November 2011 - Silver Chips Print

Initiatives aid freshmen

Rally for re-election

By Maureen Lei and Srividya Murthy

LEAH MUSKIN-PIERRET

On October 26, enthusiastic supporters came together in the SAC to rally for President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.

This year, Assistant Principal Dirk Cauley and the ninth grade team began collaborating to decrease academic ineligibility, and strengthen leadership and anger management skills in the freshmen class.

Initiatives include a restructuring of the counseling department, a mentoring program called Super Leaders, an anger management group and an incentives program that awards freshmen who make the honor roll, according to ninth grade academic lead teacher Jacob Lee. According to ninth grade English teacher David Goldberg, Blair’s counseling department stopped assigning counselors by academy at the start of this school year and began assigning them alphabetically by student last name. “The difference is how the counselors are organized. Each counselor is going to stay with the kid for all four years.

[In previous years], freshmen were divided into teams, and each team was assigned to a counselor. Then in tenth grade, they had counselors based on academies,” he said.

Ninth grade English teacher Erin Conley spoke favorably of the changes within the counseling department. “Even though we

TOLU OMOKEHINDE

New programs are in place to help freshmen transition to high school. don’t get to meet with each student’s counselor, in the long run, students will form closer relationships with their counselors,” she said.

Social studies teacher Kenneth Smith is bringing back Super Leaders, a youth development program geared towards refining leadership skills beginning in their freshman year and through their four years of high school. Smith ran the program from 2001-2005, but could

see FRESHMEN page 9

Maryland BOE refines graduation rate SGA raises awareness

By Srividya Murthy Beginning with the Class of 2011, the Maryland Board of Edu-

DOYUNG LEE, MAUREEN LEI AND MAGGIE SHI

cation (BOE) will calculate graduation rate using a new formula that will comprise all four years of high school and account for transfer students and student deaths.

According to William Reinhard, media relations director for the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), the formula was edited based on federal regulations enacted in 2008. The regulations require all school systems in the nation to report graduation rates using the new formula, known as the “cohort” rate, in order to fulfill federal accountability.

For the last 15 years in Mary-

land, graduation rate was calculated using a formula known as the leaver rate, which divides the number of graduates by the sum of the number of dropouts for the four years and number of graduates. The leaver rate accounts for students’ graduation rate in senior year and does not reflect changes in the student population from freshman to junior year.

The graduation rate will now be calculated according to the adjusted-four year cohort rate, which tracks student progress through

see GRADUATION page 8

Officers host walk and collection

By Josh Schmidt The Blair Student Government Association (SGA) held a two week canned food drive and a homeless walk in order to raise social awareness in the Blair community.

The canned food drive lasted from October 21st to November 4th and brought in about 701 cans, which will be donated to families in need. The homeless walk, which occurred on

Experiences a long way gone

Tuesday, Nov. 1, had about 100 people participating and raised approximately 50 dollars.

The canned food drive was managed by sophomore Amalia Perez and sponsored by Manna Food Center, to which the cans will be donated. The Manna Food Center whose program “Food For Families” provides those in need with free food, and feeds about 3,300 households

see SGA page 11

Discovery at Blair

Blazers strengthened but scarred by war

By Stella Bartholet Corpses on the streets, a child carrying a machine gun and a dog eating a human carcass. These are only a few of the many disturbing memories Blair 2010 graduate Michel Bouity has of the war in the Republic of the Congo, his home country.

Bouity came to the United States in 2005 to get a better education. He had to leave behind his parents and friends, but his horrific memories of the war came with him.

Like Bouity, several other Blazers who have lived through conflict try not to think about their disturbing experiences. Images of violence and death haunt their memories, yet they yearn for their homes, families and

cultures, leaving them feeling conflicted.

According to Paul Miller, Foreign Aid Advisor for Catholic Relief Services, the experience of war may also have strengthened these Blazers. “You know you have been through something like that, so when you face adversity, you are thinking, ‘I lived through something that was tough,’“ says Miller. Several of these students who have survived war say they have hope for their futures, and would like to contribute to the rebuilding of their countries.

Junior Umunatu Kamara knows adversity well. She is a victim of the civil

see WAR ZONES page 15

LEAH HAMMOND

On October 22 and 23, the Discovery Channel filmed a reenactment of the Columbine shooting at Blair. Some Blazers were extras in the production.

insideCHIPS Positive advertising: Columnist Katelin Montgomery argues that in-school ads can raise revenue. see page 5

OP/ED 4

SOAPBOX 7

NEWS 8

Obama rally 2012: In the SAC, supporters and dignitaries rallied for Obama. see page 9

FEATURES 15

Finding inner peace: In the midst of stress and hallway traffic, Blazers meditate for inner peace. see page 19

ENTERTAINMENT 23 CHIPS CLIPS 27

Shop for savings: Exclusive tips on how to deal with the Black Friday crowds. see page 24

LA ESQUINA LATINA 28 SPORTS 30

2 EDITORIALS

silverCHIPS

November 10, 2011

‘Occupy’ needs more from teens The Occupy DC assembly at McPherson Square is angsty and spontaneous. It is optimistic and lackadaisical. It is budding change manifested in a like-minded community of tarps and tents, drum circles, and catchy chants — fixing the country has never been so much fun. It has the potential to be everything we could imagine from a youth-led movement, but there’s one problem: there are no teens.

That’s not to say that there are no teens following the movement — they’re just not on the streets. They are sitting at home, on their computers, waiting for the change to happen.

According to Occupy DC’s unofficial website, the DC branch of the Occupy Everywhere movement is “just the beginning” of a larger, more gradual American economic revolution. In theory, the changes this movement would make benefit the youngest generation more than any other. In reality, teen involvement has been so scanty that we’ll be lucky if our generation remembers the efforts at all.

Of the teens that follow the protest on Twitter and comprise a huge portion of Occupy DC’s 8,674 likes on Facebook, few have left the comfort of their homes to actually protest. Although social networking tools are instrumental in organizing young people and spreading new messages of change around the world, Facebook and Twitter cannot take the place of inspirational marches and homemade cardboard signs.

It is true that the Egyptian protests that led to the fall of Hosni Mubarak began via Facebook and were put on the international stage after trending on Twitter. But a Facebook group didn’t end Mubarak’s reign. Egyptians took to the streets by the thousands and protested their way to a new government. Social networking was certainly a vital part of the process, but this success incorrectly convinced many people that real change is just a click away.

What is happening in McPherson Square is Occupy DC, not #Occupy_DC. It is a movement that derives its strength and voice from the people who are filling a tangible space and showing others just who makes up the “99%”. The fact that their actions may be trending on Twitter is virtually irrelevant to the movement’s overall success.

The Internet can make virtual change, but nothing more. It takes real protests and real grassroots movements to start a revolution of the magnitude the cyber-occupiers demand. If societal and economic change is what we are after, then students in America must follow the lead of their international peers and the footsteps of their forefathers and physically “Occupy” together.

Corrections In “Farming is a different kind of juvenile detention” (p.20, Oct 7) it was falsely reported that the farm is fully organic.

In the Oct. 7 issue photographer Ellie Musgrave’s name was not in the staff box.

In the soapbox (p. 7, Oct 7) Joshua Reckson was improperly quoted. He wants his Hebrew name tattooed on his arm.

In “Athletic Director bring new workout to Blair sports” (p.20, Oct 7) it was improperly stated that the Athletic Director is in charge of the P.E. departement.

In “Beautification Blair brightens campus” (p.1, Oct 7) Wynn Witthans’s name was incorrectly spelled.

The Art Corner (p.4 Oct 7) was drawn by Nathan Gamson.

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 clairesleigh94@gmail.com. Letters may be edited for space and clarity.

Editors-in-Chief.......................................................................................Sebastian Medina-Tayac, Claire Boston Managing News Editors...........................................................................................Maureen Lei, Srividya Murthy Managing Features Editors...................................................Stella Bartholet, NoahGrace Bauman, Eliza Wapner Managing Opinions and Editorials Editors................................................................Claire Koenig, Maggie Shi Managing Entertainment Editors.............................................................................Helen Bowers, Simrin Gupta Managing Sports Editor........................................................................................................................Claire Sleigh Production Manager............................................................................................................NoahGrace Bauman Managing Design Editor....................................................................................................................Stella Bartholet Design Team.................................NoahGrace Bauman, Maureen Lei, Maggie Shi, Claire Sleigh, Eliza Wapner Managing Photo Editor................................................................................................................Tolu Omokehinde Public Relations Director............................................................................................................ Simrin Gupta Outreach Coordinator...........................................................................................................................Eliza Wapner Distribution Supervisor.......................................................................................................................Claire Koenig Newsbriefs Editor...................................................................................................................................Maureen Lei Fact-Check Supervisor....................................................................................................................Srividya Murthy Extras Editor.............................................................................................................................Katelin Montgomery Executive Business Director.................................................................................................Ann Marie Huisentruit Executive Communications Director...........................................................................................................Jane Lee Executive Advertising Director.......................................................................................................Sarah Marsteler Business Staff.................................................Adrian Craig, Chunwoo Baik, Nova Getz, Nicholas Seidell Page Editors.................................................................................Ruth Aitken, Puck Bregstone, Peter McNally, ...........................................................................................Katelin Montgomery, Katie Pohlman,Josh Schmidt, ..............................................................................................Zoërose Waldrop, Hannah Weintraub, Sarah Wilson Copy Editor...............................................................................................................................................Paul B. Ellis Spanish Page Advisers.................................................................................................Dora N. Santiago-González Spanish Page Writers..........................................Janett Encinas, Diana Ferreira, Anilu Martinez,Yessica Somoza, ......................................................................................................Claudia Quinonez, Heydi Urbina, Kelly Ventura Editorial Board......................Claire Boston, Claire Koenig, Sebastian Medina-Tayac, Maggie Shi, Claire Sleigh Editorial Cartoonist...................................................................................................................................Julia Bates Photographers............................................................................. Leah Hammond, Enoch Hsiao, Clare Lefebure ........................................................................................Ellie Musgrave, Leah Muskin-Pierret, Tolu Omokehinde Artists.........................................................Julia Bates, Xixi Chen, Nathan Gamson, Doyung Lee, Matthew Morris Sports Writers......................................................Rachel Auerbach, Eli Schwadron, Josh Schmidt, Claire Sleigh Professional Technical Adviser....................................................................................................Peter Hammond Adviser.............................................................................................................................................Joseph Fanning

Accurately depicting the nuances Even minor textual misrepresentations can mislead readers

By Claire Sleigh There are many layers to a story — planning, searching for sources, interviewing and outlining, synthesizing and finally writing.

It takes practice and dedication to incorporate the many layers of a story into a seamless piece, and when this is not done properly some points of view are compromised. Sometimes little details or nuances slip through the crack, and even the smallest of word choices can completely spin meaning in the wrong direction.

Getting all of the nuances into a story can be a feat, but it is a task that every competent journalist must try to accomplish and one that every editor should look for when editing stories.

In the last issue, Oct. 7 issue, Silver Chips ran a feature about a farm run by social studies teacher Marc Grossman. While the article itself was accurately reported, the title and second deck were grossly misleading, which then caused the story to take a new spin. (For more information see Letter to the Editor, below.)

The headline, “Farming is a different kind of juvenile detention” gives the negative image that Grossman is running a hurtful op-

eration, rather than offering work experience and other opportunities.

Headlines are a big part of what

Ombudsman Claire Sleigh people actually read and get out of a story, but, as in most national publications, some are written the night we go to print, and many aren’t even written by the author of the story. Sometimes the headline that the author writes doesn’t fit the page and words are added or

‘Our House Farm’ inaccurately depicted A letter to the editors: In the October edition of Silver Chips, my farm, Sligo Creek Farm, soon to be renamed Our House Farm, was mischaracterized as a juvenile correction center. I hope through this letter to clarify some of the incorrect assertions made in “Farming is a different kind of juvenile detention.”

Our House Farm offers adolescent males in the Maryland juvenile corrections systems, as well as high school students, the opportunity to learn about and experience first-hand sustainable agriculture.

In doing so, we hope to both maintain the farm’s economic viability and allow people from very different backgrounds to

work and learn together.

Paid farm manager interns do the vast majority of work on the farm. Our House trainees assist and at the same time receive an opportunity to earn money and work for an employer that someday might offer the critical reference they require to receive a job in spite of their status as youth offenders.

We love growing vegetables and preparing Blair students to help transition our agricultural system away from petrochemicals. If you are interested in working on the farm and this summer contact Mr. Grossman in the social studies office.

Marc Grossman, Social Studies Teacher and Co-Owner of Our House Farm

removed to stretch or cut down the headline. But this is no excuse for printing a misleading headline because the truth and accuracy of the story and headline must take priority over design and layout.

The headline error was a big mistake that we missed, a mistake that can be rectified with more scrupulous editing. The senior editors must be willing and able to criticize drafts at a more contentbased level.

The kind of editing that is needed isn’t merely copy editing or fact checking — it is something that goes deeper into the particulars of the story.

However, for more obscure stories only the author knows the particulars and nuances, which makes it harder for the editors to catch mistakes. Here, the burden of keeping the story accurate lies on the specific author. Part of this comes with experience, but part comes with greater direction and foresight on behalf of both the editors-in-chief and the specific section editors.

Even something as seemingly small as the word choice between, “Offering an opportunity to work” and, “Using them to work” can be misleading. However, the ability to recognize and address fine distinctions — especially in journalism — comes with experience.

At the beginning of the school year, we put out the paper when only half the staff is truly experienced in the deadlines and expectations of Silver Chips.

The author of the Grossman story is a junior who is just starting to write for Silver Chips. We traditionally see the most improvements in the paper between the first and second cycles, and are confident that we can smooth over these glitches in the future.

Silver Chips is a nationally recognized paper, but to deserve that recognition we have to work on everything and anything from sweeping layout changes and story assignments to word choice differences that might lend themselves to editorializing.

An error in journalism is much bigger than an error in an essay written in school — newspaper articles are about real people doing real things, and any misleading article has the potential to reach a wide range of people.

silverCHIPS

PRO/CON 3

November 10, 2011

Are class rankings an accurate measure of student achievement?

Sarah Wilson

YES:

NO:

Class rank is necessary for students to be evaluated fairly by colleges

Class rank is unfair and fails to account for students’ individual situations.

At every college fair, students can be heard desperately asking the same question to admissions officers: how much does a school emphasize SAT scores and GPA over everything else? They ask hoping that eventually they will find a school that will place more weight on their ability to solve word jumbles or predict movie plot twists than on ‘Cs’ in math or a bad critical reading score. Students hope to hear that they’re not just a number, which has led many high schools to eliminate class rank, hoping to ease the stress and competition of the school environment and help students focus on becoming well-rounded.

But removing rank is not helping anything. The stress and the competition continues to exist and colleges continue to find ways to judge their applicants based only on the numbers.

Schools in Montgomery County, along with about 40 percent of nationwide high schools do not keep track of class rank, a system that compares students based on GPA to assign students a numerical rank.

The number of schools that do not use class rank is growing, despite the fact that the disappearance of rankings from applications is dangerous to the college admissions process. Without rank, colleges are forced to focus more on standardized test scores, and lack of class rank can diminish chances of acceptance at some top colleges.

Principals and school officials that oppose class rank hope to force colleges to look more at their students’ entire application and not just GPA and test scores. But instead of getting colleges to care about factors like community service or eight years of Girl Scout Cookie sales, colleges instead focus more on that dreaded three letter acronym that forces students every year to remember how to find the volume of a cylinder: the SAT. With the elimination of rank, the SAT becomes an even more crucial admissions factor as GPA becomes a meaningless number. Deans of admissions from elite schools including Brown, Swarthmore and Vanderbilt agreed that class rank is necessary to interpreting what a GPA means, according to a 2006 article by The New York Times. A ‘B’ average in a school with a harder grading system may be better than an ‘A’ average from another school, but without class rank, these applicants cannot be compared adequately.

The SAT remains a universal standard, and without rank, it becomes the most significant measure of academic ability.

Instead of judging students based on four years of projects, homework and tests, a college can admit or reject them based on a

mere four hours of standardized testing.

Many colleges have found an alternative, however. After all the petitioning, fighting and policy changing done by parents and the school boards to stop colleges fusing admissions offices have found a solution: to just use it anyway.

Using information about grades provided by school profiles which may include average GPAs and test scores of their student populations, admissions officers now are able to calculate rank for the students whose schools do not provide it for them. This means that applicants are still just numbers; they just won’t know what that number is.

Some principals believe that the goal of eliminating class rank is to alleviate stress and competition. Recent documentaries, including Race to Nowhere, which was screened at Blair last year, have revealed the dangerous side effects of school stress, as rates of depression, cheating and stress-related illness increase. Despite the increasing number of schools that are not using class rank, these consequences are not disappearing.

If schools are honestly concerned about the unhealthy competitive environment of high schools today, then they will need to realize that bigger changes to the system will be necessary. Whether students are numbered or not has no significant effect on their emotional state. But what will affect students is being in an increasingly competitive and numbers-based admissions environment and missing one of the most important numbers.

Today’s school system takes the 4.0 student with seven AP classes and compares him to the 4.0 student with eight.

Who should be the valedictorian? Who is the best? The secret kept from students, and colleges for that matter is that it doesn’t really make a difference. Not only is class rank a failed attempt to evaluate success, it also lowers the chances for many highachieving students to get into top colleges.

Class rank is based on a flawed system of letter grades.

Throughout the course of a single semester, two people in the same English class may be in entirely different situations.

NOAHGRACE BAUMAN One might come from an upper middle class family with a good workspace and the help and encouragement of their parents. The other might not have such luxuries with additional work and family burdens. This lifestyle is an academic disadvantage that is unaccounted for in ranking students.

Even if two students come from similar backgrounds, a week of sickness can push one student the one tenth of a point below that precious ‘A’. By instating class rank, schools are encouraging these students to disregard their individual situations, and teaching them to crave only perfection.

An Associated Press study showed that academic success was the biggest source of stress among 13-17 year olds. When students are under stress, they are more irritable, less productive, more forgetful, and more likely to be depressed. A driving factor of this stress is the pressure to not only perform well, but to perform better than other students. Students face

Emma Bergman

enough pressure with a system of letter grades, and class rank would only make this worse.

While it is unrealistic to eliminate grades as a method of evaluation, it is important to recognize when enough is enough. At Blair, students are from all over the county to attend the Magnet and CAP. These students are placed in honors and AP classes. They may very well have been the first or second in their class at their home school, but gathered in one place they would effectively make a student with a 4.0 in the regular academies less likely to be in even the top five percent of the school population.

There is no standard for how to weigh classes, how harsh to make grades and how much to emphasize class rank across the country. Students who want to go to Ivy League schools are expected to be in the top ten percent of their class.

But when the average class consists of 708 students, as is true in Blair this year, and 150 of these students are in specialized academies such as CAP and Magnet, it is much harder to reach that ten percent than in a smaller school like Northwood.

In Northwood, the average class size is only 350 students and the school doesn’t have special programs for academic high performers. If students don’t reach the ten percent mark, their ability to make it in to the country’s top colleges is decreased.

With this much variety from school to school, class rank becomes meaningless.

Consider this: The Chicago Tribune reported in 2011 that 78.4 percent of public high schools report class rank to colleges, but only 11 percent of private high schools do. Principals of private schools have realized that in schools comprised almost entirely of top students who applied to be admitted into the school, comparing one high academic achiever to another isn’t fair.

This is something that public schools need to realize as well.

Barrett Rodgers, physics professor at Dartmouth College said that class rank, in addition to other academic measures, is flawed. “Some students do not test well or have abilities or talents that will produce great success in the world but are beyond the rather crude ability of exams and grades to measure. These tests measure something, but I think they have big gaps. The meaning of course grades are variable and depend on the teacher,” he said.

Reducing each student in the country to a numerical value may be the easiest way for colleges to gauge achievement, but it oversimplifies every student. The system of class rank limits the way we see ourselves and the way we are perceived by colleges.

voiceBOX “It’s like an invasion of privacy, it’s basically putting someone’s business out to be judged by everyone else.”

-sophomore Cristian Villalta

“I think rankings might motivate people to do better because they are being compared.”

-freshman Shailee Bruck

“They are bad because it makes people obsessed with where they are in relation to other people.”

-senior Caroline James

“I think it’s degrading because it’s not a competition it’s about students doing their best.”

-junior Shannon Brady

“Rankings are good because they encourage students to get better grades.”

