Issue 4

History of samesex marriage in California 1994-Marriage is defined as a union between a man and a woman by California’s Civil Code.

2000-State Law Prop 22 was passed to define the only recognizable type of marriage is between a man and a woman.

2004- Mayor Gavin Newson orders the city of San Francisco to issue same-sex marriage licenses to 4,000 couples. Supreme Court does not recognize marriages, as the mayor did not have the authority to bypass the state law.

Sept. 2005- The state Congress approves AB 849, which allows same-sex marriage. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoes the bill, and cites his reason as Prop 22.

Sept. 2007-State Congress passes AB 43, which allows same-sex marriage.

Oct. 2007-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoes bill and cites Prop 22 as his reason.

May 2008-California’s Supreme Court overturns the ban on same-sex marriage.

Nov. 2008-Prop 8 is approved by popular vote, and overrides the Supreme Court’s decision.

Source: msnbc.com

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Nov. 20, 2008

California wrongly bans same-sex marriage Proposition 8 bans same-sex marriage in California

BY ERIN JOHNSON Editorials Editor The definition of marriage in California has been debated, reversed and redefined many times in the past eight years. The most recent change was made on Nov. 4, when the people of California voted yes on Proposition 8.

Proposition 8 is an amendment in the constitution of the state of California that was created to override the State Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage.

Those who oppose same-sex marriage either define marriage as a union between a man and a woman or find it offensive to their ethics or religion.

Many people cite verses from the Bible to argue against same-sex marriage, but the Bible is not the document that governs this country. The document that governs is the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution clearly states that all men and women are equal, thus people are not equal if they do not have equal opportunities.

The controversial issue of same-sex marriage brings up another conflict, which is that some social and law related changes cannot be decided by popular vote. If this was so, then schools would never have been integrated and women would

in question makes some people never have voted. uncomfortable. There is no People have to realize way that a country can be run that the issue of samewhere everybody is completely sex marriage may seem satisfied, there has to be bumpy uncomfortable and wrong patches along the way. to them, but if the laws People should stop trying change now, in 20 to 30 to insert the government into years the country could be other peoples personal lives. used to it.

Same-sex marriage may offend Some believe that only some people, but it does not the states decide on what harm anyone. The whole concept laws to pass on this topic, is about love, but it is fought but that is irrational. States with such unadulterated hate. such as California keep California has changed its alternating their ideas law about same-sex marriage on the subject, making it a total of six times. Anyone even more complicated. It can see that the way people are gets even messier when approaching this issue is not thinking about how the state could see someone as Same-sex couples are still only able to marry in working. If there is to be any sort of end to this issue, the federal married one day, and single the states Massachusets and Connecticut. government should pass a law, the next.

Those against same-sex marriage in California either preventing or allowiing same-sex marriage. clearly think that if they have the governor on The Declaration of Independence says that the their side and the popular vote of the people, they people have the unalienable right to the pursuit will keep their law in place. But by looking at the of happiness, and not letting people get married history of the U.S., there have been many battles means they are not able to pursue their own hapfought over citizen’s liberties. In most cases, the piness in the way that they choose.

In the end, same-sex marriage, or marriage freedom and equality that represents America triumphed, even if that was not the popular decision between a man and a woman, is a very private topic. No one has any place getting involved in like Title X or emancipating slavery.

The government’s job is to secure the people’s another person’s married life, and neither should liberties, not to abolish them because the liberty the government.

ERIN JOHNSON

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EDITORIALS

Should the government help pay for college?

A question of who should help finance college

BY JAMES YU Staff Writer

Ted Stevens mistakenly re-elected

On Nov. 4 this year, Senator Ted Stevens was re-elected as Republican Senator of Alaska.

Several days before the election, he was convicted of hiding his senatorial finance papers, and taking money for thousands of dollars worth of gifts and renovations on his home.

While many people in Alaska heard about these crimes and voted against him, the majority obviously noted that he was a criminal but voted for him anyway.

Taking money from the government secretly and using it for personal needs is unacceptable.

Ted Stevens should not have been re-elected. He should have stepped down from his position, which is what the Republican Party wanted him to do.

Ted Stevens is, however, a fairly popular Senator in Alaska. He has an airport in Anchorage named after him, and was able to win the election despite being convicted of seven counts of taking money and spending it unethically.

He is also the longest serving senator in history, and a loyal Republican.

A decent person would not have taken the oppurtunity to steal this money from the government, and have it used for personal items such the renovation of his home.

Ted Stevens’ maximum sentence could be to spend 35 years in jail, five years for each account of corruption, and yet he is still part of the body of law that creates the laws of the land.

-Erin Johnson Editorials Editor

Issue 3 Corrections –English teacher Anna Kate Prum’s name was mispelled on page 10 –Senior Abdi Mohamed’s name was mispelled on page 10 –Freshman AJ McCafferty’s name was mispelled on page 10 –Math teacher Gail Chmura was not credited as a math teacher on page 12 –The band was not credited as competing Class 3 on page 5

Whether the government or the individual should finance for the costs of higher education is a thorny debate which many AHS students can relate to.

Look at the country of Denmark for a brief moment; they bear the burden of financing higher education as one.

The tax system in Denmark is known to have tax rates up to a soaring 63%, according to the International Herald Tribune. It is undeniable that Denmark has some of the highest taxes in the world.

Also, according to The New York Times, many young Danes are fleeing the country; mostly in order to escape the high tax rates. In other words, they stick around to earn a free college education financed by the public and then dash off to other countries. The act of looting from one’s own people to benefit the self is extremely selfish. These kinds of acts, which are frowned upon, are inevitable if the majority of the American public vote for the government to finance higher education.

According to a study conducted by AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) in March of 2006, out of 1,016 Americans aged 25 and over, 77% considered taxes too high and 59% felt that the tax system was unfair. Visualize these percentages, if they were readily available in a time of financial hardship the country is going through. The expenditure the American public would have to face if the government financed higher education would be sky-high.

Given the financial crisis, the U.S. has dug

SOURCE: COLLEGE BOARD

itself into a deep hole and will not see daylight in the near future. It would be unwise to dig itself even deeper into the ground by expanding our financial woes. Although the system of government financing for higher education for its citizens may work for Denmark, it is highly doubtful that the picture would be as pretty in the United States.

Second, according to a 2006 study by the Commerce Department, Americans failed to report trillions of tax dollars in the year of 2003 alone, a 37% increase from the year of 2000. It is evident that an accumulation in taxes would serve to increase the temptation to cheat on these taxes.

Third, the benefits would not be applicable to many individuals and it wouldn’t be fair to coerce them into casting a large portion of their income so that others could benefit from their hard work and effort. The country cannot force a low-class couple who chose not to obtain a higher education or bear children to pitch in for the higher education of the son of an extremely wealthy lawyer.

Finally, an individual would end up compensat-

ing a cyclopean amount of money to the government through taxes than if they had taken a loan.

Situations like these, which are bound to arise, make the idea of government financing for higher education are not the best.

In addition, there are many paths an individual can take on his or her quest for higher education, although many drop out. According to the Department of Education, 30% of college students leave after his or her first year and almost 50% never graduate – the unfortunate part being that the investment in these dropouts would be wasted. The money could have gone to many places in lieu of higher education institutions; such as charity, infrastructure projects, or even education reform to better prepare students for college to reduce the dropout rate.

The question is who should be accountable for these kinds of troubles. For example, fingers cannot be pointed at the government for investing so heavily in the individual. The person who received federal aid for their college tuition and failed to graduate cannot be blamed either. It is everyone’s fault.

Ideally, higher education would be free to all, and the economy and society would blossom endlessly with no limits and everyone would be exempt from taxation. What a wonderful world it would be: comparable to Sir Thomas More’s Utopia.

Now, realistically speaking, a higher education is not free. It directly benefits a person, not society, and it should be a personal expense. The country can only be optimistic and hope that our next president will allay the burden for financing higher education in the future. Meanwhile, turning to the government to entirely finance higher education is not the wisest decision.

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Rules of Thumb

Annandale High School 4700 Medford Dr. Annandale, Virginia 22003

Vol. 54 No. 4 Nov. 20, 2008

Staff

RABID FOX LOCKS ON JOGGER While jogging at a park in Arizona, a woman encountered a rabid fox which bit her foot. She tried to pick it up, but it locked onto her arm. The woman continued to run a mile with it attached to her arm, and then drove to the hospital.

Editors In Chief: Shriya Adhikary Waliha Gani

Rule: Bring pepper spray when jogging in case of attack by rabid animals.

Editorials Editors: Aya Saed Erin Johnson

ENGLAND INVENTED BASEBALL? According to a British author Julian Norridge, the American pastime baseball was actually created first in England. He bases this thought on a quote from the Jane Austen classic “Northanger Abbey”, which mentions the sport.

Rule: Always read books carefully in case you find shocking historical facts.

WOMAN ASKS POLICE FOR HUFFING CAN In Arkansas a woman was arrested in a car that was parked at a Wal-Mart store for huffing a can of air. The police officer asked her what she was doing, and she replied that she would answer any question, but wanted her can back so she could “finish getting high”.

Rule: When being arrested for huffing, keep an extra can on hand.

(703) 642-4229 email: theablast@gmail.com fax: (703) 642-4299

Managing Editor: Laura Simpson News Editors: Brianna Fagg Emily Fruchterman

Webmasters: Ben Wilson Video Staff: Joey Panther Natalia Schwien Emily Bagot Photography Editors: Tanya Bellingham Annika Jessen Copy Editor: Jane Aman Ad Manager: Meredith Rutherford

In-Depth Editors: Nathalie Spita Charles Simpson Sports Editors: Kelsey Knoche Scott Plunkett Sports Xtra Editors: Logan Miller Marcus Mavlian People Editors: Laura Ambrosio Stacey Irwin Weekend Editor:s Marie Benavides Marisa Tordella International Editors: Ndidi Obasi Manal Elhak Entertainment Editors: Kelly McGarey Lyndsay Jacobs Academics Editors: Doreen Bond Emma Barker Art Editors: Brooke Barlow Travis Valle

Circulation Manager: Kelsey Price Meredith Rutherford Online Staff: Connor Goolrick, Adeel Shams, Jeff Shim Staff Writers/Photographers: Jennifer Oakes, Mariah Pollet, Alley Adcock, Gessica Azzam, Jake Barnes, Jose Candia, Rachel Coulter, Rachel Gallogly, Erin George, Daniela Guevera, Kristen Hennessey, David Hookey, Bum Lee, Brandon Mitchener, Bob Stevens, Katie Vu, Ben Wolfenstein, Carly Bouchard, Andrew Craig, Stephen Craig, Adam Kasdorf, Elizabeth Marcois, Nathan Miller, Kelly O’Brien, Brenna O’Neill, Jerald Sheppard, Alexandra Torre, Jenn Allshouse, Maggie Craig, Victoria Deible, Connor Goolrick, Cassady Keller, August McCarthy, Julia Moeller, Melissa Purvis, William Risse, Jeff Shim, Hope Stadulis, Amy Stevens, Travis Valle,Aishwarya Venkat, Melissa Walter, SamYoung.

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, 2008.

