2 10-11 Editorials argues that high school sports are sexist towards girls
In-Depth examines the LGBT and feminist movements taking place in Oct.
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International
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focuses on how knowledge of foreign politics is scarce for AHS students
profiles the Audrey Moore Rec Center farmers market
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Sports X-tra features senior Paige Britton’s commitment to Liberty University for lacrosse
ANNANDALE HIGH SCHOOL
the VOLUME #57 ISSUE 3
12
4700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003
Informiing the Atoms siince 1954 4
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 10, 2012
(703) 642-4229
Homecoming returns Annual tradition begins with spirit week, finishing with dance
PHOTO COURTESY OF LIFETOUCH
BY DANA FILIPCZYK News Editor
By the numbers
$8 50 99
The number of dollars a hayride costs at Homestead Farm in Maryland See page 20 The average number of people who get speeding tickets in Fairfax County in one day See page 14 The percentage of the world that did not know about Joseph Kony See page 12
Seniors win Class Acts Congratulations to the Class of 2013 for winning the annual theater competition, Class Acts, on Oct. 3. This is the first time that any class has won the competition every year that they have competed. Besides from winning Best Play/Best Director, the award for Best Actress went to senior Olivia Buckley, Best Supporting Actor went to senior Alexander Lash, and Best Supporting Actress went to senior Marwa Eltahir.
Senior obligations due Any seniors that have not paid their senior dues must pay them today. The amount is $62. Seniors will need to pay during their lunch periods in the cafeteria.
Interims distributed to students On your smartphone, scan this code using the application “QR Code” to read about students’ reactions to their interim grades.
“Homecoming” continues on page 5
Welcome to Hollywood Germans to visit AHS Senior Andrew Riddle to star in feature-length film BY GWEN LEVEY Co-Editor in Chief A familiar flash of red hair and freckles usually greets those who walk through the hallways near the theater department, chorus or band wing. For the past few weeks however, this familiar face has been missing. Senior Andrew Riddle is playing a role in the upcoming film Ping Pong Summer, which is currently in production and has taken Riddle back and forth between school and filming in Ocean City. Written by director Michael Tully, who directed such films as Septien and Cocaine Angel, the film revolves around a teenage boy who visits Ocean City for a summer in 1985. There, he meets new friends and enemies while facing many challenges throughout the film’s duration. Riddle plays Dale, a school bully who torments the lead protagonist, who is played by upcoming actor Joseph Allen McCaughtry, during his vacation.
Choral department prepares to host 42 German exchange students BY COLLEEN ADENAN Co-Editor in Chief
“I have been professionally acting since I was six, but this is my first major role in a movie, so it’s my first break,” Riddle said. “When I was younger I would do commercials, voice overs, extra or small roles in movies, but nothing this big.” Set in 1985, the film revolves around a teenage boy who visits Ocean City for a summer
Continuing a popular tradition, the hallways at AHS will soon be filled with faces of German choral exchange students. The students from the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Gymnasium (DBG) will arrive on Oct. 13 and be greeted by their host families students at AHS. Most of the host families will consist of choral students. “I’m excited to visit New York [after my stay in Virginia], meet my host family and see what life is like in America,” DBG sophomore Leon Ruddat said. In addition to rehearsing for a concert with the AHS students, the DBG students will be visiting several tourist attractions such as the Newseum, Mount Vernon, Tysons Corner, the Kennedy Center, Arlington Cemetery, the Pentagon, the Capitol and a visit to an Amish community. The German students will also attend classes with their host AHS students on Oct. 19. Seniors will be able to go to
“Student film” continues on page 5
“Germans” continues on page 5
Riddle (right) sits with co-actress, Maddie Howard, at one of the first press conferences for the film.
Students dollars stretched as prices continue to rise Money for clubs, organizations, and yearbook change BY CHRISTINE TAMIR New Editor The beginning of the school year is renowned for its seemingly-endless cash flow; with a $73 yearbook, $62 senior dues, $200 parking pass and countless dues for clubs, it triggers the question; where is all your money going? “I think the money directly goes to our school, or the county,” junior Jasmine Pringle said. Pringle isn’t far from the truth; in reality, where the money goes depends on where it is collected from. It is often split by a specific percentage that is set by the county or school board. For example, only 15 percent of the $200 student parking passes is back to the school. That means only $30 of what one pays directly benefits the school. The 15 percent of each parking
pass is deposited into one of the Local School Activity Funds (LSAF) accounts, which are used at the principal’s discretion, to purchase things to promote student and faculty safety, such as cones and parking signs. The remaining 85 percent goes to the county school board, which then allocates funds into many different programs. “They have tons of documents that verify where their funds go,” financial technician Cheryl Kraus said. Of the $5 that students pay to attend football games, only 50 percent goes to the school. “It’s revenue sharing,” Director of Student Services Karl Kerns said. “Just for varsity football.” The money you pay at concession stands at football games goes to the band boosters, while the money you pay at the concession stand in the jock lobby goes towards the athletic boosters account, which help pay for field maintenance; including the mowers and tractors, which can cost up to $50,000. As for The Antenna Yearbook,
NGAN PHAM
6
The number of steps students can take to get their grades up See page 9
Principal Viincent Randazzo crowns last year’s Homecoming Queen, Cynthia Quintanilla at least year’s Homecoming Game.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW RIDDLE
4
The number of orchestras at AHS See page 8
Togas, bonfires and pep rallies: Homecoming week is just around the corner and students and teachers are getting ready for a week filled with AHS spirit. “I am thrilled and I can’t wait for another year filled with Homecoming events,” marketing teacher and leadership advisor Stephanie Harmony said. The Homecoming Spirit Days for the week have been decided and include: “America” Monday, TieDye Tuesday, Wacky Tacky Wednesday, Roll out of Bed Thursday and Atomic Friday. On Atomic Friday, freshmen wear white, sophomores wear red, juniors wear face paint and seniors wear togas. In addition to the Spirit Days, there will be the Powderpuff game on Oct. 23 at 6 p.m., where junior and senior girls will play flag football, along with the annual bonfire. On Oct. 26, the school day will end with the fall pep rally. After school, the Homecoming parade will take place at 4 p.m. The parade will start in the back parking lot and will continue throughout the Annandale neighborhood. All students are encouraged to come
Several prices, such as those for snacks in vending machines, have increased since last year.
the price has risen dramatically; the initial price at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school was only $45, but this year the price for yearbooks has risen to $65. “Last year we didn’t sell as many books as we needed to,” senior coeditor in chief Elizabeth Waugh said. “So this year we needed to order a fewer number of books, we have to make them more expensive.”
Since AHS is a public school, many expect school fees to be either insignificant or nonexistent, which isn’t the case- especially in economic times like these. “One of the drawbacks of public education is that people think public school is free,” administrative assistant Jennifer Sharp said. “But it’s not.”
Do you believe that females receive the same amount of recognition for their athletic abilities as males? “No, because a lot of people think that men are more dominant.”
— Genesis Solorazano freshman
“No, because people have gottn the idea that women can’t do as much as men.”
—Deanna Gowland sophomore
“No, because the men’s sports have announcements and fliers and receive much more publicity.”
— Maylale Eyob junior
“No, because guy’s sports are more liked than girl’s sports abd most guys make fun of girl’s sports.”
Being treated ‘like a girl’ Females do not receive the deserved recognition for their athletic abilities By Christine Tamir News Editor “You throw like a girl,” is a demeaning insult I’ve heard my whole life. I thought that it was nothing more than a juvenile insult. But fast forward ten years, and the effects of the not-so-subtle slight still haven’t been eradicated from the culture of high school sports. Of course there are differences between male and female physiology, but more muscle mass doesn’t necessarily make a game more exciting. Varsity girls basketball coach Patrick Hughes explains the differences between male and female physiology, but sees the advantages of both “Obviously there are going to be girls who are more athletic than some guys, but if you take the two groups and compare them evenly, guys are generally going to be able to jump higher, run faster, all that kind of stuff,” varsity girls basketball coach Patrick Hughes said. “But I think the girls, actually, a lot of times play a smarter game than the guys. They can actually do things at a mental level that the guys sometimes don’t have the patience to do.” According to Hughes, what girls lack in strength, they make up for with the employment of clever strategies. In that case, why the obvious preference for male sports? Senior Khalid Abdu thinks that if a 25-year-old woman and a 25-year-old male play the same sport, the woman’s skills aren’t close to equal to the skills of her male counterpart. “It’s like watching guys play basketball when they’re 25 or 15 [years old],” senior Khalid Abdu said. “Which one would you rather watch?”
Females are often underrepresented in high school sports, especially on the AHS golf team, where there is only one girl.
Strength isn’t everything; and in some sports, girls can perform just as well as the boys, and even better. Softball is a great example. The balls are actually harder, bigger and heavier than the standard baseball. Softball players throw softballs as far as the boys throw the baseball, and often, even faster. Despite the outstanding performances of softball players, the skills of female athletes are often underrated, if attention is paid to them at all. The disparagement of females in co-ed sports has even gone so far as to prevent us from playing with the other gender. Sierra Harr, one of the top female high school golfers in Idaho, was not allowed to play on the Castleford HS boys team for the fall sports season. It turned out that it wasn’t a result of boys complaining about
Total Death Row Inmates By State: April 1, 2012
arker’s arks Editorials Column
Total number of death row inmates in the United States: 3,170
— Sherief Beshara senior “No, because in professional and amatuer, for example pro softball, women’s sports don’t draw as much attention”
—Jamie Caryannis senior — Compiled by Megan Ryan
QUOTE COLLECTION
The A-Blast wants to hear your opinion. Your response to the following question might be features in our quote collection:
Do you agree with the United States’ current stance on the death penalty? E-mail your responses to ablast.editorials@gmail.com
Why Obama should win In your smartphone, scan the QR code to read a student’s opinion about Obama and why he should win the 2012 election against Mitt Romney.
A criminal is on the run from the cops. All he has is a few bucks, half a pack of cigarettes and a gun. He sees a car in the distance. He runs to it and points the gun at the person in the car. Yelling at them, he tells them to get out of the car. The driver refuses. The criminal is desperate. Bang. Dead. The driver is dead and the criminal drives away, only later to get caught. He is sent to prison and then death row, only to wait 20 years to be executed. And who is paying for his stay there? You. The death penalty is a common punishment for those who commit horrendous crimes. But the question is, are we not using it enough? Every year in America, taxpayers spend $32 billion on prisons. That’s right. $32 billion. None of you will ever see that much money in your life. And where is it going? To prisons, to help murders, rapists and thieves stay alive and healthy. We pay for their food, medical bills and housing. Each inmate costs around $22,000 a year. The average American salary is around $51,000, according to USA Today. So its costs half of the average American salary to pay for an inmate. Many of these inmates are in for small crimes, such as stealing, public intoxication or even forgery. They are put into prison for a short amount of time, where they go through treatment and rehab, preparing to get back in the real world. But what about those who have committed terrible crimes and are just waiting on death row? Why even wait? I do not want to sound like a cold-hearted cynic, but looking at it from a business point of view, it good to give second chances? Yes, but when
SOURCE: DEATHPENALTYINFO.ORG, GRAPHIC BY DESTINY GAMMON
By James Barker
“Yes, because, Olympics sportswise, women get similar attention. But for school sports like field hockey verses football, not as much.”
Harr’s participation on a men’s team; but was a result of jealous rival team coaches complaints. The team coaches looked for a loophole that could damage Castleford’s chances of winning by turning Harr into a liability instead of a tremendous asset for her team. As the sole female player on the golf team, I already could tell the incident with Harr wasn’t one of a kind, having already encountered many demeaning comments about the skills of my gender. As female athletes, we fight two battles: the constant upward climb to improve on the field, course, court or track (that every player faces) and the struggle to be recognized as equal to our male counterparts. It’s a sentiment that some of my competitors scoff at, but is vitally important to societal progress in high schools.
It’s a life or death situation B
— Kaitlin Martindale junior
Oct. 10, 2012
DESTINY GAMMON
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Editorials
it comes to murder, there should never be a second chance. The very idea of murder is sickening. Then why would we put so much money into keeping these murderers alive when they have already made their decisions? The different views I’ve received on the subject of the death penalty were all across the board. Many of them believed it was inhumane and wrong. My argument to them was the fact that the criminal had killed someone. The other argument they gave me was that they believed that executing the prisoners was more expensive. That is absolutely, and incredibly wrong. As I said earlier, the cost spent on prisons each year is around $32 billion. The amount spent on executions every year is only around $1 billion. That is a heck of a lot cheaper if you ask me.
I don’t want to go around putting down every single criminal out there because there are many of them who have changed their ways and have gone through rehab and treatment. I just don’t understand why certain criminals are kept alive for so long. Some can spend years waiting in death row, just waiting for the day to be executed. These men already decided their fates. Their decisions have destroyed other people’s lives and crumbled their families. Why do they deserve to have us pay for them to live? That’s our money and I don’t really feel like paying for murders, serial killers and rapists to stay alive when we should help those who are actually in need like the poor, old and sick. In a life or death situation, criminals chose death when they commit murder on innocent individuals, so shouldn’t we?
Staff Editors In Chief: Colleen Adenan Gwen Levey Managing Editor: Ngan Pham Editorials Editors: Destiny Gammon Omnia Saed News Editors: Dana Filipczyk Christine Tamir People Editors: Kate Grandchamp Carli Loeb Health Editors: Kylee Nisker Art Editors: Abby Barnes Carina Chu
Annandale High School 4700 Medford Dr. Annandale, Virginia 22003 email: theablast@gmail.com
Academics Editors: Molly Keck Berta Tarqui In-Depth Editors: K.L. Hoang Noah Fitzgerel International Editors: Joe Sehrer Shamaim Syed Photography Editors: Priya Adhikary Chloe Loving Lifestyles Editors: Gaby Camilli Megan Flynn Sports Xtra Editors: Ayah Oweis Sports Editors: Jared Golub Betsy Kruse Vol. 58 No.3 Oct. 10, 2012 fax: (703) 642-4299
Entertainment Editors: Sarah Bergen Emily Blank Weekend Editors: Andrea Melendez Rowan Shartel Ad Manager: Stephanie Allshouse Circulation Manager: Hannah Carlson Copy Editors: Stephen Oakes Patricia Webb Web Editor: Rachel Wilson Web Staff: Jared Lefbom Head Photographer: Olivia Lafferty
Head Videographer: Nadia Elgendy Staff Writers: James Barker Yesenia Blount Bayley Brill Thien Mai Nuhami Mandefro Sarah Metzel Omar Haddou Erin Johnson Megan Ryan Mark Slough Shira Steinberg Alec Stewart Johnathan Telda Sandra Webb Elizabeth Zernick
Photographers: Melanie Bennett Katherine Bonilla Daniel Hiwot Tiffany Huynh Erin Johnson Habib Khalid Videographers: Medhane Berihun Richie Fruchterman Hiwot Daniel Alejandra Iriarte Alex Lewis Habib Khalid Laelle Mekonen Amir Mohammed Fahmi Mohammad Rahel Tecle 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, 2012.
Editorials
Oct. 10, 2012
Traditions keep marching?
