Issue 7

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8

Arts takes a fresh spin on the first semester of ceramics class

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Academics

InDepth shows you how popular

investigates what AHS provides to students who need special assistance

social networking sites can impact your grades and your safety

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Weekend wakes up

Entertainment finds ways to save you money by spotlighting great artists whose concerts won’t break your bank

and smells the coffee from several local shops

ANNANDALE HIGH SCHOOL

the VOLUME #56 ISSUE 7

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4700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003

Informiing the Atoms siince 1954 4

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2011

(703) 642-4229

Winter sports succeed Indoor track team wins district title, four wrestlers advance to states, Ziegler player of the year

Boys Varsity Basketball Record: 15-6

ISABEL VILLAROEL

BY DAVID HOOKEY Co-Editor in Chief

COURTESY OF NATHAN SEETO

Plastered on the welcome sign outside AHS is the school’s motto: a tradition of excellence. The athletic side of this excellence has shone through over the past weeks, with the basketball team, wrestling team, indoor track team and swim and dive team all achieving success in their respective postseason events.

Arguably the most impressive feat was senior Karl Ziegler winning Patriot District Player of the Year for boys basketball. After missing the first four games of the season, Ziegler came back to lead the Atoms in scoring with 18.1 points per game.

“I lost a lot of jumping ability and speed with the injury, but I was able to pick that back up in the second half of the season,” Ziegler said. “[It felt good to win because] my work in the offseason really paid off for me. Coming into the season, winning player of the year wasn’t my goal. It was to win a district championship and hopefully a regional one as well.”

Ziegler narrowly won the award over fellow senior D’Angelo Boyce. Boyce averaged 18.0 points per game for the Atoms and was nominated to be a McDonald’s All-American; a prestigious honor for

The boys indoor track team took home the Patriot District Championship for the 2010-11 season.

Basketball Senior Karl Ziegler is named Patriot District Player of the Year, while senior D’Angelo Boyce is nominated as a McDonald’s All-American.

Wrestling

Indoor Track The Indoor Track team takes home the Patriot District Championship, while seven individuals qualify for states.

any high school basketball player.

“At the coach’s meeting, it was a tight call between him and D’Angelo,” Head Coach Anthony Harper said. “It came down to one or two votes but Karl is very deserving because he was really able

Swim and Dive

Senior Jon Le and juniors Dane Harlowe, Ali Musa and John McCollom qualify for states after placing in the top three at regionals.

Senior Kyle Tyrrell, junior Patrick McCann and the 4x200 meter boys freestyle relay team all advance to states.

to pick up where he left off last year. Especially in games down the stretch against Lake Braddock, South County and T.C. [Williams], his leadership really showed in games as far as rebounding and “Winter sports” continues on page 16

Parent/teen traffic safety The Parent/Teen Traffic Safety Program, which is mandatory for permit-holders wishing to recieve their driver’s licenses, will be held at 7 p.m. tonight in Clausen Hall.

Pyramid concerts The AHS band will be joining with band members from the schools feeding into AHS for a concert on Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. Orchastra members from the AHS pyramid will be meeting for a similar performance on Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium.

Senior wins $1,500 prize

Sisters found club

Liam McGhee claims prize for entrepreneurship

Madeena and Hila Haidari start Feminist Club

BY WISNA’ODOM KEO Staff Writer Imagine participating in a competition with 900 other young entrepreneurs and then coming in first.

The excitement—the thrill of being first— would wash over you like a waterfall of accomplishment and you would feel great knowing that you overcame the challenges of the competition and came out on top. AHS senior Liam McGhee ex-

perienced just that.

McGhee competed at the DC Regional Business Plan Competition and placed first among students from schools in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia. On average, three to four students came to represent each school.

McGhee’s business plan was about Juju bars, an all-natural bar that can be used as an alternative to granola bars.

“The students would be taken into corporate offices in groups of five,”

McGhee said. “There, they would compete and be judged by top executives, CEO’s of other businesses and other successful entrepreneurs. There were about 11 judges in each office.”

The judges asked many questions to the competitors such as how much the items cost and how McGhee planned to expand his business.

“They come in handy as an all time snack,” he “McGhee” continues on page 5

Heritage Night meeting today

COURTESY OF STEPHANIE HARMONY

An informational meeting for Heritage Night will be held at 2:30 p.m. today in Clausen Hall. The Heritage Night performace will take place on March 17 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium.

Senior Liam McGhee presents his business plan at the D.C. Regional Business Plan Competition.

BY BREKHNAA GULL Staff Writer As you enter the halls of AHS through the jock lobby, you walk down the hallway searching for your clique. To the right you see the jocks, then further down the hallway, you see all types of performers and up the stairs you see many groups of over achievers talking about their math homework. But as you judge each clique from a distance, you never know what could be going on behind the walls they put up.

In order to solve this problem and take a step towards making a difference in the world, senior Madeena Haidari and junior Hilla Haidari joined together to create the Annandale Feminist Club, in order to improve the lives of women in the maledominated world.

“I heard someone I respect make the ‘You’re a woman, go make me a sandwich’ kind of joke,” Hilla Haidari said, which is why she came up with the idea

to make the club.

The first meeting of the Feminist Club was Feb. 15, but they have not determined their regular meeting time yet. This club will be open to both boys and girls who want to end gender discrimination against women.

Both sisters plan on to start helping the community before they go international with the club.

“Although we will begin by tackling local and national problems, we hope to spread our influence in countries where the need is greater,” Madeena Haidari said.

Many women in the world are discriminated against because of their gender. Many are abused for this reason, some have a hard time finding jobs and other get paid in lower amounts of money than men at their work place.

“Women typically earn $.80 to each $1 that men earn, which really genuinely sickens me,” Hilla Haidari said.

Sometimes females are discriminated against to do simple things like chores. In some households girls get more chores than boys.

“Feminist” continues on page 5

Black History Month celebrated at AHS

Visit www.thea-blast.org for a video promoting the 2011 AHS Just World Festival. The Festival will feature a Fair Trade Marketplace with handcrafts from around the world and various presentations and demonstrations from some of the almost 90 nations represented at AHS. It will take place from 2-7 p.m. on Feb. 25.

BY ANNIE CURRAN News Editor With posters of famous African Americans lining the hallway, Black History Month has officially kicked off at AHS. The posters, created by students in the Social Studies Honor Society, are among the many traditions that are occurring during the month of February. Students in each class are also preparing to compete in the annual Black History Bowl on Friday.

The Black History Bowl is sponsored by the Black Culture Awareness Association (BCAA) and the history department. Each grade will be represented by three students in the competition

“Black History” continues on page 5

Match the following people to their discription

1 A ber of the band

This former mem-

Gnarls Barkley is currently tearing up the music scene with his latest hit, which was sung by guest star Gwyneth Paltrow on Glee.

2

3

AfricanB This American female

African-AmerC This ican author and

has often been called the “Queen of Gospel,” recording approximately 30 albums in her lifetime. She is also internationally known not just for her amazing singing, but civil rights activism.

anthropologist has published over four novels and 50 more collections of short stories and play, yet is most famous for her 1937 hit novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. Answers: 1-C 2-A 3-B

Students celebrate their heritage by competing against each other in trivia bowl

and the winning team receives $100 for their class treasury and $20-$25 for each team member. The event will be held during an extended W6 Flex and teachers can sign their classes up to attend. The questions will range from historical events, music, famous athletes, politicians and other people who changed the course of history.

“The black culture is often not seen throughout daily life and it is a great culture that can be seen through many people,” senior and president of the BCAA Zeni Saife-Selassie said.

“It is very vibrant and that is what started AHS on the road to diversity.”

The BCAA, which meets every Monday at 2:15 in room 287, has also contributed the Black History Month

2 Are school punishments sometimes too harsh on students?

EDITORIALS School punishment goes too far Feb. 16 , 2011

Two recent student suicides highlight problems with the zero-tolerance policy

BY MARWA ABDELAZIZ Copy Editor

“I think the school punishes way too harshly.

For example, if you miss a detention, they give you more, and if you’re caught skipping, they make you call your parents, which obviously isn’t fun for anyone.”

— Carla Suarez sophomore

“I don’t think they are [harsh] because school rules are fair enough for [a] student who has not followed the rules.”

— Gabriela Taboada junior

“I don’t think the rules are harsh. If a student does something bad, it’s fair to be punished.”

— Victor Zepeda senior

Can the school district both guarantee caseby-case hearings of offenses and impose the zerotolerance policy at the same time? If it is in fact trying to do so, it is not doing a very good job, as shown by the suicide of Nick Stuban, a 15-year old sophomore at W..T Woodson High School, on Jan. 20.

Stuban was found dead in his home following his suspension and recommendation for expulsion.

Stuban’s father, Steve Stuban, told The Washington Post that his son’s infringement of rules “did not involve a violation of the law,” and declined to disclose the specific details.

On March 19, 2009, former junior Josh Anderson of South Lakes High School also took his life the day before his second hearing involving marijuana possession and being expelled from his high school.

The FCPS systems mission is to educate the students and discipline them when necessary in order to help them become responsible citizens, so the administration issues consequences when needed. However, FCPS administrative sometimes finds that their disciplinary actions cause unintended and undesired effects, the worst of them being suicide.

As any dictionary can confirm, the definition of discipline is generally to correct the wrong actions of an individual. Although the definition itself has a harmless meaning, the term has come to acquire a negative connotation, especially in the modern-day school system.

The zero-tolerance policy for drug or weapon possession was adopted by FCPS and seems harsh because situations vary student to student. Zerotolerance policies usually punish any rule breaking and do not take accidental mistakes, ignorance or special circumstances into account.

According to the Washington Examiner, the FCPS spokesman Paul Regnier claimed “the school system does not have a ‘zero tolerance’ policy.”

Superintendent Jack Dale also said “the Fairfax

A Fairfax High School recently student committed suicide due to an expected depression caused by harsh school disciplines.

school district does not believe in zero-tolerance and never has,” according to The Washington Post.

Despite this, Principal John Ponton confirmed that “There is a zero-tolerance policy at this school, there is no second chance. By county regulation and state law, I don’t have any choice.” So far during the 2010-2011 school year, nine out of the total eleven recommendations for expulsion at AHS were due to drug-related issues according to Ponton. “[These] expulsion recommendations are mandatory and would be classified as zero tolerance,” he said.

These two students saw their punishment as so harsh that the only escape from the situation was to escape life itself.

FairfaxZeroToleranceReform.org is an organization that dedicates itself to the reformation of the discipline policy and the “horrific way our county administers its zero-tolerance rules.”

Although the organization has done much to improve the way students are treated when caught up in a sticky situation, it is apparent that a lot more needs to be done in order to make sure students know there is a way out other than taking their own lives.

“I don’t think anybody wants the end result to be the suicide death of a student,” Ponton said. “It is devastating for the family and it’s a really sad situation.”

There are a number of reasons that could have contributed to these teenagers’ suicides, but one thing that is for sure is that the harsh discipline imposed upon them certainly did not better their situation.

Expulsion can ruin any student’s chance of getting into the university of their dreams, all for one small mistake they made in high school.

The county needs to work towards improving this program and getting rid of the “one-size-fitsall” strategy that the zero-tolerance policy applies.

Of course, students and their parents are responsible for making sure school and county rules are upheld and followed, however, disciplinarians are responsible for controlling the situation to protect both the community and the offender to ensure that each student is given justice and security.

2011 NFL Super Bowl XLV: highs and lows “I’d say yes, because there are some people that get punished for ridiculous and stupid things.”

— Daniel Kim senior

Greg Gripes &Pat Ponders Editorials Column

By Greg Nielsen and Pat McCann “Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro’ the perilous fight, O’er the ramparts we watch’d, were so gallantly streaming?”

Do these lyrics sound familiar? Possibly? Well, they should.

On the biggest stage of her life, with 111 million viewers, Christina Aguilera butchered the lyrics, to our National Anthem.

“I’m not familiar with the punishment system. I believe that the rules and regulations that are in place now are fair.”

Although she apologized profusely, there is no excuse for a professional singer to mess up song as common as our nation’s song.

Aguilera’s blunder, combined with the lack of comedic commercials and Fergie’s off key rendition of the classic “Sweet Child o’ Mine” and her own songs resulted in a lack luster Super Bowl. The only thing enjoyable was the game itself.

Despite the initial feeling of disappointment at the lack of amusing commercials, we decided that amongst the bad, there was a few memorable advertisements sparsely dabbled throughout the broadcast.

The leading advertisers this year were Doritos, Bud Light, Bridgestone and Volkswagen.

Who could resist chuckling at the kid dressed in a Darth Vader costume using the force?

We had high hopes for the half time show as

well and were thoroughly disappointed in that aspect too.

Fergie’s harsh vocals belting out with lead guitarist Slash, stung our ears like a swarm of Africanized killer bees.

The other members of the show preformed as expected.

The game itself was the only truly enjoyable part of the night.

Despite a lopsided start in the Packer’s favor, the Steelers managed to make the game respectable and kept us from losing all sanity.

In the end the good guys won.

In the end, this year’s Super Bowl will be remembered as a year of bad singing, so-so commercials, and for Brett-I mean Aaron Rodgers.

Rule of Thumb

— Stefanie Guffy English teacher

The 3-year old son saves his daddy A father was wood-carving at home and when the blade cut into his hand , his three-year-old son called 911 and saved his dad.

“No, never. I think they need an in-school suspension so that [punished students] don’t miss schoolwork, but don’t get the reward of being in class with peers.”

— Jeremiah Davis math teacher

CORRECTIONS Vol. 56, Issue 7: In the editorials story “Forget about Va. textbooks” on page 3, the following information was given incorrectly: 1. The U.S. entered the World War I in 1916, not 1917 2. The Battle of Antietam occurred in 1862, not in 1916 or 1917

Go to www.thea-blast.org to read an opinion about Valentine’s Day.

Rule: Age is just a number. Do not underestimate the abilities of a three-year-old.

A man reunites with his cat after 4 months A man from California lost “Cinderella” his cat who jumped out of his car when he stopped in Idaho. The cat was his only traveling companion. After a mix up he finally reunited with his cat.

Rule: Don’t rush into thinking something has left you. You never know.

A thief leaves the most obvious evidence A robber who had lost power broke into another house, stole jewelry and valuables, and left his cellular phone charging at the Silver Spring house was needless to say he was caught Rule: Appreciate the power outage -- it helps the police arrest thieves sometimes.

Staff Editors In Chief: Emily Fruchterman David Hookey

Lifestyles Editors: Jennifer Allshouse Erin George

Managing Editor: Ndidi Obasi

Health Editors: Gessica Azzam Katie Vu

Editorials Editors: Nasiha Rashid Jeff Shim News Editors: Annie Curran Rebecca Malzahn In-Depth Editors: Erin Johnson Katie Masters

Photography Editors: Emma Barker Kristen Hennessey Ad Managers: Rachel Coulter Daniel Park Circulation Manager: Rachel Baker

Sports Editors: CJ Aftergut Jake Barnes

Art Editors: Jane Aman Jordan Aman

Sports Xtra Editors: Esra Gokturk Brenna O’Neill

Academics Editors: Nikki Contrino Tricia O’Neill

People Editors: Alley Adcock Kelsey Knoche

Copy Editors: Marwa Abdelaziz Rebecca Burke Brook Tamir

Weekend Editors: Helena Belay Kelsey Price International Editors: Jayran Moridzadeh Haumaira Safi Entertainment Editors: Mackda Dinberu Mary Anne Kavjian

Annandale High School 4700 Medford Dr. Annandale, Virginia 22003 e-mail: theablast@gmail.com

Historian: Mariah Pollet Web Editor: Liz Wilson Video Staff: Haben Berihun Alex Davalos William Labarca Gwen Levey Patrick McCann Greg Nielsen

Photographers: Rachel Bergen Sarah Bergen Carly Bouchard Helina Daniel Alexis Gunther Arthur McCafferty Lance Miller Isabel Villarroel-Teran Staff Writers: Colleen Adenan Stephanie Allshouse Corinne Balicki Noah Fitzgerel Megan Flynn Hila Ghorzang Parker Gillcash Kida Gizaw Kate Grandchamp Brekhnaa Gull Becca Hendrickson Kim Long Hoang Natalie Johnson Wisna’odom Keo Elizabeth Kruse Alexa Lafferty Carli Loeb Kylee Nisker Ngan Pham Viviana Valle Rocha Samir Shah Rowan Shartel Jerald Sheppard Maria Suri Adviser: Alan Weintraut

Vol. 56 No.7 Feb. 16, 2011 fax: (703) 642-4299

The A-Blast is an award winning newspaper that strives to inform, educate and entertain the student body and community. Published every three weeks, The A-Blast will not print any material that is obscene or libelous; or that which substantially disrupts the school day, or invades an individual’s right to privacy. The A-Blast is an independent, open forum for discussion that is printed at the Springfield Plant of The Washington Post. Signed letters to the editor of 250 words or less may be submitted to room 262 or mailed to the school. The A-Blast reserves the right to refuse advertisements. All submissions become property of The A-Blast, Copyright, 2010.

EDITORIALS

Feb. 16, 2011

Talkin’ about a Revolution

Are you keeping up to date with what is happening in Egypt ?

Understanding who was behind the Revolution and the reasons for instigating the protests

“Yes, it’s about some protests going on in Egypt.

I watch it on T.V. because my brother watches the news.”

BY NASIHA RASHID Editorials Editor

—Herson Palma freshman

“I know it has to do with politics, but all I know is that the Egyptian citizens got at the President of Egypt and started riots.”

NASIHA RASHID

Chants of the phrase “Hey hey, ho ho Mubarak has to go!” reverberated through the large crowd during a protest for Egypt. Dressed in the colors of red, black and white and holding up signs featuring a caricature of Mubarak or words of contempt for the disgraced authoritarian leader, those of the Egyptian nationality and supporters alike marched down the streets of downtown D.C., blocking streets surrounded by photographers and local journalists.

A domino effect had taken place. A revolution beginning in Tunisia has spread to Yemen, Lebanon and now to Egypt.

Egypt’s revolution is receiving the most coverage as a result of the protests and the government’s oppression of the people. The current revolution against Hosni Mubarak’s three-decade reign as president calls for him to immediately step down.

One thing to note is that this is not an Islamic revolution as previously thought; Egyptians from all walks of life are heading this movement and for good reason.

