Print Edition: February 17, 2015

The Pitch

Walter Johnson High School

Feburary 17, 2015

Volume 60, Issue 5

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814

Student artwork develops over time

By Annika La Vina As high school students grow and mature, so does their art. WJ offers a wide range of art programs, including courses such as Studio Art, Photography and Ceramics.

Aside from being a required credit, art plays an influential role in many students’ lives as they move through high school. Yet, many don’t realize the visible progression of art from the start of high school to graduation.

Junior Ofri Shmul and senior Maayan Albert demonstrate just how much art can grow throughout the years.

Photos by Annika LaVina; Graphic by Audrey Marek

For more, see“Art Progression,” continued on page 14.

Senior Maayan Albert began sculpting freshman year and has been hooked ever since. Many students like Albert see their art work develop over their high school careers.

WJSD makes a splash

By Patrick Jorling and JakeWeinischke

soared to a third place finish at the Metropolitan Swimming and Diving ChamAnother swim season has come and pionship, a prestigious meet comprised gone, and both the WJ boys and girls of various public and private schools in compiled winning records of 4-1 and the area.

3-2 respectively.

Along the way, the Wildcats were givFollowing the conclusion of the reg- en a significant boost from senior Coby ular season, the boys impressed at the Zucker and sophomore Celine Nugent.

Division 1 Championship, propelling themselves to a first place finish while the girls finished respectably in third. For more, see“Swimming,” As if that wasn’t enough, the boys team continued on page 19

What’s inside: News

An inside look at the the annual event: Mr. & Ms. WJ, which is now a Pennies for Patients event.

Story on PAGE 3

Opinion

It doesn’t matter if there are incentives for people to donate, what matters is the cause.

Story on PAGE 6

Feature

WJ’s take on the Washington Post’s “Date Lab.” Story on PAGES 10-11

A&E

Check out what you can do with all of your left over chocolate from Valentine’s Day. Story on PAGE 15

Photo courtesy of Andrew Ship

Senior Coby Zucker swims at the divisional championship; the boys team took first place.

Sports

Winter sports teams ride high as playoffs approach Story on PAGE 20

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FEBRUARY 17, 2015

Obama appeals to youth through social media, free community college proposal

By Katheryn Van Artsden Ever since taking office, President Barack Obama has focused on appealing to young Americans. From joining Twitter to speaking with high schoolers, Obama has made it clear he wants to connect with and mobilize enthusiastic youth. This has been especially evident recently.

Following his State of the Union address, Obama sat down with three YouTube celebrities: Bethany Mota, comedian GloZell and Hank Green. However, Obama’s proposal earlier last month to make community college free clearly highlighted his desire to reach out to young Americans.

According to the White House, an estimated 9 million students could benefit from free community college and each save an average of $3,800 in tuition per year. The plan would cost about $6 billion a year; the

federal government would cover 75 percent of the cost, and states who choose to participate would pay for the rest.

“I’d like to see the first two years of community college free for everybody who is willing to work for it,” said Obama in a videotaped message shot aboard Air Force One, which he later posted on Facebook.

Ted Mitchell, a high-ranking official in the U.S. Department of Education, agreed with Obama.

“Two years of college should be free and should be universal and should be of high quality for responsible students, just like high school is today,” said Mitchell.

To be eligible for the free tuition, community college students would have to maintain a 2.5 GPA. Participating schools would also need to meet a series of requirements, which have not yet been specified.

Obama’s education secretary, Arne Duncan, commented on Twitter, “Just as free K-12 education is an

educational and civil right, #FreeCommunityCollege should be as well.”

“It’s not just for kids,” the president added. “We also have to make sure that everybody has the opportunity to constantly train themselves for better jobs, better wages [and] better benefits.”

The proposal suggests that middle class students will benefit the most, since neediest students are receiving Pell grants.

According to Forbes magazine, a significant amount of people going to community colleges come from middle class families, and paying for their education more than the government currently does would be a waste of money and resources. It added that students who actually are from low income families, in which case the thought of not affording college is a reality, already recieve Pell Grants. These grants already cover most, if not all of community college tuition.

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Dear Pitch Readers, It’s February! This is one of the most exciting months of the year; the annual Pennies for Patients fundraiser is in full swing, the African American Assembly is about to take place and it is time for students to register for their AP tests and next years classes.

This issue, News covers the Mr. and Mrs. WJ talent show, the achievement gap and Obama’s appeal to the youth. Opinion takes a look at stress, people being pushed into STEM fields and incentives for donation

while Feature takes a look at the Activist Club and conducts the first ever Social Lab. Arts and Entertainment takes a look at the Oscars and the Grammys while giving advice about what to do with chocolate received on Valentine’s Day. Sports looks at the success of the winter sports teams thus far, and profiles some of the swim team’s standouts, while also looking at the University of Maryland’s stellar basketball team.

Since the weather is still cold, just sit back with some hot chocolate and enjoy this latest issue of The Pitch.

Happy reading, Your 2014-2015 Print Editors-in-Chief Selma Stearns, Ben Resnick and Audrey Marek.

FROM WJPITCH.COM Like The Pitch on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @TheWJPitch!

Athletes at WJ make leap from JV to varsity

By Kevin O’Leary

Photo Courtesy of Kevin Milsted, Mocorunning.com

Junior and Cross Country runner Carter May surges forward at a competitive Oatlands Invitational.

MCPS is historically known for its competitive sports, from football to volleyball. However, this high-end competition does not come easily, as many athletes begin their sports careers as junior varsity (JV) participants with less experience in high school athletics.

With continued effort, commitment and desire to strive, these young talents bloom into varsity stars. At WJ, many athletes have achieved success through an intense commitment to training, dedication and eagerness to strive and reach the varsity level.

Junior Carter May, who participates on the Cross Country, Indoor Track and Outdoor Track teams, began his running career confused but inspired. After competing in a relatively low-key cross country environment in middle school, May was unsure of what to expect on the high school level.

“In middle school, we only ran three times a week. The furthest we would run would be about six miles,” May said.

At his second practice with the WJ Cross Country team, May embarked on

an eight-mile run with the varsity team, a feat he never thought he would be able to accomplish. By the end of that practice, May knew running was the sport for him. He recognized that while it would be a difficult path, attaining varsity status was easily possible for him.

“It was a great year for me because I really was able to find my stride in a sport that I grew to love,” he said.

Although he was only a JV athlete at the time, he began training with varsity athletes over the summer in between his freshman and sophomore year, and during his sophomore year. This intense training helped May to realize how much potential he possessed.

“At the beginning of the season, I started to work hard and train with some of the elite athletes on the team and they were really instrumental in my transition into a competitive level of running,” said May. With a strong work ethic, May earned varsity status on the Cross Country team his sophomore year...

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FEBRUARY 17, 2015

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Showcasing student talent with Mr. and Ms.WJ

By Kara Gordon Mr. and Ms. WJ is an annual event that used to raise money for the senior class, but has recently been raising money for the Pennies for Patients charity fundraiser over the last three years.

Due to conflicts in February involving other school events, Mr. and Ms. WJ has been uncharacteristically scheduled to take place in the first week March. The later date was approved by Pennies for Patients so the money earned will still go toward the schools total donation count. The event will be held Friday, March 6 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. It is meant to be a fun and entertaining experience for both the contestants and the audience. Any senior is eligible to audition for the event, but only five senior boys and girls will qualify to compete in the talent based event.

“Each of the four audition judges ranks boys and girls separately on their talent, creativity, uniqueness, and quality,” said event coordinator and senior class advisor Fredrick Dellelo.

On the night of the event there will be four judges, two former Mr. and Ms. WJ winners or former SGA/ Leadership students, along with two staff members.

Darien Djourabtchi warms up his voice before he The judges for this year’s event have not been released. Senior auditions to be one of the contestants for Mr.WJ. Senior class officers Rachel Allen, Scott Salvatore and Afraah Karama will host the event and serve as the The event includes rounds of casual wear, talent and MC’s with senior class president Ray Macedonia, as a formal wear. There is no guideline for how contestants prospective contestant. define the terms casual, talent or formal, which allows them to be creative in their presentations and acts.

“The event loosely borrows the elements of the Miss America Pageant but is not meant to be seriously competitive,” said Dellelo.

In the past, contestants have worn traditional clothing, cowboy outfits, beach attire and personally designed sweats for casual wear.

Last year’s Ms. WJ runner-up and 2014 graduate, Bryce Kylie, stressed the importance of outfit choice in her advice to the upcoming contestants.

“Bring it. Smile. Wear something cute,” said Kylie.

Over the years, students have displayed many tatlents including magic, singing, standup comedy and dancing. The event also includes additional entertainment from groups such as cheerleading and drum line.

For additional fun, there is always a mockumentary video that showcases the contestants.

All photos by Kara Gordon Senior Miranda Mlilo practices her audition piece, a mix For many potential contestants this event has been combining “Titanium” and “Moonlight Sonata,” before something they have looked forward to being a part of presenting it before the judges.

their entire high school career.

“I’m looking forward to performing and having fun with everyone,” said senior participant Miranda Mlilo.

“I have wanted to audition since freshman year and I admired those who have participated in the past.”

The two winners of the event will receive two tickets to prom along with other prizes that have yet to be announced.

The audience at Mr. and Ms. WJ has often been mostly seniors and family members of the contestants.

However the entire school community is being encouraged to attend this year.

“We really want underclassmen to attend so they can experience it for themselves and hopefully want to participate when they are seniors,” said Dellelo.

Senior Monique Logie decided to audition for the event for this reason.

“I’ve been going to Mr. and Ms. WJ since I was an underclassman and am excited to hopefully showcase my talents,” said Logie.

The entire community can look forward to a night of entertainment, excitement and charity with this upcoming event.

Senior Monique Logie (left) prepares to sing her audition piece, a mash up of “She’s on my Mind” and “Waves,” along with her accompaniest junior Tony Coffey (right).

BSU’s African American Assembly brings together students from all backgrounds

By Bradley Stein On Feb. 25, the annual African American Heritage Assembly will take place during a double third period assembly.

“The assembly introduces the school to historical contributions of African Americans and encourages acceptance and unity among all cultural groups at our school,” said Black Student Union (BSU) sponsor and African American Heritage Assembly Organizer Nichole Kellerman.

