Volume 64 • Senior Edition • Issue 7 • June 2020 • McLean High School • thehighlandernews.com • @MHSHighlander
SENIOR EDITION
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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2020! YOU ROCK! From the Opsahl-Ong family
Volume 64 • Senior Edition • June 2020 • McLean High School thehighlandernews.com • @MHSHighlander 1633 Davidson Road McLean, Virginia 22101
Letter from the
Senior Editors Dear McLean, Not even The Highlander staff’s most talented writers could have predicted the way the Class of 2020’s story would end. But the one thing that has remained constant in all of our uncertainty is the home we’ve found contributing to this newsmagazine and our community. Now more than ever, journalism matters. That’s a mantra all 20 of our seniors have taken to heart throughout their time on staff. And that’s why we have continued to publish content even through the worst of times. Between exploring McLean’s racist past and reviewing meatless hamburgers, no topic has been off limits to discuss this year, and we hope that each and every issue we published continued to push the envelope for what is acceptable and expected of high school journalists. While it would be nice to take credit for all the success our staff has had this year, it would also be grossly inaccurate to do so. You, as readers, and your incredible lives are what fill the pages of The Highlander and give us something worth writing about. Class of 2020, thank you for journeying with us and taking part in a magazine that is just as much yours as it is ours. You are all truly special. Things may have not ended up how we wanted, but maybe a plot twist is what we needed. Even though we’ve been physically apart, we have become closer in our solitude. From graduation parades to Zoom birthday parties, we have shown our resilience. As you read through this special edition of The Highlander, we hope you relish all your good memories. But we also hope you reflect on all the good that has come out of the bad because walking across a graduation stage is not the ticket to happiness in life; learning to stay positive when life isn’t so happy is. Signing off from two patio chairs in McLean, Nicholas Lohman and Ava Rotondo
TABLE
OFCONTENTS
4
Letter about COVID-19
5
Senior timeline: 2016-2020
6-11
The Highlander senior staff bios
12
Senior year highs
13
Class of 2020 glow-ups
14-17 College map 18
10 years from now
19
Senior advice
20
Prom playlist ‘17 Pacemaker Winner; ‘15, ‘19 Pacemaker Finalist; ‘15, ‘17, ‘18 All-American; ‘12, ‘13, ‘14, ‘16 First Class; Hall of Fame ‘15, ‘16, ‘19 Gold Crown Winner ‘17, ‘18 Silver Crown Winner; ‘05, ‘07, ‘12, ‘13, ‘14, ‘15, ‘16, ‘17, ‘18, ‘19 CSPA Gold Medalist
14, ‘16, ‘17, ‘18, ‘19 George H. Gallup Award; ‘15 International First Place ‘14, ‘15, ‘16, ‘17, ‘18, ‘19 VHSL Trophy Class; ‘11, ‘12 First Place Winner; VHSL Savedge Award
‘00, ‘18, ‘19, ‘20 First Amendment Press Freedom Award
ABCOUOTVCOID LEDTTEEAR R VID Refl ections from the couch
REBEKA RAFI MANAGING EDITOR & AD MANAGER | THOMAS LOHMAN REPORTER
L
et’s be honest. None of us predicted we would be sitting at home for days on end in a national lockdown because of a global pandemic––the first major global pandemic since the Spanish flu––in the last few months of our senior year. There’s no Hershey Park, no senior prom, beach week or traditional graduation. Perhaps even worse, we will never get an official goodbye from our friends and teachers. Our year was simply cut short, and we’re missing out on what was supposed to be the best part of high school. Our reality seems like a science fiction movie come to life, and we must adapt to and cope with this reality. While the traditional activites of senior year may have been taken away, we should all take this time to savor the little moments that will create the stories we will tell for years to come, like the birthday party we had with our friends wearing masks in a parking lot, the laughs we shared over hours-long FaceTimes that would go on into the early hours of the morning, the newly found affinity for baking (and eating) and an odd obsession with a crazy tiger-keeper from Oklahoma. We urge you to stay active and discover new hobbies to keep you busy during this pandemic. The Highlander staff has amused themselves by producing new material for readers. The uncertainty in the world has inspired us to work to provide our readers with important, accurate and up-to-date information, both on our website and in our COVID-19 print edition of The Highlander. Through frequent Zoom calls, long nights and endless revisions, we have strived to maintain and improve the integrity of our publication. We thank those readers who have stuck with us throughout this journey. As student journalists, we are aware of the significance of reporting accurately and based on fact, particularly during such stressful times, and we hope that we have provided some clarity during this pandemic. As senior year winds down and we wait for reality to return to normal, we also prepare for the next phase of our lives. Let’s take our very unique senior experience and everything it taught us, especially the importance of kindness, empathy, resillience, teamwork and hope, forward, wherever the future may take us. Stay safe Highlanders, and remember to wash your hands!
