Volume 55 Issue 2

The

Walter Johnson High School

Pitch

October 30, 2009

visit us at WJPitch.com

< < < <Visit the Pitch’s website at www.wjpitch.com

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814

Volume 55 | Issue 2

Three WJ students agreed to speak individually under the protection of anonymity about their prescription drug abuse. Pain killers, antianxiety drugs, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) medication: the list grew progressively longer as each student told his or her story.

Not Quite What the Doctor Ordered

By Ava Bleiberg

“

I came to be in this alienated and dissociated state where I didn’t want to see anything, listen to anything or talk to anybody. I had insomnia because of it so I just stared at my floor, wishing I would disappear.

28% of WJ students have used prescription drugs that had not been medically prescribed to them

“

My heart beat got really fast and I started sweating and got really into my paper and freaked out.

“

”

”

I ended up going to school really really depressed, and I was pissed off at everybody, even my best friend. It wasn’t a good feeling and I felt kind of sick. I hadn’t eaten for a while and I wanted to eat, but it was hard to.

”

Students Are Popping Pills “There was a lifetime supply right there in my house,” said senior Mark Rylan*, an abuser of prescription pain medications.

“I looked around my house and I found a whole bottle of it,” said junior Jimmy Sonner*, who regularly abuses ADD medications.

“They were prescribed to me, but it wasn’t really a necessary prescription,” said senior Derek Thomas*, who has dappled in many different fields of prescription drugs, but mainly abuses anti-anxiety and ADD medications. *Name has been changed to protect identity

“Currently and in the past, I have done Wellbutrin and Klonopin, as well as Adderall, Lithium, Xanax, Zoloft, Concerta, Ritalin, Vivance, Dextrin, Amphetamine salts and way back in the day I used to abuse pain killers,” said Thomas. “That’s all I can remember off the top of my head, pretty much the majority of antidepressants, anti-anxiety, amphetamine clouds.”

The drugs Xanax, Klonopin and Zoloft are a few commonly prescribed Benzodiazepines often referred to as Benzo’s, which are used to reduce anxiety. These drugs are central nervous system depressants, and when abused, induce an extreme relaxation and produce an effect similar to that of alcohol.

“I was actually prescribed [anti-anxiety medication] for a while,” said Thomas. “Then I would just take [those pills] daily with the Xanax and Klonopin and all. It makes everything spacey and I couldn’t take anything seriously, so I’d usually do it whenever I was just going out to see people or I felt like not remembering the day.”

Although each depressant works differently, the pleasantly drowsy and calming effect is what abusers normally seek to achieve. After continual use, tolerance is developed and greater amounts of the drug are needed to reach the initial high.The cycle of increased tolerance leading to increased abuse makes depressants a highly addictive category of drugs.

Dr. Anita Gadhia-Smith, a Washington-based psychotherapist specializing in addiction and therapy, was once herself a drug and alcohol abuser. From personal experience in regaining control after her battle with drugs, she finds the wide-spread prescription drug abuse among teenagers alarming.

“They’re highly addictive; the use of all drugs and alcohol can arrest and impede emotional development and psychological development as well as physical health,” said Gadhia-Smith.

Seeing as these drugs can be dangerous to development, they are controlled substances which are meant to be obtained through a prescription. According to Thomas, that is the easy part.

“Getting a prescription is easy,” said Thomas. “Your golden ticket is getting referred to a psychiatrist, and then from there you can pretty much get anything you want. First you have to go to a psychologist, and then feign the general symptoms of whatever the medication you want applies to. When they refer you to a psychiatrist, you pull the same shtick. Then psychiatrists are prone to writing prescriptions because it’s all part of a never ending cycle.”

See Prescription Drug Dilemma, Page 4

Graphic by Will McGowan Survey conducted on Oct. 27 and 28 of 162 students during third period classes

Inside Glance

What’s your craziest halloween experience?

Pg. 5

Flashback: Pitch Picks Teachers in High School Pg. 8-9

Album Reviews Pg. 11

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The

Volume 54 | Issue 3

Syndicated columnist Cal Thomas speaks to The Pitch and Journalism classes.

Interesting Alums:

By Cami Keyani

WJ alum Cal Thomas visited on Oct. 5 to talk to The Pitch staffs - online and print, and the Journalism 1 class. He also broadcasted his live radio commentary directly in front of The Pitch Online staff during their first period class.

Thomas graduated from WJ in 1960.

During his time here, he was a part of the school’s basketball team and played clarinet in the orchestra. Most importantly, however, was the radio show he hosted at the age of 16, which he claims spurred his career in journalism.

He is now a syndicated conservative columnist, with his column printed in over 500 newspapers nationally, and has had his TV commentary on FOX News’ After Hours with Cal Thomas and has written 10 books.

Today it may seem strange that a columnist with strong conservative ideals has roots in the liberal hub of Bethesda.

But Bethesda has changed over time.

“When I grew up in Bethesda, it was a different place,” said Thomas. “My parents and those of most of my friends were

Cal Thomas

married to their first and only spouse and neighbors knew each other. Drugs were things you got at the pharmacy with a legal prescription. There were a few who drank illegal beer, but not many.”

After graduating from WJ, Thomas attended American University where he earned a degree in English. After college, he began a career as a reporter for NBC, a job which he continued throughout the 60s and 70s.

In 1984, he began writing a column about domestic and international political issues. During the 80s, he was also the vice president of Moral Majority, a Christian lobbying organization.

Today he regularly appears as a panelist on the FOX debate program, News Watch, broadcasts a daily radio commentary that is run on over 300 stations and continues to write his column.

“Persistence makes one a success,” said Thomas. “Persistence has been the quality I have tried to apply to every area of my life. WJ set the foundation and I’ve been building on it every since.”

News by Numbers

Percent increase in overall happiness reaching a total of 57 percent overall happiness in the nation Gallup Polls Days until the execution of John Allen Muhammad, the sniper who killed 10 people in October 2002 msnbc.com Percent of greenhouse gas emissions that are to be cut by 2050 according to a newly debated senate bill cnn.com

Match the Law

“cachinnator”

-A person who laughs too loud or too much.

Even the nicest of comedians resent the howls and shrieks of cachinnators. They are believed to be as bad as hecklers. courtesy of dictionary.com

b. Michigan c. Tennessee d. Massachusetts e. Colorado f. Miami g. California 1) Miami 2) California 3) Michigan

October Vocab Word:

a. Virginia

4) Virginia 5) Massachusetts 6) Colorado 7) Tennessee

1. In ________, it is forbidden to imitate an animal.

2. ________ law prohibits a woman from driving a car while dressed in a housecoat.

3. In ________________, the law is that anyone bathing in public must have the bathing suit inspected by a police officer.

4. In ________, chickens cannot lay eggs before 8:00 a.m., and must be done before 4:00 p.m.

5. In ________, it is against the law to put tomatoes in clam chowder.

6. In the state of ________, a pet cat, if loose, must have a tail light.

7. In ________, a law exists which prohibits the sale of bologna (sandwich meat) on Sunday.

http://www.strangefacts.com/laws.html

Corrections

Answers

4 11 83

Photo by Abby Singley

In the Oct. 2 obituary of Stone and Holt Weeks, it was incorrectly stated that Stone Weeks attended Rice University as a student. Stone was a research assistant to historian Douglas Brinkley at Rice. Also, the name of the charities where Holt worked should have been stated as Rebuilding Together D.C. and Habitat for Humanity.

