The Churchill Observer- November 2016

Montgomery County Public Schools Winston Churchill High School 11300 Gainsborough Rd. Potomac, MD 20854

thechurchillobserver.com

December 2, 2016

Volume 41 - Issue 3

A National Blue Ribbon School

MCPS Debates Cutting Some Science Courses

By Thomas Atkinson News Editor Bryan Fletcher Production Editor

M

CPS is debating whether or not to eliminate all science courses that are not part of the county curriculum.

If the decision is approved, Molecular Genetics, Matter and Energy, Astronomy and Anatomy could be excluded from the MCPS Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculum.

However, a more immediate change is that the curriculum for science courses is that they are being changed to align with the Maryland State Science Standards and the Common Core State Standards for Literacy and Mathematics.

“Students are going to have to study more science fields like chemistry and physics,” Biology teacher Sara Nemati said. “There may be some challenges in that some topics that are important for AP Biology are reduced or absent.”

According to Physics teacher Adam Fugal, the change was proposed due to the MCPS Board of Education

(BOE) believing that many non-traditional science classes had become negligent in their testing efforts.

If this proposal passes, students will need to pass the new Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA) beginning in 2018 in order to graduate. This assessment will contain many different sciences such as Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

“The new curriculum will reflect the interconnected nature of science as it is experienced in the real world,” MCPS Public Information Officer Derek Turner said.

Despite the revision, CHS science teachers have ideas to work with the program and mold it in order to benefit all students.

“I think most science teachers agree that there are some positive and negative aspects to the curriculum,” Nemati said. “I think we have more fun activities and group work, which most students enjoy. The Next Generation Science Standards have a lot of interesting ideas and it’s good that you have to work on developing skills rather than memorizing a textbook.”

Many students who have taken the non-core science courses such as Molecular

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEREMY CHANG.

Junior Julie Cooper and senior Sarah Morgan work on a gel electrophoresis lab in Molecular Genetics.

Genetics and Anatomy believe that if this change passes it will ultimately hinder students learning.

“I think it’s really important to offer science classes other than the core classes because it can help students find something they are really

passionate about and maybe even find something they want to pursue as a career,” senior Jackie Fasano said.

“Taking that away is taking away an opportunity for students to apply themselves in a course that could be beneficial in the real world.”

incidents to be eligible for a waiver.

A BOE meeting will be held in December to vote on the final calendar plan.

According to an Oct. 10 Washington Post article, the BOE backed a 2017-2018 calendar that started school before Labor Day, which kept spring break intact, built in additional snow days and ended school on June 14, 2018.

Supporters of the later start date claim starting school after Labor Day could boost Maryland’s economy, specifically in the tourism industry. In addition, the state could supposedly save energy costs since August is the second hottest month. With an extended summer vacation, families can spend more time together.

However, all Maryland schools are required to have 180 instructional days a year.

In order to comply with

the new mandate, schools will have to change their calendars. Breaks may have to be shortened, and some holidays might have to be removed from the calendar, such as Muslim and Jewish holidays that MCPS allocated as days off for earlier in the year.

“If MCPS changed the Muslim holidays, they would have to change all of [the] other religious holidays,” principal Joan Benz said. “If that happens, it will become much larger than just the start time of the school year.”

Furthermore, teachers are concerned about preparing students for tests due to time constraints created by this schedule. AP test dates and school start dates are not correlated, meaning those test dates will not change even with a shortened school year.

Next School Year To Begin After Labor Day

By Brandon Li Circulation Manager Matthew Sun Fact Checker Governor Larry Hogan denied the waiver the that MCPS Board of Education (BOE) requested to start school before Labor Day, forcing MCPS to start the 2017-2018 school year after Labor Day. In August, Hogan issued a mandate requiring all public schools in Maryland to start school after Labor Day. School districts were allowed to apply for a waiver to start school before Labor Day, but needed compelling justification to change the start date. After debating for weeks, MCPS agreed to comply with the mandate and plans to start the 2017-2018 school year on Tues., Sept. 5, 2017 and end no

News

Election 2016 See how MCPS students reacted to election results.

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later than Fri., June 15, 2018.

“I think it is a poorly made decision that doesn’t truly reflect the wants and needs of our large and varied state,” sophomore Jerry Wang said.

“It may remove holidays from the schedule, which may increase stress and unhappiness in students.”

In October, the BOE voted to apply for a waiver to start school before Labor Day. Shortly after the vote was finalized, Governor Hogan amended his mandate, adding more requirements in order for states to apply for a waiver.

The requirements made it nearly impossible for school districts to apply for a waiver, including MCPS. According to an Oct. 16 Washington Post article, Hogan only allowed a few charter schools and school districts who have closed school in the past for many days due to weather-related

Features

Mandela Effect Learn more about the conspiracy theory everyone is talking about.

Page 8,9

Arts

Gilmore Girls Netflix revives show for dedicated viewers.

Page 12

Sports

Volleyball

Catch up on Volleyball’s succesful fall season.

Page 15

Bulldog Day of Community Service

By Eugenia Cardinale Editor-in-Chief

The CHS’ Students Promoting Integrity, Character, and Enthusiasm (SPICE) Club held the Bulldog Day of Community Service Nov. 22.

SPICE Club was founded two years ago to replace a branch of the PTSA called the Character Education and Student Life Committee.

“Our aim is to lift the spirits of the CHS population,” senior and SPICE Club member Matthew Tiberino said.

The day of community service encourages CHS students to give back to the less fortunate. This is the first time in several years that it was held.

“The Bulldog Day of Community service is a day in which we bring the CHS community together to acknowledge our surroundings and give back to those in need,” Tiberino said. “We will host activities in which students will make decorations in hopes of bringing some holiday cheer to those who are less fortunate than we are.”

Students were able to earn SSL Hours by participating in various activities such as making cards, paper fortune cookie, fortune tellers, snowflake, scrunchies and friendship bracelets. All the arts and crafts made was donated to cancer patients at the Children’s Inn at NIH.

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News

December 2, 2016

Election Results Move Students to Vocalize Beliefs

By Rebecca Jackson Online Features Editor

For the past year, America has been bombarded with name-calling, mudslinging, deleted emails, accusations of sexual assault, proposed blueprints for a wall between nations and other surprises. But in the biggest surprise of all, on Tues. Nov. 9, Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th U.S. President, astonishing voters worldwide who believed that he never stood a chance.

While Donald Trump was popular in many parts of the country, in major urban areas, such as the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, Hillary Clinton had a far larger following.

“I don’t think many people expected him to win, including himself, so when it happened, the entire world was in complete shock,” junior Omisa Jinsi said.

Republicans celebrated Trump’s win, while Democrats expressed their disbelief and, in some cases, protested. Students at Blair High School, Richard Montgomery High School and numerous others in Montgomery County staged a walk-out during classes against Trump’s campaign platforms, such as abortion, immigration, and foreign policy.

“We are accepting the results because we believe in the democratic process,” junior Sofia Muñez from Blair High School said. “What we were mostly protesting is the ideology that comes along with Trump being elected.”

Students across MCPS have taken it into their own hands to become united and fight against Trump’s ideals. Although some might say that it does not make a difference, the high school protests have certainly gotten attention of the press and local authorities.

In response to a student being harmed and hospitalized after the walk-out at Richard Montgomery High School, Superintendent Jack Smith distributed a video to all MCPS schools that actively barred political protests and walkouts in the upcoming weeks and months.

According to Smith’s video, “while MCPS supports everyone’s right to assemble and respectfully express themselves, these demonstrations have unfortunately generated valid concerns regarding the security of our students outside of our schools.”

Smith spoke of respect and tolerance to one another, yet many MCPS students feel they cannot reciprocate these feelings for President-elect Trump. Minorities, women, immigrants and others feel personally harmed by the President-elect’s policies and wanted to make a public statement.

“We reject that [hateful] aspect of his campaign and presidency and we want to be unified to fight those ideas,” Muñez said.

Maryland has just become a majorityminority state, meaning that there are more Hispanics, Asians, African Americans, and other minorities than Caucasians in the state. Therefore, the election of a candidate with strong stances against immigration and who has exhibited racism, has hit the CHS and and other MCPS communities particularly hard.

According to junior class president Hana Mangat, she knows many people in Potomac who voted for Trump for economic

reasons. Yet, she also knows many high schoolers who are avidly against him for social reasons, such as his discrimination and racism that has resulted in many hate crimes since his election.

Many CHS students were actively involved in the election cycle, supporting their preferred candidate in discussions, campaigns, and demonstrations.

According to a survey of 78 CHS students, 67.11 percent supported Hillary Clinton, 19.74 percent supported Donald Trump and 13.16 percent affiliated with other candidates, such as Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson.

Based on the Observer poll, the CHS student body is overwhelmingly liberal, and does not reflect the views of America as a whole. Rather, the views of CHS students reflect those of the residents of Montgomery County.

“The CHS community is in somewhat of a [Potomac] bubble, not understanding the majority of middle class Americans,” senior Maxim Goohs said.

Trump’s victory has led to the start of important conversations about race and hatred within societies, but has also created high tensions and feelings of vulnerability.

“This is really a hot button topic and very polarizing,” science teacher Sara Nemati said. “It is also upsetting for some students and teachers.”

While MCPS discourages teachers from espousing their political views in the classroom, many argue that it is important to let students know that they, themselves, should be talking about this.

According to social studies teachers Kevin Doherty and Paul Jacobson, they allowed student discussion the day after the election because many were still in shock, and it had historical relevance to their classes.

Students appreciate the ability to express their concerns, fears and hopes for the upcoming four years on school grounds.

Yet, discussion alone cannot necessarily overcome the economic, racial and gender divisions that Trump has fostered.

“I do worry that that we are living in two Americas, that we do not understand each other,” Jacobson said. “[There are not as] many Republicans [at CHS], so I have not seen issues.”

