Issue 10 by AHS Publications

ANNANDALE HIGH SCHOOL

the 3

Visit us online: www.thea-blast.org

Informiing thee Atomss since 1954

703-642-4229

APRIL 28, 2009

ALL EYES ON BO BAMA

10-11

HOT ELECTIVES

REFUGEES FIND SAFETY

Before making the final Has the media given too much decision on your selected attention to Obama’s cuddly, courses for next year, small dog, while neglecting check out neat electives other significant news? that are available

AHS provides a sanctuary for those fleeing warstricken, impoverished and unstable regions

Mostly Cloudy

AHS students offered dresses and accessories for prom

High: 89 Low: 60

BY KELSEY PRICE Circulation Manager

LUNCH TODAY

Senior Haja Sessay has just begun planning for one of the most memorable events of her final year at AHS: prom. Her group is all settled, her date is a work in progress, but there is one paramount detail that she is still missing: her dress. “This year my budget for a dress is $100 or less,” said Sessay. “I haven’t had time to go out and look for a dress yet because I’ve been too busy with school and other stuff. And even if I do go shopping I have no idea where I should even start to look for a cheap one.”

EMILY FRUCTERMAN

BY THE NUMBERS

IB Art students showcase their finest creation to the AHS staff and students after a year of dedication at the IB Art Show

ANC hosts Princess for a Night program

WEATHER TODAY

Chicken Tenders w/Muffin Fairfax Chipotle Burrito Hot Ham & Cheese Hummus Biteable Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Yogurt Biteable

14 THE ART OF HARD WORK

Jessica Green is the project coordinator for AHS and is currently working on organizing volunteers and increasing the number of donated dresses.

hours is the amount of time Human Anatomy students had to spend shadowing a health care professional for part of their final exam grade.

Sessay, along with other girls at AHS planning on attending prom this year, have a unique opportunity to receive a free prom dress, from the organization called Princess for a Night (PFAN). The organization began six years ago, when social worker Kathleen Basinski noticed that many senior girls were not attending their prom because they did not have a dress to wear. The solution was to form PFAN. Her goal with the program was to collect donations of new or gently used dresses and evening wear for female students to wear to their prom. Now, her program has grown to help more than 500 high school girls all across the Northern Virginia area every year, many of whom may not have “Princess” continued on page 4

OVERCROWDING

pg. 12

1765

is the year the only ly remaining colonial building, ng, Old Stone House, located on M street in Georgetown, n, was built. From kayaking g on the Potomac River to shopping at Kate Spade on n M Street, Georgetown hass all sorts of activities and sight-seeing opportunities. s. Photo presents a day at Georgetown.

Local schools and students affected by redistricting Annandale

Falls Church

Lake Braddock

founded 1954

founded 1967

founded 1973

pg. 13 Population Transfer+ days is how long Richard Phillips, the captain who was taken in exchange for the American cargo ship, the Maersk Alabama on April 7, was kept hostage by the three Somali pirates. es. Read about the perspectives es AHS students have on thee issue of piracy in Somalia.

Population Transfer+

Total gain: + 175

Total gain: +100

BY AISHWARYA VENKAT News Editor As the fourth f quarter begins with Advanced Placement exams, InterBaccalaureate exams, SOLs national B and finals just around the corner, students are rushing to prepare AHS stude during May. for all of them th year’s AP and IB exams, This y which begin beg on May 4, commence series of tests for students a whole se grades at AHS. The IB testing of all grad testing in late May, leads to SOL S will follow in midand final exams e June. The A AP exams are slightly different from IB exams. “IB is more analytical,” explained IB History of analytical the Americas Americ teacher Jonathan York. “You have to analyze documents and them. They’re different in compare th ““Exams” continued on page 5

*current and projected student populations are not inclusive of redistricting changes from AHS as a result of redistricting, approximated

pg. 15

Board passes boundary study

$780

is the average amount of money a teenager spends on prom. In order to make the night one of your best high school memories, check out the guide on Entertainment to meet your budget and still look fashionable.

BY WALIHA GANI Co-Editor in Chief The FCPS School Board authorized a limited study of the attendance areas for Annandale, Lake Braddock, and Falls Church High Schools and Poe, Glasgow and Lake Braddock Middle Schools on April 2. There will be an informational meeting held today at 7 p.m. for parents, residents, and property owners. The point of the study is to provide relief to the overcrowding at AHS by using the surplus space available at Falls Church and Lake Braddock High Schools. Additionally, the study also seeks to address the overpopulation issue at Poe Middle School by shifting students to Glasgow and Lake Braddock Middle Schools.

pg. 18 is the cost of an ice cream scoop at Nielsen, an ice cream parlor located at Historic Church Street in Vienna. Check out these local ice cream parlors and decide which you will head to this summer to indulge and escape from the heat.

$3.50

Changes to the boundaries will be implemented for the 2010-2011 school year. About 275 students will be impacted as the proposed boundary changes will shift about 175 AHS students to Falls Church, and about 100 more to Lake Braddock. Compared to other schools, AHS has been experiencing an overwhelming student population increase. AHS became the fourth largest high school in Fairfax County for the 2008 school year. At the start of the school year, 2,568 students were enrolled, exceeding the building’s physical capacity of 2,100 students. With next year’s projected enrollment reaching a record high of 2,767, school officials sought to alleviate the issue. “It’s not immediate relief, but some relief is “Boundary” continued on page 5

Juniors scramble to raise funds

pg. 20

On a scale of 1-10, how strong of an offense do you think “sexting” is?

Through various fundraisers, Class of 2010 raised the needed $2,000 for prom

CASSADY KELLER

BY HOPE STADULIS AND CASSADY KELLER Staff Writers

This survey was distributed on April 24 during R7 and W6 flexes. Of 400 surveys distributed, all were completed and returned for inclusion in this graph.

Preparing for IB/AP tests

With under $900 and a limited amount of time to compile a deposit for a prom venue, junior class officers successfully raised the needed $2,000 for prom next year.

The realization came hard and fast for the junior class of 2010 that if they did not raise a significant amount of money over the next few weeks, prom would be out of the question. With under $900 and a limited amount of time to compile a deposit for a prom venue, junior class officers have been scrambling to make money over the past few weeks. “We are doing whatever it takes to raise $2,000 for a prom deposit at the Waterford. Car washes, bake sales, everything counts,” said junior class Senator Andrea Quezada. Junior class sponsors Rebecca Lockhard and Cheryl An recently consulted with the Waterford and discovered that they needed $2,000 by the end of April in order to reserve the ballroom for next year’s prom. This meant that they would be forced to raise a whopping $1,100 over a series of two weeks. “I think the reality of where we stood hit when we were discussing our prom location and we learned that the deposit was due in two weeks. Our bank account couldn’t cover the cost at this “Juniors” continued on page 4

Teenage “Sexting” increases BY HELENA BELAY Staff Writer The crime known as “sexting” has been on the rise in many high schools and FCPS officials and administrators have had growing concerns of the activity. According to urbandictionary.com the word “sexting” is the act of text messaging someone nude/ naked pictures. This has become a big phenomenon in high schools all over Fairfax County as teenagers are sending the explicit pictures via text message on their cell phones more than before. People “sext” for various reasons— for revenge, to give their significant other a gift, or to boost their self confidence. The fact is that for minors, just one click means that they are partaking in illegal activity by manufacturing child pornography. People may believe that they can do whatever they please with their own body and phone, but taking a nude or partially nude picture of a minor, whether the person is you or someone else, can be a felony, and if a person is convicted, he or she may be registered as a sex offender. “Sexting” continued on page 5

Have you ever received a “sext” from someone and if so, how often?

GERALD SHEPPARD

VOLUME #54 ISSUE 10

44700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003

This survey was distributed on April 24 during R7 and W6 flexes.

Go to the web! Go to www.theablast.org to read more editorials about the media obssession!

Are you addicted to social networking? How much time do you spend on social networks such as Facebook, Myspace and Twitter each night? a) 0-2 hours b) 3-4 hours c) 5 or more hours How often do you update your status? a) Once a week or less b) Everyday c) Several times a day Do you find yourself staying up later just to keep checking and re-checking your Facebook/Myspace page? a) Never b) Every once in a while c) Every night Do you spend more time inside on your computer than you do outside? a) No b) It’s pretty even c) Yes How often do your parents complain about how long you are on the computer? a) Every once in a while, usually as a joke b) A couple times a week c) A couple times a week with some serious talks in between How many applications do you have on Facebook? a) I do not use Facebook b) A couple, maybe four or five c) I try to get as many applications as I can Do you feel the need to constantly check your friends status on Facebook, Myspace, or Twitter? a) Only to see if my friends can hang out or to get help on homework. b) I glance through them occasionally to see what everyone is doing c) Yes, I am always checking my friends status to see if they have changed it

Mostly C’s: You are a social network addict. You should step away from the computer and spend more time with your family and friends in person. Compiled by Erin Johnson, Editorials Editor

Social networks tell all you don’t need to know and more BY JANE AMAN Copy Editor “Uuugh more chem homework!” The status flashes across your screen and you glance at it absently. You didn’t need to know that your friend was doing homework, in fact, you really didn’t care at all, but you read it and your mind uses precious brain cells to process it and then you move on. You do this over and over, and by the time that you log off you know so many mundane facts about your “friends” that you can’t possibly remember them all. So, you don’t, and you’ll have to look at them the next time you log on and then you’ll repeat the process until you remember. This, my friends, is the magic of Facebook. Now, not only is the seemingly constant need for personal information satisfied by Facebook, but by Myspace, which has added the status changes to keep up with the still-growing popularity of Facebook. Twitter, a social networking website which focuses solely on status updates, has also recently entered this race for information. So, now the question is: why do we hunger so ravenously for these needless facts? The answer is simple. As a population, we have always hungered for information. That is evident through the many discoveries and movements that we, as a nation, have been through. We’ve always wanted to know anything and everything about each other, it’s just

Students spend too much time on the computer on social networks sites such as Facebook, Myspace and Twitter.

been harder to obtain. These networking websites make it easy for us to “understand” people, it puts them in a box, it makes us comfortable. Originally, the idea of social networking might have seemed so enticing because of how busy most adults are. However, now that the craze has filtered down to a younger audience, face-to-face interaction has been almost completely replaced by online networking. Students are spending hours mindlessly perusing all that Facebook has to offer (let’s not forget the millions of bumperstickers just waiting to be found and shared) and barely any time in the physical company of friends. This,

The U.S. should take measures to stop nukes in Iran BY MANAL ELHAK International Editor The world cannot afford for Iran to have nuclear weapons. Iran is a threat to world peace that has consistently advocated the total destruction of Israel. It equates Zionism with racism and denies the right of Israel to have a homeland, or even to have the right to exist. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a Holocaust denier who has stated at a recent UN conference that Israel had been founded “on the pretext of Jewish suffering.” The fact that Ahmadinejad is a Holocaust denier reveals just how extremist Iran’s rulers are. It is obvious that he has not toured the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington where I work part-time as an intern, learning all about the undeniable horrors of that time. There is no way any rational person can deny the truth of the Holocaust, and the fact that the president of Iran does so is frightening. The thought of such a person with his finger on the detonator of an atom bomb is positively terrifying. Our oldest ally in the Middle East is Israel. It

GRAPHIC BY MANAL ELHAK

was founded by the United Nations after World War II in 1948 in response to the crimes against humanity that were committed by the Nazis in their concentration camps. The United States was the first nation to recognize Israel. We have social, economic, historical and cultural ties with Israel that we cannot deny. If Iran succeeds in obtaining nuclear weapons the world will become exponentially more dangerous. There is no telling what its erratic leaders

would do. I believe Iran should not be allowed to become a nuclear power. Iranian leaders must stop their quest for nuclear weapons — or they must be stopped. The United States, as the most powerful country in the world, should do everything in its power to keep Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. We should exhaust any and all peaceful means to do so. Diplomacy is definitely the first line of attack and nothing should be off the negotiating table; all options should be considered and used. Also, the U.S. should enlist the aid of other countries around the world by using economic incentives and sanctions. We should enlist every peaceful weapon in our arsenal to convince Iran to halt its quest to join the international nuclear arms club. Direct discussions should not be ruled out with Iran’s rulers, as crazy as they may be. However, we need to recognize that though diplomacy is always the first line of attack, it is an attack. We can never forget that we are at war with terrorism and we need to be proactive in attacking it. As Teddy Roosevelt said, we need to, “Walk softly and carry a big stick.” Yes, use diplomacy and talking first, but back it up firmly with the possibility of force and military action. We cannot afford to rule out military force as a last resort. Ultimately, we must be willing to go to war with any state attempting to destroy our allies.

