the
S G N I H T N I MA
See our tribute to Mrs. Allen, an imporant figure at FHS who has announced her resignation of the twelth grade sub school.
Living off DayQuil and Tylenol Cold this flu season? Use Kevin’s advice to avoid the winter chills.
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Horw assing!
embar
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Besides rocking the construction hat in our latest Fashion Show, Mr. Detweiler serves our country, all while being an FHS teacher.
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oments to embarrassing m st o m e th f o e truth to som ories reveal the Take a look at st g tin lit p -s e joy. These sid llow Rebels. En fe ur ever happen. yo f o sy te vents cour those bizarre e
Our boys’ basketball team has had a solid start to the season. Take a look at the results of the first half of their season.
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There are less than twenty days till the lighting of the Olympic torch.See who is representing the U.S. in Vancouver this winter.
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In case your eighth period teacher neglected to fulfill your student right to view the Fashion Show, here’s a collage of the most memorable outfits presented.
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- - Virginia High School League First Place in Newsmagazines 2008-2009 - Staff 09-10 Editors in Chief Andrew Dilworth Jordan Sharpe
Managing Editor Lindsey Bush
News Editor
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Commentary Editors
Art Directors
Entertainment Editor
Staff Writers
Annelise Jensen Allie Sawyer
Zafar Shaw
Sports Editor Kevin Dowd
Copy Editors
Melissa Lin
Brian Berenbaum Aditya Bhatnagar
Features Editors
Business Managers
Anurag Bhatnagar Kevin Poon
Emily Buzzard Emily Stone
Jake Fulmer Dan Webster
Chip Barker Abraham Hassan Steven Kendall Samantha Lerner Makeda Martin Kyle Moodhe Matt Reihing Emily Robinson Emily Taylor Boa Thai Aneela Wadan Alex Woodill
Adviser
Lauren Millette
The Rebel Roar is published as a public forum of student expression. Letters to the Editor 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 e-mailed to FHSRebelRoar@gmail. com.
letter from the editors W
elcome to 2010, Rebels! As the first semester comes to a close, we have had an eventful year already.
A resignation and a natural disaster headline our News section, along with our monthly news briefs and previews. As usual, our Commentary section features Ask Kevin and the Buzz. This month, you can also read Buzzard’s opinions on bus stop etiquette. In Entertainment, find out about the real Fairfax Idol, sophomore Jamie Boyd. Revisit the Pokémon fad, which has once again swept across FHS. There is also a review of the popular TV show, Jersey Shore. You can find information about the new Kindle e-reader and the people behind Pride Time Television in Features. Mr. Detwiler, one of the FHS special education teachers, talks about his upbringing and his experiences in the military. You can also find a preview for the Winter Olympics and coverage of our boys’ varsity basketball team’s season in the Sports section. We have our usual collection of information from every varsity sport at FHS. Highlighted this month are the embarrassing stories of your classmates. From spills in the halls to untimely sicknesses, just about every kind of awkward situation has happened to someone in your classes. Andrew Dilworth
Jordan Sharpe
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A Farewell to Mrs. Allen
T
he Class of 2010 will be without its assistant will be working with teachers to try to improve math principal starting in February of 2010. This education for all grade levels,” Mrs. Allen said. “I announcement comes as both a shock will actually be working again with and wonderful surprise, as Mrs. Allen Dr. Brabrand, since he is Assistant will be moving on to become the K-12 Superintendent in Cluster IV.” Math Coordinator for Cluster IV. She While at Fairfax, she was most will be leaving at the start of third proud to have helped start the R&R quarter to help improve the quality of program. “The problem before R&R mathematical education in this area was getting kids to stay after school. of Fairfax County. One of the programs that I helped Mrs. Allen was kind enough get rolling was the R&R program. to answer some questions on her It was my baby,” she said. “I think feelings about Fairfax High School that it has helped improve academic and her experiences as assistant achievement and I would like to feel principal. “It was in the early part of that I have made the most influence December when I found out about on the students who had behavior the job. It is exciting because it is problems when they came to high different. For the first time, I will be school. I wish there was some way working with adults more than kids. I could improve attendance and I will miss the kids. I wish the timing tardiness, but some things are out of Mrs. Allen, who is leaving Fairfax, was better,” she remarked. “I have our hands,” she said. will be moving on to be a Math worked for FCPS for twenty-nine She has been at Fairfax for many Cooordinator. Photo by Kyle Moodhe. years. Before I came to Fairfax I was years, and in her time, she has made a math teacher and department chair at Chantilly High a great impact on the student body. “I will miss the School, and before that I was a math teacher at Lanier. entire class of 2010. They’re some really neat kids,” When I came to Fairfax, I was an assistant principal,” said Mrs. Allen, “I can’t think of any time that I have she said. From that point on, she has served as one of regretted being here.” Despite her promotion, she still Fairfax’s assistant principals and the assistant principal plans to attend graduation this year. “Absolutely! I for the Class of 2010. wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Mrs. Allen will confront many issues as the new K-12 Math Coordinator, but she has great experience Kyle Moodhe ‘10 dealing with numerous challenges already. “My job Staff Writer is to close the achievement gap in Cluster IV. So, I
Haiti Help, Rescue, and donation
T
he catastrophic earthquake in Haiti has been eyeopening to our community. It shows how such a sudden, unpredictable event can claim nearly 200,000 lives and injure millions more. Thousands of miles away in Fairfax, we have made our own efforts to support those in need. Fairfax County put together a task force with nearly 200 people which departed for Haiti on January 13. The task force included paramedics from the Fire and Rescue department, local physicians, structural engineers, canine handlers, communications experts, and heavy rigging specialists. Along with the rescue efforts in Haiti, people here in Fairfax are doing their best to help with this disaster. A medical team from Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children began coordinating a rescue relief effort by sending pallets of supplies. Bandages, gauze, intravenous fluids, water, 4 baby formula, catheters and crutches were
all shipped to Haiti in an effort to help those who need it. They also plan to send pallets of clean water, vitamins, baby-diapers, and non perishable foods. The organization coordinating the relief efforts is the Community Coalition for Haiti, which is based in Vienna. The group is non-profit and is still looking for volunteers. This painstaking process of bringing aid to this country isn’t nearly over. Help Haiti in this time of need through much needed donations. Here are three ways to help: 1. inova.org/donate 2. $10 donation to the American Red Cross by texting Haiti to 90999. Charges will be added to your next phone bill. 3. Unicefusa.org (100% of donations go to Haiti.) 4. Habitat.org or call 800-HABITAT
Steven Kendall ‘11 Staff Writer
Training with the pros A
P biology and anatomy students are required to job-shadow a professional in the science field for thirty hours during the year. This year, Fairfax collaborated with the Inova hospital to set up a unique opportunity for students. The teachers who sponsored this observership were Mr. Smith, Mr. Webster, and Ms. Kim. Eleven lucky students who went through a rigrous application process were accepted into the program which will give them the privilege to observe pediatricians at the hospital. On December 13, doctors visited FHS to train the students on the things they would be seeing in the hospital later this year. The pediatricians, from local INOVA Fairfax Children’s Hospital, brought practice mannequins that cried, turned blue when oxygen was cut off from their airways, and had false blood pulses. The students worked with the
mannequins to learn more about the human body in order to better understand the interaction between doctors and patients. “The training was really interesting,” said senior Tiffany Lee, “the mannequins were one-of-a-kind and we got to see all kinds of advanced equiptment.” A second training session is scheduled for February. After training, students will individually visit the hospital and follow around medical students and doctors for several days. After they were through with training with the mannequins, the students had the opportunity to ask the doctors any questions they had thought of. “Being in training has made me even more excited for the observership,” Lee said. “This is an amazing opportunity that not many people will ever get.”
