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Thomas Edison High School • Volume 53• Issue 3• 5801 Franconia Road • Alexandria, VA 22310 • April 21, 2017

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what’s inside NEWS:

Prom date (3) Science March (4) Graduation speaker (5)

FEATURES:

Artist profile (6) Science Olympiad (7) Spring events (9) Sebastian Bonaiuto (1011)

OPINIONS:

Message to media (12) Editorial (13)

SPORTS:

The Current is a student-edited publication serving the Thomas A. Edison High School community.

The Current Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Justin Askenazy Managing Editor Ryan Pinkney News Editor Camryn Anderson Opinions Editor Jessica Cruz Sports Editor Will Dobson

Online Editor Ryan Pinkney Arts Editor Jillian Brooks Business Manager Spencer Parker Copy Chief Will Dobson Adviser Carl Irvin

Staff Writers & Photographers Mikias Abebe

Mollie Coogan

Spencer Parker Eric Thurman Aya Zaraket The Current is the official newspaper of Thomas A. Edison High School published quarterly by the journalism staff. It serves as a vehicle for student expression and is an open forum of issues of interest and concern to the school community.

Year-long subscriptions are available for $20. Subscription forms may be ordered via email at edisoncurrent@gmail.com. Subscription forms may also be picked up in room C-215.

The staff is deeply committed to a code of journalistic ethics that demands the exercise of accuracy, good judgment, and impartiality. The content of The Current is determined by the editorial board.

Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of the staff of The Current, but not necessarily the opinions of individual editors or staff members. Signed editorials and letters to the editor reflect the views of the authors.

The Current solicits advertising, but reserves the right to reject any material deemed libelous, disruptive, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

Letters to the Editor may be submitted to edisoncurrent@gmail.com. Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

With any general questions regarding The Current, please email edisoncurrent@gmail.com

Coach Racek (14) Letter from the Editor: Spring sports update (15) In this issue, we feature her art, as well as the many heart-warming story benefits of art.

Column as I see ‘em (17) the of freshman Sebastian BoIn the arts section, look

ARTS:

“Honk!” preview (18) “Firstlife” book review (18) “Beauty and the Beast” review (19) Edison testing calendar (20)

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naiuto, who was diagnosed with cancer in December.

Throughout his treatment, he has worked hard to stay positive and beat the disease. We think everyone can take some inspiration from his struggle.

Also featured is IB Art student Maria Stanczak, who shares her thoughts on

for a preview of Edison’s upcoming musical, “Honk!” along with reviews of a new book and Disney’s well-known movie, “Beauty and the Beast.”

Lastly, on the back cover, we included a testing calendar for reference as the season quickly approaches.

news Prom date subject of controversy

Usual June date moves to May 19 for religious holiday Ryan Pinkney managing editor

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he senior prom is scheduled to take place May 19. The originally proposed date of June 2 had to be changed because of conflicts presented with the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, during which fasting occurs from May 26 to June 25.

The proposal process began last June by the newly elected senior class officers, who presented the original date of June 2. The date was approved by administration and planning continued with the date set. However, according to Student Government Association (SGA) President Halle Kaufax, it came to the attention of the officers and school administration that it would conflict with Ramadan.

According to Kaufax, a flashy dance would not be appropriate for celebrating Muslims to attend.

Senior Fatana Karimi was one of the Muslim students who advocated for the date change. She said she talked to Director of Student Activities Gregory Dombrowski and senior class sponsor Michelle Oja to get the date changed and was very persistent.

Karimi said, “Every night I go to the mosque for night prayer during Ramadan and I wouldn’t have been able to do this if prom was during Ramadan.”

Kaufax said, “We had many meetings with administration discussing what would be the best option for the date of prom for all Edison students to participate.” Many people were involved in the deci-

Prom-goers dance at last year’s prom, which took place in June. This year, the prom date has stirred some controversy since it was moved to May. French exam is scheduled for sion-making for switching leadership had to coordinate the morning of May 19 and the date of prom. The senior with the other events to get creates a significant logistical class officers, seniors in SGA, the new prom date. Kaufax issue for students testing that senior class sponsors and said, “Student leadership and day. members of the administraadministration did a comOn the other hand, Ramation, including Dombrowski, mendable job of making sure dan is not the only scheduling Assistant Principal Mark as many seniors as possible problem that gets addressed Nocera and Principal Pamela were available to go to prom by changing the date. Many Brumfield were all involved on the date provided. UltiEdison athletes were conflictin the decision. Dombrowski mately, it was decided that it ed with the June date and are said the administration totally would not be fair for Muslim now glad that it resolves those supported the decision of students to have to choose conflicts. the SGA officers to switch the between their senior prom and Senior Caleb Yonas said, “I date. their religious devotions.” think that changing the date The logistics for prom There has been objection to was a good idea because in became very difficult. Kaufax the date change. The earlier the past athletic teams have said there are many factors date is much closer to IB been faced with the decision that go into the decision and exams and students say it is to either attend their event in having to restart the progoing to be difficult to juggle support of the school or miss cess unexpectedly can be both events. prom.” very stressful. Kaufax said, Senior Fiorella Levine said, In the end, many seniors “Switching the date [was] not “It would have worked out were willing to make the easy. The new proposed date, better especially for full IB change. Senior Piero VillacorMay 19, had conflicts with IB students since May is IB exam ta said, “It is good that Edison tests, choral events and The month and there is less to be is being aware of the diverse Got Hope Walkathon. Fortuworried about in June. Seniors culture of our school, being nately, we were able to work would be stress-free, except accepting and being flexible.” with other areas of the school now we have kids taking an Kaufax said, “Students to switch around.”

