March 2009 by Rebel Roar

3501 Rebel Run Fairfax, VA 22030 FHSRebelRoar@gmail.com

March 19, 2009 Volume LXXVI, Issue 7

Inside this issue: Swim team finishes the season strong at States.

Photo courtesy of Kirsten Manville.

Dancing with the Teachers heats up in the final round.

Glue. Glue. Find the

craftster in you!

2 To our readers, I remember back when I went to art school. Tuesday and Thursday afternoons meant that my mom, my brother, and I would be fighting traffic on our way to our 5:30 art class. My mom never had high hopes for my brother or me. She didn’t intend for either of us to become the next Picasso or Michelangelo. Her only goal was that, after countless years of art school, we would learn how to coordinate colors. All those monthly payments, gas bills, and time spent chauffeuring just so that we would be able to pick out our own clothes in the morning without walking down the stairs looking like a circus clown. Looking back, my mom was right to have such a simple goal in mind. Ask me to draw you something now and you’d be looking at a piece of paper with stick figures and a smiley-face sun (although, I’ve learned how to draw a pig quite well). Art never was, and never will be, one of my strengths. But what I remember most about those art classes, besides getting the bajeebies scared out of me by The Nightmare Before Christmas during snack time, was craft time. After half a class of trying to draw a perfect circle, we got to unwind and make something. Maybe it was because I didn’t have to wait to take home craft projects or, more likely, because it’s hard to mess up crafts, but it was always my favorite part of the class. My favorite craft by far was an octopus I made out of yarn. It had a Styrofoam ball covered in yarn with braided tentacles. Needless to say, I was quite proud of myself on the ride home that night. This month’s cover story causes me to feel a bit of nostalgia for the years of my youth. Staff writer Caitlin Noone brings back old memories with a creative feature on craft projects. Check out the middle spread for ideas on what to do with a rainy day, or any day for that matter. The journalism class recently took a field trip to the newly re-opened Newseum. We spent the day learning about the history of journalism and how it’s evolved over time, looking through Pulitzer Prize winning photos, and browsing famous front pages from years past. Check out the group picture of our journalism family! Happy crafting,

Fair

News Briefs

Facts • The Winter Sports banquet, which was held on March 9, celebrated the winter athletes’ performance and achievements during the past season. • National Honor Society candidates who met the requirements will be inducted on March 24. Candidates had to complete eight service hours first semester and maintain a 3.5 GPA in order to be considered for induction. The guest speaker at the ceremony will be Teacher of the Year Mr. Eric Kinne. • On March 17, the Art Department had showcase called the “One Man and Pyramid Show” that represented artwork from both FHS and Lanier students.

Staff 08-09

Entertainment Editor Michael Dadok Myriam Tchatchouang

Editors in Chief

Features Editor

James Lee Catherine Treyz

Anurag Bhatnagar Annelise Jensen

Managing Editor

Sports Editor

Andrew Dilworth

Jean DeOrnellas

News Editor

Copy Editor

Dan Webster Kevin Poon

Commentary Editor Kevin Dowd

Aditya Bhatnagar

Business Manager Jordan Sharpe Aneela Wadan

• Sophomore Lindsey Bush and freshman Quillan Heim were featured in The Washington Post on March 2 for interviews regarding their position on the new SLEEP program that may or may not be advocated next year. • The DECA state competition was held on March 14 to 15. Members of the marketing class went to compete against other schools in the state. Congratulations to Nicole Freeman, Kyle Walsh, Christine LaRoache, Gerhard Williams, Rachel Guy, and Victoria Sachs who for receiving an award at the DECA Virginia State Leadership Competition. Students who won top over all honors and will be competing at Nationals in Anaheim, California include Christine LaRoache, Michael Mullett, Philip Hudner, Aubrey Prior, Will Andrewes, Diana Monroe, Jill Duffy, Mike Larkins, Kelly Frecker, Lindsey Uhtoff, Krissy Zapf, Kameron Wiley, Emily Neal, Kyla Koerber, Valerie Cartanega, Joe RileyRyan, Preeti Deol, Caitlin Jukes, and Catherine Johnson. Mike Kim, Bryan Bradley, and Mylee Sabarre earned first plac ein the state in a Creative Marketing Project Chapter Event. • Fairfax Science Olympiad, which took place at Langley High School, won first and second place on February 28 against several other schools in the region. They won a total of 54 medals. • Mr. Ingrassia was featured in The Washington Post on February 26 in an article about becoming a teacher after his previous occupation as a vice president of a corporation. • On March 10, the FBLA won 1st place in the NOVA Region for Emerging Business Issues, 2nd place in Public Speaking, and 3rd place in Impromptu Speaking.

