The Highlander November 2014 by The Highlander

highlander

Volume LIX • Issue 2 • November 2014 • McLean High School thehighlandernews.com • @MHSHighlander

the

CONTENTS

NEWS

FEATURES

3 Club updates 15 YoungLife

5 club retreat 6

Stop Hunger Now feeds thousands

Same-sex marriage in Virginia Teachers sell

9 doughnuts 10

Comstock wins the 10th district Astronomy

11 Club forms 13 PAWS

helps animals

Principal bonds with student Slang in McLean

10 Qs with Officer Davis

Highlander of the Issue

Heard in the halls of McLean

Pop-Tarts vs. iPhones

IN-DEPTH 22-25

Mental health: a generation in pain

A&E 26 Highlander Highlights

OPINIONS 32

Interstellar

27 movie

review

28 29

Upcoming concerts 1989 album aeview

of the 31 Lords Fallen video

game review

Editorial: Fundraisers should be allowed Community fusses over Ebola

Senior pictures overpriced

Name brand schools are unnecessary

Black Friday detracts from holiday

SPORTS 37 38

Senior to compete in Special Olympics Club vs. school sports

Ice hockey starts season

Fall sports wrap-up

Color guard attracts new members

Athlete of the Issue

The Finish Line

Dear Highlanders, Happy Thanksgiving! Club updates has returned to the News section. For information on big events happening outside of school hours, take a look. In place of our usual Crossfire in the Opinions section, we have a new “Battle of the Fans” page in the Arts & Entertainment section. Taylor Swift’s 1989 is reviewed by a die-hard fan and an unhappy listener. Our In-Depth this issue deals with mental health and the struggles our community faces regarding this topic. One-third of our peers across the county struggle with depression, making this topic relevant to us all. As always, we encourage you to write to us with any and all concerns, complaints or compliments for The Highlander. In the time between issues, go to thehighlandernews.com for the latest stories. Sincerely, Hannah Menchel, Grace Murray & Andrea Delgado

highlander

the

Letter from the Editors

Volume LIX • Issue 2 • November 2014 • McLean High School thehighlandernews.com • @MHSHighlander

Editors-in-Chief

Andrea Delgado & Hannah Menchel & Grace Murray Julia Al-Akkad & Nhi Nguyen & Maddy Witchey

Managing Editors Design Editor Head Photographer Photographer

Mark Mizusawa James Carver Tanya Ajalli

Advertising Manager

Tara Blackwell

Cartoonist

Anna Marie Garland

Section Editors News Editors

Andrew Opem & Melanie Pincus

Opinions Editors

David Kagan & Liam Zeya

Features Editors

Lucy Hopkins & Katie McGinn

A&E Editors

Ashwin Dasgupta & Sabrein Gharad

Sports Editors

Jake Barnett & Jessica Bulford

Reporters Lisa Bears Anjalie Chauhan Christine Cheon John Corvari Michael Davis Lila Duvall Monique Ford Nora Hashem Elena Ifarraguerri Esme Khalid

Veronica Kim Connor Koch Carlyn Kranking Brooke Lyons Sophie Mariam Dereck Marwa Ingrid Morse Sanskriti Neupane Eleanor Patrick Evan Rapson Adviser

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.

Leena Raza Young In Seo Sam Silverman Aisha Singh Jade Smith Danielle Walker Jennifer Wang Bora Zaloshnja Catherine Zysk

Lindsay B. Benedict The Highlander is a public forum in which members of the school community can express themselves, discuss issues and exchange ideas. Printed by aPrintis. Advertising Policy: The Highlander sells ad space on each page of the paper except on the front cover, Opinions section and InDepth report. 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. ‘12, ‘13, ‘14 NSPA First Class; ‘07 All-American; ‘06 Pacemaker Finalist; Hall of Fame

‘05, ‘07, ‘12, ‘13 CSPA Gold Medalist; ‘08 Silver Medalist

‘14 George H. Gallup Award

‘14 VHSL Trophy Class; ‘11, ‘12 1st Place Winner; VHSL Savedge Award

NEWS Art Honor Society

Model U.N.

McLean’s Model U.N. team has nearly tripled in size this year and recently attended a conference at the University of Virginia (VAMUN). “We brought around 38 kids to VAMUN, compared to nine kids last year,” said sophomore Fatima Shabaz, club vice-president. “We are currently preparing for our first high school conference of the year, Prince William M.U.N.”

The Art Honor Society is sponsoring a food drive through Nov. 25 in partnership with the McLean Food Bank. Students are encouraged to bring toiletries or non-perishable canned foods to room R197.

The Tartan

Meetings for the literary magazine will begin in January, but the club is now accepting submissions for this year’s edition, which can be submitted to adviser Kenneth George or by email to tartanmagazine@gmail.com. “We are planning on holding ourselves to a higher standard this year and are super excited to see all the students’ submissions” said junior Kiara Beg, co-president of The Tartan.

Club Updates Tara Blackwell Advertising Manager

DECA builds leaders—Students who went to Virginia DECA’s fall leadership conference at the Dulles Mariott on Oct. 20 gather together to take a picture with the hashtag #IamDECA. (Photo courtesy of Debra Fargo)

Debate

McLean’s debate team has attended two local tournaments so far this year along with the Wake Forest University Early Bird in North Carolina and The Villiger Tournament at St. Joseph’s University in Pennsylvania. New members have enjoyed their experience in the club so far. “After the [first] tournament, I realized that it was actually really fun and rewarding to see your hard work pay off,” sophomore Zoë Chandra said.

Feminist Club The newly formed Feminist Club will be meeting in room G284 every Monday. Club members will discuss gender issues and all sexes are welcome to participate in the conversation. “I feel like there’s a lot of misconception about what feminism really is and I’m sure that through our club we can spread more awareness about it through activism,” said junior Farnaz Shirazi, the club president.

DECA

Approximately 15 members of McLean DECA attended a leadership conference on Oct. 20. On Nov. 3, 80 DECA students participated in the District competitions at Lake Braddock Secondary School. Thirtythree McLean students received honors by placing first through third in their divisions.

Special Olympics Basketball

Special Olympics basketball will be starting Dec. 1. The group will practice every Monday and end in late March. Student volunteers are needed during practices, and the game schedules will be available soon.

Page design by Melanie Pincus

NEWS

Get The Highlander everywhere you go! Visit our website... www.thehighlandernews.com Follow us on Twitter... @MHSHighlander @MHS_SportsNews Like us on Facebook... www.facebook.com/thehighlandernews

NOVEMBER

Winter Weekend Dec. 12-14 A weekend filled with fun activities, religious talks and meeting new people.

Winter Wonderland—Seniors Kacey Beckham and Grace Tiernan spend a weekend with other McLean YoungLife participants learning about their faith and growing closer through fun activities at last year’s retreat. Team-building activities are a core part of the weekend. (Photo courtesy of Anjelika Johns)

Weekly Meetings Monday evenings Locations vary each week.

YoungLife members prepare for retreat McLean students unite religion and fellowship Grace Murray Editor-in-Chief

cLean’s YoungLife group will join hundreds of fellow students for their annual weekend retreat from Dec. 12 to 14. This retreat is filled with sports, teambuilding activities and talks revolving around teaching the basic beliefs of the Christian religion, such as who God is and what YoungLife leaders believe Christianity brings to their lives. “[It’s] like summer camp, but just for a couple days in the fall,” senior Sam Delano said. “We go to Rockbridge in Virginia, and there’s a zipline and a bunch of different activities to do. You get to know a lot more about God and build a relationship with so many cool people. It’s a great experience.” YoungLife is a youth ministry whose main purpose is to educate teenagers about the fundamental beliefs of Christianity, without enforcing religion. Students are encouraged to grow in faith as well as fellowship, and the majority of meetings are centered around building lasting relationships and having fun.

“All of life is a crazy time. In your teens, it’s the first time you’re self-aware,” history teacher and YoungLife leader Dylan Wedan said. “There’s a lot of things that you can gravitate towards and I like to be able to contribute to a relationship with a kid that looks for their best interest.” The Rockbridge weekend is considered a shortened version of the summer YoungLife camp, which some of McLean’s students also attend. Called “Lake Champion,” this camp is considered the highlight of the summer for many, and the winter weekend may serve as a taste of this experience for any interested attendees. “Lake Champion was honestly the best week of my life,” sophomore Catherine Dolan said. “There was so much to do, I met loads of people, strengthened what I believe, and the whole environment was so positive and fun. Also, the leaders definitely made it fun because they didn’t treat everyone like kids.” During these camps, a large portion of the time is spent with young adult leaders. For participants this is not only an entertaining time, but also an opportunity to help those who may be struggling or

seeking to understand Christianity, or who are in need of friends. YoungLife has been trying to help teens grow as members of society as well as Christians since 1939. Today, the group has hundreds of thousands of members in numerous locations across the world. Recently, YoungLife developed outreach programs focused on pregnant teens and young parents, as well as college programs on various campuses. Their goal is to touch the lives of at least two million students per year. “I had never really been involved until a year and a half ago or so,” Wedan said. “It’s basically a group that wants to meet high school students with acceptance, friendship and fun, but certainly its leaders—the young adult and college leaders—are motivated by the Christian faith. YoungLife in itself sees value in supporting kids regardless of what they believe in life.” From religious talks to ziplining, or from welcoming new friends to engaging in enthusiastic competition, Rockbridge will allow students to grow in their knowledge of faith as well as to escape some of the stress of the school year. Page design by Grace Murray

NEWS

McLean feeds 300,000 at Stop Hunger Now

Students help to package meals for the hungry in Haiti Carlyn Kranking Reporter

he sound of a gong rings out across the gymnasium at Redeemer Lutheran Church and is met by resounding applause and cheering. Children and adults from in and around McLean pause for a short moment of triumph, then return to rigorous assembling, weighing, sealing, and packaging of meals with one goal in mind—to reach 300,000 meals by 4:30 p.m. Every time someone strikes the gong, it signals 1,000 meals packaged. And sure enough, by the end of the day on Nov. 1, the gong has sounded 300 times. Thanks to the help of McLean volunteers, Stop Hunger Now reached its goal of packaging 300,000 meals to be sent to people in need in Haiti. “It’s so rewarding to have 5- to 90-yearolds working together. So many different churches and service organizations and schools,” said Bob Hahne, Stop Hunger Now’s volunteer coordinator for the event. McLean High School was fairly wellrepresented at the packaging. Many students were encouraged to attend by McLean’s Interact Club. Sophomore Rebecca Bennett, a first-timer at a Stop Hunger Now event, said that it was

definitely something she would do again. “I thought it was fun because I got to do it with friends, and I really felt like I was making a difference in a tangible way,” Bennett said. Not all students participating were newcomers—sophomore Tyler Grobman had been to a few Stop Hunger Now events before volunteering for this one, and he was eager to return. “It’s because I care about this,” Grobman said. “It’s a way to get [service hours], to do something good and to feel good about yourself.” At the event, the room buzzed with energy as people packaged meal after meal. When, at the end of the day, the gong was struck for the final three times to signal the community had reached its goal, the cheers were deafening. “My favorite part was finishing each meal that we weighed. You felt like you were helping,” Bennett said. The volunteers agreed that working with Stop Hunger Now was a fulfilling way to spend their Saturday. “It’s a very rewarding experience,” Hahne said. “It’s not only doing something really good for the world, but it’s also fun to do.”

