Feb. 18 Issue of The Pitch

The Pitch

Walter Johnson High School

February 18, 2014

Volume 59, Issue 5

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814

EDITORIAL

2011

2012

2013

Quality over Quantity

2014 Goal

Change is needed within the American education system

By Claudia Nguyen

Graphic by Ronit Feifer

Students GLO for annual winter dance

By Tenni Idler

Every year as part of the Pennies for Patients drive to raise money for leukemia cancer patients, the school hosts WJ GLO. The dance consists of two separate parts; one being a regular school dance and the other a dance-a-thon with separate ticket sales. Rules of the dancea-thon are very similar to a walk-a-thon; participants find sponsors who will donate a certain amount of money for every hour that the participant spends on the dance floor.

The dance is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Feb. 21 to 2 a.m. on Feb. 22. This year’s GLO is being planned by seniors Hind Saleh, Quentin Auster, Michael Spak and Kevin Johnson with the help of leadership supervisor Rainer Kulenkampff.

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“All four of us keep each other working hard and motivate each other to do high quality work,” said Saleh.

The group was given a $2,000 budget for the dance, and predicts that the dance will be similar to last year’s but with a few differences. “[We have] higher quality equipment and lights [this year],” said Saleh. “We’re [also] going to challenge people to raise even more through sponsors to help give us a leg up on Whitman.”

The group still has some work to do such as finalizing raffles and raffle prizes, finishing contracts and selling tickets.

“Our goals are for everybody to [have fun], have a good time and raise a ton of money for Pennies for Patients,” said Auster.

EDITORIAL pages 5-8

“Quality” continued on page 8

Graphic by Ronit Feifer

Senior Ronit Feifer designed the official logo for WJ GLO, which will feature a regular dance beginning at 8 p.m., as well as a dancea-thon unitl 2 a.m.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT pages 9-12

FEATURE pages 13-16

More information on Pennies for Patients inside SPORTS pages 17-20

LLS Expenses in 2013

d i s

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Starting in the third grade, eightyear-olds all over Maryland sit down for 90 minutes straight, four days in a row, to test their skills in reading and math.

These Maryland School Assessments (MSAs) are administered to all children throughout the state from third through eighth grade in order to meet the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. While the goals of such a law are admirable, the bombardment of kids in the U.S. with an arsenal of standardized tests is approaching education in the wrong way.

According to a December 2013 article on CBS Baltimore’s website, MSAs “are under fire by some parents, teachers, lawmakers and school officials who say the tests are outdated and meaningless in the age of Common Core academic standards.”

Instead of focusing on standardized testing and massive amounts of homework, American schools should place emphasis on lower student-teacher ratios and the quality of the teachers. In order to see higher graduation rates and achieve an overall better education system, it is essential to redirect the spotlight to quality rather than quantity.

Boycotting the Sochi Olympics rejects the spirit of the games.

Papayas, pictured above, and other fruits are seasonably available in the winter.

Pennies for Patients raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The All-Pitch Team features the best winter athletes on their respective teams.

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NEWS

FEBRUARY 18, 2014

WJPITCH.COM M O R F Like The Pitch on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! @TheWJPitch

Sophomore Publishes Online Magazine

By Marissa Nardella In August 2013, sophomore Evan Candelmo published the first issue of Line-Up, an online magazine that comes out monthly. Candelmo, the magazine’s editor-in-chief, created and produces the magazine through a company, TeenNationTV, which he founded himself in 2012. There are currently five issues of the magazine available online the website ISSUU, and a sixth issue will come out in late February. The magazine is run entirely by WJ students, primarily sophomores.

Sophomore Mariana Rodriguez was one of the founders of the company TeenNationTV; she was also part of the company and magazine when it began. She also provides the photography equipment necessary for photo shoots, and Candelmo buys the computer software. “[After that] I started doing photography and I became the photographer and [photo] editor,” said Rodriguez.

In order to write articles and conduct photo shoots, the magazine reaches out to artists, actors and “YouTubers,” well known YouTube users. The writers contact artists using emails on their websites or Facebook pages, and oftentimes are able to get contact information for multiple artists using one reference. The group likes to call it “breaking into a record label”.

“Scheduling photo shoots and interviews all within the time frame of a little less than a month is very difficult,” said Candelmo. “In the entertainment business, connections are the key.”

The staff of Line-Up is composed of Candelmo’s friends, and currently has 23 members. The magazine is not actively recruiting members. Each issue of the magazine is unique, but mostly includes either entertainment reviews, musician interviews or a fashion section. Some of the big names the magazine has interviewed are the band Imagine Dragons and the singer Mike Posner...

Photo by Marissa Nardella

Staff members of Line-Up at a meeting.

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Dear Pitch Readers, February is a busy month with many different events. The Pitch will keep you up to date on this month’s happenings including Pennies for Patients, Valentine’s Day, the Winter Olympics and Black History Month. The News section has articles ranging from climate change to the cyberbullying of Superintendent Dr. Joshua Starr. Editorial takes a stand about people misplacing their blame on the wrong parties, such as Macklemore and the Olympics, in-school Wi-Fi and the things that high school failed to teach students. Check out Arts and Entertainment for a comparison of the reality of high school versus the glamourized version shown on television, and information about local food mar-

kets. Feature breaks down Pennies for Patients and the inside scoop on what the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is all about, plus social issues revolving around the Olympics. Lastly, Sports elaborates on the different Olympic sports and highlights the winter All-Pitch team.

As you continue through this Photo courtesy of Meghan Donaldson exciting and hectic month, feel free to email us at thepitch@walterjohnson.com , message us on Facebook or tweet us @thewjpitch with feedback, questions or comments.

Sincerely, Print Editors-in-Chief Emily Cosentino, Claudia Nguyen, and Online Editor-in Chief Megan Chun

Correction from Last Issue

Page 5- It was written that the United States was in a recession. At the time, it was not.

Seven things to take away from the State of the Union address

By Tenni Idler and ElizabethWinter 1. Obama said he is not going to wait for Congress’ approval to take action and begin work on his agenda.

He plans on using the full extent of his presidential authority to expand opportunities for Americans.

2. Instead of attempting to fix the turmoil and gridlocked mess in Washington, Obama promised alternative ways to create change. “America does not stand still,” said Obama, “and neither will I. So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that’s what I’m going to do.”

3. Obama promised to try to close the large income gap in the U.S. by raising the minimum wage for federal contractors to $10.10 per hour with an executive order in the coming weeks. He also said he planned to create a new government-backed private retirement savings plan that would be an option to those whose jobs don’t provide a traditional retirement savings program.

4. The president encouraged Congress to get immigration reform done this year, mentioning that bipartisan groups in both the House and the Senate are currently working to draft reform bills. “I will sign it right away.” pledged Obama. ”And America will be better for it.”

5. After a short story about a woman named Amanda who benefitted from the Affordable Care Act, Obama praised his new health care program and addressed Congress saying, “I know that the American people aren’t interested in refighting old battles. So again, if you have specific plans to cut costs, cover more peo-

ple, increase choice, tell America what you’d do differently. Let’s see if the numbers add up. But let’s not have another 40-something votes to repeal a law that’s already helping millions of Americans like Amanda.

The first 40 were plenty.” Basically, the act already passed, and if Congress can’t come up with something better, it shouldn’t criticize the act any more...

Photo from Flickr.com/Creativecommons

President Obama and Vice President Biden simultaneously employ their right index fingers during Obama’s State of the Union address.

For the rest of these articles, plus more, visit wjpitch.com!

Use the QR codes to go there now!

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FEBRUARY 18, 2014

NEWS

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Pong event is still a big hit during P4P

By Aram Dommerholt

near the cafeteria, and set up in a bracket system with On Tuesday, Feb. 18, from 6-9 p.m., students will single elimination. Since costumes were so popular at have the opportunity to participate in a school-spon- last year’s event, participants are highly encouraged to sored water pong tournament to raise money for Pen- wear them again. In response to some concerns that a nies for Patients. It will be organized in teams of two, water pong tournament encourages underage drinkat the cost of 10 dollars per person. Students are also ing, this year, red cups which are commonly associated with alcohol, will not be used. Howencouraged to spend ever, David is not worried about any [Pong for Pennies for three dollars to attend negative influences on students. as a spectator. Though Patients]... joins students “[Pong for Pennies for Patients this is an annual fundtogether for a great cause will] actually [have] a positive influraiser, seniors Mia ence on [the] student body because Jabara and Camille David, two of the organizers of this event, expect it to be big- it joins students together for a great cause… and genger than in past years, with hopefully up to 100 par- erates tons of spirit and excitement,” she said.

Jabara also added her take on the issue, “There’s ticipants and an additional 20 spectators. Although it nothing better than combining a great time [among] will cost up to 50 dollars to run this event, Jabara and friends while doing something meaningful,” she said.

David are hoping to make around 1000 dollars, making this one of the biggest Pennies for Patients events “Students should sign up with a partner and come up with a creative costume for the event.” of the year.

Like 2013’s pong tournament, it will be held in and

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Photo by Sarah Schecker

Pong for Patients is played tournament style with two teams pitted against each other.The object is to make the other team drink all of their water cups by sucessfully throwing the ping pong ball inside one.

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Some are still not heating up to the idea of climate change

By Izzy Salant

This winter has been one of the coldest on record.

Due to the cold weather, many opponents of global warming are claiming it does not exist. This has sparked controversy, which has opposing sides grabbing at each other’s throats and shoving their arguments down them.

Many people do not understand the idea of global warming, and are not well-educated on the subject.

Many believe that the term “global warming” means constantly warmer temperatures all the time, but this is not the case. That is why many use the official name, “climate change,” which is used because it does not raise as much controversy, is more general and does not specify a heat standard.

“People think that climate equals weather, it doesn’t,” said biology and environmental science teacher Patricia Tierney. “Climate means ‘temperature over time’; weather is current. Snow does not mean the average temperature is not increasing.”

Tierney added that people also choose to ignore the issue by making excuses. She said that some claim that the issue is out of their control and therefore unsolvable. Additionally, people also overestimate how much space the United States takes up in the world.

Despite the fact it is a highly influential world power, the U.S. is only 3.974 million square miles in a 57.53 million square mile world, which means that the entire land mass is only 6.9 percent of the earth. Although the United States only takes up a small fraction of the planet, it produces a large amount of pollution, especially carbon dioxide released from fossil fuels.

“Carbon dioxide and a lot of other greenhouse gasses contribute to it, and we know that,” said Tierney.

