Issue 10 by AHS Publications

the

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Wednesday, March 6, 2002 Volume #47 Issue 10

ANNANDALE HIGH S CHOOL

Informing the Atoms since 1954

4700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003 703.642.4229

h t t p : / / w w w. f c p s . k 1 2 . v a . u s / A n n a n d a l e H S / A B l a s t / 2 0 0 2

Library to close April 19 by Rachel Jones Staff Writer

While other students gobble down pizza, junior Jesse Heath types away in the library. Although he has a computer at home, he relishes the extra time during lunch to work in a quiet place with access to books and the Internet. Every couple of White Days he goes to the library. His various after school activities leaves him little time to do work at home, but the library is closing soon which leaves Heath and numerous other students without their lunches and after school hangout. “It is quiet and very resourceful,” Heath said. “I won’t have access to books and the Internet anymore, it will be a big loss.” The second stage of renovation will begin on April 19 with the closing of the library. All student books will be due to the library on April 11 so librarians have time to pack up the books. The second stage of the eight-year long renovation process will end next year with the opening of the new library around August 15. Renovations cojuld not be finished during summer because the job takes longer than three months. The renovations will extend the back wall of the library into the surrounding courtyard and convert the reference room to new librarian offices. “The library itself will not be much bigger but we will have a computer lab,” said Janet Pheiffer, the head librarian. Along with a new computer lab, there will also be a new network to replace the old system. In addition to new computers, there will be a new television production studio. There is a possibility that a televised news program will air next year to serve as school announcements. The librarians will continue to work in school until the end of the year. They will still hold instructional periods to help students master the online databases. Students can go to public libraries to do work and use the Internet instead of using the school’s library. The librarians will work with George Mason to make

CHRIS HOGEBOOM

Members of the Welch family: Alana, Aubrey, Alyssa and Ashley present an $84,000 check to the Red Cross.

Compaq presents Ipaqs SARAH SHERMAN

Librarians have been hard at work preparing for the closing.

sure Annandale students are aided at the library. The public library cannot reserve books, but the librarians will fax over the subjects that the various classes are studying. Teachers are advised to continue to tell the librarian the projects of the students. Many teachers use the library for projects and interactive work that they cannot give the students at the public library. “I like doing research in [the school library] so I can help them document correctly,” said Bill Maglisceau, an English teacher. The librarians are working to accommodate

by Lauren Sterlacci Staff Writer

After the attacks of Sept. 11, a local fundraisier which started as a simple car wash became the 2001 Wash America: Help Wash Away the Hurt campaign. On Feb. 26, the program’s founders, Ashley, Aubrey, Alana and Alyssa Welsh, presented the fruits of their labor—an $84,000 check to American Red Cross CEO Harold Decker. As part of the program, Compaq donated eight comput-

ers to the school. They represented all of the students who volunteered to wash cars last Fall. The four Welch sisters started the car wash campaign in the hope of providing help to the families who lost their loved ones. Their father worked in the Pentagon and they felt they were very fortunate when he returned home safely. They wanted to help others who were not so fortunate. A man who wasn’t so fortunate on the day of the Sept.

“Library” con’t on p. 5

New taxes sought for education

Math teacher named finalist by Katharine Kishiyama Staff Writer

PHILIPPE PODHORECKI

Chemistry teacher Tom Pratuch does not have students grade each other’s papers.

Ruling keeps students grading each other by Evan Ashe Staff Writer

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in the case of Owasso Independent School District v. Falvo that the education technique of “peer grading” is not prohibited by federal law. The decision will have ramifications for public schools throughout the nation. The practice of “peer grading”, in which a student’s assignments are graded by his or her fellow classmates, is a practice used commonly throughout school systems across the country. In the OWasa case, an Oklahoma mother filed suit against her children’s school district with the intent of ending the practice of peer grading. One of Falvo’s sons is a special education student who was in the process of being “mainstreamed” into standard classes. He became embarrassed by other students’ learning his grades. “I think [peer grading] is useful in mathematics classes, not in classes such as government and English,” said government teacher John Hawes, “You get into high school and you get into more complicated subjects. You don’t just grade 2+2=4.” Falvo’s argument stated that her sons were denied “Grading” con’t on p. 7

11 attacks was Craig Sincock, Founder of the Pentagon Angels. He remarked about the Welch sisters by saying, “I’d like to thank the Welch family. They started out to show is that we are united people, resourceful people, no matter how small or large the effort. We are proud of your creativity and example. As someone who has lost someone you’ll never know how much this has touched our hearts. It has helped wash away the hurt.” “Wash” con’t on p. 7

Math teacher Cindy Hook was honored as a finalist of the Fairfax Teacher of the Year and The Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award at the Feb. PTSA monthly board meeting. Hook also received the Al and Winnie Hodgson Award for community service. Hook was nominated by the PTSA for the Teacher of the year award at the end of October. During the nomination process, a teaching styles, extracurricular activities and community relationships were evaluated. “Based on prior knowledge of winners and nominees, I have noticed that the committee looks for a wellrounded person, not just a teacher, but one who assists others, motivates students and encourages learning,”

said math teacher Carol Rychlik. “We have a very dedicated faculty in our school and it is a great honor to have been nominated by our PTSA,” said Hook. After Hook accepted the nomination, she submitted a packet in which she described her philosophy of education and career summary. The nomination packet was then forwarded to the county where six finalists were selected. As soon as Hook was notified that she had been selected as one of the six finalists in mid Jan., two former winners of the award were sent to perform a class observation and Hook was invited to an interview with a Fairfax County leadership team. Hook was formally notified of the final results in mid “Hook” con’t on p. 6

by Shant Shahrigian Co-Editor in Chief

feel for the Red, Gold and Symphonic bands. The anticipation and preparation that had been intensifying in the past few months culminated Saturday, March 2, with the annual Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association (VBODA) Festival Competition at J.E.B. Stuart High School. The festival competition is like the SOLs for band. “In festival you are performing for judges, not parents, so you want to do well. There is a lot more riding on it,” said senior flutist Aileen Kilgore.

With the close of the General Assembly rapidly approaching, Virginia legislators are rushing to agree on a bill to raise funds for education and transportation. On March 4, a divided Senate Finance Committee passed a bill allowing Northern Virginians to vote on a referendum on a one percent tax increase. One-half of the tax would go to roads and the other to schools. If the bill passes through the Senate floor, it will head to the House of Representatives, where it is unlikely to pass. If Congress fails to address the funding issues before the deadline, Gov. Mark R. Warner (D) will have to make a separate proposal. The traditionally apolitical Fairfax County Coalition of Parent Teacher Student Associations (FCCPTSA) has taken part in the movement, rallying for increased funding for schools. The bill was proposed by Sen. Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax), who agrees with the popular sentiment that the other tax bills have little chance of being passed before this session’s close on March 9. “The two bills that are currently in the system have got sufficient problems that, if they made it through the system, I don’t think they would pass,” he said in The Washington Post. The House has passed two tax referendums in Northern Virginia: one to allow voters to decide to increase sales tax by a half-cent to fund transportation, and the other to allow local governments to increase income tax by 0.5 percent to pay for education.

“Band” con’t on p. 5

“Taxes” con’t on p. 6

REID EDWARDS

Hook also received the Al and Winnie Hodgson Award for community service.

Band earns top honors, prestige by Kathy Saupp and Philippe Podhorecki Staff Writer and News Editor

The band won top marks and were named a Honor Band for the fourth consecutive year. By playing level six music, the highest possible difficulty, straightthrough, the band was given a level one ranking, also the highest (on a scale from one to five). After a combination of that score as well as the marching band’s score of one, Honor Band was awarded. The festival is not a competition but more of a showcase of talent and hard work by area bands. Each band

recieved grades, but there was no competing for first place. In preparation for the festival, band director Jack Elgin scanned the videotape of the February 21 Pre-Festival concert that took place in the auditorium with a discerning eye for details. “There are two or three issues we will discuss that were in the videotape before Festival,” Elgin said. “But they are minor things; the bands played well.” The impression was that any problems in the performance needed to be redressed as soon as possible, because there was a now or never

hat’s inside

11 Vegans unite! Find out the motivations and details of this unique lifestyle

13 A massage is a great stress reliever. Find out other ways to reduce stress.

Does everyong have a story to tell? Read just one on Profiles.

Take a new look at local restaurant Kilroy’s in this review.

Victims deserve equal compensation

The Victims Tax Relief Act is the Blast flawed in that it Wednesday, March 6, restricts 2002 the distributomic reactions tion of aid What kind of to a presence limited should the group of American military have attacks, in Afghanistan? neglecting other victims that are equally deserving.

“They shouldn’t be there because it would be the same as if they came here and tried to control our government.” — Tina Douroudian freshman

“It’s fundamentally wrong to have any greater presence in Afghanistan than in any other country.” — Noah Crowley sophomore

New Victims of Terrorism Tax Relief Act neglects past attacks, enforces inequality

“I think they should have just enough presence to keep things under control.”

— In issue 9’s, “Atoms who matter,” on page 15, a picture of senior Rahel Hailu was misidentified and misquoted. Also senior Hanh Le was misquoted and senior Nhu Phan was misidentified The A-Blast has made several mistakes in its reporting of the DECA club in the last two issues (Jan. 23 and Feb. 13):

— DECA originally stood for “Distributive Education Clubs of America. It now represents the name of an organization for marketing students. — In the story “DECA contest held at mall,” in the Jan. 23rd issue on page four, the comment, “contest between market students results in wining [sic] of crap,” should have read, “students win awards for acheivements and outstanding performance.” — Student enrollment increased from 52 students last year to 87 this year

M akin’ the Gr ade

— Ahmed Mohamud senior

Paul Pickett keeps things moving

“I think military presence is imperative in Afghanistan in order to stabilize the government.”

ditorials

— Mrinalini Sadananda chemistry teacher

A A C F

One of the many duties of School Resource Officer Paul Pickett includes directing morning traffic at the intersection of Medford and Heritage. A crossing guard was brought in midway through last year in an effort to ameliorate gridlock at the highly congested intersection. Directing traffic in the bitter cold in the midst of inexperienced teen drivers is no easy task, however Pickett preserves and works to get all students through and to class on time.

Alzheimer’s disease defeated by gene treatment Genetic screening was recently used to remove a harmful gene from an embryo that would have caused a newborn to have a fifty percent chance of developing severe Alzheimer’s by age 40. The baby was born into a family line in which all members were inflicted with the disease. Adversaries of the medical technique claimed that this is the first step in creating “blue print babies,” but failed to realize the tremendous pain and suffering that this practice averted.

Ticket prices on the rise As AHS basketball fans followed their beloved boys basketball team through district and regional action, many students were dismayed at the exorbitant ticket prices. The cost of the district games was $5 and the regional game rose to $6. This may not sound like a lot of money, but for high school students it adds up. Students should not be penalized for showing support for their athletic team, or at least a student rate should be put in place.

Turn off that music The administration has instituted a new rule that bans spring sports from playing warm-up music. The action was taken after complaints from neighbors regarding the noise. Warm-up music is an intrinsic part of athletic games, and stripping athletes and spectators of this takes away from the pre-game atmosphere. These homeowners made the choice to live in close proximity to the school, and some minor noise of this nature comes with the territory.

to the

Editor

The remedy for discrimination

During the midst of this war time period, one of the most important elements of fighting terrorism is providing care to the victims of terror attacks. Likewise, aid must be provided to not only those stricken on September 11, but to the victims of terrorist attacks in Oklahoma City, Nairobi, Dar-essalaam and the first World Trade Center bombing. A recent bill, “Victims of Terrorism Tax Relief Act” was passed with the purpose of providing aid to the victims of terrorists attacks. However, the Act is flawed in that it restricts the distribution of aid to a limited group of attacks, neglecting other victims that are equally deserving. The influence of this Act has been restricted to Anthrax cases, Sept. 11 victims and Oklahoma City Bombing The victims of the first WTC attack casualties, while it should be made were provided but momentary aid for available to all American victims of their hardship. Within a month, both terrorism. public and government attention had The “Victims of Terrorism Tax Relief dissipated concerning their need for Act” was signed into law by President care. Families of this tragedy to the day Bush on January 23, with bipartisan have yet to receive tax relief or other support. The bill grants income and special benefits. estate tax relief to victims and their The government’s obligation to the families, along with a $10,000 minimum people of other terrorist attacks should benefit. The law expedites the process of be no less than any victim of Sept. 11. families collecting donations from The Bush administracharitable organizations and prevents the THE A-BLAST STAFF EDITORIAL tion has now set a concept “debt forgiveA terrorist victim is a terrorist victim. standard: We will not tolerate terrorism and ness” from being taxed. Victims of any terrorist attack we will help the people These breaks, however, deserve equal compensation. afflicted by it. Through are denied to the this act we have applied victims of the first WTC this standard to bombing, Nairobi and another past terrorist Dar-es-salaam attacks. 4 26 attack, the Oklahoma The 1998 attacks on Disagree Agree City Bombing. But United States Embaswhere should the line sies in Nairobi, Kenya be drawn, at what point should victims and Dar es Salaam claimed over 200 no longer receive tax-relief? There is no lives while wounding 500. Questionable line to be drawn. A terrorism victim is a action was also taken in relief efforts terrorism victim, be they affected ten immediately following the attacks, as a years ago or today. If we did not help U.S. Boeing 707 capable of transporting victims in the past, we should have and 60 critically injured victims to sites to we should now. receive better care took flight with only Adversaries of expanding the three injured people on board. Victims in influence of this bill claim that it will dire need of medical care were left to cost the government too much money wait in overcrowded Kenyan hospitals. and that the government does not have Considering the government blundered the resources to accommodate so many in its immediate aid efforts to victims, it victims. However, in creating the Act in is imperative that it attempt to make up the first place, these concerns have for this negligence by providing the already been dismissed. Aid should now benefits incorporated in the “Victims of be provided to all. Terrorism Relief Act” to those who It is important that we maintain our suffered in these overseas attacks. Just standards and help all victims of terror, because these strikes were not carried not just those whom are more publicly out on American soil does not mean that acknowledged. equal aid should not be provided.

CORRECTIONS

Letter

BY CHAE-WHA PARK

RELIEF ACT FACT BOX The Victims of Terrorism Tax Relief Act, signed into law on Jan. 23, secured that victims and families of victims of Sept. 11, the Oklahoma City bombing, and recent anthrax attacks would receive substantial income and estate tax relief. The law will: — waive the income tax liability of a victim who dies in one of the attacks for both the year of the attack and the previous year — ensure a $10,000 minimum benefit to the families of each victim — exclude death benefits from being taxed — save the first $8.5 million of a victim’s estate from the federal death tax and the first $3 million of a victim’s estate from state death tax (this provision of the law also applies to American Armed Forces personnel who died in the line of duty in a combat zone in Operation Enduring Freedom) — facilitate the movement of charitable money from charities to the families — ensure that when victim’s debt is forgiven, that money is not taxable

— 19 DECA students left for their latest trip to Richmond on Jan. 25 at 3 p.m. and arrived at 6:30 am. The trip lasted 15 hours. — At the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex, DECA students had a chance to play in the NFL experience which is an interactive area that travels to league cities throughout the NFL season. — At the NBA City restaurant, students listened to a female training manager, not a “trading manager.”

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the Annandale High School 4700 Medford Dr. Annandale, Virginia 22003 Volume # 47 Issue 10

Editors in Chief Managing Editor News Editors Academics Editors Editorials Editors In-Depth Editors Features Editors Atomic Articles Editor Profiles Editors Cultures Editors Sports Editors Entertainment Editors Atomic Athletics Editors

Wednesday March 6, 2002

David Covucci Shant Shahrigian Chris Hogeboom Reid Edwards Philippe Podhorecki Hayley Fletcher Hana Ngyuen Katie Clark Andrew Satten Heather Downen Rebecca Sample Young-Zi Byun Sarah Kelman Chae-Wha Park Denice Miller Richie McCormack Martha Amoaka Cameron Kynes Chris Bagot Ryan Croft Alejandro Salinas Mike Mahn Kristie Moore

Gallup Award Quill and Scroll International Honor Society 2000-2001

The only thing I can relate to in Shant Shahrigian’s editorial is the title of the column, “Shantsense,” cleverly constructed to rhyme with “nonsense.” White males are losing the favoritism they have so long commanded in a system that discriminated on the basis of color and sex. Mr. Shahrigian’s reaction is based solely on self-interest and shows no regard for the pervasive under representation of women and people of color in education and the workplace. While the Gallup poll in 1996 reported that 73 percent of Americans approve of government and private employers making concerted efforts to identify and recruit qualified women and people of color, a backlash against Affirmative Action has recently been fueled by changing demographics (immigration), political exploitation of racial tensions and economic instability. Affirmative Action is not a “quota” system. It is not “preferential treatment.” It is most assuredly not a fraternity for intimidating employers and universities into accepting incompetent workers and students. It is a remedy for what troubles many American institutions still afflicted with discriminatory attitudes and practices that prevent millions of qualified, deserving people from entering the American mainstream. Affirmative Action is an instrument of inclusion, a means of bringing all Americans into our society as equal competitors. It is an opportunity for “this nation to rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘we hold these truths to be selfevident: that all men are created equal...’” Despite Mr. Shahrigian’s contention, Affirmative Action does not penalize white males. Fairness requires ending prejudicial practices, not perpetuating them, and that includes ending the unjust advantages traditionally enjoyed by white men. The conscientious effort to hire or admit women and people of color is a way for employers and schools to break their habit of favoring white males and a way to facilitate the transition to a nondiscriminatory culture. Regardless of the fact that he was not born in an era when white men receive special treatment, I doubt that Mr. Shahrigian will have any trouble being accepted by the University of Virginia. He has much to recommend him. Perhaps once he is there, he will gain the breadth and depth of understanding our national scourge that his teachers here at Annandale High School, myself included, have failed to convey.

[Affirmative Action is] a way to facilitate the transition to a nondiscriminatory culture.