World Hunger Facts

1 in 9

people go to bed hungry each night

About

101

million children

in developing countries are underweight

The number of elementary school children who go to class hungry is

66 Million Hunger kills more people each year than

AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.

80% fourteen

of stunted children

live in just

countries

Packaging with a purpose—The ingredients for each meal are poured through a funnel into bags. Each meal is a combination of dehydrated vegetables, rice and soy that provides the necessary proteins needed for proper nutrition and also contains a package of essential vitamins. (Photo by Grace Fabrycky )

Facts obtained from: www.stophungernow.org/hunger-facts

Page design by Carlyn Kranking

NOVEMBER

Virginia legalizes same-sex marriage

Supreme Court denies review of cases, marriage equality established in five more states Christine Cheon Online News Editor

n Oct. 6, major reforms in same-sex marriage legislation occurred in five U.S. states including Virginia after the Supreme Court denied review of certain cases about same-sex marriage. As a result of the Court’s decision, same-sex unions were legalized in Utah, Oklahoma, Indiana, Wisconsin and Virginia. That same day, Virginia began issuing marriage licenses and samesex marriages were performed outside

courthouses around the state. Members of McLean’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) are happy with the Court’s recent decision. “If every person is made equal, then everyone should be treated equally,” said sophomore Gigi Iyob, co-president of the GSA. “I’m very happy to be in a state that has legalized gay marriage and that realizes that everyone should be equal.” Despite efforts by groups such as McLean’s GSA to promote equality and acceptance of the LBGTQIA community, marriage equality continues to be a heavily debated subject.

“I think it’s important to have a discussion about it and [spend] some time [debating],” junior Lilly Lee said. “But not the amount of debate that’s been happening.” Virginians in opposition of same-sex marriage ratified the Marshall-Newman Amendment in 2006 with a 57 percent majority. This amendment prohibited same-sex couples from marrying or attaining any other form of legal family status. Last year, several legal groups filed lawsuits against the state of Virginia in an attempt to overturn the amendment and gain marriage equality. They succeeded, and the amendment was struck down by the Fourth District Court of Appeals in Bostic v. Schaefer on July 28. The Supreme Court’s decision marks a victory for same-sex marriage supporters as their efforts to pass legislation gain traction. “Honestly, I am shocked that it has moved so quickly and that we have the right to be married here in Virginia now,” said English teacher Tara Dwyer, the sponsor of the GSA. “I honestly thought I would have to wait for a much, much longer time to have a legal marriage.” Dwyer is optimistic about future progress. “I feel that all the other states will just have to follow suit now,” Dwyer said.

Page design by Christine Cheon

NEWS

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 yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contributors. We would also like to thank all of our anonymous supporters. GOLD ($200+)

BRONZE ($50+)

The Barnett Family Juliana Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Reilly Marc and Kay Menchel The Witchey Family

The Pincus Family Cyndee Lord Susie French Tom Rapson Janet Rogers Irwin and Irene Menchel The Walker Family Lisa Waldow

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 McLean, VA 22101

NOVEMBER

Teachers Making Dough-Nuts increases its courseload Owners of teacher-run business expand services, hope to buy food truck Melanie Pincus News Editor

n the midst of vendors selling products ranging from produce to jewelry to soap to dumplings, chemistry teachers Kim Richardson and Daniella Minetti tend to their tent, deftly transferring sizzling mini doughnuts from a machine to eager customers. “I like seeing the people,” Minetti said. “I mean, there is obviously some stress to actually preparing and getting ready for the market, [but] once you’re there, you’re really having a good time.” Richardson and Minetti are full-season vendors at Community Farmers’ Market in Fairfax, selling doughnuts for the company they co-founded after a trip to San Francisco during the summer of 2013, which they named Teachers Making Dough-Nuts. “We went to Pier 39 and there was this little kiosk that was selling these mini doughnuts,” Minetti said. “So we went and tried them and there was this huge line, and we’re like, wow, not only are these good, but these are really popular, we gotta take this home.” Since its founding, Teachers Making Dough-Nuts has grown from serving part-time at a market in Hillsboro, Va., to catering events ranging from weddings to corporate breakfasts. “I thought it’d be a lot harder to get our foot in the door,” Richardson said. “But it’s been really fairly easy.” Minetti said that making connections with customers has been a key factor in the business’s expansion. “It’s kind of like the word of mouth that we get [from events],” she said. “Afterwards, [people] come back to the farmers’ market and then we hear positive things that other people might have said about us, so that’s always nice.” This year, Teachers Making DoughNuts sold doughnuts at three home football games at McLean, a presence that students have enjoyed. Twenty percent of the proceeds they make at games goes to

Nuts for doughnuts—Kim Richardson and Daniella Minetti, chemistry teachers at McLean, sell mini doughnuts at Community Farmers’ Market in Fairfax on Oct. 24. Twenty percent of proceeds from the event went to breast cancer research. (Photo by Melanie Pincus)

McLean’s athletic boosters. “[The doughnuts] were so delicious, they just melted right in your mouth,” sophomore Kate Covington said. In September, Teachers Making DoughNuts was featured in an article in the Fairfax Times, giving them more attention locally. “That gave us a lot more publicity,” Minetti said. “And actually other high schools started calling us and said, ‘Can you do our football games?’” Minetti and Richardson also make contributions outside of McLean through Teachers Making Dough-Nuts. At a recent Community Farmers’ Market, 20 percent of their profits went to breast cancer research. “We know so many people that’ve had breast cancer that we wanted to give back,” Richardson said. Both teachers hope to expand their business’s involvement with charities in the future. “We’re very open to a lot of different charities,” Minetti said.

Richardson agreed. “I’m really into the dog rescue groups,” she said. Richardson and Minetti anticipate more growth in the future, and they are currently working to get a food truck. “Having a food truck would be a lot more mobile and a lot easier to serve a lot more communities,” Minetti said. In the meantime, the pair hopes to maintain their business. “Maybe even later on [we’ll have] a storefront,” Minetti said. “But right now our focus is the food truck.” Despite the hard work it takes to manage Teachers Making Dough-Nuts, Minetti and Richardson enjoy running the business for their customers. “How can you not when they’re coming and they’re enjoying something that you’re serving them?” Minetti said. “They’re excited to see doughnuts, they love doughnuts, so we’re having a good time doing it.” Page design by Melanie Pincus

NEWS

Barbara Comstock victorious in congressional election Comstock voted to represent the 10th district in the House of Representatives Catherine Zysk Reporter fter seeing months of campaigning, Virginians of the 10th district arrived at the polls and placed their votes for their representative in Congress. In the end, Republican Barbara Comstock came out victorious with a 17 percent lead over Democrat John Foust. “I guess I’m finally going to get a real job,” Comstock said in her acceptance speech, refuting negative advertising on the Foust campaign. As the representative of the 10th district in Congress, Comstock will have a real job indeed. She will have a hand in controlling federal funds and the proposal of bills that can impact the U.S. on a national level in her newly earned seat at the House. “Depending on what state you live in, anywhere from 25 to over 50 percent of the funding for public education comes from federal funds. It’s a big deal,” social studies teacher Ian Howell said. According to Comstock’s campaign website, she plans on championing tax relief, national security and the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. She is strongly pro-life, pro-gun rights and pro-military involvement. Some students consider these views too extreme for Congress. “She is very radical and she’s not the right fit for McLean,” sophomore Fatima

Shahbaz said. Others see her in a more positive light. “I know a lot of people who specifically went to vote just so they could support [Comstock], and so they could vote Republican,” 10th district resident Pattie Anderson said. Anderson lives in Ashburn, Va., over 20 miles away from McLean, which is still within the 10th Congressional District. “[Comstock’s] constituents here [in McLean] might not be as supportive, but overall she got a majority,” sophomore Isabel Cooper said. In the end, the surprise was not Comstock’s victory, which was predicted early on in the polls, but the overall low voter turnout. “It all comes down to voter turnout,” Howell said. This was not only evident in the 10th district congressional election, but also in the midterm elctions across the nation. “The turn out for local elections is scary bad. To get a 40 to 45 percent turnout in an election is not a surprise,” Howell said. Regardless of the low voter turnout, Comstock has been chosen to represent McLean and the 10th district for the next two years. In Comstock’s words, “Our focus on the promise of the future has won the day again.”

Comstock joins the house—Barbara Comstock celebrates following her victory in the 2014 Congressional Election. She plans to propose several bills regarding tax cuts, abortion laws and health care reforms. (Photo obtained via Google Images under a Creative Commons license)

Comstock’s Congressional Path 1986 Graduated law school

2003 Made senior partner at Blank Rome law firm 1993 Elected to McLean Community Center Governing Board

1990s Senior aid to Congressman Wolf

1993 Reelected to Governing Board

2013 Founded The Young Women’s Leadership Program 2014 Elected to Congress 2009 Elected into the Virginia House of Delegates

Page design by Catherine Zysk

NOVEMBER

McLean gets Sirius about astronomy Newly formed Astronomy Club hits McLean Young In Seo Reporter

he observatory sits in the courtyard, a lone, abandoned giant, slowly rusting with each passing day. No one has used the building in years, and no one seems to know the reason why. Astronomy was first taught as a class at McLean in 1991 by current physics teacher Dean Howarth. The course was designed to take full advantage of the observatory and introduce a new field of study to students. However, it was formed in the middle of a budget crisis in Fairfax County similar to today’s, and so was cut only one year after its formation. “The easiest things to cut are the interesting electives” Howarth said. Once it was eliminated, Howarth said it was difficult to restart. “These things are like balloons,” Howarth said. “They’re up in the air and pretty, but once it touches the ground and pops it’s hard to get it going again.” This year, 23 years since its 1991 emergence, astronomy may be returning to McLean in the form of a club

Did you know?

thanks to the work of sophomores Bella Marku and Lauren Hassi. Marku’s motivation for creating the club stems from a passion established long ago. “My dream job in third grade was to be an astrophysicist,” Marku said. “I’ve been captivated by the idea of discovering faraway worlds.” Marku’s goals led her and Hassi to form a club in which people can learn, discuss and participate in activities pertaining to astronomy. “I know a lot of people find astronomy interesting,

but they don’t know as much as they’d like to because it isn’t really covered in higher level general science classes,” Marku said. As the observatory at McLean is almost fully functional, Hassi and Marku aim to raise money to make minor repairs and then use it once more. The paperwork for the Astronomy Club has been submitted to the county and is in the process of being finalized. Marku and Hassi hope to start the club sometime in second quarter. Some students look forward to being a part of the club’s future. “It seems really cool,” junior Ashlee Chung said. “I would join if we can use the observatory.” Marku hopes students will want to be involved with the club. “I’m really excited to get this club started, and I feel like there’s a lot of interest for it here at McLean,” she said.

Photo by James Carver & image obtained via 7Headlines Page design by Young In Seo and Aisha Singh

The staff of The Highlander would like to thank the PTSA for their generous support of the journalism program at McLean.

NOVEMBER

Pause for P.A.W.S.