“Carbon dioxide is taken out of the atmosphere by plants and gets put back by respiration. The big thing is combustion, when we burn it. The problem is most of the carbon dioxide put back [into the atmosphere] is from fossil fuels; burning things with carbon dioxide that have been out of the carbon cycle for a long time, adding extra.”

Biology teacher Rebecca McGaffin expressed her view on why there is so much controversy surrounding climate change.

“It’s not as black and white as people think,” she said.

“This is a good example of how politics can skew data to support either side.

“I definitely believe that as humans we should be smart about how we use resources. Everything we use is cyclical; it’s a cycle. There is man-made climate change,” said McGaffin.

Yet another contributor to the problem is media and journalism. Since it is cold in New York and Alaska was buried in an avalanche, reporters and news media analysts are trying to use these environmental events to support their claim that global warming is not real.

Many controversial articles and TV statements have been presented either bashing or diminishing the credibility of climate change. Fox News columnist John Stossel published an article titled, “Let’s chill out about global warming,” where he made a point of recognizing global warming exists, but then posed the question, “Is global warming really a crisis?” He replied, “Far from it,” and asked whether America can do something about it later answering his own question

with, “No. What we do now is pointless.”

Another contributor, editor and writer of “American Conservative Magazine” Jim Pinkerton, also voiced his opinion in a Fox News interview on a segment known as, “Bias Bash.” He quoted an article, saying, “Science needs to work [to]... ‘meet the needs of the president’” and even referenced a blog to state his point that global warming is a hoax.

While controversy has arisen and members of both sides of the argument have made their cases, it is undeniable that climate change is still an issue that the nation cares about, and debate will continue until a conclusion is reached.

Illustration by Adriana Del Grosso

Due to the changing weather patterns, opponents of global warming claim it does not exist because it is cold. However, climate is different from weather in that it dictates the average temperature over time.

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FEBRUARY 18, 2014

Starr snowballed by cyberbullying

By Anna Hovey Intensely cold temperatures on Jan. 7 brought about the possibility of school cancellations in Montgomery County. Due to this, many students and parents were extremely disgruntled when school was open that day.

The majority of people expressed their anger about the decision through Twitter, and directed their comments primarily towards MCPS Superintendent Dr. Joshua Starr. Many of these comments were made to Starr before a decision had even been reached. Some angry parents demanded that Starr resign, while other students threatened law suits, used racial epithets and even threatened his family.

All tweets from Twitter

“Some of these tweets were clever, funny and respectful, pleading for me to cancel school so they could sleep in or have more time to do their homework. Many of these tweets, however, were offensive and disturbing,” said Starr in a letter addressed to the community.

Starr said that some tweets were so gruesome and disrespectful that he and his team were forced to notify principals and security personnel. Despite the hurtful intentions behind the tweets, Starr said that he does not feel threatened by them.

Starr commented that the decision-making process to close school is not an easy one- it requires staff to

monitor the roads and weather forecasts for hours on end.

“The temperature outside is almost as cold as Joshua Starr’s heart,” commented Twitter user @c_schreinS0fine. Another tweet read, “Your kids probably have rides to school, but [the] majority of MCPS students have to walk or take the bus. Disappointment.” One parent tweeted to Starr that they refused to send their children to school in the cold, while others simply commented on how much they hated Starr and would blame the situation entirely on him. “[It is] sad that people were so misguided and impolite,” said Principal Jennifer Baker. “We all need to respect each other. Dr. Starr has a tough job. He has to keep people safe and sometimes it is difficult to predict the severity of the weather.”

Some feel a bit differently about the situation.

“I think Dr. Starr got very offended by the teens joking around for school to be cancelled,” said senior Rachael Pribut. “I think students just wanted… to get school closed on a seemingly harmless Twitter page, not knowing that it would actually have an impact…

Half the schools in surrounding areas/counties were canceled.”

caused a great commotion within the community. To address the issue, Starr wrote an open letter to the parents of MCPS students. He expressed his concern over the offensive tweets, and stated his belief in the need to consult children about “cybercivility”.

“I’m really trying to encourage parents [and educators] to...talk to their kids,” said Starr.

As for possible repercussions for the tweets, Starr said, “If [I think] the kids were violent or threatened violence, [I believe] school principals and administrators were notified.

Baker says that she was not aware of any WJ students sending inappropriate tweets.

“I ask all of our WJ students to treat everyone with whom they interact with respect,” said Baker. “Our actions say a lot about who we are. You do not need to agree with everyone you encounter, but if you treat everyone with respect… you will earn their respect back. I am proud of our school and our contributions to the community and I would like for all of us to demonstrate through our actions that we value our community members.”

MCPS has formed the Cybercivility Task Force to continue to inform students on how to use technology and social media in a safe and appropriate manner.

Some tweeters defended Starr- one person noted, “This work isn’t easy, but it is my hope that we can “Joshua Starr doesn’t determine if there is school or help school communities and families talk about how not so your threats on him are basically pointless.” to use social media in positive and productive ways,” These comments made to the superintendent have said Starr.

WJ takes on popular game show Competing for the cure: boy/girl outfits to pajamas complete

By Michael Godfrey On Feb. 10, WJ Leadership held the with slippers and teddy bears. Some WJ’s Best Dance Crew annual Pennies for Patients Family Feud students dressed up like grandmas, grandpas and toddlers to make their teams look like real families.

The competition itself was a singleelimination tournament consisting of four rounds and a final championship round. In the Championship round, SGA President Bobby Ellett’s team played against SGA Treasurer Ryan Cangarlu’s team. Ellett’s team won in a rock-paper-scissors tie-breaker.

The event was hosted by seniors Alex Crowe and Jordan Cooper, both of whom wore bushy fake mustaches to look like Steve Harvey, the host of the real TV game show Family Feud. Crowe and Cooper said they were excited, but a little nervous about hosting the event. The game began at 6:30 p.m. and unexpectedly ran late, until past 8:30 p.m.

“Everything was a little hectic at first, but we still raised over $500, so I’m happy about that,” said Cooper.

Some of the $700 will be spent on prizes for the teams that did well in the tournament, but Leadership still plans to donate Photo by Sarah Schecker more than its goal of $500 to Senior Jordan Cooper (center) hosts Family Feud for Pennies for Patients dressed in a cos- Pennies for Patients. game in the student commons. Twentyeight teams of five signed up to play at a cost of five dollars per person, raising $700, before expenses, for Pennies for Patients. The attendance this year nearly doubled last year’s attendance of only 15 teams, which helped the leadership class exceed their goal of $500 for the event.

Most, if not all, of the teams this year dressed up in costumes for the competition. The costumes ranged from cow-

tume to resemble that of real host Steve Harvey.

By NickWilliamson WJ is holding a “WJ’s Best Dance Crew” competition in order to raise money and awareness for Pennies for Patients. Different groups of students will go up and dance in front of the audience, who will donate money to a bucket in the middle of the room after each performance, based on how they think the group did. Whichever group raises the most money is crowned the winner, and will be featured in The Gazette. Arielle George, a senior in the leadership class, is one of the students running the event.

“People love music, and they love dancing,” said George. “It comes from the soul and is powerful enough to keep people alive and help them through tough times, so we thought bringing these two things together for a cause like Pennies for Patients would be awesome.”

She added that the event was hard to organize, but when people have the motivation and dedication to work for a cause like Pennies for Patients, they develop a clearer sense of their goals through the work.

Other Pennies for Patients events in February help to raise money for the competition, and leadership and the SGA try to set a budget for the event

so that all of the money can go to the charity.

There are lots of groups participating in the event, so George is confident that they will be able to raise a lot of money.

However, George said it was not about the money.

“This is more about people coming together and being aware that cancer is a problem and is something we are fighting against,” she said.

Photo by Sarah Schecker

Seniors Lizzie Miller (left), Karlo Lazaro (center) and Arielle George (right) are the chairs of this event and are excited to have this program as part of Pennies for Patients.

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EDITORIAL

THE STAFF Graphic by Adriana Del Grosso

Photo courtesy of Wahid Ishrar

Inaccurate Accusations

ByWahid Ishrar

Awards season breeds controversy.

From what designer celebrities are wearing, to their red carpet dates, everything is put under the microscope.

Just like Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke’s racy performance of “Blurred Lines” at the 2013 Video Music Awards headlined every tabloid, so did Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ performance of their Grammy-nominated song, “Same Love.”

“Same Love” is a song about how humans, regardless of sexuality, should have the same rights marriage provides.

After his performance, in which 33 gay and straight couples were married live on stage, the social media universe exploded.

On one hand, Macklemore is being criticized by homophobes for promoting what is against the “laws of mankind”; on the other, homosexuals themselves are blaming him for gaining influence and publicity by singing about their sexuality. But, by the time this song gained fame, Macklemore was already being played on every radio station many times a day. The purpose of this song was not to steal the spotlight from those battling for equal rights, but to use his 15 minutes of fame in order to fight for those rights.

Proceeds from the sale of the song actually went to Music for Marriage Equality, a Seattle-based organization which fought to legalize same-sex marriage in Washington State (which has since been legalized there).

Another major argument against him is that since he is a straight, white male, he does not have the ability to relate to the suffering inflicted upon minorities.

Although Macklemore is a member of the “majority”, the song featured Mary Lambert, a lesbian, who sang the chorus. Macklemore never claimed he wanted to be the “voice of gays,” as he has been deemed by many.

Macklemore is an individual who is stepping out of his way to help a community he is not a part of. Although it is pretty depressing that we live in a world where people have to be commended for showing empathy, that is the truth.

Currently, allies are in a position of “damned if I do, damned if I don’t.” If they don’t use their influence to fight for social justice, they are full of themselves. If they do, they are taking advantage of others’ miseries. In a world still filled with anti-gay propaganda, where individuals are ostracized because of who they are attracted to, a man trying to stand up for what is right is being shot down—by the very people he is standing up for. It is important to pick and choose the battles we want to fight.

Instead of placing blame on people with good intentions who may not be doing their part perfectly, we should focus on eradicating those who don’t do their part at all.

By Zeke Green

Will school-wide Wi-Fi work for WJ?

Wireless internet, like many things in our world, has positives and negatives when introduced to our school environment. As with any technological advancement, options will be opened up that schools would have never dreamed of a decade ago. Laptop computers, tablets, iPads, iPods, you name it; everything will have the ability to use the web if it is within the signal range.

But the internet is a double-edged sword, and with its positives of connecting students with each other comes a huge potential for off-task usage and unproductive activities. The chances of an iPad being used for good are much less than the more enticing options of online shopping, Googling, using apps and playing games.

With great power comes great responsibility, as Spider-Man taught me.