Eleanor Shumaker AP US history teacher

(703) 642-4229 email: ahsablast@aol.com website: www.fpcs.k12.va.us /AnnandaleHS/ABlast/2002 fax: 642-4197

Arts Editors

Rebecca Kraushaar Abby Segall Weekend Editors John Bernhardt Caroline Friedman On-line Editors Monica Price Leah Selim Business Ryan Teichler Advertising Manager Crystan Blanco Copy Editor Katie Stanton Photography Editor Jenny Beam Photographers: Sean Sullivan, Andrew Menegat, Sarah Sherman, Linda Fairall Staff Writers: Junaid Shams, Paul Gleason, Saman Hussain, Rachel Jones, Maggie Owner, Evan Ashe, Sam Molavi, Annette Bouadi, Rob Payne, Walaa Elbarasse, Aminah Kakeh, ShinHyung Ahn, Kyle Smeallie, Lauren Sterlacci, Morgan McEvilly, Mohammad Edris Qarghah, Laura Hollowell, Sara Bizer, Jared Smith, Katharine Kishiyama, Kathy Saupp, N’hawa Tangula Principal Don Clausen Adviser Alan Weintraut

Trophy Class Virginia High School League 2000-2001

All American National Scholastic Press Association 2000-2001

Published every three weeks, The A-Blast is an award winning, newspaper that strives to inform, educate, and entertain the student body and community. 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. Unsigned editorials represent the staff opinions which solely represent the opinion of the newspaper staff. The A-Blast is an independent, open forum for discussion which is printed at the Springfield Plant of The Washington Post. Signed letters to the editor of 250 words or less may be submitted to room 225 or mailed to the school. The A-Blast reserves the right to refuse advertisements. All submissions become property of The A-Blast Copyright, 2002.

editorials

Prisoners’ treatment is just International law does not apply

by Chae-Wha Park and Andrew Satten

School Vouchers: the death of public education not adequate to fulfill the entire tuition. Students in failing inner city school districts are not able to come up with additional money to foot the bill. While draining public school funding, vouchers would also prove to be costly for tax payers. Under the Draper Voucher Initiative that was recently defeated in California, $3 billion would have been needed to sustain a voucher program. Voucher programs are unfavorable in that they would abandon public schools. Considering 90 percent of students are enrolled in public schools, the solution to our nation’s education problem is not putting more money into private schools. Even worse would be the substantial number of students, already enrolled in Andrew Satten private schools, that would be eligible for vouchers to use as a subsidy for their Editorials Editor tuition. Though the opportunity to pursue better schools could prove gram. Further, the Fairfax County beneficial to some students, in the Public School system offers a quality process public education is left behind. education to all students who choose to Voucher programs currently exist in seek it. Draining county funding for a Milwaukee, Cleveland and Florida and voucher program would have serious extensive studies have been completed ramifications including halting renovathat showed students enrolled in tions, increasing class size and depleting voucher schools did not achieve signifischool resources. cantly better Voucher schools academic achieverequire students to ments than those chool voucher programs are a provide their own who went to public flawed idealistic concept aimed at transportation. schools. liberating students from poor Students who have Aside from schooling conditions. an unstable family vouchers being an life and a low unhealthy educaincome are less tion system, there is also that little likely to be able to furnish transportaproblem of it invalidating our revered tion. Parents in failing school districts principle of separation of church and are generally less in tune with their state. Students would be sent to children’ education, and therefore would parochial schools and be exposed to be less likely to investigate the options religious teachings at the expense of tax that school vouchers could provide, along payers. For instance, in the Cleveland with all of the paper work that would be program, 99 percent of the students who required to transfer schools. attend private schools on voucher aid go Voucher programs generally provide to religious schools, not public or charter between $2,500 and $4,000 per student schools. to seek an alternative school. For most private schools, this amount of money is

The issue of school vouchers that has provoked debate among politicians, educators and parents is in the midst of a defining Supreme Court case, Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, regarding an Ohio voucher program and if it is in violation of separation of church and state. Supreme Court Justices are weighing whether or not the program offers viable opportunities for students to attend nonreligious schools. Regardless of the Supreme Court’s decision on the constitutionality of the issue, school voucher programs are a flawed idealistic concept aimed at liberating students from poor schooling conditions. In reality, the programs will do little to help those students in need and in the process will destroy the public education system. A school voucher is a chunk of private school tuition money that provides students with the opportunity of seeking an education in either a private school, charter school or another public school. Second, voucher programs are a poor educational philosophy because they would do little to aid the students in most dire need of support. Students do not decide which voucher schools they attend. Private schools accept who they want and have the legal right to reject students based on their gender, religion, ability to pay and academic proficiency. Considering that the type of students generally targeted for voucher programs are destitute and not at the top of their class, voucher programs would prove useless. A recent California voucher survey found that only 1 percent of public school students would be able to gain admittance to private schools through voucher programs.

Great competition exists in our own area for private school openings as Paul VI, Bishop O’Connel and Bishop Ireton annually reject students. There simply aren’t enough private schools at this time to accommodate a voucher pro-

Sa tten ’s

Draining public school funding is not the answer

When the United States catches a distinguishable enemy who follows the customs of war, he becomes an official Prisoner of War (POW) who is to benefit from all the protections that that status confers upon him. This includes repatriation to his country when the conflict during which ` he is captured is over. When we capture a covert enemy who does not follow the customs of war, he simply becomes our prisoner. Given that the United States arguably has the best human rights record in the world, to be our prisoner without a technical legal status is hardly an atrocity. Even if that were not the case, it is preposterous that the United States be criticized for refusing to grant al Qaeda and Taliban prisoners POW status: by every international standard, those prisoners are unlawful combatants— namely, terrorists—and not typical soldiers. Our European allies—which continue to artfully remain simultaneously highly critical and highly inactive—were quick to criticize conditions at Camp X-Ray in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as inhumane. It’s a wonder how the camp can be so inhumane that a group of Taliban prisoners being held in a prison in Afghanistan recently cried to an Associated Press reporter, “We want to go to an American prison!” If critics want to see the true inhumanity which has been inflicted upon Afghans, they should take a look at conditions in the detention camp in Woomera, Australia. There, Afghan refugees— refugees and not prisoners—have suffered such atrocious conditions that many have resorted to literally sewing their Shant Shahrigian mouths shut or even Co-Editor in Chief suicide. Early news of prisoners being transported in goggles and earmuffs truly must have incited our friends across the Atlantic: “Torture” is how one sensational British headline characterized the prisoners’ treatment. Perhaps the foreign press should take more than just a cursory look at exactly what conditions at the camp are. If they did so, then perhaps they would find that the accommodations are in fact more than acceptable. The U.S. has gone out of its way to make sure that the captured Taliban and al Qaeda members receive all their religious privileges, including that to wear turbans after prisoners held a hunger strike when they were first denied the right to wear the garb for security reasons. In addition, many prisoners have received medical treatment for wounds inflicted years before the U.S. attacked Afghanistan. Amnesty International has accused the U.S. of placing the prisoners in a state of “legal limbo.” Indeed it has. In a situation in which there is no law on the books concerning how to treat such prisoners, what other choice do we have? However, Amnesty International and other critics insist that there is a plain law concerning how to treat them, that they should fall under the rules established by the oftreferred to Hague and Geneva Conventions. Exactly what passages of those rules Amnesty International is referring to is unclear, as none of the criteria those bodies established for a combatant to receive POW status allow for al Qaeda or Taliban members to receive it. Article I of the 1907 Annex to the Hague Convention defines a lawful combatant as someone who has been commanded by a person responsible for his subordinates,” “have a fixed distinctive emblem recognizable at a distance,” “carry arms openly,” and “conduct their operations in accordance with the laws and customs of war.” A POW must be a lawful combatant first, and al Qaeda and Taliban members meet none of the criteria to be a considered lawful combatants. Geneva Convention privileges only apply to combatants who follow similar criteria. The United States may not be carrying out its antiterrorism operations with perfect execution, but one area where it has acted perfectly appropriately is in respect to the status it has granted its prisoners. Although it remains to be seen how the prisoners’ situation will play out in the months to come, Americans can at least be proud that even though they have been done a grievous wrong, their government has done right.

Shantsense

Peer Grading: Supreme Court gives the green light THE CASE — In Otte v. Doe, the issue of whether or not students should be able to grade other students’ classwork was debated.

DECISION — A unanimous ruling was handed down that peer grading was not in violation of education privacy laws.

TEACHER’S STANCE — Teachers unions around the nation vehemently supported peer grading. Without this practice, teachers would be swamped in additional paperwork and would have to divert their valuable time to unnecessary grading responsibilities.

PEER GRADING BENEFITS — The Supreme Court and many teachers agree that grading an assignment benefits students in grasping the topics they are studying. Beneficial class discussions often occur while grading tests.

OPPOSING ARGUMENTS — Parents and psychologists claimed that this practice, in which student grades were pubilicized in the classroom, could be detrimental to students’ self esteem and could prove emotionally troubling.

Peer grading effective educational tool by Andrew Satten Editorials Editor

In our litigious society in which suits for emotional and psychological distress have become common place, the Supreme Court thwarted the will of disgruntled parents and psychologists who claimed that peer grading practices could be detrimental to students’ self esteem. Peer grading, a widely used educational tool used in AHS and around the country includes students grading other students’ tests and assignments in a classroom atmosphere. Upon completion of reviewing the assignment, students are provided with a grading scale to calculate the appropriate grade. The unanimous ruling handed down in Otte v. Doe was a rational decision, as students must realize that the real world is not sugar coated and occasionally ones’ self esteem will be challenged by minor conflicts, if a bad grade on an assignment can even be classified as such. Parents and psychologists claimed that students would experience embarrassment when their grades were available in a public atmosphere and could be learned by other students. However, a little embarrassment is something that students need to learn to deal with to be prepared to succeed in the working world. Peer grading practices also help to complement the learning experience. After completing an assignment, grading another students’ paper helps to reinforce concepts especially when

ANDREW SATTEN

Peer grading at work In Eleanor Shumaker’s A.P. U.S. History class, immediately following every test, students exchange and grade each others’ tests. Classroom debates often erupt as students contest answers, and Shumaker continues to lecture on the historical topics.

students have the opportunity to correct another students’ work. In the court opinion Justice Anthony M. Kennedy stated, “Correcting a classmate’s assignment can be as much a part of the assignment as taking the test itself.” Teachers are already currently overworked and underpaid. Subjecting them to tedious unnecessary grading takes away from their time to plan lessons and deal with more important education elements. Doing away with peer grading would have a devastating effect on how teacher’s designate their time, all for the sake of preventing a few students the possibility of feeling upset about their grades being known by others. The minor hit that one’s self esteem would experience if their grades were known by others could have a motivational effect on that student’s studies. The threat of doing poorly provides incentive for studying. Psychologists continually point to the hazards of peer pressure, however in this situation it can help to facilitate the educational process. Finally, the vast majority of students in all grades do not experience distress about their grades being made public. In fact, the minute assignments or tests are passed back, students avidly seek the grades that their peers received and usually reveal their own.

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Model U.N. The annual Model United Nations Security Council will be held in the upstairs gym this Thursday and Friday Students will play the roles of foreign countries and participate in debate over topics ranging from the trafficking of sex slaves to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Earlier this year the AHS Model U.N. took best delegation at a conference in Philadelphia. Preston Gisch, Keith White and Owen Beste won awards for best delegates. The strong showing at Philadelphia was the first time that the school has ever won best delegation. Later this year the Model U.N. will be participating in Thomas Jefferson’s own Conference. Sponsor Jonathan York is already planning next year’s national conference trips at Harvard and Philadelphia.

Broadway Desserts are delicious It went smoothly and the kids performed well. The parents were wonderful and worked very hard to make it successful.

by Monica Price and Wala’a Elbarasse On-line Editor and Staff Writer

Broadway Desserts kicked off another successful year of scrumptious desserts, remarkable talent, and a newfound appreciation of Broadway musicals for a number of viewers Friday February 22, and Saturday February 23 in three enthusiastic shows at NOVA in the Richard J. Ernst Community Cultural Center decorated with a Broadway scenery backdrops in a cabaret setting. Carleen Dixon, choral director, was impressed with the out come of Broadway Desserts, “It went smoothly and the kids performed well. The parents were wonderful and worked very hard to make it successful.” Although a lot of parents contributed to the creation of Broadway Desserts, like Bea Bernfield, the chair of the committee and Cindy Adkins, the pianist; students Stephanie Glotfelty, senior and Bayla Whitten, junior acted as student directors for the performance. “Mrs. Bernfield did a wonderful job f coordinating the whole thing for the second year and the student directors, Bayla Whitten and Stephanie Glotfelty worked really hard.” Several members of the choral department auditioned to be part of the thirty-five traditional and contemporary Broadway acts. Most the performers had either viewed the musical in which they performed or had listened to the professional music beforehand. Freshman Danielle Larmett was one of many talented singers in two of the acts in Broadway Desserts. “We all just chose a

SEAN SULLIVAN

The Men’s Chorale performed during the annanual Broadway Deserts on February 23. The audience, while enjoying the musical performances is served desert by chroal students.

character we thought he related to somehow [for “Cell Block Tango” from Chicago]. Bayla [Whitten] saw Chicago, but [the rest of us] just listened to the CD and read the words.” “I think this is the best Broadway Desserts ever,” said audience member Mark Shugoll. “Its really a tight show and just flies by. The talent at Annandale High School this year is amazing. It’s a tremendous show; Carleen Dixon is the most incredible teacher, she gets so much out of the kids.” “I think this year went a lot more smoothly than the past years, partly because it’s another year and there is

IB director pays AHS visit by Mike Mahn Entertainment Editor

The deputy regional director of the IB program in North America paid AHS a visit last Thursday, February 28. AHS’ IB program is in its first year and the deputy director, Paul Campbell, checked up on both the faculty and students opinions about the infantile program. He gave information and answered any questions members of the community had for him. Campbell informed AHS of the effects of the IB program worldwide and explained how Fairfax County has been a hot spot for IB development in recent years. “Annandale high school is a good

school for the IB program because it is like a microcosm of the whole world because of all the different cultures,” said Campbell. “The IB director reassured me that I am in a good school with the IB program.” said junior Warren Dekker. “The IB program will open up a lot of opportunities in my future.” “The IB meeting with the deputy director went very well,” said junior Vincent Keung, “we were served good punch and all my questions were answered.” At the meeting the IB representative, Erin Albright, aided the deputy director in fixing any residual confusion there may have been. She served the students fruit punch and cookies.

more experience,” said Glotfelty. Many of the viewers enjoyed the humorous performance by Mathew Pena and Stephanie Glotfelty. “There are funny performances and ones that aren’t funny, but they are all good,” said sophomore Tori Lockett. “‘Tear Jerk’ is my favorite because it was really funny and the singers were great.” During the matinee performance, Holmes and Poe Middle School’s Concert and Treble choirs sang “It’s a Hard Knock Life” from Annie, a medley from Grease, and a Medley from the Music Man. Douglas Martin, a Poe Middle School performer said “I love Broadway Desserts; I preformed in it this year and

it’s the greatest show with lots of talent by young people.” During the matinee performance he sang a medley from the Music Man with the Poe Singers. “I think Broadway Desserts is a good thing for Middle Schoolers,” said Martin. “Because it prepares the middle school [students] for high school to join chorus, because they see how much fun performing can be.” “I performed in seven different songs ...[Broadway Desserts] is always fun, I’ve been in the program for a long time. The longer you’ve been in it, the more you do, the more you push,” said senior Ayobamidle Odjemi. With a combination of humor and tragedy Broadway Desserts had something for an audience member of any age. The performances included light-hearted humorous performances in “Glee Club Rehearsal,” from You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown; “Tear Jerk” from I Love You, Your Perfect, Now Change; “Gee, Officer Krupke” from West Side Story; “Always a Bridesmaid” from I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change; “Holding Out for a Hero” from Footloose; “Singin’ in the Rain” from Singin’ in the Rain; “Take Back Your Mink” from Guys and Dolls; “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” from Kiss Me Kate; and “So Long, Farewell” from The Sound of Music. Additionally, the dramatic performances were “The Last Night of the World” from Miss Saigon; “Moonfall” from The Mystery of Edwin Drood; “I Don’t Care Much” from Cabaret; “Who Will Love Me As I Am?” from Sideshow; “Daddy’s Son”

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to look over the piece, ask me questions, and then we clap or sing through it to try to get it as much as possible.” Sightreading is a way for the judges to see the strength of a band as a unit, as well as their individual knowledge of rhythm and key. “It can get pretty nerve-wracking,” said Elgin. Although there is no way to know what piece they will encounter, sightreading is a skill that can be practiced. “We usually work on sight-reading a couple of days before the concert so it will go smoothly,” said junior Bethany Augliere. In addition to the pressures of the difficult music, there are many soloists who performed at Festival this year. Among them were senior Aileen Kilgore and junior Gena Sobel on flute, senior Cindy Brundage on oboe, sophomore April Brassard on clarinet, sophomore John Reiss on bass clarinet, senior Steve Aultman on Bassoon, senior Blaine Misner on trumpet, Matt Bickert on the snare drum and Freshmen Chris Butler and Sivan Adato on the alto saxophone and french horn. To upperclassmen members of the band, both preparation and experience are factors in the performance. “I’ve practiced on my own to prepare, but not with a private teacher,” said Yaroch. “I think it was worth being Honor Band again, and so it was definitely worth all our hard work because we have a streak going and it takes a lot of work to keep it going,” said junior saxophone player Warren Dekker, “It would have been a real let down if we hadn’t become a Honor Band again.”

“Band” from pg. 1 culminated Saturday, March 2, with the annual Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association (VBODA) Festival Competition at J.E.B. Stuart High School. The festival competition is like the SOLs for band. “In festival you are performing for judges, not parents, so you want to do well. There is a lot more riding on it,” said senior flutist Aileen Kilgore. The pressure to impress the judges is a matter of school pride and recognition. “This is where they rate the bands in the area. To get Honor Band status you have to get a Superior rating, or a 1,” said junior flutist Cailin Yaroch. 10 a.m., the Red and Gold bands performed together on Beethoven’s “Turkish March,” “An Irish Rhapsody” by Grundman and Shaffer’s “Journey into Diablo Canyon.” This is the first year that the Red and Gold bands performed together. “The fact that Red band can perform on this level is a real credit to them for stepping up their playing level.” said Elgin. Saturday evening at 5:15 the Symphonic band performed “Brighton Beach March” by Latham, “Incidental Suite” by Claude Smith, as well as “Overture to ‘La Forza del Destino’” by Verdi. This year has also been one for the Symphonic band to step up their performance. “Symphonic band played a grade 5 difficulty level on their pieces last year, but this year they are playing grade 6, which is the hardest,” said Elgin.

ANDREW MENEGAT

Band director Jack Elgin lead the band to the highest possible rankings a t districts this year

“This shows to me the scope of their individual strength and practice habits.” The second part of a Festival performance was sight reading: a musical group is given a piece of music they have never seen before are expected to perform it. “The judges give us seven minutes to prepare in any way besides actually playing,” said Elgin. “Usually I give them one or two minutes

Drama students go on field trip Drama students visit New York City, enjoy time despite fear of delay, cancellation from terrorist attacks

Breaking into the club scene

by Katie Stanton, Shin-Hyung Ahn Copy Editor and Staff Writer

On March 1-3, students from the AHS Drama Department attended a trip to New York. The trip involved 23 students, drama teacher Vicki Farish and chaperones, consisting of three AHS teachers: Anna Frome, Russell Kee and Anne Perry. This year, the group consisted of only the Drama department because of the large number of people interested in going. “Well, it’s only the drama department [because] this year we had a lot of students that wanted to go,” said Farish. The group left Friday morning and returned Sunday evening in four vans. Students were in the vans for eight hours altogether. While on the trip, students were able to buy tickets at a TKS booth for shows. “[It is] a big thing in the middle of Times Square, where you can get reduced price tickets, so students will be able to choose what they would like to see from what’s available,” said Farish. Students watched two to three shows. “Friday night, I saw I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, which is a musical about various couples,” said senior

AHS break dancers making preparations for first performance at Heritage Club meeting next month. COURTESY IAN MCLELAND

Junior Andrew Stanton and Pat Giannico, and senior Sarah Paterson smile as their friend takes a picture of them during their trip.

Elizabeth Dere. Ever since the Sept. 11 attacks, the Drama department has had to adjust its plans concerning the trip from last year. “As soon as we got the OK, I could go ahead and plan everything, because the biggest thing to do with field trips this year is we had to make sure we could get our money back,” said Farish. Originally, the trip had been planned for the weekend of Feb. 22-24 but the

date had to be moved because of scheduling discrepancies. “At the beginning of the school year, Ms. Dixon said, ‘What about moving it a week?’ because that’s where she put Broadway Desserts,” said Farish. “The main point is just to have fun, I mean, it’s a group field trip, you go somewhere where you haven’t gone before,” said senior Sarah Paterson.

Key club gives the homeless a hand

by Kristie Moore Atomic Athletics Editor

On Jan. 15, the Break Dance Club became official and is the newest organization at AHS. Sponsored by ESL teacher Georgi Tomisato, the Break Dance Club has about twelve regular members, including two girls and others who come and go because of sports. “I decided to start the club because a few of my kids kept asking if there was a type of club that offered [break dancing],” said Tomisato. “Freshman Kirill Gorbounov was the

he whole goal of this club is to provide a place for them to meet and for the kids to have fun doing their steps,”

by Aminah Kakeh Staff Writer

Georgia Tomisato

On Feb. 24, twelve devoted Key Club members volunteered to spend their Sunday evening from around six until eight preparing a hearty spaghetti dinner for approximately forty homeless individuals that reside within the Bailey’s Community Homeless Shelter. Those who chose to participate aided one another in helping to provide all the necessary ingredients for the meal, cooking the food and serving it to the hungry men and women all in a timely and professional fashion. “I took seven boxes of spaghetti from my pantry at home and brought it to the shelter,” said sophomore David LeeAlvarado. “It felt so good to give it to someone who really needed it instead of having it just collect dust in the pantry.” The good manners, of many of the homeless individuals, were picked up on by many of the participants. The regulations of the kitchen are quite strict in regards to the portions that each person receives. Therefore, keeping a smiling face during such a time is not always so easy. A kind gesture really touched the hearts of the Key Club servers. “One lady was really sweet and gave some guy who looked hungry some of her own portions because he had to wait till more was made,” said junior Bayla Whitten. Another obstacle that confronted the participants was the fact that they severely had to regulate the amount they served to each approaching individual and often had to deny hungry people because seconds are not permitted until

ESL Teacher

MONICA PRICE

Senior Linette Luna prepares spaghetti for the homeless. Luna was one of 12 people to participate in the Key Club’s service project.

all have been served the required one serving. “It was really difficult to look in the eyes of the people and not be able to give them any more then you originally served,” said junior Julie Lazo. “Saying no was probably the hardest thing I experienced the entire evening.” It was a genuinely enriching experience for those who attended. The members who attended were no doubt expanding the horizons of the innumerable monthly activities the Key Club regularly takes part in. “This event added some variety for me,” said Alvarado. “Normally I am too busy to participate in the weekday events so this gave me an opportunity to reach out to the community when I had the time.” Seeing the unshaven and unkempt individuals within the shelter and providing them with a hot meal really was self-enriching for the members. “Before I used to participate just to accumulate my hours,” said Lazo. “Now I do it for the sake of bettering my community.”