Club raises awareness of animal cruelty, participates in events

Students share opinions on Doggy Day “I know that a lot of people don’t have animals at home so this can be helpful in relieving tension. I know it helps me personally to go home to my animals and just be able to have a friend there to just listen.” -junior Hailey Guinn

Doggy day—Students pet a therapy dog in the library courtyard during lunch on Oct. 30. Active Minds and P.A.W.S. organized this event to help students relieve stress. (Photo by James Carver)

Jade Smith Reporter

ince restarting last school year, the P.A.W.S. club has recruited members, participated in activities, and planned events in an effort to make a difference in the lives of animals. P.A.W.S., which stands for People for Animal Welfare Society, was originally founded at McLean a few years ago, but the sponsor dropped the program. Learning disabilities teacher Kelly Keaton and sophomore Kaylin Harrington started the club up again last school year, hoping to raise awareness of the problems animals face. “P.A.W.S. is about different animalrelated issues such as endangered animals and animal cruelty,” Harrington said. “We also try to branch out to animals other than dogs such as tigers and other endangered animals.” P.A.W.S. works with many rescue organizations including Lost Dog and Cat Rescue and A Forever Home. They have participated in events including fundraisers, adoption events and the Pibble March, an event that took place on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in an effort to end pitbull discrimination.

Keaton and Harrington are looking for more members for the club, but Keaton emphasizes that students can do things outside of the group to make a difference. “Basically just get involved,” Keaton said. “Take some time, volunteer, sign a petition. The little things add up.” One of P.A.W.S. most recent events, “Doggy Day,” was held in partnership with Active Minds. The groups worked together to bring therapy dogs to McLean on Oct. 30 to help relieve end of quarter stress. Many students enjoyed the dogs’ company and said they benefited from the event. “We’ve never had anything like this before, but I feel that it brings a light and airy feeling to a time that is so chaotic,” junior Alisha Smith said. Therapy dog owner Ben Wilson said that volunteering with his dog, Lucy, is beneficial both for himself and the students who participated. “We’ve been to high schools where 80 percent of the kids don’t have pets at home, and with this, they get to see [the dogs] doing service,” Wilson said. “It’s really great to see people enjoying my dog. It’s very rewarding.”

“It takes your mind off of other work and helps you to be happier, which releases endorphins which in turn helps you to do better.” -junior Elizabeth Swarm

“It takes people’s minds off of our work and can calm students down and such. But in general it’s always nice to see puppies. I’m a huge dog person so this helped me for sure to relax.” -freshman Daniel Meakem

“I feel like this helps you to relax more, and when you are less stressed you end up doing better on tests.” -freshman Emma Zahniser

Photo obtained via Open Clip Art Library under a Creative Commons license Page design by Jade Smith

NEWS

NOVEMBER

FEATURES

Building a friendship one step at a time Unique friendship evolves between student and principal Katie McGinn Features Editor

ne may not know it, but Cinderella and Jasmine walk the halls of McLean. Every day, these two Disney princesses walk through the entire school, greeting teachers and making sure students arrive to class on time. Who are these two princesses, who are also close friends? They are postgraduate special education student Kevin Pfeil and Principal Dr. Ellen Reilly. “We like to do quizzes about which Disney princess you are. I am Cinderella and Kevin is Jasmine,” Reilly said. Apart from taking these quizzes, they spend a lot of time with each other throughout the day, starting in the morning. Before first period, Reilly and Pfeil walk the halls of McLean. “Kevin comes in to see me and we walk around school. We have a path to walk and we go visit teachers together,” Reilly said. “It is to start our day off in a positive way.” Pfeil helps Reilly visit teachers and make sure every student is heading to first period. Sue Tabish, Reilly’s administrative assistant whose office is right next to hers, can attest to that. “It’s a great relationship. He always comes in to look for her and it just brightens his day if she is here,” Tabish said. This two-year friendship, however, is not limited to walking the halls. Pfeil and Reilly often have lunches together and Reilly visits Pfeil’s extra-curricular activities like theater rehearsal regularly. Once, she even went to see Kevin’s worksite at the McLean Animal Hospital, which was part of his Work Awareness and Transition program

class last year. “We walked the dogs and we had playtime with the dogs. He even showed me how he brushes the dogs’ teeth,” Reilly said. “I am interested to go to his OTP class this year at Falls Church. He is learning office skills. About four other kids go with him, so I would like to see what they do during the day.” Staying in touch with the rest of the student body and not getting lost in the administrative side of her job is difficult to accomplish, but Pfeil helps Reilly do exactly that. Pfeil makes her slow down and think about her priorities as a principal. “[My friendship with Kevin] brings back my patience to remember what is important in my day,” Reilly said. “I have a hundred emails. Those will wait. There are these people that I should probably call back, but those can wait. What we are here for is kids, and he helps me remember that every day.” Pfeil teaches Reilly a lot and, in return, she advises him on life as well. “Ms. Reilly is a great role model. I learned to be respectful to others from her, to stay on task with her,” Pfeil said. “She is phenomenal and I think she is a very good friend.” As this is Pfeil’s last year at Mclean, the daily walks around the halls and lunches are sadly coming to an end. “Next year, when he is not going to be here, it is going to be really weird. What am I going to do with myself? I will still walk around, but it will be alone,” Reilly said. Pfeil is positive about the future of their friendship. “When I leave McLean, I am going to miss Ms. Reilly the most,” Pfeil said. “She is a great principal and an even better friend.”

Princi-Pals—Post-graduate student Kevin Pfeil and Principal Dr. Ellen Reilly stop by counselor Kevin Burke’s office during one of their walks. Because Burke and Pfeil have the same first name, they have become good friends. (Photos by Katie McGinn)

Page design by Katie McGinn

FEATURES

Pushing the limits of McLean’s lexicon The Highlander helps you stay goozi

Ashwin Dasgupta & Liam Zeya A&E Editor & Opinions Editor ith fleek new words making their way into the lingo of McLean students at a rapid pace, trying to stay caught up with what people are saying can sometimes be the wood. Because of that, we’ve created this dictionary of popular slang words used by McLean students to help streamline conversation around the school.

“Ashwin, you’re OC. I saw you trying to flex yesterday, but you just looked sus. Also, I burst when I saw you wearing that pigeon sweater—it was the opposite of goozi.”

“My chest! Did you just try to cook me? You have no chill. And you thought you could take my spot on the chess team? That’s a geek. Maybe next year, bro.”

Beef (n.) - harsh feelings between two persons or groups. There was some cogent beef between Bucky and Chucky after Bucky took Chucky’s girlfriend to homecoming. Burst (v. or n.) - to laugh hard; a source of humor. I burst when Rob broke Jonathan’s ankles during basketball practice yesterday. Cook (v.) - to successfully insult someone in a generally humorous way. Rolando got cooked yesterday when Romeo told him his shoes looked like they were bought from the dollar store. Fire (adj.) - intense, exciting, good. Mickey’s highly-anticipated new mixtape, Mouse in the Trap House 3, was considered fire by all who listened to it. Fleek (adj.) - being cool, fresh or hip. Martin’s suave new hairstyle, with the blond stripe down the middle, was undoubtedly fleek. Flex (v.) - to try to appear cool or hip. Johnny was trying to flex in his minivan yesterday with his Ray-Bans and back-flow while leaving the junior lot, but, to be honest, it just wasn’t working. Geek (v. or n.) - to laugh hard; a source of humor. Aziz Ansari’s standup routine is a complete geek.

Goozi (adj.) - characterized as cool, in-style, or hip. Geoff rocked his goozi cashmere scarf with zest on the first day of winter. Loud (adj.) - of a high quality. The expensive mustard, made from ground French mustard seeds, tasted loud on the perfectly-cooked Kobe beef burger. Maybe next year, bro (phrase) - a phrase used in response to someone’s failed attempt at anything. The teacher cackled loudly and yelled “Maybe next year, bro” at Casper after he earned an F- as his final grade in the class. My chest! (interj.) - an expression of frustration; a recognition of difficulty; an indicator of stress. (Usually said with an accompanied clutching of one’s chest.) Timmy: “Hey Giff, do you know we have to read 67 pages tonight for AP US?” Giff: “My chest!” No Chill (n.) - Sense of aggressiveness or recklessness. Everyone knew that Rob had no chill when he tweeted a meme making fun of Liam’s rusty knees. OC (adj.) - out of control. Lionel was so OC at the Marshall football game a few weeks ago, he was jumping up and down and tooting on his vuvuzela like he was at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Prayers (interj.) - an expression of exasperation or doubt. (Usually accompanied with the clasping of the speaker’s hands, mimicking the prayer pose.) The teacher muttered “prayers” after she graded Ryan’s pitiful history project. Savage (adj.) - reckless, hardcore, audacious, disregarding of rules and authority, risky. Did you see Jason’s tweet of his texts with Becky? It was so savage. Sice (v. or n.) to give; a positive thing or event. Yo Katrina, can you sice me with the remote? Having 11 snow days last year was the ultimate sice. Sus (adj.) - suspicious, dubious, sketchy. That squishy cafeteria meat looks sus. The wood (adj.) - something or someone that is boring, slow, stupid or just bad. Having an AP Chem exam on the same day as my BC Calc and AP Physics tests is the wood. Whip (n. or v.) - a car; the action of driving a car. Margaret likes to whip her dad’s Mercedes to school so people will pay attention to her. WORLDSTAR (interj.) - exclaimed loudly for comedic effect when tensions between two people appear to be rising. Patricia yelped “WORLDSTAR” after she saw Walter hurl a crumbly chicken finger at Joe in the cafeteria.

Page design by Ashwin Dasgupta & Liam Zeya

NOVEMBER

Would you break the law to save a loved one? It depends on the law I’m breaking, but most probably yes. If you hurt my kid, I’m going to hurt you. 1

What was your favorite part of high school?

Graduating, prom, and things like that, because I finished school and I was looking forward to college.

Tell us about your summer job.

That’s the Fugitive Task Force. I get deputized as a U.S. Marshal and work hand-in-hand with the U.S. Marshals. We go bring fugitives that are on the run back to Fairfax County for the crimes they committed in Fairfax, but we can go all over the United States.

10 Qs w/

Officer Davis (School Resource Officer)

By Esme Khalid, Online A&E Editor

If you had to pick a super power, what would it be?

It would be cool to be like Superman—to fly around and hover.

What’s your greatest weakness?

My greatest weakness is my daughter. When she says “daddy,” whatever she wants, she gets.

What’s the most frequently used item on your belt/vest?

My handcuffs, because you handcuff most people that you lock up.

What is your favorite thing about McLean?

The students and faculty, because they embraced a new cop coming in. This is going to be my second school year.

What is the most fun part of coming to work?

Going into classrooms and talking to kids.

What was your dream job as a kid?

To be a police officer or a basketball player. I grew up watching Michael Jordan, and every kid wanted to be a basketball player.

Can I use your gun?

No.

