Out look Volume 46 Issue 1
Sept. 23, 2011
feature Oakton teachers describe their solemn memories of the tragic events of September 11.
news Students share their experiences with recent natural disasters via Facebook status updates.
indepth Some of Oakton’s 20 new staff members share their experiences as the new kids on the block.
sports The football team kicks the year off strong with a powerful line-up and a 2-0 streak.
Oakton Crew Interest Meeting
Interest meeting in the Lecture Hall September 27th 7 p.m. Bring a parent
www.oaktoncrew.com
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Out look table of contents
news
Earthquakes, hurricanes and floods: the impact on students and social media.
6
feature Teachers reflect on the tenth anniversary of September 11.
sports
7
Football looks to be competitive in the Concorde District under a new head coach.
9
a&e
Taste quest reviews a favorite dessert: frozen yogurt.
13
opinions A view on whether new school policies are for better or for worse.
14
3
contents sep. 23, 2011
letter from the editors
Outlook Staff Editors in Chief
this month, our favorite... absurd face
When do you use this face?
last minute homework “It’s funny that they would assign this book, because they’re just asking for people to not read it.”
“When I wanna impress girls.”
max harrison, 12
annie wandishin, 11
see more friendly faces in feature
facebook status
Gabriela Driscoll Shannon Ragan
News Editor
Sports Editor
Business Manager
Feature Editor
Alex Belden Cole Neuffer
Garrett Allen Ria Bhatia
Allie Berube Spencer Conley Madlin Mekelburg
Opinions Editor Kim Gibbons
Copy Editor Marilyn Yang
InDepth Editor
Online Editor
Oliver Lopez-Gomez
Photo Editor
Michelle Lorusso
A&E Editor
Emma Mankin
Isabella Kidane
more in opinions
Adviser Lauren Luna
Staff
more in news
Dear readers, The new year has finally begun. Yay, but not really. With the start of school comes responsibility, knowledge and pain. We welcome new faculty to Oakton and debate new policies (pages 11 and 6). Although the earthquake only lasted 5 seconds, the aftermath on Facebook lasted forever (page 6). More recently, the tenth anniversary of 9/11 came to pass and was remembered by Oakton (page 7).
Enjoy,
Gabriela Driscoll Shannon Ragan
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letter sep. 23, 2011
Melanie Aguilar Erin Bennett Sofia Crutchfield Reina Datta Conner Dick Rawan Elbaba Lauren Embroski Christian Forbes Karli Gillespie Caroline Hipwell Callum Kenton Christina Lee
Nathan Lilande Jackson Lizardo Kari Maharaj Camille May Ramya Mukalla Reid Perkins Alana Peters Emma Pfeifer Jennifer Prosser Andy Reed Carly Stonehouse Alex Xenos
Editorial Policy The Outlook is an open forum for student expression. Unsigned editorials reflect the collective opinion of the Outlook staff. Signed editorials represent the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Outlook or Oakton High School. Reader opinions are important to the Outlook and contributions are welcome. Make your voice heard by sending us a line about what’s on your mind. Letters to the editor may be sent via email to shannon.ragan@ oaktonoutlook.com or dropped off in Mrs. Luna’s box in the main office or in room 196. The Outlook reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and content provided the meaning remains unchanged.
news 1.
in brief
As elections near, political heat rises
AP government classes have recently found themselves preoccupied with the Republican primaries. With the recent debates, the students have concluded which candidates have the best chance of obtaining the Republican nomination. Until recently, Michele Bachmann was the favored candidate, but her poor performance at the debates let two other candidates shine; Rick Perry and Mitt Romney. Although Bachmann may still have the hearts of the ultra conservatives, Rick Perry seems to be the best candidate for the Republicans with Romney being a little too liberal for most. With the recent debt dilemma, the high unemployment rate and the exhausting recession this past summer, Barack Obama may find himself out of office come November 2012. Although Obama has not met the expectations of many Americans, Republicans are having a hard time finding anyone better to match up against the incumbent. While Republicans continue their system of trial and error, Obama recently addressed Congress about the job problem situation. The speech was a success, although there was some controversy with an NFL game, forcing the speech to be delayed till a later time. In the economic situation that Americans are facing, it’s interesting that Americans prefer to watch a football game rather than watch the president’s formal address to Congress, only his fifth since entering office. The Republican primaries will continue to dominate the political field, but Obama will soon begin to rally support for the November election.
courtesy of reuters
2.
