March 2012

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Our mission: to enlighten and to entertain

the griffin Dulaney High School Timonium, Maryland

Volume 52, Issue 5 YOGA HURTS?

see page 5

#

TO KNOW

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percentage of math classes with more than 30 students PUBLISHED COOK

see page 9

# TO KNOW

64

the number of students inducted in to the National Honor Society

INDEX 2-3 4-5 6-7 8-12

news opinion sports features

March 15, 2012

Survey: tech can help teach yet frustrate A missy elrick, staff writer January Griffin survey shows more technology here but a sizable amount of frustration. Some 73 percent of the 286 students completing a paper questionnaire said they are frequently or routinely frustrated by school computers. Junior Alex Vlk wasn’t surprised. “Pretty much every computer is slow,” Vlk said. Spanish teacher Meghan Russell agreed. “It’s hard to get the computer lab, and then it takes a good five minutes for the computers to boot up.” The survey of English students in all grade and academic levels also examined what technology students perceive teachers to be using the most. Tops in use were PowerPoint and Elmos, with 77 and 70 percent respectively of students saying that their teachers used such devices most often. Least described as used most often were Promethean boards, Prezis (similar to PowerPoint) and Mimio boards. Math teacher Stacy Herring received a Mimio board last month, enabling her to pass along her Promethean board to fellow math teacher Lynley Smith. Herring appreciates the compact size of the Mimio, which links a white board to a teacher’s computer. She also likes its ability to upload any kind of file as a Flipchart that can be saved and uploaded to Edline for students. Unlike Herring, Smith has had trouble adjusting to the Flipchart for Promethean boards, which are similar to PowerPoint but with interactive features.

Prezi 12.9 % Mimio Board 26.3 % Promethean Board 9.3% Other <10% Lynley Smith uses her newly acquired Promethean board during her fourth period Algebra I class last month. photo by leroy sharpe

Core changes to curriculum close in

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Prepping for spring play

SECOND IN STATE

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Senior Chloe Adler (Officer Lockstock), junior Brett Markevich (Officer Barrel) and senior Taylor Still (Mr. McQueen) gaze at the distant offices of Urine Good Company early in scene one of “Urinetown” during their March 9 rehearseal. For more on Chloe Adler’s unique role, see our Web site. photo by jen siegel

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keval patel, deputy technician eachers are preparing for Core, a national curriculum designed to bolster rigor in American education. Classes are going to get more challenging as the curriculum is phased in over the next two years. At least, that’s the intent. Unlike previous teaching initiatives, such as former president George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Core stands out to assistant principal John Billingslea, who calls it more educationally stimulating. “It’s teaching kids to think about the problems, not simply the answer to the question,” Billingslea said. He added that it will provide an opportunity to teach cognitive skills. The Common Core State Standards, an Obama administration initiative– not a national requirement, but an

incentive for states to receive federal funding – has been adopted by 46 states. Maryland approved it in June 2010. A chief aim of Core is to link learning across subject areas. So math skills could be implemented in English class and vice versa. “You already do math and writing in Tech. With Core, you’ll see more math and writing, as well as tech concepts in other classes,” technology education teacher Brian Bruneau said. Another aim of Core is to incorporate standards that build from grade level to grade level, beginning in kindergarten. That explains why, at a Core training session in January, teachers examined snippets of paper displaying 14 reading skills from the national curriculum, continued on page 3

FYI: Senior Art Shows Begin March 19 Room 240

Junior Interviews

March 21 & 22 Library

Spring play “Urine Town” March 22-24 Auditorium 7:30 p.m.

Find us on Edline under clubs.

Guitar Concert

March 28 Auditorium 7:30 p.m.

Spring Break

Begins At End of School Day March 30

Junior Prom April 14 Cafeteria 7:00-10:00 p.m.

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news

march 15, 2012

Survey: tech can help teach yet frustrate continued from page 1 “There is more that you can do with the Promethean Board when using the Flipcharts, but I am still learning these things,” Smith said. As for YouTube, Russell said that teachers who didn’t use it before probably haven’t reexamined it. She finds invaluable. “There are so many authentic Spanish sources you can find. Before they unblocked it, I would have to download it from home.” Prezis may not catch on for a while, Russell said, because teachers like PowerPoint so much that they would find it difficult to switch. For some, though, technology remains elusive. “I’ve had other teachers tell me about the resources that I would love to implement,” world history teacher Kathleen Skelton said. “I just haven’t the time.” Also revealed by the survey is how infrequently students use the databases. Only 17.3 percent of students say that they use the databases routinely or frequently, with 48.7 percent saying that they use them occasionally and 34.0 percent saying that they never use them. Librarian Chris Senft conceded that resources such as Google and Wikipedia make information easier to get but added she was sad to hear of so few students using BCPS databases. “If we don’t use them,” said Senft, “we’re going to lose them.” Yet plans for other tech needs continue. Tech liaison Amanda Lattimore said a project to install Wi-Fi will in most parts of the building is under way.

RETREAT PLANNED The second sophomore retreat is scheduled for June 1, assistant administrator Tom Dugas said. The retreat aims to help students prepare for life after high school by providing information on planning for college, joining the military and entering the work force, Dugas said.

PHYSICS FINALIST

English teacher Maria Hiaasen and her period seven Gifted and Talented English class view and discuss excerpts of “Family Guy” on YouTube in January. The pre-reading activity was designed to help students understand the protagonist and narrator of the Irish short story “My Oedipus Complex,” by Frank O’Connor. photo by jen siegel

Tech teachers use most in class

Student Survey Highlights Percentages of students who: • Own a Smartphone: 56 • Claim to know how to use all Smartphone features: 58 • Send 50 or more texts daily: 48 • Own an electronic reading device: 24 • Download music illegally: 48 • Use Twitter: 40 • Don’t have a Facebook: 15

Powerpoint 76.9%

Suggestions for improving technology 1. Faster computers to finish work on time 2. Wi-Fi available to smart phones and throughout the building 3. Access to personal email 4. Student access to YouTube 5. Access to Google Images 6. Access to social networking sites before 7:45 a.m. and after 2:15 p.m. 7. Self-contained servers for each department

Elmo 69.5% Montage 46.7% YouTube 47%

Teaching with techno savvy

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on the content of the message. “If you want to practice Spanish, you need to talk—without time to prepare a response,” Russell said. Russell is just one of many teachers who is experimenting with technology in her lessons. Principles of Engineering teacher Jamie Gaskin allows students to use their personal smart phones for assignments. Gaskin stresses the importance of appropriate cell phone use and requires students to place their cell phones on the desk in clear view when in use. The potential for different uses is nearly unlimited, he said. He places PowerPoints and packets online so students can download, print, and

Kindle E comes to campus

Library assistant Jeanne Botzler shows off the Internet options on her Kindle Fire. staff photo

ITEMS STOLEN Items were stolen from the lockers of students in the gym locker room between Feb. 21 and 24, school resource officer Jennifer Berg said. Items included iPhones, iPods, earphones and cases. Suspects have been identified and charged with grand theft, Berg said, adding that posessions were returned to nine students. Berg said students should lock away all their valuables.

