In This Issue... Occupy Wall Street Gains Momentum New Technology Enters The Market Dance Team Sweeps The Competition
Contents
November 23, 2011 Cover by Elizabeth Fulmer and Cover photo by Emily Stone Photo courtesy of Flashfire Photography
News
3 4
News Briefs
5
Entertainment
7 8
A Tribute to Harry Potter Human Unraveled Macbeth Play Review Celebrity Book Review
Commentary
9 10 11
Messages In Music Just So You Know... Is South Park Too Much?
Middle Spread
12
Occupy Wall Street: Protests Spread
Features
14
Fairfax Volunteers
Rebel Roar Staff 2011-2012 Editor-in-Chief Emily Stone Managing Editor Jessica Miers Copy Chief Walker Carlson News Editor Rachel Tran Entertainment Editor Gabrielle Severson Commentary Editor Brandon Blankenship Features Editor Nikki Strickland
Sports Editor Walker Carlson Art Director Elizabeth Fulmer Business Manager Jessica Miers Staff Writers Suha Khandker Natalia Colon Erinn Fecteau Natalie Shaban Adviser Carl Irvin
15 16 18 19 20
Rebel Suggestions Holiday Tech Preview Fairfax Does Fashion Monday Through Friday Foreign Students Assimilate to Fairfax College Essays
Sports
21 22
Basketball Preview 2011-2012 FHS Hits The Ice Sports Briefs
Editorial Policy Rebel Roar is a published forum of student expression. Letters to the Editor and guest articles are encouraged. Only signed letters are considered for publication. The editors reserve the right to edit all material in the interest of clarity and space. Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the staff or school administration. The staff writes
unsigned editorials on a majority basis. The Rebel Roar accepts all advertisements deemed appropriate for a public forum meant for young adults and are subject to the discretion of the editors. Students are encouraged to take an active voice in the student publication. Questions, comments, and letters can be emailed to FHSRebelRoar@gmail.com.
Corrections and Clarifications for last issue: In “Fairfax Students Get Scared Straight� Leah Barker was incorrectly identified as Leah Smith. We apologize for the mistake.
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Letter from the Editor
News Briefs
The Marching Rebels completed their season on Nov. 5 at the U.S. Scholastic Band Association State Championships in Glen Allen. The band finished in second place in the Class 5 Open Division.
Dear Readers,
I
n this issue, we’re looking forward. One of the challenges of printing a newsmagazine is that it can be difficult to make our content timely. We could write an amazing article about the biggest news story at the beginning of the month, but by the time we print at the end of the month, the story is no longer news. So instead of looking at what already happened, we’re looking forward. In our middle spread, we’re taking a look at the ongoing revolution that is Occupy Wall Street. In Features, we’re giving you the lowdown on the new tech releases and the best Black Friday deals. Most exciting is our contest on the back cover! If you want to win a large Ledo’s pizza, submit your winter snow total predictions to fhsrebelroar@gmail.com. To get some inspiration this month, we looked through some back issues of the Rebel Roar. In November 2004, the first episode of PTTV aired, the Knit and Crochet club was being spotlighted, George W. Bush had just been re-elected, and the Homecoming theme was Around the World. Would you rather be going to Fairfax in 2004 or now?
As of Nov. 21, Mitt Romney had pulled ahead in the polls, even leading President Obama in a Michigan poll 46% to Obama’s 41%. Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org
113 DECA students participated in the DECA District Leadership Conference on November 7 at Lake Braddock Secondary School. More than 730 students from Fairfax County competed in 19 events that put students in marketing-related role play situations. The top three competitors in each of the 19 events advance to the State Leadership Conference, held in Norfolk in March. Fairfax students earned 45 of the 57 top places. However, Newt Gingrich is proving to be a formidable opponent to Mitt Romney, trailing Romney by only a couple points in the polls. Photo courtesy of newt. org
Sincerely,
Emily Stone Editor-inChief
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On Nov. 14, many Facebook users encountered graphic images and pornography on their news feeds. Facebook since released a statement which explained that the posts were due to a browser vulnerability that tricked users into running a malicious script. The script then made it look like users posted the disturbing images themselves.
Elections Are Wrapped Up
S
tudents in Fairfax County enjoyed a day off from school as the Nov 8. elections for school board and the Virginia General Assembly seats took place. There were few changes in the state and local government as most of the incumbents were victorious in this year’s campaign. Polling places around Fairfax were open from 6 a.m until 7 p.m at various schools in the area. For the Fairfax High School district, there was a 48.36 percent active voter turnout. The Fairfax Democratic Committee won 38 of the 43 campaign races in which they endorsed candidates for the general assembly and the school board. The Democraticendorsed school board candidates won 10 of the 11 seats on the board . “Fairfax Democrats had big wins on Nov 8. The Board of Supervisors kept its 7-3 Democratic majority, and Board Chairman Sharon Bulova won in a landslide. Every square inch of Fairfax County is still represented in the state Senate by nine Democrats, including Senator Chap Petersen whose district includes Fairfax High School,” said chairman of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee, Rex Simmons. Even though the local election campaigns for Virginia have ended, the Democratic Committee has several goals they hope to accomplish over the next couple of years. “Democrats are already gearing up for 2012 when President Obama aims to again win Virginia. We also hope to elect former Governor Tim Kaine to the U.S. Senate and have him join fellow Democratic Senator Mark Warner. In addition, we want to re-elect Rep. Gerry Connolly and Rep. Jim Moran to the House of Representatives. And elect a Democrat to the 10th congressional district seat,” said Simmons. As for the Fairfax Republican Committee, chairman Anthony Bedell said that there are “mixed” feelings about the results of this year’s local election. “We are certainly happy that we re-elected all of our incumbents including Supervisor John Cook in the Braddock District, and delegates [Jim] LeMunyon and [Barbara] Comstock. Supervisor Cook was re-elected in a
Virginia residents line up to vote at Alexandria Fire Department. Photo Courtesy of Washington Post
district, that prior to his winning the seat, had been held by a democrat for 24 years. We are also happy Elizabeth Schultz won the open school board seat in Springfield,” Bedell said. However, Bedell continued, “We are disappointed that we didn’t make any gain in Fairfax by winning any of our challenger races. We were very close in a coupe of the
races but the Democratic redistricting helped save those seats.” Like the Fairfax Democratic team, the Fairfax Republican Committee has Ilryong Moon won the At-Large some future postSchool Board election. election goals in Photo Courtesy of fairfaxcity.patch.com mind as well. Bedell said that they want “to continue to build and grow the Fairfax County Republican Committee, and continue to recruit and run great candidates for office who represent the diverse make up of Fairfax County.” “ We are preparing for the big Presidential campaign in 2012. If the Republican nominee does not do well in Fairfax County then they will not win the state. If the Republican nominee for president doesn’t win Virginia, then they will not defeat President Obama,” he said. As for those newly or re-elected to the school board directly, these members will directly impact students in Fairfax County Public Schools. Ryan McElveen, one of the newly elected school board members has a few goals in mind that will significantly impact high school students in the area. He discussed on his blog one major change regarding student athletic fees which he will be working towards. “By charging participation fees for students not registered for free or reduced-priced lunch, we are erecting another barrier before those students who, like me, might prefer the pen to the pentathlon. We should be doing the opposite,” said McElveen. Among the other elected members, incumbent Ilryong Moon won the most votes for the school board seats. “I am grateful for the opportunity given by the voters to continue serving on the board as I deeply care about providing the best education to our students and meeting the needs of individual students so that they can all be able to compete in the global economy and successful in their life pursuits,” he said. Like McElveen, Moon said that he also has several major goals in mind as a re-elected board member. “First of all, I need to help the newly-elected board members get up to speed. Next, we are still in tough economic times and budget decisions will not be easy. I will work with my colleagues and community members to make sure that we make wise budgetary decisions to take care of the classroom needs first,” said Moon. While the Fairfax Government seats may be filled, the election process is never fully over. The Fairfax Democratic and Republican Committees are always looking for student volunteers to help with the next political project: The 2012 presidential campaign.
