Outlook Oakton
Volume 45; Issue 4; December 21, 2010
Small Lights, Still Bright Student volunteers work through recession-ridden holidays feature
news
sports
Students wearing tails talk discuss their new form of self-expression.
Debate competes at JMU; Model UN attends Princeton conference.
Football lays wreaths; Lacross holds their traditional Turkey Shootout.
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ESSAYS
Making the Most of Your College Visits By Eileen Wilkinson and Leah Williams Adams, Educational Counselors
By the spring of junior year, it’s hard to escape the thought of college admissions, but don’t worry if you still don’t have a clue where you want to apply. This spring can help you answer that question. Work with your counselor to put together a preliminary list of colleges based on what you think you want (and taking into account your grades and PSAT scores). Then start checking out those colleges -- in person if you can manage it. The basic college informational tour makes a good starting point, although some do a better job than others. On any given day you could get an enthusiastic tour guide who is knowledgeable and helpful or get someone whose clear boredom and lack of information makes you as eager to bolt as they surely are. You may share your tour with people who impress or who totally bore you. You may get a day with brilliant
BETHESDA, MARYLAND 20814 301.951.0350
It’s pretty hard to determine how well you’ll fit into campus life if you’re visiting an empty campus, so think about taking advantage of your spring break week to see colleges as they really are. High Whether your tour experience school break weeks generally was good or bad, it’s best to don’t coincide with college break think of it as an introduction and weeks, which means that college not the full story. Tours, by students will be on campus. Try definition, only give a broad attending a class to see if it’s overview. They try to dazzle you lively or dull, if with campus beauty students are or their sports learn more tips engaged or program or their Visit the PrepMatters YouTube daydreaming. latest and greatest channel for recent webinars: Try talking to architectural wonder. youtube.com/prepmatters students you That’s fine so far as meet on it goes, but it take a test campus to see only scratches To schedule a free diagnostic what they have the surface. ACT, SAT, or subject test, to say. call 703-356-6390 Keep in mind that or send an e-mail to Don’t be like your college life will frontdesk@prepmatters.com the tourist who revolve primarily sees Europe around classes and through the classmates, so in window of a bus. Experience as each campus visit try to come much as you can so you’ll know if away with a clear sense of both the college you’re dreaming of is the academic style and the a place where you can succeed personality of the student body. and be happy for four years of How comfortable you are with your life. those will tell the real story. sunshine or clouds and relentless rain. It’s hard to keep these factors in proper perspective, but you do need to try.
info@prepmatters.com www.prepmatters.com
McLEAN, VIRGINIA 22101 703.356.6390
table of contents
page 3, dec. 21, 2010
news Debate Team Competes at JMU Invitational The Oakton debate team competed at James Madison University in Model Congress, Lincoln-Douglass and Policy debate, winning numerous awards in the process.
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news Government Field Trip Senior government students took a field trip to the World Bank in Washington D.C., attending an event hosted by the World Affairs Council.
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feature Student Wears Hijab to Express Culture Senior Merve Aydin wears culturally significant Hijab in order to demonstrate her Muslim faith and recognition of the significance of humbleness.
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in-depth On the cover: Holiday Charities Students volunteer their time for charity during the holiday season, including senior Ben Webster, a volunteer for FACETS, an organization that combats homelessness in Fairfax county. Photo illustration by Daniel Chait
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opinions Pro/Con: Energy Drinks While some high school student believe that energy drinks are essential for late-night homework, others feel that the health risks of consuming such drinks outweigh the pro’s.
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sports Winter Sports Line-Up Athletes from basketball, swim, track and wrestling reflect on the upcoming winter season.
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arts and entertainment Guide to Holiday Gifts The Outlook provides unique and popular gift ideas for the upcoming holiday season.
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letter from the editors
page 4, dec. 21, 2010
the buzz in the newsroom...
Holiday Spirit
Kirin: La. La. I wish you a Merry Christmas! I wish you… Vipin: Okay. This is not how that goes. You’re not Christian… Kirin: Christmas is a secular holiday (see page 21)! I am free to participate if I so desire. Ah. I am stricken. Zoë: Kirin, stop it. This is not a Drama Soap Opera (see page 7), woman.
Kirin: Community service without a court mandate? Our student body does have an impressive soul, it seems. Zoë: Even we would have to go to great lengths to mess up with the winter break (lovely smile that only comes out for the holidays). If not Christmas, then Kwanza, Channukah, or New Years!
Kirin: But I can dress up as an elf!
Vipin: Absolutely. Everything is full of the winter-wonderland spirit. There are the Chorus, Band, and Orchestra Concerts (see pages 5, 8), which I sang in, and I stole that secular, spirited show with my rocking jazz choir moves. No, really. I did.
Zoë: Oh yeah, that holiday volunteering spirit. It’s kind of heartwarming. (See the Holiday Charity Profiles, pages 16, 17).
Zoë: And the Wreath-Laying (see page 24) and the Turkey Shootout (see page 27) – the spirit is definitely infectious.
Vipin: Yeah, stop. You can’t be Country Strong, like Gwyneth Paltrow (see Media Mix).
Vipin: Yeah. It would be, but the recession (see page 14, 15) is taking a little bit of the charm out of the holiday. Still, it’s amazing what people get out and do.
Kirin: But you know. So is influenza. And Streptococcus. So. Yeah. Enjoy the holidays. But use hand sanitizer. And for heaven’s sake, stay warm.
Outlook Staff Editors in Chief Kirin Gupta Zoë Mitchell Vipin Reddy News Editor Sports Editors Chris Papas Allie Berube Feature Editor Alex Buscemi Michelle Chu A&E Editors In-Depth Lisa Baumgartner Co-Editors Cole Neuffer Allen Luethke Copy Editors Becky Singerman Shannon Ragan Opinions Editors Nikki Clemons Sarah Crain (Ast.) Dorothy Yen Business Manager Online Editor Sarah Crain Koorosh Massoudi Photo Editor Daniel Chait Adviser Lauren Luna Staff Melanie Aguilar Alex Belden Erin Bennett Tim Collins Spencer Conley James Craig Sofia Crutchfield Conner Dick Gabriella Driscoll Lauren Embroski Christian Forbes Roxy Ghamgosarnia Kim Gibbons Morgan Harwood Caroline Hipwell Sarah Hong Nicole Jakstas Callum Kelton Isabella Kidane Christina Lee Jackson Lizardo
Oliver Lopez-Gomez Michelle LoRusso Emma Mankin Camille May Madlin Mekelburg Shyann Mirza Cassandra Noda Michelle Oh Chris Peterkin Emma Pfeifer Chloe Pierce Sonya Price Andy Reed Shayda Shahbazi Rachita Singh Shayda Shahbazi Anita Tadakamalla Penelope Tangamu Marilyn Yang Alexa Williams Kate Zhukova
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 may be sent via email to kirin. gupta@oaktonmedia.net 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.
1.
news in brief
Students attend open heart surgery
AP Human Anatomy students visited the Inova Fairfax Hospital to see a live open heart surgery during the week of Dec. 6 through 10. Students in the class have dissected animals and learned about the inside of different types of animals’ bodies. The trip gave students the chance to see what the inside of a human body looks like and how a surgery is performed. For students who want to become doctors, it gave them the chance to see what would happen when they perform surgery in the future. Besides seeing the surgery, students were able to listen to a nurse talk about the heart and took a pre-test and post-test to test their knowledge on the heart. The surgery ended at ten a.m. so students had the choice to either go back to school or go home.
2.
Students participate in mock panel hearing
AP US Government and AP Environmental Science classes participated in a mock public hearing concerning the expansion of Cleveland Hopkins airport. Students from both classes split into several groups representing environmentalist and pro-growth groups for and against the proposed expansion. Students had to do an extensive amount of research and be well prepared to speak in front of a panel of experts. “It was a really interesting experience to sit in front of a panel and answer their questions,” said Katherine Black, senior and AP US Government student. The classes presented their cases to the panel in early November and had to be able convince the panelist to their point of view and rebut anything from the other side.
page 05, Dec. 21, 2010
Buddies wins 3. Best Best Chapter Award
Best Buddies was recently recognized as the 2009-2010 Outstanding Chapter Award from Best Buddies International. The ceremony was held in the Board Auditorium of the Fairfax County Government Center on Dec. 7, during which an award was presented to Caroline McGrath, the club president. Others in attendance included the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, members from Best Buddies Virginia and several students from area schools who were also recognized for their commitment to their Best Buddies clubs. The club gained tremendous attention this year, and many students flocked to the rooms for their interviews for a chance to be paired up with a “buddy.” Even if a buddy was unavailable, interested students could still reach out through a writing program where the buddies would exchange a notebook with new notes. “We were so passionate about Best Buddies, and we were never looking for recognition,” said McGrath.
photo courtesy of leanne kannapel
sarah crain
United Nations takes part in 4. Model Princeton conference Oakton’s Model United Nations took 40 delegates to a conference hosted by Princeton University for four days, beginning on Dec. 3. Princeton Model United Nations Conference (PMUNC) attracts high school delegates from all over the world who meet to debate the world’s biggest epidemics. It is one of the three regularly attended conferences in which Oakton competes. Model UN has long been a club at Oakton, each year grasping the attention of the student body. The purpose of the club is to expose students to worldwide predicaments and allow them to creatively and effectively solve these problems. Model UN has not only given delegates insight into the world, but it has also improved lasting skills. To prepare for the conference, the club has held information sessions and a mock committee session to abet delegates’ independent research. Committees are classified as General
Assembly (GA) and Specialized Agencies, indentified by their difficulty. Oakton took many novice delegates who were placed in GAs; they tend to be the bigger committees, totaling about 100 delegates per committee. Although the number of delegates can hinder one’s chance to share their country’s beliefs, it introduced them to ideas different than theirs. More experienced delegates were assigned to Specialized and Crisis Committees. When the delegates were not in committee, they could be found touring Princeton University’s magnificent campus, meeting fellow delegates at the Delegate Dance or hanging out with their roommates in the hotel rooms. Oakton has always performed well, and this conference was no different. Senior Sarah Crain and junior Angela Roller both received honorable mentions for their participation.