2 | SENIOR EDITION | JUNE
Graphic & page design by Rebeka Rafi
2016-2017
CLASS OF 2020 TIMELINE HOMECOMING FOOTBALL WIN AGAINST FAIRFAX, STUDENTS RUSH THE FIELD
TENNIS, BAND AND GYMNASTICS WIN STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS PHOTO COURTESY OF @MCLEANHIGHSCHOOLBAND FACEBOOK
2019-2020
2018-2019
2017-2018
PHOTO BY IMANI McCORMICK
VIGIL HELD ON FOOTBALL FIELD FOR PARKLAND SHOOTING VICTIMS
STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL WALKOUTS PHOTO BY MAREN KRANKING
PHOTO BY MAREN KRANKING
SNOW STORM ON THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING
21 SAVAGE ARRESTED BY ICE FROZEN YOGURT MACHINE PLACED IN RED HALL PHOTO BY LIMA MUTAHIDY
FCPSOn PROGRAM LAUNCHED
BAND WINS THIRD CONSECUTIVE STATE TITLE PHOTO COURTESY OF LYDIA RIVERA
NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL CATCHES FIRE
COMBATING INTOLERANCE & ASL ELECTIVES INTRODUCED
PHOTO BY BELEN BALLARD
COVID-19 PANDEMIC CANCELS END OF SCHOOL YEAR
Reporting & page design by Ava Rotondo
EARLY MORNING PEP RALLY & FOOTBALL WIN AGAINST LANGLEY PHOTO COURTESY OF EILEEN WHELAN
JUNE | SENIOR EDITION | 3
NICHOLAS LOHMAN EDITOR-IN CHIEF
I
t’s not often that you meet someone with whom you feel you share a brain. But for Nicholas and me, the second we became co-editors-in-chief, we hit the ground running in total unison. We started to make the same jokes, wear unsettlingly similar outfits and have cravings for Starbucks black unsweetened iced coffees (yes, we even have the same drink order) at the exact same time. Our rushed coffee runs at late nights brought us together even more as we juggled cups, (jokingly) fought over who got to present people with their drink orders and bonded in frustration over the sugar in our coffees which we very clearly asked to be sugar free. Nicholas may have been featured in a six-word story about his constant hunger for and stealing of staff members’ food, but his appetite for pushing boundaries is even more insatiable. He is constantly trying to innovate and navigate the journalistic process in new ways, and that intensity and love for journalism inspires everyone on staff. I, at times, am astonished by his eagerness to work, BIGGEST APPETITE but that flame kept the fire of The Highlander roaring. He’s just a natural-born leader, and that’s not going to change when he rolls up to Georgetown’s campus next year. We had joked about taking The Hoya by storm––but who am I kidding, Nicholas definitely won’t need any help to do that. I couldn’t have asked for a more inspiring person with whom to edit, run around journalism conventions, judge oysters at Tysons’ new Whole Foods way too harshly and share the biggest laughs (and cries, too) all year. From every experience together I’ve learned so much. Every second was worth it. Thank you for being by my side through it all. — Ava Rotondo
AVA ROTONDO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
F
rom the day we first worked together, Ava and I clicked. And I think it’s safe to say we quickly made that obvious to everyone on staff, whether they asked for it or not (my deepest apologies to anyone we ganged up on throughout the year). Looking back on it, our twinning was on the verge of creepy—and that’s coming from a twin. Whether it was accidentally coordinating the way we drank our much-needed late night coffee or thinking the exact same thing about whatever clown act Ben was partaking in, we agreed so much that, at times, I was legitimately scared to disagree. Nevertheless, there are still things about Ava neither myself nor anyone on staff could possibly understand, like how a future Columbia grad could listen to Eminem for seven straight hours while still getting work done. And I don’t think anyone will ever understand her love for New York, a city she’s described as her “past, present and future.” But the truth is, it’s these quirky things that have shaped Ava’s funny and down-to-earth personality and that make her so CAPTAIN AH-RANGE EXPO relatable. It is rare to have your best friend be such an accomplished and highachieving person. But it is a miracle, in D.C.’s toxic environment, for that person to be so humble and, in all honesty, an actual person, not a robot. That is why everybody in journalism is immediately drawn to Ava. She says what we’re all thinking and would never change who she is for success. Thank you for all the memories. A disastrous trip we took to Lebanese Taverna with the entire staff that left us indebted in tip money to Isaac. Dozens of hours of work that left us crying in our hoodies. An appearance in your Common App essay. And everything in between. I can’t wait to visit you at Columbia (try not to drown sailing around Long Island before I get there). — Nicholas Lohman 4 | SENIOR EDITION | JUNE
Page design by Nicholas Lohman
REBEKA RAFI MANAGING EDITOR
I
first met Rebeka in Ms. Duggan’s middle school journalism class, and despite not saying a single word to her or doing much actual journalism (most of class was spent watching Doctor Who), I noticed that she had an unusually positive attitude toward writing articles—even if they were censored by Longfellow’s administration. It wasn’t until I had an epiphany that led me to quit band on my second day of sophomore year and rejoin journalism that I crossed paths with Rebeka again and realized what everybody else always notices about her: Rebeka doesn’t just have a positive attitude toward Netflix and journalism, she has a positive attitude toward life. That is what we all (especially me) have grown to appreciate about her. It doesn’t matter if she’s redesigning a Mylo’s ad, leading the managing editors or incomprehensibly answering Mr. Click in our 6th period French class. The second I yell for Rebeka to come over and help me, she does, even if that means being my moral support while editing an in-depth we wrote in three days or taking #UNDERAPPRECIATED what seems like half the class to Starbucks. I honestly think, though, that her calm and quietly savage personality has caused us all to forget just how much Rebeka has done for The Highlander. Whether she’s ditching her date to take photos at McLean’s homecoming football game, driving staff members around town so they can earn extra credit for selling ads or attempting to write five (yes, five) articles for what would have been the sixth issue of the magazine, Rebeka rarely talks about how much she works (a lesson I could maybe take from her) but is truly the backbone of our publication. I hope to visit Rebeka at whatever college or clown college she ends up attending. Harvard, Yale and Princeton don’t know what’s coming. — Nicholas Lohman