Rules of Thumb TREE FOUND IN MAN’S LUNGS In Russia, surgeons found a 5-centimeter tall spruce tree inside of a man’s lung. The man had inhaled a seed, causing a small tree to begin to grow inside of him. The tree was removed during surgery. Rule: Steer clear of eating seeds of any type to avoid inner plant growth.

NURSE FIRED DURING SURGERY In the middle of performing surgery, a nurse was pulled out of the room to be fired by her boss. Her manager claimed the reason why he fired her mid-surgery is because he had to “immediately” fire 90 employees. Rule: If you run a lifesaving business, fire the faulty nurses before they perform surgery.

LICENSE PLATES BANNED License plates that contain “offensive words” in English have been banned in Saudi Arabia. The list of banned words contains the words “bar” and “U.S.A.” Rule: When creating license plates in a restricting country, stick to more wholesome topics. Source: www.fark.com

the

Staff

Editors In Chief: Shriya Adhikary Waliha Gani

International Editors: Ndidi Obasi Manal Elhak

Managing Editor: Laura Simpson

Entertainment Editors: Kelly McGarey Lyndsay Jacobs

News Editors: Emily Fruchterman Aishwarya Venkat Editorials Editors: Erin Johnson Aya Saed In-Depth Editors: Nathalie Spita Charles Simpson

Health Editors: Amy Steinbuechler Beelan Yonas Photography Editors: Tanya Bellingham Annika Jessen Ad Manager: Meredith Rutherford

–Nikki Clarke was incorrectly credited on Page 17 in the story “Soccer off to steady start”.

of course, excludes the time that students spend together in school. As has been pointed out many times by members of older, and we’d like to think, less tech-savvy generations, this incessant information sharing gives us an intimacy online that used to be sacred. Meaning, it is so easy to tell your secrets to a screen than the face of the person sitting on the other side. As a result, we hold our secrets less sacred, thereby holding privacy as a whole less sacred. We wouldn’t want all of the school body sitting inside of our bedrooms, but we have no problem spilling our guts to a colorful screen, which processes them and then shoots them across the internet for everyone to see. Now, here comes the hard question: why does this make sense? Half of those reading this article will respond that it doesn’t (silently, of course) and half will come up with something that they think justifies this shamelessness. However, nobody will do anything about it. Most will go home and the first thing that they will do is check their Facebook. But maybe, just maybe, reading this might provoke someone to step away from their computer and the endless wealth of information and CALL a friend. Maybe they will go out to see a movie, maybe they will go bowling.We need to begin expecting more of ourselves when we are on the Internet. We need to be aware and excercise restraint. Finally, we need to get together (no, I am not going to break into song) and revert to the “old fashioned” ways of interacting because if we don’t, we may forget how. But, for now, status update: “Jane Aman is tired of talking to a box and is going to go ride a bike.”

Iran should not have nuclear weapons

Sports Editors: Kelsey Knoche Scott Plunkett

Issue 9 March 31 correction

April 28, 2009

Students need to log off more often

Mostly A’s: You are not addicted to social networking. Instead you spend your time on healthier activities. Mostly B’s: You use social networks often, but do not spend too much time on them. Try to spend more time outside!

the

ERIN JOHNSON

EDITORIALS

Sports Xtra Editors: Logan Miller Marcus Mavlian People Editors: Laura Ambrosio Stacey Irwin Weekend Editor:s Marie Benavides Marisa Tordella

Circulation Manager: Kelsey Price Meredith Rutherford Art Editors: Travis Valle Jeff Shim Academics Editors: Emma Barker Doreen Bond Copy Editor: Jane Aman

Annandale High School Vol. 54 No. 10 (703) 642-4229 4700 Medford Dr. April 28, 2009 email: theablast@gmail.com Annandale, Virginia 22003 fax: (703) 642-4299

Online Staff: Connor Goolrick, Adeel Shams, Video Staff: Joey Panther Natalia Schwien Emily Bagot Greg Nielsen Staff Writers/Photographers: Alley Adcock, Jenn Allshouse, Gessica Azzam, Jake Barnes, Helena Belay, Carly Bouchard, Jose Candia, Rachel Coulter, Andrew Craig, Maggie Craig, Stephen Craig, Victoria Deible, Rachel Gallogly, Erin George, Connor Goolrick, Daniela Guevera, Kristen Hennessey, David Hookey, Adam Kasdorf, Cassady Keller, Bum Lee, Elizabeth Marcois, August McCarthy, Brandon Mitchener, Julia Moeller, Jennifer Oakes, Kelly O’Brien, Brenna O’Neill, Melissa Purvis, Mariah Pollet, William Risse, Jerald Sheppard, Hope Stadulis, Amy Stevens, Bob Stevens, Alexandra Torre, Travis Valle, Aishwarya Venkat, Katie Vu, Melissa Walter Ben Wolfenstein, Sam Young, Chris Yurko Adviser: Alan Weintraut

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, 2009.

OPINION

the

April 28, 2009

Student rights under attack

3 Do you think the actions of the administration were reasonable?

School administration should have limits on how far it can go in its search for drugs

CREATED BY CORINE REINERT

BY KELLY MCGAREY Entertainment Editor Any high school student can tell you that obeying administrators is a sometimes unpleasant, but ultimately necessary part of life. We are constantly being told to pull up our pants, take off our hats, and get to class on time. However, as much as we complain about the restrictions imposed upon on us, we should respect the fact that they do not go so far as to violate our basic civil rights. The same cannot be said for other institutions of learning, and, thanks to a particularly gross infringement on the rights of a student, the power of school administrators is under stern review by our highest court of law. In the fall of 2003, 13-year-old Savanna Redding was just a shy eighth grader at Safford Middle School in central Arizona. However, after a dramatic chain of events that unfolded at the school and led to countless hours of legal meetings, multiple trials, and many appeals, the public’s perception of Redding has been decidedly reshaped. Today, more than six years later, she finds herself in the center of an ongoing, and highly-charged debate about wether her rights were violated by school administrators. Redding’s life was permanently disrupted when she was unexpectedly summoned to the vice principal’s office, and accused of possessing a prohibited substance. After her backpack was searched, and no narcotics were recovered, she was marched to the school clinic. When Savanna reached the nurse’s office, she was forced to take off her This student then went on to tell Wilson that she obtained the white pills T-shirt and pants. Once again, no pills were discovered, and the school’s (which were later identified as 400 mg tablets of Ibuprofen) from Redding, vice principal, Kerry Wilson took more drastic again to determine if Red- and the controversial search began. Although Redding vs. Safford Unified School District ended in a decision ding was in possession of any drugs. Redding said that she was “then told to pull her underwear to the side and to shake to see if any pills could be in favor of the school’s administration, April Redding was not satisfied so she dislodged.” Even this thorough search proved futile. April Redding, Savanna’s appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and again lost. After the full 9th mother, was then phoned, and upon arriving at the school, heard about the Circuit Court heard the case, however, Redding finally received a decision that condemned the vice principal’s actions as unconstitutional. strip search from one of her daughter’s peers. The elder As the Supreme Court deliberates over this issue, Redding furiously confronted the school principal who many Americans (myself included) are mulling over the denied that Savanna had been searched. After the school’s idea of search by school administrations. Although it is administration showed no remorse over the incident, RedEvery American has the understandable in some cases, where should the line be ding obtained lawyers and sued the school district for the drawn? If a student is suspected of having a potentially alleged violation of her daughter’s rights. right to protection against lethal weapon, searching the student is undoubtedly a When the case came to trial, the school’s motivations matter of public safety. We live in the world’s greatest defor the search were revealed. According to the court tranunlawful search mocracy, where freedom is supposed to be cherished. It is scripts of Redding vs. Safford Unified School District an embarrassment to every American that such behavior, #1, Wilson acted on a series of tips from students at the which violates the rights of young children and can cause middle school. The whole incident allegedly stemmed from irreparable mental harm has not been condemned by our a meeting between Wilson and a concerned parent who highest court of law. With any luck, this will change, and Savanna Redding complained that her son had become sick after taking a pill that he was given by a classmate. When Wilson confronted the accused classmate, she will finally get justice, not only for herself, but for every American who posrecovered a pill of 200 mg Naprosyn, several white pills, and a razor blade. sesses the right to protection against unlawful search and seizure.

“They should have contacted the police first. Not only did it ruin her reputation but she will probably be scarred for life.”

—Alli Foster freshman

“The school should have treated her like a minor by handling the situation differently.”

—Banna Gebremichael sophomore “They should have only searched her backpacks and pockets.”

—Tina Kieu sophomore

“I think that was wrong and the administration crossed the line.”

“

”

—Stacey Anderson junior

“If they are going to do such a thing, they definitely need more physical proof.”

—Jonathan Zorn

Excessive media focus on Bo The obsession with the first dog exhibits the constant need for entertainment BY AYA SAED Editorials Editor We have all seen the many pictures of the cute little black Portuguese puppy the Obamas adopted recently. He is small, cuddly, a perfect friend, and a great addition to the Obama family; however, with all due respect to animal activists, there are simply more important issues facing us today. The attention the media has centered around this K-9 is a little frightening,

in that several important events were occurring, and received negligible attention. The American society as a whole, has always concerned itself, often times excessively, on the daily life of celebrities. While the obsession with nominal occurrences is somewhat understandable, it seems to have gone overboard in this case. Presidential pets have always been of particular interest. Pets are, in simple words, adorable. Especially in America, they have come to symbolize friendship. As Harry Truman once stated, “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.” In addition, in the case of presidential pets, they link the president with the people because it illustrates how presidents are normal individuals who enjoy the benefits of companionship. From Kennedy’s laundry list of pets which include Arabian horses, Texas ponies and Russian dogs, all of which were gifts from foreign dignitaries, to the beloved Socks from the Clinton era, people associate presidents with their pets and vice versa. Journalists are daunted with the

task of luring readers to read their work, while at the same time, they seek to inform the reader on the specifics of events. It seems as though many journalism outlets are taking advantage of the immense interest that U.S. readers have exhibited in Obama’s choice. Unfortunately, this means that other, more important issues such as nuclear weapon proliferation, the trillions Obama will be spending in the next several years and the issue of crime and unemployment, which has hit the double digits in many areas were over shadowed. As former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich stated on ABC’s “This Week,” the whole frenzy is “fairly stupid.” While Bo is a great addition to the Obama family, and will surely provide with a new and loyal friend, it is time for journalists and media outlets to focus on more pressing and crucial issues. Yes, the dog has a history behind him and is fairly attractive; that does not mean, however, that he deserves top headlines for several days.

junior

“They should not be allowed to strip search her. The police should have been called.”

—Nathan Clayton junior

“The administration should have waited until they had parental consent before taking harsh actions.”

—Jennifer Ibarra senior

Presidential Pets

Obama’s new puppy seems to overshadow more pressing issues. The media needs to better balance entertainment with substance.

Boundary change is the only solution Increase student numbers is a problem for upcoming years At AHS, you can walk into just about any classroom and find all 25 to 35 desks filled with students and a single teacher at the front of the room. AHS has the capacity for about 2,100 students but contains over 2,500 students. Clearly, overcrowding has become a very serious quandary here. For most students, walking through the tightly packed hallways is an irritation. More seriously, the issue of the problem is the influence this has on the education of existing students. Larger classes mean that students get less one-on-one time with their teachers. Students do not get to know their teachers as well, and therefore miss important extra help that they could be getting. Several years ago, AHS was suffering from a similar problem. The school was overcrowded, and renovated. The project took time and money, and after it was completed, AHS quickly filled back up to and over its’ capacity. Now, renovation is out of the question because of our recent renovation. The school boundary changes may take a year or two, but at this point, they are our best bet. The only way to reduce the

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JENNIFER OAKES

BY ERIN JOHNSON Editorials Editor

Students feel the crowding in classrooms, the cafeteria and the hallways.

amount of students coming into AHS is to send them off to other, less crowded schools. In addition to the other problems, when the classes are so large students tend to stick with

their own friends and to branch out less. It is harder to get to know everybody in your class if there are too many in there with you. School officials have predicted that the population of AHS will only increase, and therefore so would the problems. The School Board is trying to change the school boundaries in hope of reducing the school’s population, and these boundaries would not be put in place by at least the 2010-2011 school year. The overcrowding at AHS can affect each student personally. At an age where they are trying to become their own person, students could feel stifled by the large population of AHS. It is hard to stand out when there are 2,500 other students like you attending the same school. The hallways are crowded and the classrooms are crowded. This is wasting time and money. The amount of materials in each classroom is being spread thin through the large classes. It also takes extra time to teach and maintain the large classes, who have the potential to be more boisterous and disruptive to the learning process. The overcrowding at AHS is a serious problem that will take time and a lot of thought to fix. The best part of this situation is that the School Board recognizes the overcrowding as a negative thing, and is taking steps to change that. A smaller school population is better for students and helps students that need teachers extra help to learn get the grade that they truly deserve. The only way to achieve a smaller school population is through the boundary changes that the School Board are trying to put in place.

