The Highlander--issue 6 by McLean High School

The Superbowl is just a few weeks away. See our predictions for the big game on page 19

Learn how loHow does McLean cal businesses stack up to private are suffering schools? Find out because of the on pages 10 and bad economy, on 11 page 5

Preparations for One Acts are underway. Get a sneak peek at the featured shows on page 12

Highlander

Volume 53, Issue 6

McLean High School; 1633 Davidson Road, McLean, VA 22101

January 16, 2009

School board debates changes to grading scale

Members make final decision concerning higher weights for APs Thursday Nikki Kaul Reporter

At a Fairfax County Public School Board work session last Monday, the board leaned towards the decision to increase weights on Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) classes from 0.5 to 1.0. If this decision passes through at the next meeting on Thursday, it will go into effect at the end of the first semester for the 20082009 school year. The hope for this plan is that seniors will have greater chances of receiving merit scholarships. If it is passed, the 1.0 credit will be applied to previous years’ transcripts for AP and IB classes. This retroactive weighting would affect students’ current GPAs. At the next meeting, a decision about any changes to the actual ten-point grading scale will also be made. However, the possibility of weighting for honors courses will be researched for a little longer by the school board to make a more informed decision. A decision will most likely be made next year. Before the Monday session, FAIRGRADE, an organization that has been protesting Fairfax County Public Schools’ grading scale for over a year now, presented their arguments at a widely publicized school board meeting Jan. 8 at Luther Jackson Middle School. Principal Dr. Deborah Jackson is an advocate for the new honors weighting system to help McLean students get more attention that she feels they deserve. “Honors courses were never really viewed as rigorous as AP courses, but seeing how hard students were working in those classes, we saw how much responsibility honors students were shouldering,” Jackson said. FAIRGRADE advocates for a plan known as Option D, which consists of a 10-point grading scale with pluses and minuses for each letter grade, and increased weights for honors, AP and IB classes. Students, like sophomore Ellen Loftis, find the current grading scale more demand-

photo by Talia Roth Parents in support of FAIRGRADE and changes to the grading scale watch the Jan. 12 school board meeting held to discuss the issue. The meeting was so highly attended that they had to watch the meeting via television in nearby classrooms. Though no official decision has been made, the board has indicated that increased weights will be added to AP and IB courses starting this year. ing than encouraging. “Getting recognized for our efforts in courses would be a nice change,” Loftis said. Josephine Cervantes, a member of FAIRGRADE, said at the school board meeting, “46 percent of students will benefit from the grading scale change, and will gain more access and admission to institutions of higher standards.” At the school board meeting, several parent speakers presented their arguments to the grading situation, including McLean parent

George Longwell. “Our grading scale is like asking our students to run a ten-yard dash and start ten yards behind,” Longwell said. According to Marcy Newberger, a Cofounder and Vice President of FAIRGRADE, “the school board’s attitude towards FAIRGRADE’s cause at the work session was a pleasant surprise. I think the school board understands a grading scale change to our outdated grading system is much needed.” The current situation with the grading

policies for Fairfax County is at a standstill until Thursday, when the school board will hold another meeting at Luther Jackson Middle School to make the decision . According to Fairfax County Public School Board Executive Assistant Kathy Partlow, “a final decision on the grading scale and the 1.0 credit being added to Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes is expected to be finalized on Thursday.”

French, Physics, Spanish SAT scores at national averages

French

Spanish Physics

McLean National

National

McLean

McLean National

National

McLean

National

Despite the fact that McLean is ranked 55th in U.S News and World Reports’ latest ranking of public high schools nationally, a comparison of Mclean Student Services data to College Board data indicates that the performance of McLean’s Class of 2009 merely mirrored national averages on SAT subject exams in French, Physics and Spanish. For the three exams, on the 200-800 scale the average scores of McLean students were 610, 647 and 640, respectively. The average scores of students in the Class of 2008 nationally were 620, 650 and 640, respectively, according to the College Board. In contrast, on all other SAT subject tests that members of the McLean Class of 2009 took, they scored substantially higher than did students nationally. On the Chemistry, World History, and Literature subject tests, for instance, McLean students on average scored 728, 677 and 660, respectively, versus national averages of 635, 584 and 580, respectively. French teacher and Foreign Language Department Chair Ghislaine Tulou and Spanish teacher Adam Stryker both attributed the scores on the tests in their areas of ex-

A comparison of the SAT Subject test scores of McLean class of 2009 students* and the national class of 2008** showed that McLean students were well behind national averages in French, Spanish, and Physics. 677 728 660 640 640 647 650 635 610 620 584 580

McLean

David Berk Sports Editor

World History Literature Chemistry

All scores are scaled (200-800) allowing for comparison among scores from different test dates. *Source: McLean High School Profile 2008-2009 **Source: “Understanding Your SAT Scores,” College Board

pertise in part to what they believe the SAT exams actually measure. “The SAT II Spanish Test without listening is an achievement test that seeks to evaluate the knowledge about the language, not [the] functional aspect--what students can do with the language, what some call ‘proficiency’ or ‘fluency’ in a language,” Stryker said. In addition, both teachers inquired as to the credentials of the 11 students who took the French exam and the seven who took the Spanish exam, including grade and course level (1, 2, 3, 4, AP, or 5). In separate interviews, Tulou and Stryker both indicated that they had not been aware of McLean students’ performance on the exams in their respective languages, relative to that of students nationally. Neither saw the performance of McLean students as a cause for alarm. “Our students are learning how to communicate in the language above all,” Tulou said. “Our performance assessments (PALS) drive the instructional program in our classes. College alumni who come back to visit us always comment on how well they are able to communicate with the continued on page 6

NEWS

Highlander

January 16, 2009

McLean student shoots for the st rs

Cammie Meade Reporter

Imagine trying to organize a concert for thousands of people with some of Hollywood’s hottest names performing and attending. This is the dream that junior Sara Levi is trying to make a reality in the form of the “Songs for a Smile” concert. Levi and Katie O’Brien, a senior at Centreville, are organizing the “Songs for a Smile” concert to raise money for charities that fund research and support Crohn’s disease and other diseases. O’Brien acquired the disease during middle school. Crohn’s is an irritable bowel disease that attacks the intestines and causes extreme discomfort. Often, it can led to inflammation and skin rashes. Extreme weight loss is also a side effect of the disease, in addition to diabetes and arthritis. “I was in the awkward middle school years when I first developed the disease, so trying to be like everyone else was extremely difficult,” O’Brien said. “However, I like having Crohn’s now, which sounds bad, but it makes me who I am.” Levi and O’Brien first connected through their love of the Jonas Brothers, and became closer. “Katie was having a hard time dealing with her Crohn’s and had always talked to me about wanting to help people who are in the same situation,” Levi said. “Eventually, since she and I both love music, we came up with the idea for a benefit concert that could fund Crohn’s

charities.” When first trying to get started, the girls ran into many dead ends. “It took a while to start and a lot of persistence, but we finally got in touch with people that

said. Due to the current popularity of the Jonas Brothers, it has been a struggle to try to schedule a date that works for all of the perform-

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could help us make it happen and who graciously gave us their support,” Levi said. While trying to contact the Jonas Brothers, Levi and O’Brien were put in contact with Joyce Belitsky, a good friend of theirs. “She has been a key factor in helping things move along and go in the direction it’s going,” Levi

ers. As of press time, the date was still unclear. The organizers have high hopes and intend to book many high profile stars to attend and perform. Possible performers include the Jonas Brothers, Push Play, Raised by Radio, Demi Lovato, and Miley Cyrus. “We’d really really like Miley

Bitter cold, but no snow in sight

Ned Burchfiel Managing Editor

to help and be involved with the process, since she’s very proactive about causes and does whatever she can for charity,” Levi said. In addition, Levi would like to have stars such as Hilary

photo by Devan Kerley

Some of the worst cold in recent years should hit the Washington Metropolitan Area today, with highs well below freezing—a rare event—and lows nearing the single digits. Unfortunately, there’s no snow to accompanying it. January has been a depressing month for snow lovers region-wide. When heavy rain overtook McLean near the beginning of the month, temperatures kept roads wet and kids in school. But now, on one of the coldest days this decade, the skies remain snow-free. Cold air and upper-level moisture--the two ingredients that produce snow--are hard to find in conjunction. High-pressure systems can supply plenty of cold, but the air they bring in tends to be dry and cloudless. Moisture is abundant in low-pressure systems, but they can also drag in above freezing temperatures from the south. The right combination of cold and moist air hasn’t arrived yet this season. This news is not all depressing, especially for Inauguration attendees. The Global Forecasting System, a weather model that makes predictions two weeks into the future, shows flurries overspreading the area from noon to 6 p.m. next Tuesday. Although much of this precipitation could evaporate in the atmosphere, students shouldn’t lose hope. Those planning to ski or snowboard over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday have reason to be optimistic. Two “Clipper” systems could bring powder to resorts like Wisp and Snowshoe, yet it will be hard to enjoy the snow in subfreezing temperatures. This blast of arctic temperatures, notable even for January, should abate by the month’s end. As for snow? Well, there’s always February.

Duff, the Twilight cast, and people from the Disney Channel attend. One critical part of the organizing process was booking a location. Levi contacted the Patriot Center first by writing them a letter. However, the costs of the event are adding up and the organizers are brainstorming ways to raise money.