-freshman Mica Ho

4 OP/ED

silverCHIPS

November 10, 2011

Painting only by numbers misses half the picture Blair is more than a collection of stats and cannot be judged on test scores alone

By Adam Kadir An opinion No one likes to be number two.

That is why Blazers are frustrated about their standings in high school rankings.

But, for once, we can say that it’s not our fault. The problem is that a rating system cannot truly evaluate the quality of a school.

Some methods judge based on AP testing or how many students they send to college. None of these approaches, though, account for the diversity of the student body or the well-roundedness of those who graduate.

The Washington Post’s Challenge Index, compiled by education reporter Jay Mathews, ranks public high schools by calculating the number of AP or IB tests taken per graduating senior. Two Montgomery County schools are in the top five for the region: Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Richard Montgomery. The highest ranked Maryland school, B-CC, is sixtieth in the nation.

Blair, however, is behind eight other MCPS high schools at thirtyfifth in the region, and doesn’t even place in the national top 200.

Under Mathews’ ranking, Blair has a “Challenge Index” of 3.317, which puts it in the top 1% in the nation.

Despite Blair’s having “One

more privileged students, but for of the great science magnets enabling any students with the and communication magnets in will and work ethic to accept the American education,” according challenge of an AP class. to Mathews, he ranks Blair behind Blair should be proud of its relschools that lack comparable proatively high ranking. Only seven grams, such as Quince Orchard out of the top 40 regional schools and Churchill. Something is not right. It does not make sense that Blair has some of the best math, science and communications curricula in the country, but we’re only thirty-fifth in the region of the country with the best public schools. What could be the problem?

An immediate answer comes to mind: money.

Blair has more students eligible for subsidized lunch that any MCPS school ranked above us, at 32%. Mathews says his system accounts for that.

By measuring the number of AP and IB tests taken, without factoring in the INFORMATION COURTESY OF THE WASHINGTON POST scores, Mathews’ system is more balanced than one based off state test scores. have subsidized lunch percentThe more money students’ ages above 30. Blair students do families have, the more likely remarkably well for being more they are to do well on standarddisadvantaged on average, and ized tests because they had the they achieve well in subjects other advantage of being read to every night by college-educated parents. than AP tests. The boys’ volleyball team took the state title last

By Mathews’ method, a school year. Blair garners more science is ranked higher not for having

awards than any other public high school in the county. Blair has more National Merit Scholars than any other school in Montgomery County. The beautiful works of Blair’s artists adorn our hallways, and the bands and orchestras win every year at music competitions.

Maybe Blazers value things other than AP tests. Maybe they are more concerned about doing what they love and having a good time than getting into a top-ranked college. Students at the School of Science and Engineering in Dallas, TX, take on average 17.186 AP or IB tests each.

But Blazers are right to value the things they do. Students can take any class they want to expand their knowlSTELLA BARTHOLET edge and understanding of the world around them. And, because Blazers don’t take 17.186 AP classes each, they have the time to get to know themselves, their friends, and the people in their communities. Blazers have the time to volunteer at homeless shelters, direct movies, explore research projects

and produce literary magazines.

Besides, not every worthwhile class is AP, and not every important test is designed by the College Board. At Blair, one can take Quantum Physics, Astronomy, Japanese, Peace Studies and Creative Writing and learn just as much as in an AP class. Everyone can study what he or she desires, whether that be entrepreneurship, international studies, communication or human services.

It’s our diversity of programs that makes us great, not the weight of our backpacks.

It’s also our diversity of students that makes Blair superior, no matter what the rankings say.

Thomas Jefferson High School in Alexandria, Virginia, ranked the best high school in the nation by the U.S. News and World Report, has a student body in which only 1.9% are black and 2.7% Latino..

Schools like Thomas Jefferson aren’t really preparing their students to work in an increasingly diverse society. Instead, they are readying their graduates to live in bubbles of homogeneity.

Blair has almost equal populations of white, Latino and black students. A Blazer can study become passionate about than just math and science. Blair has a place for any student with any interest, and that’s what makes it number one.

It takes two: when clubs work together, everyone benefits Club cooperation can revitalize Blair’s culture and bridge gaps in our divided diversity

By Claire Koenig An opinion It’s in the symbiotic give-and-take of the natural world and the mutually beneficial handshake-deals executed in thriving businesses. In the bonds of a healthy marriage and the well-tuned chords of a veteran rock band. Cooperation works — just ask a few of Blair’s clubs.

Recently, Blair’s organizations have risen above and beyond the call of duty. Not only have they been promoting their own interests, but they are also creating a new sense of unity by banding together with other groups that share a common goal to tackle projects together. This ‘club-doubling’ phenomenon is not new to Blair, but the efforts seem invigorated this year.

The Spanish Honor Society co-hosted the Silver Quill open mic in September. The Jewish Culture Club is organizing a meeting with Blair representatives from Operation Understanding D.C., a group promoting discussion between African American and Jewish student leaders. Students for Global Responsibility is planning an AIDS awareness day in conjunction with the Gay Straight Alliance in December.

These projects will take time and funding, and oftentimes working with strangers is more tedious than we give it credit for.

But ultimately, the new experience this offers will benefit club members as well as the wider Blair community.

The projects these teamed clubs undertake are often as advantageous for the general population of Blair as they are for the event’s intended recipients. Through these efforts the organizations for which our clubs are fund raising get more money and publicity, and we become more culturally and politically knowledgeable as a school.

Events like the GSA/ SGR AIDS convention give us exposure to issues like AIDS that

influence the modern world, and because there are two different perspectives combining to put them on, they come to us in a new and different light.

Similarly, the students participating in the clubs gain new insight into their area of interest, and in doing so they access a new pocket of Blair’s widespread student body by interacting with new people.

Although Blair is one of the most racially and culturally diverse schools in the state, self-segregation and elementary school tracking has made it so that many students rarely have the opportunity to venture out of their circle of similarly-minded friends.

But projects like club-doubling could change that.

In her work on the Spanish Heritage Month open mic, Spanish Honor Society member senior Kathryn Klett was reminded of the immense gap

NATHAN GAMSON

between different cultures at Blair. “It made the divide very clear between the Spanish and English speakers,” she said, “and gave me a better understanding of how much we need to do to close that.” If everyone could experience a similar realization of Blair’s self-segregated state, we would be much closer to being able to expand our horizons to include people of different races, cultures and mind sets into our closer circles.

From a more practical perspective, the effects of club-doubling could put Blair back on the MCPS map of institutions worth a little extra hype. Schools attract publicity by being

active and interesting. Every year both the National Honor Society and the Montgomery County Region of the Maryland Association of Student Councils (MCR) recognize student leaders and school activities that go above and beyond the expected commitment.

Despite Blair’s size and multiplicity, we have never been acknowledged for either award, while two different student groups at Blake have won the MCR honor in consecutive years.

The publicity Blair would gain by winning one of these awards would increase county interest in our clubs and organizations, which in turn would increase school interest.

Club events would be better attended by students and Blair administrators could be persuaded to provide more funding for after school activities if they understood that clubs could give them better standing in MCPS. Club-doubling is a commendable initiative by Blair organizations that helps both school and students. And within the orbit of partnered clubs, the possibilities are endless — improvisational Scrabble day by the Board Game and Comedy Sketch Clubs, a revitalization of Woodstock by the Green Club, Meditation Club and Silver Quill. Through club cooperation, each organization can play its part in making Blair a thriving, connected community.

silverCHIPS

OP/ED 5

November 10, 2011

In a game of web catch-up, MCPS needs to cut to the chase

The county should strengthen its web filter in order to keep up with the times

By Maggie Shi An opinion

In the game of catch-up between the shifty Internet and leaden, loophole-ridden web filters, one contestant is the clear frontrunner. As the Internet gets faster and more out of grasp, web filters like that of MCPS are falling further and further behind. Not only is it too slow to catch up-and-coming offenders, but MCPS’s web filter also needlessly blocks innocent sites that students actually need. To get the web filter up to speed, the county needs a smarter, inputdriven

system for controlling Internet access in schools.

Earlier this year, Montgomery County government staff criticized the Internet filter in government offices and public libraries for blocking gay, lesbian and transgender websites as pornography. After employees reported the incorrect categorization, the county had to contact the vendor of the filter to make changes. The county uses a different filter than does MCPS, but the incident illustrates a flaw universal to all web filters: the automated weedingout process for websites makes mistakes.

In schools, where restrictions are even stricter and uses of the Internet more varied, this flaw becomes more than just an annoyance. According to educational study “Speak Up 2010,” 71 percent of high

MATTHEW MORRIS

school students and 62 percent of middle school students said that freer access to the Internet was the number one thing schools could do to make technology easier to use. MCPS follows a web filtering protocol set by Congress in the 2001 Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). The act stated that before school systems get governmental discounts on Internet service, called e-rates, they had to block content that was considered obscene, pornographic or harmful to minors. And while these requirements are reasonable, they leave much up to a district’s interpretation to what can be considered obscene or harmful.

MCPS’s interpretation results in a filter that blocks informational sites on sensitive topics. However, students often need to do research on these topics for legitimate reasons, like school projects.

For example, when seniors Libby Wei and Jamie Kator were researching serial killers for an AP Psychology project, the filter blocked many resources they tried to access. “Many websites that were purely informative were

blocked,” Wei said. In this case, and countless others, the school system’s web filter needlessly hinders student research.

In addition to blindly blocking inoffensive websites, the filter is also unresponsive to new websites and trends. MCPS’s web filter blocks networking sites like Facebook and Myspace, but social media trends change too quickly for the filter.

It took the filter several months before finally blocking Formspring and Tumblr. Even now, Twitter, equally as distracting as Facebook or Myspace, is still not blocked.

Not only is the web filter failing to block websites that actually distract students, but it hinders students when they are trying to work. In short, it’s too sluggish to keep up with the dynamic, fast-changing Internet.

To improve the school system’s web filter, MCPS needs to tailor the web filter to its students’ needs. The filter provider is able to block or unblock specific websites, but it requires the county to make the request first. However, the people with the authority to contact the company right now are often school officials who are removed from students, so they cannot gauge which websites should be blocked or unblocked.

Instead, the county needs to implement a simple, accessible process for users to request sites to be unblocked or recommend ones that should be blocked.

Technically, this process does exist. According to a 2002 Internet security position paper posted on the MCPS website, “If access is prevented from sites that support the curriculum and legitimate research and do not violate CIPA the evaluation and selection process facilitates making appropriate changes.” This “evaluation and selection process” involves a “Web Resource Evaluation form” — but this form is inaccessible to staff. It is not listed online as a downloadable staff form, and the mysterious “Database of Accountable Evaluations System” that supposedly provides the form also is nowhere to be found. The county needs to make a new system of reporting websites that is more accessible to users and simpler.

In the race between the Internet and those who try to quell it, there is no doubt that the blocks will always be outrun and outdated. But the county can’t quit this race, so it might as well try to train its web filter to roll with the punches.

From billboards to whiteboards, ads could solve fiscal woes Placing ads in our halls can help raise much needed funds for athletics and school programs

By Katelin Montgomery An opinion In MCPS, teachers are pushed to their limits. They have more students in their classes and less funding for their departments. They haven’t had a raise in four years and many have lost their jobs because there just isn’t enough money to pay their salaries. The problem is, simply, money.

Fortunately, there is an easy way to increase funds: advertising in school hallways and on the outside of school buses. Using these advertisements would raise money for programs at Blair, pose no threat to learning and even promote a healthy lifestyle, since the ads chosen by the school would contain only positive messages.

In the past two years alone, MCPS has slashed $200 million from the budget. This cut has increased class sizes and reduced staff.

Adding more kids to the classroom means students are getting less individualized attention and lower-quality education. In addition, the county has cut funding for arts and athletic programs, which are valuable because they help students become well rounded.

Art is a valuable part of a school’s curriculum because it gives students a creative outlet, but without money teachers cannot buy essential supplies. According to ceramics teacher Jonathon Verock, his budget when he first got to Blair five years ago was $1,200 per year, but since then has been reduced to just above $600 per year. He says that to compensate he has to go to elementary schools and collect their dried

up clay to recycle it. Despite his efforts, last year the clay supply almost ran out. A parent wrote a grant to replenish Verock’s supply, but many programs are not that lucky.

Putting advertisements in schools could help bridge the funding gap. The Minnesotabased organization School Media works with schools

school buses so that companies can target specific audiences along on the bus route. This solution offers a less intrusive advertising mechanism because the ads aren’t specifically targeted towards students, and students are not constantly exposed because the ads are on the outside of buses. The average school bus

examples of acceptable types of ads are an SAT prep company, a PSA urging students to not text and drive or a supermarket that features healthy options. These ads help the students because the messages encourage positive actions by the students such as studying and eating well.

If parents are still opposed to schools raising money through ads and do not want their children swayed by advertisement, then they should teach their kids to be smart consumers and use the opportunity to be a secondary source of information for their children to rely on.

Students are more than familiarized with ads. They see them nearly everywhere — on TV,

billboards and the Internet. Ads are already ubiquitous, so adding them to school hallways or buses would not make much of a difference. In fact, there are already ads in the school halls promoting clubs, urging students to vote for a particular candidate in an upcoming election or reminding students that the HSAs count.

Outside companies like School Media deserve the same privilege of advertising in schools because the messages displayed are not especially different from the posters that are already present.

With different ad programs already at work all over the country, it is time for MCPS to join the movement and keep programs from being cut.

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.

TATYANA GUBIN

TATYANA GUBIN

in the state to place advertisements in them. One district that they work with in the twin city area has five schools containing the ads and the program is expected to generate $190,000 to $200,000 in revenue per year according to the Star Tribune. By this measure, if the 195 schools in MCPS made $4,000 per school in ad revenue, this could add $780,000 to the county’s budget.

Another company, Alpha Media, places advertisements on

ad in other districts contributes roughly $150 per month per bus to the school system according to Alpha Media’s CEO, Michael Beauchamp.

Economically, introducing ads into schools makes perfect sense, but some parents and officials are opposed to exposing students to ads in a learning environment.

However, School Media’s policy is to only use advertisements that are based on education, nutrition or health and wellness. Some

TATYANA GUBIN

6 ADS

November 10, 2011

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SOAPBOX

November 10, 2011

SOAPBOX: Blazers speak out How do you relax after a stressful week?

What do you think of the choice of Three Musketeers for Blair theater? Why?

see story, page 19

see story, page 23 “I think it’s an interesting choice because ther is a movie coming out soon and people know about it.”

-senior Molly Flannagan “I really like the show that we are doing because it has a lot of history behind it. I’ve learned a lot about that time period from being in the cast.”

-freshman Mary Clare Callahan “I would have preferred something myself, it’s too overdone. I want something less popular and more original.”

-junior Ben Lockwood

ART BY NATHAN GAMSON

“I think it’s a better choice than some of the other plays. It might be something for high schoolers to relate to.”

-sophomore Daniel Amir

“I thought it was a great choice, it plays off the great character qualities of the actors.”

- senior Julian Lofton

Do you think companies should be able to advertise in high schools?

Why? see story, page 5

“I sleep. When I am sleeping my mind is clear; I’m not active and my mind is at rest.”

-senior Shulanda Henry “Xbox, because you get to talk to your friends and all you think about is how you can do better.”

-sophomore Marcos Contreras a “Ballet, I just get to move and not worry about anything.”

-senior Zoe Jackson “I knit, it’s a way to sit down and get your mind off of other things.”

-sophomore Desiree Aleibar “I usually go down to DC to relax. I go to the IMax theater and watch weird documentaries. Watching fish in the ocean helps me relax.”

-senior Sam Parry-Giles

How do think Blair ranks in relation to other high schools across the country? Why? see story, page 4

“Definitely no, the idea of education is to gather children so they can learn important things, not to give some corporation a leg up by throwing their logos and slogans around during our formative years. I would rather go to Montgomery Blair High School than a slightly more polished Coca- Cola by Gieco High School.

-junior Michael Ekstrom

“To me Blair is not the best school. We don’t have good teachers and they are not strict enough.“ -senior Phuong Tran

“I don’t think companies should be allowed to advertise in school becuase schools because schools are a place to learn, not a mall.”

-freshman Grace Bell

“It’s definitely ranked pretty high up there considering Montgomery County is one of the top counties in the country. We have more opportunities and more classes.”

-junior Lily Felber

“Companies shouldn’t be allowed to advertise in high schools because high school students are impressionable (myself included).

We’re at a point in our lives where we want to fit in and sometimes we’ll go to extreme measures to do so, such as buy over priced retail goods.”

-junior Walter Marcos

“I think Blair ranks very well compared to other schools because we have the best school newspaper and the magnet program.”

-freshman Soumya Pattanayak

“Blair is a good school, as it is in the state with the highest median income per household in the United States, in one of the most affluent counties in the United States.”

-freshman Dylan J. Ahunhodjaev

Do you think the Purple Line should be created? Why or why not? see story, page 10 “No, it’s just a waste of money, time and effort. The metro system is fine as it is.”

-sophomore Miguel Cruz

“Companies should be able to advertise in high schools but to a certain extent. Although it would bring more money in for the school, I don’t want to learn in a living pop-up add. The advertisements should be controlled and limited.”

- freshman Amyra Hasan

“I think the Purple Line should be created. I believe that it would be really helpful towards people.”

-senior Madeline Martinez “The Purple Line should be created because purple is Justin Bieber’s color.”

-freshman Peter Ho

chipsINDEX 23 32 2 88.3

7

Percentage of Blazers who say they do not eat turkey on Thanksgiving .

Number of countries that are currently at war Number of undefeated football seasons in Blair’s history

Blair graduation rate for the class of 2011

9.99 1709 56.1 370

Monthly cost of premium membership to music streaming website Spotify Average SAT score the class of 2012

Percentage of Blazers who say they support advertising in schools

Calories in a Negril beef patty

Compiled by Katelin Montgomery with additional reporting by Sabrina Bradford, Caroline Gabriel, Carina Hernandez, Isaac Jiffar, Fiona Kavanagh, Cindy Monge, Rebecca Rivera, Emanuel Rohena and Angelina Yu.

Quote of the Issue

“ ” The reason we do so well is because we work very hard at everything we do. class of 2010 graduate Andrew Gondor

see story, page 30

8 NEWS

November 10, 2011

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Maryland makes changes to graduation rate calculation Federal regulations require use of new comprehensive formula from GRADUATION page 1 all four years of high school. The cohort rate is calculated by dividing number of graduates in senior year by the number of ninthgraders enrolled in the initial ninth-grade class. Students who transfer in, transfer

INFORMATION COURTESY OF MARYLAND REPORT CARD

out, or die during the four-year period are reflected in the final rate.

The state will also report three-year cohort rates and five-year cohort rates to calculate graduation rates for students who graduate in three years and five years, respectively. Schools systems started tracking students who were freshmen in the 20072008 year in order to assess graduation for the class of 2011 and beyond.

According to Leslie Wilson, assistant superintendent of Maryland’s Department of Education, the calculation was adopted

in order to more accurately reflect the complicated graduation patterns in today’s students. “The old one has predicated that a student who joins in ninth grade will graduate 4 years later, which applied to almost everyone back then,” she said.

Wilson said that the cohort rate shifts the

MAUREEN LEI

focus to each individual enrolled in the initial freshmen class. “We’re a lot more mobile society than we used to be. The new system helps track our changing society,” she said. “We’re looking at how many students graduate on time.”

According to Wilson, on average, the cohort rate is lower than the leaver rate, which may lead to declining graduation rates in upcoming years. Reinhard said that this may be a cause of worry for schools that are struggling to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), a measurement made under the No

Child Left Behind act to assess how public in different groups. “Clearly we are doschools and school districts in the nation ing well overall. However, like nearly every are performing academically. “If a school is district in the nation, if you break down the unable to meet the graduation target set by graduation rates by demographics and proNo Child Left Behind, it stands to miss its gram (ESOL, FARMS, etc), there are gaps we Adequate Yearly Progress target,” he said. must address.”

In addition to determining a school’s The four-year and five-year cohort rates will be used to determine whether schools meet success in meeting AYP, Tofig said that the graduation rate calculation is essential for AYP. Maryland’s leaver rate for the Class of MCPS to gauge how well they are preparing 2011 was 87 percent, and their four-year co- their students. “The graduation rate is an hort rate was 82 percent and five-year cohort extremely important indicator for a school rate was 88.9 percent, according to the 2011 — are our students graduating on time with a diploma that prepares them for life after Maryland Report Card.

The leaver graduation rate for MCPS for high school?”

