December 2011 by Rebel Roar

December 22, 2011

In This Issue... Thommy Morgan Produces A Movie Students Pursue Careers in Performing Looking Back on 2011: Year In Review

Contents

December 23, 2011 Cover by Elizabeth Fulmer and Cover photo by Emily Stone Photo below by Jessica Miers

News

4 5 6 Entertainment 7 8

News Briefs Student Advisory Council Press Release Examining The Consequences of Shoplifting American Troops Depart Iraq Juice: The Silent Killer The Occupy Movement Evolves Teen Director Shoots For The Big Screen Vintage Gaming Store: Estarland 3D ReReleases New Holdiay Albums Top The Charts Homo Explicatus: Human Unraveled

Commentary

Puppies Lighten The Mood At GMU Gift This!

Where To Find The Best Deals And Steals

10 11

Just So You Know... The Zombie Apocalypse! Bizarre Advertisments, Anyone?

Middle Spread

12 Features 14

Lights, Camera, Perform!

Students Cherish Holiday Traditions

Rebel Roar Staff 2011-2012 Editor-in-Chief Emily Stone Managing Editor Jessica Miers Copy Chief Walker Carlson News Editor Rachel Tran Entertainment Editor Gabrielle Severson Commentary Editor Brandon Blankenship Features Editor Nikki Strickland

15 16 17 18 20

Retail Workers Face The Holiday Rush

Sports Editor Walker Carlson Art Director Elizabeth Fulmer Business Manager Jessica Miers Staff Writers Suha Khandker Natalia Colon Erinn Fecteau Natalie Shaban Erich Greenfield Adviser Carl Irvin

Year In Review Students Stand Out At Fairfax

Sports

21 22 23

Rebels Challenged Early NOVA Classic Returns To FHS Rule Change Allows Off Season Practice NFL Playoffs Coming Up

Editorial Policy Rebel Roar is a published forum of student expression. Letters to the Editor and guest articles are encouraged. Only signed letters are considered for publication. The editors reserve the right to edit all material in the interest of clarity and space. Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the staff or school administration. The staff writes

unsigned editorials on a majority basis. The Rebel Roar accepts all advertisements deemed appropriate for a public forum meant for young adults and are subject to the discretion of the editors. Students are encouraged to take an active voice in the student publication. Questions, comments, and letters can be emailed to FHSRebelRoar@gmail.com.

Letter From The Editor Dear Readers,

ne rule we have on staff is to not put too much focus on the holidays-we’re a newspaper, and Flag Day happens every year. Unfortunately, it’s no longer news. Also to be avoided: articles beginning with “It’s that time of year again!” and middle spreads devoted to the history of Halloween. All of that being said, we were just too excited about the coming holidays to ignore them. So check out an alternative gift guide on page 16, read about students’ Christmas traditions on page 14, and find out how to express your holiday spirit as tackily as possible on page 7. When you’re finished reading every word in this entire paper (I know you do), enjoy a hoilday card made especially for you on the back cover. Also, don’t forget to make your winter snow total predictions to win a large pizza courtesy of Ledo’s! Contests entries are due on Jan. 3, emailed to fhsrebelroar@ gmail.com. Lastly, if you haven’t already, become a fan of the Rebel Roar on Facebook and follow @FHSRebelRoar on Twitter! Give us feedback on this issue and tell us what you want to see from us next month. Have a great winter break and we’ll see you next year! Sincerely,

Emily Stone Editor-inChief

News Briefs

Kim Jong-Il, dictator of North Korea, died of a heart attack on Dec. 17. Kim will most likely be succeeded by his youngest son, Kim Jong Eun, who is in his twenties. It is still unknown what effects the new leader will have-- Kim Jong Eun could be a more rigid leader, or the state could collapse under his power. Kim Jong-Il was the Supreme Leader of North Korea from 1994-2011.

Facebook will force its users to switch to the new “Timeline” layout on Dec. 23. The new design features a large “cover photo” across the top of profiles, in addition to the original profile picture. The timeline allows people to access posts from any year, so users have a week to delete any posts before their timeline goes public.

On Dec. 8, the Virginia Tech campus was put on lockdown after 22 year-old Ross Truett Ashley shot and killed university police officer Deriek Crouse at a traffic stop. It is now thought that Ashley ran after shooting Crouse and committed suicide after being spotted by another police officer.

Photo courtesy of hollywoodreporter.com

Principal Goldfarb has mandated that teachers are not allowed to assign homework over winter break. This mean there can be no assignments due or tests given in the two days after the return from break.

Ross Truett Ashley attended Radford University last year. Photo courtesy of dailymail.co.uk

Student Advisory Council’s Press Release: November 30, 2011

Daniel Willson, Chase Campbell, Jessica Sun, and Brendan Kim (The SAC Officers) he Student Advisory Council, or SAC, is made up of 4 student representatives from every high school in Fairfax County. Together, we meet once a month to discuss county-wide issues. These monthly press releases cover what we’ve been working on, and how you can give us your feedback. Dr. Jack Dale, the Superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools, challenged this year’s SAC to “dream big” and re-imagine schooling completely. He brought in a guest speaker, Aron Sterling, to discuss the future of K-12 instruction. As an Educational Specialist for FCPS, Mr. Sterling stated that his research has shown how teaching methods are undergoing drastic changes. Several of the questions Mr. Sterling and Dr. Dale posed to the SAC included: ● If students were given access to the Internet’s information at all times, what would be the purpose of ever memorizing any fact about history or science again? How would that redefine what it means to be creative or intelligent? ● If students were allowed to use computers for all calculations, would they need to learn mathematics? ● If inexpensive, supersonic flight becomes possible, could students travel to foreign countries during the day for school, and get home at the usual time? ● How could instantaneous language translation software change language classes? ● Would instruction from teachers be necessary if

a similar quality of instruction could be provided online? How could this redefine the school day? ● How can green energy initiatives help schools become more efficient and self-sustaining? The SAC will take these questions during the year to develop methods to make some of these ideas a reality. If you have any input on any of these ideas, or any other ideas that you would like to share, please send them to fcpssac@ gmail.com. Mr. Rumberger, one of the leading members of the Educational Specifications (Ed Specs) department, gave the SAC a presentation about what his job involves. His department defines the specifications by which schools are designed. This involves anything from deciding how big chemistry labs are, how wide hallways are, how much room there is for computers in a library, and more. He asked the SAC for input on what elements of their schools that they wish could be changed. He wanted to know what the SAC liked, disliked, and most wished to change in classrooms, PE and athletic areas, fine arts, corridors and lobbies, as well as libraries. Mr. Rumberger will be returning to the SAC to further discuss ideas for innovative ways that schools can be designed. If you have any input about the design of your school, or how you think a new school could be better designed, please email fcpssac@gmail.com. We hope to hear from you all soon!

