accept everyone. This allows people to mingle without preconceived notions and express who they truly are. By standing up against this negative behavior, we create positive feelings in others. Treating everyone equally without preconceptions will benefit all. An extreme example is the Nazis in World War II. They wanted to create an ultimate race, and killed millions of Jews in the process. This mass murder was not beneficial to a great majority of people, and millions of friends and family were negatively affected. Without ignorance, we can all live happily with freedom of expression. The solution to discrimination lies within every one of us. Everyone deserves the chance to be an individual.

Letters to the editor I’ve been told before that my devotion to the printed word may be borderline insanity—if Barnes & Noble goes under, I have sworn to lock myself inside the Towson branch as a protest on demolition day. Ah, the books… paperbacks and hardbacks, stitched bindings and leather spines. Not ones with batteries. In this new era of e-readers and tablets, I’ve found more reasons to stick with the printed word. Devices like the Nook and Kindle just don’t match the reading experience of paper books. Unfortunately, for printed word advocates like myself, it is quite possible, almost inevitable, that e-readers will one day replace traditional books. The scary thing about it is that we’ve already seen the effects—in 2011, Amazon sold a million Kindles per week during the holiday season while Borders was off the map by the end of September. Purchasing the Nook e-reader, which would support the already struggling Barnes & Noble chain, doesn’t hold out much hope. Versus the Amazon Kindle, there really isn’t much competition. Nook sales amount to only 27% of the e-reader market share, while Amazon’s line of Kindles (the newest addition being the iPad-like Kindle Fire) has more than twice that much. As much harm as they do to the printed word’s economy, these devices do have undeniable benefits for avid readers. Hauling around the fifth Harry Potter book and all of its 870 pages isn’t exactly ideal if you’re rereading the series. With the release of Harry Potter e-books on March 27th, you could now carry all seven books on your Kindle 4, which doesn’t even weigh a pound. This is the question up for debate: is the convenience worth what you’re giving up with e-books? Is it worth the loss of a real, paper page? I’m not saying you’re a terrible person if you own an e-reader—if you love reading, that’s wonderful, especially since it’s becoming a dying habit—but for me, the experience just doesn’t match up. I personally love having my favorite titles and authors lined up on my shelf. I prefer strolling through bookstores to find my books than scrolling through a screen. I even love that musty, aged smell of yellowing book pages. Though I am passionate about the printed word, I can’t be deluded—one day, paper books will become second to a rich selection of e-readers. But for now and beyond that inescapable Doomsday, I will never delve into the market. Not unless Kindles start spouting pages. Then? I may reconsider. —Caroline Orth

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”

Can we go outside?

Now that spring has sprung, Journalism 1 students contemplate suggestions for setting aside an outdoor space for student use. Read their thoughts on our Web site. photo by sara mahmood

Griffin Staff 255 E. Padonia Rd. Timonium, Maryland (410)-887-7633 Management.............................................................................. Sara Mahmood, Amna Zehra........................................co-editors Jenny Park..............................................................deputy editor Erin Brock, Lorrie Sinibaldi.....................................news editors Aysha Khan, Emily Xie..........................arts and features editors Kathy Albornoz, Anna Jensen.................................sports editors Drew Van Wagner.........................................deputy sports editor Erin Brock, Jenna DePasquale..............................opinion editors Ben Gelman........................................................chief technician Keval Patel......................................................deputy technician Ethan Levy.......................................................business manager Emily Park.....................................................photography editor Aysha Khan, Anna Jensen................................chief copy editors Drew Van Wagner, Thea Zurek......................online coordinators Maria Hiaasen..................................................................adviser

The Griffin welcomes story ideas, commentaries, and letters to the editor. These may be brought to room 115, placed in Maria Hiaasen’s mailbox in the office, or emailed to dulaneygriffin@bcps.org. All submissions are subject to editing. The Griffin editorial board makes all final decisions regarding content. Want to advertise in The Griffin or purchase any photos seen in this issue? Use the same contact information. The Griffin’s mission is to enlighten and entertain Dulaney’s diverse community.