Matt Reihing ‘11 Staff Writer
Students do hands-on activities with doctors on special mannequins during training. Photos courtesy of Mr. Webster.
Extreme Makeover Fairfax Edition: FHS fashion show
E
very January, students look forward to the fashion show hosted by the marketing classes, and this year was no exception. The show’s theme was fashion stereotypes, and it was a definite hit. The modern music and flashy lights compelled the crowd even though the show started off a little rough with some technical difficulties. Students modeled and Six scenes and walked down the runway five stereotypes were for this year’s fashion show. featured, including: Photo courtesy of Christine Kelly. preppy, tech nerds, bohemian, punk, and urban styles. The senior scene this year was not the typical prom dress and suit attire,
but a mix of all the stereotypes representing the FHS student body’s style. The story line of the show was that of a new girl coming to Fairfax, who was trying to figure out which style she would call her own. Senior Olivia Mershon portrayed the style seeking student. She modeled clothes from each stereotype while trying to figure out which style fit her best. At the end, she discovered that she fit right in at FHS by mixing a bunch of styles to create her own. To the audience, the show went smoothly and effortlessly, but backstage it was actually chaos. “Well, the dressing room was crazy with girls screaming, hair and makeup stuff all over, and girls running around. But on stage it was just like, your moment to shine and all your anxiety was released,” said senior Taylor Trent. Even though backstage was utter confusion, the show was still a crowd pleaser.
Emily Robinson ‘11 Staff Writer
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News Briefs
Fairfax held The Bonfire on January 15. It was held on the old baseball field after a basketball game against South Lakes High School.
Boys Varsity basketball played against Thomas Jefferson High School on January 7. We won in a great game of 55-46.
Upcoming Events: • The Course Selection Fair will take place on February 3 during RR/ PT. • Curriculum Night will take place on February 3. • Regional swim finals will take place on February 3 at Oak Marr. • The Liberty District Track Championships will be on February 4.
Doctors from the Inova Children’s Hospital came to Fairfax for a training session with students who are participating in a hospital observership. Photos courtesy of: Andrew Dilworth, Mr. Webster, and Sally Dillinger.
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• Science Fair will take place here on February 6. • Girls’ basketball is hosting the Think Pink Basketball Game on February 9. • German students will be participating in German Immersion Weekend on February 22. • Rebel on the Rise Breakfast will take place on February 9 and will be for students who have improved academically.
Entertainment
What’s your morning Jam, yo? I
n the morning, most everyone is cramming, sleeping, talking, gossiping, or just wandering around aimlessly. Others, however, are indulging in their favorite tunes to motivate and prepare them for the coming day…or just to keep them awake. Here are some of the jams that pump people up before class. Senior Brett Besecky dances to “You’re a Jerk” by Newz Boyz.
Sophomore Indiana Berman jams to “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns and Roses. Freshman Grace Holman and Julie Peiffer listen to “Forever” by Chris Brown.
Mr. Cribbs rocks out to “Well Thought Out Twinkles” by Silversun Pickups.
Juniors Brittney Ganzermiller and Roshni Patel rock out to “Do you Remember” by Jay Sean during lunch.
Aneela Wadan ‘11 Staff Writer
‘Subject’ive Reading T
eachers are always recommending books: «The Accomplished Life of George Washington», «Physics: For the Enthusiast», «Haikus, 2nd Edition»....school books. See what your favorite teachers are reading for fun.
Mr. Peterson: Physics
Note: If you like «deep» novels, this is the list to check out. Except for the ones that are noted as fiction, the rest of the titles below are nonfiction. Favorite novel: Dao De Jin by Lao Zi Favorite genres: philosophy, economics, medical fiction, historical fiction Recommended novels: The Art of War by Sun Zi Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely Freakonomics (or Superfreakonomics) by Dubner/ Levitt
Ms. Lambert: English
Note: If you like fictional novels of literary merit and substance, this is the list to check out. Favorite Novel: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver Favorite genre: Fiction, Semifiction, historical fiction Recommended novels: God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer King Lear by William Shakespeare
Ms. Varanavage: Math
Note: If you like fictional novels that are based on conspiracy or fantasy, this is the list to check out. All the novels listed below are fiction. Favorite Novel: The Reckoning by James Byran Huggins Favorite genres: fiction, fantasy, mystery Recommended novels: Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown Harry Potter (series) by J.K Rowling The Lost Years of Merlin by TA Barron
Melissa Lin ‘10 News Editor
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Entertainment
Playtime with Kevin Poon A
few more strokes and you got the new high score, but you shouldn’t play too long or your finger will get sore. You’ve beat the game, and now you’ve got the fame. Time to check the iTunes store and get another game before the current one becomes a bore. Below is a sampling of my favorite apps which will give your finger more than enough to tap.