For more, see our Web site.

sam fishman, staff writer hen Meghann Russell recently told her Spanish V class they would need their composition books and a piece of paper, students slowly dragged out paper. But when she added that the class should all take out their cell phones, the students picked up their pace. Russell had set up a Google Voice telephone number for her class, and students used their personal phones to call the number and leave a 90-second voicemail—in Spanish. Russell could then listen to the voicemails from her computer and students would receive a grade based

News in Brief

missy elrick, staff writer -book readers, particularly the Amazon Kindle, are becoming increasingly popular within the school walls. “I love it,” junior Brittany Deise said, adding that she takes it everywhere and loves its convenience. “Now, you don’t have to go to the bookstore to buy a book.” Library assistant Jeanne Botzler, who got a Kindle Fire for Christmas, agreed that it’s nice to skip the lines at the book store or library. “If I want to read a book right then, I can,” she said, adding that she can also use her Kindle to browse the Internet, watch movies, and play games, thanks to Kindle’s app store. It’s a cheaper alternative to Apple’s iPad. Price lures many. E-readers

send home elements from the lesson. Students can also electronically respond to polls for drill questions, and one student even takes all of his notes on his iPhone. Students access class content through a program called Edmodo, or, as Gaskin calls it, a “school-sanctioned Facebook.” Edmodo allows students and teachers to collaborate, and helps transfer learning from paper and chalk to mouse clicks and screens. “Obviously this is the way of the future,” Gaskin said. “This is the way your generation communicates. And for me to be an effective teacher, I need to understand and be ahead of the curve.”

themselves are about $99, but many e-books are free or only 99 cents, and even more expensive books are cheaper as e-books. Portability and size sold junior Gina Legaluppi on her Kindle. “It’s small and can hold millions of books,”she said. Sophomore Alex Boellner, who has had his Kindle for a couple of years, is actually using it to read “The Alchemist” for his literary research paper. He finds it quite convenient. “If I need to pull up a quote from a book, I can type some of it in and it will pull up the whole quote on the page,” he said. Boellner is one of a handful of sophomores using a Kindle for his research paper. The Griffin’s tech survey shows bout 23 percent of students own such a device. And though many own e-book

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Jamie Gaskin (above) and Meghann Russell (below). photos by jen siegel

readers, they tend to prefer ordinary books. Librarian Christina Senft, prefers regular books because she is able to annotate them easier. “I think that certain books lend themselves better in print,” she said. Legaluppi concurred. “Even though I like the technology, I still like the old stuff,” she said. “I love the feeling of turning the page.” She added that she and her friends like to trade books but can’t with e-books. Botzler, a fan, isn’t 100 percent sold on electronic reading devices. At Christmas, she said, her family blew out their server when everybody tried to rev up their new Kindle Fires. “Do we really need all of these gadgets?” she said afterward.

Senior Michael Roy is one of three students from the Baltimore area to be named a semi-finalist for the United States Physics team, which will compete at the 2012 International Physics Olympiad. The event is sponsored by the American Association of Physics Teachers. Roy will compete at the next level of the competition in late March.

BOOKS TO GO The English department will replace the orange Sadlier Oxford Vocabulary Workshop books with text-based vocabulary from literature, department chairman Beth Benzinger said. There will likely be a school-wide, yearlong focus on SAT words, Benzinger said, and teachers will post word lists on Edline. These two alternatives support the Common Core Curriculum.

PHYSICS OLYMPICS A team of six juniors tied for second place overall at the BCPS Physics Olympics on Feb. 25. Andrew Carey, Clayton Cuddington, Minwei Cao, Lisa Ann Tang, Casey Lim and Kushal Byatnal competed against 200 students from 20 BCPS schools at the event. A team of seven juniors—Daniel Fordyce, Erol Hoke, Zoscales Assefa, Josh Emerick, Tiffany Sun, Heetak Lim and Jay Han—won first place in the rocket launch event and placed 12th overall.

ORCHESTRA Seventeen students participated in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Side-by-Side concert on March 6 at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Orchestra Director Barry Chesky reported that this was substantially more students than any other BCPS high school. Sophomore flautist Handong Park was selected as the Young Soloist Competition winner and played a movement of a concerto with the orchestra.

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march 15, 2012

the griffin

Core changes to curriculum close in continued from page 1 attempting to arrange them from kindergarten to 12th grade. At that same meeting teachers explored technology education by building towers of spaghetti noodles and marshmallows. Bruneau, English teacher Kristi Korrow, social studies teacher Brian Velten and math teacher Vicki Bracken have been tapped to lead faculty training sessions this year. Science teacher Marty Stranathan commends the new emphasis on reading and writing. “One can tell right away whether or not students have a deeper understanding by reading their writing. That’s the goal of Core.” Core, though, has not defined what will happen to standardized tests. “I think HSAs will go away and be replaced by another test,” English department chairman Beth Benzinger said.” In what grade, I don’t know. But they’ll be different.” Such differences may be troublesome for some. Core will take approximately 12 years to fully take effect. And according to Billingslea, this leaves anyone who isn’t in first grade at the time of Core’s implementation to be expected to know things they may not have been taught. “Kids who are going to be slammed into it—for them it’s going to be awkward,” Billingslea said. Despite the 18 professional development activities slated to prepare teachers for Core, totally clarity could take a while. “Well, teachers have no answers,” Bracken said. “We’re just being introduced to the bare minimum of what will be. The curriculum needs to be fully developed.” Technology education teacher Dave Schein goes one step further. “With the little information I have, I fear that it’s shaping up to be a horrific way to roll out a curriculum.”

At their Core training session Jan. 23, teachers arranged learning standards such as these by grade level. photo by leroy sharpe

Five ways CORE will change your life

English teacher Donna Lund, History teacher Kathleen Skelton, Math teacher Sharon Spangenberg and art teacher Jim Kuhlman assemble a tower of marshmallows and spaghetti noodles during a CORE curriculuim training session Jan. 23.

• A lot more argumentative discussions. Think “Do the ends justify the means?” • By your senior year, your reading should be 30% literary, 70% informational. • Reading skills will all be integrated into Science, Tech, and History subjects. • Things you learn in the past WILL show up again and relate to what you learn in the present • You’ll see an increase in the difficulty of the readings in English classes. Source: www.corestandards.org

staff photo

Laptop comes to school Team targets mice

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thea zurek, online coordinator icture this—it’s fourth period Chinese class, the teacher has just asked you a question, and your mind has gone completely and totally blank. The entire class is staring at you, and you’re starting to blush—do you stammer, mumble, fake a heart attack? Not if you’re sophomore Jenny Ingliss. Armed with an Acis Windows 7 PC Netbook and Google Translate, Ingliss has been saving herself and her classmates from bilingual brain freeze since the ninth grade, Sophomore Jenny Ingliss uses her computer in chinese class earlier this quarter. when she bought a photo by thea zurek laptop to make AP book bags other students must shoulder. Biology note-taking “I think it weighs one third of my history easier. Ingliss still uses the laptop for note-taking in textbook,” Ingliss said. Of course, with that size comes a sluggish her psychology, English, and Chinese classes (a Chinese exchange student recommended a free pace. Ingliss estimates the Internet loads in 20 program to her that lets her type in Chinese). But to 30 seconds, an eternity when you’re asked a lightning-fast notes were only the beginning for question in Chinese and all eyes are on you. A Ingliss, who now uses her laptop for everything spotty Wi-fi connection and the laptop’s fragile from research papers to every student’s bane: screen are other drawbacks to the tempting “Bring Your Laptop to School” plan. Even so, homework. “It cuts my homework time in half” Ingliss Ingliss says if all students had laptops, school said, who adds that without her laptop’s word would be much more convenient. “Just being able to save your work to one processor: “I’d be writing stuff out all night.” The laptop also saves time when it comes to folder would be a lot easier, it would be a lot more efficient, faster,” Ingliss said. Efficiency, finding assignments. “When I have to bring the assignments up, I speed, lightness—with so many advantages, don’t have to flip through a binder, I don’t have isn’t she worried other students will try to take to look through a notebook, I just have to pull it her wonder laptop for themselves? “It’s always in my backpack and it is always a up on the computer,” Ingliss said. And of course, with its “awfully small” 10-inch screen, Ingliss’s couple inches from my feet,” Ingliss said. “I’m laptop saves her from the back-breakingly heavy not too worried.”

