October 2018: Code of Silence Edition by tattlerbcc

T OCTOBER 2018

Tattler Staff Editors in Chief Andrew Cha Sophia Saidi Emily Schrader Managing Editors Paloma Delgado Lee Schwartz Aidan Smyth Art Editor Daniel Navratil News Editors Josh Garber Sasha Frank-Stempel Callie Wilks Feature Editors Isabel Danzis Grace Harrington Opinion Editors Daniel Navratil Lee Schwartz Sports Editors Kevin McAuliffe Tom Merritt Julia Taylor Style Editors Lauren Gips Tina Siyoum Backpage Editor Maggie Hodge Business Manager Tommy Turi Supervisor David Lopilato Cover Camilo Montoya

Code of Silence BY THE TATTLER EDITORIAL STAFF

hat is the Code of Silence? It is the unspoken law within public and private high schools across the country that keeps students from speaking out when they see another student’s misconduct or dangerous behavior. Whether in cases of drug abuse, academic dishonesty, or even sexual assault, high school students often choose not to voice their knowledge of other student’s actions, for fear of being labeled a “snitch” by their peers, or maybe even getting in trouble themselves with parents, teachers, or the police. With recent political events, specifically the controversy surrounding the testimonies of Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford, the Tattler thought it would be appropriate to take a look at the high school Code of Silence and the landscape of situations to which it applies.

Why victims don’t speak up B-CC’s unspoken rules of school spirit He hit a vape. Then had a seizure. Would you call 911 if your friend OD’ed?

By Isabel Danzis and Grace Harrington With allegations of sexual assault surrounding Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s controversial confirmation to the Supreme Court, the Tattler explores the history of the #MeToo movement from Anita Hill to Christine Blasey Ford.

By Jamie Murray The senior girls’ T-shirt is a longstanding tradition at B-CC. Following the release of an exclusive senior girls’ jersey this year, a columnist reflects on the unspoken social dynamics of high school and their relation to school spirit.

By Lee Schwartz A B-CC student hit another student’s Sourin. He ended up in the hospital. The Tattler investigates what happened and how this fits into the larger phenomenon of teenage vape culture at B-CC.

By the Tattler Editorial Staff Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s testimony raised questions of accountability in high school. So the Tattler held a forum on the “high school code of silence.” Five hypothetical situations. Five student-led discussions. Here’s what happened.

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In This Edition

Proxy Project Activates Young Voters

By Sophia Saidi

The Proxy Project is taking high school activism one step further. With the upcoming midterms fast approaching, teens under the age of eighteen are able to “proxy” a vote and make an actual impact on the outcome.

Hurricane Florence Hits B-CC Families

By Josh Garber

In early September, Hurricane Florence devastated the Eastern seaboard, forcing evacuations and devastating communities in the Carolinas. The hurricane hit home when a number of B-CC graduates attending college in the region felt the effects of the storm.

Musicians Making Change

By Monique Boateng and Semhal Negussie

The recent passing of Aretha Franklin left many people devastated over her loss. Franklin’s cultural significance extended far beyond her music, and her death raises the question of whether new artists will be able to follow in her footsteps.

Socioeconomic Advantage Testing

By Emma Volkers and Rachel Auerbach

What’s the price of a prestigious college acceptance? At B-CC, getting into college usually comes with spending thousands of dollars on test prep, counseling, and tutoring services.

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Who is Monumental?

By Alex Waterman

In 1492, not only did Columbus sail the ocean blue, but he also aided in the colonization and decimation of the Native American people. Still, the federal government recognizes Columbus Day as a national holiday, and a monument in his honor stands tall in New York City.

Serena’s Match Was Not a Feminist Moment

By Malaika Bhayana

Serena Williams is one of the most influential symbols of female empowerment in the world, but she’s not a feminist. A columnist reflects on Williams’ controversial loss at the US Open.

Fall Sports Updates

By our sports staff

See what’s new with Baron athletics this month with updates on our Varsity cross country, soccer, golf, field hockey, and football teams. Spotlight on girls Varsity Volleyball on page 20.

In Humor

The Rattler: October’s Rejected Stories President Trump’s Tremendous Summer Why Sprout Has the Best Chicken Tenders

By Will Tenpas By Henry Buron By Lilly Behbehani

VOLLEYBALL PHOTO BY JERRY FRISHMAN, CONDOM ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL NAVRATIL, AND HOMECOMING PHOTO BY LOLA EPSTEIN

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BY CAMILLE HALL AND CAT DESOUZA

BY SASHA FRANK-STEMPEL After a highly politicized and controversial confirmation process, Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh was confirmed as the 9th Supreme Court justice on October 6th, just five days after the Supreme Court’s 2018-2019 term began. Kavanaugh, who was nominated by President Trump in July to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, was confirmed on a nearly party line vote, with 51 senators voting to support his appointment to the high court. The process was drawn out, as allegations of attempted assault surfaced just after his initial round of hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee. In an attempt to verify the truthfulness of these claims, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her while they were in high school, agreed to testify in front of the Judiciary Committee. Her allegations were included in a previously anonymous letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). Feinstein received the letter in July, but respected Dr. Ford’s wishes not to publicize it until after parts of the letter were leaked to the press. 4

Dr. Blasey Ford, who attended Holton Arms at the time, came forward claiming that Kavanaugh, then a student at Georgetown Prep, had pinned her down and groped her while intoxicated at a party. To question Dr. Ford on their behalf, the Republicans on the committee hired Maricopa County sex crimes prosecutor Rachel Mitchell. Announcing the decision, Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) justified the choice by saying the goal was to “de-politicize the process and get to the truth”. Dr. Ford sat before the Judiciary Committee and was questioned by Mitchell as well as Democratic senators for over three hours. In her opening statement, she painfully retold her memory of Kavanaugh’s alleged assault. She described how, whilst attending a small party, she was pushed into a bedroom and Kavanaugh, along with his friend Mark Judge, both of whom were drunk at the time according to Ford, locked the door and turned up the music that was playing to drown out any sounds she might make. According to Ford’s testimony, Kavanaugh pinned her down to the bed and “began running his hands over [her] body and grinding his hips into [her].”

Ford recalled how she yelled, but her screams were stifled by Kavanaugh covering her mouth. After tumbling off the bed, she took the opportunity to escape and locked herself in the bathroom across the hall. Dr. Ford explained to the committee that she hadn’t told anyone about the alleged attempted rape, which occurred in 1982, until it came up in a couples counseling session with her husband in 2012. When she heard that Kavanaugh had been nominated, she considered it to be her “civic duty to relay the information [she] had about Mr. Kavanaugh’s conduct,” reaching out to the Washington Post and her Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, who helped her contact Sen. Dianne Feinstein (CA), the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. Ford took these actions in late July, but they didn’t surface publicly until September 12, when The Intercept reported that they had received a leak containing Dr. Blasey Ford’s letter. Deciding to come forward about the alleged attempted rape, Dr. Ford went public in an article with The Washington Post four days later. Following Dr. Ford’s high profile accusations, several other women have come forward with allegations of

GRAPHIC BY DANIEL NAVRATIL, PHOTOS BY SOPHIA SAIDI Kavanaugh, although at least one has been proven to be false by Congressional investigators, and that accuser eventually recanted the story. Kavanaugh testified before the committee following Dr. Ford’s testimony, and took an often combative approach to responding to questions. He faced many questions regarding his drinking habits and recollections of the incident from Democrats on the committee. When questioned by Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who asked him whether or not he had ever blacked out from drinking too much, he responded by asking her whether she had. Later in the hearing, he apologized for his remarks. On the other side of the aisle, many Republican Senators, such as Lindsey Graham, offered passionate defenses of Kavanaugh. Graham, in a fiery speech, denounced the process as an hellish, unethical sham against the nominee. After Ford and Kavanaugh’s testimony, the Judiciary Committee held a vote on the judge’s nomination. They referred him to the full Senate for nomination, but that was not without further controversy. Jeff Flake, a Republican who is retiring at the end of his term, voted ‘Yes’ with the other Republican members of the committee,

but attached a condition to his assent. Per his request, Republican leadership and President Trump would have to request a FBI investigation into the claims in order to send Judge Kavanaugh to the floor of the Senate for a vote. This investigation did not come without complaints from Democratic senators and activists, who claimed that the White House was limiting the scope of the investigation. They pointed to how the FBI didn’t interview Ford or Kavanaugh, and the brief duration of the entire inquiry. Investigators did, however, talk to Mark Judge, Kavanaugh’s friend, who Ford says was in the room and egged Kavanaugh on while the assault was happening. Judge claimed to have no recollection of the event. In addition to Judge, the FBI also interviewed Deborah Ramirez, a former Yale classmate of Kavanaugh’s, who claims that the judicial nominee had exposed himself to her at a party. Her attorney railed against how the investigation was carried out, claiming that the FBI “did not want to learn the truth behind Ms. Ramirez’s allegations.” The investigation was completed by the FBI in several days, and the report was made avail-

MAP GRAPHIC BY DANIEL NAVRATIL, PHOTOS BY SOPHIA SAIDI AND EMILY SCHRADER

able to senators for a limited period of time. It was not released to the public, and the Senate subsequently voted on the confirmation of Kavanaugh. Flake, who had requested the investigation, voted in favor of Kavanaugh’s confirmation, along with all other Republican senators except Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski. On the Democratic side, senators were nearly united in opposition to Kavanaugh, with the lone defector being Joe Manchin (WV). In his confirmation speech the newly swornin justice struck a more conciliatory tone, thanking the president as well many senators for supporting him. He referred to his support for the Supreme Court’s nonpartisan status, and argued that everyone has a responsibility to address the problems faced by women in society, explaining how a majority of his past law clerks have been women. Kavanaugh’s appointment will shift the court to the right, taking the spot of a swing vote on the court. His rulings and opinions will have likely leave a lasting impact on the court for decades to come.

