The Highlander Issue 2

r e nd

H

a l h ig

ean McL • 5 1 nder er 20 ghla i b H S m ve MH • No com• @ 2 e . u Iss ews LX • dern e n m a l u igh Vol theh

The

hool

Sc High

I DIDN’T

VOTE

GET THE HIGHLANDER EVERYWHERE YOU GO! Go to our website www.thehighlandernews.com Follow us on Twitter @MHSHighlandernews Like us on Facebook The Highlander Newsmagazine

CONTENTS NEWS 3

Testing center earns an A

4

Excess snow days may lead to pre-Labor Day start

5

McMUN takes over

6

Syrian refugee crisis escalates

7 8

Gun store debate continues Club Updates

FEATURES

IN-DEPTH 22-25

Red, white and blues: Youth disenchanted with American electoral process

OPINIONS 31

Ethics deserve more than a day

32

Flu is nothing to cough at

33

Equal credit but unequal grades

34

Crossfire: juniors on JV?

9

Jazz band brings bebop back

10

National Novel Writing Month ideas

SPORTS

11

How students get news

36

Repeating grades gives athletes advantage

13

Highlander of the Issue: Maddie Scherer

37

Remembering the legendary ‘95 squad

14

10 Qs with Michael Enos

40

15

McLean band marches toward excellence

Are you fluent in emoji?

41

Gymnast trades in leotard for pom poms

42

Brothers in the brotherhood

43 44

Athlete of the Issue: Karynne Baker

A&E 17

She Kills Monsters cast fights for perfection

18

Movie review: Our Brand is Crisis

19

Books that should be films

20

Album review: The Neighbourhood

21

Highly rated foreign films to stream on Netflix

27

Best burgers in the 703

28

Global cuisine around McLean

30

Action-packed video games impress

3

9

32

The Finish Line

41

20

Dear McLean, We hope you enjoyed our first issue! In honor of autumn’s graceful arrival, we saw it fitting to dedicate our issue to the three things that scream fall: politics, sports and food. So grab a warm pumpkin-flavored beverage, cozy up and enjoy The Highlander while pondering the disparity between what corporate America sells to us as pumpkin flavor and what the rotund orange squashes actually taste like.

This issue, make sure to check out our News section for coverage on the opening of the Testing Center, and learn about McLean’s first Model UN conference Flip to our Sports section to read about the undefeated 1995 McLean football team and to see how McLean’s fall sport teams fared this season.

Don’t miss our In-Depth, which examines political participation at McLean and across the country.

Feel free to share any comments, critiques or suggestions you have for us by stopping by the Journalism Room, R133, or contacting us at thehighlanderstaff@gmail.com. Until next issue, use thehighlandernews.com to stay informed on everything McLean. Go Highlanders!

Sincerely, Melanie Pincus, Ashwin Dasgupta, Liam Zeya & Jake Barnett

Highlander

The

Letter from the Editors

Volume LX • Issue 2 • November 2015 • McLean High School thehighlandernews.com • @MHSHighlander 1633 Davidson Road McLean, Virginia 22101 Editors-in-Chief

Jake Barnett, Ashwin Dasgupta, Melanie Pincus & Liam Zeya

Managing Editors

Sabrein Gharad, Lucy Hopkins & David Kagan

Design Editor

Bryan Chung

Photography Editor

Tanya Ajalli

Advertising Manager

Esme Tabra

Section Editors News Editors

Carlyn Kranking & Eleanor Patrick

Opinions Editors

Veronica Kim & Bora Zaloshnja

Features Editors

Ingrid Morse & Young In Seo

A&E Editors

Christine Cheon & Leena Raza

Sports Editors

Ethan Cherry & John Corvari

Website Editors Editors-in-Chief

Sanskriti Neupane & Aisha Singh

Opinions Editor

Rustin Abedi

Sports Editor

Jackson Payne

A&E & Features Editor

Helen Bloom

Reporters Eva Bhandary Anjalie Chauhan Debbie Daniel Jatin Dasgupta Helena Doms Lila Duvall Colin Edson Monique Ford Graham Gibson Nora Hashem Henry Howe David Kagan Anurag Kandukuri

Adviser

Haru Kato Kyuree Kim Anjali Kumar Zoe Le Menestrel Annie Lu Brooke Lyons Sophie Mariam Robert Martine Amir McCormick Sri Medicherla Olivia Mooney Peter Morell John Roth

Siddarth Shankar Alisha Smith Khaled Soubra Jonathan Sperling Ali Tanju Sarah Therriault Danielle Walker Ed Walters Caroline Watkins Matthew Zwirb Catherine Zysk

Lindsay B. Benedict

Editorial Policy: The Highlander is a designated public forum in which students can express themselves, discuss issues and exchange ideas. School officials do not exercise prior review on this publication or its online counterpart, and student editors are in charge of all final content decisions.

Advertising Policy: The Highlander sells ad space on each page of the paper except on the front cover, Opinions section and In-Depth article. The staff reserves the right to reject any ads it deems libelous, obscene, disruptive or otherwise inappropriate.

To Submit a Letter to the Editors: Please e-mail it to thehighlanderstaff@gmail.com or bring it to room R133.

The staff reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and clarity, and all letters are subject to laws concerning obscenity, libel, privacy and disruption of the school process.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

‘15 Pacemaker Finalist; ‘15 All-American; ‘12, ‘13, ‘14 First Class; Hall of Fame

Cover design by Bryan Chung

‘15 Crown Finalist; ‘05, ‘07, ‘12, ‘13, ‘14, ‘15 CSPA Gold Medalist ‘15 International First Place; ‘14 George H. Gallup Award

‘14, ‘15 VHSL Trophy Class; ‘11, ‘12 First Place Winner; VHSL Savedge Award

Printed by aPrintis

Testing Center earns an A

NEWS

Teachers and students frequently employ new resource

Liam Zeya Editor-in-Chief cLean has created a new resource for teachers and students this year known as the Testing Center. In addition to serving as a centralized, secure location for students to take makeup assessments, teachers and students said it eases the organizational difficulties they used to encounter when coordinating test makeups and retakes.

In previous years, teachers and students were on their own when it came to arranging alternate assessments.

“In the past, I’ve had to send students into the hallway or into another teacher’s room to make up quizzes and tests,” biology teacher Julia Murdock said.

“Sometimes, I’d have to quickly make arrangements after school to stay with them... That was cumbersome.”

Testing Center coordinator Lisa Kavjian said the Center is proving to be helpful in managing these types of complications.

“When you miss a day of class, your teacher fills out a cover sheet which states how much time you’re allowed to take on the test and whether you’re allowed to use a calculator or a book or anything like that,” Kavjian said. “They bring the test and that cover sheet down to me, and I

M

the Testing Center.

“I went after school and at Highlander Time because I missed a bunch of tests,” freshman Genevieve Deeken said. “I like it because it’s one room where everyone is taking tests, so there’s not other stuff to distract you.”

Many of McLean’s busy academics said the flexible nature of make-ups in the Testing Center is also a plus.

“My teacher told me to go [to the Testing Center] during class. I did miss out on class instruction, but it was nice that I didn’t have to come after school,” senior Shirin Dashti said.

However, not all feedback has been positive. Some students said they see the Testing Center as an environment that exacerbates the tension of the already “All you do as a student is come to me anxiety-provoking activity of taking an and say, ‘I’m here to make up a test for this exam. teacher.’ I get out the file and make sure “When you sit at a table with a bunch you have everything you need to take the of different people taking different tests, test, and then you can begin,” Kavjian it’s a bit more stressful than sitting at a said. “Students can make up [tests] during classroom table knowing that everyone is school, during lunch, or before or after taking the same test,” sophomore Googe school.”

Anthony said. “It’s hard to see what pace Although it has windows into the busy you’re working at.”

Red Hall, many students said they still find Although 20 students can fit it easy to focus and that they appreciate comfortably in the Testing Center, room the secure, individualized environment of R134, Kavjian said the number of students using its services tends to fluctuate throughout the quarter. Numbers can be low in the middle of the quarter, but as grading periods wind down, the amount of test-takers in the Testing Center swells.

“During the last two weeks of the [quarter], it was pretty much full every day,” Kavjian said.

To deal with these numbers, Kavjian offers a word of advice for future testtakers: “The best thing to do… especially during the last two weeks [of the quarter], is to make an appointment with me so that we have a spot for you,” she said. “Come prepared.”

Multiple Choice—Students make up tests and quizzes in McLean’s Testing Center during the last week of the first quarter as coordinator Lisa Kavjian looks on. New this year, the Testing Center eases the facilitation of make-up assessments for both teachers and students. (Photo by Liam Zeya) Page design by Liam Zeya

NEWS

keep it on file here.”

In addition to being straightforward for teachers, the Testing Center is designed to allow students to take assessments at their own convenience.

Testing Center Hours Mon: 7:30-4:30 Tues: 7:30-4:30 Wed: 7:30-4:30 Thurs: 8:00-4:30 Fri: 7:30-3:00

3

Excess snow days may lead to pre-Labor Day start Waiver on Virginia law could push FCPS start date into summer holidays Christine Cheon & Aisha Singh A&E Editor & Web Editor-in-Chief

“We should be putting kids’ needs first... not making money from tourists.”

T

he predictions of a particularly snowy winter have caused concern that students will miss critical instruction that is necessary for completing their courses.

In order to counteract this loss, Fairfax County may try to start school before Labor Day next year by waiving a Virginia law regulating the start of the school year.

The “Kings Dominion Law” is the nickname for a statute that has been in effect in Virginia since 1986. The law entails that schools must start after Labor Day due to the tourism industry’s demand for labor in the weeks before school starts.

Much of this labor comes from high school students, and one of the main reasons behind the statute is to allow students to work for the tourism industry, thereby bolstering Virginia’s economy.

In recent years, however, debate has intensified over whether or not the school system should do away with this law and allow schools to start earlier.

During the time period when theme parks would be operating, the Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association states that Kings Dominion and other Virginia parks bring in about $300 million worth of spending, wages and other benefits.

The decrease in revenue caused by starting earlier is a reason why the state government has not approved many

-Principal Ellen Reilly proposals for a waiver for this law in the past.

“We always put the request [to waive the law] in, and they always deny us,” Principal Ellen Reilly said. “In my opinion, we should be putting kids’ needs first towards education, not making money from tourists.”

Other counties, including Prince William and Loudoun County, have already waived the law, starting early with the 2015-2016 school year. Although FCPS was denied the waiver, other counties had an early start due to the large amount of snow days amassed.

In order to qualify for a waiver, the county must prove that it has had a large amount of snow days over the last five years. This will help the Virginia Department of Education determine whether or not an earlier start date is needed.

Student Polls Do students want to start school before or after Labor Day?

after 60%

“Last year, the [number of snow days required for the waiver to pass] was 11.

However, FCPS only received 10 snow days,” Reilly said.

This year, the number of snow days to qualify for the waiver has decreased considerably to five.

“If we get five days, FCPS is going to apply for the waiver,” Reilly said.

A major benefit to the early start would be the extra amount of time for class instruction, especially preparation for the AP exams. “[By starting after Labor Day], we lost about a unit’s worth of instructional time,” AP U.S. History and AP Psychology teacher Cynthia Hawkins said. “That, [along] with the month that other students in the nation get, [gives] our students a major disadvantage.”

Furthermore, starting the school year late leaves a large amount of extra time after AP and SOL testing but before the end of school.

“If start times are late, teachers... have to cram in everything before AP tests or SOLs,” junior Lucy Zheng said. “The students end up suffering due to the increased homework load.”

According to Reilly, it seems likely that Superintendent Karen Garza’s proposal will pass for the 2016-2017 school year.

“I think I’m a little bit more optimistic this year,” Reilly said.

before 40%

How many snow days will we have this year?

13 5

snow days allotted by FCPS for 2015-2016

number of students

snow days needed

for Superintendent Karen Garza to propose

1

Survey of 50 people

number of snow days

12+

waiver to state government

Page design by Christine Cheon & Aisha Singh

4

NOVEMBER

McMUN takes over McLean’s Model United Nations hosts its first conference

In the spotlight—Model United Nations sponsor Taylor Kidd, Director-General Abraham Haji, Secretary-General Shivani Saboo, Chief of Staff Fatima Shahbaz and Director of Crisis Alex Brunner welcome delegates during the opening ceremony. (Photos by Annie Lu) Olivia Mooney Reporter cLean’s Model United Nations (MUN) club hosted its first conference at the school on Oct. 30.

The club is modeled after the United Nations. At each conference, participants known as delegates discuss current global issues from the perspective of a specific country or person.

“Two years ago, we were barely a club; we weren’t a school-sponsored club, we had like 15 kids, it was so disorganized, we were in so much debt,” Chief of Staff junior Fatima Shahbaz said. “It’s crazy the amount of work the four secretaries have put into this conference. We have seen ourselves grow from a club with about 12 kids to a nationally ranked team with over 80 official members.”

In accordance with the other topranked programs in the area, McLean’s MUN competes on a monthly basis and hosted its first conference on Oct. 30.

The conference focused on the theme of “one world, one future,” a sentiment that was made clear in the speeches during the opening ceremony. The opening ceremony keynote speaker, Mark Brunner, emphasized how one nation’s inaction can have drastic ramifications for the people of other nations. In recognition of this, the proceeds from the conference went to Syrian Relief and Development.

Central Intelligence—Former Deputy “Working on the world, working Director of the CIA Michael Morell on foreign policy, working on national addresses the conference during security… is incredibly important,” said closing ceremonies. former acting Deputy Director of the By campaigning to recruit and train CIA, Michael Morell. Morell spoke at the new members and building a relationship conference’s closing ceremonies. with the administration, McLean’s club Individual committees discussed topics has risen to national rankings. ranging from LGBTQIA rights in Sub-

M

NEWS

Saharan Africa to nuclear disarmament.

Crisis committees maintained a fast pace as delegates, acting as specific individuals, reacted to an ongoing and changing situation.

