Montgomery Blair High School SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND
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November 12, 2012
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MD approves ballot initiatives By Cindy Monge After months of arguments, millionaire investments in advertisements and campaigns on the seven questions sent in referendum, results came out favoring all the questions. Although there was a strong campaign set by opponents and supporters of the seven ballot questions, Marylanders voted and results show that the most debated questions roughly passed. Question Seven, one of the most controversial questions, proposed gaming expansion, which would open a casino in Prince George’s county. The clause says that profits made from gambling only raise extra funds for Maryland school. The implementation of this question however, will not only help schools, but also create 12,000 jobs. Those against question seven saw it as a way of promoting vandalism, and the division came, since many believe that gambling profits will not be given for public education. Bill Hart, a campaign volunteer against Question Seven, believes that people should know the benefits and the consequences of the question. “ We don’t need casinos in our backyards, second of all… there is no guarantee of money filtering back into our community,” he said regarding his position. This question passed by 51% of the
PHOTOS BY LEAH HAMMOND, ZEKE WAPNER
OPEN MIC Blazers watched poetry and musical performances at Silver Quill’s Oct. 26 Open Mic in the media center. (Above) Sophomore Ben Miller plays the guitar. (Top right) InToneNation sings. (Bottom right) Senior Nigisti Retta recites an original poem.
Blair holds anti-defamation workshop By Kyle Desiderio
see Ballot Results page A2
HILARIO MORALES
FREEDOM FIGHTERS Blair’s peer mediators allied with the National Anti-Defamation League in a two day in-school field trip.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) held a workshop at Blair and trained 27 students to promote tolerance and diversity on Oct. 10 and 11. Over the summer, Anne Cullen and five other teachers met to organize the workshop and chose 55 students to participate. Participants were selected on the basis of being “outstanding leaders,” Cullen said. Only 27 students chose to participate in the training, but Cullen anticipated the low turnout. “We knew some weren’t going to show up, so we overcompensated,” she said. The Anti-Defamation League’s website states that its
mission is to help combat extremism and hate through open dialogue and compromise. The League has led workshops at many different high schools around Montgomery County. The Blair ADL led the workshop to teach students how to recognize prejudice, create change through dialogue and find common ground. They also trained students to lead their own workshops. Cullen hopes the workshops have allowed students to better understand their peers. Students participated in multiple activities over the two-day period including lessons on how to lead a workshop and promote diversity around Blair. They also learned how to see and stop bullying. Cullen hopes that diversity workshops at Blair will soon be entirely student-run. “We want it to be for, about and by students,” Cullen said. She hopes that soon, students will meet weekly as a club and talk about goals for the second semester. Already, they plan
see Anti-Defamation page A3
Hunters have more than deer in their sights Blazers find an environmental perspective in hunting By Jenna Kanner
A man dressed in a head-to-toe neon-orange suit sneaks up into a treetop house, leaving the surrounding land with minimal footprints. A fawn runs by in the distance. Slowly and surely, he draws back the bow and an arrow zips out from it. The hunter misses the shot and the predator has lost the prey. Almost every fall weekend during the hunting season since he was 10 years old, sophomore Greg Parsley has trekked out past his
suburban home in Silver Spring into the woods to hunt deer with his family. In the best season he ever had, he successfully landed four shots in four deer. But this is no Bambi story. Each year, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources holds two days of hunting for those ages 16 and under. In January 2010, hunters took 81 deer over two days in Montgomery County. Overall in the 2010-2011 season, hunters killed 5,969 deer in Montgomery County alone.
Nevertheless, rather than a cruel death-count, hunters see their catch as just the result of a healthy relationship with nature.
Ethically enigmatic In the 1942 Disney movie “Bambi,” the film’s infamous hunter scared young viewers and left Bambi motherless and alone. Many TV shows portray hunting characters such as
see Hunting page C1
ZEKE WAPNER
FIRE Sophomore Greg Parsley has hunted deer since he was 10 years old.
Pepco reforms
Polititians and corporation seek improvements By Emma Rose Borzekowski
Rockville City Councilman Mark Pierzchala released a plan on Oct. 2 calling for changes to the D.C. area’s energy provider, Pepco. This was followed by a similar proposal submitted by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley. These proposals come in the wake of repeated recent power outages and amidst changes Pepco has already begun making independently. On behalf of Pepco, representative Marcus Beal said that Pepco has been making a series of infrastructure improvements, a project that started in 2010. “Pepco is currently investing more than $910 million in capital Reliability Enhancement Plan projects over five years,” Beal said in an email. “Pepco has trimmed 3,448 miles of trees, upgraded 124 feeders, renewed or replaced 350 miles of lines underground, completed 47 advanced control projects and has completed 48 system growth projects.” Pepco is also implementing its Smart Grid plan, a multiyear project that began in the summer of 2011 and involves implementing “smart meters,” electrical meters that enable two-way wireless communication between electric meters, gas meters and the utility companies in people’s homes and businesses. “The Smart Grid plan includes the installation of advanced meters, distribution automation hardware, advanced communication networks and demand-side management programs,” Beal said. Pepco aims to use the more advanced metering system to make it’s power supply more reliable and efficient. Pierzchala feels that Pepco needs additional changes beyond infrastructure
see Pepco page A2
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Maryland voters decide on landmark state legislation
Voting outcomes on November ballot questions determine Maryland’s future from Ballot results page A1 votes. Same-sex Marriage, Question 6, would allow same sex couples to receive a civil marriage license. Meanwhile protects religious clergy from denying to practice a marriage ceremony, if it violates their religious beliefs. “Don’t redefine Marriage”, is the slogan many anti same-sex marriage organizations and opponents used in their campaign. “NAACP and even the president got this one wrong. Without a healthy [family] structure… society will not reach its real potential”, said (anonymous), a campaign volunteer of the Maryland Marriage Alliance. She commented that she is faithful for question to fail, but the results favor question 6, which was passed by 51.9%. Another question that was debated among organizations, was the MD Dream Act, which would enable to pay in-state tuition rates at a community college, as long as the students have attended a Maryland
high school for at least 3 years and their parents have pay taxes for that same 3 years, the students attended the school. Although many argue that the Maryland Dream Act will only raise taxes for Marylanders. The MD Dream Act had previously been passed in April 2011, but it was sent to referendum and became to be known as Question four. Help Save Maryland is one organization that has was against the MD Dream Act, arguing that it could cost too much for the state. Organizations that have been fighting for this bill, say that, “It’s right and it’s fair”, for dreamers to attend a community college or university. Kim Propeack, one of the directors of CASA de Maryland, always reminded positive that the MD Dream Act would have passed. Question four had a victory, winning by 58.3% on the referendum. Question 3 is the Suspension and Removal of Elected officials, states that if an elected official is charged with certain penalties, must be removed or suspended from his position until find unguilty or only
LEAH HAMMOND
BALLOT QUESTIONS Millions gathered at polls around the country on Nov 6th to vote on a number of questions on the balllot, including the Dream Act
when the case is resolved. The question was passed with majority vote by 88% of the voters favoring this law. Question B was won by 58% of the votes, this law which that of voted yes, would taken way the right of police unions right of collective bargaining. Question C was passed by majority vote with 70% of the votes, which is repeal to allow class H licenses to be is-
sued in Damascus allowing the to sell of alcoholic beverages in hotels and restaurants that meet the requirements placed. An organization that worked sate-wide campaigning for all seven questions on the MD ballot, was Forward Maryland. This organization, had many volunteers coming to polls and passing flyers out to the voters to vote for all seven questions.
Politicians call for Pepco reform from Pepco page A1
goal of making a profit and secondary interest of providing reliable energy to consumers do not match consumer’s interests. “While the interests of the provider and the consumer are to some extent at odds, there are ways to align some of their interests,” he wrote in his plan, which was released online in October. “This section identifies Pepco’s primary interest as making a pile of money [and] its second interest as providing reliable energy to its customers.” He asked for steps to be taken to make both groups’ interests more closely aligned. In the third part of his plan, Pierzchala insinuated that Pepco uses campaign donations to gain influence in Maryland’s legislature. “It has been alleged that Pepco buys influence through political contributions,” he wrote in his argument for increased
transparency. Pierzchala also wants two consumer representatives to be added to Pepco’s Public Service Commission (PSC). The PSC currently has five members and Pierzchala would like Pepco to pay for the increased size of the
commission. In response to these proposed changes, Pepco noted that, independent of government recommendations, it is currently adding 40 costumer care representatives and giving them advanced training, as well is its support for the PSC. “Pepco enthusiastically and cooperatively continues to work with the Maryland Public Service Commission, customers, and state officials to improve performance, reliability and customer service,” said Beal. Though it was released soon after Pierzchala’s recommendations, O’Malley’s plan is significantly different. O’Malley’s proposal seeks to revamp Pepco’s electrical grid and suggests maintenance work. The plan includes a controversial provision allowing Pepco to charge increased rates to finance upgrades. O’Malley supports Pepco’s efforts to install a Smart Grid Plan and it’s current maintenance work, as he advocated for bolstering Maryland’s energy grid. Beyond government initiated changes and suggestions to Pepco, a number of citizen consumer complaints have grown into online petitions. Kevin Grandia started a petition on change.org calling for Pepco to improve its power system and reached a status of KATELIN MONTGOMERY 3212 supported, the online equivalent of getting signatures. Organizations like Pack Up Pepco have gained supporters as frustration increases with the utility company.
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November 12, 2012
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Metro introduces new 7000 series rail car
Arrival of new rail car design changes the riding experience
By Michelle Chavez The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) introduced its new railcar, the 7000 series, to the public on Oct. 10. The investment in the new cars is the largest investment in Metro’s history that is intended to increase passenger safety and satisfaction. In 2014 the 7000 series will fully replace the current railcar in an effort to satisfy modern safety standards that the 35-year-old 1000 series were not meeting. The new railcar will feature changes with its outer and inner body. A news release by WMATA said the new stainless steel outer body will make the car more durable. Inside, the railcars will have more room in the aisles and near the doors for easy mobility and greater convenience for those in wheelchairs. To accommodate for wheelchair passage, WMATA also placed more poles in strategic areas and designed seats with more support. WMATA also made detailed technological improvements to facilitate passenger information processing. WMATA will replace current Metro maps with LCD displays and station announcements, which will soon be voiced digitally, will be accompanied by LED monitors to show information pertaining to upcoming stops. In response to safety suggestions, Metro’s 7000 series will have closed circuit television cameras and more sensitive doors. Railcar doors currently lack the same sensitivity as elevators, making it difficult to remove items caught in between the doors without the
help of many passengers. WMATA’s press release revealed that the outdated railcars led to sub-standard safety precautions, motivating Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin to push for $1.5 billion in federal funding to increase the safety of the railcars. “I have fought every year to deliver dedicated funding for Metro’s capital improvements, keeping safety on track on America’s Subway,” Mikulski said in the press release. “I will not rest until Metro is safe for those who work on it and those who ride on it.” Other improvements will include replacing carpets with hard floors for easier maintenance and changing the color scheme. The shades of brown and orange that now color the seats and floors will soon change to blues and grays. Metro told the Washington Post that passengers said they prefer the new color scheme for the tranquil feel it gives off. Despite the redesign, a review by Washington Post writer Robert Thomson revealed flaws within the seemingly well-constructed prototype. Thompson noted that the railcar doors were sensitive enough to prevent inCOURTESY OF WMATA AND GREATERGREATERWASHINGTON.ORG jury but opened only enough to METRO The new 7000 series rail cars will replace the current remove a leg or briefcase before Metro cars by 2014. closing completely. Thompson found that passengers sitting found, was the amount projected tion experts and will be assembled in the aisle seat would need to time it will take to fully replace the in Lincoln, Nebraska throughout stand up to let patrons in the win- older 1y000 series. 2013. The cars are expected to be dow seat exit, causing crowding in The 7000 series has undergone on the DC tracks, fully assembled, the aisles. a final detailed review over the by the end of 2013. The final issue, Thompson past month by various transporta-
School start time petitioned New ADL chapter at Blair Petition gains momentum among parents By Kenyetta Whitfield Montgomery County resident Mandi Mader started a petition on Sept. 29 in an attempt to pressure MCPS Superintendent, Joshua Starr for later start times, citing research that shows a correlation between sleep and healthier students. The petition was posted online on Oct. 11 and within a week received over 4800 signatures. Mader, a clinical social worker, launched the Montgomery County chapter for the nationwide campaign Start School Later when she noticed the frustration and anxiety of her adolescent clients. With two sons enrolled in MCPS, Mader took a special interest in the issue. The petition requests that MCPS push high school start times from 7:25 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. or later. According to Mader, who did Internet research before creating the petition and has always had an interest in sleep, teenagers who get eight and a half to nine hours of sleep have better attendance, fall asleep less in class and show fewer signs of depression and irritability. Arlington County schools implemented later schools times in 2001 and Fairfax is attempting for the third time to get school times moved later. The petition received countywide support and Mader said she is excited about its momentum. “I’m thrilled and delighted about how things are taking off,” she said in reference to surpassing 5000 signatures. Junior Celeste Smith agrees with Mader and believes schools start too early but is wary of how school start times would affect ending
times. “It would be great to get some extra hours of sleep,” Smith said, “but many students play sports, are in clubs, babysit siblings and have jobs. We can’t have high schools getting out at 4.” Mader is moving forward with plans to take the petition to the school board. School board superintendent Joshua Starr has shown skepticism, stating on WAMU’s “Kojo Nnamdi Show” that there are many issues the school board plans to tackle involving the complexity of changing school start times. Even with Starr’s skepticism, Mader is confident the time change could occur within a year and be implemented in time for the start of the next school school year. “I would like to see this implemented by the fall of 2014,” said Mader.
from ADL page A1 plan to hold more workshops where all students are welcome. So far, Cullen feels that the workshops have been successful. “We’ve gotten great feedback,” she said. Cullen believes that the workshops give students a unique look into others’ lives. “It opens your eyes in a way you can’t get in reading a book.” Junior Katie Gage participated in the workshop and feels that the training helped her understand what is needed to lead one. In one activity, the hands-on style training had students participate in a two-minute lesson on a possible scenario that might occur during a workshop. Gage feels the lesson helped her prepare for all topics that might be brought up in a workshop. Gage is excited about holding more
workshops in the future. “We’re already signing up for student-led workshops,” Gage said. She also said that her ability to respond to bullying has changed. “If I see bullying, I step up to the plate,” she said. Cullen believes that besides preparing the selected students to educate others about diversity and empathy, those chosen to participate in this first workshop also benefited from learning about each other. She believes students selfsegregate by nature. As a result, these workshops not only help quell disputes and promote tolerance, but also allow students to meet others who they would not get the chance to know. Even though Blair is extremely diverse, diversity workshops around Downcounty Consortium (DCC) schools are considering combining in order to allow even more students to participate.
HILARIO MORALES
LEADERSHIP Students participating in the ADL workshop enjoyed a two day in-school field trip that allowed them to participate in team building activities.
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Newsbriefs County Police Crackdown on Disability Parking
Montgomery County police have recently begun coordinating with the MVA to ensure Disability Parking spaces are not being used improperly. As of August, all Maryland police were given access to a database run by the MVA that lists all drivers who legally hold a disability placard, allowing them to easily identify those using the space illegally. In the past, according to Lt. Robert McCullough, acting director of the Montgomery County Traffic Division, a police officer would have to call the MVA and ask someone to check the database for him whenever he suspected fraud. McCullogh is confident that the new system will allow police officers to keep people without disabilities out of these spaces. While he admitted that the new system is not yet perfect, he states that “It’s light-years ahead of where we were.”
Emergency services unit responds to Hurricane
On Monday night, as Hurricane Sandy reached landfall on the East Coast, the Montgomery County Emergency Services Unit, also known as the ESU, assisted county patrol officers in aiding the public. According to the Montgomery county website “The Emergency Service Unit is committed to providing support to field operations through a rapid response.” On Monday they were tasked with assisting the officers with downed power lines, fallen trees, among other things. One member of the ESU, sergeant Kevin Parker assisted an officer with removing a tree from a blind curve. Parker’s team also rescued two police cruisers, which were trapped in the middle of the road by fallen trees and downed power lines. Parker’s team collaborated with Pepco to clear the area and salvage the police cars.
MoCo forms Alliance with Gondar, Ethiopia Last month, County Executive Isiah Leggett took a trip to Gondar, Ethiopia, and on September 27, signed papers making Gondar Montgomery County’s sister city. This means that Montgomery County will work together with Gondar to improve the standard of living of its residents in various ways. According to Daniel Koroma, Montgomery County’s liaison to African and Caribbean communities, the county has already purchased twenty computers for a Gondar secondary school and it is planning on donating textbooks to some Gondar schools. Koroma also said that the county is considering doing a fundraiser to drill a well in Gondar to help residents get easier access to clean drinking water.
Newsbriefs compiled by Issac Jiffar
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Newsbriefs B-CC Addition Planned Montgomery County Public School officials and several architects are reviewing the design feasibility of building an addition on to BethesdaChevy Chase High School. The installed addition would be the size of a small elementary school. Committee sessions reviewing this plan were held Oct. 8 and Oct 24. In May, city council officials approved plans to add ten new classrooms to the high school. However, B-CC principal Karen Lockard said that this won’t be enough to fit the school’s growing enrollment. SEI architects are currently doing a feasibility study to determine if they can add 24-32 more classrooms and a small gym to B-CC. The feasibility study phase will continue until December. The addition is aimed to be completed around the 2017-2018 school year and is of indeterminate cost.
Costco Delayed, Faces Opposition In late October the Stop Costco Gas Coalition (SCGC) formed to oppose the construction of a gas station at the new Wheaton Costco. The Costco was scheduled to open on Oct. 18, but construction problems have caused delays and it currently has no set date to open. The SCGC is concerned about car fumes that drift into surrounding homes and schools when cars are stopped to fill up gas as well as the potential of a gas leak and the precedent set by the unusual business model of a big box store and gas station. Other groups such as the Kensington Heights Civic Association have been advocating against Costco’s gas station for years and the SCGC aims to cooperate with them.
Transit Center Completion Delayed The Silver Spring Transit Center is now set to open September 2013 after a two-year delay. The project has been on hold since January because of problems with the concrete, which city county officials intend to fix in the spring of 2013 after a winter of remediation and planning. The transit center will cost about $112 million, more than three times its original budget of $35 million. The transit center is the result of decades of planning and construction started in 2008 and was originally scheduled to be completed in 2010.
