December 2012 - The Churchill Observer

Volume 37 - Issue 5

Thursday, December 20, 2012

A National Blue Ribbon School

‘Hopes and Fears’ concert to Volunteer guard raise money for Sandy victims keeps students safe

See Concert, 3

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH CAMPBELL.

Kristofer Sanz leads an orchestra class in rehearsal for the Dec. 20 benefit concert in collaboration with the symphony, choral, drama and TV production classes.

Islamic holidays not included in next year’s MCPS calendar The MCPS Board of Education voted 7-1 Nov. 13, in favor of passing the 2013-2014 calendar without includuing Islamic holy days Eid al-Fitr in August and Eid al-Adha in October.

According to a Nov. 13 memorandum from Superintendent Joshua Starr, the decision to close school on religious holidays is based on a significant number of absences on that day and not in recognition of holidays.

Board member Michael A. Durso was the only board member to vote against the calendar.

“I voted against adoption due to our not including the Muslim holidays,” Durso said.

“I feel that it is time for the Board to give the same recognition to the Muslim holidays that we do to the Christian and Jewish religious days.”

The MCPS calendar

Opinions PDA

Students need to learn proper hallway etiquette.

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currently includes school closures on the Christian holidays of Christmas, Good Friday and Easter Monday, and the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Currently, no school district in Maryland closes for Islamic holy days.

According to John Mannes, the student member of the board (SMOB), the currently known attendance data states that there must be around 800 teacher absences on a holiday in order for it to interfere with “MCPS’s ability to meet its mission as an institution of public education.” In previous years the Muslim holidays have not come close to reaching the needed number of absences.

When determining the school calendar, the Board of Education considers both attendance and the Maryland law that requires students to attend school for a minimum of 180 days a year.

“As of now, MCPS does

PHOTO BY JORDAN MASER.

By Emilie Plesset Online Editor-in-Chief

offer an ‘excused’ absence for ‘religious observance,’” Mannes said. “Work can be done to increase awareness of staff in giving students the support they need to make up work as the county’s policies and regulations currently allow for.”

While students may be excused from school for religious purposes, many students find it difficult to miss schools because of the extra work they have to make up.

According to sophomore Yasmin Mulla, it can be “difficult to miss school” on Eid al-Adha because students “have to make up work on the teacher’s time.”

Due to the increased pressure on MCPS to close school on Muslim holidays, school attendance on Muslim holidays will be closely monitored this year.

If the Board finds there to be a large number of school absences on these days, the holidays may be included on future school calendars.

Features Chicks on the block Heard a rooster lately?

Local family raises feathered friends.

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From 6:30 in the morning when the first high school buses arrive, to after 4 in the afternoon when the last activity buses have dropped off students, Jane Houston is busy keeping local kids safe.

Houston, who moved to the area in 1972 and began working as a volunteer crossing guard more than 20 years ago, monitors traffic in front of two CHS neighborhoods: Scotland and Muirfield.

According to Alan Heard, the MCPS communications director for the Department of Transportation, Houston does not get any pay for the work she does. He is not aware of anyone else in the county system like her.

“All I’m concerned about is the safety of these kids,” Houston said. “I pray that all these kids get to school safely.”

Over the years, Houston has gotten to know students in the neighborhoods, bus drivers and police officers, all of whom have praised her work.

Maurice Butler, an MCPS bus operator of six years, drives bus 1209, which drops off Cabin John Middle School students at the Muirfield neighborhood.

“She knows every kid in the neighborhood,” Butler said. “She helps fill the buses up as quickly as possible and empty them out to get traffic going again. It helps a lot.”

Houston, who is often accompanied by her preschool-age grandson, tries to teach children good street habits at a young age.

According to Houston, she teaches the younger kids about safety and even tries to remind the older kids. She also volunteers at local schools.

“She does help out a lot with elementary school kids,” Muirfield resident and senior Roy Zhou said.

“She makes sure they don’t run out into the street, and she holds the bus if they’re running late. She gets the attention of cars as the buses stop.”

Not all cars stop, however.

According to Houston, sometimes she has to take the “tag number for people that pass” stopped buses.

One thing is certain, and that’s Jane Houston is dedicated.

“I don’t think she’s ever missed a day,” Zhou said.

Houston does not plan on stopping anytime soon.

“I want to do this as long as I can,” Houston said. “I love putting the kids on the bus and laughing and talking to them. They’re good kids.”

PHOTO BY SPENSER EASTERBROOK.

Jane Houston has volunteered for the past 20 years, helping MCPS students on their way to and from school.

Arts ‘Girl Meets World’ The Boy Meets World storyline is reprised in Girl Meets World.

PAGE 14

COURTESY OF YOUTUBE.

After Hurricane Sandy left Long Beach County, NY devastated this past October, CHS’s music department organized a benefit concert, “Hopes and Fears,” for Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium.

The concert will feature the Chamber Orchestra and Wind Symphony, as well as students from the drama department, choral department and TV production crew.

The name of the concert, “Hopes and Fears,” is based on a famous quote from Francois de la Rouchefoucauld: “Hope and fear are inseparable.

There is no hope without fear, nor any fear without hope.”

“This concert will be a

By Spenser Easterbrook Editor-in-Chief

PHOTO BY MATT RAAB.

By Brett Sachs Production Manager

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News

theObserver

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Tuberculosis on the rise in Montgomery County

By Charlotte Scarborough Staff Writer The rate of tuberculosis, an infectious and potentially fatal disease that attacks the body, primarily the lungs, has been rising in Montgomery County.

Tuberculosis, along with many other infectious diseases, was thought to be nearly extinct in the United States.

According to Montgomery County director of Health and Human services, Ulder Tillman, as quoted in a Nov. 29 Takoma Park Patch article, Montgomery County has a rate of 7.6 cases of tuberculosis per 100,000 residents, compared to 4 per 100,000 residents in Maryland and 3.6 per 100,000 residents nationwide.

2012 brought 84.4 cases of tuberculosis in Montgomery County compared to the 74 cases in 2011.

According to Mayoclinic.com, tuberculosis can be treated and deemed noncontagious after a two-week dosage of antibiotics; however, there are drugresistant bacteria in small strains of the disease. When a certain antibiotic fails to kill the bacteria, it becomes immune, often to more than one antibiotic.

“Someone can carry TB germs in

their body and never have active TB, but it can become active at a later point,” Montgomery County Health Department Tuberculosis representative Mary Anderson said.

According to school nurse Deborah Stapleton, there have been no active cases at CHS in the past five years.

“The average high school student is not going to contract TB,” Anderson said. “If one classmate in all of your periods is coughing, sneezing and sitting in front of you, something might be transmitted. The TB program ensures that someone comes in from the Health Department and performs a Contact Study—contacting the student’s first circle of contacts.”

The rise of tuberculosis in the United States is thought to be caused by immigrants who lived in countries where the disease is more prevalent.

“Most people who have active TB come from countries where it is endemic,” Anderson said.

The disease can be prevented with vaccinations such as the BCG vaccine and healthy nutrition. In addition, Montgomery County has been trying to lower the infection rate by increasing awareness of the disease.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that affects the lungs.

2012 was filled with newsworthy events. The following is a list compiled by the Observer of the top events of the year.

NATIONAL Obamacare

photo courtesy of creative commons.

The Affordable Care Act, a nationwide health care law that requires people to purchase health-care based on federal regulations with government subsidies, was upheld by the Supreme Court.

According to a Nov. 7 Washington Post article, Obamacare extends medical care to over 30 million people. In the months leading up to the 2012 presidential election, Republicans widely criticized the Affordable Care Act because they believed the federal government was overstepping its boundaries.

According to a Dec. 3 Business Insider article, the Supreme Court ruled Obamacare constitutional in June due to the taxing authority of Congress. Some rightleaning groups, however, have pushed the Act back into court, challenging that bills for raising revenue must start in the U.S. House of Representatives. “Obamacare” was started in the Senate.

However, because President Barack Obama won reelection, Obamacare is most likely here to stay. For now, Obamacare will provide millions of Americans with healthcare that they would not have been able to afford otherwise.

INTERNATIONAL Middle East Plagued by Unrest The Middle East was plagued by unrest throughout much of 2012.

Syria spent the year in the midst of civil war, while Egypt was left reeling after their new democraticallyelected president appointed himself totalitarian-esque powers.

According to a Sept. 10 CNN article, over 20,000 people have died

in the Syria conflict between the government and the rebels. Just a few countries away from Syria, Egypt has also been dealing with its own internal conflicts after establishing a democracy for the first time.

According to a Dec. 3 CNN.com article, the controversial edict in which democratically-elected President Mohamed Morsi assumed all governmental power, including the executive and judiciary branches, will be void should a new constitution pass Dec. 15.

Egypt has been without a constitution since the uprisings last spring that ousted Dictator Hosni Mubarak.

Morsi canceled most of the controversial edict giving him unlimited powers.

However, a new constitution is still in the works for passage.

INTERNATIONAL Athletes Compete in 2012 London Olympics

PHOTO BY STUART YOUNGENTOB.

The summer of 2012 was dominated by the Games of the XXX Olympiad.

According to The Guardian, nearly 11,000 athletes participated in 26 medal sports.

Every participating country sent a female to the games for the first time in Olympic history.

The United States came out on top in the medal count with 104 medals.

One of the U.S. medal winners, and the youngest member of Team USA, was 15-year-old Katie Ledecky, a Bethesda, resident and student at the Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart.

Ledecky won a gold medal in the 800 meter freestyle swimming event in her first time competing in the Olympics.

Other favorites of the Olympics included swimmer and Baltimore native Michael Phelps, who became the most decorated Olympian of all-time, and the USA women’s gymnastics team, who propelled themselves to team gold for the second time in Team USA history.

By Dana Youngentob

News

Thursday, December 20, 2012

theObserver

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Superintendent Starr requests HVAC upgrades

By Emily Birnbaum Features Editor

At the beginning of November, MCPS Superintendent Joshua Starr proposed adding $14.2 million to the $1.35 billion MCPS budget plan, $11.5 million of which would be dedicated to Heating, Ventilation and Air Condition (HVAC) projects. The Montgomery County Board of Education submitted the request to the County Council and County Executive Ike Leggett for review and is now awaiting the results.

These funds would enable the school system to complete six HVAC projects by 2018, and increase the funds spent on the projects to $18 million.

These projects would help keep classrooms the right temperature year-round: cool in the summer and heated in the winter.

“This project is an ongoing priority for the school system, as there are frequently issues with these important systems,” senior legislative analyst Essie McGuire said.

Every other year, MCPS approves a six-year Capital Improvement

Plan (CIP), a budget plan that identifies the ways in which MCPS plans to spend its money and when it will do so. Because this is an “off year,” as the last CIP was approved last year, only amendments are taken into consideration this year.

Starr identified the replacement of broken or antiquated HVAC systems as a number one priority for MCPS.

According to building service manager Angel Delgado, discrepancy between classroom temperatures is a schoolwide issue at CHS. He believes we should be chosen to receive funding, but it will ultimately be decided by the HVAC department.

HVAC system issues cause distress over clothing choices for CHS students.

“Maintenance and replacement of HVAC systems is something that has been pushed off over the years to address the district’s dramatic enrollment growth,” public information director Dana Tofig said. “This is an important part of creating a safe and comfortable environment for students to learn.”

This added funding would aim to aid schools in replacing or fixing faulty HVAC systems.

“It’s really annoying when it’s cold outside, so I dress for the cold weather, and then I get into school, and it’s super-hot,” junior Amanda Funger said. “It’s horrible when you go from class to class— one class may be freezing cold and the other may be way too hot.”

According to junior Mariam Fall, she has had to adjust her wardrobe because of heating and ventilation problems.

“My English class is so freezing that I have to wear a jacket, and

I usually don’t wear jackets to school, but now I have to or I’ll freeze to death,” Fall said.

If MCPS agrees to the request, they would then determine which schools’ systems are the highest priority, what steps are needed to fix or replace each system, and how to distribute the funds accordingly.

For now, the Board of Education has submitted this request to the County Executive and the County Council. In January, Leggett will submit his recommendation to the Council, which will then hold public hearings and work sessions to review the requested increase and the Executive’s recommended funds. The Council must then determine what funding level can be afforded and make a final determination in May. The school system would begin the HVAC system projects July 1.

“Throughout the year, our maintenance staff is working on issues that come up,” Tofig said. “The CIP funds would work toward replacing systems that have been inefficient or too old. We must make sure our students are comfortable so they can learn.”

as well as videos and lighting effects. Senior Chani Wereley will be accompanying one of the symphonies during a few bars of “Ave Maria.”

“It’s in this part of the song when most of the instruments drop out and it is just brass,” Wereley said. “I think it adds to the mystique of the piece.”

Senior Andres Roa, who edited and

produced the visual media portion of the show, used various effects from montage-style to cinematic videos.

“Adding videos to the show adds another dimension to the whole concert—the music comes alive onscreen,” Roa said.

Since admission to the concert will be free, donations will be collected at the end of the concert to go directly

to the music programs of various schools in Long Beach County. The funds will help these programs replace the instruments and supplies the hurricane ruined.

“Instead of sending profits to the Red Cross, we thought we could maybe make it more personal and help the area, high school musician to high school musician,” Sanz said.

“

Maintenance and replacement of HVAC systems is something that has been pushed off over the years to address the district’s dramatic enrollment growth.”

