Issue 5 by AHS Publications

the VOLUME #49 ISSUE 5

CORCORAN ARTS New exhibits at the Corcoran Museum in D.C. bring artwork to life.

ANNANDALE HIGH SCHOOL 700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003

10-11

CARTOON MANIA Kids are not the only ones allowed to watch cartoons. Find out the history of adult cartoons such as The Simpsons and Family Guy.

NEWS BRIEFS Pulitzer Prize winner Wendy Wasserstein to be at Artspeak

The Choral Department will be joining Pulitzer Prize winner Wendy Wasserstein this Thursday at 7 p.m. in Poe Middle School to perform selected Broadway songs. Wasserstein won the Pulitzer Prize on her theatrical performance in The Heidi Chronicles. She also won the first Tony Award given to a female playwright. Wasserstein will be speaking at Artspeak!, able Wendy Wasserstein to answer questions from the audience as well as sign autographs. In addition to Wasserstein, a surprise guest will also be performing. Artspeak! will take place in the lecture hall at Poe

703-642-4229

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2003

BEST BREW

LEGEND LIVES

With winter just around the corner, find out which coffee shops serve the best cup o joe to keep you warm.

Although Tupac was murdered seven years ago his spirit is remembered in a new documen tary, Tupac Resurrection

School moves up in rank AHS moves up to number 52 on the Challenge Index BY CAROLINE FRIEDMAN Managing Editor This year AHS is number 52 out of 157 schools in The Washington Post’s annual challenge index, which will be released in the Post Thursday. The A-Blast obtained an advance copy of the rankings. The index measures the availability of International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) courses by dividing the number of AP and IB tests by the number of graduating seniors. AHS’s Challenge Index number is 1.5440, which is up from last year’s number. The previous number was 1.162 and AHS ranked NO. 63. “It’s all about how all schools in the Washington area are getting better education,” said IB coordinator Erin Albright. “We are part of a very exciting trend of better education.” Washington Post staff writer Jay Mathews first published the challenge index in his 1998 book, Class Trouble.

Middle School.

Leadership class to hold an ATOMversary competition

Following the winter break the leadership class will sponsor a teacher-student basketball shoot-out as well as an Annandale history bowl. These events will take place during January flexes and is aimed at increasing celebration hype for the ATOMversary. Juniors and seniors will participate in the basketball shootout and a collection of eight students from each grade (four boys and four girls) will compete against one another in the history bowl. Students will be able to sign up for the competition during all lunches the week before winter break.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY WILL AKRIDGE AND PAUL GLEASON

“Index” continued on pg. 5

Gang activity causes concern BY LEKHA MENON Staff Writer

The Black Cultural Awareness Association received 525 pairs of socks in contribution from the faculty and students. The sock donations are to be delivered to a homeless shelter during the holiday season. Virginia Crowley and her class, who donated a fifth of the total amount of socks collected, were treated to a Thanksgiving breakfast last Tuesday courtesy of the B.C.A.A. The drive ended last week.

Same-sex marriages Two weeks ago, the Massachusetts State Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriages. Massachusetts is currently the only state which has passed this new law. Do you agree with the Massachusetts court decision to legalize same-sex marriage?

47%

Yes

18%

Undecided

35%

225 students were surveyes during B, C, and D lunches on Nov. 25.

Administrator Shawn Hearn (left), and School Resource Officer Paul Pickett (right) discuss matters pertaining to student activity in gangs.

Ethics group speaks to students BY JOE BURKE Staff Writer Every year, students hear about the importance of values like honesty, respect and trust. The Honor code that each student agrees to at the beginning of the school year stresses the importance of these values both inside and outside of the school building. Recently, the administration has begun to place an even greater emphasis on these values. In conjunction with

the Ethics Resource Center, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that promotes ethical leadership and character, AHS has taken the initial steps in the formation of an ethics program. Principal Rodney Manuel made the first steps in contacting the Ethics Resource Center, thereby initiating the program. He hoped to emulate the Ethics program put into place at Lake Braddock Secondary School, where he worked previously. These efforts began when the Ethics Resource Center held

a forum for parents on Nov. 18. The purpose was to get feedback from parents and determine what kind of character traits they value most. The next step was a set of focus group meetings held on Nov. 21 during the school day. Representatives from the Ethics Resource Center led a discussion in an effort to evaluate the student body and determine its core values. There were five separate focus groups, comprised of “Ethics” continued on pg. 5

Band records for holiday program BY CRISTIAN HERNANDEZ Staff Writer The spotlight was on the Symphonic Band last night as it recorded a TV spot for the Apple Fairfax County School channel. The show was named the “Holiday Spotlight.” The band recorded three songs, including two selections from the Nutcracker, and a piece entitled “Greensleeves.” The tapings will air the week before and throughout winter break. The choir as well as other Fairfax County Schools, ranging from elementary to high school, participated in the tapings. This is the first year the band

has performed in the event and to be able to participate in the show, the band had to apply and be accepted. “We have been practicing for a month and half,” said senior Greg Loewer. “We were prepared because we sound good.” Band members are excited at the opportunity to showcase their talent. “I think that it’s good that we are getting recognized outside the school,” said senior April Brasser. “I’m looking forward to it, it’s a lot of fun,” said senior Colin Agnew. Some members are looking forJunior Jessica Martin rehearses with the ward to seeing themselves on TV. Symphonic band for a performance on the “Band” continued on pg. 5 Apple FCPS station.

MEGAN BERRY

Sock drive piles pairs

Although AHS has already encountered two or three incidents related to gang activity since September, according to school resource Officer Paul Pickett, the administration is not worried about an increase in gang violence. Safety and Security Specialist Cliff Cornwell does not cite gang violence as a major problem at AHS, although he does acknowledge that it does exist. “Gangs are an issue at all FCPS schools. Gang activity at AHS is low this year,” he said. The PTSA is having a meeting tomorrow to update parents of safety issues. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11 and the Sniper shootings last October, the administration hopes to make parents more cognizant about school security. This meeting will also help to promote gang awareness among the parents. “Our number one priority if to ensure the safety of the students and staff and any steps

to do that will be taken,” said Principal Rod Manuel. These steps include educating the faculty and administration of ways to identify gang behavior. The gang unit of the Fairfax County Police Department has taught AHS how to recognize actions, dress, and depictions of gang symbols. The stricter dress code helps to ensure that students cannot portray threatening gang symbols in school. Students are often misled by gangs. “A feeling of importance, acceptance, family, and love draws them to a gang,” Pickett said. The administration tries to encourage participation in school activities as alternatives to joining gangs. Getting involved within the school can often prevent students from getting in trouble outside of school. “We’d rather see students be part of AHS than gangs,” said Cornwell. According to Pickett, the majority of those involved in gangs at AHS are Hispanics, followed by the Black, Asian, and Caucasian “Gangs” continued on pg. 5

MORGAN MCEVILLY

Administration works to ward off gang participation

Sports banquet honored fall athletes BY ALEX WAHL Staff Writer “I just wanted to say thank you, it’s been the best years of my life,” said senior Noah Crowley, winner of the $500 Scholarship award for varsity football at the Fall Sports Banquet on Nov. 19. Crowley was the recipient of this award for his character, conduct, responsibility, leadership, and dedication he showed as a member of the football team. Several fall sports teams ended their season with tremendous results. Remembering pre-season football worries, varsity coach Dick Adams said it was predicted to be a bad season for football because they were unsure of the quarterback. However, he said he has been extremely pleased and surprised by the great season the boys worked for. “It was an incredible effort; tremendous senior leadership,” said Adams. Freshmen football coach Bill Maglisceau said the freshmen had the best season since 1980, with a record of 8-1-1, while junior varsity also did well at 4-4. Varsity finished off with a 6-4 record, beating Lake Braddock and coming closer to victory than any other team with Robinson. Along with Noah Crowley, Cory Da“Banquet” continued on pg. 5

EDITORIALS Muhammad ‘brainwashed’ Malvo? A

Dec. 2, 2003

BY WILL AKRIDGE Staff Writer Fourteen months ago, if someone told you that they had constructed a mobile sniper hide in their trunk, you probably wouldn’t understand what one was. Even if you did, you probably wouldn’t believe the claim. After October of last year, just about every resident of Northern Virginia can explain some fragment of the sniper shootings. Be it the “Call me God” notes or the dramatic arrest of John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo, nearly everyone knows something about the sniper shootings because it was here and it was right in our own proverbial backyard. Ever since people stopped taking cover behind gas pumps, Muhammad and Malvo have been in police custody awaiting their respective trials that the Constitution promises every American citizen. Muhammad has been sentenced the death penalty in Virginia, but Lee Boyd Malvo, Muhammad’s 18-year-old accomplice (17 at time of shootings), has not been found guilty as of yet. His lawyers are adamant that he is innocent by reason of insanity because Muhammad supposedly brainwashed him. Malvo has pleaded not guilty and his sanity and his sanity has now become the focus of the trial. People who have known Malvo before the sniper shootings recall him as someone who had an unstable childhood, but was generally very

Lee Boyd Malvo (left), is pictured here with John Allen Muhammad. Muhammad was recently sentenced to death, while Malvo s trial is still underway.

passive. The Associated Press reported that Rosalind Aaron, Malvo’s old school principal, described him as “intelligent, respectful, and jovial.” Surely, Malvo must have spun a complete 180 degrees before pulling the trigger on everyone that died during those harrowing three weeks. The brainwashing defense has not been used successfully in a criminal case in quite some time, and there

is a very legitimate reason for that. The brainwashing defense doesn’t fly because it’s complete hogwash. Human beings are mentally influenced everyday by advertising, school, 50 cent, mirrors, family, friends, and other assorted things you see on a day-to-day basis. What words could you hear that would convince you to shoot and kill anonymous people walking down the street?

Rockstar Games, creators of the Grand Theft Auto series of games, is being sued for inspiring two teenagers to fire a .22 caliber rifle into moving traffic. The notion that people can be convinced to do whatever’s on TV is irresponsible. Why take the blame when we can blame the TV? The concept of holding the video games responsible for the deaths of human beings is juvenile. It’s just as silly as blaming brainwashing mind control for a three-week killing spree, After being in police custody for more than a year, the quiet and murderous Malvo has been reported to gradually be relapsing into his pre-Muhammad mentality. If you think that’s impressive, you should see more Annandale theater. Malvo is either pulling an act or he’s just gotten comfortable in a jail cell. He’s relaxing a bit. Who wouldn’t, after finding out there’s a chance of getting away with 10 murders you’ve been accused of? Even if Malvo was brainwashed with a mind control device from the future, it doesn’t change how dangerous he is and how dangerous he could be if he escaped. It also doesn’t change the fact that he confessed to the murder of multiple people he had never even spoken to. Not only that, he and Muhammad managed to evade authorities for weeks before being apprehended. As long as Lee Boyd Malvo is still breathing, there is a chance that he will kill again. He is a danger to the people. Brainwashing doesn’t change that.

—Britney Ballard freshman

“I think if it’s the way you flow; just go.”

—Morgan McNeill sophomore

“It should be legal because we are living in a world of equality and diversity. It is no different than a black person marrying an asian person.”

—Suzanne Van Der Eijk sophomore

If you were offered $18.5 million, would you take it? Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean turned down this large to sum in an effort to boost his chances in the 2004 presidential election, and to make a statement. The former Vermont governor, following the advice of his consultants and the backing of his supporters, declared that he would not accept the federal campaign funds. If Dean had accepted the $18.5 million, then a limitation would have been placed on his campaign. Any candidate who accepts the federal campaign funding is not allowed to spend more than $45 million on their entire campaign. This gutsy political maneuver by Dean has propelled him to the forefront of the race for the Democratic nomination. Declining his right to the money, will pay off for Dean in the long run. After declaring his decision to fund his own campaign, Dean received large amounts of national

media coverage. In addition, a number of the nation’s most powerful labor unions have pledged their support to Dean, since his decision to reject federal funding. These labor unions, which now support Dean, will bring millions of dollars and thousands of votes to Dean’s campaign. When declaring that he would not accept federal funding, Dean explained that it was the only logical choice if he wanted to win. This is a true statement. President Bush has declined to accept federal funding for many of his campaigns, including the one for upcoming 2004 presidential election. Bush’s campaign spending is not capped at $45 million, and he is able to obtain much more than that amount. Through Dean speaks to a group of voters during a debate in Columbia, South Carolina. large donations from big companies, Bush has accumulated common American. He wants tions from thousands of citizens. more than $170 million for the average citizen to hold as Dean is the only candidate the 2004 reelection campaign. much power as wealthy cor- who has the guts to take a risk, Dean rationalized his porations. To achieve this goal, so he can put up a fight against decision by saying that—if Dean is calling for the reform Bush if he wins the nomination. he won the Democratic of campaign finance. Instead of He holds true to his slogan. nomination—he would be out accepting huge donations from Dean is not the candidate for of money to take on Bush. a few, huge corporations, Dean corporations or special interest Dean is the candidate for the wants to receive small dona- groups. Dean is for America.

PHOTO TAKEN FROM WWW.DEANFORAMERICA.COM

BY JOHN BERNHARDT Editorials Editor

Gay marriage legalized in Mass.

rights advocates celebrated the victory. The court BY JOHN BERNHARDT ruling was said to be “in the best tradition of our Editorial Editor nation,” according to an executive director of the Homosexuality is a topic many Americans would Human Rights Campaign. Today, more than ever, prefer not to openly address. However, when a case equality is becoming as important as freedom and was brought before Massachusetts Supreme Judicial order in political decision making. Civil rights advocacy groups argue that it is in the a state’s compelling Court, a ruling on the issue was inevitable. A number of same-sex couples sued the state of interest to bring equality to all its citizens. AffirmaMassachusetts for the right to marry their life tive action is designed to bring more equality to the partner. When the court finally ruled, the deci- education system. This ruling is an attempt to bring sion was 4-3 in favor of allowing civil marriage more equality to the life of homosexuals. Married couples enjoy many economic advanbetween the homosexual couples. This is the first time in United States history that a state tages. Those who are married follow different will acknowledge a civil marriage between two tax procedures that contain benefits. Denying homosexuals the right to persons of the same sex. Many marriage results in fiscal people find same-sex marriage to inequality. Civil unions be offensive, immoral and wrong. However, just because it offensive It is a matter of privacy. The between homosexuals do not contain the same does not mean it should be illegal. financial benefits that a Many people find racial slurs to government should not be marriage does. be offensive, but that does not mean Gay marriage is we should ignore the freedoms guar- able to make decisions regardsomething many Amerianteed in the First Amendment. It is cans views with distaste. a matter of privacy. The government ing a person’s private life or People have compared should not be able to make decisions sexual orientation. homosexual intercourse regarding a person’s private life or sexto bestiality; however, ual orientation. Furthermore, preventit is absurd to compare ing same-sex couples from marrying a relationship between disadvantages them economically. As soon as the ruling was made, people began to two humans to a relationship between a human speak out against the decision. President Bush, who and an animal. It is against the morals of many of is a religious man, condemned the court’s ruling. the religion Americans practice. But, this country “Marriage is a sacred institution between and man should not make law based on religious teachings. and a woman,” said Bush. “Today’s decision of the The government should make policies that allow Massachusetts Supreme Court violates the same every person to enjoy civil freedoms and live the principle.” Bush obviously finds a union between American dream—whatever that means to them. two people of the same sex to be immoral. However, This decision is just the beginning of what could be should the government have the right to dictate the a major shift in the way the United States views gay morals of its citizens? Each person lives by their own couples’ rights. However, this process would be long set of moral values. Furthermore, religious institu- and arduous. In any case, it shows that Americans tions still reserve the right to determine who will are slowly moving toward a national anti-discrimnatory stance. be married in their religious systems. Despite the backlash against the ruling, civil

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOHN BERNHARDT

“

”

What do you think about the legalizition of gay marrigae in the Massachusetts? “I don’t think it is right, because I don’t think it is moral.”

Dean rejects funds and system Former Vermont govenor turns down $18.5 milllion in hopes for a chance to win

“It’s ok because you should be able to marry whoever you want to. There should be no law on getting married.”

—Isaac Mancilla junior

“I don’t like it because I think it promotes that gay is okay. I think that’s wrong.”

—Andrew Nguyen senior

“It should be legal because you need to accept people the way they are.”

—Clovis Fleming senior

“Whatever they prefer, I support no matter what differences I have.”

—Oscar Baker math teacher

District

Challenge Rating

1. Richard Montgomery Montgomery 5.084 2. H-B Woodlawn Arlington 4.727 3. Wootton Montgomery 4.004 4. George Mason Falls Church 3.738 5. Chevy Chase Montgomery 3.719 6. Yorktown Arlington 3.230 7. W.T. Woodson Fairfax 3.223 8. Banneker D.C. 3.068 9. Langley Fairfax 2.915 10. Washington-Lee Arlington 2.891 11. Churchill Montgomery 2.889 12. Robinson Fairfax 2.782 13. Oakton Fairfax 2.700 14. McLean Fairfax 2.688 15. Westfield Fairfax 2.662 16. Walter Johnson Montgomery 2.643 17. Whitman Montgomery 2.637 18. Springbroo Montgomery 2.635 19. Madison Fairfax 2.540 20. Chantilly Fairfax 2.536 21. West Springfield Fairfax 2.501 22. Clarke County Clarke 2.496 23. Centreville Fairfax 2.444 24. Lake Braddock Fairfax 2.295 25. Marshall* Fairfax 2.261 26. Falls Church Fairfax 2.245 27. Centennial Howard 2.154 28. Fairfax Fairfax 2.148 29. Herndon Fairfax 2.146 30. West Potomac Fairfax 2.023 31. Gar-Field Prince William 2.019 32. Hayfield Fairfax 2.011 33. Montgomery Blair Montgomery 1.997 34. South Lakes Fairfax 1.982 35. Stuart Fairfax 1.961 36. Stonewall Jackson Prince William 1.908 37. River Hill Howard 1.871 38. Loudoun Valley Loudoun 1.865 39. Kennedy Montgomery 1.793 40. Quince Orchard Montgomery 1.777 41. Blake Montgomery 1.736 42. Gaithersburg Montgomery 1.711 43. Sherwood Montgomery 1.679 44. Rockville Montgomery 1.667 45. Osbourn Park Prince William 1.662 46. Stone Charles 1.651 47. Edison Fairfax 1.648 48. Wakefield Arlington 1.620 49. Potomac Falls Loudoun 1.617 50. Paint Branch Montgomery 1.615 51. Stone Bridge Loudoun 1.580 52. Annandale Fairfax 1.544 53. Eleanor Roosevelt Prince George’s 1.522 54. Einstein Montgomery 1.513 55. Lee Fairfax 1.481 56. Broad Run Loudoun 1.397 57. Poolesville Montgomery 1.402 58. Park View Loudoun 1.370 59. Urbana Frederick 1.365 60. Gov. Thomas Johnson Frederick 1.363 61. Broadneck Anne Arundel 1.357 62. Magruder Montgomery 1.349 63. Wilson D.C. 1.342 64. Walkersville Frederick 1.342 65. Middletown Frederick 1.328 66. Massaponax Spotsylvania 1.319 67. Loudoun County Loudoun 1.305 68. Washington Tech D.C. 1.271 69. Mt. Vernon Fairfax 1.256 70. Severna Park Anne Arundel 1.248 71. Damascus Montgomery 1.215 72. Northwest Montgomery 1.210 73. Hylton Prince William 1.183 74. South River Anne Arundel 1.169 75. Watkins Mill Montgomery 1.143 76. Monroe Fredericksburg 1.126 77. La Plata Charles 1.094 78. Seneca Valley Montgomery 1.093 79. Leonardtown St. Mary’s 1.082 80. High Point Prince George’s 1.071 81. Great Mills St. Mary’s 1.063 82. Woodbridge Prince Williams 1.056 83. McDonough Charles 1.047 84. School Without Walls D.C. 1.023 85. Annapolis Anne Arundel 1.020 86. Frederick Frederick 1.010 87. Spotsylvania Spotsylvania 1.000 88. Colonial Forge Stafford 0.989 89. Chopticon St. Mary’s 0.973 90. Brentsville Prince William 0.968 91. Forest Park Prince William 0.940 92. Glenelg Howard 0.911 93. Wheaton Montgomery 0.901 94. Potomac Prince William 0.884 95. Old Mill Anne Arundel 0.870 96. Chancellor Spotsylvania 0.868 97. Courtland Spotsylvania 0.861 98. Westlake Charles 0.860 99. Patuxent Calvert 0.860 100. Linganore Frederick 0.858 101. Northern Calvert 0.847 102. Wilde Lake Howard 0.841 103. Osbourn Manassas 0.840 104. Mount Hebron Howard 0.825 105. Laurel Prince George’s 0.803 106. Hammond Howard 0.770 107. T.C. Williams Alexandria 0.750 108. Manassas Park Manassas Park 0.732 109. Ellington D.C. 0.720 110. Lackey Charles 0.697 111. Calvert Calvert 0.688 112. Stafford Stafford 0.664 113. Atholton Howard 0.648 114. Cardozo D.C. 0.634 115. Catoctin Frederick 0.629 116. Potomac Prince George’s 0.606 117. Flowers Prince George’s 0.593 118. Oakland Mills Howard 0.591 119. Chesapeake Anne Arundel 0.580 120. Central Prince George’s 0.574 121. Southern Anne Arundel 0.564 122. Northwestern Prince George’s 0.551 123. Bowie Prince George’s 0.549 124. Bell Multicultural D.C. 0.519 Continued on pg. 5 Rail

