March 25, 2010 Pitch

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Walter Johnson High School

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March 25, 2010

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Mr. WJ Kevin Spak

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814

Volume 54 | Issue 7

Miss WJ Ellie Borzilleri

Bottom left: Mateo WIlliamson, Bottom right: Garrett Schiponi singing to Jacqui Joseph.

Photos by Celia Karp

A Night to Remember Seniors Ellie Borzilleri and Kevin Spak take the stage with renditions of ‘Love You I Do’ and Evolution of Dance

By Ava Bleiberg and Luke Wilson “Is this your card?” asked senior Mateo Williamson as he tore off his shirt, popping off all the buttons in the process and revealing a nine of hearts painted across his chest. A nod from a seemingly bewildered girl confirmed it, and the crowd went crazy. Williamson’s magic act was a success.

Such was the scene at the Mr. and Miss WJ contest, in which contestants displayed their casual wear, talents and formal wear in an attempt to win the hearts of the judges and audience.

The contestants for the crown of Mr. WJ were seniors Faisal Mahmood, Kevin Spak,Williamson, Garrett Schiponi and Tristan Plunkett, while seniors Simran Afsah, Carolina Azcuna, Ellie The Blood Drive Pg. 6

Borzilleri, Stephania Mercado, Noa Mazia and Tanya Cuadra competed for the title of Miss WJ. However, as the night went on, the two winning performances proved to be Borzilleri’s singing “Love You I Do” from Dreamgirls with back-up singers junior Tyler Phelps and sophomore Sam Cummins and Spak’s Evolution of Dance.

Borzilleri serenaded the two back-up singers as they danced to their personal interpretations of “Love You I Do.” “We didn’t have much time to prepare,” said Borzilleri. “But I trusted [Cummins and Phelps] completely to make something work. I also changed my song at the last minute, so I had to rush to prepare.”

Spak’s talent was his own version of a viral YouTube video, which runs through pop culture dances from the Hokey Pokey to Soulja Boy. Spak incorporated a portion of the Mad Cows rap to round out his perMarch Makeover Madness Pg. 8-9

formance.

“I’ve watched Evolution of Dance many times,” said Spak.

“I had to look up various trends and such on various sites on the Internet and I had to put my own mix together, which took some time. And I had to get my own professional dance teacher to help me sew it all together.”

After being crowned Mr. and Miss WJ, Spak and Borzilleri received their prize of two prom tickets each, and the bragging rights that go with being named Mr. and Miss WJ. From top right to bottom right: Faisal Mahmood, Noa Mazia, and Andres Rocha, left, interviewing Tristan Plunkett.

Spring Fashion Preview Pg. 12

World Sports Pg. 16

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Volume 54 | Issue 3

The earthquake in Chile left many people without shelter and food.

Photos courtesy of djdroga

Earthquakes Devastate Students’ Native Homes

By Jenny Deutsch With many global natural disasters occurring as of late, sophomore Vicente Saez, a Chilean native, has felt the need to raise awareness about the plight of these countries. Saez has family and friends currently residing in the earthquake-devastated nation of Chile. He has spread information about the dire need of the Chilean people as they try to rebuild their country.

“When I first heard about it, I was worried sick for my family and friends, but when I was finally able to contact them and found out that they were all okay, it was better,” said Saez.

Saez put together the video that was recently shown on the morning announcements about Chile and also raised funds to help his country.

“Here in the school, we did a fundraiser, passed out donation envelopes and collected donations from students during lunch with the help of some friends,” said Saez. “We raised over $1400; the SGA donated $750.”

Clearly, the money raised by the students of the WJ community as well as elsewhere in the country, will not be enough as Chile has suffered billions of dollars worth of damage.

“They really need money right now,” said Saez.

The earthquake in Haiti, which hap-

pened on Jan. 12, received more coverage in the media and also more money and support from around the world.

David Crumbley, a clinical nurse specialist and father of junior Joshua Crumbley, was aboard the USNS Comfort, a hospital ship that went to Haiti in order to provide medical aid to severely injured citizens.

“Thankfully, as a result of Chile’s earthquake preparedness and infrastructure, the damage in Chile was not as extensive as in Haiti,” said Crumbley.

The difference in contribution for the two countries is apparent on a smaller level as well. According to social studies teacher Nico Atencio, the sponsor of the Leadership class, WJ raised roughly $6000 for Haiti relief and a total of $1432 for Chile relief.

“Haiti still needs all the help it can get, especially because it is rainy season,” said sophomore Soukie Dia, who is half-Haitian.

So far, the year of 2010 has been dotted with unforeseen natural disasters. After the massive earthquake in Haiti, the world was horrified at the extensive damage caused to the already troubled country.

Weeks later, people were stunned again as an even stronger earthquake struck in Chile.

Residents of Chile are well-accustomed to having earthquakes, but very little could have prepared them for Feb. 27, when the earthquake of 8.8 magnitude struck.

This earthquake was the one of the largest earthquake ever recorded. Chile has not seen an earthquake of this proportion since 1961, when they faced an earthquake struck that measured at a 9.5 magnitude on the Richter scale, the highest magnitude earthquake ever recorded.

Corrections: In a March 5 article, Tasha Vemulkonda was misspelled.

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814

March 25, 2010

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March 25, 2010

The

Volume 54 | Issue 3

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814

University of Maryland

By Alex Spinard

Young Scholars Program

Starting in 2007 with only one class and 30 students, the University of Maryland Young Scholars Program offers WJ and Whitman students an opportunity to gain college credits during their senior year.

The program awards rising seniors, who meet the requirements, a chance to experience college classes while still in high school. College professors teach the classes at WJ . The classes last one semester and are held on alternating days each week. The intended impact for the program is to give participants more than just college credits, which can already be obtained by enrolling in one of WJ’s myriad AP classes.

“I am doing the program for not only the college credit, but also because it looks good on college applications,” said junior Brian Hessler.

In addition to helping seniors with their transcripts, the program also helps seniors better prepare for the workload and time management of a college course.

Over the years, the number of students in the program has grown exponentially. Currently, the program offers three classes each semester and has to waitlist applicants. So far, the program is limited to WJ and Whitman students. Like college, acceptance into the program is not guaranteed. To be considered, applicants must meet a minimum GPA requirement of a 3.0, have a letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor and pay a $205 non-refundable application and enrollment fee.

Semester classes being offered in the fall include: The U.S. in World Affairs, Contemporary Moral Issues and Food: Science and Technology. The U.S. in World Affairs is a 200level introduction to diplomatic history class. In Contemporary Moral Issues, students focus on giving a brief introduction on moral philosophy and cover topics such as animal rights, abortion, sexual morality, eutha-

nasia, poverty, social injustice and war. The class also includes lectures from guest speakers and field trips to various monuments in Washington, D.C. Classes offered in the spring are: Terrorism in the 20th and 21st Century, Entrepreneurial Opportunity Analysis and Decision-Making in 21st Century Technology Ventures and Social Psychology. Terrorism in the 20th and 21st Century, receives the most applicants of all the classes. The class covers the history of terrorism over the course of the past hundred years with heavy emphasis on the September 11th attacks. The goal of the class is to teach and challenge students to develop critical thinking on this expanding field. Social Psychology is a course that looks firmly at the influence of social factors on the individual and on interpersonal behavior. Entrepreneurial Opportunity Analysis and Decision-Making in 21st Century Technology Ventures is aimed at helping students learn the principles of entrepreneurial opportunity in an “increasingly dynamic and technically-inclined society.”

According to Counseling Services Director Dennis Reynolds, who is also one of the counselors in charge of the program at WJ, the classes are do-able and slightly more rigorous than AP courses being that they only meet twice a week, requiring good time management. However, unlike AP classes, by passing the class, students automatically get college credit for the course, and there is no exam required.

“The program is set up not to compete with the AP Program, but to help better prepare seniors for college as an alternative to the standard seven period day,” said Reynolds. **this article has been corrected from its first printing.

Fast Facts

Two days a week Around 30 students per class Helps prepare for college College professors

Student Member of the Board Elections Quickly Approaching Alan Xie: “In Chinese, my middle name is

‘love’ and my last name means ‘thanks.’ Much love and thanks to everyone who’s supported me!”

Supports intervention and prevention programs Supports student advocacy and greater utilization of technology Opposes inconsistent disciplinary policies

By Liz Wasden As Student Member of the Board (SMOB) Tim Hwang’s term draws to a close, students will, on April 28, watch “Meet the Candidates” to determine which of the two candidates, Alan Xie or Nick Maggio, they wish to elect.