The African American Heritage Assembly is an exciting tradition for students. The assembly gives performance opportunities to many students at WJ, allowing students from all backgrounds to showcase their talents. Senior Monique Logie will display her singing talents for the fourth straight year.

“The beginning rehearsals can be really stressful,” said Logie. “But the final result is so gratifying. Per-

forming is so amazing, and watching your fellow students display their talents gives you such a sense of togetherness and really makes you feel like you’re not only bringing the African American community together, but the school as a whole.”

the focus of the assembly will be on African American history, Kellerman has encouraged anyone, from any background, to participate. “[Our group] brings people together from all backgrounds,” said Logie. “It encourages [everyone] to explore their backgrounds and find out who they are.”

Logie also voiced that every performance has to connect with theme of bringing everyone together. There will be a performance of “We Are the World” for the finale. There will also be a song to honor sophomore Noah Marks, who passed away this past New Year’s Day. On the day of the assembly, the sophomore class will be led to the auditorium to watch the assembly live.

All the other students will watch the live feed via the promethean boards in their respective classes.

“Watching your fellow students display their talents gives you such a sense of togetherness.”

Every year, the African American Heritage Assembly has a different theme. This year’s theme is “We Are One.” The theme focuses the subject matter of the assembly on unity and the African Diaspora; the communities throughout the world that are descended from the historic movement of peoples from Africa, predominantly to the North, South and Central Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Even though

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FEBRUARY 17, 2015

Movie messages fly under Academy’s radar

By Gideon Epstein

E

very February, the biggest award show for movies, the Oscars, rolls around. Often, the Academy is criticized for making the artsy or posh choice for the most important awards, such as Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Picture. This year, everyone is expecting the same, as Golden Globe Best Comedy or Musical winner “Birdman,” starring a resurgent Michael Keaton, goes in as one of the favorites for the coveted Best Picture. The other big winner at the Golden Globes and favorite for Best Picture was Director Richard Linklater’s 12 year project, “Boyhood,” starring Ellar Coltrane.

While “Birdman” and “Boyhood” have received substantial praise from critics after their releases, another recent movie, “Selma,” has received the most widespread admiration from critics. “Selma” focuses in on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s highly contested march from Selma, Ala. to the capital, Montgomery, to fight for voting rights for black Americans.

Junior and avid moviegoer Andrew Rees predicts that the Academy will ultimately make, in his mind, the right decision, and give “Boyhood” the Best Picture award. However, he said that the important message that “Selma” exposed was vital for everyone to hear.

“Today we still have a lot of racial issues like [the] Ferguson racially motivated shooting,” said Rees. “‘Selma’ showed that [even though] we have come so far with these racial issues, there is still a lot of work to do, and are still a lot of problems to deal with.”

“Birdman” was nominated in December for nine awards at the Oscars, whereas “Selma” was only nominated for two. Many critics, such as The New Yorker’s Richard Brody, have said that “Selma” was snubbed due to its lack of cinematic genius. This means that in the eyes of the Academy, there were better acting performances, and better direction of other films. This is reflected in the fact that “Selma” Director Ava DuVernay was not nominated for Best Director.

Another junior, and teen film Director of shorts “Striking Choice,” “Ringtone” and “Water,” Sasha Sibley said that “Selma” certainly relates to issues today.

“The film ‘Selma,’ though specifically about racism in Selma, Ala. during the 1960’s, has themes of tolerance and equality that extend to the problems with discrimination we still face today,” said Sibley.

A lot of commentary on the Oscars has suggested that many movies and their directors are not in the so called “Oscar Club.” That is, the directors and their films do not fit the tightly knit mold that the Academy expects. Brody suggest that “petty politics” have limited the success that “Selma” can achieve come Feb. 22.

Another movie that critics say is not likely to win many awards next week is Clint Eastwood’s “American Sniper,” starring Bradley Cooper. “American Sniper” is a character study of the most lethal and decorated sniper in U.S. history, Chris Kyle, who was tragically killed state-side in 2013, just months after returning from his fourth tour in Iraq. The movie not only exhibits the struggles that Kyle experienced, but displays patriotism in its support of the entire military who keep Americans safe every day.

According to Sibley, Kyle is portrayed accurately without any sugarcoating of the difficult life of American soldiers. “[‘American Sniper’] was meant not only to be a biopic of Chris Kyle’s life, but also to reveal the traumatic experience of war through Eastwood’s matterof-fact style of filmmaking,” said Sibley.

Rees explained that the fact that message-based movies like “Selma” and “American Sniper” will likely nearly strike out at the upcoming Oscars does not diminish their value.

“I love both [action] and [message-based] movies, but I think I prefer deeper movies,” said Rees. “Deeper movies are emotionally appealing and engage you with what you feel, which I think is just so much more powerful and riveting.”

Sibley gave his definition of what a great film really is.

“For me a great film makes you feel something, whether it makes you feel sad, entertained, excited or moved,” said Sibley. “A great film leaves an impression and provides an experience.”

*symbol on sword represents truth and wisdom

Cartoon by Steven Judge

The Academy of Motion Pictures, Art and Sciences selects award-winning movies based on their cinematic prowess opposed to their message and deeper meaning.

Minority Scholars Program works to close MoCo achievement gap

By Izzy Salant Guidance counselor Lisa Sorenson, one of the Minority Scholars Program (MSP) sponsors at WJ, has a goal for the organization.

“I’m concentrating on helping kids be motivated, be scholarly, lead in the building, and try to work on bringing up others; rising up to that level of performance that we know any student can achieve,” she said.

The goal of MSP is to help encourage African American and Hispanic students to take honors and AP classes and help them succeed as well, trying to reach an ultimate goal of closing the achievement gap.

“Certain groups tend to score lower on grades and test scores,” said Joe Thompson, guidance counselor and fellow sponsor of MSP. “Consistently, white and Asian students tend to score higher than Latino and African American students.”

The gap in academic achievement occurs nationwide and is quite prominent in Montgomery County.

According to a 2013 Washington Post article, a 130page report was released by Montgomery County that stated the achievement gap separating white and Asian students from black and Latino students in Montgomery County had widened in several areas. The report stated the gap had been closing in areas such as college readiness and high school graduation, but had widened in areas such as SAT/ACT performance and AP/IB performance among graduates.

A different report released by MCPS in 2014 showed the differences in scores at WJ alone. In the category

of completion of Geometry with a “C” or higher by grade 10, the percentage of Asian and White students who met the requirements was 84.4 percent and 81.4 percent respectively, while the percentage of Black or African American and Hispanic/Latino students was 50.9 percent and 58.7 percent respectively. In the category of Maryland High School Assessment (HSA) performance for juniors, the percentage of those who passed the Biology exam was more than 95 percent of both White and Asian students against 85.7 percent of Black or African American students.

“What we all, as educators, talk about is that this [gap] really doesn’t make sense,” said Thompson.

Sorenson said she sees efforts being made to try and close the achievement gap at WJ. “At the high school level, what I see is the participation of minority students in higher level courses and involvement in the school community,” she said.

MSP has spread awareness about the gap at WJ and in the surrounding community. In the past, there have been programs, such as the “March to Close the Gap” held in April 2014, to raise awareness.

The gap has been a major factor in many people’s lives, including former social studies teacher and former head of WJ’s MSP program Michael Williams, who went to Chile as a Fubllbright scholar to be educated about the achievement gap in communities there. Williams actually started MSP nine years ago when former principal Dr. Christopher Garran reached out to him because, according to Sorenson, it was discovered that not a single African American col-

lege bound senior was eligible to receive a scholarship to Morehouse, a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). “[Williams] started this movement of encouraging minority students to go into honors classes and to be more involved in the school community,” said Sorenson. “I think we have come so far in nine years.”

The program has stretched far and wide, and there are many chapters of MSP throughout Montgomery County. Thompson said he has received emails from people in different states asking him about the program.

In order to take preventative measures against the gap widening before students ever make it to WJ, MSP goes to the WJ feeder schools, Tilden and North Bethesda, and encourages minority students to start taking honors courses then. MSP also offers tutoring for the feeder school students as well as starting them on projects.That way, they will already be taking honors classes and will be able to take APs when they reach high school.

The gap can cause drastic changes in school statistics, such as college readiness and overall test scores.

By closing the gap, not only will individual groups be affected, but overall school performance will improve.

“I think that the achievement gap is an important issue in education that we need to keep working towards,” said Thompson. “I think it’s a really hard challenge to undertake, but I think it’s important that we keep it a priority.”

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FEBRUARY 17, 2015

Challenge yourself How much stress is too much?

By Joshua Lang

In high school, students are given a lot of different choices when it comes to class selection. There are AP classes, Honors, On-Level, APEX, full year classes and half year classes. Students are often pushed by teachers, parents or friends to take harder classes and as a result believe that they absolutely need to take these types of classes to succeed.

Why should one classification of classes determine whether students get into good colleges or not? Why should one classification of classes judge whether a student is smart or not?

Students compete against each other about who can take harder classes despite the added stress. School should not be a competition. In order to graduate, students have to meet certain requirements but how they get there should be up to the individual. At times they may need to challenge themselves, but in the end, students should not feel pressured by other students to do better than each other because in no way is that what school is about.

There are benefits to taking more challenging classes as it prepares students for college. But you have to think, is it truly worth all the stress to get this experience? School should not be miserable.

You only get to go through high school once, so why should you spend all four years suffering because of a stressful course load? If you honestly don’t want to take certain classes, you shouldn’t feel pressured to take them.You are the only person who understands you so you are the best judge of your limits and capabilities. Some students enjoy the

fast paced work and added responsibility, however, it is truly up to you and what you believe you can handle. Work with your counselors because they understand all the classes inside and out and with their help, you can figure out the proper course for you.

The fact of the matter is, as students we should not be pressuring each other

to take classes that are simply too demanding of us. Students should without a doubt challenge themselves, but not at the cost of driving themselves crazy.

There is a saying that if you love what you do, you’ll never have to work a day in your life. Do not stress yourself out any more than you have to.

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Walking through the halls of WJ, it is not uncommon to observe huddled clusters of students frantically reviewing material, attempting to commit every last bit of curriculum to memory before a test. While watching other students freak out over a single test may be slightly amusing, it demonstrates one of the largest challenges the system facesthe shift from a focus on learning and educating students to a focus on testing and performing well on quizzes.