News

Examining The Consequences Of Shoplifting

hile many high school students are old enough to know the differences between right and wrong, more and more “good” teens are tempted to take what is not theirs. According to Fairfax police department data, retail crime rises by 30 percent across the region at this time of year. Making the decision to shoplift could cause serious consequences, including a criminal background that could undermine an adolescent’s opportunities to get a job or into their college of choice. “If my friend Chris needed some gum, I would steal it for him if I had pockets,” said senior Antar McGraw. Not only can this illegal activity turn into a habit, it can also turn into also an addiction called kleptomania, according to KidsHealth.org. Many do not particularly need, or even want the items that they pilfer. Senior Max Cavicchia is a former shoplifter and claims, “I couldn’t go into a store without thinking about what I could steal, and it would literally be anything. I would take so much... I didn’t even think twice about it.” According to a Loss Prevention representative that chose to not disclose his name due to sensitive information, pricey items such as Ralph Lauren Polo shirts and sterling silver jewelry are frequently stolen at the Macy’s in Fair Oaks Mall. “Kids want to see how far they can go. [They do not regret it] until they see the police and their parents and the repercussions of the incident.” All retailers are required to prosecute shoplifters, and they will not make exceptions on this strict policy no matter how much someone may beg and plead. The Loss Prevention representative said, “When we catch a shoplifter, we usually find [merchandise stolen from] other stores… the merchandise is returned to the stores, and [the person] is given a prosecution and a court date.” According to The Washington Post, police are hiring

extra uniformed and undercover patrols and specialized units this season to protect shoppers, employees and businesses. Last holiday season, Fairfax police recovered $200,000 worth Photo courtesy of washingtonpost.com of stolen merchandise, an increase from $45,000 the previous year. The Loss Prevention representative said, “Shoplifting [by teens] usually happens after school, which is around 4 [p.m.] to close.” Although shoplifting occurs more when students happen to be out of school, he claims the ratio of teen to adult shoplifting is about the same. Assistant Principal Steve Singman said “It only takes one bad decision to negatively impact the rest of your life, it’s not worth it. One of my daughter’s best friends was a good student, in the honor’s society, was Homecoming Queen, a cheerleader, and earned a 4 year army Reserve Officer Training Corporation scholarship worth $125,000.” The young lady with a promising future threw it all away when she chose to steal a $10 lipstick while shopping with her friends over the summer after graduation.. Being 18 and considered an adult, the crime was not taken lightly and her ROTC scholarship was pulled. Singman said, “she was a good kid, that made a bad decision.” Fairfax County Police Officer Jim Rattal, stationed at Fair Oaks Mall said, “Remember; you are being watched. Many of the department stores, as well as other smaller stores, have sophisticated camera monitoring systems to help thwart shoplifting. Most likely, if you try it, you will get caught.”

American Troops Depart Iraq

fter nearly nine years of war, the long wait has finally come to an end. On Dec. 18, all American troops left Iraq, marking the official end of the Iraq war. According to World News, the departure was bittersweet for the soldiers, as they “whooped, bumped fists, and embraced each other in a burst of joy and relief.” The United States military mission in Iraq came with a great human and financial price: 4,500 American lives, more than 10,000 Iraqi lives, and $800 billion from the U.S. Treasury, according to CBS News. By leaving the country to govern itself, the U.S. can only anticipate what decisions Iraq makes regarding its democracy and relationship with the U.S. According to Fox News, in President Obama’s speech on Dec. 14 at the Army Post, he said, “Now, Iraq is not a perfect place. It has many challenges ahead. But we are leaving behind a sovereign, stable and self-reliant Iraq, with a representative government that was elected by its people. We are building a new partnership between our nations.” Though the U.S.’ departure was earlier than originally planned, the American troops will be home in time for the holidays, which was one of Obama’s goals. Despite the

Natalie Shaban ‘12

Staff Writer

troops’ absence in Iraq, the U.S. hopes to preserve its strong diplomatic and demoAmerican soldiers honor the death of David cratic Hickman, the last U.S soldier in Iraq. influence Photo courtesy of yahoo.com on the nation. “I would describe our troops as having succeeded in the mission of giving to the Iraqis their country in a way that gives them a chance for a successful future,” Obama said.

Rachel Tran ‘13

5 News Editor

News

Juice: The Silent Killer

hildren, teenagers, and adults all consume a product that recent studies have shown to contain trace amounts of the notoriously poisonous chemical element, arsenic. According to Consumer Reports, surprising amounts of arsenic levels were detected in popular juice brands such as Mott’s, Minute Maid, and Welch’s. A study released in September on Mehmet Oz’s popular television show, “The Dr. Oz Show,” showed that 10 percent of these juices that were tested were found to have arsenic levels that are much higher than the maximum levels allowed in bottled water as made standard by the Food and Drug Administration. At this time, the FDA has no standard regulations on fruit juices, however the Consumers Union is urging for this change. According to WebMD, inorganic arsenic poisoning poses a threat to vital organs such as the lungs, skin, kidneys, and liver. In some cases high levels of arsenic in the body can ultimately lead to death. The FDA, however, released their counter-argument stating that the study conducted was erroneous and “extremely irresponsible.” The major issue they have with the experiment is that the “The Dr. Oz Show” failed to separate inorganic and organic traces of arsenic in the tested juice samples. The FDA conducted an experiment

Photo courtesy of Walmart.com

testing the same juice brands for their separate levels of inorganic and organic arsenic. The results showed that the arsenic levels described in the “The Dr. Oz Show,” were mostly attributed to the organic arsenic that is found in a lot of common products such as bottled water. “Arsenic is both a naturally occurring and inorganic heavy metal, and some levels of it are found in the air we breathe, water we drink and in the ground. It is known to cause cancer and kidney problems. But while high levels of inorganic arsenic can be fatal, the organic form is essentially harmless,” said Stephanie Yao, an FDA spokeswoman. Although these traces of arsenic may be essentially harmless, Consumer Reports recommends, “children up to six years old should consume no more than four to six ounces per day, while older children should drink no more than eight to 12 ounces per day.”