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april 20, 2012

7 sports

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Sophomore takes aim and scores victory

drew vanwagner, staff writer rchery phenomenon sophomore Mac McShane shot straight into fifth place at the national indoor archery competition hosted by James Madison University on March 10 and 11. McShane scored a personal best 557 points out of 600. Scoring is based on where an arrow strikes on the bullseye. McShane takes a deep breath, draws the bow, squints through the peep site and fires. If only it were that easy. The coveted gold circle in the middle of the archery target is about the size of a penny. The closer an archer lands an arrow to it, the higher he scores. He began archery at the age of five, when, because of an allergy, he was only able to eat hunted meat. “Hunters would donate extra

meat,” McShane explained. When they dropped it off, they would bring over bows and teach me how to shoot.” Through practice, McShane has honed his skills. With his parents’ consent, he transformed the attic of their home into a shooting range. McShane participated in the National Archery Competition in 2010 and set a national record for overall score. After a successful performance, he advanced to the “Vegas Shoot” World Archery Festival. It was his first year in the international competition, and the high caliber competition was definitely overwhelming. “The sport can be pretty stressful,” said McShane. “But it’s not something I’m about to give up. It is really rewarding, a different type of sport. I love it.”

Sophomore Mac McShane prepares to shoot during a national indoor archery competition last month. photos from mcshane

Rising track star makes her mark

kathy albornoz, sports editor he did it. Lily Klein beat her old time and took first place in the freshman-sophomore mile at the April 14 Pikesville Invitational. Here are some of her pre-meet thoughts from an April 12 interview.

Why track? I did club swimming year round before and decided to something else so that I could make friends with people at school and be involved in activities here so that I wouldn’t come back to a reunion in 20 years and have people say, “Oh, she’s the swimmer” and not really know me. Personal best this year: In the cross country regionals, I placed 9th overall at the event, held here Nov. 5 here. It was after

homecoming, most of which I had helped plan, and I felt strong. The last half mile there was a girl I was trying to beat, and I was able to beat her, and I was pretty proud because I was able to qualify for states. Goal this season: I want to break 5:33 for my mile. I’m at 5:37 right now. (Klein did, in fact, break her record with a time of 5:32).

What is the hardest part of track? I think the hardest part is when you have a bad race, and you had been working so hard to get to that race because you put in so much time and effort and you feel like you fell short even though you had been working so hard.

Favorite track event and why: The 2-mile. I won this in the freshman-sophomore division at counties my freshman year for indoor track, so I guess I just feel an attachment to it. I also like the 4x8 because I feel I’m being pushed to do well for the team. It’s a fun group who do it together now including Sydney Glenn, Isabel Griffith and Chiquita Robinson. Superstition or a pre-track ritual: I wear the same outfits before all my indoor meets. I wear my Spandex and my uniform shirt underneath my purple UnderArmor sweatshirt with my black Nike sweatpants. I started doing this at the beginning of this past season. Because it’s comfort- Lily Klein runs the 4x1 mile relay able, and you know you’re going to be ready all at the county meet at Owings Mills day. You just feel like you’re ready to run because High School March 29. photo by natalie baker of the kind of clothes you’re wearing.

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New softball pitchers adjust to the position

kathy albornoz, sports editor t’s a year of rebuilding for varsity softball. The Lions lost five starters to last year’s graduating class. With the hole in the lineup, they look to junior Anna Jensen and senior Courtney Jantzen— last year’s catcher and second baseman, respectively—to take the mound. Jensen has worked over the past year to improve her game as a pitcher, knowing the spot would need to be filled. “During the fall I played for two teams,” Jensen said. “I also have a pitching coach.” Through hours of practice, she has developed a variety of pitches. She has im-

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proved her speed and favors throwing the change-up whenever she gets ahead in the count. The team also counts on Jantzen as a backup. While Jantzen lacks the variety of pitches more experienced pitchers throw, she makes up for it with speed and good aim. Assistant coach Jessica Szymanski is impressed by both players’ transition to the position. “Anna transitioned nicely from catcher to pitcher and I think being a catcher gave her experience to call a game. It’s natural for her,” Szymanski said. “When they split games, it’s a nice rotation be-

cause it keeps the hitters off guard and since Courtney is a versatile player, it’s nice when she can relieve Anna.”

Athletes of the Month Competing with character charlotte meredith, staff writer hen asked to describe junior tennis captain Yilin Feng, coach and special education teacher Sharon Spangenberg replied, “Smart, sweet and funny.” Feng’s a team player, according to Spangenberg. She earned her captain’s position not only for her photo by amna zehra dedication to the game, but also for her friendliness and unconditional support of her teammates. She’s certainly a key player, ranked number one on the girls’ varsity team. “I’m excited for this season,” Feng said. “We have a lot of great new additions to the team who are going to make us stronger.” The team launched into their season with a bang. They defeated rival Loch Raven 6-3 on March 21 and went on to sweep Owings Mills 9-0 on March 23. Feng put up a win in both of her matches. Long hours of practice seem to be paying off. Feng began her tennis career at age 12. She cracked the varsity team her freshman year. Since then, she has joined the Baltimore Tennis Patrons indoor league to keep in shape. “Yilin came to us a good player,” said Spangenberg. “But she’s gotten ever better these past two years. She leads by example, always striving to improve her game.” Additionally, Feng would like to bring her skills and work ethic to a college team someday. “I definitely won’t stop playing anytime soon,” she said.