Photography Editor Lindsey Bush

Staff Writer

Noor Abughannam Brian Berenbaum Abdoul Bouarfa Jacob Fulmer Steven Kendall Melissa Lin Eric Lesher Caitlin Noone Wardah Rashid Allie Sawyer Zafar Shaw Emily Taylor Alex Woodill

Adviser

Lauren Millette

The Rebel Roar is published as a public forum of student expression. Letters to the Editor 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.

America’s Next Top Bully

Commentary

he Tyra Show” is the most popular talk show for 18 to 34-year-old females. This fact is self-acclaimed on her website, which also contains countless pictures of herself smiling with her eyes. She claims that her show focuses on the “dreams, hopes, and challenges of today’s young women.” This is most likely a typo because she probably means that the show focuses on herself and her many different weaves. So I decided to take a chance, and see what it would be like to be on “The Tyra Show.” Why not? I happen to be a young woman that has dreams, hopes and challenges. I knew that Tyra could get me through these challenges, as she has with so many other young women. I sent her a ridiculous message on tyrabanks.com to attempt to land myself a one hour slot. She has multiple categories that are capable for self nominations; however I thought that the “Is Your Child a Bully?” worked best for my issues. The message one of her workers received: While I do not posses a child who bullies others, I am a child who bullies others. I don’t know how to stop, and I just say things that I think are funny that other people find harsh. It has even gone to the point where I have been called “soulless” and “heartless.” People have even deleted me as a friend on Facebook. It’s a serious situation and I am begging for the help of Tyra. One week after my dear friend received this message, I got a voicemail from Martin, who happens to be a producer for “The Tyra Show.” I never knew such a little name could amount to such a big heart. While

Martin may have been thrown off by my inspiring “If you can dream it, you can do it” answering machine, he recuperated quickly and left me a life-changing message. Martin told me that he got my email, and he wanted to chat about my problems. He then proceeded to leave me his number, not once, but twice. This only reiterated that he really wanted to talk about my problems. I waited five days to call Martin back. I didn’t want to seem desperate. He answered the phone so nonchalantly, “Hi, this is Martin,” that I knew this was going to be big. I introduced myself, and was able to discuss all of my problems with him. I may have exaggerated on a few of my bullying issues, like shoving small freshmen into lockers and punching my friends when they disagree with me, but overall Martin was very understanding. He asked me very deep and heart wrenching questions like, “Why did you punch her?” and “Why freshmen?” When I could not explain my actions beyond the reasoning that it was funny, Martin was considerate and stayed on the line. He then asked me to email him a picture of myself, so the producers can put a face with my name. I told him I would and we went our separate ways, never to speak again. If my mother was as understanding as Martin you would all see me on “The Tyra Show” discussing my issues. I told her my experiences with the producer and she just couldn’t grasp the idea of having a famous daughter, so she said that there was no way I could go on the show. Alas, at least I can say that Tyra has been able to reach me like she has so many other young women who appreciate her narcissism, through the dear heart of Martin.

Emily Buzzard ‘11 Staff Writer

Emily worships Trya’s glorious image. She touches the screen in an attempt to feel connected with the legendary icon.

Unable to get enough of Tyra, Emily watches in awe as Tyra discusses relationship abuse on her talk show. She listens intently as Tyra advises young girls to stand up to not be victims of abuse.

Emily kisses the screen as Tyra pours out helpful tips on learning to love oneself. Emily idolizes Tyra for her ability to empathize with guests on her show and her compassion and dedication for empowering young girls. Photos by Lindsey Bush.

Ask Kevin

Dear Kevin, This spring I am faced with a tremendous decision. I have to decide between doing soccer, baseball, or track. I have been successful in all three sports in the past and am receiving pressure from all sides. Which should I do? Two? Just one? All three? Sincerely, Indecisive Ian Dear Indecisve Ian, This is a problem many student-athletes face this spring. Whether it’s between two or five sports, making a decision is tough and making a decision that you won’t question during the season will be impossible. As I recall, I was once in your position at age 12 when I was torn between competitive knitting and bearwrestling. Back then, I was stubborn and pursued both until a severe prick from a needle ended my knitting dreams temporarily. In that case, it was out of my hands. I continued bear-wrestling, pinning and taming bears in the rugged hills of Northern Virginia in cooperation with the park authority. Having single-handedly rid the area of bears, my job is now done, and I am currently toying with the idea of returning to knitting despite the psychological damage I suffered from the sport. My personal experience may apply to your situation, however different. Trying to juggle multiple sports is disastrous and I don’t recommend it. Effort placed into

Photo by Allie Sawyer.

one sport can hinder your performance in another (I blame my focus on bear wrestling on my knitting injury). When you factor in school as well, you might just get a train wreck. As for your situation, I recommend a non-traditional approach. Most high school athletes will choose the sport which they prefer, regardless of their superior performance in another. If you aren’t trying to play a sport in college, then go for it. Try to have fun. But if you are thinking about ditching a sport that could earn you scholarship money, you may want to think harder and put your money where your cleats, baseball bat, or baton are.

