The Viewpoint October/November Issue

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Viewpoint

Mountain View High School 2135 Mountain View Road Stafford, VA 22556

STUDENT NEWS Magazine MVHS VOLUME 10 ISSUE 2 October|November

Varsity football went 7-3, see how their Chemistry was an important aspect of their Regular season on pages 12 &13

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The Viewpoint OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2015 VOLUME X ISSUE II

THANKFULNESS With Thanksgiving right around the corner, many people are beginning to tune their radios to their local Christmas station, forgetting the true meaning behind Thanksgiving itself. Thanksgiving isn’t just about eating, even though getting to eat your grandmother’s home cooking is the best part, but it’s more about realizing what you have and learning to never take it for granted.

This is the time of year to gather around the table and look at all that’s in front of you; your family, as cliché as it sounds, out of anyone, will be there and stand by you. Thanksgiving is the time to thank your family for everything they’ve done for you over the past year—from break-ups to make-ups and everything in between. Family can make us crazy sometimes, especially when it comes to siblings, but your family should always be there no matter what you do or where you go.

Friends are people who will stick by you through thick and thin, and many fail to thank those people for helping them get through rough times and only celebrate with them through all the good times.

Throughout high school you will make a lot of friends, even if you lose touch, don’t forget the good times you shared. Losing friends is an evident part of high school and life, but sometimes through them

Editorial Board

we meet new friends. Friends lead us to the light at the end of the tunnel when we feel lost. They often shape who you are and help you make memories you’ll cherish for the rest of your life.

Not everybody has a solid family to act as their rock, or friends to go to when something is wrong.

Be that person for somebody the next chance you get; be the person someone is thankful for.

This Thanksgiving, while you’re eating multiple plates of food, don’t forget the people that helped you make it through 2015. A simple show of thanks is all it takes to show your loved ones you truly appreciate the life that you’ve bettered because of them.

Staff Writers

Hailey Bullis Cory Haley Sarah Yakulis Social Media Editor

Krissy Poff

Copy Editors

Leah Garza Reagan King Adviser

Trisha Strahl

The Viewpoint is a cross-section of the news and opinions of the student body of Mountain View High School. It is a forum of expression published by aPrintis. Letters to the editorial board are welcome and should be submitted to rooms 303 or 311.

Staff Writers

Feature Figure

by Morgan Ocetnik

Maddie Albertson with Congressman Rob Whittman

Nicole Albertson

Maddie Albertson is an involved senior at Mountain View that has been working with politics for years.

She started at the end of her freshman year and worked at a state delegate campaign. That’s what sparked her interest in local, state, and federal politics. She’s always been interested and passionate about politics--so much that she knew it was something she wanted to do with her life. The next summer she worked for Congressmen Rob Wittman’s campaign, which she enjoyed. Then the summer of 2015 she worked for Mark Dudenhefer’s campaign and got promoted to a field director. As a field director for that campaign, she worked with two other seniors, knocking on doors in the summer time for the candidate. Her job was to manage all of that and handle all of the scheduling for the campaign with fundraisers or other events.

Last February Albertson went to work for the federal government and helped State Senator Richard Stuart during the legislative session. In Virginia, a legislative session lasts for 4-6 weeks.

During this time, all laws are made. She went and interned in Richmond. For a week she spent her time reading and organizing bills and doing office work for the senator. Albertson is planning on going back again this winter.

Initially, she had some connections because her father knew Mark Dudenhefer, but after that, it was just her doing it all herself. Albertson plans on pursuing politics in her future and has thought about being a legislative aid, which works for the state delegate or senator.

They help draft all of their bills and assist the politicians. “That what’s really interesting to me; I really like the policy and legislative side of things, and seeing all these bills become laws. I just think it’s all really cool,” said Albertson. She loves learning about anything to do with politics and keeps up with the news and media all of the time. She’s received a lot of her knowledge from experience in all of these internships and other programs Albertson has participated in, which will greatly help her in the future.

Jenny Bullers, Lily Cowper, Paige Doerfler, Michael Goffus, Zane Gobie, Alex Harrington, Morgan Ocetnick, Reagan King, Austin Venable Front Cover Photos: Hailey Bulis Editing Cory Haley 2014, 2015 Virginia High School League State Championship First Place Award Winner 2013, 2014, 2015 Free Lance-Star Best Over All Newspaper 2011 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist 2011, 2010 and 2009 Virginia High School League First Place Award Winner

Mountain View High School 2135 Mountain View Rd. Stafford, VA 22556

Loving The Viewpoint? There’s even more! Check us out on issuu.com to see more pages of content from The Viewpoint EXTRA. october | november 2015 q the viewpoint q 3

Fall Sports by Zane Gobie and Alex Harrington

Alex Harrington

Cross Country this season has taken four first place team wins at Great Meadows, Embry Riddle in Florida, Polegreen Milestat XC Invite and Conferences. Henrik Anderson, sophomore, said, ”This season the relationship on the team is phenomenal. Last year our varsity team was close but this year our team is so much closer. We consider each other our best friends.”

Football season has been great with a 7-3 regular season record so far. Jahlil Moore said, ”This year Coach just really motivated us.”

Golf had three wins and five loses this year. Dom Castelli, senior, said that this season was different because “this year was more competitive in the county so it made it a lot more fun to play.”

Volleyball has had a record of 7-10 for varsity, 7-6 for JV, and 7-2 for freshmen. “It was just a real growing year for the team. We have to adjust to all the new people since we lost seven seniors since last year,” said Tiara-Lynn McBride, junior.

The field hockey team has had a win/loss ratio of 15-3 for varsity and 5-4-1 for JV. “We had to sacrifice a lot of time from individual skill and spend more on teamwork. We can’t just have one person carry us,” said Lily Bryngelson, junior.

