Bullis School 10601 Falls Road Potomac, MD 20854
Bullis School
The BULLDOG March 2013
Issue 3
Bullis on verge of finalizing new schedule; will feature 70 minute classes
INSIDE: News Page 2-5
2nd grade added
Arts
By Matt Hansan Staff Writer
Page 6,7
GABE MELROD
Construction on a new science and technology building will likely begin in 12-18 months
Independent School Art Competition
Opinions Page 8,9
Cellphone policy
Sports Page10, 11
Current students to see 20-year plan in action By Amanda Greenberg Staff Writer This year every returning Bullis student has seen new additions to the school, such as the patio renovation and the changes to the library’s interior, but nobody has seen the extravagant changes that are yet to come. Head of School Dr. Gerald Boarman’s 20 year plan for Bullis contains massive changes that will
improve and advance the school. Although the plan will take 20 years to complete, current Upper School students may be here to see some of these modifications. The current Bullis juniors will be here for minor changes. The addition of a second grade will happen next school year. The grade will consist of six to eight second grade students; these students will be placed in classes with the new third graders. A new schedule change will be
implemented next year as well, consisting of longer class blocks and more variety in the order of classes. The longer classes that occur fewer times a week will give students more time to learn and conduct activities in the classroom and a less overwhelming homework load. Juniors will also witness a large change in the size of Bullis’ student body. With the largest class in Bullis history, the class of 2014
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Bullis teachers innovate in the classroom By Alex Siegel Technology Editor
Off campus coaches
Backpage Page 12
Bracket Challenge
For many years, educators throughout the country soley used lectures, labs, and group discussions as teaching methods. For years, these teaching styles were unquestioned.As a result, classes became predictable and students became unengaged. At Bullis, however, innovation is a staple for teachers. Two young teachers, in particular, began to transform their teaching styles to keep their students engaged and interested. Stacey Roshan (math) and Jack Kinder (English) began incorporating new technology and certain unorthodox teaching methods to help their students excel within their subjects. Roshan is an Upper School math teacher currently teaching sections of Honors Algebra II and AP Calculus AB. Three years ago while teaching her AP Calculus class, Roshan noticed
STACEY ROSHAN
Math teacher Stacey Roshan’s video lectures allow for more questions and one-on-one interaction in the classroom that she was constantly pressed for time. Her lectures in class took up all the time and left almost no time for her students to ask questions and clarify the material. “I felt like I did not have enough time in AP Calculus to answer everyone’s questions be-
cause we wasted too much time doing the lectures.” That summer, she attended a technology conference and learned about a new software called Camtasia. Roshan knew that Camtasia could be the answer to her problems. Her idea was to
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For several years now, Bullis has follwed a schedule that consists of having a traditional 45 minute classes five days a week with minimal rotation. Next year though, Bullis will move to a new type of schedule that could change everyone’s learning experience, especially the current freshman, sophomore, and junior classes. Essentially, students will now only have six classes though class will begin every day at 8 am and some classes will be as long as 70 minutes. The 70 minute class is always the second block of the day and on Tuesdays and Thursdays, there will be a 70min block during E/A or E/B block. The daily meeting time, like assembly, advisory, and clubs will take place at 10:15am. It’s a new approach to the school day that is part of the long-term plan that Head of School Dr. Gerald Boarman has unveiled. Upper School Principal Andrew Delinsky explained that the teachers, administration, and Dr. Boarman all felt it was necessary for a new schedule. The current schedule, they feel, is outdated and does not always work well with the innovative curriculum Bullis has developed over the past three years. “If you look at the schedule we are using( today), they were probably using a very similar type of schedule in 1920. Should we be using the same schedule now as then?” saidDelinsky. No, of course not, he would argue, especially because of the technological and educational advancements that have been made since then. The administration felt that it would make sense to create a schedule that works around the curriculum, instead of trying to
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Bullis announces addition of second grade By Corbin Blumberg Staff Writer In his long term plans for Bullis, Head of School Dr. Gerald Boarman has continually voiced his desire to help expand and rethink each division of the school. In accordance with these plans, Boarman and the administration made the unique decision to add a second grade for the start of the 2013-2014 school year. In an interview for the Bullis website, Boarman cited the growing student population and requests from parents as a few of the reasons for the addition. “Bullis continues to expand and innovate in many exciting ways and the success of the highly individualized instruction we provide in the Lower School has enabled us to respond to requests for adding second graders to our program,” he said. The class of 2025 will consist of between six and eight second grade students. However, this will not be a class of exclusively second graders. Due to numerous parental requests for earlier elementary education, the administration
decided to add a selective admissions process that admits high achieving second graders who will actively participate on third grade reading, writing, and mathematics levels. “Its going to be a half class. One of the classes will be a second and third grade class, and one class will be exclusively third grade. So right now we are looking at six or seven second graders,” said Lower School Principal Betsy Kelly. The addition of the second grade is made possible because the current third grade teachers have previously taught at lower grade levels. The teachers will be able to focus on and hone each individual’s reading, writing and math skills. While the second graders will be treated as third graders in some respects, they will not do everything their older classmates do. “The second graders will not take Spanish, but will be pulled out for more individualized reading and writing support during Spanish time,” said Kelly. Once the current second graders are in third grade, they will have the same teachers
B U LLI S S C H O O L’S
THE BULLDOG The Bulldog is a student-run newspaper made to not only inform students about school information, but also to provide a forum for student expression. Many of the articles are written by the Journalism class, however we accept articles from the entire student body. The Bulldog reserves the right to edit and change submitted articles as we see fit or if they do not meet our specifications. If you have an article you wish to submit, send it to TheBullisBulldog@gmail.com. The Bulldog will not publish anonymous letters, or anything deemed libelous, obscene, or in poor taste.
