Issue 8

A

ANNANDALE HIGH SCHOOL

the VOLUME #60 ISSUE 8

BY BERTA TARQUI Co-Editor in Chief The Career and Job Fair will take place during the extended W4 period on Wed., March 25.

The Career and Job Fair is an annual event for students to take advantage of having several opportunities to meet possible employers.

Companies such as AMC Theaters, a popular movie theater, and Goodwill, a thrift store, will be setting up booths for students to have easy access to.

Many students have applied for or currently hold a job. However, some have trouble finding a starting point. Many seniors at this point, with college on their minds, do not know what kind of career they want to reach for after high school.

"I am kind of interested in jobs that are related to veterinary because you get to do it and get to enjoy it," senior Kiet Do said.

One way for students to gain insight into different careers is by going to the Career and Job Fair held annually at AHS. see CAREER pg. 5

Senior qualifies for states

BY JAROD GOLUB Co-Editor in Chief For the first time in 20 years, AHS is sending a student to the state championship for Speech and Debate.

Senior Andrew Hendrickson is going to the state competition on Saturday, March 28 from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m. at Clover Hill High School.

"You're no good, no good at all!"

This is the sentence that started Hendrickson's journey to the state competition.

English teacher Lynn Beal who mentors Hendrickson had much to say about his talented attributes.

"It didn't surprise me that he made it to states. Andrew is an amazing student. He does not have me this year as a student, and I have yet to see his piece," Beal said.

She added that him competing was completely blind to her.

Hendrickson will be critiqued by 60 students that are all involved in the Speech Communication class.

They want to offer him feedback, but see STATES pg. 5

Informinng the Atoms siince 1954 4

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

(703) 642-4229

Admin. changes schedule Flex becomes Pride Time, Collaboration eliminated

BY JAROD GOLUB Co-Editor in Chief Collaboration and Flex have been eliminated from the AHS schedule for the remainder of the 2014-2015 school year.

The decision to change Flex to Pride Time comes right on the heels of the switch from Atom Time to Flex. This is the second change that has happened to the block of time after W4 in as many years. "[Flex] was not very popular with

anybody. We were getting a huge amount of feedback from teachers, parents, kids, and administrators that they wanted Atom Time back," Assistant Principal Jamie Carayiannis said.

There were many problems associated with both Atom Time and Flex.

"There were a lot of problems because there were a ton of kids that weren't going where they were supposed to go and it was very hard to keep them accountable for that," Carayannis said.

"The amounts of students that I have seen in any given classroom are very large, as it is the teachers' W4 along with all the requested students, which limits the availability of the teacher for one-on-one work time," senior Aya Eltahir said. "While that can't directly be dealt with, it just shows how unbalanced the

"[Flex] was not very popular with anybody.

We were getting a huge amount of feedback from teachers, parents, kids, and administrators."

Jamie Carayannis Assistant Principal spread of students is."

In the past week, students have expressed mixed views on Pride Time.

"It all seems to be counter intuitive. The students know what they need help in, and having random teachers requesting you is unprecedented," Eltahir said.

Along with the students, AHS teachers have also expressed mixed feelings about the new schedule. "[Pride Time] is positive because

I can have one-on-one time with my students who desperately need help," Arabic teacher Ola Layaly said.

"However, because students don't know where they are spending their pride time until the last minute, my students use the excuse that they don't have their materials because they didn't know they were reporting to me."

Administration is hopeful that Pride Time will continue to change into a beneficial block of time for all students, and are anticipating it to be the continued schedule for next year as well.

"The least our school can do is to provide these kids an hour and 15 minutes every other day during the school day to give them a chance to use our library, technology, get caught up in their homework and get some help. I don't think it's that unreasonable," Carayannis said. I

think it's a great idea and it's just a matter of making it work perfectly.

It's not going to be perfect right now because we just put it together."

Along with the introduction of Pride Time, AHS is also eliminating the Collaboration time block from the rest of the school year.

This change comes in lieu of a number of FCPS snow days. In order for AHS to meet the teaching requirements for the county and state, AHS must build more time into the rest of the year.

Students have had a slightly better reaction to the elimination of Collaboration than Pride Time.

"I don't really mind it," Eltahir said. "It seems fair because of all the missed school and the impending exams, but I do understand the importance of Collaboration to those that benefit greatly from sleep."

College decisions released Students begin receiving acceptances

BY BERTA TARQUI Co-editor in Chief Senior Luz Centellas has known that she wanted to be a pilot since she watched the movie Catch Me If You Can, which has Leonardo Dicaprio starring as a pilot. The fact that her sister majored in aerospace engineering also helped her with her decision after being undecided for most of her life.

She applied to Embry-Riddle University which is located in Florida and Purdue University in Indiana, both of which she has been accepted to. Senior Emmanuel Kwakye-Dompreh also has the similar career in mind and has been accepted into the same university. "[I was] extremely relieved.

Embry-Riddle is my dream school, so I was happy that they accepted me and that I could stop worrying about 'what if's'. They are known for producing successful pilots and now I can realistically hope to be one of them," Centellas said.

To enter the field of aeronautics, Centellas must take certain classes and attend a school with a program to set her on the right path to becoming a pilot.

Centellas is just one of many seniors who have received college acceptance letters in recent weeks.

After sending in applications in January for Regular Decision, seniors have never been so excited to receive mail.

However, these acceptances, also

mean more decisions for students to make, such as which school to choose and what to major in.

"Depending on where I go, I want to want to double major in aeronautical engineering and nautical science," Centellas said.

May 1 is college decision day, the day that seniors are need to have declared their school by. At AHS, the seniors celebrate this by wearing college apparel from the school that they have decided to attend.

Some students have been accepted to highly prestigious schools because of their hard work, and commitment to keep up their studies.

Senior Tho Tran was accept to Massachusetts Institute of

"All the emotions, happiness, gratitude, excitement and shock, all rushed to me so quickly.

It was a rare, surreal and probably most memorable moment."

RICKY LAM

Career Fair held at AHS

4700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003 470

Tho Tran senior Technology(MIT), the country's leading university for science and technology. MIT has a very low acceptance rate compared to schools across the U.S. "After I saw my acceptance, I screamed," Tran said. "But I think it first came out like a quiet squeal. All the emotions, happiness, gratitude, excitement and shock, all rushed to me so quickly. It was a rare, surreal and probably most memorable moment."

Senior Emmanuel Kwakye-Domphre poses with one of his acceptance letters from Embry-Riddle University.

She has been hoping to get into MIT for a while, and believes the aspects of the school make it a top choice for her.

"MIT has been my dream school since the end of my freshman year.

MIT student body is another reason why I want to go to MIT. I know some people who go to MIT or have gotten accepted to MIT," Tran said. "They are simply brilliant yet humble, authentic, and down to earth. And they seem to truly enjoy what they do."

However, some students have already made their deposit and are making plans to attend specific schools far before the May 1 deadline. One reason for this is if the school offered the student a scholarship, wither merit, financial or sport.

Senior Jenny McCann is one AHS student who has committed to colleges to play sports.

"I committed to play field hockey at The College of William and Mary last August," McCann said. "William

and Mary is a great fit for me academically and I love the campus.

Plus, my mom, who played volleyball at William and Mary, is ecstatic that I chose her alma mater."

McCann is anticipating the experience of playing field hockey for her future school and she is looking forward to meeting new coaches and teammates along the way. see DECISIONS pg. 5

Student raises funds for Operation Smile Spring Spirit Week

BY TIPYAN OMER Staff Writer

House of Cards Day: 50%

Down the Rabbit Hole: 25%

Tricked Out in Green: 20%

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum: 5%

Senior Trami Ly is one of the one in every 700 babies who are born with a cleft palate or lip. Ly has had the operation to fix her lip and mouth, however the problems that come with having cleft palate or lip can affect the developmental process in young children such as speech impediments and eating problems.

Now that Ly has overcome this challenge, she wants to give back to the babies who do not have the same opportunity she had.

Children throughout the world are diagnosed with cleft lips and palates, a common birth defect in which the lip or mouth of a newborn is split. In several cases, the defect results in a noticeable split on the mouth.

This project is very personal to Ly because she also used to have cleft lip so she understands what those children are going through and wants to help them.

"I was one of those children who needed medical assistance because of my cleft lip and palate.

Being a child and having this condition was hard

BY AHMAD AYUB Staff Writer PHOTO COURTESY OF TRAMI LY

Which Spirit Day are you most exited for?

Pictured above are some of the items that have been collected for donation by Ly's fundraising.

for me," Ly said.

Since the school doesn't allow clubs to collect money from students instead they're asked for donations. Students have been asked to donate certain items that Operation Smile is in need of and

Spring sports

Spring break

Sports looks at the upcoming spring season

Weekend talks to students about what they are doing over Spring Break

Sports 16

Weekend 20

are going to send them to their headquarters.

"Operation Smile is an international children's medical charity that helps children diagnosed with see SMILE pg. 5

History of Racism An examination of racial histories at AHS during the Civil Rights era International 12

Today marks the beginning of the annual spring Spirit Week, this year, leading up to the spring dance, Project A. Every Spirit Week, there are similar themes used throughout the week. For this Spirit Week, each day has an Alice in Wonderland theme connected to it, leading up to Project A on Friday, March 20.

This year, the line-up consists of Tricked Out in Green, in support of St. Patrick's Day. Everyone has to wear green or be in risk of getting see SPIRITpg. 5

2 EDITORIALS

March 17, 2015

Pride Time hinders freedom

BY PHUONG NGUYEN Editorials Editor A new change called "Pride Time" has come into effect earlier this month. Pride Time replaces the former Flex Schedule where students were obligated to attend a rotating schedule of classes following their W4 period.

Although the absence of Flex is something for students to celebrate, Pride Time is an even more depressing change.

The W4 block has been reduced to 10 minutes. Students are instructed to remain in their homerooms for the next 73 minutes before W6 unless summoned by a teacher or counselor for reasons such as academic obligations, clubs, tutoring or counseling.

Leaving W4 before the period is over is not permitted during Pride Time. Teachers must now "reserve" students to their classrooms to excuse them from W4 with the use of a spreadsheet system.

Passes are distributed to requested students at the start of the new W4 block to validate their eligibility to visit another classroom.

Replacing Flex with Pride Time is a flawed approach. The new policy hinders students' ability to make their own academic decisions.

Students are now stuck in their W4 which was originally intended as space for conducting day to day

announcements. Depending on the student, they may or may not be engaging in productive work during the new extended version of W4.

Assistant Principal Jamie Carayiannis stated that "The least our school can do is provide these kids [with] an hour and 15 minutes every other day to give them a chance to use our library and technology to get caught up on homework and get some help."

However, having the chance to even use the library will be difficult under the new Pride Time schedule.

Teachers are only permitted to give two library passes to students in their W4 and only a maximum of 75 students will be allowed to enter.

What school sets a quota to control the amount of kids that use the library? This completely defeats the purpose of setting up space for students to complete their work.

Carayiannis ensures that Pride Time aims to encourage student accountability.

"There were a ton of kids that weren't going where they were supposed to go and [it] was very hard to keep them accountable for that," Carayiannis said.

If the main purpose of Pride Time is to promote accountability, more students should be able to gain access to every available academic option to make use of their time.

In addition, Pride Time has caused widespread confusion and scheduling conflicts for students and teachers.

PHUONG NGUYEN

New schedule negatively impacts IB students

Students must carry one of the Pride Time passes pictured above to be eligible to go a teacher after W4.

The new student request system The new approach will wreak school is to prepare students for creates a burden on technology spe- havoc for busy IB Diploma candi- the outside world where the need cialist Jennifer Cory who is in charge dates who are accustomed to going for effective decision making skills of cutting up passes and putting from teacher to teacher for help on is strongly emphasized. Pride Time them in teachers' mailboxes. Around their difficult classwork. restricts students from making such 1,000 students reported to a teacher These students make up the mi- life decisions. last Pride Time, highlighting the nui- nority of kids that care about their In addition, another downside sance of using passes to get from academic performance. to Pride Time is that some teachers class to class.

Likewise, students with challeng- request students for too many days.

Students have struggled to ask ing course loads and those who are This prevents other teachers from their teachers in time to excuse at least passing every class should summoning students that they bethem from W4. The reason being is be able to decide for themselves lieve are in need of remediation. that signups end at a particular time where to make use of their academic Requesting students to classin order for hall passes to be printed time. rooms is very similar to being "diand distributed to students.

Without these students, one can rected" to a teacher under the old Pride Time restricts intelligent imagine how deplorable the school's Atom Time schedule. Atom Time or and proactive students from using achievement turnout would be. even the dreaded Flex period should their time to the fullest.

After all, one purpose of high be brought back to avoid this mess.

"I find [Pride Time] very inconvenient because [it's] like the dictator version of Atom Time," junior Gelila Reta said.

During the transition from W4 to Pride Time, I find it overbearing that administrators have to yell for everyone to pull out their passes to check their whereabouts. Students are simply going to class, not a foreign country. If carrying a piece of paper is that important, why not give everyone passports since so much energy is wasted on regulating every move that students make?

It's understandable that the enforcement of Pride Time serves to prevent students from wandering the halls and leaving school. Nevertheless, students that do obey the rules are unfairly punished.

We've gone through Atom Time, Flex and now Pride Time. A new system should not be created every year to address problems that can be fixed without punishing the whole school.

If students are caught roaming the halls or attempting to ditch, they should individually receive the necessary consequences.

It's disheartening to know that in the 21st century, students who attend school to gain an education are not even allowed to pick and choose how to utilize their free period.

Nowadays, AHS has become a more rigid environment where superfluous rules govern every action.

The concept of "Atom Pride" was introduced at the beginning of the school year.

Nonetheless, It's hard for students to show pride in their school when they're not even trusted to use their free time wisely.

India wrongly bans rape documentary

BY PHUONG NGUYEN Editorials Editor On the night Dec. 16, 2012, Jyoti Singh boarded a private bus with a friend after an evening at the cinema in New Delhi and was later ganged raped by a group of men.

Singh's death has sparked public outrage and numerous protests that lasted for months in cities across India.

The rape victim is now the subject of a controversial documentary titled India's Daughter.

The documentary was banned from airing its premier in early March on Indian television due to the government's concern of the film's "objectionable content," according to the BBC. In other words, government was worried that the documentary would cause public anger to reignite.

The documentary's expulsion in the very nation that it serves to raise awareness for infringes the basic democratic rights of free speech and expression.

Censoring one's intellectual property is shameful.

Widespread attention regarding rape in India, had caused numerous copies of the documentary to be illegally uploaded on Youtube.

The BBC has removed all illegal copies due to copyright infringement concerns.

In this day and age, removing a video once it's released onto the Internet is virtually impossible.

The BBC should release the documentary online for viewers around the world to gain knowledge on rape and sexual violence issues that are plaguing countries such as India.

The Indian government has no right to ban the documentary before it even airs.

This is nothing but an act to downplay the issue of rape and prevent change from altering the nation's backward views of women.

This is very concerning for a country with the distinction of being the world's largest democracy.

I decided to watch the documentary for myself after hearing about the large media attention surrounding its controversial release.

I did not find any of the content offensive or politically radical.

The documentary does an effective job of emphasizing the magnitude of rape and gender ideologies in Indian society.

