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IRAQ BILL SURVIVES BUSH?
700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003
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OBESITY AND AMERICA
Democrats are trying to pull funding from Iraq and bring our troops home, but Bush is putting up a front.
Everyone knows that America gluts on fatty foods, but is it possible to turn the trend around?
Today’s Weather Partly Cloudy High: 68 Low: 49
Today’s Lunch
Soft Beef Taco w/ Shredded Cheese Beef and Bean Burrito Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Yogurt w/ Pretzel
This Day in History 1866 — Charles Elmer Hires invents Root Beer 1918 — The Sedition Act of 1918 is passed in the U.S. Congress, making criticism of the government a federal crime and fueling the nullification crisis of the early 1800s 1966 — The Communist Party of China issues the “May 16 notice,” starting the cultural revlution
NEWS BRIEFS Ossian Hall Park Authority holding Clean-up Day
The Fairfax County Park Authority/ Community Connections and the Planning & Development Division of the ParkAuthority are collaborating in holding an Ossian Hall Clean-up Day. They are inviting the Park Operations Area Manager Division II (Richard Maple), Annandale High School/ Parent Liaison (Vida Sanchez), Region II Community Developer (Telly Whitfield) and the Virginia Justice Center (Arnoldo Borja) to help them in the endeavor. They are hoping for some resources i.e. trash bags, gloves, dump truck or dumpster, refreshments and snacks/lunch possible for all the volunteers for this community clean-up day.
2007 All-State Chorus
Eight students from AHS were selected to participate in the 2007 Virginia All-State Chorus. AHS has set the record for the most students selected to participate in District 10. The All-State Chorus concert was held in Christianburg, Virginia on April 28.
A student at AHS describes a life full of wrong turns and an eventual recovery.
This summer, sequels will be the dominant force in all theatres. From Harry to Spidey, which ones to watch.
BY ALYSSA NAVARRETE Co-Editor in Chief “I relied on my natural talent to complete the run,” said senior Teddy Langel. “Maybe if I was in better shape I could have beaten everyone else.” Though Langel believes he could have done better, he was only one of many runners who participated in this year’s 5K Run/Walk. On Saturday, May 12, at 8:30 a.m., the third annual Atoms 5K Run/Walk was held. This event was designed to benefit the AHS Athletic Boosters. Overall, the event raised about $4,000 to support athletic programs. This is an $1,000 increase from last year’s race. One hundred and eighty people pre-registered for the race, while only 151 people completed the course and crossed the finish line. Though the race began at 8:30 a.m., a team of volunteers arrived much earlier to prepare for the event. Approximately 20 adults were needed to facilitate the event. Volunteers created the balloon arch, assembled tents and placed cones throughout the neighborhood to mark the course. The Marching Atoms played at the start of the race. Congressman Tom Davis, who ran the 5K, started the race with an air horn. Once the race began, the band began playing the AHS fight song and continued to play until the conclusion of the race. “I think it’s cool that Tom Davis started the race,” said Left: AHS students prepare for the race. The race began on Four Year Run and ended on the track. Top Right: Jim Connor, one of the coordinators of the event, speaks to the runners before the race. Connor discussed the rules and the course for Langel. “It motivated me.” the 5K. Bottom Right: AHS parent Martha Merz crosses the finish line. Merz finished first overall for the women, and third
“5K” continued on page 5 overall for both the men and the women.
Master Chefs visit AHS Gurus tantalize taste buds while teaching new tricks BY SARAH WAITER Health Editor
Milberg
Kevin Leach recently completed his fourth Microsoft Office Specialist exam at the ExpertLevel and has earned a Master Certification for Microsoft Office. In the three years that Fairfax County has offered the certification to high school students, only four have become certified at Leach’s level. Three of the four were fromAHS. Leach recieved certification for Microsoft Office Version 2003, which is significantly harder than recieving certification for Version 2000. Achieving certification involves mastering the multifarious aspects of Microsoft Office 2003, including formatting content, organizing content, formatting documents, collaborating (creating and modifying forms, creating and modifying document backgrounds, etc.) and customizing Microsoft Word (running macros, customizing menues, etc.).