Cube Runner:
Cube Runner is one of the classic games has already gone down in the annals of iPod gaming history. Its retro graphics and enticing plotline dazzles everyone. You assume the role of a pilot who tries to delay his impending death for as long as possible by avoiding the multicolored blocks of doom. As the scenery changes from rainbow to green and black, you become one with the pilot and sympathize with his plight. The game becomes more than about getting a high score, but about caring for your virtual friend.
Doodle Jump:
Doodle Jump is an instant-hit which can capture the attention of anyone for hours at a time. You control a green-ish yellow, jelly-fish-like character that shoots little
cannonballs out of his nose while jumping on platforms and avoiding black holes and aliens. It may seem simple enough, but take into account that the platforms are more than just simple rubber platforms; they can move side to side, up and down, explode, break, and even contain power-ups. The power-ups add another aspect to the game, where you can soar to new highPhotos by Anurag Bhatnagar scores with rocket-packs, springs, trampolines, and even helicopter hats. As time passes, the number of platforms lessen while the number of monsters who want to kill you increases.The frantic pace is perfect for anyone who loves exciting adventures.
Arcade Hoops:
Arcade Hoops is simple enough, but as addictive as Doritos. It’s the virtual version of the basketball hoop game that you can find at Chuck-e-Cheese. You flick basketballs into the hoop while a timer counts down from one minute. The first thirty seconds usually start out slow, but as time limit goes down, the intensity shoots up. Some avid basketball players, such as senior Jerry Chen, have remarked that “this game has transformed my basketball career because it helps me perform better in clutch situations.” With its life-like graphics and unique challenge, it provides entertainment to many people around the world. Games like these deserved to be cherished because they do more than entertain, they also teach life skills such as time management, perseverance, and modesty. Playing these games should be played as much as often in order to be successful in life.
Kevin Poon ‘10 Features Editor
Poké-craze R
Entertainment
emember the Poké-craze from elementary school? Believe it or not, Pokémon are the newest fad in FHS. Ask anyone what their favorite Pokémon is and they will more than likely have one already picked out. “My favorite Pokémon is a Bulbasaur because of its wide range of overall skills,” junior Jordan Rummel said. Pokémon, short for Pocket Monsters, was created by Nintendo in 1996 and was an instant hit, selling over 186 million copies. Since its release, This is “Onix”-eptable. the number of Pokémon has grown from the original 150 Photo by Chip Barker. to almost 500. The three main types of Pokémon are grass, fire, or water. These categories break them down into where they live, and what types of attacks they use. One exciting aspect of the game of Pokémon is when your work pays off and your Pokémon evolves. Evolving is when your Pokémon reaches a certain level from
defeating many others and changes form into another, better Pokémon. “When my Pokémon evolve, it gives me a feeling of accomplishment, it’s one of the main reasons I play the game.” junior Khalid Abdulhamid said. Pokémon isn’t just a game, but a way of life. In order to be successful at the game you have to live the Pokélife. “I’m not gonna Raichu a love song,” said junior Rahul Monga, exemplifying a Poké-Pun. A poké-pun is The replacement of a word in a common phrase with a Pokémon that sounds like it. Why do you think the game has on! kém o P made such a comeback in our FHS? “I have no clue. Pick y Charmander- 21 Maybe they’re reliving Squirtle- 9 their childhoods,” said Mrs. Pikachu- 6 Scharl. As confusing as it may Bulbasaur- 2 be for teachers to understand, the return of Pokémon to FHS has changed it forever.
Steven Kendall ‘11 Staff Writer
Our guilty pleasure: “TheJersey Shore” O
n January 21, a little piece of me died because the wouldn’t even have fun! season ended. It was my guilty pleasure; it was the Last and definitely least, there was Angelina, who nation’s guilty pleasure. It’s referred to as MTV’s, “The appeared on the show for just two episodes and was Jersey Shore.” None of us can deny the fact that we love memorable because she was the craziest chick. the guidos and guidettes. There’s just something about If you haven’t had the chance to see this wonderful their fake tans, juiced bodies, outrageous hair, and crazy show, you definitely missed out on some tight jainx. You nights that we love. can still go to www.mtv.com and watch the entire season Our favorite cast member, Nicol “Snooki,” came off online or view the reruns that they play all weekend. as a partier from the beginning. She said silly things, but she will always be known as the girl who got punched Abraham Hassan ‘10 & Emily Robinson ‘11 Staff Writers in the face by a man. Mike aka “The Situation,” will forever go down in trashy television history as the biggest, most arrogant man whore. His chauvinistic persona was trumped by his domestic abilities as he cooked for the cast. Visit us at our website to sign up today! No one can forget Pauly D and his blowout. It was supposedly waterproof, windproof, and bulletproof. 245 Maple Avenue West #201 You really need to watch Vinny dance and fist pump like a champ. He said you Vienna VA 22180 must “beat up the beat.” 703-255-5051 I never thought I would ever expect to see a girl at the Jersey Shore turn into the household mom. Jenny, “JWoww,” would take care of each cast member whenever needed. The house’s cutest couple, Sammi “Sweetheart” and Ronnie was really just boring. They would offer expires March 2010 9 go to the clubs, kiss, and leave. They
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Fairfax High School Special
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Behind the Wheel
Commentary
I
The Buzz
don’t want to name names or anything, but select people (Alex Grose, Junior) wrote me rude messages after receiving my December issue of “The Buzz.” I boldly stated my opinion by putting Kraft Macaroni and Cheese “the cheesiest” in the not column. Little did I know that avid Kraft eaters, such as junior Alex Grose, attend Fairfax. I encourage reader interaction, but the next time someone sends me a letter I would prefer that it didn’t contain profanities. If you love Kraft so much then why don’t you marry it? BOOM! Roasted.