OPINION

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Nov. 20, 2008

Profanity:

Give Hope a Chance

not for kids Children should not be exposed to profane language or expletives on T.V.

Created by Jordan Aman

BY AYA SAED Editorials Editor As high school students, we have heard them all, from the “f-bomb” to the “s-word,” and the list can go on. Expletives, or profane words, have become an almost typical part of the high school life as all of the most popular movies, songs, shows and books have at least a mention of these words. As a high school student, it seems as though the use of these words has become more and more customary. Is this really what we want our society to perpetuate?

Recently, the use of these words on television caused a huge amount of controversy as the Supreme Court battled out this issue. The specific case at hand was between FOX and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The government has enforced certain “decency” standards since the ’20s that prohibited the use of expletives during certain times of the day.

Children are most likely to watch television during the times of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and it is during these times that the FCC regulates sexual or indecent content.

However, as live shows and debates become more frequent, the FCC has tumbled on a new debacle. Should it sue television networks for a one-time or occasional expletive? This entire debate is over some very negligible events.

One scenario was when Nicole Richie stated to millions of viewers: “Have you ever tried to get cow [expletive] out of a Prada purse? It’s not so [expletive] simple.” This simple comment might have slipped the censors, and can be categorized as a “small” mistake, but looking at the big picture, such actions should be regulated. As millions of teens and pre-teens watch these live shows and look up to such “cool” idols as Richie,

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we cannot have celebrities advertising the use of profane words.

If the Supreme Court decides that such occasional flare-ups are fine, then they will unleash Pandora’s Box all over again. This time around, the television networks will not have to meticulously monitor the content of their shows and can get away with an array of “occasional” scenarios.

According to a recent study conducted by the Parents Television Council, the use of profane words has nearly doubled in “prime-time broadcast television since 1998.” As young children become more accustomed to profane language, in one more generation, this problem will escalate to a level that cannot be contained.

With siblings in both middle school and elementary school, I have seen the extent to which profane language has become a normal and even “cool” part of the life of pre-teens and even kids. As one wanders the halls of regional middle schools, it is inevitable that you hear at least one curse word. This new trend should not

be sustained but discouraged.

However, it is only fair to mention that television is not the only source of this verbal “epidemic.” The responsibility lies on the shoulders of parents. It is simple to ban television shows from using profane words, but if the parents occasionally use these words in front of their children, then they continue the problem. In the end, children do what they see their classmates doing, and if one student starts using these words frequently, it is already too late.

We all say these words every once in a while, and it is almost unavoidable to teens. However, we, as a society, do not want this to be a common part of the society. As such, the Supreme Court should ban the use of “occasional” obscenities, making television networks liable for what they put on air. This is the first step. It might be too late to shield our generation from obscenities, but we should fight to protect coming generations from such profane and often hurtful words.

U.S. must reduce airstrikes The solution to battling terrorism is not increasing missile attacks in Afghanistan

--Aya Saed

Should the Supreme Court ban the use of expletives in television?

“No. I do not want to hear annoying beeping sounds when I watch T.V.”

—Eddy Cutrera freshman

“No because it expresses the person and its just words.”

—Henry Cooper Soloman sophomore

“No, because cursing is a part of our language, so we should be able to say it, you cannot take words that are already made out.”

JERALD SHEPPARD

wish to implement peace, yet they themselves bomb dozens of our people.”

Moreover, it gives soil for the Taliban and Al Qaeda fanatics to gain support by using these strikes to spread their propaganda about the “evil U.S.” In order to further prevent the ugly image of America that most in the Middle East hold, greater measures should be taken to ensure that civilians evacuate the sight and the missile attacks are carried out with

BY WALIHA GANI great organization and planning. In 1986, Air Force Capt. Kenneth Jennings co-Editor In Chief discerned the importance strategtic airpower planning has when he said, Amid the violence brewing half a mile away, the sound of music illuminates “Air power must be used selectively to avoid generating support for the the festivities of the day a village in Afghanistan. Today, children and women insurgents. have gathered to celebrate a wedding celebration. This is a rare sight for History has proven that the U.S. since World War II, when airpower festivities happen only seldom in this country, a country and a people torn first made its appearance in warfare, has always by the ravages of war, where bloodshed and bombings underestimated the war on the ground and are a common sight.

Number of close overestimated the war in the air. Among many The festivities inside the are in complete juxtaposition others, WWII, the Gulf War, the Vietnam War and a i r s u p p o r t to the fighting between the Taliban and the U.S. troops the Korean War all proved that air power is effective half a mile away. But the celebrations can last only so m i s s i o n s i n with immense strategic planning. long. Everything explodes as a U.S. strike blows up the During the Vietnam War, Operation Rolling A f g h a n i s t a n women, children and men.

Thunder, the bombing campaign that was intended This gloomy description is a sight similar to a recent to prevent Ho Chi Minh from taking over South U.S. missile strike that, according to Afghan officials, Vietnam in 1965, revealed that significant took the lives of about 40 civilians and left 28 others understanding must be given to the enemy. One of wounded, including women and children on Nov. 5 at the primary reasons we failed was because the North Wech Baghtu in Kandahar province during a wedding Vietnamese would not give up. Similarly, the Taliban celebration. holds an ideology that is extremely, if not impossible, Since the U.S. toppled down the Taliban government to break. in 2001, air strikes have killed scores of civilians every Regardless, the U.S. must ensure that missile year. This year, according to The New York Times, one of attacks, especially those targeted at neighborhoods the worst U.S. air strikes was on Aug. 22, when at least where civilian population is high, should be well 33 civilians died during a meeting of Taliban insurgent coordinated to decrease civilian deaths. As Major leaders. Additionally, an air strike during a wedding Stephen L. Hoog in 1991 analyzed, airpower is in July at the Nangarhar province left 47 civilians, a “hammer”—a tool that the commander must including the bride, dead. meticulously conduct himself in each mission.

The President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, Clearly, U.S. efforts to bring security to the region notes that exploding villages are not the solution in become obscured with the high civilian casualties battling terrorism and evil. General McKiernan also from air strikes. Granted that civilian casualties acknowledges that new measures must be taken to are normal during times of war. It is all part of the ensure that civilian casualties decrease. gruesome bloody ravages of war, but if these air A simple definition of terrorism is any activity that strikes continue to take civilian lives at this rate, raises fear. Our nation has been attempting to battle the U.S. is only giving rise to further Taliban and terrorist activities since the devastating 9/11 attacks, Al Qaeda activities. but what kind of message are we conveying if our own President Obama, this is one of your first aircrafts are exploding missiles that literally threaten priorities as commander in-chief. the lives of so many people? Undoubtedly, this raises fear and rancor against the U.S. in the Afghan people. It gives them a contradictory message—“U.S. leaders say they USAToday.com

It was Jan. 2007, and many of us were thinking the same thing: how can this black man from Illinois, with roots in Kenya , really become Presidentelect of the United States of America ? Fortunately, my cynical views on the election were proven wrong. In electing Barack Obama as our next president, we have captured the true essence of what it means to be American. The ideals of the American dream are now perpetuated into an everlasting aurora; one that will give the hope to all kids that they too can dream and reach for the unimaginable.

This occurrence has released the many doubts minorities and Americans in general had about goals and dreams.

No longer are we confided to the “norms” society places on our shoulders, nor are we molds of clay shaped by the prejudices of our time period. Humans all over the world have realized that dreams can in fact become a reality. That with the right combination of hard-work, intelligence and determination, we can in fact become leaders of our society, despite physical characteristics. Just thinking about the symbolic affects of this campaign makes my knees tremble- a positive tremble that is.

From the times of slavery, America has traveled on a sea of hardships for Caucasians and African-Americans alike; however, it is fair to state that we can finally see the horizon in a distance. The youth of the world, especially in Africa and areas that have undergone hardship after hardship, can finally begin to see their future brighten up. Their heightened spirits are worth everything to us right now, especially as the world dynamics of the 21st century begin to take form.

The shadow of this moment will last forever. The experiences we are now living through and the hard work we have put forth to make them a reality has truly laid out the foundation for our generation and generations in the future.

Our grandchildren and their children will forever ponder during their history classes how a once blatantly racist country elected a black man as Commander-in-Chief. No matter what your party affiliation, and the objections laid out by the Republican Party are understandable, it is time to embrace what has occurred. It is time to give that optimistic and wishful part of your conscience a time to wonder. It is time to give hope a chance.

Grading scale to change?

Although the Fairfax County grading scale seems biased, it makes this system unique and raises the standards for excellence

BY BUM LEE Staff Writer This is the million dollar question for the Fairfax County school system, a six point grading scale, or a ten point grading scale? This question has been debated in Fairfax County for what seems to be an eternity. Fairfax County has always been known for its rigorous grading scale and its 94 percent A. However, due to many petitions and angered cries, the County is considering changing the system it has had depended on for decades.

Many do not realize that colleges do in fact

realize the difference, and even look higher upon Fairfax County because of its rigor.

Counties all around our region, like Montgomery County, administer a ten point grading scale. Additionally, they implement a grading scale that awards one point for completing an AP class; this is in contrast to how Fairfax County gives only a .5 for their AP and IB classes and administers a six point grading scale.

Fairgrade has been a giant debate in the school systems. They have been researching the impact of a ten-point scale on a Fairfax County Transcript and how this might affect the college acceptance rate of students. So far, we have heard no substantial evidence to prove that having a ten-point grading system can improve your chances of getting into college.

To many seniors, this may seem like an unfair disadvantage. Seniors have gone through four years of a six-point scale and a .5 weight for IB/AP courses.

Thus meaning that they have a significantly lower GPA. I personally think it wouldn’t matter because colleges usually drop weights of IB/AP courses, which evens out the playing field for students. Additionally, colleges recognize that Fairfax County has a six point grading scale, which makes Fairfax County stand out above the rest.

—Taylor Flowers junior “No because foul language gets language across.”

—Anna Davis

senior

“No, I don’t think the Supreme Court should get involved, but there should be an ethical law about it”

—Zaha Qamar science teacher

HEALTH

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the Nov. 20, 2008

Carrying a school load Students suffer health problems due to oversized and overpacked backpacks

BY BEELAN YONAS Health Editor

BEELAN YONAS

Junior Martha Suppey walks to class while straining to carry her backpack.

with them to every

With 30 percent of students carrying backpacks that are more than a third of their weight, it is no surprise that many students complain of back pain.

“I weighed my backpack and it was 45 pounds,” said sophomore Zeni Saife-Selassie.

“One [student] almost got into a fight with me because I accidentally hit him in his chest with my huge backpack.”

Many students walk around with oversized backpacks, their backs hunched over, and their bodies straining to balance a huge quantity of the weight they carry.

It is common for students to bend forward when carrying a heavy backpack in order to keep from falling backwards.

Even with lockers, some students are forced to bring all of their school materials class.

“My locker on white days isn’t next to any of my classes, so I have to carry all my stuff. I carry at least four binders, one or two large textbooks, and a couple of notebooks,” said senior Whitney Davis.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that students should never carry a backpack that is more than 10 to 15 percent of their weight and to tighten the straps of the backpack so that the bag is two inches above the waist because the bag should be close to the body in order to lessen back pain.