Xie is a sophomore at Richard Montgomery High School. Among other qualifications, he serves as Special Programs Coordinator for the Executive Board of the Montgomery County Region of the Maryland Association of Student Councils (MCR-SGA) and manages workshops at General Assemblies. Xie is opposed to the Loss of Credit policy and is strongly in favor of instating open lunch and cell phone rights throughout Montgomery County. Xie believes his sophomore status could be an advantage over Maggio, who is currently a junior.

“As a junior next year, I’ll have more time to devote to the students – without the pressure of college applications and

that deadly ‘senioritis,’” said Xie. Although Montgomery County is lucky to have a student serve on the Board of Education, the SMOB currently does not have a vote that counts in changing or creating new county policies; they only can influence the vote.

The Maryland Senate is going to vote soon on MC 12-10, a bill that would give the SMOB almost full voting rights.

“Our SMOB needs to have the power to make decisions about the budget because students are the primary stakeholders in the educational system,” said Xie. “We deserve to have the right to vote on our budget and have a say in our future.”

The current budget crisis will definitely be a factor in MCPS and the flexibility of what the Board of Education will be able to change next year.

“When our stimulus funds dry up in September 2011, we’ll hit the ‘funding cliff,’” said Xie. “When that happens, students need to have a voice on the budget.”

Nick Maggio: “I love this county too much to

let this position go to waste. I will work tirelessly, day and night, to advocate on your behalf and make our education the best it can possibly be.”

Supports student evaluation of teachers Supports consistency in the grading policy Opposes random drug testing Damascus High School junior Nick Maggio has worked this past year as State Lobbying Coordinator for the Montgomery County Region of the Maryland Association of Student Councils, the Education Liaison for the State Student Government, worked with the Maryland State Department of Education and the Board of Education, served as Special Elections Administrator, coordinating last year’s SMOB election and was the High School Communications Director for the SMOB 2.0 Initiative. He hopes to continue his MCPS involvement by being elected SMOB. “I have several specific goals that I would work towards as SMOB,” said Maggio. “The key to a successful SMOB, especially in these economic times, is having strong communication with constituents.”

Maggio has also worked on projects to give back to the community. He led a Hurricane Katrina relief effort when he

Photos courtesy of Montgomery County Region of the Maryland Association of Student Councils

was in seventh grade and he was awarded the American Legion Award for his service.

As a junior, Maggio also believes he has somewhat of an advantage over Xie, who is currently a sophomore.

“As a junior this year, I have had one more year of high school experience than my opponent,” said Maggio. “Now sometimes this would be irrelevant, but I have done a great deal so far this year and have used this extra time to advocate on [the student body’s] behalf and work to benefit the students of MCPS.” For now, even though the SMOB currently doesn’t have a vote that counts, Maggio is still pleased with the influence that he feels he may have if elected.

“The SMOB has significant influence on policy decisions,” said Maggio. “From my experiences with adult board members, they really seem to value and appreciate the student perspective because after all, MCPS is focused on our education.”

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March 25, 2010

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March 25, 2010

[editorial]

The

5

What’s the most creative way to cheat?

Top Academic Success, Low Academic Integrity Photos by Andrea Linder

“Put answers on the inside of a Coke label.”

- Senior Andrew Himonas

“Straight up asking someone for the answer.”

- Senior Emma Krieger

“My dad used to write answers on a piece of paper and connect it to a rubber band hidden in his sleeve. [When he was finsihed he would] shoot [them] back [into it.]”

- Junior Meiraf Zekaryas

By Abby Singley When word broke of the Churchill High School cheating scandal, the media jumped on the news as if cheating in high schools was “new news.” Yet as students, we probably witness some form of cheating everyday. From “can I see your homework?” to “what are the answers to that test?” students cheat on all different levels. Regardless of the level students are cheating on, they all have the same reason for putting their academic integrity on the line: to get better grades.

Back in eighth grade, I remember witnessing my very first “daring” cheating move. While my social studies class had a substitute teacher during a quiz, a few students discussed the questions and answers throughout the assessment.

The fact that as 12- and 13-year-olds kids were concerned about doing well on a little quiz in social studies class shows there was a problem that was only going to grow. And it did.

“Cheating is an evolution,” said senior Matt Stinson. “Only the fittest can survive this ‘education’ we are subjected to.”

This system of “survival of the fittest” as the educational system in Montgomery County has led to creativity, but in the wrong way. Rather than students stretching their minds to learn the material they are being taught and assessed on, they are stretching their minds to find new, innovative ways to cheat.

Text messages, Facebook, assignment For

U p

A t

B a t

v i d e o

books...all places where I’ve seen the trading of answers to various assessments. Just to keep up with our sneaky eyes and unethical ways, regulations have been made to try to keep cheating to a minimum. If one teacher gives a test, and the other gives the same test to a class a day later, students are bound to have discussed the assessment with the other teacher’s students as a way of “preparing.”

However, we seem to forget that we sign something called the WJ Code of Academic Integrity at the beginning of every year. All of these things that students are doing to get better grades are violating this code. You could get a zero on a test for just telling your friend about it right after you take it. In fact, if you’re just telling your friend about the test you took last period, you could technically receive no credit for the test.

You’re better off taking a test and bombing it, knowing that you have to receiving at least a 50 percent for trying, than cheating and receive a zero percent.

Yet no one seems to get this message because students are so desperate to be at the top of the class, have the best grades, get into the best colleges and in general, be “typical” Montgomery County kids.

As competitive as our school is, we need to work for and earn the grades we get. By copying other student’s work or cheating during tests, you’re turning your transcript into one big lie. Is that what you want colleges to judge you by?

r e s p o n s e s ,

v i s i t

“Draw pictures and on the lines [in the picture] are the answers.”

- Sophomore Raul Silva

“Trading scantrons with a friend. And texting answers to a test to someone.”

- Senior Matt Stinson

“Write answers on the bottom of your shoe and look at your shoe while taking the test.”

- Junior Ashley Chichester

WJPitch.com

“Writing on a piece of paper and taping it to the inside of your shirt so you can look down and see the answers.”

- Junior Lisa Fascenda (Left) “Write answers on a rubber band and when you stretch it out you see the answers, and when you roll it back up you don’t.”

- Sophomore Peter Ionno (Right)

“Writing on themselves.”

- Freshman Dara Morris Editors-in-Chief Colin Buley Luke Wilson Abby Singley* News Editor Ava Bleiberg Ku Jung* Assistant News Editor Liz Wasden Editorial Editor Alexandra Sanfuentes Ian Green* Assistant Editorial Editor Devon Murtha Sports Editor Mateo Williamson Hannah Flesch* Jeremy Smith* Assistant Sports Editors Kathleen Seale Zach Gordon

“Switching the form of a test you have so you can look at the person next to you.”

- Sophomore Jordan Krasner

Staff

Arts & Entertainment Editors Sasha Tycko Sophie Meade The Pitch is published nine times a year by the students of Rylee Genner* Walter Johnson High School, 6400 Rock Spring Drive, Feature Editor Bethesda, Md. 20814. Advertising and subscription rates Camilla Yanushevsky are available by calling 301-803-7302. Editorial opinions Katie Levingston* represent those of The Pitch staff and do not necessarily Assistant Feature Editor reflect the opinions of the staff, faculty, or student body.

Allison Gordon Layout Editor We welcome letters, articles, photographs, and artwork Parker Smith to be submitted to room 211 or e-mailed to thepitch@ Copy Editors walterjohnson.com. The Pitch is an award-winning paper Abby Singley that works towards providing the student body with acDevon Murtha curate as well as credible information.

Photo Editor Celia Karp Columbia Scholastic National Scholastic Maryland-D.C. Scholastic Julia Haymore* Press Association Press Association Press Association Kathleen Seale* Gold Medalist Pacemaker Award Gold Rating

2009

* Online Staff

2008

2010

Online Staff Writers Ryan Lynch Miklos Szebeni Daniel Fanaroff Rosemary Hammack Roshel Mullokandov Online Reporters Peter Langer Stefany Carty Photographers Kevin Nuñez Alex Curtis Advertising Manager Cameron Keyani Hannah Flesch Kathleen Seale Artist/Cartoonists Andrea Linder Krithi Ramaswamy Julia Haymore Will McGowan Advisor Samara Fantie Hilary Gates Print Staff Writers Jennifer Spencer Flor Martinez Jenny Deutsch Cameron Keyani Abby Singley Alex Spinard PR Manager Alex Spinard Business Manager Flor Martinez

6

Luke’s Life!