At CHS and other MCPS schools, many students recognize that they cannot change the results of the election, and hope that the country can begin to heal.

“The election has made the community closer,” Jinsi said. “Sure, we are all still in shock of what happened but, given how liberal the community is, people are likely to be extra supportive of each other rather than resentful or bitter.”

Regardless of political affiliation and voting eligibility, this election cycle has taught the CHS community a valuable lesson; it has engaged citizens and highlighted the importance of political involvement and peacefully advocating for our democratic ideals.

“If anything, this election shows that history is still being made and that being politically engaged is more important than ever,” Doherty said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIN NAMOVICZ.

Students at Montgomery Blair High School during the walkout.

FluMist Effectiveness Concerns Limit Vaccine Accessibility

By Ethan C. Miller Online Sports Editor For the 2016-2017 flu season, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended not to use nasal spray flu vaccines and to only receive flu shots to get vaccinated.

According to CDC.gov, Influenza viruses spread throughout the United States from late fall to early spring, the time commonly known as flu season.

In order to reduce risk of catching the flu, one can receive a vaccine. In the past, a shot and a nasal spray have been available as methods of vaccination for people over the age of six months old.

However, starting this year, only the shot will be available.

“In a retrospective study it was found that in the past three years the FluMist was not as effective as the shot,” said Dr. Mindy Maggid, a pediatrician at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital.

Maggid’s practice usually gives out more nasal spray vaccinations than

shots and had already placed their nasal spray orders before the new recommendation came out. The practice had to cancel their nasal spray order and order many more shots.

“Everyone six months of age and older need to get their flu vaccine unless there is a medical contraindication,” Maggid said. “Hopefully the vaccine is well matched for the type of flu we will see in our community [this year].”

MCPS held free flu vaccination clinics on Nov. 7 at John F. Kennedy, Richard Montgomery and Seneca Valley high schools. CHS School Nurse Deborah Stapleton added that the clinics were advertised through Edline, which contributed to an increase in students signing up to get the shot.

According to a Sept. 29 Washington Post article, health officials are worried that fewer people will get the flu vaccination, since only the shot is available.

As a result vaccination rates could be lower, since most kids prefer the nasal spray.

The possible lower vaccination rates

could lead to an increase in the number of people who catch the flu virus.

However, since the flu season recently started, it is too early to tell.

“Our practice has seen about three flu cases so far,” Maggid said.

Stapleton believes that most people don’t care what method of vaccination they get as long as their risk of getting the flu decreases.

“They are usually going to get [the vaccination] whether it’s the shot or the mist,” Stapleton said. “They just want to be immunized against the flu.”

According to a survey by the Observer of 100 CHS students, 37 percent of students prefer the nasal spray, while 50 percent prefer the shot and 13 percent prefer not to get vaccinated.

Of the students who prefer the nasal spray, 73 percent said that they’d still get vaccinated regardless of the method available to them.

“Most kids who do get the flu and have been vaccinated for influenza do much better than if they were not vaccinated,” Maggid said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS.

The CDC has issued a statement against using the nasal flu vacccine FluMist this season.

Observations

December 2, 2016

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Senior Artist Recognized As YoungArts Finalist

By Sarah O’Brien Arts Editor

Senior Angelique Nagovskaya was recognized as a 2017 YoungArts Visual Arts finalist.

The YoungArts winners represent the nation’s best artists in a variety of media. Of the 693 winners, there are only 167 finalists who can receive cash awards as well as mentorship from acclaimed artists.

The foundation also picks about 20 of these top students and fly them to Miami to meet these renowned artists, participate in masterclasses, exhibit their work and attend special events.

Nagovskaya was chosen as one of these students.

“It’s a really big deal, and an amazing opportunity,” Nagovskaya said. “I’m so grateful I get to be a part of it.”

IMAGES COURTESY OF ANGELIQUE NAGOVSKAYA.

Siemens Competition

By Jenna Greenzaid Circulation Manager

In the 2016 Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology, CHS sophomore Garyk Brixi’s research project was selected as one of the 96 finalists from the original 3,900 students who registered. Juniors Bethany Chen and Olivia Wang were also selected as semifinalists in the competition.

The Siemens competition encourages students to further their understanding of scientific study and think about future careers in certain STEM areas.

Winners receive scholarships for their projects ranging from $1,000 to $100,000.

For the competition, students had to submit a research project and a 20 page report to be analyzed by judges from MIT, Georgia Tech and other universities. The selected state finalists present their research to a panel from either MIT or Georgia Tech and a chosen few move on to nationals.

“I entered the competition so

that I could raise awareness about the possible improvements in malnutrition relief,” Brixi said. “It is a very rewarding experience to have the opportunity to present your work to experts from different fields of science [and] I am very pleased to be a finalist because this gives me an opportunity to present my research project.”

PHOTO BY JENNA GREENZAID.

MCPS Libraries Awarded

By Camila Camp Production Editor The Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) won the Top Innovator Award from the Urban Libraries Council Oct. 24, 2016.

MCPL has been rapidly increasing in the selection of books and the amount of computers they have for students to use.

“They provide great places to read and study,” sophomore Medha Tumkur said. “They also offer a lot of volunteer opportunities for students who want or need SSL hours.”

Despite the many materials and

services the libraries provide, the students still believe they could improve their success with a few updates.

According to sophomore Bryan Fang, he doesn’t believe libraries are successful anymore because they are losing to a new generation of Ebooks and Kindles.

“I think maybe one improvement that the libraries could make is designate a room or area where people can eat as they read and study.”

Tumkur said. “A lot of people like to drink coffee as they work, but libraries don’t permit food or drink and coffee shops are often loud.”

Spanish Honor Society

By Rebekah Sklute Online News Editor Congratulations to the new students accepted and inducted into the Spanish Honor Society.

“I hope that this year the Spanish Honor Society will get CHS students excited about studying Spanish,” senior and president Sarah Sachar said. “Learning a new language is a great way to expand one’s worldview, appreciate different cultures and break down barriers between people.”

Mishal Ahmad Evan Altschuler Bergan Babrowicz Maggie Cammaroto Kevin Case Helene Cho Abby Clinkscale Julie Cooper Rocío Duarte Aaron Fogelson Grace Gage Liza Gunther Shayna Gutridge Maddie Horvitz Drew Ingall Faith Kean Usha Konduri Ila Keshishian John Kidney Taylor Kline Alok Kothari Paola Lagos Ellie Lavery Libba Lawrence Yoonju Lee Jacob Maggid Hana Mangat Jacey Max Abigail Mazer Anna Mollard Sheerin Naimi Adishree Nayak

Lacey Ohr Molly Olcott Gabriela Parsons Steven Porter Jade Phan Maria Prokos Jenna Prosen Charlotte Roberts Christine Roviera Brook Rosenbauer Mary Sailer Sydney Small Madeline Schupak Margot Szamosszegi Melis Tumanoglu Allison Wachen Olivia Wang John Walsh Adam Wathieu Brooke Weiner Sofía Williamson Andrew Winer Ally Winer Rebecca Wolfson Isabella Woodward- Montes Elisabeth Wright Carissa Wu Bennett Yang Alice Zhu

Observer November Corrections In our October issue, we misspelled names in our story ”Boys Cross Country Runs Strong Again” Vicente Rudolph and Varun Mishna. The group is no longer known as “The Wolfpack.”

In our story “Students National Merit Scholars” the byline was given to Emily Wang but Balbina Yang wrote the story. If you notice any issues with our publication, please contact us at churchill.observer@gmail.com.

Opinions

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The Churchill

Observer

December 2, 2016

CHS Must Unite Post Election

Editors Editors-in-Chief Eugenia Cardinale Arielle Gordon Online Editor-in-Chief Nathan Deychman

Production Editors Camila Camp Eli Gordon Will Hyland Dani Miller News Editors Thomas Atkinson Lauren Roseman* Opinions Editors Maya Rosenberg* Sofia Williamson* Observations Editor Sai Sreenivasan Features Editors Sara Heimlich* Emily Wang Arts Editors Sarah O’Brien Balbina Yang Sports Editors Ben Dross Kyle Emery Fact Checkers Bryan Fletcher* Ethan S. Miller Matthew Sun

Social Media Editors Jake Herman* Julia Lescht Laura Sneller* Drew Ingall Anna Baranko Joe Raab Sophie Liss *also Production Editor

Managers

Advertising Manager Max Kandel Business Managers Eliza Asbury Megan Park

Circulation Managers Brandon Li Jenna Greenzaid* Contest Managers Vicky Gunawan Nora Holland Adviser Mary Dempsey

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 ensure 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. Send letters to the editor to churchill.observer@gmail.com The Observer is a public forum for the purpose of expressing the views of and informing the CHS community.

IMAGE BY KEVIN HO.

Chief Production Manager Emiliana Cardinale

Dear CHS, The 2016 election was an emotional, tumultuous experience for almost everyone involved. The rhetoric that spilled from both Democrats and Republicans was harsh and insistent for the better part of the last two years.

This election showcased how divided our country has become. Voting was split along race, gender, religion, social class and almost any other grouping one can think of.

The election results did not do anything to ease the emotions that were running high around the country.

Some people are joyous and relieved, while others remain more tense and fearful than ever.

Now that this long, and painful election is finally over, we are left questioning what lies ahead for our nation. Where will our country go from here? What choices will our new president make, and how will those choices impact not only us as CHS students, but generations to come?

Yes, this is an emotional time, but it’s time for us to stop being a disjointed student body and come together.

Although we may not share the same political opinions or backgrounds, we are all students at the same school, all a part of the CHS community.

Many of us may be angry at the out-

come, but instead of using this anger to rant about the state of our country, we must funnel that displeasure into positive actions. Some of us are pleased with the results of the elections and have used the victory as a chance to express themselves, sometimes in harmful ways.