President George H. W. Bush’s dog Millie, authored her own book titled Millie’s Book: As Dictated to Barbara Bush.

John F. Kennedy had a variety of horses: Arabian, Irish and Texan. He also had a rabbit, a Soviet space dog and a parakeet. Calvin Coolidge was the owner of a black b e a r, a n a n t e lope, a goose and a donkey, as well as many dogs and cats.

Theodore Roosevelt had over 20 pets that ranged from dogs, to pigs, to several ponies and horses.

NEWS A Elections for 2010 th

NEWS BRIEFS

“For thre e years I have wan ted to lead this class to succe ss. I have exce eded the expe ctat ions as a senator work ing with the officers but as Pres ident, work ing for the class, I will be able to do so much more . ”

Go to the Web for full coverage of students picking their classes visit: www.thea-blast.org

–Jen nifer Oake s

“Th e role of the Pre side nt is often mis interpreted. It’s mo re of a “we” job tha n a “me” job. I thi nk I sho uld Pre side nt bec ause I sincerbeely care abo ut our class, and am wil ling to and wa nti ngI to listen to wh at the y hav e to say.”

Governor’s School acceptances The following students earned places at the 2009 Governor’s School program. Each student admitted will study in the subject of their interest for one month. Claudia Arevalo, Agriculture Kelly McGarey, Humanities Deepu Nair, Math Science and Tech. John Odom, Vocal Music Charles Simpson, Humanities Aishwarya Venkat, Humanities

–Amin a Ka abi

“Ou r gre ate st cha llenge studen t inv olvement andis spir it. It’s easy for the jun ior class to just sit bac k and exp ect us to do all the wo rk, but in rea lity we nee d all partici pat ion we can get.”the –Andrea Que zad a

Atoms 5k run approaches “We can defini tely overcome the challe nge of having enough money for prom by continuing to fundraise. Our snow cones seem like a big hit! We are also going to have severa l more carwashes because our last one was a great succes s.”

The annual 5k run will be held on May 16 at AHS. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. and all proceeds will benefit the Booster Club.

–Susa n Al-Suqi

Red and White Golf Classic The 12th annual golf tournament will be held this Friday, May 1 at Reston National Golf Course. This is the PTSA’s primary fundraiser. The money raised supporst

Junior August McCarthy washes cars at a recent class of 2010 fundraiser.

Then came a series of lucrative bake sales and other food vending. This concept seemed far-fetched, seeing as the highest-earning bake sale for the class of 2010 had only raised $17. Organization was key, and with planning and good baking, this class’ last few bake sales raked in over $150. Although this was a big accomplishment for a bake sale, this sum only gave the junior class a taste of the success it was looking for. This led to the understanding that with little time, some kind of larger event had to be arranged for fundraising. Many other AHS organizations have used car washes to raise large sums of money, but a lack of confidence in the class of 2010 made them wonder if they would even have enough volunteers to conduct a car wash. After much advertising, enticing offers of breakfast, and constant reminding that the class 2010 may not be able to have a prom, a sufficient number of juniors signed up to work the car wash. With beautiful weather, and the necessary materials, the car wash went smoothly and the once fretful class officers finally saw their goals within reach. By begging for “pennies for prom” from those passing by, and chasing down dirty cars so as invite them to the car wash, they raised a shocking sum of more than $1,000. “I thought we’d be lucky if we made $800, but we actually made over $1,000. I was proud of the way everyone came together as a team and worked hard,” said Cheryl An. “We are not having prom in the bathroom! I’m so happy that we were able to finally pull things together because we deserve to have the perfect prom next year!” said junior class President Susan Al-Suqi. Despite their previously lacksidasical attitudes toward fundraising, which put them into financial crisis with determination and teamwork the class of 2010 was about to pull out of their slump and move swiftly towards their goal.

being given away for free, they are of lesser quality. While that stereotype is inaccurate, it has prevented numerous students from picking out dresses, including junior Briceida Melendez. “I usually never wear dresses,” said Melendez. “I’m always in jeans and a t-shirt, so I am really particular about what I like. I don’t think the community center will have what I am looking for. I’d rather have my own dress than somebody else’s.” Basinski has effectively communicated with staff and faculty in Fairfax County in asking for donations, including cafeteria employee, Mina Ofough. “Usually, I would give any dresses to the Salvation Army. But this is just such a good cause, and I think that girls going to prom would be much happier to receive them,” said Ofough. Green and Basinski are trying to encourage girls to at least come in and look at all of the available evening wear on Friday, May 8, from 5 p.m. through 8 p.m.; Saturday, May 9, from 10 a.m to 4 p.m.; and on Monday, May 11, from 2 p.m. through 6 p.m. Although the program has only been around for a short time, it has already found incredible success. Thanks to the efforts of Green and Basinski, every female student who plans on attending prom this year will indeed have the opportunity to be a Princess for a Night.

Visitors to the ANC are greeted by a decorated donation box surrounded by formal dresses.

Chorus prepares for Myrtle Beach BY EMILY FRUCHTERMAN News Editor The crowd’s chattering fades away as the lights dim, all viewers falling silent in unison. The musical group steps onto the stage, barely able to see the faces looking up at them in anticipation through the bright stage lights focused directly on them. No, this isn’t a performance at the Kennedy Center, but the scene that AHS chorus groups will face later this week in South Carolina. “We’re going to Myrtle Beach. I signed up because I thought it’d be a fun experience and competing is half the fun of being in chorus,” said sophomore Alay Tedla, who is a member of the Concert Choir. The other two choirs who are sending students on the trip are the Women’s Ensemble and the Annandale Singers, both of which have been practicing hard in preparation for the trip. “We’ve been doing many rehearsals for our songs,” said Tedla. “We’ve really been focusing on getting all the notes and words right and being able to sing them from memory.” Many in the choir hope that all of their practice and hard work will lead to awards. “Hopefully the Annandale Singers will place first, but anything could happen and I don’t want to get my hopes up,” said sophomore B.J. Odom, who is a member of the Men’s Chorale and Annandale Singers. Many of the individuals going on the trip have recently won honors in chorus, a fact that could help lead the Atoms to victory in Myrtle Beach. Sophomores Odom, Anne Hruskoci and Joey Mazzara all placed in a five-state regional contest on April 3. Eleven other students from AHS were selected to go to All-State Chorus, for which they missed two days of school last week. More students from AHS earned this honor than from any other school in the county, and possibly in the state. Although the purpose of the trip is for students to participate in the competition, called the Fiesta-val, the group won’t be singing for the entire trip. The students

EMILY FRUCHTERMAN

GESSICA AZZAM

Throughout the county, dozens of electives are offered to students who plan to take classes that correspond to their personal interests. For AHS students, Academy classes are available to those whose electives are not offered in Annandale, but at another high school instead. After looking to see which classes were most and least popular in AHS, the Director of Student Services Steve Sengsteck decided to remove Design, Multimedia and Web Technologies from next year’s list of available electives.

“Princess” continued from page 1. attended their prom otherwise. “I started Princess for a Night when I worked at Edison High School,” said Basinski. “The first year I just asked my friends and family members to donate evening wear and shoes that they no longer had any use for. I matched up the dresses that I received with the girls who needed them and the program has just grown from there.” This year, the Annandale Neighborhood Center is participating and girls will be able to come and pick out prom dresses, shoes and accessories for free. As of right now, the ANC has collected over 60 dresses. Jessica Green is the project coordinator for AHS and is currently working on organizing volunteers and increasing the number of donated dresses. Many of the volunteers are from the AHS Task Force, which is a coalition of PTSA parents, community members and a social worker from Brenmar Park. “Basically, how the program works is this,” said Green, “People bring in their gently used evening wear and shoes, as well as unused make-up, all through April. Then for four days in May, Annandale students who maybe wouldn’t have been able to purchase a dress of their own get to come and pick one out to wear to the prom,” said Green. Many girls assume that since the dresses are

EMILY FRUCHTERMAN

Girls given opportunity of a lifetime

Elective changes

– By Gessica Azzam Staff Writer

“Juniors” continued from page 1. time, and we knew that if we wanted to have prom we would have to pull together as a team and earn the money,” said Lockhard. This goal seemed unreachable for a class that had raised no money freshman and sophomore year and had actually found themselves in debt. The small amount of money that they had compiled thus far came from winning the homecoming float contest, and more recent food vending at Battle of the Bands. Class officers were confronted with the fact that they had to kick their previously inactive class into high gear if they wanted to have a prom. The first step was the arrangement of productive junior class meetings. The class officers of 2010 found that morning meetings were most successful, and they began to host them on a regular basis. During these meetings, fundraising proposals were discussed and the seriousness of this matter was reinforced to the class officers.

CASSADY KELLER

nt “I thi nk I sho uld be pre side son s, nex t yea r for ma ny reaof one bei ng the concer ns m. ma ny studen ts abo ut proiors Mo st of the cur ren t jun I are ver y wo rrie d, and if ir am voted as pre side nt the .” wo rrie s wil l come to an end

Students who intend to play sports next year must get a physical before the start of their season. The Athletic Department is holding physicals for students on May 21 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. All proceeds from the event will go towards the Athletic Department, and will help provide uniforms and maintain fields. The cost is $40 in the presale and $50 at the door.

With only 13 students enrolled, Design, Multimedia and Web Technologies is the only class that will no longer be offered at AHS next year. Other classes will be changed as well, such as Principles of Business, which will be replaced with Finance. According to administrators, changing the name of this course will possibly make it seem more interesting for students who are looking to take a class in the the Business Department. While many students are compelled to take a course according to its level of difficulty or in preference of the teacher who teaches the course, Sengstack believes all students should take core classes to better prepare themselves for college and electives for their personal interests and hobbies. “An elective course needs to round out school for students. Students should ultimately enroll in an elective if they feel as if they are truly interested in the subject or just want to learn something new,” said Sengstack.

Juniors push for prom

–Laure n Kinch

Upcoming school physicals

Sophomore Jimmy Cullen works in Desktop Multimedia.

