Issue 5

Tue. Dec. 12, 2017 Vol. 63 Issue #5

Annandale High School’s

THE A BLAST Informing the Atoms since 1954

4700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003 www.thea-blast.org

Green Atoms invite etymologist to speak about insects

BY BINQI CHEN Co-Editor in Chief As a continuing part of their Wild Annandale Speaker’s series, the Green Atoms will be hosting entomologist Ashley Kennedy. Kennedy is currently pursuing a doctorate’s degree at the University of Delaware.

Kennedy will be explaining the importance of insects in the environment. She is also a trained specialist in insect taxonomy and identification.

Kennedy is currently also doing research to learn more about the interaction between birds and insects.

She will be offering insight about how the insects provide nutrition for birds, as well as the general symbiotic relationship between the two animals.

She will be talking about the insects in the Northern Virginia area and ways students can help them.

The club members will also be gaining insight on how insects are a vital source of food to most birds. They

“The idea behind the Wild Annandale Speaker’s series is to help kids in the club and also kids in the school learn more their environment.”

--ANNE BROSNAN

Green Atoms Sponsor

will also learn about the role during birds’ breeding time. Kennedy will help to promote the idea of conservation of placed where different birds nest and raise their young.

“The idea behind the WIld Annandale Speaker’s series is to help kids in the club and also kids in the school learn more their environment,” club sponsor and school psychologist Anne Brosnan said.

This meeting is important and applicable to the Green Atoms as they are restoring the courtyards around the school, beyond their weekly recycling. The courtyards around the school will serve as an ecosystem to many organisms, including insects.

The overall goal is to help students care for their surrounding environment.

Brosnan also hopes to show students interested in pursuing a science or environmental career show a possible job path. Brosnan has been inviting people from different industries to speak in the series.

The event is open to all AHS students. Many science teachers are also offering extra credit for attending students.

Kennedy will be speaking in the library on Wednesday December 13 after school from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m.

School Board to vote on calendar Students will learn of upcoming date changes BYASEAL SAED Co-Editor in Chief The School Board will vote on the upcoming year’s calendar on Thursday Dec. 14. Students will learn of any changes for the upcoming school year.

It is most likely that there will be no changes to the calendar, however, on Monday, there will be closed discussions to discuss any changes.

The first day will remain in August, but any changes to teacher work days for next year will be decided in this upcoming School Board vote on Dec. 14.

Anissa Cheikh commits to Virginia Military Institute SPORTS X-TRA 15

THE SEASON OF GIVING Clubs offer service opportunities to students during the holiday season

BY ASEAL SAED Co-Editor in Chief Clausen Hall was transformed into Santa’s workshop as Key Club students busily worked to create blankets for INOVA Children’s Hospital.

Students were put in five groups, and each group was assigned to cut pieces of fleece and line them with additional strips for design.

The room, decorated with holiday decorations and lights, created a warm atmosphere for students to work as Home Alone played in the background for students to enjoy.

In two hours, the group made six large blankets to donate to the Children’s Hospital.

“I wanted to host a fun holiday event that would give people an easy opportunity to get community service hours,” Key Club President Shirley Chu said.

After the blankets were made, they were taken to the hospital for donation.

The event, free for all students to join, offered two hours of service for students who participated.

Key Club gives several service opportunities for students throughout the year and partners with several community service organizations.

“Making all the blankets was actually a lot of fun. We got a lot of work done while also having fun with friends,” senior Afomia Assefa said. “Watching the Christmas movie while making blankets put me in the mood to work.”

This is one of several service opportunities available for students during the holiday season.

As part of the season of giving, several clubs and organizations within the school have worked hard to establish service opportunities for

students.

Leadership has created several opportunities for students to give during the season.

Earlier this month, Leadership led a clothing drive for the Parent Resource Center (PRC.) Throughout November, Leadership collected over 50 articles of clothing for the Center.

The PRC works with underprivileged students and provides services for them. Students who may not have access to school supplies, food, and any other necessary resources often go to the center.

The center accepts donations throughout the year to help students.

Students can donate gently worn clothing and unopened hygiene products (shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, soap, toothpaste, laundry detergent) directly to the center.

Leadership decided to pair up with the center as a way to be more helpful to the community.

“Leadership likes to help our community within the school and the Resource Center actually reaches out to students,” Leadership advisor Jessica Arias said.

Leadership hopes to continue to work with the center in the future.

Another club using this season to give service is Hispanic Leadership Club. The club plans on helping with a Toy Drive at the Mary Center on Dec. 22 .

“We wanted to incorporate elements of service with the club,” Vice President Valeria Salinas said. “We hope that this shows how Hispanic Leadership takes on a more active role in the club.”

Hispanic Leadership Club was brought back this year to take on a more active role for Hispanic students to unite. They hope that the club will take on more service roles in the community.

CONT. PAGE 4

Students explore Young People Coming options Together hosts holiday party class Elective Fair approaches in January

BY BINQI CHEN Co-Editor in Chief Surrounded by lights and holiday-themed music, the Young People Coming Together Club held its annual holiday party. The event took place Wednesday Dec. 6 after school in Clausen Hall.

Hosted by the special education department, the party brought together students with special needs at AHS along with other students without special events.

“We try to have two events per month,” Work Awareness and Transition teacher Lawrence Cooper said. “We are trying to bridge the gap between special education and generation education.”

Cooper teaches Work Awareness and Transition, which is a course offered by FCPS at both the middle school and high school level. It aims to educate students with disabilities and emphasizes personal awareness, career exploration, and work expectations. This is an essential class in the special education curriculum.

During the holiday celebration, decorations were hung and music was played. The kids, with smiles on their faces and hands held with one another, enjoyed their time being together. Half of the entire special education department was also present.

Senior class President

“The goal of the elective fair is for students to have a better understanding of the classes they plan on taking,” ValenStudents will have the cia said. opportunity to explore class Some students wish for more options during the Elective time with teachers to underFair on Jan. 10. The fair helps stand the meaning of the classstudents get a better under- es fully. standing of their options, and “I wish we got more time with prepare for course selections. the teachers so we could learn Seniors will be excused more about the classes,” Idris from attending, and instead said. “With more time, I could will have a class meetlearn more about the ing. teacher.”

During the elective Overall, the elecfair students choose tive fair is usually four elective classsuccessful and benes they are interesteficial by helping ed in signing up for, students figure out and a fifth backup which classes they class. There are four will be signing up VALENCIA sessions, and during for in the upcoming Counselor each session teachers months.

“We want stuexplain their elective Business classes class and tell students dents to make usually have a large an educated about the course expecturnout for each sesdecision once tations. This helps stusion because ecodents to know if they students come nomics and personal down here and are choosing the right finance is mandatory register for class ahead of time. to graduate. classes with “Last year’s elective In business, stuus.” fair was definitely helpdents learn that ful. Both of the classes the most important I am in right now actuthing is that they pay ally are because of the themselves back so fair,” sophomore Hakim Idris to build an emergency fund or said. always have money there when Many teachers have dif- they need it instead of having to ferent ways of showing their always take out a loan. class to the students and to “We want students to make show the course plan. Some an educated decision once stuteachers prepare a handout dents come down here and regbeforehand, others set up a ister for classes with us,” Luis PowerPoint presentation.

Valencia.

BY ASEAL SAED Co-Editor in Chief

GRACE HOGYE

Featured speaker

COMMITTED AS A JUNIOR!

McKenzie Yi helped the other kids decorate cookies. “Then we started a dance party! It was super fun dancing with them and making them laugh,” Yi said.

Yi has also volunteered with Young People Coming Together for last year’s Prom.

Even though at AHS, the after school club is called Young People Coming Together, it is more widely known as Best Buddies in other schools around the county. Despite the name difference, the goal is ultimately still the same.

Not only has Young People Coming Together hosted Christmas parties, but one of its most popular events is the

Students from Young People Coming Together Club dance during the annual Christmas pasty held on Dec. 6 after school in Clausen Hall.

Special Education Prom held in the Spring. The department has also fundraised for Autism Awareness as well as giving students the chance to learn how to play the guitar with the music department.

“It is a way to have special education students interact with those without disabilities,” Lawrence said.

Both groups of students were able to learn from and befriend each other.

“I think the best part of doing best buddies is just spending time with them,” Yi said. “It is super fun just dancing and singing with them.

Just being there is a fun experience.”

2 EDITORIALS

Tues. Dec. 12, 2017

Tips to help with procrastination

NETFLIX

BY SUAD MOHAMED Editorials Editor

Stranger Things actor Finn Wolfhard, second from the right, is one of the many celebrities who have had unfavorable moments with overenthusiastic fans.

Leave celebrities alone Famous people are not obligated to greet their fans

BY SUAD MOHAMED Editorials Editor Last month, Stranger Things actor Finn Wolfhard came under fire by fans of the show on Twitter.

Why? Simply because he refused to greet fans who had waited for him outside of his hotel.

Wolfhard cited the need for privacy as his reason for not stopping for the fans.

Soon enough, people began calling him “heartless” and “rude” and threatened to stop watching his show.

Others said that as a celebrity, he should not expect to have his privacy maintained.

“Crazy fans come with the job,” one person tweeted.

As a response, other actors came to

Wolfhard’s defense, including fellow Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapp, who tweeted that “We all need a break sometimes.”

The situation died down within a week, but it sparked a new debate: should famous people like actors and singers expect their fans to respect their privacy?

The only right answer to this question is yes.

It is time that regular people start treating celebrities as people with feelings, rather than treating them like caged animals at a zoo.

There is no one that would like to have people insist on having a conversation with them. There is no one who wants random people to show up at their door.

“Celebrities should have their privacy and need for solitude respected.

They’re people as well. They deserve the same amount of respect that regular people do,” sophomore Rafi Krikorian said.

Celebrities are people too. Things like having an iPhone shoved in their face can make them uncomfortable the same way it would anyone else.

Just like normal people, the famous will have bad days where they want to be left alone, or days where they want to relax with family and friends.

When a fan comes rushing to them to have a few minutes of attention, it is annoying and will agitate the celebrity.

Actress Jennifer Lawrence has said that when people come up to her in public, she gets so irritated that she tells them that “it’s my day off.”

And who can blame her? Who would not get upset when their work gets in the way of what was supposed to be a fun, calm day?

“Just because they are celebrities doesn’t mean that we should know everything about them or that they have to say ‘hi’ to us,” Krikorian said.

If someone sees a famous person

and wants to approach them, they should do it calmly and ask before trying to take a picture.

If the celebrity doesn’t want to talk, then just leave. It does not mean that they are mean or that they don’t appreciate their fans. It just means that they want a moment to themselves in their ordinarily hectic lives.

Social media has created a new platform where celebrities are free to interact with fans at any moment.

Many celebrities have accounts on apps like Twitter. People should take advantage of that and try to get the attention of celebrities there instead of forcing it in person.

Celebrities spend long hours crafting art for people to enjoy.

Sure, they earn an exorbitant amount of money for it and they get to attend award shows and other events.

But at they end of the day, they are human beings just doing what they love. They shouldn’t have to deal with incessant harassment because of it.

Community service is healthy for teens Students’ self esteem improves after completing volunteer work Most students find community service to be something that they have to do.

It is required to volunteer for government classes and the IB Middle Years Program Certificate.

Many clubs and honor societies also require completing service hours.

In order to earn the service learning cord, one must volunteer for 40 hours.

An additional 10 hours will earn them the Virginia civic seal.

Others may see it as simply another thing to fill a transcript.

In reality, community service is one of the healthiest things a teenager can do.

When people volunteer to help others, whether it is children, the injured, elderly people, or even just a friend, they are establishing the mind-set of helping others without benefitting personally.

This makes people more giving and nicer.

“Volunteering has taught me to put others before myself,” sophomore Karla Mercado-Dorado said. “It has made me more generous and encourages me to help others in my day to day life.”

Also, knowing that they have helped others make people feel better about Senior Kevin Hoang helps sophomore Jose Garcia with an essay for English. themselves and boosts self esteem, “When I do volunteer work, I feel wouldn’t have come across or struck Volunteer work distracts teens from like I have done some good for the up a conversation with in other situa- spending time using their phones, and world,” Mercado-Dorado said. “That tions,” junior Arafat Aliya said. participating in detrimental activities feeling makes me feel like a better perCommunity service is also benefi- such as drug use. son.”

“If I didn’t use so much of my time cial in that it helps people build a conAdditionally, research shows that nection with their community. doing community service, I would probcompleting volunteer work helps peoEnvironmental based volunteer ably be spending an unhealthy amount ple develop social skills and meet new work helps keep the area clean and of time watching television or scrolling people. This helps fend off things like safe for fellow inhabitants. through social media,” Aliya said. “So feelings of loneliness.

Helping people by tutoring and sim- I’m thankful that I have something to “Community service is a social and ilar activities helps further the success take up my time.” fun activity,” IB MYP Coordinator and of fellow community members. This in Community service, albeit being Service Learning Liaison Laura Wells turn betters the community as a whole. tedious at time, is valuable. said.

“The key to letting service learnCommunity service is also a better Students agree with this, too. way for students to spend their time ing benefit you is doing something that “Through my volunteer work, I have doing. you will enjoy,” Wells said. definitely befriended a lot of people I

SUAD MOHAMED

BY SUAD MOHAMED Editorials Editor

MANAGING EDITOR Grace Hogye NEWS EDITOR Diego Feliciano EDITORIALS EDITORS Ruth Mekonnen Suad Mohamed COPY EDITOR Yvonne White IN-DEPTH EDITORS Casey Nguyen Kim Vaides SPORTS EDITORS Fares Ayoub Luke Elkins SPORTS XTRA EDITORS Jude Nanaw Ethan Zimmerman WEEKEND EDITORS Cameron Foti Halley Thadeus

ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Lina Al Taii Nicolle Uria Christian Reyes LIFESTYLES EDITORS Yabi Bereket Ivanna Perez PEOPLE EDITOR Henry Hoang ARTS EDITORS Maryam Dereje Galilea Sejas HEALTH EDITORS Rachel Shogren PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS Serene Ghul Katie Pope

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Lennon Wuhrer STAFF WRITERS Khadija Ahmed Jamie Baker Alexander Burita Shyeim Campbell Jacqueline Claros Lopez Mya Clyburn Pablo Gammara Noe Gonzalez Jamileh Hamadeh Abraham Kebrom Mahdi Larhmari Elias Moura Arzoo Marzi Tiana Reams Erik Rivas-Martinez Jason Reyes Hasan Royer Victor Torrico Calderon

ACADEMICS EDITORS Jessica Salisbury Kavi Shamdin WEB EDITOR/MASTER Victor Nguyen AD MANAGER Yvonne White CIRCULATION MANAGER Yvonne White

Follow The A-Blast

1

DON’T THINK, JUST DO A lot of the time, people chalk up the inability to do work to anxiety.

Stressing over what grade you could potentially get is not going to help you do your work. In fact, over thinking will only hinder you. Instead, you should create a rough outline of your assignment and jot down all your thoughts.

Once you have something written down, even if it is arbitrary, it will be easier and less exasperating to get through the work.

2

TAKE A DEEP BREATH You will not be able to do your work efficiently if you are on edge. Pushing through the work will only make you more nervous and will probably lead to mistakes and low quality work. The best thing to do when this happens is to just relax. Take a 30 minute power nap. Watch an episode of your favorite show on Netfllix. Eat a snack and drink something soothing like green tea. Go through a few reps of your preferred stretches. Once your brain has calmed down, you should feel rejuvenated enough to return to your work.

3

DO EASY THINGS FIRST Teachers oftentimes leave the harder questions for the last page of the test, and there is a reason for that. If you do easier things first, you will build a momentum that will make it less of a burden to do the harder assignments. Also, doing easier assignments first helps build self-confidence that you have the ability to do the rest of your work.

4

BREAK UP YOUR WORK Trying to study for a big test or annotate a book the day before will put too much stress on you. It will feel impossible to complete the work, and you likely won’t do that well. To help with big assignments, you should break down your work. Spread out assignment over several weeks, and do it bit by bit so that it will feel like less of a hardship.

5

MANAGE YOUR TIME You can do multiple extracurricular activities, have a social life and still be able to complete your tasks in a timely fashion. How? Take advantage of your time. When teachers give time in class to work on homework, use that time. Don’t waste your time talking during W4; utilize that time to get work done. For after school and the weekends, come up with a schedule of when to do what assignment. Buy a calender or whiteboard to make time management easier.

Monthly Poll

THE A BLAST STAFF CO-EDITORS IN CHIEF Binqi Chen Aseal Saed

Undoubtedly, everyone has suffered through a bout of not being able to do work..

Whether it’s due to being caught up with sports and other extracurricular activities or simply not being in the mood to do work in a timely fashion, procrastination affects everyone.

While some say that the pressure that comes with doing homework at the last minute is the secret formula to producing great work, sometimes it can cause a steep drop in grades.

Below is a list of things to do for the next time you feel the urge to delay doing work:

Look out for the next poll @theablast on Twitter to vote for the next issue!

Annandale High School Vol 63. Issue No. 5 4700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003 The A-Blast is an awardwinning newspaper that strives to inform, educate and entertain the student body and community.

Published monthly, The A-Blast will not print any material that is obscene or libelous; or that which substantially disrupts the school day, or invades an individual’s right to privacy. The A-Blast is an independent, open forum for discussion that is printed at the Springfield Plant of The Washington Post.

Signed letters to the editor of 250 words or less may be emailed to theablast2017@gmail.com or submitted to room 262 or mailed to the school. The A-Blast reserves the right to refuse advertisements.

All submissions become property of The A-Blast, Copyright, 2017.

63

people voted

24% said that they would prefer a longer winter break and a shorter summer break 24% said that they would prefer a shorter winter break and a longer summer break 52% said that they

would prefer that the schedule be kept the way it is

JOHN LOPEZ senior “I would just keep the schedule the way it is right now because everyone needs a long break towards the end of December. The amount of time we have over the summer is perfect, too.”

BRENDA HUAMANI sophomore “I definitely would prefer to have a longer summer break. During winter break, you can’t really relax because you still have school to worry about. But during summer break, you don’t can do things without the thought of school.”

EDITORIALS 3

Tues. Dec. 12, 2017

Net Neutrality: why we need it

BY BINQI CHEN Co Editor-in-Chief The internet has become an integral part of the lives of most Americans.

The daily and constant use of the internet has built up certain expectations within consumers.

It is expected that with entry to the world wide web means having the ability to access to any website.

It is also expected that cable and phone companies would not interfere with any and all websites for the sake of making more money.

Most importantly, it is expected that the internet would remain open and free for the rest of its existence.

However, these expectations may be coming to a quick end.

The Trump administration has challenged the existence of net neutrality.

The Federal Communications Commission unveiled a plan on November 30 that would repeal the current policy that was established during the Obama administration.

