May 2012 - Senior Edition

Our mission: to enlighten and to entertain

the griffin Dulaney High School Timonium, Maryland

Volume 52, Issue 7 SUPER SENIORS

see pages 8 and 9 # TO KNOW

102

the number of units of blood collected at the NHS drive April 22

PODCAST DEBUTS

jenny park, deputy editor Carter said students have been know it’s going to be more pursuing less liberal arts majors, difficult to find a job than, say, and instead looking for more careeran engineer, but it’s worth it focused majors. because I love music and it’s what I “The only liberal arts majors that want to do,” senior people are looking Colleen Sack said. to are ones where Like Sack, many they can get jobs,” seniors pursuing Carter said. “Things majors in liberal arts like ministry.” say they would rather But some seniors do what they love than continue to be concern themselves persistent about with the financial their majors payoff.

According because of personal to the United States experience. Quinn Census Bureau, 22 out Marvel is pursuing of the top 25 majors psychology, with the highest the single most collected in senior English unemployment rates Data unemployed major classes in 2011 are considered in 2011, to be “like liberal arts or humanities. Students the lady who helped us out when who pursue majors in the humanities my mom passed away.” do so to pursue their passion, but Marvel aspires to be a child grief the risk of future unemployment counselor and has taken various remains very real. psychology courses in high school Career research teacher Kate Carter to immerse himself in the subject. said she has noticed students looking Marvel will study psychology at at more majors that have immediate Wilmington University this fall on a benefits after graduation. scholarship.

“Students are aware of the cost Although students may say they of going to, say, a medical school,” are content pursuing their liberal Carter said. “So instead, they’re arts interests, some of their parents looking at two-year programs and are hesitant about their children’s alternative medical occupations like choices.

X-ray technicians that they normally wouldn’t have considered.” continued on page 3

INDEX 2-4 5-7 8-9 10-11 12 13-16

news opinion superlatives senior map sports features

photos by jen siegel

malcolm peacock & thea zurek, staff writers s she packed works from her senior art show, Lucy Wang spoke frankly about the value of art.

A

“Art is the highest form of self expression,” Wang said. “It can be very spontaneous, an outburst of emotion if you need it.”

With a dip in Ameri-

anna jensen, chief copy editor ome adore “The Great Gatsby.” Others compare novels to prescription-strength sleeping pills. But with four years of English essential for graduation eligibility, reading is unavoidable.

Consulting with English teachers, reporter Keval Patel found that on average, a Standard or Honors student is assigned more than 5,000 pages of literature over his or her high school career; an Advanced Placement/Gifted and Talented student, more than 9,000 pages.

“Does that include Sparknotes?” junior Jon

can science and math test scores comes debate over whether art education should be as valued as core continued on page 4

Anderson said with a smile.

That seems like a lot, assistant principal John Billingslea said. He estimated that an AP/ GT student reads a mere 5,000 to 6,000 pages.

“They add up,” Billingslea said. “I’m glad we’re reading that much.”

Many commented on the numbers with a confessional tone.

“I think 5,000 is more accurate for what I actually read,”senior McKenna Bolanda said.

But English teacher Kathy Roeder emphasized the importance of page-turning, citing its potential to build vocabulary and boost test scores.

S

2

see page 15

Top center: Leah Brave and Lucy Wang share a laugh during their AP Studio Art Show April 24.

Bottom left: Brave’s and Wang’s artworks on display at the art show in room 240.

Bottom right: Seniors Em Jones and Erin McNally eye Brave’s illustrations during the show.

All that literature adds up

# TO KNOW

ESTEEMED ADVICE

May 11, 2012

Economy sways Weighing art ed’s merit some in choice of college major “I

see page 14

the number of teachers nominated for Excellence in Education awards (English teacher Beth Benzinger and science teacher Jessica Carlson)

See even more content on our Web site: http:///my.hsj.org/md/timonium/griffin

Tanning becomes new pre-prom ritual

T

lorrie sinibaldi, news editor his spring senior Jessica Mattson budgeted time to shop for a prom gown and bronze in a tanning bed.

“I’m not trying to look like a ghost,” senior Jessica Mattson said. “I want to look good.”

Mattson actually has a tanning bed in her house, but she says she uses it a lot less than people would think.

“My family doesn’t really

use the tanning bed often since we’ve become more aware of skin cancer,” Mattson said.

With a strapless flowing gown adorned with a multicolored summer print, Mattson says that she has tanned before prom because her dress will look best accompanied by a summer glow. This makes her one of the 2.3 million teenagers a year who use indoor tanning methods despite the risks

of cancer, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Web site. The group reports that indoor ultraviolet (UV) tanners are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never tanned indoors. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, 10 minutes in a sun bed matches the cancer-causing effects of 10 minutes Senior Jessica Mattson tans for the prom in the tanning bed in her continued on page 3

home in late April.

photo by lorrie sinibaldi

FYI: NHS Senior Breakfast May 18 6:45 a.m.

Senior Prom May 26 Hillendale Country Club 7 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Grad Gala

May 26-27 Towson Center 11 p.m. - 3 a.m.

Memorial Day May 28 Schools closed

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

Senior Awards Night May 30 Auditorium 7 p.m.

Graduation

May 31 Towson Center 7 p.m. *rehearsal is May 29 at 2 p.m.

2

news

the griffin

Staff scoffs at plan to link pay to student scores

T

jospehine lee, staff writer he move to link teacher pay to student performance was met with apprehension among staff here.

“There are some inherent problems when you start looking at assessing teachers on how students do,” Marty Stranathan said, Advanced Placement Biology teacher.

A pilot program next year will ease Baltimore County and six other Maryland school districts into paying teachers based in part on how well their students perform on tests. Those schools will implement the new system the next year. The change is part of the Obama Administration’s Race to the Top Initiative.

Schools that make this switch are eligible for federal dollars.

Teachers unable to pass must

either improve teaching methods “You guys are not data points,” or face the possibility of dismissal. he said of students. “You’re thinking Teachers whose stuhuman beings.” dents improve on tests Assistant principal throughout the year John Billingslea said may receive bonuses. changes will deal mostStranathan points this ly with the learning enout as an issue for AP vironment, planning, teachers, whose stuinstruction, use of asdents might perform so sessment and profeswell already that their sional responsibilities. test scores show little The county will asprogress throughout the AP Biology teacher sess quantitative data, Marty Stranathan assists year, even if their unBillingslea said, such senior Doug Jiang. derstanding develops. as test scores and class photo by shannon mckew He predicts that if the grades. administration finds that too many Government teacher Jason Boyle students aren’t passing the exams, said the overwhelming majority then they will modify the exam so of teachers will do the best job that scores are higher, and he proposes they can regardless of how much that schools follow Europe and dis- money they make. Stranathan card high-stakes testing entirely. agreed.

“I’d be doing something else if I cared about money,” he said. “I care about whether students are actually learning to become independent learners. There is not a test out there that tests that. They’re testing pretty shallow material.”

Engineering teacher David Schein concurred. “It’s testing regurgitation,” he said.

English teacher Meekah Hopkins said teacher evaluations are well intentioned but unfair to both teachers and students. A student’s performance, she said, doesn’t necessarily depend on factors a teacher controls.

“You can motivate a student here in the classroom, but if you don’t know the 360 of their lives, sometimes it becomes more difficult to motivate a kid who’s got extra challenges,” Hopkins said.

Committee seeks to bolster AP feeders I mackenzie tewksbury, staff writer f things go according to plan, more students will succeed in Advanced Placement classes in coming years. The faculty’s AP committee is reaching into the school’s “AP pipeline” in an attempt to prepare students of all academic levels for these college level classes.

“We felt that if we improved our Honors program, that would get more people ready for college and AP,” AP Committee member and social studies teacher Phil Bressler said.

If funding permits, ninth graders would be targeted with a workshop to teach short answer development and note taking, he said.

The committee also has plans for hybrid classes, surveying the nine hybrid American Government and English classes (Honors combined with Standard level of instruction) this winter.. Results showed two thirds of those teachers said Honors students in hybrid classes are not challenged. An equal percentage said the needs of Standard students are met. Such results

suggest that teachers need time to work together to share ideas that can make hybrid classes work, Bressler said.

Fellow committee member and AP History teacher John Wagner said solid instruction at all levels is key.

“We want to put kids in the position that anybody, ideally, who wanted to take an AP class, would have a realistic chance of doing acceptably in that class,” Wagner said, adding that data shows students who take an AP class are better prepared for college.

“If we are getting more kids to take those exams and they are doing well, then we’re doing something right. And that’s what we want to do,” Wagner said.

Class of 2011 alumna Jackie Sanders, a freshman at Virginia Tech University, and Dolly Bindon, a freshman at the University of Maryland, agree.

Sanders took five AP classes, and Bindon took eight.

“AP classes helped me learn how to manage my

Cage closes: athletes react

time and work so the workload in college wasn’t as much of a shock as it was to other people,” Sanders said.

Bindon said that entering college with credits brings flexibility.

“If you double major and end up with a lot of credits, then you can double degree instead of double major, which is kind of cool,” Bindon said.

AP History teacher John Wagner lectures on Lyndon Johnson and the Great Society in April. photo by anna jensen

may 11, 2012 News in Brief POLICE Officer Berg reported three offenses. One student was criminally charged with grand theft and underwent school discipline May 1.

Another unidentified student committed first degree arson on April 23.

DAY OF SILENCE Students Against Destructive Decisions raised nearly $200 with their Day of Silence April 20. According to Spectrum sponsor David Schein, 72 students participated in the event to support equality and safety in schools. Of the $200, $125 was donated to The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.

JUNIOR WINS Junior Julia Kudryasheva has won second place in the National Science and Engineering Festival video contest. She received a $750 check during an April 29 ceremony in Washington, D.C. for her 90-second biotech video.

MIC NIGHT SCORES Saving the Music, which buys band and orchestra instruments for schools in need, raised $562 at its most recent Open Mic Night, sponsor Caitlin Cavanagh said.

