The highlandercub edition 2018

Cub Edition Volume LXII • Issue 7 • June 2018 • McLean High School • thehighlandernews.com • @MHSHighlander

Letter from the Cub Editors

Dear McLean, The students of Journalism 1 are excited to share The Highlander Cub Edition with you to conclude this school year’s publications. We hope to get you excited for the issues to come next year!

Our News section highlights the quest for a new weight room at McLean and a shift to project-based learning.

Look to the Features section and get to know social studies teacher Mr. Puzan and accomplished Highlander Mia Valencic.

Check out the In-Depth for an insightful look at the demands on McLean students and the anxiety they cause.

Take a peek at the Opinions section for the negative effects of standardized testing and hopes for the new health curriculum.

Flip to the Sports section for a look into the lives of the Benedict sisters on the crew team and a Q&A with tennis champion Oscar Tidd, our Athlete of the Issue.

Thank you for picking up this edition of The Highlander; and be sure to follow @MHSHighlander on Twitter. Feedback, questions or concerns can be directed to room R133 or at thehighlanderstaff@gmail.com. Have a great summer, McLean!

Sincerely, Jack Shields & Nicholas Lohman

Volume LXII • Issue 7 • June 2018 • McLean High School thehighlandernews.com • @MHSHighlander 1633 Davidson Road McLean, Virginia 22101 Editors-in-Chief

Nicholas Lohman & Jack Shields

Managing Editors Copy Editor

Addie Brown, Dana Edson & Sebastian Jimenez Emily Jackson

Cartoonist

Jackson Clayton

News Editors

Eren Parla & Skye Sunderhauf

Features Editors

Marguerite Godwin & Eric Mizusawa

A&E Editors

Tessa Stenzel & Tessa Hager

Opinions Editors

Jackson Clayton & Emily Jackson

Sports Editors

Madeline Kocher & Sarah Solis

In-Depth Editor

Katie Romhilt

Reporters Nick Boyer Brandon Sauter Daniel Collaku Nicky Varela Elizabeth Humphreys Atticus Widener Bita Mushaikhi Adviser

Lindsay B. Benedict

Printed by aPrintis

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

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

To Submit a Letter to the Editors: Please e-mail it to thehighlanderstaff@gmail.com or bring it to room R133. The staff reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and clarity, and all letters are subject to laws concerning obscenity, libel, privacy and disruption of the school process.

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

Cover photo illustration by Addie Brown

CONTENTS

NEWS 3 4 5 6

New weight room Large incoming freshman class

Project-based learning shift Nationwide teacher walkouts

FEATURES

7 Inside look at MHS Robotics 8 Summer jobs 9 10 Qs with Mr. Puzan 10-11 Changing lives with yoga 12 13

Art teacher JenniferJensen Highlander of the Issue: Mia Valencic

A&E 14 15 16 17 18

19 21

Infinity War Review 13 Reasons Why season 2 Hot summer concerts Netflix: What to watch this summer Isabella Eatery review Rich Brian is underrated

J. Cole’s KOD review

IN-DEPTH ON THE COVER 22-25

Under Pressure:

Students cope with high school anxiety

OPINIONS 26 27 28 29

Editorial: Too many standardized tests Health class curriculum Library closing time School start times

SPORTS

30 31 33 35

Freshman on varsity soccer Benedict sisters on crew Athlete of the Issue: Oscar Tidd The Finish Line

Highlanders can’t wait for new weight room Students and staff fundraise for new equipment

NEWS

|EMILY JACKSON OPINIONS/COPY EDITOR & SKYE SUNDERHAUF NEWS EDITOR|

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ith rusty bars and old plates, many have come to see McLean’s weight room as dilapidated, even crusty. Hundreds of students face these rough conditions weekly or even daily when training for various sports, such as football and crew.

Due to the insufficient quality and size of the facility, McLean is fundraising in order to purchase a new weight room and equipment.

Fairfax County is willing to perform the renovation itself, but McLean must pay for new supplies including training equipment and paint.

The estimated total for the expensive project is $50,000-75,000. Fundraising kicked off with the Mike Zook Memorial 5K Run on April 21, raising about $2,000.

The expansion and brand new equipment would allow the students and sports teams to train harder than ever. “[A new weight room] would motivate me to go to the weight room and get bigger and stronger,” sophomore football player Joe Lokke said.

This increase in commitment would improve McLean athletics by helping to develop more successful teams.

“Our sports teams would greatly improve [with an updated weight room],” director of

Dusty & Rusty — Football and basketball players train after school in the weight room on May 17. The current facility struggles to fit the 120 McLean students per day who use it. (Photo by Tessa Stenzel)

student activities Greg Miller said. “There’s no question that the faster, stronger, the more physical, the more conditioned you are as an athlete, the better you will perform.”

A renovated weight room could help propel McLean forward athletically and compete against rival schools.

“The current weight room at McLean is outdated, a lot of the bars are old, the platforms are cracked and the floors are wearing out. It just needs a little ‘face lift’ to compete with the rest of the other schools in the area,” football coach and gym teacher William West said.

Athletes face a wide variety of issues, ranging from old equipment to Waiting on the Weights — This is a model of the sanitation problems.

“There’s mold in design for the new weight room. It will include updated equipment and more cardio machines. the weight room and the plates are old and (Photo obtained via energywellness) outdated,” Lokke said.

Page design by Maria McHugo

Athletes who regularly use the space to train feel as though an up-to-date weight room is urgent and crucial for the school’s athletic department.

“No one even uses a lot of the machines,” sophomore football player Rishi Singh said.

Not only is some of the current equipment unusable due to rust and decay, but there are many types of equipment that the current room lacks.

“We don’t have any cardiovascular equipment in there right now, so no bikes or treadmills...not only athletes but kids who take weight training as a class have a lot of interest in doing that stuff,” Miller said.

Adding new and different types of equipment would increase the usefulness of the room, as a broader range of student athletes would be able to train in the facility.

Individuals can contribute to the efforts to build a new weight room. Members of the football team have been reaching out to people for donations.

“I put in 20 emails to people and raised $100,” Lokke said.

A website has been launched to collect direct donations—it can be found by searching “McLean booster eteamsponsor” and clicking on the first site.

JUNE | NEWS | 3

Incoming class sets school record 2018-19 freshman class will be the biggest class to date |TESSA STENZEL REPORTER|

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t an estimated size of 610 students according to director of student services Paul Stansbery, the incoming 2018-2019 freshman class might just overrun this school.

Such a large class will have extreme effects on the staff and students.

While McLean High School has a maximum student capacity of 1,990, the school will enroll 2,258 students. Stansbery thinks the number will be much greater due to previous statistics, making the school about 300 students over capacity.

Even once 490 seniors graduate this year, the school will be left with 100 more students than the year before after the incoming class arrives.

Stansbery said the reason this upcoming class is so big is due to many factors attracting families to this area.

“When a class is too big it is hard for teachers to give necessary feedback to students.”

-English teacher Anna Caponetti

“The government, all the businesses, military and new housing located in our district makes it so McLean’s student population is rapidly increasing,” Stansbery said.

Fairfax County is prepared to help the school support this size and the concerns that come with it.

“Fairfax County has a formula to make sure the student-to-teacher ratio stays manageable. For every 31 students, a teacher will be staffed for that class, so teachers won’t have to worry about large class size,” Stansbery said.

Stansbery said he does not think the student-teacher ratio will affect the quality of education students receive at McLean.

However, Stansbery does have other concerns about the incoming class.

“My biggest concern is that our building is not big enough for the students we have,” 4 | NEWS | JUNE

Stansbery said. “Unfortunately the chances of getting more trailers are slim because of the lack of funding.”

Although trailers are the most realistic option, McLean will not be undergoing a remodel any time soon, according to Stansbery. That leaves teachers and students with problems to deal with.

“It is a challenge teaching in a trailer with roughly 28 to 31 students in each class, due to the fact the students take 10- to 15-minute bathroom breaks because there is no outdoor bathroom,” English teacher Anna Caponetti said.

Caponetti said larger class sizes can impact both students and teachers.

“In English classes the size of the class definitely matters, because when a class is too big it is hard for teachers to give the necessary feedback to each student,” Caponetti said.

Students also see the issues with larger class sizes.

“For me it is harder to learn with so many kids in the class,” freshman Ari Ablyazova said. “It can cause me to not be able to get the help I need.”

Senior Romy Boortalary maintains that larger class sizes can put unnecessary stress on teachers.

“Teachers never give work back on time because there are just too many kids in their classes,” Boortalary said.

Along with the educational problems that come with the size of the incoming freshman class, students are concerned about the lack of space in hallways and classrooms.

“I always try to avoid the blue hallway when going to classes,” freshman Casey Prestidge said. “I know if I use that hall to get to a class I will be late.”

With so many additional students, the crowded hallways will only become worse due to the lack of space.

Prestidge said he feels the administration should take this problem into consideration, and give students more than five minutes in between classes.

“The school gives us such little amount of time, and it causes chaos in the halls,” Prestidge said.

Incoming freshman class sizes in McLean per year

2016-2017

530 students

2017-2018

580 students

2018-2019

610 students Page design by Tessa Stenzel Infographic by Dasha Makarishcheva

Learning Curve — Sophomore Maggie Callsen creates a foldable book for her history class. She prefers doing projects like this to taking stressful tests. (Photo by Katie Romhilt)

From tests to projects McLean shifts to project-based learning |KATIE ROMHILT IN-DEPTH EDITOR|

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essons, homework, tests: traditional methods of teaching are fading away.

Instead, a new strategy called project-based learning is taking over Fairfax County.

Adding more projects to the curriculum is an educational strategy McLean teachers have recently picked up. After a number of staff meetings, teachers are moving forward with the idea and starting to introduce it in their classrooms.

“Some of us are definitely incorporating it into our classrooms,” English teacher Bridget Donoghue said. “It’s a more recent concept, but the whole school hasn’t moved towards it quite yet, because we’re still learning.”

As students are allowed show their understanding of a topic in various ways, they will be given fewer tests. Rather than being judged by how many questions a student can answer in an hour and a half, students get to demonstrate their understanding of a subject in a more hands-on setting.

In Donoghue’s English class, her students brainstorm ideas on how to improve the community based on the nonfiction book they're reading. Students are challenged to think outside of the books to see how their ideas can impact the world around them.

Page design by Katie Romhilt

According to Jeff Lonnett, an instructional specialist for FCPS, project-based learning differs from regular classroom projects.

Regular projects have a closed list of ideas that do not resemble a realistic topic, each project with the same end goal. Meanwhile project-based learning is designed to be based on practical issues, preparing the students for life after college, with each student’s project having a different end goal. “[The projects] don’t have to be a whole three months project, but trying to make things real for students, like applicable, intrigued us,” Principal Ellen Reilly said.

The transition to project-based learning has been gradual, but it has received positive feedback from teachers.

“I think a lot of teachers like [projectbased learning],” Donoghue said. “It helps students with their critical thinking skills. So, the concept is that we give you a big question or a real-world problem to solve, and then from there you guys, as students, kind of have to work it out on your own. So it gives you those problem-solving skills you’ll need eventually in real life.”

Students have also noticed the change, seeing fewer tests present in the classroom.

“In the real world, with various jobs, you’re

not necessarily just learning information, but you’re learning how to use it and apply it,” freshman Heran Essays said.

Project-based learning is not meant to eliminate textbooks and lectures in the classroom. Rather, it teaches students information in a memorable way. It gives students a way to apply what they’re learning and relate it to what professionals do in their respective jobs. “[We’re incorporating project-based learning] because kids don’t learn how to be problem solvers in school. Because reading a textbook doesn’t teach a kid to be a problem solver,” Lonnett said. “But can [a textbook] still be the way that you learn? Of course.”