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Trending Topics
The band will play at Wakefield Chapel’s annual parade after boundary change By Megan Ryan Special Columnist On Oct. 27 the marching band will be performing and marching in the Chapel Square Civic Association Annual Halloween parade. You might be thinking why, since the Wakefield Chapel area is not a part of the Annandale Pyramid anymore — but it is for the simple fact that the tradition of having the AHS Marching Band perform at the Chapel Square Halloween is extremely important for the residents of the neighborhood as well as for AHS’s marching band members. Some of the students in the Marching Band have Above, the Marching Atoms being led last year by Percussion director Scott Niehoff at the Chapel Square Halloween parade. grown up going to the parade, and they will all tell you it was something to look forward to as a kid. amount to me. I have been to every single parade for the AHS Marching Band. Citizens of Chapel This Halloween parade is a time for the kids to get since before I was a year old. Living a part of it Square come together and pass around donation dressed up in their awesome costumes, hang out every year since I’ve been in the band means that boxes, to help raise money for the band. This with friends and be a part of something amazing. I’m not only being in my own childhood dream, but fundraiser is one of many to help make the band I remember when I was a kid and going to this allowing other kids to have that dream too,” senior program run sufficiently. The Marching Band parade, that when the Marching Band showed up Paul Helfgott said. You finally got to be a part of raises several hundred dollars which can make a we were so excited to see them and we looked up at something you spent your entire childhood going huge difference in the yearly budget. With this boundary change, this tradition will them as if they were celebrities. They were blowing to see and looking up to. “It’s an important tradition that really brings be erased throughout the years, along with major into all of these weird shaped items to make a sound. And this, to me, was incredible. When the the community together and it’s a great time to funding for the band program. This parade is more students that grew up going to the Parade actually celebrate the Halloween spirit,” AHS and Marching than just an ordinary community parade, it’s a fun and festive tradition that means a lot to the got to participate in the event, it was an amazing Band Alumni Colleen Salpini said. The parade is not just for the enjoyment of the Wakefield Chapel community and a lot to the kids experience. “It [Chapel Square Parade] means an incredible kids attending, the parade is a great fundraiser that spent their entire life attending it.
Class of 2013 will not be carrying out the senior stampede this year, as the AHS administration has banned it after injuries reported last year
The Washington Nationals are the NL East Division champions
Rethinking adult roles in schools Counselors play an important role for student guidance Frustration. We’ve all felt it at one point or another in our lives. However, when this emotion bleeds into other aspects of our life, it can sometimes be inappropriate or even detrimental. Many students have felt the effects of being overlooked by an adult in the building. After the experience, students can be left feeling uninspired and unmotivated. Ultimately, adults in school institutions should be mindful of their responses to students both behaviorally and verbally. I was personally discouraged by an adult during my high school career. After telling her what university I wanted to attend, she bluntly told me I would not get in. I was completely appalled and offended at her statement. The individual may have not intended to be so piercingly assuming with her words, but it had an after effect. The meeting made me think she had no belief that I could possibly succeed in the future. Subsequently, it made me feel aghast because I was taught to respect and revere elders who had a hand in my education. Lastly, it caused me to try to avoid any future meetings until absolutely
OMNIA SAED
By Rukan Said Special to the A-Blast
necessary. This is a backwards way of operating because students should be able to feel comfortable while talking to adults in academic establishments. We are all human, therefore we can all understand that some days are more challenging than others. Further, we’re not always readily and happily accepting of the challenge before us. But when people allow situations of stress to consume them, they cannot perform their best. Primarily in positions of influence, people should be attentive
to how their reactions could affect the person they are interacting with, and strive to be their best in the present moment. People have the potential to perform their best when they are indulged in the task at hand. When a person can be totally present, they communicate appropriately and are mindful. Adults who can come off as brash through communication, have an affect on a young impressionable mind. Adults whether in schools, clinics, or any other establishment, should
work to tear down walls gently and create a safe space for the person they are serving. These adults should also help and contribute to a person’s academic, personal, and professional growth. High school is a critical time where adolescents need someone to believe in them. These are the turning points where young students manifest into working adults. What is of utmost importance is the beliefs instilled in these students through support and interaction. It is those beliefs introduced in teenage years, when an individual is the most susceptible, that also shapes a person’s choices and actions in the future. If those choices and actions are detrimental based on the quality of guidance an individual received, then it is likely they cannot be effective contributing members of society. In conclusion, I would like to add that it is not fundamentally up to adults only. Students are responsible for seeking help from adults who are in authority positions. They are also responsible for the way they approach adults in their academic surroundings and outside of school. Students should only expect to be treated in a respectful and dignified way when they embody it in their initiation. Overall, the responsibility lies on both parties. When both sides can cohesively communicate in a courteous manner, then the complete environment of the school has the potential to thrive.
Middle East protests have gone too far By Elisha Musih Special to The A-Blast Many of us have heard about the protests in the Middle East, which in reality is a global issue as it has encompassed 30 nations so far. Whether it is through reading about attacks on embassies or watching videos of furious mobs going wild, the protests in many parts of the Middle East have become violent, ugly and just flat out unacceptable. The violence started around this year ’s anniversary of 9/11 with the attack on the U.S. embassy in Libya. Four Americans were killed and the United States’ embassy and flag was burned. “Senseless” and totally “unacceptable” as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton put it in a press conference regarding the tragedies. The protests were sparked from outrage over a short film. More attacks since, have been done on other places such as western brand stores. In Lebanon protesters attacked American food chains. The worst was in Pakistan, where as usual the smallest of things spark the utmost intolerance and inappropriateness. Protesting in Pakistan can be summarized as such, “I am upset with another country, and so let me burn my own country.” Is it only me? The protesting in Pakistan has resulted in countless cars and shops being burned. All just because the protestors were “outraged”? The car and shop owners were just ordinary citizens like them who had nothing to do with the film. In reality, they probably never even heard about the film. I
feel remorse for those people who lost their shops. Do the protestors even realize that they burned someone’s livelihood? So many families have lost their whole businesses. Someone must have worked for years to be able to save up to open his own business, and within minutes, gone. Not to mention how many have died because of protesting. There obviously is some education problem, if people are willing to take other people’s lives over a 14 minute movie trailer. But the worst of all and most unacceptable, in Pakistan, was the attacks and arsonary on religious places. Many churches and Hindu Temples were plundered and burnt, all over Pakistan. Religious books destroyed. But let’s look at the bigger picture. These churches and Temples were community centers; many of them included schools. Living as minorities, Christians and Hindus focus and stay united through these holy places, which serve as a unifying center for the communities. By destroying the religious center, the radicals caused many communities to lose what was most important to them. These religious places were built long before, and many communities can’t afford to rebuild proper worship facilities. Again, just because someone only said something about their religion, actually physically inflicted problems on other religious communities is not justified. They were not American. No, they were Pakistani citizens living peacefully. They probably also never heard about the films. Now, in which religion is such a thing acceptable? Though the film is inappropriate, we live in a civilized country that allows freedom of speech. I understand that many of the nations in the Middle East are run by harsh, dictatorial figures who control what is released from their country, so many people assume that the U.S. “allowed” for the offensive film to be released. People need to understand that just because one
Do you think the anti-Islamic video should be banned from the Middle East? “It shouldn’t because people have freedom of press. All they have to do is not watch it.” — Nathan Ohene
Freshman “I don’t think it should be banned because it’s a violation of free speech.” — Thomas White
sophomore
“Yes, I think that since it has a certain amount of dislikes on Youtube then it should be taken off.”
— Sara Khan junior
“Yes, because I don’t think it’s right to make fun of other people’s religion.”
— Sarah Samee junior COURTESY OF “INNOCENCE OF MUSLIMS”
Anti-American protests sweep the globe after the release of anti-Islamic film
Apple released an official apology for the company’s new map application on iPhone 5
Protests have swept the world due to an Anti-Islamic film
person says something does not mean the whole nation believes it. It is unacceptable to disrespect a country’s flag and embassy just because of one person’s radical beliefs. But I have the utmost respect for the many Muslims, who though were offended, did not go out and burn houses, cars, religious places or even threaten to behead the director of the film. Instead, they moved on with their lives. In reality, at one point or another everyone will get offended by what someone has to say. It’s normal, as well as important to remember that all institutions have radicals. So that should not affect our behavior with anyone because of their beliefs. At the end of the day, “If everyone took an eye for an eye, the whole world would be blind.”
“Yes. Islamic countries have been waiting to protest [and] the video has seriously depleted our relationships with other nations and has given the U.S. a bad rep. ”
— Sameen Yusuf senior “No, because they have the right to say that but that’s just something you shouldn’t say or do.” — Justice Garrish
senior
— Compiled by Megan Ryan
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News
Oct. 10, 2012
Eliminate Project underway Key Club begins fundraiser to raise money to immunize mothers in other countries
On Friday, October 5th, AHS’s Men’s Chorale heads back to middle school to help break social boundaries. Led by choral director Jessica Irish, the chorus is planning to perform for the boys’ choruses at both Poe MS and Holmes MS to act as role models for the younger boys. “It will give them a feel for what they have to look forward to in high school and understand what they are striving for in their chorus classes,” Irish said. The AHS choral department is hoping to encourage the middle school students to continue singing in high school, despite social pressures. “There’s this idea that it’s not cool for guys to sing in choir,” sophomore Steve Aderton said. “Which is entirely untrue.” The Men’s Chorale wants to interest middle schoolers in high school choir by encouraging them overcome some of that social influence. “[At AHS] men’s singers can achieve a high level and it’s something the boys take great pride in,” Irish said.
News Briefs College Visits Today there are three college visits from James Madison University, Virginia Wesleyan College and Stonehill College. Roanoke College will be visiting on Oct. 12. Please sign up through Family Connection on Blackboard beforehand.
JV Math Meet The AHS math department will ahve it’s first Junior Varsity Math League contest today, Oct. 10, after school in the cafeteria. Students sho are in Algebra 2 HN and below are invited to participate. A calculator is notneeded, and the test will last 30 minutes.
CHRISTINE TAMIR
By Sandra Webb Staff Writer
The AHS Key Club held its first meeting of the year on Oct. 8. Several service projects were announced, including the Eliminate Project. The Eliminate Project is a collaboration with UNICEF in an effort to provide vaccines to those affected by maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT). The disease is often deadly to many mothers and their children, especially in third world countries. Roughly 60,000 people die as a result of tetanus every year. “What’s most important about tetanus is its severe effect towards the newborn,” junior club president Christine Tamir said. “It wracks the babies with painful spasms that does not allow them to live as long as normal newborns. It ruins the bond between the mother and her baby because a baby’s first interaction is with its mother, and not even the mother’s touch can comfort the babies afflicted by tetanus.” The AHS Chapter of Key Club has been placed in District 20D along with area schools such as Lake Braddock SS and George C. Marshall HS. The district plans on collecting $15,000 by the end of this year’s event, surpassing the $10,000 earned last year. At the district level, the club has its sights set on beating Lake Braddock SS, which led the district with around $7000 raised the previous year. Senior Co-Treasurer Wenhui Huang was optimistic about the fundraiser and the prospects of outearning
Students are ecnouraged to donate to the UNICEF trick or treat boxes that many Key Club members carry with them.
Lake Braddock SS. “It’d be nice to beat Lake Braddock but we just want to raise as much money as we can,” Huang said. Members were issued black and white UNICEF boxes to collect donations as one of many methods to raise funds for the project. The club has planned bake sales and neighborhood walks as well. In addition, the Lieutenant Governor of District 20D, Raeford Penny, has also proposed competitions within the district such as ultimate frisbee or kickball to acquire proceeds for the Eliminate Project. MNT is not often a popular topic of conversation in many AHS circles. Most, if not all, infants in the country are administered the tetanus booster shot during infancy, curtailing its spread in the U.S. The club hopes to raise awareness about the disease, as well as collect donations. “I think it’s pretty useful in raising awareness for tetanus because not many people including me know
about it,” sophomore Kiet Do said. Junior Kristina Nguyen praised the involvement that the Eliminate Project will bring to the chapter’s members. Nguyen explains, “I think it’s one of the club’s better fundraisers because members can help other people in the community rather doing it just for the hours.” The Key Club will be selling $2 wristbands to help fulfill their goals for the project. $1.80 of each wristband proceeds are used to provide the mothers 3 boosters to immunize them during their childbearing years. The additional 18 cents would cover the cost to make the wristbands and the other 2 cents go to Kiwanis, Key Club’s parent organization, for future service projects. “It’s a real worthwhile project and I’m glad that our Key Club can make an impact,” co-club sponsor Lindsay Zurawski said.
Group IV project to begin this year
IB students begin interdisciplinary science project By Bayley Brill Staff Writer The beginning of year is usually used to get adjusted to new classes, but for IB science students, it is time to start working on Group IV. Group IV is a five-week long science project that all IB students are required to participate in. The idea of this project is to connect all areas of IB science, including Biology, Physics, Environmental Systems, Chemistry and Design Tech. Each group has at least one person from each of the five areas of science, to show students how all sciences are connected and how they work together. The biggest change from last year, is that there is no in-school field trip. Last year, all of the Group IV students were allowed to participate in an in-school field trip where they did their experiments
BAYLEY BRILL
Men’s Chorale Field Trip
By Thien Mai Staff Writer
Two partners of a Group IV group attempt to create a research question at the meeting on Oct. 5. Students will be researching the question for the duration of the project.
over the course of the whole day. Instead, this year, in conjunction with the guiding statement, “Sustainable Park Design for the 21st century,” students will take a field trip to Lake Accotink to carry out their research. Most students are a little daunted by what they hear from previous Group IV participants, but they are ready to start.
“I know it will be a lot of work, but I’m not too worried about it,” junior Kelly Pratt said. But in the end, students feel like the project does pay off. “In the beginning, I didn’t understand group IV, but afterwards it helped me look at sciences in a global context, and helped me gain an understanding of interdisciplinary science projects are
like,” senior Jenny Jessen said. Group IV is broken into three phases, and from the day the project is assigned, students have a little more than two weeks to complete the first stage of the project, with consists of creating a research question, getting all of the background research finished and evaluating their fellow group members. After that, the second phase of the project occurs on Oct. 30, when all of the IB science students take a field trip to Lake Accotink to conduct their research, and the third phase is the after school presentation of all of the projects on Nov. 11. Teachers are looking forward to seeing what their students can come up with. “We gave the students an outline of what needs to be considered in designing sustainable parks. There are always a few groups that really take this and run with it. That’s exciting to see,” science teacher Thomas Chorman said. Group IV runs from Oct. 1 to Nov. 11, and involves the students creating a better park design. “Our world is constantly changing, and this is a great way for students to get involved on a local level and be a part of
AHS Feminist Club
Rain Barrel Workshop this Saturday
The AHS Feminist club will meet today, Oct. 10 after school in Trailer 8. All who support the mission of educating girls in poorer countries, where they don’t share the same opportunities as boys are invited to attend.
Green Atoms holds workshop to creat barrels to collect run-off water
Spanish Honor Society Meeting
By Dana Filipczyk News Editor
Governor’s school interest meeting All academically high-achieving students in 10th or 11th grade are invited to attend the interest meeting in the auditorium today, Oct. 10 in the auditorium. If you are unable to attend, or want more information, talk to Ms. Scaefer or Ms. Rafaelli in the Student Services office.
Bus Crash On your smartphone, scan the above code using the application “QR Code” to view a story about the the bus crash that happened on Little River Turnpike on Oct. 3.
COURTESY OF URI.EDU
The Green Atoms will be hosting a rain barrel workshop on Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the cafeteria to promote water conservation. In order to participate in the event, registration must be completed along with a $55 transaction three days prior to the event on Oct. 10. The payment will provide the proper items needed to build a rain barrel on the workshop day. During the event, participants will learn how to build, install and maintain a rain barrel. “I am very excited for this event because it is something new and different from what the Green Atoms normally does and the events usually hosted here at Annandale,” Green Atoms sponsor and French teacher Joelle Rudney said. “It would be nice to see a lot of people who are interested to come to the event and learn about little changes you can do that can make a
An example of what the rain barrels the Green Atoms are going to make on Saturday, Oct. 13 are supposed to look like.
that we got the community involved in a convenient and smart way to help the environment,” sophomore Aniqa Rashid and Green Atoms officer said. “I feel a great sense of satisfaction just because of all the actions we are taking that are making an impact.”