Pitcher Courtney Jantzen, a senior, throws against Loch Raven on April 13. The Lions won the game 19-4. photo by jen siegel

Lions battle rival Bulls for the goal

Senior steps up to the plate kevin roughan, staff writer t’s my last year and I need to capitalize on it,” said senior Sheridan Doan, the second baseman for the varsity baseball team. A captain known for his leadership qualities, Doan stands out among his teammates. “He takes charge in the huddle, and people look photo by jen siegel up to him. He’s a leader on and off the field,” junior center fielder Bobby Donald said. The team has worked a lot harder in the offseason than they have in the past, according to Doan. He credits the BFS program. “It has gotten us a lot stronger with more workouts and extra hitting and throwing,” Doan said. With new head coach Ryan Wolfsheimer, the team has seen a change in intensity. With this being the most important year for Doan, Coach Wolfsheimer has high expectations. “I expect him to be an important leader on our team, leave the program better than what it was when he was a freshman and be the best second basemen in the county,” Wolfsheimer said. Doan has been playing second base for three of his four years on varsity, and his experience has paid off. “I’ve seen every part about his baseball ability grow over the past four years, from his physical strength and speed to his mental understanding of the game. I look forward to what he will do for Dulaney and Juniata College,” Wolfsheimer said.

“I Varsity lacrosse senior attacker Kenzie Brown charges through Hereford’s defense while junior attacker Lauren Bundick anticipates her next move during a home game April 12. The Lions lost to the Bulls 12-5. Their record as of press time was 5-2. photo by jen siegel

Rethinking a rating and a remark

Trevor’s Turn

trevor morgen-westrick, staff writer umber 9. That’s the lowly rank given to our iconic Oriole Park at Camden Yards out of 22 major league parks. Camden Yards is a model for parks across the country. Its designers created such an unparalleled mix of an old-park style and a new-park feel that, though

a standard for parks everywhere, no other park has managed to recreate the innovative and retro Camden Yards experience. It’s situated perfectly and its Babe Ruth statue pays homage to one of the baseball’s greatest players ever. So what gives? Joe Mock of Baseballparks.com, who determined the park rankings, claims newer stadiums have more attractive skylines and are more intimate and better for enjoying meals or shopping. But ballparks are for watching baseball, not for fine dining and shopping and ambiance. Get it right, Joe—here’s a reason other stadiums are modeled after Oriole Park. Free speech — a great thing protected by the constitution. But there is no constitutional protection of idiocy and bad taste. “Baseball’s Greatest

Comedian” Florida Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen learned this the hard way after commenting that he “loves and respects Fidel Castro.” Really, Ozzie? Marlins Park is in the heart of Little Havana, the home to more Cubans than any other city in the country. Guillen should have known better as he was frequently in hot water for numerous comments during his tenure as White Sox manager. He claims he’s the “Charlie Sheen of baseball without the drugs or the prostitute.” After blaming the Castro comment on “bad English,” Guillen came out and apologized, saying that he really meant that he was surprised that a man who hurt so many people could stay in power so long. But an after-the-fact apology can’t make up for a comment that offends such a huge part of the fan base.