Hollywood Walk of Horror by Sarah Yakulis

Jolynn Wolfrey

This year to celebrate Halloween the Wild Acts put on their first ever haunted house experience. For three nights, students could buy tickets and be ushered to numerous rooms based on different classic horror films, all filled with plenty of scares. Months of work were put into building the sets and writing the script, but technical theatre teacher Mr. Hokanson said this was fully the student’s production. The idea came from the success of the Wild Acts’ production of Dracula last year and was modelled in the style of Kings Dominion’s Halloween Haunt. The cast of the haunted trail even visited Kings Dominion’s scare school to learn everything from scaring tactics to costume horror makeup. Senior Dylan Miles played the part of Dracula in the Haunted Trail. As he describes it, each room had the task of developing their own script and how they would scare: “The whole idea wasn’t to just be extremely scary and make everyone go home and cry themselves to sleep; it was more of an atmospheric experience with a couple jump scares here and there.” Sophomore Meredith Speet was an usher; she led the groups throughout the rooms and interacted with them. The ushers developed their own scripts as well, but also incorporated more improvisation. Everyone involved would agree that creating something on such an intense intimate level was a challenge, but they’re more than satisfied with the results they got. The Wild Acts will also prepare and perform their fall play, Frankenstein.

It’s that time of the year when college visits are frequent. Colleges from all over the country come to Mountain View to answer questions and explain why their colleges are the best choice for applicants. Many seniors have an idea of where they want to go already, but for those that don’t, these visits provide an opportunity for them to see what different schools offer. “At first, you just want to hop on the bandwagon with your friends, then you get there and it’s not what you expected at all,” said senior Bryce Bauckman. The representatives of each college discuss tuition, clubs, and what majors are offered and other college life problems, like housing.

“I thought I loved JMU, and that it was the school for me, until I visited it. When I realized I didn’t like it very much, I had to find an entirely new school,” Bauckman added. These visits can provide a last opportunity for seniors to make sure that the college is right for them, and to avoid any future regret about their choice.

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october | november 2015

Cory Haley

College Visits by Austin Venable

an overview at Mountain View of the last few months

Michael Goffus

Renaissance Night by Michael Goffus

After many cancellations and rescheduling issues, Mountain View’s chorus department hosted its annual Renaissance Night on October 27.

Those who attended were treated to face painting, hair braiding, balloon sword fights, and of course some very creative Renaissance outfits. “We rehearsed a lot, we had sign-ups for the kids to volunteer, we practiced the dances in advance, we had to find costumes to wear. Lots and lots of stuff,” said Bonita Keene, Mountain View’s chorus teacher. Throughout the night, attendees were treated to a hot dinner, well-rehearsed songs from the different choirs, and were even taught a partner dance.

After everyone had their fill, Renaissance-dressed chorus students led the attendees in to the auditorium. There, everyone was seated, and the younger kids were invited to sit up front. Thomas Bush (Sophomore), Sam Fulton (Senior), and Theresa Weigeshoff (Senior) told a story of friendship and kindness in The Reluctant Dragon, and the chorus students livened the story up by singing their well-prepared songs throughout it all.

An interest in the study of film and film-making has made a surprising appearance at Mountain View and brought about the establishment of the Film Society. Members get the chance to apply their interest in film, whether it is directing, working on the technical aspect, or expressing their passion for movies.

The club has organized speakers to share their knowledge of film at meetings and will soon begin working on submissions for the VHSL Film Festival in June. They will be creating a variety of pieces from public service announcements and commercials to short films, including documentaries and narrative pieces. Mountain View will also be hosting the second annual Stafford County Public Schools Film Festival in May. The idea of the club came from when Mountain View students were putting in service hours by helping A. G. Wright Middle School students with their film submission for the Film Festival last year. Eighth graders who worked on the project then carried the interest into high school and consulted the Mountain View Gifted and Accelerated Programs Coordinator, Star Kiesau.

Some students such as the club’s president, senior Erykah Tinnin, are using the club as an opportunity to prepare themselves for a future career in film.

“I want to do everything at once, so for now I’m claiming animating with Pixar as a future career and I hope that the skills I’m learning as president of the Film Society will help me in the future,” Tinnin said.

The club will also be hosting special events where they show classic films.

The Film Society is always actively seeking new members and encourages anyone to come after school on Mondays in room 507 to participate in this new club.

Reagan King

Film Society by Reagan King

october | november 2015 qthe viewpointq 5

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Heritage or Hate?

With recent events in Charleston and the US in general, many have raised a question, should the confederate flag be taken down?

No, leave it alone

The unfortunate shootings at an historically Black church in Charleston, SC rocked the nation. With it, it also brought new life to the movement whose goal is to ban the Confederate flag.

You may have seen it, whether flying over the back of pickup trucks down 610 or the giant flag flying by Route 17, the flag is definitely a mark of being in the South. The Rebel flag, “Dixie”, the Battle flag of Northern Virginia, Confederate flag, or whatever you may call it. Whether we like it or not, it has an undisputed grip over the South that is unlikely to vanish.

Ever since the end of the Civil War 150 years ago, the movement to ban the flag has been ever present.

The usual reasons that are given for banning the flag are it represents slavery and it isn’t heritage, rather it represents hate.

This judgement is rather outdated and misplaced.

Yes, the South did own slaves, but the North also owned slaves. Whatever the reasons for the Civil War may have been, ending slavery wasn’t the only goal.

This sounds hard to believe, but the president of the union, Abraham Lincoln, said it himself in his first inaugural address, one month before the Civil War: “I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so.”

The North’s only goal was to end slavery? I’m not so sure.

One must also consider what the intent of such symbols are, the Swastika originated in ancient India

(not Germany, contrary to popular belief ) and literally meant “good fortune”. It was not until World War II that we started viewing it as hatred sign, all because of horrendous individuals adopting it as their symbol.

In the same sense, is it really fair to say that everyone who flys the flag has the intent of displaying racial superiority?