Blair’s graduation rate for the Class of the Class of 2011 was 90.74 percent and the four-year cohort rate was 86.15 percent. Ac- 2011 was 88.3 percent with the leaver rate cording to Dana Tofig, public information and 82.6 percent with the four-year cohort director for MCPS, the leaver rate in MCPS has increased in the last two years and has remained steady since 1996. According to a MCPS press release, sixteen of 25 MCPS high schools had an increase in graduation rate, using the leaver formula, including Blair.

The MCPS Board of Education will use the graduation rate to set new goals for their own students. “The CHESTER LAM district and the Board are in the process of Graduation rates achieved by individual schools affect resetting the grad rate whether or not they meet standards for AYP. goals given the new calculations,” said Tofig. Tofig also said that rate. Counselor Marcia Johnson said that the officials are looking more closely at different Blair administration looks at the graduation graduation rates within the cumulative rate rate in order to assess what must be changed in order to address lower graduation rates at Blair to keep graduation rate high.

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NEWS 9

December 15, 2011

Votes for curfew bills Software glitch prevents loss of credit Implementation of new policy delayed delayed indefinitly Council puts off votes from LOITERING page 1

loitering bills, Andrews expressed the belief that the Council’s tabling Leventhal proposed Expedited of the two bills indicates opposiBill 35-11, the anti-loitering bill, on tion. “I interpret a vote to table Oct. 25 as an alternative to Ervin’s as a vote against the two bills,” he youth curfew. 35-11 would allow said.

Riemer suggested a more fluid police officers to question loiterers and individuals who appear to be scenario, theorizing that the Council’s majority opinion regarding engaging in unlawful behavior.

Councilmember Hans Riemer the bills has fluctuated, but that (D-at large) introduced the motion it postponed action to avoid pasto table both bills after reevaluat- sage. “This is politics. Just being the supporting data. “We in- cause it might have passed last creased the police presence in the week doesn’t mean it will in the Silver Spring business district sig- future. That’s why we had to tanificantly, and it had a very posi- ble it; people want the security of tabling,” tive efhe said. fect on Sophcrime. omore In fact, Carlos it fell Jimenez to beand sel o w nior John oneShedd third were both o f supportwhat ive of the it forCouncil’s merly CHESTER LAM motions was... to table. a n d The curfew was opposed by many local Jimethe re- youth, including SMOB Alan Xie. nez armaining justification for the curfew is gued that the curfew and loitering pretty weak...The rationale for ta- bills fell outside of the county’s bling the curfew bill also applied jurisdiction to control youth behavior. “That’s perfect because to the loitering bill,” he said.

According to Leventhal, 25-11 it’s not the county’s job to tell us and 35-11 will expire after two what to do. It’s our parents’ job,” years if not voted upon. To move he said.

Shedd added that the bills either bill for further consideration before the two years end, might have proven ineffective if however, the Council must have a passed. “It wasn’t even a threat to us anyway. The curfew wouldn’t majority vote.

Despite the possibility of fu- have stopped people from doing ture votes on the curfew and anti- bad stuff,” he said.

By Sarah Wilson Students in MCPS were not held accountable for any unexcused absences in the first marking period due to countywide technological problems with the new attendance tracking software.

Under the new policy students lose credit after five unexcused absences from classes. Parents also receive an email and automatic call after 3-5 absences to alert them of the situation.

The error prevented MCPS from informing parents of their students’ unexcused absences.

“The system was not functioning the way we wanted it to; the teachers were entering the attendance information so the data is there, but the letters weren’t generated to parents,” said assistant principal Alicia Deeny.

Now that it is working correctly, the new software automates credit loss, preventing teacher discrimination in deciding whether a student would lose credit for significant absences. “What it’s trying to do is not have [the policy] arbitrarily enforced. Now it’s automatic: five days and you lose credit. You used to actually have to click something that would LC

someone,” said math teacher John Giles.

MCPS principals decided that students would not lose credit for absences that occurred during the first quarter under the flawed system. “We had a meeting with all the principals and software vendors and decided it was not fair to hold kids and families accountable. We’re trying to help students, not punish them for problems with the main office,” said Principal Renay Johnson.

Though students will not lose credit, the Blair administration is not ignoring the absences that have occurred during the first marking period. “We’ve been meeting with students even in the first quarter, talking and giving

plan” — a credit recovery application completed by students with their counselors — is now available as a way for at-risk students to restore any credit lost in the second quarter.

The school’s new plan will allow students and their administrators to come up with strategies to prevent future unexcused absences.

“All students now have an advocate for success. If a student says ‘my favorite class is PE and I will come if that is my first class’ then we can arrange for that,” said Johnson.

Students at risk of losing credit also meet with the teachers for the courses they have been absent from to complete the final steps for credit recovery. “[Students] go to the teachers to find out what assignments they need to complete. If they do the plan, they get the credit,” said Deeny.

The software is now functioning and is generating letters home as well as daily emails to Johnson and the administration that list student absences and indicate which teachers are not taking attendance.

The administration will be able to measure the efficiency of the new policy and software at the end of the second quarter when the attendance data can be compared to last year’s numbers.

NOAHGRACE BAUMAN “We’re still discovering consequences, but the actual inthe problems with the new policy; tervention plan we’ve just started We have to go through a year of a couple weeks ago,” said Deeny. it to find the obvious problems,” The “attendance intervention Deeny said.

NEWS ANALYSIS

Freedom of speech maintained for ex-gay support group despite controversy

By Adam Kadir and Maureen Lei During the advisory period on Nov. 8, several dozen students confronted Principal Renay Johnson in protest upon receiving fliers produced by Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX). Johnson issued an apology over Blair’s PA system that afternoon.

The flier advocated for ex-gays, individuals who reject homosexual relationships and feelings in an attempt to develop heterosexual desires, and mentioned several controversial topics, including the idea that sexual orientation can be changed.

According to Johnson, she plans to read through all fliers that come to Blair in the future and withhold material she deems disruptive. “They have the right to [distribute], but we have the right to let learning continue. Principals are allowed to use their discretion,” she said. Johnson also intends to make any fliers that she rejects for distribution available in the main office.

By restricting, but not eliminating, controversial material, Johnson is acting within her job requirements. Even though PFOX may offend students and staff members, their freedom of speech is protected under the First Amendment; Johnson is required to balance community interest with legality.

Christopher Doyle, Secretary of the Board of Directors of PFOX, argued that Johnson’s plan infringes upon the rights of the organization. “[Her plan is] a slippery slope where you will potentially ban all fliers going home,” he said.

Despite Doyle’s objections, Johnson’s

strategy falls within the bounds of MCPS “The school system had to make a determi- teacher Miriam Plotinsky.

Other teachers, like social studies teacher policy. By keeping copies of all fliers in the nation to make a closed forum, where they main office, she will make material available don’t allow anyone to distribute, or a neutral James Mogge, distributed the PFOX fliers to students while avoiding widespread up- forum. Good News Club won, so the school to their advisories to encourage students to set and protest. However, Johnson’s author- system makes no judgment about the con- think independently. “My audience was a group of critical thinkers, so I knew that they ity to control offensive material exists only tent of the speech,” she said. would form their own within Blair; she and other educators opinions,” he said. are limited in their ability to stop the Junior Helena Mejia, distribution of controversial literature a student in Mogge’s adacross MCPS, according to Lori-Christivisory, went to Johnson’s na Webb, the Executive Director to the office during the period Deputy Superintendent of Schools. to voice her disapproval.

According to Johnson, the MCPS “I didn’t think that Blair Office of School Performance screens — a school with stickers all fliers before distribution and only and signs everywhere rejects two types of material: papers boasting an ‘LGBT Safe that endorse illegal and anti-MCPS acZone’ and our very active tivities, and papers that are not branded GSA — would allow such with MCPS’ required disclaimer: “These an offensive and harmful materials are neither sponsored nor message to be passed out endorsed by the Board of Education of to all the students,” she Montgomery County, the superintensaid. dent, or this school.”

Mejia’s anger, howevBecause of the standards MCPS has er, cannot eliminate PFOX in place, students and educators who INFORMATION COURTESY OF MCPS MAUREEN LEI AND MATTHEW MORRIS from the school district. find certain material offensive have little power to keep the responsible groups out of Despite the legal battles guarding PFOX, Though she, and many other Blair students the school district; as long as the literature social studies teacher and Gay-Straight Alli- and faculty oppose PFOX, there is little that is cleared by MCPS, lawsuits and in-school ance sponsor Mary Lou Thornton expressed can realistically be done; the outrage of one protest are the only ways to stop distribu- the belief that the school district should find group does not completely overrule the tion. a way to bar the organization. “MCPS could rights of another, and vice-versa. The MCPS PFOX is protected against its opposition, have a backbone and make this stop,” she flier distribution policy is not perfect — no policy is — but like any acceptable regulajust like any other non-profit organization. said.

In 2003, the Good News Club, an evangeliThornton was one of several teachers tion, it must balance legality and sensitivity. cal mission, sued the school district; the mis- who chose not to distribute the PFOX fliers Principal discretion may hinder PFOX from sion won, establishing a system that requires to their advisories. Teachers who made the standard, widespread distribution; the First MCPS to distribute all fliers that do not en- same decision as Thornton include social Amendment requires that community memdorse illegal activities, according to Webb. studies teacher Anne Manuel and English bers stomach a handful of hurt feelings.

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Administration plans hotline awareness

By Ruth Aitken Principal Renay Johnson and security team leader Cedric Boatman said that they plan to increase awareness of the Blazer Hotline in light of its relative inactivity during the last quarter.

Johnson and Boatman plan to publicize the Hotline to a broader community than that which exists inside the school building.

“We need to extend that advertising to the community, because parents and friends will use the Hotline more than [students] will,” Boatman said.

According to Johnson, posters and refrigerator magnets that will increase traffic to the Hotline. “I do see that the students having [magnets] as the year progresses will increase activity.

Hopefully parents and younger siblings will also use the Hotline, if they hear about something that’s going on in the school,” she said.

Boatman echoed Johnson’s sentiment, and said that posters and signs in the Woodmoor shopping area would draw tips to the Hotline about students loitering during school hours.

The Hotline, which is anonymous, is a means through which students can report suspicious activity. Boatman also noted that students can call the Hotline if they need someone to talk to.

NEWS 10

November 10, 2011

“We are not the police, but if we can prevent an incident from occurring, I think that the Hotline will be a success,” Johnson said. “Some students think that if they use the Hotline it’s snitching, and we want to change that perception.”

Boatman reports that security has not received any tips via the Blazer Hotline so far, but that he receives tips every day from students in Blair’s hallways.

Boatman said that he thinks that the security office would receive more tips if more students were aware of the convenience of the anonymous Hotline.

The past quarter, he said, students sent text messages to the Hotline primarily for the purpose of evaluating its legitimacy. “A couple of people texted it just to see if it works.

Some people are just testing the water. So far, we’ve gotten a lot of texts that say, ‘Hi, security,’ and we send back ‘Hi, how are you doing?’ and they say ‘I’m doing good,’ and then we say ‘Good, have a nice day,’” he said.

Johnson said that no student has sent anything serious enough to the tipline to necessitate her intervention. “We’ve gotten a few silly texts, but nothing substantial has been brought to my attention,” she said.

The Purple Line chugs along Proposal moves into next stage of development

By Hannah Weintraub The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) advanced progress on the Purple Line making construction possible by 2015 and service possible three to five years later.

The proposed 16 mile railway will connect New Carrolton, Takoma Park, Silver Spring and Bethesda with a total of 21 stops, according to the Maryland Transit Association (MTA). The MTA estimated that the total cost of the project will be around $1.6 billion.

Purple Line construction has been pending for the past 20 years according John Milton Wesley, media representative for the MTA. Progress has been slow due to budget shortfalls and changes in designs. In the 1980’s, the Purple Line was planned to be a four mile trolley from Bethesda to Silver Spring but in 2000, the Purple Line was redrawn as a 16 mile light rail line. Construction has also been stalled due to changes in community construction, such as the planned Silver Spring library, and the increasingly intricate.

During the current stage of development, the MTA will organize the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), a report that thoroughly analyzes the environmental and engineering factors of the railway. The MTA will also host a series of community forums concerning the Purple Line. This will give the public an

opportunity to provide feedback.

By 2030, the train is predicted to serve 60,000 people a day according to Wesley.

John Gallagher, student and board member for Purple Line Now, a pro-Purple Line non-profit organization estimates that this service would take an estimated 30,000 cars off the road according to.

According to Wesley, The Purple Line is also expected to bring economic growth to the area, creating an estimated 27,000 jobs per year and $10 billion in federal, state and local revenue. County Executive Ike Leggett signed off on the Purple Line citing it as a crucial factor in future economic development of the area. “Unless we resolve some transportation challenges it’ll stipend economic growth,” said Leggett, “much of what we’ve planned on to go forward is dependent on resolving transportation problems and not by roads and automobiles but primarily on mass transit.”

The Purple Line is planned to be a light rail train, closer in nature to a trolley than the current Metro rails. Light rail is powered

CLARE LEFEBURE

by electricity and runs on an overhead wire above ground instead of in underground tunnels like the Metro. Light rails are also cheaper and lighter than the typical subway. “It’s like having a very, very large truck verses a much smaller SUV,” explains Leggett.

Non-profit organization Friends of the Crescent Trail opposes the Purple Line because the train will cut through three miles of the wooded Crescent Trail, requiring ten to 20 acres of the forested hiker-biker trail to be clear cut.

“You have a beautiful forested park. If you tear all of that down, you have an asphalt path with no shade and a train running 40 to 50 miles per hour.” Said Ajay Bhatt, president of the organization, “Once you lose these 20 acres, it would be lost forever.”

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NEWS

November 10, 2011

Blair students named Siemens semifinalists

11

Seniors earn honors for research submitted in nationwide competition

By Hannah Weintraub

Six Blair seniors were named semifinalists in the 2011 Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology.

For the competition, students completed research in the field of science and engineering and then compiled their findings in a research report.

This year 1,541 students entered projects, a record high according to the Siemens Foundation. Of those students, 317 were named semifinalists and 96 were named finalists. No students from Blair were finalists but in the past four years Blair has had eight Siemens finalists, according to Magnet Research Teacher Elizabeth Duval, with a group of two students placing third nationally in last year’s competition.

Even though no Blazers were finalists, Duval believes many of them had great potential to win. “I feel like there were a handful that could’ve won,” said Duval, “but you just don’t know what the judges are judging on.”

This year, students created papers on topics including physics, atmospheres, pure mathematics, chemistry and computer science, according to Duval.

The competition, sponsored by the College Board, awards between $1,000 and $10,000 in scholarship money to finalists.

Blair students did not win any money this year, but they did receive recognition from Governor Martin O’Malley and Senator Ben Cardin.

Senior Andrew Zhang entered his paper

on stem cells into the competition and made it to the semifinal round. Although Zhang did not move past the semifinal round, he is pleased with his achievement.

This summer, Zhang had an internship

at the National Institute of Health, where he performed stem cell research on mice. He used his findings for his Siemens paper and in turn, the scientist that Zhang worked with is going to use parts of Zhang’s paper in his

ENOCH HSIAO

Siemens semifinalists from left to right (back row): Arec Jamgochian, Andrew Zhang, Freddy Koehler. Front row: Chacha Wang, Maureen Lei, Jessica Lu.

Curfew bill countered by new anti-loitering bill proposal

By Maureen Lei Montgomery County Councilmembers Phil Andrews (D-Dist.

3) and George Leventhal (D-at large) introduced Expedited Bill 35-11 on Oct. 25, a piece of legislation that would allow police officers to question individuals who appear to be loitering or engaging in unlawful behavior. According to Andrews, 35-11 is based on existing laws in Florida, Georgia and Wisconsin.

According to Leventhal, he and Andrews introduced 35-11 to counter Expedited Bill 25-11, the curfew bill.

25-11 was proposed on July 26

by County Council President Valerie Ervin (D-Dist. 5) on behalf of County Executive Isiah Leggett (D).

If passed, 25-11 will give minors, those under the age of 18, a curfew of 11 p.m. on weekdays and 12 a.m. on weekends. The

own research report.

According to Duval, students who enter the competition must balance writing the research paper with the other academic and social demands that come with senior year.

“For some students, the school semester gets in the way and it gets too overwhelming too fast,” said Duval.

Duval said that while about 30 to 35 students expressed interest in competing, ultimately fewer students followed through.

Senior Fredric Koehler submitted a project on computer science and said he found that the process opened him up to the data-filled world of science and research.

“Doing a project really helped demystify research for me: it’s easy to feel like all real scientists and mathematicians are incredible geniuses and there’s no way a little person like myself could possibly think of anything they haven’t thought of. However, it turns out that we’re actually still pretty ignorant; research is a lot more like feeling one’s way around in the dark than simply being smart and figuring everything out in a day,” he said.

curfew would last until 5 a.m.

Leventhal emphasized that 3511 would be fair to citizens of all ages. “It would not be limited by time or age...If a police officer believes someone is acting in a manner that is a threat to persons or property, then he can get information and possibly detain the person before another crime is committed,” he said.

According to Andrews, the anti-loitering bill takes data and information into consideration that the curfew bill does not. “The advantage of the anti-loitering bill over the curfew bill is that it is based on behavior rather than age. Most crime is actually committed by adults, and most crime is committed before 11 at night,” he said.

Bill 35-11 will be presented at a public hearing on Nov. 15, and the County Council’s Public Safety Committee will discuss the bill on Nov. 17. It was already heard

at a County Council Public Safety Commission work session on Nov. 3; however, the council did not put the bill to a vote.

A series of additional work sessions regarding the anti-loitering bill will follow, said Andrews.

According to Andrews, the county council has not yet decided when it will meet for the work sessions.

According to Leventhal, dates have not been set for the county council to vote on 35-11. “There still is not a consensus among councilmembers. It is possible that we won’t vote imminently. It is possible that the deliberations may continue for quite some time longer,” he said.

The Nov. 15 public hearing will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Montgomery County Council’s Office Building at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville.

To sign up to testify, call the council’s office at (240) 777-7803.

LEAH MUSKIN-PIERRET

Councilmembers Andrews and Levanthal talk at a town hall meeting about the bill that they co-proposed. If the bill becomes a law, police officers could question loiterers.

Editors’ note: Maureen Lei is a Managing News Editor for Silver Chips Print. Jessica Lu is the Technical Director for Silver Chips Online.

SGA holds food drive from SGA page 1

amount of money raised was due to confusion between the SGA and according to their website. The Fannie Mae. “Mixed informaintention of the food drive was tion caused confusion. We didn’t to help those without homes stay know that we could take cash, dehealthy and happy during the posit it, and write them a check. holiday season, according to SGA We thought the money had to be President Patrice-Morgan Ongoly. through checks or credit cards,” The she said. annual In orw a l k der to get for the a better hometurnout less was for future superevents, vised by the SGA senior believe it Kidist needs to Bekele figure out a n d how to get sponpeople to sored by better parthe Fanticipate nie Mae in their Founactivities. dation.

“It’s a The Fanchallenge nie Mae when so Foundam a n y tion is a things are corporagoing on tion that in peoples funds lives. We p r o need to get grams through t h a t that barLEAH HAMMOND help the This year, the SGA collected 300 rier,” said h o m e - fewer cans than in the years past.

Weldon. less in We l the DC Metropolitan region. don also believes that the timing According to Ongoly, the may have been poor, causing the canned food drive did not go as minimal participation in the two well as SGA expected to get more events. “We kicked it off at homedonations. “Personally, we could coming where we offered a free have done a lot better,” said On- drink for can, but after that people goly. This years canned food were in the post-homecoming drive was over 300 cans short of phase, not paying attention,” said the usual 1,000 cans donated, ac- Weldon. cording to Perez.

The SGA wasn’t the only orgaBoth Bekele and SGA sponsor nization at Blair to collect canned Stefanie Weldon said the home- foods. The Montgomery Blair less walk on the other hand went Players, Blair’s theater company, well despite the small profit gen- is also collecting canned foods at erated. “It was successful…the all of their performances. The cans woman from Fannie Mae said it collected by them will be given to went well,” said Bekele. the Capital City Food Bank in the Weldon believes the lower spirit of “All for one, one for all.”

12 ADS

November 10, 2011

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November 10, 2011

Missing the mark

13

Blair falls just short of federal standards

By NoahGrace Bauman Students just recently received their first HSA requirements. Under NCLB guidequarter report cards, but Blair has already lines, if a school fails in just one subgroup, received a grade of its own. Based on stu- then the whole school is classified as failing. dent performance on the 2010-2011 English Blair was previously in the NCLB school imand Algebra High School Assessments, provement consequence program, but after Blair missed the passing mark by two stu- passing AYP in 2008 and again in 2009 Blair dents and as a result, the whole school came had just graduated out of the NCLB school out with an F. This failure isn’t specific to failure consequence program. Blair will now Blair. Under the No Child Left Behind Act reenter the program because of last year’s (NCLB), a 2001 education reform act, rough- failure.