BEN BROOKS MANAGING EDITOR
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ne hundred twenty-nine and counting—that’s the number of times I’ve “accidentally” almost killed Ben. If you’ve known him for even five minutes, you’re probably aware that he’s deathly allergic to nuts. If he hadn’t asked what type of milk was in my Starbucks coffee that I was prepared to force-feed him at late nights (it was almond milk), we would have been in a very bad situation. Ben is one of the wittiest, most thoughtful people I’ve ever met. But his proudest characteristic is his unabated appetite for cantaloupe, or ‘loupe, as he’s dubbed it. I doubt I’ll ever get tired of his company—even after hours upon hours spent sitting in NSPA convention sessions, waiting in a mile-long line at a Pete Buttigieg rally and calling at all hours of the night trying to finish online articles. Honestly, I would have been surprised if you’d told me a year ago what good friends we’d become, but I am so glad we made it past those initial—and glaring— differences. I hope Ben never stops making ‘loupe runs when he’s procrastinating writing an article, wearing obnoxiously mismatched neon outfits or obsessing over Metro Boomin. ‘LOUPE LOVER We may have made a pact to never write an article together after many rocky partnerships, but of course, we always found ourselves writing another joint article issue after issue. The 500 miles between Morningside Heights and Blacksburg have nothing on us. I wish Ben the absolute best of luck at Virginia Tech, where he’ll be a magical turkey (a Hokie, I believe, is the scientific term). And I have faith that even though he has no idea what he’s going to do in the future, in typical Ben fashion, he’ll figure it out eventually and make it really, really special. — Ava Rotondo JUNE | SENIOR EDITION | 5
JESSICA OPSAHL-ONG MANAGING EDITOR
J
essica is infamous in my friend group for missing our scheduled Skype calls during quarantine, usually because she’s lost in a novel. In addition to always having great book suggestions, Jessica’s vernacular is quality. In conversations, she is known for saying things like “swanky,” “swell,” “vibing” and so on. When she’s not reading, Jessica is the unsung hero of the journalism crew. She stays every late night ‘till 10, working tirelessly to ensure everything gets done. This year, I often watched amazed as she would leave the journalism room armed with her computer full of brilliant interview questions, her phone to call her interviewees and my phone to record with. But Jessica is not just a swanky journalist. She’s a brilliant writer and an amazing friend. The best thing is that despite already being incredible, every day, I saw her strive to grow even more. She was always there for me this year. Whether it was talking, giving me a hug, tutoring GOLDFISH QUEEN me in my summer Algebra 2 class or driving me home from late nights, she always had my back. I will forever cherish memories of writing articles together, rendering trees in Photoshop, playing board games and listening to Half Alive. The epitome of Ravenclaw, Jessica is one of the most fascinating and wonderful people I’ve ever met. Rice is incredibly lucky.
SEBASTIAN JIMENEZ MANAGING EDITOR
— Cordelia Lawton
T
he first time I talked to Sebastian was during our first year in journalism at our Cub Edition late nights. When we both couldn’t stop laughing at our own salty edits, I knew we were going to be friends. Well...we didn’t exactly have a choice because the administration gave us seven classes together during the next two years. I’m glad they did though because my high school experience would’ve been so boring without his extraordinary sense of humor and expansive vocabulary. Whether it’s “arguing over a word choice for two hours” (if you know, you know), leaving Capstone early to go to Taco Bell, sending and receiving that “you haven’t started either?” text at 2 a.m. or sitting in Mr. Olcott’s office for hours, Sebastian never fails to brighten my day. With his sarcasm and “you only live once” mindset that matches mine, we definitely sent it on a lot of occasions. One of my personal favorites is when we filmed one of our final WALKING THESAURUS exam videos in a trash can. His presence during late nights made them more enjoyable, even (especially) when he ate so much and did so little. It’ll be hard going to school without Sebastian, but I know he’ll do huge things and have a great time in New York. I hope his future classmates never get into an argument with him though because they WILL lose.
CORDELIA LAWTON NEWS EDITOR
C
— Emily Jackson
ordelia is one of those people that I simply cannot believe I’ve only known for two years. Besides the fact that I know far too much about her cat than the two-year time frame would dictate, it’s also impossible to imagine my life without her calming and compassionate presence. But I don’t think anyone is very surprised by these attributes of Cordelia. From your first conversation with her, you know that she will become incredibly invested in her Oceanography fish’s lives and will give the best hugs. What you may not notice from your first conversation with Cordelia is her underlying strength. Her article about the importance of valuing school titled “BE GRATEFUL” is a great example of this. Cordelia is incredibly passionate about education and is not afraid to express her disappointment when I roll my eyes at the thought of another Gov project or show my sub-par enthusiasm for poetry (sorry). And she was certainly not afraid to broadcast this to KING RUNEARD the entire school in her article. Whether it’s successfully publishing a complicated piece on Brexit, delivering many constructive and well-explained edits, writing a brutal review about a beloved Disney movie or dancing the night away at Homecoming despite not knowing any of the songs, Cordelia’s strength is something that occasionally surprises me but always makes me admire her more. Mount Holyoke better be ready because she’s going to do amazing things! —Jessica Opsahl-Ong 6 | SENIOR EDITION | JUNE
