March 2011 - Silver Chips Print by Silver Chips Print Online Edition

2 EDITORIALS

silverCHIPS

March 10, 2011

Supporting the speech, opposing the message As the dark train of cars inched along the rural Maryland road, the gloomy atmosphere belied the family’s pride. The son they were burying had died honorably in combat. But one thousand feet away, dogged protesters screamed obscenities and defamed the fallen soldier. It’s the funeral scene of any family’s worst nightmare. Yet this bizarre sight was a reality for Albert Snyder. He had to endure the delusions of members of the Westboro Baptist Church when they brought their trademark homophobic rants to Matthew Snyder’s military funeral in 2006. In response, Albert Snyder sued the church, claiming emotional distress and invasion of privacy. In the Supreme Court’s March 2 ruling in Snyder v. Phelps, eight justices sided with the protesters’ right to free speech, citing a need to protect one of the nation’s most fundamental tenets. While the victory for Westboro might spark initial anger, the court was correct: The protestors deserve a place in hell, but not in prison. Westboro preaches a message filled with prejudice, but even hate speech merits a place in our political discourse. Unless it causes harm to an individual, offensive speech is constitutionally protected. In this case, Snyder wasn’t even aware of the protesters’ presence until he saw a news report about them. Although funerals deserve special consideration due to their sensitive nature, Westboro protestors stayed one thousand feet away and remained on public land. The ruling has made clear that states cannot limit protests based on content. That’s fair. But simple restrictions on the time and place of protests at funerals are valid and often necessary to preserve the emotional integrity of the event — the Court should make the distinction clear. The protection of the First Amendment isn’t only a concern for journalists, though; it’s a pivotal element of any citizen’s life. Freedom of expression enhances debate by broadening our horizons and allowing a diverse array of ideas and opinions. It’s a basic principle of our proud nation that openness and access will lead to better results. We can only understand how strong the protection of the First Amendment must be when it extends to matters that challenge us and make us uncomfortable. Especially in cases like this where common sense clashes with constitutional precedent, the Supreme Court’s commitment to free speech should make us feel safer. And we are safe. Ironically, on the same day as the Court’s ruling, the Chinese government decreed a severe crackdown on international journalists in Beijing, further restricting their citizens’ right to access and express varying viewpoints. The United States’ commitment to free speech also juxtaposes with recent turmoil in the Middle East, where authoritarian governments have refused to grant citizens basic liberties. Resulting rebellions have proven that such repression breeds discontent. Yet they also expose the disparity between democracy’s embrace of human rights and the tyrannical grip on power that authoritarian leaders exhibit. We should consider ourselves fortunate to live in a country where government actively strives to protect all forms of speech, even the ugliest. Supreme Court decisions that protect conventional beliefs and widely accepted norms rarely incite this level of controversy. But divisive rulings like that in Snyder v. Phelps are frequently those that say the most about our country’s identity and unique beliefs. In this case, it displays our unwavering dedication to the freedom of expression. We should therefore celebrate this decision’s affirmation of the United States’ pioneering attitude toward its citizens’ individual liberties.

silverCHIPS Montgomery Blair High School 51 University Boulevard East Silver Spring, MD 20901 Phone: (301) 649-2864 http://silverchips.mbhs.edu Winner of the 2009 National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker Award Winner of the 2009 and 2010 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown Silver Chips is a public forum for student expression. Student editors make all content decisions. Unsigned editorials represent the views of the editorial board and are not necessarily those of the school. Signed letters to the editor are encouraged. Submit your letter to Joseph Fanning’s mailbox in the main office, to room 158 or to silver.chips.print@gmail.com. Concerns about Silver Chips’ content should be directed to the Ombudsman, the public’s representative to the paper, at groyce26@gmail.com. Letters may be edited for space and clarity. 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A zero-sum game of zero tolerance After local suicide, it’s time to examine discipline policy Schools throughout the country base drug discipline policies on the idea that all drug-using teens are unmotivated and lazy people who consistently break rules. But this was not true for Nick Stuban, a 15-year-old student from Fairfax County who was caught buying JWH-018, a legal drug with marijuana-like effects. Before the incident, Stuban was a model student in academics, athletics and attendance. But all this changed when his school suspended him and later transferred him to a different school under their strict discipline policy. After months of emotional stress, Stuban committed suicide on Jan. 20. Of course, no single factor is ever the sole cause of such a tragic event, so placing all blame on Fairfax’s discipline policy would be unjust and wrong. That does not mean, though, that we should not reconsider the effectiveness of zero-tolerance and other similar school discipline policies. Zero-tolerance policies are based on the philosophy that all school rules are absolute, and any breach of them poses a threat to the success of the learning environment. In theory, this sounds rational. However, the implementation of zero-tolerance yields harmful results. Among other injustices, students are expelled for first offenses and otherwise punished with one-size-fits-all (rather than discretionary) consequences. In light of recent events, schools all over Maryland and Virginia have already begun to reexamine their disciplinary policies. First and foremost in this reform, every school should make fair treatment of students a top priority. No matter the offense, treating students

as guilty until proven innocent, as was reportedly the case during Stuban’s trials, goes against America’s most fundamental principle of justice. Zero-tolerance policies that sacrifice the rights of some students in the effort to make schools safer cannot be an option. With zero-tolerance for illegal drugs and overly harsh punishments for other drugs, Blair’s policy definitely has room for improvement. There should be penalties for possessing or using illegal drugs at school, but the problem is distinguishing between these substances and illegal drug imitations or legal over-the-counter drugs like Advil. Currently, according to Assistant Principal Edith Verdejo-Johnson, students caught possessing or using illegal drugs on school grounds are breaking the law, and therefore the police are always called. In addition, these students receive an automatic 10-day suspension and recommendation for expulsion. But expelling a student for drugs or alcohol is, in general, not an effective punishment. A change in school environment is unlikely to affect a student’s drug habits, and labeling an already struggling student as a criminal is unlikely to prevent his desire to misbehave. Blair also needs to distinguish more clearly between consequences for illegal and imitation illegal drugs. Possession of either should be a punishable offense, since both can disrupt the school day. Assistant Principal Tamitha Campbell said that Blair does not test whether confiscated drugs are actually illegal or are imitation drugs; they just contact the police. But once the police make this distinction, Blair must punish accordingly. Because

Web Exclusives Check Silver Chips Online (http://sco.mbhs.edu) for constantly updated news, features and entertainment — and make sure to be on the lookout for these upcoming stories: s

An insider’s guide to the latest Blair slang

SCO’s take on Matt Damon thriller “The Adjustment Bureau”

Silver Quill hosts an open-mic arts fair and auction

many imitation drugs are not against the law, consequences for their use or possession should be much less severe — a couple days of suspension, as well as meaningful education on the dangers of drugs, seems appropriate. And finally, the type of drug involved with Blair’s most ridiculous discipline policy is Advil and other over-the-counter pain relievers. According to Ms. Campbell, Blair “asks” that every student intending to use Advil at school get permission from a doctor. But to insist that thousands of Blazers obtain this permission and go to the nurse every time they have a headache imposes an unnecessary hassle on both students and the health department. As teenagers, we are responsible enough to drive, go out alone at night and play video games with mature content; we must be treated as responsible enough to carry over-the-counter drugs that would improve rather than disrupt the school day by focusing students’ attention on academics instead of pain. Since educators are pressured to have students meet incredibly difficult academic standards, the appeal of blindly eliminating any and all disruptions through zero-tolerance policies is easy to understand. The fault of such restrictive policies, though, lies in their single-mindedness. They ignore individual circumstances and are often undeservingly harsh on students. Blair must not fall into this trap. Improvement of the Blair discipline policy will only increase student well-being and behavior.

Corrections The graphic for the article “USDA revises school lunch nutrition standards” (p. 11, Feb. 9) said “over” rather than “nearly” 32 million students served. Voicebox (p. 3, Feb. 9) spelled Claire Bayler’s name incorrectly. Soapbox (p. 7, Feb. 9) spelled Leslie Sosa-Sanchez’s name incorrectly.

2 EDITORIALS

silverCHIPS

March 10, 2011

Web Exclusives Check Silver Chips Online (http://sco.mbhs.edu) for constantly updated news, features and entertainment — and make sure to be on the lookout for these upcoming stories: s

An insider’s guide to the latest Blair slang

SCO’s take on Matt Damon thriller “The Adjustment Bureau”

Silver Quill hosts an open-mic arts fair and auction

silverCHIPS

PRO/CON 3

March 10, 2011

Should student service learning hours be mandatory for high school graduation?

Simrin Gupta

YES:

NO:

The SSL hour requirement benefits the community and encourages responsibility.

Mandated community service takes away from the meaning of the experience.

Picking up trash might not be the average teenager’s idea of a fun weekend activity. But as students complete their Student Service Learning (SSL) hour requirement cleaning up the environment, they end up picking up a lot more than trash. For years, high school students have been giving back to the community through the SSL hour requirement. As a result, causes across the community have benefitted and students have taken on a new sense of responsibility. The SSL hour requirement lets students establish social partnerships while addressing recognized needs. The purpose of SSL hours is to address community needs in a way that reinforces curriculum goals because they arm students with the knowledge, skills and attitude necessary for productivity in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world. According to the original 1997 MCPS memo, all community service action, whether it be direct or indirect, encourages career preparation and reflection. First and foremost, the SSL hour requirement teaches students responsibility. Regardless of the type of activity they decide to pursue, students are held responsible for completing a job to the best of their ability. This sense of accountability contributes to an overarching feeling of personal responsibility. Furthermore, according to Blair Student Service Learning Coordinator Robert Hopkins, “The greatest part of SSL hours is that students learn transferable skills that can be applied to a variety of unique situations,” he says. More importantly, the SSL hour requirement prompts experiences that can form links to what students learn at school. These learning links reinforce the concepts students have been introduced to at school. Throughout elementary, middle and high school, MCPS students learn about major issues like natural disasters and ecosystem conservation, as well as societal issues like bullying prevention, nutrition and fitness. For example, a student with a particular interest in environmental science puts their knowledge to the test when they volunteer with organizations like the Seneca Creek State Park or the C&O Canal Association. Even when activism is not directly related to coursework, students learn universal lessons like the importance of helping their fellow community members when they help feed the homeless or build homes for natural disaster victims. By fulfilling this requirement, students also gain the op-

portunity to volunteer in fields that interest them, allowing them to experiment with possible career paths. But perhaps the most beneficial part of the SSL hour requirement is that it gives students experience with group dynamics. When performing community service, students learn to form a cooperative team in order to accomplish their goal. They

What happened to asking what we can do for our country? All for one and one for all? It’s a small world? Apparently, the school system feels that there isn’t enough kumbaya to go around, so it has chosen to make service a part of the graduation requirement. The Student Service Learning (SSL) obligation imposed upon high school students

have to effectively work with members in authority positions as well. When they dedicate time to the community, students make attitudinal and behavioral strides by learning how to be productive members of society. According to Julie Ayers, a service-learning specialist for the Maryland State Department of Education, the hours students spend doing community service equip them with the knowledge and skills needed for civic engagement. Instead of taking a more lax approach regarding the SSL hour requirement, MCPS should continue to make the hours mandatory for graduation. Though a 15-hour increase may strike some as a burden, it’s 15 more hours during which students are learning skills crucial to their future success. Without the consequence of not graduating, the majority of students may not be exposed to the numerous advantages of community service work. The community benefits from students’ work, and students take away experiences that enable them to live successfully.

today is not only unfair, but unnecessary. The initiative to serve the community shouldn’t have to come from fear of failing to graduate, but from a student’s passions and interests. The obvious merit of community service is not debatable — students learn to appreciate lending a hand while non-profits put those hands to good use. But the logic of forcing people to volunteer falls short when compared to the benefits students gain from the act of offering to perform community service. Schools should do all they can to encourage students to volunteer by continuing to provide opportunities in the community and rewarding students who complete an exemplary number of hours, but community service should not be required in order to achieve a high school diploma. The merit of volunteer work stems from the fact that it is voluntary — if schools mandate that students perform community service, then projects lose value to the student participants. Many students don’t

JENNY SHOLAR

Claire Koenig

feel inspired by their time serving the community so much as irritated that they were forced to do so by the school system in the same way that some children disregard good advice because it comes from their parents. The SSL requirement can also be insulting to those that are enthusiastic about their volunteer work. These students should be proud that they can help selflessly out of intrinsic motivation, instead of feeling forced to put their hours of hard work towards an SSL requirement. The 1992 district court case Steirer v. Bethlehem Area School District highlighted this dilemma when two students dedicated to their service work appealed to the court for their diplomas after refusing to put their volunteer hours toward the community service requirement. Although the court’s verdict came back against the students’ plea, the message they sought to send is clear: They performed community service for good, not for graduation. High school is a busy time — many students juggle jobs or multiple afterschool activities in addition to their schoolwork. It is unfair to those students who have obligations outside of school to keep them from graduating because of SSL hours, because some of them simply don’t have the time to spare. In some cases service hours are the barrier keeping students from graduating. Senior Riley Harris is struggling to find time for more volunteer work before graduation because previous service he has completed was not eligible for SSL hours. And junior Stephan Kostreski, who should be a senior this year, but because of his late entrance into MCPS he is missing a few core requirements that are keeping him from graduating. One of these requirements, along with credits in biology and NSL, includes ten more SSL hours. Encouraging good work for a good cause is one thing; driving students to the good work for the sake of graduating is another. While it is true that the required hours of service do open students to work in the community that they would not experience should the mandate be eliminated, but the SSL requirement also enforces the wrong mindset toward community service in students. As it is, MCPS is encouraging students to do the right things for all the wrong reasons.

voiceBOX “It’s good to help the community out and put forth effort.”

“It encourages kids to get out and work in the community.”

-sophomore Mattie Cohen

-freshman Bradley Bowers

“Not a lot of people want to volunteer, so it helps a lot. ”

“75 hours is too many, especially when people are trying to work too.”

-junior Aziz Mbaye

-senior Jose Lezama

“It’s a good way to get people to partcipate in the community.”

- junior Jared Wang

OP/ED

silverCHIPS

March 10, 2011

Power to the people

County needs to fix its system with overhaul

utilities-specific board. The members of the council are voted into office by the citizens, so the customers have a much greater Pepco. It’s remarkable how a single influence on utility-related policies. This word, especially mentioned at a time of par- customer influence is something that is ticularly tumultuous weather in Maryland, currently missing in Montgomery County. can spark fits of rage from citizens all across Local officials can skewer Pepco executives the county. Mention Pepco at a social gathall they want at meetings, but it does not ering, and you will surely be bombarded really need to make an effort at change simwith complaints and horror stories — powply because it has a monopoly over electric er going out for no apparent reason, fallen utilities in the region. As County Countrees that leave entire neighborhoods in the cilmember Marc Ehrlich (D-at large) said to dark for days and dreadfully slow response a Pepco executive in a Feb. 7 Transportation times. and Environment Committee meeting, “You But despite the citizens’ loud and ramhad ways of measuring your performance bunctious griping, Montgomery County for years. None of that motivated your to hasn’t been able to force Pepco into doing get off the bottom.” The only real influence much. After years of consistently bad serlocal officials have on Pepco is that they can vice, it is time the county stopped trying to order studies to be conducted, like that of negotiate with a stubborn Pepco and looked the Pepco work group. But these studies into a whole other alternative — the more will only tell us what we already know — reliable, more economical publicly-owned that Pepco’s service is dismal. electric utility. So instead of continuing the unproducThis “public power” is different from tive back-and-forth banter between local a utility company like Pepco in that it is officials and Pepco, the county should make publicly owned and community operated. an effort to look into alternatives. And According to the American Public Power it has — the idea of the county possibly Association (APPA), a trade organization switching to community owned power systhat represents public electric utilities, tems was mentioned for the first time in the there are 2,008 public power systems in the same Feb. 7 committee meeting in which United States. local officials criticized Pepco. Public utilities are controlled not by a The premise of public power is a viable corporation but by the local government, contender in the fight over electric utilities either in the form of a city council or a in the county because it lets the customer decide on programs and policies. According to Ursula Schryver, director of Customer Programs at the APPA, communityowned utilities can be tailored to the customers’ needs. “For example, it can focus on infrastructure, lowering rates INFORMATION COURTESY OF PEPCO AND PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WASHINGTON POST PHILIPA FRIEDMAN or customer

Art Corner Welcome to the Art Corner — a space where Silver Chips artists share their perspective on the issues of the day, or simply entertain with a little bit of good-natured humor.

By Maggie Shi An opinion

NATHAN GAMSON

service,” she said. Local officials who are focused on community goals will be in charge of utilities, rather than corporate executives who don’t necessarily put the community first when making decisions. This community-focused decision making process means that customers willing to make an effort for more reliability can have an actual impact on the utility. According to Schryver, not only can citizens vote members onto the board, but they can also sit in on council meetings. In addition to maintaining a more community-centered focus, public power may also cost less for customers. According to a 2008 Energy Information Administration study, customers of investor-owned utilities, like Pepco, paid on average 15 percent more for electricity than customers with publicly-owned utilities. This is because publicly-owned utilities are not-for-profit, meaning no money has to go to corporate executives or investors.

Granted, public power isn’t perfect. Switching from investor-owned utilities to public power is a long and arduous process. According to Schryver, Montgomery County would have to conduct feasibility studies, allot money to pay for all the costs associated, conduct a legal analysis to see if any state or local laws prohibit public power and also negotiate with Pepco. Depending on whether Pepco is willing to work with citizens, this process can take from six to 10 years, which means there will still be quite a few cold, powerless winters ahead. But despite the time and effort required to switch, public power is still a promising alternative to Pepco. Even if public power remains just an idea, it will give the local government actual leverage against Pepco’s monopoly. And maybe it would even help Pepco — perhaps public power could take on the role of the community scapegoat for a while.

Unfair testing fees hinder education across the board Excessive registration fees create an automatic disadvantage for low-income students By Claire Boston An opinion By most students’ junior year, the bills begin to pile up. It usually starts with $13 for the PSAT. A couple months later, it might be $47 for the SAT, then another $18 to see a score report that’s more than just three numbers out of 800. Factor in $21 for SAT Subject Tests, and in May, throw in a couple of Advanced Placement (AP) exams at $87 each. In a single school year, a student may shell out over $500 to the College Board, all in the name of college preparedness. The College Board claims it has but one goal — to ensure that every student has the opportunity to prepare for, enroll in and graduate from college. But there’s a catch — student success seems to come at a price, even in the years before college tuition bills are mailed. Despite its near-monopoly in many aspects of the college preparation industry, the College Board falls woefully short in actually helping students be successful in college. In January, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccienelli ruled that requiring students to pay their own AP fees, a common

practice in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), was illegal. In MCPS however, it is still legal that students pay for their own exams. While many students are fortunate enough to be able to afford the $87 fee to take an AP exam, those who cannot are at a disadvantage. While the College Board makes an effort to accommodate low-income students by providing fee waivers to all students who receive Free and Reduced Meals, extra paperwork and waiver restrictions can keep students from enjoying the same success as their higher-income peers. Low-income students who wish to take AP tests can receive only a $22 discount on each exam. This brings the cost down to $65 per test, which is still more than the cost of

the SAT, which the College Board will waive in full for eligible students. If the College Board recognizes that a $47 SAT may be too much of a financial burden for low-income families, it is illogical for them to expect families to be able to cover the cost of a $65 test, especially considering that many students take multiple AP exams at the end of each year. Even the College Board recognizes that this partial waiver plan makes little sense. So instead of fully funding AP tests for low-income students, it simply expects individual schools to foot the rest of the bill. This is unrealistic. In tough economic times, schools are looking to cut budgets, not add to them. In 2010, MCPS budget

documents indicate that MCPS students took nearly 30,000 AP exams. While it would be ideal for MCPS to follow the FCPS model and pay for students’ AP tests, doing so would set the county back over $2 million. Therefore, the blame for inadequate funding and waivers still falls on the College Board. By refusing to fully subsidize AP tests for low-income students, the College Board denies students the opportunity to save money and earn college credit — an important component of college preparation. In addition, the cost of AP tests may deter lowincome students from signing up for the courses in the first place. According to the College Board’s annual AP exam report, lowincome students took only 21 percent of total AP exams.