Hot
Not
Ellen DeGeneres
Rosie O’Donnell
Bing
Her new spot as an American Idol judge doesn’t make sense, seeing that she obviously deserves a spot in a professional dance company, but everyone knows that Ellen is the best talk show host. She even trumps Tyra. Google is classic. We have been blessed enough to be born in an era where a search engine is both a noun and a verb. Ex: “I don’t know my math answers, I should use Google to find all my answers” or “You should Google it, because you don’t know anything about anyone.” The simple white background is like Googling in heaven. No other search engine can compare.
Blizzards The blizzard that hit NOVA in late December was
possibly the best thing that has happened... ever. Even though 20 inches may be a bit excessive for a blizzard, and the snow wasn’t exactly snowball making material, it was perfect timing. We got an extended two week winter break that was definitely deserved.
Ke$ha
Everyone keeps complaining about Ke$ha. “Wah wah wah, she doesn’t perform well live”, that’s all I hear. But you know what? She performs well through AutoTune and an immense amount of digital tampering, and what more can we ask for these days? Do we expect some type of real artist? That’s just ridiculous.
Emily Buzzard ‘11 10
Business Manager
I have never been a Rosie O’Donnell fan. When she was kicked off “The View” it may have been the best day of my life. Don’t mess with my girl Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Rosie. I will hunt you down.
What is this B i n g crap anyway? I am sick of Bing popping up whenever I type a question into the (late) Google toolbar. I seriously considered the reason why I hate Bing so much and the only thing I could come up with is it’s just not Google.
Group projects over break
Group projects are the worst. They show nothing about a student’s intellect, and more often than not group projects force friendships to be torn apart. They are especially bad when teachers give you time in class to do the project but instead class time is spent just dinking around and gossiping. In the end it is technically “your own fault” that the project had to be finished over break.
Nick Jonas and the Administration
My first qualm with this band is that they are called “Nick Jonas and theAdministration.” Administration of what? If he wants to be president it isn’t going to happen. 12-year-olds aren’t allowed to vote. Plus, who breaks up with their brothers? Who does Nick Jonas think he is? Michael Jackson? Try again, young grasshopper. You have much to learn.
Commentary
Ask Kevin Kevin Dearest,
This past week I came down with the flu and it ended up hitting me very hard. I missed school for four days and I felt miserable the entire time. How can I get over my flu faster and be back at school sooner so that I miss less school and have less catching up to do? Sincerely, Ill Bill Well, Bill, your question sounds like the introduction to a flu medication advertisement, but I can give you what no flu medication could ever give: sound, trustworthy advice. I remember the days when the flu would put me out of commission for some good time. Those days are long gone. Whenever I come down with the flu it lasts about 20 minutes or less. Ten minutes of nausea, and another ten minutes of fever and soreness. Then it’s smooth sailing. Let’s just say my immune system runs on rocket fuel. For others though, the flu can be an all out war on your body. Here’s how to win. Let’s consider the common flu which often includes a fever as well as soreness. These symptoms result in that run-down feeling as well as the temperature fluctuations that will make you feel like you are on fire one minute and then feel like been swimming with polar bears the
Leggings are NOT pants
I
t is time to address a question that has been on everyone’s minds: should leggings be considered pants? I consulted the all-knowing Wikipedia on my path to enlightenment. Wikipedia outlines the uses of leggings, “Leggings can be worn fully exposed, in place of trousers or partially covered by a garment such as a skirt, a large t-shirt, or shorts, or fully covered by an outer garment, such as a full length skirt.” Of course, this does nothing to answer my question. I realize that leggings CAN be worn as pants, as evidenced by the countless Fairfax students that I have witnessed in spandex pants, but SHOULD this fashion statement be made? There are people who have strong pro-legging and pro-pants opinions. Wearing leggings as pants were in the “not” category of many hot or not lists of 2009. Arguments that have been made are that because the leggings are opaque, they are appropriate to wear on their own. Others say that the skin-tight fabric exposes more than they want to see, and some feel very strongly about this. “Put some clothes on!” sophomore Shannon Parker exclaims. Senior Marcus Kim says, “I don’t like them
next. For soreness, I strongly recommend some yoga. Don’t ask, just do it. While working out be sure you have a vomit bucket next to you. Yoga can get intense. Luckily there is a one-step and one word solution to your fever problem: Ibuprofen. Make sure your stomach can handle it though or you might have to “retake it.” And nobody wants that. Other prevalent flu symptoms and possibly the most nagging are respiratory and sinus infections. Next time you find that you can’t breathe through your nose because it’s clogged up like a McDonalds play pit with too many fat kids, make yourself a nice cup of tea. Nothing is more British and nothing will make your snot run out faster. For that nagging cough though, you might run into a harder problem. They can last for weeks. A productive cough is good but a hacking cough must be stopped. Try some good old fashioned cough syrup. Remember, the worse it tastes, the more it will help your cough.
Kevin Dowd ‘10 Sports Editor
because it’s like your body, but in color.” A junior who wishes to remain anonymous says, “People who wear leggings as pants are liars, because they’re constantly cold, naked, and lack confidence to rock normal pants.” There are also variations of the classic black legging: a now popular style is “jeggings”- legging jeans. Because jeggings have pockets and buttons, many say that they can qualify as pants, “Jeggings are for people who want to wear leggings, but are too afraid t o try” says sophomore Maddie Interdonato. I’ll leave you with a suggestion: when getting dressed, take a second look at your pants, and if you don’t have any on, please do something about it before you leave your house. Sophomore Annamarie Meinsen poses in the hallway wearing leggings under a long shirt. Photo by Emily Stone.