Miklos Szebeni and Allison Gordon’s names were spelled wrong in the staff box.

In an Oct. 2 sports article, senior field hockey co-captain Flor Martinez should have been referred to as a co-captain.

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814

October 30, 2009

October 30, 2009

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[news]

Students Teaching Students Child Development Class Offers Pre-school Experience

By Devon Murtha and Liz Wasden

Photos by Kathleen Seale and Ava Bleiberg

The Child Development Program at WJ gives high school students and pre-school students an opportunity to interact in a collaborative classroom setting. For $600 a year, children between ages three and five in the program are provided with the unique pre-school experience of having teenage teachers, who are involved in every aspect of the children’s education. High school students also gain from the program by building skills in teaching and dealing with children.

The children get a completely different educational experience than their peers who attend more conventional pre-schools, taught by licensed teachers, but child development teacher Connie Pokress believes that high-school student involvement in the pre-schoolers education is to the children’s benefit. “[The children] love the high school kids,” said Pokress. “They get a lot of extra attention than if they went to a regular pre-school. If they went to a regular pre-school, they would have one lead teacher and one assistant, and that’s it. Here we’ve got five to seven high school kids on the floor at one time.”

Despite the fact that the pre-school is inside a high school, its location does not inhibit the children’s ability to learn. The pre-school consists of a very large classroom in a somewhat secluded area, equipped with pint-sized toys and furnishings and a playground outside.

“The children aren’t too affected by the high school environment other than the fact that they’re being taught by high schoolers,” said junior Bert Yaffe, who is in Child Development class. “The classroom is made to resemble that of any other pre-school, and since that is where the kids are virtually the whole time, the fact that it is within a high school is irrelevant.”

In Child Development 1, high school students are mainly responsible for doing research on the topic of child development, as well as observing

the children and their development from a distance.

They watch the children from behind a two-way mirror and analyze their relations and progress. They also interact with the children, playing with them on the playground for at least five minutes everyday.

There are five groups of students who rotate days to do an activity on the theme of the week. Days are structured around themes ranging from dinosaurs to seasons, and children do interactive activities like coloring and educational scavenger hunts.

In Child Development 2, students teach everyday and are responsible for constructing lesson plans.

They even do outside activities, like trick-or-treating with the children. The children learn a comprehensive curriculum, learning everything to get prepared to enter kindergarten with basic skills.

But it’s really the special consideration the children receive at the WJ pre-school that sets it apart from other pre-schools. “[The children’s] individual needs are met; there are going to be days when they just need to sit on somebody’s lap,” said Pokress. “Another day they’re going to have a thousand questions, and somebody’s going to be there to answer them.”

The program is not just for the benefit of those under the age of five, it’s also for their adolescent teachers.

“A lot of kids honestly want to become teachers and this is a great learning experience for them; [they learn] exactly what a teacher does, how much work it is, how the whole process works out,” said Pokress.

In addition, child development works very much like an AP class. Students who complete the Child Development 1 and 2 courses, as well do outside research in Child Development 3 and a child development internship, are eligible to receive college credit at nearby colleges like Towson and Montgomery College.

Although the benefits are satisfying enough, the students are rewarded with much more than college credit.

“It’s so much fun to be with the pre-schoolers; they appreciate you so much,” said Pokress.

Students like Yaffe agree with Pokress.

“It feels great to make them laugh or smile and it makes you remember how much you used to love doing the same things they do,” he said. “It can be very rewarding.”

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From Pills, page 1

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Volume 54 | Issue 3

Prescription Drug Dilemma: What’s Going on Outside the Doctor’s Office

Prescription drug abuse has become increasingly prevalent amongst the highschool and college population. Nearly 30 percent of WJ students claimed that they have taken prescription drugs that had not been prescribed to them. Despite realizing the health hazards that may accompany prescribed medication, some students continue their abuse.

“After learning all the dangers, I was still fine taking [Oxycotin pills] just because I have general control over myself and knowledge of what I can and can not do,” said Rylan.

Teenagers, according to Gadhia-Smith, have a sense of invincibility that heightens the chance that they will stunt their physical and mental development due to drug abuse.

“For a certain period of time I think that we all think we are invincible,” said Rylan. “But it passes.”

For Rylan, the myth of invincibility was verified as false while he was abusing Oxycotin.

“The last time I saw my grandmother, I was really strung out on pain killers,” said Rylan. “I found out a couple months later that she died and that had been the last time that I saw her. The pictures we took of me and her, she looked very happy, but my eyes were basically shut.”

Pain killers fall into the category of opiates. Among many negative side-effects, such as possibly fatal gastronomical repercussions, opiates initially stimulate a rush which descends into a euphoric, sedated state which Rylan described as, “pot times twenty.”

Contrary to his view of Oxycotin, Ry-

lan has a severe distaste for ADD medication.

“Apparently it helps a lot of kids come to school and just take a pill and then just do really well on a test,” said Rylan.

“I think that people are cheating themselves. I think that they would develop better habits if they learned to take a test themselves.”

Not everyone agrees. A representative 10 percent of students have abused medication to complete homework.

“Basically all the pressure comes from school,” said Sonner. “It’s more just to always get work done, to have a steady rate of progress.”

ADD medication has become increasingly easier to obtain as prescriptions circle the student body in larger quantities.

“ADD is sometimes over-diagnosed,” said Gadhia-Smith. “I think that society, in general, is leading towards the quickfix mentality to try to push harder and harder for more and more and medications are not always the right answer.”

While Gadhia-Smith does not believe that less homework would directly correlate to a decrease in ADD prescription abuse, she states that if more work were to be completed within school, students would have more time outside of school for other healthy activities instead of reaching for drugs to relieve their stress.

“I’m not saying anyone encourages you to hurt yourself to do well in school,” said Sonner. “But it’s always an issue with kids, because we’re not like machines, we can’t do everything perfectly, and that’s often a problem. So I guess having this drug around helps you a lot because it makes you like a machine in a sense.”

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814

October 30, 2009

To Our Readers...

From the Editors-in-Chief:

Following the Web turn the world of modern journalism has taken, The Pitch is very excited to announce our new online edition. Now along with this monthly paper, you can read new articles, sports coverage and interesting features on a daily basis at WJPitch. com Last November, The Pitch introduced WJPitch.com as a Web site to post articles from each monthly print issue.

Right after each issue came out, the site was updated with 16 pages worth of articles. However, The Pitch wanted to keep up with the standards of modern, digital journalism and decided to turn WJPitch.com into a new online paper.

Now with The Pitch Online, we have a hard-working staff dedicated to delivering “breaking news”, sports coverage and other features to the community on a daily basis. Our hope is for all of our print readers to be regularly going online to check for up-to-date information.

With WJ so active in sports, our sports staff is covering all varsity sports games.

You can expect a bullet-style blurb with basic stats of any varsity sports game to be up within one or two days of when the game took place. We also choose several “games of the week” to be covered in more detailed articles.

We also take the coverage of news very seriously. All “breaking news” stories are published within a few days of the event, allowing time for the staff to fully investigate the story. One of our most recent big news stories was the

coverage of a drug bust involving a former WJ student.

Both the Feature and Arts & Entertainment sections strive to create their own “packages” (multimedia coverage of a single topic), complete with photos, videos and other interactive elements.

Along with online-only packages, sections will sometimes create supplements to articles in the print editions.