with traps and more

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josephine lee, staff writer Controlling the spread of food in the ore traps, less food. building is vital, both Williams and assistant These are the basics of the principal John Billingslea say. school’s latest strategy in “Whenever there’s a food source, you’re fighting the mouse problem, which some going to have rodents,” Billingslea said. say has been exacerbated by the warm winter. Teachers were given sticky cardboard traps to catch the rodents, principal Lyn Whitlock said. Whitlock has also delayed the daily opening of vending machines until 10:15 a.m. to limit the amount of food consumption and, therefore, food debris in the building. Custodian Derek Williams stopped by classrooms late last month to ask teachers if they have spotted mice or their droppings. “We have seen a little bit English teacher Debbie Hamilton shows observers where more than we normally do,” was gnawed from a poster in her room. Williams said of furry critters candy photo by emily park sometimes seen scampering across classroom floors. “It’s because the grass is green and we “One of the hardest things to address is haven’t had a lot of snow to kill them off.” students bringing food—especially chips— English teacher Debbie Hamilton in the class. That’s always going to attract maintains that she had no mouse problem more rodents to an area because there are until a student submitted a particular available food sources,” Billingslea said. poster last month. A Dove chocolate was He has met with pest control in to firm taped on one side, she said, pointing to the up a plan to reduce the mice population ragged edges of what was left of a wrapper, and to limit food sources. apparently gnawed upon by a rodent. “We will probably schedule a locker Since then, Hamilton has adopted a clean out because of the food and stuff in strategy to protect herself when the mouse them,” he said. “Even though you don’t appears. In addition to placing a few traps see it, the rodents can still get in there around her room and tape on a crack in and have access to it.” the wall, she has placed a cardboard box Despite a task akin to that of Sisyphus, underneath her desk. Why? So that she Williams remains upbeat. can elevate her feet out of harm’s way “As long as we work together, we’ll get until the mouse is out of sight. it all done,” he said.

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opinion

Sleep depraved Here’s hoping you don’t dance anna jensen, chief copy editor

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n 1518, the French town of Strasbourg was the epicenter of disco fever. Starting in July of that year, a trendsetter named Frau Troffea took to the streets and shook what her momma gave her for about five days. Before the end of the week rolled around, 34 others were tangoing, bunny-hopping and chicken-dancing about. After a month, the dance club boasted 400. They couldn’t stop. It wasn’t long before the town’s inhabitants started dropping like flies from heart attacks, strokes and Macarena overdoses. This was one of the first recorded cases of “mass hysteria,” which occurs when a whole bunch of strange symptoms manifest spontaneously in a mass of people at once. Sigmund Freud coined the term “conversion syndrome” to describe physical symptoms that seem to have no direct cause. Picked up a copy of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” lately? The widely accepted explanation for the Salem Witch Trials is conversion disorder. Same goes for the 1962 Laughing Epidemic in Tanganyika, Tanzania, which left a gaggle of school girls in giggling fits to the point of incapacitation for almost 16 days straight. It might be an understatement to say they simply had to “LOL.” Some thought the phenomenon died off in the 20th century, but that’s not the case. It has simply resurfaced as the newest way to screw with your substitute teacher. Forget tacks on the chair and paper airplanes. Why not start the abnormal psychology equivalent of a flash mob?

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march 15, 2012

the griffin

More tech would boost learning

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meghan reinhardt, contributing writer ave you ever tracked when the newest piece of technology was going to come out? Or waited in line for hours to get it? New technology is causing a stir everywhere, everyday. It keeps us updated, connected, working faster and improving the world around us. But schools, especially public schools, don’t use technology effectively. With the help of technology, abstract concepts can become easier to teach for teachers, and more understandable for students. The Ed Tech Action Network reports that in 2004, 74 percent of school leaders say that technology provides timely data for decision making, and 70 percent say it improves communications among parent, teachers and the community. In a 2009 survey, parents believed that teachers needed more training and more access to up-to-date technology. This is still prevalent today as some teachers still don’t know how to use Edline­—frustrating students who rely on it to check grades and due dates. Technology can improve our attitude toward learning, equip us with skills for the 21st century and keep us coming to school more. It would be easier to see who is skipping when teachers and parents can get automatic alerts and updates when students are absent or if there is an emergency. Technology would also motivate us to do better. New and up-to-date technology can keep students active in class, allowing us to collect very accurate

data with the click of a mouse or even touch of a finger. Nowadays, having these technological skills is imperative to succeed in the 21st century workforce. With more practice, we can be prepared for the future ahead of us. Most private schools in Maryland have upto-date technology. Loyola Blakefield has “smart boards” which allow students to go up to the front board and access programs to show their skills and understanding of hardto-explain concepts on the board in front of the class. Maryvale supplies their students with iPads. Most public schools simply have out-ofdate computer labs, a computer in each room for the teacher, a projector and screen, and maybe an ELMO. More funding is needed for technology in public schools. The technology that private schools use gives those students an edge for the future, when employers may hire the person that has the most experience technologically. Increased technology would also help the schools become greener. If every student had a computer, we could email our teacher the assignments and drills and worksheets and projects and notes taken in class rather than using paper. It would be more efficient, better for the earth, and better for our backs if we all just carried around a laptop. One could argue that there are problems with technology, like distractions and inappropriate websites, but schools could put locks on certain websites and this would prevent us from distractions. Technology helps the students more than hurts them. Getting more technology into schools is the key to a brighter future.

OP-ART: sam kamran

Teenage years for females are already a hormonal Kingda Ka

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Recently at LeRoy Junior-Senior High School in upstate New York, 15 female students crumpled under symptoms similar to Tourette’s Syndrome— body tics and erratic outbursts. It began with a cheerleader and a power nap. When senior Thera Sanchez woke up, she infected fellow members of her cheering squad. Despite the symptoms, Tourette’s was quickly ruled out as the cause. Tourette’s is an isolated disorder, and it will not spread via coughing, sneezing or doing the robot. Tests ruled out environmental factors (like carbon monoxide poisoning) and abnormal strains of synthetic HPV in the vaccine Gardasil. In the words of Sherlock Holmes, “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” And that applies to more than solving whodunit mysteries— conversion disorder became the diagnosis.. Sanchez appeared on “The Today Show” in January, still suffering from the plague of tics that descended upon her post-siesta. She said that while psychological counseling was helping to ameliorate her condition, the nightmare hadn’t yet been vanquished. Some claim the girls faked it for attention. But most experts disagree. All of the victims had a clear source of stress in their lives—the pressures of school, college applications, sports competitions, divorcing parents and so on. And teenage years for females are already a hormonal Kingda Ka. It matches up, as conversion disorder is often triggered by stress. It isn’t the first case, and it certainly won’t be the last. The nebulousness of mass hysteria will likely continue to baffle us for decades to come. And with AP exams looming in the near future, maybe the student body, like poor Troffea, will “dance, dance, dance ‘til they’re dead.”