A taste of drunk driving
Due to an increasingly high number of teen accidents, the Commonwealth of Virginia and Oakton have begun to raise awareness on teen driving. As of July 2010, students who have not received their licenses have to attend a mandatory meeting on driving safety. On Sept. 28 parents and students will learn about hand positions, mirror placements, danger areas in Oakton, parent responsibilities and placing restrictions on where and what the kids are driving. There will also be a driving safety awareness week during the week of Oct. 14-18. During the week there will be a seat belt simulation that will recreate the feeling of not wearing a seatbelt during a low speed impact. There will also be an activity where a student will wear drunk goggles while riding through cones on a scooter. This will mimic what it is like to drive while under the influence of alcohol.
3.
Reduce, reuse, and student responsibilities
Despite rumors to the contrary, Oakton has a recycling program in place for this school year. All Fairfax County Public Schools are required to recycle to “the maximum extent possible.” In order for the recycling program to be successful it is up to students and staff to make sure that paper, metal, plastic and glass are separated from trash into their own bin. “The custodial staff simply does not have the time to sort through the recycling bins to make sure that trash doesn’t get mixed in with the recycling,” said Ryan Faubert, AP Environmental Science teacher. While Oakton does recycle, many classrooms do not have their own designated recycling bins.“[While the school does not have] enough funds to give each classroom a recycling bin, there are two big [recycling] bins right by door six,” Faubert said.
4.
Justin Timberlake is bringing Myspace back
It looks like Facebook has once again met its old rival. In June, Specific Media bought Myspace for $35 million and Justin Timberlake took ownership so users can “interact with their favorite entertainers, listen to music, watch videos, share and discover cool stuff and just connect.” Timberlake and Specific Media plan to focus the social network on music to discover and nurture existing talent. But will this publicity stunt increase Myspace’s popularity? Revitalizing a nearly-dead website that lagged behind Facebook in recent years sounds improbable. But Timberlake has innovative ideas to improve Myspace and put it back on the market. After laying off almost 70 percent of its employees, Myspace is ready to start anew with the prospect of music and entertainment. news
5
sep. 23, 2011
news It’s the End of the World: In Your Words. Students respond to the natural disasters that happened over the summer through Facebook.
Where Were You? “When I felt the earthquake I was up in my room and all of a sudden things were shaking and all of the windows were pulsing so I thought something had blown up, but then everything was calm and the cell phones were down.” Jack Kearns, 12 “During the flood I was at cross country practice and it had been raining for the past couple days, so I was worried that I would get stuck at school.” Tommy Clark, 9 “The earthquake was low on the richter scale and most everybody overreacted and made it a big deal.” Michael McNamee, 12 “During the earthquake I crawled under the table with my sister because I was scared and didn’t know what was happening.” Ali Jean-Baptiste, 9
Drew Sandler Was at Skatequest during the quake. I herded those kids outta there Moses Style. Like ∙ Comment ∙ 23 August at 16:56 ∙ Colin Clark This hurricane will bring 1 drop of rain into our area and everyone will freak out Like ∙ Comment ∙ 26 August at 15:27 via Mobile Meagan McRoberts OH MY GOSH HURRICANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh wait it’s just raining… Like ∙ Comment ∙ 27 August at 21:48 ∙ Ryan Maharaj Damnit Irene, you made my pencil fall off my desk. Like ∙ Comment ∙ 28 August at 11:45 ∙ Wade Harris Irene give it all u got im a stormchaser Like ∙ Comment ∙ 27 August at 16:10 ∙ Michael Gillooly Irene is the biggest tease I know Like ∙ Comment ∙ 28 August at 13:03 via Mobile ∙
karli gillespie erin bennett staff writers
overview
Cougar Kickoff was a new event. Students gathered for a day of fun, food and school spirit. Afterwards, students attended the first freshman football game of the season.
The use of online textbooks is new to FCPS. “After a successful pilot year last year, FCPS will begin the use of online textbooks for all social studies classes in grades 7-12,” according to the FCPS website.
Oakton will only provide freshmen with daily planners. Anyone who wishes to purchase their own will be able to do so at the Cougar Store for $2.
purpose
To raise awareness about school clubs and events and to get students to bring in their health forms in return for their schedules.