Public information director Dana Tofig

Charity concert’s funds to benefit music programs From Concert, 1 visual, dramatic and musical journey through humanity’s greatest hopes and fears,” instrumental music director Kristofer Sanz said.

Unlike typical instrumental concerts, “Hopes and Fears” will include live dramatic and vocal performances,

Opinions

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theObserver

Thursday, December 20, 2012

The Churchill

Observer Editors

Editors-in-Chief Spenser Easterbrook Stacey Stein

Chief Production Manager Brett Sachs News Editors Lara Fu Dana Youngentob *Emma Crutchfield Opinions Editors Joe Nolan *Josh Denicoff *Jessica Gold Observations Editors Nicole Malament *Josh Denicoff Features Editors Emily Birnbaum Brittany Goodman *Elizabeth Campbell *Jane Zankman *Samantha Silber *Katie Gauch Arts Editors Jamie Lescht *Brett Sachs *Katie Gauch Sports Editors Matt Raab Zoe Forster *Angad Kanwal Photography Editors Ben Fox Guransh Singh Jane Zankman Erica Spaeth Fact Checkers Ilana Berger Jordan Janis * Production Editors

Managers

Advertising Manager Aileen Choi Archive Managers Catherine Goohs Julia McDermott Business Manager Danny Gordon

Circulation Managers Julia Heimlich Danielle Kiefer Contest Manager Natalie Cortez Public Relations Jordan Maser Julia Reagan Adviser Kelly Knarr

Our Policy

The Churchill Observer is published monthly by the students of Winston Churchill High School, 11300 Gainsborough Road, Potomac, Md. 20854. Advertising and subscription rates are available by e-mailing churchill. observer@gmail.com. Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of staff, faculty or the student body.

Every effort has been made by the staff to assure that the news is accurate and free of bias.

Editorial opinions are those of the Observer staff, and personal commentaries and cartoons reflect the opinions of their writers. Letters to the editor must be signed, and assertions must be documented upon request.

The Observer is a public forum for the purpose of expressing the views of and informing the Churchill student body.

Test schedule only leads to more stress CARTOON BY JONATHAN LEE.

CHS has now studied and tested for three months under the new school policy that dictates the days each department can test. With ample time to see how it works, it is clear that the well-intentioned administrative decree only agitates the problem it attempts to solve.

According to assistant school administrator Brandi Richardson, the testing day policy was originally conceived as a means of relieving student stress. The administration resolved that CHS students, as an incredibly involved bunch who constantly push their schedules to the limit, would draw huge benefits from a fixed testing schedule—a solution that would, in theory, finally eliminate the dreaded “double test” day. In theory.

It seemed simple enough. If each department were to test students only on its specified day, then the classes will never align for students, and keeping the test schedule spaced out might help students prepare for each assessment more effectively. Weeks might be more consistent, grades a little higher and students less stressed.

Unfortunately, that is not how it panned out. The policy has been met, not with tears of joy, but rather complaints from both teachers and students.

In practice, teachers cannot be expected to master the telemetry required to twist their lesson plans in a way that gently lands every major assessment on the assigned depart-

ment test day. The rule allows for no flexibility when the inevitable occurs.

Ancient History teacher Douglas Kraus has already been forced to push a test back an entire week due to a series of school-related conflicts combined with an inflexible test day schedule. Rather than review the same material for seven days until the next available Monday or Thursday (social studies department test days), Kraus had to begin teaching the next unit.

Thus, in the name of student relief, students now must handle interrupted lesson plans and undergo the precarious juggling of test content and new material.

Regardless, assessments should still be evenly spaced throughout the week, and students should still benefit from a consistent test schedule void of any department assessment conflicts.

But that consistent test schedule isn’t happening.

The English department does not always schedule essay due dates according to its prescribed testing days, sostudentscanstillfindaninordinate amount of work one night when a research paper that determines one’s quarter grade is due the same day of an AP Biology test.

Additionally, the rule takes no account for quizzes, which have been loosely defined as any assessment requiring less than 45 minutes to complete. Although they often require studying and occur much more frequently than tests, quizzes may be administered whenever a teacher pleases, so long as they take 40 minutes or less. The result may be coinciding math, history and science quizzes all on the same day.

Further, the department testing day policy rests on the assumption that all students have a shallow interest in every scholastic discipline.

This may be true for freshman and sophomore year schedules, as they are largely determined by requirement, but by junior and senior year, students begin to grasp what they enjoy learning and what they would rather not study.

This is a healthy development and a great transition to college, but the testing policy punishes anyone who takes an interest in a department beyond one class. The history geek that can’t take enough social studies classes will thus be punished by stressful Fridays that have more than one test.

For all its strictness, the testing policy cannot evenly disperse all stressful assessments over

the week without also dictating pesky variables like essays, quizzes and single-department-heavy student schedules.

Anatomy teacher James Fishman has seen no decrease in student anxiety, no reduction in stress.

The policy only hinders teachers by restraining curricula.

It means well, but it does poorly. This policy does more harm than good at CHS by augmenting student stress.

Or maybe it’s harm in another sense. Maybe it is not the effect of the department testing day rule but the principle. Maybe it is the idea that is hurting CHS students. If someone has to promise us that every test in a class will be on a Wednesday and that the teacher will regularly bend over backward to fulfill this promise, we don’t have a test problem, but a study problem.

Instead of trying to reverse unfavorable effects by avoiding stressful days, the school must have the courage to aim for the root of the problem. It must acknowledge that either we are signing up for classes we cannot keep up with, or we simply do not know how to study. The former it cannot control, but the latter it can. A school that produces students with good study habits, as opposed to students with privileged excuses for failure, will prepare its students for the inevitable day they have to conquer stress that exceeds anything they faced at CHS.

various times, causing more panic each time it began to ring. By 6:30, I heard the last alarm in the Kibbutz before we were forced to evacuate.

There was no playing around; we got our stuff from the shelter and ran to the buses. We were given 15 minutes to evacuate the zone we were in, or else we would be forced to stay there throughout the whole operation.

After the conflict was over, we were safe and sound, living next to Jordan, which was reassuring, but still we had traces of PTSD. We were in the North for 10 days, then we were allowed to return.

It was strange to go through the experience, and I must say that people can’t really have an opinion until they’re here. I still stand for my position, but I’ve learned from the many opinions of people here that we really shouldn’t have an opinion. Both sides are completely flawed and have so many faults.

Talking about the conflict in the Middle East is like asking for someone’s political affiliation back home, you just don’t do it.

Natalia Derechin graduated from CHS last year and has been studying in Israel for the past four months.

Dear Editor, I thought your piece (Nov. 29, 2012, “Observer Opinion” on Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm, which owns the Star Wars franchise) was too speculative and thus too unnecessarily scathing. You mentioned how Disney would somehow stifle artistic integrity without citing the fact that it received an extensive treatment from Lucas himself for the story to span three films. Then you said that not basing them on existing stories from the Extended Universe is bad because it doesn’t satisfy fans.

That’s contradictory; George Lucas didn’t write those books either, so how would basing the films off of those books not be an infringement on Lucas’s artistic integrity?

Regarding Disney creating unnecessary sequels to milk franchises for money, I’m in agreement. However, I am hoping that because the number of sequels is set already at trilogy, whoever ends up writing or directing will have a well-thought-out story arc developed to span a trilogy, no more and no less.

The last bit about directors was rather ungrounded. Citing Steven Spielberg’s refusal to direct the franchise as foreshadowing

is ignoring the entire history behind the two directors. Lucas and Spielberg had a friendly rivalry throughout their moviemaking careers. Spielberg turned down the movie because Lucas is a friend of his and it’s Lucas’s franchise.

J.J. Abrams is in a similar boat; he has stated that he turned it down because of the high regard he holds for Star Wars. He didn’t feel that way about Star Trek which is why he could pull it off—no fear of ruining a sacred cow.

As for Peter Jackson, he’ll be occupied with his own Hobbit trilogy for the next few years.

As the pragmatist I am, I’ll remain skeptical about where the franchise will end up. Disney did a wonderful job with The Avengers, and it is worth noting that its director Joss Whedon, as well as Jon Favreau (Iron Man) and David Fincher (Fight Club) are still in the running for director. The films are not out yet; do not pass judgment until you have sat through each one.

-Nicolaas Verbeek, senior

BSERVER O OPINION

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, From the day I got to Israel, I was told that there is always the possibility of war, especially with Hamas only 30 kilometers away, but I never really thought that it would happen. Day after day, the situation in Gaza got more and more tense. Our Madrij, the live in counselor, told us that there was a possibility of war. He told us not to be frightened and to relax, because he seriously doubted that anything would happen.

24hourslater,myMadrijcalledus to for a meeting and told us that we could be relocated due to the increasing amount of missiles that were going our direction. I live in Beer Sheva, a town 30 kilometers away from Gaza. Although we are far away, it also means that we are targeted with the most potent missiles.

I saw something I will never forget: the Iron Dome. It’s designed to intercept long-distance missiles and destroy them in the air. It’s an amazing sight. The sky went green, and then came the most powerful boom I’ve ever heard. It was probably the most exhilarating moment of my life.

We tried sleeping that night in a bomb shelter. The alarm went off

Have a comment, question or story idea?

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Thursday, December 20, 2012

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T-Swift needs to grow up Don’t be ‘Mean’ to Taylor

By Lara Fu News Editor Who has curly blond hair, plays the guitar and badmouths ex-boyfriends for a living?

(If you guessed Dolly Parton, you’re wrong.)

Over 1.2 million copies of country darling Taylor Swift’s fourth album Red were sold in its opening week, breaking rapper Eminem’s record set by The Eminem Show a decade ago. Clearly Swift’s fans love her, so she must be doing something right. But after a closer look at the content of her albums, one may question just how good a role model Swift is to her fans, the majority of whom are vulnerable teenage girls.

Swift has released four albums over a span of six years. Her first album was released when she was only 16, and over half of her songs were understandably about boys.

However, fast-forward to her most recent album, released at age 22, and the overarching theme is still boys (only three of the album’s songs cover other topics).

While it’s reasonable that boys still play a significant role in Swift’s life, there should be other important events occurring in her life that should at least temporarily take precedence: friendship, charity work and traveling, to name a few.

In a Nov. 3 NPR interview, Swift admitted to her struggles with self-confidence and explains that her albums are like her diaries. However, her insecurities and open nature do not give her an excuse to publicly bash her critics and ex-boyfriends and their future girlfriends.

In “Better than Revenge” from her third album, Speak Now, she attacks an unnamed girl: “She’s an actress,” but “She’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress.”

While she doesn’t outright name the girl, the context makes it obvious. In a November 2008 interview with MTV, Swift confirmed that another song on the album, “Forever & Always,” is about ex-boyfriend Joe Jonas, who coincidentally began dating actress Camilla Belle shortly after breaking up with Swift.

It was inappropriate for Swift to attack another girl in this manner.

Even if she did feel Jonas betrayed her—or if she wanted to express her feelings in a song, she should have reduced the number of hints to make her songs less slanderous.

Swift has admitted that she expresses all her feelings in her songs, but she needs to consider her fan base: teenage girls. Incorporating petty, vindictive lyrics into an album does not set a good example for her fans. The movie Mean Girls has already shed much-needed light on the cattiness of teenage girls’ relationships, and we do not need a wellknown singer reinforcing the assumption that girls verbally lash out at others when they get hurt.

In Red, Swift includes specific details that conspicuously identify certain people in her life.

In “State of Grace,” “twin fire signs, four blue eyes” references her blue-eyed Sagittarius ex-boyfriend Jake Gyllenhaal; “green eyes and freckles” from “Everything Has Changed” closely recalls ex-boyfriend Conor Kennedy. She also includes hidden messages in the album lyric booklet, which brings additional, unnecessary attention to each song’s person of interest. The secret message for “Everything Has Changed” is “Hyannis Port,” the location of many Kennedy residences.

Swift does slightly redeem herself with her impressive philanthropic work.

According to LookToTheStars.com, a website that tracks celebrity charity donations, she has donated money to many foundations, including the Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity. She even wrote a song, titled “Ronan,” about a young boy who died of cancer last year, and donated the proceeds to cancer-related charities, according to a Sept. 8 Huffington Post article.

However, Swift is far from alone in pursuing charitable endeavors.

Such extensive charity work is not uncommon among celebrities. It is not hard to donate money if you have earned an average of $41 million over the past four years.

While Swift’s songs are catchy and unique, and she boasts an impressive philanthropic resumé, the messages she sends her fans through her songs are far from ideal. Swift shows her approval of using public passive-aggressive methods to take revenge on people.

Swift may pretend to be a misunderstood country star just searching for her soulmate, but in the end, she is just a bitter girl with a guitar.

By Stacey Stein Editor-In-Chief In today’s music industry, few singers serve as role models for young girls. In a scene dominated by performers like Rihanna and Ke$ha, who are well known for partying, it is refreshing to see an artist who has found success while still managing to stay tasteful.

After having her newest album Red, go triple platinum, Taylor Swift has proven that she can reach the highest levels of success while maintaining her wholesome image.

Ever since bursting onto the music scene at the age of 16, Swift has come to be known for her relatable music, most of which is about love. Contrary to what many say, Swift has a great deal of music about other topics.