For more on these stories and others, go to www.oaktonoutlook.com
this month in your words “ “
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I eat lunch out of a Bento Box. It’s a Korean invention. I bought it at an Asian market because it
shiny.
grace newman, extremely mature senior
I went to the mathletes competition. Didn’t get a single one right - but Wednesdays, man, that’s where it’s at.
“
was
john rowley, arithmetically invigorated freshman
kirin gupta
page 6 outlook news dec. 21, 2010
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was he was wearing his orange Crocs. Just like he always does when he cooks. He never goes without them, actually. frank feeney, freshman celebrity expert I was on my way back from a show at the Verizon
Center, and I slipped on some throw-up. You know, it was late at night; I couldn’t see. These things happen. So I start falling backwards, and I fling my arm out. Turns out I’m backing up into a person. An... erm... slightly inebriated man. And he thought I was hitting on him... So of course I had to punch him in the face and step out. max stabile, stable junior I tried to talk to them, but they were all totally
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I met Mario Batali - from Iron Chef - when I went to eat at his restaurant in New York. Best part
incoherent and unstable. But really...
they’re in Improv. Of course. chris papas, stricken page 6 interviewer
Drama puts on annual student produced soap operas
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ho would know better how to write and act in a soap opera than an Oakton student? Our lives are already full of drama and suspense; it is easy for us to relate to the over-the-top nature of soap operas. The annual Drama 2 soap operas returned on Dec. 2 and 3 for their well-received studentwritten plays. “I thought of what emotions I would have to perform and then magnified them,” said David South, junior. “But I had to have my frappucino from Starbucks before the show.” Students were required to come up with the ideas for the plays and write the scripts themselves. Over the course of three weeks, the students practiced and prepared for opening night. “I try to share my improv experience. I used to be a part of an improvisation group in Los Angeles,” said drama and theater director Vanessa Gelinas. “I use that to relate and help them as best I can.” When performing in a soap opera, actors are required to exaggerate their emotions greatly to portray their characters in an interesting and comedic fashion. “One of my characters, Seymour, is in a confused stage of his life,” South said. “He has to choose between multiple women, and I also have to choose between multiple women.” Subs of Our Lives is about a boy named Seymour whose girlfriend unexpectantly dies. He is astounded when he realizes that he can talk to her ghost, but he must then choose between a ghost and other women who enter into his life. “Double Shot is a soap opera within a soap opera,” Gelinas
chris papas Cast pose for staff picture after opening night. “It was a great experience because I was with my friendschris andpapas enjoyed taking part in the production,” said Anna Clements, sophomore. said. “The play takes place on a soap opera set, and problems between the cast and scripts arise when suddenly there is a murder.” The play takes a turn when the main actress is killed by an unsuspected character and the body is placed in the freezer only to be found later the next day during filming. “I’m really pleased with the final product, they have great student directors,” Gelinas said. “After the work is done on paper, they have the chance to just have fun with erin bennett staff writer it.”
Debate team competes at 2010 JMU Invitational Tournament
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embers of the debate The debate team worked hard club attended the in order to be ready to compete at twentieth annual JMU JMU. Invitational High School Debate “We prepared a lot – we reTournament. The competition searched more, went over arguments was held on Friday, Dec. 3 and and did practice debates,” Tate said. Saturday, Dec. 4, and numerous “[It was important] to have tons of schools competed. The tournaresearch done and to be ready for ment consisted of a Model Conanything they throw at you.” gress, Lincoln-Douglas debate and Even though the debate team policy debate. The Lincoln-Dougconsists of students from different las debate is an individual and grades, they are a closely united and philosophical debate; one-on-one affectionate close-knit group and instead of in teams. Policy debates tim collins find common ground in their interconsists of debating over valence est and passion for debating. Speaking to a crowd composed of fellow classmates, issues, which involve multiple reso“Debate is like a family,” Tate said. competitors and judges, junior Gabrielle Tate addresslutions. Oakton participates mainly “I learn so much, and improve my es the issue of Afghanistan and its politcally correct in policy debate. Each type of speaking skills a lot.” name. Tate and her partner junior Tim Collins were debate is split into three divisions: Even after such a huge competipart of the varsity policy debate at JMU. open, junior varsity and novice. tion, the team is not resting. Instead, Breana Tate won third place Novice Policy “[Contestants] are judged on it is gearing up for a Washington Debate, with Hanratty also winning the how well they argue and how well they reArea Catholic Forensic League (WACFL) first place Novice Speaker award. Shinar fute the other team’s points,” said debate’s competition. Jain, freshman, won fifth place Novice president, Gabrielle Tate, junior. Oakton’s rachita singh Lincoln-Douglas Speaker. own freshmen Monica Hanratty and staff writer page 7 outlook news dec. 21, 2010
Chorus celebrates the holidays on a high note Seven choral groups perform in their annual winter concert for the holiday season
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ast December, the However, there are adOakton music departvantages to having separate ment hosted their concerts. second winter concert, which “I thought it was better is open to children and their because there was more time families in the Oakton area to focus on separate groups, in celebration of the winter each with different needs,” Do holidays. said. “One large chorus would Since 2008, it has been a be too large and chaotic to tradition for the chorus, orhandle.” chestra and band department When asked if she is lookto collaborate on a holiday ing forward to the chorus performance. This year, howconcert, she laughs. ever, the music department “Yes!” Do said. “My favorwill replace Ice and Lights ite pieces are ‘Walking in a with separate performances. Winter Wonderland,’ allie berube The chorus concert, ‘Personent Hodie,’ and Clad in formal wear, members of the Oakton choir convene on which took place Dec. 14, dif- stage to perform the combined latin piece, “Personent Hodie.” ‘Schlopf Main Kind.’ The last fered from the other concerts two are very deep and emothroughout the year. tional, but in a different language, so I’m not really sure what it is “We just practiced during class [instead of having after school about. But I’m more excited for the Cougar christina lee rehearsals],” said junior Nikki Do. “For Ice and Lights, people are Cabaret in January because the songs are staff writer in costume and it’s more festive and fun.” more modern.”
Government students attend World Affairs Council event in DC
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tudents from the combined AP Government and Comparative class attended an event held by the World Affairs Council on the global financial crisis at the World Bank on Dec. 13 to have a more in-depth learning experience about economic interaction between all countries. This was the first ever trip to the World Bank the combined class attended. “Because I teach AP Comparative Government, I get e-mails about field trips the class [can] attend,” said Rebecca Small, AP Government teacher. “I thought it would be a good idea to take the class because [recently] there has been major global economic change and that will tie in with some michelle oh of the stuff we will learn about in Comparative.” Students participated in a simulated discussion, Negotiating with each other, seniors Sarah Crain, Mateo Diachok, role-playing groups such as China, the national government Alex Le and Kit Mahoney role-play their assigned groups. The and future leaders. simulation was a part of the World Affairs Council’s scheduled pro“I thought [the simulation] was amazing,” said Mayura gram. “It was rewarding to be introduced to the complexity of the Iyer, senior. “I really enjoyed playing the role of a future World Trade Organization and the US economy,” Mahoney said. leader, and it was great to see that during the final speeches, On the way to the World Bank, the class experienced difficulties there was at least one student from our school representing a with transportation. As results of a metro fire and light issues, the group.” class was stuck on and off the metro for approximately half an Along with other schools from the metropolitan area, the class hour. listened to lectures by assistant professors and economists, like “I was upset that our class was stuck at the metro station,” Sonia Ketkar and Mattias Matthijs. Iyer said, “but it was definitely worth waiting “I thought [the lectures] were very informative about recurring michelle oh for the problem to be fixed, because I really problems in our economy,” said Joseph Choi, senior. staff writer wanted to go, and it was really fun.” page 8 outlook news dec. 21, 2010
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feature
page 10, dec. 21 2010
Tail of Two Teens
Kimberley Hall and Danny Krulick add variety to Oakton’s student body by introducing a new style.