Backpacks that are too full can cause bad posture, back pain, and red marks on the shoulders. “I had back problems and had to go and visit my doctor. I have a hunchback,” said Saife-Selassie. Almost 7,000 students were injured in 2006 because of oversized backpacks, and 30 to 50 percent of students are victims of pain as a result backpack use.

Carrying a backpack over one shoulder is an improper use of a backpack, which is supposed to be carried over two shoulders.

“I carry my backpack on one shoulder and it’s very painful sometimes ,because I carry well over 10 pounds and I’m pretty small. [But] I feel like it’s better than carrying my bag with two straps because it feels like it’s too much pressure on my back,” said sophomore Kidist Ketema.

Only carrying the bag over one shoulder can cause postural misalignments, osteoarthritis, and vertebral subluxation, which leads to neck pain, back pain, and headaches.

Back problems have been observed to affect such a vast majority of students that the California State Assembly passed legislation mandating schools to introduce ways to significantly limiting the weight of students’ backpacks.

Students feel like their teachers ask them to bring too many things to their classes like textbooks and binders that cause their bags to become too heavy and large for them to carry.

“They should have extra textbooks in all the classes,” said sophomore Salma Kerfal, “so we don’t have to carry them.”

However, students often carry unnecessary items in their backpacks that do not relate to any of the classes they are taking, which causes them to be overly stuffed.

“I can’t spell that well so I carry around a mini dictionary and I also carry five reading books,” said Saife-Selassie.

Because of the health risks of carrying heavy backpacks some students have found other alternatives.

“I used to have a backpack and put everything in my bag because I didn’t want to hold it in my hand,” said senior Jeni So, “[but] that ended up hurting my back. Now I just carry a tote bag and hold the big textbooks in my hand and put all of my smaller stuff in my bag.”

Though carrying textbooks can lessen some pain, back pain can be long lasting, and much of the pain experienced by adults is attributed to the habit of carrying heavy bags in their youth.

15 Tips to get you through your Thanksgiving meal Rather than feeling guilty over the holiday season, why not enjoy a healthy holiday season?

Here are some helpful tips to still enjoy the holidays without gaining weight.

WARM UPS Thanksgiving originated as a fall feast, but that does not mean you have to overindulge this Thanksgiving. To start do not go into your Thanksgiving meal starving. Try eating appetizers during the parade and football games. Try having a vegetable platter out during the game and drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated and full.

DURING DINNER Making good choices during dinner is important. Try small portion sizes to enjoy a variety of foods and chew slowly to savor the flavor. Stuffing is one of the most fattening of holiday foods, so try to limit yourself. Avoid eating casseroles too. Rooted vegetables are very healthy, but as a casserole they are full of calories.

Eating skinless turkey is always a good way to make an unhealthy Thanksgiving food more healthy.

SWEET TREATS

Health history in the district

Hot chocolate, caramel apples and pie are just a few of the holiday treats that can ruin diets. To cut down on your calorie intake, limit yourself to just a sliver of pie and avoid eating the crust. Instead of hot chocolate try drinking tea. Tea has less fat and is full of antioxidants.

The National Museum of Health and Medicine offers a history of health to the neighborhood

More of the museum

In a photograph posted on the walls of the museum, a Union Army surgeon uses chloroform as an anaesthetic before amputating the soldiers leg. “On average, it took about nine minutes for the chloroform to take effect.”

LAURA SIMPSON

In this photo, 1st battalion Medical section 337th section 337th regiment 85th division dresses a shrapnel wound on an injured soldier in Italy.

A collection of prosthetic limbs display the advancement of medical technology.

Microscopes line the wall of the Evolution of the Microscope exhibit, showcasing the evolution of the microscope and the scientific discoveries that followed.

Achondroplastic, or dwarfism, is caused by an error in DNA which leads to shortened limbs.

40,000 babies are born with achondroplastics each year, this baby, however, died in the womb.

Sirenomelia, a mermaid deformity in which a development error of the lower limbs during the embryonic stage causes the legs to form together.

LAURA SIMPSON

This model, sculpted by Jules Talrich, made in 1894, shows a French sailor suffering from Rhinophyme, an acne complication in which the tissue of the nose thickens and skin becomes extremly oily.

free but an ID is required for everyone in the party to enter Walter Reed, and again to enter the museum. The museum is open daily from 10a.m. to 5:30p.m. The only rule they have is, “don’t lean on the glass,” which they carefully enforce. Despite the strictly enforced rule, the staff at the museum works hard and knows their stuff.

LAURA SIMPSON

hair ball was removed and the girl lived to make it into the Guinness World Records for the largest hair ball.

Also in this exhibit is the comparison of lungs of smokers, full of cancer, a coal minors dark black lung, and a city dwellers spotted grey lung, live leaches, and the leg of an elephantiasis victim. The exhibit also includes an area of health related art.

The “Evolution of the Microscope” exhibit is a great exhibit for science enthusiasts. This exhibit includes what is said to be the first microscope Robert Hooke used when he discovered and coined the term “cells.” The exhibit includes 400 years of microscopes and other tools of the bio-scientist.

The museum features artifacts from decades ago that still spark interest today. The newest of exhibits is the forensic exhibit, which displays the advances in identification of U.S. service members who have died in battle. Every exhibit, although they are all different, offers a unique way to learn about the health of humans and the history of medical care.

Just 30 miles north of AHS on the campus of the Walter Reed Medical Hospital sits the National Museum of Health and Medicine. The museum is a large white building tucked far into the property of Walter Reed.

Admission into the museum is

Cyclopia, a defect causing the embryo’s eyes to form as one in the center of the head and other developmental abnormalities that caused the embryo to die.

LAURA SIMPSON

LAURA SIMPSON

From history to hair balls, the National Museum of Health and Medicine has something for everyone.

The museum is composed of multiple exhibits including the “Human Body, Human Being” area, the “Battlefield Surgery” section, the “To Bind Up the Nations Wounds” exhibit, the “From a Single Cell” exhibit, the “Medical Technology,” the “Evolution of the Microscope” exhibits, and many more.

For history fans, the “To Bind Up the Nations Wounds” exhibit is a great place to start. The exhibit includes the medical history of the civil war from the confederate and union sides.

Among the artifacts displayed are items belonging to Abraham Lincoln and items relating to his death. The bullet that killed the president, a bloody cuff from the surgeon who performed the autopsy and Lincoln’s hair and bone fragments are just a few of the amazing items on display in the exhibit.

“Battlefield Surgery” is another history filled exhibit which features the advancement of military medicine from the Civil War to the Vietnam War. This exhibit, however, isn’t for the weak stomached with its highly graphic photographs.

Guests that enjoy seeing more graphic and visual exhibits should head straight to the “From a Single Cell” exhibit. Using real embryos and skeletons, this exhibit displays the growth of humans. The embryos and fetuses are fully submerged in yellow tanks of formaldehyde.

The exhibit also shows mutations and complications that can occur in pregnancies. Using a real fetus, viewers can see what it looks like when the umbilical cord is wrapped around a fetus’s neck.

The mutations available on display in the exhibit are unimaginable; from cyclopia, in which the fetus develops with just one eye in the center of its head, to sirenomelia, in which there is an error in the development of the lower legs causing a mermaid-like deformity. About eighty percent of the displays in this section of the museum are real fetuses and body parts preserved for viewers.

The “Human Body, Human Being” exhibit also has actual human body parts, including the only fully connected central nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord in the United States.

Also, in this exhibit is the world’s largest hair ball ingested by a twelve year old mentally insane patient. The

LAURA SIMPSON

BY AMY STEINBUEHCLER Health editor

The “From a Single Cell” exhibit of the museum features a range of embryos in a variety of stages of development as well as developmental disorders.

Some developmetal disorders included Cyclopia, Achondroplastia, Sirenomelia, and conjoined twins.

The National Museum of Health and Medicine is the only Museum in the country to have a fully connected central nervous system, composed of the brain and spinal cord.

Conjoined twins, occur in a failure of twining, or the process of forming twins. Survival rates for conjoined twins varies. These twins were born but died shortly after.

th Nov. 20, 2008

PEOPLE

A

Now and then...

Teachers reminisce about the days when they walked the halls of AHS Andrew Suddarth

Jamie Carayiannis

Class of 1997

Class of 1976

Q. What was your most memorable experience in high school?

A. When we won the state lacrosse championship during my senior year. I had played with these guys since freshman year.

Q. What was your favorite part of high school?

A. The friends and the people that I got to know. If you’ve got a group of friends, it doesn’t matter whether you are in class, at practice, or on a sports team, it is always enjoyable.

Q.What was your most embarrassing experience as a student in high school?

A. Mr. Maglisceau used to ridicule me a lot in class. I’ve blocked a lot of it out.

Q. What were you like in high school?

A. I was very studious and hardworking.

Q. What were some problems you faced in high school?

A. There’s so much I wanted to do and get involved in. It was so hard to fit it all in. In high school, I did lacrosse, golf, winter track, yearbook, NHS and I was a class officer.

Q. What has been the best change that has occurred to AHS ?

A. That AHS has not changed much, it’s still a close-knit community.

Q. What has been the worst change that has occurred at AHS? A. The students were born in the 90s, so it makes me feel old. I’ll mention one of my favorite movies in class. Then I’ll realize that it came out before all my students were born.

Q. What were some different rules that were in place at AHS? A. We only had 5 minutes in between classes. We did not have Flex or block scheduling.

Instead, we had each class every day for 45-minutes.

Q. Why did you decide to come back and teach at AHS? A. When I got into teaching I applied at a bunch of schools. I was glad when I found out that there was an opening at AHS. I couldn’t imagine teaching at any other school. My closet is overflowing with red and white.

Q. How does it feel to work with the people that once taught you?

A. It’s great because you get to know them as a person instead of just as a teacher.

When I was a student I didn’t realize that teachers actually had lives outside of school.

Compiled By: Stacey Irwin

Kathleen Dion

Class of 1980

Class of 2001

Q. What was your most memorable experience in high school?

A. Going to the home football games on Friday night, because they were a total blast and I got to hang out with my friends. I’d come home covered in confetti and I would have no voice left from screaming so much.

Q. What was you favorite part of high school?

A. I just really liked going to school. I liked being in classes with my friends and learning. I was a nerd, proud of it too.

Q. What was your most embarrassing experience as a student in high school?

A. During a play in my senior powderpuff football game, I ran in the wrong direction.

After that, they wouldn’t put me back in the game.

Q. What has been the best change that has occurred to AHS? A. Air conditioning. They finally put air conditioning in the high school.

Q. What has been the worst change that has occurred to AHS? A. It was a smaller and close-knit school when I attended and that added to the sense of community.

Q. Why did you decide to come back and teach at AHS? A. I love the school. There is something special in attending AHS with its long standing history and traditions. It’s a true community school.

Q. What were some problems you faced in high school?

A. I had a crush on the football player that sat next to me in my Spanish class. It was very distracting.

Q. What were some different rules that were in place at AHS? A. We were allowed to be in the hallways during lunch. As a senior privelege, we had senior skip cards. It allowed you to skip each class once a quarter, but you couldn’t miss more than three classes in one day and it had to be prearranged with the teachers.