“As far as the money goes, we’ve thought up some crazy fundraising ideas that could get us money for the acts and the event,” Levi said. All of the funds from ticket sales will go directly to charities, although the charities have not been named at this time. An important step the organizers have been researching is the publicity and press needed to make the event successful. “There are a lot of magazines out there, like Seventeen and Teen Vogue that really promote activism and youth service,” Levi said. “So we think this could be an interesting story for them.” The concert is not going to be the only attraction of the “Songs for a Smile” event. “We’d like it to be an all-day sort of “bamboozlefest” with a lot of other acts during the day, as an opening thing and a way to auction things and raise money,” Levi said. In order to make this event really special, children from around the area who are living with Crohn’s disease are going to attend the concert and interact with the performers. Ideas such as having the kids come up and sing a song with a performer have been planned to make the day memorable for the children. If you would like to help out with funding the concert or give your support, Levi and O’Brien have created a Facebook group and a website. For more information, check out the facebook group or log on to songsforasmile.com.

Tutoring programs underway Devan Kerley News Editor

The school community is proud of its 55, to say the least. It didn’t get there without hard work, however. Many programs have been introduced recently to elevate the school’s standard of excellence. Among these are after-school teacher-led tutoring programs MHS Prep Plus and Area 255, which have been available for the first time this year to help freshmen and honors students with schoolwork. Despite the twice-a-week availability, relatively few students have been taking advantage of them. MHS Prep Plus, tutoring specifically for students taking or planning to take their first AP or Honors class, sees about ten students a week in its location in G279, tutor and Spanish teacher Nicole Whitmill said. “We would definitely like to see more students,” Whitmill said. “Despite our efforts to widely advertise, it is an issue getting people aware of what’s available for them.” Area 255, providing tutoring for freshman, is only slightly busier. Still, it’s an improvement from last year, Whitmill and Area 255 tutor Ginnie Quarry said. Area 255 and Prep Plus began as part of the same program three years ago. They were part of a grant from the county called Teacher Leadership Development. Last year tutoring started for the first time, but only on Saturdays. “The turnout was not great” on Saturdays, Quarry said. It was moved to weekdays this year to “ensure additional support was in place for students,” principal Dr. Deborah Jackson said. “We’re putting the tools out there to help students.” With tutoring offered on Mondays and Thursdays now, more students are attending. Five or six teachers are available each day to help students. “Over three years, it’s evolved,” Quarry said. “This year has been the most successful.” Freshman David Sacks often goes to G255 on Mondays and Thursdays. “It’s helpful if you have poor grades or if you want a place to study,” Sacks said. The low attendance for Area 255, Sacks said, is not because freshmen don’t know about it, but because they’re not motivated to come. The tutoring is a win-win situation for students who do attend. “You’re getting the services of someone who could be charging 50 or 100 dollars for free,” Whitmill said. The fledgling program is not well established yet, but its possible effects are promising. “It’s hard to say what the results are going to be, but I cannot see how it can’t help to improve students’ averages,” Whitmill said. “I don’t see any negative to it.”

NEWS

January 16, 2009

Highlander

Student Studentparticipation Participation theinauguration Inauguration ininthe “This is a great experience because it’s the first time we have had a black president and it is a great change.” - Jordan Saffer, sophomore “My mom’s friends daughter from college is coming to spend the night in our basement for the inauguration.” -Abby Neuberger, freshman

photo by Mohammad Tavakoli Theatre and film studies students have been chosen to participate in the Illinois state Society Inaugural Gala. The 23 students attending will portray famous people from Illinois and will stay in character throughout the six hour-long Gala.

Film studies, theatre students to attend inaugural ball Moises Cazal News Editor

Students from theatre and film studies classes have been invited to participate in the Illinois State Society Inaugural Gala held on Monday, Jan. 19. Similar to Project Enlightenment, the 23 students chosen by Theatre teacher Mrs. Denise Perrino will be portraying famous people from Illinois during the six hour long gala. The excitement began when Principal Dr. Deborah Jackson received an e-mail from a former colleague inviting McLean to participate and “asked me if we would like to do it,” Perrino said. “It was really exciting when we were asked, it was like… Wow!” The students were picked to portray these characters because of the ‘Illinois heroes’ theme de-

signed by the Illinois State Society. The Gala is comprised of a reception, dinner, and the ball which will finish at 1:30 a.m. Students will research assigned individuals from Illinois and will have to be in character throughout the Gala. The assigned personages range from Superman and Pop-Eye to Ulysses S. Grant. Dressed up in costumes, the students will rotate around rooms and mingle with the guests. They will also have a break room where they rest and refresh. The event will take place at the Marriot Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. and will be attended by political, corporate, and Hollywood honorary guests. Students also look forward to the possibility of meet-

ing President-Elect Barack Obama who will be attending the event. “I’m looking forward to seeing him and being in the same room as him,” junior Olivia Applewhite, who will be portraying Jackie Joyner Kersee, said. Junior Elaina Kaiser agrees and also looks forward to meeting Obama’s children. “I will be portraying Raggedy Ann so I hope his kids will be interested in talking to me,” Kaiser said. Tickets to the Gala are sold out and students feel grateful at their ability to attend. “It’s really cool that McLean got an opportunity to be a part of it,” Applewhite said. “I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”

“I am a strong supporter of Barack Obama and I’m happy to be seeing him sworn in as president.” -Nader Sobhani, sophomore “I think I’ll just stay at home and keep off the busy streets. I’d much rather watch it on t.v.” -Megan Sanders-Smith, junior

“I’m going to a Verizon party in honor of the inauguration.” - George Wilkes, sophomore “I’m going to the Inaugurational Ball hosted by Obama. This is such a historical moment and not many people get to have this experience.” - Emily Dozier, senior info and photos by Torin Liberthson- Brown

NEWS

Highlander

January 16, 2009

Familiar faces step in to fill vacant positions

photo by Mohammad Tavakoli Paul Jones fills in for the vacant administration position.

Bryan Kress Reporter

Kimberly Carney’s departure left a vacant spot for an assistant principal position. While a permanent assistant principal has not been chosen, a former administrator has temporarily taken the role. Paul Jones has returned from retirement to fill in while the administrators look for a permanent replacement. Jones has the advantage of coming to a school he used to serve. “I was the Assistant Principal for 12 years, so I’m not a stranger to the school, just the students,” Jones said. Jones has taken up the duties left by Carney. He helps with leadership class and testing services. Jones says that his powers are designated and won’t go past his duty. “I hope to help guide the student body and respond to any concerns from the school community,” Jones said. Jones eased into his duties during December in which he was “getting a feel about the school.” “I got re-acclimated with the school and greeted people I used to know. It was the ‘testing of the water’ week,” he said. There are several faculty members that were around during Jones’ 12 years at McLean. Jones made it a priority to visit these teachers and administrators. “It was like coming back home after you’ve been away and seeing your brothers and sisters,” Jones said. While Jones has settled into McLean once again, he insists that his time at the school is not permanent. “I am temporary, but it could be a long ‘temporary.’ I have said that I’m available until the end of the year,” Jones said. Jones joined the staff in 1986. He came to from Herndon High School where he was a sub-school administrator. He also served at Falls Church High School as an administrative assistant and Hughes Middle School. At Hughes Middle School, Jones worked alongside Dr. Deborah Jackson, who was the principal.

News

by the

umbers

photo by Sarah Albani photo by Mohammad Tavakoli Temporary nurse Anne Labbe replaced nurse Anne George. Acting Director of Student Services John Hollowell.

Sarah Albani Online Editor

Rubina Sarkisian Reporter

Not everyone recognizes every teacher or administrator like John Hollowell. He is recognized by students quite often but many of them don’t know his true position. Hollowell is the current Acting Director of Student Services. “Which in student talk means the guidance director,” Hollowell said. His role doesn’t just include the guidance counselors. “He essentially oversees the entire guidance department,” Activities Director Tom Herman said. The feeling of respect and hard work makes the working environment an enjoyable place for Hollowell. “I like the school, the people in it, the way things are done, and the way students treat the teachers,” Hollowell said. “I also enjoy working with Dr. Jackson; she’s a great principal and a wonderful person.” Students thought that Hollowell was only here for a couple of months but according to Hollowell, he doesn’t know how long he will be here. “I told Dr. Jackson that I would do this as long as she wanted or needed me to,” Hollowell said. Hollowell’s job is temporary but he is qualified to do it. “This is the second time he has been the Director of Student Services. He did it 3 or 4 years ago while we were in the transition of switching directors. He was also a principle, so he has experience.” Prior to being Guidance Director, Hollowell also acted as the principle of Madison High School. Before Dr. Jackson offered Hollowell the job in August, Hollowell was seen around as a substitute teacher. “I only sub at McLean. I love it, I don’t care what the subject is,” Hollowell said. “He has been here all year so far and he will probably be here for the rest of this school year, and once that’s over he will probably go back to subbing here,” Herman said. According to Herman he works well. “He’s very friendly and he is always very willing to help,” Herman said. “If he doesn’t know the answer he will always find it some way.”