Maybe if teachers could monitor stu-

dents’ devices when they are using them during class as part of an activity the chances of distractions would go down.

In-class use is the only possible upside of this new school Wi-Fi technology. Already, WJ has four computer labs available for students which are stocked with many computers that have speedy internet access.

Many students have the access to apps and games to play with on their phones and iPods anyway. Almost as many can access the Internet from these devices as well. A student can even bring in a laptop to school and type a paper. Everything a student needs is right there at their fingertips already, and the notion that students think they need WiFi makes them seem ludicrous and entitled.

Until I see more benefits to counter the negatives,Wi-Fi for students is a losing proposition.

Less Productive

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EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Emily Cosentino, Print Co-Editor Claudia Nguyen, Print Co-Editor Megan Chun, Online Editor ADVISOR Sylvie Ellen NEWS Izzy Salant, Print Editor Anna Hovey, Assistant Editor Tenni Idler, Online Co-Editor Elizabeth Winter, Online Co-Editor EDITORIAL Wahid Ishrar, Print Editor Adriana Del Grosso, Assistant Editor Anders Norberg, Online Editor FEATURE Selma Stearns, Print Editor Michael Godfrey, Assistant Editor Marissa Nardella, Online Co-Editor Amanda Gross, Online Co-Editor ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Audrey Marek, Print Editor Annika La Vina, Assistant Editor Nico Bonetta-Misteli, Online Editor SPORTS Ben Resnick, Print Editor Josh Greenberg, Assistant Editor Zeke Green, Online Co-Editor Josh Greenberg, Online Co-Editor Sabrina Greene, Online Co-Editor COPY EDITORS Anna Hovey Marissa Nardella ART Adriana Del Grosso, Co-Editor Alex Alavi, Co-Editor PHOTOGRAPHY Sarah Schecker, Print and Online Editor PUBLIC RELATIONS Sabrina Greene, Social Media Consultant Claudia Nguyen, Business Manager CONTRIBUTING JOURNALISTS Nick Williamson, Staff Writer Aram Dommerholt, Staff Writer Zack Shapiro, Staff Writer Joshua Lang, Staff Writer Jake Weinischke, Staff Writer Chizobam Nwagwu, Staff Writer

More Productive

By Sabrina Greene

Even without Wi-Fi, kids will use electronics in school. It’s almost unstoppable. So why give students access to Wi-Fi in the school building? The reason is simple. Wi-Fi will increase student productivity.

At the moment, students can only use devices that already have Internet access, which is usually through their cell phones. But with school-wide Wi-Fi, students would be able to connect all sorts of other devices, including tablets and laptops.

Imagine if kids could bring their tablets and laptops to school and connect them to the Internet; there would be no more races to the library at the beginning of lunch to claim a computer. No more frustration when the computer labs are locked.

Illustrations by Alex Alavi

Students with laptops would be able to do their work on their personal computer and do it from wherever they want in the school. No more going to the library and not being able to eat lunch.

Even for students without their own laptops, it will be much easier to gain access to a school computer because there will be less competition for the limited number of computers the school has, and more of them will be available for those people who need them.

Having Wi-Fi in school won’t help people get off of their phones during class, but it will help people be more productive and efficient during the school day because they will have more ways to do so.

Wi-Fi is now an essential part of daily life. Why should it be excluded from school?

The Pitch is published eight times a year by the students of Walter Johnson High School, 6400 Rock Spring Drive,Bethesda, Md. 20814. Advertising and subscription rates are available by calling 301-803-7184.

Editorial 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.

AWARDS Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist 2009, 2013 American Scholastic Press Association First Place 2010-2011 Columbia Scholastic Bronze Medalist 2010-2011 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Marylander Award Newspaper Division C 2011

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Three things high school didn’t teach me LAUNDRY

SWBAT:Wash clothes without altering fabric color, size or shape.

Oh, the motherload of all home economic skills. From the research I’ve done, it involves separating clothes into different shades or washes: darks, lights, colors, or basically any other group you can think of. Don’t forget to separate Graphic by Adriana Del Grosso Photo by Sarah Schecker the reds! Just as they typically symbolize blood, violence and danger in literaBy Megan Chun ture, red clothes will bleed onto your other garments. Sounds simple enough, As a second semester senior, it’s right? Wrong. Turns out, some types of pretty scary thinking about the future. fabrics need to be washed in cold waI don’t know where I’m going to go ter, or hand washed, or even worse, to college, yet alone what career I will dry cleaned. And that’s just the washpursue, which city I will live in, or how ing. How does one operate a dryer? Do many kids I will eventually have. In fact, you just throw all of the clothes into the there’s a lot I still have to learn. And dryer, regardless of color? According to none of it has anything to do with calcu- eHow and my mother, that is correct. lus, literary analysis or the French Rev- Unless, of course, the clothes tag has olution. I discovered recently that at 17 specific instructions such as “tumble dry years of age, I am ill-equipped for living low” or “hang dry.” I’ll let you Google on my own. If you’re reading this, you those. can probably identify with that state- Tip: Do not put anything wool in the ment. But have no fear: together we can dryer.Your favorite sweater will no longer work to conquer these necessary but fit you. On the plus side, it may now fit puzzling life skills. one of your old Barbies or GI Joes.

TECHNOLOGY

COOKING

SWBAT: Detect, assess and evaluate SWBAT: Prepare meals safely and technological issues and hazards in avoid burns, fires or food poisoning. everyday life.

For a generation so rooted in technology and pieces of metal with apple symbols on them, we can be quite clueless about how things work. Did you know that raising your phone in the air doesn’t give you any better service or more bars than you would get on the table? Yeah, you’ve looked like an idiot for the past five years raising your sacred Wi-Fi-using device to the technology gods for no reason. Also, turning your computer off and on again doesn’t actually fix most problems. They aren’t listening. Finally, use common sense while operating machines and you will save a lot of time, money and frustration. Your printer isn’t working? Check the wall outlet. Is it even plugged in? You got a call from an unknown number in Barbados. Do you even know anyone in Barbados? It’s probably a scam.

The microwave is a student’s best friend. Easy-to-use and relatively foolproof (just don’t put metal in), the only issue that really arises is the uneven heating. However, while microwavemade grilled cheese, mac ‘n cheese, Chef Boyardee or Lean Cuisines may be great for individual use, it apparently is not socially acceptable to serve these to adults. It’s probably helpful to actually learn how to use a stove and an oven.

But before you can even use the electrical machines, you have to figure out how to measure out all the ingredients. I used to get all freaked out because most of the recipes called for fractions (i.e. ¾ cup of water), which made my head spin. Thank goodness most of the measuring devices are labeled in the inside, so as long as you can read you should be fine.

Tip: Contrary to popular belief, hitting things will not fix them.

Tip: Do not eat raw eggs. Actually, eating raw meats or eggs or really anything raw that can spoil is probably not a good idea.

Celebrate in the Name of Sportsmanship Outright boycott by those who oppose the Russian government ignores the historic spirit of the Olympics

By Adriana Del Grosso The setting of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia has caused a media frenzy that is, for the most part, negative. The stance of the Russian government and politicians such as President Vladmir Putin on divisive social issues regarding human rights, free speech, and xenophobia, among others has led to a protest of the historic Games.

As Russia prepares itself to host what has historically been a cause for sociable competition between world nations and an opportunity for a much-needed economic boost, it has been receiving press coverage for mostly negative issues. Although it is difficult to support an event so closely tied to controversial topics, a total boycott of the Games is ignoring the universally beneficial characteristics of the Olympics. The Russian government’s intolerance is an unfortunate barrier that is deterring many people from appreciating the valuable event for what it has been in the past.

Historically, the Olympics have been a reason to support athletes and encourage national socializing. The mission of the official program, Olympic Spirit, is “to build a peaceful and better world... which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.” Nations participating in the Olympics are invited to put aside their differences in favor of celebrating the athletes who have worked hard to represent their countries.

This year’s Olympics have become a

statement for the Russian government as well as a stage for social debate. The Russian government’s vocal opposition of homosexuality and severe restrictions on free speech clash with the views of many Americans. The U.S. government is still at odds with Russia on their decision to harbor Edward Snowden in Moscow. In addition, the Sochi Olympics are a power statement for Russia and President Putin. Russia is spending $51 billion on the Games, which is much more than the $40 billion spent by China for the 2008 Summer Olympics, according to the International Olympic Committee.The recent situation between Russia and the U.S. is uneasy, but the Olympic tradition creates a forgiving environment for citizens of both countries.

This isn’t the first time the setting of the Olympic Games has caused controversy. Following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, President Jimmy Carter ordered the first and only boycott by the U.S. of the 1980 Summer games held in Moscow. The decision to not attend the Olympics caused U.S. athletes and coaches “intense disappointment”, according to History.com.

This incident caused the Soviet Union and 14 of its allies to boycott the 1984 Los Angeles Summer games.

In response to Russia’s denouncement of homosexuals, President Obama appointed figure skater Brian Boitano and women’s hockey player Caitlin Cahow, two openly gay athletes, to his Olympic delegation. America presents itself positively despite differences in opinion, rather than having an outright boycott

of the games.

“You got outstanding Americans, outstanding athletes, people who will represent us extraordin a r i ly well,” President Obama said about the delegation at his end-of-year news conference at the White House.

The inclusion of gay athletes to represent America is a statement against Russia’s law, passed in June, that bans “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations.”

An outright boycott of the Olympics would be unproductive and would reject the historic goal of the games.

The Russian government is to blame for unethical treatment of its citizens, but boycotting the Olympics would not bring about change.

The Olympics brings people of different nations together to show pride for their countries and support their athletes. A variety of flags can be seen at the Olympic grounds in Calgary, Canada, representing t h e multitude of countries in participation.

Photo Courtesy of © Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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The month of February ushers in WJ’s annual Pennies for Patients fundraiser, in which students organize and participate in a variety of events in order to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

We asked students, “What is your favorite Pennies for Patients event and why?”

Janie Hammaker and Nate Rothenberg

Seniors

Graphic by Adriana Del Grosso

On Feb. 10, The Pitch went to classes and asked questions about topics covered in this issue. Here are the results. * Polls conducted by The Pitch on 70 students.

News

How harsh were the tweets sent to Dr. Joshua Starr?

Harsh No Opinion Not Harsh

“WJ GLO, because we like dancing.”

37.1% 37.1% 25.8%

To read about the mentioned tweets and their effects, go to page 6 and read “Starr snowballed by cyberbullying”

by Anna Hovey.

Editorial

Do you think having Wi-Fi accessibility in schools makes students more or less productive?