Newsbriefs compiled by Emma Rose Borzekowski
November 12, 2012
Blair launches new peer tutoring program By Emma Rose Borzekowski Administrators and teachers established a new tutoring program, Blair Leaders Interning for Student Success (BLISS) in several classes at Blair this fall. The program aims to bring the Blair community together, provide help to teachers with large classes and give more attention to students who need it. BLISS brings academically successful upperclassmen with room in their schedules into classrooms to be student interns, with the goal of helping struggling students on their homework by giving them more one-on-one learning time. Assistant Principal and BLISS Director Dirk Cauley said that BLISS is different from Blair’s already existing practice of having student aides. “Student aides support clerically, but that’s not the most efficient use of these high-achieving students,” he said, Senior Tommy Raskin, BLISS’s student executive director, believes that the BLISS program allows students to take on greater leadership roles as they are given the opportunity to teach classes. “They are not supposed to be doing data entry. They are there to help students directly,” said Senior Tommy Raskin, BLISS’s student executive director. To help student interns be more effective, participants receive once-a-month training through a partnership with the University of Maryland. At these meetings, held during 5th and 6th periods, student tutors discuss problems
they may be experiencing and receive advice from UMD staff and BLISS leaders like Internship Coordinator Geoffrey Finch and Cauley. “We have monthly training on things like working with students in small groups and check on how the student interns are feeling,” said Cauley. Each meeting is different. At the first meeting, tutors reviewed their training manuals and at the second session they discussed challenges they were encountering said senior BLISS tutor Isaac Friend. “We basically just discussed some of the issues people had, like whether they should involve themselves in discipline. I wish we had been able to [discuss] for longer,” said Friend. In addition to the meetings, student interns inform teachers about their experiences through weekly journal entries. Tutors receive an intern credit and the class they tutor gets factored into their GPA, but Cauley believes there is not a heavy workload. “We don’t want to put more pressure on anyone,” said Cauley. Friend said he does not feel burdened by the journals, which he keeps short. However, he gives his feedback to Raskin almost every day. Friend, who tutors in an on-level geometry class, said he enjoys his time as a student-intern and prefers it to being a student aide. “I believe that helping people learning is more important than collating work for teachers,” he said. Friend
found his time in the classroom rewarding. “I have been able to help people with their work. I was very happy to see people understand a logical concept after thinking about it,” he said. Cauley said that other students have found the program fulfilling as well. Blair’s administration has conducted surveys of students in classes with BLISS tutors and Cauley reported that the results have been positive. Cauley said teachers have also told him they are enjoying and benefiting from BLISS. “From the priLEILIA BARTHOLET mary unscientific LEARN BLISS tutor advises on classwork. data, there seems to be some real significance to the benefits it has,” ular activities to the program. He said Cauley. does not see a need for many other The concept of BLISS comes improvements. In the next few from similar programs at Walter years, Raskin said he hopes BLISS Johnson, Blake and Churchill, but will continue to grow. “We’d like is still in its pilot phase and its to have more student tutors next leaders are still making modifica- semester. There are several teachtions. Raskin has already made ers who found out about BLISS some changes such as adding re- late and have indicated that they cruitment to academic extracurric- would like extra help,” he said.
Argentinean Administrator comes to Blair Blair Assistant Principal will visit Argentina in June By Katelin Montgomery As part of an exchange program funded by the state department called American Councils for International Education, Nélinda Susana Orlandi, a school Principal from St. Louis, Argentina, visited Blair last month to learn from the American school system. Orlandi hopes that her observations at Blair can be applied to her own school, Doctor Bernardo Alberto Houssay secondary school. Suzanne Harvey, Blair’s twelfth grade administrator, hosted Orlandi for three weeks this fall as she visited area sites and schools. “There are three weeks when I have different experiences of the American education system and observe the culture and the different lifestyles,” said Orlandi. In June, Harvey will visit Argentina’s school system and stay with Orlandi. During her stay, Orlandi also visited University of Maryland, College Park; Thomas Edison High School and High Acres Elementary School, which has the highest free and reduced meal student (FARMS) rate in the county. She observed significant differences between American education practices and the schools she has worked with in Argentina. Orlandi said that one of the major distinctions was in the structure of the secondary school system. In Argentina they have one secondary school in place of both high school and middle school. She was also observed differences between teacher employment poli-
COURTSEY OF RENAY JOHNSON
VISITOR Principal Renay Johnson poses for a picture with Susana Orlandi (Top). Orlandi visits the Montgomery Blair libary for a seminar (Right). cies. While teachers in Montgomery County generally work at only one school; at her school, teachers work part time and work in two to three other schools. What was most interesting to Orlandi, however, was the diversity at Blair and the ability of so many different student groups to peacefully coexist. The entire exchange program hosted about 75 educators from countries including Thailand, Brazil, Portugal and Argentina in states all over the country. According to their web site, American Councils is committed to building a world of globally
competent citizens, successful institutions and responsible nations. Orlandi believes that one of the major problems that she faces is the lack of planning time for teachers. Since there is no extra time built into teachers’ schedules, Orlandi cannot enforce planning time or meetings. “We only have one team meeting every three months,” said Orlandi. This poses a problem because even though Harvey offered to help train teachers, it will be difficult to find a time to do that. Both Orlandi and Harvey are trying to implement new things this year. In the future, Harvey hopes to set up an exchange program be-
COURTSEY OF RENAY JOHNSON
tween Blair and Orlandi’s school. Since Orlandi’s school is focused on the sciences, the exchange program will be implemented through biology classes. At the moment, Harvey and Orlandi are applying for a grant in order to fund microscopes and other scientific equipment for Orlandi’s school. Throughout her stay, Orlandi visited a wide range of places including local spots to eat like Chipotle and Starbucks, as well as major tourist destinations like the museums in D.C. and the National Zoo.
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silverchips Montgomery Blair High School 51 University Boulevard East Silver Spring, MD 20901 Phone: (301) 649-2864 2012 National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker Finalist Winner of the 2009 and 2010 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown Editors-in-Chief: Emma Bergman and Sarah Wilson Managing Features Editors: Ruth Aitken and Hannah Weintraub Managing News Editors: Michelle Chavez and Katelin Montgomery Managing Sports Editor: Josh Schmidt Managing Op/Eds Editor: Puck Bregstone Managing Entertainment Editor: Peter McNally Production Manager: Puck Bregstone Managing Design Editor: Hannah Weintraub Outreach Coordinator: Katelin Montgomery Ombudsman: Ruth Aitken Distribution Supervisor: Peter McNally Fact Checks Supervisor: Ruth Aitken Extras Editor: Sabrina Bradford Newsbriefs Editor: Josh Schmidt Public Relations Director: Michelle Chavez Executive Business Director: Adrian Craig Executive Commincations Director, Executive Advertising Director: Nick Seidell Executive Fundraising Manager, Executive Communications Director: Mac Keller Business Staff: Jared Collina Aniya Wood-Reynolds Page Editors: Daniel Alger Desiree Aleibar Emma Rose Borzekowski Sabrina Bradford Langston Cotman Kyle Desiderio Maya Habash Isaac Jiffar Jenna Kanner Cindy Monge Evan Morris Alanna Natanson Paris Parker-Loan Mallory Rappaport Dillon Sebastian Kenyetta Whitfield Spanish Page Adviser: Dora Gonzales Spanish Page Editor: Kelly Ventura Claudia Quinonez Spanish Page Writers: Hector Barrera Rolando Alvarenga Jannet Encinas Yessica Somoza Editorial Cartoonist: Julia Bates Managing Photo Editors: Leah Hammond Clare Lefebure Photographers: Leila Bartholet Ellie Musgrave Zeke Wapner Managing Arts Editors: Julia Bates XiXi Chen Artists: Katrina Golladay Tatyana Gubin Maggie McClain Eva Shen Puzzle Editors: Devin Rutan Michael Morganstein Copy Editors: Paul B. Ellis Claudia Gowen Rebecca Naimon Professional Technical Adviser: Peter Hammond Advisor: Joseph Fanning Silver Chips is a public forum for student expression. Student editors make all content decisions. Unsigned editorials represent the views of the editorial board and are not necessarily those of the school. Signed letters to the editor are encouraged. Submit your letter to Joseph Fanning’s mailbox in the main office, to room 158 or to silver.chips.print@ gmail.com. Concerns about Silver Chips’ content should be directed to the Ombudsman, the public’s representative to the paper, at silver.chips.ombudsman@gmail.com. Letters may be edited for space and clarity.
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November 12, 2012
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Call me, Romney
TV presidential debates create face but no facts By Alanna Natanson An opinion Carly Rae Jepsen and the presidential debate have a lot in common. Jepsen’s song “Call Me Maybe” and the Mitt Romney-Barack Obama debate on Oct. 2 both have ratings that top 50 million views (67.2 million for the debate, 298 million views for the song on YouTube). Both also mean trouble for the American public. While Jepsen’s song destroys eardrums, candidates distract voters from getting the information they need to make a decision on Election Day by using dramatic body language, zingers and pivots during the debates. The lyrics of “Call Me Maybe” become an auto-tuned blur under the repetitive rhythm, exactly the way that Obama and Romney hide policy discussion from the voters through dramatic body language. In the Oct. 2 debate, Obama seemed “laid-back”, while Romney was “aggressive,” says body language expert Janine Driver. Obama regained power as he stepped onto Romney’s turf during the Oct. 16 debate, and he continued his success in the third debate as he put Romney on the defensive, says CNN’s Tim Cohen. But body language, good or bad, does not tell voters who will
cut the deficit, who will provide more jobs and who will improve the education system. Ruth Marcus noted in her Oct. 12 Washington Post column, “With candidates, as with cupcakes, fancy presentation is nice. What’s underneath the icing matters most.” Voters need the facts, not a smile or hand wave. But even the candidates’ words do not hold much substance. That’s because audience members care more about zingers and horrible blunders than a five-point plan or an analysis of the Benghazi attack. Take a segment from the first debate. In a question about closing the deficit, Romney said he would cut funding for PBS. “I love Big Bird,” Romney assured America. Boom! @BigBird gets 34,015 followers on Twitter. Not only is Romney’s comment on Big Bird stupid, it’s a dangerous distraction. When candidates focus on camera-friendly one-liners, voters do too. Voters then miss the critical information needed to select a good president. “With a zinger,” says Stefanie Weldon, Blair’s debate team coach, “there has to be some meat there. You want something catchy, but you can’t stop there.” At least “Call Me Maybe” vaguely follows a plot line. Candidates often evade a question from a moderator by subtly shifting to a different topic. It’s called
ELLIE MUSGRAVE, COURTESY OF DISNEY
a pivot, and candidates from both major parties do it. Debate consultant Brett O’Donnell estimated in an Oct. 3 NPR story that candidates pivot 60 to 70 percent of the time. For instance, when an audience member asked why the Department of Energy does not lower gas prices, Obama launched into a discussion about nationalizing oil production. Romney didn’t even say “gas prices” in his initial response. Viewers rarely notice pivoting. In a study by Harvard’s School of Government, two test groups heard a question on health care in a mock debate. The group who heard a fake answer about illegal drug use thought the candidates were just as trustworthy and honest as the control group that heard the actual answer about health care. Increasingly, a TV screen distracts viewers so that they robotically accept everything that comes over the airwaves. If that trend continues, America is going to be one scary place to live. Americans are supposed to
have a representative on that stage, someone to grill the candidates and prevent pivoting: the moderator. David Corn, Washington Bureau Chief for Mother Jones writes in an email, “It is in part up to the moderators to prevent candidates from turning the debate stage into merely a soapbox upon which they can present their favorite, and often empty, talking points.” American voters need more Candy Crowleys to fact-check candidates as they question each other’s use of “terror.” But many would cry that the TV is a valuable medium for informing thousands of voters. Airing debates is pointless, however, if they mislead those thousands. After we heard “Call Me Maybe” once, we regretted it. But the song was stuck in our heads for the next month. When the election ends and this column is published, the TV debates should not have swayed voters into electing a candidate they will regret for four years. At least we can make that wish in a well.
There’s an answer to the field trip conundrum Sure we aren’t on a field trip right now, but it’s not the administration’s fault By Puck Bregstone An opinion A teacher interested in taking his or her class on a field trip waltzes into an assistant principal’s office, schmoozes for a while, talks about how great a trip to Sligo Creek would be for his or her biology students and--with the approval of the administrator-- is off to make plans to have field trip the very next week. This was once the way field trips were planned, but two years ago things changed. Some teachers see the process as a “hassle”, and a “total pain” but Donna Franklin, Blair’s Financial Specialist explains that the policies were not put in place to discourage field trips. The policy really never changed but only began being enforced at Blair two years ago. “The policy is not a new policy. The teachers may not have been aware of the full policy,” explains Franklin. These policies have unintentionally cut back on the number of field trips at Blair but are necessary measures to balance the budget and protect students and the school. Following standard procedure Blair went through a audit two years ago when Renay Johnson became principal. The auditors found that the books concerning field trip finances were not accurate, which is largely to blame on teacher’s inaccurate budgets for the trips. For example a teacher would charge each of their students just five dollars for a field trip that would cost far more and consequently fail to raise enough money for the trip. But Blair was always there to foot the tab. “We ended up paying for field trips we could not afford,” explains science teacher Leslie Blaha.
“We used to just hand [the financial assistant] a stack of money,” says Blaha. Now to prevent the need for additional funds from Blair, teachers have to come into the process with a pre-budget that includes the cost of substitute teachers, busses, county fees and the cost of any activity or meal that the students may need. Under the official policy, Franklin and several other teachers estimate that field trips must be planned about six to eight weeks in advance in order to alert the Central Office. MCPS Central Office in Rock-
of an accident and when the policy is enforced these precautions protect teachers, the school and the board. “We are not trying to make it difficult for teachers,” says Franklin. “We are trying to help the teachers in case anything
JULIA BATES
ville explains that in the case of an emergency this advance time is crucial because it gives teachers and chaperones information about students on the trip. As much fun as it is to think of your favorite Central Office bureaucrats sitting down at a situation table assessing a field trip situation, it is hard to believe that the same thing could not be accomplished in less than six weeks. Parents in Montgomery County are infamous for their shotgun approach to litigation in the case
happens. I try to make it as painless for them as possible.” Policies must be put in place to protect students from harm and to protect teachers, the school and County from being sued in the event of an accident. Still it has come down to actually discouraging teachers from taking field trips, so our system has to be reassessed. “Blair has to cover all their bases but sometimes they make it harder on the teachers. It seems to be bureaucracy-focused and not student focused,” says science teacher Charlie Demma. This is where the topic gets
tricky. Is it better to have a plentitude of field trips and not have the right steps in place to keep everyone safe both physically and legally, or make the field trip process “more difficult” but safer in the long run? Central Office has adopted a safety first policy. While this is a good call from an administrative standpoint, I cannot say its the same from an educational one. Blair is situated in an ideal area for outside the classroom learning. We have access to an array of world-class museums as well as other opportunities just a short metro ride away. The best way to encourage field trips is for teachers to be open to the idea that field trips are harder but not impossible. The financial office has attempted to reach out to teachers to explain the process and the more the process are publicized the more accessible it will seem to teachers. It is really a shame that teachers feel they are being restricted by the process. The bureaucratic process that now accompanies a field trip is unfortunate but for Blair it is the only solution to keeping field trip finances under control. It also insures MCPS security measures are nonnegotiable for Central Office and in the event of an accident beneficial to teachers.
November 12, 2012
silverchips
Opinions
B2
voicebox
Is ADHD medication overprescribed? JULIA BATES
pro/con
YES Sabrina Bradford
child abuse and anxiety, or even be classified as “gifted.” No wonder there is an estimated 20 percent misdiagnosis rate in all ADHD cases as well as a skyrocketing rate of ADHD medication prescriptions, as a study found in the 2010 Journal of Health Economics. Doctors prescribe medication to students at an alarming rate in order to calm them and help them focus in school. “[Children are] medicated as routinely as we have our tonsils taken out and on the same whimsical basis,” says education expert Sir Ken Robinson in his speech, The Paradigm of Education. “We’re penalizing them for getting distracted. From what? Boring stuff at school, for the most part.”
We have decided that it is too expensive to modify the classroom environment, so we modify the kid instead through medication.
A powerful drug that alters moods, sleeping and eating patterns that can cause irritability and even personality changes may sound dangerous, but such a drug exists and is given to young people across the country for their apparent lack of focus. But many of those diagnosed by psychiatrists and primary care physicians with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) do not need the medication they are prescribed. These doctors prescribe medications such We are living in the most intensely intelas Ritalin and Adderall that alter other behavior patterns to young developing brains. lectually stimulating period in the history of Stimulated by a close and corrupt alliance of the Earth. Our attention is constantly being the psychiatric-pharmaceutical agencies, the besieged from every platform: computers, ADHD epidemic profits the companies that, cell phones, iPods, television, and constant while appearing to offer a solution, actually advertising. Without consistent discipline and support in family and school environinspire misdiagnoses and overmedication. ments, it is easy for children and teens to In Minnesota alone from 2000 to 2005, drug maker payments to psychiatrists rose become distracted. Individuals who are experiencing attention problems are having more than six-fold to $1.6 million. In this period, the annual growth rate in ADHD pre- their symptoms exacerbated by modern scriptions was a total of 47.9 percent accord- distractions and their problems are being blamed wrongly on ADHD. ing to the journal Primary Psychiatry. Kids are also now developing around However, this drive for the diagnoses doesn’t rule out the possibility that patients technology and constant distractions, but modern education isn’t molding itself to fit may have learning disabilities, suffer from
ring in their different environments. Even when a child is diagnosed with ADHD, medication isn’t the only solution. Psychologists often use a multimodal approach where kids keep a calendar, assignment notebook and maintain other forms of behavioral management in addition to medi-
NO
Increases mean more people are seeking and obtaining the help they have always needed.
cation. Other psychologists encourage kids to avoid medication all together and learn to accommodate and control themselves. Those that choose the medicinal approach, however, are by no means becomWhen it comes to attention deficit hypering medicated zombies. In fact, a majority activity disorder (ADHD) there are facts, of kids on medication, like junior Sophia misconceptions, and more misconceptions. Doescher, argue that they depend on it for In the past ten years there have been academic achievement. “I wouldn’t be able increasing claims of an ADHD “epidemic” to get through school without it,” she exwhere doctors hand out ADHD diagnoses plains. “I know that because any day I don’t by the dozen and children transform into take my medication it’s difficult to focus and pill-popping zombies. These claims are just ends up being a mess.” unfounded. In fact diagnosis of ADHD is a The increased numbers of kids diagnosed careful process and provides effective treatwith ADHD reflects a positive step forward. ment. Increased diagnosis reflects increased People today have become much more comawareness about the disorder. fortable discussing mental health, a subject The diagnosis process for ADHD is not that was taboo twenty years ago. Increased an in-and-out trip to the doctor’s office. A full diagnosis usually takes six to eight weeks diagnosis does not mean that more people have ADHD than ever before, it just means and requires evaluation forms from various that more people are seeking and obtaining adults involved in the child’s life in order to determine if the ADHD symptoms are occur- the help they have always needed.
Mallory Rappaport
their needs simply because it cannot keep up with the new distractions of everyday life. Teachers lack the resources to handle kids that are either overstimulated or understimulated. As a society, we have decided that it is too expensive to modify the classroom environment, so we modify the kid instead through medication. Misdiagnosis leads to the dangerous over prescription of ADHD medications. Concerned parents hoping for their child’s success turn to ADHD medication as an easy solution to their problems instead of getting their children help. In part, these parents are responsible for the almost eight-fold increase of ADHD medication prescriptions over the last 40 years, a statistic found in a study from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health. No studies have adequately looked at the effect of five to 15 years of stimulant use on a developing brain, which leads one to wonder if these drugs are really safe long-term. The short-term side effects that we are aware of include irritability, nausea and insomnia, which lead to a whole new set of problems that could also potentially impair growth and brain development. Powerful pharmaceuticals certainly work quickly in relieving ADHD symptoms, but at a potentially high cost to families and their children. Psychiatrists should work with families on behavioral-management programs rather than immediately prescribing medications to a patient who has been diagnosed with the disorder. Those whose children have been prescribed medication should complete frequent behavior reassessments to determine if continued use of the ADHD drug is necessary and beneficial to the patient. Misdiagnosis of the disorder, which leads to overprescription of ADHD drugs, should be avoided at all costs by making sure doctors are really distinguishing between ADHD and other behavioral problems.