April 28, 2009

Junior Andrea Quezada along with seniors Joel Waters and Pamela Eggerton, all members of the Annandale Singers choir, sing in preparation for the upcoming Spring Trip.

plan on going to several fun events in the area during their stay. “We’re going to the NASCAR speed park, an aquarium and a show at the Carolina Opry,” said Tedla. “But for some reason, we’re not allowed to swim at the beach.” Some students also hope that this year’s trip will be an improvement on last years to Atlanta, Georgia. “We had several things go wrong, like the food at the hotel was bad and everything just seemed a little off,” said Odom. “This year, we signed on with a different company, so hopefully everything will be better.” Not only is the AHS Choral Department going on this trip from April 30 to May 3, they are also planning on going to Germany early this summer for a little over two weeks. “While we’re there we’ll be singing at local cathedrals and staying with German families,” said Odom. “However, not as many kids are coming as we hoped. Students are having to choose between trips because of the economic crisis.”

th April 28, 2009

NEWS

Boundary changes affect AHS

FCPS.EDU

“Boundary” from page 1 better than no relief—I’m just glad they’re acting on it,” said Principal John Ponton. The student enrollment recorded at the start of the school year at Falls Church was 1387, while it can hold up to 1,946 students. Lake Braddock had a student enrollment of 2515, while the physical capacity is 3,079 students. However, not all within the school community are enthusiastic about the changes that are to come. “I don’t believe the school board gets the big picture, they are just trying to solve little problems,” said science teacher Elizabeth Edwards. “Why not take more time to look at more options and come to a better solution?” Edwards spoke as a parent on the April 2 meeting addressing the issue arguing that, “didn’t like the small options that plan was suggesting.” Jeff Aftergut, father of freshman CJ Aftergut, who spoke at the March 19 School Board Meeting, feels the same one. “They’re expediting it and not giving any one any options. It seems to me they’re letting the community decide who gets moved and who doesn’t,” said Aftergut. Although many AHS students would prefer not to see their fellow peers leave, many agree that the relief is necessary. “I support the boundary changes because our school is incredibly overcrowded and it’s really inconvenient to have too many people in the hallway when you’re trying to get to class,” said sophomore Natalie Johnson. “It’s also annoying because I always feel like I’m pushed up against someone I don’t A recent study released by Fairfax County Public Schools shows that almost 275 students even know and a lot of pushing occurs.” may be forced to attend Lake Braddock and Falls Church High Schools in the 2010-2011 Other students feel that more students need to be shifted. school year. “From the plans that I have heard, they will not have taken enough students away by the time it is in full stride, so we will still be overcrowded,” said Albright. sophomore Ryan Keck. Director of the Facilities Planning Services, Denise James, assures, “A lot of my friends live in those areas. I’ll be alone once they’re gone,” said “Boundary changes between schools that have different program options have sophomore Jess Bittner. been successfully implemented in the past and should not be an insurmountOne major concern of the study that has been raised by parents is that neiable obstacle to improving enrollment balance among schools, particularly ther Falls Church nor Lake Braddock is an IB school. Although rising seniors when the overcrowding is severe, as is the case at Annandale High School.” will not be affected and the rising juniors pursuing the IB Diploma will be For the future, a more comprehensive study with a “much-expanded scope given the option to stay at AHS and students taking at lease four IB classes and options” is to be conducted. will be permitted to apply for a student transfer, many parents are upset since “Further study of this region with a broader scope of study is needed and students coming to AHS are taught about the IB program since middle school will likely occur in the future, including a review of elementary schools with and take pre-IB classes starting eight grade. the opening of Lacey Center as a new elementary school,” said James. “From my perspective, they’re doing something to temporarily reduce the A public hearing will be held on June 3 by the School Board and the final population at Annandale. If anything, they should be sending more to Falls decision will be made June 25, 2009 during a meeting at Jackson Middle Church, which is 435 students under-enrolled,” said Aftergut. School. “All of the FCPS are ranked high in the nation--Falls Church, Lake BradFor more information on the boundary study, visit http://www.fcps.edu/fts/ dock, J.E.B. Stuart. It may feel like turmoil for students right now, but in planning/spring2009/annandale/index.htm. the long run, everyone will have a great education,” said IB coordinator Erin

Students prepare for AP and IB exams “Exams” from page 1 terms of content as well--you’ll never see questions about Latin America in an AP History exam.” “AP is more content-driven while IB is more of a thinking process,” agreed Physics teacher teacher Thomas Chorman. “Both are powerful in their own way, but you have to know how to think in IB.” AHS teachers have several ways of preparing their students for the exams. “I work my students to death,” said IB Spanish teacher Bianca Mullins. “I challenge them through all sorts of articles, oral activities, and making sure they speak in Spanish when they’re in my class.” Review sessions are also very popular with AHS students and teachers. “I’ll be holding review sessions for my History of the Americas classes because they’re being tested on stuff that they learned over a year and a half ago. We’ll be going back through our tests and quizzes to review all the important information before exam day,” said York. IB Topics teacher Mary Ann Richardson is also planning on holding review sessions over the weekend. “My IB kids are going to be coming in on Saturday, May 2nd at around 10:00 a.m. to spend the whole day studying,” she said. “I’m also holding two after-school sessions for my classes to review all the information they have learned over the past two years--Ms. Berry and Mr. York will also be coming in to review with them.” With all this information to be memorized in less than a month, most students have extreme study habits around April and May. “I am planning to stay after with all my teachers to get an overview of all my courses, and I’m hoping to dig up all my old notes to prepare for the finals and my exams,” said junior Christina Bui, who is taking SOLs and final exams for most of her classes this year. “My IB English and IB math teachers have been giving

us several practice papers to prepare us for paper 1 and paper 2,” said senior Sahar Atayee. Some students, on the other hand, are not so harsh on themselves. “I normally don’t worry a lot about studying,” said senior Elijah Sloan. “But during exam time, I’m going to try my best to study stuff I have learnt all year. Many teachers are holding review sessions around now, so that should definitely help. Aside from that, we all have review books, previous AP exams, and lots of things to help us study for the finals and the AP and IB exams,” he said. Exam stress is a harsh reality for all test-takers, especially during the month of May. “Exam stress is out there--almost 1/5th of your grade depends on your test scores, and nobody wants to fail it,” said Bui. “There is pressure, but teachers do a lot to help with it--many have extra-credit questions, practice exams, online practice tests, etc.” said Sloan. Some students prefer not to be so harsh on themselves. “I think [exam stress] is very unhealthy,” said Atayee. “I try not to overwhelm myself or overstudy

during the exams, even though everyone is frantically trying to get some studying in at the last minute. Honestly, it’s not going to help,” she said. Teachers have valuable advice for exam-takers. “Just relax, and don’t worry about it,” recommends Mullins. “I usually send a note out to Ms. Albright for my students right before the IB exams, and it tells them to just do the best they can. And they usually do.” “I recommend studying in chunks,” suggested York. “Study for about 30-45 minutes, and then take a break. My favorite thing to do is to walk my dog for a while, and then I can come back and work for hours.” Physics teacher Thomas Chorman also agreed that planning study sessions out is very beneficial for the exams. “Students have to practice exam questions at least four days a week to be in good shape for the exams. I recommend studying for about half an hour a day or so.” So what’s the secret to getting a 100%? “I think it’s important to go into the testing room with perspective.” said Mary Ann Richardson, AP History and IB topics teacher. “Teachers just need to tell their students, ‘You’ve been through a great journey, and whatever you do, I’m proud of you.’ Honestly, the greatest challenge for teachers is to get their students to try their best during the exam. Getting a good grade on the exam is not about making someone happy. It’s about doing your best and knowing that no one will be disappointed in them if they tried their best.” Hopefully, keeping in mind that the exams are not the end of the world and the prospect of a free summer will motivate students to perform well on their IB and AP exams.

JENNIFER OAKES

Teenage “sexting” on the rise

“Sexting”, or the act of sending nude pictures and provocative text messages, is becoming popular in high schools across the US, including AHS.

“Sexting” from page 1 Both taking the picture and sending it is considered a crime with minors. The Fairfax county police department held a forum on “sexting” Monday 27 to teach parents of the warning signs and prevent their children from becoming a victim. Offices in Fairfax County Public Schools have been working together to guide school administrator on how to respond to the “sexting” incidents involving students. If you receive or have a sext you should report it immediately in order to insure that the situation is handle correctly and delicately. “It’s crazy that ‘sexting’ is so common yet has such dire consequences,” said sophomore Olivia Ko. 25 percent of the 347 students surveyed say that on a scale of one to ten “sexting” is a one and Is not a big deal. The school is currently formulating a policy to address the issue, but for now, any “sext” found by a teacher in school will be turned over to the administration and be dealt with first by officer Mike Ferraris. “Under the age of 18, a nude photo is considered child pornography and is a legal matter because it is a felony,” said Student Resource Officer (SRO) Ferraris. Students all over the nation are taking this subject lightly, but they do not realize the very serious repercussions that come along with taking part in the illegal activity. Aside from being charged, once you send a picture out you can never take it back. So many AHS students have the technology to send and receive

the photos and once it is on someone’s hard drive it is impossible to erase it from every computer. Technology is a new and tricky object for the county and administrators to deal with because they cannot completely control it. “If something is on a computer or cell phone it become a serious and legal matter because the evidence is out there,” said SRO Ferraris. Having the picture on a phone can have severe legal repercussions that can become a part of your record for life. Now, the issue is how parents can effectively monitor their kids use of their cell phones without being overbearing or allowing your child to be a part of the activity. “I think it is immoral and it gives younger kids a bad example on how to use their cell phones,” said sophomore Margot Henric. 21 percent of students surveyed at AHS have sent three or more sexts. The alarming number of high school students who “sext” would be a shocking amount to any parent, but what is truly astonishing is number of “sexts” that boys contain on their phones. “This girl from another county flashed for a picture and in less then a week later a lot of guys at Annandale had the picture on their phones,” said Anonymous. “A lot of boys at our school have a collection of ‘sexts’ on their phones.” High schools students are notorious for testing the limits and dipping their feet into trouble, but for now, “sexting” remains more trouble than anyone would bargain for.

Go to the Web To read more about

the Walk for Darfur, the Day of Silence and cafeteria cookies, visit www. thea-blast.org

NEWS BRIEFS Atom Branch raffles off prom tickets! Spring is the month for Atom Branch raffles! The Atom Branch will be raffling off a yearbook and a Visa gift card on Thursday, May 14 for anyone who opens up a new savings, checking or extra student savings account. Seniors who open up a new account will also be entered in a raffle for two prom tickets and two All Night Grad tickets.

Shoe Drive for STAND STAND for Conscience is collecting shoes for their annual shoe drive for the homeless. Donations of new or slightlyused shoes must be placed in the brown cardboard box in the Cafeteria, and donators’ names will be placed in a raffle for a chance to win an iTunes music card.

All Night Grad Volunteers Volunteers are needed for the All Night Grad Clebration on Monday, June 15. The event will take place at Wakefield Rec Center. Volunteers will be needed to set up, clean up, etc. For more information, contact Mary Kay Ippolito at ippolitomk@aol.com

Princess for a Night Volunteers Volunteers are needed to assist in distributing and organizing dresses at the Annandale Community Center on May 8- 11 for the Princess for a Night event. For more information, contact Chris Gokturk at cgokturk@ aol.com.

Ask The Principal: How to prepare for IB and AP exams

John Ponton

Q: What do you think of this year’s IB/AP exam schedule?Do you think it may be overwhelming for students to prepare for two exams in a day? A: “Actually, I don’t think that two is overwhelming because students have plenty of notice in advance of the exams. Students will likely face the same exam schedule in college.” Q: How do you suggest AHS students prepare for their upcoming exams? A: “Two words: time management. In the case of AP or IB exams, students will not be as successful if they cram at the last minute. I would also suggest studying in small groups with fellow classmates AND try to be rested on exam day.“ Q: Do you think AHS teachers are doing a good job of preparing their students for exams? A: “I think teachers are ALWAYS willing to “go the extra mile” to ensure student success on exams. Most exams measure what the student has learned over the course of the year and teachers are accountable for the results. Teachers want students to do well.”

the

May 28, 2009

the

April 28, 2009

ACADEMICS

the April 28, 2009

What elective are you taking next year?

Hot picks for electives next year Before this school year comes to

Photojournalism Photojournalism provides students with opportunities for learning and participating in the design, layout and overall production of the high school yearbook; students develop yearbook copywriting skills and applying knowledge of photography. This course will fulfill the graduation requirement for a credit in fine and practical arts. following Journalism 1.

“I learned a lot of techn ology. I love work ing in group s and on the compu ter, so I’ve taken it for three years .“ —Ghi sela Varga s, 12

Artiste Orchestra

“I started in seventh grade because as soon as I pick up my viola, I loved it. So, I’ve been playing beause of the love of my instrument.“ —Brandon Mitchener, 11

a close, ninth through eleventh

Anthropology

Students in this course form the representative string performing group for the school. The course helps students develop technical ensemble and disciplinary skills necessary for refined rehearsal and performance both in and out of school. Based on successful completion of sequentiall concepts for each level,, students will continue as el. specified in course level.

graders have been anxiously

In this course, students engage in the comparative study of culture and human societies. They explore both the universal principles of social and cultural life and “I am going characteristics of to take Anthropology specific societies and because I wanted to cultures. This includes understand other approaches to social cultures better change, problems and to broaden my of injustice, social cultural horizons. “ inequality and —Tyler Jackson, 10 human rights.

thinking about what electives

“I’m taking Interior Design because I don’t want to be in school.”

decisions for college. Counselors are calling in their students

—Kelsey Selikhova sophomore

to make their final changes before their favorite course choices becomes too full. While

of the school’s curriculum due to low

Accounting offers students the opportunity to learn about the financial operations of modern business enterprises and prepares students to make better financial decisions for the “I going to major future. Students study accounting in business concepts for sole proprietorships, in college, so I partnerships, and corporations needed to take to understand the fundamental Accounting for accounting equation, the next year.” business transaction analysis —Mike process, and the elements Martinez, 12 of financial reporting.

population and participation from

“I’m taking Annandale Singers because I love the class and the people.”