It is crucial, for the sake of unity, to be respectful of those who have differ-

BSERVER O O PINION ing perspectives. Whether or not the election turned out as you had hoped, the only way to heal the divide is overcome the strong emotions of this election by treating each other respectfully.

There is currently a great deal of hate and negativity circulating around the country, but the first thing we have to do is realize that we’re not alone.

According to the US Department of Education, there are 52.6 million students in America. Although students may only make up about 16 percent of our nation’s population, we are 100 percent of the future.

While most CHS students are un-

able to vote, there are still many ways to be politically active and stand up for what one believes in.

Students at Blair, Northwood, Richard Montgomery and Einstein High School held a walk out of their respective schools.

While the protest at RM had a skirmish with violence, for the most part, the peaceful protests that students of all different races and genders participated in were just one of many ways that young, disenfranchised people can voice how they feel.

No matter what your political stance is, you have the capability to play an active role by reaching out to district representatives, state congressmen and senators. Be involved in communicating your opinions and beliefs, and make sure these representatives are speaking for your opinions as well.

The election is over, and whatever side you supported, we can all agree that the results have brought some sense of closure.

As the CHS community, we must now turn our focus to be accepting of one another, despite the many things that may separate us. We must concentrate on building a stronger community, regardless of the politics.

With hope for the future, The Observer Staff

MCPS Calendar Neglects Asian Holidays

By Balbina Yang Arts Editor With more than 4.3 billion worldwide and 15.7 percent in MCPS, Asians make up the majority of minority groups today.

Asians are not represented in many aspects of American culture. Despite their large population, there are hardly any opportunities for Asians to be represented just solely for their personalities rather than for their grades or musical abilities.

The most important and obvious example of this misrepresentation is seen primarily with the neglect of major Asian holidays by MCPS. The school system neglects Asian culture and traditions not only with its Euro-centric curriculum, but also by not honoring Asian religious holidays.

Buddhism originated in India by Prince Siddhartha in the sixth century B.C. Since then, the religion has spread throughout the globe, but remains mostly concentrated in Asia, such as the Philippines, Cambodia and Thailand. My grandparents are Buddhists, and as such, one of the holidays they celebrate in South Korea is Vesak, the birth of Buddha. “Buddha Day” is a time of fasting and meditation either in temples or in the homes; this day celebrates not only Buddha’s birthday but also promotes a positive reawakening of our lives.

Of course, Buddhism is not the only religion in Asia that deserves to be recognized in the community. In India, there is Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, and one of the greatest holidays in the country that celebrates new beginnings and the goodness in the dark; and in Japan, there is the Shinto

New Year, which commemorates milestones, such as childbirth and comingof-age. Vesak, Diwali and Shinto New Year are but a few of the many Asian religious holidays in around the world.

However, these are major holidays in their countries, but are often overlooked at school with little awareness among students that they even exist.

Despite being important holidays of the year affecting more than 15 percent of MCPS’s population, some Asian students are not granted the opportunity to miss school for their respective holidays. If MCPS takes a school day off the calendar for other religious holidays Yom Kippur and Eid al-Adha, why not take one off for Diwali? Vesak? Shinto New Year?

There is not much influence of Asian culture in school as there should be. We learn about Asian history, sure, and we even have the Asian-American Club, but these are not enough to make up for the complete absence of major Asian influences. MCPS has not done anything, and it is ludicrous that the county does not allow students to celebrate their culture equally among others in the community.

CHS is a diverse school, and MCPS itself is even more so. With a conglomeration of backgrounds, cultures are bound to mix and influence other cultures. But that’s more than okay. In fact, it’s beneficial because each and every student should be given an outlet to be celebrated no matter what.

But how to do that? It can be difficult to create a balance between cultures, so that not one is overshadowed by another. In that case, MCPS should take to account the demographics of the county as a whole and, based on those statistics, should decide which to allow as days off school.

Of course, just like the United States, there are more holidays than just Buddha Day and New Years. Students are not able to, and should not miss every single holiday that occurs during the school year. Instead, the ones that honor their respective deities, should be granted a day off school. And if the schedule doesn’t permit, we could start school earlier or have fewer snow days.

Nevertheless, Asian students at CHS should feel included. It is not a matter of being proud or whiny; it is a matter of having the opportunity to celebrate one’s own culture whether in school with the community or by oneself. MCPS shouldn’t be exclusive, because every person and every culture has the right to be respected.

A Letter to the Editor

Dear Students and Staff, In the last edition of The Churchill Observer, I was quoted saying that there weren't any non-binary gendered students here at CHS. I was incorrect, and by speaking for the entire SGA, I realize now how my words were offensive and assumptive. I want to apologize for not only speaking on behalf of the SGA, but for speaking out of my depth. Words are not just words; they can have a profound impact on everyone. This has been a learning moment for me, as it has been an opportunity to realize that I need to think about the implications of my words before I speak. To ostracize an entire community for the sake of sounding informed is wrong, and I have learned this lesson.

Sincerely, Ben Birnbach SGA Co-President

December 2, 2016

Opinions

Courtyards Will Benefit Students If Maintained

By Jenna Greenzaid Circulation Manager

Usually, when you think of a courtyard, images of clear open spaces with beautifully arranged plants come to mind. But in the case of the courtyards at CHS, they are seen as unroofed areas enclosed by crowded plants and unkempt weeds.

CHS prides itself on its hardworking students, maintaining impressive sports team, and the energy in school, but when it comes to the courtyards, it seems to be the very opposite. Many beneficial outcomes would result from maintaining the courtyards, including improved physical and mental health for both students and staff, but few efforts have been taken to beautify them.

The unsightly view of the courtyards is nothing close to the image that CHS wants to uphold. It shows a stark contrast between the never-ending upkeep of a perfect image inside the school and the lack of care for nature outside the school. This only affirms the cliché that maybe outer appearances aren’t always what they seem to be; CHS takes more pride in claiming they’re “beautifying” the courtyards while in reality, they’re leaving the vines to tangle themselves into a further mess that, if neatly maintained, could actually benefit the school and students..

The CHS Gardening Club seems to be maintaining the garden, but that is not enough considering there are only about ten members in the club. Change only occurs when multiple people put

in effort and it will take more than ten dedicated people to maintain the courtyards. If only a small percentage of CHS’ population tries to tackle the burden of maintaining the courtyard alone, only so much can be accomplished. But, if more members of our community lend a helping hand, CHS can have a space that serves as an oasis for both students and staff.

The first step is to find a way to get people involved. If the PTSA were to communicate to parents about days to help as well as ways to help in maintaining a welcoming aesthetic in the courtyards, the surplus of hands would help to bear the weight that the Gardening Club has been taking on.

The courtyards could become a space that has the capability to clear our minds and improve CHS daily

PHOTO BY JENNA GREENZAID.

Despite efforts to clean up the courtyards during SOS day in May, they have become overgrown again. Keeping them orderly would provide students with a peaceful place to relax during the day.

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lives. If more students were to relax and study in the courtyards, they could be happier and less stressed.

According to a 2010 Harvard Health article, sunlight tends to elevate people’s moods, making them happier and more prone to laughter.

Not only do the outdoors improve moods and focus, nature can also lower the risk of depression, which is crucial as the high pace of performance of CHS is a huge stressor on students.

According to a 2014 Huffington Post article, psychologist Judith Heerwagon shared that spending time in nature, even just by looking at a garden or trees, has been shown to lower stress levels, even the scent of flowers such as jasmine, lilacs or roses appears to decrease stress and increase relaxation — in turn lowering depression and anxiety.

Last year during SOS day, one of the activities was cleaning up the courtyards. The only problem is, after the initial success of cleaning the courtyards, the cleaning was neither finished nor maintained.

Although it would be beneficial to clean the courtyards, it is a task that is much easier said than done. The amount of manpower and time fixing up the courtyards would consume is more than enough to deter students from helping. But, if more students around the school and others in the community come together, we can organize the courtyards into a place that is worth being proud of.

At a school as academically challenging as CHS, students deserve a space where they can unwind. Cleaning the courtyard will instill good work ethic in students, and at the end of their work, they can be proud of what they have accomplished.

The courtyards at CHS are an untapped source for relaxation and taking some pressure off of students. Letting the courtyards fall into disarray is not only detrimental to students’ mental health, but it also takes away from how CHS wishes to project itself as not only a school that challenges its students, but cares about them as well.

Let’s take a stand CHS, and let’s bring back not only the soul of not the courtyards, but ourselves and our school.

Students Should Volunteer All Year, Not Just on Holidays

By Maya Rosenberg Opinions Editor Sai Sreenivasan Observations Editor Thanksgiving is a holiday that seems to mean exactly what the name entails; it’s a time to give thanks.

For CHS students, Thanksgiving is often the time when they serve those in need in order to rack up some SSL hours. We use our days off as service days, considering ourselves generous for taking the time to help others.

According to Merriam-Webster, volunteering is to freely offer to take part in an effort. CHS students need to realize that true motivation for volunteering should not simply stem from fleeting holiday spirit, a desire to fulfill a requirement, or to beef up a résumé.

Students should volunteer because it helps better the community, and service should not be emphasized only on holidays, as it is more beneficial when spread out over the year.

According to a January 2015 Baltimore Sun article, volunteers contribute approximately $163 billion worth of yearly service work, the level of which increased prominently between the months of November and January.

This craze for service happens during a brief span of three months, which encompass the main holidays of the

year: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. While these three months give students a nice push toward needed service work, the other nine months of the year should not be neglected simply because there is not a major holiday. Volunteering is always needed, no matter what time of the year it is.

Poverty and hunger exist all year round, especially during the summer, when students who benefit from school reduced priced meals go hungry.

According to HungerinAmerica. com, during the 2012-2013 school year, 30.7 million children participated in the National School Lunch Program, which provides free or reduced price meals for children in need.

