March 23, 2011

Pitch Walter Johnson High School

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Students in the Civil Air Patrol

Pgs. 10-11

Makeover Madness

Pg. 3

Pg. 16

Wild Ladyz Pg. 4

Mr. and Ms. WJ

In the

Spotlight

A look at WJ’s extraordinary students

Volume 56 Issue 6

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814

thepitch@walterjohnson.com

(301) 803-7302

Pitch

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NEWS

MARCH 23, 2011

CONTENTS

News

LETTER

3 Changes to the No Child Left Behind Act 3 Students in the Civil Air Patrol 4 Mr. and Ms. WJ Winners 4 It’s Academic

FROM THE

EDITORS

Editorial

6 Up at Bat: What do you think of Pippin’s mature themes?

7 Bathroom Cleanliness 7 Standardized Tests 7 Liz’s Life: Driving Disasters 8 Point Counterpoint: Death of Libraries 8 Curveball: Girls are from Venus, Boys are from Mars 9 Pitch Opinion: Guidance: Guiding in the Wrong Direction?

9 Slugger: Spring Fever 9 Pippin the Musical

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8 10-11

Feature

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10-11 March Makeover Madness 12 The Double Lives of Teachers 13 Unrest in the Middle East

Arts and Entertainment

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14 Out of Left Field: Deceptive Dancing 14 Museum Reviews 14 Out and About: Spring Edition 15 Do It Yourself Fashion 16 Profile of Wild Ladyz

Sports 17 Boys Tennis 17 Gynmastics 18 Softball 18 Baseball 19 Boys Volleyball 19 Track and Field 20 Lacrosse

14 THE

9 3

“The Secret Life of Gingers” Pledge Video

Rock Spring Centre Development Approved

News Editors Devon Murtha Ali Jawetz* Assistant News Editors Julia Cinquegrani Jemile Safaraliyeva Sports Editors Parker Smith Daniel Fanaroff*

Arts & Entertainment Editors Sophie Meade Ian Green* Assistant Arts & Ent. Editor Eleanor Janhunen Feature Editors Rosie Hammack Lily Sieradzki Sari Amiel* Taliah Dommerholt* Editorial Editors Liz Wasden Jessica Evans*

- Alexandra Sanfuentes and Sasha Tycko Print Editors-in-Chief

www.wjpitch.com

PITCH ONLINE

Rebecca Black and the “Black Plague” Sweeps the Nation

Editors-in-Chief Alexandra Sanfuentes Sasha Tycko Katie Levingston* Abby Singley*

Dear Readers, The art of performance and entertainment has been a prevalent theme this past month in the WJ community. With Mr. and Ms. WJ and the Asian American Assembly behind us and S*T*A*G*E’s production of Pippin hitting the stage in early April, WJ knows what it means to put on a show.

The Pitch brings to you a closer look at some of the talented individuals that comprise the WJ community. From dancing, to flying, to rock climbing, WJ’s students and teachers are an active and fascinating bunch.

But while we enjoy the positive atmosphere of our school, The Pitch would still like WJ to remember the devastation that is occuring around the world.

Devastation followed the tsunami that hit Japan and social unrest is spreading all across North Africa and the Middle East. The Pitch feels that it is important that WJ remains informed about the issues around the world and who they affect, and not solely be concerned with the goings-on within the walls of WJ. While we should be excited about the triumphs of our school with events like Pennies for Patients, we still need to remember the causes we’re working for.

It’s important that we keep in mind the reason why we raise money and why we work to bring awareness about events going on around the world.

So enjoy the fruits of your labor, WJ. Just remember that there’s more out there that deserves our attention.

THE

STAFF

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 301-803-7302. 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 211 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.

Assistant Sports Editors Hannah Flesch Assistant Editorial Editor Phillip Resnick Ryan Lynch Daniel Gorelik*

Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist 2009

*Online Editors

Maryland HS Journalism Award Best Newspaper Overall Third Place 2009-2010 American Scholastic Press Association First Place Special Merit 2008-2009

Video of the Week: Extraordinary Footage of Japan Staff Writers Josh Benjamin Cameron Keyani Girard Bucello Alex Spinard Danielle Markowitz Jenny Deutsch Photo Editor Stefany Carty Videographer Emil Hafeez

Copy Chief Abby Singley Copy Editors Sari Amiel Ali Jawetz Jemile Safaraliyeva PR Manager Alex Spinard

Photographers Alex Spinard Danielle Markowitz Devon Murtha Sasha Tycko Alexandra Sanfuentes Business/ Ad Manager Advisor Phillip Resnick Hilary Gates

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MARCH 23, 2011

NEWS

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NCLB: How Does WJ Stack Up? Obama to revise No Child Left Behind, giving schools more lee-way teach to the tests,” said Amy Vachon, WJ’s Staff Development teacher.

Obama wants to replace AYP with reforms that consider student academic growth, the school’s progress in closing achievement gaps between students and students’ ability to enter college or a career upon graduation when analyzing a school’s performance.

Changes to NCLB would have little effect on WJ’s curriculum because WJ has always met AYP. According to a Department of Education analysis announced on March 9, 82 percent of schools 2008 in the U.S. could miss 2009 academic targets set 2010 forth by NCLB this year, which would cause them to be labeled as failing.

“NCLB will lose all credibility [if the majority of the nation’s schools are labeled as failing],” said Garran.

“Ten high schools in MCPS didn’t meet AYP last year. Eventually all schools in

MCPS will fail to meet the rising standards.”

Garran also predicts imminent failure for one of WJ’s subgroups.

“WJ will fail to meet AYP standards for Special Education students within the next two years,” he said.

Percent of WJ students who scored Proficient on the Math HSA

President Barack Obama hopes to make extensive revisions to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (NCLB).

Among his goals are to change the way that school performance is gauged by using broader measurements than students’ test scores to track student growth, giving schools more flexibility to meet targets for progress, administering better tests to students and focusing intervention on schools with the lowest performance rates.

The Obama Administration has criticized NCLB by saying that it creates incentives for states to lower their standards, emphasizes punishing schools that are considered to be failing over rewarding schools that are successful and tries to implement the exact same intervention measures for all schools that are failing.

“Obviously we want to see changes [to NCLB],” said principal Christopher Garran. “[Now] everyone has to fit through the same square peg . . .

Obama’s proposals send us in the right direction.”

Now, NCLB requires that schools make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), which is a measure of a school’s performance based on student test scores.

Each year, state education departments individually increase the minimum test scores that a school’s students must

earn in order to meet AYP requirements. Schools can also make AYP by consistently keeping their scores above the state requirement, without necessarily having their scores improve yearto-year. If schools fail to meet the state’s requirement for student test scores, the school fails to meet AYP standards and risks being labeled as a failing school.

This system for measuring school progress has been heavily criticized because it rates schools based on students’ standardized test scores.

“Standardized tests don’t measure kids’ progress very well,” said junior Iliana Lang. “It’s unfair to give the exact same tests to all students.”

For schools to meet AYP, students in the aggregate, as well as students divided into subgroups, must pass AYP. For AYP purposes, students are divided into groups of white, African American, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaskan native, Special Education, students with Limited English Proficiency and students who qualify for Free and Reduced price meals.

In Maryland high schools, the scores that students earn on the algebra and English High School Assessments are used to calculate a school’s progress at meeting AYP. WJ has met AYP for all years since it was first measured in 2003.

“NCLB has not had a big impact [at WJ] because teachers are not urged to

Percent of WJ students who scored Proficient on the English HSA

By Julia Cinquegrani

Students Soar to New Heights in the Civil Air Patrol

By Jemile Safaraliyeva

Today, over 25,000 youth members are serving as a part of the cadet branch program of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and three of those members attend WJ as juniors: Cadet First Lieutenant Catrina Johnson, Cadet Second Lieutenant John Stein, and Cadet Senior Airman Grant Wasden.

Founded in December of 1941, CAP became an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force in 1948. The nationwide, government-funded program allows members from the age of 12 through 18 to take part in the several branches of service.

CAP is organized into three major missions: Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs and Emergency Services which provides a variety for the volunteerpowered organization with contribution from over 61,000 volunteers.

Johnson, Stein and Wasden meet at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Composite Squadron every Thursday night with their fellow leaders from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The meetings consist of drills and tests designed to evaluate performance and move them up in rank. The duties of each member vary; higher ranks yield larger responsibility.

CAP is a rewarding process, providing its members with experience needed in everyday life. Prioritizing, balancing and organizing is necessary when managing school and CAP, especially because all three students find themselves involved with extraPhoto by Liz Wasden curricular activiJunior Grant Wasden, far left, and fellow cadets at guard competition ties, honor societies

and student government. CAP allows the development of life skills, leadership, public speaking and responsibility.

Stein joined CAP in 2007 when he became involved in the cadet program at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Composite Squadron.

“I wanted to gain experience in military affairs, flight training, leadership training, and participate in volunteer service activities through Civil Air Patrol to fulfill the graduation requirement, and beyond,” said Stein.

Stein is also a Flight Commander for a group of approximately 25 junior cadets who are under his jurisdiction, for promotion, Stein participates in operation flights. His vehicle? A Cessna aircraft.

“With the multifaceted areas of experience that I have gained through Civil Air Patrol, I plan to become commissioned as an Air Force Officer following graduation from college,” said Stein.

Wasden attended the Andrew’s Air Force Base Joint Service Open House air show in the spring of 2009 during which he ran into Stein in uniform. After speaking with him about the program, Wasden joined CAP later that month.

“I was drawn by the opportunities that Civil Air Patrol offered which include search and rescue and flying, as well as the opportunity to attend the National Flight Academy and solo an

airplane,” said Wasden.

He has always had an interest in Aerospace engineering, flying, and search and rescue, and he intends to continue to build upon his experience in college through the Air Force ROTC programs.

Johnson’s love of her community and country inspired her to take part in CAP. Through the program, she learned that the more effort she puts into it, the more she will receive. Her mother was behind her participation, but then Johnson got hooked.

Her participation began in the fall of 2005 at Parkland Magnet Middle School for Aerospace Technology through which she gained capabilities that would help her future career.