—Joey Mazzara sophomore

students, others thrive.

“Leadership, so I can be more involved in school.”

Auto Servicing and Culinary Arts have already been filled for next

—Asia Bakhit junior

year. Counselors are having to ask students to choose another elective. However, there are classes in

Tutoring, which sends students to

This one or two year course involves the study of international film texts, film theory and practical exercises in filmmaking and analysis. The course is available to juniors and seniors who wish to pursue a “I am going for the IB rigorous study of film production Diploma and I needed and continue the program their another HL class, so senior year. Students will produce I am taking it for their own films and exhibit them my second year next on the Web and during the annual year. It is also really AHS Film Festival. Students interesting and you who wish to take this course get to learn how to should have courage, passion make your own films. “ and curiosity about the human —Christina Bui, 11 expression through film.

—Beniyam Esneto freshman

while seniors are making their final

need of more students, like Peer

IB Film Study

“Arabic, because I don’t want to be in Spanish.”

and courses to take next year,

some classes are being taken out

Accounting

Annandale Terrace Elementary

W Weight TTraining

“I’m taking Arabic because I’m Muslim and want to make it easier for me to read the Quran.”

—Nissa Vadakoot junior

to help the teachers and work

St Students study and apply concepts related to human co anatomy and physiology, an kinesiology, nutrition, and kin personal pe fitness planning. Students St will develop and an participate in a personal fitness program to p improve cardiorespiratory i endurance, flexibility, e muscular strength and endurance, and body composition.

with younger students. Peer Helping is another in need of “I wanted to take weight training to become a better athlete and to get in shape.“ —Travis Briggs, 11

students. This course is for students who enjoy or have a gift for helping students with

Top of the ’09 Class Two of the top 13 GPAs above a 4.0

disabilities. “It is a real eye opener to students,” said counselor, Nancy Templer.

Compiled by Emma Barker - Academics Editor Course information cited from AHS Course Catalog

Aya Saed 1. How did you maintain such a high GPA? “I’m consistent with my work and I finish it as early as possible. I don’t like slacking off.” 2. What advice do you have for younger students? “I know it’s hard to do work, but keep the results in mind.” 3. How many IB/AP classes do you take? “I take six IB classes.” 4. How many extra curriculars do you participate in? “I have leadership roles in four and am involved in more activities.” 5. How do you manage your time? “I make to-do lists and try to be reasonable about what I can and cannot do.”

www.briarcreekphoto.com Matt Perez

AHS Lacrosse Action Shots LAX Senior Day Photos Senior photos available in April & May Make your appointment today!

GO ATOMS!

1. How did you maintain such a high GPA? “I do my homework and study when I need to.” 2. What advice do you have for younger students? “Learn how to manage your time well.” 3. How many IB/AP classes do you take? “I have five IB classes and one AP.” 4. How many extra curriculars do you participate in? “I do three sports and am in three honor societies.” 5. How do you manage your time? “I do homework whenever I have free time for it.” —Compiled by Doreen Bond

ACADEMICS

the April 28, 2009

What elective are you taking next year?

Hot picks for electives next year Before this school year comes to

a close, ninth through eleventh

Anthropology

“I learned a lot of techn ology. I love work ing in group s and on the compu ter, so I’ve taken it for three years .“ —Ghi sela Varga s, 12

Artiste Orchestra Students in this course form the representative string performing group for the school. The “I started in seventh grade because as soon course helps students develop technical ensemble and as I pick up my viola, disciplinary skills necessary I loved it. So, I’ve been for refined rehearsal and playing beause of the performance both in and love of my instrument.“ out of school. Based on —Brandon successful completion off Mitchener, 11 sequential concepts for eachh level, students will continue as el. specified in course level.

graders have been anxiously

thinking about what electives

—Beniyam Esneto freshman

“I’m taking Interior Design because I don’t want to be in school.”

while seniors are making their final decisions for college. Counselors are calling in their students

—Kelsey Selikhova sophomore

to make their final changes before their favorite course choices becomes too full. While

of the school’s curriculum due to low

population and participation from

“I’m taking Annandale Singers because I love the class and the people.”

—Joey Mazzara sophomore

students, others thrive.

“Leadership, so I can be more involved in school.”

Auto Servicing and Culinary Arts have already been filled for next

ask students to choose another elective. However, there are classes

Peer Tutoring, which sends

IB Film Study

students to Annandale

Weight Training

—Asia Bakhit junior

year. Counselors are having to

in need of more students, like

This one or two year course involves the study of international film texts, film theory and practical exercises in filmmaking and analysis. The course is available to juniors and seniors who wish to pursue a “I am going for the IB rigorous study of film production Diploma and I needed and continue the program their another HL class, so senior year. Students will produce I am taking it for their own films and exhibit them on the Web and during the annual my second year next year. It is also really AHS Film Festival. Students interesting and you who wish to take this course get to learn how to should have courage, passion make your own films. “ and curiosity about the human —Christina Bui, 11 expression through film.

“Arabic, because I don’t want to be in Spanish.”

and courses to take next year,

some classes are being taken out

Accounting

“I’m taking Arabic because I’m Muslim and want to make it easier for me to read the Quran.”

—Nissa Vadakoot junior

Terrace Elementary to help the teachers and work with

Students study and apply concepts related to human anatomy and physiology, kinesiology, nutrition, and personal fitness planning. Students will develop and participate in a personal fitness program to improve cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, muscular strength and endurance, and body composition.

younger students. Peer Helping is another in need of students. “I wanted to take weight training to become a better athlete and to get in shape.“ —Travis Briggs, 11

This course is for students who enjoy or have a gift for helping

Top of the ’09 Class Two of the top 13 GPAs above a 4.0

students with disabilities. “It is a real eye opener to students,” said counselor, Nancy Templer.

Compiled by Emma Barker - Academics Editor Course information cited from AHS Course Catalog

www.briarcreekphoto.com Matt Perez

AHS Lacrosse Action Shots LAX Senior Day Photos Senior photos available in April & May Make your appointment today!

GO ATOMS!

ACADEMICS

the April 28, 2009

What elective are you taking next year?

Hot picks for electives next year Before this school year comes to

a close, ninth through eleventh

Anthropology

“I learned a lot of techn ology. I love work ing in group s and on the compu ter, so I’ve taken it for three years .“ —Ghi sela Varga s, 12

graders have been anxiously

thinking about what electives

—Beniyam Esneto freshman

“I’m taking Interior Design because I don’t want to be in school.”

while seniors are making their final decisions for college. Counselors are calling in their students

—Kelsey Selikhova sophomore

to make their final changes before their favorite course choices becomes too full. While

of the school’s curriculum due to low

population and participation from

“I’m taking Annandale Singers because I love the class and the people.”

—Joey Mazzara sophomore

students, others thrive.

“Leadership, so I can be more involved in school.”

Auto Servicing and Culinary Arts have already been filled for next

ask students to choose another elective. However, there are classes

Peer Tutoring, which sends

IB Film Study

students to Annandale

Weight Training

—Asia Bakhit junior

year. Counselors are having to

in need of more students, like

This one or two year course involves the study of international film texts, film theory and practical exercises in filmmaking and analysis. The course is available to juniors and seniors who wish to pursue a “I am going for the IB rigorous study of film production Diploma and I needed and continue the program their another HL class, so senior year. Students will produce I am taking it for their own films and exhibit them on the Web and during the annual my second year next year. It is also really AHS Film Festival. Students interesting and you who wish to take this course get to learn how to should have courage, passion make your own films. “ and curiosity about the human —Christina Bui, 11 expression through film.

“Arabic, because I don’t want to be in Spanish.”

and courses to take next year,

some classes are being taken out

Accounting

“I’m taking Arabic because I’m Muslim and want to make it easier for me to read the Quran.”

—Nissa Vadakoot junior

Terrace Elementary to help the teachers and work with

younger students. Peer Helping is another in need of students. “I wanted to take weight training to become a better athlete and to get in shape.“ —Travis Briggs, 11

This course is for students who enjoy or have a gift for helping

Top of the ’09 Class Two of the top 13 GPAs above a 4.0

students with disabilities. “It is a real eye opener to students,” said counselor, Nancy Templer.

Compiled by Emma Barker - Academics Editor Course information cited from AHS Course Catalog

www.briarcreekphoto.com Matt Perez

AHS Lacrosse Action Shots LAX Senior Day Photos Senior photos available in April & May Make your appointment today!

GO ATOMS!

Go to the Web visit www.thea-blast. org

What career do you want to pursue? “I’d like to go into engineering because I would like to design buildings.”

—Sam Hepburn freshman

“I want to be a musician when I’m older because it’s a fun hobby I’ve picked up.”

—Andre Conner freshman

the

A life lesson in anatomy Claire Garney interned with a nurse and made a personal discovery BY LAURA AMBROSIO People Editor The patient gags as a long thin flexible tube is directed down their throat. The patient lies semi-awake while the doctors examine whether the heart valves are working properly. This was one of the surgeries, called transesophageal echocardiogram, which senior Claire Garney observed for her Human Anatomy project. Students in all Human Anatomy classes were required to shadow a health professional for 20 hours and keep a journal for their final project. “It gives the students a chance to see what a career in the health field is like and if it is a career they want to pursue,” said Human Anatomy teacher Abbie Kahn. Garney set up the internship with her neighbor, nurse Deible, who works in a cath lab at Surburban Hospital in Maryland. The cath lab focuses on non-invasive heart surgery (minor incisions). “Everyone I knew was shadowing dentists and I wanted to do something different and more interesting,” said Garney. Garney completed her 16 hours, for an

early turn in due date, over a two-day period. The first day was on a teacher workday and the second day she missed school because the nurse was scheduled only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She closely followed the daily routine of a nurse, arriving at 6 a.m. dressed in scrubs and leaving ten hours later. “I was on my feet almost all day and after a while it started to hurt,” said Garney. Observing at least four surgeries a day, Garney learned a lot about the human heart and heart surgery. “I could relate a lot of what I was learning at the hospital with class because we were just going over the circulatory system,” said Garney. Garney was able to do more than just observe the nurse and doctors in surgery; she got involved in different types of work. She helped get the IV bag ready by attaching the tubes to the bags. “I was responsible for making sure the tubes were on correctly so the patients could receive the fluid,” said Garney. She also participated by testing blood sugar on a machine. Although Garney finds this type of work interesting, she cannot imagine a career in the medical field. “I couldn’t operate on people everyday and worry all the time about having someone’s life in my hands,” said Garney. This project was a positive experience for Garney; it allowed her to learn something new and realize a career and life style that she does not want for her future. Senior Claire Garney, inside the Suburban Hospital during her internship, holds a defibrillator which sends an electric shock to the patient’s heart .

Peter Cole learns first hand from a vet

“I want to be a corporate lawyer because I love to argue and solve problems. I want to study law at Cornell University.”

BY MARIAH POLLET AND ALEXANDRA TORRE Staff Writers

“I definitely want to be a teacher because I like helping others out education wise.”

—Jenna Truong sophomore

“My goal is hopefully to be an entreprenuer when I grow up. I want to be my own boss.”

Although senior Peter Cole was apathetic about Human Anatomy, he was excited for the internship project. “I can see myself working in that field,” said Cole, who was pleased with the outcome of his internship at the veterinary center. “I like animals. They are very interesting,” said Cole. Cole was astonished with the work he dealt with at the CVCA or Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates Hope Center. “One cat on the examination table almost died. We saw his heart on the ultrasound screen stop beating. The doctors shook him a little bit and he came back to life,” said Cole. Cole shadowed Doctor Lefbom, DVM Diplomat American College of Veterinary Internal MedicineCardiology, whom he has known for a long time. “I worked with four different doctors in different departments.” said Cole. Cole benefited from this experience in many ways. “I got a better grade in Human Anatomy and I learned something new. I learned the Latin names for the anatomy of the heart,” said Cole. Senior Peter Cole holds a dog named Pearls at the Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates Hope Center where he interned. He also learned more about different types of COURTESY OF PETER COLE

—Meriem Khadraoui sophomore

Who am I?

