May 2017 Edition

Our mission: to enlighten and to entertain

the griffin

Visit us at http://dulaneygriffin.org

Dulaney High School Timonium, Maryland

Volume 56, Issue 7

May 19, 2017

PROMISING

Collaboration:

see page 8 # TO KNOW

1135 average SAT score for the junior class, up 34 points from last year’s juniors’ (see page 2) STRIVING

see page 10

# TO KNOW

$8,976 amount raised by Relay for Life cancer research fundraiser BONDING

see page 14

INDEX 2-3 news 4-5 opinion 6-7 senior map 8-9 standouts 10-11 sports 12-16 features

Assessing value as catalyst for creativity here, beyond claire vecchioni and greg zapas , staff writers and meera rothman, editor-in-chief or senior Aliah Walls, one group project stands out in particular.

During last year’s policy project in Advanced Placement English 11, clashing ideas caused the simple project to spiral into chaos.

“When it came down to it, I felt as if every little decision was an argument,” Walls said.

Not only did problems occur in the planning

F

phase of the project, they spilled over into the presentation itself.

“On the day we went to present our project in front of the class, I noticed that the design of our presentation was completely changed,” Walls said. “To me, this was the last straw.”

In spite of students’ mixed reviews of collaborative assignments, they’re a reality in high school, work and college. What’s more, two new books discuss the benefits of collaboration—Steven Slo-

man’s and Philip Fernbach’s “The Knowledge Illusion” and Agustin Fuentes’ “The Creative Spark.” The former argues that collaboration has fueled major humans’ greatest inventions, including the wheel and the iPhone. The latter maintains that collaboration – and its power to produce creative works – is what makes us human.

While students cite pitfalls and challenges of group projects, senior and Sequel Magazine editor Jason Fontelieu praises collaboration as essential to the success of “Kiss the Bride,” last fall’s dinner theater production, which he wrote with four other creative writers here.

“There are so many things we thought of—just spewing ideas we wouldn’t have created if we were at home on our separate laptops,” he said. see ASSESSING, page 2

Admission can bring sticker shock

C

meera rothman, editor-in-chief ost was the pivotal factor in senior Arielle Williams’ decision to attend Howard University next year.

“Everything about American was really calling my name from the campus to the classes to different teachers,” Williams said. “My mom wanted me to go to American, I wanted to go to American, but it was just too expensive.”

Williams is not alone. Cost of college was a factor in the ultimate college decision for 67 percent of seniors here, according to a pen-and-paper survey administered in all senior English classes in March. The survey yielded results from more than 350 of the school’s 494 seniors.

“I was originally planning on going to West Virginia University, but it would be over $40,000

per year for me,” senior Emily Bloodsworth said.

“I decided to tour Salisbury just for fun and ended up falling in love with the school. It will save me over $15,000 per year.”

Senior and National Merit Scholarship finalist Julia Clark is attending University of Maryland next year on a full Banneker/Key scholarship.

“Maryland wasn’t my first choice, but I’d much rather go to school for free,” Clark said.

The survey showed that 58 percent of students will be attending their top choice school.

Senior Emily Linhard knew Clemson University was her first choice but was initially deferred.

She appealed the decision. see ADMISSION, page 3

FYI: Open Mic Night May 25 6 p.m. amphitheater admission: $5

Senior awards Graduation May 31 ceremony May 30 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. auditorium

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

SECU Arena Towson University

Alumni day (alums visit select classes)

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

June 2

Last day of school for students June 9

Students return to school Sept. 5

2

news

the griffin

May 19, 2017

Assessing creativity’s value continued from page 1 Students like junior James Pentikis find collaboration essential outside of school. He noted that collaboration helped him and a fellow guitarist in their band the Fallback Plan.

“I was helping out Michael [Cheng] figure out a guitar riff because he was playing a little differently than I would, and we bounced ideas off each other, and it got to where it is,” he said.

Business teachers Jamie Bare and Pat Holt work together frequently to generate new

teaching ideas.

Bare recalls how she and Holt fine-tuned the “Shark Tank” project last year, a collaborative assignment for students that Holt has been doing for years. As a result, the project evolved to be more feasible and time-efficient.

“We looked at it and broke it down into smaller pieces to make it more manageable for students to complete, instead of giving them the whole project at once,” Bare said.

Sequel advisor Meekah Hopkins shares similar success and said that collaboration plays an integral role in her classroom.

“Sequel is designed for this purpose: artists and writers working together to produce a collaborative product,” she said. “Nearly every assignment we set within the classroom has some aspect of collaboration.”

Science department chairman Stephen Shaw also regularly embeds group work in his classes.

“Instead of one teacher, I really have a class full of teachers,” he said. “What the research points to is that you’re going to master material far more if you’re interacting with it.”

Science teacher Marty Stranathan maintains group work merely improves collaboration.

“There’s tons of research showing that group work doesn’t help teach students individually, but it does help them work together collaboratively,” Stranathan said. “If you want your stu-

NEWS LINE

PHONES DEBATED

dents to individually understand, group work is not the way to go.”

Still Advanced Placement Psychology teacher Kendra Swam sees promise in group work.

“Group think happens when the desire for a unanimous decision overrides an individual’s appraisal and critical thinking,” Swam said.

That’s not all.

“Social loafing occurs when people will sometimes exert less effort if individual contributions are not possible to identify.”

Physics teacher Peter Sykes labelled keeping student groups on task a great challenge. ”The best way to keep students involved is to chunk and stagger the work so students can work on different things while I help other groups and still have everybody arrive at the same point at the end of class,” he said.

Maddie Wilson, a 2016 graduate just done with freshman year at the University of South Carolina said collaboration matters in college.

“We had a final group project and one member was AWOL,” Wilson said. “We never really heard from him ever again after that initial planning meeting.”

But grades weren’t harmed, she said.

“Our professor had us complete group evaluations, so it was abundantly clear that our fourth member had absolutely no part in the final product.”

For the second consecutive year, the principal has been asked to rule on whether to reverse the policy permitting students to use cell phones liberally at school.

The school’s discipline committee has proposed banning student use of cell phones from 7:45 a.m. until 2:15 p.m. But principal Sam Wynkoop is hesitant to enact a ban to quell disciplinary issues when students refuse to stow their phones upon entering class. “I think we need to explore what the root cause is and address that,” he said.

READING REVAMPED To inject excitement into summer reading, English department chairman Jason Bowman has recruited 40 teachers to lead book talks on summer reading titles next fall. Project DHS Summer Reading will have Honors and Standard students select from popular and classic titles, fiction and nonfiction.

The assignment is voluntary for these students. Titles are on the school’s website, Facebook page and in guidance, Bowman said. Participants include chorus teacher Christy Senita (Laurie Halse Anderson’s “Speak”) and English teacher Maria Hiaasen (Mary Roach’s “Stiff”).

FBLA TO COMPETE

The information portrayed in both graphs was gathered in an anonyphoto by bella martin mous pen-and-paper survey April 26. Students were asked 6 multiple (Left to right) JUNIORS SUSAN LEE, James Pentikis and Agya Rai collaborate on an assignment in their GT Anatomy class May 1. choice questions in select lunches. See our website for more.

Teacher inspires senior’s winning essay

I

sophie bates, editor-in-chief t’s not every day that a student here nabs a $5,000-check for their teacher and the school.

Senior Randall Davidson was seeking scholarships earlier this year. Barnes & Noble’s My Favorite Teacher contest appealed to him, so he decided to enter.

The national contest asked students to write an essay about a teacher who has made an impact in their lives. Davidson wrote about science teacher Laura Braly, who taught his paramedical biology class last year.

“She really felt like my second mom. The environment of the class was really inviting, because we were encouraged to be really close,” Davidson said.

Davidson won the contest, which scored him

a NOOK tablet reader and a $500-gift card to Barnes & Noble. Braly and the school each received a $5,000 check.

The money that Braly received will go towards her daughter and her wife, she said.

“I keep going back and forth between tears and laughter, tears and laughter,” Braly said.

The June before Davidson’s freshman year, his family got notice that the home they were renting would be foreclosed on. His family became homeless, he said.

Entering freshman year, Davidson’s mother, father and grandmother were living in the Red Roof Inn in Timonium, Davidson said. But in January of that year they found affordable rental property.

The ordeal took a toll on his academic per-

formance. But going into junior year, Davidson decided it was time for a change.

“I went from the 1.6 GPA freshman year to a 3.5 now. I had to work really hard to get that back up, but it’s worth it,” Davidson said.

Inspired by his ordeal, last year Davidson also launched a collection drive of household goods for homeless families with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Timonium.

His turnaround did not come as a shock to guidance counselor Katie Owens, who worked with Davidson in the AVID program.

“Randy is compassionate, intelligent and has a perspective of the world that cannot be taught,” Owens said. “I am thrilled to see what his future holds.”

For the full version of this story, see our website.

FBLA’s state winners trek to Anaheim, Calif. for the national competition June 29.

The 19 students will compete in 12 areas, including computer problem solving and mobile app development.

Among the group is senior Josh Talley, the only student here nationally ranked. He and junior Daniel O’Donnell will present their yard sale fundraising app.

SAT SCORES UP This year’s juniors averaged 1135 out of the possible 1600 on the April school-administered SAT, according to data compiled by English department chairman Jason Bowman, who credited focused review in English classes and targeting students for enrollment in SAT prep class. That’s 34 points higher than last year’s 1101.

Juniors Alex Ozbolt, Sherry Guo and Abinav Khushalani earned perfect scores on the math section of the SAT. Khushalani and Kyle Pickney tied for the top score in the school earning a 1580 out of the possible 1600.

DOUBLY HONORED

photos by grace knotts (Top) SENIOR RANDY DAVIDSON works on his Rube Goldberg device May 10 in Erica Schmuck’s B3 Honors Engineering class.

(Left) DAVIDSON and science teacher Laura Braly catch up after first period in room 216 May 11. “[Braly] taught my paramedical biology class, which is what pushed me to major in biology,” Davidson said. He will attend Stevenson University.

Senior Daniel Longest has won a Baltimore Theater Association Award.

Competing against dozens of actors from area public and private schools, he was the only one of seven of the school’s nominees to do so this year. He received a trophy for best featured actor in a play during an April 30 ceremony at Hereford High School.

Longest has also earned perfect attendance for his entire school career.

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

the griffin

May 19, 2017

3 news

Admission can bring sticker shock photo by sophie bates

photo by annabel park SOPHOMORE JADA NASH and English and special education teacher Barbara Valle work on an English assignment May 8 using the school’s laptops.

Teachers depart

Valle retires as other staff departs

E

dorrie gaeng, staff writer nglish and special education teacher Barbara Valle has decided it’s time to retire after 42 years of teaching, 25 here.

“Yes, I am retiring despite colleagues’ predictions that I would be hobbling out of here on my walker or being carried out on a gurney,” Valle said.

Valle was known for her lighthearted nature and the energy she brought to the classroom, English teacher Alicia Dreschler said.

English teacher Meekah Hopkins called Valle a firecracker.

“Her sense of humor is unparalleled,” Hopkins said. “Every class I co-taught with her presented a real range of challenges, but through it all, Barb persevered—we laughed

constantly, no matter the day.”

Valle will use her retirement time to pursue interests she neglected as a teacher, such as travel, tennis, volunteer work and gardening, she said. She also wants to continue ushering at the Hippodrome and

“I have taught longer than the current principal has been alive.”

Center Stage theaters, Valle said.

Although she is excited about the possibilities retirement promises, Valle will miss her time as a teacher.