If increasing AP participation among low-income students were a primary goal of the College Board’s, it’s not as if the organization lacks the funds to further subsidize APs. The College Board says it spends $30 to $50 million on fee waivers each year, but that’s barely a dent in their yearly revenue. Their 2009 tax returns indicated nearly $615 million in revenue, with a discrepancy of over $55.3 million between generated revenue and expenses. Perhaps the millions in pure profit come from the slew of other fees the College Board charges students. Apart from test fees, almost every other College Board service — even the college financial aid search program — comes at an additional cost. This is excessive. If the College Board’s mission is as simple as its claim — just to help students prepare for success in their college years, there are few reasons for a non-profit to charge so much, waive so little and act at all like a multi-million dollar for-profit ERIC GABRIEL corporation.

silverCHIPS

OP/ED 5

March 10, 2011

Keeping choice in abortion universal Proposed legislation threatens women’s health coverage By Larisa Antonisse An opinion Babies are cute with their smiling faces, soft skin and tiny toes. But motherhood is not always so easy; it can be tiring, expensive and requires serious dedication. The U.S. Supreme Court decided in the 1973 Roe v. Wade case that all women have the right to choose whether to enter the lifelong commitment that begins with childbirth. Legislation introduced in Congress in January would threaten this right, especially for low-income women, and would damage our nation’s progress toward universal health insurance. Although Roe v. Wade established that the choice to have an abortion is legal, the Hyde Amendment, first passed in 1976, prohibits federal money (including Medicaid funding) from paying for any part of abortions. Currently, this law must be renewed annually, but the newly proposed No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act would make it permanent. The Protect Life Act, a separate bill, would go even further and apply these federal funding restrictions to the new insurance programs under healthcare reform. This legislation is an unfair attempt to use funding restrictions to indirectly reduce abortion availability and access in the U.S. Federal legislation should equally affect all citizens, but the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act places an unfair burden on low-income women. One provision of this act denies funding to subsidize abortions even when they are necessary to a woman’s health. Exceptions are made only in the

case of pregnancies resulting from rape or incest, or if an abortion is necessary to avoid death. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), this means that even women with cancer, diabetes, heart disease or other health problems will be denied abortion coverage. A more affluent woman can use her personal finances to pay for an abortion if she chooses, but lower-income women do not have this luxury. Without monetary aid from the government, the only choice these women have is between the lesser of two evils: sacrifice their health or sacrifice money needed for basic survival essentials. Many such women divert income normally used to pay for their family’s food, clothing, rent or utility bills to pay for abortions, according to a 1983 study by the Guttmacher Institute. Or worse, many women delay the procedure, which only increases the health risks and the cost. According to Tim Wahlers, Vice President of Development for Planned Parenthood in the Washington, D.C., area, “This [proposed legislation] does not show an understanding of how many poor women receive access to health coverage and abortions right now.” But America’s poorest women would not be the only ones disadvantaged by this legislation — abortion access for higherincome women would be hugely limited as well. Since Medicaid was established in 1965, it has provided health coverage for only the very poorest U.S. citizens. Higherincome Americans usually get health insurance through their employers or through expensive private insurance companies. The new healthcare reform laws establish

an additional health insurance option called exchanges, which are available to all income groups. Exchanges would be especially helpful to the middle economic tier (those with incomes too high for Medicaid but too low to pay the full costs of healthcare) since they will be federally subsidized for the specific customers who qualify. Under the original health reform laws, it would not have mattered if exchanges received federal funding, they would just have kept it separate from their funds for abortion services. Under the Protect Life Act, this would not be allowed. It dictates that if an exchange covers even a single person who receives federal subsidies, the exchange cannot provide abortion insurance for any of its customers (even those paying the full price of insurance). As a result, ratification of the Protect Life Act would severely limit access to abortion insurance for Americans of all incomes. The National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws suggests that the Protect Life Act presents individual insurance exchange plans with a choice: either don’t offer any coverage of abortions, or only cover individuals wealthy enough to not need federal subsidies (about 15 percent of the expected buyers). Since most of these insurance exchanges are greatly interested in profit, their decision to eliminate abortion coverage becomes easy. Anti-abortion advocates claim they have a solution for women who want insurance

LARISA ANTONISSE

for abortion — creating separate insurance plans to exclusively cover abortions. But it is ridiculous to think that women who cannot even pay the full price of general health insurance would pay additional fees in case of the slim chance of an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy. So essentially, though high-income women would have restricted access to abortion coverage, hardly any coverage for low-income women would exist. Healthcare reform gave the U.S. a boost toward the goal of making care for all health issues affordable, but this legislation would regress the nation to where it started. Health and safety are not areas in which the government can afford to penalize citizens who struggle to stay afloat financially. The U.S. must get its priorities in order and restore the medical equality that all women deserve.

Maintenance of effort promotes maintenance of mediocrity Educational funding requirement puts pressure on already tight MCPS budget By Sebastian Medina-Tayac An opinion The I.D. policy, blue Pepsi, Nickelback: Good intentions do not always produce good results. On the contrary, misguided or irrelevant decisions can harm the very people they were meant to serve. This is so in the case of the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirement, a Maryland state funding law that requires county governments to spend the same amount of money per-student as they did the previous fiscal year in order to recieve additional state funding. This year, the county, with its $300 million debt, cannot afford to fund at this inflated requirement ($10,644 per student). As a result, MCPS students will face a projected $22 million decrease in state funding. This could lead to increases in class sizes and reduction of outdoor education and instrumental music programs. This law needs to change to accommodate counties on an individual basis, in order to protect their students from a decrease in

ESTIMATES BASED ON FY 2010 BUDGET PROJECTIONS

quality of education. Senate Bill 53 (SB 53), currently in committee in the Maryland State Senate, would amend the MOE law to clearly outline new and more flexible criteria upon which the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) grants individual county school systems waivers, allowing them to not meet the MOE requirement. It would take into account general economic condition, changing tax base and history of upholding MOE in past years. The original purpose of the MOE law, formulated in the 1970s, was to make sure that as states were playing a larger role in school funding, counties would not use the additional aid to offset other costs, according to Maryland State Senator Richard Madaleno (Montgomery). Though the reasoning was sound in the context of corrupt, low-income districts forty years ago, it is disproportionately penalizing Montgomery County. Other school districts who met MOE this year receive more support from the state, such as Baltimore, which receives about

70 percent of its funding from the state directly, as opposed to Montgomery County, which receives about 30 percent from the state. Though these levels are calculated on state formulas that account for available tax contributions, it is harder for our local government to cover the majority of the inflated costs it created in a better economic climate. Even when MOE requirements are waived, the county maintains more responsibility for its school system than other counties. We now have one of the highest MOE minimums in the state, at about $10,664, because of our history of increasing per-student spending in the past. The current MOE law does not account for this achievement. According to Patrick Lacefield, Montgomery County executive spokesperson, “We have consistently contributed far above Maintenance of Effort.” The issue here, according to the Student Member of the Board of Education, Alan Xie, is that MOE minimums can only go up. These past couple years, in one

of the worst economic recessions since the Great Depression, the County Council, already $300 million in debt and facing a huge 2,200-student increase in enrollment (each of whom is supposed to cost $10,664 for the county), has understandably not had the money to continue its previous high funding levels. According to Lacefield, the county cannot make back $300 million without tapping into the 57 percent of their budget that accounts for the school system. “There have already been cuts across the board; no [county] department was left untouched.” If SB 53 is not passed this year, MCPS will directly face a steep penalty. Though meeting MOE is out of their control, according to Christopher Barclay, president of the BOE, the board expects a decrease of $22 million in state funding. Disturbingly reminiscent of the failure that was “No Child Left Behind,” the current MOE law takes money from a system for not having enough money. If and when MCPS cannot make $82 million more than the

$15 million saved (with difficulty) last year without the County’s help, it will be forced to turn to one of the least popular pieces of paper in Weast’s office: the “non-recommended cuts.” These proposed cuts threaten about 650 jobs and would result in largely increased class sizes, more staff and faculty cuts, and the reduction or elimination of popular programs such as outdoor education and instrumental music, said Xie. This is not a situation that a law, intended to increase the quality of education, should create. These stakes are too high; the county cannot risk losing these programs which are vital to providing MCPS students with a unique and high-quality educational experience. The fact that one of the wealthiest counties in the state, offering award-winning educations to students, cannot meet this requirement should be a message to Annapolis to amend the inherently flawed requirement to account for a changing economy. Students cannot afford to suffer at the hand of a law that is outdated and ineffective.

STELLA BARTHOLET, ERIC GABRIEL AND JENNY SHOLAR

6 ADS

March 10, 2011

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SOAPBOX 7

March 10, 2011

SOAPBOX: Blazers speak out Would you go to see one of your teachers perform in a band? see story, page 21

Do you think Pepco is doing enough to prevent power outages? see story, page 4

“No, I prefer to only see my teachers in their natural school habitat.” -freshman Callahan Mayer-Marks “Sure I would! I would bring my friends and make mosh pits and make the band members people-surf.” -sophomore Elisabeth Torres

“Pepco is doing everything. Do people think they can control the weather? If people should be mad, they should be mad at the weather.” -freshman Ruby Hamilton a “I think Pepco is doing their best to prevent the outages because they are working hard and long hours.” -sophomore Saminata John

“I wouldn’t see my teachers perform because I don’t care about what they are doing outside of teaching.” -sophomore Irena Phan

“Not at all. They refuse to bury the lines because of the cost, but each year thousands lose power and they don’t fix it fast enough.” -freshman Mattan Berner-Kadish

“I would go to see one of my teachers perform with their band because I would find it very hilarious and because, who knows, maybe one day they’ll become famous.” -sophomore Betzaida Nolasco

“No, they have made many empty promises at times of need. It is really frustrating and unprofessional.” -freshman Guatham Sezhian

Do you think that parents put too much pressure on their kids to succeed in school? see story, page 19

What is the craziest situation you’ve encountered in the Blair hallways? see story, page 27 “Once someone tried to climb the Media Center’s roof.” -senior Alec Wurzbacher

“Some parents do push their kids too far, but they do it out of love. They want their kids to be better prepared and more succesful than they were.” -senior Mac Farquhar

“I was near the SAC on my way to lunch when I saw someone one floor above me pouring juice down the blacony. It landed on some unsespecting people’s heads, which I thought was pretty outrageous.” -freshman Aanchal Johri

“Some parents would love to see their kids achieve things that they were not able to achieve.” -sophomore Beemnet Kebede

“I remember running into a small tribe of Magnet boys who were decked out in aluminum foil and plastic wrap on the third floor.” -senior Mary Nguyen

“Yes. I feel that the amount of pressure put on students to succeed in school can be helpful, but often stressful and leads to feelings of bitterness and resentment, especially when that student is given little to no free time to relax.” -freshman Jacob Kirkendall “I think that parents put too much pressure on their kids to succeed because they want them to strive for the best, but they don’t know that it just makes us pull back or rebel. They don’t know the kind of stess it gives us.” -sophomore Shelly Clark

1973 1 53.6 54

“The most ridiculous was two kids talking to another giving him verification that someone would fight him for his nickname.” -freshman Brendan Casey

Do you think Blair prepares its athletes to play at the college level? see story, page 30 “I feel like athletes only make it to the college level if they play during the off season or if they played the before they got to high school.” -junior Molly Flannagan “Yes, I think Blair practices are rigorous enough to prepare us for college level sports, mainly because practices are a bit difficult but also because they have you join outside teams as well.” -freshman Andrew Snail

chipsINDEX Year in which landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade was decided Number of marriages that have resulted from the Washington Post’s Date Lab feature Percentage of Blazers who say they know who Jerry Weast is

Number of steps on the main staircase

ART BY SAM ELKIND

540 2 180 -48.8

Number of rotational degrees in a tricker’s corkscrew twist Number of Blazers who signed Division I football contracts Number, in hundreds of thousands, of Maryland Pepco costomers who lost power in the Jan. 25 snowstorm Snowfall differential, in inches, between this winter and last winter

Chips Index compiled by Claire Boston with additional reporting by Ife Adelona, Richard Chen, Emma Lurye, Hannah Lynn, Katelin Montgomery, Janvi Raichura, Alex Stewart and Michelle Yirenkyi.

Quote of the Issue

“

God put me on this earth for a reason, and I was born to try and figure out that reason. senior Chantel Hernandez

see RELIGION, centerspread

”

NEWS

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March 10, 2011

SGR testifies against GT label at BOE hearing Blazer voices support for MCEF’s “No Labels, No Limits” campaign from LABELS page 1 diverse group of No Labels advocates have spoken at similar meetings, including students, MCPS alumni, union representatives and teachers, among others. “We’re trying to show the Board a broadbased support for removing the GT label,” he said. Ross’s testimony told of the causes and consequences of not entering the GT program at a young age. She expressed her belief that she was gifted and talented, but could not show it through a standardized test. “I was reading five grade levels ahead, doing Algebra I and working on a book of poetry — yes, at age 10,” she said to the BOE. However, when it came time for her to take the GT screening test, she performed “inconsistently,” which she now attributes to her Attention Deficit Disorder, which was diagnosed only last year. Ross believes it was especially important to voice her personal experience with the GT label to the BOE directly. “Sometimes, adults are disconnected,” she said. “When students, like me, give testimony, it brings them closer to the issue.” According to Vlasits, the SGR, which has been working toward removing the GT label for over a year now, has been attending these meetings frequently in order to put the issue up for consideration for a vote by the BOE. Vlasits believes the best way to achieve this is through constant and gradual pressure on the BOE from the SGR and a variety of

other sources. “With the NAACP, Impact Silver Spring, the PTSA and others, we’re creating a large community organization to pres-

Education (SMOB) Alan Xie, that the majority of the board supports removing this label. “Nobody’s gone on the record yet, as far as I

said. Xie expressed his own views against the label with a group of students at Blair on Feb. 22.

COURTESY OF EDWARD HSU

SGR president Kirstyn Ross (back row, center) poses with the “No Labels, No Limits!” coalition, composed of the MCEA Civil Rights committee and senior Mandy Xu (front row, right), prior to her testimony against GT labeling at the Feb. 28 public BOE hearing. sure the BOE to do something they already want to do,” he said. He believes, in accord with Student Member of the Board of

know, but the BOE supports equity in education, and if [the GT label] disrupts equity, my colleagues will go with what will be fair,” Xie

However, Xie believes that the decision will not be made anytime soon because of the nature of passing such a controversial topic. “It is

a lengthy process to get anything through,” he said. The BOE will not make a decision on this long-standing issue based on only these testimonies, Barclay clarified before the meeting, but many advocates of the change, including Vlasits and Ross, are confident that the BOE supports their cause and will make the change eventually. “If it came to a vote, I can only think of one member who might vote against it,” said Vlasits, not naming the individual. The SGR intends to keep up the pressure, according to Vlasits. At the next public meeting, on Mar. 28, he hopes to organize a much larger group of Blair students and teachers to show support and testify for the campaign. The SGR will organize several lead-up events to raise awareness of the issue by the end of next month, according to Ross, similar to those held before this meeting. On Feb. 22, the SGR held an after-school roundtable discussion with Xie, in which he and attending students expressed their concerns of the GT label. The following week, an event in conjunction with Blair’s Diversity Workshop, led by Lucia Campos, brought together a larger group of students to discuss stereotypes accompanying students depending on their label of GT, or lack thereof. Ross was surprised to see the groups that attended these events, which included a range of highlevel to on-level students. “With the Diversity Workshop event, we were able to reach out to a variety of students,” she said.

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NEWS

April 26, 2012

Horticulture come Puzzle Lords add field trip to Blair grounds Puzzle palooza add trip to farm on fourth day By Hannah Weintraub and Ruth Aitken As of February 10th, 198 seniors have not met the minimum number of Student Service Learn-

INFORMATION COURTESY OF HYA

ing (SSL) hours needed to graduate – and about 20 to 30 of them need 10 hours or less to do so. This number has slowly been decreasing since December, the first time the Counseling Department checked, when the number of seniors without their required SSL hours stood at 238. Every month the number goes down slightly, according to Resource Counselor Marcia Johnson. The 198 seniors include students who are missing anywhere from one hour to 30 hours. Johnson said that the counseling office sends out letters to the students and parents, and will start making calls to them soon as well. As counselors meet with the seniors, they find that the reasons for the missing SSL hours vary. Forgetting to turn in the form, misunderstandings and transfer problems are the major ones. “We find that some of them have done [their hours], but didn’t

turn in forms or some thought they were done [with the requirement],” Johnson said. Transfer students have the problem of either coming from a school that did not require SSL hours, or that required fewer than Blair does. T h e number of seniors with this problem this year is typical, and the counseling department and administration are dealing with it the same way they have for years. Along with letters and phone calls, Johnson said that 12th grade Administrator Andrew Coleman will meet NATALIE RUTSCH with groups of students to remind them to get their hours in. The seniors are told that if they do not meet their SSL requirement by Spring Break, they will not be able to pick up their graduation caps and gowns. But Johnson is confident that those on the list will all graduate this year. “We never had a senior not graduate because of their hours. They always get them before then,” she said. However, senior Noorel Syarief, who needs 30 hours, is concerned that he will not reach the requirement in time. “I am very worried about getting the hours before graduation,” he said. He uses the MBHS Class of 2012 Facebook page to ask for any advice on getting hours. Other than getting a warning letter, he said he has not received much help from the school. Syarief wishes someone would help him out more. “Much help would be appreciated,” he

By Zoërose Waldrop contaminated, with most conPuzzle Palooza, the Blair Magnet Program-run, four-day puzzle competition this takes place during High School Assessment (HSA) testing week will be changing its scheduling this year. For the past two years, the four-day Puzzle Palooza competition fit with the four-day HSA test week, but with the withdrawal of the HSA, the scheduling for Puzzle Palooza has been thrown off. Now the usual fourth day of the competition has been swapped with a field trip to an undisclosed location. The NSL HSA is no longer a required test to graduate high school and as a result, the HSA testing week will be cut to only three days. The decision for the NSL HSA was made at the state level and according to magnet coordinator Peter Ostrander, most likely for cost reasons. In response to this major scheduling change, the teachers who run Puzzle Palooza, often referred to as the “Puzzle Lords,”—Peter Ostrander, David Stein, Peter Hammond and James Schafer—have had to revise the schedule. On Thursday, the fourth day of the competition, the competitors will be traveling off site in the afternoon to an outdoor location within Montogomery county.