“I want to be a doctor, so it’s going to take some serious focus, discipline, strong work ethics, and a lot of determination to get there,” said Johnson.

“All of which CAP encourages.”

“In order to [be] promoted, one must study an aerospace module, successfully complete a cadet physical fitness test,” said Wasden on the difficulties of program.

CAP requires thorough dedication and work, but it benefits communities and earns participants service hours.

One must be fully devoted and invest their time to reap its benefits.

If you have questions, or are interested in joining the Civil Air Patrol, send an email to recruitmentbccap@gmail.com or visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com.

NEWS

Eva Shpak

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What It Takes to be Mr. and Ms. WJ

By Jenny Deutsch and Danielle Markowitz

Shpak wowed the crowd with her dramatic rendition of “Whip My Hair,” winning her the title of Ms. WJ .

Michael Scott Scott showed off his guitar skills, preforming an original song called, “Where’s My Dad?” winning him the title Mr. WJ.

What made you decide to enter the competition?

How would you describe your act?

Actually, Michael Scott convinced me to do it. He said it’d be fun.

My act was me and James Mertz. We kind of have our own band and it’s called 2FR but that was our live debut pretty much. We wrote an original song called “Where’s My Dad.” I was playing lead guitar and singing, and he provided all the background stuff

How did it feel to win?

It was nice. I wasn’t really thinking about doing the competition to win so it was a pleasant surprise.

Why do you think that you won?

I think I won because in every category I was just myself. I didn’t take the competition too seriously and I just focused on being as entertaining as possible.

How did it feel to win?

It was pretty cool with all the people that were there and all the support we got. I have to give credit, probably 50%, to James Mertz for agreeing to do the act with me, you know, because he put all this time into rehearsals and helped me write the stuff.

How did you feel during the show?

I was so nervous! There was some sort of issue with number of the chairs and the number of microphones that were supposed to be on stage and I was really worried that the setup wasn’t going to work. Jemile calmed me down and made me take a couple breaths before I went on.

How did the competition measure up?

Everyone was pretty good. I didn’t really get to see that many people go the day of, but in rehearsals I was watching some people and everyone looked good.

How did you choose your talent?

How did you prepare?

I knew I wanted to do something funny.

Michael Scott suggested that I should do something with bongos and poetry so I thought since I’m not really a poet I should use a poem that already exists or do something with a popular song that people know.

James and I have been jamming for a while and well, we skipped a lot of school. We actually haven’t been to school since winter break just preparing for this moment.

How did you choose your talent?

I couldn’t think of anything else to do!

I’ve been [playing guitar] for a while.

What was the most difficult part of being a participant in Mr. and Ms.WJ? I think the talent was, because you need to practice and we only had one to two weeks to put it all together.

MARCH 23, 2011

How has your fame at WJ changed since you won “Mr. WJ?”

Well I used to get bullied a lot and now . . . well, I still get bullied, but it’s mild.

Graphics by Devon Murtha

“It’s Academic”: WJ’s Brightest Compete on TV

By Devon Murtha

WJ’s “It’s Academic” team started off this year with a big win. On January 8, the team qualified for the “It’s Academic” Playoffs, scoring a televised victory over Falls Church and St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes High Schools. The team will compete again on April 9 against Watkins Mill and St. Anselm high schools, vying for a spot in the semifinals.

“It’s Academic” pits three schools against each other at a time, testing students’ knowledge of history, math, science, and literature, amongst other subjects. The team with the most knowledge, and the quickest reaction time, gets a chance to move on, eventually competing in the “It’s Academic “ superbowl, scheduled to air on June 25.

WJ hasn’t won an “It’s Academic” superbowl since 2007, but with one win under their belt, things are looking good.

“We know our opponents pretty well,” said senior captain Kuo-Kai Chin.

“I think we have a pretty good chance of advancing to the next round.”

Science teacher and sponsor Stuart Safford also takes an optimistic stance on the team.

“We’re really spoiled here,” said Safford, “WJ’s had a tradition of really strong “It’s Academic” teams. This year we’ve got a good team.”

The team meets three times a week at lunch to practice, studying everything from presidential facts to basic math skills. Though the team has some strong points, Safford contends that they could be more well-rounded.

“Several of the guys on the team are more comfortable with history [questions],” said Safford. “If there was someone who knew their literature, boy, wouldn’t that be good.”

Though there are 13 members on the team, only three can compete on the televised competitions, which air on NBC4 on Saturday mornings. Chin, junior Cameron Keyani and junior Olivia Stearn were the three selected to compete in January, but the line-up for the April playoffs is, as of yet, undetermined. Safford decides who gets

to compete based on their breadth of knowledge and their quickness is reaching the buzzer.

“For the most part, the questions are easy enough that we’ll know all the answers,” said Chin. “The issue is how fast you can hit the buzzer.”

Fans can tune in to NBC4 on Saturday, May 14 at 10 a.m. for the airing of WJ’s semifinal competition. Safford also encourages students to watch the tapings.

“If someone wanted to show up with a mascot, bringing signs of friends, that would be great,” said Safford.

Photo by Devon Murtha

Juniors Seth Gottleib, Cameron Keyani and Eli Lefkow practice during lunch for “It’s Academic” .

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MARCH 23, 2011

NEWS

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EDITORIAL

Up Bat

MARCH 23, 2011

Q: What do you think about WJ S*T*A*G*E putting on a musical with more mature themes?

at

For Up-At-Bat video responses, visit WJPitch.com

Gina Lorenzetti

senior

WJ S*T*A*G*E also performed Pippin in 2002 and in 1989.

A: “The school has the right to choose whatever they want and if they lose money, that’s the consequence of their actions. Duh.” Photos by Liz Wasden

Sheung Lu

junior

Photo courtesy of wjstage.com

The shows are on April 1,2,8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the box office before the show starts or online at wjstage.com. Some material may be inappropriate for children under thirteen.

Caption Contest Winner Looks like Mr. Merrill (right) is not happy with Dr. Garran (left)... Captions for this cartoon were submitted online at WJPitch.com. The winning caption, submitted by screen name “Mila Kunis” is:

“You always get the Teletubby suit...”

A: “Usually high school plays are aimed at the high schoolers who go to the shows, so I think it’s more appropriate for the audience.”

Jonathan Karpatkin freshman

A: “I personally think that since most kids have seen R-rated movies by the time they’re 12, that it is ridiculous that they care so much about this.”

Emily Culver

sophomore

A: “PG-13 is more for the high schoolers. Even for younger kids, people have been watching PG-13 movies since they were really young.

The fact that it’s more relatable to the performers will make it better.”

Paul Relph

freshman

A: “I think it sounds pretty resonable and most of the people who are going to see it are high schoolers. All kids under 13 will most likely be accompanied by an adult so I think it’s fine.”

Cartoon by Michael Matthes

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MARCH 23, 2011

EDITORIAL

By Ryan Lynch “So Fresh, So Clean,” a song written by Outkast, definitely wouldn’t describe the bathrooms at WJ. Building service workers at schools are burdened with the unfortunate task of cleaning up after thousands of students every day.

Students are notorious for complaining that these workers are incompetent and are not doing their job. It would be safe to assume that the workers think otherwise. Who is really at fault for the disgusting bathrooms at our school?

Being teenagers, we are not known for our cleanliness or organizational skills, as evidenced by the absurd problems encountered in the bathrooms on a daily basis. Walking into the bathroom, one can expect to find a toilet overflowing, sinks still running, drains clogged with toilet paper, causing even further flooding and of course, toilets that have not been flushed. But it’s okay because someone from building services will clean this up, right? I think not.

After feeling frustrated for months, my final straw with the bathrooms and lack of responsibility exercised by its users occurred on the day of the Black Student Union (BSU) assembly in February. While taking a break from rehearsal before our first performance, I went to the bathroom. Navigating through a bathroom littered with trash and gum on the floor, I stepped on a piece of toilet paper that easily stuck to the bottom of my shoe. Luckily, I noticed the toilet paper dragging behind me before I made my way on stage and began to recite a selection of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

My almost super-embarrassing blunder is not uncommon to other WJ students. Dirty bathrooms, bathrooms that are purposely vandalized and trashed by amateur pranksters, make the relatively simple task of going to the bathroom unnecessarily difficult for girls and boys alike. Females, having

Pencils down:

By Girard Bucello

After 12 years of learning, it’s strange to think that one’s college admission is largely based on a four-hour test, such as the SAT or the ACT. Graduation requirements now include four High School Assessments (HSAs), and AP tests are also a common part of our education. So much of our education has been condensed into bubble sheets and hour-long testing blocks. How is this an accurate standard to measure our 12year education?

The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) reported that in 2007, the highest ACT and SAT scores per 1,000 students were in Northeastern and Midwestern states, a figure roughly consistent with the data collected on highest graduation rates in 2008. The implication is that higher standardized test scores directly link to a higher graduation rate, but should this be the case?

We have to ask ourselves what standardized tests really test for. No career involves sitting in a room for four hours

Bathroom Cleanliness is Go i n g do w n the

Toilet

to sit down when using the bathroom and typically having a better sense of hygiene, encounter the same problems as males with their peers not picking up after themselves and generally treating school bathrooms like pigsties.

Any student who participates in an after school activity often witnesses the tireless work of building services throughout the school week. They arrive here earlier than all students and are the last people to leave, working tirelessly and thanklessly to clean up after us. To say that these people do not work hard to provide us with clean bathrooms, a luxury nonetheless, is nothing short of ungrateful.

When using facilities at school, students should remember the age-old question asked by their kindergarten teachers: Is this how you act at home?

Don’t try to tell me that you draw on the walls of your bathrooms at home, clog the drains with toilet paper to flood the room and fail to flush the toilet. If you do, I feel sorry for you and your parents. It’s time for students to take responsibility for their actions at school and keep the bathrooms at our newly remodeled school clean and sanitary. Until students take this responsibility, I’ll be taking care of my business at home.

