Issue11

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the VOLUME #52 ISSUE 11

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MORE GUN CONTROL? Virginia Tech shooting prompts debate about gun legisation

ANNANDALE HIGH SCHOOL 700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003

703-642-4229

TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2007

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CORPSES UP CLOSE Controvesial art exhibit comes to the D.C. area

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Insert VT TRAGEDY

RIVAL RESTAURANTS

In-depth coverage of the tragedy which claimed the lives of 32 Hokies

Students debate between popular local eateries

AHS reacts to VT shooting The tragedy at Virginia Tech directly impacts AHS community

Today’s Weather Partly Cloudy High: 75

Low: 56

NEWS BRIEFS SRO honored by FCPS school board

Mike Ferraris, the student resource officer (SRO) for AHS, was selected as the 2007 Distinguished School Resource Officer. Ferraris will be honored during a ceremony on Thursday at Luther Jackson Middle School.

Governorʼs School results

The following students were selected to participate in Governor’s School this summer: —Seemal Awan: Math, Science and Technology —Stephanie Berg: Math, Science and Technology —Kelsey Blanco: Theater —Jeremy Hsu: Math, Science and Technology —Wafa Khadraoui: Life Sciences and Medicine —Ah-Ram Kim: Agriculture —Trung Le: Japanese —Elise Miles: Instrumental Music —Victoria Smith: Spanish —Bich-Lien Vu: Agriculture —Miyako Yerick: Humanities The following students were placed on the waiting list for Governor’s School: —Jennifer Patton: Instrumental —Wattana Savanh: Visual Arts —Natalia Schwein: Theater —Alaina Talley: Vocals —Rebecca Clayton: Spanish

Volunteers needed to work Boosterʼs Nissan fundraiser

The Annandale High School Boosters raised almost $30,000 last year at the Nissan Pavilion. This is an important fundraiser for AHS and trained volunteers are needed for the success to continue. All AHS volunteers (18 or older) must be TIPS trained.All TIPS training and recertification was offered at AHS on Thursday,April 12 in Clausen Hall. For more information, email Shelli Wayland at shelli.wayland@fcps.edu

Senior qualifies for FBLA state competition

Senior Kevin Leach won first place in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) state competition on March 31 in Reston, Virginia. Leach will go on to represent the state of Virginia at the national competition on June 28 in Chicago, Illinois. This is the first time thatAHS has had a student qualify for the national competition.

Undecided 4%

No 43%

Yes 53%

Should the U.S. enforce stricter gun laws following the Virginia Tech shooting?

This survey was distributed on April 17 and during B, C and D lunches. Of 500 surveys distributed, 534 were completed and returned for inclusion in this graph.

For the past week, the halls of AHS have been a sea of orange and maroon. Students, teachers and faculty alike have come together, donning Virginia Tech apparel, to demonstrate unity and support for the victims of the Virginia Tech tragedy. For AHS, unlike many other local schools, the tragedy is hitting very close to home. As news of the incident began to unfold on Monday morning, April 16, AHS students picked up their cell phones or logged onto their facebooks in an attempt to locate all of their friends who attend Virginia Tech. AHS is a school that is heavily connected to Tech. Last year alone, 27 AHS graduates chose Tech for their undergraduate studies. For most students, the news was good.Almost allAHS alumni were accounted for. However, until late Monday night, no one had heard from 2006 graduate Mary Read. At approximately 10:30 p.m., the AHS community learned of Read’s death through word of mouth. “I was hanging out with a friend, he was watching T.V. and flipped it to CNN,” said senior Rodrigo Costas. “He said ‘this is crazy, did you hear about this?’”

PAUL MATHIS

Log on to www.thea-blast.org and visit our online forum to share your opinions, thoughts or personal stories about the Virginia Tech Tragedy.

Juniors Jenna McRae and Amy Fleming sign a banner for the family of AHS alumn Mary Read who was killed in the Virginia Tech Tragedy. Banners were avaliable for students to sign throughout the week following the incident. Both McRae and Fleming wore their Hokie gear to support “Hokie Hope” day which took place onApril 20.