SEQUELS SPREAD SUMMER THIN
Congressman Davis starts off with a clarion call; students finish with a smile
SARAH WAITER
The following students were selected as alternates:
Student Recieves Master Certification for Microsoft
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STRUNG OUT: AN AHS STORY
Third Atoms 5K a success
—Fiona Agnew, senior —Anna Marcois, junior —Madeleine Mejean, senior —Alaina Talley, junior —Lucia Schaefer, senior —Derick Elmore, junior —Eric Jurenas, junior —Evan Milberg, senior
—Patricia Eggerton, senior —Amber McCoy, junior —Bryce Donald , senior
703-642-4229
WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2007
Chef Fritz Sonnenschmidt, one of the four Master Chefs who visited the AHS Bistro, prepares a vegetable dish. There, they showed “their passion and love of food to the next generation.”
Stews brewed and onions sizzled as four certified master chefs shared their tricks of the trade with culinary art students. The event, known as CIA (Culinary Institute ofAmerica) Day, was held on May 2 in theAHS Bistro. The CIAprovided four ambassador chefs to come to AHS to pass on their passion of cooking to the future chefs of tomorrow. Among the highly credited chefs were Chef Fritz Sonnenschmidt, Chef Noble Masi, Chef Solomon, and Chef Betty van Norstrand, assisted by Chef Cicconi. The ambassadors’ “biggest focus is to educate young people in the culinary field,” said culinary arts teacher Chef Christine Gloninger. By doing so “they are showing their passion and love of food to the next generation who are going to basically take on food in America,” said Gloninger. The chefs prepared a diversity of dishes, all of which could be replicated at home. Chef Fritz Sonnenschmidt prepared sautéed chicken medallion with apricots. The dish included ingredients such as ketchup and chicken broth. “Chefs” continued on page 5
PAUL MATHIS
Undecided 35%
No 43%
Yes 22%
The A-Blast conducted a survey to determine whether or not students believe AP and IB tests are worth while.
This survey was distributed on May 11 during B, C and D lunches. Of 500 surveys distributed, 467 were completed and returned for inclusion in this graph.
PHOTOS BY ALYSSA NAVARRETE
VOLUME #52 ISSUE 12
ANNANDALE HIGH SCHOOL
ESOL drama play premieres tomorrow An ESOL drama student rehearses for the ESOL drama troupeʼs production of an adaptation of Shakespeareʼs The Taming of the Shrew, which premieres tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium.
Testing takes over BY PAUL MATHIS Co-Editor in Chief
Eric Jurenas’ hand is aching, but he is not ready to let up. His pen continues to feverishly write his IB Environmental Systems essay, and he is determined to finish it before time runs out. When Mrs. Albright calls for the end of the IB exam, Jurenas puts his hands behind his head, relaxing. “I think I did pretty well,” said Jurenas, a junior. “I looked over the materials beforehand, went through my head the formulas and everything you needed to know.” This is the experience of hundreds of students this May who are taking IB exams. The exams are the culmination of one and two year courses, and last up to six and a half hours spread out over two days. Overall, nearly one hundred hours of testing will be administered. Some students see the exams as beneficial to their overall understanding of material and ability to perform under pressure, while others feel that the exams are a waste of time. “I think having nine days of testing pretty close together helps me to deal with that much work on top of what I usually get in Prosch school,” said Brendan Fields, a senior who is hoping to pass all of his tests in order to earn his IB Diploma. “It’s a skill that I can use in the future, time management, you know.” “Everything ran very smoothly,” said Jurenas. “Testing definitely helps you prepare for moments under pressure. It prepares you for the future by giving you the understanding as to how to deal with this kind of pressure, the pressure of the tests, when you are timed.” Senior Graham Prosch did not feel he had as great of an experience. “The system has a flaw,” he said. “We have no motivation to do well on the IB exams. Most colleges don’t give credit for any standard level classes and the results of the test don’t affect our FCPS grades.” There is some merit to Prosch’s words. Many colleges, such as Stanford University and Dartmouth College, do not give credit for any score on Standard Level exams. Some students feel that their efforts are thus fruitless. “I know like eighty percent of the people aren’t trying because they know they won’t get credit for their exams,” said Rose Bingham, a senior. “To them it’s a joke. Colleges need to either recognize IB Standard Level orAHS needs to drop it and return to AP.” Bingham’s sentiments about Standard Level tests might be in part true, but other students expressed the fact that in the scope of the overall IB Diploma, all tests are invaluable. “Since I am doing the diploma, all of my tests are worth while,” said Fields.