Photo by Liz Wasden and Alexandra Sanfuentes

why standardized tests are flawed while filling out small circles on a sheet of paper. No job is scored out of 100 percent; either a worker performs acceptably, or a worker performs poorly (and gets fired). The reality more closely resembles hands-on activities, such as science lab activities or research papers.

Perhaps not the most exciting projects, but they make for better real-world preparation.

Most colleges look, in part, for good SAT or ACT scores across the board, in math, reading and writing, regardless of that college’s focus. It should be expected that science-oriented colleges will expect higher math scores, and humanities-focused colleges will expect higher reading and writing scores. Even so, it’s not likely that someone who majors in history will use algebra and geometry.

Someone majoring in biology will likely not have to find many grammatical errors, an activity that makes up a significant part of the SAT. And then there are those whose majors depend on none of these test subjects.

Did anyone give consideration to the music theory majors? What about photography, or culinary arts? What about those who focus on athletics? None of this is to say that math and reading are not important, but the SAT is meant to test for a level above the basics. There’s no reason for a high school graduate to be denied admission to college because he or she didn’t focus on a subject they don’t need.

Think about the amount of time that teachers spend on test material. How many times have we asked the question, “Is this on the test?” Wouldn’t it be easier to actually learn the material that is being taught? Or would we prefer to spend hundreds of dollars on testing classes that tell you when it’s okay to guess on a question? We won’t be spending our entire lives taking tests; but this is the skill that standardized testing forces us to learn. These tests run contrary to the purpose they aim to serve: teaching and preparing students for the future.

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Liz’s Life Driving Disasters

By LizWasden Print Editorial Editor

Anxious to get your license? It’s liberating and gives you a sense of maturity, but getting it before you’re ready can have repercussions. Here are some tips and behind-the-wheel blunders from a driver who just recently acquired her full license.

1. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. This has become more of a problem for me as I have become a more experienced driver and grown more confident in my skills.

While telling a story, I use hand motions, or “gesticulate,” as my brother calls it.

This creates a lot of stress and anxiety for my passenger, especially when I also look them in the eye while I’m speaking to them. “Liz, look where you’re going!” is something I hear quite often. Also, try not to cry or sneeze while driving, and if the urge comes over you to do either of these, pull over.

2. Make sure you use proper turn signals.When I first started driving, I didn’t notice that I was using the wrong turn signal when I was turning. In fact, I didn’t realize until I was making a left even though my turn signal said I was going right, and the lady behind me went around me as I was turning left.

The result was a lot of yelling and a lot of crying, but I learned my lesson.

3. Make sure you know where you are going before you set out.

After 10 o’clock press one night for The Pitch, I drove a few fellow staff members home. Forgetting that I had to go a certain way to get one of them home, I had gone my usual route to Kensington.

When she mentioned to me that I still had to take her home, a total sense of confusion engulfed me and I began sobbing, uncertain of where I was and how to get to her house without going all the way back to WJ. The other girls in the car laughed at my poor sense of direction as I had no idea where Rockville Pike was. The evening ended with more laughing and my yells of, “Your driver is freaking out right now! We’re gonna DIE!” until I calmed down.

4. Don’t park in the staff parking lot. The most horrifying experience of my early months of driving was when I parked at WJ for the first time; I was late to first period and stuck in the staff parking lot. I tried turning around, but as I pulled into a spot, I bumped the car next to me. The car belonged to counselor Mrs. Murray, who was very kind and understanding about the situation, but her sympathetic response did not quell my sobbing for the rest of the day.

I know I have shared some concerning stories about my early driving months, but I’m not a bad driver. I am more confident and am able to ignore honks and middle fingers. As underclassmen travel the road to getting licenses, don’t rush the process. It’s exciting to gain the freedom that comes with driving, but getting on the road without proper preparation can have poor results. And for those confident in your driving, be conscious of new drivers who need you to cut them some slack.

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EDITORIAL

Curveball Girls are from Venus, Boys are from Mars

By Sasha Tycko Print Editor-in-Chief

Feminism gets a bad rap. Any utterance referring to “women’s rights” is sure to elicit groans. Why do we have this attitude? We’re not explicitly bigoted – most people would support legal action in favor of women’s rights – but more complex, implicit discrimination is often overlooked.

When I was little, the division between the genders didn’t really make sense to me. I always had both male and female friends and coed birthday parties. One Halloween, I proudly showed up in my firefighter’s costume until I realized that all the girls were princesses and all the boys… firefighters. At age seven, I naively assumed that gender inequity was a thing of the past.

But it’s not. In my entire four years at WJ, there has been one female SGA officer and she ran for secretary on the platform that girls make good secretaries. I’m sure most people would be supportive of a girl’s candidacy. But asked if they would actually vote for a girl, a common response would be that, well, girls aren’t funny. Or that they won’t make strong leaders. And SGA presidents must be funny. I know enough humorless, irresponsible guys to know that this is a worthless statement. Yet both boys and girls accept it as true.

In the classroom, gender lines can alter the atmosphere. Being in a testosterone-heavy science class with only two other girls is not inconsequential. I’m not treated differently, but the jokes and references are directed at the male sector of the class. Girls aren’t blatantly excluded, but they’re not included, either.

As a result, I feel slightly alienated, left out of jokes because it’s “a guy thing.”

Every year, a group of senior boys don cheerleading uniforms and pom-poms to form the Male Poms. It’s a bizarre phenomenon of American humor that everyone laughs when men pretend to be women. Sure, it’s a joke. But crossdressing as a form of humor trivializes and mocks femininity. It wouldn’t be funny if a group of girls wore baggy pants and t-shirts and tromped aboutlike boys.

Women propagate certain female stereotypes perhaps just as much as men do, which is worrisome and problematic. Women are taught that they must dress and act a certain way to be an attractive female. Intelligence, athleticism and humor are not included in the job description. I once babysat a girl who said she hates being a girl; girls are stupid and bad at sports. This is why girls “aren’t funny,” why they are “dumb,” why they are “bad at sports.” They’re afraid to act differently or think they can’t.

Women were given the right to vote in 1920 by the 19th Amendment. But 90 years later the fight for equality is not over. The next step is more complicated – implicit discrimination. Laughing off feminism and failing to challenge stereotypes only perpetuates the problem.

By Alexandra Sanfuentes When was the last time you flipped through a book’s pages, just to listen to the crinkle of the front and back covers?

When was the last time you went to a library and voluntarily opened a book of your own choosing? The Internet doesn’t crinkle. Nor does it have a distinct smell that tells you just how old it is. In fact, the Internet has no character at all. Sure, it enables you to find nearly everything under the sun in just a few seconds. But then the satisfaction of discovery goes out the window. Instead of scouring around for an hour, trekking to find the answer to a pressing question, you are immediately presented with the answer: voilà! There is no chance of getting the personal gratification that

point

comes with sticking with a topic and pursuing it to the point of completion.

You don’t get very much of “huzzah! I found it!” with a simple Google search.

The Internet has taken over our lives.

No longer does anyone, especially teenagers growing up amongst this new technological change, need to go to a library to use computers or books for research. That’s why if you do find yourself deigning to step inside of a local library, you’ll find a majority of patrons from the higher end of the age spectrum. But understand that this is all just one vicious spiraling cycle of library decline. If people choose to stay at home and do research solely via their own computer, sans any outside reference books or research materials from print sources, then they won’t go to the library. Those people, the ones staying home, that’s you, younger teenage generation. The younglings are the ones most readily accepting all the new gadgets and gizmos .

Those of older generations, are the ones left still going to libraries and reading books like they did 20 years ago. There may be a few stray little kids roaming around, but even their genera-

MARCH 23, 2011 tion is being skewed toward a preference of technology, with Promethean boards in schools and eight-year-olds being given cell phones.

But libraries have a lot to offer to engage the mind intellectually. At home, doing research of any kind goes without the help of anyone else. You’re on your own. At a library, librarians are readily available to help you find what you’re looking for. The library also carries new magazines, music and books that you can simply borrow for a couple of weeks without having to actually pay anything (provided that you return them on time). Instead of just going to a book store to buy a book, just rent it for a little while.

Research has shown that one of the more serious side effects of increased Internet use is severe attention deficit issues. Coming home from a long day at school, with hours of homework to complete, students end up wasting away hours in front of the computer. Library quiet rooms provide safe and productive outlets for anyone who needs few solid hours of focusing to complete a ton of work or study for an exam without any distractions.

Consider visiting a library the next time you need to get some work done. Even if picking up a book seems bothersome and boring, it could give you the peace of mind of knowing that you actually worked to find your answer.

Is It Time for Libraries to

?

counter point

By Emil Hafeez Most people haven’t been inside a library for more than two years.

Libraries aren’t all that bad, it’s just that most don’t need to physically go to one anymore. Roaming around is enjoyable, as is searching for a good book and thumbing through the endless amounts of novels, magazines, and the like; it’s not quick, but it’s both relaxing and more authentic than the digital alternatives. Libraries are a sanctuary, a few thousand cubic feet filled with naught but silence and wood pulp. Beyond the appeal of a quiet place to be, the distribution of books free of charge is undoubtedly what makes libraries necessary. Denying the public a library denies them an opportunity for education. That said, to those of us that buy the books we want to read, libraries are somewhat obsolete.

This is the day and age of the Internet and it seems that, finally, the world of writers and publishers has received

some of the new-age attention. Online books are becoming more prevalent, and outside of the software sphere, major booksellers are coming out with their own eReaders.

Online trends showing website traffic shows that online books (eBooks) are slowly becoming more popular as technology giant Google continues to add more media to its Google Books service. Using a web browser isn’t entirely ideal for reading a book, though; looking at a backlit screen (like a laptop) for so long gets uncomfortable and doesn’t work well in sunlight. Used sporadically, online books are much more helpful.

Since they’re web-based, anything with a basic web browser can let you access a book to read a chapter or two on public transport, look up a quote, or just sample a novel before you buy it.

