Issue12

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GO GREEN FOR THE GLOBE

700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003

The city-wide measure, resulting in a supreme court case, has launched a national controversy.

WEATHER TODAY Scattered Showers High: 59

14

SIX-RING PROTEST

GUN BAN RAISES DEBATE

Small endeavors in transitioning to the ecofriendly can have a big impace on the environment.

703-642-4229

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2008 Students and teachers describe their reactions to the Beijing olympics and Chinese policies.

20 SPEEDING INTO SPRING FUN Weekend provides a complete guide to the areaʼs best theme parks.

Seniors scramble for cash to pay for big night

Too Few Spaces for Too Many Drivers

Low: 45

LUNCH TODAY

Macaroni & Cheese w/ Muffin, Soft Beef Taco w/ Shredded Cheese, Deli Line, PB&J Sandwich, Pizza Line, Salads, Yogurt

NEWSBRIEFS

As the economy hits a downturn, students find Prom expenses soaring

Students and teachers prepare for 5k race

BY NATHALIE SPITA News Editor PAUL MATHIS

The 4th Annual Atoms 5k Run/ Walk will be held on May 17, starting at 8:30 a.m. Sponsored by the Atoms Boosters, the walk is identical to last year’s. The walk starts at Four Year Run and winds through the Annandale community. Prizes will be provided for the first three men and women overall. For more information, visit annandaleatoms.com

Junior Ki Lee gets into his car parked at the United Korean Church, a popular spot for students who do not have a parking space on school grounds. AHS has only 96 parking spaces to satisfy its 2,600 students and 250 faculty members, forcing many students to compete for spaces in legal public areas or illegal spots in the community.

Spring parking frenzy The following students were admitted to Governor’s School: Shriya Adhikary, Paul Bernfeld, Son Duong, Claire Garney, Twinkle Mann, Imran MacMillan, Kyle Mills, Natalia Schwien, Joel Waters, Que Le, Matt Perez, Jane Rabinovitz, Whitney Davis.

Babies welcomed in Science Department Two teachers in the Science Department recently had babies. Xiara Davis and her husband Jermiah Davis had Jeremiah Allen Davis, Jr. on April 23. Francesca Mast and husband Brent Mast received a new addition to their family in the form of Cormac Orlando Mast who was born on April 24.

Student wins states, first in AHS history Culinary Arts student Monica Munet-Carr won the State championship for the Culinary Arts Contest on April 26. Munet-Carr has earned a seat in the National Championship for Culinary Arts Hot Foods Production in Kansas, City, MO in late June. The grand prize at the competition is a $100,000 scholarship.

Atoms athletic booster club scholarship The Atoms athletic booster club will award four graduating student athletes a $1000 scholarship to help pay for college tuitions. The athlete must have lettered.

BY NATHALIE SPITA News Editor Students with cars have been competing for parking spaces on school and public grounds for as long as recent memory extends. However, spring finds these students in even higher competition as more and more students are granted licenses. “It’s becoming too crowded because the sophomores are beginning to drive,” said senior Lex Layton who arrives at the church 45 minutes before school begins in order to acquire a space. “If you can’t find parking at the church, you drive aimlessly around until you can find an illegal parking spot.” AHS is only able to allocate 96 spaces to students each year due to lack of space. These parking spaces are situated in parking lots at Ossian Park and the rear of the track, and along the length of the track. However, these spaces are not sufficient to provide for AHS’s 2,600 students, leaving hundreds of students without secured parking spaces. The United Korean Church behind AHS, where a majority of spot-less

“PROM” continued on page 5

Online safety measures increased for teacher-surfers to address Internet safety in classrooms, school and community settings in upcoming years. By law, passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2006, all FCPS personnel must complete i-SAFE’s Professional Development Training Program by Oct. 1, 2008. The training is made up of six online video training sessions on Internet safety. “Each session should not take more than an hour to complete, so it should take less than six hours to complete the entire

BY DREW FLOWERS Staff Writer Preventive measures in Internet safety are being taught to all teachers in Fairfax County Public Schools in partnership with a non-profit foundation called i-SAFE Inc. in an effort to forestall Internet predators from taking advantage of FCPS students. i-SAFE Inc. is a leader in Internet safety education. All FCPS teachers, staff, and personnel are being asked to be prepared

training,” said Rebecca Bartelt,AHS’School Based Technology Specialist. “I had a free weekend because it was raining, so I just knocked it out real fast,” said English teacher Nancy Grim. Once completing the training, an electronic certificate of completion will be available as proof. “After hearing about some of the things that happen [online], you really have to think about the information you put out there. I know that those kinds of people

are out there, but it doesn’t really hit you until you hear real life stories about it,” said Grim. One video tells the story of a girl involved in an online FBI experience. “Imagine your playing in your soccer game for your school team and you look towards the sidelines and see a strange man staring and smiling at you. You think nothing of it and finish the game and then go home. “Later that night, just after dinner, “ONLINE” continued on page 5

Dreary math enlivened by Calculus: The Musical!