Liberal Partisanship Hits New Low with Kavanaugh

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL NAVRATIL, SOURCE IMAGE FROM WIRED MAGAZINE

BY CONNOR DICKINSON It seems as if the Democrats will never learn. Once it became apparent to the Democrats that they were no longer able to block Justice Kavanaugh by challenging his judicial philosophy and record, they took to destroying his character and honor in the most detestable act of partisanship seen in years. Judge Kavanaugh demonstrates all of the qualities a justice must have: he was the top of his class at America’s finest schools, served as an apprentice to Justice Kennedy, and has 26 years of experience in the American judicial system. Kavanaugh has served in the highest ranking positions in the George W. Bush administration, worked in the D.C. circuit Court of Appeals for over 12 years, and has written over 300 judicial opinions, 10 of which were adopted by the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh has displayed extraordinary judicial qualification, so much so that he was chosen by now Supreme Court justice, Elena Kagan, to teach at one of America’s most elite institutions, Harvard Law, for over 10 years. Yet these are the exact reasons the Democrats had to destroy Kavanaugh, using 36 year old uncorroborated claims with no evidence to slander his name - just as they tried to do with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas nearly thirty years ago. The left and the liberal mainstream media loathed the idea of another conservative justice that would shift the power of the court and give the Republicans control of all branches of government. It is laughable to me that supporters of these Democrat antics argue that their intentions were truly in the best interests of survivors of sexual assault and Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. Democrats deliberately hid Dr.Ford’s name for six weeks, hired her a top notch attorney, and assisted in getting her a lie detector test, which they refused to release the questions for or results of. Addi6

tionally, the Democrats intentionally planned the coming forward of Ford at the last minute, when her letter just so happened to be “leaked” a week before the confirmation vote. You see, this organized attack on Kavanaugh is nothing more than a sham in which the Democrats used their classic manipulation of identity politics to derail and destroy yet another conservative. Their attack was nothing more than a political ploy to block

“Republicans are angry and this election will show tremendously: I can’t wait for the red wave to rise in November.” Kavanaugh, hopefully take the Senate in the midterms, and thus reduce the influence of President Trump. The resistance we see from Democrats today is now far more than “Never Trump,” it has become “never conservative.” It is puzzling to liberals and the media when about 80 percent of Republicans in the September Gallup poll state they support Trump

despite his multiple personal flaws and sometimes erratic behavior. Sure, having a man who is somewhat of an egomaniac and acts extremely unprofessional can be unsettling, but it beats the hell out of a leader who sees half the nation as deplorable for holding conservative values. President Trump’s unwavering support from his base comes from a variety of different reasons. Trump is one of few politicians who answers to no one; he speaks his mind and has stuck to his promise to advance the conservative agenda, even while facing a relentless attack by the Democrats. Democrats have pushed Republicans further right with their gleeful destruction of distinguished conservatives such as Brett Kavanaugh; their actions have fired up a base that the Democrats seem to forget put Trump into the office he holds today. Identity politics and demonization of conservative America has motivated Republicans to come out with the same enthusiasm we saw in November 2016. Just a month ago, Democrats had an 11 percent advantage in the NPRMarist polls asking about election enthusiasm and importance to voter bases; the most recent poll released this weekend showed the Republican voters are only one percent lower than the Democrats in election enthusiasm. The “blue wave” the Democrats hoped for in midterms has evaporated, and they can look to themselves for who to blame. Destroying a man’s character and name with no evidence or witnesses shows how low they will stoop to fight the conservative agenda. Even after an FBI investigation concluded no wrongdoing on Kavanaugh’s behalf, the Democrats presumed his guilt before innocence. This vile show of partisanship and defamation will not be forgotten by the Republican base and has restored the motivation that Republicans need to win big in midterms. Republicans are angry and this election will show tremendously: I can’t wait for the red wave to rise in November.

BY ISABEL DANZIS AND GRACE HARRINGTON The treatment of sexual assault throughout the years has been regarded very differently depending on the societal norms of that time. In the past, victims of sexual assault have generally kept silent about their harassment out of fear of social retribution. As recently as two years ago, accusations of sexual assault were trivialized or disregarded by society. But in 2017, American culture regarding sexual assault was changed with the creation of the #MeToo movement. Before the #MeToo movement’s emergence in society, there were notable sexual assault allegations against President Bill Clinton, with three women accusing him of sexual assault and one claiming that he raped her while he was the attorney general of Arkansas. Only a year before the explosion of the #MeToo movement, then-candidate Donald Trump was accused of sexual assault by at least seventeen women: Jill Harth, Bridget Sullivan, Cassandra Searles, Tasha Dixon, Jessica Leads, Rachel Crooks, Mindy McGillivray, Natasha Stoynoff, Mariah Billado, Temple Taggart McDowell, Lisa Boyne, Summer Zervos, Cathy Heller, Karena Virginia, Jennifer Murphy, Jessica Drake, Ninni Laaksonen and Kristin Anderson. Around the same time, an Access Hollywood tape of Trump from 2005 resurfaced, in which he details in vulgar language how he sexually assaults women. While the fallout from the tape was immediate, with many senators and congressmen retracting their endorsement of Donald Trump, he still won the 2016 Presidential Election a month later. In 1991, 26 years before the #MeToo movement, Anita Hill, a professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Law, accused Justice Clarence Thomas of sexual assault during his Supreme Court nomination hearings. Hill testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee that Thomas had assaulted her while she worked for him at the Department of Education. Thomas was ultimately approved to a life term on the Supreme Court, which he currently holds. The #MeToo movement picked up most of

its momentum in 2017 with multiple accusations of sexual assaults coming from women against prominent entertainment figures. Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, Kevin Spacey and others were disgraced, resulting in their positions being stripped from them. In November of 2017, seven women alleged that Senator Al Franken (D-MN) groped and kissed them without their consent. Franken’s resignation in December 2017 came in the midst of the #MeToo movement and had general bipartisan support. Around the same time of Franken’s resignation, Senator John Conyers (D-MI) was facing similar allegations against him. Buzzfeed News reported that he had settled a sexual assault case with an employee after she was fired for refusing his advances, causing Conyers resignation from his position on December 5th, 2017. The end of his congressional career was also met with general support. Before their resignations, both Franken and Conyers were facing criticism from activists and supporters of #MeToo. Tim Murphy (R-PA), Ruben Kihuen (D-NV), Trent Franks (R-AZ), and Blake Farenthold (R-TX) are some of the other government figures who were disgraced in 2017. Despite the general change in mentality that the #MeToo movement has caused, such progress trickled to an unexpected halt in early 2018. Although people in positions of power were still being accused of sexual assault and the #MeToo movement still existed, the attention surrounding the issue in the media died down, especially in reference to political figures. According to a list published by the Atlantic on July 26th 2018, there are 10 congressional members that remain in office after sexual assault allegations and are seeking re-election. There are four in office but aren’t seeking re-election. Two have resigned or been forced to resign but are running for new positions. Lastly, there are four who were accused and sought re-election but lost. Although there are fewer people with sexual assault allegations in Congress now than before the #MeToo movement, the #MeToo movement has lost momentum, allowing for more people accused of sexual

assault to remain in office. The allegations of sexual assault against Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas draw a parallel with Judge Brett Kavanaugh. “The context has changed since the original Anita Hill deposition, but in a lot of ways we saw similarities [to the Kavanaugh appointment]” said B-CC Women’s Studies teacher, Caitlyn Trimble. “I think that after this public reckoning that came out of the #MeToo movement we’re going to see a lot stronger reaction politically and in other ways too,” said Trimble. Brett Kavanaugh was appointed by Donald Trump to be the replacement of Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court. As of October 3rd, Kavanaugh has been accused of sexual assault by three different women: Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez, and Julie Swetnick. All of the allegations come from when he was in high school or college. Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied these allegations and testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee that he has never committed sexual assault. The amount of media coverage and support from celebrities and congresspeople for either President Trump or Kavanaugh to withdraw the nomination is reminiscent of the attention that the #MeToo movement received. Due to the similarities in atmosphere, there is a possibility that the Kavanaugh hearings could start a second wave of the #MeToo movement. In light of the allegations against Judge Kavanaugh, women have been sharing their stories of sexual harassment online and directly to Senators at the confirmation hearings, similar to the outpouring of stories during the #MeToo movement. However, many people still feel as if there are ways in which women’s rights are lagging. “I think that in some ways things have improved slightly for women, but I think that there are veiled ways that women deal with being persecuted. It’s maybe more subtle. So in an obvious sense, we’ve made some strides in women’s rights, but I think that we still have a lot of room to grow,” said Trimble.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY SCHRADER, SOURCE PHOTO BY ISABEL DANZIS AND GRACE HARRINGTON

Supreme Court Battle Reveals Power of #MeToo Movement

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The controversy surrounding a friend group’s exclusive custom jerseys earlier this year reveals a larger problem surrounding school pride—and how it is celebrated— at B-CC.