Affirmative action upholds equality

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aysha khan, arts and features editor f success was a 200-meter dash, then blacks and other minorities would be some 20 meters behind the starting line when the gunshot goes off. It’s only fair to rearrange it so everyone begins at the starting line. And if in all the commotion a few blacks nudge five meters ahead of the starting line, then more power to them. In 2008, Abigail Fisher was rejected from the University of Texas. She sued, claiming they didn’t accept her because she was white. A conservative Supreme Court will hear the case in October and, experts say, likely end affirmative action in college admission. Affirmative action is when the government increases representation of minorities where they’ve historically been denied. But considering America’s track record with racism—slavery, internment camps, segregation—why is affirmative action so controversial? We messed up. We need to fix it. How? By helping minorities reach their full potential. Identifying as a minority distinctly increases chances of college acceptance. At Rice University, affirmative action gives multiracial applicants a 23 percent chance of admis-

sion, versus a 19 percent admission rate for the whole freshman class. This helps individuals, families, colleges and America. But affirmative action isn’t black and white, pardon the pun. As it reverses wrongs done against minorities, conservative whites lament becoming victim to “reverse discrimination.” A colorblind society, where we can avoid claims like Fisher’s, is ideal. Even so, affirmative action is better than a colorblind policy. Today, ignoring race helps no one—not until we’ve paved an even playing field for everyone. Princeton researchers found that ignoring race in elite college admissions would cause massive declines in black and Hispanic admissions. Without affirmative action, blacks would only make up two percent of the student body at selective schools. After affirmative action was eliminated in California, minority admissions at the University of California dropped 66 percent, say the researchers. Hispanic admissions fell 50 percent; black admissions fell 81 percent. Of the 14 blacks admitted, none enrolled. Of the 55 minorities admitted, seven enrolled. And the white students? As expected,

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they were practically unaffected. Affirmative action is necessary to level the playing field for people of different socioeconomic backgrounds. It gives that extra push to students without access to college counseling, tutoring and the ability to take the SAT repeatedly. But we can’t limit affirmative action benefits to lower socioeconomic brackets. Asians, for instance, aren’t linked with poverty but still have been denied opportunities. On top of that, whites have seniority perks. They got here first, they claim all the finders-keepers benefits. For instance, Asians, Hispanics and blacks don’t have school “legacies.” Recent immigrants haven’t had enough time to have generations of Harvard alumni adorning their family trees. This translates further to job opportunities: 482 CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are white, and you’d better believe that they’ll be holding on to their jobs. Minorities need a little boost to be able to climb the corporate ladder, and only affirmative action can help. So, for the sake of Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, blacks and other minorities—Abigail Fisher should sit tight and take one for the team.

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the griffin

opinion

Editorial: permit phones here OP-ART: katie walters

march 15, 2012

Pondering circus tix? Buyer beware livvy klunk, contributing writer emember the first time you walked into a circus arena or saw animals in a pen at the zoo? Kids usually don’t understand the difference between zoos and circuses. Zoos assist research of the environment and animals and help keep endangered species from going extinct. Circuses, on the other hand, cause physical and emotional harm to the public and the animals. Instead of capturing animals directly from the wild, zoos

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f cell phones currently have the tools we use in school, why shouldn’t we be allowed to use them? It appears school superintendent Joe Hairston sees the light on this. He has ruled that schools will gradually begin to allow cell phones in class. Selected schools are piloting this already. We think this is a move in the right direction. Managed well, cell phone use can create a more interactive classroom. Spanish teacher Meghan Russell has already begun using the additional resources cell phones offer. Instead of taking up an entire class to listen to her student’s fiveminute oral test, she recently had her Advanced Placement classes leave voicemails on a Google Plus account where she was able to listen

and grade them outside of class. This shows the benefit of even the most basic cell phones. Smart phones provide an even greater advantage, offering applications like iTunes U, where students can listen to college lectures and reinforce teacher’s lessons. And the many applications can help with organization. Users are able to file away documents or digital notes and pull them up whenever they have their phone. The availability of the Internet in only a matter of seconds also offers many advantages, such as students’ ability to look up any questions without interrupting class. But all of these benefits do come with some risks. There is no promise that students will not abuse this new power. Students already text or play games during

their classes when they should be paying attention to the lesson, and one could suspect that with more students openly being allowed to use their phones that the number of distracted students would reach an all time high. The other risks that come with smart phones are students looking up answers to test questions, and the introduction of cell phones would eliminate the need for them to duck behind desks to Google the answers. But that problem could be erased by not allowing students to use phones at all during test day. Those caught with a phone on test day would be given a failing grade on their test. Technology is a growing part of school, and the best move to further students learning is allowing us to use it to our advantage.

Drones deserve better rep

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jenny ingliss, contributing writer Were the military to abandon its use of these drones, y grandmother was born in 1936. As a countless servicemen and women’s lives would child in Poland during World War II, she clearly be in jeopardy. was forced from her home when Germany Recently, of course, headlines have been made by invaded. She and her family of nine literally gathered lethal, not scouting drones. Accidental civilian deaths all they could carry and fled just before the city was raised concerns last fall in Pakistan. Yes, the US bombed. She recalls fire leaping from rooftop to military is completely accountable for those 24 civilian rooftop and explosions shaking the earth beneath. deaths in November. But the drones themselves are Thankfully, not many of us have ever been caught not the culprit here: it’s poor communication within in the middle of a war zone. Contemporary America the command structure. Those two dozen Pakistani is much safer than wartime troops died in a drone strike Poland. To keep it that way, because military officers it’s imperative the US military failed to scrutinize images continue its use of unmanned the tech team received aerial vehicles. from their drone. The If you haven’t heard the Baltimore Sun reported that term “unmanned aerial upon further examination, vehicle” before, you might be commanders could have familiar with the word drone. deduced the 24 men in Salasa It’s frequently flashed on the were Pakistani soldiers, not news in a questionable light. insurgents. That puts the But Predator drones aren’t blame on human error. the only unmanned fliers out Whether this single incident photo from i.telegraph.co.uk there. Most drones are actually resulted from incompetence used as scouts. They see what or a simple ignorance of can be seen without needlessly endangering the life protocol, it is far from the norm; however, it is clear of a pilot. In fact, scout drones are useful because they that with proper management drones are vital in see what human eyes alone cannot. Chemical sensors de-stabilizing al-Qaeda operations and bolstering assess atmospheric conditions, and electromagnetic national security. cameras reveal developments at night So next time a news report criticizes drones, think Furthermore, drones can be operated globally. It about why we use them. Reliable and capable, might not sound like much, but this long-distance drones get the job done, whether performing function allows commanders in the Pentagon to make reconnaissance, facilitating global communication or informed decisions about deployment of soldiers in fighting terrorists. But most importantly, each drone the Middle East. A drone’s scanners could be all that in the air means one less pilot’s life at risk. protects a squad of soldiers from death by ambush.

Letters to the editor Effective homework should simply be short and to the point while reflecting what was taught during the school day. A copious and strenuous assignment not only affects the performance of the student, but also creates stress and anxiety, which ultimately proves to be ineffective. Not only should homework be limited, but teachers should also plan to give homework only during the weekends while you are not in school. Professor and homework researcher, Harris Cooper of Duke University, writes in his latest research review “The Battle Over Homework” that “too much homework may diminish its effectiveness or even become counter-productive.” Proponents of homework may claim that it promotes good study habits and reinforces previously learned material in class as well as helping to foster a responsible and independent figure. While their reasons entirely make sense, there is a limit to how much homework should be given. No one has proven that not assigning homework on a regularly basis attributes to poor academic performance. It is rather the student’s attitude toward learning and the will to strive for excellence that plays an important role in academic achievement. –Nick Delgado, sophomore

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the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports elephants that perform in the circus are intensely abused during training with electrical shocks, hooks, and baseball bats. Additionally, former Ringling animal crew employees recently reported the observance of a 30-minute beating of an elephant that left the animal screaming and bleeding profusely from her wounds. Circuses that mistreat animals also threaten the public. Animals may act out against

OP-ART: lizzy muangrat

breed animals directly from captivity. The study of these animals can offer knowledge of conservation methods. Zoos like the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden store genetic material for plant species. Some zoos even help to nurse injured animals back to health. Animals are in zoos not only to be displayed, but also to be cared for and studied in a safe, friendly environment. Unlike zoos, many circuses threaten the lives of animals and should be shut down. The American Society for

their trainer or escape and hurt many in the process. It has happened. In 2007, four zebras and three horses escaped from the Ringling Bros. Circus and ran along the side of a highway for 30 minutes. I prefer circuses that don’t use animals in their shows. These are entirely safe for the audiences, and any danger to the performers is minimal due to their extensive practicing. I suggest you skip this month’s big top and elephant parade. Instead, wait for Cirque du Soleil’s arrival in May.

