October 7, 2011

Pitch Walter Johnson High School

the

Talking Shop: WJ Students Shoplifting Remains a Problem for Giant

By Julia Cinquegrani

T

om Murphy, a father of two WJ graduates and former PTSA president, was shopping for groceries at Giant one day a few years ago during WJ’s lunch period when he saw several WJ students conceal products in their belongings and their clothing and leave the store without paying.

“It reminded me of a scene in the movie “Animal House” where the members of a fraternity go through a [cafeteria] and start a food fight,” said Murphy. “Except this time, it wasn’t a movie. It was pretty serious.”

Murphy reported the shoplifting to Ed Miles, the manager of the Giant in Georgetown Square.

Miles, however, responded to Murphy’s concerns by telling him that he already knew about the shoplifting.

“Last year there were about 100, if not more, cases of WJ students being apprehended for shoplifting here; it was a plague,” said Miles. “We lose about $70,000 every year to shoplifting. . . a few days ago, there was a 14-year-old caught with almost $20 worth of stuff.”

Because so many WJ students are caught shoplifting, two years ago Giant management changed its store policy to require management to automatically call county police whenever anyone is caught shoplifting.

Giant faces many more losses because of shoplifting than any other venue near WJ because of the physical layout of the store. Many of the stolen items are consumed in the store; most frequently stolen items include energy drinks, gum and candy, and approximately half the 100 containers of popcorn chicken that Giant prepares every day.

“At other stores, you pay and then get the food,” said Miles.“Here,you take something off the shelves yourself, which gives you the ability to make the wrong decision.”

Motivations Behind Shoplifting Many people find it hard to understand why students would choose to shoplift considering

Inside, Check Out: October 10, 2011

Volume 57 Issue 1

the potential consequences if they are caught.

“Everybody that gets caught has money to pay for what they stole. Obviously [kids don’t shoplift because of] need for the most part,” said WJ security team leader Howard Beaubien. “I don’t know what drives the kids, except the thrill of it.”

Some people believe that young students who shoplift do not consider the potential legal and school consequences that can result from being caught shoplifting.

“I think [kids who shoplift] trivialize it; I don’t think they understand what they’re doing to themselves,” said Miles. “It’s not because they don’t have the money, it’s a rush, it’s a thrill. Kids do it a few times, and there’s no consequence, so they [keep doing it].”

Shoplifting often occurs in spurts or among groups of friends shoplifting together; it is rare for one student to be caught shoplifting alone.

“A student who gets caught during lunch isn’t your typical shoplifter,” said Miles. “The peer pressure is so phenomenal even the kids who know better succumb to the pressure. For some [students who are caught shoplifting] they might be contrite, but for a significant amount, they don’t see it as a big deal.”

Legal and School Consequences When students are caught shoplifting, Giant management automatically calls the police and WJ administration. School punishments vary depending on the student’s past misbehavior and the value of the merchandise stolen. According to the school’s discipline policy, the punishments for theft range from a minimum of paying restitution and a parent conference to a maximum of suspension, expulsion, paying restitution or a police referral.

“A few years ago, we had seven shoplifting incidents on the first day of school,” said Beaubien. “It’s an issue for the school because it occurs during the school day.”

Shoplifting continued on pg. 3

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thepitch@walterjohnson.com

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2

NEWS

LETTER FROM THE

EDITORS Dear Pitch Readers, Another school year has kicked off, and along with the changing of October leaves come the notable changes of the very first issue of the 20112012 The Pitch. Though we have made the executive decision to keep the news-magazine layout of last year, significant changes have been made since last year to both the design and feel of our school newspaper, as well as to its thriving online counterpart, The Pitch Online (www.wjpitch.com).

One of the main goals that we set early on was to maintain a strong relationship between the online and print editions of The Pitch. As such, this year’s readers can expect interesting excerpts from online articles, online shout-outs, and online contests imbedded throughout the print Pitch, along with the traditional “What’s New Online” box below.

We hope this will entice you to check out the quick-paced and high-tech website, which includes interactive polls, featured videos and a comprehensive and constantly updating sports ticker.

With the addition of a humor column, a number of new photographers, and a staff cartoonist, this year we are also dedicated to combining professional grade graphics with our staff’s already strong writing.

As a staff, we are confident in the direction we are heading this year – but we need your input! Don’t ever feel shy to drop an e-mail to thepitch@walterjohnson.com or comment on an article at The Pitch Online. We looking forward to hearing from you.

---Editors-in-Chief Rosie Hammack, Hannah Flesch, and Ali Jawetz

m o r F

THE

SGA Reflects on Year Thus Far

By Claudia Nguyen Before becoming this year’s student government association, President Jake Karlin, Vice President Josh Brenits, Secretary Takunda Ndoro and Treasurer Santi De Paco each had to run in the SGA elections held last year. They recalled how they felt during the month prior to the election.

“I don’t think people realize just how much work actually goes into running for [the] SGA,” said Brenits. “The whole month, every night I would go to bed and just think about the election. The night before, I couldn’t go to sleep. But when I heard [last year’s SGA VP] Michael Li call my name ... it was just such a surreal moment.”

The four officers shared the feeling of excitement when elected,but each had his own motivations for running for office.

“I honestly ran because I think diversity is something [WJ] has in abundance,” said Ndoro. “I thought

Above: SGA President Jake Karlin speaks at the fall sports pep rally.

Right (respectively): Treasurer Santi De Paco, VP Josh Brenits, President Jake Karlin and Secretary Takunda Ndoro.

PITCH ONLINE

wjpitch.com

What’s New

Co-Editor-in-Chief Rosie Hammack’s column

“Ethical Oil”

Online news editor Girard Bucello’s reflection on 9/11:

STAFF

“Pain, Memories Slow to Fade After Ten Years”

The Pitch is published eight times a year by the students of Walter Johnson High School, 6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814. Advertising and subscription rates are available by calling 301-803-7302. Editorial opinions represent those of The Pitch staff and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff, faculty, or student body. We welcome letters, articles, photographs and artwork, to be submitted to room 196 or e-mailed to thepitch@walterjohnson.com. The Pitch is an award-winning paper that works towards providing the student body with accurate, as well as credible, information.

Editorial Editors Ryan Lynch Danielle Markowitz* Assistant Editorial Editor Nathaniel Rees *Online Editors

“We’ll see kids dressing up in the craziest outfits for spirit day, and they don’t care if they’re the only one in the school or everyone else is doing it,” said Karlin.

“They just want to show support. And outside of WJ, at sports games, whether they’re at home or away, our fans are still louder than anyone else in the stadium.”

While they enjoy their positions, the officers relay that being in the SGA can often be difficult and time-consuming.

“Planning is definitely the most challenging,” said Ndoro.

They agreed that, lately, the homecoming movie has been their biggest priority and main source of stress.

“We work really hard for these certain things, like the homecoming movie,” said Karlin. “But once we finish it, we can take a step back and say we’re the ones who helped put this thing together and all the students are enjoying it. That’s what I think is the most enjoyable.”

Photos by Steven Groobert, Emily Cosentino and Julia Cinquegrani

THE

Arts & Entertainment Editor Taliah Dommerholt Assistant Arts & Ent. Editor Emily Cosentino

I was capable of what the job would entail, and I thought I could represent a minority demographic.”

De Paco cites WJ’s welcoming atmosphere as his reason for running. During his freshman year, De Paco moved to Maryland from Costa Rica. Although it was a completely new environment, he remembered that it was easy for him to feel like a part of the WJ community.

“Even though I didn’t really speak the language, didn’t know anyone or how the culture was, it was just so easy to blend in,” said De Paco. “[Other students] were so helpful and didn’t make me feel awkward. Also, I personally thought I had a lot of good ideas I could give to the school to make it more entertaining.”

Each of the officers said that their determination, organization and meticulousness qualify them for their jobs. It was a unanimous agreement that school spirit is the most prominent reason why they are proud of representing the students.

Above and right (respectively): SGA VP Josh Brenits and Tr e a s u r e r Santi De Paco.

seem daunting at times, most everyone becomes acquainted to school Freshmen in the Dark: Shining gradually life. a Light on High School Success “I guess it took a little while to adapt.

The first day wasn’t bad,” said junior

By Megan Chun, Online Feature James Duncan, who admits that school Editor becomes routine after a period of time.

Although high school can be a fun Duncan, who heard about the crossand stimulating experience for many, country team by word of mouth, did most teens at some point or another not begin running until the summer priget caught up in the logistics of the last or to freshman year. What started off as four years of their pre-college educa- a bet with his father turned into a comtion. Fresh out of middle school, rising mitment to the cross-country team... ninth graders often don’t know what to expect of the upcoming year. And To continue reading, visit though the very idea of high school may wjpitch.com Editors-in-Chief Hannah Flesch Rosie Hammack Ali Jawetz* News Editors Julia Cinquegrani Girard Bucello* Assistant News Editor Claudia Nguyen Sports Editors Phillip Resnick Daniel Fanaroff Assistant Sports Editor Daniel Thaler

OCTOBER 10, 2011

Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist 2009

Maryland HS Journalism Award Best Newspaper Overall Third Place 2009-2010

American Scholastic Press Association First Place 2010-2011

Feature Editors Jenny Deutsch Sari Amiel Megan Chun* Staff Writer Anders Norberg Photo Editor Emily Cosentino Photographers Anders Norberg Girard Bucello Kasun Kulathunga Steven Groobert

Copy Chief Sari Amiel Copy Editors Megan Chun Nathaniel Rees Claudia Nguyen Artists Anders Norberg Emily Cosentino Business/PR Manager Claudia Nguyen Advisor Sylvie Ellen

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3 Student Shoplifting Remains a Problem for Giant OCTOBER 10, 2011

NEWS

BOYS 18%

said that they had shoplifted at lunch.

61% said they have

seen another student shoplift.

Of the students who had seen

91% did nothing, and 8% someone shoplift,

they

said something to the student.

Photos by Julia Cinquegrani

Continued from pg. 1 Vice principal Christopher Merrill said that shoplifters seem to spread pretty evenly among all grades and both genders.