Q. How does it feel to work with the people that once taught you?

A. When I first started teaching here it was a little akward because I didn’t know what to call my former teachers. It does not apply now because they are no longer here.

Q. How does it feel to work with teachers you once taught?

A. I’m very proud of them. I think it’s really neat that people still want to be here at AHS and have an impact on the school and the people who go here.

Q. What were you like in high school?

A. I was very quiet and a good student. I was not involved in many school activities, other than a couple of honor societies.

Compiled By: Stacey Irwin ?

Who am I?

—Emarinn Oundee counselor Class of 1998

• I majored in mathematical sciences.

• In my spare time I play with my kids, quilt, and machine embroidery.

• I like to listen to country, blues, classical, and jazz music.

Who am I? • I majored in International Relations and Education.

• My favorite season is fall.

• I have traveled to Europe, Southeast Asia and Central Asia.

my family to attend the same high school for all four years.

If you know this person, come to the publications lab for a prize.

Compiled By: Laura Ambrosio

“Beating T.C. Williams the first football game senior year, and AHS winning states the year after Remember the Titans.”

—Cindy Hook field hockey coach Class of 1973

Other AHS alumni Chris Bagot, English teacher, Class of 2002 Kasi Kraus, field hockey coach, Class of 2003 Kevin Fox, special education teacher, Class of 2002 Christine Gloninger, culinary arts teach er, Class of 1982 Carol Stroud, special education teacher, Class of 1975

November Celebrity Birthdays

12 14 18 19 21 22 23

• I attended Michigan State and George Washington University.

• I like to listen to world music.

• Something interesting about me is that I was the only person in

—Meredith Stevens photography teacher Class of 1999

1 3 4 8 11

• I have taught at AHS for 6 years.

• My motto is, “Math is everywhere.”

kids say “oh” and finally understand something.

“Switching into photography from Spanish 4 junior year because it changed my life, now I’m a photgraphy teacher.”

Last Issue’s

• I have traveled all over the US.

• My favorite part about teaching is the lightbulb moment. When

—Dick Adams football coach Class of 1975

—Mike Scott history teacher Class of 1988

Q. What was your most memorable experience in high school?

A. Prom because I had a blast hanging out with my friends for almost the last time before we all went our separate ways.

Q. What was your favorite part of high school?

A. I actually really liked the diversity that Annandale offered. The other part that made my high school experience enjoyable were my teachers.

Q. What was your most embarrassing experience as a student in high school?

A. On Halloween of my freshman year, I dressed up in a costume and no one knew what I was. Everyone was making fun of me all day. I just couldn’t wait to go home and change.

Q. What were some problems you faced in high school?

A. Trying to find the time to be involved in all of the things that I was interested in. I was on the lacrosse, volleyball, and basketball teams, A-Blast, Young Democrats and the Spanish Honor Society.

Q. What were you like in high school?

A. I was a lot quieter than I am now. I didn’t really belong to any one group. I had all types of friends.

Q. What has been the best change that has occurred at AHS since you attended?

A. Well there’s a ceiling now. When I was here they were renovating the whole school.

Q. What has been the worst change that has occurred at AHS since you attended?

A. Everything has pretty much remained the same. Nothing has really changed in a negative way.

Q. What were some different rules that were in place at AHS? A. The “no hat rule” wasn’t enforced.

Q. How does it feel to work with some of the people that once taught you?

A. Some of my teachers were Mr. Weintraut, Ms. Holmes, and Mr. Maglisceau. At first it was intimidating, but they turned out to be great resources and provided invaluable support when I was starting out.

Q. Why did you decide to come back and teach at AHS? A. I did my student teaching at a place with absolutely no diversity. I realized how important and enriching a multicultural environment can be and besides you just can’t beat Annandale.

Compiled By : Laura Ambrosio

• In my spare time I like to exercise, be outdoors and travel.

• I was born on April 16 in South Dakota.

“Senior prom because it was the last event of four years. I got to go with my friends and my girlfriend of two years and it was the end of an era.”

“Having Mrs. Edwards as a history teacher.

I was thrilled to learn about her previous careers.”

• I have taught at AHS for two years.

• I attended Clemson University.

What was your favorite moment as a student at AHS? “Playing football for Coach Adams and Tennis for Coach Fisher.”

Q. What was your most memorable experience in high school?

A. It was the whole atmosphere of being here in Annandale. I had a really positive high school experience and all of my teachers and coaches made that happen for me.

Q. What was your most embarrassing moment in high school?

A. The coach said that the next guy who drops a punt is going to get kicked in the butt and I dropped the next punt. It happened in front of the whole freshman football team, but it was all good fun.

Q. What were some challenges you faced in high school?

A. I struggled academically and always had to work harder. It was mainly because I preferred to do other things like sports.

Q. What were you like in high school?

A. I was a pretty nice guy and my teachers liked me because I sat in the front of class.

I was a jock. I also didn’t mind being different. I had short hair when everyone else had long hair. I didn’t always follow the crowd, like I never smoked. It just wasn’t me.

Q. What has been the best change that has occurred to AHS ?

A. We have a lot more diversity now. When I was in high school, the students were mainly white. Now, we have the richness of many different cultures.

Q. What has been the worst change?

A. AHS used to be the focus of the community. It lost some sense of that as the community became more spread out. I also think that this school is too small for the 2,500 of the students that we have. If we weren’t so crowded, then more students could have a better experience. We could also get rid of the trailers.

Q. What were some different rules that were in place?

A. I remember kids and teachers could smoke during school. There were designated smoking areas on campus. It was terrible because there would be smoke everywhere.

Q. Why did you decide to come back to Annandale?

A. When I got out of college, I taught at several places. When Coach Adams, my stepbrother, got the head football coach job in 1990, he asked me to come coach with him. I had begun to miss Annandale, so I decided to come back.

Compiled By: Laura Ambrosio

Debbie Estes

7

24 25 26 27 28 30

• My motto is, “Do unto others as you want done to you.”

• My favorite season is every season.

• I was born on Feb. 2 in Michigan.

Meredith Hendrick

• My favorite part about teaching is working with the students and the unpredictability of the classroom.

Jenny McCarthy Gemma Ward Sean ’Diddy’ Combs Gordon Ramsey Demi Moore Leonardo DiCaprio Anne Hathaway Travis Barker Owen Wilson Jodie Foster Goldie Hawn Scarlet Johansson Miley Cyrus Lucas Grabeel Katherine Heigl Christina Applegate Tina Turner Natasha Bedingfield Jimi Hendrix Bruce Lee Anna Nicole Smith Ben Stiller

1972 1987 1969 1966 1962 1974 1982 1975 1968 1962 1945 1984 1992 1984 1978 1971 1939 1981 1942 1940 1967 1965

ARTS

8

th

A

Nov. 20, 2008

Coffeehouse in Clausen Hall

SUBMIT TO US! The Filament is looking for submissions for the 2009 issue

Filament hosts a Coffeehouse with free beverages and live entertainment

Featured Student Artist: Lucy Webb

TRAVIS VALLE

Sophomore Lucy Webb is a creative writing student who wrote a short story with the premise of “Back in 1938, before...”.

Lucy Webb 10

COURTESY OF HA TANG

The Filament is the literature and the art magazine of AHS. It is a forum for creative student expression. The goal of the magazine is to provide an opportunity for students at AHS to support and appreciate the creative process and artistic works in general. Any student enrolled at AHS may submit.

A team of student editors and staff makes selections for the magazine. All submissions are evaluated anonymously. Selections are based on the artistic merit of individual pieces. Students are encouraged to submit their best, most meaningful works for consideration.

The Filament editorial staff reserves the right to edit all submissions prior to publication. We also reserve the right not to print material that invades an individual’s right to privacy or material that is libelous or obscene. Authors and artists retain copyright of printed submissions, but grant The Filament the right to use selected submissions as deemed by the editorial staff to be most appropriate for the magazine, as well as for promotional purposes.

Look for submission forms in your English and Art classrooms or pick one up at room 296A in the English hallway.

Where can you get coffee and food, sit down with your friends and listen to amazing poetry and music from AHS’s very own student body?

A local Starbucks? Think again.

The Filament hosted a Coffeehouse on Nov. 19 in Clausen Hall to celebrate student writing, art and to raise money for the publication of the school’s literary arts magazine. The Filament is sold with the Yearbook and the Yearbook DVD at the end of the school year.

“The Coffeehouse is like a cafe where kids can go to listen to poetry and music. A chill place, so to speak,” said junior Ha Tang, a member of the Filament staff. “It features musical performances, comic sketches, poetry, all sorts of stuff.”

The Filament hosted its very first Coffeehouse last year. “Last year was pretty hectic. We didn’t really have a clue as to what we would do. It was an interesting experience,” said Tang. “Last year’s was experimental though, so now we know how to run the coffeehouse more efficiently this year,” added junior Christina Bui. This year, the officers hoped to organize events in an orderly fashion, and also include a better variety of performances.

The money raised from this event will be used to publish the Filament.

“It costs around $3,000 to provide a free copy of the Filament with every Yearbook,” said Filament Managing Editor Christina Bui. This is especially important since the success of the magazine depends on the success of the Yearbook sales, which means the members of the Filament have to raise as much money as possible to publish the magazine in time.

The Coffeehouse was also an event to raise awareness about the Filament to AHS. “We are hoping to basically encourage the arts,” said Filament sponsor Kathleen Dion. “We have a lot of academically talented students at this school who don’t necessarily play a sport, or play an instrument. We want to give them the opportunity to show off some of their talent,”said Bui.“We

This is the picture included with the online invitation to the Filament Coffeehouse on Facebook.com which was distributed by junior Ha Tang.

If you would like your artwork or creative writing to be featured in a future issue of the A-Blast, drop off your submission at the Publications Lab. You must include in your submissions your full name and grade as well as your R5 and W2 classroom numbers. Include a note indicating it as a submission for the Arts Editor, Travis Valle.

All creative writing must be typed and any graphic design or digital photography submissions must either be submitted with a color print-out or on a disk.

Junior Thao Ngyuen, junior Nissa Vadakoot, senior Rene Medrano, junior Daniela Guevara, and senior Kyle Mills are making a poster to advertise for the coffeehouse.

The copyroom gallery Art students put creative portraits on display for teachers to enjoy

Freshman Kevin Carillo’s self-portrait reflects his love of music.

Creative self-portrait made with pastel by junior Nipal Elkhebri.

BY SAM YOUNG Staff Writer

Back in 1938, before…the war, I fell in love. He was a tall, dashing man with golden hair and eyes you could get lost in. His smile made everyone in the room feel happy, and his laugh was a reminder of a thousand beautiful songs. He was sweet and kind to boot, and the best part was, he loved me too.

Whenever he looked at me you could tell he didn’t see anything else. His eyes; so warm that they melted my soul every time. He asked me to marry him in the best way possible way, giving me a ring that shined like the moon.

We were married and I was to have a son. Everything was perfect.

That was before the war. Now, I only have a photograph to remind me of his face, and a son to remind me of his warm blue eyes.