Alternatively, dedicated hardware to books can provide an easier experience for reading. eReaders, such as the Amazon Kindle or Barnes and Noble’s Nook, have access to a large volume of books. The Kindle library alone has access to over 390,000 books, and rather than having to go to the library or bookstore, you can just download a book to your eReader and have it within a minute. Since text files are generally small, you can fit many of these books into one device and have all the reading material you’ll need wherever you go. You’ll need to pay for the right to read, but digital books are generally cheaper than their physical counterparts because the

cost of ink and paper is saved. eReaders generally use electronic paper screens (eInk), which look convincingly like real book paper and works well enough as a substitute. There isn’t a visceral digital equivalent of turning a page, which is where all electronic media falls short.

Nothing really mimics the pages of a book quite as well as pages of a book.

While eReaders are more portable than a book, make it easier to acquire the essence of a book, and even accurately mimic the qualities of a book, they are not books. The subtle coarseness of the paper, the familiar sound a turning page makes, the weight of the book; I’d miss that with an eReader. Logically, eReaders and eBooks are the right decision.

Photos by Liz Wasden

the

Pitch

MARCH 23, 2011

WJ S*T*A*G*E’s PIPPIN

By Danielle Markowitz

Pippin... Appropriate High School Production?

The history of theater is one filled with eccentricity and genius, producing classic works like Disney’s The Lion King to In the Heights, a musical about the hardships of minorities in New York. From quintessential show tunes to hard-hitting rap, the world of theater is filled with obscurity and absurdity, as well as brilliant artistry. Sometimes high school productions have a difficult time emulating the same maturity displayed by adult actors on Broadway; however, these themes are important and even beneficial to examine during the teenage years.

Every so often, there comes a production that is criticized for “R-rated” activity or speech. The original script of Spring Awakening was banned in Germany due to blatant sexuality but eventually made itself to the U.S. as one of the most popular touring companies of the times. Rent was disparaged for its harsh and eye-opening look into the lives of people living with AIDS, yet the musical recently ended its 12 year run on Broadway. It appears that the most shocking story lines can be the most successful and memorable.

Pippin, a coming of age story and WJ S*T*A*G*E’s upcoming spring musical, premiered in 1972 at the Imperial Theater in New York. Directed by Bob Fosse, the show became the 30th longest-running Broadway show as of last summer. But what separates this musical from perhaps more common high school musicals like Peter Pan is the implied sexuality and violence. The play is more appropriate for adult audiences and involves a lot of racy ideas like suicide, sex and

the bloody consequences of war.

WJ is the not the first high school in the area to broaden its stage productions to topics like those expressed in Pippin. Winston Churchill HS put on a production of Chicago last spring, which originally was vetoed by school administrators because of its sexual content. But in the modern world of entertainment, with an increasing number of shows involving sex, drugs and other explicit themes, WJ S*T*A*G*E directors should be applauded for their choice in the spring musical.

Pippin was not chosen to appeal to the PTA parents and small children; it is a show about issues that teenagers can relate to, like achieving self-actualization and finding one’s purpose in life, and should be celebrated for its craftsmanship. The striking score and inspiring lyrics, along with the unique, original choreography, sets this musical on par with unforgettable musicals like Billy Elliott and Wicked. And thus Pippin shouldn’t be eliminated from the high school repertoire of musicals for its racy themes but rather extolled for its merit.

By Alexandra Sanfuentes Print Editor-in-Chief

20 Years From Now? Photos by Stefany Carty

Guidance : guiding in the wrong direction?

School is the most stressful environment a typical teen can imagine.Tough classes increase amounts of stress and pressure on kids. With class registration for next year completed, many kids will still end up going to their counselor’s office to see if there is a way to lighten their workload. However, sometimes counselors put pressure to take the tougher classes, despite what we may want, in order to help students impress colleges. But when the students receive poor grades, it defeats the purpose of impressing colleges with good GPAs. Mixed messages about what to take only add stress to already busy schedules.

Even if a student does well in the classes they take freshman year, that doesn’t mean they will continue to do so later on if they start to take much harder courses. If they go from having one AP to five, then the amount of work they will have will grow a lot more. Having all that work piles on the

stress and it makes it much harder to get good grades. Sometimes students end up blaming their counselors for pushing them too much to take these classes, when really the counselors are looking at what students can handle overall.

“We look at everything pertinent to the student: looking at their current classes, their current GPA, and in some cases we look at their PSAT score and all that goes into deciding, with the student, what we want to sign up for next year,” said head counselor Dennis Reynolds.

It is the WJ counselors’ job to help kids determine whether or not they are ready for a heavier schedule and more rigorous classes. As some teenagers have a tendency to be lazy, those that want the lighter course load could be able to handle more, but they simply want to get out of the hard work.

“If I have a student that is coasting, going through all his classes with A’s and B’s, then I’m going to challenge them to

Slugger

9

Spring Fever (A Little Early)

Today

Pippin’s racy dance moves may eliminate a younger demographic of theater-goers.

EDITORIAL

take an honors physics class or an AP world history class, because I believe that’s important,” said Reynolds.

In many ways, Reynolds is right.

But, each student is only able to go so far at a time, and because they are still in high school they should have the time they need to get comfortable with going further in their academics.

The counselor’s office has always been the place to go if a student ever needs help related to school. They do understand the difficulties of school life and they try and give the student enough information about classes so that the students can make good decisions. They sometimes feel that no matter how hard the class, we can handle it. While this is a good moral to embed into our minds, it is not necessarily true. Sometimes enough is enough and too much can be hard to handle. Counselors do need to take notice of the reality that students probably know when they are overwhelmed.

You probably think I’m about to delve into a huge rant, blabbering on and on about something that irks me, something that has struck a nerve. But that would be too predictable, too simple. As this is a slugger, I’m going to send you one, readers, but on the opposite end of the editorial spectrum.

A little over a month ago, in the midst of a typically bleak winter in February, the supposedly last cold month of the year before spring wafts over us, we got a rare surprise. Mother Nature randomly decided we had suffered enough and were deserving of a day of short sleeves and rolled-up jeans.

I call these days, days like Friday, Feb. 18, Romantic Days. A Romantic Day is when you can stand outside, sans winter coat, and breathe in, smell the grass, hear the birds chirping and breathe out without seeing the vapor that tells you just how frigid it is.

That day, the mood of WJ was lifted.

Everywhere everyone was smiling, excitable, chattering. When the first few signs of spring pop up, some people who tend to be in foul moods when cold weather hits (victims of Seasonal Affective Disorder), find their spirits elevated. Even from raw personal observation, I could tell that this was true. My own mood was lifted that day, and my hopes were higher, despite the assessments that day and the abundance of homework assigned for the weekend.

That Friday wasn’t out of the ordinary, aside from the weather. The work amount was the same, the schedule unchanged. Normally the only thing uplifting to high schoolers in the middle of winter on a Friday is the weekend that awaits at the sound of the bell at 2:10 p.m. But as soon as the temperature hit 75 degrees, endless possibilities opened up. Warm weather meant hanging out with friends outside, throwing around a Frisbee, taking a walk or even just stargazing out in your backyard, activities inconceivable on a cold day.

And we were granted this pleasure in February, of all months.

A day like that made it possible to get excited for spring. We got our hint of the near future, the warm weather that waits for us. Now we want it. Now, without a doubt, we can’t wait for winter to leave us alone and go bother the Southern Hemisphere.

More often than not, editorial columns skew in the direction of complaints about annoying fans and word crutches (totes), overbearing parents, the laziness of the human race and the foibles of being a twin.

So in the spirit of spring, rather than encourage the trend, I’ll reverse it. At least for this month.

MARCH 23, 2011

Pitch

the

the

10

Pitch

FEATURE

MARCH 23, 2011

FEATURE

11

MarchMakeoverMadness Interviews and makeovers conducted by Lily Sieradzki, Alexandra Sanfuentes, Jenny Deutsch and Danielle Markowitz It’s March again and that means makeovers. This time around, the Feature staff took on the challenge of making over two WJ students on a budget of $150 each to prove that anyone can get a makeover without busting their wallet.

BEFORE

H&M White Flint Mall

Nitay Ravin

White Tee

12th Grade

“I didn’t really think about what I was wearing. All my clothes are kind of similar. Comfort is higher up on my list than fashion.”

Shoes

$5.95

Clothes

DSW

10400 Old Georgetown Rd.

Hair

Reddz Trading Co.

How do you feel now?

“I feel pretty good.

It’s new, it’s different. I guess I’ll consider a lot more options now than I did before, just because then I didn’t really think about it.”

Bubbles Salon

7475 Wisconsin Ave. Bethesda

Cut and Dry

Jeans $20.00 “I’ve always had longer hair since I was young. It got to that point where it was almost a part of my identity, I almost felt scared to cut it off. One day I just cut it off. It physically felt better, your head feels lighter.”

$49.95

“Hydrating curly hair is important: definitely try deep conditioning more often.” - stylist Susi Reynoso

7801 Woodmont Ave. Bethesda

What’s your style?

Dress “These heels do wonders for my legs! They’re trendy and comfortable at the same time.”

Sandals $44.95 DSW

10400 Old Georgetown Rd.

$16.00

Total: $109.55 How do you feel now?

“[From now on,] it will be a lot less of shirts that say something ironic or sarcastic, and more of clothes with colors and patterns that fit my shape a little better.”

Clothes

Shoes

Total:

$30.00

Reddz Trading Co.

“I would characterize my style as comfy and laid-back. Mostly I wear jeans and a tee shirt and my Converse.”

AFTER $130.00

7801 Woodmont Ave. Bethesda

“I think [my friends] will like this. It’s nothing super drastic, but it’s refreshing.”

Vans

11th Grade

- stylist Kika Tovias

$24.95

Button-down shirt

What’s your style?

Madison Chase

“He shouldn’t wash every day with shampoo, the hair need the natural grease.”

Hair

Forever 21

Montgomery Mall

Cardigan

$8.80

Necklace

$4.80

“I think I can use what I learned today to help base my future fashion decisions on.

I’m going to be dressing like this more often.”

Bubbles Salon

Montgomery Mall

Cut and Dry

$35.00

“It feels amazing to have this haircut. I feel empowered.”