“It’s happened multiple times already this year,” said Merrill. “We don’t want our students getting arrested, that’s horrible for them. But if students are going to choose to break the law and steal, then it’s out of our hands.”

In addition to school consequences, there are also legal consequences.

Once police officers arrive at Giant, they conduct an investigation by looking through surveillance camera footage and talking to store management and the involved students.

According to Rebecca Innocenti, a spokesperson for Montgomery County Police, Giant almost always issues a no trespassing order to shoplifters. Because the store is on private property, the store manager decides whether to issue the no trespassing notice, which bans the person from Georgetown Square for 365 days, and the police can issue the order immediately For many minors, the legal consequences for shoplifting end there.

However, police also can take the minors to a police station to be processed and fingerprinted. The police then turn over the case to the Juvenile Department of Justice at the Department of Juvenile Services, which can choose to prosecute minors for shoplifting, according to Sean Murphy, a spokesperson for the Department of Juvenile Justice.

If Juvenile Services decides to pursue a case, an intake meeting is scheduled, so the minor, his parents and a Juvenile Services case supervisor can meet to determine consequences. Often the matter is resolved there and punishments involve informal supervision, where counseling and supervision by a case manager is administered; paying restitution for the stolen goods; completing community service hours or writing letters of apology.

A minor’s record is kept confidential and only people with a court order can access the files. The minor would not have to report the incident on college applications, and his record

From top left: Students shop at Giant

will be destroyed when he turns 21. during lunch, Officer Arnold Aubrey paJuvenile Services however, can detrols Giant at lunch and students walk to G-Square to shop. cide to send the case to the State’s Attorney Office, where the minor would be prosecuted for the crime. and I regret stealing and getting caught,” said Wellsman.

One Student’s Regrets

A large part of the student body, unlike WJ administration and Giant management, seems to think that shoplifting from Giant is not a serious problem.

“Everybody says shoplifting is a huge deal, but the consequences are not that huge,” said senior Scott Wellsman,* who was caught shoplifting at Giant by store management when he was a sophomore.

Wellsman said that he stole from Giant frequently during his freshman year and stole every day during lunch from Giant during his sophomore year until November, when he was caught.

“I didn’t have any money the day I was caught shoplifting; I went into Giant with the intention of stealing,” said Wellsman. “The chicken sandwich was calling my name. I put the sandwich in my pocket. I was about to make it out, when I felt this hand on my shoulder.”

Wellsman was caught by a loss prevention officer who had been following him. Giant and others stores commonly employ loss prevention officers, who are undercover security who try to catch patrons in the act of stealing. Wellsman and his six companions were detained

by Giant management, who called school administrators and the police.

“We waited through fifth period and half of sixth for the cops to come,” said Wellsman. “The cops got there and wrote down what we looked like and our personal information. They took my picture.”

The police officer issued no trespassing orders for Wellsman and the students he was with. In addition to the no trespassing order from the police, Smith was given three weeks of after school detention from school administration. Smith said that he wishes he had never chosen to shoplift.

“I definitely won’t steal again

Community Reactions School administration worries about the effects of shoplifting on the school’s image.

“It’s very frustrating to us; it gets out in the community,” said Merrill. “The school looks bad. It brings up the issue of whether open lunch is the right choice.”

Giant has tried various methods to curb shoplifting. In previous years, Giant made students leave their backpacks in front of the store.

“Book bags give students an easier place to put [stolen] merchandise,” said Miles. “We had to have an employee watch the bags and it became troublesome, so at least eight years ago we started letting them in.”

“When you look at [the money] you lose to shoplifting, it almost nullifies the money [we make from students buying food at lunch],” said Miles. “If we had more security staff, we would have more security apprehensions.”

The manager pointed out that Giant donates to many major organization at WJ and is therefore invested in WJ. “We promote It’s Academic and Bonus Bucks and we have a great relationship with the prom,” said Miles. “Students should understand that we’re all a community.”

He acknowledged that, “the school has always seemed very concerned about shoplifting” and that only “certain kids,” rather than most of the student body, commit the shoplifting.

At the same time, the vast amount of shoplifting that occurs still angers Miles.

“What if you invited me to your house and I left with your valuables? What would you say?” said Miles. “I know the police officers here almost like I know my own family, they’ve been here so often.” * Name has been changed.

56% agree or strongly

agree with the statement, “shoplifting is a huge problem.”

56% said WJ adminis-

tration does not do enough to prevent shoplifting.

GIRLS 8%

said they have shoplifted at lunch.

51% said they have seen another student shoplift.

Of the students who had seen someone shoplift,

78% said they did nothing, and 11% said they said something to the student.

71% agree or strongly

agree with the statement, “shoplifting is a huge problem.”

60% said WJ adminis-

tration does not do enough to prevent shoplifting.

249 students, 112 boys and 137 girls, were surveyed in nine fifth period classes between September 23 and 30.

NEWS

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4

OCTOBER 10, 2011

Increased Enrollment Enlarges Class Sizes

By Girard Bucello has to teach two or three courses; for example, Ceramics levels 2 and 3, as well as AP Ceramics, must share class space. This allows for less individualized attention than in separate classes, but is necessary to accommodate the extra students without additional hiring.

The Board of Education has allowed the school to increase the limit on students that can be in a classroom at one time.

Preventing overcrowding is always a necessity, but “overcrowding” is not well-defined. By raising the cap on class sizes from, for example, 32 students to 35 students, the capacity for students can increase without hiring teachers. “[The county] did increase the cap on students,” said art resource teacher Stephanie Ellis. “At some point, if we have too many kids, we’ll have to increase staffing. We may even have to deny students [the ability to take] electives. We have never been this full.”

Healey expressed similar concerns.

“I don’t know what happens if we’re understaffed. We’re staffed about as tight as we can be. It’s hard to imagine that [the administration] would cut staffing.”

The sudden increase in enrollment can be partly attributed to a decrease in the number of students attending private schools – a national trend, but more noticeable in this area, which

has a high concentration of private schools. With the cost increasing at a faster rate than wages, many families are putting their children into public schools. The added demand on the school system is showing, evident in the 2012 budget for the Department of Education. The public school system is spending $1,000 less per student on average than was spent two years ago.

MCPS had to cut nearly $24 million from salaries to make up for a lack of revenue. These cuts come at a time when schools need to hire more teach-

ers to accommodate more students.

The issue of student enrollment will not come up again until administration has to determine the schedules for the incoming freshman class. Even as students walk through the halls of WJ for the first time, policymakers in Rockville will decide which teachers will walk through those doors as well – or who will walk out of them for the last time. Students may not notice any changes, but teachers and other staff will be waiting anxiously for a decision at the start of the new school year.

Enrollment at WJ 610

Size of Freshman Class

Our school has seen years of steady growth in enrollment. Now, WJ is at capacity. Three years ago, the school enrolled 556 students in the freshman class. This year, over 600 freshmen are enrolled in the class of 2015, 50 to 100 students above county projections for the year. Though the school has had a steady increase in enrollment since the early 1990s, the school administration has struggled to place the extra students in classes.

“As you can imagine, required courses fill up quickly,” said the director of the school’s counseling department, Dennis Reynolds. “What we’ve actually seen, though, is that many of our elective courses are full.”

The effect of increased enrollment is not limited to a single department.

Though elective courses are fuller than required ones, every department is dealing with the additional enrollment.

“The immediate effect of [increased enrollment] is large class sizes, just about everywhere,” said social studies resource teacher Ty Healey. “As a department, there’s not a whole lot we can do in terms of staffing if we’re full everywhere.”

Limited staffing have forced elective departments to “stack” classes, placing students of different skill levels in the same room, with a single teacher who

Freshman class: 601 students

590 570 550 530 510 490

0

Data from MCPS and WJ websites.

Class of 2012

Class of 2013

Class of 2014

Graphic by Girard Bucello

Class of 2015

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OCTOBER 10, 2011

EDITORIAL

The Hallway Diary

By Cameron Keyani

Angry shoes slap against gray linoleum outside. Third period is finally over! Time for lunch in just one short period. I hastily cram various crucial papers into my backpack and make my way out of the room, walking through the hallway on auto-pilot.

Another day closer to death, I think to myself, Better not be late to fourth, or death will come sooner than I’d hoped.

I shuffled down the hallway in a lull of thoughts, finally interrupted by a slow moving group of girls. Edging by the skinniest one, I bump into her elbow and prepare myself to be talked down to.

“Uh, RUDE!” she yelled, looking like she was prepared to use her one and a half inch nails on my face.

Not half as rude as making me late to fourth period you brain-dead sloth! I silently scream within the safe confines of my head.

Angrily clenching my fist, I continue down the hallway, sifting through the disastrous cluster of people at the crux of the English Hallway and Atencio’s hallway.

Strong arming through rushing students like Crocodile Dundee slashes down reeds, I finally turn the corner into Atencio’s hallway.

“Yoooo Cami!” says a friend, high fiving and handshaking me.

Ahh man I love that guy, I reflect, amazing, how the hallway reminds you about friends who you only see at school. Ah its good to have friends like “Hey, Cameron!”

No.

“Cameron, look behind you.”

Oh why, why did he see me? Is there no justice in this world?

Pulling a fast one, I say hello and turn the corner, edging further away from my class even as time is running thin.

Taking this chance to visit the water fountain, I nearly audibly voice my frustration at the person ahead of me.

Oh yeah, now is a GREAT time to fill up your water bottle! I squirm, filling up my own bottle with total justification as soon as he finishes.

Its going to be a good day I muse to myself. *Ding* *Ding* *Ding**Ding* This is bad.

Photo courtesy of flickr.com

Best of the Worst: Movies, TV & Music the viewer the most laughs, and are ultimately the most memorable. As bad films go, this is one of the funniest, with a new bit of laughable stupidity slapping viewers in the face every minute.

Reality TV, the most inane yet humorous type of television, features the next winner, “Toddlers in Tiaras.” Beauty pageants for toddlers, check. Crazed moms manage to bring drama to Toddler beauty pageants, the most dramaless thing anyone can think of, check.