Regardless, the actions of a psychopathic shooter Dylann Roof, managed to push some anti-flag legislation nationwide. Many retailers, such as Walmart and Amazon, took any merchandise bearing the flag off the shelves. Federal cemeteries banned the flag from being placed on cemetery grounds. Confederate flags were banned from Virginian license plates. There was even a petition right here in Stafford, Virginia to rename Jefferson Davis Highway to something “less offensive.” The petition garnered about 4,000 signatures. But it wasn’t enough to garner action.

In one very publicized incident, Chuck Netzhammer went into a Walmart bakery to request a Confederate flag cake. He was denied because of the flag.

He later came back with a decal of the ISIS flag and requested a cake to be made with this flag. The result?

It was made, no questions asked, and he picked it up.

Walmart later apologized and stated it was the clerk’s mistake, but one could imagine if one flag is banned for being offensive, all subsequent flags should be identified to make sure they have no negative impact before it is baked.

According to a poll conducted by Pew Research Center to determine how the nation feels about this, 1,507 people of all different backgrounds, ethnicities, socioeconomic groups, and other factors, took a survey asking about their reactions to the confederate flag. So … do most Americans find the flag offensive?

Yes, take it down.

Upon creation of the Confederate flag, its creator defined it by saying, “As a people we are fighting to maintain the heavenly ordained supremacy of the white man over the inferior or colored race; a white flag would thus be emblematical of our cause.”

The Confederate flag is an outdated, offensive, and racist symbol. It shouldn’t be displayed on anyone’s property, let alone a public space. The fact that the symbol is sold on shirts, mugs, and posters just shows how unwilling Americans are to let go of a racist symbol that offends so many people.

Many supporters of the flag are quick to say that it doesn’t symbolize the ideas of the Confederacy, but rather the history and heritage of the South.

By definition, the flag was created and altered to represent a group that believed African Americans were subordinate to other races and fought to keep slavery legal. The ‘history’ that it represents is one of the most dismal times in American history. Proudly flying the flag in front of your home or on the back of your truck tells those around you that you gladly support the message of the Confederacy.

by Austin Venable Not by a long shot.

Of all the results, 60% had no particular reaction to the flag. Furthermore, 9% had a positive reaction, where as 30% had a negative reaction.

So overall, 69% of the population could care less, or loves this flag.

What does this flag mean to me personally?

Absolutely nothing.

The chicken nuggets that I ate at McDonalds 10 years ago mean more to me than this flag does, and ever will.

However, one of the most important values my father ever taught me is tolerance of people. You don’t have to like what someone does to be tolerant of them. Taking anyway someone’s pride (for whatever reason it is important to them) is not conducive to being tolerant. I personally grew up in a neighbourhood were many people feel the flag represents their heritage, and while that may not be the case for me, I understand I am not the only person in the world and accept it. Indeed, some of the nicest and most loyal people I’ve ever met fly the flag on their truck, so the whole notion of these people being mean racists just does not make sense to me. The United States has been involved in many wars and has committed atrocities itself, but if a movement was started to ban the American flag, it would be an act of treason and they would be called terrorists.

I personally believe we all need to scale back and reconsider what’s worth fighting over. Holding the modern day population accountable for the terrible actions of their ancestors in the past is intolerance by itself. I know as a nation we are better than that.

by Michael Goffus

On June 17, proud Confederate flag supporter Dylann Roof opened fire on a group of Black churchgoers, killing 9. Roof was later arrested and charged with 9 counts of murder. During an interrogation, he allegedly told a private investigator that he intended to “start a race war.” Many began to realize the dark, racist nature of the symbol, and support for the campaign to get the South Carolina statehouse in Charleston to take down the flag increased.

Thirty-year old activist Bree Newsome scaled the flagpole and took the flag down herself and ended up in jail. She gained national support through a viral video that showed her brave actions and the hashtag #BreeNewsome. Even President Obama showed his support by tweeting “South Carolina taking down the Confederate flag – a signal of good will and healing, and a meaningful step towards a better future.” Newsome was later bailed out of jail thanks to a campaign to set her free.

Earlier this fall, a truck proudly showing off the Confederate flag passed by a Black child’s birthday party shouting violent threats, making racial slurs, and even showing off weapons. The racist supporters of the flag are the ones who give the other flag advocates a bad name. Admittedly, not all supporters of the flag are bad. In fact, many of them are fine people that just don’t understand what the flag

symbolizes. The flag should not represent the views of the United States as a whole. If you’re looking for a something to show your pride for your country, try flying the American flag. If you’re not racist or intolerant, then don’t convey yourself as someone like that.

The Confederate flag and Nazi swastika both symbolize extremist views on race. The swastika is illegal in its country of origin, while the Confederate flag is still proudly flown, even in front of government buildings. The Nazi flag symbolized a time full of Germany’s darkest history, where they oppressed an entire race of people just because of their ethnicity.

The Confederate flag symbolizes the same thing.

What’s the difference? Why do Americans feel the need to stand by a racist flag?

No flag or symbol is worth offending so many people. The gruesome history of the Confederate flag leaves nothing but a bad taste in America’s mouth. The laws restricting and banning the flag are good progress, but we as a country still have a long way to go before we can eradicate the symbol for good. So before you proudly fly the Confederate flag in your yard or on the back of your truck, just remember: history should be remembered – not relived. october | november q the viewpoint q 7

Fall Favorites

Autumn is here, and it’s time to take your cooking spoons and mittens out.

Bake yourself a treat for the season! by Morgan Ocetnik

Crockpot

Pumpkin Spiced Latte Ingredients:

• 6 cups of milk • 4-6 cups of strongly brewed coffee • 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree • 1/2 cup of vanilla extract • 1/2 cup of sugar • 2 teaspoons of cinnamon • 3 cinnamon sticks

Directions:

• In your crock pot, combine the milk and coffee.