Committees sustained a friendly, joking attitude throughout the conference. In fact, many delegates cite the friends they make from MUN as their favorite aspect of the club.

McLean’s MUN club prepares and encourages students to speak up and speak well when a crisis arises. “[Unlike in debate], I got to speak, and there wasn’t any set amount, or limit; as long as I have something to say, I am allowed to speak,” said junior Dhiuv Shath, a delegate from Freedom High School who attended McLean’s conference.

Based on their considerable success, MUN leaders have high hopes for the future of their club.

“Next year, if everything goes well, [we can register] 500 students for McMUN, and get more schools in the area to register,” Shahbaz said. “Additionally, I want to make sure kids at McLean are involved in Model UN, and I want to make sure we have at least one in-house practice session next year and maybe win a best large school award.”

Page design by Olivia Mooney

5

Inside a war zone— A

Syrian rebel walks past the remains of one of the many demolished buildings that line the streets of the country.. The rebels continue to fight to end the destruction of their country. (Photo obtained via Google Images under a Creative Commons license)

Syrian refugee crisis escalates to unprecedented levels Issue impacts the world more than anyone expected Shanzeh Umerani Reporter omes and buildings reduced to rubble and gun shots in the dead of night: this is the reality for the citizens of Syria. Recently, people all over the world have had their attention drawn towards the Syrian refugee crisis spreading throughout Europe and the Persian Gulf.

These families and individuals are fleeing from the four-year civil war that has torn their beloved country apart and seems to have no end.

The Syrian people are fleeing a nation that has become overwrought with civil war between the “rebel” Free Syrian Army and the troops of President Bashar alAssad’s regime. The civil war began when the people of Syria tried to take back their country from the dictatorial ruler, alAssad, and the fight continues today.

The government responded to protests by turning against civilians with executions, kidnappings and torture.

Cities are being destroyed one by one, as the country turns to anarchy.

Al-Assad’s alleged use of chemical warfare against Syrian civilians has garnered international outrage as it is in direct violation of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The unprecedented severity of this refugee crisis and the overall conflict in Syria and neighboring states has garnered concern from the international community, but according to many, this concern did not come soon enough.

“It’s an issue that I feel hasn’t been addressed until recently, even though

H

6

[the war] been going on for years now,” sophomore Lama Al-Rajih said.

Nations are getting involved in order to provide respite for a portion of the millions of displaced citizens, but the refugee crisis is far from solved.

Germany, Turkey, Lebanon and countries around the Persian Gulf have opened their borders and begun accepting refugees in masses. Germany is being credited for taking in over 800,000 refugees; as a result, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been given the nickname “Mama Merkel, Mother of Outcasts.”

“It’s an issue that I feel hasn’t been addressed until recently, even though [the war] been going on for years now.”

-Sophomore Lama Al Rajih

Arab neighbors such as Turkey, Egypt and Jordan have also taken in thousands of refugees, with Lebanon taking in an astounding 1.2 million.

The wealthiest nations in the Persian Gulf, such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait, have not tried to aid those who are fleeing for their safety.

President Obama and the UN originally planned to welcome refugees last year.

However, in February of this year, the State Department said they wanted to protect the U.S. from accepting refugees with the possibility to conduct terrorism.

“The U.S can talk the talk, but if the American people aren’t willing to die for the cause or pay for the cause, it’s not going to change,” U.S. Government teacher Ian Howell said.

“I’ve been following the Syrian Crisis since the Arab Spring and the fall of the dictator, and there wasn’t a whole lot of media coverage, but obviously that has changed within the last two months,” said junior Fatima Shabaz, a member of McLean’s Muslim Student Association.

Some people believe the Syrian people acted out of anger, but others say that it was the only way for the government to recognize the problem.

“They’re justified for fighting for their own human rights,” Shabaz said. “I don’t see why it’s wrong to fight a tyrannical government when that’s basically how America was made.”

As a Muslim, Shabaz said she believes it is the duty of countries such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to care for their brethren, but they are ruled by governments corrupted by greed.

“I think it’s very noble,” Shabaz said.

“I wouldn’t have expected these countries to actually open their borders and accept refugees, and Germany has opened their doors a lot in the past, and I think America should try and open their borders as well.”

Shabaz said she thinks the U.S. has the space to take in these refugees.

“We can lessen our ignorance about the subject, stop listening to biased news sources and help charities that are trying to help these refugees,” Shabaz said.

Page design by Shanzeh Umerani

NOVEMBER

Gun store battle continues

Relocation of NOVA Firearms sparks debate in the McLean community Helen Bloom, Anjali Kumar & Eva Bhandary Online A&E Editor & Reporters

I

n recent weeks, the controversy surrounding NOVA Firearms’ move to Chain Bridge Road, near Franklin Sherman Elementary School, has developed into a larger debate over the role of federal and state government in the management of firearms. The Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), a pro-gun advocacy committee, claims that any sort of gun reform is innately unconstitutional.

The VCDL’s website states that the group’s mission is to “...advanc[e] the fundamental human right of all Virginians to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment.”

They put this goal into practice by attending the McLean Citizens Association (MCA) community meetings.

At a previous meeting on Oct. 6, a nonresident of McLean brought a rifle. This pushed the MCA to change the location of their Nov. 5 meeting to McLean High School’s lecture hall in order to bar people from bringing firearms.

An email about the meeting venue change sent out by the VCDL mentioned the Gun Free School Zones Act of 1990, informing members that “loading and unloading [of guns] should be done prior to driving onto school property.”

Furthermore, the email included citation of state law, which states that individuals may carry a folding knife with a metal blade less than three inches long onto school property.

The VCDL said they were seeking to expose and work around what they viewed as the MCA’s effort to “deter gun owner turnout” at their meetings.

The MCA put together an ad hoc committee, or a group created to address a specific issue and disbanded after solving the problem, to address NOVA Firearms.

“No specific solution has been identified so far,” head of the MCA ad hoc committee Rob Jackson said at the Nov. 5 meeting. “[We] will continue talking to people, [and] ... [we] will continue listening.”

Members of the VCDL stated that they understand the community’s discomfort

NEWS

but still believe that not only is the push for the store’s relocation unconstitutional, but guns are the only true form of protection for ensuring children’s safety.

“We have the same goals as all the parents: we want to protect the kids. We don’t want anything to happen to the kids, we’re the last people that want to see anything happen to the kids,” VCDL member Raymond Casey said. “It just

“We have the same goals as all the parents: we want to protect the kids.”

-Raymond Casey, VCDL member makes us look worse, when we’re not the criminals.”

VCDL president Philip van Cleave also said that anyone over the age of 21 (the minimum age to acquire a gun permit) should be able to bring a concealed weapon to a school. Cleave said that if

teachers were able to bring firearms to the classroom, they would have a greater chance of defending against school shooters.

“It isn’t rocket science to defend a classroom; classrooms typically have one door in and one door out,” Cleave said. “When the bad guy steps [into the classroom], he doesn’t know where to look, he’s never been there before… [the teacher can] pull the trigger and stop him.

He won’t even know where the shot came from.”

Both Casey and Cleave said that gun reform in the U.S. does not have its intended effects. “[Gun reform] target[s] the good guys, rather than the criminals,” Cleave said.

They said that criminals have found ways to work around the gun laws, saying that the majority of mass shootings are acted out with firearms that have been obtained illegally.

The issue of the store’s relocation was discussed for fewer than 10 minutes, but it was the reason behind the large turnout.

The next MCA meeting will be held Dec. 2 at the McLean Community Center; they will be discussing potential solutions to the controversy over the store’s current location.

Silent tensions arise—Gun supporters sit together at the McLean Citizens Association community meeting in the lecture hall on Nov. 5 to hear about the future of NOVA Firearms. (Photo by Ashwin Dasgupta) Page design by Eva Bhandary, Anjali Kumar & Helen Bloom

7

Project Enlightenment

Started at McLean in 1994, Project Enlightenment is one of the only high school historical reenactment clubs in the country.

“It’s... like Halloween but intellectual. The girls always love to dress up in their pretty dresses; the guys like to learn how to sword fight,” said physics teacher Dean Howarth, sponsor of Project Enlightenment.

The club is always open to new members, and interested students can go to room Y201 to sign up.

Dressing up—Students meet at the “Send me an email or stop by and Smithsonian library to help with book say hi,” Howarth said. preservation. The theme this year was France. (Photo courtesy of Dean Howarth)

Room to Read

The goal of the McLean Room to Read chapter is to promote literacy in the community. The club also plans to send books to libraries in developing countries.

“Literacy and education is a problem even within our community,” said junior Zoe Chandra, co-president of the Room to Read club.

Meetings are typically held once a month on Thurdays in G282.

Club Updates Anjalie Chauhan & Sanskriti Neupane Reporter and Web Editor-in-Chief

ICU Club

The International Cultures United club works to educate McLean about different cultures. To achieve this goal, the club is currently planning to have a multicultural night at the end of the school year.

“We just eat, dance and have fun with other people of different races,” said junior Margaret Kim, vice president of the ICU club.

Latin Club

On most Wednesdays in G275, the Latin club meets to discuss the modern applications of the Latin language and participate in activities related to Roman history. In December, they will discuss Saturnalia, a festival celebrating Saturn.

“I’ve been able to connect more with my Latin classmates, and I have a greater appreciation for the Latin language,” said junior Isabel Cooper, consul of the Latin Club.

The club is open to everyone, but Latin students earn extra credit for joining.

Hello Halloween—The Latin club meets for a Halloween activity: frosting cookies.

(Photo by Anjalie Chauhan)

8

-

Policy Debate

McLean’s Debate team has expanded to include a new form of debate—policy.

This form of debate allows members to explore a large variety of social and political topics with few constraints.

“You have a lot more freedom to do various things. In other forms of debate, there are a lot more restrictions,” said junior Laura Opsahl-Ong, co-captain of the Policy team.

By forming a Policy Debate team, Opsahl-Ong said McLean is returning to the roots of debate.

“It’s the original form of debate... and it’s still one of the most popular forms of debate today,” Opsahl-Ong said.

Those interested in joining can email mcleandebate@gmail.com.

Page design by Carlyn Kranking & Aisha Singh

NOVEMBER

FEATURES

Jazz band brings bebop back After-school program provides musicians with a creative outlet

Lucy Hopkins Managing Editor

O

ver the course of the last few decades, “jazzy” has become synonymous with the words “eye-catching” and “impactful”—words that perfectly describe McLean’s own jazz ensemble, directed by Scott Weinhold.

“When I was in eighth grade, I watched the jazz band at McLean Day and I don’t know what happened to me, but... I thought, ‘These guys are the coolest ever,’ and decided to join,” junior Alonso FloresSaez said.

In Weinhold’s 12 years as director, the band has placed in the top three at the Chantilly Annual Jazz Invitational four times.

“My biggest goal is to make this program something [the participants] enjoy,” Weinhold said. “I want it to be as inclusive as possible because we only have one band, and I just want to get people involved in it.”

This year, the jazz band has 25 members, making the group the largest it’s ever been. Despite the increase in size, the band’s dynamic has changed very little from past years.

“Jazz band is a more personal experience; there are 80 kids in symphonic [band] but like 25 of us in jazz band,” Flores-Saez said. “You lose a clarinet in concert band and you have 30 more to fall back on; you lose one clarinet in jazz band and, you know, we have none left.”

The size of jazz band is not the only thing that differentiates it from the other bands at McLean; the way the musicians interact with the music is different as well.

“You get to play a style of music that you wouldn’t get to otherwise,” senior Sarah Siegel said. “You don’t get to improvise anywhere else, and it just forces you to be creative.”

Improvisational skills are essential for jazz musicians, and Weinhold works to ensure his pupils are able to improvise skillfully and without warning.

“He’ll do this thing where he tells people right before we go on that they have to improvise,” Flores-Saez said.

“Some people find it really scary, but he’ll only pick a person if he knows they’re up to it.”

If improvisation is the bread of a jazz sandwich, style is the butter.

“Style is the most important thing,”

senior Jameson O’Donnell said. “Miles Davis [a famous jazz musician]... would dress the way he wanted to sound.”

Talent is very important, but style is essential to performances, since jazz is a performance art. Weinhold works to familiarize his students with the basics and standards of jazz before letting them develop their own sound.

“Basically... you’re listening to Glenn Miller, to your particular players, too, before you can get your own sound,” Flores-Saez said. “What we do is stick to classics and kind of grow from there.”

Jazz has been around for about 125 years, and has spread primarily through sound, not scores on paper. The genre is unique because it gives musicians the freedom to take a song, mold it into their liking, and publish it as their own without sacrificing the integrity of the piece.

“Jazz has always been a more aural tradition… so the music was initially passed down that way,” Weinhold said.

“The newer and younger players learn best by listening to players that precede them, so that’s the other thing I’m trying to teach them—how to look at something and dissect it.”

Smooth Groovin’—Saxophonists in McLean’s jazz ensemble rehearse pieces for the upcoming Winter Concert. The Dec. 18 performance will also feature choral groups, orchestra and the symphonic band.

(Photo by Tanya Ajalli)

FEATURES

9

Dragons, spies or superheroes

Decide what topic to write about for National Novel Writing Month this November Catherine Zysk Reporter

Do you like reading?

Yes

No

Do you like fantasy?

“People are always more interested if you throw dragons into the mix,” junior Zoe Chandra said.

“I’m thinking about writing my story about a group of kids who have the power to jump from our world into different books,” senior Grace Fabrycky said.

Yes

Read more—books are awesome.

No Do you like mystery?

Yes

Do you like coming of age stories?

Yes

No

Do you like science fiction?

No

“[My story is] mainly about a girl whose parents get divorced, so she moves with her dad to New York, but while there, she gets in an accident which causes her to be paralyzed from the waist down,” senior Shelley Collins said. “So it’s about her life.”

“Look to pop culture,” junior Rebecca Bennett said. “Find inspiration in your favorite shows like Lost or The Walking Dead.”