No one could really ask for a more humorous show. This foolish drama depicts five to twelve year olds getting spray tanned and jazzed up for their contests. Basically, this show is “Jersey Shore” and “Miss America” wound up in one, with little five year olds poofing up their hair “Snooki” style. Stupid, right?

But also unbelievably funny; a show that you will never forget and will keep you laughing for years to come.

There are many terrible songs, including the infamous Friday by Rebecca Black.

However, the worst song lyrics of all time are from the song, “Ballad of a Thin Man,” by Bob Dylan.

Now you see this one-eyed midget

Picture This Blanton Studios

By Ryan Lynch Print Editorial Editor

Photo courtesy of Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/MCT

The Oscars, the Grammys, the Emmys. All these awards are for the best of the best, given to the top dogs in movies, music and TV entertainment.

But how about the worst of the worst?

They should get awards too. A movie as bad as “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” deserves to be recognized for its incredible achievement in crappy filmmaking.

Therefore, here is the real list of the worst movie, TV show and song of all time. Actually watch and listen to these “worst of the worst” winners.

Sometimes the most absurd things, like these winners, are the funniest in life.

The worst movie of all time has to be the 1990 horror movie Troll 2, a hilarious movie featuring goblins rather than trolls. In the movie, a family moved to the town of Nilbog (spell it backwards), where vegetarian goblins feed the family green slime that turns the family into vegetables. And how does Joshua, the world’s creepiest kid, stop his family from eating green corn on the cob?

He pees on it.

Of course.

But sometimes movies like this provide

Ryan’s Rant

By Nathaniel Rees Shouting the word “NOW.” And you say, “For what reason ?”

And he says, “How?” And you say, “What does this mean?”

And he screams back, “You’re a cow Give me some milk Or else go home”.

Do I even have to explain why this is the worst song of all time? What in the world does that even mean? It seems as though Bob Dylan just decided to rhyme random words, making a weird conservation into music. Maybe he had “music block”. Maybe he got a preschooler to help write the lyrics.

Whatever the case, these lyrics are beyond bad, but also extremely humorous.

Readers, these are the worst of the worst.When you’re bored on a Saturday night, entertain you friends with these… The worst of the worst in arts entertainment are actually the funniest and bring about good times.

5

Our official first day of school began at 7:25 a.m. on Monday, August 29. My first day of school began at 10 a.m. on August 10. What was I doing at school at this ungodly date? I was taking my senior pictures of course!

Getting that letter addressed to me and my parents in the mail at the beginning of summer served as a beacon of senior year. While I was initially reluctant of getting up that early period, much less for going back to school, I couldn’t help but get a little giddy about hoping in front of a camera. Modeling is in fact a hidden passion of mine! Blanton Studios made one thing clear in their letter about; look good!

As I walked through the doors of the dance studio, the location for the senior photos, lookin’ “flyer than the rest of ‘em,” I was greeted with a cold ‘name please.’

I was instructed to sit down in the waiting area until my name was called. Fifteen minutes later when they were finally ready for me I thought, “Why did they tell me to be here at 10 if I was going to have to wait for this long?”

The first photo station was the casual photos.

I started off with a tentative, shy smile and one or two hand-on-chin poses to look smooth.

The photographer shot me a few glances of approval and even gave me some suggestions when I ran out of ideas. I left the first station feeling pretty satisfied, but I was less than amused when I saw the photos. The photographer’s indifferent mentality was evident in his photos as there was no attention to detail.

He was clearly trying to move students along without even remotely caring how the photos turned out.

Next were my formal portraits. I had to put on a zip-up blazer to look snazzy. When this particular photographer instructed me to ‘make a serious pose’ that resulted in multiple photos in which I look like an O.J. Simpson found guilty in court, I wasn’t too happy.

Blanton Studios saved the best photos for last. During the last two stations, an unusually upbeat young fellow with a passion for humming dubstep songs helped me slip on a 100 pound graduation gown on top of the blazer. I was going to take photos in my cap and gown, diploma pressed against my chest for the last few. Once I stepped into the lights, I began to melt away and even visibly sweat a tad. Do you think that the photographers took the time to point this out? What about giving me and other students time to adjust accordingly for their photos? No such courtesy was given. Instead they repaid us with absurd $200 and up prices for photos that didn’t even turn out well.

Excuse for me being the first person to acknowledge that the senior year of any student is important. How our senior photos, portraits, whatever turn out is a big deal, especially when being charged inordinate amounts of money to purchase them. I do not think it is too much to ask to hire a company that is going to put in the necessary time and care to conduct this delicate process. Photographers, I understand that your job probably gets a little redundant and boring, but you are getting paid. Underclassmen, I’m sure you can relate. Year after year, students end up with student id’s looking awkward, stiff and very dismayed. Blanton Studios, if you can’t fix this problem, I’m sure another photography company would be happy to do the job.

Up Bat at

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EDITORIAL

OCTOBER 10, 2011

Q: What is your biggest fear?

Daniel Zlotninsky

Everybody has a fear. Even the manliest of men, Indiana Jones, shrieked like a pre-teen girl whenever he saw a snake. So as autunm settles in upon as and Halloween inches closer and closer, we ask you WJ, what is your biggest fear?

junior

A: “Spiders.”

Jenny St. Clair

Photo by Steven Groobert

junior

“Being homeless.”

Paige Waqa senior

A: “Not going to college.”

Photo by Steven Groobert

Photo by Steven Groobert

Suma Duyn and Kaitlyn Mora sophomores

Adam Brami

“Clowns.”

sophomore

A: “Giant koala bears with bananas in their hands.”

Photo by Steven Groobert

Photo by Steven Groobert

Jevanie Mozes

Peter Stubin

sophomore

freshman

“Beans.”

Photo by Steven Groobert

A: “Finding a spider in my bed when I wake up.”

Photo by Steven Groobert

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OCTOBER 10, 2011

EDITORIAL

Ask Ali’s Corner:

7

Online editor-in-chief Alison Jawetz offers advice and help on wjpitch.com.

Here are some excerpts from this latest edition. Visit wjpitch.com to see more.

Dear Ali,

I have problems with women. Mostly, I don’t know how to articulate myself. First, there is a very smart sophomore girl, who I will call “Mary” for the purposes of this letter. I have been stalking her since last year, and while I go out of my way to say hello to her in the hallway, I have no clue how to pull the trigger. How do I strike up a relationship with her?

Another girl, who I like less but who I know better, who I’ll call “Milagros,” is a fiery Latin sweetheart who I met in Tech class. I don’t know whether to choose her or the sophomore – should I go for stability with Milagros or take a chance with Mary? Finally, there is a girl in my grade who is very interested in me, but I do not return her interest. How can I make it clear that I don’t feel the same way?

Sincerely, Articulately Challenged

Dear Articulately Challenged, Does Mary know that you like her? If so, do you know if she is interested at all?

If she shows any sign of flirtation or delight at your advances, then you should go for it! You could simply suggest a movie you could go to together, or ask her to Homecoming. Be straightforward and honest with your intentions.

However, if you’ve been stalking her for over a year and she has only acted mildly complacent with/tolerant of you, then your best bet is to stick with Milagros.

If you know her better, you’ll have a better chance of having a successful relationship as friends first. Taking chances in relationships is only fun if the probability of failure is pretty small, which I’m not sure is the case here.

As for the girl who likes you, if you’ve never given her reason to believe that her feelings are reciprocated, then she should get the picture pretty soon, with no articulating necessary. However, if it gets to the point where you feel you have to confront her, you might want to politely suggest another subject for her infatuation, or you can tell her that you already have someone else you really care about.

You definitely don’t want to hurt her feelings, but you cannot string her along if you have no intention of being with her.

Sincerely, Ali

Feel free to write in to eics.wjpitch@gmail.com to share your questions, concerns, embarrassing stories or suggestions!

Pitch Opinion: Montgomery County Curfew Teenagers were given the scare of their life over the summer when Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett proposed a countywide curfew that would bar anyone under the age of 18 from public areas. The potential for arrest would exist if an underage individual was out in public between 11 p.m. – 5 a.m. from Sunday to Thursday night. On the weekends, the curfew would be delayed an hour and not begin until midnight.

Many were caught off guard when this law was proposed. For many years teenagers have been allowed to roam at all hours of the night, so the announcement of a possible curfew was not expected. In addition, studies have shown that crime is already decreasing in

Montgomery County, so most teenagers do not create havoc at night. Therefore, the curfew would punish all teenagers in MoCo because of the actions of a select group of troublemakers.

The curfew would also not help reduce crime in the long run. Studies show that curfews do nothing to reduce crime, but instead increase tension between the police and the youth.

The possible curfew would give many kids records for the crime of only being outside. This impacts a teenager’s chance of getting into a good college, or even getting a respectable job.

The curfew also impacts the parents of the children. Any parent of a detainee would have to attend child- parenting classes, which is a complete waste

of a parent’s time, especially if their child’s offence was only that of being outside at the wrong time.

Isiah Leggett’s attempt to solve the problem of teenage crime is admirable.

No teenager should be drinking and smoking late at night. But a curfew is not actually going to stop teenagers from partying at all hours of the night.

Many other laws that attempt to prevent teenagers from participating in irresponsible activities have not solved any problems, including the drinking age and the illegalization of marijuana. Many teenagers still get drunk and smoke weed every weekend. In the most confusing yet fun time of their lives, many teenagers like to rebel against society. A curfew would be seen

by teens as a new challenge, and a new way to dare to break a law.

Therefore, the curfew should not be enacted. It would give kids records for no reason, and it would end up creating more crime. Teenagers would be considered suspects only because of their age. The law would restrict teenager’s freedom just because the government cannot deal with the problem.

The curfew will be voted upon as early as November. Teenagers and adults for that matter, across Montgomery County, should protest this law. If enough residents of Montgomery County openly oppose the law, this useless curfew will not be passed.