One of my teachers recently criticized my class for caring only about our tests and not about the material we were supposed to be learning on that given day.

In that teacher’s defense, he or she was completely right. A large portion of the students in that class had given up on the lesson that day, and were more focused on studying for the quiz we were about to have. While this is a legitimate reason for the teacher to be upset, is it really the class’ fault?

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EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Audrey Marek, Print Co-Editor Ben Resnick, Print Co-Editor Selma Stearns, Print Co-Editor Amanda Gross, Online Co-Editor Marissa Nardella, Online Co-Editor ADVISOR Sylvie Ellen, Print and Online NEWS Izzy Salant, Print Editor Gideon Epstein, Print Assistant Editor Anna Hovey, Online Co-Editor Kelly Chartrand, Online Co-Editor OPINION Nick Williamson, Print Editor Charlie Kanter, Print Assistant Editor Zoey Becker, Online Editor FEATURE Anja Shahu, Print Editor Kevin Lu, Print Assistant Editor Leila Siegel, Online Editor

COPY EDITORS Suejean Han Daniel Flesch Steven Judge Graphic by Steven Judge

The constant push to achieve academically at a level higher than expected can cause significant increases in stress among students. This can overwhelm them if they do not decide when enough is enough.

Educational system chooses to focus on testing over learning

By Nick Williamson

THE STAFF

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Annika La Vina, Print Editor Mary Kate Greening, Print Asisstant Editor Evan Candelmo, Online Co-Editor Zack Shapiro, Online Co-Editor SPORTS Jake Weinischke, Print Editor Patrick Jorling, Print Assistant Editor Kevin O’Leary, Online Editor Grant Weaver, Online Assistant Editor

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OPINION

The way the system is currently set up, quizzes and tests account for the majority of our grades, in many classes around 90 percent. As long as students manage to do well on tests, it does not matter what they end up learning in class. Because so much emphasis is placed on what our report card and transcript looks like, it is only natural for students to care more about doing well on tests by memorizing material when needed rather than actually learning it. In addition, the importance of the SAT and ACT for college admissions only adds to the apparent need for a focus on standardized testing. AP embodies this new attitude of education by setting up classes where the primary motive of the class is to teach all year for a test which does not take place until May. Tests have their place in education, and can be a way of evaluating what students have learned during the year.

They are, and will remain, an important part of education and we should not

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PUBLIC RELATIONS Shashank Narayan, Social Media Consultant, Business Manager Gideon Epstein, Assistant Business Manager STAFF WRITERS Emma Higgins Allie Miljanic Joshua Lang Daniel Flesch Meg Tamara Bradley Stein

Daniel Leonard Iris Vukmanovic Kara Gordon Kathryn Van Artsdalen Suejean Han Janie Tietz The Pitch is published eight times a year by the students of Walter Johnson High School, population of 2,234 and located at 6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814. Advertising and subscription rates are available by calling 301-8037184. Opinions represent those of The Pitch staff and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff, faculty or student body. We welcome letters, articles, photographs and artwork, to be submitted to room 193 or e-mailed to thepitch@walterjohnson.com. The Pitch is an award-winning paper that works towards providing the student body with accurate, as well as credible, information.

completely get rid of them. However, when it reaches the point where students feel that cramming for their tests takes precedence over actually learning the curriculum, it is time to take a step back and evaluate the way the system is set up. One solution to the problem is decreasing the impact tests and quizzes have on grades, and instead evaluating students on how they apply the knowlAWARDS edge they gain in class to real-world Columbia Scholastic situations. This shifts the focus from Press Association “how well have you memorized the maMarylander Award terial?” to “do you understand this mate- Newspaper Division C rial well enough to interpret it and use 2011 American Scholastic it to achieve a purpose?” and also helps Press Association students who may struggle simply due First Place Columbia Scholastic to the fact that they are not good test 2011 Press Association takers.

Gold Medalist Changing up the focus of our school 2009, 2013 Columbia Scholastic system is vital to ensuring the focus of Press Association education remains education, rather Silver Medalist than memorization.

Columbia Scholastic

Bronze Medalist 2011

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OPINION

FEBRUARY 17, 2015

Incentives for donations are ethical

By Charlie Kanter

Society will be happy, and as long as WJ is on top, students will be happy.

Whether you support the cause or you just want to beat other schools, donating is always helpful. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society uses the contest to motivate people to participate, so donating to P4P in order to win is not only ethical, but encouraged as well.

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Over emphasis on STEM education discourages students from pursuing other interests

By Audrey Marek

“If you want job security, become an engineer.”

This common saying is true, engineering and other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professions undoubtedly have the most employment opportunities right now, but does this emphasis on science and mathematics invalidate those who have an aptitude for the arts, humanities and social studies? We live in an economy based on specialization, and it is important for students to consider what they enjoy and are good at when choosing a path for the future.

I’m planning on majoring in English in college.

When I tell people this, more often than not the reaction I get is, “So you want to teach?” I may well end up teaching, and there is nothing wrong with that, but there are other options for English majors.

A major in English teaches you how to think critically, express ideas coherently and succinctly and communicate effectively. These skills lend themselves to many professions, including journalism, advertising, law, technical writing, public relations, corporate blogging and even lobbying. In contrast with a STEM major, which in many cases leads down a very specific career path, humanities majors offer a skill set that can take you in many different directions, even if they don’t immediately get you started in one.

I’m not saying everyone should go into the humanities; people have different skills and desires when it comes to career choices. All I am saying is that aptitude and interest should play a role in your choice of major, not exclusively employability or pressure.

According to The Daily Californian, the difference in unemployment rates between STEM and non-stem fields is negligible, and 58 percent of undergraduate science majors leave the field after 10 years.

There is a similar stigma when it comes to art; a friend of mine once called an art major a “major in unemployment.” Yet according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 259,500 people are employed in the field of graphic design alone. For comparison, 153,000 people are currently electrical engineers, according to studentscholarships.org. Art does not only exist in galleries; there are diverse opportunities in fields like web design and advertising.

There are a lot of opportunities in STEM fields and they may be a great option if you are interested in and have an aptitude for them. But if you are more skilled and more interested in something outside those four classifications, whether it be fashion design or creative writing, do not rule it out just because it does not involve coding. Our economy runs on specialization, and just because one field has more job opportunities than another does not mean it is more important.

ebruary is here, bringing Pennies for Patients and all the entertaining events that come with it. During homeroom last week, students received a little card from Leadership that listed all the upcoming events for Pennies for Patients, often shortened to “P4P”, that will be occurring this month. P4P is a widespread campaign to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society which provides prizes and other incentives to the schools who raise the most money, and schools across the county create many events to try to achieve this goal.

Participation in occasions such as WJ Olympics, Pong for P4P and GLO sweeps up the entire school in spirit, and sometimes kids can lose sight of the purpose for the fundraising. As students get wrapped up in the excitement of the month, focus of raising money shifts to beating other schools, such as our rival Whitman, rather than helping the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Many argue that focusing on winning the contest loses sight of the real goal, yet this is not true. Though it is important that students know what the P4P cause is, it is not immoral to provide incentives to donate and aid the cause.

Without incentives and planned fundraising events, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society would not raise nearly as much money as they do. The contest between schools is what drives students to donate, and the organization is aware of this. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society itself puts a focus on the contest between schools because they know it Photo by Charlie Kanter will increase donation. In the end, as Noah Burgett and Sam Jacobson walk around school collecting change long as the money is coming in to help Seniors from students to raise money for Pennies for Patients. the cause, the Leukemia & Lymphoma

Are Millennials more narcissistic than previous generations?

By Meg Tamara With the popularization of social media, sharing explicit details about your life is becoming more common. Since it is easy to hide behind a mask online, some people take the liberty to lie about their image to appear more interesting. Psychologists suggest that people are becoming increasingly

Illistration by Steven Judge

Many people feel that each successive generation becomes increasingly self-absorbed.

narcissistic, but are Millennials (born in 1980-2000) the most conceited generation, even more narcissistic than Baby Boomers (born in 1946-1964), who once held the title?

Some blame a new culture of parenting that fosters narcissism. Studies have shown that Millennials display more extrinsic values and are more likely to place value on money and status than Gen-X (born in 1965-1982) and Baby Boomers.

People who score higher on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory test tend to have more Facebook friends and post more photos and statuses. However, because social media provides a platform for people to exhibit their best qualities, it doesn’t mean that Millennials are inherently narcissistic. People tend to lie all the time to make themselves look better on dates, in job interviews and in resumes.

It is hard to declare Millennials as more narcissistic. There are no definitive studies to date of narcissism across generations that compares a nationally representative sample of narcissism between the 1960s and the present, for example.

Narcissism may be misinterpreted for high selfesteem. According to a study published in the Review of General Psychology, “self-esteem is on the rise, with 80 percent of middle-school students scoring higher in self-esteem in 2006 than the average middle-school student in 1988.” Whereas narcissists are characterized by having low self-esteem.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to characterize an entire generation of being narcissists when sharing the bits and highlights of your life online is so culturally acceptable. In the midst of the digital age, perhaps we’ve all become increasingly narcissistic, Millennials, Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers alike.

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FEBRUARY 17, 2015

February marks the start of Pennies for Patients. The Pitch asked students, “What is your favorite P4P event and why?”

OPINION

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The Pitch polled 50 WJ students at random on the following questions:

Amina Hossain

What motivates you to donate to Pennies for Patients the most?

“WJ Glo, because I think dances are a lot of fun.”

Aiding the cause............. .......................................68%

Freshman

Beating other schools...........................................14% Other...........................................................................12%

Photo by Charlie Kanter

Rohan Karim

I don’t donate.............................................................6%

Sophomore

“The WJ Olympics. I was upset they got cancelled this year, it’s a fun thing to do with friends.”

Is our generation more selfish than the ones before us?

Photo by Charlie Kanter

Victoria Gregorio Junior

Yes..................................................................................42% No...................................................................................36%

“WJ Glo. It’s more laid back than homecoming and you can go with a group of friends.”

Indifferent....................................................................22%

Is it valuable to take AP classes?

Photo by Nick Williamson

Yes..................................................................................74%

Toby Wu

Senior

Indifferent...................................................................18% No.....................................................................................8%

“PPP because it helps prepare me for college.”