More than 21 acts performed at this year’s event, which was held in the school’s amphitheater.

Scene At Dulaney

F

amanda bank, staff writer will remain locked. emale athletes are irked by the closing The girls’ softball team now stores its of the locker room’s cage that is used to belongings in the storage room by the weight store athletic room, but junior varsity equipment. Lack of softball player Alex staffing to monitor Mengers said she often the cage resulted finds the storage room in the change, locked in the morning. according to athletic She ends up leaving director Mike her bat against the wall Lafferty. in the locker room.

“I have this inside Other students get feeling that my teacher permission to stuff is going to get leave their equipment stolen,” freshman in classrooms Emma Patron said throughout the day. about leaving her Although this reduces equipment against the chance of theft, it the locker room Girls’ sports bags­—belonging predominantly to justill isn’t exactly the nior varsity players—occupy floor space in the locker wall. perfect method. outside the cage in late April.

Despite such room “It’s inconvenient photo by amanda bank complaints, Lafferty to make a detour at said the cage must the end of the day,” remain closed. sophomore tennis player Lanie Eppers said.

“Students were randomly throwing their The lacrosse team was the only group who belongings in there without regard for other didn’t seem to mind the cage closing. They individual’s belongings and items were coming have their team room, so they don’t need the up missing or misplaced,” he said. extra storage.

Lafferty won’t be able to fix the security Upper classmen are affected by this change on problem in the near future. Whoever is in charge a much smaller scale. Some seniors, like Alex of the cage must be available before and after Freas, keep their belongings in their cars during school to lock and unlock it. Most coaches don’t the day. Others, like juniors Djenne Davis, have arrive until 3 p.m., and until a coach resumes kept their things in teachers’ rooms long before responsibility for managing cage security, it the cage was closed.

Suspension rate compared to county’s

This spring, as schools statewide struggled to manage behavior and reduce suspension rates, the Griffin collected local data. Here’s how the school compares to Baltimore County Public Schools—whose suspension rate surpasses those of all other school systems in the state.

Dulaney Suspension Rates, First through Third Quarter 2011-2012 Total offense count 109 Suspension percentage 4 percent Baltimore County Suspension Rates, 2010-2011 Total offense count 17,949 (all BCPS schools) Suspension percentage 10 percent

Senior Nick Benhoff removes trash as senior Nick Hogan sorts and prepares to weigh it as part of an Earth Day project in Advanced Placement Environmental Science. The class analyzed a day’s worth of garbage per student. photo by leroy sharpe

Find us on Edline under clubs.

3 news

may 11, 2012

the griffin

Economy sways some in choice of college major continued from page 1

Left: Senior Alyssa Kornick perfects a dance move during her fourth period dance class.

Right: Senior Emily Buonsignore loads a gel in her seventh period biotechnology class in May. photo left by jen siegel and photo right by sara mahmood

“My parents told me I’d never find a job by dancing,” Alyssa Kornick said. “I’m not going to give up something I’ve devoted so much time to.”

Kornick said that by sophomore or junior year, she knew she wanted to be a dancer.

Her concentrations are toward jazz and tap, and she plans on attending CCBC in order to attain degrees in teaching and dance.

“I want to be a regular teacher and then dance on the side,” Kornick said.

Seniors like Esther Park, who are determined to study their respective humanities majors, are enrolling in special college programs that guarantee jobs.

“At Drexel, they have a co-op program where I will definitely have a job after I graduate,” Park said. “It’s comforting.”

Some potential humanities majors have switched their majors in order to cope with the unstable economy. Emily Buonsignore wanted to major in Latin, but because she says there is nothing for her to do with it afterwards, she is instead majoring in Biotech while minoring in Latin. Others have followed in her footsteps.

“I love art but I can’t make money as an

artist,” Summer Wassel said. “So I’m going with my second interest, which is math, and majoring in engineering.”

Wassel said she wanted to be an engineer after hearing from her cousin, another engineer, that it was easy to find a job because of the dearth of female engineers across the country.

Elementary and high schools are attempting to make transitions, like the one Buonsignore and Wassel had to make, easier by steering more American students toward college majors in math and science with the STEM initiatives.

“If I wouldn’t make any money, then I wouldn’t want to major in Biology,” Cynthia Shi said.

Logan Walker agreed and said that with liberal arts majors, there aren’t many jobs in the work force available.

Jesse Seigel counters Walker and says in actuality, liberal arts may turn out to be the safer option. Although what career he will pursue is undecided, Seigel plans to major in English and History.

“In this job market, specialization doesn’t count as much,” he said. “Liberal arts give a whole range of skills that can be reapplied from industry to industry.”

Tanning becomes new pre-prom ritual continued from page 1 Mediterranean summer sun.

What’s more, the Mayo Clinic made headlines last month when it reported that the incidence of melanoma among young adults has soared, with a sixfold increase in the past 40 years. The rise is sharpest among 18- to 39-year-old women. The clinic reports their rate of melanoma jumped eightfold from 1970 to 2009.

Registered nurse and Catonsville Community College nursing instructor Kellie Sinibaldi said that tanning for any reason is extremely dangerous.

“I recently had a patient in the hospital who had melanoma on her face,” Sinibaldi said. “She had to go

to the operating room for skin grafts. She was only 38 years old and was disfigured because she had been tanning for 20 years,” Sinibaldi said.

Aware that there are risks, senior Mandy Hall said she chose the tanning bed option for the prom only.

“I won’t need to go when I start college in the fall because I’ll be outside more,” Hall said.

Hall said she worries little about tanning’s risks. “I don’t go over level one beds,” she said. “I go four to five times a week on level one for 15-20 minutes at Aruba (Sun and Spa).”

For others, the more prudent strategy is a spray tan.

“I have never gone tanning before, but I have weird tan lines from my lacrosse uniform,” senior Sam Thibeault said. “That would look horrible with my

Find us on Edline under clubs.

dress, so I’m going to get a spray tan.”

Some students argue that the price of spray tanning is too expensive compared to the price of tanning in a bed. At one Cockeysville spa, the walk-in price for students ranges from $8 to $20, based on the level of tanning desired. The price for a student walk-in for the spray booth is $20.

Plenty of girls have yet to embrace this new prom ritual.

“People need to think about the consequences instead of stupid things like looking tan enough in a dress,” senior Kate Shipley said.

Others express doubt over spray tanning.

“I’d be scared to do it because I would mess up and have lines all over my body,” Mattson said.

the griffin

4 news

may 11, 2012

Seniors take off for destinations far and wide

S

Above: Weylan Thompson completes his classwork in his math class.

Below: Shu joins his family in Japan for a sushi meal last year. photo above by emily park; photo below from hayashi

anjali cornish, staff writer enior Brittany Guillott isn’t following a typical post-high school path. Come January, Guillott is headed to Thailand, where she will volunteer on an elephant reserve.

This program has an extensive application process to find reliable volunteers. Guillott said it took most of spring break to organize everything.

“These are elephants that were used in the circus and tourism and generally mistreated,” Guillot said. “They need our help.”

The experience will give Guillott the opportunity to do more than just socialize with elephants. She will also get to teach English to the natives, improving their chances of getting jobs.

Guillott will room with a native Karen family during her stay. It won’t be like anything she’s used to.

“You have to take bucket showers, and there’s only electricity at certain times of day,” Guillot said. “You’re two hours away from the nearest cell phone and internet signals.”

Guillott was given a list of items she should pack, including hiking boots and clothing that will cover most of her body. Because the Karen people are Buddhist, they have certain standards of modesty.

Guillott is looking forward to picking up

bits of a new language.

“I don’t speak a word of Thai,” she said with a laugh. “But isn’t immersion supposed to be the best way to learn a language?”

High school seniors are feeling nervous, yet excited to take that next big step in their lives, which for most is college. But imagine what it’s like for seniors who are going to college out of the country. That adds even more of those feelings into the mix. Seniors Shu Hayashi, Jamie Tambor and Weylan Thompson understand what someone in that position would feel like.

Tambor is deciding between the University of Edinburgh and the University of Glascow in Scotland.

“I plan on going there for college and grad school for forensic psychology and criminal profiling,” Tambor said. “They have a strong education system, The UK has the top forensic psychology programs in the world.”

Hayashi is going to school in Tokyo, Japan to study his native language and to major in engineering. Although he will be living alone, Hayashi is excited to move to Japan.

“I’ll probably come back after college to visit, maybe,” Hayashi said.

Thompson decided to go to McGill University in Canada to study engineering.

“It’s far from here and is a nice city to live in. It also has good research opportunities,” Thompson said.

Weighing art education’s merit continued from page 1

subjects. Art teachers say it should. Department chairman Jim Kuhlman said that while STEM classes may teach students facts and figures, art classes teach them to actually understand and apply them.

“Sixty percent of the word ‘smart’ is art,” Kuhlman said. “By perceiving with all five senses, art students are able to expand the understanding as well as the expression of ideas.”

Wang said art has improved her understanding of more rational concepts.

“Sometimes I realize things while I’m sitting in my European history class that I have learned before from art history,” Wang said.

Leah Brave, whose work joined Wang’s on display in a senior art show, said high school art classes inspired her college major in graphic design. For her, art has occupational and therapeutic benefits.

“I can get my mind off things and completely block everyone out,” Brave said.

Art teacher Dena Voluse said such reactions make art class unique.

“It is the only subject area that continuous-

ly facilitates an outlet for students to build artistic skills, all the while participating in a therapeutic experience,” Voluse said.

According to Wang, who plans to double major in environment science and graphic design, the creativity gained from art class will help them in the real world.

“Every company needs innovation, and this world always needs creative people,” Wang said. “You can’t get anywhere without finding a new direction.”

Art teachers Ken Shearman and Joanna Downs said that with increased funding

Find us on Edline under clubs.

Above: Jamie Tambor completes final pages for the yearbook.

Below: Brittany Guillot will spend half a year in Thailand before starting college in the spring. photo by jen siegel; photo below by kanta mendon

Going to school outside of the country also calls for some adjusting.