“Reactions” cotinued on page S2

Auto tech offers college courses Spring Fling

approaches

AHS earns Nat’l Automotive Technician Education Foundation certification

BY TIM YUSKAVAGE Copy Editor

BY EBONY CHAMBERS Staff Writer Annandale High School’s automotive department received its National Automotive Technician Education Foundation (NATEF) certification at the end of February this year, after two years of preparing. Joe Desio and Anthony Manitakis are the instructors of the automotive program at AHS. Annandale is one of four schools to become NATEF certified. Only sophomores and upper classmen are permitted to sign up for the course. The automotive technology class is made up of three different courses: level I, II, and III. Maniatakis is the instructor for the level I classes which has about 120 students. Desio teaches both level II and III; level I has about 30 students and level III has about 18 students. This program teaches students an assortment of automotive skills, from the basics of how to change oil and do safety checks to how to fix electrical problems and repair or replace car parts. The level I class is worth one credit; students start off

COURTESY OF JOE DESIO

Share your opinion

BY ALYSSA NAVARRETE Co-Editor in Chief

Senior Shane Keady sits in the dragster race car that was brought to the auto tech classes. Beginning next year, auto tech will be able to offer college level courses.

with the safety. In order to continue taking the class you must pass the safety test. If the safety test is failed, you will be removed from the course. After the safety portion of the class, students will begin to learn about how to use jacks, changes tires, lifts. They will also be shown how to change oil and remove tires from the rim and how to put them back on. “Auto tech” continued on page 5

The “Spring Fling” dance, sponsored by the AHS Athletics Department and coordinated by Assistant Director of Student Activities Richard Adams, will be held in the cafeteria from 8 to 11 p.m. on Sat. April 28. The dance is being held as part of a fundraiser for AHS athletics. Tickets were three dollars presale. No tickets will be sold at the door. This dance will be the first dance held atAHS this year since the Homecoming dance. In Adams previous years, there have been no spring dances, although a few attempts at winter dances never came to fruition. The fact that the over two hundred spring athletes are supposed to purchase tickets means that the athletics department can expected to bring in at least a few hundred dollars. According to Director of StudentActivitiesAngelo Hilios, the goal for the event was to sell around 400 tickets. “We thought it would be a good opportunity for a dance for all athletic teams and athletes, and a celebration for spring teams,” said Hilios.

Annandale

New leaders chosen goes green BY KRISTA SILANO Managing Editor In lieu of Earth Week,which runs from April 2030th, the Green Atoms of AHS have and will continue to sponsor various activities to raise awareness about important environmental issues. The activities began last Monday,April 16 when teachers were asked to participate in the “Plastic Mountain” activity. They were told to collect empty Xerox paper boxes or other bins with signs reading “RecyleAluminum and Plastic Here,”and to encourage students and staff to place their empty soda cans and water bottles in the bins throughout the week. The bins were collected yesterday, April 23. A second school-wide activity took place on Friday, April 20th during R3 flex, when all classes watched a 30 minute movie about global warming titled An Inconvenient Truth. They then completed a worksheet which sparked class discussion. “I think that An Inconvenient Truth was a good movie to watch because they used cartoons to help kids better understand the causes and dangers of global warming,” said senior Daniel Kim, who watched the movie in his accounting class. “Green Atoms” continued on page 5

Student government announces new officers for 2007-2008 and look to raise school spirit BY CLAIRE BUI Staff Writer

“I plan to be more involved and think of more ideas, brainstroming for activities such as peprallies and homecoming...Iʼm not just going to be a figure head, Iʼm going to take full duty of my position.”

Ngan Hoang, Prseident “[I just want] to make ‘08 a

memorable school year for all After talling the ballots from the April 12 election, the stuthe rising seniors...to make the dent government announced rising senior Ngan Hoang as its school events more entertain2007-2008 SGA President and Carlos Galicia as its new SGA ing. I would do more to be Vice President. involved with the surrounding According to Hoang’s pre-election statement, her goals incommunity.” Carlos Galicia, clude “creating more school spirit among students,” and “making Vice President next year memorable and fun or everyone.” “I plan to inform students about As SGA President, several of Hoang’s duties include, taking pep-rallies and class elections the initiative for school functions and fundraisers, planning and because thereʼs not enough delegating SGAmeetings, being the chairperson for all fundraisinvolvement...I like how the sysers and events, taking responsibilities for school wide actions, tem is right now and Iʼm going to try just improve my skills.” and gaining approval for school activities from the Administration, Finance Officer and the Activities Office. “I’m excited about being next year’s SGAPresident because I Linda Nguyen, Secretary have never held a leadership position before, but I’m also nervous at the same time. I have high hopes that next year will turn out “I have a positive outlook for well,” Hoang said. next year because everybody is One of Galicia’s main objectives is to also make sure the really enthusiastic about making the events as successful as student body has a memorable and exciting year.

“SGA” continued on page 5

possible. I plan on doing more fundraising and taking care of funds.

Minjee Kim, Treasurer


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