While B-CC preaches diversity and has been labeled as one of the more inclusive high schools in MCPS, certain friend groups still reign over the social scene—and school pride. School spirit has long been a subject of controversy at B-CC. Traditions like painting the rock, organizing school pep rallies, and wearing senior girls shirts for the first day of school have always left some students feeling left out. Although these activities aren’t explicitly designated to any group, many students feel that there is an unspoken rule that only certain people can participate in school spirit. One senior girl who chose to remain anonymous echoed this point, saying that “even if anyone can paint the rock, it’s hard to feel like you’re wanted or allowed to when one group always does it and dominates it.” The exclusivity of school spirit hit an all time high this fall. Most recently, a group of senior girls designed customized jerseys emblazoned with B-CC’s school colors and the Baron logo for their friend group. Unlike the senior girls shirts, an annual tradition where the girls of the senior class make custom t-shirts to celebrate their senior status, the jerseys were not immediately made available to purchase for the entire class. With each member’s nickname stamped on the back, the jerseys celebrated a group’s friendship, but also sent a chilling message to the other

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL NAVRATIL

When School Spirit Turns Exclusive

BY JAMIE MURRAY

members of the senior class: school spirit isn’t for you. Custom clothing made for clubs and sports teams is great. It builds unity within the group and allows the members to feel a sense of place at our school. However, you can try out for a sports team—you can’t try out for a friend group. When school spirit is so closely linked to one group, it makes other students shy away from participating. “I don’t feel like painting the rock is for everyone,” said another anonymous senior. “It’s kind of like certain people have called that tradition for themselves.” In addition to the jerseys sending an unintentional message, posts from the group members’ Instagram accounts can also give the idea that other students are unwelcome in expressing Baron pride. Photo captions like “queens of the kingdom” or “b19 girls on the block” honor the girls’ seniority, but also imply a social hierarchy at the school; if someone is on top, someone else is on the bottom. The monopolization of school spirit isn’t new at B-CC. The “Preps” and “Nabis” dueled for dominance in the 2016 graduating class, and “SWC” (Somerset, Westbrook, Chevy Chase), “Tribe,” and “Section 3” established themselves as the supreme groups in the last graduating class. These groups made custom clothes for their members and threw exclusive parties for select invitees. They also swallowed school pride, exercising control over school spirit days and pep rallies. An anonymous graduate from the class of 2017 agrees, saying that “the ‘Preps’ always got very into [school spirit],” adding that “it was a way for the dominating groups to connect with each other, and feel like they’re a part of the same thing.” After reading an early edit of this article, a Tattler editor questioned whether this social hierarchy is unique to B-CC, or just a part of the high school experience. How is what I described different from any other high school culture? Is this really an issue if it happens everywhere and has happened for many years? While it is true that such a high school culture is similar to what we have seen in pop culture and other high schools, and could be dismissed as a typical high school experience, this is exactly what B-CC discourages. Our school encourages inclusivity and diversity, not exclusion and homogeneity. Social hierarchies may be typical of high school culture, but they shouldn’t be typical of Baron behavior. Every B-CC student should feel comfortable expressing school spirit and participating in school traditions, regardless of what group they belong to. While the solution may be challenging at first, perhaps the problem can be solved by the intermingling of groups. Students don’t have to be best friends, but if we make the effort to smile at each other in the hallways and be friendly with one another, we can eliminate some of the tension. The jerseys may have sent the wrong message, but the situation is a two-way street. While those participating the most in school traditions can work to be more inclusive, those not as heavily involved with school spirit can put more effort into communicating with and getting to know those who are. As one anonymous student put it, “we need to be less polarized by groups and all come together and get to know each other.”

The Toxic Love Triangle Between Teens, Drugs, and Alcohol One student suffered a seizure after hitting a Suorin. But even a neardeath experience could not deter him from vaping in the future. “It’s just whatever,” he said. So what does it take to stop substance abuse and vape culture at B-CC?

BY LEE SCHWARTZ The love triangle between teens, drugs, and alcohol is age-old, but it has not always been sweet and winsome. One B-CC student learned this the hard way. In just the second week of school, at the start of gym class, the student asked an acquaintance for a hit of his Suorin (a popular vape device), something he has done before and not previously had a negative reaction to. But immediately after, the student knew something was wrong. “I went back outside and gave it back to [him], I was like ‘yo… what was in that, it feels kind of weird,’” the victim said. “[He] said it was just regular stuff.” Within moments, however, the student had a seizure, and an ambulance was called. Teenagers using alcohol has always been a problem, and one that has been strictly regulated, if often unsuccessfully. Vaping, however, has also proven toxic but remains under regulated. More than ever, it has become clear that vaping and teens shouldn’t mix, just as alcohol and teens shouldn’t mix. But company statements, laws, parents, and, most alarmingly, near-death experiences have not broken the relationship between teens and substances. So when is a “close call” too close of a call? 10

Recounting the incident, a bystander told the Tattler, “[he] just collapsed… I thought [he was] laughing but [his] face was turning purple, and [he was] shaking a lot.” After running to get the teachers, students watched as the victim was rushed to the hospital. “It kinda blew me,” the victim admitted, “I literally closed my eyes and woke up in the hospital.” The student does not vape regularly, admitting that he only really vapes if he is at parties or with friends. Although he has “hit [his] fair share of devices,” a seizure is far from what anyone expected or could have predicted happening. In the aftermath, rumors spread as other students reported that there were malicious sub-

stances inside the Suorin, ranging from Lysol to codeine. The owner of the Suorin (who did not agree to speak with the Tattler) continues to deny that there was anything foreign inside the device. The victim claimed: “[He] [says] there was nothing in there, but I just don’t believe that.” No matter what the truth is, the victim is glad the whole ordeal is over and things have gone back to normal. After being asked about his current relationship with the owner of the Suorin, the victim said “we’re good now.” Despite the experience, the victim admitted that he has vaped again since his seizure, continuing to walk the thin line between fun and fatal. Though he admitted to have “calmed down

FDA Cracks Down on JUUL Labs

a bit,” it is obvious that this student, as well as many other teenagers, do not stop for danger. The student said: “I’ll still do it occasionally. Just ‘cause you know, I’m a teenager. It’s just whatever.” The truth is blatant: for a temporary good feeling, teenagers choose again and again to drink and smoke despite putting their health on the line. It must be awesome, addictive, or both. But this is not a criticism towards teens who drink and smoke. Every generation of kids loves nothing more than having fun; as the victim said “kids just love blowing smoke.” It’s fun to live on the edge, to be so full of life, rebellion, and adventure. It is something that has always

existed, and shows no sign of slowing down. Suppressing it might even foster worse coping mechanisms for teenage angst. Teenagers need to experience things so that they can move on with their lives with new wisdom and memories. This is not to condone drinking or smoking, but it is a reminder that we live a carefully balanced life as teenagers. So then what does it take to stop vaping? To stop drinking? Obviously more than a seizure. It is not necessarily a question that needs to be answered; learn for yourself and be safe doing it. It seems that vaping and drinking are always going to be connected to teenagers. We can only hope that lightning doesn’t strike twice.

Vape mega-franchise JUUL Labs has recently faced widespread criticism for marketing flavored nicotine products allegedly targeted at the American youth. While JUUL is seen by many of its users as a way to move away from nicotine dependency, its popularity with American teenagers has proven controversial. Proponents of legislative action against the company see its products as introducing an entire new generation to nicotine addiction, rather than serving anti-addiction purposes. The fad at B-CC took off when the JUUL became popular in 2016. Three years later, the trend shows no sign of stopping as vaping students can be found in hallways, bathrooms, and classrooms all around the school. Originally enticing kids with cool flavors like mango and fruit medley, many are now hooked to the nicotine in the product, equivalent to about one pack of cigarettes in each pod. While not as bad as cigarettes, many kids do not know the dangers that come with vaping e-liquid. Nicotine is not a benign substance as it has been shown to have negative effects on cardiovascular health. The danger, while less terrible than cigarettes, is still present. Recently, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) cracked down on the Juul epidemic. On September 12th, the FDA requested that the manufacturers of Juul products prove they can keep their devices away from minors. Failing to do so would result in the complete removal of the product from the market, the agency said. More recently, on October 2nd, the FDA raided Juul Labs’ San Francisco headquarters and seized over 50,000 documents from the electronic cigarette start up. This came just weeks after the FDA organized a multi-million dollar high school bathroom poster campaign against Juul and other e-cigarette products. Juul was cooperative in handing over the documents which, per the FDA, document sales and marketing strategies. Banning flavors is one of the few ideas proposed to keep kids away from nicotine addiction. In 2009, the FDA banned all cigarette flavors aside from menthol and tobacco to try and keep kids away from cigarettes. Data from the FDA found nearly 80 percent of youth ages 12-17 and nearly 75 percent of young adults ages 18-25 who were tobacco users in 2014, said the first tobacco product they ever used was flavored. This trend rings true with vape users as well: the 2016 National Youth Tobacco survey found that 31 percent of youth vapers started vaping primarily because of the flavors. In response to the FDA’s recent initiatives, Juul and many other e-cigarette companies have apparently increased their monitoring of retailers and attempted to reinvent their social media platforms as to be less encouraging to teenagers. From January 1st through July 28th, Juul removed 4,562 Instagram posts and 45 Facebook posts that apparently advertised to minors. Despite this, e-cigarettes only continue to grow in popularity and the FDA remains unsatisfied with manufacturing companies’ efforts to reduce the magnitude of the problem. 11

PHOTO BY SOPHIA SAIDI

BY EVAN CHARLES, RYAN ACWORTH, AND DANIEL WHITE

Code of Silence

What goes on in high school stays in high school... Or does it? These are not the 1980’s. It can be argued that the #MeToo movement has broken down many social barriers of past generations. However, certain codes feel as binding as ever. B-CC is not Georgetown Prep. However, many of the places mentioned in Dr. Ford’s testimony are right here in our neighborhood. What codes are in place right here, right now and what are the social implications of those codes? On October 2nd, Tattler staff held a forum on the “Code of Silence” at B-CC, taking a look at the unspoken social codes of teenagers in our area and the situations that bring them to light. 10 percent of the student body attended. In small groups, we presented a troubling—if all too familiar—scenario from high school life. Each group had to agree on the best solution to the problem. Then, the group had to convince an audience of 200 that their solution was the best option. Here’s what they said.

Sexual Assault

Drug Abuse

School Shooter

You’re at a party and see that a distant acquaintance of yours’, Kristina, is very drunk and clearly out of it. From across the room, you can see that she’s stumbling and slurring her words. Then you see Will come up to her and grab her waist as he whispers in her ear and ushers her toward a bedroom. Will and Kristina have had somewhat of an on and off thing going for the past couple weeks, as they have hooked up a few times in the past. However, you know that Will has not had anything to drink all night.