PSAT to be administered October 17 Students begin to turn in fees, opinions on NMSQT differ from student to counselor By Yesenia Blount Staff Writer Freshmen, sophomores and juniors prepare to take the PSATs on Wednesday Oct.17. For juniors, their PSAT scores could aid in qualifying them for the National Merit Scholarship, which is partnered with College Board. To qualify for a National Merit Scholarship a student must be a junior with the qualifying scores in reading, writing, and math. If a junior qualifies for a National Merit Scholarship they have the opportunity
YESENIA BLOUNT
There will be a mandatory Spanish Honor Society meeting today after school for all current members of Spanish Honor Society and those who recieved an application at the end of last year in room 243. Please see Ms. Hunt if you can’t attend.
large impact in the environment.” The rain barrels are made from recycled pickle and olive barrels and hold up to 55 gallons of water. The size is approximately 23 inches wide and the height ranges from 41.25 inches to 43.75 inches. A rain barrel collects water from the roof by being placed under a downspout. One of the major uses of a rain barrel is to use the collected rainwater for plants. “I love getting involved and making a difference,” junior and Green Atoms officer Suzy Laime said. “I am interested in making a barrel myself, because it is a great investment.” There are currently two rain barrels for use in AHS’s organic garden, however both need repairs. The two rain barrels will be repaired during the workshop day, and will then use the collected rainwater for the crops growing in the garden. “It makes no sense to not use rain to water plants in the garden,” Rudney said. “From having these rain barrels, we will conserve water and money.” Students and staff members are encouraged to participate in the event. Visit the website http:// arlingtonenvironment.org/barrel/ in order to register and pay the $55 fee for the materials to build the rain barrel. Also, contact Rudney in M-24 for any other questions regarding the event. “This rain barrel workshop is a great idea knowing
Students have until Oct. 12 to pay the $17 (or $9 if on free or reduced lunch) to recieve their PSAT scores.
to apply for multiple scholarships. “The PSATs are more important than the SATs, so having these National Merit competitions helps students take it more seriously,” junior Kat Mendoza said. The PSATs consist of three parts. Two 25 minute critical reading sections, two 25 minute math sections, and one 30 minute writing skill section. The English section consists of sentence completion questions
and critical reading questions. The math section consists of multiple choice and grid-in questions. The questions are made up of numbers, operations, algebra, functions, geometry, measurement, data analysis, and statistics. The writing section consists of identifying syntax errors, improving sentences, and improving paragraphs. “English is going to be the hardest subject because the reading material is difficult to understand,” sophomore Shawn Diggs said. There are multiple scholarships that students can compete in that require PSAT scores rather than SAT scores. The National Hispanic Recognition Program was established to aid outstanding Hispanic/Latino students with college and maintaining their GPA. The National Scholarship Service was established to identify African American students with outstanding PSAT scores and help them enter two or four year universities and maintain their GPA. “PSATs are just for the experience and practice for the SATs,” counselor Marcelo Valencia said.
News
A Blast
the
Oct. 10, 2012
School-wide event begins “Homecoming” continued from page 1
and support the Annandale Atoms. Then the day will end with the football game against the South County Stallions at 7:30 p.m. Homecoming week will be wrapped up with the dance, which will be held in the main gym from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. The theme for the dance will be the “Atomic City of Lights.” “We want to decorate the gym a lot, but we won’t add too many lights in, because everybody likes to have the gym stay dark,” SGA President and senior Olivia Franjie said. “We are still going to make sure that this dance is a lot of fun.”
Homecoming dance ticket sales begin on Oct. 15 and end on Oct. 26. Tickets will cost $15 for the first week of sales, but the price will go up to $20 for the second week. The last day to purchase a ticket for a guest that is not an AHS student is Oct. 24. “This year we want to get a lot of students to attend the dance,” Franjie said. “We are advertising a lot and trying to get the turnout to be huge.” AHS students as well as those organizing the events are getting excited for the all of the upcoming Homecoming events. “I am looking forward to spirit week, because I love seeing students dress up and seeing all of the school spirit around the hallways,” Franjie said. “I am excited for this year, because it is my last year and I want to make it the best,” senior Sarah Hatch said.
News Briefs Homecoming Dance The annual Homecoming dance will be held on Oct. 27 in the main gym from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tickets go on sale starting on Oct. 15 during all lunches in the cafeteria. Oct. 26 will be the last day to buy tickets, and Oct. 24 is the last day to buy tickets for guests who are students at AHS. The price is $15 for the first week and $20 for the second week. PHOTO COURTESY OF LIFETOUCH
Spirit days announced for Homecoming week
Last year’s seniors based their class float off of “The Legend of Sleep Hollow.”
German Exchange program begins “German exchange” continued from page 1
a breakfast at IHOP and Tysons with the DBG students on Oct. 17 when the PSAT is administered. “I’m always excited for when the German students come to classes because it’s cool to see them getting a glance at what American schools are like,” senior Joe Rolen said. “It’s a nice distraction from class.” AHS has partook in the program with DBG for 12 years now. Before the program was at AHS, DBG students had a relationship with Langley HS and then Lake Braddock SS. “The only thing that really changes each year are the music and the students,” chorus teacher Jessica Irish said. “We have traditions that we always do and songs we always sing together. The students that come change, but it’s great when the students are able to be in the program two times because they’re more involved in it and they are already good friends.” Senior Victoria Beasley will be hosting German students for the second time. She will house two boys and one girl. “I’ve talked to two of them, and I expect to get along pretty well with them,”
Beasley said. “I think they’ll get along with my family as well. I’m really excited based on the conversations I’ve already had with them.” DBG alumnus Franziska Haas stayed with senior Jenny Ha the last time she visited AHS. She was excited to visit D.C. and NYC when she came to America. “I think the exchange program is the best way to get involved in the American life because you join your host families’ everyday life and get to know a lot about a student’s life in the U.S. which is very different than ours,” Haas said. “So when they visited us, it was very interesting to host the Americans and to introduce them to our culture and lifestyle. AHS students that already know the DBG students from previous trips have kept in touch over the years. “We’re all friends on Facebook, so we might comment on a status now and then, but we’re usually only in contact Chorus director Stephanie Irish leads a group of students in a song while visiting Germany. before, during and after the exchange,” Beasley said. department and the DBG department The DBG students often stay longer we hadn’t dealt with before.” The DBG choral students visit AHS will be held on Oct. 23. The AHS choral with their AHS families, but the coordinator for them scheduled their trip to be every other year, and AHS choral stu- department is hiring a professional orshorter than usual. The choral depart- dents travel to Germany to participate chestra to accompany them. “I’m really excited for the combined ment had a scare when they found that a in the same program during the summer few DBG students had not been assigned of the alternate year. Irish is most look- concert because we’ll be performing with ing forward to seeing the DBG choral about 160 people,” Irish said. “The fact a house yet. “Our families were able to pull to- director and his family. She stayed with that they’ve been working on the same gether to find them homes, and it was a them when the choral department went piece across the Atlantic Ocean and really great job on their part,” Irish said. to Germany last summer and became are going to sing with us is amazing.” AHS. Members of any club or interested “This situation happened last year as good friends with them. A concert combining the AHS choral students can be involved. well, so it wasn’t like it was something PHOTO COURTESY OF KATIE MOCK
Several students host foreign visitors
5
Electronic Devices
Only students with registered personal electronic devices may use their device during the school day. Devices are used for instruction use throughout the school day.
Buy Spirit Sleeves
Long sleeved spirit shirts will be sold at football games for $7.
Gay-Straight Alliance Meeting The Gay-Straight Alliance will meet afterschool on Oct. 10 at 2:15 in T-6.
Join BCAA Join BCAA, a club that helps spread awareness of black history and culture. Meetings are every Wednesday at 2:05 in room 287. All are welcome to join. For more information see Kathlyn Berry.
2013 Yearbooks
Yearbooks for the 2012-2013 school year are now on sale. Visit the AHS website for more details. Buy you yearbook before the price goes up.
Underclassmen Photos
Oct, 23 and 24 are the last days for underclassmen to take their photos for the yearbook. Pictures will be taken in the dance room.
Senior student stars in upcoming film “Student film” continued from page 1
in 1985. There, he meets new friends and enemies while facing many challenges throughout the film’s duration. Riddle plays Dale, a school bully who torments the lead protagonist, who is played by upcoming actor Joseph Allen McCaughtry, during his vacation. “I have been professionally acting since I was six, but this is my first major role in a movie, so it’s my first break,” Riddle said. “When I was younger I would do commercials, voice overs, extra or small roles in movies, but nothing this big.” Set in 1985, the film revolves around a teenage boy who visits Ocean City for a summer who meets new friends and enemies while facing many challenges
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW RIDDLE
Student divides his time between filming and school
while he is there. “[The film] is kind of like The Karate Kid, but with ping pong,” Riddle said. Riddle will be a part of nine very long scenes, so he is scheduled for nine days of filming and eight “hold days,” which are days where an actor should plan anything just in case the producers need for them to film or redo any scenes. For the audition, Riddle was called back to read a part from the script that they chose for each character. For Riddle in particular they wanted him to perform a scene without glasses because the producers felt that he looked more menacing without them. “I had to memorize the scene right there because I can’t read without my glasses, so that was fun,” Riddle said. “Also for the call back they brought in another boy to portray the other bully On the set of the film, a production manager uses a dolley to film a scene along the boardwalk. in order to see if I could interact well.” Riddle ended up being the only per- so I would be playing a role that is a scene for the part of Dale. They loved son to get a call back for the role of Dale, completely opposite of who I am in real me as the role.” Ever since, Ping Pong Summer has which is something he wasn’t expecting life,” Riddle said. “My agent said that a casting company who has seen me filled Riddle’s agenda with filming, when he went in to read for the role. “I was attracted to the role because before wanted me to audition for this hanging out with the cast, and press [I am playing] one of the two bullies, movie, so I said sure and went and read conferences publicizing the film.
The A-List actors of Ping Pong Summer
Senior Photos
Senior portraits will be taken on Oct. 18, 19 and 24. A schedule is posted outside of the Publications Lab, room 262.
Parents Night
A Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese Parent’s Night will be held on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. in Clausen Hall, the career center and the auditorium.
Collaboration Day
The next collaboration day and Freshman Transition Program will be on Oct. 24. For all students who rely on bus transportation, buses will be operating on normal schedule. Freshman muat be at school on time and be at the posted location assigned by counselors. All sophomores, juniors and seniors go to the main gym. Students should arrive to school no later than 8 a.m. Classes will begin at 8:27 a.m.
Homecoming Parade
Join the Homecoming parade on Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. in the back parking lot to cheer on the Annandale Atoms as they walk through the Annandale neighborhood.
Korean Bible Study
Korean Bible Study is held every other Friday at 2:15 in room 205. Every meeting students discuss a chapter from the Bible in English. Texts are provided in English and Korean.
Susan Sarandon Sarandon has starred in several films over her long career, including the original Rocky Horror Picture Show, Step Mother, Thelma & Louise, Dead Man Walking, and The Client. She has won several awards, including an Academy Award for Best Actress in Dead Man Walking.
Lea Thompson Best known for her role as Michael J. Fox’s mother in Back to the Future, Thompson currently stars in ABC Family’s hit show Switched at Birth. She is the winner of a People’s Choice Award and Saturn Award.
John Hannah Known for his roles playing eccentric characters in The Mummy, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Sliding Doors,
Amy Sedaris Sedaris is best known for her roles in Elf and CBS’s The Good Wife. Besides from acting, Sedaris is also an accomplished writer and comedian. She has been nominated for many awards and has made appearances on Saturday Night Live.
Wear Red and White Remember to wear red and white on Fridays in order to show your school spirit!
6
People
“I’m the most excited about finding a dress.”
—Amanda Adenan freshman
“I’m excited to go to the dance with my friends and party hard.”
—Richard Manahl sophomore
“I love all the school spirit.”
—Kaitleigh Fetterman junior
“I’m most excited for the preparation because I’m in leadership and getting the decorations is always fun.”
— Patricia Moriba senior –Compiled by Yesenia Blount
Celebrity Birthdays
A taste of stardom Sophomore Deanna Gowland shares her taste of fame By Kate Grandchamp People Editor “Oh, you mean that girl who looks like Zoey Deschanel?” Is the typical response to an inquiry of sophomore Deanna Gowland. But she is anything but The New Girl to the world of theater arts. Since her entrance as a three year old in her grandparents’ local theater version of The Music Man, she has sung, danced and acted her way through three years of membership on The Junior Cuisine Cooking Show. “The first season I was just a correspondent, doing field work, the second season I was part of the main cast and in every episode and now I’m kind of a main person so I’ve even done vocals for the show and am in theme song,” Gowland said. The show, which airs in Illinois, parts of Indiana and Wisconsin, is the first of its kind. It focuses on healthful eating and kitchen safety for kids ages six to 15. Her father is a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), so he constantly checks the websites of casting agencies. When he happened upon the casting call, it was an excuse to visit his brother, a Naval officer stationed in Chicago, whom he had not seen in over four years. “I’ve never actually taken an acting class,” Gowland said. “It just runs in my family.” Gowland’s maternal grandparents—her mother acts and works as a grip (backstage theater hand)—are famous directors in the local theater community, directing numerous shows in the DC-Metro area, many of which Gowland herself has had parts in. “My family supports me 100 percent,” Gowland said. “They don’t care that my focus is on extracurriculars more than school because I’m a good student.” Family clearly plays a key role in Gowland’s life, and the support of hers has carried her through her various experiences. The summer after her eighth grade year, 2011, her mother rented an un-airconditioned apartment in Chicago for two months during the filming of the second season of the show. “I wouldn’t say [their involvement] holds me back. I mean they’re willing to take me to auditions, it’s just the expenses that are the only thing that affects their support,” Gowland said. Finances did not prevent her from travelling to Chicago yet again this past summer for a major announcement about Junior Cuisine. “Right now the producers are marketing to Hong Kong and Europe. Plus Disney and Nickelodeon are looking at it, “ Gowland said. “I think it’s going to get really big because kids liketo cook but their parents are always stopping them because of safety [concerns].” Junior Cuisine is currently on hold, but Gowland believes that if a major network does end up picking up the show, it will be a huge hit. Any publicity stunts will be funded by the company.
Sophomore Deanna Gowland (top right) poses with some other cast members of Junior Cuisine.
“Fans coming to see me and get merchandise signed—the idea of personal appearances is surreal,” Gowland said. “...I’ve never even been to Hollywood, [let alone] out of the country.” “I’m not in an arts school because most of them are in D.C. or too far away. I’m planning on doing theater academy here, though,” Gowland said. She fully intends to pursue a career in acting, specifically a degree in musical theater. “Shenandoah University has an amazing conservatory I want to attend,” Gowland said. “But I’d really love to do Broadway and movie acting at some point too.” Although still an underclassman, Gowland is already involved in every aspect of theater available to her. “I’m in chorus, on the dance team, in the theatre program and I dance outside of school regularly as well as do theatre outside,” Gowland said. “I don’t think it’s too much to juggle; I stillhave time to watch TV.” Gowland specifies that she makes sure to complete everything listed on her room calendar before relaxing. For those interested, there are snippets of the first season on Youtube. “I’m not in those since I wasn’t technically part of the cast yet,” Gowland said. “And the second season is worth more before it’s aired, so it’s still
under wraps.” The closest Gowland has come to fame was getting to act alongside Russell Crowe (Gladiator, Robin Hood) as an extra in State of Play (Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren) at age 10. “The director chose two kids to do a scene with Russell and I was one of them. I was all like, ‘ok, let’s do this,’” Gowland said. “But on the inside I was going, ‘OMG! It’s Russell freaking Crowe!”’ When asked what her most memorable role is, however, Gowland chooses not the SAG-salary small part, but calls it a tie between two much lesser roles. “My favorite roles have been Mayzie in the Holmes MS production of The Seussical and as one of the Doo-Wop girls in AHS’s Little Shop [of Horrors] last year,” Gowland said. With Tom Hank’s versatility and Elle Fanning’s early debut as her inspirations, the Gowland has high hopes for the future. As for advice for fellow thespians, Gowland suggests creating a personalized background for a character, so that the role becomes more than simply parroting lines. “Just keep at it. You might get rejected sometimes, but then again you might get that one big break,” Gowland said.