Photo by Nick Williamson

The Pitch Opinion

In a school of over 2000 students it is easy to pass someone in the hallway every day and not even know their name.

This issue, the Pitch decided to match up students who would not typically hang out or be friends in the first ever WJ Social Lab. The objective of this experiment was to see if students could break down high school “barriers” and become friends even if the other per-

son was not in their social group. With the positive feedback we have received from our participants, we have realized that often times, the only reason why people are not friends is that they are considered to be in different social groups and hang out with the people of those groups.

This experiment proved to be popular with the people involved and oth-

ers who had only heard about the Social Lab. Many of the participants have voiced that they would want to do it again, and other students expressed the desire to do it for the first time. As The Pitch will not be doing this again, at least not this year, we encourage students to find their own matches and go out and make new friends on their own.

OPINION

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FEBRUARY 17, 2015

“American Sniper” draws controversy among viewers

By IrisVukmanovic

Recent controversy has surrounded the Oscar nominated movie “American Sniper”. “American Sniper” is a movie about the late Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL who was the most lethal sniper in U. S. military history with 160 confirmed kills. It is a biographical war drama, directed by Clint Eastwood, which follows Bradley Cooper as Kyle through his four tours in Iraq. The film touches upon Kyle’s experiences in Iraq as well as the strain his job put on his relationship with his wife Taya Renae, played by Sienna Miller.

The movie has received high profile criticism from the likes of Seth Rogen and Michael Moore among many others. The controversy surrounds the idea that the movie encourages Islamophobia and jingoism; patriotism in the form of aggressive foreign policy.

“And now ‘American Sniper’ – a mess of a film that rewrites history (we invade Iraq as revenge for 9/11), perpetuates a racist sentiment to Arabs (Iraqis are “savages”), has a simplistic Hollywood storyline of the good sniper in white vs. the bad sniper in black), and (in a rare moment of honesty) shows the main characters in the film, the American soldiers, either returning home all messed-up by the war (and with some of them turning anti-war) or in a box,” Moore said on his Facebook page.

First Lady Michelle Obama and the director of the film, Clint Eastwood, addressed the attacks on the film. They agreed that the movie is in fact anti-war in its sentiments and is just an expression of what it is like for American troops and their families to be involved with war today.

“I was a child growing up during World War II. That was supposed to be the one to end all wars. And four years later, I was standing at the draft board being drafted during the Korean conflict, and then after that there was Vietnam, and it goes on and on forever ... I just wonder ... does this ever stop? And no, it doesn’t.

So each time we get in these conflicts, it deserves a lot of thought before we go wading in or wading out.

Going in or coming out. It needs a better thought process, I think,” said Eastwood, according to the Toronto Star.

After having watched the movie myself, I cannot say that there was anything in it that I would have considered controversial. As with all art, the movie is up to one’s interpretation. If people want to see the glorification of violence in it, they will. My point is that the filmmakers did a good job of keeping the film relatively objective. They made sure to highlight the moral dilemmas faced in war on both sides as well as the consequences of war on family life. At times “American Sniper” was hard to watch because it was so emotion-

Photo by Charlie Kanter

Controversy has arisen over sniper Chris Kyle’s attitudes and actions displayed during the film “American Sniper”.

While parts of the movie can be interpreted negatively, the message of the movie is intended to be positive.

ally charged. While the movie is about the sniper who has the most kills in American military history, there was no moment in the movie where this was outright celebrated. Kyle’s job was to kill people in order to

protect his fellow soldiers, and the effects of that pressure were evident. The movie portrayed everything to be how it is: flawed. And that’s about as accurate as things can get.

Media focuses on sexuality over talent

By Selma Stearns

In the Disney film “Beauty and the Beast,” the beast is notoriously covered in thick brown fur, but the female protagonist Belle has armpits that are smoothly shaven despite being locked in a castle for weeks.

Recently BuzzFeed published a set of photos called “12 Female Characters Who Keep Shaving Despite Constant Peril,” featuring photos of women who keep their armpits and legs silky smooth while in dangerous fictional situations such as being shipwrecked, abduct-

ed by giant apes or being forced to fight to the death.

While humorous, this article points out the constant need that the media has to portray women as idealized and sexualized to the point where it detracts from the plot of the story they are featured in.

Anne Hathaway and Scarlett Johansson achieved fame for their portrayals of superheroes Catwoman in “The Dark Knight Rises” and Black Widow in “The Avengers,” respectively. In various interviews, they were repeatedly asked questions that ignored their characters and their roles, and instead focused on their bodies.

Once Johansson was asked by an interviewer what kind of underwear she wore under her suit, which is clearly very inappropriate. Men who bulk up and gain weight for parts are also often asked about their workout routines and diets, which is not necessarily pertinent information about the plot of the works in which they appear.

Actors’ bodies are not the only things that are perseverated on in the media. In “The Hunger Games” franchise, author Suzanne Collins points out a lot of social

issues such as liberating revolt, oppression of the poor, the growing income gap between extreme wealth and extreme poverty and overwhelming government control. However, most media attention has had an entirely different focus. Headlines such as “Is Peeta or Gale More Your Type?” show the preoccupation with Katniss’ romantic interests, at the expense of recognizing her admirable actions. She has to repeatedly make difficult choices between saving her people or herself but the media seems to express that the most important choice is between two potential hunks.

Tabloid magazines are almost guaranteed to include photos of someone’s “beach body,” and their physique is either condemned or celebrated. I understand the desire to pay respect to someone for an intense workout routine or a healthy diet, but reducing someone to the state of the physique ignores the talent a celebrity may present as an actor or a singer. The media consistently defines celebrities by their bodies and other nonessential qualities at the expense of their talents.

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FEBRUARY 17, 2015

FEATURE

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Activist club encourages student involvement

By Anja Shahu

The Promethean board comes to life. A faint, translucent light glows off the machine.The pen taps against the surface as the screen flickers, revealing slides of information clustered together. Against the white background, photos filled with frowning faces and bloody body parts litter the screen.

The topic of the day this time is albinism, a mutation in the genes that leads to an absence of pigment in the skin.Tanzania has one of the highest rates of albinos being born and struggles with handling the persecution of albinos. Not only are albinos murdered, but their body parts are also sold in a market that continues to grow because of the lack of government intervention.

“Many people believe that [albinos] are not human, that they’re ghosts, that they’re cursed,” explained covice president and senior Joyce Mbogba, who gave the presentation.

Mbogba finished her presentation and urged the others in the room to help her in protesting the Tanzanian government’s lack of involvement in fixing the problem. Another member mentioned the possibility of protesting outside the embassy of Tanzania.

Every Wednesday in room 105, the Activist club,

soon to be called the Active Youth Movement, offers one member the opportunity to present research on a topic that they care about. The club urges people to talk about issues from all around the world that can range from obscure ones like albinism in Tanzania to more known ones like the gender pay gap in the United States.

“They cover the basics of what the issue is, why it is important, who is affected, possible courses of action and other relevant details,” club president and senior Ryan Garfinkel said. “Depending on their goals, an opportunity to act is added to our calendar and members show up if they support the cause.”

The main mission of the club is to turn discussions about world problems into actions that advocate for change. The club promotes the use of grassroots activism, a peaceful method of changing policy that includes holding meeting, raising money and promoting causes throughout the community. This method allows for increased student participation on a more personal level.

Last school year, many members of the club were involved in the JDRF walk, a fundraiser to treat, prevent and cure type one diabetes, and the Typhoon Haiyan

open mic night, a fundraiser to provide relief to victims of the tropical cyclone. Although many of these opportunities to act are offered for various issues, the club doesn’t force members to take part in activities for topics that they do not support.

“It would be both hypocritical and completely against the notion of freedom of expression to force members to support a cause,” Garfinkel said.

The club encourages students to invest time in reading newspapers in order to stay in touch with modern day events and problems. With this knowledge, it is easier for people to find specific topics of interest, including issues focusing on, but not limited to, social and gender inequalities, environmental risks and digital freedom. However, activism is flexible and fluid and getting involved does not have to be difficult. It can be as simple as doing community service or going out to vote.

“Not everyone needs to be at the forefront of the latest political or social challenge,” Garfinkel said. “Activism can be any activity related to the community aimed at creating a positive impact.”

Information from Britannica Graphic by Anja Shahu

Diverse courses provide unusual educational options

By Allie Miljanic

As the time for registration for classes comes again, students have to decide what to take in the upcoming year. A wide array of classes are offered each year, but many students often do not know about some classes and simply skip over them on the registration card.

Those classes are spread out among all academic fields.

East Asian History

Chris Murray teaches East Asian History. He teaches students about the history and interactions of four major countries in East Asia: North Korea, South Korea, China and Japan, over the last 200 years.

“It’s definitely a course that’s going to help students better understand such a large percentage of the world’s population,” said Murray. He makes sure to not limit the class to only history, choosing to teach pop culture as well.

Senior Sam Jacobson highly recommends the class due to Murray’s unique teaching style. “[Murray is] great at involving students in the work,” said Jacobson.

The information Jacobson learned also inspired him to apply his knowledge to the real world.

“I actually traveled to Japan because I took this class,” Jacobson said.

African American History

African American History starts with West African history, which was the origin of most slaves, and continues through to current civil rights issues.

“There aren’t any other classes that I can think of that are directed specifically at a cultural experience that’s unique to America,” said Nathan Schwartz. “In terms of one group and their personal cultural experience here in the United States, it’s kind of a unique

class in that sense.”

This class spends a lot of time addressing the history of race relations in America. There are very few major tests and most of the grades come from once a week journal entries reviewing what students have learned that week, as well as notes taken during class.

“The class teaches a lot of things you don’t learn in other history classes,” said sophomore John Kenny.

cel at advanced mathematics.

Multi is taken after a student completes BC Calculus. James Choi, who teaches BC Calculus, also teaches Multivariable.The class is also known around school for in-class food parties (some even have themes) and going out to eat as a whole class with Choi.