—Crystal Pinkowski junior “I want to be a physical therapist because I like helping people and think the body is fascinating.”

—Leah Samuelson senior

May Celebrity Birthdays

Who am I

• I attended James Madison University.

• I attended Mary Washington University and George Washington University.

• I majored in politcal science and Spanish. • In my spare time I like to write. • I like to listen to any and all kinds of music. • I have traveled to England, Russia, Germany, Spain, France, and Austria. • My favorite part about teaching is listening to students tell a story.

• My favorite season is spring. • I was born on March 7 in Washington, D.C.

Compiled by Stacey Irwin

1967 1975 1933 1979 1989 1961 1975 1949 1957 1968 1986 1944 1986 1970 1945 1972 1970 1958 1941 1963 1964 1965 1967 1976

Last Issue’s

• It is my first year teaching at AHS.

• Something interesting about me is that I’m an avid snorkeler.

Tim Mcgraw David Beckham James Brown Lance Bass Chris Brown George Clooney Enrique Iglesias Billy Joel Sid Vicious Tony Hawk Robert Pattinson George Lucas Megan Fox Tina Fey Pete Townshend Busta Rhymes Naomi Campbell Drew Carey Bob Dylan Mike Myers Lenny Kravitz Todd Bridges Noel Gallagher Colin Farrell

heart disease. Cole followed the regular schedule of the doctors, by arriving at the office at 9 a.m. in order to get ready for the appointments later that day. “It was like any other work schedule with lunch at noon,” said Cole. Pet owners did not mind that he was in the operating room while their pets were being examined. “We had to wear scrubs and there were not as many rules as there are in a real hospital,” said Cole. “I got to help hold the animals down, making it easier for the nurses to do their procedures.” It was busy at the CVCA center in the different departments of Emergency, Cardiology and Surgery. Cole mainly observed the animals in the cardiology department. He observed animals being numbed by the anesthesia and the treatment of the degenerative valves disease. According to Cole, the most common disease that the doctors treat at the Hope Center is degenerative valves disease. A veterinary center was Cole’s first choice for his internship. “It was good. I helped animals and learned more about the cardiovascular system and lymph nodes.” Cole concluded that being around animals and helping them out in any way possible is his passion.

• I have taught at AHS for four years.

• My motto is, “It is what it is.”

1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 12 13 14 16 18 19 20 22 23 24 25 26 27 29 31

April 28, 2009

COURTESY OF CLAIRE GARNEY

PEOPLE

• I majored in Biology, Psychology and Education. • In my spare time, I kayak, hike, read and travel. • I like to listen to all types of music. • I have traveled to the U.K., Germany, Italy, France and many more. • My favorite part about teaching is helping students discover new ideas in literature. • My motto is, “Always smile.” • My favorite season is spring. • I was born on August 9, 1983 in Poolesville, Maryland.

Kimberly Becraft

• My favorite part about teaching is my students.

“Taking Pride In Road Safety” Good Questions to ask about any prospective driving school: 1. Are the instructors: - Licenced - Experienced - Patient 2. Is the school insured? Contact us by phone or by e-mail (703) 751 - 2391 tandrivingsch@aol.com (571) 271 - 1441

Why choose Titus’s Driving School Over Others? 1. Titus, the propreiter for the school is a professional transit and school bus driver for the past 15 years. 2. National background checks on all instructors. 3. The school will sometimes render free lessons to individuals to improve their skills. 4. Parents are welcome to ride along on teens’ lessons. 5. We emphasize strategic driving techniques, freeway driving and driving in adverse conditions (night, snow, rain and fog) and more. VA. State LIC# 1503-000634

Bonded and Insured

Go to the Web to see more work from the IB Arts Show, visit www.thea-blast.org

Exhibits from the IB Arts show IB Art students talk about the inspiration for their unique works.

April 28, 2009

The art of hardwork IB Arts students prepared the pieces for the big show BY AISHWARYA VENKAT News Editor Between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on the evening of Tuesday, April 14, Clausen Hall undertook an amazing transformation. The chairs were removed, the computer disappeared and the walls were covered with photographs, paintings and computer graphics created by AHS’ very own art students. Over 24 AHS artists presented their masterpieces to teachers, friends and relatives in the IB Art Show. The creations spanned a variety of categories, including arts, photography, and computer graphics. The artists had been working on their pieces for a long time. “Everyone here has been working on their projects since last year. We also had a

The Forgotten - Ellie Pretsch 12 "The theme came from my grandpa's funeral in November. While everyone was still crying after the funeral, I grabbed my camera and walked away from everyone else. I couldn’t deal with everyone being so upset. I needed an escape. So I shot pictures of whatever I came across. I didnt even look at them until late January, and when I printed it, I could feel memories rushing back."

day off school yesterday [April 13] to work on our pieces,” said Art National Honor Society President Ellamarie Quimby. AHS students found inspiration for their artwork from all around them. “Films, cinema, music, fashion—everything has inspired me. I also try to showcase eras before me through my work,” said Rene Medrano. “My inspirations are just things, people, buildings I see on the street. I don’t go out of my way seeking inspiration,” added senior Kyle Mills. Travel had also inspired a lot of artists. “I started out with pictures of nature, and my visit to Costa Rica gave me an amazing opportunity to pursue just that. But it was a challenge for me to capture human emotions through photography and that’s what I tried to show through my photos,” said senior Cassandra Manahl, who has been taking photography since freshman year. “I have gone to Portugal, Spain, London, Paris, and I just spent some time in Ireland. All these experiences helped me get a broader view of art, and have helped my photos in general,” said Quimby. Finding a theme and a topic to present can be challenging, and most students went through a long process before settling on one topic for the IB Art show. “I initially put off finding a topic for six months. But I randomly found my topic when I was having a conversation with someone—home is a place that we all associate with comfort, familiar things. It just came to me,” said Quimby. Her exhibit, Finding Home, was the opening exhibit during this year’s Art Show, with 24 photographs. This year’s show was striking in more ways than one. “The thing that strikes me the most about all the artwork that is presented here is the variety. There are so many styles and themes here, and you can see that each artist is different—if you assign the same subject to two artists here, they will come out with completely different finished products,” said Quimby. Most spectators were amazed by the exhibition. “I am astounded by the variety of artwork here. The different inspirations, the different styles used—this is exactly what IB is about!” said Social Studies teacher John Hawes. AHS IB Coordinator Erin Albright was also stunned by the variety of artwork presented at the Art Show. “I love that the artists are thinking about what they are creating—they are expressing their own

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF MAME FRIMPONG

ARTS

Senior Kyle Mills received much praise for his graphic design exhibits from those attending the show.

ideas, opinions, etc. I also like that all the students are seeing connections to daily life, what they have read, what they experience. Often, you can see these artists on a journey—the students are making progress, and that’s good,” said Albright. Several upcoming seniors also attended the Art Show to get a feel for what they would have to do next year. “I am excited and nervous about presenting in the IB Art Show next year,” said junior Juliana Leventhal. “I’m most nervous about getting my work matted. But I’m sure it is going to be a great experience.” AHS art teachers were very supportive of their students throughout the process. “Our teachers have been nothing short of wonderful. Ms. Stevens has always been there as a friend, a teacher, a counselor, and so much more. I could not have done this without her,” said Quimby. “There was a lot of thought and heart that went into what they did,” said Photography teacher Meredith Buzzell Stevens, after looking at the artwork and photography displayed in the Art Show. “And you can see it in their work. Their artwork is the truest representation of what they gather, and what they see in the world around them. It’s one of the reasons I love all the pieces.”

Senior Kyle Mills was the only artist at the show to use graphic design as his medium of choice at the IB Arts show. Senior Rene Medrano showcased his art piece “The Anatomy of a Lie” along with some of his other creative and abstract art.

- Amanda Krause 12 "This piece was inspired by a picture of these shiny dead fish in a basket in National Geographic Magazine and I remembered covering everything in gum wrappers in 8th grade and wanted to do the same with fish scales. The purpose of this piece was to evoke the surreal feeling of being underwater with these gleaming fantastic fish."

Celestial Darling - Rene Medrano 12 “Celestial Darling is a piece that truly exemplifies my work on the basis of my theme of a 'harmony of opposition.' This piece is ironic through the purposeful contrasting subjects depicted. The intended opposition is that between the loneliness of a girl and the movement and social flow of city life. The harmony between the two is that ultimately loneliness is the girl’s only companion, so she is delightfully content. The visuality reflects a mood of romanticism with the use of rich colors.”

Sound of Music production does excellent performance who played the part of Rolfe, Liesl’s boyfriend. “But it turned out fine.” The play starred junior Michelle Kinzer as The cast of the 2009 school musical, The Sound Fraulein Maria, the story’s main character. Kinzer of Music, had spent weeks preparing for the was accompanied by junior John Odom (Captain opening night. AHS students even talked about Von Trapp), junior Julie Jurenas (Liesl), freshman staying after school and coming across a string of Sarah Slough (Louisa), sophomore Joey Mazzara nuns practicing their choruses in the marketing (Friedrich), along with Peter Scheible (Kurt), Sarah Hobbs (Brigitta) Anna Valentino (Marta), and Eva hallway. "We practiced in the hallway maybe two times, Gomez (Gretl). The thespians even enlisted the help but it was fun, because people would walk by and of the children of AHS teachers to play the roles of get a little freaked out," said freshman Susie Sowa, the youngest Von Trapp children. The characters were well cast, both primary and secondary. one of the nuns from the musical. The acting was convincing—Kinzer, Odom, and Unfortunately, some people were hesitant to the rest of the cast brought energy and an honest attend the show. "Last year's play was not good. We didn't practice understanding of their characters to the stage. The enough," said sophomore Samantha Pokraka. But script was well-blocked and well rehearsed, and they delivered their lines naturally. this year’s musical was surprisingly well done. The vocals were also praiseworthy. The entire It was evident that the students had worked hard to make this musical come to life, but were cast managed to hit each note clearly. For the worried about how the show would play out. When most part, the pit orchestra played beautifully. asked about the progress of the musical, Vicki Far- There were a few times when they overpowered the singers, but in the end, the band members ish refused to comment. “I thought The Sound of Music was going to were able to find a good balance between vocal and go awfully, because we never had a complete run- instrumental. “The singing was good, of course it took practicthrough of it without stopping and having to work on one of the scenes,” said junior Daniel DeVera, ing, though,” said Sowa. The choreography was splendidly done. There was an especially entertaining segment when each of the Von Trapp children stood in their line and sang the proper note of the scale as Kinzer’s Maria tapped them on the head. Odom is a very confident, robust singer and actor. He and Kinzer made their roles look easy. It was a simple step to accept the story while they were on stage. Junior Andrea Quezada (Elsa Shraeder) was also a strong singer and actress. Each captivated the attention of the audience and made the story real. The dance scenes featuring DeJunior Julie Jurenas, sophomore Joey Mazzara, and freshman Sarah Slough Vera and Jurenas, and Odom and practiced intensely to play their parts in AHS production of the Sound of Music. Kinzer were more evidence of their BY ELIZABETH MARCOIS Staff Writer

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OFJOSE JIMENEZ

Gum Fish Media

Musical hits all the right notes

Juniors John Odom and Michelle Kinzer performed as Von Trapp and Maria, respectively, the leading roles of the play.

practice and preparation. This is a production the AHS drama students can be proud of. “Apparently some of the previous shows have been bad. We kept worrying because we never had a complete rehearsal, but it turns out we were ready, because I think we did well,” said Sowa. Even the scene changes were very smooth. One scene-change in particular, in which the younger Von Trapp girls were scared off by a thunderstorm, was entertaining. The cast was full of life and personality. Nearly every character delivered their lines perfectly, without any noticeable signs of having forgotten them. Junior Sam Leslie (Max) had some particularly funny lines that may not have gotten laughs without his delivery. One of the best scenes was near the end of Act Two, when sophomore Anne Hruskoci, playing the Mother Abbess, sang a wonderful soprano solo. “Saturday was, I think, my best performance. I’m really happy it went so well.” said Hruskoci. If this wasn’t enough to change your opinion of AHS’s school musicals, then you should know that each and every scene closed with rigorous applause. By the end of the show, the audience was up on their feet, cheering happily.