IB exam in the morning and should be excited to spend Once it was concluded then having to leave and get one final dance with their that the date had to change, ready for prom, which really classmates before we all gradadministration and student sucks if you’re a girl.” The IB uate from Edison.”

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The Science March is the first of its kind. Participants can register for one of the many satellite marches on the March for Science website. fellow scientists to attend the March is an opportunity for March, saying, “I think we me and my fellow peers, espehave to be more forceful in our cially the ones that can’t yet defense of science.” Many in vote, to have our voices heard the scientific community have by politicians who might not echoed Holt’s sentiment and always take us seriously. It hope for a large turnout at the feels good to be able to do marches. something to express our Sophomore Gleni Garnett priorities.” said, “To me, the Science

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n April 22, 2017, thousands of scientists will participate in the March for Science at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and in many other cities around the globe, such as New York City, London and Cape Town, South Africa.

These scientists come from a wide variety of fields of study -- biology, geology and physics, to name a few -- and they all share a common goal: to promote and advance the study of science and to elevate its importance in politics.

Inspired in part by the similar Women’s March in January, the March will be a demonstration to society and governments around the world about the critical role science plays in preparing for the future.

The March’s momentum has been spurred on by recent political developments,

including the appointment of Scott Pruitt - a noted climate change denier - as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), President Donald Trump moving to repeal environmental protections, as well as working to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement on climate change and a proposal to cut EPA funding by $2.6 billion.

Numerous scientists are lobbying for Congress and the president to work towards a solution on climate change to no avail. The March for Science provides those with concerns an outlet - perhaps one that’s harder to dismiss - for their worries that they hope will pressure the government to work hard to come up with a resolution on climate change.

Rush Holt, a physicist, former congressman, and current CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, has urged

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Science March to send message on climate change

Protestors march laden with signs and signature pink hats symbolic of their movement in a satellite women’s march on January 21, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. The Science March hopes to get the same amount of support on April 22.

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featured content from our website

Dight voted grad speaker for Class of 2017 Justin Askenazy editor in chief

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ocial studies teacher Donald Dight has been voted by the senior class to be this year’s speaker at graduation. Dight was chosen out of a field of fellow teachers whom the seniors had written in to be included.

Dight said he was “blown away” when the senior class officers presented him with a pack of gummy bears and a sign asking him to speak at graduation.

“I was awed and humbled at the same time,” he said. “I was totally surprised, having only been here a couple of years.”

Dight said he has spent “every red light on the way

Social studies teacher Donald Dight poses with seniors (from left) Christopher Aviles, Audrey Barber and Kenny Ayers. Dight was voted this year’s graduation speaker by the seniors.

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home” thinking about what he wants to say to the graduates.

Among the topics, he said, are “my experiences at Edison, my own high school experience, when we blossom in life and what it means to be an Eagle.”

With many of the previous grad speakers occupying the same social studies hallway, Dight hopes to solicit some advice from them and other teachers as to what to address in his speech. At the same time, however, he

Social studies teacher Scott Racek was the graduation speaker last year. Dight follows a legacy of social studies teachers who have been grad speakers.

“I was awed and humbled at the same time.”

-Donald Dight

said he hopes the speech will be”unique to me and my perspective.”

The grad speaker nomination was mired in controversy earlier this year when principal Pamela Brumfield announced that the social studies department had taken itself out of the running to be nominated since they had done it for so many years. After backlash from the seniors, the teachers were again placed on the ballot.

Dight said he hopes to rise above the controversy. “You can’t please everybody,” he said. “I hope to be able to represent the faculty [and] social studies department well and communicate in a way that is meaningful, heartfelt and effective.”

“I am tremendously grateful to the seniors,” Dight said. “I think this is the greatest honor a teacher can have bestowed upon them.”

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Artist Q&A with Maria Stanczak Senior IB Art student discusses her artistic passion

I’ve been a really visual person from a young age, so I always had a fascination with art. I drew a lot at a really young age, like a lot of kids do, and I happened to like it enough to stick with it. My mom first noticed the drawings I would create in preschool, some of which I still have, which were most definitely not great, but good for my age, I suppose. I continued to do art as a hobby, but I became less and less involved with it until a bit before high school, when I started drawing a lot. High school art class especially made me realize how much I loved art.

It was really helpful to have a class in school that I not only felt comfortable in, but was excited about.

What is your favorite part of being an artist?

My favorite part about being an artist is that it really shapes the way I look at the world.

I’ve found that it’s made me a more positive person because I tend to focus on the beauty in things, and it’s given me an appreciation of my surroundings that I didn’t have before.

Expressing myself through art April 2017 |The Current | 6

What is your favorite form of art?

What I really like about myself as an artist is the fact that I like to experiment with a lot of different things and I genuinely enjoy working with a lot of different media. I guess it means that I really don’t have a favorite way to work. It all just depends on what I’m interested in at the moment; however, I can say I’ve consistently enjoyed photography as well as working with ink, both of which I continue to do on a regular basis.

When it comes to other art-

What is the hardest part of being an artist?

While I’m so grateful for the opportunity to do art, I will say, it can come with a negative stigma, or is often viewed as unimportant. On a pretty consistent basis, I deal with people who have negative or confused reactions as to why I would continue to study art or perhaps turn it into a career. Many people see it as something that should be a hobby instead of a job, which can be hard to shake off.