“They provide resources to differentiate and enrich student learning...allow for personalized learning,” according to the FCPS website
Paying for schoolwide planners is costly when it is believed that only a minority of students use them.
opinion
New Policy Changes at Oakton
“The schedule part was crowded and “It’s better for the environment, but it’s “The planners this year don’t unorganized but getting to see the people harder to read online” said Rachel Kaczmar- have lines! It’s horrible,” said Matt I haven’t seen in a while was fun,” said czyk, 9. Colturi, 11. Rachel Gass, 10.
6
news sep. 23, 2011
alana peters reina datta rawan elbaba staff writers
feature M
ost of us can’t remember every detail of the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, but we can remember the images of destruction. Many of us took time to reflect on the tenth anniversary of 9/11. The following Monday the school paid their respects to everyone affected by the tragedy by reminding us about the heroic men and women that serve our country and ask for nothing in return. Although the PA announcement was only about eight minutes long, it made us all question, “What does it mean to be an American?” “It was just a normal morning,” said Jacqui Talton, AP U.S. teacher. “Suddenly another teacher came to the door and beckoned for me to come out. She said a plane flew into the World Trade Center, and I couldn’t process it at first. I thought it was an accident.” The information available at the time was uncertain.
Oakton teachers remember 9/11
“CNN kept showing the same thing over and over again,” Talton said. “We were all kind of in a state of shock. Some of [the students] were upset, especially until they could talk to a parent.The day we
came back we gave everybody a chance to say or share whatever they wanted to, and that seemed to help a lot.” While Talton’s class dealt with 9/11 by watching the news and later discussing it,
Ximena Losada’s Spanish 3 class chose a different way to cope during the hectic time. “We got the announcement about what had happened and some teachers turned on the TV,” Losada said. “ I just remember it was sort of pandemonium. Phones were off the hook, but the lines were jammed. [Everyone] was trying to stay calm, but of course [they] worried about their loved ones. It was the panic of not knowing. ” Being responsible for the well being of her students, Losada gave her students a choice of what they wanted to do for the remainder of class. “So I remember asking my students, ‘Do you want me to turn on the TV?’ and my students actually said no,” Losada said. “They didn’t want to see it. People were just so desperate to feel safe.”
melanie aguilar-rojas staff writer
This Month’s Friendly Face As the administrative assistant for the Gold office, Jayne Defrees sits with a warm smile ready to greet and assist anyone who walks through the door. She provides aid to students and to our two assistant principals, Chip Comstock and LeAnne Kannapell. She is genuinely happy to be here working at Oakton, making her a truly friendly face.
Q: What made you choose this job? have had this job for 22 years, but this is my first year here at Oakton. I A: Iworked at a different high school down the road for 21 plus years. During my last year at the other school, my daughter was a senior; she was the one who actually suggested that I apply to this position at Oakton.
Q: A:
Where did you grow up and go to school? I am origionally from Richmond, and I went to college at the University of Richmond and then West Hampton College. I got married there and then I moved here to Northern Virginia.
Q: What do you like the most about this job? love this job because of the people. I came to Oakton specifically for the A: Istaff. I’ve worked with a number of these people at my other schools, and then when they transfered here I followed along.
Q: What do you dislike about this job?
A:
There really is nothing that I dislike, truly. This is a great job. I have nothing bad to say.
lauren embroski staff writer ramya mukalla staff writer
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feature sep. 23, 2011
A week in Guatemala
T
his past summer, a group of girls on a CYA soccer team were lucky enough to go south of the border to the capital city of Guatemala. The objective of the trip was to collect donations for the Fundaniños orphanage and also help around the campus and play with the kids. While there, we stayed at a coffee plantation with amazing backyard views. The whole week consisted of fun activities with the Fundaniños kids such as going to the theme park and climbing a volcano. Everyone who went on this trip really enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the conditions of other countries beyond the confines of suburban Northern Virginia.