INTERNATIONAL Not your loveable Captain Jack A

the

April 28, 2009

Students voice disagreement with actions of the pirates BY NDIDI OBASI

Looking at Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse, and his thin, petite 5-foot-2 shape, the last thing that would pop into your mind would be pirate, but that’s exactly who he is. Most of us are drawn to the idea of pirates being rugged men in search of a hidden treasure, plundering ships, and forcing prisoners to walk the plank, much like Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Carribean. He might not have had a parrot on his shoulder, an eyepatch on his face, but according to a recent article in The Washington Post, Muse is the only surviving pirate that attacked the American cargo ship, the Maersk Alabama on April 7. Contrary to popular belief, piracy is very much alive today just as it was way back in the day. Just a few weeks ago, Muse and three other Somali pirates took the Maersk hostage just off the coast of Somalia. Luckily, after five anxious days, Richard Phillips, the captain who was taken in exchange for the ship and the rest of the crew was rescued by Navy Seals after they shot three rounds, killing the three pirates holding Phillips. Muse surrendered to the Americans because of a stab wound he was suffering that was inflicted upon him by one of the crewmen on the Maersk. The Somali pirate was tried as an adult on April 20 for piracy under the law of nations. If convicted, Muse will be serving a mandatory term of life in prison. The recent pirate attack on an American ship had the whole world talking. “I think it’s kind of bad what they did,” said sophomore Adam Mohammad, who is Somali-born.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

International Editor

Boats of Somali pirates attempt to land and take a ship hostage off the coast of the Somalian coast. There has been a recent spike in the number of pirate attacks on U.S. cargo ships, the most recent one occuring on April 7.

Many feel the same way as Mohammad, with the belief that the pirates were very wrong in taking the ship hostage in the first place. “I’m outraged!” exclaimed Somali-born sophomore Bashir Warsame when asked about his feelings. “You know, at one point, piracy was more of a method of self-defense, now it’s a method for getting money, which I believe is wrong.” Although it is unanimous that what they did was wrong, many have different views on why they committed the act. “I think they are trying to protect their coast and control their government,” said freshman Zack Nur, a Somaliborn student.“Honestly, I wasn’t shocked to hear about it though because it happens in Somalia a lot.” Others believe that poverty is to blame for the

actions of these men. “These people were starving, and there was a civil war 25 years ago and these people were really attacked! You cannot blame them,” said Arabic substitute teacher Sawsan Kheirawi. There are several causes as to why piracy in Somalia is becoming a bigger international issue. “There is not one direct answer as to why piracy exists, but the absence of government definitely makes piracy possible,” said Social Studies teacher John Hawes. “I mean, its a lawless country, so any group with weapons and a ship can go out and call themselves pirates.” One can only hope that the current political situation in Somalia will improve, therefore reducing the need for piracy.

15 News Brief North Korea launched a missile on Saturday, April 4. North Korea claims that the missile was a satellite. The boosters from the long-range rocket fell in the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean. The missile is likely to have fallen somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Il, has been described as unstable. He was ill last year and some say that this missile launch was to show that he still held power. North Korea also may have a nuclear program, although there are U.N. sanctions on it. Many Western countries are worried that the next rocket will carry a nuclear warhead. The U.N. Security Council has written a declaration that condemns Kim Jong Il and his country’s missile launch.

Student Responses “North Korea is a growing threat. We need to attack them before they attack us.”

—Brian Coffman sophomore

“I believe that we shouldn’t interfere with North Korea because their missiles cannot reach us at this moment.”

Is the new president wowing the world?

—Joel Waters senior

Obama has been working hard to restore the image of America, but how well is it working?

compiled by Ben Wolfenstein

Ireland

“Well, the general European pean public like him. They treat him like a celebrity, like they y did with the former British prime rime minister Tony Blair. Peronally, nally, however, my parents and I do not like him very much because ause of his new programs and d his lack of action with the economic omic crisis. ” —Liam McGhee sophomore

Eritrea “My relatives back home were shocked, because of the fact that thrity years ago there was still discrimination and racism and now a black man is president. They have listened to him and feel that whatever he promised will come true. ” —Lydette Yonas sophomore

Ethiopia “My relatives are quite excited that Barack Obama is president.They believe that it is a chance for change and that he can make the world a much better place. They believe that he can help the economy, but they do not feel that he can fix things in Iraq and Afghanistan because of his lack of military experience. ” —Alay Tedla sophomore

Vietnam “My parents like him a lot because they feel that Barack Obama can help the American people get their jobs back. They don’t care about the fact that he’s AfricanAmerican. In fact, they feel that now that he is president, African- Americans are closer to becoming equals.”

What do you imagine when somebody says “pirate”? “I picture big ships and ugly, stinky men with eyepatches.”

—Victoria Tully freshman

—Nhung Tran junior

Argentina “My family back home is really excited and happy. They are ready for change, and feel that Obama will especially help out the Latino community. He will work on immigration rights so that we can go visit our family back home. They love him. ”

“I imagine a parrot on his shoulder. And maybe even an eyepatch. But definitely the parrot.”

—Dylan Shuey freshman “Captin Jack from Pirates of the Carribean. Arrgh!”

—Mackda Dinberu sophomore

—Ghisela Vargas senior

“I picture a big bearded man with an eyepatch, and a wooden peg for a leg.”

—Jeff Yi junior

“I think of what’s been in the news, so I imagine the Somali pirates.”

compiled by Ndidi Obasi

—Paula Woolsey librarian

compiled by Brenna O’Neil

SPORTS

April 28, 2009

Girls stumble in district play

Go to the Web For coverage on upcoming sports games visit us online at www. thea-blast.org.

The Atoms rebound after tough loss to T.C. Williams with 15 point win over Hayfield, prepare for district tournament

match points fought off by the Atoms number one singles player, Erik “the assasin” Morton in a tiebreaker win against T.C. Williams.

was the final score of the Atoms’ most recent match against the T.C. Williams Titans. This is an improvement on their previous match this season where the Atoms lost by a score of 8-1.

7-2

5-7

is the overall current record for the Atoms this season. The team has lost several close matches and looks to avenge those losses in the district tournament.

matches left in the regular season for the Atoms before the district tournament.

SCOTT PLUNKETT

Captain’s Corner

Baseball: Senior John Copenhaver Q: How long have you been playing baseball? A: I am a four year varsity veteran and I’ve been playing since I was five. Q: What did you do to prepare for the season? A: I played sports in the offseason, conditioned and weight lifted. Q: How have you been playing this season?

Boys wind down district competition, prepare to make run in the district tourn.

The Atoms lose to T.C. Williams, two matches left before district tournament

BY BOB STEVENS AND STEVEN CRAIG Staff Writers

BY BUM LEE Staff Writer

After a fast 2-0-1 start, the varsity boys soccer team has cooled off with four straight losses to drop their record to 2-5-2. “We have played tough teams in the state, but I think that we can beat the rest of them with hard work,” said junior Sam Tubb. With four games left in the season, the Atoms are trying to push for a higher seed for the district tournament. “The team and I believe that working as a team, fighting for scoring opportunities and never giving up, will get us closer to achieving our goal,” said junior Goldy Berhane. They are currently ranked eighth in the district, taking the last seed. “I think that if we capitalize on our scoring opportunities, we can be in contention for the district championship,” said sophomore Andy Rubio. With only four games Senior goalie Zak Manthos attempts to make a save remaining before the district during the Atoms 3-2 home win over the Lee Lancers. tournament, the Atoms are The Atoms are on an upward trend heading into the looking to get back to what Patriot district tournament. they were doing when they started off hot. “We have played good defense, but our offense has not been as productive. If our offense can score more and we play solid defense than we are tough to beat,” said Rubio. They credit their improvement from last year’s season to this years on more team unity and understanding of each other, which makes up for the senior losses last season,” said junior Goldy Berhane. After losing six seniors last year, the atoms looked to rebuild their lineup. The atoms are looking to improve their record in their final two upcoming district games against West Springfield and T.C. Williams. These next two games will be crucial in determining their standings for the district tournament.

Despite their exceptional playing on April 27, the Atoms tennis team found themselves shy of a win against T.C. Williams and fell to 5-7 on the year. A day as hot as pancakes, the Atoms were set to face the Titans on their senior day. The Atoms were looking to trounce the Titans who beat them previously in the season. “The boys will have their hands full,” said Coach Scott a veteran tennis coach of three years. “They’re a well rounded team,” said number one singles player Erik Morton. The Atoms had an impressive line-up to confront the second in district T.C Williams. Carson, “The Brick,” Wahl was the only senior in the top three singles, looked to shine on his senior day. The players stepped out onto the court confidently with only on their minds, Senior Daniel To slices the ball in the Atoms beating their opponents. number three doubles match. The Atoms lost the David Hookey started out match 7-2 against the T.C. Williams Titans. strong with a two to one lead. Wahl and Morton found themselves struggling against their opponents. However, the tables quickly turned for Erik, “the Assassin,” Morton as he decisively fought off three match points to force a tie-breaker winning his match seven to four. Hookey fell behind and lost bitterly to his opponent. Wahl came back from a one to five slump, but ultimately lost 5-10. With a loss of morale from the singles matches, the Atoms found it hard to pull through in their doubles matches, ending the match reluctantly with a score of 2-7. The Atoms now have two matches left before the end of the regular season and will finish near the middle of the district. They hope to surprise many in the post season tournament and play to their best ability.

Baseball playing in full swing Atoms look to finish out district play strong, five games left in regular season

Q: How has the team played this year compared to expectations?

Looking to end a three game losing streak, the AHS baseball team traveled to West Potomac to take on the Wolverines on April 24. With their ace on the mound, the Atoms were confident they would succeed. They did. Improving to 6-8 after the 6-2 win, the Atoms were fueled by solid offense and spectacular pitching from junior Ryan Schubert. “He pitched one of the best games I have ever seen him pitch,” said senior John Copenhaver. “He was really on his game.” Head coach Ron Abrigo couldn’t agree more. “Schubert pitched very well and he really got the job done for us,” he said. Schubert pitched a complete game, yielding only one hit to the Wolverines’ offense. Copenhaver led the Atoms on offense with two RBI’s and sophomore Evan Smith also added two.

A: I think we’ll get either the 4th or 5th seed, and we’ll do well enough to make it to the regional tournament. Q: What are your plans for next year? A: I plan to possibly walk on at James Madison. — Compiled by Scott Plunkett

COURTESY OF BRIARCREEKPHOTO.COM

Tennis falls to Titans

BY DAVID HOOKEY Staff Writer

Q: How do you think the team can do in the district competition?

Senior goalie Anita Obasi reaches to make a stop late for the Atoms. Obasi is the second of the Atoms two goalies, and often plays a half in the game.

Soccer slows down

A: I’ve been playing alright, about the same as last year.

A: We’re living up to expectations, we already have more wins than last year.

COURTESY OF BRIARCREEKPHOTO.COM

Boys Tennis by the numbers

COURTESY OF CARSON WAHL

Junior Connor Volk runs to the net to return a drop shot.

Sophomore goalie Emma Barker makes a key save for the Atoms. Barker is one of the two goalies that the Atoms use regularly in games.

“The team hit well and really played a great, consistent game,” said Abrigo. The following day, the Atoms looked to maintain their momentum against Hayfield in scorching 90 degree weather. After a slow start, the Atoms came back to tie the game at 6-6 and take it into extra innings. After the Atoms scored two runs in the top of the 8th inning, the team looked to be in line for their second straight win. However, the Hawks got the bases loaded and got a game winning hit to win the game, 9-8. “We played well, but the bottom line is that our pitching just didn’t get it done,” said Abrigo. “Nathan Reel pitched well in relief, but other than that, our pitching was lacking,” said sophomore Ryan Keck. The offense, however, performed well, although there always is room for improvement. “We hit pretty well, but we probably should have hit a little more to support our pitchers because we were up against a very inexperienced, freshman pitcher,” said Copenhaver. Copenhaver once again led the Atoms with three hits. Junior Nathan Clayton and sophomore Jake Barnes each added two hits. “We’ve been hitting the ball well recently, so that is not really the issue,” said Abrigo. The loss came as a surprise to the Atoms, as

COURTESY OF REBECCA CLAYTON

COURTESY OF CARSON WAHL

Senior Imran MacMillan plays up at the net in a doubles match.