While we are still working on developing our Web site, we are posting all of our videos on our YouTube channel: “ThePitchOnline.” You will also notice the site changing to a more advanced design as we work on the technical aspects.

Because of the creation of the online edition, you will notice some changes in the print edition. While our front page used to run multiple, in-depth news stories, you will now see it focusing on a feature style. As The Pitch Online covers timely news, the print edition will be taking more feature-like angles on stories.

These changes are all meant to provide you with the best “Pitch” experience. We want you to know what’s going on in the community, when it’s going on, so check out The Pitch Online at WJPitch.com. If you have any questions, suggestions or other comments, please e-mail us at thepitchonline@gmail.com.

Yours, Abby Singley, Online Editor-in-Chief Luke Wilson, Print Editor-in-Chief Colin Buley, Print Editor-in-Chief

To visit The Pitch Online, go to WJPitch.com

Pitch

October 30, 2009

[editorial]

The

F o r

w e e k l y v i s i t

U p

At

B a t

5

p o l l s ,

WJPitch.com

What’s your craziest Halloween experience?

Halloween Survival Guide

By Abby Singley

Photos by Celia Karp

“Last year I ended up on the Metro car by myself at three o’clock in the morning.”

- Senior Daryl Oh

“It was probably spending the night at my friend’s house, crying about a girl who had rejected me.”

- Senior Isaac Buckley

“Trick-or-treating until five in the morning and then [having] a party at my house.”

- Senior Mario Tafur

Every Halloween is a new adventure.

From trick-or-treating in my early years to being at the mercy of the doorbell on Halloween night, I’ve learned many lessons along the way. So, I’ve decided to provide you all with this guide as a kind and generous act of community service.

1. Be Careful With What You Say You’re arriving at the door of a house while trick-or-treating, and along with those “thank you’s” that your parents have nagged you to give, you decide to make some small talk. A general warning regarding what you inquire about: you may not know exactly what you’re talking about when it comes to costumes.

Maybe that fat suit is natural. Maybe that spooky face paint is actually a no-makeup day.When I was stuck answering the door last Halloween not long after having jaw surgery, a little kid decided to comment on my bandage, asking what I was supposed to be. Hey, kid that wasn’t a costume . . . thanks a lot. Why don’t you ask me about that awesome scar I “painted” on my face, too?

2. Little Kids Think They’re So Funny In my years of trick-or-treating, I received some very interesting candy alternatives. There was always the dentist who handed out toothbrushes, the cheapskate who dropped a penny or two in your bag and a neighbor who gave my friend . . . kidney beans? I was out with my usual trick-or-treating buddy in elementary school, when a neighbor had some pretty odd “treats” mixed in with his candy. I believe he had a couple of onions, celery and some other really strange items, including a can of kidney beans. My friend wasn’t exactly shy when it came to trick-

or-treating, so along with a nice handful of candy, she decided to go for the kidney beans.To this day, she still has the can sitting on her dresser. So neighbor, we wound up making fun of you . . . don’t think you can outsmart super-awesome third graders.

3. Take One, Take All There are always those people who put out the infamous “Take One” or “Take Two” bowl cop-out of answering the door on Halloween. Don’t expect it to last long. I believe my kidney bean friend dumped an entire “Take One” bowl into her trick-or-treating bag. I was just an innocent bystander, obeying that person’s stupid sign, but come on, you’re dealing with obnoxious kids. What do you expect?

4. Halloween “Videos” Are Not Home Movies After reading many e-mails on my neighborhood’s listserv from a neighbor who has constantly had her house vandalized, I was shocked by what kids could do. On Halloween, the family’s fountain was broken, along with the destruction of extensive decorations. Seriously? Not cool. Not only did this family incur thousands of dollars in damages, but they also felt compelled to pay even more to install a home surveillance system in what is supposed to be a perfectly safe neighborhood. Not too long ago, I noticed a sign accompanying the beginnings of their Halloween decorations, reading, “Smile, You Are Being Videotaped.” And in case you’re confused, that’s not a little school project or home video in the making. So beware and be warned – do not mess with that house again, or anyone’s house for that matter. Stick to the “treat” part of trick-or-treating.

“I was at a party last year and someone fell into a closed pool and it broke open.”

- Sophomore Kiarra Strocko

“I got shot at by people who were trying to steal my bag [of candy].”

- Freshman KC Griffin

“[I walked] two miles for about two hours to a party that [I] didn’t get in to.”

- Senior Martin Dally

“Last year, I walked into [a] basement and...[saw] all of [my friends] dressed up like [me], hat perched up, jersey, sweatshirtyou know.”

- Senior Greg Karel (Left) “[My brother] was standing [behind a door] with a fake knife, and it scared me a lot.”

- 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

“[My friends and I] were having a scary movie marathon and I went to go to the bathroom, and when I came back [they] were gone. Then they jumped out and scared me.”

- Sophomore Kayla Gal (Right)

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 American Scholastic Kathleen Seale* Press Association Press Association Press Association

Gold Medalist 2009

* Online Staff

Pacemaker Award 2008

First Place Special Merit 2008-2009

“One time me and my friends had tennis balls and we put them into the exhaust pipes of cars thinking that they would explode when they turned on.”

- Sophomore Justin Frankel

Print Staff Writers Jennifer Spencer Maia Dicey Flor Martinez Jenny Deutsch Cami Keyani Abby Singley Alex Spinard PR Manager Alex Spinard Business Manager Flor Martinez Advertising Manager Hannah Flesch

Online Staff Writers Ryan Lynch Miklos Szebeni Daniel Fanaroff Online Reporter Peter Langer Photographers Kevin Nuñez Alex Curtis Cami Keyani Kathleen Seale Andrea Linder Julia Haymore Artist/Cartoonists Krithi Ramaswamy Will McGowan Samara Fantie Advisor Hilary Gates

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The

October 30, 2009

Pitch

October 30, 2009

The

the world of WJ staff and the desks they sat in

2. Who do you think is the youngest teacher at WJ? a.) Sylvie Ellen b.) Chris Murray c.) Candice Behrens d.) Kelly Dunston e.) Meghan Jost

Sophia Franklin (counseling office) Tom Wheeler (academic support) Meghan Jost (music department) T.G. Finkbinder (english department)

Match the staff name below to his/her report card.

1

2

3 Artwork by Krithi Ramaswamy

Can you identify any of these these babies?

4 A

B

C

D

Answers: A. Mr. Bos B. Ms. Franklin C. Ms. Jost D. Mr. Finkbinder

Answers: 1. d 2. e Desk background photo taken by Celia Karp

9

Answers: 1. Mr.Finkbinder 2. Ms. Jost 3. Mr. Wheeler 4. Ms.Franklin

How well do you know your teachers?

1. Who do you think is the oldest teacher at WJ (and admits it)? a.) Kim Ahearn b.) Mark Whipple c.) Carolyn Ott d.) Connie Pokress e.) Patricia Ross

[feature]

Photos courtesy of each teacher

Interviews conducted and report cards written by Allison Gordon

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October 30, 2009

The

Volume 54 | Issue 3

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814

when students steal

is our school safe?

By Camilla Yanushevsky

Bikes are stolen from the racks.

Equipment is stolen from the music room. Food is stolen from Giant, clothes from Montgomery Mall, condoms from CVS. Teens don’t just steal from their peers and family, but also from the one place where they should feel the safest: their own high school. School is supposed to be a place where students can feel comfortable and belongings are secure and protected. Yet, security has been compromised, for stealing is on the rise.