“I basically just have to get a study permit and a residence plan to live there,” Thompson said.

for the arts, the art program could give students a range of job opportunities.

“The Maryland job market is extremely diverse and skill-specific,” Shearman said.

“We need a modernization of art courses to include more computer use like Adobe Photoshop and In-Design.”

Voluse concurs.

“Similar to technology, art has continued to progress faster than we can keep up,” Voluse said. “And I think as teachers and educators, we should recognize that in our classrooms and curriculum.”

5

the griffin

opinion

OP-ART: lucy wang

may 11, 2012

Where’s the service in student service learning?

E

sam fishman, staff writer arlier this year, senior Ryan Baldock was surprised to learn that he lacked sufficient Student Service Learning hours to graduate. “Why me?” he must have wondered. Also surprising was the fact that he had already accumulated 46 hours without seemingly doing any service.

Every year, students who receive failing grades in required classes do not graduate.

But who knew some students’ graduations are thwarted due to a lack of SSL hours?

SSL is a program in which students complete service oriented projects in class, usually for a grade. Completion of these projects, known as “curriculum infusion,” according to Dulaney SSL Coordinator Christine Senft, allows students to accrue hours toward the completion of a 75-hour graduation requirement. This system however, frequently causes problems for transfer students and provides little to no actual service to the community.

If a student enters BCPS in senior year, he hasn’t picked up the infused hours that are offered starting in sixth grade.

A student who has been in Baltimore County Public Schools since sixth grade could easily have 105 hours without ever stepping outside the classroom. Ironically, it’s the same transfer students wrestling with last minute graduation requirements who end up gaining from this absurd process. Instead of creating PowerPoints

about drug abuse (health class, 15 hours), or environmental concerns (biology, 10 hours), transfer students must actually go out into the communities and perform service.

They’ve missed out on great built in resume building opportunities that accrue hours in class (Gifted and Talented English 10: speech competition with monetary prizes, 10 hours), and now have a chance to really learn about student service- by actually performing the service.

According to Senft, the original intent of SSL was in fact to send students “into their community and volunteer out of their own free time.” But in a classic case of policy makers bowing to the demands of a small minority, the county changed the policy when a parent complained about driving his or her child to the volunteer projects.

Now all hours must be provided through in-school courses.

While it is unusual for a student to not graduate due to outstanding SSL requirements, it does happen. According to BCPS SSL Assistant Sean Patterson, approximately twelve students countywide have not graduated since 2000 because they failed to fulfill the SSL requirement of 75 hours. Senft says that during her time at Dulaney, SSL has never prevented a student from graduating. Baldock, who has been volunteering during his free time at Stella Maris retirement home won’t be the first, and intends to graduate on time.

Group work: the gift that enables many to goof off

Y

katie evans, staff writer ou find yourself surrounded by four people.

As you scan faces, you evaluate that the two girls to your right will spend the entire time talking about the funny things they did at a party this weekend, including a multitude of references to trendy Twitter “hash tags.” (#YOLO, #SorryNotSorry, etc). The next person: a quiet student staring at the windows, and cutting the circulation off of his finger with a string once attached to his shirt.

Finally, the smart kid found; the overachieving person to your left who does not feel that Stanford will accept him with a missing English group project.

Fantastic! English project done, in its entirety… by Stanford kid.

Cooperative collaboration or brainstorming was developed in the 1940s by a journalist and advertising guru Alex Osborn.

He wrote “Your Creative Power” in 1948. His bestselling brain child included a chapter called “Organize a squad to create ideas,” and thus, group think was born.

In theory, each member was to be

a soldier attacking the same topic.

Each would produce their personal best ideas to create a masterpiece, and the war would be won. So buckle up, string-fingered solider!

The main rule is that you cannot have criticism because, according to Osborn, your creativity was a feeble blossoming flower that only needed nourishment.

Wrong.

Contrary to your kindergarten teacher, not every idea is a good idea. That gold between your ears sometimes needs some polishing. I prefer quality of ideas to quantity.

Why have 100 great ideas if only one is functional? Speaking of wrong ideas, the “group think” idea was put to the test in 1958, at Yale University, with the solo puzzle completers completing twice as many puzzles as the brainstorming groups.

What’s the solution?

Collaboration. Stanford kid, chatty girls, string finger and you, all come up with their own English project pieces. Then, you work as nature does, pick the best of the best of each person’s product and sew it all together. Masterpiece made.

I

OP-ART: katie walters

Letters to the editor

erin brock, opinion editor ’ll never forget being forced to do a teambuilding activity on the first day of a Gifted and Talented class. Our teacher said it was to figure out who were the leaders, the helpers and the wall flowers in class. Basically the roles we all took during group work. I’ll never forget it because I found it extremely ironic.

He went into the school year knowing that every time we worked in groups, which was almost daily, some people would pull more than their weight while others would opt for a free ride and we would all receive the same grade. That is not group work.

That is needless frustration and stress. Simply put, group work is a waste of time.

The concept of group work is not completely worthless. In fact, it actually makes a lot of sense at times, but it often cannot be feasibly implemented the way it’s supposed to be. Everyone has their own experiences and their own perspectives; in this regard working with others adds variety and new perspectives to

a class. But that is only if there is participation and undivided attention from everyone. We all know that in the otherwise perfect world of high school, that just doesn’t happen.

I’d estimate that only about 15 minutes of a 45-minute group work class period is productive, and it’s probably only productive amongst half of the group. The other two thirds of the time is spent making weekend plans, sneaking homework for another class, gossiping or sitting awkwardly in silence and avoiding eye contact. Clearly, none of these are reinforcing the material.

The fact is that teachers cannot micromanage every small group to keep them on task and certainly cannot force harmony among students who simply don’t get along. In group work teachers are creating more stress for themselves with minimal results for their students. As a student, I can appreciate the relaxation of a group opposed to a loaded teacher-led lesson. But somehow, I don’t think that was the intent.

Dear Editor, I really wanted to share with the Griffin Staff and with the school what an incredibly studious and behaved mood I have been in since the Respect, Responsibility, Relationships posters appeared throughout the school. Seeing those posters every morning really makes me think to myself, “Wow! I can’t wait to learn and follow the rules today!” I know every other second-semester senior feels just as motivated and focused as I do when I see one of these meaningful posters.

Along with my fresh attitude and renewed sense of respect for each of my teachers, these posters gave me serious insight as to how diverse and prejudice-free our school really is. I mean, really, the different skin tones all joining hands to do a cheer for an anonymous sports team? If that doesn’t scream, “We do not discriminate!” then I don’t know what does. In fact, after seeing the poster together, my half-African American, half-German friend Amali and I joined hands and skipped down the hallway to share the interracial love that these posters inspired in us.

I also want to assure the administration of how absolutely thrilled I am that we spent almost all of the money from an extremely generous grant on the printing of these posters alone.

The delicious aroma of sweat, dirt, grease, and the cheap “cleaner” that tries to cover it all up really remind of how happy I am that we didn’t spend a penny of this grant on cleaning our school. I would totally sit in filth all day if it meant I would have these posters instead to keep me alert and responsible! In fact, today during a bathroom break, something occurred to me: instead of painting over the vile and nasty comments covering the stalls of the girls’ bathrooms, let’s cover them with posters! You know, instead of remodeling and/or cleaning the bathrooms in the old wing, let’s just coat the walls with more posters instead! Floor and everything! Who needs hygiene when we have motivation, right? And air conditioning?

Why would we ever spend money on something so practical and convenient when we can get creative! Feeling like your face is boiling? No problem! Fan yourself with one of the posters! Talk about money well-spent.

But one thing still concerns me. On April 26, I heard of two fights between students here. They clearly were not behaving respectfully or responsibly. The only logical thing to do in order to solve the issues and conflicts still present here is to buy more posters! I can’t get enough of them, but clearly some students are simply not as motivated as I am by these useful posters. So I can only hope that some generous and caring organization out there will grant us another bundle of money so we can buy more and more and more and more and more posters.

-Katie Beard, senior Find us on Edline under clubs.

Sleep depraved Why senior year is definitely not for me anna jensen, chief copy editor

A

s my junior year comes to a close, I’m bombarded with questions from family, teachers, friends and the Martians who picked up our “Live on Five” feed in outer space.

Questions like “Have you emptied the dishwasher yet?” and “Can you tell me the answer to number five?” and “Can you give me a ride to Qdoba?” and “What are you going to do senior year?”

The answer to all four is the negatory. I am an evil genius who is above chores, has not even started the homework she should have begun four days ago and is far too neurotic to drive. Oh, and also, I’m not going to have a senior year.

See, my high school career could be graphed by an algebra student—a curve approaching an asymptote. I will never cross over into my senior year. It is a mathematical impossibility.

Instead, I will repeat my junior year infinitely. I will take every class the school offers, and once I run out of options, I’ll start designing my own classes—Watching Paint Dry 101 and Advanced Procrastination.

There is a perfectly reasonable explanation for all of this—who in her right mind wants a senior year?

Let’s start from the top.

Senior Barbeque is first on the calendar of disconcerting senior events. Really, it should be re-named “glorified vandalism.” No wonder the epidemic of bathroom graffiti persists. It thrives in a backwards universe in which massive amounts of paint can be mercilessly splattered over an

“

may 11, 2012

the griffin

6 opinion

Okay juniors, get ready for your turn

A

ethan levy, business manager pplying to colleges can be an intimidating feat. There are essays, tests, college visits, lists, deadlines and more. It is hard to keep track of everything, but staying organized, getting an early start, and doing intensive research can really help. So juniors, listen up! The time to get going is now; it is already May and many will be applying to schools in less than six months. If you want a competitive edge, make this summer all about colleges. There is a lot to figure out.

To start, you will need to figure out which colleges you plan on applying to. To do this, you need to understand who you are and what you are looking for in a school. Asking others can help, but ultimately you hold the answers to your questions.