All photos by Wahid Ishrar

Mary Sherman Junior

“Donut sales, because you can’t resist a donut!”

More 55.7% Less 25.7% Will not affect productiv- 18.6%

For further reading on this debate, go to page 8 and read “Green vs. Greene” by Zeke Green and Sabrina Greene.

Arts and Entertainment

Do you think life in high school is realistically portrayed in the media?

Phillip Whitehouse Sophomore

“Ninja Tag [because it] is a fun way to interact with the school community.”

Abby Pruitt Freshman

“Speed dating, because you can meet new people.”

No Somewhat Yes

64.3% 27.1% 8.6%

To explore the similarities and differences between high school reality and how it is portrayed in the media, turn to pages 10-11 and read “As seen on TV” by Audrey Marek and Emily Cosentino.

The Pitch Opinion

Recently a study was mentioned in the Washington Post about the percentage of students who failed their final exams in math. The numbers were extremely high, some courses even going above a 50 percent failure rate.

In response, MCPS asked middle and high school math teachers what they believe is causing the problem. One of the most common answers was that there is a problem with the grading system, where students can get consistent quarter grades and fail the exam without a major penalty.

Another opinion, and one that we believe holds more validity, is that these rates may be influenced by how accelerated the

Montgomery County math system is.

For example, with the current acceleration- students are often pushed to take Algebra One in seventh grade, which is two years before they would normally take it. This cuts out two years of the fundamental learning, which helps to explain the 68 percent fail rate for the subject’s final exam.

Instead of assuming that teenagers are failing on purpose, the reason may be due to the inaccessibility and lack of thoroughness of the mathematics curriculum in comparison to other departments.

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Quality over Quantity

American education system needs to reconsider its priorities

The American school system weighs testing and homework very heavily. Instead, we should take tips from the Finnish and put more emphasis on the important things, such as student-teacher interaction.

By Anders Norberg Hey Anders, I am a senior and there is a girl I’ve been crushing on since sophomore year. She is gorgeous and I really, really want to ask her to prom! One problem, she has a jerk of a boyfriend. She is a good friend, so should I try and ask her or should I ask someone I do not have feelings for?

Sincerely, Confused Senior Boy. Graphic by Adriana Del Grosso Photo by Sarah Schecker

Dear Confused Senior Boy, Because you’re a guy, you are traditionally the one asking someone out, so don’t just wait around for someone to choose you. Since we’re in high school, there is a very good chance this girl’s relationship will crash and

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), with its headquarters based in France, is a test-based study administered to 15-year-olds by the worldwide Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) measuring math, reading and science literacy for students in developed countries.

545

United States Finland *Scores out of 700

524

Math

497

“Are you killing people again?” My friend looked over from her computer with a smile.

“Maybe…”

“I should just be used to this by now.”

I am not an open psychopath with my friend’s consent. I was just playing my favorite video game, Bioshock.

As adolescents in a society dominated by technology, it is not unusual for teenagers to go on the computer and enter a world that is their own, but due to stereotypes, it is deemed unusual for a girl to be playing video games, especially the violent, creepy, role-playing types.

The cultural message is sometimes guarded in misunderstandings and good intentions, but answer to the question “Why don’t girls play video games?” is still the assumption that “Girls don’t play video games.”

When growing up, every kid just wants to fit in. When girls are being told that they do not play video games, the majority of girls will not continue playing.

The girls who do continue playing have a stigma that they cannot play as well as boys, or that they are weird and nerdy.

This creates a situation where guys feel uncomfortable talking about video games to girls, and girls just feel uncomfortable talking about them in general.

My situation may be a little different than most; the majority of my female friend group has logged their fair share of hours playing their favorite video games.

If games were more gender-neutral, it could generate more interest among the female population.

Video games often feature a male protagonist who does the majority of the talking and action, with a female character off to the side that does little to nothing and is usually dressed in skimpy clothing with unrealistically large chests that would be impossible to walk in let alone participate in any of the action.

As a result, it is no surprise that females who are already self-conscious about their body would feel uncomfortable.

With stressful events in high school, it should be more than acceptable for girls to relax the same way guys do, in violent and strategic games, an escape from reality. If guys stop being self-conscious about a girl beating them in a video game, and if girls stopped being selfconscious about enjoying them, then playing video games could become a casual activity to participate in and stop being this unspoken and crazed thing that guys obsess over and hide from girls, and which girls could not possibly be interested in. It would be better for the girls playing the games, the guys trying to hide the games, and the game companies, because they would most likely make more profit if they were advertising to teenagers, instead of just teenage males.

U.S. vs. Finland Education Programme for International Student Assessment Scores

498

Gamer girl

By Emily Cosentino

One country with such an education system has risen to the top in recent years.With its unconventional methods, but shockingly effective results, Finland has become one of the best countries for education. According to the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Research Education (SCOPE), Finland has a stunning high school graduation rate of 94 percent, which is way above those of other developed countries such as Canada and the United States. The U.S. stands nearly 20 percentage points below Finland at a 75 percent graduation rate. But what makes the education system in this small, chilly country so effective?

There are several key differences that set this country apart. First off, although it may seem counterintuitive, Finnish students receive virtually no homework. Whereas the average U.S. fifth grader has 50 minutes of homework per day, kids in Finland rarely do homework until their teen years. Instead of piling on mountains of work to do at home, the Finnish education system focuses on top-notch education within the classroom.

The typical classroom in Finland has 12 students, allowing for more individual attention to students. On the other hand, the typical U.S. classroom has double this amount, with 24 students

Compare the Countries

519

Photo by Sarah Schecker Graphic by Adriana Del Grosso

per class. By getting more one-on-one instruction with teachers, Finnish students are able to ask more questions, and therefore absorb and retain information more effectively.

Opposition argues that the smaller population in Finland is the primary reason why these smaller classrooms are able to exist. Finland has only five million citizens, whereas the United States has approximately 313 million.

While population does play a part, the answer isn’t in the Finnish numbers, but rather within their culture. In Finland, teachers are held in greater esteem than they are in the United States. Finns hold their teachers in the same high-regard as doctors and lawyers. However, their qualification standards for teachers are much higher as well.

While WJ students are lucky enough to have highly-educated and invested teachers, not all schools in the United States have this same opportunity. In Montgomery County, teachers are required to have a master’s degree or a similar equivalent. However, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, only 52 percent of public school teachers in the U.S. have a master’s degree or higher. In Finland, all teachers are required to have a Master’s degree, and their education strives to achieve balance between personal and professional competences. In addition, Finnish teachers’ education is fully funded by the state.

“Finns regard teaching as a noble, prestigious profession... driven by moral purpose rather than material interests,” reports SCOPE. “Instead of test-based accountability, the Finnish system relies on the expertise and accountability of teachers who are knowledgeable and committed to their students.”

This is not to say that the whole system reform relies upon the teachers. Ultimately, education is a give and take.

Students have to Illustration by Adriana Del Grosso be equally willing and receptive to their educators in order for change to be effective.

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“Quality” continued from page 1

By Claudia Nguyen

Reading Science

Information from the OECD PISA 2012 Database.

Teacher-Student Ratios United States 1:24

Finland 1:12

org

Information from OnlineClasses.

Graphic by Claudia Nguyen

burn before prom. If you really feel you two are meant to be, just give it a week or two and she’ll be single once again. Another idea is to simply take a chance and ask her anyway. Walk up to her, greet her with a “M’lady”, tip your fedora and be a genuinely nice guy.

Then she’ll probably ignore you and continue dating jerks.

In all seriousness, prom, while fun, is incredibly insignificant in the grand scheme of things. If you don’t manage to get that special someone to attend in your company, find a friend or someone else and just have a good time. Also, you don’t need a date to have fun.

Sincerely, Anders

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Farmers markets produce locally grown good finds

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By Annika La Vina

Want to switch things up a bit this winter? Go natural by trading usual processed foods for natural fruits and vegetables at your local farmer’s stands. Check out winter seasonal fruits and take a walk through different farmer’s markets around the area.

Markets

Bethesda Central Farm Market Located in the Bethesda Elementary School parking lot, this market is open each Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., running through March 30. As well as local produce, the market also offers a variety of other food and goods, such as seafood, baked goods, sausage, woodAll photos

by Annika All photos

by Annika La VinaLaVina Grab a quick brunch at working and even crepes to grab for a the Central Farm delicious brunch.

Market at Rita’s Crepes.

Kensington Farmer’s Market

This year-round event happens every Saturday from 8a.m. to 12 p.m., at the historic Kensington Train Station off of Howard Ave. This market offers unique features, such as lobster, Chinese dumplings, pizza and olive oil.

Bethesda FarmWomen’s Cooperative Market

The Women’s Co-op Market features a variety of products, including gourmet cheese.

Dupont FRESHFARM Market

Unlike a traditional farmer’s market, Bethesda Farm Women’s Cooperative Market offers an indoor shop as well as an outdoor one. Open air shopping is available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Through March 31, this market is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays. Located in D.C., Dupont’s market boasts a vast array of produce and interesting stands, from herbal soaps to cut flowers. From April to December, times shift from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Women’s Co-Op Market can be spotted right off Wisconsin Ave.

February

Grapefruits Pick grapefruits that are firm and heavy, which hold the most juice. The interior flesh, called the skin, should be yellow to pale red to ensure the best antioxidants.

Enjoy grapefruits in a unique way by grilling them as well. The bitter skin will caramelize and turn sweet. Sprinkle on some sugar after to enhance the flavor.

The markets showcases unique stands, including Betty’s Fresh Salsa and Homemade Chips.

Fruits

Oranges

As an old school favorite, oranges are available this February in prime condition. Oranges should feel heavy in your hand. The heavier the orange, the more juice it contains. Also look for a rich colored orange instead of a light colored one. For a different way to eat an orange, try grilling it. The crunchy skin will provide a tart flavor and will complement the chewy inside.

Papayas Lemons are available in abundance this winter season. Take advantage of the supply and explore different ways to use lemons.

The prefect lemon consists of a slightly soft texture. Squeeze the lemon so that only a little juice comes out. Lemons that are too firm or too mushy are not ideal. Try something new and make lemonade with basil and mint.

Lemons

Although not a common fruit, papayas are in season during winter. To ensure that your papayas are in mint condition, look for papayas that seem green to yellow. Make sure that the papaya is soft enough that you can press your finger into the skin, but not too mushy that it leaves a deep indent. Find firmer, greener papayas that will ripen in around one to three days. For a different way to eat papayas, squeeze lemon on them for extra citrus taste.