This plan was created by the Trump appointed Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Ajit Varadaraj Pai. Net neutrality is the idea that Internet service providers (ISP) such as Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon can’t block or favor websites to their consumers based on the content that they offer.

All web content is treated equally under net neutrality.

This new policy has conditions that would make net neutrality something voluntary for ISPs to follow.

Reasons why net neutrality should stay • The economy is able to benefit better if we have net neutrality because most of our spending is on the internet • Net neutrality increases freedom of speech because it enables us to freely roam any website we want rather than be regulated • It will limit gatekeepers by letting us, the consumers, control what we want to search • Keeping net neutrality will increase an equal playing field for companies and businesses because the consumers are the ones that decide However, due to the nature of big companies, it is expected that consumers would get the short end of the deal and their internet connection would be disrupted.

The FCC will vote on the new proposal on Dec. 14.

Net neutrality is integral to the future of the internet.

A free and open internet would not only allow consumers to have equal access to the internet, but it would give a platform for everybody to express their opinions.

Having a free internet would also allow typically unheard groups of people to rally together.

Activists are able to gather together at short notice because their content isn’t restricted by ISPs. Companies should not have the authority to censor content from certain websites just because they are a competitor.

The cancellation of net neutrality would only marginalize those who are already underrepresented in mainstream media.

It would also widen the wealth gap in the United States.

For those living in areas with limited choices in ISPs, they would have no choice but to comply with the limitations that the companies have set.

Americans vs. compromise

Price inflation for internet access would skyrocket.

Under the FCC’s new rules would allow ISPs to discriminate and establish pay-to-play fast lanes.

If an ISP feels like one of their rivals is rising in popularity, they can slow down the connection to that particular website.

In order to have a faster connection to that site again, the customers would have to pay extra.

Not only does net neutrality benefit individual consumers, it is also a principle that would help businesses as well.

It would aid those who are dependent upon the open internet to jumpstart their personal businesses.

The policy would create and competitions markets.

Business owners are able to advertise their products and services.

They are able to reach customers on a global scale and innovation is fostered.

Repealing net neutrality is a threat to the internet’s democracy.

It would also send out the message that the United States does not care about an important aspect of equality in today’s world.

Other countries look to America in making decisions in their own nation.

The Executive should send out the clear message that it would not tolerate any threat to freedom to the internet.

In conclusion, the disbandment of net neutrality would only harm Americans.

The internet is a public good and should remain as such.

Should we keep net neutrality?

DECLAN FARIS Sophomore Hopefully they vote to keep it because if the point of net neutrality is to be closer to freedom of speech, then hanging it would mean that bigger companies would be able to serve only their own product JOSEPH COURTNEY Junior I feel like the lawmakers aren’t taking into consideration about a lot of what the people want and most senators have been bought by big companies like Verizon that we’re not going to get what we want.

LUISANGEL RODRIGUEZNISHIKI Senior I think that it should stay because without it our freedom of speech will be restricted and I don’t believe that anyone should take that away from us

What does freedom of speech really mean?

BY TJ GONZALEZ Staff Writer It’s understood that bipartisanship is more for Congress than it is for the American Civilization, yet bipartisanship is the involvement of two opposing political parties agreeing or cooperating with each other on policies The American people have never seen eye-to-eye on a large number of issues until a congress introduced a bipartisanship bill or law that in past memory, the American people are satisfied with.

Though, until recently, the American public has just been at each other’s throats.

Americans can’t agree on a healthcare plan, they don’t want to listen to either side’s stance on abortion or tax reform.

Americans take each other on in Twitter wars about gun control, Trump, and immigration, and anyone who gets involved, their mentions just turn ugly, and so they fight fire with fire.

So, what is it? Why can’t Americans stop bickering with each other?

Bigotry? Social Media? Our Parties? Our mind sets?

A few teachers, mainly the government teachers, took a stance on this topic “I think that politics today has just become too extreme, and it’s become more of winning the latest battle,” Margaret Richburg said, one of the Government 10 Honors teacher, in her stance on how there isn’t much bipartisanship or agreement within the American people.

“It’s about keeping score.

BY RUTH MEKONNEN Editorials Editor

The 2016 election, in which Donald Trump won, increased the opposition of the sides. Rather than helping the American people come together, Trump has fueled many of the debates by making lots of comments.

One-upping the other side more so about doing what’s right or what’s best for most Americans. Both sides [of the aisle] are equally guilty of looking out for themselves as a party first. Party first instead of country or citizen first.”

Joel Jepson, a World History teacher, not only believes that leadership is a problem in why the American people lash out at each other, but also social media the power it has behind it.

“We have lost the ability to have this face-to-face conversation with one another,” Jepson said.

“It’s easy to sit in your room and type an insult that goes out into this gray area that most people would, probably, normally would not do. As a result of that, it has seeped into how we view each other, how we communicate with one another.”

“That’s where we’re going to first; insults as opposed to ‘stop’, and listening to what the person has to say.”

Matthew O’Neill, a World History II and Government 12 teacher had his own comment on this topic.

“I think often times, differences with each other are actually easier to highlight and it’s sometimes harder to find common ground with people than

it is to see the differences with people.”

Americans, on a large majority of topics, do agree with each other.

Though, it’s so much easier to focus on the issues that we disapprove of and disagree with other people. That is what people tend to focus on.

It’s no longer a calm discussion about our differences and hoping both our parties can find a solution to this issue. It’s now yelling and screaming at each other until we both drop.

It’s disappointing little to no one wants to meet at the table. If there are, they’re too concerned their party will shun them for doing so.

Nobody wants to hear other’s opinions, they just want to surround themselves with what they want to hear.

We used to be able to talk about our beliefs and allow it to carry on to what could be a solution you could share with your congressman or senator. Now, its constant arguments and insults on social media, and brawls when there are protests.

This generation is starting to enclose them. They say they have an open mind, yet their attitudes toward each other ooze bigotry and hatred, from both sides.

MAKIN’ THE GRADE Colin Kaepernick’s award

Protest at the Supreme Court in June 2015. This was during the Supreme Court case that enabled same-sex marriage all across the United States.

This monumental decision was met by a lot of praise and lots believed that it could be the end for discrimination based on sexual orientation. other businesses will begin to refuse services to others.

There are many things that play into factor with this decision so it is no wonder that the Supreme Court is highly split.

Freedom of speech is something that is very difficult to define. When does it turn from expressing our views to crossing the line?

At a time where there is such a divide and there are strong opinions to be held, it is important to define what freedom of speech truly means.

Cartoonist Corner

Tuesday December 5th, Colin Kaepernick was presented Sports Illustrated’s Muhammad Ali Legacy Award by Beyonce. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback is being honored for using his platform to protest racial injustice and police brutality by kneeling for the national anthem. His action sparked a movement. Kaepernick sacrificed a lot by remaining unsigned by an NFL team after a year.

Plarn keeping people warm For those of you who have never heard of it, plarn is yarn made from plastic bags.

A Canadian teacher from Winnipeg is helping kids make sleeping bags from plarn for the homeless. Not only are these mats warm but they come in different designs.

Each mat uses about 500 plastic bags. The air is getting colder and may homeless people are in need of warmth so this is a great way of reusing plastic for the better.

Instagram’s fight to end animal cruelty When at a zoo or seeing a rare species of bird, we can’t stop but take pictures to show. However, Instagram officials are putting an end to this selfie madness since many of these innocent looking pictures are often disguised by animal cruelty. By searching or clicking on tags will now be met with a pop up message which will educate the public about the dangers of taking selfies as such.

Russia banned from Winter Olympics The International Olympic Committee banned Russia from the Winter Olympics in South Korea because they have reasons to believe that Russian athletes have been using dope. Not all Russians are prohibited from participating since clean athletes will be allowed to compete as long as they are doing it as a neutral team. Although embarrassing for Russia, this is essential in preventing an unfair advantage

ERNEST OWEN

A B B F

When a person hears the word wedding, they immediately begin to imagine laughter, happiness, the joining of two souls and most importantly cake.

A cake is a symbol of celebration..

We eat it for birthday’s, wedding’s, graduation’s, just about any accomplishment.

So when David Mullins and Charlie Craig walked into a bakery shop in July 2012 and were refused service for their wedding cake, you can imagine their frustration.

Not only were they stopped from having a staple piece at their wedding but the reason for it was simply because the bakery owner Jack C. Phillips disagreed with their union.

Phillips believes that since cakes are artistic, he is not required to make one based on a message that he doesn’t believe in.

In a country where we are able to speak our minds and opinions are more than encouraged, it is hard to control and filter what we can say and what we can’t.

The main issue in this is that no one can really force Phillips to change his views because at the end of the day, they are his views.

Not only that but his views come from his religion which no one can really impose on.

However, this exact view was viewed with such public scrutiny considering that gay marriage was just allowed.

Many fear that if the Supreme Court votes in favor of the baker that

4 NOTICIAS DESTACADAS

Mаrtes. Diciembre 12, 2017

La oficina central de la escuela tambien decidió decorar y demostrar el espίritu navideño

Tradiciones alrededor del mundo Navidad es una tradicion mundial pero todos tenemos la duda de como se celebra en otras partes del mundo POR DIEGO FELICIANO Editor de Noticias La Navidad es una tradición mundial, muchos países tienen la costumbre de poner un árbol de Navidad y decorarlo, otros países ponen al niño Jesús debajo del árbol pero ¿no tienes curiosidad si se celebra lo mismo en todas los países o que diferencia hay entre todas?

Aquí hay una lista de algunos países y sus tradiciones en la Navidad.

España-en el país de España es común asistir a la “misa del Gallo”, Ésta es nombrada así porque un gallo cantó en la noche en que Jesús nació. La comida tradicional durante la víspera de la Navidad es el pavo trufado de Navidad (pavo relleno de hongos y vegetales) y en la parte del noroeste lo tradicional es la comida del mar desde camarones hasta cangrejos.

A la medianoche, la gente camina por las calles llevando antorchas, tocando sus guitarras y sus tambores.

También en España se celebra la fiesta de los Reyes Magos, en esta festividad, los niños dejan una carta pidiendo los regalos que quieren y los padres dejan un vaso de coñac, mandarinas y algunas nueces.

Alemania--En Alemania, ellos tienen un estilo diferente al celebrar el adviento, esto se trata de poner pequeñas bolsas con regalos para cada dia.

También ellos sirven ganso o pescado con un pan especial similar al panetón. En las demás tradiciones, ellos siguen lo mismo que en los Estados Unidos como recibir regalos y hay personas que cantan en sus puertas pero lo increíble es que ellos escriben en tu puerta la frase 20CMB18 con carbón por la llegada del Año Nuevo pero tú no lo puedes borrar porque es de mala suerte hacerlo.

Rusia--No era muy común celebrar Navidad en Rusia en los tiempos de la Unión Soviética, pero una vez que la Unión Soviética cayó la gente ya fue libre de celebrarla. En la Unión Soviética, la gente no conoce a Papá Noel, en vez ellos conocen al Abuelo Frost o en ruso ‘Ded Moroz’, también está acompañada por su nieta

(Snegurochka). La Navidad es celebrada el 7 de Enero o el 25 de diciembre para algunos católicos.

Esta fecha es diferente porque la iglesia ortodoxa rusa usa el viejo calendario juliano para las celebraciones religiosas.

También la gente en Rusia no come hasta que la primera estrella aparezca, pero una vez que aparece ellos tienen un festín con puerco , ganso y de postre ellos comen pan de frutas, galletas de jengibre y galletas de miel.

México-- En México, la Navidad es celebrada desde el 12 de diciembre hasta el 6 de enero.

Desde el 16 de diciembre hasta la víspera de Navidad los niños celebran las ‘Posada’. Esto es celebrado debido a la historia que María y José buscaron un lugar para quedarse.

Hay en total nueve posadas y en cada una los niños tienen que cantar en cada casa hasta que les dejen entrar. Una vez adentro, los niños tienen que rezar y agradecer por la oportunidad de quedarse. Cada noche, diferentes casas realizan esta fiesta y en la noche de antes del nacimiento de Jesús se pone las pequeñas estatuas de Maria, Jose y Jesus. A medianoche, las familias van a la iglesia para celebrar la Navidad.

Un juego muy tradicional de México son las piñatas, generalmente son redondas y tienen

cinco picos representando los pecados capitales. Cada niño se turna para golpear a la piñata y una vez que es destruida todos corren a agarrar los dulces.

Reino Unido--En el Reino Unido las familias celebran la Navidad juntos y al igual que en los Estados Unidos ellos tienen la misma costumbre de decorar sus árboles, decorar sus casas y tienen la misma creencia en Papá Noel. Para la comida, ellos comen pavo con vegetales y a veces tocino y salchicha. Tradicionalmente, antes de que ellos tuvieran el pavo disponible,ellos comían carne o ganso.

El postre más famoso para ellos es el pastel de Navidad, hay gente que lo adora y gente que lo desprecia. Es un pastel de frutas cubierto con mazapán y crema.

Cada país tiene su propia tradición, ademas todos ponen su empeño para que sea exitoso y los invitados vivan un buen momento pero lo más importante es pasarla en familia y estar unidos en la Navidad, los regalos no son importantes, lo único que importa es saludar y abrazar a tus seres queridos. Ese es el mensaje principal de esta Navidad y de cualquier otra festividad.

Se les desea una feliz navidad a todos los estudiantes y un feliz año nuevo.

El programa de DACA esta progresando hasta cierto punto con ambos partidos POR DIEGO FELICIANO Editor de noticias Para muchos, la actual situación con DACA es confusa. Muchos piensan que ya se quedó en un acuerdo, pero lamentablemente, con el receso del Día de acción de gracias, la situación es la misma; se espera que los demócratas empujen por una solución para el final del año de lo contrario los republicanos lo moverán para enero.

Actualmente hubo unas reuniones por parte del senador Dick Durbin de Illinois para negociar con los republicanos un plan para DACA, pero en la junta, los republicanos ofrecieron trabajar en un buen plan a cambio de negociar para tener más seguridad en el borde y fuerza doméstica pero esas platicas pararon debido a que los demócratas se negaron a negociar un plan con esos acuerdos.

El Senador Durbin dijo que la negociación paró porque el otro partido no estaban hablando seriamente para empezar una negociación.

Pero lo importante es que Durbin está encontrando a senadores que votarán a favor del Dream Act,, hasta ahora él tiene el apoyo de seis senadores pero él necesitaba seis más para poder avanzar con la mayoría.

Además la idea principal del Senador es ponerla en un bill para hacerlo más sencillo

En Annandale, el grupo de lideres Hispanos esta a favor de un plan para DACA y darles un mensaje de que si quieren tener más dinero para otros proyectos ellos tendrán que votar por el bill de DACA y negociar.

En general la rama del gobierno que aceptó daca es la casa de los representantes, ellos tienen entre 20 y 40 republicanos que enviarán una carta a Paul Ryan haciendo claro que ellos quieren una solución para DACA al final del año.

Pero Ryan comentó que no habrá un trato acerca de DACA en privado, pero no descartó la idea de tener uno en el futuro. Por ahora los republicanos esperando a que los demócratas llegan a negociar con ellos.

En este momento ambos partidos están tirando la carga de uno al otro pero la realidad es que los demócratas son los que tienen la responsabilidad de recuperar DACA

porque es el ideal de su partido y también ellos saben cómo convencer a algunos republicanos para apoyar a DACA, más que todo al darles lo que más quieren, más dinero para el gobierno, pero si ellos no llegan a un acuerdo a tiempo, habrá un cierre de gobierno donde ninguna ley se pasará para ambos partidos.

Basado en lo que dijo la líder minoritaria Nancy Pelosi, será la culpa de los republicanos si llegan a ese punto porque ellos tienen la mayoría de la Casa de Representantes y el Senado. Lo contrario piensan los republicanos, pero la única persona que puede hacer la situación más fácil o difícil es el presidente Trump.

Todos estos cambios de ideas del presidente desesperan a la gente y les dan falsas ilusiones de que él cambió sus ideales y realmente quiere ayudar a la gente pero él está dando la oportunidad al Congreso y al Senado de actuar y ayudar a la gente con DACA. Ambos partidos tienen hasta el siguiente año para actuar pero los demócratas están empujando para que puedan pasar una ley este diciembre, la desventaja es que otras otras leyes importantes como la de los impuestos están activas en este momento haciendo más difícil concentrarse en DACA. En septiembre él dio su apoyo a DACA al llamarlos jóvenes hábiles pero semanas atrás él volvió a escribir que los demócratas quieren que todos los inmigrantes vengan a la nación y que no hará ningún trato con Pelosi y Chuck Schumer.

Lo único que queda a las personas que les interesa el tema es pedirles a sus representantes y senadores que actúen para que puedan pasar una nueva ley y principalmente tener fe de que la situación se mejorará para todos.

Que es lo que le pasa al Presidente ?

El presidente llego al maximo con sus insultos POR DIEGO FELICIANO Editor de Noticias El presidente Trump hizo unos chistes de mal gusto en el evento en honor a los nativos americanos. El señor presidente hizo una referencia a la actual senadora de Massachusetts Elizabeth Warren al llamarla Pocahontas. “ Quisiera agradecerles porque son personas muy, muy especiales. Ustedes estaban aquí mucho antes de que ninguno de nosotros estuviera aquí”, dijo Trump a los nativos presentes. “Aunque tenemos una representante en el Congreso que dicen que estaba aquí desde hace mucho tiempo. La llaman Pocahontas.” dijo el presidente Trump.

Además de este chiste, el presidente no se dio cuenta que el evento fue realizado en frente de el cuadro de Andrew Jackson, el presidente que estuvo a cargo de mudar a la majoria de los nativos americanos de sus casas al lado oeste de la nación que para ese entonces no estaba descubierta.

Para muchos este evento fue una falta de respeto para la comunidad de los nativos americanos e inclusive para la nación porque él nos representa.

Lo increíble es que ésta no es la primera vez que el Presidente Trump faltó el respeto a un miembro del Senado, previamente el candidato Trump criticó al senador John

ilegales.

También estos problemas se realizaron internacionalmente, él hizo un chiste absurdo con la Canciller Angela Merkel al decir que ambos tienen algo en común porque Obama les grabó en secreto y en otra ocasión el presidente Trump empujó al primer ministro de Montenegro para poder estar en frente y llamar la atención La gran pregunta es hasta qué punto el presidente llegará con sus insultos y si realmente se da cuenta que él representa a toda la gente de los Estados Unidos y no sus propios ideales.A pesar de que el señor presidente dijo desde el inicio que él no es un político regular y que él dice lo que le viene a la mente, él tiene que pensar que lo que dice tiene consecuencias con el País y con su administración.

Sus insultos llegaron hasta el punto que El Presidente Trump llego a hacer una referen- el New York Times publicó una larga lista cia a Elizabeth Warren en un evento para los con los insultos que él dijo a distintos medios de comunicación, de política e incluso a famoIndios Americanos sos.