Every summer, 30.7 million children go hungry because they simply cannot afford lunch. If CHS students took time throughout the year to volunteer at their local food bank, donate cans during a canned food drive, or give money to a nonprofit food organization, they would be taking steps towards decreasing of child hunger.

As students we can make such meaningful contributions to the community and alleviate issues such as pollution, hunger and poverty.

According to a 2007 study by the Corporation for National and Community Service, “feel good hormones” such as serotonin, oxytocin and do-

pamine may be released, while one is participating in community service, creating a positive psychological effect.

Not only will CHS students receive psychological benefits from volunteering but they will gain an expanded world view, as charity work also helps to break the Potomac “bubble” that CHS students so often find themselves in.

According to a survey of 57 CHS

students, 60 percent of students who engage in service work during Thanksgiving do not continue that service during the year. Thanksgiving is a great way to kick start charitable behavior but that behavior should continue long after.

CHS students should and must volunteer in order to be the changes that we wish to see, not just during the holiday season, but year round.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS.

A volunteer slices bread at DC Central Kitchen. Volunteering is beneficial throughout the year and should not just be limited to the holiday season.

6

Features

December 2, 2016

Teens Voice Concerns via New App Features

By Julia Lescht Public Relations/Video Team Scrolling through your Instagram feed, you come across a particular post.

The red, puffy face and tear-filled eyes, all captured in a mug shot-like selfie, followed by a long paragraph about being “done” with all the stress, and not being able to deal with life anymore. Maybe they even end it with “signing off.” Do you comment? Do you text them? Call them, even if you don’t know them?

Report it? What do you do?

Social media has become a gateway for teenagers across the globe to express emotions pertaining to mental illness, specifically depression. Oftentimes, peers will view these posts and want to help, but are unsure as to how to go about it without seeming intrusive or simply ineffective.

“Initially, if [teens see others] are struggling, the first thing they may want to do is follow up with that friend, check in with them,” guidance counselor Marcia Johnson said. “After talking to them, that person can choose to say to the friend ‘let’s go talk to the counselor together,’ [or], that student can go to their counselor and say ‘I have someone that I think needs to talk to a counselor.’”

According to Johnson, the counselor will pull said student out of class during the school day to speak with them about how they feel in order to assess the severity of the situation. Depending on the case, after talking with the student, the counselor will call the parent and, if necessary, will refer the student to the crisis center.

The Montgomery County Crisis center is open and available 24 hours a day 365 days of the year. It can be reached over the phone at 240-777-4000 or by simply showing up, no appointment needed. It provides constant aid and evaluation of all and any emergency situations to help both situational and psychiatric crises. Another available resource is to contact a 24/7 text line at 301-738-2255 or to chat online at CrisisChat.org if in a situation.

According to CHS student John*, when he sees posts by their friends pertaining to anxiety or depression, he will text or call that person to make them feel better and try to be supportive.

People often find teenagers to be melodramatic, or might view an alarming post as hyperbolic.

According to John*, it is sad when someone uses social media as an outlet to cry for help and other people perceive their post as crying for attention instead.

Social media sites, such as Instagram, have added features that allow peers to intervene in a less awkward and possibly more effective fashion.

Many people may not be aware of the many options and steps they can take to help friends who they may be concerned about.

According to a brochure by Instagram and Facebook in partnership with the Clinton Foundation and the Jed Foundation, anytime one has “a gut feeling that something is not right” with a friend, they should “always act on it.”

The competitive and advanced academic environment CHS fosters produces stress for students, but this stress can cause both positive and negative effects. Positive effects entail a push and strive to constantly work hard and improve, although too much of this stress can become overwhelming and cause students to feel burned out.

“Students go through a lot of difficult situations that can cause stress and depression.” Johnson said. “If you see something, say something.

Check in with your friend if they’re not doing well. See if you can find them assistance. Help your friends as best as possible.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is the third main leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 to 24 years old.

“Part of social media, like Instagram, is showing off experiences with your friends—but this can lead to a feeling of exclusion and loneliness,” said sophomore Bradley Ferguson, who is an officer of UMTTR. “Social media can also allow for cyber bullying, which is one of the causes for mental illness amongst teens.”

Instagram has added many features to combat mental illness. For instance, if someone searches “#cutting” in the explore page, they will be directed to a page that reads, “Posts with words or tags you’re searching for often encourage behavior that can cause harm and even lead to death. If you’re going through something difficult, we’d like to offer help.”

The app has blocked people from

IMAGE BY JULIA LESCHT.

CAPTION CAPTION CAPTION CAPTION

IMAGE BY JULIA LESCHT VIA PIKTOCHART.

Social Media sites are attempting to become a safe place for teenagers. viewing posts that tag things relating to self-harm and behavior, such as the phrase “#thinspo” which relates to encouraging eating disorders. Instagram further delves into providing aid by allowing users to view a page with tips and resources for if they are struggling with mental illness.

In addition, viewers are able to report posts they find alarming and/or indicative of self-destructive behavior.

If reporting the post to the site seems ineffective, another option is to reach out to a trusted adult, something CHS greatly emphasizes. Oftentimes, however, students are unsure about who makes a trusted adult.

According to Johnson, anytime there is a situation during the school day, she and the other guidance counselors are available to help. If there is a situation outside of the school day, the concerned student should reach out to a parent, whether it be their own or those of the student affected, as the counselors “don’t want students to try and handle it alone.”

In a less urgent situation, if a peer does not feel comfortable reaching out to an adult, they can also directly talk to the person who they are worried about.

According to the brochure, it is important to let the friend know that they

are not alone and that it’s acceptable to feel this way and to seek help. Some adequate conversation starters include: “I’m worried about you because you seem…”; “It concerned me when you said…”; “Do you want to talk about it?”; “What can I do to help?” If they do not want to talk about it with you, you could say, “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk to me, but it is important that you talk to someone.” Always offer to connect them with a specialist or some other trustworthy resource for helping with mental illness.

“At least once a month I may have someone who comes to me or someone brings to me who is dealing with a situation where they need to talk it through and decide whether they need additional help,” Johnson said.

According to a World Health Organization April 2016 depression fact sheet, an estimated 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression and it is a common mental disorder that is the leading cause of disability worldwide.

Mental illness is never to be taken lightly, and it is critical that one always takes some sort of action whether it be talking to a trusted adult, reporting to the social media site, or talking to the concerning friend when they see any post indicative of self harm in any way.

“If one of my friends was depressed, I would reach out to them,” Ferguson said. “I would definitely tell them that they matter. I think by people telling someone who’s had a rough day, week, month, [or] patch, how much they matter. Just the simple phrase ‘you matter’ can go a long way.”

Help is always available, so something one can always do is to simply let the person know just that.

According to John*, our society’s social norm is to leave the person to deal with their problems by themselves, which is why suicide is a common alternative for people struggling with severe mental illnesses such as depression.

Reaching out to them is “incredibly necessary” and should always be the first thing you do to make sure they’re okay.

No matter what the situation is, there is always something a friend or peer can and must do to help another peer whom they suspect is struggling with a mental illness such as depression, as that person may be in danger of harming themself or others.

If you see something, don’t be afraid to say something. *Name was changed because the source wished to remain anonymous.

December 2, 2016

Features

7

Alumni Offer Advice to Current CHS Students

By Eliza Asbury Business Manager

Once CHS seniors walk out the doors of Constitution Hall, they become alumni, off to begin a new chapter of their lives. Some stick around, while others disappear completely. ‘The Observer” has taken upon ourselves to track down some of the names from the dustiest yearbooks to answer the question, “Where are they now?” and “What is life like after high school?”

Because college is such an important transition and a whole new stage of one’s life, preparation is key. Evidently, CHS students are well prepared when it comes to comm unication and study skills “Thanks to the classes I took and my amazing teachers, special shoutout to Kelly Knarr, Eleanor Goodwin and Rodney Van Tassell, I was more than prepared for my classes at college because I knew how to study, how to analyze information and how to communicate both in writing or through a presentation,” said Elizabeth Campbell,who graduated from CHS in 2014 and is a junior at Texas Christian University.

“CHS gave me so many opportunities to use skills in a practical environment, but more importantly to learn time management and interaction skills which have proved remarkably valuable during finals and group projects.”

The transition from high school to college is a big one due to many factors, one being class sizes. For those who went to a larger university, the size of classes and the school can be overwhelming at times. However CHS has the power to make a big school seem smaller, as students join various clubs and teams. Being a freshman at a big high school can seem intimidating, but CHS knows how to help students adapt to a new and bigger environment.

“I go to the University of Florida with over 40,000 undergraduates,” 2012 alumnus Max Liss said. “It was tough not knowing anyone at first, but joining a fraternity helped me meet some of my best friends today. It also helped create a smaller community within such a large university so things didn’t feel as overwhelming.”

High school can be very important for students’ developmental years, as it’s all about what a student takes away from opportunities given, for example internships or listening to speakers, or even just learning to ask questions.

Skills developed in high school can help later on in college and even in real world jobs.

“At work I am constantly assigned new tasks and meeting new people,” said Jamie Oppenheimer, 2011 CHS alumnus and University of Virginia 2015 graduate, who is now working as a CPA at Ernst and Young. “Because of CHS I know how to ask the right questions when I am confused, and when to try to attempt solve the problem on my own.”

Maturing from high school to college is natural, as a new environment can be a chance for people to discover a whole part of themselves.

“There’s is not enough space in The Observer to list all the ways I’ve changed since high school, but I think the biggest one is my attitude,” Campbell said. “My attitude has changed in that, in high school, everything seemed like the most important thing at that moment. That test in APUSH was the most important thing, that musical set I was working on was the most important thing, that guy I was dating was the most important thing. I feel like I was stressed all the time because everything I was doing was the most important thing. Now don’t get me wrong, I loved that feeling in high school and I thrived off the stress, but now I find myself prioritizing a lot more in my life.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ELIZABETH CAMPBELL.

