Issue 10

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the VOLUME #61 ISSUE 10

ANNANDALE HIGH SCHOOL 4700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003 470

Informinng the Atoms siince 1954 4

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56 50 TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2016

(703) 642-4229

New Budget

WINNER

Budget increase means more money for teachers and

BY TEAGAN FOTI Co-Editor in Chief FCPS has adopted a new budget for the 2017 fiscal year.

The budget was proposed in January 2016 and was very ambitious, however, it received widespread support from the board of supervisors.

Key features of the budget include, but are not limited to, pouring $40 million into increasing employee pay so that it is closer to a liveable wage, lowering the cap on elementary school class sizes and reducing the amount of further cuts that need to be made to the already hindered school system.

The new budget is the greatest investment to the schools in over a decade and shows the commitment and dedication that is being put into restoring Fairfax County schools.

"We have great teachers in

AHS choir prepares for winter concert

our schools and so the fact that they are paid less than teachers in other counties is upsetting," sophomore Jessica Roop said.

"I'm glad that the new budget has lots of money dedicated to making sure that our teachers are paid well because they dedicate so much time and money into helping us learn in a fun and interactive environment."

The revised budget is due to the support and input of FCPS parents and community advocates who offered their opinions and advice for the improvement of the county's monetary crisis.

"In general, it sounds good,"Math teacher Jennifer Ullman said. "It feels like they finally listened to what people had to say and what they wanted and took that into consideration, which I don't think happens all the time."

Increases in state funding and the desire for a new, more diverse revenue base, has enabled the county to make changes to the budget without charging more for sports, advanced level classes and parking passes.

see BUDGET pg. 5

Caps of Love Clothes donated caps to help make plastic

BY CORY PRINGLE Staff Writer Instead of collecting quarters like the previous years, the Leadership class decided to switch it up and introduce a new fundraiser called Caps of Love. Caps of Love is a fundraiser where anyone can be a collector and the object is to collect as many plastic bottle caps as possible. The more caps your W4 class acquired the higher chance you got to attend battle of the classes.

"We got the idea from a student delegate at a Student Advisory Council (SAC) meeting. The idea was to collect caps in order to use the plastic to make wheelchairs for people under the age of 21" junior Executive Board Member, Tara ElAchi said.

The cap drive began April 18th and ended on the 28th. The

fundraiser was very successful, Leadership was able to raise over 2,000 bottle caps to donate to a great cause.

"We made posters to bring awareness to the cause" senior leadership student, Symone Jenkins said.

The caps, once collected, are either melted, recycled, or sold to other companies for profit. If the bottle caps are sent to be melted then they will be molded into brand new wheelchairs to be distributed to handicap children in need. Boxes are shipped in from all over the world to the organization and are used to help those in need.

Caps of Love is not a annual event but the charity its run through is a year round organization. If you have caps that you would like to donate you can, Caps of Love has regularly scheduled drop offs, where you can donate your caps and help to make a positive impact on someone else's life.

Junior Dagim Tigabu wins annual Atoms 5k Summerfest cancelled

BY SADIE MODICA TEAGAN FOTI

AND

Co-Editors in Chief Over 100 atoms and their supporters took their marks Sunday morning at the annual AHS booster sponsored event: the Atoms 5k.

The race, which takes place in the neighborhoods surrounding AHS, is organized every year to provide athletic scholarships to student athletes at Annandale.

"We award four $1,000 scholarships and then this year, one of our sponsors that we got, Big Teams, we ended up getting another $1,000 from them so we have five scholarships this year, so there will

be five student athletes who get scholarships for college," Boosters Vice President Milan Peich said.

Peich spent the race directing the runners through the course, and shouting words of encouragement.

"This is my first year organizing.

I've helped for the past 5 years but the race has been going on since the 1990's," Peich said.

To win the scholarship, all students need to do is fill out the form on the Annandale Atoms website by May 1 and then the winners will be chosen based on a generated point system.

The first person to cross the finish line was Dagim Tigabu, junior and long-distance runner with the Annandale Track and Cross Country

teams.

"I got a 17:40 [this year] and last year I came in around 18:50," Tigabu said.

Tigabu was closely followed by his twin brother Mahatim, and Risky Alvardo. This is the third year Tigabu has competed in the race, and the second year he has won it.

"I did a couple of mile runs, like 8 to 9 miles, last week [to prepare for the race]," Tigabu said.

He felt positive about his time, saying that "hopefully [he'll] come back next year and run again."

Finishing soon after was Coach Ivy Jordan. Jordan ran the race alongside at least 10 or 12 runners from her distance track group. The race is not only an opportunity for

the Annandale community to come together for a cause, it serves as a warmup for the cross country season.

"It's great to see where they are all at. Some of them have never done cross country this so it is a great way for them to kind of understand how long of a race it is and what they have to look forward to. So yeah, it's perfect" Jordan said.

Overall, Jordan was pleased with the runners' performances.

"They all did very, very well for having to run a 5k after running track, which are all shorter events, considering that, they did very well" Jordan said.

She was proud of her own see 5K pg. 5

New year, new start date FCPS gets 'go ahead' to start school before labor day in 2017

BY TEAGAN FOTI Co-Editor in Chief In 2017 FCPS will join DC and Maryland schools districts as they send their students back to school before labor day.

FCPS school board member,

Promposals

Ryan McElveen announced on April 28, via twitter, that the school board made the decision to start classes for the 2017-2018 school year the week prior to labor day as opposed to the Tuesday following it. The decision was almost unanimous with the final vote being 9-1 in favor of changing the start date.

The change in schedule means that the entirety of the school year will shift up a week, school will start on August 28, 2017 and

conclude a week earlier than normal, although the exact date has not been announced yet.

"I don't like [the new schedule] because for me labor day was the official end of summer and you ended it on a three day weekend and came back on a four day workweek" said business teacher Howard Dwyer, "which was nice because you'd see each class twice and then you're back into the swing of things."

The theory behind opening

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school early is that it will give students an extra week before winter break for instructional learning and it will hopefully give student and staff more flexibility when it comes to applying for college and meeting application deadlines.

"I understand why they [are going to start school after labor day] and it does make sense, but just personally I just feel like it was always nice to start after labor day" see KINGS DOMINION pg. 5

New leadership event scrapped due to scheduling conflicts

BY SADIE MODICA TEAGAN FOTI

AND

Co-Editors in Chief The widely anticipated summerfest that the AHS leadership class has been planning for the past few weeks was abruptly cancelled due to lack of field space and the busy end of year school schedule.

"There is not a good day when field space is available" said leadership sponsor Carmen Bartley.

The event was new to Annandale and was planned for June 10 from 3:30-7:30 p.m. It was supposed to create the vibe of a music festival so that students could relax and have fun before the antics of finals week began.

Some of the events that were going to be offered to students who attended were therapy dogs, obstacle course, live music, food trucks, talent show, moon bounces.

Students were encouraged to attend one of two rounds of auditions for any kind of performance they liked. They signed up to dance or sing at the event. Among the many students trying out were acapella group Empyrean Heights.

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"I thought it was definitely going to be a lot of fun" junior and member of Empyrean Heights Ben Betts said, "I was looking forward to it. I've always liked performing with Empyrean Heights and it's more fun with more people [watching the show]" Betts said. Those who were planning on trying to perform were disappointed to learn that the event was cancelled.

"It's disappointing because it sounded like the event was going to be cool, and it's always fun to perform," Betts said."It seemed like a cool new idea that had a lot of potential and could have turned out really well."

Additionally, the students who wanted to attend the event were sad that they lost the chance for a relaxing festival.

"I was really excited for Summerfest. I love watching AHS students perform and it was supposed to be a fun day," junior Jessica Ferson said. "It would have been a fun new tradition, and I hope it happens next year."

Leadership has discussed alternatives, but nothing is certain as of yet.

"We are thinking about doing another flick on the field to kinda kick summer off but nothing is set in stone yet" Leadership class president Marem Atef said.

2 EDITORIALS

May 17, 2016

VA felons reinstated voting rights Over 200,000 convicted now able to cast vote in upcoming election

BY BINQI CHEN Editorials Editor

More IB Study Days needed ALEXANDRIANEWS.ORG

Virginia's governor Terry McAulife has officially restored the voting rights of over 200,000 felons through an executive order in late April.

The executive order has enabled any Virginian who has ever committed a felony and has served his or her imprisonment, parole, or probation time, to vote.

The felons who have been given their rights back include those that have committed violent crimes such as murder and rape.

However, the crime that these citizens have committed should not play a factor in whether or not they can cast a ballot in deciding who their nation's leaders are. Even if the crimes held any significance, according to the Washington post, 80 percent of the crimes committed by these felons were non violent.

Along with voting, eligible felons will also now be able to serve on a jury, run for public office, and become a notary public. However, it is important to recognize that the signing of the executive order has deeper historical roots that are apparent.

McAuliffe's order has reversed a century old racist voting flaw in Virginia's state constitution. During the Reconstruction the 1902 constitution was written and ratified with ways intended to prevent African Americans from gaining political power.

Clearly, Virginia was highly influenced by the racist Jim Crow Laws that ran rampant among the southern states.

In the disenfranchising constitution, restricting the voting rights of convicted criminals was one of the tactics used and targeted against African Americans.

The tough restoration of voting regulations in Virginia has created a huge racial divide in voting privileges.

The effects of prejudice can still be seen today. According to the Sentencing Project, over two million (or eight percent) of African Americans cannot vote due to tainted records compared to the less than two percent of non African Americans.

How is it that there is such a wide gap among the races in the realm of voting that still exists over a hundred years

McAulife's executive order has prompted criticism as many believe it was a tactic to increase votes for Hillary Clinton.

after the Civil War? There is no excuse for the parts of the constitution which include poll tax and literacy test to be legitimate in today's society.

Virginia had one of the most restrictive voting rules for the convicted. Prior to the executive order, felons were barred from voting for life. The new order has shown that Virginia is taking a step in the right direction and is willing to move away from its racist past.

Other states should follow suit in Virginia's footsteps and those who have served their punishment to society should be given this basic right back.

"If they have served their time, I don't see a reason why not," sophomore Ingrid Guardado said. "They deserve to live like a normal citizen."

Taking away the voting rights of past felons will only make the process of their reentry to society more difficult.

One of the primary causes as to why there is a high percentage of criminals recommitting a crime is because the sense of strong disconnect and exclusion from society.

Not only has the executive order affected the past, it will play an important factor in the current 2016 presidential election cycle.

According to the Sentencing Project, an estimated number of over 5.85 million Americans do not have the right to

vote due to standing felony convictions on their records.

McAuliffe has stated that he had no intentions of affecting the 2016 general elections. However, he has publicly supported and rallied for presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. McAuliffe said that he did not discuss his plans with Clinton's campaign.

This executive order will only benefit the democratic party in the elections and is obvious that it will help Clinton to gain Virginia, which a swing state.

The Sentencing Project has also said that one in five adult Virginians cannot vote. A majority of convicted felons in Virginia are democratic, which will largely benefit Clinton's campaign.

If all of the felons take advantage of their reinstated voting rights in the upcoming election, the chances of Virginia voting democratic for the third consecutive time is extremely high.

Regardless of its political impact on voting day in November, the executive order is a step in the right direction in both decreasing the racial gap in voting, as well as aiding ex convicts in reincorporating themselves back into society.

Everybody deserves a second chance, especially those who have paid the price for crimes and accepted the punishments for their wrongdoings.

BY BINQI CHEN Editorials Editor The testing season is finally upon us and stress can be felt all throughout the school.

In an attempt to help more juniors and seniors prepare for their IB Exams, AHS has permitted students to take IB Study days, pre-arranged days off from school.

The number of study days a student is able to receive correlates with the number of IB Classes they take.

Students who have one to three IB exams are able to take one study day while others who have four or more exams are able to take two days off.

Although the administration should be applauded for their efforts in trying to alleviate stress among the upperclassmen, the number of study days are just not enough.

For many seniors, the exams are stacked in close proximity to one another. These exams also can determine whether or not an IB diploma candidate receives their diploma or not and also the number of college credits the student will obtain.

IB courses are extremely rigorous and most are comparable with university level classes.

During this time, students are taking study days at different times or days of the week, therefore instructional time for teachers becomes difficult.

Many teachers stop teaching new material due to low attendance.

Although it is up to the student to sort out their own schedule and attendance, The school should give overwhelmed seniors more studying time on these exams, which can seriously impact their future.

Families overspending on Prom

BY BINQI CHEN Editorials Editor Facebook, one of the world's biggest social media networks has come under fire for alleged political bias. Tech news website Gizmodo reported that Facebook has been censoring its "Trending News" column to block out conservative news stories.

The accusations have sparked criticism, especially among right wingers who have long felt that Facebook has been suppressing the amount of conservative perspectives.

According to Gizmodo, who interviewed numerous news curators, media covered by conservative sources would purposely not be displayed in the feed unless it was covered by larger news sources such as the New York Times, BBC or CNN. This is a big problem, as more than 222 million people in the United States and Canada are active users on the website. Many of these people use the website as their primary news source. Censorship is also a sensitive topic in the United States and is looked down upon by the majority.

Facebook has responded to the claims by denying all of the allegations. The website said and its staff follow a strict set of guidelines in choosing which articles and news sources are present.

Facebook's top executives have all expressed their liberal viewpoints. Facebook has also said that its changing feed is done through a specific algorithm, and that no manipulation was involved.

Regardless of whether or not the claims are accurate, Facebook and all social media platforms should never be selective of its trending news topics.

BY CASEY NGUYEN AND YABI BEREKET Staff Writers Senior year is coming to an end and seniors are counting the days until their most anticipated night: Prom.

The Prom frenzy is in full blast. Girls and boys alike are preparing to lavish themselves with over-the-top dresses and tuxedos in the attempts to upstage one another. The rush is on to buy last-minute designer dresses, heels and jewelry. They are preparing everything, right down to the last perfectly painted and polished nail.

"The dress, the hair, the makeup, everything costs so much money," junior Mollie Valorose said.

Boys, on the other hand, are in need of different items besides their outfit.

"Personally, I think it's a tradition for guys to pay for the tickets, corsage, dinner and limos," junior Danyom Beyene said. "People tend to go all out when it comes to Prom, but that is only because Prom is an irreplaceable high school memory.

Prom is definitely not cheap. While they are memories with sentimental value, the cost and stress is definitely remembered. A Visa study shows that on average, parents cover 73 percent of the cost.

"I got lots of help from my parents when I went to my high school Prom," English teacher Ana Dillon said. "But I also saved up my paychecks so the load wouldn't be completely on my parents."

Even Promposals have become elaborate and expensive when students attempt to make it the most memorable invite of the year.

According to VISA, nationwide, teenagers going to Prom spend about $324 solely on the Promposals.

PHOTO COURTSEY OF RAHEL TECLE

Trending titles censored

Students are splurging for a night on the dancefloor

The senior class of 2015 poses for a group picture at last year's Prom.

The national average in 2013 on Prom spending overall was $1,139. This seems more than a bit irrational considering students should keep in mind that they have to put down deposits for college which is right around the corner.

"Spending that much money on one night is completely ridiculous," senior Kasana Nguyen said. "There are more important things that money could be spent on, like college payments."

Like the previous year, this year's tickets for Prom will be $45.

Not all believe that $45 is cheap.

"A $45 ticket is expensive." English teacher Brian Aldenderfer said. "However if you want a nice night, a nice prom, then yeah it's a little steep."

Some students disagree that it's necessary to buy an expensive wardrobe, dinner, and ride for Prom.

Staff CO-EDITORS IN CHIEF Teagan Foti Sadie Modica MANAGING EDITOR Sabrina Hawa NEWS EDITORS Nancy Evora Jesseica Salisbury EDITORIALS EDITORS Binqi Chen Aseal Saed COPY EDITORS Linus Bumbaca Yvonne White IN-DEPTH EDITORS Ruth Mekonnen Kim Laura SPORTS EDITORS Cameron Foti Jude Nanaw SPORTS XTRA EDITORS Ryan Gammon Grace Hogye PEOPLE EDITORS

Soulisa Pathammavong Marilyn Rivas WEEKEND EDITORS Mohamed Elhag Conrad Shartel INTERNATIONAL EDITORS Lina Al-Taii Tooba Siddique ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Julius Miller Hussein Salem LIFESTYLES EDITORS Sheila Aguirre Lucie Lefbom HEALTH EDITORS Judy Nanaw Julie Nguyen PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS Alaina Garay Kailyn Garay ART EDITORS Serene Ghul Kavi Shamdin

ACADEMICS EDITORS Rachel Shogren Halley Thadeus WEB EDITOR/MASTER Alex Tran HEAD VIDEOGRAPHERS Crew McCarthy AD MANAGER Mauricio Reyes CIRCULATION MANAGERS Mauricio Reyes STAFF WRITERS Almaz Abedje Seham Ahmed Marem Atef Fares Ayoub Summar Ayoub Ahmad Ayub Marife Baragano Jeanine Barakat Yabi Bereket Cayley Byrne Laura Clemons Anthony Dinh Christopher Han

Faisel Hassen Nicole Jordan Jennifer Kang Carolyn Lemens Kirk Lindberg Amani Muntu Biruk Negash Casey Nguyen Andrew Nunez Tipyan Omer Thida Pathammavong Kiara Patino Sergio Pozo Sharon Sanchez Nebeyu Solomon Camilia Soruco Maria Suarez Julie Swenton Karungu Thuku Melanie Valencia Firdousa Wasuge Daniel Yenegeta Hezekiel Yonas Raphael Yu Alexandra Zernik PHOTOGRAPHER ADVISER Alan Weintraut

"The need to outdo one another is ridiculous," senior Mahlate Bereket said. "This is supposed to be a time to have that one last fun night with your friends before we have to pack up for college."

Although some may argue that Prom is an important time in one's life, it is not going to be the highlight of it.

Looking back on those Prom memories you've had with friends will be great, but just to have that nostalgic feeling.

To save money on jewelry, consider buying them from inexpensive retail stores. Instead of paying for an expensive, fancy restaurant, try having a homemade candlelit dinner. Prom is not about who is wearing the best designer dress or who has the best ride.

Overspending does not ensure a perfect Prom, "You want it to end up just like the movies, but you end up paying a lot of money to have a great time," said Dillon.

Dos and Don'ts: Prom Edition Annandale High School Vol. 61 No.11 4700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003 703.642.4229 May 17th, 2016 Adviser: Alan Weintraut ajweintraut@fcps.edu

The A-Blast is an award-winning newspaper that strives to inform, educate and entertain the student body and community.

Published every three weeks, The A-Blast will not print any material that is obscene or libelous; or that which substantially disrupts the school day, or invades an individual's right to privacy. The A-Blast is an independent, open forum for discussion that is printed at the Springfield Plant of The Washington Post.

