Montgomery Blair High School SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND
A public forum for student expression since 1937
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CADENCE PEARSON
Late night shifts C2 November 12, 2015
Winner of the 2014 National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker
VOL 78 NO 2
Trespassers enter school campus By Joshua Fernandes and Anna O’Driscoll In three separate incidents between Oct. 7 and 12, students from other high schools in the county were let into the school building by Blair students. On two of the occasions, the trespasser entered a classroom with the intention of attacking specific students. On the other, the trespasser was stopped by security without physically engaging any students. On Oct. 7, a male student from a Silver Spring high school was let into the building by Blair students. The students brought the
trespasser to the classroom of the Blair student he was targeting. According to security team leader Kathleen Greene, the trespasser entered the classroom and became physically involved with a student. “Some students escorted him into the building and took him up to a classroom when the bell rang. It was during the class change right after sixth lunch,” Greene said. “And [the trespasser] walked in there looking for a young man who he had a verbal altercation with previously, and he wanted to meet up with the student, and they did engage in a physical altercation inside the classroom.”
The trespasser has not yet been charged because of his diplomatic immunity, but the Montgomery County Police Department is currently working with the U.S. Department of State to punish him for his actions. “[School Resource Officer (SRO) Sharese Junious] is working with the State Department on that because we don’t stop just because they are not charged because we take safety seriously, and so does the State Department,” Greene said. On the afternoon of Oct. 9, a male student from a Silver Spring
see SECURITY page A2
CALEB BAUMAN
CLOSED CAMPUS Despite school policy, Blazers regularly let students into the building through the side doors.
Much Ado About Nothing
Phone charging prohibited By Alice Park
CADENCE PEARSON
A FESTIVE AFFAIR Student actors dance together in Blair’s Latin American-themed production of a Shakespeare classic. For a review of the play, see page D1.
When consent comes to a grinding halt Students comment on homecoming dancing
By Sarah Hutter Where only first names appear, names have been changed to protect the identities of the sources. The gym is wide open and music is blaring out of the speakers. It is dark except for the colored lights streaming from the DJ stand. Girls in short formal dresses and heels crowd in groups among guys decked out in suits and cologne. The gym gets more and more crowded and, eventually, people start dancing—that is, grinding. Hot and sweaty dancing has become part of the fun at many school dances. Guys dance on girls, girls
NEWS A2
GRIFFIN REILLY
dance on guys, and for many it is just a way of having a good time. However, this very anonymous yet very intimate form of dancing brings up a crucial question: how much of the grinding and groping that occurs at school dances is consensual? Among Blair students, there is a general clear understanding of what goes on at dances like homecoming. According to sophomore Stephanie Feliz, there’s “a lot of twerking, grinding.” “Sweaty grinding,” agrees fellow sophomore Sam Acuff. “Grinding, twerking...and fist pumping,” says junior Michael Rivera. “Sometimes crowdsurfing,” adds Geniya
On Oct. 25, Principal Renay Johnson notified staff via email that students may not charge their cell phones in classrooms. The rule aims to prevent theft of electronic devices when students leave them plugged in to charge. Johnson sent the email in response to several complaints from parents whose children lost their cell phones. “We’ve had a number of students who charge their cell phones in a class and then they forget [to take them],” Johnson said. Although the rule is not official, Johnson hopes that teachers will enforce her no-charging request. “It’s not a policy… [but] I want to make sure teachers understand the seriousness of it,” she said. Administration and the security department requested that Johnson send the email. “We asked Ms. Johnson to support us by saying, ‘Don’t charge [cell phones] during instructional periods,’” said Kathleen Greene, head of the security team. “[We’re] trying to advocate security and safety.” Johnson said the school is not liable for missing belongings and teachers are not responsible for monitoring students’ devices.
“Teachers can’t watch all the students, teach the lesson, check for understanding, assign homework, and watch phones,” she said. “Teachers assume kids [will] take their phones with them.” According to Johnson, tracking down missing electronics prevents teachers and the security team from attending to other responsibilities. “It creates a whole bunch of havoc that really wastes instructional time and wastes manpower hours,” she said. Sophomore Troy Daniels said Johnson should not regulate the entire school to protect the few students who leave their phones behind. “That’s [the student’s] responsibility,” Daniels said. “I don’t think she should be enforcing [the rule] on everybody else.” According to Greene, teachers have the authority to implement the rule and security will only respond to classrooms where students disobey their teacher’s instructions. “We’re not going to go around looking in the [classrooms]… but if [a] teacher [calls] for security, then we have to intervene,” she said. Johnson included this information in her email sent to staff with other end of the quarter reminders.
Thompson, another junior. Grinding is, for many people, a central part of the homecoming experience. However, since it usually consists of one person dancing on another, grinding raises significant concerns about whether the dancers know how to ask first.
“May I have this dance?” According to Rivera, people (for the most part, boys) do not ask their dance partners (usually girls) before grinding with them. “He just gets behind her,” says Rivera.
see DANCE page C3
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EMMA SOLER AND REVA KREEGER
Young voters
Food trucks
Fútbol
Sailing team
Allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote will foster political participation.
Silver Chips reviews popular on-the-go dining options.
Estudiantes latinos representan orgullosamente el equipo de fútbol.
A dedicated student takes to the water to compete in sailing competitions.
B1
OP/ED B1
CADENCE PEARSON
FEATURES C1
D2
ENTERTAINMENT D1
GRIFFIN REILLY
E2
CHIPS CLIPS D6
COURTESY OF DEXTER MUELLER
F3
LA ESQUINA LATINA E1
SPORTS F1
A2 News
silverchips
November 12, 2015
Safety endangered by students from outside Blair Three incidents in which students enter building by side doors from SECURITY page A1
a second degree assault, it carries up to a $2,500 fine and 10 years in high school entered Blair to rejail,” Junious said. portedly purchase a homecoming All four students involved in ticket. “He claims he was comthe three incidents were given ing to buy a homecoming ticket, no-trespassing letters on Blair’s but he doesn’t attend our school,” grounds. Active for one year, with Principal Renay Johnson said. the possibility of extensions, these First entering at the main doors police-filed orders prohibit entry on University Boulevard, the stuonto school property. “You can dent then exited the building and present [the individual] with a [nowas allowed back in through a trespassing] letter as well...in case side door by a Blair student. The that individual comes back again trespasser was spotted by security they can be arrested and charged and pursued through the school. with trespassing,” Supervisor of “When security saw him, he tried School Safety and Security Dougto go into a classroom, but when las Steel said. security saw him they chased him Students who allow unauthorand the police chased him into the ized people to enter the building community,” Johnson said. may be charged as well. “If you let The security guards and SRO someone in a school to commit a were unable to locate the trespasscrime then you are also an accessoer at that time, but using security ry to that crime which means that cameras, they were able to idenyou could be charged with that tify both him and the student who crime as well,” Junious said. Adopened the door. “We do have 106 ministration can also punish these cameras in the building, interior students. “You get suspended for and exterior, so we were able to loopening the door to allow somecate the student who escorted him one to come in to attack a staff in and also the [trespasser], and member or to attack a student,” we did follow up on that,” Greene Johnson said. said. Security and administration On Oct. 12, two female students believe the burden of maintaining from a Gaithersburg high school safety falls not just on the security entered the building through a team, but also upon the students side door and assaulted a female and staff members. “We have 3,000 student in a hallway. They waited students, 20 doors, it’s a small outside the classroom of the stucity...Why are you going to put that pressure on eight people?” Blair security assistant Carlos Hernandez said. Greene said she believes that students have a responsibility to themselves and their peers to think before acting. “I open the doors for people because it’s the polite to do. “It’s up to students If something bad occurs, I guess it’s my fault.” also to play in the role - Jeremy Abarca, sophomore of being smart and being safe too,” Greene “I don’t open the door for people outside the building besaid. “I think they owe it to their safety and to cause that’s why we have the main entrance.” their friends and staff - Amy Hernandez, junior and everybody else here.” dent they were targeting until the end of the period to confront her. “There were some girls waiting outside for this girl who is in my class. So then right when she came out, they got into a fight, and my teacher had to go and stop it,” sophomore Mussie Gebretensay, a student in the class, said. According to Junious, the two female assailants who entered on Oct. 12 were criminally charged. “They can be charged with disrupting the school day, and they can be charged with trespassing on school property,” Junious said. She said she believes both of these charges are misdemeanors. The punishment for both crimes can involve paying fines or time in jail. “Disturbing activities at school is a misdemeanor, you can be fined up to $2,500 and you can spend six months in jail,” Junious said. “Trespassing on school grounds is a $1,000 fine, and it also has up to six months in jail.” If someone was attacked, assault and battery could be added to the list of charges. “You could technically come into a school without permission, disrupt the school day and assault someone, so you are looking at three charges,” Greene said. A charge of second degree assault can also add fines and jail time. “A simple fight where no one is seriously injured is what we call
soapbox
Do you open the doors for people outside the building? Why or why not?
CHIMEY SONAM
SIDE DOOR SIGNS The gym hallway, University Boulevard, and SAC entrances prohibit opening the doors for anyone, students included. According to Steel, all 25 MCPS high schools have one security team leader and an average of four to five security assistants. Blair has eight security assistants, the largest of any school in the county. The number of security assistants is largely based on the school’s enrollment, according to Steel, but other factors can include the size of the building or specific issues that come up. To request more security assistants, the principal of a school would have to go through the Chief Operating Office. “It’s part of the budgetary process,” Steel said. Gebretensay, the student in one of the classes, said he believes that security is responsible for protecting the students and preventing incidents in the future. “Security should do more...by controlling every door, seeing who comes in and out,” he said. Each entrance to Blair has an interior sign except for the main entrance on University Boulevard, which is unlocked and has an external sign instructing visitors to report to the main office. The signs at the gym hallway, Colesville Road, and SAC entrances warn students to not allow anyone to enter the building. They read: “Stop! Doors are locked at 8:00 am. Do not
open these doors for anyone!” The signs at the other entrances do not instruct students to not open the doors, only stating: “Stop! Do not exit! Emergency use only! Please exit the school through the lobby. Thank you.” According to Greene, incidents like these are uncommon at Blair. “It’s not a normal thing here, and unfortunately, it was people making the wrong choices letting their friends in who don’t go here, opening doors,” she said. “Unfortunately, we just had a little spurt, and I think a lot of it had to do with homecoming week. Everyone was hyped up and a lot of people were coming to the dance that were outside anyways, so they just came in on their own time, too.” After the three incidents, Johnson sent a letter via email to Blair parents. Although the letter mentioned the intruders, it did not mention any violent actions. Johnson said she decided not to mention the physical assault to protect the identities of the students involved. “We were trying to keep it confidential because we’re trying to protect victims,” Johnson said. “If we gave too much detail, kids would often say, ‘Oh I was in that class. That was about you,’ and it becomes a harassment situation.”
New coalition set to change college applications in 2016
Applications to be a four-year experience with high school portfolios By Julian Brown The Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success, including the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins University, and the College of William and Mary, announced recently that it will providing a new college application starting fall of next year. The Career Center has recently sent out an email on the issue but currently have no plans to inform students about it. Next school year, seniors will be able to apply to these universities with the option to use this application or apply with current applications. According to the Shannon Miller, Senior Associate Director of Johns Hopkins Undergraduate Admissions, the coalition application will offer a new modern way to apply to college. “[The application offers] a free platform of online tools to improve and streamline the college application process… [But] Hopkins will continue to accept the Common Application so this will only impact students who choose to apply via the Coalition Application,” Miller said. According to James Massey, Senior Associate Director of the University of Maryland’s Undergraduate Admission Department, students will be able to create an
accumulative portfolio over the the Coalition. “[The application] colleges and universities…all dedcourse of their high school years also allows for students to share icated to providing students with and keep important documents this information with trusted advi- the best possible college experiand data in online storage on the sors for feedback and critique be- ence,” Miller said. “All schools in Coalition’s website. “[The Coali- fore they actually apply to colleges the Coalition need to meet a stantion Application] allows for stu- in their senior year of high school,” dard of affordability (low-cost in-state tuition for public schools dents to electronically store appli- Massey said. The Coalition is made up of col- [and] meeting the full demonstratcation materials in one place (their electronic ‘locker’) where they can leges all over the nation that have ed need of admitted students for revisit and revise these materials all made a pledge to work to make private schools); these are schools as they progress through their high college more affordable and in- that will be in the realm of possibilschool experience,” Massey said. crease the availability of financial ity for a low-income student.” The Coalition’s goals are to “Students will be able to access the aid. “The Coalition for Access, Af‘locker’ to upload their achieve- fordability, and Success is a group make the process easier and simments and accomplishments early of more than 80 public and private pler for students already planning on a univerin 2016. The acsity education tual application and to try to will be availget low-inable as early as come students next summer into the colfor those seeklege mindset ing freshman early on. “The admission for Coalition’s the Fall 2017 term.” approach is based on reAll of the search that documents tells us that kept in the Coearlier engagealition’s storment and beage will be ing part of a completely private, but have college-bound the option to culture is esbe shared with pecially critiGRIFFIN REILLY a counselor or cal for lowand sent to one of A NEW COLLEGE APP Students in the career center prepare for income the colleges in college, but starting next year, the application process will change. u n d e r r e p r e -
sented students’ success,” Stanton Cheah, Associate Director of Marketing & Communications at the University of Maryland, said. According to Miller, the specifics surrounding the new application are still in the process of formation, but coalition colleges are prepared to notify the high school community once it is finished. “As we receive more information about how the application will be implemented, we’ll communicate any changes through our website, email, and any appropriate publications. In addition, we work hard to keep the high school counseling community in the loop with anything that will affect their students so we’ll be in contact with them about any changes,” she said. “Students can also sign up to receive information through the Coalition so that they’ll get information about the application as it is available.” Phalia West, College/Career Information Coordinator, sent out an email on November 5 containing an article about the Coalition from Inside Higher Ed. Other than the article, however, the Career Center and Counseling Department have no plans for informing students on the new application. “I don’t know enough yet to spread the word,” West said.
November 12, 2015
News A3
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Seven Blair students create award-winning documentary
Juvenile Justice film is selected as finalist in 2015 Wheaton Film Festival other film festivals, according to Gandhi Brigade Youth Media’s executive editor, Evan Glass. Kaleb Dagne explained that the film is the result of the ongoing conflict with police brutality and abuse toward people of color. “Our film was about police brutality and its effect on teens and how people are put in jail and being arrested for the wrong reasons,” Kaleb Dagne said. The documentary highlights the
more focus on keeping kids out of jail in the first place. According to Kaleb Dagne, all seven of the film creators are young, black males and are all directly affected by this issue. For him, this was the main reason for making the film. “[The race conflict is] a big issue in our society right now and we have experience with it and police and how they mistreat us,” Kaleb Dagne said. “We wanted to show our opinions
working on it with my friends was just a really good thing to do. I felt like I used my summer well,” Noah Dagne said. As part of Gandhi Brigade Youth Media, Glass helped teach the students how to make the film and guided them through the process. For him, the documentary is special because of its unique perspective and how it spotlights some of the things going on in Baltimore that should be important to most
portant for adults and leaders to hear to the perspective of today’s high school students,” Glass said. The short film “Juvenile Justice: Gandhi Brigade Youth Media is The Road to Reform”, created by an afterschool program that talks seven Blair students, was named a to high school students and helps finalist for the Wheaton Film Festhem spread their opinions about tival on Oct. 24. The film was crecurrent events and issues in sociated as part of the Social Justice ety. “We also teach media producSummer program under the orgation like videography, photogranization of Gandhi Brigade Youth phy, graphic design and ultimately Media, an organization that helps we work on projects that combine students present their views on civics and media,” Glass said. major issues. Glass, a former CNN proThe eight-minute film, ducer, has been working at created by Blair seniors Gandhi Brigade Youth Media Noah Dagne, Kendall Delfor a year. His participation in ille, Mussie Fitsum, Yonatan the documentary was primarily Mengesha, Kidus Michael, one of guidance. “I love the fact Nickson Minja, and junior that I was able to help guide Kaleb Dagne, centers on the the young producers through problems with the Maryland a very complicated subject like juvenile justice system and juvenile justice and provide the effects of those problems some editorial guidance when on Maryland youth. needed,” Glass said. “But ulA number of interviews timately it was they who proare incorporated in the film duced a wonderful short docuincluding those with Geomentary.” vany Posadas and Tyree EdThe process of making the monds, two formerly incardocumentary took around five cerated Maryland teenagers weeks, starting in the beginwho are making efforts to get ning of July, according to Noah their lives back on track. The Dagne. The students spend two students also interviewed COURTESY OF GANDHI BRIGADE YOUTH MEDIA COURTESY OF GANDHI BRIGADE YOUTH MEDIA weeks researching, two weeks Maryland’s Attorney General, Brian Frosh, and two LIGHTS, CAMERA, JUSTICE The filmmakers traveled around Maryland to interview district attorney, shooting b-roll and getting inMaryland delegates, David Brian Frosh (left), and Geovany Posadas (right) as they attempt to decipher the juvenile justice system. terviews, and one week editing. According to Kaleb Dagne, Moon and Will Smith. the group will be moving on to In the end, the students’ efforts were awarded with an offi- lives of Posadas and Edmonds as and change other people’s minds of Maryland residents. “This docu- the topic of increased college tumentary has the voice of the youth ition rates and loans for their next cial selection for the Wheaton Film they travel through the justice sys- and show the real injustice.” Noah Dagne, Kaleb’s brother, and their perspective and it’s im- production. Festival, the Baltimore Internation- tem. The film shows the difference al Black Film Festival, and the Or- in state spending on incarceration made the film because he wanted a lando Urban Film and Music Festi- and on education, trying to prove rewarding way to spend his sumval. They also received from many that the government needs to put mer. “[F]inding out about this and
By Grady Jakobsberg
PARCC results show need for improvement
MCPD to implement body worn cameras Policy allows officers to record police activities in schools State University, one Phoenix precinct was given BWCs while another wasn’t. They found that The Montgomery County Pocomplaints against officers delice Department (MCPD), in partclined by 23 percent in the prenerships with MCPS, implemented cinct with body cameras as coma policy that allows officers to use pared to a 10.6 increase in the body worn cameras (BWCs) when precinct without the cameras. responding to emergency situaThe second purpose tions in Montgiven is to provide betgomery County ter documentation of Public Schools evidence that is more as of Oct. 12. objective, accurate, and BWCs are reliable. “Sometimes cameras atpeople might want to tached to a pofight us, sometimes lice officer’s people might be disbody that record honest in court, they a given situation might complain on an from the perofficer,” said Reynolds spective of the said. “All that is now officer in order captured for evidence.” to gain an acThe Arizona study curate account found that cases were of events. Cursignificantly more likerently, accordly to be initiated and to ing to a letter CALEB BAUMAN CALEB BAUMAN end in a guilty verdict from Interim Superintendent SAY CHEESE Over 100 MCPD officers including Mat- or guilty plea followLarry Bowers, thew Muzzatti (left) now use body worn cameras. ing the implementation of body cameras. only the School The third purpose Resource Officers (SROs) in Northwest, Sen- officer anticipates no further in- given is to ease confrontations eca Valley, and Walt Whitman, volvement in the situation. Officers between officers and citizens. are equipped with body cameras. have discretion to turn off cameras “When we say to somebody, ‘You In addition, police officers that for privacy concerns. BWC foot- are being audio and video taped’, visit Montgomery County schools age is subject to the Maryland it tends to modify people’s bemay be wearing body cameras. Public Information Act so footage havior,” Reynolds said. “It tends The MCPD assured that the will be released if there is a legal to de-escalate the situation.” Lastly, the BWCs are meant cameras will only be used during requirement to do so.release it. In that same letter, Manger ex- to aid in the training of other law-enforcement related encounters or activities. “The camera plained the purposes of BWCs. officers who could find themis only on, whether it be in the The first goal is to strengthen ac- selves in similar situations schools [...,] could be in a hospi- countability, transparency, and to those that were recorded. The policy is a result of a bill tal, a traffic stop, when we are re- trust between the police and the sponding to a legitimate call for community. “We have a great part- signed by Governor Larry Hoservice, or we have initiated some nership with the schools and we gan in May of this year that letype of police activity,” Assistant want to build trust,” said Reynolds galized BWCs in Maryland poChief of Police Luther Reynolds said. “We don’t want to do any- lice departments. As of now, the explained. It is policy to only use thing that would damage that. We MCPD is in a pilot program for the cameras within the confines of want to build confidence, we want the body cameras, which, acan emergency situation. According to build positive momentum.” cording to FOX 5 local news, cost In a study done by Arizona $155,000 for 152 body cameras. to Reynolds, “The camera would
By Cole Sebastian
be activated in the beginning of that event, until it is concluded.” A memorandum from Chief of Police J. Thomas Manger details the use of BWCs. Officers must ask permission to record unless unsafe, impractical, or impossible. BWCs are deactivated when an
black and Hispanics students. The discrepancies between white and Asian test scores and The results released by the black and Hispanic test scores at Maryland State Department of Blair are similar across MontgomEducation of last spring’s Partner- ery County and Maryland. ship for Assessment of Readiness In a Nov 5 press release, MCPS for College and Careers (PARCC) interim superintendent Larry A. tests show that less than 30 percent Bowers said that the PARCC asof Blair students met performance- sessments would only serve as a level expectations in English, Al- baseline test. “Test scores alone do gebra 1 and Algebra 2. not tell us how well our students The PARCC scores students out are performing,” he said. of five levels, with Level 4 indicatSophomores Victor Omokeing the threshold needed to dem- hinde and Enrique Carpio said they onstrate college and career readi- did not take the test as seriously as ness. The results show that out of they could have. “They said it was the 340 students at Blair who took just like a little practice...just to see the Algebra 1 test, 0-10 met Level how well everyone did,” Omoke4. At Blair, 26.8 percent of the 529 hinde said. Carpio remembers that Algebra 2 and 24.1 percent of the he guessed for many of the ques607 English Literacy test takers tions. “A lot of the questions that met Level 4 stanwere on the test, dards. I hadn’t learned In Montgomyet in my classery County, 36.1 es,” he said. percent of Algebra Regardless of 1 and 29.4 percent how many stuof Algebra 2 test dents did not, takers met Level or could not, 4. These were take the test to greater than the their full ability, results for the enMCPS plans to tire state of Maryuse the testing land, in which 29.4 data to improve percent of Algebra student perfor1 testers and 19.3 mance. “These percent of Algebra results will help 2 testers met Level and - Victor Omokehinde students 4. In Montgomery schools in several County, however, ways, by showless than five pering if students cent of Algebra 1 are ready for the and 2 testers met Level 5, or “ex- next grade, or for college-level ceeded” standards. For English, work; indicating who needs addi29.1 percent and 14.9 percent met tional instructional support; helpLevels 4 and 5, respectively. ing teachers to fine-tune their inThe results reflect a racial struction; helping principals plan achievement gap as well. At Blair, ahead for the coming year; and in57.1 percent of Asian students and forming where we need to address 49.6 percent of white students who gaps and disparities around the took the Algebra 2 test scored at state,” MCPS Senior CommunicaLevel 4, compared to 8.2 percent of tions Specialist Gboyinde Onijala black and 8.8 percent of Hispanic explained. students. Fifty-two point seven According to the PARCC webpercent of Asian students and 33.1 site, the score reports will be sent percent of white students exceed- to parents in the fall. The score reed expectations and met Level 5, ports were delayed because of the compared to less than 5 percent of test’s inaugural implementation.
By Winne Luo
“A lot of the questions that were on the test, I hadn’t learned yet in my classes.”
A4 News Newsbriefs Church pickets at two MCPS schools The Westboro Baptist Church planned to picket at Rockville and Winston Churchill on Nov. 12. “Members [of the church] are expected to head to Churchill High School as students are dismissed from class to protest the fact that the school has a Gay Straight Alliance Club.” read a November 3rd article by Bethesda Magazine. The church has been categorized as, a hate group because of its homophobic, anti-Semitic and other hate speech,” according to Bethesda Magazine. The article also mentioned that Churchill administration sent out an email saying they had no plans to address the activities of the church. “[The email] said Montgomery County police are aware of the event and have plans for assisting in the safe and normal dismissal of our students.” according to Bethesda Magazine. The email goes on to say the protest will not be acknowledged as an excuse for missing school and that there will not be a counter protest. “Please let your students know it will be a normal instructional day at Churchill High School,” said Bethesda Magazine.
Three Blazers appear on NPR show ‘#15Girls’ Sophomores Leslie Morales, Tanjim Chowdury, and Suraya Mohamud appeared on the closing show #15Girls on NPR. The show explored the lives of 15-year-old girls around the world, ranging from El Salvador to Lebanon to Nepal, and concluded with a group of Blair students. American journalist Michel Martin interviewed the three on Nov. 1, focusing on the significance that turning 15 holds in each of their cultures, as well as their expectations for the year ahead. Also, the students spoke about how their experiences in the U.S. differ to their own countries. The students were selected by the school counselors and the interview was held in the career center. Morales was selected to do the interview and valued her time on NPR. “I’ve never done anything like that before. I’m glad if anyone listening could relate to my experiences,” Morales said.