BY BRIDGETTE KIM Staff Writer Before throwing away old clothes that have been piling up in the closet or cans of Campbell’s chicken soup that have been hiding in the kitchen cupboard; bring them to school and contribute to the schools canned food and clothing drive. This is a time where all students and faculty have the chance give back to the community and be reminded of the luxuries that we have and what we may take for granted. AHS’s canned food drive started a week before Thanksgiving on Nov. 17 and ended Nov. 20. Banners and signs were posted around school to promote this charitable event and letters

important] because kids to teachers were sent out to make need clothes and it’s good them aware of this month’s holifor the high school commuday project. The proceeds from nity to get involved,” said the canned food drive will be Sam Stocker. The proceeds donated to Annandale Chrisfrom the clothing drive will tian Association. Last year’s go to the Salvation Army. SGA canned food drive was a “It [the canned food success as they hit their goal. drive] provides for the less This year, the canned food drive fortunate, it’s a chance for committee hopes for 200 cans the school to give back per class. In order to reach that to the community,” said goal the committee asks that sophomore Sophia Dillon. each W2 class bring in about She was also enthusiastic 20 cans to donate to the drive. about the clothing drive. “I The top W2 class that collects have lots of clothes that I the most cans will be rewarded don’t need and it can benewith a donut party. Nick Peyton fit others,” she added. SGA and Yama Nadi, members of the sponsor Mrs. Hendrickson canned food committee want to is excited about the events thank everyone that helped with that the SGA is involved this years canned food drive. with. “I’m really excited to With the canned food drive see our student body conalready complete, students can Sophomore, Samanta Stocker sets up for the Clothing Drive, which is tribute to the community now help AHS, as it will be lasting until this Fri. Dec. 5. in such a meaningful way, sponsoring a clothing drive that helping others especially will be taking place from, Dec. 1 encourage student participa- process easier for students, many through Fri., Dec. 5. The clothing tion in the drive, the clothing boxes for the clothing drive have during the holiday season is drive was a success last year and drive committee has posted up been placed all over the school: a privilege for most AHS clothing drive committee’s Sam notices on the student bulletin two in the cafeteria, two in the Students,” said Hendrickson. Stocker and Sabina Fedrowitz board, banners and fliers have jock lobby and two in the front hope for a success this year. To been passed out. To make the lobby. “[The clothing drive is

Atomversary yearbook students push sales BY REBECCA KRAUSHAAR Writing Coach In the corner of room 229, hanging above the brand new iMacs, is the list of how many Antennas have been sold. For every yearbook a person sells they get a gold star sticker next to their name. It’s a contest to see who can sell the most yearbooks, but it’s more than just that. With the Jan. 5 sales deadline fast approaching, the fate of the yearbook depends on how many gold stars cover that list. The staff needs to sell 1,000 yearbooks to at least break even. Right now the list is a testimony to the hundreds of students who still haven’t bought their yearbooks. “We’ve only sold 500 yearbooks,” said yearbook adviser Niki Holmes. “That means a majority of the senior class still hasn’t bought one. It’s appalling to me.” What many students may not realize is that Jan. 5 is the last time anyone can buy a yearbook. “It’s going to be really good this year,” said student life editor Amy Buckles. “You’ll regret it if you don’t [buy one]. There will be no extra yearbooks sold after senior night, as has been done in the past.”

School rank rises “Rank” from pg. 1 The challenge index also appeared in The Washington Post and Newsweek for the first time that year. The challenge index was created by Mathews to measure how educators are preparing students for college. “[It was a] number that described something no one else tried to described,” said Mathews. Mathews wanted something that illuminated the issue that, “the vast majority of U.S. high schools were stupidly denying them [students] the chance to further their education and prepare themselves for college,” said Mathews. Unlike Fairfax County Public Schools, most school district’s nationwide do not allow for open-enrollment into AP and IB courses. Albright cautions against looking at the challenge index level, but rather to focus on the actual challenge index number and how that has improved. In 1996 AHS’s index level was 0.477. Albright said that at AHS, all students are encouraged to take a balance of classes. “We are aiming for every student to be taking the courses they are best suited for,” said Albright. Albright supports the sometimes controversial challenge index and said that, “in the Washington area we are conscious of rankings. What Jay Mathews has done is to create a ranking that says something.” The ranking, according to Albright, is used to measure how available the Advanced program is to students. WhileAHS’s enrollment is open,Albright said that it is not her aim to have purely open enrollment. She said that this leads to people being disappointed in their grades. AHS still has AP classes for those subjects in which there is no IB equivalent. Principal Rod Manuel hopes to have some sort of higher level class in each subject or academic area. “We are looking to increase IB offerings,” said Manuel. “I think it [the challenge index] is really good and it is showing that more AHS students are taking advantage of higher level courses,” said senior Coury Shadyac, who takes four IB classes. Although AHS is only in the beginning stagesofanIBprogram,Manuelstronglysupports having the IB program further expand. “Our commitment and primary focus will always be on our IB program,” said Manuel.

Although the yearbooks are in full color in honor of the 50th anniversary of AHS, they cost only $50. That’s $5 less that last year’s yearbook and $25 less than what a normal color yearbook would cost. The low price is thanks to help with funding from the school. “It’s a great deal, and you’re never going to get a full color yearbook again,” said Holmes. For students who cannot afford to pay for the yearbook in one lump sum, there are other options. Holmes recommends that students come talk to her so that together they can figure out a payment plan. Students can also write down on their order form that they wish to pay for their yearbook in installments. “We can still reserve a book for them,” said Holmes. “I’m so surprised more people haven’t bought them.” Right now the yearbook staff is on its third deadline, and by the time winter break rolls around, they’ll be halfway done with the book. “The first deadline was rough, but we’ve gotten through it,” said Buckles. “This year it’s going to be a lot better because of the color, but that’s all I can say.” While the staff remains mum about

the theme of the yearbook, they can’t stop gushing about how good it looks. “It’s lots of fun and looks good in color,” said sports editor Aubrey Welch. “We have a really creative staff with so many ideas.” Working with color forced the staff

to approach creating a yearbook somewhat differently. “Color is a different process. It demands a higher level of photography,” said Holmes. “The staff has risen to the occasion in plan and design.”

These are two draft pages for the Atomversary yearbook which cannot be purchased after January 5. The Antenna’s goal is to sell 1,000 yearbooks, and they are halfway to that mark.

Publication students attend conference BY ALEX SILANO Academics Editor Almost 30 student journalists attended the annual JournalismEducationAssociation(JEA)conferenceinWashington, D.C., Nov. 20-23. The A-Blast accepted two awards by the end of the weekend. The first award was second place overall in the “Best of Show” category for newspapers 17 pages or longer. This was the closest The A-Blast has ever come to first place, outdoing their fourth place finish from last year. The “Best of Show” category is when every school in JEA submits their best quality issue to a panel of judges. The A-Blast chose issue #3 as its best issue of the current year for submission where it had these judges critique the newspaper and give it a ranking. Students at the conference attended seminars about the mechanics of journalism. They also listened to two keynote speakers. “I learned a lot from the seminars that I can apply to my work on The A-Blast,” said Managing Editor Caroline Friedman. The A-Blast was also nominated for the Pacemaker Award as a finalist. All the papers that are a part of the JEA and the NSPA (National Student Press Association) are selected and recognized at the National level. Although The A-Blast did not win the top award, it was still ranked in the top ten for the 2002-2003 school year. Individual awards were also given to students in the Write-Off contest. News Editor Kyle Smeallie received an honorable mention in the sports writing category and Editor-in-Chief Paul Gleason won an honorable mention for

NIKI HOLMES

The Washington Post Challenge Index measures a public high school’s effort to challenge its students. The formula is simple: Divide the number ofAdvanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or other college level tests a school gave by the number of seniors who graduated in June. For example, a school with the enrollment of 2000 students, with 1000 exams taken would have an index of .5. Tests taken by all students, not just seniors, are counted. Washingtonarea magnet schools that admit more than half of their students based on examinations and grades are not included. When compared with schools across the country, Washington-area schools are overall among the most encouraging of AP and IB testing.

AHS begins the season of giving with food and clothing drives

Dec. 2, 2003

ASHLEY JONES

The 2003 Challenge Index

School

NEWS A AHS gives back to the community

Journalism students traveled to the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. to participate in this years national convention. The A-Blast placed second in the Best in Show contest for newpapers over 17 pages.

the category of “editorialist cartooning” where he depicted a scene of a U.S. soldier being praised by a group of Iraqi citizens almost like a rock star. On the other side is an Iraqi radical preparing to shoot this beloved soldier. Beneath the cartoon the caption read, “Another U.S. soldier killed in Iraq, and tomorrow another group of people will be defied by one man’s action.” Gleason chose this to show the common misconception that U.S. soldiers are not wanted in Iraq. Such awards like the second place overall in “Best of Show” for The A-Blast have never before been attained by this organization.

Stadium’s new name from the A would honor Bolding A look back to an article from the June 1, 1979 issue of The A-Blast BY FORD COCHRAN

A resolution now before the Fairfax County school board would, if passed, allow the Annandale High School football stadium to be named the J. Wallace Bolding stadium. Mr. Bolding has spent the last 25 years atAnnandale working as teacher, counselor, administrator, and coach. He will ne retiring at the end of te 1978-79 school year. The idea was orginally that of senior class vice president Jeff Carnes. It later found support from the S.P.T.A., the Student Government Association, and Mr. Finch, as well as many students and faculty members.

The resolution itself was drafted by Louis Cable, who graduated from Annandale with the class of 1962 and is presently working for the Fairfax County Park Authority. In a statement introducing his resolution to the schoolboard, Mr. Cable said that Mr. Bolding had, “brought a lasting and special spirit into the Annandale High School family and community. He is without a doubt an irreplacable figure at Annandale... and should be remembered in a meningful and lasting fasion at this scool tht fosters excellenece, and molds leaders, and creates champions.” Dr. Robert Smith, Annandale representative to the school board,

said that he is , “very pleased with the reception the resolution has recieved. It’s very unusual in that the letters I have recieved in support of the idea have all been quite personal. There has been no mail or phone calls to oppose the resolution. I know of now reason to believe that it wouldn’t pass.” The resolution will come back for school board action on June 14. The reason that the board did not immediately vote on it, is because, “the naming of a stadium is a permanent thing. If anyone is going to sy anthing negative, it’s better to know before you’ve commitied yourself to an action,” stated Dr. Smith.

NEWS

Dec. 2, 2003

Gang presence increases Band Involvement in gang activities results in expulsion “Gang” from pg. 1 communities. The legal definition of a gang is any organization or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, which has an identifiable name or dress, and which has a primary objective that commits one or more illegal acts. Keeping a huge file of known school gang members in his office, Officer Pickett is very open about his knowledge of gang members and their activities at AHS. Any type of representation of a gang, whether a drawing on a notebook or an article of clothing, is confiscated and kept for record. Tattoos depicting gang names or symbols are photographed and recorded. Any involvement in gang activities results in an immediate recommendation for expulsion. The administration

is very serious about maintaining AHS as a safe and secure environment. “We are aware that there are gang members living in the community and going to school. If we feel that they are threatening to the school they won’t be here,” said Cornwell. The administration works closely with the Fairfax County gang unit to prevent gang violence and publicize gang awareness. AHS even has a tattoo removal program for students wishing to rid themselves of previous connections to a gang. Although students are aware of the presence of gang members at AHS, there does not seem to be a great concern for safety. “Students know of kids that are in gangs but they know that if you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you,” said Pickett. Despite the numerous outbreaks of fights within school, students and administration alike do not immediately link in school violence to gangs without proper evidence. “I don’t really think about gangs,” said freshman Cynthia Messman. “I mean they’re there, but they don’t really

bother you.” Gangs are not a prominent problem at AHS. “I never knew {gangs} existed here so I don’t feel threatened,” said sophomore Marnella Lambert. In an effort to widen his knowledge about gang awareness and hoping to bring this information to AHS, Officer Pickett is attending a Gang Resistance, Education & Training program, G.R.E.A.T., which is a federally funded program, specifically designed to teach police officers how to avoid crimes, drugs in the school community and how to prevent students from joining gangs. Promoting gang awareness to students and parents is one way in which the administration is working to keep AHS away from the disasters of gang violence. With strict enforcement of the SR&R rules, AHS has managed to keep gang activities limited. “There is no way to guarantee safety, but we try to interact with the student body to ensure their safety,” saidAssistant Principal Dave Tremaine.

Fall athletes attend banquet

“Band” from pg. 1 “I’m looking forward seeing myself on TV, because I seat in the front row, it will also show people what the band can do,” said Senior Zach Sytes. The performance will marked the band’s first major performance for the year. The spot was to bring publicity to the school and the band. This was a first for the Symphony Band it has never been taped. The band has received support from Principal Manuel as band members have been missing nearly half of the school days. With the Thanksgiving break, the band faced a challege since, they were not able topractice together until the day of the performance. The band was honored they have been invited, and is planning on representing AHS. “This is an honor for us in the county, not many of this folk have ever had the chance to be on TV. We want to represent the county and the school as best as we can,’ said Elgin.

Ethics group visits AHS Students will hear about the importance of values such as trust and respect

SHAYNA DUBLER

“Banquet” from pg. 1 by winning the “Robert Stigolz” award, which is given for the same criteria as the scholarship award. “I wasn’t expecting this, thank y’all,” said Daise. “You have to go back to the late 1980s to find out when AHS placed in the top 50% in tri-meets,” said cross-country coach Gary Rowe, who talked about the outstanding achievements the cross-country teams had this past season. The girls side finished 4-0 in tri meets, while the boys also did well with a 3-1 record. A highlight of the season was the girls first ever win over Lake Braddock. You might say this was a season of beating the ever so challenging opponent Lake Braddock, because the golf team also was one of the many teams that was victorious over the bruins. Finishing up with a strong 3-1-2 record, golf had a great season with no. 1 senior leader Chris Evans, who was just shy of making the state tournament, but placed 3rd in the Quantico State Tournament. “Golf is probably the most beguiling game that ever existed. Ten years from now, about half of you in this room will have wished you had the fortitude to try golf,” said Coach Richard McCormack. It was a developing year

records

Sophomore Nicole Mott embraces JV coach Katie Stribling.

for the volleyball team. Varsity coach Ruth Johnson is looking forward to moving up in the district next year, with plans to work on hitting, serving and blocking. Although they finished out with only 2 wins, the coaches are proud to see such improvement. “They hung in to the very end and gave it their best,” said junior varsity Coach Beth Caudle. Varsity field hockey probably had their most exciting season ever this year, going all the way to the state tournament. “I know it’s really hot out there,” said varsity coach Cindy Hook, but that describes our team, “Red Hot.” They team was an amazing 6-0 in the district, beating Lake Braddock, that helped them earn a spot in the regional tournament and then the state tourna-

ment despite the loss of both the district and regional titles. At states, the girls won the Wachovia State Sportsmanship Award, and finished their season in the 1st round, playing the defending state champions. Hook said that the girls played with a lot of heart, and she is incredibly proud of each one. In fact, the Atomic Athletics award was given to the whole team because they couldn’t decide on one person to vote on. In the past Hook remembers her teams asking for everyone to get the award, but she said “This is truly the one year I had to agree with them.” It seems many teams have raised the bar for atomic excellence, and this was clearly reflected through the seasonal sports banquet.

“Ethics” from pg. 1 students from several different school populations, including Leadership, ESOL and Peer Mediation classes, as well as representatives from regular academic classes. Lisa Felix, an administrator who describes herself as a “facilitator” in this process, said, “This is one component of a pilot ethics initiative that AHS is participating in.” According to Felix, the school eventually hopes to create a student panel to discuss and rule on allegations of Honor Code violations. The proposed panel will be similar to those found in colleges and universities across the nation. In this way, the student can have a much larger role in the ethical realm of the school community. Senior Eric Ober is a student in Leadership class who was selected to participate in a focus group. They asked the

make a Date Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Thursday

7:00 p.m. Girls Gymnastics v.

TBA- V. Boys & Girls Basketball v. Tip-Off Tournament (Jefferson)

Friday

Flex W2/ R1 SGA Clothing Drive 12/1-5 (Jock Lobby)

December Wednesday

group general questions about what leadership means and what traits are most valuable in a leader, but also asked about the general ethical character of AHS. His group consisted of approximately ten students. Ober thought the program was very helpful and created more potential for him and his fellow Leadership students to guide the student body. Ober said, “I think if people follow instruction from leaders in schools, we could steer them in the right direction.” Lisa Felix is optimistic about the future of ethics atAnnandale and was happy to see this first step occur. She said, “The parental and student meeting were very beneficial. In order to develop any program, we must look at community values. . . [We must] incorporate the views of our staff, parents and students before moving forward.”

Saturday

Company Day (All Day)

8:30 p.m. Swim & Dive v. T.C.

Flex W6/ R3

(Lee District)

Company Day All Day ( Clausen Hall)

W & L, Jefferson, Lee

( Jefferson)

Tip-Off Tournament

TBA- V. Boys Basketball v. Tip-Off Tournament (Madison)

Tip-Off Tournament

Tip-Off Tournament (H)

(Woodson) TBA- V. Wrestling NOVA

Classic

Flex R5/W8

4 p.m. F. Boys Basketball V.

7:00 p.m. Band Winter Concert (Clausen Hall)

F. Girls Basketball v. Mclean (A)

Childrenʼs Play Audition

5:45 p.m. JV Boys Basketball v. Mclean ( H) JV Girls Basketball v. Mclean (A) 7:30 p.m. V. Boys Basketball v.

Black Box Theater Dec. 8-11

Mclean ( H)

FLex R1/R3

Classic (Fairfax HS)

Blood Drive All Day

Flex R7/ W2

Mclean (H)

(Woodson) TBA- V. Girls Basketball v.

TBA- V. Girls Basketball v. TBA- V. Wrestling NOVA

8-1:00 p.m. SAT s

TBA- V. Boys Basketball v.

2:15 p.m. College Partnership Program Meeting (Clausen Hall)

(Clausen Hall) 4 p.m. F. Boys Basketball v. W & L (A) F. Girls Basketball v. W&L (H() 5:45 p.m. JV Boys Basketball v. W&L ( A) JV Girls Basketball v. W &L (H) 7:30 p.m. V. Boys Basketball v. W & L ( A)

V. Girls Basketball v. Mclean (A)

8:30 p.m. Swim & Dive v. Hayfield (Wakefield Park) TBA JV Wrestling v. Madison Inviatational (Madison)

V. Girls Basketball v. W & L (H)

15 Drug Awareness Play Preformance ( Clausen Hall) TBA- JV Wrestling v. Falls Church Inviatationals (Falls Church)

Flex R5/ W6 16 Interims Mailed Drug Awareness Play 4 p.m. F. Boys Basketball V. Hayfield (A) F. Girls Basketball v. Hayfield (H) 5:45 p.m. JV Boys Basketball v. Hayfield ( A) JV Girls Basketball v. Hayfield(A) 7:30 p.m. V. Boys Basketball v. Hayfield ( A)

Flex W8/ R7

7:00 p.m. Girls Gymnastics v. Edison, Langley, Chantilly (Chantilly)

College Panel- Both Flexes ( Clausen Hall) 7:30 p.m. Choral Concert

TBA- V. Wrestling v. W. Potomac (H)

( Clausen Hall)

Christmas Eve

Winter Break Holiday

4:30 p.m. F. Boys Basketball v. T.C. ( H) F. Girls Basketball v. T.C. (A) 6 p.m. JV boys Basketball v. T.C (H) JV Girls Basketball v. T.C. ( A) 8 p.m. V. Boys Basketball v. T.C. V. Girls Basketball v. T.C. (A) 8:30 p.m. Swim & Dive v. Jefferson (Wakefield)

26 Kwanzaa

Christmas Day TBA-Varsity Wrestling v. TBA Tournament

TBA- JV Wrestling v. Woodson Inviatationals ( Woodson)

5 NEWS BRIEFS AHS Blood Drive

On Dec. 12, theAHS Blood Drive will be held in the lecture hall from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donors will be able to sign up all week during lunch, and must be at least 17 yeards of age, in general good health and at least 110 pounds. In about one hour, donors will complete a short medical history; have temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and hemoglobin measured; donate their blood and enjoy refreshments before leaving. Special holiday T-shirts will be given to all donors.