Meeting Mr. Wilson

By Colin Buley

The creator of columns and the asker of asinine inquiries. The seducer of seductresses and the driver of dented, baby-blue vehicles. The titan of T. The revolutionary runner of rigorous races.

The spicy Spaniard. El hombre. Do you know Luke Wilson, the man, the myth, the legend?

He is known by many names, but none of the above. Those are all just examples of things he would call himself. I’ve had to deal with him on a day-to-day basis for four years. And do you know what? I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

You see, Luke Wilson has touched me, in a rarely seen and intimate place. I fought it at first; I didn’t want it. Luke, however, does not let mere wants and desires affect his plans. He advanced on me like a lion on its prey, ready to pounce and change my life forever. This is the story of the beginning, our first encounter in high school.

It was freshman year and we were awkward. We had both joined the cross country team, me fresh off being the last cut from JV soccer tryouts and Luke having just climbed Mount Everest. It was a troubling time in my life. I was pensive, had an aura of confusion and despair about me and may have been on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Luke must have sensed this. After the first practice of the season, a very strange thing happened.

We were changing clothes right there in the bleachers, as those cross country kids are prone to do, bare legs, flat stomachs, and all. Luke was next to me. As North Bethesda kids, we stuck together during those early practices, even if we had not necessarily been close friends at NB. Laughter was abundant and Bon Jovi was blasting through the stadium, his dulcet tones inspiring physical championing and male bonding; there was a group of runners playing hacky sack a few feet away.

I looked to my left and saw somebody get tackled over a fence, a gate race gone bad. Everything was right in the world.

All of a sudden, I felt a change in the wind. An air of mischief and mal-intent consumed me. And then it happened, *snap.* I felt a sting in my lower rear region and gave a yelp of surprise. I had been towel-snapped on the buttocks, the bane of locker room (or bleacher) victims everywhere. I looked around frantically in an attempt to identify the perpetrator.

I didn’t have to look far.

As I stood feeling betrayed, I saw Luke on the bleacher above me, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. He uttered two devastating words, “’Ello poppet.”

Now this was just too much.The creepy look, unexpected attack on my butt and classic Luke-ism put me into a state of shock. I said the first thing that popped into my mind, “Did you enjoy that?”

It was the best (and weirdest) thing I could have said. He did not expect it since this particular move of his had only ever elicited a response of “wtf.” So, naturally, he replied “wtf.”

I didn’t know it at the time, but I had discovered the weakness. When dealing with Luke Wilson, you have to fight fire with fire, oddity with oddity. But back then I had dared not take it any further; I was still a little freaked out by him. So I finished pulling on my shirt, raised my eyebrow and backed away slowly. And that, that was the beginning of our beautiful relationship.

Pitch

[editorial]

March 25, 2010

The

Pitch Opinion: Fundraising Efforts Go Too Far

Pennies for Patients, the school-wide fundraiser that is meant to be dedicated to raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, seems a little more preoccupied with the competition, rather than the spirit of giving.

Pennies for Patients is a commendable cause. It raises thousands of dollars for the society, which helps to fund cancer research. This is a cause worthy of WJ’s attention. And so is crushing Walt Whitman High School. Wait, what?

Yes, this year marks WJ’s fifth consecutive Pennies for Patients win. Efforts have obviously paid off; winning seems to be the ultimate goal of the event.

The Pitch is in full support of the SGA’s efforts to help out and understands that

the money raised benefits an excellent cause. The problem is, the overarching goal of this fundraiser has become the destruction of another school’s dream, rather than the aid to cancer research.

There’s a point when healthy competition becomes flat out hostile.

That hostility is not only witnessed between the two schools; it also has a part within the school. The lunchtime atmosphere at WJ seems to be less than friendly during Pennies for Patients’ reign.

You’ve experienced it. You’re eating your lunch, minding your own business, when suddenly you are accosted by two domineering students bearing a jug and demanding cash. You say that you don’t have any, that you’ve already been asked

by three or four other Leadership kids today and that you might have more tomorrow.They will not be deterred.They stand hulking over your lunch group, demanding money from everybody and not leaving under their orders are met.

Anywhere else, this custom, which is reminiscent of the neighborhood bully asking for your milk money, might be unnerving. But at WJ, it has just become annoying. More importantly, it takes away from the overall feeling of philanthropy and giving for the sake of giving.

Pennies for Patients has come and passed, and with it another successful winter of overly aggressive competitiveness and borderline extortion.

Your Life In

Coming Soon to a Planet Near You

By Cameron Keyani In its earlier years, three dimensional technology was a cheap gimmick to market sub-standard movies like Shark Boy and Lava Girl: In 3-D! 3-D today, however, is tastefully employed to increase the depth of movies, is used to supplement explosive action scenes and most importantly, is tied to the future of mankind.

The CGI epic Avatar has rekindled movie goers’ interest in 3-D movies; now almost every upcoming CGI-heavy movie has the option. Adventure movies like Alice in Wonderland have it, action films like Clash of the Titans have it and even inappropriately-titled family films like How to TrainYour Dragon have it. It can be assumed that after the first romantic comedy with Renee Zellweger comes out in 3-D, scientists will find a way to make the whole world three dimensional.

Just imagine: real life, but in three dimensions! Visions of hovercrafts and robots are dead to the thinking man of 2010, because the only technological marvel our future will hold are $350 Ray Ban 3-D glasses.

ponytail into my eight-legged horse and crush glowing foliage under toe as I listen to omniscient orchestral music.

In a 3-D world, C-SPAN would be the most popular television channel. A 3-D president Obama would not tolerate 3-D Representative Joe Wilson yelling “You lie!” across the Senate; he would jump down from the podium in slow motion and beat 3-D Wilson to a pulp with America and the world watching. Why? Because in the 3-D world you can get away with anything.

But to make this dreamworld a reality, researchers will have to consult the creator of 3-D technology, James Cameron. Cameron, who also Graphic by Samara Fantie created fire, Kevlar and irony, made 3-D technology with the Our two dimensional lives are too boring and bleak to be continued in the 21st intent to make 2Tanic:Waterlogged, the scicentury. All of the violence and societal fi sequel to his 1999 epic.

3-D earth might have its drawbacks. decline could be exchanged for vibrant The reputations of explorers like Chriscolors and otherworldly creatures. topher Columbus would be tarnished for Rather than plugging in my iPod evfuture generations, as the world not beery morning and listening to Vampire ing flat would be dreadfully obvious. But Weekend’s “A-Punk” while I miserably most of all, 4-D movies would suck. walk to the bus stop, I would plug my

Drawn and Arranged by Will McGowan

March 25, 2010

Pitch

[editorial]

The

4:3 School to Weekend Ratio Would Save Our Skins

By Alexandra Sanfuentes

POINT COUNTER POINT

es per year. Cutting back by a day can help decrease the major costs that are taking money away from other areas of the school system such as athletics and school-sponsored events. In the long run, that means more money for teacher salaries and materials such as textbooks.

A lot of stress that goes into schoolwork, especially when students have to fit in studying for the SATs and filling out college applications, could be alleviated with that one extra day off. Not only would it help students de-stress after a long week but it would also lead to increased attendance in school, leaving the fifth day of the week for getting your braces tightened or your eyes checked.

There is a notion that kids could have a harder time getting back into the school week after a longer weekend. However, the way things are going now, the only thing we need more of is sleep.

Having four days of school would keep a balance with the three days off. Currently, when you’re supposed to be resting your brain, you’re doing more

>

Time. That’s the one thing high schoolers are sorely lacking when it comes to fitting in boatloads of homework, after school jobs, babysitting siblings, studying for the SATs, playing sports and applying for colleges. Five days of studying and doing six hours of homework every night versus two days of doing more homework and studying.

Is your head spinning?

So when schools in Virginia are considering cutting back to four-day school weeks and following the pattern of over one hundred different school systems in 17 states, the idea doesn’t seem half bad. All schools need to do is meet the 180 school day or 990 hour requirement.

Think about it. For every day that students all over the country attend school, the lighting, heating and air conditioning bills rise. The money that goes toward paying for bus transportation would decrease significantly if just one day a week of going to school were cut back, a plus considering the nation’s deplorable economic state.

According to the National School Bus Fuel Data, the U.S. spends $2,146,011,429 on fuel for all bus-

homework over those two days only to be launched back into five more sevenhour school days.

Cutting back could end up ultimately putting students in the U.S. behind students in countries such as Singapore and Japan where test scores are rising.