Kevin Dowd ‘10 Commentary Editor

Course selection: AP vs. regular I lya Komarov is a 17-year old junior here at Fairfax. Like many of his peers, he signed up for next year’s courses, a list comprised of many AP classes. A major conflict when selecting his schedule was the decision between AP and regular English. Another AP course would have added too much time and stress to his daunting schedule, while a regular class would not have been challenging enough. This dilemma is true for many juniors and sophomores. Many subjects, including English and history, do not offer an honors alternative to the AP class. Students are left to decide between adding another AP and settling for a regular class. But with the budget a problem, and the addition of new honors classes unlikely, how should students decide? “All students should try to take challenging classes and I would highly recommend that any student willing to put in the extra effort to take the AP class,” said Mrs. Lambert, an AP English Literature teacher. “He will be rewarded because he will learn so much more and will

be prepared for intense and rigorous college courses.” But Mrs. Lambert agrees that Honors English would be a viable, though unlikely, option for some students. “For students who are taking a number of AP classes and feel like one more would be the straw that would break the camel’s back, it would give them the opportunity to be in a challenging, productive class without as large a workload as they would get in AP.” Many factors will influence your decision, whether it is a significant number of AP’s or even too many extracurricular activities. But if you have space and time in your schedule, you should take the more challenging AP course; if it is too much to handle, you can switch to regular after the first quarter. Ilya ultimately decided to select AP English. “English has always been one of my stronger subjects and I want to continue to challenge and better myself.”

Anurag Bhatnagar & Brian Berenbaum ‘10 Features Editor & Staff Writer

Fewer Students failing at Fairfax

News

r. Brabrand announced students to get the help to the school that the they need during school number “F’s” received in hours, instead of giving up the first quarter had fallen their free time afterschool. 9% compared to last year. Even though there is no Most people shrugged definitive class that generates this off and went to R&R, “F’s”, an overwhelming wanting to finish last minute number of students complain homework and chill with friends. about math. Walk into any What students don’t realize is math room during R&R that R&R is the “main thing” and one will see every table that has improved their grades. filled with tutors and tutees, Dr. Brabrand’s system of and mandated students Rewards and Remediation has who find themselves become a great help for students stressed and failing. struggling in certain subjects and With all this remediation, requiring time with teachers. Dr. Brabrand relies on this model to help students have the time According to Dr. Brabrand, most him “keep the main thing, the main thing” and help they need to teachers and students feel that the throughout the day. Photo by Annelise Jensen. improve their grades and R&R system has been beneficial raise their failing grade to students’ grades, especially grade is a must. Because of sports, to a passing grade. With “F’s” those in need of one-on-one help. school clubs, ill-timed detentions, down and grades up, FHS has Students involved in sports run the and other responsibilities, students fewer failures walking the halls. risk of getting kicked off their team sometimes find it difficult to spend if they have an “F” in any of their remediation time with a teacher Annelise Jensen ‘10 classes, so maintaining a passing after school. Having R&R allows Features Editor

Speech and Debate

n Feb. 11, Fairfax’s Speech and Debate team attended the Concorde District competition at Westfield with six other schools. Junior Joseph An earned second place. An’s topic for the competition was how the U.S. has to submit to the international criminal court. He researched the pros and cons regarding the history of criminal courts. Speech and Debate is a unique club which improves students persuasive writing skills, helps them think on the spot, and gives them confidence in public speaking. It is open to all students and there are no prerequisites or class restrictions. In a typical Speech and Debate meeting students first receive a resolution, which they discuss together, and then

go into depth researching a particular area. The team is comprised of roughly fifteen students, three of whom can be sent to competitions. The team has a new sponsor this year, Mrs. Faust, who taught a Speech and Debate class two years ago. A few of the students that she had as freshmen are now on the team as juniors. This club gives students knowledge on many issues and helps them gain confidence in themselves as well as their ability to see both the pros and cons of a situation. It provides students with an amazing opportunity to improve their speaking and writing skills while also learning to work together as a team.