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As Seen On TV: High scho

By Audrey Marek and Emily Cosentino

High school is a tumultuous time of self-discovery, so naturally there is a lot of rich mater movies and novels based off of the high school experience, but how far is too far to stretch the tru for real teens, as well as stereotypes and misconceptions of what high school students

Relationships

Extracurriculars

Photo courtesy of Joe Kappeler

Seniors Joe Kappeler and Ivanna Barrientos enjoy a dinner out with friends, drama free.

Most TV shows have at least one main couple that is a big part of the show.

Since it is a TV show and the writers have to keep it interesting, lying, cheating, and other scandals are bound and expected with any couple. In real life, that is much less the case. Couples value communication more in real life than on television where lying and cheating seem to be a normal part of any relationship. “[Senior Joe Kappeler] and I are very honest and open with each other, so cheating is just not a thing, while other couples I know cheat constantly. I think the cheating on TV is still probably more exaggerated than in real life,” said senior Ivanna Barrientos.

Arguments between couples are also different and over-exaggerated. While couples on TV have more petty and

superficial arguements, couples in real life have to deal with more legitimate problems, especially when one or both parties are a high school senior.

“A lot of TV couples get into stupid fights about pointless things. Not saying that doesn’t happen, but we tend to have arguments about important things instead of about little things,” said Barrientos.

Kappeler agrees.

“Our problems are centralized around going to college whereas television couples argue about what movie they’re going to watch on the weekend,” he said.

Lastly, couples on TV are always attached at the hip. They spend all of their time together and are incapable of being separated. According to Kappeler, him and Barrientos spend some classes, most lunches and some weekends together.

Spending time together is expected and healthy, but on TV it gets out of hand when couples are incapable of being apart.

“I think couples on TV are together constantly...Joe and I can spend weekends with our friends and not die without the other person,” said Barrientos.

Even when they are together and in public, the public display of affection (PDAs) on TV shows is at an unrealistic high. There are couples in hallways that participate in PDAs, but many couples like their time in private.

“You always see couples all over each other on TV but we never fullon make out in public. A kiss or two is about as far as it goes. Privacy is best,” said Barrientos.

Even though there is some truth to the portrayal of couples on TV shows, it is for the most part exPhoto from Britannica Image Quest aggerated and more immature than Couples in movies, even when they are not super- the serious high school couples that natural, are charecterized as immensly codepenexist in the real world. dent and dramatic.

For many students, the day does not end when the final bell rings.

Extracurricular activities can extend well into the afternoon or evening after the official school day ends, and can come in many forms.

Athletics, theater and clubs are common pursuits and can take up a lot of time.

“Theater takes up so much of my life,” said senior and S*T*A*G*E participant Bryce Gudelsky.

This is not always shown on television or in movies, as the time necessary to participate in such activities is underrepresented or oversimplified.

“I have to mentally prepare myself to play different characters from an employee at a salon in New York City to a 13-year-old girl from Marietta, Georgia in the year 1914 . . . T.V. shows don’t show the hard work that the character actually puts in before doing the perforPhoto from of Britannica Image Quest mance,” said Gudelsky.

Theater is often glamorized and made to seem Interests and hobbies like theater over-competitive in movies, like Disney’s “High are often used as a means of char- School Musical” pictured above. acter development in fictional poralso have other commitments trayals of high school in order to make shows and responsibilities, another aspect of a character seem relatable or realistic. life that is often disregarded shows This commonly backfires, as it creates like Fox’s “Glee”. In addition by to and perpetuates stereotypes about how ing lines and working to adopt alearncharpersonality reflects interests, and how actor within a complicated and intense cliques are formed. schedule, Gudelsky also has “I think they do stereotype theater rehearsal worries about college, earning good kids,” said Gudelsky, “It’s stupid to think grades, relationships, friends. Social that just because someone does theater, aspects of high schooland are nearly always means that they are weird.” the focus of television shows, and rarely Though theater takes up a lot of time do they feature the grueling process and focus, students who participate in college applications or the actual act of of studying without someone abruptly bursting into song. Competition is a huge part of shows like “Glee” and even movies aimed at a younger audience, such as Disney’s “High School Musical.” In both of these portrayals, the stage program is cutthroat, competitive, and dominated by a select group of students. This is not always the case in reality, but having constant competition in the media can encourage it in students.

“I was bullied for [having a learning disability] in middle school,” said Gudelsky. “I know that the theater community is a place I can always escape to just be myself and not be made fun of. Everyone who is involved in theater is [a part] of a huge community.”

While, in “Glee” especially, theater is viewed as a stepping stone to broadway or a career, Gudelsky has a slightly different view on theater’s importance.

“Theater never gives up on you,” Photo courtesy of Bryce Gudelsky Gudelsky performs in an out of school production. said Gudelsky.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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rial for fiction writers to work off of. It’s no surprise that there are numerous television series, uth? These false impressions of teenage life can lead to unnecessary pressure to act a certain way s are like for those who have not yet reached or have already graduated high school.

Daily Life Most high school-related material features an over-dramatized, sensationalized portrayal of the day-to-day, featuring whirlwind romances, harsh bullies, extreme cliques and controversial issues like teenage pregnancy, alcohol and drug use, and violent fights. Students constantly and casually go to social events, never with a thought about commitements like extracurricular activities or large amounts of homework.

One of the worst misrepresentations perpetuated by the advent of high school fiction is the level of excitement involved in daily life. While in television shows like “Glee” or in movies like “High School Musical” students routinely go singing and dancing through the hallways and never seem to actually make it to class, in real life many a day goes by without any variety of excitement. The main activity performed in high school is, in fact, going to school; classes, homework, actual eating at lunch as opposed to musical expression, and many other mundane aspects of everyday lives are flawlessly ignored in the media.

“They make high school seem so glamorous and exciting and they have way more drama that would never actually happen,” said senior Meghan Donaldson.

Another major falsehood is the fashion found in high schools. Around the halls of WJ, it is not uncommon to see a good percentage of people in pajamas or sweatpants and plain t-shirts. In the media however, students are often covered in flawlessly matched designer pieces, perfect makeup and intricate hair. This creates an unrealistic standard for real high school students, as most

actors spend hours with a stylist before actually getting in front of the camera.

“I mean seriously, how many girls do you know [who] wear high heels to school every day?” said Donaldson.

However, these misrepresentations can be for a good reason. Additional drama is necessary to make television portrayals interesting and engaging, especially considering that a majority of viewers will have already lived through the reality of high school.

“High school in Hollywood is very idealized,” said sophomore Iris Vukmanovic.

Photo from Britannica Image Quest While the issues may occur with more frequency and extremity in the context of television or the silver screen than they do in everyday life, many of the controversies addressed in these television shows are problems that high school students have to deal with.

“I kind of wish it was more accurate, but then again, TV comes with a suspension of disbelief,” said junior Mary Kate Greening.

Even outside of the classroom in social settings, media portrayal strikes an odd balance of over-and-under-estimating aspects of teenage life. Some of the changes imposed by the media aren’t realistic, but also aren’t harmful.

“If ‘High School Musical’ was real, that would be brilliant. I wouldn’t mind breaking out in song and dance during Photo by Sarah Schecker class,” said Greening.

Classes on television are shown as small and casual, like the one above in Disney’s “High School Musical,” if they are shown at all. In real life, they are intense and crowded.

Issues like alcohol and drug use are included in these shows to boost ratings, “There’s a lot more [alcohol and drug to the point of seeming overwhelming. but they are rarely shown graphically or use] in reality than on TV,” said Donald“If high school were actually that with realistic consequences. They are son. dramatic, life would be a disaster,” said also frequently downplayed, or assigned Simultaneously, social gatherings and Vukmanovic. to specific types of students when in fact some issues are extremely exaggerated The years spent in high school are dethese issues span a much larger range. signed to help young people gain independence and form new social circles, but this is not always what happens, and especially not as easily as it seems to on television. Even shows that attempt to focus on socially inept characters including “Glee” and MTV’s “Awkward” show students finding a niche and being constantly social.

“No one belongs to one group of friends. I have my sport friends, my “normal” friends, [and my] club friends,” said Greening.

Students are shown to be out with friends, girlfriends or boyfriends, and never having to call any kind of authority to inform them of plans. While for some students this may be the case, many families do not allow teenagers that much leeway.

“Sometimes the characters are portrayed with a lot more freedom than typical high schoolers usually have,” Photo from Fox.com/glee Photo by Sarah Schecker said Donaldson, “Families on TV are reClass transition time is often grossly extended on television to make time for song and dance numbers, such as the one shown on the left ally interesting. Sometimes they exist, in Fox’s “Glee,” while real hallways, shown right, are fairly uneventful. sometimes they don’t.”

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Spoiler Alert!

Why Disney’s “Frozen” will melt hearts for many generations to come

By Audrey Marek

Graphic by Audrey Marek

Streaming sites offer great deals for watching TV on your own time

By Joshua Lang Have a case of Senioritis? Looking for good shows to watch? Netflix is always a good answer, but what about Hulu or Amazon Instant Video? Each site offers the same service; instant streaming of movies and TV shows, but they don’t all come at the same price or with the same perks.

When it comes to instant streaming and movie deliveries, Netflix is among the top sites. Netflix, which originally started out mailing new movies to subscribers, with no return dates, has been around for some time now. By simply typing in netflix.com, you are immediately embraced with tons of movie choices, whether it is new releases, old comedies, or even classic romances.

Netflix also has some special deals such as a free 30day trial or even the occasional extended free trial. If someone is unsure whether or not they want to make the $7.99 per month commitment ($95.88 per year); the free trial gives the user all the perks of Netflix for a month. Typically, recently released movies are not available for instant streaming, but after a few months, they usually become available. Even if a movie is not available for instant streaming, it is most likely available on disc. However, ordering movies from a disc is not included in the $7.99 price. There are so many movies on Netflix that even if you cannot find the movie you want, there will be plenty of good recommendations for you.

One of the newer instant streaming sites is Hulu.

Hulu has more of a focus on TV shows rather than on

movies unlike Netflix . Every week, Hulu uploads the newest episode of a TV show for people to watch, all for free. There are numerous movies that Hulu has to offer from instant streaming but they are not as mainstream as the movies offered on Netflix. If you are more of a TV show kind of person, Hulu is the perfect choice for you. There’s only one drawback to the free membership. When a person watches a TV show or movie, Hulu plays an advertisement right at the beginning before the media starts. However, if advertisements are not your favorite thing in the world, Hulu Plus offers ad-free kid shows and movies, as well as instant streaming to game consoles and TVs and more full seasons of TV shows. Hulu Plus costs the same as Netflix at $7.99 per month.