MCPS launches Korean teacher exchange program
MCPS announced a new teacher exchange program on Oct. 27 that aims to provide teachers from MCPS and Daejeon, South Korea with cultural learning experiences that will improve teaching and learning skills, understanding of global education, and appreciation for diverse learners and communities. The Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education connected with MCPS and Montgomery College through JG Business Link, a company that facilitates partnerships between South Korean and foreign organizations. Sylvia Morrison, the Director of the Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships, said MCPS will begin hosting teachers from Daejeon in Thomas S. Wootton and Quince Orchard starting in January, where they will be given the opportunity to shadow and co-teach with MCPS educators. Montgomery College will provide professional training, as well as teaching and learning sessions, for the exchange teachers. “We are hoping that a group of teachers [from MCPS] are able to participate in the exchange program in the next three to five years,” Morrison said. Newsbriefs compiled by Dawson Do and Niki Patel
silverchips
November 12, 2015
Changing bus times cause late arrivals to school Students miss classes because of delays and route changes By Georgina Burros and Niki Patel The 20 minute delay in MCPS school start time has resulted in students arriving to school late due to different traffic patterns and changes in bus pickup and arrival times. Students reported missing their first period classes and increasingly delayed pickup times during the first weeks of school, which have since been regulated by the MCPS Department of Transportation (DOT). According to Blair attendance secretary Roxanne Fus, the 20 minute time change led to changes in bus routes and pickup times. “After school started…they altered their pick-up times. That’s unusual, that doesn’t usually happen,” she said. Fus attributed these changes to traffic patterns. The DOT attempted to prevent students from arriving to school late by adjusting the pickup and drop off times of buses based on hypothetical traffic patterns with the 20 minute time delay. “The traffic patterns changed after labor day,” DOT Assistant Director Angel Garcia-Ablanque said. “As a result of the changes in traffic patterns, we have adjusted the pickup times of the routes with respect to the originally ones that we announced before the start of the school year.” Students expressed confusion around bus reliability as a result of the time changes. “On the first day of school, [the bus] was like half an hour late and we weren’t even sure if it was coming,” senior Isabel Brecher said. Junior Victoria Lopez’s bus usually arrives 10-20 minutes late. “There
was this one time where it [the bus] was like 30 minutes late, we all got late to class, and they didn’t give us [a pass], so we were unexcused tardy,” said Lopez. Freshman Wilson Rigler was one of many students that received a notice on the Thursday afternoon the first week of school that his bus times had changed from 7:11 to 7:02. Rigler now arrives as early as 7:17 to Blair. For Rigler, the 20 minute difference does not change his routine. “It would’ve helped but since we changed the route, it’s only a slight difference and I don’t really think that it had that much of an impact on me personally,” he said. “But because we changed the route and extended it rather than making it shorter, I’m still getting up at the same time and it’s just as problematic when I’m getting ready in the morning.” According to many Blair students, the start times have been unhelpful and led to hectic mornings. “I’m still stuck on last year’s time,” said sophomore Ifrah Nur. “So I wake up with 20 minutes to rush out the door and everything, and it’s like a lot, it’s really stressful.” Nur reported her bus arriving late almost daily, causing her to miss part of her first period class. “During the first couple weeks of school we actually like, our times would change a lot, like it was ridiculous,” Nur said. “It would go from 7, we’d have to be out there at 7, to 6:40, and now they’ve made it 6:55, that’s when the bus gets here.” For teachers, it is frustrating to have several students daily arriving late due to bus times. According to math teacher Peter
CALEB BAUMAN
BUS MISHAPS Students arrive at their bus stop early in the morning. Englemann, students arriving late disrupt his first and second period classes. “I’ve seen a significant number of bus passes, more bus passes this year than before because of buses coming late... Buses should be on time, students should be on time, so I can start on time and they can do everything they need to do,” Englemann said. “Because sometimes they come in and they’re behind on the warm up and they want me to wait until they complete the warm up and I want to start the lesson; what do you do for them?” The 20 minute change was introduced in 2013 to allow students more sleep. According to the MCPS document, “Bell Times—Analysis of Additional Options”, “The options and discussion included provide a range of possibilities that
are cost effective and provide the potential opportunity for increasing sleep for high school students.” According to the DOT, bus routes will be subject to change after the first semester. “DOT has a process in place called route reviews,” Garcia-Ablanque said. “During these process that usually takes in effect in January, DOT analyzes each and every route to find where changes can be made to make the route more efficient.” In preparation for the 2016-2017 school year, the DOT plans to avoid as much confusion concerning buses as possible while still striving to give the maximum amount of sleep to students as possible with school start times. “The DOT has adapted its operations processes in order to achieve that goal,” Garcia-Ablanque said.
Montgomery College students forced to pay for remedial classes Remedial courses do not count toward earning credits for graduation By Christian Mussenden Montgomery College’s policy states that if a student does not reach certain scores on the Accuplacer, SAT, or ACT, then he or she must take remedial courses once they start attending Montgomery College. These remedial classes do not count towards fulfilling any credits for graduation and students must pay to take them. The Accuplacer is a test used by Montgomery College and hundreds of other community colleges nationwide to determine if a student is ready to take college credit-earning coursework during their first semester in college. If a student fails to demonstrate college readiness by their junior year in high school, the student is encouraged to take the Accuplacer test instead of the PSAT in their junior year. The Accuplacer is not a “pass or fail” test. It evaluates a student’s skills in mathematics, reading, and writing. A student receives a score based on their test performance. If that score is below a certain point, then Montgomery College requires the student to take remedial courses before they can start attending classes that earn credits toward graduation. A student can also submit their SAT or ACT scores when applying to Montgomery College to determine if they are in need of remediation. Ellen Olmstead, head of the English Department at Montgomery College’s Takoma Park campus, said the reason students have to pay for remedial courses is to cover the cost of the classes. “Someone has to get paid for teaching those classes and the building
expenses,” Olmstead said. She also said that Montgomery College’s remedial courses do not count towards graduation credit because their credits would not transfer to a public university in Maryland. “The main reason they are non-credit is because they are not accepted by 4-year institutions,” Olmstead said. Community colleges accept everyone and those remedial courses would not be accepted at say University of Maryland- College Park or any other
the study, it was reported that 74.4 percent of students who had taken remedial courses completed them. According to the school registrar, the number of students who are attending Montgomery College from Blair’s 2015 graduating class is approximately 55. If these students follow the nationwide trend that was documented by the NCES, then 11 of these students would need remediation. Vickie Adamson, resource teacher for Blair’s English Depart-
JOSHUA FERNANDES
state institutions.” A 2013 study conducted by The U.S. Education Department’s National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) found that 20 percent of all incoming college freshman attending four-year institutions needed some sort of remediation in 2007-2008. Later in
ment, explained that she believes that the high numbers of students needing remediation represents a broken system. “If a college is set up to channel that many students into remedial courses and they aren’t even graduating college then it is wasting everybody’s time,” Adamson said.
Adamson said she believes that community colleges should be more welcoming and accommodating towards remedial students in order to fix the problem. “I think even if you have to take a remedial course then you need to get credit for it,” Adamson said. “If I take a year of remedial courses and I’m still at the school and I’ve paid this money and I don’t have any credit for my transcript. It is too easy for me to say ‘It’s not worth it! I’m going to give up!’” Adamson also said she believes that a large part of the responsibility is the teachers; they must instill in the students a passion for learning. “Part of our job as teachers is to get them to care,” Adamson said. Twelfth grade administrator William Currence said that the county offers a variety of different ways to prepare for college for those who need it. “We have Saturday school, we have high school plus, we have different venues where we can provide the necessary remediation for these students.” Maryland Senate Bill 740, the College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act of 2013, states that all students must be tested using an acceptable college placement assessment no later than the eleventh grade. It must determine whether the student is ready for college–level credit bearing coursework in English, Language Arts, Literacy, and Mathematics starting at the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year.
News A5
silverchips
November 12, 2015
County reevaluates policies on transgender students Guidelines emphasize inclusion but leave some questions unanswered By Aditi Shetty An MCPS policy recently released guidelines this summer clarifying expectations for schools’ treatment of transgender students. The guidelines did not suggest or change specific policy, but outlined general rules for schools to follow. Certain issues, such as a trans student’s name and gender in official school records, remain unresolved. The review was directed by a work group comprised of county staff from different departments. The work group, led by LoriChristina Webb, executive director of MCPS’s Office of the Chief Academic Advisor, released the guidelines to answer questions frequently posed by schools and parents regarding transgender and gender nonconforming students. “The number of questions has increased over the years from schools and from families,” said Webb. “We thought that we were really at the point where we needed to provide the schools with some system answers to questions that we knew were coming up.” The document defines transgender as an adjective describing a person “whose gender identity or expression is different from that traditionally associated with a gender assigned at birth.” Gender nonconforming refers to someone “whose gender expression differs from conventional expectations, such as ‘feminine’ boys, ‘masculine’ girls, and those whose gender expression is androgynous.” Gender nonconforming also encompasses those who identify with more than one gender or identify with none at all. Eleventh grade administrator
Suzanne Harvey said that Blair has been accommodating transgender students for years. “Long before there was talk of a county policy, we’ve always had students who have been transitioning,” she said. “It was usually a very quiet accommodation made with the administrator, the guidance counselors, the parents, and the child.” Specific rules outlined by the guidelines included urging staff to call students by their desired pronouns and names and allowing students to participate in activities such as intramural sports and physical education classes based on their asserted gender identity. The guidelines made clear that MCPS schools would not tolerate any bullying or discrimination toward transgender students. “Schools should be vigilant about bullying and harassment and address it,” the document read. After the guidelines were re-
leased, the work group continued to assess MCPS policies to ensure that the wording included students of all gender identities. According to Webb, some important MCPS policies do not mention gender identity, but should. “Now we’re going to do a more in depth review of our relevant policies and regulations... to ensure that the messaging is clear: This is an inclusive school district that wants to make sure that all of [its] students feel welcome and safe and valued,” she said. Sophomore Jace Eaton, a transgender student, said that one of his biggest challenges at school has been his inability to change his name in the school records. “On… everything related to my school, it’s all my birth name which I don’t want to see… It makes me anxious and it’s not fun,” he said. According to the guidelines, MCPS requested clarification from the Maryland Department of Edu-
cation as to expectations for official names and genders in school documents. In the interim, Principal Renay Johnson said, there is little the school can do. “[T]here are some things I can’t change because it’s a legal issue. Changing your name on school records or report cards, it’s associated with your birth certificate,” she said. Eaton also pointed to a lack of gender neutral bathrooms as an issue afflicting trans students. Although he was provided with a private restroom in the nurse’s office, he said that students who have not informed the school of their gender identity face a tough situation. “They’re in this position where they either don’t use the bathroom at all at school, or they face the decision of ‘Do I use the one I don’t feel safe in… or do I go into the [other] restroom and face humiliation?’” he said. Despite some troubles, Eaton said that his experience as a transgender student at Blair has been relatively comfortable. “There has not been a time where I felt like I was being discriminated against or there were blockades thrown in my way unnecessarily,” he said. “But I think there is a lack of education in the staff about trans people and I think that is needed at this point.” Johnson agreed that there is work to be done to promote a more accepting school environment. “I think we’re still evolving…we have some staff members who are a little rigid in how they see things. I know we have some work to do with ensuring that [as] CALEB BAUMAN teachers, [they] teach all students LUNCH BUNCH Transgender sophomore Jace Eaton says regardless of their beliefs or their that Blair is relatively good at accomodating trans students. identity,” she said.
Larry Bowers submits new budget recommendations Interim Superintendent proposes solutions to relieve overcrowding By Alexandra Marquez MCPS Interim Superintendent Larry Bowers submitted his Recommended Fiscal Year 2017 Capital Budget and Fiscal Year 2017-2022 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to the MCPS Board of Education on Oct. 28, which included funding for renovations and additions to existing schools as well as the construction of three new schools. In his recommendation, Bowers cited the growing enrollment in MCPS for its eighth consecutive year. He also pointed to the 2,600 student increase to the county student body for the 2015-2016 school year, most of which comes from elementary schools. He predicted that by the 2021-2022 school year, middle school enrollment will increase by 3,600 students and high school enrollment will rise by 6,800 students. He anticipated that total enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year will hike by 10,143 students.
Because of the expected rise in enrollment, Bowers recommended to maintain the completion dates of five elementary school addition projects, and expedite the completion of two others, -- Ashburton and S. Christa McAuliffe elementary schools. His CIP also preserves funding previously allocated for one middle school addition project, one high school addition project, and one new middle school, but also proposes four new addition projects at Col E. Brooke Lee, Thomas W. Pyle, and Takoma Park middle schools, and Walt Whitman High School. Although the 2015 Superintendent’s Capital Improvement Program established that a 150 seat deficit was required for elementary schools to be considered for additions, Bowers has lowered the number in his recommendation to 125. As a result, he proposed six new elementary school additions including projects at East Silver Spring, Greencastle, Montgomery Knolls, and Pine Crest elementary
ALEXANDRA MARQUEZ
schools. Although five other elementary schools were approved for additions and four others participated in feasibility studies, they were not included in Bowers’ recommendation because they did not meet his new overcrowding requirements. Frances Frost, the president of the Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations, said she believes that Bowers is correct in pushing such a large part of his CIP funding toward schools that are suffering from overcrowding. “There were a lot of schools in the downcounty consortium which fall in the Blair cluster that will be happy to have their schools in [the CIP] because the DCC and Gaithersburg are some of the faster growing areas and a lot of their elementary schools are overcrowded,” she said. Bowers stated that the past several CIP recommendations have pushed back important projects due to budgetary limitations and that he cannot suspend the projects any longer because most schools do not adequately fulfill their needs. “The revitalization/ expansion program addresses both our aging facilities as well as overutilization, and therefore includes a large share of our CIP funding,” Bowers’ CIP read. “Over the past several CIP cycles, the schedule for these vital projects has been delayed at both the elementary and secondary levels due to fiscal constraints.” Bowers also mentioned his concern for safety in county schools. “Schools at the end of their useful life cycle do not effectively meet our programmatic needs, are not in compliance with current building codes and environmental regulations, and are inefficient in the
use of energy.” Principal Renay Johnson said she agrees with Bowers and believes that improving and expanding schools is essential for students’ to receive a valuable education. “All students deserve to be in a best quality facility, just like [they deserve to be] in a best quality program,” Johnson said. “A lot of money is allocated to improve the facilities in MCPS and some of the buildings are so old you have to question, is there asbestos? Are there lead pipes? What is the health quality of the building? Of course money has to go to that.” Bowers’ CIP also includes increasing funding to systemic projects such as Improved Safe Access to Schools, Roof Replacement, Fire Safety Code Upgrades, and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) replacement. MCPS has fallen $160 million behind in HVAC replacement funding, so Bowers suggested a $28 million per year budget allotment for the next 10 years. He also included a new countywide project, the Artificial Turf Program, to finance the establishment of artificial turf at the 19 high schools in the county who do not have turf fields. The Board of Education held a work session on Friday Nov. 6 to review Bowers’ recommendations and public hearings occurred on Monday Nov. 9 and Thursday Nov. 12. After the BOE approves the CIP, it will be sent to the Montgomery County Council for approval. They will compare the recommended projects to other public construction projects across the county. Once they make necessary adjustments and approve it, it will be sent to Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett for final approval.
Newsbriefs SGA holds annual food drive SGA is holding its Annual Food Drive Nov. 9-19. Each year, SGA holds this drive to support different local food banks. “There’s a food drive every year, but each year, they change where the food goes to,” said junior Helina Awayeh, a member of SGA’s food committee. This year, all non-perishable items collected will go to Manna Food Center in Gaithersburg. “It’s [the food] going to be going back to our community,” Awayeh said. The food gathered was managed entirely by SGA. “Every other day [we came] by and [collected] it, [emptied] out the stuff and [returned] the box so it [didn’t] get as heavy,” Awayeh said. In addition, a small prize may be given to the department that collected the most food. “So far we aren’t sure how, but we wanted to do something for the class, or the departments… maybe they would get a pizza party or something, like some kind of award,” Awayeh said.
MoCo narrows down superintendent selection As of Nov. 2, Montgomery County Board selected three finalists to fill the MCPS Superintendent position. The three finalists are Kevin Siers, Tony Lake and Mark Miear, each of which has experience working in public education systems. Siers previously worked as a superintendent of schools, Lake is currently the executive director of school administration in a Kansas school district, and Miear currently works as the assistant superintendent of Winchester Public Schools. According to a Nov. 2 news report from WDBJ7, a local news source, “The Montgomery County School Board received over 25 applications from 11 different states for the superintendent position.” The board then continued to review the applications and narrow the candidates. “Three candidates were selected to participate in a second interview and community forum,” read the WDBJ7 report. At this candidate forum on November 5th, “attendees [were] asked to complete a short survey at the conclusion of each candidate’s session.” according to the WDBJ7 report. This candidate forum gave the community an opportunity to submit their opinions, questions and get to know each of the candidates before a finalist is named on Nov. 17 at a board meeting.
Takoma Park elections come to a close Takoma Park held its city election on Nov. 3, voting on the mayor and each city district’s council member. Kate Stewart, formerly on the city council, was elected the new mayor of Takoma Park. This year, in addition to the usual ballot, residents voted that they would prefer to change the city’s election date, starting in Nov. 2018, to the Tuesday following the first Monday of November on even numbered years, which will coincide with Maryland statewide elections. Some Blair students took advantage of the lowered voting age of 16. Junior Arlo Miles voted for the first time this year. Miles explained that Takoma Park is setting a good example for voting by including a younger demographic in politics. “Young people are underrepresented and should be given more power,” he said. Newsbriefs compiled by Dawson Do and Niki Patel
B1 Opinions
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Montgomery Blair High School 51 University Boulevard East Silver Spring, MD 20901 Phone: (301) 649-2864 Winner of the 2014 National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker Winner of the 2014 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Silver Crown
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silverchips
November 12, 2015
Invisible Asians: Debunking the myth of the model minority A personal look at living under the burden of the “Asian Advantage” By Maris Medina An opinion In schools across the nation, Asian Americans are stereotyped as “perfect students.” We all achieve straight A’s and score impeccably on SATs, on top of being the presidents of every academic club imaginable—and, of course, playing piano since the age of five. In the U.S., these generalizations designate us as the “model minority,” the pool of first and second-generation immigrants that succeeded in achieving the American Dream. Unfortunately, this term groups all Asian Americans together and places them upon a pedestal, neglecting the many Asian subgroups, like Filipinos and Cambodians, that are overshadowed within the model minority title. The extreme disparities among these ethnic groups, masked by the Asian monolith, must be addressed by schools and universities alike. The monstrous backpack, thick glasses, and “Tiger Mom” accompaniment are all typical features of the Asian-nerd stereotype. In reality, many Asian American communities, especially East Asian ones, hold education as an integral value. An article from a Pearson Education database, The Learning Curve, explains, “East Asian schools owe their success, in part, to a Confucian culture that places a high value on education.” It further details that from a young age, to succeed in life, one must succeed in school. The intense pressure to meet the model minority standard drives Asian American students to feel isolated with low self-esteem and confidence. Not meeting
overwhelming disparity between a specific SAT score or failing an the Asian subgroups. important exam leads to overFor starters, Southeast Asians whelming feelings of failure and often do not resemble model miincompetence because the bar is nority success stories. According set so high. With the omnipresent to a University of San Francisco pressure to succeed, Asian Ameridoctoral dissertation by Cynthia cans are sometimes afraid to seek Manalo academic aid. Rapaido, “I used to feel Filipino that if I asked American questions, I students wasn’t smart have one enough or of the good enough highand didn’t est high meet what school everyone dropout expected,” rates says junior among Sabrina Asian Tan, whose American family hails students: from China, 3.2 perVietnam, cent. For Thailand, and Indians, Cambodia. the num“Sometimes I ber is 3.1 struggled in percent, classes and INITIATIVE ON ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS MARIS MEDINA Chinese attempted to 2.2 perwork things cent, and Koreans 2 percent. This out on my own without others wide disparity continues in higher knowing.” education, in which Southeast In essence, the numbers look Asians tend to lack in bachelor’s great. According to the U.S. Cendegree attainment in comparison sus Bureau, about 85 percent of to East Asians. In the same dissingle-race Asians in 2010 had at sertation by Rapaido, it is noted least a high school diploma. Data that while 51.5 percent of Chinese gathered by the National Center Americans hold at least a bachfor Education Statistics concluded elor’s degree, only a startling 14.1 that in the 2006-2007 school year, percent of Cambodians and 25.1 91 percent of Asian American percent of Vietnamese Americans freshmen were expected to gradupossess the same qualifications. ate high school. In comparison, By not addressing these starCaucasians were at 80 percent, tling figures, Southeast Asian high Hispanics 62 percent, and blacks school and college students are 60 percent. While the statistics placed at a disadvantage. They show that Asian Americans overare immediately written off as whelmingly excel in school, the “perfect” and will not receive the numbers do not show the equally
resources they need to actually succeed. In addition, many barriers make it challenging for some Asian Americans to succeed. An article written for the National Association of Independent Schools highlights the language and poverty barrier faced by Asian subgroups: “Particularly vulnerable are Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander students...whose dropout rates are among the highest of any group. These groups are also less likely to receive the language support they need as students and come from families that are highly likely to live in poverty.” As the college application process takes on full swing across the country, colleges will build their freshman classes based on the strengths, talents, and even race of its prospective students. While East Asians are overwhelmingly represented in our nation’s top colleges, Southeast Asian students are not. It is important for these schools, as well as society as a whole, to keep in mind ethnic groups rather than entire races. In addition, the disparity among Asian students is often unspoken. Workshops between educators, parents, and students that emphasize success on an individual basis rather than entire racial groups are crucial to breaking the model minority stigma. Each student must be encouraged to succeed on their own terms, standards, and goals they set for themselves. As an Asian American student, I am pressured to succeed. If I fail to do so, the resources I need are harder to attain. The model minority myth is just that—a false idea that hurts Asian students more than it helps.
Students struggle to balance mental health and good grades Schools should recognize the importance of psychological wellness By Alexandra Marquez
An opinion
Most students go through the same motions every day: wake up, eat breakfast, go to school, engage in classes for seven hours, and then go home to study some more. But for some students, this seemingly basic routine is challenged by a mental health condition. Although they struggle to keep up, they are still expected to act like everything is under control. People are beginning to realize and accept that mental health issues are just as real as physical health problems. The National Alliance on Mental Illness cites that 20 percent of youth ages 13-18 live with a mental health condition. So why does Blair’s attendance policy accept physical illness as the only excusable health-related absence? Students should be permitted to take excused “mental health days”—days off for taking care of one’s emotional stability—when they cannot function properly in the school environment. When a student is physically sick with a fever, cough, or headache, they are constantly distracted from schoolwork and are unable to perform to the best of their ability. Thus, they are allowed a sick day off from school. The situation is no different when a student is exhibiting strong symptoms of anxiety or depression and may be incapable of focusing or participating in class.
Licensed psychologist Dr. Rina Pesce says that students who are impaired by symptoms of their mental illness cannot be expected to come to school, just like those with physical illnesses. “It seems fair to take a sick day if a person is so anxious or
the study reported. Junior Claribel Moran suffers from a mental health condition and sometimes she takes up to four days off at a time. She rarely checks her grades because she knows she falls behind when she misses school. “I don’t check Edline at all because I miss a lot [of school] and I’m trying to change
NAHOM TEDLA
depressed that they are unable to sustain concentration or process what people are saying,” she said. “You’re just not in a position to learn.” Of course, there is danger in absenteeism for any reason. A 2012 study conducted by the Johns Hopkins University Everyone Graduates Center concluded that missing class can derail students from a positive path to graduation. “Academic achievement from kindergarten forward, high school graduation, and post-secondary enrollment are all highly sensitive to absenteeism… Missing a lot of school, at any time, throws students completely off track to educational success,”
that,” Moran said. “I’m afraid of the consequences, but they are the results of my actions.” A reasonable solution for Moran and other students would be to inform their parents, counselors, and administrators when they are experiencing stress. Although it may be hard for students to share their problems, they should be encouraged to do so in order to find appropriate coping mechanisms. Pesce agrees that informing adults of emotional problems is the best action to take. “Rather than avoiding school and missing academic experiences, students really have to communicate about what’s going on with their teachers or guidance counselors, and
preferably not at the last minute,” she said. This way, teachers and administrators are aware of excusable absences and can take care of those whose absences are not excused. Moran finds that informing her counselor and friends of her problems provides her with motivation and support. “I sometimes go to talk to my counselor, Mr. Burwell, and he keeps me going and my best friends encourage me all the time. They don’t give up on me,” she says. Moran hopes to continue working with her support system to improve her attendance and attentiveness to school despite her mental health illness. Most of students’ stresses come from academic assignments, so schools need to acknowledge the effects of their expectations on all students, including those with mental illnesses. With acknowledgement should come a reduced workload or more time to get work done. All students would feel less stressed and those with mental health conditions could relax and begin to enjoy their time as students instead of constantly battling the emotional toll their schoolwork brings. High schools need to recognize the importance of their students’ mental health and to support their needs for occasional days off. Teachers and administrators could keep track of students with diagnosed mental health disorders and ensure that only those who need mental health days are the ones taking them. The world is beginning to realize the importance of mental health, and high schools should too.
Opinions B2
silverchips
November 12, 2015
Should students be allowed to retake assessments?
YES:
BRENNAN WINER
Julian Brown
Every student deserves a second chance to learn.
We all recognize that feeling of relief after a teacher announces that the quiz you just took is reassessable. Reassessments give us opportunities to try again and improve our quiz scores, but for that reason, they are commonly accused of being cheats or hacks to get a better grade. The fact remains, however, that retakes still require learning of the material, which is the ultimate goal of every student’s education. The MCPS Regulation IKA-RA says, “Elementary and secondary students are provided opportunities for reassessments after reteaching in accordance with published procedures.” Most of the details surrounding reassessments are left to teachers, who can decide to do anything from never giving retakes to allowing students to retake any and all assignments. A compromise between these two extreme cases is the best solution. If teachers allow students to retake formative quizzes, then students will be able learn the material effectively without having the overly inflated grades that would occur if everything was reassessable. Retakes can be imperative to a student’s learning. One prime example of this is junior Ezra Grimes, who failed to grasp the concepts on a quiz he took in Precalculus B. Through additional studying, however, he was able to learn the material in the subsequent week and improve his score. “In Precalc, I couldn’t understand the material on a quiz we were taking and I failed it. I got less than a 50 percent. I studied really hard for a week before retaking it and got a 95 percent,” says Grimes. However, while this example is great for Grimes’s grade in math, the moral of the story is not that retakes can improve your grade. Rather, they give students a second chance to truly master material that they failed to grasp the first time around. If the quiz had not been reassessable, Grimes most likely would have never learned the topic. Some teachers argue that unit tests and final exams can be opportunities to learn the material again. This would mean that there is no need to provide reassessments on minor quizzes. The problem with this argument is that many students choose to learn the material for the test or exam and
then promptly forget it. The incorporation of more retakes encourages students to study more which will help them retain information long after the unit test and semester exam. Additionally, a lot of material in subjects like math are progressive, meaning they require the understanding of a previous lesson to be able to learn the following topic. Quiz retakes allow students to study again and prove their mastery of topics so they can succeed at the next concept. Furthermore, some say that a student retaking a quiz has an advantage over a student who only took the quiz the first time. This, unfortunately, cannot be denied. Someone who has seen more potential questions on the material and studied for more time will probably end up with a better score. But, school should ultimately be about the learning of the material and not the competition between students. If we teach children that learning takes a backseat to getting better grades than your peers, how long do you think kids will remain friendly? Competition in schools can lead to tension between students and a lack of ability to work together. It deters the focus away from receiving a quality education, ANGEL WEN which was originally meant to be the focal point of our school system. With retakes, students would be able to work together without tension and succeed in school. Some teachers, such as English teacher Donna Whitney, provide reteaching sessions to struggling students if the need arises. “If a student had difficulty with the material as we covered it and I see that they are struggling, [retakes give] me the opportunity to re-teach and clarify information,” says Whitney. Even without reteaching, students are forced to learn the material on their own, a skill that will undoubtedly be useful for the rest of their lives. In a time when school is becoming increasingly more competitive, retakes offer a unique way to provide a second chance, while keeping the focal point of education on each student’s learning.