Elizabeth Fulmer ‘12 & Jessica Miers ‘13
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Art Director & Business Manager and Managing Editor
NEWS
Penn State Scandal Resurfaced
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ennsylvania State University; the name holds a lot of prestige. According to the admission’s website, it is ranked as one of the best national universities and has a great athletic program. Penn State is especially known for their football team, coached by Joe Paterno, who has the record for coaching the most seasons and winning the most games. However, it was Paterno’s football program that has recently been brought into bad light. On Nov 5. former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was arrested for several charges that included indecent assault and endangering the welfare of a child. According to “USA TODAY,” a grand jury investigation discovered that Sandusky met the kids through “The Second Mile,” a youth service foundation he established in 1977. The grand jury investigation began back in 2009 after a mother reported that her freshman son had been sexually assaulted by Sandusky. The CNN timeline on this scandal showed that allegations of Sandusky having inappropriate meetings with young boys date back to 1994. Throughout that time period there have been several witnesses who have claimed to report incidents of inappropriate behavior. In 2002, assistant coach Mike McQueary, now on administrative leave, stated that he witnessed an incident between Sandusky and a ten year old boy in the Penn State football locker room. McQueary then informed former head coach, Joe Paterno who informed former athletic director Tim Curley. Playing a game of telephone, Curley went to, a now retired, senior vice president Gary Schultz. Some are asking the question-- why was this not reported earlier to authorities?
Penn State and Nebraska huddle together in prayer for the victims before the game. Photo Courtesy of Getty Images
from their positions at Penn State. Paterno also came into question as he was the head of the football program. Although no charges were placed against him, Penn State Board of Trustees fired him for not doing enough, like going to higher authority, when the issue was brought into light in 2002. Along with Paterno, Penn State president Graham Spanier was ousted as well. The firing of their beloved coach prompted Penn State students to riot in the streets that night, chanting for Paterno’s return. The aftermath included an overturned news van and a fallen lamp post. A few days later the school held a candle light vigil in honor of the victims who were involved in the sex scandal. Amidst the scandal, CNN reported that child protection laws have come under fire. Pennsylvania Governor Tim Corbett said “A new law is needed to make sure reports of alleged child sexual abuse are made to government authorities.” On NBC’s Meet the Press, Corbett commented, “I wouldn’t be surprised to see if a bill was passed between now and the end of this year.” According to a Louisiana online newspaper, The Town Talk, Governor Bobby Jindal has issued an executive order for anyone working at a “higher education institution” to report incidents of sexual abuse or neglect within 24 hours. Meanwhile at Penn State, students and faculty are still coming to terms with the scandal. On Nov 12., Penn State played against Nebraska, their first football game without Joe Paterno in 46 years. Before the game a moment of silence was held to honor the victims of abuse. Although they lost 17-14, interim coach Tom Bradley said “I felt today, just maybe, the healing process started to begin.”
Students protest the firing of Joe Paterno in the streets of Penn State College.
Photo Courtesy of npr.org
Curley and Schultz were charged earlier this month for failing to report the incident and committing perjury by lying to a state grand jury who was investigating Sandusky back in 2002. As a result, both men have stepped down
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Suha Khandker ‘13 Staff Writer
News
Online Games Lead to the Cure of Diseases
W
ith the long-anticipated release of the video games “Modern Warfare 3,” “Battlefield 3,” and “Skyrim” this November, teenagers around the world are adjusting their sleep schedules to compensate for the hours they’ll be spending in front of a television or computer. Parents often accredit video games with being a waste of time, or even “unhealthy,” but researchers at Washington, Stanford, and Carnegie Mellon University believe gamers are the key to new progress in science. Washington University was the start of this new experiment; the Center for Game Science and Department of Biochemistry teamed up to create a online puzzle game called “Foldit.” The object of the game is to discover a way to fold proteins in new ways, depending on a goal scientists post each week. The second game created, “EteRNA” is, in essence, the same thing. “What we actually do is give the players very simple tasks like build a circle, build a star,” said Aiden Treuille, who helped create both games, at a recent PopTech conference. “These are tasks that are beyond the limits of science today, but through trial and error and being able to play with real molecules through this computer game, people have been able to figure out how to solve these tasks, which is sort
of extraordinary.” The details seem complicated, but researchers designed the game so that anyone can try creating proteins- no biochemistry background necessary. “Proteins are these esoteric things that most people don’t know very much about,” explained Treuille. “...Through computer graphics and interaction we were able to make them something you can play with and wiggle and pull .... And I think that realness — that toy-like aspect of proteins — is what made it ultimately comprehensible to our players, and allowed them to solve problems that elude computer programs.” The solutions players have created have had real scientific impact by helping make progress in research to cure HIV/AIDS, cancer, and Alzheimer’s. Furthermore, the discoveries have helped with research into converting plants into fuel. Scientists will also synthesize the “winning” protein at the end of each week in their lab, and send the player pictures of what they designed. Treuille hopes that this game will unlock a plethora of new knowledge for the future. “People can solve much more complex problems online at the edge of human knowledge, and I think we’ve just scratched the surface.”
Erinn Fecteau ‘13
Want to Help Scientific Research by Solving Puzzles? Go to: EteRNA-Played by Humans, Scored by Nature http://eterna.cmu. edu/htmls/welcome. html?AAAA Foldit- Solve Puzzles for Science http://fold.it/portal/
Foldit Online Protein Puzzle Photo courtesy of foldit.com
Staff Writer
World Population Reaches 7 Billion
F
airfax High School opened with a student population of 2600 for the 2011-2012 school year. On Oct 31. the world reached a population of seven billion. This is a huge difference from just a century ago when the population was two billion. As reported by CNN, women are having fewer kids these days. The average kid per family from the 1960s to recent days, dropped from six to 2.5; however as there are more women now than there were back then. The U.N. reported that by 2050 the world population will be 9.3 billion and that by the end of the century the population will grow to over ten billion. According to an article on CNN, The United Nations Population Funds stated in a report that the growth may benefit us. “With planning and the right investment in people now, our world of seven billion can have thriving, sustainable cities, productive labor forces that can fuel economic growth and societies, and a generation of older people who are healthy and actively engaged in the social and economic affairs of their communities.” The report published
Photo Courtesy of csufresno.edu
focused on “empowering young people with economic opportunities; planning for the growth of cities; developing programs to share and sustain the Earth’s resources; and improving education.” Others such as Jeffrey D. Sachs, director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, said that the Earth will not be able to support the rising population. In an article published on CNN.com, Sachs wrote that the population growth “puts enormous pressures on a planet already” because “the world’s agricultural systems are already dangerously overstretched.” Sachs also mentions that the increasing population will cause economic challenges. He says “population is growing most rapidly in the world’s poorest countries” and that “governments in poor countries are unable to keep up, their budgets over matched by the need for new schools, roads and other infrastructure” Therefore, the rising population, “is cause for profound global concern,” he said.
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Suha Khandker ‘13 Staff Writer
ENTERTAINMENT
A Tribute to Harry Potter
T
he day all Harry Potter fans dreaded. The day that symbolized the end of the world wide phenomenon. November 11, 2011, was the day people finally got to bring home the final movie. The epic battle between Harry, the boy who lived, and Voldemort, the dark lord, lasted a long and amazing 10 years, and Orlando, Florida’s theme park Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure decided that was something worth celebrating. Being the home of the Wizarding World Of Harry Potter, IOA threw the biggest farewell celebration to the series by bringing back some of our favorite characters to the park. Many of the familiar faces we know and loved showed up, such as Rupert Grint, Evanna Lynch, Jason Issacs, James and Oliver Phelps, Devon Murry, Alfie Enoch, and many more. Although ticket prices ranged from $300$1000, this celebration had a lot of Harry Potter fans in attendance. Many even dressed up for the occasion, and some even looked the part. Living in Orlando, my cousin, Nicole Colon, got the opportunity to go to the celebration in IOA saying that, “giving fans the opportunity to get autographs, and have a group interview with the actors, producers, and director made the celebration better.” However, many Harry Potter fans weren’t able to make it to this wonderful celebration, so E! stepped in and was given permission to do a live broadcast of the event online!
