March 17 Issue of The Pitch

The Pitch

Walter Johnson High School

March 17, 2014

Volume 59, Issue 6

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814

Green vs. Orange St. Patrick’s Day colors represent cultural clash

By Alex Alavi

Every year on St. Patrick’s Day, millions of innocent children and adults are subject to pinches flying in from every direction, all because they didn’t wear green. The reason the color green is so closely associated with St. Patrick’s Day is because St. Patrick, when converting the Irish pagans to Christianity, used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. Today, most people associate the shamrock as a nondenominational symbol of the holiday.

What most people don’t realize is that when they wear green, they are actually erring on the Catholic side of the holiday. There is another color to this previously monochromatic holiday, and that is orange. According to the BBC, the appearance of orange started in 1689 when the Protestant William III, also called William of Orange, replaced James II as King of England, Scotland and Ireland. He was the sovereign Prince of Orange over the Dutch House of OrangeNassau.

Though many of the conflicts related to St. Patrick’s Day seem to stem from religious origins, this issue actually has to do more with whether or not Northern Ireland should join the Republic of Ireland or remain as a part of the United Kingdom.

“Orange,” continued on page 12

Students save lives one pint at a time

Photo by Chizobam Nwagwu

This year the leadership class and Inova Blood Donor Services hosted the blood drive. Due to inconveniences such as snow days, there were many obstacles leadership had to overcome when planning the event.

Article on page 3

WJams: Students’ bands rock out

By NickWilliamson and Joshua Lang

i s In

: e d

WJ is known for many things, including soccer, Pennies for Patients and the theater program, among many others, but not many school bands get the spotlight.

Typically, the majority of student musicians perform with the WJ Band and Orchestra rather than creating their own bands and ensembles.

Even though student bands may not get as much focus as they deserve, that doesn’t mean that they are not skillful.

For the past nine months, senior Julian Kopelove, juniors, Mark Mora and Sebastien Couvreur, and current UMBC

EDITORIAL pages 5-8

An editorial on page 5 criticizes the sexist nature of many works of literature taught in high school English classes.

freshman Jordan Rodriguez, have been jamming together as a band called The Room. They play an eclectic selection of music ranging from rock styles, such as Imagine Dragons and John Mayer, to alternative and pop styles including Coldplay and Jason Mraz. They play most songs in the acoustic style.

“All of us were in WJ’s Popfly show choir last year and while jamming one day, we created an interesting mash-up of three songs,” said Kopelove. “We got so much positive feedback that it gave us inspiration to continue to cover, mashup and write songs together.”

Photo by Sarah Schecker

The four members of student band, The Room, rehearse together at Julian Kopelove’s home.

“Bands,” continued on page 16

FEATURE pages 9-12

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT pages 13-16

Seniors Ben Levingston and Shannon McDonough model clothing trends in the Spring Fashion Photoshoot located on pages 10-11.

Progressions salon, pictured above, is one of many to ombre hair, a popular trend covered on page 15.

SPORTS pages 17-20

The Pitch takes a look at the similarities and differences between gear in different sports on page 20.

the

2

Pitch

NEWS

MARCH 17, 2014

WJPITCH.COM M O R F Like The Pitch on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @TheWJPitch Future Vote creates a new generation of voters

By Amanda Gross During presidential and congressional elections in the U.S., many students hear about and discuss the voting process. But because they’re not old enough to vote, many feel that they can’t get involved. Future Vote is an organization that hopes to get students in grades six through twelve involved in the democratic process.

“The goal of Future Vote is to expose the democratic process of voting and the electoral process to students,” said Dr. Gilberto Zelaya, the director of Voter Empowerment for the organization. “We want to expose youth to the democratic process every two years when they return to their neighborhood precinct.”

The Future Vote Initiative’s purpose is to expose youth to the electoral process in the U.S., specifically Montgomery County. Students work as Election Day aides during federal elections. Students are not required to be U.S. citizens in order to participate.

Junior Sabrina Clarke joined Future Vote as a student election aide in eighth grade after her mother recieved an email from the Career Center.

“Those who sign up [to participate with Future Vote] can help to set up voting day ballots and run election polls. We do the ‘behind the scenes’ work of elections. Everything that gets put up in our local schools for [Election] Day is because of our volunteers,” said Clarke.

In addition to being an student election aide, students can work as election judges. In order for students to become election judges, they must be 17, a U.S. citizen and registered to vote in Maryland. Students who serve as election judges receive 25 student service learning (SSL) hours as well as a stipend of $30 for a four-hour training class they must attend and pass, and $150 for Election Day service.

Dear Pitch Readers,

Photo courtesy of Dr. Gilberto Zelaya

Student volunteers with Future Vote help make sure Election Day equipment is working properly.

“Working as an election judge looks awesome on college transcripts, and it looks different. It’s a unique experience,” said Zelaya.

Future Vote hopes to dismiss the Election Day myth that workers only have a job once every two years...

Prom Dress Peril Dear Anders, I have just picked out the best prom dress ever! The only issue is that another girl picked out the exact same dress. I’m not sure what to do. I really want to keep the dress, so what should I do?