Transcript requests due

For colleges that have a January 1 deadline, requests for transcripts must be in the Student Services Office by December 5 to allow two weeks for processing. The office will be closed for the winter holiday and will not open until January 5.

School Resource Specialist named

Julia Burgos will be the new AHS School Resource Specialist. She will be at AHS on Tuesdays in the parent liaisons office in the cafeteria. Parents are encouraged to see or call Burgos if they would like to know more about adolescents and substance abuse. She can be reached at her main office in Falls Church Virginia, at (703) 538-3214. She also conducts weekly parents education seminars on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in room 107. These sessions are available in both English and Spanish.

Senior Yearbook Tributes

The deadline for senior tributes is fast approaching. Senior tributes show how proud parents are of their seniors. Baby pictures, words of encouragement, and other items are encouraged by the yearbook staff. Call (703) 642-4187 for more information or pick up an order form in room 229 or the main office.

Atoms Gold Card

Anyone interested in purchasing the Atoms Gold Card may do so by contacting Coach Pat Hughes at AHS or Cathy Flowers at (703) 9161885. These cards are $10 each, and will provide saving at several area restaurants and businesses (Fuddruckers, Arby’s, Domino’s). These cards can be used for one year, and can pay for itself in one use.

School

District

From pg. 4 Rail Challenge Rating

125. Arundel Anne Arundel 126. Brooke Point Stafford 127. Oxon Hill Prince George’s 128. Suitland Prince George’s 129. Long Reach Howard 130. Liberty Fauquier 131. North Stafford Stafford 132. Fauquier Fauquier 133. Northeast Anne Arundel 134. Meade Anne Arundel 135. Parkdale Prince George’s 136. Brunswick Frederick 137. North County Anne Arundel 138. Howard Howard 139. Surrattsville Prince George’s 140. Roosevelt D.C. 141. Largo Prince George’s 142. Glen Burnie Anne Arundel 143. Coolidge D.C. 144. Fred. Douglass Prince George’s 145. Bladensburg Prince George’s 146. Anacostia D.C. 147. Forestville Prince George’s 148. Fairmont Hgts. Prince George’s 149. Crossland Prince George’s 150. Dunbar D.C. 151. Friendly Prince George’s 152. Eastern D.C. 153. H.D. Woodson D.C. 154. Ballou D.C. 155. DuVal Prince George’s 156. Spingarn D.C. 157. Gwynn Park Prince George’s

0.509 0.480 0.469 0.467 0.464 0.451 0.429 0.424 0.399 0.376 0.370 0.335 0.311 0.310 0.286 0.269 0.265 0.227 0.206 0.202 0.200 0.197 0.194 0.174 0.139 0.138 0.129 0.126 0.106 0.071 0.047 0.043 0.037

Dec. 2, 2003

ACADEMICS

Dec. 2, 2003

ILLUSTRATION BY REBECCA KRAUSHAAR

Out with Pre-IB, In with MYP

BY STUART DUNBAR Staff Writer Starting next year, the IGCSE Pre-IB program which is offered to 9th and 10th graders, will be dropped and replaced by the Middle Years Program, or MYP. Already used by 6th and 7th graders in middle school, AHS has decided to use this system which seems to be greatly appreciated by many of the teachers. “I’m enthusiastic about it, [MYP] because the cross-curricular approach

to learning really helps students to learn concepts from several angles. This helps them to really learn the information,” said English teacher Virginia Crowley. One of the advantages of the MYP system is that it allows teachers more freedom to teach what they want in class. A disadvantage of IGCSE and Pre-IB is that the teachers were told what to teach, instead of having more freedom. Another new advantage in the MYP is that the program is cross-curricular. This means that teachers don’t

only teach their subject, but also teach a small portion from other subjects. “Another advantage for the program is it is for all students, not just honor students,” said Crowley. MYP does not just have an honor’s program, but also regular courses. There are MYP honors courses for those students who would have previously been in a PreIB or IGCSE courses. The MYP program will also affect non-honors classes, allow for a higher level of education throughout the school, not just in selected courses. The MYP has five areas of interaction: approaches to learning, health and social education, community service, environment and Homo faber. Eight subject groups represent the cross-curricular approach taught; language A (your main language), language B (foreign/ second language), physical education, sciences, arts, mathematics, technology and humanities (history). In the five areas of interaction, the approach to learning means developing organization skills, working effectively in groups, strengthening oral and written communication skills, and improving problem-solving and thinking skills. Community service is defined as understanding what community is, understanding how one person can make a difference, and using one’s talents for the good of the community. Homo faber means to identify why we create or change products, predicting possible future developments, and evaluating the positive and negative effects of human invention on individuals, society and the world. Environment is identifying the environment of which one is a part of, understanding how individuals impact the environment, and understanding conservation and responsibility for protecting the environment. The last area of interaction, Health and Social Education, is described as under-

standing one’s self, looking after one’s self, and understanding one’s place in society. The Middle Years Program already has a system in place at Poe Middle School and Holmes Middle School in the 6th and 7th grade. Next year, the 8th grade will start the MYP system, followed by the freshman class, the following year at AHS in the 2005-2006 school year. “It makes for a smoother transition from middle school to high school, because there is increased communication to help students prepare,” said Pre-IB coordinator Virginia Hale. All of the planning for this new program acquisition took place on Nov. 13. The high school teachers and the middle school teachers came together to discuss what they would do. All of the teachers then split into groups with other teachers that taught the same subject. Crowley and Hale were two of almost 60 English teachers that met and discussed the issues. A majority of teachers appreciate the cross-curricular approach, because it does not dictate literature. It gives the teacher a variety of issues to discuss and relate to. For example, using the cross-curricular system, if an English class had to discuss a non-fiction novel about war, then they could relate it to humanities for the history of the war. They could also relate it to foreign language, if the war took place in a different country such as Germany or Spain. Another subject that it could be related to, is physical education because the health of the soldiers and hostages plays a huge part in the discussion of the novel. Teachers can relate to other subjects and still teach their own, while discussing in small detail aboutother subjects. By using the cross-curricular approach, the MYP promotes intercultural communication, as students learn about other cultures around the world. This is one of the emphasized messages that the MYP wants to stress.

7 How was Hawaiian Geometry different from your other math classes? “It was very different because the students got to teach the class almost independently.”

—April Brassard senior “I liked the class better than my other math classes because we didn’t have a textbook, and all the homework was interactive.”

—Miranda Brackett senior

“In [geometry] class we did alot of group problem solving instead of individual work, like in most math classes.”

—Matthew Dandy sophomore “It gave the students a chance to teach the class and interact with one another.”

Computer tutor replaces Hawaiian Geometry New higher level programs phase out old ones

Math teacher Bruce Fisher is one of many participating in the cognitive tutor program.

which is one of the most difficult things for anyone to do, and they learned how to work in teams to solve problems,” said math teacher Donna Erickson. A lot of teachers are not comfortable with facilitating a class of cooperative learning. I’m not just talking about letting kids work in groups occasionally. Cooperative learning is when students work in groups almost all of the time. The schools that used it as their only choice for Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II, did not get continued support from newly hired teachers, and some parents are rather uncomfortable with cooperative learning being the main setting in the classroom. The program slowly died,” said Chmura. This, being the main problem with Hawaiian Geometry is what ultimately led to its downfall, and the uprising of the new Cognitive Tutor program. AHS is always looking for new ideas to further its academic programs, and with the addition of the “computer tutor” math education will transform into a technological alternative to memorizing formulas.

“The teacher does not lecture, but facilitates class discussion in order to reach an understanding.”

—Donna Erickson math teacher

TED GIBSON

SHAYNA DUBLER

not like you have to sit in a classroom listening to a teacher talk; it is more hands on,” said sophomore Sara Carter. Students seem to be doing very well with Cognitive Tutor and appear to enjoy it very much. This is a new step in furthering progress in the schools academic program, much like the introduction of the IB program three years ago, and the IGSCE program five years ago. “The program is written so students feel success all the way through. Students who have previously not been Students look on during their math class. Cognitive successful in math classes are shocked at Tutor offers a different style of learning for Algebra I and Geometry students than the usual math class. how well they are doing,” said Chmura. “I think that Cognitive Tutor makes any type of math that you are taking BY CRISTIAN HERNANDEZ a lot easier to learn. Working at the comStaff Writer puter lets you take things at your own pace Last year, follwing the collapse of the and make sure that you understand what famed Hawaiian Geometry, a new adapta- you are doing,” said sophomore Angela Rey. This new style of learning shares many tion of the textbook was approved, introducing the latest math innovation at AHS: similarities with its predecessor, Hawaiian GeCognitive Tutor. It teaches both Algebra I ometry. It allows for more student interation inand Geometry. The program incorporates tertwined with aspects of technoligy to prepare the computer as an everyday teaching tool. students for the ever-chagning technical world. Last year marked the welcome, or for some, Students are introduced to concepts by the computer and are to solve them on their the sorrowful goodbye to the Hawiian Geomown. Students can ask for assistance from etry program. The program addressed the the computer or teacher when needed. As same concepts as regular geometry but with a the students continue to use the computer different approach to learning it and teaching it. In Hawaiian Geometry, students teach and work through the problems, they begin to see improvement in their math skills. themselves and figure out problems on their “The biggest difference is that the Cogni- own with only minimal teacher assistance. “I liked it because it gave me the opportutive Tutor also includes a one-on-one computer tutor program that supplements the nity to learn geometry concepts from a differmaterial to reinforce topics covered in the ent perspective,” said junior Brandon Flowers. “The students were challenged in their classroom, which forces the student to work alone,” said math Dept. Chair Gail Churma. thinking and felt they grew from it. They could “It’s a new way of learning, and it’s defend their thinking in front of their peers

—Michael Perucci senior

The chart (above) helps to give a visual picture of the Mid-Year Program s goals.

Quick facts about the Mid-Year Program: •Each subject group occupies a point around the edge of the octagonal model above. •This reflects the importance of the traditional disciplines and specific skills taught to each age group.

Individual Treats and Custom made Desserts at: Twinbrook Baskin Robbins 9547 Braddock Road Fairfax, Va 22032 703/425-5131

•The MYP program is meant to acheive a broad and balanced education for all students. •All subject groups in the octogon model are of equal importance, although will not require the same amount of teaching time. • MYP is to provide structured learning in each subject group. • All subjects are to be addressed seriously clearly indentified. All information courtesy of Virginia Hale

HEALTH

Dec. 2, 2003

Up and ATOM BY LAELA SHALLAL AND CAITLIN BECKETT Staff Writers

On any given school day, teenagers across the nation stumble out of bed at around 6:30 a.m., a short 6 to 7 hours after they went to bed. 25 percent of teenagers typically sleep six and a half hours or less on the weeknights. For many students, balancing school work and outside activities while getting enough sleep to function properly is a major challenge. In adolescents, who are biologically driven to sleep longer and later than adults, the effects of insufficient sleep are likely to be dramatic. There is little question that sleep deprivation has negative effects on adolescents. “When I have to stay up late to finish work, I’m so tired the next day in school that all I can think abot is how I want to go home and go to sleep. I can’t really concentrate on school,” said junior Molly Jepsen. Students with jobs, such as sophomore Elizabeth Eckert, have a difficulty working hard and sleeping late. “Last weekend I worked Friday night and Saturday morning, Friday from 5 to 9: 30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It was so hard to make it to work on time on Saturday because I was so tired; work just sucks all the energy out of me,” said Eckert. According to The Academy Edition, teenagers need nine and a half hours of sleep, an amount that is hard to reach for many teens today due to school, outside obligations, and maintaining a social life. This causes students to be mentally and physically tired especially during the school week. “I’ve noticed a lot of kids in W2 and R1 who just come to class and sleep. Flex is also a time students just come to crash,” said AHS health teacher Gabriel Romano. Teenagers recieve an average of seven and a half hours of sleep per night, with only 15 percent sleeping more than eight and a half hours. According to Romano, the body requires sleep in order for the immune system to work effectively, which can limit a students ability to fight infections. Students who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to get sick. Sophomore Anna

How to wake up and stay awake —If possible, take a shower in the morning, instead of the night before. Water, especially colder water, will wake you up quickly. —If you use an alarm clock, put it across the room, so you actually have to get up to turn it off. —Drink coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or some other caffeinated beverage, but also eat breakfast (see next hint) —Eat breakfast. Eating something is especially important if you drink a lot of caffeine in the morning. Without food, caffeine will just make you more tired after a couple of hours. -—After waking up, don’t get too relaxed. It may seem difficult, but moving around will keep you awake and energized.

Freshman Lea Nickerson takes a nap on her backpack before going to swim practice. For students that are kept busy by challenging classes and extracurricular activities, any free moment is spent catching up on some much-

Information from shuteye.com

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BYMEG NIELSEN

A lack of sleep in students impacts both performance and attitude

Hubacher said, “Whenever I don’t get enough sleep I usually feel tired and sick in the morning.” Senior Andrew Nicholas struggles with getting enough sleep as well. Nicholas gets an average of 4 to 5 hours of sleep every night. He maintains a 4 hour job on the weekdays and has loads of homework. In addition, Nicholas is given the responsibility to take care of his nephew. “I am so tired in my morning classes and I don’t have enough energy,” said Nicholas. Other students find that sports and TV cause them to sleep less. Junior Michael Tran said, “I’m on the track team and sometimes the meets are really early, but when I get really into a TV show I have trouble getting enough sleep, which effects the way I run,” said Tran. Sophomore Naomi Updegrove can agree with Tran. She manages the swim team and stays up late completing homework and watching her favorite TV shows. There’s an increasing amount of more fun things to do that distract teens from getting enough sleep. “I don’t think well if I don’t sleep, but I can never get enough sleep because of everything I have to do,” said junior Adam Park. Teenagers are known to have a biological tendency to stay up later and wake up later. “My first classes are the worst for me, I can barely stay awake. I know I don’t sleep enough, but I go to bed late because I’m not tired until 11:30 [p.m.],” said freshman Bryan Krzywicki. But the way the school day is structured doesn’t help at all. Teens have pressure from all aspects of society, including pressure to get into college and

excel academically. Social pressures are high, with jobs, sports and entertainment as just the basic factors that can lead to insufficient sleep. Some people say that they “catch up” on sleep during the weekends. Researchers declare that this is not a good idea. If you sleep late on Saturday and Sunday, then you’ll probably not be tired Sunday evening, so you’ll start the week off on the wrong foot. Junior Jennifer Brackett, who takes four IB classes and is involved in swim team and softball often sleeps late on weekends. “I know that if I sleep really late on weekends that it messes up by schedule, but I’m so tired and I feel better once I’ve gotten so much sleep,” said Brackett. “But then its always really hard to wake up on Monday morning.” Studies have shown that insufficient sleep has been shown to cause difficulties

in school, including disciplinary problems, sleepiness in class and poor concentration. A lack of sleep can also slow down a person’s metabolism, therefore limiting one’s ability to re-energize. Those who do not get enough sleep are also prone to develop depression. However, most students just accept the fact that they do not get enough sleep, and adapt to going through the school day feeling fatigued. Junior Caroline Shedlock, who takes five IB classes and is a member of the varsity swim team as well as Women’s Ensemble realizes that her heavy workload makes it virtually impossible to get sufficient sleep every night. “Staying up late [to finish work] does not seem so bad anymore because I’ve gotten used to it,” said Shedlock. Additional reporting by Meg Nielsen and Rachel Sinaiko

Snoozing in class

Teachers employ different methods to wake up sleepy students. “I wake them up and say ‘you know the rule: if I can’t nap, you can’t nap.” —Pamela Feil English teacher “I give a hard rap on the desk... if it becomes a serious problem they stand up for the rest of the class.” —Joe Valentino History teacher “When I was in the military, we used to have a lot of early morning meetings, and the sergeants would make us stand in the back until we were alert and then could sit again. I basically make students stand in the back until they feel alert and they think they can sit down.” —John Nemeth History teacher

Working hard means sleeping less BY RACHEL SINAIKO Health Editor Name: Julia Bizer Year: Junior Course load: 6 IB Classes Extra-Curriculars: member of the AHS varisty swimming, diving, and soccer teams, Mu Alpha Theta and Art Honor Society Other: IB diploma candidate, choir member and youth group member at her church. Julia Bizer has a full IB courseload and numerous extracurricular activies. Understandably, she frequently wakes up exhausted and almost never gets the recommended 9 hours of sleep. “I have to stay up really late some nights to finish my homework,” said Bizer. “Then I wake up feeling really dead in the morning.” Bizer’s activities also keep her up later, and she sometimes has trouble fitting in time for homework. “This year I did Class Acts and I got home really late. After I got home I really was not feeling like doing homework, so some nights I just didn’t,” said Bizer. Bizer also participates in several varsity sports atAHS, and strenuous practices take I wake up [after staying up their toll. “A lot of times I come home from swim practice and I’m really tired already. to do work] feeling really Staying up to do all my homework just completely exhausts me ,” said Bizer. dead in the morning. When she stays up late to do work, Bizer feels like her performance in school the next —JuliaBizer day tends to suffer. “After staying up really junior late, I come into class the next day and my brain feels really sluggish,” said Bizer. On some nights where Bizer’s activities keep her out late, she chooses to go to bed and attempt to get enough sleep instead of staying up to finish all of her work. “Sometimes I have to do my homework during school instead of the night before, because I feel like it would help me more to get enough sleep,” said Bizer. “If I have a test the next day, I will make myself go to bed at a certain time and just do my homework later.” Although she dislikes being so tired, Bizer knows that her classes and activites are important. “I’m willing to give up some of my sleep if I can keep taking classes that I think will help me in the future and keep participating in activities that I enjoy,” said Bizer.

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BY MEG NIELSEN Health Editor Name: Matt Hall Year: Junior Course load: 2 IB classes Other: Works 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. every Mon. and Thurs. nights at Old Navy in Springfield. Most high school students feel they are sleep deprived, even though they have the opportunity to go to bed early enough to ensure sufficient sleep. But for Matt Hall, it isn’t even possible to get the required amount of sleep at least two of five school nights a week. Health studies show that high school students should recieve an average of 9 hours of sleep a night. But since Hall works until 12 a.m., and school begins at 7:20 a.m., he cannot get the recommended amount of sleep. The obvious effects of working such hours can be excessive fatigue. “I am ususally just really tired the mornings on the days after I work,” said Hall. “I have to stay at work late, and after driving home, I still have to get ready to go to bed, so sometimes I don’t get to bed until past one.” Being constantly tired can negatively impact both a student’s education and social life. “It’s really hard to get my home- I am usually just really tired work done on those days, I really don’t have a lot of time,” said Hall. “Alot of times the mornings on the days I have to do it in school, or not do it at all.” “I have less time to spend with after I work. my friends, too, because I have to work and when I’m not working, —MattHall I’m normally sleeping,” said Hall. junior Many high school students have

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to balance school and jobs, which can be tough. Many students are forced to make sacrifices between working and school. “Sometimes I come in late the mornings after I work, so I miss a lot of my morning classes,” said Hall. “I’ve adjusted to it. It was really hard at first, but I guess I’m used to it now.” Students often try to compensate for the lost sleep throughout the weeknights on the weekends. “I sleep in on the weekends, but I hang out with my friends a lot more then since I can’t during the week,” said Hall. “I know I’m not getting enough sleep, but I like my job, and I like making money, so sacrificing sleep isn’t that big of a deal to me,” said Hall.