Centuries of gender inequality have caused some men to believe that they can harm women as they please.

The aforementioned is illustrated

PBS.ORG

Controversial film on sexual violence should not be prohibited by government

India's daughter includes scenes of citizens protesting against violent rape. when a rape suspect revealed during a disturbing interview scene that "a girl is far more responsible for rape than a boy."

It's estimated that a woman is raped in India every twenty minutes.

What's even more infuriating is that rather than addressing the problem of sexual violence, the government has decided to focus its attention on getting rid of the documentary as quickly as possible.

Politicians are likely attempting to save their own skin.

It is revealed in the documentary that a total of 250 members of the Indian Parliament are accused of rape and have pending cases against them in fast track courts.

This goes to show the government itself is perpetuating rape. The truth should be revealed to the public. They are the ones exposed to these heinous atrocities.

Critics of India's Daughter accuse the

documentary and its director Leslee Udwin of fabricating stories and producing deceptive content to provoke strong public reactions.

One of the sources interviewed claims that the documentary is "misleading" without the opinion of the victim Jyoti Singh.

The previous statement is clearly illogical since Singh is already deceased.

On the other hand, India's image to the rest of the world has been marred over the government's handling of the rape controversy.

On the other hand, criticizing India's Daughter is the equivalent of suppressing the voices of those advocates, journalists, and rape victims from trying to change society.

Although the documentary may seem sensationalized to some viewers, at least the people behind it have the courage to

INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Summar Ayoub

HEAD OF SOCIAL MEDIA: Andrew Gonzalez

MANAGING EDITOR Chelsea Alfonso

ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS: Nuhami Mandefro Conrad Shartel

HEAD VIDEOGRAPHER: Rahel Tecle

EDITORIALS EDITORS Phuong Nguyen Sarah Metzel COPY EDITOR Linus Bumbaca IN-DEPTH EDITORS Alexandra Zernik Cayley Byrne SPORTS EDITORS: Marife Baragano Sabrina Hawa SPORTS XTRA EDITOR: Daniel Yenetega PEOPLE EDITOR: Biruk Negash WEEKEND EDITOR: Erin Johnson Thia Carayiannis

LIFESTYLES EDITORS: Soulisa Pathammavong Marilyn Rivas HEALTH EDITOR: Nancy Evora PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS: Kiara Patino Julie Swenton ART EDITOR: Bailey Oliver ACADEMICS EDITORS: Kailyn Garay Alaina Garay WEB EDITOR/ MASTER: Jared Lefbom

AD MANAGER: Zeke Yonas CIRCULATION MANAGER: Zeke Yonas STAFF WRITERS: Sheila Aguirre Faisal Hassan Ricque' Lynch Thida Pathammavong Nebeyu Solomon Maria Suarez Raphael Yu Timothy Gray Tipyan Abdelrahman Marem Atef Ahmad Ayub Jeanine Barakat Haben Cheffna Omar Haddou

Emily Lien Mery Berhene Hussein Salem Arzoo Marzi Binqi Chen Judy Chen Mohamed Elhag Teagan Foti Ryan Gammon Jonathan Gutierrez Grace Hogye Crew McCarthy Ruth Mekonnen Julius Miller Sadie Modica Julie Nguyen Aseal Saed Sharon Sanchez Rachel Shogren Tooba Siddique Halley Thadeus PHOTOGRAPHER: Ricky Lam Emily Lien Andrew Nunez ADVISER: Alan Weintraut

REFERENCE 路 Misogyny: the hatred or extreme dislike of women 路 Fast Track Courts: Judiciary bodies that reduce the time taken to examine court cases

Dos and Don'ts of Spring Break

Staff EDITORS IN CHIEF Jarod Golub Berta Tarqui

speak up using the power of media.

Remember KONY 2012? The world seemed to support the documentary's rally cry to capture Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony and eradicate child kidnappings.

The purpose of India's Daughter is no different. Global awarness against sexual violence is the only way to call for social reforms.

In a diverse environment such as AHS, it's important to be aware of global issues such as rape.

"Since the [documentary] was not aired, there is less of a chance that there would be any social change for women," junior Kim Mai said.

In opposition to the censoring of India's Daughter in its country of focus, the film premiered in U.S. last week with attendance from recognizable figures such as actresses Meryl Streep and Freida Pinto.

Rape is not an issue that is present only in India. It is a global phenomenon furthered by misogyny that has no place in modern society.

Annandale High School Vol. 60 No.8 4700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003 703.642.4229 March 17, 2015 Adviser: Alan Weintraut ajweintraut@fcps.edu

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 emailed to theablast14@gmail.com or 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, 2015.

Do wear sunscreen if you're going to be in the sun to protect against harmful UV rays.

Don't waste time laying in bed watching Netflix. Go out and spend time with people you rarely see.

Do your assignments ahead of time instead of waiting till the last minute to avoid unnecessary stress.

Don't forget what you have learned at school because SOL and final season is waiting for you when you get back.

EDITORIALS 3

March 17, 2014

Single-sex schools are doomed Closing of Sweet Briar College indicates that more students seek diversity

Sweet Briar was founded in 1901 as a private women's college in Lynchburg, VA. Its boasts a 3,250 acre campus and a student body of 735.

BY SARAH METZEL Editorials Editor After receiving numerous emails from their admissions officers, I was surprised last week to hear that Sweet Briar College will be closing this August due to financial difficulties.

I cannot help but feel slightly responsible for the downfall of this institution that recently celebrated 114 years in central Virginia.

The unfortunate closing of Sweet Briar University is not the fault of any single person. Rather, every kid who made a custom of deleting their emails is to blame. I was one of these kids: their emails appeared so frequently in my Gmail inbox that I began to consider their outreach invasive.

Now I realize that these emails were desperate efforts to recruit students who would have become their much-needed life blood.

Colleges cannot survive without students.

What Sweet Briar should have realized sooner is that students coming out of high school often pick

colleges based on the social life they offer.

So what is the biggest drawback about Sweet Briar's social life? There are only girls on campus. Seeing a man roaming around is rare, which poses a problem for campus diversity.

Diversity is such an omnipresent part of my high school life. If I chose to live in the homogenous community of a same-sex college, I would probably be blown away by the culture shock.

Colleges should afford students as many opportunities as possible.

For a long time same-sex colleges have claimed to foster boys and girls by catering to their different cognitive and interpersonal styles.

In a 2011 report by the American Council for Co-Educational Schooling (ACCES), social scientists asserted that "sex-segregated education is deeply misguided and often justified by weak, cherry-picked or misconstrued scientific claims rather than by valid evidence."

The report goes on to explain that a single-sex education can actually be harmful because it limits the

chances for boys and girls to work together. Interacting solely with members of the same gender tends to reinforce the sex stereotypes that are already so prevalent in our society.

Again, most people would agree that colleges should afford students as many opportunities as possible.

If a same-sex education is known to limit students and reinforce narrow-minded stereotypes, is it any surprise that institutions like Sweet Briar are going under?

"Times have changed, and I can say from experience that one of the best parts of a modern day education is diversity in all forms."

When interviewing AHS students about what they are looking for in a college, the most popular answer was diversity. By going to

a single-sex school, kids are cut off from half the human population and they are missing out on half of what life has to offer.

Another reason same-sex schools are slowly becoming obsolete is because dating opportunities on their campuses, for the majority of the populace, are slim to none.

I have heard women joke about how they went to college to earn their "MRS" degree. In other words, they met their spouse in college and became a "Missus" after getting hitched.

Women who go to a same-sex school are not afforded the same opportunity. I would not advise picking a college based on its dating culture, but I wonder if any students at same-sex schools ever regretted their decision after realizing they would not be finding someone of the opposite sex to marry.

In addition to their limited dating opportunities, many same-sex colleges are small liberal arts schools in remote places. For most students these are not attractive descriptors, since college kids tend to gravitate toward the cultural opportunities

that big cities offer: international restaurants, movie theaters and dance clubs, among other things.

Small liberal arts colleges also have the drawback of being more expensive than the vastly larger public schools that they compete with.

The National Center for Education Statistics reports that the average price for tuition, room and board at a private college is $37,800. If that number scares you, don't worry: public colleges would charge you less than half of that for the same services, with the national average being $14,300.

With the closing of Sweet Briar; Mary Baldwin and Hollins University are the only two women's colleges remaining in VA. Our state used to be a haven for women seeking to attend a single-sex school.

At one point VA had over 20 universities just for women, and young girls from all over the nation would be sent by their families to attend them.

I'm not completely disparaging same-sex schools. They served their purpose when society was rather

sexist and women were lucky to receive any form of higher education.

If I had to choose between attending a single-sex school or no school at all, my decision would be clear.

If I lived in the 1940s and Sweet Briar was bombarding my mailbox with letters, it could have even been my top choice. Times have changed, and I can say from experience that one of the best parts of a modern day education is diversity in all forms. I say variety is the spice of life.

What if my father, brother and uncles had never been in my life?

Or what if all those important men had been women? I would be a completely different person, not the well-rounded, open-minded and empathetic person that my various family members and friends have influenced me to become.

As the closing of Sweet Briar indicates, same-sex colleges are slowly becoming obsolete. If we are going to become capable leaders of a changing world, we need to leave same-sex schools behind in favor of socially diverse institutions of higher learning.

Heard in the Hall: What do you think college should be like?

"It should be enjoyable for the most part. Going to an all boys school would be mundane."

"It should be a good experience. There should be a lot of diversity and a mix of people."

"My college needs to have a good sports program and opportunities to party."

"I would like to see diversity and I want a school with a big campus so I can have my freedom."

"College should have diversity, chances to party and teachers that actually teach."

"It needs to be far from home and it needs to have people that I like."

ELLIOT ALWES

ANGELA KIM

BRYAN ZAMBRANA

LIDYA JEMERE

SARAH WOODWARD

MUBEEN FARUKH

freshman

freshman

sophomore

junior

junior

senior

Binge-watching: Are you addicted to television?

Editorials Edtior

Sarah Gets Sassy

Advocates of breastfeeding in VA won a victory last month when the State Senate and House of Representatives passed a bill that legally protects mothers' rights to

breastfeed in public.

The previous law allowed breastfeeding on public property owned by the state of VA, such as libraries and state parks. Under the new law, mothers will be allowed to feed their infants wherever they want, even if the owners of a private establishment disapprove.

Lactivists, which is a portmanteau for lactation activists, are responsible for the overwhelming success of the campaign.

The bill passed unanimously in the Senate, after congressmen heard testimony from nursing mothers. That's right: these mothers were actually nursing their babies while they stood and testified before the House of Delegates.

I've got to hand it to them, that takes some guts.

Nursing in public is one thing, but nursing while speaking to a panel of unfamiliar middle-aged men is quite another. I can only aspire to be as uninhibited and determined as those women.

Lactivists are responsible for many of the strides made in breastfeeding laws. In 2007, lactivists gathered in the streets of New York City to protest the rude comments Barbara Walters made about public nursing.

Perhaps most the most ironic case of breastfeeding discrimination was at a Victoria's Secret in Texas this past January. After buying several items from the store, a young mother asked if she could nurse her 4-month old in the dressing room.

An especially rude employee told her that nursing was not allowed in the store and told her to breastfeed at the back of the adjacent alley, so that no one would see her. The mother was shocked and insulted, an understandable reaction to the suggestion that breastfeeding is anything but a perfectly natural human process.

This is especially ironic since Victoria's Secret has so many open displays of breasts in their store. For a company that sells bras and makes a living off of breasts, why aren't they comfortable with women

demonstrating the true purpose of their boobs?

A common phenomenon among the lactivist community are "nurse-ins", which is a take off on the sit-ins of the Civil Rights Movement. Nurse-ins have taken place around the country, typically at public facilities that rudely told breastfeeding mothers to leave.

Virginia came a little late to the nursing party.

When the bill goes into effect in July, we will be the 48th state to legalize public nursing. Idaho and South Dakota are the two states that still have not gotten the memo.

Though I'm not a mother and don't plan to become one for at least a decade, I support breastfeeding and women's rights to nurse in public.

My own mother cares a great deal about this issue. She has made it clear that she will disown me if I don't breastfeed her grandchildren, and I don't doubt her sincerity.

WWW.WOMENSHEALTH.GOV

BY SARAH METZEL

Breastfeeding benefits both mother and child.

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), breastmilk contains the ideal balance of nutrients for newborn infants and helps them grow into healthy toddlers. It also helps protect babies from infections and diseases that are common throughout childhood.

Breastfeeding not only has incredible health benefits for babies, but for mothers as well. NIH reports that mothers who have breastfed are less susceptible to certain types of cancer. The USDA reports that breastfeeding helps mothers lose weight after pregnancy because extra calories are being used.

Sure, there is a social stigma about women baring their breasts in public. However, most breastfeeding women don't even reveal as much skin as one sees at a community swimming pool or in a PG-13 movie.

So I am happy to say that in 10 years from now when my hungry newborn starts crying in public, I'll be able to feed my baby without being berated.

concentrate on homework may be a challenging effort for some as it may distract them from completing an assignment.

Journalism I Students A teen's education is not the only thing that bingeWith new season premieres of popular shows being released, many students are tempted to lounge around and watching may affect. Their health may be compromised as well. Some teens stay up to the latest hours of the night, watch the latest shows for several hours straight.

The rise of websites like Netflix and Hulu provide easy resulting in inadequate amounts of sleep and impaired access to thousands of episodes of a plethora of television sleeping schedules.

"In the past, I've stayed up to about 4 a.m," Schinstock shows which makes binge-watching nearly irresistible.

Binge-watching is a term used to describe the process said. "One time, I watched an entire season of Criminal Minds, in which a person watches several episodes of a show for a I think it started at six and went on until three."

So, why do we binge-watch? Is it impatience? Is it because longer period of time than usual. we can? A little bit of both. Before the age of streaming, it It begins with the fairly innocuous was impossible to binge-watch a TV two or three episodes back-toshow. back but can reach the extreme Episodes would premiere of watching full seasons in one weekly and a kid could really only day. However, many of us may be watch the episodes once a week. exposed to this time-consuming The episode would end. issue without fully understanding The curiosity would build and the effect it has. viewers would be left anxious. Will Due to the highly accessible Jane and Joe find it in their hearts streaming services via the to forgive each other? Will Bob help Internet, binge-watching may be his brother find the cure? Tune in hard for teens to avoid. The most next week. current shows can easily be found Websites like Netflix take away online, allowing teens to watch TV that curiosity and replace it with on demand. impatience. Suddenly, instead of If they don't happen to one episode before you, there are subscribe to a website like eight seasons, and teens don't Netflix or Hulu, oftentimes big know what to do with that. They broadcasting stations like ABC will watch more than they usually post their recent episodes onto would sitting in front of the TV. their very own websites for free.