The negative stigma around studying art can leave young artists feeling very discontent, confused, or nervous about their future, as many have grown up being told that there is no chance of them being successful in the realm of art. I know many people with a love for art that have been discouraged from pursuing it in the future, either by friends and family, or unfortunately, the school system.

Because art is often thought of as unnecessary, or a waste of time and money, many art programs get defunded, and this leaves students without proper access to materials. It also leaves many programs understaffed, resulting in less guidance for young artists that would help them be successful in the future.

Why do you love art?

Art is really important to

Maria Stanczak

How did you initially get involved in art?

ists’ work, I just enjoy things that are unique, or have great composition, rather than leaning towards a certain medium.

I really love more traditional art, simply for the beauty of it, but appreciate modern art for the way it pushes boundaries and encourages people to questions the way we view art and society.

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enior Maria Stanczak’s art was recently featured on a display in the lecture hall. Opinions editor Jessica Cruz sat down with the student artist in order to get a glimpse into her passion.

has built up my confidence in my ideas and skills, allowing me to be more productive and successful in other situations.

Practicing this self expression through art has allowed me to express myself more clearly in my academic life, as well as socially.

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Stanczk poses for a portrait in the snow. Stanczak’s art talents include drawings, paintings, sculpting and photography.

Why do you continue to do art? Do you see yourself following art as

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I continue to do art because it’s something I genuinely enjoy and find relaxing. I think it’s important for everyone to find something they enjoy, because it results in people becoming more well-rounded.

Not only this, but it can give people somewhere to turn when they aren’t feeling their best. Art has been there for me in the way that some people haven’t, and that is why I continue to work at it.

I would love to do art as a career, or at least integrate it into my career. As of now, I don’t know what I want to do with my future, but I do see myself as someone who will do an array of things. I love the idea of combining my interests; I feel as though I would be unfulfilled taking one route instead of taking advantage of multiple skills.

Maria Stanczak

a career?

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me because it’s a really great form of self-expression. A piece could mean the world, or mean absolutely nothing to me, and regardless, it has still allowed me to express myself in some way. I also find it to be incredibly interesting because of the infinite amount of ways someone’s art piece can be interpreted. It’s something that is so freeing, unconfined by the rigid boundaries of certain subjects. I think it’s important to have a balance of practical skills, knowledge and self-expression, and for me, art allows me to say what’s on my mind without having to say anything at all. It is flexible, bound by no rules, and I find that it offers an escape from the often constricting nature of our reality.

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One of Stanczak’s pieces for her IB Art class. The piece is entitled “home.”

Edison Science Olympiad reaches new heights Ryan Pinkney managing editor

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he Edison Science Olympiad is a team of students that competes in the various topics of science. The 2017 Science Olympiad team has a total membership of 45, which is the largest it has ever been, according to science teacher and team co-coach Kate Anderson.

Science Olympiad is unique in that the team does not have regularly scheduled meetings and relies on the independent preparation of its team members. This allows students to avoid the stress of a constant time commitment but still participate in a team activity. Anderson, who has been the co-coach for the past five years, said that there is a lot of independent work that goes into being on the team and being able to compete at

The Science Olympiad at their district tournament with their fifth place trophy. The Science Olympiad team hopes to continue to have good membership. tournament.

The team competes in topics ranging from basic biology to geology, and the events vary from lab experiments to comprehension exams. Team members have to be prepared to perform in both knowledge and practical events in their topic. According to Anderson, Science Olympiad is an elite and fun opportunity for prospective scientists.

The team gets to compete at the district and state level. These tournaments are all-day, weekend events that bring together hundreds of students. Anderson said, “Tournament day is by far the best because it is a long day, but it is spent with people you are competing against and with your team.”

Team member and junior Connor Vaught said, “Sci-

ence Olympiad can be very competitive, so working hard on the projects and studying for the events greatly improves our chances of winning the event.”

The district tournament took place the first weekend in February and the team scored fifth out of 22 high schools.

Several Edison students scored high enough to medal in their topic and continue on to the state tournament.

Vaught said, “It’s a team competition so everyone wants to do well individually so the team can continue on to states.”

Anderson said to anyone interested in Science Olympiad, “If you are interested in science and willing to work hard, Science Olympiad is right for you. You do not have to be an expert.”

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EHS The Current on Twitter

Vist our Twitter feed for breaking news and updates about what’s happening in your Edison community

April 2017 | The Current | 8

features

Local events for Spring 2017 Washington Capitals hockey games throughout April in the Verizon Center

In celebration of Jazz Appreciation month, the Smithsonian sponsors performances outside certain sites. They are exciting events that attract a lot of attention from pedestrians, and there is often an opportunity to move with the music and dance.

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Smithsonian Jazz Appreciation Month in April -- Events at different venues

The Washington Capitals had a successful regular session. Fans hope to see them continue into the postseason. The Verizon Center is a fun way to escape the coming summer heat.

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View of Sandy Point Beach on the Chesapeake Bay. The beach is protected with lifeguards from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

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Sandy Point State Park: Located right on the Chesapeake Bay, Sandy Point State Park is a part of Maryland’s network of Chesapeake Bay beaches and has a scenic view of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The park includes public changing facilities and picnic areas.

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Places to check out

The dugout at the Pfitzner stadium, which is the home of the Potomac Nationals. The stadium was constructed in 1984.

Minor League Baseball -- Potomac Nationals home games: The Potomac Nationals are a local minor league baseball team that plays at Pfitzner Stadium in Prince William County, Va. The minor league season runs from March to June.

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Edison freshman stays strong Justin Askenazy editor in chief

“

I was pretty shocked and worried at first.

growing process.