Yes

No Do you like action?

Yes

Spies, soldiers, crime fighters, superheroes, vampire hunters and government conspiracies.

Release your inner Stephen King.

No

Robots, experiments gone wrong, aliens, post-apocalyptic worlds, steam punk and galactic adventures. Let your imagination run wild.

Try non-fiction.

Senior Shelley Collins shines as author

M

cLean is full of aspiring artists, driven students and exceptional athletes. It is in this environment that senior Shelley Collins was able to shine.

During her sophomore year, Collins took National Novel Writing Month to the next level, writing her novel What’s Left of Me about the life of a girl following her parents’ divorce and a debilitating accident.

Finding inspiration in herself and an article she had read, Collins was moved by the struggles of those with disablities.

“I had seen a news article about the difficulty of having a disability in certain cities and it inspired me to write,” Collins said.

Despite the challenges of sophomore year, Collins was able to devote a large amount of her time to the story.

“It was a lot of planing ahead,” Collins said.

In just a few weeks, Collins had written a novel of over 60,000 words.

“There are times where I will write for hours on end and I can’t stop until I hit a spot in the story that makes some sort of resolution, while there are other times where I’ll think of stuff during the day, write scenes down and tie them together later,” Collins said.

Although Collins is not writing for this year’s National Novel Writing Month, she continues to write for pleasure.

“I do have a consistent storyline I have been writing in my spare time,” Collins said.

Images obtained via Google Images under a Creative Commons license Page design by Catherine Zysk

10

NOVEMBER

Where do you usually get your news?

75 students polled, top 5 answers displayed

12%

12%

12%

Buzzfeed

Reddit

Online News Publications

23%

9%

Twitter

Snapchat

New Ways to Get News Twitter has undoubtedly led the pack of social media platforms vying to maintain their status as relevant news sources. Twitter’s X factor lies in its unparalleled ability to track raw stories directly from the accounts of individuals. Recently, Twitter implemented a new feature called “moments,” which is a feed that aggregates tweets into relevant news stories. Pros: Quick to read, get stories right as they break. Cons: Lacks depth, users can spread false information.

Buzzfeed has risen to prominence over the past few years to the glee of much of the general public and the disdain of conventional journalists. Although the platform is famous for its lists, clickable headlines and surfeit of quizzes, Buzzfeed also covers a broad range of “real” news. Pros: Easily digestible content. Cons: Content lacks depth, often about frivolous topics.

Reddit is essentially a website where users share stories and content. What makes the website unique is that it gives users the ability to create their own “subreddits” for their own interests, ranging from Bernie Sanders to PC gaming. Pros: Subreddits allow users to create a news feed focused on very specific topics. Cons: The voting system leads to content getting homogenized.

Online news publications have fought hard to combat social media’s domination of the news field. Physical news outlets like The Washington Post wisely now also publish their main content online. The recently released “News” app from the App Store allows users to create a combined feed of multiple sources. Pros: In-depth stories from professional journalists, less sensationalism. Cons: Take a lot longer to read, stories have higher turnover rates.

Although Snapchat started as a purely two-way mode of communication, new features like “discover” and “live” have turned it into a popular news platform. “Discover” allows many different news providers to display brief tidbits of information to snapchatters. Pros: Very convenient, multimedia format. Cons: Not a lot of serious topics, not very in-depth.

Article & page design by Ashwin Dasgupta

FEATURES

11

Highlander of the Issue

Junior explores Russian language and culture Maddie Scherer receives State Department scholarship to study abroad Melanie Pincus Editor-in-Chief

I

n the final week of school last year, while most sophomores were cramming for their chemistry finals, junior Maddie Scherer was packing for a six-week trip to Russia.

“I was most excited for learning the language and experiencing a new culture, as cheesy as that sounds,” Scherer said.

“I love languages, so that was really interesting to me... and I had never been outside the U.S. before, so it was really cool to go somewhere so drastically different for my first time.”

Scherer, along with 13 other students from across the country, was selected to participate in the State Department’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program in Russian. The NSLI-Y program provides 15- to 18-yearolds with the opportunity to study less commonly taught languages abroad, aiming to enhance participants’ linguistic skills and cultural understanding.

Scherer noticed differences between Russian and American perspectives.

“There’s a group mentality as well as being very private,” she said. “Like in the metro nobody talks, so it was weird not talking to anyone while going somewhere.”

In the classroom, Scherer gained further exposure to different mindsets.

“Russians also have a very sort of no nonsense kind of view—they just tell it to you and then they move on,” she said. “We were singing a song that we had learned that was about World War II, and my teacher was like, ‘Oh, did you guys know we lost 26 million people and in my family there were no men left?’ and then she just moved on.”

Scherer lived with two different host families over the six weeks, which allowed her to spend time with a host sister.

“That was the most fun part for me probably, just hanging out with her and talking to her,” Scherer said. “The personto-person thing that I could relate to was great.”

FEATURES

Sightseeing in Moscow—Maddie Scherer stands on top of a children’s museum in

Moscow, a site she visited with her host sister and her host sister’s best friend. The rooftop offers a skyline view of Moscow. (Photo courtesy of Maddie Scherer)

Along with learning about Russian perspectives, Scherer said her time in Russia changed her own outlook on the U.S. “I knew before that America isn’t the only right way, but I’d never experienced a different way,” she said. “If someone says something about communism, it’s not that I agree with it but it’s like, well, I can see how... that helped them in that time.

That was their life. And it’s not necessarily a good or bad thing, that’s just how it was.”

Scherer also said her experience gave her an idea of what she wants to do in the future.

“I really want to do foreign service type work now. We met a lot of people in the State Department and embassies and I really want to work there,” she said.

Jill Scherer, Maddie’s mom, said that Maddie benefited in a number of ways from her experience in Russia.

“Madeleine learned how to navigate around a foreign city, use a major metro system, ask strangers for directions in Russian, etc.,” Jill Scherer said. “Madeleine is much more independent now and has

the confidence to rely on herself to handle whatever challenges she encounters.”

Back in McLean, Scherer said she is continuing to explore Russian culture and the field of international relations.

“I’m going to be applying for a job to volunteer at the Hillwood Museum in DC, which is a museum that has a lot of Russian artifacts, and [continuing to do] Model UN to sort of learn about political and international things,” Scherer said.

Junior Fatima Shabaz, under-secretary general of McLean’s Model UN, said the club can be valuable for developing an understanding of diverse perspectives.

“Model UN acts as a stepping stone for those interested in [international relations] by exposing them to pertinent issues and forcing them to look towards conflict resolution,” Shabaz said.

Scherer said going to a country so different than the U.S. broadened her perspective of the world.

“All of us are very privileged in a very small area, and a lot of people have never been outside the U.S.,” Scherer said. “I grew immensely.”

Page design by Melanie Pincus

13

10 Qs with

Michael Enos

(English Teacher) Interview by Ingrid Morse & Sarah Therriault Page design by Bryan Chung & Ingrid Morse Photos by Tonya Ajalli

1

3

Do you have a favorite author?

2

I teach English, but I also like to write myself. I play guitar. Obviously reading.

Stephen King. I’ve always been into the horror genre.

4

Do you have any hobbies?

What made you become a teacher?

How has school changed since you were a student?

6

Where to begin? Students are the same—teenagers are teenagers.

It’s just that the environment [has] changed. There’s so many different things surrounding students. We never had an Internet. Back when I was in school, the Internet was just becoming a thing, and it was back when you had to dial in, and it was on a phone connection and you could get bumped off. Now everything’s on the Internet. It’s good, because of different possibilities, but it’s bad because there’s all that need for information.

And I don’t remember being tested quite as much as [students now].

14

As far as books go, it depends on the time period. Catcher in the Rye was my favorite [in high school], and then it changed when I got to college. And then I got into Harry Potter.

Do you have a favorite type of writing?

5

My father was a teacher. So it was always in my family. My thing going through college was that I had too many interests, I wanted to major in everything, I was deciding between English and Psychology, and either becoming a psychologist or a counselor or a teacher. After I graduated I actually didn’t go into teaching, I went into the business world. I wanted to see what else was out there. I tried that out for a few years, but I always wanted to go back and teach.

Do you have a favorite book?

I like short stories. I’m one of those people who’s perpetually writing a novel.

9

7

What’s the best thing about teaching?

Seeing when something “clicks” for a student. I know that’s kind of a cliché response, but it’s probably cliché for a reason.

8

What do you like about running the writing center?

It’s cool to watch students helping out other students and getting tips for writing from someone who can become a mentor figure. Like, upperclassmen and underclassmen working together and having a conversation about something involving writing—it’s pretty cool. And sometimes students will listen to other students more than they’ll listen to teachers.

Advice for aspiring writers?

The common thing that you hear is read a lot and write a lot. Just get started. In order to become a writer, you have to write.

Sometimes the hardest part is sitting down and getting started, and I have to tell myself that all the time. There’s a quote that I like by Margaret Atwood: “If I waited for perfection, I’d never write a word.” A lot of people who want to be writers either don’t find the time for it, or they have this vision in their head of perfection, and it’s paralyzing, at times.

10 Do you have any big pet peeves?

When you have to ask multiple times for students to be quiet.

NOVEMBER

Are you fluent in emoji?

New emojis make communicating without words even easier Lucy Hopkins & Ingrid Morse Managing Editor & Features Editor

Thanks to Apple’s iOS 9.1 update for the iPhone and iPad, we now have 184 new emojis. 184 new pictures— if the saying holds, that’s 184,000 more words. This update is absolutely monumental; the way we converse will be revolutionized forever. Feel overwhelmed by choices and woefully uninformed? Let us, expert conversationalists and wordsmiths extraordinaire, guide you through the uncharted waters of these new emojis. ye in Speech Bubble:

E

T

ot Pepper:

H

D

Feeling cheeky? Send this emoji. The recipient won’t know what hit them—do you want to see them, or do you want to watch Netflix with them? Maybe you just finished 1984 and you’re feeling paranoid.

Doesn’t matter. This emoji, like Mervis Diamonds, is perfect for every occasion.

This emoji, much like the food it represents, has layers. Sure, it looks simple on the surface—it seems to say, “Hey, wanna grab tacos?” or “I’m eating a taco right now.”

But what about the taco emoji sent in the early morning or late night? That taco could mean anything; “My life is crumbling right now.”

agger:

Feeling heated? Pepper emoji. Look hot?

Pepper emoji. Someone else looks hot? Pepper emoji. Served up a sick burn? Pepper emoji.

There is no end to what this emoji can say and there is no bad time to use it. It is easily the most important and versatile addition to the keyboard. Pepper emoji.

Use this emoji to to let someone know that they’ve crossed you. Maybe they moved your group project in a bad direction, or swooped in and stole your boo—it doesn’t matter. Send your foe 23 little daggers to remind them of what happened to Caesar, another selfish and conniving person.

C

M

offin:

oney face:

The only acceptable way to tell your contacts that your family members, pets or friends have passed away. Something as profound as death could never be properly expressed in words, but, luckily for iPhone users everywhere, there’s now a picture to do it for us.

Truly revolutionary. Also a great way to caption a funeral selfie.

This emoji is perfect for the nouveau riche because it’s a free way for them to tell others that they’re made of money. The classy, old money folks should differentiate themselves by sending the emoji that looks like a bag of money. Side note: use this emoji with caution.

No one likes a vulgar display of wealth.

L

U

ion:

Gryffindors everywhere, rejoice! You’ve just been given yet another way to slap your fictional identity in the faces of your friends on social media—the best part? Hufflepuffs still don’t have an emoji. This little lion is also a great way to tell people how fierce you are without saying a single word. Intimidating and endearing. Absolutely essential.

FEATURES

aco:

nicorn:

The best way to tell someone that you love them and think they’re special. Not. This emoji is the graphic embodiment of a Brony— it should not exist, and should be avoided at all costs. Its only real purpose is to serve as an indicator of who to avoid: anyone and everyone who uses it.

Emojis obtained via Unicode i0S 9.1 Page design by Ingrid Morse

15

6.15.16

She Kills Monsters cast fights for perfection

A&E

Cast members learn how to perfect stage combat

Leena Raza & Helena Doms A&E Editor & Reporter he Kills Monsters is the first production of the new theatre department.

Expected to stand out from previous productions, the upcoming play has an action-packed plot which translates into a lot of stage combat.

The play follows Agnes Evans, an average school teacher whose entire family was killed in a car crash. To learn more about her deceased sister Tilly, Agnes ventures into a Dungeons & Dragons module. Once in the game, Agnes and her party of trained warriors fights such mystical creatures as umber hulks, demonic cheerleaders and gelatinous cubes.

Actors frequently use swords, bo staffs and axes in these fights, so the cast will be taking stage combat lessons. The fight scenes serve to bring the imaginative elements of the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons to life.

Casey Kaleba, a member of the Society of American Fight Directors, is the show’s choreographer. Kaleba has choreographed She Kills Monsters multiple times in the past.

“The great thing about She Kills Monsters

S

Fighting to the death—Seniors Christophe Jelinski and Zoe Le Menestrel and sophomore Haley Rose battle it out using swords at the first combat rehearsal on Nov. 7. Jelinski plays a Bugbear creature while Rose and Le Menestrel play Dungeons & Dragons warriors. (Photo by Helena Doms) is that we get to live in a fantastic world with fantastic creatures and amazing weapons,” Kaleba said. “The fights are things that human people don’t normally do, and that’s what makes the show come alive.”

Cast member senior Thomas Kelty is looking forward to seeing how Kaleba incorporates combat into the show.

Sword technique—Professional stage combat choreographer Casey Kaleba demonstrates how to correctly execute a sword move to freshmen Blake Johnson and Lauren Grobman. (Photo by Helena Doms)

A&E

“His work is a great balance of intense fighting and comedic elements which fits the overall essence of the show,” Kelty said. “I’ve worked with Casey before. He’s great at what he does and tells a story with the fight.”