Emily Stone ‘12 Business Manager
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In sixth grade I was sick the week leading up to my final chorus concert. While we were all belting out “We Go Together,” yes, the one from Grease, I started to feel nauseous. There was no stopping the vomit. It was just a matter of where it went. Since I was on the highest riser, I tried to spin around and jump down, and maybe make it to a trash can in time. No such luck. Before I could even get halfway turned around, I threw up. Everywhere. All over at least four people, including two of my best friends. The next day, a small kindergartener asked one my friends if she was, indeed, “the girl that got puked on”. Five years later, people still know me as the girl who threw up at the chorus concert. -Junior Jessie Mason
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I broke my nose while brushing my teeth at camp. –Freshmen Joseph Sim
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It was the last practice of the regular season, and everyone knew it was coming. I went to the locker room to change when the lights turned off and I heard someone yell, “Get him!” Before I knew it I was lying on the ground in my football pads with a whole bunch of seniors around me waving my boxers in the air. -Sophomore Matt Frank
When I was ten years old, my family went to Wendy’s. While I was waiting for my dad to order, I went to sit down. I started leaning back in the chair and leaned a bit too far, causing me to fall back. There was a lady behind me and I slid between her legs. I looked up and saw that she wasn’t wearing underwear. We both shrieked and the whole restaurant looked at us. I think we both learned our lessons. Mine, to not lean back on chairs and hers, to wear underwear. -Junior Ladan Abdulkadir
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I was in elementary school, and my friend and I were playing on the merry-go-round on the playgournd. I was spinning him really fas, pretending that he could fly. Unfortunately, it was also right after lunch. After several minutes, I heard him yelling at me to slow down because he was starting to feel quesy. I figured he was just scared and I ignored his yelling. Long story short, he ended up vomiting with amazing aim, and I ended up getting covered in his lunch. That alone would have been pretty embarrassing, but then it got worse. I went to the bathroom to clean it off, and I I thought I had gotten it all off my shirt and jacket. However, I didn’t account for the gunk that was still in my hair. I ended up walking around school woth bits of spaghetti and meatballs in my hair until a teacher pulled me aside to tell me! - Senior Akkarin Chirachaturaphak
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So through some strange series of events I was under a car, while contemplating the possible outcomes and how I was to extract myself from this situation I was weakly knocking on the side of the driver’s door. As the driver leaps out without putting the car into “Park”, freaking out about this too, she slams the door in shock….right onto my thumb that was hitting the side of her car. I looked up and simply whispered, “Ow, open your door, my finger is stuck”. -Senior Chip Barker
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In 8th grade, I was here at Fairfax for a marching band demonstration. I really needed to go to the bathroom but my teacher wouldn’t let me go until the end. By the time I was finally released I really had to go so I ran all the way to the bathroom. I went straight to the stall and took care of business. After a while I realized I had passed urinals and I was in the boys’ bathroom. I didn’t freak out until I saw feet and realized that a guy had just walked in. I tried waiting until he left but he was taking forever so I decided to make a break for it. I ran out as fast as I could, but not before I heard him laughing hysterically. I dashed into the girls’ room to wash my hands and to hide my embarrassment. - Senior Kelly Spong
When I was in fifth grade, I was a cheerleader. At one basketball game, which appeared to be like any other of the season, the mascot of the team ran behind me and flagged me, right in front all the players and spectators. Embarassing. -Senior Ashley Huff
At marching band, I forgot to wear a belt and in the middle of rehearsal , my pants fell down. I had to finish the show with my jeans at my knees. –Freshman Michael Mangano
Once, in gym in eighth grade, we were playing catch, and a guy was sitting on the ground behind me. I wasn’t aware that he was behind me, so when I ran backwards to catch the ball, I ran and tripped over him. I fell on him, and my butt ended up on his face. Oh, and I had a crush on him too! -Sophomore Rachel Fernandes
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I slapped some random guy’s butt on day in the hall because I thought it was my friend Andy Lopez’s. -Junior Alan Gendlemen
I was in my English class when my teacher told us to get our binders out of our backpacks. I reached down to get my binder and got an overwhelming scent of cat pee flowing up my nose. I realized that my cat had peed all over my backpack. For the rest of the class, I got whiffs of the urine, and was self-conscious for the remainder of the day. I had to borrow my friend’s old, pink backpack for the rest of the week until I got a new one. It was so embarrassing. -Junior Lauren Abram
Yesterday I had to go to the bathroom really bad. Without knowing someone switched the signs for the bathroom, I went into the girl’s bathroom. This girl was looking at me so suprised, and I didn’t know why until I realized there were no urinals. -Junior Zafar Shaw I was taking an SOL test in fifth grade, so the room was quiet and full. I had to sneeze, and because I didn’t want it to be disruptive, I tried sneezing quietly. By doing that I sneezed and farted at the same time, and after I realized that everyone could have heard it, I tried to cover it up by coughing a lot. Unfortunately, that only drew more attention to me. -Senior Brian Huynh
Commentary
Riding Dirty I
hate the bus. I have always hated the bus, and I always will hate the bus. I am positive that I am not alone on my stance against the school’s transportation system, so it is time that I become the voice of the bus hating population. Seeing as now I am able to drive to school, this is my bitter adieu to the world of unbuckled seats, creepy bus drivers, and annoying freshmen. As much as I love all of my bus riding friends, I just want to name some of my pet peeves about all of you. Don’t hate me for calling you out, but I’m not really that worried because you probably don’t know how to read anyway. That girl that walks to the bus stop and doesn’t feel the need to pick up her feet in between steps, that’s not okay. You have no idea how many times I have wanted to run across the street, punch you in the face, and then pick you up and carry you the remainder of the way so I don’t have to hear your ugly shoes scrape against the pavement. The group of boys on the bus that for some reason think all the other passengers who are trying to get well needed rest actually want to be lulled to sleep by your loud, annoying voices. Boys, you couldn’t be more wrong. I am sick of hearing your stupid stories about farting and sports that you probably aren’t good at in the first place. You aren’t even funny. The annoying freshman girl who continually screams about the Jonas Brothers, and how you are different from all the other Jonas fans and really are going to marry Nick Jonas. Girl please, you are probably never going to meet him, and he has a plethora of annoying girls he can choose from. Bus drivers that continually come late on freezing cold/raining days. First of all, that messes up whatever hair-do I choose to sport that day. Also, you never think of turning up the heat when the temperature outside seems to drop. It’s like having to go to school while being trapped in Antarctica. Small children that ride the bus because their parents are the drivers. Since when is a bus a daycare program? They run around the aisles like hooligans and are never admonished by their parents, but if a student bus rider pulls out an orange the bus driver will pull out the loud speaker and strictly remind the entire bus that food is never, ever allowed on the bus.