Jane Smith* is a normal WJ student. She dresses modestly, keeps only dollar bills in her wallet and limits the amount of valuables she brings to school.

Yet, she has been a victim of theft. Throughout her high school years at WJ, she has had $300 of

electronic equipment stolen: three calculators.

“I was never quite sure at what point during the year my calculator was stolen because we didn’t need them every day in class,” said Smith.

“But it happened three years in a row at varying times. I’ve always needed to borrow a calculator for the exam by the end of the year.”

Her frequent visits to security to receive news that her calculators were turned into the missing pile, have turned up negative.

In her senior year at WJ, she could no longer afford to spend another $100 on a calculator she knew would be stolen once again.

“I stopped bringing a calculator to school this year,” said Smith. “I was mostly angry, but also guilty; I’d always blame myself and convince myself that I had been irresponsible with it.”

*name changed to protect identity

being a real friend: speaking your opinions

By Allison Gordon You know stealing is wrong.

You have been taught this lesson your whole life by parents, teachers, mentors, etc. But would you enforce your own morals on a friend?

WJ student John Smith* faced this dilemma while shopping in Georgetown with a friend. He and his friend were in a clothing store, and while his friend was in line, Smith went outside to wait for her.

When she came out of the store to join Smith, he noticed that she was wearing a shiny new necklace with the price tag still on.

“I thought it was strange,” said Smith. “But I didn’t say anything because I wanted to act casual, and it seemed like a normal thing to do [for my friend].”

He did not say anything about her new necklace and she and Smith walked out of the store together in silence.

Right before they were about to cross the street, a security guard from the store caught up with Smith and his friend. “[The guard] held out his hand,” said Smith. “Obviously, the necklace had set off some sort of alarm.

She pulled it off her neck, and handed it back to him. We crossed the street in silence.”

So many people face this type of incident, where they know that they are witnessing something that is clearly wrong. However, most people are too nervous to say anything or do not want their friend to be mad at them. They don’t want to be labeled as a “baby” or “uncool.”

You may not want to be embarrassed by telling your friend that stealing is wrong, but imagine how embarrassing it must have been for Smith’s friend, getting caught stealing in a public place, in front of someone she knows.

Stealing is not right and there is no reason for people to steal, especially people who live in Montgomery County. By not speaking up, friends are practically acknowledging that stealing is okay.

So if you really care about your friends and their future, don’t let them commit a criminal offense.

If you see someone stealing, say something. Your friends would much rather hear that stealing is bad from a peer than from a security guard or police officer.

Question and Answer:

Security Team Leader Howard Beaubien’s perspective What is considered stealing?

A thief leaves a backpack and the hallway and a person goes through the backpack with intent to take something. You leave a phone somewhere and a person takes it. We don’t differentiate between the two.

Who has been caught stealing at Giant?

More males than females are caught stealing. Ninth graders are leading. Surprisingly, more females are stealing than I thought. The person that got arrested [this month] was a female.

Are the rumors true that stealing is on the rise at Giant?

Without a doubt, shoplifting at Giant has increased this year. Close to 40 kids have been caught just this school year, four the first day of school, six one day last week.

Why do you think kids steal?

The reason we get most often is they don’t want to wait in line.

The majority of people shoplifting have money in their pocket.

Does Giant catch everyone they see on the camera that steals?

To date, all WJ students that have been caught shoplifting have been caught by Giant’s undercover security people. The roaming security team that dresses in plain clothes isn’t at Giant MondayFriday from 8 a.m,. to 4 p.m. They probably rotate their location with nearby Giants.

Do you think Giant’s policy concerning stealing will change?

I don’t think Giant likes it, from speaking to them, and I think there will be some adjustments by Giant if things continue. They might adopt a no-nonsense policy and start prosecuting the shop-lifters.

What happens if a student is caught stealing from Giant or stores in G-Square?

Giant holds them. Giant calls the police and then Giant notifies us.

Police will give the student a no-trespassing order: the student is not allowed at shopping center for a year, minimum. When Giant notifies us, we escort the student back to school. Giant can’t let us look at the video until the district security reviews it first.

What are your limitations?

If we are told to come down to a classroom of 30 students because a phone is missing, we can say ‘The person who stole the phone, please put the phone on the teacher’s desk at the end of class.’ We can’t search through 30 people’s backpacks because then 29 out of the 30 students become upset and then their parents are upset.

Are the victims in part to blame for the crime?

Victims need to be responsible for their stuff. There is no reason to leave a backpack and expect that in 30 minutes it will be where you left it. The street mentality should be brought into school.

Chances are you wouldn’t leave [a backpack] on the street.

What can WJ students do to reduce crime?

There have been a couple of locker room theft reports. Some students don’t take time to open their locker, so they leave their wallet and jeans on the bench. I know P.E. lockers are small, but keep valuables in a small bag so you can throw it into the locker.

That’s how a lot can be prevented.

What should students do if they have been a victim of theft?

Stealing is a problem at WJ, but a lot kids don’t report [theft] in a timely manner, or report it at all. If we know about an incident [within] one period, the chances of solving it are 100 percent better. Victims don’t want to say who the thief is because of peer pressure or fear.

What are the consequences of students stealing in WJ? The consequences can range from ‘don’t do it again’ to expulsion.

Artwork by Krithi Ramaswamy

* name changed to protect identity

do wj students steal?

53% have been a victim of theft

70% wj students have stolen

From where or whom do they steal?

What have they stolen?

44% objects laying around 37% food 29% a family member 32% money 20% stores outside of G-Square 19% other 20% a friend 18% clothing 18% stores in G-Square 13% electronics 7% other 222 WJ students were surveyed in 12 third period classes from Oct. 14 to Oct. 26.

Why do they steal?

23% they don’t have money 18% because it’s easy 15% not spend their own money 13% they are bored 12% for the rush of it 9% peer-pressure

Pitch

December 4, 2009

The

11

[arts&entertainment]

WJ S*T*A*G*E presents...

King Lear

S*T*A*G*E members were faced with the weighty task of producing a Shakespeare play set in an ambiguous time period.

By Cami Keyani

Time period obstacles...

Photo courtesy of Robert Brownstein

Unlike the original play, which is set in PreChristian England, this production had no slated time period.

The decision to stick to no time period in particular was made before production started, and presented some challenges before production was over..

“Shakespeare doesn’t need a time period,” said director Colleen McAdory. “There are universal themes present that can be expressed in any setting.”

The decision also greatly affected the costumes, which ended up being a mix of modern and old fashioned clothes.

“I mean, you don’t need poofy pants and swords

The Earl of Kent (Iliana Papanicolaou, US) and the Fool (Thalia Patrinos).

Chatter behind the scenes...

“The special effects were hard, like making the rainstorm on set. Also, making the set versatile was hard.”

Photo by Celia Karp

Helen Garcia-Alton Stage Manager “I enjoyed the play, which was surprising because I thought just because it was Shakespeare it would be boring which was not true at all.”

Photo by Celia Karp

Justin Bruch Sound Crew Chief “Taking a play traditionally done on a flat stage and creating platforms that actors can perform on without losing sightlines or changing the plot was difficult.”

Photo by Abby Singley

Robert Brownstein JuniorTechnical Director

to make Shakespeare, and those things would only distract from the acting,” said Krug. “This decision was made not to make the play feel less like Shakespeare but just to make it more like something a student could relate to.”

In the play the King wears a crown and Renaissance era clothing, but even in the first scene we see him surrounded by men in tuxedos and women in modern gowns.