NO:
We should focus on reteaching, not on retaking. You’ve probably retaken at least a few quizzes in your high school career. And you probably did better on those reassessments than the original assignments. You’re happy with the higher grade and your teacher is happy because that higher grade must indicate increased learning, right? Well, it may not be that simple. Performing well on tests and quizzes is often more about being a good test taker than understanding the concepts. Being nervous when taking a test often impacts students’ scores. A phenomenon called “testing anxiety” has arisen in the last few years with the American Test Anxieties Association reporting that up to 20 percent of high school students have severe test anxiety and another 18 percent have moderate test anxiety. It may cause students to rush through problems, panic when they do not understand a question, or poorly manage their time. To give these students a second chance, teachers often allow retakes on many quizzes and assessments. However, this solution is counterproductive as it only adds to the burden of test taking. Retakes unreasonably focus on student ability to take tests rather than relearn the material. As all educators and most students would agree, school and grades are meant to demonstrate understanding, not testtaking ability. Math teacher David Stein believes that the nature of retakes is flawed. He explains that a statistics concept, regression to the mean, suggests that student performances will likely get closer to average, even without reteaching. “If we did nothing at all, and only reassessed the lowest students, [we would expect them to] do better anyways. Likewise, if we reassess the top students, and did nothing, we would expect them to do worse,” he says. However, because only the students who performed poorly are retaking assignments, an increase in scores may not reflect greater understanding. “When we are reassessing only the lowest students, and seeing they’re doing better, we can’t necessarily attribute that to that they’ve learned more,” says Stein. Even without learning, students will see score increases on retakes. Assessing the effectiveness of retakes
BRENNAN WINER
Joshua Fernandes
becomes much more difficult now, as it is nearly impossible to judge the actual impact of relearning activities. If retakes are not actually improving understanding, many issues become glaringly obvious. For one, retakes would be wasting the time of students and teachers. It takes time to write, take, proctor, and grade tests. This long process effectively has the same outcome as adding free points to student grades. The role of an educator is to increase student understanding, and grades reflect that understanding – not the other way around. Additionally, the leniency of retakes does not prepare students for collegiate life. High school students are given a second chance on assessments when they make major mistakes, but such a practice is unheard of in college. Students are lucky if they are allowed to resubmit major projects, let alone retake major tests. If we want to prepare students for higher education, the ability to retake assessments should be eliminated, or at least reduced. Some teachers only allow one quiz retake per quarter to satisfy the loose MCPS retake policy, which says, “Secondary students are provided opportunities for reassessments after reteaching,” but does not indicate how many opportunities. Others teachers, however, are excessive in their administration of reasANGEL WEN sessments. Through frequent retakes and the many assignments that offer free points in accuracy and completion, the school system coddles high school students compared to the challenging academic environments many colleges enforce. Retakes are also unfair to students who are simply not good test-takers. While college does involve taking many exams, the world outside of education is not centered on tests the way schools might have students believe. Essays, reports, oral presentations, and creative projects are seen much more often in the business world than exams. Teachers should reflect this in their assignments rather than simply giving tests and reassessments. Not only would this change help students who do not do well on tests, but also provide all students with the opportunity for more points and real-world experience. To promote the learning and fairness each and every student deserves, teachers must get rid of retakes and better prepare their students for the real world.
voicebox “Yes, what if you fail an assessment and can’t retake it?”
“Yes, if they were absent a couple of days they should have an extra chance.”
“Yes, students should be given a second chance.“
“No, because they encourage procrastination.”
BRENNAN WINER
Patrick McNeilly Freshman
Camden Roberts Freshman
Sankara Olama-Yai Junior
Simran Krishna-Rogers Sophomore
“Yes, because if they don’t do well on it, then they can get another chance.”
Amanda Habton Freshman
B3 Opinions
November 12, 2015
silverchips
A decrease in voting age could revolutionize turnout
Expanding suffrage to teenagers will benefit American political participation when they are young and eager. Given the 2014 midterms’ dismal voter turnout of 36.6 percent, as measured by the United States Election Project, a new generation of habitual voters would be not only welcome but an improvement to democracy.
nection to their local government, like a 16 or 17 year old might, who’s been living in that community for most of their lives.” Along with the Nov. 3 local Many teenagers may feel that elections in Takoma Park, the politicians do not represent their second government election in the issues, thus concluding that they country to allow 16- and 17-yearhave no purpose in voting. Havolds to vote, a wider movement ing a lower voting age of youth voting is just and a greater turnout starting to bud. In time, will force politicians the participation of young to care about the isvoters will greatly benefit sues that matter to the voter turnout and political emerging generation. participation as a whole. It is a simple matter of The longer anyone representation: If teenhas a habit, the stronger agers have more weight that habit becomes. This in elections, their ideas remains true for voting; a will be reflected by the lower voting age allows candidates. people to start a habit of There is no better civic duty at a young age time to start voting and to continue it throughthan age 16 or 17. It is out their lives. Austin a monumental age in Plier, a communications American culture. It is and outreach specialist at when you can start drivthe voting reform group ing and working and FairVote, agrees that voting paying taxes. When it is a habit. “The earlier you comes to voting, it is of[vote], the better chance ten a ripe age in which you are to do it the rest of people have developed your life. So, having these the knowledge to make folks cast a vote when the right decision, but they’re 16 and 17, especialalso care enough to ly when we know that they make one at all. can make the decisions as GRIFFIN REILLY GRIFFIN REILLY In order for any informed voters, just makes THE YOUNGEST VOTERS Takoma Park citizens voted for mayoral and city council candidates in the Nov. 3 widespread voting sense.” local elections which were the second elections in the entire country that allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to vote. reform to take place, we, In the same way, as young people, need consistently not voting is Young voters can have a promake good decisions, and they to show that we care. We need to a difficult habit to break. Getting start with a first vote and a lower found effect on the voter turnout shouldn’t be kept out of the proshow that we will actually vote if teenagers to form a habit of voting voting age has been proven to not only by participating themcess,” says Plier. Sixteen, in many given this right. No matter where is much easier than getting adults increase turnout among first-time selves, but also increasing the ways, is the most sensible time to you live or what voting rights to break the habit of not voting. voters. A study from the Univerparticipation of their parents. If a begin voting, especially in local you have, vote at the first possible Rather than focusing on increassity of Copenhagen in Denmark young person becomes involved elections. “Eighteen is a bad time chance. Hyattsville and Takoma ing voter participation among the found that while voter turnout in politics, their parents are far to start voting,” says Plier. “Most Park both have lowered the age adult population, it is becoming generally increases with age, more likely to become involved people are in transition. A lot of and DC is on its way. Legislators more important to do so for the young voters are more likely to as well. This theory, called the times they’re not living in the nationwide need to realize that youth. cast their first vote the younger “trickle-up influence”, was demplace where they grew up, and not we want our voting rights, we What can almost guarantee they are. Austria, the only Euroonstrated in a study by the Center in the community that they grew deserve them, and we will not let a habit of political participation pean country with a voting age of for Information and Research on up, so they don’t have that conthem go to waste. is to convince someone to vote 16, has been shown by a Univer-
By Cole Sebastian An opinion
Civic Learning and Engagement. In order for this to happen, the young person needs to care about politics. A lower voting age will allow teenagers to get involved more easily and therefore influence their parents to get involved. This habit, however, must
sity of Vienna study to have a much higher turnout for first-time voters. All grand effects on political development aside, 16- and 17-year-olds have as much a right to vote as anyone else. “[Teens] have the mental capacity to
Slow Wi-Fi at school is an impediment to students’ productivity Internet access is a basic human right for high school students some and impossible to access. For starters, Blair has not one, not two, but four separate networks. We understand that our school is big, but even with its size, Blair does not require more options for Wi-Fi connectivity than an international airport. At first, there seems to be no initial difference between the MCPSStudent, MCPSGuest, MCPSStaff, and wMCPS networks. Upon further examination, students quickly discover that if they cannot connect to the Internet, the staff network requires a separate log-in, and the other two work at varying consistency throughout the school. One successfully works in the gym hallway and the other only really works in proximity of the Student Activity Center. The only possible conclusion is that the Blair administration has some sort of secret agenda about where it
wants students to be able to access the Internet throughout the building. The first thing teenagers do Almost like a clingy when they enter a new place is significant other, the Wi-Fi ask for the Wi-Fi password. In an sign-in screen demands conage of 24/7 connectivity, Internet stant attention from students. access is crucial at all times. We To use the Wi-Fi, students have cannot live without maintaining to re-sign-in constantly to gain our Snapchat stories with selfies access to the network, making it and sunrise photos; we must be impossible to actually accomplish able to, at all times, update the anything on the Internet. After Twittersphere on our problems one quarter, students can practiand grievances. cally recite the text from the signBlazers need to maintain their in screen from memory. social media personas, but MCPS In addition, we don’t need will not share the password. reminders that the network is “for Instead, we are forced to navigate educational use only,” and refernetworks that barely work and ences to the MCPS “User Responconsistently require reconnecting. sibilities” are pointless because To increase student productivity, students will never spend time Blair needs to create a studentreading up on the county’s Interaccess only Wi-Fi network because net policies. MCPS must accept the current wireless networks the fact the Internet access will provided for students are cumberinevitably be used to check tweets and update statuses, and the administration should give in to students’ online habits. The difficult Wi-Fi situation is absolutely terrible for student pro“The school Wi-Fi is some trash.” ductivity. During lunch, - Deborah Yeboah, sophomore students can’t complete the homework they procrastinated on “I think that it’s remarkable that the school even has Wi-Fi without Internet access. for students to access freely. It could be faster but it’s Let’s be real – all teachdefinitely a step in the right direction.” ers know that home- Noah Singer, sophomore work for afternoon classes is completed “I think the school Wi-Fi isn’t really good. It should also work during those precious outside school. ” 45 minutes of lunch. If students could more - Douglas Reyes, senior
By Daliah Barg Humor
soapbox
What do you think of the school Wi-Fi?
easily access Google Translate to do Spanish or French assignments, or cram for their test using Wikipedia, grades at Blair would significantly improve. If MCPS truly values the success of its students and wishes to boost its
standing as a prestigious school system with high achieving pupils, the county must immediately take steps to remedy Blair’s Wi-Fi problem. Otherwise, MCPS will fall in the rankings – all because of a faulty Internet
connection. More importantly, if students cannot connect to the Internet, they cannot live tweet their classes and their teachers’ jokes, or post flawless bathroom selfies on Instagram in the prime hours of the school day. With insufficient access to Wi-Fi during the day, it becomes impossible to live up to our hard-earned reputation of being constantly connected teenagers. Mobile data is expensive and Wi-Fi access should be a basic right. In this age, all proper establishments provide free and easy-to-use internet access, minimizing the amount of data that people have to use and pay for. Blair must do the same. If the administration wishes the school to be taken seriously, they need to take steps to create a no-password access Wi-Fi network that works throughout the school and does not require signing in. CANDIA GU
November 12, 2015
Opinions B4
silverchips
Social media enables distorted perceptions of the female body
Unachievable beauty standards propel our habit to body shame others By Georgina Burros An opinion “When I was growing up, I was always a big girl, and it’s just how it always will be by genetics. I never saw a role model that was about near to my size,” says sophomore Iyanu Bishop. For Bishop, reaching a state of acceptance with her body was difficult with the influence of the media. She never saw anyone who even remotely resembled her body type on the covers of magazines or on TV. In the age of Photoshop and digital manipulation, it is increasingly difficult to find an unaltered figure portrayed positively online, on TV and in print advertisements. The unrealistic ideal portrayed by edited size-zero waists gives girls the misguided impression that to be considered beautiful they must maintain a stick thin physique. When they do not look like the women that represent society’s ‘standard’ beauty requirements, they acquire a negative perception of their own body. The skewed image of ‘perfect’ causes people to body shame others, primarily to counteract their own self esteem issues. The University of Washington’s Teen Health and the Media study found that by age 13, 53 percent of American girls are displeased with their bodies. This number grows to 78 percent by the time girls are 17. In addition, a survey by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute found that 40 percent of girls between nine and 10 years old have attempted to lose weight due to body image insecurities. To make matters worse, a
phenomena called body shaming has surfaced. Body shaming is the act of degrading and critiquing the physical appearance of another individual. This form of harassment has transcended into specific forms of bullying such as fat shaming and skinny shaming. The culture of shaming women for their body types has become so prevalent that women are disgraced for being overweight or
shaming. “I think everyone has their insecurities, and their natural response is to be like okay if I bring down this person I’ll feel better about myself,” says junior Urjita Das. In publicly shared online communities such as Twitter and Instagram, pictures are open to judgement and approval. Comments online are hard to regulate and can escalate quickly. The
NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON MEDIA AND THE FAMILY
accused of being anorexic when skinny. The heightened prevalence of social media, an easily accessible outlet with few filters, has made body shaming feasible to execute. Insults and negative thoughts can be written and shared in seconds, and those online do not directly see the impacts of their body
susceptibility to these comments, specifically among young teens, increases their ability to body shame and carry a negative image fueled by what they see online. Body shaming can also take the form of digital manipulation of people’s bodies in order to make them fit society’s impossible beauty standards. Actress
and singer Zendaya brought body image to national attention when she wrote on her Instagram, “Had a new shoot come out today and was shocked when I found my 19-year-old hips and torso quite manipulated. These are the things that make women self-conscious, that create the unrealistic ideals of beauty that we have.” The digital manipulation of celebrities implies that natural bodies are flawed, and tells youth that they don’t have acceptable body types if they do not look like the average Photoshopped star. YouTuber Nicole Arbour’s video “Dear Fat People” embodies the type of bullying people are subjected to. Arbour goes off on a fat shaming tirade, arguing that fat shaming is not real because those who are overweight are not victims, but seeking GEORGINA BURROS excuses for not being able to ‘control’ their own weight. “Fat shaming is not a thing. Fat people made that up,” Arbour says in her video. “If we offend you so much that you lose weight…I’m okay with that.” In actuality, fat shaming does more than degrade self-esteem. A study from the University College London found that of the 2,944
adults interviewed, those who encountered daily discrimination due to their larger size gained an average of two pounds over a four year period. Fat shaming is a ‘thing’, and Arbour’s stance only worsens the problem. The video, which now has more than 7.5 million views, shows that those who are overweight are subject to an increased amount of negative attention. There is no aspect too big or too small for people to find fault in and critique. “I hear a lot of ‘That girl needs to eat more.’ I hear things like ‘Fat a**’ ,” says junior Maia Pramuk about body shaming comments she hears in the hallways of Blair. On the other hand, there have been many positive movements to counteract the negative ones. For example, the #bodypositive movement on Twitter and Instagram shows people proudly sharing pictures of their ranging body types. Movements like these are a positive first step in learning to become more accepting of different shapes, sizes and colors. The biggest solution to body shaming comes directly from its cause: the media. Representation of all body types is integral to alleviating the problem of body shaming. Showcasing bigger women and those with unconventional body types is a start to encouraging realistic expectations of body image. Defining ‘acceptable’ standards of a skinny and well-proportioned frame only encourages a skewed body image and a platform for people to degrade and pick each other apart. We have to define our worth ourselves.
GEORGINA BURROS
B5 Opinion
THEN: 1969
silverchips
November 12, 2015
My Blair: Personal Column Varsity Blues By Mazda Moayeri Guest writer
COURTESY OF SILVER CHIPS ARCHIVES
QUIZMASTERS The It’s Academic team ranked third in the televised quiz show, scoring 240 points. Blazers John Gussman (‘70), captain Bob Baum (‘70), and Sandy Kopit (‘70) are pictured on the far right.
& NOW: 2015
COURTESY OF RENAY JOHNSON
GEE-WHIZ Seniors Eric Lu, Alexander Newman, and Noah Levine competed in It’s Academic on Oct. 31. The episode will air on Dec. 26 on NBC4.
I’ve played soccer for 14 years. It was my first love. Thanks to some natural ability, I easily found my way onto travel teams and starting lineups. I sacrificed for the sport, too. There were long nights, frozen fingers, and more bloody toenails than I can count. I loved the game, but what I wanted more than anything was to play for my school. There is something romantic about high school sports – having “BLAIR” across your chest and your friends in the bleachers. A recurring dream of mine was making a big tackle and turning towards the crowd to see and hear a collective ROARRRR. The euphoria woke me up every time. Going into my junior year, I knew the competition was stiff. I played JV the year before, but with a handful of returning seniors in my position, I would really have to earn my spot. Playing through injuries and going head-to-head with bigger players, I worked my way to the last cut. The silver lining here is that you have one more year, my coach told me as rain started to pour down, like a corny Disney scene. That day was more than enough motivation for the rest of the year. The key reason I was cut was that the coaches didn’t believe I was big enough for defense. So I started working out three, four times a week, in addition to my club practices. I became more aggressive and physical on the field. I even got into fights in games to appear psychologically bigger in the eyes of my opponents. I came into tryouts my senior year ready – and the coaches recognized it. Last year you were a kid, but now you’re a man, they told me. I passed through cut after cut, gaining confidence along the way. Moreover, through playing, laughing, arguing, and fighting together, I grew attached to my teammates. I felt my dream coming true. At the beginning of the last tryout, my coach called me and a good
friend of mine up. You two are dead even and we want you both, he said, but since you’re seniors and you play the same position, we can only take one. The clouds above began to swirl. His stance hadn’t changed by the end of the tryout, and his decision was to have my friend and me do a penalty kick shootout. We began intentionally missing, as we didn’t want to be pinned against each other. Eventually, we opted for a coin toss. The entire team huddled around my coach and a quarter. It went up, came down, and that was that. Fourteen years of soccer came to an abrupt end. Do I wish I were on the team? Hell yes. Everyday. I love the boys, but my heart aches with every team formal day and morning announcement game recap. Do I have any qualms? No. The only thing I regret is CHIMEY SONAM not working harder when I had the chance: when I was 11, not juggling to improve my touch; when I was 13, skipping some optional training. Looking back, I see that while chance can be cruel, it is fair. And no matter how much we disillusion ourselves, the truth is that much of life comes down to coin flips. So when chance is so generous as to grant you an opportunity, you’ve got to grab it. Recent memories of soccer may evoke some pain, but that pales in comparison to the years of energy and excitement I’ve enjoyed. Ultimately, the sport has allowed me to grow as an individual. Thus, I can only be grateful for the past fourteen years, and hopeful for many more to come.
Want to submit a personal column? Email it to silver.chips.print@gmail.com The Editorial Board will read through all submissions and determine a selection.
Up and Coming November 25
November 13
Football Playoff Game
Early Release Day
November 13-14 Much Ado About Nothing
November 26-27
Thanksgiving Holidays
Student & Teacher Awards & Honors Seniors Karina Chang, Eric Chen, Robert Fleischman, Ariel Goldbloom-Helzner, Noah Levine, Raymond Lin, Josephine Yu, and Matthew Yu, junior Minie Zhang, and sophomore Ariel Zhang were named semifinalists in the Siemens Competition.
Educators Lucie Austin, Adam Clay, Miriam Plotinsky, and Kathleen Robens were named Lead Teachers by the Montgomery County Education Association Career Lattice.
Michael Yin and Annie Zhao were selected to perform in the 2016 High School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall.
Sophomore Michael Yin won the Catholic University Sidney Forrest Clarinet Competition.
Senior Jesse Griff-McMahon made the first All-State boys soccer team. Senior William McMillian made the second All-State team, and senior Sean Munroe received honorable mention.
Seniors Cynthia Liu and Victoria Tsai, sophomores Jyotsna Rao and Annie Zhao, and freshman Olivia Fan were invited to the Math Prize for Girls mathematics competition. Zhao was also awarded an Honorable Mention plaque. Liu and Zhao qualified to compete at the Math Prize for Girls Olympiad.
Editorials B6
silverchips
November 12, 2015
No security without transparency Questions remain after campus attacks
It’s 12:49 P.M., lunch is over, and as usual, there are clusters of teenagers around Blair’s back entrances, desperate to get in. You have probably seen the students knocking on the side doors each afternoon, trying to enter the school and go to class. You may have taken pity on them and let them in, despite the signs plastered to every door warning you to STOP and redirect visitors to the main entrance. But as you pushed that door open, it likely never crossed your mind that some of these forlorn teenagers might not be Blair students. In the past month, three separate incidents took place in which students from other MCPS schools were allowed into Blair through side entrances. In two of those incidents, the trespassers sought out and assaulted Blair students. At least two of the attackers are facing criminal charges. For more information, see “Trespassers enter school campus” on page A1. This news might surprise you for two reasons. First, it is hard to believe that any of our classmates would let people into the building knowing that they intended to attack another Blazer. And second, you were never informed of these attacks. Although Principal Renay Johnson sent an electronic letter to parents stating that non-Blazers entered the building, the update failed to state that any students were harmed or threatened during these events. According to Ms.
Johnson, the administration omitted this to avoid invoking fear, but the result was that Blair community members did not learn about the assaults that took place. As a student who was in the scope of these intruders, you were in potential danger. You deserved to know what happened at your school—not just have a vaguelyworded email sent to your parents. And you deserved to know the administration’s plans going forward. According to the Blair security team, there are not enough security guards to monitor every one of the entrances to our school, and there will be no increase in security following the incident. The main plan to prevent another such incident relies on students not letting anyone in. As things currently stand, the burden falls upon us, the students, to keep ourselves safe. Although this is not optimal, it is possible— but only if we understand the problem. Unless the Blair community is fully informed about this security risk, it is unrealistic (and unsafe) to expect that our behavior will suddenly change. Every day, countless people enter Blair through doors other than the main entrance. Many students consider it rude to refuse to open the door for another Blazer—or someone who looks like another Blazer. After all, at a school with a perimeter that takes 10 minutes to walk, having only one authorized
entrance is a serious inconvenience. Making Blair truly safe will require either an exponential increase in security or a massive culture shift. Either way, the administration and the security team must communicate clearly with the school community for changes to work. By withholding vital information and only notifying parents, the administration is treating students like children. But it simultaneously holds us responsible for our own safety in a supposedly secure learning environment— meaning we are expected to act as adults. Many questions remain about Blair’s security. During these incidents, why was a school lockdown not initiated? Isn’t a trespasser inside the building with violent intent the exact reason to initiate a lockdown? Why can we open the doors to the courtyard, and not the side entrances? Why are some students stopped from entering the building and not others? These questions provide an opportunity for school leadership to treat us as the responsible community members they expect us to be. In safety, as in education, students and parents deserve transparency. Do you have any feedback or see any mistakes? Let us know. E-mail the editors at silver.chips.print@gmail.com
CANDIA GU AND VICTORIA TSAI
Silver Chips would like to thank everyone who participated in our first annual Pie Eating Championship. To see a video produced by BNC, scan the code to the left with a QR reader app or use the URL below. WWW.VIMEO.COM/SILVERCHIPS/PIE
‘Twas a dark and SAC-stormy late night: How the paper is made A behind-the-scenes tour of Silver Chips, courtesy of our ombudsman By Camille Kirsch We here at Silver Chips frequently hear from students who are curious about what goes on at the paper. How do we find our stories? Who takes the photos, or draws the art? When do we finalize content and what is the timeline for delivery? Many things about the paper, it seems, are only clear to those “in the know.” That’s something we want to change. Chips strives to be transparent to the students it represents— how can we be a forum for community expression if the community doesn’t understand how we work? So, below, you’ll find a brief description of exactly how one Silver Chips “cycle,” or production of an issue from beginning to end, goes. First, the basics. Silver Chips is composed of five different groups of student workers, called “staffs.” Writing staff is responsible for the story content in the Englishlanguage section of the paper. Similarly, Spanish staff writes and edits the stories in La Esquina Latina. These two staffs are where our paper’s traditional reporters and editors work. The other three staffs cover vital
non-writing roles. Photo staff is made up of photographers who follow reporters to interviews and events, taking the pictures that illustrate many Chips stories. Art staffers draw the illustrations that accompany others. Last but far from least, there’s business staff. Each issue of Silver Chips costs nearly $2000 to print— yes, you read that right—and our hardworking business staffers are GRIFFIN REILLY the ones who raise that money. They do a great job, with support from our readers. All of us at Chips rely on your donations, subscriptions, and advertisements to keep providing the community with independent and high-quality reporting. Of course, it takes more than money to make a quality paper. Every issue of Silver Chips begins with a two or three day process of story searching. We send staffers around the school during 5th and 6th lunches to ask a random selection of Blazers what they want to read. Then, writing staff gets together to share these story ideas. Section
Ombudsman Camille Kirsch
editors—the people in charge of each content area, like News or Sports—work with the two Editors in Chief to pick the best of them. Once stories are picked and assigned to writers, it’s time to do some on-the-ground reporting. In this cycle, we sent reporters to places as exotic as a Georgetown cat cafe and as prosaic as a Panera. Other reports braved the gates of Bethesda Chevy Chase High School, shivered at early-morning bus stops, tracked down reluctantto-talk security guards, and went into sugar shock sampling food truck fare. Regardless of their subject, Chips stories typically feature at least three interviews with people directly involved in the story and at least one expert opinion. Reporters have two weeks to find and interview their diverse sources before turning in a first draft. Each one of those articles then goes through at least two—sometimes three or four—more drafts. This takes two more weeks, during which writers and editors are also working on the physical layout of the paper. If you don’t know what a “pica,” a “column inch,” or a “cutline” is, ask your nearest Silver Chips staffer. They’ll happily explain, then talk your ear off about the frustrations of InDesign, our page layout software. It’s particularly notable for a tendency to move text columns around by a millimeter or two so that they don’t quite line up. At this point, it has been four weeks since the beginning of the cycle. That means it’s time for late night! The Friday and the Monday before the paper comes out, all of writing staff stays at Blair
until 10 or 10:30 pm.We munch on pizza or Chipotle burritos as we frantically type last-minute edits, sweat over those darn misaligned columns, and strain to come up with clever titles. It’s not over yet. Tuesday is spent frantically examining page proofs for errors—is this page missing an art credit? Does that one have a grammatical error? What about the border on the photo on C3—is it .25 or .45? Finally, the Editors in Chief send the page pdfs to our printer, Silver Communications. The next day, 3200 copies of the paper arrive. All of Writing Staff and Business staff gathers to sort the papers into class-sized bundles, tie them up, label them, and carry them to the appropriate rooms. If you ever see a Chips reporter staggering under the weight of an 80-paper stack nearly taller than she is, that’s what’s
Chips distributes papers, look around for a spare copy of the paper. You can also grab one at the farmer’s markets we visit! Making sure papers are available outside the school is a very important part of each cycle. After all, Silver Chips is a community paper, not just a school one. Our readers include students, teachers, Silver Spring residents, alumni, business owners, advertisers, and more. So: The ideas are gathered. The stories are written. The edits are made. The pages are formatted. The papers are distributed. Now it’s time for the cycle to start again. A good paper never rests. Comments or concerns? Email the Ombudsman at ombudsmansilverchips@gmail.com
Corrections In the A1 article “In Takoma Park, residents face eviction,” it was misstated that the Orlo Fund purchased the Hampshire Towers building from Tenacity in 2008. In fact, this purchase did not occur until earlier this year. In 2008, Tenacity signed an agreement with Montgomery County promising to complete major repairs by 2013 in exchange for raising rents by up to 15 percent. In an advertisment on page E4, the URL for Blair Network Communications was misprinted. The correct website can be found at www.bnconline.net. In the F1 article “Teamwork and competition on and off the field,” juniors Claudia and Ellie Burlinson should not have been identified as identical twins. Additionally, Coach Michael Horne recruited Ellie Burlinson, not Coach Katie Orr. Ellie Burlinson also played on the JV soccer team in freshman year.