Mccain de no ser un héroe de guerra porque Lo increíble de todo esto es que la gente él fue capturado y desde su punto de vista, que lo apoya no le importa lo que él dice y ser capturado no significa ser un héroe de más bien están alegres de que él se expreguerra. sa de esa manera porque ellos no pueden Las críticas no pararon ahí, él criticó a decir eso, también su propio gabinete decidió cada persona que se atravesó en su camino ayudarle y defender lo que dice aunque sea para llegar a la Casa Blanca pero la perso- la mayoría una mentira. na a la que más critico fue Hillary Clinton, Nadie sabe hasta qué punto él llegará él le llegó a poner el apodo de Corrupta Hill- pero la gente tendrá la opción en 3 años para ary y empezó a criticar de todo punto de vista ver si ellos quieren más de los mismos probe incluso a decir cosas falsas de ella como que lemas o si quieren un nuevo líder. le quitaría las armas a todos los americanos si la eligieran presidenta o que ella estaba a cargo de una pizzería en D.C que hacía cosas

CREDITO: NASA.GOV

Cual es el actual estado de DACA y como avanzό?

La superluna es apreciada cerca al Capitolio de D.C.

Que es el efecto de la superluna?

POR DIEGO FELICIANO Editor de Noticias Recientemente la gente pudo apreciar la súper luna, este efecto es cuando la Luna es más grande y más luminosa que en otras ocasiones. Éste es un fenómeno que coincide con el gran acercamiento de la Luna hacia la Tierra. Éstos son fenómenos muy raros pero en 2018 habrá dos en el mes de enero, uno será el primero de enero y el otro será el 31 de enero que a la vez coincide con un eclipse lunar que será visto en la parte oeste de los Estados Unidos, el Pacífico y Asia del Este.

La superluna más cercana ocurrió en noviembre de 2016 y se predice que para el 2030 habrá una más cercano.

Más que todo, la razón de esta superluna es la fuerza gravitacional de la Tierra, también la Luna tiene que estar en fase total y tiene que estar cerca de la Tierra.

Cabe destacar que éstas sólo ocurren pocas veces al año porque la órbita de la Luna cambia al igual que la de la tierra, es por eso que no se aprecia cada vez este

fenómeno.

Esta superluna llegó a ser un 14% más grande y un 30% más brillante pero es difícil de ver la diferencia a no ser que tengas la experiencia suficiente para ver la diferencia.

Para algunas personas, esto sólo es un fenómeno de la vista más que todo porque la mente compara con objetos alrededor pero la ciencia confirmó que éste es un efecto real y que es bueno apreciar este efecto.

Entre 2016 y 2017 se apreciaron bastantes fenómenos naturales tales como la superluna en 2016, el eclipse en 2017 y también situaciones extrañas como por ejemplo lo que no nevó en Virginia en 2016 y también los distintos cambios de clima repentinos.

Para tu interés, la siguiente superluna ocurre el primer de enero, el 31 de enero y las personas que viven en la parte oeste de los Estados Unidos podrán apreciar de otro eclipse por la parte del Pacífico de los Estados Unidos.

Why is this page translated to Spanish?

This section was created with the aim of broadening our reach as a publication towards the large population of Spanish-speaking students. AHS is the most diverse school in Virginia, with an extensive ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) program, and Spanish is the second most spoken language at our school.

As a newspaper, our goal is to inform and entertain the largest possible group of viewers. Las Noticias Destacadas is a selected translation of a variety of the most pertinent articles in The A-Blast. We hope that through this new section, we can be a more inclusive and diverse publication.

NEWS 5

Tue. Dec. 12, 2017

Clubs offer service opportunities CONT. SERVICE

“We have really been working hard this year to make sure that students are willing to work hard during the holidays,” Salinas said.”That is what His-

“I plan on involving myself in a lot of community service opportunities like Key Club.”

--AFOMIA ASSEFA

senior panic Leadership is all about: giving to others.”

Not only are clubs taking initiative during the holidays, but there have been an influx of new community service clubs in recent weeks.

Mission Impossible: INOVA Children’s Hospital Volunteer Club recently had an interest meeting on Dec. 8.

The club is in partnership with has partnered with INOVA Children’s Hospital to do a series of community service events.

All actions of the club will be in service of the hospital which is open to all students.

The club is dedicated to doing clothing and art supply drives for children in INOVA Hospital.

“We are planning an art supply drive soon, so students can get involved with that as well,” junior Tiya Ayele said.

There are several opportunities at AHS to take part of the season of giving for students.

The clubs mentioned are not the only opportunities for students to be involved in the community.

“The holidays are just the perfect time to do community service,” said Chu. “Being a part of something bigger is exactly what the holidays are about.

News Briefs Filament Coffeehouse Students can enjoymusic and poetry performances afterschool on Dec. 13 in the Bistro from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.Tickets are $3 and will be sold at lunches and in Room 270B and are $4 at the door.

Winter Break Students will be leaving school early on Dec. 15 at 12:55 p.m. Students will be begining their Winter Break on Dec. 18 until Jan. 2.

Chorus Concert There will be the Winter Chorus Concert on Dec. 12 in Clausen Hall. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.

Elective Fair Leadership students gather after Deck the Halls Dec. 7 after decorating Jock Lobby. Leadership students lead several service opportunities for the community.

IB Geography students visit Arlington

BY ASEAL SAED Co-Editor in Chief Meagan Padgett’s senior IB Geography SL class traveled to downtown Arlington to complete their research as part for their final grade for the IB program. This trip is scheduled every year, and it was a chance for the students to learn about how business cities are constructed and built.

The class’ Internal Assessment is on the planning of central business districts. The current unit the class is learning about also revolves around the same subject.

While there, the students walked around the city in groups to count and measure various buildings.They did these observations in order to determine if the city geographically qualifies as a business district.

“We counted the number of people walking by and we counted the number of cars passing by,” senior Jaedon Henry said. “We were seeing if the business of the city at midday qualified as a business district.”

All of the students were divided into individual groups of four to complete their tasks. Each chaperone on the trip were assigned with four groups. Each student in the group were all assigned different tasks.

One person in a group were tasked with counting building stories. Another person had to count the number of pedestrians walking by within time spans of five minutes each. At the same time, another person would be counting the number of passing cars. The last person had to count the land and space while recording the number of restaurants and apartments.

“I learned that Arlington did qualify as a business district because of the height of its buildings,” Henry said.

The trip lasted the entire day and the students arrived back at school at around 2:45 p.m. after having lunch in Arlington.

Orchestra Concert The Orchestra Concert will be on Dec. 14 in Clausen Hall. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. THe event is free and an opportunity to see all levels of orchestra.

Girls Tennis Interest Meeting Girls Tennis Interst meeting will be on Dec. 13 in Clausen Hall. after school from 3:10 p.m. until 3:30 p.m.

JAEDON HENRY senior “I learned that Arlington did qualify as a business district because of the height of its buildings.”

Senior Angela Kim writes down measurements for one of the buildings in Arlingon on Dec. 11 as part of her assignment for the IB Geography field trip.

Newseum Field Trip Journalism and Photojournalism students will be going on a field trip to the Newseum on Dec. 14.

PHOTO COURTESY OF REBECCA KINDLING

Students visit Arlington for their Group 4 project

During an extended W4, on Jan. 25,students will get to attend the elective fair. Students can learn more about classes they are interested in before course selection.

Varsity Basketball Game vs. Lake Braddock On Dec. 15, the Varsity Basketball team will play against Lake Braddock team in the lower gym at 7:00 p.m..

6 ACADEMICS

Tues. Dec. 12, 2017

Gearing up for a future in mechanics

BY JESSICA SALISBURY Academics Editor Although many teenagers drive everyday, most would probably have no clue what to do if they ever got a flat tire or a check engine light appeared. For most, those car troubles may seem like big problems, but for students enrolled in the automotive technology class, they are only minor complications.

The automotive technology program is a series of elective courses that educates students on the basics of repairing and maintaining automobiles with the use of hands-on training.

In the auto tech department, there are three different levels of classes that students have the choice of taking: Auto Technology One, Auto Technology Two, and Auto Technology Three.

Auto Technology One is the first level course, usually for beginners, which teaches the basics of working with cars.

The class usually consists of freshmen and sophomores and is taught by auto tech teacher Randolph O’Dell.

Auto tech teacher Anthony Maniatakas teaches auto technology levels two and three which consists mostly of juniors and seniors.

“As an auto tech teacher, I just love being able to walk around the shop and work hands on with my students rather than standing and teaching a class for more than an hour. I feel like that would get boring,” Maniatakas said.

In all classes, students are taught everything about cars, starting with the basics. Since the third level classes are a little more advanced, they learn things at a more gradual pace and focus more on drivability and electrical projects.

“I see my second level kids during R1, W2, R5, and W6, and my third level kids during R7 and W8, the higher level classes are always at the end of the day,”

Maniatakas said.

“We clean the whole workplace, scrub the floors, and wipe everything down, which is mainly why I always have a clean shop,” Maniatakas said.

On Tuesdays, students are assigned class work to complete.

“Right now we are doing basic engine work, so class assignments could consists of anything from cylinder heads, to valves, to crankshafts, to pistons, to connecting rods,” Maniatakas said.

During classes on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays students work out of the shop on various jobs which could include brakes, struts, tune ups, oil changes, radiators, and gasket leaks.

“I love learning new things and being able to fix different parts of the car, my favorite thing that we have done so far was learn how to take the engine out of the automobile successfully,” sophomore Joe Gaston said.

Students are never assigned homework but are graded on how they perform in the class.

As long as the student shows Maniatakas that they are putting in hard work and effort throughout every class period, they will get a good grade. Laziness is the main reason students fail.

“If I give a student a job that I expect to be completed within an hour, it should be done. If they do not finish, their grade will be lowered to what I think they deserve depending on the difficulty of the job that was assigned,” Maniatakas said.

One major rule that Maniatakas enforces is that if a student shows up late to class they will not be able to work in the shop for that class period The auto shop also has rules set in place with the intent to keep students safe while working in the possibly dangerous environment.

All students are required to wear steel toed boots, eye safety glasses, and

JESSICA SALISBURY

Auto-tech students put down the pencils and pick up the tools

Junior Steven Subu gets extra work done during W4 on his portion of the repair project. their black uniform shirt that is given to them at the beginning of the year.

Every student is also required to complete a safety test at the start of the school year called SP2. If a student can not pass the test, they are not allowed to be in the class.

The cars available for the students to work on are usually donated from various places throughout the county.

Some are from faculty, staff, and the community as well.

The labor rate charged for working on cars that are not donated is 25 dollars an hour for an engine job, along

with the retail price for the parts needed to repair the car.

Many students take this class because they have an interest in cars and might want to do something similar as a career in the future, or just to learn more about cars and how to fix them.

“I would like to do something with automobiles in college or as a job later in life and I think this class is really preparing me for that,” Gaston said.

Others like the fact that it is an interactive class and allows students to get up and move instead of being trapped at a desk listening to a lecture

for 90 minutes.

“Auto tech is one of my favorite classes because it is a hands-on class where we actually get to work on the cars instead of sitting down all period,” sophomore Ryan Fowler said.

Maniatakas agrees, his favorite part about teaching is that he gets to work with students and show them what to do rather than tell them what to do.-0 “Most of my students are visual learners, they understand and acquire different skills by watching and copying what I do,” Maniatakas said.

Do you use any apps for school, if so, what are they and why?

FERNANDO NUNEZ freshman “I use the apps Kahoot and Quizlet the most when it comes to school. The reason I use these two apps is because they help me review and study for tests, inside and outside of class.”

AKIRA NEGLEY freshman “The academic apps I use consist of Blackboard and SIS. I use these two apps because they help me keep up with what my assignments are as well as what assignments I may be missing.”

DANIEL FLYNN sophomore “I use SIS the most because it helps me keep track of what my grades are and what’s been graded by my teachers.”

KELSEY LAZARD sophomore “I use Quizlet, Google Docs and Google Drive. I find these apps extremely useful because they allow me to work on the go wherever I am, whenever I want.”

RAYMOND RAMIREZ junior “I use the app Kahoot a lot. I use this app because most of my teachers make review games before a test and students are able to use Kahoot to select answers while playing the review game in class.”

EMAN JARADAT junior “I use an app called Remind to get in contact with my teachers, as well as classmates, by text message. I also use Google Drive and SIS to maintain my grades and stay on top of my work.”

Active club member Shirley Chu goes IB

NAFIESA ABDELHAQ senior “I use the app Mathway.

I find this app useful because I can use it for help in whatever math it is I’m taking. It offers help for basic math, trig, pre-algebra, linear algebra, precalculus and calculus.”

JEREMIAH WICKLUND senior “I use Wikipedia. I find this app useful inside and outside of school because it holds a lot of information that helps cross referencing research.”

VIDHI PHADUMDEO senior “I use the app Duolingo.

I stopped taking Spanish but I didn’t want to forget the material I learned so I use this app to keep my mind refreshed and decrease the chances of me forgetting anything I’ve learned.”

Educational Apps

BY JESSICA SALISBURY

Photomath

Academics Editor

Point your camera toward a math problem and Photomath will magically show the result with a detailed step-by-step explanation. Supports arithmetic, integers, fractions, decimal numbers, roots, algebraic expressions and more.

How do you keep up with your academics and social life?

I stay organized and plan out everything extensively.

My agenda is my life. I like to keep everything in order and writing stuff down making schedules definitely helps me remember.

What are your studying habits?

Before a test, I make my own study guide that give me a general summary of the whole unit for each class. I try to study in advance, but I usually end up cramming everything in the night before which surprisingly works best for me.

LEO IRIARTE junior “An app I use a lot that’s related to school is Quizlet. I use this app to review for almost every class. I also find it very useful when studying/ memorizing vocabulary for English.”

IB Spotlight: Profiles of Diploma Candidates

Google Classroom Anyone with a personal Google account can use Classroom. It’s an easy way for both learners and instructors to connect.

Not only does Classroom save time, but it saves paper and makes creating a space for everyone to meet at extremely easy.

What is your favorite IB subject?

My favorite IB subjects are anthropology and English.

Anthropology is a really interactive and fun class and it’s taught me a lot about being open minded culturally aware. English is one of my favorites too because I love reading and writing.

What are your plans after high school?

After high school I plan on going to a 4-year university where I will hopefully major in business and minor in English.

SHIRLEY CHU

How do you prepare for IB exams?

To prepare for IB exams I just go through my notes from the year, which is why taking notes is very important and really ends up benefiting you in the future. I also take practice exams to get a feel for what the actual exam will be like.

Kahoot!

Senior IB candidate Shirley Chu poses while having lunch with her friends.

Is your only focus academics?

Not at all. I think it’s important to focus on things that you enjoy and have a balance of both. Friends and family are important too and I think it is important that they are not left out and are still a part of your life. The same thing goes for your hobbies and other things that make you happy.

What skills do you think the IB program has taught you that can help you later in life?

The IB program has definitely taught me how to manage my time between school and my social life. It has also taught me that staying organized is very important and will be very beneficial in the long run. Another thing that I’ve learned from the IB program is that multitasking can be a very useful skill to have as well.

Who has helped you on your IB journey and how or why?

Definitely my parents, friends, and teachers have helped me a lot throughout my IB journey. My teachers have always been very understanding and flexible with my schedule. Most are usually always willing to help with arranging deadlines to make things less stressful.

What advice do you give to future IB candidates?

Sleep! I strongly believe sleep is so important. Also, try your best to spend time with people outside of the IB program. I say that because it helps take your mind off of the stressful IB environment and allows you to take a break and get your mind off of IB for a little while.

Play a fun learning game as well as cool customized quizzes at any time, on your own or with your class. Kahoot! is a perfect replacement instead of paper and pen activities that teachers usually use to review before a test/quiz.

Duolingo Duolingo is an app that provides users to learn languages. The options users can choose from consist of Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Norweigian, Welsh, Greek, Hungarian, Swahili, Oh and English too.

HEALTH 7

Tues. Dec. 12, 2017

Five tips to

Stay healthy this flu season keep away from the virus this winter

BY RACHEL SHOGREN Health Editor

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION OF MICHELLE AKL TAKEN BY RACHEL SHOGREN

It’s that time of year again. Time for the snow, the holidays, and the flu! The season when people often get sick is here once again and people need to watch out in order to prevent getting the awful virus.

The flu (influenza) virus affects millions of people every year and in different ways. The flu causes over 700,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. each year. Over 50,000 die from the wide spread virus each winter.

1

GET THE VACCINE The flu vaccine is something everyone should do before the winter season in order to be protected from many kinds of flu viruses.

The vaccine causes antibodies to develop two weeks after injection. The antibodies then protect and fight against the most common flu viruses.

The flu shot can cause muscle aches, runny noses, headaches and vomiting for the first two weeks after injection.

Although the shot is the most common form of vaccination against the flu, there is also a nasal spray that prevents against flu viruses. Nasal spray vaccination is associated with less severe symptoms than the shot.

Vaccinations are not 100% effective. Just because you get the vaccination does not mean you won’t get the flu virus but it significantly reduces the risk. If you do get the flu virus, the vaccine will make your symptoms less severe. It will also protect those around you that are more illness prone like babies, children, older people and those with chronic illnesses.

2

PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE Making sure you and the things around you are clean can significantly reduce your risk of getting sick and getting the flu virus. Staying clean will also reduce your risk of spreading the flu.

Washing your hands frequently and thoroughly is important when getting rid of germs. Your hands touch everything and other people do not want to pick up your germs.

“Frequently wash your hands and don’t share water bottles,” school nurse, Tracy Shakespeare said.

Clean surfaces of things that are used regularly such as keyboards, phones, and door knobs to prevent the spread of germs.

Cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough. Use a tissue or the inside of your shirt when sneezing or coughing to keep your germs contained. Using your elbow is not an effective way of covering your face because germs will still spread.

3

TAKE VITAMIN C Vitamin C is involved in nearly every function of the body including the immune system. Vitamin C is a good way to “fix” the immune system. It gives it a boost and helps you heal

Millions of people are infected with the flu each year. Washing your hands and not spreading germs is the best way to prevent getting the virus. Common symptoms are fever, chills, nausea, and diarrhea. faster.

Vitamin C comes in the form of orange juice, gummy vitamins, and pills.

The vitamin can be used as a treatment for colds and flu symptoms or as a prevention. Consuming Vitamin C everyday can boost your immune system and help you fight against the flu before you even get it. It has been proven that Vitamin C decreases symptoms by 10% in adults and nearly 15% in children.

Be careful to not overdose on Vitamin C (take greater than 2000 milligrams per day), too much Vitamin C can cause kidney stones and extreme nausea.