“I will miss teenage contact. Teenagers are a rare, delightful breed of curiosity, flippancy, drama and energy,” Valle said. “But I figured it was time to retire since I have

photo from heritage yearbook VALLE’S yearbook photo from 1993.

taught longer than the current principal has been alive.”

Sophomore Jada Nash said she swaps stories with Valle over lunch, and sophomore Laura Kuta praised her for remaining calm among hallway chaos.

History teacher Pete Merani is also leaving, having been transferred to another school in the county. At press time, he was still uncertain of his placement.

Computer science teacher Amanda Lattimore and math teacher Lynley Smith are both taking postions outside the classroom. Lattimore will be a computer science resource teacher, helping other computer science teachers from her office in Towson. Smith will be a consulting teacher and mentor new teachers.

Both Smith and Lattimore attended high school here.

“Being a teacher for 12 years and a student here for three, I have spent almost half my life within these walls,” Lattimore said. “It is like leaving my family to some extent.”

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

photo by sophie bates

photo by annabel park (From top to bottom) SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER Pete Merani logs grades at his desk May 16. Math teacher Lynley Smith and computer science teacher Amanda Lattimore teach in their respective classrooms earlier this month. Each is leaving in June.

continued from page 1 It was worth the extra effort, Linhard said.

“I had to write an essay and send in three recommendation letters, and then wait another month to hear the final decision,” she said. “I ended up getting in on the appeal and it was the most exciting feeling I’ve ever had in my life.”

The percentage of students going to community college has ticked down to 11 percent this year compared to 17 percent last year.

“I will be going to community college next year in order to get my bachelor’s degree in just three years and then I plan to go to UMD after,” senior Adam Martin said. “In today’s society, it is a necessity to have a degree if you want to be successful in the work force.”

As they move forward with their college decisions, 58 percent of students said they felt prepared. For 69 percent of students, the block schedule has better prepared them for college-style classes. This is a significant improvement from the 52 percent of students who shared this sentiment in 2015 at the start of the block schedule.

Among the survey’s other findings: • An increase of 3 percent from last year, 31 percent of seniors say they enjoy recreational reading.

• When asked to rate their levels of optimism for the future, 73.2 percent reported high levels of optimism, a decrease from last year’s 77.5 percent.

See page 16 for a survey infographic.

4 opinion

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Seek activities that fulfill Dear Editor, Why do so many students participate in clubs or activities that they are simply not interested in? I often hear peers rejoicing when a club or practice is cancelled, and I don’t understand why anyone would want to be a part of something that doesn’t appeal to them. Nearly every student you speak to will say that they are a member of multiple clubs/sports. Is there an ulterior motive here?

Are students out to pad their résumé or fluff up their college application? It seems like the desire to meet these standards has been taken too far.

People should join clubs for personal enjoyment or to help others, not to selfishly help themselves in their college search. It’s immoral to enter a club or take up an officer position for the sole purpose of attempting to make yourself seem like a more qualified applicant.

Many years ago, I heard the expression “joie de vie”— joy of life—and I’ve tried to carry this within me. Joie de vie is described as applying to one’s whole being, and it can brighten your day and influence those around you.

Although students usually enjoy a few of their afterschool activities, the rest are often not of interest to them.

My proposed solution: do what makes you happy.

-Kirsten Roys, 11

Shift school start time

Dear Editor, If you look around the school, hundreds of groggy teenagers trudge through the halls, resigning themselves to another day fighting their bodies to get to class on time.

The solution for sleep deprivation is simple: push back school times to allow students to get more sleep.

Although this may seem like an unreasonable excuse from a kid who wants to avoid school, sleep deprivation is a serious health concern. In addition to more feelings of depression, sleep-deprived adults and students are at higher risks for heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer. Drowsy driving is also a major cause of pre-mature death in teens, causing over 100,000 crashes each year.

Later start times allow for healthier sleep, which support processes vital to learning, memory and emotion regulation. This results in better academic performance, improved attendance, fewer absences and better behavior, changes many students and teachers would welcome.

In order to ensure the health and continued academic success of the students here, the school system needs to make later school start times happen. It’s not just a negotiable school budget item—it’s an absolute requirement.

-Eugene Choe, 11

the griffin

Conquering fear of failure F victor yang, staff writer ailure coupled with success, a combination perhaps only bested by PB & J. The reason? It’s inspirational. Seeing Chris Gardner get rich at the end of “The Pursuit of Happyness” or marveling at a broken Bruce Wayne climbing out of a 50-foot pit in “The Dark Knight Rises” is both motivational and comforting.

It makes us feel that no matter how astronomical the failure, it only takes a little bit of elbow grease and maybe a hyped-up montage to bounce right back and succeed.

Shockingly, real-life isn’t like the movies. Films can’t capture the I-justgot-smashed-in-the-stomach-by-acinder-block feeling that failure creates. They also can’t truly depict the amount of hard-work and dedication required to recover, no matter how awesome the montage is.

I’ve seen my favorite characters fall and get back up countless times, but I never truly understood the magnitude of their feats until I was face-to-face with soul-crushing failure itself— without any popcorn.

Junior year was built as the most important year of my high school career.

The one where I needed to fire up all cylinders before cruising along on the lazy river of senior year. Things never

the griffin Dulaney High School, 255 E. Padonia Rd. Timonium, MD 21093 dulaneygriffin@bcps.org (410) 887-7633

Student population: 1,851 Staff population: 150 The Griffin prints 1,500 to 2,000 copies of each edition. These are distributed during homeroom on the fourth Friday of October, November, December, February, March, April and May. Extras may be found in the library or room 115.

A Columbia Scholastic Press Association member The Griffin’s mission is to enlighten and entertain.

May 19, 2017 Volume 56, Issue 7 http://dulaneygriffin.org

seem to go as planned, and I ended up with a big fat D in calculus on my second quarter report card.

Realizing that I had failed a quarter felt like someone had curb-stomped my soul. It was my first academic failure, and as I stared at the 68 percent on my score report, I promised myself it would be my last.

But the reason I was so determined

art by hanna bewley

wasn’t because I was angry at the D itself -- I had deserved that. It wasn’t a case of Pavlov’s Dog: High School Student Edition, either. I wasn’t motivated by the judgement of peers or the plethora of punishments my mom would dish out if I ended the year with anything below a B. The reason was that I knew I could

succeed if I only pushed myself. So, I spent an extra hour or two on homework each night, asked more questions in class and cut back on the comeback movies so that I could make my own rebound possible. And by the end of the year, I did. I was proud of my low B, because I had earned it.

But the true value from this bout with failure wasn’t a letter higher up in the alphabet on a piece of paper. It was the epiphany I had about what was truly needed to succeed. Hard work. A motivation to do the best I could regardless of the situation.

After the year was over, my mindset had changed. My way of thinking went from working half-measured for what others deemed satisfactory to working at maximum effort to meet my own standards. It has spread into all aspects of my life, including working and exercising, and is the reason that my first quarter of senior year has been the best one yet.

While my story may not be as impressive as becoming a millionaire from nothing or performing incredible physical feats, it’s enough for me to finally understand what it means to fall and get back up stronger than before. It only took a few dozen movies and a couple failed calculus tests to realize it.

EDITORIAL:

Classism creates gap in education

Don’t ditch fiction

Dear Editor, We are facing a serious dilemma: the egregious lack of fiction in school. I could discuss the strong positive correlation between those who avidly read fiction and the number of phrases and words—even sentence structurepicked up as one reads or that that fiction novels have been scientifically shown to teach life lessons, empathy and compassion. But let’s be honest, students don’t care.

Instead, many claim that the antiquated language is too difficult to decipher or that tasks like finding allusions in “Lord of the Flies” are pointless.

So why should students care that schools across the country have begun to shift their focus onto nonfiction novels? One simple reason: This. Does. Matter. Within the pages of a book, one can see themselves inhabiting a myriad of places across time and space which broaden their views of the world. Unable to be swayed by the zeitgeist of society, a novel can even tell the hard-hitting truths no one wants to hear, presenting them as a tolerable tale imparting a powerful message. In the end, we need fiction—not because teachers love dissecting Holden Caulfield, but because fiction is a gate to another world.

-Lindsay Docken, 11

May 19, 2017

art by hanna bewley

All students, teachers bear responsibility for motivation in class

The Griffin spoke with teachers and students from all levels to adequately consider perspectives and experiences. onsider a ladder. Students begin at the bottom, climbing higher as their academic challenges and work ethic rise. Teachers are the steps, motivating the students to reach closer to success and personal maturation. Why is it then that students are falling back steps or tumbling from broken ones, unmotivated to do well in class and grasp their potential?

In 1965, psychologists Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson conducted an experiment in which they told elementary school teachers that select students were more likely to succeed because of their results on a special test. In actuality, the test wasn’t special at all and the “bloomers” were chosen arbitrarily.

The experiment resulted in a clear

C

correlation between teacher expectations and student success: in classrooms with “bloomers,” teachers would give more positive feedback and learning opportunities. The “bloomers” succeeded in ways the other students weren’t given the opportunity to, even though there hadn’t been any difference between the students’ abilities at the beginning of the experiment.

It’s a vicious cycle: When teachers aren’t actively positive towards their classes, students lose motivation to thrive. As masses of “unmotivated” students enter classrooms year after year, their teachers struggle to reduce the growing frustration and apathy in both themselves and their students. And as these students repeatedly perceive that their abilities are weaker than those in higher-level classes, they’re less likely to develop long-term goals, acquiring a “learned helplessness.”

We can keep throwing psychology terms at you, but the fact is this: according to the Center for American Progress, high school students whose teachers have higher expectations of their academic success are more likely to graduate from high school and then college (self-fulfilling prophecies, by the way).

So what do we do about this? A common thread throughout conversations with teachers was that the administration seems to be out of touch with what is happening in classrooms. If administrators come into classrooms to interact with students on a personal level, even for a few minutes, the teaching and learning environment may be improved, benefitting all.

Teacher and administrator expectations are pivotal in student perfor-

editors-in-chief sophie bates, julie chotivatanapong, doria diacogiannis, meher hans, grace knotts, amanda musolf, meera rothman managing editors tirzah khan, emma walz deputy editors randhika aturaliya, jason fontelieu sports editors patrick fitzgerald, daniel krugman associate editors hanna bewley, matt ellis, drew persinger adviser maria hiaasen

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

mance. But parental involvement, intrinsic motivation and goal-setting are also elements that contribute to success in a student’s education. Academic and personal development must be nurtured and enriched both at home and in school to promote growth.

By instilling a growth mindset, students would toss out discouragement, learn from failure and climb the ladder to graduation and beyond.

art by hanna bewley

FIX THESE THINGS, DULANEY:

1. Rodents, rodents, everywhere 2. Massive class sizes 3. Partial air conditioning 4. Mastery grading inconsistency 5. Uneven with enforcement of hall passes policy

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 and must be signed. The Griffin Editorial Board makes all final decisions regarding content.

The staff editorial reflects the thoughts of the Griffin staff, but all other opinon pieces reflect individuals’ views, not the paper’s.

Interested in advertising in The Griffin or purchasing any photos seen in this issue? Use the same contact information.

5 opinion

the griffin

May 19, 2017

Is collaboration warranted?

Yes, group effort can promote innovation

No, uneven workload, grade fixation impede

grace knotts, editor-in-chief wo new books tout collaboration.

Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach’s “The Knowledge Illusion” notes that groups access a pool of knowledge, thereby sharing the mental workload. Agustin Fuentes’ “The Creative Spark” posits that collaboration promotes individual and community growth—even when we disagree.