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silverchips
November 12, 2015
November 12, 2015
silverchips
Features C1
Getting the scoop on life at Bethesda-Chevy Chase One brave journalist reports on what exactly goes on behind the gates By Mariam Jiffar In first person Driving up to Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School (B-CC), the first thing I notice is the gate. There are professional, high-rise buildings visible from the front door — certainly nothing like University Boulevard or Four Corners. The exterior of the school could make you think plenty of things about B-CC. Maybe it seems like you need security clearance to get in. Maybe you were like me and thought it was a private school. B-CC is a public high school on East-West Highway, smack in the middle of downtown Bethesda. The 2014-2015 enrollment was less than 2,000 students; Blair’s was nearly 2,900. 57.9 percent of those students were white, compared to Blair’s 22.4 percent. I wanted to find out how these differences affected the school’s atmosphere and culture. Silver Chips sent me on a mission: travel to B-CC for a day and bring back the truth. First impressions To write this story, I got in touch with B-CC senior Caroline Soffer, the managing editor for the student newspaper “The Tattler.” She was my host for the day — in other words, she graciously let me follow her around and barrage her with questions at every turn. Although B-CC has far fewer students than Blair does, there is still not enough space for all of the classes to be held inside. So, B-CC has two portable units that hold around a dozen classrooms total. Another complication of the school’s size is limited student parking availability. B-CC
B-CC BOULEVARD Pictured, a popular has about 470 seniors, but Soffer estimates that there are 50 parking spaces available. So, yes, I did sit in on a class with about 15 people in it, but which of them get to drive to school is a heated debate. No one school can have it all, I guess. As we walk around inside, Soffer points out a popular lunch area. There is a piano on the far end of the hallway strip, decorative plants, and wooden benches. B-CC students also have the privilege of open lunch. Watching students wander off and on the campus for 45 minutes while security guards calmly looked on was a surreal experience. I tried not to get too jealous. IB vs Blair programs? I learned that Soffer is an International Baccalaureate (IB) student; in B-CC’s class
of 2012, there were 80 candidates for an IB diploma. The program has a lot of intricacies that I had limited time to learn about, but I gathered that there’s a lot of writing. A lot. Students complete writing projects once a year in all the various IB subjects: English, Social Studies, World Languages, Experimental Sciences, Math, Art, and the IB core classes. When we walk into Soffer’s IB English 12 class, she tells the class that I am her shadow from Blair. “Hello, Shadow From Blair, do you have a name?” the teacher, Daniel Engler, quips. Everyone laughs, and he alternates between Mariam and Shadow SAMANTHA HOWELL From Blair for the rest of class. FORMING FRIENDSHIPS B-CC senior Caroline Soffer (left) shows senior Mariam Jiffar (right) the halls of B-CC. Engler starts off the class with an “opinsupported the paper throughout its ups and “There are little things.” ionnaire” as an introduction to “Hamlet”, downs. But Engler knows that is not the whole which the students are starting today. The story. “We certainly have very wealthy activity asks the students to express their Investigating the Bethesda stereotypes kids here, [but] we have kids who aren’t,” level of agreement with several statements. he says. “I had a girl last year who was Everyone quietly chatters. One boy asks anI tried hard to enter B-CC with an open homeless…for the better part of her juother, “What’d you put for ‘revenge should mind, but to be honest, I took great care to nior year. I have no idea whether her have no bounds?’” The girl be- pick a nice outfit in the morning. I didn’t classmates in her IB English class knew.” hind me talks about how her know if I’d be the sole representative of grandma’s house in Mexico is my race in some classrooms, and if I was, I ‘Teenagers are teenagers’ haunted. wanted to do a good job. To understand IB stuFortunately, it turned out that I had unreEven though there are some surprising dents, imagine a community alistic expectations…mostly. The IB classes I differences between B-CC and Blair, I was of driven teenagers in a hu- attended in the morning felt like an affirma- even more surprised to learn how similar manities-focused curriculum, tion of the stereotypes I tried to forget: there the schools are at their core. Soffer and I bonded by the shared com- was a slightly preppy vibe, and students got along easily, discussing our respective munity of their specialized were overwhelmingly white. However, as I school newspapers, our schools’ cultures, program. However, unlike the walked through the halls, I saw much more and our college stress. Magnet program and Com- variety in skin tones than I expected. Still, I asked B-CC senior Samantha Howell, a munications Arts Program, the there were visibly fewer Hispanic students photographer for “The Tattler”, how she felt IB has no application. “Our than at Blair. Also, social groups looked about her school’s vibe. She emphasized the school has what’s called an cleanly split along racial lines. diversity of her classmates and basketball ‘open enrollment,’” Engler exStudents are still proud of their school’s teammates. “[There are] a lot of different plains to me. “[If a] junior’s relative diversity. “B-CC is significantly... types of people,” she says. been failing 9th and 10th grade more diverse than other Bethesda high Soffer believes the differences between [but] wants to take IB English, schools,” Soffer says. The school she is most B-CC and Blair are probably exaggerated. that junior’s allowed to take proud of beating IB English, so in some ways out in diversity that levels the playing field.” is Walt Whitman High School, School spirit whose student body is 70 perAfter learning about the aca- cent white. When demics, I still wanted to know I tried to get the about the extracurricular ex- scoop on how they perience at B-CC: is the home- feel about Blair, coming game the place to be? though, Soffer and Do B-CC students hit the quan? her friends were at It turns out B-CC has an en- a loss. tirely different soundtrack for Soffer knows homecoming. While Blazers what students in can typically expect hip-hop at Silver Spring think dances, B-CC school functions of kids from her have electronic dance music area from her time (EDM). Soffer and her friends at Eastern Middle do not seem impressed with the School. “[People SAMANTHA HOWELL dancing at homecoming. “It’s asked] ‘Where’s lunch spot. either jumping up and down or your butler and grinding in the corner,” Soffer your Porsche?’ says. “There’s usually a wall and I was like, of grinding.” I was surprised that grind- ‘Oh, my god, this ing was in the minority as far as dancing is what people options, and Soffer was similarly shocked think of me?’” she when I told her that Blair students weren’t remembers. “My happy when our DJ played some EDM at family does not homecoming. own a BMW or Though homecoming doesn’t excite all have a butler; we B-CC kids, “The Tattler” is a big source of have a Honda,” SAMANTHA HOWELL school pride. “People love when The Tat- she says. tler comes out,” Soffer says with a smile. Of Soffer admits A WINDING STAIRCASE Jiffar pauses to smile at her guide (not course, as an editor, she might be biased. that a sense of af- pictured) while climbing the triangle-shaped main stairwell of B-CC. In the past, “The Tattler” has struggled fluence hangs in with administrative censorship. “Our old the school’s air, though. “It’s not something “There’s, I call it, ‘Beltway Bias,’” she says. principal used to very thoroughly read ‘The you can really escape from,” she says. Engler agrees that all high school stuTattler’ before it came out,” Soffer says. IsEngler has also noticed how socioeco- dents have key things in common. “Teenagsues that didn’t pass the inspection didn’t nomic status plays into B-CC students’ ca- ers in general have a desire to figure out their make it to print (that’s right, Blazers—don’t sual conversation. “I think they talk about world and rebel against the structure that’s take our freedom of press for granted). [money] without even realizing they’re talk- trying to help them figure out their world,” However, she says their new principal has ing about it. Hanging out in the cafeteria he says, smiling. “Teenagers are teenagers been less meddlesome, and students have is so ‘ghetto’,” he says, widening his eyes. wherever they are.”
C2 Features
silverchips
November 12, 2015
Early mornings at school and late shifts at work
Working late can take a toll on students’ education and well-being By Brianna Forté “Have a nice day!” Monica BlanchardDixon calls out from behind the sterilized Panera counter. She attempts to stifle a yawn as she closes the cash register drawer. It’s 10 p.m. on a Tuesday and this senior still has 30 minutes left to stand and smile as customers pay for their meals. Once Blanchard-Dixon gets off from work, she still has to get home and finish her homework before she can even think about going to bed. According to a 2014 poll conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 22.3 percent of high school students work part time. A few students at Blair find themselves among this statistic and in Blanchard-Dixon’s shoes, staying up late at a job and trying to balance work and school. School versus work Junior Tyrie Hendrix-Jenkins, who works as a hostess at the Masa Hibachi Steakhouse in Downtown Silver Spring, says that she values her job over her academics. “I can’t just not show up, but I definitely have to balance school and work,” says HendrixJenkins. “Work is more important because I make money.” Junior Amy Gilbert also agrees that sometimes, her job takes precedence. “I would say I’ve missed a few homework assignments and stuff from not having time to do it because of work,” she says. Gilbert feels that if she calls in sick to her job in order to take care of schoolwork all the time she would be in the bad graces of her managers. Counselor Susan Bray says, “Students should be putting school first, but obviously there isn’t a one size fits all mentality to that situation. So when I’ve had students that have needed to make work a priority I do what I can to work with the students and the teachers to try to create a schedule that works best for them.” Some students have worked out their own ways to balance school and job pressures.
Blanchard-Dixon created her own schedule in which she works only Tuesday and Thursday nights to deal with the amount of homework she gets. “There are certain days where I mark that I am unavailable to work. [On] Wednesdays I volunteer after school so I can’t do Wednesdays, and I usually don’t work Sundays so that I can do all my homework then,” she says. Junior Alex Sarri-Tobar works Friday and Saturday nights at Fuddruckers and has a similar approach to addressing his schoolwork. “I usually try to get most of my homework done on Fridays, but if I don’t finish it before then I try to get my homework down before I have to work on Saturday,” he says.
day have to go do something else that lasts all day and I’ll be really exhausted and stressed out,” says Gilbert. Some other students do not find their work draining at all, including senior Ajay Kharkar, who works as a lifeguard at the Martin Lu-
if I’m tired, so my school days go very well,” says Kharkar. Rewards of hard work
No matter how challenging their jobs are, many students who work late-night shifts say they have benefitted from their jobs beyond just their paycheck. Gilbert says that she has gained social skills from her experience working as a cashier at Fuddruckers. “I have to talk to people a lot, which makes me less anxious since I’ve just gotten used to the process of having to talk to people I don’t know,” she says. Blanchard-Dixon finds that she has built valuable and unexpected friendships with her co-workers at Panera. Sleepy students “There’s this one guy when I first started working there. I Gilbert and Blanchard-Dixthought that he was going to on both get home around 11 be really grouchy and everyp.m. on the nights they work, thing, and now he’s one of my and then stay up even later best friends,” says Blanchardfinishing schoolwork. Both students go to bed around Dixon. midnight and get five to six These late-night jobs may hours of sleep. According to provide different experiences the National Sleep Foundation to the students, but in general (NSF), teenagers need eight to the money earned allows stu10 hours of sleep each night to dents to save for their future function fully during the day. and buy things that are interSleep deprivation can lead esting to them. to missed classes and variable Gilbert saves most of her emotional states. Sarri-Tobar money, and spends the rest can attest to those negative efon concert tickets. HendrixCADENCE PEARSON fects. “I wake up, I go to school, Jenkins is saving her hostess and by my second period I am AT THE REGISTER Junior Amy Gilbert works the late shift as a ca- money for a trip to Switfalling asleep,” he says. zerland so she can visit her shier at Fuddruckers, a burger chain in downtown Silver Spring. sister there. Kharkar saved Gilbert adds that working late instead of sleeping has the money he earns from his an effect on her emotional stability. “I will ther King Jr. Pool. Although his shift ends at lifeguarding job and bought goats. sometimes have one night shift where I’m 10:30 p.m., he maintains a positive outlook. “I love the job itself, the hours can just get working until midnight and then the next “I always wake up with a good attitude, even me stressed,” says Gilbert.
Going beyond the Student Service Learning requirement Students take volunteering to the next level with committed service By Grady Jakobsberg Any given day, senior Matthew Guerrera can be faced with death while working at the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department— but he can also have the opportunity to save lives. Calls come in at 3 a.m. as he is hunkered down in bed. Guerrera needs to be able to jump out of bed and get to the scene. After over a year of bonding with his co-workers, Guerrera needs them to have his back in every situation. As an emergency medical technician (EMT) for the Laurel Fire Department, Guerrera is amongst many at Blair who volunteer on a regular basis. Blazers do a variety of volunteer work, whether it is working at hospice centers, assisting the homeless, or otherwise aiding their communities in a multitude of ways. According to the Corporation for National Community Service, 15.5 million students volunteer annually, 39 percent of whom volunteer at least 12 weeks every year.
make a difference in the lives of the children she works with. “They will come in and be in a really bad mood, be really upset and won’t want to talk to anyone,” says Perez. “It’s nice to see how
gry student.” He already knew what he wanted to do with his life—be a surgeon in the military—and he did not think he needed to learn anything that his high school classes could teach him. This changed when
The stuff that sticks
Why volunteer? Many students volunteer to fulfill requirements for school, but some just do it for the sake of helping others. Freshman Katie Calingaert volunteers at Washington Home and Hospice, an organization that assists terminally ill and elderly people in their last stages of life as they lose their independence. Calingaert used to volunteer to fulfill a middle school requirement, but now, she does it for the satisfaction. “After school ended I really enjoyed it and I thought ‘I want to keep doing this,’” she says. Senior Susana Perez volunteers as a part of a program called Little Sons for Peace, where she helps kids from impoverished and violent parts of D.C. with their homework. Perez volunteers because she wants to
portant.” Haile Gebregziabher, the director of operations at Silver Spring nonprofit Shepherd’s Table, says that the students that come just to give back are the most memorable to him. “The students that are just there often feel like it’s their job,” says Gebregziabher. “They are willing to do anything to help out.”
CADENCE PEARSON
SAVING LIVES Senior Matthew Guerrera works over 20 hours a week as an emergency medical technican at the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department. talking to them and giving them one-on-one attention will brighten their day and change how they are feeling.” Guerrera says he volunteers because it “gives him a purpose.” Earlier in high school, Guerrera was a self-described “an-
he was introduced to fire department work. “School… just made me really upset,” says Guerrera, “but then I got to go see real people and real patients and do something with my life. And now I feel a lot better about school ... I believe that school is im-
Many volunteers cherish memories of the impact they have had. Freshman Kimberly Docteur volunteers through the Pathfinder’s club at her church, which includes feeding the homeless and comforting kids with cancer. “My favorite part is actually meeting the homeless, giving them stuff, and seeing the look on their faces,” she explains. Other memorable experiences can be more grim than heartwarming. Guerrera has had plenty of these working as an EMT, where intense scenes are common. Once, after responding to a call about a car stopped in the middle of an intersection, Guerrera and his partner found a woman slumped over her steering wheel. At first, Guerrera assumed the injury was minor, but was shocked to see that the patient had been stabbed twelve times in the neck. With no paramedics on the scene, he and his partner took her to the hospital immediately. “She ended up living, but she is paralyzed for life,” Guerrera explains solemnly. “That really upset me. I was sitting there at three in the morning covered in blood and bawling my eyes out.” In his work, these types of experiences are impactful to Guerrera. “Most calls aren’t like that,” says Guerrera, “but those are the ones that make you realize why you do the job.”
silverchips
November 12, 2015
Features C3
Blurred lines on the dance floor: How far is too far? The question of consent in an atmosphere of casual grinding from DANCE page A1 Acuff agrees. “They just go for it. And some of the girls go for it too,” he says. At homecoming, it is common for guys to assume girls they grind on will be okay with it. According to Feliz, the guys she has seen approaching girls at the dance tend to have a lot of confidence that they will be wellreceived. “They just grab,” she says. “They grab.” Senior Solomon Oloka, who attended homecoming this year but did not participate in most of the dancing, agrees that most people do not get permission before dancing with someone. “You get behind them,” he says. “You don’t gotta ask.” However, according to Acuff, there are signals girls use to let a boy know she is interested. “She acts really sexy around them,” he says. “She rubs her a** and s***.” Feliz says that if the person being approached is okay with what is going on, “she just keeps dancing.” Although many students say that asking for consent is unnecessary, it is possible to let someone know that you are not interested in dancing. Thompson says she simply removes herself from the situation. “I just scoot away from him, or just walk away,” she says. Oloka also believes that walking away is the best method of getting out of an unwanted situation. “If you’re feeling uncomfortable, you gotta leave the area,” he says. However, according to sophomore Nancy Borja, sometimes you have to be verbal. “I honestly would just curse him out,” says Borja. Acuff says that elbowing is another effective method for telling someone you are not down to grind. “Usually the guy will try it and she’ll just elbow him,” he says, adding, “I got elbowed like once.” Acuff says that in his opinion, it is possible to tell if someone consents to dancing with you, even if you never talk to them. “You’ll get that vibe,” he says. For example, if girls are travelling “in a pack,” they are probably not interested, says Acuff.
More than dancing According to Acuff, sometimes the grinding escalates to a higher degree of intimacy, but “the most that it goes is just making out.” The issue of consent becomes trickier as the situation progresses. Thompson believes that students should ask their partner first before initiating something that moves beyond grinding, but Rivera disagrees. “I say no,” he says. “Because it’s kind of an inthe-moment thing. It’s homecoming.” Thompson adds that when it comes to participating in more than dancing, “It’s kind of expected.” However, Acuff and Rivera do believe it is possible for students to go too far. “If she’s not digging it, she’ll push you aside,” says Acuff, and then it is time to stop. According to Rivera, some behaviors are just too inappropriate for the homecoming setting. “If it goes to touching, like grabbing the butt or lifting the dress, then they should stop,” he says. The behavior at homecoming does deter some students from attending. Sophomore Jemma Natanson has never attended homecoming because, she says, “I hear that everyone likes to get super high and super drunk.” Natanson dislikes the rumors she has heard about the event, especially the grinding. “Sometimes guys tend...to go a little too far,” she says. Sophomore Samuel Kessler also avoids
the dance, mainly because of the atmosphere. “There’s definitely an atmosphere of feeling afraid for yourself,” he says. “There’s a lot of sexual dancing and whatnot. People will go up to other people and dance on them without their permission, and while that doesn’t sound too bad on the surface, it can definitely lead to emotional stress.” Natanson believes you should not assume that someone is okay with grinding or other activities. “It should be about your personal feelings, whether you consent to certain things,” she says. She adds that consent tends to be “hazed over when people are under the influence.”
times it gets a little too crazy, and the supervision doesn’t control that,” says Natanson. “There should be more chaperones,” agrees Kessler. “Staff members should encourage people to ask before doing anything.”
Less than festive Ruby, a senior, remembers an experience at homecoming her sophomore year during which she felt violated. “I was dancing with my friends and a guy started grinding on me,” she says, adding, “That’s pretty normal for homecoming.” It was when his behavior escalated that Ruby began to feel uncomfortable. “I felt his hands move up my hips, slipping into my dress through its slits at the waist, and then moving to my chest,” she says. “I panicked and left the gym, crying in a bathroom stall for a good five minutes until my friend found me.” After the experience, Ruby described feeling “unsettled” and “jarred.” However, she only told a few close friends about what had happened. “I was worried about making it a bigger thing than it was,” she says, adding, “I never considered telling a teacher, or an administrator.” The experience deterred Ruby from attending the dance again. “Grinding is a part of homecoming culture, so while it may not always be welcome, there’s not a lot you can do about it,” she says. “Having his hands inside my dress was wrong. He never asked and I didn’t want that. It was jarring to not be in control of what was happening to my body.”
Supervision on the dance floor According to assistant principal William Currence, administration has events such as homecoming very much under control. There are teachers signed up to chaperone, as well as Blair security staff and school resource officers. Currence says a significant amount of planning goes into security at homecoming, including a briefing meeting between administration, chaperones and officers before the event. He does not believe that non-consensual dancing is a problem at Blair events. “Administration walks through the dance floor [patrolling],” he says. However, both Natanson and Kessler say they get the impression that there is not enough oversight at homecoming to prevent inappropriate behavior. “I think a lot of the
soapbox How much of the dancing at homecoming is consensual? “About 50 percent of the dancing at homecoming is consensual. Most of the time, people just randomly start dancing... Even though sometimes the person goes along with it, it is not always consensual.” - Brianna Frost, freshman “It’s all consensual, because if someone doesn’t want to dance then they can walk away.” - Bao Minh N. Bui, senior
Borja also says the security at the dance is not very strict. “They be letting everything in,” she says. Oloka, however, believes that administration has the event under control. According to Oloka, when he pulled a chair into the middle of the dance floor, security stopped him. “They took away my chair,” he says. Currence says that most Blair students are comfortable telling adults if they were in an unsafe situation. “If there was a rash of nonconsensual behavior, someone would have told an adult,” he says. However, he does not believe grinding in itself is a problem. “We know that dancing today is not like dancing years ago,” he says. “Some types of music create an atmosphere where people dance a certain way. The vast majority of students are just having fun.”
VICTORIA TSAI
Features C4/C5
silverchips
A
s he backs his car out of HIS
driveway, Shaun’s head begins to throb. Grasping the wheel tightly, he stares straight ahead at the road with intense concentration. He ignores the piercing headache pounding his brain and the erratic beat of his heart ringing in his ears, focusing instead on the music surrounding him. But after driving just two blocks, Shaun begins to see double: two stop signs, two traffic lights, and two air fresheners dangling beside him. The only object he can identify in his blurry line of vision is the dim glow of a red traffic light. Dazed, Shaun swerves onto the shoulder and flicks his emergency blinkers on, beginning to regret the marijuana he had smoked minutes earlier. Shaun, a junior, is one of many teenagers who have driven under the influence of marijuana. The prevalence of drugged driving surpasses drunk driving among high school students. A national survey by Monitoring the Future in 2011 found
after using marijuana. “I was really cautious of everything. I would drive super slow,” she says. She adds that, in her experience, driving skills are less impaired if one is an experienced smoker. “If it’s somebody’s first time getting high, they probably shouldn’t [drive] because some people get really bad highs,” Kate says. Grace also says that her driving was unaffected because she was able to discern how much marijuana her body could tolerate. “I’ve never been in an unsafe situation… I limit the amount of weed I intake, [and] I think I have a pretty good sense of my limits,” she says. Grace, who admits she is typically a reckless driver, also tried to pay close attention to the road when she was stoned. According to Rebecca Hartman, a fellow at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, most drivers, like Kate and Grace, try to compensate for their intoxicated state by driving slower and concentrating on the road. “Drivers under the influence of cannabis tend to be more aware of impairment and try to compensate for it,” she says. Eduardo Romano of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation is concerned that some peo-
Blair counselor Antia Reddicks believes that potential dangers simply do not enter teenagers’ minds when they are caught up in the moment. “They’re not thinking ahead in that atmosphere where they’re just really about trying to escape or have fun,” says Reddicks. “It’s unfortunate that people don’t tend to change behaviors until they’re impacted in a manner that really hits home.” Although Grace has never been caught or been in an accident driving high, she has had several close calls. Forty-five minutes before a driving lesson, Grace got high with her friends and then ate at Potbelly Sandwich Shop. “I was doing in-cars, and I smoked so much before, which is just bad,” says Grace, laughing at the memory. During the lesson, Grace was sitting next to a professional instructor when she fell asleep at the wheel. “That’s what my body wanted to do,” she recalls. “If you’re high and you eat, it’s a wrap.” Her slip in consciousness caused her to ride up on the curb as she was making a turn; fortunately for Grace, her instructor did not suspect that she was driving high. Isaac’s confidence in his driving abilities and
“
[Crashes are] preventable. These things don't have to happen, and when they do, it's like,
Why did somebody make that choice to hurt or kill my loved one?' “Maybe one in four drivers actually display a level of impairment that gets them arrested,” Flynn says. “We conduct an average of 120 evaluations per year on suspected drug impaired drivers. [Montgomery County] averages over 3,400 DUI arrests per year, with about 120 of those cases being drugged driving.” Flynn and Hartman say that driving high can cause body tremors, paranoia, risk-taking, de-
despite risks, high drivers take the wheel Where only first names appear, names have been changed to protect the identities of the sources.
“
that about one in eight seniors reported driving after using marijuana, compared to one in 11 seniors who drove after consuming alcohol. Several Blazers have gotten behind the wheel high, unfazed by the risks and consequences of drugged driving.
ple think driving high is safe as long as they take precautions. “Hoping that a driver could compensate as a justification for a little consumption is stupid,” he says. “Sometimes a little impairment is all that is needed for a crash.”
Eyes on the road
‘Oh crap, what just happened?’
Grace, a senior, is confident that smoking and driving is a common occurrence at Blair. “I think a lot of people drive high on a daily basis,” she
The dangers of driving after marijuana use are plentiful, according to several researchers who have studied the effects of cannabis use on driving. Hartman says that high driving not only puts drivers in a risky position, but also endangers surrounding vehicles and passersby. “Operating a car [when] impaired by drugs substantially increases risk of a crash, which endangers the driver, passengers, and others, [including] pedestrians and other vehicles,” says Hartman. “Cannabis approximately doubles crash risk.” Isaac admits that, under the influence of marijuana, he had difficulty controlling a car. “I’ve never really felt like I needed to pull over,” he says. “I’ve had moments where I snapped back into reality and was like ‘Oh crap, what just happened?’” Marijuana has the ability to impair complicated driving skills, as well as circumstances that do not require much sentient control, like driving on a highway, according to Romano. “The sudden, unexpected occurrence of complex driving situations is a source of risk for any driver, but more when the driver is impaired,” he says. Heather Estudillo, the national manager of Victim Services at Mothers Against Drunk Driving, hears every day from the loved ones of victims who have been injured or killed by drugged drivers. While some families are forgiving of offenders and their mistakes, others feel that drugged driving is unforgivable. “The fact that someone decided to get intoxicated, get into a vehicle, and endanger the life of their loved one… is unbelievable and disrespectful,” she says.
Hoping that a driver could compensate as a justification for a little consumption is stupid.
”
Sometimes a little impairment is all that is needed for a crash.
says. “People just come to school high.” Grace is no exception and has frequently engaged in drugged driving. “I’ve driven high a lot, maybe four times a month,” she admits. Isaac, a senior, has lit a joint before driving more than a few times. “I’ve driven two-hour car rides smoking in the car,” he says. Isaac agrees that driving under the influence of marijuana is neither unusual nor rare at Blair. “If you smoke and have a license, you’ve driven high,” he adds. From these students’ perspectives, being stoned usually has no effect on their driving skills — as long as they take the proper precautions. Shaun listened to music in his car to help him concentrate while driving under the influence. “Your mind has to be focused on driving,” he says. “While you’re high, things come in your mind, every other thing. You’re not fully under control, your mind plays tricks with you. Blasting the music… actually helps [me] concentrate on the road.” However, one time, Shaun was overcome by his high and unable to drive safely. “I was dizzy, [and] my eyes were playing tricks on me. My brain wasn’t working right, so I had to stop and cool down,” he remembers. Shaun pulled over and spent an hour calming down in the car before continuing. Kate, a senior, also focused on driving carefully
No second thoughts Some students remained undeterred from driving under the influence, regardless of the risks associated with impairment. For Shaun, driving high was a last resort when his mother called him to babysit his younger sister. “I had the car, the only car in the family, so I couldn’t get home any other way,” he says.
impeccable driving record kept him smoking at the wheel. “For me personally, I don’t think it’s stupid,” he says. “I’m not gonna lie and say I have 100 percent reflexes, but [my skill is] good enough that I can drive a car and not be scared of it.” Teenagers are more likely to follow their impulses, according to Romano, which can transfer into their driving. “Young drivers tend to feel immortal and be risk takers,” he says. Unfortunately, even small slip-ups while driving under the influence can have devastating effects. According to Estudillo, people personally affected by drugged driving crashes endure tremendous shock and anguish. “[Crashes are] preventable. These things don’t have to happen, and when they do, it’s like, ‘Why did somebody make that choice to hurt or kill my loved one?’”