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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sports

march 15, 2012

the griffin

Spring sports lure athletes back outdoors

All spring sports launched March 1. Left: Seniors Louie Bafford, James Chu and Michael Carpenter dash toward the ball along with other varsity lacrosse players. Above: Junior Laura Mayhew, freshman Michael McClleland and sophomore Stefan Smith lead runners during outdoor track tryouts. Right: Catcher junior Clayton Cuddington turns to fire a recently fielded ball. photos by jen siegel

Yes, yoga can hurt you

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erin brock, opinions editior in an incorrect way, you can easily enior Leah Brave knows all mess up the alignment of your body too well the risks that come and that can cause a lot of damage.” with practicing yoga. Dufrane said. “I was trying a new position and Social studies teacher, Richard ripped one of my hip muscles. Englar, explains that there are ways Afterwards I couldn’t even stand to avoid the danger inherent in yoga. up,” Brave said. “Our instructor is very careful to Such experiences may be more give us options and not push us common than one might think. A beyond our comfort level,” Englar story this winter in the New York said. Times–“How Yoga Can Wreck But yoga’s benefits can’t be ignored. Your Body” by William Broad– For Shipley, yoga helps her heal. describes how yoga has caused “I have a bad neck and back and injuries to ligaments, the spine and all the stretching is supposed to more. keep them from getting tense and Some local devotees reported hurting,” Shipley said. damage of their own. Spanish teacher Maureen Burke “I was really nauseated a lot turned to yoga to heal her severe and during the class you’re stress fracture injury. Her injury Tech ed teacher Wanda Brown joins other approaching 104 degrees so it’s teachers for yoga after school. limited her ability to exercise since hard on your body,” senior Nicole photo by anna jensen she could not put weight on her Demetrides said. right foot., but she said yoga helped “I have had to sit down a lot and tremendously. have almost passed out a few times.” Technology education teacher Wanda Brown, who At the urging of her father, she has changed her exercise practices yoga alongside Englar and Burke at an after routine and stopped participating in hot yoga. school class for teachers, said reports of injuries from yoga William Broad, who has an upcoming book on the subject, will not deter her. stressed that while yoga is a spiritual discipline, listening to “It makes me aware of something to be careful of, but the one’s body is the only way to effectively prevent injury. benefits so far are worth continuing,” she said. Senior Emily Dufrane speculated on why so many Dufrane explained the enduring appeal despite the injuries occur. warnings. “I think people start at a higher level than they really “I do yoga because it keeps me in good shape, relaxes my should, and never get properly taught how to do each mind, and just always makes me feel a lot better. It’s a great position. If you’re holding your body weight or bending way to meditate and cleanse my mind,” Dufrane said.

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Freshman tops at state swim meet

Freshman Jason Ewart swims the 100-meter butterfly at the Maryland Swimming Championships at the Annapolis Naval Academy on March 3. Ewart finished first in this event as well as seven others: the 100 and 200meter backstrokes, 200 and 400-meter individual medleys, 200-meter butterfly, 400-meter free relay and 400-meter medley relay. Ewart hopes to try out for the Olympics some day. photo from kristyn ewart

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Girls’ bball team refills coffers T

kathy albornoz, sports editor he girls’ basketball team met one of their goals for the season. The goal: to build up the program financially. They raised the money needed for things like warm-ups, equipment, and buses. At the beginning of the season, the program’s fund was depleted. After the mass purchase of 40 pairs of black Nike elite socks, the girls were in debt $300 to athletic director, Mike Lafferty. In recent years, the team has not done much fundraising, but with a new coaching staff, fundraising has become a focus. The expense for buses and officials are costly, making buying new equipment difficult. The girls’ most recent and final fundraiser for the season was a pancake breakfast at Applebee’s. The girls hosted the fundraiser on Feb. 11 from 8-10am. The program collected a total of $1195 from ticket sales plus tips. Besides the money raised, head coach Jessica Szymanski thought the fundraiser helped the team more than just financially. “The fundraiser was really good because it forced the girls to work together. The goal for two hours was to run a restaurant and everybody had an individual responsibility which directly relates to working together on the basketball court,” Szymanski said. The fundraising started in the middle of December. Between Dec. 19 and Jan. 10 the girls made sales after school in the gym lobby. The teams sold the pizza for two dollars a slice. In the two weeks that the pizza was offered, about 30 pizzas were sold and $130 was collected. In December, varsity and junior varsity girls participated in another fundraiser: the first annual Dulaney Basketball Shoot-a-thon. The girls were asked to get at least five pledges. The pledges could donate a flat rate or pay an amount per shot. The girls took a total of 100 foul shots. “The Shoot-a-thon was a no-brainer, it gave the girls a chance to help build the program as well as work on their foul shots,” Szymanski said. Overall the Shoot-a-thon brought in $2,600. The money collected helped purchase new warm- Senior Katie Russo looks for the entry pass of the girls’ first round regional game up pants that the girls may use as inventory, against Western Tech High School at home on Feb 24. The Lions lost 61-53, ending meaning they must be returned to the program their post-season play. They finished their season 11 and 7. photo by jen siegel at the end of the season.

Winter sports results

taylor roberts, staff writer t February’s indoor track and field state meet, sophomore Isabel Griffith placed second in the 3200 meter run, and senior Sydney Glenn took 10th. Glenn, junior Brittany Deise, sophomore Lily Klein and freshman Kita Robinson were sixth in the girls 4x800 run. Seniors Russell Souder, Quin Marvel and Carus Cookman, and junior Isaiah Garner placed ninth in the 4x800 run. Senior Robert Hylton, sophomore Tionne Barmer, along with juniors Garner and Travis Washington took 10th place in the 4x800 run. Hylton, Garner, Barmer and junior Trent Bae took tenth place in the 4x400. Boys’ varsity basketball finished 12 and 9 after a 65-53 loss on Feb. 24 against Montgomery County’s Paint Branch High School during the Class 4A Region first-round playoff game. Senior Varsity wrestlers Devin Cherry and sophomore Jacob Asher placed third at the county tournament. Freshman Sean Hoffman finished fifth. Junior Anthony Apicella took sixth. At the Varsity Wrestling regional tournament, senior Devin Cherry placed second, sophomore Jacob Asher placed third and freshman Sean Hoffman placed fourth. Cherry, Asher and Hoffman qualified for the state tournament, but none placed. The allied bowling team finished the season at 4-1-3. They placed fourth at their last tournament.