"I sometimes use [television] Popular shows among as a distraction and tell myself teenagers are fairly different I'm not putting [homework] off, as there are a variety of genres but I really am," sophomore Jess that can range from horror to Ferson said. "If it's a regular school comedy. However, shows like day, sometimes [I watch] none, TV ADDICTION House of Cards, American Horror sometimes it could be two hours. If Story and Pretty Little Liars all · Affects the structure and function of it's a non-school day and I'm feeling have one thing in common: they the brain lazy and uninspired and you know, distract students from completing like a teenager I could sit there for schoolwork and are the primary · Influences emotions, causing you to feel maybe like a solid eight hours." culprits of daily procrastination. disappointed or depressed without TV Even though bumming in "I usually end up doing sweatpants while watching a schoolwork while I watch TV," · People start to ignore other activities marathon of Grey's Anatomy sophomore Maddie Schinstock and hobbies they used to participate in sounds like the perfect way to said. "On average, [I] probably · Addicts typically become obsessed with spend a long weekend, it probably watch two or two and a half a TV show and think of it constantly is not what's best. hours."

It's important to take a stand Despite the fact that some · Can include ignoring your family and against your binge-watching students can multitask with a fair friends just to watch TV addiction and monitor your degree of success, many see their television intake. Read a book. Do · To get past addiction, you can distract schoolwork begin to suffer as their some homework. Be productive. yourself with other fun activities attention rests more and more Just don't let TV control your life. on the show they are watching.

Watching TV while trying to

BY SADIE MODICA & JULIE NGUYEN

JULIE NGUYEN

Finally, VA legalizes public breastfeeding

4 news

March 17, 2015

Leadership replaces color craze with another event By alan vargas

who are undecided or do not know enough information about the dance. The video can be seen on both the Leadership twitter page, as well as the facebook page. The video had the theme from the movie, Alice in Wonderland which reflects on this year's spirit week theme.

As always, leadership hopes that the extra advertisements and promotional content for the dance will gather a larger crowd. They've gone in another direction this year by really utilizing the social media available, and as mentioned, using a promotional video as well as regular advertisements.

Still, some students still feel

News Editor

In continuation of last year's Color Craze, leadership is hosting another spring dance, this time called Project A. The dance will be hosted on March 20 and will take place in the gym from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Similar to last year's dance, Project A will be a colorful style dance, encouraging bright and stand-out attire, and will be showcasing a mix of dance style music, as well as what tracks are currently trending.

Students can purchase tickets during all lunches, and tickets will be sold for 10 dollars.

The purpose of Project A is very similar to most leadership activities or events.

"The purpose is to bring the school closer," senior leadership member Astrid Ligonde said. "During this stressful time, [it does so] with a fun and casual dance, without the stress of buying a dress, while enjoying the interesting and neat theme."

Leadership has also created a video to spark interest in students

"It [was] a great way to let loose with your friends with a fun night of dancing and neon colored lights."

Lynn Kha

senior

unconvinced, even with a promotional video.

"Well, you have to pay ten bucks to go to a dance," junior Ashley Cha said, "And I feel like it's mostly for freshmen."”

Despite the doubt, the spring dance does give all students a chance to attend another dance besides homecoming, because previously, prom would be the last dance of the year after homecoming.

It wasn't until the installment of Color Craze last year that students had that extra option. However, not everyone is able to attend prom since only seniors are allowed to attend with the exception of it they ask an underclassman to take with them. This hinders the opportunities available.

The dance committee has already been collecting requests for songs and asking students not to complain about the song choice because those are the songs that people are asking for, and not everyone will have the same type of music taste.

"I know [for homecoming] a lot of people didn't like the music," senior Kyung Jin Yoon said. “"But it didn't bother me much."”

Even though this year's dance is considered by some students as Color Craze: Part Two, the dance was give a different title and different

@AtomsLeadership

New spring dance called Project A

Last year's photo advertisement for the spring dance Color Craze.

theme. Regardless of the music, there will be significant changes to the Project A dance the separates it from its' predecessor.

"The difference between Project A and Color Craze is that Project A is more themed to Alice in wonderland, hence the spirit week themes,"” Ligonde said. "While color craze was a more of a rave party with blacklights."”

Students that have gone to Color Craze have reflect on the positive aspects of last year's dance.

"Color craze was fun,"” senior Lynn Kha said. It [was] a great way to let loose with your friends with a fun night of dancing and neon colored lights."

With many successful events this year sponsored by leadership, students may look forward to another

Heard in the Hall: What do you expect from Project A?

one with Project A.

Feminist club gets active

By Aniqa Rashid Staff Writer

"I expect it to be really similar to color craze in the type of music and how people dress."

"If they believe they can make a good dance, then they can achieve a good dance."

Richard manahl senior

"I expect the music to be good." sahara serker senior

lara riad junior

"I really expect it to be fun and a nice way to spend time with my friends."

"I expect it to be just like any other dance at our school." sameer qureshi

angela mclean senior

senior

"I'd expect for decor and whatnot to be out of the ordinary, and maybe some overly large things." victoria dang senior

Several issues faced during underclassmen course selection By alan vargas News Editor

After ten snow days and five delays, underclassmen finish their course selections.

By tradition, it starts with juniors and ends with freshman.

Another part of course selection can include specific requirements, depending on the diploma each student is working towards.

For this year's seniors, the requirement was a big difference than seen in previous years.

Along with the classes they had to take for the diploma they are seeking, they must also take an economics and personal finance course. This means they could have taken either the single class, Economics & Personal Finance, or the IB business class, where both would've have meet the class requirement.

Though this requirement may seem helpful, it also has problems, and most students did not enjoy the fact that they required to take an additional course.

Tue. March 17 — Final day for Freshman course selection — 8:30 a.m. - IB Art exam prep —2:00 p.m. - Math Honor Society Meeting — 2:10 p.m. - Just World North Korea Meeting — 2:15 p.m. - OTG Advisory Committee meeting — 7:00 p.m. - PTSA Meeting

"It was more of a period to do homework for other classes in," senior Sabrina Rivera said. "It held some merit, but ultimately it was unhelpful."

The decision came from the school board prior to 2012, when this year's seniors would have been freshman. They have continued with the course requirement, as well as adding a few additional requirements for underclassmen.

Some students who knew about alternative ways were able to work around this requirement, one way including the option of taking the class online, which helped students take the course and work around it at their own pace.

Another options students had was to take it over the summer, though due to pricing, most students had decided for the former option.

For students who had busier schedules, especially students who are doing the IB diploma or taking IB courses, the alternate options available really helped.

"The class was really easy, so I always finished early and had free time to work on other homework," senior Molly Keck said.

This years students had some of the same requirements, including having to take Economics & Personal Finance. However, the numerous amount of snow days has had an impact on the course selection process, but in some positive ways.

"It gave people more time to think about it and ask their parents what they think,"”

Rebecca Lockard is one the many counselors who helps students select their courses.

freshman Christina Quevedo-Rivera said.

Still, thanks to the efficiency of counselors and staff involved in course selection, many of the students had not faced any scheduling difficulties in course selection.

"IB English students went mostly before all the snow days," junior Jhonny Fuentes said. "I'm guessing mostly regular English students were affected by the crazy amount of snow days."

However, there was still some issues with counselors, mainly concerning the deadlines for course selection.

"The only real issue we had was mainly with the time crunch," counselor Rebecca

Alan Vargas

Course selection is finally finishing

Lockard said. "It wasn't really the snow days that affected us too much, but rather that the dates were still all the same. We even had an earlier deadline than in previous years."

The course selection process officially ends March 29, while course change requests are due the day before spring break. Students can utilize the time in between to decide if they are interested in other classes or would rather take off a course.

Students should also remember that this year, the course they pick now cannot be changed unless due to an error. This way class size fluctuations will decrease.

From April 6 to 24, the Annandale Feminist Club will be holding its first school-wide Toiletry Drive. The donations, essential everyday items, will be given to a s service group in Washington D.C. called the Calvary Women's Services.

"The Cavalry Women's Services identified that the most-needed products by their women are toiletries that include: shampoos, soaps, and other sundries in addition to feminine care products," senior and Vice President of Finances for the Feminist club, Sophia Mohamed said.

"We came in contact with Calvary Women's Services after looking into local women's shelters or services locations that not only house women, but help them integrate into the workforce and provide legal aid when needed," senior and president of the AHS Feminist Club Brook Getachew said.

This is the first time where the Feminist Club has reached out to the local community, in terms of volunteering or donating, according to Getachew.

The club wanted to find a place to donate, which provided an extensive array of services and programs that support women, as opposed to only being a shelter.

"We wanted to truly support a change in the attitude that people take in regards to the employment gap between women and men,"” Getachew said.

By donating to this drive, students can help support homeless women in our region, and bring about awareness that is usually unavailable to students who don't search for this information.

Drop offs for donations can be in your classroom, Leadership room (with Ms. Bartley's approval) Main Office, and Athletics Office.

NEWS 5

March 17, 2015

Career and job fair

Seniors decide on colleges CONT. "DECISION"

CONT. "CAREER" "I'm trying to find the best way to have good [balanced] hours with school and work," junior Dani Nguyen said.

The organizers of this event want to focus on seniors attending to give them an idea of the opportunities they have outside of college or which ever plan they will take after graduating high school.

"I want to know what different kind of jobs there are specially suited for high school students that are about to graduate," Do said.

W4 teachers will have to sign up how many students they will take to the fair, therefore students should ask their W4 teacher if they will be able to attend or not because a pass will be needed for those who are interested.

The representatives will be able to explain what type of tasks they will be asked to do, and how working at their company will be a good start into the working world.

FAIR PARTICIPANTS Academic Advisor

· US Marine Corps · US Navy · Virginia Army National Guard · Northern Virginia Community College · First Year

· Automotive Program · Home Fix

mind, however not all of them finished sending on letters to inform the student if they were accepted or not. There are a few students who are taking a different route after college and are joining the air force of the military.

College is usually the conventional path after graduating high school, but there are many options out there to seniors who may not feel like a formal education suits the path they want to take for the future.

There are jobs available that do not need for the employee to attend a formal school because there are jobs best suited being learned hands on.

Also, there are options for technical schools that specialize in careers such an plumbing, or electrical training that will put students in the right path to becoming successful in their line of work.

The career center is one of their first places a student can go to get more information about reasonable options they have. There is also staff there like Career Specialist Robin Roth, who are there to answer the questions about college and how to make sure you're on the right track.

The Career Center is helpful because there are books with a lot of information about different colleges and universities around the nation.

There are also computers there for seniors to apply to scholarships that will need an online application.

Students can also talk to their

COLLEGE NOTIFICATIONS AND UPDATES FOR SENIORS · Virignia Commonwealth University April 1 · University of Maryland - April 1 · Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University - April 1 · George Mason University - Late March · James Madison University - Early April · College of William & Mary - Early April

counselors about what they need to be prepared for life after graduation. Counselors can give students recommendations for scholarships as well.

NOVA placements tests have occurred already and it will put seniors who are planning to stay in the northern part of Virginia on the road to attend NOVA. Placement tests are given

· Submit PTSA scholarships due on April 8 to the Career Center · Attend the College Fair on Thursday, March 19 in the cafeteria from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. · Submit Marion Cassedy Memorial scholarship due on April 9 · Submit ACCA Making a Difference Award Nominations scholarship due on April 3 to the Career Center · Register Richard Bland College Spring Open House on March 21 · Submit your applications scholarship for The Providence Players of Fairfax (PPF) to the Career Center · Submit Virginia's Future Leadership scholarship applications by April 24 · Submit Phi Delta Kappa Prospective Educator scholarship applications by April 1

though the school to give students an opportunity to see what classes they will have to take to get enough credits.

Many students who attend NOVA have already thought about joining the program so they can then after two years attend a conventional college.

Whether students choose to continue a higher level of education

or begin to work, seniors are excited about the opportunities they will hope to encounter after graduation.

Senior collects items for foundation

· Lake Accotink Park · Community Pools

CONT."SMILE"

· Premier Aquatics

Story of the Day On your smartphone, scan this code using the application "QR Code" to read the story of the day.

cleft lips and palates by providing safe and free surgeries," Ly said.

These children don't only have to deal with going through all those surgeries but also about wanting to be accepted by their peers.

Not everyone is aware of this condition so they don't understand it much.

"It wasn't only the medical process; going to doctor appointments one after another, having a hard time learning to speak, eating or drinking, but it was hard socially. Because this condition is uncommon, it makes it harder for these children to feel accepted or to feel what most of their peers are, 'normal,'" Ly said.

The children who have this condition normally don't have anyone to talk to or feel like people won't understand how they feel but for Ly, in order to cope with everything she spoke to her doctors and or surgeons.

"It's hard for them to talk about it when not that many people have a clue to what it actually is. However, my doctors/surgeons are my number one supporters because they gave me confidence in myself," Ly said.

Ly introduced this project to AHS in order to spread awareness and so that people can understand what they go through. She also wants to give back and help the children who

· Creates feeding abnormalities in young children

insecure about yourself," Ly said.

Operation Smile is a great international charity that began in 1982 and is able to operate through medical volunteers. They help children who come from low and or middle income countries who cannot afford surgery by giving them the surgery for free. That is all possible because of people like Ly who take time out of their day to help promote it and organize donations for Operation Smile.

"Through Operation Smile they give children the chance to smile with confidence," Ly said.

· Ear infections and hearing loss · Speech impediments and language delay · Dental problems

WHAT YOU CAN DONATE /WWW.NLM.NIH.GOV/

· US Army

"I committed to play field hockey at The College of William and Mary last August," McCann said.

"William and Mary is a great fit for me academically and I love the campus. Plus, my mom, who played volleyball at William and Mary, is ecstatic that I chose her alma mater."

McCann is anticipating the experience of playing field hockey for her future school and she is looking forward to meeting new coaches and teammates along the way.

"Although I was considering other schools, I decided on W&M because it has a competitive [field] hockey program which will allow me to grow as a player and a student.

The coaches and players are a lot of fun and work hard so that the team achieves success," McCann.

McCann has not yet decided on her major, however, she does have some ideas.

"I haven't come to a final decision on what I'm going to study, but I plan on majoring in sociology with a minor in teaching English as a second language," McCann said.

"While in college, I'll be pretty busy balancing class and hockey but I hope to join the Fellowship of Christian Athletes on campus and take a yoga class."

Others have already had a school in mind and got in, therefore they are taking the opportunity to start early with the process of getting ready to attend their college.

Several seniors have a college in

· Sample size toothpaste (at least 6 months from expiration date) · Child sized toothbrushes · Flashlights and D cell batteries

A diagram of a baby with cleft lip. While an easy fix, this birth defect can causes problems.

· Ziploc bags (sandwich size)

have this condition who may not be financially stable and or don't know how to deal with what they're going through.

"Overall, this was a personal project to

· Trash bags (55-gallon heavy duty)

myself by giving back to those who helped me. I introduced this project to AHS clubs. organizations because I wanted students to understand the importance of not being

· Thin 8.5x11 coloring book · 8 count box of crayons

CONT. "SPIRIT"

it's up to him if he wants to take it or not.

Beal thinks Hendrickson is naturally gifted in the area of speech.

"Reaching nationals is entirely up to him," Beal said.

Even with the pressure to compete in the state competition, he feels confident enough to be sure about his skills.

"Overall, I feel really prepared, and I'm ready for the best," Hendrickson said.

He also said that in order for him to work on his "nunciation," he always puts a pencil in his mouth and recites his piece with it in.

Hendrickson believes Beal was a huge help and has taught him a

pinched.

Many students are ready to participate on Tuesday, a widely loved holiday for many.