Photos by Tanya Ajalli

FEATURES

Highlander of the Issue

GLENN FEIT:

Life in the IT crowd

Julia Al-Akkad Managing Editor

ne of the first pictures of me was sitting on my dad’s lap and I was using the computer,” junior Glenn Feit said. IT, otherwise known as information technology, comes naturally to Feit, as he grew up surrounded by technology. Feit’s longtime interest with technology could be partly accredited to his family, with both his brother and father pursuing their interests in technology. “My dad is a computer programmer and he also has a side job where he fixes computer hardware and software,” Feit said. “I also have an older brother who is really interested in computers. I really learn from the two of them and I also learn a lot on my own.” Although Feit has taken some classes to advance his skills in technology, he is

go to college, I took it over.” Share of McLean is an organization that serves low-income families in the areas around McLean. The group primarily acts as a food and clothing bank, but also offers other services. For instance, they bring people who cannot afford cars or other transportation to medical appointments. Jack Baxley, a senior at Thomas Jefferson High School, has been interning for Feit since July. Through Baxley’s experience working with Feit, he has learned new information about the IT field, while being able to help those less fortunate. “I would describe [Glenn] as hard working and dedicated,” Baxley said. The computer program has seen great success over the past few years. The program is continuing to accomplish its overall mission of providing free computers

the solution is much simpler. “If it’s missing one component like a hard drive, for example, that’s a really common problem because people don’t want to give us their data,” Feit said. “Then we can order components or other parts we need to fix the computers.” The computer program at Share of McLean raises money by selling the components that are donated but not needed. They then use that money to repair the computers that are worth fixing. As for the future of the program, Feit is looking to expand upon what is offered to clients. “We are looking to offer upgrades to clients because now that the program is four years old a lot of clients have older computers that are distributed to them,” Feit said. “I want to be able to upgrade their

It’s helped me to understand and be able to help people who are less fortunate than I am. I know that I’m making a positive impact, at least in a small way. -Glenn Feit mostly self-taught. “I took some electives during middle and high school,” Feit said. “But I definitely learned the most on my own.” Four years ago, Feit discovered a way to utilize his interest in IT to make a positive change in the McLean community. He, along with his brother and friend, implemented the computer program at Share of McLean. The program offers free computers to clients of Share of McLean, who are unable to afford the expensive, yet vital, technology. “It was just going to be a summer project,” Feit said. “[My brother] was going to stop doing it after the summer ended, but it was so successful that he continued throughout the school year. When he left to

and other technologies to as many people as possible. “Technology [is] more and more in demand in places like school and work and even just learning new topics and subjects,” Feit said. “[Computers] are really necessary for people who are low income to get an education and hopefully get a better job.” The nonprofit receives donations of both broken and working computers. “We fix the problem if it’s worth fixing,” Feit said. “There’s a lot of computers that are too old that are broken and it’s not even worth fixing if there’s something major that’s wrong with them.” In this case, the computers are taken to the recycling center. However, if the computer is missing a common component,

computers as we get newer computers that come with the program.” The computer repair program has not only had a significant positive impact on the people who have been helped by the program, but also Feit himself. “It’s given me a lot of experience just in the general IT field,” Feit said. “It’s helped me to understand and be able to help people who are less fortunate than I am. And I know that I’m making a positive impact at least in a small way.” Feit will be able to carry his experience with Share of McLean and the technology field into his future career plans. “I’m really interested in entrepreneurship,” Feit said. “I really want to start an IT company. That’s my dream.”

Photo by Tanya Ajalli Page design by Julia Al-Akkad

FEATURES

Heard in the Halls

Quotes pulled from McLean’s strange conversations “Dude, can you please teach me how to make coffee?”

“I need to practice my speed walking.” “I will pay you to make sure I don’t get my eyebrows plucked.”

“No person can stop me except Mr. Smith. He can stop me.”

“Why don’t people play poker in the jungle?” “Too many cheetahs.”

“You are the end of my finish line.”

“I had cupcake in places you don’t want it...”

“So then I destroyed two yards of fabric.”

“I wanna feel single again.”

“But this isn’t real school…”

“THE DOG POOPED ON ME.”

“I’m going into a lifetime of hiding.”

“Why does 7th period feel so much shorter than all of the others?”

“My mom told me I need to stop eating whole onions.”

“Hey, we are friends on Snapchat.” “Oh yeah, hey, nice to meet you.”

“How many books can you balance on your head?”

Page design by Brooke Lyons & Katie McGinn

20 10

NOVEMBER

Rectangling off

Apple’s iPhone 6 and Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts battle for supremacy Andrew Opem & Evan Rapson News Editor & Online Sports Editor

he iPhone 6 has created a lot of hype, but in the midst of this excitement, a delicious competitor has emerged from the toaster. Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts are contending to take over the technological marketplace, and soon the world. Only the tasty, technological battle that ensues can declare the true rectangular victor.

$199 (with contract) $649.99 (without contract) 1 iPhone, 129 grams

Starting Price Serving Size

No low fat alternative and no nutritional value

Nutrition

1334 pixels x 750 pixels

Resolution

4.7 in. Retina HD display

Display

802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi‑Fi compatibility 64-bit Architecture, A8 Chip, M8 Motion Processor

Technology

8-megapixel iSight camera with 1.5µ pixels and 1080p video recording

Camera Resolution

Fingerprint identity sensor built into the Home button Siri Gold, silver or space gray, but they all pretty much taste the same

Touch ID Intelligent Assistance Flavor Options

$0.22 per Pop-Tart (no contract required) 1 Pop-Tart, 48 grams

Unfrosted and low fat Pop-Tarts available Single layer of sugared icing and multicolored sprinkles 52 sprinkle x 35 sprinkle display on a 4.9 inch tall, whole grain surface Microwave and toaster compatible High fructose corn syrup and palm oil enhanced with TBHQ for freshness Has small holes where inner filling is visible, but cannot save photos Rip open wrapper to unlock, no Touch ID

Your brain More than 100, including Wild Grape, Cinnamon Roll and Blueberry Muffin

Logos courtesy of Apple Inc. and Kellogg’s Photos & page design by Evan Rapson & Andrew Opem

FEATURES

IN-DEPTH

Thousands of students across the county are struggling with depression. They need help. Now.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I look at it, I see myself. Like a self portrait. Looking in the mirror, I see similar features, shadows under the eyes... eyes that show the light of life has been extinguished. It symbolizes the lack of emotion yet the constant chaos of depression.â&#x20AC;? - senior Jessica Meloy 22

Artwork by Jessica Meloy Page design by David Kagan

NOVEMBER

A generation in pain David Kagan Opinions Editor

essica Meloy’s daily routine isn’t anything out of the ordinary. She wakes up at 6:30 every day, eats breakfast and is soon on her way to school. Jessica melts into the crowds of people in our hallways. She goes unnoticed for the most part, save for her close friends. She walks through the halls, periodically putting on smiles to make her friends stop worrying. It’s a normal day for Jessica, just as it is for most students at McLean. What’s not normal, however, is that Jessica is struggling to save her own life. “[I] put on a smile...whereas on the inside, it’s a dark, dark valley,” Jessica said. Jessica is diagnosed with clinical depression, and she is not alone. In fact, she is joined by 30 percent of students in Fairfax County public high schools. It’s a shocking number, there is no doubt about that. However, what’s more disturbing than that statistic is what depression is doing to our school and its students. In order to fully understand the gravity of what students with depression deal with, it is important to understand what depression is. While depression may seem like it’s primarily an emotional issue, it is often caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. Everyone has neurotransmitters that send messages throughout the brain. Too much or too little of a certain chemical or neurotransmitter can often result in mild to severe depression. For instance, too much of the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine, which is associated with recollection and memory, can lead to depression. Too little Seratonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood, also leads to depression. Norepinephrine controls things like blood pressure. Too much can lead to anxiety as well as certain forms of depression. And there are other physical causes. A study in The Journal of

Neuroscience showed that of 24 women who had been diagnosed with clinical depression, on average, their hippocampus was nine to 13 percent smaller than average. This study indicates that stress plays a major role in the size of the hippocampus. Stress can suppress the production of neuron cells in the hippocampus, which is crucial to short-term and long-term memory. Depression is often beyond the control of those who suffer from it. In many cases, psychiatrists and doctors prescribe

“Depression feels like drowning...like you’re underwater, completely helpless.”

IN-DEPTH

repeated failure just leads to people giving up. This problem is all too familiar with high school students, especially with the high expectations of parents, teachers and colleges. With so much pressure on students, it’s not surprising that there are times when they feel that no matter how hard they try, they cannot succeed. Add to that the pressures of high school social life, in which many may feel ostracized by their community, and there is a recipe for disaster and severe mental issues. “I see a lot of kids who have symptoms of depression as well as high levels of anxiety,” school psychologist Beth Werfel said. “And a lot of times, the anxiety come first...then it just spirals down and then the depression latches on.” “It’s just too much,” an anonymous junior said. “We have too many expectations weighing us down. It would also seem that an equal amount of pressure come from those around a person. “It’s the mindset that convinces me that I have to do everything right,” Jessica said. “The thought that everyone is against me, that really fuels the anxiety.” In addition to the difficulty that comes with fitting in, an even more difficult challenge is getting other people to understand depression. “Talking with someone who understands depression is very helpful and can change someone’s way of being dramatically,” an anonymous junior said. However, it is not easy to find someone who understands, and even if one does, it is still hard to be open with them. “The problem is that the stigma is hard to overcome,” senior Jack Saunders said. “It’s so important to talk to people about it but it’s really difficult for some kids.”

- senior Jessica Meloy drugs that can help address these chemical imbalances. That being said, in many cases the problem is not purely chemical. In a key study of depression done by psychologists M.E.P Seligman and S.F Maier in 1967, they discovered that a major source of depression is a sense of futility, what they called “learned helplessness.” In this study, dogs were subjected to minor electrical shocks. Some dogs were allowed to avoid the shocks by moving their heads, while others could do nothing to prevent the shocks. Eventually, the latter group gave up and simply became resigned to their suffering. The concept of learned helplessness is that

NOVEMBER

Saunders was recently the keynote speaker at the Joshua Ball in Arlington on Oct. 23. The Joshua Ball is a fundraiser for the Josh Anderson Foundation, a charity organization whose mission is to provide teens with mental health information. Saunders discussed his personal experiences with depression and gave advice about coping in his speech at the Joshua Ball. “Discussing my problems was the best way to overcome,” Saunders said. It’s incredibly hard for people who don’t suffer from depression to understand what those who do are going though. For those who have never felt depression, it is easy to think that the pain of depression is just like any other pain. I’ve seen firsthand what depression can do to somebody, both at school and in my personal life. It’s a destructive disability, one that can turn the happiest of men into a weary and dejected ruin. My late grandfather struggled with depression for a good part of his life. I had seen him at his best and his worst, but for some reason I simply didn’t understand why he just couldn’t be happy. I have begun to understand what my grandfather was dealing with. He once tried to explain to me what it felt like to be depressed. I distinctly remember him describing depression as a hole that he could not get out of. It’s a common theme among depressed people, the idea of a metaphorical tunnel with no light at the end of it. “The depression feels like drowning,” Meloy said. “[It’s] like you can’t breathe and you’re underwater, completely helpless.” What’s worse about depression is being aware of the illness and knowing that the world doesn’t stop to help the depressed cope. “Yet [while drowning], you can still see everyone else breathing.” The question that we as a community

must now ask ourselves is: What can we do? There is no doubt that this is a tough question to answer, and Fairfax County has done a good job thus far with educating the public about depression as well as attempting to extinguish the depressive flames that run through our halls. FCPS has taken steps to combat

more measures could be taken. “I feel like McLean as a school has done an excellent job, but I think that the county could be doing more,” Saunders said. McLean High School has also begun to take serious measures to address the problem of depression. Between Nov. 10 and 19 of this year, all freshmen were required to go through the Acknowledge, Care, and Tell Program. “This program teaches students signs of depression as well as how to get help for themselves or a friend who is exhibiting symptoms of depression,” Director of Student Services Paul Stansbery said. “All freshmen who participate will be given a depression screening tool so that we can follow up with any students in need of assistance now.” Even though it is clear that the McLean administration is attempting to address the problem, there exists another pressing question: Are we as students doing enough? Students are beginning to speak out on the topic of depression. Those who are suffering from depression are helping the rest understand what they’re going through so that we all can be more supportive. These students are also looking to help other students cope with their pain. “I want people to know that they can come to me for advice,” Meloy said. When asked why she decided to decline the option to remain anonymous, she replied, “I have nothing to hide. I am not ashamed. I want to let others know that it’s okay to do the same.” We have a long way to go as a community in helping people deal with their depression, but we are making progress. Jessica has learned how to cope better, and while she has a ways to go, things seem bright for the future. “I consider it a success story,” she said.