Principal Renay Johnson believes that ly 80 percent of schools nationwide are believed to be headed towards failure under this failure is based on an unfair way to strict Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) stan- measure a school’s success. “We needed 42 LEP students to pass, we were two students dards.

AYP refers to a series of benchmark stan- short. Two students and Blair’s a failing dards that measure how well states meet school. Schools should not be graded on two guidelines outlined in NCLB. In the state of students passing an assessment. Especially a Maryland, NCLB requires all public schools school the size of Blair,” she says.

Ruopp also believes that NCLB is inadto have a certain percentage of students pass the High School Assessment (HSA) equate in the way it assesses success. “Even exams in Algebra and English each school though we didn’t make AYP last year, we year. AYP measures not only the HSA pass had more students pass than the year before. rate of an entire student body, but also pass We made an improvement; however, we are rates among various subgroups of students. still considered failing,” says Ruopp. “If you These subgroups divide students based on look at the statistics in a different way you their race, level of English proficiency, socio- wouldn’t see a failing picture.” economic status and educational track. Each Consequence year, the pass rate a school must achieve to meet AYP increases.

According to Johnson, being named a For the 2011-2012 school year, groups must have a 86.3 percent pass rate for the failing school is more than just a label. It English HSA and a 82.4 percent for the Al- also has serious consequences. As a result gebra HSA. These percentages will continue of student performance last year, Johnson to increase and by 2014 every school in the explains that Blair is now under a program country is expected to have 100 percent of called Local Attention. “[Since] we are in Local Attention, we are going to be focusing students pass these exams.

ESOL teacher Kristin Ruopp says she our energies on ensuring we achieve profifinds serious problems in the expectations of ciency across the board. The central office team will review NCLB. She our efforts in imbelieves that proving student the goal of a achievement.

100 percent They will make pass rate recommendafor the 2013tions on how to 2014 school help,” she says. year is unThese conserealistic. “It quence guidewould challines are set by lenge any the state, and if teacher, you a school contincan’t have ESOL teacher ues to fail then 100 perthe consequences cent of anyKristin Ruopp will steadily inthing,” says crease. After four Ruopp. years of failing Last year, Blair was supposed to meet a 79.5 percent AYP, the school will enter a program called pass rate for all subgroups, yet could still Restructuring. In Restructuring the school make AYP requirements if groups made will be handed over to the state, the adminthe confidence interval of 65.4 percent. This istration will be completely replaced and the confidence interval restructures AYP so teachers will have to fight to keep their jobs, that a school as a whole can still meet AYP says Johnson. Currently two middle schools requirements if the pass rate in these sub- in Montgomery County have made it to this groups meets an acceptable predetermined level of restructuring.

Johnson is adamant that restructuring lower percentage.

Blair fell just short of AYP because two won’t happen to Blair. In order to make the students in the Limited English Proficiency AYP requirements for this year, teachers and (LEP) subgroup failed to pass the English the administration are already working on

If you look at the statistics in a different way you wouldn’t see a failing picture.

putting plans in place to help students pass the test.

Passing plan In order to help students pass the exam, Head of the Reading Department Jennifer Craft says that resource teachers are using specific strategies to help teach students the necessary skills to succeed on the test. “We went through every past HSA and took vocabulary to supplement the county curriculum,” she says. “We also instruct in small groups to meet the needs of learners based on skill areas. We use MAP-R, Accuplacer, Reading Live Naturally and Skills Tutor to help students prepare for the test.”

Ruopp says that though helping students work on specific skills is important in passing the test, so is students’ outlook on the test. “We have a very distinct strategy in which we convince students that the test matter is important, not just for AYP but for their own benefit,” she says.

Ruopp believes the HSAs are beneficial for students because the tests are good indicators of college readiness. “We know that if they can pass the HSA they will not have to take remedial English in college,” says Ruopp.

Johnson believes that her staff is motivated to help students pass the exams because they understand the test’s educational value, and thus is confident in her staff and their distinct plan to meet requirements this year.

“I am optimistic. We’ve already identified students in each red zone of each subgroup.

Resource teachers have extensive plans in place to remediate students and ensure success,” she says. “But on any given day someone can be sick and fill in the wrong answers, but we hope that with research-based interventions kids can be successful.”

Johnson also says that despite the focus on passing the HSAs teachers are still focusing on students learning additional material. “I don’t see teachers teaching to the test.

Montgomery County does a good job aligning material with the test,” she says.

Craft, however, does believe that the strict AYP requirements have affected the way that the reading department is able to teach. “In the reading department we have still managed to retain our creativity, but teaching for the HSA takes away creativity

and the ability to have choices within the curriculum. You become limited because you have to meet the demands of the HSA,” she says.

Expectations

During the 2011-2012 school year, these plans will have to work to accommodate the yearly percentage increase, as well as the increase in the number of students in the LEP subgroup.

Last year there were 60 students in the LEP subgroup, and this year there are 90.

Craft believes that holding these students who just recently learned English to the same standards as other students whose first language is English is an unfair expectation. “It is unrealistic to expect students to, within two to four years after coming to this country, meet requirements for a test at their grade level when DOYUNG LEE research shows it takes seven years to learn academic language,” she says.

In the past, teachers have been able to bridge this language barrier by holding students back; however Ruopp says that this practice is discouraged under NCLB. “We have more pressure to graduate in four years.

Before, if a student was not able to pass we could offer them to stay another year, but AYP’s goal is to have students graduate in four years. They see staying another year as a failure,” Ruopp says.

Ruopp believes that this failure is not based on Blair’s performance, but rather the fact that AYP is an inadequate measure of success for the educational system. And these Blair teachers aren’t the only ones who believe that the way NCLB measures school performance is unrealistic. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is currently working with the President Obama to develop new education reforms to more adequately measure school improvement. According to materials released by the White House, states that may struggle to meet the 100 percent proficiency benchmark in 2014 will be allowed to apply for waivers that would free them from the consequences of failing to meet AYP. Johnson says she is hopeful that this reform will happen. “I’m optimistic that change will happen, but I hope that the public education system will not be tarnished while politicians are deciding what is best for children,” she says.

MAGGIE SHI AND DOYUNG LEE

14 NEWSBRIEFS

NEWSBRIEFS

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November 10, 2011

Silver rhymes

Starr reserves funds for future school construction Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Superintendent Joshua Starr released a Capital Improvement report on Oct. 28 calling for $1.4 billion in school building improvements. The construction is designed to create room for the 9,000 students expected to be added to MCPS by 2017 and improve learning conditions for all students in MCPS. According to the report, current construction costs are lower than they were in previous years, making immediate development and construction an economical option. According to Starr, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase (B-CC) school cluster has the most significant problem with overcrowding; if suggestions included in the report are approved, the B-CC cluster will undergo widespread improvements and construction. A new middle school is being planned in the cluster, and most elementary schools are expected to go through modernization and classroom addition by 2015. Projects that have already been approved in the B-CC cluster include classroom additions at Westbrook and North Chevy Chase Elementary Schools.

Construction of Westfield Wheaton Costco on hold CLARE LEFEBURE

Westfield Wheaton paused its Costco development project during the week of October 24 due to concerns regarding a Montgomery County bill that may restrict bulk retailers. Montgomery County Council President Valerie Ervin (D-Dist. 5) introduced the bill (Bill 33-11) on Oct. 11; if passed, it will require stores larger than 75,000 square feet to sign a community benefits agreement with no less than three local civic associations, or demonstrate that they have made a genuine effort to do so. Community benefits agreements may include provisions regarding wages, funds for community programs and traffic. According to councilmembers Nancy Floreen (D-at large) and George Leventhal (D-at large), Westfield Wheaton denied that they had halted construction; however, Costco executives confirmed with both councilmembers that the project was on hiatus. According to Floreen, who chairs Montgomery County’s Planning, Housing and Economic Development committee, the committee is set to discuss Bill 33-11 on Nov. 7.

Senior John Rose performs at Silver Quill’s Halloween Open Mic on Oct. 28. The Open Mic allowed musicians and other artists to share their talents with the rest of Blair.

School district changes language curriculum The Montgomery County Board of Education (BOE) approved a curriculum framework on Oct. 11 that standardizes foreign language instruction across Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). The curriculum framework laid out what students are expected to know at each level of instruction. According to MCPS Curriculum and Instruction director Betsy Brown, the school district’s revisions will make it easier for teachers to access standard curriculum guidelines. The curriculum framework identified five areas in which students ought to be evaluated: communication, cultures, comparisons, connections and communities. The framework also recommended introducing foreign language instruction in elementary school as opposed to middle school. MCPS foreign language immersion programs will not be affected by the curriculum changes.

Maine based company acquires Gifford’s Gifford’s Ice Cream of Skowhegan, ME bought Gifford’s Ice Cream and Candy of Silver Spring on Oct. 12, according to Gifford’s Ice Cream Vice President of sales Lindsay Gifford-Skilling.

Gifford’s Ice Cream and Candy declared bankruptcy in 2010; according to Gifford-Skilling, combining the companies was a logical choice because of the bankruptcy and continued consumer confusion between the two chains. Gifford-Skilling does not plan on opening stores in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area in the near future, but the company will consult with consumers regarding the consolidation of recipes. After purchasing the Silver Spring based Gifford’s, the Maine based Gifford’s plans on establishing stores in the Mid-Atlantic region.

NATHAN GAMSON AND MAUREEN LEI

Metro revises and shortens station names The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authory (WMATA) Customer Service and Operatioins Committee and full Board voted on Nov. 3 to change several Metro system names. WMATA will be making service changes and replacing Metro station signs in 2012, and they plan on implementing the new station names simultaneously. Metro is also adopting a new primary-secondary station naming system, the idea for which was conceived through customer focus groups. Under the primary-secondary naming system, Metro stations named for more than one landmark or center will have one name designated as the primary, and one designated as the secondary. The station names that have been designated as subtitled are: Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter, Georgia Ave-Petworth, Grosvenor-Strathmore, Mt. Vernon Sq/7th Street#ONVENTION #ENTER .EW 9ORK !VE &LORIDA !VE 'ALLAUDET 5 2HODE Island Ave-Brentwood, U Street/African-Amer Civil War Memorial/Cardozo, Vienna/Fairfax-GMU, West Falls Church-VT/UVA AND 7OODLEY 0ARK :OO !DAMS -ORGAN

Newsbriefs compiled by Maureen Lei, with additional reporting by The Gazette and Greater Greater Washington.

HONORS s 4HE "LAIR 2OBOTICS 4EAM PLACED SECOND OUT OF 16 teams at the Inspiring Leaders in Technology AND %NGINEERING 2OBOTICS /FFSEASON #OMPETITION on Nov. 5 at Battlefield High School in Haymarket, VA. s 4HE "LAIR !FRICAN #LUB WAS INVITED TO PRESENT A skit regarding conflict resolution at the ninth anNUAL !FRICAN )MMIGRANT AND 2EFUGEE &OUNDATION Conference. The conference is scheduled to take place on Nov. 18 at Montgomery College’s Park/ Silver Spring Campus. This year’s theme is “AfRICAN 2ESTORATIVE *USTICE AND /THER !PPROACHES TO #ONm ICT 2ESOLUTIONv s 3ENIORS -AUREEN ,EI AND 3HERMAN ,EUNG WERE published in the October edition of The Journal of

Experimental Secondary Science (JESS). JESS publishes scientific research reports submitted by high school students. s 3ENIORS 3EBASTIAN -EDINA 4AYAC AND !UDREY Tchoukoua were named Blair Students of the Month for the month of October. s 3EVERAL MEMBERS OF THE "LAIR "ADMINTON #LUB placed at the Montgomery County High School Badminton tournament on Oct. 28 at Walter Johnson. Senior Austin Liou placed second in the prodoubles division; his partner was a student from 2ICHARD -ONTGOMERY *UNIOR $ANIEL #HEN AND SE nior Kevin Chiang placed second in the doubles diVISION AND SOPHOMORE 2ICHARD :HU PLACED EIGHTH in the singles division.

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November 10, 2011

FEATURES

15

SCARRED BUT NOT DEFEATED from WAR ZONES page 1 war in Sierra Leone, which lasted from 1991 to 2002. Rebel groups revolting against the government killed over 50,000 civilians to gain wealth and power. Much of the conflict was over the diamond trade and corruption within the government.

In 1999, Umunatu was only four years old when she hid in a shack with her aunt, as the sounds of gunshots and screaming rang through her village. She stayed in the shelter for about two weeks until the violence subsided, allowing Umunatu and her aunt escape .

Umunatu did not only fear for her own life. She also worried about her father, who was hiding in a different building. Her mother was already living in America. “It was just very horrific because I didn’t know where my dad was and I didn’t know if I would see him again,” she says.

Junior Fatmata Kamara (no relation to Umunatu), who is also from Sierra Leone, had a similar experience. She looked for a hiding place when rebels attacked her village. But her family had a harder time getting to a safe building. Rebels shot at villagers running for shelter. Those who tripped were trampled. “I had to run for my life,” she says. The dangers did not end once Fatmata’s family reached the shelter. At one point, a bomb nearly hit the building.

Unlike Umunatu and Fatmata, senior Albert Lahai never made it to a safe hiding place during his experience of the war in Sierra Leone. He was staying with his grandparents for the weekend when they heard that the rebels were coming. His grandfather did not

“

I didn’t know where my dad was and I didn’t know if I would see him again. junior Umunatu Kamara

”

believe the warnings, and his family did not run away. When the rebels arrived, they took him and his family outside and held them at gunpoint. They asked if they were living with any soldiers or policemen. They said they were not, but the rebels still threatened to kill them.

Albert’s aunt saved the family. One of the rebels took a liking to her, and she accepted to go with him as long as the rebels did not kill the family. Albert now says that he owes his life to her. “I say to myself, ‘I should have been dead long ago, and now I’m alive, and thank God for that and for my aunt,’“ says Albert.

According to Miller, rebels commonly took women as “wives” and sometimes sexually abused them.

“Women and children are particularly vulnerable in war,” he says.

After the rebels took Albert’s aunt, the rest of his family escaped to the mountains. They eventually reached the house of his grandfather’s friend, but they found it was not so safe. One night, Albert was left alone in the house.

A rebel broke in and Albert tried to remain as quiet as he could in a dark corner of a room. He says that if there had been any light at all in the room, the rebel would have found him.

His grandfather returned Albert to his parents, who were temporarily living in a safe stadium.

His aunt returned to the family a few months later, but she does not speak of what happened while she was with the rebels.

Both Umunatu and Fatmata understand why Albert’s aunt does not want to talk about her PHOTO COURTESY OF UMUNATU KAMARA disturbing experiences.

Umunatu’s mother tries Junior Umunatu Kamara sported a “Sierra Leone” hat at to avoid the subject of the the DC Carnival last summer.

INFORMATION COURTESY OF MCPS

war as well, and Fatmata tries to repress her memories. “Trust me, no one wants to remember that,” she says.

Bouity also does not like to recall the horrors that happened, but believes that it is unavoidable. He says that watching a war movie or hearing the sound of a gunshot brings him right back to the Congo.

No easy escape

Bouity experienced war in a different country than Umunatu, Fatmata and Albert, but he had similar experiences trying to escape from rebels. The civil war in the Republic of the Congo began in 1997 and was between two groups supporting different political leaders, Denis Sassou Nguesso and Pascal Lissouba. Once Nguesso came to power, ENOCH HSIAO supporters of Lissouba rebelled against the govern- Senior Albert Lahai plans to become a doctor while in the ment, sparking a conflict U.S so he can go home and help those in Sierra Leone. that killed at least 10,000 erra Leone is not completely healed, but the people.

In 1997, Bouity was living in the capital people are hopeful and content. Recently, city, Brazzaville. His father came home one they celebrated its 50th year as an independay, rounded up the family, and took them to dent country. “Everything is much better,” the airport. The war had come to the capital. Umunatu says. “The people are happy.”

Miller agrees that Sierra Leone is relatively He put them on a plane to a safer city, while stable, but believes that it will take many he stayed behind at a military camp.

In 1998, Bouity and his brother flew back to years for the country to fully recover. “I Brazzaville to live with their father, believing would say that things are better,” says Miller. it was safe. But the rebels entered the city yet “There is no active fighting that I know about again. He and his brother ran upstairs to his and some of the people responsible are being room and watched outside of their window as tried or jailed for their crimes. So that’s the the rebels dragged a neighboring family out- good news. The more difficult news is that side of a house and murdered them. “They it takes a long time.”

The conflict in the Republic of the Congo lined them up against the wall and they just killed everybody and they took the baby and has also ended. In 1999, many but not all of they just crushed him with a stick,” Bouity the warring groups reached a peace agreement. recalls.

Bouity does not know if he will eventually His three older siblings moved to America a year later, and he followed them in 2005. His return to the Congo. “I don’t know if I’m goparents are still in the Congo, since they have ing to go back, but I miss home,” he says. He steady jobs that they do not want to give up. would like to go to the Congo not only for his His mother visits America every other year own sake, but to help improve its education to see her children, but Bouity has not seen system. He is currently studying architecture at Morgan State University, and hopes to use his father since 2005. his skills to build schools. “The war affected the way I want to live my life,” he says.

No place like home Both Fatmata and Albert’s life goals stem Bouity longs for his family back home, from their experiences during war. They plan but understands the importance of coming on going to medical school and becoming to America for a better education. “I miss doctors. They want to dedicate their careers everything,” he says. “I miss my family, be- to working in Sierra Leone. “There are so cause in Africa, family is not just my siblings, many people dying in my country and someit’s all my cousins, my uncles, and all those one needs to help there,” says Albert.

These Blazers have lived through horror, other people.”

Albert, Umunatu and Fatmata feel grate- but they also have hope. They may never ful that they were able to come to America to forget the tragedies of war, but they continue start anew as well. However, they miss their to remember their countries for their culfamilies and culture back in Sierra Leone, tures and heritages. Soon, their thoughts of their homelands may no longer be a distant especially now that the war is over.

In 2001, United Nations soldiers entered memory. Years from now, Bouity, Fatmata, Sierra Leone and began to disarm rebels. In Albert and Umunatu may return home and 2002, the war ended. Umunatu says that Si- help to mend their war-torn countries.

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CENTERSPREAD November 10, 2011

BLAIR AFTER DARK

By Katie Pohlman From lunches to churches

After a week of chaotic Blair lunches and hordes of students standing around before and after school and leaving messes, the SAC is scrubbed so the Living Water International Church of Maryland can use the space for their services. The church, with a congregation of mainly Haitian immigrants, uses Blair’s spacious cafeteria on Friday evenings and Sunday mornings.

With a usual number of about 30 worshippers, the small group of peacefully praying churchgoers is a strong contrast to the crowd of students who inhabit the SAC during the week.

Church pastor Enock Guerrier says the new church has been using the SAC to worship for 10 months, but he wants to stay at Blair only until they can afford to move to a location of their own. “Our goal is to use [Blair] until we get our own place, but [it] is not easy because it requires a lot of money,” says Guerrier.

The Living Water But Blair class of 2000 International Church graduate and church member of Maryland uses Clemon Joseph thinks that Blair twice a week, Blair will work for the time but members plan on being because it is available and has the space the congreeventually getting a gation needs. space of their own.

Photos by Tolu Omokehinde, Enoch Hsiao and Clare Lefebure Students are sitting in English class, the orchestra is practicing for their concert, a group of students is playing a basketball game in the gymnasium, and others are hanging out in the SAC. It seems like it’s just another average day at Blair — except it’s nighttime.

Schools across the county, open up after hours for a wide range of community events, from recreational league practices to community group meetings. Different schools appeal to different kinds of groups more than others. Schools in Bethesda are in demand by sports leagues for their high quality fields, but bigger schools like Blair appeal to different community groups because of the amount of space that they offer.

Their low rental costs and easy access make schools the best option for most organizations. “The number of applications is overwhelming, frankly,” says Stephen Beach, Program Manager in the Community Use of Public Facilities (CUPF) sector of the Montgomery County Department of Recreation. Like most public schools, Blair is booked year-round, with programs and organizations using its facilities on weekends, after school and occasionally before school. Because of low cost and accessibility, using public schools to host a range of programs allows community members to play their favorite sport or practice their favorite hobby, which they might not be able to do otherwise.