"I have a lot of green clothes, so Tuesday will be an easy day for me," senior Suzan Mahmoud said.

Tomorrow, it is Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum Day and it encourages students to twin with their friends, like the characters in the classic novel. Students can participate in this event by wearing the same clothes, hairstyles and by acting as one person. Junior class president Ashley Britton is anticipating Wednesday.

"I'm most excited for Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum Day, because I have this strong feeling that my long lost twin is out there waiting to be reunited with me," Britton said.

The day of the Pep Rally, every student wears a different color, like every other Spirit Week. The day is called House of Cards, a reference to the Queen of Hearts and the playing card army in Alice in Wonderland.

The attire for Thursday is the same as every single spirit week, but it is not atomic day. Freshmen will wear red colored clothing, sophomores wear white, juniors wear black and decorate themselves in black face paint and seniors wear togas for the last time of their school year.

Many students are familiar with the idea behind House of Cards Day as it is the same as what is usually called Atomic Day. "I'm excited for Thursday because we can show that our class has the most spirit," junior JaShon Reams said.

This is the only Pep Rally this year that is on a Thursday. On Friday, instead of the classes wearing their colors, it's Down the Rabbit Hole (Decades Day).

"Overall, I feel prepared, and I'm ready for the best."

Andrew Hendrickson senior lot. Beal has taught him in a class before.

"Any care that I may have had because I only received third place or that I may not make it past states was non-existent: My only thought

COURTESY OF LYNN BEAL

CONT. "STATES"

Senior Andrew Hendrickson practices for his speech competition.

was that, contrary to the voices in my head, I wasn't 'no good at all'," Hendrickson said.

This is Hendrickson's last sentence that he used to compete, which won him a place in the states competition, which will take place at Clover Hill HS. Beal gave us an insight on how Hendrickson will be judged.

"He will perform in a classroom in front of two judges per round.

There will be a total of four rounds, so he'll ultimately have eight judges. The judges will have a ballot sheet that will rank him against his

competitors. There will likely be six competitors in each round, so a total of 48 competitors," Beal said.

It is a huge accomplishment for Hendrickson. He doubts nationals will be his next stop, but that won't stop him from trying.

AHMAD AYUB

Student makes states Spring spirit week

Seniors Astrid Ligonde and Michael Velasquez pose for the tweedle dee twiddle dum day.

Junior and AHS Leadership member Mahlate Bereket has been waiting for this day for a while.

"I'm looking forward to Decades Day the most because it's a new idea, and I've always wanted Annandale to have one," Bereket said.

The week ends with Project A, a new kind of dance somewhat similar to last year's Color Craze.

NEWS BRIEFS SPIRIT WEEK

ESOL ROARING 20'S PROJECT

SPRING PEP RALLY

AHS PYRAMID ART SHOW

All classes will be able to participate in the spring spirit week starting on Tuesday, March. 17.

On Wednesday March. 18, during the R1 period, the ESOL classes will present their project in the Clausen Hall.

During the extended W4 on Thursday, March. 19. The pep rally will take place from 12:30 from 2 p.m. Remember to wear your class coordinated colors.

On Tuesday, March. 24, art students will present their pieces from 4 to 9 p.m. in the Clausen Hall.

SPRING DANCE

ANNUAL CAREER & JOB FAIR

STRESS LESS WEEK

On Wednesday, March. 25, students interested in jobs should go the upstairs gym during the extended W4 period.

On Thursday, April. 9, there will be a cartoon day during all lunches in the Clausen Hall.

FRESHMEN COURSE SELECTION

NOVA PLACEMENT TEST

On Thursday, March. 19, seniors will need to begin taking their NOVA placement test in On Tuesday, March. 17, the Class of 2018 Rm. 18. will be able to select their courses during their English class for sophomore year.

On Friday, March. 20, the Spring Dance will take place from 8 to 11 p.m. in the main gym.

STUDENT HOLIDAY On Monday, April. 6, there will no school for students due to a strategic planning day.

6 ACADEMICS Can you teach us something now?

Five signs you have a bad teacher

BY KAILYN GARAY Academics Editor Most students will have more than 60 teachers throughout their whole life time, so sooner or later, students will come across a bad teacher. Here are five signs to tell if you have a bad teacher.

1. Your teacher never leaves there desk. If your teacher only gets up to get paper off the printer or to get more coffee, than there's a problem. Teachers should be interactive with their students while they're teaching and not sitting back and relaxing.

2. When your teacher isn't interested or doesn't know what they're talking about. If your teacher double checks what they are teaching more than three times a class by Googling it or looking in a textbook, then

they're probably not positive about what they're saying.

They're also confused about what they're teaching, if they are teaching the subject incorrectly or if a student has to correct the teacher more than once. If your teacher gets annoyed or bored when you ask them about the subject, that shows that they're a bad teacher and should reconsider how they approach they're students about it.

3. When your teacher barley gives you any assignments. This is mostly a sign of a teacher being lazy when the teacher doesn't give assignments because they don't want to grade or make the worksheets. This could be a really big problem for the students and affect their grades, because if they don't do good on an assignment it can change your grades dramatically if there are only a few assignments.

4. The teacher ignores you. If you ask a question during class and the teacher pretends like you didn't say anything or when you raise your hand and the teacher pretends like they didn't see it, they're choosing to ignore you. When a teacher only talks to a certain group of students in the class and ignores the rest of the students this is very rude and is something a bad teacher would do.

Flawed teachers tend to only like to pay attention to the kids who are really interested in the subject or to the kids who tend to only get good grades in the class, but they ignore the kids who struggle and need a little extra help.

5. If the teacher uses other resources to teach the kids. If you find your teacher giving you a dictionary to learn your vocabulary, then their being lazy. Also when they give you textbooks to read through without any instructional teaching with it then they're relying on books to teach the students and not just teaching the students themselves. Spark notes is a website that summarizes books and also helps you on other subjects.

Now in days most students use spark notes but that doesn't mean teachers should use it as a teaching device.

This might sound like a good website to use but it doesn't explain it as well as students need them to.

Although there are some bad teachers there are also good ones. Each teacher has their own teaching style good and bad, but the truth is all students have different learning styles too. It's really unfortunate if you have had a bad teacher at AHS because there are so many great ones.

ILLUSTRATION BY KAILYN GARAY

March 17, 2015

English teacher Julia Hanneman

Q & A with four fantastic AHS teachers Ola Layaly

Christiane McConaughey

Arabic Teacher

French Teacher

Q: Have you always wanted to be a teacher?

A: No, I actually wanted to be a tourist. I like to be around people and I wanted to travel. I enjoy meeting new people.

Q: Have you always wanted to be a teacher?

A: No I've never always wanted to be a teacher; I wanted to be a translator or a pathologist, something to do with science.

Q: What did you do before becoming a teacher?

A: I worked at a hotel, but then tried out teaching at my dad's private school, which worked out for three weeks teaching English as a foreign language this helped me discover that I enjoy working with kids and it's very rewarding.

Q: What did you do before becoming a teacher?

A: I was born in Madagascar and raised in France and I got a scholarship to study in Russia after high school. In Russia I majored in science then switched to learn about Humanity.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: I like to sing, dance and cook, and when I cook I gain weight, so I have to dance and sing to lose the weight. I like music and social media. I am very addicted to Facebook and I love socializing.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: When I am not teaching I like reading magazines, watch French TV because it takes me back to home, travel and be with my friends and go shopping with them.

David Tyndall

Tim Murphy

Physics Teacher

Special Education Teacher

Q: Have you always wanted to be a teacher?

A: I have always enjoyed teaching. At first I wanted to teach at a higher level, like a researcher at a university.

Q: Have you always wanted to become a teacher?

A: Yes, I've always wanted to be a teacher ever since I was a kid.

Q: What did you do before being a teacher?

A: Before being a teacher I worked in a warehouse for histology and toxicology for storage and management.

Q: What did you do before becoming a teacher?

A: Before becoming a teacher I was a Graduate student in the Penn State Mediology Department. I was there with a grant from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the National Science Foundation and I worked on the turbulent flows in the lower atmosphere.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: In my free time I like to play instruments, watch sports as well as trying to get to Nationals games. My favorite team is the Wizards.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: In my free time, I enjoy hiking, listening to opera and watching TV.

SAT Word Search

IB Diploma candidate spotlight: Ricky Lam Q: How do you keep up with your academics and social life?

A: I really can't balance my academic and

Q: Who is your favorite IB teacher?

A: All of my IB teachers are great in

COURTESY OF RICKY LAM

social life at the same time. Most of the time, I focus on school and try to finish everything before spending my free time with people. My social life is pretty much a reward after I suffer through the countless amounts of homework. It's sad, but it helps me keep my grades in check.

various ways. Mr. Choi is funny whenever he is taking a break from the lesson and is determined to make all of us get sevens on our IB exam. I enjoy Mr. York's enthusiasm Senior IB Diploma candidate Ricky Lam whenever he talks about communism, especially when he said "those pesky Commies." And I marvel at how much Mr. Tyndall and Mr. Hawes know about everything. Ms. Hanneman is cool too I guess...

Q: What is your daily routine when you get home from school?

A: Either I eat and attempt to do homework, or go straight to bed. Sometimes I wake up and realize I took a six hour nap, but I have no regrets. Then I try to do homework, but it always leads to procrastination.

The homework would be finished before 1 a.m. though, so no worries.

Q: What are your studying habits?

A: I study right before I go to bed where I listen to music and reread my notes once or twice. Then I go to bed and try to remember everything I read. I also question my life choices of taking IB classes at that moment too.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Alacrity Burgeon Deleterious Euphemism Hypocritical Lethargic Ogle Postulate Robust Tractable Burnish Alchemy

Deliberate Euphony Iconoclast Levity Olfactory Potable Rotund Tranquil Alibi Buttress Delineation Liniment

Idiosyncrasy Libertarian Ominous Potent Ruminate Transcribe Allay Byline Demur Exacerbate Ignominious Cacophony

Omnipotent Pragmatic Ruse Transgress Omniscient Pragmatist Ignominy Lithe Denounce Exasperated Alleviate Evacuate

A: I hope to be working in a career that I love, even if it's not film. I also pray that I'm with someone by that time.

Q: Is your only focus academics?

Word search answers On your smart phone, scan this code using the application QR Code to see the answers to the word search.

A: I'm the editor-in-chief in Yearbook, so that's usually the other thing that I'm busy with. I have to make videos for the book and it takes up a lot of my time. I have no life.

Q: What school do you want to go to?

A: My dream school is UCLA because I love Los Angeles and wish to live there one day. I also want to go there because of the film program and California is the best for that.

Q: Do you have any advice for future IB candidates?

A: Your life isn't all about IB. Don't force it to be like that. Also, finish your EE before senior year and do CAS as early as you can. I'm struggling right now.

March 17, 2015

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8 PHOTO Atoms are auto-tech savvy

March 17, 2015

AHS has one of 13 auto-tech programs in the county.

This program differs from other programs because they have the highest enrollment in the county, making auto-tech is one of the most popular electives in the school. It allows students to take donated vehicles, fix them up (if they're fixable), get them state inspected and then sell them. They've won awards year after year for the most vehicle sales.

Auto-tech teacher Anthony Maniatakas is shown helping junior Job Dalugdog and senior Paul Aboagye repair a teacher's 2001 Honda Civic. Maniatakas has been working at AHS for 10 years, and previously worked as a mechanic for Cambridge Motors for 19 years. "I came to AHS because I was tired of being on my feet all day and having to take care of multiple men, I love kids and teaching," Maniatakas said.

Sophomore Diego Loving is fixing a fuel tank on a 2000 Dodge Ram pickup truck. "I love working on cars and one day I hope to be a mechanic," Loving said.

Senior Jason King is shown fixing and replacing a tire on a 2001 Honda Civic. "Auto-tech is really fun because I like cars and we have a good time," King said.

Senior Leila Elahi, junior Amir Sajani and freshman Allen Kokilananda are level one students and are doing a basic oil change on Sajani's car, a 2003 Mitsubishi Montero. "I like auto-tech and I think it's really cool that I can work on my own car during class," Sajani said.

Junior Job Dalugdog is replacing an axle on a 2001 Honda Civic after repairing it.

Juniors Alex Alfonso, Tes Lamine and Jamil Jalloh are replacing a fuel tank. "Auto-tech is great because it's really interactive and you get to take cars apart and put them back together," Lamine said.

Junior Rinzin Ngodup tries to take out a strut on a 2000 Volvo S70, the strut is used for front-wheel drive on a vehicle.

Junior Amir Sajani gets his hands dirty while doing an oil change on his own car. "I decided to join auto tech because I'm really interested in cars and I think it's really important to understand your own car and also know how to fix it so you don't have to take it to a shop later on in life," Sajani said.

Junior Alex Alfonso is washing a 2014 Ford Fusion after being repaired.

ARTS 9

March 17, 2015

Competing at the national level Art students prepare for art contest for the chance to be featured in the Capitol

BY RAPHAEL YU & NANCY EVORA

BAILEY OLIVER

Staff Writer and Health Editor

Junior Shawn deLopez brainstorms ideas of what to make, preparing for the contest.

Junior Shawn deLopez is one of numerous students looking to show off his art at a national level. Planning to do a painting, deLopez starts to begin the artistic process in order for the chance to be nationally recognized. The process is likely to take a few weeks, according to deLopez.

Each spring, the U.S. House of representatives sponsors the nationwide high school art show. Students from different districts and states compete at a professional level where they will have the opportunity to display their work in Washington DC. The winning piece of art from the competition will be put up for a year in the U.S. Capitol. The competition is open to all students from district schools.

Students that live in Connolly and Beyer districts qualify to participate in the competition.

Many students throughout the county work hard and prepare pieces of art for this competition. The

reward of winning the competition makes up for the time and effort needed to make these masterpieces.

"As far as preparing, [my] project is already complete, it's just a matter of turning in paper work, you know, putting the final touches on the artwork," Wright said. "Matting it and everything to make sure it looks as perfect and professional as possible."

The purpose for the competition is to encourage gifted students to challenge themselves and explore beyond their minds to show their inner talent.

Students at AHS are excited to compete for the chance to display their artwork at the capitol.

"I like that it's a chance for me to show people my art because a lot of times we don't have the opportunity to show people outside the school and Annandale community," sophomore Madison Schinstock said.

Students who are competing in the artwork display were given a long amount of time get their masterpieces done.

"We've been working on these projects for a couple of weeks now

and so we can submit any project we've done throughout the year, so we had about just all year to prepare a project for this competition," Schinstock said.

With tensions rising as the event comes close, artist at AHS feel confident with their art work and hope to have the chance to win the competition.

"The competition gives your artwork exposure you know puts a little self confidence in you saying you can compete with other people's artwork even though there's different styles and methods that will be the prominent figures," Wright said.

Students explore their [mind's artistry] by trying something different and putting every personal detail to it.

"I did a portrait of my sister in watercolor and it just kind of showed her personality and how happy she gets over tiny little things," Schinstock said.

All the winners of artwork from the districts will be displayed at The Workhouse Art Center from April 25 until May 9.

DIY: Make your own gift bag

Materials: sheet of 12x12 scrapbook paper, glue or tape, hole puncher, two pieces of ribbon (or yarn)

Making the bag: 1. Fold the top of the paper about one inch.

