The Churchill Observer- February 2015

Superintendent Steps Down Joshua Starr announces his resignation.

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depression. However, those students are also required to file medical notes from their doctor.

Students and staff have been buzzing about this topic and the rules Benz has outlined. However many CHS community members feel that these rules are not being followed to the fullest extent. Junior Ruby, who asked that her real name not be used, is one example.

Ruby, facing a stressful junior year with regards to school and social life, felt the pressure to perform well in the first semester. She concluded that she could not perform to the fullest extent on exams due to the high stress she faced, and her parents emailed Benz requesting exemption.

“I got excused from exams because I had a lot going on outside of school, and I knew that if I took the exams, it would affect my grades, and I did not want that since junior year is so important,” Ruby said. “I know many [students] who were excused from exams because of stress, concussions and being sick. I believe exams are very stressful and add on to the stress of this intense year. Many people do well during the quarter and the thought of failing the exam when you worked so hard all quarter is scary. I did not have a doctor’s note. My parents contacted Dr. Benz.”

Many students find this

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began, Elected Faculty Representative (EFR) Adam Field created an informal survey to discover how many students were exempted.

“The faculty has expressed concern to me about the number of exemptions during the fall semester final exams,” Field said. “I did an informal survey of social studies teachers asking them how many of their students were exempted from finals.”

Field’s informal study found that 96 students were exempted from at least one of their final exams. This number excludes students who are not enrolled in any social studies classes.

Teachers were simply notified if their student was exempted from their exam; they were not necessarily told whether that student was exempted from all exams or just theirs.

“The number of students who were exempted from a social studies exam is substantially higher than 48,” Field said.

The Observer contacted Whitman and Wootton High School to inquire about the number of exam exemptions at each school.

Though Wootton said they did not have a specific number, according to Whitman acting principal Karen Bryant, fewer than 12 students were exempted.

“It is all based on data, so perceptions do not count,”

Features Islamophobia As Islamophobia spreads throughout the world, CHS keeps its arms open.

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to be a manipulation of the exam process put in place.

If a student trends, meaning they go A-B or B-A for the first and second quarters, being exempt from exams could work in their favor.

A student who goes B-A and is exempted will get an A for the semester, while a student who takes the exam, with a A-B for first and second quarter, would have to get an A on the exam in order to get an A for the semester.

“I do not think it is okay for kids to get out of exams so they can trend,” junior Nina Kothari said. “I think that kids think getting out of exams is acceptable and a normal thing when it should not be.”

Some students believe that this creates a misunderstanding about how CHS’ handles exam exemptions.

“I think it reinforces the perception that CHS students feel superior and entitled, and gain unfair advantages over other students,” senior Jillian Kirsch said. “You should be expected to take exams, and I do not think people actually feel that this is an expectation anymore.”

Teachers are also concerned about the number of exam exemptions this past semester. As dialogue between teachers

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CHS senior begins shoe-designing business.

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Benz said. “I know some people say these guys are just gaming [the system], they are this, that and the other thing. That is not the case because in every case, I require a medical note from the doctor stating that the student had been under treatment.”

Solutions to reducing the large number of exam exemptions have been discussed at CHS, not only by teachers but students as well.

A popular solution is to have many of the students with smaller procedures, such as the removal of wisdom teeth or college visits, auditions or tryouts, take makeup exams after exam week, thus turning many exemptions into postponements.

According to Spanish teacher Kristin Beheler, making up exams is a good idea.

“That is how it was at my other school,” Beheler said. “No one was ever exempt. If kids could not take an exam then they would just make it up when they got back. It is not a big deal to make it up. It goes case by case, [based on] convenience for both the students and the staff.”

Field, like many, hope that going forward, “we are able to reduce the number of exemptions.”

“It has been determined that at the end of first semester, a disproportionate number of exemptions were requested,” Benz said. The important thing is that we have identified a problem, situational to illnesses primarily. We will now develop a plan for the future.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF KICKZBYSHUGS.

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A National Blue Ribbon School

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After months of class discussions, homework, quizzes and tests, CHS students spent the beginning of the new year studying and preparing for first semester exams. Not all students, however, ended up taking exams due to exemptions.

Exam exemptions allow students who have avoidable or sensitive situations, including illness or a death in the family, to not have to take exams. This year, however, the number of exemptions have caused concern within the CHS community.

According to Principal Joan Benz, there were 48 exemptions, which is .002 percent of our whole population.

“I have the responsibility and authority to exempt an exam,” Benz said. “The parent has to tell me the reason why the student should be exempted from exams. In many cases, it is not for all of their exams; it is for some of them. Every request for an exemption is accompanied by a doctor’s note if it was medical.”

According to Benz, there are many students who are being treated for anxiety and

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PHOTO COURTESY OF MCPS TWITTER.

By Ana Faguy News Editor Isabel Dibble Online Observations Editor

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Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Superintendent Starr steps down after four years

By Jasmine Baten Photo Editor

After weeks of speculation following Starr’s possible contract renewal as superintendent for the next four years, he announced his resignation Feb. 3.

“It has been an honor to serve as the superintendent of MCPS,” Starr said.

“I thank the Board of Education for the opportunity to lead one of the nation’s best school districts.”

Starr took the position of MCPS Superintendent in July 2011, coming from a much smaller school district in Stamford, CT where he worked as superintendent. Over the past four years, he has served MCPS through changing policies and financial difficulties.

According to a Feb. 3 Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) statement, Starr led the system through the worst fiscal crisis since the Great Depression and worked to prevent budget cuts as much as possible.

Starr’s numerous accomplishments included movements towards greater integration of technology into schools, steady support of AP and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, increases in the percentage of students who are graduating on time and decreases in the gap between racial divisions, according to an open letter from Starr.

“Dr. Starr has been a strong propo-

nent of educating the whole child, and caring for their social and emotional health,” the MCEA statement said.

In order to renew his contract and position, Starr would have had to get approval from five out of the eight board members, which consists of seven adults and one student. If he won the majority, the Board would have renewed his contract March 1.

According to a January Washington Post article, four members had doubted Starr’s abilities to develop and communicate a successful strategy for closing the achievement gap that separates white and minority students.

Though Starr made motions to renew his contract and pursue another term, the final verdict was made clear Feb. 3.

According to a message from BOE President Patricia O’Neill, the BOE and Starr reached a mutual agreement that the BOE approved unanimously.

Though the BOE has not commented on Starr’s future, he is certain he will continue to play a role in education.

“I look forward to continuing my work in public education and ensuring all children have the opportunity to receive a world-class education that prepares them to thrive in their future,” Starr said in his farewell letter of thanks Feb. 3.

Despite the sudden change of direction, Principal Joan Benz believes that MCPS will transition into the next administration smoothly.

“MCPS is a large county with many

PHOTO BY LAUREN ROSEMAN.

Moore discusses next year’s course load with sophomore Enoch Li.

Registration moves from pen and paper to online

By Lauren Roseman Staff Writer

Forget about that long and tedious process of registering for classes, where students have to search the course bulletin to find a four-numbered code for each class, write it on the registration card and bring the card to school the next day where counselors can add them to the database.

This year, in order to simplify the registration process, MCPS students will register for classes through an online website.

“The county is always looking for new ideas to use technology,” said Robin Moore, head of counseling. “We can’t just stay stagnant in pencil and paper.”

Students use their school username and password to log into the website. Once logged in, students can see their teacher recommendations listed and can select courses based on those suggestions.

According to assistant principal John Taylor, MCPS decided on the county-wide registration after running a successful pilot test last year involving different public schools, including Hoover Middle School. CHS was not selected as one of the pilot schools.

The results found that the online registration was effective because it was easier

to manage, more accessible and had fewer complications.

Although all MCPS public schools are having their students register for classes online, only CHS and Wootton allow students to register on a computer at home.

According to Taylor, administration is confident that students will take registering for classes seriously, regardless of where they register.

Freshman Josie Monson believes that the online registration will make the registration process less complicated.

“I think it’ll help Churchill,” Monson said. “It’s easier to see your classes and more efficient.”

Moving to online registration is another step CHS is taking to use technology in new and helpful ways. Since students register on their own time, they can use in-school sessions with counselors to talk more in depth about the classes they want to take so that any problems that arise while registering can be immediately addressed.

“When technology can help us do something more efficiently, that gives us more time to guide and help students with other issues,” Moore said.

PHOTO COURTESEY OF MCPS TWITTER.

After four years leading MCPS, former Superintendent Starr announced his resignation earlier this month. His term officially ended Feb. 16. challenges, but offers a big salary and wonderful opportunities,” Benz said.

While the BOE conducts a national search for possible candidates, Larry Bowers, MCPS’ current Chief Operating Officer, will serve as superintendent until July 1.

According to an update from O’Neill, Bowers, a 37-year MCPS veteran, un-

derstands MCPS’ culture and will work to make sure that the school system continues to function smoothly until a new superintendent is chosen.

The BOE will keep the MCPS community informed about their search for a new superintendent and how community members can participate in the process.

By Arjun Swaminathan Online Arts Editor

them an opportunity to make announcements, share class information and hand out, collect and store information in the Google Drive.

“Google Classroom is an upgrade to Edline in many ways,” Rogers said. “It shares recent announcements and assignments, it connects to virtual storage and it not only allows me to share information like on Edline but also lets me collect that info online and if applicable, allow students to collaborate as well.”

So far, Google Classroom has proven itself to be a helpful new experience with regards to organization of assignments and teacher communication.

“It’s very convenient to have access to every single assignment that Mr. Rogers posts,” junior Sam Lin said. “It has helped me keep track of my work.”

According to Digital Art teacher Amy Gilbert, the fact that Google Classroom provides a great amount of storage space is very helpful. Before, she had to clear off old assignment files off the computer every week, but now her students can store their work online for use in a PowerPoint at the end of the year.

Google Classroom does not completely replace Edline because it lacks functions of the latter such as the ability to update students’ grades. The two sites will be used in conjunction with one another in the courses that have begun implementation of Google Classroom until Edline’s functions are fully replaced by other interfaces.

“It’s similar in that you find assignments on there,” senior Jess Taylor said. “It’s different in that on Google Classrooms you can upload assignments, which makes it more efficient and organized.”

Gilbert thinks that a continued partnership with Google will be beneficial for CHS. “I’d like to see them integrate a new calendar that can be customized next,” Gilbert said. “I hope that Google is taking people’s input in order to improve the experience of their programs.”

New and improved Google Classroom replaces Edline The first step toward replacing Edline has begun with the implementation of Google Classroom, a brand new interface that is already taking root in CHS classrooms.

The idea to include Google Classroom in the curriculum originated at the level of the MCPS superintendent. As an educational supplement, Google Classroom replaces some of Edline’s functions, and it is the latest in a series of shifts to the use of Google technology in the MCPS curriculum.

“Using Google Classroom has been a part of the wider use of the Chromebooks in classrooms,” Principal Joan Benz said. “As a part of these laptops, it provides a new opportunity to help continue bridging the digital divide for students who require computer access to complete their work.”

To access Google Classroom, students sign into their MCPS-provided Gmail account in order to access Google Classroom and complete tasks assigned on the website.

“It’s like moving from MapQuest to Google Earth,” Benz said. “More and more as time goes by, things like assignments, surveys and tests become more convenient to do online.”

AP Environmental Science teacher Gary Rogers has successfully utilized Google Classroom within the curriculum since the beginning of the school year.

According to Rogers, Google Classroom replaces Edline as a more modern, virtual package by giving students opportunities to access, complete and store assignments virtually and then potentially share them with peers to present a more collaborative educational opportunity.

Google Classroom appears as a stream of news and communication from teachers for each class. It gives

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

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School bell times pushed back for next school year

By Jasmine Baten Photo Editor Pablo Roa Production Editor

After over two years of proposals, hearings, petitions and town hall meetings, the Montgomery County Board of Education (BOE) has decided to push high school start times back by 20 minutes starting next school year.

The Board made its decision after reviewing several bell time options and reaching out to members of the MCPS community over the last few months.

“Any change to our starting and ending times will have an impact on every student, parent and employee in Montgomery County Public Schools,” BOE President Patricia O’Neill said in a Jan. 6 press statement. “It is important that our citizens understand the options we are considering and let their voices be heard.”

In an effort to keep the MCPS community involved in the decision making process, the Board held a public hearing Jan. 22 where MCPS parents, teachers and officials came together to present arguments and options regarding school start times.

At the hearing, Montgomery County Director of Transportation Todd Watkins introduced three possible plans for MCPS bell time changes. The plans were amended from former Superintendent Joshua Starr’s initial proposal from last year that turned out to be impractical because of its staggering cost.

One of the proposals consisted of multiple subplans, where schoolday lengths would have been altered. In this model, elementary schools would have opened first between 7:35 and 8:25 a.m., which would have pushed dismissal to between 1:50 and 2:40 p.m. Middle schools would have opened last between 9:15 and 9:40 a.m., with a release time between 4 and 4:35 p.m. High schools would have started the day between 8:45 and 9:10 a.m., letting out between 3:30 and 3:55 p.m.

Prior to the Board’s decision, Principal Joan Benz said Feb. 3 that this was the best option for the county as it would have

allowed students to get the amount of sleep they need to do well in school.

“I think that it should be at least 35 minutes to an hour,” Benz said.

“Research supports the idea that students stay up later and wake up later than adults. If they’re going to make a change, I would like to see at least 35 minutes, but an hour would be better.”

Ultimately, the Board approved a costfree option originally proposed by Starr.