Someone in your distant friend group decided that smoking weed wasn’t a good enough high, so they decided to try LSD at a party you were also at. They don’t react well to the drug and started getting sick, throwing up, feeling nauseous, and looking as though they’re having a panic attack. A couple of people in addition to you have noticed this, but are afraid to call their parents for fear of getting everyone at the party in trouble with their own parents or even the police.

Recently you noticed that one of your classmates, Stephen, always sits in the back of the classroom with his hood on, and never participates in class or talks with any other students. One day, your teacher pairs you up with him for a lab. As you two work on the lab and you try to hold a conversation with Stephen, he keeps saying things like “everyone here is f***ing stupid anyway,” and “none of it really matters at all.” You notice that as he’s saying this he never makes eye contact with you and instead glares at all of the other students in the classroom. You’re afraid that Stephen may be planning to do something that could harm himself or other students, but you are fearful to tell the administration in case you’re wrong.

When it came to the topic of sexual assault prevention, many students were notably unsure how to respond. This scenario dealt with the grey areas of student safety: How does one respond to the possibility of sexual assault at a party, based on observation alone? In the end, students decided on a combination of indirect actions to protect their peer from a potentially dangerous situation. First, they would ask a friend of the girl about her relationship to the male guiding her into the bedroom. If the friend’s response did not clear up the situation, they chose to involve themselves personally— by pretending to “accidentally bump” into the girl and strike up a conversation, or even “act drunk” and cling onto the girl so she would not enter the room alone. However, most students agreed not to directly accuse the boy of sexual misconduct. In their opinion, it is not their place to make assumptions without checking the situation out first.

Students decided that they would talk to their peer to get an idea of his behavior and reach out to his counselor to express their concerns. There are more subtle ways to check in on him or examine his behavior than triggering an investigation from the administration that might backfire.

This group was quite large, maybe 30 or so people. The discussion started off slow and students had to be called on, but soon enough people started volunteering to talk. The conversation soon came to be dominated by “popular” seniors, obviously very familiar with party culture. Ultimately, the group agreed that they would need to call an ambulance or get help only if the sick teen was unconscious or unresponsive. In other words, the student had to be more than just wasted. After determining that they would call the police, they agreed on telling the host first so that everyone could leave the party and avoid getting in trouble with the police. They would then take the kid outside and call for an ambulance and wait for it to arrive. The group agreed that they would look out for themselves and the kid, but nobody else.

Academic Dishonesty

Racist Comments

You heard that a distant friend of yours had someone take their SAT for them and received a perfect score. Additionally, this student made up many of their extracurricular activities on their college application and ended up receiving a very selective scholarship that you and many of your other friends applied for.

After talking with you about the math homework in class, Ryan, the basketball team captain recruited to play D1 in college next year, adds you to a group chat where him and the rest of his friends from that period review homework and ask questions about what will be on the upcoming tests. But, as soon as you’re added to the chat, you see Ryan and his friends text a flurry of racial slurs, jokes, and images to describe many of your teachers and classmates. You assume Ryan is joking, as he has never exhibited this behavior in person, but he seems to text these things on a regular basis. You know that if you tell the administration, Ryan will definitely be suspended from playing that season and it may even affect his recruitment. These students’ would be to talk to him, oneon-one. They wouldn’t go to the administration, even if they didn’t know him. They don’t know his situation. They would take an approach more of understanding than of punishment. It is not worth ruining someone’s future or making them facing larger repercussions from the administration. Unless he were attacking someone personally, it should be dealt on a personal level.

PHOTO BY SADIE MCAULIFFE

Students decided that, since the person who cheated is not a very close friend, they would not snitch on them. They agreed that it’s not okay to cheat on the SAT or lie on college applications, but one has to choose their battles. If a close friend had done the same thing and they held that person to a higher standard, they would definitely confront that person about it, even if they would not tell an administrator. Students can’t be the academic dishonesty police for everyone, that’s not their job. The responsibility lies with the person who cheated, the teacher, and the college that they were accepted to, and it’s not on their peers to intervene. However, if another person told an administrator or even the college, they would view their decision as karma for the person who cheated. In the end, people who cheat will feel the consequences later in life and it’s not on students to bring them those consequences.

Hurricane Florence Hits B-CC Families

PHOTO BY ABBY HAAS

BY JOSH GARBER

The eighth-wettest storm in the history of the contiguous United States hit the Carolinas on September 14th, devastating homes and entire communities with massive floods and leaving approximately 11 dead. Florence formed on August 30, emerging from a small tropical storm off the coast of West Africa. The storm began to quickly pick up by September 10th, transforming into a Category 4 hurricane, but as it approached the Carolina coastline, it degraded to a Category 1 storm. On Friday, September 14th, Hurricane Florence smashed into the coast of North Carolina, just south of Wrightsville Beach. Millions of citizens in the Carolinas and Virginia evacuated their homes after the governors of each state issued mandatory evacuations for those living near the coast. B-CC alumnus and Duke University freshman Alex Fine returned to Maryland right before the storm hit land. Duke had canceled classes and many kids returned to their homes when the eye of the storm was originally supposed to pass over Durham, North Carolina. Upon learning that it was going to pass over Durham, most students, including Alex, became very worried. “At first, when the eye was supposed to come through Durham, people were more concerned,” Fine said. “As the week went on and the path changed, people, including myself, were definitely less concerned because it turned from Category 4 prediction to tropical storm warning here.” A different alumnus, UNC-Wilmington freshman Liz Brooks, was much more dramatically impacted by the storm. Due to the effects of Hurricane Florence, Brooks says she missed almost an entire month of school, 14

returning on October 8th. Both Brooks and Fine mentioned that the students were more concerned with how much school they would miss, rather than how the storm would impact their school. While many students and residents evacuated dangerous communities, some found it very difficult to leave, and remained in their houses, nailing wooden boards to their windows and doors. Many who own houses in the Carolinas and Virginia along the beach also traveled to their houses and boarded them up before the storm arrived. Senior Abby Haas and her family drove down to their house in Corolla, North Carolina to take precautionary measures against Florence. “Luckily,” Haas said, “the house didn’t sustain any damage.” While her house remained safe, many other homes were destroyed by the storm and required a significant amount of repair and assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which had suffered a 10 million dollar budget cut from President Trump just a few weeks prior. While the decision to redistribute money out of FEMA right before a major storm shocked much of the United States, none of the money taken out of FEMA came from the agency’s Disaster Relief Fund. FEMA continues to support those affected by the storm to the same extent that they did before the shift in money. Nonetheless, by September 17th, the storm had turned into a post-tropical cyclone over West Virginia, and two days later, it had completely dissipated. Currently, relief is being provided from all over the country including B-CC. Hayden Renaghan, founder of Students Aiding Victims of Environmental Emergencies (SAVE), is planning to provide aid to those affected by the storm. “We are going to continue to support World Central Kitchen,” Renaghan said. “They have already served 250,000 to people affected by Hurricane Florence.” Renaghan further hopes to discover the reasons behind natural disasters with her club. “We also hope to explore some big picture reasons that contribute to the increasing severity of natural disasters, for example climate change,” said Renaghan.

Proxy Project Animates New Voters Before Midterms BY SOPHIA SAIDI In many ways, 2018 can be considered the year of teen activism. Young people across the country organized, rallied, marched, spoke, lobbied, and became, for the first time, a part of the political world. But for all their efforts, teens still cannot participate in one of the most basic forms of representative democracy: voting. This gap in enthusiasm and ability to take action became the inspiration behind the Proxy Project, a movement meant to increase voter turnout founded by Susan Ades Stone. The intention of this project is to harness the political energy of those under the age of 18, and other disenfranchised voters, to encourage voting among those traditionally apathetic. “In a nutshell it enables and empowers young people who perhaps are not yet able to vote,” said Walter Deleon. Deleon became the youngest elected Latino official in D.C. history when he was elected D.C commissioner at the age of eighteen. He currently serves as an organizer for the Proxy Project, working directly with high school students, recruiting participants and spreading the word. Through his work, he has gotten to see a number of the relationships he helped to create achieve actual results. “I think I would say the majority of them have been quite successful. We had a great student in Florida who got thirty of her classmates to register with the project,” Deleon said. Once a high school student registers with the project, they are considered activators. From there, they must find a “proxy”, a new or infrequent voter, to register with them as a team. Registration creates accountability for both parties to fulfill their end of the commitment. From there, the student’s job is to make sure their proxy is properly registered and informed on the candidates and issues relevant to them. In this way, the project utilizes this one on one approach to com-

bat voter apathy. Activators are told only to register with one individual who is eligible to vote. The idea is that if these individuals establish a relationship, they will be more likely to follow through and vote when the time comes. While there are many organizations that work to increase voter registration and voter turnout, what distinguishes the Proxy Project is that it is based completely in the participation of those who are ineligible to vote to bring people out to the polls. “These high schoolers are able to do it because they know what the issues are in their community and they know how to engage people their age,” Deleon said. “I think thats what makes this project and this effort so effective.” Voters between the ages of eighteen and twenty-nine have historically had the lowest voter turnout rates. As a result, their issues are less represented in politics. According to the U.S. Census, only 46.1 percent of eligible individuals between the ages of nineteen and twenty-nine voted during the 2016 election. This is compared to the 70.9 percent of people over the age of sixty five who voted, and the overall 61.4 percent of the population voted. “The only way a representative democracy can function, [is] when as many people who are eligible to vote do vote. I think in particular young people, who are the future, need to come out and vote because if not their issue won’t really get addressed.” Deleon hopes the Proxy Project will leave a longer lasting impact than just the outcome of a single election, and create what he calls a “healthy habit” of democratic participation among young people. “I think really one of the biggest benefits of the Proxy Project is developing the habit of voting. Studies show that when people register to vote and actually go vote, it’s a habit and they tend to do it over and over again,” Deleon said.