Granted, many of Swift’s songs are about relationships. But, what about “Tied Together With A Smile,” her song about a friend with an eating disorder? Or “The Best Day,” in which Swift thanks her mom for always being there for her? Of course, nobody can forget “Mean,” her Grammyaward-winning song that has become an anthem for bullied kids worldwide. These serve as just a few examples of songs where Swift explores issues important to her.

Still, after Red’s success, Swift was criticized for her multitude of love songs.

However, most popular songs today are about love. Two of the top songs in America right now are Maroon 5’s “One More Night” and Rihanna’s “Diamonds.”

“One More Night” tells the tale of a man who basically stays with a girl in order to keep having sex. In “Diamonds,” Rihanna sings not only about sex, but drugs too.

Unlike these artist’s, Swift’s songs about relationships serve a higher purpose. She chooses to sing about the emotional rather than the physical aspects of love, while giving messages to her fans and allowing them a window into her personal life.

Swift has also received criticism for calling out her exes, but this accusation is baseless. Only once, has Swift confirmed who a song is about when she told Ellen Degeneres that she wrote “Forever and Always” about Joe Jonas after he left her a 27-second phone voicemail breaking up with her.

Other than this one instance, Swift

maturely stays quiet about ex-boyfriends in public. Instead of discussing with the media how she’s been wronged, she chooses to express both heartbreak and happiness through her art.

Outside her music, Swift enjoys a lifestyle that sets her apart from others in the business. She is constantly looking for ways to give back to fans.

Swift has invited fans to her apartment. When a cancer patient asked her to prom and she couldn’t make it, she invited him to be her date to the American Country Music Awards.

After Swift made an online contest for schools to vote for her to come and perform, pranksters made Horace Mann School for the Deaf receive the most votes. Her response? Giving $10,000 to the school and a concert ticket to each student.

Swift has donated thousands of dollars to promote the arts and children’s literacy, and she has given to multiple natural disaster relief funds. However, she doesn’t just write checks. In 2008, she recorded a PSA for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Network.

One of her most recent charitable endeavors was Sept. 7, when she performed “Ronan” at the Stand Up to Cancer telethon. Swift drew inspiration from Ronan’s mom’s blog for this emotional song about a boy who died just before his fourth birthday. Pictures of Swift crying after the performance prove how much she truly cared.

Thompson, who was credited as a songwriter, is donating her proceeds to The Ronan Thompson Foundation ,while Swift is donating her royalties to cancer-related charities.

Swift’s hard work and philanthropy have earned her respect inside and outside of the music industry. Take Michelle Obama’s word for it—she presented Swift with the Big Help award and commended her for being “someone who has shattered every expectation of what a 22-year-old should accomplish.” She was also awarded the Ripple of Hope award, whose past recipients include Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Bono.

Swift gives hope to her numberless fans. She was bullied as a teen and struggled to find a label to sign her.

When she did sign to her tiny label, she had to forge her own connections and reach success the hard way.

Despite obstacles, Swift continues to stay on top of the music world and use her fame as a platform for philanthropy, all while maintaining an incredibly loyal fan base. Does she write a lot of songs about love? Yes. But if fans truly listen to her songs, they will discover a different overbearing theme. More than anything else, Swift tries to encourage fans to be themselves. After all, as she once said, “If you were lucky enough to be different, don’t ever change.”

their partner. In fact, it would be considered immature and socially unacceptable.

The Parent and Student Handbook, given to every student at the beginning of this school year, does not mention any regulations regarding public displays of affection (PDA).

According to assistant principal Doreen Brandes, school is treated like a business, and students should conduct themselves accordingly. Teachers do not mind a quick kiss goodbye or holding hands, but when lines are crossed they have to intervene.

So, how much is too much: holding hands, hugging, frenching? It is a huge testament to one’s morals where they draw the line and whether they find PDA acceptable in a school environment.

Clearly, there is a line that separates the acceptable ways to express affection

and the unacceptable. For example, handholding is a perfectly acceptable way to show affection toward your special someone. It is physical, and best of all, you are moving at the same time so you are not blocking any hallway traffic—this is key.

However, stopping short in the middle of the social studies hallway to take a moment to kiss and say bye-bye is unacceptable. Students in this school have a tight schedule and are expected to get to class on time. Students do not want to have to explain to their teacher that they are late because they got stuck behind the kissing couple moving at approximately 2 mph.

Maybe you want to cause discomfort for a certain teacher or a peer that stole your ex. Whatever the motive is, just know that you are inconveniencing the

entire school, as well as making everyone extremely uncomfortable. So, please just take it somewhere else.

The saying “out of sight out of mind” is the ideal when it comes to PDA in school. As long as you and your partner are not out in the open, feel free to participate in all the snogging you wish. Most importantly, as long as you are not acting as an obstacle I must negotiate to enter my sixth period Spanish class, act in whatever manner you please.

The hallways of CHS are a dangerous place for students. The possibility of getting pelted in the face with a backpack or getting pummeled by an enormous football player always exists.

The last thing we need to worry about is bumping into a couple playing tonsil hockey in the middle of the hall.

CHS couples need to get a room or get out of the way

By Jordan Maser Public Relations As I make my way to first period, the hallways of CHS are flooded with students trying to do the same. It’s a chaotic five minutes, yet once I finally reach my classroom door ready to take my seat, there they are—the couple lingering in front of the doorway taking their sweet time to say a thoughtful, heartfelt goodbye. We get it, you love each other… but can you please just get out of the way?

Throughout the duration of high school, students prepare for the day they have to go out into the real world and conduct themselves in a mature fashion. I hate to be the one to inform students of this (actually, no I don’t), but in the real world people do not stop in the middle of the hallway to make out with

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Opinions

By Julia Gray Staff Writer

lengthy hashtags, “selfie” snapchats, hours spent choosing an Instagram filter and, of course, Facebook “stalking” friends.

As for a solution to this technologyfueled madness, I have started turning off my phone for hours at a time and finding more valuable ways to spend my time like taking walks or reading (a marvel concept!) Once you get through the initial empty feeling and worries of missing some big news during that one hour of “phonelessness,” total relaxation can commence. I suggest all of you try this for at least an hour a day; the feeling is unbelievably peaceful. For those who can’t just quit, here are some apps to avoid: Creepiest Apps: 5. Twitter: Facebook statuses on crack.

Twitter allows us to let people know what we are thinking and doing at all times. There is nothing subtle about “subtweeting.” I broke up with you a month ago, drop it.

4. Cinemagram: If you thought Instagram was sketchy, now it moves. Users can upload live-action gifs of their daily endeavors. Why not set up a surveillance camera on your head?

3. Snapchat: Unlimited friends should be a good thing…right? Snapchat allows you to send and receive uncensored photos from whomever without the courtesy of a reject button. It’s a bit disturbing that an app initially created for “sexting” is now how we share our intimate feelings.

2. Foursquare: “Check in” wherever you go and take the guessing out of your stalker’s daily routine! Foursquare is practically an invitation to any user to follow your every move and see your exact coordinates upon your updates.

1. Find My Friends: Out of all the creepy iPhone apps, this one takes the cake. “Find My Friends” allows users to track where other users are at all times.

In other news, that one friend that nobody likes is now unavoidable.

theObserver

Thursday, December 20, 2012

The 5 Creepiest Apps Disney shows lack creativity With our introduction to MySpace, transition to Facebook and the rise of Twitter, internet safety has been preached heavily in previous years. Yet in our current tech savvy age, privacy has been lost, and the risk of sharing information online has been all but forgotten. A smartphone can be found in the pocket of just about every teenager, which allows anyone to tweet and post about anything from the low-fat mocha latte they just got from Starbucks to the school water fountain temperature.

MySpace’s “online now” indicator pales in comparison to Facebook chat’s “read receipts,” which gives us the ability to discern whether messages are being read and ignored or have yet to be read.

Posting pictures is dangerous? What about live-action clips on Cinemagram?

With the recent stalker-friendly apps and sites, is it even possible to be safe?

We have given up on cyber safety and surrendered to technology’s chokehold.

The release of the iPhone 5, new iOS 6 software for iPhones and overall smart phone takeover make privacy impossible. In an age where parents make Facebook pages for their dogs and babies, we find ourselves wistful for a time when parents monitored their children’s online activity to make sure MySpace was nowhere to be found in the Internet history. This was a simple time, when we had to communicate with people to discover things about them, and some sort of consent was required in order to determine the streets people were roaming or the movie they just saw.

Just because I may object doesn’t mean I’m innocent. I’ve been found guilty of

By Catherine Goohs Archive Manager

By Jessica Gold Production Editor There is a little kid in everyone.

Sure, we grow up, but sometimes we find ourselves venturing back to the past to rekindle childhood memories. Just don’t make the mistake of attempting to rediscover your childhood through the Disney Channel’s current programming.

Disney Channel, the once-loved TV station idolized by our generation, has left its young audience, and others, skeptical. The shows the network now offers are lacking in creativity, originality and comedic effect. To compare these shows to those aired in the last decade leaves disappointment in many older viewers; these new shows simply do not measure up.

In the past, Disney provided a broad, colorful spectrum of shows ranging from a lovable psychic in “That’s So Raven,” to a teenage crime fighter looking to save the world while balancing school (and cheerleading) in “Kim Possible.”

“Phil of the Future” was about a family from the year 2121 trying to live a normal life in present day.

“The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” featured twin teenage boys living with their single mom in a hotel.

Every episode sparked an intriguing plot, by children’s standards, while still remaining true to the identities of the characters, as well as incorporating a life lesson. At the end of each episode, the characters came a little closer to better understanding themselves

and their surroundings.

The diversity in characters helped kids understand that everyone is different and talented in his or her own way.

Current Disney shows, on the other hand, all seem to offer the same typical character. In “Jessie,” “Good Luck Charlie” and “My Babysitter’s a Vampire,” a female character, who ends up looking after several different children, stands as the adult figure.

Past shows encouraged problem solving and creative thinking of the young audience members. Many times, these issues would be valid problems a child might need to solve in daily life.

These learning plots become crucial in the development of young audiences.

Current Disney shows may hint at lessons, but often fail to hit the main point, or to apply to the real world.

In “Austin and Ally”, one of the main characters has a new job every episode. While this does spark some interesting conflict, it leads kids away from the idea of responsibility and sticking to one’s goals.

Within the time frame of one halfhour show, “Ant Farm,” we were not taught morals or life lessons, but instead subject to witnessing the redefined sense of what children are supposed to find entertaining: predictable plots with obvious and stereotypical characters.

One could make the argument that we have simply outgrown children’s TV shows, but this is not the case. The “old shows” are still downright entertaining.

The nostalgia of once-adored shows led us to remember what it is like to be a kid again. The classics are proof that Disney has the potential to create an array of interesting and thought-provoking shows. For the sake of our younger siblings, we will wait for a comeback.

ing hole between their ideological fantasies. A truly corrective budget proposal makes tough cuts to entitlements such as those the Republicans have proposed in raising the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67 and lowering the expected inflation rate for Social Security payments. However, a plan that will prevent another recession also raises revenue through increasing tax rates for the wealthiest two percent of Americans, as Democrats have suggested.

A reasonable plan would include around $1 trillion in cuts and $1 trillion in tax increases.

The cuts would come mainly from entitlements, but also from defense and other bureaucratic agencies, as many of them are overstaffed and perform similar tasks as others. The immediate tax increases

would come from raising the rates of individuals making over $200,000 per year and households making over $250,000 per year.

These rate hikes would come with the acknowledgement that the tax code would be examined in the next fiscal year, and deductions, exemptions and other such loopholes would be corrected to ensure that the increased tax burden was shared across the board.

Partisanship has always caused tension within our government, but it has rarely been powerful enough to do what it very well could at the end of this year: trigger policies that would jolt our economy back into a state of contraction and vault the unemployment rate back up around nine percent, by modest estimates. If that happens, acrophobia will be the least of our worries.

Leaders must compromise in Fiscal Cliff deal

By Guransh Singh Sports Photo Editor Jared Saltzberg Staff Writer

Acrophobia, the fear of heights, is estimated to affect up to five percent of the population. Yet none of the 535 members of Congress, nor the President or Vice President has emerged from fiscal cliff talks with any of the usual symptoms.

The fiscal cliff is a series of tax hikes and spending cuts that will take effect Jan. 1, 2013 unless Congress takes action. These policies would reduce the federal budget deficit, but would also devastate the economy and pull the United States back into a recession. Congress can prevent the country from “going over the cliff” by making targeted spending cuts that ensure the solvency of entitlement programs, and raising revenue in ways that prevent the burden from falling on middle class families.

President Barack Obama recently unveiled a plan that increases revenue by $1.6 trillion, largely through raising tax rates for the wealthiest two percent of Americans, and cuts spending by $400 billion over the next 10 years. While Obama is right to push the envelope for tax hikes on the wealthiest two percent of Americans, his plan’s 4:1 ratio of revenue increases to spending cuts reveals that his is not the balanced approach he chides Republicans for failing to support.

The Republicans’ counter-offer was also appealing in some respects, but it was equally as unproductive in others. The House GOP proposal increases revenue by $800 billion through eliminating loopholes in

the tax code, while reducing spending by $1.2 billion over the next 10 years. Mandatory spending programs, including Medicare and Social Security, will be accountable for $900 billion of the expenditure cuts.