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ooking around the cafeteria one can see a variety of apparel. From short skirts to baggy pants, our school has it all. While not much comes as a surprise to the typical Oakton student, there is one trend that might make you stop in your tracks; the tail. Seniors Danny Krulick and Kimberley Hall are two proprietors of the tail. Sitting at their table, these two are talking like any other student at lunch, but what makes them stand out is his bright orange fox tail and her black one. “It’s fluffy, it’s amusing, and just an overall fun thing to do,” said Hall. “Why wouldn’t I wear it?” said Krulick. While Krulick wears his tails daily, Hall limits herself to several times a week. They are the only two at Oakton, thus far, who have taken an interest in such an accessory. Krulick bought his first tail while accompanying his friend to an Anime convention. “I saw this green tail at the convention and decided to buy it on a whim. It was small and only cost about 20 dollars. The bigger tails can cost up to 35 dollars,” Krulick said. As of today, his collection has expanded to include a total of five tails. So far, he owns a black, brown, orange and two green tails. His most frequently worn tail, the small green one, is in fact a wolf tail, while the other four are fox tails. Krulick’s enthusiasm for this accessory was what inspired Hall to purchase a tail of her own. “I gave Danny money to buy me a tail at the next Anime convention he attended.” Hall said, “He bought a black fox tail with a white tip, but my dream tail would definitely be a rainbow striped one.” Krulick and Hall are not the first to sport this furry addition. In fact, both know others who have worn the tail. “I know last year, there was a senior who wore one once or twice [a year],” Krulick said. However there are others who wear the tail more frequently. “I have a friend who owns a tail and wears it once every few months,” Hall said. Not only do they wear their tails to school, but they also wear them on occasion to public places and; therefore, have become accustomed to the reactions of others. “When people see it, they usually respond with ‘You have a tail!’” Hall said, “But my mom thinks it’s adorable!” Others are not as accepting according to Krulick. “Some say ‘nice tail’ and others make fun, but I don’t care.” Krulick said, “A lot of kids are worried about their appearance, but I’m like ‘whatever.’” Because many high school students conform to popular trends, it is refreshing to see a group of people comfortable with breaking the norms. Their unique personalities demonstrate a courage that many should strive towards attaining. “I just want to be who I want to be,” Krulick said.
emma mankin kate zhukova staff writer
Q
Humbled by the Hijab
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e’ve seen them everywhere. Blue, yellow, red, pink, white. All shapes, sizes and colors. But what are they? Why do people wear them? What are they even called? For senior Merve Aydin, the hijab that she wears wrapped around her head is more than just a piece of cloth used to conceal her hair. The hijab, a head covering traditionally worn by Muslim women, literally means “curtain” or “cover” in Arabic. Today, Aydin proudly wears her hijab in all public outings she attends in order to demonstrate her faith, but it hasn’t always been this way.
QA
Why/When did you choose to start wearing a hijab?
The point at which a person typically starts wearing a scarf is after adolescence. That’s not what happened with me. Before I wasn’t that religious and I didn’t fully understand the tenants of Islam, I just said I was Muslim because my parents were. In my freshmen year I felt an inexplicable void in my life and I knew something was missing. I wanted to find God after feeling this sense of hollowness so I researched all these religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism and more. I learned about every single religion I have ever heard about and Islam made the most sense to me as a religion. I spent so much time reading, researching and talking and it made me feel so peaceful, so close not to just God but to the people around me and the void in my life was slowly filling up. The hijab is just a small part of what my religion encompasses.
“ Q A
QA
How do you feel about men of same faith not having to wear one?
I don’t see the hijab as a restriction. People who don’t know much about religion think women in hijabs are repressed and wearing one just because they are forced to. I feel liberated wearing a hijab. It doesn’t make you subservient to men, it garners even more respect from the opposite gender. Women wear these garments and it protects them from guys in general, other girls, people. I don’t think wearing a scarf makes me unequal psychologically or socially, religion doesn’t dictate that men and women are unequal. When I wear a hijab I feel so much more freedom. Yeah, the hijab covers me, but it liberates me. To know that your religion judges you on what you speak and think and do, and not what you look like is something very freeing.
People always want to know, are you allowed to take it off at home? Yes, I can take my scarf off at home and in front of people I am related to. And yes, for the people asking, I do take my scarf off in the shower. How do you feel about hijabs beWhat do you like most ing outlawed in schools in countries about wearing hijabs? such as Turkey and France?
I’m originally from Turkey, a country that prides itself on being very secular which means that government officials dont want anything that has to do with religion in their government, and since schools are public institutions associated with the government, they believe that religious garments shouldn’t be worn. The current prime minister of Turkey is trying to move away from that since it is an infringement on democracy. That’s one of the main reasons my family moved here, but thats not really as big an issue anymore. People make assumptions that everyone wearing hijabs are arabic, from a certain region or race, but that’s not true either.
A
QA
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I like the feeling it gives me of being very free. I feel like I have a huge advantage because it takes a long time for women to feel very confident with themselves and for me to have reached that point so early in my life is very satisfying.
michelle chu section editor morgan harwood staff writer
page 11 outlook feature dec. 21, 2010
A Hardcore Christmas with the Hard family
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he winter season is a time filled with cheerful songs, fantastic food and quality time with our loved ones. Neighborhoods are lit up by the Christmas decorations hung from houses. For junior Chad Hard, Christmas is when the entire family joins together in the spirit of the season. The Hard family goes all out in creating a winter wonderland of sparkling lights and dazzling décor. But decorating the house is quite the challenge. “Decorating our house is really hard because we have to use a lot The Hards decorate their house for the holidays. of ladders and stuff,” said Hard. “We’ve been harassed a few times by them, but it’s a traditional “Plus, we use a lot of thing, we still do it,” said Hard. electricity.” A lot of effort is needed to be motivated, and much strength So, we wonder how to haul all the ornamentation to different locations around the all this light and action can house. With this effort and strength comes inspiration. fit just around a house. “The spirit of Christmas,” Hard said. “Jesus is my boy!” From bright reindeer to The Hard family dedicates time and perseverance into creating glistening stars on the sides, a bright atmosphere of joy and festivity. They give the neighbors neighbors can say this is a something to talk about and a plealauren embroski very busy location. We asked sure to come home to. alexa williams Chad how the neighbors felt staff writers about this.
The lack of honor and integrity at Oakton High
Oakton students
page 12 outlook feature dec. 21, 2010
first offense
oakton’s cheating policy
No credit for assessment/assignment Written account submitted to counselor and grade level administrator Incident recorded in student information system In the case of altering a grade, further discipline action will be administered
next offense
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hroughout every student’s high school career, there is one common temptation that they have to deal with: cheating. Although many of the motivations for cheating are largely the same, there are two primary groups of students who cheat: those who are “well-intentioned” and those who are lazy. Teachers may have noticed that cheating is a more rampant problem in honors and AP classes. “The kids who don’t care don’t care to cheat,” said Tanya Insanally, AP World History teacher. Students in more difficult courses may feel more pressure from their parents and the competitive classroom atmospheres of these do you think coures. cheating is wrong? “There’s a focus more on grades than the information learned,” said Charlotte Salzman, history teacher. This unfortunate aspect can make yes no students feel like cheating their way 47% to a better grade will make them 53% more successful than making sure that they actually know the class material. Schools have seen a rise in the number of students who cheat due in part to the enormous *survey of 150 presence of technology in society.
Same as above Disciplinary action: Saturday School for second offense Suspension for third and subsequent offenses In the case of altering a grade, further discipline action will be administered
“I’m concerned that not only do I see it happening more, but students seem to care less,” Salzman said. Although cheating seems incredibly prevalent, many students are intolerant of dishonesty. “Most of our ‘discoveries’ [catching cheaters] come from students turning each other in,” Insanally said. One goal of many teachers is to make students realize that in the end, cheating does more harm than help. “Your integrity, unlike your grade, shannon ragan follows you through high school,” copy editor Insanally said.
Senior Superlatives 2010 Class Clown Alexis Klein Jonathan Morris Marisa Sheffield Chris Papas
Forever Young Kelsey McWey Robert Zuerlin Ella Cajayon Chris Stevens
Most Fashionable Julia Santoli Noah Merlin Shayda Shabazi Brandon Henton
Next American Idol Kevin Sol Holly Kelly Vipin Reddy Corinne Holland
Best Laugh Roxy Ghagamsornia Akil Jones Jennifer Chuday Christian Eagen
Most Likely to Become President Katherine Mahoney Mateo Diachok Rachel Schwartz Joseph Choi
Most School Spirit Jennifer Corser Alex Le Jory Yates Marshall Dressler
Most Likely to Change the World Kirin Gupta Jordan Gault Amanda Wright Zak Huber
Best Bromance Andy Gross Will Hunzeker James Fradette
Most Changed Since Freshman Year Christine Morgan Jacob Saunders Stephanie Bolling Geoff Mcglaughlin
Most Likely to be on a Reality TV Show Sara Iacovino Craig Thomas Sarah Kowarski Matt Nagy
Best Hair Shannon Bliss Ben Webster Karalee Thomas Best to Bring Home Emily Farmer Sean Navin Kate Arndt Carson Loftus Best Smile Sami Olson Ricky Zhu Nyah Collier Chris Peterkin Most Likely to be a Millionaire Jeffrey Abed Zack Bartee
Most Likely to Brighten Your Day Ansley Sherwin Kevin McGartland Colleen Howell Brian Lee Most Athletic Zora Stephenson Luke Willis Rachel Kuykendall Steele Shemeld Most Likely to Fall Down the Stairs Alisha LeBerre Sam Fine Samantha Hodges Stephen Jordan
Most Inseperable Marybeth Schmitt & Patrick Marlow Angus Wilson & Leanne Hyer Most Artistic Ashley Cho Greg Pavek Jungmin Sim Tyler Townsend Most Likely to be found in Driving School Cecily Jacobson Patrick Kelly Ashley Fichtel Daniel Chait Most Likely to Join the Tea Party Movement Katy Williams Aaron Rockind Maddy Ray John Titus page 13 outlook feature dec. 21, 2010
indepth
page 14, dec. 21, 2010
Looking back on the year With the holiday season approaching and a sense of giving in the air, Oakton’s students reflect on their past volunteer efforts and the economic recession that hindered their efforts
Maria Canales - 10 Fairfax County Pets on Wheels
“I take pets to retirement homes and bring them around to visit with the residents. Many retirement homes don’t let the residents keep pets. I take my dog. My favorite part is seeing residents’ reactions. They’re not used to having pets around and not many organizations do this. The animals make them really happy.”