Same courts, different leagues As all the rest of Blair is silent, the sharp squeaks of basketball shoes sliding on the waxed floors can be heard coming from the gym: there is a game going on.

On Sundays, the Blair gymnasium is used for recreational basketball games.

The Montgomery County Department of Recreation offers recreational basketball leagues for all ages. Their high school and middle school programs, also known as the Rising Star League, use the Blair gymnasium for games and practices weekly throughout the school year. During the winter season, the gym is in constant use between the Blair teams’ practices and games and those of the recreational leagues.

These programs offer students a chance to play outside of school in a league that is more affordable and accessible for them.

“Recreational sports get people access to a league that is cheaper and closer than others,” Beach says. There is also a younger league for elementary school children.

Art by Tatyana Gubin Music of the night

In the Blair orchestra room on Monday nights a group of adults, most in their 50s or 60s, sits in the chairs already set up there, chatting with each other or warming up on their instruments. Once the conductor, Scott Wood, walks in, the jumble of sounds turns into a melodious harmony to form Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 in E Flat Major.

The Montgomery Symphony Orchestra is an amateur orchestra that participates in three concerts a year, and additional ones for special occasions. The orchestra has used Blair since the school was in its old building, which is now Silver Spring International Middle School.

Jeff Young, a trumpeter, says that since most of the members are older, the group usually does not get new ones, but sometimes a high school student will come to play with them for a while. “Most of the people have been here a long time, but we get new people every three to four years,” says Young.

As Wood climbs back up to his podium, signaling the end of the break, he comments that “[Blair is] great. [The Orchestra room is] set up as a real rehearsal area and it has great acoustics.” He then lifts his baton and the strains The Montgomery Symphony Orchesof Mozart fill the air once tra is an amateur ensemble that has again.

been using Blair to practice since the school was in its old building.

Not all classes end at 3 p.m.

Once the sports teams have stopped practicing and the sun is setting, students ages 18 and up file into a number of Blair classrooms on the first floor to learn English. Some students are beginners and others are more advanced, working toward their general equivalency degree (GED). But they are all here to get help in adapting to their new English-speaking surroundings.

Montgomery College has been using Blair for over 10 years to hold its English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes. “We help the students transfer from their country to our country,” says Susie Robinson, a Montgomery College Adult ESOL Program staffer. The ESOL program uses a number of high schools throughout the county to reach a diverse variety of members of different communities, but Blair is the easiest to get to and therefore has the highest number of students.

I Drive Smart, which offers classes to drivers ranging from beginners to those who just need a refresher course, and the George B. Thomas, Sr. Learning Academy, which provides tutoring for students in grades one through 12, also use Blair. According to Tia Ross, a counselor at Blair and Site Director for the Academy, Blair’s central location increases the number of students that they can reach. “You can see the benefit [of using Blair] by the number of students that we help,” she says. They had four hundred students last year.

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CENTERSPREAD November 10, 2011

BLAIR AFTER DARK

By Katie Pohlman From lunches to churches

After a week of chaotic Blair lunches and hordes of students standing around before and after school and leaving messes, the SAC is scrubbed so the Living Water International Church of Maryland can use the space for their services. The church, with a congregation of mainly Haitian immigrants, uses Blair’s spacious cafeteria on Friday evenings and Sunday mornings.

With a usual number of about 30 worshippers, the small group of peacefully praying churchgoers is a strong contrast to the crowd of students who inhabit the SAC during the week.

Church pastor Enock Guerrier says the new church has been using the SAC to worship for 10 months, but he wants to stay at Blair only until they can afford to move to a location of their own. “Our goal is to use [Blair] until we get our own place, but [it] is not easy because it requires a lot of money,” says Guerrier.

The Living Water But Blair class of 2000 International Church graduate and church member of Maryland uses Clemon Joseph thinks that Blair twice a week, Blair will work for the time but members plan on being because it is available and has the space the congreeventually getting a gation needs. space of their own.

Photos by Tolu Omokehinde, Enoch Hsiao and Clare Lefebure Students are sitting in English class, the orchestra is practicing for their concert, a group of students is playing a basketball game in the gymnasium, and others are hanging out in the SAC. It seems like it’s just another average day at Blair — except it’s nighttime.

Schools across the county, open up after hours for a wide range of community events, from recreational league practices to community group meetings. Different schools appeal to different kinds of groups more than others. Schools in Bethesda are in demand by sports leagues for their high quality fields, but bigger schools like Blair appeal to different community groups because of the amount of space that they offer.

Their low rental costs and easy access make schools the best option for most organizations. “The number of applications is overwhelming, frankly,” says Stephen Beach, Program Manager in the Community Use of Public Facilities (CUPF) sector of the Montgomery County Department of Recreation. Like most public schools, Blair is booked year-round, with programs and organizations using its facilities on weekends, after school and occasionally before school. Because of low cost and accessibility, using public schools to host a range of programs allows community members to play their favorite sport or practice their favorite hobby, which they might not be able to do otherwise.

Same courts, different leagues As all the rest of Blair is silent, the sharp squeaks of basketball shoes sliding on the waxed floors can be heard coming from the gym: there is a game going on.

On Sundays, the Blair gymnasium is used for recreational basketball games.

The Montgomery County Department of Recreation offers recreational basketball leagues for all ages. Their high school and middle school programs, also known as the Rising Star League, use the Blair gymnasium for games and practices weekly throughout the school year. During the winter season, the gym is in constant use between the Blair teams’ practices and games and those of the recreational leagues.

These programs offer students a chance to play outside of school in a league that is more affordable and accessible for them.

“Recreational sports get people access to a league that is cheaper and closer than others,” Beach says. There is also a younger league for elementary school children.

Art by Tatyana Gubin Music of the night

In the Blair orchestra room on Monday nights a group of adults, most in their 50s or 60s, sits in the chairs already set up there, chatting with each other or warming up on their instruments. Once the conductor, Scott Wood, walks in, the jumble of sounds turns into a melodious harmony to form Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 in E Flat Major.

The Montgomery Symphony Orchestra is an amateur orchestra that participates in three concerts a year, and additional ones for special occasions. The orchestra has used Blair since the school was in its old building, which is now Silver Spring International Middle School.

Jeff Young, a trumpeter, says that since most of the members are older, the group usually does not get new ones, but sometimes a high school student will come to play with them for a while. “Most of the people have been here a long time, but we get new people every three to four years,” says Young.

As Wood climbs back up to his podium, signaling the end of the break, he comments that “[Blair is] great. [The Orchestra room is] set up as a real rehearsal area and it has great acoustics.” He then lifts his baton and the strains The Montgomery Symphony Orchesof Mozart fill the air once tra is an amateur ensemble that has again.

been using Blair to practice since the school was in its old building.

Not all classes end at 3 p.m.

Once the sports teams have stopped practicing and the sun is setting, students ages 18 and up file into a number of Blair classrooms on the first floor to learn English. Some students are beginners and others are more advanced, working toward their general equivalency degree (GED). But they are all here to get help in adapting to their new English-speaking surroundings.

Montgomery College has been using Blair for over 10 years to hold its English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes. “We help the students transfer from their country to our country,” says Susie Robinson, a Montgomery College Adult ESOL Program staffer. The ESOL program uses a number of high schools throughout the county to reach a diverse variety of members of different communities, but Blair is the easiest to get to and therefore has the highest number of students.

I Drive Smart, which offers classes to drivers ranging from beginners to those who just need a refresher course, and the George B. Thomas, Sr. Learning Academy, which provides tutoring for students in grades one through 12, also use Blair. According to Tia Ross, a counselor at Blair and Site Director for the Academy, Blair’s central location increases the number of students that they can reach. “You can see the benefit [of using Blair] by the number of students that we help,” she says. They had four hundred students last year.

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Country in profile: Colombia

FEATURES 19

Senior Sebastian Soto brings a bit of Calí to Blair on the soccer team

By Peter McNally

As for many athletes, sports have been a part of senior Sebastian Soto’s life since his very early childhood. Growing up in Colombia, Soto’s interest in soccer was no anomaly. Less common in Calí, known as the sports capitol of Colombia, however, was his family’s team of choice: United States.

Soto’s family, along with many other Colombian families with American ties, root for the U.S. soccer team, the rivals of the local Calí team. “We watched every game, “ he says. Soto’s dream of playing soccer in the U.S. is now being realized, but on a different scale — he is currently a co-captain of the boys’ varsity team.

While most apparent through soccer, spending the first five years of his life in Colombia has greatly shaped Soto’s American experience.

With approximately 46 million people, Colombia is the thirdlargest Spanish speaking country in the world after Mexico and Spain.

According the 2010 census, Soto is one of 637,000 Colombians currently living in the U.S. Soto moved to the United States at the age of five with his mother, father and siblings. Like many people who immigrate to the U.S., Soto’s family sought out better employment. “The work opportunity was more open,” says Soto.

But the U.S. was more than the “land of opportunity” to the Soto family — it was a place of safety.

the world, producing more cocaine than any other country and supplying almost all of the US’s supply. In the past few decades, drug cartels have held major social, political and economic power.

In addition to this rampant black market, the country has been plagued with violence in the form of kidnappings and guerilla warfare.

This violence has been carried out in the past few decade b y e x t re m ist military factions, and although the giant United LEAH HAMMOND Self-Defense Senior Sebastian Soto is a captain of boys’ soccer, Forces of Colombia a sport he grew up with in his home city, Calí.

(UFAC) has A main reason his family left, he been relatively demobilized in the says, was to flee the violence in past few years, the country has see Colombia. the rise of at least six new paramiliColombia is the epicenter of one tary groups like Los Rastrojos and of the most vicious drug trades in Los Urabenos. These neo-military

factions continue to carry out the element of non-verbal teamwork violence that the country has battled needs no translation.

Soto attributes his extensive for the past century.

The country has taken major involvement in soccer and resultsteps to improve their electoral and ing successes to his familial backpolitical processes. However, the ground. “All my cousins and my crime and violence have severely family play soccer; it’s a way we have fun,” hindered Cosays Soto. lombia’s abilDespite ity to sustain Colombia’s a compreproblems hensive deand his new, mocracy. comfortable This conhome in the fluence of U.S., Soto hazards puts still holds many CoColombia lombian citiin his heart, zens at risk. especially “ It’s safer since his here than relatives it is there.

MAGGIE SHI are still livAt night, if INFORMATION FROM CIA FACTBOOK ing there, he you’re alone, you’re guaranteed to get robbed,” says. He recently visited his relatives in Calí three years ago, a very says Soto.

Soto has faced different prob- close reunion he will never forget, lems upon arriving in the U.S., how- he says. “It was amazing. The famever. He faced cultural obstacles ily was united. Whatever we did, upon arrival to the United States. the family as together,” says Soto.

“It was hard to adjust to the new “Even though they don’t live as language. You have no idea how good, they are still happy…money to communicate with people cause doesn’t buy happiness,” he says.

However, as much he enjoys you don’t know the new language,” visiting Colombia and reconnecting he says.

Soon after his arrival, Soto’s with his extended family living, he parents got him involved in a little- still appreciates living in the U.S. beleague soccer team. Soccer became cause of the opportunities available a means of communication for Soto to him here. “I wouldn’t mind going because its physical nature and back, but only to visit,” he says.

Meditation Club puts minds at peace in high-stress Blair Blazers remove their shoes, shut their eyes and breathe

By Sarah Wilson The traffic at the intersection of Colesville and University noisily rages on as a shirtless student yells,“Savage!” while he and two friends “trick,” and perform front flips. Three others wander by with bags from McDonalds eating French fries and gossiping on a nearby bench. In the midst of it all, six juniors and seniors sit on the ground in a circle, silent, shoeless and serene.

The circle is motionless even when one of the nearby trickers proclaims that he has made history as the first person to ever perform that stunt on grass. They sit crossed legged or lie on the ground, concentrating on breathing and relaxing until the fifteen

to relax from the pressure of high school life despite being literally surrounded by dozens of Blazers who gather in groups across the campus after the 2:10 bell.

Silent circle

The structure of the meetings is relaxed and the plan for any one meeting is simple: pick a spot and meditate. Kelley, along with juniors Sabine Lipten, Audrey Fischer, Max Khanjari and senior Kevin Trejo meet in the SAC and head outside where some choose to remove their shoes before gathering on the grass. Kelley sets a timer on his phone and the light conversation is suddenly quieted. Surrounding students pay no particular attention to the circle as they occasionally shift and blink while attempting to find their center.

When the time is up, Kelley immediately opens the discussion. “I’m disoriented and discombobulated; it was kind of hard for me to get in the moment. It’s hard here. There’s a lot of stimuli,” Kelley admits. Senior Lena Meyerson offers her own experiences.

“At one point I became aware of what my eyes are picking up. Despite being closed, you can CLARE LEFEBURE concentrate on the The juniors and seniors of Blair’s meditation club gather on colors you can see, the lawn and attempt to ignore the surrouding dirstractions. at one time I saw all magenta. It was minutes ends and senior Miles Kelley begins crazy,” describes Meyerson. Other group a culminating discussion. Blair’s medita- members provide brief reflections before the tion club was established last year by 2011 conversation transitions into laughter about graduate Tyler Reese. To its members, the the proposal of building a teepee or digging group is an anomaly in the high-stress Blair a big hole in order to create a more isolated community, a place where they can attempt meditation environment.

Appreciating the present With so much of high school life focused on planning for the future, Kelley believes that meditation gives the club members the opportunity to immerse themselves in the moment. Kelley explains that there “are so many distractions going on in the present moment when I’m thinking about homework I have to do later or even if it’s fun things I am doing later. It’s nice to appreciate the present and appreciate the moment.”

Junior Mattie Cohen CLARE LEFEBURE agrees that the club helps her to separate herself from Audrey Fischer and Sabine Lipten agree to move her stress and free her mind. outside for the week’s meditation.

“I try to empty my head and get to a place where I’m not stressed about the because of this calming effect. “In this spot day I’ve had,” she says. “It’s exactly what I it’s more real. Even though it’s hard to focus need mid-week.” here, you can be aware of all of it and still be centered. I think it’s good for people to see Making time for meditation there are some of us taking the time to just not worry about other things,” she says.

While most Blazers wandering around the campus seemed unfazed by the quiet group, curious students do occasionally take notice and want to know what’s going on. “Usually we will invite them and they usually don’t The meditation club meets on sit down,” says Kelley. Kelley believes that Wednesdays at 2:10 in the SAC and stressed-out students commonly reject the welcomes Blazers to attend reguinvitation because they aren’t open to the idea larly. They also encourage Blazthat meditation is something that everyone ers to come by for a single meethas time for and that is worth any time one ing to try out the club. They invite can set aside for it. “Some people are busy, anyone to join the club if they and some people think they are busy. You ever feel the need to get centered. can make yourself busy or not busy and often Junior Eloise Goldsmith is not a people find it easier just to keep going and not regular member, but stopped by try this,” he speculates. recently to attempt some meditaRegardless, members of Blair’s meditation tion. “I didn’t exactly meditate, club believe that the several minutes a week but I love that it’s all so free form. do make a difference in helping them to relax I came and joined and took a fifand feel more peaceful and that their presence teen minute nap and then talkcan even be calming to the Blair community ed about my dream,” she says. as a whole. Meyerson prefers the very public spot by the University-Colesville intersection

JOIN IN THE ZEN

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FEATURES 21

BATTLING STEREOTYPES IN SURROUND SOUND

By Emma Bergman The ventures of most third graders end up abandoned with gobs of Elmer’s glue and a few bucks to serve as mementos of far flung dreams of greatness. When now freshmen Zeke Wapner, Ben Miller, Michael Untereiner and Ian Askew decided to start a band in the third grade, not much more was expected of them.

Six years later they’ve performed at several local venues including the Electric Maid and the Grassy Nook Stage and their band, Ladle Fight, has proven to be the only one of its kind. Earlier in the year, this group of kids was recognized by the German Rolling Stone Magazine as “the youngest

indie rock band in the world.”

It was Wapner and Miller’s idea to start the band, and Untereiner and Askew were involved within weeks.

Since Askew couldn’t play an instrument he acted as the manager. “It didn’t mean anything because we didn’t really do anything, so I would kind of flick the lights on and off while they were playing to kind of make it seem like we had a strobe light or something,” Askew says. He soon dropped his manager role to take up the drums, and Ladle Fight came together.

A new kind of ‘mash up’

Most of the songs Ladle Fight performs are original pieces, developed by all four band members.

This collaborative song-writing method is unique to Ladle Fight, and comes from a level of familiarity with each other that other teen bands might lack.

“Because we’ve been playing LEAH MUSKIN-PIERRET together so Ian Askew, Zeke Wapner, Ben Miller and Mi- long it’s easy chael Untereiner practice at Askew’s house. to communi-

cate. We all sort of have a process and we’re really comfortable with each other,” Miller says.

Ladle Fight fans and friends agree. Sophomore Leila Bartholet, producer of Ladle Fight’s music video to their song “Take it Easy”, likes that the band’s music is different. “They don’t write songs about girls and dumb problems.

They write songs about the environment and different political issues,” she says. Sophomore Sam Dembling, Ladle Fight fan and a guitarist in his own band, admires Ladle Fight’s collaboration. “They all interact really well musically together. No one member takes much precedence over any of the others,” he says.

But producing songs that are both meaningful and catchy takes time. The band rehearses regularly, which is made easier by the fact that they have been friends since their rookie days in elementary school. “We like spending time with each other. We’re all best friends so it helps with the energy of the band. We all love music and we kind of click,” Wapner says.

Turning up the volume That energy has paid off with the release of their first album last June. Assisted by Miller’s uncle, music producer and audio mixer James Katz, Ladle Fight’s eponymous debut album is available on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby

and Dig Station. The album was recorded at Cue Studios in Virginia, and then mixed and mastered by Katz in his studio in New York. Wapner is glad to have had the opportunity to create an album so early in his musical career.

“It was definitely a learning experience and it was fun,” he says The band performed this year at the Takoma Park folk and street festivals, and was met with fans from the Silver Spring/Takoma Park area. “It feels like the city is kind of a family COURTESY OF LADLE FIGHT and the band is just a nice family within it- Freshman Ben Miller records bass self too,” says Askew. and vocals during rehearsal time.

An intern from National Public Radio was drawn in by their performance at have an identity, which is somethe Takoma Park Folk Festival in thing that’s rare in all bands let 2010 and asked them to perform alone in a band that’s comprised some songs and answer a few of 14-year-olds. So really the sky’s questions on NPR’s Tinier Desk the limit,” he says.

Concert Series. A writer from the Despite the newfound publicGerman edition of Rolling Stone ity, there is little change in Ladle noticed them in the series, and Fight’s dynamic. They’re still Ladle Fight appeared in the Feb- friends, still writing songs. “The ruary 2011 issue of the magazine. friendship has kind of held us toKatz, like so many others, was gether. Even when we had issues impressed by their professional- with each other, at the core we’re ism at such a young age. “They all kind of brothers,” Askew says.

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ENTERTAINMENT 23

Two acts of dazzling danger, daggers and desire

Blair’s production of ‘The Three Musketeers’ is a must see performance

By Simrin Gupta

alongside his heroes Athos, Porthos and Aramis (played by senior Blair’s production of the classic Nick Coffey, junior Peter McNally ‘The Three Musketeers’ is chock- and sophomore Langston Cotman). full of sword fighting, swashbuck- Throughout the play, the Muskeling and surrender. The play is an teers are continuously caught in action-packed masterpiece featur- some conflict or another, usually relating to the tumultuous re l a t i o n s h i p between the naïve King Louis XIII (senior Ian SilverGorges) and his opposition: the powerhungry Cardinal Richelieu (junior Ian Teixeira). The plot thickens with the introduction of Milady de Winter (senior Carina Zox) as the criminal mastermind who ENOCH HSIAO will stop at no D’Artagnan (senior Michael Gelfeld) grieves length to carry over his recently-deceased lover. out the Cardinal’s wishes.

As a subplot, the Queen of ing plenty of pranks and riotous banter. The production has a lot to France’s (senior Maya Kozarsky) live up to, seeing as director Paul unfaithful nature is exposed as she Anderson released a major motion struggles to carry on a secret afpicture adaptation only two weeks fair with the Duke of Buckingham ago, but then again, it’s not being (sophomore Nick Byron). The deperformed by your average high ceit and debauchery reach a breaking point in the final scene of the school theatre group.

The Three Musketeers follows play — a royal masked ball where the story of a country boy named heads roll and hearts are broken.