EMILY JACKSON
ERICA BASS
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BEN PHAM
ROHAN MANI
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FEATURES & COPY EDITOR ver the course of my three years at McLean, Emily’s proven to be an invaluable friend and an even greater source of selfreflection. I will forever remember one morning in first period Lang last year when I came into class late and explained to her that I had stayed up almost the entire night doing the thing we were now turning in. Without pause, she belligerently replied, “You have terrible decision-making skills.” Few people can really hit the bullseye so bluntly yet so sharply. After that, Emily’s enthusiasm when it came to expressing her opinions characterized the rest of our time together. But beyond sarcastic looks and subtle quips, I learned of a fierce person who was more caring and kind than “I DONT CARE” EMILY she chose to show. I will miss our many open-handed roast sessions and the countless arguments we had in Oceanography over whose turn it was to do fish tank testing (that will always be a hill I am willing to die on). Emily helped make nearly three years of long, pointless, repetitive days bearable. That ability is so rare. Tulane should consider themselves lucky to have it. — Sebastian Jimenez
REPORTER
en and I met at a quinceañera a week after I moved, and immediately, we were really close. I didn’t have much choice in the matter, and honestly, I don’t really think he did either. Ben has seen me at my kindest and my crankiest and, for some strange reason, has stayed my friend to this day. But despite how long we’ve been friends, I’ll never understand some things about him. For example, you’d think ingesting that much Coke would be deadly for a human being, but he remains alive and kicking. Every conversation I have with Ben has the potential to go in a million different directions, and when I start to get too strung up in my high maintenance PEWDIEPIE JR. method of handling this mortal coil, he’s always there with a collected attitude and a bag of Doritos to balance me out. Ben, you are the reason my McLean experience was the way it was, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you for everything, and also, next time you write an article about meatless fast food, consult me, because I have thoughts. — Erica Bass
OPINIONS & DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR rica has made my last three years at McLean an absolute blast with her witty remarks that always keep me in check and questions that cause me to wonder if I’m a boomer. After Erica introduced herself to me with a hilarious Southern accent, I knew we would be friends, as I immediately realized my enormous opportunity to tease her. Without Erica, I probably wouldn’t have survived first period journalism, as I would often enter the class half asleep and be revived by her bubbly personality or one of our usual arguments about LITERALLY anything. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that Erica made journalism for me. Erica is one of my closest ERICA BEAR BEAR friends, so I might be a little biased, but when I say she is one of the smartest girls I’ve ever met, I mean it with all my heart. Erica, I’m so excited to see what you do in the future, and I’m sure everyone in journalism feels the same. Thank you for being your amazing self that for some reason can’t understand that you’re wrong and I’m right. — Ben Pham
SPORTS EDITOR
rom emergency 7-Eleven stops to picking up toilet paper to helping continue his blood feuds with the Pakistanis through a game of cricket, I truly have never had a boring moment with Rohan. Given that Rohan was a sports editor, one would think that he would have a decent knowledge of the sports world. Unfortunately, this theory was frequently proven wrong by his everlasting hope and faith in the Chicago Bears. However, he more than made up for his lack of common sense by dragging me through a corona-infested D.C. metro station to go to a Wizards game right before the NBA shut down for the virus. SMALLEST HEAD Most of all, I’ll miss having to drive Rohan around to every single place he needs to go because he’s too lazy to actually get his own license, so he has to use me instead. Rohan has come such a long way since he missed 26 days of third period sophomore year, and I can’t wait to go visit him at Georgetown, hopefully with Nicholas as his roommate (consider this one last plea). — Ben Brooks JUNE | SENIOR EDITION | 7
THOMAS LOHMAN
ATHENA LE
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ISAAC LAMOREAUX
ZACH ANDERSON
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REPORTER
first met Thomas in Madame Barrau’s eighth grade French class… or maybe it was his twin brother? Thomas—or “Tomah,” as most French teachers would pronounce it—always knows how to lift the mood of a room. Late nights will not be the same without his witty remarks. Due to his track record, Tomah had to tag along on my advertising trips across town so that he’d receive extra credit. His MUN skills came in handy while speaking to potential advertisers, so honestly, I’m glad he needed the grade boost. Additionally, in the four years I’ve taken journalism, I wrote one of my favorite articles ever with Tomah. Even MR. FUTURE EIC when I asked him to pose for a picture stirring a pot of Chef Boyardee SpaghettiOs for our humor article last issue, he did so— no questions asked. Whether jamming out in my car to “Umbrella” by Rihanna on our way to a local McLean business or laughing about a page full of edits to be made, I’m so happy to have gotten to know such an incredible person. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Thomas Lohman at Georgetown! — Rebeka Rafi
A&E EDITOR