Curveball

“The most important test known to man”

By Hannah Flesch Print Editor-in-Chief

Yeah, I’ll admit it. It took me “multiple” tries to get my provisional license.

But is that such an uncommon thing? We all see the classic Facebook status with some sort of deviation from the simple word: “LICENSE!!!” with perhaps a few smiley faces. Then over 25 “likes” appear within 10 minutes and then, life goes on. As teenagers, this achievement represents a milestone to becoming an adult, liberating us to the streets of the world, an ability that has its share of enormous practicality. So sure, celebrate. (Cue music) But wait. Is it too personal to ask how many tests it took you to get that license? Is that why your status is filled with dozens of exclamation points, so that we, on the other end of the computer, can practically hear you shouting your jubilation? For me, getting my license finally was a sense of relief, so no; I did not update my status.

And while I’m here, I’d like to get something cleared out of the way. Just because it took me seemingly forever to finally pass, does not mean I am a bad driver. So I hit the curb during my parking section all the way up in Hagerstown. For the record, since when are curbs in all edges of most parking lots?

That was my first time. And it took so much more than I thought to get over that crucial mistake.

For those who passed their tests the first time, kudos to you. It probably saved your parents a lot time. Here’s where it gets interesting: I found tale after tale on the internet reveal that test takers who fail once have a higher chance of failing a second or third time.

I attribute it to the mental piece, probably the most difficult hurdle of the test. Supervision by a robotic employee of the MVA right there, watching every wrong move, is definitively unnerving.

That was my first problem. My second (sorry, Mom) was that I refused to take the test at Gaithersburg where even my behind the wheel instructor told me to avoid. An hour-and-15 minute ride up to Hagerstown, in addition to a couple times to Glen Burnie (near Annapolis) and then one to Frederick, drove me crazy. Each test was very different from the last, and the unfamiliarity factor, along with the pumping fear so evident in my shaking legs, got me nowhere.

So my advice, for those who have yet to take their test, try Gaithersburg. I repeat TRY GAITHERSBURG. It was a completely different experience from what I was told. As the closest location, I actually felt comfortable the entire time, navigating on Clopper Road and knowing exactly where I was going.

And by my accounts, it’s the closest and most familiar for you too. The one place I avoided for so long finally gave me what I wanted. Freedom. The only way I could keep trying was because of the belief that whatever happens was meant to be. Sometimes, that’s the only thing you can hold on to.

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EDITORIAL

OCTOBER 10, 2011

The Purgatory of High School Requirements

By Danielle Markowitz

It’s first period of my senior year and I’m slouching lazily on a stool in a classroom filled with power tools and dust. I look around at the young faces of my peers as they play around with Popsicle sticks and paper, chatting away about their silly underclassmen homework assignments. In the Foundations of Technology curriculum, this activity supposedly spurs “innovation.”

I’m pretty sure I did these types of activities, like building a cart out of scrap materials or making a spin top, in kindergarten and elementary level art class. The class is run for students with high amounts of hormones and low amounts of common sense, I feel like I’m treated like a kindergartener.

The activities are childish, the rules are simplistic and yet this is a requirement to graduate. Out of all the subjects to require for graduation, “woodshop” is not the most useful of skills for postgraduation, especially for many students like me who plan on pursuing

careers in the humanities, arts, science, law, or medicine.

I understand the need for basic requirements for graduation. One fine arts credit, one semester of health education and one technology credit are all necessary electives for graduation in Montgomery County, and rightfully so, because these requirements enforce a diverse and eclectic course load. The limitations of what classes fulfill those requirements, however, have proved to be detrimental to the education system as a whole.

A year ago, students in the class of 2011 were able to take a variety of classes to satisfy their tech credit. Classes included Food Trends and Child Development in addition to the current classes of Foundations of Technology, Intro to Engineering Design and Designing Technology Solutions. Once upon a time, writing for the school newspaper was a technology and an art credit. In contrast to the limited opportunities for

a technology credit, there are myriad of different classes that satisfy the art credit. A student can take up to three levels of Photography, Studio Art, Digital Art, Ceramics, Guitar, three options for Band and four options for Chorus.

The class choices are so disproportionate! It doesn’t make sense to limit the technology credit options when the current most basic class doesn’t necessarily enrich the students. As fun as carving your name out of wood and building egg-carts is, these activities provide little educational merit other than students interested in architecture, construction, or engineering.

As a senior, I would rather take AP Economics than Foundations of Tech.

Unfortunately; I must remain in this on-level class, sitting in that dusty classroom as the teacher merely babysits the kids until the beautiful tones of the bell ring. Welcome to my purgatory.

Photo courtesy of flickr.com

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Pitch

FEATURE

OCTOBER 10, 2011

WJ Welcomes New Staff Principal Jennifer Baker

By Jenny Deutsch This is not new principal Jennifer Baker’s first time working at WJ. After graduating from the University of Maryland, Baker came as a brand new teacher to teach math to the bright-eyed and bushy tailed students of WJ. Ever since then, she has not been able to get enough of the WJ community. This is pretty clear, because for the last five years, Baker has stuck within the WJ cluster, formerly serving as the principal of Tilden Middle School.

Baker, aside from being a principal, has many other hobbies, which include reading, travelling, going to the beach and cooking. As a matter of fact, before going to college and becoming an educator and administrator, Baker owned a restaurant and was prominent in the restaurant business.

Although Baker considers herself an extremely open-minded person, she does have pet peeves.

“My major pet peeves are when someone is being disrespectful and when people aren’t participating in the problem solving,” said Baker. “They just want to put it off on someone else and aren’t collaborative.”

Lover of Italian food, her iPad, the color purple and collaboration, Baker wishes to squash all rumors about a ploy to get rid of open lunch.

“I love open lunch and I have no intention of getting rid of it,” said Baker.

As we transition further into this new administration, the WJ community will continue to get to know our new principal.

Rachel Attner

By Daniel Thaler

By Jenny Deutsch

If you see someone wearing a cheese head or yelling, “Go Pack Go,” in the hallways of WJ, then chances are you have come across new math teacher Rachel Attner. This devoted Packers fan now teaches pre-calculus and honors geometry. Due to a surplus of teachers, she had to leave Ridgeview Middle School this past year, but quickly found an opportunity at WJ, a place she describes as somewhere she wanted to be.

“Middle school kids are crazy,” said Attner.

She appreciates that high school kids can actually stay seated for most of the class.

“I like to joke around a lot as long as we cover the content,” she said.

Outside of school, besides following the Packers, she has several hobbies, including exercising, playing the piano and singing.Yet, surprisingly enough, her dream job since second grade was to be a math teacher. She has found herself doing what she loves at this spirited school.

“I’m really content,” said Attner.

Songtao Shu

By Sari Amiel

Last year at this time, Chinese teacher Songtao Shu was a student herself, studying in a foreign language teaching program at UMD. Before, Shu was a Chinese teacher in Germany, and, before that, a German teacher and translator in China.Shu resolved to teach at WJ this August, when she heard there was an opening for the position of a Chinese teacher.

“I [knew that] WJ [had] a very good reputation before I [came] here,” said Shu. Shu would like WJ’s Chinese program to expand. She is now teaching three periods of Chinese, with levels three, four and AP combined in one class of only 29 students.

Shu describes herself as being open-minded, gentle and eager to learn. She wants her students to teach her about American culture while she teaches them Chinese. Aside from teaching, Shu’s preferences include watching dramas, skiing and eating Italian food. She also enjoys listening to classical music because it does not have words and allows her to think while listening to it.

“I wish [that] all [of the] students and parents in my class will be satisfied and [that] we’ll have success in my class,” Shu said. “I’m happy to be here.”

Photos by Steven Groobert.

Rainer Kulenkampff Rainer Kulenkampff, WJ’s new government teacher, has lived all over the world. Born in South Africa, he moved to Chicago, Ohio, Germany, Michigan, Oregon and Indiana throughout his youth, before settling here in the Metropolitan D.C. area. He claims that this is his favorite place he’s lived yet.

Previously working at Cabin John Middle School and then at Wootton High School, Kulenkampff has a good impression of the WJ community so far.

“WJ is a very functional organization, [and is] very productive,” said Kulenkampff. “People are very nice, the students are great here, [and] they really contribute a lot to the classroom.”

Conveniently, his favorite color is green, which is a sure sign that he belongs at WJ.

George Lavelle

By Claudia Nguyen

WJ’s new technology education teacher, George Lavelle, did not always plan on becoming a teacher. Originally, he studied to become an architect, but later changed his mind because he was inspired by a few of his high school teachers.

Lavelle grew up in Harrisburg, PA and, in December 2010, he graduated from the California University of Pennsylvania. As a child, Lavelle was adventurous and always asked questions.

“I was a good kid, but I could sometimes get in trouble,” said Lavelle.

“I’m still a kid at heart.”

Before coming to WJ, he taught technology classes at Gaithersburg High School for six months. Since he began teaching here, Lavelle has been impressed with the WJ community and its students.

However, he stressed that students must follow directions and remember to read the board before asking questions. But, at the same time, he emphasized that students should not be intimidated or hesitant to ask him anything because he doesn’t believe there are any dumb questions.

“I’m a quirky teacher [who] will always have fun, have a matching shirt and tie on and will always be willing to help out students, no matter what,” said Lavelle.-

This is a random sampling of new teachers, chosen to reflect a variety of subjects.

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Pitch

FEATURE

OCTOBER 10, 2011

a pathway to coll of your why they matter

By Girard Bucello

1.

It shows colleges that you’re interested. “If you’re interested in a colleg show interest,” said American University admissions officer Alicia Hilligas. “If have two identical applicants, [but] one attended the info sessions and visited th college, who am I going to accept?” Colleges need to gauge the interest of appl cants. If you apply without visiting, they may assume that you applied at the la minute.

It allows colleges to get to know you. Colleges need to of person that they’ll have living on campus. Talking directly w best way for an admissions representative to tell if you’re the k that would be a benefit to have enrolled in their classes. It is a sheet of paper speak for you; only you can do that.

2.

3.