2. Flip paper over and fold one side of the paper toward the middle of the paper.

3. Take the opposite side and fold it to the center, over lapping slightly, and tape or glue the seam.

4. Take one side of the paper and fold again toward the middle about one inch. Do the same with the other side.

5. Then unfold the sides and flip the page over and fold the sides in again re-creasing the paper but on the opposite side of the bag.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JESSICA FERSON

Featured art of the issue

6. Do the same with the top portion again overlapping slightly. Tape or glue the bottom.

7. Fold the bottom of the bag about two inches to make a crease then open up the bottom and fold a triangle on both sides of the bag.

8. Afterward, overlapping slightly over the center point, fold the bottom piece up.

11. Punch two holes on each side where you would like to put your handles.

12. String a piece of yarn or ribbon for the handle.

13. Tie a knot in the inside so the yarn will not pull through.

9. Do the same with t`he top portion again overlapping slightly. Tape or glue the bottom.

10. Open up the bag using your hand and crease in the sides of the bag.

-Instructions and photos provided by Beth and Emily Oliver

DONATE YOUR VEHICLE TO THE AHS AUTO PROGRAM

Want to have your art featured in the next issue of The A-Blast? Each issue, the Arts page will pick a student's art of submitted content and feature a their work of art on the Arts page. All mediums are welcome, whether it be a painting, doodle, poem or song. Videos can be submitted too! Send all submissions, or if you have questions, to ablastartsmailbox@ gmail.com, or send it to our dropbox (using the same email as above) for files larger than 2 GB.

school, and ply my talents and ambitions nationally. Life is long and I intend to make the most out of it, with many opportunities down the road.

Tyler Herman, Guest Director of Blue Heart Q: What is it that you do and what got you into doing it? Why do you do it?

A: I am a professional actor and director in the DC area. When I was younger, I acted in community shows and with my high school.

I matriculated through Cornell University, originally with the intent of getting a degree in business.

Through taking classes and interacting with mentors, I realized that not only was theatre the only thing that made sense to me, but in fact I was an artist.

Q: What materials/equipment do you use for what you do?

A: As an actor, my main tools are my body, my voice and my imagination.

This may seem simple, but it requires that I eat well, work out moderately and maintain a lifestyle that is amenable to transformation and creation.

BAILEY OLIVER

Featured artist of the month

Q: What is it about what you do that you enjoy? What sets what you do apart from other types of art or other activities?

A: I love telling stories and helping audiences to connect with each other through a medium of performance art. Live performance is one of the oldest forms of art, and can communicate so much. Again, storytelling is what parents do to young children to teach them about the world and about themselves Q: What advice do you have for other young, developing artists?

A: Advice? Keep following your heart. There are so many ways to follow your heart and your art, even if it is not your full-time occupation.

But being true to your artistic self is the only way to nurture your entire being.

Q: What do you plan to do with your talents in the future?

A: I plan to keep on directing and acting, hopefully attend graduate

Q: Do you have a favorite painting or piece of art? Do you have a favorite personal work?

A: A favorite work...I love films, and what the Coen Brothers do to tell stories, especially as well as Pixar.

They both have a way of surprising you with something emotionally heartfelt yet innovative. I directed "Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Momma's Hung You In The Closet And I'm Feelin' So Sad" at American Century Theatre last Spring. The process was very collaborative and ensemble-driven, and examined a new take on an older, bizarre show.

Q: What would you say to someone that wants to get into creating art, whatever form of art it may be (artwork, music, literature)?

A: For anyone who thinks they might want to try out something artistic, don't be intimidated by the talents, ambitions, or showoff-ness of others. Many with ambition lack talent and many with talent lack ambition and showmanship. Some of the best artists only emerged later in their life once the world has worn on them. Art is about expression, and anyone can do that.

The Annandale High School Auto Program needs your vehicle. By donating, you may be able to deduct up to the full value of your vehicle.

The process is fast, easy and helps the best automotive program in Fairfax County Public Schools.

To schedule your donation, please call: Joe Desio, instructor, 703-642-4212 or email at jfdesio@fcps.edu

12 INTERNATIONAL Elimination of racial discrimination

March 17, 2015

organizations and laws have been created in order help the issue.

In the early to mid 1900's AHS was dominated by caucasians. Extracurricular activities such as football teams and cheerleading squads weren't as diverse as they appear today and racial discrimination would happen regularly.

This time period dealt with the Civil Rights Movement which accounted for the scarcity of diverse schools. African Americans faced racial discrimination each day, until the government took action and passed the Civil Rights Act in 1964.

Even then, racial discrimination and crimes against African Americans still existed. With time, the crimes decreased along with discrimination, although they still exist today.

"Discrimination makes me feel really upset and angry," junior Hanan Redi said. "I think it's unfair that people are treated differently just because their skin color is darker than others. I see discrimination everywhere, especially on the news, twitter and even in school."

Throughout the years, clubs and organizations have dealt with and discussed the topic of racial

Students and teachers discuss racism

BY SUMMAR AYOUB AND JEANINE BARAKAT International Editor & Staff Writer The Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at the University of Oklahoma has been under investigation after they released a video with racist chants.

The video was anonymously sent to the school's newspaper, who publicized the video. AHS students and teachers are shocked at the racist chant involving the use of the "n" word and violent language.

AHS faculty members, Assistant Principal Aaron Schneider, was involved this fraternity when he attended George Washington University and was appalled when he heard this disturbing news.

"As a member of the national fraternity obviously I'm very shocked," Schneider said. "I'm ashamed by the behavior of this group of kids that thought it was funny and okay to sing the song. It

is not a song that is sung nationally by every chapter, it was a group of kids, who, as the news is saying twas taught to them [racist chant] by older members of their particular chapter. but to know that they felt it was okay and it represents not just their chapter of Oklahoma, but it kind of affects anyone that has ever been a member of SAE. It's awful, it just makes me feel ashamed."

The main student who led this chant has been expelled from the school, along with one student.

"Although the SAE fraternity is being widely looked at for this racist act, they are also known for their charitable work," Schneider said.

"Each chapter on each campus can do a variety of community service, I can tell you when I was in school we used to go to nearest elementary school and we would tutor kids every week. There are many fundraising activities."

However, racial discrimination occurs all over the world, and

discrimination.

One club that mainly focuses on racial discrimination is the Black Cultural Awareness Association (BCAA).

The club discusses personal experiences with racial discrimination along with other racial topics.

"I see [racial discrimination] a lot, especially on the news and social media with all the shootings," junior Symone Jenkins said. "And generally in commercials you're used to seeing white people rather than other different races. It's sad knowing that racial discrimination still isn't over, and our generation is very familiar with this."

"I feel that racial discrimination should be talked about since we are in the 21 century and it's not taken as seriously as it should be," junior Amanda Villigran said.

The United Nations created a holiday celebrated on March 21 to eliminate racial discrimination around the world.

Debates will be held in Geneva and New York during the commemoration of this holiday to discuss racial discrimination occurring in other countries and how to eliminate it.

The years of discrimination

1940

December 1, 1955: Rosa Parks to refused give up her seat to a white male in an Alabama bus.

Transformation Tuesday: 1967 to now PHOTO COURTESY OF RAYN HANKINSON

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANTENNA YEARBOOK

PHOTO COURTESY OF AHS BASKETBALL

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANTENNA YEARBOOK

The AHS 1970 cheerleaders posing for their yearbook picture.

ABDALLA HASSAN

"I think its wrong and it makes some parts of the world a horrible place to be."

EHAB ALI sophomore

freshman

"I'm against discrimination because everyone deserves to be treated equal."

RAYVN HANKINSON

June 12, 1967:

Loving v. Virginia leads to a Supreme Court ruling that it's unconstitutional to ban interracial marriage.

April 11, 1968: The Civil Rights Act of 1968 was signed

by President Lyndon B. Johnson, prohibiting discrimination in the sale and rental of housing.

March 22, 1988: Congress passed the Civil Rights Restoration Act, which allows private federal funding under nondiscrimination laws.

The AHS 2015 boys varsity basketball team posing for their team picture.

What are your thoughts on discrimination?

"It's not a good thing and because of it, crime happens every day."

August 28, 1963: Dr. Matin Luther King Jr. gives his "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial.

February 21, 1965: Malcom X, a black nationalist and human rights activist was assasinated.

How AHS sports became more diverse through the years

The AHS 1965 boys varsity basketball team posing for their team picture.

July 25, 1941: An African-American Emmett Till was murdered in Mississippi after flirting with a white woman.

"It's disgusting, but we're all guilty of it in one way or another whether we know it or not."

ASHLEY BRITTON

November 22, 1991: President George Bush signs the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which supports damage causing from employment discrimination.

junior

"That fact that it exists is scary, and we have to keep fighting until it is gone."

OLA LAYALY

"It infuriates me, it hurts not only individuals but all of society, by singling people out."

Arabic teacher

JOEL JEPSON History teacher

senior

November 4, 2008: Barack Obama, a Senator from Illinois, is elected as the first black President of the United States.

2015 SOURCE: LIVINGOUTLI.ORG

Compiled by Summar Ayoub and Jeanine Barakat

Annandale: American Stories Student leaves Argentina to get a better education

BY MARIA LINARES Special to The A-Blast Imagine starting off on a whole new page with nothing at all other than your past experience. When my parents came to the United States, everything was completely different for them.

It was never easy for my parents, yet they kept their heads up and stayed positive throughout their whole adventure. The U.S. and Argentina have many kinds of

differences, but most importantly I think the language, the people's qualities and technology are very different from each other.

In Argentina the language is mainly Spanish with an accent; people curse a lot and the way we say the words is different. The accent there is odd because they pronounce it like a German person.

On other hand, we say words with "sha" like shower, but in Spanish. Argentinean's also tend to curse a lot; they normally don't get upset about profanity because they're so used to it.

For example, saying "chicken" in Spanish is "po-yo" spelled "pollo" and in Argentina they say "posho" as in English it's "po-show". Both English and Spanish are different just like learning any other language. To sum it up, I wasn't born with a strong

Argentinean accent sadly; only my parents were.

If you need any kind of help they will always do their best to help you in any way. People are just so nice there that even if you're going for a walk and see someone opposite side you they would say good morning or good afternoon, which makes anyone get in a good mood quick.

An additional advantage in Argentina is there form of feeling welcomed. People are just as nice as they are here in Virginia. Also, walking into a grocery store is like meeting up with a pile of friends.

Overall, Argentina is such a great place; it has a beautiful landscape and has many diverse people who travel there. The only disadvantage would be the electronics. Other than that you would be set.

Student compares Vietnam and the United States

BY TRANG CHUNG Special to The A-Blast For everyone, moving to a new country has lots of difficult challenges and it is totally right for me, too. When I first came here, I could not imagine how completely different every single thing was from my country Vietnam.

There are three main differences between the U.S. and Vietnam: language, school and transportation.

Those are the most specific things

that show the differences clearly between these two nations.

First, language is one of these three differences between America and Vietnam. The pronounciation in English is completely different from Vietnam's.

The alphabet sounds different, so it makes the pronounciation change as well. Also, when we travel to another new place or country, the language we usually use in order to ask for help is English instead of Vietnamese.

That proves English is noticed as a common language in the world.

While Vietnamese is only adapted in determined regions. Writing in Vietnamese is more complicated than writing in EnglishWe also have to put the signs into right place where they are supposed to be to show what we mean like "xin ch o"

means "hello". Vietnamese and English are two very different languages.

In additon, school is another example to show differences between Vietnam and the U.S. A Vietnamese student in any grade from one through 12, is required to wear uniform during school, including in gym period, too- it is not like in the U.S. schools.

One thing I like American schools is technology. They have more modern equipments or tools that are very helpful for education area like: smartboard, computers in every class,... than Vietnamese ones.

Lastly, the big difference between these two countries is transportation. It is seen through vehicles.

For example, in Vietnam the common vehicle is motorcycle instead of the car in the U.S.

PEOPLE 13

March 17, 2015

Long-term friendships still going strong PHOTO COURTESY OF CORY PRINGLE

Junior Cory Pringle and senior Tyler Sapp met when they were about seven years old and took Tae Kwon Do together.

They have been friends for 12 years. "Our friendship works so well because we geek with each other," Pringle said.

"The best thing about him is that I can count on him to be there and being stupid enough to make me geek, " Sapp said. "The bad thing about it that I can't stay mad at him because I see him everywhere. " The two are optimistic about the fate of their friendship in the future.

"In the future I see us as good friends maybe even neighbors because he's smart and a funny guy to be around and a good role model for my kids one day," Sapp said.

Over the course of their friendship they have been able to enjoy many memories together.

"My favorite memory was when we had huge matching afros and our first ski trip with our friend," Sapp said. "It was so much fun other than the fact that me and Cory had to share a bed and Cory made us sleep with a suitcase in the middle because he didn't want any 'funny business.'"

Sophomores Gabby Jordan & Kelsey Licatovich

PHOTO COURTESY OF KELSEY LICATOVICH

Zheng and McCrossin have been friends since the sixth grade. The two spend their time together at each other's houses watching movies and catching up with each other.

They try to hang out as much as possible because they don't see each other at school that much because of their busy schedules.

"My favorite memory is when we drove to my family's house in West Virginia for a vacation and stayed there for a week. We rode mountain bikes, hung out at the lake and practiced driving," Zheng said.

The two have a lot in common because they both play volleyball and they are able to do it with each other.

"My favorite thing about her is that I can talk to her about anything. Our friendship stands out because we seem like an unlikely pair to be friends and that always surprises people," Zheng said.

The two hope to go to the same college together and are interested in Virginia Tech and James Madison University.

Juniors Ibrahim Quiroz & Jeffery Montano

PHOTO COURTESY OF RAPHAEL YU

"I don't think it's possible for us not be friends," Shartel said.

Swenton and Shartel have been friends for about 11 years since they met at preschool. "We introduced ourselves to each other because it was easier to approach her as a kid," Swenton said.

The two were inseparable as they always spent time together going to water parks the pool or Swenton's farm.

"It's good to have a childhood friend because you know they're always going to be there for you and they were your day one friend," Swenton said.

Although the two don't get to hang out often, they still get along and laugh with each other when they are together.

"My favorite thing about our friendship is that we have a lot of good memories and inside jokes that we can still remember," Shartel said.

"I could look back at so many memories with her and I can't do that with anybody else," Swenton said.

Over the span of their friendship they've found ways to hang out despite their busy schedules. Although the two don't have classes together they've spent this past homecoming, winter break and birthdays together. The two still hope their friendship lasts past high school.

"I think we'll be in contact and will always be family friends and keep in touch," Swenton said.

Montano and Quiroz have been friends since they were in the first grade. The two have a lot in common. One of the things that has brought them close together since they were young kids is their love for soccer. Both Quiroz and Montano are on the varsity soccer team and spend a lot of time together.

"We do everything together," Montano said. "The best thing about our friendship is that it always gets better and better."

Besides spending time together on the field they also hangout as much as possible.

"My favorite memory is when we went to hooters together and watched Fifty Shades of Grey last month," Montano said.

A lot of their conversations consists of talking about girls and sports.

"I can tell him anything, no matter what it is," Montano said.