Instead of going on about what should be done to avoid chaos or thinking of a plausible solution for a new government, we have to put a face to the successful uprising. Beginning with those who are the most passionate about denouncing the government, young Egyptian men between the ages of 15-29 have been the most affected. Not long ago, back in the middle of January, a young Egyptian man by the name of Ahmed Hishim al-Sayyed, 25, followed the example of a fellow revolutionary in Tunisia and set himself on fire because he was unable to afford bread, unable to work and sadly lost his dignity. Unfortunately, this is a common shared conviction among many of the Egyptian men.

Looking at the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) for Egypt they have an unemployment rate of 9.7%, which is frustrating for all of those who pursued higher education only to find that there are no jobs available. The education they are receiving is insubstantial and puts them at a stalemate for any growth in their economy and in the world.

3

Protesters march through Washington, D.C. showing support for Egypt on Jan. 29, 2011.

With a country filled with young men and women with so much potential, the government or, rather, Hosni Mubarak has done nothing to make his citizens globally competitive or pursued a better education model. Dreams of beginning families, getting jobs and establishing themselves have long diminished.

With the outbreak of the anti-government riots, frustration grew once the Egyptian government blocked all Internet access in an attempt to suppress the voices of the people. Their effort, however, was ineffective, because news was still able to spread through a collective effort among the protesters.

The brutal death of Khaled Said by the hands of the police last summer also fueled the protests, angering and inciting revenge by those who were impacted by Said’s death. Said became the face of the revolution.

Attacks on the protesters of Tahrir Square and Cairo had the death toll rising, men and women starting from the youngest age of ten to their early 30s had become victims. Reporters had been put at a risk including Ahmed Mohammed Mahmoud, 36, who died taking photographs. Both local and international reporters in the midst of reporting and taking photographs had been fighting through the

crowds to safety. Wael Ghonim, a Google executive, was taken into custody by Egyptian authorities and was released and returned to the protests with even greater indignation. More over, he became a political hero for some demonstrators. Beyond the protests are desperate pleas for reform and as the government cracks down on the people they only fight back with more solidarity and passion.

And with the unified approach of the demonstrators this revolution was triumphant and made history last week on Feb. 11 after Hosni Mubarak finally stepped down and handed power to the Egyptian military.

Let us not forget about the young individuals who were behind this revolution, and the choices they had to make in order to attain better lives.

Without any hope there had been others like Ahmed out there asking for change, and as this story continued to unfold the cries of the protesters were not in vain and they were able to overcome the tribulations put through their way.

As John Locke once asserted, people are born with certain unalienable rights. They have the right to life, liberty and property, and if the government infringes upon those protected rights, the people have the right to replace the government.

—Shanze Faisal sophomore

“I see people protesting President Mubarak, but I don’t know why they are just protesting against him after 30 years.”

—Maryama Ismail junior

“Yes, I have a lot of Egyptian friends that are there. Some of my friends I know live about four miles away from Tahrir Square, Egypt, which is where everything is happening.”

AHS clubs build strong community

—Mariam Suqi science teacher

The rise in popularity of humanitarian clubs yields outstanding results in community

BY NOAH FITZGEREL Staff Writer

Do you take a part in humanitarian club activities?

COURTESY OF JUST WORLD

If a company were to conduct rankings of high schools by the intensity in which their students participate in after-school activities, AHS would certainly obtain an impressive classification. Within the past several years, students at AHS have become increasingly involved in humanitarian-related clubs. If one was to scan the list of incorporated clubs at AHS, they would find at least eight clubs whose mission it is to better AHS or its surrounding community.

A quick indicator of the number of students involved in causes greater than their own can be found in the fact that out of 2,600+ students enrolled in AHS, in the Key Club alone, there are 168 members. That by itself is definitely an impressive number. With all that man-power, not only are some of the most active clubs at AHS able to flaunt their numbers, such as the Green Atoms, Just World, Key Club, but they are able to make a tangible difference in our community.

According to the Key Club president senior Lillian Singer, the involvement of students in different programs within the school is what drives the numbers of membership up so high.

“Key Club is one of the largest clubs in AHS and we’ve certainly seen a rise in membership this year. Since more people are doing the IB and MYP Programs, they need more service. It’s also a good way to spend time with friends who are part of the club,” Singer said.

The members of Key Club are also a motivated bunch. “We work on doing a variety of in-house and community projects to benefit the local community,” Singer added.

Another bustling club at AHS is the Just World Club. It is most known for the program they host every year at AHS, the Just World Festival, which draws speakers and groups from around the East Coast. This year, the Just World Festival will be held on Friday, Feb. 25 According to Just World President Daniel Park, besides hosting this stupendous event, members of the club participate in other activities throughout the year. “As of now, we do the Just World Festival, one of the largest events of the year. Also, we’re doing the Relay for Life, and on top of that, we always encourage [our members] to do other projects, or their own projects,” Parks boasted.

“No, I’m not in any humanitarian clubs yet. But I am planning to join one.”

—Jerry Alvarez freshman

At the Just World Festival students get to visit tables set up for humanitarian organizations.

If you are not a part of this club and have time, Just World should definitely trump your list of clubs to look into. The opportunities they provide for their members to participate in are unique in this school.

So, as the benefitting of our community, citizens, and causes have been covered by other clubs, what else could their possibly be? Well, the environment of course! The last of the “big three” clubs focusing on humanitarian efforts here at AHS is the Green Atoms, a club that has risen in popularity quite recently. This club focuses on cleaning up our world. Throughout the year, the Green Atoms club cooperates with the Key Club to include as many people as possible in their school-wide clean-ups.

The Green Atoms club also supports the recycling program that AHS possesses, due to budget shortfalls. Without the Green Atoms, all the waste that Annandale produces, paper included, would simply be sent to the landfills.

This noble cause attracts many members, among the causes of the other two clubs that were mentioned.

Between these clubs, AHS students have the opportunity to affect almost every aspect of their community in a beneficial way, a truly commendable fact.

“I’m a part of the STAND club that raises awareness on genocide and donate money to organizations that fight genocide.”

—Nicole Montevilla sophomore

“I take part in Green Atoms, which is an environmental club and we focus more on environmental issues.”

Asian parenting methods balanced A book wrongly reinforces the stereotype of Asian parents

BY DANIEL PARK Ad Manager Author and Yale Professor Amy Chau’s book, “The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” has stirred up quite a bit of controversy. The book is a tale of the cultural clashes between the “Oriental” Chau and her “Western” daughters.

In exhibiting and analyzing the everyday conflicts Chau faces with her two daughters, the book offers explanations for why Chinese and other Asian races raise stereotypically successful kids at much higher rates than whites, blacks, or any other demographic.

The book’s data and interviewees gave some shocking, almost comical, results. In a survey between 50 Western American mothers and 48 Chinese immigrant mothers, 70% of the Western mothers said that “stressing academic success is not good for children” while 0% of the Chinese mothers thought the same way.

Chua herself spent a great deal of her time making sure that her daughters Sophia and Lulu were devoted completely to their studies and

music. As a result, both daughters are straight-A, musically gifted prodigies.

By the age of 14, Sophia had performed at Carnegie Hall, and by the age of 11, Lulu had applied for the world-famous School of Music.

However, this mask of success hides some disturbing side effects of Chua’s totalitarian household.

Sophia’s piano is indented with teeth marks from her gnawing. Sophia tends to gnaw on the piano during practice because of the immense pressure.

On the other hand, Lulu is extremely apathetic and barely talks. So, the big question is, what accounts for the achievement gap between Asians and the rest of the world?

According to Chua, the reasoning is that the relationship between Chinese and their children is very blunt.

For example, while a Westerner would tell their children to “try to lose some weight,” or “try your best in school,” the Chinese would say “lose some weight, fatty,” or “get straight As.” The book also states that Chinese mothers act in best interest for their children. Therefore, their approach to parenting is to make sure that their children are geared for success, overriding their children’s preferences and desires in the process.

Western parents try to respect their children’s

individuality by giving them support and providing a nurturing environment. In contrast, the Chinese parents believe that the best way to protect their children is to prepare them for the future by arming them with education, skills and confidence.

When I first read this, I was appalled. However, as disgusted as I was with Chua’s parenting of her children, I could not help but feel my own parents’ parenting in there.

As a Korean-American myself, my parents placed a huge emphasis on education, especially on math and science. My parents knew the importance of education for success and made sure that I had the best education I could get.

My parents do make me go to academies outside of school, study for hours under their watch and take classes two to three years ahead of my peers.

Anything short of an “A” would be met with retribution or punishment.

However, just because my parents had high expectations for me, did not mean they were authoritarian tyrants who tried to commit every aspect of my life to education. They just wanted me to find success.

Chua’s parenting of her children has proven to give results. However, the big question is whether the success and skills of her children are worth the near traumatic childhood they experienced.

—Mariam Tariq Javed junior

“No, because I don’t know any. I want to help the community but right now, I have a job.”

—Aditya Negi senior

NEWS

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HOT OR NOT? Students explore which classes are the most popular, and which are the least, on Feb. 10, during the Elective Fair.

Feb. 16, 2011

Will IB test fees be refunded? aren’t taking IB classes just because they can’t afford to.”

Representative Kaye Kory (D), a sponsor of the legislation, stated on the Annandale, VA blogspot, “I strongly believe that charging fees for AP and IB tests is the same as charging for enrollment in the course. That is a violation of the Commonwealth of Virginia Constitution, and that gets into separate but equal education. It is extremely discriminatory to charge students to take an advanced course.” Kory represents the 38th District, which includes large sections of Annandale and Mason District.

“I don’t think it’s fair that we have to pay for something that’s required to pass the class,” junior Kyle Kowalczyk said. “I think it’s a good idea for them to review it, but I don’t think anything will change.”

“I think that it’s a little ironic to make the students that take the advanced courses have to pay to be able to take them,” senior Roger McGinnis said. “I’m glad that the county is reviewing the policy.” McGinnis is taking IB Math, IB Geography, IB English and IB Physics.

— Roger McGinnis Cuccinelli issued a statement on Jan. 4 stating, senior “Because the Advanced Placement Examination test is the required end-of-course examination, it cannot reasonably be viewed as a service or program for which a fee may be levied.”

The statement is in response to Senator David Marsden’s question on whether or not FCPS is legally allowed to charge students to take AP or IB exams.

If a student drops an AP or IB course and has already paid their fees for the exam, FCPS will not refund their money. If a class requires a student to take more than one exam, the student will only be charged for one exam.

For students receiving free or reduced lunch, FCPS will pay the fees for their exams.

“I consider myself lucky to have a family that is willing to pay $450 because its for my education, but its really unfair to the kids who are missing out on the opportunity because of financial restrictions,” Vergel de Dios said.

VA Attorney Gen. prompts consideration

BY COLLEEN ADENAN Staff Writer

Hot: Leadership

Senior Carrie Vergel de Dios is currently enrolled in IB English, IB Spanish, IB Geography, IB Anthropology, IB Photography and IB Math Studies. Beside her heavy course load, she is also facing $450 in IB testing fees. There was a glimmer of hope for her family’s wallet, however, when Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli declared the fees illegal.

The original proposed bill prohibiting school boards from charging students to take Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams stemming from this declaration has failed. Despite the bill’s failure, FCPS will continue to review the situation.

The new policy regarding fees for AP and IB exams was instated this school year as part of the approved budget. Legislators in Fairfax County disagreed with the decision and introduced the bill to the state’s Education Committee, however it was defeated in the House of Representatives in January.

Fairfax County currently charges students $75 to take an AP or IB exam and $100 to play a sport. AHS is one of eight schools to offer the IB program in Fairfax County. Superintendent of FCPS Jack Dale will be meeting with his staff in the next couple of weeks to decide a course of action. The final verdict on whether or not the fees will be refunded will be released sometime after March 14.

“I do understand that it takes money for IB to grade our exams, but I think that $75 is a little too expensive,” Vergel de Dios said. “It’s definitely a good thing that the county is reviewing this policy, especially for the people who

“

Above, leadership students present a PowerPoint of their class to a full house. Some students had to sit on the floor.

Leadership is a student-run class that organizes events like homecoming and battle of the classes.

Not: Creative Writing

It’s a little ironic to make the students that take the advanced courses have to pay to be able to take them.

”

Males and females battle to support blood cancer research

Above, students take their seats in the nearly vacant Creative Writing classroom. Creative Writing allows students to express their feelings and thoughts through writing short stories and poems. The elective also organizes and takes part in the Filament.

BY KYLEE NISKER Staff Writer Every year approximately 53,000 people die from blood cancer in the United States alone. The Science National Honor Society (SNHS) is trying to bring down these numbers by holding a fundraising event and encouraging AHS students to donate to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The campaign, named Pennies for Patients, is being held to raise money throughout the entire month of February. The SNHS has a donation table set up inside the cafeteria during all lunches, with boxes that are put out to collect contributions. Contributions can also be collected online at AHS’s Fundraising page.

The SNHS put their own spin on the fundraiser and decided to make it a competition between genders to see who is the most generous. Since this is a challenge against other schools in the state, the winning school with receive a party package which includes

Hot: Psychology

Above, several students gather around the door of the Psychology classroom, which had to be capped after a limit of 30 students entered due to overcrowding issues in the past year. The class teaches students about psychological disorders, types of behaviors and many other subjects.

free pizza from Domino’s, $200 in Best Buy door prizes and an on-air visit with the radio station HOT 99.5.

“The SNHS penny war campaign is a way to help out the LLS’s cause by getting students involved and donating,” senior secretary of SNHS Jenna Truong said.

If a donation of $2 or more is given, the student will be eligible to win one of many raffle prizes, including an American Express gift card, an iTunes gift card and several others.

The SNHS is also presenting A Walk to Remember as their movie night on Feb 18. For each donation of $3 or more, through donations to Pennies for Patients, a ticket for the movie night will be given. Tickets are also sold during all lunches that week for anyone who does not choose to donate.

“This is a great society because the organization is dedicated to fighting blood cancers and all the money raised towards the society will help with blood cancer research,” said Truong.

While attempting to reach their goal of $15,000 by the end of the month, the SNHS plans to have another part of the fundraiser taking place on Feb 22. from 6-8 p.m. at Fuddruckers in another effort to support blood cancer research.

Everyone is encouraged to give what they can, whether it is just the spare change left over from lunch or large amounts given by family and friends.

CAROLA ROJAS

Not: AP English Language and Composition

Cynthia Quintanilla puts a quarter in the donation collection box for the females.

SARAH BERGEN

War of pennies Students wait and prepare for the Psychology presentation during the Elective Fair.

Decision time Students prepare to choose their classes

BY JENNY JESSEN Staff Writer Course selection is a tricky time of year. It is when the decisions that make or break your next school year are made. Some students already know what classes they are going to sign up for right off the bat. Others are less sure and count on the Elective Fair to help them make some tough decisions.

The elective fair was held during the two flex periods on Feb. 10, and was a time when students got to explore four electives, core classes or any combination of the two, that they might be interested in for next year. The purpose of this event is to help minimize confusion during the course selections that begin Feb. 17, when juniors will be going to their counselors during their English class. All freshmen, sophomores and juniors participated in the elective fair while the seniors headed to the cafeteria for a breakfast.

When the first bell rang, some students hightailed it to their first presentation, while others took the six minutes of travel time to socialize. More often than not, the

students socializing did not get into the presentations they wanted because space filled up fast. Those found not in a presentation were escorted to the auditorium until the session ended.

“I didn’t really know where most of the classes that I was interested in were, so I never got to go to them,” freshmen Amy Reynolds said.

The Elective Fair has more perks then problems. Freshman Katie McCann already knew what she was going to take next year. “[But] It was still useful because now I don’t have to worry about trying to fit the four electives I saw this year into next years fair,” McCann said.

“I got to learn about JROTC, a class I wouldn’t have even thought was an option, and academies I didn’t even know Annandale offered,” sophomore Alexis Garretson said.

Overall, students got to learn about electives that they may want to take in the upcoming year, or begin to get an understanding of the courses they are required to take in the next year. And while going on an adventure around the school may not be on the top of every student’s to-do list, it is, at least, a break from the neverending learning.

Culinary grates their competition Senior Adam Goodison becomes a national Hot Foods candidate

—Compiled by Sarah Bergen

PARKER GILLCASH

BY KATE GRANDCHAMP Staff Writer

Annual Science Fair a success

By Parker Gillcash, Staff Writer

The colloquialism “freshman 15” has been said to be the “freshman 50” for college culinary students, who are frequently surrounded by delectable foods. The recent SkillsUSA competition may cause this to happen to AHS Culinary Arts students, while simultaneously paving the way for their success in the industry. “[The students] will be doing the work with me and going to restaurants to work on [their] skills with other chefs so they have real experience,” Culinary Chef Christine Gloninger, SkillsUSA Advisor said. “Then [they] will come back to me to work on the type of skills they will be judged on for [states].”

The following students were successful at the Feb. 5 District Championship and won: seniors Laura Garcia, Food and Beverage Service; Sergio Alacandra, Commercial Baking; senior Bobby Pradachith, Culinary Hot Foods; and senior Adam Goodison, Hot

Foods.

“Laura [Garcia] worked on setting tables, carrying trays, not being nervous as she began taking orders and connecting with people, having soups and not spilling [and] taking orders,” Gloninger said.

Senior Adam Goodison is projected to make it to the national level this year as a result of his stellar performance in 2010 at the district and state levels, which earned him first and second place respectively.

Goodison then travelled to Kansas to observe his competition and prepare himself for the 2011 National Competition. The winner of this competition will receive a full scholarship, valued at ten thousand dollars, to a four-year culinary school.

The State competition will be held in Hampton Roads, Virginia, on April 1 and 2.

Until then, the students will continue to practice, like Alacandra, who will practice baking as well as icing and decorating cakes and Pradachith, who will use classroom time to work with various menu styles by breaking down the processes behind a finished meal.

BECCA SPONGA

Above, students listen to a brief presentation about the class and the learn the difference between AP and IB. Students in AP Journalism learn how to become better writers and follow current news topics.

Bobby Pradachith practices before the Culinary Hot Foods competition.

NEWS

Feb. 16. 2011

New clubs, new quarter N

EWS BRIEFS

Club, which has been started by senior Haseena Ali. ‘“The Annandale Medical Association works to enhance students’ knowledge about various aspects of the medical field. In addition, we aim to help students to be more aware of medical issues in impoverished areas,” Ali said. “The club raises funds to assist medical facilities in third world countries.”