The college search is as much of a search for yourself as it is a search for an institution. Throughout the next year you will hear the phrase “it is all about fit” quite often. And there is

no other piece of advice that is more true and valuable. Understanding your aspirations, capabilities, and preferences will allow you to compile a list of colleges that are suited for you.

Once you are done “soul searching,” everything will come more naturally.

Now, the goal is to match your newfound identity to that of a college.

Colleges have differing atmospheres, cultures, curricula, majors, and missions.

Each college is unique; it has a personality just like an individual does.

To understand the personalities of the colleges you are considering, you will have to dig deep. Do what you can to find out more about the institution and its students. The more you research, the more confident you will be about your list. Eventually, you will need to apply—it is inevitable—so finalizing a list early will put you on a fast track to college.

The next step is just as crucial, and it is what will really set you apart. You will be extremely prepared come application

season if you start writing your essays NOW. The task is daunting, but your efforts will pay off. You will have the advantage of time, which is huge. More time to think, more time to write, more time to revise—it’s time to get serious.

Generating good essay ideas is the first obstacle. Think of a time in your life that was meaningful, interesting, peculiar or even life-changing. You want your inner voice to come out in this essay; it’s your opportunity to explain yourself at a personal level solid rough draft and a final college list by the end of the summer.

When school starts, get cracking right away. Make use of your resources by asking your teachers to look over your essay. You will want to turn your rough draft into a final draft as soon as possible. You want to put a lot of thought into it, so don’t procrastinate!

Stay organized, get teacher recommendations, and make sure you meet all the application requirements and deadlines. You can do this; good luck and have fun paving your future!

OP-ART: alex calder

Who in her right mind wants a senior year?

”

innocent group of rocks to the cheers of hundreds.

We practically nurture the ability of a student to scrawl “John Smith was here” in colossal bubble letters, viewable from the International Space Station. Not to mention, Jackson Pollack ought to sue us for flagrantly ripping off his ideas.

And what about prom? Such a waste of our fragile Earth’s finite resources. How many trees have sacrificed themselves for streamers? How many limousines and party buses have gushed out the fossil fuels that dissolve our atmosphere?

I bet the leftover glitter from girls’ extravagant hairdos routinely poison flora and fauna alike.

Silent Spring? More like Sparkly Spring.

College apps, schmollege apps. From what I’ve seen, college application rush time causes nothing but stress. And stress leads to hair loss. I can’t rock baldness, guys. My head is too oddlyshaped.

And that brings me to graduation. Who wants to be thrown from the warmth of the school building into the real-world, where you have to go to a real college with a real major and then get a real job and do real things like file taxes? Taxes are scary, and whenever I think of the IRS, I imagine the Adjustment Bureau.

If I never leave high school, I can have a free education for the rest of my life—not to mention, a relatively cheap lunch and an abundance of activities to burn away my spare time. I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be forever than in these hallowed halls. I might as well pack my bags and live here. I could pitch a tent in the courtyard and settle in, happy as a clam. Maybe the post office will even forward my mail.

I don’t think my parents would have a problem with this move; they’re always badgering me about furthering my education. And since they wouldn’t have to time and money carting me to and from school, their savings would multiply exponentially. It’s a win-win for all.

A senior submits a spring cleaning list

Before she left the building, senior staff writer Cara Henning submitted this top 10 list of things she’d like to sweep clean from the school. cara henning, staff writer

1. Yellow water in the fountains—When I run out of

water that I bring from home, I have one choice. I can either be thirsty for five hours, or drink the yellow water from the water fountains.

2. Valedictorian race—By senior year, everyone has gotten into the college of their dreams and class rank no longer matters. The race for valedictorians only promotes cheating. They have to get that last A on their AP Calculus BC exam in order to be ranked # 1, so the only option for them is to cheat.

3. The importance of final exams and how heavily they are weighted into our final grade—Having three “A’s” and one “B” earns you the well-deserved A in an AP level class, but not in any other level course.

In order to get the A you must get at least a B on the final exam. If you are not a good test taker, too bad. Your grade will suffer as a result.

4. Excess of paper usage—Let’s submit more things online and get more papers online and save some trees.

5. Registration assembly—It doesn’t help. It doesn’t nearly go into enough detail about any class options to be able to make a decision on whether to take the class.

It’s boring and it is just an assembly that rude students Find us on Edline under clubs.

talk through, which only makes the administration angry.

6. Old clunker TV’s—No one uses them anymore, donate them! Dulaney has become much more technologically updated over the years, lessening the need of the big TV’s in every class room.

7. Graduation costs—The whole goal of high school is to graduate. Graduation from high school is highly applauded because not everyone can do it. But as congratulations, students get to fundraise and pay their own way to graduate…now isn’t that a nice treat?

8. Being restricted to eating in the cafeteria during lunch periods—Let students leave the school if they

wish. If they don’t return for afternoon classes, let them suffer the consequences. We need to learn to be more independent and make more decisions on our own.

Other schools allow this, why can’t we?

9. Senior lot parking prices—If you’ re in the top 10% percent of your class and earn the right to park in the “senior lot,” why should you have to pay? Teachers park there and don’t have to pay. Why should we?

10. The rule that all students must be under direct supervision after 3:15 p.m.—This is our second home—don’t kick us out.

7

opinion

the griffin

may 11, 2012

Reflecting on the saga of college application

O

jenna depasquale, opinion editor University of Pittsburgh had too many white regon or bust. This is what I told people and Lehigh University was filled with my young, idealistic self in the those heir to the Chapstick fortune-type kids. middle of my junior year when I After visiting came the process of choosing received a booklet in the mail from one of where to apply. Although it may seem the most prestigious liberal arts colleges and obvious, it’s important not to apply anywhere biggest liberal circle jerks in the country; you don’t actually want to go. For example, Reed College, located in the eccentric city of it seems like it’s a school tradition that every Portland. When I opened the literature, I was college-bound senior must apply to College pleasantly surprised by the lack of frat boys Park. For various reasons, the other schools tossing footballs. Instead, there was a list of people apply to fall through and before they valuable online resources, as suggested by know it, they’re a Terp. College Park is a great each department, which could potentially aid school, but it’s certainly not necessarily the in research. I had found a college that is passionate about learning! Such OP-ART: ben gienow places are rarer than you think.

Reed College became my dream school.

This is one of the biggest fundamental errors you can commit when applying to college. Having a dream school is only setting you up for failure. The cost of airfare on top of a Reed education added up to more than my family could afford. In addition, my parents were hesitant about shipping me across the country when I’ve never even been on a plane before. I went through a period of disappointment, one of the first of many through the college process. I had had a picture glued in my mind of that god-forsaken map published in this very newspaper, and I had told myself that I was not going to be like everyone else and cling to the Mid-Atlantic. But, eventually the angst lifted and I realized that staying in the East for the next four years did not mean I would be staying in the East for the rest of my life.

And the search continued...

It’s important not to get too specific about the college you wish to attend, as you may be pleasantly surprised at what you may like.

I only made two qualifications for where I wished to attend; it had to be urban, and it had to be secular (or at least not Catholic). This was only to ensure maximum diversity and opportunity in my desired field, sociology.

I ended up taking eight college tours the summer before my senior year. It was sweaty, aggravating, and dare I say, suicideinducing, but a necessary part of the process.

Without visiting, I wouldn’t have known that

best fit for everyone. And sadly, the ones who aren’t wild about going there take spots away from those who genuinely are.

Luckily, I did not fall into this trap, and only applied to schools at which I could actually see myself. And so, after $285 in applications fees (so much for equality of opportunity) and countless hours spent on the Common Application website, responses slowly came in.

We regret to inform you...

Having to juggle rejection along with busy

work and school schedules is not only difficult, but completely unreasonable. The emotions you endure during the college process are too much for any young adult to endure. When I got rejected from my second dream school (yes, I made that mistake twice), American University, my dreams were again shattered and I had to rely on support from the people around me in order to pick up the pieces.

To add insult to injury, I was rejected from Northeastern University the very next day.

Fortunately, my luck did change. I received acceptances from Philadelphia schools

A final reflection...

Temple and Drexel, in addition to my in-caseof-emergency local school option Goucher (even though they forgot to make a decision on my application and didn’t provide one until weeks after the federal deadline of April 1).

Decisions, decisions...

Now that I had some answers, it was time to make some decisions. I knew Goucher was out because I wanted to go away and no circumstances arose that would need to keep me home. Now it was a Tolkein-esque

Editorial: Plan now for college costs

A

“

”

notwithstanding, college tuition and fees have increased by approximately three times from 1996 to 2008 while median family income has only doubled in the same time period, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The gap between college prices and family income is increasing, and the data suggests that the trend will continue. The truth hurts: paying for college is taking a larger part of a family’s real income.

Here’s another harsh reality. Students face a problem that simply isn’t going away. The time it would take for the government to enact federal or state policy is unknown. In the short term, students

Although my story had a happy ending, it didn’t make my journey to getting there any less ridiculous.

Facing impossible competition, accepting thousands in loans, and having several emotional breakdowns has become the norm for many seniors. When you’re a junior, you are made to feel like the sky is the limit, and then when you become a senior you’re struck with reality. The whole process has become completely out of control, which is only enforced by the crazy college culture of this school. It often leaves the students who don’t have the means to go to college or those who are brave enough to say that high education is not currently right for them feelingly neglected. Looking more broadly, my senior year has affirmed my belief in questioning everything and expecting nothing.

Griffin Staff 255 E. Padonia Rd. Timonium, Maryland (410)-887-7633

ir conditioned dorm rooms, luxurious student lounges, scores of convenience stores, and fully-outfitted athletic facilities adorn the vivid, modern college experience. College isn’t only about learning anymore; it has become a lifestyle and, in part, a luxury. And luxuries don’t come without a price tag. In this case, a big one.

With college becoming a necessity to get employed, the cost of attaining higher education is steeply rising. According to the New York Times, the unemployment rate for college graduates is about half the unemployment rate for people with only high school degrees. So having a college degree might make it easier to get a job, but at what cost?