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BY PAUL MATHIS Co-Editor in Chief

PAUL MATHIS

This survey was distributed on April 25 during A, C, and D lunches. Of 500 surveys distributed, 455 were completed and returned.

students park, populations. “West offers a multiPotomac has no tude of spaces. street parking and Yet, the influx they have all 175 of new drivers spots on school has made these grounds. Mount spots harder to Vernon has about come by. “I still 100 spaces, most of it think it is not street parking,” said fair how we Safety and Security only have 100 Specialist Chris Tipparking spots pins. West Potomac and our school HS and Mount Verhas over 2,600 non HS have 1,959 students,” said Many students park at the United Korean students and 1,783 Layton. students, respectively. Church, arriving as early as 6:30 a.m. “I feel bad “Out of the three schools that I am a junior and I have a parking I have worked at, [AHS] has the smallest space, and I feel bad because I see seniors amount of parking spaces.” competing with sophomores and juniors Coupled with AHS’s lack of space on for spaces,” said junior Tim Hepburn, school grounds is a lack of space in the who has a parking space near the track. surrounding community. “The commu“I wish we had more parking spots. A nities have tightened up and now you lot of other schools have tons of park- have to have a neighborhood permit [to ing spaces, like Lake Braddock, South park there],” said Tippins. “CommuniCounty, Woodson and Westfield.” ties don’t want the mess.” AHS does have significantly fewer parking spaces in comparison to other “PARKING” continued on page 5 schools in regards to their student

Senior Skylar Leslie takes a look at her new prom dress in the mirror.

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Do you think that China should be able to host the Olympics?

As juniors face higher competition for spaces, they again question why there are so few

LINDSAY JACOBS

Students admitted to Governor’s School

With Prom scheduled for May 30, seniors are beginning to finalize their plans in the hopes of making this year’s “big night” all that they had hoped it would be. However, with the economy in downturn and gas prices skyrocketing, seniors are finding themselves spending more than usual. “I have been saving up money to pay for everything,” said senior Skylar Leslie who is in a group of 12. “I have already spent about $300.” “I have spent around $400 to $450,” said senior Angela Siler. Though some girls splurge for the perfect dress, guys often have to do double duty, paying for dual dinners and dual spots in limos. “I am paying for everything except [my date’s] dress,” said Senior Cameron Schlerman. “I am going to be extremely broke.” This year’s Prom, hosted by the Class of 2008 will be at the Waterford in Springfield, following the theme “Springtime in Paris.” The expenses for this year’s prom will add up to $20,000. The senior class has obtained money through fundraisers but the cost will primarily be paid by revenue from the selling of tickets, which will go for $45 a person this year. Tickets will be sold

COURTESY OF SKYLAR LESLIE

VOLUME #54 ISSUE 12

ANNANDALE HIGH SCHOOL

Marc Gutman, star of Calculus: The Musical!, gives a shout out to integrals through rap.

Parents of eighth grade students chatting in Clausen Hall on Thursday night, April 24, might have been taken aback by loud rapping emanating from the AHS auditorium, coupled with the sounds of cheering students. Though a faint Eminem beat was discernable within the electrified noise, the featured artists were hardly heralded

Billboard artists. In fact, they were rapping about calculus. That ‘s right. Calculus. Matheatre’s presentation of Calculus: The Musical!, a free show attended by Fairfax County students from over eight schools, featured musical models of songs by Simon and Garfunkel, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and of course, Eminem himself, fit to lyrics associated with high school math’s pinnacle subject. Numbers (names included “Without Rei-

mann,” the rap spoof, and “Triggy Rules”) were complete with lyrics describing some of calculus’s most important components, including the Product Rule, the Quotient Rule, and “everyone’s favorite,” L’Hopital’s Theorem. Calculus: The Musical! is probably the first of its kind, according to creators Sadie Bowman and Marc Gutman (also the show’s stars). The unique approach to math CALCULUS” continued on page 5


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