Organic Farms rule! By Katie Pohlman A year after the expiration of Nick’s Farm’s lease to the MCPS-owned land it sits on, the County Council is still debating a bill that will decide whether the lease is renewed. If the lease is renewed, Nick’s Farm will be allowed to stay and use the land to farm organic crops; but if the lease is not renewed, Nick’s Farm will be converted into two soccer fields. Last year, County Executive Isiah Leggett asked the Board of Education (BOE) to turn over the lease and hand the land over to Montgomery Soccer Incorporated (MSI) so they could build two new soccer fields. Nick’s Farm, located in Potomac, is owned by Nick Maravell, who has farmed and supplied neighboring farms with organic seeds for 30 years. If the BOE fails to renew the lease, Nick’s farm will be shut down and two new soccer fields will be built. Along with providing seeds, Nick’s Farm has also served as a learning opportunity for local elementary school students. In an effort to keep this opportunity, the surrounding Potomac neighborhoods and community organizations such as Save Nick’s Farm and Brickyard Coalition are taking action to stop this change. Opponents to the soccer fields are also concerned about possible pollution and traffic that the neighborhood infrastructure would not be able to support. Science teacher Elizabeth Levien is a strong advocate for the preservation of Nick’s Farm and has joined the fight to stop Leggett’s plan. “If you understand anything about basic science at all, then you know that

a farm like this can’t just exist anywhere,” she said. Levien said that in order for a farm like Nick’s to be deemed organic the soil must be completely free of the pesticides and additives that other farmers in the country use to grow their crops. Nick’s Farm has unique, organic soil conditions for seed production in this sense. Levien has tried to get several student organizations, such as Students for Global Responsibility and the Green club, to get involved in the cause. She has spoken to many students about the issue to raise awareness, and invited Maravell’s daughter to speak to Horticulture and AP Environmental Science classes about organic farming. Along with protecting access to organic products, the organizations are concerned about the way Leggett went about getting the BOE to end Maravell’s lease. The County Council was unaware and not in agreement of this action and is now supporting Expedited Bill 11-12, which would require Council approval on transfers of county property. This bill would stop similar incidents from occurring. Levien said that this issue is a good opportunity for students who want to be involved in a change to take action. “I think anyone interested in making sure we have a transparent and democratic government would be interested [in this issue]. Anyone interested in protecting people from the potentially devastating effects of GMO products would be as well,” Levien said. GMO farm products are altered at the genetic level to give them special biological qualities.

The details of the event are surrounded by mystery, and all that the Puzzle Lords were willing to reveal is that it will be an outside location large enough to present physical challenges, yet close enough that it does not involve too long of a trek to arrive there. The Puzzle Lords were not surprised about the scheduling change, “We knew about it early

on, so we were able to plan for it early on” said Hammond. With the early notice, the Puzzle Lords took the change in schedule as an opportunity for new challenges “We’re going to be taking advantage of the fact that we’ll be in an outside location” said Ostrander. Stein is also excited for the fourth day; “It will be even more awesome because we’ll

have a fieldtrip,” he said. Though the change is not all bad, it does cause some issues. One of the many aspects of Puzzle Palooza is controlling the fair distribution of certain tools or aids, such as phones with Internet access. In an outside location, there is the added difficult that different people have different levels of Internet access (3G rather than wi-fi.) Another adaptation caused by the schedule change is the structure of the puzzles themselves. Instead of allowing some of the previously started puzzles to stretch through the last day, this year some puzzles will start and end on only the last day. Many aspects of the event will be going on as normal, just as the previous years have had their own theme this one will as well, “Each year has its own theme, NATALIE RUTSCH last year’s was “The year of the Water-Bear” and this one has a kind of election theme” said Ostrander. Overall the Puzzle Lords are not discouraged and Stein is confident that this year’s event will be as fun, if not more, than the previous years “Every year is more awesome than the year before,” he said.better in recycling.”

Double jumped story!

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Superinendent report released from SEARCH page 1 candidates, and the BOE will use it as a criteria to judge the candidates against when they make the

INFORMATION COURTESY OF HYA

final determination as to who the best person is for the position,” he said. Social studies teacher and Montgomery County Education Association Blair representative Marc Grossman stressed the importance of the election of an honest, communicative superintendent. “[The next superintendent] will walk into a school system that has an incredible reputation and has enormous challenges. With that in mind, I think we need a superintendent that’s not afraid to be candid,” he said. Despite the release of the assessment, Grossman expressed doubt regarding the amount of community involvement in the superintendent search process. “The question as to what extent the public can guide this process has to be raised, and perhaps there should be a little more transparency,” he said. According to Gmitro, HYA is

NEWS

March 10, 2011

currently screening candidates and will present a list to the Board in late March. After it reviews the list of candidates, the BOE will start interviewing candidates for the position in early April. It then plans to appoint a new superintendent by July 1. According to Barclay, screening is a vital part of the superintendent search process. “This is probably the most important NATALIE RUTSCH phase, because the consultants have time to talk to and convince folks to apply for the position,” he said. If the BOE does not meet the July 1 deadline, it will have to appoint an interim superintendent, a superintendent who will provide MCPS with temporary leadership, for a term lasting one Fiscal Year, said Barclay. Gmitro, however, is confident HYA will be able to help MCPS find a superintendent in spite of scheduling restrictions. “We stay with the BOE until they are satisfied that they have their person in place and the individual is ready to go. If the BOE wants additional support [we are] happy to provide that,” he said. In addition to the current superintendent search, HYA has collaborated with MCPS in the past; it worked alongside the BOE in 1999 to hire the current MCPS superintendent, Jerry Weast, according to Gmitro.

First ICC road segment opens Environmental concessions reduce protests from ICC page 1

O’Malley, Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown and US Transporearly 2012 and will connect Geor- tation Secretary Ray LaHood also drove a ceremonial “first car” to gia Avenue with I-95 near Laurel. Feldmann predicts that the launch the use of the highway. ICC will improve traffic throughout the local area between Montgomery County and Prince George’s C o u n t y. “The ICC Team, along with Montg o m e r y County, is monitoring local traffic along the ICC’s stretch and is making enhancements as needed to facilitate traffic flow, often in realtime,” he said. “Enhancements to signal timing, signage and lane markings continue.” According to a press release According to Feldmann, traffic flow will also be improved on from the Office of the Governor, the ICC through the new electronic the ICC is expected to decrease toll system. The ICC is Maryland’s commuting times by up to 70 first toll road without toll booths; percent, reducing the travel time all tolls will be collected with E-Z between Shady Grove Metro Stapass or will be mailed home as a tion and Georgia Avenue from 22 minutes to 7 minutes. After its “Notice of Toll Due.” The completion of the ICC was completion, the ICC will also supcelebrated with a ribbon-cutting port development of 14,000 jobs in ceremony on Feb. 20, during which Montgomery County and Prince Governor Martin O’Malley de- George’s County. In addition, the scribed how the ICC would bring ICC is expected to economically greater opportunities, increased benefit drivers in the long run by county cooperation, and effi- decreasing travel time, use of fuel cient transit options to Maryland. and vehicle costs.

In spite of past controversy and dispute surrounding the ICC, Feldmann believes that the overall protests over its environmental concerns and high expenses have subsided. The ICC, according to the press release, will be the “greenest” highway built in Maryland, with more than 15 percent of the project’s budget spent on mitigating environmental consequences. F r o m March 1, the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) has also started offering two public bus transit routes, with free service until March 14. MCPS will not use the ICC for bus NATALIE RUTSCH transportation, but may choose to do so after the entire road has been built in order to economize costs, according to Alan Heard, communications manager of the MCPS Department of Transportation (DOT). The tolls for driving the ICC are $1.45 during peak hours (Monday to Friday, 6-9 am and 4-7pm), $1.15 during off-peak hours (Monday to Friday from 5-6 am, 9am-4pm and 7-11pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 5am to 11pm), and $0.60 overnight (11pm to 5pm daily). Drivers who do not have E-ZPass must pay an additional $3 service fee.

Media center addresses missing Promethean board tools Blair staff members reminded to secure remotes and pens By Maggie Shi

remotes, when they are not in use. In addition, Funk distributed a link to a form that Frequent Promethean board misuse teachers can use to report the issues with by outside groups has prompted concern damaged boards or missing tools. According to Media Center specialist Anamong Blair administration and Media Center specialists. Business Manager Jim Funk drea Lamphier, teachers mostly complain sent out an email to Blair staff members on about missing remotes and pens reported after weekend groups used their classrooms. Feb. 11 regarding the issue. Funk noted that there has been a “signifi- She said two remotes were reported misscant number of damaged or lost Promethean ing over the course of a single week. Lamboard tools.” The email also reminded teach- phier ordered six replacement remotes at ers and staff to secure tools, like pens and the beginning of the year; she said that she thought they would last her for at least two years. Getting replacement P ro m e t h e a n Board materials has been a strain on the school’s budget, according to Lamphier. Media services technician Bryan Nance said he thinks teachers do not realize that the Media Center is not capable of replacing PHOTOS BY TOLU OMOKEHINDE all lost items. “[We have] a Outside groups that want to use the Promethean boards have to limited supply obtain permission from the school’s business manager Jim Funk.

to replenish,” he said. The pens and remotes cost the media center $26. The problem of missing remotes and pens is an ongoing issue. “It’s been an occurrence since the first day Blair got Promethean boards,” Lamphier said. She said that she has given away all six of her replacement remotes, and she estimates that at least ten pens have been lost since the beginning of this school year. The pens and remotes also take a considerably long time to In addition to having pens or remotes stolen, teachers have order. Lamphier said also reported incidents of missing or stolen batteries. that it once took her five months to replace a missing remote in have furniture that can lock. “If I don’t have a health class. The remotes are particularly furniture with a key,” she said, “it’s a probimportant because without them, the entire lem.” She said that even if teachers were Promethean board is rendered useless. “It to put their remotes and pens inside their wouldn’t be that bad, but you need the re- desks, people could still easily take them out. She said that to avoid theft, she has mote to the turn the board on,” she says. Lamphier says that even though she has to carry her pen and remote with her from continuously urged teachers to secure the class to class. Nance does not know whether the e-mail Promethean board tools, most still do not. Spanish teacher Maria Cuadrados had prob- reminding staff to secure tools will prompt lems with people taking batteries out of her any change in behavior. He says, “I don’t Promethean board remotes and attributed know if the email will make a difference. this to the fact that most classrooms do not We’ll have to see in a month or so.”

10 NEWS

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March 10, 2011

Get to know the SMOB candidates Interviews by Philipa Friedman In this year’s election for the 2011-2012 Student Member of the Board, the competition has been narrowed down to two contestants: incumbent Alan Xie and newcomer Hal Zeitlin, both juniors. We asked them about their positions on key issues for the upcoming year and a little about their qualifications. Stay tuned for the “Meet The Candidates” TV show, which will air on the MCPS cable channel beginning March 21.

This year I coordinated a county-wide diversity summit with students and MCPS staff including Board of Education members. After leading this, I have been working on a proposal to submit to schools to advocate for peer tutoring mentoring programs that enrich students and help the succeed in their academics. Not only will this have students work harder in school, but it will keep them motivated to stay out of trouble outside of school.

these programs are challenging and rewarding opportunities for our students. Both you and your opponent advocate for closing the achievement gap. What can you do in your term to ensure that steps are taken to achieve this goal?

Alan Xie (Incumbent) Richard Montgomery Grade 11

About which issue do you feel the most strongly? Why?

I’m committed to communication. Although issues such as the budget and SMOB voting rights are priorities for me, I see communication as the center of everything. To truly involve students and the community, we need strong avenues of communication. This year, I held county-wide town hall meetings, started the SMOB Council and established a centralized SMOB web site (mcsmob.org). Instead of passively waiting for students to get involved, I want to empower them by bringing information to them through face-to-face visits, morning announcements and school newspaper columns.

What, in your opinion, will be the biggest budget issues for the 2011-2012 school year and how do you plan to confront them?

Our biggest challenge will be meeting Maintenance of Effort (MOE). MOE is a state requirement that requires the County Council to provide at least the same funding per-pupil as last year. This year, the County Council doesn’t intend to fully fund our budget, which could mean the loss of millions in increased state aid. However, I believe in collaboration with the County Council throughout the budget process so that we can ensure equitable funding for our school system.

There are many studies that link the achievement gap to socioeconomic status. But why should a person’s birth determine their future academic success? We want all of our students to succeed, and be college...and life-ready by the time they graduate. What makes us unique is our belief in equality of opportunity. To address the achievement gap, we must ensure that all students have the same access to information and resources, regardless of their native language. What do you believe the new superintendent will have to accomplish in order to be considered successful or effective? What will be the biggest issues facing him/her in the coming year? Our new superintendent must be skilled and experienced enough to work in an extremely large and diverse school system. Our many active students, parents, staff and community groups provide a multifaceted perspective of education, and the new superintendent must be able to effectively communicate with all stakeholders. As the budget crisis continues, the new superintendent must also work effectively with the Board of Education and the County Council in order to develop a spirit of solidarity...and cooperation. Why do you believe you are the better candidate for SMOB for the upcoming school year? What unique characteristic will you bring to the job? Hal’s a great guy who I’ve worked with in both SMOB Council and MCR-SGA, but I believe our school system needs an incumbent. With a new superintendent and a continuing budget crisis, we need a SMOB who knows the issues, knows the people and knows both the potential and limits of the position. I’m extremely passionate about what I do, and I bring dedication and persistence to the table. To me, it’s all about communication, solidarity and cooperation.

What is your position on “gifted and talented” programs and why?

If you could cross any two animals and create an epic hybrid animal, which would you cross, what would you make, and why?

Our goal is to provide every child with a world-class quality of education tailored to their needs. As a student who attended both GT and magnet and is currently in the IB program, I can confidently say that

I’d cross a phoenix and a hawk. It would be an immortal, smart, blazing, predator bird. The wholphin came in second.

in the coming year?

Hal Zietlin Winston Churchill Grade 11

About which issue do you feel the most strongly? Why? The issue I feel most strongly about is having teachers that are passionate and dedicated to their students. They are the key component to our education. When having a full schedule of inspiring teachers, not only will our students be educated, but they will be excited and prepared to take on the world. What, in your opinion, will be the biggest budget issues for the 2011-2012 school year and how do you plan to confront them? We have been providing public education to our residents for many years, and we have not fully questioned if our methods are efficient or inefficient. Where we can cut inefficiencies we can cut spending. We must look and see if our system holds any room for improvement...and when finding it, making ourselves a national model for one more reason. What is your position on “gifted and talented” programs and why? I feel that the gifted and talented program does have its purposes but in the end, it does operate unfairly against some students. I feel that our potential should be unlimited and assessed in its current status. When labeling a student, it...can send them a wrong message. Students should be in classes that fit them best; every student is gifted. Both you and your opponent advocate for closing the achievement gap. What can you do in your term to ensure that steps are taken to achieve this goal?

What do you believe the new superintendent will have to accomplish in order to be considered successful or effective? What will be the biggest issues facing him/her

...Our next superintendent must have a strong background with the budget as Dr. Weast did, possess effective communication skills, and be friendly and engaging. Although there is one thing I would like to see: innovative work towards helping kids. MCPS performs well academically, has many students, and truly deserves the best. What we need is dedication. Next year the biggest issue will be keeping our academics high while our spending low. If elected I will assist our new superintendent in knowing what is important to the students and working towards keeping these programs in place. Why do you believe you are the better candidate for SMOB for the upcoming school year? What unique characteristic will you bring to the job? I feel that I am the ideal candidate for SMOB. Not only does my outgoing personality resonate and allow me to relate with all students, but my knowledge and commitment will allow me to work well with my fellow Board members. In past years, regular students aren’t pursued or informed by their SMOB, as if he or she becomes invisible. I want to start a clean record...In addition to working with the County Board as well as students, I will be present in Annapolis to make sure the student voice is alive in our State Legislature. If you could cross any two animals and create an epic hybrid animal, which would you cross, what would you make, and why? I will be creating an animal that represents me. I would cross an American Eagle and a Golden Retriever making a Golden Eagle...The Golden Retriever represents how I will work with our students as a companion and friend. Meanwhile the American Eagle represents how I am majestic and that people like this are valuable, but unfortunately going extinct.

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NEWS 11

March 10, 2011

County grants schools permission to grow gardens Blair begins plans for a vegetable garden according to MCPS guidelines By Stella Bartholet Horticulture teacher Christopher Brown has begun making plans to plant vegetable gardens this spring following a decision by Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to allow students to grow food on school grounds. At the end of January, MCPS released their decision along with guidelines intended to keep the gardens safe and properly maintained. Brown said he is pleased with the new guidelines, since they will enable his students to observe all of the stages of vegetable growth. “Watching the process from seed to harvest is such an important part of horticulture,” he said. In the past, students in Brown’s class could only see the beginning stages of growth. Once the seeds were ready to be planted, the class sold them since they could not plant them on school grounds under MCPS’ former policy. The gardens were not previously allowed because of safety and maintenance concerns, according to Dana Tofig, MCPS Director of Public Information and Website Services. To overcome those obstacles, the Department of Facilities Management, the MCPS Outdoor and Environmental Education Programs and other interest groups worked during the past couple of months to create a list of requirements that students must fulfill.

Gordon Clark, Director of Montgomery Vic- garden and be successful. However, if stutory Gardens, said that these guidelines will dents have larger goals that exceed the conhelp pretainers, vent pests they may f r o m request invadaccess to ing the school school grounds grounds from the and keep Departgardens ment of from inFacilities terferManageing with m e n t . o t h e r C l a r k activities. believes To fult h a t fill safeM C P S ty and requires m a i n students tenance to apply re q u i re for perments, mission students to ensure m u s t that the LEAH MUSKIN-PIERRET start by Horticulture teacher Christpoher Brown plans to expand garden growing Blair plant life with new vegetable gardens. p ro j e c t s vegetawill be bles in containers. According to Laurie Jen- maintained regularly and responsibly yearkins, Director of MCPS Outdoor and Envi- round. ronmental Education Programs, containers Now that he is able to plant vegetables are the simplest way for beginners to start a on school grounds, Brown hopes to receive

funding in order to start a fenced vegetable garden between early-April and mid-May of this year with his class. He would also like to replace three of the flower beds near the staff parking lot and the Student Activities Center with root vegetables such as carrots and turnips. Brown has e-mailed Principal Darryl Williams with a request, but he has not yet received permission. According to Tofig, this is not the first time the county has allowed vegetables on school campuses. MCPS never banned vegetable gardens, he said. For many years, students grew vegetables on campus sites, but the Department of Facilities Management stopped accepting garden applications because of maintenance and safety issues. According to Clark, supporters began advocating for the reinstatement of gardens in 2009, when his organization realized that students were not able to plant vegetables on school grounds. Clark gathered community garden organizations and parents to protest the restriction. He believes that the power of these supporters directed the change. However, Jenkins said MCPS was always in support of vegetable gardens but only recently found a safe and regulated way to grow the plants. “The decision was more about the process of trying to figure out how to work with schools,” she said.