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Athletes of the Month Extra effort pays off

shannen driscoll, staff writer oach Kristi Korrow describes senior varsity lacrosse player Cara Henning’s strength and control on the field succinctly. “She’s a leader and one who is incredibly committed.” Henning first decided to try out for varsity freshman year and didn’t photo by jen siegel make it. But she tried again and made varsity sophomore year. “When she first tried out for varsity and didn’t make it, rather than get frustrated, she used her energy to work hard to meet her goal,” Korrow said. “She knew she wasn’t where she wanted to be. She used that to push herself.” Henning has continued to grow throughout high school and has done all she can do to be her best on the field for the past 12 years. She explains that the best thing about lacrosse is how it has taught her to work hard towards a goal. “I got a lot stronger. I couldn’t even bench press the bar freshman year. I started to stand out more and I got faster,” Henning said. Henning cited building relationships through training and practice as vital to her team’s success. Teammate Shannon McKew, a senior, concurred but was quick to point out Henning’s specific contributions. “Boo [Henning] is an aggressive player, and she is always quick and on the ground balls,” McKew said. Henning credits her ultimate success at lacrosse to her control, accurate ball placement, speed and ability to feed into the middle. “I was able to score the game winning goal in sudden death overtime last year during a game with Notre Dame Prep,” Henning recalled as the most rewarding moment of having those skills. But Henning couldn’t have done it all on her own, Henning attributes a big help to her coach. “Korrow’s really inspirational and makes you feel really special to be a part of the team,” Henning said. “She is so in love with the sport so it rubs off on everybody else.”

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Strength spells success trevor morgen-westrick, staff writer hree years is barely enough time to get good at a sport. But for senior football and lacrosse star Louie Bafford, three short years was enough to be recruited by a nationally recognized college lacrosse program. A natural athlete and photo by amna zehra humble leader, Bafford first picked up the game as a sophomore upon the urging of Bigger Faster Stronger, football, and head lacrosse coach Kyle Fiat. “He’s one of the strongest kids in the school,” Fiat said. “I was urging his friends to do everything they could to get a stick in his hand.” As a sophomore, he started on the JV team playing defense. Bafford is modest about the accomplishment. “On defense, you don’t really need many stick skills,” Bafford said. Bafford’s skills soon landed him a starting position as a defensive midfielder. Bafford attributes his ability to pick up the game so quickly to athleticism developed through dedicated participation to the BFS and football programs. “Typical Bafford,” teammates say. “He always does his best in everything that he does,” said senior teammate Rami Seif. The same holds true for football. Bafford who weighs 185 pounds played linebacker and fullback this year. As a captain his senior season, Bafford was selected as a member of the All-County All-Star football team and represented Dulaney in this year’s County All-Star game. “He never quits and never complains, ever,” good friend and teammate Nick Benhoff said. This season, Bafford looks to lead through example as he has always done. “He sweats through his shirt before warm-ups are over,” Benhoff said. “He’s a respectful kid with excellent grades who always puts academics first,” Fiat said. Recruited by coaches and other players, Bafford has chosen to attend Randolph Macon College where he will play lacrosse for the Division III Yellow Jackets.

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features

An artist among us:

Unconventional style is hers

Classwork: be pregnant

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malcolm peacock, staff writer When working on a colored surface, rt is all around me. Sometimes Jones tends to leave small traces of it in I dream about it. I know that the finished product. She likes the blotchy sounds dumb but it’s true.” appearance that remains and implies the That’s been the situation for senior Em flesh-like colors of skin. Jones since she was a child. A painter Jones draws some of her artistic inspiration whose style is neither completely realistic from photorealist Chuck Close, who nor photographic, painstakingly creates she started taking paintings that look lessons at the like photographs. Maryland Institute Close’s art triggered College of Art when her interest for a self she was 4 years old. portrait that depicts Still, she’s a painter, her shocking stare not a perfectionist, into blank space. and one with her own The face is displayed sense of style. When three times to place she’s completely emphasis on the done with a piece, stark expression. for example, colors This Advanced of her initial strokes Placement Art and under-painting student, who (a base layer used hopes to attend to establish major MICA—where her tones) still show grandfather once through, due to her worked—should classical technique. have no trouble Each painting reaching her begins with a rough goals, said her art sketch of what she instructor James chooses to depict. Kuhlman. “They say don’t use “Em is a grid, but I always spontaneous,” Senior Em Jones touches up her self-portrait in Addo,” Jones said. “It vanced Placement Art earlier this month. Her senior Kuhlman said. makes everything so art show runs March 19 - 23 in room 240. “She can’t reach the much easier.” canvas fast enough, photo by malcolm peacock When the pencil and once she has the work is done, Jones cracks open acrylics paint on her brush, her arm swings with and starts to stress the color with an under- passion and pleasure.” painting. As for life beyond college, Jones foresees “I always place a dark color on first. In the a new tangent. piece I’m working on now of my boyfriend’s “I love painting so much,” she said. “But back, I started with burgundy because under in the future, I really do hope that I can get orange and peach it will show through the involved with films. They fascinate me.” lighter colors.”

march 15, 2012

Sophomore Isabel Griffith is one of several child development students who wore the pregnancy belly last month. photo by jen siegel

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katie nanasi, staff writer onestly, I think it’s a form of birth control,” said sophomore Isabel Griffith. “It’s scary.” Griffith spent a day wearing the empathy belly as an assignment for her child development class. The empathy belly - a strap-on belly that makes the wearer appearance pregnant - the belly mimicked what a woman would experience in her third trimester of pregnancy, complete with gaining 25 pounds, bladder pressure, and fetal movement. This would also come with a change in body image. “It’s hard to walk, and it makes me have

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to go to the bathroom a lot because it’s full of water and there’s a sandbag pressing down on my stomach,” junior Ashley Boles said. “It’s really heavy.” A classmate of Boles, who also wore the belly last month, Keona Carmichael, agreed. “I’ve gone to the bathroom eight times already today,” said Carmichael. “I’ve also gotten a lot of dirty looks, but it’s a good learning experience.” Boles wanted to try wearing the empathy belly because her sister had had a baby just the previous year. “I thought it was kind of funny how she was in pain all the time, but now I feel what it’s like,” Boles said. The students signed up to wear the bellies for an entire day, picking it up in the morning and wearing it until school ends. When child development teacher Courtney Lyons got the belly last year, she could relate to her students’ experiences. “It was so much fun for me last year when I first got the belly since I was pregnant myself and got lots of empathy from my students after they wore it for a day,” Lyons said. Students who are wearing the belly were allowed to take it off for activities like physical education or dance. “In class, we simulate pregnancy from ‘conception day’ when students learn the sex of their baby, whether they are having twins, and some characteristics of their child,” Lyons said. “The point of the empathy belly is to have a more realistic understanding of what pregnancy is like and how they would feel physically and emotionally.” Lyons said she intends on keeping the belly to use for future years. Sophomore Natalie Baker tried it out this year because she thought it was humorous. “I get a lot of weird looks,” Baker said. “They aren’t, ‘Oh my gosh, she’s pregnant!’ looks, more like, ‘What are you wearing?’ looks.”