Jessica Miers and Erinn Fecteau ‘13 Business Manager and Managing Editor & Staff

The Occupy Movement Evolves

ver the past month, the Occupy Wall Street Movement has evolved, adding to their platform and increasing the seriousness of the movement. On Dec. 8, Occupy D.C. went on hunger strike for D.C. voting rights. In a statement they wrote, “Despite paying taxes to the federal government and sending our citizens to fight and die in every war, Washingtonians have had no voting representation in Congress and have had to seek approval from people they did not elect on all legislative and budgetary matters.” In New York, Occupy Wall Street also held their own hunger strike; which lasted for 24 hours on Dec.15. According to the official Occupy website, the demonstration was held to protest “violent evictions across the country that have robbed the Occupy Movement of our right to free speech and assembly.” The Occupy Wall Street protesters are also preparing for a shift, dubbed Occupation 2.0. Protesters are hoping to convince Trinity Church to allow them to “occupy” a sliver of their vacant land for an all-day performance. Trinity Church is located in Lower Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood. It is the largest landholder in Manhattan and even has a corporate arm on Wall Street. There was debate over whether or not the church should allow protesters to use the land. Many people have urged the church to allow protesters to us the space. However on Dec.9, Rev. Dr. James H. Cooper, Rector of Trinity, said “The health, safety and security problems posed by an encampment here, compounded by winter weather, would

Occupy D.C. protestors marching from McPherson Square to Capitol Hill. Photo courtesy of photoblog.msnbc.msn.com

dwarf those experienced at Zuccotti Park.” Washington Post reporter Elizabeth Flock joined a group of 21 protestors marching from Zuccotti Park to the Occupy D.C. encampment. The marchers walked the 231 miles from Nov. 9 to Nov. 22, surviving on donated food and a $3,000 check from Occupy Wall Street. The protestors received support from locals along the way. The Occupy D.C. protestors are now planning to crash the The United States Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas party for the Republican National Committee on Dec. 22. According to the Occupy D.C. official website, “‘Tis the season for lame Holiday office parties and the 1% is no exception.”

Emily Stone ‘12

Editor-in-Chief

Teen Director Shoots For The Big Screen

rainwashed and on the run, Tristan ventures into reality only to rediscover his past through a journey filled with horror, suspense, mystery and romance. “The Mirage,” is an upcoming full-length feature film directed by Fairfax High School senior, Thommy Morgan. The story is told from the point of view of a girl named Erinn who meets a soldier from the future named Tristan who happens to be on the run from the government. “It’s a funny story... I started the script as a short film and modeled the main character around my The FHS television studio is where girlfriend’s most of the movie’s equipment personality and comes from. interests. It was also a cheesy romance. However, after watching “Inception” I was inspired to do a science-fiction based script and added that element to my current story,” Morgan said. He explained that the script transformed into a full length film because he wanted each of his characters to have a great amount of detail and time to evolve. “I wanted the audience to make a relationship with my characters and become attached to them; understand their emotions and desires,” he said. Over 80 students and adults from all around Fairfax County, showed up for the auditions that took place in November. Students came from such places as George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College and high schools like Chantilly, Freedom, McLean and Centreville for a chance to be in the film. Using high quality equipment from the Academy Television Studio and two professional grade cameras,

Vintage Gaming Store: eStarland

ince 1958, video games have been among the leading sources of entertainment for people of all ages, ranging from retro arcade games, to action packed adventures, to adrenaline fueled first person shooters. There’s a game genre that is bound to interest almost any individual, but for people with older consoles, games are becoming harder and harder to find, leaving gamers uninterested in their already used games. As consequence, these classic systems are being neglected and thrown away, leaving us to forget where it all started and transition into games that senior Robbie Ashton believes to be “unoriginal,” and “predictable.” Luckily however, these high demand, retro video games and consoles can be found locally, and in store at Fairfax’s own eStarland. Started as an online shop about ten years ago, eStarland is home to over 30,000 used games and

Entertainment

Morgan hopes to capture the “filmlike feel with shallow depth of field” much like the professional modern day films that moviegoers are used to. “We are using low tier professional grade equipment so we expect to come out with some pretty great footage. Unfortunately, the video will not be high enough resolution to be shown on a silver screen, but a 37 inch plama screen would be just fine,” he said. With the help of co-director So Choi Behind the scenes of “The Mifrom Chantilly High rage,” in the television studio at School, cosmetics Photos by Jessica Miers director Mackenzie Altizer, and stage and prop directors, Nick Moran and Jeremy Neilan from FHS, Morgan is excited to see what’s in store for the film’s future. “Many people have suggested I send it off to some kind of festival. I would rather discuss that issue after the film is made with the rest of my team, because this is no longer my project, but our project. I would never be able to do any of it without them,” he said. Morgan mentioned the the film’s title, “The Mirage,” is likely to change as the storyline is edited but as for now he said, “I can’t give away too much but keep your eye out for the trailer.” Jessica Miers 13’ Managing Editor&Business Manager consoles with offices popping up all around the Northern Virginia area. At one of these many locations you can easily find games for your old consoles like N64, Atari, and NES with new, less expensive games for current consoles like the Playstation 3 and XBOX 360 as well. And now accepting trade-ins and repairs, eStarland is undoubtedly the best one stop shop for all gamers whether you’re searching for vintage games and consoles, or just trying to find the best deal. Located just 5 minutes from the school, its easily accessible location makes it ideal for students that aren’t willing to make a trip across town for a $60 video game. Save your money and check out this allin-one game shop, perfect for any avid gamer!

Brandon Blankenship 12’ Commentary Editor

Entertainment

3D Re-Releases

fter Disney’s “The Lion King 3D” did so well throughout its re-release in September, Disney decided to release four other classics. These old time favorites consist of “Beauty and the Beast”, “The Little Mermaid”, “Monsters Inc.”, and “Finding Nemo”. Following in Disney’s footsteps, Paramount Pictures decided to release its epic romance “Titanic”. However, the news about this re-release wasn’t as eye catching as the announcement about the re-release of the renowned “Star Wars” series. Beginning Feb. 10, 2012 Lucasfilm will release the 3D version of the first episode, “The Phantom Menace”, and will continue to release the rest consecutively every year ending the series in 2017. It is easy to assume the amount of excitement these re releases will convey. Not only will this contribute to the growing influence of 3D films, it will also be a reason for excitement and celebration amongst fans and movie-goers alike.

New Holiday Albums Top The Charts

or those who want to pull their hair out upon hearing Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, there is some hope this holiday season. While Carey has found her way onto Justin Bieber’s Christmas album, there are many alternatives on the music market. Under the MistletoeJustin Bieber Justin Bieber debuted the first single from his album on October 17, so the hype has had some time to build. Bieber told Ryan Seacrest that “Under the Mistletoe” is his “best album yet”, and with only three albums to his name, odds are in his favor. The album includes some original holiday songs, and collaborations with Boyz II Men,

Natalia Colon ‘12

Staff Writer

The Band Perry, Busta Rhymes, Usher, and the aforementioned Mariah Carey. Lady Gaga- A Very Gaga Holiday “A Very Gaga Holiday” is composed of four live performances from Lady Gaga’s Thanksgiving Special. The only Christmas or holiday related track of the four is “White Christmas”. Gaga also released a single called “Christmas Tree” in 2008. Michael Buble- Christmas Michael Buble’s “Christmas” album is currently dominating the charts, sitting at the number one position on the Billboard 200. Buble does strictly covers of classic Christmas songs on

this album. Straight No Chaser- Christmas Cheer and Holiday Spirits Straight No Chaser is an a cappella group composed of 10 to 12 members from Indiana University. The group received a record deal after a video of their performance of “The 12 Days of Christmas” went viral in 2006. They have released two holiday albums since, Christmas Cheer and Holiday Spirits. Glee- Glee: The Music, Christmas Album Volume 2 This is the second year the Glee cast released a Christmas album. Volume 2 consists of covers of ten classic songs and two original songs, “Extraordinary Merry Christmas” and “Christmas Eve With You”.