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april 20, 2012

For a few hundred bucks, they tamed their locks Make mine straight

Bring on the curls

laura mayhew, staff writer yejin yoon, staff writer air problems: one thing that he bathroom: the typical girl’s all girls have in common. torture chamber. The pain we Whether it’s kinky, curly, girls put our poor follicles straight, frizzy, flat, shiny—it through is endless. We straighten, causes all sorts of problems for the we curl, we blow dry, we dye, we female brain. bleach- there are endless methods Unfortunately, I was cursed with of making the ideal “do.” thick curly hair. In the hot Baltimore My weapon of choice was a curl summers, it was just a frizzy, curly permanent (better known as a ball. Having been stuck with this perm). After years of just too much hair my whole life, I was determined thick hair, I decided during the this past fall to tame it somehow. summer of 2010 to use that mass to I hated straightening and blowmy advantage. I chemical-ized my drying it, it was too thick to wear long thick hair into submission to down, and ponytails just got old. reset the chemical bonds- resulting I searched the internet for an in ringlets and waves that gave my escape from the horror of my hair; hair body and bounce. Now, my the only solution seemed to be hair isn’t big—it’s voluminous. Japanese Thermal Reconditioning. Hair is composed of protein The process makes your hair strands held together by chemical permanently pin straight with bonds called disulfide bonds and minimal damage. A dream come these bonds hold hair in the shape true—except that it costs $600. it’s in. A perm resets those bonds In desperation, I just started saving to change the shape from straight to money. Once I had enough, I sat curly, or vice versa. Then the bonds and just held the money, debating are set, generally with hydrogen whether to hit the mall or the salon. peroxide. Juniors Laura Mayhew (left) and Yejin Yoon (right) collectively spent hundreds of dollars to straighten and curl their hair. Ironically, my friends with curly hair photo by emily park Obviously, perms aren’t all that all said go for it and try out the miracle healthy. Luckily, I had an unnaturally treatment. My straight-haired friends healthy head of hair to start with, but who I had envied for so long all said I would miss my “curls”. that doesn’t mean I didn’t feel any negative effects after two rounds of perming. When I got to La Clinica on York Road, they acted as if I wasn’t spending half my Hair loss would be the biggest one. Before my perm, if I wrapped my fingers around bank account on their service and got right to work. My stylist washed my hair normally my ponytail, the diameter would be around an inch and a half. Now, it’s about an inch. then applied a chemical for 15 minutes. It smelled like nail polish remover, which was so If your hair is thin, or you just don’t have much, I would strongly discourage you from reassuring that this was good for my hair. She then spent two tedious hours flat-ironing getting a perm. my my hair. Next, a neutralizer was placed on my hair to lock in the chemicals and I don’t regret changing my hair, though; I love it wavy. If I feel like going back for a change the hair shaft from curly to straight permanently. After the neutralizer settled for while, I can straighten my hair and the curls will be back with the next shower. With 30 minutes, the hair was given a final wash and then re-straightened. The whole process curls, I don’t have to do anything but scrunch it with mousse and walk out the door. I’m took about five hours. not afraid of leaving it down and letting it swish around. Two months later, my hair is healthier, shinier and has more versatility. I guess there Admittedly, it is getting to be a bit of a fire hazard. Maybe it’s time for a haircut. really is some truth in the cliché, “You always want what you don’t have.”

Scene At Dulaney

Senior Mike Nolan measures a piece of drywall to place in a home simulation at a Skills USA meeting March 28. The club was building a two-room simulation, with one room representing an older house without insulation, and the other representing a house with insulation. Their goals include improving the school, exposing students to their own student government and building communication, trade and technical skills. Among recent benevolent acts by the 27-member group was the installation of a new air conditioner in room 303. photo by arrabi nandakumar

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An artist among us:

Creating art with a click

V (Above right): Senior Lalitto Sarker collects his thoughts during a project in his digital art class. (Above left and below): Some of Sarker’s works of digital art. photo above left and below from sarker, photo above right by sarah fisher

sarah fisher, staff writer ivid blue and gold flames light up the page as the match burns. Though it resembles a photograph, this picture is actually a digital art piece by senior Lalitto Sarker. Sarker is a second year visual arts student who takes a Data Imaging Digital Processing class. Although the art is computer based, Sarker considers himself an artist rather than a computer technician. “I don’t have many of the computer skills to call myself a computer technician. But I would like to have those skills in the future,” he said. As a freshman, Sarker took Gifted and Talented Fundamentals of Art, followed by GT Fine Arts as a sophomore. Instead of moving on Studio I afterwards, Sarker decided to take a digital art class because it fit his busy schedule. “He separates himself from the rest of the class with gradient mesh drawing, which is a very detailed form of three dimensional drawing using color,” art

teacher Dena Voluse said. Sarker’s favorite piece he has done is called “cornupia” – an arrangement of various fruits and vegetables that took him almost two months to create. It usually takes him around two to four weeks of class time to create a piece. He says the coolest thing about digital art is discovering new techniques. “Trying to find the best way to create a piece of art is more thrilling than the actual ‘do’ part,” Sarker said. He says he enjoys the easy editing options digital art has over traditional art, despite the tedious aspect of it. Sarker says that it takes usually three times longer than expected to create an art piece. All the objects of a piece are interrelated in a way that if one step is forgotten, the work needs to be redone. “I think of being artistic as being creative. The importance of art is to allow more innovative and abstract ideas to allow people to progress in life,” Sarker said. “All great inventors and thinkers were great artists.”