Pink Posey Florist

SARAH SHERMAN

Junior Danny Haddad picks out a book in the soon to be closed library.

Library closing for renovations

“Library” from pg. 1

teachers and students during the closing. Teachers will be allowed to check out “selected” books and movies before the library closes. “I am going to get books out of the reference room,” said Maglisceau, to use for his fourth quarter Contemporary Literary Criticisim project. Junior Keena Marks, an AP History student, comes to the library to research essays during lunch. “[The closing] is going to be an inconvenience and take free time away from me,” Marks said, who come every week. Others will be more affected by the library closing. Senior Rita Dua goes to the library everyday at lunch to do homework. “I don’t think they should close the library. It is the most important thing in a school,” she said. The public library system is not a viable option because, “some people do not have transportation.”

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one who initiated the start of this club.” The club meets every Monday, Friday and sometimes on Wednesdays in the mat room of the upper gym or in the Auditorium. It is dedicated to providing a place where kids can come after school and do what they love. Officers were recently elected with Gorbounov as president, freshman Isaac Mancilla as vice president, freshman Brian Blasser as secretary and Daniel Negron as historian. If break dancing is not your thing, Tomisato, a Hawaiian, also teaches the Hula dance. “The whole goal of this club is to provide a place for them to meet and for the kids to have fun doing their steps,” said Tomisato. Since their club is quite small, club members bring in drawings, which are then put on flyers and hung around school to promote membership. For more information about joining the club, contact either an officer, Tomisato or come to one of the meetings. An Emergency Care Form and insurance is necessary for participation. If you do not already have it, school insurance is suggested. The Breakdance Club will give their debut performance at next month’s Heritage Night.

News Briefs NEW FIELD LIGHTS After 15 years of lighting our football games the lights were taken down this past week. The lights were changed due to construction in the school. They were just the first steps on construction on the field. Due to heavy cranes and other work tools plus the lights themselves being lied onto the field they must now check the sprinkler system. They must make sure that none of the sprinkles were crushed. The field itself has now damages on it and must be restored. Also, the next which is long over due to be renovated are the bleachers with the speaker system. “The lights are new and are better located on the field. We will be able to have better vision on the field. They are sure to be awesome,” said Coach Adams. The new lights are now up and running for the past week, but the whole field will not be ready till the very beginning of football season. They are having to move all the home scrimmages to the field in the middle of the track. Some inconvenience but all worth it. By Sept. 18, the field is said to be ready for the first game. “I think with the new light’s there will be more to see clearly,” said Jonathan Caicedo. All and all the Annandale football field was in need of a makeover.

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Wednesday, March 6, 2002

Will you miss the Newseum?

“No, because it’s boring. All you go and see is old newspapers.” —Cesar Delcid freshman

Newseum Closes Doors Newseum moves to Washington D.C. in future, will triple-size of original by Leah Selim On-line Editor

After educating and informing visitors of the DC/ Metropolitan Area for roughly five years, the Newseum closed on Sunday to begin preparation for its move to Washington D.C. Previously located in the Rosslyn area of Arlington, VA, it will reopen to the public in a building almost three times it’s former size, located at Pennsylvania Avenue and Sixth Street. The headquarters of the Freedom Forum, its parent network, will move to the area as well. An interactive museum of news and journalism, the Newseum is utilized often by teachers as a site for field trips. It is easily accessible, and relates well to the curriculum of many classes, especially Journalism, but also including Government and Photography. Journalism teacher Alan Weintraut encourages his students to visit the Newseum at least once over the course of the school year. A large part of government classes is reading the newspaper and keeping up with current events. Teacher Fred Zuniga also recognized the educational value of the Newseum for his government students. “I used to take them on field trips there every year, but I stopped after September 11. I think every Journalism class should go, I wish it would stay in Virginia and expand,” said Zuniga. He also attended the Newseum in his free time. “I went there personally to see the presidential campaign display [during election 2002] with my family. And I love the tribute to freedom of the press.” Before closing, the Newseum featured an exhibit entitled “National Geographic’s Women Photographers: A Different Focus.” It included works from five women photojournalists for the National Geographic magazine. Photography teacher Scott Saylor sent his Photo 3/Portfolio Prep students to see the exhibit.

Recently proposed bill to benefit Northern Virginia “Funding” from pg. 1

—Robel Abraham sophomore

“My curriculum in portfolio photo requires my students to visit at least two galleries and see professional works,” he said. “Every Photo 3 student is a girl, and the show is women photographers from National Geographic. I thought it would be a great experience for them to relate to. They should know that women can do anything men can do in photography, and elsewhere.” However, Saylor is not upset that the Newseum is relocating. “I think its great that it’s closing because it’s going to be in a larger, much nicer location. Plus, putting it in the city may validate it as a true museum because it will be among others and available to more people,” said Saylor. Students and young journalists of these classes also recognized that the Newseum was not only beneficial to their classes, but was genuinely interesting to visit. “The Newseum provides a wealth of information that students can benefit from,” said Saylor. The valuable resource will undoubtedly be missed by many during it’s absence. It will reopen at its new location between the U.S. Capitol and the White House (across the street from the National Gallery of Art) some time prospectively in 2006.

AHS dominates District Chorus Nine members from the choral department were selected for the prestigious All-State choir. The All-State choir is made up 240 singers from around the state, which will be held on April 27 in Bristle Virginia. Being selected for the chorus is an honor for all singers, and AHS had the most students selected from any other school in District 10. The All-State chorus is the “most selective choir in the state,” said choral director Carleen Dixon. The chorus performs advanced music similar to college level choruses and presents a unique opportunity for students do develop their vocal talents. All-State chorus is only available to junior and seniors. “[The choir] is a great honor...because it is really competitive and I was very pleased with how I did,” said junior Victoria Benson. Auditions are only eligible for district chorus participants. District chorus members are allowed to try out for AllState. During auditions singers must perform an excerpt from the District performance and must also perform a sight-reading. Many students also have vocal teachers outside of school and rehearse music everyday to prepare for the concerts. In class students learn vocal exercises to strenghten and enrich voices. Paige Singh, a four-year choral student, made it into All-State choir

REID EDWARDS

Math teacher and Coach Cindy Hook sits next to Maame Boateng during a recent meeting. Hook is a finalist for the Teacher of the Year Award.

“Hook” from pg. 1 awards will be presented to Hook at the School Board ceremony on May 29, 2002 along with a $200 savings bond for the Hodgson Award. “Being in a county as large as Fairfax with many tremendously talented and dedicated teachers, to be recognized as a finalist is truly an honor,” said Hook.

February and received a letter of congratulations from the Fairfax County superintendent. Although Hook was not selected as the final winner of the Teacher of the Year award, she received the Al and Winnie Hodgson Award, recognizing her contributions as a teacher beyond the classroom. The

—K.W. Williams Administrative Assistant

Mon

Tue

tomic genda

March

Thu 6 NHS induction, 7 p.m., cafeteria

12 National Latin Exam, FLEX, cafeteria Apprenticeship Presentations, FLEX, Career Center

Boys’ Lacrosse v. Herndon, 7:15 p.m., Home

PTSA meeting, 7 p.m., Library

Baseball v. Osbourn (scrimmage), 4:30 p.m., Away

Softball v. Osbourn (scrimmage), 6 p.m., Away

13 Boys’ Lacrosse v. Jefferson (scrimmage), 6:30 p.m., Home

Fri 7

Sat/Sun

Interims mailed

16 17

Girls’ Lacrosse v. Lee Baseball v. Woodson (scrimmage), 7:15 p.m., (scrimmage), 4 p.m., Home Home Company Day (Productions), during school

St. Patrick’s Day

21 Baseball v.

Baseball (Madison Tourn., Away)

Langely, 6 p.m., Home

23 24

Girls’ Lacrosse Tournament, Home

Softball v. Langely, 5 p.m., Away

9 10

Boys’ Lax v. Westfield (scrimmage), noon, Away

Girls’ Lacrosse v. Fairfax (scrimmage), 7:15 p.m., Home

Choral Pyramid Concert, 7 p.m.

Winter Sports Banquet, dinner at 6 p.m., cafeteria

ews

Wed A-blast #10

after not making alternate last year. Singh switched vocal coaches to sharpen her talents and cannot wait for the competition. “I love performing, I get the rush in front of the audience,” said Singh. Despite the impending challenge and competition to be selected, All-State choir is still a enjoyable experience. “We are all working together to create a wonderful sound,” said Singh. The alternates will not rehearse with the All-State members, but will be asked to sing if another member is not able to attend. Being selected as an alternate is a great accomplishment as well. “I am really excited at being first alternate because I have a chance at getting to go to All-State,” said junior Alex Mott. “It would be an awesome experience because I would be singing with the top high school students from the state,” she said. Not all schools get students accepted to the All-State choir and in past years Annandale had only around seven members selected to the choir. There are only allowed to be 24 people from each of the ten districts. The nine singers selected are: Victoria Benson, Paige Singh, Bayla Whitten, Stephanie Glotfelty, Jasimne Canady, Ayo Odejimi, Matthew Pena, Michael Weinberg and Moses Choi. The six alternates chosen are: Nichole Murphy, Melinda Inthavong, Rebecca Wise, Alex Mott, Stacey Langster and Alan Yao.

by Rachel Jones Staff Writer

Nominee for Teacher of the Year Award as recognition for outstanding service

“Yes, I will. Museums are set-up to teach us things we don’t know. I think it’s real dumb that they’re closing it. Why would you close a museum down?”

The Senate has also authorized two referendums: one the same as the House’s to fund transportation, and another which makes the House’s tax increase for education statewide and by the rate of a half-cent. No consensus has been reached on such issues as what type of tax—income or sales—to use, whether it should be statewide or regional, and to what extent it should support education, transportation, or both. Saslaw’s bill and others like it have been espoused especially by Democrats and the Northern Virginia contingent, who were frustrated last year when the movement to increase funding for Northern Virginia failed. A lack of unity on behalf of Congressmen in favor of tax increases has been blamed for the movement’s failure thus far. Putting its name behind a specific cause for the first time, the Fairfax County Coalition of Parent-Teachers Associations (FCCPTSA) has officially endorsed a tax increase to fund education. Their “goal is to get something that would pass to help schools in Northern Virginia, in particular the facilities,” said PTSA President Elizabeth Segall. “We know the state can’t really help us so it only seems fair that it give us a chance to help ourselves. There’s so many buildings, so many trailers, so many renovations,” that need funding, she said. “I would say that most people [in the AHS community] would agree that it is a good idea for us to have a vote to decide... It should be our decision.”

The front-side of the Newseum as it looks now in Arlington, VA. The Newseum will reopen in Washintong, D.C. in 2006.

Hook becomes finalist for award “Yes, because it gave a lot of informational facts about the past and present.”

Education budget to be determined with tax

30 31

Softball (Richmond Tourn., Away)

P R I

N G

B R E A K

Passover (Sundown)

Annandale High School Calendar of Events

Girls’ Soccer v. Westfield, 7 p.m., Away Boys’ Soccer v. Westfield, 7 p.m., Home

A-blast #11

Girls’ Lax v. Chantilly, 7:15 p.m., Home Baseball v. Falls Church, 6 p.m., Home

—Compiled by Atomic Agenda Editor Chae-Wha Park

Good Friday

February M

April

15 16

news

Weight room changes New equipment arrives, improves weightroom, obtained through grant by David Marin Staff Writer

PHILIPPE PODHORECKI

Annandale Singers sing in preparation for tonight’s concert.

Pyramid Concert held tonight by Saman Hussain Staff Writer

Five years ago Jasmine Canady, a middle school student, anxiously awaited her opportunity to perform alongside AHS students in the Pyramid Concert. “I was really excited and looked up to the high school kids,” said Canady. “It was a motivating experience because it made me want to be in high school chorus.” Now a senior and the director of Women’s Ensemble, she is the one who is going to be looked up at by students from Poe and Holmes Middle School when she, along with the rest of AHS’s chorus department will perform at the annual Pyramid Concert, which will be held tomorrow, at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. “It’s like when an older brother does something with his younger brother,” said senior David Bernfeld, a member of the Annandale Singers. He, as are most other chorus members, is looking forward to “inspire” the younger singers “to continue music in high school.” A great opportunity for budding Middle School students, it

ou want to show off your chour to its best advantage. The selectyion focuses on something that can show a contrast in our group. Ayobamidele Odejimi —senior

also gives the chorus department the ideal chance to practice for chorus’s most momentous event of the year, the District Festival. This year the festival will be held on March 16, less than two weeks following the Pyramid Concert. “I think it’s a really good practice because it helps us practice our district pieces in a performance setting,” said junior Victoria Benson, who sings in Annandale Singers. It simultaneously allows students to work on their weaknesses so that they can give a flawless performance at the festival. Trying not to overwork her students, chorus director Carleen Dixon, does not hold after school practice and instead focuses on making the best use of school time. “They practice their songs during their class period and we also have pretty intense rehearsals during flex,” said Dixon. The Annandale Singers, Women’s Ensemble, Men’s Chorale, Concert Choir and chorus all take part in the concert, singing three pieces each. Towards the end of the concert, AHS, Poe and Holmes Middle School students all sonorously sing a final piece together. One out of every three pieces is selected from a state approved list. “You choose whatever you think best reflects the choir ability,” said Dixon. “You want to show off your choir to its best advantage. The selection focuses on something that can show a contrast in our group,” said senior Ayobamidele Odejimi, the student director of the Annandale Singers. “In our case it might be magical or lyrical, or slow with fast, depending on what we’d like to show.” Self-assured after receiving all 1s (the highest number given to excellent performances) in the festival last year, the singers are looking forward to the concert. “I really want to see how it’ll go, though I’m confident we’ll sound fine,” said Odejimi. “Public performances always help because they allow everyone to get over their pre-festival jitters and give a good presentation,” said Dixon.

If you have been in the weight room lately, you may have noticed the brand new, white equipment. Gone are the old, black machines that were rusty and broken half the time anyway. This is only the first part of the shipment of entirely new equipment that should be in by Spring Break. This equipment was made available by a $50,000 grant approved two years early by Principal Don Clausen. As part of the school renovation, the entire weight room was supposed to be built in 2-3 years, which is when the new equipment was supposed to come in. However, according to Weight Training teacher Dick Adams, the equipment was needed right now. “The equipment is heavily used, it is adequate, but it is being worn down. It is obsolete and we want to improve it. This is a tremendous step forward.” The new weight room will be divided into 5 sections. For the more advanced lifters and athletes, there will be 5 mega racks which allow you to do squats for your legs, military press and chin-ups for your arms and shoulders, and incline press for your chest. There will also be 5 power benches for bench press. As far as dumbbells there will be two racks. One for weights 5-45 pounds, and another for weights 45-90 pounds. These weights are used to work on the different muscles in your arms and upper back. New to the weight room will be the Plyometric stations, aerobic section and the selectorized work out area. Plyometrics are series of jumps used to strengthen the muscles in your legs and to give you more explosion off your feet when you jump. In the aerobic section there will be two upright bikes, a step machine and a rowing machine, none of which the weight room has now. Another key addition will be the selectorized work out station. This section is geared to all lifters but can be used in many ways. For the experienced lifter, they can work one specific muscle with these more diversified machines. For beginners or weaker lifters, these machines can be used to work out, when using a bench press or a squat rack is too hard because the bar is too much weight. Adams thinks that the new equipment will be a sort of novelty thing. “For the first few weeks it will be like, wow, this stuff is great,” he tells his classes, “but after that everything will be back to normal and everyone will just have to come in and work just as hard as they did with the old equipment. The

the right to privacy guaranteed by the 14th Amendment. The court ruled against this claim, however, stating the Constitution does not hold the notion that the right to prevent the exposure of schoolwork and test grades is a fundamental personal interest. Therefore, the ruling was made in favor of the defendants on Falvo’s 14th Amendment claim. National teachers unions greatly supported the Owasso Independent School District in the case. They argued that a court decision in favor of Falvo could potentially overwhelm teachers with paperwork. The case generated much interest by teachers at AHS as their lesson plans and daily teaching routines were threatened by this case. “[Peer grading] has to serve an academic purpose,” said Chemistry teacher Thomas Pratuch, who feels the technique works as far as showing students how their work is graded. Without an academic purpose, however, Pratuch feels the practice “doesn’t make sense.” In Virginia especially, due to SOL testing, courses have had to move at paces sometimes too quick for students

SEAN SULLIVAN

new equipment will look better, and people like to use nice, good-working equipment. The only y difference it will make from a weight lifting standpoint is for the everyday users. “They will not have to deal with broken equipment all the time,” says Adams. Nearly all users agree that the new equipment is better. “I think that its super,” says sophomore Brian Bagot, “I feel more secure knowing that I am safe, knowing all the weights I use. Freshman Sam Boyd also said, “I like the new squat racks because they have many uses.” The only knock on the new equipment, is that it might be too soft. “It’s very nice, but the benches are too soft,” said junior Loren Sexton. “I could fall asleep on them,” added sophomore Noah Crowley. One thing that many seniors do not like is that they will only get to use the new equipment for the rest of the year. “I like the new stuff, but its bad that it all came in my senior year,” said senior Carlos Varela. “I like the new preacher curl machines because they work on your arms more. But it’s about time that we got all this stuff,” said senior Samson Abebe. With the addition of the equipment plus the all the changes to come in the weight room, you should probably expect to see many new faces working out in the weight room.

CHRIS HOGEBOOM

Junior Ashley Welch speaks during a press conference in which AHS was given computers. Welch and her sisters organized Wash America, who presented Red Cross with money.

“Wash” from pg. 1 As the girls spoke at the assembly, tears went through their eyes as they spoke about how lucky they were and about all that they accomplished. Ashley Welch said, “We didn’t think it would be as successful as it became, obviously we were very wrong. The response we received was undoubtedly revealing to us the human spirit and generosity of people around us.” AHS and Beckford

to learn all the material. For this reason many do not believe precious class time should be spent grading work that teachers could do after class. Kristja Falvo’s attorney also made an argument that Falvo’s children were denied rights provided to them by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA. This states that any student educational files held by school administrators must remain private unless parental consent is given. On this claim the court ruled that the grading practice did not violate FERPA due to the fact that the grades being looked at were not considered “educational records.” “It’s a teacher’s job to grade students work, because students may change grades because they have beef with other students,” said sophomore Shakara LeCount. LeCount is against the practice because she feels teachers do a better job of grading her material fairly than a student would. Falvo’s case was funded by the Rutherford Institute, a very conservative organization which funded the Paula Jones law suit against Bill Clinton.

NHS DRESS DONATION

One of the new bench presses put in the weight room.