After getting the diagnosis, Bonaiuto was admitted to Fairfax Hospital where he began a series of surgeries and chemotherapy treatments.

Bonaiuto said his side effects “haven’t been too terrible,” consisting of “nausea, hair loss and a weakened immune system.” He has so far completed three of his eight chemotherapy cycles.

One of the most significant effects of the cancer was the amputation of his left foot. “They had to amputate my foot to keep the cancer from spreading,” Bonaiuto said. “They couldn’t take out enough bone without taking the whole foot off.” He plans to get a prosthetic foot that will help him regain his walk-

ing abilities.

Bonaiuto is not the first in his family to suffer from cancer; his mother had breast cancer several years ago. She succumbed to the disease in 2011. Bonaiuto said he used her experience as an example. “[It] kind of prepared me for what to expect. I saw her go through chemo and some surgeries. I hope my experience ends better, though,” he said.

An avid athlete, Bonaiuto played football and baseball and swam before he was diagnosed.

Bonaiuto’s love of sports has led to some memorable moments during his treatment. His friends and doctors were able to arrange conversations with a number of fa-

Courtesy of Sebastian Bonaiuto

“Obviously, you never want to hear that you have cancer.”

Thus began a journey of struggle and resilience for freshman Sebastian Bonaiuto, who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in December 2016. After the amputation of his foot, Bonaiuto is still in the midst of his battle with the rare bone cancer. He agreed to talk with The Current via email about his experiences.

“It all started with a rolled ankle,” Bonaiuto said. “It got progressively worse, so I went to see a doctor.” Initial X-rays came back negative, but an MRI test a few weeks later revealed a bone cyst in his heel.

Bonaiuto underwent surgery to remove it, but it kept reappearing, resulting in three additional operations.

After the last surgery, doctors found suspicious cells in Bonaiuto’s bone, and pathology revealed they were malignant. “I was pretty mad that they had already done four surgeries on my foot and just now found that I had cancer,” he said.

According to the American Cancer Society, osteosarcoma is most commonly found in children and teens; however, only 450 cases are diagnosed in that age group each year, making the cancer fairly uncommon. It can be inherited or caused by DNA changes during cell division, such as when bone forms during the

Freshman Sebastian Bonaiuto works with a nurse at Fairfax Hospital after the amputation of his left foot. Bonaiuto was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a bone cancer, in December 2016.

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features amid battle with cancer tion. “I see other kids when I’m in the hospital...who have been getting chemo for years and have worse side effects, and some really little kids, too, and seeing them stay strong gives me inspiration,” he said.

According to freshman football and baseball player Jack Durham, Bonaiuto’s fellow students are also inspired.

“Since the beginning, Sebastian has fought through some of the toughest of times, and that inspires me to keep fighting through anything no matter how rigorous it gets,” Durham said.

Throughout his treatment, Bonaiuto has been keeping up on schoolwork through online classes and homebound teach-

“Staying positive makes everything easier.”

-Sebastian Bonaiuto

ers and is ready to get back to his normal routine.

“I’ll go back to school on the first day next year,” he said. “Big picture, everything looks the same...the only thing I see changing is how long it takes me to get ready in the morning and [how often I have to go to the doctor.]”

Bonaiuto is also planning to put his prosthetic foot to good use. “I’m going to try to

Courtesy of Sebastian Bonaiuto

mous athletes, including NFL safety Eric Berry, Washington Nationals pitcher Phil Morse, Paralympian Josh Sundquist and wounded warriors Sara Evans and Nicholas Clark.

Berry went through a battle with cancer in 2014, while Sundquist also fought cancer as a child and lost his leg.

The athletes helped Bonaiuto understand how the treatment would go and what to expect in the future.

“Every talk has been very helpful, and I learned a lot from talking to them,” he said.

“I think it’s really cool that they have taken the time to talk to me.”

However, the athletes are not his only source of inspira-

play football again this fall. I haven’t decided which other sports I’ll do, but I plan on playing a winter and spring sport too,” he said.

For now, Bonaiuto does not know yet whether he is cancer-free. “The chemo I’m doing now is to make sure there isn’t anything left,” he said.

“There is always a chance of it returning, but the doctors are doing everything they can to keep it from coming back.”

Despite his struggle, Bonaiuto’s mantra has been to “stay positive.”

“Everything seems to go better and I’m more confident when I keep a positive attitude and I feel I can tackle whatever the day brings,” he said, though he acknowledged that “it’s not always easy, and there are rough days here and there.”

Bonaiuto said he appreciates the “tremendous” support of his family and friends and prefers to look at the glass as half-full.

“It is a struggle going through all this and adjusting, but it could be worse,” he said. “Staying positive makes everything easier.”

Sports editor Will Dobson contributed to this story

Bonaiuto poses in his hospital room with Phil Morse, a pitcher with the Washington Nationals. “I think it’s really cool that [athletes] have taken the time to talk to me,” Bonaiuto said.

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Ludovic Bertron

als and straight relationships portrayed on screen, there are only a handful of LGBTQ+ characters and even fewer gay relationships.

While this may not have been as big of a deal 10 years ago when there were fewer available resources on gender and sexuality, that’s no longer the case. If there isn’t a person someone can talk to about the LGBTQ+ community, there is a plethora of online resources, so lack of education isn’t an excuse to not represent the community on screen anymore.

While there are relationships, such as Alec Lightwood and Magnus Bane on the Freeform show “Shadowhunters” and Connor Walsh and Oliver Hampton on ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder,” these two relationships aren’t enough to represent the massive and ever-growing LGBTQ+ community. Of these four men, only one is bisexual and the others are gay and when there are at least six different sexualities, this isn’t

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ne of the great things about growing up in 2017 is that non-heterosexuals and non-cisgender people are becoming more and more accepted in society.