Beyond the Lions’ Den: Alum becomes researcher

missy elrick, staff writer any students dream of becoming doctors, but 2001 alumnus Matt Elrick is making it his reality. Elrick, who attends medical school at University of Michigan, is studying to become a medical researcher. “You can ask questions that no one knows the answers to, and then come up with ways to answer them,” he said. Elrick decided to go into medicine

during his freshman year of high school. “I sort of came in not knowing what I was going to go into,” Elrick said. “It was there that I realized what my interests were going to be and what I was going to do.” He found biology to be fascinating, and his biology teacher Martin Stranathan encouraged him when he showed a proclivity for it. By graduation, he says, Elrick had decided what he wanted to

do. “I’m sort of interested in the science behind medicine. It suits my interest,” Elrick said. Elrick majored in biology at University of Maryland with a full scholarship. Elrick emphasizes the importance of his six high school Advanced Placement courses which he recieved credit for. “When I came to University of Maryland, I was basically considered a sophomore,

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which was a big plus,” he said. After his undergraduate studies, he was accepted to University of Michigan’s medical program, which pays students to pursue research since it requires more schooling than the normal medical program. As a part of his research program, he is currently working in several medical facilities while simultaneously earning his degree.

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april 20, 2012

Is it really a space shuttle? Creative writers issue poetic tweets A

s last year, to honor both Twitter’s anniversary and National Poetry month, Meekah Hopkins’ creative writing students submitted these poems relating to stories in this month’s edition. Find more on our Web site. A Final Symphony, jesse siegel The last act of peace Made by the last man As Humanity reaches its Last struggle Will be a whistled tune The soul freed upon the air. Sleep in Perspective, michael harman Brain restoration. Caught in the flow And upheaval Of dream production.

#FOODBABY, olivia o’brien Chipotle tweet, hashtag 8thdayinarow Can I keep the streak going? Wednesday: half off qdoba, I must go Internet Hangover, caroline orth Reblog, tweet, hashtag, like Computer screens keep us up all night When the curtains are pulled astray We groan at the light of a brand new day

Healthier lunches ahead

D Yes, it’s called “Discovery.” Seniors Nathan Dow, Carleigh Duncan, Jordan Seibert, Andrew Compton, Brian Gibson, Joey Bowers and Jackie Devine (left to right) break from activities at Space Camp in Alabama during spring break. For more details, see our Web site. photo from dave schein

More online-only content: • • • •

Seniors Jesse Siegel and Kyle Bowers discuss the health care challenge before the U.S. Supreme Court Sophomore Sam Kamran weighs in on recent Kabul bombings Junior Jonathan Dordai sets a new weight-lifting record Juniors Jill Turlington, Gina Legaluppi, Lisa Ann Tang and Delia Shin share SAT nightmares and successes

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anjali cornish, staff writer on’t be alarmed, but drastic changes are coming to the cafeteria. “I think when the fries decrease, students will notice,” cafeteria manager Evelyn Irwin said. She could not say for sure whether fries would be cut out of the menu entirely in the future. New nutrition standards, announced by the federal government in January of this year, prompted these changes. Early drafts proposed a minimum amount of tomato sauce for pizza, which resulted in Congress ruling that pizza is a vegetable if it contains a certain amount of sauce. French fries made the cut after potato growers raised a fuss, but don’t expect to see them every day.

“Eventually…we’ll be allowed two starches a week,” Irwin said. She adds that plates will have additional leafy green vegetables and beans, and possibly larger portions of fruits and vegetables, with the aim of giving students more nutritious and vitamin-rich meals. Don’t worry about losing all of your favorite foods at once, though. Irwin says the changes will be made gradually, not all at the same time. Expect some differences this year and more next fall. Anyone worried over headlines about the ground beef filler known as pink slime need not worry, Irwin says. Unsure if it ever was here, she said the filler—combination of finely textured meat scraps—has been yanked from schools nationwide.

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Music: a daily dose is good for your mind

alex calder, staff writer ith recent studies showing music can reignite memories in Alzheimer’s patients, jamming to your favorite tunes might be a wise strategy during exam season. At the very least, music might calm you. “Like a small kid goes to their favorite teddy bear for comfort, I go to music,” senior Sanil Kumar said. In fact, the American Music Therapy Association touts music’s use to elevate hospital patients’ moods. It works here too. “I have an emotional response to all of the sounds that I encounter,” music teacher Brian Dickson said. “Sound greatly affects my inner mood and often my outward behavior.” Music teacher Caitlin Cavanagh agrees.