A general rule of thumb in stage combat is that it takes one hour of rehearsal for every minute of performance, so it will take about a month for the cast to solidify their choreography. The first combat rehearsal was on Nov. 7, and actors will practice twice a week until Thanksgiving Day. “I want [the cast] to have awareness of proper fight choreography,” assistant director Phil Reid said. “The more practice they have, they better it’ll be. It really helps their characters when the fighting is fluid.”

Freshman Blake Johnson, who plays the role of demon overlord Orcus, said working on stage combat is a unique opportunity he’s privileged to have.

“I’m very excited because I’ve never done anything like this before,” Johnson said. “It makes me feel more like a professional actor.”

The play will premiere next month, with shows running from Dec. 3-5.

Page design by Leena Raza

17

Our Brand is Crisis proves disastrous

Warner Bros. Pictures

Sandra Bullock’s latest film had high expectations, but failed to impress Sabrein Gharad Managing Editor ur Brand is Crisis, directed by David Gordon Green, produced by George Clooney and starring Sandra Bullock, is a satirical dark comedy that doesn’t quite hit the mark.

Jane Bodine (Sandra Bullock), who goes by the nickname Calamity, is an estranged, yet once successful, campaign strategist. Calamity was enjoying her time out of the political circuit, until a Bolivian presidential candidate desperate to revive his campaign sought her out from her cabin in the woods of who-knows-where.

This film is loosely based on a documentary by the same name released exactly a decade ago, which was based on the 2002 Bolivian presidential race.

Aside from shining light on the cold reality of America’s constant encroachment on and manipulation of politics in developing countries, this movie does not provide an accurate look into real world politics.

Set in Bolivia during the 2002 presidential election, Pedro Castillo (Joaquim de Almeida), who is a fictionalized version of Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, hires Calamity to run his failing Bolivian campaign. As a story as cliché as this one would have it, the opponent’s campaign is being run by her arch nemesis—the very person who drove her to quit political campaigns in the first

O

place, Pat Candy (Billy Bob Thornton).

The film is as predictable as can be, regardless of the fact that it is based on a true story. And as if it would happen any other way, Calamity successfully uses her brains, wit and dirt-digging strategies to lead her team to victory against the opposition candidate, Victor Rivera (a fictionalized version of socialist candidate Evo Morales). But more importantly, she emerges victorious in the final battle against her nemesis.

QUICK FACTS Genre: Political Satire/ Dark Comedy Rating: R Director: David Gordon Green Running Time: 107 min.

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton, Anthony Mackie, Zoe Kazan

There is no denying the sheer talent of this cast, but apart from desultory amusement, Green failed to provide the script and plot necessary to make a sweepingly successful and popular film in

the obscure genre of political satire.

This film is all over the place, and Calamity’s lack of a sincere and genuine personality make her hard to connect with.

Although Calamity mooning her opponents in the bus beside her incited laughter from movie-goers, there wasn’t much else that garnered any sort of response from the audience throughout the entire picture.

Bullock yet again serves as a strong and powerful female lead in an otherwise male-dominated storyline. However, this is the lowest grossing movie Bullock has ever starred in, bringing in a meager $3.2 million in its first week.

Although this film was strategically released during awards season, Bullock won’t be able to use her campaign strategies to garner nominations, let alone a win.

If executed properly, this could have hit huge in the box office, especially with the seasonal heightened public interest in politics and campaigns.

I came in with high expectations for this film. It has a seemingly surefire formula for box-office success: an A-List cast and protagonist, a timely and popular subject based on a true story, even an undertone of comedic relief. Despite all of these elements, Our Brand is Crisis was a major disappointment.

Page design by Sabrein Gharad

18

NOVEMBER

Books that should be films

With the recent influx of films adapted from young adult novels, what’s next?

Jatin Dasgupta & Jonathan Sperling Reporters

T

wilight opened the door in 2008. The Hunger Games knocked it off of its hinges. Every year, more and more young adult novels are flooding the box office, each hoping to be the next cash cow movie franchise among the rich well of teenage literature. A person with a decent sense of rhythm and pattern recognition may begin to wonder what’s next. Here are a few pieces of young adult literature that could find success on the big screen.

Skullduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

After her eccentric uncle dies, 12-year-old Stephanie Edgley inherits his property and meets an old friend of his, a razor-tongued talking skeleton named Skullduggery Pleasant. Stephanie discovers her family’s role in an ancient magical conflict that could determine the fate of the world. Mayhem ensues.

Why it would be a hit: Americans love Harry Potter, and Skullduggery Pleasant shares many elements with the classic series that made it a hit: a child discovering their magical bloodline, a British setting, magic fights and a colorful cast of characters. However, I would go so far as to say that Skullduggery Pleasant has elements that would appeal to American audiences even more than the Potter series. In contrast to Harry Potter’s reservedly British atmosphere, with long stretches in which nothing explodes, Skullduggery Pleasant has no time for such dreariness, and contains enough violence to entertain even the most brain-dead American youth. Additionally, its dialogue is peppered with irreverent humor and it includes characters actually using guns and being physically violent with each other in addition to spellcraft, as opposed to standing around pointing sticks and speaking pig Latin using their inside voices.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Leviathan is an unparalleled work of originality with a gorgeous setting and an intriguing historical twist. The story follows the first World War almost to a T, opening with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. The difference? In Leviathan’s world, the Allies, called Darwinists, exclusively use genetically engineered animals as weapons, while the Central Powers, or Clankers, use steamhissing iron war engines. The two main characters are the son of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who has to flee Austria, and a British girl masquerading as a boy to join the military aboard the titular living whale-ship, the Leviathan.

Why it would be a hit: Well, seeing as it would require a budget the size of Belgium to produce, it couldn’t afford not to be. Truly, the cinematographic orchestra of steampunk gunships, grotesquely beautiful hybrid animals, World War I period clothing and exotic locales would be a spectacle of its own, without even going into the fascinating characters and political intrigue present in the series. It’s also a pretty accurate portrayal of World War I, so it would present a very entertaining way of educating children about a very underrated World War.

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

Steelheart is about a near-future U.S. in which an event called the Calamity has bestowed superhuman abilities upon random members of the populace, called Epics. Instead of bringing about an era of superheroes, this just created supervillains and the downfall of modern civilization. The main character lives in a city dominated by Steelheart, the most powerful Epic in North America and his father’s killer. He joins the Reckoners, an underground group of rebels who try to bring down Epics with nothing but their wits and lots of guns.

Why it would be a hit: Steelheart combines two of the most absurdly lucrative genres in the current movie industry—superheroes and post-apocalyptic dystopias—and smashes them together in a way that presents novel ideas and interpretations of both genres. There would be motorcycle chases through steel-plated dystopian Chicago, CGI explosion-filled superpower battles and witty banter, everything a summer blockbuster needs.

Page design by Ashwin Dasgupta

A&E

19

It’s a beautiful day in The Neighbourhood The Neighbourhood shows maturity and depth in second studio album Esme Tabra Advertising Manager

A

30-second silence starts off Wiped Out!, The Neighbourhood’s second studio album. Unusual, yes, but playing out-of-thebox is no strange concept for the alternative rock band, which is known for its ghostly songs.

The first track, “A Moment of Silence,” is just the beginning of the band’s best album yet, but lead singer Jesse Rutherford hasn’t commented on its meaning yet. Fans speculate that it’s to pay tribute to Rutherford’s late father.

Fans who found the band through their 2013 hit, “Sweater Weather,” can find similar songs on Wiped Out!, like “Prey” and “The Beach.” Rutherford’s orignial dream of becoming a rapper is evident in “Prey,” and it brings diversity to the album’s overall sound.

Wiped Out! is more diverse in terms of song genres, as most songs lean more towards R&B and pop than the band’s usual alternative rock genre.

“Single” is the closest I could come to calling a song by The Neighbourhood “romantic.” Although it’s not the typical loveydovey anthem, it’s the most positive-sounding and smileinducing song on the album by far.

The album’s single, “R.I.P. 2 My Youth,” is a song that could end up being played on the radio, with a more pop feel to it. It also represents the band’s growth as musicians since their first album.

Rutherford sings, “I was naive and hopeful and lost/Now I’m aware and trapped in my thoughts.”

“Daddy Issues” is by far my favorite song on the album, with its R&B vibe and the uniquely eerie style The Neighbourhood brings to their music. The song might be about Rutherford’s father, who

Columbia Records

recently passed away. Rutherford sings, “I didn’t cry when you left at first/But now that you’re dead it hurts.”

Overall, the album is the band’s best yet. Older fans who have followed the band since their I’m Sorry...days and newer fans who will find the band through their new, more grown-up songs will both love Wiped Out!. This is the album to have on replay for the winter ahead.

If you like The Neighbourhood, check out...

Twentyone Pilots Blurryface

The 1975 The 1975

Bastille Bad Blood

Arctic Monkeys AM

CHVRCHES The Bones of What You Believe Page design by Ashwin Dasgupta

20

NOVEMBER

Highly rated foreign cinema to stream on Netflix Foreign movies and series worth watching Khaled Soubra Reporter

Some of the highest rated foreign movies and series are available for streaming on Netflix. A wide diversity of genres and styles are represented in this list, including movies and series from different parts of the world with different perspectives.

City of God

A Royal Affair

Miramax

Magnolia Pictures

The Time in Between

Boomerang TV

Country: Brazil Genre: Crime Rating: R

Country: Denmark Genre: Historical Drama Rating: R

Country: Spain Genre: Adventure, Drama Rating: NR

City of God tells the story of two young men growing up in the 1970s in Rio’s unforgiving favelas. Rocket is a young photographer and Ze is the infamous druglord of the favela.

Based on a true story, this film does a great job of exposing the reality of gang and drug violence for everyone living in the favelas along with the love and drama that follows this group of kids.

This movie is worthy of a five-star rating for its ability to take viewers to a different world while entrancing them in each of the characters’ lives. This movie captures the unsung voices and stories of the Brazilian favelas in a way that is both exciting and incisive.

A Royal Affair is a compelling drama that tells the true story of a queen who falls in love with her physician, and together they start a revolution that changes the course of European history. This compelling Danish drama is, for the most part, very historically accurate, following the insane King Christian VII and the pursuit of ideals during the Age of Enlightenment.

This movie gets four and a half stars for its gripping plot and its fascinating way of telling a truly tragic love story.

It is multifaceted, exploring the corruption of politics, the complexity of love and the passion of revolution.

The Time in Between is a television series exploring the life of Sira Quiroga, a Spanish seamstress caught in the midst of World War II. Thrown into difficult situations, Sira gets involved in the war as a spy and is forced to constantly choose between her own interests and her loyalty to her country.

This series is an enticing drama that explores romance along with thrilling aspects, including betrayal, politics and the risk that comes with being a spy working against Nazi Germany.

Each episode keeps the viewer on their toes and filled with anticipation at every corner, making this series worthy of five stars.

Page design by Khaled Soubra

A&E

21

Red, white and blues: Youth disenchanted with American electoral process

Zoe Le Menestrel & Bora Zaloshnja Reporter & Opinions Editor

T

homas Kelty is a typical 18-yearold McLean senior. He considers himself fairly well-informed. He watches the primary presidential debates, knows who his governor is, and has even met his school board representative. Kelty hopes to vote now that he’s 18, but for all of his good intentions, Kelty’s efforts are ultimately in vain. Why? Because Kelty, like many youth voters, is uniformed about and disenchanted with America’s election process.

For starters, when he tried registering to vote for this year’s general election, he realized that he had missed the deadline.

Since his registration could take up to a month to be processed, he would not be able to vote in the Nov. 3 election.

“It was disappointing to feel that I, as a student, wouldn’t get a say in my own local government or in the school board.

I wasn’t told I had to register a month in advance, so I was basically set up to fail,” Kelty said.

He said many of his friends feel the same way.

“None of the 18-year-olds I know are really voting,” Kelty said.

22

The youth vote

According to the Center for Information on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), 46 million young people aged 18-29 are eligible to vote. With these numbers comes power—a report from CIRCLE about the 2012 election found that youth voters significantly impacted 80 electoral votes across four swing states.

However, this power can only be utilized if the youth actually turn out to vote. In the 2014 midterm elections, only 19.9 percent of 18-29 year olds casted a ballot, the lowest rate of youth turnout in a federal election ever recorded. Even in 2012, only 45 percent of eligible youth voted, down from the 51 percent that voted in 2008.

German teacher Karen Wolpert, who encourages political activism and sponsors the Feminist Club, said that politicians often underestimate the power of the youth vote.

“President Obama did a lot to try to cater to young people, and they turned out in record numbers to support him, and it had a huge impact,” Wolpert said.

“Unfortunately, so many politicians have

not looked at that particular little data point and made it work for them.”

At the local level, youth voters have an opportunity to directly influence their community.

“It is important to vote because the rubber meets the road with your quality of life,” said Janie Strauss, school board member for the Dranesville District. “Your votes are your voice, and how you vote determines how budgets are set, what the priorities are going to be and who is going to advocate for you.”

Junior Jessica Boyer, who worked on recently re-elected Democratic House Delegate Kathleen Murphy’s campaign, said politicians’ decisions have a greater impact on students’ lives than students may think.

“Delegate Murphy is involved with [the issue of the] gun store next to Franklin Sherman. She strongly opposes it and is working on that issue,” Boyer said. “She feels very strongly about a lot of issues that [students] might not realize affect them, but they do.”

In the Nov. 3 general election, Murphy beat challenger Craig A. Parisot by fewer

November

“People tend to focus on big politics like the President, but what I’ve come to realize over the years is that local politics is extremely important. It’s the place where if you get involved you can really [make] a difference.”

-MCA member Susan Mock than 200 votes, an extremely slim margin, meaning that every vote counted.

At McLean, many students say their classes often do not help them stay informed on these types of local issues.

“My teachers don’t ever talk about current events or politics. I get all my knowledge from my family,” freshman Ian Ghasemian said.