“Because we have all had Mr. Choi before… and Multi doesn’t have a strict curriculum, [he] takes the time to talk about the real world applications of what Quantitative Literacy we learn,” said junior Lynda Hu. There is a wide variety of math classes for students Choi tries to give his students cultural experiences who are not the biggest fans of math. Robert Warthen, by telling stories about his life and past experience as whose background is in economics and labor relations, an engineer and program manager. teaches Quantitative Literacy in an unorthodox but “I really want them to enjoy the learning. People engaging style, according to many students. think of math just as dry computations… but it doesn’t “I’m told [my teaching style is] different, but I really have to be that way. I am trying to make it a little more don’t know how other teachers teach. I’m very direct, interesting,” said Choi. and I have [students] figure things out themselves for the most part,” said Warthen.

One of the complaints that often comes up in re- Engineering Science In Engineering Science, taught by Mike Richards, gards to education is the amount of information stustudents learn how to design a sailboat by making a dents forget over the summer and how teachers end up having to reteach the material. Quant Lit appears serviceable model boat. The classes have already taken a field trip to a boat show where they were able to to be an exception to this general trend.

“Quant Lit does something a lot of the classes at see how boats can be both functional and aesthetically this school fail to do. It teaches math that is applicable pleasing.

“I like to call it an experiential class,” said Richards. to everyday life. A lot of classes end up teaching us “The idea is for students to experience what it’s like to things that drift off in the summer,” said senior Michael be an engineer. Students play the role of an engineer. I Greenan. play the role of the customer.”

In Quantitative Literacy, students are taught practiThe class has almost no homework, with almost all cal uses of math, such as how to balance a checkbook work being done in class, and it has no prerequisites. and how to do their own taxes.

“It’s a nice change of pace from the typical class Multivariable Calculus at WJ and much less stressful because of the limited On the other side of the scale of math classes, there amount of homework and tests,” said senior Maggie is Multivariable Calculus for students who greatly ex- Howie.

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FEATURE

SOCIA FEBRUARY 17, 2015

By Suejea

Matched based on: Dedicated athletes Same magnet middle school

The senior captain of the Poms Squad goes out with a sophomore swimmer.

A walk to Giant and a lunch later… let’s see how it all went.

Photo courtesy of Rachel Allen

Abe: She seemed really cool. I had seen her around before in middle school, Eastern Middle School in Silver Spring, so I wasn’t nervous to see her.

Rachel: I met him in middle school and I just remember him being a goofy guy.

Abe: We went to where any love struck couple would go: Giant. We talked about our interests and our backgrounds. We walked to Giant, where I bought a sub and an Arizona tea. But, we were supposed to go on a date to Chuck E Cheese, but that didn’t happen because we both crashed- me after WJSD Divisionals and her after her Poms competition.

Rachel: Initially we planned a more elaborate date than Giant, but it fell through. We still had fun though! We walked to giant, bought food and talked.

Abe: We both really love our sports. She seems to be into dancing as much as I am into swimming. She practices 2 hours a day, which I think is pretty dedicated. I just dance in the kitchen.

Rachel: Well, I used to swim but then I almost drowned… We both have older siblings, which we made fun of for some part of the time.

Abe: I wish we had taken another way because our shoes got really muddy.

Rachel: The field was muddy so we got our shoes pretty dirty but then he offered to carry me because I guess that’s what gentlemen do.

Abe: I had thought it was going to be really awkward. But it wasn’t that way because we, or at least I, kept on talking. I kind of felt bad that she had to hang out with me because she’s pretty and (I think) popular. But all of that aside, she seemed like a pretty chill person.

Rachel: I thought it would be horribly awkward but it was actually quite fun. I’m excited to go out with Abe again!

Rating out of 10: Abe: 10.1/10 Rachel: 1058482902/10

Inspired by The Washington Post Magazine’s “Dat blind-dating called “Social Lab”. Our purpose was t before due to schedule, grade or other circumstance interests. So here’s what we did: we evaluated the a then, based on interests, we paired up two students back to us about how it went.

Abe: Or nah…just kidding! Of course! And this time it would be at Chuck E Cheese.

Rachel: Yeah! We have another date in the works. We’re going to Chuck E Cheese since we couldn’t go the first time around.

Matched based on: Dedication to sports and love for burgers and chocolate

Same AP Statistics cla two seniors have neve word to each other… probability that this h be successful?

Christina: I thought that everybody doing it wo senior boy. My first impression was that it wou class, but I didn’t really know him and I had n Yeon: When we first met up, all I could think ab outside and she just had no coat or jacket. She Christina: We went to Five Guys, ate and talke Byanjakar and gossip about him. Yeon is also he had to pick up a burger off the floor at McD injuries. We both play on WJ sports teams. W Yeon: We went to Five Guys to eat BURGERS!! talked and laughed for most of the time, sharin within sports teams is so interesting.

Christina: I’m so glad it wasn’t awkward like th and we ended up staying a lot longer than I th but the fries were sooo good.

Yeon: I thought it was fun. It’s weird meeting so it a chance and begin talking, you start a begin out was beyond my expectations. I’m glad I kn

Rating out of 10: Christina: 9/10 Yeon: 9/10

Christina: Yes, we b going to hang out a Yeon: We agreed tha up going to McDon are full of laughs an

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FEBRUARY 17, 2015

FEATURE

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an Han

te Lab”, The Pitch has created a unique version of to bring two WJ students together who had not met es in the hope that they could connect over common applications of those who wanted to participate and s to hang out. The pairs then went out and reported

Love for the outdoors, American food and rap music.

Two sophomores who have not talked to each other since the sixth grade had the opportunity to get to know each other on their classic movie and dinner date.

Photo courtesy of Chuck Thompson

ass, yet these er spoken a What’s the hang out will Photo courtesy of Yeon Cho

ould be junior girls, but I was paired with a uld be very awkward. He was in my stat no idea what we would even talk about. bout was how cold she looked (It was freezing e just had a shirt on). ed. We like to make fun of our friend Ranish pretty clumsy. He told me a story about how Donald’s. We also shared stories about our We ended up also gossiping about our sports. !! While eating burgers we talked a lot. We ng stories and making fun of Ranish. Drama

Chuck: I knew of her but I haven’t talked to her since 6th grade English. I knew through mutual friends that Rachel is really nice and easy to talk to so I had no worries about the hangout.

Rachel: He was very good looking and dressed nicely. He seemed nervous, but so was I. He remembered that we had 6th grade English together, which was cool. It was flattering that he remembered I was in his class so long ago.

Chuck: We talked about our love of Parks and Recreation, politics, what books we liked and what sports we were into.

Rachel: The conversation flowed really nicely and the date went by really fast. We both like rap music, which is kind of strange. We both love “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Parks and Recreation” which was a big talking point. Obviously we talked about school a lot too.

Chuck: The movie we saw, “The Imitation Game,” was fantastic and left us with plenty to talk about. She introduced me to Nando’s Peri Peri, which was great.

Rachel: The best part was when we were walking around Barnes and Noble just looking at all the cool things in there. The conversation flowed really smoothly at that point, which was nice.

Chuck: I didn’t really feel any chemistry, so in a romantic sense I wouldn’t, but I definitely enjoyed getting to know Rachel.

Rachel: I had so. much. fun. I just felt it was a fantastic match and I can’t believe it! The conversation flowed really nicely and the date went by really fast.

he way I expected it to be. It was a lot of fun hought we would. I can’t pick a favorite part

omeone you don’t know, but once you give nning of a brand new friendship. The hang now her and made a new friend.

became Facebook friends and are most definitely again! at we would hang out again. We’ll probably end nald’s or any other burger place. I hope our dates nd fast food!

Rating out of 10: Chuck: 8.5/10 Rachel: 9/10

Chuck: If we were to hangout again going to see a movie would be fun because we had a good time the first time.

Rachel: Yeah, I had a great time and I’m looking forward to hanging out with Chuck again! I’m waiting for him to extend the offer.

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FEATURE

FEBRUARY 17, 2015

Students, counselors assess value of AP, honors, on-level classes

By Kevin Lu As students progress through high school, they are exposed to many different ideas on whether AP classes are worth the hassle of taking or not. Students have a variety of options to choose from ranging from onlevel, to honors and advanced placement (AP). At the same time, counselors and friends give students different advice on which classes, and what levels of those classes, to take.

Some students believe that AP classes are not better compared to other level classes. Senior Jackey Ma doesn’t believe AP classes are completely different from the on-level or honors counterparts.

“AP classes are not necessarily superior to any other classes offered at WJ,” Ma said. “Other classes will have similar concepts to AP classes.”

However, Ma does acknowledge that APs offer useful benefits to students like helping them prepare for college. Mainly, Ma believes that students should take classes that interest them and not just choose AP classes because they believe that they have to take AP classes and get college credits.

On the other side of the spectrum, sophomore Adam Kuritzky said he believes AP classes are a better choice than taking on-level or honors classes.

“If you take them, you [will learn] a lot more than if you take on-level or honors and that’s good, even if colleges don’t take the credits,” Kuritzky said.

Kuritzky is planning on taking six AP classes next year with one double period AP class. He is planning to handle the course load by working hard and surviving on little to no sleep.

“I think everybody should take as many [AP classes] as they can,” Kuritzky said.

However, overloading on APs can be difficult and stressful. Guidance counselor Joe Thompson believes students should not try to fit too many AP classes into their schedules.

“I think [students] should pick classes in the areas that they are interested in,” Thompson said. “Students shouldn’t choose to take AP classes only because they feel pressured to do so.”

Thompson said students need to look at what other activities they do when picking their classes for the next school year. Students need to balance their schedules and make sure they leave time for eating, sleeping and other activities so they do not overstress

Illustration by Steven Judge

Different people have different views on AP classes. In order to have a balanced schedule for next year, it is important to weigh the pros and cons of AP classes. Then comes the decision which classes to take and whether to take the AP version of that class or not.

themselves.

“There is a lot of pressure on students [to take AP classes],” Thompson said.

The pressure is coming from different sources like students or rumors and it makes some students feel like they have to take AP classes. “[AP classes] seem to push students to feel like they need to shoot for a goal [of taking a number of AP classes] that is not necessary,” said Thompson.

However, Thompson also said there are some high achieving students who are capable of handling the large amount of coursework that AP classes are known for.

“AP classes can be a great opportunity if you are a strong student... [they can be] great preparation for college,” said Thompson.

Thompson thinks students should not pick AP classes only to get the college credits. Students should

pick AP classes in order to be exposed to the type of work that they will be required to do in college.

“The real value of taking an AP class is seeing the college text and the college level work and getting study and writing skills that will be useful [later on in life],” said Thompson.