It lets you see what student life is l in a good location? Are students overworke the students in class having a discussion, o just lecturing them? When looking at studen spective college, nothing can compare to v in person.

4.

It gives you a chance to ask outside [of the tour],” says WJ gu Murray. “You’ll want to hear some as opposed to those you get from show the best of the school. The to questions will come from stud the tour.

Keep in mind being your home. W looking at it? Well, by visiting it first, that’s cisions based only on SAT scores is risky. R trouble of transferri it’s far easier to m cision the f

5.

the college tour

By Danielle Markowitz

the fitness center

Unless you are going to college to play on a sports team, the fitness center is important for the average student. Here you can see gym accessibility, hours and type of exercise you can get. Some colleges will have Olympic-sized swimming pools and others will have an eclectic mix of treadmills, ellipticals and stair steppers. Either way, whether it’s hitting the gym or joining an intramural club, you can look for a way to avoid that freshman 15.

the dining

One important thing to look for while on a college tour is the dining. Some colleges will show you top-of-the-line organic, vegetarian and vegan dining halls, while others will have simple buffet-style food courts. If you have time, eat lunch in one of the cafeterias and see how you like the options. Depending on the school, there could be one large food area, or various dining halls scattered across campus.

Photos courtesy of flickr.com

the bookstore

College bookstores are magical places. It is here that you can find clothing, school supplies, car stickers and even course textbooks. Browsing this paraphernalia can give you a feel of the campus spirit, and you can even buy a souvenir to remember the visit!

Additionally, perusing the course books can give you an idea of what kind of materials students read in their classes.

the dorms

Some colleges don't show their dorm rooms, so when the opportunity arises, don't take it for granted. Seeing the dorm rooms is a valuable guide in deciding which college you can see yourself at. It is in these rooms that you'll be living in for the next few years of your life. Make sure to check out the freshman dorms (watch for the closet space), apartmentstyle dorms, dorm housing and Greek houses.

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OCTOBER 10 , 2011

FEATURE

lege: make the most college visit

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what to ask

By Anders Norberg

What is the average Saturday night here like?

ge, fI he liast

This question will give you a good idea of the kind of school you are looking at. Is it a party school? Or an overly academic school? It can also give you an idea of how active and lively the school is during the weekends.

“Some campuses do a great job of organizing activities and events, and the students feel very invested in the campus community,” said counselor Joe Thompson.

However, some schools don’t have much going on and most people may leave the campus over the weekend.

know the kind with you is the kind of student best not to let

like. Is the college ed, or relaxed? Are or is the professor nt life at your provisiting the college

Are there fraternities and sororities here?

k questions. “Try to step uidance counselor Erika e more ‘real’ responses,” m a tour guide hired to most genuine responses dents who aren’t part of

Fraternities and sororities are sometimes a big part of college and may interest you if you are into partying and brotherhoods/sisterhoods. If you aren’t interested in these organizations, then don’t go to a school where these organizations are integral parts of the social scene.

How many students live on campus?

Knowing how many students live on campus shows how active the school’s community is, since freshmen will often be living in dorms. As for the weekends, the amount of activities and such show how one will be spending their weekends while in college. At some colleges, there are very few people who live on campus which could bring up the question of off campus living for prospective students.

How many classes are taught by graduate students?

In most large universities professors will have graduate students assist them, and sometime even teach the class. Graduate students aren’t as experienced as professors and might not be able to explain the lessons as well.

d that the college might end up Would you buy a house without y applying to a college without exactly what you’re doing. Dethe school’s average GPA or Rather than go through the ing between colleges, make the right defirst time.

how to prepare

By Girard Bucello

1.

Write out questions that you couldn’t find answers to online. Asking about the size of the freshman class last year or the average GPA is a waste of time – the information is available online. Asking just shows that you didn’t research the college before you visited. According to Murray, “something to ask would be along the lines of, ‘Are internships part of your majors?’ or ‘Can I meet with the head of a certain department?’”

2. Make sure your parents don’t do all the talking. They’re not going to college.You are. Let them ask questions – but not all of them. Otherwise, you won’t get to ask the questions you want to, and it makes you seem as though you’re not prepared.

3.

Consider an overnight visit. Visiting a college overnight “allows you to get a fuller experience of the college,” said Murray. Assume, for example, that the dorms have no air conditioning, or that the cafeteria is far from the dorms. You might not notice these details in the tour, but on an overnight visit, those types of issues are glaring – and might affect your eventual decision.

4.

Send the tour guide or admissions officer an email when you get home. It doesn’t have to be a two-page letter; you only need to thank them for the campus tour. This way, they’ll remember you more easily, and they will know you have interest in applying to their college.You may even get a response.

5. Don’t fly out to see a college…yet. Does UCLA appeal to you? Don’t go a thousand miles to get there just yet.You can gauge the feel of a certain type of university (e.g. public or private; large, medium or small; etc.) without going to a specific school. If you find out by visiting College Park that you won’t like a large public university, for example, you won’t be interested in UCLA, so there is no need to fly out for a visit.

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OCTOBER 10, 2011

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Traditions and Mascots of WJ’s Past

By Sari Amiel During the fall sports pep rally on the first Friday of school, a panda stood, cheering, alongside WJ’s mascots. Evidently, the time had come to figure out which mascots we do have and why.

The answer lies deep in WJ’s history. WJ opened in 1956. In 1967, WJ transferred students to Woodward High School, now Tilden Middle School, but took back Woodward’s students when the two schools merged in 1987. This unique back-and-forth transfer of WJ’s students influenced our mascot selection. The first time we got a new mascot, though, was even before Woodward opened. “[Students] used to call this ‘Cow Pasture High,’” said Media Services Technician and WJ alum, Tyrone Huber, Sr., who graduated in 1962.

He remembers the days when the Spartans were WJ’s only mascot, something that science teacher Bill Morris thinks may be related to Michigan State University, which also has a Spartan mascot and green and white colors.

According to Huber, the 1962 senior prank consisted of the seniors bringing three calves into WJ’s main hall, which

the flustered dean of the school chased Square was a cornfield, as were the high around. At noon, a farmer came to pick buildings near I-270. Democracy Blvd., a dirt road, ended just past WJ. Rock them up, and, after the ensuing Spring Dr. also ended at the week of senior pranks, the dean school, and had no name. left the school a n d According to Huber, in 1987, when WJ and Woodward were combined, representatives from both schools flipped a coin to determine the mascot and colors of the combined school. WJ won and chose to keep its colors, and Woodward decided that their mascot, the Wildcat, would be WJ’s new mascot, replacing the Spartan. In addition to the shift in mascots, there were many other changes throughout WJ’s past.

Morris remembers that today’s art Illustration by Michael Matthes. wing used to be an automotive and never returned. Also, contributing to wood shop, complete with a garage. the cow spirit, in 1963, seniors paint- Today’s tennis courts were a driving ed a cow on WJ’s chimney, but this was range, and P.E. teachers taught driving painted over in 1998. This could have classes during school hours. Students led to the birth of the Mighty Moo could get into trouble for chewing gum mascot, but some other rumors exist. when speaking to a teacher, running in According to the WJ website, students the hall or even riding a bike to school. may also have carried a cow to the roof.

“You could get after school Huber still recalls the days when G- [detention] for just about any-

thing,” Huber concluded.

Although WJ always excelled in academics, Huber remembers a student population of predominately middle class white students, with only three African Americans in the whole school.

“The result is you don’t learn as much,” said Huber. “The more you are exposed to other races, religions [and] cultures, the less … bigotry [there will be].”

In 1997, at the half time of the homecoming football game, the Wild Thing was created as a mascot for sports games. Students made up a story about how Mighty Moo was captured and the Wild Thing rescued him. With this, a new unofficial mascot was born.

As for the panda, it’s more of an unofficial mascot. Someone in the leadership class owned a panda suit, and wore it to support the other mascots.

What our exploration of WJ’s history unravels is a common thread of pride and devotion to our school.

Our many mascots, while entertaining, are not that significant in themselves. Together, they reveal that WJ’s students have always been spirited, and this, not our large amount of mascots, is what really makes us stand out.

Four Guys and an Interview: Homecoming Video Preview

By Megan Chun The week of homecoming provides students with an opportunity to showcase their spirit through various activities and events, such as the hall decorations and spirit dress days. Since 1997, the presentation of the homecoming video has been paramount to the spirit at WJ. Although the writing of the video script relied mostly on the SGA officers, more people were involved this year.

“It was a really big effort and we had a lot of the senior class officers help us out, so it’s been a lot more of a group effort,” said SGA President Jake Karlin.

The homecoming video typically serves as a source of humor for the student body, and the SGA officers

have been working for the past few months to create their feature film.

They started planning after they were elected in June 2011, and worked over the summer to create the script.

According to the officers, getting the script approved and finalized has been the most laborious task so far. After the script is written, it goes through a tedious editing process. Apart from SGA Advisor Nico Atencio, Assistant Principal Chris Merrill and Principal Jennifer Baker are also given the script to review.

“Just going purely off the script … it’s a great movie,” said SGA Vice President Josh Brenits. “[Since] we’re a pretty diverse SGA, we have a lot of differ-

ent jokes that will appeal to a bunch of different people. It’s not just inside jokes that only one group will enjoy.”

Though incoming freshmen may not be aware of the WJ tradition, the other grades, particularly the seniors, know what to anticipate.

“If they don’t love it, [the students will] probably just hate us,” said Karlin.

Homecoming videos of recent years have reflected blockbusters such as “Harry Potter andThe Sorcerer’s Stone,” “The Dark Knight” and “The Hangover.” This year’s SGA plans to keep the trend going. “[This year’s homecoming video is] kind of a skeleton of ‘HotTubTime Machine,’” said SGA Treasurer Santi De Paco, in

The SGA Officers joke around while filming the homecoming video.

Photos by Julia Cinquegrani.

reference to the 2010 comedy film.

Though they did offer The Pitch some sneak peeks, including a surprise appearance and an abundance of funny jokes, the SGA remains tight-lipped regarding any large spoilers or surprises.