“
isabella kidane
As clichéd as it may seem, going on this trip really changed my life. Getting to know the kids and their tragic stories was an amazing experience as it allowed me to further my understanding of how challenging life has become for children across the world in developing countries. I was truly amazed by how much these kids have gone through at such a young age, and how they are able to wake up every morning with a smile on their faces ready to take on the world. They’ve lived through more tragedy in the past few years than most of us will in our entire lifetime. I cannot begin to explain all the emotions that went through our minds while listening to stories about the families who have abused and abandoned them. It was heartwarming to see such a strong group of kids, and I truly cannot wait to go back next summer. -Isabella Kidane
”
“
Peering out the window as we descended into Guatemala, I could see the glowing lights from the city, and from that point I knew the trip was going be unbelievable. Waking up every morning to a National Geographic-like view and a hot cup of coffee grown on the plantation was just the beginning. Working with the children at the orphanage was an indescribable experience. From playing with water balloons to climbing a 8,373 foot volcano, spending time with these kids was a life changing experience. It was a real reality check in my life in that I realized how truly blessed I am to have the opportunities that I do. I worked as a camp counselor in Delaware the two months before the Guatemala trip, and my most rewarding discovery was that kids, no matter where they live or who they’re raised by, all want fundamentally the same thing: to love and be loved. -Emma Mankin
”
courtesy of manny villar
isabella kidane
isabella kidane
Make sure to check out oaktonoutlook.com for extra photos and videos of the trip!
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feature sep. 23, 2011
sports
Will on three
Football takes inspriation from injured players and the drive to win under strong, new leadership
The Oakton Cougars have opened their season with a strong 2-0 start with wins against both Madison and South County. In their first game the Cougars debuted new Head Coach Jason Rowley, as well as a new no huddle option offense along with a handful
new head coach
Football looks for a bright season
of dynamic new players. With skill and speed, the Cougars have formidable size on both offensive and defensive line with everyone 200 pounds or over. This lethal combination of players and offensive scheme promise a successful season if the Cougars can keep up the
momentum they have established and carry it into the Concorde District, which has the number two, four, five and fifteen football teams in the metropolitan region.
captains
spencer conley sports editor
JASON ROWLEY Former Postition: Defensive Coordinator New Position: Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Analysis: Jason Rowley has been waiting for the head coach position to open up for 14 years. After coaching with former head coach Joe Thompson for the majority of his coaching tenure, Rowley is primed to take on the Concorde District. In a flurry of coaching changes across the region, Rowley is one of the top choices and could have transfered to virtually any high school and been a successful head coach. Luckily for the Cougars, his renewed energy and must-win attitude have translated to two impressive victories on Friday nights thus far this season. With a talented team under his belt, Rowley should have a successful year this fall.
TUCK MASKER
JAKE FARRAR
Height: 6’2” Weight: 170 Position: QB, WR, P Experience: 2 years on varsity All-Concorde second team offense
ZACH C.J. ISAKOWITZ REIMANN
Height: 5’10” Height: 5’11” Weight: 224 Weight: 210 Position: DL, RB Position: LB Experience: Experience: 2 years on varsity 2 years on varsity All-Concorde first team offense and second team defense
Height: 6’0” Weight: 202 Position: LB Experience: 2 years on varsity All-Concorde first team defense allie berube sports editor
The Injury Bug Hits Oakton Over the first few weeks of the football season, the Cougars are struck by injuries on all sides of the ball
Joe Filerman Joe Allely Ryan Ladson Willie Hollinsworth Bobby Lamb Eric Goins
Colin Nadeau Kelly Brooks-Muse (still playing) Mike Wandey (still playing)
9
sports sept. 23, 2011
sports in brief top sports news around Oakton
1.
BLax uses generous grant to support the new freshman program
With budget cuts left and right in Fairfax County, money is hard to come by, especially for the sports teams. Luckily for the lacrosse team, Ibrahim Ammar and The Capitol One Bank donated a generous $300 to the lacrosse program. “The money will help to continue the Oakton Freshman lacrosse team,” said Grif Barhight, varsity head coach. “Oakton High School is the only public Northern Virginia School with a freshman team.” Most schools cut their freshman teams a couple of years ago due to lack of funds. However, with Oakton having a large number of freshmen wanting to play lacrosse, funds were raised and a freshman team reborn.
2.
Field Hockey off to a dominate start in the district
Oakton Varsity Field Hockey has started off the season with an impressive 6-0 record. Coach Kathleen Ruch attributes this to “the strong senior class and strong leadership” on a “very athletic team that meshes well together.” As the only undefeated team in the Concorde District, Oakton is already looking towards a repeat appearance at district finals and regional semis. “The past two years we’ve made it to regional semifinals and this year we’re really going to work to make it to the final,” says Ruch. The Cougars have already scored 17
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sports sept. 23, 2011
photo courtesy of grif barhight Standing with Ibrahim Ammar, Capitol One Assistant Vice President, Principal John Banbury and Boys Lacrosse Head Coach Grif Barhight accept the generous grant.
3.