About 25 percent of 720 civics and government teachers surveyed in a 2012 study conducted by CIRCLE said they thought parents or other adults in their community would object to politics being discussed in their course.

If students are not being exposed to the democratic process in the classroom, it may

in-depth

be difficult for them to be knowledgeable enough to realize the importance of their vote.

AP Government teacher Karen McNamara said her department is working to help expedite voter registration for seniors in the school.

“We will be bringing in the voter registration in a couple weeks to try to make sure you guys are all registered so you guys can vote in the next presidential election,” McNamara said. “[Teaching good voting practices] is definitely something we’re trying to do.”

Susan Mock, a member of McLean Citizens Association and 41-year resident of McLean, said her experience being

active in local government has shown her its importance.

“People tend to focus on big politics like the President, but what I’ve come to realize over the years is that local politics are extremely important,” Mock said. “It’s the place where if you get involved you can really [make] a difference.”

Broader CONCERNS

The Pew Center’s Voting Information Project estimated that in the 2008 general election, more than two million voters were kept from voting due to voter systems that were implemented to combat the supposed problem of voter fraud.

Photo & page design by Bora Zaloshnja

23

However, a report from the Brennan Center for Justice finds that individual voter fraud is extremely rare.

Furthermore, each act of voter fraud could result in up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, so for most voters, the single vote yield is not worth the risk.

Virginia enforces photo ID laws, which means if voters do not present ID at polling

Americans into one district, reducing their influence elsewhere.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ordered the House of Delegates to redraw the map by Sept. 1, but Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) and the House Republicans were unable to come to a consensus, so the court will take over the task of drawing new districts.

Jeesoo Yoon, who lived in South Korea for 10 years before moving to McLean, said South Korea’s turnout remains high for several key reasons.

“People are invested in politics in South Korea, which brings voters to the polls.

Citizens care, so they encourage each other to vote,” Yoon said. “Also, voting days are holidays, which helps.”

“It is important to vote because the rubber meets the road with your quality of life. Your votes are your voice, and how you vote determines how budgets are set, what the priorities are going to be, and who is going to advocate for you.”

- School board member Janie Strauss stations, they must vote on a provisional ballot and submit identification within three days. If they fail to do so, their vote becomes null. McNamara said these laws unfairly target minority and low-income groups.

“One of the big things is that they are restricting people’s access to get driver’s licenses or they’re making it harder for people to vote, because they have to have two different forms of ID, and those are the things that really hurt minority groups,” McNamara said.

A 2006 nationwide survey conducted by the Brennan Center for Justice found citizens earning less than $35,000 a year were more than twice as likely to lack government-issued ID as those earning more than $35,000. The same survey also found that African-Americans were more than three times as likely to lack government-issued photo ID as Caucasians, with about 25 percent of African-Americans not owning the type of ID necessary for them to vote in Virginia.

Another practice that unfairly targets minority voters is gerrymandering, which is defined as the attempt to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating electoral district boundaries.

Gerrymandering is present within Virginia, with a panel of U.S. District Court judges ruling in June that the commonwealth’s congressional map illegally concentrated too many African-

24

McNamara said these manipulations are disheartening.

“Both parties are doing it, and the only way it’ll change is to vote. The only way to change it is to get out and show you’re unhappy,” McNamara said. “The only way you can fix it is to educate and encourage people to vote. Otherwise you’re just stuck.”

John Foust, who represents the Dranesville District on Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors, said that gerrymandering impacted the recent elections for the Virginia legislature.

“Most seats in the House of Delegates and the State Senate were not even contested because the result was preordained by the district boundaries,” Foust said. “The vast majority of the seats are safe for one party or the other based on the lines drawn to create the district.

There were almost no close races, and, in the end, no Senate seat, out of 40, changed hands, and only three out of 100 House seats changed parties.”

Another major barrier to voting is more abstract in nature. The U.S. is currently engulfed in a widespread sort of political apathy, with national voter participation significantly lower than most other developed democracies.

In presidential elections, roughly 60 percent of the voting eligible population make it to the polls, compared to Sweden’s 85.8 percent, Denmark’s 81.8 percent and South Korea’s 80.4 percent. Senior

Fixing The Problem

One group, iVote, is currently working to make automatic voter registration a reality in multiple states before next year’s presidential election. Oregon went forward with an automatic registration proposal in March, and many states are now following suit with the help of iVote.

Representative David Cicilline (D-R.I) also introduced similar legislation in the House in June.

Another way to increase participation would be to make Election Day a holiday, which would ensure full-time workers do not face unfair challenges in getting to their polling place in time.

“We should be looking for ways to make it easier to vote and increase participation,” said Ellen Kurz, iVote’s founder and president. “Automatic voter registration will be a monumental step in guaranteeing more voters have their voices heard on Election Day.” Social media has been instrumental in encouraging youth voters to tune into elections.

“People my age have become so much more involved in the Democratic and Republican primaries since Twitter and Facebook are such huge platforms for political discussion,” senior Haneen Abdelhalim said.

In this increasingly digital age, spreading information has become simpler than ever before. Informing the American

November

in-depth

ELIGIBLE AMERICANS NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE

51 MILLION OF ALL ELIGIBLE CITIZENS VOTED IN 2012

CAST BALLOTS IN 2014 ELECTION

51% 45% 19%

2008 2012 2014

VOTE

1 OUT OF 10 Americans between 18 and 24 met a standard of “informed engagement” in the 2012 presidential election cycle

The LOWEST youth turnout rate EVER recorded in a federal election

public on election dates, times, candidates and registration processes has never been easier. Despite this, senior Mac Sheikerz said he did not know when he needed to register.

“I had a general idea that I needed to register some time before Election Day, but no one expressly told me when,” senior Mac Sheikerz said.

If more information on registration processes was shared with seniors like Sheikerz, voter turnout could increase.

Within McLean, student groups such as IDEAL and the Young Democrats are currently working to increase youth political participation.

“The club aims to help you develop factbased opinions on current political issues so that you can make informed voting decisions in the future,” IDEAL president senior Michelle Ma said. “We are a safe place to discuss, learn, grow and be active, responsible citizens.”

Junior Helen Bloom, co-president of McLean’s recently restarted Young Democracts club, said the political playing field should be open to all opinions.

“The intention is really to create civil political discourse,” Bloom said.

Bloom said the group hopes to engage in activism to increase turnout.

“We’re also going to try and get affiliated with campaigns for local and later national elections—hand out stickers, go door to door, etc.,” she said.

An easy way to remain engaged in politics is to stay informed. McNamara suggests turning to news media to achieve this goal.

“Read the paper all the time—read a variety of sources. That will get you a full picture of what’s really happening,” McNamara said. “And then I think if you’re really interested in a topic, if it’s something that concerns you, look further into it.”

Finally, one of the easiest ways to make a contribution is to actually vote.

Anyone who is 18 by Nov. 3, 2016, can register to vote in next year’s presidential election today. The Virginia Department of Elections’ website walks through registering in an overall fairly easy process, but if it is still too confusing, Rock the Vote is a good resource to turn to.

Be sure to register at least one month before Election Day, as it can take several weeks for registrations to be processed.

84%

of those youth 18-29 who were registered to vote actually cast a ballot

Infographic by Bryan Chung Contributing reporters: Helena Doms, Sabrein Gharad, Nicole Sheehan & Melanie Pincus

25

Highlander Patrons As a student-run program, The Highlander would like to thank all of our generous supporters who make it possible to print our newsmagazine. Listed below are this year’s contributors. We would also like to thank all of our anonymous supporters.

GOLD ($200+)

SILVER ($100+)

The Barnett Family The Mooney Family The Przypyszny Family The Zeya/ O’Grady Family BRONZE ($50+) The French Family

If you would like to become a patron of The Highlander, please send a check addressed to: The Highlander McLean High School 1633 Davidson Road

Highlanders search for best burgers in the 703

Hungry and in a pickle? Look no further than these five burger joints Alisha Smith & Caroline Watkins Reporters

Elevation Burger

8521 Leesburg Pike, Vienna

Presentation: A fast-food vibe, nothing special at first glance.

Price: $6.60 Taste: Perfectly cooked patty, topped with a variety of fresh and delectable toppings that complement each other nicely.

Toppings: Easy-to-read menu highlights the numerous topping options to choose from. All toppings are organic and tasty, regardless of the combination.

Sides: Milkshakes, French fries and salads are the only sides listed on the menu, but their terrific tastes make up for the lack of variety.

Earl’s

7902 Tysons One Pl., Tysons Corner

Presentation: Definitely the most elegant presentation. The plate’s clean presentation paired with a classy atmosphere makes Earl’s perfect for date night.

Price: $15.00 Taste: The taste is superb if you’re willing to break the bank for the night.

Toppings: Ketchup, mustard, onions, lettuce, tomato and pickles come with the basic burger. Warning: a little heavy on the mustard!

Sides: More refined side options, such as salad or truffle fries (which are to die for).

Shake Shack

7924 Tysons Corner Center, Tysons Presentation: Similar to Elevation Burger—nothing special.

Price: $5.19 Taste: Arguably Elevation Burger’s biggest competitor for best fast food in the area. The patties are on the thin side, perfect for those who are craving a burger but don’t want to fully commit.

Toppings: About the same amount as Elevation Burger; fair amount of toppings to choose from.

Sides: Fries or cheesy fries—that is the question. The crinkle-cut fries are always perfectly golden and crispy.

Smashburger 1500E Cornerside Blvd., Vienna

Presentation: Meh. Price: $7.90 Taste: If the words “average” and “ordinary” embodied themselves in a burger, it would be a Smashburger.

Toppings: Fair amount of toppings to choose from, but nothing particularly intriguing.

Sides: Lackluster French fries, decent milkshakes.

Pickle Scale Meaty-ocre

Patty-fection

Joe’s Burgers

6710 Old Dominion Dr., McLean

Presentation: A step up from fast food restaurants. If you’re starving, Joe’s Burgers will more than satisfy your appetite with their large serving sizes. The presentation is definitely Instaworthy for a #foodgram.

Price: $10.95 Taste: Extremely thick, juicy patties with flavorful toppings. If you’re a thick patty kind of person, Joe’s is the place to go. The buns are also toasted to perfection (if you like that slightly golden toasted hue).

Toppings: Not as many options as Elevation or Shake Shack, but toppings are consistently fresh.

Sides: Larger variety of options compared to fast food joints, from onion rings to French fries to sweet potato fries.

Graphics obtained via Google Images under a Creative Commons license Page design by Caroline Watkins & Alisha Smith

A&E

27

Taste the world without Broaden your horizons with new ethnic flavors

Mike’s Deli at Lazy Sundae

112 North West Street, Falls Church I was pleasantly surprised by the food at Mike’s Deli, a modest establishment that doesn’t look like much from the outside. Despite its appearance, this family-friendly restaurant is a quick, cheap, but quality stop for breakfast and lunch.

Mike’s Deli serves all-day breakfast, burgers, sandwiches and ice cream at affordable prices—all menu items were under $10. The deli offers indoor and outdoor seating, but regardless of where you sit, the staff delivers the food to your table.

Despite the fact that the restaurant was crowded, I had only about a five- to 10-minute wait for my food. I sampled an omelette, which was giant but delicious, as well as a patty melt and turkey sandwich that were equally good. -CK

El Tio Tex-Mex Grill

Highlander Food Favorites

*1 emoji = 5 students 100 students polled

1433 Center Street, McLean Serving Mexican cuisine with an American twist, El Tio had dishes I found satisfactory. The food was of decent quality, but the prices at this fusion restaurant were a bit high—a lunch for three cost $55. Although the food was good, the prices seemed a little unreasonable.

The ambience of the restaurant was very nice, with a vibrantly colored interior and soft Latin music in the background.

The service could have been better, considering that I waited about half an hour for my food to come. The food was great nonetheless. -SM

28 28

Chipotle

24%

Santini’s

7%

Sweetleaf

30% NOVEMBER NO-

traveling the world Pita Pouch

1112 West Broad Street, Falls Church The service at Pita Pouch was phenomenal; the friendly staff welcomed me as a firsttimer and took a moment to explain the menu and give me a sample of falafel. The dining area gave the impression of a fancy yet sleek environment, primarily because of all the white chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

The food ordering process is structured like that of Chipotle. You choose either a sandwich or a bowl, a rice, a protein, then add toppings and sauce. The food was delicious and it was a diversely flavorful experience. The steak was especially good, as was the fresh pita served with each meal. Pita Pouch’s prices were reasonable, especially considering that all meals come with unlimited toppings. -CK

Pasa Thai

1315 Old Chain Bridge Road, McLean I got lunch takeout, and the food was still hot when I arrived back home. Service was great; the food was ready within 10 minutes of calling, and the staff there was extremely friendly.

The food is authentic, so if you want to eat genuine Thai food, I would definitely recommend Pasa Thai.

Although the food was great, the prices were a bit steep. If you’re looking for a nice sit-down meal or fancier takeout, it’s a great place. Look elsewhere if you want something quick and cheap.

Delivery is available, but only for dinner. -SM

Dama Pastry and Cafe

1505 Columbia Pike, Arlington Dama is a family-owned, traditional Ethiopian cafe and restaurant. Although it is farther out of the way, the pastries there are worth the drive. The prices were reasonable, and the waitstaff was friendly. They had a large variety of pastries from cakes to cookies to baklava. Many of their menu items were vegan, including their cookies, which were good nonetheless.

The chewy texture and sweetness of the baklava made this a mouthwatering dessert.

For a meal, look no further than next door, the restaurant portion of Dama, serving traditional Ethiopian cuisine. -CK

Chesapeake Bagel

23% A&E

Sweetgreen

6%

Joe’s Burgers

10%

Graphics obtained via Unicode iOS 9.1 Infographic by Sri Medicherla Page design & article by Carlyn Kranking & Sri Medicherla 29

Action-packed video games impress

New releases raise standards of virtual entertainment

Anurag Kandukuri Reporter fun and entertaining way to relieve stress, playing video games is a beloved pastime for many. As technology has improved, so has the realistic and stimulating nature of these games, and many argue that there’s never been a better time to be a gamer. Featured here are a few of the jaw-dropping new releases.