GABE MELROD
Next year, second graders will be mixed in with Bullis third graders, shown above as they did as second graders. This allows the students to build a rapport with their teachers. Because these specific students will have a foundation at Bullis, the new third graders will have classmates who are
familiar with the Bullis system, teachers, and campus. The addition of the second grade is a representation of the continual growth at Bullis. The innovative system that Dr. Boarman is set to implement pro-
vides a glimpse into the future of Bullis, and the six or seven children who will be members of the class of 2025 will see the transformation of Bullis in front of their own eyes.
In Memoriam
Advisor Brad Kosegarten
Editor-In-Chief Joe Sageman Copy Editor Brian Mitchell News Editor Hunty Brown
Opinions Editor Peter Angeh
Staff Writers Corbin Blumberg Matt Hansan Josh Foreman Alec Fink Amanda Greenberg Andrew Smith Technology Editor Alex Siegel
Sports Editor David Harrison Staff Photographer Gabe Melrod
Camille Baruch
January 18, 1994 February 9, 2013
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THE BULLDOG
Changes in store for current Upper Schoolers By Amanda Greenberg Staff Writer
Continued from page 1 will contribute to the increasing number of students at the school. Bullis will reach a student body of about 700 next year. Sophomores will see a bit more of the 20 year plan come to life than the juniors. Additions to the dining hall to accommodate the growing number of students could take place before their graduation in 2015. They could also witness renovations to the elevated field, which will get lights similar to the current stadium’s lights. The grass will also be turned to turf. Among renovations to the school’s athletic facilities will be five added fields onto the school’s new property. It will take about five years before these fields will be ready for use. The class of 2015 may also be here for another increase in students, to about 750, but the student body’s numbers cannot skyrocket until new buildings are added to create more space. Once new buildings are added and extra space is created, the
GABE MELROD
Bullis will get a new look as Stage I begins
JOE SAGEMAN
The elevated fields may be replaced with turf surfaces
number of Bullis students will be about 1,200. The large student body will be double the number of students that Bullis currently has, and will most likely become a reality in 15 years. The buildings that will make the large student body possible will come later in the 20 year plan; they consist of a new Up-
per School, which will be a “dynamite building,” according to Boarman, a new Middle School, a new Lower School, and a new gymnasium. Among these buildings is a remarkable science center that will be built in the first stage of the plan. The current freshmen will be here for the comple-
nizes that work still needs to be done. She has recently made video lectures for her Honors Algebra II class using the newest version of Camtasia and enjoys the new features on the latest version. “I can put quizzes and call out boxes you can click on so it is more interactive.” However, Roshan has no plans to re-record any of her AP Calculus videos on the newest version of Camtasia, explaining how it is important for her to constantly ensure that her younger students are understanding the material. Because AP Calculus is a college prep course, Roshan believes that her juniors and seniors must be responsible for watching and making sure they understand each video. In addition to Roshan, another Bullis teacher saw the need for a change in the way he taught is students. Jack Kinder is an Upper school English teacher who came to Bullis three years ago. Among other things, Kinder is known to have wonderful connections with his students, keeping them focused and interested in his lessons. However, one of the
struggles of every high school English teacher is how they teach their Shakespeare unit. After two years of teaching Bullis students Shakespeare, Kinder decided that he wanted to explore new ways to teach his students about Shakespeare and his works. “How can I allow students to explore the relationships between characters in a very real way?” asked Kinder This past summer, Kinder, along with other high school English teachers traveled to Oxford, England to study and view many of Shakespeare’s plays through Middlebury’s Bread Loaf School of English, a Master’s program. “[The trip] reawakened me to the truth that these [plays] were meant to be seen not read,” said Kinder. Visualization is an element of Shakespeare that has been lost in many English classrooms these days. Most students find themselves reading Shakespeare rather than watching it. When Kinder returned from England, he decided to change the way he taught Shakespeare, using a more visual ap-
tion of the new science building. The school will begin construction on a future building that could possibly be called the STEM ( Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Building or the Discovery Center in about 12 to 18 months. The location of this building will be where the current playground is, and will stretch to the edge of the library, facing Founders Hall. The building will have a total of 11 labs: two for the Lower School, three for the Middle School, and six for the Upper School. Among the classrooms in the building, there will be a recording studio and video studio. There will also be a fabrication lab, which allows students to design items and then bring their creations to life. A Cisco Tele-Presence room will also be included, which will provide video chat capabilities on three large screens with HD quality. The building will also have six classrooms for the Upper School. The science center will significantly improve Bullis’ technology and science programs, but it is more than just a building of labs and classrooms. The STEM building will have a café for students, and
it will be the new home of the school store. An auditorium that can hold up to 200 students will be part of the center. This auditorium will function for smaller gatherings that do not require the vast seating of the Blair Auditorium. The seats in the auditorium are removable, which makes the room accessible for other activities besides large gatherings. From the third floor of the building, you will be able to look down into the auditorium. An elevator from the café will lead students to a rooftop terrace. The terrace will be a great location for students to socialize or for activities to take place. For current Upper School students, the 20 year plan does not mean tremendous change, but for future Bullis students, the plan will bring the school to another level of excellence. Its additions and innovative facets will make Bullis a school that everyone will want to be a part of. Current Upper School students are in for a shock when they visit the school in 20 years and see the immense changes.