“They wouldn’t be surprises if we told you,” said SGA SecretaryTakunda Ndoro.

So WJ, get ready for some hottubbing homecoming madness coming your way on Oct. 20 during third period. Look out for the Wildcat, some loud ringing noises, a fruit basket and perhaps some Gingers, too.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

OCTOBER 10, 2011

Youngin’ On His Grind:

How Youthful Rappers are changing the Genre

Photo courtesy of flickr.com

Mac Miller, 19, performs in Toronto.

By Cameron Keyani Tyler the Creator, Mac Miller, Earl Sweatshirt and Wiz Khalifa.

Other than being huge names in rap, what do all these people have in common? They were all incredibly young when their careers took flight. Earl, the youngest of those four, turned 17 earlier this year, and Mac Miller just graduated from high school.

Rap grandfathers such as Dr. Dre and Ice Cube were well into their twenties when their careers took off. But now, rappers have just barely taken off their caps and gowns when they enter the limelight. And for a genre that usually covers violence and drug use, such young talent is surprising.

Rappers this young in the past used to be explained because they were inner city youths exposed to gang violence, who got off the streets by rapping. But in contrast, Wiz Khalifa and Miller both had relatively stable childhoods, attending a highly-rated urban high school in Pittsburgh.

This is the new trend. Rapping, previously the domain of 20 to 30 year old gang members and often drug dealers, is now the preferred medium of middle class high school seniors. And this surge of young, relatively affluent and diverse

rappers has changed both the sound of rap music and the subject matter of its lyrics.

“No one is a drug dealer anymore,” said senior Andrew Pitsenberger. “They just rap about partying. That’s what most of their lyrics are about now.”

This young generation of rappers has infused a new, somewhat less objectionable pool of topics to rap about, such as parties and how cool they are.

And with this change in subject matter, there is also a change in the synthesis and the sound of the music. The rappers of yesteryear were pioneers, making music and sounds that had never been heard before. But this recent generation of rappers has grown up with rap as an established genre, and now can innovate with the foundation already in place.

What is remarkable about these songs is that they incorporate elements from genres like electro, jazz and techno, eschewing 2000-2009 rap themes. Gone are the days of simple drum machine beats and barely intelligible, much less intelligent, lyrics. These new rappers write melodic beats and clever, even thought provoking rhymes.

“Rap has changed immensely in the past few years,” said senior Conor Brodnick, “We have rappers of different backgrounds, ages and races, [which]

has diversified the sound we hear on the radio.”

The hugely popular Wiz Khalifa has been criticized at times as a rapper, but his amazing beats and addictive hooks have catapulted him to stardom. This says something about the previous state of rap; a rapper who isn’t technically skilled can be lauded simply for making music that sounds new and different.

Additionally, Khalifa never makes references to violence and the only drug he references is marijuana, a far cry from rappers like Rick Ross and Gucci Mane who brag about their sale of cocaine and violent intimidation of others.

The young face of rap has breathed life into a genre that wallowed in the past decade, minus a few major hits.

And this doesn’t even mean that older rappers are excluded from the mix.

Relative oldies like Dr. Dre and Busta Rhymes have made massive comebacks using the styles of the new school.

“Because of websites like Datpiff.com, younger [rappers] can get their mix tapes out faster and to a broader audience,” said Brodnick. “Younger kids are getting exposure and in turn fame faster than ever before.”

Out with the old and in with the new has never sounded so good.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

OCTOBER 10, 2011

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Wildcat Reviews Third Base: The Humor Column Book: The Hunger Games

Movie: “The Debt”

Though the first book in the Hunger Games Trilogy

by Suzanne Collins was published in 2008, the upcoming movie, to be released March 23, 2012, necessitates a book review.

The novel follows the life of Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl living in a futuristic dystopia called Panem, which occupies North America.The country is controlled by President Snow and a cruel group of affluent policy-makers called “The Capitol.” Every year, they put on a contest called “The Hunger Games,” in which 24 children aged 13-18 are forced to fight to the death, with one victor to win eternal glory and abundant food for their families.

The book is accessible to either gender and is a pageturner for its young adult audience. The story, while accurately mimicking a teenage voice, illustrates Katniss’ very adult internal struggles over protecting her loved ones.

Though Collins’ work might not be considered classic literature – the writing style is repetitive and generic at times – the book is certainly fast-paced with attention-grabbing content and compelling love stories. As long as you’re not expecting the next Great American novel, I would definitely recommend The Hunger Games. The rest of the series is just as enthralling as the first book, so I Photo courtesy of imdb.com would suggest buying all three at once.

When I asked several friends if they’d seen “The Debt” yet, they thought I was referring to the National debt, and I received very puzzled looks at my excitement towards it. But the movie incited so many emotions – of suspense, horror, triumph and longing – that I just had to spread the word.

The plot surrounds three agents from Mossad (the Israeli equivalent to the CIA) whose mission is to capture Dieter Vogel, the “Surgeon of Birkenau,” a Mengele-like Nazi who committed many gruesome crimes during the Holocaust. They go to East Berlin with a risky plan to capture Vogel in traditional Mossad fashion. The cast – especially the actresses who play Rachel Singer (Jessica Chastain and Helen Mirren) – holds the movie Photo courtesy of suzannecollins.com together with the element of human emotion, and Vogel, played by Jesper Christensen, is exactly the Nazi that you want to hate.

The movie is a remake of the 2007 Israeli film “Ha Hov” (which translates to “The Debt”), but the Americanized version, helmed by John Madden, is also superbly filmed. With a combination of beautiful cinematography, impressive acting, and several heartwrenching, poignant scenes, “The Debt” is definitely a must-see. And if you’re not into any of that, you could always just go to the movie to stare at Sam Worthington for two hours, which would still not be a waste of your time.

by Ali Jawetz

Mike and Cami’s Homecoming “How To” Guide

By Cameron Keyani and Michael Matthes As homecoming season approaches, boys frantically begin squaring away dates, much like the squirrel stores away nuts for the approaching winter. During these hectic times, it can be easy for boys in particular to end up with their feet in their mouths, spoiling any chance of securing a homecoming date. Whether this is their fault because of rash decision-making, or simply because they have been refused by prospective dates, in the end many wind up going stag—when they would rather have a beautiful Wildcat on their arm. We are here to offer all the boys out there three years of experience, passing on hard-won knowledge to help you, our hideous and socially dysfunctional readers, have a chance at finding true homecoming love.

CK: Never ask out someone older. Last year I asked Ms. Gold to homecoming, and boy was that a mistake. I should have listened when she said she wanted someone “more mature,” but instead I sat on her term papers and cried until she said yes. Our tender slow dance to Lil’ Boosie’s “We Out Chea,” was almost as romantic as her screams while the police were taking her away. But by the end of the night, I was dancing solo and wishing I had asked someone from my grade.

MM: Don’t try too hard to win a date’s approval. I made this mistake my sophomore year when I tried asking out Annie Ezekilova. I was really eager to ask her out, and I could feel the chemistry between us; I especially felt the connection when I watched her sleep, staring at her through a hole I made in the ceiling of her room. Sometimes I would even whisper love sonnets into her ear while she slept. It was around that time she gave me a message of her own. She filed a restraining order of 2,000 feet, which made it near impossible to attend class that year.

CK: A word to the wise: never ask anyone for advice on how to pop the question. Only you know how you want to ask out your date. Sophomore year, when I had no idea how to ask Bryn Molloy to homecoming, I thought to myself, “Who gets more women than anyone I know?.......KC Griffin!” So, under his guidance, I dougied outside of Bryn’s house for nine hours, finally stopping when she called the police and I was tazered into cardiac arrest.

MM: Be sure not to take two dates to the same dance. I made that mistake my junior year, when I ended up taking both Van Wagoner sisters to homecoming. I had asked Emma Van Wagoner initially, then, not knowing that Carly Van Wagoner was her sister, I asked her too, wanting a date with a little more height. This obviously made the already awkward parent-date meeting even more unbearable. The image of the cold piercing glare Mr. Van Wagoner gave me during the lawn photographs still haunts my dreams to this day.

With wisdom gained from our impeccable track records, we wish our readers the best of luck.

by Ali Jawetz

The TOMS Sensation

Photo provided by www.toms.com

by Taliah Dommerholt Though the classic TOMS slip-on shoe may have taken some getting used to, it’s not uncommon to enter a classroom and see one or two pairs of this common fashion feature. But this trend is more than just a fad—it’s a movement to sell fashion that benefits the world.

TOMS owner, Blake Mycoskie, started the line when he took a trip to Argentina and noticed that many children were not wearing shoes. Mycoskie learned that going barefoot is a main cause of many diseases and that shoes protect feet from cuts that can become infected. With every purchase made on a pair of TOMS, one pair of shoes is given to a child in need.

In fact, as of Sept. 2010, TOMS had given over one million pairs of shoes to children in need in over 20 countries worldwide.

Senior Cat Redmond is well aware of the TOMS One for One movement, and got her first pair of TOMS three years ago when they were just becoming well known.

“A couple of years ago I saw [that] my brother got a pair,” said Redmond. “ I thought they were really cute.”

The shoes come in many shapes, styles and colors, with target audiences of both genders and all ages.

Photo provided by www.toms.com

*Names, places and events are fictitious for the purpose of humor.

The Classic TOMS Style

Children in Ethiopia wearing TOMS

Starting at a price of $44, the shoes come in glitter, stripes, animal print, and more, in styles ranging from traditional botas to classic slip-ons and even espadrilles and boots.

“I really like them because they’re super comfortable and have such nice, simple designs,” said junior Angela Sese. “They’re also for a good cause—so why wouldn’t everyone buy them?”

Not only do these trendy shoes take part in social action movements, but also they are easy solutions to comfortably dressing in vogue.

“At six o’clock in the morning when you don’t want to get up or go to school,” said Redmond, “it’s really nice to throw on [TOMS] and just walk out the door.”