o you love silly yet controversial questions? Do you constantly make crappy puns? Do you hold full conversations in Halsey’s voice? Congratulations! You’re Isaac Lamoreaux! (And no, I still don’t know how to pronounce his last name.) Isaac is known for his constant cheerfulness, his amazing design skills and his obsession with all things Lana Del Rey. Readers might remember his hilarious “Heard in the Halls” page, his Halloween-themed scavenger hunt and his colorful rendition of The Highlander’s 10 Qs article. And yet, perhaps even more impressive is his kindness. He never got mad at Jessica and I when we routinely stole his BUTTER’S A CARB lunch M&Ms (whoops)—or at least, he never showed it. When I, a senior with no journalistic experience, became a staff member this year, Isaac explained the ways of the journalism room to me. When some journalism students left a restaurant without tipping, he paid for all of them. BYU, you got lucky (just try to remind him that butter is in fact a FAT). — Lauren Thompson 8 | SENIOR EDITION | JUNE
REPORTER
knew that first impressions were bogus after getting to know Athena. Seeming introverted at first, Athena’s the only person I know who can say something that makes me lose brain cells while being insightful. Was I impressed by Athena’s athleticism? Not at first. However, Athena put her life on the line to secure our spot in the semifinals of Mr. Jackson’s gym class soccer tournament. In my 11 years playing soccer, I’ve never seen a goalie’s face hit so many times in one match. But no matter how many times life tries to knock Athena down, she continues to get right back up. Whether writing an incredible review of a meatless burger by herself (oops, I mean HIBERNATION STATION with Ben) or even traveling to four different cities in one day to taste pho restaurants (both adventures she dragged me along for), there’s no question she is driven. Nicknamed “Big Al” on our softball team, despite being vertically challenged, she will always be Big Al to me for her big determination, reliability and heart. Future pro-gamer, TikTok star, pro-sleeper or Mukbanger: Athena, whatever you become, I know your future is bright. — Rebeka Rafi
COPY & DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR rom the homecoming dance floor freshman year to the end of our senior year, I am so lucky to have had Zach by my side. Whether we were interviewing someone in Thailand or comparing the student body to a zoo in our iconic PD-EW article, our two years together in journalism were so much fun. I don’t think I went more than five minutes in R133 without bursting into laughter thanks to his odd jokes. I mean, he is viral on TikTok for a reason. Any room he enters (Starbucks drink in hand) completely lights up with his smile and likeable personality. His presence has graced the school, our neighborhood and my life these past few years, DRAMA KING and I’ll really miss not seeing him every day. I don’t think I could go from having a laughter fit to an existential crisis to throwing up peace signs for a timer pic in the same hour with anyone else. UVA got a good one, and I can’t wait to see all the amazing things Zach does in college and beyond. — Emily Jackson
JACKSON CLAYTON
SAM NAEMI
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LAUREN THOMPSON
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y first interaction with Jackson came in Mr. LeBlanc’s English class in the 10th grade. It consisted solely of him drawing memes on the whiteboard of every single novel that we read during the year. That collection of English-related memes contained approximately 70 of the most creative pieces of art I had ever seen. When I saw that Jackson was taking journalism, I was overjoyed that the publication was getting someone with his creativity and artistic ability. On top of that, Jackson’s sense of humor is truly unparalleled. I don’t think I have ever had a conversation with him that didn’t result in me laughing. Jackson has done so much for the magazine and website THE NEXT STEVE JOBS this year, and thanks to his ingenuity, The Highlander Online’s design has improved immensely. Due to his love of video games and design, I can’t wait to see what Jackson does in the future, and I look forward to eventually buying one of the bestselling video games that he will inevitably make at some point. Until then, I wish Jackson that best of luck at Miami University, knowing he will do some incredible things. — Ben Brooks
COPY EDITOR espite only knowing Ally for a year, I have overheard her quietly fierce debates with other staff members and have come to the conclusion that she is particularly badass. She has principles, and she is willing to stand up for them. She’s not afraid to fight for her beliefs. Ally’s also a truly incredible artist who can capture moments and people with ease and a great writer who consistently churns out creative article ideas. A perfect example of these gifts in action is the Artist Spotlight page she created about Ivy Sun. She combined her love of art with descriptive writing and created a truly beautiful article. ARTISTIC ALLY Ally was also able to accomplish an incredible amount in a short period of time. Shy but eager to learn, she was very involved in convention seminars and quickly learned many new skills. Back in the journalism room, she soon got promoted to copy editor. I am confident she will be successful in whatever her future holds! — Lauren Thompson
REPORTER
hen I first sat next to Sam in journalism last year, he was the quiet kid who had been on my soccer team for a couple of years. However, over the next two years, he evolved into one of my best friends and journalism partner in crime. Despite being a man of few words to most who knew him, his inquisitive and uniquely opinionated personality created many stimulating and hysterical conversations, inside jokes and, once in a while, a good idea for our article. Sam was unlike anyone I had ever met. From his passion for old wartime music, competitive gaming dreams and geniunely curious nature about everything and anything, there was never a dull moment working with Sam. His passion for anything is what intrigued me the most. Whether THE REAL ALEX TREBEK it be a Jeopardy game online, Connect 4 or arguing with me about the article (only to give in eventually), his ability to devote his energy towards anything he wanted to no matter how menial or big was quite impressive. I know that Sam will do amazing things the next couple of years at Pennsylvania State University and will one day gain a significant audience on his Twitch stream. — Rohan Mani