Emily Buzzard ‘11 Business Manager
Time to retire the attire A lmost everyone at FHS has some t-shirt from P.E.; shirts that we don’t even bother wearing after sophomore year. Or a “Beat Woodson” shirt that is outdated thanks to the district change. They’re all probably somewhere in the back of the closet as well. If we think about it, we all buy maybe an average of two t-shirts every year from school. That’s $20. Multiply that by four and you get $80. So that’s almost $100 dollars used on high school gear alone. The same applies to college gear. There 14 are many students walking around with college apparel. So let’s say someone aspir-
ing to go to UVA has a sweatshirt with its name, but they end up attending the College of William and Mary. They’ll probably feel a bit out of place wearing UVA gear at William and Mary. There is a simple solution: don’t buy so many until you know where you’re going, otherwise you may have to leave them all at home. Junior Christine LaRoche says, “If I had a lot of Stanford’s gear for example, but got accepted into UVA, I’d definitely just give it away…or maybe even sell it.”
Aneela Wadan ‘11 Staff Writer
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• Shami Platter (Ground Beef) - $8.99 • Gyro Platter - $8.99 • Boneless Breast of Chicken Platter - $8.99 • Beef Platter - $8.99 • Lamb Platter - $9.99 • Extra Nan - $1.00
Daily vegetables served with rice and white sauce (applies
• Veggie Platter with no bread - $6.99 • Veggie Platter with bread - $7.99 • Veggie Kabob - $6.99
(Grilled tomato, onion and green pepper served with rice, Afghan bread, salad and sauce)
• Extra Nan - $1.00
King Combination Platters Kids Menu Served with rice, salad, bread, sauce and choice of one vegetable
• Chicken and Shami - $10.99 • Chicken and Beef - $10.99 • Chicken and Lamb - $11.99 • Beef and Shami - $10.99 • Beef and Lamb - $11.99 • Lamb and Shami - $11.99 • Meat Lovers Platter - $17.99
(Choice of any 3 meats on Meat Lovers Platter)
• Kids Chicken - $4.99
(Three pieces of chicken kabob served with small bread and Afghan fries (spicy & mild) or rice)
• Kids Shami - $4.99
(Half skewer of ground beef kabob served with small bread and Afghan fries (spicy & mild) or rice)
• Kids Gyro - $4.99
(Gyro meat served with small bread and Afghan fries (spicy & mild) or rice)
• Extra Nan - $1.00
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• Wrapped Gyro - $5.99 • Wrapped Shami Kabob - $5.99 • Wrapped Chicken Kabob - $5.99
• Nan - $1.99 (Afghan bread made in our traditional • Sabzi (Spinach) - $1.99 • Burani Baunjon (Eggplant) - $1.99 • Chickpeas - $1.99 • Basmati Brown Rice - $2.99 • Mixed Veggie Salad - $2.99 • Afghan Fries (Spicy or Mild) - $2.99 • Skewer of Meat - $3.99 (Your choice of chicken, beef, shami or gyro.)
• Skewer of Lamb - $4.99 • Skewer of Vegetables - $1.99 (Your choice of onion, tomato or mixed.)
• Dipping Sauce (White or Green) - $0.50
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Features
ell me if this sounds familiar: scrambling at the last minute to buy a book for your English class the day before and realizing that it is sold out. How about asking around for sticky notes to write annotations on, or getting nasty paper cuts on those pesky pages? Thanks to new electronic readers all of those problems might soon go away. Electronic readers such as Amazon’s Kindle, Barnes & Noble’s Nook, and the Sony Reader have been a particularly hot item this holiday season allowing people to download digital copies of books, magazines, and even newspapers to read in a handy portable device. I recently got a Kindle for Christmas and it has easily been one of the greatest presents ever. For annotations, there is a keyboard included on the device and the Kindle can highlight segments from the text and put them in a separate folder where you can write commentary on them and then download them to your computer to print off. This feature makes writing annotations a lot less time consuming especially for those with handwriting that isn’t the most legible. Also the screen isn’t backlit so that your eyes don’t hurt from reading for extended periods of time and it has the ability to change the size of the text to make it easier to read. The Kindle can hold about 1500 books and you can switch between them easily. The Kindle is just over a third of an inch think, whereas 1500 print books would require you to have a separate room for them or at least around ten book cases. Also the Kindle has several “experimental” features that you can check out such as a text-to-speech function for those of you who want books read to you, a MP3 function, and the ability to search the internet, although it works best with sites that are mostly text. The internet is accessed through the free 3G network and this is also used to connect to Whispernet, the online store to purchase digital books. Whispernet is where the Kindle really shines because the digital books, magazines, blogs, and newspapers are ridiculously cheap. For example, New York Times bestsellers are sold for approximately ten dollars compared to print copies which can cost up to around thirty dollars. In addition, many books including classic books in the public domain are free, or at a heavily reduced price. For example, I just bought Hamlet on the
Kindle for $1.99 and most other books are around five or six dollars. Thanks to the reduced prices, and the ease of access, Amazon digital book sales overtook print sales for the first time on Christmas Day 2009. This is a huge step for digital books and increasing access to reading material for those who otherwise would not read unless forced to. “The Savings Experiment: Presented by Bank of America” calculated the value of the Kindle as opposed to purchasing books, newspapers, and magazines in print. Assuming you buy the latest bestseller every month ($20-$30) by the end of the year the total would be around $1300 per year. A paper Wall Street Journal subscription would be another $285 for a year. After then adding a paper subscription of Time Magazine ($20) the yearly total would be around $1500. Comparatively, the Kindle prices for a bestseller every month ($9.99) would equal around $519 per year. A Kindle subscription to the Journal ($179.88) and Time ($17.88) brings the yearly total to around $800. That’s right, using a Kindle can save you around $700 every year for avid readers. Also, the ability to purchase books wirelessly from anywhere at anytime is a huge selling point, but might also lead to purchasing books at an accelerated rate because of the ease of access. Photo by Chip Barker.