The original novel by Alexandre D’Artagnan (senior Michael Gelfeld) who aspires to be a famous Dumas was wonderfully adapted Musketeer and fight for the king by Ken Ludwig and is suited to

an audience of all ages. The plot is fast-paced and action-packed, featuring hilarious asides and gutbusting antics but still maintains a sense of sophistication thanks to the acting prowess of the cast members. In addition, the stunning set design, scenery, props and costume choices make the performance stand out as one to remember. The audience is surely transported to the heart of the action, as the actors walk the stage in their elaborate and embellished seventeenth century costumes amidst clouds of gunpowder that occasionally sweep in from the rafters.

The actors have a perfect sense of timing and direction, allowing

them to captivate the audience and bring them to the edge of their seats. The production features stellar acting all around with standout performances by Carina Zox, Ian Teixeira and Peter McNally.

Zox gives a compelling performance as the evil Milady di Winter as she captures the ruthless essence of the role and transforms herself to portray the dark, tortured past of the character. Teixeira is a magnificent cardinal, full of unimaginable pomp ENOCH HSIAO and circumMilady di Winter (senior Carina Zox) stance. His snooty dis- tries to seduce young D’Artagnan. position and hilariously haughty less coaching by Casey Kaleba. manner lead to many Overall, the opening night proa chuckle from the duction ran smoothly with no visaudience.

And Mc- ibly missed cues and no slip-ups.

Nally steals the show Blair students should come out as his role as Porthos. and support their fellow Blazers He plays an excellent as they perform this masterpiece Musketeer — portray- that has stood the test of time. ing the character’s You don’t have to be a patron of loud and rambunc- 17th century literature to enjoy the tious nature to a T. He play — it’s wit, humor and fast dances on tables, he pace will definitely have you apdrinks and he duels plauding on your feet by the end outnumbered — and of the night. through it all he keeps the audience roaring Peter McNally is a staff writer for with laughter. In ad- Silver Chips Print. dition, his sword fightCLARE LEFEBURE ing skills rival those of The two last performances of The the real Musketeers, no Three Musketeers are on November Cardinal Richelieu (junior Ian Teixeira) doubt thanks to relent- 10th and 11th at 7:30 p.m. mimes painting his self-portrait.

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By Helen Bowers and Ruth Aitken Art by Xixi Chen

F

or those who willingly haul their postThanksgiving selves off of their couches to engage in competitive shopping early in the morning, Black Friday is an annual tradition. Naysayers, however, regard Black Friday as a materialistic mad dash. Whether you’re a Black Friday enthusiast or rookie, there are some things that every bargain-savvy Blazer should know.

Battle plan There are two things you should never plunge into head first: boiling acid and crowds of Black Friday shoppers. Like all major events, Black Friday requires necessary preparation. The first step is to do a little bit of research before you set out for the mall. You don’t want to find yourself bragging to your friends about the sweater you just got, only to find that they got it for a lower price somewhere else.

Ideally, you’ll show up to the mall with printouts of the price lists for your favorite stores, which you can get online at theblackfriday.com, or blackfriday2011.com.

But don’t let flashy deals fool you; buying pants that rip the day after is annoying enough, but imagine getting a new laptop that crashes the day before your essay is due. If you’re looking to buy major products like a new computer or television, then you’ll want to do a little research on brands before you go shopping. Consumerreports.com and About.com are both great sites where professionals and buyers can rate the product you’re thinking of getting.

Besides getting good quality

merchandise, the best way to have a fulfilling Black Friday experience is to shop strategically, with your emphasis on planning ahead and using your common sense. With massive crowds bent on getting the best prices, wandering around and browsing is not really an option on Black Friday, punctuality and efficiency are substantial factors when planning your shopping extravaganza.

If being stuck behind hundreds of cars (all filled with eager shoppers gunning for the same stores you want to get to) isn’t frustrating enough, imagine having to drive back home through that traffic when you’re exhausted from shopping all day. Early is the name of the game on Black Friday, so choose a mall that has a lot of stores that you’re interested in and where transportation won’t take a long time.

Before you set out into the traffic jam that is Black Friday, make sure you bring a shopping list. You don’t want come home completely thrilled with your new stuff, only to find that you’ve blown all your money shopping, and don’t have any money to do things with friends on the weekends.

You’ll also want to make sure your friends and family know what’s on your list, so they don’t get you the list same thing. Having a will also help you figure which stores you want to visit, and which mall is the most logical. And don’t worry, having a list doesn’t mean you can’t splurge a little bit, you can always allot yourself a certain amount of money for those “Oh man, I NEED to have that!” items.

So now that you have a list and a plan, the next thing to plan is what to bring when you’re in the stores. Backpacks and small purses are inadvisable to say the least.

Fanny packs, though ultra unfashionable, are probably the safest bet, otherwise use tote bags or something similar, putting your stuff in shopping bags can over stuff them, causing them to tear at the worst possible moment.

So once you’ve found your bag of choice,

w i t h you’ve got to fill it the right stuff. Make sure to bring snacks (power bars, water, etc...) because food court lines will be unbelievably long, and you won’t want to waste any time.

Make sure you can fit a sweater in your bag; it will be cold in the mornings but things will heat up as the day goes on, and you might want to shed a layer. Most importantly: get a lot of sleep the night before and eat a protein-packed breakfast, you’ll need all the energy you can get on Black Friday.

Botches Although Black Friday is some shoppers’ wonderland, unsuspect-

ing shoppers can fall victim to any of a number of classic Black Friday pitfalls. Fortunately, well-informed shoppers can avoid becoming casualties of the day’s festivities.

Amidst the frenzy of caffeinated customers rushing to claim triplemarkdown products before their competitors, it’s easy to grab the occasional novelty item that seems like a great bargain in the moment, but is actually a piece of junk. At the end of the day, you may find a few such items in your basket, at which point you should ask yourself, “Do I really want this glowin-the-dark Spongebob coat rack, or am I buying it because it was on clearance?” The smartest shoppers are those who are wary of impulse purchases.

If you do decide that the coat rack is a must, make sure it fits into your automobile. Obviously, if you have no way of transporting your purchases, you have a problem. Similarly, leaving any packages or bags in plain sight in your car is a mistake. Thieves have been known to target unsuspecting and careless Black Friday shoppers’ vehicles, and you don’t want to count yourself among the unlucky victims. Instead, put purchases in your trunk or hide them beneath a seat.

Shopping with a friend can be much more efficient and enjoyable than browsing sale racks alone, but feuding with your friends is a major faux pas. Don’t bring a friend with whom you may find yourself battling over the last pair of designer shoes; bickering over those Jimmy Choos is not a good reason to put strain on a friendship. Besides, you’ll need those friends to help you retain your sanity throughout the day.

Black Friday for the claustrophobic If the prospect of navigating through disorganized isles crammed with disgruntled strangers is unappealing to you, then Cyber Monday may provide a convenient alternative. On the Monday following

BEYOND the Boulevard Movies Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Part I (PG-13) — Twilight Author Stephanie Meyer is pulling a J.K. Rowling and splitting her last book into two movies, presumably so all the complex themes and symbols can be given their rightful amount of time. Once again, we meet Kristen Stewart as the conflicted Bella Swan, who marries her pale, on-and-off vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen, played

by Robert Pattinson. Complications arise when Bella becomes pregnant and Edward’s undead brethren are put once again against the werewolves, led by Jacob Black, played

by Taylor Lautner. Fans of the series will revel in the growing tension between the two camps, and those who did not read the books will be left wanting more. (November 18) The Muppets (PG) — How I Met Your

Mother’s Jason Segel got the rights to make the movie he says he is always dreamt of.

Big names in pop culture are lending their voices to the light-hearted film, including Amy Adams, Katy Perry, Zach Galifianakis, and Whoopi Goldberg. Segel kept real details of the movie under lock and chain for months, but has revealed that the revamp follows three fans as they help the Muppets save their theater from an oil tycoon. Political commentary aside, Segel is sure to bring his trademark family-friendly humor to his new project. And even though creator Frank Oz is not working on this one, The Muppets will be a hit with all ages. (November 25)

Music Rihanna — Talk That Talk The Barbadian star released her most recent album exactly one year ago, and if Talk That Talk creates as many hits as that one did, she is sure to

Black Friday, many Internet retailers similarly mark their products down, offering shoppers the same deals without any of the crowds or actual physical exertion.

On Cyber Monday, many retailers offer free shipping and lucrative sales to entice shoppers to purchase their merchandise. Often, the same products that can be found on haphazard store shelves can be purchased in Cyber Monday sales and delivered right to your door.

Of course, some problems exist on the Internet that can be avoided by braving the crowds in stores.

Always ensure that your computer is properly equipped with antivirus software. If you receive any emails following an online transaction that claim that your information was not processed properly, do not ever resubmit any personal info. Instead, call the company and ask about the status of your purchase. Often, identity thieves send fake emails with the intention of acquiring personal information.

Avoid any ads from questionable or unfamiliar sources advertising Cyber Monday sales that seem too good to be true. Even on Cyber Monday, it is not very likely that Apple desktops will be selling for ten dollars apiece. As for pop-up ads, you are not really the millionth page visitor this month every single time you visit that page- it probably would not be wise to try to collect the iPad you just won.

make musical history. Rihanna might be the hardest working woman in pop, as this is her sixth full album in six years. One single from her upcoming album, shows that Rihanna is falling victim to the trend of mainstreaming of dubstep but maintaining her dance-pop roots. She is also becoming increasingly risqué in her music videos and concert attire; so provocative that she was evicted by an Irish farmer during a video shoot for the album. Her songs are more chorus and less substance, but that is what she is known for.

(November 18) Nickelback — Here and Now America’s favorite Rock & Roll band is dropping their next sure-to-be hit later this month. They have already released two singles, “Bottoms Up” and “When We Stand Together,” both of which demonstrate that the Canadians are making what their fans love: hard-rockcum-country. The track listing suggests a slightly more religious theme than in their

NOAHGRACE BAUMAN

previous albums, and, like many other mainstream rockers, Chad Kroeger and his band are mixing pop tracks with their signature smashing drums. The hits from Here and Now are likely to dominate the radio waves for a while, for better or for worse. (November 21)

Concerts

LMFAO at the Fillmore, November 21, tickets $32

3 Doors Down with Theory of a Dead Man at DAR Constitution Hall, November 13, tickets $43.50 Owl City at the 9:30 Club, Nov. 16, tickets $20

Beyond the Boulevard compiled

by Claire Boston and Adam Kadir

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By Puck Bregstone The marriage of music and the Web started out on a bad foot. The first time the Internet was used to collect music it was in the guise of Napster, where one could find any song for free, and where copyright infringement was never considered.

What first began as a convenient way to collect and listen to music turned out to be entirely illegal, and came crashing down in a massive lawsuit. By that time, though, music enthusiasts had grown accustomed to free tunes from the Web. For the past decade, we have all gotten our music fix from iTunes. Recently, the digital scene has changed again. Through an explosion of online music streaming services, the Web has a second chance; and this time, it is playing nice with the record labels. Reviewed and explained are three of our favorite free and legal music services: Spotify, Grooveshark and Pandora.

November 10, 2011

ENTERTAINMENT 25

market. Spotify was recently endorsed by the social media giant, Facebook, at their F8 conference when Mark Zuckerburg, Facebook CEO, announced that they have fully integrated with Spotify. What a user is listening to on Spotify will show up on Facebook automatically. Users are also able to send songs to a Facebook friend using the Inbox feature. But there is a catch:

to access, the catalogue expands everyday.

Since Grooveshark’s selection is dependent mainly on users, there is the constant problem that some genres of music are expansive while others are slim.Another downside to a sharing service like Grooveshark is many songs are mislabeled, so compiling complete albums is a nightmare.

Curiously, Grooveshark’s record sales and

Spotify is a desktop application, so access from school computers is out of the question.

popularity listing must be from a different source then Spotify and iTunes, as it labels almost completely different songs as the most popular by an artist or in an album.

Despite its shortcomings, Grooveshark always lets you have your playlists at hand, since it can be accessed from any computer. Grooveshark is hard to access from mobile devices, although an app exists for users with a “jail-broken” iPhone.

All three services carry advertising, but Grooveshark designates the largest pro-

Spotify Spotify, the long awaited streaming service from across the pond, is the newest and enjoying the most hype of the services available. It offers almost any song for free, but unlike Napster, it’s legal. Spotify is based in Sweden and has been building a following in Europe for years. This summer, the service cannonballed into US cyberspace and has made a huge splash.

Spotify is now up to about 13 million active users.

Spotify currently boasts 15 million songs from almost all major and independent labels and updates their catalogue daily with new music. Users search for a song, click the title and hear some of the highest quality sound available on the

Grooveshark Grooveshark, Spotify’s sketchy uncle, offers the same service, but cruder.

Grooveshark allows users to create their own playlists. It provides on demand listening, like Spotify, but because it also allows users to upload music for anyone else

motion from an artist per page, which has pleasantly surprised me every time I followed.

Pandora Pandora, which has been streaming music since 2005, is an essentially a music discovery service that creates playlists from your interests. The streaming service, Pandora, excels at introducing users to new music and artists they don’t currently know but will grow to love.

Pandora prompts users for the name of a song or artist that they are interested in.

Based on this song or artist, Pandora creates a playlist of songs their program finds to be related. While most users start out with just basic songs and artists, users can test the limits of Pandora’s Music Genome Project by entering seemingly unrelated artists in the same stations and finding out what Glenn Miller has in common with Lil’ Wayne. You’d be surprised.

Pandora’s playlists are actually considered legal radio stations, and allow users to skip a maximum of 12 songs every 24 hours. The site is accessible from school computers. Since Pandora creates its own playlists as it plays them, it is the best choice for background music because you don’t need to stop and choose the next song.

Taking advantage of all three services is the best strategy. You can create personalized playlists on Spotify, take advantage of Grooveshark’s accessibility for in school listening, and discover new and interesting songs on Pandora. Listed here are not all of the music streaming services, but ones that we think are the best. With a little research one can easily find hundreds of other services that may fit their pleasing.

26 ENTERTAINMENT

silverCHIPS

November 10, 2011

Where’s the beef: local Jamaican eateries reviewed

Negril and Spicy Delight offer up tasty beef patties and island-style cuisine

bread pudding block. It is heavy, mushy and from work. Although neither had any prolacks flavor. It isn’t a total faux pas howevfessional cooking experience, Ms. Spicy er, because it’s golden raisins add a natural says that her Jamaican roots were enough Blazers recall the legendary “Beef Patty sweetness to the dish. training. “Being from the Caribbean, you Man,” the elusive entrepreneur who brought Overall, both restaurants have a lot to ofautomatically have that ‘sense of a little taste of the Cafer. If you love a great crunch, Negril’s beef kitchen,’” says Ms. Spicy. Like Neribbean to Blair in the patties reigns supreme, not to mention this gril, the business sells a variety of form of beef patties. option includes great fruit punch and tasty Caribbean dishes, from sandwiches The Beef Patty Man desserts. If you like a more consistent patty, to soups to full meals complete with would sell his goods go for Spicy Delight. The pros of this deciside dishes. at prices that would sion is a great atmosphere and if you go What makes Spicy Delight’s beef fly up to fifteen dolback enough times, the owners will know patty different from Negril’s, is that lars a patty, but Blazyour name. Either way you can’t go wrong the texture is a better suited comers would empty their because both places offer delicious, mouthpanion to the coco bread. The bread wallets for this exotic watering Caribbean style beef patties. is also slightly larger than Negril’s, lunch. But now that which makes the Beef Patty Man is for a more gone, it’s up to Blazsatisfyers to find their own ing bite. To patty paradise at a quench your much cheaper cost. thirst, Spicy Beef patties, flakey Delight ofturnovers filled with fers a traspiced ground beef, ditional Jaare a staple of Caribmaican-Irish bean cuisine. Their Moss drink, distinctive beefy and a drink origimildly spicy flavornally created ing makes for a deliby Irishmen cious meal. Just like who then peanut butter cannot LEAH MUSKIN-PIERRET brought the go without jelly, beef patties are linked to The beef patty with coco bread is a traditional Jamaican dish. recipe to Jamaica. It has coco bread. The Silver Spring area has many Caribbean restaurants ie – it is a thick strawberry-banana mixture a smoothie-like conto choose from, but Negril and Spicy Delight has the perfect amount of sweetness to help sistency with a nutty aroma. are a cut above the crowd when it comes to soothe the spice. But when a beef patty isn’t cinnamon this Jamaican delicacy. enough to satisfy your hunger, Negril offers While it wasn’t for Located on Thayer Avenue just a short a sweet and crumbly plantain pastry. The me, it is an unexpectwalk away from Downtown Silver Spring, dish is served cold, but would be even better ed alternative to your Negril has a signature beef patty so popu- warmed up for those willing to go the extra everyday Arizona Ice Tea. lar you can even find it in the frozen food mile.

U n f o r t u n a t e l y, section of your local supermarket. Their If you’re looking for a more intimate atbeef patty is delicious— it’s flakey, orange mosphere, check out Spicy Delight, on Ce- where Spicy Delight exterior is the perfect shell for the meaty fill- dar Avenue right across the street from the falls short is in the ELLIE MUSGRAVE ing. The inside is bursting with the fusion Takoma Metro Station. The restaurant was dessert section. The Spicy Delight’s beef pattie came in slightly ahead of of flavors created by bonnet peppers, curry founded in 1995 when Mr.. and Mrs. Spicy restaurant offers a chilled Negril’s because of its smoother consistency. powder and dried thyme, not to mention the saw a vacant storefront on their way home homemade

By Eliza Wapner

satisfying core of freshly cooked beef.

For those who shy away from spiciness Negril’s famous fruit punch will tame your taste buds. This juice is more like a smooth-

Jolting juices and energy elixirs for sleep-deprived Blazers

Chips entertainment staff reviews the best...and worst energy drinks

By Helen Bowers and Simrin Gupta Falling asleep in class: not the most embarrassing thing you can do in your high school career, but it’s not the classiest thing either.

It’s also not surprising, considering how much we stress over tests, quizzes, extracurriculars and homework. It’s a wonder Blazers can manage to keep their eyes open during class when we consider a “good” night consisting of five hours of sleep.

But, weary Blazers, as we all know, sleep is becoming as obsolete as AOL with the advent of drinks like Red Bull and 5 Hour Energy. So when you’re up until a million o’clock working on that English paper, a few of these quick fixes might be handy for an energy explosion.

many jitters and paranoia. Studying for a math test? Good luck trying to get though a problem in one sitting. Extreme 5-Hour Energy will make staying still for longer than 10 minutes physically impossible, not to mention you’ll be worrying about things that don’t even exist.

In the end, the only thing Ex-

Paranoid Activity Tired of that 2:30 feeling? You could try Extreme 5-Hour Energy... if you want four hours of sleepiness and an hour of nervous mania.

Extreme 5-Hour Energy doesn’t kick in until the last hour—not the best aid for concentration in seventh period and it doesn’t make you alert or focused. Quite the opposite, you may experience an accelerated heart rate combined with listlessness.

It’s effective for keeping you up, but it also guarantees that your night will be filled with way too

treme 5-Hour Energy will do for you (if you drink enough of it) is get you admitted to an asylum, or at least to a psychiatric hospital for observation.

A crash course in Spike Due to the epic effects of Ex-

treme 5-Hour Energy, neither of us were looking forward to trying Spike for the first time. The ferocious fizz combined with the over sweet bubble-gum flavor did little to quell our misgivings about the drink. Predictably, a waterfall of energy fell over us a few minutes after drinking Spike, and for all of first period we were literally shaking with energy.

Unlike 5-Hour energy, Spike does not induce heart palpitations and nervous paranoia. Spike can, however, cause a mild to moderate energy crash, but these crashes tend to lessen in intensity the more acclimated you are to the drink So when you need a quick fix for a night of cramming or after a serious slumber party, Spike might be the right fix for you, just ART BY TATYANA GUBIN make sure you start slow and let your body adjust.

The power to fly They said that Red Bull gives you wings, but in reality it’s better at giving you a massive headache.

The can says it’s supposed to taste like “Cola”, making Red Bull the

first energy beverage that sounds reasonably flavored.

Once you take a swig though, you realize it’s less Cola and more... col-ugh. Flavoring issues aside, it’s a decent pick-me-up if you need a brief energy fix.

Though it’s not the best companion for an allnighter, Red Bull will give you just enough of a buzz to help you power through the last couple hours of your busy day.

Something to keep in mind though, Livestrong and Johns Hopkins University reported that a major side effect of drinking Red Bull included irritability. We learned this first hand because when we downed the ‘Bull together, we definitely butted heads more than usual.

