The Pitch
Walter Johnson High School
March 23, 2015
Volume 60, Issue 6
6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814
Asian Heritage Assembly represents diverse cultures By Kara Gordon
Photos by Janey Tietz
Clockwise from top left: Seniors Naina Thangada and Radhika Gupta pose in their outfits for the fashion show; dancers in a Korean fan dance called buchaechum use their fans to create a beautiful pattern; juniors Emily Chu and Maria Chu sing a duet; martial arts performers stage a fight; sophomore Rosemary Bingei plays the guzheng, a Chinese instrument; senior Harold Sang performs a martial arts routine using a staff.
“Affirmative Action,” continued on page 7
Short rants from Diversifying TV, The Pitch staff one show at a PAGE 5 time PAGE 16 Drinking Smart ways Debate: Is 21 to cash in too old? PAGE 13 PAGE 8
French teacher drops album PAGE 12
Boys Tennis serves high expectations PAGE 18 MLB season leads off PAGE 19
Sports
Affirmative action was introduced to the United States in March 1961 when John F. Kennedy signed Executive Order 10925 that stated employers/application officers must, “Take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed and that employees are treated during employment without regard to their race, creed, color or national origin.” This order was especially helpful for minorities because it made merit the most important factor in work. Instead of favoring white applicants, employers had to evaluate all races based on credentials. Many minorities were then able to enroll in colleges and were given the opportunity to seek higher education and eventually, find higher paying jobs, an opportunity that was once almost completely unavailable to them. I’m sure we’ve all heard at least one Asian student say, “I hate being Asian” or “it sucks being Asian.” We often resent our race because affirmative action puts us at a disadvantage in the college admissions process. I’ll admit that it’s difficult being Asian sometimes. I would consider myself a pretty decent student; I get more As than Bs and my SAT score is over 2000. Nationally, I am an above average student. But compared to other Asians, I am considered an average or maybe even below average student. Although Asians tend to score higher and have higher GPAs, it’s unrealistic to expect me to meet the “Asian standard.” I am not like them; it does not come easy for me to get a 2300 or have a 4.0. In fact, no matter how hard I try, I will probably never be able to perform that well on tests and in school.
What’s inside: Feature
By Suejean Han
“Assembly,” continued on page 4
Opinion
Affirmative Action is a step in the right direction
A&E
Opinion:
Colorful lights flooded the stage on March 12, as students excitedly entered the auditorium during their third period for the Asian Heritage Assembly. Over 50 students, including members of the Asian American Club, participated to showcase various Asian cultures through student performances, while a number of other students worked as crew members to ensure that all technical aspects of the performance worked smoothly. This year, the theme of the event was “The art of nonverbal communication.” Since so many different languages are spoken across the continent of Asia, the assembly was a way to showcase several Asian cultures through music and dance which translates to all people, breaking any language barriers. There was no audition required to perform in the assembly; potential performers had to attend an interest meeting to ensure there were no duplicate acts and that a variety of countries were represented.