Volleyball looks to improve
With the varsity volleyball season underway, the team has yet to stand out against their competition, with the team’s record at six wins and seven losses, it seems that the team is not where they want to be. However, with 20 games left in the season, there is more than enough time to turn this season around. “I think we could win districts,” said Junior Abby Mills, “We just need to act more like a team and less as individuals.” The team appears to have a lot of potential. They just have not found their rhythm yet. “We have a lot of amazing hitters,” Mills said enthusiastically. With plenty of talent, it is only a matter of time until the team starts to show improvement. goals this season, five each for senior captains Emily Corridon and Jackie Rupp, while only letting two against. Rupp says, “We’re really strong up top and have a really cohesive midfield and forward line.” They still have to face powerhouse Westfield, but the Cougars are taking it one win at a time and using the games ahead to prepare for the competition to come in playoffs.
4.
Cross Country returns to dominant force in region
Among the fall sports off to a solid start this season is the cross country team. While they only had a handful of meets so far, they are already a force to be reckoned with. The boys gave it their all to finish with a large margin of victory at the Great Falls Invitational. While some complications arose for the team when key runners did not get to race, Greg Petruncio, senior, feels that this can still be a good season for the team. “I feel much better because we are a much stronger team this year, and we are running a lot harder and faster,” Petruncio said. “The one meet where all of varsity raced, we won.” Cross country will be given their first real shot to prove themselves as contenders on September 21, their first meet against Concorde District teams. nathan lalande staff writer jennifer prosser staff writer
christian forbes staff writer conner dick staff writer
TV
Media Mix
Doctor Who season returns with flying colors
Following a nearly three month long hiatus, Whovians all over the world have been teeming in anticipation for the continued saga of Britain’s favorite Time Lord. On Aug. 26, the TARDIS once again took a brief, one-hour sojourn to American airwaves with the aptly-titled mid-series premiere, “Let’s Kill Hitler.” Head writer Steven Moffat once again proved his screenwriting wizardry with “Let’s Kill Hitler,” deftly weaving revelations and weighty, meticulous plot developments with lightning fast humor, slapstick and a heavy, sobering dose of emotional tension in the episode’s latter half. Matt Smith’s performance as the Doctor deserves to be noted. In the episode’s final thirty minutes, he achieves a subtle, brilliant blend of the comic and the morose, displaying a range belying an actor of his age. To effectively portray a dying, time-traveling alien is no small feat, and Smith appears to be truly at ease with the prospect, embedding the Doctor with touching vulnerability. Many questions remain to be answered by series’ end. What is up with the Silence? When and how will Rory die next? Will Stephen Moffat rewrite the actual space-time continuum in order to cheat the Doctor’s death? reid perkins No answers yet, but by the final two episodes (airing Sept. 24 and Oct. 1), you can expect surprises, thrills and a staff writer whole lot of timey-wimey, wibbly-wobbly stuff.
pinkberry
sweetfrog @greenbriar shopping center
@ fairfax corner
*Large variety of toppings and 5 standard flavors *Flat fee according to size, regatdless of toppings *Often very busy, sometimes line out the door *Pay by weight (single cup size) *Can mix fruits within the yogurt *Very cramped space and no eating area
yogen früz
@reston town center
*Pay by weight (single cup size) *Entire wall of flavors, eg. cookie dough *child friendly environment with ample space Taste Quest *Pay by size and topping amount *4 standard falvors of low sugar count *fresh fruit and modest variety of toppings emma mankin a&e editor
Ke$ha concert disappoints
iceberry
@reston town center
MUSIC
all images from official websites
I was excited when I entered the Patriot Center on the evening of Aug. 27 for Ke$ha’s concert. Unfortunately, I wanted to throw myself in front of a moving car by the time it was over. Thank God LMFAO opened for her, or else I don’t know if I would have been able to sit through the entire thing no matter how outrageously priced the tickets were. Despite their lack of musical talent, LMFAO enticed the audience with their catchy lyrics and raunchy performance. Quest Crew even made an appearance, exponentially enhancing the quality of the ensemble as a whole. Ke$ha, however, lacked just about every component that makes up a good show. If the fact that her tour is called “Get $leazy” doesn’t tell you something, then let me give you a little insight into the meatand-potatoes of Ke$ha’s “artistic” ability. It began with a little glitter, continued with a little more glitter and then ended with masses of glitter. She literally had a rocket that spewed glitter over anyone unfortunate enough to be on the floor. I still can’t wear the jeans I sported to her performance, because they sparkle every time I go into the light. Oh, her singing? Physically painful. I literally checked to see if my ears were bleeding after the first song, and the second, oh, and the rest of them. The only redeeming quality of her entire performance was her michelle lorusso inability to stand up straight, clearly intoxicated to the point of no return. In all honesty, whoever works indepth editor in public relations for Ke$ha deserves an award, because I have no idea how someone like that becomes famous.