Signed letters to the editor of 250 words or less may be emailed to theablast15@gmail.com or submitted to room 262 or mailed to the school. The A-Blast reserves the right to refuse advertisements.

All submissions become property of The A-Blast, Copyright, 2016.

Girls, don't be afraid to break social standards and do ask a guy to Prom!

Don't wait until the last minute! Plan ahead on tickets, dress, tux, hair and ride!

Do take lots of pictures to capture the moments!

Don't try anything new the day before like haircuts or facials.

Products might cause an allergic reaction!

EDITORIALS 3

May 17, 2016

Benefits to a gap year AHS alum spends year in Israel With senior year approaching for many juniors, it's time to be aware of the options students have after high school.

An opportunity that many students disregard is a gap year after graduating.

A gap year, typically a year between senior year and college, is used for activities like volunteer work, traveling or interning.

Despite having this option, many high school students don't even know what it is or consider it an option. However, in recent years, there has been significant growth in gap year enrollment.

Class of 2015 alum Jared Golub is one of the few from Annandale that decided to defer before his freshman year at University of Maryland.

Golub entered in the Habonim Dror, a Jewish youth movement which includes seminars, hiking trips and educational excursions and provides the skills as well as experience to create a dialogue for young teens. The program is nine months long, running from September to May. Most universities allow gap years, and the process is usually quite simple. There are typically two ways to take a gap year.

The first, and Golub's choice, was upon receiving his acceptance, UMD only required him to fill out a few forms to determine whether his deferral would be accepted or not.

Another way is to just take the year and apply to colleges during your gap year.

Not only is the process easy, but there are many ways to spend your gap year ,and most of the options will offer you real world experience.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JARED GOLUB

BY ASEAL SAED Editorials Editor

AHS alum Jarod Golub(left) with a young Arab student he is teaching in Israel.

According to a study done by the American Gap Association, 88 percent of gap year graduates report that their gap year had significantly added to their employability.

According to the same report, many students opt to spend some time abroad studying, learning foreign languages or volunteering with nonprofit groups. This is because they desire to experience personal growth, see the world and take a break from the traditional academic track.

Not only this, but many colleges cited that students who came back to school after a gap year were more engaged and motivated. The gap year often changes their world view by giving students new experiences.

A gap year also goes beyond the classroom because it takes what you have learned and applies it to the real world.

"I've also learned so much in terms of knowledge, creating opinions and expressing them in ways I have not been able to

prior to coming here," Golub said.

Gap years not only teach you about the world around you, but you are bound to learn more about yourself. Whether you are volunteering, studying or just traveling, there is so much to experience outside of the books.

Golub says that the program has already changed his way of thinking in a few months.

"I've learned a lot and I've processed so much. I've learned so much by interacting with different people," Golub said.

There are many factors in choosing a gap year as the best option for you.

For Golub, making the decision was not hard.

"This is a program that I've been involved with since I was 10. It's something I love, so making the decision wasn't very hard," Golub said.

A lot of times people feel discouraged to take a gap year as an option because that has never been considered by their

parents or peers, but informing yourself will open doors to not only your parents, but your peers.

"My family was a little apprehensive.

They actually made me write an essay detailing why I wanted to take a gap because they didn't believe I wanted to. After that they were very supportive," Golub said.

"Telling my friends was interesting, it's not something a lot of people do, having someone they know take a gap year. After talking to them most people thought it was a cool thing."

Just because your friends or family do not understand a gap year, it does not mean that it cannot be a possibility for you.

Many students are hesitant because of the pricing. On average most volunteer gap year programs, cost $15,000, and another few thousand for daily activities.

Most programs offer scholarship programs for students to be a part of these programs.

"The program itself costs less than a year of university (around $19,000). But it is really easy to get scholarships from different organizations," Golub said. "I paid for the program with the help of scholarships and grants, as well as a little help from my parents."

Depending on what you are doing for your gap year, there are many opportunities for these programs to be paid for by grants.

However, a gap year does not have to be done by everyone, rather more students should at least entertain the idea to make sure they are informed of their options.

"Part of me believes everyone should take a gap year, they are extremely beneficial for a lot of people. The fact remains that some people need to go straight to college after high school. However, it should at least be considered as an option," Golub said.

Fox News readers being racist

BY ASEAL SAED Editorials Editor Malia Obama, daughter of President Obama,recently announced she has decided to take a gp year before attending Harvard. Like many other news organizations, Fox News decided to post the article as a quick brief on their website.

Although, pretty typical of any news organization, the article quickly gained attention from the many Obama hating racists.

Soon after, Fox took down the comment section, but it was too late.

People had taken screenshots of the vile comments.

Some of the comments read "sounds like black privilege to me," "Little ape should go to college in Africa," and "Hopefully she gets cancer/aids or one of those colored diseases."

Comments like these take away the accomplishments that the young teen has made and brands them with racism and malice.

These comments only

President Obama with his daughter Malia.

encourage and further the belief that Fox New and its readers and viewers are racists.

Soon after Fox News released a positive article about the Obama family to counteract the effects of backlash from the previous one.

However, nothing the news organization does can solve the problem.

The problem is the readers, not the creator of content.

What would you do if you took a gap year?

"I would volunteer in "I would go to Italy "I would travel the "I would focus on "I would go to Africa, "I would volunteer different communities to experience the world to gain new getting money." so I could see the around my in Virginia." lifestyle." experiences." community."

EDDY MEDIETA elephants. " AKLESIYA ABEBE SAMIR HOSSAIN GRACE HATCH VICKY LUU HAMZA KHATIB sophomore freshman freshman sophomore junior junior

"I would do a "I would work to save combination of up money for college. " traveling and GABE MARTINO volunteering." senior KIM MAI senior

Teens getting famous over nothing

BY ASEAL SAED Editorial Editor "Damn Daniel! Damn Daniel!" was all that was heard in the halls a few weeks ago.

It all started from a series of snapchat videos of 15-year-old Joshua Holz filming his friend, Daniel Lara, as he yells "Damn, Daniel" in a high pitched voice, pointing at his white Vans sneakers.

The video quickly became viral and many parodies were made.

The trend lasted weeks, and was brought up in most conversations.

Soon, the two Californian teens were guests on the Ellen Show.

These teens have now amassed so many followers over 15 second videos. Now, the trend has become overdone, and for the most part, unfunny.

Trends like these do not offer anything, but possibly a quick laugh.

Now, fads and trends like "Alex from Target," the "Running Man Challenge" and "Trust Fall Challenge" are able to grow in attention because of the ability for simple things to become famous.

Despite having little significance and impact except to distract us, these trends have gotten a lot of attention from teens, mostly for humor.

Another famous trend that gathered a lot of attention is the "Running Man Challenge," started by New Jersey teens Kevin Vincent and Jeremiah Hall. The challenge is a scufflelike dance move.

The challenge has gone viral from two University of Maryland basketball players who saw the video and copied it.

Soon after, teens across the nation were participating. Later, the New Jersey teens and the two UMD players were brought onto the Ellen Show and the two teens were awarded $10,000 scholarships.

The scholarships were not given based on merit or skill, rather they were given based on how popular

Joshua Holz (left) and Daniel Lara (right) are on Ellen Show after their "Damn Daniel" videos become viral.

they were. That is not to say that the challenge is not amusing, but the rewards for creating a simple dance are too high.

Additionally, it was the two UMD players that made the video viral, and the New Jersey teens were rewarded for their luck.

Those are just two examples of trends that have gotten attention for simple and sometimes unoriginal

fads. There are dozens out there, and hundreds in the past that have amassed thousands of teens.

That is also not to say that all the trends have no significance. For example, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge brought attention to Lou Gehrig's disease, a disease that weakens muscles and impacts physical function. The challenge is supposed to simulate that feeling by pouring ice

Cartoonist Corner

on one's body.

As much as these trends are infuriating for their lack of substance and originality, they do sometimes offer a good laugh. The only problem with them is that they gather so much attention and the creators reap so many rewards that are, for the most part, undeserved.

More trends should be focused on fads that have real messages

behind them, like the ALS challenge.

Another problem with these trends is that many of them like "Alex from Target" are brought to attention because of looks. Another trend like this one, is the "Don't Judge Me Challenge."

The challenge is when people make themselves "ugly" and then they cover the camera and complete a transformation and emerge as "beautiful".

When it was first created, the message was supposed to tell people not to judge someone based on look, but it quickly turned to the message: wearing glasses and braces are ugly, and with tons of makeup you are beautiful.

Not only does the challenge not offer a good message, but it sends a bad one. That is why we must be careful with what things we make into trends. Additionally, those who make these trends can't be treated like royalty.

These trends offer a good laugh, but sometimes we are overdoing it with how much attention we are giving them.

Ask a boy to Prom Girls, time to take initiative and stop waiting

BY ALEXANDRA ZERNIK Special to The A-Blast

ILLUSTRATION BY MOHAMED ELHAG

15 seconds of fame overrated

When I started thinking about Prom, I knew exactly who I wanted to go with; so I just asked him. It honestly is not that big of a deal.

It just slipped out when we were getting ice cream at the mall.

I don't get the social norm of boys asking girls. Why shouldn't I just ask a guy who I know will be fun and who will enjoy himself? I am not going to wait for a guy to find the courage to ask me, that could take forever and what if it is not even the person I wanted to go with?

Why do guys get to be the ones to choose? I would rather it be the other way around.

Gentlemen, imagine a world where the girl pursues you. They will come up to you and say excuse me, you're beautiful and I would like to get to know you.

I do not understand why that's not the norm. Most guys would not take the

opportunity and if a woman sees someone worth giving a chance to, why do they have to wait for the guy to say something?

A lot of people might find it weird, a girl having the confidence to do something like that., but the people who find it strange and intimidating are not the people I'm interested in. I wish the trend would catch on.

Our society has played up promposals way too much. I'm not speaking for all girls, but I would rather just pick my date then have to wait for the question "Will you go to prom with me?" or some other variation of that mounted on a poster or spelled out with something that makes the quote ironic. That's literally all it is, a question.

If you have the confidence to go out and ask very publicly, you probably know they are going to say yes so it is all just for show. To take a picture and post it on Instagram to let the whole world know is pointless.

I am not into that, it's not my thing. I just picked the person who I knew I would have the best time with, and simply asked the question, and it just so happened to be a boy.

4 NEWS

May 17, 2016

ATC presents the Musical Comedy Show Theatre students bring the house down with their opening show

BY NANCY EVORA The Annandale Theatre Department woed the audience on their opening show on friday.

The play takes place in Elsa Von Grossenknueten's house in New York.

The opening scene started off with a masked man (Sarah Woodward) who murders Elsa's (Sacha Cameron) maid, Helsa Wenzel (Maya Koch). Shortly after her murder, main characters Elsa and Sergeant Kelly (AJ Walker) are introduced having a conversation without realizing that the maid has been murdered and locked in the closet by the mysterious masked man.

The following day, Elsa's guests arrive to her house for the musical audition of White House Merry-goRound. One of the first guests to arrive are an Irish singer named Patrick O'Reilly, Eddie McCuen (Ricardo Pereira), a comedian and NIkki Crandall (Emily Trachsel), a typical chorus girl. Shortly after, the rest of Elsa's guests arrived. Producer of White House MerryGo-Round Roger Hopewell (William Rangel Cardozo), Hollywood director Ken De La Maize (Kyle Dalsimer), Broadway producer Marjorie Baverstock (Holly Ramia) and Roger's partner, Bernice Roth (Annie Stout).

In the middle of the characters conversation, Helsa (who was previously murdered in the opening act) appeared again although her personality was

NANCY EVORA

News Editor

William Cordozo, Ricardo Pereira, and Emely Trachesel performing during their opening show.

more violent throughout the play.

Later on in the play, Eddie realizes that all of Elsa's guests were involved in a production of a play in which three women were murdered, scared Eddie tried to leave but was later persuaded by everyone to stay.

While the leading singers rehearsed their song, the power went out and Marjorie was stabbed with a sword by the masked man.

Towards the end of the play, many revelations and identities are revealed. Patrick O'Reilly was not an Irish singer but an spy that was sent to find German defectors and Nikki was an undercover U.S. Naval

Intelligence officer who was looking for Germans who were to sabotage Americans during WWII. Patrick is later killed and it also revealed that Helza was not really her but her twin brother. Helsa's twin brother revealed to the characters that the wenzel's are triplets.

As the play came to an end, the other triplet katrina showed up to Elsa's house.

After the show ended, students at AHS were happy by the actors charisma and production.

"I thought the play was very funny. I thought they did a great job" senior Luca Anescu said, I came to the

New Honor society formed

Seniors win another victory Students from all classes levels competed at mocked show of Family Feud Special to the A-blast

The Class of 2016 celebrated a victory as AHS conducted its very own rendition of Family Feud last Thursday.

The game was hosted by technology education teacher Phil Harris, taking the regular role of Steve Harvey in the mainstream game show.

"I have always been a fan of the show," senior contestant David Park said. I wanted to see how well I could answer questions on the spot and thought it would be fun," Park said.

It was executed in a somewhat different fashion than the game show we all know. Like the TV show, 100 people, in this case students, were surveyed for each round.

Teams were to play for the best out of three rounds against each other.

First, the freshmen and juniors faced off against each other twice, with the freshmen winning both. Afterwards,

BY NANCY EVORA News Editor

LEADERSHIP TWITTER ACCOUNT

BY AHMAD AYUB

play because one of my friends was acting in the play so I wanted to come and support him."

Students from the Theatre department were thrilled with their productions and their peers' performance as well.

"I really liked being able to get into the character of Kent because he is so fun to be, freshman Kyle Dalsimer said, I think it was actually really amazing having to worked with some of the juniors and seniors who have been here for a longer time and just really talented."

Actors from the Theatre department discuss how hard everyone in the production worked.

"The preparation took about two and half months.

Just constant rehearsal, every other day we were called for scene blocking and then it started to get really intense because we were called every single day until six o'clock," junior William Rangel Cardozo said.

The Annandale Theatre department will be playing three more shows on May fifth, sixth, and seventh at seven PM. Tickets were sold during all lunches for eight dollars and ten dollars at the door.

Jessica Smith, Publicity Designer, talked about how her experience as set designer.

"I work around the clock, my job is never really completed until we strike everything," junior Smith said. "I design the posters, tickets, road signs [which unfortunately we could not get for this production], spirit days, morning announcements, etc. I do everything I possibly can to get those seats filled."

The tech for the show was incredible. The set was really well put together with the bookshelves that were the secret passages.

"Two months isn't a long time to put together a show, and I'm surprised that we put it together in time," Smith said.

the sophomores and seniors competed twice as well.

The team members were not allowed to talk to each other while it was their turn to answer questions.

The junior team had trouble with this, however, as they were almost disqualified by Harris for whispering to one another while being asked the questions.

Students who competed in Family Feud posing for a picture after the senior won the feud Lastly, the freshmen and seniors playing," Pozo said. "I was determined against the sophomore team. participated in a "Fast Money" round, to find a way to be successful."

"The key to winning was definitely where 10 questions appeared and one Pozo was able to clutch the last collaboration because we were able to contestant from each team had to get round, getting six questions correct, steal the first round from the sophothe most correct in one minute. while Ghul was only able to correctly mores which put us in a good position," Senior Sergio Pozo and freshman answer four.

Park said.

Zain Ghul were chosen for the Fast "At first I felt the pressure and anThey went on a practically flawless Money round by their teammates, an- swered the questions quickly as well streak, losing no rounds in the entire swering various questions regarding as I could, but by the seventh question game. Although the seniors won this AHS, such as the theme of last year's I realized I had about 30 seconds left time, there will be another chance next homecoming and Principal Tim Thom- and I was totally fine," Pozo said. year for the underclassmen. as' former high school.

The senior class, consisting of "it's something I would do again be"My mentality [going into the round] Pozo, Park, Maria Suarez, Raphael Yu cause it's fun and gives you a chance to was going over everything I watched in and Chris Han, won their two rounds win prizes," Park said.

Family Feud videos we watched before

Junior Betania Endalkachew has created a new Honor Society at AHS for students to join next year.

Endalkachew decided to organize a new honor society for students who love history and want to learn more about it.

"It was my idea to start a new honor society at AHS because my interest is history and there was no honor society for that," Endalkachew said.

Endalkachew decided it was time for AHS to have a Social Studies Honor Society so those who love history could have the opportunity to join and learn more about history.

"I believed it was necessary for people like me whose interest is history. What Mr. Zareth [ Steven Zereth, sponsor] and I did was to create a chapter of the Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society due to the lack of an honor history society when the other subjects have their own societies," Endalkachew said.

The interest meeting provided students with a summary of what the new honor society will be about, the requirements and who can join.

"Rising juniors and seniors can join the society.

Applications will be available next year around late September," Endalkachew said.

Although the new society will be running next year, Endalkachew has already started thinking about what activities the students will be doing next year and how it will be organized.

"There will be a meeting once or twice a month; there will be committees which will all focus on different objectives," Endalkachew said.

Physics students hold exposition

BY YVONNE WHITE Staff Writer

Junior teagan Foti created her physics project with the goal to test earth's magnetic poll.

The Physics department will be hosting its annual physics expo on May 31 in Clausen Hall. The expo is a chance for the physics students to demonstrate what they have learned over the course of the year in a fun and interactive way.

Every physics class is required to participate in the expo each year.

The top five expos will be presented to a larger audience in clausen where all the physics classes will come and see the expos.

Students participating are very excited and invested a lot of time into their project.

"The physics expo is supposed to be a fun demonstration during the SOL weeks. Sometimes people do not know what to do so we are going to have demonstrations of fun activities for students to do and show each other," Physics teacher Russell Youmans said.

The physics teacher's goals are to make the expo fun, competitive and to get all the students engaged. Students hope to amaze the audience and their teachers.

Teachers look forward to the expo and are excited to see what their students bring to them.

"Hopefully students prepare by practicing and having fun. I am

looking forward to anything that looks a little bit scary but is not actually dangerous," Youmans said.

This year's physics expo will be more student-run than last year so students take charge and make it more enjoyable than previous years.

"This year we are going to do it a little differently. We are going to have students help be the Master of Ceremonies so that the teachers will not run it but the students are supposed to run the expo," Youmans said.

The expo can be an enjoyable task less time that is consuming if students work on their projects throughout the year like they are told.

"I would advise future physics students to do their project on something they are interested in and not to procrastinate," Junior Brandon Lien said.

Students worked for a long period of time where deadlines were set to make sure students were working on their projects. "n the beginning of the year, you are to choose an idea that represents a physics concept, and through the months you are to check in with your physics teacher with the updated progress you have made," Lien said. www The physics expo should go smoothly because all the students are well prepared for presenting their projects at the event.