New bill would change MCPS forms partnership with Navy tax laws to fund schools Policy promotes education in math and science By Biruk Bekele Maryland State Senator Richard S. Madaleno (D-8) proposed a bill last month that would allow county governments to raise property taxes above the charter limit in order to fund education. According to Adam Fogel, Madaleno’s Chief of Staff, counties have charters which prevent them from raising taxes above a certain limit. In Montgomery County, the limit is the rate of inflation. Currently, the Montgomery County Council is allowed to raise property taxes above this limit, but only with a unanimous vote by the county council. If passed, Madaleno’s bill would allow the county to raise taxes above the limit after a simple majority vote instead of a unanimous vote, Fogel said. The bill would give counties greater flexibility in drafting a budget and help them maintain adequate school funding in a tough economic climate, Fogel said. He added that MCPS is a popular school system that makes Montgomery County an attractive location for many families. “The residents of Montgomery County want to ensure that we retain the level of excellence that we currently have,” he said. However, some councilmembers have expressed their concern about the bill. According to Fogel, Council President Valerie Ervin (D-5) has requested to exclude Montgomery County from the bill since it already has a method

INFORMATION COURTESY OF GAZETTE.NET

of raising taxes above the charter limit, unlike other counties. Councilmember Nancy Floreen (D) said that the bill would go against public opinion since county residents voted to create the policy requiring a unanimous vote in a recent referendum. “I am extremely uncomfortable with the prospect of undermining decisions that voters have made, which this does,” she said. Floreen also said that the bill unfairly favors education as opposed to other county agencies that must be funded. “The issue of the right funding levels across county agencies is a very complicated matter that is the obligation of local elected authorities to resolve, not the state,” she said. Fogel, on the other hand, said that the bill would help county governments overall because the extra money they generated for education would put less strain on other parts of the budget. The school system takes up over half of the county’s budget, said Neil Greenberger, the Legislative Information Officer for the county council. County Executive Isiah Leggett has indicated that the his budget proposal for MCPS will not meet Maintenance of Effort, a law that requires the school system to spend at least the same amount of money per student as it did the previous year. Although the county will not meet this mandate, Greenberger said that the Leggett and the council have said that they will not increase property taxes this year.

JEWEL GALBRAITH

classes and were able to design and test underwater remotely operated vehicles to clean up simulated oil spills. Students at Poolesville High School were able to test

goal is showing how STEM can lead to rewarding civilian Department of Defense careers,” he said. MCPS middle and high school The STEM programs will not only students have started to contribprepare the next generation of ute to Navy-based science and enNavy employees, but also gineering projects as benefit the country by ina result of a partnerspiring students to pursue ship signed between interests in science and enMontgomery Coungineering, she said. ty and Naval SurThe PIA between face Warfare Center Montgomery County and (NSWC) Carderock NSWC Carderock will also Division. This is the allow the NAVY and local first partnership becompanies to work togethtween the Navy and er on commercialization of Montgomery County technology and improving and was entered at research at Carderock, aca signing ceremony cording to Fizie Haleem, on Jan. 24 at Shady managing director of techGrove Innovation nology transfer and comCenter in Rockville, mercialization programs Maryland. in Montgomery County. The partnership The Educational Partnerentailed a Partner- INFORMATION COURTESY OF MCPS NATALIE RUTSCH ship Agreement between ship Intermediary Agreement (PIA) with the Mont- and use water gliders provided by Montgomery College and NSWC gomery County government as the Navy. MCPS will be working Carderock will help encourage well as two Educational Partner- to produce high school and mid- science interest at the college level ship Agreements with MCPS and dle school science curricula that and give internship opportunities Montgomery College. The agree- will integrate the gliders as well as to students to train in the laboratory, according to internship coorments were made to provide op- other Navy devices, said O’Neill. The contract will also strength- dinator at Montgomery College, portunities for local schools and businesses to collaborate with en science education by allowing Michael Mehalick. NSWC Carderock and share its re- teachers to play an active role in developing integrated programs search expertise and technology. Montgomery County Executive for schools. Last summer, teachers Isiah Leggett, NSWC Carderock from multiple disciplines attended Division Commanding Officer NSWC Carderock’s High School Chris D. Meyer, MCPS Superinten- STEM Institute and gained insight The agreement with dent Jerry Weast and Montgomery on how to bring greater practical NSWC Carderock will bring College Interim Senior Vice Presi- relevance to topics they taught in students different STEM prodent for Academic and Student the classroom. The agreement will support grams depending on grade Services Paula Matuskey all atprofessional development and level, allowing them to build tended the signing ceremony. and test ROVs and robots, as The MCPS agreement with training for STEM teachers and well as participate in mathNSWC Carderock will help pro- will bring professional engineers ematics competitions. Promote Science, Technology, Engi- from the Navy to volunteer and grams include Lego We-Do, neering and Mathematics (STEM) assist STEM instruction in schools, Lego Mindstorms and other outreach programs for kindergar- according to O’Neill. It will also robotic programs. While speten through 12th grade students bring mentors and programs to cific programs and opportuand add hands-on aspects to students at all levels, said Latoya nities vary according to each MCPS technology curriculum, ac- Graddy, head of the Media Relaschool’s need, students can cording to K-12 Science, Technol- tions and Public Affairs at NSWC receive information about ogy and Engineering Supervisor, Carderock Division. Graddy said that these opporparticipating in these proAnita O’Neill. grams from the Science and For example, this year, stu- tunities will stimulate young inTechnology department at dents from six middle schools par- terest in STEM education and can their school. ticipated in a program called Sea also introduce students to possible “Another Perch as a part of their technology careers in the Navy.

By Srividya Murthy

STEM PROGRAMS

12 ADS

March 10, 2011

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SPECIALS

March 10, 2011

MIDDLE EAST WATCH

by biruk bekele

the revolution in egypt

When senior Nadia Kadry arrived home from school on Feb. 11, she walked right into the middle of a party. Like her relatives on the streets of Egypt, Kadry’s parents were celebrating the sudden fall of a dictator that ruled for the last three decades. For Kadry and her parents, former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was a symbol of absolute power. In their minds, the idea of overthrowing such a dominant ruler was nothing but a faint hope, something they desired but never expected. However, in just 18 days, starting on Jan. 15, Egyptians created a new chapter of their nation’s history and came together to expel a government they believed to be repressive and unjust.

Pressure release Prior to the protests, Egypt was controlled by a small group of elitists, says Peter Wien, University of Maryland Assistant Professor of Middle Eastern History. Economically, a great disparity existed between the middle class and the wealthy. As government officials and affluent businessmen took in a large portion of the nation’s money, Wien says middle class workers were forced to take several jobs to make ends meet. “This leads to a lot of frustration,” he says. Dustin Carell Cowell, Chair of the Department of African Languages and Literature at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, adds that political repression was a major factor that led to the revolution. Mubarak had declared a state of emergency for the entire duration of his rule, allowing his administration to break laws that protected Egyptians’ civil liberties.

Citizens were beaten and sometimes killed for speaking out against Mubarak and his regime. “When police come and beat up somebody for no reason, you lose all faith with the government,” Cowell says. Junior Rhonda Eltobgi, who has family in Cairo, says she understood the problems facing Egypt but never expected such a revolution to occur. On her last visit to Egypt, Eltobgi witnessed her family’s financial struggles and their disapproval of the government’s economic policies. “No matter how hard they worked, money was always a problem,” Eltobgi says. “Everyone was hoping for a better president, but I wasn’t expecting a revolution at all.” Blair alumnus Mate Nikola Tokic’, who currently works at the American University in Cairo, says he too was surprised that Egyptians expelled Mubarak from power. Instead, he believed the nation would start a revolution after the death of Mubarak, while looking to replace him. “Having lived in Egypt for 18 months, I was convinced that an uprising like this was possible, considering the palpable discontent of both the lower and middle classes,” he says. “But I never would have imagined it happening while Mubarak was still alive and in power. “ According to Eric Goldstein, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Division at Human Rights Watch, Egyptians gradually grew frustrated with the authoritarian government. Youth groups had attempted to organize protests before but were unsuccessful. In January, Egyptians found a new source of inspiration after Tunisians forced authoritative President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali out of power. Soon, with the help of

INFORMATION COURTESY OF ALJAZEERA, BBC AND THE WASHINGTON POST

the Muslim Brotherhood — Egypt’s biggest opposition party — large groups of young, middle-class Egyptians were able to excite the whole nation and begin demonstrations in Tahrir Square in Cairo. Goldstein adds that social media, including Facebook and Twitter, played a large role in helping youth organize protests. Egyptians to created online groups and expressed their concerns freely. “There were circumstances in Egypt that made the nation ripe for a successful revolution,” Goldstein says. “A perfect storm of factors contributed to it.”

Writing a new chapter The protests started off peacefully on Jan. 25, according to Wien, but turned violent overnight as police forces attacked protesters. Within a week, however, the thousands of protesters outnumbered police who were eventually forced to withdraw. With no police to restore order, gangs of looters and thugs roamed the streets targeting shops and private homes. As protests were underway in Egypt, thousands of miles away in the United States, Eltobgi was worried for her family back home. Eltobgi’s cousin, Muhammad, was injured by police officers in Alexandria but continued to protest. Her family communicated with relatives in Egypt via webcam or telephone, but soon the government blocked phone and internet service, making it impossible for Eltobgi to learn about her family’s safety. “My family could have been killed and injured, and the fact that I couldn’t get in touch with them was even harder,” says Eltobgi. Then on Feb. 1, after a large-scale demonstration in Cairo, Mubarak

declared that he would not run for reelection. The nation was unmoved and protests continued. In response, Mubarak supporters emerged and attacked protesters. Riots soon broke out between the two groups. Kadry’s aunts and uncles participated in the Cairo protests at first but decided to stay home after the increased violence. They did not feel safe outside of their house and food shortages became a major concern. “They weren’t able to go about their daily lives because they were so scared to go outside,” Kadry says. According to Wien, a Feb. 7 televised interview with Wael Ghonim — a Google executive and political activist — marked a turning point in the revolution. After 11 days of protests, Egyptians were frustrated that Mubarak remained in power. Some protesters wanted to give in due to the revolution’s impact on everyday life: shops were closed, the internet was down and chaos ensued. H o w e v e r, Wi e n s a y s t h a t Ghonim’s emotional interview united Egyptians even more. After the interview, a record number of protesters flooded the streets. “You saw the number of demonstrators skyrocket and there were millions of people on the streets,” Wien says. Although the military had supported Mubarak during his rule, because of the enormous pressure from the protesters, it ultimately sided with them, contributing to the eventual fall of the Mubarak administration, Goldstein says.

Only the beginning Mubarak’s departure was a key milestone for Egyptians in search

of freedom and equality. Yet, according to Goldstein, the revolution will only truly end with a successful transition to democracy. “All dictators, when they leave — they leave a mess behind them,” he says. After taking control of the nation following Mubarak’s fall, the Egyptian military now plays a crucial role in cleaning up Mubarak’s mess and ensuring that the nation successfully holds free elections, Goldstein says. According to Kadry, the Egyptian people have faith in the military because of its role as mediator during the protests. However, Wien says that the military will not let go of its power easily, especially since it has been a major power in Egypt for the last 60 years. Although the military has pledged to set up elections within six months, Wien says it’s hard to predict whether it will fulfill this promise. He believes the military will attempt to influence the elections and support candidates that serve its interests. “They are deeply entrenched in the Egyptian economy,” he says. “They have a strong interest in remaining in this position.” So far, the military has created a commission to rewrite Egypt’s constitution and election laws. These reforms will then be included in a referendum where Egyptian people can directly vote on them, according to Wien. In addition to empowering the Egyptian people, Tokic’ says that the revolution in Egypt has triggered many protests in other parts of the Middle East including Libya, Bahrain and Yemen. “The example shown by the Egyptian people that a regime can be toppled has shown the whole region that it is possible anywhere,” he says.

ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION

GRAPHICS BY LARISA ANTONISSE AND BIRUK BEKELE

14 NEWSBRIEFS

NEWSBRIEFS

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March 10, 2011

Playing a part to fund the arts

Downtown Silver Spring Borders spared in cuts "OOK RETAILER "ORDERS DECLARED BANKRUPTCY AND RELEASED A LIST OF 200 stores it plans to close nationwide on Feb. 16. The list includes two Washington, D.C., locations and several stores across Maryland. The Ellsworth Drive location in Downtown Silver Spring, HOWEVER WILL REMAIN OPEN !CCORDING TO *ENNIFER .ETTLES PROPERTY manager for Downtown Silver Spring, the owners of the area have been closely monitoring the store in anticipation of a bankruptcy l LING !CCORDING TO .ETTLES THERE ARE RETAILERS WHO STARTED PUSHING TO REPLACE "ORDERS BEFORE THE COMPANY DECLARED BANKRUPTCY )F THE %LLSWORTH $RIVE "ORDERS DOES CLOSE IN THE FUTURE DEVELOPERS WILL BE PREPARED TO REPLACE THE STORE WITH OTHER BOOK RETAILERS SAID .ETTLES .ETTLES DID NOT SPECIFY WHICH RETAILERS WOULD REPLACE "ORDERS

Leader of county educational union to step down 2EBECCA .EWMAN PRESIDENT OF THE -ONTGOMERY #OUNTY !SSO ciation of Administrators and Principals (MCAAP), announced her plan to retire at the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 on Feb. 24. AccordING TO .EWMAN SHE PLANS TO l NISH HER WORK WITH THE BUDGET PRO CESS BEFORE STEPPING DOWN .EWMAN HAS SERVED AS THE PRESIDENT of MCAAP for eight years and has worked in Montgomery County for over thirty years. In her time as the president of MCAAP, the union has worked with other school unions, including the Montgomery County Education Association, as well as the MontgomERY #OUNTY "OARD OF %DUCATION AND -ONTGOMERY #OUNTY #OUNCIL .EWMAN l RST CAME TO -#03 IN AS AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND eventually served as principal at Thomas S. Wootton and Paint "RANCH HIGH SCHOOLS -#!!0 WILL CHOOSE HER REPLACEMENT BY !PRIL SAID .EWMAN 3HE HAS EXPRESSED OPTIMISM REGARDING ECO nomic conditions, predicting that the next president of the union will see improvements in budget planning after FY 2012.

LEAH MUSKIN-PIERRET

Sophomore Adam Maisto (left) and Conor Hearn, homeschooled, play at the Silver Quill Arts Fair on March 5, which raised money for Blairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s literary arts magazine.

Maryland House considers same-sex marriage The Maryland House of Delegates held its first hearing of the Civil Marriage Protection Act on Feb. 25. If passed, the bill will legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland without requiring religious clergy to conduct marriage ceremonies they do not tolerate. Advocates and opponents of same-sex marriage engaged in debate at the Feb. 25 hearing. The bill was approved by the Maryland Senate on Feb. 24 by a 25-21 vote, and the House Judiciary Commitee on March 4 by a 12-10 vote. House leaders have announced their intention to put the bill to a vote before the full House. Governor Martin Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Malley has announced that he will sign the bill if it reaches his desk. If the bill is passed, Maryland will be the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage and will also recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions, including Washington, D.C.

Harris leads safe driving presentation at Blair !"# NEWSCASTER ,EON (ARRIS VISITED "LAIR TO GIVE A SEMINAR about safe driving techniques to juniors and seniors on Feb. 25. Harris partnered with Montgomery County Police Captain Tom Didone as part of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Drive to Stay Aliveâ&#x20AC;? program, a campaign designed to prevent automobile accidents among teenagers. Harris showed video clips and emphasized the dangers of texting while driving and driving under the influence of alcohol. Harris and Didone also pulled Student Government Asssociation Fund Raising Director junior Justin Kaplan-Markley out of the audience to perform an interactive demonstration showing the effects of driving under the influence of alcohol. Harris also discussed other distractions that are common among teenage drivers, including driving while listening to loud music and driving with friends in

Montgomery County transit task force launched -ONTGOMERY #OUNTY %XECUTIVE )SIAH ,EGGETT ANNOUNCED THE creation of the Montgomery County Transit Task Force on Feb. 24. The group will investigate potential modes of countywide rapid TRANSIT INCLUDING THE 0URPLE ,INE A RAIL LINE THAT WOULD RUN FROM THE "ETHESDA -ETRO STATION TO THE .EW #ARROLLTON -ETRO STATION and the Corridor Cities Transitway, a rail or bus line that would run from the Shady Grove Metro station to Clarksburg. Montgomery County councilmember Marc Elrich, a member of the task force, PROPOSED THE CONSTRUCTION OF MILES OF "US 2APID 4RANSIT "24 A SERIES OF RAPID BUS LANES !CCORDING TO %LRICH THE "24 SYSTEM WILL COST ABOUT MILLION TO CONSTRUCT WHILE THE 0URPLE ,INE WILL COST ABOUT MILLION ,EGGETT SAID THAT HE SUPPORTS "24 BUT wants the task force to look into the affordability of the system and the feasibility of multiple transportation systems.

Newsbriefs compiled by Maureen Lei, with additional reporting by The "ALTIMORE 3UN 4HE 'AZETTE 4"$ COM and The Washington Post.

SAM ELKIND AND PHILIPA FRIEDMAN

HONORS s -ONTGOMERY "LAIR (IGH 3CHOOL WAS ONE OF THE five schools in Maryland to receive the Maryland Excellence in Gifted and Talented Education award on Feb. 16. The Maryland State Advisory Council on Gifted and Talented Education chose recipients after reviewing statewide applications. s 3ENIORS Fang Cao, Andrew Das Sarma, Ajay Kannan, Nilay Kumar, Winston Liu, Sandra Yan and Raina Zheng were semifinalists in the 2011

Intel Science Talent Search. They each received $1,000 awards. s "LAIR SENIORS WERE NAMED .ATIONAL -ERIT 3CHOLARSHIP &INALISTS AND WERE NAMED .ATIONAL Achievement Finalists. Finalists are all eligible to receive $2,500 scholarships. s 4HE "LAIR 6ARSITY "OCCE TEAM WON l RST PLACE AT THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS ON -ARCH

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from TRICKING page 1 featuring the best trickers there are, leaving room for more talented people to seek fame. He speculates that because of this, in the next few years, tricking will become a more conventional sport.

Global circles, local ties While the Internet played a large role in creating an international tricking community, Jankoski and senior Nathan Ipanag learned about tricking through local contacts. Ipanag remembers the inspiration he felt after seeing a friend perform a backflip several years ago. “It was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen,” he says. He became absorbed and has been tricking ever since. When Jankoski’s martial arts teacher introduced him to the sport, Jankoski was immediately attracted to the exciting and demanding

FEATURES

March 10, 2011

the widespread camaraderie of trickers. The team thinks of the whole tricking community as a “family.”

Player status This familiarity translates into a different type of professional status in the tricking world. According to Atkins, there exist two types of professionals in the tricking world — those who focus more on the art of tricking and those who are famous for their skills in music videos, movies or popular performances. The latter type of trickers create careers out of tricking by being featured in videos. These trickers have recently b e e n featured in Justin Bieber’s performance at the Grammy’s, Chris

a professional football game, Atkins explains, one is unable to go and meet the players after the game. In tricking, though, professionals are pleased to mingle with fans. “Seventypercent of the time they [professionals] are very happy to

other interests and taught me new ways to approach life.” Jerry Reemer, NTBS’s gym sponsor, says tricking is a safe path for people like Jankoski and Ipanag to follow. “I think it gives guys who are a little bit different an avenue to express themselves,” says Reemer, “It gives them a good avenue instead of doing things that would get them into trouble.”

Up in the air

meet you and give you advice,” explains Ipanag. According to Atkins, some of the most famous trickers that have been featured in movies and music videos are becoming more exclusive and beginning to charge an appearance fee at gatherings. Despite this, Atkins says the he and other trickers still harbor respect for these professionals. “They are just trying to make money from what they are doing, we can’t hate on them” he says.