This club provides information for those interested in pursuing a career in the medical field. The meetings for this club are held every other Monday in room 241. If interested in joining this club, email ahs.medicalassociation@gmail.com or join the Facebook group ‘Annandale Medical Association.’

“Feminist” continued from page 1

The Annandale Feminist Club will be raising awareness about gender discrimination and it will be help prevent any types of abuse based on gender discrimination against women. Anyone interested in joining should contact Mrs. Mounteer (catherine.mounteer@fcps.edu) or join the Facebook group ‘AHS Feminists’.

Another fresh flyer hitting the walls of AHS is advertising The Annandale Medical Association

Free Gourmet Lunch The Atom Branch will be raffling off a free gourmet lunch prepared by the Annandale Bistro. In order to enter the raffle, a student must make a deposit or withdrawal of more than $10 in the Atom Branch. The raffle will be held on Feb. 16 in the cafeteria.

AJ MCCAFFERTY

Student reaches out to fellow students to join

Junior Hilla Haidari formed the Annandale Feminist Club with her sister and is also involved with the Annandale Medical Association.

Track Interest Meeting Interest meetings for outdoor track and field will be held on Feb. 16 and Feb. 23. at 2:10 p.m. in the upstairs gym. In order to make the team, students are required to attend one of the two meetings. Students should also bring their emergency care card and physical forms to the interest meeting.

Contact Sean Miller in Trailer 23 for any questions.

McGhee places first in business Business plan for “JuJu Bars” beats out over 900 other student competitors

SOURCE: STEPHANIE HARMONY

“McGhee” continued from page 1

Senior Liam McGhee signs his check after placing first for his business plan for JuJu Bars.

said. The judges were impressed by McGhee’s presentation; they thought he presented and stated his facts professionally like a real CEO of a business.

McGhee says he owes some of his success to his business teacher, Stephanie Harmony, and his coach, Jack Liu. Both helped him prepare his PowerPoint presentation during the days before the competition. He says that it was Harmony who drove him to compete and her insistence was not without reason.

McGhee has competed in other competitions as well.

In eighth grade, he competed with other students in his school for a full scholarship to George Mason University

(GMU). Out of the 100 students he competed against, he came out on top and now has a full scholarship to GMU. Once he graduates from high school, McGhee is looking forward to not only building on his Juju bar business, but also working for the Central IntelligenceAgency and/ or Computer Forensics.

“The world is getting more connected with technology and media, so being good with computers and intelligence will come in handy if you’re looking for a job,” McGhee said.

For coming in first place, McGhee was awarded $1,500 and a trip to New York City to represent the DC region in the National Competition.

The Juju bars business is, in fact, a real business.

McGhee is creating a website for this “all time snack” with his father. His father works on the computer technical parts of the website, while McGhee works on the business part. His website, www.originaljujubar.com is still being built.

“The web site is taking time to build,” McGhee said.

“But we should have it up in a month.”

Baseball to hold fundraiser for new season Today between 2:15 and 4:15 the AHS baseball program will be holding an all-you-caneat fundraiser with Domino’s pizza. Anyone interested in buying tickets can pay $5 in cash or checks, which can be made payable to the AHS Boosters. Tickets can be purchased from Coach Ron Abrigo or any member of the team. The event will take place in the cafeteria.

AHS celebrates black culture “Black History” continued from page 1

facts of the day to the afternoon announcements.

The turnout for participants for the bowl has been large this year. History teacher Joel Jepson, who is coaching the junior team, had eight students express interest and had to hold tryouts to limit the team down to three students. Out of the eight students who tried out, four are members of the Social Studies Honor Society. The junior team has been practicing with the It’s Academic buzzers to prepare for Friday.

“

The black culture is often not seen throughout daily life and it is a great culture that can be seen

”

— Zeni Saife-Selassie senior

“I competed last year and I liked the competition and there’s a $100 prize,” juniorAndy Tran said, who was trying out for Jepson’s team.

Each class coach has been holding practices with their students in preparation for the bowl. Though each sponsor would like their team to win, they are all keeping the good humored spirit of the competition intact. “I gave them packets on topics that we be covered. They are divided up so that each person can be more of an expert,” history teacher Gregory Commons said. “I’ve been doing this for three or four years.”

In addition to Jepson and Commons, history teacher Meghan Saladino is the coach of the sophomore team and health teacher Peggy Capehart is the coach of the freshman team.

According to the Library of Congress, the theme of National Black History Month is “AfricanAmericans and the Civil War.” The theme is especially topical because last year was the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. The focus of this theme is how AfricanAmericans worked to earn freedom and equal civil rights. The month-long event is sponsored by the Library of Congress, National Endowment for the Humanities, Smithsonian Institution, National Gallery of Art, National Archives and Records Administration, National Park Service and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

The event began as Negro History Week in 1926 during a week in February that encompassed both President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist Frederick Douglass’ birthday. In 1976, it was expanded to a month-long event, during the United States’ bicentennial and 50 years after the first Negro History Week.

As the participants of the bowl cram knowledge into their heads, many students are eagerly awaiting the competition. The winning award is something that each class could use in their treasury and the bragging rights are an excellent added bonus. For the BCAA and the history department, the bowl represents an attempt to educate the students about important people who made a difference in history. “[I hope that] people become more knowledgeable and tolerant about other cultures,” Saife-Selassie said.

AVID takes a trip to Georgetown

Famous African Americans

50 AVID students travelled to Georgetown University on Feb. 11 to take a tour of the campus and attend an information session. This was the first of two annual college trips AVID takes. One is generally local or in state, and the next will most likely be out of state.

ISBABEL VILLARROEL

Students prepare for the Black History Bowl

Questions about famous figures such as these will be asked at the Black History Bowl on Feb. 18 during an extended FLEX. The winning class will receive $100.

(From left to right Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr, Michael Jackson, Jackie Robinson and Frederick Douglass.

Anthropology teacher Holly Miller informs prospective students about the class during the elective fair on Feb. 10 during FLEX. Elective fair gives students the opportunity to decide what classes they want to take next year.

A question, such as ‘What is your opinion on maritime safety and security,’ is asked, and you are required to answer back, not basing the answer on your own opinion, but by basing it on the supposed opinion of the country you are representing. Can you do it?

The Model United Nations (M.U.N.) traveled to Johns Hopkins University on Feb. 10 through the 13 to debate questions like these and other current issues around the world while role-playing as their assigned country. The majority of students from AHS were representing Kenya and China in the discussions, however some students were delegates from other countries as well portraying historical figures. Many other schools came to the conference and also represented different countries from around the world and engaged in the discussions.

Almost 1500 students from 32 different schools attended the Johns Hopkins University M.U.N. conference. “I think the best part about M.U.N. is probably the experience. Even if the conference is local, you will always be guaranteed to meet new people from other schools and sometimes

KELSEY PRICE

BY: BETSY KRUSE Staff Writer

even other states or countries,” freshman Amelie Trieu said.

Each committee participated in six sessions, and at each conference different topics were debated in hopes of passing a resolution that would satisfy all of the delegates that were representing different countries. One committee had 196 countries being represented and each session lasted between two and half and three hours long.

“Considering that [Annandale] does not actually practice debating or writing position papers during our club meetings, we did pretty well but then there’s always room for improvement,” Trieu said.

The conference lasted from Thursday to Sunday and the students had many opportunities to not only debate, but also to tour Baltimore and Johns Hopkins University. Different events were planned for each night to keep the M.U.N. members entertained such as ice cream socials, trivia nights, performances by music and dance groups from Johns Hopkins, movie nights and even a dance.

“I thought that the Renaissance Hotel and Johns Hopkins University had everything extremely well organized,” M.U.N. sponsor Jonathan York said.

“In my opinion the music at the dance was a little too overwhelming, but the selections were really good. Halfway through the dance I went to see the Social Network, which I thought was amazing,” Trieu said.

At the end of the conference on Sunday, an

HELINA DANIEL

Model U.N. brings home awards Four-day conference brings success for AHS

5

Seniors Kelsey Price, MaryAnne Kavjian, Chris Marshall and Elisa Figueroa are all smiles during the opening ceremony.

award ceremony was held to honor the delegates who best represented their countries. Senior Emily Fruchterman won outstanding delegate for Press Corps and senior Ben Wolfenstein won verbal recognition for the Ottoman Sultanate.

“The students were outstanding. I couldn’t have been more proud of the way they conducted themselves. We had the best and sharpest dressed students there,” York said.

M.U.N. will have there next local conferences at Thomas Jefferson High School and Bishop Ireton High School at the end of March, and they always need more members.

Career Center Specialist Robin Roth talks to parents and students during a junior class information night on Feb. 9, meant to inform students about senior year and college.

go to www.thea-blast.org to see the newest installment of the A-Blast All Access.

PEOPLE

6 How do you avoid procrastinating?

“I try to not procrastinate but I listen to music while doing homework.”

Feb. 16, 2011

Senior slump sets in Class of 2011 begins to suffer from ‘senioritis’ as second semester begins

BY KELSEY KNOCHE People Editor

— Christian Molina freshman

“I try to make myself do homework right as I get out of school.”

—Emily Blank sophomore

“I procrastinate instead of doing homework.”

— Micaela Filsoof junior

“I don’t usually procrastinate, I just get my work done.”

— Nick Lalande senior

––Compiled by Alley Adcock

An empty word document, a blank notebook page, a packet of math questions left halfanswered, a grade printout with more zeroes than completed assignments.

As the second semester begins, these are the things that many seniors at AHS have become all too familiar with. For many seniors, as college acceptances begin to pile up, the drive to put forth effort in their current classes plummets.

“I have very little motivation to do my work this semester, I am already into the colleges I want to go to so I’m not as worried about doing my work,” senior Maddie Smith said.

In addition, as the second semester has officially begun, so has an increase in seniors claiming to be suffering from “senioritis.”

A symptom of not only being a senior but the completion of the second quarter can also be accompanied by a decrease in student work effort and motivation.

Senior Nathan Seeto, who recently was accepted at Virginia Commonwealth University, has experienced so-called senioritis and feels the distractions becoming ever present. “It’s extremely distracting to think about [college] while you’re attempting to study for a test or while trying to do a homework assignment,” Seeto said.

Despite this, he also points out that he still completes all of his assignments because he knows in the end it will be worth it. “As hard as it is to study or try in school knowing that you’re accepted to a college, graduation will be completely worth all of the work.”

Because most students apply to colleges before the end of the semester, only grades from the first three years of high school are sent initially. Though senior year grades will be sent to colleges at the end of the year, they very rarely rescind offers of admission due to poor grades in the students’ final year.

“Even though I know it’s rare, we’ve all heard too many stories of acceptances being rescinded after a kid slacked off in the second

“The impact of getting in early decision has actually come full circle for me–– in the weeks following the acceptance, I did slack off a little, but once the novelty of the feeling of being accepted wore off, I found myself studying and working at about the same level that I used to.”

Whether suffering from senioritis or not, all graduating seniors are looking forward to June 16, the Class o f 2 0 11 ’s graduation d a y a t Constitution Hall.

Countdowns for the big day are everywhere, from whiteboards in their classrooms to tallies in their agendas.

“The moment I begin to think about things like graduation Senior Zeni Saife-Selasse is one of and the school many who becomes distracted when y e a r b e i n g attempting to complete homework. done, I lose all focus on assignments,” Seeto said.

‘Hallmark holiday’ hits AHS Students share their Valentine’s Day plans and past experiences

BY BECCA HENDRICKSON AND ALEX BROWN Staff Writers

25 64 35 63 69 49 33 79 25 46 18 72 60 66 34 51 29 36 17 22 21 45 78 54 30 37 38

Visit www.thea-blast.org for a feature on students preparing for IB oral assessments.

A day for lovers, a day that separates the men from the boys, that’s right, it’s Valentines Day! When junior Natalie Ford walked out to her car on Valentine’s Day morning 2010, she was surprised with a bouquet of heart shaped balloons covering her vehicle bumper to bumper.

When she opened her car door a box of chocolates was awaiting for her on her driver’s seat.

That was last year––“I’m hoping for it to be just as great as it was last time,” said Ford. “I’m definitely hoping I can do something as good as last year, but it’s going to be hard,” junior Alec Villafana, Natalie’s boyfriend said.

Like most holidays, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in multiple ways depending on who the person is.

Junior Kenzi Wright used to spend Valentine’s Day by going to dinner or a movie with her friends or family, but this year she is spending it with her boyfriend.

“I honestly have no idea what we are going to do but [my boyfriend] will probably end up taking me to dinner or a movie, but whatever it is I know it will be fun and sweet,” Wright said.

Like Wright, sophomore Addy Bramson appreciates when boys work hard to do something for a girl. “I like [Valentine’s day traditions] because they’re cute and guys have to do all the work,” Bramson said.

On the other hand, Wright’s boyfriend, junior Delwyn Molina, doesn’t appreciate Valentine’s Day at all. “I don’t think it’s fair that the boy always has to get the girl a present when we usually don’t get anything at all in exchange.”

Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a holiday based on love, but a lot of people don’t enjoy celebrating the holiday at all either because of its high cost or lack of a valentine. The tradition has become a pick and choose holiday between couples.

“I think Valentine’s Day is kinda ridiculous because it is pretty expensive for the guy,” senior Nathan Seeto said.

It is not only the boys that object to the high price of showing how much they love their significant other. Girls around AHS agree that sometimes the

overpriced cards and Godiva chocolates have gotten to be too much.

“I do not have a boyfriend but if I did I wouldn’t want him to do something really special because it’s expensive and you don’t need a special day to show someone you care,” senior Banna Gebremichael said.

Some have other obligations on the 14th that keep them from enjoying the holiday.

“I really don’t like Valentine’s Day because it’s my mom’s birthday and I always have to spend it with my family,” junior Evelyn Jaramillo said.

Like Jaramillo, freshman Christine Tamir shares similar views. “Valentines day is overrated, and is mostly about making money, just like all the other holidays are in America,” Tamir said.

“My plans for Valentine’s day are going to wrestling practice, sadly,” senior Jon Le said. “I’m kind of sad I have to miss out on it, but there’s always next year.”

Le isn’t the only one not looking forward to Valentine’s Day, “I plan on giving my girlfriend a last minute gift, and maybe picking some flowers from my lawn,” junior Robson Desouza said.

“I don’t like Valentine’s Day traditions because the guys never get anything.”

AHS also has its own traditions for Valentine’s day––singing Valentines.

Singing valentines are a chance for students to give a Valentine’s Day present to another student during school.

With 17 songs to choose from, some being as classic as “Love” by Nat Cole, and the newest being “Mine” by Taylor Swift, students surely have a wide range to choose from. Students can pay a small fee for members of the AHS choral department to go to another student’s class and sing a song to them.

“The singing valentines are cool,”junior Charles Staley said. “I plan on sending singing valentines to all of my friends because it’s a nice thing to do and it makes the school day interesting.”

Unlike Staley, senior Alay Tedla doesn’t share the same optimism about the tradition. “I think they’re a waste of money, but sometimes they’re funny and at least they interrupt class time,” Tedla said.

Everyone out there might not have that special someone, but Valentines Day is still recognized by most Americans.

It’s been around America since the 1700’s, and chances are, it will continue to stick around for years to come.

The Price of Valentine’s Day Card from Hallmark: $3.49 Godiva 15 piece chocolate box: $25.00 Dozen balloons from Party City: $9.99 A dozen red roses from ProFlowers: $29.99 Dinner: $50.00 AHS singing valentine: $5.00

Total: $123.47

BECCA HENDRICKSON

February Celebrity Birthdays

1 Lauren Conrad 2 Farah Fawcett 3 Isla Fisher 4 Alice Cooper 5 Roger Staubach 6 Axl Rose 7 Ashton Kutcher 8 James Dean 9 David Gallagher 10 Glenn Beck 11 Taylor Lautner 12 Judy Blume 13 Peter Gabriel 14 Carl Bernstein 15 Brandon Boyd 16 John McEnroe 17 Paris Hilton 18 Jillian Michaels 19 Victoria Justice 20 Rihanna 21 Corbin Bleu 22 Carrot Top 23 Johnny Cash 24 Eddie Murray 25 Chelsea Clinton 26 Eric Lindros 27 Antonio Sobato Jr.

semester, so I still make an effort to do well,” senior Lillian Singer said.

“I’ve already been accepted at North Carolina State University and sent in my deposit. Even though I get really lazy and don’t want to do my work sometimes, I still complete all of it. It just might not be quite as good as it was before,” senior Megan Loman said.

Along with lack of motivation to do school work, another thing accompanying senioritis is how easy it is to become distracted.

For some, distractions such as Facebook and television are especially problematic in completing their assignments.

“I would say my biggest distraction is Facebook, because once I get onto my laptop I just subconsciously check my Facebook and I also watch TV as I work, the second semester hasn’t changed too much for me since I still do my work, it just might be a little late,” senior Katie Bui said.

Because many seniors marked the end of the semester on Jan. 28 in their agendas on the first day of school, there were some who were not particularly fond of Principal John Ponton’s decision to extend the second quarter two extra days due to inclement weather cancelling the final three days of the quarter.

“I understand why it is necessary, but at the same time I was really looking forward to being a second semester senior so I was a little afraid my teachers would use it to assign more work for the quarter when I thought I was finished,” Loman said.

However, others saw it as an opportunity to turn in late assignments that they hadn’t gotten the chance to complete and turn in due to the missed days.

“I had some geography articles that I needed to turn in, so I was initially a little worried that I wouldn’t get the chance to do that,” Singer said.

For many students, the drag of doing tedious homework assignments is far more painful than studying for tests and quizzes at this point in their high school careers.

“Homework assignments are not weighted as heavily as tests and quizzes, so it’s difficult to fight off the feeling that it’s simply busy work that is not worth the time,” said Singer.

Singer says that being accepted to the College of William and Mary at the beginning of December was actually helpful because she feels like the effects have already worn off.

Junior Kim Rowland purchases a singing valentine during lunch. The valentines were sold in the week leading up to Feb. 14 for $5 each and were delivered to classes throughout the day on Valentine’s Day.

HEALTH

Feb. 16, 2011

Six ways to keep your skin flawless

3

Drink Water

Drinking water is one of the many health benefits that improves the appearance of your skin. Water keeps your skin hydrated and healthy, making it seem more bright than usual. It also is known to flush out any toxins and helps with blood circulation, which makes your skin color smoother. Try drinking at least eight glasses of water a day as this can help improve your appearance.