Tips for getting the right amount of sleep Here are 10 tips ways to getting the right amount of sleep every night: 1. Don’t drink caffeinated drinks after 6 p.m. 2. Do not take naps for more than 30 minutes, and when you do take them, take them in the early afternoon. 3. Exercise during the day, but not right before bed. Exercise should be done at least four hours before bed. 4. Light awakens the brain, therefore avoid using the computer right before going to sleep. 5. Try to wake up and go to bed at the same times daily. 6. Avoid stressful activities right before bed, such as watching scary movies or doing homework. 7. Keep the room as dark as possible throughout the night, but allow the light in in the morning. 8. Make sure that the sleeping space is quiet and has a comfortable temperature. 9. Limit the intake of liquids before sleep. 10. Try a relaxing routine such as taking a warm bath before going to bed. 11. If you are taking cold medicine or some other over-the-counter medication, make sure to take the nighttime version at night, as a daytime version could keep you up. Information compiled from www.sleepbetter.com

Sleeping Disorders —Insomnia: Sleep Onset Insomnia: Causes trouble falling asleep at first. Sleep Maintenance Insomnia: Sufferers wake up frequently during the night Early Morning Insomnia: Sufferers waking up during the night but have trouble falling back asleep. —Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A blocked upper airway causes sleepiness during the day, concentration problems, and snoring during the night. —Periodic Limb Movements: Causes jerking motions of the feet or legs. This also causes sleepiness during the day, and restless and non-refreshing sleep. —Narcolepsy: A disorder that creates a tendency to go directly from wakefulness to sleep, often without warning. Other characteristics are excessive sleepiness and sleep paralysis. — Somnambulism: Walking while one is asleep, commonly known as “sleepwalking”. —Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND): A pulmnary adema causes shortness of breath. PND has a sudden onset and often awakes the individual from sleep. —Night Terrors: Different from nightmares where a sufferer fully wakes up and can remember details, night terrors cause an individual to incompletely wake up with confusion and an inability to recall the details of the terror. Information compiled from www.sleepnet.com and www.sleepbetter.com

IN-DEPTH

The babes of popular cartoons

Dec. 2, 2003

Animation: in all forms, cartooning is widely popular for all ages

Wilma Flintstone This Flintstone babe made her first appearance on the air in 1960 alongside her loving, clumsy husband Fred. The Flintstone cartoon, originally called The Flagstones, was created by William Hannah and Joseph Barbara. Wilma gave birth to her daughter Pebbles in 1963, something new for television cartoons. The voice of Wilma was done by Jean Vander Pyl.

Marge Simpson Marge plays the role of the nagging mother on The Simpsons. Although she is under-appreciated by her husband, Homer, and children Bart, Lisa and Maggie, she remains essential to their lives. Marge is the “world’s best mom” with a humorous twist. Playing the role of the classic housewife, Marge cooks and cleans, but still manages to put up with her wacky, dysfunctional family.

BY KATIE STANTON In-Depth Editor

What type of cartoons would you rather watch? Adult Cartoons Children’s Cartoons I don’t watch cartoons

17.8% 26.2%

56%

What is your favorite adult cartoon? The Simpsons The Family Guy Daria Futurama South Park Sealab 2021 King of the Hill Aqua Teen Hunger Force Baby Blues Other

Number of Students

The Little Mermaid Ariel splashed onto the scene on Nov. 5, 1989 along with her best friend, Flounder. Ariel falls in love with the dashing Prince Charming. She spends her years under the sea, wishing she could live on the land, much to King Triton’s dismay. The voice of Ariel is done by Jodi Benson.

Anime is global phenom

268 students were surveyed during C and D lunches on Tues. Nov. 25 about their favorite popular cartoon.

Cartoon Show

How many hours of cartoons do you watch a week? 20% Betty Boop Betty Boop surprisingly began her career playing the role of a dog. She was created to play opposite Bimbo, a diminutive dog. At the time of her creation, she did not have a name, nor was she expected to become nearly as big as she did. Her debut was onAug. 8, 1930 in Max Fleischer’s short “Dizzy Dishes.” Betty’s boop-oopa-doop career on the air came to an end on in 1939, though she is still a popular character.

Less than 1 hour 1 hour 2 hours 3 hours 4 hours More than 4 hours

22.4%

7.7%

15.4%

11.9% 22.7%

Tezuka organized Japan’s first animation studio, and released a weekly series called Astro Boy in 1963. Its success was explosive and anime’s popularity in Japan took off. Tezuka’s animation was made for all audiences, from children to adults, and it was this attitude that made Japanese cartooning different from American, which limited cartoons to children. The 1970s saw an influx of animation in all forms, including a robot show that turned animation upside down: Mobile Suit Gundam, which was a giant robot show but had an incredible plot and character development, and whose story wasn’t entirely finished until 10 years later in a feature film. However it hasn’t come to the U.S. yet; some huge Japanese shows haven’t officially made it over the Pacific due to production rights and, in some cases, outrageous sums of money being asked for them. By the mid 1980s, anime dominated Japanese TV. The last few decades had offered the rise of the futuristic outer space and superhero adventures, many based on comic books and graphic novels. In the 1980s a return to theatrical film brought many anime classics, in the distinctive and expressive Japanese style. These include Neon Evangelion and Akira (1988), a cyberpunk thriller directed by Mamoru Oshii. Anime is a revolutionary cartoon. Characters differ from those in the US audience, including androgynous characters and little girls that transform into buxom teen superheroes. Many productions are intended for adult audiences and have strong adult themes. Companies like MTV, who created the Aeon Flux series modeled after many popular anime superhero stories set in the future, have absorbed other cartoons and made them popular for teenage American audiences.

Japanese animation is something entirely distinctive from much of the cartooning Americans have known and loved. The drawing style is completely different, often lip movements where there is dialogue are completely ignored and themes in the movies and TV shows often are unsuitable for children. The popularity of the animation, or anime, is something akin to baseball in the U.S., and has been for most of the 20th century. Japanese animation began in the 1910s, depicting old Japanese folk tales. They were one-five minute long reels, first publicized in 1917. Some imitated foreign cartoons, while others were drawn in traditional Japanese style. In the 1920s, key animators like Oten Shimokawa and Junichi Kouchi produced some of the earliest known animations. The next decade brought a Western influence, and marked also the rise of Hirohito’s militarism with the production of an 11-minute cartoon: Private Second Class Norakuro, an unlucky dog soldier in an animal army. It was made by Mituyo Seo in 1934, and was taken from a newspaper comic strip. More cartooning began to act as propaganda, and in 1943 the Imperial government authorized the first animated feature: a 74-minute long adventure called Momotaro’s GodsBlessed Sea Warriors. It showed the Imperial army as brave animal sailors liberating Indonesia and Malaysia. Full-color animation appeared in 1955, and Japan’s first professional animation appeared in 1958 from an American-style company, a feature called Panda and the Magic Serpent. The company, Toei Animation Co., attempted many animated releases in the U.S., and one in particular; Alakazam the Great (1960) inspired a major comic-book artist to Characters from Neon turn his attention to Evangelion. animation. Osamu PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY WILL AKRIDGE

Mode r n animat ion h as be come e n te rtainme n t for a huge range of audie nce s, f rom ne wbor ns to middle-age d and be yond. While c arto ons h ave he ld hidde n re fe re nce s in t hem since t he ir cre at ion (classic c arto on ch arac te rs h ave e ve n se r ve d as propaganda), today’s of fe r ings of c arto ons for an olde r audie nce are var ie d and e cle c t ic.

Ren and Stimpy Brought to life by creative mind John Kricfalusi (pronounced KRIS-fah-loo-see), an Ottawa native, Ren and Stimpy has succeeded in being one of TV’s grossest cartoons ever. First aired in the United States on Nickelodeon, Ren and Stimpy has been censored to the point of being taken off networks. After Nickelodeon gave Ren and Stimpy the boot, SpikeTV, the new “network for men” (formerly known as TNN) picked it up as well as Gary the Rat, voiced by Kelsey Grammer. Gary is a smooth talking lawyer who’s just out for some tail; the show is in its first season. Also on Spike TV is Pamela Anderson’s alter ego, Stripperella.

South Park Started by two guys from Colorado, South Park is an offbeat cartoon “for mature audiences only.” The creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, started off by writing a Christmas parody entitled “The Spirit of Christmas,” which was sent to celebrities for the holidays. The cartoon became a huge hit, and after making it to the Internet, Comedy Central commissioned Stone and Parker to write a series, first airing in 1997. Guest stars include Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, Jonathan Katz, Jennifer Aniston, George Clooney, and the band Korn. South Park is crude in both language and content.

Landmark achievements of animation

1824 Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney s brainchild and eventual legend.

Snow White is released at a cost of $1.5M. It is the first animated full-length feature film.

Walt Disney releases “Steamboat Willy,” one of the first Mickey Mouse cartoons and the first with synchronized sound and music. Disney becomes a forerunner of the animation world.

“Ren and Stimpy. I’ve been watching it since I was little. I didn’t understand it half the time, but it was still funny.”

—Ijaz Tamoor senior “Futurama. They put Fry in some really hilarious situations.”

—Sam Boyd junior

“Family Guy. Stewie is the best character. Who doesn’t like a talking baby? It’s good stuff.”

—Amy Jacobs junior

“The Simpsons. It has been running for a while; most shows get worse as they go on, but The Simpsons keeps getting better.’”

Cartoons cater to adults cast shows that are broadcast for shock value rather than quality. The Simpsons, now the longest running animated show The innocent precedent set on primetime, has pushed the by “good ol’” Saturday morning envelope since its creation. It has cartoons, such as The Flintstones touched on almost every topic, from and Scooby Doo, has been deterio- sexual harassment to racial issues rating over the past decade. Simple to homosexuality and beyond. The racy topics and mature childhood cartoons have given way to a new breed of primetime adult jokes sometimes make parents ban animation. New cartoon series such the show from their household for as The Simpsons, King of the Hill sake of their children. Junior Julia and Futurama have contributed to Hanson-Takyi’s parents didn’t althe notoriety of the Fox network, low her to watch the show because know for its controversial and “they used derogatory language... It sometimes scandalous television wasn’t right for pre-teens to watch it, that’s what programs. they said.” The once Takyi said unpopular that they alnews station lowed her to that lived in They’re not afraid to just watch MTV the shadow cartoons like of big-time say whatever, even though Daria and counterit might offend somebody. Beavis and parts like Butthead, but ABC and And it’s hilarious. shows like NBC has The Simpsons evolved into one of the —IanMcLeland and South most widely senior Park were too racy. “[My viewed parents said,] television stations in the U.S. This ‘That’s for ignorant people.’” “My mom was like, Bart always and other channels have tuned in to the new demographic says ‘damn’and is always doing misof cartoon-watching adults. chievous things [that would influBetween cartoons and real- ence me],” said junior Dan Borras. Perhaps the most controity TV shows, television networks are constantly pushing the versial of all, Fox’s Family Guy, threshold of the FCC’s (Federal which has recently been banned Communications Commission) from the network, has managed tolerance by competing to broad- to insult, ridicule, and downright BY TED GIBSON AND ALEX SILANO Staff Writer and Academics Editor

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—Jake Brackney junior

offend nearly every denomination, from African-Americans to Jews to the Irish. However, it is because of this controversy that Family Guy has been able to maintain a strong fan base. Viewers flock to their TV sets just to see what new racial slur or religious mockery producer Seth MacFarlane will come up with next. “I don’t really watch the show much, I’ve only seen it once or twice, but I can appreciate the humor,” said senior Ian McLeland, who is also an avid Simpsons fan. “They’re not afraid to just say whatever, even though it might offend somebody. And it’s hilarious.” Because shows like Family Guy flirt with the boundaries of censorship, they are banned from local television networks. However, their appeal never dies. Family Guy is currently broadcasted on Cartoon Network’s late night segment entitled Adult Swim, along with other controversial shows such as Futurama and Space Ghost, Coast to Coast. Cable networks like Comedy Central and Cartoon Network accept these graciously for rating purposes because previous airings have proved successful on other networks. Popular demand remains the driving factor for television today to constantly push the envelope of common decency, and a major reason for that is to appeal to an adult sense of humor. It is the goal of television networks to develop the ultimate shock value, which will draw the bigger audience who can appreciate the wit behind it.

Futurama Another one of Matt Groening’s brainchildren, Futurama pokes fun at the possibilities of Earth’s future. Another favorite for its appeal to both adults and teens, Futurama is one of Groening’s several cartoon-related successes. The main character is Fry, a regular delivery boy in 1999 who accidentally gets transported to the future, and makes a new life in New New New York as... a delivery boy. First aired in 1999 on Fox, Futurama’s last episodes aired in the summer of 2003. There are 72 episodes in total, and seasons one and two have been released on DVD in the U.S. Voice talents include Billy West, Katey Sagal, John DiMaggio, Lauren Tom, and Phil LaMarr.

1935

1988

The Family Guy The Family Guy, premiered in 1999, features a dysfunctional Rhode Island family, the Griffins. The father, Peter (voice by Seth McFarlane) tries everything to do what’s right, but always seems to mess up. His wife, Lois (voice by Alex Borstein) represents the stability in family life. Together they try to raise their gigantic 13-year-old son, Chris (voice by Seth Green), their teenage daughter Megan (voice by Mila Kunis), who is going through her awkward stages of life, and their “mutant baby” Stewie (voice by Seth McFarlane) who make many attempts for world domination. They also have, of course, their genius dog, Brian (voice by Seth McFarlane), that loves to sip martinis. The Family Guy was taken off of FOX network and now airs on the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.

Toy Story is released, the first full-length 3D CG feature film.

“The Simpsons. Homer is so sarcastic. He’s like a child trapped in a grown man’s body.”

—Monica Arrington sophomore

“The Simpsons. It’s things people think in real life. It takes simple little things and exposes them.”

2001

—Paula McCallum science teacher

1972 Porky Pig first appears, created by Warner Bros. The pig caught the public’s fancy with his distinctive stuttering and amiable nature.

—Vanessa Alvarado freshman

—Margaret Crowley freshman

At the University of Utah, Fred Parke creates the first computer generated facial animation.

1937

“Beavis and Butthead. They’re so dumb and clueless, but they’re still so funny. They are the basis of my life.”

“The Simpsons. I like how it makes realistic situations and political issues funny.”

1928 Peter Mark Roget publishes “Persistance of Vision with Regard to Moving Objects,” presenting the idea that a succession of still images can create the image of motion.

11 What is your favorite adult cartoon, why do you like it?

The Simpsons Famous worldwide for its political satire as well as general humor, The Simpsons has been a family favorite since 1987. Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons as well as Futurama, has been writing adult-friendly cartoons since his first cartoon strip, entitled “Life in Hell,” which debuted in 1977. The Simpsons is the longest running cartoon on prime-time television, surpassing The Flintstones and with no plans of quitting any time soon. Voice talents include Hank Azaria, Julie Kavner, Harry Shearer, Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, and Yeardley Smith. Guest stars have included The Ramones, Aerosmith, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Cypress Hill and Conan O’Brien. Several books have been published about The Simpsons, including episode guides and related comics such as the wacky adventures of Bart’s alter ego, Bartman.

King of the Hill Produced by creative minds Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, King of the Hill went on air in 1997 on Fox. Including such characters as Hank and Peggy Hill, Bobby Hill, and Boomhauer, this show takes place in Arlen, Texas. Hank is a propane salesman with dignity, and spends much of his time drinking beer with his neighborhood buddies. His wife Peggy is a mother, housewife and substitute Spanish teacher, who in one notable episode accidentally smuggled her class into Mexico and got arrested. Their son Bobby, in middle school, is their hapless pride and joy. KOTH is popular with older adults, and new episodes air on Sundays. Now in its fourth season of syndication, King of the Hill is a show about a Texas family’s trials and tribulations in modern society. Voices include Mike Judge, Peggy Hill, Pamela Segall, Brittany Murphy, Johnny Hardwick, Toby Huss, Victor Aaron and Ashley Gardner.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KATIE STANTON

AHS picks its faves

IN-DEPTH

Dec. 2, 2003

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? is released, the first major feature with both live action and aniated characters interacting.

1995

Final Fantasy, a movie based off a CGI video game, is released, a landmark film for detail and precision in CGI movies.

HTTP://WWW.BERGEN.ORG/AAST/

What would you do if you had a twin? “I would switch places with my twin just for fun to see how well people could tell us apart. ”

—Donna Yu freshman

“I would switch places all the time to confuse people.”

—Kelly Burns sophomore

“I would have double the option of girls because I would steal my twin’s girlfriend when he is not there.”

—Brian Burk junior

“My twin and I will be legally one person so one can go to school while the other can sit at home and watch movies.”

A double dose of identity crisis BY SARAH SOZIO Photographer Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all? Well there’s no mirror needed in this case. Born in November, freshmenAlyssaandRachelNavaretteare mirror images of one another, or are they? Although these girls are identical twins, there is a three-inch difference in height. This makes it a little easier to tell them apart because Alyssa is taller and older. Another way to tell them apart is Rachel has a lisp while Alyssa does not. But even with their identical clothes and indistinguishable faces, their fears are totally different. Rachel says that she is scared of anything that crawls and also of being stuck in an escalator.Alyssa fears mainly two things: snakes and death. Their main hobbies are sports and hanging out with friends. Both Alyssa and Rachel are on AHS’s swim team, and both plan to try out for the softball team in the spring. The girls also have a younger sister named Hannah, who looks just as much like the twins. Some people even confuse the three girls as triplets when they are all together. Hannah may be only in seventh grade, but she is still taller than both of the twins. It isn’t only friends who confuse the two girls – even their own family members sometimes confuse the two.

“When we were little we dressed alike. Our parents let us dress ourselves, but we still picked out the same stuff,”Alyssa said. “I like being a twin sometimes, but Alyssa can get annoying at times,” Rachel said. Never being alone and always being able to share clothes are some other advantages of being twins. “We’re always together and she takes things from me,” said Rachel, mentioning some of the disadvantages of having a twin. The worst part about having a twin is it’s hard to have your own style when they both like the same types of clothing. Unable to be totally Freshman twins Rachel and Alyssa Navaretteare

“Dad sometimes mixes us up when he’s not paying attention, and our grandparents always confuse us,” Rachel said. Despite the constant confusion there are definitely some advantages to being twins. The two have double the amount of clothing to choose from since they both have the same style and size. In addition, they can use each other as their own mannequin. They also never have to worry about having a bad hair day because they always have a twin there to help with any style. This is because the two have the same hair length.

“I would frame my twin for a crime I committed so I could get away scott-free.”

—Bud Ireland freshman

Famous actors and shows about twins Shows/ Movies •Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen movies •Double Teamed •Twins (the movie) •Escape to Witch Mountain •The Parent Trap •Twin Sitters •Rock-a-bye-baby •Paris and Nikkie Hilton •Sister Sister

frustrated because she can’t understand why Ezra feels he can pull rank when there is only a seven-minute When a person thinks of twins, they difference between the two of them. While Mahelet feels that her brother more than often think of great moments of deceiving teachers, tricking friends, and is bossy for no apparent reason, Ezra pulling a variety of pranks on unsuspect- feels that because he is older, he has a ing people, who think the person they responsibility to look after his little sister. are talking to is your twin instead of you. In addition, Ezra believes because he is However, fraternal twins cannot perform older, no matter what the time difference is between the two, these stunts. he is entitled to a Since, fraterlittle more authority. nal twins don’t “I’m older, I run look identical, It’s cool to be a twin, except things,” said Ezra. they cannot While the two pass off as one when people tell me I look do have their difanother. What ferences, “We still most people do like my sister. get along pretty not think about well,” said Mahelet, when they think On the other about fraternal —EzraTilaye hand, having a twins is a bitjunior fraternal twin has ter rivalry in it’s down sides. “It’s which the sister cool to be a twin, has to submit to her brother because he except when people tell me I look is a mere seven minutes older. like my sister. I don’t want to be However, this is the case with junior told I look like a female,” said Ezra. Although the two are fraternal twins, fraternal twins Ezra and Mahelet Tilaye. Although they both consider them- both feel they don’t look much alike. “It gets annoying when their selves friendly towards each other, Mahelet believes her brother pulls rank friends comment on how much you “all the time.” As a result, Mahelet gets resemble your brother,” said Mahelet.

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However, the fact that they’re trast to Ezra’s belief, the pair doesn’t hang twins has had a positive effect on out much outside of school, in part because their relationship. Ezra believes that they do not have a lot of the same friends. they are closer than regular brothers The time they do spend together primarand sisters because they are twins. ily revolves around talking at home. While Ezra and Mahelet don’t “Not many people can boast their sibbling is also their twin,” said Ezra. spend too much time out of school He also attributes this in part to the together, because of their everlastfact that they’ve lived together their ing twin bond, they will always have whole lives were born so close together. a unique family link to one another. However, Ezra wishes that they were identical twins because he thinks that they could do more together and relate to each other even more so than they do now. “If we were identical twins, we would probably have a lot more of the same friends, making our bond even Ezra and Mahelet Tilaye may be twins, when actually they are quite closer,” different said Ezra. In con-

Guess which twin is older

Ashley and Mary-Kate Olson Twin celebrities •Aaron and Angel-Charissma Carter •Elvis and Jesse Garon Presley •Evan and Jaron Lowenstein •Alanis and Wade Morissette

Tia and Tamara Mowry

original in looks and style also is something Alyssa and Rachel do not enjoy. While everyone dreams of having a twin to swtich classes with, the Navarette’s say that they have never switched places for class, besides for a prank on April Fool’s Day once in third grade. “We got caught, I don’t know how, but the teacher automatically knew,” Rachel said. Even the most identical twins can have such original aspects that people can tell them apart. The girls have switched places other times, once being at a party when one wanted the other to tell off this a guy at the party who was annoying her. She wasn’t brave enough to do it herself so she asked her twin. This comes in handy every once in a while. “I was talking to a guy who was being a total jerk to me, so we swapped shirts and she told him off for me,” Alyssa said. As for the rumor of twins having some kind of special connection, the girls believe this to be a myth. However, they always seemtoknowwhotheother hasacrushon. The Navarette’s in part are interested in both similar and different activities. Despite the few disadvantages of having a twin, this fact definitely pulls the two closer together. despite all the disadvantages with being twins it definitely pulls them together. “Ilikebeingatwin,becauseIdon’tknow anything other than this,” both girls said.