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“I am glad that I got recommended to Titus. Titus will go over the rules of the road and strengthen your overall driving. He will make sure you are ready to handle the responsibility of driving.”

-Alex Tran, junior

Why choose Titus’s Driving School?

1. The school is bonded and insured 2. Students do not need 45 hours driving time prior to the program 3. Parents and students can google TDS for school reviews 4. Students don’t have to pay until they get their driver’s license 5. If you bring your friend along, you get $25 off your payment

NEWS 5

May 17, 2017

Atoms 5k

More money for FCPS teachers

CONT. "5K" improvement as well.

"This was my third year doing the race," Jordan said. "I actually did much better this year. Each year, I've been able to shave off some time and this was my best year."

The race has long been a tradition at Annandale, attracting runners of various ages, and it is a great way to get the whole community involved and exercising.

"I think [the 5k] is a great thing for the community," Peich said. "I mean you get kids of all ages coming out here. We get the elementary schools and the pyramid schools involved. We get the faculty and the neighborhoods to come out; there are people out here on their porches watching the race so I think

it's a great thing."

Along with the sound of cheers from bystanders and community members attending or watching the race, the AHS marching band was there to help motivate runners with upbeat songs, as well as to play the national anthem. "[The band is] playing the fight song, the star spangled banner and some more songs as people cross the finish line," junior Karla Mejia said. "[We play songs at the race every year] because they are happy and they make people happy."

Volunteers, runners and community members all converge on the day of the Atoms 5k to support AHS and the athletes therein, and Sunday was no exception to the tradition of a fun and successful race.

Kings dominion CONT. "KINGS DOMINION" Charts displaying the total predicted revenue and uses of FCPS money for 2017

CONT. "BUDGET" The county has also stated that they will not rely so heavily on homeowners property tax, as it has in the past, in an effort to stabilize the budget.

"I think stabilizing is a very good idea just because it's hard to know what you're going to have the next year. Especially if you have one income like me, you can't be dependent on that for the next year especially because of the cost of living; you don't know the next year's salary book," Ullman said.

Stabilizing the budget income would help to support one of the staples of the new proposed budget, which is raising teacher pay. This

has been a longstanding issue in the county and many teachers fear that board members don't realize exactly how much time and energy they put into making sure that their student's get a quality education.

"I have a strong sense that the county board of supervisors does not actually understand what actually goes on in the classroom and if it was me, I would make it a requirement that they spend 20 hours a year in different schools at different age levels to see what teaching is so then they know what is essential to what is needed," Biology teacher Caroline Gergel said.

An additional focus point of the new budget is decreasing class sizes in order to provide a higher class

education for elementary students.

"My impression is that the budget the school board put forward was evidence for their support for understanding that strong teachers with a limited class size are essential for efficient learning and that the county board of supervisor did compromise a little bit this year in that direction," Gergel said.

Input from members of the community was also a key feature in the draft of the new budget. FCPS released an online key tool for parents and students to offer their solutions to the budget crisis and many people appreciated the opportunity to offer their input on the issue.

"I think that's a very good idea

[to take community input into consideration],"Ullman said. "Hopefully they will take the input that they got about starting school sooner as well. I think it's a very good idea because if it the community that has to pay more money for things they shouldn't just [be] charge more [for it] without seeing if people could [afford to] do that."

Overall, the budget to going into effect as of 2017 shows that although FCPS has struggled financially in past years, they still strive to provide the best environment possible.

said Dwyer.

The board had the opportunity to start the 2016-2017 school year early but declined it, leaving the start date on Sept. 6.

The Kings Dominion law, named because of the avid support the theme park had for the bill, was originally created in 1986 to help bring an extra week of revenue and thrill-seekers to local Virginia theme parks. The long weekend before the school year commences is usually one of the busiest as students hope to soak up the last of summer on one of the many sky high roller coasters, and the funds raised in during the summer months help to support the parks during the off season.

Many of the theme parks also depend on high school students to take over running the park once the college kids leave to go back to school.

Due to the amount of money that many of the parks donate to Virginia lawmakers, the amusement parks were able to delay the openings of public Virginia school districts until after labor day.

However, if schools miss a certain number of school days over a three year period they are eligible to apply for a waiver to opt out and begin school a week earlier.

FCPS met this requirement by missing an average of 8.4 school days in 5 of the last 10 years, surpassing the state requirement of 8 days.

I don t like [the schedule change] because it means we lose a week of summer said sophomore Grace Hatch If we get out at normal date and start a week earlier, [in 2017], we will have a shorter summer.

Although not so popular among staff and students the waiver to move up the start date is good until at least the 2019-2020 school year.

NEWS BRIEFS PHYSICS EXPO Friday, May 27 Annandale Highschool will be having a Physics Expo from 8am - 11am.

The event will take place in Clausen Hall.

BASEBALL TOURNAMENT

MEMORIAL DAY Students will have no school on Monday May 30 due to Memorial day.

STATE LACROSSE TOURNAMENT

The state lacrosse tournament will take The state baseball tournament will take place at Robinson Secondary School from place at Robinson Secondary School and Labroddock Secodary School from June 10 to June 10 to June 11..

June 11.

All AHS students are welcome to

TRACK AND FIELD 6A State track and feild championships will take place at Todd Stadium from June 3 to June 4.

STATE SOCCER JUBILEE The state Soccer Jubilee will take place at Robinson Secondary School and Lake Braddock Secondary School from June 10 to June 11.

YEARBOOK DISTRIBUTION

TENNIS TOURNAMENT

Tuesday, May 31 Yearbooks will be distributed in Clasen Hall from 8am - 3pm.

The State Tennis Tournament Jamboree will take place at George Mason University from June 9 to June 11.

CHORAL BANQUET The choral banquet will be held on Tuesday, June 14 in the Clasuen Hall.

CLASS OF 2016 GRADUATION The class of 2016 Graduation will take place on Monday, June 20 from 7pm - 9pm.

6 ACADEMICS

May 17, 2016

Are SOL's Necessary for Students to Take?

YES

NO

BY AMANI MUNTU Staff Writer At the end of every school year, students all over Virginia from grades 3 to 12, begin reviewing for standardized tests.

These tests are necessary because they are a reflection of Virginia public schools as a whole and how well teachers prepare students throughout the course of the school year. Although the SOL (Standards Of Learning) testing is stressful to teachers and especially students, it is the best way to show that students are being taught the same curriculum throughout the state.

Standardized tests also can track the progress of students over the years, and allows it to be known what subjects students are stronger in. Standardized testing also allows test scores to be compared between students within the same school as well as across schools.

The SOL test measures the minimum of what students should know at the end of the course. SOLs test knowledge in Mathematics, Science, History/Social Studies, and English.

Because there are so many students enrolled in Virginia public schools, the test is at a rather general and standard level.

"It is comforting to know that the tests are at a standard level and that everyone goes through the same type of preparation for the SOLs," sophomore Mariam Mohamed said.

In order to pass each SOL, students need to score at least a 400 out of a total of 600.

In some cases, certain teachers here at Annandale offer extra credit points that go towards the final exam at the end of the course depending on how well you score on the SOL. This motivates students to better prepare themselves for the standardized test.

To graduate with a Standard Diploma, a student must earn at least six verified credits by passing end-of-course SOL tests or other assessments approved by the Board of Education.

SOL review also gives students preparation for the final exam, which is a major grade that can make or break students end of the year grades. All in all, standardized testing is necessary nationwide and within AHS because it can give a basic understanding that all students in grades 3 through 12 understand the general and standard information about the course.

The curriculum being taught to students in not only Virginia but all over the country, is the same and that students have a general understanding of what they are learning.

If the amount of students passing a certain SOL test are low, the school can then establish a more guided teaching system of the course, confirming that students will better understand what they are learning and passing rates will increase in years to come.

DO stay hydrated.

The Dos and Don'ts for SOL Testing

A healthy body is a healthy mind!

DO eat a good,

DON'T think negatively, stay positive and confident!

healthy breakfast.

DON'T stay up late.

DO review for more

Getting a good nights sleep will help you have more energy for

than an hour. Make sure the information sinks in.

DON'T multi-task.

DO turn off your phone so it doesn't distract you.

Watching TV while looking over notes won't let you absorb the information

BY ALMAZ ABEDJE Staff Writer With the arrival of spring comes testing season as AHS students prepare to take the SOLs. These standardized tests have been Virginia's way of planning the curriculum for the past several years.

Many students, like senior Akrem Ahmed, are against this common form of testing.

"I think SOLs aren't necessary because they don't test students on their true capabilities in the subject," Ahmed said. "The test is a multiple choice exam that is used to rate the schools in the country, therefore it doesn't motivate the students to do well because it is not needed to pass."

Likewise, junior Karla Mejia believes that it only adds unnecessary stress on students who are preparing for other major exams like IB tests or final exams.

"I don't think SOLs are really necessary because they just add on top of the stuff that is actually being graded, like final exams," Mejia said.

In the eyes of these students, the test discourages students by making them question their intelligence based on the outcome.

"They're not really necessary because if you're passing the class every quarter, then you're learning everything you need to learn," senior Katherine Santos said.

Those who are extremely opposed to the SOLs, like sophomore Cece Joseph, see no other alternative to the annual exam.

"They're insanely unnecessary honestly," Joseph said.

"I think no SOLs would be a good alternative."

A common reason for opposing the exam is a more defensive approach, supporting those who strive year round but fall short at the ends of the standardized test.

"A student could be doing well all year but they could fail the test," Ahmed said. "This should not be a true reflection of their workmanship."

As years go by, test-makers are looking for new and improved ways to test students' knowledge and improve the classroom curriculum.

"I think a good alternative would be a test that is more innovative and allows students to really incorporate their thoughts and knowledge," Ahmed said. "For example, in language, there is the PALs that is made up of many components that really pushes the students to do well."

Some students even feel that getting rid of the standardized test as a whole would be beneficial to their peers.

"SOLs are just 'minimum requirement,' so they don't help advanced kids and they're just another irrelevant obstacle that exists to add stress on the students," Joseph said.

Upperclassmen who take IB classes tend to lean more towards the open-ended IB tests over the SOLs. "I think IB tests allow people to show their strengths because they're open ended unlike the SOLs," Mejia said.

Teachers offer differing opinions on SOLs BY: HALLEY THADEUS AND RACHEL SHOGREN Academics Editors SOLs are stressful for every student, but the real stress falls on the teachers. Some teachers don't agree with how the tests are written, "I don't like how the SOL exam is written. I don't think that it is a judge of content knowledge at many times. I wish we could edit the exam and improve the exam," said biology teacher Jenna Koltz said.

Other teachers have thought about how they would change the SOL if they had the chance.

"I support the idea of standardized tests but I would recommend the test be written at half the grade level of the student taking it not and not above their grade level. People should be trained specifically on writing the multiple choice

questions," biology teacher Caroline Gergel said.

Although many classes focus on the SOL all year round and gear their curriculum towards it, many teachers would rather teach at their own pace.

"We have to align what we're teaching with the SOL. We don't teach the test, but we want to make sure we teach everything that is covered [in the SOL]," Koltz said. "In an ideal world, yeah I would teach my own interests, but obviously I can't, so I'm always trying to find a balance."

Although a lot of teachers 'over prepare' their students for SOLs by giving them too many J-Labs and practice SOLs, Gergel doesn't.

"If the student is correctly placed in the right class than i should be able to teach them throughout the year and they will be ready for the SOL," Gergel said.

IB Spotlight: Lara Riad

Sudoku

Q: What are your studying habits?

A: If I'm super tired and I need to study for a test the next day I sleep really early and wake up at like midnight to study. Sleep is important to me to have so I can focus.

Q: What is your favorite IB subject?

A: My favorite IB subject is IB Physics.

Q: What are your plans after high school?

A: Next year, I will be going to college.

Q: How do you think you did on your recent IB exams?

A: The IB exams were okay but the physics one was really difficult this year and I don't think I did well on that one.

Q: What was your extended essay topic?

A: How did Issac Newton influence and affect society?

Q: Is your only focus academics?

A: Yes, my only focus is academics.

Q: Who or what has helped you on your IB journey?

A: My friends have all really helped me. IB kids look out for one another so we all struggle together.

Q: Who is your favorite IB teacher?

A: Mr. Tyndall

How to Play: 1. Place numbers where they don't already exist.

2. The game only contains numbers 1-9.

3. The goal of sudoku is to place numbers 1-9 in the empty spaces so that each row, column, and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once.

Check your answers On your smart phone, scan this code using the application QR Code to check your Sudoku answers.

Q: What advice would you give future IB diploma candidates?

A: Don't be ambitious with your HL classes. Take a balanced amount, so you won't overwork yourself.

You're already being ambitious enough by doing the IB diploma.

Q: What skills do you think the IB program has taught you that can help you later in life?

A: IB has definitely taught me to write a lot and analyze everything.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

A: Working at a computer company, like Intel, as a hardware engineer.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LARA RIAD

Q: How do you keep up with your academics and social life?

A: I don't have a social life except I try to finish work so I have Friday and Saturday open occasionally.

HEALTH 7

May 17, 2016

Hygiene: What you're doing wrong toilet before flushing! This will minimize the germs that spread in the air each time it is flushed.

Switching out toothbrushes is often forgotten but is definitely necessary. The American Dental Association recommends replacing your toothbrush about every three to four months. It should be done more often if the bristles become worn or if you are sick.

How to care for your hands, teeth, hair and body Watching someone come out of a bathroom stall and exit without washing their hands is quite unsettling-- especially knowing that many people may have this habit. Washing our hands, brushing our teeth and cleaning our hair are common, everyday actions, but sometimes the amount of attention that should be given to them is not.

Hygiene may be overlooked at times because people assume that the way they are keeping themselves clean is sufficient.

However more often than not, even when we think we are clean, we may not have done enough.

Hands Washing our hands is probably the most neglected form of hygiene. Since it is such a small action, we tend not to pay much attention to it and usually get the job done in under five seconds and without soap. Don't lie, you have done this.

Although it may seem silly to bring up this kindergarten topic, people need to be reminded of the importance of hand washing.

With so many germs being collected because of the numerous things we touch including door knobs, keyboards and light

JULIE NGUYEN

BY JUDY NANAW Health Editor

Using fluoride toothpaste and toothbrushes with small compact heads and soft bristles is the best way to prevent tooth decay.

switches.

These objects are touched every second without a thought about the bacteria that lingers on them. As a result, hand washing should never be ignored.

Just think about it this way. How would you feel knowing that your waiter or waitress served you a meal without washing their hands? Not only is this unsanitary, it is also a gateway for sickness.

According to the World Health Organization, thousands of people die everyday from infections and since hands are the main pathways of germ transmission, hand hygiene is the most important measure to avoid the spread of harmful germs and

prevent infections.

Teeth Similarly, our mouths also hold bacteria.

Brushing your teeth twice a day is therefore vital in order to prevent things like tooth decay and gum disease. Additionally, you should spend approximately two to three minutes instead of the usual 30 seconds when brushing your teeth.

Dental care is necessary to keep your overall presentation clean. It kills and keeps bad breath germs from forming as well as prevents the yellowing and build up of plaque on your teeth. Your smile and laugh become more beautiful when they are not accompanied by bad breath.

The proper way to wash your hands Just rinsing your hands is not enough: Here are eight steps on how to do it correctly according to the World Health Organization

Keeping your mouth clean is as important as keeping your toothbrush clean. What you may have not known is that your toothbrush is home to more than 100 million bacteria.

As gross as it sounds, the truth is that part of the bacteria that is on your toothbrush includes fecal germs.

Since toothbrushes are most likely placed next to a toilet, every time it is flushed, bacteria is released into the air and lands onto your toothbrush.

Therefore, where you store your toothbrush in your bathroom is important. It is best to keep it as far away from the toilet as possible such as inside a cabinet. Better yet, make sure you are closing the lid of the

Hair and body Since the weather is getting warmer and we are becoming more prone to sweating, we can no longer get away with showering every couple of days. Taking a shower daily helps to protect against germs and infectious diseases that remain on the skin.

Although washing up your body regularly is important, this does not always apply to hair. Shampooing everyday may be stripping your hair of the nutrients and natural oils it needs to be healthy.

It depends on your hair type as everyone's varies, but sometimes applying shampoo to your hair too often may lead to breakage, a dry scalp or oily hair. To avoid unhealthy and greasy hair, try testing out how long your hair can stand going without shampoo.

Many hairstylists actually claim that if you attempt washing your hair less often you can train your hair to be less oily. It's all about knowing what your hair type can handle.

It is important to keep your body clean as not showering can also lead to unpleasant smells that will affect the public. In return you may end up repelling others socially.

Caring for your body and reducing body odor will improve your personal appearance which will ameliorate others' perceptions of you. Overall, tending to your hygiene will keep you from falling ill and enhance the

Daily sanitary essentials for students on-the-go Hand Sanitizer Carry a small bottle around in your lunch box or backpack. Although it may not be as effective as washing your hands, having these hand sanitizer on you can save your life when a sink isn't around. Use a drop of hand sanitizer to kill 99.9% of those germs that you have collected throughout the day.

Tissues Especially during allergy season, tissues are a must. Many classrooms may not have tissues available and using those harsh paper towels from the bathrooms are irritating on the nose. These handy small packets of tissues prevent you from spreading sickness around the school.

Step 1: Wet your hands and apply a generous amount of soap making sure to cover both of your hands.

Only running your hands under warm water does not kill any germs.

Step 2: Rub your hands palm to palm, in a circular motion.

This will help the soap spread evenly around your skin.

Disposable Toothbrushes You never know when you might need to brush your teeth. Maybe you woke up late and had to rush out of the door. With these mini toothbrushes, you can easily freshen up your mouth at any time.

Deodorant

Step 3: Interlace your fingers and rub them together.

Throughout the day, you touch a lot of objects that contain more germs than you think.

Step 4: An area that is commonly avoided is the back of your fingers so make sure to clean them using your opposing palm.

Because summer is rapidly approaching and temperatures are steadily rising, it is important to have this on you at all times.

You may get sweaty and reapplying your deodorant will be a necessary action. Your armpits tend to sweat the most and body odor may become an issue for you, even if you cannot smell it yourself.

Wet Wipes In a building full of dirty teenagers, objects and surfaces must be covered in germs. Having wet wipes can be helpful for when your desk is covered in some unknown substance or when the cafeteria tables are messy. These wipes are available in small packages, making them easy to store and very accessible.

Step 5: Rub the tips of fingers against your palms. Dirt can get underneath your fingernails so it is important to pay attention to this area.

Step 6: Thoroughly rinse your hands under warm water to remove the soap and germs.