Can we achieve such here? We actually have, STAT teacher Kim Culbertson said. She cited engineering teacher Wanda Brown’s students, who worked jointly to design a chariot for a child with cerebral palsy this year, and sophomore Hannah Snoops, whose hats-for-homeless project won Genius Hour last year. For each, Culbertson said, creative brainstorming fueled innovation.

Publications here thrive on collaboration. Ask Sequel Magazine adviser Meekah Hopkins, who said Advanced Creative Writing students often collaborate either to enhance individual works or to devise a single unique creation.

Collaboration powers the Griffin too. This story, for example, is the work of multiple writers and began on a whim with a suggestion from our adviser. Graphics guru Tirzah Khan routinely mulls over ideas from our wordsmiths before forming optimal graphic designs.

Groups can and should work in classes. The key?

Unified effort and motivation toward a clear goal.

Hear that, teachers and students?

olivia summons, staff writer hen I hear “group work,” my stomach sinks and my mind fills with flashbacks of partners’ lackluster presentations. I hear a combination of high fives and groans.

While teachers tend to preach the importance of group cooperation, it’s problematic seeing that projects usually mark the divide between overachievers and those who scrape by.

In his essay “The Folly of Team Projects,” Professor Jason Fertig of the University of Southern Indiana discovered that when a student is placed in charge of a team project, this leader will inevitably contribute more to the project than other students. Ironically, group projects are supposed to encourage partnership between students.

A study conducted by University of California Davis found that gender and tenure diversity are positive predictors of productivity, acknowledging the importance of diversity on cooperation.

But if diverse groups are ideal, how should we assemble them? When teachers assign groups, students often resent them. But if students are left to choose, they may hinder their own productivity.

Perhaps group projects are simply a necessary evil, or maybe they’re the root of every problem in the education system. All I know is that group projects trigger the phrase “here we go again.”

T

Fast Facts

• “Creativity is both an individual and a group activity.”

—Agustin Fuentes’ “The Creative Spark” • Positive group experiences contribute to student learning, retention and overall college success.

—National Survey of Student Engagement in 2006 at Carnegie Mellon University • “The fundamentally communal nature of intelligence is often the reason we assume we know more than we really do.”

—Steven Sloman’s and Philip Fernbach’s “The Knowledge Illusion”

on the better side of average

W

Fiscal reality check looms for grads

Never have I ever, but ... tirzah khan, managing editor

L

et me cut right to the chase: I didn’t enjoy high school. Like, not one bit. Every day felt like a chore, and I’m not just saying that.

I wasn’t taking classes I enjoyed, I didn’t like the competitive atmosphere that increasingly pervaded interactions between my friends—and I’m really just not a morning person at all.

Combine all three things (plus like, zero airconditioning and disgusting water) and you’ll end up with a Very Miserable Tirzah.

But I suppose it would be unfair to place all the blame on the deeply flawed American education system and deplorable building conditions. I do have to take some responsibility myself and evaluate the decisions that I made that contributed to my lack of fulfillment these last four years.

Take, for example, the fact that I never skipped school a day in my life, or even just cut class and left early with some friends. Unless I was dying, or relatively close to it, I came to school. And that wasn’t because my parents wouldn’t let me stay home. It was because just the idea of missing school freaked the living bejesus out of me. So it just happened that I never took an extra day to myself to relax and just chill out instead of coming to school. Trust me, that’s enough to make anyone hate school.

I also avoided school pride like the plague—I’ve never been to a sports game, never painted my face for pep rally, never even been to a class fundraiser.

I never attended a single school dance, not to mention the fact that I’m not going to prom. Any opportunity to see my classmates outside of school

“Do what you love, and do some things that you don’t love. You got this.”

art by jane peterson

Find best college, not best college ranking

T

amanda musolf, editor-in-chief he last time anyone in my household applied to college was 1986.

This said, I had no idea where to apply to college.

Enter the often-referenced US News & World Report’s “Annual Best Colleges” web page. But what criteria actually made these colleges the “best?”

Malcolm Gladwell of the New Yorker has dubbed this predicament the “suicide problem.” Just as there’s no way to accurately rank countries based on suicide rates, there are too many factors involved to directly measure the “goodness” of a school. Large or small? Public or private? Liberal arts or research-oriented?

Rankings systems’ algorithms depend on “proxies for quality,” as Gladwell calls them, which hinder the reliability of the rankings themselves. To calculate a school’s “student engagement” score, for example, US News takes into account class size and faculty salary.

But, are these the most accurate predictors of overall student happiness? How much—if at all—should underclassmen

rely on such rankings? After having been through this whole process, I’ve boiled down my experience to four basic steps.

One: Visit schools. It’s difficult to fully experience a school without seeing it in person. After touring American University, George Washington University and Georgetown University, I realized the

“An arbitrary number from a college ranking site held no easy answer.” importance of a school’s layout. American was too new, GWU too spread out.

Then I stepped foot on Georgetown’s 300-year-old residential campus and fell in love.

Two: Establish essentials. I opened my laptop that same night to my over-

complicated Excel spreadsheet of prospective colleges and deleted it all. Eight months of carefully-articulated work gone. I was forced to find my four absolutes: excellent international relations and study abroad programs, out-of-state location and financial aid.

Three: Reflect. I needed to take a step back and ask myself perhaps the biggest question of the whole process: What did I need from a school in order to graduate happy, and what would I sacrifice to reach that blissful state? It took months to even begin answering this question.

An arbitrary number from a college ranking site held no easy answer.

Four: Be flexible. After being rejected from Georgetown, which seemed my top choice school, I broadened my horizons and applied to the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. After all, an international relations major should be up for travel.

I could go on about its global ranking (among the top 250 on U.S. News’s list), but what sold me? Quality and four years of studying abroad.

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

I immediately turned down. That’s not because I don’t like them. I just have bad memories associated with them (like being in a classroom with them.

Shudder).

Besides pointing out what an antisocial loser I am, there’s a point to all this. And that is: don’t be like me. I may have a full wallet, but I have an empty heart. Use the time that you have to do things you like before it’s too late. I spent my entire high school career telling myself, “Oh, I’ll just go to Open Mic Night next month.” Well, that never happened.

And now it’s too late. I’ll never be able to go to Open Mic Night, or a soccer game, or pep rally ever again. I’m leaving. Today is my last day. I’m never coming back. And I hope that you can learn from my experiences.

The number one thing I could tell you that I wish that I did is: put yourself out there. For the love of God, do things. Nothing is going to happen unless you make it happen yourself.

The best memories I have looking back are when I did things that scared the heebie-jeebies out of me. Sophomore and junior year, I plucked up the courage to speak at the student-run TEDx events.

And though I stressed for weeks before both of the events, I’ll never forget how amazing it felt.

But by far the most rewarding experience at Dulaney for me has been working with the Griffin.

Yeah, it may have made me want to scream and rip my hair out on a regular basis. But seeing the amazing work of so many people on paper in front of my own two eyes each month made me so emotional I’d almost cry all over the paper. (I didn’t, I swear.)

For me, I definitely regret not doing a lot of things.

But the things that I did do were memories that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life (I know, gag alert). My final advice to you is this: Find your niche. Do what you love, and do some things that you don’t love.

You got this, man. I believe in you.

See you on the worse side of average.

the griffin

6 senior map

may 19, 2017

Seniors seal their deals

KEY: 1-4 SENIORS 5-10 SENIORS 11-19 SENIORS 20+ SENIORS * student was recruited for athletics

maryland ALLEGHANY COLLEGE

Wilson, Diamond

BOWIE STATE

Preston, Jasmine* Roberts, Tavon

CARROLL CC

Shapiro, Mitchell

CCBC

Alban, Tara Alperstein, Jake Argueta-Jimenez, Ashley Arroyo, Ashley Asseo de Choch, Cyro Bailey-McDowell, Marcell Baker, Emmanuel Beasley, Caitlyn Benzinger, Ann Blackwell, Gabrielle Campoverde, Amanda Clark, Abby Cohen, Lance Coulbourne, Mia Danna, Sam DeGuzman, John Dukes, Josh Enoch, Nicholas Gauss, Hanna Gibson, Michael Gunev, Vasko Harris, Allison Harris, Ja’Kevin Hudson, Ke’Ante Hughes, Brittany Ibrahim, Montaga Kernan, Daniel Kiser, Dylan Knight, Carlsen Layton-Painter, Armani

Leber, Emily Lee, Esther Lins, Allison Livingston, Ryan Logan, George Mable, T’Marra Magginson, Anthony Jr. Manley, Adrian Manley, Rachel Manning, Hannah Martin, Adam Melara, Emily Michal, Kayla Mishra, Theo Montgomery, Shaniea Parekh, Vinit Penaso, Jed Valerie Petrosillo, Adrianna Pfaff, Rudy Puga, Abigail Pullen, Alleshia Richardson, Michael Sachs, Evan Schaefer, Tim Smith, Taira Spiva, Sean Stein, Rebecca Sydnor, Donte’ Tadros, Julia Thormann, Emily Torres, Gaby Tsakalas, Stephen Vo, Phong Waters, Matthew Wilkinson, William Williams, Constance Williams, Julia Zarzecki, Sean

COPPIN STATE

Saunders, Sierra

FROSTBURG STATE

Barnes, Mackenzie Elmer, Riley Gioffreda, Connor*

GOUCHER COLLEGE

Abdul, Keira Panousos, Christina

HARFORD CC

Parker, Jim

HOOD COLLEGE

Gordon, Avianna

JOHNS HOPKINS

Bowerman, Marjorie Hahn, Helena Waleedh, Joodh

LOYOLA

Andrade, Ana Diacogiannis, Doria Menguito, Marosa Weidel, Tim

MICA

Doby, Blakely Peterson, Jane

MORGAN STATE

DeLoatch, Derica Hollman, Ahmad Reddick, Ta’Quane

MOUNT ST. MARY’S

Hinegardner, Lexi Key, Nolan Oluajayi, Victoria

NOTRE DAME

Salas, Glenn-Marie*

SALISBURY

Bloodsworth, Emily Cerf, Connor Choe, Yoon Ji Coard, Emma Dahl, Braeden Dee, Missy Dikos, Mia Goode, Catalina Kairgadam, Jila Lenhart, Alexis Norris, Elizabeth Profic, Edlyn Schwartz, Leah Sunday, Sami Turner, William

STEVENSON

Aghdami, Nika Culotta, John Davidson, Randy Davis, Daisha Fields, Jordan* Reilly, Megan Shetterly, Alana Taylor, Megan* Taylor, Shelby

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE

Jones, Kyndle* Manzoni, Nick* Sherlock, Olivia Varelli, Matt Zopp, Grant

TOWSON

Bates, Sophie Bowen, Teagan Brazeau, Nathan Clasing, Winfield Davis, Cody DiNardo, Eddie

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

Donelan, Patrick Enoch, Jake Farabaugh, Jenna Giannino, Jake Gude, Sarah Harsel, Sam Kim, Alvin Lin, Michelle Lund, Blake* Lunn, Courtney Madsen, Tessa Medrano, Jennifer Ramachandran, Santhosh* Robinson, Eric Robinson, Hunter Ryan, Shannon Samek, Jaqueline Sauer, Megan Shea, Emily Shrestha, Sampada Smith, Corinne Stansbury, Bradley Stasiak, Paula* Tozeva, Mariyana Wall, Lacey White, Clara Zheng, Carmen Zimmerman, Lisa