Slowly but surely, kids are growing up in an era that accepts all members of the LGBTQ+ community and are being exposed to more information about sexuality and gender.

When the 1950s and today are compared, it’s amazing to see the progress that has been made in normalizing gay youth. In the ‘50s, it was essentially a sin to be gay and those who were gay were ostracized. Today, though, there are Gay Straight Alliances in school and openly gay celebrities to serve as role models for youth who are questioning their sexuality.

However, there is still not enough representation for the LGBTQ+ community in television and film. Among the thousands of heterosexu-

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Message to the media: shape up and represent

The LGBTQ+ flag became popular in 1978 by artist Gilbert Baker.

Over the years, more people have recognized this as a symbol for the LGBTQ+ community. enough representation. it helps normalize their sexu“The representation in TV ality and gender. If they see and movies has definitely that people are actively watchimproved in recent years but I ing and are fans of shows with think it could be better,” said someone like them, it’ll help sophomore Maggie Landis. strengthen the idea that they While it’s understandable are valid. Gay marriage has that not every show can have been legal for almost three

“We’re regular people and it’s necessary to normalize what some people consider abnormal”

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-Stacey Kiggins

Pride parades for the LGBT community (also known as gay pride parades, pride events and pride festivals) are events celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) culture. The events also at times serve as demonstrations for legal rights, such as same-sex marriage.

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a gay relationship, at least having one openly LGBTQ+ character can provide more representation and validation for real life LGBTQ+ people. This works in favor for the show too because if a LGBTQ+ character is portrayed and portrayed correctly, it will be talked about over social media and by word of mouth, promoting the show in a positive manner.

It’s important that there are role models, real and fictional, for LGBTQ+ people because

years; it’s time to represent.

“We’re regular people and it’s necessary to normalize what some people consider abnormal, as much as possible, so that those people are not marginalized and further treated with disrespect or ignorance,” said English teacher and Gay-Straight Alliance adviser Stacey Kiggins. “If they are represented in a format that is condoned or considered respectable then the rest of the country will see them as respectable as well.”

STAFF EDITORIAL

Exams should still be paid for

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ne of the threats that is so often made when the Fairfax County School Board discusses budget cuts is the requirement that students pay for their IB or AP exams.

Currently, the county covers the cost of these exams, but with a constant need to find new sources of revenue, the School Board has often proposed changing that policy.

Again this year, exam fees have showed up on the Superintendent’s list of proposed cuts for the next fiscal year.

FCPS policy states that students enrolled in an IB or AP course must take the related exam. As a result, according to former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who ruled in 2011 on the policy, Fairfax County had to foot the bill for the exams.

Ever since, FCPS has tried to ease its way out of the payments by proposing removing the test requirement and funding only a limited amount of exams.

Under the latest plan, FCPS would cover two AP tests or three IB tests; anything additional would be the responsibility of the student to pay.

FCPS has proposed making students pay for their AP or IB exams.

The plan calls for FCPS to cover two AP tests or three IB tests.

While it is good that FCPS is not dropping the funding cold-turkey, any cuts at all do a strong disservice to students and would reflect negatively on the county and its schools.

Limiting the number of subsidized exams restricts opportunities for a large swath of the student population.

Although students on free or reduced lunch would get a fee waiver and some students would have no issue paying for it, many are caught in between. With the cost of an

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exam $116, an IB Diploma candidate could have to pay upwards of $500 to earn their diploma. This is simply not feasible for many students and could create financial hardship for them and their families.

Moreover, those who decide they cannot or will not pay the fees would be denied the chance to take challenging, college-level courses. While the merits and costs of the IB curriculum and workload can be debated ad nauseum, there

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is no question that IB presents a higher level of learning than standard or honors classes.

No one should be forced to limit their education because of their economic status and it is contrary to the purpose of public education for FCPS to suggest otherwise.

But in case students’ academic well-being isn’t enough to sway county executives, they should consider the well-being of the school system’s reputation. Schools are often judged by the number of students who take advanced (AP or IB) courses, how many sit for the exams and how many pass the exams. The fewer students who take those classes and exams, the more poorly it reflects on the school.

FCPS has consistently ranked among the top school systems in the country; it would not want to jeopardize that national prestige with an ill-considered budget cut.

The fact is that next year’s budget has not yet been finalized; there is still time for discussion and debate. We hope that when the debate is over, testing fees will not be on the chopping block.

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13 | The Current| April 2017

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Jessica Cruz opinions editor

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lthough history teacher Scott Racek has been coaching since 1991, his relationship with sports began long before that. He began playing soccer at age four and since then, there has not been a time in his life when he has not been involved in sports.

On top of coaching for 26 years, Racek has been teaching for 25 years. 15 of those years have been at Edison.

During his time here he has coached wrestling, golf and soccer, but this year he will be coaching lacrosse.

“My goal is to put a competitive product out on the field,” said Racek. “The lacrosse team will compete for a conference title. At the final gun, we’re hoping that we’re there.”

Despite how chaotic his schedule may get, Racek continues to be as involved as possible in Edison sports. Besides coaching lacrosse during spring season this year, he will also be supporting Edison’s

soccer team.

“I don’t coach for winning and losing per say, although it’s nice to win, but to see a team or student go from point A to point B and you sort of help them get there; that’ll get you up in the morning,” said Racek.