Staying under the radar Isaac says that another factor that motivated him to drive high was how easy it was to get away with it. “[Police officers] can give you the driving under the influence test, so they’ll [say], ‘Do your ABC’s and walk in a straight line,’” he explains. Isaac says that marijuana does not impair his motor coordination enough to give away his stoned state, and performing these tasks would be easy. The police may evaluate drivers suspected of being impaired, but Isaac believes that “they can’t actually do anything.” In his experience, getting caught solely for driving high is unusual since there is no roadside drug test for marijuana that is comparable to a breathalyzer test for the presence of alcohol. The effects of marijuana can be noticeable, according to Shaun, but are also easily concealed. “It’s pretty easy to know if you’re high or not… [but] there are a lot of different ways to hide that you’re high,” he adds. According to Sergeant Stacey Flynn, supervisor of the Montgomery County Police Alcohol Enforcement Unit, officers ask drivers to perform a set of standardized field sobriety tests when they suspect
Story by Alice Park Design by Maris Medina & Emma Soler Art by Rosemary Solomon
impairment. However, police often pull over drivers who are not actually intoxicated, and most people pass these tests and are allowed to drive away.
'
November 12, 2015
layed reactions, and lane weaving, which tip off police officers that drivers are impaired. However, the severity of marijuana’s effects on driving typically depends on the dosage ingested and the tolerance of the user, while alcohol consumption consistently increases the risk of crashing. A 2009 study by Richard Sewell of Yale University found that “the effects of cannabis vary more between individuals than they do with alcohol because of tolerance, differences in smoking technique, and different absorptions of… THC.” Nevertheless, Flynn points out that the consequences for driving under the influence of marijuana and alcohol are the same. “Up to 12 points on your driver’s license, up to one year in jail, up to a $1,000 fine. If someone dies as a result of a driver being drunk or high, [the driver] can also face a significant amount of jail time.”
Risking everything Looming risks of arrest, fines, or juvenile detention did not keep Grace from driving high on one occasion, even with a group of stoned friends in the backseat and no driver’s license. “We [were] driving down Maple Avenue, and my friend’s like, ‘oh s**t, there’s a police officer behind us,” says Grace, recalling the tense experience. “My heart just started to get that feeling where you’re really nervous. I started sweating… I hate that feeling of pure fear, just so, so much fear.” Panic-stricken, Grace missed a stop sign, and her car screeched to a stop in the middle of the intersection. “Keep in mind, I only had my permit. If I get pulled over, plus we’re high, plus we had like eight people in the car, I’m getting arrested,” she says. However, the police officer continued driving past Grace, leaving her breathless and overwhelmed but willing to keep driving. “I really don’t care [about the consequences],” she says. “You do these things… and nobody catches you. Sometimes they do catch you, but you live with it. Everything always works out in the end.”
”
Features C4/C5
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A
s he backs his car out of HIS
driveway, Shaun’s head begins to throb. Grasping the wheel tightly, he stares straight ahead at the road with intense concentration. He ignores the piercing headache pounding his brain and the erratic beat of his heart ringing in his ears, focusing instead on the music surrounding him. But after driving just two blocks, Shaun begins to see double: two stop signs, two traffic lights, and two air fresheners dangling beside him. The only object he can identify in his blurry line of vision is the dim glow of a red traffic light. Dazed, Shaun swerves onto the shoulder and flicks his emergency blinkers on, beginning to regret the marijuana he had smoked minutes earlier. Shaun, a junior, is one of many teenagers who have driven under the influence of marijuana. The prevalence of drugged driving surpasses drunk driving among high school students. A national survey by Monitoring the Future in 2011 found
after using marijuana. “I was really cautious of everything. I would drive super slow,” she says. She adds that, in her experience, driving skills are less impaired if one is an experienced smoker. “If it’s somebody’s first time getting high, they probably shouldn’t [drive] because some people get really bad highs,” Kate says. Grace also says that her driving was unaffected because she was able to discern how much marijuana her body could tolerate. “I’ve never been in an unsafe situation… I limit the amount of weed I intake, [and] I think I have a pretty good sense of my limits,” she says. Grace, who admits she is typically a reckless driver, also tried to pay close attention to the road when she was stoned. According to Rebecca Hartman, a fellow at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, most drivers, like Kate and Grace, try to compensate for their intoxicated state by driving slower and concentrating on the road. “Drivers under the influence of cannabis tend to be more aware of impairment and try to compensate for it,” she says. Eduardo Romano of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation is concerned that some peo-
Blair counselor Antia Reddicks believes that potential dangers simply do not enter teenagers’ minds when they are caught up in the moment. “They’re not thinking ahead in that atmosphere where they’re just really about trying to escape or have fun,” says Reddicks. “It’s unfortunate that people don’t tend to change behaviors until they’re impacted in a manner that really hits home.” Although Grace has never been caught or been in an accident driving high, she has had several close calls. Forty-five minutes before a driving lesson, Grace got high with her friends and then ate at Potbelly Sandwich Shop. “I was doing in-cars, and I smoked so much before, which is just bad,” says Grace, laughing at the memory. During the lesson, Grace was sitting next to a professional instructor when she fell asleep at the wheel. “That’s what my body wanted to do,” she recalls. “If you’re high and you eat, it’s a wrap.” Her slip in consciousness caused her to ride up on the curb as she was making a turn; fortunately for Grace, her instructor did not suspect that she was driving high. Isaac’s confidence in his driving abilities and
“
[Crashes are] preventable. These things don't have to happen, and when they do, it's like,
Why did somebody make that choice to hurt or kill my loved one?' “Maybe one in four drivers actually display a level of impairment that gets them arrested,” Flynn says. “We conduct an average of 120 evaluations per year on suspected drug impaired drivers. [Montgomery County] averages over 3,400 DUI arrests per year, with about 120 of those cases being drugged driving.” Flynn and Hartman say that driving high can cause body tremors, paranoia, risk-taking, de-
despite risks, high drivers take the wheel Where only first names appear, names have been changed to protect the identities of the sources.
“
that about one in eight seniors reported driving after using marijuana, compared to one in 11 seniors who drove after consuming alcohol. Several Blazers have gotten behind the wheel high, unfazed by the risks and consequences of drugged driving.
ple think driving high is safe as long as they take precautions. “Hoping that a driver could compensate as a justification for a little consumption is stupid,” he says. “Sometimes a little impairment is all that is needed for a crash.”
Eyes on the road
‘Oh crap, what just happened?’
Grace, a senior, is confident that smoking and driving is a common occurrence at Blair. “I think a lot of people drive high on a daily basis,” she
The dangers of driving after marijuana use are plentiful, according to several researchers who have studied the effects of cannabis use on driving. Hartman says that high driving not only puts drivers in a risky position, but also endangers surrounding vehicles and passersby. “Operating a car [when] impaired by drugs substantially increases risk of a crash, which endangers the driver, passengers, and others, [including] pedestrians and other vehicles,” says Hartman. “Cannabis approximately doubles crash risk.” Isaac admits that, under the influence of marijuana, he had difficulty controlling a car. “I’ve never really felt like I needed to pull over,” he says. “I’ve had moments where I snapped back into reality and was like ‘Oh crap, what just happened?’” Marijuana has the ability to impair complicated driving skills, as well as circumstances that do not require much sentient control, like driving on a highway, according to Romano. “The sudden, unexpected occurrence of complex driving situations is a source of risk for any driver, but more when the driver is impaired,” he says. Heather Estudillo, the national manager of Victim Services at Mothers Against Drunk Driving, hears every day from the loved ones of victims who have been injured or killed by drugged drivers. While some families are forgiving of offenders and their mistakes, others feel that drugged driving is unforgivable. “The fact that someone decided to get intoxicated, get into a vehicle, and endanger the life of their loved one… is unbelievable and disrespectful,” she says.
Hoping that a driver could compensate as a justification for a little consumption is stupid.
”
Sometimes a little impairment is all that is needed for a crash.
says. “People just come to school high.” Grace is no exception and has frequently engaged in drugged driving. “I’ve driven high a lot, maybe four times a month,” she admits. Isaac, a senior, has lit a joint before driving more than a few times. “I’ve driven two-hour car rides smoking in the car,” he says. Isaac agrees that driving under the influence of marijuana is neither unusual nor rare at Blair. “If you smoke and have a license, you’ve driven high,” he adds. From these students’ perspectives, being stoned usually has no effect on their driving skills — as long as they take the proper precautions. Shaun listened to music in his car to help him concentrate while driving under the influence. “Your mind has to be focused on driving,” he says. “While you’re high, things come in your mind, every other thing. You’re not fully under control, your mind plays tricks with you. Blasting the music… actually helps [me] concentrate on the road.” However, one time, Shaun was overcome by his high and unable to drive safely. “I was dizzy, [and] my eyes were playing tricks on me. My brain wasn’t working right, so I had to stop and cool down,” he remembers. Shaun pulled over and spent an hour calming down in the car before continuing. Kate, a senior, also focused on driving carefully
No second thoughts Some students remained undeterred from driving under the influence, regardless of the risks associated with impairment. For Shaun, driving high was a last resort when his mother called him to babysit his younger sister. “I had the car, the only car in the family, so I couldn’t get home any other way,” he says.
impeccable driving record kept him smoking at the wheel. “For me personally, I don’t think it’s stupid,” he says. “I’m not gonna lie and say I have 100 percent reflexes, but [my skill is] good enough that I can drive a car and not be scared of it.” Teenagers are more likely to follow their impulses, according to Romano, which can transfer into their driving. “Young drivers tend to feel immortal and be risk takers,” he says. Unfortunately, even small slip-ups while driving under the influence can have devastating effects. According to Estudillo, people personally affected by drugged driving crashes endure tremendous shock and anguish. “[Crashes are] preventable. These things don’t have to happen, and when they do, it’s like, ‘Why did somebody make that choice to hurt or kill my loved one?’”
Staying under the radar Isaac says that another factor that motivated him to drive high was how easy it was to get away with it. “[Police officers] can give you the driving under the influence test, so they’ll [say], ‘Do your ABC’s and walk in a straight line,’” he explains. Isaac says that marijuana does not impair his motor coordination enough to give away his stoned state, and performing these tasks would be easy. The police may evaluate drivers suspected of being impaired, but Isaac believes that “they can’t actually do anything.” In his experience, getting caught solely for driving high is unusual since there is no roadside drug test for marijuana that is comparable to a breathalyzer test for the presence of alcohol. The effects of marijuana can be noticeable, according to Shaun, but are also easily concealed. “It’s pretty easy to know if you’re high or not… [but] there are a lot of different ways to hide that you’re high,” he adds. According to Sergeant Stacey Flynn, supervisor of the Montgomery County Police Alcohol Enforcement Unit, officers ask drivers to perform a set of standardized field sobriety tests when they suspect
Story by Alice Park Design by Maris Medina & Emma Soler Art by Rosemary Solomon
impairment. However, police often pull over drivers who are not actually intoxicated, and most people pass these tests and are allowed to drive away.
'
November 12, 2015
layed reactions, and lane weaving, which tip off police officers that drivers are impaired. However, the severity of marijuana’s effects on driving typically depends on the dosage ingested and the tolerance of the user, while alcohol consumption consistently increases the risk of crashing. A 2009 study by Richard Sewell of Yale University found that “the effects of cannabis vary more between individuals than they do with alcohol because of tolerance, differences in smoking technique, and different absorptions of… THC.” Nevertheless, Flynn points out that the consequences for driving under the influence of marijuana and alcohol are the same. “Up to 12 points on your driver’s license, up to one year in jail, up to a $1,000 fine. If someone dies as a result of a driver being drunk or high, [the driver] can also face a significant amount of jail time.”
Risking everything Looming risks of arrest, fines, or juvenile detention did not keep Grace from driving high on one occasion, even with a group of stoned friends in the backseat and no driver’s license. “We [were] driving down Maple Avenue, and my friend’s like, ‘oh s**t, there’s a police officer behind us,” says Grace, recalling the tense experience. “My heart just started to get that feeling where you’re really nervous. I started sweating… I hate that feeling of pure fear, just so, so much fear.” Panic-stricken, Grace missed a stop sign, and her car screeched to a stop in the middle of the intersection. “Keep in mind, I only had my permit. If I get pulled over, plus we’re high, plus we had like eight people in the car, I’m getting arrested,” she says. However, the police officer continued driving past Grace, leaving her breathless and overwhelmed but willing to keep driving. “I really don’t care [about the consequences],” she says. “You do these things… and nobody catches you. Sometimes they do catch you, but you live with it. Everything always works out in the end.”
”
C6 Features
silverchips
November 12, 2015
Meet the neighbors: Familiar faces across the street
Woodmoor’s family business owners share the history behind their shops By Dawson Do At 8 a.m., Carlo Santucci arrives at his deli, where he has been serving Italian food for 25 years. The guttural, yet rhythmic, whir of a deli slicer fills the store as one employee prepares the sandwich station, arranging a variety of cheese and deli meats and preparing freshly baked bread. The phone rings for Santucci, who talks to the purveyor on the other end, making sure his ingredients are fresh. All these steps ensure that Santucci’s Deli is spotless and inviting by opening time each day, ready to serve some of the best Italian food that the Silver Spring area has to offer. Santucci is just one of a variety of small business owners in the Woodmoor Shopping Center. Similar preparations take place at the other family business in the shopping center, where Blair students and local commuters have stopped by every day for decades. A steady rise
day. Someone can walk into our store 10 a.m. in the morning and pick out an arrangement in our refrigerator and have it delivered that same day anywhere in the Metro Washington D.C. area,” says Fisher. Since he grew up in the area and especially since his father is a former Blazer, Fisher tries to give back to the community as much as he can. His business becomes
er jewelers are unable to sell. “I involve my customer all the way through the process instead of them walking up to a book saying, ‘Hey, I like that, order that for me.’ I try to make something unique because once they see that, they’ll always remember where they got it from,” says Stohlman. Over the years, Stohlman grew up alongside the community. “I remember
restaurant positions. “I became the manager of a D’Angelo’s way back when. I then went into the kitchen and trained with the chef for a couple years,” he says. Santucci even had experience owning a restaurant and dealing with vendors before opening Santucci’s Deli. “I opened up a place in Virginia, it did well, and then I got out of that. I also worked for Holiday Inn as food and beverage director for a year,” he says. Opening a new restaurant after moving to Silver Spring was an easy decision for Santucci. “It seemed that I always came back to this because I was good at it. I moved into the neighborhood two years before this place opened and I started from the beginning. It’s my baby. I made it grow,” Santucci says. Since he lives in the community, Santucci is immersed with his clientele and gets to know them on a more personal level. “When I’m driving through the neighborhood and all the kids go, ‘Hi!’ it’s great. You feel part of a community, it’s a good feeling. I’ve seen all these kids grow up,” Santucci says.
The Woodmoor Pastry Shop is the oldest business in the shopping center and is currently owned Best in town by Joanna Gray. The alluring smell of freshly baked The shopping center ofSIDDHARTHA HARMALKAR SIDDHARTHA HARMALKAR goods, vintage banners and fers more than just a place old photos, and glass cases HOOVER-FISHER FLORIST This shop on the corner of the SANTUCCI’S DELI Four Corners customers flock to the to hang out or do homework stocked with pastries, pies, Woodmoor shopping center is stocked with flowers and gifts. sandwich shop every day for fresh Italian subs and pasta. for some students. Senior doughnuts, and cakes have Nicole Bartin’s job at the tempted locals of all ages for Woodmoor Pastry Shop ofmore than 60 years. fers perks such as interacEvery day except Montions with the community, day, the pastry shop’s ema short walk from Blair, and ployees clock in early in sweets--all the time. order to prepare for comBartin notices many stumuters who stop by for dents coming to Woodmoor breakfast. Employees knead after school during her time dough, mix batter, put pans working at the shop. “When in the oven, ice cakes and you come out of Blair, you decorate pastries starting see people outside Starat 1 a.m., Gray told The Gabucks and outside the deli. zette. So it’s definitely a part of The Woodmoor Pastry the Blair community,” Bartin Shop maintains its authensays. tic and homey atmosphere Along with being close to by making everything from Blair, Woodmoor’s popularscratch and decorating their ity among locals can be atcakes and pastries by hand. tributed to its unique sense The bakery even uses the of familiarity and closeoriginal ovens that were in ness. The business owners the shop when Gray moved at Woodmoor are regulars in, according to The Gazette. themselves. “There aren’t It’s not just visitors who many areas you can go to experience the warm and and find business owners neighborly atmosphere. who actually grew up in the Those behind the counter community,” says Fisher. also feel a sense of closeBeing a small businesses ness with the community allows Woodmoor’s stores surrounding their shops. to offer service that is more Frankie Ann Oliveras, a personal to the customer. CHIMEY SONAM Blair graduate, has worked Owners can take suggesat the bakery since she was a THE WATCH POCKET Matthew Stohlman and his nephew, Gene Stohlman, repair vintage watches, clocks, and jewlery. tions and improve their senior and finds her job rebusiness depending on laxing and enjoyable. “I feel closer to [the actively involved with Blair each time vividly, when I was much younger, work- what their patrons want. “It’s great when other employees] than I would walking school dances roll around. “We try to be ing with my father [and] people coming you start something and you get feedback down the street. This is my second home,” part of the Blair community by giving do- in. Now, I see the grandkids of those same from the customers. When you are a small Oliveras says. nations to fundraisers and discounting cer- people coming in!” Stohlman says. “I can’t business, you can cater to your customers tain products for different events. We offer go anywhere in Silver Spring without run- [more easily],” Santucci explains. corsages and boutonnieres for homecom- ning into a customer that says ‘I know you’ “[Small businesses] have a sense of faIn full bloom ing and prom,” says Fisher. or ‘Do you own the watch pocket?’” miliarity. When you walk into a Mom and Pop, you feel that the service is more oneThe quaint shop on the edge of the Time flies A fresh start on-one,” says Stohlman. By putting the shopping center with colorful seasonal discustomer first, family businesses at Woodplays in the window is Hoover-Fisher FloThe Watch Pocket has been repairing Compared to the Woodmoor Pastry moor have built a long-lasting bond with rist, where Bill Fisher and his family have been selling flower arrangements, candles, customers’ watches and clocks ever since Shop’s 60 years, Hoover-Fisher Florist’s 55, their customers. “When they come back and The Watch Pocket’s 45, Santucci’s Deli and have their own family, they are amazed and other home decorations for more than John Stohlman opened the store in 1970. Matthew Stohlman, John Stohlman’s is quite young, opening just 25 years ago. that I’m still here,” he says. “When you’re 55 years. “The company was started in 1954 by son, started working for his father in 1981 However, when he opened the shop, de- here long enough, you become a part of the James Fisher. In 1960, we incorporated into and took over the business when his fa- spite being new to Woodmoor, Carlo San- community. It feels good and even though a larger corporation, who were his sister ther retired in 1994. Throughout the years, tucci wasn’t unfamiliar with the restaurant it goes without saying, a lot of customers and brother-in-law, the Hoovers, so that’s Stohlman focused on incorporating the scene. say, ‘Hey, don’t go anywhere.’” Santucci knew his way around the reswhere the name comes from,” says Bill ideals his father taught him into the busiSantucci’s business has not slowed Fisher, who has been in the family business ness. “I wanted to build a sense of trust and taurant industry from a young age. “I start- down since his deli opened in 1990.“We are loyalty, so if someone’s going to bring in a ed out at a busboy way back when in 1966, the best in town. I’ve always thought that if for his entire life. The small flower shop has set itself apart keepsake of their great grandfather’s, they when I was a freshman in high school,” you give the customers good food and you from its competitors by providing conve- are going to trust you to take care of it,” he Santucci says. “I was a waiter, I was a bar- take care of them, then you got no probtender, and I cooked.” nient service in store and online. “You can’t says. lem,” Santucci explains. “Since we opened The Watch Pocket offers custom-made After getting his college degree, Santuc- the business, we never looked back. And it go to a grocery store and pick out an arrangement to have it be delivered the same jewelry to its patrons, something that larg- ci was given the opportunity to take higher has been great ever since.”
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November 12, 2015
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November 12, 2015
Much ado about a wonderfully unique fall production Blair Theatre puts on a Shakespearean play with a Latin American twist
By Daliah Barg A mariachi band, a string of paper decorations, and colorful ribbons tied around waists – this sounds more like a party than the set of a high school play. Much Ado about Nothing, Blair’s fall play, mixes the traditional Shakespearean dialogue and plot with a surprising Latin American setting, focusing mainly on Mexican elements in its dancing, live music, and costumes. This unusual interpretation of Much Ado allows the actors a chance to develop their abilities on the stage. “Doing Shakespeare in a different setting invites people to see themselves in these characters,” says Kelly O’Connor, codirector of the production. Much Ado begins with Don Pedro, the Prince of Aragon coming to Messina to visit Leonato, the city’s governor. Claudio, a count, falls in love, but Benedick – Don Pedro’s friend – claims that he will never marry. While Claudio’s imminent marriage to Hero, Leonato’s daughter, is approaching, Don Pedro is set on matching Benedick with Beatrice, Leonato’s niece. Chaos and confusion ensue while characters form plots of love and revenge. The play’s Latin American setting manifests itself in many components of the two-hour show. The comedy begins with singing and dancing, accompanied by the mariachi band composed of one trumpet player, two violin players, and two guitar players. Throughout the production, the band chimes in with Mexican tunes at pivotal times in the plot. During one scene of partying and revelry, the band plays an acoustic version of, “Cielito Lindo,” a popular Mexican song that many students might recognize from their Spanish classes. Live music is not only a way to clarify the setting, but also an element which contributes depth to the play. “It sounds terrific, and it adds so much texture to a show when you have live music,” says O’Connor. In addition to live Mexican music, actors perform traditional Mexican partner dances choreographed by sophomore Jennifer Garcia and senior Sofia Sandoval-Ferriss, who both acted in the play as well.
The black box theater setup, which has three sets of risers for the audience seating arranged in a U-formation on the stage, allows for more intimate interaction between theatergoers and actors. At times, actors look audience members straight in the eye, directly addressing them during passionate soliloquies. This arrangement also gives the actors a chance to fully build up their skills as performers, developing their confidence as a result of such a close-up production. “It’s very scary on one hand for actors to have that experience…but on the others hand I think this is giving the students an amazing degree of confidence,” says O’Connor. “If you can act like this when your friends are in the front row looking straight at you, you can do anything.” The show has two casts– Red cast and White cast– with two completely difBEN DOGGETT ferent sets of actors. In the difficult black box set up, TRADITIONAL MEXICAN DANCING Senior Cameron Bauserman (Beatrice - Red Cast) and sophothe Red Cast actors carry out a performance that touches more Dwight Wiebe (Benedick - White Cast), dance in the center of the ensemble’s circle dance. on both the play’s humorous elements and intense drama. Benedick, tate. The structure displays the entryway of Shakespeare’s original intentions and the played by junior Jack Russ, brilliantly por- a house, with a main arch flanked by two unique Latin American setting. The play is trays the ultimate bachelor with his come- smaller arches at the top of two staircases. well worth the visit and will have viewers dic timing, dramatic posing, and humorous The yellow speckled walls emulate marble laughing hysterically and gaping in astontone. Beatrice, played by senior Cameron and the heart-shaped stained glass window ishment – truly a spectacle that will stir up Bauserman, at first seems snarky and above in the top middle of the set adds color and much ado. it all, but then displays her passionate emo- character. In the center of the main step, a There will be four more performances of the tions with shaking hands and tears rolling slowly dripping fountain acts as a centerdown her face. Sophomore Eli Cohen, who piece. For scenes of dancing and singing, fall play this weekend. The White cast will be plays Claudio, and junior Abby Rowland, string lights and flower garlands drop down performing at Nov. 12 at 4:00 p.m. and Nov. 14 who plays Hero, portray the two characters from the stage’s fly system (pulleys and at 7:30 p.m. The Red cast will be performing with an innocence and almost naivety in poles that hang from the ceiling) to enhance Nov. 13 at 7:00 p.m. and Nov. 14 at 2:00 p.m. the mood. Tickets are $7 for students and seniors and $10 their love. Much Ado brings many elements to- for adults, and can be purchased online at blairBringing the show together is the set that senior Dio Cramer designed to look like a gether in its set design, costumes, acting, muchado.bpt.me, or in person at the attendance Latin American “hacienda,” or Spanish es- and music so as to accurately portray both office.
New radio will broadcast local sounds and stories for all ages
Local Takoma Park radio set to makes waves starting in summer 2016 By Christian Mussenden When people think of the radio, they tend to think of talk shows, overplayed pop music, and reports. Takoma Radio, Takoma Park’s new local radio station, is trying to change that with its fresh take on radio.Takoma Radio is a low-power FM station with a radius of only 2 to 5 miles that will be airing the stories and culture of the people in Takoma Park and surrounding areas starting in the summer of 2016. The idea for the radio station started after Takoma Radio founder, Marika Partridge, left college and decided to start volunteering at a local radio station in Juno, Alaska while looking for a job with the U.S. Forest Service. “A community radio station in Juno invited me as a volunteer to get involved, and that’s how I got started,” says Partridge. After that, Partridge soon fell in love with radio broadcasting and decided to make a career out of it. She moved to Takoma Park to start working on NPR’s program, “All Things Considered” as a news writer, and she eventually worked her way up to become the manager of the program. In 2011, Partridge learned about low-FM radio stations from a friend, which sparked her interest in creating one for the Takoma Park area. Three years later, Partridge and her friend, Takoma Radio station manager Tatyana Safronova, applied for a low-FM radio license from the Federal Communications Commission and got it approved within a matter of months. At that moment, Takoma Radio was born. Takoma Radio does not just want to be a local NPR knock off, though. They have more ambitious goals. “We are hoping to represent Montgomery County and north D.C. and put stuff on the radio that is typi-
cally not on the radio,” says Safronova. The station also aims to be an educational tool for people interested in broadcast journalism. “Our goal is to increase media literacy, allow people to gain journalism skills without paying a lot of money for journalism
be heard, whether it is their opinions, their music, or their ideas, and try and build a community through radio.” Listeners can expect to hear a wide variety of things on Takoma Radio such as covers of classic American music with international influences, like
school,” she says. Safronova hopes that the radio station will help listeners connect with one another too. “We want to give the people a place to
“Beat It” by Michael Jackson with a reggae beat and Johnny Cash songs performed with Swedish instruments. Takoma Radio is also thinking of airing coverage of local sports
and analysis of the Takoma Park band scene. One key thing that the station wants to stress is that it is not meant for just adults. “Our intended audience is all ages,” says Safronova. She also wants to have people from different age groups volunteering to create the program “I’m hoping we have more diversity in our producers and our audience,” she says. Takoma Radio is making a very big effort to get teenagers involved in their programming by developing a wider web presence, reaching out to schools around the Takoma Park and Northeast D.C. area, communicating with popular youth organizations such as the Gandhi Brigade, and encouraging teenagers to write material for them and join their crew. “I have no doubt that middle school and high school students can produce stories as well as adults and we hope that we CALEB BAUMAN can be a place for people EAGER AUDIENCE Takoma Radio’s Studio Manager Tatyana Safronova displays their show sam- from high school and ples to a large audience during a listening party in downtown Takoma Park on Oct. 23. Tako- middle school to produce stories,” says Safma Radio is set to begin airing this summer and will be broadcasted to a small radius in the city. ronova.