Michael Procinski – 9 Grace Ministries
“I work with an organization through Floris United Methodist Church. Once a month we go and they have food and toys all boxed up. I unpack them and help people take things to their cars. Since the recession there have been so many people. Last year, even during all the snow, we would have just as many people showing up.”
Tae Min Park – 12 Good Spoon
“I volunteer at a food distribution organization. We make food and drive it to people those who need it. [We have been making] a lot more [deliveries] since the recession. There are now so many people that we can barely get to all of them.”
Hannah Berlin - 11 Best Buddies
“I work with kids with autism on a weekly basis. It’s a really rewarding experience - there’s nothing quite like it. Fortunately, it’s been unaffected by the recession because it doesn’t need money, just service and time.”
Jenna Lee – 12 Guitars not Guns
“I teach underprivileged kids how to play guitar for free in an attempt to keep them out of gangs. As far as I know there hasn’t been any difficulty with getting guitars. But there are more kids in bad situations these days because of the recession, so we have more teachers now so we’re able to accommodate more kids.”
Ben Webster - 12 FACETS
“A few times a year, I make and deliver peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to needy families in Fairfax. It’s an awesome feeling to know that you’re helping out. The recession has hit the area though, which I can tell because of the increase in the number of people we’re delivering sandwiches to, which is upsetting.”
Alex Lucas – 11 FACETS
“We make food and feed the homeless. There have been a lot more homeless lately, probably because of the recessions.”
all
en l
ue thk
e
Every little bit counts
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Oakton Senior Ben Webster doesn’t travel around the world to help those in need, but he does his part here at home
I’m not the biggest volunteer in the world,” said senior Ben Webster, “but I always try to do my little bit. It’s important to give back to the community.” Several times a year, Webster volunteers with Fairfax Area Christian Emergency & Transitional Services, Inc. (FACETS), a local organization combating and dealing with homelessness and poverty in Fairfax County, by making and distributing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. “It’s nothing fancy,” said Webster, “but it’s a contribution. And that’s the important part about volunteering, especially during the holidays – that sense of community and giving.” Webster also feels that this sense of giving back no matter what one is capable of giving has been lost to many people. “It seems like people think that the only way they can volunteer is by making these huge gestures, like traveling to Africa and teaching impoverished children to read,” Webster said, “people forget that they can help here at home. Even if it’s something small, it’s still helpful, and it’s still contributing to the community.” This belief that every little bit counts is integral to serving the community for the better, and integral to the holiday spirit. “Giving is giving,” Webster said. “It doesn’t matter how large the gesture or how seemingly small the gesture is, a helping hand will always be appreciated.”
Ben Webster lifting a box of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
A voice at Oakton Joshua Henry, a history teacher at Oakton, offers his interpretation on the effects that the recession has had on charities and volunteer groups
T
he effects of the economic recession haven’t really found their way to Oakton in any direct way, but they have nonetheless made their presence known. “There hasn’t been much direct influence,” said Joshua Henry, government teacher. “However, it has influenced the ability of charitable organizations in that it has become more difficult for them to find funding and sponsors.” The recession hasn’t only had a top-down effect though. “These organizations find it difficult to recruit members and ask their current members to pay dues,” Henry said, “the participants in these organizations are faced with the question of whether they’re going to save their money for the holiday season, or pay dues to their volunteer groups and charities.” The recession has also created a newfound and widespread base of people that need aid. “Because of the lack of money flow and volunteers, these organizations become overburdened because of the greater demand,” Henry said. Ultimately, Henry’s analysis of the effects of the recession boil down to one point – in order to allen luethke meet the growing demand of aid, we all need to step up, especially in the holiday season, to becky singerman help out in any way we can.
indepth co-editors
page 15 outlook a&e dec. 21, 2010
1.7 million people in Virginia volunteer. 28 percent of Virgnia residents volunteer, Virginia residents spend 225.3 million hours volunteering.
Americans are more charitable with their money than their time.
$4.7 million has been donated to charity by Virginia residents alone.
24.3 percent of Virginia teens volunteer for charities.
Virginia is ranked thirty-second in teenage volunteer rating. Step up, Oakton!
page 16 outlook indepth dec. 21, 2010
Making a difference,
ne grain at a time
Students discover a creative and educational way to donate rice in order to feed people around the world suffering from hunger.
W
e live in the world’s wealthiest nation, but 13 percent of the country suffers from poverty. People depend on charities to help lessen that amount. This holiday season, many families will not have a home-cooked meal. While most are filled with cheer during this time period, others are with empty-literally. When people think of charity, they think of soup kitchens and monetary donations. However, some students have contributed in a fast, free way to help people across the globe. Freerice. com is a website dedicated to providing rice to those experiencing starvation. You just answer basic vocabulary questions, and with each correct answer, you donate ten grains of rice. Freerice is a part of the UN world food program, and has no restrictions regarding who gets the rice. The more you play, the more you are helping out those in need. The rice is donated to every country in need of it. Although the Freerice website has been around for a while, students dedicate more time for it around the holidays. Sophomore Joanna Ro answers vocabulary “I go on the website more often during the questions on Freerice.com to contribute rice holidays,” said Joanna Ro, sophomore, “You’re fills with rice. You almost forget that the game learning and helping other people.” is educational. However, some busy high school When the holidays are over, students still visit schedules limit the amount of free time students the site whenever they can. There is no vacation have. Freerice is a way for students to work around from helping out those in need. hectic homework and sports practices. “It’s a good use of time, I can feed the world “I do it whenever I have free and help solve some of If I can help out children in need time, especially when I’m trying to the world’s most pressing with so little time and effort avoid my homework,” Crail said, issues,” said Chance Crail, involved, then I will. “it’s also educationally beneficial sophomore. kristi carrigan, soph. and morally correct.” Reasons for helping the At one point, someone isn’t less fortunate vary from going hungry because of the time student to student. you took to make a difference.This holiday season, “It’s a good way to learn, and to waste time when you’re bored,” Ro said, “Its cool how you can put yourself in the mindset of someone less fortunate. Appreciate everything you have, because help other people.” there are millions of people in the world who are Some students see it as a chance to support the suffering. Don’t take anything for granted, it’s that UN. simple. With determination and dedication, ending “I like to support the UN,” said Kristi Carrigan, poverty can become possible. It’s the small steps sophomore, “If I can help out those in need with you take that make an so little time and effort involved, then I will.” caroline hipwell impact in this world. After one visit, the website becomes addicting. gabriela driscoll Excitement grows as the virtual bowl quickly
“
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by the numbers
staff writers
All statistics from volunteeringinamerica.gov.