Attention all AHS students!

basically need the money and their contributions for the magazine.” The Filament collects student art, literature and photography contributions through English classes.

The members spent a lot of time in outreach to encourage participation in this event.

“I put the events together on Excel,” said Tang, who coordinated the events this year. “Mr. Elgin made announcements in my band class, and we got the participants to advertise in their own classes. Plus, I sent out a message on Facebook to anyone who might be interested.”

These measures attracted about 30 people to this year’s event.

Junior Daniela Guevara also contributed to the Coffeehouse. “Last year I basically collected money up front. This year I had to get student artwork from the art department and put it up in Clausen Hall for the event,” said Guevara.

The event also included a variety of foods—everything from coffee and soda to baked goods. Junior Thao Nguyen was in charge of providing coffee for the event.

“I asked the Beanetics on Backlick Road if they could provide the coffee for the Coffeehouse,” she said. “We didn’t know what they were giving us, but we got three cans of free coffee for the even,.” said Ha Tang. “We also had hot chocolate for those who do not drink coffee.”

There was a nominal fee for the food and drinks, but officers promised that the event was worth the money.

Performers at Coffeehouse were excited about the chance to express themselves. While preparing for the event, Bui said, “I’m going to play the Midnight Sonata on piano for the Coffeehouse. It’s going to be a lot of fun and I’m really looking forward to it.”

“I like being onstage at such events. It gives me so much confidence and I feel the adrenaline rush,” added sophomore Marissa Vigano. She has regularly shared her poetry at Filament-sponsored events. After her performance, she said, “I felt really good; better than I have felt in a while. Poetry is sort of a stress reliever for me, and I loved sharing my writing with others.”

SAM YOUNG

BY AISHWARYA VENKAT Staff Writer

Colorful portrait created by freshman Emily Krause.

Beautiful pastel art created by freshman Violet Son.

The copy room in the science hallway is, for the most part, normal. It is fairly small with gray walls, a carpet floor and glass windows. There is, however, one thing that makes this room stand out: the colorful artwork that adorns its walls.

This art is created by students in the Art and Computer Graphics courses. In fact, the copy room was originally an art gallery where Art students were able to display their work; the room still serves this purpose, even though teachers now use it to make copies.

Art teacher Catherine Stark has been hanging art in the gallery since she started working at AHS three years ago. She hangs new pictures in the room once every one to two months, depending on the pace of her students.

“Currently, my students are working on ID portraits; they are metaphorical self-portraits with symbols represented as objects in the background,” said Stark. The symbols can represent different things, such as different aspects of their personality or hobbies they have.

Freshman Jane Nguyen’s art expressess her love of sweets.

Her students are also working on vector portraits, which follow the same concept as ID portraits; they are visual self-portraits of the students that have symbols or objects represented in the background. Students uploaded pictures of themselves onto computers and blocked out different light tones in their faces.

For example, dark tones could be blocked as a dark maroon, while light tones could be blocked as light pink.

This was done to recreate structure in the students’ faces.

The students in the Computer Graphics course also display art in the gallery. However, “Ms. Harper, the Computer Graphics teacher, normally displays her art in her classroom instead of in the art gallery,” said Stark.

There are some problems with hanging art in the room. “It takes Sophomore Jacinta Lam’s self-portrait detime to hang up a new set of por- picts her looking out an open window. traits, and there isn’t room for any three-dimensional art, like sculptures.”

Nevertheless, the artwork on display brightens up what would otherwise be an ordinary copy room.

“It’s nice. You can see art while you work,” said Environmental Systems teacher Neal Jarvis. “It’s better than plain walls!”

Freshmen Syed Hossain’s portrait depicts himself standing in the sun.

ACADEMICS

A

the Nov. 20, 2008

NHS inducts new members COURTESY OF BRIAR CREEK PHOTOGRAPHY

Members congratulate inductees and express pride for the honor society Anxious inductees, knowledgeable teachers and proud parents filled the auditorium on Oct. 29, for the National Honor Society Induction Ceremony. The evening’s event was complete with dramatic music to set the scene, guest speakers full of advice and the induction of 59 new members of the Annandale Chapter of the National Honor Society.

“The ceremony was well put together, even more exciting than I expected. Everything seemed to be very organized, and I especially loved Mr. Hawes’ speech,” said junior inductee Christopher Sheehy.

From the presentation of the Teacher of the Year award to government teacher John Hawes, to the lighting of individual candles of character, the induction ceremony ran smoothly. But the success of this event came from careful planning.

The collaborative work of NHS officers, Meredith Rutherford, Glenda Ngo, Timothy Hepburn, Amy Mai, Kim Duong, Aya Saed and teacher advisor, Cliff Hickman made this induction just as prestigious as the club it was structured for.

“With our diligent planning and cooperative teamwork, the induction ceremony ran smoother than we could have anticipated,” said senior NHS secretary, Amy Mai. Although the planning and efforts of the NHS officers went a long way in making the ceremony a success, the night would not have been the same without the encouraging speeches made by two highly respected men, John Hawes and guest speaker, David Cordts.

“I thought that Mr. Hawes’ speech was entertaining, but also really informational. My friends and I truly enjoyed it,” said sophomore inductee Paige Clark.

The speeches, from both men, encompassed the values of good leadership, explained what the honor society represents and stressed the importance of student success. Although the speeches were filled with information and great advice, they kept the students engaged by using compelling tactics.

COURTESY OF BRIAR CREEK PHOTOGRAPHY

BY CASSADY KELLER AND TORIE DEIBLE Staff Writers

“I really liked Mr. Cordts’ speech, it was unlike any other. The magic trick he included at the end, connecting character and leadership was totally legit, I give him mad props,” said returning NHS member, junior Desmond Lee. The enthusiasm shared from returning members and their support heightened the overall experience for the new inductees.

“It was great seeing so many of my friends being inducted into the society. And the current members of the NHS were really encouraging. It just reassured my feelings that being a part of NHS will lead me to success,” said Clark.

With teacher advisor Cliff Hickman, the Annandale Chapter of NHS is a collection of students with high academic standings. The minimum GPA requirement for all members is a 3.5. This alone emphasizes the importance of academics in the students’ lives; but in order to be a part of the NHS there must be other levels of success. In addition to scholarship, the core values include: service, leadership, and character. Those involved in the society strive to include these values in their daily lives and demonstrate them in the school and the community.

“As a junior, my primary focus has become getting accepted into an outstanding college. Being in this society not only looks great on applications, because of the immense amount of community service, but it also encourages me to keep my grades

Above Officers Treasurer Kim Duong, Secretary

9 Would you apply for early decision?

“I decided not to apply early decision because I’m thinking about joining the Navy and wrestling there.”

—Jose Escobar senior

Amy Mai, Historian Tim Hepburn, President Meredith Rutherford, and Parliamentarian Aya Saed celebrate the induction of the new members.

Left

Sophomore Helena Belay receives her official National Honor Society certificate from guest speaker, David Cordts as Parliamentarian officer Aya Saed reads off the inductee names.

up,” said junior inductee, Connor Volk.

Colleges nationwide recognize the NHS program as a highly respected organization full of intelligent students, whose main purpose is continued success.

Applications of students who mention their involvement in the National Honor Society stand out as stronger candidates to college acceptance offices.

This can be directly credited to the fact that students in NHS are required to complete numerous hours of community service and leadership, uphold an untarnished character, and maintain in high scholastic standing.

“As always, service plays a vital role in the NHS this year. Aside from our monthly morning meetings and required hours of community service and leadership, members are also required to take part in our weekly clean up of Ossian Park,” said Mai. Even if these obligations were not included in this year’s plan for the Annandale Chapter of the NHS, the members would still serve their community by choice. This self-driven will to participate in their community as both a leader and a scholar epitomizes the foundation of the NHS. “NHS fosters the qualities of scholarship, leadership, character, and service which help me develop as a contributing member of society, and a person whose actions impact the lives of those around me. For this reason, I am a proud member of the NHS,” said Lee.

Seniors debate applications

“I dedcided not to because I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go.”

—Natalie Nounennedy senior

“Well, if I do get in, then senior year will be a lot easier and relieve a lot of stress.”

—Matt Mayne senior

“I would because I like the college I am applying to [Lynchburg].”

—Jacklyn Molmann senior

“Yes, so I could find out if I was in college sooner and enjoy the rest of my senior year.”

Students re-think college decisions as colleges change their application process

—Bryan Van Balen senior

BY DOREEN BOND Academics Editor

Julissa Romero junior

EMMA BARKER

Two years ago, the University of Virginia made a decision that directly affected last year’s graduating class and will continue to affect future applicants.

The University of Virginia, which is located in Charlottesville, decided to stop offering early acceptance as an option for applicants.

UVA is one of many colleges that have eliminated the early-decision program. Other schools that have dropped that option include Harvard, Princeton, and the University of North Carolina. These colleges are public and mostly part of the Ivy League. The applications of these schools provide a hindrance to students financially.

“You have to be sure that you want to go [to that school] and can pay the tuition,” said Career Center specialist Robin Roth. “When you apply for early decision, there is a contract made between you and the school. If they accept you, you have to go.”

Harvard’s website gave an estimate of the tuition costs for the 2008 to 2009, about $32,557 which isn’t including room, board or health and student service fees. When applying for early decision, the applicant is promising not only that if they are accepted they will attend the school, but that they can pay for the school without financial aid. Those factors make the binding contract of early decision less desirable for seniors.

“Early decision used to be a strategy for being admitted. People think that if you declare an early, first choice, then you have a better chance at being admitted to that college or university,” said Roth.

Even though some of the nearby colleges and Ivy League schools have given up on early applicants, not all of the schools have decided to eliminate the option. Some AHS seniors have already applied early decision for schools, like Taimoor Bhatti, who applied to Mary Washington.

“I respect the decision [to end early decision] at other colleges,” Bhatti said.

“But I would like it if they [still had early decision at schools]” There are two different kinds of early applications. There are early decision applications, which bind the applicant to the school, then there are the early action applications, where the applicants submit their applicantion by November 1st of their senior year and they are notified by mid-December instead of April.

“I chose not to apply early decision to Cornell University because I wanted to leave my options open. It would’ve been great if they had early action simply because it would’ve been nice to know the result of your application without being bound to the school,” said senior Emily Koppelman.

Likewise, senior Anna Davis did not apply early decision for any schools.

“Christopher Newport’s 72 hour admissions process made me get all my stuff I had to get done for college in one sitting, like my activities record,” Davis said.

With more people applying to colleges, many of them applying to six or seven colleges, and the same amount of spots in college, actually getting into a school of one’s choice is becoming increasingly difficult.

“It’s the small private schools that are keeping the early decision,” said

Senior Kate Salpini shows off her college-wear as she reads information about Tulane University, the college where she applied early action.

Robin Roth. “The bigger schools are more competitive and the admition rate is not going up.”

Even though a lot of schools are getting rid of early decision as an option, some schools still have it.

“It’s useful if they have it, but if not, it’s not a big deal,” said senior Sean Huyhn.

Although he may not care about early decision one way or another, it still is a decision that many other seniors may have to make.

SENIOR PORTRAITS Please visit our web site at www.briarcreekphoto.com to view our portfolio.