UMBC

Ahmed, Mehdee Angelos, Irene Barry, Justin Brown, Tyler Cayanan, John Ray Fanshaw, Abigail* Herrin, Sean Han, JiWon Kang, Min Khan, Tirzah Khan, Zayna Kilelu, Irwin Kleinhen, Derek Lim, Jared Martinez, Luz Nguyen, Robert Rivera, Ashley Stehman, Sierra Vangara, Esha

UMD: COLLEGE PARK

Albers, Alexandra Baek, Seungwoo Broemmelsiek, Rachel Choi, Eunbin Clark, Julia Du, Lucy Epstein, Abby Fontelieu, Jason Forakis, Eleni Hermann, Jack Hine, Madison* Hobbs, Dimitri Hong, Peter Hughes, Bridget Ilieva, Kati Jensen, Daniel Krayzman, Tomer Kuhr, Lauren Lee, Joel Lee, Kristy Longest, Daniel Mason, Nathan McGrain, Alison Minas, Arianna Minn, Hain Murphy, Faith Ng, Allie Pant, Shreeyad Pavoni, Lorenzo Ramirez, Alex Sauer, Audrey Saumell, P.J. Shah, Vaani Sproul, Brett Stocksdale, Alex Talley, Josh Um, Taelon Walters, Matt Walz, Emma Wenzl, Joe Wilhide, Matthew Yang, Victor Zhang, Jason Zimmerman, Michael

the griffin

may 19, 2017

alabama AUBURN

Ranjbar, Alexis

california CALTECH

Ye, Jessica

UC: IRVINE

Behrens, Ash

connecticut HARTFORD

Engleton, Xavier*

MISSISSIPPI STATE U of MISSISSIPPI RUTGERS

Bessette, Hayden Hsiao, Isabella Huebler, Abby Hundley, Chloe Meek, Jessica Schneider, Grace

WESLEY COLLEGE

Briggs, Pilar

florida BARRY

Witkowski, Emily

HUNTER COLLEGE

SEMINOLE STATE COLLEGE

Douglas, Jayquan

georgia

Dent, Ronald

NYU

hawaii

U OF HAWAII AT MANOA

Jung, Lydia

illinois ART INST. of CHICAGO

Peterson, Jenny

indiana

NOTRE DAME

Sogge, Will Sun, Daniel

PURDUE

Shen, Jolene

louisiana LSU

Williams, Raekwon

massachusetts BRANDEIS

Cheng, Michael

HARVARD

Sun, Sophie

NORTHEASTERN

Bostwick, Hannah

TUFTS

Chotivatanapong, Julie

mississippi ALCORN STATE

Anderson, Kayla*

south carolina

U OF ROCHESTER

Zapas, Greg

HIGH POINT

Atwood, Kate Bell, Brittany

LENOIR-RHYNE NC A&T STATE NC STATE

Foltz, Sarah Gorrell, Nicole

Farnum, Andrew

WAKE FOREST

MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE

Cascella, Matilde

Cofiell, Carli DeGori, Lauren

ohio

U OF TENNESSEE

OHIO STATE

Munoz, Sofia

Lannon, Sam McClellan, Davis Whitehurst, Tevian

VANDERBILT

Ellis, Matt

U OF OHIO

vermont

Castillo, Tyler

MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE

YOUNGSTOWN STATE

Krugman, Daniel

Sanford-Maddox, Bobbi

virginia

pennsylvania

BRIDGEWATER COLLEGE

ARCADIA

Merbach, Scott*

Valdez Ramos, Briana

BRYN ATHYN COLLEGE

Nance, Christian*

EASTERN

CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT

Bossi, Drew* Karner, Brad

HAMPTON

Huynh, Nathaniel Van Emden, Megan

FRANKLIN & MARSHALL

Park, You Jin

CENTRAL PENN

Goode, Contrell Johnson-Clay, Joshua McCamie, Morgan* Porter, Dawson*

JAMES MADISON

Stanford, Isaiah

CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE BEAVER COUNTY CC

Bolonda, Kiley Buckler, Spencer Cordell, Justin McGee, Kayla Marino, Matt Mexis, Leah Nemec, Karly Proefrock, Megan Smith, Peter Stude, Alex Sturiale, Luke Triantafilos, Kayla Vecchioni, Claire Weiner, Brooke Weiner, Julia Wheeler, Austin

BELMONT

Ervin, Stephan

Milchling, Mykayla*

U of SOUTH CAROLINA

tennessee

UNC: CHARLOTTE

Dreschler, Casey Klein, Emma Persinger, Drew

MARYMOUNT

Ko, Lisa

Roseboro, Chandler*

GANNON

Brothers, Isabella

Parrotta, Gianluca*

U OF WASHINGTON

washington, d.c.

AMERICAN

Aturaliya, Randhika

GEORGE WASHINGTON

Willard, Alaina

HOWARD

Williams, Arielle

west virginia SHEPHERD

Connolly, Matthew

WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN

LIMESTONE

WEST POINT

Williams, Alix

CORNISH COLLEGE OF THE ARTS

Samels, Emma

Bonaventura, Austin*

ELON

washington

CLEMSON

VASSAR COLLEGE

north carolina

WILLIAM & MARY

Wu, Ari

Byers, Jaylin*

Linhard, Emily

Wheeler, Alyssa

Fakhouri, Yasmeena Gilliam, Raevin Phan, Jason

Coles, Calli Gary, Eddie*

Feerick, Mollie Navarro, Argenis Sheikh, Saadi

GEORGIA TECH SCAD

U OF RHODE ISLAND

PACE

Swanson, Zach*

Stiers, Collin

rhode island

Arciaga, Vinny

COVENANT COLLEGE

Barringer, T.J.

McGhee, Amari McWilliams, Erin Velez, Oscar

MERCY COLLEGE

VIRGINIA TECH

Dooley, Shannon Du, Matthew Hill, Alli Levis, Matthew

Dorety, Jessie

YORK COLLEGE

Norman, Rataisha

ROANOKE

Dickens, Caid

THIEL COLLEGE

Levine, Nicole

JOHN JAY COLLEGE

RANDOLPH-MACON COLLEGE

Kansak, Catherine Anna

VILLANOVA

Hanley, Nora*

RADFORD

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

7

Boswell, Amaya

Podles, Claire* Shimanek, Abby Monroe, Chrystian

ITHACA COLLEGE

U of FLORIDA

Werkheiser, Nat

ST. JOSEPH’S

CORTLAND

Slomkowski, Hannah*

RINGLING COLLEGE OF THE ARTS

Richardson, A.J.*

Yan, Jessica

Fitzgerald, Patrick*

Dabkowski, Kaitlyn*

PENN STATE: YORK

COLUMBIA

JACKSONVILLE

Harmeson, Isabella

PENN STATE

Curriero, Sam Kuo, Kevin Walls, Aliah

new york

Gladstone, Ariana

U of DELAWARE

LEHIGH

Levine, Natalie

Gitlin, Mary Charlotte Wiggins, Autumn

YALE

delaware

JUNIATA COLLEGE

Harney, Philip

new jersey

Lee, Kenard

Hans, Meher Rothman, Meera

Johnson, Arianna

Hughes, Taylor

U OF NEW HAVEN

Knotts, Grace

HARRISBURG

Bewley, Hanna

senior map

WVU

international QUEEN’S (CAN)

Israni, Melissa

U OF AMSTERDAM (NED)

Manning, Brennan

U OF ST. ANDREWS (U.K.)

Musolf, Amanda

trade school Allender, Dashawn Beltran, Sandra Gary, Keisha Gray, Cheyenne McCroddan, Donovan O’Neill, Zachary Thai, Chuong Than, Vy Ky Weems, Stanley Wittman, Remi

armed forces AIR FORCE

Anderson, Arrion Mahlengu, Tumelo

ARMY

Espinal, Vanesa Gonglewski, Michael

COAST GUARD

Ford, Connor

MARINE CORPS

Dawson, Nick McCubbin, Devon Najera, Alex Ramos Urbina, Franklin

NAVY

Titus, Trevon

working

Ayers, Sawyer Chester, Greg Foster, Kenneth Frazier, Jada Howard, Andrew Jones, Kara Stonik, Joey

gap year

Bangert, Kaylin Bowman, Kayla Houston, Asia Huffer, Asia Mather, Hope McGowan, Amado Nelson, Daniel Parler, Maddy

Editor-in-chief Amanda Musolf collected and collated this information.

8

the griffin

features

May 19, 2017

Disparate passions fuele 1. Mary Charlotte Gitlin

grace schneider, staff writer ary Charlotte Gitlin seems born for stardom. After all, she earned lead roles as Elizabeth Bennet in last fall’s “Pride and Prejudice” and as Elle Woods in this spring’s “Legally Blonde: the Musical.”

But she’s far from a diva. She earned her chops playing Gaston’s silly sidekick Lefou in last spring’s musical “Beauty and the Beast.” Before that she played the demon Lilith in “She Kills Monsters.”

She plans to major in a S.T.E.M. field at Rutgers University.

So, why acting?

“Because I like telling stories that make people feel something and provide an escape from the repetitive nature of daily life,” Gitlin said.

What makes her so good at it? Theater teacher Tami Moon credits Gitlin’s work ethic as well as her empathy.

“She’s always aware of everyone around her, and she can figure out what they need, and she makes sure they get it,” Moon said.

Fellow actor and senior Michael Cheng (Emmett Richmond in “Legally Blonde”) can vouch for that. “’During Chip on My Shoulder,’ I had made a pretty bad mistake in my part, mixing up different verses and as a result, butchering lines. MC saved me by improvising and making it seem like I hadn’t messed up at all.”

M

2

1

2. Julia Clark

meher hans, editor-in-chief n a crystal clear April day in the midst of spring break, Julia Clark grasped a box of swarming honeybees, coaxing the insects into the wooden hive at her dad’s house in Smithsburg.

For the second year, this soon-to-be biology major at the University of Maryland, College Park bought a batch of 10,000 Italian honeybees to raise during the summer.

“You can feel them buzzing in the wooden box and I could hear them when I put my ear up against it. I held them in my lap the whole way home,” Clark said, recalling the first time she bought bees. “I was terrified.”

Her fear quickly transformed into fascination and advocacy.

“It’s a cool thing to get involved in since I’m interested in sustainable farming,” Clark said. “Beekeepers and bees have a symbiotic relationship and bees kept have a much higher chance of survival.”

In the classroom, Clark, a National Merit finalist and Banneker/Key scholar, is known for being the unofficial teacher.

“She’s able to take information that most people find difficult and help her classmates understand material better than I can sometimes,” Advanced Placement Biology teacher Marty Stranathan said. “It became obvious to me in September that the only way I could push her is if I ignored everyone else in the room, and that’s not going to happen ever.”

O

photo by meher hans

6

3. Shreeyad Pant

sophie bates, editor-in-chief hreeyad Pant is torn: major in biology or dance?

Enrolled in five Advanced Placement courses this year, including Biology, Pant has eyed a medical career for years.

But then he saw a break dancing tutorial by VincaniTV. The tutorials are on YouTube, according to Pant.

He also seeks critiques from friends, fellow seniors Avakash Bhat and Theo Mishra.

“Whenever I get a message from him with a video of his moves, I give him feedback on how he looks,” Mishra said, adding that he’s not a dancer, so he merely advises Pant on the aesthetics of his moves.

So, why is Pant’s nickname “Cuber?” After watching a friend solve a Rubik’s cube, Pant began cubing. His fastest solve is 7.5 seconds, which he said is almost impossible for him to repeat.