Alum Elizabeth Campbell when she was a CHS student. Pictured at a news station, during mulch sales at CHS and on a San Francisco journalism trip.

Additionally, CHS is known for its high standards for academic courses and high test scores, making it a competitive environment. Having exposure to competition in high school can make it easier in college and when competing for jobs in the future.

“I notice that some of my friends who came from smaller high schools weren’t use to dealing with larger classes or, to be honest, ruder students,” Campbell said. “But my time at CHS prepared me to work hard for every opportunity and

know that there are ten other people out there who are going to be trying for the same position as me, or the same grade as me and so on.”

According to Liss, CHS prepared him extremely well and as best as he he could imagine for “the rigors of college.” Additionally, some of the classes he took at CHS were actually more difficult than those took at UF. Moving on from high school means moving into a different chapter of one’s life. Most people go

“M y time at CHS pre-

pared me to work hard for every opportunity and know that there are ten other people out there who are going to be trying for the same position as me,” - Elizabeth Campbell to college, leaving behind best friends that they’ve known since kindergarten.

“I do miss high school,” Liss said.

“I’ve kept in touch with my closer friends from high school, but it’s weird not seeing people you grew up with and have known since elementary and middle school, not to mention from CHS. I’m looking forward to our first high school reunion.”

Walking down the halls of CHS may seem casual to us now, but in 20 years from now we might miss being able to stop and talk to our friends, even if just for two minutes.

8

Features

December 2, 2016

Believe it or Not: T

“THE berenstAin bears”

“Luke, I am your father.”

By Sofia Williamson Opinions Editor

BELIEVERS SAY: According to the Mandela Effect blog, Star

Wars fans clearly remember what is arguably the most famous line in Star Wars as “Luke, I am your father” even though Darth Vader actually says, “No, I am your father.” They believe this is the most logical wording, as a parent would tend to impress their child with an important fact or order with their first name.

SKEPTICS SAY: Skeptics claimed this can also be ex-

plained by confabulation, as it is typical for parents to address their children by their first names when addressing them in a strict manner. Therefore, their memories were edited to have the protagonist’s name in the movie’s most famous line.

BELIEVERS SAY: According to an Oct. 13 BuzzFeed article,

believers in the Mandela Effect claim that the popular children’s book series and television cartoon “The Berenstain Bears” was once called “The Berenstein Bears.” However, there is no evidence of the name change, except for one supposed VHS Tape found by a believer labeled “The Berenstein Bears.”

SKEPTICS SAY:

According to the Canadian newspaper the Globe and Mail, this theory can be debunked by the concept that has been coined “Schrodinger’s nostalgia”which is when a person unconsciously remembers something in a better way than it really happened in order to defend themselves from bad or uncomfortable memories.

According to HowManyofMe.com, in a Census search for last names in the United States less than 120 people are living with the last name Berenstain versus 152 people living with the last name Berenstein.

Therefore, according to the Globe and Mail, because the latter last name is more popular, people’s childhood memories have been revised to remember the spelling of their treasured childhood cartoon in this way.

“I have a distinct memory of the Berenstain Bears being spelled with an ‘e,’” Horvitz said. “It’s a common Jewish last name, though, so maybe that’s why I remember it like that. I’m still skeptical, though.”

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS.

When you think back to watc as a kid, you probably remembe movie: “mirror, mirror on the w ror, mirror on the wall” after a mirror on the wall.” Could this s memory be proof of something m The Mandela Effect is a conspir internet in recent months, capti Believers in the effect claim tha different memories from their pa ality, it means that they have u alternate reality from the one th According to a September Teleg fect was discovered by paranorm in 2010, when she found that sh believed Nelson Mandela had di Broome vividly remembered the riots that followed his death, ev According to the Telegraph art a website called the Mandela Ef quantum effect as solid proof f believers, the experiments by C nization for Nuclear Research, moving through parallel univer in 2019 this shifting will come “stuck on the earth they vibrate I’m more of a skeptic on the al effect, but I think it’s really cool er new things that have the M Lee said.

According to the blog Debunki can be easily disproven by the p tion,” among other psychologica Defined by this blog, confab memory which produces distort without the conscious intention experience confabulation creat anything from trivial details to generally very confident in the cally resist any contradictory ev CHS students have seen the this effect on the internet, speci such as Tumblr and Instagram.

According to junior Maddie H the Mandela Effect on Tumblr. ed something about it on an Ins look further into the conspiracie “I wouldn’t say I definitely bel definitely do not,” Horvitz said. ing between parallel universes, ty uncomfortable, especially if o the same thing on a larger scale All of that being said, The Obs Effects that will blow your mind

December 2, 2016

Features

9

The Mandela Effect

tery, many people claim that this common household cleaning product used to have a second “e” in its name, spelled like the word “breeze.” Believers suggest that it makes much more sense the manufacturer would include the word “breeze” in its product name to show that it essentially creates “a breeze of fresh air.”

Again, however, no physical evidence provides a product spelled with an extra “e.”

SKEPTICS SAY: Skeptics, however, believe that this change

in spelling can be easily explained by confabulation. Because the brand’s name doesn’t match the spelling of the word it sounds like in its commercials, one’s memories were innately edited to correct this error, to make the memory of the brand name a more ideal one.

“I think of all of the Mandela Effect theories, the one that analyzes the word ‘febreze’ messes me up most.” Lee said.

BELIEVERS SAY:

According to the Mandela Effect blog, most people remember the Queen saying “mirror, mirror on the wall” in the 1937 Disney movie. However, upon watching the movie again, one will find that the Queen really says “magic mirror on the wall.”

Believers look to the Brothers Grimm snow white story in its original German version for proof that this is an irregularity in the space-time continuum. The direct translation from German is in fact “mirror, mirror.” Therefore, Disney must have used the same translation.

SKEPTICS SAY: According to the Debunking Mandela Ef-

fects blog, however, the phrase “magic mirror” was used in the 1937 Disney movie, and there is no credible evidence to prove otherwise. However, they do agree that, when translated from the original Brothers Grimm story, the Queen does say “mirror, mirror.” Therefore, these bloggers believe it isn’t one or the other; it’s both, and it doesn’t prove the Mandela Effect in any way.

“Mirror, Mirror on the wall...”

ing Mandela Effects, the effect psychological term “confabulaal explanations. bulation is a disturbance of ted memories about the world to deceive others. People who te incorrect memories about complex memories. They are eir recollections and will typividence. widespread fascination over ifically on social media outlets .

Horvitz, she first heard about However, when a friend poststagram account, she began to es. lieve in it, and I wouldn’t say I “I can’t really see myself slidsince the idea makes me pretother people are experiencing e. That’s when it gets creepy.” server presents four Mandela d!

BELIEVERS SAY: According to the website A History of Mys-

“Febreeze air freshener”

ching Disney’s “Snow White” er the most famous line of the wall.” However, it wasn’t “mirall; it has always been “magic small change of words in your much larger? racy theory that has swept the ivating science-fiction junkies. at because many people have ast that contradict present reunknowingly traveled into an hey lived in years ago. graph article, the Mandela Efmal enthusiast Fiona Broome he wasn’t the only person who ied while incarcerated in 1980. e television news coverage and ven prior to his “actual” death. ticle, in a blog post created for ffect, believers cite the CERN for their theory. According to CERN, or the European Orgaprove, that people have been rses in recent years, and that to a halt, and people will be e with.” lternate universe aspect of the l and mind-boggling to discovMandela Effect,” junior Yoonju

10

Arts

December 2, 2016

“Doctor Strange” Bursts onto the Movie Scene

By Jake Herman Online Opinions Editor With stunning visuals, memorable characters and a storyline that overcomes a complicated premise to deliver twists and turns, Marvel’s latest superhero movie “Doctor Strange” delivers an action-packed hero tale that’s worth the trip to see.

Directed and written by Scott Derrickson, the movie follows the story of the brilliant, yet arrogant young surgeon, Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). When an accident leaves Strange’s hands damaged beyond repair, he seeks to heal them, leaving behind love interest and fellow doctor, Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams).

Strange’s search takes him to Kathmandu, Nepal, where he finds a woman known as the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) who is said to have incredible healing powers. Little does Strange know, the Ancient One and her students are sorcerers of the mystic arts; they can teleport, control time and space as well as interact with gods to protect Earth from malevolent outside threats, such as the main villain of the film, Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen). A former student of the Ancient One, Kaecilius succumbed to the dark spirit of Dormammu, ruler of the dark dimension, and seeks to merge Earth with the terror of Dormammu’s kingdom.

Strange’s journey to heal his hands quickly evolves into a passion for sorcery and mystic arts as he selflessly sacrifices the medical career that previously defined his life’s success.

Although he continues to overcome his big ego when trying to defeat Kaecilius and save the Earth, Strange’s character matures as he puts his life on the line.

All of the unique powers that the

PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS.

“Doctor Strange” opened Nov. 4 and has recieved high praise by critics and moviegoers.

characters possess can certainly seem overwhelming to audiences, but in “Doctor Strange”, actions speak louder than words. A lot of the key details explaining the powers of the sorcerers are revealed through spectacular action scenes that make up for patches of subpar dialogue explanations with humor that seems cheesy and forced.

Even though this is the 14th installment of Marvel’s cinematic universe and will eventually relate back to the franchise’s other films, Strange’s story feels enthralling enough to stand alone.

This is due, in large part, to the outstanding performance by Cumberbatch, who wins audiences over with his complex and flawed character. Strange goes from an egotistical hotshot surgeon looking to repair his hands to a hero who sacrifices his own lavish life and relationship with Christine Palmer to protect the Earth. The fact that Strange’s hands are still shaky at the end of the film signifies that his character is still recovering, but shows how much wisdom and resolve he has learned throughout his odyssey.