Alumni Postcard: Jenna Truong
October 9 Sharon Osbourne 10 Brett Favre 11 Luke Perry 12 Josh Hutcherson 13 Chris Carter 14 Usher 15 Sarah Ferguson 16 John Mayer 17 Alan Jackson 18 Zac Efron 19 John Lithgow 20 Snoop Dogg 21 Kim Kardashian 22 Jonathan Lipnicki 23 Ryan Reynolds 24 Adrienne Bailon 25 Katy Perry 26 Hillary Clinton 27 Kelly Osbourne 28 Brad Paisley 29 Winona Ryder
PHOTO COURTESY OF DEANNA GOWLAND
What excites you the most about Homecoming this year?
Oct. 10, 2012
What are you majoring in? History, and I will be applying to the Curry (Education) school the spring.
What is your favorite memory from AHS? Raising almost $2,000 for the Science National Honor Society’s campaign with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
What is the best part of college? The amount of freedom that you have compared to high school with classes and activities; I never did photojournalism and now I am a sport photographer for the Cavalier Daily and WUVA Online.
• I majored in Photography and Art Education. • In my spare time I like to chase my dogs and my son. • I listen to everything but rap. • I have traveled to Israel. • My birthday is June 26. • The sports I have participated in include colorgaurd. • My favorite TV shows are anything on food network. • An interesting fact about me is that I have been an active part of Annandale High School since I was 10 years old. • My favorite part of working in a school is helping students discover who they are and who they want to be. • My motto is: “Love what you do and you will never work a day in your life.” • My favorite stores are Old Navy and Amazon.
What’s the best advice you can give students at AHS? Keep your notebooks and readings from high school; they will help you out with college classes as a reference source.
Who am I?
• I attended Virginia Intermont College.
On your smartphone, scan this code using the application “QR Code” to see a student spotlight of senior Michael Hennessey.
What was your favorite class/teacher AHS? IB History of the Americas with Mr.York.
When was your AHS graduation? I graduated in 2011.
• This will be my ninth year teaching at AHS.
Student Spotlight: Michael Hennessey
What activities were you involved in at AHS? Science National Honor Society, National Honor Society, Key Club, and It’s Academic!
What college do you attend? Univrsity of Virginia.
60 43 46 20 55 33 53 35 54 25 67 40 32 22 36 29 28 65 28 40 41
• This is my second year teaching at AHS. • I attended University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill. • I majored in English. • In my spare time, I like to play basketball, read and attempt to play the guitar. • I listen to almost all types of music, but catchy pop is my favorite. • I traveled to Kenya when I was a senior in high school. • My birthday is June 24. • The sports I have participated in include basketball, tennis, track, soccer and volleyball. • My favorite TV shows are The Office and The Voice. • My favorite part of working in a school is that everyday is different. Everyday brings different, inspiring, funny and sometimes crazy moments. • My motto is: “Life is all about choices.” • My favorite stores are JCrew and Nike Outlets. –Compiled by Carli Loeb
To find out who these teachers are, visit www.thea-blast.org/category/student-life/people/
Oct. 10, 2012
Detrimental dieting
Calculate your Body Mass Index
Many students are not aware of the negative effects associated with dieting By Shira Steinberg Staff Writer
1.
Weigh yourself in pounds. Example: 110 pounds
2.
Calculate your height in inches and square it. Example: (65 inches) x (65 inches) = 4225
3.
Divide your weight (in pounds) by your height squared. Example: 110 LBS/4225 = 0.0260355
4. OLIVIA LAFFERTY
In today’s day and age, we are bombarded with photos of models, professional athletes and movie stars who often have what seems to be the perfect bodies. Many young adults, are influenced by American culture and feel the need to be thin or ripped. “I think society places too much emphasis on being thin,” senior Corinne Balicki said. “A lot of girls and women can’t actually be as skinny as models because their bodies are just built differently and that makes them feel bad about themselves.” In response to these photos of often unattainable bodies, teens may turn to the internet and other media for advice. Among the most common diet, crash diets and Oz-Approved 7-Day Crash Diet were the most popular when researched. This shows that today’s culture is all too focused on how to get thin and they don’t look at the repercussions that getting slim may cause. “Teens do not necessarily think about the serious health risks associated with dieting,” health teacher Gabe Romano said. Extreme or consistent dieting can cause several mental health problems. Dieting can cause extreme food cravings, due to restrictions that many dieters put on their eating habits. Many dieters also experience mood changes. People report feeling more irritable and depressed while dieting. Stemming from irritability and depression, dieters may be set up for more serious mental health disorders, like anorexia or bulimia. Young dieters restrict their diets to the point where they cannot eat healthy foods because they may contain too many calories. Instead, they eat low-calorie junk food to help suppress the cravings they are having. This can result in major nutritional deficiencies. Many crash dieters suffer from iron deficiencies, sodium and potassium
7
Health
ABlast
the
Dieting pills are a harmful way to lose weight with costly health effects and are considered to be a dangerous way to diet.
deficiencies, anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency. Not only does one’s nutrition and mental health decline while participating in a crash diet, but one’s vital organs are in extreme danger. Organs in the human body depend on carbohydrates to keep working. When dieting, many people don’t eat enough carbohydrates, so the organs turn to burning muscle tissue in order to have enough energy to function. If calorie intake is low enough, then the organs may begin to burn their own muscle tissue in order to provide the brain enough energy to function. In the end, this could lead to liver failure, kidney failure, a heart attack or a stroke. “Fad diets offer only a quick fix,” Romano said. In the end, many crash dieter end up gaining all the weight back. It’s hard to say whether or not students at Annandale have problems with dieting. “I would say the students at AHS are no different when it comes to dieting thank kids from other high
schools,” Romano said. Many students at Annandale don’t know the health risks associated with dieting, or they don’t know enough about them. “[The health risks depend on] what diet you’re on,” sophomore Brianna Puryear said. “I know that it can deprive your body of nutrients, like protein, so you won’t have energy to go through the day,” Balicki said. “A lot of times people unbalance their diet so they’re not getting everything they need, they’re just focusing on one aspect so they don’t get all the nutrients that they need.” But how dangerous is dieting? When paired with medical supervision, dieting can be a healthy way to lose weight. “I think that dieting can be really dangerous when not done correctly,” Balicki said. “No teenager is an expert in nutrition, so it can be dangerous if they don’t safely diet.”
5.
Multiply that number by 703 to determine your Body mass index. Example: 0.0260355 x 703 = 18.3 Use the resulting number to look at the table below to determine your BMI. Example: underweight
Categories: 18.5 or less Underweight 18.5-24.9 Normal weight 25-29.9 Overweight 30 or greater Obesity
What does being healthy mean to you?
Different weight loss plans Mediterranean Diet
Whole foods and olive oil are important components in this diet. Includes: high amounts of fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts and seeds. Fish and poultry in moderation. Avoids: butter or margarine, high fat meats (bacon and sausage) Known for: reducing risk of heart disease.
Crash Diet
Severely restricting calorie intake for many consecutive days. Includes: Only eating up to 900 calories a day and generally focusing on one group of foods to eat. Known for: depriving the body of essential nutrients leaving one lethargic and unhealthy.
South Beach Diet
Focuses on eating better carbohydrates rather than the more harmful ones. Includes: egg whites, whole grains, lean meats and tofu Avoids: bread, rice, corn, oatmeal and cereal Known for: losing weight and preventing heart disease.
Paleo Diet
Ornish Diet Limits intake of fat to 20 percent of daily calories needed. Includes: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and nonfat dairy products Avoids: meat, seafood, products and sugar. Known for: helping lose weight and maintain heart health.
Vegan Diet
Mainly eat foods that would be available during the Paleolithic era. Includes: meat, eggs, fish, roots, vegetables, berries and mushrooms Avoids: sugar, added salt, dairy, grains and processed or fast food. Known for: eliminating eating habits that are known to increase the risk.
Overall theme is excluding foods that have been processed using animal products. Includes: grains, beans, legumes, vegetables and fruits. Avoids: Meat, eggs, dairy products and other animal derived ingredients. Known for: promoting a more humane and caring world.
Ingredients Needed: One whole-wheat tortilla, 1/3 cup rice, 1/2 cup black beans, 1/4 cup low-fat cheddar cheese Directions: 1.) Place rice and beans on microwaveable plate. 2.) Microwave on high for 45 seconds. 3.) Roll up all ingredients in tortilla, add lettuce, salsa and sour cream (if desired).
—Hannah Kern freshman
Atkins Diet Lowering the intake of carbohydrates and increasing amounts of protein. Includes: fruits, vegetables and vitamins Avoids: starches, foods high in carbohydrates, some vegetables (cauliflower, tomato, onion, avocado). Known for: preventing point pain associated with arthritis.
“Being in shape, exercising and eating right.” —Allison Weaver freshman
“Eating stuff from the food pyramid and exercising at least 30 minutes a day.”
Liquid Diet Restricting meals to mostly or all liquid products Includes: fruit and vegetable juices or shakes, water, fruit pop sickles, tea, coffee, honey Avoids: solid foods Known for: temporary weight loss and slowing metabolism with many harmful side effects.
5 minute meals Knife and Fork Burrito
“Eating healthy and working out.”
—Christina Gomez sophomore
“Eating the correct amount of food that suits you and you know you can burn off.” —Mustafa Elrayah junior
“A lifestyle that consists of healthy foods and exercise.” —Alvin Chan senior
—Compiled by Tiffany Huynh and Sarah Webb
Quick and easy breakfast recipe On your smartphone, scan this code above using the application “QR Code” to view another easy five minute meal recipe to try at home.
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Arts
Oct. 10, 2012
What are you going to dress up as for the concert?
String musicians prepare for their annual concert
“I’m probably going to be a ghost.”
By Abby Barnes and Carina Chu Arts Editors The orchestra department will be performing its Masquerade Concert on Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. This will be the orchestra’s first concert with their new director, Angela Ammerman. In previous years, all the members of the orchestra have dressed up in costumes of their choice. When told about the yearly masquerade concert tradition, Ammerman’s first reaction was excitement. “I’m going to be a superhero. I love dress-up,” Ammerman said. Senior violinist Julia Dao, who participated in previous concerts, has also loved dressing up in past years. “Last year I was the Chesire Cat because it was a Disney theme, and the year before I was a werewolf,” Dao said. Sophomore violist Trami Ly
—Rida Fatima freshman
“I’m dressing up as a mummy.” Elise Kim — freshman
“I’m thinking of dressing up as a ghost. I’m going to use cover sheets and cut holes in them.”
preferred more heavenly characters. “I dressed up as an angel with wings.” Ly said. Ly is part of the Artiste Orchestra, one of the four orchestras at AHS. The orchestras will perform the Halo Theme by Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori, Sarabande by Carl Bohm and arranged by Marcus D. Dowty and Gregorian Rhapsody by Elliot del Borgo. Many orchestra students approve of the song choices. “[The songs] are really amazing,” Ly said. “[They] make the musician actually feel the music.” The orchestra will try to portray a Halloween theme by playing songs that are frightening, fun or narrative. “Some of [the songs] were creepy, some were really fun and interesting, and some tell a story,” Ammerman said. “I love songs that tell a story, so I was really excited when I saw them.” Though the orchestra has a whole new game plan this year, they seem to be on track for the upcoming concerts. “We’re pretty close. We can make it through the music without stopping, so now we just need to work on adding character,” Ammerman said. The concert’s admission is free and all are invited to attend.
ABBY BARNES
Phantom of the orchestra
Freshman Leif Jomuad works hard while practicing his music during Ammerman’s W2 class.
Upcoming band performance Students to perform their first concert of the year
—Tiffany Nguyen freshman “I’m hoping for a group costume or theme.”
The Symphonic Band will hold its annual Fall Concert tomorrow night. Although the marching band has been practicing since mid-August, this concert will mark the first time the current members of the Symphonic Band will be able to showcase their material. The occasion will also mark the first concert band performance for new director, Adam Hilkert. “I love my students,” Hilkert said. “They’re dedicated and devoted people. I’m looking forward to this concert.” Hilkert also pointed out the short amount of time the band had to prepare the pieces. The Faculty Jazz Band will also be performing. The band will consist of the marching band instructors and teachers from local middle schools. “We had to choose repertoire that wouldn’t be
—Luz Centellas sophomore
“For chamber [orchestra], we’re all going to dress up in the same kind of costumes. We’re suppose to be the superheroes.” —Bethel Mahoney junior
ABBY BARNES
By Abby Barnes and Thien Mai Arts Editor and Staff Writer
Freshman Jacob Nguyen practices his xylophone during rehearsal.
too challenging for them to put together in just a couple of months,” Hilkert said. New band members like freshman Nicholas Mortensen also high hopes for the performance. “My main goal is to make something that sounds good,” Mortensen said. The band will perform selections including Shadows of the Equinox by Robert Sheldon, The Corcoran Cadets March by John Philip Sousa, Summer Resounding! by Brian Balmages and The Star-Spangled Banner arranged by Jack Stamp. The various pieces were chosen to reflect the new season, as well as for their importance to music overall. The Star-Spangled Banner in particular was selected because Stamp was Hilkert’s teacher while the latter was completing his Master’s Degree in Conducting. Marching band members, including senior French horn player J.P. Dusek, approved of the song choices.. “I’m hoping we get a one at Festival. I just want to see the band grow because it’s my senior year,” Dusek said. “I want to see that the band is left in good shape for the future.”
Simple DIY Autumn leaf candle holder
“I haven’t decided yet.” —Robert Lam senior
Bring fall ambiance into your home with this creative project that won’t break the bank
— Compiled by Carina Chu and Abby Barnes
Gather your leaves and dry them. Place your leaves in between newspaper pages. Place a weight on top to flatten. Put the leaves in a place where they won’t be disturbed for 3-4 days.
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After your leaves are dried, you’ll need a mason jar, brush and Mod Podge (a type of glue). Brush Mod Podge all over the jar, avoiding the bottom and the grooved lid area.
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3.
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Brush another layer of Mod Podge and, again, stipple the areas not covered by leaves. This will ensure that your leaves stick to the jar.
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Place your dried leaf on the jar and firmly press it into place. Brush over it with more Mod Podge.
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Continue adding your leaves until the jar is covered. Try not to layer too many leaves or else it will reduce the amount of light that can pass through.
FAMILYFUN.GO.COM
DIY: Halloween spirit jugs and monster jars
On your smartphone, scan the code above using the application “QR Code” to view DIY projects for Halloween.
Use the flat end of your brush to stipple areas that are NOT covered by leaves. This will get rid of the brush strokes and create an appealing pattern when the light shines through.
Let the jar dry for several hours or overnight. Spray the jar with acrylic spray to seal your leaves.
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After your jar is completely dry, place a tealight inside and you’re done.
— Photos by Carina Chu
Academics
Oct. 10, 2012
Know your learning style
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How to get your grades up before the end of the quarter
BERTA TARQUI
Here are some tips to pick up the slack
Diversity in styles AHS is known for its diversity. There are different languages, cultures and religions, and there is also a variety of learning styles. Teachers instruct in many ways. Some always talk and have students take notes and others want students to be involved physically. Many AHS teachers make an effort to accommodate to all learning styles, but others choose to teach in their own way. Knowing your learning style can help you achieve a better school experience. If a teacher doesn’t suit your style, try to stay after with a different teacher. If all the teachers from the same subject teach similarly, try getting outside help from a tutor.