Pads and Tampons For all you ladies out there (and you too Hezekiel), these are products you cannot live without. Having extras in your backpack are important in times of emergency and you can always help a girl out when she's in need.

Floss Step 7: Dry your hands with a clean towel. Do not wipe them on your clothes. You are only collecting more germs by doing that.

Step 8: Your hands are now clean! Make sure to follow these steps each time you wash your hands.

Don't you hate it when food gets stuck in your teeth during lunch? It'll bother you for the rest of the day unless you get it out with some floss. This way, you won't have to stick your fingers in your mouth.

8 PHOTO

May 17, 2016

Prom?

PHOTO COURTESY OF CEILIDH WILLIAMS

PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH DEIBLE

Students creatively ask their dates to the annual dance on June 3.

Senior Jose Florian asked junior Ceilidh Williams by placing light up letters that spelled Prom around her neighborhood, which led her to her house where he was in her driveway with a sign and balloons. "I was completely oblivious at first but it was the cutest thing. Definitely made my day," Williams said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELISE KIM

Senior Jeff Montano asked junior Karen Arevalo from Thomas Edison at his senior night for varsity soccer.

Senior Ben Petruzziello asked senior Elise Kim with a candy poster and flowers. "I was rushing to go pick her up and luckily my friends that were helping me were all ready to go. So we sped to the school and got there just as she was getting impatient," Petruzziello said.

"I knew he was going to ask me, but not how he was going to ask me," junior Madie Walsh said after getting asked to Prom by senior Caleb Plott, from West Springfield. "I was really surprised to see what he came up with! It was so cute," Walsh said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AHMAD AYUB

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOLLIE VALOROSE

PHOTO COURTESY OF MADIE WALSH

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF MONTANO

Senior Sarah Deible gets asked by senior Jakob Dorton from Jeb Stuart. "I had no idea he was going to ask me, it was really suprising because we haven't been in touch," Deible said.

"I had no idea he was going to ask me. It was a nice surprise," junior Mollie Valorose said.

Senior Gabriel Fortich asked Valorose by putting letters that spell out Prom on his car with a sign and flowers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAVANNAH ROSS

Senior Asaada Hatcher asked senior Crisley Leon with a sign, balloons and flowers. "I wasn't nervous at all to ask her because I knew she would say yes," Hatcher said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PHILLIP DELCORE

PHOTO COURTESY OF ASAADA HATCHER

Senior Ahmad Ayub asked senior Hannah Shartel outside Jock Lobby with a poster that looks like a Vine video. "The idea came from the fact that she loves the Vine app," Ayub said.

At Green Spring Manner senior Phillip Delcore asked senior Schuyler McCleary by putting light up letters that spell out Prom on the floor of a gazebo with a sign.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIARA PATINO

Senior Stefan Askovic asked senior Savannah Ross with a sign and had flowers for her. "I knew he was going to ask me because we have been talking about Prom for a while but I was excited when he did ask because I have never been asked to any type of dance so it was a first for me," Ross said.

"I was pretty nervous to ask her, but everything came out great," junior Gabe Alana said after asking senior Kiara Patino by having her walk down the aisle and say "bible" with other students by their sides.

PEOPLE 9

May 17, 2016

Students plans after high school Marem Atef

Senior Jeanine Barakat, Kadijah Sesay and Marem Atef model their future college's gear.

to college is to just apply. Apply for college. Apply for scholarships. Apply yourself. Do what is good for you.

Do everything to the best of your ability!

Ahmad Ayub

Senior Alex Alfaro poses in his uniform.

inspire others to strive for higher. I'm currently 18 years old and have a long journey ahead of me, but I feel that the military is my current calling and will assist me in reaching my goals. I will be shipping to boot camp on June 25, wish me luck!

Senior Ahmad Ayub and a friend pose with the Virginia Tech mascot, the Hokie bird.

VA, and they have had a few meet ups to date.

I really can't wait for the feeling of living in a new setting, while becoming independent from my parents.

My plan for after high school has nothing to do with a four year school. I do not think I would take college seriously if I went right now so I'm not going to waste my time and money. I have a great job and for the time being that's what I am going to focus on.

My overall goal is to end up in New York. I want to be there in the future but I need money first. I intend to work as much as I can over the summer and next year to save.

While I am doing that I might take a couple classes at NOVA, but I am not sure yet because if I do, I have to pay for it myself. I don't hate learning, I just had a really bad experience in the education I've received up until this point, so there was no part of me that was excited to apply to school and do all of that. The only thing I'm concerned with is making money so I can have the funds to travel and set a life up for myself. I abandoned the set path that most people take a long time ago. It's not for me so I am gonna get this money and see where life takes me cause that's all I can worry about right now.

All I know is college isn't for me so I'm just going to live and be on my own and everything that is supposed to happen will happen. I don't need a university to make me understand that.

If any underclassman are reading this, college isn't for everyone. Don't feel pressured to do what everyone else is doing if you don't think it's the right thing for

PHOTO COURTESY OF MADDIE LITTLE

Maddie Little

PHOTO COURTESY OF AHMAD AYUB

After leaving AHS, I am going to be attending Virginia Tech. It has been my goal for practically the last two years. I have actually been such a supporter of the school that my friends annoy me about it and constantly say, We get it, you are going to VT. My cousin who just graduated last year advocated the school when talking to me and when I was doing my research, it felt like the right choice for me.

So far I have visited twice, and the second time was an overnight stay. The second trip was really what made me fall in love with the school. I got to sleep in a dorm and roam around the campus in my free time and I felt like a real college student.

I am going into the School of Engineering, and in my second year I'll most likely become a Computer Science major. I have had my mind set on that major for a while now, and my main inspiration for it is one of my uncles in CA. He works for Apple, and as a kid, I was always astounded by the new tech that he'd get for being an employee. I want to study how to develop and design iOS, which is the software that apple uses for iPhones and iPods.

I am really excited to go to VT. Some of my best friends are going there, and using the GroupMe app and the Facebook group chat, I have already met a bunch of kids that are attending the school with me.

There is even a group chat for kids that live in Northern

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEX ALFARO

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAREM ATEF

In 94 days, I'll be heading to our states capital, where I will be studying at Virginia Commonwealth University! Only 94 days until I leave behind my days as an Atom to become a Ram! I plan to pursue biomedical engineering with a pre-med track in hopes of one day becoming a doctor.

After getting into Mason and being wait listed at Tech, I chose VCU not only because of its city vibe, but because of it's medical program. VCU Medical center is one of the best and I am glad that I was able to narrow down my interests and declare the major that I wanted.

Financially, NoVA or Mason are the safer route because I would save so much money with room and board. However, it is just a bullet I was willing to bite in order for me to meet new people and make connections with people in the same field. Have you ever heard the saying Life is not about what you know it is about who you know? Well, being able to live on campus and dive into the social aspect of college is what will lead me to the right people, which will pay off in the long run.

I am excited to take advantage of the study abroad program that my university has to offer, meet new people and experience the world with a new perspective! I am interested in either going to study in Greece, Australia or the Middle East.

The one thing I would tell people planning on going

Alex Alfaro My name is Alex Alfaro and I am joining the Marine Corps after High school because I want to be successful. I decided to enlist on the thought that I could get my education and living expenses paid for free of cost. As time went on, I realized that I did not know what my true passion was (I still do not), so having four years to find it makes enlisting awesome.

My current five year plan is to firstly make plenty of experiences traveling and meeting other people.

Those experiences will get me started on finding my true passion, and will be quite memorable.

I plan on using my time in the military to get started on a business degree and to take full advantage of the classes the military has to offer; from leadership and marketing, to martial arts. Once my four years are up I plan on coming home, and build myself a foundation on investing and possibly real estate, the goal is to reach financial independence and not have to worry about money. I definitely want to start my own business and continue my father's food truck legacy.

Once I acquire financial independence I plan on starting my personal life and fulfilling commitments i've made such as buying my parents a house. By this time I hope I will have found my passion, and I can begin to work in that field as well as starting my own family.

The goal in all this is to reach my dream which is to

Senior Maddie Little's trip through Europe inspired her to want to explore more places.

you. I feel like high schoolers put too much pressure on getting into college. There are plenty of successful people who did their own thing: so can you.

Heard in the Hall: What do you plan on doing after you graduate?

freshman

"After high school, I want to go to George Mason and major in business."

"I want to go to a good university where I major in law and minor in business."

"After graduation, my plan is to go to my dream college."

MUJEEB TAFWIZ freshman

NATNAL ENDALKACHEW

"I want to go to college and make as much money as I possibly can."

CINDY LE sophomore

"I plan on moving to the West Coast and persuading an education to the doctorate level."

MUSTAFA RAKIN sophomore

SAUD SHAH

"I don't know specifically where I want to go to college. It depends on what college fits me best."

junior

I attended Maryland University.

I was born in Long Island, NY. My pets consist of no pets. :( My favorite movie is Inception

Alumni Postcard Darlene Reyes Background: Graduated AHS in 2011 with an IB Bilingual Diploma. She was a member of the Hispanic Leadership Club and the National Honor Society.

My favorite restaurant is any italian restaurant in New York.

The coolest place I've visited is the Grand Canyon.

Favorite class: Social Meaning of Race Seminar

In my free time I like to play and watch sports.

Best thing about college: Figuring out what it is I actually love to do and why it is I feel so strongly about it.

My favorite subject is math!

If I could live any place in the world I would live in Florida.

On your smart phone, scan this code using the application QR Code to find the answer to the Who Am I.

junior

junior

College life: Recently graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor's Degree in International Studies focus on Latin America and Linguistics. She is a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. she currently volunteers for City Year Washington, D.C.

My favorite TV show is Shark Tank.

KEVIN HUYNH

TEHYA MOSS

sophomore

WHO AM I?

"My plan is to go to college, two years at NOVA and then transfer to George Mason University."

Biggest feat at college: Not being able to keep up with everything -- from school to work to a social life. It's exhausting but you have to prioritize.

What I miss about AHS: My friends, my teachers and the football games.

Advice to graduating seniors: Dabble with things that interest you and trust that you're making the right decisions. No one knows you better than yourself.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DARLENE REYES

"I want to go to college, get a job and buy a car."

DINA YOUSSOUF

10 IN-DEPTH

May 17, 2016

IN-DEPTH 11

May 17, 2016

WE ARE ALL IMMIGRANTS 5 Myths About Immigrants

How immigrants make America better

By SHARON SANCHEZ Staff Writer When you think of immigrants, the stereotypical foreigner with no clue of English or with an accent, with big dreams and hopes may come to mind.

Since the beginning of immigration, people have come all over the world, in hopes to start fresh, for better opportunities and to have a better life.

America was and still is believed to be one of the greatest countries in the world and it's success wouldn't have been able to happen without immigrants.

According to Elite Daily, there are currently 41million immigrants in the U.S, and an estimated number of 11.2 million undocumented immigrants.

Since the last 50 years, the amount of immigrants that have come to the U.S has increased.

America is filled with diverse cultures and people from all over the world with different background-history and different experiences.

"Immigration adds a huge body of workers who are willing to work for less," Sophomore William Wheatley said. "It makes a developing community and growing economy easier." Whether legal or not, immigrants benefit the U.S by increasing the economy.

They strengthen the workplace and most are willing to work for less pay since there are not a lot of job options for them,

COUNTRIES WHRE AHS STUDENTS COME FROM

El Salvador 161

Bolivia 79

Vietnam 56

Ethiopia 49

Pakistan 32

Guatemala 32

South Korea 23

Mexico 17

specially for someone who doesn't know English.

According to KQED news, about 1 in 8 U.S residents are foreign-born, mostly being from Latin America and Asia. America's economy has increased throughout the years thanks to immigration. Immigration helps

China 16 SOURCE:STUDENT SERVICES

our economy grow and our businesses increase.

Statistics shows that immigrants tend to start businesses more, which lead to more jobs for other people who are in need of them.

James Watt, a Scotland immigrant who

improved the steam engine, and made it okay for trains, factories and steam boats to function properly.

He created a fortune, and also brought America more reliable transportation.

Reliable transportation has made it easier to travel, deliver, and trade around them.

He's a prime example of how not only his success brought him wealth and the world.

If it weren't for people like James Watt we wouldn't have everything we have today.

Many immigrant inventors have contributed to many astonishing creations that have helped and only made America stronger.

Immigration makes us more culturally diverse and expands the amount of people who will one day be engineers, doctors, lawyers, ect.

Sophomore Josselyn Cabrera came to the U.S in 2013 and is now currently a junior in Annandale. Only knowing little english when she first came, she struggled with the language and took a level 2 ESOL class.

She had problems understanding her teachers, but she tried her hardest to ask questions and be understood, even though her English wasn't the best.

The following year she took the next ESOL level and started taking theater and became interesting in books, which really helped her improve.

She is currently in her last year of ESOL and is hoping to pass all her classes and graduate next year.

Coming to a new country and adapting is hard enough.

Trying to learn a new language and balancing your grades while doing it is a reality for many young immigrants who come to the U.S in hopes of better education.

Many students like Josselyn have struggled when adapting to a foreign country.

Her determination to learn a new language shows great passion for thriving and a great future coming her way.

People don't realize how others have difficulties adjusting to new thing, specially when it comes to a new country and attempting to learn a new language. Many immigrants (mostly the ones who speak a foreign language) struggle looking for work.

They also work long hours for low pay with the hope of thriving and improving their economic state and support their families.

We need more people with determination and passion to thrive. We need more people with the willing power to reach for they want to improve this country.

Immigration has brought us a great amount of diversity along the years.

"It makes us more diverse," Sophomore Jamie Argueta said. "It's great to see different people from different countries and cultures spread their ideas."

A diverse group of people is better than just one specific group of people. We need different views and opinions and people who think out of the box to make us prosper.

We are are a nation of immigrants. We all come from different background and countries, which is what makes America great.

Coming to America and leaving my dad Living in the U.S. without my father

By ANONYMOUS Special to the A-Blast Even when I was younger I remember hearing about how America was the place to be, the place where dreams came true and where it would be much easier for me to succeed and to be happier.

Everyone around me made it seem like it was the ideal and most magical place to live.

I was barely 7 when I was told that I had to leave my home and travel to the U.S..

My parents had been wanting to get passports and visas for such a long time, but when they actually did, they grew quiet.

No longer were they stressing about how they needed to get their documents approved or how they needed to fill in sheets or other documents.

My mom said that my dad would catch up to us later in a few weeks and that it would all be okay.

I was really close with my dad and I was at least glad that we would only be separated for a couple of days.

My dad cried a lot the night we left. I had never seen my dad shed that many tears and I couldn't understand why, but just the sight

Sign near the Mexican border that warns drivers of poeple crossing the border into the street.

of him made me cry as well.

Little did I know, I wouldn't see my dad for a very long time, more than 6 years to be exact.

We arrived in Virginia very late at night that day.

I don't remember much, except that I fell right asleep when we got in my uncle's car.

My mom spent the following weeks looking for a job while I stayed home with my two other cousins, aunt, sister and grandma.

We all shared two mattresses (the

exception of my grandma) and 2 other couches in a living room.

When my mom finally got a job, she began to save up some money so we could get out of the place we were currently staying in.

We lived in bad conditions for about 6 months untill we rented an apartment with 2 rooms.

My mom still couldn't pay for more than one room so we had to rent the other one to my aunt.

I still had to share a bed with two people, but at least we didn't sleep as close to the floor like last time.

Time was moving slowly and I was growing too impatient. I waited for years to see my dad. By the time 4 years had passed, I had already lost most of my hope.

One of my uncle's asked my dad to cross the border with him because he also had some family here.

After saving up enough money for the trip, my dad accepted my uncle's offer.

They hid, hitchhiked, suffered through heat, stole food, rode buses for hours on end and in some days they had to sleep on the ground.

Unfortunately, they got caught by the police mid way through Costa Rica.

They were incarcerated for a few days until they were sent back home. A few months later, my uncle asked my dad if they could try one more time; my dad declined.

He had lost all his money just trying to cross through the border and he didn't have the energy.Surprisingly enough, my uncle somehow made it.

It had taken him a few months to cross but he did. He had a few minor injuries and back pain, but it was nothing he said he couldn't handle.

We were coming home from school one day with my cousins.

My cousin immediately ran up to him

and hugged him.

While I was happy that he had been reunited with his family, I wish mine could have done the same.

My dad regretted not attempting to cross the border with my uncle the second time, but I didn't blame him. I was just upset that I couldn't see my dad whenever I wanted.

I couldn't spend time with him, see him real-life or even touch him. I was very young and I couldn t get my head around that I basically had no father while other kids did. I was mad at how the system worked and how it deprived me of my dad.

It was understable that I had lost all hope after all the waiting. I no longer asked my mom when my dad would come or what we were going to do to get him here.

My dad wouldn't come for another two more years on a late August afternoon in 2012.

My mom had kept it a surprise after finding out that he had finally gotten his visa.

He walked in the room like a stranger, but when I saw him I couldn't help but run up to him and embrace him in my arms.

1.UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS DON'T PAY TAXES Contrary to popular belief, undocumented immigrants pay sales taxes and property taxes like any other person in America. The Chamber of Commerce even states that they pay billions of dollars in taxes every year.

2.IMMIGRANTS COMMIT MORE CRIME THAN AMERICANS There is the long held myth that immigrants commit more crimes than native-born Americans. This is completely false on the basis that it is generalizing. According to the Washington Post, immigrants are incarcerated at a lower rate than native-born Americans.

3. IMMIGRANTS DON'T WANT TO LEARN ENGLISH English is one of the most commonly spoken language here and without the comprehension of the language, it would be a lot harder for immigrants to be able to have a job, and to be able to communicate with other people.

4. BUILDING THE WALL WILL STOP UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS FROM ENTERING THE U.S. Not only would it not completely stop all undocumented immigrants from coming here, but it could contribute to human smuggling, and cause the U.S. to lose millions of dollars. Additionally, immigrants do not only come from Mexico.

5. MOST IMMIGRANTS COME TO THE U.S. ILLEGALLY The Pew Center states that one third of all immigrants are undocumented and two thirds of all immigrants have either some sort of legal status or are naturalized citizens. This means that two thirds of immigrants have been documented by the government thus proving that this myth is false.

Supreme Court hearing affects Annandale Giving immigrants chance to stay

By SHARON SANCHEZ Staff Writer This summer, the Supreme Court is expected to take on the controversial topic of illegal immigration.

Recently, President Obama announced and executive action that would shield announced Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA).

This plan that would grant illegal immigrants that are parents of U.S. citizens, temporary protection from deportation and the opportunity to apply for work permits.

However, 26 states brought the case to the Supreme Court that the

President does not have the executive power to enact DAPA and is oerstepping his power.