Project-based learning is not changing the information that is being taught; instead, this system is adapting teaching styles to the real world. Today, students have easy access to information and resources through technology. As a result, it is easier to Google a word than to look for it in a dictionary or to watch a video on YouTube about how something works rather than read about it.

“I think [project-based learning] is the way schools are going," Reilly said. "Your learning is different and we need to catch up with you.”

JUNE | NEWS | 5

Classrooms left empty across the nation Teachers walk out of schools to protest lack of school funding | SARAH SOLIS REPORTER |

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hile teachers protest in front of their state capitals, counties in several states have been shutting down their schools.

Teachers in states across the nation have to buy their own school supplies and teach from 15-year-old textbooks due to a lack of school funding.

“When teachers make changes to their routine, it affects much more of society then a lot of people realize. If teachers aren’t going to work, children aren’t going to school and that affects everybody else,” special education English teacher Ric Nickerson said.

West Virginia teachers were the first to start the nationwide protest by going on strike in February. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average annual teacher pay across the nation is $58,064 while the average teacher pay in West Virginia is $44,701. Buses full of teachers stopped in front of their state capital while legislators worked to raise their pay by five percent.

The West Virginia strike sparked similar teacher walkouts in Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kentucky and North Carolina.

Although most have been successful in raising teacher pay, a couple lawmakers have pointed out that teacher walkouts are unlawful.

In some states, public officials like teachers are forbidden from striking. According to the Goldwater Institute of Arizona, teacher walkouts violate students’ rights under the Constitution to gain an education.

“As teachers, we know coming into the profession that we don’t have bargaining

power for our salaries,” Nickerson said. “We know that none of us are getting into it for the money, but it also takes a lot of work and a lot of diligence to earn the degrees that it takes to be a teacher and do the job that we do every day.”

The reason most schools are underfunded dates back to the Great Recession of 2008. As reported by the University of Notre Dame, the Great Recession affected the education system as state governments had a sharp decrease in money used to fund their schools.

Most schools get 10 percent of their funding from the federal government while the rest comes from state and local taxes.

“As teachers...none of us are getting into it for the money, but it also takes a lot of work and a lot of diligence to earn the degrees that it takes to be a teacher and do the job that we do every day.”

-special education English teacher Ric Nickerson Today, state budgets for education are still at recession levels. When adjusting for inflation, some states pay teachers even less than during the recession.

According to a survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, 94 percent of public school teachers pay out of pocket for school supplies without reimbursement.

In the states where the teacher walkouts

SOUTH DAKOTA VIRGINIA

$42,668

LOWEST AVERAGE

6 | NEWS | JUNE

$51,049

$58,064 AVERAGE TEACHER SALARY IN THE US

have occurred, students often have to deal with issues like broken chairs, deteriorating classrooms and textbooks containing missing pages.

“Teachers definitely don’t teach for the pay but they do teach because they want to. They have a motivation and a love for teaching for their students. They are there for the students themselves,” sophomore Angelina Lopez said.

Teachers at McLean High School are unlikely to participate in the current teacher walkouts. According to the Fairfax County website, the Board of Supervisors just adopted the 2019 budget plan. The plan includes a $53 million teacher salary scale increase for Fairfax County schools.

“Compared to other schools, we probably don’t lack in funding. We live in a lucrative area—we have crayons, we have computers,” French teacher Marine Herodet said.

During the teacher walkouts, churches, school districts and community organizations have been working to provide childcare.

Working parents have been worrying about how their children will get fed and taken care of due to schools closing. NBC News and WTOP reported that cafeterias have been made mobile and food trucks have been sent out in Oklahoma and Arizona.

“Teacher walkouts are not a decision that is entered into lightly because...the reason we became teachers is to help students. We all know that if we are not in the classroom then we are not helping students,” Nickerson said.

“I tend to think that what they are doing is important because if it wasn’t, they wouldn’t be there.”

NEW YORK

$79,637

HIGHEST AVERAGE

Page design by Sarah Solis Infographic by Maren Kranking Information obtained from the U.S. Education Department’s National Center for Education Statistics

FEATURES Robotics rocks the competition

Team gears up for a future filled with success

||NICHOLAS LOHMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF|

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all-E, sour cream donuts, screwdrivers, Lego pieces and teamwork—this is how vice president of McLean Robotics and sophomore Yeon Joon Kim described the team.

Compared to some of McLean’s premiere extracurriculars, Robotics has flown under the radar. However, the organization boasts impressive results in addition to a tight-knit community.

“My journey started when I was 10 and got a robotics kit... I was building basic robots [with my kit],” sophomore member George Vallejo said. “When I discovered Robotics here at McLean, I decided to join it because I could get into two of the things I enjoyed the most in my earlier years: [robotics and coding].”

Robotics has helped to transform the lives of talented builders just like Vallejo. “[Robotics] has shaped me to be more social because I don’t talk that much, but being a part of the team requires

communication,” Vallejo said.

Teamwork has been a common theme in Robotics, which club president senior Sungmin Kang worked hard to emphasize this year.

“Even if you have an idea, not being able to cooperate with other people is a great hindrance to the performance of the team,” Kang said.

Consequently, the team effort paid off, with McLean placing 11th at the Botball competition, an annual regional tournament that features many local schools and league organizations.

“We beat TJ, which is very important.

Every year we strive to beat TJ,” Kim said. “It felt very satisfying. It’s our tradition.”

The competition is not only the pinnacle of MHS Robotics, but is also a great learning experience for an ambitious team.

“The best part of Robotics is the competition every year. You get to see a lot of fun ideas thrown around. Something clicks

All About the Details — Robotics team members Chris Ertman and

Sungmin Kang work carefully as they construct parts for their robot.

The team took 11th place at Botball, their annual competition. (Photo courtesy of Yeon Joon Kim) Page design by Ben Brooks

when I get there,” said junior Nathaniel Murphy, who will take over as club president next year.

The prospect of beating teams like TJ is a common motivator among the team and often acts as a unifier, bringing the members together and promoting an incredibly strong work ethic.

“On the day right before the competition we had a big meeting. It lasted from right after school to 2 a.m.,” Kim said.

Club meetings include allocating time to different activities such as building and coding in order to finish the two required robots in time for each competition. These activities are often full of struggles.

“There are usually frustrations...but we just have to keep improvising and fixing the problems with the program,” Vallejo said.

In spite of common difficulties, these seemingly hellish nights have turned into some of the most enjoyable experiences for members of the team.

“The night we stayed until 2 a.m., I had 50 balls of sour cream donuts—I gained a couple of pounds that weekend,” Kim said.

Many members see bigger and better prospects in the future.

“We have a pretty big vision of how we want to sort things out next year. We’re in the process of reviewing the constitution,” Kim said.

Looking to the future, MHS Robotics remains poised to make sweeping reforms and continue improving.

“I would say the young guys have more experience,” Kang said. “I’m always optimistic about McLean Robotics because we’re really good at looking at the previous year and getting feedback from it.”

The club leaders urge anybody who has an interest in robotics to join their club.

“I wish people would join more... Even if you just like to speak, [we have space for you],” Murphy said.

The laughter and joy associated with the team when members are around each other is impossible to escape, and the impact it has had on members’ lives is immense.

“Honestly, it’s the people—the people who are there are really amazing,” Vallejo said.

JUNE | FEATURES | 7

Make your summer pay off

McLean students describe their summer job experiences | EMILY JACKSON OPINIONS/COPY EDITOR |

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or many students, spending substantial amounts of time in McLean during the summer results in extreme boredom. A quick solution to this problem is getting a summer job. “If you’re under 16 your options are a little more limited, but if you’re over 16 you can get a part-time or even a full-time job in the summer,” career center specialist Laura Venos said. Many promising options are available in the area.

“Figure out what you want to do and then just go get it,” Venos said. “Be confident.”

SMOOTHIE BARISTA SOPHOMORE BARBARA ESTEVES

What was your summer job? Barista at a smoothie bar What inspired you to begin this job? I needed money.

How much does it pay? $9 per hour What are the best and worst parts of the job? Best: all the free stuff I get. Worst: there’s a really slow iPad that I have to use and it’s kind of complicated sometimes.

What tips would you give those interested in this job? Just know your smoothies!

What was the hardest part of applying? Waiting for the call back was nerve-racking.

How often do you work? Usually 3-4 days a week, roughly 20-25 hour weeks.

SOCCER REFEREE

FRONT DESK ATTENDANT

What was your summer job? Soccer referee

What was your summer job? Front desk at McLean Sport and Health

What was your summer job? Art camp for elementary school kids

What inspired you to begin this job? I needed money to get my own car and it was just a good experience for college.

What inspired you to begin this job? My friend’s mom was the head of the camp so she offered me the job.

How much does it pay? $9 per hour

How much does it pay? $10 per hour

What are the best and worst parts of the job? Best: meeting new people and making connections with people that come in.

Worst: it’s a lot of work at the front desk part and answering phone calls.

What are the best and worst parts of the job? Best: getting to bond with the kids and helping them with art. Worst: cleaning up the big messes that they all made every day.

FRESHMAN CHRISTOPHER KUTSCHER

What inspired you to begin this job? I like playing soccer and it’s fun to do it.

How much does it pay? $20 per game What are the best and worst parts of the job? Best: being able to teach little kids the rules. Worst: parents yelling at you.

What tips would you give those interested in this job? Make sure you know how soccer works.

8 | FEATURES | JUNE

JUNIOR NIKI ZARKANI

What tips would you give those interested in this job? In your applications just be really outgoing and just be yourself, and tell them whether you’re committed or not.

CAMP COUNSELOR

SOPHOMORE CLAIRE ALLEN

What tips would you give those interested in this job? Just reach out if you’re interested.

Photo by Maeron Kebede Page design by Imani McCormick Infographics by Dasha Makarishcheva

10 Qs with

Anthony Puzan (Social studies teacher)

Photos & reporting by Addie Brown & Dana Edson Page design by Bryan Chung

How would you describe your first year at McLean?

Good. It’s been very rewarding. The students have been very friendly and the teaching staff has been very friendly. It’s been a very low-stress environment. I’ve really enjoyed this year.

What is your go-to karaoke song?

“Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show. It’s my go to song. I will belt out a great rendition of Old Crow Medicine Show if given the opportunity.

What is the first thing you would do if you won the lottery?

Pay off all my debts, go to Ireland, live there.

Who is your role model and why?

It’s a difficult question. I honestly don’t like the term role model. My father was kind of my role model growing up, as was the philantropist and naturist John Muir. I suppose they’ve both been kind of role models. One’s dead, one’s alive. My dad’s alive.

I can’t pick one in particular.

That being said, I enjoyed all the students I’ve ever taught. Each class, each group of students has something different to offer. There is not one particular memory, but I do like going to graduations and seeing my students walk across the stage.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

What is a hidden talent you have?

I am not that talented of a person, but either booking cheap flights or being rather amicable with most people. I’m pretty easygoing so I have a talent with just communicating with other people and getting along with all of them.

What is your favorite memory from teaching?

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

When students tell other students to shut up.

Potatoes.

Whatoccupations would your dream job be if What other have you weren’t a teacher? had inyou the past?

An astronaut, easily.

My major in college was education and Phys Ed majors, they typically run pools, they work at camps, and I gravitated towards swimming pools Why did you choose to be the forassistant a long time. swim coach?

I love to coach swimming; I would say it’s my other great passion. I’ve been coaching swimming longer than I’ve been teaching. I like seeing students develop. As a former swimmer and NCAA athlete, I really do enjoy sharing something I was good at with other students.