Kinder, Roshan pioneers of 21st century teaching By Alex Siegel
Technology Editor Continued from page 1 record herself giving voice over lectures on Power point slides that students would watch at home. After taking notes on the guided worksheets provided, her students would then return the next day with questions about the lesson. During class, students would work on book problems, traditionally seen as homework in other classes, and ask questions as they popped up. The style allows Roshan’s students to have a better understanding of the material before they dive into problems, and if they do run in to issues on the problems, she is available to assist them through the work. So far, Roshan has been able to notice improvements in her students’ understanding of the material. She stated in the CNN blog “Schools of Thought:” “78% of my students scored a 4 or 5 on the AP exam, and no one scored below a 3, whereas the previous year, just 58% of my students scored a 4 or 5 on the exam.” Even after being recognized by the CNN blog for her innovative teaching style, Roshan still recog-
GABE MELROD
English teacher Jack Kinder views a Shakespeare acting video proach. This winter while teaching The Tempest in his English IV classes, Kinder required his students to record themselves acting out an excerpt from any scene from each act. This new innovative style of teaching forced his students to be more accountable by putting them in front of the camera. “You get better results in projects when you raise the stakes,” Kinder explained. Both Roshan and Kinder have been able to make big
impressions within their departments. Early into their careers, both educators have been able to recognize the need for a change and make the necessary adjustments to ensure their students are successful within their subjects. They are the definition of passion, constantly searching for new teaching techniques and altering their methods by using all types of new technology in order to ensure that their students understand the material.
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New schedule to be implemented next year; block schedule By Matt Hansan Staff Writer Continued from page 1
fit the curriculum into an outdated schedule. What does the new schedule mean for the classroom experience? The new schedule allows for flexibility for
students and teachers to be innovative in the classroom. With every class having a 70 minute block once a week, teachers can have students engage in longer science labs, write in class, engage in formal debates, have student re-
flect on their work, create short presentations or research more deeply into class topics, all of which is often difficult to accomplish in the 45 minute class period. A big question that is also being asked is how students will adjust to this
sudden change in their daily routine at school. When asked what he thought would be the response from the students, Delinsky said that “the teachers would have a harder time adjusting than the students would.� While some teachers like
Jack Kinder and Kerry Hosmer have experience teaching in the long block, he feels other teachers are going to have to expand on their their teaching methods, some of which they have followed for over a decade. Students have grown ac-
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accomodates longer classes customed to having a class at the same time every day, but the new schedule allows for classes to be in the morning one day and in the afternoon the next. It’s this non-static environment that gives the new schedule serious appeal. One of the exciting op-
portunities that this new schedule may offer is out of school internships, an authentic learning experience for Bullis students. Delinsky noted that the new schedule offers “flexibility built in so that students can do interships outside of Bullis on Tuesdays
and Thursdays that will be linked to some of the signature programs that we will be running.” He pointed out that the reason the schedule places G and A block at the end of the day on Tuesday and Thursday is so that students can create schedules that
will allow them to leave during these times to go to internships. The new schedule for next year calls for some serious adjusting, but it seems clear that the big gains will come from it will be more than worth it. The schedule now is
easy to follow and simple but it doesn’t allow the flexibility that this new schedule will offer. After some initial questions, students will likely adapt and think more about how they can take advantage of the new opportunities that will come.
While the 2013-14 schedule has yet to be finalized, students should expect a variation of this proposed version.
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Arts
THE BULLDOG
Independent Schools Art Competition Exposé
By Brian Mitchell Copy Editor Filled to almost maximum capacity by the friends and families of more than 80 finalist artists, this year’s “Independent Schools Art Competition” at Landon’s Landow Family Art Gallery was by far the largest event in the contest’s seven-year history. Throughout the afternoon of Sunday, March 17, the competition showed off an eclectic 83 art works that were chosen as finalists from the more than 200 entries submitted by over 30 independent schools in the region. Partially responsible for this success, stated competition director and Landon Fine Arts Department Chair Walt Bartman, was the guest judge Homer Yost, a renowned local sculptor. Yost ultimately selected three cash prize winners from each of the five categories: Drawing, Painting, Mixed Media & Textiles, Sculpture & Ceramics, and Photography & Digital Production. Supported by Upper School art teachers Deb Donoghue and Maire O’Neill, six talented Bullis artists made it to Sunday’s final judging round. Their works are displayed with commentary below:
QIAOMEI LI
PRINTMAKING
This is Qiaomei’s first cut-out placed over color From teacher Deb Donoghue: “Qiaomei loves doing silhouette cut-outs embedded with literary references. This is the first piece where she put color underneath the cut-out. It is very experimental, which is one of the best attributes of work done in Advanced Studio Art class. Students get to investigate what type of tools and materials they want to work with.”