Confidence boost While Ipanag does consider the monetary factors of pursuing his talent, he still finds intrinsic value in the sport. Once Ipanag mastered his first trick, the back flip, his confidence and sense of achievement soared as high as his stunt. His peers were impressed by his physical abilities, and his self-assurance developed with his tricking skills. Intensely physically demanding, the sport helps trickers get in shape and stay healthy. Ipanag says that starting to improve his fitness also helped increase his confidence. Jankoski, senior on the other hand, attriNathan Ipanag butes his spike in confidence to the supportive community, which encouraged him to be more open-minded. “I used to be a more plain person when I started out,” remembers Jankoski. “Tricking got me into

Ipanag and Jankoski have developed a long-term commitment to tricking, and aspire to pursue this passion. Next year, Ipanag plans to move to California where he will follow his dreams of tricking, acting, dancing and playing music. “Without tricking I wouldn’t have the confidence or self-esteem to do this,” says Ipanag. He believes that the same confidence that allows him to perform these daring stunts drives him in other aspects of his life, as well. “Being able to trust your body teaches you how to trust yourself,” he says. Jankoski also sees a future in tricking that differs slightly from Ipanag’s dreams. He wants to join the Tricker House and NTBS after he graduates high school. And NTBS expresses their excitement and readiness for him. “If he keeps on going down the line he’s going down, he’s going to be one of the world’s best,” says Atkins of NTBS’s enthusiasm toward the prospect of Jankoski’s addition to their team. Ipanag explains that he and Jankoski represent the two different types of trickers — he wants to pursue tricking as a job, while Jankoski would rather pursue it for its artistic value . “I don’t want a job in [tricking],” explains Jankoski. “It would overjustify my reason to trick.” For Ipanag and Jankoski, tricking is skill, a community, and a passion. For these Blazers, tricking is a genuine calling. “Ever since I was little I wanted to learn how to fly,” says Ipanag, “I guess tricking is the closest I’ll ever be.”

Being able to trust your body teaches you how to trust yourself.

PHOTOS BY ANDREW KIRWAN

Junior Anthony Jankoski (left and above) and senior Nathan Ipanag (right), who have connected through the tricking community, back flip together at Blazer Stadium. aspects of tricking. “I thought it was more fun and challenging,” says Jankoski. “It required more bravery and confidence [than martial arts].” Soon, he too was hooked. What Ipanag and Jankoski also admire in tricking is its unique community. Unlike in other sports, tricking has no competitions. Instead, they organize gatherings in which people from all across the world, amateurs and professionals alike, come together to practice together for a few days. “You just trick your heart out until you can’t trick anymore,” says Atkins. Ipanag explains that in such gatherings, trickers showcase stunts in the center of a circle of participants. When someone performs a particularly impressive trick, people standing in the circle rush to the center and praise the tricker. According to Mendes, the gatherings can become chaotic. Jankoski describes the strong sense of community present in trickers, which distinguishes them from other athletes. “We built a community that’s close together,” he says. At gatherings, it is easier to meet people and make strong friendships than it is at Blair. “You have a common lifestyle and a personal bond,” he says. The close relationship between Jankoski, Ipanag, and the members NTBS exemplifies

Brown’s new music videos and Saturday Night Live. At gatherings, the difference between these professionals and their fans come to light. At

Ipanag executes a hands-free cartwheel. His confidence has taken off since he first started to develop his tricking skills.

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CENTERSPREAD March 10, 2011

A statue of Buddha sits in the home of junior Cecile Drymalski. She practices Buddhism, even though she says her mother is against religion due to the conflicts it creates.

Leap of faith By NoahGrace Bauman Photos by Tolu Omokehinde Art by Nathan Gamson

Once or twice a week, junior Cecile Drymalski sits cross-legged on the floor of her bedroom. She taps singing bowls and attempts to keep her eyes open as she slips into a meditative trance. These are rituals of Buddhism, the religion that Drymalski follows. But rather than taking the typical path of following her parents into religion, Drymalski has found a faith all her own. According to Ariel Glukich, Professor of Psychology and Religion at Georgetown University, religion serves many different roles in society, from explaining the meaning of the world to providing a code of moral conduct. Commonly, children take on the religious practices of their parents, whether they’re agnostics, atheists or faithful believers. However, some teens take their spiritual journey into their own hands and seek a religious experience that is theirs alone. This journey is not always an easy one, but is one that has led to self-discovery among some Blazers.

Spiritual self Though she does not go to temple, Drymalski practices Buddhism in her own home through meditation and the use of singing bowls, which serve as bells. Her affinity for the Buddhist faith, which started a year ago, was not a quick discovery. For a year Drymalski dabbled with paganism. She practiced all the serious pagan traditions and even attempted to worship multiple gods. Before she discovered Buddhism, Drymalski also ex-

perimented with Christianity, praying to determine whether she could feel a connection with God. Despite these explorations, Drymalski identified the most with Buddhism because it is the only religion she tried that does not profess a belief in the supernatural. About a year ago senior Jashua Tilahun experienced a similar change to Drymalski’s. When he branched out from his parent’s practice of orthodox Christianity, he started practicing Rasta, a movement of Christianity that originated in Jamaica and believes Haile Selassie I, former king of Ethiopia, is the God incarnate. Tilahun sports the dreadlocks worn by Rastafarians, and he prays and fasts on all the holidays. Rasta has not only given Tilahun a set of religious beliefs, but has also allowed Tilahun to find a lifestyle with which he can identify. “Rasta is more of a way of life. It is more about inner beliefs. I felt Christianity was too applied to the masses and not to the individual,” he says. And unlike Drymalski, who actively searched through multiple religions before finding one that fit, Tilahun’s decision to change religions came more as an epiphany. “One day I just decided I wanted something new, something

Senior Chantel Hernandez, far right, is a devout Christian, though she once questioned her faith. Junior Cecile Drymalski, near right, a recent Buddhist convert, meditates in her home to ground herself.

more real than [orthodox Christianity],” says Tilahun. Unlike Drymalski and Tilahun, who sought out a religion more compatible with their own beliefs, senior Chantel Hernandez found that questioning her beliefs brought her closer to the religion that she grew up with, which has

resulted in a renewed and strengthened sense of faith. Hernandez is a practicing Pentecostal Christian who attends church every Sunday, plays gospel music to praise God in her spare time and even says that she is stricter about some religious rules than her parents. However, there was a point when Hernandez was not so in tune with her spiritual life. When Hernandez was younger she sometimes felt as if religion was being imposed upon her by her parents. “I came to a point where I stopped believing. I could have chosen a different religion like my mom’s brother, who is agnostic. I could have easily gone the way he did, and though [my parents] had some part in it, I stuck with [Christianity] because I believed in it,” says Hernandez. These beliefs were put to the test when Hernandez was forced to overcome a serious obstacle in her life. “When I was in ninth grade, I went through a really depressed period. It went as far as me trying to take my own life, but I got scared and I realized that I wasn’t created to fail and give up on life. God put me on this earth for a reason and I was born to try and figure out that reason,” says Hernandez. “There are still some days when I feel down, but I know that as long as I stay in relation to [God] I’ll be fine.” Though Hernandez’s journey to religion came out of a necessary salvation, an important outcome of her exploration was the realization of her morals. Hernandez goes to church every Sunday, but she believes her Christianity guides her day-to-day life as well. “I couldn’t imagine going through a day without thinking of something I learned from Christian teachings. It’s where I get my morals. When I notice my opinions I realize I feel that way because I am Christian,” says Hernandez. Christianity does for Hernandez what Buddhism does for Drymalski. However, Drymalski’s journey to seek a religion came from her

desire to find a moral code. “It’s very hard for people with no religion to find a code of moral conduct. That’s the point of religion, to give people a sense of ethics,” she says.

A religious road less traveled Even though Drymalski believes religion is the best way to seek a moral code, her parents feel quite the opposite. Drymalski’s father is agnostic and her mother is atheist. Drymalski’s search for a religious identity is in stark contrast with her mother’s views. “My mom is anti-religion because she thinks it is the cause of all wars,” says Drymalski. She also says that her mother is actually more supportive of her Buddhist practices than her father. “He doesn’t believe that I am serious because I’ve been experimenting with a lot of different religions,” she says. Like Drymalski, Tilahun has adopted a different religion and way of life from his parents. Among other things, his beliefs differ from the orthodox Christianity of his parents in that Rastas endorse Afrocentric values and believe that Jesus was black. Tilahun says his parents were okay with the change because they think it’s just a phase. Even though Tilahun’s parents do not think he is serious about Rasta he still believes it is important to be truthful with them. “If you’re open with your parents and if they truly love you they’ll let you be what you want to be,” he says. Despite this belief and his parent’s initial acceptance, Tilahun’s parents have still tried to convince him to convert back to orthodox Christianity. “They’ve tried to tell me a lot of times [to convert back],” says Tilahun. Regardless of their pleas, he does not plan on converting back any time soon, nor does he view Rasta as just a phase for him. He says he has finally found a way of life that he can identify with. Though a change in religion has only caused minor tension for Drymalski and Tilahun, Glukich cites the serious problems that this change could cause for the family. He mentions a loss of cohesiveness and respect, among other important family dynamics, that could occur when family members change religions. “I can’t emphasize how hard it is for the family to stay together after something like that happens,” says Glukich.

Saved Even though this journey has the possibility of causing tension in their families, these Blazers have found that it ultimately leads to self-discovery. Since Hernandez’s period of depression and questioning of her beliefs, she has come out even stronger in her faith and has made many changes in her life to go along with her renewed sense of spirituality. “After I started taking my religion seriously I became a different person. It’s called being saved. I stopped doing petty things, and wishing bad things unto people,” says Hernandez. She also stopped

listening to mainstream music because she believes music is highly influential and she does not agree with the negative messages often portrayed. Hernandez says that Senior Jashua Tilahun sports dreadlocks as a sign of making these changes his Rastafarian faith. However, his parents are Orthodox and embracing her re- Christian and want him to convert back. ligion has triggered a to really sort through your beliefs, sometimes metamorphosis. “I feel different. I can look sorting through religious beliefs,” says Friedback on how I used to be, I’ve grown so man. “Unfortunately we never give teens real much, matured so much,” says Hernandez. positions to explore religions in our society.” Like Hernandez, Drymalski has also cited Friedman believes that this period of quesa change in herself since she started practictioning is not only important when attempting Buddhism. “It has helped a lot. I used to ing to find a new religion, but also when quesget really sad and [Buddhism] helps me calm tioning the faith one already has. down and see things more fluidly. I am more Religion helped Drymalski relax and find in control of my own feelings. The meditathe code or moral conduct she was looking tion helps calm me down and get grounded,” for, helped Tilahun find the new way of life says Drymalski. These Blazers have discovhe was looking for and helped Hernandez ered that taking a spiritual journey on their overcome a great obstacle that gave her the own is not easy. However, this challenge is strength to carry on. These religious journeys not without reward. sprung not only from the adaptation of reliRobert Friedman, a psychologist located gion, but also from the questioning of their in Silver Spring Maryland, recognizes the beliefs. problems seeking out a new religion could Being a teenager is a time to search for an have on family members, however, he identiidentity and try new things; some teenagers fies with these Blazers and still believes that experiment through a change in clothing, searching for another religion or questioning hairstyle and music. These Blazers, however, beliefs as a teenager is an important and usehave taken a road less traveled, which has ful path to follow. “There are kids that never brought them on a unique spiritual journey. question anything, but the healthier way is

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CENTERSPREAD March 10, 2011

A statue of Buddha sits in the home of junior Cecile Drymalski. She practices Buddhism, even though she says her mother is against religion due to the conflicts it creates.

Leap of faith By NoahGrace Bauman Photos by Tolu Omokehinde Art by Nathan Gamson

desire to find a moral code. “It’s very hard for people with no religion to find a code of moral conduct. That’s the point of religion, to give people a sense of ethics,” she says.

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March 10, 2011

FEATURES 19

With tiger moms or not, students can survive the jungle

By Jenny Sholar Where only first names appear, names have been changed to protect the identities of the sources. “From a clinical standpoint, have you ever considered getting some help?” Uneasy chuckles fill the aisles at Politics and Prose, Washington, D.C.’s famous independent bookstore, in response to the question from an audience member. But the speaker at the front of the room, a petite woman by the name of Amy Chua, is unfazed. Chua came to Politics and Prose last month to speak about her memoir, “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,” which diagrams Chua’s ultra-strict parenting method for her two daughters. Chua’s style goes beyond just demanding decent grades: her daughters were required to be the best student in all of their classes and to forgo social events to practice violin or piano. The book and accompanying essay in the Wall Street Journal, both published in January, have unleashed a torrent of national debate over the true “best” method of parenting. But the problem with such a debate is that no one can agree on just what “best” means. Chua maintains that she was not asserting her parenting style’s superiority, or even that she had any agenda at all. In fact, most parents keep their agendas simple: to teach their kids to be good people. Blazers from vastly different backgrounds are evidence that diverse methods of parenting are all

capable of producing happy, independent children.

Under pressure Parental expectations dominate sophomore Sagarika Das’ life. She is enrolled in Blair’s Communication Arts Program (CAP) and takes computer programming classes and multiple Advanced Placement courses. But her obligations don’t end with academics; a self-described “extracurricular junkie,” Das often stays after hours at Blair for Robotics, mock trial and debate team meetings. She also plays the piano and studies dance. On most weekdays, she does not return home until five, six or even nine o’clock at night. She regularly stays up until two in the morning before getting four hours of sleep and starting over the next day. All this, she says, is necessary to maintain her straight A’s and to build her academic record in preparation for college applications. She’s just delivering what her parents expect — high grades, rigorous courses and hard work. Grades are so important to her parents, she ART BY DOYUNG LEE s a y s , that they frequently disallow her from socializing with friends in her free time. Sleepovers are not an option. For a long time, even going to the movies or to the mall was a rarity. Her parents told her that since these activities did not directly improve her grades, she did not need them. Nora, a junior, says her parents have a different approach. They trust her to get decent

grades. Otherwise, there are few rules. Nora has hosted drug- and alcohol-fueled parties at her home — while her parents are upstairs. Her parents know she regularly smokes marijuana, and even give her a place to do so to ensure she will not go somewhere dangerous to smoke.

Authoritarian, authoritative Das is quick to explain that her family’s parenting style is largely a cultural difference. Her parents are immigrants from India, where education is hugely important, says Das. In a country where hundreds of millions of people live below the poverty line, education is a promise of greater opportunities. “You don’t care if you have shoes on your feet, you’re going to school,” Das explains. Nora’s parents let their style evolve over time, starting out strict with her two elder siblings but gradually shifting to their current, more relaxed method. Now, she says, her parents understand her desire to be a teenager and let loose, particularly since they partied hard when they were young. “The things I do don’t compare,” she says. “They know I’m in high school and I want to have fun.” According to Reena Bernard, a family therapist based in Kensington, neither extreme is ideal. Experts classify parenting styles into three main types: authoritarian, permissive and authoritative. Authoritarian parents, she says, have high expectations, but do not sufficiently nurture or respect their children.

Permissive parents, on the other hand, create a nurturing environment, but fail to set strong boundaries, which can compromise their children’s abilities to succeed. “These children may feel loved, but they may not be getting the tools to accomplish at their potential,” Bernard says.

The coach

But Nora does not feel as though she is living below her potential. In fact, she believes that her parent’s lenient methods have allowed her to explore and gain experience in the world around her, teaching her life lessons she would have missed had she spent all her time on homework. “You need to let your kids have space to be sociable and learn what can’t be taught in a classroom,” she says. Similarly, Das says she’s glad for the way her parents have raised her. Even when her parents are particularly demanding, she knows they are only looking out for her. The fact that they want what’s best for her makes it easy for Das to appreciate the hard work she puts in. “They’re like a really hard coach on the sidelines who yells until you get it right. And when you do get it right, it feels really good,” she says. Had they been more lenient, Das feels as though she would not be as accomplished as she is. “I’m thankful for the pressure,” she says. “If my parents didn’t raise me this way, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

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been around since childhood. “I eventually came around full circle,” she says. Collins is currently involved in three Many students who have Karen Collins’ for their 3D Computer Graphics class de- bands: Squeeze Bayou, Blue Moon Cowgirls, and scribe her as introvertKaren Collins ed and quiet — hardly and the Backthe type of person they roads Band. would expect to sing This summer, in honky-tonk, country Collins will and Cajun bands. continue to Senior Neelnavo Kar explore the says he was stunned country genre when he found out. while tour“My teacher has a secret ing in Austin, life as a country singer Texas with and songwriter? What her most rethe heck?” he says, cently formed describing his reacgroup, Karen tion. “Everything I had Collins and thought until this year the Backroads was shattered.” Band. She Most students say COURTESY OF KAREN COLLINS looks forward they are used to seeing teachers inside of Computer science teacher, songwriter to visiting the the classroom, mak- and country musician Karen Collins city, especially ing it hard to imagine tours with her band in Austin, Texas. because of its music scene. that teachers have lives outside of school. Some teachers care for “Austin is particularly the place to play if their families or play sports once all of the you play the kind of music I do,” she says. Like Collins, social studies teacher David planning and grading is done, while others participate in musicals or host their own art Swaney will be touring with a music group shows. Many students play music outside this summer, but his tango orchestra is of school for stress relief, and it is common very different from Collins’ country bands. for teachers to do the same. Teachers say Swaney plays violin for the Pan American that performing in orchestras or bands pro- Symphony Orchestra, which is known for its harmonic tango and traditional Arabicvides an escape from school. Spanish music. Last year, the orchestra travelled to Peru; this year, it will be touring Leading a double life Argentina. He says that the “campy” style Country music was not always an inte- of music makes him want to dance. “Tango gral part of Collins’ life. Although her par- music is exciting and addictive,” Swaney ents were country music fans, she preferred says. “Playing music to other people is into listen to rock and roll growing up. It was timate and stimulating, intellectually and not until Collins reached adulthood that she emotionally.” Some of Swaney’s students cannot imagdeveloped an interest in the music she had

By Stella Bartholet

FEATURES 21

March 10, 2011

ine him playing in a tango orchestra, while others think the style of music fits him. “I just can’t picture it,” says junior Rachel Smith. Sophomore Johnny Ruvolo, on the other hand, would expect Swaney to play music with an exotic vibe. “He’s got a really crazy life and that seems like something he would do,” Ruvolo says. “It seems like he does a little bit of everything.” Mike Mazzarella, student teacher for the math department, thinks his students would not be surprised if they heard he is in a classical orchestra, especially because he plays music in class. Freshman Isaac Matthews believes that Mazzarella’s personality fits the stereotype of a classical musician. “He’s a pretty chill guy,” says Matthews. Mazzarella plays the French horn for the University of Maryland University Band, which is composed of non-music majors who are passionate about their instruments and performing. “We just want people to get into concert music,” he says.

Swaney agrees that music is a great way to relieve stress. Apart from the tango orchestra, he participates in a Symphony Quartet, which is a recreational, classical music group. The quartet is composed of two violinists, one cellist and one viola player. They occasionally play for their friends’ weddings free of charge, since money isn’t their goal. “We are not striving for success, we are striving for fun,” he says. Playing music with the quartet and the tango orchestra provides a break from teaching. “It stimulates a different side of the brain,” says Swaney. For students and teachers alike, stimulating the creative side of the brain is a way to escape from the stresses of everyday life. Though students may not expect teachers to have lives outside of school, they need a break from grading and planning just like students need a break from homework. Music is a stress outlet for both students and teachers, providing a common ground between the two groups.