We specialize in outdoor portraits of groups and individuals.

“Julissa has shown exceptional maturity and diligence, as well as leadership among her peers. She came to this country three years ago and started at the beginning level. Thanks to her diligence and discipline, she was able to exit the program early this fall. Like Eslyn, she has assisted and mentored new ESOL students. She is also an accomplished performer and a leader in ESOL Drama where she assists the instructors and directs ESOL students new to the stage.”

—Leslie Chekin ESOL Drama compiled by Emma Barker

BRIAR CREEK PHOTOGRAPHY An Annandale Family Business 571-233-0377

Teachers, if you would like to nominate the next student of the issue please email us at <ablastacademics@yahoo. com> and in about 100-150 words tell us why you you have chosen this student.

News Briefs

After Barack Obama’s exhilarating win, Kenya has made a new national holiday celebrating Obama’s success.

Not only does he open a new window for hope among the people of Kenya but he also gives great recognition and opportunity to the small developing country.

The Kenyans hope that because of Obama‘s ancestry, the U.S. will be more openhanded to their state of poverty and will increase the awareness toward them.

This new national holiday was declared on November 6th, following the results of the election.

The holiday is a two daylong celebration of his presidency.

Student Responses “I think its cool but I don’t think they need a two day holiday, more like a four day holiday, because it gets the kids out of school and it’d be fun.”

—Alec Villafana freshman “I think that’s great! It’s something very unique because it shows the devotion they have to Obama.

It’s something wonderful, and after what Africans and African-Americans have been suffered and now Obama has become a great example that anything is possible.”

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Nov. 20, 2008

The Festival of Lights Indian students reminisce about the festival of Diwali back home

BY AISHWARYA VENKAT Staff Writer Diwali is arguably the most important festival in the Indian calendar. The name Diwali means “row of lamps,” and the festival is also known as the Festival of Lights.

In Indian mythology Diwali celebrates the return of the god Rama to his hometown of Ayodhya after slaying the monstrous Ravana, symbolizing the victory of good over evil. This festival is also important in Jainism, Sikhism and other religions derived from Hinduism. Based on a lunar calendar, Diwali fell on Oct. 28 this year, a day that many Hindu students at AHS observed.

“We celebrated starting a week earlier. We watched new film releases, bought new clothes and fireworks, and had a great time. The whole family was in one place, and we went to the temple early in the morning. During the day we basically went over to other peoples’ houses, exchanged sweets and partied. But the real party began at night.

Every house was lit up with lights and lamps,” said junior Prashanthini Rajagopal, reminiscing about the Diwali celebrations back home in India. “All our friends got together, and we opened up the fireworks.

We competed with each other, creating patterns of all colors from the different fireworks we had. We just had an awesome time.”

For the Indian community, celebrating this festival away from home brings back bittersweet memories.

“I miss the family and the fireworks the most,” said Prashanthini. “The whole atmosphere here is just different.”

One of the most important things that AHS students miss about Diwali is their families. “My father called up my cousins back home, and I got to talk to them. They told me about how they got the day off, they were enjoying the fireworks and food and everything.” said junior Shameen Shrestha.

“I really miss that. Since my family is all over the world, meeting each other in India would be sort of

like a family reunion.”

Familial relationships are considered very important in Indian culture, and are therefore valued and missed considerably on such occasions.

Another much-missed aspect in the minds of the younger population is the fireworks. “I miss the phenomenal fireworks and celebrations with firecrackers, something that had greatly fascinated me as a child,” said junior Deepu Nair.

In India, there are no restrictions on firecracker purchase—people can buy and ignite as many fireworks as they want on Diwali nights.

“The no fireworks part [is different]. We used to buy the latest brands of firecrackers before the festival in India. I can’t do that here in the U.S.,” said Prashanthini.The Indian community also has cultural traditions that vary from region to region.

“We used to paint the floor of the house with a single line of red mud from the main door of the house to the place where we would worship the gods.

Obviously we can’t do that here,” said Shrestha.

“On the third day of Diwali, we used to visit our family and they used to give us money and food.

It’s kinda like what they do here on Halloween, except they ask for candy, and we used to get lots of money.”

The Indian community in America has had to make many changes to accommodate its cultural roots in the West.

Prashanthini said, “Well, first of all, I had to go to school on that day, while in India we had the day off. We went to the temple on the Sunday before, and we also bought our new clothes on that day. My mom made gulab jamun to celebrate the occasion.

That’s about it—we couldn’t do anything special for the day.”

The traditional exuberance of the festival has been forgotten in the American celebrations of Diwali. The duration of the festival is also very different in the states.

“In India, the celebrations of Diwali last much longer—about six days, usually starting two to three

Rangoli in water, one of the most popular art forms in India, is a form of decorative sandpainting which is used during Diwali as a symbol of welcoming guests. It reflects the distinctive and colorful spirit of the Indian people.

days before and ending two to three days after the main day of Diwali. Here in U.S., it is just a mere repetition of the routine celebration touching upon the social aspect of the festival,” said Nair.

Aside from the celebrations, Diwali also has a significant spiritual meaning in Indian culture.

It symbolizes the victory of good over evil, and stresses true knowledge of oneself. Often, in Western celebrations of the festival, the spiritual meaning is lost among the pressures to keep in touch with one’s cultural roots.

“In India, any festival and any celebration delves deeper into the spiritual core of human existence. I greatly miss the spiritual importance of the festival,” said Nair. Despite this, it evokes a sense of nostalgia among those people who are away from home.

“It’s like celebrating Christmas without the trees and decorations—as if you celebrated it like it was any other day,” said Prashanthini.

Diwali Festival Clothing

—Eleisa Umanzor junior

What holiday are you most looking forward to?

For Men

“Christmas, because it is the time to receive and give.”

—Marche Richardson junior

“Christmas, because everyone is spirited, and because of all the holiday movies.”

—Becca Hendrickson freshman

“I like Thanksgiving because of all the food served, I can eat it all.”

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COURTESY OF TWINKLE MANN

12

INTERNATIONAL

Junior Harman Singh wears a shorter version of the traditional kurta to the Diwali festival.

Indian men normally dress for comfort rather than style. The most common clothing for men is the pyjama and kurta.

Men’s clothes are suitable for the warm climate, because they are loose-fitting. The kurta can also be worn by women.

Some kurtas have side openings and stylish buttons. They are made of thin silk or cotton fabric.

Kurtas are also worn in other countries including Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

For Women

Senior Twinkle Mann wears a brilliantly colored kurta, as well as glass bangles to the festival.

Clothing for Indian women is known for its color and grace.

The sari is the most common outfit for married women, while unmarried women tend to wear kurtas.

The sari is a rectangular piece of cloth, five to six yards long. The material can be cotton, silk, or synthetic.

There are various methods of wearing the sari. The most common method is wrapping the cloth around the waist.

—Cihan Gul sophomore

“Thanksgiving because of the food, I’m always hungry.”

—Denzel Haskins senior

“The Fourth of July, because I will be moving into my new quarters at the Governor’s School that day.”

—John Hawes History teacher

Freshman Musab Elsheikh explains climate, language, and schools in Sudan

Junior Rafael Quiroga reflects on differences between Bolivian and U.S. airports

BY MUSAB ELSHEIKH

BY RAFAEL QUIROGA

What do you know about Sudan? This is my country. Most people don’t know a lot about this country. When I came to the United States from Sudan, I found that the language, the climate, and the schools were extremely different from Sudan.

First, the language here is very different from my first language. In the Arabic language, we have twenty eight letters in the alphabet. The Arabic language is not very easy to learn, because we write and read from right to left. Another difference would be that in my country, we have different accents.

Secondly, the climate in my country is very different from the United States. In my country we have three seasons: fall, summer, and a winter without snow. We do not have springtime. We have a lot of dry, and desert-like climate. I saw that there are four seasons in the United States, and I saw wintertime with snow, something that I had never seen before.

Third, schools in my country are so different. We don’t have school buses.

Everyday I had to walk to school. Also, we didn’t have free lunch like in the U.S. We had to pay for everything. We had seventeen subjects and seven classes everyday.

In conclusion, the language, the climate, and the schools are very different in Sudan. These things make my country unique. I hope to visit my country again sometime.

Every day many people arrive in the U.S. Last year on September 22 I was boarding my flight to come to the U.S. It was such a long flight to come here. It took about eight hours. I found the biggest differences between Bolivia’s airport and Miami’s airport are the security and service.

Bolivia’s airports are really small relative to U.S. airports. Also, in Bolivia’s airport the flights come late. There is a big problem because they don’t put them in order. They try to do everything fast and they commit errors and start problems. In Bolivia we need more organization in the airports.

In Bolivia the security is bad. In the airport you can’t see police officers and I think they don’t have cameras. They generally use military officers and don’t have police. I don’t know why.

The military stay in one room where they check the baggage, but they never seem to go outside. Thus, we don’t have good security in the airports.

In Bolivia, sometimes the service is good, but it depends on who helps you.

Sometimes the person who helps you is angry and she or he gives bad service.

The service is slow. The people take too much time to do anything. The service in Bolivia is not good because the people are slow.

In conclusion, my country is totally different from the U.S. I hope some day I will come back my country to visit.

PHOTO

A

the Nov. 20, 2008

It’s a

On Nov. 11, 160 people took advantage of the oppertunity to give blood to those in need. The INOVA Hospital coordinated with the leadership class to hold a blood drive in Clausen Hall during all classes. Anyone over the age of 16 was eligible to donate.

But before they could donate blood, each donor had to be screened to ensure that they met the health requirements.

“It’s an opportunity to help people who are sick. I want to help those people who need blood and save three lives,” said senior Isabel Bodrog.

Each person had the option of donating one or two pints of blood. Snacks and refreshments were available to the donors after they were finished to help them refuel.

good time

13 Why did you choose not to give blood?

“I’m deathly afraid of needles.”

—Carson Wahl senior

“I wasn’t well informed on the process. ”

—Asi Baknit junior

“I hope she doesn’t miss,” said senior Daniel Fishman. This was one of the few thoughts that ran through his mind as the nurse prepared to prick him with the needle.

“I wanted to but I just never got the chance to sign up.”

—Dinko Badic senior

“I didn’t because I get queasy and I faint when I get blood taken.”

—Erica Andersen senior

“I donated blood a couple months ago and I have a cold right now.”

—Robert Landon history teacher

Junior Danielle Johnson holds the pouches that will contain her blood as she waits for an available station.

ESOL teacher Robin Thompson gave blood because she believes that there are always people who need blood and it is the right thing to do.

Facts to get the blood flowing: ~Blood donate will help improve the lives of accident victims, cancer patients, newborns and elderly ~Donators must weigh more then 110 pounds

This machine was used to collect two pints of blood from the select few who chose this option. “It doesn’t hurt me and it helps other people,” said senior David Winters.

~Donating a pint of blood saves three lives Donaters had to squeeze stress balls to keep the blood flowing through their veins. Senior Amanda Krause chose to give blood because she likes performing a service to the community and the fact that she is saving three lives.