“All of Qiaomei’s artworks contain brilliant literary references”
“I want the viewer to see the differences between positive and negative spaces” From Nadia: “I’ve been really interested by tropical plants and artists who have used the floral motif in their work. I have also been exploring a lot of printmaking lately, so I made and inked three different linoleum plates then layered them to give the piece a collage feel. I want the viewer to see the differences between negative and positive spaces.” From teacher Marie O’Neill: “One of the strongest aspects of Nadia’s work in general and in this specific piece is its ‘graphicness’ –her work has a strong impact because of its general composition and her color sense. As this piece demonstrates, Nadia has learned much about color theory through her study of art history. She uses all consonant and green colors, which create a very striking composition, especially in the stark black frame. Nadia also stands out from the competition by using the formal elements of composition—line, color, space, etc.—to create captivating visual imagery. Nadia is doing an independent study in printmaking in addition to AP Studio Art this trimester, so it is really fun watching her explore printmaking both traditionally and in a more experimental way.”
PRINTMAKING
MARIE O’NEILL
“Nadia stands out from her competition by using the formal elements of composition...to create captivating visual imagery”
MARIE O’NEILL
NADIA FALLAHI
PAINTING
JACK ZHOU
“I taught Jack a new painting technique that allowed him to maintain the ‘openness’ of his work”
MARIE O’NEILL
From teacher Deb Donoghue: “This work is really a hybrid of a painting and a drawing. I introduced Jack to a new style of painting because I recognized that he needed to start painting in a way that allowed him to maintain his art’s ‘openness.’ Jack first coated the paper with mix of a plastic material and paint. He then drew on top of this layer with oil paint sticks. This process allowed for Jack to maintain the level of artistic freedom he so values. This was really an example of Jack learning about a new technique, working with new materials, and finding success in the process.”
The goal of Advanced Studio Art is for students to explore new techniques and materials - Jack did just that
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Will’s unique creation process creates “a true duality of expression” From Will: “I used darkroom photography with film. Instead of developing the entire picture, I used a paintbrush to develop parts of the photograph strongly and parts of it not as strongly. Because of this unique process, this work is impossible to duplicate.” From teacher Deb Donoghue: “It’s very experimental in that Will used a very unique photographic process. He employs a very loose paint-layer on top of the straightforward photograph, which creates a true duality of expression.”
“It’s very experimental in that Will used a very unique photographic process.”
PHOTOGRAPHY
THE BULLDOG
WILL GANSLER
ROBYN MACKENZIE
MARIE O’NEILL
“I’m proud that I was able to get a good print using the Chine-colle process”
PRINTMAKING
From Robyn: “I drew the jar down from observation, and then I had to etch it onto the plate, which took a few days. It’s really hard to get a good print using Chine-collé so I’m proud that I was able to pull it off. My favorite part of the piece is the backwards writing in the center. It wasn’t intentional but I think it really adds to the work.” From teacher Marie O’Neill: “Robyn was the only freshman from Bullis who made it to the judging round of the competition. She did this piece during our printmaking unit, in which students learned a wide variety of printmaking techniques. Robyn combined various techniques and was one of the few students who mastered the difficult Chine-collé process. Her use of consonant colors in the middle of the piece sparks interest but does not take away from the line drawing on top of it.”
“Robyn was the only freshman finalist from Bullis”
MARIE O’NEILL
From Esther: “This artwork is based on the AP Studio Art prompt of ‘Collections.’ I used watercolor as a base and then charcoal on top of it. The film wrapping around the camera is a metaphor for how our brains capture and collect memories.” From teacher Marie O’Neill: “Esther has so much drive—she clearly has innate abilities, but her care and hard work make her all the more successful. She puts all of her effort into everything she does, and she looks to her environment to find inspiration for her artwork. For this piece, Esther was thinking about the idea of collecting memories. Her idea was that we collect memories through film and cameras, but our brains also take and store snapshots of memories. She really thought about the work conceptually before diving into the creation process.”
“Esther really thought about the work conceptually”
DRAWING
“Our brains capture and store memories like cameras”
ESTHER KIM
MARIE O’NEILL
GO TO THEBULLISBULLDOG.COM ARTS SECTION TO SEE MORE PICTURES FROM THE COMPETITION
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Opinions
THE BULLDOG
Smartphones: distraction or learning opportunity? Point: smartphones distract students and should wait until after school hours By Alec Fink Staff Writer
After getting their phones taken away, students time after time find justifications behind using their cell phones during school hours. However, there are plenty of reasons why cell phones should remain banned during school hours. The ability to use computers, the available time for socialization built into the school day, and the distraction a cell phone can bring are among the many reasons why our cell phones can wait until after school hours. Not many schools allow their students to bring in their laptops. Fortunately for students, Bullis School is one of the few who do allow laptops for educational purposes. Bullis has even gone far enough to provide a computer to every student who needs one. Everything students could possibly want to do on their phones, they can also do on their computers, which is why there is no need to use a cell phone during school. A student can access Haiku, First Class email, the Bullis website, and online databases from their laptop. On top of scholastic uses, students can use Facebook during breaks, listen to music during study hall, and even message their parents via email to determine transportation after school on their computers. The only thing you cannot do from your laptop is make a phone call, which, if important enough, can be made in
GABE MELROD
Cellphone use during classes and study halls can decrease student productivity during the day
the Upper School office. During breaks, students can socialize with their friends or even play games on their computers in the hallway if they so desire. They should not spend that time texting friends from other schools. They should be enjoying the company of those present. In addition, other schools are in session, too, and students would be distracting their friends from their schoolwork.