REPORTER
was so happy to see Lauren walk into journalism at the beginning of the year. I met Lauren in the middle of my junior year, and I am so glad I did! Lauren is one of those people who seems to always be happy, smiling and THRIVING. Journalism with Lauren has been a blast, and I can’t imagine what my time working on The Highlander would have been like without her. Even though she was only a staff member for a year, she was able to get the hang of it and even be printed (we stan Harry Styles)! She always made sure that her articles were perfect and seemed to never have a dull moment. Whether she got on the wrong train back to McLean, BUTTER’S NOT A CARB talked about her creepy Christian private school experience a little too much or just made me laugh during our casual lunch break conversations, she has made journalism so much fun for me and so many others. You are amazing, Lauren. I know you are going to do great things! — Isaac Lamoreaux JUNE | SENIOR EDITION | 9
SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS “Handing out 500 donuts to the senior class and seeing how happy everyone was to get a Valentine’s Day themed donut.” —Sachi Dieker
“My favorite senior moment was the McLean-Langley basketball game at home. We had a cookout in the J-Lot right after school and then got to go watch both of our teams beat Langley.” —Omar Khan
“It was fun to finally win at the pep rally.” —Ellie Kim
“Waking up at 5 a.m. to be in a pep rally on the news and then beating Langley in football later that night!” —Maeron Kebede
10 | SENIOR EDITION | JUNE
“Something about senior year and the thought of going away to college lit a flame under me and my friends who were all super busy. So whenever we had an opportunity to do something fun and ridiculous, we would do it. My favorite was an impromptu visit to King’s Dominion on a school night.” —John Godwin
“Getting to travel to Key Largo with my classmates for my APES class.” —Samanvita Kolachana
“Attending the holiday concert performed by the McLean music department. While awaiting college decisions and continuing to grind [before] second semester, it was nice to get a little reprieve through holiday music.” —Angela Feng
Reporting & page design by Cordelia Lawton & Jessica Opsahl-Ong
ALL GLOWN UP So, you say people can’t change... Ben Jeannot
Sarah Gu
Mehr Sahgal
Luke Saunders
Alex Weinstein
Bel Belvedere
Elena Klenk
Hershel Carrillo-Klein
Audrey Grau
Nathan Zhu
Cameron Thierer
Liam A’Hearn
Reporting & page design by Nicholas Lohman & Rebeka Rafi
JUNE | SENIOR EDITION | 11
CLASS OF 2020 COLLEGE MAP SCHOOLS IN
& OTHER PLANS INTERNATIONAL / OTHER PLANS
CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY
CHINA UNIVERSITY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND LAW HONGYUAN GAO
CHARLIE GARTNER MIA GOLDBERG
UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS LONDON LARS ROSEN
UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA JENICA FICHADIA UNIVERSIDAD de LA SABANDA ANA SOFIA GOYENECHE
EMPLOYED FATIMA DEL CID
UNIVERSITY OF CATANIA ROBERTA RODOLICO
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SHANGHAI JOONSUNG BYUN
PLANS TO BECOME A CHEF OSCAT AYALA SEGOVIA
McGILL UNIVERSITY SEREENA BHANJI
MILITARY KENNY CHARLES ROBERT LANGSTON RAFAEL SANCHEZ MATTHEW WARNER
LDS MISSION WILL PAYNE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO NANAKO SUGIMOTO COLLEGE IN JAPAN MIYU OE
12 | SENIOR EDITION | JUNE
TRADE SCHOOL JACOB HOTALING GERMANY GLORIA SUN
CELINE JELINSKI WILL VALINOTE
COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY BRUKE AMARE GRETA BEGGS JERRICK BRAVO SOPHIA CALDERONE ALEXA CARMENATES ALEXANDER FERENTINOS
BEN JEANNOT AMANDA MULLET CATHERINE MURRAY RACHEL NGUYEN LINDSEA STRELSER
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY PATRICIA YSABEL BACANI MAHA BAIG SAURABH BASAK AL-WALEED BASHUMEEL CHRISTOPHER FERNANDES MARGUERITE GODWIN SEVVAL GULHAN SARAH HOLLAND SAMEEHA MALIK
MONSERRAT MORA EMILY PANEK EDDIE PEABODY JULIA ROBERTON NISCHAL SHRESTHA BENJAMIN TORRES OGEBE UDENYI SOLOMON WANG KEVIN YANG
SPECIAL THANKS TO LAURA VENOS
Page design by Ben Brooks, Maren Kranking & Ava Rotondo
JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
SABRINA BENMIRA MAGGIE CAMPION JUSTIN DEHGHAN ELANA ELLINGTON ALEX GARCIA KAYLA EKSTEEN CAITLIN KELLEY JOHN LeMUNYON
TIARA ALLARD ZACH ANDERSON ETHAN BACICA LAUREN BENEDICT BELA BHATNAGAR MAEVE ENGLEHART SOOREN GHODSI TESS GINSBERG EMILY HUNTER RAYA JABBOURE AKSHITHA KSLSVSKONDA MAERON KEBEDE SARA GRACE KENNEDY ALLISON LAI
KENI McBEE EASTON McCOLLOUGH RYAN McMAHON ELI MULLIGAN LUKE SAUNDERS THARA THA KEN WAINAINA
MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY CLARICE CLAY
NORTHERN VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE CHRISTINE AGUINALDO KIM ALFONSO HASHEM ALSAIDI HOUMAN BAKHTIARI MICAELA BARRIONUEVO JOSEPH DUBUC FAHAD ur REHMAN FAISAL IZABELA FIRLEJ MADELINE HENRY
GABRIELLE LABORDE LAURA MANUEL BARRERA MICAELA PANOZO JAKE PAYNE CARLOS SEDAN ADAM WATERS MICHAEL WHITFIELD SARAH WILSON ALLEN WISOTZKEY
OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY YASASWINI GURAZADA
BILLY WAKEFIELD
RANDOLPH-MACON COLLEGE JOE LOKKE
GRACE SILVERMAN
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND ZAZI HALLA
UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON JESSICA LOURENCO
RYAN WARREN
UVA’S COLLEGE AT WISE BUQI HAN
THEO MA RATIK MATHUR KATE McCARTHY CHARLIE OLIFER ANDY RICKETTS JANNA SERRAO SARP TASKINTUNA SAPPHIRA THOMPSON EVAN TIERNEY KARA TUNG ALEX VELIKOVICH KATHERINE WALKER ELLEN WU
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY SOPHIA BELVEDERE MAGGIE CALLSEN FERNANDA DEL-CANTO ELISA ELLINGTON KYLE HERBERT RITA HITMI
AVA LEBOWITZ BRANDON LUMPKIN LEAH MURDOCH MITCH PALOMBI NANDINI SHINE
VIRGINIA TECH ERIC ALEXANDER LIZA ALIEVA CHRISTIAN ANTEZANA HAYDEN BIRCHFIELD BENJAMIN BROOKS SPENSER BROWN ED CHAMBERLAYNE MASON DAVIS MANUELA DELFINO PEREZ GARRETT DETTER JANINE DIMATULAC HAOXUAN DING TERESA DOLAN BADEN HARMON REYNA HERSHBERG ALEXA JORDAN ZANE KIDWELL KEVIN LU
CLAUDINE LUO ANTHONY LUU ETHAN MAGNE ZOE MALLUS AZIZ MALOUCHE KHUSHBOO MANN KENNETH McFARLAND ELIZABETH MENNITT DAVID MITA NICOLE O’BRYAN KHADIJAT OYEDIRAN CHRISTOPHER RAYMOND ARIANNA SAFIRE VARUN SATHYANARAYANAN NICK SCHARLAT LAUREN SCOTT JUSTIN YOUNG JOHN YUCEL