If you want to become a part of Takoma Radio, contact Marika Partridge at marika@takomaradio.org or reach them through their website: www.takomaradio.org
November 12, 2015
Entertainment D2
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The answer to your food troubles is parked down the street
A review of a few food trucks in the Montgomery County and D.C. areas
By Brianna Forté
ions, garlic, ginger, and mixed spices. The injera sops up the beef curry stew and takes away most of the spicy-ness but still leaves a kick to this dish. The red beet salad with diced onions, jalapeno, and a homemade vinaigrette has a satisfying crunch when you eat it. These great dishes are prepared by Nebeyou Lemma and his fiancee Pina Ghetahu, who started their food truck three years ago. The owners make dishes that are authentic to traditional Ethiopian cuisine and have included their children in the family business. Their son, Blair senior Kristian Paulos, works on Mesob on Wheels alongside his younger sister, Blair sophomore Maraki Paulos. Kristian greatly enjoys his working environment. “I love that I get to stay close to my family and have fun inside the food truck. Plus it is food that I am familiar with, so I know how to work the insides of the truck,” says Kristian.
You can find them parked in gas stations, on the side of the road, at school events, and maybe even outside your front door. Food trucks are steadily increasing in popularity, especially in the Montgomery County area. Not only is there a wide variety of menus to choose from, but food trucks are also convenient and fast. From crepes to curry, there’s always a food truck available for whatever you are craving. Holy Crepes Holy Crepes lives up to its name because this food tastes like a true gift from God. As predicted, this truck specializes in crepes, both savory and sweet. However, this is not the only thing Holy Crepes does well; they also offer some amazing paninis. The menu is a bit overwhelming with many Nutella and fruit combinations, but you cannot go that wrong as long as there is sugar involved. Not only were the crepes super sweet, but they came at a sweet price, ranging from $5-$7. The Nutella, Strawberry, and Banana Crepe is a solid choice and hits all the important food groups of sugar, sugar, and more sugar. Thin slices of strawberry and banana are surrounded by a coating of Nutella and wrapped in a crepe still warm from the griddle. The Nutella, fruit, and crispy crepe combination dissolves in your mouth. The crepes are drizzled with chocolate sauce and sprinkled with powdered sugar. The only downside to this heavenly treat is that it is nearly impossible to eat without you ending up wearing it on your face or clothes. However, if you lack a sweet tooth, fear not! Holy Crepes also offers a variety of savory crepes like bacon and chicken crepes. The bacon crepe comes with mozzarella, mushrooms, basil, and bacon. The chicken crepe comes with mushrooms, feta, spinach, and chicken. The savory crepes do come at a steeper price ranging from $7-$10.
You can find the truck on Twitter at @mesobonwheels. Feelin’ Crabby Feeling grouchy? This seafood truck centered around crab dishes might be just the thing to cheer you up! Feelin’ Crabby is a D.C. food truck that has been in the business for around two years now. If you could not guess from the name, the food truck offers crab sandwiches, salads, sliders, and chips. They also offer lobster sandwiches, salads, and sliders along with their signature combination of crab and lobster, which they call crabster. The food prices are somewhat on the high side, with crab salads and sandwiches selling for $11, lobster salads and sandwiches selling for $15, and crabster salads and sandwiches selling for $17. Yes, seafood costs more than regular food, but paying almost $20 for not even a full meal is a bit ridiculous. The food itself is decent, but not worth the high prices. The crab slider was the best out of the three options. The crab meat, classic seasonings, and mayo are mixed and baked together to create a semi-sweet crab cake with a great texture. The crab meat was scooped onto a Kaiser roll on top of lettuce and tomato. The lobster and crabster were drier. The lobster slider was not as creamy and did not taste good with the red pepper seasoning. The crabster slider was a clashing combination of crab and lobster drowning in Old Bay seasoning.
The Holy Crepes food truck can be found on their website holycrepestruck.com Linda’s Luncheonette The pink polka dot truck may be goofy-looking, but the gourmet food promised by Linda’s Luncheonette surpasses all expectations. With comfort food offered at comforting prices under $10, weary food wanderers may have found their new home on this traveling truck. The Five-Cheese Mac-n-Cheese offers a new twist to the classic childhood meal while still keeping it as delicious and cheesy as it should be. The curly noodles and cheese are mixed together, baked to a crisp golden perfection, and topped with breadcrumbs. Following the filling meal is one of the hardest decisions you will ever make: choosing a dessert. Chocolate Chunk Brownies and Double-wide Crispy Treats make it a hard choice--either way you cannot go wrong. The Double-wide Crispy Treats are homemade rice crispy treats the size of a brick and the sweet satisfaction is worth any later regret about calorie intake. These sweet treats and comforting foods are made by an even sweeter owner, Linda Kushner. Kushner left her job as an interior designer to start her Luncheonette. “I loved cooking, and it was another creative outlet for me and I decided if I don’t do it now I won’t ever do it cause I’m simply not getting younger,” said Kushner. She has been in the business for more than two years. “[At first] my head was just spinning every day. And a couple months in, you feel like you got your combat boots on and you feel like you know how to do this,” said Kushner. Linda’s Luncheonette can be tracked on her website, www.lindasluncheonette.com LA Taco Erle Burke and his brother started the LA Taco food truck three years ago and their business has been gaining customers ever since. Burke believes food trucks are rising in popularity because they provide a quick, tasty alternative to sit-down meals. “Basically you’re getting, you know, restaurant qual-
The truck can tracked on www.feelincrabby. com Crepe Love
CALEB BAUMAN
UP ON YOUR LUCK WITH THESE FOOD TRUCKS From top to bottom Linda’s Luncheonette, Mesob on Wheels, Crepe Love, and Feelin’ Crabby. ity foods delivered to wherever you want to go,” Burke explained. The Burkes’ food truck serves tacos, burritos, nachos, and quesadillas. The food is either a hit or a miss depending on what you order. The cheese quesadilla is a safe choice, but the lack of bold flavor and steep price of $7.25 makes the food not worth the wait. However, the sauces you can order with the meals are homemade and provide a signature twist to the dishes. Burke makes three original sauces to spice up the menu including his chipotle and tomato hot sauce, pequin and tomato hot sauce, and jalapeno and tomatillo hot sauce. So, if you are a hot sauce person and like things super spicy, then this is the food truck for you. LA Taco can be tracked on the website, latacotruck.com
Mesob on Wheels One of the few Ethiopian food trucks in the country, Mesob on Wheels can give you the quick Ethiopian fix you’ve been searching for on the go. The food truck has been serving meals all over D.C. and Montgomery County since 2012. The food comes at a reasonable price of two items for $7 and the portions are generous. The two servings come with a generous amount of injera, a very thin and spongy Ethiopian bread, served on top. All of the food is amazing: not too spicy but not too bland either. Some of the special dishes to consider are the spicy lentil, beef curry stew, and red beet salad. The spicy lentil, untrue to its name, is not spicy at all but instead offers a savory taste with split lentils simmered with on-
Who does not love crepes? And what better place to get them then from the food truck entirely dedicated to crepes? The Crepe Love food truck has a short selection of six sweet and three savory crepes. The limited choices do make it easier for a conflicted customer to decide which crepe to order. The crepes are prepared in fewer than five minutes and handed to you still steaming. Served in a cardboard cone, the crepes are surprisingly easy to eat. As you eat, the cardboard is pre-cut so that you can tear it away. This way you can avoid making a mess and getting the crepe everywhere. You cannot go wrong with any of the crepes, sweet or savory. If adventure is not for you, then the Blueprint Crepe is a good choice. The crisp shell with just a slight hint of sugar and melted butter is a safe bet with just enough sugar to satisfy your senses. For the more daring, the Coco Loco Crepe, full of nutella, bananas, and coconut, will hit the spot. The only sour part about these sweet crepes is their prices. For the Blueprint Crepe with just butter and sugar alone, the crepe still costs $6. The rest of the crepes range from $7-$10. However, they are generous with their fillings and the size of the crepe is pretty big, so the portion does match up with their price. Track the Crepe Love food truck on Twitter at @crepelovetruck.
D3 Entertainment
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Blazers of Note
November 12, 2015
Local novelist revisits her roots in Maryland Q&A with young adult fiction author Laura Resau By Dawson Do On Nov. 10, author Laura Resau came to Blair and spoke to both English- and Spanish-speaking students about her books and her experiences as an author. Resau spent most of her life in Maryland, living in Baltimore and Columbia and finally going to St. Mary’s College. After college, she traveled overseas where she experienced global cultures and learned foreign languages. Q: How did you become interested in becoming a writer?
KAYN MAZYCK
Thomas Nieto JUNIOR Entering high school is tough for anyone, but it has been even harder for junior Thomas Nieto, who immigrated to the U.S. from Colombia in late August. He was an avid soccer player in Colombia and wanted to play for the school team, but was too late to join. His family moved here so that he could get a more affordable education. While Nieto was unhappy about the idea at first, he soon appreciated the educational opportunities in the U.S. “I think that [moving here] is better for my future,” he says. Nieto attended a bilingual school in Colombia, but the language transition in the U.S. was still not easy. When he arrived, the first class he attended was AP Spanish; he felt comfortable among students speaking only in Spanish. Once he left the class, however, he had to face a tough adjustment. “Something felt empty in me,” he said. Even though Nieto still misses his old friends and home, he has become more accustomed to the new country and culture. “Now I’ve gotten used to it,” he said.
By Aditi Shetty
LR: When I grew up in Baltimore, I developed a relationship with my local librarian and she knew exactly what kind of books I liked to read and when she would get a new book that she knew I’d like, she would put it aside for me. I think that fostered a kind of fondness that I had for books. I then discovered writing stories of my own. It gave me an almost magical thrill to write stories and create something out of nothing. It always made me feel more alive and more excited about life. From a young age, I knew it was always going to be an important part of my life. Q: Did you ever see yourself becoming an author? LR: I thought just my friends and family would be reading my stories. I had never met a real author before and was unable to envision what that life would look like. It seemed completely unrealistic to me. It probably wasn’t until maybe I was in my early twenties that I really thought, ‘Wow, maybe I really can publish a book and maybe, I could actually become a writer as my job.’ I was very shy about telling people I was a writer and very few people in my life knew I was working on a book. I was afraid my book wasn’t good enough or people would think that I was weird for spending so much
time on it. It took me quite a while to get the courage to start showing people my book. Q: What steps did you take to become a writer? LR: In high school, we unfortunately didn’t have any kind of creative writing class. When I had time [left after doing] all my other class work, I would just write on my own. I didn’t major in writing in college or grad school but I did take creative writing classes, participated in writing workshops, and joined a writing group. The first step for me to start publishing was getting pretty serious about my writing group and connecting with other writers through conferences. After I felt like I revised my first manuscript to the best of my ability, I submitted it to agents and editors. I did get about 11rejections over the course of a few years which was devastating, but it is pretty normal for a first book especially. I kept submitting it and an editor at Random House ended up really loving the manuscript and offered me a contract.
story and I feel that reading a novel is really a two-way street. The author is offering something and the reader is bringing his or her own experience to their reading of the book. It’s fascinating for me to hear what things move the reader or what questions the readers have about the story. It’s really rewarding for me to have those kinds of conversations.
Q: What advice would you give to students who want to pursue a career in writing?
LR: I would say try and write regularly in your journal and write whatever comes out like a diary, poetry, or song lyrics. Let yourself write and have fun writing it. And don’t expect perfection, don’t be hard on yourself. Also try to connect with people in the writing industry so you could go to authors’ readings at book stores or at the library. Connect with them and ask questions and hear about their own writing journey and processes.
Q: How do your books reflect who you are as a person? LR: I was really interested in learning about other cultures and loved learning other languages, so I ended up majoring in anthropology. I also happen to feel inspired when I travel, encounter new cultures, and hear people’s stories. I find that those are the things that I can continue writing about in my journal and end up leaving them in stories. I find that my stories are usually written for a young audience because the books I read when I was a teen had a really big impact on how I saw the world and how I saw myself. Q: What made you want to come to Blair? LR: I think that readers bring so much to the
COURTESY OF LAURA RESAU
The purrrrr-fect way to spend time with furry friends A visit to Crumbs & Whiskers, a cozy cat cafe in Georgetown
CALEB BAUMAN
Milos Pajic JUNIOR Almost anyone can listen to music and sing along off-key, but can just anyone harness the courage to actually write lyrics and perform them? Junior Milos Pajic does and he works hard to hone his craft. After acquiring a manager last year, Pajic has been writing and recording a new mixtape. He says that he spends all of his free time working on his music. “It’s like a full time job, every day after school. Even during school, you’ll catch me writing in my notepad or on my phone,” he says. Sometimes he passes up opportunities to go out and see his friends in favor of putting in time at the studio. “It takes a lot of sacrifice, but in the end, I think it’ll pay off.” For Pajic, writing music is a puzzle that he has to solve to get his message across. “It’s difficult because you want to put things that rhyme together, but you also want to make sense and talk about something. You don’t want to just say two things that rhyme, but don’t really have any meaning,” he says. Pajic expects to drop a few singles from his EP in six to eight weeks. He has already named the release: Greetings from the Top.
By Alexandra Marquez
and a half, the normal time slot for a visit to Crumbs & Whiskers. The cafe limits about 15 people to each time slot. Luckily, the
of cats and food in one environment can seem off-putting, but Crumbs & Whiskers does not make their food in house. Instead, When I walked into they partner with other local Crumbs & Whiskers on a businesses to bring delectable crisp Saturday afternoon, I treats to visitors without the was greeted with the delightchance of pulling a cat hair ful sight of cats everywhere. out of a cookie. The coffee and They were on the front desk, treats they offer are a little bit all over the furniture, in peopricey, even approaching $3 ple’s arms-- anywhere they for a cookie, but the delicious could possibly slide in to engingersnaps we tried were joy an afternoon nap. worth it. Crumbs & Whiskers is a In addition to the friendly quaint little “cat cafe” nesstaff and lively cats, the cafe is tled among the hustle and decorated to give off a calm, bustle of midtown Georgeneutral ambiance. The walls town, right off of M Street. on the bottom floor are covThere, one can find dozens ered in chalkboard paint and of adoptable cats from a lomaps of “The United States of cal shelter just waiting to be Cats.” The top floor displays petted, cuddled, and apprepleasant fairy lights, shelves, ciated. and a sign that reads, “I’ve got When my friends and I 99 problems… No wait, I’ve walked in, the welcoming got 99 cats. Please help me! I staff offered us the menu so can’t stop!” Littered across the CHAMINDA HANGILIPOLA we could pick our drinks and floor were all of the cat toys snacks. One of the employ- RELAXING WITH CAT COMPANIONS Visitors of the Crumbs & Whis- you could possibly imagine. ees introduced us to a few of kers in Georgetown enjoy an afternoon with the cafe’s feline friends. I was tempted to bring some the cats. “Thomas is kind of a home to my cat, Lio, but I just grump,” he told us about the lone cat sitting strangers in our time slot turned out to be enjoyed the time I had to play with the cats in his basket. “But he’ll warm up to you if super friendly, like most cat lovers are. We that were in front of me. you brush him.” He handed us a brush and lost track of time talking about our experiAlthough Crumbs & Whiskers attracts left us alone to figure out the quirks of the 25 ences with our own pet cats, teaching the visitors from all over the D.C. Metropolitan other cats in the building. cats tricks, and appreciating the calm Satur- area, it is not just a place for the cat lovers to Although some of the cats were asleep, day afternoon in the presence of nice people unite. The cat cafe is partnered with the lomost were up and playful. Kippie, identified and affectionate animals. cal Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation, from by the red tag on her collar, was entertaining In the days leading up to my visit, many which they foster about 20 cats per week to anyone who would watch her. She jumped people I talked to seemed repulsed by the encourage adoption. Their website boasts and ran after every toy we placed in front of idea of a cat cafe. “Gross,” they said, “Who that since their opening on June 18, 34 cats her. The only problem with her playfulness wants to enjoy a meal surrounded by cat fur have been adopted by visitors. was that she kept disturbing and waking and kitty litter?” I even had someone tell As much as I would love another cat, Constantine from her peaceful slumber. An- me that they would enjoy a dog cafe much mine would rather share a home with a other one of the spirited cats, Timber, caught more, to which I replied, “Disgusting! Who dog than compete for attention and cuddles our attention as he ran across the shelves on wants to enjoy a meal surrounded by pant- with a feline counterpart. For anyone else in the walls, from one side to the other and all ing and dog slobber?” Clearly, the cat cafe is a similar situation or with another reason the way back again. for those with more appreciation for felines prohibiting them from getting a new cat, We made a $15 reservation for an hour than canines. I do understand that the idea Crumbs & Whiskers is the place to go.
By Alexandra Marquez In first person
November 12, 2015
Entertainment D4
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Nostalgia returns with several video game reboots Star Wars, Guitar Hero, and NBA 2K all release big games this fall By Teague Sauter The holiday season is approaching, which means it is time to start working on that wish list. This year’s new video games should leave our pockets empty and our evenings occupied for many months to come. New releases in the Star Wars Battlefront, Guitar Hero, and NBA 2K series will surely be popular presents as we enter this peaceful time of giving, receiving, and gaming. Star Wars Battlefront Time Played: 7 hours of beta test Release Date: November 18 Price: $59.99 Game developer Dice has been working on the newest installment of the beloved Star Wars Battlefront series for years now and after only a few hours on the beta version, I can tell you it is well worth the wait. Releasing exactly one month before the premiere of the new film “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, Electronic Arts is capitalizing on the hype surrounding the franchise. The game is absolutely beautiful and utilizes the next generation graphics better than any game I have seen. The maps and models have been crafted with meticulous detail, the snow on the planet Hoth really glistens, and the Tusken Raider village on Tatooine is completely destructible, contributing to impressive realism. The newest installment has truly captured the sights and sounds of the Star Wars saga, only adding to the incredible nostalgia that true Star Wars fan will feel when they play this game. The game features the traditional John Williams soundtrack and all the sound effects from the original trilogy. In addition to the incredible vehicle models, these features really make the game feel like Star Wars. This game differs from Star Wars Battlefront 2, which you may remember playing on PlayStation two years ago. Dice has taken the series in an entirely different direction and now includes several different game modes. The game feels loosely inspired by the Battlefield series, also developed by Dice, since both focus on a variety of mul-
tiplayer modes. Electronic Arts released a four-day beta version in October, featuring battles on Hoth, Sullust, and Tatooine, in order to test issues and promote the game. Guitar Hero Live Time Played: 8 hours of TV and Live modes Release Date: October 20 Price: $99.99 Guitar Hero Live is the newest release from game designer Activision’s beloved rock star simulation series, and it totally revolutionizes the game type. The first thing you notice when you unbox the $99.99
reer mode of the past. But rather than playing in a band that has to work its way to the top, you play as a lead guitarist for different bands at music festivals around the world. I started off at the Rock the Block Festival in Colorado where I played a few sets with different bands throughout the night. One thing I noticed was an increase in difficulty between casual mode and regular difficulty. Casual is far too easy, but regular mode tends to be a struggle for a player with no musical talent, such as myself. For me, expert mode was practically impossible. Unlike earlier installments in the series, there is no way to “fail” a song in Live. The fans will boo you and even climb up on stage to bombard you with red solo cups—crowd control at Guitar Hero Live concerts is lacking—but you will never be forced to stop playing. On the other hand, if you are performing up to their standards, the crowd will rage for you and join you on stage to dance. The live crowds are a fun novelty, but overall this just feels like a revamped version of the game from ten years ago. NBA 2K16 Time Played: 7 hours of MyCareer Release Date: September 29 Price: $59.99
allowing the game to flow more quickly. The game also offers new customizable options, from your player’s shoes to the color of the rims on your “MyCourt.” Unfortunately, all of these choices come with a cost called “virtual currency (VC).” VC has been around for the last several generations of the NBA 2K franchise, but it continues to limit the player. It can only be earned by playing in certain game modes, or, of course, purchasing it with real money. This annoying aspect sometimes leaves the game feeling more like a cheap app and less like the $60 platformer that we paid for. Although 2K16 has revamped all of its game modes, I tested the popular “MyCareer” mode. This year’s edition of the storybased career mode was written and directed by Spike Lee. Although the focus is on the player “being the story,” I found that more often than not your choices are made for you. The predetermined story line centers on an impoverished player from Harlem, New York who has risen from the streets to become the star of his high school team and a highly touted college recruit. While the story is interesting at times, I would much rather be a star player from Silver Spring, Maryland who leads the Montgomery Blair Blazers to the state championship, not the generic Midtown Bulldogs. While 2K16 is another big improvement on years past and certainly a ton of fun, it still leaves something to be desired.
game is the new take on the traditional NBA 2K16 is the latest release in guitar conthe annual 2K series, and although it oftroller. Gone fers some new features, it hardly revoluare the five tionizes the colorful game. The buttons, refirst imALEX MENDIVILL placed by provement a new three button system that is split into is the graphWhat’s your favorite recently released video upper and lower sections, giving a total of ics, which game? six buttons. At first, it was difficult to adjust continue to to the split buttons. However, after getting improve year “My favorite video game that has been released is Halo 5 used to it, I think it is better than having to after year. The Guardians. To me it’s the best FPS ever...awesome level reach all the way down the neck of the gui- gameplay itdesigns, characters, and weapon designs are amazing.” tar just to reach the farthest, orange button. self is much - Brandon Khan, freshman Another drastic change is that Activision crisper, too. has done away with digital stages and au- Blocky anima“My favorite recently released video game is Fifa 16. It’s diences, replacing them entirely with live tions don’t get action packed and intense. Playing against friends is fun.” action footage, hence the name Guitar Hero in the way of Live. The game features two modes: Live rapid deci- Adiel Bolaños, junior and TV. Live is the new game’s take on a ca- sion-making,
soapbox
The horribly frustrating phenomenon that is college mail
Why college admissions officers need a lesson on high schoolers By Grady Jakobsberg Humor Dear college admissions officers,
sions officers, if you want us to go to your school, at least have the decency to openly and shamelessly say it. I respect that more.
ory of you as a royal waste of our time. Also, I do not want your pamphlets or books. “Stand Out and Get In: 5 Strate-
Every day, we high schoolers get home and reach into our mailboxes to grab the stack of letters waiting for us. We shuffle through the pile, naively hoping to see a late birthday card or possibly a party invitation; yet to our disappointment, the only letter addressed to us is from you, at Who-ActuallyCares University. A thousand thoughts race through our heads when we see that piece of mail, but almost every student comes to the same conclusion: that letter is on a one way flight to the garbage. I have a couple questions for you—and even a little advice.
First of all, how do you know my name, my address, and my high school? Who is giving you that information, because it is not me! The more baffling thing to me, though, is how you know things about me that I do not even know about myself. You somehow know that I have “special talents” that will enable me to succeed at your school, or that my interests will make us a “perfect match.” If I had the knowledge that you have magically acquired about my interests and talents, then I would be a far more confident and decisive person. Oh, it would be the dream of any high schooler with a lifetime of big decisions ahead to have your mysterious powers. Stop inviting me places
Why do you send me and other high schoolers so much mail? This is the most important question I have, and honestly, I have no clue what the answer could be. Maybe you operate the same way obnoxious commercials do; you force yourselves into our heads so that, to our frustration, we remember you later on. That basically means that your advertising methods are equal to that of Walgreen’s, Nationwide, or even McDonald’s. How do you live with that? The mail you send usually is not even trying to get us to go to your school. Most of it is to get us to do some summer program at your school, subscribe to your website, or get a book from you on how to get into the best colleges. College admis-
How do you know so much about me?
HN
A
E AZ
KA
N
Do not feel the need to double up on mail. If you send us one email and we do not respond, do not send us another. News flash: we do not want it. That is why we ignored the first one. This goes for letters as well. Do not send both a letter and an email to us; it will just solidify our mem-
gies for Getting Accepted to Your Ideal College,” does not sound like something I’m going to read in my free time. And if you represent some dinky college from the middle of nowhere and are sending me a pamphlet titled “How to get into your top schools”, well… that is just bad advertising.
I think I speak for most high schoolers that live on any money or time budget when I say that I do not want to travel halfway across the country to go to your boring visitation day or some convention at your school! It feels like being invited to the wedding of your parents’ friend that you have never met before: confusing and unnecessary. Most of the time this mail does not even apply to me. Most high schoolers don’t even start looking at colleges until the latter part of their junior year. Sending mail to underclassmen is just a complete waste of paper and time. So wake up and smell the coffee: we don’t want your mail. Sincerely, A worn out high school student.
November 12, 2015
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ADs D5
Chips Clips D6
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November 12, 2015
Rulers by Julian Bregstone
Across
54. Outstanding individuals
24. Eight limbed sea creatures
60. Lightbulb!
25. At what time?
61. Path to a destination
28. In between T.V. shows
5. Lowest part of the jaw
62. Strong dislike
29. The most equal
9. Frozen condensation
64. A short distance away
30. Upper body limbs
14. Ernesto “____” Puente
65. A group of eight
31. Measure of determination
15. The Biggest Little City in the
66. 2, 4, 6, 8, and so on
32. Master of ____
67. Bold behavior
33. Rowing machines
16. Ghost _____, starring Nick Cage
68. Someone’s jaw or lips
34. To lose footing
17. The source of something
69. To repair with thread (3rd per-
35. Filled tortilla with a soft or
1. Decorative cloth worn around one’s shoulder or waist
World
18. The national language of Pakistan that is not English
Down 1. Used to drink a Slurpee
40. A high temperature
21. Nineteenth century French ruler
2. Mayonnaise-like sauce with
41. Calculated with a ruler 46. Small markets
26. Used to row a boat
4. Holiday Inn
47. A group of eight notes
27. The ruler of Franks who united
5. A bunch of grapes
50. To add a faint color
6. Any plant used for its scent
51. Best scenario
7. Inside a building
52. Area controlled by a ruler
8. Pertaining to a person, place or
53. British rulers with the responsi-
Europe in the Middle Ages 34. ________ From The Bottom, the ruler of the six 39. Shallow bodies of water separated from big bodies of water
9. Abbreviation for a frozen coffee
54. Short for crocodile
10. Hindu’s physical order of the
55. An Irish lake
42. Steve Smith’s catch phrase
11. A bad smell
57. ____ Up 2: The Streets
43. The son of Agamemnon
12. Out to be delivered
58. A tennis match is made of ____
44. Small adhesive pieces of paper
13. Big plant that is used to make
59. Slowly cooked chunky soup
48. Latin word meaning verbatim
lumber 22. ___ We There Yet?