If it weren’t for E! many fans, including myself, would’ve missed out on the wondrous event. The celebration ended around midnight with a fireworks presentation, and one last final good bye from the actors to their school of witchcraft and wizardry, Hogwarts. As for the franchise of Harry Potter coming to an end, every true fan knows that even though the books and movies are done Harry Potter will never end. Especially if we remember J.K. Rowling’s saying of how “Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.” But, for those who do not own any, if not all, of the movies they’ll need to hurry up and get them before the end of the year— On December {number} Warner Bros. will be removing all Harry Potter movies from the shelf, so hurry and get yours before they’re gone! No need to fear, however, because sometime next year Warner Bros. will release the Limited Edition Collectors Item Blu-Ray Harry Potter Combo Pack. But, as for our perception towards Harry, the boy who lived himself, the story never really ended. As written in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, “Harry Potter will never be gone. Not as long as those who remain are loyal to him,” and with that being said, it is safe to say that Harry James Potter will be in our hearts for the rest of our lives.
Natalia Colon ‘12 Staff Writer
Homo Explicatus Pageant Princess Edition
The Pageant Princess is a look that, for most of us, would not be an everyday style. However, elements of this look can be incorperated into Halloween costumes, Prom outfits, or even The Sash: A necessity for a pageant those days where dressing up queen is the obvious: a fabulous, silky is a MUST. Kelly Seibold, a sash. Anyone will notice a shashreal-life pageent princess, shows wearer, so if attention is your goal, a off her crown and “Miss Fairsash will do it. fax” sash, a title she won a few weeks before the beginning of Poofy Pink Sparkley Dress: Especially great senior year. Kelly knows what for darker skin tones, a hot pink dress in any it’s about, and she’s got that manner will give you the “oohs” and “ahhs” a pageant style down pat. pageant queen is doused with.
Princess Crown: A must have for a pageant queen, princess, dutchess, emporess, countess, or any other such female majesty.
Gabrielle Severson ‘12
Simple Nude Heels: With a killer dress like Kelly has, nude colored heels will enhance the look of the legs without drawing attention away from the rest of the outfit. Photo Courtesy of: Kelly Seibold
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Entertainment Editor
ENTERTAINMENT
MacBeth Play Preview
T
he FX Players, Fairfax High School’s drama club, are diligently preparing for their fall season play scheduled for on Dec. 1-3. The theater department’s theme for this year’s shows is “murder and revenge,” and the FX Players decided to tackle Shakespeare’s classic, “MacBeth.” Last year, the drama club changed audience expectations for theater shows by constructing a swimming pool to be used by actors and actresses on stage during the show “Eurydice.” This year, they plan on fulfilling those new expectations. This year is the first year we’ll be making characters fly around stage,” said Junior Olivia Serio, the understudy for Lady MacDuff in “MacBeth.” “We really want to emphasize the importance of characters like the witches, so we’re hoping that making them actually fly will do that.” The theater department bought multiple pulley systems in order to make this dream a reality, and cast members go through long rehearsals to perfect their new flying skills. Junior Nikolai Benabaye-Harild, who will be acting as both Banquo and Young Siward, said this about the FX Player’s production of “MacBeth”: “Come see it. It’ll be awesome, and you won’t leave disappointed.” Actors in Macbeth will fly over the
Erinn Fecteau ‘13
stage.
Staff Writer
Photo by Erinn Fecteau
Celebrity Book Review
T
he first thing that stands out about Tina Fey’s new memoir, Bossypants, is the cover. Fey’s head sits atop a large, hairy, masculine looking torso that one can only hope is a product of creative photoshopping. The hilarity continues on the back cover, where there are reviews from Fey’s supporters like “A Guy Who Eats Books”, who said “Absolutely Delicious!”. Fans of Tina Fey’s smart humor (30 Rock, Saturday Night Live, Mean Girls) will certainly appreciate her literary endeavor. Fey mixes equal parts autobiography, advice, and humor in a quick read with so much voice that one can practically hear the words being narrated by Liz Lemon (Fey’s 30 Rock alter ego) herself. Fey begins her story with her childhood in Pennsylvania, moving through her high school years to her time spent at the University of Virginia, where she studied playwriting and acting. Fey, with her tone of self-deprecation, lamenting the fact that no UVA boys
seemed to be interested in her: “Thomas Jefferson -- another gorgeous white boy who would not have been interested in me. This was my problem in a nutshell. To get some play in Charlottesville, you had to be either a Martha Jefferson or a Sally Hemings.” Fey then continues on to her time in Chicago, where she worked at The Second City and studied improv. “In retrospect, it may have actually been a cult,” she says of her time at the theater. The chapter where Fey gets a job at Saturday Night Live is titled “A Childhood Dream, Realized (Not the One Where I’m Being Chased by Count Chocula).” Bossypants is a refreshing departure from the typical celebrity memoir, where the Kardashians spill juicy secrets from their sex lives or Snooki’s “Confessions of a Guidette.” Fey adapts her humor well to the pages of a novel and offers inspiration and advice without being preachy.
Emily Stone ‘12 Editor-In-Chief
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Photo by Emily Stone
Other Celebrity Memoirs:
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) -Mindy Kaling Seriously...I’m Kidding -Ellen DeGeneres Decoded -Jay-Z
COMMENTARY
Hidden Messages In Music A
s of late, the song “Pumped Up Kicks” by indie band Foster the People has become wildly popular; the four minute long song is constantly hummed in halls and played incessantly on the radio. Despite being released as the band’s debut single over a year ago, it has never received as much hype as it has in recent months. It is clear from all the mentions on Facebook and conversations between Fairfax students that listeners have begun to learn that there’s more to the song than a memorable chorus and catchy bass line. Lead singer Mike Foster’s soft, almost inaudible singing tells the story of a boy who plans on taking his father’s gun to school and shooting at students because he is simply tired of life. He is tired of the other kids having better things than him. He is tired of a father that abuses him. He is tired of not being good enough. Some people don’t understand how music can mean so much to a person. They listen to what’s on the radio, and they enjoy it, but they don’t see where the personal meaning lies. Just as in “Pumped Up Kicks,” behind the beat of the music and literal interpretation of lyrics, many of songs have a story or message waiting for a listener to take the time to unravel. The Beatles’ 1968 song “Blackbird,” for example, hides its ingenuity in cleverly crafted metaphors. The most famous line, “Blackbirds singin’ in the dead of night/ Take these broken wings and learn to fly” can be understood several different ways: some may think that Paul McCartney was actually just singing about blackbirds with broken wings, while others believe it’s about prevailing over whatever obstacles are thrown into life. McCartney, in an interview with KCRW radio, explained that the Civil Rights Movement was talked
about frequently in Britain, as well as other areas of the world. In “Blackbird,” he was sympathizing with the awful treatment of African Americans during the 60’s and letting them know that it was possible to overcome their hardships. “All your life/ you were only waiting for this moment to be heard.” Even popular songs frequently played on radio station Hot 99.5 sometimes have deep meanings under the synthesized voices and repetitive beats. “Judas,” Lady Gaga’s second single from her well-received third album “Born This Way,” is an example of this. There are varying levels of analysis displayed by listeners: the first layer is what I’ve termed “surface listening,” where people acknowledge the lyrics but take them at face value. Using “Judas” as an example, this would be equivalent to listeners understanding that Lady Gaga is in love with a random man, Judas. “I am just a holy fool/ Oh baby it’s so cruel/ But I’m still in love Judas, baby.” A second level of listening is for those that realize “Judas” could be the same Judas from the Bible. This has had pious people pronouncing “blasphemy!” at Gaga, believing she was singing about her love for the man partly responsible for Jesus’ death. Surprise: there’s more to the song’s meaning than that. “Judas” is really used a symbol for more personal issues. “I have a lot of things that have haunted me from my past - choices, men, drug abuse, being afraid to go back to New York, confronting old romances - and Judas represents, for me, something that is bad for me that I can’t escape,” Gaga told entertainment website, Popjustice. “It’s about leaving your darkness behind in order to come into the light.” Adam Young, creator of the syn-
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thpop musical project, Owl City, also hid meaning in his 2009 hit single “Fireflies.” On the surface, the lyrics seems fantastical: “You would not believe your eyes/ If ten million fireflies/ Lit up the world as I fell asleep.” Young’s story about dancing with bugs, and wishing the world would turn slower is actually his way of saying that he hates having to leave behind his childhood. The fireflies themselves, after some analysis, seem to represent childhood memories, or toys he played with as a kid, and his reluctance to leave them behind or give them away (hence, he wants the earth to turn more slowly; he wants more time to be young). “To ten million fireflies/ I’m weird ‘cause I hate goodbyes/ I got misty eyes as they said farewell.” The music video also hints at this, as it’s filled with toys in his room that begin coming alive as he plays the song on his keyboard. John Lennon once said that “music is everybody’s possession.” It’s true-- songwriters agree that making a great song consists of writing lyrics that can have meaning for everyone. The words to music are often times intentionally vague, or cover issues like love; something almost everyone has had problems with. This allows listeners interpret songs in ways that have meaning to them, and is what can really make a song special to someone. Perhaps “Blackbird” means a lot to someone who owned a pet bird that broke its wings. To another, maybe “Fireflies” is about a man who loves the dreams he can have while he’s asleep versus the mundane routine of real life. Music speaks to everyone in different ways-- that’s how music can be such a big part of a person’s life.