Musicians Making Change

BY MONIQUE BOATENG, SEMHAL NEGUSSIE, LAUREN GIPS, AND TINA SIYOUM

The Legacy of Aretha Franklin

1960s

Aretha Franklin was an American singer born on March 25th, 1942. At a young age she immersed herself in music and became a child prodigy, eventually taking the music industry by storm. Aretha’s powerhouse vocals combined with her infectious charm led her to become one of music’s biggest names and earned her the title “Queen of Soul.” Franklin’s career began to take off in the sixties; her presence in the industry as a confident black woman made her stand out from other musicians of that era. Franklin left a huge impact on society not only through her music but by using her voice to raise awareness on racial inequality. She began singing gospel music at church. One of her most famous songs “Respect,” which was released in 1967, became an anthem to many people, promoting racial and gendered political movements. While Franklin was admired for her boldness, she will also be remembered for her unique vocals. In the span of sixty years, Franklin became

“We Are the World”

1980s

As the seed for the creation of an American benefit single targeting African famine relief was planted, “We are the World” blossomed and touched the hearts of millions around the world. “We are all apart of God’s great big family,” sings Tina Turner, highlighting the power that comes along with unity. Circling the globe and taking the world by storm, this touching tribute to Africa united us all and defined the true meaning of brotherhood.

“America The Beautiful”

9/11/2001

4/24/2018

Not every song that brings people together is one written for the occasion. After the terrorist attacks on September 11th 2001, countless benefit concerts were arranged. One of the most unforgettable was a telethon ending with musicians, actresses, and other stars all singing “America the Beautiful” in unison as much of the country watched on television.

March for Our Lives March 24th of this year was March for our Lives, a rally organized in the aftermath of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. The march featured speakers as well as musicians to advocate for gun control reform. Among those who performed, Miley Cyrus sang her song “The Climb.” This song shares a powerful message to persevere and fight through whatever you may face, which is what teens and adults did throughout the country in light of this tragedy.

a symbol for female empowerment and immensely contributed to the civil rights movement. Ms. Itkin, the chorus teacher at B-CC, grew up listening to Franklin. “I have very old school parents. We had a huge stereo with a record player and would have album after album,” Itkin said. “What I love about Aretha is that she didn’t try to sing like anyone else. Aretha had her own style and owned it, there aren’t many singers with that sound.” Hanna Teshome, a junior at B-CC, felt greatly inspired by Franklin. “When I found out she died, I was so devastated. My family and I grew up listening to her and I just love her style of music. Aretha was very special.” Still, it seems as though there may be some new artists capable of following in her footsteps. “I feel like Beyoncé or Rihanna are artists from our generation that could match her

level” said Teshome. Itkin mirrors this sentiment. “I believe with the current artists we have now, Beyoncé has a chance of matching her as a singer and performer,” she said. Due to their presence in the black community as well as their numerous accomplishments, some believe that Beyoncé and Rihanna could come close to reaching Franklin’s legacy. Among many other achievements, Beyoncé has accumulated seventeen grammy awards and forty-six nominations, while Rihanna has collected nine Grammy awards and thirty-three nominations. Their solidarity with the black community is reminiscent of Franklin’s. Beyoncé’s song “Formation” has become a pro black anthem. This past year, Rihanna launched a makeup line that included a range of tones for black skin not found in most other brands. Despite Franklin’s recent passing, her legacy lives on in her music and in the impact she had on the world around her.

Can Music Unite Us? BY NIA FRAZIER AND VANESSA PONTACHACK Looking back to the political climate of the 60’s, a number of popular musicians used their platform to create a societal impact. Artists such as Nina Simone, Bob Dylan, and Aretha Franklin spread unity through their music, using their voices to talk about social injustices in America. Fast forward to now, as politics have become a subject of contention across the country and partisan issues are increasingly polarized, many musicians have attempted to raise their voices above the noise. Artists such as Franklin have been memorialized for using music as a vehicle for change. The question now is if the celebrity voices of this generation are capable of doing the same. From political performances to public statements, Beyonce has not been shy about which side of the spectrum she’s on. In 2009, Beyonce performed the song “At Last” at the inaugural ball, which expressed her support for the election of President Barack Obama. In 2012, black women voted at a higher rate than any other gender and race and were a key demographic for Obama’s reelection. Beyonce and Jay-Z became public faces of this effort, hosting a multi-million dollar fundraiser on behalf of the president. Prior to the 2016 election, Beyonce sung her powerful female anthem, “Run the World (Girls),” during a concert in support of the Democratic party presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton. Many other artists and celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift have taken

the mic to speak on political topics. Lady Gaga has famously attended marches around the country promoting women’s rights and anti gun laws. Her Super Bowl halftime show last February was also nothing short of a political stance. Gaga sang her song “Born This Way,” a song embraced by members of the LGBTQ+ community. She also sang her own version of “This Land Is Your Land” which omitted certain lines and suggested the idea that this land is, in fact, not for everyone. Swift urged her fans to register to vote in her home state of Tennessee, and endorsed democratic candidates. Her Instagram post urging people to vote was followed by a voter registration boost of over 65,000 individuals. Now it is common to hear people walking in the hallways at school commenting on statements made by music artists about politics. One of the many examples is rapper Kanye West, who uses his platform to spread his total and unconditional love towards republican president Donald Trump. On the other side of things Taylor Swift most recently used her voice to call out the injustices that have been prevalent in America for years. This then resulted in thousands of new people registering themselves to vote. Overall today’s music industry, whether it be the music or the artists themselves, have come to create an even bigger talk about politics and unite more people than ever before. Pop culture today, definitely is succeeding like it has in the 60s. 15

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Socioeconomic Advantage Testing BY EMMA VOLKERS AND RACHEL AUERBACH For most students, applying to college means taking a standardized test. But an investigation by the Tattler staff found that getting a good score is not standard across the board. Education has become a business, and generally the socioeconomically privileged are the ones who succeed.

According to the College Board, in 2017, 1.7 million students participated in SAT testing and 2 million students took the ACT. In other words, over 3 million students took the same two tests intended to represent their academic prowess and intellectual abilities. However, statistics are emerging that reveal that these tests may not be as straightforward as they seem. According to author Sean F. Reardon, between 1974 to 2001, the academic achievement gap, based on income, had widened by roughly 50%. As these gaps become more prevalent between students of different socioeconomic statuses, the academic world is left to question the effectiveness and validity of mass standardized testing. There is a clear bias towards those who can afford expensive courses to prepare them to take the SAT and ACT. According to PBS, in 1926, when the first SAT was administered in high schools, students were provided with a practice booklet containing sample tests and questions one week prior to taking the test. Now, however, students are on their own with harder tests, longer preparation time, and higher prices. Two juniors, who wish to remain unnamed, discussed their perspectives on the true price of a good score. One of these juniors claims that his test prep tutor costs around $120 an hour, and another says that she has spent around $3,000 total on her testing experience. However, these students claim that the high prices pay off, as they teach the strategies best used to “cheat the system” when taking the test. “There’s no intelligence whatsoever. If you know basic math and reading and get a good tutor to teach you all the strategies and tricks, you can do well,” said one junior. Although there may be more affordable test prep options, such as Khan Academy, many students choose private tutors or participate in other tutoring services. “In general, I think that many high school students aren’t motivated to do the work by themselves, which is why so many students use outside services to prepare,” said Capital Educators’ Sai Panguluri. But what about students who can’t afford the price tag? According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, over 49% of students live in poverty, meaning that around half of students in the U.S. do not have the same access to test-taking strategies as many of those who live in Bethesda. Ned Johnson, the president and founder of academic tutoring service PrepMatters, recognizes the role of socioeconomic status in testing success, not only due to unequal access to test prep courses, but also as a result of the preexisting achievement gap between students in different areas. “Pretty much everything in education is tied to money,” said Johnson. “These tests tend to correlate almost perfectly with income, because of all the things income provides: access to a good school system, stable housing arrangements, and so

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on.” Even without SAT/ACT tutoring prep courses as a factor, students attending an affluent high school like B-CC or Whitman are already on track to a better score on a standardized test than students at lower income schools. Higher income schools often have greater access to sophisticated resources and welltrained teachers in contrast to those of lower income. The good news is, steps are being taken to help students of all backgrounds reach their full potential. For the SAT, Panguluri explained that a recent sociological study has shown that an extensive vocabulary is reflective of socioeconomic privilege rather than intellect, so the current test tends to evaluate reading skills to a greater degree than vocabulary. On the prep side, College Tracks, a program designed to help students navigate college admissions and the financial aid process, has paired with Khan Academy to provide free resources to help prepare students for SAT & ACT testing. Khan Academy acts similarly to a private tutor by analyzing a student’s practice test results and providing online tutoring in subjects that a student is struggling in. College Tracks has also partnered with B-CC to give students who demonstrate financial need test prep and tutoring at little to no cost. “At the end of the day, talent is so much more widely distributed than advantage. Anyone who works with students needs to be doing everything they can to level the playing field,” said Johnson. However, testing may not be present in the college process for much longer. In fact, a study by the Washington Post reveals that of the 5,300 colleges in the U.S., over 900 of them are now test-optional. This means that the colleges make admission decisions without using ACT or SAT scores and instead focus more on a student’s transcript, essays, and letters of recommendation. “Your high school transcript is a much bigger story than standardized test scores,” said Leigh Weisenberger, Dean of Admissions at test-optional Bates College. Going test-optional allows colleges to focus on how students perform in the classroom as a whole, as opposed to a single five-hour period when taking a standardized test. This may not close the education gap between different socioeconomic statuses completely, but it is the first step to making college more accessible to all students. While it may sound progressive, senior Cory Powell shows that the test-free college process is a double-edged sword. While applying to Temple University, a test-optional school in Philadelphia, she observed that, while the school claims to use different factors in the admission process, “if you don’t send in your scores, you’re not going to get in.” In addition, college advisor Patricia Parmelee explained how some test-optional schools are happy to admit students without scores, but are more hesitant to award them merit scholarships. Even if sending in SAT or ACT scores is becoming “optional” at an increasing rate, it’s going to take colleges a while to break the habit of using test scores as a predominant factor in the application process.