Emily Stone ‘12

Editor-in-Chief

Homo Explicatus: Unraveling The Man

Edition y a d i l o H Strange The Pink Tinted Cat Eye Sunglasses: the 1950’s are over, ladies. Pink isn’t even a holiday color. Santa doesn’t wear sunglasses, so why should this be okay? Honestly, whoever suggested the idea needs to take some serious crash courses in fashion remediation. Grandma in a Felt Christmas Tree Costume: this is just wrong. What kind of sick individual garbs granny in a felt costume with a giant gold star on her head? This is absolutely despicable. Sacrifice the weird uncle or the leather-clad teenager, people whose experience in the costume would seem appropriate. Please sacrifice anyone but ole Grams. Wearing Presents on Feet: not much can be said for this one except... why?

Gabrielle Severson ‘12

Entertainment Editor

Just So You Know...

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, Rebels! Finally out for winter break, presents under the tree, no homework, snow storms in anticipation! I couldn’t enjoy this time of year more! Everyone’s happy and joyful, for the most part, stoked to be reunited with family members or just for some time off. But now, halfway through my senior year, it’s starting to hit me that this could be my last Christmas at home until I’m shipped off to college next fall. It’s a scary thought to come to terms with, but the best we can do is enjoy the time we have and spend it with the people we love. I only wish that you all enjoy yourselves this holiday season and receive everything you’ve ever wanted! Have fun, and happy holidays from the Rebel Roar.

HOT

NOT

Yummy, yummy; the warmth of peppermint in my tummy. Nothing really beats this holiday drink provided by our local Starbucks. Something that I highly, highly suggest you give it a try one morning before its “limited time” runs out, because it is truly is the only drink worth paying $5 for. Forget hot chocolate and everything you’ve ever known about comforting drinks, without this, you’re missing out on your entire life.

Although Christmas songs are catchy and light spirited, I find it hard to seek entertainment in overplayed, overrated carols that have been reproduced by almost every celebrity under the sun. They’re nice to listen to every now and then, but when you can’t escape their wrath, and they’ve been played 500 times in an hour, it makes me so sick. Maybe we should use our creativity, or whatever’s left, to write something new.

Peppermint Mochas

Christmas Music

Inappropriate Seasonal Dress

Students, parents, and faculty; it has recently come to my attention that there is a popular, yet deadly trend poisoning our children’s lives and ruining the once respected esteem of our prestigious school. This disease currently has no known cure, and is often caused by a lack in self worth or desire for attention. Signs of infection may include, but are not limited to, short skirts in the dead of winter, basketball shorts in the snow, and the excessive use of Uggs and flip flops as appropriate dress for the season. Maybe in the summer it wouldn’t look so trashy, but in the middle of winter? Short skirts? No thanks. I’m sure most of you are intelligent enough to read the weather report and shouldn’t be mistaking snow clouds for sunshine. And besides, most of you are beautiful enough to grab the attention of your peers year round, and shouldn’t have to sacrifice your warmth and comfort to appeal to those around you. Please cover up and spare yourself the pneumonia.

No Homework!

As if the holidays couldn’t get any better! Thank you Mr. Goldfarb and the rest of Fairfax County Public Schools for completing my life and sparing students of the sorrow that would’ve overcome thousands of us. Nothing says “Happy Holidays’ like sweet, sweet educational freedom and not a care in the world for more than a week. Now only if this rule applied for summer vacation...

Ugly Holiday Sweaters

Whether it’s wool, cotton, cashmere, or leather, the uglier the sweater the better. It doesn’t matter if you’ve had it since you were a kid, or just bought it at a flee market, these knitted bundles of holiday cheer are something you should no longer dread, but flaunt about the school and around your friends. It’s the one case in American society where the rule “the uglier, the better” applies. So take pride, Rebels in those woven jingle bells, and purring cat pullovers, for one day you will be glad you partook in such a daring trend.

Timeline

I know I’ve said this before, but this time I officially give up on Facebook. Going live on December 23. the Timeline will allow users to see everything you’ve posted about your life since the beginning of your birth. Better clean up your account and get out now! Off to Twitter we go!

Brandon Blankenship ‘12 Commentary Editor

The Zombie Apocalypse!

heories about why and how the world will end have spread like wildfire since a single person started contemplating the meaning behind why the ancient Mayan calendar doesn’t extend past the year 2012. Speculations range from the Mayan calendar theory to sun storms, to even the switching of the earth’s magnetic poles, or zombie invasions. America’s media industry in particular is evidence of the recent spike in interest regarding zombies, shown through the new AMC television series “The Walking Dead,” popular video games such as “Plants vs. Zombies” and “Left 4 Dead,” and even books like “The Zombie Survival Guide” by Max Brooks. The world needs to open its eyes to a less entertaining reality, though: a zombie apocalypse is completely feasible. Toxoplasma gondii (often shortened to T. gondii) is a type of parasite often found in the brains of rats. As part of their life cycle, parasites attach to hosts, which are plants or animals in which a parasite lives for nourishment and reproduction. Normally, the host doesn’t even know the parasite is living within it. T. gondi also uses cats as hosts. In order to get into a cat host for reproduction, T. gondii, as documented by Oxford scientists, alters the brain functions of rats. Rats are born with the natural instinct to avoid the scent of cats; once infected by this parasite, these natural tendencies are reversed. T. gondii has the ability to rewrite a rat’s behavior and lead it toward the smell of cats and ultimately to its death. The rat is then eaten and the parasite is happily within a cat host. So what does this have to do with a zombie apocalypse? Fifty percent of the human race is a carrier of T. gondii. Rats are very similar to humans in regard to cell structure; that’s why scientists test drugs meant for humans on rats. Studies published in Oxford Journals have linked humans carrying T. gondii with having a higher probability of developing schizophrenia and having slower reaction times. Slower reaction times are reminiscent of the stum-

COMMENTARY

bling and shuffling of zombies, while schizophrenia is known to drive people to do dangerous, bestial actions. Pair the two together, and the image is pretty close to what has been established as a zombie. Charles Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest plays a role as well. All organisms on earth are slowly evolving because only the strongest survive, as Darwin’s theory states.

This can mean those most resistant to disease or those with the most intellect will survive, not necessarily those with the most brute strength. The T. gondii parasites that survive are the ones that can successfully steer the rat they inhabit toward its demise. Humans aren’t mindlessly stumbling around yet, but what will happen as T. gondii evolves further and only parasites that can successfully override its victim’s brain survives? Flip a coin; fifty percent of the population will be a survivor, and fifty percent will be a zombie.