As for how Pant will fare at the University of Maryland, College Park, Bhat foresees success.

“He’s passionate about the things he does,” Bhat said. “He’ll study for hours to get good grades, then go back to practicing break dancing and cubing.”

S

4. Aliah Walls

meera rothman, editor-in-chief or Aliah Walls, writing is more than just a hobby. As a Sequel writer, English class intern and future journalism major at Penn State, Walls dabbles in diverse styles of writing.

“She’s willing to let her emotions show in her writing,” 10th-grade English teacher and internship mentor Alicia Drechsler said. “The tone is always compassionate and thoughtful.”

Walls is the writing intern in Drechsler’s A3 Standard English 10 class, calling her decision to become a writing tutor “the best decision in my high school career.”

“I’ve developed so many personal relationships with the students,” she said. “Not only making them better writers but really trying to encourage them because I feel like many of them don’t get that at home.”

Walls was notified that she had been named a Bunton Waller fellow and would receive full tuition to study journalism at Penn State.

“If she’s going to do any kind of journalism that involves talking to people and hearing their stories, people will open up to her because she’s a calming presence,” Drechsler said.

Of course, Walls will be missed.

“I wish I could have an Aliah in every one of my classes every year,” Drechsler said.

F

5. Collin Stiers

photo by grace knotts

emma walz, managing editor or Collin Stiers, technology and public service go hand in hand.

“What really interests me is making robots that mimic living creatures, combining what we already know about technology with some of the really efficient designs from nature,” Stiers said. In his sophomore year, Stiers employed this interest to spearhead an effort to build mobility and therapy devices for children with disabilities.

As the leader of the school’s robotics team, Stiers advises students on their robots.

“Whenever another school would ask me if anyone could help them to develop skills with programming or building of their robots, Collin was always the first to volunteer to help,” Robotics sponsor and technology teacher Erica Schmuck Wilson said. “He holds himself to a high level of work ethics.”

Additionally, Stiers is a planning officer in the Civil Air Patrol and a searchand-rescue instructor at the National Emergency Services Academy. He plans to attend Georgia Tech, and was recently awarded an ROTC. scholarship that will cover his cost of attendance as well as grant him a stipend. Upon graduation, Stiers is expected to complete eight years of service.

Why join the Army? For Stiers, it’s about fulfillment.

“Knowing that you did a long day of hard work for a greater cause, is really meaningful,” he said. “This is my way of being a leader in the world.”

F

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org

6. St

maria eber or Steph Advanc ing his all t This year nomics.

“I’m goin get the con sessions tha few of them Ervin’s pe “When he Ervin, wh his scholast “Just beca another tes This is an “When he What’s m “The only then can tea

F

May 19, 2017

9 features

the griffin

ed six stand-out seniors

3 photo by sophie bates

4

photo by meher hans

5

tephan Ervin

rhart, emlyn langlieb and emily williams, staff writers han Ervin, learning outweighs labels. Instead of jamming his schedule with ced Placement classes for the sake of taking them, Ervin has committed to givto just a few. r, half of his four-class schedule consists of AP classes. Among them is AP Eco-

ng to help sessions, paying attention in class and asking questions in order to ncepts done,” Ervin said. Of the before-school, after-school and lunch review at AP Economics teacher Phil Bressler has offered, Ervin has been to all but a m, he said. ersistence is above and behind, Bressler said. e doesn’t understand something in class that day, he’ll say, ‘See you at lunch.’” ho will study politics at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, credits tic improvement and steadfast determination to his optimistic outlook. ause you get a bad grade, it’s not the end of the world because there’s always st, and you can always work harder,” he said. nother area in which Ervin has stayed true to his words, Bressler said. e has a bad test he always rebounds,” Bressler said. “He doesn’t make excuses.” more, he embraces mistakes for their value. y way you can learn is by getting things wrong,” Ervin said, noting that only achers help him.

photo by meera rothman

photo by sophie bates

1.

SENIOR MARY CHARLOTTE GITLIN dances as Elle Woods, the lead character of the spring production of “Legally Blonde: the Musical.” Seniors and fellow cast members Isabella Hsiao and Hannah Bostwick dance in the background.

Theater director Tami Moon lauds Gitlin for her amiablity onstage and behind the scenes.

“She’s always aware of everyone around her, and can figure out what they need and makes sure they get it,” Moon said.

4.

SENIOR ALIAH WALLS helps sophomore Jordan Baker on an assignment in her writing internship class Feb. 22.

“The majority of the class is African American, which really made me upset because when I go to my AP and honors level classes, the amount of African Americans is significantly lower,” Walls said. “That opened my eyes to how much of a problem that is and how much I want that to change.”

5.

SENIOR JULIA CLARK unpacks a crate of new bees into her beehive in Smithsburg, Md. April 8. The crate contained a queen bee and about 10,000 individual bees.

Clark, who received the beehive as a Christmas present last year, tends to the bees at her dad’s house every weekend.

“It’s really important when you first install them that you find your queen bee,” Clark said.

2.

SENIOR COLLIN STIERS sets up a robot during a VEX Robotics club meeting Feb. 28 in preparation for the state championship March 4.

As club president, Stiers worked with club members to plan and execute building robots throughout the year.

“I’ve moved from a position where I was actually building robots to a position where I am over seeing people building robots and managing building robots,” Stiers said.

3.

6.

SENIOR SHREEYAD PANT practices a one-arm handstand freeze during B lunch March 24. Pant has a no-limit motto for practicing that keeps him motivated to work harder, he said.

“If you think to only practice three hours, but then you get to the two-hour, 50-minute mark and think of an awesome move, you would just have to call it a day,” Pant said. “If you don’t limit your hours then it opens a lot of availability and you can spend extra time to learn new things.”

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org

SENIORS STEPHAN ERVIN, Abby Huebler and Kriti Pradhan raise their hands in response to a question from Advanced Placement Economics teacher Phil Bressler during an early-morning review session April 24 in room 107.

Ervin was quick to clear up misconceptions about taking AP classes.

“With APs, it’s really just putting in the time and effort to actually study and take care of your studies. If you actually look over the material and listen in class, you’ll do fine,” he said.

10 sports

athletes

watch

VARSITY Dynamic goalie rallies team brian ellis, staff writer and daniel krugman, sports editor enior goalie Hannah Slomkowski brings an essential level of focus and intensity to the girls varsity lacrosse team, according to coach Kristi Korrow.

“She gets us really pumped up for games and the morning before she will always text us ‘Get ready,’” senior photo by sophie bates midfielder Claire Podles said.

HANNAH SLOMKOWSKI “She’s a big voice on our team.”

Slomkowski, known for leading the team cheer, has a history of channeling her leadership skills both on and off the field. In the offseason, she participated in BFS and immediately set herself apart as a leader, Korrow said.

FAVORITE “She is always pushing the people around SPORTS MOVIES: her to do better, encouraging people to 1. “Rudy” do more. ‘Get more push-ups in, get more 2. “Miracle” sit-ups in,’” Korrow 3. “The Sandlot” said.

The United States Military Academy at West Point is Slomkowski’s choice for college, where she will continue to play. Korrow agrees that it is a perfect fit.

“That high standard, that work ethic that she has pushing herself in-season and in the offseason was very impressive and speaks to how she will be as a cadet,” Korrow said.

While looking forward to West Point, Slomkowski took some time to reflect on her career here, which ended with a 13-12 overtime loss against Westminster May 15.

“We are a huge family. They are all honestly my best friends,” she said.

S

JUNIOR VARSITY Communicator carries team luke sturiale, staff writer and daniel krugman, sports editor ommunication and positivity have propelled freshman Anna Simoes into a leadership position on the junior varsity lacrosse team, teammates said.

“She tells us in the moment what to do in order to win.

Anna is there for the team and we listen to her calls,” photo by julie chotivatanapong freshman teammate Lucy ANNA SIMOES Jung said.

Simoes, a starting defender on the team, has played a crucial role in keeping the team organized defensively, contributing to their 6-2 record.

“If somebody loses their player on the field or they need help or they’re confused on where to go, Anna’s always FAVORITE in the back looking around and is always SPORTS MOVIES: aware of her surroundings and who to 1. “The Blind Side” help,” Jung said.

Junior varsity la- 2. “The Sandlot” crosse coach Kathleen Bryant agrees.

3. “Crooked Arrows” “Anna has really stepped up being vocal on the field and willing to help her teammates when needed,” Bryant said.

Jung recalls a tough midseason game against Hereford when Simoes’ leadership was on full display.

“In our Hereford game our defense was falling apart at the beginning and Anna stayed really calm and positive throughout the whole thing,” Jung said. “She was there for us and we were listening to her. She was a really good leader for us.”

Simoes was the anchor of a defense that held opponents to less than 6 goals per game. The team’s only losses were to Hereford, who defeated them 18-8 in the county championship May 8 to end the season.

C

May 19, 2017

the griffin

Consecutive titles not to be (Right) JUNIOR MIDFIELDER Lydia Naughton defends as a player from Franklin scoops up a groundball in the girls varsity lacrosse team’s 17-4 victory during the 4A/3A South Section 1 quarterfinal May 10. The team kept their momentum going with a 17-4 win against Urbana in the sectional semifinals. But, the Lions lost in their next game 13-12 against Westminster May 15. “They outshot us like crazy,” coach Kristi Korrow said. “They had 34 shots and we had 25.” (Bottom) SOPHOMORE MIDFIELDER Mae Dickens tries to get by a Franklin defender in the May 10 game. Dickens recorded three assists in the victory. “Our attacking unit played with composure and spread the ball around,” Korrow said, noting that the team had eight different scorers in the game.

Owls oust Lions

L photo by grace knotts

meera rothman, editor-in-chief uck wasn’t on the Lions’ side in the girls’ lacrosse 3A/4A South Section I finals May 15.

“It could’ve gone either way,” coach Kristi Korrow said.

The team, last year’s state champions, suffered a 13-12 loss in overtime.

“We had 14 turnovers and only 11 caused turnovers so we definitely lost that battle,” Korrow said. “Those little things make a big difference in the game.”

photo by grace knotts

After losing the draw, a goal in sudden death cost them the win.

Still, Korrow said she was proud of the team, calling the season “one that I won’t forget.” She commends their collaboration, recalling a moment of teamwork that led to a goal.

“Somebody meant to pass to Anna Griffith and it went a little high, but Casey O’Grady was right behind her,” Korrow said. “She fed Anna, who scored.”

Next year, the team will lose seven seniors. Returning players will include nine juniors, three sophomores and one freshman.

VARSITY BOYS TRACK TAKES COUNTY, PREPS FOR REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP JUNIOR ALEX OZBOLT won the 800-meter run JUNIOR JAMES GREEN won the 400-meter dash SENIOR NICO YARBOUGH set a county record in the high jump, clearing a height of 6 feet, 8 3/4 inches

4A NORTH REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MAY 19-20 AT PAINTBRANCH HIGH SCHOOL For postseason updates on track and more, see our website at dulaneygriffin.org

Record setter to compete at Frostburg U. sam harsel, staff writer and meher hans, editor-in-chief o hear senior Connor Gioffreda tell it, credit for his world record goes to his coach.

“My coach told me on every 50 I had to go 50 seconds or under,” Gioffreda said. “It was getting really close to the point when I had started going past my limit so on the last 100 I just sprinted.”

That coaching and effort earned Gioffreda a world record time of 26 minutes in the 1,500-meter freestyle at the Cincinnati Para-Swimming Open May 6-7. There, Gioffreda won 11 of his 12 events.