A

Star Wars Battlefront (2015)

Star Wars Battlefront, a reboot of the Battlefront game series, is a firstperson and third-person shooter game. It takes place in the Star Wars universe and allows players to control either a Rebel Alliance soldier, an Imperial Stormtrooper or a character from the films, such as Luke Skywalker. Unlike its predecessors, this game does not have a single player campaign mode. Instead, Battlefront features a set of co-op missions that can be played online, offline or with a split-screen.

The multiplayer mode allows players to choose a mission from various types of game-play modes. The game takes place in different places in the Star Wars universe such as Tatooine, Hoth and Endor. Players can also EA Digital Illusions CE unlock and customize weapons and use land or air vehicles to navigate Available on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 & around the map. Overall, Star Wars Battlefront is an entertaining game XBox One that will have players glued to their seats for hours.

Released on November 17

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3

Treyarch has developed yet another action-packed first-person shooter, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3. This game contains three modes of game-play: “Campaign,” “Zombies” and “Multiplayer.” The “Campaign” mode is set in a dystopian future where military technology has advanced so much that society is protesting to stop the progress. Unlike the previous Call of Duty games, the Multiplayer mode in Black Ops 3 makes players engage in combat at a faster pace, and the Paintshop feature lets players customize specific parts of their guns.

The popular “Zombies” mode has two storylines. The first, titled “Shadows of Evil,” takes place in the fictional Morg City and follows a group of individuals who are placed in a terrifying version of their world, where they have to survive waves of zombies and are guided by a mysterious person called the Shadow Man. Treyarch Available on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, The other storyline, “The Giant,” follows the original four characters—Edward PlayStation 4, XBox 360 & XBox One Richtofen, Tank Dempsey, Nikolai Belinski and Takeo Masaki—as they return to Released on November 6 the classic Zombies map “Der Riese” to change their timeline’s history. As a whole, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 looks like a detailed and enjoyable game.

Fallout 4

Fallout 4 is a much anticipated post-apocalyptic game. The openworld, first-person and third-person game offers many new features including character customization, item crafting and the player’s ability to choose what their character says.

The game centers around a character who comes out of an underground bunker following a nuclear war. There, he or she and a canine companion, Dogmeat, have to eliminate sinister, savage creatures like Super Mutants, Deathclaws and Ghouls. Thanks to the many new game features and action, Fallout 4 promises the player a delightful time.

Bethesda Game Studios

Available on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 & XBox One Released on November 10 Page design by Anurag Kandukuri

30

NOVEMBER

OPINIONS

Ethics deserve more than a day

Message of Ethics Day should be incorporated into daily life The staff editorial represents the opinion of the majority of The Highlander editorial board

E

thics are a set of moral principles that shape human behavior. Ethics Day is an annual event at McLean, during which the student body is educated on ethics with the intent of promoting the creation of a strong moral compass among McLean students.

Particularly in an age of political and social division, the discussion on ethics and general morality is one that must be emphasized by breaking up the topic into a more comprehensive system. The lesson

In addition, while the speakers brought in for Ethics Day have been inspiring and enjoyable for some students, the school should do more to directly address some of the specific problems in our community.

A specific area that should be addressed is tolerance. Cases of intolerance are often caused by lack of awareness, not spite. Instead of simply presenting ethical scenarios and urging students to be ethical, McLean should focus on educating the student body on topics that they may not have been exposed to yet in their lives.

Tolerance cannot be fostered by simply preaching at students to be accepting, but rather by presenting students with facts

“This is not a one-shot deal—this is a program that should be inculcated into [the curriculum].

-Counselor Barrett Kashdan should not be to simply consider ethics, but to discuss living an ethical lifestyle. As it stands, Ethics Day could be improved to better execute its purpose.

McLean has the potential to instill far more valuable lessons in their students. A portion of Ethics Day hinges on presenting students with moral dilemmas. However, these situations tend to not resonate strongly with students. “[During Ethics Day] it’s like they expect you to do the obvious right thing,” senior Taz Ridgely said.

More than a single day should be devoted to the topic of ethics if the school hopes to ingrain those values in students—the topic should be a part of everyday life in the school community.

“This is not a one-shot deal—this is a program that should be inculcated into [the curriculum],” counselor Barrett Kashdan said.

Reporting by Ashwin Dasgupta, Liam Zeya, Jake Barnett & Helen Bloom

OPINIONS

and information they may have never been exposed to, such as the incarceration rate of African-American males and the continued persecution of LGBTQIA people.

“I think [the school] needs to address topics that are actually prevalent… that we’re actually facing as young adults right now and we’re definitely going to be facing in college,” senior Martha McCoy said.

Good ethical standards should be practiced all the time, yet according to the 2014-2015 Fairfax County Youth Survey, 45 percent of FCPS students in grades 8, 10 and 12 have been insulted based on their culture or race. Such a statistic is unacceptable, and it exemplifies why it is so important that tolerance is taught in high school.

Ethics Day at McLean is well intentioned, but as the statistics show, it still is not getting the job done. More time should be spent discussing ethics, so that we can work to bring the 45 percent statistic down to zero.

Comic by Anna Marie Garland Page design by Ashwin Dasgupta

31

Flu is nothing to cough at

Students who come to school sick threaten everyone’s health Siddarth Shankar Haru Kato Reporters choooo! Recently, the halls and classrooms of McLean have been inundated with coughing and sneezing students; consequently, there’s also been a sudden, sharp drop in the number of tissues available in classrooms. It’s that time of year again: late autumn, the beginning of the flu season and the time to reiterate that students should not come to school sick.

A single sneeze releases 40,000 droplets of mucus from the nose. This mucus contains substances like viruses and bacteria, and just a single droplet of it is capable of infecting a person.

“We are a concentrated area of people and students, so it’s easier in classrooms to sneeze on each other, cough on each other, touch things which would have the virus on it... It’s just a closer community,” said registered nurse Carol McDevitt, who is working at McLean on behalf of the Fairfax County Health Department.

Because of the close quarters that teachers, students and administrators must occupy during the day, our school acts as a breeding ground for any and all pathogens.

Unfortunately for the health of the

OPINIONS

A

community, many students continue to attend school when they are ill.

According to Fairfax County health regulations, “Children who have fevers (temperature of 100.0 degrees or higher)... are not able to stay in school. Moreover, it is best for these children to stay at home.”

McLean’s clinic received over 2,567 sick visits last year, 58 percent of which occurred in the flu season. Many of the students who visited the clinic were sent home after their visit.

A survey of 50 students found 48 percent of them would continue to go to school even if they were sick.

Students mention schoolwork, missing out on learning important concepts and missing exams as some of the major reasons why they continue to attend school when they are sick.

“You miss so much in one day.

It’s necessary to go despite the fact that you’re sick. I just try to get better as soon as I can and deal with it,” sophomore Jillian Pincus said.

McDevitt, however, notes that students who are sick cannot

Infographic by Haru Kato Graphic obtained under a Creative Commons license

32

reap the benefits of attending school.

“If you’re not feeling well, you can’t learn. And if you can’t learn, there’s no point in being here. If you’re sick, you’re just spreading your illness to everyone else,” McDevitt said.

Of the 50 students surveyed, only 36 percent of students received the flu vaccination for the current school year, far below the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommended 75 percent vaccination rate.

Clearly, students who come to school sick are putting their friends, teachers, peers and others who are vaccinated or unvaccinated at greater risk.

Indeed, a recent study from Cornell University and the Swiss Economic Institute found that influenza transmission would decline five percent if adults were allowed to stay at home and work. If such a policy were implemented and adhered to at McLean, the benefits would be immense.

Missing school can have a major effect on a student’s academic performance, but the fact of the matter is that coming to school sick does more harm than good.

Missing one high school test is worth averting a potential epidemic.

Comic by Anna Marie Garland Page design by Siddarth Shankar

NOVEMBER

Equal credit but unequal grades

Teaching disparities produce unfair opportunities Anjalie Chauhan Young In Seo Reporter & Features Editor

A

s more and more students begin to take higher-level courses at McLean, teaching disparities, or the differences in assignments, assessments and opportunities teachers give to students are becoming more evident.

A student’s ability to achieve the highest grade should not be based on which teacher they get. Students often do not receive the same opportunities as their peers with different teachers in regards to the amount of success they can achieve in the class.

While all teachers have the best interests for their students in mind, differences in assignments they give negatively impact students’ grades.

For example, some students may receive extra credit opportunities from their teachers while students of the same subject who have a different teacher do not.

Students have voiced their concerns with the lack of consistency between teachers of the same subject.

“I wish [teachers would] talk more and cooperate so we have the same tests and have the same [opportunities] in class,” senior Ayse Bal said. “When teachers don’t cooperate it’s not fair to the students who get the harder teacher, who will in turn give harder assignments.”

Junior Laura Opsahl-Ong’s concerns in one of her higher-level classes illustrate students’ fears regarding the impact that teaching disparities will have on their grades.

“I think [my grade] would have been lower if I was in an another class, not because [my teacher] is easier, but because... I feel like he has taught grammar a lot better in this class,” Opsahl-Ong said.

The math department has weekly meetings to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Pre-Calculus Honors, taught

by Emily Fifer and Ginnie Quarry, is an example of this collaboration.

OPINIONS

“What’s nice about the math department is that because [Quarry and I] teach the same things and give the same math tests, we can quickly ask each other questions about what we’re teaching or about a math test,” Fifer said.

Collaboration between teachers of the same subject not only helps the teachers but also leads to consistent grades among the students.

“Ms. Quarry and I have noticed when we compare the grades of our students, they have been pretty constant,” Fifer said.

Fifer added that if there was a disparity between the grades, she and Quarry would take measures to fill in that gap.

“We’ll share the test scores and averages and make sure they’re consistent among teams. If not, we’ll look back and think, you taught this in a different way, that might benefit your class, maybe next year that’s something that I can implement in my class,” Fifer said.

History teacher Dylan Wedan has experienced a similar positive relationship using the collaborative teaching method

with his AP U.S. History colleagues.

“I’m involved in a team that does [collaboration] really well; the pros include things like making it more equal in amounts of work within the same course, the level of hardness in tests [and] roughly when tests are,” Wedan said.

Wedan, like Fifer, has also noticed that the collaborative method produces similar grades throughout his subject, APUSH, just as it did for the Pre-Calculus Honors classes.

All teachers should collaborate with one another to ensure that students receive the same assignments and opportunities which will in turn produce consistent grades.

The administration should require that teachers of the same subject not only follow the same curriculum, but also collaborate with one another in terms of assignments and opportunities given to students. This will ensure that students have a fair chance at obtaining the highest possible grade they can no matter which teacher they get.

I got an A!! My teacher gave my class extra credit and a really awesome study guide!

My teacher didn’t even give my class a study guide...

Cartoon by Young In Seo Page design by Anjalie Chauhan & Young In Seo

33

CROSSFIRE: Young talent should be given time to shine Juniors should not be allowed on JV teams Colin Edson & Rustin Abedi Reporter & Online Opinions Editor

A

s sports become more competitive, players need to have a higher level of skill to keep up with their competition.

Therefore, coaches should prioritize talent, not seniority, and cut athletes accordingly on McLean’s sports teams.

Each year, new students enter McLean hoping to make a sports team. Realistically, most of these young athletes only have a shot at making the freshman or JV roster, as varsity is reserved for players with developed talents or a history playing for McLean Athletics.

“Personally, I don’t care to see juniors on a JV team, because as a junior you should [already] be developed to play varsity,” boys JV basketball coach Terry Johnson said.

The only school-sponsored sports with freshman teams are girls and boys basketball in the winter, and girls volleyball and boys football in the fall.

By the time athletes are seniors, most will have gone through at least a year of varsity already. According to McLean’s activities website, 14 of the 19 seniors on varsity football this year were on varsity as juniors, too.

Allowing juniors who do not make varsity to play for JV limits playing opportunities for younger students, which consequently stunts the development of their skills.

“I think juniors should only be allowed to play on varsity, mainly because the freshmen and sophomores feel separated by size and experience,” said sophomore Tommy Schilder, who played on last year’s freshman boys basketball team.

When identifying whether or not a player could be an asset to the team, coaches seriously consider the size and physical ability of each prospective player.

“In most cases, the purpose of JV is to develop students to get ready for the varsity programs,” Director of Student Activities Jim Patrick said.

Despite this, the sports with these

34

V V

JR. SO.

V V

NUMBER OF PLAYERS PLAYERS WHO MADE VARSITY IN 2015

V

V V

V

V

V V

28 PLAYERS ON 2014 JV FOOTBALL

teams (volleyball, football and basketball) are the sports in which juniors are most frequently placed on JV. Part of a team’s success is in the ability of its members to understand one another and have chemistry, which is built over the course of months of practices and games.

Placement of juniors on JV rosters could be detrimental to the atmosphere and success of a JV team full of sophomores to stick to their scheduled plan of development and team building, “[Freshman teams] really help you prepare for next season, for JV and varsity in the future,” said sophomore Sean Senft, who played alongside Schilder last year.

Juniors are given the opportunity to try out for varsity. Although juniors do not try out to make the JV team, many are given spots on that team if they fall short.

“Some sports encourage juniors on JV because it is a real stepping stone to varsity and some juniors are just not ready to play varsity, but they expect that player to help them as a senior,” Patrick said.

Coaches play a significant role in projecting individuals’ long term impact on their program. While some juniors work hard on the JV team and make an impact on varsity the next year, others simply take up space.

“You always have a junior that maybe isn’t going to help you as a senior, and... [takes] away opportunities from a sophomore that is going to help you as a junior,” Patrick said.

However, when a junior is given a spot on JV, it takes away the opportunity from another player, presumably a sophomore, to get game time and develop as well. In order for an athletic program to improve, more athletes need to be varsity-ready by their junior year.