4

MONITOR YOUR HEALTH At the first sign of illness, whether it be a runny nose, cough, or sneeze, start taking some kind of preventative medicine. Either consult your doctor, take over the counter drugs, or increase your intake of Vitamin C in order to prevent your flu virus from worsening.

“Look out for fevers, chills, nausea, and diarrhea,” Shakespeare said.

The flu virus leads to fevers and extreme dehydration so be sure to take in a lot of fluids. Plenty of water, orange juice, and other drinks will help relieve congestion and keep you hydrated when fighting off the flu.

The sooner you act against the symptoms of the flu, the quicker you will be able to get rid of it and the less severe the symptoms will be.

5

STAY HOME Do not spread it! The flu virus is contagious and you do not want to spread it to your friends and teachers.

Stay home once diagnosed with the flu, at least for the first few days or until the antibiotics start working. Your teachers should understand missing class for a little bit in order to prevent others from getting sick.

When returning to school, cover your mouth when coughing and don’t breathe in people’s faces. Try to refrain from touching too many things and spreading germs.

Twelve days of workouts Follow these easy steps to stay fit 100 JUMPING JACKS

50 CRUNCHES

Jump and spread your legs out into the star position while moving your arms out to a “Y” position, then clap your legs and and arms back together.

Repeat, moving quickly. Jumping jacks work the calves, glutes, deltoids, and lat muscles. This is a good cardio workout.

Lay on a flat surface with your knees up. Lift your shoulders off of the ground with your arms across your chest until you feel your abs “crunching,” then lay back down. Repeat the process. This works the abdominal muscles and obliques.

20 LUNGES (EACH LEG)

30 CALF RAISES

Step forward and bend both knees until your back knee touches the ground, and your front knee is forward facing, then stand. Move slowly for more of a muscle burn. Lunges work out your quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes, and ab muscles.

30 SEC HOLLOW HOLD (X2)

Position your hands shoulder width apart on a bench or chair and push your body up into a reverse plank position. Keeping your body straight, bend your arms and then push back up. Tricep dips work the chest, triceps, and front shoulders.

15 PUSH UPS

15 SQUATS

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and with even weight on each foot. Bend your knees while keeping your back straight. Try to not let your knees go over your ankles. Squats work your thighs, hips, quads, and butt muscles.

30 SEC PLANK (X2)

Start in plank position. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees, and be sure to keep your back flat and your butt down. Take breaks or go onto your knees if you cannot complete them. Push ups work your pectorals, triceps, biceps, deltoids, and lats.

Start in a standard push up position. Next, lower yourself down to your elbows. Make sure you keep your back flat and butt down, otherwise the exercise is not as effective. Try to hold this for the entire time. Planks work your abdominals, obliques, hips, and back muscles.

15 SIDE LUNGES (EACH LEG)

1 MIN WALL SIT (X2)

Stand with your legs together, step out to the side and bend down until you are in a lunge position.

Be sure to do the same amount on each leg to keep your strength evenly distributed. Side lunges work your glutes, quadriceps, and adductor muscles.

Stand against a wall. Slide your feet out and bend your knees until they are bent at a 90 degree angle and you are in a “chair” position. If it is too easy, try holding something heavy out in front of you or above your head. Wall sits work your quadricep muscles.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION OF ALICIA HOUSSE TAKEN BY RACHEL

30 MIN RUN

Stand shoulder width apart with flat feet. Slowly raise until you are on your tiptoes, and then go back down to flat feet. Hold on to something if you lose balance. Calf raises work out your lower leg muscles.

20 TRICEP DIPS

Run either on the treadmill or outside for 30 minutes. Cardio is important for your overall health.

An alternative to this would be swimming, or anything that elevates your heart rate and gets your blood pumping. Running works most of your leg muscles, hips, glutes, and abdominals.

Lay flat on your back with your hands hovering over your thighs. Lift your head, shoulders, and legs six inches off of the floor. Hold it steady for the entire duration. Stretch your abs afterwards.

Hollow hold works your abdominals and leg muscles.

8 PHOTO

Tues. Dec. 12, 2017

It's beginning to look a lot like the holidays Students and staff show school spirit during winter Spirit Week

Striking up some spirit: junior Nilee Kerr gladly wraps up in her fuzzy Pikachu blanket, allowing herself to be cozy and warm while still learning. “I like how inclusive Spirit Week is and how comfortable I can be at school on Pajama Day,” Kerr said.

Ready, set, hike! Spanish teacher Senorita Hunt kicks off her day teaching her classes, but in a Steelers jersey for Jersey Day. “My favorite part about Spirit Week is seeing the students get dressed up and just coming together excited to be Annandale High School students,” Hunt said.

Sweater weather: Administators Monica Bentley and Brian Valentine go all out to show their excitement for the holidays. “I definitely loved the sweater addition especially with the holidays coming up. It brings the whole school together; the students, staff, teachers, and administration,” Bentley said. “I like the different kids all dressed up, I love that they always come up with new ideas.”

ALL PHOTOS BY KATIE POPE

Branching out: Leadership teacher, Jessica Arias and her students, junior Efrata Tecle (middle) and senior McKenzie Yi (right) work together in the holiday spirit making Christmas tree outlines in their ugly sweaters.

“My favorite part of Spirit Week is that everyone is dressed up and it’s fun because the whole school is like one big family,” Tecle said.

ABOVE: Senior Matthew McKiver gets himself into a sticky situtation when deciding which spirit day is his favorite. “I love all of the days, my favorite part is wearing a onsie, and I also love coming to school in my pajamas,” McKiver said.

UPPER RIGHT: Taking a bite out of spiritday, freshman Cindy Ulloa walks up the stairs in her comfy cookie monster onesie. “I chose to wear this onesie because it reminded me of my childhood and also because I like eating cookies,” Ulloa said.

RIGHT: All ears: senior Fatimah Nour counts class pennies while dressed up for character day. “I dressed up as Arthur because it was easy to put together, I needed a yellow shirt and that was pretty much it,” Nour said. “I love seeing people participate. It’s great that people have been bringing pennies so their W4 can attend the pep rally.

ABOVE: Sleeping beauty: Arabic teacher Ola Layaly goes all out on Pajama Day, including a pair of adorable dog slippers. “I like to show my students the other side of me.

My kids loved to see me in my pajamas and even students I did not have came up to take photos with me,” Layaly said. “Teachers at the end of the day are human beings, we love to laugh while of course still following the rules.”

BELOW: Skins for the win: sophomore Eilleen Ngo-Tran shows off her school spirit by wearing a Redskins jersey.

“I got this jersey from my father. He’s a 49-ers fan, but he works in DC, so he has this jersey because everyone else does,” Ngo-Tran said.

ARTS 9

ALL PHOTO CREDIT GOES TO GALILEA SEJAS

Tues. Dec. 12, 2017

Junior Emily Trachsel is playing the arms of Junior Ioana Marin and Sophomore Makayla Collins is playing the arms of Sophomore Ave Clyburn during their improv game of arms

Host and Junior Kyle Dalsimer is conducting warm ups before the improv competition Junior Emily Trachsel is playing the arms of Junior Ioana Marin and Sophomore Makayla Collins is playing the arms of Sophomore Ave Clyburn during their

11 schools from different countries are warming up for their improv competition by passing their energy along the circle of actors

Atoms score in county improv competition

BY GALILEA SEJAS Arts Editor The Atomic Confusion improv team hosts their very first competition in the auditorium on Dec. 8th, with host, Junior Kyle Dalsimer. Dalsimer, along with junior Emily Trachsel and Loana Marin have been a part of the original improv team created last year. Dalsimer said, “The team is fantastic, we have a great group of young performers who really want to get out there and have some fun.”

Every Friday they practice different improv games that they would see in the competitions, such as arms or free choice.

Practicing these games forces them to think light on their feet and be able to adapt to anything that comes their way in any game that they would be playing.

Depending on the game, the people performing are given different options picked by the host. In the competitions, there are three judges who judge the performers based on their completion of the game, using their given variables, incorporation of every member on their team (where need be) as well as the timing, since each performance only lasted two minute.

In the game, new choice, Juniors Ioana Marin and Emily Trachsel are on their date, about to aboard their motorcycle, improvised by Junior Sam Benton.

The competition was able to bring 11 improv teams from different schools: Hayfield Secondary School, Herndon, Oakton, South County, Westfield, Woodson and Falls Church High School.

The first game that they played was Space Jump, where each group needs to incorporate 3 variables: a non-geographical location, an occupation and an object that sophomore Ave Clyburn, Makayla Collins, Junior Emily

Trachsel, Ioana Marin and Sam Benton all participated.

After each performance, the three judges which consisted of improv technique judge, Elijah Sloan, acting judge, Josh McCreary and entertainment judge, Miriam Koch. Each judge grades them on a scale of 0-10 based on the criteria stated before.

The judges gave each team a score, but after each group finished their

performance, the judges rated them using emojis: a laughing-out-loud, curious or awkward face.

Dalsimer said, “A poor score is anything 6 or below, 7 is average 8 is fairly good 9 is really good and 10 is outstanding. We score 10 most of the time, because we are a fantastic team, we would have a couple tens in a good competition,” but since each team wasn’t given a score out of 10 up front, they were more encouraged to do better in the next game, and were less stressed overall.

The next game that the Atomic Confusion improv team performed was with Clyburn with the arms of Collins and Marin with the arms of Trachsel, where they needed to incorporate a treadmill within the given time frame.

Each team had the opportunity to incorporate their given variable in some fashion or form in order to create one coherent story line, to give them the most points or in this case, the best emoji.

For the final scored game, each improver was able to create a scene of a first date with the game named “New Choice.” In this game, 3-6 players were given a first date location that varied from an amusement park to an

abandoned warehouse. Benton, Marin and Trachsel were all able to play a first date scene in the humble location of a park.

This may seem easy for any other person, but the only downside to this game is that the host, in this case Dalsimer, would be able to ring a bell which would then require the improver speaking to change their previous statement before and thus their character’s tactics.

For example, if the first line said was “I care for you,” but the bell was rung, then the improver needed to find a new choice and could possible say, “I hate you,” showing the new choice that he/ she has made. This makes the whole game much more complex, but also quite interesting.

Co-captain and Junior Ioana Marin said, “It opens up your mind to be creative, since it teaches you to accept other ideas and build upon them instead of blocking them.”

With practicing improv, it allows them the opportunity to be able to avoid their stubbornness and inflexibility and adapt their own story to the audience’s choices, since they’re all filled with love, they’re all filled with happiness and ready to do some improv!

Artist Spotlight: Junior Kora Coker When did you start drawing?

I started drawing ever since I could draw. It runs in my family actually. My mom is a graphic designer. My dad also painted in College What do you normally draw?

I used to draw people a lot but now since I don’t have that much time, I just doodle little animals or unicorns on my paper and I like to make quotes too. I never really tried to do calligraphy, but I like to do bubble letters. But besides this, I really like to make quotes, some that I find when I’m online or some from my favorite book characters.

Why do you like art?

Art serves as a creative release and helps me relax. I like both visual and performing arts since I play the violin, but I’d much rather prefer visual arts since I’m much better at it.

What type of artist are you?

I’m a doodler/sketcher, since I like to draw cartoons. In my free time I like to draw political cartoons.

10 IN-DEPTH

Tue. Dec. 12, 2017

IN-DEPTH 11

Tue. Dec. 12, 2017

FIGHTING FAKE NEWS ALL

You may also want to view...

Where do you get your news from and how often do you stay current with the news?

SARAH WHEATLY freshman “I watch CBS News every night for half an hour with my family.”

Quiz: Can you spot the false headlines?

fake news /fak n(y)ooz/ noun

Identify the following news article headlines with either true or false.

The term “fake news” was largely popularized by President Donald Trump on his Twitter account.

Judging by the tweets, his definition of “fake news” is anything that is contradictory to his administrations’ views. This public battle with media organizations, such as FOX News and CNN, has both caused serious harm and brought public attention to the rising dilemma of false reports.

1). Trump: “I Will Protect Our LGBTQ Citizens” NBC News

2). Melania Trump’s Girlon-Girl Photos From Racy Shoot Revealed

Spot Fake News

ASHLEY REYES sophomore “I get my daily news source from Twitter and other social medias.”

CAROLYN LEMENS junior “I stay current with the news probably every hour. I have news apps on my phone that will pop up notifications at the time anything happens, so like CNN, Politco and BBC News.”

MICHAEL WOLDEAB junior “I read the news everyday on news stations, such as the Washington Post . I also sometimes use social media, but it can be somewhat unreliable.”

DAPHINE HINOJOSA senior “When I check the news, I get my news from the Washington post.”

New York Post

with 6 easy tips

BY KHADIJA AHMED Staff Writer Fake news has increasingly become a fixture on social media and online. The rate at which these stories are being shared is increasing, and sometimes readers rarely discover that the stories are fake. These fabricated lies can have real-life consequences too. For example, when a man fired a rifle in a D.C. pizzeria because he heard that the Clinton campaign was running a child sex trafficking ring out of there. In an endeavor to prevent the spread of fake news, here are some tips on how to identify it.

1

CONSIDER THE SOURCE Be skeptical of a story if it comes from an unfamiliar news organization. It is crucial to differentiate whether the source of a story is reputable or not. In addition, sites ending in “.su” or “.com.co,” may be illegitimate sites attempting to pass themselves off as authentic news sources by seeming professional and using recognizable logos. For example, CBS News reported that abcnews.com.co, now defunct, published a story with the false headline, “Donald Trump Protester Speaks Out: ‘I Was Paid $3,500 To Protest Trump’s Rally.” Also, check if the suspected fake news is reported by established news sites.

2

READ BEYOND THE HEADLINE Fake news publishers often exploit busy readers’ tendency to not look past the headline. People often assume they know the whole story after reading the headline. However, a headline can be provocative, inflammatory, or misleading in order to act as clickbait and thus, attract more views. It is important to read more than just the headline; fact check the article’s contents to decide whether it is credible or not. Readers should always do this instead of merely reading a provocative headline and then deciding to pass along the shocking information to the masses.

3

CHECK THE AUTHOR Seeing the name of an author may seem like a sure sign that the article is reliable, but that is not always the case. Readers should check the author’s other articles, if any. Other articles by the author should be read to detect if

3). Donald Trump Protester Speaks Out: “I Was Paid $3,500 to Protest Trump’s Rally”

the author has a strong bias against or for certain issues.

An article by Harvard Summer School warns that readers should be suspicious of an article if a little-known site’s byline names the author as a celebrity, or if the author’s contact information is a Gmail address.

abcnews.com.co

4). I Ran the CIA. Now I’m Endorsing Hillary Clinton

4

LOOK INTO SUPPORTING SOURCES Ethical journalists make it clear where they are getting their information, so a lack of verifiable sources is suspicious. Most publicized stories have multiple sources who are professionals in their respective fields, but reliance on unnamed “experts” may indicate a fake news story. Bogus stories will often cite official-sounding sources, but these sources do not actually support the claim or sometimes even exist. For example, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump retweeted a graphic of the percentage of whites killed by blacks and other murder statistics by race, which cited the source, “Crime Statistics Bureau - San Francisco”. But almost every figure in the graphic was wrong, and the source given does not exist.

New York Times

5). Muslims see a Christmas tree being set up, then start attacking it!

Freedom Daily

6). Civil war erupts in Sweden

5

Teachers educate students on how to determine bias and reliability

I

n the past few months, the topic of fake news has risen and tensions are high on what is fake and fiction. A sense of trust has been lost in our media, press, public figures and journalists.

Now we must ask ourselves, why was this article or story made? How does this story make me feel? What values, information and viewpoints are not discussed?

The internet and social media is contaminated with false information, headlines and articles. In school, it is the job of teachers to inform their students about current events and accurate information. The limitation of being exposed to unreliable information can start in the classroom as teachers start the conversation and bring awareness of the impacts to this national problem.

Any individual can be a victim to false information. Students can lack the critical thinking and analytical skills to determine inaccurate information. In school, students are learning to develop and improve these skills.

Well-known media news sources such as NPR and New York Times have provided guides for teachers and students on how to recognize unreliable

6

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Sasha Duran

Stephanie Hanson

McClain Herman

9). Barbara Bush: “I Don’t Know How Women Can Vote” for Trump Washington Post

English Teacher

10). Tokyo Opening The First Human Meat Restaurant In Japan To Serve Cannibals

3 hours ago

Daily O

= 20% 65%

think FOX News is the least reliable source

59% say social media is their main source to get news from

69% do not keep up with the news

29% are interested in the news and think it’s important to keep up

57% think social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are reliable

200 surveys were passed during Pridetime and W4 on December 6, 2017. 164 were returned.

English Teacher

English Teacher

6 hours ago

16 hours ago

Margaret Richburg Social Studies Teacher 1 day ago

When fiction becomes fact ANSWERS 1. True 2. True 3. Fake 4. True 5. Fake 6. Fake 7. True 8. True 9. True 10. Fake 11. Fake

CASEY NGUYEN

ANGEL ESTRADA senior “I usually get the news from the news app on my iPhone, but sometimes I’ll see things on social media. However, you have to take those with a grain of salt. Other times, I’ll look at the Washington Post maybe once a week.”

citizens who are part of a democracy, it is essential to distinguish what is fact and fiction and to have our moral and beliefs developed from adequate findings.

By staying informed with current events, students are being active and well-structured citizens by interacting and being informed in international relations. We have the responsibility to be smart citizens and look for the information ourselves; the only reliable source we should trust is ourselves.

“We have a media literacy unit

Social media is becoming an increasingly manipulative platform for its users

YourNewsWire

think CNN is their most reliable source

“Everyone should just slow down and take time to do their own research.”

Additionally, English teacher Hanson is partnering with the English 10 Team with the MYP personal projects using CPR (Currency, purpose, relevancy). This would have students ask themselves: when was this published?

What is the purpose of the source?

How relevant is this to the students topic?

“Take some of the tools that teachers are talking about and start using them yourselves and become informed young adults,” Duran said.

It is important to expose students to all viewpoints and political sides on a global and international scale. As

8). Donald Trump Says He’d “Absolutely” Require Muslims to Register

11). Mexico Seizes 800 Pounds Of U.S. Government Cocaine

35%

Junior Hemen Besufekad uses what she learns in English teacher Stephanie Hanson’s IB English class in order to analyze the reliability of her sources.

The Telegraph

ASK AN EXPERT Between fact-checking websites such as FactCheck, Snopes, the Washington Post Fact Checker and PolitiFact, at least one of them is likely to have covered the latest viral claim. Melissa Zimdars, an assistant professor of communication and media at Merrimack College, evaluated and compiled a 34-page list of news sites that are often misleading, “clickbait-y” or satirical. Alternatively, readers could also consult an informed librarian or teacher. After fact-checking and determining the veracity, or lack thereof, in articles, readers can feel more confident in being able to separate fact from fiction.