Wardah Rashid ‘09 Staff Writer

Dancing with the Teachers D

Entertainment

ancing with the Teachers is underway with a brand really dance.” Dancing with the new group of teachers and students competing Teachers requires a fair amount of in order to see who has the best dancing feet. For the time and practice. Mr. Lofthouse’s previous rounds, teacher-student pairs were partner senior Margaret McClain eliminated. The courageous teachers that claimed, “I am very competitive. participated were Mr. Bird, Mr. Hageny, I practice every night.” She Mr. Lofthouse, Mr. Fitterer, Mr. Behne, Ms. joked, “And I now, only eat Millette, Ms. Dass, Ms. Pedersen, Ms. fruits and vegetables.” Jackson, Ms. Washechek, Ms. Wilson No matter how and Ms. Montgomery. Each couple competitive the couples was required to dance to different are they all have a genres of music every week. common goal and After hard rehearsals the that is to win the competition. couples were scheduled to Several teams were eliminated and perform in front of the judges. In the judges have narrowed it down the first week, the pairs danced to to the top three teams: Mr. Bird and hip hop, and the second week the Victoria Sachs, Mrs. Pedersen and theme was salsa. The last week, Travis Laurie, and Ms. Jackson and they will be allowed to dance the Danny Mejia. The top three teams music of their choice in front will battle it out for the title at the of the entire student body. spring pep rally on March 19. Keep Dancing with the Teachers an eye out for your favorite teacher has transformed into a fun Senior Margaret McClain and her partner because they might just end up experience for the teachers Mr. Lofthouse strike a pose during being the best dancer in the school. and the students involved. rehersal. Photo by Aneela Wadan. For new teacher Mr.Lofthouse he thought “it’d be a Myriam Tchatchouang ‘09 & Aneela Wadan ‘11 good way to introduce himself,” although “he doesn’t Entertainment Editor & Business Manager

serves more than just food

ou, you got what I need but you say he’s just a friend. And you say he’s just a friend.” Jared Navarro and Chris Suarez sang out to their audience at Potbelly’s Sandwich Works in an acoustic cover of “Just a Friend” by Biz Markie. Two members of A Sense of Urgency were performing at Potbelly’s live acoustic music night, on Thursday, February 19. Also playing with them, were Race You for It, Black Box Warning, Alan Gant, Dan Goldberger, and Mike Bruna. Auditioning to be a musician at Potbelly’s is a must for any guitarist or group who wants to start being

recognized. Anyone who would like to try out can fill out a form on the Potbelly’s website. The two Potbelly’s restaurants in Fairfax, one in Old Town and one in Fairfax Corner, have live music nights held on randomly choses days of the week. At the Potbelly’s in Fairfax Corner, you can walk in to find a guitarist sitting on top of the booths singing to the customers or behind the tables surrounded by amps. Sometimes it can be hard to hear the musicians singing, but you can always hear the guitars clearly and cleanly. Alysa Baird, a ninth grader, said, “The guitars sounded pretty good, I’d say. It helped me digest better! The music was a little country, but I deal.” Sophomore Turner Vite said, “It

was a little hard to hear them playing over people’s talking, but what I did hear sounded great. A sandwich and some acoustic make a good meal in my book.” It’s actually surprising how many students have never been to a Potbelly’s live music night. A lot of the people I talked to actually said they had never been to a Potbelly’s at all! Anyone who enjoys acoustic music should definitely attend. A variety of songs are played: covers of almost every genre, original songs, all acoustic. What’s to lose? If you don’t like the music you can always still fall back on a delicious baked sandwich.

Madelaine Atteberry ‘12 Guest Writer

Don’t Don’’t be be

blue ...new

make makkee something ssomet ometh etthhing

With the economy bad and the value of the dollar worse, the empty void usually filled by retail therapy needs to be replaced. The solution lies in one word: crafts. Recycling forgotten items into new treasures is a great way to save money and show off your skills. You’re probably asking yourself, “Where do I find awesome old things that I can remake?” Look no further than your family’s basement or garage. The older, the better, is usually my rule when searching for my next craft idea. Cassettes, books, records, even so-called “junk” such as juice boxes or Starburst wrappers are great materials. If your parents don’t happen to be sentimental pack rats who keep everything from their adolescence, there’s a solution for you: thrift stores. For less than five dollars, you can buy plenty of supplies and you aren’t limited to relics of your parents’ past. Once you have a good selection of materials to make your projects with, think of your own innovative ways to reuse things. If you aren’t gifted in the craft area, here are some ideas to get you going.

RECORD BOWLS

Difficulty Level: Very easy This is by far the easiest craft to make, and it has the most room for creativity. The only materials you need are the following: • An oven preheated at 250 degrees • A baking sheet • A large glass or ceramic bowl • Oven mitts • And most importantly, a record! 1. Preheat your oven to around 200-250 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. Place your record on the center of an upside down pot or metal bowl. Put this onto a baking sheet. 3. Put this into the oven. Keep a close watch

because each vinyl starts to “flop” at a different time. It usually takes 4-8 minutes. 4. Take the whole thing out of the oven (wearing oven mitts, of course) once you notice some real “flopping” going on. 5. Put your record into another bowl and shape it around that, or you can hand mold it. Sometimes, you might like the way it looks right as you take it out of the oven; if so, skip the molding. 6. Let it cool for 10-15 minutes. 7. Flip it over. 8. Put your bowl to use!