But rather than focusing on what’s going on miles away, we should be focusing on the well-being of us kiddies and the horrid state of our economy that is glaring us in the face.

Graphic by Krithi Ramaswamy

The appeal of a four-day school week is undeniable; students have the opportunity to sleep in and not worry about school work for an extra day, and the financial incentive for schools is enormous. School systems all over the country have started to implement the shortened week in response to budget issues, citing costs of schoolrelated transportation and utilities required to keep the school running.

And to many, the idea of taking an extra day off seems like a no-brainer.

However, the detriments to this plan far outweigh the possible gains.

Because there is a regulated minimum to the number of school hours a school must be open for instruction, the length of the school day would be extended. Students would be required to attend school for significantly more time each day, adding on an extra one to two hours to the end of the day.

Though this extension may be fine for some, students with extracurricular activities after school would get home

at an unreasonable hour, hindering their ability to complete homework or sleep.

And while some, albeit few, high school students can stay focused for over seven hours on school, many elementary school students find this task extremely difficult.

First graders can hardly be expected to pay attention for eight or nine hours, and even for high school students, this can be extremely hard. Waiting for the clock to hit 2:10 p.m. is painful enough; waiting an hour or two more to be done is just plain torturous.

This system may help out the budgetary issues for schools, but it certainly doesn’t help out families. Working parents who can’t be home for their younger kids on these days off would need to find childcare for them, which can be extremely expensive. Buses are not available on these days off, so parents would be forced to find transportation for their children to get to their childcare.

Montgomery County is one of the richest areas in the country, and students often forget that other areas are not as well-off. Students in less affluent

areas are often in need of the free lunch program that the school provides. According to the National School Lunch Program website, upwards of 30 million students a day take advantage of the free lunch program because they can’t pay for it themselves. By taking a day out of the school week, students cannot receive the benefit of this free lunch, and instead have to struggle to make do without this aid.

And if none of this is convincing to keeping a five-day school week, think about this: the U.S. is losing. In terms of standardized testing, the U.S. does not have a particularly good standing in the international community in terms of test scores. Countries such as Singapore, South Korea and Japan are scoring consistently higher on international standardized tests. As it stands, the U.S. requires its schools to only have 180 days of instruction, as opposed to Japan and South Korea, who require 243 and 220 school days, respectively. Reducing the amount of school days de-emphasizes the importance of education in this country.

Go Ahead, Just Ask

By Luke Wilson

High school. How can one even begin to describe the intrigue, wonder and mystery that shroud this experience without seeming clinically insane or on crack? Well, here at The Pitch, not only are we a little insane, we are on the crack of life (the high isn’t as good as real crack, but is also less expensive than real crack and more gratifying, I dare say).

Because of this unique combination, not only are we able to analyze the perplexing social scene that is high school, we are also able to foresee the consequences (good and bad) of virtually all situations (I foresee parents complaining about the crack reference, but the crack of life has just started kicking in, and I just can’t care). So as a favor to our devoted readers, we are starting an advice column. We are your family, we are your shoulder to cry on, we are…The Pitch.

Dear Pitch: I am a male sophomore and have been in a stable relationship for the past three months with my girlfriend; we will just call her Ladybird. Everything had been going fine the past few months, until Ladybird asked the unthinkable. She wanted to make out in the middle of the hallway. I have always found this kind of display disgusting. What am I to do?!?

Signed, Perplexed Pat

academics like it or not. And in nature, procreation is the single relentless rule.

That is the norm… Our sexual bodies were designed for reproduction…No one is born gay. The idea is ridiculous… homosexuality is an adaptation, not an inborn trait.”

While PFOX members are entitled to their opinion, it is commonly concluded among the gay community that being gay is not a choice. In fact, some gay and lesbian people wish that they were not gay

Dear Pat: A woman has needs too. If it takes PDA to satisfy your woman, PDA she shall have. If you aren’t ready for students gawking at you with disgust for showing your affection, you may not be ready for a relationship. As a matter of fact, here at The Pitch, we encourage PDA; a quick make-out session by the printer helps to relieve stress like none other. Not only does this behavior help the participants relieve stress, it helps to relax the entire room (in fact, these habits guided the career of one Pitch alumnus as he made an appearance in the adult film industry, the “Jerry Springer Show” and, then, unfortunately, jail...)

Dear Pitch: I bit off a little more than I could chew this year. I am in five AP classes and am up until nearly 3 a.m. each night completing my homework. I also have sports commitments outside of school, as a fencer and a rugby player.

How can I make it through this year without exploding?

Signed, Manic Marge

Dear Marge: Stupid is she who works this hard for a high school degree. We cannot help you with this; you will just have to power through this workload until you can get a break. However, we do have one piece of advice: maybe you should start wearing a helmet around school so when your head does explode, you don’t get due to the harassment they receive for the rest of us dirty…Damn overachiever. their sexual orientation. While groups This is as far as we can go for one issue. such as PFOX believe that they can Helping people is harder than we antici“cure” homosexuality, reparative therapy pated, and more frustrating, we would to change sexual orientation has been like to add.

We might just need some crack declared unethical and damaging by maafter reading about all these problems. jor medical and mental health professional associations such as the American Medical Association and the American P.S. Tell us about your trials and tribulations Psychological Association. at thepitchonline@gmail.com! (There is no telling whether we will do this again, Jessica Wolff, Senior though, so don’t get your hopes up.)

Letter to the Editor: Material Posted on PFOX’s Website Contradicts Director’s Statements I read the article in the last issue of The Pitch about PFOX and noted some misconceptions in it. In the article, the PFOX executive director Regina Griggs says, “PFOX families love their homosexual child unconditionally.” However, when someone goes to the PFOX website, it clearly says [in a posted excerpt from the book Vamps and Tramps by Camille Paglia], “Homosexuality is not normal. On the contrary it is a challenge to the norm…Nature exists whether

Curveball

>

5>4: U.S. Needs Extra Day to Get Ahead

By Devon Murtha

7

8

Pitch

[feature]

March 25, 2010

March 25, 2010

Pitch

9

[feature]

MARCHOn ToMAKEOVER MADNESS College: Leaving the Past Behind “

The

Well, I’d never worn jeans before this, so I assumed I was gonna get a pair of those, and a haircut, but other than that I had no idea.

--Todd

“

The

By Abby Singley, Allison Gordon and Camilla Yanushevsky

College is the start of something completely new. No one will know who we were in high school so we can start over, away from the people who have known us since kindergarten and be whoever we want to be. This is why we at The Pitch believe that having a cute and comfortable style that is totally “you” is very important for college.

So, we decided to make over two seniors whose style was…well let’s just say it wasn’t. We took one of our own, Krithi Ramaswamy, along with Todd Glazer, and took these seniors from being “hardly high school” to “completely college.”

Todd Glazer BEFORE

Krithi Ramaswamy

AFTER

AFTER

Todd’s Look

--Krithi

BEFORE

“

Krithi’s Look

The Hair

The Hair

Kevin tried to mend Todd’s curly hair. He cut off approximately an inch and trimmed Todd’s sideburns. Overall, Kevin gave Todd a more proportional style. After the cut, Kevin blow-dried Todd’s hair and then with some product, the style was complete.

Kevin layered Krithi’s hair while still keeping the length that Krithi wanted. After the haircut, Kevin blow-dried Krithi’s hair and then straightened it and curled it with a flat iron. With a touch of hairspray and product, her hair was finished.

The Eyebrows

The Eyebrows

Catherine gave a defined shape to Krithi’s brow with a simple 15-minute wax.

Although we didn’t send Todd to Totally Polished to get his eyebrows waxed, Kevin made sure to give Todd’s brows a little touch up and trim with a pair of scissors.

The Makeup Anna Libman at the Estee Lauder counter in Macy’s at Montgomery Mall went for a natural, warm look for Krithi, using eyeshadows that compliment Krithi’s skin tone. Anna also taught Krithi about moisturizing and cleansing her skin every morning and night.

The Style Before his makeover, Todd only wore track pants and didn’t even own a pair of jeans. So, even he knew that the first item on our agenda was to get him trying on some jeans. Todd went to the men’s section of Nordstrom and tried on all different cuts and washes. Todd and Camilla decided that grey boot-cut jeans were the best look for him. After getting rid of the track pants, Todd went to the Vans store. He wound up going with a pair of Vans sneakers with catchy royalblue laces - a bit more exciting than his old black and grey sneakers. To finish off the look, Todd went to Armani Exchange to upgrade his typical T-shirt and sweatshirt look. He still maintained his style and comfort by getting an Armani Exchange T-shirt and zip-up fleece jacket. Once Todd put it all together, he looked like an upgraded, modern version of his “old” self, with the same sporty vibe.