5

Don’t smoke

One of the most common ways to harm your skin is smoking cigarettes. Smoking can cause skin to age drastically and creates many wrinkles on the face. When smoking, the carbon monoxide from the cigarette causes blood levels to increase, which affects age development. Also, smokers can scar more drastically, causing you to heal slower than a non-smoker. In addition to bad skin, smoking also stains teeth, making them more yellow.

2

“I use Neutrogena because it works.”

--Cynthia Weiner freshman

Eat healthy

Having a well balanced diet is an important role in maintaining healthy skin.

Balance is the main key, because without eating fruits, vegetables, carbs, etc. you may not get all the nutrients you need. Try eating more fruits and vegetables but make sure that they vary in color. Adults and teens should be eating at least five servings of vegetables and fruits a day and six servings of whole grains a day. Shy away from dairy because it can cause skin problems, including breakouts, so try using soy milk to get all the nutrients you need.

4

---Matt Del Signore sophomore

“I use Proactiv because it works really well and keeps my skin silky smooth.”

Get oily

All types of oils are good ways to make your skin healthy, but some can make skin too dry or too oily. The three oils that benefit skin the most are coconut oil, olive oil and fish oil. Olive oil has antioxidants that protect the skin from damage. Fish oil contains Omega 3 fatty acids which help prevent wrinkles and delays the aging process. Finally, coconut oil contains a lot of moisture which helps with dry skin.

6

“Dove soap all the way.”

--Hiba Abuelhawa junior

KATIE VU

A sauna is a small room used for relaxation and therapy by generating dry or moist air. During a sauna session, deep sweating occurs, keeping your skin new and healthy. Sweat rinses bacteria out of the top layer of the skin and the sweat ducts, cleansing the pores and improving circulation. Sweating is good for your body because it cleanses out all the bad bacteria in that builds up in the body and also breaks down wrinkles and acne.

What do you use for your skin?

Senior Megan Loman likes to use Olay face wash to cleanse her face. “I like to wash my face every night to take off my make-up before I go to bed,” Loman said. After washing her face she uses lotion to prevent her skin from drying out.

“I just use soap and water and I like to put cucumbers on my eyes.”

---Matt Klima senior

––Compiled by Becca Hendrickson

Pop a pill

Fun Facts: Top five best foods for your skin

The most common way to keep your skin healthy is to use vitamins and minerals. Lotions and oils help to make your skin flawless, but inside the lotions and oils are the vitamins which really help your skin.

The best vitamins are Vitamins C, E, A, and B. Vitamins C and E help with skin exposure to the sun, Vitamin A helps repair skin tissue, and Vitamin B helps form the basis of the skin.

1. Seafood Benefits: Clear and smooth skin; good source of Omega 3 KATIE VU

1

Get Sweaty

7

A good way to keep your face clean is to make sure you wash your hands frequently throughout the day before touching your face.

The importance of skin care for teenagers which gives me more of a reason to use Neutrogena face wash every single night before I go to bed.”

Aging is another natural process of the body that is mainly caused by exposure to the environment and dead skin cells. For the face, along with accommodating differing skin types, products can be bought to prevent aging so that wrinkles, thinner and drier skin are not developed at a young age.

BY CAROLA ROJAS Make up may cover up some blemishes here and there but at the end Staff Writer of the day, when the make up comes off, one cannot avoid what it has been Why settle for your typical soap bar when there are dozens of leading hiding. Senior Madeena Haidari has been successful at being able to utilize face wash brands that are bound to do better than the ordinary? both face care and makeup without harming her skin. “I’ve been using It is guaranteed that if you were to look into your local Saint Ives Apricot wash scrub since the CVS store, it would take some time to figure out what 8th grade because I think the longer you It is important to have good brand of face wash, lotion, and make up to purchase to best use something the more it gets used to your benefit your skin. Considering the three main skin types face, and it reacts better,” said Haidari. clear skin to make a good of dry, oily and combination skin, a variety of products When it comes to using make up, Haidari impression since your face is can be bought to ensure skin health on the face. The most strictly sticks to L’Oreal and Olay because the first thing people typically available products include Proactiv, Neutrogena, Clean these companies’ products are widely said and Clear, and Clearasil. to have beneficial effects on one’s skin. notice about you.

Getting out of bed is not easy, but waking up at 5 a.m.

“I use Neutrogena face wash, day mask, on a dreadful rainy day after having spent several hours and night mask because I find a clean —Laila Sayed on homework the night before is even worse. For junior natural face more important than one with sophomore Nghia Tong, Clean and Clear’s Morning Burst is his make up on,” said junior Abigail Meseker. product of choice to give him that extra boost to wake up It is most important to remember that and begin the day. face washes should be suitable for one’s skin according to their skin com“I use Clean and Clear because I believe that it is important to have plexion and type. If not, they may cause irritation rather than the desired good clear skin to make a good impression since your face is the first thing effect of healthy skin. Also, lotions with an SPF 15+ are recommended for people typically notice about you,” said sophomore Laila Sayed. Sayed also use everyday throughout the year so that the sun’s rays and other environmakes sure to apply some Neutrogena SPF 15 lotion during the winter mental factors may not cause harm. By following these simple expectations, because skin tends to dry up more easily during this time. you may easily be able to your skin’s complexion and participate in ways According to junior Quinn Ralston, “Playing sports can get very sweaty, that cause skin radiance and health.

The way to glowing, healthy skin is through the use of the right products and constant cleanliness

“

2. Citrus Fruits Benefits: Firm and smooth skin; good source of Vitamin C

3. Vegetables Benefits: Green and red veggies give bright and smooth skin; good source of Vitamin A

”

4. Nuts Benefits: Soft and younger looking skin; good source of Vitamin E

5. Whole grains Benefits: Clear and moisturized skin; good source of Vitamin B

Source: Discovery Health

ARTS

8

Feb. 16, 2011

Colors of confidence IB Art student depicts strength and confidence in paintings

BY JORDAN AMAN Arts Editor

The Deadliest Pen This is a literary arts blog written by Arts page co-editor Jane Aman. To contribute work, email Jane at jamnjane592@ gmail.com.

The Cellar Door A site about art. Arts Editor Jordan Aman will post artist reviews and happenings in and around the contemporary scene, as well as documentation of his own explorations as an artist.

To view these blogs visit www.thea-blast.org and click on the “Blogs” button on the home page.

Upcoming shows and exhibitions Photography and Media Arts

CORCORAN.ORG

At the Corcoran Gallery of Art Through May 15

Framed: Street Photography from the collection At the Corcoran Gallery of Art Through May 15

Depicting images the likes of Lady Gaga and abstractions of the female portrait and nude figure, senior IB Art student Allison Warth has built a portfolio as colorful and eclectic as the music that inspires it. Working mainly with watercolors and mixed media, Warth displays a firm grasp of both technique and clear intention.

“I like working in multi-media, but mainly watercolor and graphite,” Warth said. Her subject matter, comprised mostly of the female nude carries a great deal of controversy. However, a topic which some may refer to as risque is geared towards a much more wholesome topic.

“My theme is really aimed towards the empowerment of women,” Warth said. “It was not ever so much just about the nudes, but in figuring out my IB theme, I focused on distorting the figure and studying anatomy.”

The draw backs to being a high school art student, is the lack of an open figure drawing course or studio. Most recently, when faced with the issue of finding a model to work off of, Warth turned towards the most comfortable and familiar of people: herself. “I use myself as a model because I am confident,” Warth said. “I really try to portray the idea of being ‘comfortable in my own skin.’”

“From an artistic standpoint, using your own body for art can be a very expressive and a great resource,” art teacher Catherine Stark said.

This confidence practically radiates from Warth’s most recent watercolors of her body, and follows closely alongside her theme of power and strength to women.

Warth’s work is unmistakable; her expressionist, abstract depictions of figures and faces are quite unique. Her use of bright colors, with an emphasis on yellow, is deliberate and is often used to draw the viewer into and around her paintings.

BY JORDAN AMAN Arts Editor

At the Hirshorn Gallery and Sculpture Garden Through March 27

Directions: Grazia Toderi

AHS debuted a new art course: Ceramics and Jewelry Making for the first time in September.

This course allows students to explore three dimensional art by working with their hands and to make things they can take home and use, such as pottery and jewelry.

Senior IB Art student Dayana Zyoud-Cruz utilizes the technique of drape-molding often through her series of ceramic trees. As an IB student, Zyoud-Cruz has created these trees to comply with her theme, “permutations of reality,” to which she refers as, “more like an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ kind of thing.”

“The reason I like trees is because I kind of relate trees to humans,” Zyoud-Cruz said. “They remind me of people because of the structure. The branches look like arms reaching to the sky.”

The course is split between the first and second semester: ceramics first semester and

NGA.GOV

At the Hirshorn Gallery and Sculpture Garden Opens April 21

Larger than Life: Ter Brugghen’s Saint Sebastian Tended by Irene At the National Gallery of Art Through May 15

NPG.SI.EDU

Senior IB Art student Dayana Zyoud-Cruz uses the imagery of trees, as metaphors for humans. The images on the right are views of the inside of the tree.

One life: Katherine Graham At National Portrait Gallery Through May 30

The Struggle for Justice At National Portrait Gallery Permanent Exhibition

Go to www.thea-blast.org/ arts to see a slide show of senior Allison Warth’s art portfolio.

“Yellow is a gateway color. It makes other colors Warth’s depiction of Lady Gaga follows her theme of I really like,” Warth said. One recurring motif woman empowerment and strength. To Warth, Lady Gaga through Warth’s artistic investigations is the im- is a symbol of strength and confidence. age of Lady Gaga. While Lady Gaga has become This watercolor the symbol of strength and empowerment, Warth was modeled by taps into Gaga’s image and message to inspire Warth herself. much of the imagery she creates.

“I like to portray a sense of “Allison is a lyrical painter,”art teacher Ann confidence and Harper said, “Her use of flowing lines and use of empowerment in sun-filled colors create enticing pictures.” my work.” Warth Warth’s confidence and ideas are communisaid. cated beautifully through her work in mixed media and painting. Though controversial at times, Warth’s artwork always exudes a free flow of creative thought.

Ceramics: better than Play-Doh AHS ceramics students possess a little known talent

Black Box: Hans Op de Beek

This work in progress is a watercolor portrait, utilizing Warth’s typical abstract-expressionist style. The unconventional make-up is reflective of Warth’s fascination with pop icon, Lady Gaga

jewelry-making second semester. As the ceramic portion of the year is coming to a close, students prepare their clay creations for the final firings in the kiln. The kiln is a specialized ceramic oven, which will set a permanent glaze to their pieces at a very high heat.

The first project the student’s completed was a drape-mold bowl. Here, the students roll out a slab of clay and drape it into a pre-made bowl. After the clay dries, the students can make modifications to the bowls and glaze them for firing.

Zyoud-Cruz uses the drape-mold technique to create a bowl with a top (pictured bottom left), with the trees growing from the top, and roots growing into the base.

“The roots keep the trees trapped to the ground, which I guess is pretty sad,” Zyoud-Cruz said.

Another ceramics student, junior Sam Hernandez finds ceramics as a better way to express himself.

“You get to work with your hands, and it’s easy,” Hernandez said. “Much easier than drawing.”

This course has allowed Hernandez to really explore his talents in clay (pictured above right) and better realize his ideas in a threedimensional form, rather than through drawing or painting.

“It is an exciting and fun opportunity for kids to make pottery and sculpture,” teacher Catherine

Junior Sam Hernandez is enrolled in AHS’s Studio Art 2 course and has taken complete advantage of the ceramic materials provided by the Ceramics class. “You get to work with your hands and it’s easy,” Hernandez said.

Stark said.

Though ceramics has been taught through the years in Studio Art 1 and 2 courses, the Ceramics and Jewelry Making class gives kids the chance to further explore their interests in such media to a greater depth.

ACADEMICS

Feb. 16, 2011

Catering to students’ needs Students investigate how well AHS caters to the needs of students with learning disabilities and special needs

BY TRICIA O’NEILL Academics Editor Jumping from the still wet turf, turning my head as I made contact with the ball, my only thought was headbutting the soccer ball towards my teammate and in the direction of the goal. Never in a million years could I have imagined the damage that this routine maneuver during, this St. Patrick’s Day soccer tournament my freshman year, would cause such a horrible concussion I am still living with.

This seemingly insignificant event has caused endless struggle for the last two years of my high school career. It has led to dozens of doctors appointments, absences and hours of make-up work. Symptoms of concussion often vary from person to person, but I have experienced sleeping problems, debilitating headaches, troubles concentrating, and memory problems. My inability to complete the school day without my headaches getting progressively worse led to the suggestion that I should enter the Homebound Instructions program for the remaining quarter.

It took nearly three weeks of being at home, exchanging daily e-mails with teachers trying to keep up with my work, before I was finally enrolled in the program and tutors began arriving to my house. The tutors worked around my schedule and collaborated with my teachers to ensure that I completed all the necessary work. Like all other students enrolled in the program, I was entitled to two and half hours of direct instruction for each of the core subjects. While classes in school were about learning, the concern of the tutors is foremost completing the work for the class. The majority of the learning was done on my own time. Nevertheless, with their help I was able to make it through the school year.

Sophomore year began promisingly, and my parents and I both believed I had finally made it to the other side of the tunnel. During second and third quarter, my grades began slipping. That’s when my counselor suggested exploring the 504 Plan as an option. It provided me certain allowances with workload, test taking and deadlines for work.

Though my accommodations were sufficient in allowing me to have a successful end to the school year and beginning of my junior year, the 504 does not always encompass the needs of students with more serious and often long-term disabilities.

“It first appeared as a form of legal protection within the workplace, and recently began filtering into the educational system. For students who meet the criteria for the 504, it levels the playing field within the general education program and makes the classes accessible to the student,” AHS social worker Gale Grindstaff said.

For the 360 students enrolled in the Special Education program, as well as others with more serious conditions at AHS, this may not provide and protect them with the necessary adjustments they need to meet their educational goals. The Individualized

Educational Program (IEP) allows for a modification of curriculum based on the child’s needs and capabilities. Although the IEP is closely tied with the Special Education Programs at AHS, the level of students’ needs and their disabilities also factor into the level of attention as well as the involvement of special education teachers.

There are two basic levels or categories for students with IEPs: those who need direct monitoring and students who need monitoring and consultation. While modification means they work directly with special education teachers, the consultation oftentimes means having access to the psychologist at AHS. “For those students who are enrolled in special education classes, they can either be ‘team taught’ which means there are two teachers, or self-contained for students who require smaller class sizes,” Grindstaff said.

Eligibility for the IEP is determined by series of tests done by a professional, which identify and determine the child’s needs a based on criteria such as speech and language abilities and also assess them from a psychological and socio-cultural standpoint. There are 14 identified disabilities, which include autism, hearing and vision impairments and intellectual disabilities.

After a student is identified as being eligible, a committee meets within 30 days to write an individualized plan based on the educational goals of the student. It will be reviewed every year and may be adjusted based on the progress of students. In addition, every three years, the child will have to be re-evaluated for eligibility.

For students who may need extra help in class and require alternative arrangements to be made, either for long-term or short-term disabilities, these programs are offered through AHS and the school system. Though high school can be a struggle for any student, Grindstaff warns that there is a difference and not everyone who needs help in school is qualified for the homebound, IEP or 504 programs. “Every student has their own problems and shortcomings atAHS,” Grindstaff said. “The difference between them and the students who require accommodations and modification is their disability directly interferes with their ability to concentrate and be successful in school.”

9

How well do you think AHS caters to students with special needs?

“They acknowledge their needs and they work on them well.”

—Destiny Anderson freshman “I think they do a good job even though I don’t really know how the curriculum should be.”

—Jonathan Pratt sophomore

“They all seem happy, so I think they do a good job.”

—Jack Deible junior

“I think AHS does a good job, because the special education program seems very involved. ” —Julia Uglietta senior -Compiled by Rowan Shartel

Senior Navjot Bhandal takes notes from the projector, while he listens to the teacher give instructions on what they are going to do next.

Sophomore Abdul Ahmed copies down his full name, address and where he goes to school to practice his writing ability.

RACHEL BERGEN

RACHEL BERGEN

RACHEL BERGEN

SAT Words to Know

At times, students use the computers in the back of the classroom to do their writing work. Students get the chance to learn how to type, as well as how to write.

What Fairfax County has to offer Homebound Instruction

Individualized Educational Program

504 Plan “Section 504 is a legal document that requires recipients to provide to students with disabilities appropriate educational services designed to meet the individuals needs of such students to the same extent as the needs of students without disabilities.”

“The homebound instructional program is a service, offered by the Office of Student Services designed to provide continuity between classrooms and homes or healthcare facilities for students with medical or physical needs.”

“The IEP creates an opportunity for teachers, parents, school administrators, related services personnel, and students (when appropriate) to work together to improve educational results for children with disabilities.”

Requirements: Eligibility for the Homebound Instruction program is determined by a school’s specialist. The process requires documentation from a medical professional and school staff members. In order to be approved for full homebound instruction, students must be expected to be out for at least 20 consecutive school days.

Requirements: In order to be granted an IEP, a child must be evaluated by the state system known as “Child Find” either by request of the parent or by suggestion with parental consent. After the child is evaluated, the child will either be named eligible or not. If he or she is eligible, within 30 days, the IEP team will meet to write a plan.

Requirements: In order to be considered eligible for a 504 plan, a student must meet one of three criteria. (1) “[Have a] physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.”

(2) “Have a record of such an impairment.” or (3) “Be regarded as having such an impairment.”

“The homebound program is temporary and addresses the needs of all students whether they are special needs or not. Unless it is absolutely necessary for the student we try not to automatically place them in it. It is the most restrictive of the programs and keeps students away from both their peers and the day-to-day social and academic life of high school.”

“The IEP is designed for students identified with a disability. The county is pretty stringent, not only in its criteria, but in using discretion when naming students as requiring Special-Education and how services are to be delivered, so that the student may have access to educational opportunities.”

“The 504 affords a certain amount of protections to students to provide them with equal access to educational opportunities.

It is designed to help students keep up with the workloads and provide them with the accommodations they need. It is a written and legal document requiring both the teachers and the school to provide certain allowances for the student.”