11
a&e sep. 23, 2011
mimi dabestani
N
ew to the athletics department is Kelly Robertson, a freshman teacher of physical education and health as well as sports medicine. Growing up in North Carolina and then majoring in athletic training at Western Carolina University, Robertson has had the opportunity to work with the WCU sports teams. She also assisted the soccer teams at UNC Asheville and attended William and Mary as a student of athletic training. Culminating her time spent between schools, Robertson built a resume of experiences that truly emphasized her interest in sports medicine. “Anything that I could help out with, I did,” Robertson said. “I traveled with the women’s lacrosse team, and from there I did my online classes and went back to West Carolina just in time to graduate.” After receiving her diploma, Robertson attended the graduate program at Columbus State University. Paired with two years as Head Athletic Trainer of Columbus High School and an inspiring fellowship opportunity at the Hughston Clinic, Robertson was well on her way to bridging the gap between work and play. “I was not only going to school at Columbus State for education, I was also working with the Hughston Clinic and the Hughston Foundation,” Robertson said. The Hughston Foundation is a key player in the sports medicine market in research, education and treatment for musculoskeletal injury and disease. Under the direction of this foundation, Robertson took part in an outreach program where local high schools could be provided with athletic trainers. “I worked so many hours, but it was a great experience,” Robertson said. At Columbus High School, she bore witness to repeated incidences of intensity, as several of the 41 sports teams are AAA State Champions. Robertson’s experiences in a steep physical environment will prove crucial to the success of the athletics department at Oakton High School, but she is not looking to dive
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indepth sept. 23, 2011
in headfirst. “I’m not really hoping to change anything per se, but my first year here I’m just looking to see how we do things and see if I can get used to how things go,” Robertson said. “I’ve just been thrown into [Fairfax County]. I [will] figure out what I need to know and take it one week at a time.” When commenting on the first few weeks of walking Oakton’s athletic grounds, Robertson is nothing but pleased. “[The P.E. Department] has been really helpful,” Robertson said. “They’re all being great at teaching me exactly what it is that’s required of me.” One member of the staff in particular has taken Robertson under his wing and showed her what it means to be an Oakton Cougar. “It’s great to work with Paul Rupp because he has been here for 12 years and has a lot of knowledge on the school, the staff and many of the students,” Robertson said. However, Robertson had to face her own physical pain before realizing her passion for physical therapy. “In elementary school, I had a lot of back problems and had to go to physical therapy,” Robertson said. “I wanted to study it because I knew that it had helped me a lot.” In Robertson’s senior year of high school, she attended a college fair with her parents and met representatives from Western Carolina University. The WCU table proceeded to talk about athletic training and only piqued Robertson’s curiosity. “We didn’t really know what athletic training was,” Robertson said. “We didn’t have [an athletic trainer] in my high school and nobody in our county had one either.” After walking around the other tables Robertson began to realize her potential of pursuing a career in athletic training. In late 2004, she attended Western Carolina University with an interest in athletic training. When she is out of the classroom, Robertson enjoys jogging, going to the gym and supporting the Baltimore Orioles. “We all just want to be happy, right?” said Robertson. “I figure out what I need to know and I take it one week at a time.”
andy reed staff writer
C
oming to Oakton is like a homecoming for Jennifer Penton, the new AB Calculus teacher who was born in Washington, D.C. but moved to Ohio as a toddler. Growing up, Penton was interested in a myriad of things. “As a kid, I don’t think I knew what I wanted to do when I grew up,” said Penton. In college she majored in math, and it was only by chance that she stumbled into a teaching career. “One day my math professor called me into his office and told me that a local school needed a math teacher, and he recommended me,” said Penton. “I didn’t know what to think, but he told me not to worry. He had already seen me teaching all year long.” Penton accepted the offer and quickly realized that she was a natural and that teaching was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. “Learning just makes me excited,” Penton says. “I love working with students and helping them successfully learn and enjoy class. I learn from them at the same time.” Penton taught at two schools in Georgia before coming to Oakton. Oakton can be a culture shock to many. Nevertheless, Penton has had a great transition, citing only the block scheduling and “major traffic” as big differences.