Student survey results

sources. How are our teachers handling fake news?

English teacher McClain Herman has been focusing on fake news with her juniors in their persuasive unit.

Herman discussed various techniques in identifying the difference of a real article from an opinion piece.

“Just because something is written in the newspaper, doesn’t mean it’s unbiased, accurate or true,” Herman said.

English teacher Sasha Duran spends time with her English 11 class to address fake news. As practice, Duran’s students share examples of articles to distinguish which ones are real and false.

“We talk mostly about commercials and how we are convinced to buy things and be responsible customers,” Duran said. “Since last year and the term fake news being coined, we decided we needed to talk about [fake news] with our media literacy.”

During an event with the editor of Politifact last year, Duran asked a question on how to engage students to care about the uprise of fake news. “[Politifact’s editor said] that it’s on teachers now to find creative ways to find or talk about the implications or terrible social things that can happen if you’re spreading fake news.

It’s just like spreading a rumor about each other in a school,” Duran said.

7). U.S. government says cannabis kills cancer cells

BY CASEY NGUYEN In-Depth Editor

VALERIA ARENO senior “I usually get my news from my phone because I have the Apple news app so it sends me notifications. If not, Facebook and Twitter everyday.

Also on Snapchat.”

MORE

Top teacher stories

Pipo News

CHECK THE QUALITY Reputable news sources have high proofreading and grammatical standards, so an article is probably spurious if it’s riddled with errors. It is also important to be wary of an article with excessive all caps and dramatic punctuation. According to a Facebook article, many false news sites have misspellings or awkward layouts. All the aforementioned issues suggest that the article has not gone through an editorial process, something that all professional, authentic articles undergo.

SHOPPING

The war against false information

BY KIMBERLY VAIDES In-Depth Editor

How to

BROOKE FEKRU sophomore “I use the news app on my iPhone and I check pretty much everyday.”

VIDEOS

NEWS

IMAGES

he line between fiction and fact is blurring and growing narrow.

It is a known fact that journalists should only report the truth. Nevertheless, as of recently, journalism has become a source for writers of fiction to misshape fantasy into reality.

Many news articles are intentionally false, thus purposely misleading their readers. These articles are referred to as “yellow journalism” or “fake news”. “Fake news” was a term that many did not use. During the 2016 presidential election, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump made his battle with fake news publicized.

Now, fake news is seen as a great threat against democracy. It is the phenomenon that is sweeping across online media. These fictional and made-up stories are masterfully manipulated to appear credible and with the assistance of social media, they easily spread like wildfire.

Social media has begun to shift to a new era. Gone are the personal pictures and status updates. Now, it is one of the main ways people get their news. Some of the primary platforms used to read news include Facebook, Twitter, and even Google. These sites inform users of upcoming and essential events that occur.

T

However, their reliability can be questioned. Social media can be considered a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it is easy to access information, allowing users to consume and share the news. On the other hand, it can make “fake news” viral in an instant.

“I no longer trust my social media accounts to supply me with real information because of all the lies I find in them,” junior Tiyo Kebede said.

Fabricated articles with headlines such as,“FBI agent suspected in Hillary e-mail leaks found dead in apparent murder-suicide” originate on satirical websites. These websites could be misunderstood as factual, especially when viewed on Twitter, Snapchat or Facebook feeds.

According to CNBC, the most known and most prominent fake news story in 2016 was an article with the headline, “Pope Francis shocks the world, endorses Donald Trump for president.”

The story was originally published by a site called WTOE 5 News, a website that publishes satire or fantasy news stories. According to Buzzfeed, the story was shared more than one million times on Facebook.

Most recently, in the wake of the Las Vegas massacre, those who suffered fell victim to fake news. Just a mere few hours after the mass shooting in Las Vegas, people looked for

information about the topic. Instead, they were met with bogus and fictional reports. For instance, it was claimed that a New York suicide was linked to the mass shooting.

“In times of crisis, people are trying to look for answers. Instead, they find nothing but lies,” sophomore Jane Kim said.

As of recently, social media platforms have begun to do their part in stopping the spread of fake news.

According to U.S. News, Facebook has

already started flagging potential fake stories and making it easier for users to report them. Twitter has also worked on developing a program that assists flagging fake news.

Today these social media platforms are more likely to be linked to their potential harm for manipulating public opinions and influencing elections rather than being user-friendly social activities for others to communicate to friends and family. The flow of

12 INTERNATIONAL

Tue. Dec. 12, 2017

Holidays from around the world Popular Holidays Christmas “Every Christmas we have a tradition that on Christmas Eve we open at least one gift. And then on Christmas we sleep in, have breakfast and open the rest of the gifts,” said Yi. “Then we get together and pray before we eat. Then we have our Christmas meal.”

MCKENZIE YI senior

Hanukkah “Every year we will have dinner with family, we light candles, and open presents. It’s based around the story that people only had oil to burn for one night but it lasted for eight nights,” said Arias, “So we light one candle for each night.

Some families do special dinners for all eight nights but my family does one night.”

JESSICA ARIAS teacher

AMANI MUNTU

National Flashlight Day

Senior Amani Muntu (left) decorates her Christmas tree at home with her little sister.

Atoms share and bring their traditions of different holidays from winter break

BY TIANA REAMS International Editor When we think of December, we typically think of the famous holiday Christmas. There are other holidays that are celebrated this month such as two we are familiar with, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.

Hanukkah is typically celebrated by Jews. An eight day holiday in the winter time. It starts Dec 12 and continues through Dec 20. Usually celebrated with candles, lights, prayers, and a variety of foods.

Another holiday is Kwanzaa which is celebrated by West Africans. It starts Dec 26 and continues through Jan 1.

It involves a cultural traditions reflecting African practice. This holiday is filled with prayers, millions of traditions, gifts, and feasts.

People of Annandale, students and teachers that celebrate Hanukkah and Kwanzaa share their traditions that do every year, every winter break.

Leadership and math teacher Jessica Arias celebrates Hanukkah and does basic traditions every year. “We will have dinner with family we light candles and open presents,” said Arias.

Hanukkah is a holiday based off a story that a while ago, the Jews lit a candle that was supposed to last for only

What holiday do you observe in December?

JONTA CAROTHERS freshman “Normally I spend time with my family and we just make sure everyone in my family is okay when we are together.”

one day but it instead lasted for eight in Annandale is Kwanzaa.

Senior Zaid Curry celebrates Kwandays.

Most families celebrate the holiday zaa, in order to remind them of their culfor the original eight days but some only ture every year and help them reconnect choose one night. “My family picks one with it.

It is not necessarily a religious holinight to just get together,” said Arias.

The days for Hanukkah chang- day. “We do not celebrate it for religion, es every year since it is followed by it is more of a spirit thing,” said Curry. the Jewish calendar, it is not the same Kwanzaa is an African American celeeight days every year. The holiday is brated holiday that celebrates life. either weeks Most people before Christmas that celebrate or weeks after. “It “Hanukkah Kwanzaa also celis always in the is always in ebrate Christmas winter though, too. But Curry around Christ- the winter does not. “I celemas, sometimes though, brate Kwanzaa Christmas is durbut no Christmas ing Hanukkah around due to my mothtoo,” said Arias. er being Islamic,” Christmas, The pressaid Curry. They ents exchange sometimes Christmas is usually celebrate between Christ- during Hanukkah too,” Eid instead. mas and HanukLike others, --JESSICA ARIAS kah is different, informs people Leadership and Math teacher about this holbut it all depends on the family. For iday because a Christmas you usually open a ton of lot of others do not know about it. “A gifts on one day but for Hanukkah you lot of people ask about Kwanzaa, and I can choose to open one small gift for the just tell them the basics about it,” said eight days of the holiday.

Curry.

“Some families do small presents, Both holidays are a different way to one present for each night and some celebrate culture and spend time with families do one present for one night,” family. said Arias. Another holiday celebrated

SOPHIA BARABAN freshman “I set up a Christmas tree and I go to Indiana to visit my family. My family is Russian cultured, so we have Christmas on the 25th and the Russian orthadox Christmas. We open presents on New Years day.”

HAKIM IDRIS sophomore “Me and my family eat lunch together on every Tuesday for the month of December.”

DANI VILLARROEL sophomore “My and my friends hang out and we make gingerbread houses and then we watch The Grinch. Me and my family travel during winter break, this year we are going to California while last year we went to New York.”

HANGYUL CHANG junior “I get together with my entire family and we decorate the house and invite everyone and we have a meal together. But it is also religious too so we pray and stuff.”

“Every year I go down to the National Harbor and me and group of other people come together and we rejoice flashlights, and we sing songs. We trade flashlights and near the end of the festival we shine our flashlights at the moon,” said Mccrossin. “We also take a good panoramic flashlight with a $100 coupon to NITECORE. JACK MCCROSSIN senior

Kwanzaa “My family and I celebrate Kwanzaa and we have foods such as black eyed peas and jollof rice.

Most people that celebrate Kwanzaa celebrate Christmas too but I do not celebrate Christmas,” said Curry. “We celebrate Kwanzaa because of my grandmother, but my mom is Islamic.”

Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe

ZAID CURRY senior

“Everyone goes to North Mexico and they have a big mass in her honor. Personally me and my family celebrate from home because the flights to Mexico are too expensive to go all the time,” said Henao. “We have big feast and it is a good time with family.”

ADRIEN HENAO senior

HALEY MOSS junior “For Christmas, me and my family go to a Christmas tree farm and cut down a tree and then bring it home to decorate it with the entire family.”

JACK MCCROSSIN senior “I like to go to Springfield mall and sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what I want for Christmas. Also, I go get a Christmas tree with my mom and dad. Me and my sister one gift on Christmas Eve and then the rest on Christmas day.”

ROSA ACEVEDO senior “On Christman day me and my family goes to church and we pray and sing the whole time. It is a good time to worship Jesus and be with family, it is not all about the presents.”

Immigrant Stories: Coming to America

BY EYOB MENGISTU Special to The A-Blast As a child, living in a poverty struck country was not as bad as most would think it is. Although it was nothing compared to living in the United States.

Even though my family was financially stable and able to send me to private school in Ethiopia, my parents knew that life would still be better for me in America.

One day my parents told me to pack my things because we were moving to the United States.

I literally found out the day before we left, so I did not have much time to think about it.

I was only five years old. I said goodbye to everyone, all my friends that I had and all the family that I had there.

I packed my stuff, and the next day I was on a flight across the Atlantic to America.

After a 14-hour flight, we touched down in Nashville, Tennessee where my aunt picked us up. I arrived at night, so I did not really see much on the way to my aunt’s house.

The whole night I honestly thought it was the same as Ethiopia. I did not think it was as free as I see it now. I was too young to notice any differences.

The next day, my aunt took me around town, and I was in awe. Everything was different, the roads, the cars, the people and even the buildings.

The roads were paved and highways were crowded with cars. The people were diverse and there was people from all races. Whites, blacks, Muslim, Chinese, and so many more.

The weirdest part was the people, though. Before that day, I had never met a white person before and I knew nothing of their culture.

In Ethiopia, there were brown people and people of the same culture.

The next week I started school at UNA Elementary School, where I was literally the only African American child in my grade.

I did not really think much of it, all I was trying to do was learn English so I could communicate with people.

Since English was the primary language of America, yet it was so hard to learn. Learning English was the hardest part of my transition.

I had to practice every day just to learn the language to a basic extent.

I wanted to get rid of my accent, so I watched T.V. shows and tried to copy the way they said things.

Once I had English down, everything else was pretty easy and I started to assimilate to the American culture.

learned about new sports that we didn’t play in Ethiopia like basketball and football. I caught up on a lot of movies and shows everyone had already watched.

But this is not to say that I didn’t keep my own culture intact. My mom would not let me forget Amharic or any of our traditions.

Soon, we moved to Northern Virginia where it was a lot more culturally diverse and I got to meet a lot of new people that moved to America just like me.

I have now made many friends and became an entrepreneur. I have three different types of busniesses to make money.

I cut hair, also known as ‘Eyob Cuts’, I landscape for people and I also tutor little kids. I decided to do this so that I could make money and would not have to apply anywhere and go through a process.

I used to run track here at Annandale High School. I am also into playing soccer and pickup basketball with my friends for my free time.

I am now glad that I have moved to the United States and met the people that I have and am living the life that I am. It was a hard transition being only five, but I have managed to make it work.

EYOB MENGISTU

Senior Eyob Mengistu comes from Ethiopia for a chance at a better life

Senior Eyob Mengistu (middle) poses with his friends.

LIFESTYLES 13

Tues. Dec. 12, 2017

Y

Students bum on the next level

appin' with abi

Dressing comfortably throughout the day has become the newest trend When walking in the hallways, it is easy to categorize the way people dress into two sections: bumming it out, which consists of wearing pajamas or relaxing attire. The second category, which is “normal” clothing for a school day, could consist of usually just jeans and a shirt.

As time progresses, there has been a notable shift in the way many students dress when going to school, and it is directed towards dressing comfortably, which results in wearing pajamas.

This new clothing trend is in effect not only on school spirit days like pajama day, but could be seen on a day to day basis, and this look is common throughout all grades.

“I'd rather be comfortbale and ready for class because I could pay attention more when the teacher is talking.”

--HEMEN BESUFEKAD

junior Students continue to dress in clothing which gives off a bum type style.

The way it is more commonly seen, juniors and seniors dress with a more relaxed or laid back look, while freshmen and sophomores usually dress as what is viewed as traditionally 'appropriate' and typical attire for school.

Many people prefer this way of dressing because it really is just comfortable to wear, which is reasonable, and takes less time to put together which is also a bonus, but some don’t

fully love the look.

When a new school year begins, everyone is given the SR&R handbook, which outlines guidelines and rules for school, as well as dress codes.

It directly states that students should abstain from clothing that interferes with or disrupts the educational environment of others.

Under most cases, wearing sleepwear to school can sometimes be a questionable choice of clothing for some, but ultimately doesn’t seem to disrupt other people’s environment, it’s only worn for comfort.

“I think that comfort is more important because style doesn’t matter when you are comfortable,” said junior Alejandro Casquino.

On the other hand, it could look as though wearing those types of clothes shows a student's lack of interest in school and lack of effort, “I think wearing pajamas to school does bother teachers because it might show that the student isn’t ready to learn,” Casquino said.

This decline in effort seen in students, mainly seniors, could also be referred to as senioritis.

Senioritis is a fictitious illness where students, typically seniors, begin to show a decline in school work and showing effort in school. “Sometimes I try to show up ready for class and stuff but I always get tired and dress so that I’m comfortable and don’t feel weird,” said junior Hemen Besufekad. Comfort is always key when getting dressed, but sometimes can be hard to achieve when also trying to be stylish.

“I would rather be comfortable and ready for class because I could pay attention more when the teacher is talking and not bothered by my clothes,” Besufekad said.

Another addition to the lounge wear which is becoming a new style trend around the school is wearing a blanket to class- usually in place of jackets to fight against the cold or bringing it just because.

When maneuvering from class to class, it is easy to notice a trend between

Dear Yabi, It takes me so much time to finish all of my assignments and study for tests. As a result, I'm barely getting six hours of sleep a night. I catch myself getting sleepy in class and on the rare occasion, I actually sleep in class for a couple minutes which is very bad. I miss important notes and just struggle trying to stay focused in class. What can I do to make more time for sleep?

- A friend in need

PHOTO CREDIT: YABI BEREKET

BY YABI BEREKET Lifestyles Editor

Advice column

Dress for comfort Sophomore Le Lee wears an oversized orange t-shirt and shorts with leggings, along with black converse. each of them where one class tends to be that it takes less time to put togethcolder or hotter than the next, and rath- er and is comfortable to wear, which er than lugging around a big and heavy is always the goal.

Having an overall positive outwinter jacket, the new idea is just to look on school can easily be affectbring a blanket.

Many of the classes have differ- ed by the clothing you wear in most ent temperatures within them making cases, and is just a good opportunity it very frustrating to dress in the right to dress well.

Whether you’re wearing pajaclothing; holding a blanket just makes people feel better and gets the job done. mas to school or not, the main goals Another reason as to why students is to dress in a way that makes steer more towards this clothing style you feel good, and want to get the is because it is easier to accomplish in grades you need.

Dear friend in need, Part of being a high school student is having to sacrifice some of your time to study and get assignments done for school.

These are some things I've figured out along the way.

As of late, something that is still a growing problem with people, especially teenagers, is addiction to technology. You say that it takes you a long time to finish your assignments and part of that could be because you're checking your phone every five minutes. I used to not even notice how frequently I would check my phone until I shut it off and tried to focus on my assignment. I turn my phone off while working so I'm not tempted to see what's going on. Giving your complete focus to the task you are completing will make it go by faster, giving you extra time in the end to sleep sooner and feel better in the morning.

Another possibility could be you just aren't grasping the concepts of what you're learning very well which is common. Stay after with your teacher or go to them during W4. They always welcome students to come by if they need help, and they can explain the concept better than any video.

Best of all, it's within a time limit when you would be with them, so everything should mostly stay right on track.

Sleep deprivation is common among many high school students, but by leading an organized and planned out life, all those small issues could be fixed with no problem; just keep a little faith and never look down, even if you're feeling it.

People choose coffee over class Morning runs for breakfast has become andInfortheattendance.

2015-2016 school year, a new rule was developed which changed to more of a priority rather than punctuality high school hours in Fairfax County to

There has been an increase in students who are coming late to school because they go to get breakfast and coffee, typically at Starbucks.

The many locations open within the area and having a ride to go there are the main factors which play into someone being late to school.

“I’m always late because of Starbucks. Like at least three times this year so far. My teachers are just annoyed at me when I come in but it doesn’t affect my grade. It just goes on my record as tardy” said sophomore Abby Spinks.

The only punishment being a detention or a tardy on your transcript makes students not care about their tardy behaviors.

"Sometimes I’ll stop to get Starbucks but I try and do it mainly on white days since my W2 is an online class. But on red days, my teacher will mark me tardy," junior Ruth Seyoum said.

Detention wasn’t much of a worry for junior Shae Rigo when it came to being tardy.

“Last year I was late about once or twice every week because of going to

“Sometimes I'll stop to get Starbucks, but I'll try and mainly do it during W2 since my W2 is an online class, but on red days, my teacher will mark me tardy.”

--RUTH SEYOUM

junior this one could develop into a bad habit, and could spiral into something worse before realizing the consequences which will have to be paid.

Arriving tardy a couple times a week can be intolerbale for many teachers,

start later at 8:10 a.m. everyday; this was done so as to give students a bit more time and rest in the mornings, but it seems that the plan did not have much effect considering the amount of people who remain late when coming to school because of certain reasons.

Even coming late just a few times irritates his teacher, but sophomore Yawar Abbas comes on time frequently.

“Most of the time I’ve been on time to school but sometimes I’m late to school.