Given concerns about budget deficits at the state and county levels, the former Superintendent recommended Jan. 13 that school start times be pushed back by 20 minutes since such a change would come at no additional cost for the county.

“I have said all along that I would like high school to start later in the day in order to support the health and well-being of

well below the AAP’s recommendation.

Michael Rubenstein, publicity coordinator for Start School Later Montgomery County (SSL), testified at the hearing that the 20-minute option is not only impractical, but unhelpful to high school students hoping to get more sleep. “[Pushing start times by] 20 minutes would be laughable if it wasn’t infuriating,” Rubenstein said.

“We didn’t work for two years to get a lousy 20 minutes.”

Junior Dorothy Hu believes that the 20 minute change allows for students to have a less stressful and more efficient lifestyle.

“School start times should change because a lot of students do their homework later as a result of afterschool

our students,” Starr said in the statement.

“But we must balance this decision against the other needs and priorities we have in the district and ensure any changes to high school bell times do not place an unfair burden on other students and their families. At this point, given the projected budget shortfalls, I believe the only options that should be considered are those that do not add any additional cost to the budget.”

While pushing back start times by 20 minutes is the cheapest option for the county, many believe that such a small change will not make a difference.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that middle and high school students start school no earlier than 8:30 a.m. because teenagers have sleep rhythms that make it harder for them to go to sleep and wake up as early as younger children and adults. A change of 20 minutes pushes high school start times to 7:45 a.m., which still falls

activities and extracurriculars,” Hu said. “A later start time would let them get more rest and be more alert throughout the day.”

Although a longer delay in start times would have allowed high schoolers to get additional rest, it would have meant quite the opposite for teachers who do not live close to the school system.

According to the Montgomery County Education Association’s recent survey of 12,000 staff members, 54 percent of teachers overwhelmingly oppose the 20-minute change in bell times, as they believe it will not improve academic achievement or public health.

Sherwood teacher Allison Erdman said at the hearing that a drastic change in bell schedules would force her and many other MCPS teachers to find new jobs because the new schedule would not coincide with that of their home county. Teachers would not only have

beginning to take measures due to the gravity of the heroin epidemic.

According to a November 2014 Gazette article, because the utilization of heroin has increased, newly-elected governor Larry Hogan plans to declare a state of emergency in order to combat the new epidemic.

Heroin has become incredibly abundant throughout the county as well,

County, and police are hoping school resource officers will reduce the number of drug-related cases in schools.

“The Montgomery County Police Department has assigned a School Resource Officer (SRO) to nearly every public high school in the county,” Montgomery County Chief of Police Tom Manger said.

to deal with a slower commute by driving to school later in the day, but those who have obligations at home would also have to adjust their lives to the new schedule.

According to Anatomy teacher James Fishman, teachers with younger children would face particular problems.

“This would make my morning child care issues a little easier, but my commute would be substantially longer, and it would make the afternoons harder for me,” Fishman said. “I would then need afterschool care and I would be getting out of school very late in the afternoon.”

All of the options involved some delay in the beginning of high school start times, a change that seems to be the most essential to parents. Prior to the Board’s decision, many parents had expressed anger at the fact that the county was unwilling to spend money on starting school later when it was spending a ton of money elsewhere.

“It’s all about priorities,” MCPS parent Kristin Cook said at the hearing.

“Do we value our children’s physical and mental health, or is buying a Google Chromebook more important? When you know better, you’re supposed to do better. Please do better.”

The Board began debating this issue back in 1997, but eventually decided not to change anything due to expenses and convenience. Since then, numerous school systems across the country have altered their bell schedules. The most recent change has been the $4.9 million effort to push high school start times between 8 and 8:10 a.m. in Fairfax County.

With their decision to push back school start times, the Board ends an 18-year effort to change bell times in MCPS. While the change may not satisfy all MCPS community members, many believe it is a big step for a school system that refused to change for nearly two decades.

“Although 20 minutes may not be ideal for extending sleep time for all high school students, it is a move in the right direction,” O’Neill said in a Feb. 10 press statement. “We want to thank the community for sharing their thoughts and concerns with us and for being very engaged throughout this process.”

MoCo, Governor work to stop epidemic of heroin use

By Katie Gauch Sammi Silber Editors-in-Chief

Marijuana, cocaine and Adderall.

While these are some of the most prevalent drugs in the area today, one tends to go unnoticed: heroin.

In the past years, use of this narcotic has dramatically increased throughout Montgomery County, leading to a rise in heroin-related deaths throughout the state.

According to Maryland State Attorney John McCarthy, the number of heroin fatalities has increased among the general population by 120 percent.

Everyday, there are 14,000 heroin users in Montgomery County. In 2014, 428 deaths resulted from heroin use.

Heroin is not only more easily available for illegal use, but is more affordable due to its reasonable price.

“It’s cheap in comparison to alternative drugs,” McCarthy said. “Whereas drugs such as oxycontin cost $40 to $80, heroin is $10 a hit.”

Because an authorized amount of opiate can treat pain, the recent spike in heroin use may be related to a rise in addiction to prescription opiates.

According to Assistant Chief of Police Russell Hamill, people become addicted to prescription opiates such as oxycontin; however, they turn to opiates like heroin when their doctors will no longer write them prescriptions for the drugs that feed their addiction.

The Maryland government is

IMAGE BY KATIE GAUCH.

Heroin comes in the form of white powder but can be heated to a brown substance and injected into the user. The drug can also be sniffed or smoked. and no area of Montgomery County is unaffected by heroin use. Along with its increasing availability, the decrease in rehabilitation facilities may also be the reason the numbers continue to rise instead of decreasing, according to McCarthy.

“Where you live will not protect you,” McCarthy said. “I am not optimistic.

The death toll will not go down.”

According to McCarthy, heroin is prevalent in some schools in Montgomery

CHS is one of these public high schools with an SRO, whose responsibilities include protecting students and staff by keeping the school safe.

“As an SRO, I’m here to ensure a safe learning environment in the school,” said SRO A.C. Homrock. “We also function in an educational and advisory role.”

Although SROs are active at CHS as well as other schools in the county, that does not

promise that schools will remain drug-free.

“There’s no guarantee no drugs will come into the school,” Homrock said.

According to an Observer survey of 200 students from all grade levels, only two students admitted to using heroin.

The county is attempting to combat the use of heroin in many different ways.

According to a January 2015 WTOP article, Montgomery County police are being trained to administer Narcan spray to users who overdose. Narcan spray is used by officers all over the county, and they spray it into the mouths of users who have overdosed.

Almost immediately, the effects of overdose are reversed, and the spray has helped save many drug users who have overdosed.

Along with the use of spray, the Montgomery County Police Department is continuing its attempts to stop the rise of heroin use throughout the county.

“We have a dedicated Special Investigations division that combats various drug problems,” Hamill said.

“Also, we are now treating heroin overdose cases as homicide cases.”

MCPD is also working with the State’s Attorney office to put new legislature in effect that will hopefully lead to a decrease in heroin deaths and cases.

“I am sponsoring a bill attempting to prosecute heroin distributors for the deaths they caused,” McCarthy said.

Although Montgomery County Police are not expecting numbers to decline anytime soon, officers are hopeful.

“We are trying to educate people to get people who need help to help themselves,” Hamill said.

Opinions

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The Churchill

Observer Editors

theObserver

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Shame on you, parents. Where’s the integrity?

Editors-in-Chief Katie Gauch Sammi Silber Chief Production Manager Katie Clem News Editors *Ana Faguy *Gil Jacobson *Emiliana Cardinale Opinions Editors Fiona Asbury *Alissa Li *Gil Jacobson *Emily Raab Observations Editors *Alissa Li *Thomas Atkinson Features Editors *Julia Heimlich Danielle Kiefer *Hannah Yasharoff *Eugenia Cardinale *Pablo Roa Arts Editors Madison Hurr *Kim Rooney Sports Editors Michael Fox Julia McDermott *Julia Heimlich *Ana Faguy *Ross Tanenbaum Photography Editors Jasmine Baten *Pablo Roa Fact Checkers Eugenia Cardinale Ariel Levchenko * Production Editors

Managers

Advertising Manager Balbina Yang Business Manager Daniel Miyares

Circulation Managers Emiliana Cardinale Emily Wang Contest Managers Nathan Gertler Arielle Gordon Public Relations Thomas Atkinson Hannah Yasharoff 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.

Dear Dr. Benz, My child has been dealing with high levels of stress and anxiety brought about by this time of year.

He has worked long and hard this past semester, copying his classmates’ homework, finding answers online, and begging his teachers for 10 percent grade bumps. Please consider this request to allow him exemption from the exams that he will most likely fail. Sincerely, A Concerned Parent P.S. Attached is a letter from a good family friend, who also happens to be a doctor, detailing the effects of my child’s sixth grade concussion.

Just in case my excuse isn’t sufficient.

Let me know if I need to call on any other doctor pals to come up with more reasons why my child should be at home watching Netflix, rather than at a desk toiling over an exam. (*not an actual letter written to Principal Joan Benz)

We get it. Exams are stressful.

High school is stressful. College, sports, parents, grades, the list could go on forever. However, when some students are subjected to more stress than others, simply because certain students found an easy way out, it is cause for frustration.

According to Principal Joan Benz, 48 students, or .02 percent of the CHS student body, were exempt, and only for reasons deemed valid by the “filter person,” Benz herself. Benz is responsible for reviewing every request for ex-

ILLUSTRATION BY SAM LEE.

emption and determines whether the request is accepted.

Assuming these statistics are accurate, a gross assumption since an informal survey conducted by social studies teacher and Elected Faculty Representative (EFR) Adam Field claimed figures nearly twice those given by Benz, the fact that even a percentage of students were allowed to escape what should be a mandatory experience is irritating.

Obviously, there are students who had to deal with a death in the family, an unplanned emergency or a serious illness.

In these cases exemption is justified. These cases are the reason exemption exists, and these students are the ones who may face consequences of the actions of the other population of exempted students: the cheaters.

According to Benz, she takes parent requests for exam exemption seriously.

If a parent has taken the time to send Benz an email and provide a doctor’s note of evidence, then it would seem that the student has an obvious reason for excusal.

The system as it exists should be relatively fool-proof because what parents would help a student blatantly avoid a huge chunk of assessing student’s skills for the semester? The answer is too many.

Doctors are not hard to come

by in Potomac. Ask any CHS student to name one doctor he or she knows rather closely, and almost all students would be able to. It is not hard to ask a doctor friend to back up the claim that your child has a concussion, which was, according to Benz, one of the leading medical excuses, and ask the unassuming principal for exemption.

There are plenty of ways in which students and parents stand to gain. Exemption in the case of a trend upwards, going B-A for example, results in the higher grade of the trend, so an A would result from the aforementioned example. With all the pressure that rests on one two-hour segment of time, it seems almost obvious for students to attempt to achieve the higher grade in any way they can.

However, for those B-A exempted students, there were the BA-B un-exempt ones. The students who showed up for an exam at 7:25 a.m., spent two hours scrawling furiously and received an 89 percent, getting a B for the semester.

In this case, cheaters never prosper seems like the exact opposite of the truth. The exemption system as it exists makes it so that cheaters can prosper, and takes away from the students who truly put in effort.

According to Benz, she would

consider creating more of a process for having students make up exams rather than be exempt completely.

This sort of process seems to be in place at other schools in MCPS already. Perhaps CHS should look to implement similar procedures.

According to a WJ sophomore, who requested her name not be used, she came down with the flu right before exam week started.

After missing the first two days of exams, she finished out the week of exams and made up the missed ones at the end.

Meanwhile, according to Benz, many students at CHS came down with the flu because of the ineffective strain of the vaccine, and these students were exempt.

She does not know how other schools deal with the exemption process, as it is left to the principal’s discretion at each school.

Perhaps if exam excusals were not synonymous with an easy way out of work, more students would realize that the fairest, and in the long-run, most effective, way of dealing with their exams is sitting down and taking them.

If a student has put in the work for the past semester, the exam is provided to award this effort.

If not, those students should be looking for way to ensure a good grade through hard work and proactive preparation, rather than a quick escape.

of rape all the time.

Salzberg claims that he is “Not going to defend any support of rape,” yet he says “women do not have the right to get drunk, sleep with any man, and wake up the next morning and use rape as a scapegoat.” Salzberg is clearly confused on a few key facts.

First is that drunk consent is not consent. In addition, consent in sexual matters is and should be defined as the explicit statement of “yes” not the lack of saying “no.”

Second, Salzberg completely

underestimates the trauma of getting raped, and again overexaggerrates the degree to which women falsely accuse men of rape. He also de-sympathizes rape and does what many people have been trying to end for years: he blames the victim.

I do like how Salzberg mentioned how men get raped, because it does happen, although the media often refrains from reporting it. However, instead of using this fact to show how the public should show empathy toward both male and female

victims, he again uses this fact to over-exagerrate how often men are falsely accused of rape.

Overall, at the end of Salzberg’s article his main point is that he is afraid to go to college and be falsely accused of rape, while in Julia McDermott’s counter-article she discusses her fear of being raped in college (which is much more likely to happen, as 1 in 5 female college students are raped). I don’t know about you, but I think that is a much scarier reality.

Sincerely, Caitlin Doherty ‘14

BSERVER O OPINION

A Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor, I was very offended while reading Noah Salzberg’s portion of “Thoughts on Rape Culture.” This article essentially defends rapists and highly exaggerates the rate to which men are falsely accused of rape.