JUNE | FEATURES | 9

Fun in the Sun

— Candace

Stromberg demonstrates yoga poses to kids and their families on a warm, sunny day in the Mosaic District. Her company, Yoga Monkey Kids, will continue to hold public demonstrations.

(Photo courtesy of Kim Kemph)

Teaching the mind, body and spirit

McLean yoga instructor saves her life by saving others | MARGUERITE GODWIN FEATURES EDITOR |

“H

ello, my little monkeys,” founder and instructor of Yoga Monkey Kids Candace Stromberg says as she smiles at her group of young children who are eager and ready to learn. She starts her class with a sun salutation to stretch and warm up.

With bright smiles and giggles they all reach to the sky, going all the way to their tippy toes before stretching down to touch the ground. They move on to simple yoga poses such as the downward dog that has them all imitating the yips of a dog.

Beaming, Ms. Candace, as they call her, watches on proudly, knowing that she is teaching the growing children how to be healthy and have fun at the same time.

She finishes the class with meditation and a reminder to “eat the rainbow.” She tells them to try to give back to their community before she waves her students off; they file out with their yoga mats to find their parents.

Stromberg’s passion and love of teaching yoga is not limited to children, as she will be working with McLean High School’s football team come summer to continue to teach the benefits of yoga.

Before practicing yoga, Stromberg had a background in social work. She had jobs in the fields of adoption and geriatrics.

10 | FEATURES | JUNE

“I was always doing something with either children or seniors,” Stromberg said. “Being adopted myself, I thought it was wrong to split up siblings; family was all they had and I was appalled at the policy. I couldn’t be a part of it.”

In 2004, she sought to adopt a child.

During the process to adopt her daughter, Hannah Soberman, Stromberg was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, or MS.

“I always called the kids in my classes my little monkeys and Yoga Monkey Kids took off from there.”

- Founder of Yoga Monkey Kids Candace Stromberg “When I was diagnosed…it changed everything. It rocked my entire world,” Stromberg said. “I didn’t know if I was going to be in a wheelchair, I didn’t know what the progress of the disease was going to be because they can’t tell you, they don’t know.”

Confused, stressed and depressed, six weeks after being diagnosed she took her first

yoga class at the request of her mother.

“I was terrified, and I was never a scared person. I was always a very adventurous person and always put myself out there,” she said. “I challenged myself. I was brave and MS made me weak and more closed in, and yoga class brought me back out. I met Carrie, my teacher, who taught me for 12 years.”

Stromberg’s children took to the yoga classes enthusiastically as well, and even began to do yoga with her almost every day. Teaching them what she had learned every week at yoga class inspired her to begin teaching yoga to other children. Soon after, she began teaching at Chesterbrook Elementary school and continued for the next four years.

“I would go in and teach 15-minute blocks twice a day. The kids just loved it and they wanted more of it, so I got certified to become a yoga teacher,” Stromberg said.

She underwent teacher training at YoKids, an organization in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area dedicated to training future yoga instructors to teach children. She was certified in 2010.

Yoga Monkey Kids grew from Stromberg’s passion for teaching yoga and healthy habits, including nutrition, to children.

“I always called the kids in my classes my little monkeys and Yoga Monkey Kids took off from there,” Stromberg said.

Unfortunately, everything changed for Stromberg in 2012. Her MS grew worse and she was physically unable to do the things she wanted to do.

“The right temporal lobe epilepsy started, seizures started, and when the seizures came I couldn’t teach anymore,” she said. “I shut the doors to my office, let Yoga Monkey Kids go and was just depressed. I didn’t even do yoga myself.”

Stromberg, thankfully, had a very supportive group of people around her, including her family and neighbors.

Finally, Stromberg squared her shoulders and told herself she would not let MS stop her from fulfilling her desire to teach.

She began to brainstorm ideas that would eventually lead to the creation of the Yoga Monkey books.

“I just decided enough was enough; if I couldn’t teach others myself, then I would teach through this monkey. I created a cast of characters and gave each different strengths and characteristics to match what I wanted to teach. I couldn’t teach, so by god, this monkey was going to do it,” she said.

Yoga Monkey Time — The first

book in the Yoga Monkey Kids series shows a number of easy poses for any yoga beginner.

Copies can be purchased online or at local bookstores.

(Photo by Stewert Andrews)

Page design by Marguerite Godwin

With the assistance of supportive people in her life, Yoga Monkey Kids was able to emerge from its hiatus.

The first Yoga Monkey Kids book, 12 Beginner Poses and Introduction to Yoga, came out in 2016. It teaches three pillars that her company stands for: mind, body and spirit.

Her book teaches kids to have respect for their health physically, mentally and spiritually. While the book promotes yoga and healthy habits to a wider audience, Yoga Monkey Kids still offers classes and workshops locally for kids and families.

“If I couldn’t teach others myself, then I would teach through this monkey.”

- Founder of Yoga Monkey Kids Candace Stromberg “Yoga is a great family exercise. We do family workshops on Sundays. We start with yoga, and then a 15-minute meditation, and then we make fresh smoothies. It’s a good bonding experience and enforces positive habits,” Stromberg said.

Stromberg advises families to shop the perimeter of the grocery store where the fresh produce is. She also recommends engaging children in the cooking process to help them understand what they are putting into their bodies.

“She makes me and my brother watch what we eat and avoid junk food and eating out,” said Stromberg’s daughter, Hannah Soberman. “We eat fresh and organic foods that are seasonal.”

Through its instructors, Yoga Monkey Kids furthers its endeavor to change the deteriorating health that impacts present day society. Stromberg does book signings at stores such as Barnes and Noble, community events, birthday parties and workshops.

“We’ve also started a foundation called Yoga Monkeys Mending MS,” Stromberg said. “A portion of all sales of the books and any parties we do, any revenue we get will go to the National MS Society.”

The foundation gives money to alternative treatments for MS. Rather than focusing on finding a cure, they are looking to heal patients mentally and emotionally. Yoga

Monkeys Mending MS funds acupuncture, massages, yoga and other alternative therapies.

Stromberg believes in the mental benefits of yoga and alternative therapies as well as the physical benefits. Multiple studies done by hospitals and health organizations have shown these physical benefits. Athletes in particular benefit from yoga exercises that target specific elements of the body, such as relieving back pain or strengthening the core.

With this in mind, Yoga Monkey Kids is planning to collaborate with the McLean High School football team this summer, including Stromberg’s son Daniel Soberman.

“I’m excited about it. Nothing concrete has been set up yet, but I really want to do it,” McLean football coach John Scholla said.

“Yoga will really increase flexibility, core strength and core stability. Yoga gets a bad rap, you know, a lot of athletes think it’s girly and that couldn’t be more of a myth. Yoga has a lot of benefits for athletes and if we introduce it to my players I think their health will be better in the long run.”

In the future, Stromberg hopes to produce a Yoga Monkey Kids TV show featuring her fun and friendly cast of characters.

“We have an agent shopping around for a cartoon. My dream is for Yoga Monkey Kids to be the new Sesame Street for the next generation to teach kids healing from the earth instead of turning to all these technologies,” Stromberg said.

She will continue to fight for what she believes in and teach the next generation through her Yoga Monkey kids books. Two more are scheduled to be released soon with additional poses, breathing exercises and more. Her work and upcoming classes, workshops and events can be followed on the Yoga Monkey Kids website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

In the end, Stromberg wants everyone to remember that no matter where someone is in life, it is important to keep improving their life and the lives of others.

“If you believe in something, if you know in your heart and in your soul that you think this is something that will benefit others, then do it,” Stromberg said. “Don’t be shy, don’t be afraid, don’t back away from rejection, just keep going. If you are true in your passion, if you are true in your desire to help others, then don’t let anything stop you.”

JUNE | FEATURES |11

Art teacher reveals path to success

Jennifer Jensen inspires students to create digital art |EREN PARLA NEWS EDITOR|

A

lthough her career began late, art teacher Jennifer Jensen excels at McLean.

In fact, she has found an abundance of success with her artwork, participating in shows like the FCPS Art Teacher Exhibition and the Recent Works exhibition.

“I had a couple of pieces in the Recent Works exhibition, alongside one more in the FCPS Art Teacher exhibition as well,” Jensen said. “It was all FCPS art teachers that attended in both of them.”

However, it took a while for Jensen to begin pursuing art.

“I always had a passion for art,” Jensen said. “But for the longest time, I was really bad at it.”

With a natural passion guiding her, once she started college she ended up finding the kind of art that clicked: the digital kind.

“I never really took any art classes in high school, so I didn’t have the same foundations that all the other artists had,” Jensen said.

This late start meant that Jensen had to work even harder in order to reach the level of others her age.

“I had to take some extra studio classes because I started so late,” Jensen said.

“Ultimately, I pushed myself and took the time to work harder.”

While Jensen was putting in the work, she also had the benefit of the teachers who were

there to help her out.

“I went to the Georgia College and State University,” Jensen said. “It wasn’t a huge university so I was able to get special attention from the teachers.”

Once she gained the essential computer skills, she was able to apply them to her work and start creating digital art.

“I always liked computers and have been drawing ever since I was little, and digital art gave me the chance to combine the two together,” Jensen said.

Evidently, her effort has been paying off, as Jensen has created her own website where she posts her own art. She has also had the opportunity to do work for various organizations, creating posters and logos for places and events.

“I’ve worked with multiple universities, designing posters for them,” Jensen said.“I mostly do vintage travel posters, but because it is digital the posters also have a modern twist to them.”

This style has been reflected onto her students.

“An amazing aspect about the digital art class is the fact that you teach all of the students the same thing, yet everyone’s work is always different,” Jensen said.

Jensen is not only a skilled artist but an accomplished teacher as well, as she has found good role models around her to learn from.

Hardworking Mentality — Jennifer Jensen works on her Atlanta travel poster while her students finish up their posters. This is Jensen’s first year teaching at McLean. (Photo by Eren Parla) 12 | FEATURES | JUNE

Local Travel Poster — Jennifer

Jensen has made posters of countless places, including a poster of the local Washington Monument. (Image courtesy of Jennifer Jensen)

“I learned a lot from my peers during my masters years,” Jensen said. “I ended up taking bits and pieces of teaching skills from them to improve my skills too.”

By collecting information on teaching from others, Jensen has gained many valuable teaching skills that have had a lasting effect on her students.

“Your average Joe can’t teach this class,” freshman Cole Ague said. “It requires a certain level of smarts to be able to teach the same thing to every student and get different results.”

Jensen’s students also appreciate the critical thinking nature of the class.

“The class is always focused on the important stuff,” Ague said. “You don’t get the usual useless busy work you get from other classes.”

Jensen aims to continue what she has been doing and participate in art shows.

“My biggest goal for the future is to have my own art show,” Jensen said.

Even though Jensen does not have her own art show yet, she will continue striving toward her goals.

“It looks like what I’m doing has been working,” Jensen said. “So I’ll keep on designing and keep on teaching.”

Page design by Eren Parla

Highlander of the Issue

Training taekwondo troopers

Sophomore makes a difference one kid at a time |MADELINE KOCHER SPORTS EDITOR|

T

he moment sophomore Mia Valencic walks into the room, her students beam with excitement; they cannot wait to see what new taekwondo tricks they will learn today. Valencic is passionate about her community service work, and she carries it out with pride.

“I volunteer at Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do [in Arlington] and help teach kids with disabilities taekwondo skills,” Valencic said.

Once a week, she dedicates several hours of her free time to helping the kids.

Her kindness doesn’t just impact them, but everyone around her.

Valencic started taekwondo when she was 7 and did it for about five years. She achieved the rank of black belt in November 2013 and continued her training for about a year.