"My favorite memory with Jeffery is the Mount Vernon game last year because it was the first time that both of us go to start," Quiroz said.

Freshmen Amy Han & Shirley Chu

"Having a long term friendship is awesome because you have someone as close as a sister all the time and someone to trust," Licatovich said.

Jordan and Licatovich have been friends for seven years since they met in elementary school when they were in the same class.

Even though the two went to different middle schools, they made sure to stay in touch which made their friendship stronger.

The two think alike and share the same humor which has also allowed their friendship to work. Like all friendships, Jordan and Licatovich have pet peeves.

"The bad thing about our friendship is when Kelsey calls me picky," Jordan said.

Licatovich's pet peeve is when Jordan steals her phone and takes multiple pictures which she has to delete.

The pair's friendship continues to grow stronger as they get older. "My favorite thing is all the memories and laughs. Their isn't a day that Gabby doesn't make me laugh," Licatovich said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMY HAN

PHOTO COURTESY OF HANNAH SHARTEL

Juniors Hannah Shartel & Julie Swenton

Sophomores Yuki Zheng & Maddy McCrossin

PHOTO COURTESY OF YUKI ZHENG

Junior Cory Pringle & senior Tyler Sapp

"We've been together for a really long time and she gets me," Han said, of her friendship with Chu. The two have known each other for seven years. Both Han and Chu are calm and stay away from drama allowing them to be compatible with each other.

"We talk about anything that is relatable. I trust her with my life," Han said. "Shirley doesn't like Vines so whenever I watch them she never laughs with me."

Han has many memories with Chu but her favorite one is from this year's snow days.

"My favorite memory is when we tried to go sledding but we didn't have a sled. We tried a lot of things like a cardboard box and tried to come up with lots of ideas," Han said. "Shirley kept trying to come up with ways to go sledding and it was funny because I knew they weren't going to work."

"My favorite thing to do with her is try new things," Han said. "We will still be friends in the future no matter what for sure, and will keep in touch."

ALUMNI POSTCARD: Yasmine Barakat, 2013 What college do you attend and what are you majoring in?

I attend NOVA and I am planning to transfer to George Mason in the fall for Anthropology.

What is the best part about college?

You can come and go as you please. There's nobody constantly on your back telling you what to do.

What was your favorite subject and who was your favorite teacher at AHS? History and government with Mrs. Bishop and Mr. Commons.

What was your favorite memory at AHS? Prom because it was something that we were all looking forward to. It was a way for all of us to be together one last time before college.

WHO AM I? This is my first year teaching at AHS

•

I attended West Springfield High school

•

I went to Mount St. Mary’s University

•

I was born in Fort Dix, New Jersey

•

My favorite TV show is Modern Family and anything on the History Channel

•

My favorite movie is Jaws

•

In high school I participated in varsity football and varsity track

•

A fun fact about me is that I have a hip implanted squeaks

•

My biggest fear is heights

•

The craziest thing I’ve done is surprise my wife on Valentine’s day with a trail of Hershey kisses around the house

wesome toms

These students and staff were selected for demonstrating Atom Pride

MARIA SUAREZ

•

What are the major differences between high school and college?

College is a much larger community. I never see the same people twice. At Annandale I practically knew everyone. Another difference is the teaching style and the relationships you have with your teachers. In college teachers lecture, and rarely have one on one time with students. It was much easier to talk to your teachers in high school.

What advice do you have for upcoming graduates at AHS? Finish strong because college is not like high school at all. You might have more free time but you get a lot more work in a short amount of time. Start your study habits now to help you for the future. Also, always make sure to have a goal set in mind to keep you motivated throughout all of college.

What helped you the most at Annandale?

Having friends who supported me. I had a really strong group of friends who helped me achieve good grades and always pushed me to try harder and do better. My friends and I would constantly support each other and have a support system. It's important to balance your time and have friends who support you.

Finance Technician teacher Cheryl Kraus is an Awesome Atom because she is always willing to go the extra mile with her job.

On your smartphone, scan this code using the application QR Code to find the answer to the Who Am I.

Assessment Coach Laura Walter is an Awesome Atom because she accommodates data requests for all- no matter how busy she is.

Senior Andre Wright is an Awesome Atom because he is an incredibly kind and generous young man.

He demonstrates class and style, compassion, and sets a perfect example of what character means.

Junior Emily Harper is an Awesome Atom because she is involved in so many important programs and has an instinctive desire to help others.

14 LIFESTYLES Get the look with Marilyn and Soulisa March 17, 2015

Steal the edgy street style of former actress and current singer Selena Gomez Chunky necklace Forever 21 $20

Sunglasses Urban Outfitters $15

Sunglasses Urban Outfitters $15 Leather Jacket Topshop $70

Crop top Forever 21 $7

Long sleeve sweater H&M $20 High waisted shorts Goodwill $10

MAVONG PATHAM SOULISA

Lace-up heels Rack Room shoes $20

Over the knee boots Charlotte Russe $49

Six top spring trends you need to know Say hello to nice weather, florals and pastels and goodbye to dull, cold and dark winter vibes. What is spring without desirable clothes? Here are the latest trends to help you plan your outfits for the upcoming season.

LIGHT WASH DENIM JEANS: For that awkward moment when it is too cold for shorts but too hot for pants, go with light wash boyfriend jeans. They add an edgy look and the lighter wash brightens up your outfit.

You can dress them up or down depending on what appearance you are going for.

SANDALS:

FLOWY SHORTS: It is never too early for shorts! Flowy shorts are the perfect bottom for spring weather. They are the only shorts that are stylish and comfy at the same time. Be sure to complete the look with flowy top and some sandals.

Kick the season off right by ditching your Uggs and grabbing your cutest pair of sandals. Spring is the perfect excuse to stock up on new shoes.

SUNGLASSES: Now that there is no more freezing cold weather, get ready for the sun. Of course, what is a sunny day without a pair of sunglasses? From aviators to oversized and retro, there are many types to fit any face shape, activity and style.

DRESSES:

SATCHELS: Satchels are a key essential to complete your outfit. This is the goanywhere bag you have been looking for and they are available in any color you can imagine.

MARILY N RIVAS

High waisted trousers Zara $30

What screams spring more than floral print dresses?

Pick your favorite pattern, put it on and go. It is that simple. Unlike other outfits, it takes less to make it fashionable.

This outfit is ideal when you want to dress girly.

Compiled by Soulisa Pathammavong and Marilyn Rivas

SPORTS X-TRA 15 Redskins must learn from mistakes March 17, 2015

The draft offers a better chance at filling voids in the roster

BY ZEKE YONAS

THE WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Circulation Manager

The Redskins have a history of free agency busts and offseason mistakes.

The NFL free agency period is officially underway and franchises are making numerous moves to help improve their teams. The Washington Redskins have become notorious for making big offseason moves under owner Daniel Snyder, but they usually don't result in wins. Many superstar free agents that the team brought in were paid extremely generously and had little success with the Redskins.

To avoid committing the cardinal sin of overpaying free agents, the team should focus on picking up talented players in the NFL Draft instead of chasing superstar free agents. The Redskins have the fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft, so it would be wise to make use of that. But for now, let's reminisce on a few past Redskins offseason moves that make any Washington fan cringe looking back on.

In the free agency period of 2006, the Redskins signed former St. Louis Rams safety Adam Archuleta and made him, at the time, the highest

paid safety in NFL history by giving him a six year, $30 million contract. He was known for getting a lot of tackles and sacks for the safety position, but he was always a liability in coverage. Because of that major flaw he was benched and replaced in the last few games of his first season with the Redskins.

After just one season with the team, they traded him to the Chicago Bears for only a sixth-round draft pick. Archuleta was out of the league by 2008 because he couldn't find success after his stint with Washington. Sadly the Redskins still haven't been able to fill the strong safety void almost a decade later.

On the first day of free agency in 2008, the Redskins made arguably the worst free agent signing of all-time. Washington signed former Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to a seven-year, $100 million contract which, at the moment, made him the highest paid defensive player in NFL history. He only collected 8.5 sacks in his two seasons with the Redskins before he was dealt away.

In his second season, the Redskins changed

their defensive formation to a 3-4 scheme which forced Haynesworth to play nose tackle, a position Haynesworth did not want to play. The fact that the Redskins offered so much money to a seven-year veteran that failed to amount to anything with the team just shows how irrational Washington is when giving stars contracts.

This season the Redskins have voids to fill at both safety positions, defensive and offensive lineman, cornerback and a backup running back.

That's a lot of positions to fill in just one offseason.

The Redskins have a great opportunity to fill these voids in the draft. Washington has the fifth overall pick and there are multiple defensive players that the Redskins should try to draft. Defensive tackle Leonard Williams of USC would improve our defensive line if he falls to the fifth overall pick.

There are also very talented linebackers in this year's draft, such as Dante Fowler Jr. from Florida and Vic Beasley from Clemson.

So if you see the Redskins sign a big name superstar in free agency, don't be excited, celebrate when they acquire multiple players who can fill the voids and not waste all the cap space.

The Redskins' biggest offseason busts Deion Sanders, 2001

Albert Haynesworth, 2009

Deion Sanders, aka "Primetime," was picked up by the Redskins while he was on his decline and aging.

Washington must not have gotten the memo that old cornerbacks aren't worth a seven-year, $55 million contract. Not only did Sanders fail to play to the level of his contract, but he also retired after one season with the team.

The Redskins' decision to pick up Albert Haynesworth was one of the worst free agency decisions in NFL history. The Redskins tremendously overpaid him, signing him to a $100 million contract. Haynesworth never proved that he was worth all that money during his time in D.C. He was notorious for his laziness and for giving up on plays. He was traded after the 2010-2011 season.

Jason Taylor, 2008

Donavan McNabb, 2010

Jason Taylor joined the Redskins in July of 2008. He had a great career with the Dolphins, averaging 18.5 sacks during the 2002 season. When he joined the Redskins, he only averaged 3.5 sacks, his lowest since the 1999 season. He left D.C. after one season. Many remember him more for his second-place finish on Dancing With the Stars than for his one season stint with the Redskins.

The Redskins problems with quarterbacks go back well beyond RGIII. When the Redskins decided to bring in a 33 year old Donovan McNabb from Philly, his career seemed to go downhill. He transformed from a guy who brought the Eagles to the Super Bowl into a guy who couldn't even throw more than two touchdowns in a single game and got dealt after one year with Washington.

10 tips for March Madness 1.

6.

Don't pick the team with the best mascot or the freshest jerseys.

Don't pick your favorite team to win just because they're your favorite team.

2.

7.

Watch out for the underdog team. There are usually one or two teams that shock the world.

Don't go too crazy with picking underdogs. There are only so many Cinderella stories.

3.

Don't pick all number one seeded teams to go to the Final Four.

Online bracket challenges like on ESPN and Yahoo can help enhance the March Madness experience by showing what percentage of predictions you got right, for example.

8.

4.

Don't pick teams based simply on who has the best record.

If you're not able to watch the game because you're not home, there are ways to watch the games from your phone or laptop.

9.

5.

Do some research by reading or watching college basketball analysts before filling out your bracket.

Don't watch the games alone! Get some friends together and enjoy the most exciting month of college basketball together.

10.

TITUS’S DRIVING SCHOOL “Taking pride in road safety”

Why choose Titus's Driving School Over Others?

"Titus is a great teacher and helps you become a safe driver. In just a week, I learned so much about driving and gained a lot of valuable experience."

— Michael Ambrosio, senior

1. The school is bonded and insured 2. Students do not need 45 hours driving time prior to the program 3. Parents and students can check yellowpages. com for school reviews 4. Students don’t have to pay until they get their drivers license 5. If you bring your friend along, you get $25 off your payment Contact us by phone or email (571) 217-1441 (703) 751-2391

Fax: (703) 879-5943 info@titus-driving-school.

“Titus’s Driving School is the best driving school for any new drivers.

I learned how to drive through him and from day one, all he dealt with was driving safely. He would always remind us that when driving, you must be safe because being behind the wheel is the only course in which you are handling your life and potentially that of others.”

— Emmanuel Kwayke, senior

16 SPORTS

March 17, 2015

Baseball looks forward to season As the upcoming baseball season approaches, the varsity baseball team has high hopes for the next couple months of play.

"I'm excited just like all my other teammates," junior Colin Corey said about the start of the new season.

During the previous season, the team made it to the regional tournament and got advanced in the second round, this year they plan to change that.

"Last year we were about .500 which was great but we're looking to do bigger things this season," junior Grant Thompson said.

Not only do the varsity players have high expectations for the season but so does their head coach, Dan Porter. One of the team's main goals is to win districts and secure a spot in the home regional playoff game.

"One of our greatest strengths is that we have a great group of guys with a strong winning mentality," head coach Dan Porter said. "We are willing to do what it takes to achieve our goals."

As the boys end their season last year with a record of 10-13, they look to improve their record this season.

"It was decent but we're not satisfied with it," Corey said. "We expect to make a change this year."

In order to prepare for their goal, there have been green day and workouts throughout the fall and winter for the players. To prepare for their upcoming season, baseball is traveling to Charleston, South Carolina during spring break to play other teams who are out of the district.

The baseball members are excited about traveling to Charleston.

"I'm looking forward to the spring break tournament in South Carolina," Thompson said.

Players are also excited to get

back on the field after all the snow.

"Just playing another season of baseball with my best friends and winning games," Corey said.

Another way the team is going to prepare for the season is by staying focused during practice and maintain a winning mind set.

The team strength this year is their quickness on the field and they plan on using that to their advantage.

They plan on giving each game their all and coming out champions in the end.

They are also working to improve on their overall skills to ensure a great season.

"We hope to go far this season, we want to leave an the season and school knowing that we put in our all," Corey said. "I'm certain that this will be our best season yet due to the amount of work we are putting in during practices and scrimmages."

As the team works hard during practices, they make sure to encourage each other and work together not just as a team but as a second family.

"One thing that is really special about our team is that we work really well together," Thompson said. "Most of us have played together since freshman year so we have a really Junior Tim Johnsonip to bat at the last scrimmage against Centerville on strong bond that I am sure shows on March 13. the field and at practices. It helps that we all get along really well because it BASEBALL SCHEDULE helps us during play."

3/17 Thomas Jefferson @ 6:30 p.m.

As the team's seniors end their high school career on the team, coach 3/24 West Springfield (A) @ 6:30 p.m.

Porter looks to them to be leaders.

3/25 Robinson (A) @ 6:30 p.m.

"Me along with other coaches 3/27 West Potomac (H) @ 6:30 p.m. and players are relying on them to be 4/7 WT Woodson (A) @ 6:30 p.m. leaders on and off the field," Porter said.

4/10 Lee (H) @ 6:30 p.m Come watch the varsity baseball 4/14 TC Williams (A) @ 6:30 p.m. team at their first home game against 4/17 Lake Braddock (A) @ 6:30 p.m.

Thomas Jefferson, tonight at 6:30 4/21 South County (H) @ 6:30 p.m. p.m.

Up to bat

SHEILA AGUIRRE

Staff Writer

BY SHEILA AGUIRRE Staff Writer What are you doing to prepare for the season?

In order to prepare for the season we held green days and workouts in the fall and winter for players who were not participating in sports during those seasons. So far this spring we have been taking a lot of batting practice and throwing to get the guys' arms ready.