According the Washington Post, less than 2 percent of men who are accused of rape are falsely accused. But by reading this article, you would think men are falsely accused

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

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5

The Founding Fathers cared: why shouldn’t we?

By Daniel Miyares Business Manager Pablo Roa Production Editor Over 31 million people from around the nation tuned in Jan. 20 to watch President Barack Obama deliver his annual State of the Union (SOTU) address to a joint session of Congress. Last year, the combined viewership of The Voice and Dancing with the Stars averaged 30.2 million viewers per show, according to TV Guide, and the similarity is indicative of a somber truth.

The American people simply do not seem to care much for politics— or at least not more than they care about televised musical competitions featuring Blake Shelton and Lolo Jones—and nowhere is this trend more apparent than at CHS. According to a recent Observer poll of over 100 CHS students, just under 50 percent tuned in to watch the President’s speech. Furthermore, of those who were polled, approximately 66 percent could not name our current Governor and less than one in four were able to name our Representative and Senators in Congress.

According to a Jan. 21 Wall Street Journal article, this year’s SOTU drew the lowest TV viewership in 15 years. While there are many reasons for why this year’s speech garnered a lower viewership than previous years, a decreased interest in politics may have led some Americans to skip the SOTU. At CHS, where viewership was considerably low, this political disinterest certainly appears to be the reason why many opted to not watch the President’s speech.

Even more disturbing than the lack of political interest revealed by the poll are the reasons that were given by those who are apathetic about their government.

Some of those polled claimed that

they had no interest in watching the SOTU because “Netflix is more fun.”

Regarding who our current Governor is, one CHS student incorrectly guessed “O’Brien,” while another simply responded with “Honestly, I don’t know, man.”

While not knowing a Governor’s name may not seem all that important, the general lack of political awareness among the youngest and brightest of our community is a pressing problem.

After all, we live in a republic, and those ‘distant, out-of-mind’ politicians are the ones who make decisions that have a direct impact on our daily lives.

Decisions made by government officials determine everything from which textbooks we read, to the best strategy for preventing terrorist attacks, to the toxicity of the air we breathe. The SOTU is the one time of the year where the President and Congress meet to detail some of the most pressing national issues in an accessible and straightforward way for voters. The fact that some CHS students would rather watch reality TV shows than learn about the state of our nation is not only appalling, but also harmful to all of us.

Over 114 million people tuned in to watch the Patriots play the Seahawks Feb. 1 in the Super Bowl. For every one American who watched the State of the Union, nearly four others watched the game.

And while the people of Maryland will never bet money on the different appropriations which will be enacted in Governor Larry Hogan’s inaugural budget, this legislation will change the lives of many Marylanders. For example, taxes on small businesses will be lowered, sorely needed planned Metro lines may be cut, and significant reductions in public health care spending is on the way. Similar political battles happen every year across each of the 50 states.

While the Super Bowl will always

IMAGE BY PABLO ROA.

be more entertaining than a politician’s speech, it only determines the NFL’s best team, whereas speeches, debates and legislation, taken together, have a direct impact on the lives of every American.

The world we live in is contentious and polarized, but having political views is meaningless if one is not willing to express those views and act on them.

Thomas Jefferson once said,

“Wherever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government.” Over 200 years later, his words not only hold true, but they also paint a gloomy picture of where we may be heading. If Americans want to continue enjoying the democracy that our Founders fought so dearly to secure, they must take a greater interest in the very institutions that make that democracy possible.

each category and then calculates the weighted average to produce a final semester grade.

For example, students who receive A’s both quarters and a C on their exams are arbitrarily given 95 percent for their quarterly grades and a 75 percent for their exam grade. Their final semester score is a 90 percent, the lowest possible A. By not factoring in raw scores, MCPS’ grading formula invariably gives semester grades that are not reflective of students’ true performances. For instance, a student who earns an 89 percent for both quarters and a 98 percent on the exam would receive a B for the semester.

This would be the same grade that a student who earned an 80 percent for both quarters and a 60 percent on the exam would receive. These two students clearly display different proficiency levels but appear to be at the same level on their transcripts because of MCPS’ ambiguity.

According to Principal Joan Benz, a more graduated grading system, one that uses raw scores as opposed to letter grades, would be more fair to students because it would help distinguish students from one another and reward those who excel in their subjects.

If MCPS were to use raw scores and apply the same weight to quarterly and exam grades, the student who earns an 89 percent for both quarters and a 98 percent on the exam would receive a 91 percent for the se-

mester. Under such a revised system, this student would earn an A and be rewarded for his or her hard work.

Therefore, using raw scores serves as an impetus for academic progress because students who have high letter grades can boost their semester grade by performing well on their exams. Currently, students who received B’s for both quarters find themselves not studying for exams because they cannot earn an A for the semester. They can effortlessly score a D, which is the lowest score needed to retain their B for the semester.

Furthermore, using raw scores instead of letter grades will lead to students taking their exams more seriously. Developing such a mentality towards academics early on is essential to succeed in college.

According to a 2011 December U.S. News and World Reports article, college final exams are the greatest determining factor in students’ grades and need to be approached with discipline and determination.

According to Benz, MCPS’ current grading system has been in place for over a decade, and the process of revising the system is inclusive of input from focus groups, parents, students, countywide educators and school administration.

Hopefully, MCPS will consider modifying the grading system in an effort to make students more academically motivated and prepared for the academic rigor of college.

Current grading system proves to be failure

IMAGE BY YASH NIGAM.

The current grading policy seems to hinder those aiming for higher grades.

By Yash Nigam Online Opinions Editor It is undeniable that academic motivation, especially at CHS, stems from students’ desire to achieve high grades. However, MCPS’ long-standing semester grading policy inflates lower grades and deflates higher grades due to its lack of specificity. It has significantly decelerated academ-

ic progress as hardworking students ultimately receive significantly lower semester grades than they deserve.

MCPS’ current semester grading system assigns a 37.5 percent weight to quarterly grades and a 25 percent weight to exam grades. MCPS’ grading formula depends solely on the letter grades that students earn in each category. It awards a mid-level score reflective of the letter grade earned in

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Opinions

theObserver

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Diplomacy with Cuba won’t increase Cubans’ rights

By Daniel Miyares Business Manager If You Give a Mouse a Cookie may be a children’s story, but despite its nature, it captures the problems with some of the greatest national policy issues today. This past December, President Barack Obama announced that the US will defreeze relations with Cuba, opening diplomacy with the island country for the first time in over 40 years.

Unfortunately, in the case of the Communist country 90 miles off of the U.S. coast, the moral of this children’s story rings true. The US has given the despotic Castro regime a “cookie” in the form of multiple concessions, and, as with the mouse, no good will come from the policy.

The “Cuban Thaw,” an effort to reopen relations for the first time since 1961, was initiated by President Obama during the final months of 2014. At press time, travel restrictions have been lifted and US banks have been granted access to the Cuban economy.

According to a Dec. 17 press release, President Obama, simply enough, claimed that “Isolation has not worked…

It’s time for a new approach.”

Unfortunately, this policy of concession is not “new,” and it has simply not worked in the past. Every time the Cuban government has been opened to any American aid, such as with tourism on the island, the aid has been advantageous only to the despotic Castro regime.

According to an Oct. 2013 Telegraph article, Cuban tourism, most notably consisting of trips by celebrities such as Jay-Z and Beyoncé, is run by the state and, up until two years ago, funneled American dollars to the communist government through a dual-currency system. Furthermore, the “lucky” few who visit the island are restricted to certain areas to shield their eyes from the extensive poverty which pervades Cuba.

This poverty is not only the result of failed Communist policy. The embargo, which diplomats from both countries are

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL MIYARES.

seeking to terminate, is at its very heart.

According to a Dec. 18 BBC News article, Cuban president Raul Castro said that sanctions have “caused enormous human and economic damage.”

Contrary to the president’s claims, the embargo places the US into a position of power to push for meaningful reforms in Cuba. An end to this policy, the biggest cookie for the dictators, is a devastating loss to human rights efforts.

According to Mark Falcoff, resident scholar emeritus at the American Enterprise Institute think tank, the reopening of diplomatic relations comes at the exact time when the Cuban regime was most in need, by nature of its own struggling economy as well as that of their closest ally, Venezuela.

It will only prolong the Castros’ 56-year reign over an unfree Cuba.

Through the promotion of human rights, political and economic, is the stated goal of both proponents and detractors of the new policy, one must wonder how strengthening the Cuban dictators who perpetuate human rights abuses will accomplish this goal.

Foreign policy is, by definition, foreign to many of us. However, the debate over Cuba is relevant not only because of its connections to the various CHS students and staff of Cuban descent or the negotiation’s ranking US diplomat, Roberta Jacobson, who is a mother of a CHS senior, but also because of the young people much like us who hang in the balance.

The young people of Cuba have never known freedom of expression or the modern technology that we enjoy today. As students, we should not simply sympathize; it should inspire us to defend those whose freedoms and rights are being denied. Our country’s founders fought to secure these rights for all men and women, not just for the select few who reside within its borders.

At this point, an important distinction must be drawn between the Cuban government and the Cuban people, for only one has any power. The former is a state sponsor of terrorism and a military ally of both North Korea and Iran. The latter are treated as subjects by their government and are yearning for a chance at democracy they have been denied for over 50 years.

Criticizing the embargo for preventing the spread of technology entirely misrepresents Cuba’s problem; only the government has Internet access because the government has prevented its private use. Only government workers drive cars made after the 1970’s because only those affiliated with the government are allowed to afford these cars, as Cuba operates under a command economy. No amount of U.S. aid could change that because whatever flows into the country is distributed however its government sees fit.

Proponents of the diplomatic normalization with Cuba will point to China and Vietnam, communist states with which we enjoy both diplomatic and trade relations and ask what the difference is.

In his admittedly idealistic inaugural address, President Reagan asserted that “No weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.”

Our duty as young men and women who enjoy such freedom is to protect, support and defend it at home and abroad.

Ninety miles off of Key West, on an island home to millions for whom independence and self-determination are but dreams, is as good a place as any to start. However, before any of this can occur, America must stop giving the mouse “the cookie.”

Hello, hola, bonjour, ni hao: What about Latin?

By Sara Heimlich Staff Writer Since the 2010-2011 school year, CHS students have not been offered the opportunity to take a Latin course.

Although Latin is by definition a “dead language” and no longer spoken, it is time for it to rise again at CHS. Latin is the foundation of many languages including French, Italian, Spanish and English.

According to the Johns Hopkins School of Education website, 70 percent of English words come from Greek and Latin roots.

Learning Latin can improve students’ ability to grasp foreign languages in the future and can lay a better foundation for what they read and write in English.

According to CHS English teacher Valerie Mainwaring, Latin’s sentence structure puts words in order of importance, which helps students improve their own sentences and train their brains to think in more meticulous ways.

Besides its vocabulary-enhancing aspect, learning Latin introduces students to thousands of years of its linguistic history and its effect on the modern world.

According to Wootton Latin teacher Eric Sasse, a main purpose of Latin studies is to place the language in a historical context, which Wootton students find intriguing. Latin, the language of Romans, impacted European history and therefore helped shape modern society.

Given that Latin presents itself in more aspects of the modern world than people may realize, studying it can be-

come a helpful aid in different careers.

According to CHS Anatomy and Physiology teacher James Fishman, anatomy is similar to learning a foreign language because the anatomical terms are Latin and Greek words. Learning Latin better positions students going into the sciences to understand and retain information.

Some would argue that because Latin is no longer spoken, it is no longer useful and would be a waste to learn. However, Latin roots will forever be imprinted into English and other languages, thus, its culture lives on.

According to Sasse, there are 12 available languages that schools in MCPS can offer. Each school decides which of these languages to include based upon the requests of its community.

Wootton, Quince Orchard, and Walter Johnson are among the MCPS schools that teach Latin.

If demand for Latin isn’t high enough within the school, an alternative to offering it as a language course is to create a unit within the English class curriculum that focuses on Latin roots.

According to Robin Moore, CHS director of counseling, CHS dropped the language after Latin teacher Robert Payne retired in 2010 because Latin teachers are hard to find. Private schools often accept Latin teachers more quickly than public schools because of the more complicated process required by the Maryland State Department of Education to hire public school teachers.

Latin can be found in almost every career

PHOTO BY SARA HEIMLICH.

Learning Latin can help one’s study of English, history and anatomy. as well as in many parts of everyday life.

The study of Latin can benefit students’ ability to comprehend, write and think in more complex ways. It can also put them at an advantage in school, in their careers, and throughout the rest of their lives.

Whether through an additional world language class or merely a unit in English, Latin should be incorporated into the curriculum at CHS in order to ensure that the standard of academic excellence lives on.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Observations

CHS Math Team season

By Alissa Li Observations Editor The CHS Math Team finished its season Feb. 4, placing fourth in Montgomery County. The math team consists of: Senior Neil Luo Senior Janet Sun Senior Alan Yan Junior Arjun Swaminathan Junior Kevin Wang “I really like math team because it’s just doing math for the sake of it, and it’s really fun,” Janet Sun said. “I love the members team because they’re all wonderful.”

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PHOTO BY AUDREY PHILLIPS.

Student authors signing Coaches vs. Cancer

By Katie Clem Production Editor

Seniors Sammi Silber, Elina Kapoor and Dalhia Huh participated in an author book signing at CHS Feb. 4 by the WCHS Education Foundation. Friends and family of the young authors supported them in their achievements.