BY CAMILLE HALL AND CAT DESOUZA Montgomery County has approved the decision to provide free condoms to all of its 26 public high schools. The county displayed an interest in distributing them this year due to the recent spike in sexually transmitted infections (STIs). STI rates were higher in 2017 than in 2016, specifically from chlamydia and gonorrhea, according to a press release. In Montgomery County alone, chlamydia and gonorrhea infection rates are at their highest that they have been in 10 years. While the entire state of Maryland saw an increase in chlamydia cases of nine percent, Montgomery County’s chlamydia rate rose by 17.5 percent. As for gonorrhea, there was a 29 percent increase in cases in the county, which is almost twice as much as the 15 percent increase across Maryland. Montgomery County Public Schools began providing condoms on four high school campuses this year, including Wheaton, Northwood, Gaithersburg, and Watkins Mill. This is because each of these four high schools include a community wellness center, where students may be offered coordinated medical care, counseling, and positive youth development. It also offers mental health and social services that are available to students enrolled in the school and their families. Nick Boboshko, a senior at Northwood High School, thinks that it’s a good thing that many people are helped by these centers. “The wellness center is like a community clinic. It’s a benefit because it really gives kids a place to go to if something is wrong, and they might not be able to get to other places,” Boboshko said. “It has a certain environment that is really inviting and kids are really drawn to that. They also keep confidentiality, so that’s a big thing for people too. I’ve seen Northwood students and faculty go in there, and the center can also give people shots or test people for STIs.” On September 27th, chief academic officer

Maria Navarro and county health officer Dr. Travis Gayles hosted a virtual community conversation about condom availability and education in high schools at 7:00 pm on the Montgomery County Public School’s website. They addressed a variety of questions about the program from both students and parents. “We want to make sure that the information we present to the community makes an impact,” Gayles said. “And we also want to remove barriers that may stop students from getting condoms. For example...some people can’t drive to the store, or can’t can’t afford [condoms].” Students seem to have mixed feelings about this new program, and while some don’t mind asking the school nurse for condoms, others might be feel uncomfortable talking to a staff member about this topic. “I think this program is beneficial in multiple ways, but just as everything has a benefit I also think there is a negative side to it,” said Tenudi Genana, a senior at B-CC. “Parents might disagree that condoms should be distributed in the school because we have young freshmen in the school aged 13-14, and I don’t think the school can make the call of distributing condoms to children without all parents being consensual. They might think that the program serves the idea that being sexually active in high school is ok. Personally, I don’t think your sexual life is something that should be discussed with anyone to begin with. I wouldn’t be open to going to the nurse and getting condoms for myself, but I feel like some people would.” The Montgomery County Public Schools and the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) reached an agreement by October 1st that determined the details and procedure for the availability of condoms in all of the remaining public high schools. The DHHS will distribute condoms to high school health rooms each month. The majority of the schools will receive at least 20 small brown

paper bags, each of which will contains five condoms. The wellness centers will receive at least 40 bags of five condoms each. High school students will receive one brown bag of five latex condoms per visit to the nurse, as well as a short informational session on condoms, specifically related to storage, usage, and how they prevent the transmission of STIs. All visits to the health room will be recorded in the high school student’s health record. Parents will not be informed if their child visits the nurse to request condoms, as the law states that this is protected information. Mrs. Dwyer, the head nurse at B-CC, is optimistic about this new program and believes that “The teaching points that we will share with the students who come to the health room for guidance will most definitely help the community. Education is a wonderful thing, and the more you learn the more you are empowered. Parents who are apprehensive about this program should really have an open dialogue with their kids and talk about this. Education starts at home, and we supplement it, so all of us should all look intrinsically into what it is about this program that might be bothering us and have those hard conversations with our kids.” Ms. Dwyer is one of many voices in the county who believe that this program is mostly beneficial for students, and that this pilot contraceptive program should be available district-wide as soon as possible due to the troubling health statistics.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY DANIEL NAVRATIL, CONCEPT BY JAMIE MURRAY

MCPS Supplies Condoms to Every School’s Health Room

Who is Monumental?

The statue of Christopher Columbus at the Columbus Circle looms over New York City. And over American history.

PHOTO FROM THE NATIONAL REVIEW

BY ALEX WATERMAN As Christopher Columbus sailed into the Americas, he didn’t think he was in America at all. He believed he had sailed all the way to India, hence the fact that from then on, the indigenous people who lived there were called “Indians.” Columbus wasn’t looking for a scenic view, nor did he take in the beauty in the land he had just come across, instead, he had only one goal in mind: gold. At Columbus Circle, in New York City, Columbus’s monument is centered, yet blocked by high trees if you’re looking from Central Park. Brought over from Italy in 1892, (the 400th anniversary of his discovery of the Americas) he was placed in the circle at the same time Central Park was established. Now, more than a hundred years later, a heated controversy is swirling around whether to take the statue down. Some of the questions people are asking are: What is the point of the monument? Is it to glorify the explorer who “found” the Americas? Are we honoring what he started when he connected Europe with this new land? Are we showing that we wouldn’t be where we are today if not for the discovery? Upon reflection, I realized that Columbus had his back to me, and to the park. Instead he faced an array of skyscrapers, ones that are pinnacles of greed, money, and wealth. In reality, Columbus had no admiration for the beauty of the land 18

that he had come across, and no respect for the people who inhabited it. Instead, his quest for gold was his main priority and this drove him in all his travels. Even today, his statue prominently faces the business buildings, once again, seemly putting all of his focus in profit, and ignoring the beauty surrounding him. “I didn’t even see it there!” Was the most common response from the people walking around the monument, tourists and residents alike. Standing at 76 ft tall, (with a large base, the statue itself is actually quite small) pedestrians nearby rarely notice it’s there. There’s irony that Columbus didn’t know he was in The Americas, and when people walk by his monument, they seldom notice the statue at all. The satire is almost too coincidental, and it makes me wonder what the reasoning was for the people who placed the statue there. I wonder if they used the park to show his journey from one place to another, leaving Spain and coming to America, as some have theorized. And his monument is not the only way we celebrate his colonization. With a parade named after him, and an entire day off in his honor, we Americans seem to overlook his crimes against humanity. How is one to brush over the fact that his men raped the woman who were indigenous to the new land, as well as enslaved the tribes that were fit enough to dig for gold? The Huffington Post included quotes of Columbus’s diary, one of which explains that Colum-

bus sold off young girls as sex slaves. He writes, “A hundred castellanos are as easily obtained for a woman as for a farm, and it is very general and there are plenty of dealers who go about looking for girls; those from nine to ten are now in demand.” If a slave would not work fast enough, he would cut off their hands and tie them around their neck, and if a slave were to run away, he would burn them alive. There were times when Columbus would send out attack dogs, ones that were trained to kill humans by ripping off the slaves’ limbs. The natives learned to fear the dogs more than any other punishment. Soon after he “discovered” America, he brought over disease, some of which wiped out entire communities. Yet, American pride is overbearing, and the need to commend the explorer who connected the new to the old is more important. “If you take it down, it’s history will be forgotten,” said a woman who was walking her dog in Central Park. Others were more firm with their answers. Even after hearing of the wrongdoing Columbus committed, many still claimed, “He did nothing wrong, so why should it be taken down?” The lack of information they had backing their belief was evident. So why keep it up? If the statue is unnoticeable, and Columbus himself had many faults, why not place it somewhere else, possibly even put in a museum of some sort. Will history really be forgotten when the statue is gone? Probably not.

Williams’ Match Was Not a Feminist Moment There is no denying that Serena Williams has overcome a lot of adversity in the past year. A childbirth complication in September of 2017 gave her six blood clots in her lung and a plummeting heart rate, leaving her bedridden for six weeks. Then, after less than a year of recovery, Williams took to the French Open, where she was banned from wearing a Nike catsuit specifically designed to prevent the blood clots she was still suffering from. Although major tennis tournaments such as the French Open have often had a reputation for strict dress codes, many claim that this decision was racially motivated. These claims were only exacerbated by the fact that Williams had to pull out of the tournament due to injury. After a heartbreaking loss in the Wimbledon final, Williams moved on to the US Open, a tournament she has won six times in her career already. With the home crowd advantage, Williams arrived with a big expectations. After winning her way to the finals, she faced Japan’s Naomi Osaka. A win against Osaka would grant her the seventh US Open title of her career, and tie her with Margaret Court for the all-time record for the most Grand Slam tournament wins in history. However, as the match progressed on, Williams began to fall behind. After losing the first set 2-6, and already down in the second to Osaka, Williams received a warning for coaching and exploded at the referee. Contrary to popular opinion, this infraction was legitimate. In tennis, it is against the rules to receive coaching during a match, regardless of whether or not the player is aware of their coach’s actions or gestures. Serena Williams, in this match, received coaching, as her coach later admitted, and acted irrationally in response to umpire Carlos Ramos’ call. A few games later, Williams smashed her racket in frustration and received a second infraction which cost her a point and prompted more arguing between her and Ramos. Eventually, Williams called Ramos a thief for “stealing” a point from her, which resulted in a third infraction and her forfeiting of one game in the set. Ultimately, Williams lost the match to Osaka: 2-6, 4-6. I understand that Serena Williams is sensitive to allegations of cheating due to being drug tested at much higher rates than the rest of her peers, but, in this case, Williams’ reaction was uncalled for. Additionally, Williams claimed that the referee’s actions were an issue of gender bias. She stated that she is always treated unfairly at this event and that men have called umpires much worse than a “thief” without being penalized. But, we shouldn’t be saying “if men can act like that so can I.” We should hold men and women to the same standards. No one should be shouting at referees and smashing their rackets, regardless of if they’re a man or woman. The more feminist thing to have done would have been to continue the match with a professional bearing and later appeal for men to be punished similarly. Naomi Osaka, who is also African-American, deserved her victory. She outperformed Serena the entire set and demonstrated masterful control with powerful serves and consistency. Williams’ outbursts only turned the conversation away from Osaka’s victory and