Compaq donates computers, Wash American girls honored for work

Students allowed to grade peers’ papers, court says “Grading” from pg. 1

News Briefs

Avenue Elementary School in Los Angeles will each receive several computers, courtesy of Compaq, for raising the largest amounts of money out of any school group for Wash America. “This was not mean to be a nationwide success.” said Audrey Welch. Michael Capellas, Compaq chairman and chief executive officer, was on hand to award the computers to AHS principal Don Clausen and Beckford Avenue

principal Isabelle Wiefel. Alissa Welch ended surely but sweetly saying, “There would be no Wash America without our parents, we love you.” The check to the Red Cross for eighty-four thousand dollars was unveiled while the audience gave a standing ovation to the girls and CEO of the Red Cross, Harold Decker. The generous donation by Compaq computers has gone to the Technology Education in room 150. Considering that the old computers were outdated and 7-8 years old. Junior Andy Pelenberg said,” The new computers are a lot faster than the old ones.” Receiving these 10 new computers is, Tech Ed teacher, Phil Harris. He said, “ The equipment was old, repairs always had to be made and that disrupted class. Kids were always losing reports because of computer crashes. This is a blessing. Who ever participated, I gladly appreciate what you’ve done.” Principal Don Clausen said, “ We just bought four wireless mobile labs with the construction money. Four karts with sixteen computers will go on each. This is a project in order to save space for more classes and less trailers. The girls really have given us some positive publicity and proved to be an outlet for students in response to Sept. 11. A lot of good came out of it.”

The National Honor Society is currently sponsoring a prom dress sale/swap that will take place on April 20. Ms. Hrobowski is accepting donations of used prom or homecoming dresses, shoes, and purses in room 143. All dresses will sale for less than $25 and donations will be accepted up until April 12. All proceeds will benefit the NHS Book Scholarship Fund.

WINTER SPORTS BANQUET The winter sports banquet will be held tonight. The winter banquet will be preceded by a dinner for all athletes, who will need to pay three dollars and should bring food. Afterwards is the award ceremony where atom achievement awards are given and then teams will break off and award individual awards and letters.

APPRENTICESHIPS On March 12 during the two flexes their will be information about apprenticeships programs. What they are how to get invole and where to find out more information will all be discussed. All students are eligible, but it is meant for graduation seniors who are not sure about after high school plans.

BALTIMORE INTERACTION COLLEGE There was a meeting held from representatives of Baltimore Interaction College about thier culinary program and Hospitality/ Administration Management and Hotel Management. The representative was in the career center March 4.

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Wednesday, March 6, 2002

8 Life in the Fast Lane a

the

Blast

Whether you just want to learn how to change the oil in your car or you want to pursue a career involving cars, Auto Tech is a necessary class. There are three levels of Auto Tech: Level 1 for basic car maintenance, and Levels 2 and 3 for those who wish to pursue the field after graduation. While girls have always been a minority when it comes to enrollment in the classes, the number of girls involved has dramatically increased in the past years. While students spend most of the time working directly with cars, the most valuable lessons they learn are following directions and responsibility, skills that will serve them throughout life.

Wednesday, March 6, 2002

By the Numbers 150 students are enrolled in all levels of Auto Mechanics. Annandale has one of the highest enrollments in Fairfax County.

11 Number of class periods. There are five Level 1 classes and a combined total of six Level 2 and Level 3 classes.

15:1 Ratio of boys to girls. Although there are still significantly more boys enrolled in the classes, the number of girls has increased every year.

Senior David Eliff checks the transmission on the antique 1975 Cutlass Supreme in his upper level class. Since the upper level classes are more serious, they get the privilege of working with older, more valuable cars.

40 Combined years of experience of both Joseph Desio and Earl Stinson, the two Auto Tech teachers.

1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1, just one of two antique cars the upper level classes are currently working on.

75% of class time is spent working directly with the cars. Teacher Joseph Desio said, “If you take this class, you’re going to get your hands dirty.”

This socket wrench set is one of many tool sets scattered around both of the Auto Tech classroom workshop areas. With so many tools and parts to keep track of, organization is an important and neccessary skill to learn.

A 1986 Pontiac awaits student attention. Many people donate their old cars to the auto tech program for a tax deduction.

3 options after high school if you want to pursue a career with cars. -4 year colleges offer a degree in business -2 year technical school -NOVA program in which students work in a dealership for 8 weeks and take class for 8 weeks. After this, they earn an associates degree, landing a job at the dealership upon completing the program.

Senior Christine Hutchinson fixes a faulty locking mechanism on the door handle of a 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1. Hutchinson is one of only a few girls in upper level Auto Tech.

napshots

Teacher Earl Stinson gives his Level 1 class instructions for the day. Students spend most of their time working with the cars since hands-on experience is the best way for them to grasp the material.

Littered with screwdrivers, bottles of engine oil, and various car parts, work tables in the Auto Tech classrooms are an integral part of the learning environment.

Junior A.J. Hill works with a blow torch. Students must always wear safety goggles while they are working. Hill is taking the class because, “I want to learn how to fix my car, if needed.”

—All photos by Jenny Beam and Linda

cultures

Understanding Christ’s sacrifice Students find a deeper meaning in the Christian holiday proceeding Easter called lent by Cameron Kynes Cultures Editor

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Christians believe Jesus Christ performed the ultimate act of service nearly 2000 years ago, when he gave his life as a ransom for many through his death on the cross. Millions around the world and many here at Annandale still commemorate his death through the six-week period preceding Easter called Lent. The students who participate in Lent are almost a month into their fast. Many of them see this time as a time to grow in their spiritual lives rather than simply a religiously instituted diet. “I learn to sacrifice something like God sacrificed His Son for us,” said junior Ally Reina. “It makes me closer to God.” Lent began on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 13), and is for Catholics one of the most important times of the year. No matter how much or how little they know about Lent, most Catholics would agree that the 40 days of Lent remind them of giving up something that is a sacrifice acts of selfdenial, acts that are meant to remind them of Christ’s life, death and resurrection. Junior Richard White said, “Of course I observe Lent. I give up sweets and I don’t lie or swear.” It is the season that reminds Christians of the great sacrifice of Christ. Most Christians agree that the importance of the 40-day period comes from the 40 days Christ spent fasting and being tempted by the devil in the desert when he began his

tomic reactions

What did you give up for Lent?

CAMERON KYNES

Juniors Erin Breen and Adrian Vigneaull are two students who see a deeper meaning in the lental season. They use lent for more than just a religious diet by using thier sacrifice to represent the sacrifice of Christ.

public ministry. They believe centuries ago Jesus Christ went through an agony, a scourging, a crowning and a crucifixion on Good Friday. But the tragedy of Good Friday led to the triumph of Easter Sunday three days later, when he was resurrected from the dead. The acts of self-denial Christians make during the season of Lent are made to help them identify with the sacrifices of Christ. They are uniting their sacrifice with that of Christ, and uniting their pain with his. Ally Riena said about her junk food fast, “It’s a really big challenge and it’s important to challenge yourself during this time.”

“I saved up time to pray because most people give up candy and soda, but I thought this would be more beneficial to me.”

The whole thrust of the season of Lent is to make one more aware of the great events that took place centuries ago. Christians believe the death of Christ on Good Friday, the world’s greatest act of love, is represented during Lent. They reflect on the victory of Christ over death. Many students are giving something up for Lent. Junior Adrian Vigneaull has decided to sacrifice certain types of food. He said, “I’m going to eat more healthy at lunch. It’s hard because I love junk food.” Some Catholics also add things to the season. Some may read books of the Bible or pray more often. Lent officially began in A.D. 325 at the

“I gave up meat to try to lose weight, and I’m also trying to focus on my studies.”

“I didn’t give any specific thing, but I do want to stop procrastinating.” —Torrie Higgins junior

Council of Nicea, which was a meeting of church leaders. The church of that time recognized that Lent had gained much popularity and the church leaders began encouraging its members to participate in the full 40 days. Observances of Lent now include the exclusion of meat, sweets, TV, and other simple pleasures. Christians associate these surrendered items as a way to identify with the “desert” experience of isolation from all that is familiar and enjoyed daily. They are voluntarily trying to understand all that Christ gave up to come as their Messiah to this world. This deprivation allows them to see what activities they have placed in positions of importance in their everyday lives. “If anyone would come after me he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me,” (Luke 9:23). This call of Jesus forms the basis of Lent for Christians. They must deny their human desires and follow Christ. Lent is a way for Christians to humble themselves before God, bringing in their hands no price whereby they can purchase their own salvation. They believe it is a way to confess their total inadequacy before God, to strip bare all pretense to righteousness, to come before God in dust and ashes. This is why they place ash on their foreheads on the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday. Christians believe Lent is a way to empty themselves of false pride, rationalizations that prevent them from seeing themselves as needy creatures, and of their perfectionist tendencies that blind them to the sin in their own lives. Their sacrifice during this season points them to the sacrifice Christ on the cross and prepares them for the celebration of his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

—Jorge Arias junior

—Amy Jacobs freshman

Women recognized in month of March women. She decided to study law instead, and in the process with such depth, clarity and meticulous year 1951 she attained her Doctor of Jorusprudence. precision, her work became the leading text detailing She then became the first Asian-American woman to the process now known as computer programming. In Hariet Tubman, Ada Lovelace, Dolores Huerta. In practice law in Hawaii. In 1956, six years after Hawaii 1979, a software language developed by the U.S. these names, one ascertains the genuine strength of a became the 50th state, Munk was elected to the U.S. Department of Defense was named Ada in her honor. woman and the essence of perseverance . In 1978, House of Representatives. She served 12 terms on the Born in Dawson, New Mexico, in 1930, Dolores Sonoma County in California sponsored a women’s House and became the first woman of color to be elected Huerta grew up in California’s agricultural San Joaquin history week to promote the teaching of women’s to Congress. Valley. After graduating from Stockton College in the history, which was a neglected subject in elementary In 1948, Alice Coachman, in London, England 1950s, Huerta began her teaching career in a farm and high school ciriculums, during this period. The during the first Olympics held after World War II, worker’s community. There “she witnessed the heartweek of March 8 was selected to include International became the first American woman to win an Olympic breaking hunger of her students.” In 1955, she became a Women’s Day, which is celebrated in March. In 1981, Gold Medal in track and field. Born in Albany, Georgia founding member of the Stockton, California chapter of Congress passed a resolution modifying that single in 1923, Coachman was “denied access to the Community Service Organizaweek into a nationwide celebration. In 1987, public training facilities because of segregation tion (CSO), which opposed the National Women’s History Project, in policies.” Alice decided to train herself, running segregation and lobbied for better their fight for equality, led a coalition that barefoot on the “back roads of Georgia and conditions for farm workers. In successfully lobbied Congress to further devising all sorts of makeshift setups to jump 1960, after founding the Agriculexpand the celebration to include the full over.” She surmounted the shackles of tural Workers Association, she month of March. segregation, winning 25 national titles and relentlessly lobbied Congress for The inception of this month marks the breaking the previous world record in high legislation that would render celebration of the legacy and invaluable jump. pensions and public assistance to contributions of our unsung heroines. In 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the non-U.S. citizens. She was also Women In History Month, as it is called, is first woman in the United States to receive a successful in supporting legisladesigned to educate society about the pivotal medical degree (Geneva Medical College) and tion that allowed people to vote role women played in constructing the the first female physician in the U.S. In 1857, and take their driver’s examinacornerstone of modern civilization and Elizabeth, along with her younger sister Emily tion in Spanish. Finally, in 1962, humanity as a whole. Ada Love lace Blackwell, also a doctor, and Marie she co-founded the United In 1849, Harriet Tubman, escaped the Harriet Tubman Zackrzewski established the New York Farmer Workers of America along torturous fetters of slavery, and “became one Infirmary for Women and Children. The with activist Cesar Chavez. The organization of the most successful conductors of the Underground institution was later expanded in 1868 to successfully led two nationwide consumer boycotts of Railroad,” which was a network of routes taken by include a Women’s College for the training of doctors, California grapes, lettuce and Gallo wines. The boycotts slaves to reach the free North. Tubman led more than the first of it’s kind. resulted in the passage of the U.S. Agricultural Labor 300 slaves to freedom, sometimes utilizing a loaded These six extraordinary women are but a few in an Relations Act, which gave farmers the right to organize revolver as source of modification to coerce the frightful elite group of women who exceed excellence. Even in the and bargain for better working conditions and wages. ahead. In the Civil War, she affiliated herself with the most rigorous circumstances, they aspired and were Born in Maui in December of 1928, Patsy Munk’s Union forces in coastal South Carolina, serving as a faithful. They soared above society’s standards and parents from an early age instilled in her the imporlaundress, a nurse and a spy. expectations, each solidifying in their own way that tance of education. They encouraged her to “excel in Born on December 10, 1815, Ada Byron Lovelace is women do have the same physical and mental capabiliacademic courses.” In 1944, Munk graduated high arguably one of the most significant characters in ties as men. Their struggle opened doors of opportunity school as the valedictorian of her class. She ended her computer history. Although she is known as a British to generations. In their stories, one learns that anycollege career with a degree in zoology and chemistry mathematician and musician, she is best known as the thing can be accomplished with patience and dedicafrom the University of Hawaii. However, in 1948, none first computer programmer. She wrote about Charles tion. of the 20 medical schools she applied to would accept Babbage’s “Analytical Engine.” Lovelace explained the

by N’hawa Tangula Staff Writer

FEB. 12 Shrove Tuesday: day before lent on which Catholics prepare for lent by eating unwanted food.

FEB. 13 Ash Wednesday: Begins Christian Lent; name derives from symbolic use of ashes to signify penitence. Catholics traditionally place ashes on their foreheads when they go into mass.

“I gave up procrastination and laziness.”

—Christyna Kay freshman

LENTEN HOLIDAYS

MARCH 24 Palm Sunday: Opens Christian Holy Week; recalls entry of Jesus into Jerusalem when people placed palms on the ground for Christ to walk over on a donkey. One week before Easter.

MARCH 28 Maundy Thursday: The Night before his death on which Jesus ate “the last supper” and instituted the Holy Eucharist (Lord’s Supper).

MARCH 29 Good Friday: The day of Jesus’ crucifixion which Christians believe was the sacrifice to God for the sin of the world MARCH 31 Easter Sunday: day of the resurrection of Christ Three days after his death.

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Wednesday, March 6, 2002

Simple Steps to Going Vegetarian

STEP 1 Pick a meal you enjoy, it could be as basic or sohpisticated as you like, it doesn’t really matter. Substitute a vegetarian alternative for the meat or fish in that meal and give it a try. Vegetables, and grains offer endless possibilities, there’s also a fantastic selection of vegetarian convenience products and ready-made meats available

Katharine Kishiyama Staff Writer

According to Eatveg.com, over 9 million people in the U.S. classify themselves as vegetarians and a growing 40 million adults are eating less meat and more plant foods than before. Over the past years, vegetarianism has become a growing trend among Americans. Vegetarianism dates back to the ancient Greeks. Some of the most famousvegetarians were Pythagoras and Porphyry. Pythagoras and his followers strongly believed that both humans and animals have souls and that after death, an animal could be reincarnated as a human and vice versa. Therefore, they

believed animals should not be killed and eaten because all souls have equal worth. In Plato’s The Republic he professed that a vegetarian diet was the most suitable for his ideal society. Plato asserted plant foods promoted health and required less land to produce than animal foods. Other Greek philosophers felt that eating animal flesh was naturally repugnant and should be rejected on aesthetic grounds. The Romans borrowed many ideas from the Greeks including vegetarianism. The fall of Rome and the spread of Christianity across Europe led to the “dark ages” in vegetarianism thought. During this time, Christian thinkers rationalized the killing and eating of animals, declaring that people have free will and animals were placed on earth for the convenience and use of humans. However, the tradition of vegetarianism was kept alive by many monks who abstained from consuming meat to suppress their animal passions.

STEP 3 Visit your local supermarket or health food shop and get to know the full range of foods offered, you’ll be amazed. Whatever tickles your taste buds, you’re guaranteed a mouthwatering vegetarian option every time you eat

STEP 4 Buy a decent vegetarian cookbook. If you’re the type of person who enjoys cooking, far from limiting your culinary activities, vegetarianism opens up a whole new, exciting and refreshing world of taste

The vegetarian “Renaissance” has been said to have occurred during the late 18th and 19th centuries. During this period, Darwin’s theory of evolution destroyed the idea that animals were fundamentally different from humans. His theory challenged the religious and philosophical justification for consuming animals. Also during this time, Euro-

society disseminated information in the form of essays and lectures and taught that the adoption of vegetarianism would lead to universal brotherhood, increase happiness and a more civilized society. The society is still in existence today, and is known as the Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom. Their efforts were carried on into the20th century. More vegetarian organizations were formed in Western countries and newsletters, books, and other publications promoting the diet became common. The International Vegetarian Union was formed in 1908 for the purpose of organizing conferences at which vegetarians from around the world meet and share information. From these roots, the modern era of vegetarianism emerged. Since then, vegetarianism has continued to increase around the world as more and more people turn to alternative eating patterns each year.

Heatlh controversy arises Vegetarianism hits Hollywood by Paul Gleason Staff Writer

Dr. Dre

Vegetarianism has been proven one of the most healthy dietary plans. Because of the strong advocating done by everyone from Plato to Paul McCartney, vegetarianism has been thrust into modern society. Scientific research has also proved the vegetarian diet to be one with many health benefits. To many people all over the world and at AHS, a vegetarian diet can be the key to healthy lifestyle. Despite the health benefits, the diet that many vegetarians adopt is fraught with challenges. The more self-restrictions that vegetarians impose upon themselves, the more difficult it becomes to strike a balance of sound nutrition and enjoyable eating. Some vegetarians are known as ovo-lacto-vegetarians, or those who are able to eat eggs and milk products (ovo=egg, lacto=milk). “I realized how barbaric it was to eat animals when it wasn’t necessary,

and plus the thought of eating something that was once living and breathing doesn’t really appeal to me,” said ovo-lactovegetarian and sophomore Tracie Hiatt. For Hiatt and other ovo-lacto vegetarians, one of the major health concerns is lack of protein or calcium in their diet. Protein is an essential nutrient found in

certain meats. Calcium is also a very important mineral in the human body, which is found abundantly in milk. For vegans who can’t drink cow’s milk, a very popular vegetarian food is tofu. Tofu, when prepared with calcium sulfate, can fulfill one’s daily recommended source for calcium. To counter this concern, many vegetarians can take vitamin supplements, such as “One-ADay’s,” a multivitamin supplement. One of the many AHS vegetarians is sophomore Cassie Holcomb. She takes up to four supplements to make up for the lack of nutrients such as vitamin B12. This important vitamin is available in foods of animal origin or vegetarian-acceptable sources such as soya milk and yeast. Holcomb, who is a two year vegetarian, favors foods like fruits and vegetables. However, she does not allow herself to eat plain milk or eggs. Regardless, she eats milk and cheese products such as ice cream or chocolate.

Although Holcomb doesn’t often visit fast food restaurants, she finds the vegetarian meal when she goes. At McDonalds, a place many vegetarians avoid because they are notorious for cooking their French-Fries in animal fat, she purchases salads. Due to recent consumer demand, vegetarians can now travel almost anywhere and purchase a vegetarian meal at the fast food conglomerate Taco Bell. Their beans do not contain animal fat, and the tortilla wrappers are now made without dairy products. Local grocery stores have also found the growing popularity of vegetarianism. Not only are there many different fruits and vegetables, but there are also ready- made vegetarian meals. At these stores, there are also “meat substitute” meals. There are vegetarian sausages and hamburgers, and certain stews made with soya that have the same texture as meals made with meat.