I know what it feels like, to hold everything in. I know what the pain’s like, when it comes from within. I know how it’s haunting, being trapped in your thoughts. I know how life’s daunting, when your stomach’s in knots.

IN-DEPTH

- Jessica Meloy depression in recent years. With the addition of suicide hotlines and depression detection tactics to the FCPS website, it is clear that FCPS has taken steps to ensure the safety of students in our county. While the county as a whole has seemingly done an impressive job to increase awareness, some students feel that

A&E

What to watch, listen to, read and see this season Andrea Delgado Editor-in-Chief

Sonic Highways— Following the release of their lead single, “Something From Nothing,” on Oct. 16, Foo Fighters’ newest album was released on Nov. 10. Each song was recorded in a different city, so the album’s sound is a mix of the cities’ influences and Foo Fighters’ signature style. After the band’s hiatus in 2012, this album is definitely one of 2014’s essential albums.

The Short List

ALBUM

1. TV - Doctor Who series 8 finale, Nov. 8 2. CONCERT - Hoodie Allen at the Fillmore Silver Spring, Dec. 3 3. NOVEL - Revival: A Novel by Stephen King, Nov. 11 4. MOVIE - The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Dec. 17

RCA

Mockingjay Part 1—The highly anticipated third movie in in the Hunger Games series will premiere on Nov. 21. It picks up after the end of the Third Quarter Quell Games and follows Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) as she leads the rebellion. This action-packed film is sure to be one of this year’s biggest blockbusters. MOVIE

Lionsgate

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare — The eleventh installment in the Call of Duty series was released Nov. 4. Unlike its predecessors, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare allows players to choose from a variety of conventional weaponry. The game’s plot features a futuristic setting complete with terrorist plots and weapons of mass destruction. The combination of familiar and new elements makes this game a sure hit. VIDEO GAME

Fox Television Studios

White Collar— The final season of the USA Network ‘s police drama premiered on Nov. 6. The show picks up as Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) has been kidnapped and his partner Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) has been left to deal with his absence. TV SHOW

Activision

Page design by Hannah Menchel, Andrea Delgado & Mark Mizusawa

NOVEMBER

MOVIE REVIEW

Interstellar is out of this world

Science fiction movie amazes with touching story and incredible visuals

Hannah Menchel Editor-in-Chief

nterstellar, directed by Christopher Nolan, the genius behind movies such as Inception and The Dark Knight trilogy, follows Cooper, played with an amazing performance by Matthew McConaughey. Cooper lives as a farmer in a dystopian future where almost all of the crops have been destroyed by a blight, and people, angry at the government, have rejected government spending on almost anything but the food crisis, leaving technology behind. After Cooper’s daughter, played at different stages in her life by Mackenzie Foy, Jessica Chastain and Ellen Burstyn, finds that a “ghost” in her room has communicated the coordinates to the current secret NASA headquarters, Cooper gets roped into a dangerous mission

to find another planet through a wormhole that would act as salvation for the human race. Being equally thrilling, breathtaking and emotionally devastating, Interstellar is a movie that, once seen, is not likely to be forgotten. The visuals are gorgeous; for that aspect alone, it’s worth devoting three hours of one’s time. The beginning of the movie, which sets up the space travel saga, can feel a little bit slow, but the emotional impact it helps lead to later on is more than worth the wait. Interstellar is a love story without being sappy and filled with hackneyed clichés. Some might be nit-picky about the film’s scientific accuracy, but to quibble over those petty issues is missing the whole point of the movie. Worry less about the plot and the possible paradox it contains, and focus on the way that

Paramount

Interstellar produces a spectacular experience. This is a must-see film for anyone who appreciates brilliant cinematography paired with wondeful storytelling.

The Reel Deal DIRECTED BY: Christopher Nolan RATING: PG-13 STARRING: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, John Lithgow, Matt Damon, Michael Caine, Casey Affleck, Wes Bentley and Topher Grace Mr. Space Man—During Interstellar, Matthew McConaughey’s character, Cooper, goes on a mission to outer space to save the people back on Earth, but several twists throw wrenches into his plan. (Paramount)

A&E

RUNTIME: 169 minutes GENRE: Adventure/Sci-Fi Page design by Hannah Menchel

Wide variety of sounds visit the DMV Check out these cool concerts in December Nora Hashem Reporter

s the summer concert season comes to a close, McLean concertgoers are solemnly hanging up their flower crowns, crop tops and jean shorts as they prepare to wait six more months to experience great live music. Fret not, concert lovers—while your outfits may no longer be seasonably appropriate, your fun doesn’t have to die with the leaves. November and December hold some great concerts from several different genres that will be great to get you out of that winter slump.

Jingle Ball Guests

Frat star—Hoodie Allen performs in NYC in 2013. Allen‘s music draws heavily from his college experiences.

Hoodie Allen and Chiddy Bang — Dec. 3

In 2010, Steve Markowitz, former University of Pennsylvania frat boy and aspiring artist, became Hoodie Allen. Since then, Allen has released four albums and will be promoting his most recent album, People Keep Talking, on his tour. Allen and Chiddy Bang will be playing at the Fillmore Silver Spring, and tickets are starting at $48. Unfortunately, they will be coming the same day Yung Lean is playing, so McLean’s rap aficionados will have a hard choice to make.

Ariana Grande 5 Seconds of Summer Calvin Harris Demi Lovato OneRepublic Iggy Azalea Jason Derulo Jessie J Rita Ora Charlie XCX Meghan Trainor And More!

Sadboys—Yung Lean performs at the Palisades in Brooklyn in 2012.

Yung Lean — Dec. 3

Jonatan Leandoer Hastad, AKA Yung Lean, is an up-and-coming rapper from Sweden. During this tour, Yung Lean will be stopping at the Black Cat in DC. Tickets are a steal, starting at $18. Anyone interested in alternative rap should check this concert out for a sadboys experience you can’t get anywhere else.

The 1975 at Echostage on Dec. 2

Hot 99.5’s Jingle Ball at the Verizon Center on Dec. 15 Tinashe at Howard Theatre on Dec. 17

Upcoming concerts

French Montana at the Baltimore Soundstage on Dec. 7 Enter the Void Tour with Jhene Aiko at the Baltimore Soundstage on Dec. 4 Photos obtained via Tiffany Ranquillo & Stuart McAlpine on Flickr under a Creative Commons license Page design by Sabrein Gharad & Nora Hashem

NOVEMBER

Battle of the Fans: 1989

ALBUM REVIEW

Two takes on Taylor Swift’s record-breaking new album

Grace Murray Editor-in-Chief he’s done it again. 1989 has sold more copies in its first week than any album since 2002, and for good reason. Taylor Swift’s combination of irresistible rhythms, witty lyrics and undertones of 80s electronic dance music will keep this album on top for months to come. The opening of “Welcome to New York” is an emphatic nod to the 80s; the leading keyboard mirrors Devo or Softcell. Many listeners complain that Swift’s songs revolve around her relationships. However, this song focuses on her love for the city and the bright future it brings. Although “Bad Blood” is slightly too angsty for me, the beat is still irresistible. I find myself belting out the cheesy lyrics, lost in the energy Swift brings to every verse. Each syllable is overstated and lends a triumphant attitude. Similar to “Better than Revenge” from Speak Now, this song is an anthem for a bitter, vengeance-fueled teenager. “How You Get the Girl” is the epitome of a classic Swift song. I challenge any objector who isn’t touched by the “forever and ever” mentality towards love and relationships. Country roots are definitely evident with the more prevalent guitar presence, but Swift sticks to her newfound pop genre all in all. For four minutes, Swift makes eternal love seem as easy as a memorizing a formula, a quality admired by many of the lovesick in her audience. I’ve had “Wildest Dreams” on repeat since 1989 dropped. Swift has adopted Lana Del Rey’s style of breathily murmuring lyrics, but she also leaves her own mark of originality within the lyrical content. 1989 is an evolution of sound. Swift secures her place in pop music with this album, showing that young artists can have full careers which allow them to grow and explore different depths of their abilities. I’m once again astonished by her ability to create original and enchanting material.

Dereck Marwa Reporter or the second time in a row, Taylor Swift has released a wildly successful record with 1989. Abandoning her country roots and making a full-on pop record with an 80s influence, this effort promised to be a departure from her usual girl-with-aguitar-sings-about-relationships routine. Swift simply traded her guitar for a synthesizer. Regardless of this album’s influence from a truly great era of pop music and its incredible success, this album fails to impress both lyrically and musically. As someone who would not typically choose to listen to anything made by Swift under any other circumstances, I must admit that I did not expect to enjoy this album at all. Before listening to this album, all I had heard were her singles, and I found them catchy but repetitive and not particularly original. 1989 is more of the same, and with very little deviation. The album starts off with “Welcome to New York,” a track with both a premise and perspective that severely lacks originality. Joining the hundreds of other songs about the brilliance of New York City, Swift tells the age-old story of a small town girl enchanted by big city life. Even though this may be her experience, if she wants to tell a story that has been told a thousand times, she could at least try to do it differently. The rest of the album is filled with song after song detailing her relationships, complete with not-too-subtle shots at her ex-boyfriend, Harry Styles of One Direction. Despite these issues, Swift continues to make tunes that would make pretty much anyone dance. There are some extremely wellproduced and catchy tracks all over this record. The high-pitched refrain of “All You Had To Do Was Stay” and the more intricate production of “You Are In Love,” which sounds like a classic 80s love ballad updated for contemporary pop radio, were definite standouts in an otherwise boring and repetitive effort.