Path to harmony Committed to his French horn, Mazzarella dedicates three hours a week to practice and performs two or three times a semester. “Those three hours are the best three hours of the week,” says Mazzarella. He says that practice and performance allow him to relax. “When I play it’s an escape from everything else,” he says. “I don’t think about school or work.”

COURTESY OF DAVID SWANEY

Social studies teacher David Swaney relieves school stress by playing violin with the Symphony Quartet.

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Blair Pair

ENTERTAINMENT 23

Ah springtime, the season of love. In high school, finding that special someone requires more than just instinct; it requires time, money and patience. But Silver Chips has a solution for your stale love life: Blair Pair, where we pair prospective soulmates on dates!

Food for thought: Senior Blazers bond over aspirations for the future interesting. He said he had to do a lot of normal assistant things like filing and getting coffee, but he also picked up a lot of legal stuff from getting to help with some of the smaller cases. GERSON: I noticed right away how short she was. But she’s defi-

TASMIN: The first thing I noticed about him… well he was a lot taller than I imagined he would be. But 12:00 P.M., TIFFIN, TAKOMA I realized I recognized him from PARK Blair hallways, so I knew I was here with the right person. We also TASMIN: I got there about five realized we had a mutual friend, minutes early and started reading and it was nice to talk about that a book. I was sitting facing away for a while. from the doors GERSON: The but there was a best part of the big wall of mirdate was that we rors, so I was facgot to know each ing the mirrors other. I had seen and saw the peoher around a lot ple coming in. I and she’s good saw what looked friends with one of like a student my closest friends. aged guy come But I didn’t know in and he went her, had never over to the hosttalked to her beess and it looked fore, and to actulike he was tryally get to know ing to figure out her was great. The where to go, so I worst part was sort of stood up that, well, I usually and waved. don’t eat breakfast GERSON: I got on Sundays, so I there, and I saw COURTESY OF GERSON MADERA AND TASMIN SWANSON was pretty hungry her, but I wasn’t around that time. sure it was her, Seniors Tasmin Swanson and Gerson Madera met at The hardest part but then she Tiffin, a local eatery specializing in Indian cuisine. was trying to destood up and waved at me. Then we went and nitely really nice, I liked that. The cide whether I should eat a lot and got some food and we came back conversation went really naturally. not worry about it or should I be and just talked. We talked about As I can remember there were only respectful. a lot of stuff: classes, why we did two awkward pauses when she or TASMIN: Overall I had fun, he’s date lab, school, our futures, grad- I had just taken a bite and didn’t really easy to talk to and he had a uating and stuff. I thought it was want to be rude and talk with my lot of interesting things to say, so really interesting that she wanted mouth full. We talked more about it was a fun conversation. We had books [than music or TV]. I like to more in common than I expected; to go to Scotland for college. TASMIN: He told me about how read a lot and so does she, but we we’re both vegetarian, we both he had a half-day schedule and both have this thing where we’re enjoy reading so that was great. worked as an assistant in a law of- not really interested in books that There was definitely no flirting, no real chemistry between us, but it fice, and I thought that was really we have to read for school. Feb. 27, 2011

was friendly and enjoyable. GERSON: I would give the date and 8 or a 7.5. It was really interesting, but if I could do it again I would have prepared a list of subjects to talk about, stuff that will not get you into trouble but will keep the conversation going. TASMIN: On a scale

of 1-10 I would give the date a 7.5. There wasn’t really any chemistry, but it was fun. Interviews by Helen Bowers

JEWEL GALBRAITH

Hip-hop, Hugh Hefner and no teapots make for the perfect marriage Feb. 27, 2011 1:30 P.M., VICINO RISTORANTE ITALIANO, SILVER SPRING RACHEL: I was kind of freaking out before the date. I had this plan with my mom

that if I texted her “teapot,” she would call me two minutes later and I would have to “go home,” if it was a really awkward date or if he was really, really trife looking. AARON: I got there first and Rachel came in about five minutes after me. We then saw each other and were like, “Oh my gosh, we’re on a date together!” RACHEL: When I first got there he was already there because I was a little bit late, trying to be fashionably late. I actually kind of knew him, so it was a surprise. I didn’t expect that. AARON: I knew of her, but I didn’t actually know her. I hadn’t had a conversation with her, I see her in the hallway with an awkward “Oh, I kind of know you but not really.” RACHEL: After I got there I sat down and we talked and ordered food. I got pesto pasta and he had spaghetti bolognese. AARON: We talked about a lot of cliché things. We asked “What’s your favorite color,” “If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be?” We asked like where our family’s from and all of those clichéd questions. RACHEL: We both tried not to make it awkward. He had a good sense of humor so we were joking basically the whole time. AARON: At first there were a few awkward pauses, because we didn’t really know each JEWEL GALBRAITH

other. We asked those questions and then after a while it just started flowing better and we got to know each other, so it was great. RACHEL: I didn’t really know him at all honestly, but I learned that the music that he listens to hip-hop, that he is creative, that he’s funny and pretty cool. AARON: At first I didn’t know she was Australian and Asian so I found that out. And, she would be Hugh Hefner if she could be someone for a day, so that really surprised

Senior Aaron King and junior Rachel me. I didn’t think a girl would want to be the owner of Playboy. We talked a lot about entertainment and her music choices. It was a really deep conversation. I would have to say that was the most thought provoking conversation we had. We have similar taste but she likes dubstep and I kind of would rather go away from it.

RACHEL: I think our tastes are a little bit different but it’s okay because everyone has their different style. It’s not a problem AARON: We just had a good time and after a while I asked her if she wanted me to take her home. So I took her home and we had conversations during the ride and that was about it. If I had to describe the date in three words, I would say that it was funny, interesting and semi-awkward. RACHEL: It was really fun. I think his sense of humor and easygoing attitude were his best qualities. He was really chill. AARON: We added each other on Facebook afterwards. We’re getting married. In Delaware. We already planned it. (laughs) But we’ll see in the future if anything happens. RACHEL: I would rate COURTESY OF RACHEL CHEN AND AARON KING the date an 8 or so. I Chen share their lunch. mean, we’re getting married. I think I would wait for him, or any guy, to call me first. AARON: I would say the date was an 8. I would definitely go out with her again, she was a blast. I’m a person of action, so I’ll call her. Interviews by Helen Bowers and Jewel Galbraith

ENTERTAINMENT

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March 10, 2011

By Claire Koenig

Washington, D.C., is quickly becoming one of the food truck capitals of the country, with over 30 trucks roaming the city streets today and at least seven more getting ready to open up shop in the next year or so. The culinary concept behind each of the trucks is unique and tasty; ranging from Canadian poutine on hot dogs to gourmet french fries and milkshakes, the trucks’ interesting choices span several continents. So next time you’re looking for a fast, satisfying bite to eat downtown, spring for these quirky alternatives.

The Big Cheese

TaKorean

It would be a dreary day in Farragut Square if not for the small group of laughing, young professionals off from work for a quick lunch break to warm up before they head back to the office. Their stop of choice? The Big Cheese, an inviting truck that serves the most deliciously all-American comfort food on the classy side of casual: gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. With a selection of all-natural, locally produced ingredients, The Big Cheese strives to offer a number of yummy toasted-bread-andcheese combinations, including its most popular sandwiches, the traditional Barely Buzzed (cheddar on sourdough bread) and Midnight Moon (gouda and caramelized onions on whole wheat bread). The Big Cheese is also famous for its tomato soup, a spicy concoction with a rather thin consistency but a supremely bold flavor. One of the truck’s most appealing aspects, apart from the warm food, is the warm service. The employees are personable and friendly, carefully writing down names and striking up conversation about new food truck laws. The food is tasty and reasonably priced ($6.60 for a goodsized sandwich and $4.50 for a cup of soup) — the perfect treat for a rainy day in the District.

What do you get when you mix Korean barbecue with Mexican tacos while in California? Although it sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, this was the basic principle used to create the first Korean/Mexican food truck that has roamed the streets of Los Angeles since 2008. Founder and head chef Roy Choi and some friends needed a late-night snack and decided to concoct the first Korean/Mexican taco. The L.A. truck (called Kogi) has become a sensation, and the once-small business now operates four different trucks and one restaurant location in downtown L.A. The food fad they began has now extended all the way to Washington, D.C. The TaKorean truck runs a separate operation based off but unaffiliated with the original L.A. truck. But the concept remains the same — well-marinated Korean barbecue inside a soft-shell taco. The tacos come in three different variations — Bulgogi Steak, Tangy Chicken and Caramelized Tofu — and cost $3.00 per small-sized taco. The curious combination of tacos and Korean filling blends surprisingly well and is worth the experience; however, the line can be long, so get there early.

COURTESY OF MEGABETH.NET

CLAIRE KOENIG

Fojol Bros

Sâuçá With a regular cycle of dishes including at least one meal from every inhabitable continent in the world, the Sâuçá truck’s menu is truly one-of-a-kind. From Mumbai butter chicken to the Medi veggie entrée from the Mediterranean, from Mexicali fish tacos to North American Buffalo Wings, Sâuçá’s huge range of meals are all tasty and unusual. Although the meals hail from a number of countries around the world, most dishes are served as COURTESY OF PRINCEOFPETWORTH.COM filling inside of a wrap, making the food more portable for meals on the run. And each globally diverse morsel is perfectly delicious. The Sâuçá chefs have mastered the difficult art of preparing a diverse array of food, making every dish different and proudly upholding the mission statement to provide the streets of the nation’s capital with interesting international cuisine. And because of the cycling menu, no matter how many times you find this truck it will always offer something new. Portion sizes are small, and a bit expensive at $8.00 per dish, but the bold Sâuçá taste is well worth the investment.

Movies Red Riding Hood (PG-13) — Valerie (Amanda Seyfried) is a young woman trying to decide between two suitors. She’s fallen in love with an orphaned woodcutter, against the wishes of her family. However, she’s engaged to marry Henry, the wealthy townsman. Valerie and Peter plan to run away together, until they learn that Valerie’s older sister has been killed by the werewolf that prowls the dark forest surrounding her village. A blood-red moon brings trouble; the wolf ignores his usual animal sacrifice and takes a human life. Seeking revenge, the townspeople call upon Father Solomon, the famed werewolf hunter. The major problem posed is that the wolf takes human form by day and could be any of the people. As the death toll rises and the town panics, Valerie

Two dashing men in turbans and fake mustaches serve a long line of patrons from the pinkrimmed window. Occasionally they sing along to the funky music playing from the stereo as they take orders and put together food. A couple of customers relax on the large blanket set on the grass nearby for patrons; another washes her hands in the handy sink on the side of the truck. It’s just another day at the delightfully scrumptious carnival that COURTESY OF THE WASHINGTON TIMES is the Fojol Bros food truck. The Bros truck is one D.C.’s most popular for good reason. The truck’s atmosphere is lively, and the specialized Indian food is delicious. There are two options for a bite at the Fojol truck, each based off Indian or Ethiopian cuisine and given its own made-up name by the chefs. Spicy, curry-like ‘Merilindian’ dishes like buttered chicken or chicken masala mingle with ‘Benethiopian’ food like beef berbere or lentils with beef, which is eaten with the fingers on injera. The entrées are the perfect blend of spicy, exotic and reasonable; for dessert, the ‘bros’ serve flavored frozen lassipops to finish off the experience. Most dishes are $7.00 for a relatively large portion.

BEYOND the Boulevard

discovers she’s connected to the beast, in a deadly kind of way. (March 11)

Limitless (PG-13) — Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is an unsuccessful writer who’s caught in a slump. He runs into an old friend who introduces Morra to a “FDA-approved” mysterious pharmaceutical that allows him to access 100 percent of his brainpower. Morra finishes his book in four days, acquires gross wealth through the stock market and becomes his “perfect” self. However, the drug begins to have negative side effects as a businessman (Robert De Niro) discovers Morra’s secret. The adventure takes the viewer on a journey of wealth, power, brilliance, success and destruction. (March 18)

DVDs The Tourist (PG-13) — Frank (Johnny Depp)

is an American tourist whose unexpected rendezvous with a mysterious stranger Elise (Angelina Jolie) leads to a twisted adventure. This movie is full of romance and danger as Depp and Jolie unexpectedly find themselves in a dangerously flirtatious encounter. Frank originally set out to Italy to help mend his broken heart, and he is gaining confidence until he runs into Elise. Set in Paris and Venice, this fast-paced action flick turns into a deadly game. (March 22)

and Nina’s jealousy slowly leads her down a perilous path, in which she begins to embody the black swan. Director Darren Aronofsky’s wild stylistic choices take viewers on an intense metaphorical ride. (March 29)

Black Swan (R) — This movie charts the journey of the prima ballerina, Nina (an Oscar-winning Natalie Portman), on a quest to embody the roles of the black and white swan and her subsequent downward spiral into psychological turmoil. Nina is chosen to play the swan princess in the famous ballet Swan Lake. Her director highlights the talent displayed by a rival dancer Lily (Mila Kunis),

Lil Wayne at 1st Mariner Arena; Sunday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m.; tickets $47.75

Concerts

Pete Yorn with Ben Kweller and The Wellspring at the Rams Head Live; Tuesday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m.; tickets $25

Janet Jackson at D.A.R. Constitution Hall; Tuesday, March 22 at 8:00 p.m.; tickets $98

Beyond the Boulevard compiled by Simrin Gupta and Eliza Wapner

silverCHIPS

March 10, 2011

Celebrate a mad March, Chips-style

ENTERTAINMENT 25

Honoring March’s best (and weirdest) holidays section, we found everything from attractively packaged organic entrees to unsettling It’s March: The temperatures are finally low-calorie desserts. Our final choices were rising, the Mardi Gras king cake is long gone a promising natural chicken fajita burrito, a and the only holiday to look forward to is St. potentially tasty apple pie and an ominousPatrick’s Day, right? Wrong. March offers a looking Hungry Man meal that promised slew of holidays and observances so wacky “over a pound of food!” you won’t even have time to ask, “What exWe decided to face our fears head on, and actly is the Great American Meat Out (March thrust the Hungry Man into the microwave 20)?” Starting with Pig Day (March 1) and for a worrisome nine minutes. The festive ending with Bunsen Burner Day (March 31), turkey dinner offered bland, rubbery turthe third month really does have it all. Here key, clumpy stuffing and grainy mashed potatoes, all drenched in gravy. Our favorite part, however, was the curious “Apple Cranberry Dessert” Hungry Man so kindly included. We generously declared it edible before handing the meal off to Jialin’s dog, who admittedly enjoyed it quite a bit. Our next foray into frozen food was less frightening, but hardly delicious. On the box, our burrito looked like PHOTOS BY EVAN HORNE Chipotle, but one March is a great time to go visit this adorable Corgi at bite into the natural “Evol” chicken burJust Puppies. Celebrate Puppy Day on March 23. rito revealed that it are a few Chips-tested ideas on how to cel- was far from take out and more like Mexican ebrate our favorite March observances. mush. The burrito tasted decent, but our initial disappointment really soured the flavor. Chilling reality Finally, we finished off our touch-and-go meal with an Edward’s frozen apple pie. Its We were delighted to discover that March mini size and convenience delighted us, but is Frozen Food Month. In honor of the pres- its just-out-of-the-freezer taste left something tigious occasion, we headed to the frozen to be desired. We decided to call it even, and aisle of our local grocery store to try our luck take the optimistic stance that a frozen apple with microwavable cuisine. In the freezer pie is better than no apple pie at all. All and

By Jialin Quinlan and Natalie Rutsch

all, however, celebrating sub-par Frozen Food may be the most traumatic part of March, and that’s including getting pinched on St. Patrick’s Day.

A mysterious case

Every detective and trench coat-enthusiast’s role model, Sherlock Holmes is an indisputable cultural icon. It seemed only fair that March dedicate a weekend (March 18-20) to one of the greatest fictional sleuths of all time. You can spend your weekend reading Conan Doyle, watching one of the many film or television Holmes adaptations, or, if you’re adventurous like a Silver Chips entertainment editor, solving a mystery of your own. Our first step, naturally, was to get properly outfitted. Magnifying glass in hand, we headed up University Boulevard to Value Village to dig up Sherlock’s At Value Village, Jialin and Natalie pay signature look for ourselves. We first zeroed in on the rack homage to detectives in honor of Sherlock of men’s coats and found our- Holmes’ Weekend, March 18 to 20. selves some floor-length trenches to go along with our magnifying glass. Un- cuddly puppies. Upon arrival, we were imfortunately, the closest we could get to the mediately smitten with a trio of Corgi pupmaster detective’s hat were a pair of baseball pies, who won our hearts as they scampered caps with earflaps. Once our outfits were and tumbled. Natalie in particular dropped complete, we put on our best straight to the floor and refused crime-solving faces and we point blank to emerge from were good to go. the puppy pile. In our Sherlock outWe also met a wriggly fits, our next step was Golden Retriever and an to find a Blair mystery adventurous Black Labthat needed solvrador, who quickly set ing. We searched about trying to destroy our high and low for the shoe buckles. Another favorite kind of mystery that was a miniature schnauzer who could rival those of was so small that he could fit in Jialin’s Doyle’s stories, but two hands. His spunky attitude was only came across small disfar bigger than his tiny size. appearances (although the owners Nothing is better than being of the missing staplers insisted that “forced” to spend an afternoon playit was a crime worthy of our time). ing with some of the cutest puppies We are ever vigilant, however, so on the planet. We only hope that the let us know if you discover the next Just Puppies employees don’t catch ERIC GABRIEL great Blair mystery. on and start recognizing us as the faux puppy customers that we are. Puppy play date Whether you spend March snacking on TV dinners, scoping out mysteries or cudIn honor of Puppy Day (March 23), we dling up to an adorable pup, it’s bound to were handed the perfect excuse to seek out be a great month. Try to make every day a a pet store to find some adorable puppies to celebration of one of the eccentric holidays play with. We headed over to Just Puppies March offers. And while you’re at it, don’t on Veirs Mill Road, also known as heaven on forget to show Silver Chips some love — it’s earth, which, as the name says, sells only tiny, Small Press Month, after all!

26 ADS

March 10, 2011

silverCHIPS

ENTERTAINMENT 27

March 10, 2011

By Eli Okun and Natalie Rutsch T-5 minutes. You leap from a moving vehicle, slam the door shut and join the herd making its way toward the entrance. Once inside, you confront a new set of obstacles: From the slick floors to the confusing maze of halls, the journey promises to be difficult. But before you reach your destination, a chime overhead seals your fate. It’s 7:25 a.m. on a Tuesday morning, and another day at Montgomery Blair High School has begun. Our beloved high school isn’t exactly the war zone we sometimes make it out to be. We’re in a relatively new building, still holding onto some of MoCo’s dwindling funds and taken care of by a dedicated building service staff. Regardless, whether it’s braving the parking lot, navigating the halls or surviving the classrooms, the massive student population can still make Blair tricky to navigate. And as seniors, we think it’s about time we learn how to traverse our hefty high school without getting our spirits, or toes, crushed. If you’re overwhelmed on Blair Boulevard, try following our simple rules. You’ll not only make it to school on time, you’ll excel in classroom etiquette and maybe even ace the classes themselves (don’t hold us accountable on that last one).