JUNE | SENIOR EDITION | 13
UNITED STATES SCHOOLS IN THE
ALABAMA AUBURN UNIVERSITY KEMP GUAS TRISTA KEDER PIERCE LAZLO
ARIZONA
CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES SACHI DIEKER SEAN WEI UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BENJAMIN HACKER MIA VALENCIC
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA ERRIN ELLINGTON
STANFORD UNIVERSITY JULIA JOHANNSEN
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY TARA MITCHELL
ICON COLLECTIVE JOHN BUSER
COLORADO UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER CASSIDY BLAKE MEHR SAHGAL UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY STEVE HAN COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY AVA BELLOMO
CONNECTICUT UNITED STATES COAST GUARD ACADEMY AMANDA MOORE CONNECTICUT COLLEGE MIRANDA MA UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT ALINA SIGDEL
14 | SENIOR EDITION | JUNE
CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE INSTITUTE CARL OPEM SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY MARINE STOCKWELL
DC
THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY MEGAN BUTLER SALAH MOHAMMED THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA MELISSA KAZANCI GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY NICHOLAS LOHMAN THOMAS LOHMAN ROHAN MANI AMERICAN UNIVERSITY SITA EDWARDS ANALISSE KIRBY REBEKA RAFI
FLORIDA NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY PAUL HUR UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RACHEL McCOLLOUGH JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY BRENNAN MEDINA
GEORGIA AGNES SCOTT COLLEGE ARIANA ALMAND EMORY UNIVERSITY TIFFANY CHEN CHRISTINA NI UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA EMILY CHOPRA
INDIANA INDIANA UNIVERSITY BLOOMINGTON ALEX BAHMANYAR WILL HOSKINS ANNETTE LEE PURDUE UNIVERSITY NICK CANOVAS YASAR DAMBO MILO ENGEL LUCY KEHOE TANISH NEEMA ANDY SHARPE BALL STATE UNIVERSITY ALEX WEINSTEIN BUTLER UNIVERSITY MASON GLEMBOCKI
ILLINOIS
GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY OMAR KHAN
COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY SARAH CARTER
SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN DASHA MAKARISHCHEVA NINA OTTO
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MELANIE CHAN KEVIN TANG GEORGE VALLEJO
IDAHO BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY IDAHO JESSICA CLARK
KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY HAMZAH AL-ABDALI GEORGIA TITUS
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY DAHYUN KANG LUCAS ZURBUCHEN UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN LEILA WILLIAMS
LOUISIANA TULANE UNIVERSITY EMILY JACKSON
MARYLAND UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY ANGELA FENG NICHOLAS NGUYEN HOOD COLLEGE NOAH HERSH JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY LIMA MUTAHIDY JACOB PAIKIN UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK ALEXA STIMPSON WASHINGTON COLLEGE FARH NASIR
MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON COLLEGE SAYA KHANDHAR
NEW YORK COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY AVA ROTONDO ITHACA COLLEGE REBECCA BLACKSTEN
OBERLIN COLLEGE AND CONSERVATORY ANNIKA HARLEY ALEX SWERS
THE NEW SCHOOL DELANEY BOTTORFF
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY CRYSTAL KIM
MARYMOUNT MANHATTAN COLLEGE SOPHIE CAMUS NEW YORK UNIVERSITY FLAVIA CARCANI MADISON HALLA SEBASTIAN JIMENEZ FIORELLA SALAZAR UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY ADAM DIETRICH
MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE COREDELIA LAWTON
CORNELL UNIVERSITY PALOMA GALDO GRACE HAN SARAH LEVY
TUFTS UNIVERSITY BEN MEYERS
PACE UNIVERSITY HONGLIN GAO
MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN CHRISTOPHER GRAY SYDNEY WANG KALAMAZOO COLLEGE RAHIL ROSS
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY JACKIE LeVASSEUR RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE SID MEKA UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER JONATHAN ZOU
NORTH CAROLINA
MINNESOTA MACALESTER COLLEGE ELENA KLENK
MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI KYLER SHERRY
NEW HAMPSHIRE DARTMOUTH COLLEGE MARINA WANG
MIAMI UNIVERSITY JACKSON CLAYTON
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL ERICA BASS ELON UNIVERSITY TAYLOR DUNFEE EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY ELLIE CLEARY DUKE UNIVERSITY MAYA PANDEY SHANE SIMKIN IVY SUN
OHIO
OHIO UNIVERSITY HERSHEL CARILLO-KLEIN
PENNSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH FARIS BOUZID JAVIER NOYOLA REBECCA RYAN DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY XIANGLONG CHEN SAMANVITA KOLACHANA DREXEL UNIVERSITY ELIZABETH DUFRANE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA SOPHIE HOWERY PRIYA SHAH PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY MATT KEAY SAM NAEMI VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY BEN PLISHKER GETTYSBURG COLLEGE DECLAN SHEERAN LEHIGH UNIVERSITY COTTER SMART CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY ASHLEY XING NATHAN ZHU
RHODE ISLAND BROWN UNIVERSITY ANDREW LI ELI SPORN
SOUTH CAROLINA UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA LUMI KYMALAINEN REBECCA LEBLANC JULIA RAYMOND CLEMSON UNIVERSITY TARA STEWART
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON AUDREY GRAU
UTAH BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY ELLY GLENN ISAAC LAMOREAUX ANGELINA LOPEZ JENNA MAGLEBY
TENNESSEE VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY TASNIM GHARAD UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, KNOXVILLE RYAN GLEASON JONATHAN LIBERATORE
TEXAS UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN KATE CONKLIN RICE UNIVERSITY JESSICA OPSAHL-ONG TRINITY UNIVERSITY SARAH SOLIS
VERMONT UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT ISAAC CONYERS
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON CAMILLE CUBE RACHEL KULP
WEST VIRGINIA WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY ELISE NOLAN GABI XIE
WISCONSIN UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MADISON CLAIRE ALLEN DREW COLE SAMANTHA WAYNE
JUNE | SENIOR EDITION | 15
BEN TORRES
NICOLE O’BRYAN
IN TEN YEARS, I SEE MYSELF AS THE OWNER OF SEVERAL BUSINESSES AFTER HAVING SOLD MY PREVIOUS VENTURES.