This Supreme Court case is important to the millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S because of the benefits DAPA would provide.

This program would help several students and their families at AHS. Many immigrant families have long waited for President Obama and Congress to take action on immigration reforms.

President Obama's announcement of DAPA was the plan they have been waiting for.

President Obama's plan would protect more than 4 million undocumented immigrants with children that are U.S. citizens.

Immigrants qualified for the programs are eligible for health care, work permits, disability and retirement benefits.

Protests trying to convice Supreme Court to keep Obama's plan.

Having the justices in the Supreme Court favor in DAPA would be a dream come true for many immigrant families.

Citizens of the U.S. and legal

immigrants don't face the problems undocumented immigrants face day to day.

An immigrant parent wouldn't be able to drive their child to school

because they can't apply for a driver's license.

One program that grants temporary protection from deportation is called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

In 2012, DACA was created to grant two years residence in the U.S and work visas to illegal immigrants before they turned sixteen.

At AHS, there are many students that are covered by DACA. The benefits DACA provides undocumented children opportunities a U.S teen wouldn't typically have to worry about.

Such as not being qualified to get a driver's license or job. Also, the biggest fear of an undocumented immigrant, being deported and separated from their family, friends and life built in the U.S.However, Obama's plan would create a more permanent solution.

However, Texas Governor, Greg

Abbott says that Obama's plan would not financially hurt states.

The 27 states are suing the Obama administration based on this assumption.

Obama has clearly said that those that apply for the programs would have to pay a fee.

Additionally, immigrants would pay taxes and strengthen the economy.

"We'll bring more undocumented immigrants out of the shadows so they can play by the rules, pay their full share of taxes, pass a criminal background check and get right with the law," President Obama said in Nevada.

Whichever way this case ends, it will greatly impact the immigrants in this country. Seeing that Anandale is filled with many immiigrants, it will impact us too.

What does the American Dream mean to you?

"An opportunity for people to come out to America and try to accomplish a goal or do something that makes them happy."

NAWAL ABDULKADIR senior

"It means freedom; you come here, you find your freedom and you prosper in your own way. You work hard and you succeed by yourself."

ROUBA ABDELHAMID Junior

"For me it means having the opportunity to find better education and a better lifestyle. I feel like that's why many immigrants come here."

KIMBERLY ROMERO juniori

"The American dream is opportunity, getting a better education to get a job to support yourself. " JESSE AGYAPONG

"The American dream means being successful, continuing school, and making my parents proud."

LYDIA JEMERE

junior

senior

"My parents came here to give me a better education and more opportunities for my future."

"It means being able to live a happy life without being fixated on the actual American dream like having a lot of money MAHLET SAMSON senior or having designer stuff."

FATMATA KAMARA senior

"The American dream to me is working everyday, providing for the family, and helping everyone that needs help."

NAOD TEKLIE senior

12 INTERNATIONAL How smart are you on a global scale?

May 17, 2016

Virginia State Standards of Learning Exam Math Questions

Math test questions around the world

Standardized testing increasing worldwide with questionable side effects

The SOL tests students mathematical comprehension of Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II

BY LINA AL TAII International Editor

1. What is the solution set of the equation x^2-2x+5=0?

A: {1-2i,1+2i} B: {-1-2i,-1+2i} C: {-3,1} D: {-1,3}

Standardized testing has been increasing at schools across the country for years.

However, in the past couple of years, the tests have intensified, including questions with self written answers, as opposed to traditional multiple choice questions.

In Fairfax County, students take their first SOL (Virginia Standards of Learning) exam during their third grade year.

"The reason standardized testing is so hard is because even if you know all of the material and understand the topic, you need to analyze the question and be able to go through the correct thinking process in order to get the correct answer," sophomore Amy Han said.

In many countries worldwide, standardized testing is inevitable and has a great effect on the future of students.

Some examples include the three hour SAT and ACT in The United States, the 9 hour Gaokao exam in China, and the two hour PISA exams in over five dozen countries worldwide.

The Gaokao exam is a 9 hour college entry exam in China, offered once a year.

The exam determines admission into every Chinese university. About 3 out of 5 students meet the qualifications to pass the test.

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), The PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) exam is administered every three years, testing 15 year olds in core subjects, and using the results to evaluate education systems worldwide.

The PISA exam was last administered in NovemberDecember 2015, and the main subject tested was science.

However the most recent published results are taken from the 2012 exam which focused on mathematics.

Countries have gone above and beyond to improve their educational systems and compete for a high rank in the OECD's PISA exam.

The results from the PISA exams also influence what material countries decide to use in their more regulated standardized testing such as the SAT and ACT. In 2012, The US ranked below average in mathematics, and ranked close to average in reading and science.

The SAT and ACT exams are also an example of exams which determine students future in America.

Many students spend a year preparing, either taking private tutoring classes or taking practice SATs, both of which cost a decent amount of money.

While group classes are relatively affordable, many students seek private one-on-one tutoring which can cost over $1,000 per hour.

However, according to a study released in 2014 by the National Association for College Admission Counseling's Principal Investigator Wiliam C. Hiss, there is no difference in the success rates of students who submit their standardized test scores to colleges, and those who don't.

CANADA ( SAT / ACT )

UNITED STATES ( SAT )

Q : A piece of ribbon 4 yards long is used to make bows requiring 15 inches of ribbon for each. What is the maximum number of bows that can be made?

A. 8 B. 9 C. 10 D. 11 E. 12

Q : At a primate reserve, the mean age of all the male primates is 15 years, and the mean age of all female primates is 19 years. Which of the following must be true about the mean age m of the combined group of male and female primates at the primate reserve?

A. m = 17 B. m > 17 C. m < 17 D. 15 < m < 19 X ^2 + Y ^2 = 153 X = - 4X Q: If (X,Y) is a solution to the system of equations above, what is the value of X ^2 ?

Q : 10. If V = 12R / (r + R) , then R = A. Vr / (12 - V) B. Vr + V /12 C. Vr - 12 D. V / r - 12 E. V (r + 1) /12

A. - 51 B. 3

UNITED KINGDOM ( GGGW ) Q: The numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are arranged in a random order. The probability that the digits 1, 2, 3, and 4 will appear in that order is....

A: 1 / 2 B: 1 / 128 C: 1 / 256 D: 1 / 336 Q : Convert to the decimal form to 4 decimal places: - 6 / 13 A. -0.5 B. -0.136 C. -0.613 D. -0.4615

Rankings based on standardized test scores leads to countries trying to the best of their ability to get a better ranking worldwide, at the expense of their students well being and well rounded learning.

The rise in standardized testing causes many teachers to teach for the test, rather than teach students to help them learn.

Teaching for a test also effects the goals and dreams of students, who stress about exams and tests with the goal of getting nothing less than an A. "I feel like SOLs and SATs make students want to learn the material only to pass the test but afterwards they

C. 9 D. 144

2. Which of these equations is a direct variation?

A: y=-8x-1 B: y=-8x C: y=-8 D: y=-8x+1 3. Three vertices of a square have coordinates (5, 1), (2, -2), and (-1, 1). What are the coordinates of the fourth vertex?

A: (2, 4) B: (4, 2) C: (-2, 2) D: (2, -2) 4.Which is the solution set for the equation below? x^2-4=0 A: {-1, 4} B: {-2, 2} C: {0, 4} D: {-4, 1} 5. Let p represent "Two angles are vertical angles."

Let q represent "The angles are congruent."

What is the symbolic representation of the following statement?

If two angles are congruent, then the angles are vertical angles.

A: ~q -> ~p B: p -> q C: ~p -> ~q D: q -> p 6. The difference in cost between a large bag of chips and a small bag of chips was 90¢. Alicia bought 5 large bags and 3 small bags of chips for her party and spent $17.22. What was the cost of a small bag of chips?

A: $1.59 B: $2.15 C: $5.74 D: $2.49

INDIA ( CAT TEST ) Q: What is the 31st term in the following arithmetic series: 45,42.5,40...?

A: - 30 B: - 27.25 C: - 31.75 D: 110

7. Circle O has a center at (-2, -2) and a diameter of 10 units. Which point lies on circle O? A: (8, 8) B: (6, 4) C: (-2, -2) D: (-6, -5)

Q: The angle of elevation of a ladder leaning against a wall is 60 degrees and the foot of the ladder is 4.6 m away from the wall. The length of the ladder is: A. 2.3 m B. 4.6 m C. 7.8 m D. 9.2 m

forget the material." sophomore Moeez Omer said. "People should learn the material to keep it with them for the rest of their life, and standardized testing makes that more complicated than it should be."

Taking steps to fix the problem, many universities have begun allowing optional test score submissions, and using students grade point average as the main determinative aspect of their application.

This encourages schools to follow in their footsteps, and to hopefully help make positive changes to the way students and teachers treat exams.

8. Two ships leaving the same marina at the same time are 3.2 miles apart after sailing 2.5 hours.

If they continue at the same rate and direction, how far apart will they be 2 hours later?

A: 2.56 mi B: 3.52 mi C: 5.76 mi D: 6.08 mi 9. Which property justifies the following statement?

If 3a+3b=12 then 3(a+b)=12 A: Commutative property of multiplication B: Distributive property for multiplication over addition C: Associative property of addition D: Multiplicative identity property

What do you think about Standardized Tests?

"I think standardized tests shouldn't reflect how one is as a person and how well they know their academics."

"I think standardized tests are really important because they determine your future in a way."

AYMAN ELHAG

JENISA NGUYEN

freshman

"I think standardized tests are quite stressing because they affect your college career."

"I think standardized tests are a little too much, and require a lot of unnecessary studying."

"Standardized tests are too stressing but colleges look at them and then decide your future."

CINDY OCHOA

LOC TRUONG

CEILIDH WILLIAMS

sophomore

sophomore

junior

freshman

"I think they're nessasary to see how well a student knows the material they were taught and also for college ranking."

"They're really important, however standardized tests shouldn't drag a student down or give one excessive pride."

BILAL KAMARA

GRACE YIM

junior

senior

"I think they are important but quite stressing, but if that's the nations way of testing students then that is okay for me."

CAMERON TRAN senior

American stories Students from different countries share their journey

BY JAMILET ESCOBAR Special to The A-Blast My name is Jamilet Escobar, I am a Sophomore and I'm from Fairfax, VA. In 2013 I moved to El Salvador and I lived there for 9 months.

When I moved to El Salvador, I knew that everything was going to be different like the Food, Language, People, School Systems, The way of living..Everything.

The food in El Salvador was not good because there was no nutritional value in it and also since in El Salvador there are a lot of flies, and the flies would land on the food and flies carry bacteria/diseases, so people get sick quite often.

At the school that I attended, they have English classes and it wasn't literature or

reading, it was the language English.

In El Salvador, they do not teach the proper English, they tend to mix up the words and vocabulary.

The people in El Salvador were very nice, well at least some were. However, the school systems were terrible, at the school that I attended, school started in January and it ended in October.

We didn't have any breaks like we do here. In El Salvador, they do not know what Spring Break is.

The Salvadoran Independence is always celebrated on September 15th and on that day, we had to march for 4 miles since that is the tradition that the people in El Salvador have.

People over there listen to different types of genres of music like Oldies music,

Pop, Rock, Cumbia, Bachata, Reggae, Reggaeton, R&B, and Rap. Some people in El Salvador lives in very poor conditions. I've seen people sleeping on the sidewalks, sometimes in front of the stores. El Salvador is really dangerous right now because a lot of people are being killed by the gangs and the police doesn't do anything to stop them.

It is really dangerous over there because if you wear a certain color that matches the gangs color then the gangs could possibly keep you as a hostage or something even worse.

I came back to the U.S. on September 20th, 2014.

I felt really relieved to be back home in VA. It took me a few weeks to adjust the environment again since i had been out of the

country for 9 months.

The U.S. is a great place to live because we have more access to a lot of things and in El Salvador they don't have that much resources that we do here in the U.S..

For example we have access to technology unlike in El Salvador.

The food is different here then it is over there. People here are nicer and the teachers here actually helps the students when they are struggling.

The School Systems here are better, we can express ourselves freely and nobody judges you here.

We are exposed to many diverse cultures and traditions. Everything here is more advanced then it is in El Salvador. We should be thankful the we are in a land of opportunities.

ARTS 13

May 17, 2016

This painting was displayed in Clausen Hall on April 28th for the AHS annual Art Show. The piece is called "Camera", by junior Kelsie Licatovich.

To create this painting, Licatovich used acrylics. The piece goes along with her theme, Technology, and is a part of her Art 4 class collection.

This piece was presented at the Art Show where it was alongside other paintings from her collection that coincide with the theme of pollution's effect on animals. This painting is called "Trapped", by junior Alicia Orellana. To create this painting, Orellana used watercolors and colored pencils. The painting is a part of an art project she did on a global topic.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LYNN

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALICIA ORELLANA

PHOTO COURTESY OF KELSIE LICATOVICH

Students Participate In Art Show

This painting is called "Spoonful", by junior Lynn Lieu. To create this, Lieu used color pencils. She used color pencils to explore the art movement, fauvism, which is a style of painting that has expressionistic and non naturalistic use of color that flourished in Paris. The theme is to go along with this school year's theme which is "food around the world".

She wanted to branch out from specific foods to show the impact of food on our senses.

Museum Spotlight: Renwick Gallery

Admission: The Renwick Gallery Free

On March 28th I visited the Renwick Art Gallery in DC. I had heard from many people and saw on social media that the museum was extremely interesting and cool.

The Renwick Gallery was recently closed and renovated.

There now are nine exhibits, a few of which are a little odd, but still wonderfully crafted.

When walking into the building my first impression was a little iffy.

The first thing you see is a staircase only partially covered with carpet.

A person at the door tells you to head to the right to enter the first exhibit.

You enter a room full of pods made of tree branches.

Patrick Dougherty, the artist and creator of the exhibit, wove together willow branches to create mini homes so to speak.

The next exhibit is a stunning portrayal of a rainbow. I felt like a little kid who wanted to touch everything, it was very beautiful.

Walking into the next room, you come upon big piles of something unrecognizable. Not until you go up close or read the sign do you realize they are all made of index cards.

Next comes the stairs. If you look above, there are a ton of twinkling lights. They look like thousands of strands of water constantly falling.

By far the most beautiful and my favorite exhibit, is the room directly after the stairs.

You enter a room filled with lights and color, but then you look at the ceiling and realize there is a huge net hanging.

There is a carpet on the floor where many people lay down and watch the colors change.

The next few rooms have a line going into them. Once you get through the line, you come to a life size replica of a 150 year old Hemlock tree. The model is made of thousands of pieces of cedar wood.

The following room is filled with little green marbles. They stretch out all along the room, over the walls, and some of the ceiling. Reading the description, the artist made a replica of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It is beautiful in its own way. This woven sculpture called, 8.1, by Janet Echleman Continuing on, the room after is a maze wof old tires. They look shredded, and ripped apart. I felt that this was not a very exciting exhibit.

As you walk into the last room, all you see is pink walls, and little things on the wall. Taking a closer look, I realized that the things on the wall, were tons of little insects. They were in patterns all around the room. In the center there was a cabinet with lots of little drawers, inside each one was a little scene with real bugs!

The current update on the museum is filled with stunning large-scale three dimensional exhibits. The pieces are inventive, beautiful, experiential, and accessible to visitors of all ages!

PHOTO COURTESY OF REBECCA KINDLING

Special to A-Blast

PHOTO COURTESY OF REBECCA KINDLING

By Rebecca Kindling

Address: 1661 Pennsylvania Ave at 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 Mailing: Renwick Gallery Smithsonian Art Museum MRC 510 Box 37012 Washington, D.C 20013-7012 Telephone: (202)-633-1000 Email: AmericanArtRenwick@si.edu Daily: 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Closed: December 25th

This marble piece is called , Folding the Chesapeake,

by Maya Lin

Q & A with artist Betel Eyob Q: What materials do you use for your artwork?

A: I usually use acrylic paints because it's easier for me and I like how the end product turns out.

Q: What is it about creating art that you enjoy?

A: Usually I like creating stories with my art and that's why I enjoy creating art.

Q: What do you like most about your artwork?

A: One of the reasons I create art is to tell stories so I guess that is one of my favorite things about my artwork as well, that there's usually a story behind all of them.

Q: What advice do you have for other young, developing artists?

A: For any artists out there, I feel like one of the most important things to know is that sure you'll come across mistakes but some mistakes are masterpieces and you just have to be flexible and work around it.

Q: Do you have a favorite piece of artwork and why?

A: One of my favorite pieces of artworks is a painting of tears falling into lava called Tearful of Lava (ironically).

I like how this piece turned out and how it could be interpreted in different ways.

Q: What would you say to someone that wants to get into creating art?

A: If someone wants to get into the artist world, they should do it. Find something that you enjoy and improve in that area and don't let anything stop you.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BETEL EYOB.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BETEL EYOB.

Q: What do you plan to do with creating art in the future?

A: Whatever inspiration comes in mind really. I don't usually plan future things out unless it's a project I'm really invested in.

Sophomore artist Betel Eyob enjoys painting because she likes to tell a story through each piece.

Sophomore Betel Eyob painted this called "Break." This painting is made out of water colors and ink liner.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEPHANIE LE

These works are by Stephanie Le. These art pieces are drawings she made for an art project. Want to have your art featured in the next issue of The A-Blast? Each issue, the Arts page will pick a student's art from submitted content and feature their work of art on the Arts page.

All mediums are welcome, whether it be a painting, doodle, poem or song. Videos can be submitted too! Send all submissions to theablast15@ gmail.com, or send it to our dropbox (using the same email as above) for files larger than two GB.

Stephanie ww created this painting using oil pastels

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEPHANIE LE

Featured art

A self-portrait sketched with color pencils by Stephanie Le

14 LIFESTYLES Essential items to bring to Prom

May 17, 2016

MAYBELLINE LASH SENSATIONAL

CHAPSTICK CVS $1.99

Target $5.99

EMERGENCY CREDIT/DEBIT CARD

DEODORANT CVS $5.99

SIDEKICKS ROLL UP FLATS Target $24.99

MINIMERGENCY KIT

PORTABLE CHARGER

Sephora $16.00

Best Buy $7.99

DRESS TAPE Target $7.99

Upcoming Event

Girls' Check List

Annandale â&#x20AC;&#x2122;16 Prom

Set up make up appointment Make hair appointment Buy shoes Shop for jewelry Prepare bag with essentials

Northern Lights Theme June 3, 2016 Tickets: $45 each

Boys' Check List Rent/buy tux Buy Prom tickets Order corsage for your date Make dinner reservation Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to ask your date!