Photos taken by Juan Esteban Baus, page design by Dereck Marwa & Grace Murray

A&E

NOVEMBER

VIDEO GAME REVIEW

Lords of the Fallen

Mark Mizusawa Design Editor

top the summit of a snowy mountain lies a castle, decrepit from abandonment but far from uninhabited. Grotesque creatures roam the halls with trans-dimensional knights. This castle lies at the epicenter of an invasion of the human realm by the Rhogars, a domination-bent race from an adjacent reality. Harkyn, a convicted criminal with his past sins literally etched into his face as a form of punishment, is freed by Kaslo, a mentor in the twilight years of his life. He is freed to investigate and face the horrors that lurk within the confines of the castle walls, and find what may be his best shot at redemption. If there’s one area in which Lords of the Fallen goes above and beyond, it’s visuals. The effects capture the atmosphere of the snowy-abandoned-castle-on-themountain-summit setting. The central plot itself isn’t anything special. Harkyn must travel through treacherous territories and alternate dimensions to defeat the commanding lords under the dark opposing rule of a force known as The Fallen (hence the title). Not terrible per se, just not enough to drive the game by itself. During his trek, Harkyn also runs into unique individuals with their own afflictions and backgrounds. Early on I ran into a monk with an infected arm requesting an assisted amputation. After separating said appendage with a dull axe, the guy asked me to look for his medical tools so he wouldn’t bleed out (the nerve). Not entirely

eager to go too far out of my way, I decided I would return to him later. So, yeah, he kind of died. The point here is that side quests seem to be on a sort of timer or progression limit—kind of a cool trope-breaking and rarely-implemented feature, if not slightly irritating. Sometimes I just want my monks to keep severe blood loss on hold. An easy comparison to draw from Lords of the Fallen would be to the games of the Souls series (Dark and Demon alike). The similarities between the combat mechanics are immediately apparent. Nonetheless, Lords of the Fallen has enough going for it to be its own thing. The gameplay puts a spotlight on heavy men with heavy shoulders wearing heavy clothes swinging heavy objects at heavy enemies. Needless to say, there’s a lot of apparent weight behind the movements and actions, which adds a certain specific charm. It’s important to mention that at the time of this review I encountered a couple of game-crashing bugs. Perhaps a fix is coming in the near future, or perhaps one has come out between my typing this and this issue being released, making me look like a big doofus. In any case, it’s a major deterrent at the moment. Lords of the Fallen is for those looking for a soul-inspired action RPG with heavy action and combat. Chances are it won’t take more than a few minutes of research to decide if this game is for you, but for those on the fence, it’s definitely worth it.

Price: $49.99 Developer: CI Games Genre: Third Person Action RPG Number of monks amputated: One Photo obtained from CI Games Page design by Mark Mizusawa

A&E

OPINIONS

New nutritional guidelines hurt students USDA food standards for schools leave behind a bad taste The staff editorial represents the opinion of the majority of The Highlander editorial board

n July 1, new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition standards for food sold during the school day went into effect for schools across the country. The new guidelines place unreasonable limits on the number of calories and amounts of sodium, fat and sugar that are allowed in snacks, meals and drinks sold from the midnight before to 30 minutes after the end of the school day. However, the USDA guidelines give individual states the authority to “provide a special exemption for infrequent fundraisers that do not meet the nutrition standards.” Virginia did not opt for this exemption. Overall, this policy should be revoked as it hurts clubs in their efforts to raise money. These regulations impact the fundraising efforts of clubs and organizations like DECA, Interact Club and Adopt-a-Mission, who rely heavily on after school bake sales to attain funds.

“We mainly did bake sales at the front of the school to fundraise last year, about once every two months,” said senior Lauren Yeom, the president of Adopt-a-Mission.

“We have very active clubs and this was their main revenue source.”

-Director of Student Services Jim Patrick

In previous years, bake sales were a convenient source of revenue, and students are understandably upset. “Bake sales were easy money,” said senior Mia Chand, the president of Interact Club. However, it is important to note that these guidelines come from the federal government and not the local level, which makes it more difficult to reverse the policy. “This is unfortunately something that has been forced on us that we have to comply with,” Director of Student Services

Jim Patrick said. “We have very active clubs and this was their main revenue source.” Patrick said the McLean activities office is committed to working with clubs and activities to find creative ways to still put on fundraisers that make money. “It’s not that you cannot sell food, it’s that you have to sell food that meets these guidelines,” Patrick said. According to marketing teacher and DECA sponsor Debra Fargo, the guidelines have affected DECA’s fundraising “severely, because our target audience is students, and [junk food is] what students run on.” Fargo has been approached by food companies with healthier options to sell to students, and DECA has tried some nonfood options, to no avail. “We tried [to sell] Yankee Candles and only got a few orders,” Fargo said. The bottom line is that no reasonable alternative will raise as much money as the bake sales of the past did. Students will not be willing to buy healthy food like fruit that they can simply pick up at home. “I hate [the regulations] because people aren’t going to buy healthy things with their money,” Yeom said. These regulations do more harm than good because students will eat unhealthy food no matter what. Additionally, clubs that provide key experiences for students and funds for the community will suffer from a lack of fundraising opportunities. “This guideline will unquestionably negatively affect the fundraising,” Patrick said. Overall, this is a ridiculous and ineffective policy that only causes more trouble for the students the policy is intended to help. It adds an unnecessary burden to schools everywhere that are forced to dedicate time to the enforcement of these absurd guidelines.

Cartoon by Anna Marie Garland Page design by Hannah Menchel & Andrea Delgado

NOVEMBER

Ebola: why are we only paying attention to it now? Americans ought to be more aware of epidemics abroad Aisha Singh Reporter

hances are, you’ve probably heard people joking about being stricken with Ebola. Some people aren’t even joking— they’re actually worried they’ll get the virus that many think has been “spreading” across the U.S. since the first American was diagnosed with Ebola on Sept. 20. Since then, the disease has spread to a grand total of four people in the U.S. Meanwhile, on the African continent, there are three major countries that have suffered thousands of losses. Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia have had a total of 13,540 cases, with a mortality rate of 71 percent. People are suffering from this disease in these countries—so why are we all so focused on the U.S.? Before the so-called outbreak of Ebola in the U.S., very few people were aware of the situation in Africa. Although awareness of sickness in Africa has increased as a result of Ebola in the U.S., it’s not acceptable that so few people were actually aware of the crisis happening with the same disease elsewhere. Mass panic over an issue is something that has been occuring for many years in the U.S., along with other developed countries. The swine flu and SARS are also epidemics that were portrayed by the media in the same way—although the U.S. experienced a few scattered cases, countries around the world had death tolls that reached the

“Part of the message here is that addressing human health needs is a world concern, not a national concern.” -English teacher John Behm

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thousands. “I find it highly ironic that we only focus on Ebola...the minute it reaches our soil, but we didn’t focus on it when it was plaguing nations in Africa,” sophomore Fatima Shahbaz said. One reason for this disconnect is because of the media. Popular media and news often choose to focus on entertaining or shocking articles, rather than articles that actually report news from around the world. “There is far too much subjectivity and superficiality,” said John Behm, who teaches English and film studies. Media today feels forced to keep audiences interested by using fear factors and shock tactics. Their content needs to conform to what they believe their audience—namely, the public—will be interested in. “It takes drama and disaster to get into

Ebo rea la: De c a 13,2 hes 4, th tol 68 a 960, l ffec tota l ted

the news cycle,” Behm said. The media is not completely to blame, however. Many people are simply not interested in events happening around the world. “Students do not focus enough on issues outside of first world countries,” Shahbaz said. “We don’t look beyond our little bubble.” Global awareness is something that should be a given in today’s society. We’re in an age where all we have to do is click a button to hear about the world around us. “I feel like the more we can broaden the spectrum of our world the more we can understand our peers and other individuals,” Shahbaz said. We are able to access information about other places around the world easily. Therefore, there is no excuse for not being globally aware of the world and people around us. Cartoon by Young In Seo Page design by Aisha Singh

OPINIONS

Senior portraits shatter piggy banks Photography company charges over-the-top prices Jennifer Wang Reporter

s photographs that mark one of the biggest milestones in a lifetime, senior portraits are important memories to many. What’s the pricetag for this memory? An appalling $64 for one 8”x10” copy, and it doesn’t stop there. Unlike regular yearbook photos, senior portraits provide multiple photo takes that allow for variety and, most importantly, the relaxation of stiff grins. Ultimately, the quality comes with a steep price that is completely unreasonable. “I can’t believe how freaking overpriced senior photos are,” senior Joy Zhang said. “Honestly, it’s not like we’re made of money to pay $400 to buy a picture of myself. I might as well take a fancy selfie.” The company Lifetouch handles our school’s senior portraits, providing a free photo in the yearbook to students through their Prestige Portraits division. “[Lifetouch] was one of the few photography companies large enough to handle the size of our school and is one of several approved vendors,” yearbook adviser Meghan Percival said. However, many customers are railroaded into spending more than expected due to lack of knowledge and awareness of the process or other options. The company’s flyer wording and information misleads some to believe that “sessions” priced from $15 to $55 gave customers all the photos taken. This creates surprised confusion and dissatisfaction when many discover they have to pay again when ordering the actual prints. Prestige uses a complicated online system of photoshoot choices, package bundles, poses and points for choosing purchases. The needlessly complex process not only throws in “10 percent off ” and “free shipping” codes, or “save 50 percent on premium retouching” services on only selected packages, but also overcharges

on individual items severely, such as a single 11”x14” portrait costing $96. “My senior portrait cost us a pretty penny,” senior Evan Scholl said. “My dad agrees that they’re overpriced.” Packages go from $169 to $529, with either 60 to 80 points given towards choosing the pictures from “unlimited poses.” Confusingly, points are used to purchase the type of print, such as wallet photos costing one point, an 8”x12” print at 10 points and a full high-resolution CD at 25 points. Another option is the one- to seven-pose packages that limit choices by specifying the amount, type and material of the print. Even the highest priced package at $529 limits choices to 80 points. Information is convoluted, throwing bonuses and promo codes all over the page with italicized terms and conditions in fine print. Not only that, the company’s advertising tactics include misleading wording, hidden costs and never-ending promotional emails. Quality is Prestige’s single redeeming factor, with their glossy photo paper, canvases and careful retouching. However, at up to $529, the quality guarantee of a photograph is the least someone can expect

for the cost. “I have to say, one of the photos was excellent. The picture I ordered came in the mail quickly,” California Yelp user Kim R. said. “[However] their prices are obscene. On top of that they add an almost nondisclosed $10 for shipping.” Sporting an average of one to two stars out of five, reviews from California to Minnesota by employees and customers alike on numerous sites like Yelp are scathing. “[The employees] need some serious training,” California Yelp user audra d. said. “I wish the schools would choose a different vendor to [take] grad pics.” Students and their families should be prepared for the high price tags and be sure to keep an eye on the fine print when it comes time to purchase their senior portraits. Photos courtesy of Joy Zhang & Evan Scholl Page design by Jennifer Wang

NOVEMBER

Schools with street cred: worth it? The advantages of going to colleges without big reputations

Lucy Hopkins Nhi Nguyen Features Editor Managing Editor

n order to be successful, you need more education than a high school education,” Career Center Specialist Dawn Allison said. This concept is behind all of the actions and thoughts of McLean students. In the bubble of stress, anxiety and achievement that is McLean, a huge emphasis is placed upon the reputation of schools that McGrads attend. For those who attend schools that don’t have the biggest, best facilities or legendary reputations, there is often a sense of shame or lowered self-esteem. The desire to go to a school with an illustrious name is not necessarily unfounded; employers do like to see potential employees with quality educations, and an Ivy League or Ivycaliber school is a good indicator of that. However, the colleges people attend do not decide their whole future—what they do with that education does. “For some students,” said McLean counselor Barrett Kashdan, “a prestigious name is the cherry on the cake. However, you can get an excellent education at a lesser known college.” Kashdan went on

OPINIONS

to say that “paying for a name does not mean you are getting the best education,” furthering the idea that the name of the school students choose to attend is not allimportant. Unfortunately, choosing schools solely based on their prestige is not uncommon at McLean. Many students find themselves worrying excessively about a school’s reputation, the success rates of the graduates and having to make a choice between the elite schools and lesser-known schools they’ve applied to. “In this community, everyone seems to feel like they have to go to these prestigious schools,” senior Emily Karl said. “I’m pretty self-motivated, and my parents just want [the school] that’s best for me.” However, a commonality among many McLean students is the pressure they receive from their parents. Many already look internally to find motivation; the combination of the external and internal sources of pressure can be debilitating. Many of these feelings of name-brand importance are simply a product of where we live. It is absolutely possible to attend a school without a big reputation, attain an excellent education and succeed in life. Additionally, most of the smaller, less ‘prestigious’ schools are more financially accessible than those in the upper echelon.

