Issue9

Page 1

7

8

Health

Arts

explores student usage of over-thecounter medication in school

asks students why they think the arts are important to education

10-11 In-Depth

A

3

The number of students who were state champions See page 16

44

The percentage of AHS students who say they have a major problem with procrastination See page 10

93

The percentage of people who find the arts vital to education See page 8

It’s Academic advances to playoffs March 3 After winning the first match of the year, the It’s Academic team will face Montgomery Blair HS and Walt Wittman HS for the first round of the playoffs. The event will play on NBC at a later date. The team consists of senior Andy Tran, junior Kevin Kwok, junior Olivia Buckley and sophomore Amelie Trieu. The two other competing schools are seeded as the top It’s Academic teams in Montgomery County.

Correction on No diversity The A-Blast apologizes for a Feb. 7 headline, entitled ‘No diversity.’ Although the school has a 72 percent caucasian faculty, that is hardly “no” diversity. The headline was misleading and we apologize.

Weekend

profiles the AHS state competitors for the winter season

lists the best places to go for wing night

4700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003 470

Informiing the Atoms siince 1954 4

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012

(703) 642-4229

SNHS hosts date auction Hopes to reach $3,000 goal for cancer donations BY ANNIE CURRAN Co-Editor in Chief

Sophomore Rani Bhangu is performing the classical Indian dance Kathak. This is Bhangu’s second year performing at Heritage Night. She says that she has been practicing for the performance since November. Bhangu also takes dance lessons to prepare for the annual event.

Practicing for Heritage Night Some have to reaudition to keep slot BY CHRISTINE TAMIR Copy Editor Heritage Night, the largest cultural talent showcase of the year, will be held on March 15. It will feature acts ranging from graceful Vietnamese dances to the rich dances from West Africa. A few of the acts have been preparing for a long time, while others have only just started. “I’ve been preparing since

November, I believe,” sophomore Rani Bhangu said. Bhangu will be performing a classical Indian dance called Kathak, which means “storytelling,” by herself. “I’ve done it alone before and I guess I am a little nervous, but I feel like I’d do better by myself cause I wouldn’t have to coordinate [with others],” Bhangu said. Understandably, group acts face more difficulty than solo acts to arrange practice times. “I think that when they work in a group, it’s hard for them to get together to have the practice time to perfect it,” Heritage Night sponsor

Georgianna Tomisato said. Though groups practice by themselves, on-stage practices are their chance to receive constructive criticism from Tomisato. “We’ve been rehearsing for the whole past month; sometimes we mess around a lot and Ms. Tomisato is actually helping us; she tells us what mistakes we make and then she tells us, which I think is really cool cause she makes the dance better,” senior Heidi Osorio said. Many performing groups are facing the challenge of working around schedules, sports or other after school activities. “Heritage” continues on page 5

As students prepare their bids, the auction’s prizes are led onstage. With the goal of raising money for cancer research, 11 junior and senior guys are lined up one by one, each dressed to impress with a bright smile on his face. This will be the scene at the Science National Honor Society (SNHS) Date for a Cure fundraiser during Atom Time today in the upstairs gym. It is part of a month-long campaign by SNHS to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Through the other events of its Pennies for Patients campaign, SNHS has raised $1,300 of its $3,000 goal. Members hope that the event will put them closer to reaching their goal, as the campaign will conclude at the end of the week. Tickets for Date for a Cure are $3 and were sold during all lunches in the days leading up to the fundraiser. The idea was the brainchild of SNHS “Date” continues on page 5

NASIHA RASHID

$2.4

The budget that was approved for the 2013 fiscal year for FCPS See page 4

Sports

AJ MCCAFFERTY

By the numbers

20

ANNANDALE HIGH SCHOOL

the VOLUME #57 ISSUE 9

discovers the reasons students procrastinate

16

SNHS President Jiyeong Park talks with junior Brody El-Achi in the final meeting before the date auction.

School opens pupil placement policy Students from redistricted neighborhood begin signing up Students are selecting new classes for the 20122013 school year. As counselors travel to feeder middle schools to help eighth grade students sign up for courses, students from the Bren Mar Park and Wakefield Chapel neighborhoods will no longer be visited by AHS representatives. However, this hasn’t stopped students who are upset with the decision, who would be going to Woodson or Edison HS, from making the decision to pupil place at AHS. Pupil placement is when a student elects to attend a school other than his or her base school for academic or non-academic reasons. “It was a hard decision, it was one [my son] made on his own,” AHS parent Kathy Ryan said. Ryan’s family lives in Wakefield Chapel and her son was assigned to Woodson HS. She currently has a sophomore at AHS. There were many factors that

MARWA ABDELAZIZ

BY ANNIE CURRAN Co-Editor in Chief

Students from the Wakefield Chapel neighborhood protest the then proposal of removing their neighborhood amid a July 7 public hearing. After a 6-6 vote, which redistricted two neighborhoods, many students who are now assigned to other schools are electing to attend AHS.

led to the decision to pupil place. “We know the curriculum, which is great,” Ryan said. “It’s also very comforting to have both kids at the same school.” After thinking about both schools for months, eighth grader Michael Ryan finally made the decision to come to AHS. “I think he just realized it would have been a logistical nightmare,” Kathy Ryan said. “Two kids, two schools, two marching bands, two schedules, two everything. We told him, just remember, one of us will always be there [at events], but one of us might have to be with Megan.” The decision he made was on his own, and even after he made the decision, Ryan still attended Woodson’s Parent Night to do her research. “As much as I was involved at Annandale, I didn’t want to put pressure on him. Each school has its community. The good, bad and ugly, they have their own community,” Ryan said. “It’s nice to know that we have a dedicated world at one high school and will be there as a united front; all four of us.” In the past few years, AHS had been closed to pupil placing because of overcrowding issues. “Pupil placement” continues on page 5

Members and staff reflect on Just World success Participants discussed how to make the world a better place

On your smartphone, scan this code using the application “QR Code” to learn about the ongoing fundraiser for the Class of 2013.

BY MARWA ABDELAZIZ News Editor More than 500 people from the Northern Virginia community attended the seventh annual Just World Festival on Feb. 24, an event aimed to inspire people to change the world. This diversity fair, which was held in the cafeteria and in various adjacent classrooms, offered exhibits, academic workshops, international food and inspirational speakers. Andy Shallal, an Iraqi-American artist, activist and owner of

AJ MCCAFFERTY

Glory Days fundraiser

Junior Oumaima Kaabi and senior Mihyun Lee sign people in.

popular restaurant chain “Busboys and Poets”, gave the keynote address. The exhibits, which were set up all over the cafeteria, featured very diverse ideas. “We have a great diverse student body so it was great to have everyone get involved,” Just World sponsor Catherine Mounteer said. They ranged from the environmentally friendly AHS Green Atoms; the medically oriented Science National Honor Society; the Gay Straight Alliance which focused on social issues; cultural exhibitors selling henna tattoos; and political activists from Speak Truth to Power. “My favorite was the Speak Truth to Power exhibit,” senior Nabil Aklil said. “It was mainly about those who speak out for human rights.” Aklil “Just World” continues on page 5


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