Some of Racek’s wrestlers have gone on to win state titles, including senior Robert Garnett this year and senior Zaki Mohsin and Brock Jacobson in years past. Senior Isaac Ponce won a conference title this year as well.

His successes and victories as a coach and as a teacher continue to fuel his motivation. According to him, it is difficult to pinpoint his proudest moment as a coach because even the small gains matter; being able to connect with his students and his athletes is always a victory.

“He has an aggressive style, he’s always out there and he’s always pushing us to be the best,” said senior Marco Colon, who has been coached

by Racek for two years. “He’s really supportive and he gives

Jessica Cruz

Racek: the man of many teams

Racek advises his lacrosse team during one of their daily practices.

This seasons marks his return to coaching lacrosse. us experiences that he went through to help us when we’re going through something as a team and as an athlete.”

Racek attempts to motivate his athletes to complete their goals and accomplish many

the field resembles the mood of his classrooms.

“My favorite thing about the class [IB Topics] has got to be how obvious it is that he cares about us,” said senior Fiorella Levine. “We spend a majority

“I want the kids to play hard for each other...and for the letters on their chest.”

-Scott Racek

History teacher Scott Racek watches his golfers on the course. Racek has been coaching golf for five years.

April 2017| The Current | 14

successes. He said he believes that team chemistry and camaraderie is one way to better a team.

“I want the kids to play hard for each other...and for the letters on their chest,” said Racek.

Being on the field is just as important as being in the classroom for Racek. He said he finds many similarities between the two because coaching is essentially teaching. The atmosphere that is created with his athletes on

of the time learning the content but he also makes sure to try to create a bond with the class as he sets time aside to talk to us about our future.”

As for his own future, Racek expects to stay involved in sports for as long as he can.

He hopes to be able to cease participation in the athletic department eventually in order to devote more time to his wife, without whose support he says he “could not do it.”

sports

Lifetouch of

Courtesy Junior Alec Roberts waits on a pitch during a game against Tuscarora.

Roberts, the right fielder, leads the Eagles in homeruns on the season.

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inter sports at Edison have finished, and it is time for spring sports to take the field.

Baseball, soccer, lacrosse, track and tennis all look to meet or improve on their benchmarks from last season.

The baseball team, led by senior captains Cameron Hall, Scott Greenlaw and this reporter, and junior captain Omar Ashraf, started off strong, winning their first three games of the season.

Hall said that he has “pretty high expectations,” but that he doesn’t want to “doubt the other teams’ abilities to perform.” Hall looks to the seniors to step up this season and help carry the team back

to the postseason.

On the other diamond, the softball team may have a rebuilding season with only two seniors. One of the seniors, Bella Taylor’s expectations for the team this season are to “grow mentally and physically as a team.” With many underclassmen and only two seniors, she hopes that the underclassmen will “work hard this season and in future seasons to continue Edison softball success.”

Boys soccer, on the other hand, has many returning players this season and according to senior Dougie Shimeles, they “knew we had a solid team. That being said I think everyone’s goal is a conference championship.” However, according to Shimeles,

Courtesy

Will Dobson sports editor

Lifetouch

Spring sports update: teams prep for playoffs

One of nine seniors on this year’s team, Eles Jones dribbles downfield.

The girls soccer team looks to make another postseason push. there was not much leadership last year so the “senior class as a whole needs to step up as leaders.”

The girls soccer team also has a large upperclassman presence with nine seniors on this year’s squad. Senior captain Kasi Pagach has “pretty high expectations for the team considering our nine seniors.” Pagach is looking to the senior class to step up and make a strong push towards the playoffs.

After nearly coming away with a conference championship last season, boys lacrosse looks to capture one this year.

Senior Cole McDowell said, “This season I expect not only to play in the conference championship again, but to win it.” The team will look to a strong upper class to lead the way this season.

Girls lacrosse is coming off a strong season, but they graduated several key seniors.

Junior Paige Barwick said, “after losing a lot of players, I expect our team to really grow this year. I think we will continue to improve through-

out the season, and I hope to see Marshall in the conference championship again.”

The track team has a strong team, and this year the expectation is to “continue our success and bring home another conference championship,” said senior Henry Thomas.

To win the conference again, Thomas said, “everyone’s gonna have to step up and fill their role.

On the courts, girls tennis looks to have a strong season.

Junior Kristina Wheeler said, “our team goal is to always keep improving and trying our best.” The tennis team will look to the upperclassmen to made the biggest impact this season, said Wheeler.

Boys tennis also looks to turn out an impressive season.

Senior Matthew Phuong said, “I expect the season to go very well. I feel that all the players have improved on their games and match mentality.” Phuong said he looks to the younger players to step into their roles this season.

15 | The Current| April 2017

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EHS The Current on the web http://www.thecurrentonline.org/

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sports

Column as I see ‘em

Wikimedia Commmons of

Courtesy

Wizards point guard John Wall has had a stellar season, and looks to continue his success on the playoffs. Wall, along with Beal and Porter, makes up the young core of this successful Wizards team.

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e are in the thick of a D.C. sports resurgence. The Nationals, Wizards and Capitals have all had strong seasons the past few years, and the Wizards and Capitals are currently making headway on the road to the playoffs.

The Wizards have made the postseason in three of the past four seasons, and look to make another appearance.

They have not made it past the conference semi finals in the past ten years, and look to change that this year. Stellar play by guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, as well as a growing role for Otto Porter, have contributed to the Wizards strong season.

Bradley Beal was slated to be a free agent after last season, but the Wizards re-signed him to secure the future of their young core players. Beal signed a five year contract, so strong teams built around him and Wall will not be going away anytime soon.