I get a pumpkin spice latte beverage at Starbucks. When I come late to class, my teachers aren’t happy,” Abbas said.

Does Starbucks really help students stay focused and pay attention in class?

Studies show that students are mainly drinking caffeinated drinks for the taste, not the actual purposes of drinking coffee.

Despite this need to fulfill their sweet tooth, is it really worth being late to class for a drink?

For some students, just getting a sip of the drink in the morning is completely worth missing the first few minutes in class, "Iced caramel macchiato or anything with caramel, I’m obsessed with caramel," Seyoum said.

Eating a healthy breakfast and get- Junior Hangyul Chang enjoys his seasonal Starbucks drink. The coffee giant has ting a good night’s sleep is always the attracted many AHS students in the morning, causing numerous tardies. best way to go to achieve energy.

PHOTO CREDIT: REEM

BY AVE CLYBURN Staff Writer

Starbucks in the morning. My teacher did not like it, I had detention once because I was always late so often,” junior Shae Rigo said.

Continuing on a constant cycle like

Students ditch for drinks

Fashion Spotlight: Reem Hassan, 11

Q: Where do you like to shop?

A: I like to shop everywhere. Marshalls has some pretty clothes for a cheap price. Forever 21 and H&M also have really good clothes too.

Q: What is your favorite accessory?

A: My favorite accessory wold be my watch. It can make a basic outfit look cute.

Junior Reem Hassan wears a black shirt and beige pants alongside gold tipped high heels.

PHOTO CREDIT: REEM

Q: What is your outift for school?

A: To school I wear comfy and casual outfits like black leggings, an oversized shirt, an army jacket, and white shoes.

Q: What do you wear on bum days?

A: On bum days I like wearing sweatpants and a baggy shirt or a sweatshirt with jeans.

Q: How long does it take you to get ready?

A: Usually, I wake up at 7:10 and I would leave my house at 7:40, I really like my sleep so I wake up late.

Q: What's your favorite season to dress for?

A: I like to dress up mostly in the summer because you can come up with more outfits and it's not cold so you don't have to wear a jacket.

Q: How long does it take you to get ready?

A: On average, it takes me about thirty minutes to get ready and dressed.

Q: How much do you invest in clothing?

A: I don't realy know how much I spend when I go shopping, whenever I get paid, I spend as much as I need too.

Q: What are your favorite pair of shoes?

A: My favorite pair are my Nike shoes, they're very comfy.

Q: Do you dress to impress or for yourself?

A: I dress for myself, sadly there's no one to impress at this school but if I look cute then I feel cute.

Q: Who is your fashion inspiration?

A: My inspiration is whatever is trending.

PHOTO CREDIT: SADAF MARZI

Q: How did you learn to dress?

A: I look at famous people and how they dress. I like the outifts so I try to replicate it.

Hassan wears a mid-length bodycon black dress and beige lace up heels.

14 PEOPLE

Tues. Dec. 12, 2017

What does your name say about you?

What’s In A Name?

The 6 most common last names at AHS

MOUSA AYOUB freshman “When my parents chose my name, they were thinking of Moses and in arabic, Mousa means Moses.”

NGUYEN TRAN

42 last names

LE

29 last names

18 last names

KIM 14 last names

AHMED

ZAINAB ISLAM freshman “My parents chose my name because in Islam, the last Prophet’s eldest daughter was named Zainab.”

LEE

15 last names

13 last names

HAKIM IDRIS sophomore “My parents didn’t choose my name, it was my grandfather.

His buddy in war was named Hakin and he died.”

DANI VILLARROEL sophomore “I wanted something simple but not something that was too popular.”

HARUN AHMED freshman

ANGELA KIM senior

BY BINQI CHEN Co-Editor in Chief

Walking down the halls of AHS, different faces stretch as far as the eye can see. These faces are comprised of thousands of kids who come from over 90 countries and speak over 53 languages.

Diversity practically defines AHS. This year, according to data collected by the school, the most popular last name is Nguyen, totaling a count of 42 students. While it may not seem like a large number, which is greater than double of the amount of the second most common surname of Tran. There are 29 students with the last name of Tran.

After Nguyen and Tran, the most widespread last name at AHS is Le with a count of 15. Le is another Vietnamese last name.

All three of these last names are not surprising, as they are a direct reflection of not only the school community but the entire county as a whole.

Both Tran and Nguyen are both Vietnamese last names. According to the Demographic Characteristics provided by the Fairfax County government, Vietnamese is also the third most spoken language other than English in the county.

The fourth most common last name is Ahmed, totaling a number of 15 students. It is thought that this count may even be higher due to the numerous ways and variations of spelling the Arabic surname in English.

Behind Ahmed is the Korean derived last names of Kim and Lee, with 14 and 13 students, respectively.

The high occurrence of these two last names is certainly not a coincidence.

RICHARD LE junior

VINCENT NGUYEN freshman

IDRIS DAHIR junior “My dad chose my name because a man named Idris once saved my dad’s life.”

KATIE LEE senior

TONY TRAN junior

Top 10 Last Names 1. Nguyen 42 2. Tran 29 3. Le 18 4. Ahmed 15 5. Kim 14 6. Lee 13 7. Rodriguez 12 8. Ali 11 9. Phan 10 10. Osman 9 (Left to Right) Sophomore Haley Nguyen standing next to Freshman Annie Nguyen, Junior Casey Nguyen, and Senior Khanh Nguyen.

Downtown Annandale has often been dubbed Koreatown. This nickname started in 2005, where Annandale saw a drastic of Korean businesses.

According to the 2006 Giant Directory, in Annandale, there were about 929 South-Korean owned businesses and 67 South Korean-owned restaurants as of July 1, 2010.

For these students whose last names are among the most popular, they have a slightly different perspective of AHS than the rest of school. Over the years, they have collected numerous interesting stories to tell about their last names.

“I feel like I’m always being mixed up with some other kid that has the same last name as me,” senior Benjamin Lee said. “It would be half-way through the school year and my teachers would still get me confused with another student.”

If repeated, this could be an

annoying issue for the student. However, it is also important to cut the teachers some slack. Most teachers have over 120 names to memorize throughout all their classes, it is only human for them to stumble once or twice.

Students with common first names along with the popular last names often encounter interesting stories. For Lee, he has discovered that there is another student at AHS with the same exact name as him, down to the letter. Even their middle initials are the same.

“Sometimes when I had to sign out of school early or run something by the attendance office,” Lee said. “They would accidentally mark the wrong Benjamin Lee absent.”

However, having people with the same last name can also provide a sense of community. Since the frequency of last names at AHS is in direct correlation with the demographic characteristics of its surrounding area, aa

HUMANS OF ANNANDALE Throughout middle school, I never had the intention of taking all honors in high school. I went into my freshman year only taking one honors class.

As the year went on, I didn’t feel like I was being challenged by the general education classes. When it was the time for course selections at the end of the year, I decided to make a change.

I decided to take on another, totaling two honors classes.

Near the end of the first semester my sophomore year I had to make the choice of taking IB classes or not for the following year. The classes I took that year was still not challenging enough.

Therefore, I took the initiative to do some research on my own. I talked to many different people and after making my decision, most of the classes on my course schedule for junior year were IB classes.

A few weeks after course selection, the ever so kind Ms. Bradshaw called me and a few other students into her office to discuss the possibility for us to pursue the IB Diploma.

She laid it out very simply to us: Yes, it would be challenging to write the Extended Essay and take an extra course called Theory of Knowledge, but we all had the class requirements to be pursuing the IB Diploma.

students are able to find others with the same ethnic backgrounds as them. This can help with new immigrant students find friends and help them assimilate into their new environment.

Even though AHS has its own most popular last names, our diversity is still reflected in these statistics. Scattered among these numbers are surnames coming from all regions of the world. This shows just how diverse AHS is.

Also, within each last names are students who are individually unique. Some have lived in Annandale their entire lives, while others immigrants who only arrived in America just a few weeks prior. Some are artists, while some are athletes. Some excel in math, while others in history.

Everybody here has a different story.

In classrooms, students rid any previous misconceptions and immerse themselves in a safe learning space for all.

NEYDA VILLATORO junior “Basically, when my parents chose my name, they went through my brother’s yearbook and they tried to find Neyda but didn’t find it so they chose it.”

KAA-LOK YAP senior “I don’t really know why my parents chose it but it means something significant in my language.”

SHOROUK JARADAT senior “My sister named me. She really liked that name because she liked an actor with the same name. Also, my name means sunrise or sunset.”

WHO AM I? I attended...

Blue Mountain High School and then I attended Shippensburg University.

The extracurricular activities I did were..

My extracurricular activities in high school included track, color guard, chorus, Big Brothers/ Big Sisters, and National Honor Society.

I was born in...

Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania My favorite book is...

Persuasion by Jane Austen.

Before teaching at Annandale....

I taught at Glen Burnie High School in Maryland for 4 years before I came to Annandale. I have also taught for 4 years at Cumberland Valley High School in Pennsylvania, and 1 year at Stephen Decatur High School in Ocean City, Maryland.

INGRID GUARDADO senior That is when I decided to change my schedule a bit in order to pursue the IB Diploma.

Plus, the majority of my closest friends were also doing it. I knew that if we were to suffer, we would be in it together.

Now, almost half way through my senior year, I have completed my EE and TOK class is coming to an end. Doing this diploma is something I never thought I would be doing, especially from going to one honors class to strictly IB, but I am very glad I decided to

Why did you choose teaching...

I chose teaching because I enjoy helping others.

I also find my content area to be interesting and fun.

In my free time I... enjoy spending time with my family. My 3 year old daughter enjoys being outside so we like to explore new parks, go swimming, and find fun festivals to attend. We also love going to new and different restaurants

I teach at Annandale because...

I love the atmosphere of the school. Faculty and staff genuinely care about the students, and the students are caring, talented and motivated individuals. Annandale feels like a family to me which is not something I felt at other schools where I worked.

My favorite movie is...

Dirty Dancing My favorite quote is...

“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” -Harriet Beecher Stowe Use a QR Code scanner to reveal Who Am I?

SPORTS X-TRA 15

Tues. Dec.12, 2017

Junior commits to VMI Anissa Cheikh verbally agrees to play Division One Soccer When colleges recruit and scout high school athletes in order to offer scholarship opportunities to some, it is not all that common that student-athletes are offered any scholarships before their senior year of high school.

However, this was not the case for junior Anissa Cheikh who was just recently offered a scholarship and verbally committed to play soccer at the Virginia Military Institute and be a part of the class of 2023.

“I was not really all that surprised about being offered the opportunity to play at VMI because I was communicating with the coaches throughout the process,” Cheikh said. “But I was really excited and honored to verbally commit to have the opportunity to play for them.”

Cheikh has been playing soccer for 14 years not only for AHS, where she made the varsity team as a freshman, but also for other teams outside of school.

“I have been playing soccer for a total of about 14 years,” Cheikh said.

“I currently play for AHS as well as SCAA (South County).”

The Virginia Military Institute is a part of a highly competitive college program and plays soccer, as well

has participated in both cross country and indoor track where she was a top runner in both.

Having the opportunity to play for a division one school such as the Virginia Military Institute, Cheikh will have the opportunity to face higher level competition.

Facing higher level competition is almost certain to improve athletes at the college level.

“I just want to become a stronger player and because they play division one soccer I’ll have the chance to “I was really excited and improve so many aspects of my game,” Cheikh said. honored to be able to The multiple years of experience certainly helped Cheikh in having the verbally commit to have opportunity to be offered an athletic scholarship to the Virginia Military the opportunity to play Institute. for them (VMI). ” “I am so excited and also honored to receive the opportunity to play at --ANISSA CHEIKH junior VMI,” Cheikh said.

Cheikh being one of the strongest players in AHS girls soccer throughout her first three years has definitely allowed her to stand out significantly.

“My personal goals for the remainCheikh making the varsity team der of high school include wanting to as a freshman also contributed in her become a stronger player,” Cheikh standing out. said. “Because they play Division One She looks to continue to grow in her soccer, the game is much faster and final years in high school as she prethe intensity is way higher.”

Along with playing soccer for many pares for college soccer. years, Cheikh is also a multi-sport athlete.

Throughout high school, Cheikh as many other sports, at the Division One level.

This typically means that athletes offered the opportunity to play for the school’s sports teams are usually highly scouted and very talented.

Cheikh, who has played at a very competitive level throughout all of her years playing soccer, looks forward to having the chance to improve even more as the competition ramps up in college..

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANISSA CHEIKH

BY JUDE NANAW Sports X-tra Editor

Anissa Cheikh winds up take a free kick in a game for her SCAA travel team. Cheikh competes in soccer both in school as well as for a team outside of school.

Alumni joins club sport

JOIN

Despite popular belief that being recruited to play for a school’s sports team is the only opportunity to be a part of athletics in college, this is not always true.

It is true that there is higher competition at the level that those sports are on, but there are plenty of other opportunities to be a part of sports in college.

One way is to attempt to be a walk-on to one of the varsity teams by trying out and earning a position on team, despite not having been recruited or offered an athletic scholarship previously.

Or, one could join a club or intramural sport at the school.

Former AHS student and recent graduate Lucie Lefbom currently attends Virginia Tech. Despite participating in both volleyball and swim throughout her time at AHS, Lefbom was not offered a scholarship opportunity.

This did not stop her from joining a sport in college as she is now a part of the club volleyball team at Virginia Tech.

“Playing a club sport definitely has many benefits to

Lefbom (bottom right) poses for a picture with her Virginia Tech club volleyball team following a game. it,” Lefbom said. “It’s awesome because it helps you stay in shape and the people on the teams are so nice.”

There is a much decreased level in competition when going from the varsity level sports at a university or college to the level of competition of the club or intramural sports. However, this is not always deemed a negative.

Which teams do you think will advance to the CFB Championship?

RILEY ZIMMERMAN freshman “I think that the teams that will make it to the championship will be Georgia and Alabama because they are some dogs. Also, Alabama’s coach is really good.”

BARRON DAVIS junior

SAM ABOURAKTY junior

RUTH SEYOUM junior

“I’d have to go with Georgia and Alabama just because their teams have more experience and their players are stronger.”

“In my opinion, Georgia and Alabama will probably be the teams to advance to the championship because Alabama is consistently a powerhouse and Georgia is on the come up.”

“I’m personally hoping to see Alabama and Clemson in the championship game again because it’ll be like the best of three game between them.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LUCIE LEFBOM

BY JUDE NANAW Sports X-tra Editor

“Another benefit to club sports is that they are not as serious and do not take as much time,” Lefbom said. “And you still get to play the sport you love.”

If not offered an opportunity or scholarship to play at the college level for a sport after high school, one should always consider club sports in college.

HAKIM IDRIS sophomore

“I think Clemson and Oklahoma will be in the championship and Clemson will win it alll again because they won last year.”

“Clemson and Oklahoma are probably the best teams to advance to the championship because both their rosters are better built than Alabama and Georgia’s rosters.”

“I think Oklahoma and Clemson will advance to the college football championship because they both have good winning records and are better than both Alabama and Georgia.”

Don’t miss out on activities like fun Fridays, and secret santa. Take advantage of your opportunity to have your name featured in the newspaper.

Impress colleges by showing them you are a member of The A-Blast, the only high school newspaper printed for free by The Washington Post. We are among the top 10 high school newspapers in the nation!

You could report the latest sport events by becoming a Sports Page Editor, record significant school events as the Head Videographer, or determine who will star in the next Fashion Spotlight by being a Lifestyles Editor.

LEO IRIATE sophomore

DAWIT WONDWOSEN senior

Enroll in journalism to become an active member of The A-Blast staff to see for yourself where the magic happens.

MICHELLE AKL senior “Alabama will definitely be in the championship game because they have been consistently the best throughout every college football season. They’ll beat whoever they’re up against.”

Enjoy class periods of bonding with friends, making jokes, and sharing priceless memories. You won’t regret it.

See Mr. Weintraut in the Publications Lab for more information.

SPORTS 16

Tues. Dec. 12, 2017

Wrestling faces off in Nova Classic Senior Allen Kokilananda finishes in second place in his weight class On Fri. Dec. 8, the Atoms varsity wrestling squad participated in the Nova Classic tournament.

The Nova Classic tournament is used by many teams to measure the team’s strengths and weaknesses or improvements that need to be made over the course of the season, and the Atoms wrestling squad has participated in it for many seasons.

The Atoms successfully finished in tenth place out of 32 teams with 86 points.

“The whole team especially the freshmen stepped up big time to help us achieve this,” senior Allen Kokilananda said. Kokilananda represented AHS at the competition and ended up taking second place for the 145 weight class behind Julio Alegria of North Stafford High School.

Originally, the tournament was set to take place over the course of Friday and Saturday, but more matches had to be scheduled on Friday as the Saturday portion of the event was cancelled due to impending snow.

This meant that all matches would have to have been completed in one day.

Before going to the competition Kokilananda was undefeated but things did not end up going his way.

“Competing in double the matches in one day took a negative effect on my stamina. I fell short of what I wanted to accomplish during the tournament. I

had a goal to win the tournament and remain undefeated. However, I lost a tough match in the finals and took second because I was eventually unable to react to my opponents quick movements fast enough,” Kokilananda said.

“Overall, it [the tournament being just one day long] impacted the stamina of the whole team, not just me, because we had to wrestle more matches on Friday in order to finish the tournament” Kokilananda said.

According to Kokilananda, his coaches and their persistence to make him work in practice has helped.

“Practice has improved Annandale greatly to help us improve our game from crazy conditioning with Coach Klein to the important technique with Coach Sweet and Coach Ho,” Kokilananda said.

With the tournament results finalized, the Atoms varsity wrestling squad now has an idea of what improvements need to be made before the end of the season.

However, no teams from the Atoms’ district consisting of Mount Vernon, West Potomac, Hayfield and T.C. Williams competed in the tournament so it is hard to tell how Annandale is currently doing in their conference.

With this tournament passing, the Atoms can start to feel more confident as they are in the top ten of all high school wrestling team in Northern Virginia that participated.

This confidence from the tournament can give the team just what they need to have a successful season and

achieve more goals that they set in the future.

Kokilananda believes underclassmen stepping up was instrumental to their success in this meet.

“The freshmen should be proud for all of their work to step up in this big meet,” Kokilananda said.

This confidence could give Annandale just what they need to win big meets for the rest of the season.

“Annandale accomplished their goals and succeeded in a meet where conditions were not ideal or on their side,” Kokilananda said.

The Atoms varsity wrestling squad will only get better when their stamina is positively impacted by wrestling less matches in one day.

In other words, this tournament does not set in place the actual conditions for other tournaments in terms of how many matches take place in a certain time period.

In most tournaments, there is more time between matches to rest and rebuild strength since there is more time to complete brackets to determine a champion for each weight class.