Spring Hill Elementary School students might recognize a familiar face sitting behind the beige desk in the clinic; previous Spring Hill nurse of fourteen years, Anne Labbe, will be will be manning the clinic due to the recent retirement of longtime nurse, Anne George. Beginning Jan. 5, Labbe assumed the position of substitute clinic aid, which she will hold until the end of February. The Fairfax County Health Department, in charge of hiring school clinicians, has decided not to rehire a fulltime replacement nurse for the rest of the 2008-09 school year, as a result of the current economic downturn. “All clinic room duties are over seen by the Health Department,” Elizabeth Donaldson, FCPS Health and Home Instruction specialist said. “The school system has a relationship with the Health Department. They hire the substitutes and volunteers, and develop schedules. “ Next year, the Health Department will retract one of its traditional responsibilities of supplying and funding clinic aids to Fairfax County schools, which it has been doing for many years now. Due to the widespread necessity of this full-time position at all three school levels, county superintendent Jack Dale anticipates that the school district will have to compensate for this loss, covering the cost of providing each school with a nurse for the coming school year, according to Principal Dr. Deborah Jackson. The budget crisis has struck severe enough to induce a proposal within the county to eliminate the clinic room aid position entirely. “That’s pretty sad,” said Jackson of this possibility. “We have students as well as staff members, who often have medical needs, and to have someone that’s not trained having to address some of those needs, is not always the best solution.” Next month, the Board of Supervisors will meet to discuss this modification in more detail, with consideration to the coming year’s budget.

4,700

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million dollars proposed in budget cuts for FCPS next year

NFL games left in the season

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January 16,2009

NEWS

Highlander

Metro construction disrupts business at Pike 7 Plaza Ryan Flamm Reporter

photo by Ryan Flamm Construction in preparation for the Metro rail extension through Tysons Corner is underway on Route 7. The utilities preparation is expected to be completed within two years.

Metro construction around Pike 7 Plaza is significantly reducing business in the shopping center. The plaza contains stores like GameStop, Starbucks, and Goldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gym. The construction has blocked off many of the centers main parking lot entrances, including most of the Leesburg Pike entrances. This has created much confusion and frustration surrounding the Plaza. The construction gives the center the appearance of being closed because the stores are a distance from Leesburg Pike making it hard to see the individual store signs. Shoppers are discouraged from entering the shopping center at all, hurting the storesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; business. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is extremely troublesome,â&#x20AC;? local shopper Jared Mack said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I

didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to get around the construction.â&#x20AC;? Store mangers agree and blame construction for loss of clientele. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lines used to be much longer than they are now,â&#x20AC;? TJ Maxx store manager said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It takes 15 minutes to get in, so people give up and say theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll come back later.â&#x20AC;? The amount of time required for people to get into the Pike 7 Plaza prevents many who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have time to drop in during their lunch breaks anymore, reducing the stores lunch time rush. All the stores can do is hope that the Metro will bring business back to the shopping center. The increased traffic will bring more consumers to the shopping center and may bring the stores back to their previous status or better.

Downtown cornerstones face questionable futures Talia Roth Editor-in-Chief

Moorenkos owner Susan Soorenko imagines this scene: after eating dinner in McLean, you want to go to down the street for some ice cream, but the ice cream store isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there. After seven years, this is what pains Soorenko about Moorenkoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reduced hours and having to close her business in July and possibly forever. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know that people will be disappointed,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are the town ice cream store, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always a heartbreaker when [that] store isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there.â&#x20AC;? Moorenkos isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the only business feeling the effects of the bad economy. Some of the most beloved stores in McLean, are struggling to stay in the red.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We definitely saw our sales go down this year,â&#x20AC;? co-owner of Artisans of McLean Judy Harkins said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People were doing more scouting out stores than impulse buying than weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen in the past.â&#x20AC;? Artisans made changes in their purchasing to accommodate a thriftier customer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are going to order a little less than we did last year,â&#x20AC;? Harkins said. Artisans have not had it as hard as other businesses because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been around for 19 years, Harkins said. They made no staff reductions or extreme changes and are confident about their ability to overcome the economic slump. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In times of stress there are definitely businesses that are going to suffer, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here for the long run,â&#x20AC;? Harkins said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen ups and downs before.â&#x20AC;?

Junior Trina Ross, an employee of Greenberrys Coffee and Tea Co., said the coffee shop also experienced revenue loss. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our owner was talking about how we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t suffered too badly, in comparison to other businesses, but we did do the worst we have done in five years,â&#x20AC;? Ross said. Greenberrys began serving frozen yogurt and gourmet soups to attract customers. They also started closing an hour earlier and raised prices slightly with employees clocking-in in an attempt to combat money loss and promote efficiency. While Greenberrys and the Artisans are not considering closure, Moorenkos faces a lease ending in July and few options. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not quite sure what the next move is going to be,â&#x20AC;? Soorenko said. continued on page 6

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Highlander

SAT Subject scores mixed

cont. from page 1 professors compared to their classmates from other school districts. Also, when they travel abroad with a group, they are frequently the only students capable and willing to communicate in the foreign language with native speakers.” Tulou is “not in favor of multiple choice testing in foreign languages” because of its tendency to assess students’ knowledge of a topic rather than their skill in speaking the language. Instead, Tulou supports a form of testing that assesses students’ use of language and risk taking. “I am a fervent believer in PALS (Performance Assessment for Language Students),” Tulou said. “I want to encourage students to take risks, to elaborate, to stretch even if they make mistakes. I believe in teaching to the test only if the test is a good test of the goals of the instruction. The AP foreign language tests are rigorous and test many of the competencies required by the national standards. Since the classes at McLean focus on developing communicative proficiency in languages, our curriculum prepares students well for the AP Exam.” In his remarks, Stryker postulated that changes to the Spanish subject test may have accounted for the scores. “The Virginia Standards of Learning and the FCPS Program of Studies are aligned with the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century,” Stryker said. “In my experience, I am seeing fewer and fewer students being required to take these SAT II Spanish subject tests as more and more colleges and universities align their programs with the National Standards. It is my understanding that the College Board is revising all of its exams in languages. Most notably, the new AP Spanish Language examination is in the process of revision to become more aligned with the National Standards. It will be in its final revision by 2012. It is much more aligned it seems, and seems to be getting better every year. The SAT II, in my opinion, is just not aligned with the Standards.” Tom Pratuch, the science Department Chair, believes that the SAT subject tests, particularly the science ones, are “power tests,” meaning that they test only specific knowledge of the course. The problem, Pratuch says, is that the AP sciences at McLean are taught with the AP tests in mind and not the Subject Exams. This leaves information out of the curriculum, information that is potentially on the Subject Exams. Another factor that could affect how students perform, he said, was how much of their science course they have taken. For instance, students generally take Subject Exams after they have completed the respective AP course, and many students take AP science courses as seniors. Thus, those students end up taking the Subject Exams with only part of a year’s knowledge from an AP course and so they may go into the test without all the knowledge they may need.

January 16, 2009

Area businesses suffering

Soorenko said. “People always thought I was being funny, but I wasn’t.” To stay open in the winter in previous years Soorenko has brought in hot chocolate, soups, hot dogs and other products in the past, but she hasn’t been able to add anything this year. “Anything you do to that end has a cost attached to it,” she said. According to Soorenko, the future of Moorenkos is now in question. To open a new store, she would need financing from somewhere else and, “no financial institutions are lending money right now for businesses.” She has come to the realization that nothing is keeping her business going. “I can’t pay any of my bills,” she said. “Any money that I get goes to ingredients and my staff. I have nothing to fuel my business, I’m out of personal money.” Soorenko thinks that the McLean community business photo by Mohammad Tavakoli in her store has greatly reduced Greenberry’s Coffee and Tea Co. employee Vilma Beteta preover her seven years. pares a frozen yogurt for a customer. Greenberry’s introduced the “Rightfully or not,” she said, frozen yogurt machine, as well as soup, to attract more customers. “I really do believe as a businessperson, that it’s as much the cont. from page 5 responsibility of the community as it is the busiIn the past year counter sales dropped thirty pernessperson to sustain local businesses.” Soorenko cent. “This winter is worse than other winters,” she feels that the community has been supportive of her said concerning normal winter slump, but with the business, but not to the extent they needed to be for recession, “the two together are just crippling.” it to survive. “When it would get to this time of year I would “It’s not like people don’t love us,” she said. “But, always say ‘Don’t forget, if you want us here in after a period of time, people expect that you’re althe summer, you have to be here in the winter,’” ways going to be there.”

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January 16, 2009

EDITORIALS

Highlander

Hold off on that victory lap, President Bush Shefali Hedge Reporter

my personal favorite—“He could have been worse.” record deficit of $482 billion. According to the Bureau of Let’s give credit where credit is deserved. It couldn’t really Labor Statistics, for every three jobs created under Clinton, The most eagerly awaited retirement of the century is days have been all that worse, unless your standard of comparison only one was created under George W. Still some claim that, “At the very least, Bush kept us away. And with size 10 shoe attacks and last-minute opinion is that of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics under Stapolls that are overwhelmingly unfavorable, George W. Bush lin. I suppose that is a silver lining: at least our government safe.” But according to a bi-partisan Congressional report seems to have hit his expiration date long before his end- did not allow spying and torture. Wait, rephrase: it did not released last month, that is far from the truth: “America’s blatantly admit to spying and torture. margin of safety is shrinking, not growing […] the risk that term date. Bush’s past two terms seem like a nightmarish parody in radical Islamists—al Qaeda or Taliban—may gain access to However, as the eternal presidency finally draws to a close, there is a sudden outburst of sympathy for the soon-to-be- themselves. (Except none of this had even a modicum of hu- nuclear material is real.” On the bright side, Bush will soon be reduced to a numex-president. In a Wall Street Journal editorial, Karl Rove at- mor.) A grotesque alternate-universe where the leader of the free world, along with his Rovian propaganda- ber, a blip on the historical map. A pitiful joke of a presidenmachine, can sedate his citizens and Congress into two sevenyear wars with the Middle East based on flawed evidence. An Orwellian dystopia where systematic torture—in the Abu Ghraib prison, in Guantanamo Bay and other clandestine detention centers—is fully endorsed by the President, according to thousands of intelligence reports. A cruel kind of printed with permission from Bernard Pollack democracy where the government eviscerSome Americans displayed their thoughts on the back of their cars with bumper stickers expressing feelings towards President Bush. ates civil rights and the sanctity of freetempts to paint his boss as a voracious reader—despite his dom of religion, using the Bible to inability to appear even literate in public. The White House justify rigidly narrow stands against printed with permission from Anirudh Koul also constructed their own spurious idea of the Bush legacy gay marriage, abortion, and stemThroughout the world, anti-Bush sentiments are appearing more often, despite in “Highlights of Accomplishments and Results,” a 51-page, cell research. Internationally, Bush represents the fact that he is almost out of office. 14-fonted, highly embellished pamphlet. Too bad the only accomplishment of Bush’s White House was providing fod- a jingoist, self-obsessed mentality that has alienated America’s allies all over Asia, Europe, even cy that perpetuated something much larger: an electorate’s der for late-night comedy shows. By the general populace, the president is generally dis- Canada. At home, he has delayed action on global warming, disillusionment with politics, a tarnished overseas image and missed, seemingly reprieved of all his fatal mistakes. In these vetoing every bill that sought to cap greenhouse gas emis- irreversible deaths. And in just four days, at approximately 12:01 p.m., George W. Bush will be constitutionally inelipast few weeks, his popularity ratings surged four percentage sions and lifting a 27-year ban on new offshore drilling. From the beginning of his presidency to the end, the fed- gible from ever running for President again. points, up to 28 percent. The electorate gives a wimpy shrug, saying things like: “Well, maybe it wasn’t all that bad,” or— eral budget has dropped from a surplus of $128 billion to a