The fact that prices are increasing isn’t surprising.

The economy on average has experienced inflation over the last few decades. But inflation

Luxuries don’t come without a price tag.

battle of the Temple owls versus the Drexel dragons. Either way I was going to be in the middle of Philly, which is pretty badass.

Ultimately, it came down to two of the most important factors that people surprisingly forget; the quality of the sociology program, and the general teaching philosophy of the school. Drexel has loads of opportunity, but their humanities are still in the developing stage after being known strictly as an engineering school for decades. Their co-op program, which substitutes classes for fulltime internships, makes the school’s going philosophy that education is only for preparing for a career, something I adamantly disagree with.

There’s also that soul-crushing thing called money. Temple gave me a third of the amount of financial aid that Drexel did, yet it is still more affordable to go to Temple. No school is worth Drexel’s price of $57,000 a year. No, not even Reed (I’m skeptical of any college that allegedly espouses Marxism and still charges well over $50,000 in tuition). If you really want to go for the prestige, wait and sink your money into graduate school when it really counts. I know that personally no one is going to care where I received my BA when I (hopefully) earn my PhD. And so, I am proud to say I am a Temple owl.

It’s urban, it’s secular, and it’s a good school for a reasonable price.

OP-ART: malcolm peacock

have to take initiatives into their own hands. This means scholarships are a must have to compensate for burgeoning tuition and fees.

Ascending seniors, take note. First and foremost: stay focused in class and participate in after-school activities. It only makes sense for colleges to award scholarships to scholars. Dedication to studies and extracurriculars can be the biggest difference between huge student loans and debt or netting thousands of dollars.

Next, seek independent scholarships. There are multitudes of opportunities to receive scholarships just by sending in a resume, transcript, or essay.

The awards can range anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars, and the easiest place to start is at the guidance office, where the counselors can offer an abundance of information.

Getting scholarships to chink away at the daunting debt is easily worth the time. With prices on the incline, striving for academic success all four years of high school amounts to a fruitful investment.

Find us on Edline under clubs.

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.

the griffin

8 superlatives

may 11, 2012

Seniors select

1. Biggest bookworm

2. Most athletic

4. Most spirited 3. Best dressed

7. Best eyes

Pictured (left to right): 1. Jesse Siegel, Tyler Erickson 2. Sarah del Bene, Nick Benhoff 3. Cameron Cooper, Audrey Lastner 4. Jacob Reynolds, Jen Kinnear 5. Gae Vinas, Nicole Feglar For more superlatives, including Quinn M Freshman Year from page one

8. Most musical

National Merit Scholarship finalists share: Chris Flower My guilty pleasure is... listening to opera music.

Liangcheng Tao My guilty pleasure is... watching E-sports that are essentially video-games played at a professional level

I would have dinner with... Carl Sagan.

I feel like his combination of people and speaking skills as well as intellect would make any conversation with him just awesome.

Arjun Rao My guilty pleasure is... Watching the movie “500 Days of Summer” I would have dinner with... Steve Jobs because he is a very creative innovator who pursued his goals intensely and created a company which now sets a standard in technology.

I would have dinner with... My younger self. There is a lot I want to tell him about. He will make some important choices and I can’t change them now, but maybe I could guide him on the right path.

Lulu Sun My guilty pleasure is... playing Diablo 2.

I would have dinner with... John Green because I admire his eloquence as a writer and his amazing work ethic. He’s also a great human being.

Find us on Edline under clubs.

the griffin

9 superlatives

may 11, 2012

t superlatives 5. Cutest couple

6. Kaveh Emdad, Cara Henning 7. Allie Menzel, Jake Calder 8. Emily Dufrane, Nick Anthony 9. Summer Wassel, Malcolm Peacock 10. Marc Sundstrom, Gabe Campoverde, E.J. Baracco, Oneall Mogliazzi Marvel and Emily Laubach, Most Changed Since e, see our Web site or buy a yearbook.

6. Best friends forever

9. Most artistic

10. Biggest bromance

Guess who has a soft spot for chick flicks and how many love gaming Michael Roy My guilty pleasure is... eating a carton of ice cream in a day.

Cindy Liu My guilty pleasure is... binging on dove chocolates. The ones with the almonds are so good.

I would have dinner with... Zeno of Elea to discuss the ramifications of modern calculus techniques on Zeno’s paradoxes.

Danny Iachan My guilty pleasure is... playing videogames with my friends I would have dinner with... Pierre de Fermat, the famous mathematician. He is most famous for his namesake “Last Theorem,” which was scribbled in the margin of a book, a space too small to include a proof.

I would have dinner with... the painter Georges de la Tour! I love The Repentant Magdalen.

Tony Choi My guilty pleasure is... dancing to 90s Korean hip-hop music.

I would have dinner with... Nick Vujicic who was born with no arms and no legs.

He had a pretty difficult childhood, but he is now one of the most amazing motivational speakers I know of.

Find us on Edline under clubs.

the griffin

10 senior map

1-4 Students

5-10 Students 11-29 Students

may 11, 2012

30+ Students

*: student has been recruited for sports

Maryland Allegheny College Givens, Jazmin

Anne Arundel Community College Lewis, Monell Magersupp, Gage

CCBC, Catonsville Adetula, Mayovoa Cook, Cydney Lombardini, Alex Hanson, Christian Matthews, Daycheara Mueller, Hannah Scheffsky, Josh Thomas, Tearra Williams, Tyrese Wilson, Kenneth Yuill, Erik Zareei, Bahareh

CCBC, Dundalk Buchanan, Christina

CCBC, Essex

Aghdami , Nima Alicea, Eric Akudinobi, Amekka Anderson, Lauren Appel, David Arrington, Devin Baldock, Ryan Bandara, Prabhani Barbosa, Karina Bazemore, Jimar Bhola, Shanna Bowers, Joey Bruneau, Nicole Butler, Allen Campbell, Desmond Caudle, Ivy Coles, Charaybian Curry, Keirah Davis, Caroline Demetrios, Nick Dinucci, Nick Edwards, Anice Elalamy, Youssef Faridi, Hiba Garrett, Christopher Gay, Kevin German, Marra Glenn, Eboni Gospodinova, Simona Gussio, Gino Harris, Kevin Hammond, Sarah Hill, Keisha Hopkins, Yasmine Hurd, Heather Jones, Brandon Jones, Jazmin Joyner, Sharda

Kauffman, Josh Kim, Min Knapick, Victoria Kornick, Alyssa LaPenna, Katelyn Laubach, Emily Laughton, Eamilia Lee, Chris Little, Alex Majid, Huda McCollough, Camille Murray, Matt Nolan, Michael Phillips, Chris Piampi, Nick Powell, Aleysha Rana, Faghia Reyes, Shirley Reynolds, Jacob Roberts, Taylor Ronnenburg, Ryan Quispe, Jessica Schindler, Josh Seng, Ken Sharpe, Abby Shevchenko, Vlad Stephen, Nick Stewart, Michelle Tolson, Megan Walz, Alex

Heinecke, Patrick MacDonald, Kenneth

Johns Hopkins University Park, Jenny

Loyola University Tsottles, Natalie

Maryland Institute College of Art Jones, Em

McDaniel College Anderson, Jessica Harris, Cole

Montgomery Community College Abou-Seif, Rami

Morgan State University Brooks, Dominique Chigbo, Sylvia

Mount St. Mary’s University Darley, Will

College of Notre Dame

The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University

Empire Beauty School

Salisbury University

Lunn, Britney

Goodman, Gwendolyn

Essex County College

Coulson, Ally Dundas, Heather Mades, Mary Caroline McDonald,Madeleine Nicholls, Stefany Wills, Sammy

Frostburg State University Fitzpatrick, Allyson Hedrick, Anastasia Laubach, Sam Magginson, D’asia Miller, Jonathan Wall, Summer

Morey, Peter

Albornoz, Kathy Bartenfelder, Ryan Cummings, Michael Daniello, Jake Delbianco, Christian Freas, Alex Jantzen, Courtney* Kerr, Eddie Larrabee, Briana Lee, Diana Lomax, Anea McNally, Erin Parker, Samantha Ramirez, Israel Schmalzer, Jen Still, Taylor Walther, Caitlin Webster, Melissa Wunderlich, Abby

Goucher College

Sheffield Institute

Hood College

Stevenson University

Barone, Andry Bernstein, Lauren Cornish, Anjali Lyons, Fiona

ITT Tech Trade School

Brookhart, Sean

Burleson, Alex Cisse, Eladji Daugherty, Lauren Duncan, Carleigh Zera, Alex Find us on Edline under clubs.