“Whenever I am stressed or in a bad mood, music can pull me out of it,” she said. Senior Colleen Sack says she can sit and drum for hours to relieve stress. Music can help everyone, even those who don’t play an instrument, she said. “Music is something everyone can understand. It helps get across emotions that can’t be expressed any other way,” Sack said. Peter Morey, a senior and oboist, said music makes people more accomplished. “At least the people I meet in music are on honor roll,” he said. “They’re happy and know where they are going in life.” Juniors Casey Lim and Jenny Kim and senior David Wu listen to music while they study.

“It helps me focus more,” Kim said. “When I’m studying, I listen to songs not in English,” Wu said. Students and music teachers aren’t the only ones professing the benefits of music. Math teacher Paul Leroy, science teacher Steven Shaw and art teacher Jim Kuhlman play background music in their classrooms while their students work. Shaw says 10 years ago, he took a class titled, “Brain Compatible Teaching Methods,” which inspired him to start playing classical music in his classroom. Kuhlman said music and art harmonize each other in his classroom. “Music is acoustic painting. Painting is visual music,” said Kuhlman. “They are both art and they play into and Jim Kuhlman’s art students eyes samples of student work amid complement each other perfectly. One strains of music during class in March. photo by jen siegel encourages the other in my room.”

Fans list tops in their genre A

sked about their musical preferences, these students gladly elaborated on tunes, artists, stereotypes and more. Here, you’ll find recommendations for fans and non-fans alike. For more on their musical tastes, see our Web site. photos by emily park, rahul grover and erin briggs

ical Genre: Class Schaeffler hony iz B r Sixth Symp io n Fan: Se eethoven’s “B e: n tu ded ent Recommen third movem – especially ” l) ra to as (P

Genre: Ra p Fan: Senio r Lawrence Recomme Koger nded tune : “Must B Lawrence e Dreamin Koger g” by

Genr e: KP O Fan: Senio P r Kris Reco m te Big B mended n Kilburn tune: ang “Fan tastic B

aby”

Genre: Metal ody Fan: Junior Jack Carm owboys “C e: tun ed nd Recomme from Hell” by Pantera

Genre: Tec Fan: Sen hno io Recomm r Nick Anthon y ended tu Flux Pa ne: “I C vilion an’t Sto

p” by

e nativ id” Alter h Wei : e r n ister K s n i o Ge J S r “ ne: unio Fan: J mended tu m y o e K s Rec Black e h T by

AVID students explore salutary snacking

AVID instructor Jason Slanga secures a blender as he demonstrates smoothie-making to his third period AVID class . photo by anna jensen

anna jensen, chief copy editor e had them at Ray Rice. On March 23, it seemed there was little AVID (Advanced Via Individual Determination) teacher Jason Slanga wouldn’t do to promote nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices to his third period students. He condemned vending machines. He quoted Elvis. He juggled lemons. He presented chia seeds, the vital ingredient in Ravens’ running back Ray Rice’s game. The Chia seed is the “obscure Boliviangrown seed that…replenishes [Rice’s] energy and helps keep his digestive system humming,” according to The Wall Street Journal article Slanga passed out to his students.

The room gazed confusedly at the pack of tiny seeds purchased at the Timonium branch of Mom’s Organic Market. It certainly didn’t seem appetizing. Slanga emptied the contents of paper grocery bag on a desk. Honey, water, lemon juice, plastic cups: all the components for this breakfast of champions. “The recipes are intentionally very simple, and very flexible. You can make lots of substitutions,” Slanga explained. Just pour a glass of water, add a tablespoon of chia seeds, a lemon’s worth of juice and a dash of honey for taste—and you have what Slanga calls “a Chia Fresca.” Slanga continued to demonstrate

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two other recipes. One was a green fuit smoothie— bananas, apples, strawberries, blueberries, grape juice and kale. “It’s not as bad as you might think,” Slanga said. Several students had made faces at the leafy greens he dropped in the blender. “Seriously, give it a try.” Finally, he dropped pitted dates, mixed nuts and a splash of vanilla extract for into a food processor to make no-bake energy cookies—a favorite of nutrition teacher Belinda Knott and assistant principal John Billingslea. Freshman Kayla Hill was the first to give these a try. Delicious, she signaled, with a thumbs-up. Success.