Photos by Alexandra Sanfuentes and Danielle Markowitz

The

Mr. Griffiths

Double Lives Double Lives of Teachers

Tango Dancer

Photo by Stefany Carty

Pitch

the

12

FEATURE

by Sari Amiel

takes lessons on Tuesdays and dances about twice a week. His busiOn Thursday afternoons, English teacher Bill Griffiths leaves school at 3:00 p.m. to buy appetizers and to transport his sound ness offers lessons on Thursdays and Saturdays and invites famous system, tea lights and camera down to the Washington, D.C. East- dancers to teach weekend workshops.

“The craziness of all this is I’ve met and become friends with some ern Market, where he stays until after 1 a.m. of the greatest tango teachers in the world and it only Griffiths not only grades papers and advises happened because of Eastern Market,” said Griffiths.

WJ’s Spectator magazine, but he also owns TanOverall, dancing is something that Griffiths can congo Buddha Productions. His business, which nect to. he began in 2004, specializes in promoting and “The real reason [I dance] is… if you move across teaching Argentine Tango. It offers an array of the floor and you’re moving as one and the music’s gotango lessons mixed with late-night dances and ing through you and you’re close and there’s people visits from famous international performers. around you, it’s beautiful,” he said. “Tango for almost Not only does Griffiths enjoy teaching otheverybody becomes a metaphor for life.” ers to dance, but he loves dancing himself. He Photo courtesy of Bill Griffiths

Ms. Moss

by Sari Amiel Sailor Two summers ago, math department resource teacher Sarah Moss

chartered a cruising sailboat to Croatia through the Adriatic Sea. This was just one of the many exotic places Moss has visited by sea.

More often, Moss visits nearby locations, like the islands in the Chesapeake Bay, on her sailboat. She and her husband are both expert sailors.

“I like the competition and I like the camaraderie,” said Moss. “It’s beautiful, exciting and fun.”

Moss began sailing 25 years ago, influenced by her husband’s cousin, a sailor who had circumnavigated the globe more than once.

In addition to sailing, Moss participated in sailboat races, which demanded time and dedication and were never cancelled, even in bad Photo by Alexandra Sanfuentes weather. She worked as a mainsail trimmer, adjusting the sail depending

Mr. Dunston Surfer & Rock Climber

Photo by Stefany Carty

on where the wind was coming from.

Racing presented Moss with a challenge; sometimes, it was necessary to sail even in a thunderstorm. This was not the only challenge Moss had to face.

“I’m really proud of myself that I was able to [sail] because I cannot swim.

That was something to overcome,” she said.

In the future, Moss would like to charter a boat to sail around Turkey, but she does not yet know what her next sailing venture will be. Beyond that, Moss does know one thing for sure.

“I will sail as long as I am capable of sailing,” she said. “I will do races again.”

Photo courtesy of Sarah Moss

by Daniel Gorelik and Ali Jawetz “If the opportunity comes, you should take it, because it is all that it’s cracked up to be,” he said.

Dunston also began rock climbing because he wanted to try a demanding sport. He began climbing through an outdoor club in high school, and has continued climbing for about 20 years. According to Dunston, part of the appeal of these sports is actually the lack of competition, and the fun-loving nature of the activity. The purpose is really about individual growth.

“Personally, I grow a lot when I’m faced with something that can scare me, and then I [stand] up to those Photo courtesy of Kelly Dunston fears,” he said.

Tech Ed teacher Kelly Dunston, despite being miles away from the mountains and the ocean, loves to climb and surf. He has always enjoyed staying active, but these two non-traditional sports offer something new for him.

“Both of the sports are really challenging,” said Dunston. “No matter what your skill level is, you can always push your limits.”

Dunston began surfing while living in South Carolina, and he continued the sport when he lived in Hawaii. He surfed with all sorts of people, including those as old as 70. Due to these experiences, he hopes to continue the sport for many years, and encourages everyone to try it when possible.

Mr. Martin Archer

Photo by Stefany Carty

MARCH 23, 2011

by Girard Bucello

To many, hunting usually brings to mind the image of a lone hunter aiming his rifle at a target animal far away. Replace the rifle with a bow and arrow, and you’ll have one of Tech Ed teacher Tom Martin’s hobbies.

“I never really hunted with firearms,” said Martin.

“I took up target archery to become a better hunter.”

Martin, a member of the National Field Archery Association, competes with other target archers in the area.

“I know all of the really good archers,” Martin said.

“I basically know anyone who’s good in the state of Maryland, and also some who are good nationally.”

Ms. Cornell Dog Handler

Martin has won the State Class A Field Archery Tournament twice, and routinely places in the top three. He had also previously qualified for a national tournament, but chose not to participate. On occasion, the WJ sports teams he coaches have to deal with his absences while he competes. In the fall of this school year, Martin had to miss the beginning of the cross country season in order to compete.

While many would measure an archer’s skill based on the distance at which they can hit a target, or the accuracy of their shot, Martin says that neither of those are accurate measures of skill.

“The professionals hit targets every time, and they never make a mistake,” he said. “It’s about consistency.”

Photo courtesy of Tom Martin

by Daniel Gorelik and Ali Jawetz

As a former coach and athlete, it comes as no surprise that PE teacher Janice Cornell loves competition. Athletics, however, are no longer her focus. Cornell competes in dog shows. She has been training her two dogs, Angel and Piper, for canine competitions for the past three years.

Cornell has always been a dog person and has grown up with dogs her whole life. According to her, knowledge and confidence in the dog are vital to successful competition. “[Dog training] is a lot about learning your dog’s style and the team work you have to build,” said Cornell. “Your dog has to trust you and you have to trust your dog.”

Photo by Alexandra Sanfuentes

It was not until she bought Angel in 2008 that she decided to start competing. Angel’s mother was the Florida State Agility Champion, and the original owner wanted Angel to compete as well.

“I had no idea about agility,” Cornell said. “But I said, ‘Sure, I’ll try it!’”

As a result of her willingness to try something new, Cornell has fallen in love with the activity. Though she admits it takes a lot of time, especially after training at home with obstacles in her yard in addition to three classes a week, she says it’s just a great way to have fun.

Photo courtesy of Janice Cornell

the

Pitch

MARCH 23, 2011

FEATURE

13

WJ

Libya

Photo by Rick Loomis

Photo by Alexandra Sanfuentes

From the Streets of the Middle East to the Halls of WJ

By Rosie Hammack

time I’m also worried that Islam might fill the vacuum.”

Although Mlilo admits to also having mixed feelings about the revolutions cropping up all over the Middle East and North Africa, in her mind, the positives outweigh the negatives.

Adan agrees, adding that he feels Algeria in particular is heading down a good path. Despite the initial chaos and violence caused by four days of rioting in mid-February, the country’s streets have calmed and grown relatively organized and nonviolent, with protestors meeting every Saturday to rally for justice.

In Egypt, revolution has not been quite so peaceful. Mlilo admires those who have stood up in the face of adversity to protest soaring food prices and government corruption.

“It [takes] a lot of guts to just go out there and defy the laws and protest for something that you believe in,” she said. “We’re lucky to live [in D.C.], because if we ever want to stand for something, we can just go and protest. It actually works.”

In many ways, Mlilo, Adan and Lakhdar-Hamina look to these uprisings as possible forms of redemption for the Islamic world. LakhdarHamina in particular finds that these revolutions could propel the Middle East and North Africa toward further modernization, after years of contributing only oil to an ever-shifting world.

Revolutions have in the past led to innovation and the birth of new ideas, and Lakhdar-Hamina finds hope in the prospect of the East rising up to become a AND MIDDLE EAST Middle competitor in more ways than just oil production.

8 “This has obviously been food for thought; it’s been something of historical significance,” he said. “It really 9 10 is sparking a huge change in Arabic mentality in terms of how they’re going to treat democracy, how they’re 11 15 going to function in a democracy and how they’re going to view a democ12 racy over all.”

While recently working community service, Lakhdar-Hamina noticed a pair of shoes with a “Made in Iran” tag. When he voiced this in idle conversation to a coworker, he was received with sudden and unprovoked hostility.

“I said, ‘These shoes are from Iran,’ and he said, ‘Oh, wow, dirty terrorist shoes’,” said Lakhdar-Hamina. “You know, this guy is a graduate student. It’s really quite disturbing. If this is a successful revolution, and it is in fact a secular revolution, I think it can change the Arabic image. I really do.”

Eighth grader and North Bethesda Middle School student Miranda Mlilo has also felt personally affected by the uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa. Having lived for one year in Lebanon with a mother from Egypt, Mlilo has approached the developments from a unique and multifaceted perspective.

“I have a lot of family in Lebanon, and I have some family and some family friends in Egypt,” said Mlilo. “They’re pretty scared, but I know that they’re hopeful.”

Both Mlilo and Lakhdar-Hamina face the developments in North Africa and the Middle East with mixed emotions.

“Obviously, it’s a great thing because it means that instead of Arabs being dominated by these strongmen, these monarchs, these dictators, these tyrants, I think it will be more of the Arab people trying to work in their own system,” said Lakhdar-Hamina. “At the same

With riots breaking out in almost every Middle Eastern and North African country from Morocco to Iran, the world is currently abuzz with the unstable but hopeful spirit of revolution.

Anyone who has been wondering how events in the Middle East and North Africa in any way relate to them won’t need to look far. Families and students throughout the WJ community have been affected by events outside of our often narrow high school scope.

To junior Waleed Adan*, the uprisings in the Middle East have been more than just newsworthy. Having lived for five years in Algeria, Adan has been absorbed, for the last few months, in the inner workings of the poverty-stricken Algerians’ cries for justice.

In Algeria, where Adan’s father, mother, brother, four aunts and grandmother live, rioters have taken to the streets to demand democratic reforms and to protest the unbearably high food prices. According to Adan, these steps toward justice and equality have not been receiving the positive attention he feels they deserve. He even goes so far as to say that, as a Muslim student, he sometimes feels unrightfully targeted and pigeonholed as a “savage.”

“A lot of people in school talk about [the uprisings], and they don’t talk about them very nicely,” he said. “They’re like, ‘Oh, Muslims are just terrorists’ [and], ‘They’ll just destroy themselves and be done with it.’”