Chemical craziness So now that you know which drinks will help with all-night study sessions and which ones should be avoided, there are a few more things to think about before gulping down an energy elixir. Keep in mind that most energy drinks contain chemically enhanced ingredients that could cause you to be overstimulated depending on your individual reaction which sometimes means you could feel irritable, anxious or sensitive to noise.

Healthier alternatives like coffee, espresso beans or green tea can give you similar energy without the extra chemicals and harmful side effects. Spike has 25,000 per cent of the daily amount of Vitamin B that you need in a day, so you’ll be drinking all the Vitamin B you need...for a month. Overdosing on Vitamin B can cause reactions as severe as fainting, nerve/brain damage, jaundice and migraines.

Needless to say, sticking with the average cup of joe may give you a less intense energy high, but in the long run it’s a lot safer.

Be sure to consume energy drinks responsibly. Follow the recommended dosage and do not try energy drinks if you take any type of medication or have a preexisting heart condition.

silverCHIPS

CHIPS CLIPS 27

November 10, 2011

Blazer Pride

by Helen Bowers

Squirrels gone Wild

ACROSS 1. Best high school in the world 5. Brave type setting 9. Two peas in a ________ 12. Reporter’s nickname 13. Rory’s best buddy 14. Real Basic University, for short 17. Where Blazers spend almost 80 per cent of their lives 18. Overdose 20. Rotten Tomatoes, abbr.

21. Delete, abbr.

22. Alcohol abuse results in __________ damage 24. Silver Quill is the greatest literary ____________ 27. Take away a wrong answer 28. It belongs to him, he ________ it 31. B Button on Halo activates this fight move 32. Tidy 33. University of Texas at Tyler, for short 34. Transportation Safety and Technologies, abbr.

35. Miles Davis’ hit song “_____ what?”

36. Nation –wide test counselors must pass

38. Attendance secretary with the most spirit 41. Napoleon’s bones 42. Blazer lunch location 44. We are the knights who say ________ 45. Rotations per Minute 47. Mother of Greek Gods 48. Blazer home, abbr.

51. Rapper Will _________ 52. American Native International Reviews, abbr.

53. Ocean Technology Systems, abbr.

55. Something every Blazer does the night before finals 57. Object of religious importance 59. Highest of 4 Hawaiian gods 60. Organic Growing Organization, abbr.

61. The best 4 _________ of your life are at Blair!

62. Really Simple Syndications, abbr.

DOWN 2. Los Angeles, for short 3. Alternative to the SAT 4. “As is” abbreviation in Latin, often found at end of questions 5. Best team in ALL high school sports (except maybe football…)

6. Grain that a horse would eat 7. Lancaster Airport, for short 8. Last month of the year

9. Poke 10. Woodwind instruments that sound like ducks 11. Hopefully your classes at Blair are exciting, not _______ 15. He waits eight seconds before making an announcement 16. “Everyday when you’re walking down the ______” Arthur theme song 19. Very serious 20. Set again 23. Ethics, morals 24. Best county in the world 25. Amazes 26. Tiny insect that flies around your face 29. Abbreviation for 16 down 30. Academy Coordinator and the name of a large, antlered quadruped 35. And the ___ sets on Blair…

37. Order 38. Putting in jars, plural 40. Hopefully you got more treats than______on Halloween 41. Oh! Ah! You wish you were a _____________ 43. Boat’s load 45. Prefix meaning “next to” 46. Porcine alternatives to a turkey dinner 49. Hello to Ms. Galloway 50. Mix, as in ingredients 54. Silver Chips seniors, for short 56. ______, Myself and I

58. Electric Energy, abbr.

Abduction

S U D O K U JULIA BATES

Teen fashion through the ages

Where the spirit’s at

MATTHEW MORRIS

COURTESY OF WWW.WEBSUDOKU.COM

by Xixi Chen

by Doyung Lee

28

LA ESQUINA LATINA

silverCHIPS

10 de Noviembre del 2011

Becas ayudan Latinos obtenir un education mejor El inglés no es un impedimento para lograr tus metas Por Heydi Mora Urbina y Yessica Somoza Un joven dominicano de 18 años se levanta todos los días con la ilusión de llevar a cabo su gran sueño de ser enfermero pediátrico. Ha luchado y sigue luchando por cumplirlo. Todos los días laborables camina a la parada de buses donde espera el bus 16 para ir a la estación de Silver Spring y de ahí a Mont-gomery College (MC), con sus ansias de aprender siendo el motor de sus pies. Es así como este joven llamado Frank Feliz Soler trabaja y estudia para que su sueño se convierta en realidad.

Desde que llegó a los Estados Unidos en el 2004, Feliz Soler ha tenido que confrontar obstáculos como la barrera del inglés que con su esfuerzo ha podido superar. Como cualquier estudiante perseverante, él no se dio por vencido aunque sabía que enfrentaría otros ob-stáculos en el futuro. En su último año en Blair tuvo que decidir si iba a ir a la universidad, inevitablemente se presentaron obstáculos. Él relata que habló con sus padres y ellos le dijeron que podían pagar por sus estudios en una universidad en la República Dominicana, pero que no tenían el dinero necesario para pagar una universidad en los Estados

Unidos. Queriendo seguir sus estudios en los Estados Unidos para conseguir una mejor educación, empezó a buscar la manera de que su sueño no fuera truncado.

Feliz Soler solicitó a Montgomery College por muchas razones, pero la razón principal fue porque le favorecía económicamente.

Además, él agrega que esta universidad ofrece un programa magnificó de enfermería, que era exactamente lo que él estaba buscando.

Al someter su solicitud a Montgomery College también aplicó para ayuda financiera usando la Aplicación Gratis para Ayuda Financiera de Estudiantes (FAFSA), un sistema del go-bierno que da ayuda financiera. Es gracias a FAFSA que asiste a MC. Él les dice a todos los es-tudiantes latinos que “El no tener dinero no debe ser un factor para no ir a la universidad porque para eso están las ayudas financieras y las becas” y que sí se puede si en verdad se quiere.

Frank Feliz Soler representa la minoría de los estudiantes universitarios de origen latino.

Tris-temente en los Estados Unidos, según el centro Pew Hispanic, solo treinta por ciento de los es-tudiantes latinos en la escuela secundaria van a la universidad.

En Blair los estudiantes se preparan cada día para el futuro. Para al-gunos esto incluye la universidad, pero otros ni sueñan con esa posibilidad. Según Daniel Sarmiento el director del Instituto Juvenil Hispano bajo el Hispanic College Fund (HCF), una organización que of-

FOTO COTRESIA DE CITYTOWNINFO.COM

rece becas, programas, y consejos para estudiantes latinos, uno de los mayores ob-stáculos que impide que los Latinos asistan a la universidad es que “piensan que es muy caro o que no tienen recursos.” Muchas veces los padres latinos de bajos recursos piensan que sus hijos solo pueden ir a una universidad comunitaria porque no pueden pagar otras escuelas. La comunidad Latina no está informada sobre la ayuda financiera que provee el gobierno fe-deral, estatal y local.

Por ejemplo, uno de los programas más grandes del HCF es el Instituto Juvenil (HYI), donde los estudiantes latinos aprendena “como buscar becas y donde encontrar recursos financieros.” Los estudiantes también pueden competir para becas durante el programa que dura cuatro días y se lleva a cabo en varias universidades en los Estados Unidos. El programa continúa apoyando a los estudiantes seleccionados cuando están en la universidad, ayudándolos a crear redes pro-fesionales y facilitan do la transición de la escuela secundaria a la universidad. Son esfuerzos como los de HYI que cambian la mentalidad de los estudiantes latinos que piensan que no pueden ir a la universidad o que la universidad no es para ellos. Según Sarmiento, no es que los estudiantes hispanos no quieren ir a la universidad, es que no saben cómo llegar allí.

Un estudio hecho por el Pew Hispanic Center encontró que casi nueve de diez latinos entre las edades de 16 a 25 años dijeron que “para mejorarse en la vida es necesario tener un título universitario.” Eso en comparación con los 48% que dijeron que iban a sacar un título universitario. Unas de las di-

ficultades que muchos estudiantes latinos enfrentan es que no tienen parientes que hayan ido a la universidad, es decir son la primera generación en intentarlo. Esto hace que los ellos se desanimen al no tener apoyo familiar durante el proceso de aplicar para las universidades, creando otra barrera con la misma fuerza que la barrera económica. Para combatir este problema, Univisión, la cadena hispanohablante más grande en los Estados Unidos, ha lanzado una campaña llamada “Es el momento” donde se promueve la educación e información universitaria para los padres e hijos. Son campañas como esta y grupos como HCF que van a hacer posible que mucho más estudiantes latinos de bajos recursos, asistan a las universidades.

Se ha estimado que en cuarenta años los latinos van a constituir treinta por ciento de la población estadounidense. Esta población latina va a necesitar que sus miembros tengan títulos universitarios. La lucha por alcanzar un porcentaje más alto de latinos con títulos universitarios comienza ya. Si sacan tiempo de ir en la red y buscar becas, podrán encontrar instituciones como el Fundo de Defensa Legal para Mexicanos-americanos (MALDEF). Esta institución tiene una página que ofrece una lista completa de becas disponibles a estudiantes latinos. En el centro de carreras que ofrece Blair, también podrán recibir ayuda con todo lo relacionado a becas y el proceso de aplicación universitaria. En fín esto debierá servirles como una palabra de esperanza y fé. Solo hay que ser conscientes de que la ma-yoría del tiempo esas barreras las creamos nosotros mismos y así como las creamos también las podemos derrumbar.

El acoso escolar conocido como“bullying” Por Jannett Encinas El acoso escolar, también conocido como “bullying” esuna forma de maltrato y abuso verbal, físico o psicológico. Anteriormente, esta clase de comportamiento era considerado como un juego entre adolescentes, pero ahora se ven muchos casos en los Estados Unidos, en que los jóvenes toman la terrible decisión de acabar con sus vidas, al no encontrar una salida o solución al pro-blema.

Este tipo de abuso ha ido incrementando en los últimos años. Ahora no solo ocurren en las escuelas secundarias, también en las escuelas intermedias. En algunas ocasiones las víctimas son hostigadas en los salones de clases, pasillos, parada de autobuses y también a través de redes sociales como Facebook , My Space y Twitter. Las víctimas de estos abusos sufren durante el transcurso del año escolar debido a su incapacidad de defenderse por la intimidación causada por sus agresores.

La mayoría de las personas que son maltratadas son aquellas que están más centradas en sus estudios y que no establecen fácilmente buenas relaciones sociales con el resto de las personas. Esto los identifica como objeto de burla para los acosadores,

seguido por una autoestima baja que hasta los podría llevar al suicidio.

En Blair no se han reportado muchos casos de agresión, pero sí existen casos como el del estudiante de onceavo grado, Danny Fuentes nos comenta “Yo estaba con un grupo de amigos en el patio de la escuela a la hora de mi almuerzo, cuando un grupo de muchachos llegaron a agredirnos sin tener una razón válida. Solo con el simple hecho de que ellos pensaban que nosotros formábamos parte de una pandilla, (lo cual no es cierto) fue la razón detrás del injusto asalto.”

A la misma vez, no solo hay estudiantes en Blair que alguna vez fueron hostigados, también hay maestros que recuerdan sus infancias marcadas por los acosos de sus agresores. “Yo fui hostigada cuando estaba cursando sexto de primaria”, nos comenta la maestra de Ingles Ms. Gil. “Todos los días cuando iba a la escuela había un niño que me gol-peaba con su som-brilla en el hombro. Yo lo veía como un juego, que dejó de serlo cuando los golpes llegaron a ser lo suficientemente fuertes para dejarme marcas. Pero todo acabó cuando una maestra se dio cuenta de las marcas que tenía en el hombro. Al confesarle el hecho me sentí avergonzada, pero a la vez me sentí libre

porque todo había acabado”. Ms. Gil también añadió, con una sonrisa en la cara, que ahora piensa sobre lo ocurrido y no sabe por qué dejo que el ataque llegara tan lejos.

Al preguntarle si había visto ataques de intimidación en Blair, la profesora Gil afirmó que sí, aunque también dijo que los estudiantes solo lo ven como un juego entre adolescentes, con lo cual ella no está de acuerdo porque “un juego entre adolescentes no es el de insultarse unos a otros y tampoco el de golpearse”.

Pero según los especialistas, las personas que maltratan también tienen el autoestima baja. Debido a eso es que sienten la necesidad de hostigar a otras personas, para poder sentirse a gusto con ellos mis-

mos. Claro que esto no quiere decir que lo que hacen está bien, pero podemos ver el por

FOTO COTRESIA DE SHIZDIZ.COM

qué de su comportamiento.

Así que, si conocen a alguien que está siendo hostigado, o es un hostigador, no te quedes callado. No solo estarías salvando una vida si no dos, ya que el agresor recibirá ayuda al igual que la víctima.

¿Y tú, qué PIENSAS? ¿Qué carrera te gustaría estudiar y por qué?

“Ingeniero, porque me gusta la matematica.”

“Psicologa, porque me gusta escuchar a las personas y se dar buenos consejos.”

“Pediatra, porque me gusta interactuar con los niños ”

Kevin Gonzalez, Decimo grado

Lilian Leiva, Doceavo grado

Antony Gonzales, Doceavo grado

silverCHIPS

LA ESQUINA LATINA

10 de Noviembre del 2011

Blair celebra la mes de herencia hispana Micrófono abierto tiene un toque de sabor latino agosto de 1988, que el presidente Ronald Reagan y el congreso aprobaron la ley 100-402 El 14 de octubre la revista de arte li- que declaraba el Mes de la Herencia Hispana teraria Silver Quill y la Sociedad Honoraria en los Estados Unidos.

Desde entonces, Hispánica se unien todo el país incluyeron para realizar endo en las escuelas una pequeña activicomo Blair, festejan dad en la biblioteca el Mes de la Hispanide Blair para el fesdad a través de activitejo del Mes de la dades y eventos que Herencia Hispana. exhiben la cultura hisEl Mes de la pana. Es por eso que Hispanidad es una un e-vento en honor a celebración de la este ma-ravilloso mes cultura hispana se inundó de comida, que empieza desde música y actuaciones el 15 de septiemde estudiantes en esbre hasta el 15 de pañol el am-biente de octubre. Este mes la biblioteca de Blair. provee la oportuCon la ayudad nidad de compartir de do-naciones y un las tradiciones y presupuesto de cien aportes de la presdólares para comida, encia latina en este la Sociedad Honorarpaís, comenzando ia Hispánica ordenó con la cele-bración pasteles, y quesadillas de la independende tres restaurantes cia de cinco países locales: El Golfo, Facentroamericanos jita Coast, y Caramelo el 15 de septiemBakery para compartir bre, Costa Rica, El un poco de los sabSalvador, GuateTOLU OMOKEHINDE mala, Honduras y Caryn Chavarria recita un poema ores latinoamericanos con los estudiantes de Nicaragua.

Blair. Con copias de Todo empezó en original en el micrófono abierto. obras del pintor mexiel 1968, cuando el congreso autorizó al presidente Lyndon B. cano, Diego Rivera de trasfondo los alumnos Johnson a que proclamara la Semana Nacio- hispanohablantes compartieron su cultura a nal de la Herencia Hispana con la emisión de través de canciones y poesías como lo hicila Ley Pública 90-498. No fue hasta el 17 de eron Carryn Chavarria, Sara Gonzalez, y Si-

Por Kelly Ventura y Anilu Martínez

29

¡Exprésate!

Por Claudia Quiñonez

El Gatopato

mon Miranda.

Talia Rodwin, la jefa de redacción de Silver Quill nos dijo “Aunque fue algo distinto a lo que usualmente son los micrófonos abiertos, fue un evento de mucho agrado que

Fue un evento de mucho agrado que incluyó mucho de nuestra población latina y sobre todo, una experiencia positiva.

Había una vez, en lo mas profundo del bosque un animal rarísimo, le llamaban el Gatopato porque tenia cola de gato, nariz de pato, orejas de gatos, pelaje de gato y patas de pato.

Los días lunes, miércoles y viernes, caminaba entre los árboles sigilosamente como un gato de Angola mientras que emitía sonidos de pato “ Quak Quak”.

Los días martes, jueves y sábado, el Gatopato, volaba entre las copas de los árboles mientras maullaba con una afinación increíble, entonado como Mozart cantando la Quinta sinfonía.

Finalmente, los domingos el Gatopato creía que era un hermoso canario amarillo que volaba entre los árboles comiendo semillas de pino.

onceavo grado Talia Rodwin incluyó mucho de nuestra población latina y sobre todo, una experiencia positiva”. Carlos Reyes, un estudiante que interpretó la canción “Rolling In the Deep” junto a sus compañeros el día del evento comparte, “Pienso que pudo ser mejor publicado, pero aún el espíritu latino fue demostrado de buena forma y debiera hacerse nuevamente en el futuro”.

Se puede concluir que el evento organizado en honor al Mes de La Herencia Hispana fue un éxito que no solo agradó, pero enriqueció a Blair con detalles autóctonos de la cultura latina.

JULIA BATES

Ley federal puede afectar los immigrantes de Takoma Park Por Diana Ferreira, Sebastian Medina-Tayac y Maureen Lei Las leyes de la ciudad de Takoma Park para la protección de la identidad de los criminales indocumentados por parte del gobierno federal serán reemplazadas por una nueva política federal que lleva como nombre: Comunidades Seguras. Está ley tiene como función permitir a la agencia de Inmigración y Aduana (ICE) la recopilación de datos sobre los inmigrantes indocumentados de los registros de la policía municipal.

Aún no se ha determinado una fecha exacta para la implementación de Comunidades Seguras, pero se producirá en el próximo año , dijo el portavoz del Condado de Montgomery, Patrick Lacefield. De acuerdo con el Jefe de la policía de Takoma Park, Ronald Ricucci, Comunidades Seguras es una política de inmigración que prohíbe a los residentes revelar su estatus migratorio.

Cuando esta ley sea implementada, para el ICE, será más fácil localizar y deportar a los inmigrantes indocumentados en Takoma Park, de acuerdo con Lacefield. “Comunidades Seguras reemplazaría nuestra política

[actual] por, básicamente, el acceso a ICE a todos los registros de detención del condado, dándoles la libertad para encontrar criminales indocumentados”, dijo.

La ley también requerirá que el Condado de Montgomery reporte a ICE toda la información, incluyendo la residencia de los delincuentes, de acuerdo con el senador del estado de Maryland Jaime Raskin (D-20).

“Bajo la política federal de Comunidades Seguras , el Condado de Montgomery deberá entregar toda información acerca de inmigración relacionada con cualquier persona que entre en su cus-

todia, por lo que si alguien comete un delito en Takoma Park , su estatus de inmigración se comunicará a los federales “, dijo. Por otra parte si una persona indocumentada es descubierta por el ICE, él o ella serán deportados, dijo Lacefield.

De acuerdo con Lacefield , el ICE planea imponer Comunidades Seguras a pesar de la resistencia del Condado de Montgomery . Lacefield añade que “ la idea fue introducida el año pasado, pero el argumento que hicimos fue que la aplicación de la ley federal de inmigración no es trabajo de la policía local, sino ELIZA WAPNER

del gobierno federal. Pero en algún momento, el próximo año , tendrán más control”, dijo.

Ricucci explicó que la ciudad mantendrá sus prácticas actuales por el mayor tiempo posible. “Somos un municipio que responde al gobierno de Takoma Park. Vamos a seguir haciendo lo que hemos hecho hasta ahora, porque el estatus de Takoma Park se remonta a varias décadas “, dijo.

Raskin considera que el proyecto de ley fue impulsado en parte por la opinión pública. “ Hay una especie de ansiedad evidente en todo el país sobre el problema de la inmigración”, dijo.

El estudiante de primer año , Guillermo Schwarz López y la estudiante Andrea Canales de cuarto año, expresaron su preocupación de que Comunidades Seguras tendrá un impacto negativo en la comunidad del Condado de Montgomery . “ La gente viene aquí para conseguir una vida mejor y no ser deportado “ , dijo Schwarz López. Canales estuvo de acuerdo, destacando que la mayoría de los inmigrantes tienen como objetivo mejorar su calidad de vida. “ Eso no es justo. La mayoría de las personas vienen para empezar de nuevo y no deben traer a colación su pasado,” dijo.