“What was hard was finding nondescript clothing that didn’t fit in to any time period,” said senior Costume Crew Chief Marie Miller. Most of the clothes we has we tied to a certain setting and didn’t work so we had to do quite a bit of borrowing and searching for new clothes.”

Technical challenges...

The set crew constructed a multi-tiered wooden set that had multiple stairs in different directions that actors could quickly disappear behind.

“I really liked the set,” said Krug. “It was really simple yet very versatile, and it was sort of scary looking in the dark, which really helped the atmosphere of the play.”

The play also featured several special effects to supplement the dark atmosphere of the play.

Fake blood, made from sugar, corn starch and

cocoa, was used in the play. It was used mostly for the Earl of Gloucester, played by senior Mateo Williamson, who gets his eyes gouged out.

“And in the second act in the scenes where [Mateo] is blind and dying,” said Miller. “We literally would smear him with fake blood before every scene.”

In the iconic thunderstorm scene, the crew replicated the rain by flashing a high speed projector.

Plot interpretation...

King Lear, starring junior Matt Krug as Lear, is the story of an aging King of England who, in his encroaching senility, decides to divide his kingdom between his three daughters (Ellie Borzilleri, Sophie Meade, and Mariel Berlin-Fischler) King Lear is a dark story that features a lot of complex dialogue and on-stage violence.

“Everyone; the actors, the crew, and the ensemble all did a great job with the material, and I am very proud of them,” said McAdory.

According to members of the cast, Shakespeare carries a stigma in high school because the dialogue and stories are much more complicated.

McAdory, however, believes that this doesn’t mean the high schoolers should shy away from Shakespeare’s work.

“It is important to appreciate the richness of Shakespeare’s writing,” said McAdory. “We will never have another writer like Shakespeare.”

easy-to-make holiday treats

By Liz Wasden

candy cane cookies

sweet

popcor

n ball s

This recip t he holida e is simple and and p s erfect ble ys. Not only are easy for teenage t r sse oliday e d fe stive holind of salty and they super deli rs to do for nd our h rfect u o day deco s c us in t r y r e

rations. weet, they make io t yea taste tokes are p c e cheap anhe f 1 r e b a a d p g c d n m a e e r lows, 1 tsicrowavable pop Ingredients r ts a elegance oist, thesnjoy. e s s : c p o e . r n, 1 bag butter m r, ts: tle ed ill e mini mar Thesadd a lit rich anderyone wIngredien cup suga shmalP y la v ¾ c e , s a can er. Ver ishes e r e la rge sauce to MED ees la Wafe s h n t d c n p n i a d I e d -size eam nil wait for UM. Add the n on the stove redi of cr juice, Va it to butte bite Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter, shorttop a t ingder in ant s a e e g lo a B n s. e hol fer fla ingredients ex- m ws into the samuelt. Then, pourr into the saucepna d heat remaining ack p lemo Add e smooth.

until sugar and ening e p r . g z a k pca 0 de la W way cept food coloring and crushed candy canes. Once dough is s elted or gooey. cepan. Stir with 3 cups of marsn, and 2 8oggs, 1 ts a h a o 35 paper cuone Vanil of the t 2e n e mixed, divide in half. In one bowl add the red food coloring maurcepan and tur nPour whole bag owooden spoon umalov each place lder ¾ l t u a o ntil f s f h f p e r f m o o the heat. allow mix o p and mix until color is even. Chill one hour. From each color ered Preh ooth. Inake pan, pcake h a col Stir the pcor n into the t u . r h e W t u hands, a your c i with n and dough u s of m portion t small h a take dough, il all of of s c opcor n w hands up an untilgreased c Fill eachnutes. ok greatries. roll into 6-9 inch long ropes. Braid the two ropes together and mudc pull off chunk(to avoid spreadthe popcor n is cand o i r l . e m n n s ov h s of u dow 5-20 of the p in the sam aspb shape into the form of a candy cane. Sprinkle crushed candy cake opcor n aH1N1 ger ms)e w * a side . Bake 1 ip: these r ries or r B y a y k ou w nd r m ing canes on top of cookies and place on sprayed cookie sheet. hand ba full Baking t strawbe ling sticktip: rubbing floouuld for m a snfo Bake10-12 minutes. ow ball. lls y * h like r d b o ie a n k n in t y s g o in u g r o s the pan a *Baking tip: an easy way to crush the candy canes is to first, nd off yoods can help keehpands when gar ni break apart with hands, then place pieces in a plastic bag and ur fingers the ingre . roll over with a rolling pin.

i

min

e che

se

es cak

These cookies are wonderful for the holiday season when winter really starts to kick in. Warm, but subtly minty, these cookies are a perfect combination with ice cold vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients:

½ cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp salt, ½ cup shortening, 1 cup crushed candy canes, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 ½ cups flour ½ tsp red food coloring

Photo by Celia Karp

12

Pitch

[arts & entertainment]

The

Volume 54 | Issue 3

October 30, 2009

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814

Do It Yourself:

By Sophie Meade

Volume 54 | Issue 3

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814

Halloween Costumes

For all you costume slackers out there, have no fear - the Pitch’s team of D.I.Y. expert(s) has come to the rescue with last-minute costume ideas.

the Cereal 1) The Cereal:

Killer

the Rubik’s

1) The Cube: Cut a

hole in the cardboard box large enough for your head but small enough for the box to rest on your shoulders. Cut two more on opposite sides for your arms.

For best walking ability cut out the entire bottom face of the box for your legs.

Cut out the front face of the cereal box and cut a hole in each of the top two corners. Fasten the ends of a piece of string to each hole, long enough so that the cereal box can hang centered on your chest when string is around your neck.

2) The Rubik’s: Cre-

2) The Killer:

Carry around a dull knife (i.e. a butter knife) or use clear tape to secure it to the cereal box.

Smear the red paint on the box so as to look like a bloody wound.

Cube

Photos by Sasha Tycko and Sophie Meade

the

Swine Flu

ate a 3x3 grid on each face of the box with black paint as an outline. Fill the boxes in the grids with red, yellow, blue, green, orange, and white paint. It’s up to you whether to make each face only one color (completed Rubik’s cube) or to mix it up.

1) The Clothes: Wear all pink clothing. Be prepared for the cold (i.e. long sleeve shirt, pants or leggings).

2) The Nose: If your paper cup is not pink, cover it with the pink construction paper or paint it. Using black marker, draw a

snout on the bottom of the cup. Cut two holes opposite from one another on the upper rim of the cup and fasten a piece of string to each hole. Place cup over nose and wrap strings around head and tie together.

3) The Ears: Cut out two triangles from the pink construction paper, sized to your liking. Leave a square-shaped tab below the triangles and fold this part under a headband and attach with tape. The pink ears should stand upright.

4) The Tail: Make a coil shape with the pink pipe cleaner and attach with tape to your rear.

5) The Flu: Carry along a box of tissues and stick a thermometer in your mouth to complete your viral appearance.

WJ Arts&Entertainment Update

By Maia Dicey

Music Department

S*T*A*G*E

Visual Arts

The department will hold a cheesecake fundraiser on Nov. 2 - 17. Students involved will be carrying around order forms during this time for a variety of different cheescakes.