Erinn Fecteau ‘13 Staff Writter
Photos courtesy of appletell.com, thevinyldistrict.com, trendrabbit.com and wikipedia.org
Just So You Know...
I sit here, my stomach grumbling in anticipation for Thursday’s immense feast, typing away to provide you, my children, with quality work that your family would surely enjoy over sweet, savory turkey and mashed potatoes this festivous weekend. My only hope, however, is not that I entertain you all, but that you’ll find joy and comfort in those that support you the most. Take this long weekend not to do crummy homework or waste your time on college apps, but to realize what and who you are truly thankful for while giving back to those who don’t have a lot to appreciate. Be merry and enjoy the awesome lives we’ve all been given by sharing a little bit extra this holiday with your fellow human. Remember, we are family.
HOT
Denim Jackets
Over the last couple weeks, Fairfax residents have become distraught by the transition from warm, inviting weather to the bitter winter air that has caused many to seek refuge in their homes and office buildings. Luckily, these fashion forward wind breakers have emerged back on the scene to shelter us from the cold weather while preserving the hipster fashion that makes this nation great. So stay warm and hip with this winter in comfort without the hassle of lugging around a 70lb snow jacket.
Holiday Shopping
What a better time to spend money on yourself than this holiday season! We all know that’s the only reason you camp out; to get a nice tv for yourself, sneaky devils! Honestly though, I can’t think of anything better than that sleep deprived, adrenaline fueled battle over a product you probably won’t even use! Go forth brave shoppers, be safe and value your life over a 50% off sale, always.
Giving Back
Although most take advantage of these crazy bargains to benefit only themselves, please don’t forget the spirit of the season and give back. There’s nothing more satisfying or uplifting than to know you’ve helped those less fortunate enjoy their holiday season the way we’re all intended too. Promote love and hope this holiday and share what many aren’t lucky enough to have. For donation opportunities, look into groups like The Make A Wish Foundation, Salvation Army, and Toys for Tots, all of whom are entirely non-profit and help to make this world a better place.
NOT
Back in 7th grade, this social media giant was truly the bees knees, and has reigned its dominance over society for the past few years, causing us to lose sleep, fail classes, and reject reality one day at a time. Unfortunately for Mr. Zuckerberg however, his virtual baby has recently turned into a sadistic, satanic, tasteless realm in which everything is questionable material. I don’t know, care, or wonder who did it, all I know is I will surely be deactivating soon, freeing me from my binds to the once enjoyable social prison.
Fairfax County Parkway
I know that many of you may not have to commute this road on your way to school everyday, but let me just inform you that it is God awful. It was a big deal when you cleared out tons of trees to begin the process, but now that traffic has been shut down and redirected every which way for almost a year now, it’s making it harder and harder not only getting to work, but getting home. The clear lack of any progress, and sloppy track record of this seemingly pointless project makes me really wonder if the county is making a plan as they go.
“Legooo”
For the record, anyone who slurs together their words to form some kind of dumb slang should be marked as a menace to society. There is nothing Photo by 3.bp.blogspot.com cool about putting together two words in hopes of forming some “gangster” trend. For those of you that weren’t previously aware, a Lego is a small building block that often comes in different lengths and colors, that children use to drool on or create meaningless structures before they poop themselves and fall into a deep nap. Thank me for the clarification later.
Brandon Blankenship ‘12 Commentary Editor
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Is South Park Too Much?
COMMENTARY
A
fter a summer long hiatus, Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s hit animated comedy, “South Park”, returned to complete its 15th season on Oct 5. Comedy Central’s longest running television series will continue to air as Parker and Stone also signed off on another five year contract, promising the releases of new seasons all the way through 2016. For “South Park” fans, the news came as a relief as it was rumored over the summer that season 15 would be the end of the show for good; however, for others, the end of the 1998 series couldn’t come any sooner. With this, let’s talk “South Park”.
South Park Is Ignorant
South Park Has Social Value
reators Parker and Stone say that their show “South Park” is a satirical comedy. With that in mind, I can only assume that they truly believe the whole world is a complete and utter disaster. People are quick to say (often with a smug superiority at having drawn the conclusion) that society is evil, or that humans are stupid creatures who are destroying their own race. The “South Park” creators are notorious for trying to embed that message into almost all their episodes. But would you like to know a secret? Humans are the first and only animal on earth to refine abstract thinking—to be able to imagine a better future and move toward that goal. We are also the first creatures to develop the idea of a conscience, and faith. We aren’t doing half bad for ourselves. Of course we’ve got economic and political problems, but the last time I checked, utopias aren’t realistic forms of society. As acclaimed writer John Steinbeck, once said: “It is true that we are weak and sick and ugly and quarrelsome, but if that is all we ever were, we would millenniums ago have disappeared from the face of the earth.” Putting aside the disgustingly racist, homophobic and shallow characters in the series, I never asked for Parker and Stone’s perspective on society. If I wanted to hear issues get blown out of proportion, coupled with idiotic side comments and sad attempts at “humor,” I’d read my Facebook newsfeed. Perhaps instead of criticizing our peers, we could spend time celebrating our achievements.“South Park” can save its cynical and crude series for anyone thinking its ignorant messages have some deep meaning. I’ll stick to watching “Adventure Time.”
et’s just say, if “South Park” were my AP exam, the College Board would have to come up with a higher score than a five to provide an accurate result. It’s no doubt that “South Park” is one of those shows that is so highly controversial with its adult content and political satire, that most, especially parents, would view the show as entirely worthless, animated filth. However, “South Park” is not a completely worthless piece of animated garbage as it does have some social value. All immature toilet humor aside, “South Park” does provide great insight into modern day American society, while incorporating intelligent commentary from its creators, Parker and Stone. In every episode of “South Park”, there is always a deep, underlying meaning that connects directly with a current issue or societal norm. With this, “South Park” was the first television series to come out with an episode commenting on 9/11 right after the incident in 2001. Parker and Stone rallied the ideas of American nationalism and pride during the widespread fear of terrorism. “South Park” always has some kind of hint at a valuable lesson, as each episode usually ends with one of the main characters saying; “You know? I learned something today,” and then commenting on the consequences of a non-fictional political or social action that occurred within the plot. If anything,”South Park” is famous for finding a prominent and current issue that’s relevant in the news, and completely mocking it as a way of showing how people tend to get caught up with minor details and petty issues. The show is written for a mature audience that would view with an open mind and an appreciation for its plot development and meaning rather than only seeing its surface level vulgar content. For example, the first episode of season 15, “Human Centipad”, parodied the idea of the 2009 horror film, “Human Centipede,” by showing that society has taken technology to the point where everyone is literally connected to each other. Parker and Stone used this as a way of commenting on the negative social consequences that come from being absorbed in technology and social networking. The creators mentioned that the overall purpose of “South Park” is to show the idea that anyone and any group is a potential target for satire and critique. Parker and Stone, have in a sense, leveled the political playing field. Yes the show is crude and critical, but sometimes as a society, we need to learn to take a step back, loosen up, realize our mistakes and laugh at ourselves; because the first step to improvement and progress is realizing that there’s a problem--a value that no other cartoon but “South Park” will ever resemble.