Lastly, if students could freely use their phones during lunch, break, and study hall, once they return to the classroom setting, they will be distracted and unprepared to learn. Students should remain focused on learning and not looking to send a text or play a game. Breaks should be a time for students to relax, grab a snack, and head to their next class instead of glu-
ing their eyes to their phones and rushing to get to class on time. Not only would students be distracting themselves, their phone could go off in the middle of class and disrupt other students and their teacher from a lesson. A single beep of the phone divides the attention of a class and makes it harder for the teacher to regain the focus of his or her class.
Although the advancements of the smartphone are impressive, students should find other ways to occupy their time in between classes other than using their cell phones. The up sides to cellphone use are not worth the risk of distracting a class while students are provided with laptops to do everything they could possibly need to do during the school day.
Counterpoint: by prohibiting the use of smartphones, Bullis misses out on a valuable technology that could enhance the learning experience By Andrew Smith Staff Writer The Bullis School has a strict no cellphone policy, but cellphones could lead to an innovative way to incorporate technology throughout the day. There are countless pos-
sibilities for phone uses during the school day and these possibilities could greatly improve a Bullis student’s high school experience. The average student has their cellphone on them at all times during the day, so why not use cellphones as a notification system or as a way to
GABE MELROD
poll students in class? Schools could learn to use cellphones much more efficiently and in an appropriate way. For example, many Bullis students have their First Class emails on their phones and check it regularly to make sure that they are aware of any Bullis notifications they may receive during the school day. Also, with the recent addition of Haiku, Bullis students can easily access homework and grades online. Adding applications such as First Class and the yet to be designed Bullis Haiku app, students would be able to keep track of everything involving school with their smartphones. Schools in America should learn how to incorporate smartphones, iPads, and computers into curriculums. Bullis has been very progressive when it comes to computer use in class, and the next step is incorporating
smartphones into the student’s educational experience. When students leave school and get jobs, the use of such devices will be very important in 21st century work. Another reason why smartphones are necessary is that Bullis has many students that travel more than 30 minutes to get to school every day. On occasion, these students need to figure out a way to get home after school, whether it is getting picked up from Bullis or a bus stop. Many parents need advance notice because of other children’s schedule, work, or emergencies. James Barlia (‘14) said, “Every day I need to coordinate with my parents about when and where to pick me up, especially now that spring sports have begun.” Barlia went on to say that being allowed to use cellphones during the day would be very
helpful in effectively planning his pick up time. If cellphones were allowed during the school day, these students would be able to communicate with their parents or guardians and figure out the best way to get home, especially if they have an away game or a late rehearsal and need to figure out rides in advance. Students should be allowed to use cellphones during the school day, but only during breaks, study halls, and lunches. If phones are allowed to be used during these appropriate times, then there would be less need to text during classes, therefore causing less of a distraction. This new policy would allow cellphone use during appropriate times throughout the school day while reducing the amount of students texting during class.
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Opinions
THE BULLDOG
Low price, high risk: the dangers of generic drugs By Hunty Brown News Editor
Helplessness does not even begin to describe the feeling of many battling our country’s legal system over pharmaceuticals. The fact that millions of Americans are at risk of unfairly losing everything is both scary and enraging. Recently brought up as an issue involving the late Cami Baruch (‘13), legal protection concerning generic drugs is a major problem that strikes deep chords in the Bullis community. By definition, a generic drug is any drug marketed under its chemical name, without advertising. Generic drugs are almost identical to their name brand counterparts, and are required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to meet high standards regarding identity, strength, quality, purity, and potency. So why do people
prefer to fill their prescriptions with generic drugs? Because they are cheap. About 80 percent of all prescriptions in the United States are filled with generic medicine. Most Americans use their insurance to pay for their medications and many providers will only agree to pay for generic versions because of the lower cost. For comparison, take the drug atorvastatin that is used to help treat cholesterol. Its name brand form, Lipitor, sells for around $115 for thirty pills. The generic form costs just $14 for the same quantity. The reason for the huge price gap has to do with product development. The developer, in this case Pfizer (maker of Lipitor), spent hundreds of millions of dollars in research and testing to create the drug. The government knows the company now has to repay their
investment through sales, so they are given a drug patent. The patent states that the developing company is the only entity that is allowed to sell the medicine on the market for 20 years. After 20 years the patent expires and the formula is readily available, so generic drug manufactures swoop in, manufacture the drug, and compete against the developer. The consumer seems to come out the big winner in the scenario as they now have access to the same drug at a huge discount. However, this discount blinds people from the legal dangers of generics. In order for a generic drug to gain FDA approval and sell in the market, its label must match that of the name brand product. According to a ruling made on June 23, 2011 in Pliva v. Mensing, all patients harmfully affected
from generic drugs lost their right to sue manufacturers because the manufacturers did not have control over their labels. This ruling stems from the 1984 Hatch-Waxman amendments which include a section about labeling. The amendment states that a generic drug manufacturer may not change the label of their drug unless the name brand manufacturer changes it first. This means that if the generic manufacturer found some health risk caused by taking their drug, they are bound by law to not let consumers know unless the name brand company updated their label first. If an average American was examined and found to be taking a certain drug and that person was harmed by the drug, there is only a 20 percent chance that the person would receive any compensation. If the person was
taking the name brand version, they could make a case and most likely get proper compensation. However, if they were taking the generic version, which is essentially the same thing, the person’s case would be dismissed and their life would never be the same. Unfortunately, most people don’t know about the risks of generic drugs. They see the low price and immediately choose the generic drug. Doctors and pharmacists are partly to blame because they often don’t inform their patients that they are giving up their legal rights by buying a certain brand. The generic companies’ case rests on the fact that if they were to continuously update their label and do further research, they would be breaking the law and the cost of that process would no longer make generics a cheap alternative.