COURTESY OFTIM JOHNSON

BY SHEILA AGUIRRE

Head coach Daniel Porter weighs in about his upcoming season

What is your goal for the team for this season?

Last year we made the Regional Tournament and advanced to the second round so this year our goal is to win the District and secure a Home Regional Playoff game.

Any thoughts about the seniors' final year playing?

We have a great group of young men, especially the seniors Shawn Courtney, Jared Lefbom, Kyle Goettlicher, Richie Niner and Hector Lopez are all leaders on this team. I have known most of them for about five or six years and it's been my privilege to coach them. Myself, along with the other coaches and players are relying on them to be leaders on and off the field and help us all achieve our goals.

What do you think your strengths and weaknesses are as a team?

Last year our strengths were our pitching and defense. I think one of our strengths is that we have a good group of young men who want to win and are willing to do what it takes to achieve that goal. We are also very fast and we plan on using our speed to put pressure on the other team. We need to hit better than we did last year.

What is your most anticipated game of the season?

The first game. We will play every game like it is our last and put in as much work as necessary in order to win and achieve our overall goals.

What are you going to do differently from last year?

We are going on a spring break trip to Charleston, South Carolina to play some teams outside of our area.

Heard in the Hall: What do you like most about spring sports?

"I am looking forward to soccer season because I love playing competitive sports."

ZAID ALKAHFAH

JESSE AGYAPONG

freshman

sophomore

"I am excited for soccer and I hope to win every game."

"I am looking forward to playing lacrosse in the nice weather."

"I'm really excited to go the baseball games."

"I am excited to go to lacrosse games and cheer on the team."

HADI ALHAGE

MADIE WALSH

DREW WHITE

BILLAL KAMARA

sophomore

sophomore

sophomore

junior

"I am excited to play in my soccer games this season."

NATALIA GUTIERREZ

NATHAN OHENE

senior

junior

Girls tennis prepares hard to ensure a successful season ahead of them

Boys tennis looks to excel in matches this spring season with help from coaches

BY SABRINA HAWA

Staff Writer

Sports Editor

The girls tennis team has started their season off after selecting their teams during tryouts. They have begun practicing to ensure a successful season.

This year, a new way of forming teams has been implemented.

Due to the amount of people attending this year's tryouts, a new JV team was formed.

In the past years, there was only a varsity tennis team.

The JV team will be known as the "white" team and the varsity team will be known as the "red" team.

"I like that the varsity players do not have to be held back to play at their full potential," sophomore Yuki Zheng said.

Both teams will have separate practices "Also, JV players have a good environment to learn the basics and feel comfortable." Zheng said.

The white team will practice." and develop their skills in order to make their way up to the red team.

"Being able to do tennis year should be really fun," sophomore Micaela Valdivia said. "I'm really excited to be able to develop my skills."

The white team will also learn essential skills such as serving and perfecting their forehand and backhand hits.

These skills will develop eventually to be up to par with the

After the Atoms' tough season last year of 2-11, they look to improve by working on their technique and practicing for this season.

This year, the tennis team has made changes to improve on the team. For example, they have made a varsity and JV team called "red and white" teams.

"I like the red and white teams because it gives a chance for the underdeveloped players to work on their game and a chance for developed players to play with teammates on the same level," senior Alex Parrado said.

They will have separate practices so JV players can develop their skills and varsity players can prepare for their matches.

They will also develop their skills in order to be able to move up to the red team and compete in matches against other schools.

Under coach Steven Zaret, the boys tennis team has been working hard and working on skills to make them better.

"Our goal this season is to win half our games throughout the season," Zarnet said. "And we are going to do that by continuing on the work and progress we made last year. " Another way coach Zaret has improved the tennis team is ranking up players by playing challenge matches, which is when one player plays another player for a higher ranking.

Whoever wins takes that spot.

COURTESY OF ANNANDALE ATHLETICS

BY NEBEYU SOLOMON

Sophomore Angel Li practicing her serve before their first scrimmage against Hayfield.

players of the red team.

The red team will be the players to compete against other schools in scheduled meets.

With fresh players and a new team formed, newcomers are excited to enhance their skills with this new opportunity.

One of the main goals of the team is to improve on fundamental skills that will help the girls later on in the season.

The girls team is practicing hard to be able to compete against their first opponent which is West Springfield, today at 4 p.m.

Come out and support the girls at their first match.

"I'm excited for all the people to come out and watch our home track meets."

TENNIS SCHEDULE 3/17 West Springfield (H) @ 4 p.m.

3/19 West Potomac (A) @ 4 p.m.

3/24 WT Woodson (H) @ 4 p.m.

3/26 Lee (H) @ 4 p.m.

4/7 TC Williams (A) @ 4 p.m.

4/9 Lake Braddock (H) @ 4 p.m.

4/15 South County (A) @ 4 p.m.

4/16 West Springfield (A) @ 4 p.m.

COURTESY OF ANNANDALE ATHLETICS

"I'm excited to go watch the soccer games and run track this season."

Sophomore Diego Loving warming up at tennis practice.

He has high hopes that this season will surpass all others.

"Challenge matches give people a chance to go higher in the rankings," senior Todd Le said.

This season the Atoms tennis team is more focused than ever and they hope for good things, such as to qualify for regionals at the end of the

season.

The first game of the season will be held at home against the West Springfield Spartans.

Come out and support the boys tennis team as they strive to have a successful season.

March 17, 2015

SPORTS 17 Soccer kicks off the season

Girls play against Robinson SS Seniors Rachael Allshouse and Meg Hua score the two goals in last game

BY MARIFE BARAGANO

MARIFE BARAGANO

Sports Editor AHS girls varsity soccer fell to Robinson SS with a final goal of3-2.

Seniors Rachael Allshouse and Meg Hua scored the two goals in the scrimmage.

Allshouse is a defender who has played on varsity since her freshman year.

Hua has also played since her freshman year, she plays as midfielder for AHS. "In soccer, they say the next goal when the score is 2-1 is crucial in determining the pace of the game," Hua said, "So, it felt great putting one in the back of the net and keeping us in the game mentally."

The girls on this team are really close. They love spending time together and working as a team.

"The best thing about this team is the people on it. I love every single one of the girls on my team, even the girls on JV," senior Daniela Salinas said,"We are all one big team and I try to be everyone's friend. It is a great

feeling being excited for practice because you know you'll be playing with some of your closest friends."

"The best thing about this team is that we have some amazing D1 bumpers and that we already get along," Hua said.

Being the first scrimmage of the season the girls were playing all different types of positions and were nervous but excited about how the game would turn out.

"We all felt a bit nervous going into the first scrimmage because we were only able to practice on an actual field the day before the scrimmage," Hua said.

"So, we weren't sure where everyone would be playing or how it would work out."

Though the girls were nervous, they were excited to get back out on the field.

"I actually was excited about going into the first scrimmage of the season because we have a great new group of girls and I couldn't wait to get back to playing again," junior Brooke Thadues said.

The girls rallied throughout the game keeping up the spirits and never giving up.

Starting a season can also bring challenges but with practice they will soon be able to get back in shape.

"We are all getting back into so it gets tiring but as we practice more we'll build more endurance so we can play for long periods of time," said Thadeus.

Last year, the girls ended with a record of nine wins, three losses and one tie in the regular season. The girls are prepared to work hard to continue their record.

"It is hard to tell yet if we are improving because we just started playing together and everyone is trying out different positions on the field," Thadeus said. "I think that if we work hard and want it enough we can definitely do well."

They are preparing for their next regular season game against Marshall HS at Marshall on March 16.

LEFT: Junior Kiara Patino sticks her foot out to try and steal the ball away from her opponent. RIGHT: Junior Caroline Lowery and freshman Halley Thadeus sprint in order to try to intercept a pass.

AHS boys soccer team poses for the official team photograph with hands on each others shoulders to represent their unity as a team.

Boys fall to Forest Park in first scrimmage of the season Players have high hopes for new defensive style of play

BY RAFAEL YU Staff Writer Defeated by Forest Park with a score of 6-2 on March 13, the AHS boys soccer are looking to change things up.

"Due to the snow days it has been kinda hard to get the field for practice," senior Robert Lamb said. "We all have high hopes for the season because we didn't do that great last year."

The boys were disappointed with the overall score of the game.

With practicing indoors for majority of the time, the boys have been unable to cope with playing on a field and building chemistry.

The energy in the locker room before a game becomes exciting and everyone gets hyped for the game.

Some boys prefer to listen to music and get calm, while others prefer to talk, make jokes and get excited.

The boys want to build momentum going into the season.

"Last year, our record wasn't bad at all. We could of done better but I know that if we work hard and together we can become the team we want to be," junior Ibrahim Quiroz said.

The team hoped to get onto the field as soon as possible but that wasn't the case.

"It was definitely did not help the fact that we could not get on a field to practice," Lamb said. "We can't

blame it all on that factor. We need to take responsibility as well."

The boys hope to have an even more successful season.

Many new players have been called up this year, to fill the void of many of the seniors who left last year.

New coaches have joined both the varsity and JV teams. This change requires the boys to be coach able and adapt to the new style of playing.

"Starting off the season with wins would be a perfect way to make a statement. We need to be able to work together," Quiroz said.

They are feeling good about the season, building chemistry with their teammates, supporting each other and working hard every day at practice.

Last year, the boys made it to regionals. This year, the hopes are higher, wanting to get past their old seasons accomplishments.

With the coaching style of the new coaches, the players will have to adapt to the 3-5-2 defensive playing style.

Learning a new system is difficult, but the boys feel like they can execute this system well in games, and come out victorious.

"We need to be able to support each other as much as we can," Lamb said. "The coaches are expecting a lot from us this year and we need to be able to put in all the work."

The next game will be against Edison HS on March 20.

UPCOMING BOYS SOCCER GAMES

MEET JUNIOR SARAH DIEBLE

I feel really confident about the team this year. We have a lot of returning players, which is great and a lot of strong new players.

How long have you been playing lacrosse?

Is there anything you are hoping to improve on this year?

I've been playing lacrosse since sixth grade. My first season ever playing I made the A team, which is the best team you could make.

I hope to get a more positive look on defense because I don't really like playing defense but as a middle it's not really my choice. So I hope to better my defensive skills and definitely become a lot more aggressive.

What is your favorite memory playing? One of my favorite lacrosse memories was from last season when we played Lake Braddock. Everyone was on fire and playing so great and it was just fun. We ended up losing by one in double overtime but it was the best game our team had ever played in my opinion and it felt great to be good as a team and not just as individuals.

Going into the first scrimmage of the season did you have any reservations?

I was sort of nervous on the day of our first scrimmage because we hadn't really gotten the ability How do you think last year went for to practice on a full field from the you overall as a player? limitations the snow brought. But I I thought I had a decent season last year. was confident that we would adapt I ended up getting second team district quickly to the game and play great which was pretty cool but I know I could which is what happened. I was eshave done better. I was very satisfied with pecially nervous about our defense, my stats at the end of the season but set because we lost most of our starting very high standards for my next season. defensive line. But I was sure that Dieble sprints down the field with the ball and her stick making the new defensive line would rise to a run for the goal. the occasion.

Track & field heads to states Seniors Aviad Gebrehiwot and Nathan Hogye place at states

COURTESY OF NATHAN HOGYE

BY MARIFE BARAGANO

Senior Nathan Hogye running hard in the 500 meter dash at states.

Sports Editor Seniors Aviad Gebrehiwot and Nathan Hogye represented AHS at states in Hampton. States was postponed about a week due to the inclement weather and did not occur until later last week.

Gebrehiwot placed seventh in the boys 1600 meter finals with a time of 4:23.21, unfortunately missing the podium by 00.00.76 seconds.

This happened to be a personal record time for Gebrehiwot.

He has accomplished many records during his four years at AHS. There is no doubt that this next track season he will do much more.

"To be honest, I wasn't feeling great considering the fact that the bad weather was not letting me do my track workouts outside," Gebrehiwot said. "The fact that I also stepped on a nail a week before states also kept me from training earlier that week."

Hogye competed in the 500

meter dash and 300 meter dash.

He placed 12th in the 500 meter dash with a time of 1:07.96 and 17th in the 300 meter dash with a time of 37.00.

"I was tired and nervous going into the race," Hogye said. "I just wanted to give it my all and PR (personal record). I wish I had been able to stay with my competitors during the 500m dash. It would have helped me PR and place better in states."

The competition every year becomes harder and harder. This is not Gebrehiwot or Hogye's first time at states but the nerves never go away.

"I think after a while you get used to the nerves but it is always bad," Gebrehiwot said. "This year's competition was tough. Last year with my time would of gotten me probably third place."

After the first time at states, the nerves begin to go away and the experience runner come out.

"It does get easier," Hogye said.

"I felt more prepared and knew exactly what to expect this time.

I knew most of the people I was running against and knew how I needed to run the race."

Both boys are relaxing on their one week off before returning back to spring track and field.

3/20 Edison HS (H) @ 7:00 3/25 Mt Vernon HS (H) @ 7:00 4/07 South County HS (A) @7:00 4/14 West Potomac HS (H) @7:00 4/17 West Springfield HS (H) @7:00 4/21 Centreville HS (A) @7:00

Should freshmen be allowed to play varsity sports?

Girls varsity soccer has allowed three freshmen to join the team

BY HALLEY THADUES AND RACHEL SHOGREN Staff Writers Spring sports are off to a start. Coaches have made their final decisions to make a strong, talented and well built team. Some freshmen have been invited to play on the top teams. The question arising is should freshmen be allowed to play on varsity athletic teams?

Freshmen players can bring many things such as skill and support to a varsity team.

In the varsity girls soccer team, three freshmen were added to the roster. The freshmen who were added include Halley Thadeus, Caitlin Schwartz and Rhyse Payung.

"It gives freshmen an early start to improve and play at a higher level so in the coming years they will be even more ready," junior Kiara Patino said.

Athletes who come to the team as a freshmen will have more time to learn the complex rules and strategies of the game. Seniors and upperclassman can influence freshmen and teach them new skills.

"I learned new skills at a faster pace but I didn't get as much playing time and privileges as upperclassman," freshman Gracie Hatch said.

The idea of freshmen being a part of a high level team is sometimes frowned upon.

Freshmen should adjust to school before being placed on a varsity team which takes a lot of time out of the day.

"Freshmen have a higher chance of getting hurt due to being smaller and younger," junior Tucker Mac said.

Freshmen could play on the junior varsity and freshmen teams and make those teams stronger. This would also open up a spot for a senior on varsity instead of the senior getting cut.

A freshman player can affect a team in a positive or negative way depending on the talent and skills of the player.

COURTESY OF CAITLIN SCHWARTZ

How do you feel about the team this year?

Freshmen Halley Thadeus, Caitlin Schwartz and Rhyse Payung pose in their first official team photo for girls varsity soccer.

18 ENTERTAINMENT

March 17, 2015

AHS favorite '90s throwbacks Martin

The Fresh Prince

"I started watching The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

"Full House is one of my favorite shows of all time! Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen was the cutest baby. The show is funny and relatable."