• Whip together the pumpkin, vanilla, sugar and cinnamon and pour into the crockpot.

• Mix together well. Toss in 3-4 cinnamon sticks.

• Cover the crockpot, and cook on high for 2 hours.

• *If you don’t have a large group, you could easily halve the recipe. **I’ve been told that heating up the leftovers doesn’t work so well.

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Pumpkin Waffles

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& Apple Cider Syrup Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Yield: About 7 - 8 Belgian waffles

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour • 2 tsp baking powder • 3/4 tsp baking soda • 3/4 tsp salt • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon • 1/2 tsp ground ginger • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

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• 4 large eggs, yolks and whites separated • 1 pinch cream of tartar • 5 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided • 1 cup milk • 1 cup buttermilk • 1/4 cup canola oil • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree • 1 tsp vanilla extract • Vegetable oil cooking spray • Apple cider syrup, maple syrup or butter pecan syrup, for serving

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees and preheat a belgian waffle iron (non belgian should work fine too) to medium heat.

• In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg for 20 seconds. Create a well in center of mixture then set aside.

• To a separate medium mixing bowl, add egg whites and cream of tartar, then using an electric hand mixer set on high speed, whip until soft peaks form, then add 2 Tbsp of the granulated sugar and whip until medium-stiff peaks form.

• In a separate medium mixing bowl whisk together milk, buttermilk, canola oil, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, egg yolks and remaining 3 Tbsp granulated sugar. While whisking, slowly pour milk mixture into flour mixture and mix just until combined (batter will be slightly lumpy), then fold egg whites into batter.

• Spray waffle iron lighlty and evenly with cooking spray then pour necessary amount (whatever fills your waffle iron, mine was a scant cup) into waffle iron and cook according to model’s directions.

• Keep warm in preheated oven and repeat process with remaining batter. Serve warm with syrup of choice. cookingclassy.com

8 q the viewpoint q october | november 2015 2015

Apple Pie Bites

Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 15 min Total time: 27 min Serves: 8 apple pie bites

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar • 1 tsp apple pie spice, and additional apple pie spice for

sprinkling on top of crescent rolls • 3 tablespoons butter, melted • cup chopped pecans • 1 small Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced into 8 (1/2-inch) slices • 1 (8-ounce) can Pillsbury Original crescent rolls

Directions:

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• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

• In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and apple pie spice. Set aside.

• Melt butter and toss apple slices in butter, set aside.

• Arrange crescent roll triangles on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Evenly distribute brown sugar mixture onto each triangle.

• Sprinkle each triangle evenly with the chopped pecans.

• Place an apple slice on the wide end of each triangle.

Wrap crescent roll dough around each apple.

• Brush each crescent roll with remaining butter. Sprinkle lightly with additional apple pie spice.

• Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

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Pumpkin

Cheesecake bars

Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 50 min Yield: 24 bars

Ingredients:

Crust • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs • 1/4 cup melted butter Filling • 4 packages (8 oz each) cream

cheese, softened • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar • 4 eggs • 1 cup (8 oz) canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice Garnish • whipped cream • pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

• Heat oven to 300°F. • Line a 13X9” baking pan with parchment paper leaving about 1 inch of paper hanging on the sides.

• In a medium size bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter.

• With your fingers press the crust on the bottom of the prepared pan. Set aside while making the filling.

• In the mixing bowl of your stand-up mixer, add the cream cheese and sugar.

With the paddle attachment on, beat on low speed until light and fluffy.

• Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended.

• Spoon half of the mixture over the crust and spread evenly.

• To the remaining cream cheese mixture add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.

• With a wire whisk stir until smooth. Carefully, spoon over mixture in pan.

• Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes or until just set.

Turn off the oven and leave the door ajar allowing the cheesecake to slowly cool down for about 1 hour or so.

• Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before cutting into bars.

• Top each bar with whipped cream and a dust of pumpkin pie spice. roxanashomebaking.com

october | november 2015 q the viewpoint q 9

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by Lily Cowper

october|november 2015 l the viewpoint l 17

Falling for fashion

With new trends introduced every season, more and more students are following suit when it comes to fall fashion. by Krissy Poff photos provided by Polyvore

Don’t have time to put together a full outfit? Scarves are a cute and cozy way to add warmth and style to a simple outfit during a breezy fall afternoon. (Plaid: Marley Lilly, Maroon: Charming Charlie’s)

For those days when you wake up late, but still want to look put together: vests and ankle boots are comfortable and keep you warm on a fall day. (Jeans: Hollister, Shirt: J. Crew, Vest: J. Crew, Shoes: Lauren Conrad) For when you get tired of wearing t-shirts and jerseys everyday: flannels and jeans are a reocurring style choice throughout the colder months. (Jeans: Hollister, Shirt: Brooks Brothers, Shoes: Grenson Ryan Vintage, Watch: Citizen Watches)

Fall is the season for date-night and long walks through Downtown Fredericksburg. Trench coats and scarves are an old trend that are becoming more and more popular in teen fashion. (Jeans: Levi, Jacket: Wantdo, Shoes: American Eagle, Scarf: Brooks Brothers)

Statement necklaces offer the right amount of pop to any normal tee. Pair them with a solid dress to draw some contrast. (Blue flowers: Berricle, Teal accent: Buckle)

Just the right outfit for a trip to your local coffee shop. A solid shift dress and hunter boots pair well together, while offering endless possiblities when it comes to finding the right accessories. (Dress: Charlotte Russe, Shoes: Hunter Boots, Necklace: Charming Charlie’s, Bag: Michael Khors) november | december 2015qtheviewpointq

11

Hailey Bullis

12 q the viewpoint q october | november 2015

The

Mountain View football team has chemistry flowing and it’s pushing the team to do its best, even with injuries. by Hailey Bullis

Chemistry Flow Chemistry is crucial when on a team. It keeps players motivated and games flowing smoothly.