Their writings ranged from personal accounts to children’s books to essays.

“Show yourself through your words,” Silber said. “As Winston Churchill once said, ‘never, never give up.’”

By Peter Durand Staff Writer

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAMMI SILBER.

CHS played its annual Churchill vs. Cancer basketball double header at home Feb. 3 to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Though the boys lost to Whitman 47-46 and the girls lost 49-26, CHS students showed great support, wearing pink and buying baked goods and raffle tickets to support those struggling with cancer.

“What I like most about this event is that we are making an effort to

PHOTO BY PETER DURAND.

join a very important cause,” boys varsity coach Robert Bean said. “The purpose is to bring the teams and community together.”

Basketball spirit nights CHS TEDx conference

By Jasmine Baten General Photo Editor

The SGA held spirit nights Dec. 22, Jan. 9, Feb. 3 and Feb. 17 to boost morale for CHS Basketball. Spirit nights have ranged from pink to whiteouts. Class sponsors and presidents chose various themes, aimed at getting students more involved and excited about CHS sporting events.

“I think the basketball team has really enjoyed these nights and it has been a good push for them to perform for their fans,” SGA President Marco Gutierrez said. “It looks like it’s been working and they’re doing quite well.”

By Julia Heimlich Features Editor

PHOTO BY JASMINE BATEN.

Journalism certification

By Peter Durand Staff Writer English and Journalism teacher Kelly Knarr and English and Yearbook teacher Naomi Ratz earned their Master Journalism Educator and Certified Journalism Educator certificates, respectively, this past January. Since the State of Maryland does not offer certification for journalism, the certification from the Journalism Education Association is a form of recognition of excellence in the field.

“I see it as a way to validate the knowledge I have gained in 12 years of teaching and advising,” Knarr said.

PHOTO BY PETER DURAND.

Puerto Rico band trip

By Alissa Li Observations Editor CHS Band, Orchestra and Choral students went to Puerto Rico Feb. 1217 to perform at Dorado Academy and to introduce the idea of a performing arts department to the Academy.

“Puerto Rico was the best time of my life,” senior Shreya Navile said.

“I had a chance to bond with all my chorus and band members. It was truly a trip to remember.”

experts, from musicians to filmmakers to entrepreneurs, will be presenting at the event.

“I am most excited to hear Heather Next month, 100 lucky students will Arnold talk about the intersection of combe able to witness the CHS auditorium munity and food,” Upender said. “She as it transforms from an empty set of works in the D.C. design group, Street seats and a stage into a jam-packed Sense, and does some really amazing work on making vibrant communities captivating center of inspiration.

Led by CHS’ Think Big Club, the using retail and restaurant design.”

Other speakers include filmmaker and TEDxChurchillHighSchool conference March 7 from 3 to 8 p.m will musician Rohit Colin Rao, whose first host a variety of speakers and new feature film won Best in Show in the D.C. technology, which will be introduced Film Festival, as well as social entrepreto the first 100 students who applied. neur Shahab Kaviani, who has experience starting, “By bringing scaling and a TEDx event “Usually these events are held exiting comto Churchill, for the public and are widely known panies. cu r r e n t TED through the Internet, so the fact that we “Usually fans will be can be able to say we hosted a Ted Talk these events able to experias a high school is pretty incredible.” are held for ence a live and -Senior Nina Min the pubmore personal lic and are event,” said sewidely known nior Anand Upender, who cofounded Think Big along with through the Internet, so the fact that we can seniors Sriya Movva and Erik Johnson. be able to say we hosted a Ted Talk as a high “More students will be able to learn school is pretty incredible,” said senior Nina from these inspiring talks in general.” Min, who signed up for the event.

According to Upender, three-dimensional According to Upender, it was nearly eight months ago that he be- printers and liquid nitrogen ice cream stations gan to piece the TEDx event together. will be available to test at the event as well.

“It’s cool that students will be so ex“The actual curating process was not too difficult,” Upender said. “It involved posed to professionals from various fields,” a ton of emails and a lot of denials, but Movva said. “Our goal is to get students we are still getting speakers who would motivated to take initiative and make their ideas become something. We want them to love to come out to our event.”

According to the TEDxChurchill broaden their horizons and expand their website, a wide range of D.C.-based knowledge through this event.”

“

Presidential nominations

By Alissa Li Observations Editor

PHOTO BY ANTONIA GAVIRIA-ROZO.

On behalf of the White House Commision on Presidential Scholars and the United States Department of Education, CHS students were nominated as candidates in the 2015 United States Presidential Scholars Program based on excellent standardized

testing scores or a nomination from the Chief State School Officer.

The students selected as the official 2015 U.S. Presidential Scholars will receive the Presidential Scholar Medallion in late June. Potential CHS students include seniors: Daniel Miyares Janet Sun Olivia Whitener Alan Yan

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Features

theObserver

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Beloved sub Ms. Miles shares ‘super cool’ stories

By Gil Jacobson News Editor Hannah Yasharoff Public Relations Manager Substitute teachers are, by definition, temporary visitors in students’ lives, often going from class to class without making any long-lasting impressions the way teachers do.

However, Maureen Miles is just the opposite. Miles has been substitute teaching for 19 years and is largely known around CHS for making students “super cool.”

“I’m always making up things to try to make classes seem a little bit different,” Miles said. “Students come in to see their teachers every day, but if you can add something to make it a little different, they just enjoy it.”

Miles is also known for her memorable stories that she shares with students about her interesting life experiences.

“When I come to classes, the kids

always say ‘Ms. Miles, will you tell us a story?’” Miles said. “And I say, ‘Do your work. With five minutes left, I’ll tell you a story.’ So I tell them a story, and everybody comes out of the room just grinning.”

Several of Miles’ life stories have become famous, such as the time a man stuck his head inside her car and she hit him on the head with a crowbar, or when she caught a “peeping Tom” in the women’s bathroom.

“They say ‘Ms. Miles, I heard that story where you hit the man with the pipe. Will you share it?’” Miles said.

“That was just hysterical. One student told me that he told the story to his father at the dining room table, and his father fell off the chair laughing.”

Miles has a long history of almost unbelievable stories featuring both herself and her family, which she hopes to someday compile into a book about her life.

“I guess I’ve been telling these stories ever since I was about 12 or 13 years old,” Miles said. “It seems like

Miles discusses her teaching experiences and shows pictures in her home.

PHOTOS BY HANNAH YASHAROFF.

Miles has been a substitute for 19 years and is known for her memorable stories. the funniest things always happen to me. I guess I’m just always in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

The most notable story about her family is its impressive history. Miles happens to be part of the oldest African-American family in the US. Her mother’s maiden name, Quander, dates back over 300 years, when her ancestors worked as slaves on George Washington’s plantation.

According to a Feb. 21, 2013 Washington Post interview with Joseph Victor Stefanchik, another descendent of the Quander family, the Quanders are in a unique position because their role in American history exposes the fact that George Washington did not free his slaves within his lifetime. Washington’s will pronounced his slaves free at the time of his death in 1799, but it was not until the death of his wife, Martha, in 1802 that the Quanders, along with the rest of Washington’s slaves, were finally freed.

According to Miles, there are 20 sites connected to the Quanders, either in Prince George’s County, Washington D.C. or Alexandria, VA, as well as the Quander Road School in Alexandria and Quander Street in southeast Washington.

According to secretary Angela Polis, Miles frequently substitutes for CHS teachers because of her consistent availability and close proximity to the school, and “she likes working with the CHS students.”

Many students have fond memories and stories about their experiences with Miles, including when they first became “super cool.”

Sophomore Aaron Bach remembers

first meeting Miles in ninth grade biology when she asked which students wanted to be “super cool.”

“Five of us raised our hands,” Bach said. “She called us up to the front of the class and told us to do all of these hand gestures and at the end of that, she said, ‘Now repeat after me: I will obey my parents, I will obey my teachers, I will be a good citizen.’

Then we were super cool.”

Senior Conor Quigley is also fond of her passion for teaching, combined with her quirky personality.

“One time Ms. Miles marked me absent because I didn’t smile when she called my name,” Quigley said.

“She’s very passionate and she seems to enjoy what she does.”

Senior Shreya Navile admires Miles for being serious about teaching, while also adding comic relief to the classes she substitutes for.

“After we took a test, Ms. Miles asked, ‘Do you want to do something to make you powerful?’,” Navile said.

“We were all asking, ‘What?’ I volunteered, and a senior from last year volunteered too. She made us hold hands, cross elbows and do this ritual.

She said ‘Now you guys are unified.’

It was really funny.”

Ultimately, Miles’ favorite part of substitute teaching is the opportunity to make students happy.

“It’s good when you can make children happy,” Miles said. “You never know what goes on in the home or if there are some unhappy things that have happened, and they have to come to school and they’ve got different issues and a lot of work and all. But sometimes, you can make them laugh.”

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Features

theObserver

9

Amidst Islamophobia, Muslims find CHS welcoming

By Zach Silver Staff Writer In light of the recent attacks at the Charlie Hebdo headquarters in Paris, the world’s attitude toward the Muslim faith is once again in the spotlight.

Each time a Muslim is involved in a bombing or another type of tragedy in the world, the religion as a whole is often stereotyped as a group of terrorists. Overall, America’s case of Islamophobia, the prejudice or hatred against Muslims, has gotten worse.

According to the Arab American Institute, American approval of Muslims has dropped from 35 percent to 27 percent between 2010 and 2014.

“The terrorists who are performing these actions are not Muslim,” said freshman Mariam Hashem, who identifies as a Muslim. “They do not belong to any religion because they go against every word in the Quran.

Some people do not realize that and are ignorant towards all Muslims and some actually get paranoid if they see one in an airport.”

It is not uncommon to log onto a popular news site and see more headlines that place Muslims in a negative light than headlines that celebrate the heritage.

“I think it’s because the U.S. media is very unfamiliar with the Middle East and the religion,” said senior Zeshawn Manzoor, whose family is from Pakistan and who identifies as Muslim. “Since they have a few bad apples, they tend to blame the orchard.”

Some believe that the media likes to zero in on the problems surrounding Islam and ignore positive aspects of the culture.

“There are many Muslims doing amazing things yet you never see that on the news,” Hashem said. “You only see the bad news that portrays us as harmful.”

One of the most common examples of American prejudice is in airports.

Many men and women feel like they are profiled for how they look and their religious association.

“I’ve been asked before if any of my family members are terrorists,” Hashem said. “In an American airport I was once sent to another room where all the women wearing were hijabs, and I’m still not sure why I was sent there, but members of my family have been flagged because of their name or place of birth.”

While the anti-Muslim stigma is rather common in public and the media, CHS has been lauded for its welcoming attitude toward its diverse array of ethnicities and religious backgrounds.

“I think we are really lucky to have students of different faiths and backgrounds,” assistant principal John Taylor said. “We have a lot more diversity than people think.”

While CHS does not supply information on the religious backgrounds of its students, according to the Winston Churchill High School Profile, which gives a synopsis of the school’s racial identities, 55.6 percent of the students identify as white, 23.2 percent as Asian, 8.5 percent black, 8.4 percent Hispanic, 4.2 percent multiracial and .1 percent Native American.

“We have not had any cases in recent memory of a student being bullied because of an outside incident in the news,” Taylor said.

On the flipside of the issue, sophomore Katie Teague, who has lived in several Middle Eastern

PHOTO BY ZACH SILVER.

Since the terrorist attacks on Charlie Hebdo in Paris Jan. 7, instances of Islamophobia have been on the rise around the world. countries but does not identify as Muslim, notices a difference in attitude of the citizens in the Middle East than those attitudes of Americans.

“America is kind of like a bubble,” Teague said. “There is some bias and people exaggerate, but people need to look from all different perspectives.”

But this bubble was eventually popped when Teague returned home to America and enrolled at CHS. Despite hearing the generalizations about CHS’ white, privileged population, Teague noticed the school’s personality that goes below the surface.

“I was told about all the Churchill stereotypes and I was surprised,” Teague said. “There is such a wide diversity of people and they are

generally accepting.”

Even though it is a growing demographic in MCPS schools, Muslim students and families are upset with the recent decision not to recognize the major Muslim holidays by cancelling school.

According to Taylor, the population of Muslim students is not sufficient enough to cause attendance problems in schools, which was a deciding factor in the county’s decision.

Nevertheless, students are optimistic about the welcoming environment established in the CHS community.

Hashem, Manzoor, and Teague all agreed that CHS has been a welcoming place to them since they started school here.

“Churchill is very accepting for people to be whatever they want to be,” Teague said. “I feel like I fit in here.”

tests increases, as teachers try to mimic the ways in which College Board asks questions on the exam.

According to social studies resource teacher Rodney Van Tassell, it takes hours to create a good unit test because of research in choosing sources that are acceptable for all reading levels.

“It is difficult with AP classes as we try to expose students to released AP questions from College Board,” Van Tassell said. “College Board limits the number of questions they release, so the assessment bank is not very large.”

Teachers have developed various methods to prevent students from having exact replicas of previous assessments.

According to Principal Joan Benz, teachers often maintain “question banks” and rotate questions from these banks.

According to Van Tassell, the AP U.S. History team changes its tests by rotating the topics that they ask in selected response and written response questions each year.

“It is impossible to prevent students from using quizzes and tests from previous years,” Van Tassell said. “Teachers need to be aware that this happens and use different versions of assessments if applicable.”

However, because of the difficulty of creating new tests, many students’ study tools, which they receive from older siblings and friends, are exact copies of the tests for which they are studying.