Junior Djamil LakhdarHamina, who describes UNREST ACROSS himself as a combination of European and Algerian, has experienced a similar breed of discrimination.

“People who are very consci1 entious about being ‘politically 2 correct’ to blacks or Hispanics might say some of the most racist [expletive] you’ll ever hear about Arabs,” he said.

NORTH AFRICA 7 6

3

4

5

14

13

*name changed

1 Morocco: Protests, revisions to constitution

6 Jordan: Successful protests. Cabinet remodeled.

11 Bahrain: Fighting in streets, government crack down 3-month period of political reform Algeria: Rallies in streets for democracy stopped 2 on protestors 7 Lebanon: Protests against ineffectual sectarian by police 12 Oman: Violent protests for living conditions and political government 3 Tunisia: High food prices, demonstrations, 8 Syria: Protests for democracy, government cracks down reform president flees; new government installed. Catalyst 13 Kuwait: Protestors rally for resignation of president for uprisings elsewhere 9 Iraq: Bloody protests; many casualties. Government 4 Libya: Gaddafi uses violence against pro-democ14 Yemen: Extremely violent riots. President offers creation attempts to compromise racy coalition. No fly zone and ceasefire imposed by of new constitution; protestors refuse offer 10 Iran: Protests, efforts to upheave President Mahmoud UN Saudi Arabia: Bloody demonstrations in response to 15 Ahmadinejad unsuccessful so far 5 Egypt: Violent protests in streets. Mubarak, 30 year deteriorated infrastructure president, resigns. Supreme Council of the Armed Forces take political reins

Information accurate as of March 21, 2011 Illustration and infographic by Rosie Hammack

The Pitch picks must-visit museums to satisfy your artistic and intellectual cravings

By Alex Spinard

THE CLASSIC

The Corcoran Gallery of Art The Corcoran Gallery of Art is housed in an expansive building of classical architecture that is a work of art in itself. Its chief focus is American art, and it features a wide range of media, styles and time periods. Through May 1, students can enjoy a photography and media arts collection at the Corcoran that includes over 6,500 photographic,

video and digital artworks. The exhibit aims to reflect diverse ideas and styles that were pivotal to the evolution of the arts. Admission for students is $8; however, the fee is sometimes higher for special exhibits. The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Photos courtesy of corcoran.org

THE INTERACTIVE

Crime and Punishment Museum The National Museum of Crime and Punishment is a history-oriented museum located near Chinatown and the Verizon Center. Walking through the museum, one gets the feel that they are actually in a prison with its dimly lit hallways and faux stone walls. The museum highlights key examples of crime and punishment throughout history along

with tales of famous criminals from the Middle Ages to current times.

The NMCP is a balanced museum offering both interactive exhibits and traditional glassed-off displays. Interactive activities include cracking a safe, practicing in a simulated shooting range, taking a lie detector test and simulating a police motorcycle chase.

Photos courtesy of crimemuseum.org

THE MODERN

The American Art Museum the 45-year evolution of video games into an artistic medium. The exhibition shows how images, action and player participation are implemented in video games to engage audiences in a form of narrative art. It will also show how new creative techniques have been used in video game technology, creating the striking visual effects we see today in games from “Pacman” to “World of Warcraft.”

OUT ABOUT

By Josh Benjamin

MARCH/APRIL

Glen Echo Go back in time to the historic Glen Echo Park, where roller coasters, games and crowds of people once rushed to come and have fun on a nice summer’s day. Located in Glen Echo, Md., this park offers dance lessons in the beautiful Spanish Ballroom, art classes and rides on its antique carousel. You can catch other events on the official Glen Echo Park page, glenechopark.org.

Photo courtesy of glenechopark.org

Your monthly guide to area events

3.15-3.27- Environmental Film Fest Environmental films will be showcased at this Annual Film Festival. Take a journey into the world of food with the film Planeat (March 24) about the difficulty of the meat and dairy industry for farmers and scientists. The Coral Gardener (March 26) explores Austin Bowden-Kerby’s underwater gardening to preserve the beautiful coral reefs of Fiji from disappearing. Another mustsee movie is Ghost Town (March 27), The Coral Gardener a three-part documentary about a village in southwest China haunted by traces of its past.

To see a full list of movies and locations, go to dcenvironmentalfilmfest.

Photo courtesy of thecoralgardener.com org.

Photos courtesy of americanart.si.edu

3.26-4.10- National Cherry Blossom

Festival You know it’s spring time when the bloom-watch fever begins, marking the arrival of the cherry blossoms. Celebrate one of the most exciting traditions in Washington, D.C. with two weeks of great activities. Highlights of the festival include free concerts, such as the New South Players on March 25 and The Grapevine of March 26. Check out more events at nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.

Photo courtesy of nationalcherryblossomfestival.org

The Smithsonian American Art Museum is located almost directly across from the Verizon Center near the Gallery Place/Chinatown metro stop. With the purpose of celebrating American Art, visitors find themselves confronted with copious amounts of some of the country’s most beautiful art collections.

One exhibition that will be showing at the SAAM March 16 is “The Art of Video Games.” This exhibit explores

D

By Sophie Meade Arts and Entertainment Editor I won’t deny that I’m a pretty cynical person. Often my thirst for satire overpowers my ability to express a view directly or see a situation positively.

But, believe it or not, situations do arise in which I find myself too awestruck to be anything other than genuine.

When I walked into the auditorium on the night of Mr. and Ms. WJ, I expected to be lightly entertained more than astounded. But in all honesty, I was blown away by the talent throughout the program.

For me, however, there was one performer who managed to stand apart from the others in his fearless selfexpression as well as his undeniable talent. In his own dance routine, Josh Martinez expressed himself by doing something most other males in school would never do except as some sort of joke referencing gender crossing. And even if some couldn’t relate to his serious devotion to dancing, his abundance of talent was beyond question.

However, the impression Martinez’s performance left on me was soon shattered by the reality of the audience’s and judges’ reception. As the mass of friends in front me snickered and exchanged comments regarding sexual orientation, I looked around the auditorium and realized how many were unable to see the value of what was right in front of them. I can’t really say I was all that surprised. Rather, I was simply disgusted at their all-too -predictable default reaction.

When it boiled down to the final round, Martinez was not one of the three male contestants. Of course, the outcome of the contest isn’t the final word on all talent, as it is decided by only three individuals. And once again I was not surprised that they opted for other, safer contestants. But it was the presence of another contestant in the final round that struck me the most. Cole Ahnell also included a dance routine in his performance. Yet, predictably enough, it was a dance performance in which he dressed as a female Pom, a playful and harmless joke, right? Hilarious.

So in a competition centered around a “talent” portion, of the two males who danced, the one who did it badly, as a masculinity-affirming joke, triumphed over the other who did it undeniably well, as a form of honest self-expression. Is it just me or is there something inherently wrong with that?

Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t scorn all you viewers who find entertainment in Ahnell’s gendered display. In fact, quite the contrary, I feel pity for you. I pity your denial of all things that threaten your harmonious world of macho masculine men and sexy feminine women. I pity your need to constantly defend and affirm your heterosexuality each time you utter the phrase, “That’s so gay.” I only hope that one day, you can find a way to express yourself outside of the confines of gender and sexual orientation. Just take your cue from Josh.

MARCH 23, 2011

MUST-SEE-UMS

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Deceptive Dancing

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14 Out of Left Field:

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

4.22- Smithsonian National Zoo Attend Earth Day for the Planet on April 22 at D.C.’s Zoo. Friends of Photo courtesy of nationalzoo.si.edu the National Zoo (FONZ) come together with an effort to recycle visitor’s cell phones, batteries and other electronic devices.

Help support the zoo and the environment.

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MARCH 23, 2011

Fashion Fix:

By Sophie Meade

1

D I Y

Mix 2 cups of bleach with one cup of water, and lay sweater laid flat on a trash bag or layer of newspaper.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Photos by Sophie Meade and Sasha Tycko

Bleached Hoodie Bleach Sponge or Rag Hoodie (American Apparel)

1

Wire Necklace Craft Wire (AC Moore) Small Beads Scissors Pendant (optional)

Cut wire into 2-inch pieces.

Photo courtesy of clorox.com

2

Soak sponge or rag in bleach solution and hold above sweater and squeeze to drip upon of sweater. Vary Splotch size by amount you drip on each part of the sweater.

2

On one end of a 2 inch piece, make a loop by twisting the wire around itself. Put on desired beads, leaving room for another loop at the end. Close piece by winding another loop.

Photo courtesy of americanapparel.com

3

Allow sweater to dry and then rinse off the bleach off under running water. Match sure bleach is rinsed completely before washing with other laundry.

3

4

With a new 2-inch piece, wind another loop, this time through the loop of the first piece. Put on beads and close with another loop at end. Repeat this step until strand is desired length, then close by winding final loop through the loop on opposite end of the strand.

Add a playful pendant (easily found at bead shops and thrift stores) to the strand to create a lovely necklace.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

MARCH 23, 2011

Walter’s Wildest After winning WJ’s Best Dance Crew last year, the Wild Ladyz take the school through hip-hop Nichelle Nation. “But, this year, we to expand the Wild Ladyz, so The auditorium lights dim. The mu- wanted we got other dancers. To some friends, sic begins. Students wait on the edge of we had to say [sorry, but] you can’t their seats. Finally, the emcee finishes dance.” his narration and the stage is taken over The group currently has 12 memby 12 girls in baseball caps, cargo shorts bers, senior Jasmine Adams, and combat boots. The crowd erupts juniorincluding Ryanne Hyatt, junior Taylor into rapturous applause. The Wild La- Kinsey-Brown, junior Shawna McIndyz have arrived. For the next four min- tosh, sophomore Dara Morris, Nation, utes, the WJ student body is consumed senior Kimberly Ozuna, sophomore by the popping, locking and stepping of Sarah Ozuna, junior Naysia Phifer, juits newest dance crew.

Shanilka Puerto, senior Dorine This was the scene at WJ’s Black nior Wade and sophomore Tayler Williams.