Chemistry can make or break a team, and the varsity football team attributes its success this season to its chemistry as a team. With seven wins and three losses in the regular season, it is an obvious change from the four wins and seven losses the team had last season.

Senior Bob Grymkowski attributes their success to the team being a year older: “The experience that our players have, we had a lot of starting varsity players that were sophomores that are now juniors and juniors that are now seniors.”

Starting quarterback Ahmad Tweedy commented on the teams chemistry saying, “I think we’re a lot closer than we were last year and I think we’re all pretty much friends this year. I think we had a lot of different groups last year, but this year we’re all together.”

While the team has excellent chemistry this year, they also have quite a few injuries, which are expected in such a physical sport, and change the way the team had been practicing and playing during games, said Lou Sorrentino, the varsity football coach, “When you’ve got a

few guys that are banged up then you’ve got some other guys that either haven’t played a whole lot, and need to step in , or guys that have been playing maybe one side of the ball, have to play, and they’ve got more responsibilities...it’s changed the way we’ve prepared, it’s changed the way we call the game, and that factors a lot of things.” The teams injuries changed the flow of the chemistry and how the team played on the field. “You have to have somebody else ready.” said Tweedy.

The team is led offensively by juniors Ahmad Tweedy and Jamil Collison-Cofie, with Tweedy having 136 yards per game passing average and 106 yards a game rushing, with 25 combined touchdowns this season and Collison-Cofie having 1161 yards total and 27 touchdowns. The team’s top receiver is Tre Coghill with 32 catches for 441 yards and six touchdowns. The top three tacklers include Jason Furman, Bob Grzymkowski, and Brendan Sumpter.

The team has won against Colonial Forge, Patriot, Freedom, Osbourn, Garfield, and Potomac High School before losing to Brooke Point on Friday, October 16 which ended their undefeated streak of 6-0.

Hailey Bullis

october \|?/| november 2015 q the viewpoint q 13

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lolesports.com

When you get down to it, what is a sport? Well, according of Esports. For every Esports team you can get merchandise to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, a sport is an athletic activto show off your love of the team by buying a jersey, a teeity requiring skill or physical prowess, often with a competishirt, a sweatshirt, or maybe even a mug, basically anything tive nature. For those who like to get technical and say that you can buy for any other sport. We are out there, you just this reason is what sets gaming apart from sports, I disagree. need to know what to look for.

When you break down a sport into what it really is as far as Just to clarify to those of you who may be confused, when physical capability, you have running, jumping, hitting, kickI say “professional gamers” or “Esports” I am not refering to ing, or even just simply tossing a ball to someone. With these youtubers who play videogames like Markiplier or Pewdiepie. very simple movements of the body, take into consideration I am talking about seasoned teams who compete with each that a sport is merely taking those movements and skills and other in professional, sponsored leagues for championship applying them to the rules of the game. You can look at foottitles and cash prizes. ball for instance. Football is simply a combination of tackling, Although many people are unaware of the existence of running, catching, and jumping. Any person could do all of Esports, they are a big deal to many fans. Die-hard fans of these physical techniques, but Esports are about as common as it wouldn’t catch a bystander’s die-hard fans of any other sport. eye for more than a couple of On October 31, 2015 the minutes. annual World Championships for It isn’t just what you do League of Legends concluded. physically that makes a sport The match included defending fun to watch, it’s the game that champions SKTelecom versus you’re playing itself. The same KOO Tigers. SKT defeated KOO rules apply with professional with a score of 3-1, making them gamers. Millions of people not only the first team two win don’t crowd around a big Worlds two times, but also the stadium and tune in on their first team to hold the title for two devices at home just to watch consecutive years. This left many a bunch of people sit at tables fans screaming in awe as well as and click buttons. They watch plenty hanging their heads low at it for their love of the game. It KOO’s loss. may not come with as much of SKTelecom after their win at 2015 World Championships The Esports community holds a physical strain as other sports, a big variety of different games. but it’s the consumer’s interest in the game that makes them League of Legends, Counter Strike: Global Offesnive (CS:GO), want to watch it.

DOTA II, Starcraft II, etc.. All of which hold many tournaments Playing video games is commonly thought of as just a year-round with many spectators attending live and in person simple pastime or hobby, but to professionals it is much more as well as online over Twitch. than that. They aren’t just sitting down to play a game for At this point, you may be wondering about the stuff that fun. They are practicing with their team as much as possible I’ve told you. Where are these Esports fans? Why have I not to keep their overall skill and performance rate at an all-time seen them at all? Do they even really exist in this school. high in the hopes of being able to take home the next chamWell, while many people wear their merchandise with pride, pionship title. many stay away from it because of being made fun of. People A question that pops into the heads of many people is wouldn’t double take if they walked passed somebody who why is there so much interest in Esports; what’s the point of was wearing a Football or Hockey jersey. watching someone else play a video game if you could just Professional gaming is a sport that does not get the credit play it yourself? This same question can be directed towards or respect that it rightfully deserves. People shouldn’t have fans of other sports like football or baseball. to be afraid to walk down the halls or anywhere at all and feel There is no difference between sitting down for a good lesser than any person wearing merchandise of other sports couple of hours to watch a football game and sitting down to teams. The times are changing, and Esports are gradually watch an Esports game. coming into the spotlight whether some want it to or not.

If you look around our school, you can find plenty of fans

IEM San Jose Game-CS:GO (Status-Begins November 21-22) StarLadder StarSeries - Season 14 Game-CS:GO (Status-October 14 to January 17) DREAMHACK CLUJ-NAPOCA 2015 Game-CS:GO (Status-Completed) ESL ESEA Pro League Season 2 Game-CS:GO (Status September 15- November 17)

october | november q the viewpoint q 15

lolesports.com

Professional Gaming: “All Play and No Work”

When you think of a sport, what comes to mind? football, soccer, or baseball right? Well, did video games ever come into mind? by Zane Gobie

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www.germanna.edu 16 qthe viewpoint qoctober | november 2015

mission-bbq.com

Who’s hungry?