“I have usually received the same test that I have studied from,” the senior girl said. “If it was different, it was usually the same questions with different numbers or in a different order.”

According to a sophomore boy who also wished to remain anonymous, he frequently uses previous math tests because the teachers do not usually change them.

Whether because of the difficulty of creating new tests at higher levels or because of easy access to former students’ work, studying using previous assessments tends to increase with grade level.

According to Benz, studying using previous exams is common and accepted in college.

“Sororities and fraternities have files of assessments from their present and past professors to which their members refer as a study tool,” Benz said. “When you look at an old exam, it gives you an idea of what the professor emphasizes. I would not say that the students were cheating.”

Many students also believe that this method allows them to better focus their studying.

“It helps me study, not necessarily memorize the answers,” the sophomore boy said. “I don’t think it is a problem because I use it more just to see what to focus on when studying.”

Others, however, view this study tool as a form of cheating.

“It would be academic dishonesty in my world,” math teacher Heidi Neto said. “I would probably take it to the next level by bringing it to administration for discussion.”

According to Benz, when teachers do not change exams, they create an “unequal opportunity setting for students.”

“The clear message to teachers is do not use old assessments,” Benz said.

“Develop new quizzes and tests so that each student has equal opportunity.”

Teachers combat reusing assessments as ‘study tools’

PHOTO BY JORDAN JANIS.

Some CHS teachers change tests from previous years to prevent new students from using them. Whether this is resourceful or cheating is up for debate.

By Katheine Michael Staff Writer Jordan Janis Online Editor-in-Chief In a school known for high academic achievement and pressure, students have found an alternate, controversial way to prepare themselves for assessments: using previous years’ assessments to study for future ones.

In an Observer survey of 40 random students, 10 from each grade, over half of the students surveyed claimed to use quizzes from previous years to prepare for their upcoming assessments, sometimes because the teachers do not change the tests, and

other times to better focus their studying.

“There is a lot of pressure to do well on every single assessment, and when you have three or four tests in a day, it is a lot easier to study the questions that you know will be on the test instead of all the material,” said a senior girl who wished to remain anonymous.

Despite the fact that students have access to previous assessments, teachers do not always change quizzes from past years because of the effort required to create new tests.

“The reason some teachers might not remake tests is that it’s really hard to come up with a set of questions that you’re willing to use,” social studies teacher Evan Rosenthal said. “It takes a while, and it’s hard to do.”

As the class level increases, especially with AP classes, the difficulty of making

Features

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To: Kim Rooney From: Alissa Happy Valentine’s day! *as i shoot the cupid’s arrow* “mmm whatcha say”

To: Maya Rao Love: Maya Rao Keep your chin up, kiddo.

To: The J Love: Sammi I love you all with all my heart! You guys are amazing and make me proud! <3

To: Hallie Srebnick Love: Sean Nguyen Dear Hallie, Happy Valentine’s Day to you. Thanks for being a great friend to me this year. You are a wonderful and a pretty girl ever.

Your friend, Sean N!

To: Daniel Bloomfieled Love: Rachel <3 Happy Valentines! You are le best humin in ze world. *mental high five for no reason* lol <3 <3 <3 Rach

To: Max Blanchard Love: Sam Have a great Valentine’s Day.

To: Mackenzie Fisher Love: Sean Nguyen Dear Machenzie, Happy Valentine’s Day to you. Thanks for being a great friend to me. You are the most cheerful and nicest girl ever.

Sincerely, Sean N!

To: Aprill Park Love: Thomas Atkinson I love you lots and you are such a great friend… loser :).

To: Mrs. Patel’s 7th period class Love: Mrs. Patel You all are the best class!

Love the fun suits, parties and games (not to mention all of the hard work). You’re a great class.

theObserver

To: Danny Gordon Love: Katherine Michael I desperately wish to be out of the friend zone. You are my flame, my muse, my whole world. Please, let me love you!

To: The J1s Love: Mrs. Knarr Congrats on officially joining the Observer staff! You make me proud.

Keep up the great work!

To: The J Love: Ariel Levchenko Y’alll Rock! I really enjoy my time here and have a great Valentine’s day!

To: Beth Wright Love: You know who Roses are red, violets are blue, I’m seeing a future filled with me and you.

I hope you feel the same. p.s. we could bond over our love for sharks.

To: Emma Khasin From: Nadia Hi you’re awesome.

To: Jordan Freeman Love: Sean Nguyen Dear Jordan, Happy Valentine’s Day to you. Thanks for being a great friend to me this year.

Sincerely, Sean!

To: Elana Faerber Love: Niko Hey Sig I’m so proud of you for winning Metros!

You’re a Kool Kat and there are a lot of moose who think you have a good voice.

To: Nick Muscarella Like, like: Christina Poerstel Bc we haven’t said “love” yet.

Mwah! Christina

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

By Madison Hurr Arts Editor February—the month of love.

Technology has taken over so many aspects of our lives in the way we communicate, play and learn. But when it comes to love, do dating apps revolutionize romance or ruin it altogether?

With mobile dating apps like Tinder and Hinge on the market, new options for meeting people open up. These apps use common interests and mutual friends to connect users in the same area.

“These apps help you connect with people that you would not have met before,” said senior Jake, who wished to remain anonymous because he frequently uses Tinder.

“However, technology should not mess with love. It should be something personal.”

Dating apps, specifically Tinder, intend to match similarminded people who live in the same general area together. The minimalistic Tinder profile shows a person’s distance from you, mutual Facebook friends, shared interests and a short biography.

This type of e-romance can benefit those who are shy, too busy to go out often, are new to an area or looking to meet many new people in a quick and convenient manner.

According to techcrunch. com, a technology news site, Tinder gives its users “only the data they need to develop a meaningful first impression,” which includes a potential mate’s geography, age, appearance and feelings about them.

With apps like these, users gauge their impressions of others just based on the few photographs and brief description that users choose to represent themselves with. They then either swipe right to “like” a person’s profile or swipe left to move on to scrutinize the next profile. If two users “like” each other, they will become “matches” and be able to start a conversation.

According to Techcrunch.com, Tinder’s popularity is soaring: it is available in 24 different languages and has over 10 million active users on any given day.

While it can be an easy and innovative way to meet new people in the area, Tinder and similar apps have been criticized for their “shallow, superficial appearance-

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

based matchmaking process,” according to Techcrunch.com.

Furthermore, the way people presents themselves online is not always a fair representation of who they are in person. There is also the risk of encountering a “catfish,” someone who creates a false online identity in the hopes of luring people into romantic relationships.

“While you get to meet all types of new people, having no background on the person makes it more dangerous,” said junior Emily, who wished to remain anonymous. “My experiences have been both positive and negative. I’ve met some nice people from Tinder and also some who are rather rude.”

While convenient, online dating takes away the Romeo and Juliet-esque “love at first sight” phenomenon, and the classic “chase” of getting to know a potential romantic interest.

“There’s just no spark online,” Jake said. “It takes the heart out of dating.”

A survey of 57 CHS students revealed that 74 percent of students have never used a dating app, and the 26 percent who have used it for harmless entertainment and fun.

“I would not begin a relationship onadatingsite,becauseIvaluefaceto-face interactions, and would not want to be limited or characterized by a picture or profile,” junior Jack Wathieu said. “On the flip side, I wouldn’t want my first impression of someone to be restricted to what they want me to see.”

Out of the 57 students, 25 percent would consider using an app like Tinder for the purpose of starting a relationship, but only 11 percent of the 57 consider meeting a partner online “romantic.”

“I feel like technology is dehumanizing love a bit, senior Ximena Tellez said. “I think people need to use online dating as a last resort to find a significant other, but if they can, they should try to find love wherever they are.”

Technology is great for many purposes, but whether it can be used to find romance is up for debate. After all, “We met on Tinder” is no match for the classic “We met at a coffee shop” story.

“You may have preferences you are not even aware of and cannot admit, so I think liking or loving someone is best in person when you can have the goods and the bads in their fullest forms,” Wathieu said.

Features To: Elizabeth Campbell From: Kyle Parisi I love you amd you love journalism, so I agreed I would let Daniel and Katie C solicit money from me. Happy Valentine’s Day!

theObserver

To: Maddie Russo Love, Sean Nguyen Dear Maddie, Happy Valentine’s Day to you.

Thanks for being a great friend to me this year. You are a pretty and intelligent girl ever.

Sincerely, Sean!

To: Kaitlin Cruz Love, Daniel Guapa--What was the BC homework?

To: Emma Jin Love, Bradley Soll It’s been so long since I last looked upon your angelic face, my love. I can’t believe things went so wrong between us, all on this day of love, I have realized how much I love you. I want to rekindle the flame of our passion. You are my one and only, Sara. XOXO, Bradley.

To: Jillian Ratrauale From: Thomas Atkinson Much love to the one and only devil.

To: Max Bloomfield Love, a Member of the Group Daniel Bloomfiend “So Hi Date, this is just to annoy you *takes a bow* Happy Heart Day

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To: Anand Upender From: Your secret admirer Your sweater game is on point.

To: Jake Ruben From: Inigo Montoya Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die.

To: Sylvia McNelly Love,Cecilia Mustelin “Hey Milk! Hope you have a great Valentine’s Day and eat plenty of chocolate. You should also play many hours of Animal Jam. Don’t eat the strawberry peeps.”

To: John Walsh Love, Maxe “You’re decent… Love you”

To: Katherine Michael Love, Not so secret admirer To the sweetest gal ever--You always know how to make my day.

To: Alissa Li Love, Your Special Someone You’re a fine human specimen. Better than all of the other homosapians.

To: Liza Gunther Love: Unknown?

Give me your candy. Sorry for not being here on Monday.

To: Derek Altobello Love: Nicole Gordon had me get you this. He paid for it and said you’d pay him back.

You’re the best! :) HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

To: Hannah Freeman Love, Cecilia Mustelin “Hey Hannah! I hope you have a great Valentine’s Day. Play lots of Little Big Planet (make sure to put up the cow and the duck stickers) I hope we can hang out soon.”

To: The J Love, Mrs. Knarr Print paper, online stories, social media, videos...how do you do it all?!

You are all amazing. Thank you for your hard work and for making my job fun! Long live the J!

Features

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theObserver

— A five-step guide —

By Michael Fox Sports Editor Many students cannot stand the thought of having to ask a teacher for a college recommendation, but asking for a rec is nothing to get nervous over. If you are a freshman or sophomore, then don’t sweat it, you’ve got time. But if you are a junior, then it is time to start preparing to pop the big question. All you have to do to ensure that you get that rec, follow these steps.

Step 2: Plan ahead of time You should get ready for the big question with plenty of preparation. Be ready to provide a convincing argument that you are worthy of getting a rec.

This is important so that if the teacher pops the question, “Why do you think I should write you a recommendation?,” you will be ready. Making a list of reasons and facts that can answer this question are a good strategy to use during the big moment.

write about your success in their class, so this comes back to choosing the right class. The task may be moderately difficult, yet manageable.

However, if it is too hard, then you are the only one to blame for asking.

Step 5: Write the teacher a thank you note after the recs are sent, regardless of what schools you Step 1: Pick the right Step 3: Be cool, calm get into teacher Once you’ve officially sent off the The first and most important step in and collected in the recommendation to the college of asking a teacher for a recommendation your choice, show gratitude toward moment is choosing the right teacher to ask.

Most teachers will be happy to write a student a recommendation if the student is one that they like. Be sure to pick a teacher you are friendly with, or one you can relate to.

If you are an outgoing person and actively participate in class, then you are probably in the clear when asking for the rec. If you are somewhat of a reticent student, make sure you can persuade the teacher in some way that you are worthy of his or her recommendation, like going in for extra help outside of class.

You should also consider the grade you earned in his or her class. If you went A-A in the class, then the teacher is a prime target to aim for. But if you failed to get higher than a C in the class, then chances are that you should choose a subject that you are stronger in. It should be noted that some teachers do not base their recommendations on grades, but picking the right kind of teacher for a recommendation is vital in that you want the teacher to represent you well.

No matter what happens, make sure you keep your head up and be respectful. Simply ask your teacher, “Would you please be willing to write a rec for me?” and see what the response is. You will want to use similar strategies to being in a job interview, always make eye contact and speak clearly.

It’s also crucial that you say “please” and be courteous toward the teacher. If the teacher is willing to take the time to write you a recommendation, be thankful. If not, don’t begin arguing with them, and don’t ask too many questions.

the teacher who helped you take a shot at the college of your dreams.

Thank your teacher in person and write them a thank you note. Don’t forget that your teacher was generous enough to write you a rec, so always pay attention and participate in their class. Remember that teachers aren’t required to write you a rec, so if they do, then it is coming from the goodness of their heart.

Recommendations are important, but asking for a recommendation might be difficult or nerve wracking.

If you follow these steps and execute them properly, you’ll be sure to get the job done.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Teachers’ Words of wisdom...

“

“My advice to students asking for a recommendation would be to start early. I would try to build relationships with the teachers that you think would do a good job with writing recommendations.”

Mrs. Jinny Brown Molecular Genetics

“

“I look at their overall performance in the course and their activities outside of class and in school. It doesn’t just mean your grade, it’s your participation in class discussion and activities. I definitely need to look at a kid holistically.”