Security guards could make Bullis safer By Josh Foreman Staff Writer
Promptly after the tragic events that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, Head of School Dr. Gerald Boarman decided that Bullis will hire a security guard to monitor the campus on a daily basis. While the events at Sandy Hook were very rare, this step is an important and necessary one, and should provide Bullis students with an extra source of comfort on a daily basis. Bullis is already an incredibly safe place, and certainly not in dire need of a security guard. However, a security guard on campus can give students reassurance, and provide so much more to the community than just protection from a potential gunman. The shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary were rare. Very rare. Nonetheless, a security guard can protect the Bullis community if something unfortunate were to occur. The security guards don’t need to be roaming the halls, but for students to know someone is on campus solely for their safety has to be comforting. Most link security guards solely to mass shootings. But security guards can provide much more than that. They can monitor theft, visitors coming on and off campus, insubordinate activity, and physical altercations. “Although it gives students a sense of security, it also gives a worrisome thought that there are people on campus that are armed,” said Matt
GABE MELROD
Bullis’ open campus could be considered a potential security risk
Hansan (‘14). While it may be intimidating and unnerving knowing that an armed security guard is on campus, those feelings should be cancelled out by the feelings of assurance should a crisis occur at Bullis. The idea for some students of having guns on campus whether it be an officer or not can be troubling, but those feelings will settle as time goes on, and students will learn to accept security guards on campus simply as
the norm. Certain statistics about security guards stand out in arguments for and against the hiring of security guards. They cost an annual salary of about $40,000, and many would argue that tuition is high enough already. With that being said, you can’t put a price tag on safety. “Resource officers” (unarmed officers) have reported less violence than “security officers,” so Bullis could see more results if they go the whole nine yards and hire a
security guard. Also, one third of schools in the United States have a security guard, so this is not a new idea. Bullis will be able to choose from many models and can base their decision off hard facts and data. As we move further away from the events at Sandy Hook, many will become more skeptical of the need for security guards on campus. But, the overwhelming attention on gun violence shortly after the event is a prime example that Americans can’t
let another gunman make headlines. Bullis students should already feel safe in a safe school and safe environment. However, more measures should be taken to protect the students against the more troubling events that could occur on campus. Security guards may not be a perfect fix or an absolute necessity for Bullis, but certainly a security guard on campus is a proper step in making Bullis School a safer community.
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Star athletes fail to live up to billing as role models By David Harrison Sports Editor
After a miraculous Raven comeback, one player cannot help but lie on the turf and weep. His eye black becomes smeared from the tears rolling down his cheeks and his words are few. In fact, he needs only seven. “No weapon formed against us shall prosper.” Lewis boasts. Just about every expert agrees that Lewis’ career will go down as one of greatest of any linebacker in NFL history, yet the wife of New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker choses to see Lewis in a different light. Furthermore, she chooses to voice her opinion on Facebook. “If anyone is bored,” she writes “Please go to Ray Lewis’s Wikipedia page. Six kids four wives. Acquitted for murder. Paid a family off. What a hall of fame player. A true role model.” While Welker’s wife certainly received her fair share of heat for her comments, she also raised a valid question. Should athletes be held accountable for their actions off the field? Should larger than life men and women— some of whom make upwards of $20 million annually—be admired for more than just their ability to hit homeruns or shoot a basketball? The modern era of sports has left fans, including impressionable young ones, with some of the greatest debacles in the personal lives of athletes far and wide. In February, South African amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius—perhaps one of the most inspirational Olympic figures of all time—was accused of murdering his girlfriend at his home in Johannesburg, devastating an entire nation that worshiped him as more than just a man. In 2009, 14-time major championship winner Tiger Woods was exposed to the world as an unfaithful husband who had had relations with over 30 women during the course of his marriage to
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Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis (top left), Bullis grad and Redskins safety Tanard Jackson (‘03) (top right), and Eagles quarterback Michael Vick have all been heavily scrutinized for their off field actions.