Living life with a fraternal twin BY JOE WILBUR Staff Writer

—Nick Peyton senior

Dec. 2, 2003

•Nicholas Brendon and Kelly Ponovan •Justin and Larua Katherine Timberlake •Mark(Vin Diesel) and Paul Vincent •Jenna and Barbara Bush

Daniel Stalcup, 10

Matt Dodson, 11

Nicole Barrentine, 12

Stephen Stalcup, 10

Nicholas Dodson, 11

Victoria Barrentine, 12

Jenna and Barbara Bush •Tia and Tamra Mowry •Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen •Heather and Heidi Burge •Bob and Mike Bryan •Tim and Tom Gulllikson •Joel and Benji from Good Charlotte

COURTESY OF THE ANTENNA

PEOPLE

Who Am I? •I have been teaching 10 years. •Before I came to AHS I taught night school for twoyears at Woodson and was a substitute teacher for three years. Mrs. Shumaker taught me everything I know about teaching. •My main hobbies are fishing hunting, hiking and projects around the house. •My main pet peeves are people who throw cigarette butts out the window, cell phone used anytime in public, call waiting and of course those Dallas Cowboy fans •My previous occupation was a UPS employee and I was employee of the month many times. •My main favorite food is barbeque baby back ribs. •I sponsor the Model U.N and am a lead mentor for new teachers here at AHS. •My main mottoes in life are “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm” and “Take care of the little things, the big things take care of themselves.” •I have lived in Virginia since 1982.

•The courses I teach at AHS are U.S History and Government. •I attended OCD Dommion History and got my masters at George Mason University. •I’ve lived in Virginia for

39 years. •Despite my short stature, my main sport that I played was basketball •My least favorite law is the leash law which forces owners to keep their dogs on a leash. If you submit the correct answer to the “Who Am I,” come to the A-Blast room (233) to receive your prize.

Last Issue’s Who Am I?

Christine Sass, 9

Elizabeth Sass, 9

Answers: 1. Daniel Stalcup 2. Matt Dodson is six seconds older 3. Victoria Barrentine 4. Eliza beth Sass is one minute older

Augustine Twyman was last issue’s Who Am I? •My main hobby is I love working on home improvement projects with carpentry and tools, especially power saws. •I have been teaching at AHS for seven years. Said Abdi correctly answered last issue’s Who Am I?

Dec. 2, 2003

PHOTO

Under the Needle:

13 The process: What you need to know before you get your first tattoo.

Tattoos and You

1.) Know what you want.

MORGAN MCEVILLY

There are hundreds of online catalogs and tattoo sites where you can check out possible designs for your new tattoo. If you have an original tattoo idea in mind, have a hard copy of the design for the artist to work from. If you can think it, they can ink it.

After three months of contemplation, senior Charlene Farrell decides to ink a four leaf clover on her lower back. “Tattoos are forever. I wanted to make sure that I really loved my tattoo,” said Farrell. She first meet with tattoo artist Tomas Garcia at Keepsake Tattoo in Arlington, where she discussed what design she wanted and the color configuration of the shamrock. For $60, Farrell sits down trusts in the expertise of Garcia.

2.) Know where you want to go.

MORGAN MCEVILLY

Don’t rely solely on the word of mouth. Research the facility and the artists. Look for a parlor that follows strict hygienic practices and needles and inks are single uses only. You can contract Hepatitis B or C from needles that are not sterile. If you feel uncomfortable, move on. There are plenty of other parlors you can choose from.

Farrell decided on a shamrock made of hearts because of her heritage and her thoughtful philosophy. “Well, I m Irishand I wanted to show that. I also picked it to be made of hearts because it represents love. Everyone needs a little love and Irish in their life,” said Farrell. “Getting the tattoo really did not hurt that much. I say if anyone wants a tattoo, to get it, because it s definitely worth it,” said Farrell. While this small tattoo only took about 30 minutes, some designs can take up to seven hours to complete.

3.) Preparation is key. Before you walk through the doors of a tattoo parlor, condition your skin with moisturizers so it is in good condition and ready to absorb the ink. Protect your skin from too much sun before you get your tattoo as well as after it is applied.

4.) Know your pain tolerance level

SEAN SULLIVAN

Yes, it does hurt. Many people say it feels like a cat scratch or a constant and annoying vibration on the skin. If the tattoo is close to a bone, it will be more painful. Private areas are the most sensitive. After the tattoo is applied it will feel like sun burn for a day or two then it will begin to itch similar to a rash.

Setting up his work station, Chris Redmond of East Coast Tattoos in Arlington, follows a near ritualistic routine as he prepares to ink his next tattoo. As a licensed tattoo artist, Redmond must follow strict hygienic guidelines before he administers a tattoo.

5.) After care prevents further problems

After preparing the area and applying a stencil of the artwork that is to be inked, the tattoo artist begins the outline of the tattoo. After all the line work is completed, shading and sometimes color is added to complete the tattoo.

SEAN SULLIVAN

SEAN SULIVAN

After you get your tattoo, the artist will clean the area and cover it with a clean bandage. After about two hours, it is advisable to take a shower to lightly rinse the tattooed area then gently dry by patting, not rubbing, the area. Be sure to follow the instructions the tattoo artist gives you before you leave the shop. Do not scratch, pick or rub your new tattoo and be sure to use a bacterial ointment and lotions containing cocoa butter as instructed.

Before a customer even walks through the doors, Chris Redmond and the other tattoo artists of East Coast Tattoos are responsible for sanitizing all their equipment. Since this particular tattoo parlor makes its own needles, extra precautions are taken in order to ensure the health of their customers and themselves. “Not following all the regulations of this trade is just plain stupid . A $50 tattoo is not worth risking my job and my life over.”

Information provided by Ask Guru.com

12 Here is a rail header L , it is kicker style but centerd centered and 6 points away from the rail

PHOTO

Sept. 2, 2003

How to become a naturalized U.S. citizen Requirements 1.) Must be 18 years or older 2.) Must be a legal permanent resident for at least 5 years 3.) Must demonstrate good moral character 4.) Must show an attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution

Learn 1.) Be able to read, write, speak and understand English 2.) Know your U.S. History and government in order to pass an exam

Apply Submit an application for naturalization. It will take 6 months or longer for the INS to set up an interview.

Dec. 2, 2003

Aproved VA state bill will not provide for in-state college tuition for illegal immigrants BY WIDED KHADRAOUI Cultures Editor The events of Sept. 11, 2001 radically changed America’s perception of itself domestically as well as concerning foreign relations. American viewpoints have also drastically changed, including opinions of illegal immigration. After Sept. 11, concern increased due to the hijackers who overstayed their visa, which has led to strong anti-immigration sentiment. Regardless of America’s historical immigrant presence, heated debates are still evoked by mentioning the status of illegal immigrants, especially concerning education. “Just because someone is here illegally does not mean that education should not be allowed, or made more difficult for them to pursue,” said junior Angel Cregg. Public higher education institutions are faced with the question of how to ac-

commodate the number of students from families headed by undocumented aliens, or illegal immigrants. Seven states in the U.S. allow for reduced tuition for illegal immigrants who meet other residency requirements. However, Virginia is not one of these states and has approved a bill denying illegal immigrants the benefits of in-state college tuition. Virginia’s Latino community has doubled over the past decades, numbering well over 300,000. Lawmakers at the federal and state levels seek to accommodate these students, viewing them as a potential source of human capital. “They [illegal immigrants] came here for a reason, to get education, to better themselves. This is supposed to beAmerica; new beginning, new freedoms,” said junior Dorian Qurian. Some believe immigrants, regardless of their legal status, haved been here for years and will remain. “Immigrants, in general come to the United States to have freedom and they should have rights as

well. Besides that it’s not like they’re going to go back to their countries, so educating them is beneficial for them as well as American mainstream society,” said sophomore Stephanie Malguy. “Considering immigrants long term presence the ideal solution would be to ensure that they are well educated and healthy and productive citizens.” The argument also exists that a postsecondary degree is only an extra benefit and one can lead a productive life with only a high school diploma. Yet for many jobs a college degree is imperative, and denying education to potentially industrious citizens could be unconstructive. Efforts pursuing measures that would make undocumented aliens eligible for resident tuition status have sparked opposition from policy makers who believe that scarce public resources and benefits should not be bestowed on those who are in the U.S. illegally. “That’s wrong,” said junior Nura Abu-Ghannam. “Everyone

Letting education drive by

Pledge Take the oath of allegiance, swearing you to 1.) Support the U.S. Constitution 2.) Obey U.S. laws 3.)Renounce any foreign allegiance and/or foreign title 4.) Bear arms for the U. S.Armed Forces or perform U.S. governement services when required.

New legislature making in-state tuition unavailable to undocumented aliens may take a financial load off of Virginia s Department of Education, but it will be even harder for illegal immigrants to afford and obtain an education at a college level.

Unable to complete one of the steps? You can wait if you are too young to apply for naturalization. If you come across any other problems, you can consult a legal advocate.

More information There is more information on how to fill out the application for naturalization, legal advocates, ESL classes, as well as a link to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on the Internet at: http://ethnomed.org/ethnomed/ immigration/flow/

TRATION PHOTO ILLUS

Timeline of immigration throughout the history of the U.S. 1882

1790

In an area previously controlled by individual states, an act was adopted that established a uniform rule for naturalization by setting the residence requirement at two years.

Que debe hacer el gobierno sobre la inmigracion? “El gobierno debe dejar [la situación] igual como está.”

—Carlos Cardona senior

The Chinese exclusion law curbed Chinese immigration. The law placed a head tax on each immigrant.

1924

1819

Congress enacted the first significant federal legislation relating specifically to immigration. Among its provisions, it: (1) established the continuing reporting of immigration to the United States; and (2) set specific sustenance rules for passengers of ships leaving U.S. ports for Europe.

1921

—Omar Serrano senior

“El gobierno no debe a hacer nada. Debe dejar las inmigrantes en pas.”

—Norma Vidaurre junior

“Yo no se porque siempre están tratando de para la inmigrantes pero siguen viniendo”

—Jose Coronel junior

“Creo que el gobierno necesita a hacerlo mas facil para los inmigrantes que vengan a los Estados Unidos.”

—Agatha Aramayo freshman

The Immigration Reform and Control Act was a comprehensive reform effort. It legalized aliens who had resided in the United States in an unlawful status since January 1, 1982.

The national origins quota system was abolished. But still maintained was the principle of numerical restriction by establishing 170,000 hemispheric and 20,000 per country ceilings and a sevencategory preference system for the Eastern Hemisphere and a separate 120,000 ceiling for the Western Hemisphere.

1946

The first quantitative immigration law was adopted. It set temporary annual quotas according to nationality.

1986

1965

The first permanent immigration quota law established a preference quota system, non-quota status, and consular control system. It also established the Border Patrol.

Procedures were adopted to facilitate immigration of foreignborn wives, fiance(é)s, husbands, and children of U.S. armed forces personnel.

1978

The separate ceilings for Eastern and Western hemispheric immigration were combined into one world-wide limit of 290,000.

2003

The state of Virginia passes legislature denying illegal aliens in-state tuition for public colleges and universities.

SOURCE: HTTP://207.188.212.158/RESEARCH/RESEARCH.CFM?ID=1820&C=2

Inmigrantes ilegales causan controversia entre latinoamericanos la misma manera que los legales,” dijo Villela. “Ellos no merecen los mismos derechos porque cuando se da la residencia [a los inmigrantes indocumentados] es una Cada año miles y miles de inmigran- palmada en la cara a los inmigrantes legates entran a los Estados Unidos con la les.” Villela es la hija de una inmigrante de esperanza de una vida mejor. “La inmi- Suramérica que vino a estudiar y obtener gración es cuando una persona cambia una educación universitaria. Como Villela, de una país a otro para establecer una la mamá de la estudiante Horner es una vida nueva y para salir adelante,” dijo inmigrante mexicana y como resultado la junior Ana Sofia Horner. La gente está ha enfrentado los problemas de una inbuscando mejores oportunidades y estabi- migrante. “Realmente mi madre no tuvo lidad económica. Están en busca de asilo problemas porque ella se casó con un religioso o asilo americano y político como los fue aceptada guerrilleros de en su sociedad.” las FARC. Estas Algunos de Tengo amigos que son razones inspiran los problemas a muchos inmique enfrentan inmigrantes ilegales y he grantes para ir a los inmigrantes los EE.UU., pero documentados visto todo lo que han sufrido. a veces todos los e indocumeninmigrantes tados, es la falta no son legales. del lenguaje in—AnaSofiaHorner Los Estados glés, adaptarse junior Unidos siempre a los EE.UU. ha sido un país y las diferende inmigrantes. cias entre las Como resultado, muchas problemas rela- culturas. Finalmente, esto ocasiona un cionados con este fenómeno generan un tiempo difícil para ajustarse y para ser tópico sensitivo. “Esta gran inmigración aceptado. “Yo no puedo simpatizar con los trae diferentes culturas, pensamientos problemas de los inmigrantes ilegales. Ely experiencias y por eso los EE.UU. los tienen que ser castigados severamente es la olla donde se mezclan todos estos y aunque enfrenten problemas, ellos ingredientes,” dijo la senior Gilda Villela. . necesitan aceptarlos,” dijo Villela. “Ellos “La presencia latina en los EE.UU. están tomando los ha sido positiva.”, Villela es una latina beneficios y el traque respalda fuertemente a los inmi- bajo duro de los ingrantes legales, pero su opinión sobre migrantes legales.” los inmigrantes indocumentados es muy Otros estudidiferente a los opiniones de la mayoría de antes de AHS que la población latinoamericana.. “No pienso tienen parientes que los inmigrantes ilegales deban tener inmigrantes de el derecho de quedarse en los EE.UU. Latinoamérica porque están violando las leyes internas como Villela, es la y no pienso que merezcan ser tratados de junior Ana Rosa Ana Rosa Alvarez ESCRITO POR KATHY IBARRA Editora de cultura

“Que les hagan las reglas mas facil porque están trabanjando y contribuyen a la economía.”

RRA BY KATHY IBA

should be treated equally, they [have] lived here from most of their life. They pay sales tax, so they should see some of that money come back to help them, and the deserve the same benefits.” The Supreme Court ruled in Plyler v. Doe in 1982 that any child, regardless of immigration status, could enroll in elementary and secondary school. The Court ruled that denying children an education would only perpetuate the formation of an underclass psyche of citizens who will most likely remain in the country for the rest of their lives. Section 505 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant ResponsibilityAct (IIRIRA) was implemented by Congress in 1996 in an effort to clarify the status of an undocumented immigrant if a U.S. citizen is not eligible for the same benefit. The federal government has never issued formal regulation to the general public specifying how the laws should be enforced. It has led to individualized amplification through each state’s government, as seen in the Virginia General Assembly approval. “If the federal government has not clearly stated what’s allowed and what isn’t allowed in providing benefits, then Virginia is acting on it’s own accord, but the Virginia General Assembly is forgetting how large the Latino community is,” said junior Miguel Castro. “Using Section 505 as an excuse to maintain the already diminutive budget for education the state of Virginia endorses is amiss.,” said junior Tiffany Merchant. “Disregarding not only the large Latino community but also the other undocumented aliens and their foreshadowed political strength is suicidal in all respects and steps to amend these measures should be embarked on immediately.”

“

”

Alvarez, que respalda fuertemente los derechos de los inmigrantes ilegales y extranjeros indocumentados. “Los EE.UU. es lo que es por los buenos trabajadores,” dijo Alvarez. Muchos inmigrantes e hijos de inmigrantes como Alvarez piensan que la inmigración es injusta, razones por las cuales muchos inmigrantes son explotados con salarios bajísimos y abusos constantes. Un problema que persiste es que se abusa de los inmigrantes indocumentados. “Tengo amigos que son inmigrantes ilegales y he visto todo lo que Los immigrantes enfrentan muchas dificultades, como cruzar la han tenido que frontera para llegar a los Estados Unidos. “La única manera que sufrir y lo que han la economía va a sobrevivir en los EE.UU. es que el gobierno deje que los inmigrantes dentran,” dijo junior Ana Rosa Alvarez. tenido que hacer para que pueden tener una casa, un carro, comida y inmigración. Los EE.UU. ni su gobidinero,” dijo Horner. Estos inmigran- erno puede parar la pobreza en otras tes ilegales se enfrentan con problemas partes del mundo,” dijo Alvarez. “Pienso económicas como el sostenimiento de que los inmigrantes ilegales necesitan sus familias y escapar de ‘la migra.’ entender la cuestión totalmente de “La gente manipula a los humildes ambos lados, pero considerando que los inmigrante porque saben que viven EE.UU. está en un lado y mi gente en únicamente para trabajar y mantener el opuesto, yo sólo puedo representar el a su familia en su país,” dijo Alvarez, de mi familia y mi cultura. La inmique tiene padres de El Salvador. “Nunca gración será un problema eterno al que existirá una solución al problema de la nunca podremos encontrar solución.” PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BYKATHY IBARRA

CULTURES A Undocumented denied in-state rate

Dec. 2, 2003

Spotlight Athletes

SPORTS XTRA

Julie is set in ‘stone’ to play for JMU says the biggest part of her success is her ability to manage her time really well. She also really values sleep and Seven seconds left in the game, tries to go to bed by ten every night. Some of the leagues she’s played in and Stone got the ball. She is headed are BRYC, select BRYC, Annandale, towards the goal—there’s no stopping her. Stone dodges all her defenders Super NOVA club team, the Maryland and makes the game-winning goal. Stars Team, as well as many all-star It is no wonder that Stone already teams. Outside of school, she has has received a partial scholarship to been to at least five tryoutsfor many James Madison University for lacrosse. different club teams for lacrosse. The hardest thing about lacrosse for Stone began playing lacrosse in Stone has been the stress of the recruitseventh grade after playing soccer on ing process for college. Stone realized in a club team, but then she experienced the tenth grade that she wanted to play both of her brothers play lacrosse lacrosse in college. In state schools (all and she thought it looked like fun. levels Division 3, Division 2, and Division “I’ve always looked up to my broth1 schools) were where she began looking ers, and the fact that they as well as Penn State. Other were good at lacrosse. I schools showed interest in her. went to all of their games, Colleges were not allowed I even got to go to the state to contact Stone until July 1st championship game that after her junior year, once they played in,” said Stone. that date came, she received A typical morning for her mail and e-mail from Ohio involves waking up everyUniversity, George Mason, day for school around 6 a.m., Longwood, Davidson, and showers, get dressed, grab later James Madison. a banana to eat in the car, Stone is not only a standJulie Stone go to school, go to practice, out athlete, but she is a good eat dinner, dohomework, student as well. Her GPA is a 3.8 and she watch t.v. or talk to people on the phone is in three IB and in the past, has been or online, and then go to sleep. “In the in AP classes. “I don’t have any major off-season I try to work out after school, strengths or weaknesses [in school], just but sometimes that doesn’t happen,” said senior lax player Julie Stone. Stone sort of flat across the board,” said Stone. BY JILL GUERIN Staff Writer

Stone has always done well in school and participates regularly in class. Stone has gotten honors in ninth grade. Stone was First Team All-District and Second Team All-Region. In tenth grade, Stone was First Team All-District again and First Team All-Region. In 11th grade she was on both First Team All-District and All -Region as well as honorable mention AllAmerican. Stone said her biggest support and help comes from her family and coaches. James Madison saw Stone at a Woodson Classic tournament last year and they liked what they saw. They recruited her and she got a scholarship to the school and signed on Nov. 12th. JMU took two other girls from Northern Virginia. Stone played with both of them on club teams. “It is interesting because James Madison doesn’t really go for Northern Virginia girls, but they got three,” said Stone. Stone is going to be sponsored by STX and all of her equipment will be provided

by them, including new Nike turf shoes. Most colleges have gone to turf fields, rather than playing on real dirt and grass. Stone believes what got her noticed by colleges was the way she was a team player, her hustle, her consistent play in both offensive and defensive ends of the field, and her intensity. “I’m excited most about being at a school I know I’ll like, I’ll be playing my favorite sport, I’ll be improving my play which is most important for me about playing in college. I know I can take my game to another level,” said Stone.