AP classes used to only be available to students in 12th grade. Some private schools even limit the number of APs that students can take. For instance, Phillips Exeter Academy, the best private high school in the United States according to a ranking done by school data site Niche, does not offer AP classes to students at all.

“Walter Johnson has great students that are very motivated and work hard, but students need to make sure that they are thoughtful and balanced in what they do,” said Thompson.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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S*T*A*G*E makes Oscar predictions

By Bradley Stein and IrisVukmanovic

Best Picture

Nominees: “American Sniper”

Photo courtesy of Richard Linklater

Ethan Hawke smiles with his movie children, Mason (Ellar Coltrane) and Samantha (Lorelei Linklater).

“Boyhood” “The Theory Of Everything” “Birdman” “Whiplash” “The Imitation Game” “Selma” “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Sophomore Will Canavan of S*T*A*G*E predicts that “Boyhood” will win the Oscar. “Boyhood” takes place in Texas and follows a young boy’s life growing up with divorced parents.

The novelty of this film is that it was shot over a period of 12 years.

“The idea for the film is unmatched so far in film history,” Canavan said. “Also it was a really nice film and I feel it connected with audiences very well.”

Best Lead Actor

Nominees: Steve Carrell in “Foxcatcher”

Bradley Cooper in “American Sniper” Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Imitation Game” Michael Keaton in “Birdman” Eddie Redmayne in “The Theory of Everything”

S*T*A*G*E members junior Taylor Connors and sophomore Sean Mahoney agree that Michael Keaton will win the Oscar this year for his performance in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”. “[Keaton] really does a good job in embodying his character,” said Connors.

Photo from Flickr, videogamedemons

Michael Keaton is nominated for this year’s Best Actor for his performance in “Birdman”.

Best Lead Actress

Nominees:

Marion Cotillard in “Two Days, One Night” Felicity Jones in “The Theory Of Everything” Julianne Moore in “Still Alice” Rosamund Pike in “Gone Girl” Photo from Flickr, Allan Slank

Rosamund Pike made her Oscar debut in the hit movie “Gone Girl”.

Reese Witherspoon in “Wild”

Best Animated Picture Nominees:

“Big Hero 6”

“The Tale of Princess Kaguya” “The Boxtrolls” “How To Train Your Dragon 2”, “Song of the Sea”

In Canavan’s opinion, Rosamund Pike will likely win the Oscar for her performance in “Gone Girl”. Pike has received rave reviews for her role in “Gone Girl”.

“Pike killed it in a really tough role,” said Canavan. “Her performance was unmatched.”

Senior Emily Jerison believes “How to Train Your Dragon 2” will take home the coveted prize. The original “How to Train Your Dragon” was a huge box office success, and while some were skeptical at first, the sequel proved itself to be a great movie.

Some reviews even stated that the sequel eclipses the original. “How to Train Your Dragon 2” won the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film and is a clear contender for the Oscar. “[‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’] completely from Flickr, Global Panorama changes animated features in [my] mind, making “How to Train Your Dragon 2”Photo is the long-awaited sequel to Paramount’s original to “How to Train [me] believe that animated movies can truly be Your Dragon”. great,” Jerison said.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FEBRUARY 17, 2015

From the first stroke to the last; Students progress with their art

“Art Progression” continued from page 1

By Annika LaVina

“Photo 2 was much more guided, and the projects, while still having a lot of room for creativity, were more structural,” said Shmul, who started in Photo 2 her freshman year, and who is now in AP Photography as a junior. “In AP [Photography] we have a lot more room to interpret the projects in our own way.”

First-level classes often focus on learning basic structures and teaching the general syllabus, but as time goes on and classes become more advanced, students gain more freedom in what they want to create.

Each new academic year of art promotes an untapped level of expression that artists probably didn’t know they had.

Albert is currently in AP Ceramics, taught by Stephanie Ellis, after having started in Ceramics 1 her freshman year. Albert said that progression through high school is less about assignments becoming more difficult, and more about teachers’ expectations becoming higher.

“Ms. Ellis requires us to show her a conceptual sketch before starting anything,” she said. “As I progressed, it became more and more difficult to come up with ideas that Ms. Ellis would approve of.”

Albert relates her AP Ceramics class to a concept she learned in her AP Psychology class. For her, ceramics involves divergent thinking, a process in which students follow a non-linear, loose plan in the classroom, as opposed to convergent thinking, a structured and linear outline from the teacher, the typical makeup of

a daily class period. ventured away from using anything but clay and glaze,” “The vast majority of classes at WJ require students said Albert. “Now, I am more willing to try out differto use convergent thinking,” Albert said. “However, art ent materials such as wood, paper, paint and stone.” classes are one of the few outlets for students to exerAlbert’s new techniques have let her reach new goals cise divergent thinking.” within the art world. Aside from deriving inspiration This free-flowing instruction fosters creativity both from Ms. Ellis’s “image of the day”, which facilitates in class and out. As students progress from the first daily discussion about its design, Albert is able to crelevel of art to the most advanced, the daily artistic ate her own project and portfolio. For Shmul, freedom break in the midst of an academic day teaches kids life comes in the form of interpreting projects in her own lessons as well as new techniques. For Shmul, learning way. about an aperture, a setting that can either increase or “I constantly push the boundaries of what I think decrease the amount of light present in a phothat I am capable of in that class, so I often find myself tographic exposure, comes hand in hand with spending just as much, if not more, time and effort on learning about creativity. sculpture as in any of my other APs,” “The most important thing I have learned said Albert. is that creativity doesn't always come easAll in all, although Albert and ily, and often requires a lot of thought,” Shmul are in different art said Shmul. classes, their art has trans“[Over] the years In addition to creativity and formed from the simple expression, taking art throughdesigns of first year the assignments have out high school introduces new classes to the ingotten more challenging. perspectives. Students from all tricate projects They are still very intriguing types of classes, from Ceramics of AP classes. and sometimes require more to Photography, learn to branch The final outthought and a need to plan out from the norm and start to come is the same for all before taking pictures.” incorporate new materials and art students: the result methods that Photo 1 and Ceis a masterpiece.

Ofri Shmul, Junior ramics 1 never would have even touched otherwise. “[As] a freshman, I would have never

Freshman Year

All photos courtesy of Ofri Shmul

Junior Ofri Shmul captured the cold winter of 2012 in this freshman year photo.

Sophomore Year

A blend of photoshop and photography creates a mysterious image in junior Ofri Shmul’s work.

Junior Ofri Shmul used a mirror to create this photo in her sophomore year.

Junior Year

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your sweet tooth S atisfy with Valentine’s Day leftovers

By MK Greening

So you received chocolates from your friends/family/significant other for Valentine’s Day, but you have eaten your share and still have tons left over. Now what? You could just throw them away, but then you’d be wasting perfectly good chocolate.

Try these alternatives instead!

Cheaper than most fancy boxes of chocolate, yet still as tasty, Russell Stover both satisfies your wallet and your chocolate cravings. There are multiple sizes of boxes, from a box of four chocolates to a box of five pounds of assorted chocolates. The decorations adorning the chocolates match well with the fillings, which includes caramel, nougat, nut and cream.

What to do with the extra Sit down with a group of friends and eat the box.

You can make a game out of it by having people pick a random chocolate and guess the flavor. If that seems like too much work, put on Netflix and binge on a television show season while you and your friends munch.

R uS st so e l v l e

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All photos by Annika LaVina

G odiva These truffles come individually wrapped in pink and gold, where each shade of pink denotes the flavor: dark pink for dark chocolate, medium pink for milk chocolate and light pink for white chocolate. True to truffle form, the chocolate outside gives way to a creamy filling that melts in your mouth.

The wrappings have cute messages like “I (heart) you,” and “Be Mine.”

What to do with the extra Warm up a mug of milk and plop in a truffle or two. Stir it around to melt the chocolate and you have delicious different flavors of hot chocolate.

F errero R ocher These well-known chocolates are a classic crowd-pleaser. The chocolatecovered wafer shell holds a whole roasted hazelnut and smooth hazelnut cream, giving both a satisfying crunch and a delicious taste. Each comes individually wrapped in gold foil. Variations on the original include Raffaello, a coconut-covered, almond-filled wafer, and Ferrero Rondnoir, covered in dark chocolate with a dark chocolate cream and whole almond center.

What to do with the extra Make cupcakes! The recipe: For Chocolate Cupcakes: •1 cup all-purpose flour •3/4 cup sugar •1 teaspoon baking powder •1/2 teaspoon salt •1/2 cup cocoa powder •3/4 cups vegetable oil •1/1 cup buttermilk •1 egg •1 teaspoon vanilla extract •12 Ferrero Rocher (frozen) For Chocolate Nutella Frosting: •1 cup powdered sugar •1/2 cup unsalted butter •1/4 cup cream cheese •1/3 cup Nutella •4 oz semisweet baking chocolate •2 Tablespoon cocoa powder •pinch of salt •1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line standard cupcake pan with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

3. With electric mixer beat together oil, egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract on medium speed until well combined.

4. Add dry ingredients and mix well to combine.

5. Cupcake liners should be about 2/3 full. First add about 1 tablespoon of the batter, then place unwrapped (frozen) Ferrero Rocher in each cup and add remaining batter.

6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in cupcake comes out clean (it takes about 16-20 minutes) 7. Wait the cupcakes to cool completely before icing 8. To make the frosting melt 4 oz chocolate and let it cool to a room temperature.

9. Beat the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy, then add cream cheese and mix well.

10. Add vanilla, salt, Nutella, cocoa and melted chocolate and mix it well to combine evenly.

11. Set the frosting in the fridge for 15 minutes to set, then frost the cupcakes and garnish with Ferrero Rocher.

From OMGchocolatedesserts.com

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FEBRUARY 17, 2015

GRAMMYs hit a high note

By Emma Higgins The 57th annual GRAMMYs kicked off the show with a performance by ACDC that captured audience members of all ages. Celebrities and guests rocked out to the classic tune “Highway to Hell” and their new hit “Rock or Bust,” proving that classic rock is timeless.

Host LL Cool J played a smaller role than in past years, allowing maximum time for musical acts to perform.

Stars from all corners of the music industry came together at the Staples Center in Los Angeles to honor their own success as well as the success of other artists.