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OCTOBER 10, 2011

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Hot Picks

A Guide to Underage Nightlife

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By Taliah Dommerholt

1. District of Pi: This hip pizzeria, newly opened in the Penn Quarter, serves award-winning deep dish and thin crust pizza, with gourmet and eclectic toppings ranging from artichoke hearts to fresh ricotta. The classy yet relaxed atmosphere is perfect to fuel up in before a nighttime walking tour of the monuments.

2. DC Drag Queen Race 2011: Yes, it’s on a Tuesday, but who doesn’t want to see men in heels and

frocks racing down 17th Street? The race begins at 9 p.m. on Oct. 25 with participants and spectators gathering in Dupont Circle as early as 6 p.m. for this unparalled D.C. Halloween block party.

3. Busboys and Poets: Opened by an Iraqi-American activist, this café serves as a community gathering place, bringing together art and culture at the flagship location on 14th and V Street, along with three other locations. From open-mic poetry nights to environmental action programs to film screening events, the atmosphere is accepting of all. The menu accommodates three meals a day, including a range of salads, pizzas and paninis, all made from organic, seasonal ingredients.

Book discussion at Busboys and Poets

4. Folger Shakespeare Library: For the theater-going crowd

and even for those skeptical of drama, Folger provides unique interpretations of Shakespeare’s classics, as well as pieces from other well-known artists of his time. Imagine actually understanding and enjoying a Shakespeare play. At Folger, not only are the shows entertaining, but they also have the potential to change even the most adamant Shakespeare-hater’s opinion. Students receive 25 to 25 percent off most programs and have the opportunity to purchase Student Rush tickets offered at 50 percent discounts, when purchased at the box office window an hour before productions begin. At these rates, you have nothing to lose!

Fillmore: This brand-new music venue, opened Sept. 15 in downtown Silver Spring, hosts 5. The music of all genres. The hall has a historical jazzy feel to it, combined with post-modern décor and high

crystal chandeliers. From A-list artists including R&B performer Mary J. Blige, to lesser-known bands that require more intimate settings, the Fillmore is equipped for anything. Be one of the firsts to check out this conveniently located, top nightlife destination!

Photos courtesy of flickr.com and fillmoresilverspring.com

A musician jams at the newly opened Fillmore

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OCTOBER 10, 2011

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Pitch Picks Halloween Movies to Chill Compiled by Rosie Hammack

Your Bones

beloved Disney classic is remembered fondly in the Halloweentown The rosy colored memories of our generation. We only suggest that you keep it there, as “Halloweentown” is actually pretty terrible. “This classic family friendly series has spooky moments but also heartwarming tales,” said print Editor in Chief Hannah Flesch.

Nicholson stars in this chilling psychological thriller. “A The Shining Jack truly scary movie that might have a disappointing /confusing final act, but is still one of the best horror offerings out there,” said online arts and entertainment editor Cami Keyani.

classic film from the ‘80s mixes horror, sci-fi and mystery in a chilling The Thing This story about a shape-shifting alien. “It was one of the most shocking and horrify-

ing movies that I’ve ever seen,” said print editorial editor Ryan Lynch. “I never knew what was going to happen next.”

in 1985, this movie stars a young Tom Cruise as a hippie, unicornLegend Released loving forest boy and the girl who plays “Sloane” in ‘Ferris Bueller’s’ as his

love interest. “The budget for the movie was so low that glitter was used to represent snow and it remains the best/worst movie ever created,” said online Editor in Chief Ali Jawetz. “Tim Curry as the devil is also a plus.”

The Room

Esteemed by many as perhaps the bottom notch of cinematic failure, “The Room” attempts to grapple with the serious issues of relationships and trust. “It was fantastic,” said cartoonist Michael Matthes. “It was just a cinematic masterpiece.”

Notebook’ and ‘50 First Buffy the Vampire Slayer “‘The Dates’ are two other good Halloween movies,” said an anonymous sports editor. Enough said.

Images courtesy of imdb.com

Sudoku

This Week in Theaters 1. 50/50 2. Dream House 3. What’s Your Number?

4. The Ides of March 5. Real Steel

Top Music of the Week 1. Moves Like JaggerMaroon 5 Featuring Christina Aguilera

2. Someone Like YouAdele

3. Pumped Up KicksFoster the People

4. Party Rock AnthemLMFAO Featuring Lauren Bennett &GoonRock 5. Stereo Hearts- Gym Class Heroes Featuring Adam Levine

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Pitch

OCTOBER 10, 2011

Girls Soccer

By Dashel Lewis

The Girls Soccer team has started the season strong, amassing a 5-2-1 record.

The team has notched impressive victories over Richard Montgomery and Seneca Valley. The team is led by seniors Caroline Hagerty and twins Carly and Emma Van Wagoner. Juniors Carina Deandreis and Zoe Park are also key contributors to the team.

Coach Liz Friedman says that her team is, “disciplined, hardworking [and] knows how to have fun.” Friedman acknowledges that there will be tough competition this year. The team faces Churchill on Oct. 17 in the two teams’ first rematch since last year’s regional semifinal, when Churchill knocked off WJ 2-1.

On Oct. 25, the Lady Wildcats will visit Damascus, trying to avenge their first loss of the season.

Golf

By Ben Resnick

Although the golf team started off slow, they are picking up the pace later in the season. They have started the season with an 8-10 record. Despite losing key seniors from last year, most notably James Lillie, the team has already improved on last year’s record of 7-10-1, and is currently in fifth place in their division with a record of 8-10.

The golf team is led by Junior Evan Shapiro. Shapiro’s best score this year has been a 36, and he averages just over 40 shots per round. Senior Tyler Modjeska is also a key contributor to the team.

“Our goal is to get to states as a team,” said Shapiro. Going forward, the team looks to play well at both the Montgomery County Invitational Tournament as well as the Bethesda Cup Golf Tournament.

Tyler Modjeska Photo by Kasun Kalathunga

17 Cross Country Girls Tennis SPORTS

By Daniel Fanaroff

Led by seniors Josh Ellis and Scott Sheehan on the boys team, and freshman Melanie Cirillo and senior Olivia Stearn on the girls team, WJ Cross Country is looking to four-peat as state champions.

The team was off to a running start early in the season, with the boys finishing first in the Woodward Invitational and the girls placing fourth.

Later in the year, the boys defeated local rival Wootton, but lost in a close match to Churchill in a dual meet. The girls finished second to both teams.

Both teams have serious tests ahead leading up to County championships, where they look to be victors again. The girls face Northwest this weekend at Landon, and the boys will compete at the Georgetown Prep classic for a long, hard look at what competition will be like at county finals on Oct. 22.

The girls tennis team entered the season with high expectations. The team returned three of its core singles players, including senior captain and reigning Gazette honorable-mention Sarah Bernstein, senior captain Sarah Breen and junior Arielle Hartz.

Thanks to a great 4-win run to start the season, the team holds a 6-3 record going into Thursday’s game against Blair.

While their record has vastly improved from last year, the team continued to struggle against local powerhouses Churchill and Wootton, losing by scores of 1-6 and 0-7.

However, individual play from Bernstein and Breen has carried WJ thus far.

After falling short last season, look for Bernstein to make a run at regional playoffs this year, a last hurrah after four years on varsity tennis.

Kasey Yamashita

Josh Ellis Photo courtesy of Tyler Modjeska

By Daniel Fanaroff

Photo courtesy of mocorunning.com

Photo courtesy of Kasey Yamashita

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SPORTS

A Quest for Respect

OCTOBER 10, 2011

Coach Jon Kadi is leading a dramatic turn around of the WJ football program

By Daniel Thaler Three years ago, WJ football was not just any joke; It was THE joke of Montgomery County. When a WJ student told someone where she/he went to school, a typical response was, “Oh isn’t that the school that sucks at football?”

On Oct. 17, 2008, the team finally snapped the longest losing streak in Montgomery County by trashing a weak Poolesville team 40 to 15.The win seemed like a turning point, but in actuality it was just another low. The team celebrated like they had won a state championship. They poured the water cooler on their head coach and literally carried him off the field.

It only got worse. A few weeks later, on Nov. 5, a heated confrontation occurred between the Varsity and JV head coaches during a practice. The JV coach confronted the varsity coach regarding a last minute roster change. At that, the varsity coach snapped. The two stood face to face in the middle of the practice field shouting obscenities and shoving each other. Players stood in disbelief as their two coaches were just short of fist fighting. It took several assistant coaches

into the job he knew the players did not believe in themselves and he needed to change their outlook.

“My initial goal was to change the attitude of the kids…make them believe they can play with any team in the County,” said Kadi.

Before the team hit the gridiron, Kadi needed to get his players in shape. During his high school playing days, he was part of a team that benefited from their coach stressing strength and conditioning so naturally he decided to implement the same mentality.

Just weeks after the end of the season, off-season training begins. Four days a week, Kadi and his assistants open the weight room and monitor who comes and who doesn’t, in other words, determine which players are the most dedicated. The pressure to keep up with teammates and appease Kadi’s high expectations results in exceptional attendance.

“We’re doing more in the off-season now. Before [Kadi] started as head coach, we had no off-season,” said senior lineman Joseph Strochak, “Now we

Photos courtesy of Adam Strochak

Kadi, above, has amassed a 10-15 record as WJ’s head coach, a big improvment from previous coaches.

“We don’t have as many cramps, or as many injuries as we used to because we are in better shape,” said Kadi, “I would like to see the strength and conditioning go to even the next level where you’ll start to see our guys be bigger and to break up the ugly scene. The program have 30 guys in there every day working stronger.”

Not only does conditioning help the had hit rock bottom. out…We are in the best shape of any players physically but it gives them a It was time for change. During that team in the county.” mental edge as well, something Kadi off-season both coaches were ousted.

Even during the summer, there are no Athletic Director Sue Amos inter- breaks. In fact, as the season nears, the views as vital.