Erinn Fecteau ‘13 Staff Writer

Bizarre Advertisements, Anyone?

or anyone that has watched TV, been online, or listened to the radio in the last couple years, it is apparent that various companies’ marketing strategies have changed drastically and are becoming weirder and weirder by the day. As if the Doritos samurai wasn’t enough, companies have found other iconic crazies like the insane Target lady, talking animals, and the MacGruber of Dr. Pepper. Granted, they’re funny beyond belief, but with advancements like DVR and TiVo, we have the ability to skip those annoying ads and get right

back to our programs. In response, these companies must grab our attention in mere seconds to prevent being skipped. They do this through their flashy ads and controversial slogans such as Dr. Pepper’s “It’s not for women!” which would grab the attention of millions in seconds, enabling them to create a desire for the product to turn a profit. As a matter of fact, they’re winning right now as you read this article! Now who wants an ice cold Dr. Pepper? Anyone?

Brandon Blankenship ‘12 Commentary Editor

A R E AM

C , S T IGH

PERFORM!

FHS is known for its acclaimed performing arts department. Among the students who are involved, some have chosen to further their hobby outside of school.These performers have dedicated their time to work towards their ambitions. Some of these students even say that they are thinking about pursuing it as a career.

-William Shakespeare

-Paul McCartney

“ I haven't committed to anything, I'm still considering all my options. I performed in the play Hollywood Screams, at the Venice Theatre (Florida). I played the role of Allan, the quirky, smart-alec narratorfriend of the protagonist, who breaks the fourth wall (talking to the audience) to make hilarious comments about the current scene. My favorite parts of the process (and these are pretty much the same for any production I do) would probably be getting to work with some fantastic people.” Doug acting as Allan. Photo -Doug Klain, ‘15 courtesy of Doug Klain. “I do an annual Chistmas concert called the advent concert. I’ve doing it for about four years. I plan on going to college for music.” -Becca Welke ‘12

Photo by of Jessica Miers.

“I’m in a community orchestra, church orchestra and I’ve been playing in quartets for non-profit events for about seven years. I’m planning on going into music as my career as a music major. I started with the family quartet be- Kirsten practicing her violin. Photo cause there’s courtesy of Kirsten Williams. three of us and my dad is on the piano. After that I got recruited into the church quartet as a teen.” -Kirsten William ‘13 “I work with KMT [Kids Musical Theatre] and the CFTC [City of Fairfax Community Theatre Company,]. At KMT I was recently in “Seussical the Musical,” and I was a “Who” and a lion.” -Carly Hobson, ‘14

“Well, I’ve been singing in shows with the Washington National Opera for the past 3 years now, and it definitely has been one of the best experiences of my life! I got to perform at the Kennedy Center-which was always something I wanted to do, and I got to work alongside some of the best people in the opera world. It was such a professional experience-it was basically my job! The best part about it was getting paid for doing something that I absolutely love to do! Opera is something I most definitely see myself pursuing in the future, however I also love performing musical theatre and straight theatre as well.” -Emily Ennis ‘14 Emily and her friend getting ready for a concert. Photo courtesy of Mrs. Ennis.

Carly as “who” performing “Seussical the Musical”. Photo courtesy of Carly Hobson

Students Cherish Holiday Traditions

tarting on Dec. 23, students will have a week off from school and homework to spend time with friends and enjoy family traditions during the holiday season. Fairfax High School is made up of a highly diverse community with students from many different cultures, religions, and backgrounds; so it’s no surprise that there are many different holiday traditions that are celebrated at this time of year. While most students celebrate with Christmas trees, presents, and stockings, some FHS families have established their own special ways of celebrating the holiday season. Junior Angela Amatyleon said, “I’m Peruvian so we celebrate Christmas on the 24th and have a midnight dinner. We spend the entire ChristPhoto courtesy of Sidney Yi mas day at the beach [in Peru] and work on our tans.” Junior Sidney Yi also shared her family’s different way of celebrating the holiday; “My family makes over 1,000 handmade dumplings every year to give to Christmas carolers and friends,” she said. Holiday celebrations don’t always have to come from a certain culture or religion. For sophomore Kelly Anderson, some traditions may originate from family events that occur each year. “We always eat dinner around 4 p.m so at 8 p.m we all get hungry. We always go out for tacos and every Photo courtesy of Sidney Yi single year my grandmother falls asleep in her food,” she said. Some students like Anderson have also established their own interesting family traditions. Junior George Maxfield said, “Every year my entire family gathers at my grandparent’s house to eat curry made from leftover Thanksgiving turkey and exchange secret Santa presents.” Even some FHS teachers have their own way of celebrating the holiday season through distinct school traditions. The “chemistree,” as dubbed by students in Catherine Williams’ advanced placement chemistry classes, is a yearly holiday tradition where chemistry students use glassware and test tubes filled with food coloring to make a decorative tree. A bunsen burner is lighted and placed on top of the tree on certain occasions. The tradition has been around since Williams has been teaching at FHS. She leaves it up to her AP chemistry students to build the tree however they want. Williams said,“It gets better every year.” Whether it’s a day at the beach, 1,000 homemade dumplings, Christmas trees or chemistrees, there are so many different ways to celebrate the holidays. No matter how students choose to celebrate during the school and homework-free break, Principal Dave Goldfarb said, “Winter break should be focused on being with families and friends.” Photo by Jessica Miers

Jessica Miers ‘13 and Erich Greenfield ‘14

14 Business Manager and Managing Editor & Staff Writer

FEATURES

Retail Workers Face The Holiday Rush

t’s the holiday season and without a doubt shoppers are busier than ever, but what about the people who have to work during this hectic season? Although Christmas isn’t really about the gifts-- it is, and it causes people to rush around trying to find the perfect thing. Retail workers from FHS share their holiday work experiences. Senior Allie Kelly, employee at Abercrombie, said, “Working in the mall can be crazy sometimes, especially during the holiday season.” Kelly on average works three to four times a week, totalling as many as 15 hours a week during the holiday season. “The mall during any other time of the year is slow and typically quiet, but going into the mall on a Tuesday is basically like going into the mall on a Saturday! And going to the mall on a Saturday is insane.” Kelly said, “In Abercrombie, and I’m sure in other stores too, we have a rule where we only allow one customer in the dressing room at a time and I saw an older woman and her daughter (mind you, the daughter was about 16, perfectly capable of changing herself) went inside the dressing room and my manager told me to say something so I went up and told her very politely and she turned and looked at me and said ‘I am her mother!!!!’ and slammed the door; they aren't kidding when they say you can face some pretty aggressive shoppers.” The mall isn’t the only place the holiday shopping rush

occurs. Senior Zainab Niazi works at Homegoods and said, “It's always busy at Homegoods, but during the holiday season it's worse because people are getting a lot more things, and in a rush.” Niazi, similar to Kelly, works 15-20 hours a week, and sometimes she evens works more than that if she picks up other people’s shifts. “The store is also open longer, so sometimes I end up staying until 11 or 11:30,” Niazi said. “A lot of people hold off on holiday shopping so they try to buy stuff as fast as possible and basically clear out our shelves,” Niazi said, “people also bring their kids, grandkids, cousins, adopted children and foster children and the kids just tear the place apart!” Although working at Homegoods is hectic during the holiday season and Christmas music has been playing throughout the store since November, Niazi admits she enjoys working at Homegoods because all the shoppers are in the “holiday spirit.”