Republicans deserve credit for proposing real spending cuts, which are more difficult to pass than tax increases on a small percentage of the population. However, they continually refuse to raise the marginal tax rates of the top two percent of income earners. During his campaign, President Obama held the issue of raising taxes on the rich paramount, and polls have consistently shown that the majority of Americans support that aspect of his fiscal policy.

Unsurprisingly, Democrats and Republicans have derided each other’s plans without taking the time to evaluate the pros and cons of the other side’s agenda. More than any other modern political issue, the fiscal cliff debates expose the growing gap between liberal views about the role of government and opposing conservative views.

Democrats are happy to generate additional revenue to balance the budget because they believe that government should play a larger role to provide more for its citizens.

However, they are reluctant to curtail excessive spending on entitlement programs, even though in some cases, cuts may be needed to ensure those programs’ longevity. On the other hand, Republicans are willing to make difficult spending cuts because they envision a future in which the government plays a smaller role and allows its citizens more economic freedom. However, they unequivocally oppose tax hikes on the rich.

Reality lies somewhere in the gap-

IMAGE BY JANE ZANKMAN.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Observations

Junior wins award for anti-bullying video

By Nicole Malament Observations Editor Congratulations to junior Danny Welch, who won second place and a $500 cash prize in the national “Energize Students’ Anti-Bullying” video contest. Welch began creating mini-films recreationally in eighth grade and has since developed a passion for filmmaking.

“It was a lot of fun making the video, and going through the whole creative process,” Welch said. “I hope to attend a film school for movie making after I graduate.”

Congratulations to the following students who participated in Part II of the University of Maryland Math Competition Nov. 28. Only 252 students qualified of 2,663 total participants statewide.

PHOTO BY NICOLE MALAMENT.

Yousuf Khan

Arts: A review

different religions celebrate the holidays.

of MTV’s new show, Underemployed.

Opinions: Airplanes need

Sports: Take a look at

By Brittany Goodman Features Editor Congratulations to sophomores Marisa Lu and John Huang and CHS art teacher Alexandra Michaels, whose artwork was chosen to be in the 18th annual Yellow Barn Art Exhibit show from Dec. 1- 23.

Alex Li Daniel Liu Neil Luo

Aditya Dash

Janet Sun

Allen Guo

Arjun Swaminathan

Bryan Ho

Kevin Wang

Michael Jurrens

Diana Yin

Seniors receive award for top PSAT scores National Achievement scholarship.

They are among 3,100 honored students who scored in the top three percent of more than 160,000 Black American students in the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

PHOTOS BY BRITTANY GOODMAN.

CHS athletes commit

By Katherine Michael Staff Writer Congratulations to senior Alyssa Weiss for committing to play field hockey at Yale University next year.

Weiss has been playing field hockey since she was in fourth grade, and she plays midfield.

Congratulations to Weiss on becoming a Bulldog.

PHOTOS BY NICOLE MALAMENT.

It’s Academic defeats rivals to win competition Congratulations to the It’s Academic team for defeating St. Anselm’s in Washington D.C. and Dominion High School from Virginia. The program will air on television Saturday, Jan. 19, at 10:30 a.m. on NBC4.

PHOTO BY KATHERINE MICHAEL.

By Brittany Goodman Features Editor Congratulations to senior Jackie Bakos for committing to play tennis at the University Of Charleston, West Virginia.

Bakos has been a member of the CHS tennis team since freshman year and currently plays doubles.

Congratulations to Bakos on becoming a Golden Eagle.

By Emma Crutchfield Production Editor

Washingon D.C. sports over the past year.

Colin Kincaid

Charles Rong

Congratulations to seniors Joshuah Bohman and Austen Ivey for being awarded with the Outstanding Participants in the

Arts: A look into how

Artists’ work displayed at Yellow Barn Exhibit

Leo Blooston

By Nicole Malament Observations Editor

What’s Online? @ www.thechurchillobserver.com

to accomadote flyers of all weights.

Students compete in UMD math competition

By Nicole Malament Observations Editor

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PHOTO BY BRITTANY GOODMAN.

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Thursday, December 20, 2012

Chickens remind local family of a distant past

PHOTO BY MATT RAAB.

By Spenser Easterbrook Editor-in-Chief Matt Raab Sports Editor Students walking into school at sunrise need not worry. No, you are not going crazy. You did just hear a rooster crow. Look no farther than the Pham residence, a home on Gainsborough Road across from CHS with four egg-producing hens and a rooster.

An unusual sight in the middle of Potomac, the chickens joined Dung Pham, Jessica Tran and their three children, Richard, Hieu and Anphu last Father’s Day. “The kids’ uncle came over with five chickens and told us to take care of them,” Dung said. “I had no materials and had to go to Home Depot to pick up supplies.”

To understand the meaning of the gift, it is essential to reflect on Jessica and Dung’s past.

Dung and Jessica were born in Vietnam. Dung’s father was

imprisoned for working for an American company. In 1975, after the fall of Saigon, Dung was forced to move to the countryside by communist forces. There, he spent time with chickens while his family worked a farm. Now they remind him of his childhood.

“How many times in the city do you hear a rooster crow?” Dung said.

“I think it’s nicer than a dog’s bark.”

The family initially was unsure whether owning the young chicks was legal in suburban Potomac. As the chicks grew up, it became apparent that one of them was a rooster, adding to their concerns about noise and neighbors.

“The law allows only six chickens,” Dung said. “I don’t think the neighbors around here mind.”

Senior Gabe Snider, who also parks in the Pham’s driveway, was surprised when he first heard the rooster.

According to Snider, when he first the rooster he was confused.

He asked the people around him: “Is that a rooster? Is that your phone?”

In addition to five chickens, the Pham’s have a parakeet, a cockatoo and a turtle. The two youngest boys, Hieu and Anphu, learn responsibility from looking after their pets.

“I have to clean their cages,” Hieu said. “I get to be with pets; it’s nice.”

After a few accidents when chickens escaped and a visit by the police for a rooster crossing the road, county inspectors came by to check on the chickens’ environment. While they used to roam around the backyard, they are now fenced into a pen.

J e ssi ca a n d D u n g f o u n d e a ch other through total coincidence relating to their shared heritage.

“I’m originally from the same neighborhood as my husband in Vietnam,” Jessica said. “I played piano for the church on New Hampshire Avenue. I went to a church in Philadelphia to play and met my husband there.”

After meeting, the couple moved

to Michigan, then to Chicago before settling back in Potomac, where most of Jessica’s family lives.

The family rents out parking spaces to CHS students with cars and also has a salon business in the basement.

“I love the family,” junior Kristen Miller said. “They always wave to me when I see them and ask how my day was, and they are very helpful with the parking.”

Dung, Jessica and their kids have roots in the region, and are attached to Montgomery County and CHS beyond just owning a rooster.

“I graduated from UMD and had a job in computer information systems,” Jessica said. “I started the salon at home so I could work and spend time with the kids.”

Hieu and Anphu, although now only in elementary school, plan on attending CHS. “We moved here because we know how great Churchill is,” Jessica said.

PHOTO BY MATT RAAB.

Anphu holds one of the family’s five chickens (top left). The chickens’ coup at the Pham’s is just across Victory Lane (bottom right).

Thursday, December 20, 2012

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theObserver

The ‘Observer’ brings you this year’s sexiest men

By Sammi Silber Production Editor People Magazine recently crowned actor Channing Tatum the “Sexiest Man Alive” in their November issue, along with 185 runner-ups.

While Tatum may suffice for some readers, several men that People

chose, such as Mitt Romney and Robert Downey Jr., were unappealing to young people.

For high school girls everywhere who demand a list that takes high-school students’ opinions into account, here is the Observer’s revamped “Sexiest Men Alive” list.

The Observer’s Sexiest Man Alive: 1. Ryan Reynolds, age 36 Ryan Reynolds easily won the title of The Observer’s “Sexiest Man Alive” with 13 votes from a pool of 65 random CHS students. Votes were scattered between choices of 28 men, but Reynolds is still our favorite. Reynolds has starred in great movies such as The Proposal and The Green Lantern.

Reynolds is our “Sexiest Man Alive,” toppling all other men because of his messy, brown, bedhead hair, his chocolate brown eyes and, of course, his muscular physique. But what more about Reynolds makes him simply irresistible?

According to senior Sara Gallagher, it’s “his hair and face.”

3. Ryan Gosling, age 32 Ryan Gosling placed third with seven votes. Gosling, remembered for his dreamy role in romance The Notebook, has since starred in other movies such as Drive and Crazy, Stupid, Love. What is it, though, that makes women fall in love with Gosling?

According to senior Brianna Burke, she believes that his tenderness and physical appearance make women swoon.

“I love Ryan Gosling,” Burke said.

“He’s sexy and sensitive at the same time.”

4. Chris Hemsworth, age 29

IMAGES BY SAMMI SILBER.

The Observer’s Four Runner-Ups: 2. Ian Somerhalder, age 34 Hello, Damon! Somerhalder stars as Damon Salvatore, a comical, sarcastic vampire feuding with his immortal brother, Stephen (Paul Wesley), for the affection of high school student Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) on the CW hit drama The Vampire Diaries. Somerhalder was awarded nine votes to earn second place.

Many of the survey-takers screamed or smiled widely just at his name.

But what is it that makes him one of the Observer’s sexiest men? His messy hair, his mysterious smirk and the tone of his voice have women falling for him in a heartbeat, but some fell for him because of his role as a brooding vampire.

“His eyes are to die for,” sophomore Raiha Singh said. “The show The Vampire Diaries makes me find him more attractive.”

Behind Gosling with six votes comes Chris Hemsworth, best known for his role as the great and mighty Thor in Marvel’s The Avengers. As if his beautiful blonde locks and those sparkling blue eyes did not sway us at first, his rocking body caused our survey-takers to name him one of the “Sexiest Men Alive.”

According to senior Katie Jenkins, she loves Hemsworth for more than just his amazing physique.

“Chris is dreamy,” Jenkins said.

“His Aussie accent is so hot.”

5. Taylor Lautner, age 20

In fifth place comes Taylor Lautner, who brought happiness to girls worldwide as The Twilight Saga’s big, bad, sexy and constantly shirtless werewolf Jacob Black. Lautner, one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors, is sexy for many reasons—including his famous six-pack, his black, spiky hair and his russet skin.

Sophomore Stasia Mculsky loves Lautner for “his abs, his face… just his everything.”

People Magazine may love Tatum, but not everybody does. For the first time in Observer history, we have released our own ”Sexiest Men Alive list.” Please enjoy this revamped version of the Sexiest Man Alive, and feel free to compare ours to People’s list.

HSI continues programs despite regional conflicts

By Dana Harris Online Opinions Editor

The Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, has remained intact since the destruction of the Second Jerusalem Temple in 70 C.E. Seeing it, touching it and leaving a prayer within the Western Wall is an incredible experience.

Thanks to the Alexander Muss High School Program (HSI), high school students can see the Western Wall and many other attractions while living in Israel for a semester.

Alexander Muss offers the opportunity to earn high school and college credits while living in Israel. It can either be an eightweek, six-week or summer program.

Juniors Rachel Glick and Carly Raizon will be taking advantage of this opportunity by attending the Alexander Muss High School Program in April for eight weeks.

“My dad went on the same program when he was my age,” Glick said. “He always talks about it as an amazing, lifechanging experience.”

Students live in dormitories, take classes in the morning and afternoon and travel all around Israel during the week and weekends.

“I chose this program because a lot of people I know have gone on it and loved it,” Raizon said.

The campus is located in Negev.

From there, the students travel through all of Southern and Northern Israel. Students go to historic sites such as the Second Temple and Masada and hike on Mount Giboa and Sataf Springs.

Despite the recent hostilities between Israel and Hamas, most students attending feel confident about security.

“I am not nervous about going due to all of the conflict with Hamas,” Glick said. “I know that they have been able to negotiate a ceasefire, and I hope that they will be able to keep it in place.”

According to alumna senior Sarah Caplan, who went on the program her junior year, Israel Defense Force soldiers were around and always “carrying a weapon,” and a “guard or paramedic” accompanied the group for hiking.

“The Muss program makes every effort to ensure the safety of their students, while also ensuring that the students have a fairly normal day-to-day existence,” Glick’s mother Helene said.

The students visit the sites they learn about in class and learn a great deal of Jewish history.

“I wish I could put into words how amazing this trip was,” Muss alumna junior Jessica Weinreich said. “The best I can say is that you have to do it.”

PHOTO BY SARAH CAPLAN.

Senior Sarah Caplan visits the Western Wall on her trip in 2012.

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BY BEN FOX SPORTS PHOTO EDITOR JULIA HEIMLICH CIRCULATION MANAGER

As the final midnight of 2012 inches closer, many people will partake in a tradition that has been around for decades. On Dec. 31, at 12 a.m., people all over the world will make New Year’s Resolutions to change the way they live, become better human beings, and be happier with their lives.

While resolutions may seem like a good idea when they first are made, it can be hard to follow up on them. According to a 2004 article from the American Psychological Association, nearly 60 percent of people drop their resolution just six months into the New Year.

“As human beings, we have a natural tendency to fall back into old habits,” said motivational speaker Lance “Claysmile” Smith, who speaks to CHS health classes.

“In order to be successful in keeping our commitments, we must do things that will keep us proactive and focused, such

Features

as reminding ourselves daily about our commitments.”

People often like to set goals to improve their well-being, education or self. These goals may include exercising more, eating nutritionally, improving grades, spending more time with family, reducing procrastination and watching less television.