Overall Food Atmosphere:

Cleanliness: Friendliness of staff: Value:

Variety of options:

O

ne of the biggest perks of living in the South is the plethora of BBQ places to choose from. Mission BBQ is the newest place in town located at 267 Garrisonville Road, next door to the Burger King.

At first glance, you can tell the place is full of patriotism, from the American flags to the pictures of soldiers and other heroes, such as police officers and other emergency life saving personnel. It’s first store opened on September 11th, 2011, and its goal ever since then is to serve great American heroes. I noticed an ad displaying that veterans eat free on Veteran’s Day. Right off the bat, I loved this place I walked in to the smells of fresh meat being cooked, my mouth already was excited for what was to come. The atmosphere gave me a feeling of warmth and hospitality. The dark tone wood interior, the flat screen TV’s, all coupled with the chatter of diners really gave me a feeling of being in my own home.

The front counter staff was very friendly and patient with me as I scoured briefly over the menu. I was surprised to see nothing was all too expensive, with the most expensive dish only being the rack of 10 ribs for $18.99. Wanting to taste as much as I could, I went with the three meat sampler for $11.99.

I chose to sample the pulled pork, brisket, and smoked sausage. I also got a side of Mac and cheese included.

I sat down for the wait and was pleased to notice the array of sauces at the table. Looking around, the restaurant was very clean and all the sauces were stocked at every table, and a quick trip to the rest room revealed that it was freshly cleaned as well.

I heard my name called from the front counter after about 7 minutes and picked up my food. The meats had been laid out nicely and it all came with a side of cornbread and the mac and cheese. The aroma was lovely to my nose and my anticipation

In the mood for food?

Mission BBQ just might be the place to get it.

by Austin Venable

ran high.

From the moment I bit into the brisket , I was sent straight to heaven. The meat was so tender that it fell right apart in my fork. Both very flavorful and soft, it didn’t need any sauce added to it. It was gone very quickly, to say the least.

Next on the plate was the sausage. I wasn’t expecting too much, as the store’s main focus is BBQ products, but I was pleasantly surprised. The sausage was smoky, crisp, and moist. It had a very nice flavor to it and was cooked just right.

Finally, the pulled pork. It smelled very good, but biting into it, I was a surprised that it was a little dry.

Though it did have a tasty smoky flavor to it, the dryness was undeniable. However, I reached for one of the BBQ sauces on the table and spread it over, and on the second take, the sauce had definitely made up for it and was a great eat afterwards.

The sides of the mac and cheese and cornbread varied dramatically in tastiness. The Mac and Cheese was absolutely delicious with the just the right amount of gooey cheesiness. The cheese was not overpowering and it was at just the right temperature for enjoyment.

The cornbread, however, was another story. It was somewhat bland and quite dry, and although it was fluffy and did have a hint of butter, I couldn’t finish it and ended up throwing it away.

Upon leaving, the staff wished me a goodnight with a genuine smile and I walked out the door, happy, satisfied, and full.

From my visit to Mission BBQ, I can tell they staff and the company as a whole takes great pride in what it does. This is a gem that one cannot miss.

Providing great food for the community in a welcoming atmosphere, It is definitely a welcome asset to Stafford county.

october | november 2015 q the viewpoint q 17

The fast track to friendship

2.

3.

Sophomore Ryan Cunningham said, “Conner Peterson and I met at a church summer event two or three years ago. I think we are friends because he’s kind of an outgoing guy, but he is really polite and not too obnoxious or anything. My favorite quality of his is his sense of humor; it is stupid funny.”

From sophomore Jasmine Whitter to sophomore Nicole Martin, the reasons behind friendships are brought to the surface. When asked to talk about one of their best friends, these students named the following person in the train connecting them all personally. Although similarities are important in friendships, the differences are what makes it thrive. One thing most people comment about Mountain View is the welcoming and diverse nature of the people within it.

by Jenny Bullers Illustration by Sidney Morgan

4.

Junior Conner Peterson said, “Jacob Godfrey and I met in French class my freshman year; he was a sophomore. He is very funny, and he makes jokes about everything.

We do not like the same things, but we have similar traits.”

18q the viewpoint q october | november 2015

Junior Lauren Willsey said, “I think Ryan Cunnignham and I are friends because he is a great guy and he dresses like a frat boy. My favorite thing about him is that he is funny and a great listener.”

First stop

Sophomore Jasmine Whitter said, “Lauren Willsey and I met in Latin class last year. Our personalities are very alike, very sassy with each other and we agree on alot of things. She is also very determined.”

6.

5.

Senior Jacob Godfrey said, “RJ Williams and I met at wrestling practice. My favorite thing about him is his sense of humor, he is just a really funny guy who is always joking around. Over the summer we went to the river a lot.”

last stop

Junior RJ Willliams said, “I think that Nicole Martin and I are friends because we have a lot in common. I did not like her at first, but I ended up liking her.

She is just a really good person and she sometimes makes good jokes. She always does what is right and she knows how to treat people, and takes people’s feelings into consideration.”

When asked what friendship means, Sophomore Nicole Martin said, “Friendship is really important; it is everything. It’s that one person who can make you laugh, put a smile on your face, and just completely change your mood. They understand you, but they don’t have to be the same as you.”

october | november 2015 q the viewpoint q19

All lives matter: social equality in today’s society

by Paige Doerfler

Throughout time and history, numerous events have shown the common belief that everyone is not equal, and that some people matter more than others. As an adolescent trying to form my own opinions on the world, influenced by the many views of society, I’ve come to realize that the human race is broken up into ‘subcategories’ based on differences that don’t necessarily divide us, but instead show our struggle as a species to come together and peacefully coexist in a day in age where it pretty much seems impossible.