Rachael Leigh Cook

Rapper, Vegetarian

Moses Itkonen

Joaquin Phoenix

Actress, Vegetarian

Actor, Vegan

Weird Al Yankovic

Lauren Bush

Comedian/Singer, Vegan

Model,Vegetarian

Pro-skater, Vegan

Big Mac with fries, or a tossed salad with dressing? An increasing number of people are asking themselves this everyday, and lately they end up choosing the tossed salad. Although some people do not really ask themselves “is this decision healthy?” “When I first became a vegan I was a little more tired than normal, but I have pretty much gotten over that part of veganism,” said senior Heather Norwood. Vegetarianism and Veganism are becoming more popular among people today, but are the health benefits really better? Most doctors and diet specialists are saying “yes” for numerous reasons. It has recently been discovered that the amount of meat someone eats is directly affiliated with their aggression, especially in men. This is because there is more testosterone in meat than in other foods that contain things like fiber. Veganism is also becoming much more popular. Veganism is when you don’t eat meat or any products that come from animals. Cow’s milk has been discovered to increase the chances of prostate cancer in men. Dairy products are also believed to be a factor in cancer, and that someone who’s diet comprised of dairy has a higher possibility of getting

21st century brings veggie popularity

Dietary habit restricts food consumption by Kyle Smeallie Staff Writer

STEP 2 Don’t be put off by what people around might say or thinkmake up your own mind. There are many myths and prejudices that surround vegetarianism

WWW.VEGSOC.ORG

A logo displayed on a pro-vegetarian website exemplifies one of the many reasons people choose to stop eating meat products.

pean written works appeared on vegetarianism. At the same time, the term “vegetarian” was coined from the Latin word “vegetus” which means active or vigorous. People who were said to follow the “Pythagorean diet” and abstained from eating flesh were now known was “vegetarians.” Many Christian groups supported the vegetarian movement. For example, The Bible Christian Church, founded by William Cowherd in Manchester, England, played a dominate role in advocating and extending the vegetarian cause. They believed Christ’s teachings of mercy should be extended to animals as well as humans and that the vegetarian diet was healthier than ones based on meat. Members of the Church believed it was their duty to maintain a good health in order to do God’s work. In 1847, members of the Church founded the Vegetarian Society. The Vegetarian Society was the first secular vegetarian organization in the West. The

in-depth

Vegetarianism dates back throughout history

by Laura Hollowell Staff Writer

THE PETA GUIDE TO COMPASSIONATE LIVING

As there is the food pyramid with the 5 food groups which doctors recommend people eat a certain amount of everyday to remain healthy, vegetarians have a 4food group circle that replaces some of the daily needed nutrients lost without a meat category.

Richard Gere is one. Kim Alexis, David Duchovny, Shania Twain, Liv Tyler, Jerry Seinfeld, Vanessa Williams, Rachael Leigh Cook, Alec Baldwin, Ashley Judd, Bob Barker, Natalie Merchant, Tiffani Amber Thiessan, Chelsea Clinton, and Pamela Anderson Lee are also. These celebrities, as well as many students at AHS, are all vegetarians. “I think people see more and more celebrities becoming vegetarians and they imagine it is the cool thing to do,” said junior Bethany Augliere-Wheat, who has been a semi-vegetarian her whole life. Now that there are different options in food choices and people have become more aware of health risks, more and more people are turning to vegetarianism. A vegetarian diet can consist of anything from beans to soymilk to tofu, also including many vegetables and fruits.

A vegetarian is someone who doesn’t eat red meat, chicken, pork, fish, or seafood. There are many different types of vegetarians: Lacto-ovo-vegetarian, which excludes meat, poultry and fish; Lacto-vegetarian, excludes eggs, meat, poultry and fish; and Ovo-vegetarian, excludes meat, poultry, fish and dairy products. A vegan is a person who doesn’t consume any animal products. Another common kind of vegetarianism is the semi-vegetarian, which is a person who doesn’t eat red meat. “I’ve never tasted red meat because my mom gave me the choice when I was younger, and I chose not to eat it,” said Augliere-Wheat. “I plan to become a full vegetarian when I go to college, but right now it’s too hard because my parents cook, so I don’t really have much of a choice what I get to eat.” Many new advances in medical techniques have shown surprising news to what a

vegetarian diet can do for you. A low-protein diet has shown to reduce the risk of kidney stones. A diet full of fruits and vegetables can help fight many harmful diseases. New research has even linked meat with types of cancer. Animal-free meals can even help give you a trimmer waist. “I think people are more aware of obesity and they choose to be vegetarians to become healthy,” said junior Cailin Yaroch. “There are so many more food choices these days that it’s not hard to be a vegetarian.” People not only choose vegetarianism to become healthier, but to be more involved in animal rights. Vegans try to avoid wearing leather and wool in addition to not eating any products made from animals. “I’ve been a vegetarian for five years now,” said junior Gina Sobel. “I agree that celebrities have a weight factor in the

popularity of vegetarianism, but to be a vegetarian for animal rights is totally personal.” Even though vegetarianism is growing in popularity, there are many people who are against being a vegetarian. “I think meat is definitely part of a well balanced diet,” said junior Justin Gray. “You need meat for daily nutrients.” Vegetarianism is growing in popularity now, but it is not a new craze. Leonardo da Vinci was a vegetarian back is his time along with Buddha who made eating and thinking habits known to society. Because Clara Barton practiced medicine, she became a vegetarian. Albert Einstein felt very strongly about vegetarianism and what the benefits to being a vegetarian were. Einstein once said, “Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.”

cancer. For this reason many people are deciding to switch from drinking cow’s milk, to drinking soy milk. Diets also directly affect people’s biological clocks. If you look back at countries like Japan you will notice that the average puberty age is higher than it was before becoming westernized. When the average Japanese diet consisted of mostly rice, fish, and vegetables, the average age for puberty was about 17. In the U.S. a case like this is pretty rare. Today the average age is about 12.5. The cause of this is presumed to be caused by a higher meat intake, and smaller vegetative intake. This concerns many physicians because reaching puberty early can increase the possibility of cancer. “I don’t really think I’m any healthier now that I am a vegan, but in the long run I think I will be much healthier, and I have a reduced chance of getting cancer,” said senior Heather Norwood. Although there are many benefits of vegetarianism, physicians are worried that people are forgetting the benefits of eating meat. One thing that a vegetarian diet lacks is a lot of protein. Vegetarians have to compensate for this by taking vitamin supplements. A lot of people would like to switch to a vegetarian diet because of the obvious health benefits, but changing a diet is easier said than done.

Local Veggie Cuisine **SUNFLOWER** Location: 2531 Chain Bridge Road, Vienna Cuisine: Some Asian, vegetable and soy mixes, meat substitute dishes Prices:$6-$15

Did You Know?

Strict vegetarians tend to take several of these food into careful consideration: ALCOHOL Many alcoholic drinks such as beer and wine are fined using animal ingredients

BISCUITS Very likely to contain animal fats

**AMMA VEGETARIAN KITCHEN** Location: 344 E Maple Avenue, Vienna Cuisine: Indian, buffet, mixed vegetable platters, such as peas and potatoes, spinach and home made cheese, salads and lentils

CAPSULES Usually made from gelatine, vegetarian alternatives are coming onto the market

Price Range: $7.95-$9.95 CHEWING GUM Often contain glycerine. Wrigley’s use a vegetable glycerine

**INDIAN PUNJABI RESTAURANT TAJ MAHAL** Location: 7239 Commerce St. Springfield Cuisine: Strictly Indian cuisine, buffet lunch and dinner, including rice and mixed vegetables Price Range: $3.99-$14.99

CHIPS May have been fried in animal fat

GELATINE A gelling agent derived from animal ligaments, skins, tendons, bones, etc.

Veggie Burger Taste Test

SOFT DRINKS Some canned Orange drinks use gelatine as a carrier for added Beta Carotene

Many companies claim to make burgers that are great-tasting, low in fat, and meatfree, but how does the flavor of different veggie burgers really rate? Experienced vegetarians at AHS rated different brands on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best. Here are the results:

MorningStar Farms STEP 5 Get to know as much about nutrition as you can. It is important to ensure your diet is well-balanced and nutritious; you do not need vitamin supplements with a well-balanced vegetarian diet

VeggieLand Boca Gardenburger INFORMAL SURVEY CONDUCTEDRANDOMLY DURING LUNCHES

Would you consider being a vegetarian or vegan? “Maybe, if I cared enough about animals and I didn’t want them to be slaughtered.” —Philip Warren, freshman

n-depth

Senior Heather Norwood enjoys a plate of vegetarian foods, including strawberries, lettuce, tomatoes, hummus, and pita bread

“No, I wouldn’t consider it because I can’t go without meat, and I love chicken.” —Yodit Gebreyes, sophomore

“No, I like meat and it’s part of a healthy diet, anyway—animals are meant to be eaten.” —Mike Borowski, junior

“I love to eat meat, and I don’t think I could possibly cut it out of my everyday diet.” —Holly Popal, senior

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY REBECCA SAMPLE

Veggin’

Out

aBlast

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Wednesday, March 6, 2001

Jordan Graves

EVERYONE

Preston Gisch

Karen Guanilo

have a story to TELL

Sharif Gab-Allah

profiles

Does

James Hamilton

Excerpts from other profiles:

Risha Jaal

Amjad Abbasi

Heather Austin

Owen Beste

From the startof the alphabet (Amjad Abbasi) to the end (Eric Zottnick), 31 juniors were randomly selected to be profiled. AP Journalism students, armed with only their assigned junior’s schedule,were challenged to find the story of their subjects’ lives. Here’s one of the best stories, about a bright but admittedly “lazy” student. by Leah Selim AP Journalism student

Walking through the halls of AHS, a tall, bleachedblond haired student stands above the rest—literally. At 6”1’, Kyle Easter towers over most of his peers, and his forever-changing hair color doesn’t detract from the attention. “My hair hasn’t been its natural color for at least a year,” says Easter. “First it was this red color that came out kind of orange, then I bleached it yellow, then dyed it red again. Now it’s back to this bleached color.” “He kind of does his hair in cycles,” explains his mother, Anita Spollen. “And he uses a lot of hair products,” she whispers while Easter isn’t listening. “He uses mousse and gel so it spikes straight up, and doesn’t move.” Judging by his outward appearance and his seemingly normal social activities, most people wouldn’t guess that inside the head of Easter lies an exceptionally brilliant mind. With the exception of his IB Higher Level math class, Easter is taking the required 11 grade courses: English 11, US VA History and Physics. His math teacher, Carol Rychlik recognized his talent early on. “Kyle is extremely gifted in math,” she says. “I can put almost any problem on the board and he can solve it without showing any work. Unfortunately, he doesn’t feel homework is a necessity.” Many teachers, including Rychlik, would agree that in Easter’s case, homework is not imperative. “However, in the IB program, I don’t have enough time in the period to show all of the examples that need to be shown, so therefore I assign them as homework. When it comes time for Kyle to take a quiz, he hasn’t seen the problems before and may find them confusing.” Although Rychlik is undoubtedly discouraged by

DENICE MILLER

Leaning back, junior Kyle Easter talks to a friend while playing on the computer and watching TV.

Lisa Castro

Piti Charoenpornpanichkul

Hayley Fletcher Isata Kamara

Easter’s work ethic, she cannot deny his remarkable of his favorite belongings. ability. For him, the best way to “I have seen a lot of gifted students come and go spend a day is to “sleep through Annandale, but I’m not sure I have seen until noon, get up and anything like Kyle. The way he can solve the probgo out with friends, lems, and have them correct, without showing any stay out as late as work... I’m not even sure I could do that when I was possible, and then go his age.” back to sleep.” Easter is also enrolled in Computer Science, a Back downstairs in rigorous course requiring the use of math in almost the living room, Easter’s every aspect of the curriculum. “Computer Science is mother explains. “He’s just Kyle Easter my easiest class,” he says. Often, Easter finishes the a nice guy, and he manages work ahead of his classmates and proceeds to learn not to get in trouble, unlike his stepbrothers,” she new material not covered in the period. He is even says. Anita Spollen describes her son as, “intelligent, considering pursuing the subject as a career path, kind, and handsome.” She is also well aware of his after he joins the Army (“to help discipline myself”) exceptional talents in his math courses. “We’ve known and goes to college. that he’s been smart in math for a long time. He was Later in the school day, Easter walks to his weight in the magnet programs at Canterbury Woods and training class. “It helps me keep in shape because I Frost when he was younger,” she says. Easter was don’t do sports anymore,” he says. Easter used to play also a winner of the Johns Hopkins University talent football and run track, but found the “practices” to be search, where he took a test and scored in the highest pointless and “a waste of time”. The situation is percentiles in math, and then traveled to Richmond to similar to that of his schoolwork—he does well on his receive the award (a certificate that his mother has exams, but doesn’t see the point in doing homework. saved). “We just got this test in the mail one day, and At 2:00, Easter walks to the home he has lived in my mom told me to take it. I scored well so I won the with his mother and stepfather, Mike Spollen, since award,” says Easter. the first grade. Beforehand, Anita Spollen raised him Although he applied and passed the test for in Arlington, living as a single mom. “I got a job as a admittance to the prestigious nanny and we lived at the house, Thomas Jefferson High so I was able to stay home and School of Science and have seen a lot of gifted students take care of Kyle all day, which Technology, he was not was nice. I also wasn’t married come and go through Annandale, accepted because his grades at the time he was born, so I got did not meet their standards. but I’m not sure I have seen to choose to give him my father’s “He’s just a typical lazy kid,” anything like Kyle. They way he can last name, Easter.” says Spollen. “He passes his Easter’s father is living in solve the problems, and have them tests, but doesn’t hand in his Loudoun County, employed as a homework, which his correct without showing any work... I’m contractor for the Department of teachers don’t really like.” not even sure I could do that when I Defense. “He’s working on an Neither Spollen nor Easter was his age. amphibious assault vehicle,” seem too upset by the fact says Easter. This is apparently a that he wasn’t accepted to —Carol Rychlik new development that is much T.J. “Who wants to go to T.J. Math teacher like a tank, except it can move anyway?” he says. through water, similar to a boat. While each of his family Easter visits his dad about once a month or every members has a different way of describing him, all of other month, and says he gains strength from him. them agree that he is independent. “Kyle has gone on “[My dad] thinks about others and is very intelligent,” several trips with his grandmother but without me; I he says. didn’t go on any of them,” says his mother. “I rarely Easter’s family currently lives in a modest house, see him, he spends most of his time out with his just a few blocks away from AHS. Upon entering, a friends.” In fact, Easter admits that one of the reasons huge white dog named Magnus, who is prone to he likes living in Annandale is because of the people— playfully attacking visitors, rushes to the door. “He’s his friends are a large part of his life. He spends most just a puppy,” Easter says, while struggling to hold of his free time on weekends just hanging out at their back the dog, which is larger than most full grown houses. Labradors. “We just sit around and listen to music,” says a Anita Spollen leads the way up the stairs to close friend, Alex Cherney, who describes Kyle as Easter’s bedroom, where he spends most of his time “spontaneous, random, hyped-up, and spikey.” “His after school watching TV, playing video games, nickname is Easter bunny,” he adds. listening to music or using the computer. “Usually I Easter believes that the most important virtue in a don’t let Kyle have a girl in his room with the door friend is trustworthiness; he has gained the insight closed,” she says as she leaves. from a past experience. “A girl I was dating once “Mom...” Easter trails off, embarrassed. cheated on me with one of my good friends,” he says. Above his dresser are two posters of the popular Surprisingly, he is still friends with the guy, although rock group Linkin Park. “That’s my Linkin Park he rarely speaks with the girl. shrine,” Easter says, pointing to the posters. Taped on Overall, Easter’s friends and family seem to agree to each one is a ticket stub of concerts where he’s seen that underneath the spiked hair and the oversized them. Easter likes the band because their lyrics have pants lies a pretty cool guy. “I’m just a nice guy,” says meaning, and they play all different kinds of musicEaster. “I love everybody.” rap, rock, and techno-each song is different. “I’ve After a long day of school, and completing little to already got their autographs,” he says, grabbing a none of his homework, Easter returns to his bedroom booklet he received at Ozzfest, a music festival the once again. His stereo has been permanently placed band played. Inside are pictures of all the bands and next to his pillow, as he likes to listen to music when autographs from many of them, including Linkin he goes to sleep. Tomorrow, Easter will wake up, use Park. “They’re the best band in the world,” he says. his many hair products, and prepare for another day Easter’s bed takes up much of the floor space in the of “trivial” classes. room. He loves to sleep, and admits that his bed is one

“I love teen movies! They’re so much fun to watch. I also like anything with Antonio Sabato Jr. in it. He’s so hot!” —An T. Nguyen “I think when I come to U.S., it changed my life. In my country, I did many different things that I’m doing in here. I’m living in two different worlds. My body is here but my mind is in Bolivia. That happens to me when I think when I came to this country.” —Juan Padilla Araya “Death happens and you just have to take it from there. Life goes on.” —Hana Sarsour “If someone doesn’t agree with me, I know how to persuade them and change their minds just by talking. I don’t let things get to me, I let them go.” —Isata Kamara “I felt like an outcast [in America] because I couldn’t speak a word of English. I didn’t even try, because I knew I would sound stupid. I was scared to talk to people, scared that someone would come talk to me in English.” —Marlyn Lemus

aBlast

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Wednesday, March 6, 2002

Marlyn Lemus

Hana Sarsour

Jennifer Maylett

Andrew Satten

Phuong Min Tran

Joyce Thompson

Elaine Ubas

An T. Nguyen

Ashlee Nicely

Andrew Vaccaro

Juan Padilla Araya

Bayla Whitten

Alejandro Salinasgrageda

Ahan Woo

Erik Zottnick

14 aBlast

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Wednesday, March 6, 2002

Palm Pilots: Useful Organizers

i705 Handheld This is the newest edition to the Palm family and includes a backlit screen, lithium polymer battery, 8 MB memory, and builtin wireless internet access, as well as text messaging. The i705 only weighs 5.9 ounces but costs a hefty $449.

m125 Handheld This handheld is a great starter Palm that works best for students. It includes internet access, text messaging, 8 MB memory, blacklit screen, and organizer basics such as a datebook, address book, and a memo pad. The m125 works on AAA batteries and only costs $199.

Sports and academics splits students time A typical practice for any spring sport lasts from about three to six p.m. While athletes have time in between It’s 4:45 a.m. and many AHS school and practice to get a jump start students are already awake. While on assignments, the little time they many have early morning practices, have is typically spent getting one-onothers must burden themselves with one help from teachers or in the completing the english paper that they training room, stretching and getting forgot to write the night before. By therapy on their sore muscles and 7:20 a.m., school starts and about eight limbs. It’s after practice that students hours later, practice begins at around 3 must scramble to finish everything p.m. By 9 p.m. many students have and get a (somewhat) decent night’s only just completed dinner and must sleep for their equally exhausting day start their math homework, science ahead. report, vocabulary assignment, art “I always look forward to the spring project, or French homework. At sport season,” says sophomore Brent midnight, the Sullivan. “But during typical AHS lacrosse season it’s a student crawls he GPA during the spring sport real hassle getting into bed and things done. I have season varies from student to the routine practices everyday student, because some thrive begins again in after school until six, about five on the time management required then Saturday hours. morning practices as for the sport schedule. Sound well. In the spring, I familiar? To —Linda Wheeler eat, breathe and live many AHS Guidance Counselor lacrosse, and school students, this adds to the challenge.” will be their Athletes with routine for the next 3 months as they challenging classes don’t ever seem to struggle their way through school, get a break. Advanced Placement and spring sports, jobs, SATs, colleges, and International Baccalaureate classes other extracurricular activities. are known for the incredible amounts The spring sport season is the most of work students have to tackle each popular season, including most of the night. Imagine writing a 500-word student body. Spring track, boys and essay for Mrs. Richardson’s AP girls lacrosse, boys and girls soccer, Government class. Now imagine baseball, softball and boys tennis get starting it at 7 p.m., after running more participants than fall and winter around for two hours. Additionally, seasons. The warm weather and endthere’s always math, science, of-the-year attitudes attract students English, and elective classes. to join. Junior Meagan Ogletree “[But what does affect the GPA disagrees. A varsity softball during the spring sport season] varies player, she believes it only from student to student, because some adds to the challenge. “Sure thrive on the time management it’s a lot of work, but knowing required for the sport schedule; it’s that I can get good grades more consistent. For others, the extra and get a starting position involvement in spring sports causes for softball is a really great their grade to suffer,” says guidance reward. Colleges will look at counselor Linda Wheeler. “It actually my grades, then my helps more students then hurts them schedule, and know that I because of the consistency and routine can commit and that I get added to their schedule. Also, many things done. They like coaches stress academics during the that.” Ogletree is curseason. If a student is suffering, they rently enrolled in IB lose playing time.” English and IB Informa-

by Sarah Sherman Photographer

As the end of the third quarter draws near, AHS students must balance their time between spring sports, clubs and organizations, jobs, and academic activities.

tion Systems, as well as several other challenging classes. As if school and sports weren’t enough, several students also have part time jobs (nights and weekends) around the area. They often need the extra cash for car maintenance, clothes, or just to have on hand. So when spring sports roll around, giving up a job that pays well is generally a hard decision to make. Its time to get priorities straight. The only problem is what’s number one, school, sports, or work? “It’s always tough during track season,” says senior Noah Yates. “Working, school and track take up a lot of time. It’s challenging, but I get things done. It kind of sucks, though, because I lose a lot of time with my friends and family, and to do things I want to do.” Yates runs varsity track and works at Pinecrest Golf Course as well. The little time student athletes have left after sports and work is taken up by whatever can be squeezed in. Family and friends see less of students during spring sports because when they’re not at school, practice or work, their attention is usually devoted to studies and extracurriculars. There is little time for the mall, movies and hanging out with friends. Those who are playing a sport or working begin to miss their favorite relaxing activities, such as hanging out with friends and watching TV. During spring sports sleep

Managing Your Time…

often becomes a privilege instead of a necessity. Athletes who devote their time to sports and school lose precious hours of what used to be catching Zs. Now it’s spent catching up on school work. When they’re not practicing on weekends, students spend Saturday and Sunday mornings catching up on much needed sleep. Some athletes are so devoted to their sport, they continue with their club team during the spring sport season. Junior Karen Steinbuechler plays not only on the girls varsity soccer team, but with the Annandale Boys and Girls Club Roadrunners as well. “I love it,” said Steinbuechler. “It doesn’t conflict with my school practices, and a lot of girls from AHS are on my team, so we can talk and have fun together. It’s also a nice break from school stresses and competitiveness; it’s totally worth the effort.” However, some of it gets to be too much for several students. Many students are pushed up against the wall and forced to give up one of their priorities, be it their job or sport. For junior Zhiela Ashtianipour, it was just too much. “I decided to stop working and resume later in the year because the workload this quarter has become more severe.” Overall, students can’t help but enjoy the spring sport season. Games and spirit week help reinforce athletes’ love for the game. Despite the long hours, hard work and effort that goes into the spring season, good friends, great coaches, and awesome victories (and sometimes defeats) are what keep students coming back year after year. Sure, there are complaints, but give up soccer, lacrosse, or softball? “Sometimes I can’t stand the work, and I always hate how I lose so much time,” says Ogletree. “But hey, no pain, no gain, right?”