WJ S*T*A*G*E presents King Lear, a Shakespeare tragedy that follows the story of a disgraced king and his children. It opens Nov. 13. The play will run for two weekends (Nov. 13, 14, 15, 20, and 21) starting at 7:30 p.m. each The music department collected 100% night. Tickets start at $10. of the profits from opening night of Noodles & Co. in Montgomery Mall, which they used to finance everything from buses to outfits for festivals.

The French Café on Nov. 5 will be located the student commons as a Advanced Choir is delivering Halloween deliciousinand inexpensive way to excandy grams today during fourth period perience a sample of authentic internawhich they’ve been selling for the past tional cuisine. week to raise money for new robes.

Students in the advanced ceramics/ sculpture classes are participating in the “Bad Day to be a Pumpkin” carving contest today as part of their grade, using the pumpkin as a foreign medium. The students finished their pumpkins at home and brought them in today to be judged by staff and faculty.

Fine Cuisine

Photo by Alex Curtis

Ceramics students hard at work.

Lower level Studio Art students are participating in a competition held by Safeway and Lucerne dairy products to design a cow incorporating music and dairy. The winner will recieve money for both themselves and the art department.

October 30, 2009

Pitch

The

Athletes of the Month Volume 54 | Issue 3

Zach Abelman

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814

[sports]

13

Michelle Gilbert

By Jennifer Spencer

Photo by Alex Curtis

After changing positions, Elder has become more involved in all aspects of the game.

Many are aware that the volleyball team has been having an incredible season so far. With only two losses on the season, the team has proven they can take on any challenge they are faced with. Success does not happen on its own, though. Key players like senior captain and outside hitter Anna Elder have led the team in this direction.

“This year we really have a chance at making it pretty far into the playoffs and everyone is so much more motivated,” said Elder. “It has motivated me as well to try my hardest during practice and

during games, especially during tough matches.”

This is Elder’s second year as a captain.

Last year, the team, with a 7-8 record, was not as successful. Once Elder changed positions, from a setter her sophomore and junior years to an outside hitter this year, the team began to see success. Her versatility has proved the change to be a positive one.

“When she is involved in the passing game, we as a team are so much better,” said coach Bill Morris. “Last year, she was the setter and so had almost no role in passing and we struggled as a result.”

Her strengths are not limited to passing though. She has set an example for the team to follow in all positions.

“She is an excellent setter, hitter, server and passer, and yes, she can block as well,” said Morris.

Under Elder’s guidance the team has seen success, not only through individual work, but though teamwork as well. In a sport where teamwork is essential to success, this has only made the team better.

“She always wants the team to do the best we can,” said co-captain senior libero Kathy Pao. “No matter if we win or lose, she wants us to be able to say that we played our hardest.”

While this season has been a lot of work, it has paid off. As the team enters the playoffs, Elder’s love of volleyball continues to grow.

“I love the fast pace of volleyball, how there is never a time when you can sit back and watch the game,” she said. “And as an outside hitter, I love being able to make a kill against the opposing team.”

On a team where wins are few, individual progress and success may be overshadowed by the team’s losses.

Junior running back Ryan Davis has earned his name in the spotlight. Near the top of the county in receptions, Davis has shown remarkable improvement over the years and often provides much needed hope for the Wildcat team.

“Ryan has been a leader since the conclusion of last season,” said head coach Jon Kadi. “He stepped up in the weight room during the off season and has carried that into the season.”

Strength is not the only thing Davis has focused on improving. He has worked hard to become a leader on the team as an upperclassman.

“He has continued to work with the younger guys and has stepped up as a leader,” said Kadi.

Davis knows what it’s like to work hard. He feels there is always room for improvement in his own play and has fully dedicated himself to the success of the team. Starting off in seventh grade as an average player, his work ethic is what began to set him apart.

“I wasn’t very good at first, but with hard work and dedication to the sport I love, I progressively kept getting better,” said Davis.

Still, Davis admits it can be frustrating being on a team that has only two wins in the past two years. Davis has learned to channel this frustration into a source of motivation.

He finds his experiences thus far to be rewarding despite any adversity the

Photo by Kevin Nuñez

Davis ran for 40 yards and a touchdown in WJ’s win against Blair on Oct. 23.

team faces.

“My personal goals are to just keep doing what I’m doing and work harder to achieve more than I’ve already done,” said Davis.

On the field, Davis has played slotback on offense and cornerback on defense.

He has been racking up impressive stats in these positions and continues to remain focused on the future of the team.

“Playing football for WJ creates a family; we are all brothers and we will stay like that throughout every hard practice and every difficult game,” said Davis. “It only makes us stronger.”

ThePitch [sports] October 30, 2009 14 New “Big Cat, Little Cat” Ritual Inspires Tenth-Seeded Boys Soccer Matches Up with Richard Montgomery in Field Hockey to 10-2 Record

By Kathleen Seale First Round of Playoffs Volume 54 | Issue 3

By Alex Spinard The 6-7 boys soccer team, who recently broke a three-game losing streak with a 3-2 win against Damascus, has had a tumultuous season so far. Two three-game losing streaks and one four-game winning streak have proven inconsistency, something that can be attributed to the team’s inexperience.

However, junior forward Michael Tillman feels the team is doing well for how diverse the age is on the team this year compared to last.

“We are definitely not as strong as last year or the year before, when the team was mostly all seniors,” said Tillman. “We are still a strong team this year, with wins like 5-0 against Churchill.”

Senior co-captain Nick Castro has been playing on the varsity soccer team all four years of his high school career and claims last year was the most difficult adjustment in the age gap.

“Every year we come out on top due to our team’s persistence and dedication to fill that gap,” said Castro.

This year’s team, a powerful mixture of juniors and seniors, has maintained a fairly decent track record against other Montgomery County high schools. The Sept. 9 victory against rival Churchill was a highlight.

Other big moments for the team include senior goalie John Marshall’s outstanding four saves against Richard Montgomery on Oct. 5 en route

Photo by Alex Curtis

Seniors Matt Wojnar and Nico Deandreis fight to take the ball away from a Damascus player.

to the 2-0 win.

Going into the playoffs, the team will need to work on finishing games, something that has plagued them in their early losses.

“Playing for 90 minutes was a challenge at first,” said coach Mike Williams. “[We] would outplay the other team for [the] first 30 minutes and in the last 60 would make crucial mistakes.”

The team will take on the seventh-seeded Richard Montgomery Rockets in the first round of the playoffs this Saturday.

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814

Every team has a ritual. Every team has a routine that they go through before each game. But the question is: do these things bring the team closer together?

For WJ’s field hockey team, the answer is yes.

The name of their ritual is “Big Cat, Little Cat.” Its purpose? To give the girls a chance to get to know each other and bond during the season. Not only has this brought the team closer together, but the goal of the big cat-little cat pair is to get the team ready before each game. “‘Big Cat, Little Cat’ is a system that lets all of us get pumped up before every game,” said senior co-captain and forward Georgina Beven.

“Big Cat, Little Cat” is similar to Secret Sister where each player has a “secret sister” to whom she anonymously gives gifts before each game. However, unlike Secret Sister, “Big Cat, Little Cat” is not secretive, and each pair gives a small gift to every player on the team. The Big Cat is a returning varsity player who is paired with a new varsity player to help guide and motivate her. Their goal is to not only motivate each other but to have the girls look out for one another and consistently get the team pumped before every game.

Big cat-little cat pairs are picked by coach Erika Murray and announced at practice, and they then give out little gifts, cards and inspirational quotes to the other teamates in order to get the girls excited and ready to play.

“Coach [Murray] always prints out a quote before every game to get our heads thinking about the game,” said Beven.