JuniorMichaelTorberthadnevereven heard of the sport soccer before. It was not until he moved from a suburban town of Alabama to Annandale, that he touched his first soccer ball. He was eight years old and his stepfather placed him on a soccer team for one sole purpose, he was fast. Torbert’s first soccer team was the Little River Soccer Club, Wolverines. From Coach Marcus Collier to the parents of teammates, everyone noticed his exceptional speed. Torbert was very successful on the Wolverines, helping them move from an average house league team, to the second division of the National Capitol Soccer League. Playing on the Wolverines, Torbert befriended teammate John Andre. Both 11 years old, Torbert and Andre saw that it was time for them to move onto the next level. They decided together to try out for a first division NCSL team. They tried out and successfully made Team America for their year born (‘86). “My mom made me switch teams so I could get better and become one of the best,” said Torbert. Team America gave him more of a chance to get noticed. After one season, Torbert began to be

scouted to play for other division one NCSL teams. “It got to the point that almost every game I was asked to come play for a different team,” said Torbert. “I couldn’t leave though because I wanted to stay with my friend, John.” Torbert was then given an offer he couldn’t refuse, he was asked to play for the ’86 National Team. He had great success on the national team and was awarded player of the year two years in a row, and was ranked the second best sweeper in the nation. At this point, Torbert and his family knew that he had a real talent. He began going overseas to play tournaments in England every summer with his national team. Torbert has been talked to informally at tournaments by college EVAN ROWLAND

- Providing you with an official visit; - Placing more than one telephone call to you or any other member of your family - Visiting you or any other member of your family anywhere other than the college campus.

In all sports other than football and basketball, phone calls from faculty members and coaches are not permitted until July 1 after completion of your junior year.After this, in sports other than football, a college coach or faculty member is limited to one telephone call per week to you, except that unlimited calls to you may be made under the following circumstances:

her team, during the winter and spring track seasons. “Personally, I would like to break the five-minute mile,” said Edwards. If she does accomplish this feat, she will be the only female athlete to ever run a sub fiveminute mile in AHS history. “I would really like to see our relay team to make it to regionals, they are the strength of our team and should be able to compete for the title. I would also like to see myself and many of my teammates compete at the state meet as well.”

- During the five days immediately before your official visit by the college you will be visiting; - On the day of a coach’s off-campus contact with you by that coach - On the initial date for signing the National Letter of Intent in your sport through two days after the initial signing date. You (or your parents) may telephone a coach at your expense as often as you wish. Coaches also may accept collect calls from you and may use a toll-free (1-800) number to receive telephone calls from you on or after July 1 after completion of your junior year.

Lauren Edwards does cooldown stretches after winter track practice. Edwards also runs track in the spring and cross country in the fall.

scouts from UVA, Virginia Tech, UConn, Maryland, UNC, American University, and almost “everywhere in the country.” Torbert didn’t play soccer his freshman year of high school, instead he played varsity baseball. His sophomore year he decided to make the switch to soccer where he was awarded 1st team alldistrict, 2nd team all-region, and honorable mention All-Met. He plans to work for higher awards, but the most important thing is “first getting the team to states.” Even though he is a three-peat athlete, Torbert still plays on a year-round

At the first stage of recruiting, students are “prospective student-athletes” when they start the ninth-grade. To become a “recruited prospective student-athlete” at a particular college, a coach or representative of the college’s athletics interests approaches you about enrolling and participating in athletics at that college. Activities by coaches that cause you to become a recruited prospective studentathlete are:

Telephone Calls

College soccer prospect reveals his fortune BY EVAN ROWLAND Sports Xtra Editor

General

Letters from coaches, faculty members and students aren’t permitted until September 1 at the beginning of your junior year.

EVAN ROWLAND

Her name is posted in the Jock Lobby record books for fastest mile by a female athlete at 5:53. She has attended more regional and state tournaments then any other current AHS athlete. She will be attending a nationally recognized, Division I track school, or Clemson to run in the fall. This runner is senior Lauren Edwards. Even though this cross country superstar has had overwhelming success on the track, running wasn’t Edwards’ number one sport. “I started running as conditioning for soccer,” said Edwards. “But my soccer coach told me that I was a fast runner.” Even with Edwards’ success in running, she is still very humble to her teammates and the coaches who helped her become the athlete she is today. “My team, Publio [Agrafas], Mike [Flint], Tim and Chris Greer, and especially my coaches, Rowe and Christie, they inspire me to become better,” said Edwards. As for college plans, the only school Edwards has met with on

an athletic basis was UNC, but her number one school is Clemson. Although she has already been accepted to Clemson University, she has not yet met with the Clemson track coaches, but plans to run for the team in the fall. When asked whether she would rather receive a full athletic scholarship to UNC, or just walk on the Clemson team. The Tigers have been Edwards’top choice for an academic and athletic college choice ever since she entered high school. With a GPA over 3.7 and SAT scores over 1300, she was able to earn an academic scholarship, which might also be accompanied with an athletic scholarship, to the South Carolina school. Looking back on her career at AHS, which still has chapters to be written, Edwards remembers last year as she made the Virginia AAA State Tournament for the first time, by finishing top six in the region in the 1000 meter race. Also, Edwards advanced to the Northern Regional tournament this season in cross-country for the first time in her career. Even with Edwards’ post high school plans set, she still has several goals set for her, and for

Regulations of college recruiting

You or your family may not receive any benefit, inducement or arrangement such as cash, clothing, cars, improper expenses, transportation, gifts or loans to encourage you to sign a National Letter of Intent or attend an NCAA college.

Edwards running with the Tigers BY JARED SMITH Sports Editor

soccer team outside of school; the Gunston Dragons ‘86. “My soccer coach excuses me from practice because he knows that I am involved in sports at school where I have conditioning, and that is all we really do at soccer practice,” said Torbert. His favorite aspect of soccer is “mak-

“

almost every game I was asked to come play for a new team

”

—MikeTorbert

junior ing others look bad.” Torbert enjoys faking out defenders and exploiting his speed as he runs down the field. “That’s the best thing about a sport, making the other person look bad.” Torbert would like to play soccer in college, or possibly football. Now is just a waiting period though because he has to wait until the end of his junior year before it is allowed for scouts to formally approach him.

Buy Your 50th Anniversary Yearbook Annandale High School celebrates its 50th Atomversay with a full color Antenna yearbook for the first time at the special price of $50 The absolute last day to purchase a yearbook is January 5, 2005. No books will be sold after January 5. Purchase early to take advantage of this special offer!

Enrolled student-athletes may not make recruiting telephone calls to you. Enrolled students (nonathletes) may telephone you as part of a college’s regular admissions program directed at all prospective students. Enrolled students (including student-athletes) may receive telephone calls at your expense on or after July 1 after completion of your junior year.

Contacts A college coach may contact you in person off the college campus only on or after July 1 after completion of your junior year. Any faceto-face meeting between a college coach and you or your parents, during which any of you say more than “hello” is a contact.Also, any face-to-face meeting that is prearranged or that occurs at your high school or competition or practice site is a contact, regardless of the conversation. These contacts are not permissible “bumps.” Currently in all sports other than football and basketball, have seven recruiting opportunities (contacts and evaluations) during the academic year, and not more than three of the seven opportunities may be in-person, off-campus contacts. However, a college coach may visit your high school only with the approval of your high-school principal. Division I football coaches may contact you off the college campus six times. However, no more than one contact per week may occur during a contact period, regardless of where the contact occurs. Also, a college football coach may visit your high school (with the approval of your high-school principal) only once a week during a contact period. In Division I basketball, coaches have five recruiting opportunities (contacts and evaluations) during the academic year and not more than three of the seven opportunities may be in-person, off-campus contacts. In addition, a college basketball coach may visit your high school (with the approval of your high-school principal) only once a week during a contact period.

Rules and regulations compiled from: http://www.ncaa.org/eligibility/cbsa/ index1.html

Sports News Basketball Tips Off

The boys varsity basketball teams both tip off their season today in the first annual Tip Off Tournament held at Jefferson. The first home basketball game of the season will be Dec. 9 when the boys take on McLean freshmen at 4:30, JV at 5: 45, and varsity at 7:30 p.m.

There s no shame in tying

In the annual President’s Cup matchup, which pins the U.S. against a field of international golfers in a four-day team event, ended in a tie on Sun. Nov. 23 after Tiger Woods and Ernie Els each parred all three playoff holes and the match was suspended due to darkness. After much deliberation between the U. S. captain Jack Nickalaus and the International captain Gary Player the teams voted that they would share the cup until next years event. The U.S. team made a furious comeback on the last day of the event, coming back from a 7.5 point deficit to end up tying

Player Profiles with Jared Smith

Rebecca Freece Senior

Boys have hoop dreams Coach Pat Hughes returns four out of five starters from last year’s team

BY STACY MARIN Staff Writer Despite ending last season with a 5-17 record, the Atoms look forward to a promising season this winter. Behind several key returning players and a few new additions to the team, the upcoming season looks to be very successful. “Last year was a growing experience for us all,” said Head Coach Pat Hughes. “It will make us better this year.” Tryouts were held for this season the week of Nov. 10. Hughes noted people playing hard and being focused, all while having fun. “They were working hard, playing hard, and having fun. We’re a blue collar team , we bring our lunch pail everyday.” The Atoms have a mix of new and returning players on their roster this season, which will provide depth to the team. Seniors Billy Purdon, Chris Flowers, Brandon Betz, Cory Daise, Matt Hubacher, and Chris Terapane all bring their experience from being on varsity last year, while Bobby Terry, Mark Phillips and Brandon Flowers bring new life to the team. “We’re looking to get out and play hard. We want to make it to regionals and have a winning record,” Hughes said.

Head coach Pat Hughes gives senior Brandon Betz some last minute instructions from the sidelines of the Atoms scrimmage against Wakefield on Tues. Nov. 17. Betz, along with seniors Billy Purdon, Chris Flowers, and Cory Daise, are all returning starters from last year steam.

To make it to the regional playoffs, the Atoms need to be in the top four of the Patriot District. Therefore, every game is important. The non-district games prepare the team for the tough district road ahead, with opponents such as Washington and Lee and perrennial powerhouse Oakton on the non-district schedule, the

BY MIKE WIEST Staff Writer

What was your first significant basketball experience? “I have been playing since I was seven years old. I only scored two points total my first season, but the second season I improved a lot and scored 206.” What are your expectations for AHS girls basketball this season?

How have your parents affected your basketball career? “My dad has always been a coach and pushed me to never give up. My mom has always been there for the emotional support.” Have any colleges shown interest in your game? “Sheperd offered me a scholarship, but I turned it down. I want to wait for the season to end before I make my decision. I would be limiting myself if I signed early. Also, I’m behind in the recruting process because of my knee injury.” How has your sister playing by your side throughout high school affected your game? “I enjoy it because she is one of our top players. I try to keep the personal stuff off the court, but I yell at her sometimes more than the other players. She knows my game better which makes her easy to play with.” Thoughts on Coach Barb? “Well, her system is going to let us run more in transition, and not have as many set offenses. This is a good decision considering the players we are returning back are more experienced.” After a big win on Friday night, what do you to celebrate? “My dad usually takes me out to eat, and we talk about the game and how I played. This year I’m probably going to go out with the team more, for unity and bonding.”

SARAH SOZIO

“I think we will have a shot at the district title. We have all of our returning starters back, and two more freshmen will help tremendously.”

“I want to be first team all-region. I have been behind because I was out for almost two seasons with a knee injury. I’m trying to push myself and my teammates while being the captain.”

Atoms will have to grow up fast to play with them. These games lead right into district play, which is vital in getting a high seed for the post-season tournaments. “The district games will be big,” Hughes said. “Hayfield and T.C. Williams are always tough. As always, there are a lot of teams at the same level.

Every game will be a battle.” After two scrimmages so far this season, the Atoms have shown good chemistry and proved they can play with the best teams in the region. They posted a 1-1 record with a win over National District rival Wakefield, and a loss agaisnt Concorde District juggernaut Herndon. The team functioned well and played well together. “They were focused and there was a real sense of urgency,” Hughes said. “The kids understand what needs to be done. One of the key players who will have to lead the Atoms throughout the season is senior center Billy Purdon. The division 3 prosect started last year on varsity, but was not as developed physically, or mentally as he is today. With one year of varsity experience under his belt, Purdon now fully understands his role on the and the expectations of his team. “We’re a lot farther then we were last year,” said Purdon. “Everyone recognizes what needs to be done as a team to win games and hopefully win a district title.” The Atoms will open the season tonight in the Tip-Off Tournament at Jefferson High School. On Dec. 9, McLean comes to AHS for the home opener . The first district game will be on Dec. 16 at Hayfield.

Ready for season, grappling Atoms hit the mat

Freece has been the leading scorer on the varsity team for the past two seasons, and looks to lead her team back to the regional tournament this year.

What are your personal goals and aspirations for this year, and the rest of your basketball career?

Dec. 2, 2003

SEAN SULLIVAN

SPORTS

Juniors Bret Mehlliman and Justin McCoy work on their wrestling moves during practice. McCoy is specifically working on gaining wrist control over his opponent. New head coach Keith Shoulders is stressing details like wrist control with his players in order to have a more successful year.

As another wrestling season gets underway, the Atoms have a lot to look forward to. Under first-year head coach Keith Shoulders, the team has high hopes this season, which include winning the district tournament and advancing to regionals. Included in the schedule this year is a tough district schedule, along with some tough non-district matches against Yorktown and Edison. Many players look forward to the first match of the season because that is always a prelude of how the season will go. “We are coming on hard in the beginning of the season, and we will continue to work to get better,” said sophomore Morgan McNeil. “I really look forward to Pack the Pit night because all of the alumni are back to visit,” said senior Nick Peyton. Pack the Pit is a match equivalent to football Homecoming where alumni come home to watch the team wrestle. In this annual AHS tradition, the Atoms face off against another school in the dark, with a spotlight on the mat.

“I am looking forward to the Northern Region Classic,” said Shoulders. The Yorktown match on Feb. 4 is also important because it is the Atoms’ senior night. Some key returners from last year are seniors Sean Johnson, Noah Crowley, Anh Hoang and Nick Peyton, and junior Kelvin Medrano. Last season, the Atoms had four returning wrestlers advance to the regional tournament. Medrano, Crowley, Johnson and junior Chris Barnes. “Along with a district title for the team, my goal is to win the district tournament,” said Kelvin Medrano. With all of the returning players, this season should shape up to be very successful. “We will destroy everyone this year,” said junior Chris Barnes. With this dedication, the Atoms look for a very strong season. Coach Shoulders believes that the team is well balanced in relation to previous years. “The kids put in a lot of effort, and hopefully we can accomplish our goal of winning the district tournament,” said Shoulders. The only wrestler to advance to states last season was Ehab Awadallah, who graduated last year.

Annandale sports: Best season since... Jared’s Jargon Fight on for Annandale, wave the red and white, grab the ball and watch us not go. That has been the theme lately at AHS. It is hard to decipher why this is. Some say it’s because all the rich, wealthy families who used to flock to AHS like the Salmon of Capastrano, are now moving to more suburban areas like Robinson, Westfield, and Centreville. But others, mainly coaches here at AHS feel that the attitude has changed. Instead of going into games knowing they will win, players go into them, wondering by how much they will lose. It is sickening to watch a sporting event when you already know the outcome, and recently, attending AHS sporting events have been just that. Don’t get me wrong, I will bleed red and white until the day I die, and there are some sports that will never carry on this attitude of how much will we lose by. Although recent success has been scarce, this season has been a pleasant change. Basically out of the ashes, the AHS football team rose to a 6-4 record with key wins over rivals such as West Springfield and Lake Braddock and a huge upset of third ranked Centreville. With the departures of football superstarts such as Travis Johnson, Ehab Awadallah, and Monte Moyer, most AHS critics and even some AHS fans and players were going back to that “don’t give a rat’s butt attitude” but not Coach Adams, and not the team. They fought and scrapped and beat teams that were twice their size, and twice their speed. The same can be said for the field hockey team this year. Not only were they the only AHS team to ad-

vance past the first round of the regional tournament out of all the fall sports and the first state tournament berth for any Atoms team since 1997 when the boys lacrosse team won its first state title. So what gives; why is AHS undergoing a rejuvenation this year? Two reasons, outstanding coaching and that “A” word that we keep talking about, attitude. Coach Adams and Hook are very experienced and have been to the “promise land” of high school coaching before, a state title. Adams won two consecutive state titles in 1993 and 1994 as a coach, and as a player won here at AHS in 1972. Hook also coached the girls soccer team to a state title in 1986. Both of these coaches know what it takes to win, and that was the attitude they instilled on their players this year. Never quit, never die, never surrender. If only

Wiest’s Wisdom Football State Champions: 1993, 1994, 1978, 1972, 1965. Boys Cross Country State Champions: 1986. Golf State Champions: 1980. No one can argue that AHS has not traditionally been an athletic powerhouse. This being said, where has all this success gone, and why, with few exceptions, have AHS sports achieved only very limited success in recent years? The past decade has seen the AHS area undergo tremendous growth and diversification. These changes have left almost no facet of life in Northern Virginia untouched, and that includes high school athletics. Wealthier families have been moving to the fringes of suburbia, bringing with them resources

You Make the Call Sports Banter

By Jared Smith and Matt Wiest the rest of the AHS student body could catch on, we’d be back to the glory days, but also. Oh wait,sorry I forgot, yeah, all that attitude bullsh*t is well and good, but these days, winning in high shcool, it does help to have talent. You can only go as far as your talent takes you. And basically the football team can practice for five hours a day and get yelled at and be the most mentally tough team in the state. But that stud that runs a 4.5 and can bench 300 pounds will step on the field and domintate regardless.

and their concern for high school sports. The Annandale sports community, however, has not necessarily benefited from this diversification. As students come to AHS from different countries with different cultures, they are often unfamiliar with American sports and the obsession that most Americans share with them. Students being raised in America with American cultural influences are often exposed to these sports at a very young age. There’s no doubt that football certainly did well, but not

that well. A 6-4 record, regardless of the district, is nothing to write home about. This season, football was again plagued by mediocrity: nothing terrible, nothing exceptional. Football has certainly seen some of the ramifications of both the sprawl of the metropolitan area and the diversification of the AHS area. A tidal wave of apathy has swept up much of the student body at AHS, leaving many athletic teams with a sense of pessimism, a feeling that no one cares if they win or lose. Would you be motivated if as little of the student body cared about the performance of your team? I think not. Just breaking the .500 mark this season, the football team has celebrated, for reasons unbeknownst to me, this season as a tremendous success. Yes, they ousted regionally ranked Centreville which, in and of itself, is quite an accomplishment. However, AHS football has failed yet again to qualify for the Patriot District Tournament. But not being in the huddle, one can’t say for sure what has happened to AHS football since 1994. In recent years, the standout performers at AHS have been the ladies on the field hockey team. The past several seasons have seen the Atoms make runs at not only the district championship, but that of the Northern Region and Virginia as well. They have proven that there is still plenty of raw athletic talent at AHS. Not that football lacks talent, but AHS field hockey has the proper mix that has led them consistently to the top of the Patriot District. And while football may considered one of many driving factors in the demographics of Northern Virginia, field hockey may not by any stretch of the imagination. With many of the football-crazed families heading west to the Robinson, Centreville, and Westfield districts, field hockey has been left as the pride of fall sports at AHS.