Unfortunately, she had to quit because she had too many other commitments between school and other sports.

She got back into it as an instructor in hopes of inspiring kids and making an impact on their lives, like the impact taekwondo had on hers.

“Taekwondo really helped me with my confidence,” Valencic said.

“It makes me proud to have a friend that helps the community in such a great way.”

-sophomore Hayden Birchfield During the class, students are taken through a sequence of activities with their instructor to focus on developing their skills while in a group setting. This gives them a role model they can trust and look up to.

“I teach them the material to improve their mental and physical abilities in a fun and interesting way,” Valencic said.

Along with sharing her knowledge and experience with her students, she enjoys having the honor of presenting them with awards for their hard work.

Page design by Madeline Kocher

Helping Out — Mia Valencic helps a taekwondo student tie his belt.

Valencic volunteers once a week. (Photo by Madeline Kocher) “I enjoy doing it because I love seeing the looks on the kid’s faces, and it’s so rewarding to help them just like I know taekwondo helped me,” Valencic said.

The kids look up to her as a leader, and they have made a huge impact on her as well.

One boy in particular made Valencic realize her impact on her students.

“He [is] this tiny little kid…he barely ever talks and he has a sensory processing disorder...but he hugs me and loves to be around me,” Valencic said.

One time, she couldn’t make it to taekwondo, so someone had to sub in for her. When she got back, the boy’s mom told her he had asked where she was and when he would be able to see her again. Valencic was touched.

“That was when I realized I really made an impact,” Valencic said.

Her work doesn’t only inspire the kids, but her friends as well.

“It makes me proud to have a friend that helps the community in such a great way,” sophomore Hayden Birchfield said.

He has been Valencic’s best friend since third grade and says he is constantly

amazed at her kindness and hard work.

Theresa Valencic, Mia’s mom, has a similar perspective on her success.

“Mia is kind and caring and a very hard worker. [Mia] has been able to be a peer role model,” Theresa Valencic said.

She notices the hard work that goes into the job, and she is very proud of her daughter.

“Sometimes it can be difficult motivating myself to get out of the house and go help, but it’s really rewarding and it makes up for all the effort and time I spend,” Valencic said.

There’s a lot on her plate, like advanced courses and year-round sports such as volleyball, but she excels at everything.

Valencic knows she will not be able to do this forever, but she will certainly never stop impacting people and giving back to the community.

“I plan to do this for all the upcoming sessions and for as long as I’m possibly able to,” Valencic said.

She shows that being busy doesn’t mean you don’t have time to help others.

“I think helping people is good for everyone,” Valencic said. “It’s a really special and rewarding experience.”

JUNE | FEATURES | 13

A&E

To Infinity and beyond Avengers: Infinity War sets the bar high for future Marvel films

I

| ATTICUS WIDENER REPORTER |

t’s been 10 years and 19 films since the first movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and Avengers: Infinity War has proved Marvel still has more to offer. The film has received a very positive response since opening night on April 27, with many praising the film for its multiple intertwining story arcs and fine balance between actionpacked moments and plot development.

Infinity War begins after the events of Thor: Ragnarok, and the god of thunder has a starring role in the film. Chris Hemsworth was amazing in Infinity War, with his immense power and arrogant yet sympathetic nature on full display throughout the movie. Thor’s unlikely partnership with Rocket Raccoon was a genius idea. Their similar character traits and outgoing natures make for some hilarious and memorable moments.

Gamora and Thanos’ relationship was a more serious affair. The two have a long and complex history filled with conflict and sadness, and therefore the most intense scenes in Infinity War were between the Mad Titan and his adopted daughter.

Infinity War has undoubtedly the best plot and character development of the three Avengers movies to date. Infinity War wastes no time in getting right up to speed with the action, throwing viewers into the thick of things. For a film with 24 heroes who all get good screen time and a multitude of villains to fight against them, Infinity War does an impressive job of incorporating all of them and giving each their own moments to shine.

The film also brings the long-awaited meeting of the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Avengers. Directors John and Anthony Russo managed to successfully 14 | A&E | JUNE

incorporate the two groups without forcing them to butt heads. The Guardians’ sarcasm and humor worked seamlessly with the Avengers’ more serious tone. The lack of comic relief in past Avengers films was solved by the introduction of Star Lord and his crew.

Infinity War presents each one of the six infinity stones, showcasing their individual power and destructive capabilities. Each of the six stones controls a different aspect of the universe (power, soul, time, mind, space and reality) and plays an integral role in the plot.

The MCU has struggled to make convincing villains for the most part; this trend was at its height in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron. Infinity War halts this trend, as Josh Brolin was an excellent choice to play Thanos. Thanos was intimidating, powerful, had a troubled backstory concerning the fate of his planet and most importantly was smart. He’s by far the best villain in any Avengers movie. It’s good to see an MCU film where the heroes actually had to fight an uphill battle.

Few franchises rely more on CGI and action-filled moments more than Marvel Studios. The action in Infinity War provides balance which prevents the film from becoming plot heavy. Scenes like the battle of Wakanda and the battle on Titan between Thanos and the Avengers give relief to the more serious, plot-focused parts.

However, the romance between Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany’s characters (Scarlet Witch and Vision) was disappointing. While

Marvel Studios

the two have good dialogue that bridges the gap from the last film featuring the two, 2016's Captain America: Civil War, aside from that their relationship feels ingenuine and their lack of chemistry is painfully obvious at many times throughout the film.

A romance between characters that have major roles like Vision and Scarlet Witch shouldn’t feel like little more than a glorified soap opera, but this one weak link does not sour the movie in any significant way.

Avengers: Infinity War is a unique change of pace from the other MCU films and is different in more ways than one. It’s easy to jump on the hate train for MCU films; people criticize them for their disregard of the fan base, the lack of care put into some of their movies and being nothing more than a cash cow franchise. Infinity War defies these dark spots and give us an entertaining, unpredictable MCU film.

Infinity War gives us yet another fast-paced Avengers film with a solid script and superior plot.

Page design by Atticus Widener Graphic by Dasha Makarishcheva

13 Reasons Why returns to Netflix Viewers are shocked by controversial second season | ELIZABETH HUMPHREYS REPORTER |

W

ith every mention of the infamous Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, the familiar image of a grey cassette tape pops into mind. The first season may have come to a screeching halt with the suicide of the main character, but the story isn’t over yet.

The arrival of the show’s long-awaited second season came on May 18.

The original season begins with Hannah Baker, a high school sophomore, who records the events leading up to her death on a set of tapes which she leaves behind. Each tape focuses on a single person who made her want to take her own life.

Following the release of the first 13 episodes back in March 2017, a steady uproar began as the show took its full effect.

Graphically depicting many topics such as bullying, sexual assault and self-harm, controversy rose immediately once the public realized the possible harmful effects of the images.

“I felt that in the series, there was a lot said that didn’t involve the protective measures to be taken in the case of mental illness,” said Marly Jerome-Featherson, McLean’s social worker and psychotherapist in private practice. “When people are physically hurt, they will go immediately to get help.

However in the case of mental injury, there is more reluctance to seek treatment.”

Viewers who eagerly followed the show’s first season had high expectations for the new direction the show would be taking.

Introducing a new theme, there are no more tapes. Instead, it includes a different form of narration, which provides insight to the other characters’ perspectives on the story.

“I was very surprised to see the second season make it through,” freshman Emma Messer said. “So many people can be offended by a show’s content when it comes to sensitive issues such as depression.”

The main focus of the new episodes is the process of how justice is achieved for Hannah.

Her parents blame the school administration for the suicide of their daughter and file a lawsuit, resulting in a trial. Progress is shown

by Hannah’s friends recovering from the incident as they attempt to make peace with what happened.

Another theme of the season is an exploration of the different ways men are treated growing up in comparison to women. This builds throughout the season, culminating in a final scene that depicts bullying in an extremely disturbing way.

“I believe that the intention of using such graphic clips was to demonstrate the need for people to treat each other with kindness,”

Do you think that 13 Reasons Why encouraged suicide as a good option or created awareness for suicide prevention?

57%

Thought that 13RW encouraged suicide as a good option

*Poll of 100 students

43%

Thought that 13RW created awareness for suicide prevention

Messer said. “However, even though I enjoyed the ending of this season, I felt that the message could have been presented in a much less gruesome way.”

Teens struggling with issues similar to Hannah may find some portrayals of the show highly damaging. Watching these scenes can lead them to believe that practicing unhealthy behaviors is a solution.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the risk of suicide greatly increases as a story explicitly describes or shows such actions. As many of the scenes were highly emotional, these situations left huge impacts on the viewers.

“I actually started crying because I’ve always taken self-harm really seriously,” freshman Ari Ablyazova said.

This time around, Netflix took the initiative to avoid triggering destructive thoughts by adding warning videos before the episodes. Viewers watching the first season are advised to understand that the show includes mature content. In an announcement on McLean’s PTSA website, parents were warned to keep students wary of the material.

“Students should absolutely view this program with a trusted adult or parent,” Jerome-Featherson said. “It is important to put these issues in perspective, and not to just talk about the cutting or depression in order to normalize mental illness.”

Despite the many changes that the producers made to the show, it is clear that the way the first season broke the internet had a huge effect on the sequel. Many parents, experts and students were against the release of further episodes, but Netflix continued to produce the second season.

Several petitions were even circulated to have the show removed, as well as to stop the second season from coming out.

Although there can be many negative effects of shows that display suicides, a positive outcome is the increased awareness of bullying and related incidents in school.

“I always saw school as a place for learning and nothing more,” Ablyazova said.

“Bullying happens, but I personally have never experienced or seen it. The show really opened my eyes to start paying attention.”

Infographic by Dasha Makarishcheva Page design by Elizabeth Humphreys

JUNE | A&E | 15

The summer of music Concerts coming to the DMV soon | TESSA HAGER REPORTER |

KHALID

JAY-Z & BEYONCE

JUNE 4 @ MECU PAVILION

JULY 27 @ FEDEX LIVE

Khalid, a contemporary pop artist, broke into the spotlight with his single “Location,” followed by his album American Teen in 2017.

Khalid’s calming vocals over catchy melodies make him one of the most popular rising artists today. His songs center around growing up as a teen, making him relatable and adding to his growing influence.

Platinum selling rapper and record label executive Jay-Z has been setting trends in the rap game since the late 90s with his various projects over the years. His most recent album is 4:44, which debuted in 2017. For the first time he opens up on his vulnerabilities, family life and the continuing movement for social justice within society.

Jay-Z’s wife, Beyonce, is also influential as one of the most prevalent female artists of the decade. With raw and powerful lyrics in her latest album Lemonade, she covers a versatile range of topics, providing a unique insight into her mind.

KALI UCHIS

JUNE 7 @ RAMS HEAD LIVE! Rising R&B singer Kali Uchis is bringing a different style to the genre through her quirky, vintage expression incorporated with jazz and pop music alike, giving us a taste of the new direction of modern R&B. From living out of her car at 17 and writing songs in Northern Virginia to residing in L.A.. as a Grammy nominee, Uchis proves that anything is possible for the rising generation in the music industry.

Every aspect of her image, from her self-directed music videos to her retro and colorful attire drew the attention of various prominent artists and publications. Her latest album, Isolation, opens with a breezy tune and experimental sound. She continues to embrace her humble background as a self-made artist and Virginia native.

HALSEY

JULY 15 @ WOLF TRAP In the realm of alternative pop influences, Halsey cannot be left out.

Her lyrics provide imagery of pastel skies, a post apocalyptic freedom, and her use of nostalgic storytelling set herself outside the boundaries of stereotypical pop music. She often uses her music as a platform to advocate feminism and diversity.