In addition to swimming in Paralympic competitions, Gioffreda will join the division III varsity swim team at Frostburg University. He’ll major in business administration, he said.

How has he become so successful after only three and a half years of

T

competitive swimming? Senior Austin Bonaventura, a friend and neighbor, credits Gioffreda’s dedication.

“Every day I biked past his house, and he’d be out playing basketball because he wanted to be good even though it was much harder for him because of his size,” Bonaventura said.

And Gioffreda embraces competition. He looks forward to vying against adversary Zach Shattuck., who like Gioffreda has dwarfism.

“I want to beat Zach – he’s my rival,” Gioffreda said. “We’re good friends outside of the pool, but inside we’re always trying to beat each other.”

Although he didn’t qualify for Olympic trials last summer, Gioffreda said he hopes to make it to Tokyo in 2020.

“That will be my senior year at Frostburg,” he said. “So it’s great timing.”

A Latin Club officer who organized gladiator battles for years, Gioffreda

photo from gioffreda SENIOR CONNOR GIOFFREDA swims during a June 2015 competition at University of Maryland, Baltimore County. “I’m best at butterfly. It’s a very beautiful stroke,” he said.

has impressed Latin teacher Dawn Mitchell.

“With his disability you would think that he would shrink from involvement with other students, but that is exactly the opposite,” Mitchell said.

“The kids have great respect for him.”

photo by sophie bates

SEE THESE STORIES ON OUR WEBSITE: GOLFER’S CHARACTER FUNDS COLLEGE, by sports editor daniel krugman ROLLING UP FOR CLASS, SPORTS INTERNSHIP, by associate editor matt ellis

photo from lannon (Left) SENIOR SAM LANNON warms up for a match against Perry Hall last fall. Lannon recently became Maryland’s first recipient of the Chick Evans full-ride scholarship funded by and bearing the name of the 1916 U.S. Open champion. “She is so deserving of all of the successes she has already experienced and will continue to experience throughout her life,” head coach Jamie Lee Bare said.

(Right) SENIORS ALEXIS RANJBAR and A.J. Richardson ride in a 4-wheeler on the track May 2 as part of their sports internships. “I really enjoy athletics, so it was the perfect internship for me,” Ranjbar said.

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

May 19, 2017

11 sports

the griffin

varsity lions notebook: This information was gathered May 17.

BASEBALL: The team faces Howard in the regional championship game here May 19. The Lions won their 11th straight game 6-3 against defending state champion Bel Air in the 4A North Section I finals May 16. “Our pitchers have been throwing well lately, and that’s key,” junior catcher Mitch Lavoie said.

BOYS LACROSSE: The boys lost to Westminster 20-5 May 15 in the 4A/3A South Section I finals, finishing with an 8-8 record. Senior captain midfielder Jack Hermann acknowledged the other team’s offensive power. “The other team was scoring from all over the place and swarming to the ball,” Hermann said. “Our goalie and the rest of our defense played their hearts out.”

GIRLS LACROSSE: The girls lost a heart-breaker 13-12 against Westminster May 15 in the 4A/3A South Section I finals. The Lions finished their season 11-5, missing a chance to repeat as 4A state champions. Senior midfielder Claire Podles cited the Owls’ fast start as a factor. “When

SOFTBALL: The team squares off against Bel Air in the sectional finals here May 17. The team moved on after trouncing Catonsville 12-4 in the 4A North Section I semifinals May 15. “We were a little shaky at first,” senior outfielder Mia Dikos said of the team’s first playoff game. “But, once we got into it, we did what we did best, which is win.”

TENNIS: Senior Jessica Ye and the mixed doubles team of seniors Alli Hill and Daniel Sun will vie in the state tournament May 26-27 at Wild Lake Tennis Club. They each finished in second place at the Region VI tournament May 16-17 in order to qualify. “We all play outside of Dulaney,” Hill said. “Having the full year commitment really helps.”

TRACK AND FIELD: The team will run in the 4A North regional championships May 19-20 at Paint Branch. The boys team advances after claiming their second straight county title. The girls placed sixth at the home meet May 13. Junior Alex Ozbolt said strategy learned during practice motivates the team to do well. “In our minds, we make a picture of the actual race and we envision ourselves reaching our goals,” Ozbolt said.

For the junior varsity Lions Notebook, see our website.

Crediting four-year varsity athletics

The Griffin asked four-year varsity athletes what their sports careers taught or provided them. Here are their condensed responses.

FIELD HOCKEY Claire Podles: resilience FOOTBALL Kenard Lee: maturity and humility GOLF Samantha Lannon: leadership SOCCER Calli Coles: gratification and affirmation Kaitlyn Dabkowski: friendship and opportunity BASEBALL Drew Bossi: togetherness and reliance Nicky Manzoni: maturity and a chance to build relationships LACROSSE Kaitlyn Dabkowski Madison Hine: accountability Emma Klein: tension release

photo by sophie bates CLAIRE PODLES

“I have made some of my best friends through sports, which I’m grateful for.

I’ve learned to push myself harder than I ever knew I could, and they have been a huge source of passion and resiliency for me,” Podles said.

A

patrick fitzgerald, sports editor college’s star football player walks across the stage at graduation in the football stadium where they have spent dozens of Saturdays performing in front of thousands of fans. Their college life has come full circle, ending in the stadium where they envisioned their athletic dreams coming true. And what is their major? Sports, of all things.

In an article titled “Why Not a College Degree in Sports?” that was published on the New York Times website in September, Roger Pielke Jr. argued in favor of a degree in athletics as a way to keep big-time athletics tied to academic objectives. Another advocate of a degree in athletics is former university administrator John V. Lombardi, whose case for a “sports performance” major rests on a structured curriculum in a variety of areas pertaining to sports, such as history, law

watch

VARSITY

His hitting fortifies team will behm, staff writer enior Ronald Dent kicked off the season hitting a homerun March 21 at Hereford in the team’s first game.

In fact, this season Dent has hit three homeruns, including a game-tying blast against Bel Air in the playoffs. photo by sophie bates “The whole bench was RONALD DENT up and the intensity was great,” Dent said. “I was just trying to capitalize off of that by getting another base hit, and the wind was blowing out and [the ball] kept going.”

Dent attributes his power to practice. He participated in BFS for FAVORITE two years and practiced at Prime Sportsplex SPORTS MOVIES: with the team twice a week in the offseason.

1. “The Sandlot” He has played nearly 2. “The Benchwarmers” every position on the baseball field here.

“I don’t really think 3. “Hardball” I have a primary position,” Dent said. “I was always taught to play anywhere that can get you a spot on the field.”

In addition to his adaptability, teammates and head coach Drew Burton admire Dent’s relentlessness.

“Ron never takes a play, a pitch or even a rep in practice off,” Burton said. “He always gives 100 percent focus on the baseball field and keeps the other guys on the team focused.”

Yet, Dent labels his personal skills among his best.

“I think my biggest strength is picking someone up after they make a mistake. I would make them laugh or say a joke to let them know—it’s okay, get the next one and I got your back,” he said.

S

JUNIOR VARSITY

OUTDOOR TRACK Contrell Goode: motivation and encouragement TENNIS Alli Hill: relentlessness Daniel Sun: competition and respect For accompanying quotes, see our website.

photo by hanna bewley DREW BOSSI

“Baseball has brought me together with a great group of guys that I know I can rely on even after I graduate and go to college.” Bossi said.

Sports degree in college doesn’t add up on the mound

athletes

they got up on us, it felt like we started to panic and foul,” Podles said.

and finance. Students would receive credit for these classes as well as for playing and training for their sport.

But, this would just create one-dimensional people who know nothing besides the world of sports. College athletes often leave college early or graduate with aspirations to play professionally. When that doesn’t pan out, they struggle to adjust to life in the real world.

“It would be all too easy for the courses to turn into ‘cupcake’ classes.”

Proponents of the sports performance degree see it as a way to educate and train the next generation of sports leaders. They compare receiving credit for playing a sport at a high level to receiving credit for music, singing or dancing.

There is no doubt that sports, like the arts, require a rigorous level of train-

ing and mental sharpness in order to fully master. It takes thousands of repetitions over the course of many years to develop a perfect jump shot or throw a knee-buckling curveball, both of which I am still trying to master.

But, sports and the scandals surrounding them have already rocked the foundations of prestigious academic institutions, such as the University of North Carolina, where athletes took fraudulent classes in the university’s African and Afro-American Studies Department and Syracuse University, where basketball staff members completed assignments for players.

Even the most ardent advocates of the degree admit that they would require close administration. Since this degree program would be dominated by athletes, it would be all too easy for the courses to turn into “cupcake” classes.

A possible compromise would be to offer sports performance as an option for a minor or concentration so that the hard work of student-athletes would have some academic value but not be their principle area of study. Plus, athletes can still pursue related undergraduate majors such as kinesiology and sports management.

But, for now, a degree in sports performance is not the answer.

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

Impressing with versatility giorgio gayleard, staff writer ophomore Bennett Musselman is a four-tool player: one with speed, a strong throwing arm, the ability to hit for contact and power and good fielding, according to baseball coaches and teammates.

“He has a great baseball IQ,” freshman infielder Finn photo by sophie bates Drew said. “When the ball is BENNET MUSSELMAN hit to him he always knows where to go and what to do with it.”

In the April 24 game at Eastern Tech, Musselman did just that, making a diving catch in right field to preserve a shutout. The team won 11-0.

“Bennett’s contribution to the team goes beyond the stat column. He knows how to bring the best out of his teammates FAVORITE and certainly himself as well,” head coach SPORTS MOVIES: Jake Handler said.

Teammates also note 1. “The Longest Yard” his diverse skillset.

“Bennett plays any 2. “The Water Boy” position: shortstop, outfield, pitcher, you 3. “Bull Durham” name it. He’s flexible and can help almost anywhere on the field,” sophomore captain Brian Ellis said.

This season, Musselman played primarily in the outfield, but also saw success on the mound, winning three games.

The team clinched their second straight county championship with two wins over Loch Raven May 4 to finish with a 13-1 record.

Musselman credited a positive attitude as one of his keys to success.

“My motto is to just smile because if you get down on yourself you won’t be able to perform the best you can,” he said.

S

12 features

the griffin

May 19, 2017

Venture to city for Asian delights REVIEWS:

Fusion eatery pours on spice

A

photos by maria eberhart (Left) THE INTERIOR of TenTen Ramen. (Right) TONKOSTSU RAMEN with slices of pork, menma (bamboo shoots), fresh bean sprouts, scallions, and half an egg.

Say hello to tons of tasty ramen

P

maria eberhart, staff writer repare to ditch the instant noodles—one of Baltimore’s first authentic Japanese ramen shops, TenTen Ramen, gives the midnight snack a star treatment.

Walking through the door, servers greeted me with “Konnichiwa” (“hello” in Japanese) enthusiastically. The space was warmly lit with traditional lanterns hanging above an open bar adorned with posters, instructing eager customers to eat ramen quickly to best enjoy it. Televisions protruded from the brick walls, displaying imaginative Japanese animated films.

I eased into the rich meal with an appetizer of seaweed salad ($4) and edamame ($3.50). The fresh seaweed was coated with a dressing of vin-

egar, garlic, and soy sauce, topped with a sprinkle of sesame seeds for a chewy crunch. Salt was scattered across the edamame, cooked to a perfect tenderness. The crisp vegetable plates provided a light palate cleanse before the deep flavors of the ramen dominated my senses.