“Thank you to the parents, friends, coaches, and teachers for all of their work put into the program,” Kokilananda said.

He believes his success is not only due to his own talent, but the support he receives from others.

As the team receives continued support over the rest of the season, they will look to close out their season on a Senior Allen Kokilananda takes down an opponent at a meet against the Thomas high note.

Edison Eagles last year.

ALLEN KOKILANANDA

BY ALEX BURITA Staff Writer

Swim falls to Wakefield in dual meet

KATIE POPE

BY ELIAS MOURA Staff Writer

Sophomore Jack Dalrymple swims the 100 yard breaststroke at Lee District Rec Center in a tri-meet against Chantilly High School and Edison High School.

The varsity swim and dive team has started their 2017-18 season.

Last year’s swim season wasn’t too successful, as the team finished with a negative record.

The team looks for a better and brighter season this year and it’s one that most believe they can get. With returning swimmers, and some new talent on the team, chances are the team can put up a fight this year.

The season as of right now, hasn’t started too great, according to junior Abby Reynolds.

“The season, to begin with, has started out rough. Not knowing many of my new teammates doesn’t help very much with cooperating with the team,” Reynolds said.

So far the swim and dive team have had two meets this season. They faced Chantilly and Edison in a tri-meet on Fri. Dec. 1 in Lee District Park and

Wakefield in a duel meet on Fri. Dec. 8 in Cub Run Recenter.

They were supposed to play against Hayfield in an invitational on Sat. Dec. 9 in Lee District Park, but the meet was canceled due to snow.

All of the meets have gone quite poorly, as they have lost all of them.

Reynolds thinks the team can improve, recommending her team to work harder in and out of the water.

Their next meet is a dual event against West Potomac High School on Fri. Dec. 15th at the George Washington Recenter.

Reynolds is confident about the upcoming Duel meet, wanting to drop her time for the 500 yard freestyle.

Her goals for the team is to have them all try their best and she believes that they would succeed.

Head Coach Victoria Douglas, also believes the team can succeed.

“The season has started off well. We were up against some teams that we knew as a whole that the team wouldn’t

win. However, the swimmers have had some personal bests which is what’s important,” Douglas said. She values the personal records that the individual swimmers like Abby Reynolds set.

“I’m proud of my older and returning swimmers with how they’re incorporating the newer swimmers and freshmen,” Douglas said about the returning upper class leadership.

For the upcoming meet against West Potomac, the swimmers have decided that they wanted to try out some new events.

“I am excited to see how the swimmers do in those new events,” Douglas said.

“West Potomac is always one of the more difficult teams so I’m just looking for them to do well in their individual and personal bests,” said Coach Douglas, again emphasizing the importance of individual records.

The swim and dive team will be looking to succeed throughout the rest of this season.

Player Profile: Junior Lotongo What winter sport will routine?

My daily training routine is: First, when I get to the gym, I stretch. Then, I lift and work on ball handling. After that, I shoot around 100 free throws and like 250 jump shots. Then, I run 5 on 5. I usually do all this with [junior] Amir [Aburish].

do the best during their season?

What is your favorite move to do in game?

My favorite move is the AI crossover.

JUNIOR LOTONGO

What do you like to do in your free time?

In my free time I like to eat ChickFil-A.

Junior Junior Lotongo defends against an opponent in bounding the ball in a game against Stuart this season.

BY LUKE ELKINS Sports Editor Junior Lotongo is a junior in his second year playing varsity basketball for the Atoms. He is looking to be a leader on this year’s squad. So far this season he is averaging 14 points per game.

How long have you been playing basketball?

I have been playing basketball since the fourth grade.

How did you discover your interest in basketball?

My sister got me into basketball. She let me watch it with her all the time and I eventually fell in love with it.

Who is your favorite basketball player and why?

What’s your favorite song to listen to before a game to get pumped up?

My favorite song to listen to before a game is “We Don’t Luv Em” by Hoodrich Pablo Juan.

My favorite player is Kevin Durant, because of how versatile he is.

What other sports do you play?

I play a little bit of football.

What inspires you to play basketball?

What inspires me to play basketball is my mom, my family, and my friends.

I want to bring my family and close friends to the top with me.

What’s your favorite part about playing basketball?

My favorite part about playing basketball is when the game gets close at the end of the game. Both teams start fighting really hard to win.

How have your friends and family supported you?

They come to games with me, give me rides to the gym, and they give me the best advice.

What advice would you give to basketball beginners?

Some advice I would give is the advice my coaches give me now: “If you want to get somewhere you’ve never been, you have to do stuff you’ve never done.”

What’s the best advice you’ve received?

The best advice I’ve ever gotten is “shooters shoot.”

What’s your daily training

What are your goals/expectations for the season?

My goal for the season is for our team to win the district.

JAD ABUTAA freshman “I think JV guys basketball is going to do the best during their season. My friends are on the team and I think they can win a lot of games.”

MARIAM SESAY freshman “I think the boys basketball is going to have the best season. So far they’ve been winning a lot. They been doing well in their games and other stuff like that too.”

FERNANDO NUNEZ sophomore “I think the boys basketball team will definitely have the best season this year. I think their team is better than last year and they can look to win more games this year. Also, our conference is easier this year.”

SADAF KHAN sophomore “I think basketball is doing pretty good so far. Both teams are doing well, they have a better record than last year so far and that shows good potential for the rest of the season for both teams.”

IDRIS DAHIR junior “I think that the JV boys basketball team is gonna be really successful this season.

They have a really great center on their team: Michael Behailu. He will be the key.”

ABAG ADAWI junior “I feel like the boys basketball will do the best during their season. They have a lot of good players, I think they have what it takes to succeed. They are gonna win a lot more games than they did during the last season for sure.”

URIEL SEJAS senior “I think it will be wrestling. We have a very strong team this year that have a lot of strengths. Led by our coaches, I think this year will be our year to be successful again.”

MARIAM MOHAMED senior “I think girls basketball will do the best this season because of my girl Sarah. She’s a great basketball player. She’s been playing basketball for a long time and she has a lot of experience and that will help the team.”

SPORTS 17

Tues. Dec. 12, 2017

Atoms defeats the Raiders 54-52

Junior Vitalina Fuentes taking the lead at Episocal in 200m event.

Indoor track succeeds in first meet

BY JUDE NANAW Sports X-tra Editor

Coming off a very successful cross country season for both the boys and girls teams, many of the same runners are looking to continue that success in the indoor track season.

Both cross country teams reached the regional meet where top runners sophomore Mikyas Sahlu and freshman Julia Ghiselli placed very high in their respective meets. Runners are looking to continue working hard in practice to ensure similar results from the cross country season.

The distance team looks to improve in the indoor season through workouts and repetitions.

“We want to improve through our workouts,” junior Vitalina Fuentes said.

“Repeating them every two weeks and seeing if you can do them at a faster time helps shows improvement.”

The track team faced stiff competitions in all events at the first meet of the season that took place on Dec. 2 at Episcopal High School.

The Atoms competed against the The sprints team has improved Fairfax Rebels and Robinson Rams. greatly from last year and has a legitMany Atoms have set individual imate opportunity to be successful in goals and points for improvement from conference and regional meets. previous track seasons.

“We were close to winning the region “My personlast year,” Harris al goal for this said. “But we are indoor season is stronger this year “My personto be at the same than we were last level I was at last year.” al goal for year,” Fuentes With the this indoor said. “I say this changing of conbecause it is hard ferences this year season is to transition from across all sports, to be at the cross country to teams find themselves being much indoor track.” same level I more evenly As it currentwas last year.” matched. ly stands, both “With us going the boys and girls --VITALINA FUENTES track teams have Junior to the new conference we are pretmany experienced ty even so we are runners and expecting close to strengths overall.

“One of our current strengths is that the same results,” Harris said.

However, there are many new faces the boys team has a lot of speed,” Head to the track team this season that do Coach Phil Harris said. “We are looknot have previous track experience. ing for them to win the region this year Many runners are setting specific which hasn’t happened since about personal times they want to hit in their 2010 or 2011.”

respective events.

“My goals are to hopefully break five minutes in the one-mile run,” senior Nghia Nguyen said. “For the two mile I want to get under eleven minutes.”

The long term goal for the Atoms track team in the indoor track team is to prepare for the spring season while also looking to be successful in a wide range of events during the winter season.

Participating in meets during the winter season will help in getting ready for many of the same events in the spring track season.

Another goal of the Atoms is to continue building chemistry between teammates.

An important overall goal we have is to grow together more as a team,” Harris said. “We want to have unity with the whole team.”

Improvement throughout the indoor track season will be essential in determining the overall success of the team come the spring track season.

Girls basketball bounce back after a 0-5 start Atoms defeat the Lancers 49-45

BY ELIAS MOURA Staff Writer The Girls Varsity Basketball team played at Thomas Jefferson High School on Wednesday, December 8th. They lost to a score of 32-58, updating their season record to 0-3.

Head Coach Jimmy Brown agrees the game could have been better, “The TJ game was tough. They had 2 very good college bound players. We did not rebound as well as I would have liked,” Brown said.

Coach Brown understands why the girls didn’t perform as well as they wanted too, and Brown puts some blame on himself, not coaching a great game.

“Our girls were thinking way too much as opposed to just reacting,” said Coach

Brown when asked what problem the girls had.

The girls will not let the loss get to them though, they’ll work hard and bounce back according to the coach, “we have to work on everything, but that is to be expected so early in the season. It hurts not to have one of your best players on the floor, we are without 17 points and another girl who can handle the ball which would allow Jayla more time to rest and play on the wing.” The injured girl is star player Sarah Shamdeen.

Coach Brown believes the playoffs is where the team will shine, “we keep preaching mid January, it’s not about being at your best right now , it’s about your best by the playoffs.” Senior Grace Hatch believes that improvement comes with staying positive and improving on offense by moving the ball quicker, also agreeing with her coach “we have great girls, practices are upbeat. We are going to be healthy and fantastic by playoffs , I really believe it!”

Grace believes in times like this,

Sophomore Annika Younger taking shots at practice encouragement is key, “I try to keep my teammates up by talking to them and encouraging them, I try to be there when things aren’t going our way.”

Girls varsity basketball played at home against Thomas Jefferson but came up short, losing to the Colonials 32-58. However, the girls turned it

around, playing Robert E Lee High School on December 8th at home and winning that game to a score of 49-45.

Their updated record is now 1-4 on the season.

The girls look to play Chantilly High School on Wednesday, December 13.

Chantilly.

On Dec. 6, after winning their last three games against Stuart, George Mason High School, and Falls Church, the dominant Atoms went to Thomas Jefferson to win a close game.

“Thomas Jefferson should not have been underestimated. They are a good team with some skillful players,” Junior Lotongo said.

Lotongo scored 19 points against Jefferson.

You never know what can happen in the end and TJ could have pulled off an upset,” junior shooting guard Alejandro Casquino said.

Early in the first quarter, Thomas Jefferson barely climbed past Annandale and was leading by just one point (11-10) at the end of the first quarter.

During the second quarter however, the dynamic of the game started to shift as the score at halftime read 24-22.

At this point, the next two quarters could lean either way. It seemed the team to win would be the team that turned the ball over less.

“After half, we [the Atoms] felt like we needed to come out stronger and

WENDY LOTONGO

VITALINA FUENTES

BY ALEXANDER BURITA Staff Writer

Junior Junior Lotongo Shooting a free throw against Stuart on Dec. 1. work harder to outscore Jefferson in the already very even fight,” Lotongo said.

In the third quarter, the Atoms outscored the Colonials 19-16 and took the lead going into the final minutes of the game. The total score after three quarters favored the Atoms 43-38.

During the final quarter, the Colonials needed to outscore the Atoms by five to tie up the game. They seemed to gather up needed confidence but fell short at the end, as the final score was 54-52.

“It was a well fought game by either side, but we had many chances to put the game away which Jefferson did not allow” varsity head coach Deidrich Gilreath said.

Practices have helped us realize our strengths and weakness as a team which was a part of our big win,” Gilreath said.

Annandale ended up holding onto the game in the end and now look to hopefully have a commanding win over the struggling 0-4 Lee High School on Dec. 9.

“We can win any game where we step on the court to play with all efforts.

Our confidence has skyrocketed due to our recent wins,” said Gilreath.

Coach’s Spotlight: Jimmy Brown

BY KHADIJA AHMED Staff Writer Coach Jimmy Brown is the current girls’ varsity basketball coach. He grew up in Salisbury, Maryland and went to Georgia Southern University. Brown is married to his wife Megan, and they have 11-yearold Vince, 5-year-old Maddy, and 4-year-old Bridget.

How did you discover your interest in sports?

My father played for the Packers under Vince Lombardi and played for the Washington Senators in baseball. He also ran a youth sports program for 40 years, so I grew up around sports.

What other schools have you previously worked at?

At Georgia Southern, I worked for the men’s basketball team for two years, then moved up to work at Bishop O’Connell and Joe Wootten for two years before taking over the girls program at O’Connell for eight years.

How do you handle the discipline of players?

Most of the time the girls know what to expect, so we have not had to do much. The girls at this school are pretty solid, nice girls. But we do try to treat everyone equally in that respect. If you’re late, you run. Being on time is very important in life.

DONATE YOUR CAR TODAY What advice do you have for your players regarding the balance of athletics and academics?

The education will help you long past playing b-ball. It’s tough at times to balance both, but playing a sport prepares you for life. A job, kids, free time in the real world you have to learn to balance so this is great practice for it.

What are your goals for the team this year?

The goal never changes, we want to win a state title and a conference title. We want to peak in mid-January.

The AHS Auto Program needs your vehicle.

Thanks to the work of our students, you may be able to deduct up to the original value of your automobile. The process is fast, easy and helps the best automotive program in FCPS. To schedule your donation, please email instructor Anthony Maniatakas at AJManiatakas@fcps.edu

18 ENTERTAINMENT

Tues. Dec. 12, 2017

Meet the brains behind Turtle AHS Alumni create new messaging app

BY LINA AL TAII Entertainment Editor

How did you guys each come together and decide you wanted to work on this app together? Have you worked together in the past? beginning,” Miller said, “but Nick says the idea kind of derived from just hav“Nick had asked me to come on,” Ullah ing a hard time starting conversations, said, “and asked to help out with the and when he did start them, there app, I’ve known Nick for a while and we have worked together for a bit along was a preconceived notion they had of him and it just ruined the conversawith Julius too. tion. With Turtle, it takes that precon“Nick came to recruit us,” Miller said, ceived notion away and allows people “and help him market and work on to have an easier time making converthe app with him, like TJ said, we sation. I think that at this moment the have worked togethreal thing we er before on smallare pushing er things but I’d “Being on this towards creatsay this is the first ing is a matchteam and part major thing we have making sysworked on togethof this App has tem that just er, definitely the first been amazing wasn’t able app,” to be released and I’m sure it “Nick told me about with the first the idea in the beginwill look amazversion of the ning,” Farooq said, ing on a resume app.” “and we kinda just grew it from there. or it could become full time. ” It’s my first time How long --JULIUS MILLER working with all of Class of 2017 have you these people.” worked on it prior to the release and How did the idea behind the app were there any problems along the develop as you worked on it? Is way? there anything that you wanted to “We worked on it for quite a while, and do but couldn’t or anything that the only major problem I think we had you didn’t think of originally but was Apple being a pain,” Ullah said. ended up doing at the end?

“Yeah it has certainly been a while,” “There are a few things we couldn’t add Miller said, “I remember the idea comat the moment, but we plan on impleing up from Nick during the summer or menting them in the future with app earlier, like TJ said, Apple was really updates,” Ullah said. annoying we got rejected like six times “It was very simple from the and it sucked.”

TURTLE

In less than 24 hours, Turtle, a new app relased by AHS Alumni, not only hit over 1300 users, but it earned display on the trending page of the App Store. The founders of this App explain how they created this app, and what their plans are for the future of it.

Julius Miller, a freshman at GMU, is member of the Marketing/Press Outreach team. TJ Ullah, a freshman at Northern Virginia Community College, works on Marketing as well as Photography for the app. Saad Farooq, a freelance digital marketer, is Chief of Marketing and coordinates social media strategy. Nick Sarath, the CEO of the company, was not available for this interview.

Is it only available on iOS right now? Are you guys planning on making it available to Android phones/other platforms?

“It is only available on iOS right now, but we plan to release to Android very soon,” Farooq said.

What is your ultimate long-term goal for the app right now? Seeing the extreme success it’s having after just one day, what do you hope will come out of it in the long term?

“To be successful in what we do,” Miller said, “We want to revolutionize the chatting industry by taking the fear out of conversation. And to have fun in what we do.”

“My goal is just to have something that I played a part in,” Ullah said, “and to have it available for everyone to enjoy and laugh.”

“Our long term company goal is to change the way people meet online,” Farooq said, “rather than having people be judgemental and base you off your social media profile and pictures online we want people to get to know each other without developing any implicit bias,” How did you guys pick three days?

Is there any significance behind that number and did you guys test it out or did you just go with it?

“Well we began with two days,” Farooq

said, “but then we decided that it wasn’t enough to get to know a person because people aren’t going to be constantly on the app, so we changed it to three.”

Now that the app is out and in the public eye what type of feedback are you receiving? Is there anything you are planning on changing/improving?

“People want to know who to talk to!”

Farooq said, “we want to add a suggested people/discover feature that lets you find people near you, suggest people you might want to talk to, and a feature that shows you random people to talk to. We also want to add an option to post videos on your profile so people can showcase their talents,” “We are mostly getting positive feedback,” Miller said, “if there are any problems or suggestions, people let us know, overall the app is running very smoothly.”

“We are getting feedback,” Ullah said, “like if there are any issues that users are facing and just some basic ideas to implement.”

I noticed that the app doesn’t have any visible ads or purchasable portions to make it profitable. At this point in time is there a profit? Are you considering adding ads or purchasable portions in the future, or are you hoping to keep it free?

“Adding in app purchases and ads just

makes the app more difficult,” Ullah said, “our goal is to have an easy to use app to socialize and to get to know people without judging based off looks.”

How did you guys come up with the design of the app?

“I believe the turtle is because you know a turtle hides its head and then comes out eventually, like how messages are anonymous at first but only for three days,” Miller said.

What would you say to those who call the app pointless and say the anonymity is used as an excuse to be rude?

“I think that they should consider that aside from their opinion, a lot has gone into the app, a lot of work, a lot of care.

It’s our baby in a sense,” Miller said, “also, it’s in a baby stage, it’s very early so if they have dissatisfaction with the current version there are more versions coming that I promise could change their mind.”

“I tell them that the point of the app is to allow people to start conversations without any prior implicit bias that the other person may have gathered from their online media, profiles or photos,” Farooq said, “the app is putting people in control of their first impressions. Also we were trending on the app store.”