PANIC! AT THE DISCO JULY 21 @ ROYAL FARMS ARENA

Nominated for a Grammy for best rock album, the Las Vegas band formed a heavy following over their six studio-released albums. Lead singer Brendon Urie’s wide range of soulful vocals coordinated with drums, guitar and quirky techno beats allowed the band to quickly become an emo-pop sensation.

16 | A&E | JUNE

ARCTIC MONKEYS

JULY 28 @ THE ANTHEM

Another concert to look out for is the English band Arctic Monkeys, an indie rock group that was quickly signed over their Internet-released albums, showcasing a fast tempo and witty lyrics portraying a new garage band aesthetic. They adapted to more guitar riffs but kept the same heavy tone for their latest album AM.

REX ORANGE COUNTY JULY 30 @ U STREET MUSIC HALL

The singer/songwriter Rex Orange County adds elements of jazz and hip-hop to create melodies that are cheerful, yet emotional at the same time. He has collaborated with rapper Tyler the Creator on various songs such as “Boredom.”

G-EAZY & LIL LIL UZI UZI VERT VERT AUG. 30 @ JIFFY LUBE

Rappers G-Eazy and Lil Uzi Vert will be performing on the Endless Summer Tour. G-Eazy first went mainstream after using creative samples of classic vintage songs such as “Runaround Sue” and “Good Vibrations” in his mixtape. G-Eazy is also known for his rowdy sound and Northern California influence.

While Philadelphia native Lil Uzi Vert mixes pop with trap in his own distinct style, he is also greatly inspired by alternative metal artist Marilyn Manson.

Page design by Imani McCormick & Maren Kranking

What to watch on Netflix this summer Get ready for binge-watching season with all new shows and movies | MADELINE KOCHER REPORTER |

COMEDY

THRILLER

ACTION

Set in the early 1990s, Everything Sucks is a whole new take on the classic high school scene. “[It] was a cool, different coming-of-age story,” freshman Jasmine Bhatia said.

Each main character has a different perspective on the world. With characters ranging in age, race, gender and personality, there is someone for everyone to relate to.

This story will make viewers laugh and cry; both powerful and lighthearted, it’s a definite must watch this summer.

In the prospective world of Altered Carbon, new technology allows consciousness to be frozen, brought back to life, and transferred between bodies. An imprisoned soldier is brought back to life after over 200 years. He is given the choice to stay in prison forever or fix a problem to get a clean record in return. To win his freedom, he must solve a mind-bending crime filled with unexpected twists that change his life in ways he would have never imagined.

Based on true events, Mindhunter follows two FBI agents who believe that in order to catch a criminal, they must learn how to think like a criminal. This actionpacked series is extremely intriguing, depicting a brand new perspective on crimes and those who commit them.

“The plot is so interesting, you can’t stop watching,” sophomore Alex Weinstein said.

This exciting series will grab anyone’s attention, and there’s something new to learn in each episode.

Netflix’s new dramatic comedy, On My Block, addresses current issues and relatable topics, while making the audience laugh at the same time.

“On My Block is a comedic masterpiece,” sophomore Fiorella Salazar said.

The story takes place in a rough inner city neighborhood, where four lifelong friends navigate through their first year of high school. As the unique and engaging characters face the typical challenges of growing up, such as the highs and lows of relationships, they also deal with the dangers of gang involvement and cultural identities.

They find themselves involved in a fun but dangerous adventure that ends up drastically changing their lives.

The Brazilian series 3% takes place in a futuristic world where people live in poverty and chaos. Every year, all 20-yearolds are given the opportunity to compete for a new life in a place called the Offshore, a virtual paradise of progress and prosperity.

Only three percent of applicants survive the intense tests and trials. As the competition transforms, even the strongest survivors are not prepared for what happens next.

“It’s very suspenseful, like a game of survival. It’s definitely worth watching,” English teacher Elise Emmons said.

A majority of the dialogue in 3% is in Portuguese, but subtitles make it easy to enjoy this compelling and suspenseful thriller.

Based on the iconic Marvel comics, Daredevil gives a more in-depth look into the Marvel cinematic universe.

Matt Murdock, who’s been blind ever since he was little, is an average lawyer in New York City by day, but at night he transforms into his crime-fighting alter ego, Daredevil. This gripping series is filled with unexpected twists and turns and always keeps viewers on their toes. There are also crossover episodes and scenes with other Marvel heroes and villains. Each episode is exciting and full of action. References, Easter eggs, humor, suspense and a fast-paced plot make it all the more enjoyable.

All photos obtained via Netflix Page design by Imani McCormick

JUNE | A&E | 17

New restaurant stirs controversy Sweet and savory meals plagued by scandal | NICHOLAS LOHMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & MADELINE KOCHER SPORTS EDITOR |

O

pened in Tysons by Mike Isabella, local icon and winner of Top Chef’s season 7, Isabella Eatery provided the D.C. area with a brand new restaurant concept. The layout is designed to mimic a Spanish marketplace and offers multiple miniature restaurants containing global cuisines such as Japanese, Mexican, Italian and Greek. Each miniature restaurant is decorated intricately, with subtle allusions to their respective country.

The new style can be confusing, and the chaos takes away from the eatery’s beautiful details and overall customer experience. Wait times are long, and stress is plastered across the faces of employees as they run around, frantically trying to meet the demands of frustrated customers. One customer even began to clap at a server like she was a dog.

“I almost walked out today,” a server who asked to remain anynomous said in an interview with The Highlander.

While the restaurant was initially received with much anticipation,

the server attested that the working environment is horrendous. High school aged workers have been allegedly mistreated, and more serious allegations have pinned Isabella as a perpetrator of sexual assault.

According to The Washington Post, a lawsuit filed by an employee at the eatery claims Isabella and his partners called her derogatory names, inappropriately commented on her figure and “touched her without permission.”

This claim was backed by the server interviewed by The Highlander, who complained about the poor training and treatment of employees which contributes to the restaurant’s subpar atmosphere. “[Mike Isabella] thinks he’s a big star, and that’s also what drives him to how he treats people... He only walks around and drinks his gin and tonic,” the server said.

The food and the atmosphere of the restaurant sharply contrast one another. While the food surpassed our expectations, Isabella’s poor management causes the restaurant to fall flat.

FOOD REVIEW

WHITE HOUSE PIZZA $12

CHIPS & GUAC $12

Drizzled in black pepper honey sauce, this white pie creates a trifecta of flavors, blending subtle sweetness and spiciness with a thick layer of salty cheese. A creamy Alfredo-like sauce acts as the base for the pizza, creating a slightly soggy crust, but adding a layer of complexity to the flavor of the cheese. The crust is crispy on the outside and soft in the middle—perfect.

Although extremely overpriced, this small bowl of guacamole and homemade tortilla chips are the best one could ever have.

Mike Isabella’s chips are undoubtedly the only ones in the McLean area to hit the mark on all aspects of what makes a great chip. Warm, well-salted and crunchy, they provide the perfect vehicle for a seasoned and slightly spicy guac that melts in your mouth, creating a culinary masterpiece.

BANANA SPLIT $8 For this classic dessert, you can choose three ice cream flavors from a list of many options. We chose strawberry, Nutella and a mystery flavor called Yabba Dabba Doo. The Nutella ice cream complemented by the banana was a genius and classic combination. Although the Yabba Dabba Doo cotton candy ice cream was a bit too sweet, one can taste the time and effort that went into this creation.

Unfortunately, although the bowl was aesthetically pleasing, the crowded design made it difficult to eat from.

VERDICT:

BASED ON TASTE, CREATIVITY & ATMOSPHERE 18 | A&E | JUNE

Page design by Madeline Kocher Infographic by Dasha Makarishcheva

RICH BRIAN MAKES MOVES IN AMERICA INDONESIAN RAPPER’S MUSIC HITS THE MAINSTREAM |DANIEL COLLAKU & BRANDON SAUTER REPORTERS|

B

rian Imanuel, better known as “Rich Brian,” is an Indonesian rapper who is making headlines in the U.S. Brian released his debut album Amen in February.

The album was a success for Brian, but it didn’t get the attention it deserved. He has proven to the world that he can produce exceptional lyrics and beats; therefore, he deserves more traction from the hip-hop media.

Brian has more talent and skill than various rappers that are greater in popularity.

He has an impressive tone and flow, and he’s also comedic while rapping about real issues.

Brian produces his own beats in songs, such as “Dat $tick” and “Glow Like Dat.” This highlights Brian’s self-reliance, which most other artists in the industry do not possess.

“Rich Brian deserves to be on freshman XXL based on his raps, but he doesn’t have enough clout to be on it,” freshman Matthew Sicoli said.

XXL is a hip-hop magazine that decides who the best hip-hop producers of the year are. There is wide consensus on the idea the Brian is a good hip-hop artist, but he doesn’t have enough fame to make it into an A-list rap spot.

DO MCLEAN STUDENTS LIKE OR DISLIKE RICH BRIAN?

41%

59%

139 students said they liked Rich Brian 95 students said they disliked Rich Brian

Page design by Imani McCormick

“Rich Brian is not comedic or talented… he should go back to making Vines,” freshman Jonah Miller said.

While many people enjoy Brian’s work, Miller said his music isn’t as entertaining as other rappers, such as his all time favorite, Lil Pump.

Also, it’s impossible to return to being a Viner, seeing as Vine has been deactivated for over a year.

Some say the reason Brian hasn’t achieved his fame yet is because of his Indonesian background.

Brian moved to the U.S. in early 2017, and many people believe he doesn’t fit in with the modern day rap stereotypes because of his ethnicity. Regardless, Brian speaks more clearly in his words than many “mumble rappers,” rappers who don’t enunciate their words and rely on autotune, which are taking well-deserved fame away from him.

Mumble rappers include, but are not limited to, Lil Uzi Vert, Ski Mask the Slump God, Kodak Black and Lil Pump.

These creators had the advantage of having English as a primary language, yet they take it for granted. Unlike these rappers, Brian had to go through the process of learning the English language, yet he still uses more complex vocabulary than other artists.

“Brian deserves more fame because his raps are not only solid, they’re comedic,” freshman Matthew Sicoli said. Brian has the ability to rap about anything and still make it entertaining. He’s always putting a smile on people’s faces because of his positive, uplifting style.

Brian is only 18 and still has a lot to learn, but he already has more talent than his older competition such as 23-year-old Lil Uzi Vert. He deserves to be more recognized as a serious contender in the rap industry.

At just 18, Brian has already worked

OUR TOP 5 FAVORITE TRACKS FROM AMEN:

1. COLD 2. GLOW LIKE DAT 3. SEE ME 4. INTROVERT 5. OCCUPIED with popular producers like Joji, Offset and 21 Savage. Working with these more experienced, notable artists proves Brian has earned the respect of many other creators in the game.

Brian’s album Amen reached number one on the iTunes hip-hop top charts after it came out. He was also the first Asian rapper in history to ever make it to number one on those charts.

“Amen did great, but not as good Brian expected,” Sicoli said. Although he reached number one on the charts, Sicoli thinks Brian wanted the album to shoot further than it did.

Brian has made a name for himself, but still deserves more attention in the hip-hop spotlight.

JUNE | A&E | 19

KOD won’ t get you hooked

J. Cole’s message is important, but music is a downer | NICHOLAS BOYER REPORTER |

F

ollowing the release of 4 Your Eyez Only in 2016, J. Cole made a comeback with KOD on April 20.

Though J. Cole has yet to live up to 2014 Forest Hills Drive, which went double platinum without any features, KOD finishes a close second, touching on real world issues—primarily money, drugs and love.