Thanks for the homework break Prianka Das Advertising Manager

ize how much I needed a break. I didn’t even check my e-mails!” Dr. Jackson said. Although I am awed by the little amount of school It’s about time someone stood up for us! Who wants a big pile of homework and projects waiting for them un- work I had to do, I still had plenty to worry about withder the Christmas tree? How much homework did you out school assignments and homework. Students still had really have this winter break? For most of McLean High to schedule community service hours, study for SATs, School, including myself, students weren’t too bothered stay ahead for projects due a little after the winter break, and finish up college applications. about the homework load. Winter break can still become “I actually had harda stressful world through students’ ly any homework over eyes, school or not. They have to the break. There was worry about a whole other sphere only one assignment of work outside of school. Senior due the day we come Zachary Charles said, “I didn’t reback,” junior Michael ceive much in the way of homework, Ohr said. which I am thankful for, since I need Dr. Jackson’s new to focus on college applications.” policy is geared to alRespective seniors may have leviate the stress and enjoyed the break a bit more than ensure an enjoyable the underclassmen. Charles said, break. It’s a great relief “I think that nobody really feels to students (and teachoverwhelmed over the break. Most ers, too) when they can people slack off anyway. And that’s open their stockings in how it should be. Winter break is peace. for relaxation. But being a senior Dr. Jackson actudefinitely has something to do with ally sent an e-mail out to every teacher before art by Swarna Chawdhuri it. College applications are done, so seniorities begins to set in.” break encouraging The homework load may not be them not to assign any disastrously swamping, but applicaholiday busywork. She believes, like the rest of us, that homework stress just im- tions—that part of the winter break can never be altered. Although having a longer break would be helpful for seposes on family time during the holidays. “That’s the purpose of the break. Minds can go back nior applicants, the smart thing to do would just be to into gear. There’s time to rejuvenate. We want to main- live with what you’ve got. And, of course, having more assigned work to do over tain that status at #55 and we all need to be fresh to do the break would be horrid. Dr. Jackson and all the teachthat,” Dr. Jackson said. Dr. Jackson admitted that she needed a break as well ers deserve a special “Thank you” for their efforts to comand wanted time to spend with her family. “I didn’t real- bat holiday stress.

Letter to the Editor: VOTE FEB 3! BULOVA vs. HERRITY Linda Burchfiel (McLean alumnus and parent)

Another election? For Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors? OK, so it’s not the President, but the Chairman directly affects your life in McLean. If you’re content with the good schools, the park system and the well-managed County government and want to keep up the momentum, vote for Sharon Bulova. As Chair of the Budget Committee for the past 17 years, Bulova has kept the County strong through tough times before, yet still managed to pass tax cuts to reduce property taxes. As Vice Chair for the past 5 years, she has shown that she can work with Supervisors of all philosophies. Her opponent, Pat Herrity, has been in office about 18 months has already voted against the County’s interests. Just 2 examples - his vote against the school budget and his law suit against Rail to Dulles. His claim to fame is that his father had been Chairman of the Board in a previous generation. This is a special election (we are replacing our previous Chairman, who was elected to the US House of Representatives last Nov) which traditionally has low turnout. County residents who are content with life in the County don’t bother to vote, whereas frustrated and angry ideologues see this as an opportunity to elect people who would never survive the scrutiny of a regular election. Protect our good life in Fairfax County and vote for Sharon Bulova! You can vote at your regular polling place from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

EDITORIALS

Highlander

January 16, 2009

This is our school, so why do we tear it down? Alison Shapiro Editorials Editor

Walking down the hallways this year, I’ve noticed that there’s a lot more color on the walls. There are huge posters encouraging McLean to beat Langley and banners promoting charities including ‘Toys for Tots’ and ‘Cram the Can.’ Clubs are posting fliers and announcements that required hard work and a lot of time. Unfortunately, I also see them being torn down, written on and depreciated every day. Students constantly trash the school thinking that it’s not a big deal. They deface the banners and throw cafeteria food against the walls, making it splatter all over, then walk away without a problem. Who do they think is going to pick up their mess? The SGA and Leadership have been working very hard this year to beautify the school. They have made large banners that spread across the halls and into the cafeteria, which makes the school look ten times better. Some of the banners, such as the Beat Langley signs, have been raising school spirit; while others (like the Toys for Tots posters) have been promoting charitable causes for the holiday season. The worst thing somebody could do is tear a ‘Toys for Tots’ poster down, and students at McLean did. Sitting in the hallway one day, I witnessed a student tear down the poster, left it on the floor and then walked away while his friends followed behind him, laughing along thinking that it was so funny. His friends really thought he was cool because he ripped down a banner. Maybe he was trying to make a statement, but I think it’s pathetic that here, at McLean, where many of us are very privileged, we have students that still act the way they do.

Someone ripped the poster down and left it on the floor and students walked all over it on their way to class. Why would you tear down a poster promoting a happier holiday season for children? That is discourteous and rude. And it took a lot of time and effort for Leadership students to paint not just a couple banners, but many of them. “[The vandalized banners] had an effect, but kids are always going to deface things,”

Leadership member Jackson Langevoort said. But all of this vandalism may not just be students at McLean, and I understand that. Supposedly, Langley students came over and spray painted the walls in front of the rock. “The building is open 18 hours, so visitors do it [vandalize] as well,” Stephen Wojciechowski said. Wojciechowski added that painting on

the school is not really an issue for McLean students considering we have the rock to express ourselves. “The rock takes away from painting on the pavement.” However, students still feel the need to write all over posters on the wall. That may be true, but then how is it that our school still looks like trash half the time? And it’s not the custodians fault or the faculty’s fault. It’s yours. Another act of disrespect occurred on the genocide posters that STAND put up around the school. Passing by one of the posters, I realized that someone had written offensive statements over the club’s efforts to promote awareness of the genocide in Darfur and other places. But what’s the point? What are students getting out of ripping apart pieces of paper? Does it make them feel cool that they are defacing property and almost insulting a good cause? That seems stupid. It is okay if you don’t approve of the posters. You may not like them and think that they are pointless and unnecessary, but that does not mean that you should rip them apart and write all over them. Students here have worked hard just to get the word out about certain events or causes going on. The posters are just trying to get you involved and if you don’t want to get involved, then just leave it alone. How would you like it if someone ripped apart your poster that you had spent all night working on and had barely gotten any sleep? It wouldn’t feel good.

art by Kyana Afshar

Smart Cars may not be so smart Asli Uyanik Reporter

he Smart Car was developed by Mercedes-Benz and was introduced to the United States in January 2008. It has been hailed as eco-friendly and economical, but in most aspects it hardly compares with the hybrid models. Smart Cars have become the new rage in the USA because of their socalled “cute” style and fuel efficiency, but the truth is that the “cute” size of the smart car can only fit two people, which isn’t ideal for the regular teenager who has to drive his three siblings everywhere. Also, it doesn’t seem ideal for the avid athlete because of the lack of trunk space. However, the sales representative for Smart Center at Tysons Corner did say, “the smart car can fit many types of athletic equipment, even hockey sticks” which would be okay unless, of course, you go biking or skiing. As far as fuel efficiency, the company that makes smart cars, smart USA, claims that the smart car can go 33 mpg under city conditions. It is better than a Mini Cooper (which is about the same size) but not by much: on the website of fueleconomy.gov, they state that the Mini Cooper can go 26 mpg under city conditions. he fuel efficiency of the Smart Car is also an appealing point to many that want to save money on gas, but the manufacturers of the Smart Car recommends it to use premium gas

which is the most expensive, compared to regular and mid-grade gasoline. Plus, the car has to be shipped to the USA all the way from France and the shipping is not included in the price of the car. Jenny Gaver, a sophomore at McLean, says that she does not like the body style of the Smart and feels unsafe in the vehicle. “I hate the boxy look of the Smart Car and how small it is. I’m pretty sure that an SUV can crush it like a bug in an accident, I would feel a lot safer driving a Honda Civic hybrid.” Hybrids don’t even use gasoline, but instead combine gas and electricity for fuel, causing their miles per gallon to be much higher than Smart Cars. Honda makers are creating a new model of hybrid sedan called the Insight LX that has 40 mpg in city conditions and a 5-door 5-passenger design. Owners of hybrids shouldn’t worry about the constantly fluctuating gas prices nearly as much as Smart Car drivers, whose car manages a measly 33 mpg. Also, many of the hybrids are the same size as mid-size cars without comprising trunk space. For those who are environmentally conscious and have a low budget, I’d recommend buying the hybrid versus the smart car. In the long run, the higher fuel efficiency, cheaper cost, and larger size makes hybrids the better choice.