SPORTS

Dec. 2, 2003

Girls rely on Frece, Finney The Lady Atoms began the season strong, defeating Langley in a scrimmage 63-50 at home Nov. 20. From the first whistle the Atoms had control of the game, leading the Saxons 14-0 after the first quarter. In the past, results against Langley have not been in AHS’s favor and the Atoms did not want to relive that history. Last year’s heartbreaking one-point loss in double overtime gave the girls spark and extra motivation in their play throughout the game. “The first quarter went extremely well,” said senior co-captain Rebecca Frece. “We werefocusedandreadytoplayanditshowed.” Not only were the girls tough on offense, but they were also tenacious on defense. Switching between a man-to-man and halfcourt press, the Atoms were able to shut down a great the Saxons’ explosive offense. “Even when we were tired, we still pulled through,” said senior forward Angela Briggs. “When we used to get tired, we would slide off, but it’s not like that now.” Led by returning all-district players Frece and sophomore Nicole FinneyMurray, the team has an abundance of of returning experience returning all five of their starters. Adding to their depth, the team has two new additions,

freshman utility player Denay Wood and guard Kelli Muchmore. Both will play a huge part in this ever growing program. “Both freshmen will be key this year, they both bring strength in different aspects of the game,” said junior forward Diana Hollingsworth. Another new addition to the team is assistant coach Krista Jay, a GMU graduate. A knowledgeable asset to the AHS program, Jay also led a lot of the preseason conditioning program the Atoms went through during the summer and fall. “She knows a lot about the game and is a great attribute to Coach [Lori] Barb,” said Frece. “We respond well to her.” Regular season begins for the Atoms Dec. 5 against Thomas Jefferson. The Atoms will take on the Colonials in the first round of the Tip-Off Tournament. As for district play, the Atoms are looking to be competitive with everyone in the Patriot District. The Atoms used the offseason to prepare for the long district road. “This off season people kept in shape and kept playing with the ball,” said Briggs. “As a result, we have started the season at a much faster pace.” “This year we will be competitive with everyone,” said Barb. “We should be right in the thick of things.”

Atomic Athletics A wrapup of JV and Freshman Sports.

Freshman Girls Basketball

Freshman Sara Quinn

TED GIBSON

BY ERIN O’BRIEN In-Depth Editor

Head coach Lori Barb gives points to freshman Denay Wood. The Atoms added two freshmen to the varsity roster who are expected to contribute right away. Wood, along with Kelli Muchmore, sister of junior forward Sam Muchmore, will see playing time as the Atoms open the season today in the Tip-Off Tournament at Jefferson.

Coaches: Nora Mahn and Gabriel Romano Key Players: Julianne Simpson, Victoria Clark and Sara Quinn Last Year’s Record: 4-12 First Game: Dec. 9 @ Mclean, 4 p.m. Coach’s Quote: “The girls are working very hard and we are hoping that the hard work pays off and we have a successful season,” said Head Coach Gabriel Romano.

Freshman Boys Basketball

Fisher pushes team towards commitment In contrast, the boys’ team is thinner than it has been in past years. Only five new male members were The swim team began a new season added, making a total team of 17. “This is the smallest team it’s been in Nov. 14 as the official team roster was posted. Key female swimmers returning six or seven years,” said Head Coach Bruce for another year of success are sophomores Fisher. The loss of key male members is Laela Shallal, and Megan Sturm; juniors a liability that the team will have to overJulia Bizer and Tiffany Wattenbarger; come hard work and determination Fishand senior Sara Bizer. The leading male er’s steadfast of philosophy, commitment, and hopeful attitude will help to shape an swimmers who enthusiastic effort. are returning in“I hope that the clude junior Brian swimmers enjoy Tordella and seniors being on the team Jason Bracken, I hope that the swimmers this year and have Wan-Chung Lee, a good experiand Evan Ashe. enjoy being on the team and ence,” says Fisher. The season The season left have a good experience. will also start out off last year with with a batch of the girls achieving new freshmen who —Bruce Fisher a record of 4-3 and proved to be quite head coach the boys achieving talented during a 5-2 mark. Though the tryout sessions. the season has Nine freshmen hardly begun, the team’s objective is to girls made the cut, including standout Megan Price, already in the starting surpass these standings. In order to be three. A distinctive quality of the girls fully prepared for their first meet, at Lee team this year is the increased numbers District, Dec. 5, at 8:30 p.m., Fisher is of strong swimmers. This has added to emphasizing general conditioning in orthe team’s depth and competitiveness. der to be ready for the long season ahead. BY AMY MATHIS Staff Writer

TINA DOUROUDIAN

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Head swimming coach Bruce Fisher gives coaching points to junior Tiffany Wattenberger and senior Jason Bracken during practice. The Atoms practice at the Audrey Moore Rec Center everyday in preparation for their first meet Dec. 5 against T.C. Williams.

Track hopes soar high Edwards, Gill, among other seniors lead team with aspirations of regionals and states With a brand new team full of many differing strengths, the winter track team is looking forward to a strong season. Although many key players were lost from last season, the team is still hoping to excel under the leadership of key seniors such as throwers Julio Villitoro, and Dae Yoon, jumper Elizabeth Gill, and cross country regional qualifier Lauren Edwards, running distance. “I think that we had a better team last year because of faster runners,” said sophomore Bryan Plunkett. “We had some outstanding runners, such as Mike Flint and Publio Agrafas. But still, our team should be relatively strong this year.” The four categories that make up the winter track team are distance running, sprinting, throwing, and jumping. The team stretches together for 15 to 20 minutes in the beginning of practice before splitting into their four groups. In all four practices, the runners have to work hard to keep in shape. “I like the extreme work-

outs we have during track practices,” sophomore Rob Olson said. The winter track coaches this year include sprinting coach Publio Agrafas, who graduated last year, and was a regional qualifier during last season. Other coaches include throwing coach Bob Sykes, and distance and jumping coach Gregory Rowe. It will be tough to perform better then last season as many records were broken. On, the girls 4x800m team, all four members are still students at AHS, juniors Angelica Cregge and Katherine Littlefield, and seniors Lauren Edwards and Cameron Wells, hope to repeat last years record breaking peformance. Students from all athletic backgrounds join the track team, all with different reasons. Most join in order to keep in shape and become faster and stronger for their upcoming spring sports. “I joined to prepare for the spring lacrosse season,” said sophomore Nicole Mott. Overall, the team is looking to break new records, and improve on last seasons finish by sending multiple players to states.

Sophomore Joe Krause and junior Ezra Tilaye sprint around the track, in preparation for their first meet which will not take place until after the Chrismas holiday. Tilaye, a starting wide receiver on the football team, is running track not only becasue of his superior athletic talents, but to prepare for next years football season by gaining speed, strength, and conditioning in

MEGAN BERRY

BY JULIE WOLFE Staff Writer

Freshman Timothy Shadyac

Coaches: Tony Harper and Kevin Fox Key Players: Timothy Shadyac, Scott Prosh, and Graham Prosh Last Year’s Record: 1-15 First Game: Dec. 9 at home vs. McLean, 4 p.m. Player’s Quote: I think we are going to be good this year because we play well together and look forward to not losing,” said Timothy Shadyac.

JV Girls Basketball

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Editor’s Picks Fall sport awards chosen by Jared Smith and Matt Wiest MVP: Erin O Brien Earning Patriot District Player of the Year, and 1st Team All-Region honors for field hockey, the senior captain (left) led her team to both the Patriot District and Northern Regional Championship games but fell short in both. She capped off her career in the Virginia AAA State quarterfinals, the first appearence in such playoffs for the Atoms since 1989. BEST GAME: Football week 2, #3 Centreville @ Annandale, Sept. 12. In a driving rainstorm, Coach Adams and the AHS football magic resurfaced as they upset the third ranked Centreville Wildcats 23-14, to earn their first victory of the season and spark them to their first winning year since 1998. The game was capped by junior defensive back Chris Barnes (right) 25-yard interception return for a TD late in the 4th quarter to put give the Atoms the lead for good. BEST COMEBACK: Field hockey Northern Regional semis, Annandale vs. Madison, Nov. 7, 2003. Down 2-0 nearing the end of the first half, with a birth to the Virginia AAA State Playoffs on the line, junior Diana Hollingsworth scored two goals to tie the score up and sophomore Natalie Gilbert (left) put in the game winner with time running down in the second half. The Atoms won the game 3-2, advancing to the regional championship game, but more importantly, clinching a berth in the state playoffs for the frist time since 1989.

Sophomore Margaret Crowley

Coaches: Christa Long and Kennetra Wood Key Players: Margaret Crowley and Brittany Nelson Last Year’s Record: 8-8 First Game: Dec. 9 @ McLean, 5:45 p.m. Player’s Quote: “I think we are doing well so far because everyone gets along well and we are able to work with each other,” said Margaret Crowley.

JVBoys Basketball

Sophomore Michael Risden

Coaches: James McNeill Key Players: Vinnie Athey, Michael Risden, and Andre Beharrie Last Year’s Record: 10-6 First Game: Dec. 9, at home vs. McLean, 5:45 p.m. Player’s Quote: “The team is playing really well offensively. We have good team chemistry and the team seems to play really well in games,” said sophomore Michael Risden.

JV Wrestling

Freshman Nick Alvarez

Coaches: Keith Shoulders, Mike Scott Key Players: Luke McCoy and Nick Alvarez Last Year’s Record: N/A First Meet: Dec. 13, @ Madison H.S., Madison Invitational Player’s Quote: “I am really excited about wrestling this year. I look forward to working hard nd having a fun time,” said freshman Nick Alvarez.

ENTERTAINMENT A Students Caught in the Web

Dec. 2, 2003

11/21 - 11/23

Box Office Top 5

#1 The Cat in the Hat Starring Mike Myers as the Cat, this movie brings to life Dr.Suess popular children s book. (PG, 78 min.) Directed by Bo Welch. Weekend Gross: $38,329, 160.

crackdown on Napster many teen’s turn to Kazaa for their downloading needs. “You can find anything on Kazaa,” said junior Wahid Hashimi, “the other day I got The Matrix: Revolutions off Last year almost 20 percent of the active United of it.” Although most downloadable movies States Internet users were teenagers, according to are usually of poor quality, (and it’s illegal) it the Nielsen-Netratings. That adds up to 240,000,000 doesn’t stop the millions of people from doing it. recorded active users in 2002. With numbers like Another new convenience created by the these it’s no wonder the information super highway Internet is online shopping. If you’re willing to is becoming more and more teenager inclined. The send some of your more personal information to increase in computer sales since the 1990’s proves that the online stores your shopping at, then makmore and more people are accessing the web every ing purchases is little more then a click away. day and the stereotypical four-eyed computer geek According to IntelliQuest over 68 percent of is becoming more and more of a myth. Ask somethe U.S. shops online. “I’m going to do all my one what their screen name was ten years ago and Christmas shopping online this year”, said their reaction would most likely be a stagnant one, Junior Kathryn Hoey, “you don’t have to fight but ask someone hisscreen name now in days, and the crowds or anything and it’s so convenient.” you’re likely to get more than just one account name. If you order through shipping companies like The most obvious Internet tool teens use today Fedex or UPS you can track your order onis of course Instant Message (IM). This proved to line to see where it is in its shipping process. be the most popular mechanism teens used last If there’s one thing that consumers love its conyear. Nearly half the Internet teen population uses some A scene from Turrican. This is one of the many online Java games. venience. Since 9/11 traveling has become more of a form of IM chatting device and the majority of the IM of by now, Newgrounds.com has a huge selection of java pain then ever, luckily shopping online can take care apparatuses were AOL Instant Messengers (AIM). In based games for you to play. Pretty much all-notorious of most of your traveling concerns. Online travel bookfact, in 2002, teens accounted for 25 percent of the total celebrities have some flash game exploiting their more ining will account for 25% of the $8 billion in total online Instant Messaging population. According to Nielsenfamous sides of behavior. “The other day I played a game revenues this year. Just like shopping, travelers like Netratings, nine out of the top ten online destinations where I was in a fist fight with Eminem”, said Buntua. the convenience, speed and savings of booking online. for kids and teenagers featured instant messaging tools Web logs, or online journals are gaining popularSince its incarnation 1969, the Internet started and services such as downloadable IM icons and profiles. ity quickly. Despite the fact that journals are usuout as little more than a program that many scoffed Among the millions of websites out there, ally private , thousands post explicite details about their at, now in the new millennium over 600 million Newgrounds.com is the most visited site from most all lives for everyone to see on sites like livejournal.com. spend their time, money and life online. With quicker demographics. “The site is hilarious,” said junior Andy One of the most popular and controversial things and more accessible ways to enjoy the net there’s Buntua, “you can do pretty much anything there, and their to do online is to download music and movies. Since the no telling what the future holds for the Internet. mini games are really funny.” As most of us are aware BY CHRIS KALLANDER Staff Writer

Underground smokes the competiton BY CHRIS KALLANDER Staff Writer #2 Gothika Starring Halle Berry and Robert Downey Jr. Berry plays a psychiatrist at a creepy mental hospital. (R, 96 min.) Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz. Weekend Gross: $19,288, 438.

#3 Elf Stars Will Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf, who is actually an overgrown child that was raised by elves. (PG, 97 min.) Directed by Jon Favreau. Weekend Gross: $18,715,992.

#4 Master and Commander: The Farside of the World Reviewed on this page, stars Russell Crowe. (PG13, 139 min.) Directed by Peter Weir. Cumulative Gross: $15,213,896.

#5 Love Actually Includes an abudance of stars, such as Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, and Keira Knightly. (R, 135 min.) Directed by Richard Curtis. Cumulative Gross: $8,644, 555.

Need for Speed: Underground, EA’s new attempt at street racing, succeeds on many levels and breaks new ground in the genre. Its ultra stylish graphics engine easily surpasses the competition. Despite the graphical feast Underground provides, its somtimes tedious gameplay can become overwhelmingly frustraighting. Nevertheless, Underground proves to be one of the most fierce, beautiful, and unique racing games to date. Underground’s gameplay borrows liberally from The Fast and the Furious movies. It’s incredibly stylistic and delivers a superlative sense of speed that will definitely leave the gamer wanting more. However, the meat and potatoes gameplay mode of Underground isn’t as fine-tuned as its exotic cars. Basically you assume the role of a newly established underground street racer who’s trying to work his way up the street racing ladder. As you progress through the story you unlock more options and customization features for your ride.

While this system of race-win-unlock-re- also only go online with a broadband conpeat doesn’t get too tedious, the fact that nection, so dial-up users need not apply. Customizing your car is one of Underthe whole story mode was implemented so poorly really detracts from the whole ground’s definite highlights. Although your underground feel. As the story advances, car’s performance will eventually depend on you meet more and more cliche’ characters your monetary resources, your vehicle can that use stereotypical accents and spout be visually edited with great variety. From out hackneyed catch phrases. Luckily mufflers to neon, there’s pretty much nothing that can’t be customUnderground’s gameized. While there’s only a play shines through Game Review modest 20 licensed rides this poorly constructed to chose from, you’ll be mode and doesn’t renNeed For Speed: hard pressed to find der the game unplayUnderground any two cars that look able by any means. even a little bit alike. In Underground What really makes you can also race with Underground stand out a friend via split screen from its opponents is its or online if you’ve got For seizure inducing graphics, enthralling graphics ena network adapter. sometimes tedious gameplay and ungine. Everything gleams Either way is gratifymatched multiplayer mayhem. with a glossy polish that ing as you compete in totally immerses the a standard race, drag, gamer. The retina- bendcircuit, or drift event. While Underground runs at a solid ing speed sensation is brought to life with ex30fps, you’ll notice occasional breaks in tremely effective motion blur. Cars revving the frame rate, and playing online can up their engines at the starting lines never be hampered with some lag. You can sounded so good. Each car sounds unique

A masterful movie prey. But they don’t call him “Lucky Jack” for nothing; he manages to slip away into the fog where the Acheron can no longer follow. It is at this point that we are introduced Question: Did this reviewer spend a solid two and a quarter hours sitting in to the ship’s surgeon Stephen Maturin, long the first row of the theater, craning his time friend of Jack and, for the purposes of this neck upwards in order to see Master and movie, also his character foil. The relationship Commander: The Far Side of the World? is spelled out throughout the movie, as the two Answer: you betcha. But the real question constantly argue, but their history is explained lies in whether or not this undertaking was with a single act of playing music together in worth the neck pain that lasted well beyond the stern of the ship. This is also the point the end of the film. That’s one question that where the film begins to get a bit muddled. Peter Weir, the film’s director, loses sight cannot be as confidently answered as the first. From the onset, Master and Commander of his goal (stop the Acheron), as he enmeshes the story in subplots. Some of fits like a well-tailored these are played out for the suit. Part The Perfect Movie Review purposes of the character Storm, part Pirates of Master and Cominteraction, an important the Caribbean, This mander: consideration when trying heroic tale finds all the to accurately portray life on right visual elements The Far Side of the a boat for months at a time. to give it the right feel. World There are those, howThe ship’s crew is ever, that find little purpose believable, the captain at all, and at times make is heroic, the ship itself the film unenduring to is as grandiose as the watch. By the time that ocean in which it floats, For Having great acting, impressive Weir rediscovers his goal, and the score compels special effects and great but limited the movie has sunken to the the audience to lean action level of Stephen’s expedition forward and take notice to discover new species on (not easily done from the Galapagos Islands. It is the first row). However, as the film continues, it begins to lose sight only by accident that he stumbles upon of its goal: the cat-and-mouse game being the Acheron, and what ensues is the rest played by the British HMS Surprise and of the film that seemed to be lost at sea. The movie closes much as it began, with a the superior French ship, The Acheron. The film plays out in 1805, when the Brit- duel between the two ships. The second is of ish are all that stand in the way of Napoleonic course larger than the first, but also so much France conquering the world. The Surprise is less spectacular. It feels generic, reminiscent charged with the task of stopping theAcheron of too many others like its kind. Whereas the from reaching the Pacific Ocean, which could opening battle was a visual feast, a heartspell disaster for Great Britain, who is already pounding sequence of explosions and massstruggling in its fight against the French. confusion and hysteria, the second seems The movie commences with a naval battle played out, and not nearly as compelling. Master and Commander is a well-told the likes of which may never have been seen before. The Acheron, buried deep in a foggy story from beginning to end, but unfortumist, launches an attack on the unsuspect- nately there’s not much in the middle to hold ing Surprise. Eighteen-pound cannonballs go it together. It finds itself lacking in both action ripping through the Surprises hull, shattering and substance, two things that a movie of this pieces of wood into shrapnel, and tearing apart kind should not be without. Despite this, it the ship’s frame. Jack Aubrey, captain of the is still a thoroughly enjoyable experience Surprise, finds his ship dead in the water with and one that reflects the overall quality of the French circling like a shark attacking their Weir’s efforts to bring this story to the screen. BY JOSH LEWIN Videographer

B+

and the whole audio experience is brought to life by the auditory masters: THX. While Need for Speed: Underground is a far cry from racing perfection, it successfully captures the essence of the whole underground-racing scene. It’s poised graphics engine and slick interface really help convey the whole feeling of what the developers wanted you to experience in the first place: speed. Note: This review refers to the PS2 version.

Dear Abby, I have a boyfriend who I really love, and I know he loves me too. We were going to get married, but we’re too young. My parents don’t even want me to have a boyfriend or date. When my father found out about my boyfriend, he told me I can’t see him or call him anymore, but I always think about him and my father said if I see him again I have to leave my house. What can I do?

A racing scene from the new Need for Speed: Underground on Playstation 2.

Dear Abby Advice Column

By Abby Segall

Parent troubles in Annandale

The first thing I suggest you do is to open the communication lines with your parents. Hopefully, you and your parents can come to a compromise on your relationship. Sit down with them and explain your situation, that you deeply care for your boyfriend and see a future with him. Try to understand that they might be enforcing tight restrictions because they are fearful of losing you. High school is the last time before you moved out of the house. Dear Abby, I am being told by my counselor that it is important that I participate in some extracurricular activities if I want to look good for colleges. My parents want me to go to college, but they come to the U.S. from another country, and they think school clubs and sports are a waste of time. What can I do to help them understand that it is important to my future that I take time to “play?” Worried about College Scout the extracurricular scene see what interests you, whether it be Young Democrats, Key Club or the literary magazine. Then talk to your parents about joining that certain organization. Assure them that by participating in an activity after school you will stay focused on your schoolwork. You can explain to them, that it would actually benefit you. By taking part in activities after school your college transcript will be enhanced. If talking to your parents is not successful perhaps your counselor will have more luck convincing them. Dear Abby, There is this girl who is really nice to my face, and she pretends she is my friend by being nice, but then she talks behind my back and says all these mean things. We are not close enough where I feel hurt, but it is annoying to hear what she is always saying about me. Should I continue to be nice to her or should I confront her? Annoyed at AHS It all depends. If you don’t feel that your relationship is worth a confrontation that might result in heated tempers and hurt feelings then maybe ignoring the situation, is the best solution. However, you say that her actions are “annoying” and if you believe you cannot be content being friendly towards her without talking then perhaps that is the best solution. To contact Dear Abby e-mail her at Abbyiss527@aol.com or leave your question in rm. 229

Dec. 2, 2003

ENTERTAINMENT

Tupac’s back, again BY JOHN REISS Entertainment Editor

Seven years after Shakur sdeath in 1996, he still proves that he is a prominent figure in the rap world, with seven albums to his name, as well as a feature movie about himself. Tupac: Ressurection is the tragic tale of Shakur slife that through interviews and his own words, brings to life his harsh childhood and his lucky break into stardom before he was shot in Las Vegas. The film is narrated by Tupac through interviews.