St. Mary’s College of Maryland Cook, Ellie Demetrides, Nicole

Towson University Anthony, Nick Breidigam, Lauren Broaddus, Briana Cooper, Cameron Cortez, Klarenz Cote-Rumsey, Ethan Crawford, Natalie Digiacamo, Daniela Driscoll, Shannen Dufrane, Emily Feglar, Nicole Gallagher, Emiley Greene, Becca Gude, Zach Guntner, Taylor Jones, Nia Karayinopolus, Melissa Keavney, Fallon Kilburn, Kristen Kresslein, Dana Lastner, Audrey Latshaw, Kayla Lowry, Alexandra McClelland, Allison Newcomer, Shannon Payne, Morganne Riley, Kayla Rodgers, Marcellus Rucker, Tevin Sarnovsky, Jordan Sinibaldi, Lorrie Sundstrom, Marc Tajfar, Andrew Tasselmyer, Stephen Taylor, Lindsay Vong, Ariana Vinas, Gae Walker, Grace Weitzel, Wes Whalen, Madison Yeung, Brandon Zehra, Lareb

University of Maryland, Baltimore County Barragan, Nick Bhatia, Bhoomika Evans, Katharine Gibson, Brian Hossain, Simin Kim, Bryan Kim, Peter Kumar, Sanil Naqvi, Adnan Oler, Chris Russell, Stefan Sachs, Jon Simke, Connor

Yoshioka, Natalie Zapas, Ellis

University of Maryland, College Park Adler, Chloe An, Euji Beard, Katie Borhani, Parmida Cabrera, Kristen Chen, William Chesser, Amanda Davila, Alysha Delbarco, Sergio Deros, Danielle Emdad, Kaveh Farrell, Caitlin Grover, Rahul Han, Haewon Harriss, Abbey Kim, Joshua Kim, Juwon Kim, Lisa Kinnear, Jennifer Kyaw, Phyo Lee, Hyub Lee, Min Lian, Vel Lin, Roger Liu, Cindy Mahmood, Sara Marks, Nina Mattson, Jessica McManus, Bridget Mock Meyers, Keaton Mukherjee, Shoutik Muth, Maddie Norwood, Parker Nuckols, Ginny Patel, Keval Peng, Cheng Qian, Selena Sarker, Lalitto Sauter, Sam Sheikh, Saif Stansbury, Alex Sun, Lulu Tao, Liangchang Thibeault, Sam Tian, David Turner, Kevin Vogelberger, Cole Wang, Lucy Watson, Brendan Wolfe, Kristen Zehra, Amna

University of Maryland Eastern Shore Thompson, Destiny

Washington College Harman, Michael

the griffin

11 senior map

New Hampshire Alabama University of Alabama Bell, Dani Garrett, Lacie

California Art Institute of North Hollywood Sharpe, Leroy

College of Rosewood Ellsworth, Kevin*

University of California, Berkeley Rao, Arjun

Dartmouth College Choi, Tony Chu, James

New Jersey Atlantic Cape Community College Mazza, Hunter

New York The Art Institute of New York Clements, Jeremiah

University of San Francisco

Cornell University

Colorado

Glenn, Sydney

Keucka College

Potts, Shelia

Long Island University

Hogan, Nick

ABC College

Connecticut University of New Haven

Schaeffler, Elizabeth*

Ithaca College Al-Balushi, Nagella

may 11, 2012 Juniata College Doan, Sheridan* Marvel, Tyler*

Lackawanna College Foster, DJ*

Messiah College Gaines, Diamond

Millersville University Grauel, Hannah

Muhlenberg College Puryear, Quinn*

Nuemann University Mejia, Ally

Pennsylvania State University Beasley, Chelsea

Pennsylvania State University,York Hyde, Samantha Kasshun, Ammanuel

Pittsburgh Technical Institute Laughinghouse, Shawn

Robinson, Rayna

Susquehanna University

Wengler, Jillian

Temple University

Manhattanville College

Calder, Jake*

Hylton, Robert*

New York University

University of Delaware

Polytechnic Institute of New York University

Universal Technical Institute

Rochester Institute of Technology

Widener University

Delaware Bolonda, McKenna

Wilmington University Marvel, Quinn

District of Columbia George Washington University

Wu, David Mardiney, Sarah

Stahl, Mercedes

Devine, Jackie

St. John’s University Kim, Yon Je Knobloch, Amali

Syracuse University Buonsignore, Emily

DePasquale, Jenna Malstrom, Nicole

Chambers, Brandon Compton, Andrew Starling, Will

York College Conway, Chris* Cookman, Carus* Haas, Mackenzie Sander, Renee Souder, Russell* Tracey, Erin

Rhode Island Florida Brown University Florida Gulf Coast University North Carolina Appalachian State Xie, Emily

Utica College Shapiro, Jade

Baracco, EJ

Florida Southern College McKew, Shannon*

University Collins, Grace

Florida State University

Duke University

Jacksonville University

East Carolina University

University of Miami

Elon University

Gonzalez, Sam

Wassel, Summer* Katz, Oren

Flower, Chris

Campbell, Kayla

Georgia

Johnson C. Smith University

Tucker, Jonathan

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Emory

Georgia Southern University Walker, Natalie

Georgia Institute of Technology Hung, Amy Jang, Miree

University of Georgia Grygiel, Alyson

Hawaii

Brigham Young University Li, Larissa

Idaho Brigham Young University

Cheung, Elizabeth

Illinois Northwestern University Golden, Dan

University of Chicago Roy, Michael

Louisiana Tulane University

Menzel, Allie

Koger, Lawrence

Rothschild, Hannah

North Carolina State University Cavanaugh, Rebecca Hall, Mandy Miller, Nia

University of North Carolina, Wilmington Criste, Hallie

Wake Forest University

Lin, Lei Wallace, Akeem

University of Cincinnati Del Bene, Sarah*

Pennsylvania Bucknell University Henning, Cara

Drexel University Park, Esther

Brock, Erin Fishman, Sam Levy, Ethan Shipley, Kate

Edinboro University

Northeastern University

Harrisburg University

Massachusetts Kern, Julia

Tunstall, Kortney

Gettysburg College Brower, Sean Calder, Alex* Siegel, Jesse

University of Virginia Ko, Tom

West Virginia

West Virginia University Campoverde, Gabe Cashen, Seamus Ciociola, Christiana Crenshaw, Rickie Hambor, Millicent Huber, Andy Itter, Micaela Potis, Holly Robinson, Kanah Tignall, Luke

Wisconsin

Marquette University Brown, Kenzie*

Canada McGill University Thompson, Weylan

Japan

Keio University Hayashi, Shu

Korea India Pune University Son, You Lim

Annapareddy, Namratha

Scotland

University of Edinburgh

University

Christofferson, Caroline Friedel, Amanda Gussio, Michael Johnson, Tarsha Lovo, Jonathan Powderly, Matthew Woodward, Lily

Gillen, Andrew Haigley, Brien* McCormick, Maggie

College of Charleston Rock, Chloe

Texas Austin Community College

Esnaashari, Tina

Virginia College of William and Mary Jiang, Doug

George Mason University Gelman, Ben

Liberty University

Ohio State University

Jang, Jun

South Carolina Post-Secondary Institution Coastal Carolina

Sack, Colleen

Woodard, Andrew*

University of Richmond

Tambor, Jamie

James Madison University

Ohio University

Bowden, Amy

Iachan, Danny Ojo, Oladele

Robson, Megan Shi, Cynthia

Ohio Oberlin Conservatory

Welch, Shaquille

University of Mary Washington

Luzarraga, Courtney O’Brien, Erin Reed, Logan Thommen, Jeanine Elmer, Juliann* Ondieki, Clinton

Randolph College Dutton, Kelly*

Randolph-Macon College Bafford, Louie* Benhoff, Nick* Russo, Katie*

Virginia Commonwealth University Brave, Leah Peacock, Malcolm

Virginia Tech

Bonolis, Paul Carpenter, Michael DiGalbo, Greg Erickson, Tyler LoGrande, Derek Marzooghian, Mohammad Oliver, Emily Seibert, Jordan

Virginia Kraus, Megan Find us on Edline under clubs.

Union University

Armed Forces Appel, David Cherry, Devin Cheung, Nathan Donadio, Brianna Ensor, Ricky Fleming, Jacob Smith, Kendrick Telles-Sorto, Heidi Walker, Logan

Other Brown, Sean Cherry, Kevin Chun, Jihae De Leon, Hannah Dow, Nathan Hamilton, Quadri Hearn, McKenzie Gorman, Abigail Guillott, Brittany Lewis, Monell Miller, Chelcie Porter, William Prugh, Zach Schech, Alex Solt, Russell Weinberger, Ryan Vaughn, Raven

Undecided Babcock, Austen Basani, Sumedh Corbin, Avery Davis, Rhianna Johnson, David Koenig, Brent Lee, Josephine Matthews, Dewey Nash, Cooper Owens, Glenisha Pahl, Jacob Perez, Angel Rawlins, Simon

12

sports

the griffin

Ten claim 12 seasons of black and red

may 11, 2012

Athletes of the Month Glenn runs on passion and carbs

laura mayhew, staff writer istance runner Sydney Glenn, a senior, has no trouble following track coach Chad Boyle’s motto “run with passion” in her final season as a Lion.

“Sydney is passionate, supportive and spunky, but her work ethic is what really sets her apart from other runners,” junior teammate Beebe Rose said. photo by laura mayhew Even though her parents were the ones who made her do cross country since her freshman year, Glenn’s ability to compete makes her an essential member to the team’s distance squad. With an 800 meter time hovering under two minutes and thirty-seconds, a mile time just over five minutes and thirty-seconds and a two-mile time under 12 minutes, Glenn is a force to be reckoned with in any given event.

As a competitor, she says she faces some struggles.

“The hardest part about a race is keeping focused and staying strong when you feel like your body is going to collapse,” Glenn comments on the mental side of racing.

But the struggles don’t scare her away from the sport.

In the fall, Glenn plans to run on the cross country and track teams at Ithaca College in New York. Glenn said the choice to continue in college was an easy one because all her favorite high school memories stem from time spent with her cross country and track team mates.

“My teammates are my favorite part about the team.

They’re fun to be around and they’re very supportive.

We’re one big family,” Glenn said.

But besides her teammate’s support, Glenn has a few more tricks to ensure she’ll race well. Glenn attributes her success to attending the team pasta dinners to load up on carbs, staying hydrated throughout the day, eating light, pumping herself up with music and dancing to keep her nerves down.

Her dancing is certainly noticed by other teammates.

“Sydney adds a whole lot of enthusiasm to the team.

She’s always doing something crazy at meets or practice,” senior co-captain Emily Oliver said.

But Glenn’s real secret to success? Her ritual of eating two blueberry bagels in math class before after-school meets.

“Shh! Don’t tell Ms. Reigle!” she said with a laugh.

D

1.

3.

2.

4.

5.

7.

6.

9.

Soccer star takes to court

H

8.

10.

1. Courtney Jantzen—field hockey, basketball, softball “I’ve learned to play as a team...be a leader for younger players who might look up to me.”

2. Katie Russo—soccer, basketball, lacrosse “I’ve learned commitment, discipline, being organized, and how to stick to a schedule.”

3. Robert Hylton—football, indoor and outdoor track “I gained leadership skills and a better understanding of the games.”