Throwback Tuesday at Prom Business teacher, Howard Dwyer, reflects on his Prom in 1983

BY SHEILA AGUIRRE AND LUCIE LEFBOM Lifestyles Editors Prom was vastly different in 1983 than it was now in 2016. As the years have passed, Prom has become more of a luxurious event. 20 years ago, Prom was usually held in a gym, where as now it is held in much nicer places such as hotels and even cruises.

"I only paid $20 for Prom tickets for both me and my Prom date," business teacher Howard Dwyer

said.

Attending Prom in 1984 was much cheaper than it is today. Annandale's Prom tickets are going on sale for $45 per person, so a student who pays for their date will be covering expenses of at least $90.

On top of the cost of tickets, boys must pay for tuxedos, and girls must pay for dresses. Tux rentals go for about $150 to $250 today.

However, tux rentals in 1984 were about $85 to $100 for prom.

Girls can pay upwards of $300 to $400 for a dress. These prices may affect attendance, as many do not want to pay hundreds of dollars for a school dance.

Prom is usually a senior only event, as it serves as their once last dance they'll attend in high school.

"West Springfield Prom was an all senior Prom," Mr.Dwyer said.

Unless a senior asked an underclassmen, they did not attend.

r.

"I went to three Proms," Mr. Dwyer said, "My first was my seniorr Prom, and I got asked twice while I was in college,".

Before, Prom was not a big deal..

Promposals play a much bigger rolee today, as students try to show offf their asks. Nowadays, promposalss are posted all over social media too receive likes, retweets or favorites..

The pressure to have the best ask too post is bigger than ever.

"I didn't asked my girlfriend too prom, it was implied," Mr.Dwyerr said. "I think I may have said some-thing while we were both at thee movies, but it was much more laidd back than some of the asks I'vee seen today."

Annandale's Prom will be heldd on June 3rd, at the Hilton Alexan-dria Mark Center, from 9 p.m. too 12 a.m. Seniors, make sure to buyy your tickets to enjoy your last highh school dance.

Business teacher Howard Dwyer attending prom in 1983 at West Springfield High School in Virginia.

Math teacher Jessica Klein attending prom in 2005 at Annandale High School.

Math teacher Michael Mazzarella attending prom in 2007 at Massapequa High School in New York.

English teacher Brian Aldenderfer attending prom in 2001 at Montoursville Area Senior High School in Pennsylvania

Math teacher Jessica Arias attending prom in 2005 at Annandale High School.

Gym teacher John Jennison attending prom in 2009 at W.T.Woodson High School in Virginia.

Gym teacher Pat Hughes attending prom in 1976 at Woodbridge High School in Virginia.

Gym teacher Cragin Winkler attending prom in 2006 at North Stafford High School in Virginia.

Systems of support teacher Matthew Behne attending prom in 1997 at Elyria Catholic High School in Ohio.

English teacher Ana Dillon attending prom in 2006 at Annandale High School.

SPORTS X-TRA 15 Aaron Boyd commits to Virginia Tech

BY RYAN GAMMON Sports X-tra Editor As the class of 2016 decides on where they will continue their academic careers, one senior in particular has chosen to also elongate his athletic career. Senior Aaron Boyd has officially committed to swim for the Division 1 team of the Virginia Polytechnic and State University Hokies of Blacksburg, Virginia.

Despite knowing that Virginia Tech was his top choice when he got offered, much speculation came before making his decision.

I knew sophomore year I wanted to go to Virginia Tech even with all of the other offers I got from a lot of schools like George Mason University, Pittsburgh and some division three schools, Boyd said.

Ironically, the first time he had visited his top school was this year after receiving the offer.

It was actually my first time visiting the college on my official visit and I liked the campus, people and the vibe that the school let out, Boyd said.

After winning states last year and not wanting to let the Hokies swim program down, he will try and prove to the team that he can balance out his academics and his athletic life while achieving the goals of getting first in the competitive Atlantic Coast Conference.

Confidently deciding that the Tech swim program was a better choice, Boyd thinks this opportunity will be a time to mature but also have fun on the swim team.

I picked Virginia Tech because it was what I was looking for academically and I love how my team was really welcoming, the coaches were really supportive and overall it was just a good vibe.

Leaving a legacy for the AHS swim team behind, Boyd hopes to do the same these next four years

on the swim team for Virginia Tech.

Having placed second in states for AHS, the Virginia Tech swim team also hopes for Boyd to swim up to his expectations.

I think I will fit pretty well, they saw a lot of potential for me. It is going to be tough and I will have to work really hard but I am looking forward to the experience, Boyd said.

I can contribute in relays freshman year and depending on how well I do I can be a top competitor for the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Boyd has been swimming for as long as he can remember and says he has tried to be competitive no matter how skilled the others were.

He always strived to be better for himself knowing that swim was one of his talents that came naturally to him.

I try to make every meet even more competitive than the last and I try to focus on one stroke in general, Boyd said. No matter if it is to cut my times down or try to work on my technique, I am always trying to improve to bet that guy that is better than me, because there is always someone better, but it is my job to try and one up my competitors every time.

While trying to benefit himself by working hard and getting better, Boyd thinks that the coaching staff will also push him to the limit, trying to form him into an elite swimmer for the ACC. The coaches for Virginia Tech will work me a lot harder than Annandale because this is the next level and our goal as a team is to be at the top of the conference for all four of my years I will swim there, Boyd said.

The Hokies have been division champions in the past, so the program will expect nothing less from their incoming freshman star.

The team has won the ACC in

PHOTO(S) COURTESY OF AARON BOYD

May 17, 2016

Above: Boyd places third at the States competition. Upper Right: Boyd recovers after his race. Lower Right: Boyd competes in the 100m butterfly.

the past and got fourth last year, which is good, Boyd said. There is always room for improvement but the team is looking good for this upcoming season.

Boyd continuously maintains an

optimistic attitude towards the next chapter of his life both academically and athletically. He is excited for the university s highly-ranked cuisine as well as the social aspects of his new school.

Over the season I think we will bond a lot and grub on a lot of food and become closer and have the fun of college also while focusing on swim, Boyd said.

Boyd plans to go to Tech with an

Basketball Camp

BY GRACE HOGYE Sports X-tra Editor

BY RYAN GAMMON Sports X-tra Editor

It may be weird to think of your teachers having a life outside of school. It can be awkward running into a teacher at the grocery store, but there s a chance you could run into health and PE teacher, Cragin Winkler, on the field. Amidst the hectic schedule of school, Winkler finds the time to participate in adult sports. She plays on an adult league co-ed softball team, the Arlington League Senators, outside of school.

I decided to play in the league because it was a fun way to get active and hang out with my friends, Winkler said.

Despite her busy schedule of coaching and teaching at AHS, Winkler still finds time to participate weekly with her team. Winkler s league, as well as many other adult leagues, is aware of their players busy schedules and help accommodate them by not holding practices or games often and giving the players more time to focus on their work.

Games are only an hour and you only play one night so it doesn t take up your whole schedule, Winkler said.

Since I know we play every Thursday, I can adjust my schedule around my games.

Although some teachers and other working adults do not think they could participate in sports, due to lack of time or athletic ability, Winkler believes it is important for adults to try. In school, health issues and the importance of physical education is stressed for the students, but it is important for teachers to be informed as well.

The girls basketball team is hosting a camp on July 1317. This will be a good camp for athletes and younger kids that want to become more knowledgeable in the game of basketball.

The players think it will be a good idea for future athletes that are coming to AHS to get the experience of high school basketball.

It is a good way for learning and improving your skills while having a lot of fun with the other people that go to the camp, you also get to meet our team [girls basketball], senior Katie Pacak said.

With all the hard work to come during the camp, the coaches have a positive attitude and think this years camp will be one of the better ones they have had.

Fun fun fun. Prizes everyday, drills, skill development, and games everyday of the camp. Guaranteed fun if you come to the camp, Pacak said.

The team will try and focus on skills that all age groups can comprehend but at the same time the team will try and bring the intensity and skill level of a high school basketball team.

The camp is a fun activity girls can attend every summer. It is a good way to exercise, prepare for their upcoming seasons, and have fun.

I started going to camps when I was in elementary school and always looked forward to it every year.

Pacak said. Working with the high school girls was inspiring to me and made me motivated to keep on playing

Winkler follows through her hit after batting.

I absolutely encourage other teachers to participate in sports, Winkler said. There is always a spot and team for everyone. They have many leagues from casual and fun to full competitive. They have a league for almost every sport.

Even if sports are not your forte, it is good to find an relaxing outlet outside of school, especially during testing season. It s important to not let your busy schedule get in the way of pursuing your hobbies.

Athlete of the month: Grant Thompson

Q: Who has helped you improve your athletic skills?

I would say my coaches. Over the years, they have shaped me into the player that I am today. If it wasn t for them, I wouldn t have invested so much time into baseball. Because of them, all my hard work has paid off, for example: going to the next level and playing collegiate baseball.

and work on my game. Coach Brown makes it a fun environment.

The lady atoms are hoping to have a great turnout this summer at the camps and think it is a good learning experience for those athletes that want to excel in the game of basketball.

Injury of the month: Caitlin Schwartz Q: How did you get injured?

During the soccer game against West Springfield, I went to kick the ball. Another player s knee hit the outside of mine and my body twisted the opposite way while my foot stayed on the turf.

Q: How do you contribute to your team?

I try to play the game aggressively. If there is a high risk, high reward situation I will take advantage of the situation and hopefully be rewarded.

Q: How far do you think you will go in the playoffs?

It s a guarantee that we will make it to regionals. We have to focus one round at a time and try to learn as we go. When it comes to play offs, it s a whole different mentality. The pace of the game is more strategic.

Varsity player Katie Pacak gaurds the ball.

Q: What is your injury?

A: I tore my ACL and lateral meniscus.

Q: What do you think of your success so far this year?

I have got to owe it to my team. It s all about the wins we have. We are going to the playoffs and looking to do well, so the success is based on how we do in the next weeks to come.

Q: How do you provide leadership to your team?

I try to keep the players minds fresh. Every play is a new play. Losses are part of the game so we just try to learn from our mistakes and get better as we go on. You can t get down on yourself and you always have to keep your head up. Whenever someone makes a mistake, it s important to pick your team mates back up and expect the same from them. Baseball is a head game, so you have to stay mentally prepared, you can t think about the previous play because it will affect your performance throughout the rest of the game.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATIE PACAK

Playing while teaching

undecided major. While he is there, he will always represent AHS with honor and integrity, even four hours away in Blacksburg.

Q: How did your team and coaches react when you got injured?

When I got injured my team was very concerned about my well being. Once my team mates and coaches had found out that I had to have surgery, they all gave me cute gifts that would help me out during surgery.

Q:How have you stepped up amidst your team's struggles?

We had a couple injuries through the season, so it definitely made me step up as a player. Most of the injuries haven t been serious. So as a team we have been picking each other up. We have played through our minor injuries and grinded it out. It s Annandale, so we have to work for the things we get.

Q: How do you balance sports and school work?

Between school, practicing, and working out in the gym, I would have to say it is hard, but I try to get all my class work done in school because I would have to say I dedicate about five hours just to baseball because it is all about the grind.

Q: How do you think you stand out as a player?

I do not think players stand out. It is all about the team so if individuals stand out then your team will look tough with all the talent shown on the field.

Q: How painful was the injury?

The injury was very painful. I could not put any pressure on it at all.

Q: What was your recovery process?

I had to have surgery in order to reconstruct my ACL and trim my meniscus, and my recovery time is six months post surgery. I started doing rehab the day after I got injured and I have to continue to do rehab for six months in order to be fully recovered.

Q: How much time do you spend a day on your rehabilitation?

Each day I have to spend about an hour in the trainers working on my rehab.

Q: How has your injury affected your daily life?

It was hard at first for me to get around and get stuff for myself. My mom and dad had to bring me food a lot and help me into the bathroom.

Q: How has your injury affected your school life?

After getting my surgery I did not come to school the

week afterwards because I could barely stand without pain. It was hard for me to focus on school and class instead of the pain, but that slowly got easier to do once the pain went away.

Q: What did you find most discouraging about your injury?

Probably knowing that I couldn t play for six months and knowing that my season was over.

Q: When do you expect to be fully recovered?

I expect to be fully recovered and back to playing by the end of October.

Q: Do you have any advice for people who are currently injured?

Just keep your head up because you find out who is actually there for you and who your true friends are.

16 SPORTS

May 17, 2016

Baseball prepares for conference quarterfinals

Softball eliminated despite great effort

BY CASEY NGUYEN Staff Writer

BY JUDE NANAW

The school year is ending at a fast pace. This also means that spring sports are coming to an end, including softball.

The Atoms have had a tough season with a record of 2-17.

Starting in the beginning of the third week of May, the girls are headed off, seeking one last win to bring home.

Although the season was difficult at first, overall, it was better than what most of the girls expected.

"I am very happy with how much the team improved," senior Kasana Nguyen said.

Going into the season some of the girls had not played softball much before, but they showed improvement as the season progressed. "Some of the girls had minimal experience playing softball, but throughout the season they were able to learn the game and improve very quickly," Nguyen said.

The girls wanted to make this season memorable and they accomplished just that. Their recent wins show their great improvement from past seasons.

"We have won more games than in the past four years, our softball program has definitely improved,"senior Julia Quizon said.

Most recently, the girls practiced inside the main gym due to the past ongoing rain for two weeks. However, they still practice strong. The girls' hard work has paid off.

"Compared to previous seasons, we do a lot more conditioning," junior Jasmine Gosalvez said. "We often run suicides during every practice for about 30 minutes, but not always. It's tough but it's worth it."

The hiring of the new head coach, Jim Patterson, as well as the entire coaching staff was another reason for this year's improvement.

With new coaches came new

The Boys Varsity Baseball team has been successful throughout this season with a winning record.

The team has a 13-7 overall record and a record of ten wins and only four losses within the conference.

The boys closed out their regular season on a positive note defeating the Mount Vernon Majors by a score of 8 to 5 on May 10.

The Atoms had the third highest record within the conference (Only behind West Springfield and Lake Braddock).

Because of this they earned a bye for the first round of conference.

Before Saturday the boys were preparing for both the sixth seeded South County Stallions and seventh seeded T.C. Williams Titans, both teams that the Atoms have defeated before.

Going into Saturday's first round of conference, the Stallions with a regular season record of 11-9, were heavily favored over the Titans. T.C. had a poor regular season with only four wins and sixteen losses.

Despite the standings, the Titans pulled off a rather large upset defeating South County on their home field by a score of 8-2.

The Atoms will face the Titans and the odds are in their favor.

This is because the Atoms have faced the Titans on two different occasions this year and defeated them both times.

The Atoms squared off against T.C. on March 1, routing the Titans in a 25-12 win at T.C. Williams.

They again faced the Titans on March 26 and again defeated them this time by a score of 11-1 at home.

The Varsity Softball team after defeating WT Woodson 15-11.

plays, techniques, and skills they are willing to teach. "They have played a big role in the improvement of our team," Nguyen said.

"They have taken charge and are drilling in the importance of teamwork and communication."

Their improvement led to an unforgettable win on April 5 when they beat WT Woodson High School 15-11 for the second time on their Senior Night.

"It has been a long time since the Annandale Varsity team has won their Senior Night, and it just so happens that it was my Senior Night.

The team really came together and played hard," Nguyen said.

After tournaments end, the seniors will be greatly missed, not just for their individual skills and techniques, but for their fun-loving personalities and humor.

"We all have bonded well and I'll miss the laughs we all shared," Gosalvez said. "My favorite memory with the team was getting close with them and developing great friendships."

The players on varsity softball are not only teammates, but they are great friends.

The close friendship and easy communication with each other is one of the key factors on their development.

The girls trust one another completely and due to this they finally got the taste of winning. This will bring them confidence as they finish up their season strong.

"I'm really proud of my team this year," freshmen Jessie Salisbury said."We won two games, I feel confident that we will win more."

The Atoms gave the game all their effort but were eliminated by the South County Stallions on Saturday night May 16 by a score of 1-8 at home.

The Atoms still gave it all they had and are proud of their season.

COURTESY OF LIAM CONROY

COURTESY OF NICOLE RUANO

Sports Editor

Junior Liam Conroy batting during a game.

The boys hope for a similar results this time against T.C. in the Conference Quarterfinals with home field advantage.

Although T.C. has the worst record within the Patriot Conference and were only ahead to the Mount Vernon Majors in conference games won, they are not to be underestimated.

It is important that the Atoms not misjudge the Titans because they proved they can win big games as they did when they defeated South County.

The Atoms worked hard in their bye week from the first round of conference and trained hard for whoever the opponent would be in the quarterfinals.

Now knowing they would face T.C. Williams, the Atoms studied what they saw from the Titans in previous games and prepared themselves for the game.

"We felt good about going into the game against T.C.," senior

Nathan Corcoran said. The Atoms practiced situations and positions they may be in throughout the game against the titans.

"We've been practicing many things on field, going over blunt coverages, and first and third situations," Corcoran said.

The Atoms are well prepared and have practiced very hard in preparation for the playoffs.

With many seniors on the team this year, the boys will be fighting hard for a win against the Titans.

The Atoms knocked of the Titans in a home win late Saturday night on May 16 by a score of 5-4. Colin Corey's home run in the 6th inning set up vicotry for the Atoms.

The victory allows the Atoms to continue to the semifinals to face Lake Braddock on May 18 @ Lake Braddock.

Boys lacrosse season concludes Sports Editor After a frustrating few months, the boys varsity lacrosse team's season has come to a close.

The boys had one win and eleven losses. The one win was against the Thomas Jefferson Colonials by a score of 10 - 7 on May 3rd.

The Atoms played in the first round of conference on May 9th against the South County Stallions and were eliminated by a score of 16 - 5.

"I felt that we could have actually won that game," freshman Isaas Lozada said."

If we had just played the whole game for all four quarters we would have won.

"The Atoms were in the game for the start of it but were not able to keep up with the Stallions as the game went on.

The season was a struggle and disappointing to many, as the team was not able to win as many games as they all had hoped for.

This was because the team was never really able to perform to their full potential as multiple injuries were constantly weighing them down.

"This season was a rough one, we were not able to win as much as we would

have liked," sophomore Marcos Ocampo said .

Another major part of the struggles came from having a lack of communication on the field which caused the team to be disorganized at some points.

The disorganization during games would cost them, as games they played that were close came down to a few mistakes.

The team was able to correct most of their mistakes and make improvements throughout the season, but it was not enough to get the team on the winning side for a majority of it.

Many talented seniors will be leaving the lacrosse team after this year, but with the skill and potential of freshmen and sophomores on the team, the boys are very hopeful for future seasons.

"We'll sadly be losing many great players, but this season is over and my focus is on the next one," Ocampo said.