Elin Nordegren. Perhaps most famously comes the story of Lewis, who in 2000 was accused of murdering two men at a night club in Atlanta after Super bowl XXXIV. Countless other stories have surfaced in the endless trails of gossip brought on by the radio, television, and—perhaps professional athletes’ greatest demise—Twitter. While some loyal fans cannot help but forgive their favorite athletes for these lapses in judgment, others rebuff and exile them, unable to separate their stained personalities from their tremendous capabilities to score a basketball or sack the quarterback. Other fans are stuck in purgatory, unable to take a firm stance on the athlete’s perceived goodness or evil. Danny Copeland (‘13) is one of the many who feel strongly about the role athletes should play in setting a good example for the young fans that look up them. “If an athlete is lucky
enough to be put under the spotlight and admired by thousands, sometimes millions, of people, they should be held accountable for their actions. It comes with the job, and not setting an example for younger fans is inexcusable in my mind.” Copeland knows what it feels like to be in the spotlight. As the starting quarterback for the Bullis football team, Copeland says he was constantly reminded by his coaches that everything he did could would be magnified. “Is it necessarily fair?” Copeland asked. “Maybe not. But it’s what is right. When you’re watched publically you become more than just a talented athlete, especially when guys are broadcast 24/7 on Sports Center, Facebook, and Twitter.” In opposition to Copeland, Alessandra Clark (‘13) and Nick Fields (‘13) are two students who don’t think athletes have an obligation to be role models to younger fans. Both avid Redskins fans, the two
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Oscar Pistorius faces trial for the alleged murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp
have seen their fair share of odd stories in the Washington sports market. Perhaps the most groundbreaking to Alessandra Clark was when her Olympic hero Michael Phelps—a Baltimore native—was photographed smoking marijuana at an offseason party. Many of his sponsors, most notably Kellogg, who chose not to renew his contract two days after the picture went public, made it clear to Phelps that they did not endorse that behavior. “Even though some people don’t like what he did when he wasn’t in the pool, he is famous because he wins gold medals. That’s what we love him for. That’s what’s important,” said Clark. Fields agreed and cited a gun scandal involving former Washington Wizard Gilbert Arenas in which Arenas was rumored to have threatened teammate Jarvis Crittenton with a gun in the locker room after a heated disagreement during a poker game. “I loved Gilbert as a kid because he could score,” Fields said. “Not for anything he did off the court.” While fans’ opinions will always differ, one thing is for sure. Athletes will continue to mess up. First it was the famous Black Sox Scandal of 1919. Then it was Pete Rose betting on baseball, Michael Vick fighting dogs, Mark Maguire
shooting anabolic steroids, and Alexander Ovechkin accidently exposing a large wad of chewing tobacco during a Capitals pre-game warm up. From far and wide, athletes have made poor decisions that are becoming more and more public with the available social media today. Professional leagues such as the NFL and NBA have attempted to set stricter punishments for those players who publically make bad choices. After being accused of rape, Ben Roethlisberger was suspended for six games by Roger Goodell. Michael Phelps was temporarily suspended from international swimming competition, and Redskins free safety Tanard Jackson (‘02) was suspended for a full year for repeatedly violating the NFL’s substance policy when testing positive for marijuana multiple times. Whether we endorse it or not, athletes are in the spotlight for millions of young fans worldwide. Will this change the way they act? Maybe, maybe not. The only thing that’s for sure is that athletes will continue to set—or not set—examples for young fans for years to come.
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Michael Phelps was photographed smoking marijuana at a party in 2009
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The argument for hiring off campus coaches By Peter Angeh Opinions Editor
A role model’s impact on a high school athlete’s career is extremely significant. Athletes need guidance and support from multiple avenues besides sports. Coaches who can devote the majority of their time to their players are the ones who can push them to their maximum potential. Coaches should educate on the field and teachers should educate in the classrooms. Bullis has made greater efforts to create an ultimate institution by getting the best out of its instructors on and off the field: “We want to make sure our coaches are true professionals. We don’t want an accounting major being a football coach just because he’s a big fan of the Jets and he thinks he knows about football,” said Assistant Principal Robert Pollicino. The opportunity to turn adolescents into men and women of character is a goal that just about every coach has. Off-campus coaches can use their work experiences
outside of a school campus to influence their players: “Construction work is very similar to the game of football. The idea of hard work is present in both fields. I like to use the lessons I’ve learned from my on the job training to bring to the football field,” says Wheaton High School football coach Daniel Bey. Off campus coaches have multiple advantages over on campus coaches. For instance, they have the flexibility of putting more time into their teams and planning for games: “I have more time on my hands than coaches who teach. I can create my own schedule and work around my practice times,” said Westfield Soccer Coach Alonso Sandoval. “The more free time I have, the more I can strategize and scout for the other teams we have to play.” Many coaches believe that networking is an advantage to working outside of school as a coach. “I have the opportunity to
GABE MELROD
JV boys tennis coach Charles Owusu
meet other coaches at clinics while coaches who teach have to be in school. From a recruiting standpoint, it’s definitely a plus because I can set up meetings with col-
lege coaches and bring them to practice or I can go meet with them during school hours,” said Bey. Also, many athletes feel
that off campus coaches may be the better option. Athletes don’t feel the pressures of athletics from a coach that they see every day in the hallways at school. Jindu Chiazor (‘14) believes off campus coaches “alleviate an intense atmosphere.” Chiazor added that “a lot of the coaches on our football team are off campus coaches and a lot of the teachers at this school don’t have the experience that they have. So […] they make us better athletes.” The new coaching changes have already heavily impacted a couple of the sports programs on campus. For example, new track coach Joe Lee is more than qualified as he competed on the biggest stage in high school, college, and professionally. “I’ve coached world champions such as Tyson Gay,” said Lee. In addition, JV Baseball Head Coach Keith Gordon played professionally for the Baltimore Orioles for about 6 seasons. “I’ve been around the game for quite some time so coaching just feels natural to me,” he said.