Cole’s alter ego, kiLL edward, makes an appearance on “The Cut Off ” and “FRIENDS.” Cole’s brother, Zach Cole, created a YouTube video reacting to the release of KOD and stated that kiLL edward was inspired by their abusive stepfather, Edward.

According to the KOD album trailer released on April 19, the album title stands for three things: Kids on Drugs, King Overdosed and Kill Our Demons. Each refer to a different point in his life, but J. Cole said in a tweet that “the rest of the album I leave to your interpretation.”

“KOD” “KOD” is by far one of the best songs on the album. In the song, Cole mentions that this album has no features, similar to 2014 Forest Hills Drive. He also reflects on his past self and his time wasted on nothing, rapping “At the bottom of the hourglass/ Lies sand that represents the past/In which all of my demons rest/I’m calling out for help.” In terms of the KOD meaning, Cole is refering to Kill Our Demons. The last line stating he put his demons to rest is essentially saying he killed his demons or they’ve chosen to leave him alone. Thus, leaving the interpretation to listeners.

“Photograph” “Photograph” shifts the tone of the album from personal struggles to societal issues, honing in on the digital age where people are more preoccupied with appearances rather than highlighting the things that make people unique.

Page design by Imani McCormick

“ATM” Indubitably, “ATM” is all about the money. The first verse states, “I know that it’s difficult/I’m stackin’ this paper, it’s sort of habitual.” This line has two interpretations, the first being that other rappers are jealous because he is making bank off of his talent, the second that he’s expressing how difficult it is to make it rich while staying true to yourself in such a complex industry.

“Motiv8” Cole draws in listeners’ attention with deftly produced beats. The intro establishes one of the meanings of KOD—Kids on Drugs—with the line “You really wanna know who Superman is?/Watch this, pow!”

He is saying that as a kid the drugs acted as an escape, making him feel like he could fly like Superman. However, in 2018, the new J. Cole is trying to “Keep the peace like Dalai Lama.” He follows this peaceful statement with “Backin’ out the parkin’ spot and though the law be on him,” referring to

the racial struggles African Americans face in society, primarily with authories. Cole is a known advocate of the Black Lives Matter movement.

“1985” (Intro to “The Fall Off”) Cole utilizes this song to show sympathy to the new age mumble rappers who dis him, Lil Pump and Smokepurpp in particular. He raps “I remember I was 18... You gotta give a boy a chance to grow some,” as he reflects on his days rising to the hip-hop charts. Though Cole is choosing to take the high road, Lil Pump continously bashes him on Twitter and expresses how much he hates lyrical rap.

Pump later released a song using merely six words to describe his hatred toward Cole.

Overall, Cole’s album conveys a strong message that addresses real struggles, but personally, I would rather listen to something more happy and upbeat, and Cole’s album is the opposite.

JUNE | A&E | 21

IN-DEPTH

UNDER PRESSURE MCLEAN’S SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT INDUCES ANXIETY ADDIE BROWN

DANA EDSON

SEBASTIAN JIMENEZ

MANAGING EDITORS

H

earts beat faster, heads get dizzy and stomachs begin to turn as the feelings of anxiety kick in.

While the amount of work piles up in preparation for the end of the school year, students face a multitude of mental obstacles due to anxiety, a prevalent issue among the students of McLean.

“Anxiety attacks are scary to go through. [You get] worked up about a situation, making it hard to focus on anything else, then it [becomes] hard to breathe,” freshman Gabby Porter* said. “I couldn’t breathe [when I had an attack], so I left the class to throw up in the bathroom.”

WHAT IS ANXIETY?

Based on the results of the 2016-2017 Fairfax County Youth Survey, about one in every four students at McLean have experienced feelings related to anxiety.

The stress students face during high school can impact their health for the rest of their life.

Anxiety is a mental health disorder caused by an

overwhelming sense of fear strong enough to impair one’s ability to complete daily tasks. Although it is treatable, many people choose to overlook the symptoms, making these problems more prominent.

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) has noted anxiety as the most common mental health disorder that affects both children and adults.

The ADAA estimated 44 million American adults suffer from symptoms, but only one-third receive treatment.

“The problem is when someone goes for a long time at a really high level of anxiety and they’re not managing it well,” school psychologist Beth Werfel said. “And then you can have problems with mood and problems with some physical aches and pains that can be more related with anxiety.”

Anxiety worsens when students enter high school.

Based on The Highlander’s survey of 223 McLean students, 88.8 percent of students have felt symptoms in the past six months. This can vary from having minor feelings to having a full-on anxiety attack.

*Name has been changed to protect the student’s anonymity in recognition of the sensitive nature of the subject.

22 | IN-DEPTH | JUNE

Although the source of anxiety can vary for each individual, academic and social pressure are two major causes. The perceived correlation between high school academics and future success causes the disorder to be a significant issue at McLean.

ACADEMIC PRESSURE

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), 45 percent of all teens are stressed by their school’s environment. At McLean, this percentage is higher: 47.1 percent of sophomores felt a medium amount of stress and 47.2 percent of seniors felt a high amount of stress in the past 30 days as measured by the Fairfax County Youth Survey.

“The school tends to pressure me to the extreme, saying that my whole life is going to be ruined if I don’t get an A on this test,” junior Kole Tromp said.

Students face overwhelming amounts of pressure at McLean because of its rigorous academic atmosphere.

The stress may appear as early as middle school, with the thought of needing straight A’s in order to get into the most prestigious universities. Being one of the top

schools in Virginia, McLean students often have high expectations to live up to from parents and teachers.

“To be honest, I feel [like] the McLean environment itself is just so competitive and that it is kind of hard to resolve it,” junior Ariane Richard said. “Because no matter what you do here, there is always some kind of competition [like] who’s getting the best grades or who’s better than this person.”

According to The Highlander’s survey, 63.2 percent of freshmen reported feeling pressured by the school’s academic environment. In addition, 50 percent of sophomores and 80.4 percent of juniors feel the same way. “[Academics] add stress to [one’s] situation, which may trigger [anxiety] or just make it worse in general,” sophomore Jackie Levasseur said.

The VHSL participation survey found that twothirds of the nearly 2,100 students that attend McLean High School participate in sports and clubs. With the amount of homework that McLean students get, many find it difficult to perform well in both academics and extracurriculars.

JUNE | IN-DEPTH | 23

“It’s definitely society too. It’s your time and era. [Students] are overscheduled and there’s just a lot of things going on,” school counselor Deborah You said.

WHAT CAUSES MCLEAN STUDENTS TO FEEL ANXIOUS?

SOCIAL PRESSURE

In addition to academic pressure, students face daily social challenges which can also contribute to anxiety. In the survey, 34.9 percent of McLean students named social pressure as one of their causes of anxiety.

During high school, teenagers are surrounded by a diverse student body, and face the task of creating relationships with their peers. The pressure to be liked by one’s peers is often a major factor in day-to-day life. The pursuit of the approval of others can lead to an array of negative behaviors and decisions, in addition to the mental toll it can take on young minds.

“Just the pressure of doing what everyone else is doing or participating in...adds on to the stress of school,” Richard said. “[And] having expectations and fulfilling those expectations in some way [contributes] to the anxiety.”

Social pressures can frequently cause teens to become someone they might not want to be, with a personality they might not even recognize themselves.

“If you feel like you’re competing for friendships, not getting along with other people, that’s conflict that can come along with any relationship and increase anxiety,” Werfel said.

Meanwhile, one factor that is proving to have a negative impact on the social lives of students is social media. The impact that social media can have on a teenager’s mind is severe and can lead to constant misery. The intervention of platforms in which users are encouraged to share nearly every aspect of their lives brings with it many consequences.

Teenagers seek approval from hundreds of people in the form of text messages, likes or comments, leaving them vulnerable to judgment. Every day is spent awaiting the validation of others under the continuous stress of being observed.

“There is pressure to be available 24/7, and not responding to posts or texts immediately can increase anxiety. Also, [there is] anxiety around ‘missing out,’” Dr. Heather Woods of the University of Glasgow

24 | IN-DEPTH | JUNE

ACADEMICS

78%

PERFORMANCE

66%

SOCIAL PRESSURE

47%

SPORTS

42%

OTHER

30% NONE

11% Based on a survey of 223 students

Photo illustration by Nicky Varela Infographic & page design by Maren Kranking

said in a September 2015 interview with Medical News Today.

LONG-TERM EFFECTS

Facing high levels of anxiety during childhood can have lasting damaging effects. At first, students could have symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, nausea and an inability to concentrate. According to the Fairfax County Youth Survey, 31.6 percent of seniors felt sad or hopeless every day for two or more weeks, during which time they stopped participating in usual activities.

“Sometimes I just have a hard time concentrating or I feel tired and done with work, and I just want to sleep,” Richard said.

Such high levels of anxiety and stress have been reported by the APA to increase headaches, stomachaches and the frequency of skipping meals.

“

with it. Tromp can attest to the fact that anxiety may have horrible and even life-threatening effects. “[This environment] has led me to several suicide attempts and self-harm issues, depression, just a whole mess of things,” Tromp said.

Guidance counselors are a helpful resource who are available to all students when needed. They emphasize the importance of having at least one recovery day per week.

“Take one mental health day, so work hard for 6 days and then the seventh day don’t do anything,” You said.

“Fix your days so that you’re able to do what you can for six days and then one day should be a Sabbath for you to take care of yourself.”

Students should discuss their feelings about the amount of pressure put on them with their parents and take time to disconnect from social media or focus on

NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO HERE, THERE IS ALWAYS SOME KIND OF COMPETITION [LIKE] WHO’S GETTING THE BEST GRADES OR WHO’S BETTER THAN THIS PERSON.” — JUNIOR ARIANE RICHARD Getting healthy amounts of sleep is integral to reducing these side effects and lowering levels of anxiety and stress. Despite this, at McLean, only 30.9 percent of students got a healthy eight hours of sleep each night, according to the Youth Survey.

“Eating well and sleeping well, I think those are the really big things,” You said.

As students’ anxiety persists, the effects last until adulthood. Ted Barker, a psychologist at King’s College in London, has linked childhood stress to depressionlike symptoms in young adults. The Anxiety and Depression Society of America found that 62 percent of students have lasting, toxic anxiety from the pressure of school.

LOOKING AHEAD

While anxiety is a prominent factor in many students’ lives, students, parents and teachers are struggling to take the necessary steps to help them cope

themselves. Meanwhile, teachers and parents should be more aware of students’ behavior and find solutions to control damaging stress.

Many students face anxiety as a part of daily life, but as the problem becomes more significant it demands a solution. Students should not have to struggle with the all-encompassing effects of anxiety.

“Anxiety affects my everyday life by making me worry about the little things and making my day more stressful and unenjoyable,” Porter said.

If you or a friend are dealing with anxiety, the school counselors, psychologist and social worker are available.

The Mobile Crisis Unit phone number is (844) 627-4747.

JUNE | IN-DEPTH | 25

OPINIONS Standardized testing hurts students Abundance of tests is overwhelming

The staff editorial represents the opinion of the majority of The Highlander editorial board

A

s the school year concludes, many students have been occupied with mandatory state-issued tests known as the Standards of Learning (SOLs). The number of standardized tests given in just two months of school cause students to become stressed and overwhelmed.

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was first enacted in 2002 by President George W. Bush to ensure that every student attending public schools meets adequate standards of learning. Though wellintentioned, NCLB increased the number of standardized tests for all American students which has caused more harm than benefits.

Standardized tests also negatively affect schools as a whole. When schools perform inadequately on standardized tests they are considered to be “failing” and are not provided with the same opportunities or resources as schools with acceptable or exceeding scores. This is especially harmful to low-income places.