The team has made it a tradition to have a quote given to everyone before each game, but also to have it with them throughout the game.

“We keep the quote in our left shin guard, because it’s closer to our heart,” said senior co-captain and forward/midfielder Flor Martinez.

The team has taken motivation to a whole different level. Senior co-captain and midfielder Kat Gratton agrees that since the team inherited “Big Cat, Little Cat” this season from the girls lacrosse team, there have definitely been positive outcomes.

“It motivates me because it gets the team really excited to win,” said Gratton. “It lets everyone know you aren’t just playing for yourself, but the whole team.”

The team finished their season with a 10-2 record. They are looking forward to con dominating their way through their first playoff game on Oct. 29, against Northwest, who they previously beat 40. Their goal is to at least reach and win regionals then aim for state championships.

With the new idea of “Big Cat, Little Cat” from fellow teammates, the team has remained and will remain as one throughout playoffs. The team has never been this close and it is clear that “Big Cat, Little Cat” has brought the team together.

“I feel that the team this year is definitely a close knit group,” said Murray.

“They may not all ‘hang out’ together after school or on weekends, but they are a family and they remind each other of that.

I think that’s what makes them unique; they are always there for each other.”

The Suburban Hospital Human Motion Institute® Announces

Free Sports Injury Screening Clinics Screenings provided by sports medicine physicians for athletes (over age 6) and other active adults WHEN: Saturdays, 9 am to 11 am in October and November (walk in only; no appointments).

Check www.suburbanhospital.org/HMI for updates to the schedule.

LOCATION: Suburban Hospital 8600 Old Georgetown Road Bethesda, Maryland Physical Therapy Department (4th floor) REQUIREMENTS: Consent to screen must be filled out by all participants. Minors must be accompanied by parent or guardian and have consent signed by parent or guardian.

For more information, go to www.suburbanhospital.org or call 301-896-MOVE SB-1686

Pitch

October 30, 2009

The

Wildcat Sports Volume 54 | Issue 3

Girls Soccer

(Top) Senior defender Chaucia Sydnor lines up for a kick against Blake. (Bottom) Senior captain Ronique Taffe serving during practice.

[sports]

Lo o

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814

Girls Tennis

k-I

Golf

n

By Cami Keyani

By Alex Spinard

By Cami Keyani

The varsity girls soccer team is off to its first playoff game on Saturday against Richard Montgomery, after finishing the regular season with a 7-1-5 record. Despite recent wins against Magruder and Damascus, the team will have to fight hard in the playoffs against some tough teams.

In 2008 and 2007, the team was a powerhouse, with few losses and decisive wins. This year, the team is struggling to make its group dynamic work.

“We work well as a team, we just need to work on communication,” said senior captain and forward Chaucia Sydnor.

Sophomore Emma Van Wagoner agrees with Sydnor.

“Everyone goes for the ball but no one calls it,” said Van Wagoner. “We’ve lost goals and even games just because of poor communication.”

However, the team has shown improvement in recent games, including the 7-2 win against Magruder on Oct. 20.

With playoffs starting tomorrow, the team has one goal in mind.

“I think they are looking to show the other teams they need to look out for WJ soccer,” said coach Liz Friedman.

Just like last year, the girls tennis team finished the season with an outstanding record of 9-3. Five of the team’s victories, against Quince Orchard, Rockville, Clarksburg, Springbrook and Einstein, were won without the opposing team winning a single match.

In the county championships last weekend, the team lost on the second day. In their game against B-CC, junior co-captain Maggie Speer was pleased with the team’s performance.

“We played smart and the score didn’t reflect how we played,” said Speer. “I think we [were] nervous and were not aggressive enough.”

In the future, Coach Mike Laukaitis sees potential in players like freshman Arielle Hartz, who is already the team’s No. 3 singles player, and has helped the team accomplish their goals this season.

“The team’s goal every year is to beat the top D-I teams,” said Laukaitis. “So far the team and I have been very pleased with our performance over the past few years.”

Sophomore Sarah Bernstein narrowly missed the State Championships for singles.

Bernstein and junior Sarah Andrews, however, both moved on to regionals for doubles on Oct. 28. The match occurred to late to cover.

The golf team has had a tough season, suffering heavy losses from the outset. They started off to a bad start with a string of six losses, but towards the end of the season, the team managed to beat both Blake and B-CC twice, and juniors James Lillie and Oliver Vickery both participated in the qualifier for the state championships. Lillie qualified, and end up finishing in 29th.

Throughout their struggling season, the team has had a strong leader to help them perform their best: senior captain Sam Coe, who has been playing golf since age eight.

“It’s a sport that I’ll play for the rest of my life,” said Coe. “Golf is very mentally tiring [and] it forces me to be very focused for the entire round.”

Coe is dedicated to the sport and is one of the most consistent players on the team, being the median or higher scorer in almost every match. And because golf is a sport based off of individual performance, Coe has worked to make each member of the team do his best.

“Sam is a great captain and a great leader,” said freshman Evan Shapiro. “He sets a good example for everyone [and] has helped me improve my game.”

Football Takes Care of Blair for First Win of the Season, Kadi’s Tenure

By Colin Buley

The new football stadium has now been broken in the right way. As the seconds ticked down on the scoreboard to end last Friday’s 29-20 victory over Blair, the team’s first of the season, one could practically feel the tension being lifted and the relief spreading throughout the air.

The first win came later than many experts, spectators and players expected it to; but that doesn’t dampen the players’ thoughts of their accomplishment.

“It was a relief,” said junior quarterback Cole Ahnell. “I honestly expected to win earlier in the season, but it was really exciting to finally get one.”

So many times this year, WJ has been tantalizingly close to a win (the team had chances to win late in the Churchill, Poolesville and B-CC games), only to have one critical play or referee call change the game and snatch away success. And while the victory does not make up for all the close losses, it is a step in the right direction.

“Just like Coach [Kadi] always says, we were knocking at the door the whole season but we could never bust it down,” said senior co-captain Tristan Plunkett.

“It is really annoying and disappointing when you get so close in so many games and just fall short. But the win definitely helped.”

Junior linebacker Alex Schiponi also feels disappointed that the team has not lived up to its potential.

“The season has not gone as I planned

15

SFanhood: lider

Serious Business

By Colin Buley

Fan – noun An enthusiastic devotee, follower, or admirer of a sport, pastime, celebrity, etc.

It’s a rather vague definition, don’t you think? What exactly does “enthusiastic devotee” mean? What does being a fan require? Are some fans better than others?

Now, if you didn’t take those questions in a rhetorical sense, you’re probably thinking of a million different people you know, all fans of different things, but for this column we’re thinking sports.

Let me tell you, I’ve been a follower of sports my entire life (anything D.C.or UMD) and all fans are not created equal; and they’re often very confusing people.

Here’s a guide to help you figure them out: The Diehard – This is the best kind of fan.

My view, however, may be warped by my own sick infatuation with my teams. A diehard is that fan at the game on his feet and yelling every defensive snap. They know the ins and outs of the game and genuinely care about the outcome. People often don’t understand why they care so much.

The Bandwagoner – You. Yes, you with the Patriots or Red Sox jersey fresh off the rack with the tag barely off, you don’t fool me. I don’t care that your grandfather was from Boston or that you visited there and loved it or that Tom Brady is sooo dreamy. You only like the team because they’re good. You disgust me.