jennifer prosser staff writer
caroline hipwell
kari maharaj
Trained in Athletic Training
Ms. Silva Photography
An inside look at Oakton’s fresh batch of teachers, each bringing their own interests to the school community
Mrs. Penton, AB Calculus
A Faculty of Freshmen
indepth
A
lthough a new addition to Oakton’s faculty, Susan Silva is anything but new to the teaching world. For Silva, teaching Photography is more than a job: it’s her life. In her free time she enjoys painting, drawing, photography, reading and attending art festivals. And with seventeen years of teaching experience, her love of the arts is obvious. Growing up in Houston, Texas, Silva took art classes in high school. “My art teacher inspired me to make a career out of my talents,” Silva said. After attending college at West Virginia University, Silva’s next destination was Las Vegas, Nevada. “I taught ceramics, painting, drawing and photography,” said Silva. After her time in Nevada, Silva moved across the country to Virginia. Coincidentally, in her four years in Fairfax, Silva has substituted on and off for two years with Art History and Studio Art classes at OHS. “Anything art…I just want to be in it,” said Silva. Silva not only is enthusiastic about her job, but she also is incredibly sincere. To her, joining the faculty at Oakton could only be exemplified with a single word: “Serendipity.”
caroline hipwell staff writer
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indepth sept. 23, 2011
I
t’s first period. You walk in to class and take your seat in the back of the room. You didn’t have time to eat at home this morning, so you pull out a bagel and begin chowing down on your breakfast. Your teacher reminds you that you are no longer allowed to eat in class. Frustrated, you look at the board to write down your homework: taking notes on chapter two of your online textbook. However, you realize you don’t have a planner in which to write important dates and assignments. In first period alone, you were subject to several changes that Oakton has implemented this school year. While Oakton has valid reasons for these changes, it’s difficult to ignore the stress that some of them put on students. First, we are no longer allowed to eat in class because of concerns about students with allergies. But it would make much more sense to eliminate common foods that cause allergies, such as food containing nuts, than to eliminate the privilege of eating altogether. Empty, growling stomachs are likely to distract students during class, which complicates both the
Students share their thoughts on recent choices in our community teaching and the learning process. Fairfax County has been incorporating online textbooks into our curriculum over the past few years, so the use of online textbooks is not a new concept. FCPS introduced online textbooks by providing access to them which we may use occasionally throughout the year. However, in the county’s attempt to shift all of our textbooks online, we now find ourselves hunched over the computer for hours to complete our homework. Although FCPS may prefer these online textbooks, students are put at a disadvantage. In order to do our schoolwork we must have access to a computer, and for those of us who stay late after school for sports or extracurricular activities or even those of us who need to share a computer at home, our studying time is exceedingly limited. In past years, Oakton gave agendas to each student at the school, and students were expected to use these agendas to write down assignments and important test dates. This year, however, only the freshmen received these agendas, and any other student who wanted an agenda had to purchase one at the school store.
Although students have complained endlessly to teachers and administrators about this decision, many students that received agendas in the past do not even use them. Freshmen receive agendas so that they can experiment with this form of organization, but older students already know whether these agendas are helpful to them. This decision is a matter of common sense and promotes budget efficiency for Oakton. Overall, it seems that Oakton has put a lot of thought into the development of these new policies. However, as it is difficult to please everyone, there is always room for improvement. As the FCPS promotion of online textbooks is not solely an Oakton decision, there is little that can be done about it. Oakton may want to consider ordering extra textbooks so students who have difficulty accessing a computer can check out copies of their book. Other than that, although not everyone is satisfied with this year’s changes, Oakton is taking steps to make our school a better environment for both students and teachers.
kim gibbons opinions editor
“Salt” helps students uncover world connections
O
verall, “Salt” was a wonderful book, and I am glad that it was taught in all of Oakton’s grades this year. The book takes one common factor from the world and links it across regions, across cultures and throughout time. While the anecdotes within its pages are just those: anecdotes, rather than solid, cited facts, students who read it expand their views of the world and learn about different practices across the globe that relate to the
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substance. I loved learning about different practices associated with salt and would read at my computer with Google open, so I could further my understanding of anything mentioned if it interested me. The book can relate to many different subjects including history, geology and human relations. While reading it for their different classes, students had to dissect the pages for the information that would be relevant, which helps improve
critical reading skills. I enjoyed linking the various subjects in my mind as I read it and have recommended this book to people who are not attending Oakton and had no obligation to read it. “Salt” has different things to appeal to different people regardless of the class it was assigned for. I don’t regret having to read my assigned chapters and read the entire book in my free time.