For example: Many students who become diagnosed with long-term concussions are put on homebound programs. Since they are not able to concentrate for long periods of time, many students recieve tutors who come to their house for an hour or so a day.

For example: If a student has a speech impairment and has trouble communicating with others, he/she can be put in the IEP program. The program would help the student to better their speech and confidence, bu giving them teachers who can work more one-on-one with them, rather than a full classroom.

-Courtesy of the Department of Education

-Courtesy of Gale Grindstaff

For example: Students are often breaking bones in their bodies, this program could apply to them. When a student breaks his/ her dominant arm, they recieve a legal note that disregards them from any writing or physical activity, such as p.e., for the amount of time needed.

Match the word to the definition to test your knowledge of these SAT words 1.

Anathema

2.

Ebullient

3.

Fecund

4.

Iconoclast

5.

Mendacious

6.

Obstreperous

7.

Panacea

8.

Quagmire

9.

Variegated

10. Zephyr

Definitions A. (adj.) Fruitful, fertile B. (adj.) noisy, unruly C. (adj.) extremely lively, enthusiastic D. (n.) a difficult situation E. (adj.) having a lying, false character F. (adj.) diversified, distinctly marked G. (n.) One who attacks common believes or institutions H. (n.) A cursed, detested person I. (n.) a gentle breeze J. (n) Enthusiastic approval or applause

1: H; 2: C; 3: A; 4: G; 5: E; 6: B; 7: J; 8: D; 9: F; 10: I

Visit www.thea-blast.org for personal accounts of students with learning disabilities helped by AHS.

10 5 tips to stay safe on social networking sites 1

Make sure that people you do not know, or who are not in your network, cannot see any important personal information including e-mail addresses and even pictures. Employers do check Facebook!

2

Always be skeptical of people you do not know. Do not continue to message strangers, especially when this can give them access to extra information about you.

3

Check your privacy settings.

Sometimes when you first sign up for a social network, you are given almost no privacy. Make sure you specialize these settings to give yourself the protection you need.

4

Always remember that if you post anything online, you can never take it back. Even if you delete it, the data will always be stored somewhere.

5

IN-DEPTH

Feb. 16, 2011

IS SOCIAL NETWORKING A GIFT OR A CURSE?

Avoid doing or saying anything that you would not say or do in a face to face conversation.

–Compiled by Erin Johnson

Do you agree that frequent Facebook usage limits your ability to concentrate?

Strongly disagree

5% Strongly agree

19%

Disagree

38%

High school students make up a large portion of social network users. Although there are many positive aspects of these websites, sometimes they can cause psychological problems, procrastination for students, a debilitated sense of concentration or cyberbullying of peers. Most of a teenagers’ time online is spent on social network sites, making it an integral part of their lives.

The social aspect goes too far Users could be at risk of bullying and added psychological risks

BY KATIE MASTERS In-Depth Editor

Agree

58%

How much of your social life revolves around Facebook?

Most

10% None

20% Some

70%

Do you think that AHS should unblock the use of Facebook on the school network?

As a 19-year-old college freshman, Megan Meier enjoys hanging out with friends, going to university sporting events, listening to music and spending time with her family on breaks from school. At least, she would if she were alive. In reality, Meier committed suicide on October 17, 2006, after a Myspace hoax planned by an ex-friend and her mother went awry. Meier’s death was one of the earliest news events that shed light on the emotional implications of social networking sites.

Since their invention, experts have targeted social networking sites like Myspace and Facebook as the cause for a slew of emotional and psychological issues, including cyber-bullying. One of the most dangerous aspects of such sites are the feelings of anonymity or invincibility that many users seem to feel when using them. Many find that posting a nasty comment on someone’s page, for instance, is ten thousand times easier than insulting them to their face. Meier’s bullies, a girl with whom she had a disagreement, and the girl’s mother, created a Myspace account for an imaginary boy they called Josh Evans in order get revenge on Meier for her part in the fight.

Josh Evans claimed to be a 16-year-old homeschooled child that lived near Megan and sent an e-mail and friend request to her Myspace page.

After accepting Josh’s request, he and Megan began a seemingly promising correspondence, which unraveled after he began to post insulting messages on her page and sent her a message that read, “I don’t know if I want to be friends with you any longer because I hear you’re not nice to your friends.” Megan, who had a history of low selfesteem and depression, then hanged herself in her bedroom closet, and was found a day later.

Such incidents have become tragically common, and include the March 2010 suicide of 15-yearold Phoebe Prince after she was assaulted with a

Lady Susan Greenfield, a professor of synaptic psychology at Lincoln College, Oxford, even warns that Facebook and other networking sites risk changing the way that children’s minds work.

She told the House of Lords that interactions on social networking sites are “devoid of cohesive narrative and long-term significance.” She warns that this “infantilizes” the minds of the technology generation, whose attention spans are shortened through the rapid communication interchange that occurs on networking sites, Name: Megan Meier and who are characterized by lack of empathy, Date of death: October 17, 2006 a shaky sense of identity, and sensationalism.

Many other experts have arrived at the Cause of death: Hanged herself same conclusions as Greenfield, stating that network site users who frequently view the Social network blamed: Myspace pages of friends often face feelings of inadequacy over their own lives and that many users have reported basing their views of themselves on Name: Phoebe Prince the number of notifications they receive a day, Date of death: January 14, 2010 or the number of wall posts they receive on their birthdays.

Cause of death: Hanged herself Narcissism is also a widely reported effect of Social network blamed: Facebook social networking, especially among teenagers.

“Developmentally, as a teenager, you’re self-centered,” said Reyes. “It’s literally part of psychological development, that between Name: Tyler Clementi certain ages every teenager feels like they’re onstage and everyone is focusing on them.

Date of death: September 22, 2010 The problem is that sites like Facebook make normal, everyday activities seem like they’re Cause of death: Jumped off bridge especially important. Ten years ago, if I were Social network blamed: Twitter, iChat going to Starbucks no one would care unless I invited them. Today, you see status updates like that all the time.” communications company Airwide Solutions has By allowing users a personal forum to share predicted that by 2015, social networking will often insignificant occurrences and ideas, social beat out the telephone and text messaging as the networking sites enforce the self-centered attitude most popular form of communication. Immediate held by many teenagers and many experts worry availability has its advantages, but also changes that extensive use of such sites could prolong or the nature of social interaction. perpetuate the narcissistic stage of development “In terms of interaction, social networking can that every adolescent experiences. be really negative in some ways,” said Ilana Reyes, Social networking sites are now an integral a counselor at AHS. “When I have a conversation part of modern communication and it seems their with someone face-to-face there is all kinds of popularity will only continue to grow. According inflection and tone present, but when I write to many experts, however, centering their lives something in a Facebook post a lot can be lost. It around a virtual community might expose also allows things to spread really quickly, and teenagers to greater emotional and psychological there’s all this instant gratification because your risks than what appears at face value. newsfeed is constantly updated, so things are easily blown out of proportion.” barrage of hateful comments on Twitter, Facebook and Craigslist, and the September 2010 suicide of Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi after his roommate streamed a video of his sexual activity on iChat.

Social networking is an explosively growing trend. In 2010, Facebook beat out Google as the most-visited website of the year, and the

Top social networking sites

Yes 58%

No 42%

Myspace

Facebook

What it is: Each Myspace user has their own profile page and can connect with other people through messages. A large part of the Myspace community includes musicians.

What it is: The ultimate social networking site.

Each user has their own profile that easily connects with their friends. Key features include a news feed that instantaneously updates.

What it is: Users can constantly update their statuses, on their computer or through their cell phone.

Users: Over 500,000,000

Today: Twitter is one of the fastest growing social networking sites out there. In February 2009, Twitter had roughly 7,000,000 users, which has increased by 2.500 percent to what it is now.

Users: Around 80,000,00 This survey was distributed on Jan. 13 during all lunches. Out of the 400 surveys distributed 321 were returned and counted.

Today: Myspace has been referred to as the ghost town of the internet. It suffered a severe popularity decrease in 2008, just as Facebook became more and more popular.

Today: Facebook is undeniable the most popular social network sites out there. Roughly 8% of the world actively uses Facebook, making it a central part to internet use today.

Twitter

Users: 175,000,000

IN-DEPTH ?

Feb. 16, 2011

Should we use The pros of Facebook

The cons of Facebook

Olivia Ko

Andy Nguyen

and more. Therefore sharing information with others is extremely easy.

Almost all of my friends multitask, juggling Facebook and homework. I am no different.

Widely believed to be a dangerous combination, Facebook has actually helped me with my schoolwork. For example, fellow IB English students created a Facebook group that allowed us to discuss different themes and interpretations of literary works; our dynamic discussions greatly helped us on the IOC. If students did not understand a literary work, they would simply write on the group wall, then instantly have comments from students eager to help.

Despite Facebook’s infamous reputation for causing procrastination, the social networking site’s positives outweigh its negatives because it allows the world to be connected like never before.

Ask yourself, how many hours do you spend on Facebook? How many hours do you browse through your friend’s profile pictures before you start on your homework, or how often do you click that login button a day to check who posted on your wall?

Unlike many of you, I am immune to the allure and the many distractions that Facebook offers. Facebook, the revolutionary invention that many say has been the defining entity of our generation, does not affect me as it does the million upon million of users worldwide.

Before I get carried away and make myself come off as both arrogant and pompous, I am in no way slandering Facebook or its users. The convenience of Facebook is indisputable, as it allows people to communicate with one another from worlds apart. However, the fact that people spend hours upon hours on the social networking site

Take the quiz to see how Internet use has affected your concentration

ONLY A LITTLE BIT OF TIME

A LOT OF TIME

A MODERATE AMOUNT OF TIME

seems a bit redundant.

People post status updates about menial tasks such as “enjoying a nice salami sandwich” for everyone to see. Even more confusing is why others are so invested in these updates, to be in the know, to know exactly what’s going on at anytime. People post pictures of their family vacations or pictures of parties they attended, along with many other miscellaneous images. I am fascinated by the compulsion that people have to share everything with everyone.

Perhaps that’s maybe why I don’t have a Facebook, as I still uphold the old-fashioned values of keeping a little bit of privacy to myself and not laying out all the cards on the table for all to see.

Some say I don’t have a Facebook because I’m anti-social; but who is the one spending hours upon hours in front of the computer?

DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME ON THE INTERNET CONSTRUCTIVELY. OR DO YOU OFTEN SWITCH BETWEEN SITES AND WASTE TIME?

YES

YES

YES

NO

SOMETIMES

NO

HAHA, I TOTALLY CAUGHT THAT QUESTION! YOU’RE FUNNY!

DO YOU OFTEN FEEL FRUSTRATED AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE YOU HAVEN’T ACCOMPLISHED ANYTHING?

DO YOU FREQUENTLY FORGET NAMES, WHERE YOU PUT YOUR KEYS, OR WHERE YOU PARKED YOUR CAR?

DO YOU FIND YOURSELF PREOCCUPIED WHEN PLAYING SPORTS OR PARTICIPATING IN HOBBIES?

NO

I CAUGHT THIS QUESTION BY SKIMMING THE QUIZ ON THE WAY TO THE ANSWERS SECTION.

ARE YOU CONCENTRATING ON THIS QUIZ RIGHT NOW, OR DID YOU SKIP RIGHT TO THE ANSWERS SECTION?

YES NO

I WASTE TIME I SPEND IT CONSTRUCTIVELY

DO YOU EVER HAVE PROBLEMS STAYING FOCUSED BECAUSE YOUR MIND FLITS FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER?

SOMETIMES

–Compiled by Katie Masters

BY ERIN JOHNSON In-Depth Editor When a typical high-school student sits down to start his or her homework, they will most likely be doing so in front of a computer. They get their work out in an attempt to get it done so they can go to sleep early, but get sucked into social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter.

Before the popular use of social networking sites, it was still likely that students would stay up late and become sleep deprived, however many students today blame their sleeping habits and procrastination on sites such as Facebook. “I waste time on Facebook because of the social aspects, the face parts. I see all these faces and I want to talk to them, interact with the people of my generation,” senior Kamin Horvath said.

Two of the major negative effects of social networking sites on high school students are concentration and procrastination. Many students are spending too much time on Facebook, breezing through their friends profiles and pictures, instead of working on their homework after school.

The Internet is also severely decreasing people’s ability to concentrate. The constant scanning and skimming that is used takes away from a person’s

Number of Internet users worldwide as of July 2010

500 million

I TOTALLY WENT RIGHT TO THE ANSWERS SECTION.

natural ability to think deeply for sustained periods of time. For example, if a student was working on a research paper, he or she would start out looking up something to do with their topic, but gradually stray from that and begin to look at other sites until the research project was completely out of his or her head.

A growing number of teachers have come out and denounced the Internet for its effect on students, blaming it for not only the poor levels of concentration but also for lower grades received.

Just by looking at the basic set up of Facebook,

“

I waste time on Facebook because of the social aspects.

–Kamin Horvath senior

”

it is easy to see how it is blamed for student procrastination. With its newsfeed feature where anyone can see what their friends are doing and its easy to use functions, anyone could find their work time interrupted or filled with Facebook time.

However, Facebook can also be used as a helping tool for homework. Students can easily access each other to know what homework assignments are, and catch up on missed assignments. Also, Facebook can be used as a great study tool to unite groups of people in a common class to share information. “I think [social network sites] can be helpful because

73%

The percentage of online teens who use social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter.

175 million The number of Internet users registered on Twitter

700 billion The time in minutes spent per month on Facebook by users.

95 million Number of tweets that are written per day on Twitter.com.

7 hours The average amount of time that an active U.S. user spends on Facebook per month

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU STILL SEEM TO POSSESS YOUR CAPACITY TO CONCENTRATE. GOOD FOR YOU! MAKE SURE NOT TO ALLOW THE PERVASIVENESS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING AND THE ALLURES OF THE INTERNET DISTRACT YOU FROM THE REAL WORLD. IF YOUR ANSWERS LANDED YOU IN THIS SQUARE, YOU MAY BE AT RISK FOR A DECREASED ATTENTION SPAN. TRY TO DECREASE YOUR USAGE OF THE INTERNET AND FOCUS ON REALWORLD ACTIVITIES SO YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR CONCENTRATION.

YOU SHOULD TAKE THE RESULTS OF THIS QUIZ AS A WARNING SIGN. YOUR ANSWERS INDICATE THAT YOU HAVE A LOW ATTENTION SPAN AND MIGHT NOT COMPLETE TASKS EFFICIENTLY. TRY SERIOUSLY LIMITING YOUR COMPUTER USE, OR TAKE UP A CONCENTRATION BUILDING HOBBY LIKE CHESS.

A new way to procrastinate Social networking can cause decreased levels of concentration

2 billion

Age: 18 Grade: Senior

Concentration: affected?

HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND ON THE INTERNET PER DAY?

Social-networking by the numbers

The number active users on the social networking site Facebook.

Age: 17 Grade: Senior After squeezing through the gaps in bustling hallways and driving home from school, I immediately open two windows: my e-mail and my Facebook. With over 500 million users, Facebook has dominated social networking sites, with a myriad of high school and college students. I hate to admit it, but, Mark Zuckerberg’s tremendously successful brainchild is my addiction.

Upon logging on, I always scan what has notoriously been called “the stalker feed” or the constantly updating news feed that allows the user to see all of his friends’ updates. Facebook can take me anywhere, whether I want to connect with my family in California or visit my friends in Connecticut; it is always interesting to see what my Facebook friends are up to.

It’s extremely easy to become connected with others; a click can lead users to encounter an inundation of photos, statuses

11

the students can start study groups. However, it might take away from them doing their own work,” said history teacher Jonathan York.

According to Facebook’s “Press Room,” over 500 million people use Facebook and over 700 billion minutes are spent by these users on Facebook per month, adding up to a grand total of roughly 1.3 millions years spent on Facebook by the human population in a month.

Another great time consumer is the popular site Twitter. While fewer people use Twitter, roughly 175 million according to Twitter’s website, around 95 million tweets are written per day. AHS sophomore Jessica Campanilla uses her Twitter feed regularly to follow her friends and favorite celebrities.

“Being on Twitter is better than being on Facebook,” she said. “Twitter lets me follow the celebrities I like and my friends that live out of state. It’s way better than changing your status 24/7 on Facebook. That gets annoying.”

Not all students are as enamored with sites like Facebook as the statistics would make one think.

“I keep waiting for it to end. It’s like a fad, just like Xanga,” said senior Caroline Kane.

Generally speaking, high school students now, even compared to high schoolers from five years ago, are fairly consumed with using social networking sites. They are easy to use and easy to distract, causing them to effect a students’ schoolwork. According to MSNBC, people ages 1324 spend an average of 16.7 hours a week online.

Social networking can be fun and interesting, but it sure takes up a whole lot of time.

16.7

Hours per week that people ages 13-24 spend online.

Sources: nielsen.com, facebook. com, twitter.com and safeteens. com

How does socialnetworking affect your schoolwork?

“I’m on [social network sites] everyday. It distracts me a lot.”

—Joanna Orosco freshman

“[Social networking sites] are a good thing because I can ask people for help on homework.”

—Marcus Walton freshman

“I use it during class sometimes.”

—Jonathan Padilla sophomore

“We always focus on social networks, like Facebook, and it distracts us from homework and studying.”

—Annette Janwatin junior “[Social networking sites] distract me so much I can’t do my work.”

—Michael Chevez senior

–Compiled by Helina Daniel and Isabel Villarroel

Layaly said.

Students and faculty affected by the recent demonstrations in Egypt

Where in the world?

See if you can guess what country • This country gained independence from France in July 5, 1962 • “Revolution Day,” a national holiday, is on November 1, 1954 • This is one of the northern African countries that have undergone numerous demonstrations in late January

Can you guess where it is?

Answer: Algeria

Should the U.S. be more involved in Egypt?

“I don’t think so because it’s probably going to bring more problems here.”

Feb. 16, 2010

BY CAROLA ROJAS Staff Writer Although Egypt may be miles away, the events that occur there affect many people who live here in the U.S. Many students and teachers had a strong, passionate voice that expressed their own anger towards the situation.

Junior Bellal Hussain showed his support for the demonstrations in Egypt by attending the march in D.C. that took place on Feb 5.

The march began at the Egyptian Embassy on Connecticut Avenue and continued to the White House. Although the protest did not target the Egyptian Embassy, it did help to raise awareness in the Northern Virginian area.