~Someone in the U.S. needs blood every two seconds ~More than 38,000 blood donations are needed daily ~Blood Type O is the most requested for transfusions ~14 million blood transfusions are made every year ~The average adult has from 10 to 12

Junior Samantha Dade waits as a nurse checks her blood pressure, temperature and iron to be sure she is eligible to give blood.

Nurse Ryan bandages senior Dennis Monroy after he is finished donating blod. “I feel a little cold, but I’m glad that I gave blood,” said Monroy.

Junior Travis Briggs relaxes as the two pouches collect his blood.

Stress balls were handed out to help the donors pump blood out from the veins. photos taken by Tanya Bellingham and Annika Jessen

PHOTO

A

the Nov. 20, 2008

It’s a

On Nov. 11, 160 people took advantage of the oppertunity to give blood to those in need. The INOVA Hospital coordinated with the leadership class to hold a blood drive in Clausen Hall during all classes. Anyone over the age of 16 was eligible to donate.

But before they could donate blood, each donor had to be screened to ensure that they met the health requirements.

“It’s an opportunity to help people who are sick. I want to help those people who need blood and save three lives,” said senior Isabel Bodrog.

Each person had the option of donating one or two pints of blood. Snacks and refreshments were available to the donors after they were finished to help them refuel.

good time

13 Why did you choose not to give blood?

“I’m deathly afraid of needles.”

—Carson Wahl senior

“I wasn’t well informed on the process. ”

—Asi Baknit junior

“I hope she doesn’t miss,” said senior Daniel Fishman. This was one of the few thoughts that ran through his mind as the nurse prepared to prick him with the needle.

“I wanted to but I just never got the chance to sign up.”

—Dinko Badic senior

“I didn’t because I get queasy and I faint when I get blood taken.”

—Erica Andersen senior

“I donated blood a couple months ago and I have a cold right now.”

—Robert Landon history teacher

Junior Danielle Johnson holds the pouches that will contain her blood as she waits for an available station.

ESOL teacher Robin Thompson gave blood because she believes that there are always people who need blood and it is the right thing to do.

Facts to get the blood flowing: ~Blood donate will help improve the lives of accident victims, cancer patients, newborns and elderly ~Donators must weigh more then 110 pounds

This machine was used to collect two pints of blood from the select few who chose this option. “It doesn’t hurt me and it helps other people,” said senior David Winters.

~Donating a pint of blood saves three lives Donaters had to squeeze stress balls to keep the blood flowing through their veins. Senior Amanda Krause chose to give blood because she likes performing a service to the community and the fact that she is saving three lives.

~Someone in the U.S. needs blood every two seconds ~More than 38,000 blood donations are needed daily ~Blood Type O is the most requested for transfusions ~14 million blood transfusions are made every year ~The average adult has from 10 to 12 pints of blood in their body

Junior Samantha Dade waits as a nurse checks her blood pressure, temperature and iron to be sure she is eligible to give blood.

Nurse Ryan bandages senior Dennis Monroy after he is finished donating blod. “I feel a little cold, but I’m glad that I gave blood,” said Monroy.

Junior Travis Briggs relaxes as the two pouches collect his blood.

Stress balls were handed out to help the donors pump blood out from the veins. photos taken by Tanya Bellingham and Annika Jessen

–By Staff Writer Katie Vu

Atoms win district title Boys defeat South County to finish in a tie for district championship, but fall in the first round of regionals to Chantilly

BY SCOTT PLUNKETT Sports Editor One week after finishing a very improbable 5-0 run to end the regular season and a share of the patriot district title, the Atoms’ season came to an abrupt end. The rematch opportunity to avenge the 31-20 loss to the Chantilly Chargers earlier in the season was over, and once again the Atoms fell short.

The Atoms fell behind early after a 53-yard touchdown pass by Chantilly, but responded well. After a 24-yard run by senior quarterback Cason Kynes, it seemed as if that Atoms had tied the game, but after a failed point-after attempt they remained down 7-6.

The Chargers then went on a 21-0 run to bury the Atoms with a 22 point deficit. Refusing to give up, the Atoms converted a 59-yard run by senior John Copenhaver. Chantilly extended the lead once more with a 32-yard field goal to make it 31-12.

Two passing touchdowns with brilliant yards after the catch late in the second and third quarters put the Atoms back in the game. Senior quarterback Cason Kynes threw to sophomore Melvin Robinson in triple coverage, and after tipping up the ball and breaking a tackle, the Atoms had a 69-yard touchdown pass.

Coming out of the half, down 12, the Atoms once again refused to give up.

Another deep pass into triple coverage yielded a 72-yard touchdown for the Atoms, once again between Kynes and Robinson. After the score, the Atoms were within five, but a 10-0 Chantilly run and 15 point deficit was too much for the Atoms to handle.

Despite the Atoms’ two more touchdowns, they could not overcome the Chargers, and the season ended with a close 47-38 loss in the Regional Playoff.

“Our weakness was the defense, up front mainly,” said head coach Dick Adams.

The Atoms had previously concluded an improbable run to obtain a share of the Patriot District Championship after ending the season on a 5-0 run.

The streak was sparked by the Atoms 48-27 home loss to the West Springfield Spartans. During the streak the Atoms beat both high ranked teams West Potomac and South County to end the season with a 6-1 record in the district.

After the team’s 2-3 start to the season, many thought that the district title was out of the question, but on the crisp Halloween night the Atoms left no doubt in anyone’s mind.

After exchanging touchdowns early with the South County Stallions, the Atoms broke away in the third quarter and cruised to a 28-7 win to break the three-way tie atop the district.

“It felt great to be a champ, winning the district,” said Adams.

Senior Becca Grimsley crosses a bridge at the halfway point of the Patriot district meet.

Senior offensive lineman Hazim Salem creates a hole for senior quarterback Cason Kynes. The Atoms finished the regular seaon with a 5-0 run to qualify for the playoffs

Senior Cason Kynes runs past a Chantilly defender in the Atoms 47-38 loss. Kynes was the Atoms leading offensive player this year and will be a hard spot to fill next year.

The Atoms’ strong mix of the passing and rushing game can be attributed to the late season success. Even in the loss to Chantilly, the offensive talent was evident. Kynes passed for over 300 yards and two touchdowns while the Atoms rushed for over 200 in the game.

Kynes finished the season with over 2,000 passing yards, 27 passing touchdowns, and 12 rushing touchdowns. The Atoms leading receiver was Robinson with 1,302 yards and 15 reception touchdowns.

“I’m very happy with the turnout this season,” said Adams, “We could have gone past the playoffs though.”

Field hockey finishes strong Atoms make it to regional semifinals before falling to a one-loss Lake Braddock team

BY DAVID HOOKEY AND BOB STEVENS Staff Writers

Senior Scott Plunkett gets out to a good start at the VHSL AAA State meet.

Nov. 20, 2008

LANCE MILLER

As the seasons comes to an end for the cross-country team, the runners feel as if they conquered most of their goals and met their expectations.

“I think the team did a lot better then we expected to do,” said junior Michael Ejigu. “We had a lot of rebuilding for us and had a lot of younger people so next year’s season will be great.”

While the coaches and the runners had high expectation for the whole team, they pulled through ending their season with a 7th place finish for the girls, and 5th place for the boys. Senior Scott Plunkett was the only AHS runner to advance to the regional meet after winning the patriot district. Plunkett finished the three mile course at the district meet in 15:28 and 15:40 at regionals.

“We didnt do as well as we had hoped as a team,” said Plunkett.

“But overall we had a successful season.”

Plunkett’s 10th place finish at the Northern Region meet advanced him to the AAA State cross country meet this past weekend. Plunkett finished 23rd out of the top 174 runners in the state with a time of 16:23 on the tough 5k course at Great Meadow.

“They improved their times tremendously,” said head coach Phil Harris.

As the 2008 season ends, many of the runners are sad to watch it go including sophomore Natalie Johnson.

“I’m sad because our team was really close and we always have a really good time together. I’m going to miss Saturday meets because our team just hung out for about six or seven hours straight playing games, talking, tanning or cheering each other on,” said Johnson.

The most impressive part of the season is the incredible performance done by Plunkett, who qualified for the state race.

“It feels really rewarding to make it to regionals, and then states,” said Plunkett. “I really put in a ton of my time over the summer running, so it feels great to have it all pay off.”

Since the 2008 season is coming to a close, all coach Harris can pay attention to now is the upcoming 2009 season and prepare for the hard working and training to exceed his expectations.

A

LANCE MILLER

XC teams finish season at districts

th

The field hockey season came to a close last week, following an impressive postseason run. The team’s final record was 10-12, an impressive feat in a tough Patriot District.

The Atoms got off to a slow start to the season, but rallied at the end to make a splash in the postseason. After starting out 3-10, the team was in need of a win going into the district tournament.

The last regular season game, senior night against West Springfield, was this important game. The Atoms needed overtime, but they pulled out the exciting victory.

“The turning point of our season was the team meeting at practice for senior night. Everyone pulled together after that and continued to improve every game,” said head coach Cindy Hook.

After the victory, the team continued their winning ways, by outlasting all the other teams at their annual tournament in Albemarle.

The Atoms then went into the District Tournament, with momentum and proved they belonged at the top of the district.

In the first round, the team knocked off favored T.C. Williams by a score of 2-1, and with the win secured a birth in the regional tournament. The Atoms followed up their first round victory with a 2-0 win over previously undefeated Lake Braddock.

In the district final the Atoms fought hard but lost

the game to South County with a score of 2-1.

At the Northern Region Tournament, held at Oakton High School, the Atoms faced off against a strong Fairfax team. The Atoms were able to pull off yet another upset, winning 2-1 in an overtime thriller.

With the victory, the Atoms were finally given the title of being “favored” in their second round game against the Thomas Jefferson Colonials.

The team played like the favorites, winning 4-2, and earned a place in the regional semifinal and a rematch with Lake Braddock.

In the rematch, Lake Braddock got their revenge and knocked the Atoms out of the postseason with a 2-0 victory. Lake Braddock went on to win the regional tournament, finishing their season 22-1. Their one loss being against the Atoms in the district tournament.

The Atoms had many upsets late in the season to fuel their regional tournament run.

“We did a really good job stopping them on corners and we were able to capitalize on our scoring opportunities on offense,” said junior defenseman Maggie Bermingham.

“The key to winning was the strength of our team play, the experience of our seniors and the determination of the Atoms to play their style of game,” said Hook.

“We really pulled together as a team [after the poor start] and worked extremely hard at practice to turn our season around,” said Bermingham.

Hook reiterated the fact that the team had an impressive turnaround. “The team never gave up when we were down, continued to work hard all season, and then really came together at the right time for the playoffs.”

The team also improved their skills throughout

COURTESY OF ELLIE HOLCOMBE

16

SPORTS

Senior Amy Stevens advances the ball up the field. The Atoms finished the season with a 10-12 record and finished second in the Patriot District.

the season.

“We improved a lot on our shooting abilities throughout the year and it paid off at the end,” said Bermingham.

Coach Hook noticed even more improvement from the team in many different aspects, including conditioning, strength and stick skills. However, “the greatest progress was in developing the commitment to teamwork and focus during games.”