With the creation of organizations like Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) that offer support groups and advice for children with ADHD, kids are being diagnosed successfully, rather than allowing the disorder to go untreated and unacknowledged. Karen Sampson Hoffman, Health Information Specialist at the National Resource Center on ADHD explains that dealing with the disorder without treatment is extremely challenging. “Having ADHD is like watching TV, except someone else is the clicker. Everything is important and the brain can’t decide what to pay attention to,” she says. “It’s very real and very serious, but when treated chances and ability of success are equal to those of kids without ADHD. When it isn’t treated everything becomes more difficult.” In a case study done by Dr. Rachel Klein and Dr. Salvatore Mannuzza, 226 children diagnosed with ADHD in their childhood were observed over a period of 17 years. It was found that after several years of treatment, 63% of the subjects no longer had ADHD in their adolescence and by adulthood only 7% still suffered from symptoms of ADHD. The study concluded that ADHD treatment is effective in adolescents. The increased illusion of an ADHD “epidemic” could be attested to increased usage of derogatory phrases such as, “I’m having an ADD moment,” or “Stop being so ADD,” becoming much more common place. However a rise in diagnosis does not make this situation an epidemic. Further awareness about this disorder has only positive consequences.
Irsa Gonzalez Sophomore It’s very easy for people to go up to the doctor and say “I can’t pay attention in class” and get that diagnosis.
Hannah Willis Junior
I think that it might be kind of overprescribed to a degree, but I think it’s necessary because a lot of people do have it and need it and can’t function without the medication.
Bianca Clark Junior I think the diagnosis of ADHD is overbroad because the criteria is so vague or generalized so I think it can be mis-prescribed in certain cases.
Carleigh Mayo Senior I have ADD and I take one pill a day and I think it really helps. I know some people think it changes who they are, and it kind of does, but energy-wise.
Aaron Posner Junior I think the test doesn’t give it to enough people and the ones who get it are the ones who take the initiative to do the test.
B3 Opinions
silverchips
November 12, 2012
Local politicians call for major changes to Pepco Energy provider in the midst of upgrades, politicians ask for further improvements By Evan Morris An opinion Oct. 29 was punctuated by blustering winds, constant rain and, surprisingly, only a few flickering lights. Used to Pepco’s usual faulty power, many in the DMV were surprised to have kept their electricity during Hurricane Sandy. For years, Pepco’s abuse of its monopoly has hurt its DMV consumers. The structure of the company is reliant upon a lack of alternate options, rather than on its ability to provide quality service. The company’s lack of reliability stands out when compared to the rest of the state and the nation. Pepco has ranked in the lowest quartile nationally in terms of reliability, and even on sunny days, residents lose power more often than anyone else in Maryland. The health of vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly, is constantly put at risk by frequent and extensive outages. These groups often require power to continue their daily lives. The effects of the outages also extend into hospitals. While they have other means of obtaining electricity, week-long outages exhaust hospitals’ vital resources. This problem has not escalated to force evacuation in the recent past, but the risk should not be allowed. Pepco’s inconsistent maintenance programs force consumers to take matters into their own hands, endangering people as they attempt to trim back trees from the unprotected power lines. Unable to get a response from Pepco, over the years unrest has grown. Montgomery County Council President Valerie Ervin has expressed continuing concern at her neighborhood’s proposal to pool money for chainsaws, as trees get dangerously close to coming down on the lines.
Meanwhile, Pepco has no incentive to improve. The company has no competition, meaning that customers have no other viable choices, if they wish to have electricity. There is no market price for reliability, so the
company has no reason to provide efficient electricity to continue making money. Even if regulators were to threaten them with reform, under the current arrangements, these statements are for all practical purposes empty, as the company is virtually untouchable. Pepco’s terrible service especially hurts the area’s economy. Restaurants and other small businesses that sell perishable items, but do not have access to a generator, are particularly hurt by these random losses of
power. Those who do have access also lose money, as many of their supporting businesses are shut down in these outages. All the while, Pepco is profiting in spite of its poor performance. Because of tax
as he continues to raise dividends without improving quality. One proposed solution is the addition of competing energy providers in the affected area. Theoretically, this competition would lower costs, as well as create an incentive for higher reliability standards. This is one alternative in motivating reforms for Pepco’s lazy monopoly. However, this solution has its faults. Energy services function on economies of scale, meaning that by limiting production to one company, the cost of production per kilowatt is naturally lowered. By incorporating more individual companies in this process, the price of supplying energy would increase. This, coupled with ineffective bureaucratic complications, makes this proposed system change counterproductive. The regulated monopoly makes sense in theory, provided that there are effective checks on this power. Public power is another possible option for the DMV’s power problem. These authorities would serve only the customers, instead of catering to shareholders. The resulting money could be invested back into the community. This system would not be new to Maryland, as some southern parts of the state use it already. In addition to this solution, consumers must hold Pepco to a higher standard by the implementation of reliability insurance. With tiered pricing for reliability, customers could choose the number of days that they would be guarKATELIN MONTGOMERY anteed power. If the company was subsidies, in four years it had a negative unable to fulfill this requirement, it would be 39.5% corporate tax rate. The company pays forced to pay individuals what could add up essentially no taxes on its millions of dollars to millions as a form of insurance. of profit, and yet its programs continue to This option would make strides toward be cut back. Large sums of this money go a more reliable Pepco. The company would directly to executive bonuses. be made to change from within, or suffer The company’s interests lie in satisfythe consequences. Hopefully, by the end of ing shareholders instead of committing this change, there would be no weeks to consumers. One of these major without power in the heat of shareholders is the CEO of Pepco summer or midst of Holdings, Joseph Rigby, who a snowstorm to is, in effect, paying himself worry about.
Parents: do not enter
Lot congestions cause chaos By Daniel Alger An opinion In the morning rush, the University Boulevard side parking lot becomes a vehicular whirlpool. As a circle of parents’ cars slowly churn around the lot, student drivers are denied the safety of their designated parking spots while exiting busses barely scrape through the chaotic metal maelstrom. With blatant disregard for the well being of others, the hordes of parents who callously pass through the University side parking lot to drop off their children, congest and make it extremely difficult for staff, students and busses to use their designated parking area. In the past, parents who abused the student and staff parking lot were ticketed, but security has stopped enforcing this rule and parental use of the University side parking lot is at a high. “We don’t ticket them [parents], if they use it [the University side parking lot] nothing happens.” Said security guard Kelly. This needs to change. Often parents who use the University side lot do so because it is faster or more convenient for them than the Colesville side. “My mom drops me on the University side lot, sometimes she drops me where the busses go. It’s faster for her.” Said Sophomore Yancy Cruz. It’s under-
standable that parents want to get their kids to school on time, but they need to understand that the students the parking lot was built for have just as much, if not more, of a right to it than they do. If security doesn’t resume enforcing the designated parking lot rule, the massive morning congestion will continue, the chance of crashes in the parking lot will remain high, and the education of students relying on their parking spaces to get to school will be put at risk. The Colesville side parking lot includes its own drop off curve and plenty of parking spaces to accommodate both parents who park and parents who drop off their kids. This lot offers the same features as the University side lot and is designed for parental use. But parents continue to use the University side, and will not know of or follow the rule unless the school begins enforcing it again. Blair should resume reinforcing the designated parking lot rule because in the morning students, parents and busses all try to drive in the same place at the same time. This results in massive congestion and confusion as parents line up in the parking lot to drop off their kids, thus blocking parking spaces and getting in the way of busses that are forced to maneuver around them. This makes it nearly impossible for
students to get to their parking spaces before the morning bell, and the busses to get out of the drop off area. The ensuing confusion from the chaos of students, parents and busses all driving at the same time can also make it very dangerous for drivers and pedestrians in the area. The congestion caused by parents cars prevents students from getting to their parking spaces, thus making it take longer for them to get in the building and increasing their chances of being late to class. This has the potential to negatively affect their education. If danger
TATYANA GUBIN
and educational detriment are being ignored, the security team needs to step up enforcement. If security began enforcing the
designated parking lot rule, it would result in an overall smoother parking and drop off experience for all parties involved.
silverchips
November 12, 2012
Editorials
B4
Covering controversy
Editorial Cartoon
By Ruth Aitken Psychedelic patterns and images of ecstasy tablets and ‘shrooms floated across page 13 of Silver Chips’s June 2012 issue. A gradient of vibrant hues splashed across the entire page, juxtaposed by a single quote that admonished against drug abuse due to its gradual but devastating effects. The story, “A trip down a different road,” chronicled a select group of anonymous Blazers’ exploration with illegal hard drugs. Though most students greeted the article with amused interest, it also prompted a few whispers, as some considered Silver Chips to have been irresponsible in its coverage of illegal drug abuse. The voices of Blair’s hard drug users, critics said, overpowered the author’s voice until the article seemed merely to be an endorsement of some Blazers’ illegal activity. As in the case of any non-opinion story Silver Chips publishes, however, the article intended to follow its sources objectively. Throughout the paper, we aim to allow sources to direct the content of the story. Silver Chips staffers do not determine the angles that their stories will adopt; it is contrary to journalistic integrity to manipulate the sources’ quotes and perspectives in order to satisfy a preconceived notion of what the story should be. Throughout any piece, the author’s own voice should be a secondary force that organizes the story’s concrete material, which the sources provide. The article was not at all an endorsement of drug usage of any kind, though the sources themselves expressed interest in substance abuse. However, as Blair’s forum for student expression, Silver Chips has the freedom to cover contentious subjects. We wish to provide coverage on the full breadth of Blazers’ interests and experiences, without diluting the reality. Part of Silver Chips’s legacy is that, unlike many other high school papers, we reserve the right of freedom from prior review. Because the paper operates indepen-
dently of financial support from the school, we are not obligated to submit a draft to any administrator before publication. This privilege allows Silver Chips staffers to direct all steps of production, including story selection. In order to keep the paper interesting and capture the attention of our teenage audience, Silver Chips must relate to issues that teenagers deem relevant. From hard drugs to illegal immigration to Blazers leaving campus for open lunch, the paper details a variety of behaviors that are prohibited in order to include a selection of hard-hitting stories in each issue. Opinion pieces and editorials are clearly marked as such, and only those pieces express the views of either a single writer or the paper as a whole. Coverage of a practice does not lend legitimacy to the activity itself; the paper does not by any means condone LEAH HAMMOND any illicit or illegal behavior. Within each story, Silver Chips presents a variety of viewpoints on any one issue. In “A trip down a different road,” professors of medicine warned against hard drug use. Their professional experience meshed with contrasting quotes by student sources to create a duality of perspective. However, it is understandable that some readers had dubious initial reactions to “A trip down a different road.” In attempts to create a captivating and visually interesting design scheme, the page was overloaded with trippy graphics and art, and emphasized the sources’ favorable atitude towards drugs to a dangerous extent. Perhaps Silver Chips should have considered the propreity of overly loud page designs when the subject matter of a story is of questionable legality. As this year the paper is striving to establish a balance of thurough content and interesting layout, so we should also uphold our standard of reporting touchy subjects in an impartial manner. Comments or concerns? Email the ombudsman at silver.chips.ombudsman@gmail.com
Ombudsman Ruth Aitken
JULIA BATES
Corrections Freshman Nazea Khan’s name was misspelled in October’s feature, “Increasing understanding, alleviating fear.” Several staff members names were omitted from or misspelled in the staff box. The correct names and list appears on page B1 of this issue. Leah Hammond and Leila Bartholet were not credited for the photographs taken to accompany the story “Cutting Edge.”
Question 7 is not worth the gamble for MD With the conclusion of a record breaking contest that not only outspent any election issue in Maryland’s history but also confused a record number of Maryland voters, the dust settles. It may already be time to reevaluate the bill that did not adhere to typical partisan divides or even one uniform set of facts. In the wake of unclear ballot language and an onslaught of conflicting advertisements Maryland voted “Yes” on Question Seven on Nov. 6. Publicity for this measure promised increased education funding from the establishment of a National Harbor casino in Prince George’s County (PG County). Despite a barrage of confusing messages regarding Question Seven, the foremost argument that emerged in favor of the proposal was that its passage would serve to bolster school funding. The proposed legislation, however, does not contain any explicit guarantees regarding the distribution of the casino’s revenue. Though marketed as an initiative to increase funding for the Education Trust Fund, there are no provisions stated in the act that mandate earmarked funding for education.
Even in the event that a portion of the casino’s revenue is in fact deposited in the trust fund, it is uncertain that the money will go toward improving PG County schools. Politicians seeking to draw revenue for failing projects throughout the state have previously ransacked the Education Trust Fund for amounts of up to $350,000 in last-ditch attempts to rescue failing projects elsewhere throughout the state. If revenue from the casino does not ultimately benefit education, was it misleading to promote Question Seven as an educationstrengthening endeavor? The rationale of increased educational expenditure contributed to voter support of Question Seven. If only a sliver of the funds from the project actually benefit PG County schools, then voters who supported the act will have been misled. In the event that intentionally skewed portrayal of the act led to the referendum passing, we will need to reassess the moral implications of corporations that misrepresented Question Seven’s actuality. The primary asserted benefit of the law’s passage is the creation of jobs in PG County. Though it is true that Question Seven will
open positions within the casino, the purported numbers appear to have been skewed. The proponents of Question Seven claim that the casino will lead to 4,000 permanent jobs, but the Department of Legislative Analysis estimated this number at only 2,240 full time and part-time jobs. There are currently over 30,000 unemployed in PG County, and the proponents of Question Seven cannot assert with any certainty that the available jobs in the casino would be given to county residents. Prince George’s County is an area already plagued by poverty and struggling to manage mounting crime rates; casinos tend to foster criminal activity and target those who are already financially disadvantaged. The casino is likely to spark conflict in the area and increase instances of fraudulent activity. Gambling intrinsically victimizes impoverished people who feel as if gambling is their sole opportunity to recover from debt and multiply what little wealth they possess. The PG casino will compound preexisting poverty and crime in the county with increased exploitation as Question Seven allows
all casinos in Maryland to include table games. Before the referendum, gambling in Maryland was restricted solely to slot machines. Though slot machines are manipulative in that chances of winning a slot game are slim, table games expound upon casinos’ exploitation. Increased interpersonal interaction and the false sense that table games are less rigged than machinery contributes to greater ease of gambling addiction. Legislators cannot claim ignorance of Question Seven’s potentially ruinous impact on PG County gamblers; the law itself provides that the state must earmark $1. 7 million dollars per year toward the establishment of gambling addiction treatment centers. It is clear that the lawmakers responsible for the proposal’s creation anticipate its backlash. Though the bill’s proponents are able to identify the inevitable repercussions of the legislation, they also ignore human welfare in favor of personal financial gain. Casino owners hold gross revenue from table games in higher regard than the provocation of destructive habits. As the Washington Post pointed out, the entire Question Seven
debate was injected with a dose of pathos and framed as a debate over education funding, while it was really a turf war between two competing casino corporations. Advertisements that identified education as a pivotal argument of the Question Seven debate deceitfully masked the crux of the matter: the interest of big-business oligarchs. According to the Baltimore Post, Question Seven would effectively grant casino operators multi-million dollar tax cuts annually. Meanwhile, Maryland tax rates for middle-class families and small businesses continue to rise. Question Seven’s contemporary fiscal context prompts an apparent divergence in interests. While billionaire casino owners are padding their bank accounts, PG County residents are turning out empty pockets. The hypothetical advantages of Question Seven are outweighed by its definite disadvantages. Question Seven’s planned implementation leaves much up to chance, and has Maryland shaking a fistful of blank dice. Please submit letters to the editor to silver.chips. print@gmail.com
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November 12, 2012
SOAPBOX B6
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November 12, 2012
Want to be featured in the next Soapbox? Follow @Silver_Chips on twitter and respond to any of our #soapbox questions in full sentences. If your response is creative, intelligent or interesting, your tweet could be picked for the next issue! We will credit you with your full name, your grade and your twitter handle.
Do you think Pepco is doing a better job since the events of this summer? see page A1 “Yes, because this storm was worse than the Derecho over the summer. I lost power then, but the lights didn’t even flicker this time.” -junior James Taylor “Yes, Pepco is doing a fantastic job; I did not lose power once during Hurricane Sandy.” -junior Simeon Kapovi
Would you ever consider eating bugs?
“Yes, Pepco is doing a better job because my lights only flickered once throughout the hurricane.” -senior Abel Asafere
see page C3-4
“Yes, because they are high in protein. I think that they would be interesting to eat.” -sophomore Alani Fuji
Chips Pics:
“No, because they are disgusting. I believe there is enough food in this country, so I don’t need to eat bugs.” -senior Clara Benjamin “I would consider eating bugs. It’s good to expand my food experience.” -junior Raymond Burtnick “No, bugs are gross but Al Roker did it for the Beijing Olympics coverage.” -seniors Rachel Robey and Madeline Krogh @theOGoons
Chips Index:
ZEKE WAPNER
#parking 1,954 people in total attended Blair Homecoming.
see page B3
COURTESY OF EVAN KAHN
ELLIE MUSGRAVE
#homecoming see page C8
#viral see page D1
The number of illegal immigrants deported from the US in 2011 is 392,000. 84.13 percent of Blazers support the Civil Marriage Protection Act.
Have you seen any wild animals around Blair?
There are 1,462 species of edible insects.
see page C1
The average time it takes for a Blazer to park their car is 3.56 minutes.
“Yes, I have spotted the Loch Ness Monster in the 4th floor pool.” -junior Carson Schweickhardt
51.4 percent of Blazers have been to Santucci’s this school year. There are 145 days in the Maryland hunting season.
“No, but I live in Woodmoor, right across the street, and I’ve seen racoons and foxes in my neighborhood.” -junior Claire Fortuna
78 percent of Blazers say that Obama won the presidential debates. Chips Index was compiled by Sabrina Bradford with assistance from Leslie Chen, David DeWeaver, Ronnita Freeman, Blue Keleher, Alexis Redford-Maung Maung, Rohan Oprisko, Sam Popper, Aditi Subramaniam, Naomi Weintraub, William Xu and others from Ms. Adamson’s Journalism 1 class.
“Yes, in my P.E. class last week there was a deer in the baseball field.” -freshman Sarah Joyce
Looking back on presidential predictions:
Do you think there are enough field trips at Blair?
see page B1
“I think there aren’t enough class trips. I know I’m only a freshman, but I haven’t hear of any trips planned.” -freshman Lela Gaye “No, I have only had two field trips my entire time at Blair. Field trips are an important part of supporting learning in the classroom.” -junior Neil Dalal “No, because there are on average, one or so field trips per year. Field trips help us interact with people we might actually interact with later on.” -junior Allen Luk
“I believe, and hope, that Obama will serve a second term because, although I don’t think he has been a powerful campaigner, he has not dug himself into a “Ihole believe, and hope, Obama will serve a second because,has.” although I don’t whose walls arethat lined with vague statements as term Mitt Romney think heLiam has been a powerful campaigner, he has not dug himself into a hole whose -junior Johnstone walls arethat lined with vague as because Mitt Romney -junior Liam Johnstone “I think Obama will winstatements this election he ishas.” popular among women and young voters. Also, incumbents tend to win.” “Personally, though -sophomoreeven William ZhuI would prefer Barack Obama to win, Mitt Romney will probably win the elction because want a change Obama hasn’t it happen quick “Personally, even thoughpeople I would prefer Barackand Obama to win, Mittmade Romney enough” -freshman Jones people want a change and Obama hasn’t will probably win theHunter elctionM. because made it happen quick enough “I-freshman think thatHunter ObamaM. willJones win this election because he is popular among women and young voters. Also, incumbents tend to win.” -sophomore William Zhu
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November 12, 2012
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THEN:1966
Opinions
B8
My Blair: Personal column
Taking time A big break leads to reflection By Hannah Weintraub
SILVERLOGUE ARCHIVES
CONCESSIONS Blair student works the concession stand to raise money for the school.