The younger players from this years' team have shown potential for improvement and hope for next season.

"Hopefully next season we can do a lot better and win more games," Lozada said.

The team will have the opportunity to do better after undergoing the learning experience this season was.

"The difficult season will serve as motivation for the Atoms and cause them to strive for victory. If there was one thing the game against South County showed it was that the team improved and individual players became better as well.

"The South County game displayed how much everyone had improved throughout the season," Ocampo said.

Although the players improved, there is still a lot of room for even more improvement come next season.

Working on and becoming better at basic fundamentals was an important part of practices this year, but with a more experienced group ready for next year, the team will be able to work on more specific issues they had.

"This season was a lot of fun and a big learning experience, but next year is time to ball out," Lozada said.

With this season in the books, the Atoms should have better chemistry come next year because now they have played a season together.

Better chemistry is one thing that would be vital to victory and the Atoms have improved their chemistry since the beginning of this season.

This season was tough but the future is bright for the Atoms boys lacrosse team.

COURTESY OF RYAN FLYNN

BY JUDE NANAW

Senior Ryan Flynn carrying the ball up field looking for a pass .

SPORTS 17

May 17, 2016

Stallions can't buck the Atoms The Lady Atoms take down the Stallions in the district finals

BY CAMERON FOTI Our girls varsity lacrosse team competed in the Patriot Conference Championship game against the South County Stallions last Friday, May 13. The Atoms came out on top with a score of 13-7, earning the title of Patriot conference champions, despite losing to the Stallions 16-12, in the regular season.

The victory in the finals means that the AHS will be one of four teams, from the Patriot conference, that advances onto regional tournament and will have home field advantage against Oakton High School. The other schools progressing to regionals are Woodson, South County, and West Potomac.

"I've dreamed of becoming a conference champ since freshman year and it feels so great to be the champions," senior Sarah Deible said. "It's such a relief to have all the hard work and time put into this lacrosse season pay off."

The road to the finals wasn't easy for the Atoms as they were seeded fourth of eight in the conference. In the first round the Atoms played the West Springfield Spartans, who were ranked fifth among the other schools.

Annandale defeated West Springfield 13-11 on senior night during the regular season and were able to continue that momentum into the first playoff game with a final score of 13-9.

After defeating the Spartans, the Atoms

PHOTO COURTESY OF AHS ATHLETICS

Sports Editor

Atoms pose for a quick picture after their victory with their new championship banner.

faced rival school, W.T. Woodson, ranked first in the conference, in the semi finals. The Atoms faced a tough first half as they trailed the Cavaliers by 2 goals, but led by senior captain Ashley Britton, who scored 11 of the team's 16 goals, they were able to overcome the deficit and win with a final score of 16-14.

"We never gave up and everyone on our team had the mindset that if we work together we can win," sophomore Grace Hatch said.

The victory over the Cavaliers was a huge accomplishment for the Atoms, as Woodson s team record was 8-1 and they were undefeated in the district. It was also the school's first girls lacrosse victory over the Cavs since 2009.

"It felt so amazing to be the team to finally beat them," Deible said. "They're our biggest rival in lacrosse.

The spot in the championship game was well earned by the Atoms as their game

against Woodson was a huge upset. The team had many strong points in the final game, which was one of the reasons that they were able to come out victorious.

"We brought great energy and started the game off strong," girls head varsity coach, Cindy Hook said. "Everyone really worked together from start to finish to breakdown SOCO's defense with great passing, and force their attack to work really hard to get shots. When they did shoot Jenni Kang

made lots of great stops!"

Despite the location of the game on Friday, the stand were filled with parents, students and faculty waving the red and white to help encourage the girls on their uphill battle.

"The atmosphere was amazing," Hatch said, "it really helped to have all of our fans cheering us on throughout the game."

The Atoms persistence and drive throughout the tournament was evident and many fans noticed it and were excited to see the final game because of it.

"They had a positive attitude and they never gave up," junior Michael Nguyen said, one of many student fans at the game. "I knew that they were going to win the Patriot Conference Championship, so I had to see that happen."

The girls have some work that has to be done before they play the Oakton Cougars.

"We'll probably have a laid back practice on monday, and maybe go over, and practice some things that we weren't very strong in the game on Friday," Deible said. "But we will also start thinking about our mental game because it's really important to have a positive and strong mentality going into a game."

When asked about how the varsity squad will prepare for the cougars, coach Hook said "like a hungry team who is determined to win."

What sport do you prefer at AHS?

"I like to watch basketball because I was born to be a baller."

ISAAS LOZADA freshman

"Soccer because it's interesting and you get to see their tactics."

NEYDA VILLETORO freshman

"My favorite sport to watch is football because it is such a social event and you get to hang out with friends."

NATNAL ENDALKACHEW

"I like to watch football because the hypsquad and it's always a lot of fun."

"My favorite sport to watch is basketball becuase the games are always interesting and anyone can win."

LENNON WUHRER sophmore

"My favorite thing to watch at AHS is tennis because I play it and I love tennis."

ANGEL LI

GASTON SANCHEZ

junior

"I like watching lacrosse because it is so fast pace and I play it."

FRANKLIN JOSEPH

junior

sophmore

senior

"My favorite sport to watch at AHS is football becuase I love the friday night lights and watching the boys take home the dub."

DIANNA AGYEMAN senior

Boys soccer

Senior Raphael Yu (10) looking to go in for a challenge

Boys soccer comes to disappointing close

BY CORY PRINGLE Staff Writer The Boys Varsity Soccer team has faced many hardships during their season, but due to their coaches and hard work they were able to make some positive changes and obtain a couple of wins under their belt.

We needed to get the guys focused on the game and fool around less, senior Ibrahim Quiroz said.

Throughout the season the coaches and the players did everything in their power to come up with strategies for success. The coaches came up with pre game speeches to boost moral and the players would give it their all during the games.

The boys are looking forward

to the following season, with 17 returning players the team will have the varsity experience that can bring a sense of leadership to the program.

We stopped giving full effort as a team and we stopped thinking that we could win games anymore, senior midfielder Yousef El-Bourkri said.

The soccer team has great young players that can make a difference for the better to the program. The team is looking to stay healthy and work during the offseason. Determined to excel the rising leaders want to work much harder for their future endeavors to go further in Districts. Even though their season did not go as they had hoped, the boys were focused on having a good time and competing with their teammates.

Thus bringing an end to the 2016 season, the players are now eager and ready for the upcoming year.

The Atoms suffered a 3-0 loss to T.C Williams in their last game of the 2016 season on May 16. T.C

Girls soccer looks for spark in the playoffs

The Atoms take a team picture before their senior night game against Mount Vernon ended their season with a record of fourteen wins and one loss, and proved to be a strong side in their matchup against Annandale. T.C went up by one in the first half, and the Atoms struggled to pierce the opposition s defense and finish their chances. The second half of the game started off solid for the Atoms but soon T.C showed their strength and netted two goals.

The Atoms played as a team and showed good chemistry but in the end T.C were able to capitalize on Annandale s weaknesses. We played a good game, junior Luis Aguirre said. we could ve always done better.

The Annandale Atoms Boy s Varsity team looks to draw improvements from the current season and use them in next season.

We look forward to next season, Aguirre said. we hope to bring back something with us for the school.

Atom soccer looking for more

BY JORDAN ADAMS Staff Writer The Lady Atoms played W.T Woodson in their final game of the season. They were defeated in a score of 6-1.

Underachieving is a good word to describe our Varsity girls soccer team's season. With a 2-12-1 record, our lady Atoms are looking to change their fortunes and season with a win Monday night against W.T. Woodson. The Atoms face the Cavaliers in the first round of the conference tournament.

The girls believe their season should have gone much better than it did. Winning only two games and coming in last in the conference was definitely not in the plans.

I think the season didn't go as

well as we hoped and it was pretty rough said senior captain Kiara Patino.

The consequences was that the team did not work together as a team as much as they could have and that caused troubles on the field.

"Our team could've communicated more, and all of us stuck together as one team rather than playing individually," junior midfielder Gabriela Jordan said. We could've had more wins if we kept our heads up during the games throughout the season."

Patino believe that communication was a problem too.

"We could've communicated and worked together more on the field as a team," Patino said.

However Coach Westphal believed it was the Atoms defense that was the problem, "We should have played defense more smart. We had a lot of problems with marking players up."

Jordan wished the team hung out more off the field, "If I could

change one thing it would be for all of us to get together more, I definitely believe we needed to bond more," Jordan said. "Chemistry is always important in team sports."

There were also some positives to the season. "Our season gradually improved and so did the chemistry between all of us and that was big deal for us Jordan said. Coach Westphal also believed the girls got better throughout the season, I believe our team has gotten better and smarter so our better games were the last ones." Our Girls tried some different drill at Friday's practice but overall they are treating this game just like any other. "We are just preparing for another game and doing the things we have done all season. The girls have worked hard to get here and they are ready for whatever challenges await them," said Westphal. The girls are looking to keep their season alive Monday night, with a Win.

18 ENTERTAINMENT Binge-watch your childhood films

May 17, 2016

PHOTO COUTRESY OF DISNEY CHANNEL

Disney Channel celebrates the debut of its 100th Original movie, "Adventures in Babysitting"

BY SERGIO POZO AND SEHAM AHMED Staff Writer The Disney Channel has announced the release of a remake of a 1987 film, Adventures of Babysitting, its 100th Disney Channel Original Movie. In the movie, rival babysitters team up to find a missing child throughout the city.

To celebrate their massive milestone, Disney Channel will be airing all 100 of their original movies next weekend.

The kickoff of Disney Channel's Original movie marathon begins on May 27, with the most popular Disney movies, just in case you miss them, there will be repeats. The marathon will close out on May 30 with Johnny Tsunami.

Students will bathe in nostalgia as they watch the throwback movies they enjoyed as kids. Some of the Disney favorites include Cheetah Girls, Camp Rock and the most loved and never forgotten, High School Musical.

Disney started showing Original Movies in the summer of 1997, after the premiere, it became into a cultural phenomenon and an iconic childhood touchstone to many people. Disney created many memorable and loved classic movies.

"Halloweentown is the best series by far because all the sequels are great and I always watched it when I was little," junior Saud Shah said.

Disney's programming set them apart from the other channels, making it different and something that young teens loved. Disney had a more diverse cast and touched on more serious topics than other channels making all these movies into a classic that is easy to love and remember.

"I think it's great they're trying to integrate more cultures into their television program. It brings in diversity

and change and I believe that's a step in the right direction especially because we are in america a country made of immigrants," senior Hammaad Lodhi said.

The major plot for most of these Disney Classics could be seen as a teen or other character experiencing a change and as they go through that, they come across a problem, but at the end it ends happily. Disney is known for their happy endings as a movie couldn't end without one.

With the large amount of Disney Original movies, many superstars were made. The biggest one being Zac Efron, who became one of the biggest actors after the High School Musical movie series.

"I will be watching High School Musical in the marathon because I like watching Zac Efron at the beginning of his career. The best High School Musical is the first one because nothing can ever beat the original," senior Azamat Israilov said, "High School Musical is a must watch Disney classic."

Another celebrity who became famous through a Disney Original Film is Kaley Cuoco who stars in the show, The Big Bang Theory, as she first acted in the movie Alley Cat Strikes. Disney also produced Brie Larson who won the Oscar for Room.

The popularity of the films was also huge, specifically High School Musical. The HSM series recieved tons of positive including winning a Billboard Music Award, People's Choice Award, and several Teen Choice Awards.

The nostalgic effect combined with the popularity will have people everywhere tuning into the marathon.

FRIDAY May 27

SATURDAY May 28

10:00 a.m. Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama 11:20 a.m. Read It and Weep 12:55 p.m. Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior 2:40 p.m. Jump In! 4:15 p.m. Lemonade Mouth 6:15 p.m. Zapped 8:00 p.m. High School Musical 2 9:55 p.m. The Cheetah Girls 2 11:45 p.m. Zenon the Zequel 1:25 a.m Halloweentown ll: Kalabar's Revenge 2:55 a.m. Twitches Too 4:25 a.m. Alley Cat Strike!

6:25 a.m. You Wish!

8:05 a.m. The Proud Family Movie 9:50 a.m. Quints 11:25 a.m. Horse Sense 1:10 p.m. Cow Belles 2:50 p.m. Twitches 4:30 p.m. The Even Stevens Movie 6:15 p.m. Wizards of Waverly Place The Movie 8:00 p.m. Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam 9:50 p.m Princess Protection Program 11:30 p.m. The Cheetah Girls: One World 1:05 a.m. Zenon: Z3 2:40 a.m. Halloweentown High 4:20 a.m. The Thirteenth Year

SUNDAY May 29

MONDAY May 30

6:00 a.m. Right On Track 7:45 a.m. Full-Court Miracle 9:35 a.m. Eddie's Million Dollar Cook-Off 11:20 a.m. Brink!

1:10 p.m. Double Teamed 2:55 p.m. Rip Girls 4:35 p.m. Motocrossed 6:20 p.m. Cloud 9 8:00 p.m. Teen Beach 2 9:55 p.m Bad Hair Day 11:40 p.m. How to Build a Better Boy 1:20 a.m. Pixel Perfect 2:55 a.m. The Other Me 4:30 a.m. Genius

10:00 a.m. Stuck in the Suburbs 11:30 a.m. Halloweentown 1:05 p.m. Zenon, Girl of the 21st Century 2:55 p.m. Smart House 4:25 p.m. High School Musical 6:15 p.m. Camp Rock 8:00 p.m. Descendants 10:05 p.m. Teen Beach Movie 11:55 p.m. Cadet Kelly 1:50a.m The Cheetah Girls 3:35 a.m. Johnny Tsunami

What's your favorite Disney original movie?

"Minutemen was my favorite Disney Channel movie."

JAVONTE DURRCANNON

"The best movie was probably Lemonade Mouth."

OMAR AWAD freshman

"High School Musical was my favorite."

MCKENZIE YI sophomore

"My favorite Disney Channel movie was Jump In!" CESAR LOPEZ-FUNES sophomore

freshman

"Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board, because of the skating."

BRANDON HO junior

"High School Musical, because the songs are catchy."

"It's gotta be Wizards of Waverley Place The Movie."

"Lilo and Stitch because I grew up watching it and everyone says I remind them of Lilo."

JASHON REAMS MADISON WALSH

senior

junior

MONGNHI NGUYEN senior

Civil War pushes the boundaries for superhero films

BY TIMOTHY GRAY

"Team Cap" , consisting of Captain America, Winter Soldier, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye and Falcon, step into battle.

most recent nation to fall victim to the Avengers antics.

The Accords proposes that the Avengers be controlled by the United Nations, only to be deployed in the event that the entire world is in imminent danger, and not on small-scale missions or to create their own Earth-saving AI (cough cough, Tony).

After being approached by a mother who lost a son to the events in Sokovia, guilt begins to swallow Tony Stark.

He takes his stance on the side of the Sokovia Accords, believing the Avengers must be kept in check.

Steve Rodgers, or Captain America, opposes the Sokovia Accords. He believes that the overwhelming civilian casualties are a price to pay for saving the world.

Civil War does not only focus on the politics of the Earth-shaking events throughout the years in the Marvel

Cinematic Universe. There is a huge focus on Captain America's friend from the 1940s, James Bucky Buchanan.

Bucky had fallen off a HYDRA train in Captain America: The First Avenger, having been captured and brainwashed

by HYDRA to be a highly-skilled assassin codenamed the Winter Soldier, whose main assignment was to shift the tides of the Cold War through killing important figures; more on two of those important figures later.

The most powerful spark of the Civil War is the bombing of the UN Council in Vienna, set to discuss and sign the Sokovia Accords. News channels everywhere point to one man: Bucky. After losing a loved one in these bombings, Wakandan (another fictional Marvel nation) heir to the throne T'Challa, or Black Panther, goes out on a vengeance for a chance to kill the Winter Soldier.

Pro-Sokovia Accords Black Panther finds himself put against Captain America, who is at the defense of Bucky as he believes he did not commit the attack. Iron Man, and the US government, begin to hunt down Cap, as he is harboring a number one most-wanted terrorist.

Both sides of the Sokovia Accords disagreement find each other at-odds at a German airport, perhaps the most awe-inspiring scene of the whole movie. We see more than 10 beloved superheroes fight each other, defending their honor and what they believe to be right.

Spider-Man's appearance stole the show. With an arsenal of one-liners and great chemistry with Tony Stark, his recruiter, Spider-Man is the best he's been on cinema in ages, if not ever. One of the best moments in the movie is when Spider-Man asks the rest of the Avengers if they've seen that really old moview Empire Strikes Back. He then proceeds to take down a supersized Ant-Man by wrapping his webs around Ant-Man's legs continuously, until he finally topples to the ground.

The film begins to adopt a darker tone after the airport battle, however, Tony Stark discovers that these important figures the Winter Soldier had assassinated were two he held very dearly, and the battle scene seen in the trailers where Cap tells Tony that Bucky is his friend, and Tony replies 'So was I,' ensues.

Captain America: Civil War was both a remarkable superhero and cinema experience. A large but organized plot, tied together by one menace.

An epic battle between two seemingly unbreakable friends, an extremely engaging and understandable take on politics in film, and a cast to die for. These are just some examples of what make Civil War the best blockbuster of the year. As somebody who is very excited for the upcoming Suicide Squad, I'd truthfully be very if it comes anywhere close to Civil War's absolute greatness.

Game of Thones returns

BY HUSSEIN SALEM

world.

"Space Jam was one of my favorite movies when I was little and inspired me to become more into basketball," After years of rumors and speculation, a Space Jam senior Shank Rai said.

The plot for Space Jam 2 is currently unknown, but sequel looks like it's finally happening. Director Justin Lin, expect for the sequel to best known for his Fast & Furious feature a similar storyline. movies, has started writing a James is anticipated to tag Space Jam 2 script, which is along a handful of NBA stars speculated to feature a LeBron with him, like how Jordan did.

James-led cast, according to The Rumored players to star in Hollywood Reporter. the film include; Blake Griffin, The classic original film that Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, released back in 1996 starred Carmelo Anthony and more.

NBA legend Michael Jordan While mostly everyone and the Looney Tunes cartoon loved the first Space Jam crew. In the movie, Jordan and film, the rumored sequel the Tune Squad go against the has received tons of mixed "Monstars," who stole the talents opinions. Many think making of basketball players Charles "Space Jam" movie poster from the 1996 film.

Barkley, Shawn Bradley, Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson a sequel will ruin the Space Jam legacy, while others are excited to see James with the Tune Squad. A huge factor and Muggsy Bogues, leaving them unable to play.