The Eternal Optimist – Not bad to have around, they can help cheer you up when your team crushes your spirit. They get annoying though when you lose to the Detroit Lions and say things like, “Don’t worry. The season just started, we can still make the playoffs.” I repeat, after a loss to the Lions.

The Let’s Just Get Drunk Fan – The amount of these always grows as the game goes on, as people either want to celebrate or forget. But there are always a few in the beginning. They just want to party. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

The Too Drunk Fan – Tailgating is great and it’s engrained in our sports culture.

But when you’re falling off the bleachers every time a big play happens or yelling on offense because you don’t actually know what’s happening, well, maybe you should slow down a little.

The Beat the Traffic Fan – These fans perplex me. If I’m spending money to watch a game, I’m staying the entire time, not leaving in the early fourth quarter in a one-possession game with my team ahead. I’ve seen it happen.

Photo by Kevin Nuñez

The team has reason to celebrate after the Blair victory, only the second win in the last four years for the varsity team, and the first under new head coach Jon Kadi.

because I really thought this was the year we were going to win at least five,” said Schiponi. “But we’ve hurt ourselves with mistakes and the only thing we can do now is win out.”

Despite the unmet goals, the team continues to work hard and improve.

Although the team can no longer end up with a winning record, they have retuned their goals and they would like nothing more than to meet them.

“We want to win out, send the seniors

off a high note; beat Wootton and especially Richard Montgomery,” said Plunkett. “They’ve been talking trash about our game and spirit so we need to show them whose house it really is and spoil their homecoming.”

The team will play at Wootton today as they look to win consecutive games for the first time in many years, before playing against Richard Montgomery at their homecoming game in WJ’s season finale.

The Knowledge Bank – Another good type, they’re tuned into anything and everything about the team. It can get kind of scary though when they rattle off a list of every running back that has ever scored five touchdowns in a game for their team. WTF, dude . . .

The Jokester – A fan, yes, but not a completely devoted one usually. They provide comic relief and entertainment during breaks in the action. You can recognize them by their signature move: “make a loud joke and quickly scan everyone around looking for approval.”

S ports County Champions

pg. 15 16

October 30, 2009

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Football Gets First Win Under Kadi

W i l d c a t

Girls and Boys Cross Country Place First in Montgomery County Championship Meet

By Mateo Williamson

“My goal is to create a program where their minds are part of a team concept.”

- Coach Tom Martin Since the departure of All-State runner Chris Moen, many were skeptical of the cross country team’s ability to find success without its star athlete. While Moen held several team records during his tenure, the boys team remained a non-contender for the county and state championships. Over the past two years, the team has had a higher concentration of top 10 runners, which has resulted in two boys county championships “If there is no team alliance, there is no team,” said junior runner Camille Bouvet. “We are all extremely driven towards our goal [of a state championship] this season.”

In the County Championship meet, the boys displayed their balance, with four

“

runners finishing in the top 10, all of them finishing right after each other. For the girls, three runners placed in the top 10, including last year’s Maryland Gatorade Runner of the Year junior Anna Bosse. In the County Championships, WJ became the only school in the past 15 years to simultaneously win both the girls and boys championship.

“What’s most impressive this year about the girls and boys team is their dedication,” said Martin, who believes he has one of the most talented young teams in the county. “[The girls team] on average is the fastest team in WJ history. The boys team is by far the fastest.”

This most recent accomplishment has solidified WJ as one of the top state contenders the 4A State Championship meet on Nov. 14. Both the girls and boys ex-

My goal is to create a program where their minds are part of a team concept

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Photo courtesy of Kevin Milsted

The boys team had four runners place in the top ten at the county championship. Shown here is senior Sean O’Leary (right, fifth place) and junior Alex Willett, (left, sixth place).

pect a strong showing, and ultimately, a girls and boys state title trophy.

“The teams have established the state

championship as their main goal,” said Martin. “[The coaches] are going to help keep them focused.”

1, 2, 3, Boom: Volleyball Emerges as State Title Contender

By Zach Gordon The gym was at nearly-full capacity during the Sept. 15 game against Gaithersburg. There were chants of “I believe that we will win!” coming from the overflowing, blacked-out student section. The WJ banana was standing in the middle of the court, enthusiastically waving the school flag. This game and this atmosphere truly marked the success of the girls volleyball season. But who knew at the beginning of the season that the team would now be 11-2 and mentioned along powerhouses Wootton, Gaithersburg and Magruder for a state title, and be recognized as the one of the most successful teams in the school?

“Before tryouts started, I didn’t know what to expect,” said senior outside hitter and captain Anna Elder. “Last year’s team had some very good seniors that we lost. So this year was a fresh start.”

Coming into the 2009 season, the volleyball team was viewed as a dark horse in the championship race. Last year’s mediocre 7-8 record, combined with the loss of talented, graduated seniors, left much room for improvement this year.

With the team in a tough division, playing against teams like Gaithersburg, Wootton, Churchill and B-CC, along with the fact that they have not advanced past the first round of the playoffs in the last three years, the season seemed daunting for the Wildcats.

However, a few straight-set wins against

Wheaton and Springbrook to start off the season got the team rolling. Their first real test came against Sherwood on Sept. 17, and WJ delivered, beating the Warriors in straight sets. The Sherwood game served as a real turning point in the season. “[The Sherwood game] showed that we could beat teams that had something to offer, and that we weren’t mentally weak,” said junior middle hitter Jennie Zelenko. “It not only showed other teams this, but it was proof for ourselves also. The confidence really helps.”

The confidence gained from the early wins helped them through divisional play. They downed BCC, Quince Orchard and Whitman, and quietly reached a 6-0 record. As the school started to notice their success, fan turnout improved dramatically, with the students even being commended Photo by Alex Curtis for their spirit in The Gazette.The Freshman Kristen Larrick, seen here warming up for the mascots made appearances more Gaithersburg game, has been a staple at middle hitter for frequently. Sections of the gym the Wildcats this season. were closed off for students.

New cheers were developed especially tain Kathy Pao. “I love all the cheers they for the team. The fans brought a new make up, and of course the flag-bearing level of enthusiasm and inspiration to the banana.” players - something that was missing in Churchill and Northwest fell like past years. their previous opponents. Through eight “Volleyball has never had this many fans games, the Wildcats had only lost three come out to the games,” said senior cap- sets all season. The Gazette rated WJ as

the “Biggest Surprise” of the season, and proclaimed the Gaithersburg matchup as the biggest game of the year for the squad. The team turned out a strong performance against the Trojans, ultimately losing in four sets, but for the players and the fans, the Gaithersburg game was only a bump in the road.

“I think that if we have fun and stay focused,” said Zelenko, “We can definately beat some of the harder teams and go into playoffs ready to compete.”

But, only five days after Gaithersburg, the team faced another county power in the 8-1 Wootton Patriots. This game was critical for both teams, as a victory would keep both on the fringe of a top seed in the playoffs. The game lived up to expectations, and in a competitive five-set match, the Wildcats came out victorious.

Coupled with wins against Rockville and Kennedy, the team has picked up where they left off before Gaithersburg, gaining momentum heading into the playoffs.

“We are right there near the top,” said coach Bill Morris. “We have been improving with each match.”

With only two divisional championships in 1992 and 1998 and a regional championship in 1992, girls volleyball has not posted any major titles in the last decade. However, the team is looking to make a deep run into the November playoffs, with the inspired play of the team, the enthusiasm of the fans, and maybe even a few appearances by a flag-bearing banana.

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