& NOW:2012
LEILA BARTHOLET
CHIPOTLE After ordering food, a customer recieves change from a Chipotle worker.
Up and Coming NOV 14: First quarter report cards
6:40 AM. On Friday morning I race down the stairs into my kitchen; the clock ticking down to the moment my school bus would open its doors in an exasperated sigh. “Competitors, on your marks, get set-” The minute hand seems to be taunting me, pitting me against the bus’s giant, rubber wheels. 6:45 AM. My bus is supposed to be at the end of my street and I am still in my kitchen grabbing my lunch, papers, money. Stuffing my phone into my pockets, I force my feet into my shoes. This rush is not unusual. My typical late nights lead to oversleeping, which inevitably results in my daily morning panic. My parents try to sidestep my whirlwind as they lecture me on the importance of giving myself more time. Their attempts at getting me to slow down began when I was seven. My mom had just bought me my first CD’s, Simon and Garfunkel and Aretha Franklin. What an eclectic mix. Simon and Garfunkle sang out about Mrs. Robinson while Franklin belted out her need for a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Still, the lyric that I would incessantly hum was Simon and Garfunkel’s call of, “Slow down, you’re moving to fast. Gotta make the morning last.” This morning, I soon wish that I had heeded the duo’s advice. 6:47 AM. Out the door, down the street, the bus on my heels as I barrel down the sidewalk. Almost there. My heart pumping blood faster than it ever should after being awake for just 15 minutes. 6:48 AM. My shoe slips off my foot and I fly - until I slam onto the hard concrete. Dollar bills and reams of paper scatter around me like piñata treats. The bus pulls up to the stop and wheezily opens its doors. The flashing light atop the vehicle smugly proclaims itself as victor. I painfully stand up, gather my strewn belongings and walk onto the bus. In pure, competitive spite I forgo my usual, sing-songy wish that the driver have a “good morning.” I admit it; I was a sore loser both figuratively and literally. My Takoma Park soccer coach would not have been proud. I squeeze into a seat and notice the bulge beginning to grow at the base of my finger. The pain that my adrenaline had valiantly fought off now begins to surge through my hand. I hang my head in shame at having let this bus beat me so triumphantly. 7:05 AM. The bus slowly pulls up to school at the pace of molasses. “The driver is trying to torture me,” I callously think, as I remain captive on the bus while my fingers turn shades of blue and purple. Finally, the grumbling machine rolls to a stop and opens its doors. I hobble off, as my bruising hand continues to swell. I begin another race; this time between myself and my searing pain. The finish line: The nurse’s office. Course obstacles: The zombified, half asleep masses of teenagers that groggily meander along Blair Boulevard before the first bell. Of course, I leave myself with no time for error. With my sister in tow, we maneuver through the crowds with the agility of the FBI on a drug bust. In record time, we cross the 140’s hallway just beating out my next wave of pain. There are no victory laps or crowds of cheering supporters. Instead only a locked, nurse’s door stands at the finish line. My finger begins to throb announcing pain’s victory over my attempts to out run it and bringing in my morning’s record to 0-2. 7:19 AM. The nurse finally arrives. She gives me an ice pack, assuring that it will make my finger feel much better. Never in my experience has a bag of ice fulfilled its promised expectations. I start to feel nauseous and the nurse offers to let me lie down on a cot. Another remedy as surefire as a bag of ice and some magical healing sticks. 7:30 AM. Finally, my dad comes and picks me up and we drive to the hospital. An x-ray confirms my final defeat; I had fractured two fingers in my left hand. As the nurse sets my finger and places my bound hand in a sling, I begin to think that perhaps, it would do me some good to “slow down” and begin to “make the morning last.” As my string of losses proved, apparently slow and steady does win the race.
NOV 16: Magnet Arts Night NOV 21: Thanksgiving
COURTESY OF HANNAH WEINTRAUB
BRUISED When Hannah fell, she fractured two of her fingers.
Student Awards & Honors The Siemens Foundation announced the Semifinalists and Regional Finalists of the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology on Oct. 19. Junior Neil Davy is a regional finalist and seniors Samir Durvasula, Danting Liu, Lizzy Liu, Jason Ma, Charlie Pasternak, Jinhie Skarda, Ashley Yuen, and Samuel Zbarsky were semifinalists.
Junior Virtor Adams participated in the State Golf Tournament on Oct. 22 and Oct. 23 at the University of Maryland, College Park Golf Course.
Freshman Amy Li won gold at the Junior World Wushu Competition. The competition took place from September 17 to Sept. 25 in Macau, China.
Senior Tommy Raskin won the Humanist Essay Contest, sponsored by The Humanist magazine on Sept. 26. Raskin’s essay about cheating fit with the contest’s goal of exposing youth to humanism.
Then and Now and Student Awards & Honors were compiled by Josh Schmidt and Emma Rose Borzekowski.
Silver Chips November 12, 2012
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from HUNTING page A1
Elmer Fudd of Looney Toons and the hunters of Realtrees’ Monster Bucks, as “evil” or “inhumane.” But Steve Kendrot, wildlife biologist and hunter, believes that these common perceptions are not entirely accurate. Many hunters, says Kendrot, consider themselves one with nature and feel they have the same natural instinct to kill as any other predator. According to the Department of Natural Resources, Maryland has an environmental problem with wild deer over-grazing and over-browsing forests, leaving less food for other animals. As a hunter, Kendrot feels as if he is one part of the natural food cycle. “Hunting performs ecological functions to keep deer in relation. Humans have the responsibility to take the place of predators,” he says. According to falcon trainer and trapper Tom Humphrey, hunters are frequently tarnished with bad reputations—both deserved and undeserved. “A lot of people that are not ethically as good call themselves hunters, and are not as ethical as they should be,” he says. “I don’t really consider them hunters as much as poachers or slobs.” To hunters who believe that they are ethical in their interactions with animals, the biggest offense is the general commercialization and lack of respect for the animals in hunting shows. “They make it all about who gets the deer with the biggest antlers,” Kendrot says, frustrated. “It makes it seem like… it’s more about kill-
ing animals when it’s really about the deep understanding of the natural world.”
Getting started About four months are allotted annually to the three different hunting seasons, which are distinguished by the weapon that the hunter uses: bow, muzzle loader or firearms. Parsley hunts from raised platforms, usually 100 yards apart in the forest. Camouflaged in the treetops 10 to 15 feet off of the ground, a hunter can sit in a floating chair or rest in a type of tree house. With each structure generally holding two people, space can get cramped, but these stands can give a bird’s eye-view advantage to the hunters. A few years ago, Parsley and his grandfather went on the Junior Deer Hunt, a special hunt for youth under the age of 16. One of his friends had just shot his first deer of the day, and Parsley was ready for his big catch. His grandfather spotted the deer and helped Parsley load his gun and secure a target. Sure enough, with a pull of the trigger, Parsley successfully snagged his family’s evening meal. For Parsley, more than anything, hunting is a family activity. Almost every weekend of the hunting season, his father’s side of the family ventures to western Maryland to hunt. Hunting wild game is both recreational and environmental for his family. “I recognize hunting as a sport,” says Parsley. “But it’s also important because if you don’t hunt the population of a certain species, they will hurt other species.”
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Kendrot identifies hunting as being more about the experience than the actual kill of the day. “The most memorable experience I had was hunting in the Rockies. I did not kill a deer, but I got to see animals such as black bears and bobcats that very few others get to see,” says Kendrot.
Two birds, one stone
Hunters such as Kendrot and Parsley insist that hunting is cost effective to putting food onto the table. While many travel five miles to their local grocery stores, Parsley bypasses his local grocery stores and heads to the woods. According to the web site Butcher and Packer, a 90-pound deer yields about 30 pounds of edible meat. Meanwhile, Grande Premium Meat of Colorado, a venison vendor, sells around 25 pounds of meat for $190. Venison is a healthy alternative to beef or pork, according to Kendrot. Unlike many factory-farmed meats, venison is free of antibiotics and growth hormones. The meat is a real bang for your buck. Venison is enjoyed by a wider range of people than might be commonly assumed. There is a pervasive stereotype among many in the U.S. that hunters are “rednecks”. “You would never guess the kind of people that are hunters: from environmentalists to politicians. The people that I hunt with are just more contemplative about why they do hunt,” says Kendrot. He laughs, adding, “Some are rednecks; in some little way I think all of us are rednecks.
Mike Tidwell proves it’s easy being green An extreme environmentalist shares his concerns about climate change and his eco-fixes
By Maya Habash Mmmm, dinner time! The fresh garden smell of the steaming vegetables and the mesmerizing whiff of the chicken patties fill the air. Vegetarian chicken patties, that is. The family of three sits down at the table ready for an entirely vegetarian dinner made with locally grown food cooked on the stove that burns organically fertilized corn kernels. Leftovers? Just throw them in the refrigerator that uses as much energy as a single light bulb. The refrigerator, home and patty belong to Mike Tidwell, a Takoma Park resident who converted his house to an entirely environmentally friendly zone in 2001. Writing as a free-lance journalist about the environment throughout the 90’s for papers including the Washington Post, Tidwell realized he needed to make a change. “Writing made me realize we weren’t listening to the scientific evidence. Instead of only writing about it, I wanted to become an activist,” says Tidwell. “I wanted to change the way people vote, the way people look at the world, I wanted to change the way people live.” He needed to set an example, and one of the first things he did was install solar panels on his roof. According to the Maryland Energy Administration, Maryland uses 2% of America’s solar energy. Many Blazers will likely be converting from electricity to solar panels in the coming years. Few, however,
will revamp their homes into entirely green zones with the same zeal that the Tidwell family has.
A family affair Tidwell has been questioned about whether his extreme changes really generate change in the environment. “I’ve had presidents of coal and oil companies criticize me saying all the changes being made to my house will not affect any global change…and they’re right,” says Tidwell. But he conserves resources to set an example, because he believes it’s the right thing to do. “I’m obnoxiously green. We want to stand up for what we believe in. I try to make my life an example and hopefully an inspiration as well,” he says. His son, Sasha Tidwell, sophomore at Blair, completely supports his dad’s hard work and concern. “I think the solar panels are definitely really cool and unique. And plus we save a lot of money that way, the electricity bill is really low,” he says. In addition to the stove fueled by corn kernels, the energy-efficient refrigerator and the solar panels, this Takoma Park family uses a lawn mower fueled by man-power. “These devices work exactly the same as the ones most people have,” says Sasha. “The only thing is that mowing the lawn with a push mower is slower than a normal lawn mower.”
Why so serious
Tidwell’s passion for this issue manifests itself in his worry for the future of his son’s generation. “My biggest fear is that Sasha and [his generation] are going to have just a fraction of the opportunities in [their] lives that I’ve had in mine,” says Tidwell. “I want [them] to never be hungry, never have to worry about security, or clean water.” Tidwell’s actions are based on his belief that humans are responsible for the environmental damage they have caused. “Mother nature is not doing this, humans are doing this,” Tidwell stresses. Humans burn fossil fuels, and anything with a flame has a by-product of carbon dioxide, which goes into the atmosphere and traps in heat. A warmer atmosphere causes continental interior areas all over the world to dry out. “If you put your finger anywhere on the globe, that area is drying out,” says Tidwell. In addition, these conditions cause a rise in sea levels and could potentially affect some of the world’s major coastal cities and lead to climate changes that alter storm patterns, increasing the frequency and intensity of natural disasters like the recent Hurricane Sandy.
Going green, fixing the problem The rate at which energy is being consumed is just as frightening to Tidwell as the extreme weather conditions, which is why he is a strict vegetarian. “Meat produc-
tion is extremely energy intensive,” says Tidwell. “You have to take care
laws to fight climate change. In late 2001 and early 2002, after all the changes to his house were finalized, Tidwell hosted open houses to show the community the work he had done and hopefully inspire people to do the same. “I would have an open house every two months for six months, and hundreds of people would show up. I asked for their names and email addresses … And these were the original members of CCAN, where we currently have 16 staff members,” says Tidwell. In addition to spreading his main environmenmessage that huhis house. mans play a huge role in the climate change that is becoming detrimental to our environment and lives, Tidwell hopes to motivate young people to make a difference. “Our whole world is completely dependent on a reliable, stable climate,” says Tidwell, and “every bit of involvement helps. There are great student organizations like the Sierra Student Coalition or the MCSEC [and] if everybody pitches in, we can make a difference.” ZEKE WAPNER
ECO-FRIENDLY Tidwell with his taly friendly lawnmover in front of of the animals, protect them, give them water, food, transport and refrigerate the meat, and cook it. If everyone stopped eating meat, we would release 40% less greenhouse gases,” Tidwell explains. Tidwell’s devotion to spreading awareness about climate change caused him to be the founder of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, whose mission is to organize and promote clean energy
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“These other people came to our block and started fighting and somebody hit somebody with a hammer.”
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Living under the radar
The Blair community reflects on immigration and deportation CALLAHAN MAYER-MARKS
By Paris Parker-Loan
Where only first names appear, names have been changed to protect the identities of sources.
“Y
our dad is in jail.” Sixteen-year-old Ruby, a junior, remembers her weeping mother’s words just as clearly now as when she first heard them nine years ago. When Ruby was seven, her father was deported to El Salvador. Ruby, an American citizen born in El Salvador, has seen her father twice since his deportation Deportation and immigration are hotly debated issues as the country enters a new presidential term. They have become subjects of polarity—to pass or table the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act? To close borders or open a path to citizenship? To be lenient or unforgiving in deportation policies? While the immigration battle is fought on a national level, individual immigrants carry on personal battles in their respective communities around the country. Statistically, Ruby’s father’s experience is relatively anomalous, according to Pew Research. The institution approximates that 11 million unauthorized immigrants live in this country, of 40 million total immigrants. Ruby’s father was one of 300,000 deportees in 2007. Not all immigrants, however, are undocumented, and not all of those who are will be deported. Regardless of legal status, the legislation affecting immigrants and the cultures they bring with them are significant to many communities, including Blair’s.
Making the transition Foreign-born students in MCPS often find assistance in the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Program, which attempts to facilitate cross-cultural assimilation. Dr. Vilma Y. Nadal, who holds a Ph.D. in counseling psychology, has been a schoolbased ESOL Counselor for Blair and other local schools for 26 years. “Our goal is to help students that come from other countries be able to function in this culture,” she says. Though Ruby spoke English before her
father was deported, she found counseling services that MCPS provided to be helpful in coping with her family situation, especially after she switched schools at age six. “Not many people knew me, just school counselors, so that was helpful,” she recalls. Adjusting to new situations is difficult even for immigrants not dealing with deportation, according to Beatriz Mendoza, a Parent Com- munity Coordinator with the Department of Family and Community Partnership. “It’s a different culture. It’s a different system,” says Mendoza.
A home away from home For many foreign-born students, cultural differences are harder to overcome than language barriers and school adjustments. Junior Micahyas Akama, who lived in Ethiopia until he was 11 years old, learned English as was required by the Ethiopian school system. Akama still finds life in the United States to be different than life back home. “[In] any place where one is a minority, one faces difficulty in society,” Akama says. Nadal agrees that the immigrant experience has the same foundations regardless of the legality or place of origin. “Even in the best situation, there is a culture shock,” she says. “There are different values, and [immigrants] have to learn how to relate.” Mendoza observes that immigrant parents and their children differ in their willingness to assimilate. “Kids here have more freedom than their parents want to give them,” she says. “Parents want to raise the kids like they would in their country.” Relating to the new culture can be as important as maintaining ties to the old. Akama attends cultural festivals to maintain his identity, and plans to revisit Ethiopia for the first time in 2014. “I try to keep my culture by associating myself with Ethiopians here in school and the community,” he says. But before an immigrant can even begin to think about assimilation, he or she must gain entry into the country. For immigrants entering the United States, admission can come down to the possession of a few documents. “Legal” immigration entails the possession of a green card, visa, or proof of naturalized citizenship. An immigrant without
any of these verifications is considered to be undocumented.
Trouble along the way Ruby’s father successfully entered the country three times, twice without any of these documents, and twice was sent back to El Salvador before his most recent deportation in 2004. The Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigates unauthorized immigration cases and apprehends foreign nationals who do not have an authorized status. In 2011, ICE forcibly removed 397,000 undocumented immigrants from the country. While federal agencies can deport undocumented immigrants, local agencies can not. Following a June 2012 Supreme Court ruling in the case of Arizona v. United States, state law enforcement agencies cannot indiscriminately question foreign nationals about their citizenship status without a reasonable basis for suspicion of criminal charges. Ruby’s father’s deportation was based on such criminal allegations. He and two other immigrants, both legal residents, were caught dealing cocaine and meth in the United States when he was 18. Although he had entered the country with a visa, he went to jail for a year before being deported to El Salvador. Ruby’s father re-entered the United States two years later, but was denounced to the police by a coworker. His criminal history warranted two more years in jail and another deportation. He remained in El Salvador for seven years, during which Ruby was born and naturalized as an American citizen. When Ruby was four, her father returned to the United States and lived there under the radar for three years before running into trouble. He befriended a police officer, and asked him to help clear his case in the drug scandal. “He basically turned himself in,” Ruby says. “He knew that it could backfire.” And it did. Ruby remembers her father spending six months in a D.C. jail before being transferred to an “alien” jail in Georgia. Ruby, then seven years old, was confused by her father’s situation. “I didn’t understand. I thought he didn’t put his seatbelt
on or something,” she recalls. Although Ruby has seen her father only twice since his 2007 deportation, she says that he has given her valuable advice through their telephone correspondences. “He tells me, ‘work hard now and you won’t have to pay for it later,’” Ruby says.
Political perspectives The Nov. 6 state elections highlighted changes in immigration policy. Maryland voters passed a DREAM Act ballot initiative 57 percent to 43 percent, according to state precinct reports. The initiative will allow undocumented students to get a degree from community college and then enroll in a fouryear public school for in=state tuition, provided that they are high school graduates and meet the requirement for income tax, selective service registration and residency. The United States offers opportunities that, for some immigrants, were not fathomable in their birth countries. Even so, immigrating to the United States is not always the cure-all for their problems. Even before the policy changes that will be imposed in Jan. 2013, immigrants face daily struggles that have not been addressed on a legislative level. Workplace discrimination and anti-employment legislation often eliminate opportunities for economic, and even educational, prosperity. “Many students drop out of school because they can work and their parents cannot,” says Nadal. Conservatives who support restrictions on immigration have critiqued the ESOL program, claiming that it encourages undocumented immigrants to enter the United States by promising them assistance. “That’s ignorance,” Nadal says. “[ESOL] has nothing to do with fostering immigration.” ESOL, she explains, was established in the 1970s— before undocumented immigration reached modern levels. Modern immigrants face various pressures—economic, political, educational and social—as they try to make their ways in the United States. Nadal stresses that, despite these pressures, it is an inherent human right to be able to live the best possible life. “You do have a chance, you have the right, you can do it,” she says.
MURAL Art in Takoma Park and Silver Spring commemerates the contributions of varied cultures (above) and the struggles of local immigrants (below).
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The future of bug eating
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Although the western world might be on the track to an insect agricultural revolution, it still has long way to go. Even if insect cuisine does make it in America’s squeamish civilization, David Gordon doubts that people will ever dig in to a pile of bugs served in their raw form. “Realistically, for [insects] to become a cuisine, I think what would happen is they would actually use ground up insects as a protein supplement. ‘If I don’t have to look at it then I’m interested’ is most people’s attitude,” says Gordon. To those who are still skeptical, Gordon points to other foods that were once viewed with distaste and have since taken off. “Sushi is my favorite example; non existent in western world until 25 years ago. Now [sushi places] are everywhere,” says Gordon. Kathy Mitchell is also confident about the bug-eating future. “I feel that the trend is leaning towards the acceptance of insects for a food source and will continue to become even more acceptable in the future,” she says.