In the first round the Wizards play the Atlanta Hawks.

The Hawks, led by guard Dennis Schroder, are ranked fifth, one spot behind the Wizards. However, the Wizards lead the Hawks by six games.

If the Wizards move on from the first round, they face either the Celtics or the Bulls.

The Wizards have beaten the Bulls three out of the four times that they have played, and have split the four games with the Celtics.

The Wizards road to the championship is not easy, but they have the young talent to make a deep run to the postseason.

On the ice, the Capitals are atop the Metropolitan division

Courtesy

Will Dobson sports editor

Wikimedia Commmons

Washington sports look to exorcise playoff demons

Alex Ovechkin, the Capitals’ leading goal scorer, will try to ignite the Capitals offense in the postseason to avoid another early exit. of the Eastern Conference, leading their rival the Pittsburgh Penguins by a wide margin.

In the two past seasons, the Capitals have made the playoffs, but were out by the conference semifinals.

The Capitals have been building a team around high profile player and team captain Alex Ovechkin, and a strong supporting cast, including Nicklas Backstrom and TJ Oshie, has led the Capitals to another playoff appearance.

The Capitals play the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the playoffs, from whom they took two of three regular season matches. If they move on, they will play either the Penguins or the Blue Jackets.

The Capitals, as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, have demonstrated their ability to beat anyone they may come across in the playoffs. Fans should not lose confidence in their team this year, as the Capitals look to prove they belong beyond the first round of the playoffs.

Washington fans have long held pessimistic views of their playoff chances, stemming from early exits in nearly all stages of the postseason.

While these views have been for good reason in the past, this could be the year that the playoff pessimism in D.C. disappears. After several strong years and several disappointing playoff appearances, this year may be the year that D.C. sports fans get their long awaited title or two.

17 | The Current| April 2017

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“Honk!” waddles onto the Edison drama stage

Jillian Brooks arts editor

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n May 4, 5 and 6, Edison Drama will be putting on their production of the musical “Honk!”. “Honk!” tells the story of the ugly duckling through song and dance. The ugly duckling is the story of Ugly, played by senior Nicholas Riehle, who is born into a family of ducks and is instantly recognized to be different than all the rest. He is made fun of for not looking like the others that live on the farm, and ends up leaving with the villain of the show, Cat. Ugly goes on a journey, and by the end of it has discovered who he truly is.

This year, Tamarrah Addison, the Edison theater teacher and director, had a theme of acceptance for her shows.

“The theme is that there are differences and we should be recognized for our differences and not ostracized for them,”

said Addison. This theme of acceptance is simple and universal but can be “difficult for people to understand.”

“Honk!” conveys this theme through a spectacle of costumes and dances. “[The song] ‘Joy of Motherhood’ gets to utilize tap and that’s my favorite style of dance so I get to put a part of myself into the show,” said dance captain and senior Jenny Roegner.

“My favorite [group] number is probably ‘A Poultry Tale’ because it is has a lot of fun puns, and musically, the harmonies are really interesting,” said choir director Anna Cooper. “My favorite solo piece is ‘Now That I’ve Seen You’, which Ugly sings after he’s met the love of his life, Penny.”

The cast and crew of the show are after school five days a week working until 5:30 p.m. and also have three scheduled Saturday rehearsals to

perfect the technical and onstage aspects of the show.

“I really do love staying after because for the most part this is a large group of people that Cast members practice the number ‘A Poultry Tale’ with director I can really Tamarrah Addison. They will also show this number to the choral be myself director and choreographer. around,” for kids to make. Also new this said Roegner. year will be the option to take “Honk!” is Addison’s secpictures with the actors and ond musical with Edison, and get their autographs after each it was easier to produce this show. year because she was more “[Ugly] is a swan, so [he] organized and “had more help ends up having something from the kids.” Being institutreally beautiful to give to the ed for the first time under Adworld, and he’s just disregarddison’s direction is a Saturday ed as worthless and ugly at the matinee to appeal to families beginning simply because of with young children. Before how he looks, so I hope that the matinee there will be “rethe audience does understand ally creative” arts and crafts what the underlying meaning of the show is,” said Cooper.

“F

irstlife,” written by Gena Showalter, is a futuristic teen fiction book with a very unique twist.

The cover is enough to pull people in. It is an hourglass with polar opposite communities in the top and bottom and looks similar to some of the other young adult fiction novels that are popular.

The moral of “Firstlife” is to choose your own fate; don’t let your family or anyone around you decide what you will do with your life. The novel is about the character Ten deciding where she wants to go, and her narration does not let you forget it. Almost

April 2017| The Current | 18

book more interesting was the fact that the reader really only knew as much as Ten did when it came to Myriad and Troika. While it was annoying in some cases, it was a bit easier to understand her final decision at the end of the book.

Fans of “Divergent” would definitely like “Firstlife,” because it has a misunderstood bad boy and a heroine with a big decision to make regarding her future. Readers who do not like common tropes (bad boy, peculiar heroine, etc.) should not read this as they will likely get annoyed with the characters very quickly.

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every conversation in the book involves her weighing her options between Myriad and Troika, and the importance of making the decision for herself and not her parents.

Myriad supports the belief that you must earn your way up, and Troika believes that everyone is equal (essentially communism).