The

Highlander

Editors in Chief Cat Davis Talia Roth Managing Editors Ned Burchfiel Molly Welch Photo Editor Mohammad Tavakoli Online Editor Sarah Albani Advertising Manager Prianka Das Section Editors News Devan Kerley Moises Cazal Copy Editor Charlie Park

‘05, ‘07 CSPA Gold Medalist 08’ Silver Medalist

06’ NSPA Pacemaker finalist Hall of Fame 07’ All American winner

VHSL Savedge Award

http://www.mhspress.com

Circulation Managers Bridget Berry Paige Kinghorn Editorials Ali Shapiro Features Jasmine Mohandesi Sports David Berk Lizzie Masghara Assistant Sports Andrew Davis In-Depth Holly Betancourt Reporters Chris Herron-Venancio Ibrahim Jacobs Henry Kuhl Nikki Kaul

Bryan Kress Torin Liberthson-Brown Zenobia Morrill Cammie Meade Reza Masghara Daniel Jabbour Daniel Marx Rubina Sarkisian Asli Uyanik Shefali Hegde Ryan Flamm Adviser Amy Poe Volume 53, Issue 6 Published 12 times yearly McLean High School 1633 Davidson Road McLean, VA 22101 703-714-5838

The Highlander is a public forum in which members of the school community can express themselves, discuss issues and exchange ideas. Printed at Silver Communications. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Advertising Policy: The Highlander sells ad space on each page of the paper except on the opinions pages, front page, back page and center spread. To Subscribe: Mailed subscriptions of the Highlander are available for $20 per year. E-mail highlanderstories@gmail.com for information. To Write a Letter to the Editor: Please e-mail highlanderstories@ gmail.com.

January 16, 2009

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Highlander

IN-DEPTH

Highlander

Guidance discrepancies separate public, private school systems Molly Welch Managing Editor

It’s a fact of life: while you might go to your counselor for everything from boyfriend advice to college counseling in private school; in the public school system, you may meet your counselor for the first time your senior year. Besides differences of class size, curriculum and testing separating private and public schools are the guidance systems, which present contrasting approaches to student advisory. “I’ve had a personal relationship with my counselor since my freshman year of high school,” private Georgetown Day School senior Courtney Prillaman said. “Not only are we friends— we go out to coffee and lunch—but she recommended a lot of [universities] that I ended up applying to and really liking. She was a great advocate in the [college] admissions process.” Prillaman, who was accepted early decision to Wake Forest University, feels that her counselor was instrumental in her acceptance. “She was the one who initially put me onto [Wake Forest], and I feel like her letter of recommendation really added to my application since she knows me so well.” At McLean, however—considered by many as a flagship public school, and ranked 55th public high school in the nation by U.S. News and World Report—students have had mixed experiences with the guidance system, which caters to wider student bodies than private schools and is also subject to state and county restrictions. Still, some students say that their counselors are readily available and helpful in accom-

modating their needs. Senior Lea Williams has had what she calls “a great experience” with her counselor. “I love my counselor,” she said. “She has made my college admissions process so much less stressful.” Others, however, feel that the amount of students assigned per counselor has affected the amount of individual guidance they receive. “My guidance counselor doesn’t have time—if you try to meet with him, he just won’t do it,” one senior said. “Whenever I try to meet with him, he’s not there, and when he is, he acts like it’s a huge inconvenience.” Other students feel that they have a very limited relationship with their counselors. “[My counselor] probably doesn’t know who I am,” freshman Anna Stevens said. “I’ve never had a one-on-one meeting with her. I forgot her name last week.” One senior says that she has been frustrated by her counselor’s inability to answer questions on the college admissions process and lack of time to provide personal input. “I honestly feel like my counselor has given me faulty information about what schools are realistic for me and what schools are safeties,” the senior said. “Except for sending my transcripts, my counselor has played no part whatsoever in my college admissions process. I tried to involve her at first, but she just wasn’t available and didn’t have answers to the questions I had.” According to College Career Center specialist Isobel Rahn, the College Career center is one alternative available for students to get advice on the college admissions process. But in her experience at McLean, Rahn says she has seen that private schools can provide more personal

the great

DIV

Bishop O’Connell

• 1,370 students in grades 9-12 • $9,020 tuition per year • 23 AP courses offered • Minimum of 26 credits to graduate • $75 for a parking permit • 98 percent retention rate • 1133 average SAT score • 14/1 student teacher ratio

McLean • 1,763 students in grades 9-12 • $0 tuition per year • 23 AP courses offered • Minimum of 22 credits required to graduate • $150 for a parking permit • 95 percent retention rate • 1180 average SAT score

The Potomac School

• 950 students in grades K-12 • $27,445 tuition • Minimum of 19 credits to graduate • 1:9 teacher/student ratio • Activities include a robotics team ranked 2nd in the world in the 2007-2008 season

Information from potomacschool.org, bishopoconnell.org, fcps.edu/McLeanHS/

“

guidance attention because of smaller student bodies and freedom from state and county restrictions. “Because of [counselors’] smaller student load, they can advocate personally for their students. Private schools, because they’re not constrained by state requirements—courses for graduation, etcetera.—they are more flexible in terms of how students can spend their time throughout the course of the school day.” Junior Colleen Warren, who transferred from the Potomac School to McLean last year, agrees, saying that she had a free block every morning, two lunch periods, and advising periods, or embedded periods during which counselors were available. “I had two hours of free time every day,” Warren said. “Then we had advising periods, which are two periods twice a week to meet with your counselor and the kids in your advisory.” According to Warren, there were typically about 10 students per advisory. Private schools are able to create individualized programs for students, while public schools have general, state-or-county-wide requirements. In public schools, learning is often measured by standardized testing, while private institutions can create their own assessment systems. Rahn feels that this greater time availability and curricular flexibility in the private school system increases student opportunities in the college admissions process. “It’s very competitive,” she said. “Many students who apply to the most selective schools look alike. […] There are time opportunities within private schools that we don’t have.”

January 16, 2009

It’s definitely so much harder to get good grades here. Someone is always holding your hand in private school.

”

-Colleen Warren junior

IDE

photo by Mohammad Tavakoli

From private to public, students adjust to the differences Holly Betancourt In-Depth Editor

ransferring to a new school is always difficult, but making the transition from private school to public school can be even tougher. Alicia Johnson, the Student Information Assistant in the guidance department estimates that this year McLean has acquired about 20 students from private schools, similar to years past. Johnson says that the most students transfer from St. Johns, St. James and Bishop O’Connell. For senior Lizzie Healy, the decision to leave Bishop O’Connell before the start of her junior year was a fairly easy decision, after seeing her schedule for her junior year which seemed to be very similar to the classes she had taken the two years before. She then brought up the idea of switching schools to her parents, “I had gone to Catholic school my whole life and I wanted something different. I looked into Bishop Ireton because I have friends there, but it was still Catholic school,” Healy said. After seeing McLean High School, she knew it would be a good fit for her. Since being at McLean for a year and a half, Healy has noticed minor differences between public and private schools. “The people are more unique at public school,” Healy said. While attending Bishop O’Connell and Saint Anne’s, Healy had to wear a uniform to school. Wearing her own clothes during the school day was the biggest adjustment that she had to make. “I had to plan out my

wardrobe for the first two months of school,” Healy said. For juniors Colleen Warren and Veronica Neuberger the decision to transfer to McLean was based on their activities outside of school. Neuberger came to McLean in September from The Connelly School of the Holy Child in Maryland, she switched to public school to have a more flexible schedule to fit in her dance. “I do an early release program at McLean for my dancing, but at Holy Child that wasn’t possible because they have a block schedule so everyday there is a different period at the end of the day.” Warren rowed with the McLean crew team during her years at the Potomac School since her school did not have a team. When McLean’s sports district told the McLean crew coach last year that Warren could no longer row with the team “I transferred fourth quarter to row. Everyone thought I was crazy, but I already had a team with seven girls. Crew’s my passion, and I didn’t want to give it up,” Warren said. For Neuberger, the biggest change since coming to McLean has been adjusting to the size of the school and her classes. Her Holy Child class of 2010 only included 85 students total so it was an adjustment to go from “knowing everybody’s business and all the latest gossip at Holy Child, to only knowing a fraction of my class here at McLean,” Neuberger said. Her private classes could have a maximum of 15 students, but one of her classes only included nine others. Even though Neuberger had one or two free blocks a day at Holy Child, she loves Highlander Time, saying, “It’s so nice to have a designated time set aside for meeting with teachers, or having an extra hour of sleep.”