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More than a friend’s dare motivates some to replace beans with bees or lemon zest with lemon ants. As humans begin to put stress on the environment by growing in both population and pants size, many are starting to look towards bugs as a nutritious and ecologically friendly alternative to typical food sources, says Gordon. In the square off between mini-livestock, another term for commercially raised bugs, and typical livestock, bugs give a better bang for their buck, Blangiardo observes. According to the Huffington
We looked down at the mound of squirming mealworms . Their light brown bodies pulsed in unison like a beating heart. Their tails and heads writhed back and forth as they clawed their way towards the center of the plate. This was lunch. Before cooking began, we sifted through numerous bug recipes online in search of the crème de la crème of bug cuisine. After vetoing recipes for mealworm French fries and cricket tacos, we settled on the classics: chocolate chip cricket cookies and sautéed mealworms . Yum. Our first step was overcoming the initial repulsion of eating bugs. The insect’s beady eyes, protruding antennas and squirming bodies did not calm us as we prepared ourselves for the big bites. After a morbid trip to the freezer, the crickets lay limp on the plate, stone cold dead. Although there was no symphony of chirps or attempts at jumping away, as we readied to drench the bugs in chocolate it was still hard to see the bugs as food rather than pests. The mealworms faced a more tragic death. After they came in the mail, we kept them alive for a week by feeding them corn meal. When we were ready to begin cooking, we slowly poured the squirming mass out of their cardboard home. We grabbed a handful of the worms and rinsed them off. Preparing to sauté the worms, we poured oil and garlic into a pan and waited for the mixture to heat up. Then, unceremoniously, we dropped the struggling worms into the sputtering oil, sending them to their sizzling death. hit the oil, they let out a series As the mealworms of loud popping sounds. We looked into the pan. On contact with the intense heat, the bugs’ micro-sized innards sputtered out of their small abdomens in small geysers of steam. W i t h more remorse than before, we poured the rest of the mealworms into the crackling oil slick.
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A six-legged solution
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For diners who are interested in taking part in the six-legged revolution, crawling around in the backyard is not the only option. In the last 30 years, insect farms have been popping up all across the country. Hotlix is one such company. Started 30 years ago, Hotlix was one of the first producers of edible insect snacks and candies. Although there was apprehension towards their products originally, support has grown gradually. “Much to my surprise, over the years people have become more educated, interested [and] informed about how some insects are edible,” says Kathy Mitchell, manager of Hotlix. Although their blueberry Scorpion Sucker and sour cream and onion “crick-ette snacks” remain their best selling items, Mitchell has witnessed a rise in demand for bugs and bug products as a part of people’s regular diets. “Hotlix has seen a shift in insect eating becoming more acceptable and people are interested in using insects in their meal planning,” she says. “We have requests for more mainstream food items, besides our candy and snacks.” In one quick google search, dozens of insect farms pop up, ready to ship live crickets, mealworms and other edible critters around the country. For our culinary endeavor, we ordered 500 crickets and 1000 mealworms . After a few days of anxious waiting, the two small cardboard canisters arrived. We opened the first container, wanting to make sure that our small friends had survived their journey. Inside, with only the company of a small section of egg container, were 1000 shiny tan mealworms , slithering over one another in a glistening pile. We shut the container. Wanting to give the crickets equal attention, we started to open the lid, when visions of 500 crickets erupting out of the canister and into the house danced into our heads. We re-sealed the lid and put the container in the freezer, sending our chirping chums to into the icy maw of death.
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While bug eating is on the rise, pulling out a sandwich of earthworms and cicadas may still send some running. “I would laugh at someone who ate a bug,” sophomore Megan Gaby chides. Most people, Gordon explains, are hesitant because they fear the diseases that the bug might carry or they simply fear the bug itself. “If I suddenly showed up at your school with a pet beetle, two thirds of the students wouldn’t want to touch it because it’s germy and gross,” says Gordon. “But the chance of getting a disease from your dog is stronger than getting it from your beetle.” While Gordon attests that a
Bugs for sale
Post, crickets produce more protein and vitamin B per pound and with less fat than cattle. In the battle over environmental efficiency, bugs arise as the victors yet again. With cattle, it takes 16 pounds of grain to produce one pound of meat, says Gordon. “You could keep a small village in Indonesia happy with that amount of grain,” Gordon remarks. Meanwhile, producing one pound of grasshopper protein takes just three pounds of grain, says Gordon. Even with all of the health and environmental benefits, some choose to dine on insect dishes just for the novelty. Junior Alex Epstein gravitated towards stir-fried grasshopper at the DC restaurant Oyamel simply because it was atypical. “Everything else was pretty normal, so why not?” says Epstein. “I’d never had it before.” Hotlix has built its company around that wow effect. Pulling out a candied scorpion or chocolate covered worm has the tendency to make peoples’ jaws drop. “At first, people thought that it was just a novelty that would have its time in the spotlight and interest would fade away,” says Mitchell. Much to Mitchell’s surprise, the novelty wore off but the spotlight still shone bright. 30 years after its foundation, Hotlix continues to make its candied creepy crawlies but now a crowd more educated on the benefits of eating bugs is mixed among those just looking for a gag treat, says Mitchell. While some bug eaters deliberately choose to dine on the buzzing cuisine, most never have the opportunity for forethought. According to National Geographic, humans unintentionally eat one pound of insects every year. “In many of the foods people in the US and around the world eat daily like peanut butter, cereal, ketchup there are so many parts per pound of insects allowed,” Mitchell explains. Whether people choose to or not, bugs have wormed their way into the human diets.
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A matter of taste
grilled cockroach is no more dangerous than a barbecued piece of chicken, for many, no amount of evidence can sway them from the belief that feasting on insects is simply repulsive. “Eating bugs is disgusting,” exclaims junior Audrianna Clark. “They’re eating insects that have crawled on the ground. You don’t know where that’s been.” Blangiardo believed that like bug spray to a mosquito, the unfamiliarity of buggy dishes acts as a repellent to potential insect diners. “Insects haven’t become common because they don’t look like a steak or any other comfortable dish that are already known,” says Blangiardo. “People who have never had insects feel unsafe or scared, most of it is for the appearance of the insect.” The nation’s down home comfort foods like warm and gooey macaroni and cheese and hearty hamburgers have a fond place in Americans’ hearts. But bug cuisine has yet to wheedle its way into the list of classic dishes, making it harder for many Americans to stomach, says Gordon. But the rumors junior Christina Mila hears may indicate that bugs taste more familiar than assumed. “I heard it tastes like chicken,” Milla attests. “Everything tastes like chicken.”
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Casa Oaxaca, a local DC restaurant, boasts a menu that, upon first glance, hardly seems out of the usual. The traditional Mexican eatery serves up the usual Latino fare of tacos, quesadillas, ceviche and…crickets? Casually nestled below the menu’s entry for the Sopa del Dia (soup of the day), sits the cricket filled Cazuela de Chapulines or a dish of yellow mole sauce, cheese fondue and the jumpy, chirping bugs. While thinking about chowing down on bugs may leave some feeling queasy, dining on Pinocchio’s best friend barley fazes Casa Oaxaca’s patrons and staff. “Our ancestors used to eat this and lived healthy,” explains Casa Oaxaca’s executive chef, Alfio Blangiardo, “the more natural, the better.” Casa Oaxaca’s willingness to turn garden pests into delicacies reflects a growing embracing of bugs as food. In February of 2008, the UN held a conference discussing the proliferation of bug-eating into the industrialized world. While Americans are just beginning to enjoy the bounties that the insect kingdom has to offer, countries around the world have been dining on literal grub for centuries. Today, residents of at least 113 countries regularly incorporate insects into their diets according to the organization Insects are Food. “We’re oddballs because we don’t eat bugs,” explains David Gordon, author of Eat-A-Bug cookbook.
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The insect-eating revolution is taking off and it’s worth a try
The worms crisped quickly, giving off a rich, nutty aroma. After removing them from the pan and drying them on a paper bag, we tossed them in a mixture of salt, garlic powder and paprika. The result: a surprisingly pleasant salty snack, reminiscent of corn chips. Next, the crickets. As we looked at the recipe, which called for two sticks of butter and two cups of chocolate chips, we thought it would become a sure fire, five star dish. We laid the crickets onto a pan, turning the simple baking utensil into a vast cricket graveyard. We then doused the small bodies in melted chocolate, separating clumps of chocolaty crickets with our forks and fingers. We put the crickets and chocolate into the freezer for the bugs’ second deep freeze. They emerged solid and cold. Bravely, we each popped one of the candies into our mouths. At first, the cricket concoction simply tasted like melted chocolate. However, once we took a fateful bite into the meaty body, a rancid taste filled our mouths. The flavor was intoxicatingly musty and slightly sour, like a mixture old butter and paper bags. Still, we pushed forward. We made up the batter for the cookies, mixing in equal parts chocolate chips and chocolate covered crickets. We spooned out balls of the cookie dough, slid it into the oven and waited. The kitchen filled with the comforting scent of baking cookies. Excitedly, we opened the oven only to find what looked like a cricket massacre. Legs and antennas stuck out of the bakTS ing dough at haphazard angles, as though the crickets EA R had made a futile effort to crawl out of their sweet T ET demise. K The initial taste of cookie deceived us into IC thinking we were in for a real treat, but the pleasure was soon followed by the too familiar cricket taste. Unlike our grandmothers’ classic cookies, the cricket infused desserts were so vile we spit them out.
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Bug’s Life
by Peter McNally and Hannah Weintraub photos by Zeke Wapner art by XiXi Chen
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November 12, 2012
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The evolution of the schoolyard fight
More weapons and bigger crowds are making school fights more dangerous
By Isaac Jiffar Where only first names appear, names have been changed to protect the identities of sources. The year is 2010. Two Blazers are walking towards each other, and as they get close together, one picks up a metal trash can lid and bashes the other on the side of his head, breaking his jaw and sending him crashing to the tiled floor. A group of the victim’s friends surrounds the attacker, knocking him down and kicking him repeatedly. By the end of the fight, the floor is covered in a pool of the students’ blood. Humans have been fighting each other since Neanderthals roamed the earth. However, much has changed since those battles fought with sticks and sharpened stones. As man has evolved, conflict has similarly changed on both a large scale (think the Trojan Wars versus World War II) and a small scale. School fights have become more dangerous as a result of increased access to weapons and the modern technology that desensitizes students to violence.
United States is more armed than the rest of the world. “We have the most weapons per civilian of any country,” he says. McCarthy adds that he thinks it has gotten progressively worse over time. “I think it’s probably more acceptable in general for people to have access to weapons,” he says.
cent of American high school students had been in a fight in the last 10 months, compared with 11 percent that had been in a fight on school grounds. Adrian Kelly, a security guard at Blair, says that although he has not seen any fights involving weapons at Blair, he has
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Representing the regions One big motivator for fights, according to Principal Renay Johnson, is disputes between different regions. Blair security team leader Kathleen Greene notes that there was a regional dispute between students of two different regions earlier in the year, although security stopped it from escalating into a fight. “We had one incident with that kind of thing, Maple vs. 88,” notes Greene. There have also been some incidents of gang violence at Blair and involving Blair students. The fight involving the trash can lid is one example. “It was a gang thing, two MS-13,” says John, a junior at Blair. Gangs are not just a problem in Blair, though. According to helpinggangyouth.com, the number of gang members in the United States has been increasing recently. There were one million gang members in the U.S. in 2009, as opposed to 750,000 gang members in 2000.
Armed and dangerous Aretha Franklin’s call for R-E-S-P-E-C-T rings as true now as it did back in 1965. Dr, Donald Black, a professor in the University of Virginia’s Department of Sociology believes that the main reason for fighting is to protect one’s honor. “Honor is a form of social status based on force, and it can only be defended with force,” says Black, who specializes in the study of conflict. It has, over the past 30 years, become much easier for a student to obtain a dangerous weapon. “Nowadays, you can just buy it in a pawn shop or from some guy off the street,” says Johnson, who graduated from Meade High School in 1983. “Kids can order online,” she says. According to Child Trends Databank, as of 2011, one out of six stu dents said they had carried a weapon at some point in the last month. Professor Eli McCarthy, from the Georgetown University Program on Justice and Peace, adds that the
In the 1980s, when Johnson went to high school, fights were more isolated. “They’re all in the same group,” the principal says of those who fought at her school. Johnson points to social media for allowing this natural curiosity to turn into bigger crowds. Whereas people once had to rely on word of mouth to spread the word about a fight, now someone can tweet that there will be a fight at 6:00 and a crowd will materialize by 5:45 to watch the battle. It is reminiscent of the gladiators who fought to entertain large crowds in ancient Rome. Greene says that sometimes students are not intending to fight, but are pressured by an eager crowd. “A lot of times, the people there, they don’t want to fight,” she says. “The crowd kind of instigates it.” According to students and staff, the school fight is no longer the one-onone duel it once was, but rather a threering circus where every seat is sold out.
INFORMATION COURTESY OF THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
Greene reports that she has confiscated pocketknives, brass knuckles and various blades from Blair students since the beginning of the school year.
Out of the hallways, onto the streets “You want to take this outside?” This line and others have become classic phrases in the lexicon of any schoolyard bully. Recently, “outside” is getting further and further away from the school building. In the 1970s when Greene went to high school, there were fewer roadblocks to fighting in school. They didn’t even have security guards at her high school. Today high schools establish extra safety precautions such as surveillance cameras and security guards. Green says that these methods do not stop fights, but merely move them off of school property. A 2010 survey by the National Center for Education Statistics found that 31 per-
RUTH AITKEN
heard about very serious fights between students outside of school grounds. He is quick to note that fights occurring offcampus are under the jurisdiction of the police, not the Blair Security Staff. Alex, a freshman at Blair, describes one such fight, a gang fight in his neighborhood that got violent before the police arrived. “These other people came to our block and started fighting and somebody hit somebody with a hammer,” says Alex. “It was just going crazy,” he adds, shaking his head.
American gladiators
Johnson feels that the issues people are fighting about have changed since the 1980s. “The issues are different,” she says. “Back in my day there were legitimate disputes.” Social media, she insists, is playing a big role in causing fights now. “I had two girls fighting and they didn’t even really know each other,” Johnson says. The fight was a result of one girl commenting on something the other one posted on the Internet. Experts believe, however, that the Internet does not have to be exclusively a tool for violence. According to Andria Wisler, director of the Georgetown University Program on Justice and Peace, social media is also an important tool for peace. “Look at the use of Twitter and Facebook in the Arab Spring and other recent nonviolent revolutions around the world,” she says.
Witness or hear of a fight involving Blair students? DON’T post about it on social networks like Twitter or Facebook. Call or text the Blazer Hotline at
(240) 688-7940
to give anonymous tips and information to Blair security and administration.
Freshman T. Tona describes a fight between two girls that occurred on the second day of school. He says that they were surrounded by a crowd of kids, who were clapping and encouraging the fight. A good fight is to high school students as a light is to moths. They just can’t stay away.
XIXI CHEN
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Who takes a chance on the homecoming dance?
By Dillon Sebastian Art by Maggie McClain
From dates to drugs, Blazers tell their experiences about the infamous homecoming night Where only first names appear, names have been changed to protect the identities of sources. Well into the night, limos and cars roll through the school’s parking lot, dumping out doll-like creatures dressed in glistening dresses and handsome suits. The spiffy partiers walk into the building, greeted by streamers, lights, friends, balloons, music and fun. Only a few hours earlier, they had gathered to prepare themselves for the night to come anticipating the thrill and joy they hoped to experience. Now, the time was here. The excited teenage girls and boys were ready for the best night of their lives. Click. The television in Ashley’s household switches from her favorite homecoming scene to a repeat episode of Family Guy. As Ashley’s friends attend Blair’s homecoming night, Ashley and her date for the night —a bag of Cheetos— venture upstairs where they are greeted by food, silence and a different kind of fun.
The homecoming hype Some think Ashley may have the right idea. Despite the portrayal of homecoming as fun and exciting in television shows and movies, some attendees of the dance vouch that the scene at Montgomery Blair High School has a different kind of feel. The week before the dance, the SAC is filled with voices discussing the upcoming Saturday. Sprinkles of complaints like “it’s too crowded” and “everything is so loud” overwhelm the few people who are in fact excited about the big day. This year, the SGA sold only 1,100 homecoming tickets out of a school with 2,800 students. SGA member junior Amalia Perez says that this year’s ticket sales were sub-
stantially lower than last year’s. With less than half the school attending the dance, it would seem as if the environment would be somewhat controlled. However, one look into the mosh-pit-like dance floor and many Blazers see a different picture.“[Homecoming] is a giant pit of hormones. It’s an amalgam of horny teens,” says Charlie, a sophomore who attended homecoming this year. Despite the atmosphere inside the “pit,” Blazers continue to show up year after year. “I heard it wasn’t fun last year but I’m pumped,” says freshman attendee Sam before the night.
Freshman firsts Sam had more to be excited about than just the dance with his friends. To the majority of sophomores, juniors and seniors who attend homecoming, the dance is a time to enjoy with friends. “It’s only fun with friends,” says Molly Beckett, the sophomore homecoming duchess. However, some of the gentlemen of the class of 2016 took it upon themselves to ask their classmates to go as dates to the dance. Jack was nervous but managed to gather the courage to ask Sarah, a girl he had met just a month earlier, to the dance via text message. After ten suspenseful minutes, Sarah replied the long-awaited “yes” and Jack and Sarah were officially pronounced homecoming dates. They were not alone. At least three other friends of his took the same exciting journey towards the homecoming date status, including Sam. Jack’s relationship seemed to fade as the final blood-pumping song of the night ended. Though Jack and Sarah like one another, he knew Sarah wasn’t “like that.” Sarah was more interested in having a good time with her friends and even felt awkward around him. Without the shackles
of a relationship, Jack was able to dirty-dance all night. “It is a terrible idea to go with a date. If you see them grinding…oh no, that [expletive] is cheating on me,” depicts Beckett of a common scene at the dance. The date scene at homecoming traveled only as far as the freshman. “I don’t actually agree with the idea of a date, especially freshmen,” says senior Jawairia Iqbal.
Seniors’ drunken excuse While some Blazers choose people as dates, others opt for an alcoholic beverage to accompany them to the dance. “People said something about alcohol,” says one group of sophomores. Some stay home to avoid the drug and alcohol abuse at the dance even though Blair’s security scans the dance floor during the night, watching out for belligerent and inappropriate behavior. This year, security staff was equipped with breathalyzers to further improve safety at the dance. Still, security has no control over what the partiers do before the dance to intoxicate themselves. Rumors of drunken students at homecoming have spread around the school, forcing some students to rethink their decision to attend the annual dance. Senior Melissa says that many of these risk-takers are seniors whose nonchalant attitude towards their last year in high school provides them with a sporadic mindset. “It’s really all part of my live-it-up mentally that I and the rest of the senior class try to emulate,” says Melissa. Senior Joel Sandjong says that social standards pressure the senior class to adopt this attitude. Many seniors feel as though their senior status is their only reason for going to the dance. “We’re going because we’re seniors,” says a group of students from the graduating class.
Having a ball
Among the belligerent partiers and nervous freshman, there are kids who just want to have some sober fun. Some of homecoming’s negative vibes, such as bad music and raunchy dancing, haven’t affected these students who come to homecoming simply to enjoy themselves. “I heard the music was going to suck, but it was better,” said senior Natalie Nieto, who went to homecoming for the first time this year and regrets not coming in earlier years. Nieto views homecoming as a way to bond with friends and interact with each other outside of normal classes. She says the extravagant dancing and loud music make for “a HOT atmosphere,” in both senses of the word. Whether students choose to watch an episode of Family Guy on the night of the homecoming dance or get with a guy on the dance floor, tales of blurry drunken nights and awkward dates during the infamous night ring loud in Blazers’ ears.