Changing the world the Wright way Senior Amanda Wright leads the way to helping others through Collective Change
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hile most students are caught in the ally come to a close. But that doesn’t mean that holiday shopping frenzy, senior Amanda Wright has any plans of closing down Collective Wright is working toward a gift for the Change’s holiday efforts. greater good. “After Christmas Break, we’d really like to begin This past year, Wright created a non-profit char- collecting coats to donate to the Embry Rucker ity organization called Collective Change with help Shelter,” Wright said, “although it’s only a goal at from a friend from Chantilly High School. this point, this is something we’d really like to do.” “The whole philosophy behind the name is Wright’s passion for helping others did not from a quote by [South African activist] Desmond develop suddenly, but rather evolved over time with Tutu,” Wright said. “‘Do your little bit of good help from her mother. where you are; it’s those “My mom has always done little bits of good put tocharity work through her comgether that overwhelm the pany and I kind of learned from world.’” her,” Wright commented. “With Throughout the past her, I’ve done volunteer work year, Collective Change has with Reston Interfaith [regardbeen an active charity working] their efforts to prevent ing toward a number of homelessness. Mostly, however, different causes. I have found my inspiration “Last March Collective from really great family and Change organized a benefit friends who teach me that I’m concert of performances a really lucky person. I feel like by musicians from Oakton everyone deserves to be as lucky at Jammin’ Java Cafe to as me, and so it kind of seems fundraise for earthquake natural to do whatever little bit relief in Haiti,” Wright I can.” recalled. “This August, we Wright is eager to spread her had another fundraiser for love of charity work to other Active Water, an organizamembers of Oakton’s commution that provides sand nity. However she and Collective filters to remote villages Change are limited by Fairfax While walking hand and hand with in Zambia that lack clean County policies on promoting a child during her trip to Senegal, drinking water.” non-school organizations. NoneWright finds the inspiration for her In the small amount of current project to send 22,000 books theless, students can become time before the holidays, involved through joining Colto Senegal. Collective Change was looklective Change’s Facebook page, ing for opportunities to work with other charity which sends frequent updates to its members about organizations. projects the organization is working on. “Even in October, Collective Change organized “During the holidays, charities become more of performances at Reston Interfaith’s Walk for the a visible thing,” Wright said, “and so people begin Homeless,” Wright recalled. giving more. This is a great period to get involved This holiday season Collective Change is staying or kick start a charity.” as active as ever, working on their largest project Collective Change has certainly hit a stride in yet: raising 7,000 dollars to send 22,000 books to this holiday season – with performances and book schools across Senegal, located in West Africa. drives and coat collections, Wright’s organization is “Last spring I traveled to Senegal with my really doing its little bit of good this holiday season, French class and did various community service although it’s obvious that Collective Change will projects,” Wright said excitedly. “That experience continue on its path of helping others well beyond has really inspired me to get Collective Change this holiday season. michelle lorusso involved in doing anything we can to help the destistaff writer tute people over there.” The holiday season will, unfortunately, eventu-
to get involved in some of the charities you have read about here... To help people suffering from poverty in Northern Virginia, visit www.facetscares. org
To help provide food, clothing, and services to low-income families, visit http://florisumc. org/433583.ihtml To help people suffering from poverty in Northern Virginia, visit www.facetscares. org To help teach underprivilidged kids to play guitar, visit www.guitarsnotguns.org To get involved by bringing your pet to retirement homes, visit www. fpow.org
page 17 outlook indepth dec. 21, 2010
opinions
page 18, dec. 21, 2010
Mandating volunteering diminishes moral value
C
nikki clemons
hristmas is clearly the season of giving both gifts with a cause that they may care about, students might and effort to help those less fortunate than you. frantically click on the first link that appears on Google Even the people who don’t celebrate Christmas that mentions the words “volunteering,” “charity” or any partake in that charitable feeling that the winter months other synonym. Although students are given a considerable inevitably bring. But how much of that effort is actually a deadline to fulfill their twenty or so hours, they panic and direct result of Christmas or holiday “cheer?” More often overestimate just how long getting those hours will take. than not, a student will trudge out of bed to don a Santa Though there is no real assessing of a charitable organizahat and paste on a cheery smile simply to either get the tion’s worth, there are different causes that interest differCivic Seal for their diploma or satisfy their National Honor ent students. And that interest (or lack thereof) can affect a Society hour requirements. student’s willingness or enthusiasm to volunteer. It can leave Volunteering, by definition, is the practice of people a student with a sense of resentment; the opposite of what working on behalf of others without payment or any pervolunteering is all about. Many people volunteer for the sonal benefit other than moral satisfaction. feeling they’re left with for helping their felClearly, that’s the “meaning” of volunteering. low man. Take that away, and you take away The Staff Editorial And while many people retain that motive is the official opinion the very definition of volunteering. and that drive throughout their entire experiThe question is, can anyone really be conof the Outlook ence, more and more students are getting demned for that? Despite what their motive involved with volunteering due to the mandamay be, they are still actively taking the time tory nature volunteering has taken on as a result of the out of their own lives to donate to those who truly need it. amount of hours needed for school-related organizations. And that’s what the volunteer centers and charities want, Mandating volunteering takes away from that meaning especially during the colder months where conditions are of helping others for no personal gain. Although some harsher and supplies are in much higher demand in comstudents may have already been involved in some type of parison to the rest of the year. An increasing number of charity or nonprofit organization prior to joining the orgacharities are accepting more and more students during the nization asking for the hours, their volunteering is no longer winter months because of that need. truly charitable once they accept that responsibility. Even Although charities and nonprofit organizations don’t though their acts still contribute to the common good, from take in account a volunteer’s reasons behind their donathat moment on, the truth is that they’re just volunteering tion, the reasons shouldn’t be disregarded. Helping those in for the hours. The sincerity of the act has disappeared. need is noble, but the intent reflects on a person’s character. That hour requirement may force students to get desper- Mandating volunteering spurs on selfish intentions and, ate. Rather than taking the time to actually find a charity ultimately, takes away the good-will of the holiday season. page 18 outlook opinions dec. 21, 2010
Energy drinks can be acceptable in moderation
pro
Energy drinks are more con detrimental than helpful
They might not actually sofia give you wings, but encrutchfield ergy drinks such as Red staff writer Bull, Rockstar, Monster and others are incredibly useful. They perk you up instantly and help you focus. With a burst of energy and all the increased awareness from a cup of coffee, energy drinks are the ultimate pick-me-up. While you may crash later, who cares? A few hours of extra energy and increased productivity are definitely worth being tired afterward. The crash is an accepted consequence of having energy drinks and if you’re michelle oh prepared for it, it’s a small price to pay. Everyone knows what it’s like to have to stay up late working on a project or an assignment that they procrastinated on. When it comes to these miserable and dreary nights, a can of Red Bull is a shining beacon of hope. The boost of stamina is like Prince Charming, here to save you from lethargy and the dreaded D. It’s good for late-night driving because it keeps you awake and vigilant. A lot of people enjoy the buzz of energy that the drinks give, but it’s nothing like alcohol because it doesn’t impair your judgment or harm your liver and brain. You might have heard arguments that energy drinks are harmful or unhealthy, but not if you’re sensible about your intake. They’re mainly dangerous when combined with alcohol, ingested before rigorous exercise or consumed in excess. If you avoid these situations, you’ll be just fine. Be smart about when, where and how you indulge in energy drinks, and you can enjoy the lift when you need it without worrying about your health. Another thing to keep in mind is that they’re banned in school, because administrators probably don’t want thousands of teenagers bouncing off the walls. Remember the old cliché “everything with moderation,” and your experience with energy drinks will be entirely positive. If you’re responsible, there won’t even be any serious consequences. And while others may disagree, I think they taste pretty good.
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hen casey stunoda dents staff writer wake up in the morning feeling tired and not ready for the school day ahead, they open up their fridge and pull out a Red Bull or Monster to give them that much needed energy boost. What some don’t know is that too much caffeine from energy drinks can cause negative side effects such as tremors, sweating, nausea and neurological problems. 31 percent of U.S. teenagers consume energy drinks and out of that percentage, 29 per cent say that they experience a crash later on. The two most dangerous ingredients are Guarana and Taurine, which are the cause of the burst of energy and excitement that the user feels, but they also cause the later sudden crash. Now you might be asking yourself, is caffeine safe in moderate amounts? Experts consider 200-300 mg of caffeine a day to be a moderate amount for adults. But consuming as little as 100 mg of caffeine a day can lead a person to become dependent on caffeine. If you suddenly decrease or cut out your intake of energy drinks, you may experience symptoms of withdrawal which include irritability and headaches. Energy drinks also make playing sports risky because of the trauma it can cause your heart. Running and physical activity clearly speeds up your heart, so when combined with the adrenaline rush that comes from the energy drink, your pulse will go into overdrive. Some other side effects caused by these drinks are high blood pressure, dehydration, heart attacks and strokes. Energy drinks can always be replaced with natural sources of energy. Try eating a hearty breakfast of protein filled foods such as nuts, eggs or fruit. For me, I listen to my music at a very high volume. It wakes me up and helps me get pumped for the day ahead. At school, if I begin to fall asleep in class, I ask to go to the bathroom and splash cold water on my face. If you’re looking to get out of the house, try joining a local gym and doing yoga or any other form of exercise. It increases your heart like an energy drink would but without the draining crash. page 19 outlook opinions dec. 21, 2010
It’s better to go through scans than die in a fiery crash
I
have no issue allen being naked in leuthke front of a line of in-depth people waiting to pass editor
through a metal detector or being groped and prodded by some anonymous TSA agent. I understand that dangerous materials can come in all shapes and sizes, from something as undetectable as a cleverly designed pair of volatile underwear to something even more undetectable, such as a powdered substance that explodes after being introduced to another equally undetectable powdered substance. Basically what I’m getting at is that things that will make the airplane go boom are really, really tiny and can’t be detected through conventional security measures. People that are bent on exploding airplanes and destroying lives are clever and are capable of designing weapons that us non-explosion oriented folk would never even dream of, and so the basic pass through a metal detector just doesn’t cut it anymore. To top it all off, I love not being dead. If I was on a plane with somebody bent on blowing that airplane to smithereens, then I too would be blown to smithereens, and that just simply wouldn’t do. So, if I were to be able to tell the TSA one thing right now, it would be that it’s okay to go ahead an excessively examine every last inch of my body, and please feel free to display me in my birthday suit for the viewing pleasure of security agents at airports, because I value my safety over the possibility of a horrible fiery death followed by a 30,000 ft. plummet.