“No one should be shouting at referees and smashing their rackets, man or woman.”

toward her own misconduct. This incident proposes a larger issue for the dissonant nature of feminists. Those who advocate for feminism on a large scale, such as Serena Williams, often contradict themselves with their own individual actions. In Serena’s case, it was likely not intentional. I doubt she intended to turn the spotlight away from Osaka. However, her outbursts of emotion and cries of sexism and racism did just that. After her victory Osaka, only 20 years old and a first time Grand Slam finalist, was visibly upset, crying into her hands and covering her face with her hat . Although the packed Arthur Ashe stadium of nearly 25,000 people was not booing her so much as they were umpire Carlos Ramos, Osaka’s memory of her first Grand Slam title will be defined by these boos and the controversy surrounding her victory. As a veteran of the game and one of the most prominent symbols of female empowerment in the world, Serena Williams needs to recognize the implications of her actions. From her irrational behavior, Williams has cast a shadow over the amazing achievement of another black female tennis player. Osaka is just one of few African-American women to win the US Open, and she is the first player of Japanese descent to ever win a Grand Slam. However, because of the way Williams acted during the match, the media and fans have forgotten her victory and have instead created a debate on whether or not Serena was wronged. Additionally, those unfamiliar with tennis and this match have associated Osaka with Carlos Ramos’ calls, claiming that she was undeserving of her victory and that Serena would have won if not for Osaka’s so-called “advantage.” This is not to say Serena Williams is not a feminist, or even that she wasn’t wronged at the US Open. However her actions and lack of awareness reflect poorly upon her promotion of so-called feminism. 19

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL NAVRATIL

BY MALAIKA BHAYANA

SENIOR SPIKE

3 4 7 13 Hanna Shine

Middle Hitter

Elizabeth Sharkey Setter

What superhero do you think you would be? And why? “If I was a superhero I would be Violet from The Incredibles. Like Violet I feel like I can be really quiet and reserved but once I get on the volleyball court I am loud and dominant like Violet when she is fighting bad guys.” -Jenna

Isabella Fleeger

Outside Hitter

San Sch

Oppo

What is the reason for the teams success this season?

What is your go-to gas station snack?

“The team didn’t lose any seniors, this years senior class has been four years in the making.” -Elizabeth

“A nice, refreshing bottle of Dasani water.” -Malaina

Mark your calendars for Monday, November 19th everyone, because that is the day the Varsity Girls Volleyball team will be winning the Maryland 4A State Championship. It’s been a long time coming and the volleyball team is finally going to receive the recognition it deserves. You may be thinking, “The state finals aren’t for another month, how could you be so sure that they are going to make it that far?” That thought is foolish. The girls have posted a 16-1 record so far, and it seems as though they are only going to get better. They are ranked 9th on the Washington Post Top 10 Volleyball teams in the DMV, public and private. Only Northwest ranks ahead of the Barons for teams in the Maryland 4A Conference, and while Northwest is the reigning state champ, the Barons firmly believe they can take the throne this year. B-CC has seven seniors on this year’s team, compared to just one last year. The team is almost exactly the same as last year, so they have had more time to play together than most other high schools. I could go into detail to describe how incredible each and every player is, but for the sake of brevity, let’s hear from the seniors who are leading the team to glory.

3 25 32 33

nnah hrijver

osite Hitter

Jenna Feinauer

Middle Hitter

Malaina Galic

Outside Hitter

Kyra Feinauer

Opposite Hitter

How have the Juggling Team performances impacted the result of the matches?

What has shifted within the culture of the team that has led to this amazing start?

“They have definitely hyped up the crowd and our team, which has helped add to the atmosphere during our games.” -Hanna

“Even though our team is not very religious, before most every game we do a team prayer. We all stand in a circle and take each other’s hands and wish for the success and safety of both teams. It helps keep us calm and collected before a game and create a routine.” -Kyra

PORTRAITS FROM VICTOR O’NEILL STUDIOS, ACTION SHOTS BY JERRY FRISHMAN

Checking in with Barons Sports Teams

Boys Cross Country BY WILL BIRKS

PHOTOS FROM MILESPLIT MD, SOFIA REHRIG, AND ARDYN KESTERMAN

The Boys XC team has had a good year so far, contending for a county title at Gaithersburg on October 27th. The team has tremendous promise because of three seniors, Aidan Smyth, Michael Madrigal, and Emerson Hemley who have led their team so far this season. Joey Caizza-Blum, James McGreivy, Jeremy Simon and Lewis Sisler should also be key for the Barons as they fight for victories this postseason. B-CC has seven boys who have the potential to get lots of points for the Barons in their meets this season and potentially produce another state champion after the departure of Adam Nakasaka.

Varsity Soccer BY CHARLIE KANNAPELL

Girls Cross Country BY DAVID SHUSTERMAN The Girls XC team has had a solid season so far, and they look to hit their peak for the championship meets that are coming up soon. Many of the girls have shown that they have what it takes to make waves in the Montgomery County running scene. Juniors Rosalind van der Does de Willebois and Fiona Kelleher are both ranked in the top 30 for cross country runners in Montgomery County by MoCoRunning, and both of them will surely help B-CC in counties, regionals, and states. Beyond just those two, Girls XC has a great team all around, and it would not be a surprise to see many of the girls towards the top of the leaderboard in these next few weeks. 22

As the fall sports season has officially begun, high school teams from around the state of Maryland are working harder than ever to obtain the coveted state-championship title—and the BCC soccer program is no exception. Coach Melendez and the reigning MD State Champion men’s soccer team now face a new season with a major target on their back, while the women’s team, lead by Coach Kurtz, has a more direct and personal objective for this season: beating the Whitman Vikings to defend their trophy in The Battle Of Bethesda. After the defeating Severna Park High School in the Maryland 4A State Championship one year ago, the men’s team enters this season with a new, unfamiliar mindset. “We have a state title to defend”, says junior forward Will Benzmiller. The men’s soccer team started off on the right foot in their season opener on September 5th, beating the Northwest Jaguars 4-2, with goals from Jordan Ventura, Cooper Clendenin, Bryce Hartigan, and Adam Cohen. As for the women’s team, they face a different challenge this season after “losing 14 great seniors”, said junior defender Bea Houston. The team believes their “new talent and strong leadership” will prove to the other schools that a new, fresh BCC women’s soccer program poses a major threat in the fight for the 2018 state title. The barons came out strong on their first regular season game on September 4th, proving that age is just a number after a hard-fought tie against an experienced Northwest Jaguars soccer team. After the tone was set following the season opener, captain striker Jessie Gomez says the team has one message for Whitman: “Get ready, ‘cuz we feasting.”

Varsity Football BY ELI DAVIS Football season is back, bringing rowdy student crowds, amazing Poms performances, and some “hard fought losses.” The team was devastated when they lost their star player Jack Robinson to a season-ending injury during a game against Watkins Mill. Robinson says that he “believes in this team,” and he “wishes them the best for the rest of the season.” The future is hopeful, however, with Ben Minturn leading a brand-new coaching staff looking to build revamp the Barons football identity. The Barons hope to finish the season strong in the coming weeks.

Varsity Field Hockey BY BENNETT SCHWARTZ

The Barons Field Hockey team has had a roller coaster start to the season, winning some games and losing some. They had an exciting game earlier this season, edging out Wootton 2-1 in OT. With key players like Kate Lee scoring both goals against a solid Blair team, Viviana Arnold helping keep a close one goal game against Churchill, and Lindsey Archer adding a tally in the game against Wootton, this team certainly has the potential to make a good run in the playoffs this year. Senior captain Lindsey Archer says “the team is really fun this year and everyone plays super well together.”

Varsity Golf BY DAN SHAPIRO Barons Golf is wrapping up, with former state champion Nick Roberson leading the charge entering the playoff season. The Golf team had some early season difficulties due to the hurricane and rain leading them to have to cancel some matches. Nick believes that “even though we got off to a slow start, we have some great players, and I’m very optimistic about the playoffs; I think we can do some damage this year.”

SPORTS RECRUITMENT: D1 EDITION BY KEVIN MCAULIFFE

This month we will be featuring three Division 1 athletes who have committed to play their favorite sports for their dream schools. Playing at this high of a level takes extreme commitment and work, and these athletes have made countless sacrifices in order to achieve their dreams throughout their careers. Let’s take a look at who’s taking their talents to the highest Division in collegiate sports.

James Springer was the first athlete from the class of 2019 to commit to playing college baseball, revealing his good news to the B-CC community in the fall of his junior year. James will continue his baseball career at Fordham University in New York City. Springer said he chose Fordham because he “loves the school, the coaches and the location.” The 6’4 pitcher has been a member of the varsity baseball team since he was a freshman and hopes to finish strong this spring.

Hannah Humphreys B-CC’s second athlete to commit was star hockey player Hannah Humphreys, who will be playing for Dartmouth College. “I am so happy with the way everything worked out,” Humphreys said. “Now I get to play Division 1 hockey with some amazing people, and a coaching staff that I really like, at the same time as getting a good education.”

Kate Wade Women's soccer, one of B-CC’s most successful athletic programs, is sending forward Kate Wade to the Air Force Academy. Kate is extremely excited for her college career. “Air Force has everything thing I want in a school; academics, athletics, and service,” Wade said. Kate is playing her first year of B-CC soccer and she looks to lead her team to a successful playoff run later this fall.