In tune with the emotions and actions of the characters, Michael Giacchino’s original score provides just the right undertones to capture the triumph and angst of Strange and his supporting cast. Although there’s no signature song on the soundtrack that makes or breaks a scene, the whole soundtrack is better than the sum of its parts.

“Doctor Strange” faces the tall task of introducing viewers who have never read Marvel comics to a whole new universe with a seemingly different set of rules. The film provides fans both familiar and new to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a refreshingly thoughtful and visually stunning action movie.

December 2, 2016

By Dani Miller Production Editor Much like a heart, The Observer has many components that it needs to thrive: the well written stories, the unique pictures, the creative headlines, the informative graphics and the amazing cartoons. For Junior Kevin Ho, the artist behind the cartoons, his creativity has no limits.

Although he is primarily known at CHS for his cartoons, Ho is a man of many talents.

Ho uses many different forms of media to create his art, from digital art to pen and ink drawing.

“My favorite is probably pen and ink drawing because it’s very versatile and more permanent than pencil,” Ho said.

Additionally, Ho does both 2D charcoal art and digital art, the latter of which is the he uses to create the cartoons for The Observer.

Ho discovered his passion for art early in his life, when he began doodling his favorite movie characters. His sketches were inspired by scenes from Star Wars as well as the work of “Calvin and Hobbes,” cartoonist, Bill Watterson.

“When I was little I used to read comic strips such as ‘Garfield’ and ‘Calvin and Hobbes,’” Ho said. “Bill Watterson’s simplistic cartoonish style had a big influence on my drawings. This also inspired me to draw comic strips of my own, combining my quirky sense of humor with funny illustrations.”

Every artist has a unique quality that sets their work apart from other people. According to Studio Art teacher Jacquelyn Washam, Ho’s quality is his infusion of styles.

“Kevin has a very illustrative, almost like a book illustration style,” Washam said. “It’s neat that he doesn’t lean one way or the other and he can integrate both [comic art and realistic art] styles together, which makes his art unique.”

11

Arts

Student Art Spotlight: Kevin Ho

PHOTO COURTESY OF KEVIN HO.

Junior Kevin Ho creates digital art and charcoal drawings. He enjoys helping other artists and is the head of the CHS I-Illustrate club. Ho’s artwork is pictured below.

The incredible skill and unique style that Washam describes has been recognized in numerous competitions, as he has received many well-deserved accolades for his art.

Ho has received an honorable mention for his drawing skills in a congressional art competition, and his pieces were on display during the ceremony.

Despite his impressive art career thus

far, Ho’s journey to becoming a great artist has not always been smooth.

“I had to overcome the time commitment between practicing art and studying,” Ho said. “By balancing my art and school, I feel it has made me more responsible as a person.”

With Ho’s skills, it would be a shame for him not to pass on his knowledge down to other aspiring artists. As the head of CHS’ I-Illustrate club, Ho creates a laid-back artistic environment for artists to explore their skills.

“Every meeting, we have a theme for our members to draw and then we post them on our Facebook page for people to see,” Ho said. “We also occasionally create coloring books to send to the patients at children’s hospitals.”

According to sophomore Emma Gray, the I-Illustrate club is a great opportunity to meet other artists in CHS. Every week, new prompts spark creativity.

“The club is really good at creating a safe space for artists to just be them, and I think Kevin is probably to thank for that,” Gray said.

Clearly, Ho has already established himself as an artist, but he is just getting started.

“I definitely want to pursue a career involving art,” Ho said. “But I’m still not sure if I want to go to an art school or a school with a liberal arts program.”

According to Ho, however, even with his years of experience, his array of skills and his natural talent, there is nothing more important to his art than his passion. “[The best part about being an artist is] the ability to place yourself in a world where your imagination is literally the limit,” Ho said. “Anything suddenly becomes possible with a pen in a blank void.”

IMAGES COURTESY OF KEVIN HO.

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12

Arts

December 2, 2016

Community Art Projects Underway for the Year

By Emily Wang Features Editor The CHS art department is kicking off the new year with renewed art projects, such as National Art Honor Society’s annual service project and the return of Consenses.

National Art Honor Society The National Art Honor Society (NAHS) will be creating 12 40 by 40 inch paintings for display in Bethesda’s Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital.

The theme for this year’s paintings will be birds of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Last year, the NAHS created eight underwater-themed paintings for the Holy Cross Hospital.

Participation is mandatory for all 70 members of the NAHS. “We usually have [members of NAHS] do some sort of art community project,” NAHS Sponsor Jacquelyn Washam said. “Every year since [Art Department Resource teacher Brendan] Roddy and I have taken over NAHS, we made it a requirement.”

The project is made available by Youth Art for Healing, a non-profit organization based in Bethesda, Md. According to the Youth Art for Healing website, their mission is to display artwork created by students in healthcare environments in order to create a sense of comfort and healing while simultaneously fostering creativity and empathy within the artists. They partner with healthcare organizations to design ideas and then distribute them to art coordinators of school districts in the D.C. Area.

“Youth Art for Healing is the place that organizes it and gives us options of different jobs that they have, and we choose depending on how many kids we have and how large the job is,” Washam said.

After picking groups and creating concepts, the project has officially started and should be completed in April.

According to senior Izzy Rayner, she likes the fact that each group collaborates to design the painting and make the finished product a result of a collective effort.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOELLE GOLDBERG.

Joelle Goldberg created a stained glass piece for last year’s Consensus chain. The theme was the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair.

“Y

outh Art for Healing is the place that organizes it and gives us options of different jobs that they have, and we choose depending on how many kids we have and how large the job is,” - Jacquelyn Washam

Consenses The Consenses project, organized by AP Art History and Ceramics teacher Paul Dermont and based off the original Consenses project by musician Sally Taylor, is returning this year.

Consenses involves different “chains” of five artists; the first artist in each chain will be provided the same theme as the others and will create their individual pieces based on the theme.

Then, that artwork will be given to the next artist in the “chain” who will use the work as inspiration for their own, and so on, like a game of telephone.

There will probably be three “chains” like last year, but Dermont hopes that the number of artist participating will increase this year.

“Last year’s went really well,” Dermot said. “We got a lot of positive feedback.”

The theme of last year’s Consenses was the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair. The final projects included different mediums such as interpretive dance, song and stained glass. This year’s theme will be revealed at the project’s completion in spring.

“I really like how everyone’s mediums came together into one piece,” junior Joelle Goldberg said. “I also really like how everyone’s interpretation of each other’s pieces were all so different.

It was cool to see how different people interpret the same thing.”

According to Dermont, no major changes will be made to the way the project will be run, but he plans on reducing the time given to each individual artist to work on their portion of the chain from three weeks to two weeks.

He would also like to have the students more involved with the publicity.

Consenses is projected to start in early December and everyone is encouraged to join.

“I am most excited to see what piece I get to interpret this year and to see the final reveal of what the original picture was,” Goldberg said.

‘Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life’ Premieres on Netflix

By Emiliana Cardinale Production Manager Nora Holland Production Editor “Where you lead, I will follow…”

“Gilmore Girls” is filled with friendships, morals, drama and lots of coffee.

The show follows a single mother, Lorelai, as she struggles to find her dream job, and her daughter Rory through high school and into college. They live in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. They are mother and daughter, but also best friends.

“I love that the show is very realistic, and it’s not just a drama,” senior Jackie Heller said. “It always makes me laugh.”

The first episode of the show aired on Oct. 5, 2000 on the Warner Brothers Network. It quickly became popular and lasted for seven seasons.

Between the sixth and seventh season, “Gilmore Girls” changed networks.

The show was moved to a new network called CW, a blend between the CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. During this change, writers Amy ShermanPalladino and her husband Daniel Palladino left the show.

According to an April 2006 Entertainment Weekly article, the ShermanPalladinos left the show because the CW did not fulfill their request for a two-year contract.

Many “Gilmore Girls” fans were unsatisfied with the show’s premature

ending as they felt the tone of the show shifted after the Sherman-Palladinos departure. Many relationships between characters were destroyed and the new ones that were created received negative responses from viewers. The plot went in several unexpected directions and events occurred that confused fans and prevented closure in the last episode.

“I thought it was a good ending, but I wish they elaborated more on what happened to other characters,” sophomore

Nikkia Zarabian said.

Because of the show’s growing popularity, Netflix revived the show with four 90-minute episodes, one for each season (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall) which premiered Nov 25. Many of the characters from the original series return, including Luke (Scott Patterson), Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) and Kirk (Sean Gunn).

The revival is set eight years after the events of the seventh season and focuses on the three generations of “Gilmore

Girls” dealing with new changes and challenges, such as the death of Richard Gilmore, Lorelai’s father. Both Rory and Lorelai are at a crossroads as Rory deals with the changing field of journalism and Lorelai deals with changes at the Dragonfly Inn. “My favorite chapter was fall,” Heller said. “A lot of the best scenes were in that chapter and it felt most like the original show. When I think of “Gilmore Girls” I really associate it with fall so it was really fitting that it was the best one.”

PHOTO BY EMI LIANA CARDINALE.

The “Gilmore Girls” revival premiered on Netflix Nov. 25. Many students have waited for years to watch it.

December 2, 2016

13

Sports

Swim and Dive Jumps Back into Competition

By Vicky Gunawan Contest Manager Megan Park Business Manager Coming off a great season at regional and state championships last year, the CHS swim and dive team hopes to continue their success this season.

Last season, the girls’ swim and dive team was division one and regional champions; the boys team placed second at regionals and states.

“This year, my most important goal is to score enough points for the team along with the other swimmers and divers to help keep up our winning streak,” sophomore Robert Rizzo said.

Having a wide variety of swimmers and divers on the team is important to the team’s success. This way, all athletes on the team will be able to grow and learn from each other’s techniques and accomplishments.

According to head coach Christopher Tappis, ambition accounts for the team’s unity and spirit as a whole.