Sincerely, Personal Promperty Dear Personal Promperty, Trust me, I feel your pain. Whenever I wear my red pants and another friend wears the same pants I get pretty mad. We’re all special snowflakes, but we all want to be more special than everyone else. In terms of prom dresses, there are plenty for everyone in the world… or at least for our school. If you have the same dress as someone else, just find another.

Just kidding! Everyone knows that a prom dress is the most important aspect of any high school girl’s life.

Your dress is destined to be with you; it is ONLY FOR YOU. If someone else even looks at your dress funny,

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

it is a direct attack.

In this dog-eat-dog world of dress shopping, you need to mark your territory before someone tries to take it. Post that dress all over Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Make it known this is YOUR dress and even if you weren’t the first to find it, you are the only one worthy of it.

March is finally here ladies and gentlemen! That means after a long, harsh and unpredictable winter, finally we’ll get some warm weather.To usher in the lovely spring sun, we have a bunch of awesome articles lined up for you. One of our signature annual features, “March Makeover Madness,” makes a return in our center spread but with a few modifications. Now entitled the “Spring Fashion Photoshoot,” models Ben Levingston and Shannon McDonough get restyled to flaunt spring fashion trends. The fashion focus continues in Sports with page 20 dedicated to atheletic attire, as well an article about WJ S*T*A*G*E costume crew in Arts and Entertainment.

News covers some global issues this month, diving into the effects Ukraine’s civil unrest on students and their families. The section also covers the Inova blood drive run by the leadership class. Additionally, Editorial also attacks some hard-hitting issues with a page dedicated to health and politics, including contraception and health care for the poor.

We’re nearing the end of the school year, and with only a few months remaining, there are only two issues of The Pitch left. But don’t worry, this doesn’t mean we’ll be slacking. For our April issue, expect an interesting surprise that is sure to be entertaining.

Additionally, you should expect us to be taking advantage of our social media outlets more often. So far, we’ve shared a photo album from the Black Student Union assembly, in addition to a video and photo album from WJ GLO. Expect us to post more photos and videos from major school events as albums on Facebook. But to see even more visual media coverage and read about these events and other news, visit The Pitch Online at wjpitch.com.

As we continue transitioning into spring, as always, feel free to email us at thepitch@walterjohnson.com, message us on Facebook or tweet us @thewjpitch with feedback, questions or comments.

Sincerely, Print Editors-in-Chief Emily Cosentino, Claudia Nguyen, and Online Editor-in Chief Megan Chun

Good luck!

Anders Photo courtesy of Meghan Donaldson

To read the rest of these articles and many more, visit The Pitch Online at wjpitch.com.

Correction from Last Issue Page 4- Photo on bottom left was taken by Michael Godfrey, not by Sarah Schecker.

Pitch

the

MARCH 17, 2014

NEWS

3

Bloody Hell! Students save lives one pint at a time

By Chizobam Nwagwu On March 10, clusters of students gathered outside the auxiliary gym to participate in the annual Blood Drive hosted by the SGA and sponsored by Inova Blood Donor Services. The overhead lights inside the gym illuminated the different stations: donor chairs, nurse supplies and food tables to help donors restore their energy afterwards. With refreshments, recognition and the comfort of classmates and friends, the leadership class tried to make the act of donating blood a fun and fulfilling experience.

This year, the event was organized by leadership students seniors Kyle Lopez, Lucy Andrews, Ben Meyers and Ryan Cangarlu. The framework of this blood drive differed only slightly from last semester’s and with a lower goal and the inconvenience of multiple snow days, the turnout was expected to be far less than the last blood drive. Approximately 91 students registered to donate blood, exceeding the goal of 85 students.

“We were pleased with the amount of sign-ups for this semester,” said Lopez.

Inova works with many high schools throughout Virginia and the DC Metro area in order to obtain blood donations. According to its website, the organization hopes to instill the significant and tangible value of blood donation within the younger generation.

“As a younger demographic, [teens] are less prone to be deferred based on certain past and present travel restrictions,” Inova states on its website. “It is our hope that by starting the habit of blood donation early, it will lead them to become life-long blood donors.”

Coordinating a few blood drives each year is one way students are saving lives one pint at a time.

Photos by Chizobam Nwagwu Infographics by Chizobam Nwagwu, Anna Hovey and Sarah Schecker Information from inovabloodsaves.org

Top: A student is bandaged after giving blood; Bottom left: Senior Adam El Hamti gives blood; Bottom right: Senior Camille David gives senior Sami Sadugor juice after her blood donation.

Ukraine uncertainty puts students in a state of unrest

By Izzy Salant After years under Soviet rule, Ukraine finally became independent when the U.S.S.R. collapsed. Now the country faces a larger problem. From peaceful protests to violent firefights and riots, the people of Ukraine are trying to distance themselves from a corrupt government in hopes of joining the European Union (EU). This is causing civil unrest in Ukraine.

While the events may be happening half a world away, students at WJ are still affected by the unrest, as some have family there, are of Ukrainian descent or both.