Amazon, one of the top online shopping sites, has delved into the business of instant video streaming.

Amazon Instant Video offers movies to watch instantly with an Amazon Prime membership. At $79 per year, a person has access to hundreds of free movies and also free two-day shipping of orders made online.

Like Netflix, the majority of free movies that a person can watch with prime are not extremely recent, however, Amazon Instant Video gives you the option to buy or rent new movies, for a cost. Blockbuster hits such as “Captain Philips” are offered to rent or buy on Amazon Instant video and will be available for you to watch directly from your computer without the use of a disc. With instant video, users have the ability to watch from anywhere; computers, tablets and video game consoles. Out of all the instant streaming sites, the price is definitely the best for what it provides.

Chances are, if you’ve been on the internet since November, you’ve heard of Disney’s newest animated extravaganza, “Frozen.” If you haven’t actually seen the movie, you may find the epidemic of obsession on Tumblr worrisome.While it may seem entirely unnecessary, it is deserved, and here’s why.

I’m not much of a Disney person. Don’t get me wrong, Disney is nice, but I don’t listen to the “Lion King” on repeat or anything like that. That being said, “Frozen” is pretty great. Disney has a well established and rather predictable formula: princess, prince, magic, malignance, true love’s kiss and marriage. If it takes more than a week to tie the knot, then it’s just not Disney. This is where “Frozen” surprises you. While of course there is an element of romance, it does not dominate the entire movie. The characters have internal struggles about issues other than true love, and the villains aren’t just “evil” for the sake of being “evil.”

The movie breaks several Disney barriers, including the first gay couple featured in one of their animated films. For complicated collections of pixels, the people in “Frozen” are remarkably real.

The plot follows two sisters, Anna and Elsa, princesses, of course,through childhood and into their young lives. Again, this is out of the ordinary for Disney, as rarely do the princesses recieve any character development or posses any flaws other than being too nice. Elsa is powerful, but dangerous and emotionally repressed. Anna is ridiculously awkward, which is nice to see. This is the primary pleasant surprise of the movie; its shift toward feminism. There are male characters, Anna is desperate for love, and Elsa is cripplingly self aware, but the women are without a doubt the star of the show. And here’s the biggest spoiler: Anna saves herself. As usual, true love is the great and powerful force to solve all problems, but it is Anna’s own love for her sister that saves her life. Needless to say, this is a refreshing change from the archetypal Disney princess, dependent and thoroughly unhelpful and frequently indisposed due to activities like sleeping or losing her shoes.

Now Disney has been moving in this direction for a while, “Tangled” being the most recent attempt, but up until now they had fallen just shy of being truly progressive.With “Frozen” they have finally hit their mark, helped along by the addition of the first female director in Disney animation history, Jennifer Lee. The powerful duo of sisters actually addresses problems such as running the kingdom and Elsa acknowledges a thought most others have probably been thinking for decades with the line “You can’t marry a man you just met”. Also, they let her be right about that.

The archetypal “Disney Prince” turns out not to be a nice guy, which sends an important and powerful message to girls; just because someone seems nice, that doesn’t mean they are. Also, Anna punches him in the face, which is pretty satisfying.

On the surface, “Frozen” appears to be a sweet and simple story of two sisters. Underneath, it is the mark of a new generation in Disney; one where change is acknowledged and women are empowered. Hopefully, this style is here to stay, but the movie is no matter what.

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FEATURE

Black leggings are a simple staple of winter outfits

By Selma Stearns Sweatshirt/ sweater & high tops For an 80sesque look, put on your favorite comfy sweater or your dad’s sweatshirt to be warm and look cute all day. Modeled by junior Emma Higgins.

All photos by Selma Stearns

Tunic & riding boots

Photo by Michael Godfrey

Riding boots reach the knee or just below and are typically black or brown. They have a rustic feel which looks great with a simple dress or tunic. Modeled by junior Anna Hovey.

Cropped sweater & sneakers This Aztec print sweater stops at about the belly button, but the high waist of the leggings doesn’t leave too much skin showing.

White sneakers add a simple charm. Modeled by Hovey.

If you want to wear a cute T-shirt with an ironic saying, band logo or solid color printed on it but you don’t want to put on jeans, leggings and Converse give the outfit a classic feel.

Modeled by Higgins.

Flannel tops are warm, stylish and come in every possible color.

Wear one buttoned to the top for a rustic/cowboy look, or unbutton the flannel to reveal a camisole underneath. Combat boots continue the grunge trend.

Modeled by Higgins.

Top row (from left to right): junior Jimmy Wyderko, freshman Noah Marks, freshman Imaan Kibria, junior Bradley Stein, sophomore Katrina Young, junior Yuval Luger, sophomore Ramsay Burgess, senior Ana Petricel, senior Eric Vistnes. Bottom row (from left to right): senior Ivanna Barrientos and junior Hannah Wilcove. WJ Forensics club members work for weeks to perfect the pieces they perform.

Forensics team competes in county finals

By Michael Godfrey

T-shirt & low tops

Flannel & combat boots

13

Denim shirt & Dr. Martens

Demin button-up shirts are very flexible, as they can be worn buttoned to the top or left open to reveal a colored shirt. Dr. Marten boots come in a variety of colors and patterns, so wear some more stimulating ones with your plain denim shirt. Modeled by Hovey.

Forensics is currently one of the largest and most successful clubs. It has won the team championship in the Montgomery County Forensics League from 2001 through 2012, and took second place last year. Currently the combined speech and debate programs have more participation than any high school in Maryland, with 37 students qualified for this year’s county finals.

Forensics, the art of formal speechmaking and oral presentation of literature, is an activity where competitors are judged on their public speaking in many different categories such as drama, poetry, persuasive oratory and extemporaneous speaking. Students will usually pick one or two categories to compete in and prepare for their competitions in advance. This means that instead of the entire club practicing together on a set schedule, students are free to prepare by scheduling practice sessions with the coach, Rusty McCrady, as well as working on their own time alone or in small groups.

Senior Noah Nelson performs in the extemporaneous speaking category, a category where competitors deliver persuasive or informative speeches based on current events. Nelson’s preparation for competitions consists of paying close attention to the news and spending time alone, with colleagues or with coach McCrady to develop a speech.

Nelson enjoys Forensics because he gets to speak publicly about a wide variety of topics. “[While in Forensics,] I discovered my love for public speaking and passion for current affairs,” said Nelson. “Forensics has helped me realize that my dream is

to pursue a career in political science and public policy.”

McCrady, a former WJ teacher, is currently the coach of both the Forensics and the Debate teams. His job is to be available for help to club members who are preparing for competitions. He is proud to coach such a successful group and likes the way the public speaking aspect of forensics helps students build character and intellect.

“Nothing is threatening to you if you’ve gained experience in public speaking,” said McCrady. “Forensics competition gives students the chance to develop the courage and eloquence that will make them successful in college and in life.”

This past weekend the Forensics team competed in the Montgomery County Forensics League Finals, which they have won for most of the past decade. To qualify for the finals, one had to score in the top third of students in the county for their category. That score was determined by how students placed in any of the three regular season meets.

At the last regular season meet on Feb. 1, junior Yuval Luger tied for first place in poetry, freshman Noah Marks tied for first place in drama, senior Ana Petricel took third place in both extemporaneous speaking and drama and senior Mike Kramer took second place in extemporaneous speaking. Sophomore Ramsay Burgess, junior Amanda Tang, senior William Combs, freshman Imaan Kibria, sophomore Michael Gaba, sophomore Ben Simon, junior Hannah Wilcove, senior Leanna Taylor and senior Julie Gozalo-Michaud also placed well enough to qualify for the County Finals Tournament on Feb. 14-15.

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14 Students share black history through the arts FEATURE

FEBRUARY 18, 2014

By Amanda Gross

Students passing by room 204 after school this month may see teens rehearsing their singing and dancing.

These students are working together in hopes of educating others and spreading black culture during February, Black History Month.

There will be a Black History Month assembly on Feb. 27.

One student who hopes to get others involved in learning about black history is senior Endrias Samson, president of the Black Student Union (BSU).

“The Black Student Union is a place where people come together to share black culture and history with one another,” said Samson, who joined the club because he felt it was part of his identity.

Senior Arielle George joined the BSU during her freshman year after hearing that a lot of her friends were joining.

“I wanted to be a part of something [related to] my race to gain insight on what African Americans have done in our community and … how to make that clear to everyone else,” said George.

At club meetings, students usually plan activities and talk about race- or culture-related issues students have within the school and what can be done to change them. Every Friday during the month of February, the club will watch a movie relating to African American culture along with taking a field trip to the African American Museum in March.

“One thing I like about our club is you don’t have to be black,” said Samson.

George, who is performing with show choir at the assembly.

“It’s important...to be aware of African American culture and not just stereotype it,” said junior Jabraughn Hill, vice president of the BSU. “With this assembly, we’re trying to present history in an interesting way. People should try [to] learn something.”

The main theme of the assembly will be the evolution of African American music and culture.

Students are practicing every Tuesday and Thursday after school to prepare for the assembly, which will feature dancing, singing, poetry, monologues and biographies.

“We have the singers, and they’re playing their music back and forth... deciding what direction they want to go in,” said Hill. “Dancers practice their choreography, and people giving speeches still have to audition because multiple people want to perform the same speech.”

Many students will be a part of performing in the assembly, not only African Americans.

Photo by Amanda Gross “Black History Month is not just a Juniors and BSU members Gloria Kaumbutho and Chelsea Duverne practice for the Black time for African Americans to celebrate History Assembly.

“There are many people who come just American leaders and recognize the their culture but also to teach others to learn about our history, and we get to changes they’ve made,” said Samson. and explore what it was like for African share, which is a great thing.”

“It’s important because black history is Americans in the 1960s as well as toThe club is actively working hard to American history, so it is important to day,” said George. celebrate Black History Month through- recognize [their] sacrifices.” out the school. “[Black History Month is] a time pe“Black History Month is a time where riod to learn and discuss African Ameripeople can remember great African- can culture and important people,” said

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Russia bans gay pride from Sochi Olympics

By Josh Lang

Every two years, dedicated athletes travel to the far corners of the world and compete for their countries in the Winter or Summer Olympics. The Olympics are meant to be a time for athletes to show off their stellar skills, but recently there has been controversy over the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics due to political and social issues. According to CNN.com, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will not be traveling to Sochi for the Olympics this year. In fact, neither the heads of government in France nor in Canada will be attending either, however the specific reason as to why is unclear.

Although the Olympics are typically a proud time for athletes, for world leaders, the Olympics can be used as a staging ground to focus on political issues.