“A Lamborghini is a high status car, but it is costly to upkeep. A Honda is a good, safe car [that] will save you money and will get you to your destination as fast as a Lamborghini,” Kashdan said. In essence, a school’s attractive qualities should not just be its name and reputation, but its safety, cost and reliability. Another good thing that comes from ‘buying the Honda’ is that it’s affordable and dependable. One such example of a reliable and cost-friendly school is Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). The tuition is roughly $4,853 per year, compared to the tens of thousands of dollars that various other schools charge per year. For reference, Princeton’s tuition is about $41,280. Those who choose to go to NOVA have an option to complete their freshman and sophomore year there, then transfer to a four-year college or university in order to complete their junior and senior years. Their degree will come from the school they attend in the last two years, meaning they were able to pay a fraction of the cost for the same degree as their classmates. To all of the shopaholics out there, consider the NOVA program like bargain shopping at Marshall’s—the same designer goods, but at a fraction of the price. Cartoon by Anna Marie Garland Page design by Nhi Nguyen

Little shopping horrors

Black Friday detracts from spirit of the holiday Sanskriti Neupane Online Opinions Editor

aiting in line to get a new phone on Black Friday, sophomore Grace Lee watches as others start to get anxious. Shoppers aggressively shove their way to the front of the line, desperately wanting to be one of the few successful owners of discounted phones. Every year, horrific reports of injured shoppers allude to the primitive Black Friday culture. “We had to wait forever and some people were so aggressive, they were trying to cut [in line] and making excuses,” Lee said of her nightmarish 2012 Black Friday experience. This aggressiveness has resulted in grave injuries and in some cases, even death. In 2008, Jdimytai Damour, a temporary worker at Wal-Mart, died after a crowd of anxious shoppers suffocated him between the entrance doors. Incidents like Damour’s death aren’t isolated; every year deaths occur in the Black Friday craze. Lured into stores with the promise of low prices on products, shoppers leave Thanksgiving dinner at the risk of their own safety. In reality, these supposedly low prices can also be found on other days of the year. Shoppers can find the reasonable prices they are looking for immediately following the holiday season, when stores put all their remaining items on sale at lower prices. “My mom goes shopping on Black Friday, but she complains that she never really gets any good deals,” sophomore Quynh Hoang said. Black Friday shopping not only leads to dangerous situations, but it also encourages impulse purchases of easily accessible products. “People get into the hype and they feel like they’ve gotta get the deal,” marketing teacher Debra Fargo said.

People who go to stores on Black Friday to save money often end up spending more than they intend. Nowadays, more and more people are flocking to stores on Black Friday in an attempt to get the latest gadgets for less. Additionally, sales on Black Friday have begun to start earlier, with some stores such as Wal-Mart beginning their doorbuster sales as early as 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving. As sale start times creep into Thanksgiving day, Black Friday has slowly begun to take over the time of year reserved for family togetherness. “Thanksgiving is a time where we should all be with our families and forget about material desires,” sophomore Madeline Walker said. Instead of Thanksgiving being about giving thanks, it has become a time of vehement shopping for the upcoming holiday season. “I think it’s really ironic that Black Friday is so close to Thanksgiving, because Black Friday is...trampling people, while Thanksgiving is about giving thanks,” sophomore Rebecca Bennett said.

Slowly but surely, Black Friday and shopping are taking over Thanksgiving and family time. However, it is not just the shoppers who are being hurt by Black Friday sales. Retailers have many of their employees work on Thanksgiving day in preparation for the upcoming frenzy. Those workers do not get to be home on Thanksgiving because others choose to spend the holiday shopping. “[The employees] should be with their families,” sophomore Krishma Poudel said. Overall, Black Friday has taken away the spirit of Thanksgiving and turned it into a day to shop. This year, instead of going out to shop, spend the weekend with family and appreciate everything life has to offer. Perhaps wait until Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving, to shop from the comfort and safety of home. Forget about the fake sales this Thanksgiving. Relax, spend time with family and spend the holiday giving thanks, not spending money.

Cartoon by Anna Marie Garland Page design by Sanskriti Neupane

NOVEMBER

Splashing into adventure

SPORTS

Luke Ferris trains to compete in Special Olympics World Games Monique Ford Reporter

his summer, senior Luke Ferris will participate in the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles as a member of the USA Aquatics Special Olympics team. Ferris was one of seven people from Virginia invited to compete in the games, where he will compete in the 800-meter race and the open mile. “I do freestyle,” Ferris said. In October, Ferris started his training with a week-long session in Indianapolis with other members of Team USA. “He was nervous about going on his own, but very excited to travel,” said Luke’s father, John Ferris. Ferris has traveled to many places to compete, including Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, San Francisco and Miami.

Ferris said his favorite place to compete was San Francisco, which he noted was also one of his hardest races. “He didn’t win the race, but he gave it everything he had to finish it,” John Ferris said. Ferris is able to compete with a high level of focus and is dedicated to swimming, which are both qualities he feels increase his love for swimming. He especially loves the “good feelings” he gets from swimming. “Luke has great dedication to the sport,” special education teacher Mark Thompson said. “It is hard to find someone to want to do a long distance race. Luke likes to get the job done.” Ferris is known as a positive person who always has a smile on his face. “Luke embodies everything of what I hope for every McLean student and athlete,” English teacher and McLean swim

team coach Lori Wagoner said. Ferris first started swimming when he was 8 years old with a team called the Wakefield Wahoos. He now competes for Waves, his open water swim team. At McLean, Ferris has been on the varsity swim and dive team for two years and practices with them three times a week. “I think Luke is a great athlete. He comes in and understands he needs to work hard and participate in practice,” Wagoner said. He also practices with his Special Olympics team, and on the weekend he likes to swim at his local community pool. “[We] are really happy he enjoys swimming and that it makes him happy,” John Ferris said. Ferris can bring a smile to anyone’s face and with his positivity in both sports and in school, he can change anyone’s attitude with just a smile.

Take a breath—Senior Luke Ferris swims in the Virginia Special Olympics state meet in June, where he won three gold medals. Ferris is set to compete in the 800-meter race and the open mile in the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles next summer. (Photo courtesy of John Ferris)

SPORTS

Page design by Monique Ford

Varsity blues

Not every sport is recognized as an official school sport Jessica Bulford Sports Editor

thletes all have one thing in common— they are physically and emotionally invested in the sport they play. With all the time and energy student athletes put in, some feel degraded by the fact that their hard work and dedication is not recognized by the school. McLean students are fortunate that their school offers a variety of extracurricular activities and sports. However, because there is such a wide span in participation, not every sport is recognized at a varsity level, evoking frustration among teams. “I’m proud of all of our students and what they choose to do in school and out of school. We have a really amazing student body and that’s one thing I’ve always been proud of. Athletics, clubs, activities, marching band, drama, newspaper, yearbook—people spend a lot of time on their activities and work very hard,” Director of Student Activities Jim Patrick said. “One thing I find is that it’s very rewarding to be in a community where kids excel at high levels, and I feel like part of athletic participation is the comradery that you find in or out of school activity.” There are three levels of sports teams: interest groups/community sports, club and varsity. Community sports are made up of

INTEREST GROUPS Students can come together to talk about a sport but cannot practice or play under the school name

teams like hockey and rugby; however, they are not associated with the school. In an interest group students can meet at school to talk about their love for the sport, but the practicing, competing and coaching take place within the community, not in the school. A club sport is self-financed by the team. Club sports are VHSL recognized and have to follow the FCPS regulations and guidelines. The teams have equal access to any equipment or facilities that varsity level sports have access to. Along with equipment, the school also helps oversee in the hiring of coaches, but they do not pay coach stipends. Club teams include crew and freshman field hockey. Varsity sports include basketball, football, cross country, track, wrestling, field hockey, lacrosse, swimming, softball, baseball, gymnastics, cheer, dance, tennis, girls volleyball and soccer. When a sport is classified as varsity, it means that under Regulation 3860.8 it is acknowledged county-wide as a varsity level sport. The county pays coaches’ stipends for all varsity sports, keeps up field maintenance and provides transportation and officials for games or meets. It is not the activities office, Patrick or Principal Ellen Reilly who controls which sports receive which title. Instead, it is decided county-wide and the schools are required to enforce the rules.

COMMUNITY SPORTS These sports are not associated with the school in any way; however, the team may be made up of players mostly from McLean, like McLean ice hockey.

The activities office’s main job is to supply the equipment and uniforms for the team. Funding of each individual team is done through fundraisers by the activities office (which consists primarily of ticket sales) and by the team itself. When a sport is classified as interest group, club or varsity, it is possible for the team to gain or lose their status. For example, boys volleyball was classified as a club sport until participation dropped to one-third of the schools participating, causing it to become a community sport. Winter cheerleading and boys gymnastics were also sports, but due to lack of popularity they were removed all together. As soon as 50 percent of schools have interest in a specific sport, they can come together and make a recommendation to the division superintendents to add the sport to the athletic program. Due to difficulties with the FCPS budget, it has been harder for sports to gain recognition and easier for teams to lose status. Once schools agree that the athletic programs no longer serve the particular population of students, the sport can be deleted. “Is it regrettable that we can’t recognize every activity that each student does? It is certainly regrettable, but our students are involved in so many things that’s why we have to restrict our recognition,” Patrick said.

CLUB SPORTS The teams are selffinanced, but they are recognized by the VHSL and follow FCPS guidelines. The school also provides the teams with equal access to school facilities and equipment.