One of the biggest differences Warren has noticed between her private school and McLean is the lack of free time here because at Potomac she had an hour of free time to visit teachers and a 45-minute study hall. “The amount of work [between Potomac School and McLean] is about the same, but at Potomac I was able to get at least half of it done in school,” Warren said. Coming to a school with a six point grading scale has also been an adjustment. “It’s definitely so much harder to get good grades here. Most people think ‘Oh, you’re in private school you must get good grades’ but that’s not true at all. Someone is always holding your hand in private school,” Warren said. Healy, Neuberger, and Warren agree that a major difference between their private schools and McLean is the teachers. “The teachers are a lot more casual at McLean,” Healy said. Neuberger believes that with the smaller classes in private school students are able to form a more personal relationship with teachers. “I guess you could say that there is a lot more trust between the students and their teachers [at private school]. If you had an event and you couldn’t turn your homework in the teachers would understand most of the time and let you turn it in the next day,” Neuberger said. At the Potomac School teachers were good friends with their students as well as always accessible to students, Warren said. “If I didn’t get my math homework I could just walk into my math room and get help.”

FEATURES

Highlander

January 16, 2009

2. 7.

photo by Mohammed Tavakoli Theatre students Michael Robinson, Vanessa Bretas and Leila Goldstein, prepare for the One Acts. The students rehearse lines from the One Act, “Sold”, directed by Matt Parent.

Coming soon to theatres: ‘One Acts’ Jasmine Mohandesi Features Editor

JERRY: It’s been too long, Alice! ALICE: Has it? Because it was only last December when we, uh, finalized the restraining order, Jerry. JERRY: Ah, right. Well, I guess even the best couples have their ups and downs. ALICE (prying herself away): Fifteen feet, Jerry. The above is an excerpt from the One Act “Spaghetti” written by senior Emma Lord. “Spaghetti” is centered around a 27-year old women who attend her 10-year high school reunion and must deal with a string of mishaps and again is overshadowed by her classmates. Lord’s script is just one example of the originality that will surround the One Act performances. There will be 10 student-directed plays which will be performed on Jan. 29, 30, and 31 in the auditorium from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets will be sold for five dollars. “One Acts is the time of year when everyone in the school has a chance to be on stage and also see their friends on stage. The majority are student-written and all are student-directed, and star fellow students,” senior and director of “Whistles in the Wind,” Charlie Cook said. “It is the most creative activity McLean has to offer and everyone should come see them to offer their support.” The plots vary from Parent Trap thrown in with space aliens to a man who sells his soul to the Devil. The writers include seniors Nina Scholl, Rachel Zucker, Emma Lord, Charlie Cook, juniors Sara Lavenhar, Thomas Hauffe, Rakesh Guha, and Elaina Kaiser. The winning One Act will be chosen by a panel of judges. Scholl, director of the One Act, “Palindrome,” believes that this year’s performance will be an improvement from last years. “We have a lot of rehearsal time compared to last year’s One Acts, so it’s less stressful. Last year I spent a lot of time worrying if we would be able to get ourselves together in time and we eventually did, but I’m very confident it will this year,” Scholl said. Guha, director of “Mini Acts”, also believes that “the One Acts are going to be a blast.” “We’re trying tons of new things,” Guha said. “It’s going to be a completely different experience from any other year.”

According to Guha “Mini Acts”, is one of these “new things” to the show. “For my One Act I didn’t write one in the traditional sense. I mean my One Act isn’t really like the whole show is dedicated to one story, instead my One Act is broken into three self-contained parts, or skits. So depending on which skit is being shown the focus changes,” Guha said. “My One Act is really an experiment.” Guha does not believe he has a chance at winning the competition because his script is not the traditional One Act. “I’ve proposed an idea which will hopefully be good and depending on how well it goes this year I might try it again next year,” said Guha. “And I wasn’t interested in the competition; I was more interested in trying something new.” As for who will win the competition, most directors believe it will be a romantic comedy. “If it follows tradition at MHS, it’ll be a romantic comedy. We have some very different genres this year though, so who knows?” Scholl said. Parandeh agrees with Scholl. “For the last three years that I have done One Acts, the romantic comedies always steal the judge’s votes,” Parandeh said. However, according to Lord, there are “a really great bunch of One Acts this year,” and anyone could win. “I have no idea which One Act will win, but I guess every director’s hoping for a shot at it. It’s a really great bunch of One Acts this year, and I’m sure both nights will be very entertaining,” Lord said. “I’m really looking forward to Sherwin Parandeh’s version of ‘Troy,’ which will be a hoot.” Parandeh’s One Act is the only skit not student-written. “I wanted to direct a comedy, but I am not very good at writing so I decided to look for a play online,” Parandeh said. “I am a comedic actor so I felt that directing a comedy would play to my strengths.” Whether student-written or not, Perino believes that the winner of the competition all depends on how well the show is put together and not whether it is student-written or not. “It is really only the final product that matters,” Perino said.

10.

January 16, 2009

FEATURES

Highlander

Facebook and MySpace profiles not so private Ibrahim Jacobs Reporter

waste time doing all the recruiting, only to bring someone in and giving the college a black eye by embarrassing the university.” Although with all the investigating going on, there has to be an ethics issue. Is it really right that colleges can go through a person’s personal life?

professors’ personal lives? Instead of a college determining if a student is fit for their university, could a student decide if they wanted to go to a university based on information they The picture below is blurred out, but on Facebook, anyfind out about their teachers? If colleges can review informaone could have viewed it in clear detail. tion on Facebook or MySpace, could high school teachers do Suppose a student has a 4.0 GPA and is on the All-District the same? team for football, basketball and lacrosse. However, he likes Wojciechowski claimed that he didn’t to have fun and party on the weekends. Is it have access to student’s Facebook or MySpossible that no school in the country will pace profiles, nor did he know anyone at the give him a scholarship? In our technologischool who did. However, if Wojciechowski cally advanced age, it can actually be harder did have access, he knows what he would do for students to get scholarships because of with it. information that can be viewed on their Fa“If it was part of my job I would [invescebook and MySpace profiles. tigate], but not all the students’ [profiles],” Before being offered a scholarship or acWojciechowski said. “If someone presented ceptance letter, students can be passed over me with information then I would investibecause of information found on Facebook, gate but only for the betterment of the stuMySpace or even an Internet blog. dents.” Before you get into college or a job, it Muskett, however, would rather spend is important to know that specialists who time teaching, coaching and with his family have no idea who you are, as a person, may than tracking all of his students online. surf the web looking for anything that re“If I had time it would be the last thing I sembles any sort of illegal activity. would do,” Muskett said. Recently, a student who went to RobOne would think that the easy solution inson High School was kicked off off his would be to just go by common sense, but college’s football team and eventually out for some students, it might be more difficult of the college entirely because of derogatory than that. If you are at a party where some comments posted on Facebook. “Sometimes sort of illegal activity is going on and some[students] think that only their friends are one has a camera and happens to be taking looking at things,” Assistant Principal Stepictures, the student can get rejected from a phen Wojciechowski said. “We advise stuphoto courtesy of an anonymous student college just for being at the party. dents about that all the time.” Obviously the easy solution would be It has even become such a problem that Two anonymous juniors post a picture of themselves on Facebook, knowing the consequences. just to not have a Facebook or MySpace, many students are very cautious about but that can be near-impossible for most what they put on their Facebook’s or MyS“I think colleges shouldn’t be allowed to look at our Fa- students. pace’s or choose not to have them at all. The choice is up to the students. They can either not have For universities, it may be more of an issue of protecting cebooks,” sophomore Tim Buser said. “We should have a the reputation of the school, as opposed to being against all level of privacy that colleges shouldn’t be allowed to interfere a Facebook or MySpace accounts, or they can run the risk with.” of four years worth of hard work going to waste because of students with shaky pasts. If college professors and deans can check up on the person- something found on their personal profile. “College athletics is a business now,” Health and Physical Education teacher Joseph Muskett said. “They don’t want to al lives of students, shouldn’t students be allowed access their

Highlander

January 16, 2009

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FEATURES

January 16, 2009

Highlander

Becky Teague: A foster to felines Danny Marx Reporter

Out with the old, in with the new X

OUT

Dissing McLean

Bragging about being #55

Turnitin.com

FAIRGRADE

Seniors ruling the school

Freshmen taking over the school

Buying a $65 yearbook

Getting a free newspaper every three weeks

Losing to Langley in sports

Still losing, but beating them in canned food drives

Side bangs

Blunt bangs

The Hills

Gossip Girl

Soccer moms

Hockey moms

Wizards

Vampires

2008

“My most memorable cat was undoubtedly my first,” Teague said. “Callie was so undernourished and afraid of Sophomore Becky Teague has a passion for fashion. She people, mostly men. When I first got her, she had intestinal studies to become a fashion major. She already designs and worms and ear mites. It was just so rewarding to watch her wears her own clothing. Sometimes she will even sew it her- become healthy, and overcome her fears.” Teague loves all animals and is a vegetarian. She would love self. Fashion helps her vent the oodles of creativity gushing to foster dogs, inside her mind but her backyard for the whole is too large and school to see; does not have adbut you will equate fencing. never see her Homeward wearing a fur Trails is located coat. off of Route 50 Teague is an near Arlington animal lover Cemetery. and fosters cats Most of the through the animals that non-profit aniphoto by Mohammed Tavakoli are approved mal adoption for adoption by agency HomeHomeward Trails ward Trails. were on the euTeague welthanasia list in comes homeless places like rural cats into her West Virginia house, feeds and North Carothem, nurtures lina. This means them, and takes photo by Mohammed Tavakoli they would have them to the vetbeen lethally erinarian, just Sophomore Becky Teague plays with her foster cat Rose. Rose has been living injected within like her own. with Teague for four months, but soon Rose will be living for a new owner. the week, unG e n e r a l l y, less somebody Teague’s handful of former foster cats have taken three or four months claimed them, prior to their appointments with the needle. At this point, most of these animals are newborn puppies to adopt. Their adoption appeal varies depending on their breed, age, size, and gender. Teague said older cats take lon- and kittens with no fur, whose existence would exceed their demand from pet buyers. ger to adopt. Many animals on the list are sickly or abandoned strays. “You’d be surprised how picky some people are,” Teague said. “I’ve had Rose for four months now, and right now I Others were cats and dogs that had been abused and neglecthave an application for her pending. It’s been hard with her, ed. “One thing I can say I have no sympathy for, is animal because she has black coloring. Statistically it takes us longer to get black cats adopted, because believe it or not, people are cruelty,” Teague said. “From personal experience, I’ve seen that it’s really easy for people to not care, and to not pay still superstitious.” Teague is one of the youngest members of the Homeward attention. If they’d experienced cruelty first-hand though, I Trails organization, yet she has already been through her don’t think so many people would be so apathetic.” share of heartbreak and happiness.