The kitchen serves a variety of authentic ramen soups, providing a rare opportunity in Baltimore for genuine Japanese cuisine. The tonkostsu ramen, soup made from boiled pork bones, is offered with four different classes of broth flavors. My go-to favorite is the miso ramen ($11) due to its intense, more robust flavors that combine into a rich and hearty milk broth. If you crave a broth with more of a punch, make the tonkostsu ramen spicy for one dollar extra. The spicy oils develop beautiful varying textures within the ramen broth.

Let’s talk toppings. TenTen includes an assortment of toppings into the

carefully crafted bowl. The tonkostsu ramen feature slices of pork that bring a smoky richness to the soup, in addition to menma (bamboo shoots), fresh bean sprouts and scallions for an added crunch. A top the ramen sits half an egg, cooked to a perfect soft-boiled firmness.

Not in the mood for ramen? The menu offers several rice dishes as well, most notably the chicken teriyaki ($9.50) which combines strips of tender chicken and chewy vegetables marinated in a tangy sauce.

OVERALL RATING: TenTen Ramen: 413 N Charles St., Baltimore Monday–Friday: 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m., 5 p.m.–9:30 p.m.

Tuesday: Closed Saturday: 11:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m.

Sunday: 3:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m.

After about a 10-minute hyunsung ko, staff writer s a Baltimore native, wait, a runner emerged, I sometimes forget handing us our meals. As to notice the little I braced myself to dig in I things that shape the city. couldn’t help but notice the From first glance at Ekiben, exquisite shape of the bun an Asian fusion restaurant, along with the number of my mind turned immedi- different ingredients that ately to the thought of the were in front of me.

It was love at first bite. The unique. Though little in size, the culture and enticing aro- taste of fresh, sweet, sour mas make up for the small- and spicy infiltrated my mouth. From that point on, scale dining I took each area. bite with It almost precision to felt as if I was fully enjoy waiting for the extravaa food truck. gant dish I Started at had. the Fells Open six Point Farmdays a week, ers’ MarEkiben ofket, Ekiben fers taste, grew from color and the commudelight.

If nity’s heartphoto by hyunsung ko in warming re- NEIGHBORHOOD BIRD: Taiwanese curry you’re fried chicken thigh topped with spicy Fells, you sponses. sambal mayo and pickles. won’t want Though only having the choice be- to miss this. tween a steamed bun and a rice bowl, Ekiben’s variety OVERALL RATING: doesn’t disappoint. I chose the Neighborhood Bird: Taiwanese curry fried chicken thigh topped with spicy Ekiben: sambal mayo and pickles 1622 Eastern Ave, Baltimore ($9), while my mom chose Monday–Thursday: 11a.m.– the Spicy Bird Bowl: Taiwan- 3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m.–10 p.m.

11a.m.– ese curry fried chicken with Friday–Saturday: Ethiopian spices and cole 3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m.–11p.m.

Sunday: Closed slaw ($12).

‘DAMN.’ disappoints like someone trying to rap while running a 5K. But, because he’s Kendrick Lamar, people love it.

The most disappointing part of this album is the lack of complex beats.

The songs “YAH.” and “XXX,” are overwhelmingly amateur.

Lamar employs subpar lyrical talent. In “ELEMENT.,” Lamar raps with somewhat impressive lyrics but then practically ruins the song with a trash chorus of pointless profanity. Another issue is that almost half of this album is pop, not hiphop, with songs like “LOYALTY. (FEAT. RIHANNA)” and “LOVE. (FEAT. ZACARI).”

He dropped one of the greatest rap albums of all time, “Good Kid, reproduced by permission of Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Enter- M.A.A.D. City” in 2012, which retainment and Interscope Records volved around his struggles while living in Compton. But since then quinn mccabe, staff writer he has gone downhill. He released “To t this point, it seems that Kendrick Pimp A Butterfly” in 2015 which was inLamar can do no wrong in his fans’ jected with jazz, soul and funk, but then eyes. The hype that comes with disappointed fans with “Untitled Unmasanything he puts out is ridiculous—people tered” in 2016. “DAMN.” is a step in the automatically think everything he does is right direction but only because its predegodly. It’s just that rap has taken a horrible cessor sounded like an asthma attack. turn towards mumbling (Lil Uzi Vert and There are a few good songs like “FEAR.,” 21 Savage, anyone?) so when someone, eswhich is eight minutes of Lamar opening pecially Lamar, drops music that is even up about how fear runs peoples’ lives in the slightest bit meaningful or deep, the the hood. “FEEL.” is the deepest song on world goes crazy because they have been the album as Lamar slows it down and starved of real hip-hop. recalls times when he almost gave up be“DAMN.,” Lamar’s newest album, is decause he “feel[s] like there ain’t no tomorcent compared to his other albums. The row.” “DNA.” is also pretty good and has track list is disorganized and it seems like a a flare that is easy to bump to. bunch of songs with different moods were Overall, “DAMN.” is disappointing. Lajust randomly placed together. mar has the potential to become the king of The single that dropped prior to the alrap one day, but mediocrity like this will bum’s release, “HUMBLE.,” has now not get him the crown. reached number one on the charts. While that’s impressive, the song has an extremeOVERALL RATING: ly repetitive beat and doesn’t really showcase Lamar’s poetic abilities. He sounds

A

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

the griffin

May 19, 2017

post: Victoria

13 features

Oluajayi TF Tart frozen yogurt, then add brownies, pretzels, strawberries and top it off with chocolate or butterscotch sauce. I spend around $14 a week on frozen yogurt because I get it twice.

Senior and frozen yogurt enthusiast Victoria Oluajayi sat down with editor-in-chief Sophie Bates to share her favorites and talk about how she wants to change the world in a positive way.

WATCHING: Right now I’m watching a lot of “Dance Moms.” It’s just a bunch of girls in Abby Lee’s dance company and they go to competitions for dance. I like the drama and I think it’s just really interesting.

I also like “Scandal,” because the star of it is Olivia Pope and she’s really smart and easily puts things together. I like how strong she is, especially because of her relationship with the president.

INSPIRING: The trait I want people to always associate with me is kindness, I just want people to think about how nice I am. I want people to be happy when they think of me, I just want to make them smile. On my birthday, my cousin told me about how positive I am. On my recommendation letter, Ms. Knott wrote about how much I seem to enjoy school and my positive light.

PLANNING: I’m going to Mount St. Mary’s University for two years. I’m a part of a dual enrollment program so I will be working on getting my Health Sciences degree, but I am also going to be sent to UMD to do a nursing program.

Then, after the two years I will be a registered nurse. I’m doing it so I can be marketable after four years because I plan on going to medical school and need the prerequisites for it, instead of majoring in biochem. I want to be a pediatrician, I love kids and just feel like I would be so careful and have the ability to care for them.

LISTENING: I am obsessed with the song “Location” by Khalid. I really like that song because it’s so smooth and relaxing, and it talks about love. I use Spotify because if you have the college discount, it’s only $4.99 for premium. On Spotify, I listen to a lot of Kirk Franklin, especially “Looking for You” because it’s so uplifting, Khalid and Kehlani.

FOLLOWING: I follow Kylie Jenner on Instagram and I love her. I like her so much because she’s so pretty and knows how to just stunt, and all I really want to do is stunt. My handle is vfa.o, so follow me on Instagram! Outside of that, I just try to be inspired by strong-willed women, like Abby Lee from “Dance Moms.” I admire determination.

CHERISHING: The Area String Festival held here for orchestra students from feeder middle and elementary schools in April. Our orchestra class—I play violin—performed some classical and traditional songs. Afterwards, my friends and I went to Tutti photo by sophie bates Frutti.

EATING: I love Tutti Frutti so much. Frozen yogurt is so amazing because of all the probiotics in it, and I love the toppings. If I were to build one right now, it would start with

an artist among us: SENIOR and literary editorin-chief for Sequel Magazine Jen Medrano confers with adviser Meekah Hopkins in over a blog post in January. “When I applied for the position of literary editor, I wanted to be a role model for this year’s Sequel class,” Medrano said.

photo by julie chotivatanapong

Author, poet finds her place

I

Meekah Hopkins praises Medrano’s talent. julie chotivatanapong, editor-in-chief “Not only is she prolific with her writnstead of sunbathing in the Bahamas or sleeping in at home, senior and Sequel ing, her work spills over and is woven with literary editor Jen Medrano spent last beautiful, interesting imagery,” Hopkins summer co-writing “Kiss the Bride,” the said. “But the best thing about her as a only student-led school play here, which writer is her willingness to seek out feedback, to consider ways to improve.” debuted in October to sell-out audiences.

Outside of school, Medrano is an avid “It was an absolutely amazing experience,” Medrano said. “I worked with five poet, using journals as outlets for her other talented writers, creating beautiful thoughts. She also ran a poetry Instagram page featuring characters and over 400 of her laughing at evown poems, but ery other line has discontinued in the comedic the page to purmurder mystery. sue further writWe met up twice ing endeavors. a week, every “I’ve been tryweek, and kept ing to start my writing and writsecond book,” ing and writing.” she said. “But But Medrano’s right now, I’m in writing experia bit of writer’s ence began far photo by grace knotts before the play. “ALIVE AGAIN,” one of Medrano’s poetry pieces, is displayed in Se- block.”

Medrano plans In June 2013, quel Magazine’s 2017 edition. The poem was placed beside “Coy on majoring in she began writ- Koi,” a piece of art made by senior Caroline Surak.

English and miing her own ronoring in creative writing at Towson Unimance novel.

“My writing has changed a lot since then, versity. She said her love for writing has but it’s something I did that’s special to been and always will be a defining part of her character. me,” she said.

“It’s one of those things that I feel has In school, Medrano extends her passion for creative writing as co-editor of Sequel, given me purpose and strength,” she said. dedicating her time after school towards “There’s nothing I value more than my the literary magazine. Sequel adviser writing.”

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

the griffin

14 features

May 19, 2017

Could it be? Bonding in physical education class?

F meher hans and meera rothman, editors-in-chief reshman Nicole Behrens looks to seniors in her gym class, not only for a pass in basketball, but also for advice on quelling the stress that accompanies the start of high school.

“Seniors make me chill out a little more,” Behrens said, noting that she probably wouldn’t have become friends with seniors if it weren’t for assigned seating. The squad setup coupled with the approximately 20 minutes of bookwork encourages seniors and freshman to mingle instead of self-segregating, she said.

Fourteen seniors are taking physical education this year, 11 of whom took Advanced Placement Biology, a double period class, during their freshman year.

“There’s a silent agreement between all people who don’t take gym freshman year that we’re going to take it senior year because we might as well,” senior Helena Hahn said.

Hahn took AP Biology and opted to take orchestra instead of gym that year.

For senior Sophie Sun, the gym class itself is enjoyable.

“It’s my favorite class,” Sun said. “It elevates my selfesteem because I can do actually do stuff. It’s kind of like

recess.”

Senior Vaani Shah, who has class with Hahn, has made connections with the freshmen in her class.

“I thought I wouldn’t have any friends in that class but with time, I have some freshman friends that I made,” Shah said. “I can relate to them. I was in that position.”

Senior Ari Wu shares the same sentiment.

“We are equals,” Wu said. “A lot of upperclassmen like to think freshman are beneath us, but they are human beings.

They’re pretty funny and, sure they have their quirks and some are pretty naive, but they are just like the rest of us.”

Like Behrens, senior Jessica Yan finds that she can bond with the freshmen over shared stress.