49. Formal ______
Sudoku: Easy
COURTESY OF WWW.WEBSUDOKU.COM
Nap Time Shift
56. A vehicle used on the road
universe
40. Hurting something
E-Athlete
bility of a Duke
thing
38. Dropping a pop-fly
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45. The rulers of the airport
garlic 3. Seat with no back
Harry Potter
Fall
37. A blowout victory
20. ____ Vera 23. Weeping ______, a mean tree in
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36. Periods of history
70. Trees of genus Ulmus
19. To make up for a crime
Blazer Box
hard shell
son present)
63. Acronym for Enhanced Network Selection
Sudoku: Hard
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La Esquina Latina
Silver Chips 12 de Noviembre del 2015
El origen de conflictos entre grupos en nuestra comunidad ¿De dónde proviene el problema de las pandillas y grupos de vecindarios? Montgomery Blair High School no es solamente la más grande del sistema escolar del condado de Montgomery, sino que a la misma vez es una de las escuelas con más diversidad étnica en el estado de Maryland. Apesar de que nuestra escuela está compuesta de facultad y estudiantes de diversos orígenes y culturas, algunos alumnos nuevos latinos a nuestra escuela sufren de lo que se podría categorizar como un nivel de discriminación. Durante cada año escolar, nuestra escuela recibe a docenas de estudiantes, la mayoría siendo nativos de otros países. Estos estudiantes además de tener que acostumbrarse a un nuevo idioma, país y cultura, tienen que ir a una escuela nueva que es posiblemente la más grande a la que hayan asistido. Además de ser sometidos a todos estos cambios, algunos de estos estudiantes son víctimas de la discriminación. En nuestra escuela, la triste realidad es que la mayoría de los latinos nacidos en los Estados Unidos se consideran mejores que los estudiantes que han nacido en otro país. La mayoría de la comunidad latina en Blair tienen padres que son inmigrantes, pero irónicamente, algunos estudiantes se olvidan de esto. En vez de tratar de apoyar a los estudiantes nuevos, se burlan y se refieren a ellos usando términos derogativos que algunas veces tienden a tener connotación racista. Muchas de las razones por las cuales las personas se unen a las pandillas se puede justificar por la falta de algo. Según uno de los oficiales de seguridad de la escuela, Carlos Hernández, los “estudiantes latinos inmigrantes tienden a buscar e incorporarse
a lo que les es familiar. Ellos encuentran refugio en las pandillas, quienes le ofrecen protección y entendimiento, lo que muchos buscan ya que se sienten discriminados.“ La psicóloga Sandra Martins explica que, “las pandillas convencen a los jóvenes que pueden tener protección, una familia y una
HUFFINGTON POST
sensacion de apoyo.” Otras veces, estos mismos jóvenes “pueden sentirse amenazados por otra persona o un grupo y sienten el sentido de protección de una pandilla.” El oficial de la ciudad de Silver Spring, Detective Godoy, añade que, los jóvenes “se unen para [tener] un sentido de pertenencia o para sentirse parte de una familia.” Estos estudiantes son igual a nosotros y lo que los diferencian es el hecho que han nacido en otro país. Esta puede ser otra razón por
la cual algunos jóvenes se integran a las pandillas. La psicóloga Martins comenta que, los “latinos que emigran a los Estados Unidos son más vulnerables a unirse a una pandilla al no sentir pertenencia en un país extranjero, especialmente teniendo barreras lingüísticas y culturales.”
MARIS MEDINA
Otros jóvenes “nacen en [las pandillas]. Ellos tienen familiares que son miembros de pandillas o que crecieron en los barrios donde todos sus amigos estaban en la ‘banda local’. Se ven obligados a ser parte de ella. Se unen para la auto preservación,” comenta el detective Godoy. Las consecuencias de unirse a una pandilla son muchas y se pueden ver como negativas y hasta positivas. Martins explica como, “las [razones] negativas, son ob-
vias; el crimen, la violencia, y el consumo y distribución de drogas. Las consecuencias positivas, [son] la protección, el sentido de pertenencia, el respeto y orgullo de los otros miembros de estas pandillas.” Según Godoy, los jóvenes “se unen por la emoción. Ellos ven el estilo de la vida gángster en los medios de comunicación, y desean el prestigio y respeto que creen que van a adquirir al estar en una pandilla.” Incluso, cuando miembros quieren abandonar las pandillas, “se enfrentan a violencia y humillación. La mayoría [se] avergüenzan y [son] amenazados cuando quieren irse… pierden [la] relación que una vez tuvieron en el grupo,” comenta la psicóloga. El detective Godoy sugiere que si algún estudiante está siendo presionado para unirse a una pandilla o es víctima de las pandillas, la alternativa correcta sería, “reportar el crimen de pandillas. Las pandillas derivan su poder a través del miedo, pero si la comunidad reporta los crímenes, le pueden demostrar a las pandillas que no se tolerará su comportamiento ni actividad.” Hay que desarrollar la capacidad de tener una mente abierta. Al hacer esto se hace más fácil aceptar lo nuevo, lo extranjero y lo desconocido. Los estudiantes a riesgo de ser influenciados no tomarían malas decisiones las cuales afectan a nuestra comunidad y su futuro si se sintieran acogidos por grupos que ofrecen influencias positivas. Es importante, como comunidad escolar, el hacer un esfuerzo mayor por acoger y apoyar a los compañeros nuevos que llegan a nuestra escuela.
Nuevos estudiantes latinos enfrentan discriminación A veces son víctimas del acoso verbal al no poder dominar el inglés
Por Alisson Fortis En los Estados Unidos, de acuerdo a las estadísticas, los latinos son el grupo minoritario más grande de la nación. En una escuela como Montgomery Blair High School, hay mucha diversidad entre los estudiantes. Durante el año escolar del 2014 al 2015, los latinos constituyeron el 31 por ciento de la población estudiantil de Blair. Esto los hizo el mayor grupo demográfico de la población de estudiantes en la escuela. Solo porque los estudiantes latinos son el grupo más dominante en Blair no significa que la vida estudiantil de ellos es fácil. Todavía se encuentra mucha discriminación contra algunos estudiantes latinos, especialmente los que adoptan el inglés como un segundo lenguaje vs. los que son nacidos en los Estados Unido y de herencia latina. Cuando la gente ve que alguien es latino, inmediatamente asumen que son mexicanos, que comen tacos o pupusas, que juegan bien el fútbol porque es su deporte favorito y que no hablan inglés. Sí, varios son mexicanos, pero no todos. Los estudiantes que comen pupusas y tacos lo hacen porque son comidas tradicionales de sus países o han adoptado el gusto. Es cierto que a muchos estudiantes que llegan a Blair les encanta el fútbol y que son buenos en el deporte, pero no lo es necesariamente porque son latinos. Hay muchas otras personas de otras razas y culturas que pueden jugar el deporte al mismo nivel que los latinos. Los estudiantes latinos que hablan el inglés como un segundo lenguaje tienen una gran desventaja en su vida diaria
como estudiante. Cindy Vásquez, una estudiante salvadoreña, dice que empezó a aprender el inglés cuando tenía entre 9 y 10 años. Ella nos indica, “fue muy difícil cuando comencé a estudiar el inglés pero el primer año fue el más dificultoso. Después de varios meses, empecé a acostumbrarme
bien. Pero cuando tengo que hablar en público, me siento muy consciente de mí misma.” Vásquez se pone nerviosa porque siente que es muy probable que vaya a pronunciar mitad de las palabras incorrectamente. Pero aunque hay estudiantes latinos que hablan el inglés fluidamente,
LINDSAY HARRIS
al lenguaje y se me hizo fácil aprenderlo. Yo tengo problemas escribiendo en inglés, puedo hablarlo pero la gramática y el poder deletrear bien es donde yo tengo problemas.” Todos tenemos nuestras inseguridades pero varios estudiantes con el inglés como su segundo lenguaje se sienten muy incómodos hablándolo. Vásquez cuenta, “si estoy hablando con personas que conozco, estoy
esto no significa que otros estudiantes latinos no hacen un esfuerzo para aprender un idioma tan dificultoso cómo el inglés. Ella dice, “aunque tengo problemas escribiendo y un poco hablando, sigo tratando porqué la práctica hace lo perfecto.” Un estudiante quien prefirió mantenerse bajo anonimato tiene el mismo problema que Cindy Vásquez. Él cuenta, “prefiero
seguir hablando español porque me siento más seguro. Si un estudiante que habla inglés me habla, me siento muy consciente de mi acento cuando le contesto. Al hacer una cara confundida, sé que no me han entendido.” También dice que fuera de clases, es algo difícil estar hablando el español. Nuestro compañero nos indica, “cuando estoy fuera de clase con mis amigos, yo hablo español pero no me gusta mucho si estamos en la escuela porque todos los estudiantes alrededor están hablando inglés. Cuando nos oyen hablar español se nos quedan mirando. Nos miran cómo si fuéramos extraños y después, varios se empiezan a reír.” Él dice que aunque él y sus amistades estén hablando en inglés, los demás les hacen burla porque no lo hablan bien. ”Yo no quiero estar consciente de mí mismo cuando yo hablo y por eso trato de poder aprender el inglés.” Mientras más joven sea una persona, más fácil se hace el aprendizaje de un segundo idioma. Es por eso que para muchos estudiantes adolescentes, es un reto aprender y dominar el inglés en poco tiempo. Este es el caso de Cindy, nuestro compañero que nos habló bajo anonimato y muchos otros más. Es muy probable que hayan más estudiantes que se sienten cómo ellos y que no les gusta hablar el inglés por miedo de cometer errores al comunicarse y ser burlados por su falta de dominación del idioma. Con todo esto es importante tener la actitud que tiene Vásquez y el estudiante anónimo. Hay que tener perseverancia, y mantener el deseo de mejorarse personalmente e intelectualmente.
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El equipo de fútbol 2015 sobresale ¡Muévete, Oscar!¡Carlos está aquí!
Latinos representan a Blair orgullosamente La película Ladrones merece ser considerada
Por Ilcia Hernández Millones de personas se juntan para disfrutar los partidos de fútbol casi todos los días alrededor del mundo. El fútbol es el deporte más popular en todo el mundo y también es muy popular en Blair. Esta temporada les fue muy bien a los muchachos del equipo de fútbol “varsity”. Actualmente, Blair está en la primera posición en el tablero a nivel del condado. El equipo terminó la temporada normal con un récord de trece partidos ganados y solo uno perdido No es sorprendente que hay muchos latinos en el equipo ya que Blair tiene muchos estudiantes Hispanos. Este año, el equipo tiene un capitán de descendencia hispana, algo que no ha ocurrido en muchos años. Miguel López, estudiante del doceavo grado, se siente muy orgulloso de que le hayan dado la posición, “cuando probé para el equipo en el noveno grado, nunca pensé que sería el capitán.” Miguel López comenzó su afán por este deporte jugando el fútbol a una temprana edad. El nos comenta, “comencé jugando el fútbol en las calles de Colombia. Mi padre jugaba para una liga semi-profesional y a mi me gustaba jugar con él. De allí en adelante me interesó más el fútbol.” López cuenta su opinión sobre el éxito
del equipo este año, “De primero pensé que íbamos a tener una temporada más complicada por el hecho de que el año pasado perdimos muchos jogadores buenos, pero me sorprendí cuando los jugadores nuevos pudieron reforzar la defensa. El equipo ha tenido una temporada asombrosa.” Otros hispanos en el equipo, como Jesús Hernández del onceavo grado y Diego Meléndez del doceavo grado, también expresan su entusiasmo por llegar a los partidos a nivel estatal. “Creemos que podemos ser muy exitosos porque el equipo es muy fuerte este año. Nosotros nos llevamos muy bien y eso nos a ayudado en el campo de fútbol.” Los jugadores contaron sobre los rituales que tienen antes de comenzar un partido. Miguel dice, “cuando entro al campo de fútbol, siempre toco el campo y me persino. Es algo que he hecho desde niño.” Divertidamente, Diego dice, “siempre trato de ponerme la espinillera derecha primera.” Miguel agrega, “he oído que si te pones tres artículos de ropa al revés, es buena suerte!” Estos rituales están trabajando porque recientemente El Washington Post los a nombrado entre los 10 mejores equipos de Maryland. Los jugadores de fútbol en Blair tienen mucha energía y la química que tienen entre ellos los ha llevado a tener una temporada muy exitosa.
Por Carlos Fuentes
La película Ladrones, dirigida por Joe Menéndez es la continuación de la película del 2007, Ladrón que roba un ladrón. Fernando Colunga regresa como Alejandro Toledo considerado un humanitario por robar a los adinerados malvados y re- compensar a todos los menos afortunados que fueron víctimas de ellos. La película se trata de unas disputas de tierras en Tejas entre los rancheros mexicanos y los ame- ricanos desde el 1848. Un siglo y medio después, una descendiente del fundador de la comunidad encuentra los títulos de las tierras. Poco después, los descendientes de la familia Kilroy quienes querían robar la tierra desde hace muchos años atrás se roban los títulos y todo depende de Alejandro Toledo en robárselos a los ladrones un vez más. No tenía conocimiento de que esta película existía hasta dos semanas antes que la vi y creo que la mayoría de personas tampoco estaban informadas porque cuando entré al cine yo me encontré solo en la sala. La película ha sido designada como una comedia, la cual lo fue. Fernando Colunga y Eduardo Yáñez realmente se destacan en contraste al resto de los personajes cosa que no es ninguna sorpresa viniendo sus personajes en las telenovelas. La trama trae algo más innovativo que otras películas similares, es mejor enten-
GRIFFIN REILLY
dida mientras está progresando. Después de tantos años, los rancheros finalmente obtienen los títulos pero los Kilroys se los roban. Hay mucha tristeza en pensar que estos mexicanos pu- dieran perder sus hogares porque con los títulos podrían dejar de pagar renta y poder pagar la eduVICTORIA TSAI cación de sus hijos. Esto es un evento algo histórico ya que pasó hace muchos años cuando los Estados Unidos se anexó al territorio mexicano y muchos de los residentes que vivían ahí fueron expulsados y fueron robados de sus hogares. Este aspecto quedó bien hecho porque hace que la audiencia desarrolle simpatía por los personajes. La mayoría de los actores hicieron un buen trabajo, bajo la dirección magnífica de Joe Menéndez. A la vez habían actores jóvenes que no actuaron al mismo nivel de Fernando Colunga. La magia cinematográfica hace que todo se sienta real. El espectador tiene la sensación de que los personajes en realidad están teniendo conversaciones con cada uno. Cuando un actor lee sus líneas con emoción, se siente como si en realidad fuera el personaje que está interpretando. Yo no veo mucha programación en español y es por eso que no sé si esta película fue muy anunciada o si salió de la nada. Estoy alegre que la vi porque yo entré con la mentalidad que mi primera película en español iba a ser terrible pero salí sorprendido.Yo le doy a Ladrones una clasificación de 7 de 10. La película fue buena por su contenido pero tuvo sus problemas menores y no salí pensando que fuera algo espectacular. A pesar de todo recomiendo esta película a cualquier persona que quiera disfrutar de una película de suspenso con elementos de comedia.
La educación, una arma poderosa para vencer obstáculos El cáncer de mama y la violencia doméstica no reciben la atención necesaria Por Karla Blanco y Andrés Pérez Octubre no es solamente un mes en el que se celebra Halloween, una de las fiestas más reconocidas alrededor de todo el mundo, sino también es el mes de la lucha contra el cáncer de mama y de la concientización sobre la violencia doméstica. Tristemente, en el mundo hispanohablante, las personas no muestran el interés necesario en estos asuntos. De acuerdo a Jéssica Corvera, una estudiante de décimo grado de El Salvador, el desinterés que la población hispana muestra hacia el cáncer de mama se debe a que la mayoría no está bien informada sobre las causas y consecuencias o no tienen acceso a los servicios de salud necesarios para combatirlo. “Algunas personas no tienen seguro médico y no saben en dónde conseguir ayuda, pero tampoco quieren ir a un hospital porque los tratamientos son carísimos y es difícil para ellos pagarlos,” comenta Jessica. Lo mismo cuenta para la violencia doméstica, la cual muchas personas ven como algo normal que forma parte de la cultura hispana y no como un problema. “El abuso doméstico nace en el machismo. Bastantes hispanos se crían en sus países, en donde les enseñan a ser la cabeza del hogar y a demostrar su poder de hombres y muchas veces esto se les sube a la cabeza y se transforma en violencia doméstica,” opina el estudiante guatemalteco de doceavo grado, Edwin España. Estar al tanto de estos asuntos tan delicados es importante, ya que es necesario que todos entiendan la urgencia que hay de ayudar a miles de personas, tanto mujeres y niños como hombres a salir o superar estas horribles experiencias que los sumen en un sufrimiento profundo. La violencia doméstica deja muchas huellas traumáticas en las mentes de los que lo sufren, especialmente en los niños, ya que lamentablemente muchos hasta pierden
VICTORIA TSAI
la vida por no recibir ayuda a tiempo. Gracias a que los que han podido ser liberados de esta situación y han podido compartir su experiencia, muchos otros han encontrado inspiración en sus historias para poder salir de sus ambientes de maltrato y tener una nueva esperanza de vivir sin depender de aquellos que los oprimen con violencia Cuando se piensa en la violencia doméstica, lo primero que las personas imaginan es un hombre golpeando a su esposa, pero la realidad es que cualquiera se puede ver afectado por ella, solo que los hombres no lo denuncian con la misma frecuencia que las mujeres. El estudiante de décimo grado, Kevin Sandoval de El Salvador, opina que los hombres no piden ayuda cuando son maltratados porque se sienten avergonzados. “En el caso de los hombres, nosotros no lo denunciamos porque en nuestra cultura no se toma en serio, se considera algo gracioso, ya que según la sociedad, los hombres deben ser el sexo dominante,” dice Kevin. Otro factor muy importante que hay que considerar, es la falta de comunicación y de confianza. Muchas personas solo reaccionan
de manera violenta sin pensar dos veces. “Muchas veces las personas se crean imágenes en la cabeza que los ponen celosos y no se lo comunican a su pareja y esto termina en violencia,” opina Ángel Vanegas, un estudiante salvadoreño de noveno grado. Una situación similar se observa entre las latinas que sufren de cáncer de mama, la mayoría de las cuales no reciben el apoyo emocional necesario de sus familias por falta de comunicación. La estudiante salvadoreña de décimo grado, Rachel Menjívar, cree que una parte clave del proceso de la lucha contra el cáncer de mama es el apoyo moral que reciben las afectadas. “Primeramente, es importante no rechazarlas. Hay que comprenderlas porque no es una enfermedad específica, le ocurre a cualquiera. Sus familiares necesitan acompañarlas en el proceso de curación.” Pero todo problema tiene una solución, en este caso, en el condado de Montgomery existe la Comisión Para las Mujeres (CFW por sus siglas en inglés), la cual es una agencia del gobierno que se encarga de
proteger e informar a las mujeres sobre la violencia doméstica. En el caso de las víctimas de cáncer, existe el Centro Familiar del Condado de Montgomery que junto con la organización Caridades Católicas proveen ayuda financiera a las mujeres que sufren de esta destructiva enfermedad. En el caso de los hombres, existe la organización La Familia en Primer Lugar (Family Foremost en inglés) que apoya a las familias disfuncionales por medio de programas de intervención en el hogar para prevenir el abuso físico y psicológico y para mejorar la comunicación entre las parejas. ¿Es usted víctima de la violencia doméstica o del cáncer? ¿Conoce a alguien que lo sea? ¿Desea usted huir de este problema? La ayuda está disponible, búsquela ahora mismo antes de que sea dema- siado tarde. No tenga miedo de delatar a sus opresores. Recuerde que sus familiares y amigos estarán dispuestos para proveer el apoyo que necesita y si ellos le fallan, siempre puede recurrir a grupos de apoyo u organizaciones altruistas.
Afroamericanos 39%
Etnicidad de miembros de pandillas en ciudades, 2011
Hispanos o Latinos 45.5%
Blancos 9.7% Otros 5.8%
NATIONAL GANG CENTER
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Noviembre 12, 2015
¿Una estrategia o una coincidencia conveniente?
Miriam Witcher, la colombiana que respalda la campaña de Trump Por Andrés Pérez
Las redes de comunicación nos recuerdan constantemente de los escándalos de último momento sobre el candidato republicano a la presidencia de los Estados Unidos, Donald Trump. Este aparenta no haber terminado su legado de controversias en los medios de comunicación. Al parecer, es solo el comienzo de un intrincado plan para manipular a los posibles votantes en las próximas elecciones del 8 de noviembre del siguiente año. El pasado 9 de octubre, durante un evento que formó parte de la campaña del magnate en Las Vegas, frente al famoso hotel Treasure Island, Myriam Witcher, una inmigrante de origen colombiano, expresó de manera pública la admiración y amor que siente por el candidato republicano. Este evento ha causado mucha controversia y ha incrementado las críticas dirigidas hacia Donald Trump, ya que la naturaleza de la coincidencia no parece provenir del azar. El magnate invitó a Witcher a compartir el escenario con él por un momento y ella aprovechó la oportunidad para robarse el espectáculo. “¡Yo soy hispana y voto por el señor Trump!” declaró a gritos la colombiana con las manos en el aire mientras que el magnate sonreía detrás de ella. Las redes sociales y los medios de comunicación se han visto inundados de comentarios, videos y entrevistas sobre lo ocurrido. La opinión que el público hispano ha expresado con respecto a las acciones de la señora Witcher es en su mayoría negativa. Muchos hispanos han expresado su desacuerdo con las ideologías políticas de la hispana, mientras que solo unos pocos han defendido su derecho a expresar sus pensamientos y opiniones a pesar de que no están de acuerdo con sus ideales. Muchas personas han tachado el acto de
Witcher como algo planificado y coordinado por el magnate como una más de sus estrategias para manipular una vez más la opinión del público, en especial para persuadir al público hispano que no apoya sus perspectivas hacia la inmigración de latinos a los Estados Unidos. En verdad ha sido una coincidencia de-
masiada conveniente como para no dejar dudas en la mente de cualquiera. Es importante notar que Donald Trump no solo invitó a la señora Witcher a compartir el escenario con él, sino que también ella cargaba convenien-
temente una copia de la revista People con una fotografía del magnate en la portada. Otro aspecto que ha causado más dudas sobre la autenticidad de esta coincidencia es el hecho que las redes sociales de la colombiana Witchers no contienen nada de índole personal, sino solamente propaganda para el beneficio de la campaña de Donald Trump. Si la campaña electoral del magnate fuera una palabra en el diccionario, estaría como sinónimo de comedia. Todos estos actos discriminatorios que se le han atribuído, las ofensas públicas que ha hecho hacia otros candidatos, su alardeo incesable sobre su interminable fortuna han sido lo suficientemente cómicos. Con este evento Donald Trump ha cerrado un acto más de su espectáculo relacionado con sus campaña presidencial. Una campaña electoral no debería basarse en acciones manipulatorias, sino en propuesta realistas que tengan un impacto significativo en los votantes. Donald Trump no es el único que juega de esta manera con las elecciones, LINDSAY HARRIS la mayoría, sino todos, los otros candidatos también recurren a estas estrategias de manipulación para influenciar la mente de las personas. Cada día que pasa se acerca más el día de las elecciones presidenciales, por lo tan-
to es imperativo concienciar a las personas en edad de votar para que puedan emitir un voto personal educado y uno que represente sus intereses políticos de manera objetiva. La comunidad hispana también tiene que empezar a responder de manera analítica ante estas situaciones, para evitar que los candidatos presidenciales jueguen con sus mentes y los hagan creer en promesas actuadas y que no aparentan que serán cumplidas. Por otro lado, vender la dignidad de uno de esa manera es caer muy bajo, más cuando se la vendes a alguien que está listo a sacarte de su país en cuanto se le presente la primera oportunidad. Lo que Witcher ha hecho no afecta solo a su dignidad ante el ojo público, afecta a toda la población hispana ya que proyecta una imagen negativa que gracias a los estereotipos esta va a ser generalizada. Todos tienen libertad para expresar sus opiniones libremente, pero en este caso, siendo una inmigrante que apoya a alguien que detesta a los inmigrantes, es algo ilógico Lo irónico es que la campaña de Trump empieza a tomar un efecto rebote, ya que con esta “estrategia” que se supone le daría el apoyo del sector hispano, no se ha ganado más que el desprecio y el escepticismo del mismo. Es de notar cuán increíblemente las redes sociales han servido para expresar el desacuerdo que sorprendentemente no solo viene de parte de hispanos, sino de personas de todas las razas y nacionalidades dirigido hacia ambos Witcher y el magnate, lo cual demuestra que su jugada no fue tan convincente como él creyó en un principio. Ahora lo único que queda es sentarse y esperar para ver cuál será el nuevo movimiento de Donald Trump en esta carrera presidencial que se pone cada vez más intensa e interesante. ¿Cuál será su próximo acto?