PHOTOS FROM YANICK NDE AND LINDSEY ARCHER

James Springer

Homecoming 2018

PHOTOS FROM LOLA EPSTEIN

BY MARGARET RILEY AND ARANZA LARA

Homecoming: An event marked by memories of mosh pits, bruised feet or dubstep versions of Ed Sheeran. Whether it is a reminder of a night of dancing and spending time with friends or the embarrassment of rejection after having put hours into a glitter-filled poster, homecoming is a guaranteed topic of conversation. Last year, B-CC struggled to make homecoming an enjoyable experience for everyone. From the ticket crisis to few people staying longer than 30 minutes, one could say it was a bit of a disaster. Administration could legally only give out a limited number of tickets for the large student body of 2,400 people, due to the size of the gym at Silver Creek Middle School. The dance’s downgraded location was due to B-CC’s never-ending construction. The hot gym was just too much for some students. “It was pretty sweaty in the gym, there was a lot of moisture in the air. It was hard to breathe in the mosh pit on the dance floor, with all the BO. We only stayed for 15 minutes cause it was a lot to take in,” said James Vincent, a junior at B-CC. Some students complained about the music played at the dance. Much of the music played at homecoming were clean versions of popular songs or songs that some students thought were simply childish. “The music was the type of music that I listened to in middle school” said Rediate Korsa, a sophomore at B-CC. 24

Due to the ticket crisis last year, a good amount of students were unable to go to the dance. “People were pawning tickets,” said Solomon Murdock, a junior at B-CC. A large portion of B-CC students were upset because they didn’t get tickets while people from other schools went as B-CC student’s dates. There are still some students who enjoy the dance. “It’s something everybody can go to, and something everybody can have in common and be

“It’s something everybody can go to, and something everybody can have in common and be a part of.” a part of,” said Ellie McNamara, a junior at B-CC. For many students like McNamara, homecoming is important because it can serve as an occasion where the entire B-CC community unites. Mario De Leon, a junior at B-CC, however, believes that homecoming is not always so inclusive due to space limitations. “No one can enjoy the dance because there isn’t enough space for two thousand people in the gym,” said De Leon.

Even if you’re lucky enough to get a ticket, it’s not guaranteed that you’ll have a great time. Students like Kai Murphy, a freshman at B-CC, see many problems with school dances like these. “There are people that do not make the best choices,” said Murphy. In the past students have been kicked out of the dance due to intoxication or drug use. Some have faced serious repercussions such as being kicked off of sports teams and receiving in-school suspensions. The events leading up to homecoming are usually enjoyed by the majority of students, however. Pep-rallies boost school spirit and are something that everyone attends. “The football game is always a blast,” said Channing Smith, a senior at B-CC. Smith also noted that it is “one of our most spirited events.” Although not all students find the dance to be very fun at times, many still find ways to make the experience worthwhile. For students like Smith, the dance is merely a pit stop for kids who have other plans for the night. “It is more of the before and after where people actually enjoy themselves,” said Smith. It seems like the events around the homecoming dance are liked by most students at B-CC. However, students believe that the dance itself is what’s causing the negative connotation surrounding homecoming. Whether this relates to the type of music played or the stuffiness of the gym, the homecoming dance has transformed into an event characterized moreso by the proceeding after the dance and the tradition of the event than the dance itself.

Mortgage financing for school employees

Special

Here to help Visit esfcu.org/MortgageSpecials. 1 This credit applies to first mortgages only. Purchase transactions will receive up to a maximum $2,500 in closing cost credits, restrictions apply. Refinance transactions will receive closing cost credit for a zero point rate and term refinance, restrictions apply. Members must apply online between now and December 31, 2018 and enter “2018 Savings” in the comments box at the end of the application to be eligible for the closing cost credit. The credit will be applied at the time of closing. This promotion cannot be combined with other offers and is not valid on existing Educational Systems FCU loans. Additional exceptions may apply. Loans are subject to credit qualifications and approval. All applicants must meet membership eligibility requirements. 2 Financing is available with 3% down of your home’s appraised value. Expected monthly principal and interest payment for a 30-year fixed conventional mortgage of $200,000 at an interest rate of 4.625% with one point (which is an equivalent APR of 5.093%) and a payment of $1,028.284. Total payment is $370,179.80. APR as low as 5.0934% for a 30-year fixed conventional mortgage. Rates are subject to change without notice.

Federally insured by NCUA

The Rattler: October’s Rejected Stories BY WILL TENPAS

PORTABLES STILL THERE

NEW BELL STILL NOT REALLY SURE WHAT NOISE TO MAKE

NEW ADDITION TURNS SHAPE OF BUILDING INTO PERFECT HECTAGONOXICAL

Despite the completion of the massive new addition, the portables are still on the front lawn. Many teachers have been heard complaining about it, which others find ridiculous because, “why have grass when you can have an off-white cubeish thing?” Some believe they are still there to act as a reminder for the freshmen of the BC time period (before construction). A Tattler exclusive interview has revealed plans to turn them into locker rooms for the 5th floor pool, but that is awaiting funding.

The bell that many have come to know and love is continuing to undergo an identity crisis. While the bell initially felt it was best represented by the “Fasten Seat Belt Sign” tone, it then quickly transitioned to the “Doors Closing” noise of the Metro’s doors. Eventually it cracked under the pressure and just became a stuttering ring. In solidarity with the bell, I have decided to submit a few potential noises that might be more soothing to the ear: a car horn, a cow mooing, or Africa by Toto.

Residents of the new B-CC addition were pleased to realize today that the new building addition did not give B-CC a more confusing layout, but instead completed a perfect hectagonoxical shape. A hectagonoxical is a simple geometric shape made up of a semi circle surrounded by two rectangles, bordered by a triangle with a concentric circle on the inside. Now that they know this, the students, staff, and administration feel confident that they can actually find their way around. All they have to remember is that while the E-stairway connects to the A-wing, the F-stairway only connects floors 2 to 3 to the basement and first floor of the C wing. In addition, the new secret passageway that connects the locker rooms to the basement only is open on Thursdays and Fridays, so they must remember that the Q-staircase could be another viable option. Also noteworthy was that, despite this revelation, not a single person interviewed knew what the D-hallway was.

Some People Say It Was the Greatest Summer Ever! BY HENRY BURON

Dear Diary, I’ve had a great summer, perhaps the greatest summer anyone has ever had. I’ve visited a few countries, played golf almost every day, and even gotten in a little work. Not bad for a president! Summer started off strong with an extremely successful business trip to Singapore. I talked with Little Rocket Man in North Korea and you wouldn’t believe how much I accomplished! I’ve managed to denuclearize the entire Korean Peninsula. Incredible! Later in the summer I went to the Helsinki summit to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and thank god I did. Before the meeting, US-Russia relations were at an all-time low, but Putin and I got along wonderfully! We have so much in common. And although I may not have done everything, or really anything, that I was supposed to do, at least I made a new friend. I’m sure we’ll stay in touch! A meeting between my Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korea was planned for late August, but I had to pull the plug on that. I told the CNN it was because of slow progress on denuclearization or whatever, but it was really because Mike and I had plans to go golfing that weekend (which I won). Can’t do both! The White House has been under a lot of much-needed renovation this summer, making it really hard for me to get any work done there. As a consequence, I’ve had to take a lot of working vacations to my house in Bedminster, but trust me, they’re all meetings and phone calls. No fun! Well, summer has sadly come to an end, but I’m already counting the days until winter break! I get one of those, right? Anyway, that’s all of me for now! Love, Donald

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL NAVRATIL , SOURCE PHOTO FROM NBC NEWS

Tender is the Bite Aside from having the best sports, people, and field, B-CC is also home to the best chicken tender vendor in the DMV right across the street. If you haven’t already guessed what restaurant I’m talking about, you might want to ask your counselor to get switched into a Barons 101 class. Sprout Cafe. Hearing that name should get you excited for 11:13 AM. Some would compare Sprout to a well-organized brand like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Nobu, etc. As soon as you see those off-white containers, sometimes adorned with a “Boar’s Head” sticker, you know that lucky person has just found the holy grail. Freshmen, if you haven’t yet had the chance to fight the crowd and order chicken tenders, you should get on that ASAP. One could consider Sprout’s Chicken Tenders a rite of passage and if you have never had them, you have never truly sweat blue and gold. An easier analogy for the freshies: getting Sprout’s Chicken Tenders is like mining and finding gold in California during the Gold Rush. How does Sprout really achieve the perfect ratio of fries to chicken? The breaded, but not too-breaded chicken tender? The crisp yet soft french fry? That, my friend, is the Sprout Cafe secret. If you aren’t convinced so far, hear it from an upperclassman. Senior Josh Townes says that they are “lowkey crispy” and emphasizes the fact that if you don’t eat Sprout’s Chicken Tenders, you don’t go to B-CC. The only thing up for debate is if honey mustard deserves a place in the container. Is the honey mustard taking up precious fry space or is it what adds flavor to the American food experience? Did Sprout accidentally order a surplus of honey mustard and this is their way of getting rid of it? Or is this a meticulous and well-thought out move by food scientists? Stephanie Stein, a junior who has been going to Sprout almost every day since freshman year, says she goes so often because the Chicken Tenders are “just so good” and states “here at B-CC, we bleed blue and honey mustard.” A warning to all: Sprout’s Chicken Tenders also act like magnets once you step on BCC’s property. That one random person you talked to for three seconds on a random day that happens to remember your name will ask for a french fry. Your twice-removed cousin’s dog’s new owner’s uncle’s daughter’s best friend will ask you for some of your meal. Your teacher is not eyeing your container because they don’t want you to eat; they are eyeing it because they are salivating, waiting for you to offer them a piece of heaven. Honestly, Sprout is ready for a Michelin Star. No one will ever know how Sprout stumbled onto the great chicken tenders recipe, but for now, we should just enjoy this great blessing right across the street from this fine institution.

PHOTOS BY THEA HEGWOOD

BY LILLY BEHBEHANI