I SEE MYSELF LIVING IN BOSTON AND WORKING FOR SOME BIG CORPORATION. I SEE MYSELF POSSIBLY OWNING A CAR AND TRAVELING AS WELL!
LIZA ALIEVA
ELISA ELLINGTON
HOPEFULLY, I’LL BE DONE WITH ALL OF MY STUDENT LOANS, TRAVEL A LOT AND BE DONE WITH GRAD SCHOOL. I’D LIKE TO WORK IN AN ARCHITECTURE FIRM IN NEW YORK.
I’M GOING TO BE IN MY SECOND YEAR OF RESIDENCY IN MEDICAL SCHOOL.
ONE
DECADE
LATER... MADDIE HENRY
I SEE MYSELF AS A HIGHLY RANKED POLICE OFFICER, HOPEFULLY, AN SRO FOR A HIGH SCHOOL IN FAIRFAX COUNTY. IT'S MY DREAM JOB BECAUSE I WANT TO PROTECT AND SERVE THE PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY.
SEAN WEI
A JOB SOMEWHERE IN NOCAL, MAYBE A STARTUP, AND I’LL PROBABLY INVEST SOME IN EITHER REAL ESTATE OR THE STOCK MARKET. 16 | SENIOR EDITION | JUNE
STEVE HAN I SEE MYSELF FLYING AS A PILOT FOR THE U.S. AIR FORCE.
SID MEKA I SEE MYSELF BEING A GAME DESIGNER IN NEW YORK DEVELOPING NEW GAMES!
EMILY HUNTER
I WILL HAVE GRADUATED FROM MEDICAL SCHOOL AND PROBABLY BE LIVING WITH ONE OF MY SISTERS IN A CITY. I ALSO EXPECT THAT I’LL HAVE GOLDEN RETRIEVERS!
BENJAMIN HACKER I WANT TO HAVE LOTS OF TIME TO DO THE THINGS I LOVE, LIKE MUSIC AND BEING OUTSIDE. I’M GOING TO LIVE WITH MY CUTE DOG IN NYC. Reporting by Ben Brooks | Page design by Rebeka Rafi
SENIOR ADVICE MAHD ZAFAR You will only live one high school senior year. The seniors this year weren’t able to carry on the legacy of having fun last quarter, so we want you guys to do it for us.
SOPHIE HOWERY Try not to obsess over your grades too much. In 20 years, you’ll remember the moments you shared together and not what you got on your history test.
JOSH BROWN High school will fly by quicker than any other period of your life. Whether you’re a freshman, sophomore or junior, learn to enjoy what you have before it’s gone.
EMILY CHOPRA Make a new email address and use that solely for all of [your] college stuff. It keeps everything organized in one place without any spam and allows you to rebrand professionally.
MAGGIE CAMPION Join clubs and sports that you enjoy, not just to put on applications. Finding your niche at McLean can take a while, but once you do, it will be the best school you could ask for.
SARAH LEVY Work on your college applications over the summer as much as you can. First semester is not easy, and college apps will take longer than you think.
KELLAN TRUZ Don’t let your happiness come second to anything or anyone. [Remember], the first person you have to count on is yourself.
MARINA WANG The college application process can be stressful. Know that your teachers and counselors are great resources for support. You will end up where you are meant to be. Things will work out.
AZIZ MALOUCHE I’d say try any activitiy that you are even a little bit interested in. It’s a great way of meeting people and understanding what your passions may be.
TARIQ MOUTAOUAKIL Enjoy the time you have with all your friends, and try to go to as many football and basketball games [as possible].
Reporting by Nicholas Lohman | Page design by Nicholas Lohman & Jessica Opsahl-Ong
JUNE | SENIOR EDITION | 17
PROM PLAYLIST 15 songs we would have wanted to hear* Blinding Lights The Weeknd
Republic Records
Roddy Ricch
Atlantic Records
Dancing Queen
1st & 15th / Atlantic
Mr. Brightside
Mr.305 / Polo Grounds Music / RCA Records
Pursuit of Happiness
Ed Sheeran
Atlantic Records UK
Kid Cudi, MGMT, Ratatat Kid Cudi / Universal Records
Party in the U.S.A.
My Way
Frank Sinatra
VALENTINO 24kGoldn
Miley Cyrus Hollywood Records
VIBEZ
Records / Columbia
We Can’t Stop
DaBaby
South Coast Music Group / Interscope Records
Pitbull, Ne-Yo
Perfect
The Killers
Frank Sinatra Digital Reprise
Time of Our Lives
Travis Scott
Cactus Jack / Epic / Grand Hustle
Island Records
Lupe Fiasco
SICKO MODE
ABBA Capitol Records
The Show Goes On
The Box
Y.M.C.A.
Miley Cyrus
RCA Records Label
Village People
Mercury Records
Reporting by Rohan Mani & Sam Naemi | Page design by Jessica Opsahl-Ong
*27 songs were nominated by 20 seniors, which were then voted on by 30 seniors.
18 | SENIOR EDITION | JUNE
Listen to the Prom Playlist on Spotify!