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features

march 15, 2012

Beyond the Lions’ Den: Entering the gaming world

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jenna depasquale, opinion editor ick up a copy of the February issue of “Game Informer� magazine and you’ll see Firaxis’s XCOM: Enemy Unknown gracing the cover. But what you may not see is that class of 2007 alumna Beth Petrovich helped to develop the game. Petrovich essentially landed the dream job of any video gamer; Quality Assurance Game Tester at Firaxis Games, maker of games such as Sid Meier’s Civilization series. “My typical day starts with my coworkers and I coordinating on which systems—PC, Xbox 360, or PS3—we are going to check the new builds of the game,� Petrovich said. “We run through a few basic checks to test functionality, like saving and loading, and if everything looks okay, we typically move onto playthroughs and feedback.� This usually entails playing through each game to detect any “bugs.� If a bug is found, it must be articulated what action was made in the game that caused the malfunction, and then entered into a database to be fixed. After earning a degree in English from Frostburg University in 2011, Petrovich never guessed she would have entered the gaming world. “I had my sights set on any editing job I could grab, but when I graduated college without any job leads, I was ready to take whatever

job I could,� Petrovich said. But unlike many recent college graduates, Petrovich, an avid gamer, was able to land a job in a field she was passionate about through some help from fellow 2007 alumna Sarah Barrett, who also works at Firaxis. Still, Petrovich’s English degree has proved useful when describing bugs. “I try to be as clear and concise as possible, which is mostly secondnature because of all of the essays I wrote throughout high school and college.� While in high school, Petrovich also naturally excelled in Latin with her favorite teacher Jason Slanga. But sometimes shenanigans with classmate Jenna Isennock were more on her agenda, especially in guidance counselor Brian Boston’s class, who taught create writing at the time. “Jenna would always scrawl notes on her notebook and lift them up so I could see when Mr. Boston turned his back, and I would write a response,� recalled Isennock. Isennock raves about Petrovich’s game tester gig, as do the rest of her friends. As fellow gamers, they constantly inquire about new openings at Firaxis. “They think my job is the coolest thing ever.  I’m not going to lie, I think it is too.�

Left: Beth Petrovich in her senior portrait. Below: The logo from Firaxis Games.

Collins saves family recipes

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Senior Grace Collins flips through the cookbook she wrote while searching for her favorite recipe. The book contains memoirs and recipes written by her grandmother.

sarah fisher, staff writer hile her friends spent last summer vacationing and tanning by the pool, senior Grace Collins spent her free time finalizing the publication of a 100-page cookbook she authored. “We were going to preserve my grandmother’s recipes and I wrote stories to go with each one,� said Collins. “It became a memoir cookbook.� The product of her efforts, “Sour Beef & Cheesecake: A Food & Family Memoir,� was printed by local publisher Greenbranch Publishing, where

photo by jen siegel

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her mother had a connection. The book is available through Amazon.com as a paperback for $14.50, and the Kindle edition is available for $4.99. It took Collins and her mother about a year to compile the 43 family recipes along with relevant anecdotes. “My grandmother would make up these amazing recipes out of the blue and before she died, she wrote them all down,� Collins said. Collins’ paternal Grandmother Mickey left behind these handwritten recipes in an old journal. The journal had been used in the family’s home for years, but over time began

falling apart. Collins and her mother decided to save the recipes and share them with the world. “She spent so much time on it, like the whole summer,� said friend and senior Kate Shipley. “That’s when we kind of realized she was actually going to do this.� Although writing the book was a satisfying experience for Collins, she said she doesn’t plan to pursue writing any further. She plans to earn a hospitality degree in college. “This was definitely rewarding. It showed me that if I put my mind to something, I’ll do it,� Collins said.

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Fans thirst for “Hunger Games� premiere

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yejin yoon, staff writer he best selling book, “The Hunger Games,� first in the popular series by Suzanne Collins, hits Hollywood on March 23, and excitement is boiling. Can the movie possibly be as good as the book? Well, the book sets the bar high. Freshman Ida Schiano di Cola claims to have read the trilogy in three days. Junior Jill Turlington just re-read the series. And junior Naomi Sinn says that the first

book is the best of the trilogy. “The Hunger Games� is set in a post-apocalyptic society ruled by the Capitol. Each year, the Capitol selects one boy and girl from each of the twelve districts to fight to the death on live television. Why? For entertainment, of course. When the lovable twelve-yearold Primrose Everdeen’s name is drawn as the tribute from District 12, her driven and aggressive sister, Katniss, volunteers to take her place. Katniss is then

thrust into the eat-or-be-eaten competition with Peeta Mellark, the baker’s son, along with two candidates from each of the 11 other districts. “Suzanne Collins has such good character development,� freshman Christian Franklyn said. He is excited for the upcoming movie and expects it to be wellmade, since Collins herself helped write the screenplay. Recently, English teacher Barbara Valle’s first period English 11 class analyzed character development as well as plot in “The Hunger Games.� The in-class discussions have inspired some to read ahead and even purchase the sequels. Junior May Thaw raves about the

book even though she says that reading it for school lessens the fun. Art teacher Dena Voluse praises the movie’s previews. “What I thought the opening scene would look like, is exactly what I saw,� she said. Others are more concerned. “I feel like they’ll screw it up like all the hook movies,� freshman Sricharan Gumudavelli said. He does, however, admit that it may not be as big a dud as some bookto-movie ordeals. Sinn has high hopes. “This isn’t a movie that depends on the explosions to look cool,� Sinn said. She says that the casting looks

good for the most part, but the quality of the movie itself would depend on the choices of the screenwriters. Both Sinn and Turlington say they are excited but feel that Peeta, played by Josh Hutcherson of “Journey to the Center of the Earth,� wasn’t cast properly. They said, however, that they’re optimistic about the Katniss role. It will be played by Jennifer Lawrence of “X-men: First Class,� and should be spot-on, they said. Thaw expects better than the “Twilight� films. “If Collins was so descriptive with the book, then she would probably want the movie to be accurate—unlike Stephenie Meyer,� Thaw said.

Left: Junior May Thaw reads “Catching Fire,� the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy, after being introduced to it in her English 11 class. Below: “Hunger Games� protagonist Katniss Everdeen is played by actress Jennifer Lawrence. Right: Students in Barbara Valle’s first period English 11 class analyze characterization and plot development in the first book of the “Hunger Games� trilogy. photo right and left by jen siegel, photo bottom from imdb.com

Best selling bio describes compelling ethical dilemma

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yon je kim, staff writer started Skloot on her decade long research he development of the polio vaccine, project and unexpected friendships. the complete mapping of the human The most fascinating part of the book genome, and the successful cloning lies where Skloot herself meets history. of cells and organisms. What do all of these Even though HeLa cells had been mass scientific achievements have in common? produced and bought by the billions One woman’s cervical cancer cells. throughout the last 50 or so years, Lacks’ Rebecca Skloot tells the life of Henrietta descendants could not (and still can’t) Lacks in her book “The Immortal Life of afford health insurance and lived in virtual Henrietta Lacks.� poverty. Skloot Lacks was a poor tastefully retells black tobacco her experiences farmer whose in tracking down cervical cancer cells and becoming were taken without acquainted with her knowledge the descendents of at Johns Hopkins Henrietta, especially Medical Center in Henrietta’s youngest 1951. Scientists later daughter Deborah named these cells Lacks. She notes the HeLa cells. HeLa how their lives were cells became one impacted through of the most crucial one researcher’s tools in medicine in s e e m i n g l y the mid 20th century, insignificant action having had a direct of taking Henrietta’s impact on the polio cells without vaccine, cloning, informed consent. gene mapping, in The book is not vitro fertilization just a biography and more. The book of Henrietta Lacks is an evenly blended photo from usatoday.com and the HeLa cells, mix of medical but also Skloot’s history and the documentation of an author’s journey into uncovering a past incredible chapter in her own life. kept quiet for decades. The book is an amazing story of the The book begins with Skloot’s clashing forces of racial prejudice, explanation of how her obsession with medicine and bioethics, almost too surreal HeLa cells began. She found it odd that to believe. It is even more riveting because her professors only taught the fact that the story of HeLa began here right here HeLa cells came from a black woman who in Baltimore. Despite its length and the died of cervical cancer. The insufficiency medical and scientific history included, of information on who the woman was the book was a fantastic and a compelling and why she was an unknown identity read.