The number of standardized tests given to students in the U.S. greatly exceeds that given to students in other countries. However, according to The Guardian, countries that give fewer standardized tests than the U.S. are more academically successful.

According to The Washington Post, American students take 112 standardized tests from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade, while students in other countries such as Singapore and Ireland only take three.

“There seems to be quite a few standardized tests that students have to take.

Personally, I would decrease the number of standardized tests,” McLean psychologist Beth Werfel said.

The stress caused by the pressure of standardized tests contributes to students getting less sleep, earning lower grades and developing anger issues. “[Any] kind of intense period of time in a student’s life, it’s important that they make sure that they are still trying to take care of their basic needs, like getting enough 26 | OPINIONS | JUNE

sleep, eating nutritious food, staying hydrated, exercising SUBJECT and doing things with friends; it’s important to keep a balance,” Werfel said. “I think DATE it’s important for students to know that SOL scores do not appear on high school NAME transcripts.”

Standardized tests also cause teachers to feel pressured SCORE to cater their curriculum to the tests, which often takes the joy OUT OF out of teaching.

“I have felt a lot of pressure with my World History 1 students. I would like all of them to succeed and do well which does stress teachers out as it stresses students out,” social studies teacher Anthony Puzan said.

The stress stemming from standardized tests is not limited to high her academic experience. schools; it can be seen in students as early as “I don’t think it makes me smarter because elementary school which can cause a loss of I am not being tested on my knowledge. curiosity and love for learning.

Instead I am being tested on my ability to “Students don’t necessarily complain memorize information and throw it out and about the number of standardized tests we already have enough tests to make us because it has been a part of [their] lives since smarter,” Nasir said. third grade [in Fairfax County], but I do Many of the tests students are mandated think that students do express frustration or to take assess their ability to memorize feeling overwhelmed with all of the pressure rather than their actual knowledge and they feel during standardized testing time,” comprehension of the material.

Werfel said.

Although most students at McLean High According to The Guardian, the U.S. is School earn high scores on standardized ranked number 14 in the world in terms tests, the tests tend to be abusive to student of education on international comparison and teacher time. Students spend numerous tests. In Poland, the rate of children living in hours preparing for standardized tests and poverty is equivalent to the U.S., but Poland performing them, time teachers could spend is ranked as number 12 on the international teaching new material or students could comparison test and has stronger student spend pursuing their interests instead of achievements even though their students staring at a computer screen for hours and are only tested three times: at the end of regurgitating information. elementary school, middle school and high While tests like SOLs allow educational school. data to be collected, the high number of “The high number of standardized tests is standardized tests harm students and teachers very useless to students. We take enough tests instead of benefiting them. in our classes that are already stressful as it Encourage Congress to reform the is,” sophomore Farah Nasir said.

NCLB Act by calling, emailing or Nasir believes the high number of sending a handwritten letter to Virginia’s standardized tests does not actually enhance representatives.

Comic by Jackson Clayton Reporting & page design by Bita Mushaikhi

New health curriculum should avoid past mistakes Course updates must expose students to new information every year JACK SHIELDS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

A

s I approached the health room for the first time, I was honestly feeling pretty excited. I assumed that health would be an easy, unproductive class required by the county that teachers did not really take seriously. My whole perspective was flipped upside down in less than 30 minutes.

On the first day of health, we learned about the heart, heart disease and heart attacks, which just so happened to include a video that showed footage of a pulsing heart.

For some of you future doctors this might not seem like much, but for me, a kid who gets queasy during FLE, this was a lot to handle.

Every time an animated image of a pulsing heart was displayed on the SmartBoard, my own heartbeat increased, and I began to feel nauseous. This slowly got worse until eventually my vision had gotten so blurry that I couldn’t see the back of my hand, and I was too dizzy to lift my head off of my desk.

By some miracle I managed to stand up out of my chair and navigate to the front of the room. I asked my gym teacher if I could go to the bathroom, and then proceeded to lay in the nurse’s office for 30 minutes.

Every aspect of the experience was embarrassing. I tripped and fell in the

Can you teach us about what to do during a house fire?

Comic by Jackson Clayton Page design by Jack Shields

middle of the main hallway, slamming my water bottle against the floor for everyone to see and hear, and I had several people concerningly approach me as I pushed on towards the nurse’s office.

Later, when all five of my senses returned, I wondered from a broad picture why students are forced to learn about certain subjects in health class. A lot are unnecessary and repetitive, yet the class is important to high schoolers.

“Health is important because it teaches us about the bad effects of drugs and why we shouldn’t use them,” freshman Christopher Kutscher said.

There are aspects of health that are important for students to learn, including knowledge of health problems (despite my experience), sex ed, drug education and the mental health unit. Where the curriculum goes wrong, however, is repeating the exact same topics with similar lessons every year.

Fortunately, FCPS will revise the health curriculum in the 2018-19 school year.

“We do not have the specifics of the new curriculum, but the freshmen will have new and revised lessons for a variety of subjects,” physical education teacher Brooke Edwards said. “Revisions [for sophomores] are taking place.”

In the new curriculum, units such as

Nope! But I CAN make you memorize the full name and side effects of 16 drugs

Again?

ATOD (alcohol, tobacco and other drugs), disease prevention, environmental health, emotional and social health, and human growth and development will be revised or completely overhauled. The new curriculum will also include a new unit, wellness, and possibly information about a new HIV prevention drug called PrEP. “I do believe that changes will greatly benefit the students. The new curriculum is based off of current life events with new research and statistics that will relate to students› lives today,” Edwards said.

Finally, the outdated videos and handouts will be replaced by more relevant topics and information, with updated statistics and modern research. The changes should make the class much more interactive and relevant to students today, and will hopefully make the class more productive and engaging for students and teachers.

Even still, FCPS needs to prevent the curriculum from including repetitive topics that students are forced to learn about every year. This is the biggest issue that many McLean students have with the current curriculum.

“I would change the fact that we learn the same things over and over again each year and it never changes,” freshman Jules Bernand said. “Make the classes have new information.”

One way to do this would be for FCPS to make health class cumulative throughout multiple years rather than teaching a basis of various topics early on, then reteaching the same information on top of progressing further each year.

Instead, teaching cumulatively and only teaching new information every year could make the class less repetitive and more interesting for students. This could also allow for more time to discuss new topics in class and offer the chance of better classroom discussions with more informed students.

It is not entirely known what the new curriculum will hold, and whether it will eliminate repetitive topics or not, but either way updating the health curriculum is a step in the right direction.

JUNE | OPINIONS | 27

Library doesn’t need later closing times Changing closing time isn’t worth the time and money JACKSON CLAYTON OPINIONS EDITOR

B

efore the school start time was changed from 7:20 to 8:10 a.m. a few years ago, McLean’s school library was packed with students after school.

“School would finish at 2:10 and sports didn’t start until 3:30, so students had almost a full hour and a half here,” head librarian Joan McCarthy said.

Since the school’s end time changed, there has been a significant decrease in students staying in the library after school because the intermediary time is much shorter and students feel as though they don’t have enough time between sports and school.

In addition, McLean lost one of its late buses due to budget cuts, which changed the library’s schedule to have one less day with a 4:30 p.m. closing time. Due to this looming problem, some students have asked for additional days during which the library closes at 4:30. However, this isn’t worth the time or money it would potentially cost.

The librarians understand that students have a lot of work to do and will usually let students finish before closing the library.

“To those who have asked, ‘Can I have 10 to 15 more minutes to finish up?’ We always say yes,” McCarthy said.

However, most students don’t even stay until closing time.

Reading Player One — Students use the library computers during lunch.

Many students use the computers provided to work on and print out schoolwork during the day. (Photo by Jackson Clayton) “Students who come in the afternoon are those who want to print work out and do a little bit of homework and then just leave,” McCarthy said.

While it could be expected that the library sees more students with later closing times, this is simply not the case.

“On Thursday, if we are lucky, we will have 24 students; when you are saying how many students stay until 4:30, we can say it’s only about six or seven, because we have counted them on many days... There are many days

A Quiet Place — Students study and work in the library before school starts. More students use the library before school than after school.

(Photo by Jackson Clayton)

28 | OPINIONS | JUNE

when we clear out at 4:30 and there are only two or three people,” McCarthy said.

Sophomore Robert Pickens stays after on Thursdays, but he works at home on all other days.

“The closing time doesn’t really affect me,” Pickens said.

Many students might not stay later even if the closing times were changed. For example, sophomore Fahad Faisal says he would not stay more often if the closing time was moved from 3:30 to 4:30 on all days.

Additionally, school buses use approximately 12 gallons of gas per trip, which can cost the school $36 per late bus in gas alone. Only having five late buses would cost the school over $180, which adds up to $7,200 for a typical school year, a hefty cost for a school on a tight budget. This is to say nothing of the additional costs to pay bus drivers and librarians for their time.

The librarians have listened to students’ ideas and criticisms and have been able to make changes to help satisfy these problems.

“Before we had the silent room, I had a lot of students come up to me and say, ‘Can’t you make the library quieter? I can’t study,’” McCarthy said.

If you have a suggestion to improve the library, feel free to tell the librarians, but the closing times shouldn’t be prioritized over advancements like new computers, books, bookshelves, chairs and tables.

Page design by Jackson Clayton

The problem we’re sleeping on

School starting times need to be pushed back to benefit students Increased risk for motor vehicle accidents is also a concern, due to drowsy driving.

After implementing an 8:55 a.m. start time, Jackson Hole High School in Wyoming experienced a 70 percent drop in accidents involving drivers aged 16 to 18. Students also had GPA increases from .16 to .27 points for each grade level, and rates of tardiness were cut in half.

Research has shown that chronically sleep deprived teens have worse academic performance and increased rates of absence and tardiness.

“It’s ridiculous. So far today [8:42 a.m.], I’ve had 55 [tardies], and yesterday I had more than a hundred,” administrative assistant Renee Yates said.

It can be argued that later release times would interfere with extracurricular activities.

The shifting forward of school hours would not allow enough time in the afternoon to participate in extracurricular activities, and would result in the same problems because students would be forced to compensate for the lost time after school.

However, the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project found that teens are actually less likely to participate in sports or activities due to sleep deprivation. That needed sleep would increase physical and mental performance in general. They are also likely to become more depressed, anxious, irritable, defiant and impulsive than the rare

SEBASTIAN JIMENEZ MANAGING EDITOR

I

n this current day and age, many problems plague the younger members of the population. Among them, one is exceptionally harmful and is largely dismissed: a lack of sleep. It is an issue that has traditionally been seen as a struggle that can be ignored—in reality, it is a major issue faced by the majority of teens.

Sleep seems like a commodity that everyone can afford losing. However, the younger generations cannot. Chronic sleep loss introduces many problems into teens’ lives that impact them negatively. Large amounts of medical research have time and time again highlighted the topic, as well as described the consequences it has on the mental health of adolescents.

“Getting enough sleep is important for students’ health, safety and academic performance. Early school start times, however, are preventing many adolescents from getting the sleep they need,” CDC epidemiologist Anne Wheaton said.

According to the CDC, around 72.7 percent of people aged 13 to 18 do not get eight or more hours of sleep, as suggested for a healthy lifestyle. Lack of sleep has been proven to lead to obesity, drinking and tobacco and drug use, in addition to poor academic performance.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that middle and high schools should aim to start no earlier than 8:30 AM.

Teens need at least

5 out of 6

middle schools start the day before

8:30

AM

8 z

z

z

z

z

hours

z

of sleep per night

2 out of 3 US high school students sleep less than 8 hours on school nights

Adolescents who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to: Suffer from depressive symptoms

Engage in unhealthy behaviors such as drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco and using illicit drugs

Page design by Sebastian Jimenez Infographic by Dasha Makarishcheva

Perform poorly in school

Not get enough physical activity

teenager who gets enough sleep. In addition, students are tired when they arrive from school, and are often unable to hit the books until around 7 or 8 p.m.