JULIUS MILLER

TJ ULLAH

Class of 2017

Class of 2017

Class of 2017

Julius Miller graduated from Annandale HS in 2017, and is now a student at George Mason University. He is undecided on his major. When he was at AHS, he was a member of The A-Blast and National Business Honor Society.

Although he has worked on smaller projects like this App, this is the biggest one. He hopes to mention this app on his resume, or turn it into a full time job once it gets more attention.

TJ Ullah graduated from Annandale High School last spring, and is now studying Pre-Med with a minor in Business at Northern Virginia Community College. He plans to transfer to Virginia Commonwealth University down in Richmond during Fall 2018 to complete his Pre-Medical studies.

When he was a student at AHS, Ullah was a member of National Business Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America, and went to States with DECA for a Fashion Marketing Compilation. He is now a Marketing Consultant and Photographer for the Turtle app.

Saad Farooq graduated from AHS in 2017, and decided to leave school and start working in the Digital Marketing field. He has done some Community work with a PAC that included digital marketing. He is now doing digital marketing for a local real estate company, as well as being Chief of Marketing for the Turtle app.

Farooq has started the Twitter account for the App, and is currently in the process of opening a Reddit account for the app as well.

SAAD FAROOQ

Comedy Daddy’s Home 2 brings holiday cheer Sean Anders releases impressive second installment of series

Playlist of the Issue Christmas Edition SANTA TELL ME Ariana Grande Single (2014) This sultry single features Ariana Grande’s soft and powerful voice.

BY LINA AL TAII Entertainment Editor

MISTLETOE Justin Bieber Under The Mistletoe (2011) Bieber’s Christmas album is a must to listen to every Christmas.

DADDY’S HOME 2

Three years after the first installment of this series, the second one is just as hilarious and entertaining as the first one was.

Director Sean Anders and Producers Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Chris Henchy and John Morris released the second installment of the Daddy’s Home series on Nov. 10, 2017.

The movie features Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Mel Gibson, Alessandra Ambrosio and Linda Cardellini. All of these stars work well together and have a great chemistry, which lends itself to the portrayal of the movie.

This movie follows Brad and Dusty, who are co-dads. At the beginning, their relationship may be confusing to those who haven’t seen the first installment of this series.

Brad is married to Dusty’s ex-wife, and is a step-father to her children with Dusty. Dusty is now also together with a new girlfriend, and is a stepfather figure to her daughter. However, they are not the only fathers in the story.

As the title suggests, Brad and Dusty’s fathers end up coming home for Christmas, unexpectedly. The movie highlights the juxtaposition between Brad and his father’s overly close and loving relationship, and

Dusty and his father’s very passive aggressive relationship.

To celebrate Christmas, Brad, Dusty, their fathers, and their families go on a holiday getaway. From the very beginning, this movie reflects typical life in 2017 by portraying the children with phones, and highlighting that they stay in an AirBnb during this vacation.

The comedy is inherent to the movies character. Even in the very beginning of this movie, Anders starts the comedy with Dusty throwing Brad’s suitcase away instead of bringing it with them on the vacation.

Brad and Dusty’s co-dad relationship is the main focus of the movie,

because Dusty’s dad makes fun of it and challenges them to keep it up for the entire vacation. As time passes, their true feelings towards each other come out and they start holding grudges towards each other.

However, this movie is not only hilarious, it’s also a great movie to bring families together. Much like most Christmas movies, the end of this movie shows the community coming together and celebrating Christmas, even when it feels like their Christmas is ruined.

Although it is cheesy, it works because it ends the movie with Holiday cheer and shows the importance of family.

Daddy’s Home 2 follows the common holiday comedy formula, and it does it’s job well.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU Mariah Carey Merry Christmas (1994) This song is the epitome of Christmas songs.

THIS CHRISTMAS Chris Brown This Christmas Original Soundtrack (2007) Brown’s voice is soft and soothing in this song.

CHRISTMAS IN HARLEM Kanye West, CyHi The Prynce, Teyana Taylor Single (2010) Listen to this slow Christmas jam.

ENTERTAINMENT 19

Tues. Dec. 12, 2017

Holiday Movie Guide

A Charlie Brown Christmas is over 50 years old.

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas

Frosty The Snowman originally premiered on CBS.

Home Alone features star Macaulay Culkin.

A Charlie Brown Christmas is a certain Christmas movie classic. Initially released on Dec. 9 1965, it is still a popular holiday time movie, especially around Christmas time. For Peanut fans everywhere, it would not be Christmas without this classic Charlie Brown movie.

The movie focuses on Charlie Brown and the Christmas play he is in charge of directing. In the end, it teaches the audience the true meaning of Christmas. Freshman Jayden Joya likes the Christmas spirit that A Charlie Brown Christmas gives off. She enjoys the movie and thinks the movie is very funny and entertaining.

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is not your typical holiday movie. First released on Oct. 13 1993, it’s a movie that premieres annually around this holiday season. It follows Jack Skellington,who is the pumpkin king of Halloweentown. When he gets bored of scaring people, he discovers Christmastown and plots to take it under his control. Sophomore Omar Avendano is a fan of Tim Burton’s A Nightmare Before Christmas because it is a little scary and unlike traditional Christmas movies. His favorite character is the pumpkin king of Halloweentown, Jack Skellington.

Frosty the Snowman is a childhood movie that initially released on Dec. 7, 1969. It first released on CBS. Frosty is a snowman created by some children that comes to life when a magic top hat is placed on top of his head. In this movie, Frosty travels to the North Pole to escape the warm weather. For Junior Makayla Lopez, Frosty the Snowman is her favorite holiday movie because she remembers her elementary school teachers playing it in the classroom before winter break. She also used to watch it with her family all the time.

Home Alone follows 8-year-old Kevin McCallister who is played by Macaulay Culkin. After acting out the night before a family trip to Paris, he is sent to sleep in the attic as a punishment. His family forgets all about him in the morning, and he is left home alone. When two house burglars invade his home, it is up to him to protect his family’s home. Senior Amin Beshir says Home Alone is his favorite movie because he enjoys laughing at scenes and watching with his family. Every time that he watches it, it makes him laugh.

“A Charlie Brown Christmas is funny and entertaining. I like the spirit that it has.”

“I like the Nightmare Before Christmas because its scarier than regular Christmas movies.”

“I love Frosty the Snowman because I remember my elementary school teachers playing it before winter break.”

“My favorite holiday movie is Home Alone because every time I watch it, it makes me laugh with my whole family.”

--JAYDEN JOYA

--OMAR AVENDANO

freshman

sophomore

--MAKAYLA LOPEZ

--AMIN BESHIR

junior

senior

The Polar Express features star Tom Hanks.

Home Alone 2 stars Macaulay Culkin in New York.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas stars Jim Carrey.

Elf stars Will Ferrell and is a Christmas classic.

The Polar Express is a holiday movie that was based on a children’s book. The movie is about how a little boy doubts the Christmas spirit and believing in Santa Claus. He goes on a long adventure realizing the beauty of believing. This Movie is an all time favorite classic for many people. Bito Martins, IB Math teacher said “I remember seeing Polar Express as a little kid. This movie reminds me of the Christmas Spirit and being very giving and thankful for other people. If I need to watch a movie that is heart warming and in the Christmas spirit, I’ll watch the Polar Express.”

Home Alone 2 is your classic New York holiday movie. Macaulay Culkin stars as Kevin McCallister, the little eight year old who ends up on the wrong plane when he loses his family at the airport. He then finds himself alone in New York City. He enjoys the city and has fun until he learns that the bandits that once before robbed him are there as well to rob an old man’s toy store. Stephanie Hanson, IB Literature teacher, loves Home Alone 2 because it takes place in New York City and her family and her would always go into New York City during Christmas time when she was growing up.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas, is an all time classic holiday movie that sets the mood for Christmas spirit. Dr.Seuss inspired movie where the Grinch steals all the gifts from Whoville, however Cindy Lou a little girl who is very concerned about him helps him come to his senses and saves Christmas and spreads Christmas cheer. Patrick Mahler, Special Education Teacher said, “This movie reminds me of the mischief behavior my brother and I had because we would sneak in and check on our presents and my brother was like the Grinch when I was younger.”

Comedian actor Will Ferrell, stars in Elf the movie as Buddy the Elf who accidently was transported to the North Pole as a toddler and somehow lives his life as an adult Elf . Suddenly realizing he does not fit in and makes his way to find his real father in New York City. Bonnie Vining, English Teacher said “ Elf is one of my most favorite Christmas movies of all time.

Every year my niece and sister and I , we have to watch it on Thanksgiving night because its a tradition. Its the best Christmas Movie ever , its funny , its topical, and Will Ferrell is just crazy good.”

“I remember watching Polar Express as a little kid. This movie reminds me of the Christmas Spirit and being very giving and thankful for other people.”

“My family would always go into New York City at Christmas time growing up.

Since this is set in New York City it always makes me think of them.”

“It reminds me of the mischievous behavior my brother and I had. My brother was like the Grinch when I was younger.”

“ Elf is one of my most favorite Christmas movies of all time. Every year my niece and sister and I , we have to watch it on Thanksgiving night because its a tradition.”

-- BITO MARTINS

-- STEPHANIE HANSON

--PATRICK MAHLER

--BONNIE VINING

IB Math Teacher

IB English Teacher

Special Education Teacher

English Teacher

Call of Duty: WWII makes a good gift for the holidays A boots- on- the-ground style Call of Duty game is great for the average player

BY TJ GONZALEZ Staff Writer It’s been five years since Treyarch and Activision released Black Ops II, a game in the Call of Duty franchise that is still relevant even today due to the abysmal four Call of Duty titles released afterwards. COD: Ghost: horrible map layouts, weapon balancing, and an odd single player campaign. This is coming from the creators of Modern Warfare, Infinity Ward. Disgraceful.

COD: Advanced Warfare, setting in the very futuristic world, it gave us a somewhat good and structured campaign, yet it also gave us the god-awful Exo Suits with god-awful jump boost, an atrocious gun-balancing, and the PTSD giving supply drops, now known more professionally as “micro transactions” that made the game pay-to-win.

COD: Black Ops III really tried to make the most out of Exosuits, not making them as crazy and wild as the last title. The multi player was somewhat decent for a month until they added “supply drops” where you could pay to get a gun no one else could unless you bought supply drops.

The campaign sucked as it had no connection to the previous Black Ops titles. At this point you paid sixty bucks for a third of the game for zombies. $140 if you bought the season pass and the Zombie Chronicle map pack. Then comes Infinite Warfare. Let’s not even go down that path.

Hey at least we got Modern Warfare Remastered- oh wait, you could only buy it with Infinite Warfare? For $80? And it would have micro transactions as well?

Hey, Battlefield’s going back to World War 1?

Now, we move on to COD: WWII. The newest game in the Franchise has been a breath of fresh air, as it would not only be the first boots-onthe-ground COD game in three years, yet we are also going back the era that made Call of Duty.

COD gamers are getting the M1 Garand back, the M1911 is a secondary again, the original M1A1 Carbine is back, and the Tommy gun has returned. Nostalgia has returned. So have supply drops.

Now, so far, the supply drops have only been cosmetic, so it’s not pay-towin. Yet. The multi player had already gotten off a bad foot with the servers crashing on release day. Though, the single player campaign was there to entertain you, and boy does it entertain.

The story line follows Pvt. “Red” Daniels and the Platoon he goes to the frontline with in the 1st Infantry Division through the landings of the beaches on Normandy, the Liberation of Paris, the Hurtgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge, and the crossing of the Rhine.

It also follows the brotherhood men gained from fighting to keep each other alive, the sacrifice they made to liberate Europe from Hitler’s grasps, and the

Call of Duty World War II is the newest first-person shooter video game published by Activision in the Call of Duty series. losses they suffered. The Multi player is bit off on weapon balancing with a few of the rifles being very overpowered and overused like the STG and the SMGs being a bit weak at short range.

WWII has introduced Divisions, a new “approach” to you player’s’ load out, where each of the five divisions have a “unique” set of skills, or perks, and a preferred gun class. WWII also introduces a new game mode in “War” where it’s similar to Battlefield 1’s “Operations” one team must defend the objective while the other attacks and escorts the Sherman Tank through the

map.

Last but not least, the zombies. Nazi Zombies, to be exact. They look fresh from the dead. The raw use of half-skin half-bone face, obvious decomposition going on with the zombies, the jump scares they currently offer, it adds a little bit of genuine fear in gamers.

The Easter egg is a quite easy to do, it only takes about three hours max, which is a shame because zombies is usually about the Easter egg, The Easter egg should be hard to figure out, as well as difficult perform, yet it was figured out before the game was released.

Call of Duty hasn’t reached its potential since Black Ops II, though with the release of WWII, it’s brought back the nostalgia of World at War and the boots-on-the-ground game play that made the Franchise.

Though, with micro transactions in a Call of Duty game once again, it’s something that puts fear in gamers if Sledgehammer allows more than cosmetics in supply drops that could make the game pay-to-win, and at this point, following Call of Duty titles for years to come.

20 WEEKEND

Tues. Dec. 12, 2017

Last Weekend I: Senior Meron Samuel visits D.C.

Students share experiences in the metropolitan area

BY CAMERON FOTI Weekend Editor

Senior Meron Samuel had a night out in Georgetown. Samuel and her cousin went out to eat dinner at a popular restaurant called Flavio.

“I got the fettuccine alfredo pasta,” said Samuel, “I would definitely recommend getting it.”

After dinner, the pair went to see the newly lit National Christmas Tree at the National Mall. Samuel arrived at 10:30 p.m, thinking that the crowd around the popular tourist location would have died down, but the tree still had a big audience.

“It was still packed with people who were there to see the tree, it was about 40 feet tall,” Samuel said. “It was nice to see because it brought so many people together.”

Samuel also noted that due to the crowd, it was hard to walk around and fully take in the view of the tree. However, she still had the chance to observe other attractions around the tree.

“Behind main Christmas tree, there were different smaller trees labeled with the states in the U.S,” Samuel said. “Each tree had ornaments made by a certain art school and each tree was uniquely different. It was a bit chilly but it was a fun way to get into the Christmas spirit.”

Senior Jessica Roop loves to spend her weekends with her friends in the stands at the FedEx Field.

“My friend has season tickets and a parking pass so we don’t have to walk far to get to the game,” Roop said.

The experience at the game isn’t just in the stadium, it all starts in the parking lot before the game. “I normally tailgate before the game,” Roop said, “we eat a bunch of food and play cornhole with other people in the parking lot.”

The fans at Redskins stadium are some of the best in the National Football League even if their team isn’t winning. Even if you aren’t the biggest football fan in the world, the fans can always give you a show.

“The fans are the best part of the game,” Roop said. “Eagles fans have to be my favorite because they are normally the most rude and make the game entertaining.”

Overall, going to a Redskins game is a fun activity to do on the weekends with your friends and family.

“I think everyone should go to at least one game in their lifetime because of how fun it is and all the excitment you can feel throughout the stadium,” Roop said.

Samuel takes a quick picture before she ate her fettuccine alfredo at Flavio in Georgetown.

Samuel looks at the smaller state christmas trees at the National Tree Lighting ceremony on the White House lawn.

Senior Jessica Roop poses for a picture with her friend, Heather Murad, before they started eating, having fun with family and play cornhole.

COURTESY OF JESSICA ROOP

COURTESY OF MERON SAMUEL

COURTESY OF MERON SAMUEL

Senior Meron Samuel poses in front of the National Christmas Tree on the White House lawn.

Roop shows of her Santana Moss jersey in the stadium while at the game against the Eagles on Nov. 26.

COURTESY OF JESSICA ROOP

COURTESY OF MERON SAMUEL

BY CAMERON FOTI Weekend Editor

COURTESY OF JESSICA ROOP

Senior Jessica Roop goes to Redskins Game

Roop takes a quick photo of the flyover during the National Anthem before the game.

What do you plan on doing over winter break?

JONTA CAROTHERS freshman “I’m going to a dirt bike track in Maryland and possibly go snowboarding.”

SARAH WHEATLEY freshman “I’m going ice skating with my ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend and then we’re all having a sleepover at my place.”

HUNTER WESTFALL sophomore “I’m going to go to my cousins’ lake house and spend time wih my family and snowboard.”

DANI VILLARROEL sophomore “I am going to California to explore and have fun.”

KYLE DALSIMAR junior “I am going to Georgia to see some family for two days.”

DEVIN GILL junior “I am going to New Jersey to see some family for four days.”

JON FIGLEY senior “I am going to Snowshoe Mountain in Colorado to shred the gnar.”

VANESSA RIOS senior “I am going to go to my home country Peru to visit my family.”

Activities that will light up your year

COURTESY OF GEORGETOWNGLOWDC.COM

Georgetown Glow The 2017 edition of Georgetown GLOW exude a vivid brightness both in aesthetics and content. From chromatic rings to interactive landscapes, the works are truly beautiful whilst being contemplative.

As with previous iterations of GLOW, they ask that the viewer to interact, connect, and play with the artwork in thoughtful ways.

This year, they also ask viewers to think about the meaning behind the works and how they are able to temporarily transform our surroundings.

This event is the modern edition of the traditonal light shows that you have seen in the past.

Annually, mid-November until March, The Washington Harbor Ice Rink transforms from its interchangeable use as a picturesque fountain and is open for recreational skating every day, including all holidays.

Admission is $16 for two with skate rental to Washington Harbor Ice Rink ($32 Value).

You can even invest in skating lessons.

When skaters feel like they are just starting their skating adventure, a team of friendly and knowledgeable instructors are there to enhance the skating experience provide classes in an exciting and safe environment.

Watch Fireworks in Alexandria COURTESY OF FIRSTNIGHTALEXANDRIA.ORG

A free event, ZooLights includes live music performances, tasty winter treats and plenty of opportunities for holiday shopping.

More than 500,000 environmentally-friendly LED lights transform the Zoo into a winter wonderland complete with a dazzling light show set to music! A new event for 2017 is the “Glow Zone,” a free, glow-in-the-dark play zone for children features light-up LED games and activities located in the Zoo’s Great Meadow.

You can look at amazing animals while you observe amazing lights. The Small Mammal House, Reptile Discovery Center and Think Tank are open every night.

COURTESY OF THEWASHINGTONHARBOUR.COM.

Outdoor Ice Skating

COURTESY OF NATIONALZOO.EDU

Zoo Lights

What’s New Year’s Eve without fireworks? Just across the Potomac River, the city of Alexandria is hosting a fireworks display on its waterfront.

Grab a chair or picnic blanket and find a spot in Oronoco Bay Park or Waterfront Park for prime viewing.

If you do have a bit of money to spend, consider buying a ticket to First Night Alexandria, an evening full of concerts, puppet shows, carnival fun and more throughout Old Town Alexandria.

Tickets are $20 for adults, but free for kids 12 years old and under.