Even though Hussain is not of Egyptain decent, he explains “Egyptians are Muslim and I am Muslim, so I support them because we [Muslims] don’t think of each other as different people since we all believe in the same thing.”

Although the protest did not have as many people as Hussain believed were going to attend, it was still got hectic and crazy with the crowd’s energy.

“I don’t think the United States could do anything about it, but Egypt is [on the] brink from becoming a third world country,” Hussain said.

With a powerful voice and strong opinions, Egyptian Arabic teacher Ola Layaly has shared Junior Adeeba Rasoli attended the protest on Feb. 5 to express her own voice about the crisis arising in Egypt. her sadness and frustration about the riots in Egypt. Layaly’s entire family is living in Egypt; wearing all black until Mubarak steps down from Friday, Feb. 11th Cairo, Egypt ’s most affected area went over the top with excitement after the only family she has here is her husband. She power for good. being informed that Mubarak has decided to Layaly was deeply hurt and upset when she explains that in 2002, after getting all of her legal requirements to live in the U.S., she has read an article about kids being shot and even step down from power and surrender over to the brutally beaten to death. Layaly can not stand Egyptian Military. been more than happy to be “We got rid of him! I feel like it is a dream to see all these painful living in the U.S. because she come true. I screamed and cooked for my freinds. problems being raised believes that she has more

by Mubarak and wishes On saturday we went to the Egyptian Embassy rights here than she would I don’t think the for him to step down and we sang and danced. I’m happy that the in Egypt.

United States could do from power immediately. Egyptians have their freedom. It was hard for “He [Mubarak] doesn’t anything about it, but Not only had Layaly people to believe it” Layaly said. give any space, he’s interfering Egypt is [on the] brink The U.S. government is keeping a close eye made sure that she and abusing everyone from becoming a third on Egypt, since it is one of its most powerful and did her best to bring and he’s a dictator that world country. a w a r e n e s s t o h e r loyal allies. Protests are likely to continue to raise humiliates and tortures you. students, she also went awareness to those who do not know of the current He’s very manipulative and Bellal Hussain to the protest in D.C. situation. AHS students will continue to support intimidating only to assure junior “The action is increasing those whose families are affected by the situation. himself that no negative Visit thea-blast.org for more pictures from so the situation is a lot comments are said about him,” Layaly said. the protest. worse, but I was very happy to be at the protest Layaly has increased so much pride towards her country that she has gone as far as wearing and when the National Anthem played, everyone all black from head to toe to show her support started crying so it was also such a sad thing, for the families affected and plans to continue even talking about it now makes me want to cry”

“

”

—Geraldine

Hoyos

freshman

School differences between the U.S. and Kurdistan makes Sindi value living in U.S.

“I don’t know, I think they should help in a way. We should help each other out.”

“No, I think the U.S. should just mind our own business because we have our own problems to deal with.”

—Jessica Campanilla junior

“I feel like the U.S. should step in and help Egypt because we are allies.

—Madeena Hadari senior

“We should be taking care of the things in our own backyard instead of going into someone else’s backyard.”

—KW Williams security staff -Compiled by Jayran Moridzadeh and Haumaira Safi

To listen to Omed Sindi’s American Story, go to www.thea-blast.org!

I’m from a country called Kurdistan. It’s a region in northern Iraq.

Kurdish people are different from the people in Iraq. There are many differences between Kurdistan and the U.S. Every country in world has a lot of things that make it different from other countries like education, religion, and resources in schools.

The education is very different between the U.S and my country. There is an easy system for students in U.S. schools. In my country we have 12 classes, but in the U.S. we have only seven classes. Another thing is that U.S. students don’t appreciate their teachers’ help. Also U.S. students don’t have to work as hard as Kurdish students do. So, I think students in my country study more than students in the U.S. do.

The second difference between Kurdistan and the U.S is religion. In Kurdistan 90 percent of the people are Muslim. For the Muslims, it is required to pray five times a day at home or in a mosque. Also, Muslim people fast for one month a year. The greatest difference is that in my country the mosques have loud speakers and they say ”Allah Akbar” and that allows people to know when its time to pray. That does not happen in the U.S. Lastly, the schools are different. In my country, schools are so small.

U.S schools are much bigger than schools in my country. Kurdish schools are completely different from U.S. schools because of their electricity, air conditioner, food, and good technology in the schools. In Kurdish Schools we don’t have computer and TV in our classes. Also, it is so cold that we don’t need air conditioners in the schools. Another thing in Kurdish

HAUMAIRA SAFI

BY OMED SINDI from Kurdistan

—Celina Reyes sophomore

Junior Omed Sindi has been living in the U.S. for two years.

schools is that we don’t have a good technology for studying. But in the U.S., schools have everything for students to understand the material better than my country’s schools.

In conclusion, it has been difficult for me to adapt to some different things like schools, students, and religion. I think the U.S. is a better place to live. I think U.S. students are so lucky because there is a lot of freedom and many things. I also think U.S. students are lucky because the schools have excellent resources. I’m so happy im in the U.S. schools, but I never forgot my country’s schools.

COURTESY OF ADEEBA RASOLI

12

INTERNATIONAL Change galvinizes in Egypt

PHOTO

Feb. 16, 2011

Working double time

13 EMMA BARKER

In addition to handling their homework load, some seniors are faced with the task of balancing their school work with their job. Students find work at a variety of local stores.

Casey Britton, 12 Immanuel Christian School After-School Care

How long have you been working at ICS? I started working the beginning of my junior year, so almost two years.

KRISTEN HENNESSEY

What are you saving your earnings for?

Well, I pay for pretty much everything, except for insurance on my car so I need money for just daily expenses.

How often do you work?

I typically work three-hour shifts on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Maddie Smith, 12 - Sports Her Way Smith works at Sports Her Way, a women’s sporting store in Alexandria that specializes in lacrosse and field hockey. Smith works a four-hour shift about once a week. She helps customers find lacrosse and field hockey sticks, sporting equipment and shoes that fit them specifically.

KRISTEN HENNESSEY

What do you do on a basic work day?

I give the kids snacks, help them with homework and do crafts with them until we all go outside.

If we’re outside we just play on the playground and I usually just oversee the kids and make sure they aren’t killing each other. The age of the kids I work with are around seven to nine. They are in second and third grade.

Joshua Tastaca, 12 - Audrey Moore Rec Center

What is the hardest part of your job?

The hardest part of the job would probably have to be keeping my energy and mood up when I’ve had a bad day at school or I’m exhausted from not getting enough sleep the night before. I know there are days when the kids know when I won’t be playing games that day or cracking jokes, but I always try my best to have the best attitude ‘cause it’s not the kids fault I’m cranky at least most of the time.

Bah rings up a customer at Journey’s, a shoe store at Tysons Corner. He has been working there for about two months, working three to four days a week as a sales person and cashier.

Who’s Hiring?

EMMA BARKER

Sports Her Way (703)823-4700 Kmart (703)941-5100 Tropical Smoothie (703)354-0940 Bloom (703)256-3406

Go to www.thea-blast.org to see pictures from the D.C. Auto Show on Feb 5.

Stephen Cook, 12 - Flippin’ Pizza Cook works 20 hour weeks at $8 an hour, plus any additional tips he earns from delivering. He works as a cashier, cleans the dining room and goes on delivery runs.

EMMA BARKER

Salma Omer, 12 - Ashcraft Associations Omer is as an office assistant at Ashcraft Associations, an insurance agency for Virginia residents and businesses. As a co-op student, Omer leaves school early to enter data in the computer, take care of mail and focus her workday on the accounting for the office. Whatever they need done, she is there to do it. She works 12 hour weeks at $8 an hour. In March she will have worked there for a year.

Moe Bah, 12 - Journey’s

KRISTEN HENNESSEY

KRISTEN HENNESSEY

Tastaca works at the front desk at Audrey Moore Rec Center. He assists customers with gym passes and keeps them up-to-date with the news and events of the rec center.

What is your favorite part of the job?

My favorite part of the job is being able to create close relationships with my group of kids. Seeing them grow up and change is really cool.

I love my kids and truly care about what’s going on in their lives. And, of course, they know how to have fun so I get my exercise.

14 Nag Natalie Advice Column

LIFESTYLES

Feb. 16, 2010

Unique ways to recreate Find these celebrity looks for cheap at the local thrift store Unique

By Natalie Johnson

Am I gay?

Dear Natalie, Recently I have had feelings for my best friend. That would not be a problem if it were not for that she is a girl. I have never had feelings for another girl before.

I cannot be gay. I grew up in a very conservative family who harps on religion, and the appearance of our family.

Maybe I am feeling this way because I have been so sheltered and want to rebel. I have no idea what I should do, and I clearly cannot go to my parents for advice. I have tried to stifle my feelings, but I cannot do so any longer. I also do not want to ruin my relationship with my best friend.

This outfit featured on Demi Lovato was mimicked by freshman Katie McCann. She got this shirt for $3. Unique had other shirts to choose from if you wanted to change the look or don’t like the nude color shown.

McCann also got the skirt for $6.99, and was also found in a dark navy blue too.

To add some style to this outfit McCann found a matching necklace for only $1.

Total: $10.99

Junior Adam Huenemann replicated Brad Pitt’s look. He found a leather jacket for $22 and a plain black t-shirt for just $1. There was a surplus of t-shirts from sports t-shirts all the way to neon yellow.

He topped off his outfit with a black beret for only $2.99. The store offered a wide variety of hats from sports caps to snow apparel. For his pants, Huenemann used a pair of his own light washed jeans.

Total: $25.99

--Unsure Dear Unsure, First of all you should not feel embarrassed at all about your feelings, which is natural if you are.

Many people go through what you are going through everyday, but they stifle their feelings and try to ignore who they truly are. The fact that you have admitted it to yourself is a huge step.

You could be going through a stage of rebellion, but if you have been feeling this way for a while, your feelings are most likely more than just a phase. With that said, unfortunately it is going to be hard for you, your family and your friends to adjust to this new lifestyle.

I suggest that you turn to either someone you can trust, or try calling a GLBT hotline: try the GLBT Youth Hotline at 1-800-246-PRIDE. Breaking the news to your family will be tough, but you are their daughter, and they should support you and love you no matter what. As for your best friend, it is up to you whether or not you want to tell her how you feel.

—Natalie Have a problem? E-mail Natalie at natalie.johnsonn@gmail.com

What’s the best bargain you’ve ever found?

“New phone for free.”

—Clark Girardin sophomore

“UGGs for $65 at Nordstrom.”

— Melissa Castello junior

“My boss gave me a free guitar for working extra hours.”

—Quinn Ralston junior

“On Black Friday I bought a pair of Obey Jeans from Urban Outfitters for $20 when they were originally $100.”

— Nicola Yu senior -Compiled by Carola Rojas

Go to www.thea-blast.org to view a slideshow of the different consignment stores.

Total: $13.99

Huenemann found a similar blue plaid shirt seen on Zac Efron for only $5.99. The shirt could also be found in green and red to suit your preference in color, and also carried it in many different patterns. He also found a pair of dark wash jeans to complete the outfit for $8. The jean selection was massive as they had all different sizes, styles and washes of jeans.

Total: $19.99

Jennifer Aniston was spotted wearing a punk rock style that can be easily imitated for cheap. McCann found a inexpensive faux leather jacket for $12.99 and a grey tank top for $1 to match with it. Unique featured many other tank tops with a variety of colors and patterns.

You could brighten or mix up the look with a bright color or just simply stick with the grey. McCann also bought a pair of black skinny jeans for $6 and wore her own boots to complete the look.

Find bargains in local thrift stores AUNTIE TE’S is a small consignment shop that allows buyers to donate their clothing and receive 50% off the items that they are buying.

There are clothes, shoes, jewelry, photo frames, wall decorations and hats on sale in the store. The decorations give the store a warm and comforting feeling and the staff ’s friendliness invite shoppers in to browse through the large selection of eccentric and stylish items. Unfortunately, the items in the store are more geared towards women.

Sophomore Katie Mock goes to Auntie Te’s every Friday with her grandmother after school to go shopping. She usually buys jewelry from the store. “I like how it’s so small, I love their jewelry and I love the people who work there because they’re so nice,” Mock said. If articles of clothing haven’t been sold in 60 days, Auntie Te’s The consignment store Auntie Te’s is located donates the clothing to charities.

The owner of the store, Theresa in Bradlick Shopping Center Cizmar, is an AHS alumnus and makes trips to New York City often to catch up on the latest trends. She owned another small store with two friends before opening her own store in 1991 in Annandale.

UNIQUE’S employee’s spend time sorting through merchandise, to ensure that everything is up to their stores standards. Unique provides clothing, shoes, children’s toys, furniture, jewelry, sports equipment, electronics, household items as well as hundreds of other miscellaneous items set for extremely low prices. The department store is neatly organized by various sections that separate goods for the shopper’s convenience. The store includes items used by all genders and ages that are donated by customers for a tax deductible.

Although Unique is not located in the Annandale area, it still serves as a favorite thrift store for students at AHS. “I usually buy my jeans from Unique because the brands I like are a lot cheaper there than if I bought them new,” sophomore Alec Stewart said.

The thrift store Unique can be found at Unique believes in helping out the 2950 Gallows Rd, Falls Church, VA environment by recycling and reusing unwanted house hold appliances and clothes. Shopping at a thrift store, such as Unique, can be very beneficial when looking to buy college dorm furniture or when setting up a new apartment or home. The thrift store only accepts gently used clothes, shoes and other items; so most of the merchandise looks almost new. “One time I found a pair of Jordan’s there and they were only $10; they usually cost around $280 brand new,” Stewart said.

GRACE AND KELLI’S is a smaller

consignment boutique that sells real used designer clothing at affordable prices. The shop sells clothes, shoes and other accessories for women. High profile label items aren’t as expensive and are often priced around $1,000.

However, middle range brands are more reasonably priced at around $20. Despite the high prices that may scare shoppers off, there are many trendy clothes that are still in an affordable price range.

The store is very well organized, making it easy for shoppers to locate items. The shoe rack is located in the front of the store with clothing racks sorted by sizes in the middle of the shop. The staff is also helpful to shoppers in helping them find the items they need. The store was opened

by Gina Kim who owns it with her mother, Sue Kim, and sisterin-law, Hannah Yun. The shop Grace and Kelli’s is located at 7311 Little is named after fashion icon Grace River Turnpike, Annandale, VA Kelly. The store sells brands such as Dior, Chanel, Gucci, and many more that are listed in the store’s window. The window often displays nice dresses or outfits to attract people passing by into the store.

The Salvation Army is located at 6528 Little River Turnpike, Alexandria, VA

THE SALVATION ARMY receives gently used furniture, clothing and shoes from customers who receive a tax deductible. The store is classified into different departments based on item type. “There was some really random stuff there that you wouldn’t think anyone would buy,” freshman Katie McCann said. The majority of the store consists of furniture, generally looking almost new. The Salvation Army accepts essentially any item, the ones not sold in the store are given to the less fortunate hoping to reach the company’s goal of funding the Adult Rehabilitation Program.

“I think it’s a good organization because you can donate clothes you don’t want and people can buy them for an affordable price,” McCann also said. The Salvation Army is part of the Christian Church, but sells and serves all people in their stores which are located nationally. “I have been to The Salvation Army once or twice. There were lots of clothes in a variety of colors so you can find almost anything there,” sophomore Meghan Lynn said. “I bought things for my Halloween costume there one year because it was cheap and I only wore it once,” Lynn also said. No matter the occasion, the Salvation Army will seemingly have what you are searching for and maybe even what you never would have thought to look for.

-Compiled by Colleen Adnan and Kylee Nisker

SPORTS X-TRA

Feb. 16, 2011

15 AHS district rivalries to watch this spring

COURTESY OF LIFETOUCH

GIRLS LACROSSE

Sophomore Ashley Whittle is a top competitor on the team in uneven bars.

Sophomore Lois Kim is a first-year member of the Atoms gymnastics teams. She is one of the 7 gymnasts planning to return to the team next season

Junior Ashlyn Nisker placed 18th overall in the competition that took place on Feb. 3.

Small squad falls short Gymnastics ends season, losing by 7 points in final Patriot District competition

BY ESRA GOKTURK Sports X-tra Editor After an impressive and highly improved season, the varsity gymnastics team was knocked out of their post season district tournament on Feb. 3. Although they ended in last place, the gymnasts showed great improvement and lost by the closest deficit in years, only seven points from the fifth place team, West Springfield.

This was out of the six gymnastics teams that the Patriot District consists of: Lake Braddock, West Springfield, Lee, Woodson, West Potomac and AHS. Unfortunately, no members of the team will be advancing to the Northern Region Competition.

A major factor that contributed to the large leap in skill and higher level of performance this season was the addition of new members to the varsity team.

After winter cheer was eliminated as a school sport, varsity cheerleaders Ashlyn Nisker and

Carli Loeb joined the gymnastics team. Both gymnasts came close to qualifying for regionals; Loeb only two places away in 10th and Nisker ten places away in 18th.

“Our team made lots of improvements and worked really hard,” Nisker said.

Nisker and Loeb led the team in points this season, both having backgrounds in gymnastics as well as tumbling. However, the pair was out for about a month each; Nisker due to illness and Loeb for a neck sprain injury. The long absence hurt the team during the regular season competitions.

Due to the budget cuts, gymnastics at AHS has to share a coach with Lake Braddock. The girls have to practice together at Lake Braddock High school and are instructed by the same head coach, Ellen Hagan-Bowerman. While AHS finished in last, Lake Braddock finished first in the district.

Another setback that has been a longtime issue with the team is that they have no practice facility. There are a limited number of gymnastics venues available in the area, and only a few schools that have the equipment necessary to train. In addition to AHS, W.T. Woodson and Falls Church must also travel to Lake Braddock’s gym for practice between five and six times per week.

“Practicing with Lake Braddock definitely motivated us, but it would be so much better if we had our own gym so we had more space to practice,” Nisker said.

This means that for meets the Atoms had to commute to Lake Braddock, Hanover, South Lakes, Herndon and Stone Bridge high schools to compete in the competitions.

“I think we had a great season and everyone did a lot better,” senior Adrienne Williams said.

Williams is a captain of the team along with senior Anne Marie Weiner. Williams and Weiner have been members of the team since their sophomore year.

However, that’s not to say there is no room for improvement.