Goldberg hopes to lead varsity lacrosse to IAC title By David Harrison Sports Editor
March supposedly comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. And while early March’s frigid temperatures may cause most spring athletes to dread the start of their respective sports, Mitch Goldberg (‘13) happily slips into his dull colored Bullis Lacrosse sweats and hastily makes the drive from the senior parking lot to the turf field at Kline Alumni Stadium. As he enters the locker room, Goldberg acknowledges each one of his teammates, instantly complementing their freshly strung sticks, shiny new cleats, and –of course—their impeccable lacrosse swagger. Today is the first official day of the lacrosse season and Goldberg has already made it clear that his own expectations for this year’s team are high. “This will be my third season playing [for Bullis], and we’ve gotten one step further in the IAC each of the first two years,” said Goldberg. “I think the only way I can truly be satisfied with my time at Bullis is if I walk away with an IAC championship this May.” After attending Washington Christian Academy his freshman year, Goldberg transferred to Bullis and immediately found his niche among the Bulldogs’ ranks during his sophomore campaign. As a lanky left-handed attackman, Goldberg found himself on the
man-up unit where he contributed more than a dozen goals and assists to a team that—for the first time in over twenty years— defeated Georgetown Prep in overtime and clinched a spot in the IAC semi-finals. In a playoff rematch between the two teams, Bullis fell just short in a heart wrenching 8-6 loss that included two dazzling man-up goals from Goldberg. His most memorable goal was a fourth quarter strike where Goldberg faked a right-handed shot, causing much larger Georgetown Prep defender Juan Angel to lunge and fall, then switched to his left hand and ripped a side arm bullet over the stick side corner of Georgetown Prep goalie Ford Martin. “That’s probably my favorite
goal in my Bullis lacrosse career,” recalled Goldberg. “To be able to come through in a clutch situation when my family, friends, and even some college scouts were watching was something I’ll never forget.” In his junior season, Goldberg split time between the midfield and attack, helping Bullis again make history as they defeated Landon for the first time in the school’s 83 year history. Goldberg played an essential part in the team’s decisive semi-final victory over Episcopal, leading his teammates to Bullis’ first ever IAC lacrosse championship game. Bullis again came up short, however, as a Charlie Schneider hat trick helped Landon defeat top-seeded Bullis, 7-3.
While Goldberg has yet to win an IAC championship, he has certainly had his fair share of success and acclaim on the lacrosse field. Over the summer, Goldberg was invited to play in the Top 205 Rising Senior Camp All-Star Game at Towson University where he netted two goals in an impressive showing. Then, in the fall, Goldberg committed to the University of Richmond, a school that is moving from Division III to Division I next season. “I was very unsure of where I was going to end up next year,” said Goldberg. “There were a few other options that didn’t end up working out but I was ecstatic when I got the offer from Richmond. The atmo-
MITCH GOLDBERG
sphere, the learning environment, and the athletics are exactly what I’m looking for. I can’t wait to be a Spider.” While Goldberg looks forward to what promises to be a successful college career, he is well aware of the unfinished business he and his peers have in the IAC. Although graduating key Division-I attackmen Kylor Bellistri (‘12) and Matt Opsahl (‘12), Bullis retains a talented nucleus that will be looking to push for a second straight trip to the IAC’s championship game. On defense, the Bulldogs bring back Bowdoin-bound long pole Max Nordeen (‘13), Georgetownbound long pole Alex Robinson (‘14), Hopkins-bound defenseman Nick Fields(‘13), and future Brown goalie Brandon Burke (‘13). Also back from an ACL tear is standout defender Ben Catt (‘14). On offense, Bullis is returning future Penn State midfielder Drew Petkevitch (‘15), face-off specialist Joe Stucky (‘14), and attackman Kyle Nemeroff (‘13) to complement Goldberg. They are also accompanied by an immensely talented freshman class who will look to contribute immediately. “We know if we work hard the sky is the limit for this team,” said Goldberg. Hard work and dedication are morals instilled in Goldberg long ago by his father, the longtime coach of the American University womens volleyball team. “He taught me that everything I do on and off the field matters. And now there is nothing that matters more, that I want more than an IAC championship.”
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March Madness Bracket Challenge Step 1: fill out the bracket Step 2: carefully rip out this page Step 3: make sure your first and last names appear clearly on this page Step 4: hand in your bracket at lunch. A member of the staff will be collecting brackets by the cafeteria entrance during your lunch period. 1st PRIZE: $50 to Potomac Pizza 2nd PRIZE: $25 to Potomac Pizza