With the complexity of our species, many divisional lines can be drawn to split us up. Starting with, in my opinion, the most commonly known division, gender, this automatically splits the entire population into two categories.

Although this is an obvious biological division, the whole social aspect isn’t scientifically backed up. The idea of masculinity versus femininity has nothing to do with genetics, but rather what people perceive gender to mean.

In any history class, it is commonly discussed that women were once, and still are in some places, considered less than men. The former idea that males do the hard labor and females have their ‘womanly duties’ to uphold (e.g. cooking, cleaning, producing offspring, etc.) automatically shows that we have had a major social subdivision in our past.

Nowadays, of course, this separation is still existent, although we do not think of women as merely maids that tend to a man’s every need, but rather important contributors to society. To most, women are seen as intelligent, useful human beings, which compared to around the early 1900’s, is what I call a major improvement.

Women are just as important as men, regardless of what simple-minded individuals say about the matter. I can confidently tell anyone who says that women aren’t as useful or important as men that they are utterly ridiculous. Gender has no influence on usefulness or importance. We should realize that being a women doesn’t change anything of that matter.

Rather than judging someone based on biology, maybe people should start criticizing one’s work ethic, or lack of, regardless of their gender.

There are quite a few other social dividers that automatically come to mind. Religion has been one of the most awful disjunctures of all time.

20 q the viewpoint q october | november 2015

Not only is religion a social problem, but it has also been the cause of millions of deaths, like the Jewish Holocaust during World War II. According to the Jewish Virtual Library, out of 11 million people found dead during World War II, six million were Jewish; one million were Jewish children, alone.

Religion, or lack of, is the faith in something bigger than what we know and understand. The fact that as a society, we choose to believe in something greater than us, should be seen as a commonality, regardless of the different things we have faith in. All in all, whether you have atheistic views or choose to believe in a type of extraordinary being above us, choosing to believe in something shouldn’t be a divisional factor, but rather a way to show that humans aren’t as divided as we believe we are.

Sexuality is another way that people identify others. Whether you are ‘straight,’ ‘gay,’ ‘bisexual,’ or anything in between, it shouldn’t matter to others. Gay marriage was just recently legalized in all 50 states of the United States. Why did it take so long? With all regards, why does it matter who you love? Being anything other than the ‘normal straight’ doesn’t change someone. It doesn’t make anyone less human or less important than the rest of the bunch.

Last, but certainly not least, I’d like to mention how society divides the population based on one’s ethnicity and the color of one’s skin. This, although quite horrific, has been a well-known issue in our society. There are so many different types of ethnicities, and with these come variation in the color in skin tone. We tend to take these ethnicities and colors to completely divide the human race up, almost as if we have forgotten that we are all the same.

So what makes ethnicity and color such distinctive divisional factors? Why do some put a simple change in genetic makeup so high in importance?

These questions have yet to be answered, although you are probably coming up with what you believe to be the right answer as you continue to read. Is there a right or wrong answer? Absolutely not.

I imagine that some people just have an overwhelming pride for their background. This idea of pride can be seen when talking about one’s love for a sports team. We’ve all been around those

crazy spirited people who overwhelmingly adore their team to the point where it’s obnoxious to even be in the same vicinity as them. You will most likely hear those same people constantly saying, “Oh dude, my team is way better than yours.” You will also see those same people sticking with their team regardless of any type of circumstance.

Some may ask why on earth I am relating ethnicity to a sports team. Well, it shows you an example of a serious love and pride for something. Don’t you feel that way about who you are?

I’m betting that you would answer yes to that question.

So, what does all of this mean in terms of equality? How does this relate back to the topic of differences being proof of a common struggle in a world populated with 7.3 billion people? We all struggle with being different, whether we make that publicly known or pretend that it doesn’t matter to us. Deep down, I can confidently say that most people generally want to fit in. Being an outsider isn’t a favorable status.

This common struggle to fit in, and the desire to be seen as ‘one of the guys’ and part of something bigger than us as individuals, brings us together as a species, not because we are necessarily alike, but because we long for the same things and we struggle to all fit together in the massive puzzle that is our world.

Now we must answer this question: when did the diversity of the human race cause such a problem? Why are these ‘subcategories’ the deciding factors for if a life should truly matter? And the bigger question is: why do we, as a society, purposefully divide ourselves, believing there is a certain requirement for if your life is meaningful?

These are all questions that aren’t necessarily able to be answered, but they are things to think about and consider as you go about your daily lives, interacting with the many different people that happen to pop up.

I would like to leave you with this: all lives matter. Regardless of all circumstances, it shouldn’t matter who you are, what you look like, your beliefs, your occupation, etc.. It all comes down to the simple fact that we are humans going through the same things, enduring the same pain, and getting through those many obstacles that we may face throughout our lives.

Lumberjack is back

The Meaning of No-Shave November varies from person to person.

by Alex

Harrington Art by Lindsey Hughes

To some, “No-Shave November” is something that is a fun deviation from the norm, a chance to try something new. In this case, it’s letting your beard grow wild.

One month out of the year, men and women everywhere stop shaving for the entire month of November, but their reasons vary.

Assistant principal Eric Cooke said,” I always thought it had something to do with the high school playoffs. I’ve heard in Hockey and baseball its superstitious. I can’t grow a good beard so I’ve never participated.” For most it’s just a fun idea, but for some it has a deeper meaning. When asked what he thought of “No-Shave November” Senior Yordim Escolero said,” It’s an excuse to be lazy and not get judged. Also when your on the football team shaving is considered bad luck.”

The first ever record of a type of “No-Shave November” can be traced to the ancient Greeks. They would spend 30 days each year trying to imitate the gods’ appearances, including beard-growing.