emma pfeifer staff writer
A
consistent quarterback is a highly valued asset in the NFL. After all, it is the most important position in the game of football. Quarterbacks can have a huge impact on the game and often get the credit for victories and are brutally blamed for losses. The Washington Redskins haven’t known what it feels like to have a consistent quarterback in a long time. The last time a Redskins quarterback had a good season was when Mark Brunell, now the Jets’ backup quarterback, led the Skins to a 10-6, 2005 season (they most likely would have been 12-4 but for two poorly officiated games). Last season’s acquisition of Donovan McNabb ended in disaster, and he was benched and then traded this offseason to the Minnesota Vikings. It was a horrible move to pick up McNabb, and now all the Redskins have to show for it is a 6-10 season and two less draft picks. With McNabb gone, the Redskins had a very hard decision to make: who will be the starting quarterback for the 2011 season? The starting quarterback ended up being Rex Grossman which definitely raised some eyebrows. Beck had a great start to the preseason, and NFL analysts were sold. ESPN reporter Adam Shefter reported multiple times that he believed
that Beck was going to be the starting quarterback. He even tweeted that he thought that Beck had won the job. ESPN’s Jon Gruden called Beck the “best kept secret in the NFL,” which is going just way too far. Yes, he is a talented player, but not an all-pro player. The deciding factor was probably the two interceptions he threw, because Grossman only threw one and had a preseason that was solid. Beck’s last preseason game was not a very good one either with a passer rating of about 40, which is just horrendous. In the season opener against the Giants on September 11, Grossman led the Redskins to a refreshing victory at Fedex Field. The final score was 28-14 with Grossman throwing for two touchdowns and 305 passing yards. Overall, he played well but not great. His ball placement was poor, and his arm seemed weak. He missed receivers on a number of occasions but deserves credit for getting the job done and giving a solid performance. When the Redskins needed plays, Grossman was there to provide them. Would things have turned out differently if Beck was starting and could he have outplayed Grossman? Beck has a much better arm and is more mobile. He is the better quarterback. He has a better
www.redskins.com
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pinions
Beck vs. Grossman: A battle for the quarterback spot
arm, better speed and better accuracy. The only issue is his inexperience having started in only four games four years ago. Beck should have been the starter, but Grossman did something that no Redskin has done in four years, lead the team as quarterback to a victory over the Giants. For that he deserves respect and needs to be given a chance. Redskins fans also need to understand that Beck will not be a savior. Neither quarterback will be taking us to the Super Bowl. At this point having already committed to Grossman, we should wait and see what Grossman can do for Washington. alex xenos
staff writer
Sodium chloride? More like sodium snore-ide
F
or many years, I have had summer reading assignments imposed on me, but never have I been faced with a book as frustrating to read as “Salt: A World History” by Mark Kurlansky. In “Salt”, Kurlansky seems intent on informing me just how important salt is. He constantly hurls arbitrary facts as if he’s in training for the Useless Knowledge Javelin event in the Olympics. I found myself marveling at his uncanny talent for mentioning on just about every page that, hey, guess what, salt is important. Kurlansky presents this case, not as the obvious reality that we basically already knew, but as the single most exciting sentence that has ever been
written in history. First of all, if you haven’t read the book yet, shame on you. Second, let me summarize: salt was very important to (insert culture here). They had a unique way of gathering salt. And they used it for various purposes. Here are some recipes. Ta-da, you’ve read “Salt: A World History.” Perhaps I would have enjoyed the book more if I had found a connecting factor, a deeper meaning or any sort of relevancy in the endless anecdotes. And trust me, I looked; there was nothing. Kurlansky’s beloved data is floating futilely in my head like barf in outer space.
Our summer assignment suggested thinking about the question “how can something that seems so small have such a major impact on the course of human history?” However, that’s hardly relevant. Maybe one grain of salt is small, but I’m pretty sure it’s called common salt for a reason: it’s abundant. As someone who expects more out of reading, I was highly disappointed by this snoozer of an encyclopedia. Maybe next summer, we can read about something more interesting, like pepper.
sofia crutchfield staff writer
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opinion sept. 23, 2011