Taylor Swift’s set list consists purely of boys, boys, boys
T
aylor Swift. A roxy young musical ghamgosarnia phenomenon staff writer that appeared in the country atmosphere with her Barbie girl style and stream of relationship-driven lyrics. Swift anchors her songs off of her own personal experiences with men that she has dated— some of which include Joe Jonas, Taylor Lautner, John Mayer and currently Jake Gyllenhaal. With Swift’s music, it’s either hot or cold. When she is in a new and exciting relationship, she expresses the beauty and importance of young love. A couple songs later, she’ll express her dissatisfaction or apologizes for being a heart breaker. At only 21-years-old, Swift has written about past relationships from her first hits “Tim McGraw” and “Picture to Burn”. The song “Back to December” is an apology to Taylor Lautner. There has been new controversy over her recent release “Dear John”, which is supposedly about John Mayer. It seems like all of these songs are just starting to morph into one big sobby teenage diary entry instead of quality music. Swift has taken over hearts of many young girls that are fascinated with her fairy tale fantasies and flawless golden curls. However, is she really the best idol for our innocent youth? Or is she giving children hope of something wonderful, then demonstrating failure? These questions ought to be considered when judging Swifts music. Until then, let’s wait and see what her next song says of her current boo, Jake Gyllenhaal.
michelle oh
page 20 outlook opinions dec. 21, 2010
greg pavek
Christmas is more of a secular holiday rather than religious
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hen you think of Christmas, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? The majority of people probably think of Santa Claus first, then maybe Rudolph, or an evergreen tree— and after that— maybe, just maybe, you think of Baby Jesus. There’s not necessarily anything wrong with this, but it goes to show that these days “Christmas” is presented as a secular holiday to appeal to the shopping masses, some of whom don’t even celebrate the holiday. As a Christian, I do participate in Christmas Mass and, to be completely honest, I do enjoy receiving gifts Christmas morning. With that in mind, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that the Christmas we celebrate today is a secular holiday. I know this for three reasons. Firstly, in December, everything you hear about Christmas, aside from the occasional religious charity group, is centered around the secular aspects of the holiday; i.e. Santa Claus, a Christmas tree, ornaments, lights, songs and wreaths. Notably, the last two do have some religious connotations to them. Still, this does little to stem the secular tide that overwhelms the holiday season.
A
Secondly, due to the fact that retailers make much of their profit during the holiday shopping season makes it even more likely that what little religion that does eke out somehow will be trampled by “Once-a -Year” daniel chait deals, “Maximum Discount” and “up to 30, 40, 50, 60 and even 70 percent off!!!!” ads which overwhelm the airwaves. Thirdly, Christmas is mostly secular because it’s the only holiday that advertisers mention without pause. If it was a true religious holiday, there would be some restraint to be sensitive to people who don’t celebrate it. But because that sort of sensitivity doesn’t happen as often as it should it makes Christmas appear not as it was originally intended for, but a time to buy stuff— and lots of it. On the flipside, holidays such as Hanukkah and Kwanza are rarely, if ever, mentioned in ads and if they are, it’s most likely under the umbrella
New Years resolution should be all year, not just at New Years
s the holiday season is upon us, the New Year is soon to follow. The clock strikes midnight, confetti is thrown, and kisses are shared, announcing the beginning of a brand new year and a clean slate. The question on everybody’s mind is “What are my plans for the upcoming year?” The various answers to this daunting query are what we call New Year’s resolutions. Society has projected this need to develop a list of goals at the beginning of each year. This concept is derived from the mythical Roman King Janus. Janus was said to have had two faces; one looking backward to the past and one forward to the future. This soon became the ancient
symbol for resolutions. Many common resolutions include: “lose weight,” “volunteer more,” and “learn something new.” Although many vow to themselves that they will adhere to their objectives, these goals soon become “should have, would have, could have’s.” In fact, by the second week of January, 22 percent of Americans stray from their new way of life and by February 38 percent have given up. This tactic in improving one’s life has rarely proven to be effective. Why is it that we feel the only time we need to contemplate all the ways in which to enhance our lives is during a specific month? To truly better one’s daily life, it is necessary to continually reflect on our
oliver lopez-gomez staff writer
greg pavek of “Holidays.” For these reasons— and the fact that that for as long as I can remember my family and I have always gone to Mass on Christmas Eve— I believe Christmas is a secular holiday. But this shift happened so long ago that doesn’t really matter anymore. So grab a cup of hot chocolate sit on the couch and enjoy the spirit of the holiday that, for now, has become part of everyone’s life; Christian or not.
emma mankin staff writer behavior. Whether it is an individual’s eating habits or involvement in the community, waiting until the first of January is an blatant form of procrastination. Though cliché, the saying Carpe Diem could not be more valid. The intent of New Year’s resolutions is rational and even inspiring. However, it has become an excuse to delay the amelioration of shortcomings in life. Daily meditation of self-behavior will lead to exponential self-growth in contrast to maybe three weeks of daily exercise. So, run a mile today, clean your closet tomorrow, and lend a hand the day after that. You don’t have to wait until January 1st to improve your life. page 21 outlook opinions dec. 21, 2010
COUGAR CARICA TURES the Oakton Outlook satire page
2011 AP English Test Section I
My Humps by Black Eyed Peas
Time: 15 Minutes
I mix your milk wit my cocoa puff, Milky, milky cocoa, Mix your milk wit my cocoa puff, milky, milky riiiiiiight.
Directions: The early 21st Century has produced some of the most brilliant prose since the Shakespearian Age. With revolutionary pieces like Lil Jon’s haunting “Get Low” to Waka Flocka Flame’s powerful yet elegant “O Lets Do it (Remix)”, the definition of artist has been redefined. Carefully read the following passages taken from this Golden Age of literature, then choose the best answer to each question.
Tik Tok by Ke$ha Wake up in the morning feeling like P Diddy Grab my glasses, I’m out the door – I’m gonna hit this city Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack ‘Cause when I leave for the night, I ain’t coming back 1. When Kesha draws parallels between herself and P.Diddy, the reader can infer that Kesha is similar to Diddy because she is also__ A. Breaking free from the norm society has given her as a woman B. A black man C. Hungover D. Wealthy and talentless 2. What does the phrase “’Cause when I leave for the night I ain’t coming back” foreshadow? A. B. C. D.
Her short-lived career ending Her inevitable demise as a result of hubris, a tragic flaw The “po-po” catching her Her cataclysmic battle with the dark lord Ktulu
Like a G6 by FarEast Movement Poppin bottles in the ice, like a blizzard When we drink we do it right gettin slizzard Sippin sizzurp in my ride, like Three 6 Now I’m feelin so fly like a G6 Like a G6, Like a G6 Now I’m feelin so fly like a G6 4.
In line 3, the term “slizzard” most likely refers to
A. B. C. D.
The act or instance of getting crunk To be engaged in one’s studies A rare breed of Pokemon The author’s apathy towards the lives of others
page 22 outlook opinions dec. 22, 2010
5. What is the significance of the author juxtaposing his milk with his cocoa puffs? A. To create part of a complete breakfast B. To emphasize the societal dangers of dry cereal C. To satiate his somewhat cuckoo desire for cocoa puffs D. He likes how it makes the milk all chocolatey…mmm
Section II Time: 25 Minutes Directions: The following passage is taken from the modern-day opus “Who let the Dogs Out?” by the Baha Men. Read the passage carefully, then, craft a well-structured essay that states who you believe is responsible for said dogs being let out. Who let the dogs out (woof, woof, woof, woof) Who let the dogs out (woof, woof, woof, woof) When the party was nice, the party was jumpin’ (Hey, Yippie, Yi, Yo) And everybody havin’ a ball (Hah, ho, Yippie Yi Yo) I tell the fellas “start the name callin’” (Yippie Yi Yo) And the girls report to the call The poor dog show down
Candy Shop by 50 Cent I take you to the candy shop I’ll let you lick the lollipop Go ‘head girl, don’t you stop Keep goin ‘til you hit the spot (whoa) 3. What is the reason for 50 Cent (Fiddy, if you will) imploring the reader to “lick the lollipop”?
alex A. To establish a congenial, approachable attitude towards the reader buscemi B. To invite the reader to sample his corn syrupco-editor based sports treat C. To encourage the reader to seize the day and better his or her community to the best of their ability
Do you want to reach thousands of possible customers and make more money? Interested in advertising in the Oakton Outlook?
Contact Sarah Crain 703-319-2789 advertising@oaktonoutlook.com Richard Sumner Owner
Burke, VA Licensed/Insured
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sports
page 24, Dec. 21, 2010
Oakton hosts Turkey berube Shoot-Out allie sports co-editor
Guarding the ball, junior Alex Revel helps propel her team to the Turkey Shoot-Out title. Revel scored six goals in the Cougars’ game against Capital ‘13.
Faking out a player from Broad Run’s boys lacrosse team, junior Scott Lopina brings his team to a 3-1 record.
KICKOFF
(Above) Senior Maddy Ray defends the goal. (Below) Title-winning girls lacrosse team models champions’ t-shirts.
James Craig staff writer
Pop Culture Grid This Month’s Athletes Alex Lucas, Jr. Basketball
Claire Stikeleather, Jr. Lacrosse
Darren Sharper..
Team Alex
one of the most hardest hiting safties in the league
Glee
Team Edward
one of the most hardest hiting safties in the league
The Office, anything on ESPN
Team Jacob
Elf
Team Jacob
_ is on my DVR
Gummy Bear Tacos
Secret Life of an American Teenager
Wheat Thins
Matt Noterangelo, Strombollie So.Wrestling
Nesli Ozcan, Jr. Basketball
Team Jacob or Team Edward?
Favorite junkfood?
Potato chips
one of the most hardest hiting safties in the league one of the most hardest hiting safties in the league
Inside the Grid
The Saints All-Pro saftey has become a household name, not due to his on field performance but due to a popular video by Youtuber demetryjames86. If you haven’t seen it yet, where have you been for the past two months?