A NIGHT AT HOME Montgomery Blair High School will always have a homecoming game and dance; however, there are high schools in the country that do not. While, their county rivals dress up and have an awesome night, students at Basehor-Linwood High School in Basehor, Kansas stay home. The administration feels that hosting homecoming is unfair to students who cannot afford to attend the dance. Students at the school remain in protest at the decision and are working to create cheaper was to help students who wouldn’t be able to attend the dance.
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says— and reminisce about imaginary memories of the American revolution. “We still feel slighted by it, so our next EP will also be colonial themed,” he says. The nuclear spill/ writes his last will on the back, on the back of a stallion/ going for zinc/ goi n gfor copper, James croons the band’s first single from their “Brawling with Jefferson” EP. “Of course, that stuff’s malarkey,” he explains. The band’s intent, James says, is to satirize the contemporary artists that don’t make their own music. “That stuff on the radio—that’s not real music; they don’t even write their own songs. We’re making fun of how bad music is these days,” James says. “But we’re not really making that better by being another band that doesn’t make real music,” Silvers admits. James gasps at Silvers and defends Wants to be Envelope’s legitimacy. “We’re the most real fake band ever,” he says.
By Ruth Aitken “Thank God! I am so hunger time,” Rufoos says, backing into the kitchen wearing a pillowcase. Rufoos, the exotic alter ego of a character played by sophomore Conor James, shoves an entire hot pepper into his mouth whole. “Okay guys, time for to go to bed. Goodnight guys,” he says, collapsing facefirst and fully clothed into a bathtub full of water. While James is wishing goodnight to his four friends behind the camera who are trying to suppress their laughter, hundreds more people are online looking onto the same scene. James is one of Blair’s budding YouTube stars, and part of the more than 40 percent of YouTube users that are under the age of 18. For young stars like Justin Bieber and Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em, YouTube videos attracted recognition that launched their multimillion dollar careers. For Blazers, however, the video-sharing site seems to be a way for friends to share their expression with a large community of local fans.
Love and appreciation
More than malarkey On Duboofcrew’s channel, you’ll not only find a song devoted entirely to the spicy goodness of Chipotle Mexican Grill, but a montage of the boys interacting with strangers in Times Square and footage of the boys skateboarding. Prior to the formation of Duboofcrew, several of the boys had their own YouTube channels for skateboarding videos. Duboofcrew was born when sophomore Ben Segal and juniors Dana Cook, Alex Michell, Salah Khanjari and Tommy Harrelson decided to appeal to a broader audience. “We realize that some people don’t want to watch skateboarding,” Michell says. “So Boofcrew is less skateboarding, more shenanigans,” Cook grins. James is a fan of Duboofcrew’s videos. “They’re so good! I love the part with the foreign girl and the subtitles,” he says, referencing a stranger Cook met on the street. James, in fact, also produces YouTube vid-
ELLIE MUSGRAVE
YOUTUBE Sophomores of Wants to be Envelope spoof British boy bands.
Don’t forget to like and subscribe YouTube creates a creative space for students eos with a group of fellow sophomores. “But we’re a totally different scene than Boofcrew,” he says. James’s band, Wants to be Envelope, is a faux-British boy band; each boy has his own pseudonym and persona. James, a.k.a. Rufus Jimson, makes videos alongside his peers Kalanzi Kajubi (Anwar Al-Anwar),
Isaiah Silvers (Izzy Lloyd), Nico Barbiero ([expletive]pub), and Jasper Saah (Mr. Crizzlebeard). Though the boys declare themselves a band, little of each video is music; their channel seems like a videodiary of the characters’ life saga. They speak in an odd British accent— “It’s like a Cockney accent if your blood-alcohol level is a 2.8,” James
“A kiss on the cheek maybe?” Cook shrugs to the girl he has just met. “Wait, this is going to be on MTV?” her friend shrieks, grossly misinterpreting what Michell has told her will happen with the footage. The girl moves to kiss Cook on the cheek, but he swerves at the last possible second to score a kiss on the lips. “Big cameras make you popular,” Cook says— or at least the 600 views’ worth of popular that Boofcrew has racked up on their “Boof Crew: The Introduction.” Around school, Michell says, the videos have gained the boys “much love and appreciation.” James seconds Michell , saying that Wants to be Envelope has catapulted each member into school wide stardom. “We realized that people like us more as our band,” he says. “Plus, why live as Conor James when I can be famous? Why be a simpleton when you can be a rockstar?” “Yeah!” Kajubi adds, still in character with a thick British accent. “Why should One Direction get all the attention?”
With thousands of views and shares, Blazers’ photos go viral By Kenyetta Whitfield Photos on the Internet have become a crazy and exciting phenomenon, with dozens of sites dedicated to crazy Internet photos. Whether they are funny, strange, inspiring or just creepy, a picture can definitely get you talking. These kinds of pictures usually have unknown origins ranging from bustling cities to farms in the middle of nowhere. But this year, Blazers can finally claim some of their very own Internet fame.
Reddit rotten rodents Last year, senior Talia Rodwin and some of her close friends from summer camp spent the day at a nearby elementary school playground. While enjoying the beautiful fresh air they came across something of less beauty – a dead squirrel. Like any normal teenagers would be, Rodwin and her friends were repulsed by the sight. Rod-
win recalls that their initial reaction was, “Okay this is really gross.” In the midst of disgust, they decided to take a picture. There their story began as the girls each layed down on the sidewalk and formed a semi-circle around the dead animal with each girl looking more overjoyed than the last. After one of the girls in the group posted the picture on Facebook, it became legendary among friends and caught the eye of mutual friend who posted the picture to the popular website Reddit. But Reddit users did not show the same appreciation for the picture and its deadpan comedy as Facebook users did. Most of them thought up much harsher things to say. “Reddit got really mean,” Rodwin says in reference to the Reddit users’ intentional unkind words. The picture went viral and was posted on several different websites including a wacky picture site and Tumblr. A year later
Rodwin explains that people still acknowledges her based on the picture. “Some random people came up to me and said, ‘you’re the squirrel girl,’” Rodwin says. Yet, even with all the strange and morbid fame that came with the picture she explains that the girls simply did it for fun and that she personally wouldn’t even have put it on Facebook. “It wasn’t for the Internet,” she explains. “It was all in good fun”.
Where the Romans went wrong Each homecoming week the SGA works their magic and puts together the one of the biggest events of the season: hallway decoration night for students in each grade to showcase their spirit and creative skills. This year the sophomore class decided to display their skills, or lack thereof, with numbers. Sophomore Tigist Tadesse,
class president, was in charge of approving ideas for the sophomore’s funky hallway designs. The theme was Rome and the sophomores decided to show their class pride through a poster displaying the words “Class of 2015” with the middle of the sign displaying 2015 in massive roman numerals. The plan seemed fresh and inventive but there was one flaw – the numbers. By the time the rest of the school arrived the next morning there spotted in the middle of Blair boulevard were the wrong numerals proudly advertising the big numerical error on the sophomore class’ poster. The simple mistake made by the sophomores went from the halls of Blair boulevard to viral across the Internet. The picture quickly hit different URLs online and is now one of the first results to come up when you Google “The Roman Numeral Fail.” Sophomores, who are just a smidge
above freshmen on the social food chain, have outdone themselves with this picture, perhaps losing some of the respect of their fellow classmates along the way. But not all sophomores feel responsible for the sophomore fail. “It makes the grade seem a bit unintelligent but you can’t judge the whole grade because they weren’t all there,” says sophomore Blossom Jiang. Though the picture may not be one of the sophomores’ brighter moments, Tigist explains that 10th graders collectively are sticking together, stating that there is no need to point fingers at who made the picture. “I see it like a sports team,” Tigist says, “we win as a team, we lose as a team.” Between dead squirrels and number mistakes, the fact that Blazers can call these two photos a part of their history is exciting. The fact that these photos are unusual, wacky, and viral proves Blair has definitely claimed its Internet fame.
VIRAL PHOTOS Senior girls smile around a dead squir rel (Right). An attempt at roman numerals put up on Class Theme day by sophomores (Left). LEFT: TOM AGGER RIGHT: EVAN KHAN
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November 12, 2012
by Emma Bergman, Puck Bregstone, Peter McNally and Sarah Wilson
good kid, m.A.A.d. city
After much anticipation, Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d City stormed onto the scene on October 22, selling 242,000 copies in the fist week. The Compton-based rapper, along with the rest of the charismatic Top Dog Entertainment (TDE) crew, has been lauded by many for restoring the reputation of west coast rap. Fans got a taste for Lamar’s style in his first studio album Section.80, where he displayed his brooding lyricism and exquisite taste for crisp chest-thumping beats. While Section.80 was a general commentary on the confused angst of a generation, good kid switches focus to a thoughtful reflection on Lamar’s upbringing in Compton. good kid is an overall more complex album, with interesting interludes, funky samples, and unexpected song structures. The album is also peppered with features from big names like Drake and fellow Black hippies like Ab-soul. Despite the rapper’s west coast roots, the album provides a panorama of sounds from every circle of American hip-hop with classic west coast top-down tracks like Compton and more east coast sounding tracks like Swimming Pools. The album is a breath of fresh air for the genre, but it is also a sigh of relief, dashing fears that Lamar’s collaborating with Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment label would corrupt or compromise his unique sound. Instead, good kid, m.A.A.d. City, is a authentic step forward in a career that is just getting started.
Halo 4
The silverback gorilla sized behemoth that is the Halo franchise is back. And things are better than ever. Halo:Combat Evolved came out in late 2001 breaking sales records with one million units sold and redefining the first person shooter genre. In 2004 Halo 2 was released shattering sales records and popularizing online multiplayer for console gaming. The franchise continued its astounding success with Halo 3 (2007) which made 170 million dollars in sales on the first day of its release making it the highest grossing entertainment product of its time. Several prequels and spinoffs have been made but Halo 4 is the first official sequel to the halo franchise in almost five years. With a new game developer, 343 Industries, taking up the mantel, rabid fans watch closely hoping to keep a foreign influence from creating a bastardization of something they hold so dear. Boy did 343 deliver. Initial reviews have been highly optimistic with Imagine Games Network pronouncing it to be the best Halo game yet. Halo 4 includes a whole new species of baddies to fight known as prometheans. A plentitude of new weapons, including the Boltshot, a pistol that has an incredibly lethal charge shot, and a UNSC gun fondly dubbed the sticky detonator, which fires explosive projectiles into the enemy forces. Halo 4’s graphics have been lauded with praise many declaring the graphics to be the highest quality any game will obtain on the Xbox 360. With a game that dedicates so much to visuals you would expect a lackluster attempt at the audio side of a game but again 343 astounds with a brand new soundtrack. It is sad to lose the sweeping gregorian chants of Martin O’Donnell but 343 has made up for that with new recordings for every effect from the shot of a pistol to the buzz of an overshield. There are new assassination animations, a brand new loadout feature for multiplayer, and plenty of other additions that add up to make a great Halo game
The walking dead
After two seasons of fighting the dea and fearing the living, fans gathered around their TVs for another season of gore and zombies. The first episode of season 3 of The Walking Dead is now hailed as the most watched episode of cable drama in television history. But with the world in shambles in the wake of a zombie apocalypse, it is unclear where AMC’s bloody tearjerker will go from here. Writers have to tow a careful line. Let’s not fool ourselves—we watch for the zombies—but when too many characters are killed in the attacks, we don’t want to come back for more. The November 4th episode got this balance all wrong. (Spoiler alert!) In the last moments of T-dog’s life, he magically transformed from a personality-less filler character to a sacrificing hero. We’ll buy the zombies, but we won’t buy that big a character turnaround. Amy, Sophia, Shane and Dale, casualties of the first 2 seasons, died teaching us about the nature of humanity (the zombie apocalypse is no joke). But Lori, the other kill of the night, and T-dog were killed off in a cheap attempt to keep up audience attention. The rest of the episode made up for mistakes with some hard-core fights and a newborn character. Despite a mixed night for viewers, the show’s five-star reputation is deserved. Every headshot or axe blow is not just one zombie closer to restored civilization. We can gawk at the spurts of blood and decaying flesh but the plot is far more complex. From the Rick-Lori-Shane relationship to the governor who leaves us thinking, “Something isn’t right here...”, writers are making big societal statements about human nature. We fans aren’t fighting off zombies in our everyday lives, but the show is easy to connect to because of the way characters react to their desperate situation. The Walking Dead isn’t headed out of the zeitgeist any time soon. Every show is entitled to its slip-ups so lets say last week’s death count was just one of those. And who knows, maybe next time it will be Carl, Rick’s annoying son incapable of staying out of trouble, whose life is on the line. We can only hope. The Walking Dead airs Sunday at 9/8c on AMC.
Cloud Atlas A glorious and eerie maelstrom of space ships, demon horsemen, matching birth marks, people named Sixpence, beautiful country sides and a Korean version of British actor Jim Sturgess, Cloud Atlas is an enigma in IMAX . Its opening weekend was possibly Tom Hanks’s lowest grossing debut ever yet it received a ten minute standing ovation at the Sundance Film Festival. It’s been hailed as a mystical spiritual awakening and accused of being a meaningless gimmicks as well as being racist. The small cast of actors each play several different parts as the movie explores six unique stories taking place in different places and time periods that are connected by small recurring details and the theory that “we are bound to others, past, present… [and] future.” At the end of it all only a couple things are clear. The movie is about three hours long, the “Cloud Atlas” is actually just a narratively irrelevant symphony, and it’s not really made to make sense. In contemplating a movie that cuts constantly between stories, movie reviewers have come to the conclusion that it is not meant to be analyzed and studied a la Inception. It is meant to just inspire a feeling, craft remarkable universes and to be an enjoyable ride. In some ways it has something for everyone. For the big colonial America fan base there’s a historical drama about a man sick sailing home to America in the 1800s. For anyone who lives in Takoma Park an investigative conspiracy thriller that criticizes big oil company tactics. For anyone with a soul, a post-apocalyptic buddy story about a man with facial tattoos and some sort of… alien? Or possibly just a human space immigrant with wire embedded under her skin? Doesn’t matter, it’s delightful. For everyone, the performances by Tom Hanks and Halle Berry are both moving and captivating, the stories are engaging, the music incredible and the visuals
HANNAH WEINTRAUB
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November 12, 2012
d o o h d l i Ch s h t My d e T Bus
“It takes 200 licks to get to the center of a tootsie pop!” “If you drink pop rocks and coke, you’ll explode!” We all remember the hyperbolic stories our parents told us as kids in the name of safety. But were these tales ever true? Regardless, we followed them, either because the consequence was too scary or those five-second attention spans we had were way too short for our ten-year-old brains to fully test them out. We at Silver Chips, with hopefully longer attention spans, have taken the liberty to test these myths and finally prove whether our parents were playing us or protecting us.
o sideri y e How many licks D e l llada o G By Ky a does it take? Katrin y b t Ar “A-One, A-two-HOO, A-three, CRUNCH.” All that poor
Pop Rocks and Coke By late elementary school, plain old candy didn’t cut it. Kids needed a new treat that was the next best thing to injecting sugar into their bloodstream. Enter futuristic candies such as Warheads and infamous Pop Rocks. We only ever saw these packages of diabetes during Halloween or in goodie bags our relatives would give during a visit, so these treats were always coveted like a winning lottery ticket. While all of these new candies appealed to us, Pop Rocks was distinguished by the “popping” sensation it left on our tongues. Following the first appearance of the myth in the popular 1998 movie Urban Legends, parents everywhere forbade their kids from combining the fizziness of soda and the “pop” of Pop Rocks under the idea that it would make kids’ stomachs explode. Though this duo is pretty gnarly, its forbidden title made kids go to great lengths to get their hands on the two. I was one of those kids, marking the day on my calendar where my friends and I would embark on my long-awaited journey to the CVS and buy the sodacandy combination. When we bought the candy, we found that no one wanted to actually test it, so we drew straws. Being the Charlie Brown of the group, I had the worst luck and was delegated as our group’s test dummy. Not knowing if I would come home that day, I popped the candy in and took a swig of soda. The moment of truth had arrived. So I waited. And Waited. And Waited. Nothing happened. While I probably should have felt some sort of joy that I wasn’t about to have a sugar-induced explosion, I was mostly upset to have saved up the money for so long and not receive any reward. The pound of sugar I ingested that day did, however, guarantee that I’d be staring at my ceiling late into the night. Ah, childhood.
Result: Busted
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boy wanted was a simple answer to a simple question. The owl could have just said he didn’t know, but nope, he got the boy’s hopes up and then in one crunch, dashed them. The Tootsie-Pop commercial was created before we were born, but it was still aired on our cartoons every Saturday morning and eventually we did begin to wonder: “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?” Unfortunately, no child would ever have the attention span to count the number of licks to that sweet bubble gum in the center. I recently tried, and I got to 22 before I lost count due to some other enticing activity. No matter how you cut it, counting is boring and for kids, boring is lame. Several college-sponsored experiments took the time to probe into the question. Harvard created an automated licking machine (that’s where your Ivy-league college tuition is going to, folks) and counted 364 licks. Cambridge, however, numbered 3,481 licks to get to the center. The fact that the experiment results are so wide in range proves that it’s something that should never be looked into past surface-level.
REsult: The world may never know
Bloody Mary Every sleepover in elementary school had that one activity where we would attempt to summon a demon from the depths of hell. There were many, such as the White Lady or the Headless Horseman, but Bloody Mary was the one creature that every child knew about. It was on an episode of The Ghost Whisperer, and we all know you’ve made it as a fear monger when you make it on that show. Nobody really knows who Bloody Mary is. She could be Queen Mary from England or some old woman that got seriously pissed off when she was alive. Regardless, she’s comes to roam and scare the heck out of all the nine year-olds who summon her—allegedly. The process varies depending on where you lived. Some believe in turning the lights off and saying her name three times. Others swear that total darkness and chanting some pseudo-demonic ritual is the key to eternal damnation. Every attempt to see her, however, was halted by that one kid who would mess up the whole complicated process by turning on the lights. In my case, I was that kid, because I was young and was all for keeping my soul that night. Everyone would taunt me for being a coward, but the glances of appreciation I got that night were proof that we were all looking for someone to take the heat. Even though we’re all much older at Silver Chips, we’re really not about getting possessed by some crazy, hellish, demonic woman. While the chances are extremely low, we’ll just leave it to the 10-year-olds to figure out.
Result: Busted... Or is it?