“Some people fear making commitments because they feel that if they make one, they run the risk of being disappointed,” Smith said. “That is the wrong perspective. Making commitments helps us to have targets for where we want to go. Even if we experience momentary failures, we still end up getting closer to our desired outcome: much closer than we would have gotten if we did not make any commitments.”

In order to maintain a resolution, it is best to set a specific and realistic goal instead of undertaking a major change. Rather than choosing a vague resolution such as “losing weight,” work at losing five pounds by a certain point in time.

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Thursday, December 20, 2012

Thursday, December 20, 2012

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According to Smith, if looking to improve exercise habits, it is important to set aside specific times in the day for working out. Otherwise, busy schedules will prevent one from putting in the time. It is also important to find a form of exercise one enjoys because it will be easier to stick with it.

“Progress is made every time you exercise, even if you do not see it immediately,” said Smith, who is also a Zumba teacher at Lifetime Fitness in Rockville, M.D. “It takes time for progress to show up visually, but keep in mind that every time you exercise, you are getting closer to your desired outcome.”

Many CHS students are involved in making New Year’s Resolutions. CHS sophomores Olivia Whitener and Isabella Naessan-Do have a unique tradition that they do close to Dec. 31. The two girls write their resolutions down on a small piece of paper, and attach it to something they call a Resolution Tree.

“It’s basically a Christmas tree, and you take your resolution and you stick it

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on the tree with a safety pin,” Whitener said. “It looks really pretty, and the person who owns it can look at the resolutions later.”

According to Whitener, the Resolution Tree “cements your commitment to your resolution,” working as a reminder to follow through with whatever you resolved to do.

Last New Year’s Eve, sophomore Ximena Tellez made a resolution to stop procrastinating with her school work.

Math teacher Lois Cohen is also planning on making a resolution, in her case to gain more weight and to eat healthier. She plans on changing her daily diet in order to reach her goal.

“I want to have more energy for my students,” Cohen said.

“I will cook instead of eating cereal for dinner.”

Cohen believes that resolutions are good for people, even if they don’t follow through with them.

“For most people, they are trying to be a better person, and their resolution will help them reach that goal,” Cohen said.

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Thursday, December 20, 2012

theObserver

Students celebrate Chinese New Year traditions

or paper diamonds, on which people write Chinese phrases that pray for things like good health and luck. The story behind the abundance of the color red on Chinese New Year is the same story that explains why people have fireworks on this day—to scare away monsters.

“Many people set off fireworks because of a historic story about a monster called ‘Nian,’” said senior Matt Kramer, who has been learning Chinese since kindergarten.

“This monster came to a Chinese town to eat all of the people and the crops, but when one old man set off fireworks, the monster left the town and they were all saved.”

One of the highlights of Chinese New Year is the big family dinner on New Year’s Eve, although it usually requires careful scheduling and finagling in the US. “The Western New Year is during winter break, while Chinese New Year is usually on a school night,” Fang said. “It sounds pretty trivial, but we must often

plan our celebrations for the following weekend. Sometimes, the Chinese New Year spirit, although present, is a little faded, whereas there’s a building anticipation during the countdown towards the Western New Year and everyone is more caught up in the excitement.”

Lee plans to begin decorating her classroom at the end of first semester, with lanterns and decorative firecrackers.

According to Lee, Chinese New Year can be celebrated in many ways in the US. Students can try anything from visiting Chinatown to asking their parents to “put money in a red envelope” to give to them for “good luck.”

A lot of people know about the coveted red envelopes of money—called hong bao—that Chinese children receive from parents and relatives. But the process is not as simple as Mom and Dad handing them over with a little exclamation of “Happy Chinese New Year!” Respect for elders is a

pillar of Chinese culture, so if a kid wants a pay day, he has to bow to his parents, sometimes with hands clasped nicely together, then say one of many special Chinese New Year sayings.

“Nian nian you yu literally means ‘having a surplus every year,’ a New Year wish for abundance,” Lee said. “Ping ping an an means safe and sound.”

Nian nian you yu can also be interpreted as “always have fish,” due to the similarity in sound of the Chinese words for “excess” and “fish,” which both sound like yu. In fact, you never eat all the fish on Chinese New Year.

Leaving some on the platter indicates you will always have more than what you need. Likewise, ping ping an an can be translated as “lots of apples,” with “safe” and “apples” both sounding like ping.

Chinese New Year is not an official U.S. holiday, but public celebrations often take place where there are large Chinese populations, such as D.C.’s Chinatown.

You, too, can celebrate Chinese New Year in one, or several, of the following ways, big and small.: -Head to D.C., where Chinatown has a huge annual festival that includes dragon dances, firecrackers, martial arts and arts and crafts.

-Go to Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg and watch the lion dance performance.

Check out the four-hour long New Year’s Eve gala in Beijing, broadcasted live over the Internet.

-Dress in red the Friday before.

Eat dumplings or fish for dinner, and have an apple or orange for a snack.

-Learn how to pronounce Chinese New Year sayings. (Gong xi fa cai and gong hay fat choy are the traditional Mandarin and Cantonese sayings, respectively.)

-Convince your parents to give you hong bao. Tell them it’s for multiculturalism.

-I personally like inviting my friends to my family’s Chinese New Year celebrations. See if any of your friends are hosting a Chinese New Year party, too! 新年快樂!

to benefit the children.”

People can donate gifts to PFK between Dec. 10 and Dec. 21. They can donate a general gift or a specific one based on what a child requests by dropping gifts off at the agency in Washington, DC. Gifts can also be delivered directly to the families instead of taking them to the agency first, although this portion of donations is already closed.

According to Williar, PFK coordinates directly with donors for the “family sponsorships” and gives them the family’s contact information after they sign a confidentiality form.

“When people deliver the toys directly to the families instead of the agency, it’s more of an intimate, one-on-one connection,” Williar said.

PFK also holds a holiday party for teenagers in foster care programs to give them a support system by allowing them to meet others in similar situations. At the holiday party, they provide the teens with gifts such as gift cards.

According to senior Ryan Gordon,

his family buys gifts for three families a year and helps load trucks with the gifts because he wants to help those who are not provided with the same opportunities as his family.

According to Williar, because PFK is part of the government, its operation, which is funded by taxes, allows one hundred percent of all donations to go directly to the children.

“Sometimes in foster care you have a sense that you’re not cared for,” Williar said. “The holiday is an opportunity for people to show them that they are cared for, that even though they’re in a hard situation, there’s still love out there.”

In addition to PFK, The Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides gifts for its residents. The Brody and Sachs families of CHS run this program to collect new, unwrapped gifts for children who are too sick to leave the Inn during the holidays According to Barbie Brody, one of the leaders of the program, the Inn at NIH receives toys for young children year-round but does not receive many gifts for older children.

“My dad had been a patient there and one year he was speaking to a person who did this herself,” Barbie said. “We starting volunteering and the more we volunteered, the more we realized that the older kids needed these gifts.”

The Brody and Sachs families try to collect gifts for these older children from their friends and local businesses. On Christmas Eve, they pack and wrap the gifts for specific

families, and on Christmas morning they deliver the gifts.

According to Barbie, the Inn at NIH makes the event festive for the families by having Santa come, playing festive music and serving breakfast.

“It’s very unexpected, so those who are new to the Inn don’t know how much they get,” Barbie said.

“The kids are excited, and the adults are appreciative.”

Senior Paige Brody feels happy with her involvement in the program because she is able to help people whose family members are sick.

“The families of these patients have been through so much dealing with their children’s illnesses, so it’s a small way to help them feel better,” Paige said.

People can donate from Dec. 3 until Dec. 25 by buying gift cards from specific stores such as Best Buy, Giant, Old Navy, Target or Sears, or by making cash donations that will be given to the families or used to purchase gifts for the families.

“It’s a place that’s in our neighborhood,” Barbie said. “It’s important that we support places in our community that we know the donations go directly to the recipients.”

Charitable holiday projects also take place in CHS itself.

According to Key Club president Alex Boukhvalova, the Key Club made holiday cards for the military and veterans at their Dec. 10 meeting, and they are distributing homemade cookies to fire and police stations to thank them for their service.

By Jessica Lee Staff Writer

This Feb. 10, millions of houses in the US and billions around the world will be filled with the aroma of hot dumplings, fresh spring rolls and crispy fish. They will be filled with the sound of children and teens enthusing over heavy, jingling red envelopes, mahjong tiles clashing together and adults singing really, really bad karaoke.

Just a taste of Chinese New Year.

“Chinese New Year is a time for family to get together to celebrate that members of the family have survived all the hardships and difficulties of the year, and to wish one another a safe and prosperous new year,” Chinese teacher Yih Lee said. “The New Year’s celebration lasts 15 days. The children in China are on their month-long winter break between the semesters, so they can really relax and have a good time for the holiday.”

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, does not fall on the same date year-to-year because it follows the lunar calendar. This New Year is the beginning of the year 4710 and the first day of the Year of the Snake.

“I believe the spirit of Chinese New Year is essentially equal to that of the Western New Year,” sophomore Annie Fang said.

“It’s really all about wiping the slate clean, hoping for another great year and spending time with friends and family.”

Chinese New Year celebrations are rife with tradition, superstition and a sense of family and community unity.

“We celebrate at my Chinese school, where each class, particularly the little kids, sings and dances a song,” senior Helen Wu said. “In preparation for Chinese New Year, people refrain from cleaning the house to keep in the ‘good luck dust.’ Everything has to be red, from clothes, decorations and of course, spring couplets, and there is a list of foods we traditionally eat, such as fish, dumplings and sticky rice cake.”

Spring couplets are red paper rectangles

PHOTO BY JESSICA LEE.

Dumplings, spring rolls, and fish are often eaten on Chinese New Year.

Local charities aim to help during the holiday season

By Jordan Janis Fact Checker

When many people think of holiday cheer, they think of Christmas carols playing on the radio, holiday lights outside of houses and family and friends exchanging gifts. The holiday season also represents a concept more important than the joy of receiving gifts: the joy of giving to those in need.

Charitable organizations exist to help those in need during the holiday season. One of these organizations is Partners for Kids in Care (PFK), a non-profit, charitable program of the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) that provides resources to children in D.C. foster care. During the holiday season, PFK collects and distributes gifts to these children based on their wish lists.

“We’re in our holiday season, and we receive most of our toys from this time,” PFK project manager Beatrice Williar said. “We receive over 3,000 gifts and toys

Thursday, December 20, 2012

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The ‘Observer’ brings you the best holiday songs Check out the mix of classic and contemporary tunes

By Lauren Price Online Arts Editor What is a holiday season without Christmas music?

Of course listeners have the classic songs, but every year contemporary bands also put out music just for the holidays.

The Observer brings you a list of 10 classic and nots o c l a s s i c holiday songs from over the years. Get some hot cocoa, curl up next to a warm, crackling fire and listen to these tunes.

“Winter Wonderland” ( 1 9 3 4 ) , R i c h a r d Himber This song has been covered o v e r and over by artists throughout the past 78 years.

It doesn’t matter if you prefer Sinatra or Selena; this song is the perfect

soundtrack to a snowy winter night.

“I Feel it in My Bones” (2012), The Killers This track is the seventh consecutive Christmas single released by The Killers. It offers a more alternative sound than traditional holiday music.

The song takes on a much m o r e Halloween vibe than Christmas, which can be a welcome change from the constant sound of jingle bells this time of year.

“Jingle Bell Rock” (1957), Bobby Helms This song is perhaps one of the most infamous, u p b e a t PHOTO BY LAUREN PRICE. and cheery Christmas songs to ever be composed.

It’s been featured in various movies, but most CHS students would

remember it from Mean Girls, when the “Plastics” perform the song in skimpy outfits for their winter talent show, and Lindsay Lohan saves the day by proving she can kind of sing the hit holiday song.

“Yule Shoot Your Eye Out” (2003), Fall Out Boy Released originally for a charity punk rock Christmas compilation in the early 2000s, this song showed up again on Fall Out Boy’s 2009 compilation album Believers Never Die. The song takes a more negative take on the holiday season, using phrases such as “Merry Christmas, I could care less.” The track borrows classic Christmas themes such as the sound of jingle bells and the lyrics from “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

Fans of the pop punk genre may be more inclined to listen to this song over “Santa Baby.”

“Wish List” (2010), Neon Trees This contemporary pop song embodies the unique sound of Neon Trees found in today’s popular single “Everybody Talks.” This band has been pretty steady with its style of music, and its Christmas song is very catchy. A listener might even find themselves listening to it during the non-winter months.

“Last Christmas” (1984), Wham!

This ‘80s classic has become a staple of romantic Christmas songs. Though covered by countless artists such as Taylor Swift and the Glee cast, this song has managed to hold its own for the past two-and-a-half decades, and will probably continue to do so.

“White Christmas” (1942), Bing Crosby This song is slower and has a more leisurely tune. It’s the kind of song that would perfectly accompany the smell of burning firewood and the sound of softly falling snow outside of one’s window. As the best selling single of all time, this song definitely deserves at least one listen this holiday season.

“Winter Passing” (2008), The Academy Is… This is another winter song that leans more towards the alternative genre. Though the band is long gone, this track will be around for a at least a few more years. It doesn’t center around the theme of Christmas or jingle bells; it is a welcome break from traditional celebratory song, without being as outlandish as the abovementioned Killers single.