Breathe easy, it’s only 7:20. Alternately, invest in a jet pack, take up residence in a classroom or bribe the county to fix the traffic lights in your favor — short of any of that, traffic is pretty unavoidable. Even if you manage to survive the clogged roads surrounding Blair, the parking lot itself is a challenge. Students flood in from every direction, narrowly avoiding the crowding cars. Students on buses luck out; the separate bus entrance saves students a long wait in the line of cars entering the lot. For student drivers and parents, the parking lot is a whole other story. The line of cars inches slowly into the parking lot, seeming to slow exponentially the closer it gets to the fateful hour of 7:25. Parents stop wherever they can to drop off their Blazers, and sleep-deprived students with new licenses pull haphazardly into their spots. The situation is dire. The best way to escape the parking pandemonium is to avoid the lot altogether. Get your adrenaline pumping in the morning with a sprightly leap from the car onto the University sidewalk (kidding, kind of). If you’re a student driver, and can’t avoid the lot, try to score a spot near the entrance. If all else fails, you can always wake up a few minutes earlier and avoid the crowd completely. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Invest in a jet pack, take up residence in a classroom or bribe the county to fix the traffic lights in your favor.

Arrival of the fittest Whether you drive, ride, walk, bike or unicycle to school, you’ve certainly experienced traffic. For many Blazers, the trip to school turns treacherous at the dreaded University-Colesville light. If waiting for the crosswalk signal or the green light on University is part of your daily routine, you understand the frustration this particularly congested intersection presents. Next time, instead of throwing up your hands up and accepting a tardy, plan ahead. The night before a daunting school day, set your watch forward five minutes. Panicked in the parking lot at what appears to be 7:25?

Hazardous hallways Once you’re in the building, the halls can present a whole different set of problems. From the irritating couples clogging up the walkways to the unexpected overturned Cup O’Noodles, Blazers must struggle through many obstacles during the short six minutes they have to hurry between classes. Often, the collision of two moving targets can really derail a hallway experience. Such disasters are usually small, with the girl who walks into you because her eyes and thumbs are glued to her cellphone screen. But they

can become dangerous, too, especially after the warning bell sounds. We’ve all known the pure terror of watching somebody barrel down the hall to class, overstuffed backpack swinging wildly. It’s like an ambulance without the emergency. To avoid real emergency, our tip is to maintain constant vigilance and be quick on your feet. Be two steps ahead (sometimes literally) of the Blazer hurtling towards you and ready to dodge when necessary. Consider investing in Dance Dance Revolution or another video game that trains you in speed and agility — it could be your only savior from a full-on collision. Even DDR won’t protect you, however, from a strange but strangely common phenomenon: indoor rain. It’s not drops of liquid precipitation but rather the cascade of items from the second and third floors that fall and splatter down on the heads of unsuspecting Blair Boulevard walkers. It can range from the silly (a senior-prank downpour of bouncy balls) to the messy (a Gatorade waterfall), but it’s always more fun for thrower than thrownupon. Seriously, stop tossing food at us. There’s an easy way to keep a clean head, though. Just take the back hallways! We know that Blair Boulevard, with its stately curves and broad swatches of faux-Christmas red and green, holds a certain allure, but there’s a myriad of smaller, humbler halls that would be happy to have you. Best of all, they run in a zigzag nearly parallel to the big guy, so inter-class navigation is just as easy.

Classroom calamities You might think that the dangers end at the classroom door. You’d be terribly wrong. Once again, watch out for unexpected horrors from above. Leaks in the ceiling might drip water onto your desk, which isn’t so bad, until you start to realize that the second-floor boys’ bathroom is directly overhead. A more common problem than mysterious drips is temperature. With heat in summer and air conditioning in winter, classrooms can feel like all seasons regardless of the month. Try dressing in at least four layers, because you never know when going from English to Algebra will feel like traveling from the Sahara to the Antarctic.

Even if overheated classrooms aren’t causing you to break a sweat, your classmates might. In particular, we’re thinking of that moment five minutes before the bell when the question on everybody’s lips is whether the teacher will remember to collect the homework. Word to the wise: Don’t be that guy. To avoid an equally detrimental classroom faux pas, keep in mind that leg-room is very serious business. Even if you have longer legs than Blair’s new buddy Kareem AbdulJabbar, it’s no justification for them to be under your neighbor’s chair, infringing on her precious leg space. Similarly, don’t let your excess of school supplies spill onto surrounding desks. If you really need that much stuff, it’s probably best to find a seat alone. Or, like the rest of the recession-stricken country, you can downsize (your belongings or your legs, we don’t care which). The official school rule is no eating in classrooms. Our rule? No eating food that looks so delicious we won’t be able to distinguish the periodic table from the square root of pi. On a similar note, please stop inviting us to eavesdrop on hushed conversations that are infinitely more interesting than whatever we’re learning in history. Or at least speak up! So, whether you’re honking at slow parents, dodging couples in the hallway or feeling envious of classroom snacks, heed these tips for a safer and more enjoyable school day. In all honesty, we almost always find Blair a fun, safe place to learn. But one final request: Could the administration please just finish the Big Ben chime?

OUT OF BREATH We’ll mention this embarrassing phenomenon in hopes that we aren’t the only ones. In the morning, rushing up the infinite stairs to first period on the third floor, does anyone else end up pathetically out of breath? We, the lazy entertainment writers of Silver Chips, know we depend on a couple seconds to compose ourselves before heading into our class.

ART BY DOYUNG LEE IMAGE COURTESY OF MBHS PLAN BOOK

28 CHIPS CLIPS

Spring Fever by Helen Bowers

ACROSS 1. Traditional Mexican dish consisting of a hard or soft tortilla, meat, lettuce and cheese. 5. Often used to describe a large number of bees or other flying insects. 10. One who gives knowledge and wisdom, ______________ others. 14. A structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers, in french. 15. To listen to a warning is to ______ it.

silverCHIPS

March 10, 2011

16. Anything of or pertaining to flight and aircrafts; _ _ _ _dynamics. 17. Sum of currency belonging to, and usually supporting, a person or organization. 18. A horizontal branch from the base of plant that produces new plants from buds at its tips. 20. A note to follow “so”. 21. Vietnamese New Year. 22. Structure that connects the head to shoulders, plural.

24. All ____ the Queen! 26. Those that suffer, or give their lives for the good of a group or cause. 28. Kids grow into adults, as buds _____ into flowers. 31. Greeting. 32. The large trunk artery that carries blood from the left ventricle of the heart to branch arteries. 33. Pleasantly sugary. 35. Among. 39. Refusal. 40. Someone able to provide medical help usually referred to on the battlefield. 42. Term of endearment, or salutation to a letter, plural. 45. Studio in which one can undergo beauty treatments. 47. Skin tight men’s bathing suits. 50. Sound heard from 27 down. 51. The Spirit of Aviation. 53. International Leadership Association, for short. 56. See 20 Across. 58. Horrific experience. 59. Pummels or strikes, usually with the fist. 60. Name given to ancient Japanese gods and goddesses. 61. To move very fast from one thing to another, or, humming bird in Pocahontas. 62. Handsome, in French. 63. After winter comes the ________. 64. When it’s not rainy, it’s _______. 65. British slang for alone. Or a synonym for a male deer.

DOWN 1. If you haven’t written these kinds of notes, you better get a jump on it! 2. What I did at dinner .

3. Candy that you will certainly like. 4. Wife who allegedly broke up the Beatles Yoko _____. 6. Weighted Quick- Union algorithm, for short. 7. Father’s sister. 8. Obsolete spelling of road, rhymes with spade. 9. _________ of Chincoteague. 10. Educational Housing Society, for short. 11. Old technology used to catch fish. 12. British singer ______ Lewis. 13. One who does no work. 17. Endeavors that don’t succeed are known as __________. 19. Prefix meaning eight. 20. Lair of an evil scientist. 23. Somerville Road Runners, for short. 25. Life is full of highs and _____. 26. Actors who use no spoken word in their performances. 27. Homes for pigs. 30. Fixes. 31. Pig meat often eaten on Christmas or in a sandwich. 34. Salutation for a note, indicating who the recipient is. 38. Making. 41. A snake ________ when it wraps its body in tight circles. 44. Scorch; become superficially burned. 46. National Notary Association, for short. 48. Of or pertaining to the eye. 49. To reserve something you must call ________. 52. Moderate or restrain; lessen the force of. 54. In stead of. 55. In hot weather, __________ is useful (two words). 57. Male Deer. 60. Kilobytes Per Second, abbreviated.

Silver Chips Caption Contest

“Hmmm, the girl looks delicious, but she’s a choking hazard. The bone will last longer, but isn’t as juicy. Decisions, decisions.”- Junior Nate Foley

Semesteritis

The wait at the MVA

SAM ELKIND

Submit caption ideas for the image above to the folder labeled “Caption Contest” on the door of room 165, or to silver.chips.caption. contest@gmail.com.

S U D O K U

COURTESY OF WWW.WEBSUDOKU.COM

by Nathan Gamson

by Doyung Lee

silverCHIPS

10 de marzo de 2011

LA ESQUINA LATINA

Se celebra día Internacional de la mujer

!Exprésate! Por Lilian Leiva

8 de marzo es dedicado a nivel mundial en honor a la mujer Por Alan Marroquín

das este mes incluen Michelle Bachele, presidenta de Chile en el 2006 y Ingrid Betancourt, quien fue prisionera política de las FARC en “¡Lo mejor que ha puesto Dios en la tierra: Colombia durante seis años. Otras son Lydia las mujeres!” comentaba un albañil a unas Cacho, una periodista investigativa que tuvo hermosas mujeres que pasaban por la acera el valor de reportar en los abusos de poder del de University Boulevard y la calle Barron. empresario Kamel Nacif y Rigoberta Menchu, En muchas ocasiones, las mujeres se vuellíder maya y ganadora del Premio ven víctimas de acoso sexual, malNobel de la Paz 1992, por apoyar trato, discriminación y exclusión los derechos de los indígenas. laboral. También se debe mencionar La mayoría de las veces se pia las mujeres sobresalientes en la ensa que la mujer no tiene ningún escuela secundaria de Blair que puesto importante en la sociedad; dedican su vida a la enseñanza y esto es una mentira. Dado a las sabiduría a sus estudiantes, como magnitudes de problemas que Sra. Dora González, maestra de enfrentan, hay habido éxitos inespañol y colaboradora para el creibles que la mujer logra. Se los periódico Silver Chips, además de ha conmemorado un día especial ser coordinadora de la Sociedad para que todos los hombres y muHonoraria Hispánica. También a jeres de todas partes del mundo la Sra. Margarita Bohórquez, quien se reúnan a celebrarlo. Cada 8 de es coordinadora del departamento marzo, desde 1911, miles de mude ESOL, y a cada una de las maejeres se congregan a festejar su día stras de los estudiantes de ESOL. A internacional de la mujer. CORTESIA DE BLOGONCHERRY.COM Tania Borrego, Kelly Ventura y JaEmpezando desde el laborioso momento del parto de cinco a Alredor de 15,000 mujeres marchan en las calles nett Encinas, escritoras del periódico ochos horas, las mujeres tienen la de Nueva York para el día internacional de la mujer. Silver Chips y su gran labor de lucha cada día y a la Sra. Diana Blitz, confuerza, poder y capacidad para dar luz a los generaciones futuras que van eventos que promueven la no violencia, la sejera de los jóvenes que empiezan su vida en los Estados Unidos apoyándolos y guiána popular esta tierra. Ya que al momento que no descriminación y la igualdad de género. En Rusia es un día festivo, un día donde el dolos por igual. uno de los recién nacidos es niña, inmediataEl valor que cada una de estas mujeres esmente nace una familia y la vida del ser hu- hombre consiente a cada mujer que conozca mano. Desde ese momento se debe apreciar el llevándole rosas, regalos y detalles que a las peciales representan merece nuestro respeto mujeres les encanta. Además en este mes el y reconocimiento. valor de las mujeres en el mundo. Así, devolviéndole el cumplido al albañil En algunos casos, el hombre es el que de- gobierno lo ha declarado como un día festivo atrevido que aquél día dijo, “Lo mejor que cide abandonar a su familia y dejar solas a para la comunidad rusa. Muchos eventos conmemoran la valentía ha puesto Dios en la tierra” ¡las mujeres!, sus compañeras de hogar. Es lamentable que el que debe proteger a su familia, sea el que de muchas mujeres que han sido capaces de podríamos orgullosamente añadir - Dios las engrandecer el género femenino. Unas mu- puso por una razon, “cambiar el mundo en el la destruya. En muchos países es un día de descanso jeres prominentas que han habido recogniza- que vivimos.” para muchas. En Santiago, Chile, igualmente se unen a la celebración organizando una marcha a las dos de la tarde y culminan con actos de reconocimiento de mujeres sobresalientes en el país. En los Estados Unidos se reúnen miles de mujeres en diferentes estados a celebrar con

Ella, la que siempre esta ahí Ella es la que siempre esta ahí, no puedo aceptarlo pero es así. Como lo hace no lo sé, pero siempre encuentra el momento exacto para alejarme de él. Sabe lo que él siente por mi y lo que yo siento por él y aún no le importa. Escucha hasta las conversaciones mas privadas entre nosotros y no demuestra celos. Si él necesita ayuda en algo ella es la primera en dársela. Está con él todo el tiempo aunque no la necesite. Cuando yo lo llamo y él no puede contestar, me contesta ella como toda la descarada que es y me dice con una voz suave y sin prisa que le deje un mensaje, que en cuanto él pueda se comunica conmigo. Y ahí es cuando la quiero tener frente a frente y poderle dejar en claro que él es mío. Pero lamentablemente no lo puedo hacer. No soy ese tipo de persona y ella no me puede dar la cara. Se esconde detrás de un muro, el cual yo no puedo derrumbar. Solo escucharla me provoca vomitar. Pero ahí está y siempre va a estar, aunque yo no la quiera en nuestras vidas. Se burla de mi yo lo sé. Pero más me burlo yo, porque ella no puede abrazarlo y jamás lo escuchará decirle te amo. ¿Porque tenía que tener voz de mujer? Cuánto la odio, no la soporto más. La odio aunque ella sólo sea la contestadora de su teléfono.

Nunca te des por vencido, jamás pierdas la esperanza Porque después de la tormenta siempre viene la calma antes anhelada Por Tania Borrego Es uno de esos días en los que todo te sale mal. El reloj despertador decide a traicionarte, el autobús te deja, llegas tarde a la escuela y no soportas el dolor de cabeza. Simplemente te levantaste con el pie izquierdo. “Todo me pasa a mi, no hago nada bien, siempre es lo mismo,” son los pensamientos que rondan por tu cabeza. Sabes que necesitas un cambio en tu vida, pero te da miedo. El hecho de comenzar completamente de nuevo, dejar todo atrás y cambiar tus hábitos te intimida. Según las estadísticas, las comunidades minoritarias como los latinos, somos más propicios a desarrollar depresión. Ya sea por causas externas o internas como estrés, pesimismo o simplemente razones biológicas. Esto nos conduce a muchas otras actitudes que no solamente nos afectan a nosotros, pero a todos los que nos aprecian. Y lo peor de todo es que se vuelve un hábito o una ‘cadenita’ en el sentido que así como se contagia la alegría, se contagia la tristeza; pero con más fuerza. Entonces me pregunto, ¿por qué si somos

concientes de lo que sucede, no hacemos nada al respecto? Si cada uno de nosotros tiene la capacidad de tomar las riendas de nuestra vida, ¿por qué no nos guiamos por el mejor camino? Algunos comentan que todo se basa en el método llamado ‘la ley de la atracción’. Según esta ley, tanto tú como yo tenemos el poder y la capacidad de decidir nuestro futuro, y atraer todo lo que deseamos a nuestra vida. Esto es influenciado por mas que nada los pensamientos, ya sean negativos o positivos. Independientemente de que esa ley sea cierta o no, está comprobado que nuestra actitud define muchas cosas. Por ejemplo, si comenzamos el día con una sonrisa y pensando ‘hoy es mi día’, todo lo que nos pase no parecerá oportuno. Al contrario, si amanecemos con mal humor, consecutivamente todo nos molestará. Pero ¿cuál sería la mejor manera de comenzar el cambio? Tal vez despreocupándote y ocupándote de lo que mas te agobia. ¿Te sientes atrapado dentro de una rutina? ¡Busca maneras diferentes de hacer lo mismo!. Estoy de acuerdo contigo que

algunos problemas no están al alcance de nuestras manos, porque no depende de nosotros poder resolverlos. Pero entonces,

una película, y tú eres el protagonista. No le des papeles importantes a las situaciones o a las personas que no se lo merecen, y en lugar de eso, contribuye para que los problemas se resuelvan. Personalmente, te daré un consejo que aprendí estos últimos meses: cuando te sientas triste o apagado, es cuando con más razón debes de seguir adelante. Encuentra tu escape: algo que te complazca hacer, de preferencia algo productivo. Escucha música alegre. No te aisles, apóyate en tus amistades. Como alCORTESIA DE CHIPSITES.COM guien dijo un día, la felicidad es un trayecto, no Miedo es considerado uno de los principales un destino. No vayas por factores que pueden intensificar la depresión. ahí buscando que el munsi no podemos hacer nada acerca de ellos, do te complazca. En lugar de eso, crea lo que ¿por que nos atormentarmos? Simplemente te haga felíz y lo más importante, nunca te no vale la pena… Imagina que tu vida es des por vencido.

¿Y tú, qué PIENSAS? Si fueras invisible por un día, ¿que harías?