Mrs. Jamie Kimbrough-Groves, Social Studies

“

“The biggest mistake that students make is sending it by email. They should ask me at the end of junior year and need them senior year. I do all of mine in summer between junior and senior year. It is much easier to do it then”

Mr. Haroot Hakopian, English

“

Step 4: Do the requirements Most teachers will ask for a specific requirement, like writing an essay about why you should be recommended by the teacher. They may also ask you to PHOTOS BY MICHAEL FOX.Efa

“I think the biggest thing that you want from a student is information about outside activities, because I know a lot about the students I’ve written recs for but there might be other things that you want to include in your rec that I might not know.”

Mr. Evan Rosenthal, Social Studies

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Arts

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Eager fans await third season of ‘House of Cards’

become intrigued by the different plot twists that surround Underwood’s political career.

“The first season of House of Cards was invigorating and edgy,” junior Austin Yang. “I thought that it had insane plot twists that constantly kept me on the edge of my seat.”

The show provides viewers with an interesting look inside the mind of a corrupt politician. One of the ways it

achieves this is by having Underwood constantly break the fourth wall by talking directly to the camera, giving the illusion that he or she is communicating with the audience. This allows the viewer to understand what is happening and gives Underwood a chance to express his opinion about what’s occurring in the show.

“Breaking the fourth wall really adds to the show,” Yang said. “You feel like Frank has total control during every episode, and it gives you a sense of relief.”

Much like Breaking Bad, viewers are not sure whether to root for or against the main character of the show. Underwood does some terrible, inhumane deeds, in order to move up in the political hierarchy.

While politicians are corrupt, the show may exaggerate what politicians are willing to do to be successful.

According to junior Nick Hinsch, the show is accurate “to some extent, but politics is not as corrupt as the show.”

Many other characters add to the quality of the show. Frank Underwood’s wife, Claire (Robin Wright, Forrest Gump), is another power-hungry

character whose goals sometimes conflict with the goals of her husband, creating intense storylines. Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara, We Are Marshall), is an aspiring journalist who uses Underwood as an inside source for her articles.

These characters become interesting as their careers begin to intertwine with Underwood’s career.

“My favorite character is Doug Stamper,” Yang said. “He does the most unexpected things in the first and second season no one saw coming.”

The show has become a huge success, showing that television streaming services, such as Netflix, may be becoming more popular than cable television.

Shows such as Orange is the New Black and House of Cards give people a good reason to pay for streaming services.

According to a January 2015 Forbes article, Netflix had 4.33 million new subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2014.

After waiting almost a year for the new season to begin, fans are eager to see what happens next. The first two seasons are available on Netflix, so be sure to clear some time to binge watch before season three begins.

pany, Kickzbyshugs, last November. I was thinking of ways to show spirit.”

According to Shugarman, designs are not only college-themed. Shoe designs can also be based around customer interests and ideas.

“My original company name was ‘College Kickz,’” Shugarman said.

“That shortly changed after I was asked multiple times if I could make a pair of shoes not college-related.”

Shugarman creates all the designs, and every pair of shoes is hand drawn with oil paint markers. She gets help managing the business from senior Alexa Liss.

“Sydney has always been a great artist and thought it would be cool to turn her art into something people actually

wear,” Liss said.

In addition to helping Shugarman with the business, Liss has purchased a pair of shoes from the company.

“I looked online for cool designs, but in the end Sydney surprised me,” Liss said. “A lot of the designs on the shoes are things that represent me. On one of my shoes there’s a hamsa, a donut and a tie-dye Buddha. ” The shoes range in price from $85 to $95, or just $40 if you provide your own shoes. Shugarman has created 13 pairs of shoes so far. Shoes can be ordered through her website, www. kickzbyshugs.com.

“The shoes are amazing, and really tell a lot about whoever is wearing them,” Liss said.

IMAGE COURTESY OF KICKZBYSHUGS.

IMAGE COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS.

House of Cards returns to Netflix Feb. 27 for its third season. most powerful politician in the U.S.

By Ross Tanenbaum government. Fans of the show have Production Editor Politics and corruption are just two of the words that describe the events that unfold in the show House of Cards.

The third season of the Netflix exclusive show, House of Cards, premieres Feb. 27. The show revolves around Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey, American Beauty), a corrupt congressman who is determined to become the

CHS senior starts personalized shoe business

By Emily Raab Production Editor

With final college decisions right around the corner, seniors have begun preparing for the next stage in their life. Beneath the pile of paperwork, everyone can finally get excited for the school they will be spending the next four years at, which for many students, means adding spiritwear to their closet.

Senior Sydney Shugarman creates and sells personalized sneakers for students to display their new school spirit.

“I came up with the idea while I was in the process of applying to colleges,” said Shugarman, who created her com-

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Arts

theObserver

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

50 Shades of Rape? Film, novels stir controversy

By Jasmine Baten Photo Editor Kim Rooney Production Editor E.L. James’ 50 Shades of Grey has raised controversy over its sexual content and portrayal of BDSM relationships since its publication in 2011 and theatrical release Feb. 13.

BDSM relationships refer to bondage, discipline, domination, submission, sadism and masochism between consenting adults.

The trilogy and upcoming film features Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson, 21 Jump Street), a college student who falls for billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan, Once Upon a Time). The series follows her relationship with him, focusing particularly on their sexual activities.

Its journey from e-book to anticipated premiere was unexpected and head-turning. It began as Twilight fan fiction. However, James changed the work’s name to 50 Shades and its location to a personal blog, then opted to repurpose her fan fiction as original novels. 50 Shades quickly became a bestselling series, shocking the world with its bold approach to a side of sex previously shaded with obscurity.

According to USA Today’s list of 100 bestselling books in 2012, 50 Shades of Grey topped the list, with

its two sequels boasting third and fourth. Suzanne Collin’s Hunger Games trilogy sported second, fifth and sixth on the list.

Criticism of the series’ blatantly erotic material skyrocketed along with sales. Anger over the content and its availability to the general public has led schools and public libraries across the country to ban the series.

According to American Libraries Association’s 2013 Report, 50 Shades was fourth on the Top 10 List of Frequently Challenged Books.

Some are concerned about the repercussions the book’s wide influence will have on younger readers and viewers. Aside from being the dominant in their sexual relationship, Grey quickly becomes deeply involved in Steele’s life and career, insisting on her signing a contract that dictates with whom she can interact, how much she can eat, how much she must exercise and how much sleep she is required to get.

“The movie and book both show a weird trend in society where young people are being convinced that a relationship is fine even if one person is constantly belittled and abused by the other,” senior Savannah Chapa said. “It basically promotes obsessive and abusive ‘love.’”

PHOTO BY KIM ROONEY.

The movie adaptation of the best-selling novel came out on Feb. 13, but since has stirred controversy over the abusive relationship between Ana and Christian.

Despite the controversy and subject material, many teens have fallen for the popular trilogy. From downloading the pdf version or reading hard copies to getting tickets for the premiere, the franchise is inadvertently attracting fans of a completely different age category than James may have intended.

“I read it on a flight to California because our flight was late and the books were there, so I was like, ‘Why not?’” senior Tiffany Russo said.

Why teens are drawn to these subjects at all is a completely different matter and is possibly even more concerning.

“At times, people tend to become interested in things they are told are not appropriate, and it’s just a natural human tendency to be curious about something that’s forbidden,” AP Psychology teacher Katelyn McMahon said.

However, this may not be teens’ fault. Adolescents are curious about sexuality, and 50 Shades explores a side of sexual relationships that is often neglected and sometimes even maligned in media.

“The trailers make the movie seem interesting, and Christian Grey’s personality is very magnetic,” senior Avinaash Sandhu said.

Stores have followed this trend, which has resulted in teenage-targeted shops like Icing selling glittery wall hangings with Grey’s quotes and handcuff bracelets.

The film industry has followed suit, adjusting restricted movies in order to make them available to

teens. In the last 10 years, 75 films were rated NC-17 upon the end of filming. However, 63 of those were dropped to an R rating by their theatrical release.

According to the Motion Picture Association of America website, Rrated films contain some adult material, where it’s suggested that parents learn about the film before taking their young children to see the movie. NC-17 movies are marked as clearly adult, where children 17 and under are not permitted.

Most would agree that 50 Shades is clearly adult. However, the film is rated R, which allows for an unintentionally younger audience, as R-ratings have come to imply that kids under the age of 17 will be able to see the movie as long as they know someone who can get them in.

“I think they should rate it NC-17 because people are going to sneak in, and I don’t think that younger children can handle it,” Russo said. “The book was intense, and I needed a break after reading some parts. Just to buy it, you need to be 18 years old, and they ask for your ID.” Suffice to say, the books’ material is eyebrow-raising and its screen sister is no different. Whether students choose to read and see the film is their choice alone, but it’s important to remember that a book is never just a book. While some may see the 50 Shades franchise as laughably awkward, its topics can leave lasting impressions on an audience that still has to get permission slips signed to participate in sex ed.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Arts

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Film fans question nominations’ lack of diversity

By Zach Silver Staff Writer

When the Oscar nominees were announced Jan. 15, movie-goers everywhere were shocked to see some of their favorite movies, actors and directors missing from the list of potential winners.

On the surface, the nominee list consists of movies with a vast array of subjects, genres and styles, but looking on a deeper level, they are all one in the same. All of the nominees for the actor and actress categories are white, and all the Best Director nominees are white males. Diversity in the award show has ultimately regressed.

“I’m not surprised because it’s common that minority actors are far less likely to play a certain role even if it has no specification of race,” senior Kalina Simeonova said.

The Academy had the opportunity to nominate the first black woman in nominating Ava DuVernay to the Best Director category for her work in Selma.

Many believe it was a lost opportunity that has reinforced the public’s already marred view of the Academy.

“There’s a long way to go before we can say the Academy is completely unbiased in their nominations,” Simeonova said.

Many think that the nominations will have an impact on the credibility of the Academy and winners of this year’s Oscars.

“I think it lessens the credibility a bit,” senior Tanya Seghal said. “They excluded so many possible people to nominate, and it’s very unlikely that this happened by chance.”

PHOTO COURTESY ALEX SILVER.

This year’s Oscar nominees are stirring controversy since most are white, with few women or minorities.

Regardless of the conflict, people believe that the Oscars will still have a regular, if not higher viewership.

“The lack of diversity has never really stopped anyone from watching these films, nor the show,” Simeonova said.

“I doubt that many people even realize how even in the film industry, minorities are discriminated against.”

On the other hand, some students believe that the film most involved

in the controversy, Selma, might have just simply been missing the spark needed to get the Best Actor and Director nominees to go along with its Best Picture nomination.

“I know a lot of people criticized Selma for one reason or another,” junior Bradley Lawrence said. “Just because there is a lack of diversity doesn’t mean there was meant to be one.”

Even with the debate over whether the Academy was purposefully leaving out potential nominees

on the basis of race, movie fans are looking to the future for reform.

According to Simeonova, there are no actions or checks in place for the public that would force the Academy to reexamine their choices or that would potentially recall its members.

“I don’t really think there’s anything the public can do about this but be patient and continue to strongly voice their thoughts on the matter,” Simeonova said.

‘Almost, Maine’ makes CHS theater debut

PHOTO BY SOFIA WILLIAMSON.

Almost, Maine, this year’s winter play, is a romance that takes place in a strange town. The play opens Feb. 27.

By Sofia Williamson Staff Writer Glory, a hiker from out of town, gets lost on her way to see the Northern Lights and suddenly appears with

a tent in a stranger’s backyard, wondering where she is. The stranger, introduced as East, explains that this territory is not on the map… it’s just Almost.

CHS’ production of Almost,

Maine, a play that centers on a series of skits all taking place in a remote area of northern Maine, opens Feb. 27 in the auditorium.

“We needed a play that was ‘no costumes, no accents,’” said Rachel A.

Gates, CHS’ long-term substitute theater teacher.

According to Gates, she wanted a minimalist play with more than four actors. Choral Music Department Head Matthew Albright suggested Almost, Maine, a good fit due to its large cast of 20 actors and everyday, modern costumes.

The play is set on a Friday night in an isolated, unmapped region of Northern Maine called Almost. Its series of skits reflects the situations of different couples living in Almost. Through the use of compelling, sometimes ironic metaphors, the couple’s situation is resolved for better or for worse.

“It’s a very romantic play,” freshman Callista Warren said. “If that’s what you’re into, you should definitely see it.”

According to Gates, the actors were given scripts before winter break to have memorized when they returned. The actors rehearse every day after school, with a mandatory rehearsal each week.

Money from school play ticket sales and Almost, Maine ticket sales will serve as funding, with little money needed to spend on costumes and props due to the play’s simplicity.

“My favorite part of rehearsals have simply been the opportunity to act,” sophomore Bardia Memar said.

Opening night is Feb. 27, and tickets will be on sale in the auditorium for $10 for adults and $8 for students.

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Sports

theObserver

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Cheaters never win, winners never cheat; really?

PHOTO BY JAKE CERTNER.

Some football teams inflate or deflate footballs depending on their liking.

By Jake Certner Staff Writer If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying. This old sports adage that rings true today begs the bigger question: When does gamesmanship become a disgrace to the sport?

Prior to the New England Patriots becoming the 2015 Super Bowl Champions, they were accused of using illegally underinflated balls in the AFC championship against the Indianapolis Colts. True cheating is a heinous, shameful act that

ruins the integrity of sports. However, sometimes the so-called “cheating” is confused with cunning.

Since the beginning of professional sports, cheating has been prevalent, whether it be steroids or spitballs or spying on practices, but a lot of what leagues consider to be cheating is actually promoted. This is due to the fact that “cheating” is an umbrella word used in far too many situations.