“A lot of them are worried about interviews or getting an A or they keep asking us about teachers, so I think that’s one way that we can connect with them,” Yan said. “We try to make them less stressed—we’re like ‘you have a long way to worry about that.’”

The feeling is mutual.

“You get to see high school from a whole new perspective,” freshman Anne Wang said. “Some of the seniors I know serve as role models, and I want to follow in their

footsteps.”

What’s the teacher’s take on seniors in his phys. ed. class?

“I’d say they’re 98.6 degrees,” Ryan Wolfsheimer said.

“They’re a body.”

Seniors lead It’s Ac to strong finish

W

photo by doria diacogiannis (Left to right) SENIORS DANIEL JENSEN, Nathan Mason and history teacher John Wagner chuckle after a misstep during an It’s Academic practice round after school in room 111 April 25. The team advanced to the finals for the fourth time in the 19 years he has sponsored the club, Wagner said.

photo by meher hans SENIOR ARI WU eyes a volleyball lobbed his way as freshman Jen Bai prepares for the set during their 1A physical education class Feb. 21. “I would say it’s better than being in gym as a freshman, if you don’t mind talking to younger people,” Wu said.

julie chotivatanapong, editor-in-chief hen the It’s Academic team qualified for the finals match this spring for the first time in four years, the name of their captain was the same as it was four years ago – Jensen.

Senior and captain Daniel Jenson, along with teammates senior Nathan Mason and sophomore Casey Kuhn finished second to Centennial High School in the It’s Academic Television program finals May 13, the same match to the same opponent that his sister Anna Jensen’s team faced in 2013.

“On one hand, I am a bit disappointed that I didn’t beat her outright and, therefore, be named superior,” Jensen said. “But by tying her, I at least get to share being the alpha sibling with her.”

The trio competed against 81 other teams and won $2,500.

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

“I would’ve liked to win, obviously, but Centennial is really tough, so I’m proud of what they accomplished,” sponsor John Wagner said.

During state semifinals, Jenson buzzed in a question with one second on the clock. Had he not, the team would have lost, according to Jensen.

Mason commends Jensen for his quick thinking and his collaboration.

“We’re both good at history and geography, and because of these similar strengths we know how to work well together,” Mason said.

After four years on the team here, Jensen recalled a particularly amusing moment one day during practice.

“It was supposed to be really simple,” he said. “’What is the closet star to the Earth?’ Arman and I both blurted out Proxima Centauri. Well, the answer’s the Sun.”

the griffin

May 19, 2017

fashion forward The focus of senior Alaina Willard’s life is simple: artistry and structure.

Willard sat down with editors-inchief Sophie Bates and Amanda Musolf to share how her passion for interior design and architecture, which she will be studying in the fall at George Washington University, extends to her everyday fashion.

Soph performing abroad Composer William Chen wins international contest

S

Q: What inspires you to dress well every day?

A: I don’t really look up to celebrities or anything, I just enjoy doing and wearing my own thing.

My parents inspired me to start interior designing. They never really pushed me to become an “art person,” but they definitely influenced me a lot and put me in all sorts of art classes.

Q: Why interior design?

A: I’ve always been interested in 3-D things. I used to cut the sides out of paper bags and construct doll houses and make the furniture and paint the little pictures on the walls.

15 features

photo by amanda musolf SENIOR ALAINA WILLARD dons a J.Crew jean jacket, striped boatneck top from Madewell, black Ann Taylor LOFT skinny jeans and white hightop Vans.

Q: What made you choose GWU? A: I wanted an accredited interior design program and no schools in Maryland had one, so that forced me to look out of state. My dad and I went to all of these different schools and met with the heads of the departments and I got to learn more about each school’s program. I just loved GWU because I love Washington, D.C. and I could really see myself going there.

hanna bewley, associate editor ophomore pianist and composer William Chen will travel to Vienna this August to perform his original piece “Solace” after placing third internationally in the Golden Key Composition Competition. “‘Solace’ reinvents my style in a well-crafted jazz ballad with contrasting melodies,” Chen, who started composing at age 11, said.

Before his international award this year, Chen won the Music Teachers National Association State Composition Competition in 2016.

Chen says his composing was inspired by a desire to learn the mechanics behind his favorite pieces.

In his piece “Nausicaä,” Chen uses what he calls “simple but beautiful quarter notes motif over flowering extended chord arpeggios.”

“I pour as much emotion as possible into my music, and I value beauty the most,” Chen said.

Orchestra teacher Barry Chesky admires Chen’s unique talent.

“He’s got a good ear, he can play classical piano, he can play jazz piano—he’s just a very versatile musician,” Chesky said. “We’ve had great pianists come through here before, but his ability to compose a piece of music is what really makes him stand out. ” Chen notes that some of his favorite composers to

photo by grace knotts SOPHOMORE WILLIAM CHEN performs three pieces during A lunch in room 118 May 15. In order, he played “Un Sospiro” by Franz Liszt, “Fantaisie Impromptu op. 66” by Frederic Chopin and “Liebestraum no. 3” by Liszt, all from memory.

study and play are Chopin, Liszt and Beethoven.

Chen strives to create a central theme throughout each individual piece, he said.

“I’ll try to create a scene or landscape through music,” Chen said. “One of the pieces I’m working on now is based on the idea of a lush fantasy.”

He advises other students to focus on what they enjoy but not be discouraged from trying new things.

“Finding your strength is the most important key to success,” Chen said.

scene

Q: What is your favorite place to shop?

A: My favorite store at the mall is Madewell, and that’s basically my entire style. I’m obsessed with that store. It’s kind of 70’sinspired retro, but modern at the same time.

dulaney

(Left to right): SENIOR JOSHUA JOHNSON and junior Ireland McGuigan pull weeds in the garden plot near the Satellite cafeteria during John Enders’ period A2 horticulture class May 3. “I’m too tall for short work,” Johnson said as he and the rest of the class prepped the spot for vegetables, herbs and flowers that will be tended over the summer.

This marks the second consecutive year horticulture classes have planted the garden, Enders said.

Q: What does dressing well include for you?

A: I always accessorize, no matter what I’m wearing. I’ll wear a sweatshirt and leggings but still find room for jewelry. Even when I try to be comfortable, I still like to feel put together. photo by sam hiaasen

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

the griffin

16 features

May 19, 2017

Seniors look to summer, beyond DANIEL JENSEN:

MATT DU:

“I’m hoping to finish ‘The Da Vinci Code.’

I read about a quarter of the book on the plane back from Italy (with the other Latin students) over spring break. I got a special illustrated version from the library. It has pictures of all these famous pieces of art we saw on our trip.”

“It’s like our last big blowout with all of our friends and we’re going to be able to do things that we want to do. It’s gonna be a wild time, I’m excited. This is probably the last time I’m going to see 99 percent of our class.”

“Over the summer I really do want to read up on the classics I haven’t gotten to read now that I don’t have to read for school. Like ‘The Great Gatsby’—that movie and that book have my heart.”

“When I say ‘I’m going to Disney World,’ [people] just laugh and joke about it being a place just for kids. I mean, I get that, but I’m definitely not a party person and I see myself having fun there.”

ESHA VANGARA:

ISABELLA BROTHERS:

AMADO MCGOWAN:

“I’m probably like a 7 or 8, optimism-wise, for my future. I’ve got my own business already, and I’m not sure if I want to go to school. If I do, I’ll probably go to community college.”

JASON PHAN:

“I just haven’t planned it, really. I never thought about it.

My family wants me to stay close, but I want to move out. I don’t think that my art is good enough to be in the field I want to be in.”

Playlists to enliven Ocean City drive

To determine these percentages, Griffin reporters administered a pen-and-paper survey in all levels of English classes in February. More than 350 of the 494 seniors were surveyed. Editor-in-chief Grace Knotts and staff writer Vinny Arciaga contributed to this report.

FOR OLD SOULS

FOR PARTY PEOPLE

FOR INDECISIVE DJS

FOR EASYGOING TRAVELERS

by staff writer maria eberhart

by staff writer emily williams

by staff writer hyunsung ko

by associate editor hanna bewley

1. “Boys Don’t Cry” by The Cure 2. “Rock the Casbah” by The Clash 3. “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” by The Smiths 4. “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division 5. “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie*

1. “6am” by Fitz and the Tantrums 2. “Lovers Rock” by TV Girl 3. “Way to Go” by Empire of the Sun 4. “Waves” by Miguel (Tame Impala Remix) 5. “Junk of the Heart (Happy)” by The Kooks*

1. “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC 2. “Upside Down” by Jack Johnson 3. “Go Flex” by Post Malone 4. “Runaway (U & I)” by Galantis* 5. “It Ain’t Me (with Selena Gomez)” by Kyro

1. “Runaway” by Mat Kearney 2. “On Top of the World” by Imagine Dragons 3. “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey 4. “Home” by Phillip Phillips 5. “Waves” by Mr. Probz*

*This is the perfect song to bob your head to while crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. It combines Bowie’s classically witty lyrics with a great bass drum beat and helps break some of the heaviness of previous tunes.

*This would be perfect to play when you first arrive at Ocean City and see the white marlin statue fountain at Entry Park. You made it. Hot dog!

*Make sure to bump this song. Keep the windows open, sing along and get hype with this fast paced track. It’s fairly repetitive, and you’ll feel like you can “fly.”

*This song should be listened to when you have just crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, because you are that much closer to getting to the beach you have been looking forward to all year. This is the time to listen to a song about waves.

‘Capt. Ed’ tacks north mykayla milchling, staff writer and hanna bewley, associate editor o say sailing’s in his blood is an understatement.

Thanks to his father’s love for the sport, senior Eddie Gary began sailing when he was 6. That’s when he entered the Potapskut Sailing Association Junior Sail Camp.

Dozens of regattas later, Gary is poised to join the sailing team at the University of Rhode Island, where he’ll sail for the school’s varsity sailing team, coupling his athletics with a major in civil engineering.

“Every single freshman on the team this year is an engineering major,” Gary said. “Sailing is understanding water displacement and how the physics of the wind and the boat work together.”

Gary notes that his job as a sailing instructor often poses a challenge, requiring him to tone down his competitive spirit and allow himself and others to have fun. It’s not easy being a teenager instructing adults, he said.

“It’s tough because they don’t always want to listen to you, but the top guy put

T

down an iron foot and told them to understand that I’m in charge,” he said.

Gary’s no-quit attitude reaches beyond the seas, as others note his integrity.

“He is dedicated to the causes that he chooses to take up and will not quit until he has found success,” HVAC teacher Jamie Gaskin said.

Senior and varsity baseball teammate Hayden Bessette praises Gary for his reliability and ingenuity, recalling Gary’s role in constructing the baseball team room here.

“He does a lot of maintenance, too,” Bessette said. “He makes everything easier.”

Bessette even considers him to be a defacto team captain.

“He’s a captain on our team, not just on the water,” Bessette said. “He’s a good leader and makes sure everything is in order.”

Gary’s teammates rarely miss an opportunity to yell “captain” or “dinghy off the port bow” when he’s at bat.

“He knows we’re giving him a hard time and thinks it’s funny,” Bessette said.

photo from gary

photo from john bowers for varsity views

photo from ben hiaasen

(Clockwise from top left) SENIOR EDDIE GARY hikes out on his Laser Radial sailboat during the Rock Hall Yacht Club Regatta Aug. 6, 2013. Gary placed second among 18 competitors. GARY operates a bandsaw in his B2 HVAC class in room 238.

GARY, an outfielder for varsity baseball, prepares to catch a fly ball for an out earlier this spring.

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.