“Visitaría a las personas que están solas.” Jose Umanzor, Doceavo grado

“Iría a un lugar donde hubiera mucha comida y comería todo lo que pudiera.” Dudveris Reyes, Onceavo grado

“Me escondería a la hora del examen.” Jose Oliva, Doceavo grado

30 SPORTS

silverCHIPS

March 10, 2011

A new game plan for playing at the next level Blazers take their athleticism to college and offer suggestions to students

By Gardi Royce As the cameras flashed and the audience clapped, senior Caleb Furlow smiled — finally all of his hard work and dedication paid off. On Feb. 2, National Signing Day, the day when athletes finalize their choice of college, Furlow committed to play football for the Virginia Military Institute. This date marked an end to Furlow’s successful high school football career and a beginning to a exciting journey into Division One athletics. Other Blazers, including seniors Arthur Tsapdong and Assani Mudimbi, also received athletic scholarships, but the process of getting recruited for college sports is complicated and not always as easy as posing for photos. From his first day of JV football practice, Furlow was confident in his talent and passionate about eventually playing football at the Division One level. Yet the entire recruiting process was still foreign to him: He had no knowledge of what summer football camps to go to, where to meet scouts, or how to get recruited. “Coming in I didn’t really know how to get exposure or show myself off to coaches and schools,” he says. It wasn’t until his junior year that the coaches started instructing players on how to find schools and meet college coaches. Head Coach Jeffery Seals took Furlow and other outstanding players to Nike football camps, where they were able to gain exposure to recruiters and coaches. During this time, Tsapdong, who later received a full scholarship to play football at Seton Hall University, was exposed to the realities of the recruiting “game,” as it’s frequently called. “It’s really a game of politics. It comes down to who you know and what connections you have,” he says. Lack of the “exposure” that Furlow and

Seals stress, often inhibits players from lesser-known high schools. Especially when the team isn’t performing as well, it becomes that much more important to attend showcase events. Though camps are a critical part, athletes should also compile a highlight tape following their junior and senior year to distribute information about the athletes. Director of Scouting Scot Kennedy of “Scout with Foxsport. com” adds that while formal exposure may be hard to come by, athletes are being judged constantly. “You never know who is watching and when. So assume someone is always watching,” he says. “I can scout a kid standing in line at the supermarket and watch how he treats the people around him.” While many athletes get caught up in lifting weights and getting strong, Kennedy stresses that work ethic and dedication are the most important aspects. “It’s [strength] necessary for playing, but the scouting process is about projecting into the future, not who is the best player right now,” he says. “But I want to see a player that plays hard on every down.” Yet one of the most influential factors in the

high school. “You have to be respectful on your way up, because you never know who you’re going to need on your way down,” he says. Kennedy says that recruiters look for a strong commitment to academics, not just athletics. “If two players are of similar talent, the one with academics is going to be given the scholarship first,” he says. This commitment to education is something many overlook. Both Seals and Boatman agree that grades and school are possibly the biggest factor when college coaches look at certain players. While the impact of grades are undeniable, Boatman also stresses how important it is for parents to get involved in the process. “The parents have to get involved so they know what their child is going through,” he says. “We as coaches can only do so much, their kid needs their support and help.” He said parents should attend meetings where coaches hand out pamphlets about the process, enabling them to help their children during this complicate time. As this chapter in their lives winds to a close, Furlow and Tsapdong are content that they made the right decision to pursue athletics past high school. All the dedication was worthwhile. For them, sports aren’t a hobby — they are a passion and MAGGIE SHI commitment, an aspect of their lives me asking about certain players and I just they will never lose. “Being successful in shake my head because I know they don’t sports all comes down to one thing,” Furlow have the grades,” he says. “That’s what really says. “Whether you truly love the game with makes you upset as a coach.” Seals believes all your heart. If you do, nothing can stop that most players have academic difficul- you.” For Furlow, the road to recruitment ties because they are unable to respect their hasn’t been easy, but he will never forget the teachers’ importance and influence beyond lessons he’s learned. recruitment process has nothing to do with sports, coaches or even the recruiters themselves. Rather, it’s what transpires between the whistles and weights: the hard work done in the classroom. Boatman wishes he saw players work as hard in class as they do on the field. “I cannot tell you how many times big-time Division One coaches have come to

A ‘Kehne’ sense for competition Freshman athlete shines in the slalom kayaking community By Simrin Gupta

the fastest time possible. Kehne was first introduced to whitewater slalom at her summer camp, Valley Mill, located in Germantown, Maryland. Valley Mill, accredited by the American Camp Association, was first established in the Washington area in 1956. Kehne’s coach, Bruce Uthus says Kehne immediately showed a keen interest in slalom, which motivated her to be successful. Despite the fact that slalom isn’t well known, Kehne’s athletic drive pushed her to do well.

she won first place for the fastest time on Class I and II rapids. Class She has played for Blair’s junior I rapids are a type of course that varsity soccer team and she is on consists of small rough areas while Blair ’s crew team. She played Class II rapids have some rougher softball in middle school, she bikes water but also have rocks and small recreationally and she even knows drops that require more maneuverhow to unicycle. She also maning and technique. ages the girls’ basketball team, but She won the competition again only because a soccer-related knee in 2009. Shortly after, Kehne cominjury prevents her from being out peted in the USA Canoe and Kayak on the court. Blair athletes know Nationals and placed eighth. “It that freshman Adrianne Kehne is was the most intense race I’ve ever a sports maniac — but her biggest been in,” she says. The Nationathletic achievement is in a sport als are an elite race, Kehne was with which most of them are comTeam player competing against Olympic-level pletely unfamiliar. paddlers. Competing at such a Most Blazers have never heard Kehne’s racing team, comprised high level requires somewhat of a of whitewater slalom racing, an in- of her fifteen campmates, frequently natural ability. tense Olympic sport whose athletes competes in races in and around Uthus says one of the first things aim to navigate a canoe or kayak Maryland. In her first competition, he noticed about Kehne was her through a series of 18-25 gates in the Penn Cup in the fall of 2008, natural athletic skill, which he suspects is a result of the countless sports she competes in. “Considering she hadn’t been exposed to slalom before, she picked it up quickly,” he says. That first win inspired Kehne to race in bigger competitions, eventually leading up to the Junior Olympics. When she raced in 2009, she took first place in the one-person kayak (K1) race. She and her paddling partner, freshman Lily Durkee, also won the two person canoe (C2) race, a victory left them so elated they dubbed their run the “race of their lives.” The fact that they were the only female team in the water only added to their excitement. But Kehne admits she wouldn’t have been able to compete as well without the support of her teammates. When Kehne went back to the Junior Olympics in 2010, she won the downriver event, took fourth place in the Kehne (back) and paddling partner freshman Lily Durkee (front) K1 event and second in the C2. She says she thinks the best part swivel their kayak through the unrelenting and choppy water.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ADRIANNE KEHNE

Kehne cuts through rapids on a converted section of the Ottowa River during the 2009 Junior Olympics. of the trips is the time she gets to spend with her teammates. “The social aspect of slalom is hugely important,” she says. “I like that my team will always give me encouragement whenever I’m feeling iffy about a course.”

Year-round routine Kehne’s slalom success stems from her extensive training regiment. During the whitewater slalom season in the spring and fall, she and her teammates have biweekly two-hour training sessions where they set up gates and courses on the Potomac River. They also do flat-water training, which Kehne compares to the endurance running of track and field. Kehne is also on the water every day during her six weeks at camp over the summer. During the off-season, the team kayaks indoors at pools where Uthus says they mostly focus on technique. When she’s not working hard at practice, Kehne has other ways of keeping fit. “Doing a lot of different sports really helps me stay in shape,” she says. Kehne practices weight lifting and core training as

well, in addition to the workouts she gets from Blair’s crew practice. With such great emphasis on athletics, Kehne says she sometimes struggles to make time for schoolwork. She balances sports with rigorous magnet work and playing the bassoon in Blair’s symphonic band. “I’ve learned that I really have to budget my time. If I have a race coming up, I know I definitely have to turn in work in advance,” she says. Although Kehne’s passion for whitewater slalom started less than two years ago, she is already excited about pursuing it in the future. “I would love to continue to paddle through college, and of course it would be amazing to go to the Olympics one day,” she says. Kehne says she is also considering paddling professionally, which she’s always considered the ultimate achievement. For now, her sights are set on becoming a member of the junior national team and competing in the upcoming 2012 Junior Worlds competition in Wisconsin. Her more immediate goal, however, is keeping her head above the water while juggling her schoolwork, extracurriculars and athletics.

silverCHIPS

SPORTS 31

March 10, 2011

Basketball boys wreck the rec league By Claire Sleigh

Scrap City and Niceboyz. Each of these teams stemmed from a solid group of friends in search of a way to hang out, have fun and be competitive. And they found the perfect outlet for their energy and enthusiasm in Montgomery County’s rec basketball league.

Ten off-the-rim-dunks in the last game, three players kicked out of the gym, dozens of technical fouls and one player crashing into the referee. This is Montgomery County Recreational Basketball’s Scrap City, and they are here to The name game win. Off the court, they relive the Just as important to the teams glory of their matches, mentally prepare for upcoming games and as success are their names. Study train. On the court, they are a sin- hall adviser Mary Nawabi served gle-headed beast, a forceful entity as the inspiration for the NiceBoyz. that destroys all competition. Who Senior team member Sean Shiang knew Division III rec basketball says that many of the team members have had her as an advisor was this extreme? Truth be told, it’s not. De- and fondly remember her saying spite what the players may brag things like, “Have a good day, nice about, no one gets kicked out of boys,” and, “How are you, nice rec league games and Scrap City has only received one technical foul. The intensity is something the players choose to bring to the court, but these athletes know that winning isn’t everything — beneath the swagger and bravado, these Blazers play to have a good time with their friends. The team likes to spread rumors about their games, but hearing them talk and watching them play are two entirely different experiences. Rec league basketball popularity has NICK GROSSMAN swept through Blair this year. Scrap City poses from left to right: The big rivalry Langston Alexander, Joshua Kickenson, game between Scrap City and Lucas Babinec, Topher Zuleger-Freeman, NiceBoyz, another Eli Schwadron and Richard Griner. Blair team composed mostly of Magnet students, boys?” The team decided to hondrew over 90 fans alone. The lon- or Nawabi because, according to gest existing rec team at Blair, the Shiang, “We keep her close to our Tuff Bucketz, served as an inspi- hearts.” The team also changed the ration to many other blazers, but “s” to a “z” for stylistic purposes. plays in a higher division than While the NiceBoyz’s name

comes from study hall, the nickname Tuff Bucketz was born on the streets. When senior Anthony Curcio played pick-up basketball, fellow players would yell “tough buckets!” whenever they made a shot. He adopted the street slang as the team name and it stuck. Scrap City’s name was derived from a different street phrase, “scraping”, which means to fight. The players make it a point to live up to their name and motto: “Scrap or die.” The team is all about hightening the intensity of every second of play. “We fight for every inch and scrap for every point,” says junior Richard Griner. “Blood and tears are shed every game,” he says.

In control The twelve senior and junior boys who make up Scrap City think of themselves as the biggest thing to hit Blair since Goldie Hawn in 1963. For a team that considers itself to be top notch, the players on Scrap City are incredibly laidback. Playing for a relaxed rec league with practices only once a week allows the players to take the team as seriously — or as notseriously — as they want. They choose to practice, they choose to play competitively and they also choose, in the words of Scrap City Coach Miles Fisher, to, “act like total goofballs.” Many of the players had Fisher as a coach when they played for Blair’s baseball team. They say they admired his coaching style that was highlighted by his easygoing attitude. Rather than pushing his own agenda, Fisher listens to the players and works with them toward the communal goal of having fun while staying competitive. The beauty of the rec league is that the players decide their goal — not the league, the school or the parents. Fisher’s own experience in high school with selfish coaches informs many of the decisions he makes as Scrap City coach. The team feels more comfortable with Fisher rather than a parent-coach and finds him relatable because he is closer

to them in age. “Having Fisher as a coach allows us to really be ourselves,” says senior Topher Zuleger-Freeman. “We can be open with him.” The team practices once a week to hone skills, scrimmage, goof around and review their secret in-depth plays which, according to TOLU OMOKEHINDE Fisher, are on Senior Anthony Curcio of Tuff Bucketz vaults “Scrap City into the air as he propels the ball to the hoop. lock down” (read: non existent). The NiceBoyz on the other Editor’s Note: Quinn Shen is the hand, take a more formal approach Executive Advertising Director for in their coaching and practice Silver Chips Business Staff. styles. Two members of the team, Quinn Shen and Sean Shiang, serve as primary drill coaches, but everyone helps develop plays. “We try to coach ourselves by looking for This rivalry may carry on good plays and strategies online, into the next school year, even simulating them at practice and though many of the members applying them to games,” says seare graduating. Scrap City nior Dennis Li. currently has three members NiceBoyz were able to put their who are juniors, all of whom strategies to the test in a match-up are adamant about continuagainst Scrap City that took place ing to play on the team next in early February. NiceBoyz fans year. They will base their were pitted against their Scrap acceptances onto the team on City classmates in what the teams two things: basketball skill, and fans describe as the Blair and, for the most part, swag. showdown of the century. Scrap Swag is an overall aura of City won the game 26-23, but since coolness, coming from the lost to the NiceBoyz in an informal root word ‘swagger’. Acscrimmage. cording to Griner, “It has no But for members of the two definition, but you can tell teams, the competition that began when you see it.” this year has forged bonds across Although it looks like this different groups of friends. Durmay be the end of Nice Boyz, ing school, members of the opposTuff Bucketz have already being teams exaggerate the drama gun passing on their mantel of the basketball court. Not only to the younger generation. do the rec teams bring friends and Who knows what the rec teammates closer together, at a big basketball scene will look like school like Blair, they can bring riat Blair next year? vals together too.

UP & COMING

Girls’ basketball loses close playoff game against Warriors Lady Blazers, lacking intensity, close the season with a tough loss to Sherwood By Alison Kronstadt Feb. 26, NELSON H. KOBREN GYMNASIUM — This story was based on post-game interviews only and not on a first-hand account. The Blair girls’ basketball team (13-10) lost to the Sherwood Warriors (12-11) by a score of 28-35 in a hard-fought game, ending a season marked by injuries. According to junior forward Johanna Lopez, who scored 14 points in the game and has racked up more than 1,000 points in her high school career, the Blazers’ main problem in the game was maintaining intensity. “We had spurts. There were times where we played really well, and times where we lost. We lacked intensity,” she said. Coach Erin Conley said that free throws were another factor in the loss. “We were 8-21 from the free throw line, and that really hurts us,” Conley said. Lopez said the Blazers were expecting a tough game. Sherwood had defeated Blair in their last match-up, although Blair had been missing some players. “I knew it was a challenge coming in, and I feel like we could have met that challenge but we didn’t,” Lopez said. Blair kept the score close throughout the game, often taking the lead or trailing by a scant margin, although the gap widened in

the fourth quarter. Lopez says that defense was one of the team’s strongest points. “Our

Still, according to Lopez the team had some rough patches in their offense. “Overall we could have executed better on offense, passed better and eliminated more turnovers,” she said. Although the Blazers were undefeated for their first seven games this season, injuries took their toll on the team. “With everything that went on throughout the season, it kind of messed us up,” Lopez said. C o n l e y PHOTOS BY COLIN WIENCEK pointed out that Freshman guard Erica Adarkwa shoots the ball there are some over the heads of Sherwood defenders. positive consequences of injusenior, Sarah McMillian, who has been unJunior guard Morgan Chase evades the Warriors’ ries. “The injuries definitely able to play for weeks due to a torn ACL. pressure as she dribbles quickly down the court. hurt us, but they also allowed With a young team including seven juniors, defense today was really good. There were other players to really grow and develop,” the Blazers’ focus now turns to next season. times when we kept them to two points a she said. “We’ll be better next year. We’ll learn from quarter,” Lopez said. The team will lose only one graduating our mistakes,” Lopez said.

sportsCHIPS

March 10, 2011 silverchips.mbhs.edu/section/sports.php

Paint Branch Panthers slink past boys’ basketball Blazers fail to cash in on easy buckets, resulting in first-round playoff exit By Eli Schwadron Feb. 25, NELSON H. KOBREN GYMNASIUM — Down single digits against the Paint Branch Panthers, the Blazers tighten up their defense, poised for a run midway through the second quarter. A Panther loses his handle on the rock, and junior guard Justin Shack snags the loose ball, sprints the other way and, with no defenders in sight, lays it gently against the glass. Clank. Off the edge of the rim and out — a sequence of events that epitomizes the 2010-11 varsity boys basketball season. The Blazers have a reputation for turning it on come playoff time — just ask last year’s squad, who won just two regular season games but went on to beat Sherwood in the postseason. Unfortunately for Blair, no playoff magic occurred this time around. Amidst a jam-packed gym, Blair (5-18) fell to Paint Branch (13-10) in the first round of the playoffs on Friday night by a score of 58-45. The Blazers held their ground defensively in the first half, allowing just 24 points through the first two quarters. But blown layups, turnovers and a total of 17 missed free throws haunted Blair, resulting in a serious lack of offensive output. “Our defensive effort was really solid, but we had some breakdowns,” head coach Mark DeStefano said. “We had too many little mistakes. As hard as we played, we couldn’t get over the hump.” Entering Friday’s game, the Blazers were riding high on a two-game winning streak. But Blair was unable to recapture the same kind of intensity they had played with to end the regular season. “We didn’t play the way we’ve been

playing,” DeStefano said. “Maybe it was the tum shifted in Blair’s favor when Koite hit a nerves, the packed crowd, I don’t know. We three-pointer at the halftime buzzer, cutting just didn’t get it done.” A lone bright spot Paint Branch’s lead to 24-19. for Blair was the play of senior center Pape After a solid showing in the first half, Koite, who things began saw big to unravel minutes for for Blair durthe first time ing the final this season. 16 minutes. He posed Ruffin conmatch-up tinued his problems for brutal shootPaint Branch ing night, and finished finishing just with a team6-15 from high 10 the foul line. points. “Everything The Panwent wrong. thers were I missed the more too many aggressive free throws, team from and we had the start and too many jumped out turnovers,” to a 9-2 lead. Ruffin said. Blair’s ball Good looks handlers weren’t hard had trouto come by ble early for the Blazon against ers, but they ANDREW KIRWAN P a i n t failed to conSenior center Pape Koite sinks a baseline Branch’s vert time and f u l l - c o u r t jumper. He finished with a team-high 10 points time again. press. Af- on the night, despite Blair’s lackluster play. With his ter the first team down quarter, the Blazers had nearly as many turn- 11 points, junior guard Tucker Canary overs as they did points. “Our offensive ex- missed an open layup with 3:30 remaining ecution just wasn’t there at all,” senior guard in the fourth quarter. Missed opportunities Charles Ruffin said. After scoring just six like these, even from Blair’s more consistent points through the first eight minutes, Blair players, were on display the entire night. got it going in the second quarter with better “We were missing some chippies, missing patience and ball movement. The momen- really good shots,” DeStefano said. “I told

them to relax, because guys were really tight.” The Blazer defense, which hung tough with Paint Branch in the first half, simply failed to compete in the second half. Blair didn’t close out on shooters, and allowed a string of made jump shots in the third quarter. “Nobody’s entitled to anything,” DeStefano said. “This is a competition, and I’m not happy losing.” Senior point guard Anthony Curcio sank a three-pointer with 1:50 left and earned praise from the raucous Blair student section, but it was too little, too late, as Paint Branch finished strong and controlled the clock en route to their 13th win of the season. Blair’s leading scorer, junior Delonte Gaskin, was in the stands watching — instead of on the court. According to Gaskin, he was dismissed from the team on Thursday. Blair’s coaching staff declined to comment on the matter. With yet another underachieving season in the books, Blair players were visibly upset and frustrated. “It was a very disappointing season,” Ruffin said. “We had very big expectations, but they didn’t pan out.” Senior forward Josh Kickenson was just as disappointed, but was able to draw some positives from the losing season. “It was a tough season, but it was a good experience in general,” he said. “I’m glad I got to be a part of it.” After a long, tumultuous three months of basketball, which ended in a disappointingly early playoff exit for Blair, there remains a glimmer of hope for next season. Ruffin said that he foresees juniors Tucker Canary and Justin Shack filling the leadership roles next year, and he believes that there are better days ahead for the Blair varsity basketball program.

insideSPORTS

Blossoming talent

Playing the recruiting game see page 30 Students, coaches and scouts bare all in an in-depth feature on the tips, secrets and regrets of those involved in the college recruitment process.

Recreational rivalries see page 31 Rec basketball players reveal the inner motives behind the intense rivalries going on at Blair.

PHOTOS BY EVAN HORNE AND TOLU OMOKEHINDE

Tryouts for spring sports, including baseball, track and lacrosse, began on March 1. Junior Richard Griner (left) warms up for the varsity baseball team. Junior Kevin Fallet (top right) leads the track team as one of the fastest runners. The varsity girls’ lacrosse team (bottom right) runs sprints during tryouts.