Nothing gets a team back on track after a tough loss better than an easy 15-goal stomping. The Atoms did just this and cruised by the Hayfield Hawks with an 18-3 victory on April 25, after previously losing 5-6 to the T.C. Williams Titans. “We could have worked harder on not getting down on ourselves so often and so harshly because our mental game was not intact because of it,” said senior goal keeper Anita Obasi regarding the loss to T.C. Williams. The loss came unexpectedly to the Atoms, as they were riding a four game district winning streak on the season and beat West Springfield, who the Titans had lost to. T.C. Williams, however, is now 10-2 on the year and with only one loss heading into their last game of the regular season are in good position to earn the number one seed in the district tournament. “I think we’ll do pretty well [in the tournament] if we let our skill and practice show,” said Obasi, “But it’s all a matter of motivation and will.” The Atoms are now fighting back to earn the top spot of the Patriot district, and after their 18-3 win over Hayfield, look as if they deserve it. With their fourth win margin of over 10 on the season, the Atoms are very dominant in their wins. Averaging a win margin of 10 in their wins and only an average loss margin of three in their losses clearly shows that the Atoms have nowhere to go, but up. The Atoms held their senior night game last night at home against West Potomac. The Wolverines are 6-3 so far this season, and are riding a two game winning streak heading into the game tonight. The game was the Atom’s last regular game of the season, and they will now head into the Patriot district tournament looking to defend their district title as one of the top seeds.

COURTESY OF KELLY GOODISON

COURTESY OF CARSON WAHL

BY SCOTT PLUNKETT Sports Editor

Junior Ryan Schubert tags a baserunner out at third. The Atoms already have more wins than last season and hope to continue to excel in the post season.

they beat the Hawks easily by the score of 9-2 in their first match up of the season. The Atoms have a home game against the Lake Braddock Bruins today, where they look to avenge their 8-5 loss earlier in the season. The Atoms have five more games left in the regular season to try and solidify themselves in position to earn a high seed in the Patriot District tournament.

th April 28, 2009

SPORTS

Lacrosse 7-2 with senior night win Boys defeat Osbourn Park 11-7 behind five goals from sophomore Nathan Miller in their final home game of the regular season

Sophomore Stephen Craig gets past an Osbourn Park defender during the Atoms 11-7 win. Craig scored one of eight second half goals for the Atoms.

JENNIFER OAKES

Down 4-3 to visiting Osbourn Park at halftime, Atoms sophomore Nathan Miller realized he had to step up to earn the team’s seventh win of the season. Miller came out in the second half and scored five goals in the half en route to an 11-7 win. “In the first half, we had trouble controlling the ball and couldn’t get anything going on offense because of some penalties,” said Miller. The game also marked the final home game for the eight seniors on the team. Senior goalie Matt Perez played perhaps his best game of the season, saving countless shots at all angles. The eight seniors were honored after the game. For the most part, however, the game was won thanks to big contributions from Atoms underclassmen. In addition to Miller’s five goals, fellow sophomores Nick Lalande and Stephen Craig each added one goal apiece, while Andy Craig netted two shots. Juniors Max Kirkman and Logan Miller also each scored once. Andy Craig was also able to win the majority of his face-offs, despite the larger Osbourn Park players he was battling, setting the Atoms up for many of their goals. “Andy came up big on face-offs in the second half which allowed our offense to start making plays,” said Miller. Heading into their final week of the regular season, with games this week at West Potomac on the 27th and T.C. Williams on the 29th, the Atoms hope to end on a good note before competing in the Patriot district championships beginning on May 1. “We still need to work on the little things such as ground balls, clearing, and catching and throwing,” said Miller. After losing two straight games to West Springfield and Bishop O’Connell, theAtoms have won three straight games dating back to April 17 against South County. “We have played much better since those losses. We hope to keep up the pace and hopefully do really well in districts and qualify for regionals,” said Lalande. The teams’ 7-2 record places them second in the Patriot district behind 9-3 West Springfield. If they keep pace this week, the Atoms would likely face seventh seed T.C. Williams in a home game. The Titans’, who the Atoms have not yet faced this year, hold a 2-8 record on the year. The young Atoms look to replicate last year’s team, which finished with a district championship and reached the AAA Virginia State Championships.

JENNIFER OAKES

BY KELSEY KNOCHE Sports Editor

Sophomore Nathan Miller shoots through a wall of Osbourn Park defenders. Miller scored five goals, all in the second half, to lead the Atoms to their seventh victory on the season.

Soccer loses vs. W. Springfield Tennis gets big win vs. Titans BY CARLY BOUCHARD Staff Writer

BY KELSEY KNOCHE Sports Editor

If somebody were to walk down the soccer field while the girls were playing last year, they would have said there was some great individual talent on the team. This year, not only are there skilled players, but the team has learned to cooperate as whole, a skill that many potentially fantastic teams fail to attain. “ T h i s y e a r, h a v e learned to work as a team, as one,” said junior Amanda Fouche. “That was our focus, and we have been able to see that the communication has really made the difference.” The girls’ record so Sophomore Alley Adcock shoots during warm-ups far is 3 wins, five losses, before the Atoms game against West Springfield. and three ties, which is Despite the 3-0 loss, the Atoms 3-5-3 record is an approaching a similar improvement on last year’s season. overall record from the soccer season last year, which finished as 5 wins, 9 losses, and 1 tie. In the girls’ most recent loss against West Springfield, the game first seemed to be a competitive, but even game, for the score at halftime was 0-0. However, in the second half, one goal was scored off of a penalty kick and two more were made through sophomore Jane Aman, one of the team’s goalies. Although she allowed three, Aman was also able to save at least 15 more balls from going into West Springfield’s home goal. Although the team lost against West Springfield, a school widely known for great sports teams, the lady atoms shouldn’t take it to heart. West Springfield soccer has a current record with 7 wins, 1 loss, and one tie. “I don’t feel that bad about losing to them,” said junior Nikki Clarke, “They beat south county by 8, and we tied the Stallions. A lot of people think they are the best in the district. All we need to do is put that behind us and do our best in a last few games before districts.”

Despite the sweltering 90 degree weather and the lack of recent practices due to rain, the girls tennis team handedly defeated T.C. Williams by a score of 7-2. With the win, the team improved to 6-6 on the season, a big difference from last years 1-13 record. The Atoms won all six singles matches, with victories from seniors Samantha Wilkins (No. two) and Erica Andersen (No. four), juniors Lauren Kinch (No. one), Torie Deible (No. three) and Hope Stadulis (No. five), as well as freshman Bonne Clark (No. six). Stadulis and Deible also teamed up to win number two doubles by a score of 6-0. “We were really happy Freshman Bonne Clark prepares to return her oppothat we were able to get all nents serve. Clark won her number six singles match six singles matches, espe- 10-8. The Atoms won the match overall 7-2 against cially because we haven’t T.C. Williams. had very many practices this year. Everyone played really hard despite the extremely warm weather,” said Wilkins, the teams’ captain. The Atoms will finish their season with three home matches against Lee, West Springfield, and Hayfield. Wednesday’s match-up with Hayfield will also mark the honoring of four seniors. Seniors Emika Sawada and Katherine Huynh will be honored along with Anderson and Wilkins, all of whom have played all four years with the Atoms. “Our goal is to win all three of our last matches and send the seniors out on a good note. We think we have a very good chance as long as everyone plays well,” said Clark. Following the regular season, the top two singles players, as well as the top two doubles teams, will compete in the Patriot District championships on May 4 and 5 at Annandale. Kinch and Wilkins will compete in singles, while the number one doubles team of Andersen and Wilkins and number two team of Deible and Stadulis will participate in doubles.

Softball struggles to 3-8 record With the rain causing game cancellations on Monday and Wednesday, the softball team was faced with the unfortunate schedule of games on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. They went 1-2 for the week, as they head into the last two weeks of the regular season. For all three games, the Atoms had to play with the absence of a key player, senior Glenda Ngo, who was at All-State Chorus. “The team definitely missed her. She would have been our lead-off hitter and catcher,” said head coach Jennifer Hall. At the home field on April 23, the Atoms faced off against the undefeated South County Stallions. Led by sophomore pitcher Izzy Yaroch, the Atoms defense was able to hold the Stallions to three runs. However on the offensive end, the Atoms couldn’t seem to get a hit. “We were able to make some contact but we never got on base, so we didn’t get the chance to score,” said sophomore Kelly Hughes. The Atoms lost by a final score of 3-0. The Atoms headed over to West Potomac the next day, eager to redeem themselves. “We were all really focused and we really wanted to win,” said Izzy Yaroch. With another excellent pitching performance by Yaroch and a strong offense, the Atoms were able to defeat the Wolverines 2-0. “We got four hits; Jessica Hotter and Izzy Yaroch got two a piece,” said Hall. “It was a really fun game because we were able to hold them to zero runs,” said Yaroch. The Atoms hoped to carry this momentum over to Saturday, when they would play the Hayfield Hawks at 1 p.m. With Yaroch resting after pitching two games in a row, freshmen Casey Fait and Justine Niner were left in charge of the mound. Unfortunately, the Atoms lost 9-0. “There was a lack of focus and we made a lot of mental errors,” said Hall. The Atoms still have seven games left in the regular season before heading into districts. “We’ll keep our bats going and remain strong on defense to win as many games as possible,” said Hughes. “We need to play hard the remainder of the season,” said Hall. “Every game is winnable.” ––Kristen Hennessey Staff Writer

Boys Lacrosse vs. Osbourn Park

KELSEY KNOCHE

Girls easily defeat T.C. Williams to improve to 6-6 heading into their final week

CARLY BOUCHARD

Atoms fall to Spartans despite a 0-0 score at halftime and move to 3-5-3 on the year

April 25, 2009

Sophomore Nathan Miller works around an Osbourn Park defender. Miller scored five goals in the game.

Track focuses on upcoming district meet BY KATIE VU AND ALLEY ADCOCK Staff Writers The season may be ending, but the hard work is just beginning for all runners and throwers on the varsity track team. With two more track meets to go, the track team has been working hard during practice to get ready for districts in May. “Our season is going very good, personally I’ve won two meets and the team has stayed strong throughout the entire season,” said senior Emily Koppelman. From the start of the season to now, the team has made great strides with the boys record 2-0. “On the boys team I think the team has made big improvements,” said head coach Sean Miller. “ All of our top scorers from indoor are performing well but we are finding new guys that can really contribute.” Along with the boys, the girls are 1-1, performing at their best. “We are really excited about our freshman and sophomore classes, who we are counting on to perform well in the upcoming season,” said Miller. With the next two meets being district meets, the team’s focus has shifted from the beginning of the season.

“We have worked hard for the entire season and our success has helped us improve on our weaknesses and overcome injuries,” said junior Desmond Le. During practice, runners work on speed development, quicker hand offs, faster starts, and team unity. “I think with coach Miller being coach, it’s more of a team sport and not just individuals. He brings us together,” said Koppelman. The district tournament has become the main focus for the team and coaches for the upcoming weeks. With the boys not only finishing in the top of their district, the individuals are also placing high in their events. “We hope to be undefeated in the regular season and win the Patriot District championship this year,” said Miller. Last season the boy’s team finished fourth in the district and the girl’s team finished fifth. Both teams hope to finish in the top of the district and improve on last year’s mistakes. “I was really proud of the way the team performed last year and I am hoping that we can work just as hard and do just as well this year,” said 4x8 runner Daniel Blasser. The boys 4x8 is expected to carry on their winning tradition from indoor track to the spring season, and win another district championship. Daniel Blasser, Ki Lee, Scott Plunkett, and Michael Ejigu make up the boys 4x8. The relay team is currently undefeated and hoping to stay unde-

Sophomore Bob Stevens runs a ball up the field after recovering it on the defensive end.

COURTESY OF TED PLUNKETT

Varsity prepares for district, regional and state meets

Junior Johan Calcuttawalla competes in the 3200 meter run at the Lake Braddock Hall of Fame Invitational. Calcuttawalla finished in 20th with a time of 10:15.

feated for their remaining districts meets. “I am very optimistic about districts and I think we will be able to win again this season,” said Blasser.

Sophomore Stephen Craig gets a ball past the Osbourn Park goalie.

––Photos by Jen Oakes