Sábado Gigante llega a su final Se pierde a un reportero estelar Don Francisco se despide dejando muchas memorias Por Gisell Ramírez
Por Gisell Ramírez
ANGEL WEN
Tras 53 años al aire, Sábado Gigante se transmitió por última vez el 19 de septiembre de 2015 para coincidir con el final de la temporada de televisión del 2014-2015. El primer episodio del programa salió al aire en 1962 en el canal 13 en Chile conociéndose como Show Dominical. En 1963, empezó a salir los sábados, cambiando el nombre a Sábados Gigantes. Don Francisco, el anfitrión principal, se mudó a Miami, Florida en 1986, donde se transmitió el programa por Univision, convirtiéndose en Sábado Gigante finalmente. Sábado Gigante fue un programa en donde familias se reunían para disfrutar los momentos felices que el programa ofrecía. Fue un programa en donde se veía personajes como la cuatro y el chacal, competencias involucrando al público, conversaciones con niños, concursos de diversos temas, segmentos de salúd y reencuentros familiares que causaban lágrimas. Según ABC, el programa tenía 2.9 millones de televidentes y alrededor de 100 millones en 40 países. El programa rompió el récord de duración en la historia de la televisión como lo certificó Guinness World Records. El 8 de septiembre de 2015, la ciudad de Nueva York nombró una calle en honor a Don Francisco, “Don Francisco Boulevard.” Uno de los anfitriones del programa, Javier Romero, se despidió emotivamente dándole gracias a Don Francisco por los 25 años en que había sido parte del equipo. Lili Estefan, anfitriona del programa El Gordo y La Flaca, una de muchas que
Enrique Gratas, periodista reconocido, fallece
comenzó en Sábado Gigante como model, hizo presencia en el último episodio al aire despidiéndose de Don Francisco con lágrimas. Muchas celebridades llegaron a Sábado Gigante antes de empezar su carrera de éxito como Pamela Silva Conde, una reportera de noticias de Primer Impacto, Marc Anthony, cantante del género de salsa y Selena, la cantante fallecida y conocida por muchos. Aunque se terminó Sábado Gigante, Mario Kreutzberger, conocido como Don Francisco, seguirá en proyectos relacionados con Univision como la campaña Teletón USA, que se transmite por 24 horas para recaudar fondos para ayudar a niños incapacitados. También, está planeando conducir un nuevo programa que se llamaría, “Usted no conoce Chile,” basado en el segmento que se producía en Sábado Gigante en el que Don Francisco recorría el país compartiendo historias. Él estará trabajando en un libro llamado, “Lo que ya aprendí,” en donde planea describir toda su carrera y lo que ha aprendido en los 50 años relacionados con la televisión. Al comienzo, el programa fue criticado por muchos con comentarios de que no era profesional, pero el programa siguió y ahora es visto por personas de varios países sin importar sus culturas, razas o lenguajes. Los sábados serán diferentes de ahora en adelante dejando un vacío en muchos de los seguidores leales. Sábado Gigante se extrañará mucho y la gran influencia que dejó Don Francisco será recordada por siempre. Hasta Siempre, Don Francisco, una gran leyenda.
Enrique Gratas, periodista argentino, cuya edad exacta se desconoce excepto que nació en el año 1944, murió jueves, 8 de octubre de 2015 en Los Ángeles, California. Durante su trayectoria de décadas en el periodismo, Gratas cubrió varios eventos importantes como el escándalo de Watergate, la reforma migratoria de 1986 y los ataques terroristas en el 2001. Gratas empezó su carrera en la radio argentina en 1966 y luego emigró a los Estados Unidos en 1971. En 1990, la cadena de Telemundo le dio la oportunidad de conducir el programa, “Ocurrió así,” de gran popularidad en Latinoamérica a causa de su alto contenido de noticias únicas. Después, la cadena competidora Univision le propuso conducir el programa, “Última hora.” Desde entonces,
KEVIN LEON
Gratas cubrió noticias de la política hasta deportes, convirtiéndose en un presentador reconocido y apreciado por la comunidad hispana. Enrique Gratas fue uno de los reporteros más reconocidos junto a Jorge Ramos y Maria Elena Salinas, reporteros de la cadena de Unicion. Su gran trabajo hizo que ganara premios como el Suncoast Regional Emmy Award de 1996, Premio Paoli por su compromiso al periodismo y una nominación para el Globo de Oro como mejor presentador. Gratas había enviado un mensaje el pasado septiembre de este año haciendo constar que estaría tomando tiempo fuera de la televisión dada a una enfermedad la cual nunca específico donde dijo, “Estoy pasando por un periodo muy difícil, muy difícil de mi vida. Una enfermedad a la cual hay que luchar mucho para poder sobrellevarla, pero quiero simplemente que todos ustedes sepan, mis amigos, mi gente de todos estos años a lo largo de la televisión y los programas que hemos hecho, que agradezco todas sus oraciones, todos sus buenos deseos y sé que pronto con la ayuda de Dios y la ayuda de todos ustedes y el apoyo de todos ustedes, aquí en Estados Unidos, mis queridos hispanos me voy a recuperar y vamos a seguir adelante en la causa por los hispanos de esta nación. ¡Gracias!” Aunque se rumora que Gratas murió a causa de el cancer, los familiares todavía no han confirmado la causa verdadera. El fallecimiento de Enrique Gratas ha dejado a la comunidad hispana consternada ya que muchos crecieron viendo los programas que él conducía. Sin embargo, deja muchos recuerdos felices a los que con años seguían su programación. Será recordado siempre. Que descanse en paz.
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November 12, 2015
New opportunities for girls to take flag football by storm
Nicole Spiezio wants girls to try a sport loved—but not played—by all By Niki Patel Whistle? Check. Roster? Check. Footballs? Check. Players? Pending… Pacing up and down a slightly muddy field just outside of Chevy Chase, senior Nicole Spiezio waits for middle and high school girls to arrive at her very first, selfrun, flag football clinic. A girls’ flag football clinic, to be precise. Kickoff Spiezio is currently working on creating a flag football team for middle school girls. Spiezio first got the idea to form the program when she was assigned to do something in her community for her Communication Arts Program (CAP) Research Methods class in junior year. “I gave the broad guidelines of telling the students that they needed to do something,
so she decided that’s what she wanted to do, and she was very successful,” says Spiezio’s teacher Kevin Shindel. For Spiezio, the idea of starting a flag football team for this project came almost instantaneously because football has always been such a big part of her life. “I’ve kind of been around it for a while. When I was little, we would throw a football around,” she says. “It’s kind of something I grew up with.” Drawing from her prior experience and interest, Spiezio decided to create a supportive environment for middle school girls in which they can play football. “Not many girls really have the opportunity to play flag football. I thought it would be really fun to give them the opportunity,” says Spiezio.
Game plan Currently, Spiezio is planning on holding clinics with the participants over a few weekends. “First they’d come in and we’d teach them the basics of just throwing, and they’d throw with partners back and forth. Then you kind of use those skills to build it up a little, doing cuts, and then throwing to people so it’s more game-like,” she says. Over time, Spiezio intends to use these
Hand-off
CALEB BAUMAN
SENIOR INNOVATOR Senior Nicole Spiezio is trying to promote gender equality by creating a flag football team
In initiating the team, Spiezio contacted USA Football, (an organization that gives people resources and advice in starting their own flag football leagues) to see if they would be willing to support her program. The group generally provides teams with basic guidelines and materials like jerseys and footballs, but for Spiezio, however, this didn’t happen. When Spiezio emailed USA Football, they inquired about the amount of people she has willing to be apart of her league. “They were like, ‘oh how many people do you have,’ and I hadn’t really gotten people yet… They were supposed to send me flags and footballs,” says Spezio. But because of this problem, she had to buy the equipment herself. The organization did, however, provide her with a curriculum that helped her design drills for practice. There were also a few things Spiezio had to have help with. “For the field permit especially, you have to be over 18 to schedule a field, so I had to use my mom’s name and get her to come with me to the clinics,” she says.
think it would be really cool to do a clinic for high schoolers and middle schoolers just to teach them how to play, but then eventually be able to scrimmage and get a team together” she says. She hopes the program will one day become interscholastic. “Eventually we [could start] a Blair team and contact other high schools too and see if they could get club teams to play against each other,” she says. False start Despite her thorough plans, Spezio is struggling to realize them. “I planned things too quickly because of the project. I started contacting people before I was fully ready to put it into action,” Spiezio says. “In the spring I got pretty stressed out and overwhelmed from the whole thing, so I took a break from it.” she says. Nevertheless, Spiezio has found her way back on track. End zone
skills to reach an active level of play. “Eventually [they’ll be] doing drills and stuff, so they’re equal to playing in a scrimmage at the end. That’s the goal,” she says. However Spiezio’s idea of a bigger picture extends further than a few clinics. “I
Spiezio has worked hard to get people interested in her program. “I made flyers and went around to the rec departments in Takoma Park and posted flyers up there and in the libraries,” she says. Spiezio also contacted a Takoma Park Middle School physical education teacher Brian Baker. “He played football in college, so I contacted him and he told his students about it,” she VICTORIA TSAI says. In addition to contacting Baker, Spiezio has also begun advertising to her fellow students. “I’m still working on getting people. I’m actually opening up it to high schoolers now, so I’m putting something on InfoFlow,” she says.
Inside the hard-knock process of sports concussion treatment
The process of treating the most common and dangerous head injury in sports
By Cole Sebastian Baseline testing; coach, trainer, and medical diagnoses; coach, trainer, and doctor procedures; return-to-play protocol; forms, documents, and limitations. MCPS’s extensive concussion treatment process for student athletes works against the epidemic of high school head injuries in sports. A concussion occurs when the brain collides with the skull and causes swelling. As described by John Ferrell, the Director of Sports Medicine at Regenerative Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, a concussed brain is like a snow globe. “You have all the different snow pieces that are up in the air now, we have to wait for those to calm down in order for symptoms to get back to normal,” Ferrell says. A careful protocol Blair Athletic Director Rita Boule estimates that a Blair student athlete gets a concussion once every seven to 10 days. More than 300,000 concussions occur annually in the United States, according to the University of Pittsburgh. The Southwest Athletic Trainers’ Association reported that 15 percent of all sports-related injuries are concussions. With the rising concern, Montgomery County schools and other schools nationwide reevaluated their concussion treatment policies and by the 2013-2014 school year, MCPS instituted a baseline testing system. The county uses the ImPACT baseline concussion testing, which judges reaction time, cognition, and memory. All student athletes at Blair sit for the assessment at least once every two years to determine ability at normal brain capacity. The test is taken again by a student if he or she suffers a head injury in order to give a comparison between the
injured brain and the healthy brain and determine the severity of the injury. A suspected concussed player first goes to see Athletic Trainer Megan Wilkinson to get an initial diagnosis. The player’s parents are informed of the possible concussion and the student must go to a health care provider to get a full diagnosis. If the student is diagnosed with a concussion, the health care provider informs the athletic trainer when the student is cleared to resume participation in athletic activity. After the student recovers for the determined amount of time, he or she is phased back into playing through the Returnto-Play protocol. This process takes two weeks at a minimum to complete and students are constantly going through it. Sophomore Mohsan Hussain suffered his second concussion in two seasons during a tackling drill in football practice. After helmet-on-helmet contact, Hussain was diagnosed by the athletic trainer and was playing again after two and a half weeks. Freshman Michael Berhanu had a helmeton-helmet injury during football practice as well. He went through a more cautious treatment with a month before getting on the field and a grad- HEAD CASE COMPANY
ual return to play. The escalated danger If treated, a single concussion rarely causes any long-term health effects. The real danger of concussions is multiple impacts. “If you end up having one concussion and you haven’t completely resolved or healed
from that one concussion and you get a second concussion, there’s something called a second impact syndrome where the symptoms seem to be significantly exacerbated with that second impact,” explains Ferrell. The Head Case Company for concussion management reports that cumulative concussions are shown to increase the likelihood of permanent brain damage by 39 percent. “When you start to get repetitive concussions, some of [the expected] symptoms can actually start to occur more long term,” says Ferrell. “You see people with repetitive concussions having problems concentrating, they feel slowed down, feel in the fog, they can be emotionally unstable.” The growth in knowledge
EMMA SOLER
In the past decade, both the number of reported concussions and the medical knowledge of concussions have increased dramatically. An Ohio State University study reported that the rate of reported concussions among high school athletes more than doubled from 2005 to 2012. Along with the increase in diagnosed concussions came the increase of preventative measures. “It was no more than four years ago that [Blair] had no protocols for concussions,” Boule recounts. The types of changes in MCPS have been widespread. “You also see there are rule changes in sports like football where you can’t spear, you can’t lead with your head, things like that, in order to try to decrease the number of concussions that we’re having,” Ferrell explains. Despite increasing safety measures, many concerned parents and medical professionals have spoken out about the dangers of high school football. “We’re slowly starting to see a shift away from some of the more violent sports as parents are realizing that concussions are dangerous,” says Ferrell.
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November 12, 2015
Sports F2
Fantasy football: A tale of constant disappointment
From extreme hope to total disaster over the period of 17 sacred weeks By Julian Bregstone An opinion After hours of staring at stat lines on the computer until each individual pixel stands out, a first round pick is established. Every first round choice was a complete stud last season but there are no guarantees. Experts have mentioned each player’s name hundreds of times in the preceding week alone. All hope is placed on the shoulder pads of an athlete who likely could not care less. Draft day is a day like no other: It makes or breaks a fantasy season. The decisions made on that day will inevitably lead to either triumph or disaster. As the draft moves along, the teams begin to form. Even on a bad team, every player seems to have the potential to produce points, generating plenty of false hope. There will always be players who do well one year and drop off the next, but they are nearly impossible to predict. We convince ourselves that players will either improve or have An opinion last good year. But reality is rarely kind to the optimistic. Senior Lucas Karandikar plays fantasy football and suffers from this optimism. “I feel like I have playoff potential,” he confidently states. Karandikar’s team is currently three and six. On his draft day he se-
lected Marshawn Lynch, who ran for 1,306 yards and scored 13 touchdowns last season. “At first I thought he would produce a lot of points every week,” said Karandikar. So far, Lynch has disappointed Karandikar, as he has been sidelined for two weeks and limited for three more because of a nagging hamstring injury. Outside of draft day, trades have the biggest impact on how a team turns out. A name that is familiar and feels homey in one’s lineup is suddenly stripped away. The only way a trade can be agreed upon is if both sides think they are getting the better end of the deal, however they can never truly be fair. It always feels as though the player traded away does better than expected and the player received never quite performs. Some more complicated trades can involve more than one player on each side and become even harder to evaluate. “I have only made one trade,” Karandikar says. “I traded Odell [Beckham Jr.], [Chris] Ivory and Doug Martin for Dion Lewis and Antonio Gates,” he says. This trade was hard to justify for Karandikar, since he gave up so many consistent performers. His reasoning was that he was “in desperate need” of a tight end. Ivory and Martin are both in the top fifteen for rushing yards and have combined for nine
soapbox How is your fantasy football team doing so far? “My fantasy football team is actually doing really well! One of my best quarterbacks’ legs got injured while being tackled. But my second best quarterback is throwing extremely well and hopefully my team will win up to the lead.” - Julia Sheridan, freshman “Terrible, absolutely terrible.” - Matthew Siff, sophomore
touchdowns. Meanwhile, Lewis tore his ACL during the Patriots’ Week 9 win over the Redskins and is out for the year. And Gates has only played four games due to a suspension and a sprained MCL suffered in Week 6. Karandikar, blinded by his lofty ambitions, likely crippled his playoff chances by trading for an equally crippled Antonio Gates. “It feels like I am about to get maybe a three game win streak,” Karandikar says, full of optimism. After a trade, everybody is happy, but this happiness is a delusion that only lasts until Sunday. After Sunday, there is only despair. Dez Bryant has an edge and spunk to his name that he lives up to on and off the field. Over the past three seasons he has racked up 3935 yards and 41 touchdowns. Over the offseason he signed a 5-year 70 million dollar contract. And with the increased consistency of his quarterback Tony Romo, Bryant was poised for an incredible season. This year, Bryant has only received one touchdown through the Cowboys’ first eight games. The reason: a foot injury sustained in the first game of the season that required surgery. Injuries can be crushing to
the player, his team and their fan base, but fantasy owners usually feel the sting just as badly. Injuries always seem to happen to the most valued players. An injury to one of junior Steven Dunne’s wide receivers, DeSean Jackson, has kept his team from reaching its potential. “He was one of my top wide receiver picks, so other than Randall Cobb, who hasn’t been great, I haven’t had a solid receiver’” says Dunne. But injuries aren’t the only thing that ruins fantasy teams. There was another unpredictable factor in Karandikar’s Week 4 loss. “Cairo Santos. Kicker! He dropped 25 points. When I saw I stared in disbelief at my phone. A kicker. Twenty five. It’s just—it could have happened KENDALL DELILLE to anybody but it happened to me,” he says. And yet we play on. Against crushing injuries, against botched draft picks, against superhuman kickers. We play with our eyes set on victory, our minds working toward triumph, our hearts yearning for glory. And when defeat inevitably comes, crushing our spirits into a whisper of what they once were, we wait for next year, when we walk into draft day full of groundless confidence, ready for it all to happen again.
Winter sports teams to receive two new head coaches
Wrestling and girls’ varsity basketball seek to improve under new direction
advantage. “He seems like he’ll be a good coach. He’s really experienced with wresThe wrestling team and varsity girls’ bastling,” Holland said. ketball team acquired new coaches Sam BuAlthough he is nervous to begin his first lagay and Carlos Smith this winter season head coaching position, Bulagay looks forafter the departure of former coaches Steve ward to the upcoming season. “I do have Banvard and Erin Conley. the ‘butterflies,’” he said. “But I am ready to get this season rolling. My coaches Conley, a Blair English teacher, realways told me, ‘If you’re not nervous, signed from her post this summer after eight years as Blair’s head girls’ basketyou’re not ready.’” ball coach. Senior basketball player AlexHolland and fellow captain, senior is Moses said she was upset at Conley’s Muhammed Hamza, said that major departure. “She’s been the coach for so challenges to the team this year include long and she’s been the coach for me the lack of experience and depth in the highwhole time I’ve been here, so I’ve built a er weight classes. relationship with her… I expected a really Due mostly to the graduation of sevgood season personally with her and baseral wrestlers this past season, the team ketball-wise with her, so it was pretty sad lacks seasoned members. “We lost nine to see her go,” said Moses. seniors last year and so we don’t have that many upperclassmen on the team Conley was replaced by Smith, who this year.... We don’t have a lot of experiworks in the security department at Kenence,” said Holland. However, he added nedy High School. Smith has accrued that the team will be able to rely on some extensive basketball coaching experience returning wrestlers. “We got a lot of new at Good Counsel, Sandy Spring Friends people last year who now have a year of School, and Kennedy. Under his direction, the Kennedy girls’ team maintained experience.” a 21-4 record and was ranked nineteenth Hamza also said that imbalance bein the region by the Washington Post. tween the weight classes may be a problem. “We’re good on the lower weights, Moses already saw some marked but not on the higher weights. Everyone differences between the two coaches. “[Smith] seems more strict than our old up to 150 [or 160] is solid,” he said. coach, way more strict, which was a surBoth captains are optimistic that the prise,” she said. addition of assistant coach Herbold, who has coached JV football at Blair for three She added that discipline and condiyears, will bring new wrestlers. “[He] tioning have historically been problems will hopefully be able to bring football for the girls’ team, but she hopes they CHIMEY SONAM may be resolved this year. “I think we’re players onto our team,” said Holland. going to be way more disciplined offen- COACHING A NEW ATTITUDE Replacing former coach Erin Conley, Coach Carlos Smith works Hamza and Holland said that the sively and defensively, more conditioned to get the girls’ varsity basketball team in shape with the goal of advancing further in the playoffs. team, which had five placers in the coundefinitely,” she said. “The discipline will ty tournament last year, can improve this help with the conditioning.” of these girls every day and… see what hap- Bulagay and Jimmy Herbold. season. “Honestly, we can win most of the Bulagay, the new head coach, recently matches,” said Hamza. Smith said that he anticipates that some pens during the season.” After being upset by Bethesda-Chevy graduated from York University, where he adjustments will need to be made as he gets Bulagay also expects a successful season. used to the players and they get used to Chase in the first round of playoffs last win- wrestled all four years. Sophomore Ryan “I hope to instill the desire and work ethic him. “[I] just hope for the transition to be as ter, Moses is determined to improve this Holland, one of the team’s captains, thinks of a champion in each and every one of my smooth as possible,” he said. year. “We wanna keep going up from there. that Bulagay’s strong background will be an student athletes,” he said.
By Aditi Shetty
As for feelings about the season ahead, Smith is not sure what to expect. “I’m keeping an open mind on the season in that I just met most girls that will try out, but have not seen them play,” he said. “So [the] only thing I can say is that I will try to get the most out
We wanna go way further this season,” she said. The wrestling team has its own challenges this year, as it must recover from the loss of nine seniors as well as its varsity and JV coaches. The coaches were replaced by Sam
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November 12, 2015
For one student, freedom is found sailing on the water Sailing team vibrant as ever with only one member for the fall season
By Joshua Fernandes The wind blows through freshman Dexter Mueller’s hair as he pulls on the heavy ropes, guiding the sailboat in the choppy water. He feels the burns on his hands as he tugs harder, moving the sail in order to adjust his path. He smiles at his teammate as they maneuver the boat speedily, cutting through the river before them. For Mueller, this experience is not a once in a lifetime opportunity; it is just sailing team practice. Mueller is the only active member of Blair’s sailing team, with freshman Ian Rackow set to join him as soon as possible. Even though they are few in number, they make up for it with passion. Mueller currently sails with DC Sail, an organization featuring a high school sailing program. He practices and competes with his teammates at DC Sail. Learning to sail It wasn’t until recently that Mueller became interested in sailing, but he immediately fell in love with it during his first practice. “When I was in seventh grade, I heard through my parents that there was a sailing team in D.C., so I tried it out, and I was good at it, so I made it my sport,” says Mueller. Sailing has both fall and spring seasons, but is neither an MCPS sport nor a school-sponsored club sport. In both seasons, DC Sail instructs a JV and varsity sailing team, which combine for between
water,” he says. A sport on the rise
COURTESY OF DEXTER MUELLER
DC SAIL Freshman Dexter Mueller showcases his sailing skills while practicing near the Waterfront Metro. 60 and 90 members depending on the season. Under head coaches Abigail White and Daniel Levy, the teams practice by Waterfront Metro Station and compete in meets across the state. Sailing involves four-member teams racing against one another in regattas. At any time, only two members are on the boat, and these sailors will switch off at set intervals during the event. “During a race there are two different fleets, A fleet and B fleet, and we swap out to give people a rest,” says Mueller. Each fleet has a skipper, who controls the mainsail and a crew, who controls the jib. These are the two sails on the majority of
boats used in high school sailing. Practice makes perfect Mueller practices with everyone enrolled in DC Sail, but at regattas, the group splits into teams by school. Being the only Blair student, however, he sails with another MCPS school. “I was assigned as an independent, which meant I sailed with whomever had a spot open, and Whitman had a spot open, so I mostly sail for Walt Whitman,” he says. Mueller sails with the JV team, practicing every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoon. With the Metro trip out of D.C., Muel-
Rackow and Mueller are only a few of the many students in the area to recently join sailing programs. White has noticed a dramatic increase in high school sailing in the past decade alone. “I would say it is definitely growing among high school athletics. Back ten, fifteen years ago, high school sailing was primarily a private school sport in the Northeast,” she says. Perhaps one of the reasons for this increase is the unique skills sailing helps hone. “At least with racing, there’s a lot of strategy that is needed and you have to have good communication skills with the other person on your boat,” says Rackow. “Also, just having good awareness of where you are and what you are trying to do is pretty important.” With the sport gaining popularity, it looks like Mueller and Rackow may soon be able to field a full four-person Blair sailing team at regattas, instead of having to compete with other schools’ teams. “It’s a really exciting sport at times,” says Mueller. “It’s a sport like no other.”
ler does not get home until 7:30 on these nights, leaving little time for family and homework. “Three school nights a week, but it’s a lot of fun, and it’s definitely worth that time because, well, it’s a lot of fun,” he says. Rackow also believes dedicating his time to sailing is worth the sacrifice. He began sailing at age eight as part of a camp in North Carolina and This story is accompais more than willing nied by a video by Luc to dedicate the time Daniel. To see the video, needed for the sport. “It’s a really different scan the code to the left sport than a lot of othwith a QR reader app. ers, and I have a lot of fun being out on the WWW.VIMEO.COM/SILVERCHIPS/SAILING
Varsity boys’ soccer beats Walter Johnson to advance in playoffs
Blair looks ahead to a match against Wootton after the 1-0 shutout win round bye, Blair managed a 3-1 win over Richard Montgomery, in spite of having over a week off of competition. According to Haigh, the speed of the game was a little too fast for them since they were coming in cold. “Some of that happens [because] they had a first round game…[while] we’ve had over a week off...so it was really fast for us,” explains Coach John Haigh III. Haigh also described Walter
Johnson as one of “the three best teams in the state,” so he knew the game was going to be tough, even Nov. 5, BLAZER STADIUM— though they had beat them beVarsity boys’ soccer (15-1) defeated fore. “We needed to play our best the Walter Johnson Wildcats (14-3) soccer...with high intensity,” said in a 1-0 defensive battle. With the Haigh. win, the Blazers advance in the In the first half, Walter Johnson playoffs, moving on to the quarterdominated, maintaining possesfinals. sion of the ball while Blair was In the regular season, the Blazunable to create any offensive ers defeated Walter Johnson 2-0, momentum. Junior fullback Rolf but were not overconfident comNgana attributes Blair’s slow start ing into the game. After a first to frantic play in the first half. But in the second half, the Blazers finally picked up the pace, according to Ngana. “We had a rough start...we couldn’t play our game like we usually do,” he said. “During the second half we were calm and we came back.” When the half began, the Blazers came out more determined. Ten minutes into the second half, Ngana scored the only goal of the game off a fumbled cross from junior fullback Austin Kokkinakis, originally intended for senior winger Sean Munroe. “The ball wasn’t for me, it was for Sean, but I saw the opportunity and I just went for it,” explained Ngana. This COURTESY OF MILES ROYCE sparked a newBREAKING ANKLES Junior Rolf Ngana pulls off a fast move against a Walter found strength in Johnson defender, helping the Blazers advance to the next round of the playoffs. the Blazers’ game,
By Camille Estrin
which allowed them to keep Walter Johnson from scoring. After the Blazers’ goal, their intensity surged, and they continued to dominate for the rest of the half. With seven minutes left to play, the Blazers started playing keepaway, but there were still a few near goals for Walter Johnson. All were blocked, though, thanks to key saves by senior goalie Charlie Waltz-Chesnaye. Despite the win, there were still improvements to be made for the Blazers’ next game. Due to some questionable calls by the referee, players were fighting with each other and the refs throughout the game. Senior forward William McMillian received a yellow card for taunting. “The player was pulling my jersey and nearly took my captain’s band off. So I stuck it in his face and offered it to him,” explains McMillian. “During this game, we were talking trash and we were fighting against each other,” says Ngana. In order to avoid this in future games, Ngana believes communication is the key. “Communication…we gotta communicate a lot,” he said. In both of their playoff games against Richard Montgomery and Walter Johnson, the Blazers had a hard time getting their momentum up in the first half. “It’s not like they weren’t making good decisions or the ideas of the passes were poor, but we were just too slow… we played good soccer in both halves, but the first half we weren’t nearly intense enough,” said Haigh. He believes that fixing this is the best way for the team to improve. “The easiest thing we can do is come out and play good from the get go. Play hard,” he said. Moving into their next game against Thomas S. Wootton on
Tuesday, Nov. 10 at Wootton, the players said they were ready to go. “I’m feeling great right now. I’m ready for the next game,” said Ngana. As for the coach, the game plan was clear: “Win.”
insideSPORTS
SHIVANI MATTIKALLI
New coaches Catch up on the latest news following Blair’s new girls’ basketball and wrestling coaches.
SHIVANI MATTIKALLI
Fantasy football An inside scoop on the disappointment and defeat that come with playing fantasy football.