NOVEMBER

Juniors on JV? Juniors deserve priority for school sports

Coaches should prioritize seniority at the junior varsity level

players that played JV, and then became and development. Had Hammad not major contributors as seniors. They just been allowed on JV as a junior, he would weren’t ready, athletically and physically, not have been able to hone the skills that ports tryouts are always a stressful as juniors, but you knew they were a helped him succeed on varsity this year. time, as a large number of students good athlete and they could maybe help Soccer teams at McLean have nearly jockey for the limited number of spots a year down the road,” available on junior varsity and varsity said Patrick, who was teams. For juniors, tryouts are especially the head football coach “JV helped me feel game-like important because they represent a key before taking his current situations so that when I was on the point in their high school careers. position.

Juniors who do not make a varsity For just about every field this year I didn’t feel any stress team are put at a significant disadvantage sport, physical maturity for trying out the following year because is important. Juniors at all—it felt normal.

-Senior Abdel Hammad, varsity football player they will miss out on a season with their in high school may not peers, which effectively blocks them from have reached their peak improving and developing chemistry with maturity, but if they don’t make the team twice as many players try out as there are the rest of the team. Furthermore, if a as a junior, they do not benefit from the spots available. When cutting a junior, junior gets cut or not chosen for varsity, conditioning or sustained and real skill coaches should consider if they could they might feel embarrassed and avoid development that comes with playing a JV contribute to varsity next year. If the trying out as a senior. sport. coach believes so, then the player should The best way to help juniors make the Senior Abdel Hammad was on be put on JV. team as a senior is to put them on JV. JV football as a junior. He took that JV is a great opportunity no matter “In most cases, the purpose of JV is to opportunity to use the weight room to bulk the grade of the participant. Because develop students to get ready for a varsity up, work on his game and gain confidence of that, juniors should not be withheld program,” Director of Student Activities as an on-field competitor. from participating merely due to their Jim Patrick said.

“JV helped me feel game-like situations age. Instead, juniors should be prioritized Playing on a junior varsity team is a so that when I was on the field this year I when coaches consider who to put on JV. great opportunity for athletes to improve didn’t feel any stress at all—it felt normal,” To many, athletics are a vital part of under the watchful eye of a school coach. Hammad said. the high school experience, and outside JV helps to develop players, regardless of For Hammad, being on varsity would’ve of football and track, almost all college their grade level. likely given little room for skill evolution, recruiting is done through club sports.

“I can tell you [that] when I coach and not playing at all would have ruined Thus school sports become all about pride football, we have a fair amount of [junior] the continuity of his physical conditioning and representing our school, so even if it makes the team a little bit worse, upperclassmen should be given priority to participate.

At the end of the day, the number of JV & VARSITY VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS games a JV team wins is irrelevant. A JV team’s success should not be measured in wins or losses, but how much the players develop and are able to contribute to the varsity team the following year.

Jake Barnett Editor-in-Chief

S

”

OUT OF 23 ONLY 4 ARE JUNIORS

OPINIONS

Infographics by Bryan Chung Page design by Colin Edson, Rustin Abedi & Jake Barnett

35

SPORTS

Student athletes take a do-over

Some high school athletes find competitive advantages of repeating a grade John Corvari Sports Editor

This strategy of staving off graduation for a year for athletic ast year, Nick Wright was a junior at purposes is becoming one of the McLean High School, set to graduate go-to methods for raising one’s with the class of 2016 the following year. standing in terms of potential He had been at McLean since he was a recruitment. Many notable athletes freshman, and he played varsity basketball have followed this path, such as his junior year. However, instead of NBA first overall picks Andrew finishing off his high school career at Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns.

McLean, Wright chose a different path— Wright’s decision to wait, while not repeating his junior year at another school. common, is not unheard of.

Wright, who is now a junior at Flint However, students attempting Hill, said he made this decision in order to to make this decision face a put himself in a better position for sports problem in their athletic eligibility. in college.

The Virginia High School League “I get an extra year for my body to (VHSL) places restrictions on develop and my skills to get better, so it eligibility based on age and Ahead of the curve—Matt Burke pulls away from the pack during a spring track meet last spring. will help my chances of getting [college] amount of time spent in high Burke was 19 years old when he ran the 1600 looks,” Wright said. school. meters in a time of 4:34, just two seconds off of “Once a student enters the hallowed school record. (Photo courtesy of ninth grade, they have eight Matt Burke) semesters to participate in sports, regardless of whether or not gave him a distinct advantage during the they are even in school,” Director of later years of his high school career.

Student Activities Jim Patrick said.

During his junior and senior years, Also, VHSL rule 28A-1-1 states Burke was one of the school’s fastest that a student “shall not have reached cross country and track runners in recent the age of 19 before the first day of memory, breaking the 3200-meter run August of the school year he/she record and coming just two seconds short wishes to compete.” of the 1600-meter record as one of the top These restrictions make it more distance runners in the district. difficult to reclass. Therefore, Athletic performance can decline Wright’s only option was to attend a during puberty as the body grows and private school that did not fall under changes. However, after this change is VHSL jurisdiction, hence his transfer completed, there can be a drastic increase to Flint Hill. in athletic ability. Because of this, athletes The other option is to repeat a like Burke and Wright have an extra year grade before high school, effectively to physically mature, and therefore spend gaining a year to grow and get more of their time in high school in top stronger. One example is former physical condition.

McLean student Matt Burke, who Although Burke’s success certainly repeated an academic year after cannot be attributed only to age, being moving from England. By January older and more physically mature certainly Nick Junior—Nick Wright looks for a of his freshman year, he was 16 was helpful as he developed into an Allteammate during a game last year as a junior years old.

District performer. on the varsity basketball team. Wright now Although Burke was still under In the future, many others will follow in attends Flint Hill, where, as a junior again, he the VHSL age limit by his senior the same path that Wright and Burke have is following the increasingly common trend year, he was more than a year taken, looking for a competitive edge to of repeating a year of school to gain athletic older than many students in his put them over the top. opportunities for college. (Photo courtesy of Kent Arnold) graduating class. In theory, this

L

Page design by John Corvari

36

NOVEMBER

Remembering the legendary ‘95 squad

Northern Region champion football team reflects on magical 1995 season

Jackson Payne & Ed Walters Online Sports Editor & Reporter ou may have seen a picture of hanging across from the trophy case in the red hall with the caption:

Y

MCLEAN HIGHLANDERS 1995 Liberty District Champions 1995 Northern Region Champions Ranked #1 in Metro Area Ranked #4 in State of Virginia Twenty years ago, an elite group of athletes came together to form the greatest football team in the history of McLean, winning the Northern Region title, and on Oct. 23 the team was recognized at halftime during McLean’s Homecoming game against Washington-Lee. “[The 1995 team] was just a bunch of guys who had trust in each other and bought into what we were trying to do,” said head coach and ‘81 graduate Karl Buckwalter.

Buckwalter’s illustrious career as both a player and coach landed him in the McLean Athletic Hall of Fame’s second class, along with his star quarterback from ‘95, Lavon Carter.

“It was a good mixture of guys,” Carter said. “We had struggled the year before but everyone came together and it all worked out for us.”

One man wrecking crew—Running back Duane Epperson (above), McLean’s all-time career rushing leader with over 4,500 yards, anchored the running game in 1995. (Photo courtesy of McLean Athletic Hall of Fame)

Nicknamed “the Rifleman,” Carter’s 21 touchdown passes earned him both district and region player of the year honors, but he credits his teammates for all his success.

“It was all [because of] the offensive line, and all these guys here,” Carter said, pointing to the rest of his teammates.

While the team went undefeated in the regular season and 2-1 in the playoffs, the season’s defining moment actually came in the preseason. “[Glen Mills] was a reform school in Pennsylvania where we took our team before the season started and scrimmaged them,” Buckwalter said. “They were very good and The boys are back in town—Members of the 1995 very physical, but we team were recognized during halftime of competed with those McLean’s homecoming game on Oct. 23 against guys and knew what Washington-Lee. (Photo courtesy of Rusty Payne) talent we had and just

kept working towards our common goal.”

“It was neat for us,” said fullback Jimmy Johnson, “because at the end of it we knew that we could compete with one of the best overall teams in the nation.”

McLean defeated Langley at home in the annual season finale rivalry game, but beating Langley just once wasn’t enough for the Highlanders, as the following week they defeated the rival Saxons again in the first round of the playoffs.

“My favorite memory was probably beating Langley for the second time that year, personally because I scored a touchdown in that game, but also any time you can beat Langley twice is a good season,” Johnson said.

Although McLean ultimately fell in the state semi-final, the 1995 Highlanders will be remembered as the greatest football team in school history.

“It was a very talented, unselfish group of guys,” Buckwalter said. “Everybody knew their role and did it extremely well, and overall it was just a great experience.”

Big man on campus—At 6’7” and 230 pounds, tight end Nathan Krill (above) recorded 10 touchdowns and 687 receiving yards in 1995.

(Photo courtesy of McLean Athletic Hall of Fame)

Page design by Jackson Payne

SPORTS

37

Fall sports wrap up season Volleyball fights through playoff run

Reach for the sky—Junior Sierra Spraker rises up to block a shot during McLean’s Dig Pink game. The game was played to raise awareness for the fight against breast cancer. (Photo by Grace Fabrycky)

The Highlander volleyball team finished a fantastic regular season with a record of 20-6 overall and an 11-4 conference record.

Despite a loss to Langley in the final regular season game, they went into the conference playoffs with the number one seed.

After last year’s disappointing 7-9 finish to the season, a breakout season was a welcome change. The team is led by a strong cast of seniors, including Autumn Brenner and Josephine Oakley. Both Brenner and Oakley will play in college, with Brenner commited to attend William & Mary and Oakley commited to Conneticut College. Receiving recognition for their impressive seasons, Brenner and sophomore Madison McArthur were nominated to first team all-conference.

“I am super happy with the season thus far. We have [beaten] some very talented teams, and we are getting better everyday,” Oakley said.

To begin the conference playoffs, the team beat WashingtonLee. That win propelled them into a rematch with Madison, but their second game ended in a four-set loss.

“Madison and Fairfax were huge wins for us during the regular season. Those are two good teams we haven’t beaten in a very long time, and the fact that we could beat them really shows how much our team has bonded and improved,” Oakley said. “I think we were the most successful team in McLean this fall.”

Football falls flat

The football team went into the season looking to improve in its second year under coach Shaun Blair.

However, they have not been able to find the same rhythm that translated to a 5-5 record last year. The team ended this season with a record of 1-9.

Hampered by injuries to key players, including quarterback Jonathan Pilsch and running back/ linebacker Tom Shue, the team lost its first seven straight games. The Highlanders finally won their first game Oct. 30, beating Fairfax 27-14. Senior running back David Kagan’s two rushing touchdowns secured the win.

“It’s been difficult. Odds haven’t been in our favor and we’ve been playing a lot of tough teams,” junior lineman McCord Meyers said. “I like how the team has given their Group pursuit—Three McLean defenders tackle the Madison all every game. It’s definitely a learning season.”

The final game of the season against cross town rival ball carrier on Sept 18. Madison was the first team McLean Langley is always the biggest. Unfortunately, the team faced without starting quarterback Jonathan Pilsch. (Photo by Amir McCormick) lost the Oct. 30 finale 27-7.

277 38

Team leading kills scored

by Madison McArthur

3

Receiving touchdowns by Patrick Dolan, first on the football team

20

Regular season wins by the McLean volleyball team, 13 more than last season

NOVEMBER

Cross country runs to states

Competing on the turf—Senior Mae Harris advances the ball against a defender at the Trinity-Bulldog Invitiational Aug. 29. Strong performances from seniors powered the team to success this season. (Photo courtesy of Kent Arnold)

The co-ed cross country team outran its competition for much of the year under first year coach Megan Ney, who is also the track coach. The team sent 11 boys and 12 girls to districts this year. The team’s top performers were sophomore Alex Pierce, senior Kathryn Howley and her freshman sister, Caroline Howley.

Despite their relative lack of experience, there were high expectations for both Pierce and Caroline Howley entering the season. Pierce was the fastest male runner on the team last year, and Caroline Howley imediately solidifed a top two spot on the girls team when the season began.

“The hard workouts have been helpful to the team as a whole and have helped everyone come a long way in their progress as runners,” Pierce said.

Pierce and the Howley sisters all advanced to regionals.

Pierce finished fourth, Kathryn Howley finished fifth, setting the school record with her time of 18:31, and Caroline Howley finished eighth. The three went on to post fast enough times in the regional competition to advance to the state competition on Nov. 13-14.

Field hockey finds success

In their first year under coaches Kieran Sweeney and Brooke Edwards, the field hockey team made great strides by finishing the regular season with a record of 9-7, improving on last year’s team, which finished with a record of 6-8.

“I really enjoyed the new coaches and how we bonded as a team,” junior Grace Davis said.

The team finished the regular season by winning four of the last six games, after starting with a record of 4-5.

“Our biggest challenge has always been finishing, but I think our forwards really improved and scored more near the end of the season,” Davis said.

After beating Yorktown to advance to regionals, the team wrapped up the season with a 3-0 loss to TC Williams in regionals.

Golf closes out great season

Team Bonding—McLean’s female runners huddle up before a race. Cross country is an individual sport, but teammates still support one another. (Photo courtesy of Megan Leimkuhler)

The golf team finished its season in October, led by senior captain Chris Cardwell and junior captain Kevin McCarthy.

Through numerous successful performances, the golf team ended up with a record of 5-2.

“Overall we had a great season, and have a few good freshmen that guarantee us some success in the future,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy is just one of the Highlander’s returning golfers for next year. Sophomore Duncan Green and junior Brendan Grammes will return next year with prominent roles.

“Brendan Grammes did a great job as a first year junior,” McCarthy said. “He was able to start even though he had not played before.”

Although the team lost in districts, McCarthy and Green were able to advance to regionals, with McCarthy advancing to the state competition.