On Fridays before meets, the team has dress up days with themes such as 80s workout and superheroes.

The incoming freshman are bringing more talent to the team. Freshmen like Daniel Nagard, Gaoxing Cosgrove, Noah Rutberg and Maya Fischer all have AAAA times in different swimming events such as 50 Freestyle and 100 Breaststroke. An AAAA time is the highest standard time in a certain age group.

“A lot of really strong boy and girl incoming freshmen swimmers will be on the team,” Tappis said. “The biggest role as a coach for them is being a motivator and supporter.”

Support from teammates has a major impact on a swimmer’s success,

PHOTO COURTESY OF JORDAN STORCH.

Members of the CHS Swim and Dive team pose on the pool deck after a meet last season. Last year, the girls team finished the season undefeated and the boys team finished in second place. since it helps motivate and encourage swimmers to perform their best during competitions, and the bulldogs hope to have spirit and positive energy this upcoming season.

“I would like to try my best and do what’s good for the team as a whole,” Rutberg said. “To contribute, I would have to listen to my coach, my captains and work hard. Hopefully doing all these things will help me accomplish my goals.”

The boys swim team’s hopes to win regional and metro championships this year. Nonetheless, it’s important to know that winning is not the only goal as having fun is also important.

“When I joined the CHS swim team last year, I was so excited I got to make

some new friends and I knew I was finally apart of something at CHS,” sophomore Jordan Storch said. “The team isn’t just about winning, it’s about coming together and having a good time while showing support for your fellow peers.”

This year, leading the swim team are senior captains Emily Wang, Hanan Bandak, Matt Tiberino and Zack Einhorn.

“As a captain, I want to bring a sense of joy and pride to the members of CHS Swim and Dive,” Tiberino said.

“On the swim team, I want to elevate the morale and lead our swimmers to the top of Division One.” Mory Gould, the state and metro champion diver last season, will lead

the dive team this year as captain. The top divers from last season, Brighid Dunn and Elaina Faerber, graduated, leaving this year’s dive team with work to overcome this deficit.

“As a team, I would like to have all of our divers place in the top twenty in all of the postseason meets,” Gould said. “I hope the divers can give our swim team an edge by scoring points.

Last year at the metro meet, our men’s swim team started with a sixty five point head start after the diving events and I hope to do the same this year.”

As the swim and dive team veterans join with the new members of the team, they will strive for success to win the title of regional and state champions.

December 2, 2016

Sports

14

Field Hockey Finishes Season as State Finalists

By Ethan S. Miller Fact Checker Max Kandel Advertising Manager CHS varsity field hockey concluded a record setting season, becoming the first team since 1985 to reach states.

The team’s record improved from 9-5 in 2014 and 8-4-1 in 2015 to perfect in the 2016 regular season. While there are multiple factors contributing to the team’s success, the Bulldogs attribute their improved chemistry as one of the top reasons.

“The first few games we realized how well we worked together and how far we could go,” sophomore Taylor Slaughter said.

While the team did expect more success than the previous seasons, they definitely were not expecting such great accomplishment.

“The team was very surprised that we made it this far,” junior Martina Rabade said. “We didn’t think we had the potential at first, but after a few games we knew that this was going to be our season.”

The team has agreed that their preparation and focus to improve this year has also contributed to their success.

“We all got along on the team which made us gain trust in each other and everyday we would give an 110 percent effort at practice,” Rabade said.

One thing that helped the team go undefeated was their spectacular goal

PHOTO BY MAX KANDEL.

Sophomore Regan Solomon (#5) chases after the ball while being trailed by a defender. The Bulldogs were 16-0 in the regular season. differential of only allowing two goals while scoring a whopping total of 39 in the regular season.

“I think the girls on the team decided they wanted to prioritize field hockey,” coach Cay Miller said. “It

Athletes Commit

PHOTO BY THOMAS ATKINSON.

Mory Gould

was not just one or two players who made the commitment; it was the whole team.”

The team also has great sportsmanship. They never allow themselves to go ahead of an opponent by more than six goals, which is an unusual policy that many do not see very often. While most teams may score a few more goals and then stop scoring, this team stops at six so they don’t add salt to the wound.

“Teams with integrity do not trash talk,” Miller said. ”They make their statement during the game on the scoreboard, and then they can shake hands with sincerity after the game.”

The team achieved their goal of beating Wootton, which happened on two occasions , and going to regionals. Going to states was just an extra bonus for this team, and becoming the first field hockey team to do that in over thirty years leaves the bulldogs with some closure after losing to South River HS in the state title game. “[Our] goals were to beat Wooton and to make it to regionals, which we did and now we have the potential to

go farther,” Rabade said.

The bulldogs have gotten a big boost this year from leading scorer Alexandra Sperling, who made the team as a freshman, but has taken the next step as a sophomore. She had 13 goals on the season.

“I was able to be the leading scorer by working hard and always making sure I was in the right position,” Sperling said.

This team has consistently mentioned that trust in one another has allowed them to take that next step to be a state title contender.

“This year’s team was a perfect storm of diligence, integrity, talent and teamwork,” Miller said. “They realized that when they work hard in practice, it shows in their games.”

With a strong sophomore class, that can help carry the team as well as the confidence they have in each other, there is no limit to how far they can go.

“We knew we could do it and we would always come out pumped and excited for each game,” Rabade said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JULIA REICIN.

Julia Reicin

By Emily Wang Features Editor

By Nathan Deychman Online Editor-in-Chief

Congratulations to senior Mory Gould for committing to Indiana University for 2017-2018. Gould is the reigning regional, state and Washington Metropolitan Interscholastic diving champion.

“I chose it because I loved the team atmosphere. They have three Olympians on the team as well as the Olympic head coach [Drew Johansen],” Gould said.

Despite having only started yearround diving three years ago, Gould has quickly ascended the ranks and won the AT&T National Championships for the 14-15 age group in 2014.

Currently, he trains with Dominion Dive Club in Northern Virginia, practicing over 20 hours a week.

In the future, Gould plans to pursue a degree in biology and place in the top 12 divers to qualify for the finals of the 2020 Olympic trials.

Senior Julia Reicin has committed to the University of Maryland College Park to run cross-country and track and field.

Reicin has been running for CHS since her freshman year and has consistently been among the top runners in Maryland. Reicin finished seventh and eighth in the 800 meters and 1600 meters, respectively, this past outdoor track season at the Maryland Outdoor Track and Field 4A Championships.

She also finished third at the crosscountry state championships on Nov. 12.

“Running has taught me to be confident, strong and motivated on the course, track and in everyday life,” Reicin said. “I have learned to persevere, knowing that the finish line is always in sight.”

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December 2, 2016

15

Sports

Volleyball Digs their Way to a Winning Season

By Becky Wolfson Online Arts Editor Emily Wang Features Editor Crowded around the steam sizzling off the juicy Korean barbeque at Honey Pig, the girls’ volleyball team reflected upon a season well done. The team concluded with a successful regular season finishing with a record of 18-1 and a postseason that made it all the way to regional finals.

During their regular season, the team’s only loss was a five set loss (2-3) against Sherwood.

“It was a night of ups and downs both emotionally and on play,” head coach Cindy Hillard said. “The biggest thing we took away from that match was to pull together as a team when we start to get down, which we needed for our 3-2 win over Blair.”

According to senior captain Emma Jin, the team lost against Sherwood because they did not believe in themselves enough or play to their fullest potential.

They learned from their loss in order to emerge victorious in their next game against Blair.

“Our team fought till the very end of the 5th set during the Blair game and did not give up,” Jin said. “Communication was the key to winning.”

Though the team’s regular season record matched last year’s, their competition was much stronger this year. A key component to this year’s continued success was that the team’s camaraderie had developed into tight knit team play.

“We are stronger as a team than we are individually,” Hillard said. “[The girls] need to depend on each other, and they know they can.”

The bulldogs are undersized by volleyball standards with most of the team standing under 5’8’’ and the tallest being 5’10” junior Anna Mollard.

However, the height deficit does not

stop them from facing taller opponents head on.

“In volleyball, height is usually directly correlated to hitting hard and playing well,” senior captain Nina Gautam said. “However, we compensate by training hard, staying in shape, moving quickly and having really good defense.”

The team consistently competes

libero, leads in MCPS with 245 digs (a forearm receive). Additionally, outside hitter, Nina Gautam, and defense specialist, junior Grace Xia, have 170 and 118 digs respectively.

According to Tai, her coach and teammates have supported her and elevated her level of play. She attributes the team’s strong defense to the hours spent practicing different defensive

their supportive coach and captains.

In the region finals, the team lost to Northwest 0-3.

According to Jin, the team fought through every match with pride and had fun through it all. Though it was a sad loss to Northwest, each year the team gets closer and closer to success and will hopefully get to achieve that in the future.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CINDY HILLARD. PHOTO COURTESY OF MITCHELL STARK.

From left to right, seniors Marella Ma, Molly Stark, Emma Jin, Nina Gautam and Allison Lu. The Bulldogs won their senior game and finished the regualr season 18-1. against teams with 6’1” and 6’2” players and their ability to win is a testament to the strength of whole team.

The bulldogs have one of the strongest defenses in the county with a reliable libero (the rearmost defensive specialist). Junior Michelle Tai, starting

setups and scenarios.

“This much defense is what has helped us win against these huge teams,” Hillard said.

As the team headed into the postseason, they continued to strengthen their team bonds and follow guidance from

Even though the season has come to a close, the captains have wishes and hopes for next year.

“Next year I would love to see the team’s bond and spirit remain the same or, for better, to increase and become stronger as a whole,” Jin said.

Hockey Welcomes New Players, Keeps Goals the Same

By Jenna Greenzaid Circulation Manager Starting off the season with more new players than old and with the pressure of winning a fourth championship in five years, the CHS Varsity 1 Hockey Team is up for the challenge.