The movie received tons of positive feedback, it why the film might flop is because the Looney Tunes grossed approximately $90.4 million in the United States, aren't as relevant today as they were back in 1996. It's became the third highest-grossing sports film of all time. also pretty hard to impress kids with a cartoon movie It also became a classic film for children all over the nowadays, and with LeBron's acting skills, it may be even harder.

BY CREW MCCARTHY

Entertainment Editor

Head Videographer

imdb.com

Space Jam sequel confirmed

the north. The Lannisters continue their struggle against the high sparrow and the faith militant. We see Arya continue her struggle as a blind beggar who is learning to The much anticipated and controversial season six become no one. In the Iron Islands, Euron Grejoy makes of Game of Thrones premiered on Sunday, April 24th. his grand entrance by killing Balon Greyjoy. And to end The episode begins right where season five left off, the episode, Melisandre fulfilled all of our hopes and resurrected Jon Snow. with a view of Jon Snow's dead The next episode body lying in the snow. Back at begins with the reactions Winterfell, Sansa and Theon of all the members of the escaped Ramsey's grasp and night's watch and wildlings are eventually caught but are to Jon Snow's resurrection. saved by Brienne and Podric.

We see a flashback to the Brienne then continues to tower of joy where Ned keep her promise and swears fought to get Lyanna back. her loyalty to Sansa. Daenerys Arya gets her sight back.

Targaryen has been captured by Rickon has been captured the Dothraki. In King's Landing,

by Ramsey and Jon Snow Cersei learns of Myrcella's death Kit Harrington, as Jon Snow, in season six. executes the traitors and and simultaneously mourns her death and plots revenge against the sand snakes who ends his watch.

In most recent episode, Sansa arrives at Castle Black killed Prince Doran and are taking over Dorne.

In episode two, we see a glimpse of what Bran has to finally reunite with Jon. The King'ws council plots an been doing with the three eyed raven. We then travel attack against the faith militant. Theon returns to the back to Winterfell where Ramsey has gone on another Iron islands and Daenerys Targaryen is rescued and takes rampage and killed his father to become the warden of over the Dothraki.

PHOTO COUTRESY OF HBO

Captain America: Civil War is finally here. For some, the wait may have been years. Others may have caught on recently, carried by the hype. Regardless of your stance in the comic book or superhero cinema fanbase, many can agree Civil War is the biggest, most impactful Marvel film, if not superhero film, to date.

You can figure out what makes Civil War so unique as a superhero film right off the bat. Unlike fellow 2016 superhero blockbuster giants such as the crude, but wellloved Deadpool, or the widely disappointing Batman v.

Superman, Civil War sets out to do what not many, if not any, superhero movies set out to do.

Civil War wraps itself around the destructive events of The Avengers, in which New York City was shredded by an alien-battling Hulk; Captain America: The Winter Soldier, in which a gigantic flying fortress was destroyed by Captain America, crashing into Washington DC; Avengers: Age of Ultron, in which a piece of the fictional country of Sokovia was torn out of the Earth and dropped onto itself through a device utilized by the menacing AI Ultron, created by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner.

Much of what separates Civil War from the evergrowing herd of superhero films is the fact that this is personal. In an attempt to rescue Captain America from Crossbones, who plans to blow himself up with Cap, Scarlet Witch uses her physics-defying powers to hurl Crossbones away from Cap and into a building full of civilians, where he explodes and kills hundreds.

Governments worldwide have had enough with the Avengers destructive heroism. The United Nations prepares a petition named The Sokovia Accords after the

comicbook.com

Videographer

ENTERTAINMENT 19 Best of Drake Drake releases Views May 17, 2016

BY KIRK LINDBERG Staff Writer After a prolific 2015 dominated by the well-received mixtape If You're Reading This It's Too Late and the Future collaboration What A Time To Be Alive, Toronto-born rapper Aubrey Drake Graham releases his long-teased full-fledged album Views.

Previously named Views From the 6, Views builds upon on a similar formula Drake used for his previous two official albums, Take Care and Nothing Was The Same. With a combination of singing and rapping, Drake pumped out an amazing 20 songs, including the bonus track "Hotline Bling."

In an interview right before the release on April 29, Drake described his album as being formed around the changing seasons of his hometown Toronto .

The songs are split between winter and summer themes. The album starts in the winter, goes to summer, and then ends with going back to winter.

Drake does this to show just how harsh and depressing the winters are in Toronto, as well as the brighter, happier mood in the hot summer.

The winter themed songs take on more of a R&B vibe, while the summer themed songs have more of a rap and Jamaican feel.

Drake starts out the album with a slow song called "Keep the Family Close." The song itself describes Drake's trust issues with his friends and takes on a very gloomy yet harsh tone. Drake gets the message across that whether you hurt or betray him, he will have the support of his

DRAKE'S NOTHING WAS THE SAME DRIFTED BETWEEN RAPPING AND SINGING AND FEATURED HITS LIKE "HOLD ON, WE'RE GOING HOME" (FEAT. MAJID JORDAN).

PHOTO COURTESY OF GENIUS..COM

Long awaited album arrives

family, specifically his very close friends.

This song has a R&B vibe and is in the winter themed section of the album.

Another one of the best winter themed songs is "Feel No Ways." This song has a very dynamic and fast beat, and is about a girl who is dragging Drake down in their relationship.

When the two of them are together, they are unproductive, hence Drake saying, "There's more to life than sleeping in and getting high with you."

This is followed by Drake describing why he had to end their relationship: "I had to let go of us to show myself what I could do."

The best summer themed song from the album is "Too Good", which features the singer Rihanna. This is one of Drake's album Views' cover art features the CN Tower in Toronto. the songs on the album with "Childs Play", a jamaican and pop-vibe to it. It is very similar to Views is a great mash up of different styles Rihanna's "Work", which features Drake. that Drake has used at different periods of his ca"Too Good" is about a couple that go out of the reer. It is a true masterpiece in the way he makes way for each other, but think that they take each songs for seasons. other's love for granted. I especially like this song The only problem with Views is that it leaves because of how upbeat it is. listeners eager for new music. Flaws can be found There has definitely been a wide range of opin- in his sometimes corny lyrics but it adds to the efions on Views. Some students felt they needed fect. more time for the album to grow on them.

Drake is far from being done in his career and "After listening to it a few more times I started this album shows that. to get use to the mixture of rap and singing and started to really enjoy it," junior Brandon Ho said.

"There is almost a pop vibe to some of the songs, like "Too Good", "Feel No Ways", "With You", and

DRAKE'S TAKE CARE DELIVERED QUALITY MUSIC THROUGH SONGS LIKE "TAKE CARE" (FEAT. RIHANNA) AND "THE MOTTO" (FEAT. LIL

DRAKE'S IF YOU'RE READING THIS IT'S TOO LATE DOMINATED 2015 WITH SONGS LIKE "ENERGY" AND "KNOW YOURSELF. DRAKE'S VIEWS WAS ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ALBUMS OF 2016 AND FEATURED HIT SONGS LIKE "ONE DANCE" (FEAT. WIDKID & KYLA)

Heard in the halls: What are your thoughts on Views?

"I thought it was way too soft."

WILL POSTIGO

"I do not like his style because they re not words of god.

sophomore

"Views was a little over hyped but I saw a couple songs were ANGELA KIM good. It was a pretty sophomore good album.

" It was a really good "I thought it was really I didn t like it because album but personally I good and I loved it was way too soft for like older drake better Drake s style." my taste." then what he currently TOMMY NGUYEN TREY WERZEG makes now." junior junior

EYOB MENGITSU

LUCAS MICHAEL

sophomore

junior

"I was surprised by the new album, it was not what I expected but I enjoyed it."

ANTHONY WALKER

"Views was a huge disapointment. The beats on it were really perfect but Drakes input was really bad.

senior

NATHAN OHENE senior

Should AMC theaters allow cellphone use during viewings?

YES

BY SABRINA HAWA

BY AMANI MUNTU

Managing Editor

Staff Writer

NO

PHOTO COURTESY OF DISNEY..COM

Have you ever been to the We're all familiar with the warning movies and not glanced at your that flashes upon the screen in movie cell phone at least one time? theaters to turn off cell phones.

Most people, specifically teens, With this warning playing before probably have not. every movie, there are still a handful of Cell phone usage can infact people who do light up there screens be distracting at some points, in the middle of a movie. but they are practical in movie theaters because of different reasons.

Recently the CEO of AMC theaters, Adam Aron, has threatened One being emergencies. to allow cellphone use in the theater to attract a younger audience.

If someone in the theater has an unexpected urgent family or perStating that younger people simply cannot go without their phone sonal matter to take care of, someone will need to contact them to for a two hour time period. inform them on the situation.

As avid movie-goers know, there is nothing more annoying But if cell phone usage was banned in theaters, how would anyone than watching an emotional or action packed movie scene and seeknow if emergencies were happening at that very moment? Another ing a bright screen light up two rows down. reason cell phones "Phones should be should be allowed in banned because the AMC movie theaters brightness coming off is the fact that many the phone distracts movie viewers are The jungle Book is a movie currently showing in AMC Theatres. those who want to pay young people, therefore attention to the film," sethe majority of them are unable to drive. nior Nancy Zheng said.

When the movie is complete or almost complete, cell phones It is simply just a major distraction to everyone around you and are practical for the youth so they can contact an adult or someone takes away from the movie experience as a whole. with a driver's license to come and pick them up.

The whole point of paying about 12 to 18 dollars per ticket is to enjoy the experience of watching a highly an"Cell phones should be allowed in movie theaters because of emergencies, but turned on silent so that notifiticipated movie on the big screen. That experience is taken away by the person who feels the need to send a text cations do not distract other viewers." freshman Isatu Kargbo said. to their friends informing them of what is happening in each scene of the film.

Another reason cell phones should be allowed in theaters is because parents are constantly trying to get a The worst kind of phone use in the theater is the phone call. Just as you are engulfed in the plot of the film and hold of their children, for example: during a late night movie. enjoying the great cinematography.

In some cases, movie showings can go until 12:00 am which is prime time for parents to try to contact their Some smaller movie theaters have taken action against this by banning cellphone use inside of their theaters. kids. Keeping a cell phone with you at all times, even in the movie theater, are over all a smart decision to have However, larger theater corporations such as AMC and Regal have made no move to prevent cell phone use. with you at all times.

After you decide to pull out your cell phone during a movie, remember the coined phrase silence is golden.

"How would anyone know if emergencies were happening?"

"It is simply a major distraction to everyone around you"

Beyonce releases new album titled Lemonade

BY TIMOTHY GRAY

PHOTO COURTESY OF GENIUS.COM

Videographer After a wildly successful release in 2013 with her self-titled album, Beyonce returns with yet another powerful album, Lemonade, advocating for the independence and self-sufficiency of women in relationships through hard-hitting vocals and instrumentals.

This time around, the subject matter focuses on Jay-Z allegedly cheating on Beyonce, and her liberation from a relationship she feels she is being mistreated by.

What separates Lemonade from many albums released today is the inclusion of a one hour visual. While Beyonce included a music video for each song on the album, Lemonade's visual is a full hour of storytelling from black liberation to liberation from "ideal" relationships.

It is clear Beyonce's goal with Lemonade is to break barriers in terms of societal standards and the way black women, or women in general, are viewed.

Beyonce accomplishes this as much as a female artist with a platform of millions like hers can. The messages are clearly visible, the story is well presneted, and the goal achievable for somebody of her caliber.

This message is exemplified in songs such as "Don't Hurt Yourself", "Sorry", "Sandcastles," "Forward" and "Freedom".

"Don't Hurt Yourself" is a grimey, heavy-hitting blues rock song involving the legendary Jack White, of The White Stripes. The song describes Beyonce's newfound confidence as she breaks away from her relationship with Jay upon discovering his cheating.

The lyrics state "when you hurt me, you hurt yourself", which can be interpreted as Beyonce s self confidence knowing that while Jay hurt her, he is at a loss cheating on somebody at her level, hurting himself in turn.

"Sorry", a bass heavy song that sounds to be a combination of pop and the "trap soul" genre which has arisen in 2015 and 2016, involves lyrics stating "I ain't sorry", telling the listener that BeyoncĂŠ is not apologizing for anything, irrational or otherwise, she had done in the wake of discovering she had been cheated on.

This song also coins the now-popular term "boy, bye", as well as the internet-controversial line "he better call Becky with the good hair", insinuating that Jay cheated on her with a white girl.

"Sandcastles", a softer and more emotionally raw song where Beyonce utilizes the amazing voice which shot her into fame, describes the sad end to many marriages, in stating "every promise don't work out that way". Throughout the song, one can detect the cracking in BeyoncĂŠ s voice, symbolizing her emotion towards the subject.

"Forward", the beautifully enigmatic song sung in a duo by none other than UK singer James Blake, who recently released The Colour In Anything, utilizes lyrics such as "go back to your sleep in your favorite spot just next to me" describes the complications of letting go of such a relationship after a setback.

Perhaps the most intriguing song, "Freedom", follows the subject matter of modern-day black civil rights. Lyrics such as "I break chains all by myself, won't let me freedom rot in hell" describes a sudden awareness of independence and power. With a feature from Kendrick Lamar making statements such as "open correctional gates in higher desert" and "open our mind as we cast away oppression", the song's subject matter of black excellence and liberation is clear.

Lemonade consists of many amazing musical moments and a story worth listening to, and while whether Jay-Z truly cheated is not wholly confirmed, it can be assumed. If not that, the marketing genius behind this album is on another level. Lemonade is a remarkable project.

20 WEEKEND

May 17, 2016

The Washington Post Hunt THEWASHINGTONPOST.COM

The map for the hunt is very cartoonist, showing clues needed for the hunt.

Around 10,000 people gather in DC to listen to the writers of the hunt give the first clue.

When: August 18 Where: Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, Virginia.

Average Ticket Price: General Admission lawn seats at $30, general admission pit seats are $80, all other seats are between $30-$80.

When: June 3 Where: Soundstage, Baltimore, Maryland Average Ticket Price: Front row seats around $80-$100, middle seats are around $60-$70, outer seats around $40-$50.

BACKPAGE.COM

ROLLINGSTONE.COM

5 Seconds of Summer

Drake and Future

When: July 8 Where: Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, Virginia.

Average Ticket Price: Deck seats at $25, most other seats fall between $25-$90.

Panic! at the Disco When: June 24 Where: Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, Virginia.

Average Ticket Price: General Admission lawn and deck seats at $25, third tier seats from $25-$55, first and second tier seats between $25-$75.

Paul McCartney When: August 9 & 10 Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC. Average Ticket Price: Main concourse seats $195-$250, floor seats around $250, upper concourse from $59-$125.

When: August 19 & 20 Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC. Average Ticket Price: Front row around $400, middle seats around $200-$300, and outer seats around $150-$200.

WLHSNOW.COM

Lil Uzi Vert

Luke Bryan When: June 10 Where: Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, Virginia.

Average Ticket Price: Lawn tickets around $40, middle and outer seats around $70-$100, and front row seats around $150.

ROLLINGSTONE.COM

PEOPLE.COM

Kenny Chesney

Selena Gomez When: June 4 Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC. Average Ticket Price: Front row seats around $200, middle seats around 100$, and outer seats from $100-$50.

When: June 10 Where: M & T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland.

Average Ticket Price: Front row seats range from $700-$1000, middle seats around $500, outer seats less than $400.

ZIMBIO.COM

Beyonce

HOLLYWOODREPORTER.COM

BACKPAGE.COM

Best concerts this summer:

For more information on the Post Hunt, check out this QR code for the official website.

Twenty One Pilots When: June 10 Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC. Average Ticket Price: Lawn seats from $75-$150, floor seats around $200 each, middle/center seats around $500.

Which upcoming concert are you most excited for?

"Paul McCartney because he's a really good artist and a Beatle!"

Megan Lee sophomore

"Drake and Future because their songs together are really good."

Hunter Swede sophomore

"5 Seconds of Summer because I get to see Calum!"

Amanda Nguyen junior

"Panic at the Disco! because they're my favorite band and have really creative concerts."

Jessica Ferson junior

"Lil Uzi Vert because his beats go dumb and his lyrics are fire."

Janu Gellert junior

"Drake and Future because I love Drake and I can't wait to meet him."

TJ Ullah junior

"I am looking forward to seeing some country concerts this summer like Kenny Chesney."

Matthew Vogus junior

"I wanna go to WMZQ Fest because of all of the girls."

Franklin Joseph senior

Class of 2016 Bulletin Senior Sarah Deible runs the ball up the field during the Atomic Blast Tournament.

To-do list: May Edition Get yourself a date for prom on June 4!

Make sure to ace all of the IB/AP tests that you have!

Don't forget to purchase your all-night grad tickets for $45

35 days until graduation

TULSA.BACKPAGE.COM

The Post Hunt uses many ordinary people to play random roles involved in the riddles.

The Washington Post Hunt always has a very large crowd, and always packs the nation's capital for the day. The hunt has more than 10,000 people who show up to take the grand prize: $2000! The riddles of the hunt are written by Dave Barry, Gene Weingarten and Tom Shroder.

The hunt is always in the spring, and is always on, rain or shine. Be prepared to run a lot, as the hunt takes place over a large portion of DC, and dress for the weather.

SIOUXFALLS.BACKPAGE.COM

THEWASHINGTONPOST.COM

This man is dressed as Neptune for last year's Post Hunt. The puzzle involved a number of people that dressed up as the planets, and people had to solve a riddle based on that. This is one of the many puzzles that includes real people; many others include people arguing, or saying things backward. Hunters have to listen closely to hear certain things to help them advance in the hunt.

Make sure you grab a good group of friends who will be able to solve these riddles.

The Washington Post Hunt all starts with this map. The map comes in the Washington Post Magazine on the Sunday of the hunt. Subscribers receive that magazine, which on that day is largely based on the Post Hunt.

The map included is the one used throughout the hunt, containing many clues and things necessary to solve all of the riddles of the day.

The magazine also contains the first clue, which you have to solve before arriving to Washington.

Make sure to get the magazine on time, study it up, and bring friends who know it just as well as you.

THEWASHINGTONPOST.COM

In the picture on the left, seniors from AHS are seen repping their Annandale clothing at last year's Post Hunt. Students will often grab a group of friends, head to DC, and hope for the best as they compete with the thousands of other people that attend the event.

"The Post Hunt was really fun last year because it made me think in abstract ways," senior Dini Mohamud said.

Extra credit is also offered in certain English classes to students who attend the hunt and try their best to solve the challenging riddles. Make sure to be there on Sunday, May 22 at the Convention Center for fun and some extra credit. Annandale seniors gather to solve the riddles by using their iPhones.

THEWASHINGTONPOST.COM

Grab a group of friends for the scavenger hunt this Sunday