Visual
Visual learners learn best by seeing something, whether it’s by looking at demonstrations of problems or seeing graphics. A way to help these learners is by highlighting text with different colored highlighters. “I am mostly a visual learner because it helps me learn faster when teachers show pictures and graphs,” sophomore Alexandra Robles said. Seeing a symbol or a picture for a word can also help visual learners remember information. Lectures bore them because only listening to something won’t help them remember the content. If a teacher teaches by talking, take notes and then highlight important parts to help you take in the material.
Kinetic
Some students don’t just need pictures, they need to move. Kinetic learners love to move around and touch. They need something to hold to help them absorb the given material. “I’m a kinetic learner. It helps me understand better when I do math problems on the board or answer questions in class,” junior Theresa Nguyen said. Reading a book or textbook while standing or moving around could help them understand the text. Labs during science class are helpful to them because it allows them to touch. Field trips or little tasks are a great way for them to learn as well. If you are a kinetic learner don’t force yourself to sit and study; get up and move around so studying can become easier.
Auditory
Others rather sit and listen. Auditory learners can learn by simply listening. They can easily remember words by saying them or remember passages by reading them out loud. “When I hear it, I memorize it,” freshman Ismail Ahmad said. Lectures are great for auditory learners; movement or demonstrations aren’t typically necessary. They usually don’t like noisy places to learn or study in because it tends to distract them. If you are an auditory learner, try to repeat what the teacher is saying to yourself. You can also ask the teacher if you could record their lecture with your phone, so you can replay the lecture later.
Compiled by Berta Tarqui
Self Quiz: What is your learning style? 5. Are quiet work environments the best to learn? a. I don’t like it too loud. b. I don’t mind some noise. c. Yes, I tend to get distracted.
1. Does highlighting in different colors help? a. Yes, it keeps me focused. b. Not really. c. I don’t need to. 2. Are lectures tolerable? a. No! b. I get too fidgety. c. Yeah, they’re pretty interesting. 3. Do classes that let you move around tend to be your favorite? a. As long as I am looking at something. b. They’re the best! c. It’s okay as long as the teacher is talking. 4. Do demonstrations or examples help you learn? a. Yes, they do. I like looking at something. b. They are okay; as long as I can move around. c. I don’t really need them.
6. Sitting still during lectures is difficult to you. a. Sometimes, if the lectures runs too long. b. Yes! I tend to want to move around because I get bored. c.Not particularly. 7. Do you tend remember faces but not names? a. All the time! It is easier to remember their face. b. Sometimes, if we did something together I could remember them. c. I tend to remember names but not faces. 8. Do you have sloppy handwriting and poor spelling? a.Not really. b.My handwriting is not the best, and my spelling is that great. c. No, I believe I have good handwriting and great not spelling skills.
9. Do you enjoy labs in science class? a. They’re really fun. b. I don’t really need them, but they are alright. c. Yes! I get to use my hands and move around.
10. Do you like to read out loud to yourself? a. I’d rather highlight. b. If I can move around. c. Yeah, it helps me remember the text better, rather than reading in my head. 11. Do you like class discussions? a. It is not my favorite thing to do. b. I don’t like sitting too long. c. I love them! I get to hear what other people have to say. 12. Do you like to study in intervals? a. I can study for a while, as long as I have something to look at. b. Yes, so I don’t have to sit too long. c. I am okay with studying the whole way through.
1. The choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing 2. A poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead 3. A particular form of a language that is particular to a specific region or social group 4. The recurrence of similar sounds, esp. consonants, in close proximity 7. An expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference 8. Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally 12. A comparison between two things, typically on the basis of their structure and for the purpose of explanation or clarification 13. Manner of expression; how a speaker or writer says what he says 14. The rhythm of a piece of poetry, determined by the number and length of feet in a line
Across: 5. A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction 6. A scene in a movie, novel, etc., set in a time earlier than the main story 9. To be or not to be 10. A joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words that sound alike but have different meanings
2. TALK TO YOUR TEACHERS ABOUT EXTRA CREDIT: Try to talk to teachers that give out extra credit. Some teachers, though, won’t give out extra credit because they don’t want students to slack off. 3. STUDY FOR YOUR UPCOMING QUIZZES AND TESTS: Lots of students “study” for their quizzes and tests, and end up getting a low grade. Look over your notes thoroughly, and ask for help. This is a prime time for tests and quizzes. 4. PARTICIPATE IN CLASS: Participation is important when you want to succeed in class. Some teachers grade you on your participation, and if you don’t participate your grade could lower.
13. Do you doodle a lot during class? a. My papers are filled with drawings. b. Sometimes. c. No, I am too focused on what the teacher is saying.
5. DON’T PROCRASTINATE: Try to finish all your homework and projects on time. Do your homework the day you get it, and ask teachers for help to organize a schedule to finish your work on time. This will also help you end the quarter in a relaxed state of mind.
Answers: If you picked mostly A’s, then you are most likely a visual learner, so pick up a highlighter more often. If you picked mostly B’s, then you are most likely a kinetic learner. Try to incorporate your hands and move around while studying. If you picked mostly C’s, then you are most likely an auditory learner. Try to study in a quiet place and make sure to listen during class.
6. FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS AND DOESN’T WORK FOR YOU: If doing your homework at a certain time didn’t work out, try something new. Don’t repeat mistakes from previous years; it will just waste your time.
Source: http://homeworktips. about.com/od/homeworkhelp/a/ learningstyle.htm and http://www.learning-styles-online. com/style/visual-spatial/
AGGLOMERATE verb To pile or heap together
English Crossword Puzzle Down:
1. START DOING YOUR HOMEWORK: Many students forgot to do their homework in the beginning of the year because they aren’t used to the change from summer to school time. Homework, most of the time, is not counted very high but in the end, it could bring your grade up or down.
Vocabulary Words MALEFACTOR noun One who injures another OBLONG adjective Longer than broad: applied most commonly to rectangular objects considerably elongated PUERILE adjective Childish REMUNERATE verb To pay or pay for TERMAGANT adjective
Violently abusive and quarrelsome
11. Visually descriptive or figurative language 13. A figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind
Video on online textbooks On your smartphone, scan this code above using the application “QR Code” to view a video about online textbooks.
1 5
Kony’s position on the International Criminal Court’s most wanted list
26 31 99
The extent of time in which the world was unaware of Kony’s abductions
The average age group of kids that are recruited by Kony’s army
The day in December when the Kony 2012 video expires and the goal to find Kony is set The percent of the world that did not know of the violent actions being taken by Kony
—Courtesy of Invisible Children.org
Do you think that Kony 2012 was more of a trend or a crisis? “I think Kony 2012 was just a trend. Everywhere you looked, it said ‘Kony 2012’. People were just interested in it just to be a part of something.”
Remember Kony 2012?
Students have lost all interest in the seemingly infamous Kony 2012 cause
the
By Shamaim Syed International Editor Remember when the only thing people were talking about was Kony? Remember when all the students, teachers, and friends would bring up the topic about how evil and insane Joseph Kony was? Or do you even remember the Kony 2012 video posted on Youtube by the Invisible Children? It was only months ago, when people couldn’t speak to one another without bringing up the topic of Kony and the crimes going on in Uganda. Now people can not even remember the dates they were supposed to go out to wear their red t-shirts and put up posters across the town at night. “People were supporting what they believed was a good cause. At that time it was appealing to their morality. I think it’s wonderful that people were trying to make a positive difference, but the fact that everyone has lost their interest shows that people only flock to what’s trending and popular. That I don’t approve of,” junior Rani Kaur said. The 30 minute video, which immediately went viral, was directed by Jason Russell, who was inspired to make the video after his trip to Uganda. That is where he met a little kid, named Jacob, who told the story of Kony and how he fled from the LRA. Joseph Kony, the man behind the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), which had been abducting kids for nearly 26 years. The LRA would turn girls, under the age of five and older into sex slaves and boys
PHOTO COURTESY OF KONY2012.COM
Kony by the Numbers
Oct. 10, 2012
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANGELICA GONZALEZ
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International
LEFT: Junior Angelica Gonzalez poses in front of her KONY 2012 poster while wearing her Kony t-shirt and bracelet which she got from the Kony 2012 Kit. RIGHT: A picture submitted to Kony2012.com of “cover the night.”
into soldiers. Once the boys were soldiers, the boys were forced to either kill their own parents or to fight with other child soldiers. In the video, Russell explains that the only way to stop Kony and the LRA is to show the world his destruction due to the fact that 99 percent of the world wasn’t aware of his doings. The video posted on Youtube became a major hit as people all around the world became aware of Kony. Celebrities came to Twitter to spread the news by tweeting about Kony. Twitter exploded as #StopKony and #Kony2012 became a worldwide trends within minutes. When this topic was presented to government officials by Russell and his friends, it was rejected. Some officials said it was not in the interest of the American governement because it was not affecting our national security nor was it a financial issue. Since this proposal didn’t pass
through, Russell thought of another plan. They started a non-profit organization called Invisible Children and “Make him famous” which became the slogan of the campaign. The money raised in this organization went to rebuilding schools and towards the goal of capturing Kony and his LRA. People were encouraged to buy the Kony 2012 Action Kit, which included bumper stickers, buttons, a t-shirt, stickers, bracelets and posters. The website says 100 percent of the purchases go to the mission of the Invisible Children. However, the company’s financial statement says that nearly 40 percent of the money goes to travel expenses, salaries and film production. “Cover the Night” was one of the ways Invisible Children wanted to make Kony famous. “Cover the Night” first started on April 20, 2012. On this day people were encouraged to go out at night and cover up
streets with Kony posters, which could be purchased through their website. Though Invisible Children was hoping “Cover the Night”in April would be more succesfull, the Twitter campaign went much better in promoting the cause. So what was the biggest reason people decicded not to participate in “Cover the Night?” “I think it was ironic that “Cover the Night” was on 4/20 since it was the day we were supposed to be ‘saving’ Uganda from Kony,” junior Sara Khan said. One of the biggest reasons for this delima is the fact that not everybody is still interested in fixing the problem. It has become a one hit wonder that reached its peak. However, people need to bring the cause back, because Kony is still alive and the LRA is still doing what they were created to do, people need to bring the trends back on Twitter and make everyone more aware.
Classes limited on foreign politics
— Vincent Rollins freshman
With the upcoming election, knowledge of global politics have reached a new low
“Kony 2012 is a real thing, but it has been exaggerated and misinformed by Hollywood producers only interested in the money.” —Abdul Mohammad, sophomore “I think it began as a cause but as more and more people gained awareness of it, it seemed to turn into a trend.” —Kathy Tieu sophomore
“Kony 2012 was more of a trend. People supported it for awhile, but later, we heard nothing of it.
In the midst of the upcoming preidential elections in November, politics have come to the forefront of every newspaper, tv, and smartphone. However, students noticably lack in their knowledge of major issues, the most prominent being foreign politics, which draws the question; are fcps classes providing an adequate education of international topics? “That’s a tough question,” Government teacher Lindsay Zurawski said. “I’d like to think that after students take my class, they leave with basic knowledge of foreign leaders. However students could pick up additional knowledge going through other classes and certainly through the IB program, because it’s globally based.” For different classes, there are always varying curriculums that allow more or less time to focus on current events, which are constantly changing. However, the leaders change at less of a quick pace. “I think it would be impossible to have detailed knowledge of every leader and to teach all that in one year,” Zurawski said. The social studies curriculum does not offer time to look at [current] foreign leaders in every class, but some do, including Comparative Government and IB Topics. “We need to do a great deal more on current events; we hit a few recognized names, but the world is changing
PHOTO BY OLIVIA LAFFERTY
By Mark Slough Staff Writer
Junior Jennifer Nguyen reads a Korean newspaper to stay informed about current events and international news.
fast,” history teacher John Hawes said. “We need to make space in the curriculum to know about the world’s leaders. It’s not just knowing who the leader is, it’s knowing how the countries use and elect their leaders.” Elections in many countries are coming up, including the 2012 elections for the U.S. president and the elections for the Chinese NPC members. The governments of the U.S. and other countries are changing, which will flow through the news and spawn hundreds of stories on each topic. The news of other countries affects different regions, but the Washington D.C.–Metropolitan area is one of the most affected regions in the country. “It affects us because of where we live, but world
has become so globalized that it is beginning to affect everyone,” junior Elisha Musih said. Apparently, students are also following current events, at least some of them. “I follow the news pretty well and read a lot of international newspapers,” Musih said. “Generally, most students that I am affiliated with are pretty well informed.” Some students may not feel the same as Musih, however. “Not many people know what is going on in the world, current events aren’t in most of their classes,” junior Sara Khan said. “And not many kids want to spend the time looking at the news.”
Guess Who: Can you name these major foreign leaders?
—Gabrielle Lewis sophomore
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“Kony 2012 opened people’s eyes to what was happening. It was all over Facebook and Twitter. You couldn’t really hide from it.” —Eric 1 Stavenjord senior
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2
3
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5
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—Compiled By Nuhami Mandefro
On your smartphone, scan this code using the application “QR code” to get the answers to the “Guess Who” questionaire
A. David Cameron, United Kingdom
D. Bashar al-Assad, Syria
G. Francois Hollande, France
B. Girma Wolde-Giorgis, Ethiopia
E. Angela Merkel, Germany
H. Michael D. Higgins, Ireland
C. Mohamed Morsi, Egypt
F. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Argentina
I. Dilma Rousseff, Brazil J. Mahmoud AhmaDinejad, Iran
For the answers to this quiz, scan the QR code on the left with your smart phone
PHOTO
Oct. 10, 2012
13 Meet The Vendors!
The apples shown above are only one example of the fresh fruits and vegetables that can be found at the market. There are samples of all the different kinds of apples laid out to taste.
Bill Grigsby brings his produce from the farm where the fruit and vegetables are grown in the northern neck of Virginia. He participates in a Farmer’s market in Falls Church, which he has been involved in for 22 years. The market in Falls Church is open every Saturday.
Fall-time Farmer’s Market The best place to get organic apples, homemade pies, and fresh loaves of bread is the Wakefield Farmer’s Market on Wednesdays from 2-6 p.m. in the parking lot of Audrey Moore Recreational Center.
Willis Wendler is the vendor for Cenan’s Bakery at the market. The bakery is located in Vienna and was established 20 years ago by a Turkish baker. Cenan’s sells bread and pastries of all sorts.
Junior Jasmine Pringle examines the pumpkins and other squash on display, before purchasing one of the many.
Kathy Lewis makes homemade ice cream for the market and has been doing so for six years. The ice cream is all natural and it has more butter fat than store bought ice cream. Pumpkin Pie is the seasonal flavor for fall. They always have chocolate and English Toffee crunch ice cream, which is the best seller. Lewis also has a retail store in Winchester, Virginia that sells ice cream in cones and shakes.
Apple Caramel Crunch, the best selling pie flavor, is freshly baked and sold at three different markets.
Sue Olinger has been bringing her home made pies for three years to the market. Her best selling pie is the Apple Caramel Crunch. Olinger sells apple, cherry, pecan, sweet potato, banana black bottom, and coconut cream pies.
Junior Travis Swann rummages through a basket of miniature gords.
Each fruit and vegetable came in many different varieties, like the three kinds of tomatoes sold there.
The Wakefield Farmer’s Market On your smartphone, scan this code using the application “QR Code” to view a photo gallery of numerous Farmer’s Market photos. Loaves of bread are baked fresh in Cenan’s bakery, in Vienna, and brought to the market.
Cinnamon rolls are among the many pastries that are being sold by Cenan’s Bakery.