The sequel is not worth reading as the writing in “Firstlife” was incredibly cliche, and several lines were used that were very cringe-worthy because of how forced they were. It started off strong but declined, and it became painful to read about 200 pages in. Ten’s thoughts became repetitive and irritating. One thing that made the

Courtesy

Mollie Coogan staff writer

Gena Showalter Website

“Firstlife” visits common fiction novel tropes

Depicted on the front cover of the novel are the two worlds Ten can choose to go to after she dies. The problem in the novel revolves around this tough choice.

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Disney of

Courtesy Maurice, played by Kevin Klein, is Belle’s father as well as an inventor. It is his invention that ultimately leads to Belle and the Beast’s meeting.

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Melissa Hillier of

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s seems to be the new trend with Disney, they have released a new live-action film, “Beauty and the Beast.” It is an adaption of the 1991 animated classic starring Emma Watson as Belle, and Dan Stevens as her love interest the Beast.

The film has been drumming up excitement since it was announced in 2015, and while there are certainly high points throughout the film, there are not enough to make this movie worthy of all the excitement.

Director Bill Condon shot the film so it appeared almost like a play; each scene utilizing a single setting for extended periods of time. Condon didn’t use lots of quick cuts throughout the film which also added to this play-like shooting. This style choice along with the beautiful French Rococo style set made the film aesthetically pleasing and easy to watch.

Condon also utilized light to portray the curse lifting from the castle, and the progression of the main charac-

ters romance. The film started off dark and dreary, especially when Belle was riding through the woods to resuce her father but as Belle and the Beast grew closer, more light was added to the scenes they shared.

New and classic songs, such as “Belle” and “Days in the Sun,” were integrated throughout the film and were delivered with varying degrees of talent. Audra McDonald, the voice of the wardrobe, and Josh Gad, who played LeFou, had stunning voices that were clearly meant for movie musicals but Watson sounded as though she lacked training and was a weaker singer than the other cast members. She wasn’t bad, but she was most definitely not the best vocalist and as the main character of the film, it stands to reason that her voice should at least rival the voices of lesser characters.

Because inanimate objects that can walk, talk, dance and sing are a very large part of the storyline, the use of computer-generated imagery was essential to the success of the film. However, because there

Courtesy

Jillian Brooks arts editor

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“Beauty and the Beast” is not worth the hype

Watson and Stevens tell the story of how two people that are ostracized for being odd find each other and fall in love. Belle is considered odd because of her passion for reading and the Beast is ostracized because of his monstrous looks.

were so many characters created with CGI, some had a higher quality than others.

Characters such as Lumiere and Cogsworth were better made, their faces falling naturally into the framework of the candelabra and clock they portrayed. Mrs. Potts and Chip, on the other hand, were unnerving to look at because they had so obviously taken human eyes and mouths and placed them on a teapot and a teacup.

Many officials on the Disney team, including Watson and Stevens, had been talking about Disney’s first ever gay character, LeFou. It had been emphasized that there would be a special moment in the movie for Lefou to show that he was gay. In the end though, the scene was a drop in the bucket compared to the rest of the film. It was a few seconds of LeFou and another, unnamed character dancing together. While there were other, equally small moments that supposedly portrayed his

secuality, they were so small that they could be written off as circumstantial.

However, Disney should be recognized for the step into the LGBTQ+ community because this inclusion has opened the door for larger, more substantial LGBTQ+ characters to be featured in the Disney franchise.

Like its predecessors, this live-action film was created as a way for Disney to get more money and it shows. It shows through in the lack of attention to details such as how Belle’s iconic yellow dress is drab and boring compared to the dress she wears in the animated film.

Overall, “Beauty and the Beast” was an okay film. It did not live up to the hype created by fans and was not the number one film of the year by any means, but should someone be in need of a way to kill time, this film would be a decent way to do it.

19 | The Current| April 2017

2017 Edison Testing Schedule IB Exams

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

Friday

April 28 Afternoon:

Business SL P1

May 1 Morning:

May 2 Morning:

May 3 Afternoon:

May 4 Morning:

May 5 Morning:

Business SL P2

Biology HL P3

English Lit HL P1

English Lit HL P2

Math HL, SL, Studies P2

English Lang&Lit HL, SL P1

English Lang&Lit HL, SL P2

Afternoon:

Afternoon:

Environmental

Math HL, SL, Studies P1

Systems P1

Afternoon: Biology HL P1, P2

May 8 Morning:

May 9 Morning:

May 10 Morning:

May 11 Afternoon:

May 12 Morning:

Environmental Systems P2

Latin, Chinese Ab Initio P2

History HL/SL P3

Chemistry SL P1, P2

Chemistry SL P3

Afternoon:

Afternoon:

Afternoon:

Latin, Chinese Ab Initio P1

History HL/SL P1, P2

Psychology SL P1

Math HL P3

May 15 Morning:

May 16 Morning:

May 17 Morning:

May 18 Morning:

May 19 Morning:

Psychology SL P2

Physics HL P3

Spanish HL, SL, Ab Initio P2

Anthropolgy SL P2

French HL, SL, Ab Initio P2

Afternoon:

Afternoon:

Afternoon:

Afternoon:

Physics HL P1, P2

Spanish HL, SL, Ab Initio P1

Anthropolgy SL P1

French HL, SL, Ab Initio P1

SOL Tests Monday

May 22

Tuesday May 23

Reading

Wednesday May 24

Algebra 2

Geometry

Thursday

Friday May 26

May 25

Two-hour Early Release

Algebra 1 Earth Science

May 29

May 30

Holiday June 5

USVA History

Biology June 6

May 31

Chemistry June 7

June 2

June 1

World History 1 World History 2

World History 2

June 8

June 9

Retakes on and after this date 20 | The Current| April 2017