BY KATHY SAUPP

Is student workload tougher third quarter? easily get lazy.” Jepson said that the low grades are not necessarily due to laziness, but can also be caused by students feeling To many students, third quarter is considered the overwhelmed. Because it is spring sports seasons, and hardest quarter of the school year. Lessons become more many students do not know how to manage their time, complicated, teachers give more homework and more “they get physically or emotionally tired, or both, due to the projects are assigned. lack of significant break or the fact that they are involve in Joel Jepson, U.S./Va. history teacher, says that he has club organizations, sports, field trips, etc,” said Jepson. been giving the same amount of But in Thomas Pratuch’s IB homework. However, it is much Chemistry class, it is absolutely easier to do this quarter than it the contrary. In fact, third was during the previous fter a while you get tired, because from quarter looks pretty good for quarters, because students Winter break to spring break, there aren’t Pratuch. He said that the become more familiar with the homework gets harder, because any real breaks, and you easily get lazy. subject and it is easier for them the course progresses and it to identify it. “For example, —Joel Jepson gets more challenging. Some of students know more about History Teacher the homework focuses on things World War I and II, than the that students have to know, like immigration problems,” said ions, and special reactions to Jepson. pass the IB final test. He also says that the tests have been the same, meaning It is the same amount of homework, but students may that they are not harder or more often, and the lessons are take longer to do it or understand it, because they are taught at the same pace. But students’ grades seem to be learning new materials. For example, this is the time of the lower than before. year when students have to learn about Redox reactions, To justify that, Myar Mohammed, a student in Jepson’s responses between chemicals that change—electrons class said, “After a while you get tired, because from winter configurations and do a “group four project.” Students have break to spring break, there aren’t any real breaks, and you

by Annette Bouadi Staff Writer

How do you manage your time between sports and school work?

“I just do what I gotta do and try to complete my homework right when I get back from school.”

cademics

m505 Handheld This Palm Pilot is one of the few that offers a color screen as well as different color covers. It contains an 8 MB memory, ultra thin design, internet access, text messaging, and a rechargeable lithium battery. The m505 costs about $399.

to get data and write a report which is an important part of their IB grade. Pratuch also said that his way of teaching did not get any faster or slower, but he takes the time to make sure that every student understand the lessons. The tests are also the same, and so are the students’ grades. “The work may get harder, but the students know better ways to do it,” says Pratuch. Another teacher who has increased the amount of her homework is English teacher Funsun Dogu. Dogu’s classes have more homework than they used to, because students are going into more complicated and complex lessons and which involves more reading and projects. For example, they just finished reading Night by Elie Wiesel and did a research paper on the Holocaust. Next will be reading Lord of the Flies and will complete an outline as well as another research paper. In the research papers, students have to write a thesis and research to prove it with supportive details. In addition to the increased amount of homework, students also have to be tested more often than the first quarter. The SOL testing is also a factor in students’ inability to keep their grades high. “I guess my grades are lower because first, we have twice as much homework as we used to and on top of that, we have to study for tests,” said sophomore Mario Renderos.

—James Alvaraz, freshman

“I try to make sure that my homework is done before practice so I can have a period of relaxation when I get home from practice.” —Amanda Sheaffer, sophomore

“I don’t get a lot of sleep and I rarely watch T.V. I try to squeeze in homework whenever a break appears.” —Elaine Filadelfo, junior

“I decided to quit my job to focus more on school and basketball.” —Ahmed Mohamed, senior

“I find time by sleeping during class and instruction time.” —Kevin Fox, senior

East takes hold of the West

A wordy exhibit opens at the Sackler Gallery in D.C. by Rebecca Kraushaar Arts Editor

The saying goes that “its not what you say, but how you say it.” Xu Bing, however, disagrees. His mixed media exhibit at the Sackler Gallery says something in English, Chinese, and his own made-up language. The catch is that the languages are made to look so much alike that it’s not clear what he’s saying . Appropriately entitled Word Play, the exhibit is both a play with words and a play on words. A chain of carved wooden monkeys dangling from the ceiling of the gallery are demonstrative of Xu Bing’s wit. Each link actually spells out the word “monkey” in a different language. The monkeys form a 90 foot chain that reaches all the way down to a reflecting pool at the lower level. The idea for Monkeys Grasping at the Moon came from a Chinese fable. Upon seeing the moon’s reflection in a pool of water, the monkeys decide to try and capture it. They link arms and hang from a tree branch only to discover that the moon in the water is not real. Just like the moon, art is also an illusion. This concept is pervasive in Xu Bing’s work. What looks like one thing is always something else.

Descending the stairs to the lower floor of the gallery are a flock of paper birds hanging from the ceiling, but are they really birds? Midway they start to transform into Chinese symbols. On the floor lies the dictionary definition for the word “niao” meaning bird. The birds are trying to “break free from the confines of the literal definition and take flight...As they rise into the air, the characters transform from a standardized Chinese text into the form of the ancient Chinese...[finally] the birds appear in their natural form and soar free from words which with humans attempt to categorize and define them.” The ex-patriot’s interest in words stems from his life in China under Communist dictator Mao. “During the Cultural Revolution, he saw how language and the written word could be altered and stripped of meaning by political extremists. Now Xu Bing manipulates language in his art, bringing fresh understandings of the powerful role words play in our lives.” His most powerful and controversial instillation is A Book from the Sky, taking up a whole room. Scrolls hang from the ceiling and open books cover the floor. He follows the traditional forms of Chinese scroll making and book binding. However, the

a rts

Asian Art

S potlight A rtist `

The installation A Book from the Sky takes up an entire room. The scrolls and books are filled with Xu Bing’s made-up characters.

Name: Anh Hoang Grade: 10

written text that fills the instillation is anything but traditional. In fact, it is fake. He invented 4,000 characters which resemble Chinese, but are indecipherable. In the Square Word Calligraphy section of the gallery, scrolls filled with calligraphy also line the walls. However, this calligraphy, unlike A Book from the Sky, actually means something. Although the symbols look like Chinese, they are actually boxed English words. Reading down the scrolls are nursery rhymes. Museum-goers are able to have their fun

playing with words as well. Two computers are set up with the special Square Word program. Type any word into the computer and the square word form (which resembles Chinese) is produced. In a separate room mats and tables are set up to practice this square word calligraphy. A calligraphy brush and ink as well as a book filled with Xu Bing’s square words are provided. The exhibit is free and will run until May 12. For more information call (202) 357-2700 or go to www.asia.si.edu/exhibitions/ xubing.htm.

Have a ball folding origami with these easy steps

Noteable Acheivement: He learned how to fold money origami when he was in 7th grade. His brother’s girlfriend originally taught him how to make a heart. Since then he has learned how to fold a t-shirt, spider, and glasses all out of dollar bills. Personal: Hoang carries a 3.5 GPA, is a JV wrestler and runs spring track. On the weekends he works at Maxim Palace (Dim Sum).

Make origami using dollar bills:

A heart

Step 1: Fold the bottom left corner to the top right corner. (forming a triangle). Crease. Unfold. Fold the bottom right corner to the top left corner.

Step 2: Fold the bottom to the top (forming a rectangle). Crease. Unfold the left side to the right side. Crease.

Step 3: Fold in the left and right corners of the rectangle. The paper should now look like a triangle.

Step 4: Fold the left corner of the triangle up to the top point of the triangle. Do the same to the right corner. Repeat on opposite side. (It now looks like a diamond). A Shirt

Boots

PHOTOS BY ABBY SEGALL

Step 5: Fold in the corners of the diamond. Repeat four times. (It now looks like a diamond with its sides hacked off).

Step 6: One top of the diamond should have loose flaps. Fold these flaps down into the pockets formed in step five. Repeat four times.

Step 7: The other top of the diamond should have a hole in it. Blow in the hole.

Step 8:Congratulations! You’ve now made your own paper ball.

Sailboat

Calligraphy: A brush of talent Maggie Owner Staff Writer

only framed on a wall or painted on a scroll, but it can be used in everyday life as well. When you walk down the street in Beijing, you With a soft stroke, a brush, ink and paper can be compared to “a rare exotic flower in the might see shop signs, office buildings and monuments written with calligraphy. oriental culture.” Calligraphy makes writing For thousands of years, Japan, Korea and into an art form. There are an uncounted other Southeast Asian countries have adopted number of different styles of calligraphy, each this art form into their society. Within the past varying on the artist’s own technique. few years these nations have also included Calligraphy differs from regular handwritcalligraphy into their academic curriculum. ing in the shaping, uniformity, proportion, Since World War II, calligraphy has also and style of the letters. Calligraphers use a infiltrated western nations. The U.S. has variety of inks, developed its own style of brushes, and stones calligraphy where the writing is to mix the ink. The nyone with a good amount of done in special pen with a hard different widths in tip, but “the difference between concentration and nice brush create range the Chinese calligraphy [and of shades and handwriting could do calligraAmerican] is [Chinese] is soft, strokes in the phy and uses a unique brush,” said letters. “Whether it Dawn Wicklund. is correctly written, —Dawn Wicklund Wicklund started calligraphy is not important, Media Specialist when she was in high school [but] the technique because many of her friends is important,” said were writing wedding invitaScience teacher Gannon Sugimura. tions, and she was in art. She continued with Many people may see calligraphy as just calligraphy because she found that she could attractive writing, but in China and other make it into a part-time job. “I make a lot of East Asian countries, this style of art is taken money throughout the year,” said Wicklund. quite seriously. Many clubs and associations She charges $3 an envelope, and makes have been developed solely for the purpose of approximately $100 an hour. Wicklund calligraphy, and receive strong support from suggests, “Anyone with a good amount of foundations around the country. Competitions concentration and nice hand writing could do are held with cash prizes to further the growth of the art. Students from grades one to calligraphy.” Total Crafts carries calligraphy kits for $7 to $14, and it only takes about a 12 are taught calligraphy as a subject. “They half hour lesson to master them. are taught over 2000 characters and it takes Calligraphy is revered throughout eastern them all that time [to acquire the skill],”said Asia. It has been around for thousands of Sugimura. years and is now a respectable art form which This ancient art form has made its way can prove to be profitable. However, it requires into China’s modern way of life, and has now a great amount of skill and dedication. assumed many practical uses. Everyone from emperors to peasants have eagerly collected works of this style of art. Calligraphy is not

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Wednesday, March 6, 2002

SPRING SPORTS SCHEDULE Varsity Boys Lacrosse Scrimmage vs. Jefferson 3/13 @ 6:30

Wrestlers place at Va Beach by Jared Smith Staff Writer

The VHSL State tournament, held from Feb. 22-24, featured four Atoms and two placed in the prestigious meet. Juniors Ehab Awadallah and Jegs Peralta were alternates, while seniors Andrew Marfull and Tony Cavalero finished 3rd and 4th respectively. “I wrestled hard, and the hard work all year paid off,” said Marfull. Cavalero was also pleased with his performance. “I’m happy with the outcome of this tournament, said Cavalero, “All the tough practices made me the wrestler I am today.” Head Coach Will Stravino was also pleased with the Atoms state performance, “We had an excellent tourney, we had some great matches and surprised a lot of people with the outcome,” said Stravino. Overall, the Atoms finished 15th in the state.

Prior to the state tourney, the Atoms participated in the AAA Northern Region Tournament, held from Feb. 14-16. The Atoms placed four wrestlers: Andrew Marfull finished 1st, Tony Cavalero finished 2nd, Ehab Awadallah finished 5th and Jegs Peralta finished 6th. Coach Stravino was pleased with this performance as well. “The guys wrestled real tough and hammered it out to get some hard-nosed wins,” said Stravino. Senior Andrew Marfull was also happy with his first place finish in the 145 lbs. weight class. “This tourney went great and I’m grateful we placed high overall as a team as well,” said Marfull. Overall the Atoms placed 8th in the region out of 28 teams. It was the best regional finish for the Atoms in over five seasons. “We have definitely improved from last year,” said Stravino. “That

is impressive considering we are in one of the most competitive districts in the state, but we plan on improving again next year.” The Atoms have shown improvement from their 2001 record of 7-12 to this years’ record of 10-7. In addition, the Atoms look to fill some holes next

year with 10 out of the 14 weight class spots being available for up and coming JV wrestlers. Regarding next year’s new positions, Coach Stravino said, “ We are looking forward to the transition of young guys from the JV to the varsity level.” Senior Andrew Marfull placed 3rd last weekend at the Virginia state wrestling tournament.

RYAN CROFT

Senior Tony Cavalero practices before his 4th place finish at the state tournament in Virginia Beach last weekend.

Rebels oust Boys Basketball in 1st round of Regionals by Sam Molavi Staff Writer

Varsity Girls Lacrosse 3/18 @ Herndon 7:15 Boys Varsity Soccer 4/01 vs. Westfield 7:00 Spring Track Seahawk Invitational 4/06 @ 9:00 Varsity Baseball Scrimmage vs. Woodson 3/15 @ Atoms Park 4:00 Boys Tennis 4/03 @ LB 4:00 Varsity Girls Soccer 4/1 @Westfield 7:00 JV Baseball Scrimmage at Woodson Mar. 15 4:30

JENNY BEAM

Senior Aaron Habtom goes through his pre-free throw routine while junior Brandon Wilkerson looks on during the Atoms firstround District win over West Springfield at Lake Braddock. Habtom was a key contributor this season in his third year on the varsity and fourth year in the program.

ports riefs B

A Recap of Winter Sports Seasons

Swim and Dive Coming out of the state swim and dive meet, the boys team finished the season ranked fourth in the state. The boys 200 medley relay consisting of seniors John Merrill, Matt Wolff, junior Andy Pelenberg and freshman John Kreitler placed second in the state. In the 200 individual medley senior Matt Wolff placed fourth, while in the 50 freestyle, freshman John Kreitler finished fourth and broke the previous school record for the event. In the 100 butterfly, senior Matt Wolff finished seventh and senior John Merrill finished 15th. In the 100 freestyle Kreitler took third in

After reaching the Regional tournament for the first time in three years last Monday, the boys basketball team was defeated in a hard-fought game against the Fairfax Rebels by the score of 64-46. Led by First-Team All-District selection Jay Athey, who contributed 15 points, the Atoms managed to keep the game close before halftime and were only down six. However, they were in a constant uphill battle the whole game and Fairfax pulled ahead in the third and never looked back. With the loss, the Atoms concluded their season with an 1113 record. “Towards the end of the game we cut the score to six and tried to foul them to get back in it,” said Coach Patrick Hughes. “But Fairfax managed to maintain ball control and we eventually fell.” Although the season ended with disappointment, it was marked with some impressive wins and some great strides for the basketball program. “We did pretty decent this year and beat some great teams. All of the seniors contributed a lot and I am most impressed with the way all three levels [freshmen, JV and varsity] beat Robinson. The program as a whole has not done this well in

the state and yet again broke the school record for the event. Further, junior Andy Pelenberg finished fifth in the state for the 100 breaststroke. In the 400 freestyle relay consisting of seniors Matt Wolff and Will Freeman, junior Andy Pelenberg and freshman John Kreitler finished third in the state. The 200 freestyle relay consisting of seniors Will Freeman, John Merrill, David Covucci and Chris Crotty finished 10th place in the state. “Going into the season, I felt that the boys would be able to finish in top five teams in the state,” said Head Coach Bruce Fisher. “We did just that.” The girls team finished 13th in the state overall with the best individual performance by senior Yukari Nakamura, who finished 2nd in the state dive meet. The girls 200 medley relay consisting of freshman Tiffany Wattenbarger, sophomore Sarah Bizer and seniors Mary Gunderson and Allie Sanders finished 7th in the state. The 200 freestyle relay consisted of the same

a long time,” said Hughes. Senior Jay Athey agrees. “I have been on varsity for three years and this is definitely one of the strongest teams I have been a part of,” said Athey. The attitudes and dedication of all the players made this season memorable.” Next year, the team looks to be quite young because ten of the 12varsity players are not returning

due to graduation. However, Coach Hughes feels that they still have a lot to prove even though they will not have as much varsity experience. “I feel very positive about next year. We got a young team, but they’re all good kids and if they work hard over the summer, we’ll stay strong. We have the players to compete,” said coach Hughes.

A Look back in time . . . A blast from the Atoms’ illustrious sports past. Year: 2000 The yearbook caption reads: “Going up for a right-handed layup, freshman Jose Gonzalez using his aggression to leave West Springfield behind. Layups are considered a very dependable shot.” Gonzalez, now a junior at AHS, has since retired from basketball and he now plays football and runs Winter and Spring Track. COURTESY ANTENNA YEARBOOK

athletes finished in 7th place as well and broke the school record for that event. A number of the swim and dive team athletes received district honors. Receiving the 1st Team All District were seniors Matt Wolff and Yukari Nakamura, junior Andy Pelenberg, and freshman John Kreitler. Receiving the 2nd Team All-District Honor were seniors Will Freeman and John Merrill, and sophomore Sarah Bizer. Further, senior Matt Wolff and freshman John Kreitler were honored with the 1st Team All Region and Yukari Nakamura received 2nd Team All Region. —compiled by Robert Payne, Staff Writer

Girls Varsity Basketball The Lady Atoms were edged in the quarterfinals of the District Tournament by Hayfield. The team will lose five seniors to graduation and is looking to improve upon a 418 record for next season. Senior

Erin Gaston was selected to the 2nd-Team All-District and CK Calhoun won Honorable Mention for the District. —compiled by Kristie Moore, Atomic Athletics Editor

Winter Track The Winter Track team had one of the strongest showings in years at the state meet at George Mason University on March 1 and 2. The 4x400 relay team of Tim Greer, Chris Greer, Doug McClellan and Chris Hiatt placed sixth in the state. The 4x800 relay team of Chris Hiatt, Mike Flint, Publio Agrafas and Doug McClellan placed fifth. Junior Afua Amponsah placed third in the state in the 55m hurdles while Doug McClellan placed third in the 500m. Senior Moh Williams ran the 55m hurdles in 8.0 seconds, but did not place. The 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams and McClellan in the 500m have qualified for nationals in P.G. County. —compiled by Chris Bagot, Sports Editor

SEC is the #1 Conference in the NCAA With the NCAA tournament just around the corner, it seems fitting and proper to discuss which conference rules over the land this basketball season. Although the best conference is usually cyclical and changes from year to year, this season the choice is crystal clear. Without a doubt, the unmatched talent in the SEC make no team a roll over. No Mr. Greenspan, not the Securities Exchange Commission, but rather, the Southeastern Conference. This season, the SEC has managed to become first in the RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) without ever having a No. 1 ranked team in either the AP or Coaches Polls. The SEC (composed of Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt) will likely send an impressive seven teams to the big dance this year. At first glance, with powerhouses like Duke and Maryland, it seems that the ACC

The SEC has four teams in the Top 10 RPI: Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Kentucky

ports

by Ryan Croft Sports Editor

might hold an edge. However, of this “top-notch” conference, only three teams (Duke, Maryland and Wake Forest) are a lock to make the tournament. Who else could better judge which conference is stronger than someone who has coached in both?

roft’s olor ommentary

with Ryan Croft Current South Carolina coach Dave Odom, who spent his last 22 seasons as a coach in the ACC, has no reservations about who he thinks is the best conference: “It just blew me away that these [SEC] players were not just athletic but highly skilled basketball players,” Odom said. “It’s just as good as in the ACC, but this year the SEC is the best. There is no night off.” That’s right Coach, even the worst team in the SEC, Auburn, can still give any team a run for their money on any given night.