Student Union Assembly earlier this Sponsored both learning centeryear, when the Wild Ladyz again stole math teacherbyCrystal and scithe show. The hip-hop dance team was ence teacher NicholeDovman Kellerman, the founded last year by four students who Ladyz consider themselves a democracy decided to put together a team to com- without an official captain, but all acpete in WJ’s Best Dance Crew, part of knowledge Hyatt, the team’s most exthe Pennies for Patients fundraising perienced dancer, as the main dance drive. After winning the title, the Wild instructor and leader.

Ladyz took their success and made their “I dance at this group called Future crew an official WJ club, practicing Shock that’s in D.C.,” said Hyatt. “We three days a week before performances. have one competition a year against But at the beginning of this year, af- dance crews from all around the U.S. ter graduating several members, the and we do a lot of performances.”

Wild Ladyz found themselves in need The Wild Ladyz look to [Their dance style is] very modern and works many sources inspiration with what is happening in music videos today. of when brainThey use a lot of different techniques to make storming their choreography, it more visual for the audience.

Hyatt, - sponsor Crystal Dovman including STEP competitions and choreographers on YouTube. a of boosting the group’s membership. specific genre in mind whenWithout coming up The Ladyz held auditions among friends with dances, the Ladyz follow what feels who shared their established dance aes- right with the music. thetic – but not without making a few “It’s very modern and works with awkward cuts. what is happening in music videos to“We had a group last year, but it day,” says Dovman. “They use a lot of was just four or five of us,” said senior

By Eleanor Janhunen

“

”

The Wild Ladyz performed in February’s Black Student Union Assembly.

different techniques to make it more visual for the audience.”

The Ladyz have been very successful in garnering a consistent WJ following at every event they perform in. Their reputation is centered on creative music mash-ups and incredible moves that wow the crowd and make students want to be a Wild Lady. “[The Wild Ladyz] are fantastic. They

made me want to be a hip-hop dancer,” said senior Jennie Zelenko. “My friends and I even created a video to send to MTV so we could be on ‘MADE.’” And with their one-year anniversary having just passed, they can only hope that they have created a WJ institution that will be around for years to come, making the Wild Ladyz as synonymous with WJ as the former DIVAZ.

Photos courtesy of TheWindup

(From left to right) Ryanne Hyatt, Sarah Ozuna, Dorine Wade, and Nichelle Nation are members of the Wild Ladyz.

Photos by Eleanor Janhunen

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MARCH 23, 2011

SPORTS

Alex Marquez

Boys Tennis

Photo by Stefany Carty

2010 RECORD: 8-4

By Alexandra Sanfuentes

With the 2011 season underway, the boys tennis team has promise coming into big matchups against Whitman, Wootton and Churchill later this month and in April. With its first win against Gaithersburg behind them, the team is coming back stronger than last year, with senior Eric Duong and junior Wojtek Bieganski leading the singles, along with junior Jordan Krasner and sophomore Jamie Schmidt.

Tryouts, which had a turnout of about 40 tennis players, provided a lot of young talent that coach Mike Laukaitis predicts will benefit the team in years to come. But with so many new young

Walter Johnson All School Booster Club We are here to support YOU! TEAMS AND CLUBS CAN EARN MONEY FROM BOOSTERS IN THESE WAYS: 1) Sign up to work the concession stand at any of the events posted. All groups who work will receive $100.

2) Sponsor, create and run a fundraising event that is co-sponsored with Booster. Take advantage of the events we already use to raise funds, or ask us to help you with your own fundraiser.

3) Direct request for assistance. Request assistance through our Funding Request Form. TO JOIN THE BOOSTER CLUB Look for our flier ONLINE at www.wjboosterclub.com.

GOT BOOSTER?

Grace Leslau Photo by Stefany Carty

Gymnastics

2010 RESULT: Fourth place at MCPS Championships

By Hannah Flesch While most teams struggle following a loss of key seniors, the gymnastics team is returning to form with ease this spring after only losing one senior, standout Michelle Barreto. Last year, the team had a number of second-place finishes in regular season dual meets and came in fourth in the MCPS Championship at B-CC. With an increasing number of girls participating year-round in club gymnastics, the experience in competing at high levels looks promising. “[Losing Barreto] does not really affect

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players trying out, the decisions for the final team proved difficult.

“Tryouts are never easy,” said Laukaitis. “We had a couple of younger guys that came in, which made it tougher. I wanted to keep the team to about 16 and I ended up keeping 20, which is the largest boys team I’ve had. “ With newer talent to come in the future, the team foresees that it will stay strong and continue to grow to foster better players.

“I think we’ll definitely have a good year,” said Krasner. “We basically have the same starting lineup as last year and should be able to compete with the top three teams in Montgomery County.”

Schmidt, Krasner and Beiganski, three of the singles players, have been playing aggressively for the past year, playing in tournaments in the offseason and building up their skills. Having this extra support with player strength will ultimately be beneficial for the team throughout the rest of the season. But what mostly keeps boys tennis going is both intense motivation and maturity.

“We’ll be much more competitive this year,” said Laukaitis. “I see more of a team commitment to wanting to be better doubles players to help us win some of those matches we lost last year.”

The state tournaments in May will prove to be a challenge, as many Montgomery County schools will be sending strong doubles teams to the finals. The rest of the season, however, will not be too worrisome for Laukaitis’ team.

“There will be some really strong tennis played this year,” he said. “We have a really strong team. I hope they figure out how to win.” us,” said head coach Ursula Bright. “Our key gymnasts this year are senior Shannon Mitchell, junior Emily Newcomb, sophomores Grace Leslau, Lucy Martin, Guillemette Bodenreider and freshmen Ella Wu, Shannon McDonough, Lia Sorgen and Anne Heffernan. These girls will be our top gymnasts this year.

They also do club gymnastics outside of school and are great performers.”

Leslau, who was part of the All-Star team at the Maryland State Championships last May, helped WJ reach fourth place in the MCPS County Championships. By competing year round at Hill’s Gymnastics in Gaithersburg, Leslau brings a unique level of experience to competitions.

“Competing year-round gives me a lot of experience, so I don’t feel as nervous at WJ competitions,” said Leslau. “[It allows] me to do my routines without being shaky or falling.”

Alongside stands Mitchell, who will lead the team as a co-captain, and is determined to rebound this year after spending a majority of last season out with a broken foot.

“I really want to stay healthy and contribute to the team this coming season,” as I did in my freshman and sophomore years,” said Mitchell.

With a healthy team, Bright hopes this season will surpass last season’s finish.

“We hope to be one of the top three teams at Championships,” said Bright.

The squad will begin their season in their first meet against Sherwood and Gaithersburg at home next Tuesday.

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star watch

MARCH 23, 2011

junior Bethany Buel softball- pitcher

The experienced fireballer has the ability to overpower opposing hitters.

senior Dylan Campbell baseball- first baseman

The only starter returning from last year’s squad, Campbell will be the big bat in the middle of the lineup.

senior Rachel Skay

girls lacrosse- midfielder The Virginia Tech-bound Skay scored an astounding 86 goals last year, more than any other player in MCPS history.

senior JP Brennan senior Colin Dabney junior Jake Verner

Softball

boys lacrosse- attackmen

The lacrosse team returns all three of last year’s starting attackmen, who should lead a potent offense in 2011.

senior Alex Willett

track- distance

A contributer for cross country, indoor track and outdoor track for the past four years, Willet ran an astounding 9:33 two mile time to win the indoor track state championships.

junior Jordan Krasner boys tennis

Tennis’ best player last year returns for the 2011 season as only a junior.

senior Shannon Mitchell

gymnastics

The gymnastics team’s senior leader finished fourth at states last year.

senior Anna Bosse

Gus Gill

Sarah Bernstein

track- distance

A star since her freshman year, Bosse will look to end her WJ career with a strong state championship performance in May. Bosse placed first in the indoor state championship with a two mile time of 11:14.

senior Juan Pablo Zuluaga

boys volleyball

The star of the boys volleyball team leads with powerful spikes and carefully placed serves.

Photos by Stefany Carty

Baseball

Photos by Stefany Carty

2010 RECORD: 9-9 FINISH: LOSS IN REGIONAL SEMIFINAL

By Jenny Deutsch

2010 RECORD: 12-5 FINISH: LOSS IN REGIONAL FIRST ROUND

By Hannah Flesch

Last year, much of the softball team’s starting infield graduated, including first baseman Roya Hakimzadeh and catcher Nicole Nakagama, leaving the future of the team in the hands of the underclassmen. Freshman catcher Sarah Duncan and shortstop/pitcher/third baseman Catherine Royston have big shoes to fill, but junior centerfielder Sarah Bernstein is optimistic about the new recruits.

“I think our new players are definitely ready to step up,” said Bernstein.

In recent years, the softball team had not won any playoff games. However, last year they made it to regional semifinals before losing to Gaithersburg. This year, the team hopes to repeat their success and even expand on it.

“Things are looking good,” said coach Jamie Ahearn.

“We have a lot to defend from last year.”

More depth at shortstop and second base will propel the ‘Cats to be successful. Royston will provide an exceptional backup pitcher for starter, junior Bethany Buel.

They also hope to beat Blair, with whom they have a tumultuous history.

“Last year we played Blair three times and we lost to them the first two times but we beat them in the playoffs when it really counted,” said Buel. “This year we are ready for them and we are going to beat them the first time.”

The girls expect to recreate the chemistry the team had which got them so far last year. With the exception of the two new freshmen and the loss of the seniors, this year’s players are mostly the same from last year and are all very close on the field.

“We have a lot of different types of people on our team who aren’t necessarily friends in school and we have lots of people from different grades but at softball we all mesh and play well together,” said Buel. “I definitely hope our team has that same attitude this year.”

After exiting in the first round of the 4A West regional playoffs last year, the baseball team is returning this season to a recently completed home field as well as a new lineup.While last year’s roster featured a total of eight seniors, five of whom were in the starting rotation, longtime head coach Kim Ahearn’s young team will try for another dominant regular season and finish strong with a deep playoff run.