According to a September 2013 PacificStandard.com sports article, NBA players who can flop or set illegal screens properly are masters of a “veteran move.”

Flopping is considered a form of

cheating by the NBA and provokes a fine, but no one would ever consider keeping an NBA player out of the Hall of Fame for flopping the way the MLB excludes players who used steroids. Obviously, flopping is merely a loophole. Although it is frowned upon by the league, it is more of a way of getting around rules rather than directly breaking them. It is similar to when a baseball player pretends to have caught a ball directly out of the air even if it slightly bounces, an act that is in no way discouraged by MLB rules.

That is the thin line between resourcefulness and unfair play. It is the line that makes the word “cheating” so ambiguous.

The use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) that plagued the MLB through the 1990s and early 2000s has tainted the careers of countless players and left a bad taste in the mouth of fans all around the league. This is because PEDs cross the line and enter the territory of disrespect to the game.

According to John O’Leary’s book, Doping in Sports, the essence of a sport is tainted when the “success or failure” of a competitor is no longer the result of “natural talents.”

Therefore, when Tom Brady uses deflated balls, an MLB pitcher spits on the baseball, or an NBA player fakes a foul, the players’ ability is still the prominent reason that team wins, thus the integrity of the sport is intact.

In professional sports everyone is expected to do whatever he can, whenever he can in order to win. It is the athlete’s sole job to provide a victory, and due to the importance of winning in these leagues, bending rules has become commonplace and generally accepted as part of the game. However, not everyone

is a professional, so when the type of deceitful play we see from the pros trickles down to the coaches and players of youth athletics, it poses a true issue.

When kids see their favorite professional athletes showing no sportsmanship, they learn it is better to play dirty and win than show sportsmanship and lose, a dangerous message that stains the entire realm of athletics.

In a perfect world there would be no cheating, but the professional world of sports is far from perfect. It is understood that most questionable tactics can be overlooked to a certain degree because there is a good chance that somewhere down the line, the other team is going to do the same thing.

Kids should be learning to play sports strictly by the rules, not learning to emulate the underhanded tactics of athletes with million dollar careers on the line.

According to an April 2014 TheFumble.com article, the issue with this type of play is that kids are getting “pure joy from receiving the call” by the referee, and are doing anything they can to win, whether it’s fair or not.

When people see pros bending the rules, they too begin to believe that playing dirty is fine so long as you win. This is why flopping, using deflated balls, and PEDs are all labeled as cheating. Although bending the rules does not ruin the game the way PEDs do, it encourages a message that damages the purity of sports.

The next time an NBA player sets an unusually hard screen, or a football team tampers with the balls, do not immediately label them a disgrace to the sport, but at the same time do not allow yourself to believe that because it happens in the professional leagues, it is the right way to play the game.

Redskins fans unsure about new GM McCloughan

By Ben Dross Staff Writer After the promotion of Bruce Allen, former Redskins General Manager turned President of Football Operations, CHS students are not very optimistic about the hiring of General Manager Scot McCloughan.

McCloughan is known to be a high profile scout, credited with drafting players like Patrick Willis, Frank Gore, Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman. He played an integral role in creating teams, such as the Seahawks (2010-2014) and 49ers (2005-2010), with both teams reaching a Super Bowl using many of the players drafted. He has been forced to leave jobs with both teams because of problems with alcohol. Many of his alcohol problems stemmed from stress when dealing with football, making many Redskins fans worry about this high profile hire.

“I don’t think he will have a big impact,” freshman Daniel Pyo said.

According to Pyo, he hopes that if anything, McCloughan’s problems with drugs will not make the team worse than it was before.

However, Redskins owner Dan Snyder often overrides his staff when it comes to bringing in high profile players.

According to Senior Max Alpert, Snyder values money over winning, and could “possibly” interfere with how he chooses players and personnel.

CHS students are not big fans of the owner to begin with, and many feel he will hurt McCloughan’s performance.

“He will probably pressure [McCloughan] on a decision on RGIII,” freshman Bradford Wood said. “He is the worst owner in the league.”

The main problem with the hiring

PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS.

New Redskins GM Scot McCloughan (left) led both the 49ers and Seahawks to a Super Bowl appearance. of McCloughan, though, is his alcoholism, which has led to some troubling behavior.

According a December 2014 ESPN Magazine article, McCloughan would sneak vodka into Gatorade bottles during the workday, and he was forced to check into a rehab facility.

Many critics worry that his off-thefield problems will interfere with his job as Redskins General Manager.

According to Wood, McCloughan’s actions set “a bad example for the team.”

However, some people refer to McCloughan as the best talent evaluator in the NFL, something the Redskins have lacked for the last few years. With the Redskins struggling on both sides of the ball, it is crucial that McCloughan drafts the right players in this upcoming draft to help the team return to prominence.

“It’s good because [McCloughan] draft-

ed good players,” Wood said. “The secondary and offensive line are big needs.”

McCloughan was responsible for the drafting of six 2014 Pro Bowlers in his tenures with the Seahawks and the 49ers, and the Redskins believe that his eye for talent will be helpful, but the fans are not fully on board. At CHS, the students are not so excited about the new kid on the block, and are hoping this hire does not turn out to be a mistake.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Sports

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theObserver

Varsity one hockey skates through playoff push

By Michael Fox Sports Editor

Offense wins games, but defense wins championships. Fortunately the CHS hockey team is lucky enough to have both a dominant defense and an explosive offense.

The hockey team is approaching the playoffs with a 14-1 overall record and a 9-0 league record. The team rolled into the postseason as the number one seed in the league, defeating WJ 7-0.

“Our biggest win this year is our 8-2 win against Wootton,” junior goalie Markus Hurd said. “It is always good to beat our rival, but to beat them by six goals was a great way to show what we are capable of.”

The team’s talent and performance compares to that of two years ago when the Bulldogs won the state championship for the 2012-2013 winter season.

“Although we were good [last year], we were not quite as good as Wootton,” senior captain Ross Allen said. “However, as we have shown, that is not the case anymore. If I were to compare this team’s talent to another year, it would be [my] sophomore year when we won the state championship.”

Senior captain Jacob Arden believes

“The team’s strengths are our depth, talent and ability to possess and work the puck around,” Allen said. “We have all worked hard during pr3actice so we are all in good shape and can outwork other teams.”

Arden not only plays defense, but he also contributes significantly on offense.

Arden has eight goals and 14 assists in his first 15 games of the season, but Kurapov has been the man to watch, as he scored 43 points in the regular season.

The Bulldogs rely on junior goalie

Markus Hurd to come up in the clutch when needed. Hurd has only allowed 11 goals in the first 15 games of the season and has continued to have solid performances against rivals Wootton and Whitman.

“To make it to states we need to continue to work at every practice and take each game one at a time,” Hurd said. “Each and every game is an opportunity to learn and grow as a team.”

With so many possible scorers on the ice at one time, the team must remember that hockey is a team sport, and in order to score, the team needs to work as one unit.

“Our weakness is our own skill,” Hurd said. “With all the talent on our team it is easy to rely on other players to get the job done, when in reality it takes every player on the team to work as hard as they can to win.”

In order to get back to the state championship, the team will need to battle its way through divisional opponents.

“We have to win our conference playoffs, most likely having to beat either WJ or Whitman and then likely Wootton,” head coach Ray McKenzie said.

The Bulldogs seem to be the biggest threat in the league, as the team is eager to repeat history and claim the championship trophy yet again.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHURCHILL SOCCER.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EUNBBIE KIM.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL FOX.

The Bulldogs stand proudly after their 11-0 win against the B-CC Barons on senior night Feb. 6. The team will play in the state semifinals Feb. 23. that this year’s team is better in some aspects compared to the state championship team from two years ago.

“Compared to our last state championship in 2013, we are much more deep,” Arden said. “We have three full lines and five defensemen that would be the best on any other team.”

The team has seen much success through its chemistry and execution on the ice. Key offensemen include Allen, junior Philip Satin and sophomore Andrew Kurapov.

Senior wrestler wins 100th game of career

By Jonathan Greenzaid Online Sports Editor After a gruesome physical and mental battle, the final whistle blows, and the referee lifts the victor’s hand for the 100th time in his career. This victor is none other than senior Guilian Groce.

Groce reached his 100th victory as a CHS wrestler against Clarksburg Feb. 3, a milestone that has also been completed by ‘14 graduates Adama Keita and Hunter Sutton.

“It felt awesome because it is just one of those things that most other people

won’t feel,” Groce said. “I am one of the few in CHS history that has gotten 100 wins.”

According to Groce, he hopes to place first at States, and his strong work ethic gives him the confidence.

“My work ethic is something that most people in the county don’t understand,” Groce said. “I am putting in the work to achieve my goals. I’ve been in an environment to push myself my whole life because my dad is a bodybuilder, a top winning one, so all my life he has been training me to be the best that I can.”

Athletes Commit

PHOTO COURTESY OF GUILIAN GROCE.

Senior Gulian Groce challenges his opponent in a match between CHS, Wootton and Watkins Mill high school on Feb. 7.

Senior Victoria Humphries

Senior Eunbbie Kim

Congratulations to senior Victoria Humphries who recently committed to play soccer at Frostburg State University next year.

Humphries has been playing soccer for 10 years, including four on the CHS varsity team.

“On the field I think the CHS team helped me develop as a player because it made me play smarter and work harder,” Humphries said. “On and off the field we were a family, so I developed a lot of great friendships.”

Humphries chose Frostburg because of the team’s friendly dynamic and the school’s close proximity to Potomac.

“I’m really looking forward to playing next year and making new friendships,” Humphries said. “I love new experiences, so it should be really fun.”

Congratulations to senior Eunbbie Kim who recently committed to play golf at Bucknell University next year.

“I started playing golf when I was around 9 years old.” Kim said. “I loved the game, but I actually didn’t play often and started competitive golf only right after eighth grade.”

Even so, Kim has risen to become one of the top competitors for CHS and has been on varsity golf for all four years of high school.

Kim plans to do a pre-med track, majoring in biology and minoring in psychology. However, she is most looking forward to playing for the school.

“I am most excited to compete against student athletes who are as motivated and passionate as I am with the game of golf,” Kim said.

Sports

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theObserver

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

CHS alum named head coach for Dirty Thirty

By Nathan Deychman Staff Writer

“It has been my dream to be in this position ever since I started coaching 11 years ago,” Song said.

Albert Song was officially named the Another effect of the new hire is new head coach for the CHS varsity the loss of CHS’ defensive coordinafootball team Feb. 2. tor, Willie Williams. Williams applied After the resignation of former head for the head coaching job and was coach Joe Allen, athletic director Scott even recommended by Allen. As a Rivinius went through a lengthy hir- result of not getting his job, Williams ing process before choosing Song over has resigned from his position. Wilseveral other candidates. liams is a former NFL player and has “Coach several years Song stood of experience “We need to bring the out for his at the high excitement back to the passion and school coachfootball program.” enthusiasm ing level. for Churchill The Bull-Albert Song football,” Ridogs came off vinius said. a 6-4 season “He is highly organized, knowledge- this past year and are looking to able of the game and wants to build improve next year under new leadthe best program he can, both on and ership and a new group of players. off the field.”

“I believe Coach Song can build Song is a 1996 CHS graduate and has off of that success and get returnspent the past six years as an assistant ing players, as well as new players coach for Seneca Valley. Currently, excited to play for CHS football,” Song is an English teacher at Seneca Rivinius said.

Valley and has served as the team’s Hopefully, the CHS football prooffensive coordinator the past two sea- gram will return next year better than sons. Prior to coaching at Seneca Valley, before and prepared for a potential Song was an assistant coach for CHS playoff berth. from 2006-2008, serving as the JV head “We need to bring the excitement coach during the 2008 season. back to the football program,” Song said.

“

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHURCHILL ATHLETICS.

After 11 years of coaching, 1996 CHS alumnus Albert Song will start as head coach for the varsity football team in the 2015-2016 school year.

Senior races her way past school track record

Emiliana Cardinale Production Editor

PHOTO BY JOEL GOLDSTEIN.

The Bulldogs practice after school to continue improving their record. Camaraderie and work ethic are just some of the benefits of the season for the team.

For Bulldogs, winning isn’t just about the score

By Joel Goldstein Staff Writer

The boys varsity basketball team hasn’t reached its expectations so far, having a record of 4-15 in its first 19 games.

Along the rough road, the Bulldogs have learned important values, such as perseverance and unity, without always being able to win.

“Being on a team has taught me values and work ethic,” junior guard Michael Yazdani said. “It teaches me how to work with others as a team.”

Head coach Robert Bean has noticed recent progress from the team despite its losing record.

“We are better and we are playing better than what our record indicates,” Bean said. “They are pretty optimistic moving forward.”

The players manage to keep a high morale and continue to improve, often using their relationships to help them.

“I have become good friends with everyone on the team and they all

feel like brothers to me,” sophomore Henry Njumbe said. “We all tell each other everything, starting from problems on the court, to problems off the court.”

Despite starting the season 0-9, the team’s recent success has given them hope.

“We keep our confidence because we know we have the ability to complete with all the teams we have played,” Yazdani said. “The team focuses on future games and doesn’t think about the past losses.”

Throughout all of this, the team has shown great desire to succeed.

“I think a lot of it has to do with their competitiveness,” Bean said.

“They love competing, and they want to win.”

According to athletic director Scott Rivinius, regardless of the sport’s or team’s record, players can learn a lot about themselves as a group and as an individual.