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features

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march 15, 2012

Students send valentines to East African children

Students at l’Ecole d’Espoir (Hope School) in Burundi, a French speaking country in Africa, open and read valentines from French IV and French V students last month. The exchange was launched by senior Colleen Sack, whose great aunt and uncle work at the school. Sack said that the experience helped build international relationships by teaching the students abroad about life here, and vice versa. photos from sack

Author’s praise for introverts affirmed by students

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emily xie & yon je kim, features editor & staff writer ho is more likely to be president: that student in your government class who always participates or that quiet kid in the back of room who hasn’t spoken all year? Susan Cain in her nonfiction bestseller “Quiet” suggests that introverts can be the real leaders. Guidance counselor David Gibbs says that the characteristics of introversion come naturally. These characteristics include thinking before acting, being comfortable alone and analyzing well and often. “It is therefore a way of being,” Gibbs said. “It’s thinking before acting.” Self proclaimed introvert junior Robert Mo said he considers himself a “loner,” but senior Jenna DePasquale said being introverted goes beyond that. “I think introverts are people who have a really good

understanding of themselves and who don’t have to rely on other people,” DePasquale said. “People think they don’t talk at all, like at home or outside of school. Also they think introverts are smarter,” senior William Chen said regarding what he thinks others think of introverts. But introverts do not see their introversion as a negative. “Sometimes you notice things that other people don’t,” senior Amy Hung said. But these naturally quiet students don’t have it as easy at school. “Working in groups and presenting in front of a class” were some of the hardest things Chen said he’s had to do in school. DePasquale recalls a time in middle school when

her Spanish teacher yelled at her for not participating enough. “She asked me if I thought I was ‘too cool’ to raise my hand,” Depasquale said. “I don’t like thinking back on it.” Introverts have a unique view of their opposites, extroverts. “I feel like there’s more of a cultural influence to be an extrovert,” junior Tiffany Sun said. While DePasquale agrees that introverts prefer to be alone, she raises an important point. “No matter how introverted you are, you need some interaction with people,” Depasquale said. “Not only for yourself to grow as a person but to make a difference in the world and make your life worthwhile.”

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12

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Scene at Dulaney

march 15, 2012

Linsanity sensation strikes students

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Senior Kaveh Emdad removes the filter cup on top of the vacuum filtration unit during his GT Biotechnology lab in the MdBioLab March 7. The class is part of a larger project to ensure the cleanliness of the Chesapeake Watershed. Students collected water samples from 13 different sites in the area, including rivers and streams that eventually flow into the Chesapeake Bay. The objective was to measure and reduce the concentration of fecal bacteria.

alex moore, staff writer order Lin’s stitched jersey. he Knicks may have lost their “He’s one of the best stories this year, last few games, but that hasn’t and I had to sport my fellow Asian’s quelled the jersey,” Yen said craziness here on his decision for their point to purchase the guard Jeremy jersey. Lin. Basketball Junior Jaelin players and Porter and her fans alike here brother also are still behind purchased the former “Linsanity” Harvard player shirts. and National “I decided to Basketball buy it because I’m Association a Knicks fan, for sensation. one,” Porter said “He’s such about the shirt. an inspiration “I love the Knicks because of his so I really wanted story and now to promote him Above: Long-time Knicks fan we’re all getting Jaelin Porter, junior, identifies with and he’s a great the chance to fellow point guard Jeremy Lin (seen player.” witness it,” junior below, from cnn.com). The sensation Harry Zhang photo by sam miller began on Feb. 4 said. when the Knicks Zhang is played the New speaking of Jersey Nets and Lin Lin being the scored 25 points first player in and compiled NBA history seven assists off to graduate the bench. The from Harvard performance University. After earned Lin the Lin graduated start at point in 2010 he was guard, and he has not drafted, and kept the job each over the next two game since. years was cut by In his first ten the Golden State starts Lin became Warriors and the first player then Houston in NBA history Rockets. to average over 20 points, and over Sophomores Jon Yen and David eight assists, and it looks like he is Chung have even gone as far as to ready to continue.

photo by yon je kim

Comedic club takes to stage

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shannen driscoll, staff writer hink ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ student edition,” English teacher Meekah Hopkins said about the new improv club, which meets in her room. If you have ever seen the television show, you’d know the skits, the spontaneity and the fun that come from improvising, and how crazy some performances can get. The idea for the club was shaped by the minds of senior Chloe Adler and junior Aaron Thomas, who wanted to try something different. “I just wanted to do improv,” Thomas said. “We never thought we would get the turnout that we did. We thought it would be the same few people from my theater class.”

About 35 students attended the first meeting on Dec. 6. Now the club typically boasts 10 to 15 members. They’ve generated some stir since they put on a performance during the freshman orientation assembly. There, they performed a Harry Potter spoof where they hoped to include some incoming freshman, receiving many laughs and satisfied applause. “They want to reach out to the school with good-natured humor,” Hopkins said. “Everyone has a chance to be included in the fun. What’s better than that?” During the typical meeting they’ll split into groups and try out different skits. They push all the desks and chairs away using the cleared center as what Hopkins describes as a “round-robin stage” to act

out the scenes in groups of three to five people. A popular game they’ve tried is called “Press Conference,” in which the main actor is unaware of what celebrity, political or historical figure he or she is and must figure it out by taking questions from the audience. Both Hopkins and senior Jacob Reynolds identified the funniest moment so far as when Reynolds received some surprising “punny” questions, tipping him off that he was supposed to be Hitler. “It’s a very interactive and energetic club,” Reynolds said. “We usually get yelled at by teachers across the hall trying to grade papers and finish work, but Junior Tommy Engel and seniors Jacob Reynolds and Chloe Ms. Hopkins just tells us to be quiet and Adler perform at freshman orientation in the auditorium Feb. 2. photo by yejin yoon have fun.”

Irish or not, some click with Celtic dance

caitlin farrell, staff writer ding. rish dancers are Irish, right? Wrong. “Before this performance, I was so nervous. I “Not at all, zero percent,” freshman Jessica didn’t know the couple and didn’t want to ruin Penn said of the amount of Irish in her heritage. their special day!” Hodgetts said. Freshman Amanda Hodgetts says she is less than Although there are many aspects of Irish dancing half Irish. these girls love, there are some that aren’t regarded “After my mom took my sister and me to see Riverwell. Some detest the fake hair and too-short dressdance, I begged my mom to let me do it,” Penn said. es that certain dance schools use. Traditional Irish She began dancing at age 8, and Hodgetts at 9. dance varies greatly between competing schools in The dances are in groups of up to 16 dancers and dancing style and clothes. can range from soft shoe reels and jigs to hard shoe Rather than the glittery neon solo competitreble reels. The students have named a favorite Sophomore Amanda Hodgetts takes tive costumes, the McHale School of Irish Dance the X-factor, due to the letter X that is made by four the lead in the Nov. 12 performance chooses conventional teal and pink styled dresses groups of four dancers crossing paths. featuring Irish knots and the Celtic claddagh. The at the Maryland Irish festival. For many dancers, heritage had nothing to do photo by caitlin farrell dancers also like to wear their hair au-natural while with their dancing. The inspiration often came from other schools prefer springy synthetic hair attachwatching a performance or a friend. ments. A typical dance year consists of eight performances for the advanced Hodgetts and Penn, now best friends through dancing, don’t fret over class. Despite the numerous annual performances, Hodgetts says she wardrobe mishaps during performances. still has butterflies before shows. “At the Festival of trees a fellow dancer’s shoe flew off and landed Once, Hodgetts and her class were invited to perform at a wed- into a Christmas tree,” Penn said. “It was great.”

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Along with others from McHale School of Irish Dance, sophomores Amanda Hodgetts and Jessica Penn perform at the Maryland Irish Festival on Nov. 12. photo by caitlin farrell

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