CASSETTE TAPE WALLETS Difficulty Level: Medium This eighties-inspired coin purse is one of the more difficult and timeconsuming projects, but with a higher payoff. Materials Include: • Old cassette tape--look at thrift stores for funky colored ones or cheesy bands • Various colored felt • A zipper, preferably colored • Hot glue • A sewing machine 1. Deconstruct the tapes. Use a flathead screwdriver to pry them apart. This step may take a while depending on how well glued the tape is, and whether or not it has screws. 2. Cut a piece of felt slightly bigger than the tape. 3. Sew your zipper on, making a little bag with the cassette on the inside. Flip the bag inside out so

the zipper is facing the correct way. (You may want to ask your mom for help on this part.) 4. Hot glue your tape to the outside of the wallet. Make sure not to glue in the holes, and be careful that the glue gun does not melt the cassette. 5. Make sure the tape is glued on tight and you’re ready to use your handy new wallet!

BOOK PURSE Difficulty Level: Hard After you read a cheesy romance novel, what’s left to do with the book itself? Rather than donating the book or tossing it in the trash, remake the book into a pint-sized pocketbook that you can keep your stuff in! Materials: • Cheesy Romance novel or Sci-Fi paperback, preferably used. • Laminator that uses a hot laminate • Scissors • Felt • Zipper • A sewing machine 1. Find a paperback book with a cool cover (the Evil Daughter found a cheesy Fabio romance novel), and carefully tear the cover off, keeping it all in one piece. 2. Laminate the cover with a hot laminate (not cold!), and while it’s still warm, fold the cover so it retains its bookish shape. Make sure to save the inside part of the book. 3. Trim the outside edge of the book about 1/3 inch, using edge of the printing to keep a straight line. It doesn’t have to be perfect. 4. Lay the cover on some fabric, making the top and bottom edges wider than the cover by the width of the book. This will allow enough for seam allowance, and still keep the book shape. Leave an extra inch or so on the sides, you’ll trim this later. 5. Fold the fabric in half, and cut it in half where the middle of the spine would be.

6. Keeping right sides together, sew your zipper in. Topstitch so it lays flat. 7. Sew sides together. It’s okay if you don’t sew all the way to the zipper. Slide the book in to check the fit. Not too loose - not too tight. 8. Remove the book, and fold the seam against the zipper, making a point at the top corner (think paperairplane). Sew across to make the corner square. Turn right-side-out to check the corners. 9. Slide the book back in with the zipper closed, with the spine to the open end. Line up the seams and zipper and such, and make sure it’s nice and snug. Trim the excess from the bottom, leaving enough to fold the ends over the edge of the book. Glue or sew shut, then fold the corners in and do the same. 10. Apply adhesive to the inside of the cover, keeping the glue inside the cover’s edge so you don’t see the glue through the laminate. 11. Place the pouch with the book still zipped inside into the cover and line it up nicely. 12. Put the finished product under something heavy to help it keep its shape while it dries. 13. Unzip and carefully remove the book, bending the book as you need to remove it. Now you have a clutch that’s recycled and ready for action!

Caitlin Noone ‘09 Staff Writer

Craft instructions and pictures from www.craftster.org Craving more crafts? Try these websites for ideas: www.craftser.org www.craftbits.com www.allfreecrafts.com

Members of the UNSC prepare to take on the perilous Covenant on Harvest. Photo courtesy of www.halowars.com

or the past decade, Bungie Studios has spent countless hours refining its winning formula for the Halo series. The epic saga about humanity’s battle for survival against the alien Covenant has now spanned through three installments in the series, captivating millions of gamers worldwide. However, Ensemble Studios is the first franchise to try and build upon what Bungie has already founded with their new game release Halo Wars. They indeed have managed to lure in not only returning Halo fans, but new ones who may be familiar with real time strategy type games and wish to partake in a new experience. The adventure gets underway on a colonized world called Harvest, about twenty years before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved, where members from the human military, known as the UNSC, on the battleship Spirit of Fire are investigating Covenant deployment activity. Along with Professor Anders and the Fire’s artificial intelligence Serina, they uncover a plot in which an Arbiter, who is in charge of the Covenant forces occupying the planet, gets his hands on a mysterious artifact left by the long extinct Forerunners. As a result, both sides race to claim victory not only over their enemies, but ultimately to claim a power that could change the tide of the war. Halo Wars’ predictable story is presented through some great cut scenes, with high-quality cinemat-