4. Abbey Harris—cross country, indoor and outdoor track “After running for three seasons freshman year, I knew I wanted to be a 12 season athlete.”

5. Summer Wassel—soccer/cross country, indoor track, lacrosse “I learned my strengths and weaknesses and how far I can push myself.”

6. Emily Oliver—cross country, indoor and outdoor track “Twelve seasons have taught me how to be dedicated and push myself past what I thought was possible.”

7. Shannon McKew—golf, basketball, lacrosse “I have learned to manage my time every season of every year.”

8. Sydney Glenn—cross country, indoor and outdoor track “The relationships I’ve formed I’ll never lose.”

9. Russell Souder—cross country, indoor and outdoor track “If you miss a day, you will really be behind everyone else. The less you miss the better you are.”

10. Kathy Albornoz—soccer, basketball, softball “It was never ‘til the season is over do us part; it was always ‘til summer do us part.” photos from staff

Athletes stay the course, earn four-year varsity status • • • • • •

Michael Cummings: badminton Chris Flower: badminton Rahul Grover: badminton Will Starling: badminton David Wu: badminton, tennis Shannon McKew: golf

• • • • • •

laura mayhew, staff writer is number one love is soccer, but senior Gabe Campoverde, is far from idle during his off season. He’s taking his passion and energy to the tennis court.

“I love tennis. It’s fastpaced and challenging but still enjoyable. The perfect combination,” he said.

Campoverde and his partner, fellow senior photo by jen siegel Chris Flower, are the topseeded male doubles players on varsity. This is the first year the duo has played together. The two agree the chemistry between them contributes to their success.

“He’s a really great partner to play with,” Flower said. “He’s a fun guy who makes practice enjoyable.”

Flower and tennis coach Sharon Spangenberg both instantly agreed on Campoverde’s strongest asset.

“Gabe’s serve is impeccable. It has plenty of pace and speed, yet he can also pinpoint exactly where he wants the ball to go,” Spangenberg said.

Spangenberg also praised Campoverde for his ability to motivate teammates. Junior and teammate Olivia O’Brien concurred.

“He doesn’t hold grudges on the court and can always encourage someone who’s having a bad day,” O’Brien said.

It’s not uncommon to hear him saying, “Hey, man, we’ll get ‘em in the next game,” Spangenberg said, adding that his natural athleticism makes him energetic on the court.

Committed to a year-round travel soccer team, clearly Campoverde must manage his time effectively.

How does he juggle it all and stay stress-free before his matches?

“Listening to music, talking with my teammates, and remembering that there will always be other matches keep my nerves down,” Campoverde said.

Campoverde said he started playing tennis when he was 12 years old and continued playing through high school for three reasons: his competitive nature, the fun of playing with friends and the success of the school program.

But, of course, the senior will move on at the end of this season. Spangenberg’s reaction to not having him on the team next year?

“Oh my God.”

Alex Stansbury: golf Sydney Glenn: cross country, track Andrew Woodward: cross country Robert Hylton: football, track Sheridan Doan: baseball Kenzie Brown: lacrosse

• • • • •

Natalie Crawford: lacrosse Sarah Del Bene: lacrosse Summer Wall: cheerleading Caitlin Walther: cheerleading Marc Sundstrom: soccer

http://my.hsj.org/md/timonium/griffin

13

features

may 11, 2012

the griffin

Animated senior departs Decoding the COMMENTARY:

Y

taylor roberts, staff writer es, he will be missed.

Senior Jonathan Lovo will walk across the stage to graduate with the class of 2012.

As a veteran 15-season athlete, Lovo says he will miss two things at Dulaney: gym class and playing sports (Allied soccer, bowling, and softball).

“Playing gives me a chance to meet new team players that I never knew,” Lovo said.

Lovo’s exuberant attitude contributes to his work ethic while playing sports and studying.

“When I think of Jonathan, I think of bubbles…the kind that keeps coming up and never lose effervescence,” special education teacher Donna Regester said. “He has unparalleled energy and enthusiasm in the classroom.”

Lovo says he’s excited to take what he has learned during his time at school with him out into the real world.

“Dulaney taught me responsibility and respect; that you should treat students the way you want to be treated,” Lovo said.

“It showed me that I can do a lot of things independently.”

meme mystery

M

Lovo shares a laugh with his fourth period class. photo by jen siegel

ben gelman, chief technician emes, in their most basic definition, are inside jokes. They’re the secretive giggles, the things people look at confusedly as a group of close friends crack up in laughter.

The ice cream cost me a bag of chips and a pickle. That seems like nonsense, but there are two others with whom I can laugh for hours about the ice cream that cost 63 cents.

Is it explainable? Certainly.

I went to Jason’s Deli for ice cream with two friends. The restaurant has a policy of free ice cream if you buy something. We had an intensely serious conversation with the cashier, who recommended we buy the cheapest things on the menu: chips and a pickle.

To anyone else, this is a ridiculous story. To us, it’s a hilarious memory. We were there.

We remember the indescribable details.

We can laugh about them and without explanation.

Junior Leander Bechtold understands this.

He and other swimmers joke around on a Facebook page titled “Swimming Memes.”

photo from au.ibtimes.com

“Personally, I think memes are funny when they are made correctly,” Bechtold said. For Bechtold, memes are the swimmer’s way of using humor. He said that they are “good for the soul.” For sophomore Ben Gienow, memes are just a different way of having fun with friends.

“My friends and I have fun with memes because they indicate that people have the same interests,” Gienow said.

To explain a meme is to ruin its secret hilarity. Knowing the meme—as opposed to truly experiencing it—will simply draw a slight “oh,” from an uninterested crowd. Memes are the difference between knowledge and experience. Sharing the experience decodes the cryptic joke.

Watch the video, read the comic, or go hang out. Trying to figure out inside jokes from the outside makes no sense.

Memes are understood, not explained.

Beyond the Lions’ Den: Editor turns investor

F

caitlin farrell, staff writer a sorority sister in Seattle. or economics teacher Laura Turner and “I fell in love with the city,” Wherley said. her daughter, 1998 alumnus Michelle She decided to move out west and, while Wherley, the apple there, found a job in investments through a doesn’t fall far from the placement agency. Still, after a few months, tree. As Turner spends her she moved back to Maryland. days teaching students Now working at New Enterprise about personal finance Associates in Timonium, Wherley’s and the laws of supply job involves many limited partner and demand, Wherley relationships. Her duties range from works as an investments talking with clients about their holdings to operation coordinator. completing audit confirmations. When one Wherley graduated of their companies goes public, Wherley in 2002 from American is in charge of processing their shares.

University as a pre- Wherley in her senior The most important aspect of her side law major, but decided portrait. of investments, she says, is to maintain against pursuing law after investor’s happiness. spending a year with a firm. After deserting Wherley’s line of work can be extremely her previous career ideas, she traveled to visit competitive. For students interested in

this field, Wherley suggests majoring in accounting or business. Although Wherley never took an accounting or business class before college, she attributes some of her success to experiences gained here, specifically as an editor on The Griffin.

“Journalism and being on the paper really helped me get comfortable with talking to people,” Wherley said.

Currently living in York, Pa. with her husband and 19-month-old daughter, Wherley says managing work and home life is challenging due to her demanding hours. But she is thankful to be so close to family and to have a husband who owns his own business, leaving room for flexible work hours. Wherley said she hopes to continue working with her Wherley and her family pause for a photo durcurrent company and wants to work her ing a recent vacation. photo from wherley way up to a higher position.

http://my.hsj.org/md/timonium/griffin

14

features

may 11, 2012

the griffin

Blogging proves therepeutic

I

aysha khan, features editor f you write a blog post and nobody is around to read it, did it make a sound? New studies suggest the very act of blogging itself produces psychological and physiological benefits.

School psychologist David Schlenoff explained that teens either let off steam a little at a time, or in one explosive release. Blogging helps teens work off stress in their volatile years and prevent breakdowns.

“I think all teenagers need some form of an outlet for the things we find difficult to say out loud,” said junior Lena McBean. Blogging, she said, fulfills that need.

Research from the American Psychological Association suggests that blogging is more therapeutic benefits than tradition diary-writing, because of community interaction. Everyone is forever alone together.

When others comment on your blog

posts, Schlenoff said, it validates your existence and opinions. It lessens social distress from feeling alone in one’s angst, but is by no means the best solution. A blogger’s self-confidence can be devastated by unclear privacy settings, flaming, trolling and cyberbullying.

“When a distressed teen blogs, he or she is sharing innermost feelings with an anonymous world—thereby leaving his or herself vulnerable to being criticized, bullied, etc,” Schlenoff said.

It gets worse. Teens’ increased reliance on the online community for reassurance and stability takes its toll on society and on the brain. Is blogging a healthy outlet that should be encouraged for teens, or is it constructing what CNN worries is a “society of detached voyeurs”?

“The human brain seems to be in the process of adapting to this new, less personal, electronic means of social interaction,” Schlenoff said.

He cited a study that found that the temporal lobes—the part of the brain in young people that is linked to emotions, empathy, decision-making and the urge to blog—show diminished function as internet usage intensifies.

This leads to the “empathy deficit” that psychologists and President Obama have bemoaned.

Senior Lucy Wang, who blogs about notable events in her life, art inspiration, music, and “emotional crap,” said blogging helps teens relieve emotional stress most “when you feel like you can’t tell anyone else directly what is going on.”

“I don’t really want to burden people with my problems,” she said. “So I just write about them.”

But if blogging begins replacing relationships with family and friends, and school and work performance begin to falter—then, Schlenoff said, Senior Lucy Wang, who uses both Tumblr and Wordpress, blogs it’s time to step back. about how to make a screenprint in March. photo from wang

Oh launches weekly podcast, plans to increase listenership with posters

B

yon je kim, staff writer lack-and-white ads for “The Really Good Show” are posted in select classrooms around the school, but few people have even heard of the show.