The Outlook’s Guide to
Y
oga is defined as a series of postures and breathing exercises practiced to achieve control of the body, mind and tranquillity. Although the postures may look easy to some, they are difficult and require a great deal of body strength. Those of the Hindu ideology that practice yoga believe that there are sacred chakras, or centers of spiritual energy, that govern a certain region of the body. The word
“Chakra” is Sanskrit and roughly translates to “vortex,” implying that this life energy whirls around inside every being.The seven chakras (crown, brow, throat, heart, solar, spleen and root) act as pumps and regulate the energy that flows in and out. By practicing yoga and breathing exercises, positive chakras can replace the negative chakras, and tranquility can be achieved. Here are a few poses for you to try.
Plank Start in Warrior, and then fall down into a push-up position with your legs behind you. Keep your knees and chest off the ground as you support the weight of your body on your toes and your arms.
Warrior Warrior Pose: Stand with your feet apart, with the front knee slightly bent and your back leg strong. Your back foot should be perpendicular to your front foot, which is pointing forward. Your arms should form a horizontal line, with your eyes looking out over your front hand.
Downward-Facing Dog From Upward-facing dog, lean back on your toes and form a ^. Your rear should be in the air, and your hands should not move from their origin.
Cobra Start in Warrior, and then fall down into Plank. From here, arch your back and look up. You should feel a nice stretch in your back as you do this.
andy reed staff writer page 25 outlook sports dec. 21, 2010
THE WINTER LINE-UP
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s winter sports begin, teams are preparing for early season matchups and prominent players on their teams are preparing for leadership roles that will be taken throughout the season. Although the loss of last year’s senior leaders and star athletes will have some negative impact
isabella kidane
on the the teams’ performances, last year’s young high performance athletes will be stepping up to fill their places. As a whole, this season’s captains and senior leadership have a positive outlook on the upcoming season and exjackson lizardo pect to accomplish high goals. jstaff writer
isabella kidane
spencer conley
Boys Swim and Dive
Girls Swim and Dive
Wrestling
Swim and dive captain Austin Lopez-Gomez, senior, prepares to dive at the meet against Robinson Secondary School. As dive captain, he has set high expectatrions for the team. “I want everyone to get personal bests and improve,” said Lopez-Gomez. “Our goal is to have people who went to regionals last year go to states this year.”
Girl’s swim team captain Leanne Hyer, senior, finishes her race at a meet against Robinson. She wants the team to continue its early season success. “Our goals for both team are to win districts, regions and go to states. We’re doing really well in the dual meets and outscoring eveyone by a lot so we hope to continue,” said Hyer.
Wrestling captain A.J. Duston, senior, faces a contender in the 2010 NOVA Classic. He hopes the majority of the team gets to participate deep into the post season.“We want to have a team in all 14 weight classes, improve on last year and have more than half of our team go to regionals, which means coming top three in the district,” said Duston.
emma pfeifer
alina suyama
Indoor Track
Boy’s Basketball
Girl’s Basketball
Junior track runner Morgan Bayer warms before practice. This will be a testing season with the loss of some senior leadership and strong runners from last year, but runners like Bayer will be stepping up to take these roles. She has great expectations for the team this year. “Our goal this year is to improve from last year,” said Bayer. “We also want to have the girls 4x800 go to states.”
Adi Hajrovic, center and captain of boy’s basketball, attempts a shot at the first game of the year against Marshall. Being a captain this year, he has both prominent leadership roles and on-court expectations. “We’re looking to win the Concorde district championship this year. Anything beyond that is a bonus, but we want to improve on last year’s regular season,” said Hajrovic.
Senior Danielle Davis, captain for girl’s basketball, looks to grab a rebound after a run down the court. She hopes to continue the girls’ tradition of success this year with yet another strong season. “We’d really like to make states again this year. The only way to do that is to take each game one game at a time,” said Davis. “It would be really awesome if we could go undefeated.”
page 26 outlook a&e dec. 21, 2010
emma pfeifer
Football Team Gives Back
OVERTIME
Football team honor soldiers by laying wreaths on the graves of U.S. veterans
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or two years the Oakton “It really makes me respect Football team has parthe soldiers that have given their ticipated in Wreaths Across lives for this country,” said junior America, a program founded in running back Connor Sullivan. 1992 that lays wreaths on the graves “It’s also amazing to see how many of veterans across the United States. people have given their lives for this The initial goal of joining was to country.” add a fundraiser to the Oakton It’s a common expression athletics program, but their goals that when football players step on quickly changed. the field they’re ready to ‘sacrifice “It started as a fundraiser where their body.’ The team spends a five dollars would go back to the month of their cherished summer program for every wreath that was vacation giving up their time to Allen Abrams/ Oakton Patch attend two a days. However, attenddonated,” said head football coach Joe Thompson. “But we decided to Thirty-two members of the Oakton Football team honor ing the ceremony is a humbling take that money and apply it to the Americas fallen veterans by placing wreaths on their experience that can put things in [David Sharret II Memorial Society]. graves. “It really makes me respect the soldiers that perspective. So now none of that money goes “We talk about what a great sachave given their lives for this country,” said junior into Oakton’s football program.” rifice it is when our players sacrifice Connor Sullivan. The team arrived at the cemetery their time during August to come in at 8:30 on the morning of Dec. 11. From there they were just and practice,” Thompson said. “But when you see the sacrifice 32 kids among hundreds honoring our fallen veterans. Coach the soldiers have made it kind of makes the sacrifices we make Thompson and others hope that this will be both a rewarding and seem a lot easier.” memorably experience for the athletes. The experience also has an effect on the team. “It’s a somber“I think that experience is something that they will look back ing experience,” Sullivan said, “to see everyone together paying on and be able to say ‘I was a part of that’,” Coach Thompson their respects is pretty memorable.” callum kelton said. staff writer
On The Scoreboard Girls B-ball
Boys B-ball
12/1 v. Marshall W 77-39 12/3 v. Stuart W 35-30 12/7 v. South County L 45-49 12/10 v. Washington-Lee L 55-70 12/14 v. Jefferson W 54-50
12/3 v. Langley W 90-20 12/7 v. South County W 74-49 12/10 v. Washington-Lee W 82-25 12/11 v. Loudoun County W 61-39 12/14 v. Jefferson W 71-23
Boys’ Swim
12/3 v. Chantilly W 12/10 v. Robinson W 203-112
Congrats to... the Fall All-Met Players The All-Met honors were determined and released by the Washington Post High School Sports’ journalists. The following Oakton athletes were chosen:
Field Hockey
Adele Clinton (Midfielder Honorable Mention) Rachel Kuykendall (Defender Honorable Mention)
Volleyball
Karalee Thomas (Libero Honorable Mention)
Football
Jimmy Boone (Quarterback Honorable Mention and All Concorde Team) CJ Reimann (Linebacker Honorable Mention and All Concorde Team) Luke Willis (Wide Receiver All Concorde Team) Jake Farrar (Guard All Concorde Team) Eric Goins (Kicker All Concorde Team)
Girls’ Swim 12/3 v. Chantilly W 12/10 v. Robinson W 177.5-137.5
page 27 outlook sports dec. 21, 2010
a&e
page 28, dec. 21, 2010
holiday gift guide
all pictures from official sites
Gift cards
You can’t think of a good gift for cheap? A simple solution is a gift card. You can get a bunch of them and your friends will love them because they get to choose their own gift. There’s an assortment of different kinds, so they appeal to everyone and anyone.
Flip Ultra HD Video Camera
$149 - $199 at Best Buy and amazon.com. Featuring improved HD quality, the new Flip Ultra HD video camera is both easy to use and portable. Its integrated USB arm makes uploading videos quick and convenient.
iTouch 4th Generation
Blu-ray Discs
Pillow Pets
Holiday box sets
$25 at Best Buy. Movies on Blu-ray discs offer superior sound and image quality compared to movies on traditional DVDs. The blockbuster summer movie Inception was recently released on Blu-ray discs and is in high demand this holiday season.
$229 - $399 at Apple Stores. The newest model of the Apple iTouch features a frontal camera for use in video chats in addition to the standard controls and features of past models. The resolution of the screen’s display has also been improved. $20 - $30 at Toys R Us and amazon. com. Pillow Pets are foldable pillows in the shape of various animals and mythical creatures. A considerable gift for all ages, these decorative pillows initially gained popularity from memorable TV commercials.
Skullcandy Earbuds and Headphones
Many stores are offering gift box sets, especially makeup stores. Sephora and Victoria Secret are offering many different assortments of products, from make up to perfume samples. Your friends are definitely going to appreciate the variety of products in these sets.
$15 - $250 at skullcandy.com. Skullcandy offers a wide variety of earbuds and headphones that bare their iconic skull logo. The company recently collaborated with Paul Frank Industries on a special line of their Ink’d earbuds. page 28 outlook a&e dec. 21, 2010
marilyn yang staff writer
something unconventional?