30 SPORTS

silverCHIPS

November 10, 2011

It’s all in the family: the Gondor family legacy

Brothers Peter and Andrew Gondor pushed each other to new heights in football

By Josh Schmidt Eli and Peyton Manning have followed in their father’s footsteps as elite NFL quarterbacks. Serena and Venus Williams were on top of the female tennis world for the better part of the past decade. Brothers Dom and Joe DiMaggio were both All-Star caliber outfielders in the 1940s and 50s. Blair is also home to its own pair of talented siblings:

I played it, the more I fell in love with it,” says Andrew.

Peter also felt that football was the right sport for him as soon as he started playing with the Rams. As soon as the pair stepped onto the football field, they both knew that their mother’s decision to sign them up to play was a great decision.

Junior Varsity football coach Adrian Kelly, who coached both boys, believes that their mother’s decision to sign them up for football as kids gave them a lasting advantage on the field. “They came in having background little league experience and were more organized and experienced than others,” says Kelly. Most players on the Blair football only begin playing in 9th grade, and sometimes even later into high school.

A leg up The Gondor brothers have not only relied on their early starting point playing football. They have also pushed each other to work harder and become better players.

Peter had Andrew to look up to as he developed his own football skills.

He credits Andrew with helping him reach new levels. Together the brothers initiated a rigorous training schedule when Andrew joined the Blair team, even though Peter was still BILLY KIMMEL in middle school. “[Andrew] would wake me up early in the morning Andrew Gondor helped mentor Peter, and when I was in middle school so we the two grew as football players together. could work out,” Peter says.

Peter also says that when Andrew comes brothers Andrew and Peter Gondor. back from college during breaks, the two Andrew, a 2010 graduate, and his younger work out together and Andrew also teaches brother Peter, a current senior, were and are Peter many of the drills that he does in colboth key players on the Blair football team. lege.

Growing up in the same household, Andrew It has taken high levels of dedication and and pushed each other to be the best athletes hard work to get to the place they are today. possible, which made them the players they Despite this hard work, Andrew believes are today. there is something that makes him and Peter special. “Me and my brother persevere....we Chapter one find it very hard to give up,” says Andrew.

“The reason we do so well is because we work The two boys started playing organized very hard at everything we do. Along with football in 2001 when they joined the Takoma our work ethic comes raw talent.”

Park Rams team. Both Peter and Andrew Andrew also believes that weight training knew that football was the sport for them teacher Robert McMahon has helped him and almost instantly. “As soon as I touched the his brother keep a good attitude while workfield I had a natural feel for the sport and ing out. Peter and Andrew say that McMahon found it really enjoyable and easy. The more

keeps all of the school’s athletes from slacking off, and he pushed them to work out as hard and as often as they could.

While many people workout in school, Peter and Andrew push each other to become better players outside of school. The two workout most days of the week, and used to do it, many times, together.

Kelly attributes part of the Gondors’ success to the time that they have put in to becoming bet- t e r football players. “They’re naturally fast kids. But they also work hard during the offseason to get their bodies ready for the season... They definitely work hard and condition hard.”

All of the work that the two put in during the offseason has helped the brothers combat the toll that playing football puts on their bodies.

Differences among brothers Because the two play nearly identical positions and grew up playing together, they would be expected by Senior many to be the same in their talents, but this isn’t the case. The two are able keep their individuality on the field and have their own strengths over the other.

Coach Kelly believes that each has their own special niche. Kelly believes that Andrew’s strength at Blair was his ability to adapt to the teams needs and fill in which ever position they needed. “Andrew is special in his versatility. He played so many positions,” says Kelly.

On the other hand, Kelly thinks that Peter is a valuable leader and motivator for the team. “Peter’s trying to take up the leadership role and carry the team, especially this season,” says Kelly. “There are times he could lay down, but he doesn’t,” says Kelly.

Since he was the older sibling, Andrew was put in a position of leadership from a young age. “As an older brother I pushed myself to be the best I could be to set the best example I could,” says Andrew.

Peter says a little sibling rivalry helps him work harder, but when he’s sprinting down the field with an opponent trailing him, none of that really matters. All that matters is that he gets into the end zone and scores.

However, maybe Peter is aided in getting

BILLY KIMMEL

Peter Gondor sprints past a defender.

the touchdown because of the 6 a.m. workouts he did with his brother back in middle school. Both Gondors believe that without each other they wouldn’t be the players they are today.

TOUCHDOWN Andrew’s football career, unlike many, didn’t stop after he graduated from high school. Over 250,000 seniors alone play high school football, meaning that around 1,000,000 high schoolers nationwide play football.

But of those 250,000 seniors, only about 15,000, or 6 percent, will play at the college level, according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association. So while Concord University is not one of the elite football programs in the country, Andrew is one of only a select group of football players to make it to the collegiate level. So far this season, Andrew has 267 all purpose yards through seven games.

Boys’ soccer bows out of playoffs in regional semifinals Walter Johnson crushes Blair’s dreams of States with a disheartening final score, 2-1

By Josh Schmidt BLAZER STADIUM, Nov. 4– The Blair boys’ varsity soccer team (11-5) lost to the Walter Johnson Wildcats (15-0-1) by a score of 2-1 on Thursday night, ending the Blazers’ season in the regional semifinals. Sophomore Donald Benamna scored Blair’s lone goal six minutes into the game off of an assist from senior co-captain Kevin Fallet.

The Wildcats responded almost immediately to Benamna’s goal, scoring just two minutes later. The goal was the result of miscommunication between senior defender Eric Colbert and junior goalkeeper Eric Roman.

Throughout the first half, the Blazers seemed tired and lacked communication, but the Blazers came out of halftime strong, and showed their presence on the field.

Head coach John Haigh applauded his team’s strong effort. “They did everything they needed to in order to be in a position to win,” Haigh said.

The game was tied at one goal apiece until Walter Johnson scored

on a free kick with 10 minutes remaining in the game.

Despite the loss, Blair played well against a tough Wildcat team.

Walter Johnson is ranked as the 29th best team in the country according to Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) Rise Magazine.

Despite missing multiple opportunities off corner kicks and free kicks, The Blazers were able to stick with the Wildcats for the whole game.

The Blazers had numerous opportunities at the end of the game, but Blair was ultimately unable to get the ball in the back of the net.

The loss was a disappointment for the Blair squad, especially for the six starting seniors who have played their last game as Blazers.

The whole team was speechless after the loss, as it the have reached the end of their soccer careers.

Senior Jorge Pachecowas saddened by the playoff loss. “It’s devastating,” he said. Senior cocaptain Evan Horne agreed with Pacheco, but stayed optimistic.

“It’s a bad feeling, but there’s a lot to look back on,” Horne said.

The loss also marks the end of

the team’s mission to win states, according to Pacheco. “Since the summer, at tryouts, we had a feeling we would make it all the way [to states].” Pacheco said. “It’s sad we couldn’t accomplish it.”

Haigh gave credit to the Blazers for pushing themselves to compete against this elite team. “I’m proud we played with a team of that caliber,” Haigh said. “We rose to meet the challenge.”

Pacheco believed that the Wildcats came out on top due to their cohesion on the field. “They’re chemistry was much better than ours, we were outmatched,” Pacheco said.

This season the Blazers won the division for the first time in multiple decades and went to the third round of the playoffs for the first time in three years.

As a senior, Horne is proud of Blair’s accomplishments this season. ”I’m proud it was our year that could do this,” Horne said.

Coach Haigh is also proud of the graduating class, as he believes they have accomplished a lot in their high school careers. “They should be proud of what they have accomplished. They shouldn’t be

h a n g ing their heads,” Haigh said.

T h e Blazers not only lost the game, but were also without Benamna for the last few minutes of the game.

Benamna experienced a severe ankle injury in the box and had to be carried off the field by teamLEAH HAMMOND mates a n d The loss to Walter Johnson was tough for the Blazcoaches.

ers who were hoping for an appearance at States.

silverCHIPS

SPORTS 31

November 10, 2011

Blair’s athletic culture gets a required monetary revamping Combining team budgets will foster a communal culture in sports community

By Claire Sleigh An opinion People associate many things with Blair — a diverse school culture, strong academics and competitive magnet programs — but probably least of all athletics.

We know that our football team doesn’t have a winning record and that the boys on cross-country wear short shorts, but we have no comprehensive idea of Blair athletics as a whole.

It is the mission of the new athletic director, Rita Boule, to help foster an inclusive athletic community in the school. By encouraging an overall athletic culture, Boule will help the school grow and define itself as a well-rounded and exciting place to be.

Blair is overly focused on individual teams — we need greater emphasis on athletics as a whole.

Combining the sports teams’ budgets, along with other improvements, will foster overall athletic (and Blazer) pride and make it easier for teams to do what they do best: play.

Instead of having each team raise and manage its own money, Boule is going to ask each team to contribute to the general athletic budget. Coaches will then go to Boule with requests for anything from new equipment to buses to and from games. While teams won’t necessarily get back dollarfor-dollar what they put in, they can rest assured that everything that they require will be paid for in a timely manner and that any

extra money goes to supporting other sports teams.

Varsity field hockey coach and JV lacrosse coach Christine Denny trusts that Boule will manage the money effectively. “I’m confident that if my team raises more money we will have that money given to us,” she said.

Denny also stressed that she isn’t only thinking about her own team when she predicts the success of the budget changes. “I think it helps the athletic program in general,” she said.

Blair’s old system of each team operating its own budget didn’t fully conform to county regulations. The integration of the budgets, in addition to adhering to country policies, is a win-win for both sides.

It is Boule’s goal to take some of the pressure off of individual teams — now all that teams have to do is raise a set amount of

that off the coaches so they can coach.”

Boule also stressed that having a more flexible budget will allow her to prioritize and make sure that all basics are taken care of. “What teams need, that’s what they are going to get. We need our athletes to be safe and prepared,” she said, emphasizing that safety is her topmost concern.

Not only will individual teams be able to perform better and more safely, the whole culture of athletes will become tighterknit with these new measures. “I want student athletes to feel that they are part of something S really positive that will TE A B LIA prepare them for life,” JU Boule said. “I want them to work with all kinds of student athletes.”

Striking the ideal balance between individual teams and ment fundraisers. It is Boule’s central control might take some goal to lift the burden of worrying time, but Boule recognizes that about finances off of the coaches’ teams needed to be given a large backs. “I feel like teams did a lot degree of autonomy. “Teams of things on their own,” she said need to do their own thing when about the old system. “Where I it directly affects the team,” she want to move is taking some of money with one big fundraiser, or help participate in some of the depart-

said. However, the point of these new measures is to create some things that can be common to all teams. Most importantly, the wide base of support will help improve play across the board.

“To raise the level of all the teams you have to have a unified athletic program,” she said.

Boule is supporting these changes by creating a captainscouncil of all the sports teams, which promotes interaction among teams and will give a strong base in leadership for all the captains. She is also taking measures to encourage teams that aren’t in season to support those that are. For example, if the softball and field hockey teams are paired up, softball players will be expected to attend field hockey games, and vice versa.

Boule hopes that Blazers will begin to recognize the strength of the athletic program and will be encouraged by the engaging and unified community. Only a small subset of the school population tries out for teams, especially compared to the numbers that show up to schools that are much smaller than Blair. The new emphasis on athletics will hopefully spur an increase in turnout during tryouts in coming seasons.

The focus on the overall culture will benefit the school. While the success of individual teams will always matter, Blazers will hopefully be able to look toward a unified front of Blair athletics with pride. After all, the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts.

jvJOURNAL

By Zoërose Waldrop

JV Girls’ Soccer

JV Boys’ Soccer

JV Field Hockey

JV Football

The girl’s soccer team ended a successful season with a positive attitude and a strong record of 7-1-1 to boot. As the season progressed, the girls grew closer and were able to work together more successfully.

Sophomore captain Hallie Richie felt that a great deal of credit should go to the strong leadership amongst the sophomores, who all stepped up to encourage the team’s younger players.

It was also beneficial that many of the girls had played on the same recreational league teams in previous years. According to Richie, the girls were able to use their great chemistry to predict each other’s moves “One of the girls was always there waiting at the goal in case a shot missed so they could pick it up and keep the momentum rolling,” he said.

Though the team has great talent and the freshmen who came in surprised the team with their abilities, the girls will need to work on taking shots and being more confident in their skills. If they can make these improvements, Richie believes they will be unstoppable, “I’m very happy with how the season panned out and how the girls played, and I look forward for when this year’s freshmen take over next year.”

The JV boy’s soccer team ended the season please with strong playing and an unreflective 5-3-1 record. The boys dominated their first four games, but midseason, some of their best players were moved up to varsity. The team’s performance dropped drastically, with tough losses in their next two games.

According to coach Chris Brown, the team’s mid-season shake-up had its positive aspects, as some JV players went on to be challenged at the varsity level and other younger players got more playing time on the JV squad. Playing time is critical to developing players, “The one thing that will make the team unstoppable is time. The more they play together the harder they will be to beat,” said Brown.

The team’s record took a hit this year, but according to Brown the skill and performance stayed strong. They tended to rely on the midfield and defense, and according to sophomore captain Jacob Rini the team needs to focus more on scoring.

The field hockey team posted one of Blair’s better records, ending with 7-2-1.

Both losses were to very difficult opponents and were one-goal decisions. Coach Nina Hagan felt the team really came together this year, although there is still room for improvement on their individual skills that will come with time.

The team’s chemistry was evident in their playing, “They seemed like they had been playing with each other for years,” said Hagan. They were especially good at passing and off-the-ball movement. This edge was magnified by some of the players’ individual skill.

This year, the team mostly consisted of returning sophomores, but Hagan felt newcomers took the time over the summer to teach themselves, “It felt as though they were returning players,” said Hagan.

The JV Football team ended their season with a record of 5-3. The team started off strong with four good games but after a tough loss to Whitman at the Homecoming game the team lost the remainder of their games in the season.

Sophomore captain Darron Cumberbatch maintains that the team recognizes their problems and worked hard to improve and learn from the loss to Whitman. Coach Adrian Kelly believes that the difficult loss to Whitman has been a motivation for the team, and hopes that the team’s great sense of unity will help them to improve upon their mistakes for next year.

According to Cumberbatch, the loss to Whitman was caused by the team’s overconfidence and inability to stay strong throughout the game, as they were unable to protect the sizable 34-point lead they built early in the game.

The team’s commitment to being more competitive this year has really shown in their playing according to Coach Kelly, “The players are more focused, they have embraced some tough goals and they have greatly benefited from practicing and running drills with the varsity team.”

COURTESY OF JV GIRLS SOCCER

JV girls’ soccer lost just one game.

CHRIS DURBAN

JV boys’ soccer went 5-3-1.

COURTESY OF K. SEBASTIAN

Sophomores led JV field hockey.

TOLU OMOKEHINDE

JV boys’ football started strong.

sportsCHIPS

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

Girls’ cross-country qualifies for States Blazer squad to appear at States for first time in ten years

By Claire Sleigh

whereas Blair really only has one runner he said. Four of the runners did the first respectively.

At the beginning of the season, the girls’ (D’Ottavi) in the top rung. “It’s incredible mile together as a pack, which is unusual acCLARKSBURG, Nov. 3— squad made it a goal to qualify for States this that we beat Churchill,” Demma said. “It’s cording to Demma.

In cross-country, the place the runner year. They pulled together during their last unbelievable.”

The Blazers will have another chance This story was based on post-game interviews comes in during the race corresponds to the race of the season and look forward to comonly and not n u m b e r peting this coming weekend at Hereford. to go up against Churchill again at States, on a first-hand of points Captain Hannah Buchek is looking forward and hopefully they will be able to repeat account. their team to going to States as part of the Blair squad. this Thursday’s performance. Blair is in the gets; the “I’m really excited,” she said. “It’s some- 4A-West region, which for cross-country They were team with thing we had been hoping to do last year, is by far the toughest region in the county.

At States, Blair will go up against teams in shooting for the least and this year I’m a senior.” sixth place.

Cross-country has a long season, one the other 4A regions, but Demma and other number Then scores of points that is about a moth longer than most other teammates predict that they will fall anywere announced then wins. sports. Demma believes that the girls dealt where from 6th to 10th place.

Buchek on the other hand prefers not to — B-CC, 48; D ’ O t t a v i well with this long season by training hard Whittman, 64; came in and then tapering off for the last week. They think about what the competition is. For Wooton, 105; 5th place, came into the race well rested, and many im- her, maintaining a calm demeanor is importhen finally and was proved on their base times. Blair raced this tant to having a successful race — especially Blair, 157. The f o l l o w e d course three weeks ago in similar conditions, if the race is States. “I want all the girls to Blazers edged by a strong which gives Demma a good benchmark to be confident in themselves that they made it,” she said. out Churchill support of compare the more recent times to.

The boys’ squad fell behind toward the by a mere two Durkie in particular pulled through in runners: points to take s e n i o r this race and broke her PR by more than 40 end of the season this year. According to 4th, in what was H a n n a h seconds, and shaved a whole two minutes Demma, the boys started burning out and WILLIAM KIMMEL one the team’s B u c h e k , off her previous time on this course. Klett didn’t have the push at the end of the season. most successful Senior Hannah Buchek came in 30th place and s o p h o - also broke her best by more than two min- They are a novice team, with only one senior meets of the sea- was the second Blazer to complete the race. more Lily utes, a significant margin that contributed to in the top five runners — the rest are sophomores and freshmen. Regionals wasn’t a son. Despite a D u r k e e , beating the Churchill squad. muddy course, the Blazers were able to pick junior Jinhie Skarda and freshman Laura The team was surprised to beat Churchill strong race for the boys; they placed 12th out up traction, and two girls were even able to Klett who came in 30th, 34th, 38th and 50th because they have a number of top runners, of 13 schools.

PR. Out of the seven girls who ran for Blair, only sophomore Morgana D’Ottavi qualified for States individually with a time of 19:51.8 for the five-kilometer course. Even though the rest of the team didn’t qualify individually, as a team they work well enough together and had enough depth to place in front of teams with more top-of-the-line runTheir season the team’s energy depleted half

By Brittany Cheng ners. way through each set and B-CC ended early on According to coach James Demma, the NELSON H. KOBREN GYM- came out victorious. “At the be- in the playoffs, team is greater than the individual runners.

NASIUM, Nov. 4— ginning of each [set], we started but the Blazers “We have one athlete that is going to all optimistic out pretty strong and kept up are county, the rest of them worked together,” This story was based on post- with them, so it was as though and excited for game interviews only and not on a we had a chance. But when we next season. Wu that first-hand account. tied at, like, 10-10, we fell behind explained the team is only and lost,” Wu said.

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Junior middle Vivienne Chen graduating three Barons (B-CC) (11-8) defeated echoed Wu’s statement. “We seniors and the the girls’ volleyball team (5-12) started fast and well, but then young team has in the first round of the play- we started slipping as we got the off season to Gondor family legacy improve. “We’ll offs. Although the Lady Blaz- further into the game,” she said. ers played well against a high According to the Head coach come back next See page 30 Wu caliber Baron squad, they fell in Christopher Klein, the team re- stronger,” ENOCH HSIAO said. the end by fi nal scores of 14-25, mained competitive throughout Two brothers push each other to score Klein pointed Senior Libby Wei’s aggresive spiking 15-25 and 17-25.

Senior outside the game regardless of a few high for Blair sports teams. hitter Nika Lilley led the team costly mistakes. “We played out that many was not enough to cinch a win. with nine kills. pretty well,” he said. “But we girls will play for The match was a game of made a lot of serving and hitting the co-ed team in the Spring, and he wants to use build the Blair volleyball team endurance. According to junior errors. That was the difference.” defender Angela Wu, the three In the end, Klein doesn’t the Spring team to prepare for into a juggernaut,” he said. sets were similar in play and out- think that there is much the team the next girls’ volleyball season.

Editor’s Note: Vivienne Chen come. Although Blair started off could have done differently, “[B- Having this extra season to prestrong in each set and remained CC] was the better team that pare will help Klein strengthen is on the Silver Chips Online Art the team. “My master plan is to Staff. neck and neck with the Barons, day,” he said.

Volleyball falls to B-CC

Girls’ season cut short in the first round

insideSPORTS

A tough end to a rough season Soccer playoffs See page 30 Boys’ varsity soccer succumbs to Walter Johnson in the playoff semi-finals.

TOLU OMOKEHINDE

Varsity football (0-10) ended their season with a 20-13 loss to Kennedy on Friday night. It was a close game, but in the end the Blazer couldn’t push for the win. (Left) Senior Peter Gondor is tackled to the ground by a Kennedy defender. (Right) Gondor runs the ball down the field during one of Blair’s offensive drives.