Last season, V1 finished first in the Maryland State Hockey League, with a record of 12-0-0, and came third in the national championship.

“I’m pretty optimistic [for the upcoming season],” junior right wing Jack Taylor said. “Although we lost a lot of talent, we still have a bunch of good players that are ready to fill the roles.

Hopefully we can maintain the team’s history of dominance.”

Starting off the season with a whole new dynamic is something the team is going to have to work with and make the best of.

“Last year, most of the kids were seniors who had been playing on varsity for four years, and it was almost like a continuation of the year before,” Taylor said. “This year we will need a little time to adjust. We have a lot of talent and a lot of speed that other teams have trouble trying to deal with. The scores in the beginning may be lopsided, but we will start to work well together soon.”

It will take some time for the new players to fill the roles of the graduated seniors and for the team to become the unified group they have been in the past, but hard work always seems to pay off. The Bulldogs started off this season with one win against WJ and one tie against Whitman.

“It will be very difficult, we lost

several great players, and the kids who are returning are, for the most part, unproven players that a lot will be asked of,” head coach Ray McKenzie said.

“We have to see how they respond.”

It is also not just the new players who are going to be pushed. Old players are aiming to improve their game this

season as well. The team as a whole is aiming to improve on weaknesses from past seasons and from the beginning of this season so far. They plan on building a dominant defense and increasing scoring from forwards.

“Personally, the biggest challenge will be playing a lot of minutes and

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEX PLASTRIK.

The Bulldogs celebrate on the ice after defeating Wootton 3-2 Nov. 18.

For new players who went from V2 to V1 this season, the pressure is on.

“The pace of the game has definitely been a major difference from V1 to V2,” sophomore left wing Hayden Farrand said. “I do feel a lot of pressure and I think a lot of us do because we all have to step up if we want to achieve what

being a leader [and] role model for the younger guys,” senior forward Andrew Kurapov said. “I know a lot of people will rely on me to produce and lead the team … especially since I’m a senior, but I hope that will only elevate my game and hopefully I will be able to elevate the others’ game.”

the seniors were able to do last year, which was win states. We have to work hard at every practice to be the best that we can be.”

The more vigorous practices and the quicker pace of the game have been huge adjustments for new players.

“There is just so much more skill on the ice and everything is much faster,” junior goalie Alex Plastrik said.

“V1 practices just as often as V2 and JV and for the same amount of time, but V1 practices are much more intense than the V2 and JV practices. I know I [also] have some big shoes to fill replacing [the old goalies], but it just makes me want to work harder and get better.”

The new friendships and the bonds players make with one another while being on the team help the team work together and become united.

“The best part of being on V1 is the friendships you make with all the guys,” Plastrik said. “We have team dinners on Thursdays before games and we eat lunch as a team on game days and you really get to bond with everyone.

No matter what happens, my teammates will always be there for me.”

The outcome of the rest of the season is unknown as of now, but V1 is definitely in it to win it.

“I’m excited for the Wootton game,” Kurapov said. “Honestly I’m not quite sure what to expect because Wootton has a completely different team and so do we. I do know that we’re going to have a big turn out in fans and it’s going to be loud. I’m definitely excited for that; it’s always fun to play in front of a crowd.”

Montgomery County Public Schools Winston Churchill High School 11300 Gainsborough Rd. Potomac, MD 20854

thechurchillobserver.com

December 2, 2016

Volume 41 - Issue 3

A National Blue Ribbon School her past two years varsity, going from 26 saves in

By Sara Heimlich Features Editor In the spring of eighth grade, junior Juliet Twomey picked up a field hockey stick for the first time. Three and a half years later, Twomey is CHS’s starting varsity goalie and a key player in the Bulldogs’ run to the state championship.

“I knew I wanted to do a fall sport at CHS because I knew it would be good introduction into high school,” Twomey said.

Field hockey was a clear choice for Twomey, as her aunt was an All-American field hockey player in college. She was originally a field player but when the varsity goalie at the time suggested that Twomey try goalie, she took to it quickly and never looked back.

Since her start on the JV team freshman year, Twomey has contributed to her team’s success, becoming varsity goalie her sophomore year and, eventually, the starting goalie this season. As part of the growth, Twomey and the team were

determined to make a comeback this year, in spite of a tough loss to Richard Montgomery in their first round of playoffs last season.

“Last year we had a really talented team but we had some really significant losses against teams that were hard to get through,” Twomey said. “Going into this season we were really motivated to take back those losses and come out really strong. I felt like it was more of a mental game than anything.”

In line with their hopes, field hockey led an undefeated season with their 16 wins, qualifying them for the state championship game, a first for CHS since 1985.

Unfortunately, the team lost by 6-0 on Nov. 12.

Twomey has showed tremendous improvement over PHOTO COURTESY OF JULIET TWOMEY.

o n

t h e 2 0 1 5 season to 68 saves in the 2016 full season. To top it off, prior to the state championship game, where the opposing team scored six goals, Twomey had only let in a total of four goals this year, two in the regular season and two in playoffs.

“I feel like I’ve matured a lot from last season to this one by just going in with the mentality that you need to put in 110 percent in practice and in games,” Twomey said.

At the end of the season, Twomey received the defensive MVP award. Not only does the team value Twomey’s success of her skills, but also the sense of security she provides.

“When Juliet is in goal, everyone is relaxed,” senior field hockey captain and midfielder Lauren Lipson said. “We know that she is in control and can do her job, which she has been doing all season.”

Coach Cay Miller has high expectations of the team and she has watched Twomey carry them out.

“A big theme for us this season has been focusing on what

you can control and playing in the moment,” Miller said.

“Juliet is a level-headed individual, and one of her strengths is projecting calmness while communicating with clarity.”

“The best part about working with Juliet is that she always reassures you no matter what,” Lipson said. “Even if we take a bad shot on goal during practice or the team scores on us, she always says that it’s okay and that we can do it.”

What Twomey values most about playing is the irreplaceable friendships she has made, something she attributes to shared dedication.

“The friendships that I’ve made are the best part of playing,” Twomey said. “There are tons of people in other grades I wouldn’t be close with if I didn’t practice six days a week and go through intense training and preseason with [them].”

Twomey brings to the table a set of unique qualities that intimidates the opponent while building up her team.

“Her ability to keep her cool is an asset for us because very often opposing teams listen for signs of weakness they can take advantage of,” Miller said.

“Sometimes you can hear if a team is panicked. When Juliet communicates, our opponents hear confidence.”

Golf Secures Third Consecutive State Championship

By Sophie Liss Social Media Editor

The co-ed golf team has consistently dominated Maryland high school golf competitions for the past three years, and is showing no sign of slowing down.

The bulldogs won the 3A/4A state championship Oct. 26 for the third year in a row. With a team score of 315, CHS beat the next best team, Whitman, by the slim margin of three shots.

“The team had a lot of returning talent from last year’s state championship squad,” head coach Robert Tarzy said. “Those players made it a point to inform their teammates of their goal to win another state title this year.

Once those expectations were set, the kids did a great job to achieve their goals.”

The team’s continued success puts pressure on both the players and coaches to continue winning.

“It’s tough [for players] to try to manage their expectations and keep their goals reasonable with the history of the program,” Tarzy said.

“I try to help them get in the

Girls: 1-4 Boys : 4-1

best mental state to play well. Some players need encouragement, some need to be challenged, and others simply need to be reminded that it’s just another round of golf.”

Even with the constant pressure to do well, each player has still been able to perform to the best of their ability with consistent confidence.

“The team’s biggest strength is our confidence in our games and each other’s games,” senior captain Oliver Whatley said.

“We are very confident that we will win and that is what has led us to three state championships.

Some players believe the pressure they face does not affect their ability to perform well during matches; in fact, they attribute the pressure to their dominance.

“In golf, you are trained to deal with pressure,” junior Dylan Rotter said. “I feel the pressure to win every year keeps us motivated and sets the bar high.”

The team attributes their

every single one of us is a little bit different.”

While golf is an individual sport, the players enjoyed practicing and spending time together. Tarzy has made an effort to make it more of a team based sport, which players appreciated.

“Coach Tarzy saw that the team needed to be closer together,” Whatley said.

“He got us more tee times at practices so the whole team could be together, playing and learning from one another.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF DYLAN ROTTER. Aside from their coach’s deJuniors Dylan Rotter, Lena termination to make golf more Capoccia and Senior Oli- of a team sport, players were ver Whatley win states for motivated by Whatley. As a senior, he provided leadership their third consecutive and experience to the team. He year. helped the younger players be success to each player’s in- confident in their ability and dividuality and uniqueness. challenge themselves during Every member on the team each practice and match.

“The biggest role model for has their own style of practice and play, as well as their me on the team is Whatley,” own strengths and weak- Rotter said. “I learned a lot from watching him and his work ethnesses.

“We all had each other’s ic is something I aspire to.”

While it may seem as though back and we’re never worried about losing,” junior the team is invincible, they do Joddie Zeng said. “CHS has have minor flaws. One of these so many good players and is distractions, such as players

Girls:

Girls:

20-2

8-3-1

2-8

15-0 State Champs

focusing on other players and not being fully focused on their own play.

“Our only weakness would be lack of focus,” Rotter said.

“The reason we consistently won is because of the talent we have and the work we put in.”

This weakness has proven to be a minor one, as it didn’t halt the team from winning yet another state championship. Although focus and determination was vital in winning the title, the players were still able to enjoy themselves throughout the season.

“My legacy is that I always had fun no matter what,” Whatley said. “I had a lot of faith in my teammates which allowed us to have more fun at practices.”

The success of CHS golf has not come from one player, but from the efforts of every member of the team.

“The team will definitely be successful in the next four years because there are really good freshman that came in,” Whatley said. “Our team is going to be young the next couple years which is great because those players can learn a lot.”

Girls: 10-2-2 Boys:9-5-2

16-1

State Runner-Up