-Photos taken by Olivia Lafferty
Livi Listens Advice Column
By Olivia Lafferty Dear Livi, I know that Homecoming is coming up and I really want to ask this girl who I have liked for a while. This is going to be my last Homecoming and I want it to be really special. I don’t want to go with any other girl so I really need her to say yes. I’m trying to think of really creative and fun way to ask her, but I don’t want to overdo it and risk being rejected. Sincerely, Hopeless romantic
Dear Hopeless Romantic, Sometimes simple is the way to go. First of all, you don’t want to put her on the spot. You also don’t want to overwhelm her by doing something really extravagant. Something simple and sweet like giving her flowers, writing a note or even buying her candy is a good way to go. Regardless of her answer, it is better to ask instead of regretting not asking her at all. Whether you two go together or not, the night will be full of dancing, friends and fun. High school is full of experiences and it is better to enjoy them than miss out. Love, Livi
Have a problem? E-mail Livi at: livi.listens@gmail.com
Driving by the numbers
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50 16 25 55 3 20 45 11 6
How often in seconds a car crash results in an injured victim worldwide The average number of people who receive speeding tickets in Fairfax County per day.
The number one age group that is involved in car accidents
The percent of crashes that are caused by distracted driving
The percent of teens that weren’t using their seat belts when they were involved in fatal accidents in 2008 The number of unrelated passengers a seventeen year old can have in their car after they’ve held their license for a year The number of miles over the speed limit to be considered a reckless driving offense
The number of hours that you must drive with your permit to be eligible to obtain your drivers license
The number of years that a speeding ticket exceeding 80 mph will remain on your record
Oct. 10, 2012
The young and the reckless Student drivers confess their most dangerous driving habits and incidents on the road By Megan Flynn and Gaby Camilli Lifestyles Editors There is a day in a young person’s life that signifies a teenager’s transition to adulthood. It is the day when a teenager receives that magical, light blue piece of paper that grants them their freedom on the road; there driving license. Many teens have looked forward to this day with anticipation ever since they were children driving in plastic cars and playing simulation video games. With all the excitement and thrills of being able to go wherever you desire without the nagging of a parent beside you, teens overlook the tremendous amount of responsibilities placed upon them. Many think they’re almost invincible, picking up dangerous habits from the start of their driving careers without stopping to think about the possible consequences of their actions “When I first got my license my parents bought me a new car, so I was careless and didn’t pay much attention to anything,” senior Jordan Pokraka said. “I was in an accident that totaled my car and now I am much more careful when driving.” TEXTING Because of the technological state the world is in, when someone’s phone buzzes it’s an automatic impulse to read the text received, regardless of what they’re doing at the time. Anything concerning cell phones is a risk when operating a motor vehicle, especially texting. The use of a handheld or bluetooth cell phone for anyone under the age of 18 is illegal in Virginia, but many teens are unaware of this law. “My worst habit is definitely texting while driving, but I’ve never been in an accident because of it. One of my worst driving offenses was when I got pulled over at 4:45 am on the Fourth of July for going 22 miles over the speed limit. The cop was pretty chill but my ticket was $180,” senior Brody El-Achi said. As teenagers, we are already new to the road and the responsibilities of driving. Using your cellphone while driving quadruples your chance of getting into a crash. For every second that you are looking down at your phone you are putting yourself and others at risk, yet many teenagers still continue to practice this dangerous habit. “I don’t do any of that because I want to be safe and I would rather wait five minutes to check my phone than die, people who don’t follow the rules are being dumb and should think of the consequences,” junior Kyle Peich said.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA LAFFERTY
14
Lifestyles
From texting, Instagram and Twitter to maps and IPhone apps, students are constantly checking their phones while driving.
DISTRACTED DRIVING From texting, tweeting, talking to friends and eating, to even changing clothes teenagers are constantly being distracted while behind the wheel. It is in the teenage nature to be constantly multi-tasking, but this habit of doing multiples things at once needs to stop when drivers get on the road. According to the AAA foundation for traffic safety, distracted driving causes 8,000 accidents a day. “I change the music a lot while I’m driving. I was at an intersection changing the song on my ipod and I rear ended the car in front of me,” junior Eric Mejean said. One of the biggest distractions that both teenagers and many parents are guilty of is music. As the music volume gets louder, the driver turns their attention more towards the rhythm and lyrics of the music and less on the road. “I blast my music super loud to the point where I can’t hear if people are honking,” junior Jennifer Nguyen said. “I also let people take the wheel for me if I’m fixing my hair or something while I’m driving and I sometimes text with one hand or eat while I’m driving.” ROAD RAGE AND SPEEDING We’ve all been there, that moment when you are running late for school, and it seems like you are hitting every red light possible. On top of that, the driver in front of you decides to drive below the speed limit. For
most of us, our natural impulse is to speed up and try to pass the slower drivers. It is in situations like these where our impatience and anger takes over, that we as drivers are at greater risk. “If anybody driving in front of me is going under the speed limit I tailgate them and tend to get angry and freak out and yell,” Mejean said. The AAA foundation found that aggressive driving is a factor in nearly 56 percent of fatal car accidents. Along with road rage comes speeding. Many teens see speeding as a minor offense, something that everybody does, but fail to see that speeding can harbor serious consequences. “I was driving home from school going 40 mph on a windy, narrow road with 3 unrelated people in the car when I realized I missed a turn. I tried to quickly turn but ended up turning my wheel too sharply and when I slammed on my brakes I ended up driving through a fence into a ditch,” senior Julia Copenhaver said. “It was really an early wake up call about how dangerous driving can be and how I need to pay attention to the road and concentrate on my speed.” Despite what many teen drivers think, we are not invincible, and it just takes one second of carelessness to change everything.
Driving laws and stats: fact or myth 1. You cannot be pulled over in Fairfax County strictly for not wearing a seat belt Fact: Driving without a seatbelt is a secondary offense so you must be pulled over for another reason. 2. It is illegal to drive without shoes on in the state of Virginia Myth: Driving without shoes is legal, it’s just highly discouraged by the DMV. 3. Fairfax county has the most DUI related deaths in Virginia Fact: The Virginia DMV study showed that Fairfax County had the most DUI related deaths from 20062010. 4. It is okay to have earphones in while driving Myth: Driving while wearing headphones is an offense that stays on your DMV record for three years.
5. Driving under the influence of marijuana makes you a safer driver Myth: Marijuana has a negative effect on driving because it impairs cognitive and motor abilities by affecting attentiveness and perception of time and speed. 6. It is illegal to hang anything from your rearview mirror Fact: Motor vehicle section 46.2 states that it is illegal to hang anything from the rearview mirror in Virginia because it obstructs the driver’s view. 7. Head set cellphone use is substantially safer than hand held use Myth: Although a headset is slightly safer than using a handheld device, it is just as distracting and you need to be able to hear everything on the road.
8. Driving accidents are the number one cause of teenage deaths in America Fact: Driving accidents account for 36 % of deaths amongst teenagers. 9. It is safer to drive in a bigger car rather than a small one. Myth: Larger cars typically have slower stopping time and a harder time switching directions, making it more difficult to avoid collision. 10. As a minor, you cannot be penalized for driving with a BAC under .02 Myth: The zero tolerance policy in Virginia states that driving with any amount of alcohol in your system at any age under 21 is illegal and punishable by law.
—Compiled by Megan
Q&A with Fairfax County police officer PFC Mike Green What is the most common violation you see? I see a lot of speeding, and when it comes to speeding, reckless speeding. What are the penalties for driving infractions? For any speeding violations, there is always a fine. There is a minimum of a $35 fine, plus $55 in court fees, and with taxes a speeding violation will total over $100. On top of all that, a speeding violation grants automatic points on your license and then points on your insurance. A lot of kids don’t know that, and then their insurance cost goes up.
What is your advice to parents of teenagers? My advice to parents is to do what you’re preaching. If you speed often, it’s likely your children will too. Your child is going to mirror what you do, so you should teach good habits. The county also offers a Safe Teen driving school and information about this school can be found at www. fairfaxcounty.gov. What is your advice to teenagers? My biggest pet peeve is kids need to put the phone down. Wait until you are stopped or at home. Also, speed limits aren’t
there as a punishment or as a guideline, they’re there for a reason. Speed limits are there to protect people, so people need to pay attention. What is the most unsafe behavior you see among teenage drivers? I see a lot of overcrowded vehicles, with loud music, driving recklessly. It gets dangerous when kids are trying to show off to their friends. What do you think of the punishments associated with teenage driving infractions? Personally, punishments are
just right. You’re not getting your license suspended for just one ticket generally, most kids are given a second chance to demonstrate good driving habits. A serious violation warrants a serious penalty, which is fair. What’s the worst thing you’ve ever seen a teenager involved in? There was a young adult driving on Route 7, he had been drinking wine, and he hit a vehicle when he was going the wrong way. He was ejected from his vehicle, and the vehicle rolled over him and continued to roll into oncoming traffic
causing six people to go to the hospital in critical condition all because he was under the influence of alcohol. Any last words of wisdom for teenage drivers? One thing: everything you do has a consequence. If you’re speeding, you have the potential to kill someone. Follow the rules because they keep you and everyone else safe and you’ll be good.
What are the worst, if any, driving habits you do regularly?
The number of car accidents in millions that occur in the US annually
—Compiled by Gaby
Wanelo: easier shopping On your smartphone, scan this code using the application “QR Code” to read about a website that sells unique fashion pieces.
“When I’m driving I don’t slow down enough before turning and end up making really sharp turns. Sometimes it scares me because I worry I can one day flip my car.”
--Nick Warner senior
“I don’t text while I’m driving and if I get a phone call I use my Bluetooth to avoid taking my hands off of the wheel.”
--Bianca Mullins Spanish teacher
“When I’m making a right hand turn I end up making a really wide turn, which is dangerous in heavy traffic when I need to stay in my lane.”
--Abby Gebremichael junior
“I always wear a seat belt but I have occasionally taken a peek at my cell phone while driving but I try to be good about it because I know it’s dangerous.”
--Chris Bagot English teacher
“My worst habit is texting while driving. I usually text if it’s important or if I’m alone in the car and bored.”
--Sahil Chawla senior
Sports X-tra
Oct. 10, 2012
LAX player goes to D1 school
Top 10 songs that will get you pumped
Paige Britton commits to Liberty University
Till I Collapse Eminem Eye of the Tiger Survivor Remember the Name Fort Minor You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid The Offspring Fighter Gym Class Heroes feat. Ryan Tedder I Hope You Die Bloodhound Gang
COURTESY OF PAIGE BRITTON
Christian Athletes’ lacrosse program for years. Her uncle, Dan Britton is the head of the FCA lacrosse branch in Kansas City, and travels to camps and clinics frequently to promote the Christian faith and the sport of lacrosse. She also recently experienced having a her brother Tyler leave for college, an AHS graduate of 2011. Tyler Britton is currently attending the Savannah College of Art and Design. The Britton family expressed that having a child leave for college is a saddening experience, but are extremely proud of Paige for her accomplishments. In addition to her brother, sister freshman Ashley Britton is going to have a tough time adjusting to life without her older sister, “We are extremely close and it is going to be weird not having Paige around all the time,” Ashley Britton said. Ashley has also expressed interest in following in her sister’s footsteps, but is still unsure if this is the path she wants to follow; “I do think it’s a good school but it is still too early to know if that is where I want to go.” While the younger Britton is hesitant about her sister leaving, her parents are happy that their daughter chose a good school that will allow her to stay close to their faith. Liberty is exactly the school Paige Britton was looking for, the fact that they were interested in her playing for them was a dream come true.
COURTESY OF PAIGE BRITTON
By Ayah Oweis Sports X-tra Editor When asked how she felt about attending Liberty University next fall, senior Paige Britton’s eyes lit up and anyone could see her smile from a mile away. For Britton, attending Liberty is like a dream come true. Liberty is the largest Christian school in the world, with an excellent program for students interested in studying psychology, and is also known for it’s division one athletic program. It was love at first sight for Britton when she visited her sophomore year of high school. After meeting the team and coach, Britton decided she wanted to be a part of the team. She verbally committed by the end of her sophomore year, and has officially committed since May of this year. Lacrosse was a big deciding factor in her decision to choose Liberty. “I am excited to become part of the Liberty lacrosse team; it is an honor,” Britton said. “The team is very open and we all care for each other on and off the field.” Britton first caught Liberty’s eye when she was ranked twentieth in Virginia for lacrosse according to CBS Sports. Britton has been an important player on the AHS lacrosse team since her freshman year, scoring the most goals for the team. Her speed and swift stick skills made her a top choice for the university, these qualities also made her an amazing lacrosse player but also a field hockey player and track runner. This being her first time ever playing field hockey, Britton easily made varsity and starts every game. When she first visited she visited to see the campus, but when they showed interest in recruiting her for their team she visited another four times to meet the team and coaches. She says the coaches are “extremely encouraging and keep the team and I very motivated.” For Britton, the Christian influences are what make Liberty a perfect school for her, because it can keep her close to her faith while also giving her the full college experience. “Everybody at Liberty is very close and we will all help each other to become better people,” Britton said. Britton has been playing lacrosse since she was a toddler and immediately fell in love with the sport. Her family has always been behind her in her lacrosse dreams, especially since it has always run in the family. The entire Britton family, branching from brothers and sisters, to cousins and uncles. They have all been involved in the Fellowship of
15
TOP: Britton defends against a Seton High School player in a past lacrosse game. ABOVE: Being a lacrosse player since childhood, making quick goals is effortless for Britton.
Q&A with sports official Peter Buchanan Q. How long have you been an official? A. I have been an official for about 14 years so far. Q. How do you react when you hear coaches, parents and/or fans screaming at you from the stands? A. The fans are a great part of the game. It’s always great to have a large crowd on hand and a great student section. If the fans/parents dislike a call, we certainly hear them “booing”, but we must block that out and get ready for the next play. Coaches are very passionate throughout the game. We want to work with them during the game to communicate what we see, sometimes they like what we say and other times they don’t. As officials we must remain professional no matter the situation.
Quicksand The Story So Far Kickin It In The Sticks Brantley Gilbert Gretchen Wilson Redneck Woman
Q. Does it effect you at all? A. The outside influences (fans, parents, and coaches) can not effect you as an official. It is very difficult though, unfortunately there are no substitutes for us officials. If we mess up, we need to focus on the next play and can not dwell on the past. Q. Which sports do you ref/ officiate? A. I officiate college and high school football as well as college and high school lacrosse. Q. What is the worst thing you’ve heard coming from the stands? A. It’s tough to hear exact things from the stands. Its mostly either boos or cheers
A college lacrosse player looks up expectantly at Buchanan in a past game.
HOW DO YOU STACK UP? We accept cash, check, or credit. See Ms. Hanneman in room 268 or during white day lunches in the publications lab for details or got to: www. yearbooksforever. com
Buy your yearbook now for only $73! Buy a Senior Tribute ad by December 7th!
You Give Love A Bad Name Bon Jovi
How do you get yourself pumped up for upcoming games? “To get ready for a game I listen to loud dupstep or house music.” —Lailumah Faisal junior
“I like to listen to loud music, and then we have our team talks before the football games.” —Kristian Murphy senior “Whe I am trying to get hyped I listen to really lod music and I don’t talk to anyone.” —Gabby Payne sophomore
Interview with rising star on football team On your smartphone, scan this code above using the application “QR Code” to view an interview with key football player , Nolan Gilbert.