Photos by Abby Singley

The Style

THE STYLE TEAM THE STYLE TEAM

For videos, more photos and additional interviews, visit wjpitch.com

Kevin Hwang Zohra Salon Catherine Hahn Totally Polished Anna Libman Estee Lauder at Macy’s

Kevin told Todd and Krithi to comb their hair when it is wet, but to not brush it once it is dry. He said this would make Todd’s curly hair frizzy and destroy the waves in Krithi’s hair. He also taught Krithi that in order to get long-lasting waves, a flat iron should be used.

(Above) Kevin gives Krithi side bangs.

(Right) Kevin prepares to give Todd a good cut for his head shape.

“

Now that [changing my style] is finally done, we’ve figured out a style together and I’m looking forward to [college] more because I feel better about the way I look.

Catherine says to make sure you don’t overpluck the inner-edges of your eyebrows.

You should use the widest sides of your nose as a guideline. Also, before you get a wax, you or the cosemetologist should rub baby power over the area that is going to be waxed.

(Above) Catherine of Totally Polished.

(Right) Krithi getting her eyebrows waxed.

Anna stressed the importance of using skin moisturizer day and night. This helps makeup look better on your skin and will prevent signs of aging. She also suggested that you buy your make-up at a department store; although this is more expensive, you get good advice on what you need and what will work with your skin type.

(Above) Anna chooses a powder color to match Krithi’s skin and foundation.

(Left) Krithi poses with Anna after her make-up is finished.

THE STYLE TEAM THE STYLE TEAM

Kim Osuji BP. Sales Associate Kim helped Krithi break out of her solid color habit by introducing her to florals and prints. Kim said this is the time when it is okay to wear floral and stripes together. In order to get assistance in finding figure-flattering and fashion-forward clothes, BP. of Nordstrom and other department stores are great places to shop. Don’t be afraid to ask the sales associates questions or take advantage of their assistance in finding clothes. * You can find Kim Osuji as Assistant Manager of the Children’s Department in Nordstrom, across from B.P.

Kim Osuji in the BP. section at Nordstrom worked with Abby to select clothes that Krithi would wear, but that gave her a more modern style. Krithi wanted a look that would flatter her figure, so we went with a loose cardigan that lengthens the torso and a catchy floral tank. For the bottoms, Krithi had never worn skinny jeans before, but she was willing to try on all types of jeans. Once Kim brought in a pair of “jeggings” pants that look like jeans but fit and feel like leggings - Krithi was sold. We finished off the look with a pair of gold Gladiator sandals with a flat sole, so Krithi can walk in the shoes comfortably.

*

The Stylists

Camilla Yanushevsky Feature Editor

Allison Gordon Assistant Feature Editor

Abby Singley

Online Editor- In-Chief/ Copy Editor

Krithi with Kim after her makeover was complete.

(From Right) Feature editor Camilla Yanushevsky, senior Krithi Ramaswamy, assistant feature editor Allison Gordon and online editor-in-chief/ copy editor Abby Singley finish a long afternoon of shopping, hair and makeup.

We at The Pitch would like to give a special thanks to Kevin Hwang and Anna Libman for donating their time and services to March Makeover Madness.

We would also like to thank Kim Osuji for the time she spent helping Krithi find her inner fashionista. Thanks to Totally Polished for allowing us to take photos in its salon.

March 25, 2010

ON

By Flor Martinez

Pitch

[feature]

The

The Job Hunt

10

Looking for a job? Can’t seem to find any success, or maybe you’re just too lazy to try? Let The Pitch bring the information to you. All you have to do is get up from your couch, exit that Facebook window, apply online or walk in and get an application: quick and painless, right?

How to apply: Apply online at

Interview Dos and Don’ts

By Camilla Yanushevsky

What do you look for in an employee?

We look for someone who is dedicated and persistent: if they start a task, they’ll finish it. We look for someone who is passionate about something, confident and a good communicator. Time management, also, is an important skill. It’s a sign of maturity. Aside from your extra-curricular activities, we want to make sure you have time for [the job].

Are first impressions important?

http://www.peer2peertutors.com/employment

Where: Tutored student’s house Wage: Starts at $12 per hour Job Description: Provide tutoring,

homework coaching and mentorship to students in grades K-12.

How to apply: Walk in and get an application

First impressions are most definitely important. They need to be memorable. They are usually formed by how much interest is shown in the job.

Once an impression is formed, it is sometimes hard to change.

Where: Westfield Montgomery Mall:

What are the most common interview mistakes that people make?

Wage: Pay rate may vary; minimum wage and

7101 Democracy Blvd Bethesda, MD 20817

A common thing that happens is the interviewer asks, “How is your school year going?” And the person being interviewed just says “Fine.” Or when asked, “Why are you applying?” the person responds, “I don’t know.” It’s important to carry on the conversation. It shows that you care and are taking the time to speak.

up starting at $7.25

What are good strategies going into an interview?

Where: Westfield Montgomery Mall:

A really good strategy when you’re being interviewed is to ask questions because it shows you’re interested. Also, it’s fine to brag. It’s important to show that you’re proud of what you do.

Interview conducted with Emily Shniderman, Director of Human Resources for Peer2Peer Tutors

Contact: Call (301)-365-6764 How to Apply: Walk in and get an application

7101 Democracy Blvd Bethesda, MD 20817

Wage:

Pay rate may vary; minimum wage and up starting at $7.25

Pitch

March 25, 2010

The

[arts&entertainment]

11

D.C. Events: Spring Flings

By Flor Martinez

With Spring comes the weather and energy fit for adventure, not to mention no more excuses to stay cuddled up on the couch. Grab a friend and some shades and experience the many festivals now taking place in the D.C. area.

March 25- April 10 1- The Russian film Hipsters by diF.I.S.T rector Valery Todorovsky is one of The fighting improv tournament con- the many featured at the D.C. Film sists of three-person improv teams who Fest. 2- The annual Cherry Blosface off in a single-elimination compe- som Festival is one of D.C.’s most tition. Power is given to the audience popular events. 3- The Big Band members, whose laughs determine Jam is a must for jazz lovers. 4which person will move on to the next Earth Day Concerts in D.C. feature of environmental artists. round. There is a $10 entrance fee. Lo- a5-number Yes, there really is an entire cated at the Washington Improv Theater, convention for the Twilight series.

1835 14th St. NW Washington, DC. For more information call 202-204-7800.

2

April 10 Cherry Blossom Parade D.C.’s Cherry Blossom Festival parade is its largest public event, bringing many spectators from around the area. The parade includes entertainment for anyone including decorated floats, gigantic balloons, marching bands, clowns, horses, antique cars, military and celebrity performances.The parade is simulcast live on ABC 7/ WJLA-TV and NewsChannel 8. Plus, it’s completely free.

April 15 Earth Day on the Mall

April 15-25

1

Photo courtesy of dcfilmfest.org

3

Photo courtesy of www. bigbandjam.org

Photo courtesy of SDCDeaCerte

4

5

Located on the National Mall from noon till 6:00 p.m. this annual event will feature live music, entertainment, speakers and environmental activities. This Earth Day will feature musical numbers by The Flaming Lips, Moe., Los Lobos and DJ Spooky. This event is totally free.

IF YOU CAN READ THIS

difference, or even improvement, in the tracks that have been familiar to me since age three. And maybe that’s just because my ears have been conditioned to receive these reminiscent sounds, down to each crackle and dip and they won’t have it any other way. But even if I could experience this mind-blowing difference, I still would not feel that the technical sound quality is the most remastering has to offer to the music world.

What makes remastering a great opportunity for artists and music critics alike is the new relevance it gives to the albums and artists being remastered, allowing them to be thrown into the current music scene even though their popular prime has past. Any remastered album of a highly influential artist gives us a fresh take upon this past music and allows us to evaluate the current influence of the artist or album since the time of its prime popularity.

Of course, there are fans and critics to whom a remastered album is not necessary to cause their realization of an artist’s influence and popularity over time and what this says about our evolving music industry, etc. But this is what makes remastering such a healthy development for music at large; because the average music listener is rarely moved to reflect upon such concepts when they’re not blatantly present. How publicized and popular a remastered album becomes may tell us about the technical quality of the remaster, but most of all it’s an inadvertent update on our ever evolving music taste. It reminds us that while our somewhat united cultural tastes may be fleeting, music itself is enduring and will always have relevance to the current scene, even if it takes a re-issue for us to realize it.