While the strength of last year’s team was pitching, this season’s team will be defensively sound according to Ahearn and will have made improvements in base running. Aside from technical skills, the key to the team’s success will be staying healthy and consistent during the season.

“Hopefully, we avoid injury like we did last year so we can have full strength in the playoffs,” said Ahearn.

Among others is senior first baseman Dylan Campbell who hopes to stay healthy as the only senior returning as a starter. Campbell will join sophomore shortstop/pitcher Gus Gill and junior catcher Niko Sanchez as vital players in the infield.

“New people will have to step up in order to win as many games as we did last year,” said Ahearn.

Campbell attributes the early defeat in the playoffs last year to a mental lapse.

“We kind of lost momentum late in the season because I felt like the team got too uptight,” said Campbell. “This year we hope to be more consistent throughout the season and keep things looser in the dugout.”

Consistency will be an important factor this season, with key games against Gaithersburg and rival Churchill. As the last team at WJ to play on a modernized field, the team will play eight of their games on their new field as baseball will return to WJ for the first time in several years.

The Wildcats will play in their home opener today against Blair at 3:30 p.m.

Home Sweet Home

For the first time in several years, every WJ spring sports team will have an on-campus home. This comes following the completion of WJ’s baseball field, which was finished earlier this year. Last year, the baseball team played a home game on the baseball field of nearby Tilden Middle school, and played the rest of its home games at Shirley Povich Field in Cabin John Park. All WJ sports teams will benefit from a true, homefield advantage that has been absent in previous years.

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MARCH 23, 2011

SPORTS

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bullets 66-39

Combined 2010 spring sports record (not including track)

15-8

Combined 2010 spring sports record versus rivals B-CC, Whitman and Churchill

Camille Bouvet

Juan Pablo Zuluaga

Volleyball

Photo by Stefany Carty

Track & Field

Photo by Stefany Carty

2010 RECORD: BOYS: 11-1 COED: 4-8 2010 FINISH: BOYS: FIFTH AT STATES GIRLS: THIRTEENTH AT STATES FINISH: BOYS LOSS IN REGIONAL SEMIFINAL

By Phillip Resnick

By Phillip Resnick The halls of WJ are filled with many different cultures. This great trait of the school is visible on the boys volleyball team, which is filled with numerous international players from countries all over the world. From Israelis, such as junior outside hitter Yuval Dan, to Brazilians like junior weak/outside hitter Felipe Corte, to Colombians, like senior outside hitter Juan Pablo Zuluaga, the team is filled with players from around the globe.

“There are definitely small alliances between certain players based on where they’re from,” said coach Sylvie Ellen. “For example, the Israelis will speak Hebrew with one another.”

The team will be led by “the core four” as Ellen calls them: Zuluaga, Corte, senior setter James Lillie and junior middle blocker Halid Hamadi will be keys to success for the team this season. “[Zuluaga] leads by example,” said Ellen. “He is very soft-spoken and relaxed. He also has unbelievable awareness on the court, something that you can’t teach.”

Although the team has a core of veteran leaders, there are also lots of talented but inexperienced players.

“We are a young team, meaning that most of our players haven’t competed in a high level, but I think we all will improve in all aspects as the season goes on,” said Zuluaga.

Corte also realizes that the team needs to improve in certain areas if they want to compete at top level.

“I think we have a strong team this year and I hope we can win, but there are some schools with really good teams, so we will have to work really hard,” said Corte.

The coed team, on the other hand, is approaching the season as an instructional season, to try to build talent for future years.

“We need improvement on all phases of the game,” said coach Bill Morris. “Hopefully we will do well and everyone’s skills will develop.”

Junior setter Amanda Shekarchi has bought into this philosophy, and is trying to improve both her play as well as everyone else on the team. The coed team will be led by Shekarchi, her twin sister and defensive specialist/outside hitter Julia and junior outside hitter Amelia Moura. The boys defeated Northwest on Monday while coed lost to Northwest.

Over the last four years, and for about as long as anyone at WJ can remember, WJ track and field has been a dominant force, not only within Montgomery County but in the entire state.

This season, the team will graduate possibly one of its best senior classes ever, led on the boys’ side by seniors Nick Regan and Alex Willett, with fellow seniors Camille Bouvet along with Anna Bosse for the girls’ team. All four of these runners received first team All-County awards for the indoor season this year and look to continue their success during the spring season.

“Our goal is to perform our best at every meet,” said co-head coach Tom Martin. “We also want to qualify as many athletes as possible for the state meet.”

Regan, Willett, Bosse and Bouvet have had fantastic careers; all four have been a part of state champion cross country teams, and they all realize that the veteran leadership on the team is vital to the team’s overall success.

“We have a nice core of veteran [runners] that are ready to lead a ton of new talented underclassmen and continue a tradition of success at WJ,” said Regan.

Regan became an All-American for Indoor Track last year after being part of a 4x800m relay that came second in the nation. However, Regan is still as focused and grounded as ever, and said that he is extremely anxious for the upcoming season.

“Work hard, be a leader and have some fun in the process. Success should come on the way,” said Regan. “[This season] is a tad bit emotional or nostalgic, but really I’m approaching it no differently than any other season.”

Bouvet is also mentally prepared for this season, more so, she said, than for previous seasons.

“I’m approaching this season a little differently than last year,” said Bouvet. “My work ethic for track is heading upwards.”

However, even though it may appear that this season is only a victory lap for the seniors, they don’t plan on easing up until they achieve their goals.

“There’s nothing to lose this season; it’s all about finishing on empty for every race, whether it’s the 4x800m at Penn Relays or the state championship mile,” said Bouvet.

6

Number of winning teams in 2010 spring sports season

13-2

2010 overall record for boys volleyball, last spring’s most successful team The Big Events

Big games, meets and matches of the upcoming season

3/29 Gymnastics vs.

Gaithersburg and Sherwood 3/29 Tennis vs. Blair 4/2 Baseball @ Wootton 4/4 Boys Volleyball vs. RM 4/14 Softball vs. Gaithersburg 4/27 Coed Volleyball vs. Churchill 4/28 Girls Lacrosse vs. Whitman 4/28-4/30 Penn Relays 5/6 Boys Lacrosse vs. Whitman

Sports

e u s is w ie v e r p s t r o p spring s

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MARCH 23, 2011

Boys Lacrosse

By Alex Spinard 2010 RECORD: 9-3 FINISH: LOSS IN REGIONAL SEMIFINAL

Gearing up for another exciting season of lacrosse, the boys lacrosse team has a new head coach who has an extensive coaching history in the surrounding area’s high schools. Last year’s coach, Jon Mayer, will be this year’s assistant coach.

Alan Pohoryles is the team’s new coach this year.

Pohoryles was formerly an assistant lacrosse coach at Georgetown Prep from 1993 to 1996, head coach at Walt Whitman from 1997-1998, head coach at B-CC from 2001-2009. He was named Montgomery County’s Coach of the Year in 2008. Needless to say, WJ is pleased to have such a recognized coach for the team.

Having Mayer as this year’s assistant coach will give the team someone who already knows the strengths and weaknesses.

“Coach Mayer knows us better then the new staff,” said senior captain and midfielder Alex Schiponi. “It was especially helpful in the beginning because . . . we could smoothly transition from the preseason to the actual season.”

Some new things for this year include running a new defense and adding new player formations to the offense. Emphasis will be put on giving the players more individual attention during practice in their respected positions. This individual attention comes from the two official coaches and the two additional volunteer coaches. In the MCPS lacrosse league, teams are limited to two official coaches and two volunteer assistant coaches; this prevents any unfair advantages more affluent parts of the county could receive by hiring several coaches.

“There is no team that we are playing that I don’t think we have a chance at beating, and if we play our best we can win our division,” said Pohoryles. “It’s my job to prepare them and it is their job to execute.”

Preparing them is precisely what coach Pohoryles has done in the preseason, often training past when practice is supposed to end.

The season opened with a 10-9 loss at Wootton on March 21.

Rachel Skay

Photo by Stefany Carty

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pg 18

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SPRINGHASSPRUNG

Matt Radack Photo by Alexandra Sanfuentes

Girls Lacrosse

By Parker Smith 2010 RECORD: 8-4 FINISH: LOSS IN REGIONAL QUARTERFINAL

Senior midfielder Rachel Skay is a bonafide superstar. She scored more goals last year (86) than anyone in the history of Montgomery County girls lacrosse.

Her 86 goals came over the course of only 13 games, bringing her scoring average to an astonishing 6.6 goals per game. WJ had a total of 151 goals, meaning Skay scored 56% of WJ’s total goals.

While the numbers may suggest that Skay can win the 4A West crown by herself, those close to the WJ girls lacrosse program know that Skay’s supporting cast will have to perform in order for the Wildcats to succeed.

“We’re going to play some good teams so our defense will have to play well,” said senior attacker Jessica Goldstone. “That means [senior defense] Kristin Dabney, [senior defense] Sarah Howie and [junior defense] Paige Keller will have to step up.”

Dabney, Howie and Keller all received significant playing time last season, when the Wildcats finished the regular season with an 8-4 record. However, the team failed to win a playoff game after receiving a bye, falling to Sherwood 10-5 in the second round of the Montgomery 4A west playoffs.

So what’s different this year? Players cite a differ-

ence in the team’s intensity practicing and overall attitude, which may be mostly attributed to the Wildcats’ new varsity coach, Chrissy Yetter, who comes to WJ after coaching at St. John’s College HS for the past three years.

“I want to cohesively bond the girls,” said Yetter. “I try to inspire them, [and] give them the knowledge, love, and passion for the game that I have.”

But with the priceless addition of a passionate coach comes the loss of a group of last year’s senior class, which included star midfielder Georgina Beven and sensational goalie Yassie Ajdari. The team has witnessed an influx of young talent capable of stepping in at midfield, all of which will benefit from playing with and learning from Skay.

“I always try to encourage the girls to make their teammates look better,” said Yetter.

In net, the team will be challenged to replace Ajdari.

The team has had a goalie coach coming to practices, working with junior and first-time goalie Paige Waqa who will likely be the starter.

With a new coach in place, this girls team has the talent to make a run at the 4A West Championship.