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Erinn Fecteau ‘13 Staff Writer
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Jessica Miers ‘13 Managing Editor
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WALL STREET
Protests Spread From Zuccotti Park To D.C. And Beyond
“O
ccupation Period: Indefinite” reads an informational flyer picked up from McPherson Square on Nov. 12. Occupy D.C. is an offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement that began Sept. 17 in Zuccotti Park in New York City. The Occupy D.C. protests began on Oct. 6, in a display of solidarity with the Wall Street demonstrators, with an official Occupy movement gathering in McPherson Square and a related movement, Stop the Machine, gathering in Freedom Plaza. According to the Occupy Wall Street official website, “The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%. We are using the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic to achieve our ends and encourage the use of nonviolence to maximize the safety of all participants.” The one percent refers to the top one percent of American earners, who had a minimum income of $516,633 in 2010, according to the Washington Post. The number that is being cited more frequently refers to wealth
rather than income: the top one percent controls 40 percent of the nation’s wealth. The protestors oppose the power that the wealthy have in government, demand more jobs, and support economic equality. The culture of the protests have been garnering the most media attention. Tent cities are taking over public spaces in cities across the United States, and rallies have been held worldwide in a display of solidarity. On Nov. 12, McPherson Square resembled a small civilization. The square contained two port-apotties, a food tent serving bagels and other donated food, a library and an information tent. One man built a solar panel completely out of recycled materials and used it to heat his tent. Much of the media attention has been focused on police and protestor clashes and the related arrests. Occupy Wall Street faced a temporary eviction from Zuccotti Park and occupiers are no longer allowed to camp there. It remains to be seen if protestors are able to stick it out amid law enforcement opposition and accomplish their goals.
A man repairs bicycles free of charge in McPherson Square on Nov. 12.
Drummers play in McPherson Square on Nov. 12.
Emily Stone ‘12 Timeline photos courtesy of: hongkiat.com, tattoodonkey. com, ozark-trails-tents.com, blogs.villagevoice.com, and adbusters.com
A Brief History py Of Occu t tree Wall S
Editor-in-Chief
Photos by Emily Stone
Feb. 2, 2011
The Canadian magazine Adbusters publishes an editorial calling for a protest like those happening in the Middle East suggesting “a million man march on Wall Street”.
Jul. 13, 2011 Adbusters editors coined the Twitter hashtag #OccupyWallStreet and called for the initial protests, “On Sept 17, flood into lower Manhattan, set up tents, kitchens, peaceful barriers and Occupy Wall Street.”
Sept. 17, 2011 About 1,000 protestors began marching up and down Wall Street and settled in at Zuccotti Park.
Sept. 20, 2011 Police arrested protestors wearing masks, invoking a 1845 law that bans gatherings of masked people unless it is for “a masquerade party or like entertainment.”
Protesting Is A Constitutional Right And Helps Us Improve Our Nation
There Are Better And More Efficient Ways To Incite Change
he First Amendment to the Constitution states that “Congress shall make no law… prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech.” In 1771, our founding fathers sat down and decided that this freedom of speech, guaranteed to all United States citizens, was important enough to be documented and ratified as the first right in the U.S. Bill of Rights. Thus it was declared an individual right that cannot be taken away. It is under this Amendment that the protesters located in various cities throughout the country are fighting to do what they believe needs to be done to better the nation and the government. According to the Washington Post, the Occupy Movement protesters want to keep the American Dream alive. They believe that our national leaders have allowed private corporations to become greedy and corrupt, and that those corporations need to focus on doing what is best for the growing middle class, instead of only working to help themselves. One could compare the Occupy protesters to the infamous Robin Hood. The story of Robin Hood teaches that stealing from the rich to give to the poor is not only acceptable, but is morally right. Who are we to go against Robin Hood and his morals? If Robin Hood could steal from the rich to help the poor, why is it so wrong that the Occupy protesters want to tax the rich in order to create job opportunities for the unemployed? On top of that, why is it so wrong that they are protesting at all? By denouncing the Occupy protests, are people not in a sense going against the Constitution? Are they not going against the American belief that a challenged government is a fair government and that if we as a nation want to continue to grow then we need to continue to debate? Because that’s what Occupy is. It is a debate. It is a protest. It is our First Amendment right.
hey’ve been at it for almost two months now. Occupy demonstrators have made their home in public spaces across the country, attracting national and international attention to makeshift tent cites. However, many are asking: Why? It’s true, the demonstrations have brought a lot of attention to issues of social and economic inequality, but is this the most efficient means to do it? The logistics of occupation seem to be hindering the movement rather than helping to accomplish the original goals of Occupy Wall Street (OWS). The style of the demonstration has been compared to ancient direct democracy, when citizens met in public forums and voiced their opinions. But with so many people trying to have their voices heard, it seems like the original intent and goals of the movement are being buried under layers of differing opinions about what OWS should do next. Also, much of the media attention seems to be focused on the actual occupation rather than why demonstrators are there. It is more interesting for the public to hear about where demonstrators are going to the bathroom than the reasons behind the demonstrations, so that is what the media focuses on. Also, clashes with police make headlines and seem to set the movement back. In a way, it seems like the occupation part of OWS is rather counterproductive.
Nikki Strickland ‘13
Emily Stone ‘12
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Features Editor
Sept. 24, 2011
Protestors marched toward Union Square without a permit. Police made scores of arrests, and videos surfaced of police using orange netting and pepper spray to contain protestors.
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Editor-in-Chief
Oct. 1, 2011
Protests began at many other locations across the United States. In New York, protestors tried to march across the Brooklyn Bridge and more than 700 are arrested.
Nov. 14, 2011
Police raided Zuccotti Park, making arrests and evicting all protestors. All tents and belongings were thrown in trash trucks and the park was power-washed. That afternoon, a judge ruled that it was legal for the city to evict the protestors.
Nov. 15, 2011
Protestors were allowed to retake the park, but without any tents or sleeping bags. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said “Protestors have had two months to occupy the park with tents and sleeping bags. Now they will have to occupy the space with the power of their arguments.”
Fairfax Volunteers
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ome students at Fairfax High School volunteer because they need service hours for classes including leadership and government, or National Honor Society. Some donate once a year during the holiday season to remove their feelings of guilt. These students, however, see the need of the community, and volunteer regularly for the good of society. Not only do they donate their time and effort to help the community, but they enjoy doing so in their free time. Five students share their stories of how and where they volunteer in the community.
TK Kakusa ‘13
Jessica Miers and Nikki Strickland ‘13
Business Manager & Managing Editor and Features Editor
“Last weekend Chris Roberts and I went door to door helping the Rebuilding Alexandria community group located in downtown Alexandria. For this certain project we went door to door giving out energy efficient light bulbs, and packets that would help residents be more energy efficient and to come to a meeting hosted by the Rebuilding Alexandria group that would help them think of many energy efficient methods. This was a fun and eventful experience for the both of us as we helped the community and had a ton of fun at the same time.”
“I do civil war reenactments to teach the community about our country's history. If we don’t relive history and teach it the right way, it will be dead and forgotten.”