Taking a walk on the wild side of the boulevard Crocodile DeeDee tracks Blair’s intimidating wildlife across the suburban plains By Desiree Aliebar To be read aloud and intensely, with an Australian accent. Fifty-one University Boulevard East. A wide landscape crawling with creatures of all shapes, colors and sizes. These are not your usual critters. They are far more complex. These are creatures that are truly amazing. Come with me as I enter the jeopardizing territory of bumble bees in the courtyard, stalk wobbly geese on the track and observe a wild rabbit hiding in the trees. Follow me as I survey the wildlife of Montgomery Blair.
grass, their eyes remaining concentrated on the landscape. On average, these geese are smaller than others in the goose family. But don’t underestimate them. If an individual gets too close, it could mean looking into a pair of piercing goose eyes, or worse, stepping on smelly goose droppings. A wrack of rabbits
Not too far from the track and a little past the basketball courts lays an open grassy field. Kids throw frisbees and couples walk holding hands. The trees that line the perimeter of the field often go unnoticed. Within these trees hides the cottontail rabbit. Ubiquitous throughout North and A grist of bees South America, cottontail rabbits are noted for their fluffy white tails. These rabIt’s 10:47 am. Inside the vast brick bits seek out habitat on the fringes of open building, the bell rings and students spaces, such as fields, farms and tiny forstorm out of their stuffy classrooms. ests of suspicious student activities. They They find their friends and proceed to can also adapt to other habitats, including their preferred eating locations. Some those of humans. sit in the SAC, some along Blair BouleThe rabbit’s brownish-gray fur allows vard. Others choose to sit in the student it to blend easily into the weeds, but decourtyard. As they rush outside, the EMMA HOWELLS spite its camouflaged body, I am able to fully awakened morning sky shines on track its whereabouts by following its the vast brick building. The tan tables GEESE A majestic herd of geese parades slowly across the practice field as the sun rises white tail. No matter how tempting it is sit patiently, waiting to be filled. The imity of their nests, mainly near grassy fields, would have her sneezing for days. to take these rabbits home, it is key not trees stand peacefully and the animal bodies of water and Mr. Hoelman’s 5th period to disturb them. If spotted, these rabbits flee kingdom is harmonious. For a moment, all is general P.E. class. A gaggle of geese from prey, most times leaving their newborn calm. As I near the home range of the geese, I babies behind. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! While bumblebees loom in the sunny have to take just as much precaution as I did Other schools may have impulsive deer Get it away from me!” A girl screams, as she courtyard, another species gets comfortable with the bees. Manicured lawns give them a or the occasional rabies-infested raccoon, but quickly gets up from her table. Her arms flail on the track. The grassy land encircled by the wide, unobstructed view of any approaching nothing can compare to the creatures living almost as quickly as heads turn. It has arrived grainy black track is often a hangout for the spectators. on Blair’s turf. – the vicious bumblebee. As students work to adjust their mile times, Branta, also known as black geese, named for From the fast moving bumblebees to the Beware the presence of bumblebees. The the geese majestically trot across the green lazy geese to the fluffy-tailed rabbits, no one their distinctive areas of black plumage. girl wasn’t screaming because she was afraid These geese are able to breed in a variety field, working hard to find the perfect place can escape the vast and incredible wildlife at of being stung. Rather, because she knew that of habitats, but tend to stay within close prox- to sit. Some delve their heads into the short Blair. the bee’s highly pollen-concentrated body
D4 Chips Clips DON’T FORGET DINNER by Devin Rutan and Michael Morganstein
Less is Less
silverchips Across 1. Blue pride of Maryland 5. Its got a red line 10. Tennis segment 13. Wolf’s cry 14. Tribute 15. Motley ___, variation 16. Son of Abraham 18. Dinner item #1 19. It can be positive or negative 20. Mentality 22. Sides of a die 23. Drug agcy. 24. Room to cook? 27. Dinner item #2 28. Feudal kingdom 31. “I’ve got it” 32. Drop the ball 34. Cold War acronym 35. Places to study science 37. Necessities 41. Gary from Nickelodeon 43. Actress Zadora 44. Concur 45. Musical lesson 46. Mix it Up 48. Chemical plate 49. PAC air times 51. While back 52. Animal of measurement
September Solutions
November 12, 2012 53. From all of us at SC, have a wonderful ____ 56. Dinner item #3 59. Golden fleece source 60. The entirety 61. Type of root 65. Thrilla in Manilla 66. Dinner item #4 69. Tossed 70. “Hip hop is dead” 71. Means of Injection 72. S-shaped curve 73. Bro relative 74. Walk with style 75. Scrabble move
Down 1. Poker currency 2. ‘92 presidential candidate, familiarly 3. Not the home team 4. Distraction for shopaholics 5. Car stat 6. Hearing aid 7. Playground bully hobby 8. Narrow abyss 9. Rock type? 10. TV genre 11. Wear away 12. Canned fish
17. Greek letter 21. List ender, for short 25. Gents 26. Zebra or Koala Bear home 27. Distraction for fantasy football managers 28. Found in a box in the basement 29. Proper use of ain’t 30. Biblical twin 33. “Messenger” material 36. Siberian antelope 38. Therefore 39. Agreement 40. Stage of ecological success 42. What Moses did for the Israelites 47. Collegiate soldiers, initially 50. Support for a fracture 53. Fat or port, predecessor 54. Type of Lama 55. Awry 57. Came before 58. Horse staple 60. Winning poker pair 62. Affleck flick 63. Turn while driving 64. Amazed 67. Big bird 68. Snitch
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November 12, 2012
La Esquina Latina
Silver Chips
12 de noviembre de 2012
La clase de AP literatura y cultura española de muchos textos originales de diferentes autores españoles, latinoamericanos e incluso estadounidenses. Además de eso, el curso ofrece mu-
Por Hector Barrera El curso de literatura española es una de las clases más enriquecedoras que como estudiante de secundaria he podido tomar. No solo porque revela aspectos históricos y culturales de siglos pasados, pero también porque a la vez la literatura nos ayuda a comprender el mundo actual. Por esa razón, creo que el curso AP de Literatura Española y Cultura se debe ofrecer en todos los estados del país, especialmente en todas las escuelas secundarias del condado de Montgomery, pero existen obstáculos que están causando una escasez de inscripciones estudiantiles en este curso. Entre ellos se encuentra la falta de interés por parte de algunos estudiantes que temen no poder con el rigor del curso o que no conocen las ventajas de tomar esta clase por falta de promoción. La case AP de Literatura Española y Cultura está diseñada para proveer al estudiante con una experiencia de aprendizaje equivalente a la de un curso universitario de introducción a la literatura española e hispanoamericana. Por lo tanto, si el estudiante recibe una calificación de 3 a 5 en su examen de AP, este podría recibir créditos universitarios. El curso es una introducción al estudio
FOTO POR GOOGLE IMAGES
se cohíben de tomar la clase. La Sra. Coombs, profesora del curso AP de Literatura Española y Cultura en Mongomery Blair, menciona que “el curso de Español más avanzado en las escuelas del condado de Montgomery es el de AP de Literatura y Cultura “. También comenta que hay variantes que contribuyen a que los estudiantes no tomen la clase, como por ejemplo el rigor del curso. También los hábitos de estudios necesitan ser apropiados para el
FOTO POR GOOGLE IMAGES
chas oportunidades para seguir desarrollando el conocimiento de la lengua española, con un enfoque en la lectura y escritura analítica. Este curso provee un espacio académico en el cual el estudiante puede reflexionar sobre las diversas voces y culturas incluídas en la amplia literatura española. Sin embargo, por muy llamativo que el curso sea, este no es muy popular entre los estudiantes (hispanos y no hispanos). Muchos estudiantes consideran que la clase involucra un alto nivel de dificultad de lectura y responsabilidad académica. Por dicha razón muchos
nivel de aprendizaje que la clase impone y la seriedad y el comp r o miso debe ser como la de un estudiante de universidad. Por lo tanto, creo que muchos estudiantes no tienen todos o solo tienen po-
cos de estos requisitos. Por consecuencia hay una falta de inscripciones ya que los estudiantes deciden no tomar el curso. De hecho, el número de hispanohablantes que se registran para tomar el curso no es muy grande. Pero en Montgomery Blair, junto con la Sra. González (profesora del curso AP de lenguaje) la Sra. Coombs continúa trabajando para informar al cuerpo estudiantil que tienen la preparación necesaria a que se registren a tomar el curso de AP Literatura y Cultura. “De no hacerlo”, dice la Sra. Coombs, “resultaría en no tener el número requerido para ofrecer el curso”. El condado de Montgomery es uno de los condados con mayor población de estudiantes hispanohablantes del estado. Si el curso fuera ofrecido en todas las escuelas secundarias y si el numero de hispanohablantes listos para el reto creciera, el curso de AP de literatura y Cultura se convertiría en uno de los cursos más populares entre los hispanohablantes ya que provee la oportunidad perfecta para poderse comunicar y transmitir sus ideas en conexión con sus propias raíces e historia. Pero al mismo tiempo, pienso que necesitamos más personas como la Sra. Coombs que estén dispuestas de darle al curso la promoción necesaria para aumentar la cantidad de estudiantes— no solo hispanohablantes—que tomen el curso. FOTO POR GOOGLE IMAGES
La ciencia continúa sus investigaciones Por Kelly Ventura Las células madres continúan siendo un tema de gran interés en el mundo de la ciencia. ¿Por qué? La respuesta está en que a diferencia de otras células especializadas para propósitos específicos (por ejemplo, las células de la sangre se ocupan de transmitir oxígeno al cuerpo a través de las venas), las células madres no son especializadas para llevar a cabo una sola función. Estas tienen la capacidad de auto renovarse y dividirse en diversos tipos de células especializadas, lo cual significa que si uno se ve en necesidad de regenerar células musculares, esto es posible a través de las células madres. Recientemente, científicos en la universidad de Kioto en Japón, lograron crear óvulos usando las células madres en ratones. Usando estos óvulos fue que también tuvieron éxito en producir ratoncitos, aunque el óvulo haya sido una división lograda cien por ciento con células madres y sin importar que el ratón fuese hembra o macho. Hay que reconocer que previamente, fue este mismo grupo de científicos quienes crearon un esperma usando células madres de ratones. Tomando en cuenta que el organismo de los ratones es similar al de los humanos, se predice que este mismo fenómeno será posible llevarlo a cabo con los humanos en el
FOTO POR JULIA BATES
futuro. Es decir que mujeres estériles, al igual que parejas homosexuales podrán tener hijos genéticamente relacionados a través de las células madres.
Mientras para algunos esto puede ser algo magnífico, para otros puede despertar sentimientos alarmantes. Por muchos años la
El programa “InDesign” utilizado para realizar el periódico de la escuela, está diseñado para la lengua inglesa. Con tal propósito, Silver Chips ofrece disculpas
ciencia nos ha dado la respuesta a tratamientos para numerosas enfermedades, pero ¿será que hay una línea entre lo natural y las influencias humanas? ¿Y cuán moral o inmoral es el cruzar tal línea? Con respecto a los hallazgos hechos por los científicos japoneses, Ellie Mejia del doceávo grado opina “Como al momento es un tema tentativo, no estoy muy de acuerdo con algo de esta naturaleza ni muy en contra. Lo que sí temería es que tal procedimiento tenga consecuencias severas. Tuviera que estar segura que tal método es totalmente seguro, porque si no, adoptaría”. La realidad es que la ciencia sigue avanzando y sus contribuciones a la salud y a la humanidad son innumerables, pero ¿cuán preparados estamos para enfrentar estos nuevos avances? Cuando la moralidad se interpone (que con la ciencia muchas veces será así), existirán sin duda algunas opiniones encontradas al respecto y este se convertirá en un tema de discusión candente. Por ahora es importante informarnos y entender las ventajas y desventajas de ciertos adelantos en su totalidad para en un futuro poder juzgar con nuestros propios conocimientos si estos adelantos son beneficiosos o perjudiciales. ¿Será que tendremos éxito en producir seres vivientes usando células madres? ¿Y cuán aceptable será tal idea? Es un misterio, pero al mismo tiempo un tema emocionante.
La Esquina Latina E2
silverchips
12 de noviembre de 2012
El invierno se acerca... Por Rolando Alvarenga El verano es una estación del año en que todas las personas aprovechan para salir de sus hogares, dejando el sofá y el control remoto a un lado para estar en forma y disfrutar el día. Sin embargo, ¿Qué sucede cuando el verano termina y las bajas temperaturas evitan un día de recreación deportiva? Muchos estudiantes aman el otoño porque es una temporada en la que la brisa y el hermoso color de las hojas alegran la mañana de todos sus días, la cara de admiración de muchas personas se muestra al observar el bello color rojo y anaranjado en muchas hojas alrededor de la ciudad. Otro grupo de estudiantes aman el invierno porque la nieve hace que ellos recuerden los buenos momentos que traen las festividades navideñas y la llegada del año nuevo. Además de eso, muchos estudiantes esperan con emoción el invierno para poder quedarse en casa si una tormenta de nieve impide su llegada a la escuela. Ahora bien, ¿qué tal esos estudiantes que odian ambos? Existen muchos alumnos en Blair que detestan el otoño y el invierno ya que ellos no pueden practicar los deportes que tanto les gustan o no pueden hacer actividades al aire libre para poder distraer su estrés. ¿Qué decides hacer para divertirte? Esta es la pregunta típica de un estudiante que tiene una gigantesca emoción de practicar muchas actividades al aire libre y sabe que las temperaturas bajas lo harían sufrir. En lo personal, soy un amante de las actividades al aire libre. Me gusta montar en bicicleta y salir por largos recorridos en el parque de Sligo Creek. Durante la primavera y el verano acosumbro a hacer viajes desde 10 y hasta 18 millas en bicicleta aliviar mi estrés y estar en forma. Cuando las temperaturas extremas amenazan las calles, prefiero
quedarme en casa y jugar videojuegos. Ahora con el invierno cerca no pienso ni en salir a caminar porque detesto toda temperatura más baja de los 45 grados fahrenheit. Selvin Argueta, del duodécimo grado siente una gran emoción por las actividades al aire libre. Él practica béisbol con sus a m i gos del vecindario pero él prefiere q u e darse en casa cuando las temperaturas bajas arruinan sus momentos de diversión. “Yo prefiero estar mil veces en mi casa con una taza chocolate caliente, un buen bocadillo y mi canal favorito a poner un pie fuera de mi casa cuando está demasiado helado”. Komlan Kouhiko, del undécimo grado, ama practicar el fútbol durante el verano pero cuando llega el invierno, él evita jugar en la cancha y prefiere jugar dentro de su casa. “Yo solo juego al fútbol cuando el clima es agradable aunque siempre tengo que practicar en el otoño para estar en forma” comentó Komlan.
El fútbol es una de las actividades que muchas personas disfrutan a nivel mundial y la única opción para jugar al fútbol cuando las temperaturas alcanzan los 38 grados fahrenheit es jugar bajo techo, algo conocido como fútbol de sala. Douglas Alvarenga, también del undécimo grado comenta que jugar fútbol es uno de los mejores deportes del mundo y para él es una decepción jugar en un clima tan helado. “El fútbol es el único deporte que yo mas aprecio pero no tengo el deseo de jugar cuando es invierno. Aunque el fútbol de sala es una opción, no es lo mismo como jugar al aire libre y tener el resplandor del sol en tu cuerpo” comenta Douglas. FOTO POR VECTORSTOCK.COM
Danny Do, es un miembro del equipo de lucha en la escuela. Este es su segundo año en el equipo y Danny comenta que correr y trotar son una de las actividades que el más realiza para estar en forma y ganar resistencia física y así poder ganar muchas de sus peleas. Cuando las temperaturas aumentan, Danny utiliza una sudadera para seguir con su entrenamiento. “Yo nunca dejo de corren en otoño y cuando el invierno se acerca, todos los luchadores corremos dentro del gimnasio
de lucha porque nadie de nosotros tolera las bajas temperaturas que trae el invierno”. Todos tenemos algo en común, el invierno no es una de nuestra estaciones del año preferidas.
Si hacer ejercicio es una de las actividades que te motiva para estar en forma o para entretenerte, el invierno no tiene que ser una temporada frustrante porque existen muchas alternativas que puedes elegir para realizar en la escuela o en casa. Opciones para realizar en la escuela.
Con la llegada del invierno tienes un par de alternativas para realizar deportes en la escuela. El atletismo, el baloncesto, la lucha y la natación son algunas de las opciones de elección. Si quieres más información sobre las inscripciones, contacta al departamento de atletismo o individualmente al entrenador de cada deporte. Opciones para realizar en casa.
Tú puedes practicar aeróbicos en la sala de tu casa(o en el sótano si te avergüenza que tu familia te observe cuando lo haces). Si tienes un par de pequeñas mancuernas puedes practicar diferentes tipos de ejercicios para todos los músculos de tu cuerpo. ¡Tú puedes practicar tus pasos de baile para eventos importantes! ¡Si!, bailar es una opción muy divertida para estar en forma y además la puedes realizar en la compañía de alguien que también esté decepcionado por el mal clima.
Todo depende de tí. No te conformes con estar solamente en la casa, sal a caminar para distraerte. Tu creatividad y tu esfuerzo por hacer algo que te mantenga ocupado durante algunos días cuando el clima no esté de tu lado es lo que contribuirá a aliviar el estrés y a sentirte mejor.
Camino a las elecciones 2012: Obama vs. Romney Janett Encinas
Las elecciones presidenciales resultaron en una victoria para el Preseidente Obama. Los reultados fueron esperados con ansias, los resultados de Florida y Virginia fueron confirmados en la madrugada del miérocles. Muchos tenían miedo de lo que pudiera venir, pero para otros fue una elección como muchas otras. El día clave lo fue este 6 de noviembre del 2012. Los aspirantes a la presidencia fueron el mandatario Barack Obama quien se postuló a la relección presidencial y el exgobernador de Massachusetts Mitt Romney. Durante estos comincios se eligieron 33 senadores, 11 gobernadores y varios legisladores en diferentes estados. Una vez más como rivales se encontraron frente a frente los demócratas y los republicanos. Cada partido proponiendo un mejor futuro para el país y prometiendo nuevos planes. Por un lado, los demócratas al mando del actual presidente Barack Obama. Por el otro lado, los republicanos tienen como representante al exgobernador de Massachusetts Mitt Romney . En octubre 3, 2012 se llevó a cabo el primer debate presidencial en Denver, Colorado. Entre el ex – gobernador de Massachusetts Mitt Romney y el actual presidente Barack Obama. En el debate la situación económica del país fue uno de los temas más discutidos. Pero también temas como el déficit federal, el sistema de salud y la creación de empleos fueron tocados. También Obama enfatizó
como Romney quiere recortar los impues- gumentos. Sin embargo no opinaron lo mistos de quienes ganan más de 250 mil dólares mo al respecto del exgobernador, el analista al año. “No voy a reducir impuestos para de la cadena CNN Alex Castellanos, quien quienes tienen ingresos altos”, respondió consideró que el ex gobernador de MassaRomney, frente a la reiterada acusación de chusetts estuvo a la altura de las circunstanObama cias. sobre este El sesupuesto gundo deplan. Por bate presisu parte, dencial Obama se llevó a dijo que cabo el 16 su prode octubre puesta inen Nueva cluye dar York. Una m a y o r encuesta impulso de la cadea la eduna CNN cación, mostró que manteel mandaniendo torio hizo bajo el un mejor costo de papel en CANDIDATOS Mitt Romney (izquierda) y Barack Obama (derecha) en la lucha por la presidencia los préstamos este encueneducativos, tro que en el ayudando económicamente a los pequeños anterior que tuvo en Denver, Colorado. El negocios y reducir la dependencia enermismo lo declaró como ganador con un 46 gética. Añadió también el mandatario “El por ciento a su favor en comparación de gobernador dice que va a eliminar ObamaRomney que tuvo un 39 por ciento. El úlcare (Ley de Salud Asequible), pero no nos timo debate presidencial fue esperado por ha dicho con qué la va a remplazar”. En este muchos porque ese rompería con el empate primer debate el actual presidente fue muy que ambos candidatos tenían. Este tuvo lucriticado ya que los analistas concluyeron gar el 22 de octubre en el estado de Florida. que se mostraba muy repetitivo con sus arEste se enfoó en la política exterior y prinFOTO POR GOOGLE IMAGES--
El programa “InDesign” utilizado para realizar el periódico de la escuela, está diseñado para la lengua inglesa. Con tal propósito, Silver Chips ofrece disculpas por cualquier error gramatical que tengan las páginas de La Esquina Latina después de haber sido intensamente editadas. Gracias.
cipalmente en las relaciones que el país tiene con el Medio Oriente. Concluyendo así que el que le saco más provecho a este último encuentro fue el mandatario con un 53% a favor y el 23% lo obtuvo Romney. Pero también algunos analistas concluyeron que hubo un 24% de empate. En una encuesta realizada entre la comunidad hispana de Blair los estudiantes respondieron a esta pregunta ¿Si tuvieras la oportunidad de votar en estas elecciones, por quien votarías?. Con un 74% de votos el presidente Obama sería re-elegido entre los adolescentes hispanos y con un 26% de votos los estudiantes dijeron que se encontraban neutros. Concluyendo así que el Exgobernador Romney no tendría ningún apoyo de la juventud hispana en Blair. Una de las razones por la cual ellos votarían por el mandatario es que él sí apoya a los hispanos, no como el exgobernador. Al igual que la mayoría de estos jóvenes a favor de una presidencia demócrata, la nación entera estuvo también de acuerdo. Al ganar con un 50% a Mitt Romney quien obtuvo un 48% del voto popular, Barack Obama resultó exitoso en las elecciones de este año. Al obtener la victoria de ser presidente por otro cuatrenio, Obama tiene la oportunidad de completar lo que previamente no pudo. Tendremos los próximos cuatro años para observarlo, y ver si el próximo cantidato del Partido Demócrata será tan exitoso en la próxima elección del 2016.