“I think the season went well, but it could have been better,” junior Ready Berehe said.

“Overall, everyone did really well and worked really hard to get where we did,” Berehe said.

The team is only losing two seniors after this season. However, the team has a bright future as the underclassmen continue to improve and the rising seniors show their leadership, all in hopes of advancing further into the post-season competitions.

With the improvement shown this season, AHS varsity gymnastics shows great promise for next year, with hopes of an even better season.

Rival: W.T. Woodson History of the rivalry: The rivalry between AHS and W.T. Woodson will be just as intense as ever this spring. Last year, the Atoms defeated the Woodson Cavaliers during the regular season.

However, they came up short in the competitive match for the district championship, leaving Woodson the 2010 Patriot District Champions.

See the Game: Monday, Apr. 4

BOYS LACROSSE

Rival: West Springfield History of the rivalry: Although Woodson has become a major rival for Boys Lacrosse, West Springfield was a present competition even before the Cavaliers entered the District, defeating the Atoms two years ago in the District Championship. The back and forth competition has caused a bitter rivalry.

See the Game: Friday, Mar. 25

GIRLS SOCCER

Rival: West Springfield History of the rivalry: West Springfield and AHS have always been rivals in all sports due to the high level of competition. This especially is true for Girls Soccer, after West Springfield advanced into regionals due to a higher seed.

See the Game: Wednesday, Apr. 27

BOYS SOCCER

Rival: Lake Braddock History of the rivalry: The 1-1 tie last season against the Bruins has left AHS with a fifth winless season.

With the team in a transition year after losing 12 graduating team members, the Atoms are hoping that they have enough time to build a strong varsity team.

See the Game: Tuesday, Apr. 5

TRACK AND FIELD

Rival: T.C. Williams History of the rivalry: The AHS 4x200 relay team was supposed to be the fastest team in the district, but T.C. managed to beat them. This year, the team is hoping to regain their first place spot.

See the Game: Wednesday, May 5

BOYS TENNIS

Rival: Lake Braddock History of the rivalry: In recent years, Lake Braddock has been a constant powerhouse in Boys Tennis.

This year, the Atoms hope to finally defeat them during their season.

See the Match: Thursday, Mar. 24

GIRLS TENNIS

Rival: T.C. Williams History of the rivalry: With varying skill throughout the District, a rivalry has formed between AHS and T.C. Williams in girls tennis. Each matched played between them is always very close and the competition is intense.

See the Match: Wednesday, Mar. 30

GIRLS SOFTBALL

Rival: South County History of the rivalry: AHS softball has dominated the District, defeating every team with the exception of South County. The girls hope that this will be their undefeated season.

See the Game: Tuesday, Apr. 12

BOYS BASEBALL

Rival: W.T. Woodson History of the rivalry: After beating the state’s no. 10 ranked Cavaliers during the regular season last year, the Atoms were knocked out of the playoffs by them. The cross town rivals will definitely have each other in their sights.

See the Game: Monday, Apr. 4

—Compiled by Brenna O’Neill and Esra Gokturk

Go to the web to see a video interview of the spring sports captains’ opinions on the rivalries

SPORTS

16

Feb. 16, 2011

Swim and dive set for states

Full Regional Results

Boys send four swimmers and one diver to state competition following strong regional showing

1 Meter Diving

Paige Blennerhassett - 15th

Swim 100yd Fly - Kyle Tyrrell - 8th 100yd Back - Kyle Tyrrell - 2nd 4x50yd Free Relay Adam Wattenbarger, Ryan Keck, Willie Labarca, Kyle Tyrrell - 12th 4x100yd Free Relay Adam Wattenbarger, Ryan Keck, Daniel Jessen, Kyle Tyrrell - 10th 50yd Free - Anna Smith - 17th 100yd Free - Anna Smith - 10th 4x50yd Free Relay Lauren Barnard Jennifer Jessen, Kelsey Price, Anna Smith - 15th 4x100yd Free Relay Lauren Barnard, Kelsey Price, Jennifer Jessen, Anna Smith - 15th

HELINA DANIEL

Boys Basketball vs. Lake Braddock 2-11-2011

Senior D’Angelo Boyce moves the ball down the court. Boyce made 7 of 8 free throw attempts and scored a total of 26 points in the game.

ISABEL VILLARROEL ISABEL VILLARROEL HELINA DANIEL

Senior Karl Ziegler rushes down court in the senior night victory. Ziegler led the team in points per game and free throws made despite missing several games.

Senior Melvin Robinson shoots a free throw in the AHS win. This is Robinson’s fourth year on the varsity squad.

Visit www.thea-blast.org for an article about sports injuries that have plagued the Atoms so far this year. Hear from AHS students about their own injuries, get advice from athletic trainers and read about one of the worst injuries in the history of AHS.

“We trained hard and are proud of how we did,” Vogus said.

The five Atoms continuing their season will be competing in states on Feb. 18-19, where Jarvis expects Tyrrell, who is currently seeded second in the state, to have a shot at the state title in the 100-yard backstroke. There he will have a chance to defeat top seed Philip Hu, who beat Tyrrell by six hundredths of a second in the regional meet.

“Kyle’s a faster straightaway swimmer. In a meters pool, there’s a better chance for Kyle to come back and get that kid,” Jarvis said.

Boys defeat LB on senior night Basketball locks up third seed in district

BY DAVID HOOKEY Co-Editor in Chief

Senior Greg Nielsen attempts to pass the ball around a Bruin player. Nielsen was fifth on the team with six 3-point field goals in the regular season.

Above: Senior Kyle Tyrrell waits on the block before completing the final leg of one of two relays in which he swam. Tyrrell’s 2nd place finish in the 100yd backstroke and 8th place finish in the 100yd butterfly qualified him for states in both events. Below: Juniors Andrew Risse and Adam Wattenbarger practice their relay starts. The boys 4x50yd relay also qualified for the state competition following a 12th place finish at the regional meet.

For four years, seniors D’Angelo Boyce and Karl Ziegler have been a part of the AHS basketball program.

Between the two of them, they have played in over 160 games, scored over 1,700 points and led the team to 57 wins. And on their Senior Night, they accounted for 61 of the team’s 75 points, leading the Atoms to a 75-65 win over rival Lake Braddock.

“It was a very important win for us,” Head Coach Anthony Harper said. “Our goal was to go into the district tournament [and] gain some momentum going forward.”

The Bruins played the Atoms close the entire game, with no team ever able to establish a double-digit lead.

Although AHS led by five at halftime, no team was truly in control of the game.

In the second half, however, Ziegler and Boyce took over. Boyce scored 10 of his 26 points in the third quarter, while Ziegler scored 21 of his 35 in the final two quarters.

With 1:42 left and AHS nursing an eight-point lead, the Bruins looked to have gained a little momentum when Ziegler dove for a loose ball and ended up chipping one of his teeth.

After spitting up blood on the court and having the athletic trainers look over him, Ziegler had to come out of the game.

“I’ve got a chipped tooth and a mild concussion,” Ziegler said. “My nose is a little crooked, so next game I’m definitely going to be wearing a mouth guard and maybe a facemask.”

Without the forward, the Atoms relied on scrappy defense from key reserves to preserve their lead. Junior Monte McCarthy drew a charge on a layup that would have cut the lead to three and senior Greg Nielsen made two key defensive stops with a deflected pass and a blocked shot.

Ziegler soon returned to the game and calmly sealed the victory at the free throw line, making all six of his attempts in the last minute. “[Ziegler’s injury] shook us up for a minute,” Harper said. “We didn’t know the extent of the injury so it kind of rattled us because he’s one of our primary ball handlers. [Greg and Monte] came in and gave us good play off the bench; Greg’s good anticipation on the pass and Monte drawing the charge. It was a 5-point swing in our favor.”

“With Karl out, the ball handling [ability] went down,” Boyce said. “So I had to step up my play as well as the other guards.”

Although Boyce and Ziegler have shouldered much of the scoring load this year, senior Melvin Robinson has also played a key role in the team’s success. With the removal of two key rebounders from the team, Robinson has been relied upon even more to clean up the glass. “[The two players’ departure] really doesn’t affect me,” Robinson said.

“I just have to keep doing what I’ve

HELINA DANIEL

Allie Vogus - 12th

RACHEL BERGEN

In both swimming and diving, competitors have only seconds to make a statement. All of their hard work over the course of the season culminates in several minutes’ worth of competition, leaving them little room for error. One off day can end a season, so come regionals, swimmers and divers are either prepared to win or destined to go home empty-handed.

The Atoms were sure to make their mark in regional competition, as the 13 swim and dive team members who advanced to regionals placed highly in both relays and individual events from Feb. 1-5 at Oakmarr RECenter.

For diving, freshman Allie Vogus placed 12th overall of girls in the Northern Region, and junior Paige Blennerhassett placed 15th. Junior Patrick McCann placed 5th among the boys, and sophomore Clark Girardin placed 20th. McCann is the sole AHS diver continuing on to states.

“Patrick’s got a chance, if he dives well, to finish 2nd or 3rd in the state,” head coach Neal Jarvis said.

“The dive team went into regionals with a lot of team spirit, including bleached and red dyed hair,” Vogus said. “I was pretty psyched to be part of this team at regionals as a freshman.”

In the swim portion of the regional competition, senior Kyle Tyrrell placed 8th in the 100-yard butterfly, and 2nd in the 100-yard backstroke, which qualified him for state competition in both events. In doing so, he broke his own school records in both the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard butterfly.

Senior Anna Smith placed 10th in the 100-yard freestyle and 17th in the 50yard freestyle events. Individual events went as well as expected, with both competitors placing strongly in the region.

Relays seemed to be the team’s strong suit at the regional meet, with both boys and girls competing in the 200 and 400-yard freestyle relays. Of these relays, the boys 200-yard team of junior Adam Wattenbarger, senior Ryan Keck, junior Willie Labarca and Tyrrell will be advancing to states, rounding out the number of swim and dive competitors that will be representing AHS among some of Virginia’s best teams next week.

“The boys relay team did awesome; they had great chemistry and each one swam really well to make the state cut,” assistant coach Donna Kruse said.

Overall, there is satisfaction among the swim and dive team members and coaches about their performance at the regional level. “[Regionals went] amazing. 11 of our 12 swimmers made finals,” Jarvis said. “Everybody had best times. We set two new school records and we had four entries to state.”

According to Jarvis, 86 % of the team recorded best times in their final meet of the season, whether it was districts, regionals, or in the regular season.

AHS belongs to the most competitive region in the state, so they hope that this helped to prepare them for the competition.

“We all got our personal best times and our coach, Jarvis, was very happy with our results,” Barnard said. With both girls relay teams shaving seconds off their times, two school records being broken again and placements among the top 10 schools in the region, there is good reason for the team to feel pleased about their results.

Clark Girardin - 20th

RACHEL BERGEN

BY ROWAN SHARTEL Staff Writer

Patrick McCann - 5th

Athletic Trainer Alison Lane attends to senior Karl Ziegler after he chipped his tooth diving for a loose ball. Ziegler, who led the Atoms with 35 points in the win, was named Patriot District Player of the Year following his outstanding performance versus the Bruins.

been doing.”

In addition to Robinson, Boyce, Nielsen and Ziegler, three other seniors were recognized: Devin Lawrence, Peter Hagen and Matt McCartney.

With the win against Lake Braddock, the Atoms finish the regular season 3rd in the Patriot District behind the Bruins and T.C. Williams.

The senior night victory, however, means that the Atoms have now beaten every team in the district, a sure vote of confidence as they head into the district tournament.

“For me personally, the win [over Lake Braddock] meant that no one in this district can match up with us,” Robinson said.

The Atoms took on West Potomac in the first round of the tournament last night, but the game ended after the time of publication. During the regular season, AHS beat the Wolverines by 15 and 21 points, respectively.

“We’re going to make some adjustments and get the ball into the post players more,” Harper said before the game. “They’re not a deep team so we want to get them to turn the ball over and get them tired.”

After the first round, all remaining games of the tournament will be played at Lake Braddock. The district finals are set for next week and with a strong nucleus of seniors, the Atoms hope to be a part of it.

Winter athletes continue success Competitors look ahead to postseason championships “Winter sports” from page 1 getting buckets for us.”

The postseason athletic success began, however, for the Atoms on Feb. 5 at the indoor track meet.

Entering the meet, the boys team had high expectations for the competition. They did not disappoint, as they took home the Patriot District Championship for the second time in three years.

“It felt awesome winning districts,” senior Nathan Seeto said. “It really prepared us for what we’re up against come regionals in a couple weeks.”

Seeto, along with junior Ahmed Bile, sophomore Austin Chavez and senior Roland Andoh took home the district championship in the 4x400 meter relay. Bile also placed 1st in the mile run and the 1000m run. Senior Josh Jean-Jacques placed 1st in the high jump and the 55m dash and senior JP

Jenkins won the district in the 300m dash and the 55m hurdles. Senior Joel Hoisington was the final district champion for the Atoms, earning the title in the shotput.

The success continued on Feb. 12 with the varsity wrestling team competing in the Northern Region Championships at Fairfax HS. As a team, the Atoms placed 4th, the team’s best finish in over five years. Individually, the Atoms will send four wrestlers to the state meet next week.

In the 125 lb weight class, junior Dane Harlowe placed 2nd in the region, while fellow junior John McCollom placed 2nd in the 189 lb weight class.

Senior Jon Le took 3rd in the 112 lb division and junior Ali Ali Musa took 3rd in the 215 lb division.

All four wrestlers are expected to make an impact at the state meet, as the Northern Region is often considered one of the best in the state.

“I’ll be ready for states,” Le said. “I’m aiming for a state title [so I need to be at my best].”

Finally, the swim and dive team competed in regionals from Feb. 1-5. Though the team did not qualify, many individuals were there representing AHS. Senior Kyle Tyrrell had the most success,

qualifying for states in three events. He placed 2nd and set a school record in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 50.91 seconds. He also placed 8th in the 100-yard butterfly and was the anchor of the 4x50yd freestyle relay team that narrowly qualified for states. Senior Ryan Keck and juniors Willie Labarca and Adam Wattenbarger filled out the state-qualifying relay team.

“The first night of regionals our relay came really close to the state cut time and we didn’t even all go our best times,” Keck said. “We came into the region finals focused and when we finished the race and saw the time board it was such a great feeling.”

Junior Patrick McCann was the final statequalifier for the Atoms, as he placed 5th in the dive competition.

The Atoms hope to continue their success as all the teams progress deeper into the postseason.

State wrestling finals will take place on Feb. 19 at Robinson HS, regional track will take place Feb. 19 at George Mason and state swim and dive will take place from Feb. 18-19 in Virginia Beach.

SPORTS

Feb. 16, 2011

Track wins district Strong performance by top ranked 4 x 400 meter relay secures victory in disticts Championship

BY PARKER GILLCASH AND SAMIR SHAH Staff Writers The AHS indoor track team competed at the Patriot District Championship meet on Feb. 5 and took home the title once again. They performed well against the tough competition of T.C. Williams and Lake Braddock, who came in a close second and third respectively. The Atoms clinched the win by 9 points.

Junior Dylan Van Balen, who ran the 55-meter dash, 300-meter dash and 4 x 200 meter relay said, “We did well and everyone did what they needed to do to get points for us. Some stepped up to help get the victory.”

This included senior Patrick Goodman who placed 4th in the 1000 meter race, and sophomore Roland Andoh who placed 5th in the 100-meter dash.

The 4 x 200 meter relay consists of Van Balen, junior Alex Ellison, and seniors Josh Jean-Jacques and J.P. Jenkins. Van Balen says their goal is to, “go to Nationals in the 4 x 200 [relay].” They are currently ranked 1st in the region.

Junior Ahmed Bile placed first in the 1000 meter, 1600 meter. “I did really well, and went out there and did what I needed to do. My goal is to win states in all my events,” Bile said.

“

He was also the anchor of the 4 x 400 meter relay, along with Andoh, senior Nathan Seeto and sophomore Austin Chavez. The relay team placed 1st in the event at the district meet, securing the win and expect to win at the Northern Region meet once again.

Other athletes who greatly contributed to the victory included senior Joel Hoisington, who was the disctrict champion in shotput and has already qualified for regionals and states. JeanJacques placed first in high Dylan Van Balen jump, and has also qualified junior for regionals and states.

This is not the first time the Atoms have clinched a Patriot District Championship.

They also won districts last year for outdoor track, and two years ago for indoor track.

The team is looking forward to competing at the Northern Region Meet on Feb. 19 at Geroge Mason University.

“We have a good chance of winning the region as a team” Van Balen said. This would give AHS its first regional victory in many years. They lost the regional title last year by a single point, but hope to pull out a big win this year.

For more information concerning the AHS track team go to www.annandaleatoms.com and click on winter track.

JAKE BARNES

We h a v e a g o o d chance of winning the region as a team.

Senior Paul Phongsavan throws the shot put during practice as he prepares for regionals. Phongsavan finished 5th overall in the Patriot District meet.

”

Four AHS wrestlers move on to states

17 Girls Basketball By the Numbers

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The total number of games that the Atoms Girls basketball team has faced this year.

The Atoms record stands at 12-9 as they enter the Patriot District tournament.

7

The number of points the Atoms won by in their victory over the Lake Braddock Bruins last Friday night. Junior Jackie Beathea lead the team with 11 points.

6

The number of different scorers in the game. Senior Kelly Hughes and freshmen Ally Mastrota both scored 7 points during the game.

2

The number of times that the Atoms defeated the Bruins this year. The first game was won by a larger margin with a final score of 53-42.

-Compiled by Jake Barnes

Juniors Dane Harlow, John McCollom, Ali Mousa and Senior Jon Le advance to states after all placing top three in the region

District Champ

RACHEL BERGEN

While the majority of the AHS wrestling team is hanging up their singlets until next year, a select few will continue to don the form-fitting uniforms for a little while longer. Junior Dane Harlowe, junior John McCollom, junior Ali Ali Musa and senior Jon Le all qualified for the state competition next week.

All four athletes placed in the top three during regionals, a three-day tournament held at Fairfax HS from Feb. 10-12, and will therefore be advancing to states. Harlowe and McCollom placed second in the Northern Region in the 125 lb and 189 lb weight classes, respectively. Le placed third in the 112 lb weight class and Musa placed third in the 215 lb weight class.