Elizabeth Fulmer ‘12 Art Director

Puppies Lighten the Mood at GMU

arking could be heard around the George Mason University Law School campus on Dec. 1 this year. As the crucial exam time began at the school, A Forever Home—a Chantilly-based rescue center brought 15 puppies to play with the students and relieve some of their stress. Law school is notably one of the harder education courses, and during exam time, stress runs high. This tactic of de-stressing appeared to be very successful with the students. Assistant Dean and professor at GMU, Richard Kelsey said, “The law students loved the event. They turned out early to wait for the puppies.” Not only did the event prove beneficial for the students, but it also promoted the rescue center. “The rescue center, A Forever Home, was grateful for the opportunity to bring the puppies by,” said Kelsey, “the love showered on Photo courtesy of Richard Kelsey them by students will make them friendlier and happy dogs. In addition, as it turns out, the media attention has helped them to place more puppies in good homes, and by so doing they made room to save more puppies.” Some of the puppy lovers who attended the event even took one home with them, including Kelsey. “So moved by the event was I, that I did adopt a puppy,” he said. Students at Fairfax High School think this is a great idea. “Puppies are adorable,” junior Ava Hassas said, “It will help keep our minds off things.” If this event could be recreated at high schools and other colleges, not only could student moral go up, but adoption rates would undoubtedly rise. All in all, the event turned out to be a huge success. “I loved an opportunity to meet and play with the puppies. I also really enjoyed watching our law students unwind,” said Kelsey, “It was a very gratifying and rewarding day for me personally.”

Nikki Strickland ‘13

Features Editor

Gift This!

The holidays are a stressful time. Buying gifts for others can be a major headache, especially if you are confused on what to buy. Have no fear! This guide will help you find the perfect gifts that are not only unique but useful as well.

Animal Hands

Sunstache

How much does it cost?

How much does it cost? $9.00

Where can it be found?

www.pier1.com

www.urbanoutfitters.com

Tired of sock puppets? Try Animal Hands instead! These tattoos will make you the coolest kid on the block.

Stress Cupcake

How much does it cost? $3.99

These stylish glasses add flair to any outfit!

Melting Bookshelf Clock

Where can it be found? www.uncommongoods.com

What better way to get rid of stress than through a cupcake?!

Suha Khandker ‘13 Staff Writer

How much does it cost? $14.99

Where can it be found?

www.perpetualkid.com

Be timely and interesting all at the same time!

Photos courtesy of www.pier1.com, www.urbanoutfitters.com, www.uncommongoods.com, and www.perpetualkid.com.

FEATURES

Where To Find The Best Steals And Deals

igh school students, especially those without a job, are eating out less often in order to save money for presents. During this season, however, more promotions and sales are offered to consumers. This is especially true for casual restaurants, which currently offer buy one-get one free, and free entree with a giftcard purchase, deals. As a result, consumers are able to take advantage of the sales, and still save money that could potentially be used on presents. Here are a few promotions and steals that are available during this holiday season.

Qdoba vs. Chipotle

here has been much debate about these two rival restaurants; many students argued that one place has better prices, taste, and nutrition over the other. Qdoba Mexican Grill opened its store this past summer in Fairfax and since then, it has been a common eatery with Fairfax High School students. “I go there almost once a week…I never get tired of it,” said junior Courtney Phillips. Not only do they offer buy one, get one free meal on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m., but Qdoba is now offering a rewards card (through free sign-up) which grants a free entrée after accumulating 1000 points, equivalent to the purchase of ten entrees. Chipotle, on the other hand, has the occasional buy one, get one free burrito deal, but overall rarely offers special promotions.

Sweet Frog vs. Pinkberry

hough the weather is growing colder, frozen yogurt still remains a popular treat among students. “I enjoy getting frozen yogurt because it’s a healthy alternative to ice cream,” said sophomore Neddie Byron. Two places that are often crowded with sweet-toothed consumers are Sweet Frog, located in Chantilly, and Pinkberry, found at Fairfax Corner. There are many differences between the two places, and some traits are deemed better than others by some students. “There is a wider selection of flavors at Sweet Frog and the toppings are unlimited. I also like how there isn’t a set cup size and you can get as much or little [frozen yogurt] as you want,” said junior Katie Taube. Since the yogurt at Sweet Frog is self-serve, the prices are determined by the weight of the cup at thirty-nine cents per pound. On the other hand, Pinkberry has a small, medium, and large cup size with set prices, ranging from $2.50 to $5.50. There is also an additional one dollar charge for toppings. Nevertheless, some students still prefer Pinkberry because of its quality and taste. “[Pinkberry] is always coming out with new and tastier flavors. The yogurt is so rich too; it’s definitely better than any other place,” said junior Lilly Vo.

Potbelly vs. Subway

he $5 footlong has been around since 2008, but with the rise in popularity in Potbelly, there has been heated competition between the two sandwich shops. This month, Subway is offering their usual $5 footlongs as well as their newly featured Western Egg & Cheese sandwich. In addition to the special sale, Subway is also convenient and healthy, according to some students. Junior Jo Coenen said, “It’s the easiest way to get food when you are hungry and tired after [track] practice.” He jokingly added, “It doesn’t go straight to your thighs.” Also a loyal customer of Subway, junior Molly Weaver said, “You can eat it and it fills you up without the guilt of eating something unhealthy.” Potbelly started as a small, antique Chicago sandwich shop in 1977 and since then has slowly evolved into an international franchise. This winter holiday, for every $25 giftcard that is purchased, Potbelly is awarding a free sandwich. Other than the promotions that the store has, another factor that influences the students’ attraction to the restaurant is the overall environment. Junior Megan Huynh prefers to eat at Potbelly because “the employees are really spirited, and the decorum and atmosphere are Chicago-styled.”

Photos courtesy of pinkberry.jpg, kiwifrozenyogurt.net, en.wikipedia. org, savingwithshellie.com, v3im.com, and blogs.villagevoice.com.

Rachel Tran ‘13

News Editor

January

Photo courtesy of voiceseducation.org

Arab Spring protests in the Middle East and North Africa escalate. The Charlie Sheen meltdown begins and “tiger blood” becomes a catch phrase.