Silver Chips
November 12, 2012
Sports
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“Freshman Alvin Nelson is charging in his gate. ‘He’s a handball monster,’ yells Reyes from the Blair sideline.”
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Sports leaders abusing power hurts fans nationally The leadership of major pro-sports teams damage the fan experience by wielding a heavy hand By Josh Schmidt Power is something that can be easily abused. And for many sports fans they have been experienced much of this abuse lately. Throughout the sports world many of the leaders have been letting the power get to their head and have been hurting the fan experience. A grand total of 17.2 million fans attended National Football League (NFL) games last season. Being the most popular sport in the United States, it has a reputation to uphold. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has made “protecting the [NFL] shield” one his utmost priorities since becoming commissioner in 2006. But as of late he has been doing quite the opposite. Fans will likely be angered at Goodell for some time after having games become a mockery with the replacement referees losing control of games. What, might one ask, were the normal refs fighting for before being locked out? Simple things such as a better pension plan and the chance to be hired for full time status. Goodell and his cohort of owners refused to give these referees, who have been helping regulate NFL games for so many years, for no reason. Well, the only apparent
reason is that they did tional Basketball not want to seem weak association had and had to prove their a lockout at the testosterone. same time. Just While they all had were as all of that compounding their fists at the motion had endnegotiation table, fans ed, the National were pounding their heads Hockey League is on the wall as the zebras on immersed in their the field tarnished the qualown lockout now. While ownity of games. Incorrect calls, ers and players lack of adherence to rules and loss of control all creargued over a few million here and ated mayhem on the gridiron there from TV or for fans. What happened was fan revenue, fans exactly what Goodell had supwere without the posably set as a priority: the teams they had shield had been tarnished. grown to love. After week two of the NFL While the NFL season, the NFL Players Assocididn’t lose any ation agreed that Goodell’s “acregular season games, tions are looking more and more the NBA lost 16 like simply greed.” As power got games and theNHL to his head, both the players and could likely lose fans made pleas for normalcy and the whole season. a return of the product many came Fans are to love. stuck in a The replacement refbind while eree lockout hasn’t been the b illionaires the only unnecessary lockN a MAGGIE MCCLAIN argue with out in recent sports millionmemory. The, wait aires. for it, NFL had a FOOTBALL NFL commissoner Roger Goodell is one person The fan lockout prior to the to blame for the recent decline in the quality of NFL games. experience 2011 season and
was seriously harmed during the NBA lockout as the quality of the season was also compromised when the association forced so many games into a smaller period of time due to the lockout. The NHL, as it is the weakest of the big four sports in the US, may lose enough fans to seriously compromise some franchises. For fans of these already weak and tottering on bankruptcy franchises, these lockouts mean the potential to lose the team they have come to love. For these rich people to spend weeks and months at the negotiation table while fans sit at home and all they can do is twiddle their thumbs is selfish on the part of the owners and the players in these cases. Fan experience has been seriously compromised in the past few years while those in power positions throughout many different sports have abused this power and become greedy. This power hungry attitude has become an epidemic throughout the sports realm. Greed is much to blame. If the owners, and in some cases the players, wish to truly please the fans they must let go of some of that power, take a step back and gain some perspective.
Athlete in profile: Cherie Carter Carter dominates the course with the golf team By Cindy Monge Left foot is slightly open from the right one; upper torso leans forward from the waist and the knees bend a little allowing flexibility. Left arm is fully extended, right arm slightly bent, so that the right shoulder gently dips loosening for the swing. Folding the right hand, over the left thumb her hands hold together, maintaining a firm grip. Her right foot moves immediately after the impact. There’s a 230 yard drive. As a part of the golf team, sophomore Cherie Carter is climbing the rankings as a golfer. She competes on the Blair golf team in regular tournaments, and is now classified as one of the top eight female golfers in Montgomery County. But Cherie didn’t achieve her current success without first encountering her share of barriers and challenges. Initially, she was the only girl on the golf team. Later on, as a female in a male-dominated sport, she found that there was little expected from her when playing with the boys. The
Golf etiquette Her love for sports started at the age of four, when she learned karate. But it was at age 14, while seeing her dad play in golf tournaments that her desire to play golf awoke. “At first I just started to try it out,” she says, “But then I got more into it and realized that I really liked [it]”. It was last year, as a freshman, that Carter joined the golf team. “I started playing golf in June of 2011 because my dad always plays,” she says. From her father she gains
the advice, experience and motivation she needs. “Personally, my coach is my dad and he takes me to the range and the course several times a week to help me work on technique,” says Carter. Cherie comments that before playing the sport, she thought it would be simple, but once she started playing she discovered the variety of techniques used when playing golf and the complexities of the inner workings of the game.
Reaching the flagstick But not everything has been full swings and long drives for Carter; she has been through rough times while trying to give her best during the games. Carter recalls that it wasn’t easy becoming the only girl on the golf team when she joined last year. “[At] first I was a little intimidated because [my teammates] knew each other, and they were better” she says. “But instead of ignoring me they talked to me and included me into the conversation”. Victor Adamson, a junior at Blair and one of Cherie’s teammate was excited that she joined the team, “I was happy that I wasn’t the only African American on the team” says Victor with a smile. While her commitment to the game make her a strong competitor Cherie still finds herself struggling when a game doesn’t go her way and she has a few bogeys. “I’d say after an especially bad round I always say I want to quit in frustration, but I know that after a bit of practice the next round will be better,” admits Carter. But the support from her dad keeps her going during the difficult moments. “It took a lot of patience in karate [as] it did in golf, it helped me especially in the beginning. It helped me not to give up,”
Carter says. Since golf is a predominantly male sport, being part of a female minority is is one of many barriers Cherie faces as she rises in the golf world. “Guys, especially the older [ones], tend to assume that I wouldn’t be very good,” ELLIE MUSGRAVE says Carter. She recalls that once in a co-district GOLF Sophomore Cherie Carter is a key player for the Blair tournament, the golf team despite hardship. cut number for girls was higher than for boys by 14 points. While cut num- is convinced that golf will always remain a bers are usually higher, this one was espe- hobby for her. “I’m not that interested in making a career out of it. I’d rather be a lawcially large Carter believes that the fact that girls are yer, but I would like to play in tournaments expected not to do as well as the boys has as I get older,” says Carter. Cherie follows not limited her but has driven her to keep the example her father has set as he used to pushing herself and improving her skills. “ play the sport only as a hobby. But she has It makes me want to do better,” Carter says. no plans to forget the lessons that golf has But the hardships only build up her taught her over he short time she has played strength. She has been able to mark some the game. For Cherie, it is not only about the skills good hits that have reached 230 yards. Through her matches, Cherie has proved to she possesses, but the joy she finds when many that golf is not simply a male sport.. playing golf. “Even if you hit five bad “My strength… [is] on my drives it really [shots] ones, when you hit a good one, it helps to be able to hit it 210 yards. Especially feels so rewarding,” she says. Her coach Mr. Craft, comments that Cherie spreads posiwhen playing with the guys”, she says. tive spirit among her teammates and is a great leader f. “She wants the other playSwinging for fun ers to do well and actively cheers for them,” Even with all the potential she has, Carter said Mr. Craft.
silverchips
November 12, 2012
Sports
F3
YOU HAVE GOT TO HAND IT TO THEM The Blair corollary handball team caps off an undefeated season By Langston Cotman Senior goalie Johnny Scott is standing inside the crease of the goal, firmly clutching the yellow rubber ball in his hand. He hesitates and then cocks his arm back and flings the ball like a missile from a cannon. The ball glides across the court, leaving a wake of awestruck athletes from both teams behind it as it heads toward goal. Forming a beautiful arc, it drops into the back net. Chuckles of disbelief emanate from the Blair bench. Scott turns to the sideline and shows a wide smile. Like Scott’s full court goal, Blair’s corollary handball team has come out of nowhere, is confident and undoubtedly successful. During September, an announcement from Infoflow went out over the loudspeaker asking students to join Blair’s corollary handball team. An eclectic mix of Blazers answered the call, all coming from different grades and backgrounds and all with a different amount of experience for the game. Despite only having two days to gel, the team won their first game, has came together with more practice and with a record of 6-0 is officially the regional champion. Of course if you ask the players, they were already the best. During warm-ups one day, Junior Sam Bolgiano exclaims, “We might be the best in the state.” As farfetched as that enormously confident statement may sound, Blair had an extremely successful season. On October 26th, Blair defeated Richard Montgomery (4-2) 34-27. Two weeks prior, Blair steam rolled Rockville 24-11. Being a corollary sport, Blair handball is directed towards Blazers who haven’t played a varsity sport, primarily those who cannot play due to physical or mental disabilities. Though some blazers on the team suffer from disabilities, this team is made up of other students who just wanted to give handball a try, and so far the team has bonded very well. Freshman Quinn McKenzie says that the team found their chemistry early on and that led to their success. “I think we just are comfortable. Most of us just met people on the first day,” says McKenzie, “We just feel really good playing together.” He also connects the root of the team’s success to the leadership they have received from their coaches and captains. “[Captains] Johnny and Josh [Schmidt] just always get on me to do better,” explains McKenzie, “If I do something wrong they are always there to help me.”
The Masterminds Blair’s handball team is led by Jacqueline Reyes and Mattan Berner-Kadish. Reyes, a member of Blair’s security team, played American Handball, but had never played or coached the international Team Handball variation, only seeing it for the first time during this summer’s Olympics. The object of the game is similar to soccer, with two nets and both sides trying to score into their opponents net. The only difference is that players have to use their hands and must dribble the ball in order to move down the court, almost like a game of basketball. Yet, when Athletic Director Rita Boule asked Reyes to coach the team, she went ahead with it. “She needed a coach and I used to play the other handball,” Reyes explains.
Berner-Kadish, on the other hand, knows his handball. He plays left wing for the DC Diplomats and is a member of the U-16 National Handball Team. He has played in the Partille Cup, an international youth team handball tournament, and competed against some of the world’s best rising handball players. Because he plays goalie for Blair’s varsity soccer team, junior Berner-Kadish was unable to compete on the corollary handball team, but decided to share his expertise with the team as a coach. During games he prowls the sideline, giving direction and subbing players in and out. During halftime he gives impassioned speeches in the hallway that can be heard echoing back into the gym. The players have benefited greatly from his coaching technique and deep knowledge of the sport. He is a vocal leader who is constantly offering advice and criticism from the sideline. “How he gets so into the game sometimes is pretty cool to see,” says sophomore Tigist Tadesse. “He actually wants to be there.”
“Handball Monsters” Freshman Alvin Nelson is charging down the court, a smile on his face and a sense of confidence in his gate. “He’s a handball monster,” yells Reyes from the Blair sideline. Alvin has just scored his third goal of the game and as he hustles down the court he lifts three prideful fingers into the air. “I was in the moment,” explains Alvin after being subbed out. He would remain in the moment for the rest of the game, leading the team with six goals on the way to a 24-11 rout over Rockville. There are so many confident characters that make up Blair’s undefeated handball
PLAY BALL (Top) freshman Niko Smith has been a key starting offensive player and defensive presence playing a variety of positions for the squad. (Above) teammate Quinn Mckenzie, a colorful character, looks for an open pass in order to expand Blair’s lead. (Above right) senior co-captain Johnny Scott watches one of his shots glide into the net while flying into the crease. (Left) student coach Mattan Berner-Kadish directs and subs out players from the sidelines during one of the team’s winning games. ZEKE WAPNER
team. Take McKenzie for instance, who is famous for his on-court antics. “I am not calm, cool, and collected I can tell you that,” exclaims McKenzie from the bench. There is no doubt that this team is competitive, but in the spirit of corollary athletics they also try to be respectful and caring. During the game against Rockville, much of the other team was comprised of students with physical or mental disabilities. After dominating the first half, Berner-Kadish told Blair to let up a little and let Rockville score so that they could have some fun too. During one memorable moment, goalkeeper Johnny Scott dove and intentionally missed blocking a shot by a girl with Down Syndrome from Rockville. When the ball rolled into the goal, the girl lit up with delight while both teams and an eager crowd cheered wildly.
Perfection
Captain Josh Schmidt sets his feet and delivers a shot that zooms past the goalkeeper. “ESPN TOP 10,” yells fellow captain Scott from the sideline. Schmidt grins as if this were all routine. Dominant performances were the norm for the Blair handball team, outscoring their opponents by double digit numbers in all but one of their games. After sealing their perfect season with a win against Richard Montgomery, the team gathers in a huddle and puts their hands together, symbolizing the bond that has developed between them over the past two months. Beads of sweat trickle down their faces and a sense of fulfillment drifts through the gymnasium. “One, two, three, UNDEFEATED!” they chant. They might just be the best in the state.
sports CHIPS
November 12, 2012
silverchips.mbhs.edu/section/sports.php
Blazers fall to Wildcats for second straight year
Blair loses to Walter Johnson in second round of playoffs as season comes to a close By Josh Schmidt WALTER JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL, Nov. 1 –
two goals in the 63rd minute off of a header and another in the 78th minute for insurance. Junior Donald Benamna was part of a strong offensive showing that simply wasn’t able to get the ball in the back of the net. Blair
just above the cross bar for another close call. Blair continued their strong offensive showing through until the end of the first half when Benamna had a close range goal stopped by the Wildcat goalie in the 39th minute.
The Blair boys’ varsity soccer team’s (10-5) season came to a close as they lost to the Walter Johnson Wildcats (13-1) 3-1 in the second round of the playoffs. The game was evenly matched the majority of the game with the first score coming only in the 46th minute. Blair scored only one goal for the fourth straight season as they fell in the playoffs. Blair also lost to the Wildcats last season in the regional semifinals. Walter Johnson was able to capitalize on their opporunities EMMA HOWELLS as the Blair defense brokedown on mul- SOCCER Left, junior Ibrahima Kouyate takes the ball downfield for another offensive chance. Right, tiple occasions, allow- senior Stallon Ndawula fights for the ball in an effort to hold down the Wildcat offense. ing the the Wildcats to get shots on goal. sisted of a couple of quick passes Seniro co-captain Jefhad a quick opportunity just a Blair, thought, was unable to before setting the ball up in the box fey Martinez believes that Walter couple of minutes into the first half finish on their many opportunities. for an offensive opportunity, acJohnson’s midfield overmatched when junior Dylan Crosson played Haigh believes they were trying cording to Coach John Haigh. The the Blair midfield. “The midfield a ball into the box from the sideline just a little bit too hard. “They were strategy eventually wore down the was giving them too many chancand Blair was nearly able to get a pressing too much…[The Wildcats] Blair defense as they weren’t able es. We weren’t pressuring,” Martigoal. were also more dangerous and agto stop the quick passes. nez said. In the fifth minute senior Stallan gressive than last time we played The Wildcats scored their other The Walter Johnson attack conNdawula shot from 30 yards out them,” Haigh said.
This shift in play from the Wildcats caught the Blazers off guard and limited their implementation of the game plan. While the scoring upped in the second half, so did the the tempers and chippiness. During the fiftieth minute an argument between players and coaches broke out as the game was stopped for about ten minutes to clear everything up. No cards were given to either side. The tempers continued to flare throughout the half, but nothing large happened again. Haigh believes that the altercations had no impact on the game in the end. “It didn’t affect the outcome. They would have won either way,” Haigh said. As the season came to a close the team now has time to reflect on another season as divison champions and double digit wins. Martinez believes that the season has been a resounding success for the Blazers. “It’s been a great season. Varsity soccer is a great season and we’ve given it our all.,” Martinez said. Coach Haigh agrees and says that the team has succeeded in a few of their goals. “We wanted to win the divison and get double digit wins and we did that,” Haigh said. “They did a great job. We were unsure early but we geled late.” The Blazers finished up a great season and will now move their focus onto next year. The Blazers will be losing starting seniors Ndawula, Charley Marshall, captain Simon Amato and Joel Sanjong.
Blair bows to Blake in field hockey regional semifinals Bengals shutout Blazers and conclude Blair’s winning season under new coach By Aanchal Johri
mistakes once they got the ball. BLAZER STADIUM, Oct. “I just think that 31 – in terms offensively, we did pretty On Halloween, the Blair well, but their deBlazers (9-5) lost 4-0 to the fense was good, Blake Bengals (11-3) in the and sometimes semifinals of the playoffs. we played with The game was hard fought, the ball too long but the Blazers couldn’t keep when we were in up with the perennial powerhouse Bengals. the circle.” Everything got started for Despite the the Bengals, as it often does, finish, coach Canwith University of Maryland dace Thurman’s recruit Caroline Wannen. first season with Wannen, Blake’s all time leadthe Blazers was ing scorer, knocked in her first a huge success. of three goals with seven minComing off of a utes remaining in the first half. 4-9 season the exShe maneuvered through the pectations were defense and slapped a shot not high for the by Blair senior goalie Mattie Blazers but under Cohen. the new leaderGoing into halftime the ship they thrived, score was still 1-0 in favor finishing as one of of the Bengals but while the the top teams in ISABEL HENDRIX Blazer attack continued to be the county. thwarted, Wannen and the Thurman was Bengals managed to score FIELD HOCKEY Junior Dillon Sebastian fights for the ball with a Bengal not discouraged defender and an opportunity to gain an edge in an game in which Blair was three more goals, putting by the loss and the game out of reach for the is proud of her the game, junior Allison Chen had think that our defense did well Blazers. team’s efforts As for the Blazers, senior cap- a couple final attempts at goal but with cutting back, but sometimes in the game and throughout the their breakaways caught us off season. “They’ve showed big imtain Zoe McCarthy repeatedly at- they were in vain. Chen praises Blair’s efforts, guard,” she said. tempted to get the ball down field provement from last year and I’m Chen also pointed out that of- very proud of them. They played but the Bengals’ defense stopped but acknowledges the evident her every time. Near the end of strengths of the other team. “I fensively the team made too many hard till the very end.”
insideSPORTS Athlete in Profile See page F1 Sophomore Cherie Carter is a rising star on the Blair golf team where hard work has paid off for her.
Blair handball dominates See page F2 Team handball, a little known sport in this area, was enjoyed by a wide array of students willing to play the new corollary sport.