ics and excellent voice acting. Combined with authentic looking units and environments, it goes a long way toward making Halo Wars look and feel like a part of the series. The storyline is slightly confusing at first, but eventually it all forms into a cohesive whole, though it’s certainly not long and should take most players several hours to play through. As far as the actual mechanics of gameplay, Halo Wars is a lot more action oriented than most real time strategy titles. You won’t spend a lot of time building up on your structures and units, as you’ll instead focus more on exploring the sections of the map and eliminating potential threats to your troops. While Halo Wars does seem to focus more on the elements of action and excitement, there are still plenty of substantial unit-creation functions. You’re able to create new structures and buildings that can supplement your current technology as well as build units as you play. Many of the familiar vehicles and characters from the Halo universe will be making appearances in the game, along with plenty of new ones that will surprise even the most hardcore followers of the series. In terms of how well the game has appealed to students, for the most part it’s a mixed reaction. Some students, like senior Brian Nyugen, expressed how, “I was initially surprised that a Halo game was a real-time strategy, but it turned out to be a good risk to take.” Others, like senior JJ Gleason, complained how, “the storyline was just dumb and I plan on playing the multiplayer skirmishes more often than the campaign.” Although Halo Wars can be rewarding and fun to play for some time, the short length of the singleplayer campaign and the lack of variety in the multiplayer ultimately leaves the game feeling unfinished. It’s good while it lasts, but it will appeal more to fans of Halo and casual RTS players than anyone looking for a deeply invigorating strategy game.

Michael Dadok ‘09 Entertainment Editor

The perfect college essay

Zafar Shaw ‘11 Staff Writer

Features

ollege essays play a critical role in the college application process. Most universities require a number of essays. One about personal experiences and the other two are usually given with specific prompts. The reason colleges put so much emphasis on essays is because writing plays a key role in any field, major, or occupation. So, how should you begin? First, you need to think of a juicy topic that will compel your readers. Not something boring; you definitely want to stand out. Usually colleges want to see you illustrate how you’ve grown or experienced something that has made you who you are today. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to come up with something extravagant. As long as you answer the prompt and manage to stay unique, you will be on the right track towards the college of your dreams. Juniors have a while to complete thier essay(s), try and start over spring break. Seek help from your peers and parents; you can also attend writing workshops with designated tutors. Talk to people that h a v e already written an admissions essay. They can give great advice from their own personal experience. M a k e sure you focus on the quality of your e s s a y, not the quantity. Colleges don’t w a n t to read long, boring reports. Also, try not to make silly mistakes in your essay such as punctuation, spelling, and syntax. Do not try to impress colleges by using words you are unsure of because they will make your essay sound stiff. Lastly, just take a deep breath. Stressing out will only hurt your chances of writing to the best of your ability. Remember that this is NOT the only factor that makes or breaks your chance of getting into the college of your dreams. As long as you give it your all and try your best, you should not have any regrets.

“My college admissions essay for James Madison University was about how sports have impacted my life.” -Senior Lindsey Uthroff. “My favorite essay was the Jane Eyre essay I wrote for the UVA supplement because it was more peronal writing and impacted my life more.” -Senior Diana Aleman, right. Photos by Zafar Shaw.

For whom the iPhone rings

hile most English teachers are reading their books in hard copy, AP English teacher Mrs. Carol Lambert peruses the pages of classics like Wuthering Heights and A Tale of Two Cities via her recently purchased iPhone. For someone who is Shakespeare savvy, Mrs. Lambert is quickly becoming more and more iPhone savvy, using the device to continue educating herself. Mrs. Lambert used to own an ordinary cell phone without an impressive touch screen or an array of applications until her son showed her his iPhone. Afterwards,

she realized she had to have an iPhone too. “The convincing factor was the classic works [my son] downloaded for $4.99,” said Mrs. Lambert. Although Mrs. Lambert is continuing to learn about every use and aspect of her new phone, she has the basics covered. She can call, text, check her e-mail, listen to music, and read her downloaded books. “I do text message. That’s amazing for my generation,” joked Mrs. Lambert. Known for her spirited personality and sharp sense of humor, Mrs. Lambert does not hesitate to show off her new iPhone and all the books she has downloaded. Currently, she has a Mark Twain collection, Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets, and numerous classic novels. She reads her downloaded materials while at stores, home, and just about anywhere she finds the time. If you find yourself in the English wing one day after school and hear the song “Wuthering Heights” by the Puppini Sisters sounding the halls, please let Mrs. Lambert take her call.

Catherine Treyz ‘09 Editor in Chief

Sticking to the facts and not your shoe G

um has been around since the dawn of time. The ancient Greeks chewed on tree resin to cleanse their teeth and freshen their breath. Much like the ancient Greeks, FHS students use a little thing called “gum” to keep their mouths fresh. Have you ever wondered what the heck is in your gum? Gum is composed of gum base (the stuff that makes your gum chewy), flavorings and colorings, preservatives, sweeteners and softeners. Pellet gums, like Dentyne Ice, contain gelatin which gives them their texture. Some gums have laxatives in them, but not enough to cause harm to your body or to really have any effect on you unless you over-consume those gums, but even then