VARSITY SPORTS Teams are recognized on a county level. The school board provides transportation, officials for games/meets, and pays the coaches’ stipends. They also receive varsity letters, and the school provides team uniforms. Page design by Jessica Bulford

NOVEMBER

Breaking the ice

McLean hockey ready to suit up again after winning season John Corvari Reporter

or McLean ice hockey, the winter does not signal the start of several dark months spent huddled inside avoiding the cold. For them, winter signals the start of a new season and a chance to improve and build off of the previous year. Instead of avoiding the cold, they embrace it as a chance to get back on the ice. Last year’s team advanced to the playoffs with a record of 5-3-2, where they faced Woodbridge, who sported only a slightly better record of 6-3-1. Woodbridge’s superior record seemed fitting after the game ended with a disapointing 6-0 result that sent McLean home with a first round playoff loss to end their season. With many key returning players, the team hopes to avenge last year’s embarrassing loss with postseason wins this season. “Beyond the second round would be the goal,” senior Zach Heuple said. Heuple, who is beginning his fourth year on the team, said he sees the team as a group who has the talent to catapult to a higher level. Head coach John Sherlock is not concerned with how the team will bounce back this season. “Last year was last year,” Sherlock

said. “Woodbridge was a team loaded with seniors and we were loaded with sophomores. Big difference.” Freshman Phip Waugh is expected to be a valuable addition to this year’s team. Waugh has drawn praise from teammates and coaches during the pre-season. In his regular season debut, Waugh scored two goals to come back and win 5-3 after a 3-1 deficit against Loudoun County. “A lot of our underclassmen have improved and we have some great freshmen as well,” Heuple said. “Our freshman group is strong,” Sherlock said. “We have more depth than any [McLean] team since the team that went to the state championship game four years ago.” However, promising younger players are not what will drive the team this season. The key will be the experience of upperclassmen. The team suffered the loss of last year’s leading scorer Grady Paine, who had 13 goals and 12 assists in 10 regular season games. Therefore, it is up to the returning players, many of whom have experience in significant leadership roles on the team, to help the squad go into a new season with an expectation that it will be a successful one. “We can be as good as our players want to be. They are talented, they play hard and don’t quit,” Sherlock said. Nine of the team’s upperclassmen started

playing McLean hockey as freshmen, and those years playing together have paid off. “Our juniors are the rock on which everything else is built,” Sherlock said. Junior Jordan Blum went from one goal and four assists his freshman year to 11 goals and six assists his sophomore year. Blum’s breakout season signals a bright future for the next two years. “We’ve all matured a little over the past few years,” Blum said. “I’ve become better at finishing scoring chances.” Blum is not the only key returning scorer. Dev Doiron and Chris Cardwell had 16 and 12 points, respectively, third and fourth on the team, and they are both returning juniors this year. “Chris Cardwell, Jordan Blum, Dev Doiron at forward, Aidan Phipps, Carter Grose and Suliman Behsudi on defense are all part of our core,” Sherlock said. Paine will not be easy to replace, but with so many returning players, the team hopes to be a formidable threat and to have a chance to be better than previous years. “Everyone on this team is going to have to step up and contribute to replace [Paine’s] production,” Heuple said. “It’s on the team, not any individual, to step up.” Sherlock is confident in his team’s ability to compete this year. “Grady was a terrific player, but only one,” Sherlock said. “We’re going to be alright.” Photo courtesy of Matthew Grose Page design by John Corvari & Jake Barnett

SPORTS

Highlander sports wrap-up Cross country runs to states

The cross country team competed in the Northern Regional Championship on Nov. 5 at Burke Lake. Senior Michelle Vaccarro and junior Kathryn Howley finished in the top 31 runners and advanced to the state championship. Freshman Alex Pierce came close to qualifying and finished 32nd overall with a time of 15.59, and first as a freshman. Vaccarro and Howley competed in the state finals on Nov. 15th.

“I had to take a lot of time off over the season because of injuries, so I was shocked when I qualified for states.”

Go for it—Senior Erin Calpin goes for a ball during a home game against Thomas Jefferson on Sept. 15. The team went on to win 3-1. (Photo by James Carver)

-Senior Michelle Vaccarro Cross Country

Field hockey falls short

After being eliminated in the first round of the Liberty Conference tournament against Langley on Oct. 21, the field hockey team ended the season with six wins and nine losses. The team will lose five members to graduation: Elise Koehl, Isabel Coughlin, Kathleen Beckham, Erin Calpin and Regan Glembocki. High points of the season include beating Langley 2-1 on Oct. 8 to win the Rotary Cup and competing in a tournament in Virginia Beach. “The highlight of my season was scoring the first goal against Langley on senior night—it was easily the greatest moment of my field hockey career,” senior captain Erin Calpin said. “All four years that I have been at McLean we have beaten Langley [in the regular season].”

Cheerleading squad says goodbye to seniors

The cheerleading squad ended their season with an eighth place finish in the Liberty Conference finals. The team will lose seniors Jack Saunders, Karen Aroche, Skyler Lange, Katie Mahoney, David Nguyen and Evan Sims. Brooke Lyons and Lila Duvall were named next year’s captains.

number of games the field hockey team won during the season

Teamwork—The cheerleading squad works together to lift freshman Jessica Cottros and junior Amber Tran-Ha into a pyramid during the football game against Thomas Jefferson on Oct. 31. (Photo by Tanya Ajalli)

the place the cheerleading team finished in the Liberty Conference tournament

18.45

minutes it took Michelle Vaccarro to finish the 5K race to qualify for states

Golf team finishes strong

McLean’s co-ed varsity golf team, coached by social studies teacher Rick Eyerly, ended the fall season with a respectable 4-3 record. The team, which is made up of almost 50 percent underclassmen, earned key wins against Stone Bridge, Marshall, Fairfax and South Lakes. “We faced tougher competition this year but our team still did a solid job,” senior captain Cameron Kenworthy said. “It’s sad to be leaving the team next year, but our underclassmen are going to do a great job and I know the team will be successful in the future.”

High five—Senior Kelly Oler and junior Autumn Brenner high five each other after a good play during the team’s senior night against Madison on Oct. 30. The team lost 3-0. (Photo by James Carver)

Volleyball digs deep after tough losses

After the departure of eight of last year’s seniors, McLean’s varsity girls volleyball team was poised to have a tough season. However, thanks to the superb efforts of senior Kelly Oler, junior Autumn Brenner, freshman Madison McArthur and the rest of the squad, the season was salvaged. “We play with a lot of passion and heart,” Brenner said. “Next year we will have a great group of girls.” With the success the young team has experienced, the future of McLean volleyball looks bright. The team finished the season with a 7-9 record but was eliminated in the first round of the Liberty Conference tournament against Langley on Nov. 3.

“We faced tougher competition this year but our team still did a solid job.”

-Senior Cameron Kenworthy Varsity Golf

Young football talent raises hopes for next season

In a season defined by ups and downs, McLean’s varsity football team performed well intermittently with a final record of five wins and five losses. Despite an injury early in the season, senior starting quarterback Brian Maffei went on to set a state record in his first game back. The tenacious Highlanders rallied throughout the season and ended with a strong feeling of accomplishment. “We’ve controlled our own destiny and that is something that we pride ourselves in having done,” senior kicker Logan Legg said. A talented junior class of players, including Patrick Dolan and Tom Shue, holds promise for next season.

Ready to play—Senior Jordan Cole awaits the start of the game against Herndon on Oct. 2. The team went on to lose 51-35. (Photo by James Carver)

Reporting by Maddy Witchey & Liam Zeya Page design by Maddy Witchey

number of seniors on the volleyball team

252

total number of points the football team scored this season

1956

the year golf became a sport at McLean

Color guard on the rise

A look inside the accomplished guard program at McLean

Practice makes perfect—Nick Brandon, Samantha Lai and Mariah Zwirb practice spinning their rifles. The color guard team rehearses with the marching band during the fall season. (Photo by Apiding Osika) Sam Silverman Reporter

he McLean color guard is a team of dancers who work with the marching band in the fall to help enrich the visual aspect of the show. In the winter, the guard performs shows independently. Spinning flags, rifles and swords are all part of the color guard’s routine, and they are all actions that require a great deal of skill and coordination, skills that each guard member possesses. The color guard, however, has not always been a prominent part of the marching band. “Only within the past two years [has guard] become something that’s really effective and that contributes to the overall appearance and the performance of the marching band show,” band director Chris Weise said. “My first year here there were six or seven guard; this year we have 24.” Weise has been with the McLean marching band for 10 years. With the color guard’s growth, the band program hired Jesus Villeda, who has

participated in guard since he was in 9th grade, to oversee the program. Villeda has been with the McLean color guard program for four years. “Jesus [Villeda] has somehow...cracked that nut in terms of getting people interested in the guard,” Weise said The fall guard program, which operates in association with the marching band, had 24 members on the team. The winter guard program, which operates separately from the marching band—but is still funded through the band program—is expected to have 50 or more members on three teams, including a cadet team, a JV team and a varsity team. Starting in August, the color guard rehearses every weekday with the marching band, at times for more than 10 hours a day. Once school starts, they rehearse with the band after school for two and a half hours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The fall season ended on Oct. 25, but now the winter season has begun. The cadet winter guard practices every Wednesday,

and the JV and varsity teams practice every Tuesday and Friday. “Each team is doing their own show,” Villeda said. “The varsity team is of course our big performing group. It’s going to be made up of 18 students and they are the most athletic, they have the most performing skills and they have the most equipment skills.” The varsity guard’s show is called Forgotten Youth and centers around the song “Youth” by the band Daughter. It is about a girl who is going through her memories and reflecting on her past. The JV show is based on the song “3 Things” by Jason Mraz, and the Cadet show is based on the song “I Want Candy,” though Villeda has not yet determined which version of the song they will use. Because of all their hard work, Villeda, Weise and some guard members believe it should be considered a sport. “If you’re going to call dance team a sport, you need to call color guard a sport too because it’s the same type of physical skill,” Villeda said The physical aspects are certainly there—guard members need to be coordinated, strong and skillful to toss flags, rifles and swords into the air and catch them perfectly. “Guard is definitely a sport,” said freshman Michael Deitch, who plans to do winter guard. “It’s very physically demanding and you have to have coordination because it’s really hard to be able to spin the rifle and do all the dancing, and then maybe spin sabre or flag, whatever you’re doing,” Whether or not guard should be considered a sport, one thing is certain: this elite group of dancers is only getting stronger. “They have started to really contribute to the success of the band program,” Weise said. Even with the color guard season ending, the flags will keep spinning as winter guard season begins. Page design by Sam Silverman

NOVEMBER

Christine McCulla

ATHLETE OF THE ISSUE Photo by James Carver Page design by Jake Barnett

Jake Barnett Sports Editor

What makes swimming a team sport?

Do you plan on swimming in college?

I think swimming is a team sport because even though you race individually you still train together. When you’re on a relay team you swim together. Outside of the pool you cheer together and you hang out together. Even though the majority of races are individual, your teammates are still there cheering for you and they are still supporting you, so swimming is definitely a team sport.

Right now I do plan on swimming in college and my first choice is to swim at Coast Guard.

What is your favorite part of swim season?

My favorite part of swim season is definitely the things we do outside the pool: the team dinners, the power breakfasts and the rides to and from the meets. I love competing, but I also love when the team gets together and really gets to know each other and have fun.

How long do you spend training a week? About 22 hours a week.

What motivates you to train for swimming?

For a long time my motivation was trying to swim in college. Now that it’s here, my motivation has definitely changed. Swimming is the sport that I love and it has done so much for me and my friends. I train so much because I know if I’m having a bad day my teammates will be there for me, so I want to be there for them if they are having a bad day.

What is the role of competition on the swim team?

I think friendly competition makes high school swim more fun because one part of the year you’re teammates and friends but at the same time you get healthy competition during the summer season and club season.

SPORTS

Photo courtesy of Christine McCulla

LINE

THE Carolyn Brown-Kaiser Gymnastics Freshman

Brendan Grammes Wrestling Sophomore

What is your favorite Thanksgiving food?

Mashed potatoes

Canadians don’t celebrate Thanksgiving*

If you could meet one athlete living or dead, who would it be?

Jordyn Wieber

Albert Pujols

Michael Jordan

Larry Bird

What is the best moment of your career so far?

Earning first place at the Virgina level 7 Junior Olympic competition

Placing third at states

New Balance Nationals

Getting buckets

Food

James Carver

Pasta

Seeing my Physics grade

I don’t cry

What is one thing you can’t live without? What is the last thing that made you cry?

My sister Lizzy

Watching an episode of Grey’s Anatomy

Dropping a weight on my foot

*Editor’s Note: Yes, they do. Thanksgiving Day in Canada occurs on the second Monday in October.

Jack Ferguson Basketball Senior

Caitlin Payne Track Junior

Photos by Jake Barnett Page design by Jake Barnett & Nhi Nguyen

NOVEMBER