Winning football games (once in a while)

Going 0 -10 in style

Running to your computer to check Facebook every five minutes

Sitting in class and checking your Newsfeed on your iTouch

Unlicensed teens take over the road Drunk driving and speeding are not the only illegal driving stunts that teenagers pull. Many teens are guilty of driving on the road without a valid driver’s license. Many of these law-breakers hide under the radar easily. They just get their hands on a car, hop in, and drive to without a problem. Due to the fact that many McLean students have their own vehicles, many of these “drivers” have a wide variety of opportunities to take cars, such as one anonymous student who has driven without a driver’s license countless times. “My dad got me a car a few weeks after I got my permit,” the student said. “I drove around with my friends all over the place. I could drive well, so there really wasn’t anything to worry about.” Considering that a majority of high school students drive, it is not suspicious to see another student behind the wheel. “It’s not like I looked ten years old,” the student said. “I could get away with it.” Some other students who have driven license-free do not always have the immediate advantage of having their own

car. So instead, they rely on their friends. Senior Lana Puljic explained that she has let two of her friends drive her car, neither of them holding a license.

“

Bridget Berry Circulation Manager

They’re my close friends, and I trust them. I obviously wouldn’t let them get behind the wheel if I knew they couldn’t drive. -Lana Puljic Senior

“It’s my car,” Puljic said. “They’re my close friends, and I trust them. I obviously wouldn’t let them get behind the wheel if I knew they couldn’t drive.” One of the fears that these illegal drivers have is getting pulled over by the police. “[My friends] drive super carefully all the time no matter what,” Puljic said. “The worst and scariest thing would be for us to get pulled over; we’d all be in trouble.” The traffic laws of Virginia have strict laws about holding

a license. “No person shall drive any motor vehicle on any highway in the Commonwealth until such person has applied for a driver’s license, and obtained a driver’s license.” Breaking this law classifies as a misdemeanor and the person’s driving privileges may be suspended for a period of time. Another anonymous student has been driving without a license since sophomore year, and now as a senior, still does. “I’ve driven with my friends more than enough times for them to see that I’m a decent driver,” the second student said. “I usually only borrow a friend’s car when I need to.” These students don’t care whether they have a driver’s license or not, they will continue to drive until there are consequences. “Until a policeman can look at me in the driver’s seat and know for a fact I don’t have my license,” a student who wishes to remain anonymous said, “I’m going to continue doing it. Sorry.”

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Highlander

FEATURES

January 16, 2009

McLean High School Orchestra presents a classic rock concert:

On Friday, February 13th at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium, all three McLean Orchestras will perform something out of character—a rock concert. “It’s not going to be your typical orchestra concert,” organizer and parent Anne Oudemans said. Featuring electric instruments, synthesized sounds and shredding solos, the set list will include: “Eleanor Rigby” by the Beatles, “Live and Let Die” by Paul McCartney, “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin, “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix, and “Sunshine of Your Love” by Cream. Tickets will be sold during all lunches: $10 for students, $15 for adults. They will be on sale the week before the concert and also at the door if there are any left. “It’s going to be the best concert in McLean’s history,” senior Bobby Oudemans said. “We’re going to melt faces.” Senior Anna Kobylski is excited about the effect of the concert on the community. “We want to show our friends and family that classical musicians aren’t afraid to rock out,” Kobylski said.

photo courtesy of Mark Wood Inc.

“Electrify your strings”

photo by Mohammad Tavakoli

SPORTS

January 16, 2009

Highlander

Senior Sina Mostaghimi took up the role of the Hallway Linebacker in a series of videos produced by the SGA. In the video, he patrols the halls and punishes students who break school rules. The Hallway Linebacker series was created in 2005 by four McLean students. It was designed to emphasise school spirit and good behavior in a fun and humurous way.

The Hallway Danny Jabbour Reporter

inebacker

still frame graphics by Scott Richardson

BOOM senior Sina Mostaghimi tackles misbehaving senior Tyler Quinn and throws him into a locker. But this isn’t just any high school fight, this is the “Hallway Linebacker’s” duty. The five-year McLean High tradition, “The Hallway Linebacker,” continues with senior Sina Mostaghimi, who took up the job of protecting the school’s hallways. “The Hallway Linebacker” is a series of videos that was created to show students that an average student can rise up to help enforce school rules. “The first time I saw the videos I thought they were hilarious, and they increased school spirit,” 2007 graduate Ryan Cox said. “The videos probably didn’t have a big impact on the students, but they were still funny.” The “Linebacker” first emerged in 2005 due to the efforts

of four students: Alex Krall, Brendan McCook, Matt Sullivan, and Vipul Tripathi. “It was just for fun, just to get everyone excited about something, and mainly to help the morning show,” Tripathi said. Each of the four students had a role in the videos. Tripathi became the “Linebacker,” McCook was the principal/ administrator, Sullivan broke the rules, and Krall filmed and edited the videos. There have been three “Hallway Linebackers” so far: Vipul Tripathi, Marlon Lucas, and, currently, senior Sina Mostaghimi. “I am bruised from the pain I have to endure daily, but I think the Hallway Linebacker pushes school spirit to the limit,” Mostaghimi said. Senior Scott Richardson is the editor of the videos, as well as the narrator.

“I think that the Hallway Linebacker takes the rules and guidelines of the school and presents them in a creative and painful manner, but in still a fun way,” Richardson said. Administrators approve videos of the “Hallway Linebacker” because it is “publicity through SGA to show good behavior, all in good fun,” Assistant Principal Stephen Wojciechowski said. Many of the students at McLean seem to like the videos and the message they produce. “I love the videos, I think they’re great,” Sophomore Aloke Prabhu. “I like how it’s an enjoyable way to learn the rules and regulations of the school. Krall believes the “Hallway Linebacker” has become a staple of McLean. “It’s almost like the ‘Hallway Linebacker’ became a second mascot,” he said.

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Highlander

SPORTS

January 16, 2009

Winter track temporarily reinstated by FCPS Cammie Meade Reporter

On Thursday Jan. 8th, Superintendent Jack Dale proposed a new $2.2 million budget that would keep winter track as a school-sponsored sport next year. This proposal would still cut girls gymnastics, and the Washington Post has reported that Paul Regnier, a spokesman for Fairfax County, said winter track is only safe from being cut “for the time being.” However, the twenty five Fairfax County High School track teams may still be dropped if drastic cuts need to be made. An anticipated 5,000 students will be added to the Fairfax County School systems next year, and these increased numbers will add to the stress of budget cuts. The Post reported Regnier said, “If we have to swallow the addition of 5,000 students, plus the reduction of state aid, then, under those circumstances, there would be pretty drastic cuts and that would include indoor track.” For runners throughout McLean High School, this news comes as a relief. “Winter track fostered a ton of friendships for me,” junior Daniel Mooney said. One of the most prominent advocates for keeping winter track is Friends of Indoor Track or FIT. This organization was created in 1955 in order to bring an indoor track facility to Fairfax County. At an invitational meet on December 27, 2008, 1,300 track supporters signed a petition that was forwarded to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Track had the third highest number of participants in

all of the sports offered in Fairfax County last year, with 2,735 participants. However, due to the shortfall of $170 million in the 2010 budget, track may become a victim of the faltering economy. Despite the revival of winter track, gymnastics will still be cut in the proposed plan. Farris Gale, one of the gymnastics coaches, said “It’s really sad because the girls who participate really enjoy it.” One reason that gymnastics may have been cut is due to only 200 participants in Fairfax County. “A reason that gymnastics may have been cut is because of how dangerous gymnastics is,” Gale said. “Also the cost of maintenance photo by Cammie Meade for the equipment might have had an effect.” Winter track runs relays during a recent practice. The team practices everyday Mooney believes that track out on the track, often in very cold weather. should not be cut because it is different from so many other sports. Although the county will have to make some major cuts “It has the highest number of minorities. It’s not as expensive in the coming years, indoor track is safe. At least for now. as other sports,” Mooney said.