The most controversial issue of the Sochi Olympics is the treatment of LGBT citizens in the country due to a law that outlaws gay “propaganda”. In other words, Russia does not want people to show pictures, videos, or even walk around in clothes that could suggest tthey are supporters of the LGBT community. If they do any of those things, they can be prosecuted under this law.

Many countries have been outspoken against the law.

In December, Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskait , who has been an outspoken critic against the anti-gay laws and attitude in Russia, said she is completely boycotting the Olympics for political reasons. However, Lithuania has since changed its mind and has sent nine athletes to the Sochi Olympics.

“I think that this is the perfect platform to question the authoritarian policies of a state that has chosen to create a scapegoat for their internal problems,” said AP Comparative Government teacher Mitchell Joy. “We cannot allow

ourselves to go back to a time of condemnation of choice.”

Yet this is not the first time that a country has decided to boycott an Olympics.

Thirty-four years ago, the United States under the presidency of Jimmy Carter, decided to boycott the Summer Olympics in Moscow after Russia invaded Afghanistan. At the time, the two countries were world powers, representing the opposing ideologies of capitalism and communism. Russia was called the “Union of Soviet Socialist Republics” (USSR) and was considered the enemy of the U.S. during the Cold War. Four years later, the USSR did the same thing when the Summer Olympics were held in Los Angeles. They claimed it was not safe for their athletes to compete because there could be anti-Soviet protests in which their athletes would be in direct danger. The U.S. disagreed,

is really worth it to boycott the Olympics. Although some may believe that a country is hurting itself by not attending, in reality boycotting is effective when trying to inform the world about a cause. The Olympics are one of the most watched events in the world so when a country decides to boycott or hold a demonstration, millions of people from all over the world will see it.

However, even if a country boycotts the Olympics, it doesn’t mean that the athletes agree with it. Athletes who are planning on going to Olympics have been training for years, only to be told they are now prevented from going due to political arguements.

Citizens can also feel the impact substantially even though they are not physically part of the Illustration by Alex Alavi Olympics. Watching other counsaying that the Soviet Union was doing tries competing in the Olympics and this to retaliate after the U.S.’s boycott not having your own there is a morale four years prior, but nevertheless the breaker. It does not feel fair or right to Soviet Union boycotted the Olympics have your country not represented in that year. Thirteen more communist na- such an immense global event. tions followed suit and boycotted the “We have even seen some regimes L.A. Olympics as well. Without the change their stance on certain issues. presence of these communist nations, [A] perfect example is Russia with its the United States won a total of 83 gold 10,000 political pardons. This would medals. However, this did not change not have occurred if the Olympics were the fact that there was a huge delegation not in Sochi,” said Joy. of countries missing at these Olympics.

The host country has the power to “Cold War ideology played a key role decide what is allowed to be expressed between nations,” said Joy. “More re- at the Olympics. Sometimes, there is cently however, was the 2008 Olym- debate because countries take a stand pics in China where China’s record of on a charged social controversy. Some human rights abuses was exposed to a people think that the Olympics should wide audience, as well as its treatment just be about the atheletic competition, of Tibetans.” but others think the games are an ideal Boycotting is not an uncommon way opportunity for a country to present to challenge a country’s political stand- their stance on an issue while the whole points, but some question whether it world is watching.

Too many snow days cause longer school year

By Nick Williamson

Students in Montgomery County can all probably remember a time when they’ve woken up, looked at the clock, and felt relieved to find out that due to snowfall overnight, school had been canceled. However, most students do not know the process that staff and MCPS officials go through before making that decision. Dana Tofig, the MCPS Director of Public information and web services, said that many factors are taken into account when deciding whether or not to cancel school.

“Student safety is always top priority when making decisions to close or delay school,” said Tofig.

Not only do the conditions in Montgomery County affect the decision, but also the conditions in neighboring counties where many staff members live.

Staff members are on the road early in the morning in order to assess the conditions of roads, sidewalks, and parking lots to determine if they are safe for students, busses and parents to drive on.

They also talk to officials in neighboring counties, and monitor the weather

reports before all the information is presented to the superintendent by the MCPS Chief Operating Officer. Once the superintendent reviews the information, he makes the final call.

Tofig said that because MCPS tries to have students in school whenever possible, decisions are often made early in the morning so officials have all the necessary information to give the superintendent. However, if it is obvious that transportation will be unsafe, MCPS will make the call the day before.

In terms of cancelation versus a two hour delay, there is not a specific amount of snow that makes the difference. It depends on how the road conditions are and whether crews will be able to get out and take care of the roads quickly enough that students and staff will be able to travel the roads safely. The decision to send students home early from school due to weather is judged based on the same criteria.

While snow days are generally enjoyed by students, they are limited in number.

“The Board of Education works in

four snow days every year,” said Tofig. school. For example, he mentioned “If we go beyond that, school may the 2009-2010 school year, during need to be pushed back [into sumwhich students got 10 days off, mer].” but due to a state of emergency, In case there are more than some of the days were waived four snow days, there are five and school did not need to be ‘contingency’ days built in at e x t e n d e d . In addition, he the end of the year that school mentioned that any can be pushed back to. “If we go s eve re beyond that, we would need to weathdiscuss how to haner event can dle the close school or situation,” cause a delay, such as Hursaid Tofig. ricane Sandy did last year.

“However, in Tofig would like students the four years that I’ve been to know that there is a vahere, we haven’t had that riety of ways to get emerproblem.” gency information from MCPS allows 4 Tofig said that if a state MCPS available at www. snow days beof emergency is defore adding days montgomeryschoolsmd. clared due to severe onto the end of org/emergency/sourcweather conditions or es. the year. other reasons, it could mean that any days schools are closed during that time may be waived Graphic by Sarah Schecker and not impact the last day of

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FEATURE

By Selma Stearns

P4P raises money to support LLS

LLS invested $73.8 research in 2013 MDS/MPD

Myeloma

FEBRUARY 18, 2014

million

What is Lymphoma / Leukemia? in

$8.4 million

$9.8 million

Lymphoma

$20.4 million

Leukemia

$35.2 million Information from lls.org

P4P: National Impact Jessica Lindquist is the Campaign Manager for the School & Youth Programs at the National Capital Area chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She started working with LLS in September 2013, and she said that her chapter raised nearly $1,000,000 from 473 schools in the past year.

Lindquist said that Pennies for Patients grew to a large scale when a certain student attended WJ. “The High School Challenge was intensified when Holt Weeks was a student at Walter Johnson,” said Lindquist. “The tradition has continued on after his passing. We are very grateful to the Weeks family for their support.”

The average school in our area raises about $2,000 per year, which is a sharp contrast to the money WJ raised last year, over $80,000. The majority of funds come from elementary or middle schools rather than high schools. The top lower level schools bring in about $10,000.

Lindquist said the program is important for elementary and middle schoolers.

“The program helps younger kids understand the importance of giving to help others,” she said.

She thinks that certain schools like WJ are more motivated to raise money because they are connected in some way to the cause.

“Leukemia is the most common form of cancer in children and teens,” she said. “Because of that, many schools are connected to the mission and encourage the support of students during their recovery process.”

The National Area Chapter is one of the top fundraising chapters in the U.S., and their goal is to raise over one million dollars from Pennies for Patients in the next few years.

“Walter Johnson and Walt Whitman high schools stand as models to other chapters around the country,” said Lindquist.

Lymphoma cancers are a group of cancers that grow in the lymphatic system. They are usually divided into Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Hodgkin lymphoma usually includes the growth of Reed-Sternberg cells, which are large and cancerous.

This type of lymphoma is extremely curable.

Leukemia is a blood cancer that also affects bone marrow, where the disease is produced when blood cells grow out of control.

In 2013, around 48,610 new cases of Leukemia were predicted to be diagnosed.

Myeloma is a type of cancer that begins in the bone marrow. It affects the plasma cells.

“Since its inception in 1994, School & Youth Programs have raised more than $203 million” to fund programs searching for treatments for Leukemia and other blood cancers.

Information from LLS website

LLS Expenses in 2013

Information from lls.org

What is LLS? According to its website, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) is “the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer.” LLS raises funds and provides resources devoted to the research and search for the cure to leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma and to “improve the quality of life of patients and their families.”

A lasting impression: Dr. Garran remembers P4P at WJ WJ began participating in Pennies for Patients on a large scale around 2006-2007 when the leadership class, under Principal Christopher Garran, began organizing events to encourage the student body to donate money to the fundraiser.

“In 2006, the idea of the pong competition was pitched to me by some students and it became a part of Pennies for Patients,” said Garran.

“In 2007, the burrito mile became an unofficial part of the event.”

He thinks the fundraiser gained so

much popularity because students made it a priority and focused on the philanthropic aspects of the program, in addition to the school spirit, competition with other schools and fun aspects of the fundraisers.

Each year in Garran’s memory the Leadership Class would set a goal for an amount of funds to raise, and they almost always hit or surpass that goal.

As principal, Garran was very involved in the fundraising process and advised in brainstorming potential event ideas.

He evaluated the possible challenges or

controversies that could be associated with a plan, and was always impressed with the drive and motivation Leadership and the student body possessed.

“Of course, I was always willing to be duct-taped to the wall or to show up and watch some of the events including the pong competition, dance [and] burrito mile,” said Garran.

Garran remembers fondly all of the various events held by the SGA and Leadership, but his favorites were the Pong for Pennies for Patients (PPP) and the burrito mile.

Because WJ had so much intense motivation and participation with Pennies for Patients, Garran thinks WJ encouraged many other schools in the area to increase the funds they raise.

“WJ’s students started taking it to this entirely other level of fundraising and it is so impressive,” said Garran. “It forced other schools to step up their own efforts.”

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Figure Skating

Olympics What to expect in this year’s Winter Olympics

By Josh Greenberg

Photo courtesy of MPR529

Washington Capitals superstar and alternate captain for team Russia, Alex Ovechkin looks on as his team warms up prior to a game during the 2010 Vancouver games.

By JakeWeinischke Just four years ago, in Vancouver, British Columbia, the sticks and gloves rained onto the ice at Rogers Arena, as the Canadian team mobbed Sidney Crosby for his overtime goal that declared Canada gold medalists, while devastating the U.S., inches from the ultimate prize. Now, many of the same faces will reconvene in Sochi Russia, some seeking redemption and others, to remain status quo.