The Atoms remain optimistic about the future, and hope for another deep playoff run next year.

“The JV team had their best season ever with 11 wins and only one loss,” said Hook. “We will definitely miss our seniors, but half the varsity team is returning and strong players from the JV and freshmen teams are coming up, so we are looking forward to more success next season.”

Coaches team up to fight cancer In a time where millions of people across the world are affected by cancer every day, it is extremely moving to see people standing up to battle the disease.

Whether through extensive fundraisers or simply individual donations tarSports Column geted to find a cure, there is something By: Kelsey Knoche truly special about seeing people come together for a cause as worthy as fighting cancer.

One of the groups that has been able to raise the largest amount of money is an organization called Coaches vs. Cancer, which, according to the American Cancer Society website, is a “nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) that empowers basketball coaches, their teams and local communities to make a difference in the fight against cancer.

Since its inception in 1998, Coaches vs. Cancer has raised over $45 million through tournaments, awareness days, donations and other charitable events. Coaches take part in various speaking engagements throughout the year, where they raise awareness of the disease, and money for the cure.

Many of the five hundred plus Division I, II, and III coaches involved in the cause have been affected by cancer in some way. Norm Stewart, a cancer survivor and former men’s basketball coach at the University of Missouri, came up with the original concept for the organization by having fans pledge a dollar for every three points his team scored during their season.

Jim Calhoun, a member of the Coaches vs. Cancer council, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2003, and then skin cancer in May of 2008. Calhoun has been an integral part of the fundraising process, taking part in multiple

Extra Points

Sophomore Victoria Ko finishes first for the Atoms at the Patriot District meet in a time of 20:32.

Senior Scott Plunkett comes through the first mile in 4:49 at the state meet.

Plunkett finished 23rd with a time of 16:23.

Photos Courtesy of Ted Plunkett

events each year.

Lute Olsen, who recently retired after 24 seasons as the head coach at the University of Arizona, lost his wife, Bobbi, to ovarian cancer in 2001. Olsen has been an active member of Coaches vs. Cancer, and his team competed regularly in the annual “2K Sports College Hoops Classic Benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer,” a tournament held annually in New York City.

In terms of local coaches involved in the cause, Gary Williams, the head coach at the University of Maryland, is one of the most active coaches in the organization. Williams holds multiple events at Maryland each year, from breakfasts with big time donors to golf outings. He takes part in multiple speaking engagements and has been vital in raising money for the cause.

The 2K Sports tournament, generally held in November, has evolved from a four team bracket, to a full tournament involving 16 teams that compete in regional brackets, with the four top teams then competing for the championship in NYC. Run by the Gazelle Group, a sports assocation who creates, represents and consults across sports, entertainment, and cultural activities, the games have raised over $4 million since they were founded 1996 and the tournament has become a marquee event in the college basketball world.

The massive and concerted effort of the NABC to raise so much money creates an interesting dynamic amongst even the most well known college coaches. This is a group that is well known for its competitive nature and coaches who have heated competitions during the course of their seasons can now be found hosting events and speaking engagements together in an effort to raise funds to battle cancer.

Coaches vs. Cancer has become an important, well-known cause and coaches all across the country are beginning to get involved. It is extremely inspiring to see men who make millions of dollars put their competitions aside and work together against a cause that could not be more deserving.

20 Which burrito joint do you prefer, Chipotle or Moe’s? Why?

WEEKEND M unchies & M Restaurant Guide

By Marie Benavides and Marisa Tordella

A

the

Nov. 20, 2008

Battle of the burrito joints

“I like Chipotle because you get more food and the atmosphere is better than at Moe’s.”

—Michael Ejigu junior

“I like Moe’s because i t ’s a b e t t e r atmosphere and the way they welcome you when you come in is cool.”

—Donnie McQueen junior “I like Chipotle better because the restaurant is cool looking and I have never been to Moe’s. ”

— Amanda Krause senior

“I prefer Chipotle because the flavor of the rice is better and you can get three tacos if you aren’t hungry enough for a full burrito.”

—Laurel Shroyer english teacher

MARISA TORDELLA

—Jack Deible freshman

California Tortilla is tucked away on a little corner in Arlington on Wilson Boulevard. I nearly drove right past the restaurant because the sign is hidden behind a large tree. The truth is, I should have just kept driving.

Since it was my first time going to California Tortilla, it took me a while to decide what I wanted.

There is a large selection of specialty burritos so I took my time reading the description for each one to decide which one I wanted. Burritos are available in small and regular sizes, which is different from most burrito joints. The menu also offers quesadillas, tacos, burrito bowls, salads and fajitas.

Eventually, I decided on the fajita burrito, which turned out to be a huge mistake. The “fresh salsa” wrapped inside tasted like it had been sitting out for days. It was more like a bland tomato mush than a salsa. It had absolutely no flavor. The messy salsa turned my burrito into a disaster because it made the tortilla soggy. The “grilled marinated chicken” did not taste like it had been marinated at all.

Then, to top it all off, the poorly tasting burrito was also poorly wrapped and completely fell apart all over my plate. I was left with a soggy, bland mess of a burrito on my plate.

Despite the terrible burrito taste, one thing that makes California Tortilla stand out is the wall of sauces, cleverly n a m e d t h e “ Wa l l o f Flame”, you can choose from to add to your burrito.

Most burrito joints simply offer Tabasco sauce while California Tortilla had a wide selection of 75 hot sauces.

The highlight of my meal was the queso dip that came with my side of chips. But even the chips were not up to par. Some The remnants of my bland burrito spilled out all of them where burnt and over my plate when my burrito completely fell apart. others were too crunchy to enjoy.

MARISA TORDELLA

The ongoing debate over where to find the best burritos has finally been settled

“I like Moe’s because it’s more convenient to eat at.”

I feel like every time I go to any Chipotle, it is always packed.

Nevertheless, the long line leading up to the counter always seems to move quickly. Everyone is in a rush to get their hands on a delicious, piping hot Chipotle burrito.

Regardless of your order-whether it is a burrito, burrito bol, or tacos, the food is always made fresh, right in front of your eyes. I recommend their giant burritos for big appetites, so don’t waste your time or money on the other choices. However, if you are not extremely hungry, I recommend the burrito bol which is less filling, but still delicious. I chose to indulge in a burrito.

Unlike its franchise owner, McDonald’s, Chipotle does not allow food to sit around endlessly before it is served. The piping hot burritos are made to order. You follow your burrito down the counter of ingredients.

It begins as a simple flour tortilla and ends as a tin foiled masterpiece.

You can be sure your burrito has exactly what you want because they only put what you want in it.

I am particularly fond of the ingredients at Chipotle.

All the ingredients are fresh and there is only free-range chicken, pork and beef. However, you could consider the taste “Americanized”. It lacks the kick of traditional Mexican food, but can be spiced up with one of the various salsas: fresh tomato, roasted chili-corn, tomatillo-green chili, and tomatillo-red chili.

For an intergrated taste of flavors you can ask to have your burrito fillings mixed; it mixes the ingredients together so you can taste every flavor.

However, there are a few minor downfalls to Chipotle. The first is the guacamole. It is delicious, yet exceedingly expensive, $1.65. Also, unlike some The napkins at Chipotle explain how to unwrap your burrito in order to enjoy it properly without making a other burrito joints, mess.

Chipotle does not include

And the results are in...

ADAM KASDORF

Upcoming Concerts

Ratings are out of four marks and are based on the opinions of Marie Benavides and Marisa Tordella.

Q-Tip Sun., Nov. 30 9:30 Club 7:00 p.m.

Price: $32.50

The Dan Band Wed., Dec. 3 9:30 Club 6:00 p.m.

Price: $25

Love is All Sat., Dec. 6 The Rock and Roll Hotel 8:30 p.m.

Price: $12

One of the top contenders in the “Battle of the Burritos,” is Moe’s Southwestern Grill which is one of the most popular and accessible burrito joints near the Annandale area. When I walked in the door, the cheerful staff welcomed me with a heartfelt, “Welcome to Moe’s!” and I continued to hear them do this every time the door was opened during my visit. Not only does this make the customer feel special, but it also helps create a warm and friendly atmosphere. Moe’s was decorated with very vibrant colors and a large menu on the wall, and there was a choice of either booths or chairs to sit in.

I studied the menu for a little while and was very entertained by the restaurant’s creative names for entrees, such as a taco called ‘The Funk Meister,’ a children’s size burrito called ‘Moo Moo Mr. Cow,’ or fajitas called ‘The Fat Sam.’ It took me a while, but I finally decided on a chicken burrito called ‘The Home Wrecker.’ This is a burrito known for its huge size and abundance of ingredients.

Unlike my experience at other burrito joints, I was given the choice of brown or white rice at Moe’s and my meal also came with a free side of chips and salsa. I was very satisfied overall with my burrito, even if it was way too big for me to finish. Beware because ‘The Home Wrecker’ truly lives up to its name, so only those with large appetites should attempt ordering it.

After eating there, I was so pleased with my experience that I was almost inspired to buy some of the merchandise that was sold but I decided to wait until my next visit.

Moe’s Southwestern Grill is one of the best burrito joints I’ve ever been to and I definitely recommend it to anyone that has a big appetite.

Moe’s offers a relaxing and friendly atmosphere along with many delicious burritos and other southwestern entrees.

MARIE BENAVIDES

Tina Turner Sun., Nov. 23 7:00 p.m.

Mon., Nov. 24 7:30 p.m.

Verizon Center Price: $59.50-153

I never thought the Chipotle restaurant chain could have a twin, but once I went to Qdoba Mexican Grill, I felt like I was experiencing déjà vu.

Upon entering the restaurant, the decorations seemed strangely similar to those of Chipotle with lots of clean lines and modern-style seating and tables. Everything was metal and simplistic too, just like at Chipotle.

Since I have always been taught not to judge a book by its cover, I continued on, figuring the food would be different.

To my surprise, the burrito choices were very similar, with both restaurant chains offering pork, chicken, beef and vegetarian burritos. Qdoba even used the exact same recipe for rice as Chipotle!

Although the similarities in the menus disappointed me, I was impressed by the “Qdoba Signature Burritos” that were also listed on the menu. These were burritos that already had the fillings decided for you, making it easier for indecisive customers. The prices were a bit higher than those listed for a custom-made burrito, but the choices sounded delicious, and worth the extra 50 cents.

I decided to have a custom-made chicken burrito with a few toppings of my choice. The rice that was used in my burrito was good and added a lot of flavor because the lime and cilantro combination was very apparent, unlike the rice at Chipotle. The chicken was also very flavorful and although I had previously been disappointed in Qdoba’s similarities to Chipotle, the food quality was much better. In addition, I do not think I have ever been served a burrito as large as the one I received at Qdoba. I was not even able to finish half of it in one sitting.

Although Qdoba was very satisfying, finding parking is not worth the trip. The location in Georgetown, DC offers discounts for those with student IDs, but when you do the math, you are paying more for parking than you actually save on the burrito. If you are just looking for a tasty burrito, Qdoba is not worth the travel time, since there are many other burrito joints While the burritos served at Qdoba are tasty, the similarities closer to home. to Chipotle are not worth the long drive.