MARIAM MOHAMED

junior

"The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory is

"Bye Bye Bye is my favorite song. I grew up with them and I have a thing for boy band. I like to sing and dance so they've really inspired my craft today. There would be no Justin Timberlake without *NSYNC." LEIF JOMUAD

one of my favorite albums because it taught me to love my skin color. There's not one song I hate from Tupac" NATHAN OHENE junior

sophomore

junior

*NSYNC

Tupac

Nirvana

sophomore

"I thought I was the coolest kid because I listen to Nirvana. I used to jam to this in the car on my way to soccer practice when I was five."

CARSON GOETTLICHER

"I love the show! My favorite part of the series was when they made a movie called Hawaiian Style. I rematch the episodes on Netflix all the time.

Slater is life."

DANIELLE ROBINSON

"I'm really into the sitcom Martin because everything he said and did throughout the show was relatable to everyday life. It was funny but real!"

ALHASSAN SESAY

with my mom when I was younger. We use to compete against each other on who'd get the theme song faster."

CEILIDH WILLIAMS

freshman

Saved by the Bell

Sublime

Full House

"Sublime is one of my favorite bands from the 90's I think they're really underrated because of other bands that were popular during that time. My top two favorite songs by them are 'Saw Red' and 'Badfish.'"

LEE HAYES

"I use to watch The Parent Trap all the time when I was younger. I never get tired of watching it and! it's a big part of my childhood."

AUTELLIA GASBAREK sophomore

"Austin Powers is favorite of all time.

The greatest spy in the world... 'Yeah baby!'"

DANYOM BEYENE sophomore

senior

"Forest Gump is one of my favorite movies! I love the fact that the movies has throwbacks to historical events! It's so cute!"

RAVYN HANKISON senior

Good Burger

Forrest Gump

Parent Trap

Austin Powers

junior

"'Welcome to the Good Burger, home of the Good Burger, can I take your order.' No matter how old you are, this movie will forever be hilarious."

DRE WRIGHT senior

ENTERTAINMENT 19 Four movies you've missed on Netflix American Beauty March 17, 2015

Short Term 12

Actors/Actresses: Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Mena Suvari, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, Chris Cooper, Allison Janney, Peter Gallagher

Actors/Actresses: Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr, Keith Stanfield, Kaitlyn Dever, Rami Malek Summary: Grace (Brie Larson) works at a foster-care facility for at-risk teenagers and has seen some pretty bad situations with the kids she's worked with. Now that Grace's marriage is coming up, she is discovering how difficult it can be to juggle that and her job. The story shows how Grace stuggles with these decisions that can affect her life, job, marriage and more.

IMDB Rating: 8.0/10

Summary: Middle class husband Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) realizes his life is not at all what he wanted it to be after meeting a friend of his daughter, Angela (Mena Suvari). He begins to start making immediate changes, like talking back to his boss at his job that he so terribly hates. His daughter, Jane (Allison Janney), starts a relationship with newly arrived neighbor Ricky Fitts (Wes Bentley), son of a homophobic Colonel (Chris Cooper). Meanwhile, his wife (Annette Beining), a real estate broker, begins an affair with a business rival (Peter Gallagher). What comes of all this? Watch the movie to find out.

IMDB Rating: 8.4/10

The Truman Show

Kill Bill

Actors/Actresses: Jim Carrey, Ed Harris

Actors/Actresses: Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Michael Madsen, Vivica A. Fox, Daryl Hannah, David Carradine

Summary: Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey), one of six unwanted pregnancies, was chosen to have his life fabricated and made into a TV show, made by a man named Christof (Ed Harris). His entire life consisted of actors playing roles of everyone around him, including his family, his friends and any other random person on the street. Truman spends his life not expecting anything, until his 30th birthday, where he starts to notice small irregularities in his life. The rest of the movie follows Truman realizing his life was a lie.

IMDB Rating: 8.1/10

Summary: Once upon a time, Bill the Snake Charmer (David Carradine) led a vicious group of assassins, all of them using nicknames based on several different snakes - Sidewinder (Michael Madsen), Cottonmouth (Lucy Liu), California Mountain Snake (Daryl Hannah), Copperhead (Vivica A. Fox), and Black Mamba (Uma Thurman). When Black Mamba tries to leave the group and start a normal life, the group tracks her down, and kills her husband at their wedding (as well as her child that was still in her belly). After waking up from a coma, she only has one goal - to get her revenge on Bill.

IMDB Rating: 8.1/10

Four shows you can binge on Netflix Blue Mountain State

That 70's Show

Actors/Actresses: Alan Ritchson, Darin Brooks, Chris Romano, Denise Richards, Sam Jones III, Page Kennedy and Ed Marinaro

Actors/Actresses: Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, Wilmer Valderrama, Danny Masterson, Lauren Prepon

Summary: Blue Mountain State is about a large football school and their very talented football team. The show follows the adventures of second string quarterback Alex Moran (Darin Brooks), captain Thad Castle (Alan Ritchson), and runningback Craig Shilo (Sam Jones III).

Ranging from crazy parties at the school to adventures at other schools for football games, Blue Mountain State never fails to entertain and make viewers laugh hysterically.

IMDB Rating: 8.5/10

Summary: That 70's Show takes place in Point Place, Wisconsin, mainly in Eric Forman's basement. It centers around a group of highschoolers that live in the 70's and take part in all fun high school activities such as concerts, parties and the occasional illegal activity. The show also deals wih Eric Forman, considered the main character, and his relationship with his father. He is always trying to prove himself to his unaccepting dad, and sometimes it gets him in a lot of trouble.

IMDB Rating: 8.1/10

The Office

Psych

Actors/Actresses: Jenna Fischer, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Steve Carell, Mindy Kaling, B. J. Novak, Creed Bratton, Ed Helms, Oscar Nunez, Leslie David Baker, Angela Kinsey, Brian Baumgartner, Paul Lieberstein, Ellie Kemper, Phyllis Smith and Kate Flannery

Actors/Actresses: James Roday, Dule Hill, Timothy Odmunson, Maggie Lawson, Kirsten Nelson, Corbin Bernsen Summary: An unemployed son of a legendary police detective, Henry Spencer (Corbin Bernsen), Shawn (James Roday), with his exceptional observation skills and impressive detective instincts pretends to be a psychic in order to work for the Santa Barbara Police Department as a consultant. With his best friend Burton "Gus" Guster (Dule Hill), the pair solve various crimes for the police. The duo work with SBPD chief Karen Vick (Kirsten Nelson) and Head Detective Carlton "Lassie" Lassiter (Timothy Odmunson). Shawn also develops a liking for Lassiter's partner, Juliet "Jules" O'Hara (Maggie Lawson).

IMDB Rating: 8.4/10

Summary: The Office follows the adventures of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, PA. Regional manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell) leads the Scranton branch in an odd way, having many parties and celebrations and never actually getting any work done. The show has many other odd and unique characteers, and also follows the love story of characters Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Jim (John Krasinski).

IMDB Rating: 8.8/10

Hulu? Netflix? Amazon Instant Video?

"I just watch regular TV and if I miss a show I just get over it and move on."

"I like Netflix because I think it is the easiest to navigate through."

TYLER WESTFALL

MATTHEW VOGUS

"I like Netflix because it is the easiest and I can watch it anywhere."

sophomore

BEN BETTS

freshman

sophomore

"Netlfix because it has all my favorite shows and movies, and it the easiest to use."

"I like Amazon cause I can watch any TV show I want for only $2."

"Netflix has all my favorite shows and it is portable."

ROCHELLE KENNEY

SERGIO POZO

GAMMY WALSH

junior

senior

"Netflix is the most mainstream and everyone has it so I use it."

AHMED ALI senior

junior

Frank Underwood returns to Washington with even greater motives

BY CONRAD SHARTEL & AHMAD AYUB Entertainment Editor and Staff Writer SPOILER ALERT - Frank Underwood is president. Garret Walker has been forced to resign before facing impeachment. Raymond Tusk has been arrested. The United States is in for a new kind of presidency. Since Frank was not elected President and was appointed vice president by Garret Walker, some citizens do not like him and are unhappy that he is the President. He intends to prove them wrong.

House of Cards season three, which was released to Netflix only on Feb. 27, included much more international affairs and personal affairs than the

other seasons. The first two seasons were primarily based on internal issues, such as bills, protests and laws. It did go into the relationships the characters had with each other, but not nearly as deep as season three.

Like Xander Feng and the Chinese being the antagonists and main problem of the season, Viktor Petrov and the Russians play that role this season. Frank constantly tries to mend their relationship and promote peace treaties, but the Russians always make the deals extremely unfair and seem to love to just play around with the Americans.

The two countries never end up getting along in the season. The last interaction they have is when a Russian convoy in the Jordan Valley is blown up by an unknown source and Petrov blames the US. Petrov then refuses to make any sort of peace treaty with Frank unless Frank removes his wife from the UN Ambassador position he granted. Reluctantly, Frank agrees, and has so-called peace with the Russians, even though it is filled with hatred.

Deep emotional feelings and backstories were also a large component of season three. Frank decides he is running for President in the 2016 election and asks a famous author to write a book about him that promotes his plan called America Works. The book plans to tell a personal story about a man, Frank, and how America Works will helps him in life. The author says that he needs to explore Frank and Claire's marriage more and that is where much of

NETFLIX.COM

House of Cards season 3 returns

A poster for the Netflix original House of Cards showing Frank Underwood.

their backstories and personal feeling about the marriage is shown.

It also explores the relationship Doug Stamper has with his brother, Gary Stamper. Doug continues to deal with his alcohol problem, and after being seriously injured Doug has a lot of trouble recovering. He also struggles with his relationship with Rachel Posner and how he cannot find her. It shows all of his emotions, ranging from his severe depression to his anger later in the

20 WEEKEND The SPRING BREAK Edition

March 17, 2015

Students prepare for FCPS freedom and warm weather during their time off

BY ERIN JOHNSON AND THIA CARAYANNIS Warm weather, freedom, friends, family, college trips and the beach are just a few things that students are looking forward to during spring break.

After a dreary winter with 10 snow days and 5 delays, students are looking forward to getting out of their winter slump and enjoy everything that the spring has to offer.

"I am spending the first few day at a baseball tournament in Charleston, South Carolina with the varsity baseball team," senior Richie Niner said.

Niner and the rest of his teammates will spend the first half of spring break in South Carolina. The team will play a maximum of three games in the tournament before they return home to spend the rest of break however they please, but not before they enjoy the South Carolina sun.

"I am excited to kick butt in the tournament and spend time at the beach with my teammates," Niner said.

Some students will be stuck at home due to their commitment to their spring sport, but another popular thing to do for students to do over spring break is to visit colleges.

"I'm going to see Christopher Newport University and University of Alabama at Huntsville," junior Janan Gokturk said.

Spring break is the perfect time for students, especially juniors and seniors, to get out and spend an entire week exploring different schools that could possibly serve as their home in the near future.

"I'm going down with my dad and I am stoked to see these schools because I am looking forward to college," Gokturk said.

The 10 days off that spring break provides students gives them the opportunity to drive up and down the coast to look at potential out-of-state schools or hit most of the Virginia schools if students are looking for an instate school option.

"I'm going to see Virginia Tech and JMU with my parents. My sister went to Virginia Tech and my brother goes to JMU, so I am excited to go and look at both of their schools," junior Sarah Deible said.

Although some students take any chance they can get to get out of the house before they enter into the home stretch of the school year, others spend the week simply bumming around at home.

COURTESY OF ANGIE NGYUEN

Weekend Editors

Senior Angie Nguyen poses with her cousin Alex in the water in Riviera Maya, Mexico, where she and her family vacationed earlier this school year.

"My brothers and I don't have any plans for spring break so far and our parents don't like to travel much," sophomore Saad Farooq said.

For some students, a break from school is great, but the best thing to do is just hang out at home and be lazy and hang out with your friends and family.

"I am planning on sitting on the couch with my brother and playing FIFA all day or hanging out at my friend's house," Farooq said.

Although college visits, being lazy and spring sports are great, the best escape is probably getting out of the state and enjoying the beach or experiencing all the tropical wonders of the world.

"My mom, my best friend, and I are flying down to Tampa, Florida where my grandpa lives. We will spend some time with my grandpa, but I also want to go visit the beach and get tan before school starts again," senior Kaitlyn Cook said.

There is no better escape from a stressful school year than to be on the beach with no worries at all.

"We are getting a thing called City Pass in Tampa, which will let us essentially do anything the city has to offer, such as Busch Gardens, the zoo, the aquarium and probably a few museums," Cook said.

With the weather not being overly warm here in Annandale, Virginia, anything below the Mason Dixon line will hopefully provide some nice sun along with warm peaceful days. Southern spring weather is a definite upgrade from all the piles of snow laying around and the fluctuating weather.

"I am definitely looking forward to getting out of Virginia and being some place warm for a while and as I senior I am just excited to get away from school any chance I get," Cook said.

Whether spring break is spent at the beach, visiting schools, exploring new places, bumming it at home or even enjoying the beautiful tropical islands, spring break will be a time to enjoy for any and all students.

Spring break: play-by-play For those of you stuck at home for spring break, follow our day-by-day plan to ensure that your spring break is awesome

Netflix

Monday March 30

Parks and Rec

Bike Ride

Ghost Tour

Riding a bike is a great way to get outside and soak in the warm breeze and sunshine. At Lake Accotink Park in North Springfield, you can even rent your own bike for $10 an hour.

The 90 minute tour starts at 8 p.m. in the historic LaFayette Park. In the heart of D.C., the ghost tours are nightly and cost $17 for adults and $10 for children.

Play with pets

Tuesday March 31

Modern Family

Wednesday April 1

The Office

Thursday April 2

Gossip Girl

Friday April 3

Arrow

Night time

Day time

Show of the day

Who doesn't like to play with puppies, bunnies and birds? It's all free at Petland in the Pickett Shopping Center across from Woodson.

Kings Dominion Pack up the car and some buddies and head south on I-95, Kings Dominion is open! Take the 90 minute trip and spend $55 for a day full on fun.

Cherry Blossom Festival

Flight

At the Tidal Mason Boat house in Washington, D.C., you can tour the cherry blossoms in paddle boats right near the Jefferson Memorial. Two passenger boats are $14 an hour.

After a long day of sitting around watching Netflix, go to Flight in Springfield for a night of jumping and flipping in their trampoline park.

Prices range from $15-$30.

Top Golf

National Harbor

Grab your clubs and your friends and head over to Top Golf in Alexandria. Be ready for a day filled with wings, lemonade and friendly service either on the mini golf course or the driving range.

Get out of the house with your buds and experience the beautiful waterfront shopping district. Get some shopping in, have some great food and ride the ferris wheel.

Picnic with friends

DC United game

Your local park, playground or even backyard is a perfect setting for a picnic with your buddies or just your special someone. Make sure you pack bug spray- those mosquitoes will be back.

Attention soccer fanatics: DC United is back. Tickets are on sale all season, so keep your eye out for good deals.

Don't miss your chance to see them play the New York Red Bulls!

Class of 2015 Bulletin To-do List: March Edition Attend the spring dance on Friday @ 7 p.m. in the main gym 15 days until all college acceptances are in!

Senior Daniela Salinas leads the Atoms as the starting goalkeeper in her final season.

10 days until spring break!

91 days until graduation 28 Red Days 27 White Days