YOUR LIFE MAY HAVE BEEN TURNED UPSIDE DOWN

BY USING ALCOHOL OR DRUGS

As the entertainment production industry constantly dishes out new gadgets and features in music, movies, and internet, we readily gobble them up, determined to make our entertainment experience of the highest quality possible. I don’t really know what Fiber Optics means, but you can bet I have Verizon FiOs cable, because even though I don’t really notice, I know that my eyes are enjoying the glossiest two-dimensional images possible. A less-understood counterpart to the high-definition television sensation is practice of digital remastering in music.

Few people even have a tangible idea of what this really means, however, digital remastering is actual a fairly concise process that involves the same procedures used by the original producers of the remastered work.

When music producers create the final copy of a track (the master), they draw from the various recordings and then mix to create an equalized, best quality track that is formatted to best fit the audio device (vinyl LP, tape, CD). Most simply, remastering a track is just creating a new master track, although the process can serve many different purposes. Creating a CD from an original analog tape is a form of remastering, even though it generally involves no other processing.

In other words, the track itself, and its sound to the human ear, does not change at all. Disappointing, maybe, but such is the case with most remastered forms, even those glossy box sets of music greats that go for hundreds of dollars.

Although I have craned my neck for hours and donned noise-cancelling headphones to experience the polished remastered version of the Beatles’ White Album, I have failed to notice a distinct

April 23-25 Twilight Convention Located in Arlington, Virginia, it is predicted to have appearances from Kellan Lutz (who plays Emmet Cullen), Peter Facinelli (Dr. Carlisle Cullen) and members of Wolf Pack. The convention features a Friday night concert, a Saturday night vampire ball and much more. Prices range from $25 to $289, located at 900 S Orme St. in Arlington, Virginia.

STOP DRIVING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE

By Sophie Meade

Photo courtesy of www.stepheniemeyer.com

April 16-25 Big Band Jam Festival Located on the National Mall and then in seven separate venues around the D.C. area, venues include clinics, classes, tours, films and performances beginning at 11:00 a.m. The festival features high schools, colleges, universities, military, amateur and professional ensembles. For more information visit www.bigbandjam.org. This is a must for jazz lovers.

ENJOY THE PROM – STAY SOBER

The Music Masters: [Re]issued, [Re]packaged and [Re]birthed

Photo courtesy luckywhitegirl

D.C. Film Fest This film festival is an annual event which showcases a wide variety of movies from around the world. It lasts for eleven days and tickets are $10 per person (besides opening night) at the AMC Mazza Gallerie located at 5300 Wisconsin Avenue NW. For more information plus locations go to www.filmfest.org and to purchase tickets tickets.com or call (800) 955-5566.

12

[arts&entertainment]

Out of Left Field:

Pitch

March 25, 2010

The

Spring Fashion Preview

Smelling the Flowers of S Reality TV

By Sasha Tycko When I originally began to write this column, my intention was to write a lofty analysis on the Decline of Culture. As I started a biting commentary analyzing our cultural deterioration, I experienced the much-dreaded writer’s block. Sitting outside in the sun with A Tribe Called Quest playing in the background, I found it difficult to adopt a negative attitude towards anything. So with one quick stroke of the backspace button, I started anew.

It’s so easy to constantly criticize everything, but all this accomplishes is a gloomy disposition and some irritated friends. It sounds clichéd, but we would all do well to learn to appreciate the positive aspects of life a little more- to stop and smell the flowers if you will. This issue, I decided to take a new approach to my dismissal of pop culture, by focusing on the positive aspects of today’s culture.

My usual distaste of pop culture stems from a society whose idea of culture consists of terrible reality television shows such as “Tool Academy” and “Rock of Love.” However, today is not a day for ranting. Despite the onslaught of terrible programming that reality television has brought us, some of these shows have employed the reality television format in an inspired way. Rather than simply appealing to the public with trashy, melodramatic shows, some shows try to bridge the gap between the low-brow and the high-brow. In this manner, reality television has been able to make the aloof world of fashion and other creative forces accessible to the general public.

The fashion world is a swirling array of lush fabrics, fierce models and $500 shoes.

Part of the allure is this look of untouchable glamour. Yet because of this, the artistic side of fashion is largely unacknowledged by a society that values practicality over creativity in clothes. However, reality television provides viewers with a much more comfortable context for fashion than the catwalk. The formidable wall between the six foot model toting the latest Alexander Wang bag and the housewife who shops at Target crumbled slightly when reality television brought a behind-the-scenes look at fashion straight into people’s homes.

These fashion-related reality shows – “Project Runway,” “America’s Next Top Model,” “The Rachel Zoe Project” – alert their viewers to the ins and outs of style and offer yet another resource for both fashionsavvy and ignorant viewers to understand the complicated realm of fashion. Because of these shows, viewers can familiarize themselves with different design names and discuss the finer details of the Chanel spring/summer ready-to-wear collection.

Viewers distinguish the difference between an ordinary smile and smiling with their eyes and “that’s fierce” and “make it work” have become common catchphrases.

Reality television has also provided the young players of the fashion industry with an opportunity to showcase their talents and gain recognition. Christian Siriano of Annapolis, Md. was the youngest contestant to win “Project Runway” during the show’s fourth season. Siriano has since launched his own label, and his designs have been seen on various celebrities like the kooky Lady Gaga.

However much I love to hate today’s pop culture, and in this case reality television, it’s not all that bad.

everal distinct trends have emerged on the runway for the approaching spring/summer season of fashion. Many of these trends - embellishments, vibrant prints, girlish femininity, sleek modernity - exhibit an intricate attention to detail.

These trends mark various departures of style personality, so we decided to focus on two distinct trends: girlish femininity and vibrant prints. The girlish trend adheres to a classic 20th century view on femininity, featuring ruffles, white lace and an hour-glass silhouette. Some design houses have embraced a bolder look, with bright colors, exquisite prints and loud accessories.

Which style personality fits you?

Classic Femininity

Vibrant Prints

By Sasha Tycko

By Sophie Meade

E

G

mbrace your wild side this season with statement pieces and bright colors. Fashion houses retired the monochromatic looks of autumn/winter and featured pieces heavily influenced by tribal prints for their spring/summer ready-towear collections. It looks like the rompers and harem-style pants of last summer will endure another season, keeping emphasis on the waist. To accomplish this look, mix bright prints with a tailored, modern silhouette to avoid a costumed look.

o back to your school-girl roots this spring as you lose yourself in unabashed, classic femininity. The endless frills and barely-there shades are both primly delicate and slightly silly, and may cause endless frolicking. Gather inspiration from the decades of the early to mid 20th century, i.e. ‘20s, ‘30s, ‘40s, and even incorporate vintage pieces to eliminate the harshness of the cheap mass-produced look.

The best part of unabashed girliness is feeling like a modern-day princess.

1

Pairing some frilly embroidered socks with flats or oxfords and a full-skirt echoes the school-girl look, but in the most purely innocent way. On the other hand, this trend has plenty of room for ironic comparison: frilly socks with a utilitarian shoe or with girly flats and a pair of washed out Levi cut-offs.

2

Although hemlines only seem to be getting shorter, this spring there is a definite return of the knee-length full skirt. Pair a swinging skirt with a skin-tight camisole or a crop top to emphasize the dominance of the hips in this classic silhouette.

3

Another versatile addition, the straw hat lives up to its potential paired with a girly sundress or with jeans and a t-shirt. You’d be surprised at much you’ll want to frolic through fields or go for a picnic the second you put on a big-bowed sun hat.

4

Some of the more extravagant pieces this spring are sheer lace tops and billowing chiffon camisoles and skirts.

But if these girly garments are a bit too literal for your taste, you can easily add a bit of lace trimming to any skirt, top or dress for a more subtle femininity.

5

Photo courtesy of chanel.com

1

Pair harem or drop-crotch pants with a close-fitting shirt to maintain a clean silhouPhoto courtesy of marcjacobs.com ette. A bright print can be somewhat overbearing, so balance out the impact of the tribal printed pants by pairing them with a printed shirt, such as polka dots.

5

2

6

Spring time is undeniably sandal time, and this season is no different. This season’s sandals adhere to the tribal trend with colored accents, cutouts and plenty of ankle straps. Wedged heels and espadrilles with ankle ties can accompany harem pants and rompers.

6 3

7 7

4 8 Photos courtesy of urbanoutfitters.com, marcjacobs.com and forever21.com

When following this trend, beware a heavy, layered look.