“All I Want For Christmas Is You” (1994), Mariah Carey Carey doesn’t want a lot for Christmas, but you might want to buy this song for the holidays. It’s an upbeat song that’s a Christmas staple and can be the perfect soundtrack to decorating a Christmas tree or drinking eggnog with your family.

“Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” (1981), Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Though not the original version, the Boss’ cover might be the most famous. This is the last song on the our holiday playlist, and it could certainly be one of the best. This classic deserves at least one play on Christmas Eve, while Santa is busy checking his list and preparing for the big day ahead.

Happy holidays from the Observer!

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Thursday, December 20, 2012

Students worry about Chop’t puts fresh spin ‘Boy Meets World’ return on create-your-own salads

By Julia Reagan Public Relations

Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love with girl. Girl falls in love with boy. The 1993 television show Boy Meets World was based on this classic love story, and when it stopped airing in 2000, fans of the show begged for more. Well, Boy Meets World fanatics, cry no more, because your television screens will soon be bombarded with episodes of the spin-off show, Girl Meets World.

Boy Meets World, a television show on ABC’s TGIF lineup, focused on the lives of teenager Cory Matthews (Ben Savage, Bones), his family, friends and love interest, Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel, The Chosen One). The show progressed over the years as the main characters encountered familial struggles and had to make decisions about love and marriage.

The show ended in 2000 with newlyweds Cory and Topanga headed to New York City after college, leaving much to be desired by die-hard fans of the show.

The new sequel, Girl Meets World, will cover the life of Cory and Topanga’s daughter, 13-year-old Riley Matthews, who has yet to be cast for the show. The pilot episodes of the show are currently in their early stages of development.

“I liked the original, and it’ll be cool to see them all grown up,” junior Emily Johnson said.

According to a Nov. 29 Entertainment Weekly article, Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel from the original cast of Boy Meets World have officially signed on to star

in the new series. No other members of the original cast have confirmed yet that they will take part in the show, but Rider Strong, who played Cory Matthew’s best friend Shawn Hunter, will not be returning for Girl Meets Word.

Junior Catherine Nardi hopes that the new show will not be a let down. She believes that the old cast worked perfectly together and worries that adding new cast members may ruin the show.

“It definitely won’t be as good as the original, but it’s cool that there will be some of the same characters,” Nardi said. “I’m excited to see Cory and Topanga as parents.”

The creator and executive producer for the show is Emmy Award-winning Michael Jacobs, who also created and produced the original Boy Meets World.

Instead of airing on ABC like the original series, Girl Meets World will premiere on the Disney Channel.

Some CHS students, like junior Nicole Gonzalez, are concerned about the show being taken over by Disney. Gonzalez believes that the show will not be as funny and predicts that it will not cover mature topics like those in Boy Meets World.

“I think the new show won’t be as good as Boy Meets World because since the audience is younger, they won’t be able to talk about the same things as on Boy Meets World, like college and relationships,” Gonzalez said.

Until the new show premieres, we’ll have to stick with re-runs of Boy Meets World and live vicariously through Cory and Topanga’s adorable relationship.

Someone please hand over the tissues.

COURTESY OF YOUTUBE.

Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel will reprise their roles as Cory and Topanga.

PHOTO BY SONIA SHEKAR.

Customers can order premade salads or customize their own at Chop’t. cess is reminiscent of a Cold Stone

By Sonia Shekar Creamery, except in place of ice Staff Writer The holiday season is starting up, and it’s once again the time of the year to make those infamous resolutions to start eating healthy. Although this resolution is always a struggle, this year might be just a little bit easier —maybe even enjoyable.

Chop’t Creative Salad Company has arrived in the area, bringing a promise of fulfilled resolutions to all. Located off Old Georgetown Road in Wildwood Shopping center, it is the chain’s first Maryland location.

According to the Chop’t website, this New York-based chain formed over 10 years ago when two friends from college, Tony Shure and Colin McCabe, decided that the future of fast food lay in salad. The two colleagues developed a “Better Tastes Better” philosophy and have pledged to serve only the freshest and purest of ingredients.

This view can immediately be seen when walking into the restaurant through the clean, open and minimalistic atmosphere. A theme of chopping lettuce runs through the room, from the green and metal color scheme to the blade-like structures hanging nonthreateningly from the ceiling.

The ordering and preparing pro-

cream, there is lettuce, among many other add-ins such as pita chips and jalapenos. Customers can order their salad, specify their extra ingredients and proceed to watch the contents of their bowls be chopped and mixed with large metal blades.

In addition to the option of creating a customized salad, the menu boasts a wide variety of enticing pre-made salad combinations, from the Santa Fe to the Grilled Asian salad.

Customers can also choose from a plethora of unique homemade dressings to find the perfect combination.

All salads can be turned into a salad sandwich, which comprises the same ingredients enveloped by Chop’t’s signature grilled honey wheat flatbread.

Chop’t also comes out with seasonal salads every 60 days. The Kimchi Kobb is one of the current seasonals, with tofu, broccoli, carrot slaw and crispy Chinese noodles. The Plymouth Cobb, with roasted turkey, butternut squash and rye stuffing croutons, is also an enticing option for those still craving a Thanksgiving taste.

With so many fresh and delicious options, Chop’t is sure to please everyone, from the age-old salad connoisseur to the newly discovered lettuce lover.

Rihanna adds ‘Unapologetic’ to successful repertoire

By Jamie Lescht Arts Editor

Rihanna has returned to the music scene with her seventh album, Unapologetic. This album contains Rihanna’s usual components: dance-oriented songs complemented by the singer’s smooth vocals. To promote Unapologetic, Rihanna launched her 777 Tour—the singer performed seven concerts in seven countries over seven days.

Unapologetic starts off with track, “Phresh Out the Runway.” Its title is full of grammatical errors, matching Rihanna’s incoherent and fragmented rapping. In the bridge, Rihanna makes a small recovery when she finally decides to sing.

Popular track “Diamonds” follows “Phresh Out the Runway” and helps revive the album. “Diamonds” starts with Rihanna’s mesmerizing voice whispering “shine bright like a diamond.” It is in this song where Rihanna is truly able to show off her vocals.

Rihanna then gives listeners tracks “Numb,” featuring Eminem, and “Pour it Up.” Eminem holds his own in “Numb,” but Rihanna’s vocals do not belong with Eminem’s rapping. The two artists were able to successfully collaborate in 2010 with “Love the Way You Lie,” but “Numb” does not hold the same quality.

In “Pour it Up,” Rihanna’s commentary on strip clubs creates an uncomfortable track.

The Rihanna the world knows and loves quickly returns with “Loveeeeeee Song,” and “Jump.” With new rapper Future, Rihanna creates a slower track in “Loveeeeee Song,” which sounds similar to her 2011 hit “Take Care.” “Jump” is a typical energetic, dubstep track that electrifies listeners.

Unapologetic’s momentum continues with “Right Now,” featuring David Guetta, and “What Now.” “Right Now” is similar to the rest of the album’s tracks with its techno-beat, but is nonetheless astounding. Rihanna’s talent is showed in “What Now,” a slow ballad

that will give listeners chills.

“Stay,” featuring Mikky Ekko, is easily the best track on Unapologetic, and it’s hard to determine whether Rihanna or Ekko really makes the song. Both artists’ smooth voices mesh well together, but their talent is further recognized when they sing separately.

Unapologetic differs from Rihanna’s past albums in one key aspect—she decided to collaborate with abusive ex, Chris Brown, on track “Nobodies Business.” Although Rihanna may claim that her relationship with Brown is nobody’s business, this song stirs up a controversy on an otherwise solid album and creates discomfort among fans. The qual-

PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR.

Rihanna released the single “Diamonds,” which rose to the top of music charts.

ity of the song is mediocre, but its lyrics make people cringe. Rihanna and Brown both sing that their love is perfect, but the song brings back memories of Brown beating Rihanna.

No matter what Rihanna and Brown do with the song, this underlying image will always be prevalent.

Unapologetic returns to its natural course with “Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary” and “Get It Over With.” “Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary” is a pleasing track, but it is seven minutes too long. “Get It Over With” is a relaxing, soulful song that resembles Rihanna’s earlier hits.

Rihanna returns to her reggae roots with dud “No Love Allowed,” but quickly follows up with “Lost in Paradise.”

Although “Lost in Paradise” trumps “No Love Allowed” it is monotonous and too repetitive of Rihanna’s previous tracks.

Unapologetic ends with “Half of Me,” an empowering ballad where Rihanna takes a stance against all of the judgment against her. Of all the tracks on this album, “Half of Me” best embodies Rihanna’s Unapologetic message of embracing herself.

Although there were a few disappointments, Rihanna can add Unapologetic to the rest of her successful studio albums.

Despite Rihanna’s awkward duet with Brown, her other tracks thrive and will not disappoint audiences.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Arts

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Cee Lo Green’s new album worse than a lump of coal

By Elizabeth Campbell Production Editor

Trombone Shorty consists mostly of Green showing off his soul-filled voice with plain, repetitive lyrics. At one point, he states that he heard his “music on the radio.” Hopefully the rest of us never will.

His duet with The Voice costar Christina Aguliera, “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” provides such stark contrast between the voices that it’s almost harsh to listen to as they swap lines back and forth.

His attempt to cover “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch,” may leave listeners frustrated because they are given just a taste of Green’s great potential when he sings.

Green then forces listeners to sit through his talking through the rest of the song as he tries to

tell the whole story of “How The Grinch Stole Christmas.”

There is some relief from what seems like a never-ending Christmas nightmare in his song “Mary, Did You Know?” which has impressive vocals, as Green is truly in his element with the song’s gospel overtones.

The only brief magical moment comes with Green’s cover of “What Christmas Means to Me” with its upbeat background and truly classic lyrics that will have listeners singing along.

Overall, Green’s time and effort would have been better spent on a humorous Christmas cover of his popular, “Forget You”—I see you driving round town in your big red sleigh, and I’m like Bless you!

You’re a mean one, Mr. Green.

band Oh Lover, Uncover differentiates from these stereotypical garage bands and shows much potential.

The band, comprised of local teens including vocalist junior Erik Wang, guitarist junior Bryan Kirks and vocalist senior McCoy Chance, has been together since Aug. 20, and found the inspiration for its name in the song called “Said the PHOTO COURTESY OF DANNY WELCH. King to the Rivery,”

by La Dispute, a metal rock group.

By Aileen Choi “The reason we chose this genre Advertising Manager is because metal core brings together Certain images come to mind many elements of different sounds like when thinking of rising bands: dusky heavier guitars and vocals but also a garages, worn out instruments and more melodic side,” Wang said.

After being together for about the loud roar of music. Upcoming

three months, the band has released two singles: “Rude Awakening” and “Weaknesses.” Dec. 15 marks one of its biggest concerts yet; they will perform at the Virginia nightclub Empire, with well-known bands such as Make Me Famous and Get Scared.

Wang and Kirks were both looking to create a band after their previous bands disbanded. Commitment, talent and passion for music were the major deciding factors that Wang and Kirks were looking for in the new members.

After considering several different students, they decided on senior McCoy Chance as an additional vocalist, UMBC junior Nick Springer as the second guitarist, B-CC junior Carlos Hannan as the bassist and sophomore Ethan Wahl Taylor from Edmund Burke High School as their drummer.

Despite the fact that the members come from different backgrounds, they decided on the band through their love for the genre. Their distinct

vocal sound and guitar style add to the mix of various elements in their music, and prevent them from producing a mediocre sound.

Once it gathers a larger following, the band is planning to release an extended preview, which is a short album consisting of two to eight songs. The members use their personal experiences and feelings to mold their unique songs into perfection.

According to Wang, he was determined to form the band of his dreams, since none of his previous bands were a “genre that he truly had a passion for.”

Ultimately, Oh Lover, Uncover wants to get signed to a record label and start touring. The band also dreams of playing at famous music events, such as Ice Jam and at the Vans Warped tour.

“We would love to do music professionally, and there’s really no limit to how far we want the band to go,” Wang said. “We’ll work to the best of our abilities and see where it takes us.”

It’s almost Christmas and that means it’s time to curl up next to a fire with a cup of hot cocoa and some great Christmas music. In order to keep yourself in a happy holiday mood, do not, I repeat do not, listen to Cee Lo Green’s Magic Moment Christmas album as it will abruptly put you out of the Christmas mood.

The album is quite disappointing and gives the impression that Green thought just doing a mediocre cover of semi-classics this Christmas would work. It doesn’t.

His number “Mary Christmas, Baby,” featuring Rob Stewart and

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH CAMPBELL.

CHS student band to play Virginia nightclub

Arts

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theObserver

Thursday, December 20, 2012

‘Life of Pi’ successfully brings book to life

By Danielle Kiefer Circulation Manager

Most people roll their eyes when they hear that yet another book is being turned into a movie. But Life of Pi is not just a boring movie that movie producers made because they were out of ideas. It exceeds expectations and proves to be a truly heartwarming and thought-provoking film.

The film is based on the 2001 novel of the same name written by Yann Martel.

Suraj Sharma makes his acting debut as Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel, a spiritual teenager who survives a shipwreck, escaping in a lifeboat with the only other survivor, Richard Parker—a Bengal tiger.

The movie begins with an adult Pi (Irfan Khan, The Amazing Spider-Man) retelling his story to a writer (Rafe Spall, Prometheus).