They defeated powerhouses Georgia and Alabama earlier this season. Of the top 10 teams ranked in the RPI, four come from the SEC. First, my team Alabama has represented this year and will win the SEC thanks in large part to their tandem of Rod Grizzard and center Erwin Dudley. Grizzard has the ability to make SportsCenter highlights, but he is inconsistent at times. Dudley should receive 1st Team AllConference honors. Look for the Tide to get a #2 seed in the Big Dance. Kentucky, plagued by injuries, suspensions and personal breakdowns has still emerged as one of the best teams in the country when they play their best. Straight out of Compton, CA, Tayshaun Prince should be First Team All-American this year and Dematha-grad Keith Bogans should re-emerge as a scoring threat to pace the Wildcats. One area where UK excels is in experience and coaching. Kentucky is a perennial contender for the national championship and coach Tubby Smith

knows what it takes to win. Arguably the most well balanced team in the conference, Florida will likely receive a tournament seeding between 2nd and 4th, depending on how they fair in the SEC tournament this week. Coach Billy Donovan called his center Udonis Haslem the “best player he has ever coached,” but he isn’t even the top scorer for the Gators this year (Matt Bonner averages 16.4 ppg). The dominating threesome of Haslem, Bonner and sharpshooter Brett Nelson make the Gators hard to defend. (This just in: Steve Spurrier and the Redskins plan on drafting Haslem as a linebacker, Bonner as a tight end and Nelson as a punter). Although seven teams is impressive for one conference to send to the tournament, it would be all for nothing if each team checked out for an early exit. Nonetheless, I have little doubt that my athletes from the SEC will prevail in the end. My only uncertainty is which teams will make it to the Final Four and beyond. I predict Kentucky, Florida, Georgia and Alabama will all make the Sweet 16.

sports

Your March Madness fan guide Get all the information you need to know for this year’s NCAA Toournament Local Teams Maryland— Currently ranked #2 in the nation, the Terrapins have arguably their most talented team ever. With a number one seed virtually locked down for the tournament, Coach Gary Williams and his antics could finally pay off in a national championship. Georgetown— They are down, but not out. After a big win at Syracuse, the Hoyas may have a shot at a bid if they can win two or three games in the Big East Tournament. American— This usually dismal basketball program has had one of its best years in history. It enters the Patriot League Tournament with the

first seed and is the clear favorite for the conference’s automatic bid. However, this is March Madness, and anything could happen. UVA— What is going on down at Charlottesville? One month ago UVA was on top of the world, ranked #4 in the nation, but has since fell to 7-8 in the ACC. A huge win over Duke helped their tourney chances, however, the Wahoos must win in the ACC Tournament for an invitation to go dancing. George Washington— The Colonials have had a disappointing season finishing with a mark of 12-15. Nevertheless, they are on a two-game roll, and fiery first year head coach Karl Hobbs will be sure to have

crucial win at Syracuse on Sunday. Two wins in the Big East tourney will send them dancing.

his troops riled for the Atlantic 10 tournament.

Whose Ticket’s Been Punched

St. Joseph’s- After a remarkable run to the Sweet 16 last year, the Hawks had high expectations for this year. However, the stellar back court play of last year has been lacking, and their double overtime loss to Temple on Sunday has just about burst the Hawk’s bubble.

The following teams have already earned automatic bids by winning their conference tournaments: —Florida Atlantic —Murray State —Winthrop —UNC Wilmington —Creighton —Davidson

Charlotte- The Forty-Niners have posted a solid record in the competitive Conference USA and coach Bobby Lutz has said that the team is playing with ` the tournament in mind.

Bubble Teams

Butler- This team has had a great season with a stellar record but suffers from playing in the weak Horizon League. They would have been a sure The Big East tournament looks to be a bet; however, they were upset in their conference tournament before advancing doozy with no clear winner in sight and a host of bubble teams to the semifinals. The ACC tournament could likely produce a Duke-Maryland championship Boston College- Troy Bell has game. stepped up as of late, after posting a

S potlight Athlete Stars of Winter sports

Championship Week

—Information collected by Andrew Satten, David Marin and Jared Smith.

Senior Yukari Nakamura placed second at the Virginia State Diving meet.

Name: Yukari Nakamura Grade: 12 Sport: Dive

Standout Spring Sports Athletes Boys Lacrosse

Baseball Name: Kevin Rudd Sport: Baseball Years on Varsity: 2 Position/ Event: infield, pitcher Past Accomplishments: has been apart of the program since freshman year. Captain figure sophomore year. Favorite Girl Scout Cookie: Samoas, because they are rich and gooey. Outlook on upcoming season: “The team looks well balanced and we will win the District.” Coach’s quote about senior: “[He] is a great team leader. He put a lot of time in during the summer. I expect him to have a big year.” —Coach Matthew Caudle

Name: Keith Nolan Sport: Boys Lacrosse Years on Varsity: 1.5 Position/ Event: midfield, faceoff Past Accomplishments: Honorable Mention All-District as junior, placed 7th in state in swimming last year, played football all four years, known for chasing down Robinson’s Mike Imoh from behind. Ran the two-mile in 14:01. Outlook on upcoming season: “If the players step up, we should win the District.” Coach’s quote about senior: “He is going to face-off, be on man-down, clearing like last year and hopefully he will contribute offensively as well.” -Head Varsity Coach Bill Maglisceau.

Girls Lacrosse

Softball Name: Lindsay Quigley Sport: Softball Years on Varsity: 3 Position/ Event: catcher Past Accomplishments: Winning District last season, 2nd Team All-District as sophomore, All-Tournament Team as sophomore, 1st Team All District and All- Tournament Team as junior Outlook on upcoming season: “Hopefully we will place good in Districts.” Coach’s quote about senior: “Lindsay is a great player and she will have a good season.” -Coach Dave Kish

Name: Allison Brennan Sport: Girls Lacrosse Years on Varsity: 3 Position/ Event: defense Past Accomplishments: 1st Team AllDistrict as junior, made Varsity as soph., recruited to play at Ohio University Outlook on upcoming season: “Last year we got knocked out in the first round of regionals but [this year] I think we have the strength and desire to go even farther.” Coach’s quote about senior: “She’s extremely coachable, hard-working and looking forward to her best season yet as a senior.” -Coach Cindy Hook

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Spring Track

Boys Soccer

Name: Afua Amponseh Sport: Spring Track Years on Varsity: 3 Position/ Event: 55M Hurdles, 55m Dash, 100m, 200m Past Accomplishments: Set the District record for 55m hurdles, took first in 55m hurdles at Regionals, placed 3rd at Virginia Tech meet, placed 4th at State meet last season Outlook on upcoming season: “We’ll have a good team and we’re going to accomplish a lot of our goals. Hopefully we will become district champions.”

Boys Tennis

Name: Johnny Eklund Sport: Boys Soccer Years on Varsity: 1 Position/ Event: forward/ midfield Past Accomplishments: 1st Team All-District, plays on a 1st Division Travel team Outlook on upcoming season: “This will be a good season, better than last year. I think we will have a winning record.”

Position (s): Dive Team captain Notable Achievements: placed 2nd at states, 2nd at Regionals, 1st at Districts this dive season Coach’s Quote: Yukari has been the most consistent diver at Annandale since I have been a coach.” -Coach Bruce Fisher Personal: Yukari carries a 3.8 GPA, is a member of the Antenna Yearbook staff. In her spare time, Yukari works at her aunt’s kennel.

Senior Doug McClellan qualified for Nationals in three events and he placed in three events in States.

Girls Soccer

Name: Doug McClellan Grade: 12

Name: Braxton Koppelman Sport: Boys Tennis Years on Varsity: 1 Position/ Event: #2 Seed, singles Past Accomplishments: Made varsity last season as a freshman, plays on a USTA team, won match last season against West Potomac playing as #1 seed Outlook on upcoming season: “I think it’s going to be a tough season, but we’re up for the challenge.”

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Name: Molly Sherman Sport: Girls Soccer Years on Varsity: 3 Position/ Event: center midfield Past Accomplishments: State Olympic Development Team, will play at the University of Delaware next season Outlook on upcoming season: “The team has a lot of heart and everyone works hard. We expect to have a fun, successful season.” Coach’s quote about senior: “Molly knows the importance of hard work while others only know about talking about hard work. She follows through.” — Coach Marc Cascio

Sport: Boys Winter Track Position (s): 500m, 4x400 relay, 4x800 relay Notable Achievements: qualified for nationals in three events, his 4x800 relay won Regional meet. Placed 3rd (500m), 5th (4x800 relay), 6th (4x400) at state meet last weekend. Personal: Doug carries a 3.3 GPA and works at Performance Bicycle Shop.

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Wednesday, March 6, 2002

NEW CD RELEASES

Brandy Full Moon Brandy returns with her first album since Never Say Never. “What About Us” is the album’s first single.

SW Racer Revenge: Using “the force” has never been easier by Philippe Podhorecki News Editor

With Star Wars Episode II fast approaching, LucasArts has released a new pod-racing game. Sequel to the N64 game (later ported to the Dreamcast and PC), SW: Racer Revenge is a lot of fast-paced fun, but ends within a couple of hours. Racing is just the VIDEO RATING same as it was before, SW RACER REVENGE but now with added options including combatting with fellow racers and a redesigned boost system. Both of The game is a lot of these new features help fun but too short the decent game rise just a bit above the rest. Battling while you race through mindnumbingly similar levels is fun, but poorly implemented due to the difficulty, or lack thereof. Most of the time I was racing, I was in first place. When I rarely wasn’t in first, killing other racers hardly helped me get back to number one. Instead, purposely trying to kill other racers only slowed me down and made me fall farther behind than before. It also requires a long time to kill opponents, driving them into walls and other racers, or ramming them from behind takes far too long to be enjoyable. The damage meter for the other racers is displayed above racers when your pod nears theirs, alerting you to how much life they have. When it’s green, they are fine, yellow means they are in

C+

the middle, and red means they are near death. When the meter turns blue the racer is repairing their pod. The redesigned boost system and health meter is a welcome improvment over it’s predecessor. The two are tied together well, if you use the boost too long (the meter turns to bright red, blinks, and beeps faster and faster), your health will decrease. The temperature of your pod determines the amount of boost your have, but really you can keep boosting until you run out of health. As you run out of health your pod thrusters start to smoke and then, before you die, start shooting flames out. Graphically speaking, the game is a mixed bag. While the high-framerate maintains steadily no matter the speed, the textures are overly bland. Most of the levels are just modifications of another already raced, creating a redundant feel to the game. The pods are modelled nicely with a lot of detail, but seem smaller than in both the movie and the prequel. The biggest flaw in the game’s graphics comes when the pod is boosted. The game uses a generic blur effect that is more annoying than cool. It makes it hard to see, and when you boost on and off too much your eyes can start to ache. In every level there are several paths to take; forks in the road are extremly common, but are mostly worthless. Few “shortcuts” are actually that, most are just the left routes and right routes, not deducting time nor adding it. The 13 levels are, for the most part, just alternate paths of the same levels. They are almost all the same in design, hardly discernible and rather redundant. The only level anyone will remem-

Morissette’s anticipated third studio album includes the hit single “Hands Clean.”

M2M The Big Room Their second album, which includes the hit single “Everywhere.”

ber is the final level. The level is directly taken from the movie, and unlike the game’s prequel, is far more detailed and is nearly a pictureperfect version.This game is beyond easy. I beat the game, all 13 levels with one character, with first place on every level in less than 90 minutes. A trick is to hold both the repair button and the boost button at the same time, taking away the usual speed reduction involved in repairing the pod. Thus, if you hold

John Q.: Bad script, great cast by Martha Amoako Cultures Editor

Alanis Morissette Under Rug Swept

One of the many Pod racers cruises flying through one of the thirteen levels of Star Wars Racer Revenge.

Washington never loses his Oscar caliber, particularly in touching and emotional father and son scenes

Denzel Washington, who was recently honored with an Oscar Nomination and an AFI’s Actor of the Year Award for his portrayal of a corrupted narcotics cop in Training Day, returns to his nice guy image in the movie John Q. MOVIE RATING He transcends the JOHN Q. mediocre script in a movie that tackles America’s unreliable health insurance. Washington gives a solid performance An intense drama as John Q. Archibald, with strong performances an ordinary and loving man who is struggling to take care of his family. He encounters hard times when his factory job is reduced to part time and his car is repossessed. However, even worse, his young and affectionate son Mike becomes ill and needs a heart transplant. But John finds himself in a desperate situation when his HMO refuses to pay for the transplant. He sees his only hope in taking the emergency room hostage. This movie includes an incredible ensemble of supporting actors. Kimberly Elise, who is often an underrated actress, gives a great performance as John’s loving

B-

wife Denise. Robert Duvall shows his experienced acting skills in his portrayal of the hostage negotiator Lieutant Grimes. Anne Heche and Ray Liotta also give terrific performances in their supporting roles. Unfortunately, this great ensemble of actors is stuck in a movie with a rather mediocre script. The concept and the message are great but the audience does not need to hear ad nauseam lengthy discussions about healthcare to get a remote clue that the health insurance in America is unreliable. However, the actors do manage to achieve what they can with the script. Washington never loses his Oscar caliber, particularly in touching and emotional father and son scenes between John and his son. This is a film that will satisfy his fans, but not necessary his critics. Despite a mediocre and a somewhat awkward script, Washington’s acting shows why he deserves to win a Best Actor Oscar for his role in Training Day. He’s just an actor who manages to shine his terrific acting abilities in any movie. One good aspect about this script (if not the only great aspect) is that it keeps the audience guessing until the very end about John Q’s fate. Does he die? That’s something you’ll have to find out yourself.

Roswell Soundtrack Includes songs by Coldplay, Travis, and more from UPN’s hit TV show.

ntertainment

Mike, John Q.’s son, is rushed into the hospital room by his parents.

H o r o s c o p e s

both buttons the whenever your pods are in red and boost until they reach red, you should be fine. Even if you mess up and run into the walls because you can’t tell where the path is (very easy to do because textures blend to much), you can catch up. There were several levels in which I was in last place at the start of lap three, the last lap, and won first place.

Who is Natalie Imbruglia? by Alejandro Salinas Entertainment Editor

After becoming an international superstar in 1998 with her first single “Torn,” Natalie Imbruglia seeks to regain some of the old magic with the release of her new album White Lilies Island and its first U.S. single “Wrong Impression.” The album is a promising effort from an artist who, with some difficulty, is defining her musical style. Attempting to leave comparisons and stereotypes behind, Natalie returns with White Lilies Island. The album attempts to raise Natalie to the next level with stylish and musically developed tracks. Although her modern rock/pop sound is not innovative, she is successful throughout the first half part of the album; “That Day”is a dynamic and almost poetic rock track; the electronic “Beauty on the Fire”enhances Natalie’s capacity as a vocalist; “Come September” and “Do you Love?” are the album’s powerful ballads; and CD RATING finally “Wrong NATALIE IMBRUGLIA Impression”, which successfully continues Natalie’s traditional style. Despite good songs, But, despite of the album lacks her efforts, the strength other five tracks in the album are not even worth mentioning. Most are over-coated with sugar and bubbly rhythms that just sound ridiculous coming from an artist who wants to crossover to a mature public. Natalie makes horrible mistakes with insipid, cloying tunes and naive lyrics (a risk that comes with writing your own songs). Overall, these tracks inflict severe damage to the album’s sound and credibility, lowering its quality and appeal to a mature audience. Natalie started her artistic career as an actress for the Australian hit soap opera Neighbors. After many successful seasons, the fiercely ambitious Imbruglia decided to shake off the soap opera stigma,

Natalie Imbruglia’s promising, yet weak, new album.

and moved to London. After years of personal and artistic struggles, Natalie finally got a record deal, and initiated the production of her first album. With the collaboration of Radiohead and The Cure’s producers, the radio-ready pop ballad “Torn”, and her good looks (check out those pouty lips!), Natalie struck multi-million dollar success across the world. By the time Left of the Middle arrived at stores, she was already a magazine covergirl and MTV superstar. However, Natalie’s fame dissipated just as swiftly as it arrived. Her album and her talent were scrutinized by critics who, after discovering that she had not written her own songs and recognizing the album’s multiple producers, accused her of being just a pretty face managed by a record company (Does this ring a bell, Britney?). It was most likely these events, that caused Natalie to keep a low profile for the last four years. There is no doubt Natalie Imbruglia has talent and future as a rock/pop vocalist. However, with her present repertoire, and her vague musical status, she is still light years away from achieving critical respect and the public’s recognition.

LEO JULY 23-AUGUST 22 If you haven't been paying enough attention to your intuition lately, you should have learned by now that your inner voice is often right. Try to let your intuition guide your actions a little more right now.

SCORPIO OCTOBER 23NOVEMBER 21 You should be developing a bit more personal charm and charisma right now. And you ought to be able to attract plenty of people to your side without all that much effort today.

SAGITTARIUS NOVEMBER 22DECEMBER 21 No matter how much advice you might get from others about some financial matters today, just make your plans and try to stick to them. You might end up waiting until the last minute to take care of a few things today, but things will get better.

PISCES FEBRUARY 19MARCH 20 You ought to be able to enjoy an awful lot of fun, pleasure and romance with people you care about today.You're bound to be feeling very positive and will want to share your good spirits with others today.

GEMINI MAY 21-JUNE 20 You're likely to start feeling a little clearer about some of your financial and professional goals right now and are probably feeling quite confident about your ability to accomplish them. You should be moving closer to some of your objectives.

VIRGO AUGUST 23-SEPT. 22 Some social plans ought to provide you with plenty of good cheer today and you're bound to find yourself having quite a good time with a number of your unpredictable friends.

CAPRICORN DECEMBER 22JANUARY 19 You might want to be prepared to take advantage of some unexpected opportunities where your relationships are concerned today. Do something nice fo an Aries you love.

ARIES MARCH 21-APRIL 19 Even if there's something that you've been a bit afraid to discuss, it could be a great time to have an honest heart-toheart talk with a parent or family member to try to get to the bottom of any simmering problems right now.

CANCER JUNE 21-JULY 22 Your confidence level has probably been rising quite a bit lately and you could be eager for a few new challenges today. You might be ready to take a few risks and make some fresh starts right now.

LIBRA SEPTEMBER 23OCTOBER 22 You'll probably find yourself having to deal with a number of different obligations and responsibilities right now, so just try to take care of anything and everything you possibly can today. Don't worry!

TAURUS APRIL 20-MAY 20 If you've been getting a little better lately about setting goals and staying focused, then just try to do what you can to keep it up right now. Don’t worry, all your questions will be answered.