Out of the 12 teams competing, feel free to classify Switzerland, Latvia, Norway, Austria and Slovenia as noncontenders as most of their rosters are comprised of players with little, if any, NHL experience. Despite an aging lineup, Finland still boasts dependable blue liners Sami Salo and Kimmo Timonen and indubitably the strongest goaltending of any team in the tournament. All four Finnish goalies, Pekka Rinne, Tuukka Rask, Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen, currently rank top 12 in the NHL in save percentage. With such prestige between the pipes, don’t count Finland out of contention.

Obviously, the home team, Russia, is equipped with significant depth with players such as Pavel Datysuk, Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin, at the forefront of their offense. Look for a strong outing after a disappointing run in 2010.

Team USA, despite entering previous years as an underdog, could have the best penalty kill of any team in the tournament. With a blue line including Ryan Suter, John Carlson and Brooks Orpik, you can expect a sound defensive game from the USA. How deep they run into the tournament will depend on their ability to produce offensively.

And last but not least, team Canada returns, housing one of the most impressive rosters in the tournament, including arguably the best defenseman in the NHL, Shea Weber. Not to mention their astoundingly lethal offense which includes, Sidney Crosby, who currently leads the NHL with 78 points and elite scorers, Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Toews. With longtime Red Wings head coach, Mike Babcock, at the helm, don’t be surprised if Canada repeats as gold medalists.

2014 is a Winter Olympics Year which means that over the course of 16 days, 98 events will take place in Sochi Russia. The events will be held around two different venues.

The Olympic Park is in the Imeretinsky Valley which is located off the coast of the Black Sea. The Olympic Park will be the center point of all the ice venues such as the Bolshoi Ice Palace, the Maly Ice Palace, the Olympic Oval, the Sochi Olympic Skating Centre, the Olympic Curling Centre, the Central Stadium, the International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre.

The 2014 Olympic Winter Games will be the first that the Russian Federation is hosting; the Soviet Union hosted the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow. The host city of Sochi has a population of 400,000 people and is situated in Krasnodar, which is the third largest region in Russia. The Olympics will host six brand new events, including Ski Halfpipe for the Men and Women, Women’s Ski Jumping, Biathlon Mixed Relay, Figure Skating Team Event and the Luge Team Relay. With all the new events it will allow for new athletes and new country’s to step up and compete for the Gold.

Snowboarding

Photo courtesy of LeeLeFever

Snowboarder and U.S. Olympian, Shaun White brandishes an American flag in celebration after a performance during the 2010 Olympics.

By Josh Greenberg Over the past 16 years, men’s and women’s snowboarding has grown from a small winter sport into an Olympic Games powerhouse, consisting of events such as the giant slalom and the half-pipe. Snowboard cross is another event in which both men and women participate. In this event, competitors race against each other down a course with jumps, beams and other obstacles.

The final event for snowboarding in the Olympics is slope-style in which athletes try to receive the highest score on a snowboarding run consisting of rails and jumps. American Sage Kostenburg already took gold in this event. In the Halfpipe the favorite was Shaun White who is considered to be considered one of the greatest snowboarders of all time. Unfortunately, White didn’t medal and Swiss Rider Iouri Podladtchikov won the gold. In the Women’s event for the Slopestyle American Jamie Anderson took home the gold. Last but not least, expect American Seth Wescott to take home the gold in men’s snowboard cross for the third straight time.

Photo courtesy of nabechiko29

U.S. figure skater Gracie Gold poses at the culmination of her event in the 2010 Vancouver games.

By Audrey Marek The 2014 Sochi Olympics brings with it a new discipline in figure skating- the team event. No, it’s not a team like synchronized swimming or luge. The “team” is in fact composed of many individual athletes who skate separately. Ten countries are competing this year and whichever one has the highest point total is the winner, with each participant from said country receiving a medal and space on the podium. This opens doors for skaters who have worked hard and are very talented but do not have a chance of medaling in their individual events. The home team Russia took gold in this event, followed by Canada and then the United States.

The team is composed of skaters from four disciplines, mens’ singles, womens’ singles, pairs and ice dance.

Within each of these, there are two events or “programs,” one of which is short and the other which is long. All events in figure skating are judged using the International Judging System, which evaluates each individual element of a skater’s program separately. There is no maximum score, so whoever has the highest point total wins. One skater from each event skates the short program, and they receive the number of points that corresponds with their placement. For example, if a skater comes in second place, he or she receives nine points.

If he or she comes in third, the skater receives eight points. After all of the short programs have been skated, the countries in the top five places move on and skate the long.

After the conclusion of the team event, representatives of each country skate individually and compete against others. More skaters compete in each division in these events as there are two or three skaters from most countries and every skater skates both the short and the long in their division. Representing the United States in the ladies event are Gracie Gold, Ashley Wagner and Polina Edmunds. In the Men’s event, Jason Brown and Jeremy Abbot take the ice for the U.S. Ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White are two time world champions from the U.S. who are favorites to bring home the gold in Sochi.

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The

SPORTS

Stat

Sheet

By Ben Resnick and Emily Cosentino

19

THe WINter sports teams

Individual Stats Gabe Forman 12.1 points per game

Team Stats

Boys Basketball

Average 50.8 points per game WJ beat Poolesville

Girls Basketball

Average 47.7 points per game

Matt Konapelsky leads the team with 50 assists Jilly Mahoney 66% from the free throw line Melanie Ackerman 7.6 points per game and 27 3-pointers made

Won Clarksburg Holiday Tournament

Coby Zucker 200 yard IM 1:59.01 Relay Team

Swim & dive

Natsumi Horikawa 1:51.05 200 yard Ashley Piepol medly relay Sophia Kuvan *School record Celine Nugent

Metros results

Girls 3rd Boys 6th

Track

Daniel Kosogof 1600m 4:30.92

Relay Team

Irina Bukharin Jasmine Garrett Victoria Gregorio Kiernan Keller

Crawford, J.D. Fitzpatrick and Jakub Kielb

Feb. 18

- Boys and girls basketball B-CC at WJ - Indoor Track State Championship * Stats as of Feb. 11, 2014

4A west regional championship results

4x800m relay 10:24.27 4th in the region

Boys 9th Girls 8th

wrestling

4th place for Chris

WJ beat Blair

“Best of the Nest� Dual Meet Won the Big Train Duals

Game Calendar

Feb. 21

- Boys and girls basketball at Springbrook - Dive State Championship

2nd place finish at

Feb. 22

- Swim State Championship - Wrestling Montgomery County Championship

Feb. 23

- Wrestling Montgomery County Championship

Sports

20

Junior Paul Green, Basketball

Junior Erica Boyd, Basketball

Photo by Sarah Schecker

Averaging 10.6 points per game, junior Paul Green has been key to the Wildcat’s success on the court this year.

Senior Jean-Marc Nugent, Swim

Photo by Sarah Schecker

Leading the girls basketball team with 36 free throws, junior Erica Boyd has been averaging 8.1 points per game.

What’s Inside

The Pitch staff takes a look at a few major events at the Winter Olympics in Sochi.

18 +19

Sports editor Ben Resnick provides insight on winter sports teams with the STAT SHEET. FEBRUARY 18, 2014

Senior Katie Young, Dive

Photo courtesy of Andy Ship

Dive team captain Katie Young finished in third in the girls one meter during the Division I Diving Championship Meet.

The Winter All-Pitch Team

Freshman Patrick Collishaw, Dive

Photo courtesy of Andy Ship

Collishaw came onto the high school scene with a splash finishing third in the one meter during the Division I Diving Championship Meet.

Senior Natsumi Horikawa, Swim

By Josh Greenberg

The Pitch selected the best athletes in their Jean-Marc Nugent took the reins of the boys team, clocking at 22.47 respective sports from the winter season. seconds in the 50 yard freestyle while Here are our selections. taking first place over rival, Churchill.

Junior Kiernan Keller, Track Sophomore Christian Campbell, Track Freshman Ashley Tanjutco, Bocce Photo courtesy of Andy Ship

Photo courtesy of MocoRunning

Keller was first in the regional championship in the mile, second in the 800m, and anchored the 4x800m, qualifying for the State Meet.

Photo courtesy of MocoRunning

Campbell came in fourth in the county in 300m, setting the WJ record. He was also the fastest leg on the team’s 4x400m relay team.

All stats as of 2/10/14

Photo by Sarah Schecker

In just her first year playing bocce, Tanjutco was outstanding as she was not deterred by competition. She was also the most consistent player on the team with many accurate rolls.

Photo courtesy of Andy Ship

Horikawa, one of the captains, finished third in the 100 yard backstroke and helped the Girls Swim Team finish in third in the Division 1 Championship.

Senior Chris Crawford, Wrestling

Photo by Sarah Schecker

Senior Captain Chris Crawford finished with an outstanding 33-6 record this season. He finished in fourth place in the Mad Mats Competition and recorded a 7-1 record in the Big Train Duals.

Basketball players gain valuable experience in college

By Ben Resnick

handled the transition from high school to the NBA This year’s college basketball freshman class is argu- superbly (LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are two exably one of the greatest. Duke’s Jabari Parker, Syra- amples) they are the exception to the rule. Several of cuse’s Tyler Ennis, Kentucky’s Julius Randle, Arizona’s the players that came straight from high school aren’t Aaron Gordon and Kansas’ Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid have taken the nation by storm as they have dominated the NCAA this year. All six star freshmen may potentially go top 10 in the NBA draft.

People are beginning to again argue why these standout freshmen are not allowed to go straight from high school to the NBA. There is one short answer to this question: they are simply not ready.

As many of you would disagree and point to their in the league anymore and now are in the real world unbelievable freshmen year statistics, don’t jump to without as much as a high school degree. Someone conclusions quite yet. Physically, every single one of who demonstrates this is Robert Swift. In 2004, Swift these star freshmen could play at an elite level in the was the 12th pick in the draft by the SuperSonics out NBA, no doubt about it. The reason they are not ready of Bakersfield, Calif. By 2013 he was out of the NBA and bankrupt. is they are not mature enough to play in the NBA. These players learn invaluable experiences in colAlthough there have been some NBA players who

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lege whether it is in the classroom, on the court or just maturing as young adults in college. These players benefit from all aspects of college. They are not ready for millions of dollars to be thrown at them and handle all the responsibilities that come with this.

Some people say that having kids go to college for one year does no good for the kids and ruins college basketball.

However, first of all these players are developing as people and players, and the lessons they learn in college are very beneficial. Secondly, having these studs playing in the NCAA for a year raises the level of play significantly.

College basketball isn’t broken, so don’t fix it.

These freshmen are making college basketball one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory. College is good for these kids and these kids are good for college basketball. This set up is good for both parties and should be kept the way it is.

The reason [college basketball players] are not ready is they are not mature enough to play in the NBA.

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