Student athletes are especially vulnerable to losing sleep because of their tight schedule.

Having a time-consuming activity outside school hours means they lack free time that their peers have to do important schoolwork and other elements which might take up a high schooler’s time.

Some suggest that the affected high schoolers simply head to bed earlier in order to sleep a healthy amount of hours. For example, many students’ problems could be solved by limiting their time on­­an electronic device before bed.

Although outside factors such as biological changes in sleep associated with puberty and academic demands interfere with adolescents’ ability to get enough sleep, evidence found by the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly indicated that start times earlier than 8:30 a.m. were a controllable aspect of the problem.

Circadian rhythm is the natural cycle of sleep the body follows, and like many things, it is subject to radical change when the body is undergoing puberty, and it varies for everyone. Simply put, it is impossible for teens to fall asleep earlier than their constantly adjusting biological clock dictates.

“I can’t even really fall asleep before around 11:00 p.m. anyways, even if I finish my homework early, which I never do,” sophomore Lana Al-Saloum said.

In addition, students possess a reduced ability to absorb and retain material and make decisions. Overall, chronic sleep loss detracts from their school experience as a whole.

A possible solution does exist: pushing back school start times to at least 8:30 a.m., as recommended by the Center for Disease Control.

The average start time for schools in the U.S. is 8:03 a.m., already half an hour earlier than the recommended start time.

Professional opinions must be heeded if this problem is to be solved.

JUNE | OPINIONS | 29

SPORTS Freshman makes varsity soccer

Reed Johnson provides hope for McLean soccer’s future

| ERIC MIZUSAWA FEATURES EDITOR |

K

icking off his first year at McLean, Reed Johnson became the lone freshman to make varsity soccer.

Johnson’s position is middle winger, his main role being to create scoring opportunities for his teammates and control the outer sections of the field. Johnson's position makes him a valuable team member to his coaches, assisting nearly half of the 21 goals they've scored this year.

“I started playing at the age of 3, and was first accepted on a travel team at 6,” Johnson said. “I had an exceptional level of speed and agility, which was far above average for someone my age.”

Unlike most people who are influenced by their family members to play a sport, Johnson has always possessed a rather unique level of athleticism, a part of him that he’s always held in high regard. He began playing for regional junior leagues and eventually worked his way onto a travel team, never struggling to fit in.

However, like many athletes who begin a sport for the first time, there were a number of areas that Johnson found troubling. When first playing, he would often trip over the ball when trying to score.

“Whenever I found myself making the same mistakes over and over again, I would always work toward fixing them to become a better player,” Johnson said. “Soccer has been one of my lifelong passions, and I strive to live up to my full potential for that reason.”

Starting the season off as a bench player, his determination soon earned Johnson a starting position on the McLean varsity soccer team. His abilities on the offensive flank position and defensive alignment have notably improved, and he looks to progress them as he furthers his high school career.

“Playing varsity soccer isn’t an easy task to perform,” Johnson said. “In order to maintain my physical performance, I must dedicate my time to work hard and improve my skills.”

In order to keep up with his physical demands, Johnson practices each day after school for up to four hours with the team.

He also participates in Saturday endurance training with a personal trainer to increase his stamina.

Aside from his time training, Johnson also maintains a well-balanced diet, avoiding an 30 | SPORTS | JUNE

Kicking Into Action — Advancing the ball up the field, Johnson

attempts to feed an assist to one of his teammates for a shot on goal in a home game against Washington-Lee on May 8. As the only freshman on this year’s roster, Johnson provides hope for the future of the McLean soccer program. (Photo courtesy of Nico Olmedo) excessive amount of trans fats and simple carbohydrates.

“Reed plays with a lot of passion and determination, bringing a new energy to the field whenever he steps onto it,” said senior Nico Olmedo, Johnson's teammate.

Although the team’s record stood at two wins, three ties and eight losses at the end of the regular season, Johnson’s uplifting spirit enabled them to keep scoring. This makes him one of the most effective players the team's had all year.

“Reed is a very dedicated member of the team who shows up to every practice giving it his very best,” head coach Mike Anderson said. “If he continues to play the way he does, he will really contribute to the team’s success in the playoff season.”

After finishing the regular season with a lot of losses, the team was concerned about their playoff seating. However, Johnson thrived against the competition and they made it all the way to regionals, which was further than they predicted. The team is likely to advance even further next year once Johnson returns.

Playing with such high intensity, Johnson is significant to the team’s performance. In his later high school years, Johnson is set to win state titles and improve the team’s national ranking, and likely to be recognized as a top rated player.

“Near the end of my time at McLean, I will go through college recruitment and hopefully continue to play soccer after high school,” Johnson said. “I was inspired by our team’s head captain, James Bradley, who’s now attending these college signing days.”

Considering how well he plays now as a freshman, Johnson is on track to become a professional athlete if he continues to improve. Soccer being his passion, this is a future he's committing to for the remainder of his educational career.

After many years of experience, Johnson has learned the key to his overall success and degree of performance playing soccer.

“If you’re not willing to sacrifice yourself for improvement, then you’ll never go as far as you wish, but if you do, then you’ll really show what you’re worth."

Page design by Eric Mizusawa

Benedicts blow boat out of the water Lauren and Taylor Benedict excel on the crew team | SKYE SUNDERHAUF NEWS EDITOR |

T

he rowers grip the oars, prepared to spring into action at the start of the crew race, known as a regatta. At the call of the official, they take off. This is a typical Saturday for Lauren and Taylor Benedict, the sophomore and freshman sisters on McLean’s crew team.

The boats, known as shells, each have eight rowers and one coxswain, the member that sits at the back of the boat facing the rowers. These high school regattas are 1.5 kilometers long, or about 0.9 miles, which takes about five minutes to complete.

This high school season, both Lauren’s and Taylor’s boats qualified for two extremely competitive regattas: the Stotesbury Cup Regatta and the Scholastic Rowing Association of America’s National Championship Regatta.

During the Stotesbury Cup on May 18 and 19, both of their boats were just out of the reach of finals, or top six, but still put up a good fight throughout the regatta. The girls varsity boat ended up placing 19th out of 40 and the freshman boat finished eighth out of 40.

At the end-of-season banquet, Lauren and Taylor both received the “Hammer” award, which is given to the fastest rower on the novice and varsity boats.

Throughout their lives, Lauren and Taylor have always been active.

At 6 years old, the sisters were already participating in triathlons. The Benedicts were introduced to rowing when they each entered their freshman years of high school.

Both Lauren and Taylor have worked extremely hard to excel at rowing, which shows in their high boat positions. Lauren is the fifth seat on the highest women’s varsity boat at McLean, also referred to as the 1V. Taylor is on the top freshman boat, the Freshman 8, and she is the eighth seat, known as the stroke seat.

“Taylor works really hard and is a team player. She has earned her spot as stroke seat on the freshman boat,” freshman teammate Jasmyne Zu said.

Considered to be one of the best positions on the boat, stroke seat is the first person facing the coxswain. They have the difficult task of setting the rhythm for the rest of the rowers to follow.

Crew is not all about having physical skill; it is also vital to be determined and cooperate well with others. Both Taylor and Lauren have shown these traits during practice and competitions.

“Every time they reach one of their goals, they set a new one and work toward it,” McLean’s head coach Bianca Arrington said.

One of the traits that sets them apart from other rowers is their height. The average height of a female Olympic rower is from 5’11” to 6’1” according to the BCC Sports Academy. Lauren fits right into that category with a height of 6’1”. Taylor, the younger sister, is also tall with a height of 5’8”. Height allows rowers to take longer strokes, resulting in fewer strokes per race and better overall stamina.

“My mom always told me that I should do crew because I’m tall and…it’s a taller sport,” Lauren said.

One crucial factor to succeed in rowing is determination. Lauren and Taylor put forth their best efforts in order to row faster and get stronger.

“We keep pushing each other to get better,” Lauren said.

Page design by Skye Sunderhauf

Winning Smiles — Coach Carol Dinion, Taylor Benedict, Lauren Benedict and coach Bianca Arrington pose at the 2018 Crew Awards Banquet on May 20. Both girls won the “Hammer” Award, which goes to the fastest rower in both the novice and varsity boats. (Photo courtesy of Taylor Benedict) An incident that tested Lauren’s determination was when she tore her ACL during track practice at 10 years old. Lauren was practicing her long jump and twisted her leg during her landing. This setback prevented her from doing most team sports as a child. “[Crew] is the first sport I can do that allows me to work with my injury, but it is also a team sport,” Lauren said.

Being part of a team is very important to the sisters, as it allows them to bond with their teammates.

“I love the aspect of the whole boat, not just one person,” Taylor said.

The sisters are thriving on the McLean crew team. Practices are after school on weekdays and on Saturday morning, which keeps them occupied. The spring season of crew is the busiest, as the rowers practice on the water, rather than just using indoor rowing machines, called ergs.

Crew is a major part of the sisters’ lives, and both girls hope to get recruited to row at the collegiate level. Although college sports are extremely competitive, Lauren and Taylor are determined to continue rowing in their futures.

“I can easily see them rowing Division I in college,” Arrington said. “They both have the potential to row at the highest level if they’re willing to work for it.”

JUNE | SPORTS | 31

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d d i T r Osca ue

s s I e h t f o e t e l Ath

reshman Grade: F nis Sport: Ten

How long have you been playing tennis?

I started playing when I was 5 but have been playing year-round since I was about 9.

What was your favorite moment on the McLean team?

My favorite moment was when I won a super close tiebreaker against an upperclassman from South Lakes in the district championship.

Do you have plans to play in college/the future?

I’m hoping to play tennis for a college team, but it will probably depend on what school I go to. I hope to at least continue playing in the future in some way, even if it’s recreationally.

What has been your biggest challenge playing tennis?

There have been different times when the mental side of tennis has been difficult for me. The mental game is a huge part of tennis, especially because you are a one-man team on the court (in singles).

What is your favorite part of tennis?

My favorite part of tennis is the strategy and thinking required to win.

It’s a physical game, but you have to have a plan with each shot, which I think is unique and interesting about tennis.

Do you have any weird superstitions?

Not really... I will get nervous occasionally though, and I have consistent routines before and during matches.

Accolades:

am boys varsity te Number 6 on ason les losses this se Only two sing team All-district 1st

Page design by Bryan Chung Photo by Imani McCormick Reporting by Jack Shields

JUNE | SPORTS | 33

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THE

FINISH LINE Highlander athletes answer tough questions

ELENA SOCKNAT FRESHMAN SOFTBALL

MAX WOHLSCHLEGEL SOPHOMORE TRACK & FIELD

What three things would you bring with you to a deserted island?

ZACH CHUNG JUNIOR LACROSSE

If you could have any animal for a pet, what would it be?

A boat, a novel and a magazine

Tiger

Sunscreen, a knife and a rope

Giraffe

A good book, cargo pants and Bear Grylls

Monkey

Duct tape, a water purifier and a friend

My dog

What sport would you be fine with if it never existed?

OLIVIA KLOSTER SENIOR TRACK & FIELD

What do you put on your tacos?

Curling

I don’t like tacos

Horse racing

Meat, lettuce, cheddar cheese and ranch dressing

What are your favorite Water polo

Just taco meat

Soccer

Meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and guac

35 | SPORTS | JUNE

Reporting by Nicky Varela Photos by Imani McCormick Page design by Bryan Chung