During this dynamic evening on Sunday, Feb. 8, awards were presented to performers, producers and other individuals and groups of all music genres ranging from rap to country. Nominees this year included decorated veterans of the industry as well as rookie artists. As usual, only the major awards were presented live during the show, and the others were announced and distributed beforehand.

The first award of the live event was Best New Artist, presented by Taylor Swift. The nominees were HAIM, Brandy Clark, Sam Smith, Iggy Azalea and Bastille. This was the first of four GRAMMYs won by Sam Smith over the course of the show. Pentatonix and Barry Gibb made an appearance to honor Smith with his second award for Best Pop Vocal Album. Later on he cleaned up with Song of the Year and Record of the Year for “Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)”. The Best Pop Solo Performance, presented by Jessie J and Sir Tom Jones went to Pharrell Williams for his hit single “Happy”.

Julian Edelman and Malcolm Butler of the New England Patriots and actor Josh Duhamel joined forces to present the award for Best Rock Album to Beck for his

album “Morning Phase”.

Standout performances early in the show included Ariana Grande’s elegant ballad “Just A Little Bit of Your Heart,” Miranda Lambert’s country anthem “Little Red Wagon” and Kanye West’s heartfelt “Only One”. Other unforgettable numbers included a duet from Hozier and Annie Lennox, Katy Perry’s “By the Grace of God” following the recorded speech on violence against women and girls from President Obama and a live presentation from domestic violence survivor Brooke Axtell and Sia’s “Chandelier”.

Throughout the night there was a variety of performances from the industry’s best- some unvarnished and others with huge theatrics. Some of the most dramatic acts were Madonna, who adorned the stage with bulls and matadors during her number “Living For Love”, and a transformed rendition of “Happy” from Pharrell Williams and Hans Zimmer that included hundreds of back up dancers. This performance had a deeper message than most that night. Pharrell paid tribute to the people of Ferguson, as well as victims of other highly-publicized hate crimes, by recreating “hands up don’t shoot”.

Later in the evening, John Legend and Common performed their hit “Glory” which also addresses both the historic and modern struggles for civil and human rights.

Photo from flickr, Dima Thabit

Singer Sam Smith won four GRAMMY awards on Feb. 8.

Game of the Month: Pitch Edition

This interactive crossword requires you to flip through the the Pitch’s pages in order to fill it out.

Answers can be found on wjpitch.com

Good luck!

Across

1. Music awards (page 16) 5.Controversial military movie (page 8) 8. Academy Awards (page 13) 9. Coby Zucker does this (page 19) 11. New friendships on the spread (page 10 and page 11)

Down

2. A new club (page 9) 3. Our school pageant (page 3) 4. February's biggest fundraiser (page 6) 6. Home university that is doing well in basketball (page 18) 7. Banning shifts (page 17) 10. Everybody's favorite treat (page 15)

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On Deck: Banning shifts is bad for baseball New commissioner would be taking step back from progress

By Patrick Jorling Major League Baseball (MLB) entered a new era when Commissioner Rob Manfred took over for his predecessor Bud Selig on Jan. 29. Selig was the commissioner of baseball for the past 22 years, and he left with his fair share of both supporters and critics. Selig led the MLB through arguably one of the most tumultuous eras in the league’s history, notably dealing with the rampant steroid era of the late 1990s and early 2000s. In recent years, he also faced growing concerns with regards to the length of games and a decreased offensive output. Selig acknowledged these problems, but never addressed them head on. These are the problems that Manfred has inherited and he will

be pushed to address them. hit the ball to a certain area of the field left by the shift to try and get a hit.

In a recent interview, Manfred nearly all of the time, teams have made Manfred knows that he has to promote suggested that banning defensive shifts the adjustment to shift another fielder offense, because that is what the casual may be a solution to increasing the onto that side of the field. According fan wants to see. And while pitching offensive output in the game during his to the Wall Street Journal, these shifts duels can be exciting, too many of tenure. The problem of lacking offense prevented 390 hits in the 2014 season. them may detract from that fan base. in the game needs to be addressed, as Shifts have added a different element However, Manfred needs to keep the the average number of runs per game to the game that makes it more defensive shifts in the game. He needs is down almost a full run compared to interesting. It forces the hitters who hit to promote the use of advanced metrics the 2000 season. However, banning the the ball to the same place every time and thinking as a part of the game, as defensive shifts is not the solution. The to make adjustments. Hitters now have it will only grow the game for years to use of advanced metrics is something motivation to hit the ball to other parts come, and can be a tool to keep viewers that has evolved the game for the better of the field, and big power hitters have interested in the strategy of the game. in recent years, as front offices and even tried to lay a bunt down to a gap managers on the bench can use the data to gain advantages in every aspect of the game. To banish these shifts is to essentially punish teams for using their brains.

Defensive shifts are another product of a recent wave of advanced metrics that has come across baseball to help coaches and executives make more accurate databased decisions.

These metrics can give managers insight into where players hit the ball each time they come up to bat. If Photo courtesy of Flickr, Jeremy Chan a certain player is found to The defensive team puts three defenders on the right side of the infield for a Barry Bonds at bat in 2006.

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Acquisition of 2013 Cy Young Award winner, Max Scherzer, creates front office buzz for Nationals

By JakeWeinischke Two hundred and fifty two strikeouts in 220.1 innings pitched, 18 wins and only five losses, a 3.15 earned-run-average, and a fourth consecutive American League Central Division crown. Those stats from the 2014 MLB season are just several details on Max Scherzer’s enticing resume and the key factors in landing him a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Washington Nationals, the largest ever for a right-handed pitcher.

His recent contract with the Nationals further fortified the team’s status as World Series favorites. However, it has also stirred much debate concerning the future of several key players and the team as a whole.

Scherzer grew up in Chesterfield, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis, where he pitched at Parkway Central High School. He was drafted immediately after high school by his hometown St. Louis Cardinals in the 43rd round, 1,291st overall, but opted instead to attend the University of Missouri. In 2005, while at Mizzou, Scherzer was named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and was subsequently drafted in the first round, 11th overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2006 MLB draft.

He made his MLB debut with the Diamondbacks in 2008 before being traded to the Detroit Tigers in 2010 where he would go on to establish himself as one

Photo from Flickr, Keith Allison

A Cy Young Award winner in 2013, pitcher Max Scherzer signing with the Nationals makes them instant World Series contenders.

of the most dominant and durable arms in baseball.

With several big names to hit the free agent market following the conclusion of the 2015 season, and a significant sum of money devoted to Scherzer, much of the Nationals’ future remains unresolved. If the 2015 season were starting today, the Nationals starting rotation, which is arguably the best in Major League Baseball, would feature

Scherzer, Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and either Tanner Roark or Doug Fister. There is talk that Roark could be moved back to the bullpen despite going 15-10 last season with a 2.85 ERA and a 1.092 WHIP over 198.2 innings pitched.

Zimmermann is set to become a free agent following the 2015 season and is likely to command a contract similar to the six years and $155 million that

the Cubs handed to pitcher Jon Lester.

While a trade may seem like an obvious option, it isn’t. There isn’t a single GM who would risk sending a blockbuster name to the Nationals in exchange for a one-year rental. There is no guarantee that Zimmermann would sign a longterm extension with his new team in the event of a trade and thus, no organization should be willing to trade an essential piece of their franchise for him.

The Nationals enter the 2015 campaign as World Series favorites in the eyes of many. They would be best off testing their luck with Zimmermann in their rotation and attempting to extend his contract next offseason. If Zimmermann chooses to sign elsewhere, which he likely will, the Nats still possess Lucas Giolito, the top right-handed pitching prospect in MLB who in his first full professional season coming off of Tommy John Surgery last year went 10-2 with a 2.20 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and 110 strikeouts in 98 innings pitched.

After being eliminated twice in the National League Division series despite capturing two National League East division crowns in the past three years, the Nats are in top notch form to claim a World Series title this year. It is highly unlikely for all of the necessary assets to fall into place to make the Nats a favorite a year from now, so starting Feb. 19, it’s all or nothing.

Local university grabs national attention

Photo from Flickr, Jerome Carpenter

Maryland mens basketball head coach Mark Turgeon has been integral to the team’s success this winter.

By Daniel Flesch

This NCAA basketball season, the University of Maryland, College Park is making headlines for a resurgence in its success. The first-year members of the Big Ten Conference are led by fourth year head coach Mark Turgeon and play their home games at the Xfinity Center.

The Terrapins (Terps) finished their last season with a mediocre 17–15 record, 9–9 in ACC play to finish in a three-way tie for seventh place. They lost in the

first round of the ACC Tournament to Florida State. “[Maryland] has had a good year so far and it’s nice to see them getting recognition in the rankings,” said senior and avid Terps fan Jackson Lange.

At the time of publication, Maryland is ranked number 19 overall in the nation with an 19-5 record (7-4 division record). The Terps have an impressive home record of 14-1. The reasons for this success can be attributed to mul-

tiple factors. First, Maryland joined the Big Ten on July 1, 2014. The Big Ten is an academic and athletic coalition consisting of 14 schools. These schools include Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers and Wisconsin. With these schools comes an extremely high level of competition. Second, Maryland has adopted a whole new roster. Finally, Maryland has also done an excellent job at defending the three-point line. Opposing teams have shot just 30.3 percent from behind the arc this year, good for 38th in the nation.

“I love the team,” said Kyle Lopez, a 2014 WJ graduate and current Maryland student. “They’re a ton of fun to watch and the crowd actually gets into the games.”

Next month kicks off the March Madness tournament. This year Maryland hopes to be seeded in a high position.

The last time the Terps won a national title was in 2002. Since then, the Terrapins have gone through many mediocre seasons, thus making this season all the more special.

“I think they can get to at least the sweet 16 and hopefully farther,” said Lange.

Many fans are excited for this year’s tournament.

“I’ll be watching it, hopefully, with my fraternity and a bunch of my close

friends from school,” said Lopez. “Realistically I think, if we play good basketball, [Maryland will go to the] Sweet 16. The best possible scenario obviously would be winning it all.”

The starting line-up for the Terps includes Dez Wells, Melo Trimble, Jake Layman, Damonte Dodd and Jared Nickens. Trimble is a sensational freshman who has been named seventh best shooting guard according to ESPN.com.

“He’s our point guard and has almost single handedly brought the team to life,” said Lopez.