16:08 SPORTS

Sophomore Alex Pierce’s time in the regional 5K meet

18:31

School record girl’s 5k run set by Kathryn Howley at the district meet

16

Assists by Karynne Baker this field hockey season, leading the team

39

McLean band marches toward excellence Marching band finishes a successful season Lila Duvall Reporter

S

tanding at attention, waiting for the drum major’s command, senior drummer Auden Dykes prepares for one of his last high school marching band performances. Band memers are about to perform their show, entitled “There Is Always Hope,” at their senior night during halftime at the football game on Oct. 16.

Dykes’ final performance as a member of McLean’s marching band occurred the following week at the Homecoming game against Washington-Lee. “An accurate representation of how I felt about my last performance on marching band is ‘don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened,’” Dykes said.

McLean’s marching band has a reputation of success that they continued this season with the work of both seniors and new members. Although band director Chris Weise said the group faced some challenges at the start of the year, they still proved to be an able group.

“The marching band is... the largest we’ve ever had at McLean, with over 170 kids participating this year,” Weise said.

“These types of things are good problems to have. However, they do present some unique challenges that we haven’t had to deal with in the past as much.”

Weise said the band welcomed the vast number of first-year marchers and began working as soon as rehearsals began in August.

“The new students were all very capable and hardworking, so we brought them along pretty quickly,” Weise said. “I love how... flexible, resilient, and... willing these students are to try new things and change things up with the prospect of becoming better as a group... regardless of age, grade or title.”

Freshman Helen Ganley said she quickly became accustomed to the structured and demanding atmosphere of the marching band program.

“The upperclassmen’s experience can be a little daunting at first... and moving equipment [was] a hassle, but eventually I

40

She’s got the beat—Freshman Helen Ganley plays the marimba during halftime at the football game against Yorktown on Oct. 16. Senior marchers wore costumes in honor of their senior night during this performance. (Photo by Lila Duvall) caught up,” Ganley said.

With their rigorous practice schedule, Weise said he strives to create an environment where the marchers can be productive and have fun at the same time. “[We practice] three days per week, for two and a half hours per day,” Weise said.

“Also, we practice all of August—same as all the other fall sports teams.”

Although some do not consider marching band a sport, Weise said that the intensity of the program proves otherwise.

“This is a fall varsity sport for good reason—these students work just as hard with as much physical demand over just as many hours as any other team in McLean,” Weise said. “The current state of competitive marching bands is more physical, demanding and theatrical than most people realize.”

The band’s hard work and dedication earned them numerous first and second place titles along with other honors in competitions this season. McLean’s

marching band was recently selected as a Program of Excellence by the National Band Association (NBA).

“This is a national award that directors all over the country apply for in order to recognize the outstanding work of their students over a continued period of time,” Weise said. “We applied last summer and we were just selected as the winners of the Southern Division when the results came out this weekend.”

McLean’s NBA application is being considered at the national level, and the results will be revealed in December.

Underclassman band members said they are sad to see the seniors go, but they remain excited for the seasons to come.

“I’m going to miss all the graduating seniors and I wish them the best of luck wherever life takes them,” Ganley said.

“I hope this continues being a great experience with amazing music.”

Page design by Lila Duvall

NOVEMBER

Gymnast trades in leo for pom poms Nathalie Thomas transitions from gymnastics to cheerleading senior year

Danielle Walker Reporter fter tumbling down the track, senior Nathalie Thomas sticks the landing and flashes a big smile to the crowd.

Considering her skills, many people find it surprising that this is only Thomas’ first year cheering. Before she joined the squad, she had been involved in gymnastics for 14 years until she injured her hip and had to stop to prevent the injury from getting worse.

“I had been injured so many times, I wasn’t really shocked,” Thomas said.

Thomas was hoping to do gymnastics in college and keep progressing, but her injury prevented her from continuing.

“I was pretty upset when I found out about my injury. I finally made level 10 and I was starting to get things done.”

Thomas said.

Even though Thomas was unable to continue as an elite gymnast, she wanted to maintain her skills.

“I wanted to try something new, and cheer is really different from gymnastics, but it still has some of the basic tumbling,” Thomas said. “I had never been that involved in school sports because I never had the time. I thought cheer would be a good way to branch out.”

Her gymnastics skills have already made Thomas a key member on the squad.

“Nathalie has contributed to the team

A

Snap down—Senior Nathalie Thomas performs a back handspring at the football game against Madison on Sept. 18. This is one of the essential tumbling skills involved in cheerleading and gymnastics. (Photo courtesy of Cynthia Shannon)

with her tumbling skills,” varsity cheer head coach Tiffany Nguyen said. “[They] are advanced in the cheerleading world.”

Although gymnastics has helped her in cheerleading, she still faced several challenges in learning the essential components.

“I had to learn how to stunt and catch people which is not an instinct that I have,” Thomas said. “I had to learn to be peppy, to be loud, silly and still have fun.”

Stunting is one of the most important aspects of cheerleading, where the bases lift or throw a flyer into the air. Thomas’ position on the team is a base, which requires strength and endurance.

“She picked up on stunting with ease because she is very strong and has phenomenal body awareness,” Nguyen said.

Although she faced some challenges, Thomas has made a smooth and easy transition into the world of cheerleading since it incorporates some gymnastics skills. Thomas even had one of the highest scores and was given the First Team AllConference award in cheerleading on Oct. 21.

Thomas had surgery on Nov. 10.

Doctors repaired her torn labrum and removed part of her hip bone.

“I will be on crutches for a month and

then have six months of rehab,” Thomas said.

Despite these setbacks, Thomas will be back on her feet again in no time.

Strike a pose—Ten-year-old Nathalie Thomas performs her floor routine at the Excalibur Cup meet in Virginia Beach in 2009. At the time, Thomas was a level seven gymnast and received a score of 9.5 on floor at the meet. (Photo courtesy of Nathalie Thomas)

Page design by Danielle Walker

SPORTS

41

Brothers in the brotherhood Harrison and Carter Govan take family to the field David Kagan Managing Editor t’s first down and goal on the wet turf of the Hayfield Hawks’ stadium.

Sophomore quarterback Carter Govan squats under center and surveys the field.

The young field marshal calls the cadence, takes the snap and hands it off to his brother, senior Harrison Govan, who rumbles into the endzone for a touchdown.

Although this moment is novel for the audience, it is normal for the Govan family, who raised two of the current starters for the McLean football team.

“I’ve been watching this game all my life, and I’ve loved every second of playing it,” Harrison said.

The boys’ fixation on football led them to develop strong work ethics and close emotional ties to the sport.

“They really love the game and have a passion that is truly amazing,” said Michael Govan, Harrison and Carter’s father.

Although the boys share a last name and a love for football, they do not share a style of play.

Carter is a quick, sleek quarterback

I

42

who possesses the unique ability to take a broken play and make it work. As a sophomore, the young quarterback has little experience playing at the varsity level.

“I honestly never expected to be in this position,” Carter said. “I’m really glad to be playing, but at the beginning of the year I never predicted this.”

Carter’s acension to the position of starting quarterback was quick and unexpected. It was only after senior quarterback Jonathan Pilsch went down with a broken ankle in September that Carter assumed his role.

“Carter has clearly gotten much more comfortable with the offense and is starting to make the correct reads much faster,” Pilsch said.

Though Carter continues to learn and develop, head football coach Shaun Blair said he has shown an incredible amount of heart this season.

“He’s definitely a fighter, and his ability to take coaching and make corrections has allowed him to get better each week,” Blair said.

Senior linebacker and running back Harrison is similarly committed to the

team. He bleeds McLean red and silver all over the field—sometimes literally.

The senior linebacker frequently trots off the field gushing blood from an open wound or nose bleed. This is a testament to the effort he puts into the game.

At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, Harrison is a force on the football field, and he has the statistics to prove it. Harrison has amassed 158 total tackles, nine sacks, six forced fumbles and one interception this season.

McLean’s leading tackler is currently being considered by both Division I and Division III schools including Middlebury, Dartmouth, Bowdoin and Georgetown.

Of the two Govans, Harrison tends to be the more outspoken one. He is the quintessential linebacker: vocal and passionate on and off the field.

“His emotion is contagious,” Blair said.

“His passion for the game really picks up his teammates when they need it most.”

Because Harrison is a senior and Carter is a sophomore, their rare set of circumstances will not last long. There is no doubt, however, that these two have enjoyed their time together on the gridiron.

Photo courtesy of Gretchen Govan Page design by David Kagan

NOVEMBER

Athlete of the Issue

Eva Bhandary Reporter Why did you choose to play three sports?

I started basketball and field hockey when I was really young. Freshman year, I decided to give up soccer and needed another sport to do. I decided to do track since my sister was on the team in high school.

How did you get started in each sport?

I got started in basketball through my parents. They put me in basketball when I was in Kindergarten. When I was in second grade, my sister, who is six years older than me, started playing field hockey. I wanted to be like her, so I started playing around that time. I started track freshman year after seeing my sister run track throughout high school.

Which of the three sports is your favorite?

Field hockey is my favorite because it’s so much fun. Even in games that are hard or tough or you’re losing, at the end of the day it feels awesome.

SPORTS

Karynne Baker What traditions do you have before a game or meet?

This is the perfect question to ask me. If I win a game, I have to wear the same things in the next game. Besides the uniform, I need to wear the same socks and same hair-ties. I keep a lucky penny in my shin guard during field hockey games. I have to sit in the same seat on the bus to the games. This is really awkward, but I have to listen to Nicole Sheehan’s song, “Stuck at 17,” twice before every field hockey game with my team.

What is your most memorable moment?

My most memorable moment was breaking the school 400 record last year at regionals.

How do you stay in shape off seasons?

I am on a club team for field hockey so I play year-round, even during basketball and track. I’m also on a youth basketball league in the spring, and the school team helps me stay in shape. I also love to run, so I’m always running.

Does athleticism run in the family?

My whole family is super athletic, and we have always played some type of sport.

Staying active is a big part of our lives.

Everyone in my family has gone on to play a sport in college.

Where are you committed?

I’m committed to Ohio University for field hockey. I fell in love with it. Other schools had contacted me but I committed early in the recruiting process. I chose one school and just stuck with it.

Field Hockey Season Stats

Assists: 16 (team rank: 1) Goals: 8 (team rank: 2) (Fall 2015; stats as of Nov. 4)

Photos courtesy of Gregory Close, Kent Arnold & Gerald Payne Page design by Eva Bhandary

43

Finish Line Elena Perez Freshman Winter Track

Linus Stroik Sophomore Hockey

Kaleb Stander Junior Basketball

Who’s going to win in the Bears v.

Packers game on Thanksgiving?

Rojeen Kamali Senior Gymnastics

In three words, tell us about your school year school so far.

EP

The Packers, obviously

EP

Stressful but fun

LS

The Packers, easily

LS

Let me sleep

KS

Nobody wins in corporate America

KS

Rain or shine

RK

I don’t care, I’m just interested in the food

RK

Get me out

If you had a celebrity fragrance, what would it be called?

What’s the best way to procrastinate?

EP

Netflix and pizza

LS

What are sh

EP

Heart Hope

Pretending the floor’s hot lava

LS

Funeral Home

KS

Hit the studio

KS

Essence of FIM

RK

Keep refreshing Instagram

RK

Eau de mess Christmas Page design by Bryan Chung

44

NOVEMBER

Girls Basketball

MHS Winter Sports Schedule (through December) Date 11/30 12/3 12/5 12/8 12/15 12/18 12/19 12/28,29, 30

Freshman ---4:30 pm 4:30 pm 4:30 pm 2:30 pm --

Junior Varsity ---5:45 pm 5:45 pm 5:45 pm 2:45 pm --

Varsity 6:30 pm 7:15 pm 2:30 pm 7:15 pm 7:15 pm 7:15 pm 4:30 pm TBA

Opponent St. John’s Woodson (tip-off) Robinson (tip-off) Oakton Washington-Lee Hayfield Marshall Bulldog Bash

Site Away Away Away Away Home Home Away Westfield

Wrestling

Date 12/2 12/5 12/7 12/11&12 12/14 12/16 12/19&20 12/21&22 12/29&30

Team J.V. V. J.V. V. J.V. V. V. V. V.

Time 6:00 pm TBA 6:00 pm 10:00 am 6:00 pm TBA TBA TBA TBA

Opponent JV Jamboree The Park Tour JV Jamboree NOVA Classic JV Jamboree Marshall Charity Beast of the East Smoke Mts. Duals Battle of the Bridge

Swim & Dive

Date 12/4 12/11 12/12 12/18

Time 6:30 pm 6:30 pm 6:00 pm 6:30 pm

Opponent Fairfax Yorktow Hayfield Washington Lee

Opponent Site YKT, HAY, W-L, FX, Wood. Yorktown W-S, Pat., Ann., Oakt., Stu. W. Springfield

Site Spring Hill Yorktown Lee District Washington Lee Time 5:30 pm 7:30 am

Opponent Ann., Mar., Wak. Lake., Chan., Madison

Site TJ MS Episcopal HS

Track

Date 12/11 12/19

Time 6:30 pm 6:30 pm

Site Marshall Forest Park T. Jefferson Fairfax Stone Bridge Marshall Deleware Tennessee Woodbridge

Gymnastics

Date 12/10 12/16

Site Home S. County S. County Home Away Away Home

Boys Basketball

Date Freshman Junior Varsity Varsity Opponent 12/1 --7:00 pm T. Jefferson -6:00 pm 12/4 -St. Albans (tip-off) 12/5 --5:00 pm Osbourn (tip-off) 5:45 pm 7:15 pm 12/8 4:30 pm Oakton 5:30 pm 7:15 pm 12/15 5:30 pm Washington Lee 5:45 pm 7:15 pm 12/18 4:30 pm Hayfield 2:45 pm 4:30 pm 12/19 1:00 pm Marshall 12/26, 28 & 29 Lake Braddock Holiday Tournament