To achieve a cleaner silhouette, cinch in the waist of a printed tunic or romper with a braided leather belt. Belts can also go over harem bants to create more definition. The braided leather maintains the natural look while taming the silhouette.

8

Add flare to an outfit with the chunky jewelry that’s en vogue this season. Bangles and cuffed bracelets are versatile pieces and can complement most outfits.

March 25, 2010

Pitch

The

[sports]

13

14

Pitch

[sports]

Will History Repeat Itself?

Based on past tournaments, these are the chances that the higher seeds will win in the Sweet 16

Sweet 16: 1 1 2 2

seed seed seed seed

vs vs vs vs

4 5 3 6

seed, seed, seed, seed,

72% 84% 64% 78%

Statistics courtesy of cbssports.com, Graphic by Colin Buley

The Method to the Madness

By Colin Buley When it comes to bracket pools, the prevailing perception is that winning is a crap-shoot. When your sister is winning after the first weekend of the tournament by filling out her bracket by picking the teams with the best mascots, it’s easy to see why there is so much skepticism. The fact of the matter is that, yes, winning a bracket pool is a difficult thing to do. It is not based entirely on luck, however; you need luck and skill.

The answer is statistics. You can use them to put yourself, if not on the winner’s podium, near the top of your bracket. Every year.

The method is simple. All that is required is a basic knowledge of past trends in the NCAA tournament (knowledge gained through stats) and an above average interest/understanding of the tournament field of 65. That one is on you; stats aren’t gonna help you if you don’t watch basketball and are smart about the subject. But you could always get lucky.

Now here’s what you do. Say that you’re just starting to fill out your bracket, pick-

March 25, 2010

The

ing the first round is your first task (and most fun in my opinion). When it comes to games involving the 1, 2, and 3 seeds you’re best off picking all of the higher seeds. It’s not worth the risk to pick a 14, 15, 16 seed to get the upset, seeing as those upsets happen less than 10 percent of the time.

In the first round, it only really starts getting interesting with the 5 versus 12 seed match up. The 12 seed wins a surprising 33 percent of the time, indicating that you’d be smart to pick a 12 seed or two to advance every tournament. I got risky this year and picked Cornell and UTEP to go through to the Sweet Sixteen. One worked out, one didn’t. Such is the tournament.

So you see? Take these stats, and apply your knowledge of the game to them.

For example, the fact that Cornell makes threes at a ridiculously high rate and was playing two types of teams that traditionally choke in the tournament. The rest is up to luck, but it’s been said that you make your own luck, and this is how you do it.

Pitch Picks

2 Ohio St.

Final Four

1 Syracuse 1 Kentucky

1 Syracuse

1 Kentucky 1 Duke

Kentucky

Graphic by Parker Smith

2010 Sweet Sixteen Midwest:

East:

9 Northern Iowa v. 5 Michigan St.

1 Kentucky v. 12 Cornell

6 Tennessee v. 2 Ohio St.

11 Washington v. 2 West Virginia

West:

South:

1 Syracuse v. 5 Butler

1 Duke v. 4 Purdue

6 Xavier v. 2 Kansas St

3 Baylor v. 10 St. Mary’s (CA)

Athletes of the Month

By Jennifer Spencer

Rachel Albershardt

Running and shooting do not seem like the usual combination to most people. To senior Rachel Albershardt, a competitive athlete who enjoys doing both running and riflery, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for a new challenge.

Albershardt has competed on the WJ cross country and track and field team since her freshman year and has competed in riflery since middle school.

Thus, when her rifle coach introduced her to someone who did summer biathlons, it seemed the natural choice to give it a try.

“I only just combined the two sports and started doing legit biathlons last spring,” said Albershardt. “I got to combine my two favorite sports.”

Competitions vary from event to event, but they are all an alternating cycle of running and shooting. Courses range from 1.5k to 10k with the 5k being the most common length. In a competition, a competitor runs a set distance, then must stop and shoot five targets. Scoring is based on the competitor’s total time including the number of penalty loops.

“It’s not just about how fast or how accurate you are; there’s so much more to think about during a competition and it’s really exhilarating,” said Albershardt.

With Albershardt’s busy running schedule and the majority of the competitions being in the northern part of the U.S., it works out that the biathlons take place in the summer. Albershardt has only been in one competition thus far, the summer biathlon in Pennsylvania, where she won the sport section.

Albershardt’s experience with her first biathlon has motivated her to continue with the sport this upcoming summer.

While Albershardt doesn’t compete in biathlons during the school-year, she still practices her shooting once a week with a group affiliated with the Izaak Walton League, in addition to doing daily track practices.

While Albershardt is not sure exactly where she wants to attend college, she wants to continue with biathlons. Since most colleges do not offer riflery or biathlons as a sport, she plans to join a college running program and find a local rifle club to practice with. She also has specific goals in regards to her future in the biathlon.

“My long term goal is to keep practicing in the summers and try out for the summer national team after college,” said Albershardt. “It’s a small team and very doable if I stick with it; I think that would be just awesome.”

Photo courtesy of Rachel Albershardt

“There aren’t many other competitions around this area,” said Albershardt, who does mock runs at practice to help train.

Joshua Ellis

Wausau, Wisconsin, Ottawa and Mon- cally on competing in slalom kayaking.

“The purpose of slalom is to get down treal: these are just a few of the places sophomore Josh Ellis has explored while the course as fast as possible and with as in a kayak. Ellis has competed in rivers little touches to the gates as possible,” said Ellis. “It requires lots of skill and strength in these states to compete in and all across slalom.” the U.S. and Ellis also pracCanada. tices another “I have raced discipline within at two junior kayaking called Olympics and freestyle, where have placed one must ride okay in both,” waves or holes. said Ellis. “I “While surfing have also comand riding you peted in local perform tricks races and have Photo courtesy of Jimmy Ellis such as flat spins, placed respectively in those.” Ellis’ dad and brother are avid kayakers who are also loops, back loops, cartwheels and Ellis is part involved in the sport. of the competitive Valley Mill Kayaking other crazy stuff that score you a certain Team which practices regularly through- amount of points,” said Ellis. “Part of both out the year. He primarily focuses on slalom and freestyle is river running, kayaking during the summer while he is which is your ability to navigate a river also a counselor at the Valley Mill camp. and rapids safely.”

His biggest joy about kayaking comes Ellis helps out the younger campers in practice and as a counselor in addition from his actual experience on the waters though. to practicing his own kayaking.

“Just being able to go out in the sum“When summer comes is when I really start training in my free time,” said Ellis. mer and enjoy the world in a way that “Being a part of this team and working few other people ever have a chance to for this camp really gives you a perspec- do is the best part,” said Ellis.

Ellis hopes to continue kayaking in tive of nature and the awesome force of the future, but for now, track and field the rivers.”

Bruce Uthus, the director of the Val- remains his primary focus. He recently ley Mill Team, competed as a paddler earned all-American status with the WJ 4 throughout the country and taught Ellis by 800 meter relay at the National Schoabout the sport from his own experi- lastic indoor track and field championships. Ellis still manages to find time for ences.

“He has expert advice and coaching kayaking in his busy schedule and plans to and is really good at getting the younger continue doing so.

“I know I have a long way to go whichteam members super excited about the ever way it is and I am willing to put forth sport,” said Ellis.

The Valley Mill Team focuses specifi- the effort,” said Ellis.

March 25, 2010

Pitch

15

[sports]

The

The Grid

By Kathleen Seale

As the spring season is just beginning, The Pitch sports editors decided to let readers get to know the head coaches* for the ‘09-‘10 season. Have you ever wondered what the boys lacrosse locker room smells like? What about who Mr. Martin’s celebrity crush is? Look below and read hilarious answers from the coaches!

The Coaches Jamie Ahearn, Softball

My celebrity Our locker room I should win an If I were an animal My season I would be... smells like... crush is... prediction is... award for...

Joel McHale So bad, I won’t go in it

“Having The Best Dad in the World” ... and mom

A lizard because they live in all 10-6 or better the tropical and as always places and can lots of fun! change colors

Photos by Celia Karp and Andrea Linder

Kim Ahearn, Baseball

None

Ursula Bright, Gymnastics

Dwayne Johnson

Jon Mayer, Boys Lacrosse

Body odor

We don’t have a locker “Nicest Coach Ever” room...

The wrestling I’m not conEmmanuelle team was in it cerned with awards. I’m Chriqui for an entire concerned with season winning.