“The Really Good Show” is a school podcast created by sophomore Andrew Oh. Podcasts are episode-based audio productions which listeners subscribe to via RSS feed.

“Usually, with other media you have to be completely focused on it, like TV,” said Oh. “But with podcasts, you could be doing something and having it play at the same time.”

Oh first envisioned starting a podcast late “The Really Good Show” logo appears on T-shirts, last 2011, and he and his partner sophoavailable soon. The show can be accessed on more Harry Thomasian recorded their piEdline through the Special Programs menu. lot episode in late January of this year. image from oh “I interview teachers about their lives,

being teachers, and we usually also talk about a main topic—like with Mrs. Hiaasen in episode five, we talked about slang,” Oh said.

New episodes air every Wednesday, and Oh and Thomasian try to keep it less than 30 minutes.

“Every episode starts with a theme song, written by Nick Bond, then an intro, where we explain what the episode is going to be about, then the actual interview with a teacher, the outtro, and finally the ending song,” Oh said.

The formula may seem simple, but Oh said every episode requires hard work.

“Harry helps out with the intros and the outtros when we record them, and he’s just starting to interview as well. He also does the technical stuff, and he edits,” Oh said.

The biggest obstacle to the podcast’s suc-

http://my.hsj.org/md/timonium/griffin

cess, Oh said, is that their inability to find a teacher sponsor. Without a sponsor, they need special permission from the administration to put ads around the school. That limits his audience, he says.

“We don’t have a huge audience base yet, and it’s mostly sophomores...it spreads around my grade a lot through my friends.”

Along with plans to shoot a commercial to air on “Live on Five” to widen his audience, Oh has plans to air 52 episodes before his graduation. So far, Oh and Thomasian have uploaded eight episodes.

“I imagine leaving a legacy. I want to leave the show here, and then have a freshman or another sophomore take my place and do it themselves,” Oh said.

“The Really Good Show” is on Edline, through the Special Programs menu.

15

features

the griffin

Students display rides for recycling

may 11, 2012

Clockwise from top left: Brett Turlington, Nancy Kelly, David Wylie.

Graduates offer advice Students eye vehicles in the Environmental Issues Club Car Show May 3 in the senior parking lot. The after-school event, the first in about five years, raised $100 for the club, said science teacher and club sponsor John Enders. Roughly 50 people attended the event, and 20 cars were registered to compete for awards like “Most Bumper Stickers” and “Cleanest Car.” Enders said the club may hold another in the fall. For more, see our Web site. photo by john enders

Haven’t had enough?

Visit The Griffin’s Edline page for stories on: > Lacrosse’s triple threat > Collegeboard foul ups

> Resident DJ Taylor Still > SGO’s blood drive

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @dulaneygriffin

http://my.hsj.org/md/timonium/griffin

The Griffin contacted 2011 graduates, asking them to share advice regarding freshman year of college with the Class of 2012.

“Talk to an upperclassman in “You have a lot more free time your major, advice about good in college because you’re not or bad teachers, courses to take. in class for 8 hours a day, but Get to know the people you live learn how to manage that time with. Buy an umbrella.” wisely! Don’t nap for 4 hours Brett Turlington, U. of Mary- just because you can.” land, College Park Nancy Kelly, Virginia Wesleyan College “Try to avoid certain expectations. When you find your “Learn to effectively manage niche, it’s a lot of fun.” your time. Network as much David Wylie, Dartmouth College as possible. Never pass up on a conversation­—it could lead “Go in with zero expectations. you to opportunities that you Get posters for your room. never imagined possible.”

Those prison-esque walls won’t Brandon Damon, Howard U. cover themselves. And I don’t mean of Bob Marley. Don’t be “Don’t forget that, unlike high that guy… No one likes that school, college isn’t free. If you guy.” screw up, you’ll be sorry and Tyler Mycka, U. of Maryland, they’ll put you out.”

Baltimore County Keaunte’ Johnson, Coppin State U.

16 features

may 11, 2012

the griffin

Top left to right: Drama teacher Liz Garrott. Math teacher Mary Kirchner. Math teacher Debbie Offerman.

Seeking rewards from retirement and travel

A

alex moore and yon je kim, staff writers s of May, at least five teachers had announced that they are retiring, transferring or leaving the area.

Garrott headed to Middle East he has traveled all over the world, from England and India to Japan and Africa, and now, English teacher Elizabeth Garrot is headed to Dubai.

“My husband and I applied for these jobs in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates at The Universal American School, teaching the IB curriculum,” Garrot said.

“We’ve wanted to live overseas for a long time, so we had to take this opportunity when it came to us; it’s very difficult to break into international education, and it’s even more difficult to get into a city like Dubai.”

“It’s been absolutely incredible being the theater director here and it was a very difficult decision,” Garrot said. “I’m going to have to leave behind the people I love, but it’s an opportunity.”

Despite being excited for going to Dubai and teaching overseas, Garrot expressed sorrow at leaving her students.

“I teach ninth grade English, so I won’t get to see the freshmen I came in with three years ago graduate next year, and

S

Bottom left to right: Band teacher Caitlin Cavanagh.

World Language Department chairman Peggy Kopp.

For the stories of Offerman, Cavanagh and Kopp, see our Web site. photos by lucy wang, leroy sharpe and emily park

my drama kids… are like my family. So it’s going to be really sad,” Garrot said.

She offered high praise for Dulaney.

“I’ve been able to take so many risks in the classroom and we’ve been able to do ‘Rent,’ and do shows that most high schools would never ever be able to do. This is a really rewarding place to be.”

Kirchner counts down to cruise n math teacher Mary Kirchner’s chalkboard is a countdown to two years of “cruises, safaris, and all kinds of fun.”After 38 years of teaching, 26 of them here, Kirchner will retire at the end of this school year.

Kirchner, who taught in Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore before moving here, says her retirement won’t end her teaching career. She plans to continue teaching math at Towson University, and publish her own research papers. Despite this, she says she will take out time for her “Sojourn of the Seven,” where she plans to travel to every continent within two years.

She says one of the highlights of her time here was the 17-year cicadas that came twice during her time here.

“They are always highly entertaining, crawling into backpacks and desks, enticing loud student responses,” Kirchner said.

O

She says she’ll miss the students, teachers and their families most. She stresses that education should be all about the students. But in moving forward, she says one major educational reform must happen.

“If we could take some of the money that

Seniors reflect on prom invites Paying for prom

T

maddie muth, staff writer here’s another significant aspect of prom before the dance itself—the search to find a date. While some wait anxiously to be swept off their feet, others dread being part of a cringe-worthy

attempt at romantics.

Senior Louie Bafford surprised his date, senior Sam Thibeault, by hiding a message in a customordered fortune cookie.

Another senior, Keaton Myers, asked his girlfriend, Cara Henning, by spelling out “Prom?” in candles on her lawn at night.

“The smile and look on her face when she saw it was worth the effort,” he said.

Senior Keaton Myers placed dozens of While some candles in senior Cara Henning’s lawn to go through the ask her to prom. arduous task of photo from henning figuring out a

creative way to ask their dates, others like to keep it simple.

“My friend really wanted Five Guys one day, so I drew the Five Guys logo and wrote ‘Prom?’ on it,” senior Biz Schaeffler said.

“He knew I was planning on asking him, so why make it extravagant?”

Senior Oneall Mogliazzi said he doesn’t understand why girls expect to be asked in a creative way.

“Once I decided who I wanted to take to prom, I called her and asked. That’s it, nothing fancy. She said yes and that was that,” Mogliazzi said.

is spent on mandated testing and apply it to hiring more teachers – that might actually be educational reform!” Kirchner said.

For more, see our Web site.

W

emily xie, staff writer ith prom getting closer, many seniors are wincing at the price tag.

According to USA Today, a couple spends an average of $1,048 per prom, including an average of $257 for a dress and $227 for a tux.

Nia Miller doesn’t mince words.

“You don’t realize how much you’re spending since you pay it all separately,” said Miller. “It’s only one night, it’s not worth it.”

For girls, the cost of the dress is the biggest fraction of total. Many have turned to creative—and less expensive—ways of having the dress of their Emiley Gallagher in her prom dress. dreams.

Biz Schaeffler purchased her dress for $50 from a resale boutique called “Ruth’s Closet,” where all of the profit goes to victims of domestic violence.

“Not only did I not want to spend too much on a dress I’d wear once,” Schaeffler said. “The House of Ruth is such a good cause I was happy to be spending my money there.”

Like Schaeffler, Emiley Gallagher didn’t want to overspend.

“I fell in love with a $400 dress, but I knew I didn’t want to spend that much,” Gallagher said. She used a Delaware tailor who made a similar dress for $150.

For more on this story, see our Web site.

photo from gallagher

Headed to Ocean City? Try these terrific tunes 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

“People of the Sun,” Rage Against the Machine “Can You See Straight?,” The Death Set “Rosetta Stoned,” Tool “Hills of Eternity,” Buckethead “A Seafarer’s Knott,” Fair to Midland

suggested by jenna depasquale, opinion editor

1. “Over the Hills and Far Away” Led Zeppelin 2. “You and Tequila,” Kenny Chesney 3. “Like a Rolling Stone,” Bob Dylan 4. “Badfish,” Sublime 5. “Sugar Magnolia,” Grateful Dead

1.

suggested by laura mayhew, staff writer

suggested by keval patel, deputy technician

2.

3.

4.

5.

“Good Morning,” Kanye West “Beamer, Benz, or Bentley,” Lloyd Banks ft. Juelz Santana “Ayy Ladies,” Travis Porter ft. Tyga “Dead and Gone,” T.I. ft. Justin Timberlake “I Made It,” Kevin Rudolph ft. Birdman, Jay Sean, Lil Wayne

Find us on Edline under clubs.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

“Mercy,” Kanye West, Big Sean, 2 Chainz “We On,” Ace Hood “Feelin Myself,” Pusha T ft.

Kevin Cossom “What You About It,” Meek Mill ft. Fabulous “Cashin Out,” Wale

suggested by drew van wagner, online coordinator