Getting its modern use from Australia in 2004, “No-Shave November” was originally named Movember, for the mustaches that were grown. The Movember foundation was created by 30 men with one goal: raising awareness for prostate cancer and depression in men.

Senior Guillemo Barbosa said, “No-Shave November” is a great excuse to be lazy for an entire month. Plus having a beard is warm.”

Even if you are not able to fully participate, there are some exceptions. If you are not allowed, due to a job or other circumstances, to let your facial hair grow out then it is perfectly acceptable to trim. The modern take on No-Shave November is a noble cause. The goal is to let your hair grow, in honor of those who lose theirs in chemotherapy and to generate conversation as to the reason for the hair. Many websites exist and enable you to raise money and donate to a cause. One of the most popular is www.no-shave.org.

The meaning of “No-Shave November” is a noble cause, whether or not it’s their intent, the support is still shown.

october | november 2015 q the viewpoint q 21

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These Mountain View students are following in the footsteps of older siblings and looking to them for inspiration and guidance. by Reagan King

“

ve me an opportunity Playing with my sister ga she always pushed me to be better. to learn from her and

Rachel Ransom and Reina Ransom

Junior Rachel Ransom has carried on the legacy that her older sister, Mountain View graduate and current Hampton University student Reina Ransom, has left for her. As the younger sister of the Senior Class President of 2014, there was a lot pressure when it came to Rachel deciding whether or not she would attempt to be the 2017 Class President.

“I originally didn’t want to run for president at all because I didn’t want to be like her since we always do the same things, but then my friends convinced me to do it,” Rachel said.

Reina also opened a door for Rachel becoming a valuable member of the cheer team. Rachel expressed how lucky she was to have the opportunity to have her sister as the captain and teach her how to be a motivating member of the team. Rachel strives to be the teammate and leader that her sister was and taught her to be, continuing her supportive spirit.

Maddy Smith and Kate Smith

For sophomore Maddy Smith, dance has always been a sister sport that was incomplete without her partner. Mountain View graduate and current Virginia Tech student, Kate Smith, was the driving force behind Maddy’s dance career.

While the sisters did not get a chance to dance together for the school, with Kate graduating the year before Maddy’s freshman year, the two have been dancing together since they were little. Maddy credits Kate for assisting her decision to dance for the school and giving her a taste of what college dance would be like.

For her freshman year of college, Kate danced for the Virginia Tech HighTechs, the dancers on the sidelines of home football and basketball games, but Kate has since redirected her college dance career and moved to the Dance Company at Virginia Tech.

“I really like the dance team here at school, which is more like what she did freshman year, so I’ll definitely try that first,” Maddy said.

After dancing with Kate for several years, Maddy believes that her skills have exponentially improved by being able to see her sister grow and apply the corrections that Kate received to herself.

Maddy Smith

“

Maggie Hubert, Olivia Hubert and Bailee Hubert

Sophomore Maggie Hubert comes from a line of star field hockey players at Mountain View. Her oldest sister Bailee graduated in 2012 and now plays for James Madison University, while her other sister Olivia graduated in 2015 and is a freshman on the University of Richmond team.

Maggie got the opportunity to follow Olivia’s footsteps for one year on the school team. She expressed that she enjoyed the fact that she got to learn from her sister and that she had someone there that wasn’t afraid to push her.

“I definitely think that I got better by playing with Olivia, but I also think that it provided a cushion, so now not having her there, I have to push myself even harder and make sure I’m getting better,” Maggie said.

By having sisters that play in Division 1 schools, Maggie said that there is a little bit of pressure because they are so successful, but that it also gives her goals to reach and someone from which she can receive guidance.

Samuel Newsome, Shadrach Newsome and Silas Newsome

The family drama business has continued with senior Samuel Newsome and he plans to carry it on through college. His two brothers , Shadrach and Silas, participated in Mountain View drama programs throughout high school and introduced the art to Samuel.

Shadrach graduated in 2015 and is now looking at drama programs at Louisiana State University, while Silas is participating in plays in the Baton Rouge area as well. Silas graduated before Samuel entered high school, but Samuel and Shadrach worked together on many Mountain View plays and musicals. While both are members of the Improv Team, Samuel joined the year following Shadrach’s graduation.

“There was a lot of motivation having Shad with me because we are really competitive and if he was going to do it, I would want to do it and I would want to do my part better,” Samuel said.

Samuel acknowledges that there is more pressure having older siblings pursue the same programs and there is an intimidation factor with such big shoes to fill.

Guidance has been passed onto Samuel from both brothers and he has applied it to his onstage skills, which he believes has made him a better performer.

Matthew Scott and Ryan Scott

Junior Matthew Scott has been able to use his older brother, Ryan, who graduated in 2015, as motivation to advance his swim career. While Ryan does not swim competitively for his school, Virginia Tech, he has provided Matthew with options that require much consideration.

Matthew and Ryan were on the school’s swim team together for two years but only spent a short amount of time competing and practicing in the same skill group.

Matthew took advantage of the competitive nature of their relationship and used it to improve his times and abilities.

“Swimming with him was like a goal because I wanted to be as fast as him and beat him, so I was always pushing myself even harder,” Matthew said.

Matthew still swims with the competitive attitude as if his brother were still competing with him, remembering Ryan’s times and trying to beat him.

I loved dan cing with someone th my sister because it w a ere that I kn ow and soms really nice having eone that I can trust.

23 qthe viewpoint qoctober | november 2015

”

Maggie Hubert

The next generation

”

WHAT'S

WITH THE

Students take spirit week as a way to show their overwhelming pride for Mountain View

HYPE?

by Paige Doerfler and Michael Goffus photos taken by Paige Doerfler

Do you feel spirit is important?

8% 92% 11% 89% 23% 22% 77% 78%

24 q

Seniors

Juniors

Sophomores

Freshmen

Do you consider yourself a spirited individual?

yes

the viewpoint q october | november 2015

no

*663 students polled