What is your favorite fall sport? “Field Hockey because my mom played as a goalie when she was younger.” —Caitlin White freshman “Volleyball because it’s fun.” —Ao Long Than sophomore
“Football, because the weather is nice and it brings good vibes.” —Ibrahim Ahmad junior
“My favorite fall sport is football because I play it and the fans enjoy it.” —Fonti Kanu senior
--Compiled by Sarah Metzel
Football vs. West Potomac
Oct. 10, 2012
Seeking revenge
Team looks forward to game at Woodson, rest of season By Jarod Golub and Jonathan Tedla Sports Editor and Staff Writer On Friday the varsity football team will take on W.T. Woodson once again in an attempt to win another game and improve its 1-4 record so far this season (The issue published too early to account for the match against West Springfield). “We will watch film [of last year’s game] and study their offense and defense. I am confident that if we play up to our potential we will be able to get the win against any team,” senior Nolan Gilbert said. The team has not, however, been playing up to their potential, winning only one game out of the last five. This game against Woodson is not just an opportunity to improve this years record. For the 22 returning varsity players on the team, this is an opportunity to revoke the win that Woodson got against the Atoms last year at the Homecoming game. The coaches have a game plan that they feel will be enough to help the Atoms to victory in this game. “We will try to be aggressive on defense and give them a couple different looks with pressure. Offensively, we are moving the ball well, we just need to eliminate the turnovers,” Head Coach Michael Scott said. The team has been preparing both mentally and physically for the upcoming match. A common theme going through the heads of coaches and players is of being more united and focused as a team. “We practice as a team and keep everyone focused,” senior Jae Min Kim said. Last year, there was “Beat Woodson” fever going around AHS. Students made chants, printed flyers to post around the school and tweeted about how that was their main goal. Sadly though, the game ended 7-14 after two hours of back-and-forth action. The players were disappointed and the underclassmen knew that they had to work even harder for the win this year. “Last year we all felt horrible about the loss, but
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNANDALEATOMS.COM
16
Sports
Senior Matt Stevens works to take down a West Potomac player at their game on Fri. Sept. 28th.
this year we’ve come back with a new mind set,” junior Steven Schwartz says. A main problem was coming up short of the end zone due to solid defense on the Cavaliers’ side and repeated turnovers-- still one of Scott’s main grievances against the team. The pressure of Woodson scoring a touchdown with only five minutes remaining was just too much for the Atoms to overcome. This year, in only five games, the offense has been able to score 97 points, 19 more than last year’s total of
78 points. The team has worked especially hard to be sure of progress. “We changed up a lot of things; practice is more competitive now. We practice as if it were game day everyday,” senior Kristian Murphy said. All coaches are hoping to put Woodson 2012 in the record books as a victory for the AHS. “The Atoms will prevail in the Battle of 236,” Assistant Coach Keith Sholders said.
XC dominates in new state Boys team earns second place in North Carolina race
Senior Matt Stevens tackles a West Potomac player.
Senior Hawar Yousiff starts off at the line of scrimmage.
Bang. The sound of the gun goes off. The runners take off, all of them. Hundreds of them. All running towards the same single goal. Winning. And that’s just what the Atoms did at the Great American Cross Country invitational. The AHS boys cross country team placed second in their race, . With their top two runners for the race, Aviad Gebrehiwot and Draven Pike coming in seventh and 11th place respectively. At the end of the race the team knew that they had at least two runners that did well. The key to the second place finish however, was not the top placing runners on the team. “The race was so close, and our first two runners did extremely well, but the rest of the pack came through for us,” head coach Dave O’Hara said. “The key to the race was that there was only seven seconds in between our third, fourth and fifth
PHOTO COURTESY OF HUNG TRUONG
By Jarod Golub Sports Editor
“It ain’t for the average soul,” Truong said. The boys hard work really paid off in this large North Carolina race. “This race was definitely a huge confidence booster for most of the varsity guys and gave them an idea of what they are capable of,” sophomore Aviad Gebrihiwot said. The race definitely shows that even after losing a lot of important seniors last year, the team can still come together and win important races. This issue of the A-Blast publishes too early to get stats for the Octoberfest Invitational and Patriot Invitational, but the team is looking forward to continuing their success from North Carolina in future races. “If we can continue to tighten our pack time then I think we have a very good chance of winning a lot more races,” O’Hara said. “I think this race has a lot to say about our future, even though we lost some good runners, we could still pull out a great win,” Gebrehiwot said. The Atoms are looking to continue to win races and advance into the Patriot District Tournament.
The team after earning second place in the Great American Cross Country Invitational.
runners.” After the race, the Atoms knew that they had done well, but they did not know just how well they had done. “The win came as a bit of a shocker. We’ve never really gotten any awards as a team. I remember we were doing our cooldown, just satisfied with the race, when Coach O’Hara came sprinting towards us, hands waving
in the air like an ecstatic madman to announce that we had earned second place,” senior Hung Truong said. This win did not come lightly to the atoms. The hard work that they do each day has really paid off and that can be seen in this accomplishment. “Each day we run anything between nine miles on a long run day, and 16 x 400 meter repeats,” O’hara said.
Girls show improvement late in season Girls look to advance farther than previous years By Shira Steinberg Staff Writer
Senior Nolan Gilbert breaks from the line for the play.
Nationals Clinch N.L. East On your smartphone, scan this code using the application “QR Code” to view the story about the National’s new title.
PHOTO COURTESY OF HUNG TRUONG
--Photos courtesy of Annandaleatoms.com
Junior Tricia Liller runs a race for the Atoms.
At the Great American Cross Country Invitational, the AHS girls cross country team left without a top place finish. “We had an okay meet, I thought our girls could have done better, but we were running in the wrong heat. We were running in a heat much stronger than where we were,” Cross Country Coach Phil Harris said. In the heat that they were put in the girls did not place at all. “It wasn’t the best that we could have performed,” senior Connie Tran said. While the girls feel that they could have done better, Harris has a different idea of what the meet says about the team. “Although we didn’t do as well as we wanted to, we do want to improve and we are pushing ourselves,” Harris said. The race course also may have had some effect on the outcome of the girls race. The meet, held in Cary, NC is rumored to have one of the best courses in the country. “The course wasn’t as challenging as I thought it would be,” Tran said. While the girls felt good about the course, there was still room to improve on. The girls seemed to be extremely
proud of each other after this race. There was one runner in particular who was spoken very highly of by her teammates at this race. “Ashley Britton, who is a freshman, ran a really well timed race.” Tran said. The coaches agree with Tran. “She’s just to die for. She ran a great time, she’s running in the number one slot right now,” Harris said. The team started off slow but is looking to improve before the district tournament. “It started out rocky but there’s a lot of improvement going on so hopefully we can place in districts,” Tran said. The team has a lot of strong runners like Britton who are beginning to race well. Tran isn’t the only one who is hoping for a successful season. Coach Harris is also looking for improvement. “We’ve been doing okay, but I have high expectations so okay isn’t fine with me. We will train harder and until we start performing at a higher level, we’re just going to go to work every day,” Harris said. The team has four more races until the district tournament begins. “Our district is really strong but hopefully we can make an impact this year,” Tran said. While the girls have been doing well, Harris still has one thing he wants to accomplish before the season is over. “I’m still shooting for five girls to run twentyone. That’s my goal for the first part of the season, so I’m sticking to that goal,” Harris said.
Sports
Oct. 10, 2012
Mixed results for Atoms Field hockey’s district record stands at 2-2 with one week left of regular season play Entering their last week of regular season play, the Atoms have accrued varying amounts of success and currently have a record of 8-5 as of Oct. 5. The Atoms suffered a recent loss to South County, who is the defending regional champion. The Stallions came out strong and, despite the Atoms’ effort, won the game 5-0. “[The Stallions] came out with high intensity from the very first play, and I think we were definitely taken back by it,” senior Shannon Casey said. “They were confident in their stick skills and ability, and we could really benefit from having some of the same confidence.” The Stallions scored within the first five minutes, but after that the Atoms gained more control over the game and began to attack the Stallion’s goal. AHS was unable to score and after the end of the first half, the Atoms were trailing 0-3. “I think we need to work on anticipating shots,” senior Jenny Jessen said. We did really well with marking, but
COURTESY OF RANDY ALLSHOUSE
By Betsy Kruse Sports Editor
Sophomore Rachael Allshouse, who plays forward, aims to pass the ball into the circle to her teammates in an attempt to score. Allshouse is one of three sophomores on the team.
got so focused on blocking the players that we sort of forgot about the ball.” During the second half, the game was concentrated in the middle of the field, with both teams’ defenses stopping most of the attacks. However, the Stallions were able to break through and score twice more, bringing the final score of the game to 5-0.
“We’ll learn a lot from this game, which will lead us to future victories,” head coach Cindy Hook said. “We love to play tough teams because that’s when we learn the most.” “[The loss]really grounded us, and made us look at what we have to work on,” Jessen said. “I think it will really motivate us to work harder because we want to win districts
and now we know what we need to do.” The Atoms recently played Woodson, who many of the players consider to be their biggest rival, and defeated them in overtime. “The win felt even better just because it was Woodson,” Casey said. Woodson scored in the first half, but the Atoms came back to tie the game with a goal from junior Lizzie Manthos. The time expired and the two teams battled during a 15 minute time period with only seven players from each team. Neither team scored during this and a round of penalty strokes began. The Atoms made all of their first three strokes and senior Jenny Jessen succeeded in blocking all of Woodson’s shots. “I was really nervous to take [the stroke] at first, but after we made the first one, I felt a little less pressure,” Casey said. “I was so happy when I saw [the ball] go past the goalie because I knew my team was counting on me and I didn’t want to let them down.” “I had been out sick for the week and was worried about my reaction times,” Jessen said. “Honestly, I don’t know how I stopped [the strokes], but it felt wonderful.” The Atoms are hopeful looking forward to the postseason, but realize that they will have to finish out the season strong to be one of the top seeds. “Our strengths are our competitive, never-give-up team spirit and our positive, can-do-attitude,” Hook said.
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Lone golfer competes in regionals By Betsy Kruse Sports Editor
Competing at the regional level is nerve-racking for any athlete no matter the sport, but competing without teammates can make the experience even more difficult. Senior Michael Hennessey was the only golfer from AHS to qualify for the regional tournament that took place Oct. 1 at Twin Lakes Golf Course. “It was a little weird not having [my teammates] around beforehand, but once I got out on the course I was used to playing without any teammates nearby,” Hennessey said. Hennessey shot a 95 on the single day of competition. “I did worse than I expected to, but I was pretty happy with just qualifying for regionals,” Hennessey said. During the district tournament, Hennessey shot a 159 over the two days. After the first day of competition, Hennessey had shot a personal best of 76, the best for any AHS golfer this season. “Michael is a gifted athlete and a gifted person,” head coach Richard McCormack said. “He hits the ball a ton,” Although Hennessey will be graduating next year, there is young talent to fill in the empty spot.
Volleyball falls to Cavaliers STEPHANIE ALLSHOUSE
Team remains optimistic about season despite losing to Woodson after a series of close, back-and-forth sets By Bayley Brill Staff Writer
Senior Michael Hennessey practices his chip shot after getting stuck in the rough.
COURTESY OF ANNIE NGUYEN
After coming off a two game winning streak, varsity volleyball went into their game against Woodson with high hopes. However, the Atoms were not able to conquer over Woodson and lost one set to three. The Atoms’ record now stands at 6-4, but they are 1-1 in the district, after previously defeating Lee. Despite the outcome of the Woodson game, the girls are still proud of how they played. “This was our best match of the season,” said junior Amy Reynolds. The Cavaliers took command of the game early, winning the first set 25-16 and the second set 25-17. The third set finally brought victory to AHS, but it did not come easily. Neither the Atoms nor the Cavaliers wanted to give up a loss and the back and forth game required the teams to go continue playing past the standard 25 point mark. The final score of the third set was 27-25, giving the Atoms a narrow victory. “I think we won our third set because our momentum was up and we really wanted to beat [Woodson],” senior Clare Lazar said. During the final set, there were several lead changes as the Atoms attempted to win another set, which would bring the game to a tie. The back-and-forth set ended in a close loss with a score of 24-26 giving Woodson the final win of the match.
Junior Amy Reynolds jumps to block the ball to stop their opponent from scoring. This is Reynold second year on varsity.
“I think we always need to improve our defense, communication and keeping our energy up throughout the whole game,” Lazar said. The Atoms are remaining optimistic about their season and already looking forward instead of dwelling on the recent loss. “I think the rest of this season will go well and we will finish with a good record heading into districts,”
sophomore Kaitlyn Cook said. The Atoms still have five district game left in the regular season to improve their record going into the postseason. “We have a good shot at being the top of our district and going to regionals,” head coach Jan Austin said. The Atoms’ next game will be tomorrow at South County, who defeated AHS 3-0 last year.
VHSL changes to come for post season Next year, conferences based on school size will replace districts currently in place By Rowan Shartel Weekend Editor The Virginia High School League, which regulates and sponsors statewide high school athletics and other academic programs, voted at an Executive Committee meeting on Sept. 19 to approve a new classification system for its member schools. The new system, which divides the 315 schools into six classes based on enrollment and location, will overturn the present classification of A, AA and AAA schools based more loosely on enrollment. All changes will begin in the 2013-2014 school year. “I think the six classification model that VHSL has proposed, overall, is a start to make some changes in the state to help balance things out,” Director of Student Activities Karl Kerns said. Rising concern over the disparity between enrollments in schools competing for titles in the same group, since each group had a wide range of enrollment standards. For example, the AA group consisted of schools with between 700 and 1,500 students, which created a potentially unfair gap between
a school of 700 students competing against a school of 1,500 for the same state soccer title. “Overall, I don’t think [the new system] will have much effect; it seems like the same schedule for the regular season,” varsity football assistant coach Christopher Bagot said. “It will just affect the playoffs.” The new system will consist of six groups, 1A-6A, and each group will be divided into East-West or North-South. Within those divisions are conferences, which contain the familiar “districts” that most people are familiar with in the current system. Regular season play will not be affected, as teams will play within their conferences, and they will compete in the postseason for a conference title. Then, teams will compete for East-West or North-South titles, replacing the current regionals title. From there, teams will compete for a state title within their classification system, meaning that 6 state champions can be crowned. The only matter of contention over the change is the amount of unknown information that many activities directors and administrators are experiencing. “As a Director of Student Activities representing [AHS] as a part of the Northern Region, we still have a lot of questions and at [the next meeting with VHSL] there are still a lot of things we would like to ask VHSL to get clarification,” Kerns said.
Do you like the idea of conferences?
“We have a lot of young players who played and they learned what it takes to be competitive,” McCormack said. “Sophomore Richie Fruchterman was a solid performer for the Atoms over the two days, carding scores of 87 and 86.” Although the season might be over for the Atoms, that does not mean the golfers are going to put away their clubs until next season. “We will not be competitive if the returning players stop playing for even a week in the offseason,” McCormack said. “Golf is an out-ofseason sport. It takes a full year of hard work to improve marginally.”
Newly drawn conference: Annandale Woodson South County Lake Braddock West Potomac West Springfield T.C. Williams
“I think it should have stayed with the district to keep it more competitive.” —Phillip Delcore freshman
“No, because I don’t think “You shouldn’t base who it matters. We won’t get to you’re going to play off see friends from Lee.” the population because it has nothing to do with the —Carlos Valenzuela sport.” sophomore —Lailumah Faisal junior
Field hockey holds senior night “It doesn’t make a difference, everything is basically the same; you’re just basing it off something different.” —Sulton Naieem junior
“No, because you shouldn’t play other teams based on school population size. If you’re talented enough to play against them, then that’s right.”
“Yes, because some schools are having trouble competing with other schools.” —Shannon Casey senior
—Anne Marie Frankfurt senior —Complied by Megan Ryan
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18 Upcoming movies
ENTERTAINMENT
Oct. 10, 2012
Celeb tattoos stand out “My favorite is Angelina Jolie’s. It’s located on her back shoulder, it’s written in Khmer script, which is the language of Cambodia. It’s there to protect her and her adopted Cambodian son from back luck. ”
“My favorite celebrity tattoo is Kevin Durant’s. He has a tattoo of the state of Maryland, and an angel holding a basketball. It represents the things he loves.”
—Hezekiel Yonas freshman
—Kayla Hulbert freshman
TAKEN 2: Liam Neeson makes a comeback as Byan Mills, a CIA agent with a particular set of skills who will stop at nothing to save his daughter Kim from Albanian kidnappers. Mills and his wife are taken hostage by the father of a kidnapper Mills killed while rescuing his daughter. October 5
SINISTER: Ethan Hawkeis, who plays Ellison, seeks inspiration for his latest book when he moves his wife and children into a home where an entire family perished under horrific conditions. Later, the writer finds a box of old family movies and watches in horror as images of various families being murdered flicker before his eyes. October 12
“I like how Rick Ross has tattoos of the presidents faces like President Lincoln, Washington, and Franklin, who are all on money bills, he did it because it represents money.”