App Magnet $16.00 The Apple apps look isn’t only on the iPhone; it’s also in a magnet form. Stick these magnet apps on lockers, refrigerators or anything magnetic. Visit a local Urban Outfitters for these magnets. Magic Lima Beans $9.98 These lima beans have a special message engraved into the bean; they actually grow with the messages on the beans. It is a wonderful gift for a person who enjoys planting. Buy these magic beans on www.magiccabin. com Bananagrams $14.99 Bananagrams is Scrabble with a twist. Everything is contained in a small bananashaped pouch. Playing any time is a breeze and it is easily portable. Bananagrams can be bought from Target. Unicef Inspired Gifts 22,000 children die every year from diseases. Give the gift of life to children in third world countries. Spend only 30 dollars and buy vaccines for those in need. Visit http://inspiredgifts.unicefusa.org
penelope tangamu staff writer
Prince prepares for American tour
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or decades, Prince has been known to serious music lovers as much for his musicianship and eccentric style as for his electrifying performances. He has been touring Europe and parts of Asia for a few months now, but has not toured the East coast of the USA since his Musicology Tour in 2004. His forthcoming series of shows beginning at the end of December through early January are highly anticipated by those in the Purple Universe. The artists making guest appearances in these shows include Janelle Monae, Cassandra Wilson, Mint Condition and Esperanza Spalding, among speculated surprise guests. His first shows are be on Dec 15 and Dec. 17 at the IZOD Center in New Jersey. Dates following are Dec. 18, 29 and Jan. 18 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
for fans of:
PLATNIUM ALBUMS
The Hits
Prince
1999
Emancipation
The Love Symbol Album
Purple Rain
Diamonds & Pearls The Very Best Of Prince
Around The World In A Day
Batman
Sign O The Times Parade
Michael Jackson Stevie Wonder
Raspberry Berets
Musicology
camille may staff writer
Controversy
Jammin’ with Berret and Harrison
T
aylor Berrett and Matthew Harrison make up the local “soul-andblues-influenced-pop” band, Berrett and Harrison. Music has always had a large impact on each of their lives, and they’ve been playing together since they were about thirteen. As Berrett puts it, “I
Q&A Q&A
plan on continuing to write and perform songs until I run out of things to say.” Come see Berrett and Harrison at Jammin Java on Dec. 29 in their first headlining show with a full band. Check out Berrett and Harrison at www.facebook.com/berrettandharrison.
Has making music always been your dream?
“My dream was to be a dinosaur, but my fall-back [option] was always music.”
What sort of atmosphere can people expect at your shows?
“Our shows are pretty loose, probably looser than they should be. Mostly because I can’t keep my mouth shut between songs. Sometimes I’m funny; often, I’m just lame.”
Q&A What advice do you have for an aspiring musician?
“Whether or not you’re the most talented guy in the room is out of your control, but you can always decide to be the hardest working person in the room. I can honestly say that I am by far not the most talented musician around and definitely not the best singer, but nobody works at it like I do. I always try to maintain that.”
Sophomore Madlin Mekelburg poses with Berrett and Harrison on June 18 after they opened for singer/songwriter Struan Sheilds.
Q&A Why should people come to your concert?
“Because it will be jam-packed with funk and bling.”
Q&A What sort of fan base have you developed?
“We’ve been very fortunate to have a very active local fan base that’s fairly wide demographically-from moms with kids to teenagers to little babies who get dragged to madlin mekelburg shows.”
staff writer
page 29 outlook a&e dec. 21 2010
media mix
Coming Soon
Taste Questing: The search for Northern VA’s.....
Best Ginger Treats
Firehook Bakery, a small bakery chain with loca-
tions throughout Northern Virginia and Washington D.C., certainly has the most festive treat on the list. While their gingersnap cookies are offered year round, during the holidays they take to classic gingerbread people shapes. The taste is similar to most homemade gingerbread I’ve had, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. Their main bakery is located in Chantilly, off of Centerville Road. The gingersnap cookies run $1.55 a piece, however I’d recommend the cakes, which are delicious.
Amphora is a local chain with bakery and restaurant locations in both Herndon and Vienna. They feature a wide array of cakes, pies and treats, many decorated with Holidays theme during the winter time. However, the ginger cookies, which do remain undecorated, are available during the entire year. Their texture is chewy and moist, and their taste is strong and vibrant with the unadulterated taste of fresh ginger. They’ll run you $1.85 each, available at both the restaurants and bakeries.
Now Playing
Name: Inge Pisano Position: French Teacher Favorite Genre: Classical, Classic Rock Favorite Artists: Canadian Tenors, George Winston
Favorite Songs: 1. “Adiago for Strings” by Samuel Barber
Dunkin’ Donuts, in a recent effort to further themselves
as prominent players in the coffee industry, have created a Gingerbread latte for the Holidays, à la Starbucks seasonal drinks. The flavoring is much stronger comparatively, which is either a good or bad thing depending on your preference. Also included in the holiday promo is is a gingerbread lisa baumgartner doughnut worth keeping an eye out for.
2. “Symphony No. 2” by Brahm 3. “I Want to Know What Love Is” by Foreigner 4. “The Four Seasons” by Vivaldi 5. “Hungry Eyes” by Eric Carmen
a&e editor
movie
Burlesque
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rom beginning to end, the film Burlesque was thoroughly entertaining. It tells the journey of a small town girl, Ali (Christina Aguilera), who leaves her stagnant life in Iowa to pursue her dreams in Los Angeles. The main attraction for the film was the music. Both the ballads, such as Cher’s page 30 outlook a&e dec. 21, 2010
“You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me” and Christina Aguilera’s “Bound to You”, conveyed the emotional plights of the two main characters, Tess and Ali respectively. The dance numbers, all sung by Aguilera, were catchy and the choreography was reasonably enjoyable. The other feature of the movie that constantly had my attention was the setting: the Burlesque Lounge. Located in downtown Los Angeles, the club portrays the unexpected politics of provocative
dancing. Cher waivers between loyalty to the former star of the club, Nikki (Kristen Bell), and her need to use Ali’s talent to give the club’s performances a new spin. For musical junkies, the film provides an engaging storyline with a healthy dose of glitz, glamour and show tunes. For the average moviegoer, the plot provides a good balance of humor and drama, but the dominating artistic aspect of the film may not appeal to nicole jakstas everyone.
staff writer
No Strings Attached
Nicolas Cage strikes again, this time as a 14th century Crusader on an action filled journey over the fate of a young girl.
Taking a step outside of his usual comedic roles, Seth Rogan takes the lead in upcoming superhero dramatic action film.
Upcoming rom-com, starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman, takes the idea of ‘friends with benefits’ to a new level.
video game
Kingdom Hearts Disney and Square Enix
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he newest installment of the Kingdom Hearts series from Disney and Square Enix, “Birth by Sleep,” is also the best of the series. Consisting of three separate modes, one for each of the main protagonists (Aqua, Ventus and Terra), “Birth by Sleep” has a much more intricate story line that explains a lot of things that happened in previous games. The first thing that makes this game stand out amongst others are the amazing, sharp graphics. It is also a lot more realistic than other games, because while the main characters have strengths, they also have weaknesses. One is excellent at magic, while another excels in strength and combat. However, it also has flaws. Mainly, a PSP is needed; the game doesn’t work on any other console, and PSPs aren’t exactly the most popular gaming system. Another is flaw comes in finding out how to use potions, an important component of the game, which is more complicated than past versions. It’s also incredibly hard to find all the treasure chests in each world. Despite these flaws, “Birth by Sleep” stands out as the best of the series. It has characteristics that make it more realistic and more mature than previous installments, and it’s a game definitely worth buying for the PSP. nikki clemons and michelle oh
opinions editor and staff writer
movie
Tangled
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angled takes a typical princess story and injects some boyish action and tasteful humor in a 3D animated film. A twisted version of Rapunzel, the storyline follows the adventures of a teenage girl, kidnapped as a baby for her magical hair. She finds herself in
music
Jan 21
The Green Hornet
Jan 14
Jan 7
Season of the Witch
Michael Michael Jackson
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ichael Jackson’s newest posthumous album has garnered more attention than any of his albums since 2001. Although there is much speculation about the quality of his voice and which songs he actually created before his untimely death in 2009, the actual album has a few significant strong points. The first is “Hold My Hand” featuring Akon. Initially released illegally a few months after his death, this version has more fine-tuning than the demo that went viral. The next interesting song is “The Way You Love Me” with a candid intro to start the song off. This song first appeared in MJ’s compilation package and also includes a few extra bells and whistles not included in its premier appearance. By far, the most addictive songs on this album are “Another Day” and “Behind The Mask” which are purposely placed back to back. The former includes exhilarating guitar solos and backing vocals from Lenny Kravitz, while the latter is a solo song that resembles “The Girl Is Mine” from his Thriller album, but more exciting and attention-grabbing. As a whole, the album is all around good, camille may with strong and weak points that staff writer neutralize it.
love with a misfit thief who helps her escape her isolated life. A balance of fairytale and action makes the movie appealing to both genders, and the storyline and humor can be appreciated by all ages. However, the movie was predictable. A twist of the classic princess tale Rapunzel, it was reminiscent of the animated film Shrek. The two movies share the theme of having a princess locked away in a tower and rescued by an
eccentric young man. Overall, it followed a typical fairytale storyline and the ending was nothing if not expected. The actors suited their characters well with Mandy Moore’s beautiful voice as Rapunzel and Zachary Levi’s charm as charismatic thief Flynn Rider. Amidst all the more mature movies out at the moment, Tangled chloe pierce is one the whole staff writer family can get wrapped up in. page 31 outlook a&e dec. 21, 2010