“This will help you build character, drive and determination that will help you when you leave CHS.” Rivinius said.

Senior Lucy Srour finished the Virginia Tech invitational Jan. 31 with a mile time of 5:05, breaking the previous CHS record of 5:06, which Maryam Fikri set in 2008 and held for about six years.

“It was super exciting, but it was extra exciting that this happened senior year because it’s my last year running for Churchill,” Srour said.

According to head coach Scott Silverstein, the achievement is quite significant for two reasons. The first reason is that the record was originally set during the outdoor season, but Srour beat the record during the indoor season, where it is much more challenging to run.

“It was a very emotional moment,” Silverstein said. “Breaking the record is a way for her to leave her mark.”

The second is that Srour has also had to overcome serious injuries and

the obstacles that came along with them.

“Last year specifically, I got a stress fracture in my foot and it ended my outdoor track season, which was upsetting because I was just starting to run my fastest times,” Srour said. “It’s always hard to stay positive about running in times like that.”

According to Silverstein, although Srour had doubts and struggled through these injuries, she is now better than ever.

“The injuries held her back,” Silverstein said. “Now that she’s no longer injured, she’s hitting that potential we all expect.”

Srour plans to continue track and cross country, no matter where she goes to college.

“I plan on running in college and will most likely be committing somewhere but I am not completely sure where yet,” Srour said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SCOTT SILVERSTEIN.

Srour comepetes in the mile during the Virginia Tech invitational Jan. 31.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Sports

theObserver

19

Karim-Duvall makes history with 1,000 career points

By Julia McDermott Sports Editor Hannah Yasharoff Public Relations Manager

seven points, the Bulldogs were leading the Wildcats 31-14, and Japria’s family and friends were huddled together in the stands, fingers crossed and fists clenched, all hoping for another 13.

In the past 25 years, perhaps even Taking the second half by storm, in the entire history of CHS athletics, Karim-Duvall was on her scoring only three girls basketball players have game, doing what she had been scored 1,000 career points. Japria Karim- doing all season. Finishing the 3rd Duvall has just become the fourth. quarter with her point total inWhen girls basketball faced Walter creased to 16, including four deep Johnson Jan. 22, Karim-Duvall, a senior three-pointers, she went into the 4th guard and captain, finished with 21 with only four points to go. The next points, securing the 1,000th point of basket, a short hook from the paint her CHS basketball career. with five and a half minutes left, had “I knew I was close, but I didn’t the crowd, and most notably the CHS think I was going to reach it that Goon Squad, going wild. game,” Karim-Duvall said. “When we “We weren’t positive if she knew play WJ it’s always a tough and aggres- how close she was or not, but we sive game, and I don’t normally get as had a poster ready,” senior Goon many shots off, so the fact that I got it Squad member Cece Wallerstedt then was overwhelming.” said. “A bunch of the guys kept Walking into the WJ gym on a chilly yelling to give the ball to her and Thursday night, Karim-Duvall was we were super eager and started trying not to focus on the fact that she freaking out every time Churchill was only 20 points from such a rare got the ball.” feat, the big 1,000, a number that only The next four minutes, however, a selective, elite group from Montgom- were driven heavily by WJ as the Wildery County has ever achieved. cats scored nine unanswered points.

“It’s really hard in Montgomery With three minutes and two points County to score 1,000 because we don’t to go, Karim-Duvall had multiple play as many games as failed shot other areas of the counattempts, At first it didn’t really hit even maktry do,” athletic direcme that it was 1,000...Then I ing a threetor Scott Rivinius said. couldn’t stop smiling.”

“To score 1,000, you pointer really have to play as that the a freshman and score Senior Japria Karim-Duvall r e f e r e e s enough to have a shot. quickly She played on a strong team her fresh- deemed a shot clock violation. man year, and she’s been a big scorer in But with CHS up 54-43 and only a the county since.” minute and 10 seconds on the clock, Since her first varsity game in Karim-Duvall was fouled on a pass at December 2011, Karim-Duvall has the top of the key, sending her to the been a major scoring threat for the line to shoot one and one, and giving Bulldogs, finishing the regular season her one of her last opportunities to with 300 points in 20 games. score her final two points.

“Through the years, she’s added “I thought ‘this could be it,’” more and more to her play,” head Karim-Duvall said. “I was so nercoach Katelyn McMahon said. “She vous that I would miss. It was crazy has just become more and more that it happened at the free throw versatile each year.” line. I couldn’t ask for a better situGoing into Thursday night’s game, ation. I don’t think it would have Karim-Duvall had 980 career points. With been the same if it would have been a season scoring average of 15.6 points, a jump shot or a layup.” the chances of her reaching 1,000 were The ball swished effortlessly high but not definite. A local rival, WJ through the net once, and then again would not be easy to defeat, and would on her second attempt, enacting a roar be sure to man-mark Karim-Duvall, a from spectators as Karim-Duvall’s standout player for the Bulldog offense. family jumped up in celebration, the “We wanted to keep the pressure off Goon Squad proudly displaying a and before the game I didn’t tell her banner reading “1,000” behind them. exactly where she was with points,” “We’re just very proud of her,” McMahon said. “We just planned for Karim-Duvall’s mother, Shahida WJ, and I knew if we did that, it would Wilson said. “We tried not to put take care of her points, too.” pressure on her, but she knew how By the half, Karim-Duvall had many points she needed. I told her

“

PHOTO BY HANNAH YASHAROFF.

Senior Japria Karim-Duvall makes a free throw to score her 1000th point. to just go out there, play her best game, and have fun. She knew what she needed to do.”

Among those celebrating was Alis Freeman, CHS assistant coach, Karim-Duvall’s cousin and another 1,000 point scorer for CHS. Contributing to the state-title-winning ‘02 and ‘03 teams, Freeman (‘03) played with the two other players to reach this achievement, alumnas Catherine Adams (‘04) and Morgan Hatten (‘04).

“It’s a huge accomplishment and takes a lot of hard work to get there,” Freeman said. “It was great to see.”

After beating WJ 60-48, the Bulldogs presented Karim-Duvall with a framed photo and “Congratulations Japria” cake as the team both congratulated her on her achievement and celebrated CHS’s big rivalry win.

“I have played with Japria since 2nd grade and it was awesome to see her accomplish this,” senior captain Isabella Wu said. “She is a great player who always encourages us to do our best and a good leader too.”

Known around the county for her extremely high level of play, KarimDuvall is not only a scoring threat.

This season, she is averaging 6.5 rebounds, three assists and four steals a game, which, according to McMahon, raises the play of the entire team.

“She’s not just a scorer, she does

everything: she passes, she defends, she rebounds,” Rivinius said. “Other people that score 1,000 points might be great shooters, but she scores in a variety of ways. She elevates her teammates play, and not all scorers do that. She’s definitely a complete basketball player.”

According to McMahon, the Bulldogs are looking good for the postseason, starting and the team hopes to carry its momentum into playoffs with the help of Karim-Duvall, who, despite such an individual achievement, is willing to pass and could not be more committed to the success of the team as a whole.

“She earned every single one of her points and it was really cool to see someone achieve such a great milestone and be a part of it,” McMahon said. “I expected her to do big things.

She can do whatever she wants to do.

She definitely can.”

Whatever the future holds for Karim-Duvall, she will be able to proudly recall the night she reached such a rare accomplishment.

“At first it didn’t really hit me that it was 1,000 and later I thought to myself and I was like, ‘There’s only [three] other people at Churchill who have done this,’” Karim-Duvall said. “Then I couldn’t stop smiling.”

observer

Winston Churchill High School 11300 Gainsborough Rd. Potomac,MD 20854

the churchill

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de

www.thechurchillobserver.com

Volume 39 - Issue 5

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

skating, but the type of skates he was wearing. Figure skates didn’t suit him; only hockey skates did the trick.

Since the switch and the joining of his first team when he was 4 years old, Kurapov has maintained his preference for hockey skates, spending the spring of 2014 trav-

eling from his former home in Oregon to Canada every weekend to play hockey.

Now, after moving to Maryland, sophomore Kurapov is a member of the varsity 1 hockey team.

“The guys welcomed me to the team and we went out for a team dinner, so I got comfortable pretty quickly,” Kurapov said. “It has been pretty cool. We get along well and play well too.”

In the 14 games in which he has played for the Bulldogs, Kurapov has scored 23 goals and had 22 assists, making him the team’s top scorer.

“He has a good sense of the game, and he usually knows where he is going to go with the puck before he gets it,” head coach Ray McKenzie said. “He has the moves of a great goal scorer.”

As an offensive leader for the Bulldogs who still helps out on defense, Kurapov has been an extremely dynamic player for CHS this season, contributing to wins over rival teams such as WJ, Whitman and Wootton, the 2014 state champions.

“He passes as well as anyone on our team and does a great job of setting other people up for goals,” McKenzie said. “He works hard defensively and sets a great example.”

Known by his teammates for his intense concentration, it is his undeniable persistence and hard work that makes Kurapov a leading player for the varsity 1 team.

“Andrew is a great teammate to play with,” junior and varsity one player Trevor Dixon said.

“He always has a positive atti tude and is focused for practice as well as games.”

Combined with a seasoned CHS

squad selected specifically for the varsity 1 team, including many 2013 state champion winners, Kurapov adds an extra element to an already dangerous offense.

“I play with Phil Satin and I like that because we both see the ice well and know where each other is,” Kurapov said. “We have developed great chemistry this season and hopefully it continues.”

Although he’s not the biggest or tallest player on the ice, Kurapov still finds a way to stand out, weaving through opponents with his impeccable stick skills, a blur of a blue jersey and the number 92.

“Andrew makes the players around him better, which is not easy to do,” McKenzie said. “He’s a team player who likes to pass as much as score. He works hard in practice and has a great attitude on and off the ice.”

With Kurapov starting on the CHS front line, the Bulldogs have their eyes set on the postseason, where they may face rivals Wootton and B-CC. The ultimate goal, however, is to repeat the team’s achievement in 2013 and win another state championship.

“Hockey is special to me because I’ve been playing it for a really long time,” Kurapov said. “I’m happy about my achievements, and I’m hoping to make another with the Churchill team.”

With two years left to play for CHS and a likely lengthy hockey career ahead of him, Kurapov is aiming to play hockey for U.S. Juniors, a Division I college program, and ultimately, the NHL. “Andrew is an excellent player who will continue to get better,” McKenzie said. “The sky is the limit for his hockey future.”

spirit not just for sports but for academics, musical performances, extracurriculars, anything that the school can do together.”

The girls basketball team’s record is 11-4 overall and is 7-1 in the past eight games, and the Goon Squad has played a supporting role in the girl’s success, according to McMahon “They are very loud and entertaining,” McMahon said. “The girls love the idea that there are students in the school who want to come see them play, especially because we are doing very well this year and have a very hardworking group of kids.”

The Goon Squad brings a number of basketball cheers to the girls games and focuses on cheering for CHS players, not against the other team. They even take to the games a spirit stick that Rosenthal’s Philosophy class helped create.

According to McMahon, the Goon Squad’s cheers help bring more energy to the defense and encourage the players to play well.

“It’s great having a big crowd there,” senior point guard Isabella Wu said.

“Their cheering gets me focused and into the game and puts me into a good mindset coming into the game.”

Since starting in mid-December, the Goon Squad has been to several of the team’s games this season and has created clever cheers for individual players “I like when they have individual cheers that they will do for our girls,” McMahon said. “Jan. 22 was really special because they created a Japria chant when she scored her one-thousandth point. It kept going for a while. It was pretty cool to have her recognized not only by her family and teammates, but

the student body as well.”

According to member Jack Langerman, the Goon Squad helps promote unity around the school.

“Everyone is just having fun with it,” Langerman said. “We are supporting our school, and hopefully others will support us whether it’s on the sports field or in Blast or Mr. Churchill.”

The Goon Squad’s main purpose is not just to raise school spirit at girls basketball games but to do so at all school events.

“The point I’m trying to make is that CHS does not have to be so nose-to-theground,” Rosenthal said. “We can take a breather and really enjoy being a part of the high school experience. It allows parents to have more fun also, and the community becomes more involved. It is important that we come together.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW KURAPOV.

Kurapov scores a goal for the Bulldogs against Wootton Nov. 14. parents, and absolutely hated it. The

By Julia McDermott problem, however, was not the act of Sports Editor When he was just 2 years old, Andrew Kurapov put on a pair of skates and stepped onto the ice for the very first time. He tried them out on a couple of local ice rinks, skating with the help of his

Goon squad works to spread schoolwide spirit

By Jonathan Greenzaid Online Sports Editor

Dressed in all white, the CHS Goon Squad begins to sing a medley of Disney songs in order to distract the opposing team’s free throw shooter. The player misses both shots, and the Goon Squad erupts into a frenzy of jumping and yelling.

Started by girls varsity basketball coach Katelyn McMahon and Philosophy and World History teacher Evan Rosenthal, the Goon Squad is a group of students who cheer and raise spirit at girls basketball games.

“The goal overall is to build spirit around CHS, not just sporting events,” Rosenthal said. “Sports are an easy way to bring people together, but I think it is ultimately important to build school

Team records* Girls 15-4 s boy5 4-1

Wresting 6-5-2

*AS OF 2/19/15

Swim and Dive Boys 2-1-3 girls 3-0-3

Track and Field Next meet 3/24

FOR UP-TO-DATE SCORES AND STATS, FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @ CHS_OBSERVER.