Jerry Troycheck ‘12
Photo by Jessica Miers
Margaret Murphy ‘13
Photo courtesy of Jerry Troycheck
Leah Johnson ‘13
"I love helping out the community! It gives me something productive to do in my free time and it feels great to see something accomplished because of the work I put in! I help out at the library at Providence, tutor elementary students in math, volunteer with a younger Girl Scout troop, and volunteer at all sorts of Girl Scouts events."
Photo curtesy of Leah Johnson
Sruthi Davuluri ‘13
“I have an internship at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington DC. The purpose of the internship is to get younger audiences interested in theatre. I help out at shows and advertise for the company and their productions. It's a wonderful opportunity for me because I plan on pursuing a career in theatre and it allows me to be involved with a professional theatre company and gain first hand experience on how the company works.”
Photo courtesy of Margaret Murphy
“Every week, I go to a community center in Herndon to help children from 2nd to 5th grade with their homework. No matter how tired I am, I always leave with a smile on my face. The children are so sweet and it's so pleasing to help them in any way possible. Whenever I'm in a bad mood, these children remind me that there is still good in this world. The area I tutor is a lower income area than Fairfax, and they need a lot more help than our wealthy community. It’s not for college or anything, I just love helping people, and I am truly blessed to get that opportunity every week.”
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Photo courtesy of Sruthi Davuluri
FEATURES
s n o i t s e g g u S l e b e R
A
s great as rebel students think Fairfax High School is, there is always room for improvement. Here are some ideas from Fairfax’s own on how to make FHS even better.
“Bigger Hallways.”
-Brady Smith ‘15
“More sponsors for our sports.”
“More senior privledges.”
-Chris Robic ‘12
“Put a pool on the roof.”
-Moundir Chadli ‘14
“Better lunch, better lunch, better lunch!”
-Lauren Coombe ‘13
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-Shannon Cosgrove ‘13
Look for New Technology in Stores
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echnology is all around us, and new technology is continuing to be invented each year. This year several new pieces of technology have hit the shelves that students are very excited about. Junior Jigme Taring said, “I am really excited about all the new technology.” Here is a sneek peak at some of the new technologies out on the market and a list of their special features. These are just some of the new pieces of technology out now, but there are many more coming. “It’s exciting because it gives you a glimpse of what might come in the near future,” Taring said.
Brandon Blankenship ‘12 Commentary Editor
Droid Razr •Paper thin, literally
•Water and splash proof •Encased in Kevlar (used to make bulletproof vests) •4G LTE •Body is 50% steel •Internal battery that can run 240 hours on standby •Dual core processor
iOS 5 •iCloud with wireless sync to
other devices •Notification bar •Messages, free messaging application between Apple devices •Siri personal assistant with Reminders application •Integrated Twitter through all applications
Photo courtesy of foxnews.com
PSPVita
•A9 Quad core processor •AT&T 3G built in •Front and rear cameras •Rear touchpad for advanced gameplay •Built-in GPS •5” screen Photo courtesy of newtech.auraum3.com
Samsung Galaxy Player
•Connected Galaxy S2 without contract •Dual core processor •Front and rear cameras •Built in radio, GPS and WiFi •Powered by Android
Photo courtesy of appletell.com
Wii-U •New console with tablet style controller
•Play all the same Wii games through advanced controls •Take the game with you on the portable controller •Wii in HD FINALLY!!!!!
Photo courtesy of newtech.aurum3.com
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Photo courtesy of ubergizmo.com
FEATURES
Find the Best Black Friday Deals
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lack Friday can be an intimidating time to hit the stores. But for those who are willing to brave the crowds, there are some great deals available for technology. From cameras to televisions, and iPads to iPhones, technology sales are popping up in many local stores. Here are some of the best deals and sales that wll be going on on Black Friday this year. Brandon Blankenship ‘12 Commentary Editor
Canon Powershot A3300
XBOX 360: 4GB System
Take 16.1 MP still shots and full 1080p HD video with outstanding performance in low light. A camera sure to last you years.
Play games with friends, stream Netflix movies, and battle it out online with the biggest selling game platform on the market.
$199 $139!!
$159 $89
Dynex 24” 1080p TV
16GB Blackberry Playbook
Watch stunning high definition tv and video on this 24 inch screen big enough to fill any small bedroom. Connect game consoles or Bluray players for a full experience.
With a 7” touchscreen, built in WiFi and Bluetooth technology, front facing camera, and Blackberry operating system, this tablet will give any iPad a run for it’s money! Enjoy movies, music and full internet browsing on this stunning back lit screen; perfect for any parent on the go.
$229 $79
$499 $199 14” HP Pavilion Laptop
$749 $479
With an Intel i5 processor, 4GB RAM, and 500GB memory, this personal computer with built in Windows 7 is ideal for any growing student looking for a combination of entertainment and performance.
Apple iPod Touch: 8GB
Enjoy music, movies, photos, games, internet and other applications on the world’s most sought after entertainment device.
$195 w/ $40 Giftcard
Best Deal! You won’t find a better deal than this! Enjoy this 42” full High Definition television with 60HZ and gorgeous LCD display. Perfect gift for any family member or school newspaper staff that you adore so well. Limited quantities are available, get ‘em while they last!!
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$500 $200!!! Photos courtesy of cnet.com
Fairfax Does Fashion Monday Through Friday
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s the weather outside gets just as chilly as FHS classrooms are, here is a week of trendy tricks and ideas on how students can look like they really tried when they rolled out of bed at 6 AM during the cold winter months. Some students already have this year’s fashion trends down.
Natalie Shaban ‘12
Staff Writer
Tuesday
Monday
Boys
Boys
- Tailored shirt -Dress shoes
- Shirts designed by FHS students - Comfy pants
Girls
Girls
-High waist shorts -Basic Tights
-Colorful sweatpants - Basic tee
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Boys
-Fitted jeans -Rebel Pride Pullover
Girls
-Floral Print -Moccasins
Boys
-Biker/Combat Boots -Scarf
Boys
-Turtleneck -Sperrys or Toms
Girls
-Flyaway cardigan -Legwarmers
Girls
-Team jacket -Argyle Sweater
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Photos by Natalie Shaban
FEATURES
Foreign Students Assimilate to Fairfax
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magine coming to a new country and having to adapt to a new language, new culture, and new school. The experience can be equally exciting, yet nerve-wracking all at the same time. Chiara Mielau and Chandler Ma are both new to America this year, as well as to the Fairfax County school system.
Chiara Mielau
Chandler Ma
Photo by Rachel Tran
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Photo curtesy of Chiara Mielau
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reshman Chandler Ma traveled to the U.S. for the first time in his life this past summer. He lived in Dalian, China for nearly fifteen years and moved to Fairfax City due to his parents’ wishes. Ma anticipates a different, but exciting school year at Fairfax High School. He said that his school was “very different” in his country and compared to Fairfax, it is “a lot less wealthy.” The school system in Dalian was also very strict and required school uniforms as well as longer school hours. A typical school day in his middle school was ten hours long, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the students’ schedule usually included four core classes and an English class. In addition, the math curriculum in China was much more challenging. The same students that are taking Algebra 2 at Fairfax would generally be enrolled in Multi-Variable Calculus in China. “The work is easier now and I have less homework,” said Ma. Though Ma misses his friends, he still keeps in touch with them through Skype and continues to meet new students at Fairfax. One aspect that differs immensely from his old school is the diversity. He was accustomed to a homogenous society his entire life and is finally able to experience a variety of cultures at FHS. Through the observance of people’s styles and clothing at school, Ma notices the freedom that is granted to students in America. “If the people dyed their hair [bright colors] at my old school, the principal would go crazy,” he jokingly said. By living in a foreign country most of his life, Ma has the opportunity to appreciate new cultures and traditions and what they have to offer.
hiara Mielau is an exchange student from Berlin, Germany attending Fairfax High School this year, she says she hopes to improve her English and experience the American culture. A school day for Mielau in Germany is quite different from a school day for her in the United States. “We have the same fifteen classes from seventh to tenth grade [in Germany]. But there is only one class a day. One day we would have German and the next day would be math. There are no odd or even days like at Fairfax.” Mielau added “In Berlin, we switch from one class to another. I get lost here, this is a big school.” While Chiara is enjoying being in America, there are some things she misses about Germany. “Berlin is a big city and everything is so close to you. I could take a train to go anywhere, whenever I wanted to. [In Fairfax] the trains are limited and I usually have to ask a friend or my host family to drive me whenever I want to go somewhere.” said Mielau. Along with taking the train whenever she wanted, Mielau also misses spending time with her family and friends at her favorite park located in an inner-city called Friedrichshain. Mielau said, “There are a lot of parks there. There is a lot of green grass and a mountain in the middle [of the park] and [where] we would barbeque”. Mielau said. Mielau is eager to spend the upcoming holiday season in Virginia. “I have never had Thanksgiving since it is an American [tradition]. I am excited to eat a lot of food on Thanksgiving.”