The House of the Authentic Burrito! made from real fresh dough

10% off for all FHS students

Located behind the McDonalds and across from the Home Depot in Fairfax Circle

The only fresh dough in town!!!

the effects are mild. You may have heard rumors about yucky things being put in gum, but that’s not true. Only safe, approved ingredients are allowed in gum. Gum wasn’t meant to be swallowed, but if you do, don’t worry it will pass through you like roughage. It will only be in your system for a few days, not seven years. In the United States gum has become one of the most popular candies. So much so that the average sticks of gum chewed per year is 182 per person. In Germany the average sticks of gum chewed is 103 sticks per person per year. In India, the average sticks of gum chewed per year per person is 4.Guess we really love our gum. Well on her way to chewing 182 pieces per year, sophomore Abigail Baughman says, “I usually have one piece of gum per class period.” Freshman Amber Leighty knows that gum is beneficial: “It’s good for me. It says so on the box.”

Lindsey Bush ‘11 Photography Editor

Sports

Joey Kelly, and sophomore Travis 13 Lauri finished sixth in the 200 freestyle relay. Individually, Kelly was the star, placing third in the 50 freestyle and fifth in the 100 freestyle. He broke both of the school records for the 50 and 100 freestyle this year. “States was exciting. It was a little overwhelming and I was nervous, but nerves are always good,” said Kelly, “I would also like to say thanks for the support from my team.” Other boys with individual events included Jake Baumgardner, Travis

Swimming strong in states

ne year ago, the FHS Swim and Dive team surprised all participants and viewers in the state championship. This year, they did it again, with both the boys and girls teams finishing in the top five. The girls team placed third and the boys placed fifth overall. Going into the state championship, the girl’s swim team had high hopes and expectations. Seniors Jean DeOrnellas, Ellyn Baumgardner, Theresa Harvey and junior Lauren Gehrke, began the meet by competing in the 200 medley relay, a race in which they were originally seeded first. They won by over a second, beating their rival, Robinson as well as Chantilly and Centerville, two other district opponents. Later, in the 200 free relay, seniors DeOrnellas, Harvey, Baumgardner, and Frankie Dowd finished first as well, defending last year’s title. Individually, Baumgardner dominated the 100 yard breaststroke, winning by two body lengths. Harvey and DeOrnellas also received medals in both of their individual events. Like the girls, the boys swim team had stand-out performances. All three relays qualified for the meet and seniors Ryan Larson and Zach Patteson, junior

Lauri, and Austin Patteson. On the diving side, sophomore Kelli Stockton competed at states for the second year in a row. She placed fourth and was very pleased with her performance, saying, “States was really fun and I think we did really well. Zach and I both dove well and did the best we could.” Senior diver Zach Patteson also participated in states and finished fifth. When it came time to announce the scores, there was great surprise. Many people were oblivious to the fact that the seven person team of the Lady Rebels had swum well enough to place on the podium. Also, the boys team surprised many larger teams, finishing their best in over fifteen years. Since last year’s state meet, despite some losses as team members graduated, the swim and dive team proves to have not lost a beat. For Coach Meredith Harris’ first year as head coach, her team most certainly did not disappoint.

Jordan Sharpe ‘11 Business Manager

Scenes from states (from left): Sophomore Kelli Stockton continued her dominance of FHS dive; Travis Lauri, Joey Kelly, and Jake Baumgardner walk to the blocks; members of the FHS team calm their nerves in the pool during warm-ups; seniors Jean DeOrnellas, Frankie Dowd, Theresa Harvey, and Ellyn Baumgardner celebrate after defending their title in the 200 free relay. Photos courtesy of Mary DeOrnellas.

From the Sports Desk

Another season done! Congratulations to all the winter sports athletes, and especially the state participants of wrestling, indoor track, and swim and dive. Wrestling Region Results

Wrestling State Results

1st place Jordan Yost 171 lbs. 3rd place Ian Davies 215 lbs. 4th place Cory Apps 112 lbs. Josh Patterson heavyweight 6th place Ahmad Elhajj

Jordan Yost 5th place 171 lbs. Josh Patterson 7th place 285 lbs. Other participants: Cory Apps 112 lbs. and Ian Davies 215 lbs.

Team: 5th place

Jordan Yost was the champion of the Northern Region. Photo courtesy of Brett Gustman.