July

February

March

Egyptian President Hosini Mubarak resigns after there are continued protests calling for him to step down.

A 9.1 magnitude earthquake hits Japan, creating a devastating tsunami. Nuclear power plants along the coast declare emergencies.

The King’s Speech wins four Oscars.

Rebecca Black’s “Friday” video hits the internet and becomes an instant viral sensation.

Photo courtesy of contactmusic.com

The Green Bay Packers win Super Bowl XLV.

August

Photo courtesy of people.com

September Fairfax High School has the largest entering freshman class in the history of the school. The Occupy Wall Street protests begin on September 17.

Photo courtesy of eindider.wordpress.com

Photo courtesy of people.com

Casey Anthony is found not guilty for killing her two-yearold daughter Caylee. The final Harry Potter movie is released.

Katy Perry breaks records with “Last Friday Night”, the fifth single from her Teenage Dream album to reach number one. Virginia experiences a 5.8 magnitude earthquake, and the tremors were felt all over the East Coast. The National Catherdral in Washington D.C. sustained damage to three of its four spires.

Fairfax experiences severe flooding after around ten inches of rain fell in 24 hours.

Photo courtesy of fairfaxtimes.com

April Congress narrowly avoids a government shutdown, coming to a budget agreement an hour before deadline. Prince William and Catherine Middleton marry at Westminster Abbey, in the first British Royal Wedding since 1986.

June

May Osama bin Laden is killed by Seal Team 6 in his home in Pakistan.

Apple announces their new cloud computing service, iCloud. 22 year old Rory McIlroy is the youngest winner of the U.S. Open since 1923. Photo courtesy of obssessedwithsports. com

Photo courtesy of time.com

The series finale of The Oprah Winfrey Show airs after 25 seasons.

Photo courtesy of huffingtonpost.com

Year In Review

011 saw many highs and lows. Local and worldwide natural disasters were on the minds of students, as well as stories in entertainment. Katy Perry ruled the year’s music charts, with 5 number one singles, all from her album Teenage Dream, and Rebecca Black was inescapable. The world also saw multiple political upheavals. The widespread Arab Spring in the Middle East and North Africa brought about assassinations of former leaders and elections of new leaders. The Occupy Wall Street protests continue to incite questioning of U.S. government leaders and corporations. The new year promises to bring further change, with the presidential election and the potential apocalypse.

Emily Stone ‘12 Editor-in-Chief

October Fairfax triumphs over Thomas Jefferson in the Homecoming game. Muammar Gaddafi, leader of Libya, was killed as a part of the ongoing uprisings in the Arab world. The Cardinals win the World Series. Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, dies one day after the release of iPhone 4S with Siri. Photo courtesy of cydiahelp.com

November Former Pennsylvania State University football assistant coach Jerry Sandusky is charged with multiple sexual assualts against young boys. Head football coach Joe Paterno and University President Graham Photo courtesy of jesus- Spanier are forced foryouth.com to resign. Fairfax Cheerleading places second in the State Championship at Virginia Commonwealth University.

December

Photo courtesy of chicagonow.com

Herman Cain “suspends” his presidential campaign after sexual harrassment allegations. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta declares the war in Iraq officially over.

FEATURES

Students Stand Out at Fairfax

airfax High School embodies many different people and personalities. There are “the athletes,” “the drama kids,” and “the nerds,” all part of one high school community, and all rebels. These three students, however, stood out and achieved something worth mentioning. Patrick Moore— the guitar player, Allison Garris— the soccer player, and Steven Gillen— the science guy, share their unique stories and what makes them newsworthy.

Nikki Strickland ‘13

Features Editor

Patrick Moore

uitar player, singer, piano player, drummer, band member— there’s hardly anything in the music world Patrick Moore doesn’t do. Moore loves music because, “It’s my way of escape and expression. It just works for me and it comes easily.” Some of his favorite types of music are psychedelic, indie, and classics like the Grateful Dead and the Beatles. Currently, Moore is playing in a band called The Sisco Kids. Before coming to Fairfax, Moore attended Davidson Fine Arts in Augusta, Georgia, a school dedicated to drama, music, and art. “It was my favorite school,” he said. Moore enjoyed going to Davidson Fine Arts because it was a much smaller school than Fairfax, and “everyone knew each other and we were all into the same things.” It is also different from Fairfax because it is more centered around students who enjoy the fine arts, as opposed to Fairfax’s wider selection of courses. Moore hopes to pursue a career in music. Music is a very selective profession, but Moore said he still believes he has a chance. “I want to make it big— start a revolution with music. It'd be really cool to expand people’s minds through music,” he said.

Allison Garris

unior Allison Garris committed to George Mason University for a partial soccer scholarship the second week of the school year. While some seniors do not even know where they are going to go to college, or what they are going to do after they graduate, this junior already has a plan. Garris has been playing soccer her whole life, and has been working for, and looking forward to, being recruited by GMU since she was four, she said. She plays for three different soccer teams: the FHS team, a club team named the Phoenix, and a Super Y team called NovaFC. During the spring high school season, Garris practices every day, and out of season she practices three days a week, she said. “It's definitely a lot of work being recruited, it isn’t something that just falls in your lap,” said Garris. “It's a lot of sending coaches emails and waiting for them to come watch you play, so it is a lengthy process.” Now that she has committed, Garris can focus on keeping her GPA where it needs to be, and improve her soccer skills even more. She said, “It feels like I have a huge weight of my shoulders but at the same time there is also a ton of pressure on me to keep up with soccer and academics.” Garris was offered a partial scholarship that will increase based on her performance each year. “The day I committed to Mason was honestly one of the best days of my life.”

Steven Gillen

n the 2011 science fair, Steven Gillen and his partner Atif Javed won the grand prize for their project in which they created a three dimensional body armor. Today, Steven is still working with patent lawyers and interested companies, which Gillen could not name, to sell this product. According to Gillen, their body armor science fair project has been proven more efficient and effective than the body armor currently used by the United States military. Part of what makes it more effective is that it is multi-layered. “It’s a three dimensional design as opposed to two dimensional, and uses ceramic plates,” Gillen said, “It is designed to take multiple hits and still maintain the structure.” For these reasons and others, Gillen said, “It performs 400 percent better [than those that the military currently uses].” Gillen’s work is still in the patent pending process, having six different patents necessary. He is also working with his own theory for the body armor, “the compression and oscillation theory,” which he said “allows kinetic energy to move through the whole plate. The military’s [armor] can’t do that.”