Trimble has not only got Terps fans excited for this season, but also the nation.

“Melo Trimble has been one of the best freshman in college basketball this year,” said Lange.

Wells is a senior and an impact player.

He provides the veteran presence needed for this young squad. Junior forward Layman has also made a significant impact for the Terps. So far this season, Layman is averaging 14.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Dodd, the sophomore center who was a virtual zero for most of last season, has emerged as an end-to-end stud. “[The Terps’ success differs] from previous years because we’re actually really good and ranked,” said Lopez. “Though inconsistent, we’re [19th] in the nation and pack the stands for every game.”

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Swimmers make waves during winter season

All photos courtesy of Andrew Ship

Coby Zucker leads team before Star swimmer Celine Nugent moving on to collegiate level shows promise as a sophomore there saying‘everything’s good’ or ‘you’ll get it next time’. And through those amazing swims… the WJSD community just made that an amazing feeling.”

Zucker attributes much of his success and the team’s success to WJSD head coach Jamie Grimes, a former division one athlete at the University of Virginia. “[Grimes] is one of the most personable and friendly adults around,” Senior Coby Zucker will continue his swimming career next said Zucker. “Anything year at Columbia University in New York City. anybody needs or wants

By JakeWeinishke to say, nobody will hesiSenior Coby Zucker began swimming tate to come up to him or confront him. when he was just six years old at the Being that close to a coach, you can reOld Farm swim club in Rockville, Md. ally connect to be the best you can be.”

By middle school he had made it his priHowever, it goes without question mary focus and by the time he entered that Zucker owes a significant amount high school, he was surging to an elite of credit to himself and his abilities. level. “[Zucker] has become a reliable swimNow, at the conclusion of his last cam- mer to win events when I need him to,” paign with WJ Swim and Dive (WJSD), said Grimes. “He has also shown imZucker enters the last leg of the season provement in his off events [200 IM].” as one of the top 100m breaststroke Zucker hopes to carry the momentum swimmers in the state, before proceed- and winning tradition from his tenure at ing to the next chapter of his career at WJ into his first season at Columbia.

Columbia University. Although Zucker “I really want to make an impact for is ready to move on to collegiate swim- the team,” said Zucker. “At Ivy [League ming, his time with WJSD was im- Championships] I really want to be mensely influential in developing a love there, scoring points, as well as cheerfor the sport and for his team. ing on my team and school.”

“WJSD made swimming into a team While his future is evidently pointing sport for me,” said Zucker. “The cap- to larger stages, Zucker still expressed tains… especially this year, [seniors] Ka- immense gratitude and appreciation tie [Spak], Matty [Daza], Noah [Burgett] for all WJSD has done in assisting with and Caroline [Braviak] fostered amazing his development and bettering his high spirit and a great team community.” school experience.

According to Zucker, WJSD showed “My WJSD experience was amazing,” him not just the value of competition, said Zucker. “The community, team, and but the team bonding related to the spirit was one of the most indescribable sport as well, which helped him cel- experiences ever. My four years swimebrate his successes and overcome ad- ming for WJSD were definitely lifeversity. changing.”

“After every swim,WJ teammates were right there for you,” said Zucker. “After bad swims, someone would always be

By Patrick Jorling The girls swim team has had another strong season, going 3-2 in regular season meets and placing third at the Division 1 swim championship. Their run has been anchored not by a senior, but a sophomore. Celine Nugent has emerged this year as one of the strongest swimmers in the area, leading the girls team particularly in the 200m freestyle and 100m freestyle. Following in her brother, Jean-Marc’s, footsteps, Nugent is primed to be a contender in her events at the state meet.

Nugent’s coach, Jamie Grimes, said her success this year can be attributed to watching her brother lead the boys’ team last year.

“She watched her brother’s ethic and leadership last year and has incorporated it into her training,” said Grimes.

Grimes’ coaching and previous experience as a swimmer, including being a three time All-American at the University of Virginia, has helped drive Nugent’s success. “[Grimes] has done a really good job of keeping the team motivated and making decisions when it comes to lineups and strategies,” said Nugent. “On top of that, he used to be a swimmer so he is able to give first hand tips for success before my races that help me out a lot.”

Nugent credits that support as well as a boost in confidence as keys to her success this season.

“I have been pushing myself harder in practices and races and I have worked on being more confident which has really helped me with my results this year,” said Nugent.

Nugent has even surprised herself with some of her success this year, particularly in the 100m freestyle event.

“The 100 free isn’t my overall best stroke, [but] I surprisingly have been doing well in that event this year,” she

said. “In the beginning, I was a little unsure how I would do against actual sprinters, but I decided to try my hardest anyways.”

Underclassmen do not always have the easiest time adapting to competition against juniors and seniors, and that transition can affect their performance.

Nugent has not found this to be a problem however, as she can look up to her more experienced teammates and feels like an integral part of the team.

“Being a younger swimmer, I can look up to the older swimmers,” she said.

“Even though swimming is an individual sport, it takes a team to succeed and I’m really honored to play a role on WJSD.” With all of the success this season, Nugent looks to build on it to bring even more success to the program for next year and beyond.

“I’m planning on continuing to work hard and push myself,” said Nugent.

“I’m excited for next year and the year after, and as I become older, I’ll help out and motivate swimmers and make the team fun.”

watched her brother’s “[Nugent] ethic and leadership last year and has incorporated it into her training.”

“Even though swimming is an individual sport, it takes a team to succeed and I’m really honored to play a role on WJSD,” said sophomore Celine Nugent, pictured here with teammate senior Hannah Ship.

Sports

Local sports are causing national buzz, with Maryland basketball taking The Pitch profiles off and the Nationals two star swimmers sigining Max Scherzer.

What’s Inside

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FEBRUARY 17, 2015

As winter comes to a close, teams heat up Wildcats are riding strong seasons into playoffs

By Ben Resnick

his team this season has been lead by a When Athletic Director Sue Amos is group of talented swimmers rather than asked about how her sports teams have just one or two star swimmers. Despite fared this winter season a smile spreads this difference, this year’s team has been across her face, and rightly so. just as successful as those past teams.

“I think [this season] has been very Grimes mentioned in particular that good so far,” said Amos. “And I am look- sophomore Abe Kim, junior Nozomi ing forward to the playoffs.”

Horikawa and seniors Matthew Daza, Whether it is lacrosse at Churchill or Noah Burgett and Coby Zucker have led football at Northwest and Quince Or- the boys team this season. On chard, most schools in Montgomery County have one sport that is considered the standard of excellence at their school. This year’s winter sports at WJ have been very successful and while others schools in the county may have one or two great teams all year,WJ has had four or five this season alone.

Some of the highlights of the season thus far have been the wrestling team winning its first 10 dual meets and the Big Train tournament, the girls basketball team starting the season with a 13-2 record, the girls track team placing fourth at the county championships and the boys swim team Photo courtesy of Jodi Westrum going an impressive Senior Lucas Absolon wrestles in a home meet against John F. Kennedy High School.

4-1 in dual meet action.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Ship This success has been seen before in WJ sports history. In the past three years there have been individual state champions on the indoor track, swimming and wrestling teams, while the boys swim team has won two state championships. This year’s athletes and teams have the potential to be just as successful as the teams that came before.

Amos knew coming into this season that the teams in her department would be good. She has seen the Senior Vinícius Okada swims juniors and seniors compete for several butterfly at the divisionals years and knew they had the potential meet, which the boys swim and dive to be great. However, this year she has team won. been particularly impressed by the poise and leadership of the upperclassmen.

Amos also said that teams with senior leadership and experienced coaching, the girls team, freshman Kiki Bonettasuch as indoor track, girls basketball, Misteli and sophomores Celine Nugent, wrestling, and swimming, are particu- Margaret Wolfson and Katie Ellett have been notable leaders. larly successful at WJ. Grimes also mentioned the successes Swim and dive coach Jamie Grimes has had some star seniors in his pro- of divers sophomore Patrick Collishaw gram the past few years such as Barry and sophomore Haley Tomlinson.

The girls team reached Grimes’ goal Mangold and Jean-Marc Nugent, yet of being in the top six at metros, plac-

The indoor track team had their highest finish in three years on the boys side and four years on the girls as they finished in eleventh and fourth respectively at the county championship meet.

Coach Thomas Rogers is happy with his teams’ results but he knows injuries have made the season tougher on his team. Despite these setbacks, he is happy with the way the runners have overcome and persevered. “[With the injuries,] younger runners Freshman starter Jada Dapaa have stepped up and run really well,” shoots a free throw as said Rogers. “They have been sticking sophomore teammate Jordan it out practice-wise outside every single Zavareei looks on. day.”

Rogers’ goal for the remainder of the season is to get his athletes peaking towards the end of the season, and hopefully getting his athletes that qualified for the state meet to run their best at states.

The wrestling team has been off to one of its most successful starts of all time this season.

The team is 29-1 in their dual meets and they have had a first, second and fourth place finish in their Photo courtesy of Renee Sklarew three tournaments.

Photo courtesy of MoCoRunning.com Coach Thomas Senior Itai Bezherano runs the second leg of the 4x400m relay Wheeler is very at the Mongomery County championships. satisfied with the way his team has wrestled so far this season, but he knows their work is not done.

“All our goals are in front of us,” said Wheeler. “[We will] place as many wrestlers as possible at states.”

The wrestling team has benefited greatly from new cocoach Blake Herrin. Herrin graduated from American University, where he wrestled, one year ago, and he brings a fresh perspective and new techniques to the program.

As the winter season comes to a close the expectation from the students is for the success to carry over to the spring season and beyond. Amos believes that working hard and playing really well.” the success from winter will translate Zegowitz knows that although her over to future seasons. team has been successful thus far they “All of our teams have people that will need to improve to make a sus- play more than one sport,” said Amos. tained run in the playoffs.

“That is how the success is carried over “Our goal is to continue to work hard [from season to season]--knowing how and get better every day,” she said. “We to win.” want to be ready and at our best when playoffs start.” ing third and fourth respectively and he believes both his teams can come to and top five in the state.

Girls basketball got off to a torrid start this season, winning 13 out of their first 15 games. Coach Lindsey Zegowitz credits the early season success to leadership and having a close knit team.

“The seniors have had a great season so far,” said Zegowitz. “[They] are