Indoor Track Region Results Elizabeth Nguyen 6th 55 yd dash 9th 300 meter dash David Ladd 2nd 55 yd dash Darryl Prescott 11th 55 yd dash Kevin Dowd 5th 1600 meter run Frances Dowd 11th 1000 meter run Boys 4x200 meter relay 5th David Ladd, Darryl Prescott, David Schenaker, Brian Hallahan Indoor Track State Results Elizabeth Nguyen 30th 55 yd dash David Ladd 12th 55 yd dash Kevin Dowd 17th 1600 meter run

Got questions about the move to the Liberty District? Read on.

sk any Fairfax coach or athlete about their season and this phrase will probably come up: “Well, the Concorde District is one of the toughest in the state for (insert sport of choice here) so . . .” Too often any FHS student questioned about their sport has to try desperately to get the listener to understand that, despite their record, the team is actually pretty good. The Concorde District has at least one perennial powerhouse that contends for the region title, if not the state, year after year in just about every sport. Even our most successful teams rarely have winning district records. So it’s fair to ask: how did FHS end up in the Concorde District? Current FHS athletes have only ever known the Concorde District, but any student with older siblings can remember that things weren’t always this way. Until the 2004-2005 school year FHS was a participant in the Liberty District, which consisted of Langley, McLean, Madison, Lee, Annandale, Marshall, and South Lakes. The districts were realigned for the 2005-2006 school year, creating

two districts with Division 6 football teams (Concorde and Patriot) and two districts with Division 5 teams (Liberty and National). The divisions were based on school size. However, as soon as the decision on the districts was made, the VHSL also made changes to the divisions, making Woodson a Division 6 school also and eliminating the logic of placing FHS in the Concorde District in the first place. So for better or for worse, school politics positioned FHS in the Concorde District, sparking almost immediate protest. “Even at that time there were many people who thought that was the wrong decision,” said FHS athletic director Tim Gordon. A scant four years later the districts will be realigned again for the 2009-2010 seasons , moving FHS into the Liberty District and Woodson into the Patriot District, following the urging of several supportive schools that did not believe we were in the correct district. No doubt we will gain a few easier games in the process, but we will actually be competing against

teams with a much similar athletic profile to our own. Don’t be fooled into thinking the Rebels will come home with ten championships next year. The competition is still tough, and each sport will have at least one powerhouse to deal with in the Liberty District. What the Rebels will gain is not having to feel overwhelmed by six tough district games, and being able to count on at least being competitive at the bottom of the district. The Liberty District will be a welcome change to many athletes. Nevertheless, I can say with confidence that I am proud of what our school has accomplished in the Concorde District, and I don’t regret competing in the district for my own four years. Although not reflected in the win-loss records, our teams rose to the challenge of competing against the best in the state day in and day out.

Jean DeOrnellas ‘09 Sports Editor

Inside the Dance Team

with

Chrystina Herring

started dancing in a studio when I was five until I was about eleven. [I] then stopped because my family moved from Texas to Pennsylvania, where I decided I wanted to get into some sports. When I moved to Fairfax in eighth grade, I decided I wanted to get back into dancing, and when I heard that Fairfax High School had a dance team, I knew that would be the perfect place to start. I’ve been on the team since freshman year, and I’ve loved every minute of it. “This year, I’ve had the privilege of being co-captain, along with senior Sheila Faalasli. I love being captain because it gives me the ability of saying that I help lead a bunch of really amazing dancers, and people, in being the best team that we can be. I also like being captain because it pushes me to set an example for the team. I know that this year and in years to come, our team will do great at competition and show everyone what we’re made of.” The FHS dance team will compete to defend their title of Grand Champion at Kings Dominion on April 25. Reporting by News Editor Kevin Poon.

Game Over boys basketball wraps up, prepares for move to liberty T

he boys’ varsity basketball team played well this season. While they went only 4-12, most games were very close. The Fairfax vs. Oakton game, which was 57-56, is one example of a close win. Coach Kelly says, “I feel like we were a lot more competitive than last year. We had a tough schedule to work with, but I think we could have won more games if we had played smarter.” Although Fairfax basketball hasn’t done so well in the Concorde District in the past four years, it’s time to make a fresh start. Next year the boy’s basketball team will be moving to the Liberty District. Some of the students feel as if the move to the new district is unnecessary, whereas others are in high spirits because of the new competition that they have yet to face. Captain Gian Bretana Sophomore Joey Boyle says, “I Photo courtesy of 2009 FHS feel like we competed alright in the Sampler. Concorde District, but now that close losses we’re moving it will be like a field day. Our team probably would have done better if we were more 59-61 v. West Springfield 64-68 v. Stuart connected.”

Alex Woodill and Emily Taylor ‘11 Staff Writers

77-79 v. Robinson 57-61 v. Chantilly 56-57 v. Westfield 56-57 v. Oakton 67-69 v. Centreville

Junior Chrystina Herring, in lead, participates in a routine during halftime of the varsity basketball game against Woodson. Photo courtesy of 2009 FHS Sampler.

IVAL 2

RNAT E T

AL F E N IO

The International Festival, which was held on March 19, showcased the variety of unique cultures that are represented here at Fairfax. Shown here are several performing groups getting pratice for their big moment on stage. Photos by Melissa Lin, Aditya Bhatnagar, and Annelise Jensen.