Chip Barker ‘10 Staff Writer
Junior Parent/Student College Planning Night Date: Thursday, January 28, 2010 Time: 7:00 PM Where: Fairfax High School Auditorium
College Admissions Representatives from the following colleges and universities will be here to discuss important information about the college application and admissions process:
Marymount University NOVA Pathway Program * Ohio State Virginia Tech UVA’s Dean of Admission
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Features
PTTV: behind the screens
I
t’s ten o’clock, gray day, Friday morning. The teaching comes to a halt, the lights are flipped off, and all eyes turn toward the SMART Board for the latest edition of Pride Time Television (PTTV). It is both a welcome respite from classwork and an entertaining way to learn about current or upcoming school events. But how much time and effort goes into each 20-minute episode? Members of the PTTV crew gave the Rebel Roar an inside look on how it is created. The Leadership class is in charge of producing PTTV. At the beginning of the year, a select group of students from the class is assigned the task of creating the show, which airs every other Friday during Pride Time. The process begins with a class brainstorming session. A whiteboard, which has become infamous for being cramped and cluttered, though vital for the process, is filled with ideas from both Leadership classes. The teachers and students that will be interviewed, the questions that will be asked, the way each story will be shot, and the general amount of time allotted for each story are noted. Students select the stories they wish to cover, and are free from there to complete their tasks. One of the major decisions for each episode is which teachers will anchor the show. The decision is based on who the class knows will be entertaining and who is free and willing to tape. Anchoring is not restricted to teachers; stu18 dents have filled this role often, though not this year. This segment of the show is shot
in a room just outside the library. Seniors Matt Wyatt and Hank Strickland are active PTTV crewmembers, and enjoy making the show. They have been full-time members for one year. “One of the best parts [of PTTV] is the responsibility that comes with the freedom the class provides,” said Strickland. Matt is one of the students responsible for editing the show. The editing process is continuous; as soon as a story is done, it is edited. The segments are compiled together at the end, and the show is finally ready to air. Ms. Melnick, who teaches Leadership, serves as a supervisor throughout the entire process, and allows a great deal of freedom to the students. “She trusts us to do what we think is right for PTTV; we are in charge of creating the show, and making sure we are done on time,” said Wyatt. Ms. Melnick checks the video a final time, and it is then ready to air. Student reaction to PTTV has always been positive. “I appreciate the time and effort that Leadership puts into this show to provide entertainment in our very workoriented lives,” said junior Sudeep Nugooru. Senior Rollin Guernsey also enjoys watching PTTV. His only minor complaint is that “the common student isn’t equally represented.” PTTV takes a lot of dedication, but both Wyatt and Strickland agree that it is the best part of Leadership. The only uncertainty after each episode is the school’s reaction. It’s always a relief for the crew after the show airs successfully every other Friday, but as soon as it’s over, the process starts all over again.
Seniors Drew Rutherford, Ruba Elagazy, junior Chad Allen, senior Emily Andrukonis, and junior Travis Lauri are all part of the PTTV crew. Photo by Kevin Poon.
Aditya Bhatnagar & Anurag Bhatnagar ‘10 Copy Editor & Features Editor
Features
Teacher spotlight: Mr.
M
r. Detwiler teaches special education, team teaches English and coaches varsity football. Yet, Detwiler has a job outside of Fairfax. He is a reservist in the army and plays trumpet for the Army band. He is also getting his Master’s Degree in special education through Old Dominion University’s long distance program. His life is largely influenced by his family, especially his dad. Most of his family members were in the military or involved in teaching. Detwiler showed interest in these aspects from a young age. He always knew he wanted to serve his country, and he has been helping kids since he was 16 when he coached sports teams over the summer. Detwiler grew up not far from here, in Chantilly. When he graduated, he went to Radford on a baseball scholarship. He later joined the Army Reserves and began playing trumpet for the Army band. He was mobilized in 2003 for Operation Enduring Freedom. After that, he worked three years at SRA International as an adult trainer teaching people about diversity awareness, and giving seminars concerning performance evaluation and new employee orientation. At the same time he coached high school football. Eventually, Coach Haddock, Mr. Singman, and Mr. Gordon helped Detwiler transition to Fairfax. It wasn’t a difficult move considering his passion for helping teenagers through their most difficult years by teaching and coaching. He said, “Kids are interesting and working with them is challenging. There is always something new.” Even though Detwiler is already a well rounded and successful person, he has another trick up his sleeve: the trumpet. He was inspired by his father’s 27-year career playing for the Army band, Pershing Zone. He says the trumpet “was always there, in his house and in his life”. His father is a first call trumpet player in D.C, meaning that he is the first to play for important events on TV, Broadway, and at the Kennedy Center. He gave lessons to other kids and taught Detwiler to play when he was young. Despite this influence he only took it seriously freshman year when he played for his high school’s band. He continued to play and remembers being honored to play Taps over General Patton’s grave. Detwiler has found his success in life, and his advice to students is to “find what you love and do it. You’ll find a way to support yourself, make it work and be happy. Once you find it, your life will be simple and clear. Explore new things to find your talents and eventually you’ll find your joy.”
Allie Sawyer ‘10 Commentary Editor
Detwiler
From top to bottom: Detwiler stands with a 3-Star General. He makes “the magic happen” teaching English. He spends his R&R time with a student. Photos courtesy of Detwiler, Kevin Poon, and Allie Sawyer.