To be honest, It has no smell Bill Morris, anymore Coed Volleyball I hate them all Sylvie Ellen, Boys Volleyball

Tom Martin, Track & Field

“Stupidity”

“Surviving on a Daily Basis”

A cougar

11-6

A rabbit

Our season is looking positive and strong!

A bear

Every year I expect to compete for the region.Anything less than that, we’ve come up short.

I wouldn’t be an animal because I don’t like pets

Hopefully we’ll be .500

Jim from “The Office” with a twist of Jon Stewart if he were taller

The hallway outside my room smells like feet [and] Chipotle, mixed with mildew and Axe

“Best Sense of Humor”

A dolphin or a porpoise

Having fun is definitely a major component for success

Anyone of the Jessicas

The boys team room smells like butt. I can only assume [the girls team room] smells like flowers and spring rain.

“Coaching the Girls and Remaining Sane”

A white-tail buck during the rut, they seem to be having a lot of fun.

It will start out cold and windy then it will get warmer and by the end it’ll be down right hot!

Balls

“Shortest Person Alive”

A turtle

States

Brittany Borsody Heath Ledger Girls Lacrosse *Boys tennis coach Mike Laukaitis declined to comment

Slider

A Love/Hate Relationship

By Mateo Williamson As sports editor, you’d think that there is nothing that I love more than sports.

You’d think my whole life has been spent preparing to hoist up the Lombardi trophy, win the Stanley Cup or bring home gold at the Olympics. While I am a sports fan, I must admit that when it comes to actually playing sports, I am jaded. Every experience I’ve had around sports has been downright nightmarish.

No one knows what it’s like being the only kid who hit the tee every single time. Or the kid who didn’t score in a basketball game as a child. Especially being the only Brazilian kid on the soccer team that sucks at soccer. It’s been like this for as long as I can remember. Here’s a little trip back into my athletic past...

At the age of five, my parents made me join a bunch of recreational sports teams so that I wouldn’t become “another overweight American child.” Like every other kid, I went to practices intent on goofing around, and maybe, just maybe, practice a little. My first bad memory was when they made the roster for my rec teeball team. Let me reiterate how bad I was at tee ball. One day at practice, they got so tired of waiting for me to hit the ball off

Infographic by Kathleen Seale

the tee that while I was still trying (and failing) to hit the ball, they set up another tee, and had the rest of the team hit off of it.

“At least you’re trying!” Coach would say. But that wasn’t even the worst part.

Two weeks later, before our first game, Coach told me that I would be hitting at the top of the order.

“Why isn’t my son Jeff hitting first?” interrupted Mr. Schaffer, the assistant coach and father of the most athletic kid on the team.

Mr. Schaffer was the typical sports dad: thick sunglasses, handlebar mustache and way too much of himself invested into junior recreational athletics. Then there was his son, Jeff.

He was the best player on the team, but

he didn’t seem to like tee ball very much at all. He’d always talk about how much his dad would make him practice, or how he wanted to run away cause of his dad.

I was sure Jeff hated his dad and wanted to quit tee ball. He’d end up doing a lot of drugs as a teen in order to escape the pressure to make Daddy proud. At least when I would kick around dirt in the outfield, I imagined it that way.

But by some divine power, my parents took me off the tee ball team, saving me roughly six more years of embarrassment.

Since then, I’ve realized that I may never become a sports MVP or champion, but when I have kids, I’m going to make sure they’re the lead-off hitter, and live all my failed childhood athletic exploits through them. One day they’ll thank me.

Sports W i l d c a t

16

March 25, 2010

The Grid Coaches Edition

pg. 15

Check out The Pitch Online at WJPitch.com

Sport: A World Affair

By Zach Gordon

What defines a sport? Look up the word in the dictionary and you’re likely to find something similar to this entry from the Random House Dictionary: “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature.” But look further into the definitions, and you’ll find one with more meaning: “a diversion; recreation; pastime.”

What most of us see in sports here in the United States is a spectacle, something that people do in their free time, used for entertainment purposes when we aren’t playing them ourselves. But the game takes on a whole new meaning internationally. Although it is almost impossible to define what sport means to different nations, we can start by looking at the dictionary definition.

A Diversion A young boy steps out of his home in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He lives in a neighborhood with a shockingly high poverty and crime rate.

Although he is daily scared to make the walk to school, he knows he must, out of respect for his family and for his future.

Every day around him there are murders and violence. Yet, the teen sees one refuge: the game of basketball. A few years later, the teen would turn into a Georgetown alum and eventually one of the greatest shot blockers to ever play the game. Unfortunately, stories like this, of center Dikembe Mutombo, are all too familiar around the world. Not for the stardom, but for that the violence and poverty millions live through each and every day.

In full force, 1995 in South Africa saw two distinct events in the nation’s history: the hosting of the Rugby World Cup and the aftermath of apartheid.

Rugby in South Africa was traditionally a “white-man’s” sport – where the traditionally upper-class whites would take up rugby and the lower-class blacks would

play soccer. As racial tension drew the nation apart, the announcement of the World Cup seemed to draw the population together like nothing seen before.

Blacks who used to denounce the sport and jeer the team for its racial stereotypes were now cheering, alongside whites, as the “One Nation, One Team” motto spread around the nation.

The team would eventually win the Cup, and the nation’s President Nelson Mandela celebrated by donning a No. 6 jersey for team captain Francois Piennar, a white man. The two men, the black a symbol of hope and equality for the country, and the white man, a uniting force for national pride, shared an embrace felt all around the world.

A Recreation It is no surprise to anyone that soccer is the world’s most popular sport. For most of the people in the world, soccer is the only sport they know of or care about. But for countries such as Bangladesh, where soccer is still very popular, there are other sports which win the hearts of fans. For Bangladesh, that sport is cricket.

“Anyone from a kid to an adult knows the game [in Bangladesh],” said senior Saad Khan, born in Bangladesh.

Although the national team has performed historically poorly (they have only won three out of 56 matches played since 2000), the nation has developed a passion for the sport. Whereas children in America play pick-up basketball games and touch football games, in Bangladesh, the streets are often populated with children playing cricket.

“It’s a fun activity in everyday life for people in Bangladesh,” said Khan.

For a nation that does not have a very

about what they will use as paddles.

A Pastime Few countries can describe passion for a sport more than Canada can for the game of hockey. European immigrants brought ball-and-stick games, such as field hockey and cricket, to North America in the mid-1800s.

The games became incredibly popular among the settlers in the lands soon to be known as Canada and the United States. However, the colder temperatures in the northern parts of the land made it difficult for games such as cricket to catch on, whereas in America, cricket would evolve into baseball by the late 1800s and become the national pastime.

Canadian natives found that field hockey adapted well to icy conditions, and ever since then, the nation has been in a craze.

“Hockey is all you hear about here,” said Chad Francis, a high school senior in Nova Scotia. “It’s almost hard to explain how much it means to everyone up here.”

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver were one of the most meaningful in the nation’s history. The only other time the Games were held in Canada, in Calgary in 1988, the hockey team failed to medal, causing nation-wide disappointment. A gold in these games, winning it in front of your home fans, would not only be cause for massive celebration, but one of the most meaningful hockey victories on any level ever. As the games started, the nation was at a standstill. Fans of rival professional teams now were cheering as one, as a red-clad army

cheering, “Go, Canada, Go!” loud and proud throughout the tournament. And as the game ended, and the cheers reverberated around the nation, one couldn’t be disappointed at the loss of any of the competitors. Because for this nation, the gold meant more to them than anyone else.

“It was unreal,” said Francis. “Everyone was talking about it. The streets were littered with people.”

There are about 500,000 hockey players, in the male, female, and junior leagues in Canada, almost 2 percent of its entire population. There are over 3,000 official hockey rinks, outdoor and indoor, in the entire nation. The craziest part? Hockey isn’t even the country’s official sport. Lacrosse has been the nation’s official sport since 1859.

But titles don’t define what a sport means to a nation. For countires such as South Africa, Bangladesh and Canada, sports such as rugby, cricket and hockey can mean much more. These nations don’t see the sport as a mere game; they see it as a piece of national identity. To these nations, the sport is defined as a force, the cause of uniting, dividing, celebration, dissapointment, passion and hope. Because to these nations, sport is love. And sometimes, that’s the only definition that matters.

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All photos courtesy of flickr.com

successful sports history, Bangladesh is as passionate as anyone about their sport, whether it be soccer, rugby or cricket.

But when the children find the time to play a game, instead of reaching for their shoes and a ball, they might have to think

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