Tupac Shakur was not your average rapper. Growing up, he was not involved with drugs or alcohol; he was not a high school drop out who chose a “thug life” over education. In the recently released Tupac: Resurrection, a documentary about his life, we see many sides of one of the world’s most prospective rapper. The movie delivers a full account of Shakur’s life, told in a narrative form by Tupac himself through a collection of interviews television appearances throughout his career. Photographs, old concert footage, home videos and news archive videos are integrated with these interviews to create a drawing board, highlighting all of Shakur’s life; from his innocent youth to the gangster life he came to endorse. Born into a racial activist family in 1971 in Brooklyn, New York, Shakur was subject to the all-to-common plight of minorities, growing up in a dangerous ghetto. His mother, father and stepfather were all high-ranking members of the Black Panther Party. At an early age Shakur was subject to many hardships implemented

Beatles bare all BY KATY BURDETT Staff Writer With dozens of records behind them, the Beatles find themselves in the winter of 1968 desiring a new direction, something out of the pop-ordinary to introduce to the world. Paul McCartney comes to the rescue: a vision of a purely Beatles CD, “the Beatles as nature intended,” as an ad so nicely puts it. However, the recording of the CD didn’t go exactly as planned. Unorganized, unfocused, and tired of the group and each other, McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and John Lennon handed the 29 hours of material to their master producer, Phil Spector, with the instruction to give them something to give to the public. The result of this turnover: a CD that sounded more like the Beatles with a full-blown orchestra behind them than the two guitars, bass and drums intended. Now, 34 years later, a new CD appears, as it was originally supposed to be. The controversy over the compilation by Phil Spector includes McCartney claiming he had no idea that the group was handing their tapes to him. Letting it be is definitely not what Paul Hicks, Guy Massey, and Allan Rouse had in mind when producing the new CD. Doing an amazing job making the newest addition to The Beatles collection: Let It Be... Naked, this 2 CD set makes the listener feel as if they are

in the recording studio with just the Fab Four. The Beatles have always had a way of making their fans feel like they are hearing a live performance, and this CD doesn’t let you down. When revising the songs, the producers stripped all of the excess orchestrations from the original, making what you hear simply and purely The Beatles. According to Paul McCartney, “If we’d had today’s technology then, it would sound like this [CD] because that was the noise that we made in the studio. It’s all exactly as it was in the room, but you’re in a clearer room with the guys. It’s sort of scary; you’re there right now.” Compared to the original, Let it Be... Naked is a breath of life, a new look into how it was all supposed to sound at the end of their magnificent career. The second CD of remixed songs is set to be called Fly on the Wall and that’s exactly what you feel when you listen. It compiled of pieces of the excess fat Phil Spector trimmed from the material. The CD’s themselves don’t sound all that different. It’s more of what you get what you listen to the tracks. Both Let it Be... Naked and the upcoming Fly on the Wall, deliver the Beatles’original vision for the music, to have pure rock ‘n roll, without the addition of symphonic insturments or studio-altered sounds. When you hear the four Beatles jamming away and playing their music like no one is listening, the feeling of their sounds, reverberating from their amplifiers is what gets you.

The re-release of the Beatles Let It Be, titled Let It Be....Naked, portrays the Beatle s original ideal when they recorded the album. The 2-disc set is unadultered by the orchestrations added by original producer Phil Spector.

by police and government authorities and found relief only in writing poetry or short stories. After moving to Baltimore, Shakur entered the Baltimore Academy where he developed his talents in art, signing and creative writing. Out of school and rapping, Shakur signed onto the label Digital Underground, releasing his debut album 2apocalyse Now, in 1992. The album went gold. With the release of his first album, Shakur’s career began to skyrocket with his next release Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., which went platinum, as well as a leading role in the movie Poetic Justice. As Shakur rose to the top, he began to live up to the saying that power corrupts. Indulging in a life of stardom, Tupac was subject to several court cases regarding sexual harassment and incidents with police. After an alcohol-influenced night with a woman, which led to an 11-month prison sentence for Shakur, he signed onto Death Row Records and found himself back on top. Soon enough, Tupac found himself in the hospital after a gang-related shooting incident. At this point in his life, Tupac reflected on his career and conducted an interview with VIBE

magazine, which made the majority of the Resurrection’s script. However, the documentary does not only portray Tupac’s rise and fall, but also shows Tupac’s troubled soul and examines what goes into his lyrics. Since his second shooting, which proved fatal, seven albums and one movie have been released in Tupac’s name, proving that not even the grave can stop this impressive rap star. Tupac’s mother Afeni Shakur has taken an active role in all projects memorialziing him. Most recently, she was the executive produer for the movie. Tupac: Ressurection departs from generic documentary styles with Shakur telling his own tale, without the aid of others. Tupac once said, “I didn’t bring thug-life to America, I just nurtured it.”

Movie Review Tupac: Ressurection

B+

For an enlightening and indepth look into the tragically-short life of one of the world’s most prospective rappers and artists

Live from New York The Dave Matthews Band makes reaches thousands on Central Park and throughout the world. Marking the apex in the Dave Matthews Band touring career, the band’s newest release is a 3-disc live album of their performance on the Grand Lawn of Central Park in New York City. Shortening the gap between studioalbums, The Central Park Concert, delivers a show littered with the band’s hits, and includes guest appearances and all of the solos that come with a Dave Matthews Band live album. While the band has an array of songs of which to pick from, they almost always Music Review include a cover By John Reiss of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” and this concert was no exception. However, adding to their cover repertoire DMB brought out a redone version of Neil Young’s “Cortez, the Killer.” Also featured on the album is Allman Brothers Band guitarist Warren Hayes, who adds to Dave Matthew’s vocals, while breaking into solos on “Cortez, the Killer” and “Jimi Thing.” Drawing from their older albums Under the Table and Dreaming, Crash, Before these Crowded Streets, as well as their newer records Everyday and Busted Stuff, Dave Matthews Band puts together an ideal compilation of their most well-known and loved songs. Beginning their concert with a fan favorite opener “Don’t Drink the Water,” the band immediately transitions into some of its softer material such as “So Much to Say” and “Crush,” swaying the listener into a trance-like state,

setting them up for the second disc. To the naked ear, the second disc of The Central Park Concert sounds like more DMB-style jam songs, but in fact it contains some of their earliest and finest material. Breaking down “Warehouse”(one of the first songs Dave Matthews wrote), the band takes the song into a five-minute long solo on guitar and drums, before heading into “Ants Marching.” The second disc reaches a climax with its second to last song, “Rhyme and Reason,” extending it from its usual three-minute length, to over 18 minutes. In the third disc, the full energy and excitement behind a live Dave Matthews Band show can be felt through class such as “Jimi Thing” and the closer “Stay (Wasting Time).” The Dave Matthews Band began in 1991 in Charlottesville, Virginia, where solo-act Dave Matthews went into the studio and acquired the instrumental help of LeRoi Moore on saxaphone, Boyd Tinsley on violins and strings, Carter Beauford on Drums, and 16-year old prodigy Stefan Lessard on bass. Synching together, the five stayed together, making music and performing under the name, the Dave Matthews Band. While the band is now regarded as one of the most successful and hardest touring groups ever, shows did not always come so easy to them. The band performed its first show on top of a rooftop at a private party, and built a fan base through playing clubs and bars. However, due to Stefan’s young age, he was required to leave the venue immediately after the band performed, until he was older. The audio quality of the CD is impeccable, bringing out all of the emotion and Dave Matthews voice, while drawing out the full sound of the guitar and saxophone solos. The Central Park Concert offers listeners more than three hours worth of music, giving fans a taste of the Dave Matthews Band, past and present.

Live Wire

Moore brings out the worst in the U.S. BY KATY BURDETT Staff Writer “You want fries with that?” Michael Moore is a fantastic author with fantastic ideas. With his newly published book, Dude, Where’s My Country? he relates normally-not-very-interesting facts to modern things that all of us know and love! Take the title for example. Dude, it just fits. Mike Moore is totally fearless in his comments and jeers towards the Bush administration. He seems to be asking the questions that are on everyone’s mind. When asked by his former publisher, Regan Books, to rewrite about half of his book and remove all the things that were offensive to Bush, Moore refused. Told that his ratings would

go down because of all the controversial material, Moore ignored and proved everyone wrong. Both of his Bush-bashing books have been #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list. Moore continues to wooAmerica with his ideas on the running of our country. Not only is he a dictionary of political facts, he manages to make his material appealing to different age groups. The book’s structure is also extremely appealing. To organize just a few of his bones to pick with the president, he uses the structure of a fast food menu. “The original whopper: ‘Iraq has nuclear weapons!’#2 Whopper with cheese: ‘Iraq has chemical and biological weapons!’#3 Whopper with bacon: ‘Iraq has ties to Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda’ #4 Whopper, heavy on the pickles and onions: ‘Saddam Hussein is the world’s most evil man!’” Using the metaphor

of a Burger King whopper to a whopper of a lie, Moore puts outs his opinions of lies told by our Commander in Chief to the American public. And that’s just to name a few. The issues in the Middle East aren’t all Moore has to question, he too finds issues with the aftermath of 9/11. “Perhaps it’s because George & Co. have a lot more to hide beyond why they didn’t scramble the fighter jets fast enough on the morning to 9/11.” All in all, Michael Moore writes about connections that the White House wants no one to make. He loves poking fun at today’s politicians and he’s always brutally honest when he does it. He is a force to be reckoned with. Dude, Where’s My Country? Warner Books, Inc. Copyright 2003, Michael Moore. 249 pages.

19 HOROSCOPES Sagittarius (Nov. 2-Dec. 21) You need some inspiration; the answer’s right in front of you. You might just be too distracted to notice. The holidays are here and it should be a much needed break. Buy some incense. Lucky numbers: 23, 52, 7. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) You haven’t been sleeping too well lately. Look to a Virgo to help you out with this. Relaxing also may be key, since your workload will lighten soon. Be prepared for the inevitable. Spend more time outdoors and wash your clothes. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb.18) If you’ve been feeling lonely, have hope: your social dry spell is about to end. Use the holidays as an excuse to party hearty. You need something different; maybe a haircut? Beware of pressures to do something you don’t feel is right for you. Trust an Aries. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Maybe being eccentric is starting to feel a little overdone. Wouldn’t it be funny if you acted like everybody else? No one would know what to do. Stop trying so hard; maybe you’ll feel comfortable in your own skin. Aries (March 21- April 19) Someone you idolize may begin a meaningful relationship with you, when you least expect it. If you’re not ready, just say it. Realize that your attitude is an important part of being able to handle all the stresses of your life right now. Peace is coming soon. Taurus (April 30-May 20) Stop searching for what you know you can’t find. If it’s gone, it’s gone, and there’s nothing you can do about it but move on. There are only a few people you really think you can trust. Don’t forget to breathe.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) You’re all about bright colors and good vibes. Someone might be doing things that you suspect are a little less than honest. You could call them on it, but it might have a few repercussions for you. Think this situation through. Cancer (June 22-July 22) Take a lesson from your peers, and don’t be afraid to ask for help once in a while. Feed your hunger for adventure; although you like being at home, sometimes you need to get out and enjoy the scenery. Leo (July 22-August 22) Watch what you say in public; something controversial could potentially haunt you for at least a little while. You will be reminded of something very important soon. Someone you take for granted, proves to be a friend. Virgo (August 23-Sept. 22) Remember how lucky you felt last month? It’s still there. Something big happened that makes you feel even more connected to your loved ones. Look forward to the holidays, and how happy everyone seems to feel. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Don’t tell people that you’ll finish something if your only plan is to pretend you’re working. You have to follow through on your commitments, or no one will trust you. There is an Aries that cares a lot more than you think. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) If you think no one sees what you do, it’s not true. More people are looking at you than you think. It’s a good thing, though; it means you have a lot of friends. Although you may not be in the mood, you have an obligation to finish.

20 What is your favorite type of coffee and why? How do you get it? “I get the mocha frappuccino from Starbucks, just because it has great taste.”

—Daniela Esprella sophomore

“I like the kind from 7- 11 because my boyfriend got me into it.”

—Angel Cregge junior

“I like mine hot and loaded with caffeine, I make it myself, and without it I would die.”

—Tony Sanchez senior

“I love the chocolate brownie frappuccino because it’s bad for you and it tastes good.”

WEEKEND

Dec. 2, 2003

Simmer down now

With the rise in popularity of coffee among teens, area cafes are competing for business B M S Java Jargon Y

OLLY

TERLACCI

Staff Writer

If you’re not a morning person and waking up is the last thing you want to do in the morning, then perhaps all you need to get you going bright and early is some tasty, flavorful coffee. Much of the student body enjoys the occasional coffee while others prefer to stick with other various hot and cold beverages with coffee in them. Still some dislike or avoid having coffee altogether. However, the majority of people who do choose to drink coffee turn to Starbucks to make their coffee purchases. “Starbucks is my favorite place to get coffee because they’re really fast and they have a lot of them,” said sophomore Elyssia Zormelo, an avid tarbucks consumer. Senior Nausheen Shanid said that Starbucks was her favorite “because it is the yummiest one and it’s a nice place to sit down in.” Also, sophomore Elizabeth Eckert said that she bought her coffee at Starbucks “because I really don’t know of any other places and that’s where my mom goes, so I go with her about once every two weeks.” Although Starbucks is the number one coffee bar for many, still others prefer the less popular but nonetheless enticing coffee shops. Junior Alisa Kieffer described her liking for Caribou Coffee, by saying “I like Caribou because it’s a more relaxed atmosphere where you can just sit on a couch and drink coffee.” Sophomore Dan Kim also described his fondness for the Coffee Beanery, saying “The coffee is delicious and they even have extra goodies you can buy.” Another place that junior Sara Fargo gets her coffee is the Alexandria Pastry Shop. “I get my coffee there because I work there and it’s a nice sit down pastry shop. Starbucks’ regular coffee also tends to be either too strong or too weak, and theirs is just right,” said Fargo. Whether its Starbucks, The Coffee Beanery, Caribou Coffee or any other coffee shop, they all have a wide array of beverages to choose from. So depending on your mood or craving, you can get anything from chilled drinks and frappuccino’s to hot latte’s and mochas. With such large varieties of beverages in the stores, it is only expected that the customers will have a wide range of favorites. “I prefer frappuccinos over coffee because there is more taste to them, and they don’t all taste the same,” said junior Caroline Cherney. “Sometimes I drink coffee, but I like hot chocolate more because I don’t want to get addicted to drinking coffee because my mom tried to stop and it gave her headaches,” said Eckert, another avid coffee drinker. Many other students agreed that frappaccinos and other cold drinks were their favorite because they were more bold and sweet. A select few, however, favored hot drinks such as lattes for being mildly sweet and still very delicious. How often do you drink coffee? While the majority of coffee drinkers only have the occasional drink, some coffee lovers rely on it to wake them wake up daily. Senior Nausheen Shanid commented on her coffee drinking habits, saying, “I drink it [coffee] about four times a week because I work in a mall and the coffee place is right next to my shop.” Similarly, junior Sara Fargo said “I have coffee twice a week when I’m working.” “Since my brother works there, I can get a discount and normally, I go maybe three times a week,” said junior Anna Horner. Also, freshman Krista Silano said “I get a frappuccino every time I go to the mall.” Junior Elizabeth Waxler said she gets coffee “just during the summer to ease my troubles when I’m feeling down.” Several, like Zormelo have it every morning to wake them up. Whatever the drive for getting coffee or a coffee variation, the appeal to the average teen for such drinks has drastically grown in the past few years.

—Nick Peyton senior

For those of us who aren’t as learned in they ways of the coffee world, here’s some helpful definitions. Black: the serious coffee drinker s coffee. usually a dark roast with no sugar or cream Cappuccino: Espresso coffee mixed or topped with steamed milk or cream. Espresso: A strong coffee brewed by forcing steam under pressure through darkly roasted, powdered coffee beans. Frappuccino: A Starbucks original, a mixture of ice, milk, coffee, and flavoring. Latte: A strong espresso coffee topped with steamed frothed milk -WWW.DICTIONARY.COM AND WWW.STARBUCKS.COM

Easy & delicious coffee recipes White chocolate coffee —3 oz. white chocolate, chopped —2 cups half ‘n half —2 cups hot coffee —whipped cream Heat the milk and chocolate together in a saucepan until melted and smooth. Stir in coffee and serve with whipped cream on top Serves 6 Molasses and cream coffee

“I only like the regular coffee, no fancy flavors. All other coffees are fu-fu coffees. ”

—1 1/2 cups hot coffee —1tsp molasses —1/8 cup light cream Combine in a mug, stir well to dissolve the molasses. Serve hot, serves 1 Coffee Grog

—Joel Cooley math teacher

—3 cups coffee —1/2 cup heavy cream —1 cup brown sugar —2 tbs butter, softened —1/4 tsp cloves, ground —1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground —1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground —peel of one orange —peel of one lemon

Other Popular Coffee Houses Misha’s 102 South Patrick Street, Alexandria (703) 548-4089

Break fruit peels into 6 pieces each. Place one piece of each into cups. Blend butter, sugar, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon in a small bowl. Mix coffee and cream together with the spice mixture. Serves 6

Cosi 700 King Street, Alexandria (703) 299-9833 The Coffee Beanery Tysons Corner Center 1961 Chain Bridge Road, McLean (703)821-6710 Chesapeake Bagel Bakery 9548 Main Street, Fairfax (703) 978-7778 Einstein Bros Bagels 9490 Main Street, Fairfax (703) 250-4045 7-Eleven 4131 Hummer Road, Annandale (703) 658-1905

-WWW.COFFEETEA/ABOUT.COM

Battle of the brews: Starbucks vs. Caribou run for its money. Caribou Coffee was first opened in 1992 by John and Kim Puckett. Caribou Coffee currently owns Restaurant guide 250 stores located in nine states By Elizabeth Nowrouz and Laura Johnson and the District. They were The essence of a coffee shop is the inspired by the scenic view of the Degrinding of the beans, the scent of nali mountain range and the Alaskan fresh-roasted coffee in the air, and the wilderness, the couple decided to create buzz that is all around. When most an atmosphere similar to the Alaskan people think of coffee, Starbucks is mountains. Their store provides the the word that first comes to mind. feeling of being at a rustic lodge in the The Seattle based coffee corpora- middle of a forest, with wooden furnition, Starbucks first opened in 1971. ture, and it also provides books and a Since then, Starbucks has opened play area for small children, which is 7225 locations worldwide and is grow- a cute and useful addition to the store. ing daily. Starbucks is a household Starbucks was created with the clasname and it’s popularity has been pre- sic coffee house in mind. Most have cozy dicted to reach the level of McDonald’s. nooks with armchairs and sofas to gather The Starbucks symbol is interna- around and sip your coffee as you read tionally recognized and they are pop- the newspaper or catch up on some work. ping up more and more, especially in Starbucks offers a wide range of crowded cities, where there is usally at beverages and a range of tasty treats. least one Starbucks every two blocks. A popular favorite is the Frappuccino, Starbucks is becoming a coffee which comes in flavors such as coffee, trademark, however an Alaskan based mocha, caramel, chocolate brownie, mocoffee company is giving Starbucks a cha coconut, vanilla creme, and coconut

NOVA Nibbles

creme. Frappucinos are so popular that of drinks, and serve them all close to they can be purchased at supermarkets. perfection. The closest Caribou CofDrinks are a little on the ex- fee is located in Kings Park Shopping pensive side, however the qual- Center, at 8948 Burke Lake Road. ity makes them well worth the price. The closest Starbucks is located within A tall (small) iced frappuccno at Star- the Safeway on Little River Turnpike. bucks costs between $3 and $4, depending on the flavor. Caribou has a version of iced coffees, with their prices close to matching those of Starbucks. How Caribou Coffee and Both stores offer much more than coffee. Many who Starbucks stack up do not drink coffee prefer their alternatives, which are extremely popular. Starbucks has hot cocoa and chocolate malts, in addition to seasonal treats such as caramel apple ci- OVERALL: 4.5 OVERALL: 4 der and the gingerbread latte. In the non-coffee department, Caribou is well-pre- FOOD: 5 FOOD: 4 pared, with selection along the same lines as Starbucks. The stores are also branch- CLEANLINESS: 4 CLEANLINESS: 3.5 ing out much more, including salads, subs and fruit in coolers for an easy grab-and-go SERVICE: 4 SERVICE: 3.5 lunch. Both also offer cookies, cakes, and brownies to go along with your beverage. Both Caribou and Starbucks have a wide variety