“What you believe and your attitude viewed multiple possible replacements workouts get progressively more deand found that Jon Kadi was perfect for manding to ensure players are ready for and your focus is going to play into how the head coach job. two-a-day practices. Once the season you go out and play on the field,” said “We were impressed with his energy starts, the rigorous conditioning contin- Kadi He shows faith in his players and a lot and football knowledge,” said Amos. ues but in the form of sprints, running of good comes out of it. In the past, WJ The former Catholic University player up hills, and up-downs. Kadi knows would go into games knowing they were had already served WJ for one year as the players will benefit from staying in an assistant coach and had worked with shape and that there are no limits to going to lose, not even bothering to act like they had a chance. Kadi has flipped several youth league teams. Coming good conditioning. this culture in just three years. He treats every game like WJ will win. As a result, WJ football has gained a swagger never seen before.

“He gives us a whole bunch of confidence. Our expectations going into every single game is to win,” said Strochak.

Over the past two seasons, stemming from their hard work, WJ has exceeded outside expectations and won nine games. In 2009, Kadi’s first season, the team took a while to mesh and got off to a slow 0-7 start. Instead of mailing it in, the team stuck together and grinded out a three game winning streak to end the season. The team carried over the momentum, from the three game streak, to the next season in which they started with a comeback 47-41 win over Rockville. By season’s end, WJ had a highly respectable record of 6-4. WJ students had finally witnessed a winning team.

Photos courtesy of Adam Strochak So far this year, the team has a 1-4 reKadi has been a positive influnce on the team, and that has transcord which is a bit misleading. Despite lated into wins

“[Kadi] is the best thing that could have happened to this program”

facing a tougher schedule consisting of high caliber teams such as Springbrook and Clarksburg, they have been competitive in every game. Going forward, Kadi has the player’s trust to make good out of the situation.

“He’s the best thing that could have happened to this program,” said Strochak.

They have come to realize he’s always there to back them up. He validated this support during the second game of the season when they played Clarksburg.

Everyone in attendance saw there was at least a second left in the game when WJ recovered a punt around Clarksburg’s twenty-yard line. Down by two, and in position for about a 36-yard field with consistent kicker Collin Carroll ready to go, the game seemed headed towards a WJ win. Instead the refs questionably ended the game. Kadi took a stand, questioning the refs until they left the field, exemplifying how deeply he cares and the intensity he brings. He’ll get rough when he needs to but at the same time, he makes sure to encourage his guys. “[Kadi] will scream at you if you do something wrong but if you do something well, he’ll be the first to congratulate you,” said senior running back Will Greenan.

Under Kadi’s direction, the team is progressing and will try to continue making positive strides until they reach their ultimate goal of becoming a Montgomery County powerhouse. All that’s left is staying on track and earning the respect they believe they deserve. “[The players have] seen being on the bottom and they’ve seen what winning games does so I think that the biggest strength we have now is our desire and commitment to get better,” said Kadi.

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OCTOBER 10, 2011

SPORTS

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From Soccer Star to Youtube Sensation: Fielder’s 5 Things You Should Know About Choice Caroline Hagerty The Dream(on) Team

By Phillip Resnick as told by Caroline Hagerty

1 Soccer is in her blood…

By Phillip Resnick

I’ve been playing soccer since first grade. I was always decent, but I really started to get good and take soccer much more seriously freshman year. I have played with Bethesda Soccer Club since freshman year, and since then soccer has kind of taken over my life.

2

…But so are other sports

I also run varsity track and swim for WJ. Athletics is probably the biggest commitment, outside of school, but I try to stay relaxed about it and not let it take over my life.

Photo by Kasun Kalathunga

Hagerty, above, is a Senior Captain this year, and is playing in her fourth and final season on varsity.

3 She had good role models…

Freshman year I played with Caroline Miller, who was on the Junior U.S. National Team and received a full ride scholarship to play at UVA. By being on the same team as her and watching her play, I learned what it took to be an elite high school soccer player and the amount of work I had to put in to get there.

4 …And tries to be one too I try to lead by example on and off the field with my teammates. I want to be really supportive and help my teammates as much as I can. I do get in trouble with the coach a lot, though, because I tend to goof off a lot and I’m always the one that gets the team off topic when we need to be focused.

5

She is as well known on the Internet as she is on the field

I created a YouTube channel with Liza Ellis and Alicia Dodrill, both of whom graduated last year and were soccer teammates with me at WJ. Our biggest video, “Teach Me How to Wambach,” is an original song to the tune of “Teach Me How to Dougie.” It has gotten over 17,000 views and been seen by professional soccer player Abby Wambach herself. The video even peaked on the top 100 YouTube videos for one day over the summer!

This offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles made headlines for signing multiple bigname free agents. They acquired stars, including QB Vince Young, DE Jason Babin, CB Nnamdi Asomuhga and DT Cullen Jenkins, adding to their team, which is already chock-full of super playmakers. In one of his first press conferences after being signed by the team, Young called the new-look Eagles a “dream team.”

Fast forward to last Sunday, when the Eagles blew a 20-point second-half lead to the San Francisco 49ers to drop to an abysmal 1-3 record. So much for that dream team, huh? Now, don’t get me wrong; the Eagles have boatloads of talent, and if the Super Bowl Champion was decided every year by which team had the most combined “swag points” on Madden, the Eagles would be miles ahead of every other team in the NFL. However, it’s not, and that’s the exact mistake the Eagles’ front office made this July.

On the surface, the Eagles are an extremely appealing team; they are full of big-name stars, all of whom are capable of making big plays at any time.

They have enough talent to play with any team in the NFL. The problem with the Eagles is that they have absolutely no substance. Their offensive line is made up of a bunch of guys who seem like they should be at a Buffalo Wild Wings watching Philadelphia play instead of attempting to give quarterback Michael Vick more than a second and a half to get rid of the football. Their defense can’t stop anyone, and when the game is on the line,they disappear. They own a -6 turnover differential, including a league-high of 10 offensive giveaways (both dead last in the NFL), are t-23 in defensive points-per-game and have accumulated 340 penalty yards in just four games. Basically, the Eagles stink across the board.

It’s not entirely their fault, as the team has lost five out of nine defensive linemen to injury and their starting quarterback Vick has been knocked out of two separate games with different injuries, but they still should have been able to win the past two weeks against the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers.

However, the team has not been tough enough and hasn’t performed with the game on the line, both of which are vital to winning in the NFL, let alone to being a “dream team.”

The Eagles are the perfect example of a team that is all show and no substance.

They may have the high-paid stars and produce the highlight reel plays, but they don’t have depth in the trenches, so therefore they haven’t won games. Until the Eagles add a little more depth and get a little tougher,Young and the rest of Philadelphia can just keep on dreaming.

Sports 20

What’s Inside

Caroline Hagerty: a show stopper on and off the turf

19

How Coach John Kadi turned WJ football around

18

...and even more fall sports coverage!

OCTOBER 10, 2011

Field Hockey

Boys Soccer

By Daniel Fanaroff

By Daniel Fanaroff With boys soccer drawing a lot of attention, most of the WJ community is unaware that WJ has more than one undefeated fall sports team. The field hockey team is looking to bounce back from last year’s regional semi-final loss to local rival B-CC, and they are on track to do so.

The Lady Cats hold a 7-0 record, having only given up one goal this season against Clarksburg, giving them a goal differential of plus-39. While they have yet to play key opponents Churchill and B-CC, that goal differential speaks for itself; WJ is a clear force to be reckoned with.

The team is loaded with senior leadership, most notably Hannah Flesch, Emily Smithers and Taylor Swift, who are featured alongside an offensive star power. This should fare them well come playoff time.

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Photo by Steven Groobert

Anna Rowthorn

Pierre Mensah

Fall Sports Central Photo courtesy of Bill Edgar

Photo courtesy of Meghan Geier

All games after Oct. 4 were too late to be covered

The “Best Show on Turf ” is off to an unbelievable start this year. Currently undefeated at 9-0, the team has earned the no. 2 overall spot in the Washington Post rankings.

The team returns six starters from last season, including key senior defenders Harrison Gilbert and Pierre Mensah, and striker Noah Sheetz-Ziegel. Also boosting the roster, are star freshmen Jeremy Ebobisse and Gedion Zelalem.

Ebobisse is the team’s leader in goals, and Zelalem is second on the team in assists.

They had a solid outing at the Bel Air invitational, whopping Aberdeen by a score of 8-0, and defeating host team Bel Air 3-1.

Earlier this week, they hosted rival B-CC and won 3-1. With Churchill and Wootton still on the schedule, WJ will have a tough closing to the season.

This team is steamrolling their way through county play. Be ready for them to avenge last year’s loss in the regional final with a serious run at the State title.

Ivana Stojisavljevic Photo courtesy of Adam Strochak

Girls Volleyball

By Dashel Lewis

The Girls Volleyball team has gotten off to a great start this year. The team has compiled a 5-2 record with impressive wins over Whitman and B-CC. Although the team has only five seniors, it is still full of depth and experience, as they return many starters from last year. The team has a very strong junior class with Kristen Larrick and Stephanie Paul as the standout players on a very solid team.

The team also returns starters junior Ivana Stojisavljevic and sophomore

Brigid Morris, both of whom bring lots of talent and experience to a deep Wildcat team.

Head coach Bill Morris says that his team’s a, “young team still learning to play together.” His goal for the team is to “advance beyond the regional finals and make it to the states.”

Their upcoming schedule will make achieving their goals difficult, however.

The team has games against Poolesville, Sherwood and Wootton, all of which are very good teams.

By Ben Resnick

Football

The football team entered the season with high expectations after coming off its first winning season in a long time.

However, the team has not played up to its expectations so far. After losing three close games to Magruder, Clarksburg and Springbrook, the offense led the way to a convincing 41-14 win over Poolesville. The team entered yesterday’s game against Damascus at 1-4.

Senior Bryan England earned the starting quarterback job after two year

Photo by Steven Groobert

starter Cole Ahnell graduated and went to play at Dickinson College. England will run the offense which features star senior running backs Elad Covaliu and Andrew Pitsenberger.

The defense is led by junior defensive end Charlie Barry and senior defensive end Daniel Curtin.

Football has two remaining home games this season, the homecoming game against Kennedy and then the season finale against B-CC.