SPORTS

Rebels Challenged Early W

Above: Fairfax Students anticipate a foul shot. Below: Robinson’s Robert Pillow makes a move on Fairfax junior Zack Burnett

ith the promise of a new season, a new coach, and a new offensive system also come growing pains. The Fairfax High School boys basketball team seems to be going through some of their own as they have started the year with one win and four losses. Coach Mike Barbee and his squad have run into a couple tough teams in their first few games, namely the two other schools in Fairfax, Woodson High school and Robinson Secondary School. The outcomes weren’t always pretty. In the Rebels second game, a well-attended game at Woodson High School, Fairfax faced Barbee’s former team and their raucous fan base. In the Cavalier’s tiny gym, fans might have been squeezed too close for comfort, but the score was not. The Rebel offense struggled through the first half, but started to trim the Woodson lead in the third quarter, before finally losing by 23. Fairfax junior Salim ColA week later they played another school with lins tries to keep posession close ties to Fairfax, Centreville High School. A against tight Robinson game that started slow, with only 24 points scored defense. The Rebels only in the whole first half, ended in an intense twoscored 46 points in the game. point overtime victory by the Wildcats. The Rebels’ finally won in their first Liberty District game, another close match against Marshall High School. Senior forward Kris Kostadinov stood out with 18 points, as Fairfax won by four on the road, 54-50. The District win technically puts the Rebels in third place for the time being, despite having the worst overall record in the Liberty. The Robinson game, Fairfax’s home-opener ended in the most lopsided score on the season, 71-48 Robinson. The Rebels are in another road stretch now, as they faced Thomas Jefferson Tuesday, and are headed to Westfield High for the Bulldog Bash over winter break.

All photos courtesy of Dakota James Photography

Walker Carlson ‘13 Sports Editor

NOVA Classic Returns to FHS E very athlete has the opportunity to shine, and the Fairfax High School varsity wrestling team took on the challenge at this year’s NOVA Classic. Being one of the biggest wrestling tournaments of the year, as the teams began to stride into Patrick Laing Fieldhouse at Fairfax, the nerves began to kick in. All Rebel wrestlers were present at the classic, but only varsity members would take part in the event. Freshman, and JV wrestler, Ruben Torrico said that, “even though I didn’t participate I enjoyed every minute of it, and I am looking forward to being able to partake next year.” Senior and varsity wrestling member, Nick Lowstuter said, “the classic was intense.” Which leads to the saddening news that he may no longer wrestle until he is cleared by a doctor for an unspecified injury. However, Lowstuter is optimistic when he says, “I hope to get back on the mat soon.” Especially since Lowstuter was the only member of the team that placed in the Classic by placing 6th in his 106 weight class. Having lost a member of the team, for now, the varsity wrestling team finished 29th, out of 32 teams, overall; while Fauquier High School came in first, and there were two champions that came out of the Liberty District; James Madison’s Robert Dooley in the 120 lb class, and Thomas Jefferson’s Patrick O’Connor in the 195 lb. This not being the best they could have done, Fairfax

looks forward to the future and improving and hoping to finish off strong. Having 14 competitions left in the season, the wrestling team has just enough time to do so, and they’ll start off in their next match on Dec. 21 at Woodson High School.

Natalia Colon ‘12 Staff Writer

A James Madison High School wrestler gets tossed at the 2011 Wrestling Classic at Fairfax High School. Photo courtesy of Laramie Hoagland

Rule Change Allows Offseason Practice

lthough winter sports just started, a few spring sports teams have already begun preparing their athletes. The baseball and softball teams started before-school conditioning sessions at the beginning of December. This is allowed under the new part VHSL off season practice policies. Athletic Director, Ms. Nancy Melnick says “Kids can now go and get extra help with coaches.” She thinks that it’s a great way for kids to learn life skills because “they’ll

have to manage their time better.” The softball conditioning sessions last from 5:45 am to 6:45 am. The conditioning sessions are categorized under two different days. There are the yellow days and the green days. The yellow days consist of exercises that focus on conditioning and strengthening. The green days focus on skills such as batting, throwing, and infield and outfield practice. Baseball conditioning sessions take place from 5am to 6:45am every Thursday. Senior Tiffany Balbuena thinks that the conditioning improves the team’s skills and helps new players; especially those who don’t have experience playing softball. She says “it makes the team have dedication to the sport that we’ve never had before.” Softball coach Matt Hoffert says “I hope they get a taste of what to expect at tryouts, and I hope they get good enough at the basics of the game that we don’t have to reteach once our actual practices begin. It’s also nice to meet and interact with the players before tryouts, just so my coaching staff and I can get to know them a little better.”

Suha Khandker ‘13 Staff Writer

SPORTS

NFL Playoffs Coming Up A

s Fairfax High School’s winter sports started to heat up in December, the National Football League’s regular season had a full head of steam, as it is coming closer and closer to the playoffs. With teams in a frenzy to get into position for a spot in the postseason, big stories began to break left and right. From Timmy Tremendous’ magic in Denver to Aaron Rodgers leading the Packers in what has become one of the historic franchise’s best seasons ever, the month was full of some momentous, game-changing events and some truly bizarre ones. Below are two of the stories that will be shaping the rest of the season.

Walker Carlson ‘13 Sports Editor

Tebow’s Mile-High Miracles

he NFL playoffs are coming up, but the most interesting story as the regular season winds down may come from a team that no one believes will go very far in the postseason; NFL fans and commentators were enthralled by Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow’s statistic-defying win streak, whether they were fans of the man or not. Just looking at Tebow’s passing stats, he’s one of the worst quarterbacks in the league. The offense is averaging barely over 15 points a game with Tebow starting, but even so, the Broncos have a 7-2 record with him, and he’s led five fourth quarter comeback wins in that stretch. However, there could be a few reasonable explanations for this seemingly illogical situation: The Broncos

Tim Tebow: Quarterback, Trendsetter, MiracleWorker. Photo courtesy of DenverPost.com have actually been led by their defense (they’ve been holding teams under 15 points in most games), the Broncos have just been playing bad teams (only three of the eight teams they played were over .500), the Broncos are in the middle of a fluky, crazy, lucky stretch that is bound to come to an end sometime soon, or as Saturday Night Live suggested, Jesus really is on Tebow’s side.

Doubts in Packerland?

week ago, it seemed like the Green Bay Packers were well on their way to becoming the third NFL team all time to finish the regular season with a perfect record, and were a favorite to win the Super Bowl as well. Today, their Super Bowl hopes aren’t gone, but their perfect season is, as they lost 19-14 to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Kansas City Chiefs, a team that fired their head coach last week, were the last team that the Packers should have lost to in their final three games of the season. Aaron Rodgers, who was thought to be having one of the greatest seasons of all time, was held by the Chiefs

defense to season-lows in almost every major statistical passing category. Hurt by the loss of Rodgers’ number one downfield threat, Greg Jennings, and their number one running back, the Packers offense didn’t score in the first half. It was their first loss in almost exactly one year, and the 19 games they won in between were the second longest winning streak in NFL history. But as Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said afterward, the undefeated season was really “just gravy.” The real goal, of course, is another Super Bowl victory.

Happy Holidays from the Rebel Roar!