Their exceptional achievements began during the Patriot District tournament here at AHS on Feb. 4. Although the entire varsity wrestling team participated, only a small portion of the wrestlers was able to win their first two matches to stay in the tournament. Harlowe, Musa and Le placed first in the district meet.

“I wrestled well, but I need to pick up the intensity a lot more. It’s nice winning [at the] district [level] but you celebrate that night and the next morning you get back to work,” Le said.

Other successful wrestlers at districts included sophomore Jack Johnson in the 135 lb weight class, sophomore Rawand Shamdin in the 119 lb weight class. senior Hayden Assophiah in the 285 lb weight class and senior Brayan Pozo in the 130 lb weight class.

States will be held at Robinson HS on Feb. 18 and 19.

“During the regular season, we wrestled tough and showed the district we

JAKE BARNES

BY KATE GRANDCHAMP Staff Writer

Sophomore Rawand Shamdin gets flipped during his match during pack the pit.

Shamdin along with the rest of his team would eventually lose the meet.

were right there fighting for the district title. Unfortunately, when districts came around we fell a little short, but individuals will make up for that at regionals and states,” Harlowe said.

For full details and more information visit www.annandaleatoms.com.

Atoms cruise past Lake Braddock in 7-point win Girls come back after being down 21-17 at halftime to win in the fourth quarter by seven to ruin the Bruins senior night

Q. How does it feel being a district Champion?

A. “It feels really good after putting in hard work over the summer practicing my throws.”

Q. What did it take to become a champion?

A. “It took a lot of hard work, dedicaiton, perseverence, and a strong will.”

Q. What are your current goals?

A. “I want to win the region on Saturday and finish top eight in the state. Also, I want to be recognized as all state and to play division one track next year.”

Senior Kelly Hughes sets up the offense and tries to start a play against the W.T Woodson Cavaliers on Feb. 4. The teams will match up again in the first round of districts.

cross-town rival W.T Woodson in the first round of the playoffs. During the regular season, AHS beat the Cavaliers twice; once at home and once on the road. The game,

however, finished after publication time. Check www.annanadaleatoms.com for information concerning the game.

RACHEL BERGEN

After keeping the game close over the first three quarters, the varsity girls basketball team was able to turn up their scoring and finish strong with 15 points in the fourth quarter to beat Lake Braddock. The Atoms improved their record to 12-9 and moved up to fourth place in the district as they enter the Patriot District Tournament.

“We started out the game playing lackadaisical, but once we slowed things down and picked up our play on the defensive end, we started scoring more easily,” senior captain Kelly Hughes said.

“They had the advantage coming into the game pumped up because it was their senior night, so they got on a bit of a run. We just had to take a moment as a team and get our minds straight so we could all play together as a team,” junior Hailey Brown said.

Junior Jackie Beathea has been a key factor for the Atoms this year and was the leading scorer on the night with 11 points. Beathea was named first team All-Patriot District this weekend after a strong showing throughout the season.

Other players that were key in

the victory included Brown, freshman Ally Mastrota and Hughes.

Both had 7 points in the win along with strong defense starting in the third quarter. “[The keys to our victory were] staying within the frame work of our team not trying to do to much even though we were down. Just keep chipping away at their lead and checking out not allowing them to get second shots,” head coach Patrick Hughes said.

In order to advance to the regional playoffs, the Atoms must win their first game of district play.

After the loss, the Bruins’ record dropped to 12-9 and to 3rd place in the Patriot District. T.C Williams maintains their control over first place in the district with a record of 17-5. “[We] worked on moving the ball and getting the ball to players in their scoring areas. As always, we worked on improving ‘D’,” coach Hughes said.

The Atoms hope to start out the tournament game with more intensity because of the lose-andgo-home aspect of the tournament. “[We want to] win and stay alive [in the tournament],” coach Hughes said.

On Feb. 15 the Atoms faced

Q. How many times have you won districts?

A. “I have won 3 seasons in a row.”

-Compiled by Jake Barnes

RACHEL BERGEN

BY JAKE BARNES Sports Editor

Joel Hoisington Shotput

Go to www.thea-blast.org to watch the Pack the Pit video by Sarah Bergen, Kate Grandchamp and Betsy Kruse.

18

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Feb. 16, 2011

ENTERTAINMENT

Feb. 16, 2011

Wallet-saving tickets

Coming Soon to DVD

Students trade in those $100 seats for something cheaper, yet still entertaining

BY CORINNE BALICKI & STEPHANIE ALLSHOUSE Staff Writers Great seats in the cafeteria are nothing compared to sitting front row at a concert.

However, these tickets can cause substantial damage to your wallet.

For music-lovers and concert-goers, these tickets can cost thousands of dollars over time. One way to keep your spending to a minimum but still enjoy a live show is to go see lesser-known and smaller bands.

By going to smaller shows you can save money and not have to deal with all the crowds.

The setting is more intimate and you have a much greater chance of meeting the artist.

Because these shows are generally in smaller venues, the standing areas are up near the stage and closer to the performers.

In addition, merchandise is cheaper. Smaller bands return to venues more than once

19

a year, unlike larger ones. “I always go to see local bands at Jammin’ Java and have the best time, while spending only a little amount of money,” senior Jenna Balicki said.

Artists like Taylor Swift have tickets selling starting at $170 and going up to over a $1,000. On the other hand, tickets for similar smaller country artists sell for around $50.

By going to see similar artists, you are exposing yourself to new styles and are helping emerging artists gain a fan base.

“I only go to local concerts with small and lesser known bands because of the crazy prices of tickets these days,” senior Aya Ibrahim said.

Nevertheless, some students still enjoy the huge crowds and over the top performances, regardless of the cost. There is still an increasing amount of students who have chosen to seek the benefits of going to smaller shows.

As the spring tour season approaches there will be an ample amount of opportunities for students to seize.

Unstoppable Feb. 15 PG-13

... e k i l l l i You w

e... k i l u If yo

With a refreshing style, Spencer Day is known for his hybrid style of soul, jazz and pop. Although Day is young, his voice would make one feel like he is from the time of the Rat Pack. His album Vagabond came out in 2009, and is still gaining popularity.

Lily Allen This artist, famous for her songs “Smile” and “The Fear,” started with a relaxed sound, but has shifted to a more alternative sound on her most recent album. If you are looking for a smooth woman’s voice, Lily Allen is just what you need.

Eminem A rap artist unlike any other, Eminem has a very characteristic voice and has lyrics that are not only clever, but also usually have a double meaning. Although he has been in the rap industry since the 90’s, his newest album Recovery gave his fans more of his talent.

bargains

Spencer Day

Known for his acoustic rock style, John Mayer has been successful in the music industry for over six years.

He has a relaxing voice and is very talented on guitar. The Grammy-winner’s newest album was Battle Studies which came out in 2009.

splurges

John Mayer

Get Low Feb. 22 PG-13

Nikki Jean Known for her indie and hiphop style, Jean broke into the music industry when she was featured on Lupe Fiasco’s album Cool in 2008. Now, she is working on her own music featuring her vocals and piano talents.

Chris Webby Formally known as Christian Webster, this up and coming rapper is a student at Hofstra.

He has not produced any albums, but has created many mixtapes. The parallels between Webby and Eminem can be seen titled in Webby’s mixtape title Move Over Marshall.

Due Date Feb. 22 R

Pregnancy bumping to the top Teenage pregnancy has been recently exposed in a new and controversial way

BY SARAH BERGEN & BETSY KRUSE Staff Writers You see that little pink plus sign on the pregnancy test and realize you now have to trade in your future, friends, education and social life for an endless amount of dirty diapers, limited sleep due to waking up from the howls of a newborn and a constant shortage of money.

These are the repeating themes of many episodes of hit TV shows such as 16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom and The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

Reality shows follow the struggles of real teenagers having to cope with their new lifestyles as teenage parents. Shows about teen pregnancy have become increasingly popular over the last few years.

“I think [the shows] affects kids in a good way by showing them how hard they have to work and how much they have to give up,” junior Arely Agvila said.

Many people criticize these show for being

unrealistic and glamorizing pregnancy by not showing all of the true facts about the hardships of having a baby as a teenager.

“I think teen pregnancy shows have a bad effect on kids because it shows that lots of teens get pregnant and can live a normal life,” junior Alli Foster said.

Others disagree. “It really opened my eyes to stay abstinent and to not get involved in the difficulties of being a teen mom,” sophomore Tiffany Kim said.

Episodes of 16 and Pregnant tell the stories of expecting mothers and their plans for the future.

Later some of the mothers go on to Teen Mom to document the early months after childbirth.

According to health teacher Gabe Romano, the only drawback to some of the movies and shows is that in real life not everything is going to work out they way it does on some of the fictional shows and there is not always going to be a happy ending.

“I think that they help more than hurt. [The shows] bring up a lot of opportunities to talk about pregnancy in class. Yes, they could give kids ideas, but most of the time they help,” Romano said.

Teen pregnancy has decreased over recent years by 2.4 percent, only 41.5 pregnancies per 1,000 teenagers. Although it cannot be determined if these shows are the direct cause, it can be seen that the shows are a positive influence in most teenagers’ lives.

Popular Teen Pregnancy Media MTV

ABC Family This reality show follows the life of several teenage mothers dealing with the aftermath of pregnancy.

This popular family show depicts the life of students facing the challenges of balancing school and a baby.

Lifetime’s recent movie based on a true story of high school girls who make a pact to get pregnant at the same time.

A comedic movie about a girl who finds out she is pregnant and must deal with the troubles that tag along with it.

Love & Other Drugs March 1 R

Top 10 iTunes Downloads of the Week 1. Grenade Bruno Mars

2. Firework Katy Perry

3. The Time (Dirty Bit) The Black Eyed Peas

4. Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor) [feat. T-Pain] Pitbull

5. Rocketeer

Reality television always a hit, but true?

Students voice their opinions on the credibility of reality television

BY CARLI LOEB & MEGAN FLYNN Staff Writer Snooki, Pauly D and J WOWW are all hit reality television stars, but who knows how different they are from real life when under the spotlight and on camera.

Reality television catches the eyes and attentions of many viewers by its supposed real life situations, but which reality shows are true to their name?

Reality TV has been around since TV was invented, but first became widely popular in 1992 when MTV debuted their first season of The Real World. The producers didn’t have the budget for actors and scripts, and instead used real people for the subjects of the show.

The longest running show on MTV, The Real World, hosts seven different individuals and has them live and interact together. This sparked a revolution in the way TV is produced, ranging from all types and kinds of “real” TV shows.

“At first, yes, Jersey Shore was believable, but not so much now. When they go out, people now know who they are so of course they want to be friends with them and then maybe get in on the show,” junior Becca Sponga said.

While it’s true reality TV tries to use “real” people,

“The Real Housewives” series has been one of the most popular reality television show watched recently.

the characters are often cast and interviewed to find the most diverse group possible, or the group that would produce the most conflict. Reality TV is supposed to show true life situations and events, but somewhat scripted lines and careful editing can turn reality into fiction.

While it’s true most situations actually do occur, they are often manipulated and made to seem more dramatic

than they actually are. Editing and experts can blow up the smallest situations and fool viewers into making the tiniest feuds look bigger than ever.

“I think most reality television shows are fake because that stuff just doesn’t happen in real life. I think producers set up what to do to enhance viewers of the show,” sophomore Jonathan Pratt said.

“I think reality shows are good because they show what actually happens. They don’t have to act out lines,” freshman Kayla Elahi said.

Reality TV is definitely something to talk about, from the unique characters to the unraveling drama and crazy events.

Many watch in wonder of what will happen next and the unscripted essence of the show leaves viewers in complete suspense of what’s going to occur.

“I think reality TV shows are more interesting than regular TV because they’re not supposed to be planned,” sophomore Emily Blank said.

The truth of the matter? Todd Boyd, critical-studies professor at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinema-Television, was interviewed by MSNBC. “We know all these shows are edited and manipulated to create images that look real and sort of exist in real time. But really what we have is a construction. The whole enterprise of reality television relies on stereotypes. It relies on common stock, easily identifiable images,” Boyd said.

Whether viewers think the shows are fake or real, reality television is definitely something worth watching.

Far East Movement & Ryan Tedder

6. Coming Home Diddy - Dirty Money & Skylar Grey

7. Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You) [feat. Ludacris] Enrique Iglesias

8. What the Hell Avril Lavigne

9. S&M Rihanna

10. I Gotta Feeling The Black Eyed Peas

Go to the web to read about the new controversial MTV show, “Skins.”

www.thea-blast.org

20

WEEKEND

Grind it up!

The to-do list

The best coffee places around town

Go see the White House

1.

Feb. 16, 2011

The White House Visitor Center is hosting a fun-filled day on Monday, February 21 and enjoy free perfromances and guest speakers. The event begins at 10 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m.

Only a short 15 minute drive from AHS, Grounded Coffee offers a whimsical escape from the daily stresses of life. Their unique menu hosts a variety of drink options with flavor shots that include strawberry, mint, peach and many others. If you’re not a “coffee person,” don’t worry, they serve delicious pastry items, soups, sandwiches and even salads. What really takes this place over the top, however, is their selection of board games near the front of the store for customers of all ages to enjoy.

D.C. Fashion Week

2.

Beginning on Feb. 21, D.C. will be home to some of the greatest names in the fashion industry. Go online to get your tickets at ww.dcfashionweek.org

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Grounded Coffee Shop has great food, unique drinks and incredibly friendly service.

Battle of the Bands at Jammin’ Java Come out on Friday, February 19 to see some of the greatest local bands in the area.

Festivities begin at 8 p.m.

6919 Telegraph Rd Alexandria, VA 22310

2011 class bulletin If you would like to purchase a senior class t-shirt for $5, visit room 128

10637 Braddock Road Fairfax, VA 22032 Senior graduation countdown: 128 days

Bake sale days will be posted on the Class of 2011 group on Facebook

Located in charming Old Town Alexandria, Perk Up Coffee House fulfills its name. The most notable part of the shop would have to be the incredibly fast service. The Chai Tea Latte arrived quickly after ordering and was piping hot. The immediate and speedy service only complemented the amazing coffee they served.

Unlike many other chain shops, they make very rich and creamy coffee drinks that do not require any added sugar. The only downside was the price, which was on the expensive side as a small cup cost $2.90. Nevertheless the entire package of this quaint coffee house is well worth the price and will surely Perk Up your day.

Left: The unique menu at Perk Up highlights their fun menu options. Right: The small and cozy barista stand at Saxbys coffee shop produces drinks with big flavor. Far right: Senior Anna Smith sips on a Campfire Mocha at Saxbys coffee shop.

Visit us at www.thea-blast. org for more pictures of our coffee reviews!

Asad has been working in the food Curry industry for Mantra many years.

After managing franchises like COSI and Au Bon Pain, he opened his own Quiznos.

He has been living in the Fairfax area for roughly ten years.

The décor also reflected this idea, with walls in deep red and magenta hues that reflected the soft lighting hand-selected

by Asad himself. These accentuate the beautiful artwork hung along the walls that showcase various elements of Indian culture, including a woman dressed in traditional attire and beautiful landscapes of the country. The dining room features plain tables and chairs covered in fresh, white linens.

Once your visual senses are piqued, your taste buds are tantalized by the wide array of menu options that Curry Mantra offers. Their menu is broken down into categories of bread, chicken dishes, lamb and fish dishes, vegetarian options and desserts. After receiving a brief tour of the back kitchens, we were able to see their Tandoor Clay ovens that lend themselves to truly authentic Indian flavors.

This view had an immense impact on the dishes that we ultimately ordered. The staff was attentive and helpful when discussing the differences in flavor, spice and region of each dish. This is a perfect example of the magnificent service you will find from the moment you walk into Curry Mantra.

After a very brief wait, our main course, the Chicken Tikka Masala, arrived in a steaming bowl alongside of a bed of basmati

A

Culinary Conquests Restaurant Guide

By Kelsey Price and Helena Belay

The Magic of Curry Mantra The word “mantra” is derived from Sanskrit, its literal meaning being instrument of thought. In Indian culture it is said to be the thing that inspires magic, and at Curry Mantra our first bite of food bewitched us from the start.

We’re still not quite sure whether it was the vegetable and rice dish that we sampled or the crispy, crepe-like bread known as Masala Dosa that made our mouths water, but we do know that every dish sampled left us sweetly satisfied.

Having just opened their second location in Fairfax, along Little River Turnpike, Curry Mantra has a long history of bringing authentic Indian cuisine to the community.

Their first location in Bombay has been in business for 25 years and has built up an impeccable reputation.

“Our core product is curries from every region of India,” current owner Asad said.

“We have daily chef ’s specials that highlight the numerous delicacies that can be found around India.”

Although Saxby’s may be a national franchise, there is only one location in all of Virginia; lucky for us it happens to be right down Braddock Road, across from the University of George Mason’s main campus. This funky coffee shop is the perfect space for students to hunker down and get some schoolwork done as they provide free Wifi service and have outlet space.

Their menu is 100% original, offering unique options like the Campfire Mocha, a mixture of chocolate, coffee, whipped cream and graham crackers, along with the classic staples you know and love.

rice. The dulcified flavors of the curry lived up to the heavenly aromas we had begun to smell upon entering Curry Mantra on empty stomachs. Although the color could be seen as unusual to some, with its bright orange hues reminiscent of a pumpkin patch, it merely acts a coating to the perfectly cooked chicken just below the surface.

While dining, we were informed of how family-friendly the restaurant is by Asad, who detailed the Maharaja Weekend Brunch Buffet, where children under 10 years of age eat free. We would like to point out that no student at AHS could pass for this age, so its best you do not attempt this. Prices, however, are one thing you don’t have to fear if you are planning on visiting Curry Mantra for 9984 Main lunch or dinner, Street with main courses Fairfax, VA ringing in below $15 and smaller 22031 plates for even less.

This new Indian restaurant is soon to be a household staple among the Annandale community. With their friendly service, great food and family-friendly atmosphere, Curry Mantra is the perfect place for adventuresome eaters and food lovers alike.

For more information on the restaurant, visit their website at www.currymantra.com

Top: The ambiance in Curry Mantra originates from its low lighting and vibrant decor. Above: A vegetarian dish with carrots, peas, and other ingrediants.

Below: Skewed kabobs hang out of the Tandoor clay ovens, packed with spices and flavor. Bottom left: A sweet curry, Chicken Tikka Masala, was the highlight of our meal at Curry Mantra.

––All photos by Kelsey Price