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Boys Basketball: Midseason Report
Left: Senior guard Jack Bechert goes over a TJ defender for a layup en route to Fairfax’s 55-46 victory. Right: Junior Spencer MacLeod attempts to block the ball as a TJ player goes up for a shot. Photos by Andrew Dilworth The boys’ varsity season has gotten off to a rough start so opponents to just four points in the first quarter, setting far. To this point they have achieved a 6-5 record. They the tone for the rest of the game. Strong inside play from also participated in the Wakefield Holiday Tournament, Kuchel; who recorded a double-double with 19 points which ran from December 28-30. and 11 rebounds, junior Aaron Ware (11 and 3), and Led by senior captains Pat Beam, Jack Bechert, and junior Spencer MacLeod (10 and 6) led the team, which Jordan Kuchel, the team has had an up-and-down overcame 52% free throw shooting on the night. season. They opened with two wins out of the district, “Our biggest goal is to win the district tournament,” followed by four straight losses and a rough time in the said senior forward Alex Cook. “We want to play good Wakefield Tournament, failing to win a game. The team defense and hold teams around or below 50 points per has been playing well recently, however, winning four game.” of their last five district games by scores of 61-31, 55- Free throw shooting has been one of the team’s weaker 46, 67-64, and 59-53. Their lone loss in 2010 came in an points this season; overall, they are hitting on just 52.4% overtime game to Stone Bridge, where they fell 89-83. from the charity stripe with a low of 33% and a high of Kuchel has had a dominant season, topping double 75%. figures in points in five of their six games before the Come see the Rebels host Herndon in a make-up game tournament, as well as double digit rebounds in five on Monday at 7:30. games. He has recorded three double-doubles in the five Andrew Dilworth ‘10 games since the tournament, too. Against Jefferson, the team’s stifling defense held their Editor-in-Chief
Rebels by the numbers
7 77 4 11
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Players on the varsity team who have scored this season
Jordan Kuchel’s new FHS record for blocked shots
Wins in the last 5 district games for the Rebel
Players on the varsity team who have scored this season
Sports Briefs Wrestling
The wrestling team has charged past the midway point of the season as they have just finished their last big invitational of the season in Pennsylvania. The Rebels joined hundreds of teams in the Northeast Invitational this past weekend. The Rebels look to be competitive in both the Liberty District and the Northern Region competition as they return multiple starters from last year’s squad. senior Jordan Yost returns to championship season as the defending Northern Region champion at 170lbs and with a 5th place finish at the VHSL AAA State Tournament last February. Other major district and regional competitiors include Abdul Chadli, Alex Morgan, Jake Cox, and Joey Vanderplas. The team’s next match is the Senior Day Quad on Coach Fitterer looks on as Fairfax wrestlers January 30, at FHS. compete in a dual meet at FHS. Photo by Allie Sawyer
Swim and Dive
Senior Joey Kelly (middle) pulls away from competition in the final 15 yards of the 50 free. Photo by Andrew Dilworth.
Indoor Track and Field
Girls Basketball
As of Jan 21, the Lady Rebels have 7 wins and 7 losses with a 3-4 district record, including wins over Marshall, Jefferson, and Stone Bridge. The Rebels are much improved from last year’s squad (6-15), and have 8 games remaining before the start of the Liberty District tournament. The Lady Rebels have home games against Langley, Madison, and South Lakes (senior night). The team is led by seniors Caleigh Patterson, Erin Leighty, and Lauren Burford. Burford is the teams leading scorer and will play for Villanova next year.
Kevin Dowd ‘10 Commentary Editor
The boys and girls swim and dive teams wrapped up the regular season this past weekend versus South Lakes. They will begin the postseason with the Liberty District Chamionship on January 27. The boys team returns many swimmers who have already received AllRegion and All-State honors, while the girls team is led by freshmen Natalie Dillinger and Matty Ferguson, as well as junior diver Kelly Stockton. The boys will take a shot at the district title and are led by senior swimmers Joey Kelly, Patrick Johnson, Jake Baumgardner and senior divers Peter Rossbach and Sam Johnson.
The Rebels indoor track team wraps up the season this week as the district meet takes place on Friday and next Thursday in Prince George’s County. The team has some familiar faces from years past and some new ones, all of whom hope to score points for the team at the district meet and advance to the Northern Region meet on February 21 at George Mason’s indoor track, The team returns two all region Senior Joe Montoya and freshman finishers on the boys David Hollinger race the 3200m at side and one on the an invitational at CNU. Photo by Allie girls side. 21 Sawyer
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Winter Olympics preview
hat comes around only once every four years for us, as viewers, is the dedication and perseverance of over 250 American athletes. Held in Vancouver this winter, the XXI Winter Olympics will feature your favorite winter sports including hockey, ice skating, and skiing, as well as those less known sports including luge, skeleton, and the biathlon. The games are a prime example of hard work. The athletes’ efforts pay off at the end of an Olympic run with the gold medal. The athletes who participate in the Olympic Games exceed their expectations at winter time trial events, and condition more and more to be able to compete with the world’s best. Below are the stories of a few Olympic athletes and their anticipations for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Shaun WhiteSnowboarder
Without a doubt, one of the most popular Olympic athletes is snowboarder Shaun White (pictured right). In his Olympic debut in 2006, White won the gold medal in men’s snowboarding. His success as a championed American snowboarder and skateboarder, as well as red mane, has led to his popularity amongst fans everywhere. In February, he plans to maintain his title on the half pipe, and bring home the gold for the USA.
Lindsey Vonn- Alpine Skiing
Top female Alpine Skier, Lindsey Vonn, is one of the most acclaimed athletes in this year’s Winter Olympics. She began skiing when she was only two years old, and continues her success into this year. Although she has participated in the past two Winter Olympics (2002 and 2006), Vonn is still striving for her first Olympic gold medal, and is anticipated to bring home the gold for America in Alpine Skiing this February.
Apolo Ohno- Short Track Speed Skating
Katie Uhlaender- Skeleton
Back in 2006, Apolo Ohno brought home three medals in Short Track Speed Skating, a gold, silver and bronze. He was the youngest American, at 14, to claim the U.S. Championship for Speed Skating in 1996. This winter Ohno will have four chances to win a medal for the United States, as he competes in three individual events and a relay.
After finishing sixth at the last Winter Olympics, Katie Uhlaender won two World Cup championships and medals in a less famous event: skeleton. Skeleton competitors compete by sledding face first on their stomachs on a one-person sled. Coming Jordan Sharpe ‘11 back to her second Winter Olympics, Business Manager Uhlaender is more experienced and ready 22 to face the challenges this February. Photos courtesy of ohnzone.net, blog.nj.com, usatoday.com, and epicski.com
RUGBY VIRGINIA Boys & Girls
In Rugby Any Player Can Pick Up The Ball, Run and Score
YOU CAN PICK IT UP
FPYC RUGBY U-19/U-17 Spring 2010
REGISTER NOW
AT: www.fpycsports.com --- First Training is February 15, 2010
HAVE FUN – PLAY RUGBY Bill Brownley - Director of Fairfax Police Youth Club Rugby
billbrownley@aol.com, 703-629-2835 These materials are neither sponsored nor endorsed by Fairfax County School Board, the Superintendent, the Diocese of Arlington or this school.