AQUARIUS JANUARY 20FEBRUARY 18 Remember to be realistic about your expectations concerning a professional or financial matter right now. Just try not to be too impatient. A positive resolution to a job, health or money issue should be just around the corner for you.

The 74th annual academy awards will take place March 24 with new host Whoopi Goldberg. Nominees for best picture are A Beautiful Mind, Gosford Park, In the Bedroom, Lord of the Rings, and Moulin Rouge.

by Mike Mahn Entertainment Editor

The nominees for the 74th annual Academy Awards are especially strange this year. In some categories the academy broke away from nominating the typical Oscar movies and nominated popular but less critically acclaimed movies like Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. However, by doing this, monumental movies such as Memento get left behind. Memento has been nominated in two categories, Best Screenplay and Best Film Editing, but those two categories do not nearly give enough credit to most breakthrough movie of the year. Memento not only should have been nominated for Best Picture, but it should have won Best Picture. Guy Pearce should have been nominated for best actor in a leading role for his gripping performance as a vengeful man who lost his wife and his memory. Director Chistopher Nolan also should have been nominated because of his unique perception of time in Memento and the style and twists included in the film. Actress Catherine Anne Moss and actor Joe Pantoliano should at least have been considered for their roles in Memento. Besides Memento, many other movies got left behind this Oscar season such as Planet of the Apes and Enemy at the Gates. Planet of the Apes had some of the best make up and costume design in a movie to date. The ape suits looked realistic and allowed for the actors’ facial expressions and body language. Enemy at the Gates was one of the most fun movies to watch this past year and

it should have been rewarded with a nomination for best adapted writing for its innovative World War II screenplay. For best actor the favorites this year are a toss up between Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind, Sean Penn in I am Sam, Will Smith in Ali, and Denzel Washington in Training Day. Russell

Crowe always gives a solid performance, but he did win last year in Gladiator so he could be an underdog of the four. Sean Penn made a stellar performance as the mentally retarded Sam and could be rewarded with an Oscar. Will Smith became Ali and is a favorite in the best actor race because of it. Denzel Wash-

Top/Left: Elijah Wood of the first part of the epic story Lord of the Rings. Lord of the Rings has the most Oscar nominations this year. Top/Right: Russell Crowe, of A Beautiful Mind, is nominated for Best Actor and his film is nominated for Best Picture. It has already won a Golden Globe for Best Picture. Bottom/Right: Actress Catherine Anne Moss of Memento did not get an Oscar nomination this year despite her intense performance. Memento grabbed two Oscar nominations.

entertainment

What to expect at the Oscars

ington may not have given his best performance in Training Day, but he has only won one Oscar, and he may be given one because of this. The contest in Best Director will probably be between Black Hawk Down, A Beautiful Mind, and Lord of the Rings. Black Hawk Down depicted very graphic and visual scenes, which is no small task. A Beautiful Mind is the underdog of the three, but critics are giving a lot of credit to director Ron Howard and this could be his first Oscar. Odds are that the Oscar for best directing will go to Lord of the Rings for the amazing special effects, intense fighting, and the sheer magnitude of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Shrek will win best animated feature film. It has been hyped since opening day. It was an original film that was very different from previous Disney style animation films. Monsters Inc. will be a close second because of its creativity and humor. The computer animation of Monsters Inc. was amazing but not enough to topple Shrek. Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius may not receive one vote for best animated feature film because of its lack of creativity and appeal. Memento will win best writing for an original screenplay. The final award of the night, Best Motion Picture, will be between A Beautiful Mind and Lord of the Rings. Lord of the Rings was such a colossal film with great fantasy acting and lush special effects. However,A Beautiful Mind is much more critically acclaimed and has a more contemporary and meaningful story.

New releases on video and DVD:

40 Days, 40 Nights of hilarity Bumpy Crossroads by Hana Nguyen Academics Editor

Giving up chocolate for Lent? Meat? Junk food? How about sex? Devastated from a recent break-up with his girlfriend, Matt Sullivan, played by Josh Hartnett, decides to overcome his post-breakup woes by taking a vow of abstinence for Lent. However, in addition to sex, Matt ventures on a serious selfdenial trip: no kissing, no touching, no fooling around, no nothing for 40 days and 40 nights. With an aching heart and no hopes for future commitment, Matt makes his extreme sacrifice. Thinking that this time will bring clarity to his life, Matt, a webpage designer, attempts to keep his mind occupied by taking on more work at the office. Little does he know that his busy workplace offers more temptations than ever before. While Matt tries to remain true to his vow, his gambling-addicted buddies create a pool to see how long he will last. With little faith in the powerless Matt, the pool soon travels to the Internet and the entire world is clued in on the hapless bachelor’s quest to find the answer to his relationship uncertainties. But as the stakes increase, so does Matt’s notoriety. Just as Matt begins to believe that his time of abstinence has brought renewed meaning to his life, he meets the girl of dreams, Erica Monet Mazer, played by Shannyn Sossoman, who is best known for her part as Heath Ledger’s love interest in A Knight’s Tale. As fate would have it, Erica meets Matt during his most inopportune time. While nearly the entire world is knowledgeable of Matt’s vow, Erica is the last one to be informed. In a fit of rage the two converse in a climatic argument that leaves the audience to wonder if Matt can hold on to what he has started and if Erica can hold out. With hilarious and sarcastic puns intertwined with a few cheesy effects, 40 Days and 40 Nights was able to create a funny plot that doesn’t give an overbearing amount of sex in a movie that is based on that subject. Despite its R rating, 40 Days and 40 Nights isn’t nearly as crude, crass, or brash as many of the other movies directed towards teenagers. Even with the recent success of movies such as American Pie, director Michael Lehmann doesn’t underestimate the minds and comprehensibility of teenagers. While many bland and vapid movies are created with the intention of placing preppy boys in the title role to sell tickets, 40 Days and 40 Nights places its leading man in many compromising and

embarrassing situations. The movie is highlighted by the performance of Josh Hartnett and his MOVIE RATING amusing physical comedy. 40 daysand 40 nights Hartnett is not afraid to make a fool of himself and play off of the sexual tension that he and Sossoman A really funny develop. The two create movie that appeals great chemistry and make to both men and women. their flat lines come to life. Hartnett clearly relates to his audience and naturally has a flair for comedy roles. With 40 Days and 40 Nights, Hartnett makes a successful departure from his usual horror and drama roles and steps into an entirely new genre. However, with every one joke that provokes laughter in this movie, there are about ten that fall short. Hartnett hits a home run with physical comedy but strikes out with verbal. 40 Days and 40 Nights was marketed as a typical teen movie with little content and lifeless acting. However, the movie proved to be the opposite. With offbeat jokes and a few dream sequences that resemble the trademarks of the Cohen Brothers, 40 Days and 40 Nights shows that the teen audience is deserving of better entertainment than the usual slapstick comedy that is presented in theaters today. This movie offers a fresh breeze into the often-recycled movie plots of most teen movies of this age and offers a new perspective into the teen movie genre.

B+

Josh Hartnett must avoid all sexual temptations for Lent, while his friends and the world place bets on his situation.

by Crystan Blanco Ad Manager

Girly giggles, makeup, tube tops and hair accessories are only half of Britney Spears’ movie Crossroads. The other half is made up of drawn out drama, petty fights and one secret that will shock everyone. The trip starts in the head of Mimi (Taryn Manning), who dreams of becoming a pop singer. She meets up with scruffy, but cute Ben (Anson Mount) and his ’73 Buick Skylark. From there they plan to head for LA. The night before the two leave, Mimi runs into Lucy (Britney Spears) and Kit (Zoe Saldana). These childhood friends somehow meet in a field under a tree, and literally unbury the past. As they walk their separate ways, Mimi invites the others to join her. Reluctant, Lucy and Kit shake their heads no. And almost over night, they decide otherwise. Lucy wants to finally meet her mother who ran away when she was at the young age of three, and Kit is dying to see her college-bound boyfriend. Bright and early, the four leave for

this crazy, cross-country road trip. Little planning and little money play huge factors in how the journey turns out. One may MOVIE RATING wonder how Crossroads realistic this movie was supposed to be. The ‘pickles’ these Britney Spears fails teens get themmiserably at trying selves into seem a to be funny but is bit farfetched. Of still very hot. course, their car will break down and while someone gets heartbroken, someone else falls in love; all typical aspects of a teen chick-flick. Possibly, Crossroads is a coming-of-age film. But despite some unrealistic plot, the movie is kind of heartwarming— for those who want to look behind all the girly gossip. As for Britney, she’s not half bad. But if the role of acting is to not pretend that you are someone else, she aces. If you’re a huge fan of Britney, this movie is for you. If not, save your money; you may feel that “the best parts of the movie is when she’s not talking.”

B-

THE LAST CASTLE Starring: Robert Redford, James Gandolfini Director: Rod Lurie Action/drama about a charismatic army general who gets sent to prison and stirs up problems between the prisoners and the warden. (R)

Britney Spears plays a singer in her first acting role in Crossroads. Ultimately, the movie is more enjoyable than most movies starring pop stars.

Alicia Keys unlocks five Grammys this year At the Grammys, Alicia Keys won five awards, Alison Krauss won five, U2 won 4, and T Bone Burnett won four.

by Sarah Bizer Staff Writer

On Feb. 27 the Grammys took place in Los Angeles. Any musician’s dream is to be nominated for a Grammy, and the victory is the accomplishment of a lifetime. There were many performances by many different artists, ranging from U2, Lady Marmalade and Bob Dylan. “The Nelly and N’Sync performance was my most favorite, even though I liked them all,” said sophomore Andrea Arciniega. “Train’s ‘Drops of Jupiter’ performance was my favorite because that is a really good song,” said sophomore Kristina Taylor. “All the performances were thrilling and creative, not one was my favorite, I liked them all,” said sophomore Alpha Jalloh. There were many Grammy winners. Some categories were best R&B album, best new artist, best rap song, best country album, best R&B song and many more.

There were many impressive winners. “My favorite Grammy winner was Outkast, because their music along with the videos are really well made,” said sophomore Oscar Natera. But the most impressive winner was Alicia Keys. She walked away with five Grammys, the most anyone won that day. “Alicia Keys was my favorite Grammy winner because she herself is very talented,” said Arciniega. Many people thought Alicia Keys should win because she does not have to be another Britney Spears to succeed. “Alicia Keys was my favorite Grammy winner because she deserved it,” said Taylor. Alicia Keys took home not just best new artist, but song of the year for “Fallin’,” best female R&B vocal performance, best R&B song and best R&B album. There were many creative outfits that showed up at the Grammys. Destiny’s Child’s members all had on beautiful outfits that really stood out.

A.I.: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Starring: Haley Joel Osment, Jude Law Director: Steven Spielberg A futuristic movie where mankind is fully dependent on artificial intelligence and robots. It was Stanley Kubrick’s vision created by Steven Spielberg. (PG-13)

THE ONE Starring: Jet Li, Carla Gugino Director: James Wong An action-packed science fiction kung fu movie about a policeman who has an identical evil twin from another universe. Jet Li fans would enjoy it. (R)

Celine Dion’s dress won ET’s favorite outfit. “Alicia Keys outfit was very pretty and different and her makeup was really neat,” said sophomore Ashley Jones.

aBlast

the

Wednesday, March 6, 2002

The soundtrack from O Brother, Where Art Thou? revived bluegrass music and won five Grammys, including Best Album.

Alicia Keys tied the soundtrack of O Brother, Where Art Thou? for most Grammys with five. She won Best Female R&B Performance and Best R&B Song.

20 a

the

Blast

Wednesday, March 6, 2002

UPCOMING CONCERTS

Get your clubs and hit the links Playing a round in this area can cost about $15 to $55.

by John Bernhardt Weekend editor

Many young people now play golf as a way to relax and pass the time

With spring rapidly approaching, people are preparing for their warm weather hobbies. Gardeners are cleaning their plots, tennis players are stretching out their “hammies” and golfers are trying on their plaid pants. Tiger Woods has done twice as much for golf as what Martha Stewart did for gardening and Pete Sampras did for tennis. Over the last decade, with more places to play, and more tournaments televised, golfing has become a major form of recreation. Mini-golf, a.k.a. “Putt-Putt,” driving ranges and the traditional nine or 18 hole matches allow a wider range of people to get a taste of this sport. The Traditional Game If you have ever watched any type of golf on television, it was most likely a game played on an 18-hole course. Many challenging public golf courses are located nearby, such as Twin Lakes

• • • •

NELLY FURTADO March 8 9:30 Club $27.50 info available at www.ticketmaster.com

Driving Ranges To cut down on the frustration of playing a round of golf, practicing beforehand at a driving range will help prepare you for the real deal. Many locations have both courses and driving available to customers. Another advantage of going to driving ranges is that the cost is significantly cheaper than playing a round on the course. The cost to practice at a driving range varies from $5-$15, depending on how many balls you get and the quality of the range. Mini-Golf Although mini-golf is nothing like the real game, people of all ages can enjoy this simple and fun game. A major advantage of mini-golf is the small amount of skill needed to play. The entire game consists of putting over and around obstacles on artificial turf. The mini-courses are usually designed to make the game more enjoyable by adding large, moving obstacles. Jefferson District has a miniature golf course which costs $5 per round, and Cameron Run also has a mini-golf course, which costs $4.50 per round. For information about Jefferson

JOHN BERNHARDT

Sophomore Matt Wiest practices his swing. Wiest frequently plays Jefferson District and Pinecrest to improve his game.

District call (703)-573-0444 or visit www.co.fairfax. va.us/parks/golf.htm for information about all public Fairfax County golf courses which include Burke

Lake, Pinecrest and Twin Lakes. For information about Cameron Run golfing call (703)-960-8719 or visit www.nvrpa.org/cameron.html.

Public Fairfax County Golf Courses PHOTO FROM WWW.CO.FAIRFAX.VA.US/PARKS/GOLF.HTM

• • • •

The Jefferson District mini-golf course is 18 holes and has a wide range of obstacles, including waterfalls, hills and rocks.

NOFX March 13 Nation $14 info available at www.ticketmaster.com

and Westfield [where golfers of all abilities can play.] But, for a novice, a good way to start off is on a nine- hole course, such as Jefferson District Golf Course or Burke Lake Golf Course. Both of these courses offer simple holes where beginners can test their skills. Most courses allow golf carts, so the players do not have to walk the entire course. However, there are additional fees for renting a cart.

311 March 21 Nation $27.50 info available at www.ticketmaster.com

Burke Lake

Pinecrest

Greendale

Courses

An 18 hole par 3 course

9 hole course

18 hole course

Location

7315 Ox Road

6600 Little River Turnpike

Cost

9 hole- $12 18 hole- $18

Contact

(703)323-1641

Jefferson

Twin Lakes

18 hole par 3 course

9 hole course

Two 18 hole courses

6700 Telegraph Road

3200 Jermantown Road

7900 Lee Highway

6201 Union Mill Road

$14

9 hole- $16 18 hole- $25

9 hole- $12 18 hole- $18

$14

9 hole- $18-$20 18 hole- $27-$31

(703)9411061

(703)971-3788

(703)2555390

(703)5730444

(703)-631-9372

Oak Marr

F r i e d m a n ’s F i n d s

THE CALLING March 15 9:30 Club $10 info available at www.ticketmaster.com

BUSH March 18 9:30 Club $40 info available at www.ticketmaster.com

Name

Georgetown is an interesting place to go whether you like to shop or are interested in visiting historic sites

Sophomore Abby Segall and I found out that Georgetown, in Washington D.C., is a really interesting place to Caroline Friedman visit on the Weekend Editor weekend. There were tons of restaurants to choose from and we finally settled on LaMadeleine, a French restaurant with a rustic feel to it. They serve many different kinds of dishes, but their specialty is sandwiches. The meal was a little pricey, but the atmosphere and the quality of the food was worth it. The stone walls and the wooden tables and chairs gave the restaurant a cozy feeling. After lunch we decided to just walk around and see what we could find. Below one of the street signs was a sign for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. We followed the sign and about a block over there was a canal with an old-fashioned boat sitting in it. We went into the Visitor’s Center and read about the history of

the canal. The canal offers boat rides between April and October. You can also go hiking, biking, camping, canoeing or boating in or beside the canal. After leaving the Visitor’s Center, Abby and I headed up Thomas Jefferson Street. We found Movie Madness, The Movie Poster Shop. When we entered the shop we were hit by the musty smell of the old pictures and posters as well as the loud noise of jazz music playing. The store has posters from both old movies and recent ones. We looked around for about 20 minutes and then decided to come back later. We went back onto the main street, M Street, and went into a few stores including Urban Outfitters. A pink sign caught our eye that was for a fortune telling shop. We went upstairs to a dim room with candles and healing stones all around. There was a crystal ball in the middle of a table as well as tarot cards. A woman entered and for only $5 told Abby and I our future. It was exciting to hear what she said and we talked about our individual fortunes all the way up the street. We turned onto Wisconsin Avenue and looked in some of the shops there. Then we went into Thomas Sweet Homemade Ice Cream Shop. The portions were generous and the ice

cream was delicious, rich and creamy. After finishing our ice cream we made our way back to M Street. Abby and I then started making the long walk to Foggy Bottom Metro Station. It took about 30 minutes to get there and it was raining while we walked. We got picked up at Dunn Loring Metro Station and were exhausted from our activity-packed day. However, the day in Georgetown was truly enjoyable. The unique stores, like Movie Madness, were really interesting. Getting our palms read was something that Abby and I have always wanted to do, and we finally got it done for a price we were willing to pay. Georgetown is culturally diverse, and since it is in D.C., it is very easy to get to other locations using the metro or taxis. Georgetown University and George Washington University are also there, and they often have afternoon or evening programs such as theater and concerts. Georgetown is really easy to get to and everyone should take advantage of such a wonderful place so close to us.

weekend

What did you do last weekend? “I went to North Carolina to visit a college with my brother.”

—Colleen Nolan freshman

“I went to my friend’s house and watched Moulin Rouge. Then I went to dinner at an Indian restaurant.”

—Emily Miller sophomore

ernhardt’s Bites

school student, but the huge variety of choices make up for the cost. John Bernhardt The dinner hours are probably the Weekend Editor busiest, but calling ahead may reduce the wait to be seated. All of the same options Kilroy’s, located in Ravensworth which are available for lunch can also be Shopping Center off Braddock Road, purchased for dinner. Some of the best offers an extensive range of appetizing meals are the baby back ribs ($8.95meals and good service to make it one of $13.95), the daily pasta special (price the finest family restaurants around. varies) and the pita pocket ($5.25) The menu sets Kilroy’s apart from most other dining RESTAURANT which contains fresh vegetables, alfalfa, pickles and cucumbers in establishments in this area. RATING KILROY’S a pita. Brunch, lunch and dinner are Kilroy’s has both a dining all available, as well as a section and a bar. In the dining kid’s menu. Brunch is served section as well as in the bar, the between the hours of 10 a.m. lighting is dim and televisions are and 2 p.m. Options on this An extensive menu with tasty meals, but mounted in the corners of the menu include omelettes, prices are a bit high ceiling usually tuned to a sporting waffles, eggs, pastas and event. War World II government fruit salads. A $10.95 all-youposters and memorabilia cover the walls can-eat Sunday brunch is quite popular to fit the theme of Kilroy’s who was a with customers. A lunch at Kilroy’s can cost anywhere shipyard worker during the war. Kilroy’s is another alternative to the from $3 to $9 depending on your seleccrowded restaurants in downtown tion. Unlike many restaurants, Kilroy’s Annandale. Despite the relatively high offers choices in appetizers, salads, prices, many fine options mean there’s entrees, poultry, beef, seafood, sandsomething there for everyone. wiches, burgers, pitas, croissants and dessert. It may be a bit pricey for a high

tomic reactions

“I went to districts and chilled with my friends.”

—Alexia Tapia junior

“I spent the whole weekend just chillin’ with my boyfriend.” —Ashley Blandburg senior

JOHN BERNHARDT

Kilroy’s offers a wide selection and good service, but the prices are a bit expensive for the average high school student.

“I did not do any school work for Annandale. I relaxed with my husband, did a little shopping and read a really good book.”

—Catherine DelConte Chemistry and world history Teacher