Sports Column

Mandatory after-school study sessions could bring A’s for athletes Cat Davis Editor in Chief

It’s the day of the Langley game, and you prepare with food and relaxation. But, there is a twist: you have a math test tomorrow morning that could determine your quarter grade. Student athletes must deal with this conflict all the time. There is just not enough time in the day to thoroughly study and attend a game or practice. A student’s primary job is to be a student, but when sports are added, their number one priority can change from school to sports. McLean needs to find a way to make school and sports easier to juggle for busy students. Junior and student athlete Melissa Wilson sacrifices sleep to pass her classes, attend basketball practices and games. “We have practice right after school, so I get home at around 5:30 every night. After I eat dinner and shower there is not enough time to get a good night’s sleep and all my homework done.” Not only does Wilson have to schedule her homework around basketball events, but her in school participation is affected as well. “I am always more tired in school [during basketball season]. I find myself falling asleep during class now. [In addition] my grades have been started to get negatively affected.” However, the majority of coaches understand this predicament and make grades the first priority over sports. Jake Bullock, the first-year boys’ lacrosse coach, cannot stress enough the importance of grades. In fact he checks up on each player’s grades bi-weekly. “We hand out a grade summary sheet that the students have to take to all of their classes and have their teachers sign them and leave notes on. If I see comments that are unacceptable then I have a talk with the teacher and student to try and resolve the situation. If the trouble continues then the student is temporarily suspended from the team until he can get his school priorities straight,” Bullock said. Girls’ lacrosse coach Anne Inzerello takes somewhat of a different approach to the situation. She leaves it more up to the players to understand what they are capable of in terms of balancing both school and sports. “We tell our athletes that grades are their number one priority.” Inzerello said. “However, we also require that they review the requirements of being on the lacrosse team in advance. It is their responsibility to assess whether or not they are able to balance their commitments to both. [...] If they do not think they can successfully do both then they should not commit to the team.” More can be done to ensure that students are doing the best that they can on and off the field. Students would benefit more with designated study halls and team tutoring sessions which would give the time-constrained kids a better chance to learn.

Bio

Art

B+

History A English B

graphic by Ned Burchfiel

This study period would only have to take place twice a week (if that). Yes, practices would go a little bit later, but it would be work as some homework would already be completed. In addition, this team study period could potentially be used as a team bonding activity. Student athletes would be able to help each other study, and work on projects. “Whenever I get home after practice I am always tired and lazy,” Wilson said. “But if we had a mandatory study period [with a tutor] I would feel more inclined to actually get work done.” This team study session has very few negative impacts. Grades would potentially go up, students would get more time to sleep at night, and they could receive extra help with difficult classes. If every coach sees the positives of this plan, it would benefit not only students in school but on the courts, fields, and rinks.

Hockey team looks ahead after 4-4 start Reza Masgarha Reporter

The hockey team that went on an 8-0 streak to begin the season last year now stands at four wins and four losses. Despite a slower start, players and coaches remain optimistic. “If we all show up to practice, work hard, and do the things we’re supposed to, we should easily be able to make the playoffs with a very high seed and probably advance farther than last year,” sophomore Matt Stewart said. Last year’s team made it to the playoffs but was sent home early, losing in the first round. The hockey team this year has fewer seniors than last year’s squad. “Last year’s team was a lot different,” says Coach John Sherlock. “Last year we had eight seniors, most of who had been playing together since they were freshmen. This year we have eight freshmen to replace them. But not surprisingly the cohesion that we had last year is not

there yet,” hockey coach John Sherlock said. “Last year we were more of a team, and we played a lot more physical,” Stewart said. Despite lacking experience the team’s freshmen have been drawing praise. “We did lose a lot of great senior players, but the freshmen that have come in have got a lot of skill and will do well,” sophomore Tommy Borman said. The team’s freshmen have to step up and play large roles on the team. Freshmen Stephen Ward is replacing long time starter Nick Williams at goalie. “I feel a lot of pressure to replace [Williams]. I feel like I have to work a lot harder,” freshmen Stephen Ward said. In the next two weeks the team will play five games. This stretch will be very important to the final outcome of the season and Coach Sherlock is confident in the team. “This team competes, there is no quit in them. It has been hard at times when things haven’t gone well but they care, and they compete,” Sherlock said.

SPORTS

January 16, 2009

Superbowl XLIII:

Highlander

Narrowing the list of NFL teams down to two Elizabeth Masgarha Sports Editor

Apart from the constant pressure to perform, athletes of these final four teams are not the only ones stressing about the big day that is just weeks away. Businesses and fans alike are preparing for the 100,000 plus visitors that have flown into Tampa Bay, Fla. to watch the game. Analysts are foreseeing sky-rocketing numbers of projected sales, and estimate that the area will bring in over 300 million dollars in revenue for the city. Television stations will benefit even more due to cost of their 30 second ads will be approximately 2.6 million dollars alone. But this makes sense seeing as the Superbowl reaches over 1 billion viewers worldwide, making it the most viewed event in history. However, those who won’t get to partake in the festivities in Tampa are still getting just as revved up to watch the game at home. “I’m going to have a Superbowl party with a big pinata and lots of games,” said sophomore Patrick Darvey. What seems to be most the most heightening aspect of the event so far is that two teams that have yet to win a Superbowl, the Cardinals and the Eagles, are both trying to continue on and become champions. The Cardinals have won four

playoff games in the last 60 years and will be playing to win their first NFC championship since the NFL merger. The Eagles however will be going to their fourth NFC championship game in four years. In 2005 the eagles won the NFC championship game and advanced on to the super bowl. They would go on to loose to the Patriots. While on the other hand the two other teams, the Steelers and the Ravens, will be going back to try and continue a dynasty of wins and add just another trophy to their names. The Ravens and Steelers share a heated division rivalry. Of the two games the teams played together this season the Steelers won both. The first with an OT field goal and the second on a controversial TD call Both the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. The Baltimore Ravens and the Arizona Cardinals vs. The Philadelphia Eagles games air on Sunday Jan. 18 for the conference championship. But for all those fans whose teams didn’t make it this far, the Superbowl will still be an event to watch. “We’ll probably going to a Superbowl party crying over the Giants’ loss and wishing they were there,” said freshman Mari Buttarazzi.

This season the Eagles are 9-6-1 and getting ready to face off for one of the two slots to play in the Superbowl. If they win the next playoff game against the Ravens, they will be going to their second Superbowl in five years.

Two teams will face off to see who will be Superbowl XLIII champions?

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The Cardinals beat the Panthers on bigplay ability. The Eagles, however, have 3 corners that were pro-bowlers at one time. A stout defensive line will pressure Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner all day long and force mistakes. On the other side of the ball, experienced veterans like Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and running back Brian Westbrook will expose a young, inexperienced Cardinal’s defense.

The Cardinals will also be striving to make their first Superbowl championship this year as well. Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt has lead the team to a 9-7-0 record and will go for more in this next playoff game.

Predictions The Ravens, fresh off a win over the Titans for their 11-5-0 record, will be going up against the Steelers for their slot in this year’s Superbowl. With their last championship win in 2001, they’ll be out for blood this year.

The Ravens and Steelers are evenly matched on defense except at the cornerback where the Ravens have the edge. On offense, the difference maker is that the Ravens have running backs LaRon McClain, Ray Rice, and Willis McGahee, who combine to give the ravens the best rushing offense in the league

2006 was the last Superbowl the Steelers won, and this year they’re going for it again. With a record of 12-4-0, it will be up to them to defeat the Ravens and be one of the final two.

vs. SPORTS

Highlander

High school

January 16, 2008

college

It’s the stepping stone to the big leagues: high school athletics, for many, provides the basis of a collegiate sports career. 37 percent of high school athletes will go on to compete in college, and with every graduating year, McLean sends off a few of its best to the next level. Discover what exactly separates those athletes from the rest, and how they distinguish themselves amid other talented players. David Berk Sports Editor

f you are concerned about managing school and sports now, then be warned that balancing your life in college will be no different. Former McLean students have experienced both worlds, but even at different schools and for different sports, they relay the same message: it doesn’t get easier. “In high school, rowers were allowed to make mistakes. In college, every moment is a test. One mistake can cost a rower the seat she’s worked for all season,” 2008 McLean graduate Mckenzie Harper said. Harper, who is on the crew team at the University of Pennsylvania, does however, believe that while the national competitiveness of college leads to a more intense atmosphere, high school and college athletes are presented with the same challenges. “Balancing high school sports and college sports with school is equally challenging because athletes face different obstacles in each circumstance,” Harper said. There are some aspects of college athletics that are better than those of high school. The facilities for instance; Harper said that “there are a lot more resources available at the college level. Colleges usually own more boats and have better facilities.” Even with the differing degrees of difficulty between high school and college sports, Harper felt well prepared for college athletics and a tough school-sports relationship when she left high school. “My experience on the McLean Crew Team prepared me very well for college rowing. We spent a lot of time working on technique and building strength in high school. I expected college sports to be incredibly intense and time consuming. While this is true, I am certainly able to balance my academic, athletic, and social lives,” Harper said. By far, practice is where athletes spend most of there time. According to 2008 McLean graduate Tarek Ammoury, practice increases in intensity as you move on to college.“Practice is completely different in college than in high school. In college, practices are longer and way harder than high school practices. We do more drills in college and everything we do is more competitive. We push each other no matter what the situation is and we try to make each other better every single day,” Ammoury said. College teams consist of recruits and walk-ons, students who were not recruited but try out anyway and make the team. In Harper’s experience, walk-ons have done just as well, and sometimes better, than recruited athletes. Ammoury, however, has noticed that recruited players are the more successful ones on the team.

• Senior Grayson Dahl has been approached by several collegiate lacrosse programs and hopes to play for BYU next fall.

photos by Mohammad Tavakoli

18%

18 percent of both men and women college athletes get recruited to play in professional leagues.

41%

41 percent of men and women high school athletes suffer from one or multiple serious injuries.

• Junior Sam Hauffman has played lacrosse for three years and hopes to be recruited his senior year.

15%

15 percent of both men and women high school athletes get a full athletic scholarship when recruited to play in college.

37%

37 percent of both men and women high school athletes get recruited to play in college.