Rachel Tran ‘13
Natalie Shaban ‘12
News Editor
Staff Writer
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FEATURES
College Essays
W
riting college essays is hard. Coming up with a worthy topic, spilling your brilliance out on the page, convincing schools that you deserve to be accepted; all of these contribute to the stress-filled months of writing and editing college essays. To help make life a little easier for seniors currently in the middle of this process, here a a couple examples of good essays written by seniors this year, provided by Mrs. Lambert.
Nikki Strickland ‘13
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Features Editor
mptiness. The world is a blank canvas. Then first chord strikes and colors fill the air. The deep purples of the basses blend with the cool, blue sound of the altos, blanketing the audience in harmony while the crystalline yellow of the sopranos adds heart-breaking dissonance. The warm orange of the tenors enter, the sound resolves, and the atoms that fill the air erupt in a rainbow of purity as their vibrations carry our art to the heavens. As I stand amongst my choir-mates, my fellow musicians, my family, I know with every fiber of my being that it’s not just a song; it is an emotion so raw that merely to speak the words would not do it justice, for when the colors of our voices combine I lose all sense of self. This connection can only be described as diffusion in its purest form as the powerfully concentrated emotion contained within the notes transfers to fill my vacant vessel. Suddenly my body and the music are in equilibrium, passion filling my every molecule as rapidly as my heart is expelling emotion through my sound. My very outline begins to blur as I break free of my mortal confinement. I now understand what nature intended diffusion to be: not so much a diffusion of particles as diffusion of the soul. The first time I felt this connection it brought me to tears. As Eric Whitacre’s “Seal Lullaby” reverberated against the soundboards the notes penetrated the armor of my choir dress and pierced my soul. This simple performance in All District Choir gave me my first taste
of bread, and I realized the sustenance of my life had, up until that point, been horrendously stale. Since that first taste, my hunger has been insatiable; my desire to discover that element of beauty in everything I encounter has led me to find the most beauty in that which is least traditionally beautiful. Numbers produced in the few swift strokes of a pencil combine to create the simultaneously simple and complex artwork of mathematics—a work that although labored over with painstaking precision and detail retains the awesome power to predict, define, solve, and leave me perpetually speechless. This is the beauty of the unexpected. Electrons, in their ability to defy the laws of physics and behave like both particles and waves, challenge me to redefine the impossible. This is the beauty of mystery and intrigue. The simple act of giving breakfast to a homeless mother is not so simple when the look in her eyes is one of incomparable gratitude, so much so that a single look has given a purpose and a meaning to my life. This is the beauty of compassion. All of this is the beauty of music: the ability to irreversibly transform every aspect of my once monochromatic life into one so filled with all the colors of beauty and passion that no longer am I the artist, but the paint itself. Fulfillment.
t has already been seven years since the age of shame. Seven years in a new home called Fairfax where I learned to accept the cultural differences that used to cause so much discord within. Poring over my childhood, I can vividly recall the days when my ethnicity was a source of humiliation. I remember the first day of elementary school when my teacher told us to line up for lunch and I was the first one out of my seat. However, I immediately wanted to relinquish my position, for inside my cute, pink, Hello Kitty lunch box lingered the smell of traditional Korean food. Personally, I prefer Korean cuisine over American, but knowing that foreign stench or so called deathly smell could force my classmates or even my teacher to regurgitate, I reluctantly refused to open it. The little box that I held so dear suddenly became a personal equivalent to that of Pandora’s. All I wanted was to live in a more diverse environment but with the constant inquiries from peers and seeming isolation, it slowly became an intangible desire. After years of attempting to blend into a society that
offered little cultural reflection, change happened. It wasn’t too long after I grew accustomed to the humdrum that my mom told me that we were moving. I was solicitous. Eager yet nervous to look into the demography at my soon-to-be new home, I could not help the hours of research on Fairfax, VA that ensued. To my surprise, the Korean population was very high. In time, Pandora’s Box became my cute, pink, Hello Kitty lunch box again. All the thoughts that had caused me to be introverted slowly faded and hope took their place. I began to appreciate my packed lunches, my culture and the fact that I was different. The change of location was a big influence towards my newfound comfort; however, it was the opportunity to be myself that ultimately changed me for the better. If a simple move could accomplish so much, then an opportunity for education can yield worldchanging results. Through the use of learned skills and knowledge as a stepping stone, I will be able to grasp new heights that are currently out of reach.
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Allison Doane ‘12 Guest Writer
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Lee Soo ‘12 Guest Writer
SPORTS
Basketball Preview 2011-2012 A
Boys get to know their brand new coaching staff, while girls look to keep improving
fter a regular season with a winning record and an appearance in the Regional Playoffs, the Fairfax Boys basketball team is on the verge of becoming an annual presence in the postseason. Before they get to that kind of success, though, they’re faced with the challenge of a completely new coaching staff. Led by Coach Mike Barbee, in his first season as a varsity head coach, none of the staff had coached on a Fairfax boys basketball team before this year, all the way down to the freshman level. With the exception of Coach Matthew Behne, who has coached various Fairfax girls teams for the past few years, all of them are completely new to the school. For these new coaches, the challenges aren’t insignificant. “There are many challenges to being a new coach but probably the most significant is having to teach everything from scratch,” said Barbee. The players don’t have the
Boys Varsity Home Games: 12/2/ vs.Oakton 12/3 vs. Stuart
12/7 vs.Centreville 12/13 vs. Marshall
12/20 vs. TJ
1/10 vs. Stone Bridge
1/13/ vs. McLean 1/26 vs. Langley
1/31 vs. South Lakes
2/10 vs. Madison
familiarity that builds from seasons of playing under their coach’s system. “In an established program, each year builds upon the year before,” Barbee said. “As a new coach, everything being taught is essentially brand new so it takes so it takes extra time for the players to adjust to what they will be doing.” Luckily, the boys have been able to get plenty of work done with their new coaches during the offseason. “We’ve seen each other virtually every day,” said Barbee. The players had the opportunity to attend a team camp at Randolph-Macon College over the summer, and have been staying after school almost every day for lifting or practice. The first big game of the Rebels’ season comes Friday December 2 against Barbee’s former team, Fairfax’s crosstown rival, W.T. Woodson High School. The game will be played at Woodson at 7:45.