“I like Megan Fox’s tattoo of actress Marilyn Monroe. It’s on her right forearm, and I like it because Marilyn is a good inspiration to people.”
—Ravyn Hankinson sophomore
—Dre Wright sophomore
“I like Chris Brown’s tattoo of a lion he has on his neck because the design is really cute. ”
“I liked Tupac’s cross on his back, because it expresses his devotion for the lord.”
—Abigail Belayneh junior
—Berket Yemaneberhane junior
“I like Mac Miller’s tattoo sleeve on his left arm. It shows his personality through art, and makes him look really punk and awesome.”
“I really like Rihanna’s tattoos of stars going from the back of her hairline down her neck. They’re unique and look really good with her haircut.”
—Bek Israilov senior
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4: The story taks place in 2011, five years after Katie killed her boyfriend Micah, sister Kristi, her husband Daniel and took their baby, Hunter. The fourth movie focuses on Alice and her mom, experiencing weird stuff since the new neighbors moved in the town. October 19
SILENT HILL: REVELATION: Heather Mason and her father have been running from evil forces her whole life. One night her dad disappears and she finds out a secret that takes her into a demonic world that could trap her forever. October 26
—Kalie Rosati senior
What’s the meaning to that ink? Tattoos are becoming more popular on celebrites BY EMILY BLANK Entertainment Editor Celebrity tattoos hold a certain attraction for many of us. They can hold special meanings, represent certain people or even beliefs. For example, singer and actress Demi Lovato’s “Stay Strong” tattoos are located on both of her wrists. They are her way of staying strong through her struggle with eating disorders and depression. In a MTV documentary titled Demi Lovato: Stay Strong, Lovato admitted to going through a dark stage in her life where she would starve herself and even went as far as to cutting herself. Eventually, Lovato entered rehab and came out feeling better than ever, even with a new tattoo. Her left wrist says “stay” and her right wrist says “strong.”
Lovato says the tattoos were inspired by her fans and their overwhelming support through her tough times. From hardships to hardcore, some celebrities even get a face of a person they admire on their skin. Whether it be a family member or a role model, these tattoos have become quite the trend. Limp Bizkit lead singer Fred Durst has tattoos of Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain and the king of rock himself, Elvis Presley tattooed on his on his chest. He says that they are the two rock legends he has admired most. Tattoos can come in all kinds of languages too. Actress Lindsay Lohan has a tattoo that reads “La Bella Vita,” meaning “The Beautiful Life” in Italian tattooed on her lower back. Some celebrity tattoos even play a mystery role to some fans, like Penelope Cruz’s. Cruz sports a tattoo reading 883 on her ankle, a message that no one seems to understand. Some believe it could possibly be a lucky number of some sort. These permanent markings really do grasp fans’ attention, making a bigger statement than any fashion piece ever could.
Teachers at AHS with tattoos FUN SIZE: Wren is invited to the party of the year, but instead, she jepordises her popularity by being forced to find her little brother. In a hilarious family comedy, Wren learns from her little brother and their nerd neighbor that popularity isn’t what it really seems, and it might not be what she really wants. October 26
CLOUD ATLAS: Based on the book, Cloud Atlas, is a sci-fi film that pulls at your heartstrings, and shows us that one action by a single person can affect the past present and future, and how one random act of kindness can be felt for generations, and inspire a revoltion. October 26
“I got my wedding date on my foot. I got it because I was really excited about my wedding, and I didn’t want Mr. Hardy to forget.”
“I have 5 panels of different order of magnitude. Around it is an electron cloud, DNA molecule and a galaxy. I got it because I enjoy tattoos.”
—Whitney Dunning Psychology & History Teacher
—Thomas Chorman Physics Teacher
“I have a Jesus fish on my left wrist. I got it as a reminder that I lost 180 pounds and also because my faith is important to me.”
—Jennifer Redding Math Teacher
“I got an Irish shield for my last name. It’s located on my left shoulder.”
—Dave O’Hara PE Teacher
Celebri-
S U D O K U
Get inside your favorite celebrities’ heads
On your smartphone, scan this code using the application “QR Code” to read a movie review of Think Like a Man.
WEBSUDOKU.COM
Pitch Perfect Movie Review “Work your butt off this week, you’ll thank yourself at the end of it. Think productive, be productive.”
“I just want to wear sweaters and coats but the universe is not playing along.”
“Don’t trust too much. Don’t love too much. Don’t hope too much. Because that too much, can hurt so much.”
—Austin Carlile @austincarlile
—Zooey Deschanel @ZooeyDeschanel
—Frank Ocean @frank_ohcean
“The more you can communicate with people who seem to be different from you, the more you’ll be able to appreciate that we all share the same desires.” —Russell Simmons @UncleRUSH
Entertainment
Oct. 10, 2012
Mumford & Sons: ‘Babel’
Popular British folk-rock band meets fans expectations
19 Upcoming concerts
By Destiny Gammon Editorials Editor Mumford and Sons has yet again left fans breathless with their newest album, ‘Babel.’ Becoming famous with their songs, ‘Little Lion Man’ and ‘The Cave,’ this Celtic style band has become a booming favorite across America, being played on almost every radio station. ‘Babel,’ released September 25, 2012, is the band’s second album after their 2009 release of ‘Sigh No More.’ “I was super excited for the new album because Mumford and Sons are such an awesome band,” junior Kaitlin Martindale said. Many criticize Mumford and Sons for their lack of musical diversity. Each song has a similar sound due to its genre and often times, this prevents a varying of rhythms and tones throughout their music. Their newest album though, according to lead singer,Marcus Mumford, best represents their band and the sound that they wish to portray. Releasing the single ‘I Will Wait’ early gave the album an automatic fan base, making it in the top 20 iTunes purchases within the first day of release. With a slightly different sound, the song gave listeners a preview of what Mumford and Sons next album, ‘Babel,’ would sound like, creating positive expectations for the musical genius that would be released a little over a month later. “When ‘I Will Wait’ came out, I was really looking forward to ‘Babel’ because it was such a catchy song and I couldn’t stop listening to it,” Martindale said. The first song which the album is named after, ‘Babel,’ started off with a bang with a mix of banjo, acoustic guitar and drum rhythms. Like most of the songs on the album, vocals range from fast to slow and display Mumford’s voice in the best way possible with
The Early November Thurs., Oct. 11 Jammin Java
his gritty yet soothing tone. The song, ‘Holland Road,’ is another familiar Mumford and Sons sound with the slow, emphasized beats and repetitive phrases. From beginning to end, the song presents the banjo as a very imperative instrument, giving Mumford and Sons the sound that fans expect. On the deluxe edition of the album, songs such as a cover of ‘The Boxer’ and ‘Where Are You Now’ are also included, making the album even more of a favorite for fans. The album as a whole creates a warm feeling for the audience, mixing fast with slow while using a variety of instruments, many of which are Celtic, to generate a whole new type of ear candy. Listeners who enjoyed Mumford and Sons’ first album, ‘Sigh No More,’ no longer have to worry about the band changing its sound because ‘Babel’ not only holds the band’s original quality, but makes it even more enhanced. The only evident changes, and slight
Featured band: The Good Fight
disappointment, to Mumford and Son’s musical style is their emphasis on religion in many of their songs. Although pre-existent, religious influence was, in the past, indirect and could be metaphorical to other life events. But, in ‘Babel’, the use of religious vocabulary is much more persistent. The other disappointment was the decrease in fast-paced songs. On ‘Sigh No More’ there was an equal balance between quick and slow moving tempo. Although still existent in their newest album, the amount of slow songs are definitely higher than the amount of fast moving ones. Mumford and Sons is definitely a band to watch for the next few years due to their musical genius. ‘Babel’ is unquestionably one of the best new albums to hit the market and will be blasting through your speakers for days due to its influential Celtic sound and powerful lyrics.
‘Don’t Panic,’ you can listen to All Time Low
Zac Brown Band Fri., Oct. 12 Jiffy Lube Live
Jon McLaughlin Sun., Oct. 14 Jammin Java
Honor By August Fri., Oct. 19 Jammin’ Java
Baltimore locals release fifth album through YouTube Scan the QR code to the left on your smartphone to see an exclusive interview with the band.
“You can’t always get what you want.” —Jamiah Harrison freshman @Jamiahharrison1
“I can’t wait for homecoming, halloween, thanksgiving, more football, more bonfires and more fun!” —Jenny Ha senior @pbandjennyyy
“When I’’m sad I just sing, and then I realize my voice is worse than my problems.” —Kevin Tran senior @Kevin_D_Tran
By Sarah Bergen Entertainment Editor All Time Low has returned with their pop songs and meaningful lyrics on their latest album “Don’t Panic.” Lead singer Alex Gaskarth announced the band would be releasing their fifth album in early 2012. The album is being released on their first record label, Hopeless Records, since the band recently left Interscope records. Fans were worried about what the final product would be like. Their 2011 album release “Dirty Work” was a disappointment to many of their fans, and was criticized for having pointless lyrics and straying away from their previous work and sound. The band took to Twitter on Oct. 2 to announce they had released the album in it’s entirety through YouTube to get fans more excited for the Oct. 9 release date. A 41 minute long video streamed the full album of 12 songs. The album opens with their single “The Reckless and the Brave,” which was released in July. The song provides a good introduction to the remainder of the album, leaving the fans wanting more. Throughout the album listeners will hear guest vocals from Cassadee Pope, previously a member of the Florida-based band Hey Monday. Pope is also a contestant on NBC’s The Voice. Other guest vocalists are Anthony Raneri of Bayside and Jason Vena
Kevin Hart Sat., Oct. 20 The Verizon Center
of Acceptance. Gaskarth’s lyrics throughout the album can relate to the teenage mind by singing about real life problems. This is seen especially in the fourth track “Somewhere in Neverland,” where the lyrics talk about growing up and life after high school. The sixth track “The Irony of Choking on a Lifesaver,” speaks about relationships, with lyrics such as “I’m sick and tired of false devotion.” Nearing the end of the album, the song “For Baltimore” displays the band’s true love for their hometown. The song is dedicated to their original fans for helping them get to where they are now. The lyrics are meaningful and straight from the heart. Overall the album is very impressive and is worth listening to. The band will most definitely earn a spot back in many of their fans’ hearts. The band will soon embark on their U.S. winter tour to debut this album.
Say Anything Sun., Oct. 21 The Fillmore: Silver Spring
Alanis Morissette Tues., Oct. 23 The Fillmore: Silver Spring
A Rocket To The Moon Sun., Oct. 28 Jammin Java
Grouplove Mon., Oct. 29 The 9:30 Club
The Perks of Being a Wallflower Review On your smartphone, scan this code using the application “QR Code”to read a review on The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
20 What is your favorite fall weekend activity? “My favorite fall activity is playing field hockey.”
—Janan Gokturk freshman
“I love going to football games.”
—Meg Hua sophomore
WEEKEND
Oct 10, 2012
How ’bout them
Homestead Farm makes for a fun day of picking and many people enjoy petting and viewing them. Nearby vegetable patch and scarecrow set the scene. On weekends, this farm can get crowded fairly quickly, so it is sometimes wise to bring along a basket and a cart. There are usually a sufficient number provided, but this can speed the process significantly. The drive to Homestead Farm is not long and it becomes very scenic, making for an enjoyable weekend day trip. The next time a beautiful fall weekend rolls around, Homestead Farm is the place to go to enjoy it.
BY ROWAN SHARTEL
Weekend Editor For a classic apple-picking farm experience, Homestead Farm is the place to go. It is an expansive farm with a general store, market with produce for sale, snack bar with apple pie and caramel apples, pumpkin patch, hay rides and trees for picking. The farm is a great place for children, families, dates or just fun afternoons. Hay rides cost $3, and apples are sold by the pound depending on the harvest price. The pumpkin patches are free to walk around in. Several farm animals are penned nearby the entrance
Location: 15604 Sugarland Road, Poolesville, MD 20837
“I love to spend most of my time playing and being active with kids. I also enjoy spending my Sundays watching the NFL.
—Jazmin Fernandez junior “My favorite fall activity is going to the football games with my friends”
—Jonathan Pratt senior
A board displays daily crops and prices.
Bushels are weighed at checkout and priced.
Staffers weigh produce at checkout.
A market sells various produce, like peppers.
Rocklands Farm lunch and market Holistic agriculture produces organic, natural produce and meats
“Coming home from school to watch the Ellen Degeneres show.”
BY ROWAN SHARTEL
Weekend Editor
—Daniel Critchfield senior
––Compiled by Andrea Melendez
2013 class bulletin
Rocklands Farm is a 34-acre organic farm in Montgomery County, Maryland. They specialize in freerange and cage-free meats, organic produce and meats, biodynamic produce and animals not fed antibiotics or animal byproducts. This is a good way to incorporate healthful foods into today’s diet. The farm practices “holistic agriculture” in an effort to engage the community, raise all meats and produce naturally, and encourage
healthy eating. On Saturdays, the farm is open for a market where anyone is welcome to stop in, tour the farm, meet the staff and purchase meat and produce. A fresh lunch is cooked, and at the time of the visit the meal was grilled sausage and onions. The farm has an open-air feel, with dogs roaming the grounds and a lawn for frisbee-playing. A 30 minute drive into the country is worth a visit to this quaint and unique farm. Location: 14525 Montevideo Road Poolesville, MD 20837 A classic red barn marks the entrance to the market at Rocklands, open on Saturdays. Left: A staff member grills the fresh daily lunch of sausage and onions served at Rocklands Farm.
Prom location: MarriottFairview Park Date of Prom: June 13th Senior graduation countdown: 247 days Senior picture retakes will be held from Oct. 18, 19 and 24 in the dance studio
Information is prominently displayed.
There are 34 acres of farm land at Rocklands.
-photos by Rowan Shartel
Cuisine Critiques Restaurant Guide
By Rowan Shartel and Andrea Melendez
Preview: Mosaic District On your smartphone, scan the above code using the application “QR code” to view an exclusive story about an upcoming shopping and dining center opening in Merrifield.
Driving by Annandale, there is a wide variety of Asian cuisine. This week we decided to stop by Saku Asian Diner that had just opened in Springfield. Entering into the parking space, the buildings surrounding the restaurant had a generic look. Once we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by some Asian music playing softly in the background, drowned out by the evening news playing on the television on the wall. Wanting to enjoy some more of the Asian culture, we were confused to see portraits of teacups and more generic portraits made to fit the empty spaces. We went to the back of the restaurant to order. On the wall behind the cashier, we viewed the menu that offered a variety of sushi rolls, beef, chicken, shrimp teriyaki and general tso chicken, all accompanied by either fried or white rice with some vegetables. The drinks were the traditional soft drinks and hot green tea. We chose the chicken and shrimp teriyaki with white rice.
Chicken and shrimp teriyaki was plentiful but not great.
The process of cooking the food was quick and easy, making the wait pleasantly painless. Both the shrimp and chicken were cooked well, but there was an excess of an pungent spice that overpowered the taste of the chicken. The vegetables were boiled and did not provide any uniqueness to our taste buds. With the white rice boiled and plain, we understood that the taste of the chicken and shrimp had to be richer than the side dishes, but the taste was more than a little generic for what we were looking for. The healthy kick of the food was low and the grease that encased the food was not as appetizing in any way. Looking at the culture and variety of what Annandale has to offer, Saku Asian diner was secondhand on all levels, but offers an inexpensive option for those interested.
Saku is located in a nearby shopping center.
Restaurant rating
B-
6981 #A Hechinger Dr. Springfield, VA 22151
- Photos by Andrea Melendez