As a teenager, Pi is uprooted from his life in India and travels on a boat to Canada with his family and the animals of his father’s zoo

when his ship sinks during a storm. As the move audiences to tears. Sharma also movie progresses, Pi’s unwavering, blind manages to make the audience faith in Hinduism, Christianity and chuckle only Islam are tested again and again. minutes later with In the face of the many obstacles his witty lines.

Pi is pitted against, including losing Being the only his family and learning to survive character for a in a small boat in the ocean with majority of the a tiger, he never loses faith in his movie, Sharma beliefs, instead using them to help did not have him get through everything by many other actors praying and being thankful for to interact with, what he has. Pi also uses his faith but he showcases in the spirituality of animals to his amazing make an unexpected connection acting skills in the with Richard Parker. spotlight.

Despite this being his first Throughout film, Sharma proves to be a the film, Life of great actor. He successfully Pi has amazing portrays Pi’s emotions in cinematography. every scene, and his believable Even though PHOTO BY ELIZABETH CAMPBELL. performance of Pi’s tearful most of the breakdown after losing his family will movie takes place in the same location

of the ocean, it features stunning shots of beautiful marine life, a huge whale and an island of thousands of meerkats. Featured in 3-D, many scenes seem to pop right out of the screen. The one downside to the film is its lack of action and long plot. Most of the movie revolves around Pi learning to survive with Richard Parker and their nearly year-long adventure at sea. While the lengthiness and slower-moving plot may bore restless audience members, Life of Pi rewards patient viewers with it its touching characters and unique storyline.

In the beginning of the movie, the writer said to Pi that he was told Pi’s story was one that “would make you believe in God.” Whether or not this is true is up to the viewer, but Life of Pi’s realistic acting, emotional plot and great visual affects make it a film worth seeing. The lengthiness and heavy content make Life of Pi a movie better suited to older kids and teenagers rather than little ones, and it will also please adults.

At one point, British guitarist Jeff Beck performs, proving he is one of the great guitarists of his day. You feel the rock and blues associated with great guitarists such as Jimmy Hendrix and Eric Clapton, as well as Guy. As Beck plays, singer Beth Hart belts out the blues. Instead of suffering through seizure-inducing lights and the cheesy pop found in MTV awards shows, viewers get to immerse themselves in quality music performed by some of the best in their field.

The next tribute is entertaining in a completely different manner. Letterman’s tribute begins with a humorous speech by comedian Tina Fey, followed by a video.

Afterwards, comedians Alec Baldwin, Jimmy Kimmel and Ray Romano all make hilarious speeches in tribute to the great talk show host, explaining how he not only helped their careers but touched their lives.

It is filled with jokes about pop culture while poking fun at Letterman and referencing the President and others in the crowd.

The show brings the viewer back to

music for the final tribute of the night to one of rock’s most legendary groups, Led Zeppelin. It starts with a humorous tribute speech by comedic actor Jack Black, shows a short clip and then the glory begins. With excellent performances by the Foo Fighters, Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz and members of the rock group Heart, viewers will be hard pressed to stay in the seats as they are exposed to some of the greatest rock music of all time.

The Kennedy Center Honors is worth watching, because instead of awarding whoever is most popular and displaying performances from iTunes’ top 10, the awards go to the most talented and the performances are by those who have or will join the elite club of the honorees.

The Kennedy Center Honors will be broadcasted Dec. 26 from 9-11 p.m. Anyone who wants to see performance art at its best should tune in to what just may be America’s finest awards show.

Kennedy Center Honors showcases true talent

members of Led Zeppelin. I had the privilege of sitting in on the rehearsal and seeing what is to come this year, and it looks amazing.

For the past 35 years, CBS has broadThe show has everything in entercasted the underappreciated awards show, tainment, from music to comedy, and is the Kennedy Center Honors, in which the definitely worth watching. It starts with Kennedy Center and the White House the tribute to Hoffman. Acclaimed actor honor numerous highly achieved artists with and 2009 honoree Robert DeNiro gives a performances and speeches by other artists. speech honoring Hoffman. The tribute The honorthen goes onto a video Instead of suffering through ees range from and numerous enterseizure-inducing lights and Bill T. Jones to taining tributes to the the cheesy pop found in MTV Bruce SpringsHoffman’s works. awards shows, viewers get to teen, Elizabeth The second honorimmerse themselves in quality Taylor to Yo-Yo ee to receive tribute is music performed by some of Ma. Many wellMakrova; a short, biothe best in their field. known faces graphical film is shown and others more obscure make tribute and dancers perform in honor of her. This to the art of those being honored. is only the beginning.

This year, there are seven honorees: Following the tribute to Makrova is the Buddy Guy, an achieved guitarist, Dustin tribute to Guy, which begins with a speech Hoffman, a seasoned actor, David Letter- by legendary actor and 2008 honoree, Morman, a comedic pioneer, Natalia Makrova, gan Freeman. Another video is shown, and an acclaimed ballerina, and the three living fantastic musical performances follow.

By Greer Smith Staff Writer

“

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Sports

theObserver

17

Future UMD students react to Big 10 switch

By Lara Fu News Editor Matt Raab Sports Editor

‘Tis better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all, the old proverb goes. For Terps fans come 2014, a bizarrely warped version of this wisdom will have to apply as the University of Maryland parts ways with traditional rivals Duke University, North Carolina State and Florida State of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for the likes of Indiana University, University of Michigan and Pennsylvania State University in the Big Ten Conference.

The announcement of this move has created yet another conflict between tradition and finances in the NCAA, with mixed reactions from the Maryland student body being countered by vigorous public statements by the school administration.

According to a Nov. 26 Washington Post article, Maryland president Wallace Loh made the decision to move to the Big Ten after determining that the projected revenue from changing conferences would help Maryland athletics and academics in the long run.

“Our affiliation with the ACC has helped our athletic program become one of the best in the nation,” said Brian Ullman, Maryland assistant vice president of marketing and communications. “That said, the financial, athletic and academic opportunities with the Big Ten Conference are unparalleled.”

For Maryland, the financial promise and stability of a huge conference like the Big Ten provides benefits that are only logical for the school’s administration to take advantage of, offering opportunities the ACC cannot. According to Rose DiPaula, Maryland assistant director of athletic media relations, the Big Ten has its own television network, which will help further publicize Maryland athletics.

“Nearly every game for every sport will be available to watch online in over 100 countries,” DiPaula said. “That’s a great way to spread Maryland nationally and globally.”

On the other side, however, the ACC is not taking Maryland’s decision to leave lightly. According to a Nov. 27 Associated Press article on ESPN.com, the conference is suing Maryland for about $53 million, the full exit fee that the ACC agreed to raise in September. The fee was raised from $20 million following a vote by member schools, with only Maryland and Florida State voting against the raise.

According to a Sept. 20 Washington Post article, Loh insisted this decision was solely based on “legal and philosophical” grounds.

However, from financial, size and geographical standpoints, Florida State and Maryland are the prime ACC candidates for conference realignment, with Florida State well within the geographic sphere of another athletic mega-conference, the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Thus, the ACC is now pursuing the full extent of this recently raised exit penalty, as they are not in the financial position to let one of its charter members exit and set a dangerous precedent for the conference. The $50 million dollar fee has become a significant point of contention in the flurry of debate following the announcement of the move, after Maryland cut seven sports programs earlier this year.

While the proposition of paying the fee as the athletic program struggles to keep sports teams alive appears economically incoherent, financial retribution from the Big Ten is expected to ultimately provide a boost to both Maryland athletic and

academic funding.

According to Ullman, the financial benefits from the Big Ten move could give Maryland students more study abroad opportunities, online classes and “access to library archives from every Big Ten member institution.” Loh will also be reviving a presidential commission to “look into the possibility of reinstating teams that were cut last year.”

According to math teacher Christopher Tappis, who swam for the swim and dive program at Maryland, one of the programs recently cut, if Maryland does move towards reinstating the sports programs that were cut, the move will be beneficial for the school.

“I’m disappointed to lose the tradition of the ACC, but I think the move is in the best interests of the school from a financial standpoint,” Tappis said. “I would be disappointed if they didn’t bring those sports back.”

Sophomore Louis Dubick verbally committed to Maryl a n d last year for lacrosse. Although Maryland’s move has changed the opponents he will be competing against, it has not affected his conviction to go to Maryland.

“It’s a good move as far as logistics and finances go,” Dubick said. “I still love the campus, love the coaches, love the kids.”

The move has particular implications for lacrosse, with Maryland transitioning from a lacrosse powerhouse conference, whose teams have won the national title six times in the last 10 years, to a conference that doesn’t even have a lacrosse program.

Only five schools, including Maryland,

field lacrosse teams, one short of the six required for an automatic berth in the national tournament, according to Dubick.

“It’s not just about who we’re playing,” Dubick said. “We will probably still end up playing ACC teams every year and it will still be fun. We won’t know for two more years.”

Ultimately, Dubick sees a “bright future” for lacrosse in the Big Ten, and the move has not affected the decisions of any of the other six sophomores around the country also committed to Maryland for lacrosse. This has held true across all Maryland sports.

“To my knowledge, no coach has lost a recruit upon the news of the move,” DiPaula said. “Coaches will look to expand their recruiting areas to the Midwest, not the opposite.”

DiPaula also believes that the move will benefit student-athletes in terms of an increased focus on academics and a possible decrease in time spent traveling to away games.

“Right now, very few teams are able to take academic advisors on the road with them,” DiPaula said. “With the move, we would be able to staff better. As it is now, student-athletes bus up to seven hours for games at ACC schools. After the move, they will be flying to schools, so travel time may very well be the same or less.”

A wide range of issues has been posed for Maryland as it makes a conference switch unprecedented in the school’s history. While tradition and finances would seem to be at odds, for many there is hope that Maryland can establish roots in the Big Ten as rich as the ones being left behind in the ACC. For Terps fans disappointed to be losing Duke as their archrival, Ullman offers hope for replacements within the Big Ten. “Our rivalry with Penn State goes back many, many decades,” Ullman said. “A large number of our alumni are looking forward to rekindling that great rivalry.”

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Sports

theObserver

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Hockey rolls through Track starts strong after competition undefeated losing key runners

By Josh Denicoff Production Editor The hockey team has asserted itself early this season, reaching a 3-0 league record with convincing wins.

After dominant wins, the team is confident in its ability to go deep in this season.

“Our team can definitely win states,” junior Connor Liu said. “We have the talent, the depth, and the drive to go all the way again, like in my freshman year.”

The team beat Wootton 12-1 in the third game of the season Dec. 4. Senior captains Zack Arden and Connor Martin each scored twice. Junior Noah Fleishman and freshman Ian Kwant added two goals each. Sophomore Ross Allen, freshmen Philip Satin, Chris Barber and Trevor Dixon each added one tally, while junior goalie Noah Kalicka allowed just one goal.

“The key plays of the game were a big save by Kalicka when it was 3-1 us, and our fourth goal that broke the scoring open,” senior captain Zach Satin said.

The Bulldogs beat Whitman 7-3 in their second game of the season Nov. 30 in front of a large crowd that included Capitals officials and cheerleaders. Zack had four goals, Zach Satin and Martin each had one goal, and sophomore Christopher Lai had a goal.

“Whitman is a good team, but we outworked them and flat out outplayed them for a solid win,” Zach Satin said.

The team has some strong up-andcoming players who already have and will continue making an impact this season.

“We have a ton of good players like Ian Kwant, Jacob Arden and my brother Philip who are young, but very capable of helping the team,” Zach Satin said. “Plus, we are so deep that we have other upperclassmen like Liu and Fleishman who can really help us out in the future, along with a very good freshman goalie, Alex Chen.”

The Bulldogs won their first game against Walter Johnson Nov. 16, 10-1.

Allen had three goals, senior Satin and freshman Kwant each had two goals, and freshman Satin scored three goals.

“Philip Satin and Ross Allen both had hat tricks in the WJ game, so they were major players,” Liu said.

The Bulldogs will have some tough match-ups this season, but they believe their skill and ability can will them through.

“From Montgomery County, Whitman is the most challenging public school,” Zack said. “Also, defending state champions Atholton from Howard County will be tough competition.”

The team has made several improvements from last year to match these challenges.

“We are a much deeper team this year, and our defense is amazing,” Zack said.

“Without a doubt we are the best team in the state.”

According to Liu, because of the balance of offense and defense working together on the rush and in the team’s defensive zone, the Bulldogs are very hard to beat.

The team played Sherwood Dec. 14 and will play B-CC Dec. 21.

By Angad Kanwal Production Editor After time trials Nov. 16, the indoor track team is optimistic it will have another successful season. The team hopes its increased depth will make up for the loss of last year’s key runners.

The squad participated in a selective meet Dec. 11 at Prince George’s Sports Complex in Landover, MD for the top three athletes of each event.

The Bulldogs will end the month with an all-encompassing meet Dec. 26 with schools from around the county.

“We are going to have major competition with Quince Orchard and Wootton, but this year there is no dominant team,” coach Paul Jacobson said. “The county is wide open.”

The athletes look to improve in every aspect to make up for the lost talent and welcome back runners who have missed time due to injury, including senior Julien Weinstein and sophomore 800 meter state champion Lucy Srour.