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ooking at the Varsity Girls basketball team’s record last year, it’s hard to believe how far they’ve come since Coach Marcus Konde’s debut season. It was the winter of 2007-2008, and the Rebels were coming off of a two-win season. They had almost nowhere to go but up, yet at the end of the winter they found themselves at the bottom of the Concord District, with only one win and 22 losses. Flash forward three short years. Konde had developed his team into one of the best in the Liberty District. With 16 wins and nine losses, they reached the regional playoffs, but lost in the first round to Edison High School. This year, the Lady Rebels look to continue their upward trend, and carry their solid regular season play into the postseason. “Despite losing Meredith Mesaris,” Konde said about the dominant six foot, two inch center who graduated, “We have a very talented roster. Expectations are to be in the top three in the district and the top ten in the
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Varsity Home Games: 12/13 vs. Robinson 1/3 vs. Langley 1/6 vs. South Lakes 1/17 vs. Madison 1/20 vs. Marshall 1/23 vs. TJ 2/3 vs. Stone Bridge 2/7 vs. McLean
Girls
region.” Junior Taylor Intermill and senior Liz McNaughton were voted team captains. “Liz McNaughton is the glue that holds the team together, through her work ethic and will to win no matter what,” said Konde, while Intermill “has worked extremely hard this offseason. She will be expected to take on a larger role.” Intermill and McNaughton are joined by a trio of “Super Sophomores,” according to Konde, guards Kylie Murphree, Alysha Berry, and Christina Williams, who were all on the varsity team last year as well. Although their season was ended abruptly in the first round of regionals last year, Konde thinks that “Team chemistry, conditioning, and the experience of making it to the playoffs last year will be key for us to make a deeper run in the district and region tourneys.”
Walker Carlson ‘13 Sports Editor
FHS Hits The Ice T
he Washington Capitals ice hockey team was welcomed to the Verizon Center by crowds of cheering fans on Oct. 8 for the first game of the season against the Carolina Hurricanes. They dominated the ice at the beginning of the new season with an eightgame winning streak. However, the Verizon Center isn’t the only local hockey hot-spot. The Fairfax-Centreville high school combined hockey team also had a strong start to the season. The Fairfax Rebels hockey team hit the ice on Nov. 11 with a 3-0 win against Bishop O’Connell high school at the Reston Raiders ice rink. For their pre-season scrimmage. The first game of the season was on Nov. 18 in which the Rebels dominated the Herndon hockey team, 10-7. Only six skaters and one goalie registered from FHS for
the combined team. Because of this, the players from FHS were forced to combine with the Centreville high school team just to have enough players to have a complete roster for the season. This year, a total of sixteen players ranging in skill levels from rookie to varsity make up the FairfaxCentreville combined hockey team. This is similar to last year’s season when FHS was combined with West Potomac high school. Junior Jake Angeline, a center on the FHS team, said, “Everyone gets along fine on the team. We all have great chemistry and I’m really excited for our first game of the season this month.” Head coach Peter Grose said that even though there (Continued on p. 23)
Football Falls To C-Ville
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n Coach Kevin Simonds’ second season as head coach for the Fairfax Varsity Rebels football team, the Rebs lost to Centreville High School in the Regional Tournament for the second year in a row. Although the loss was a bitter reminder of years past, it also marked the third straight seasson that the Rebels have made it to the postseason. After a decade-plus of being a door mat, the Rebels’ streak is no small feat. After winning four straight games to start the season, Fairfax finished with a winning record, at 6-4.
Walker Carlson ‘13 Sports Editor
Dance Team
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airfax’s cheerleading team went to Virginia Commonwealth University on Nov.12 to compete in the State Championship. As Liberty District and Northern Region champions, the team was looking like one of the favorites in the competition. Round one scores were not announced, however, the five teams with the highest scores moved onto the second round. Fairfax cheer was one of the five qualifiers and achieved a score of 267.5 at the end of the second round. They followed closely behind Cosby High School which scored 270 points and won second place in the state.
n Nov. 19, the Dance Team competed at the Paul VI competition run by Universal Dance Association. They won first place for their jazz routine and came in 6th place for their pom-pom routine. Seniors Jessie Brown and Rachel Fernandes placed in the top 10 in the solo category. Their next competition is at George Mason University on Dec. 11. They are going to UDA Nationals in Orlando, FL to compete against teams from across the nation for the first time. The team has stepped up its routine in preparation “For our pom dance we have increased the speed a lot, the difficulty of the motions, and we have also added some cool jumps, tricks, and extensions. Our jazz dance this year has crazy turn combinations, a lift, and is a passionate, emotional piece. For our non-competition routines like hip-hop we’ve tried to add a lot of crowd pleasing things like cool tricks and flips and crowd-pumping music. And of course we’ve added a lot of swag” says Fernandes, one of the team captains.
Rachel Tran ‘13
Emily Stone ‘12
Cheer Places 2nd
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News Editor
Editor-in-Chief
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SPORTS is little tension between the players of the two separate schools, there is a downside to having a combined hockey team in the high school league. “Since we are a combined team, we are not eligible to play in the playoffs no matter how well we do with the first ten games,” he said. Grose explained that the rule is there to prevent lower ranked teams from purposely combining with upper ranked teams in an effort to be carried to the playoffs. Because of this rule, the only way a Fairfax hockey team would have a chance at being eligible for the playoffs would be if enough people from Fairfax High joined to make a complete roster without combining with another school. “It would be great to get people to come forward and play,” said Grose. Grose grew up playing hockey in Canada and coached at Paul VI High School for three years as a hobby when his sons were younger. When his kids were old enough to attend FHS, he switched to coaching the Rebels team. This year Grose continues to coach the FHS team with assistant coach Bob Woods, a man Caps fans might recognize. “It’s humbling for me to see Bob Woods listed on the website [nvshl.org] as the assistant coach since he is also one of the assistant coaches for the Capitals,” Grose said. For now, Grose has kept the Fairfax team running for nearly three seasons as a small club. However, he said that he is planning on retiring from coaching the team after his son, Junior Nicky Grose, graduates from FHS next year. Though Fairfax High doesn’t formally recognize the FHS Rebels ice hockey league as an official school team, Grose and Woods continue to organize the team and promote its recognition at FHS with hopes of recruiting more players. Students interested in joining the Fairfax hockey team for the spring league in March should contact the team
Coach Peter Grose talks to the Centreville High Schoolplayers on his team. Fairfax and Centreville, because of a lack of players from the schools, have a combined squad. Photo by Jessica Miers. manager, Paige Grose at paigegrose@cox.net and can find more information about the team on the Northern Virginia Scholastic Hockey League website. (nvshl.org) According to coach Grose, the team has never had any tryouts, however, he said that players should be prepared to play varsity level hockey against other schools in the area. “It’s just like playing for another team, but at the high school level, you have to be able to take hits,” said freshman, right-wing for the FHS Rebels team, Will Hepworth. Coach Grose said that there is an incentive to joining the FHS team since there are scholarships that come out of the league. One was awarded to Fairfax alumnus Emily Buzzard last year, who received a hockey scholarship and has gone on to play college hockey after playing for Reston ice leagues and the Fairfax high school team. Even though a small amount of students came forward to play on this year’s team, there is still a chance for a better turnout for the spring league as the team has gained a considerable amount of popularity, especially amongst eighth grade students who will be eligible to play in the upcoming season. “I’m really looking forward to playing on the FHS team next year. I can’t wait to start competing against other teams around Northern Virginia,” said eighth grade student at Lanier Middle School, Kordell Horner. Coach Grose encourages students to come check out the Fairfax hockey team at any of their upcoming games listed on the schedule at nvshl.org. He also strongly recommends Fairfax student hockey players join the team for this year’s spring season and next year’s fall/winter season. Grose said, “We’re looking for as many people as we can get.”
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Jessica Miers ‘13
Managing Editor and Business Manager
SNOW PREDICTIONS 2011
Let it snow! Let it Snow! The Rebel Roar is hosting a winter competition. Send us your predictions for how much snow you think will accumulate this year! The answer closest to a 10th of an inch will recieve a free gift certificate for a large Ledo’s cheese pizza. Send in your predictions to fhsrebelroar@gmail.com with the subject line: “Snow Predictions.” Include your full name and grade. Winner will be announced in the March issue of the Rebel Roar. *Rebel Roar staff and family members, and Ledo’s Pizza affiliates are not eligible for this competition. Only one winner will be selected based on the closest prediction to a tenth of an inch. Ledo’s gift certificate is only eligible at 11725 Lee Highway Fairfax Virginia 22030. Only predictions sent to fhsrebelroar@gmail.com will be accepted.