“We lost a lot of talent last year, losing half of the 4x2 and 4x4 teams, so we will have to practice harder to make up for it,” senior captain Kyle Veator said.

The team continued its season with

an individual meet for top runners Dec. 8 at Prince George’s Sports Complex. CHS runners included senior captain Mike Hammer, sophomore David Fitzgerald and sophomore Noah Jankel.

“We did well, proving that we are ready for a strong season,” Hammer said. “However, right now we need to improve our fitness since we just finished the offseason by working hard in practice and going to the weight room after.”

The squad began its season with a non-competitive MCPS scrimmage Dec. 1. The scrimmage was just a practice run against the clock with no results recorded for competition, but it was still important to assess the current state of the team.

“We did better than a lot of other schools at the scrimmage,” Veator said. “We had some people run personal records, but there is still room for improvement.”

While the team is full of young talent and is relatively inexperienced, expectations are still high for a successful and positive ending to the season.

“I think it is up to the experienced runners and veterans to pass on their knowledge to the young and new runners,” Hammer said. “Hopefully this leadership will bring out the best of all of us so we can prove that our team is among the best.”

Wrestling finds success in all weight classes

By Ethan Denicoff Staff Writer PHOTO BY BEN FOX.

The Bulldogs, led by senior Zack Arden, have coasted by competition.

Wrestling began the season with a 4335 victory against Blair Dec. 5. Wins came from wrestlers in every weight group.

“Everyone preformed really well,” Groce said. “The weight groups from 145 pounds and up did not give up one loss.”

In their match against Wootton Dec. 12, the Bulldogs wrestled hard but ended in a defeat, 39 to 28. Juniors Zach Raizon, Keita, Sutton and freshman Mitch Block all won their matches.

“It was a lot closer than we thought it would be,” Raizon said. “We wrestled pretty tough.”

During the off-season, many of the wrestlers joined club teams to stay in shape. One of the most popular programs was Bad Karma.

According to junior captain Zach Raizon, Bad Karma consists mostly of “practices where you learn new techniques,” but they also enable students to compete in several tournaments.

Despite having a difficult schedule, the

team remains positive about this season.

“We’re expected to be one of the better teams in the county,” sophomore Giulian Groce said. “But we have a tough schedule. WJ and Wooton are going to be good competition.”

With the bulk of the team in their sophomore and junior year, the middleweight classes are the strongest. In addition, junior Hunter Sutton carries state titles from his freshman and sophomore seasons.

“We all work really hard and have become good friends, so we have a lot of fun, too,” Raizon said. “Our middleweights are excellent, and of course junior Hunter Sutton is the best in the state.”

Although the middleweight classes are strong, there are some holes in the lineup for the lower weight groups.

According to Groce, there is an occasional “lack of discipline.”

“It is up to the team as a whole to make sure that we can stay focused,” Raizon said.

“Once everyone sees that we have the potential to go far, we will start to come together.”

Wrestling continues to work hard in preparation for their next match at Whitman, Dec. 20.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Sports

theObserver

19

Boys basketball starts Girls basketball opens off with winning record with high expectations

By Zoe Forster Sports Editor

PHOTO BY GURANSH SINGH.

Junior Allen Njumbe contributed 20 points to lead the Bulldogs’ offensive efforts in a blowout win against Gaithurburg.

By Benjamin Schick Online Sports Editor The boys basketball team has started the season with a 2-1 record, earning its winning record with a blowout 66-36 win at home against Gaithersburg Dec. 11.

Junior Allen Njumbe led the team with 20 points, and senior Bryant Wheatley pulled down 15 rebounds.

“We’ve got a group of talented players,” head coach Matthew Miller said.

“We’re pretty quick, and we’ve got some good slashers.”

The team suffered a 48-41 loss in its second game against Sherwood Dec. 8.

After leading by one at the end of the third quarter, the Bulldogs lost a closely contested bout. They were outscored in the fourth quarter and trailed Sherwood in rebounds the whole game.

“We played really hard,” said starting point guard Matt Moshyedi. “We just missed shots.”

The Bulldogs opened the season with an emphatic win over Damascus at home Dec. 5. The team overcame an early deficit in the first quarter to pull off a 68-53 win.

Shooting guard Malik Harris led the way with 22 points.

“Our four first-time starters set a good tone,” assistant coach Scott Rivinius said. “We had good teamwork.”

After losing seven seniors, four of whom were starters, the team is looking to rebuild with youth and athleticism.

According to Miller, the team’s main focus is to use its athleticism to stop transition baskets and outrebound opponents.

“We’ve gone back to the drawing board,” Miller said.

According to Moshyedi, the team has focused on promoting leadership.

“It is a tough process to go through,” Moshyedi said. “But we’re learning fast.”

The Bulldogs look to maintain their success at home against B-CC Dec. 21.

The girls basketball team hopes to have another successful season despite the loss of several key players.

Although the team is young, it has had time to prepare during its preseason with scrimmages against Holy Cross, Montgomery Blair and Poolesville.

“Considering last year and how many players we lost, I think we played really well,” senior captain Shira Racoosin said. “We have a lot of new and returning talent which will contribute to a successful season.”

The Bulldogs defeated 2011 and 2012 state champion, Gaithersburg, 53-45, Dec. 11.

Freshman Nicole Brodkowitz led the team offensively with 12 points with the help of Racoosin and sophomore Japria Karim-Duvall.

“It was so exciting to win against them,” Brodkowitz said. “They were back-to-back state champions. The team is definitely going to go far this year. We have great chemistry.”

PHOTO BY GURANSH SINGH.

After losing four senior starters last year, younger players have stepped up as the team tries to rebuild and go deep in the playoffs.

The team had another strong win over Sherwood, winning 51-22 Dec. 7.

According to Coach Katelyn McMahon the team played well defensively. Racoosin led the team in rebounds while Brodkowitz scored 14 points and senior captain Katie Jenkins scored 12 points.

“We need to stay focused and keep our season goals in mind, but we are playing well as a team.” McMahon said. “I have high expectations.”

Previously, the team lost 71-41 in its season opener against Damascus Dec. 5.

According to senior captain Alaine Thronson, the team played a hard game considering the skill level of their opponent. The guards had a tough time setting up offensive plays against Damascus’ tall defenders.

“We mainly need to work on our offensive completion, like running the plays, and scoring and the effort on defense,” Thronson said.

The team played Springbrook Dec. 17, Northwest Dec. 19, and will play B-CC Dec. 21. Over winter break the team will also host the Bobby Miller Tournament.

PHOTO BY GURANSH SINGH.

Senior Shira Racoosin is essential to the team’s defense, leading the Bulldogs in rebounds in a dominant win over Sherwood.

Swim and dive continues county dominance

By Danny Gordon Staff Writer

The swim and dive team got off to a strong start Dec. 8 against Whitman, the school the Bulldogs narrowly beat in Metros last year 382 to 380.

The Bulldogs defeated Whitman without top two swimmers, senior Austin Cole and junior Harrison Gu.

The boys won 104 to 52, and the girls won 97 to 59. “ W e di d r e a l l y w e l l , ” s o p h omore Colton Neubauer said. “Our swimmers swam really well and showed the great depth we have on our team.”

The team participated in a scrimmage Dec. 1 at MLK Jr. Swim Center, but due to communication errors they were only able to compete in half of the meet.

According to sophomore Kali Becker, the team will be stronger than ever this year because most swimmers and divers trained all off-season with club teams.

According to coach Brendan Roddy, the key to the teams’ success is its depth, along with the athletes’ sense of team spirit.

“We come from a giant hub of swimming and diving,” Roddy said.

“People that I expect to continue

their excellence include Kali Becker and Austin Cole. Really, everyone is excellent.”

According to Roddy, a lot of new freshman have “stood out,” including Elaina Faerber and Hannah Lindsey. He expects them to help fill in for the alumnus who graduated last year.

The team faced WJ Dec.15 at the Germantown Indoor Swim Center, and will face Blair Jan.5.

Volume 37 - Issue 5

Thursday, December 20, 2012

By Julia McDermott Archives Manager Senior Zach Satin is many things--an honor student, a brother, a friend, a teammate, a captain and a leader-- but he is known to most of us as a hockey player.

From the moment he joined his first travel team at 7 years old, Zach found a passion that could never be compromised even through early morning practices, late nights and grueling hours spent on the ice six days a week.

“Ever since I was a kid it has been the most fun thing to do,” Zach said. “Whenever I am not playing, I wish I was playing.”

It is not just his love of the game that makes the team captain and star defenseman special. In the 2010-2011 season, Zach helped the team to win a state championship and led his club team to nationals. After just six games this season, Zach has scored three goals

and four assists.

“Not all defensemen have his offensive talent,” coach Ray McKenzie said.

“Zach has a great shot, is a great passer and a great playmaker. He could easily be a top forward.”

Being star hockey player is not what makes Zach a great captain. As a leader, he sets an example for everyone else on the team.

“Some guys talk, other guys perform, and Zach is a guy that lets his play do the talking for him,” McKenzie said. “Young players look up to him because Zach makes every practice and loves to practice.”

It was this persistent nature that has allowed Zach to improve every year since making varsity as a freshman. After sustaining bilateral stress fractures of one of his vertebra, which kept him off the ice for nine weeks, he returned, working as hard as ever.

“I guess I am motivated by myself,” Zach said. “I have certain standards that

PHOTO BY BEN FOX.

Senior Zach Satin helps to lead the team as a two-way defenseman, heavily contributing to defense while also scoring goals.

I hold myself to, and my friends and I push each other.”

This past fall, Zach made time to be the captain of the CHS golf team while maintaining a 4.7 GPA. On top of this, he still attends every morning hockey practice before school.

According to Zach’s mother Gail Seiken, the time and commitment that comes with playing hockey is completely worth it when it comes down to the life

lessons he learns, and the joy that he shares with his younger brother Phillip Satin, his teammate on the CHS varsity team.

“Hockey between me and my brother is how we became best friends,” Phillip said.

“It’s a lot of fun, and everything in our lives seems to revolve around it.”

Zach plans to play Division I or II club hockey in college, but he has a bigger goal on his mind for the near future.

“This year, I want to win states,” Zach said.

Hockey showcased in Capitals Game of the Week

By Katie Gauch Production Editor

The CHS hockey team was chosen through an online poll to have its game against Whitman showcased as the inaugural Washington Capitals High School Game of the Week Nov. 30; CHS won 7-2.

As soon as the voting polls went up, over 8,000 votes were cast as people throughout the area used social media to plead for votes for their school’s game.

“People were tweeting, sharing and posting on Facebook to vote for their team,” said Peter Robinson, assistant manager for Youth and Amateur Hockey. “It went viral, and there was a lot of passion.”

According to the former Washington Capitals player and assistant coach Calle Johansson, the Capitals want hockey to become more popular and are hoping that spotlighting games will increase awareness.

Johansson played for 15 seasons as a former defenseman on the Washington Capitals.

The game started around 10 p.m. with a ceremonial puck drop presented

by Johansson with captains and coaches from both teams. Before the ceremonial dropping, spirited students and fans overcrowded the rink, waving “Rock-the-Red” towels given out by Capital’s cheerleaders and sporting Capitals eye black.

“The fan support was unbelievable,” freshman hockey player Phillip Satin said. “When the team came in from warm-ups about an hourbeforethegame,thelinewasoutthedoor.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF WASHINGTON CAPITALS.

Callie Johansson led the pre-game ceremonial puck drop.

Absorbing the exciting atmosphere, the Bulldogs rose to the occasion and played focused and determined like any regular season game.

“I think we played the way we have been playing all season, fast, disciplined, smart, aggressive,” head coach Ray McKenzie said.

“We didn’t change a thing playing in front of a huge crowd, which was good to see.”

The Washington Capitals partnered up with the Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League (MAPHL), Northern Virginia Scholastic Hockey League (NVSHL) and the Maryland

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Student Hockey League (MSHL), which the Bulldogs are in, to build awareness and increase participation in the sport.

Besides bringing awareness to the community about school and extracurricular hockey, the Caps are hoping to maintain their fan base while gaining new fans.

“We want to get some more fans to our games and come out and watch us play,” Johansson said. “We need some local guys to play for the Caps.”

With over two years of preparation, the Caps and the leagues decided for

high school game coverage to begin during this year’s 2012-2013 season.

“This is the first year we’ve been doing spotlight,” Robinson said. “We’ve been sponsoring MAPHL, MSHL, and NVSHL for many years and my priority was to get involved and have the Caps sponsor.”

The partnership is aiming to highlight about four to five games throughout the season. If the program continues to be a success, the Caps will keep it going and will increase the number of spotlight games for the season. If a team has already been picked for a spotlight game, then it could possibly be up for another nomination.

“We are going to try to spread it out, but teams already picked can be up again,” Robinson said.

According to Johansson, he was impressed with the “tremendous” high tempo of the game.

CHS played with intensity, dominating the first two periods with four goals to Whitman’s none, and aimed to do more than simply beat Whitman, the school that knocked CHS out of the playoffs last year.

“We wanted to strip every ounce of confidence Whitman had,” senior captain Zach Arden said. “They still do have a little bit, so we’ll take care of that next time we play them.”

Overall, CHS took charge of the spotlight from the great atmosphere and the opportunity the Caps provided them.

“This was a surreal experience,” senior captain Zach Satin said. “The Caps being there turned a great regular season game into an incredible experience. It was thrilling to see all of the coverage we got.”

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