“I was there in July 2013,” said senior Madeline Feierstein, who is of Ukranian dissent. “In the capital of Ukraine, Kiev…The protests weren’t violent [yet], just [picketing]. The signs read ‘Pro EU,’ though they were in Ukrainian. My friend said that it has been happening a lot but we didn’t know why, and she was scared that it might turn into violence.”

Feierstein added that she has family in Sevastopol, Ukraine, and some in Kiev but she isn’t in contact with

them and doesn’t know what happened to them during recent events.

The events were sparked when Ukranian President Viktor Yanukovych decided to suspend talks with the EU to sign a historical trade agreement. Because many citizens wanted Ukraine to join the EU, they were disappointed. The agreement would strengthen political ties with other nations and enhance economic growth.

Though Yanukovych had his reasons, one being Russia’s opposition of the treaty, the Ukrainian people weren’t convinced and started to increase the number and strength of their protests. Sophomore Adriana Teluk’s family has witnessed the protests first hand.

“My father still lives in Ukraine and his office is right next to Independence Square in Kiev,” she said. “He’s right there. In fact, my grandmother brings food and supplies to the protesters and helps them out.”

She also added why the protests have turned against the government with more intensity.

“At first, it was just to join the EU,” said Teluk, “But then people saw the government corruption.

hope we keep Crimea, and I hope things go “Iback to normal. We need to remain united and together. I want [what is] best for Ukraine.”

The president didn’t comply with the people’s wants and therefore people started to resent his decisions.

It turned from a Pro EU fight, to a fight to distance themselves from the corrupt government.”

Former Russian History teacher and current social studies teacher Christopher Murray also commented on the government corruption, agreeing with Teluk about the fact the fight has turned against the government; that the government and president have been thinking about their own needs instead of the needs of the people.

The President of Ukraine has ties with Russia, and in fact during a time of crisis, he fled to Russia after he passed certain political reforms and wanted to escape the backlash. Another problem is also present: the country is split. Half of the country wants to join the EU and be an own independent nation as Ukraine, but others want to join Russia, such as Crimea. On March 7, Crimea voted to hold a referendum on the topic of seceding from Ukraine and become part of Russia, much to the United States’ and Europe’s dismay. The referendum vote took place on March 16.

In terms of looking toward the future, Teluk has an idea of what she would like to have happen.

“I hope we keep Crimea,” she said, “And I hope things go back to normal. We need to remain united and together. I want [what is] best for Ukraine.”

Pitch

the

4

NEWS

MARCH 17, 2014

Café WJ gives students insight into French Culture

By Marissa Nardella On March 7, the French Honor Society gave school members a taste of Paris; they organized and hosted this year’s Café WJ. The entire honor society makes the lunches themselves to serve to students and faculty, usually with desserts donated from nearby bakeries.

“We see this as a good opportunity to show what a French lunch would be like,” said French Honor Society sponsor and French teacher Ryan Martinez. “In addition to being a good fundraiser, it is an opportunity to make ourselves visible, to show the presence of the French Honor Society and to educate people about French food.”

The funds raised will go towards honoring the seniors at the end of the year, presenting them with the honor society’s cords at graduation, and funding parties for certain French holidays and French movie showings. The holiday parties and movie showings offer activity credits, which are a requirement to remain in the honor society, for members who attend.

“It brings the society together…when everybody is working towards a task, they can feel a collective sense of accomplishment when it goes well,” said Martinez.

Martinez is currently in his second year of organizing the popular Café WJ, which is the French Honor Society’s main fundraiser of the year. The Café was open to all, and throughout the week leading up to the event, tickets were sold to those interested in participating.

“We [had] members selling tickets during lunch to

students and teachers and advertising for the event on thentic popular french foods into one delicious meal,” Friday [during the week],” said Sophie Collé, senior she said. and officer of the French Honor Society.

Foreign language teacher Dr. Lucia Liang, who The ticket sales allowed the honor society to make an teaches Honors Spanish 4 and AP Spanish Literature, estimate of how many meals they will sell, and enabled added that she enjoyed the meal and that the French them to make money up front. They also enabled the Honor Society did a good service for the students and students, teachers and administrators to find time to faculty. plan on bringing in the necessary $7 and to have something to look forward to on Friday. Participation in organizing the event, whether it was selling tickets, setting up the student commons, preparing the food or cleaning up afterwards, was mandatory for all members.

The Café offered a combination of turkey and cheese or plain cheese on a croissant roll, salad with vinaigrette, Orangina, grape juice or water for drinks, strawberries, grapes, madeleines and chocolate-covered almonds.

This year, it was a huge success and the Café sold 120 lunches within 10 minutes.

Sophomore Alex Phelps commented on her experiPhoto by Sarah Schecker ence.

From left to right: Junior Julianna Lebron, FHS sponsor and french teacher Ryan Martinez, “I was really impressed that and seniors Sophie Colle and senior Mia Jabara present finished meals that were sold to the meal incorperated au- students during their annual fundraiser.

Set course forWJ’s newest engineering class

By Zack Shapiro

on where to begin and whether he could actually carry out his idea. To his surprise, she gave him the thumbs Physics teacher Michael Richards wanted something up. more out of physics class.

The class is so new that it isn’t even in the county He appreciated the valuable skills the class taught curriculum; it is exclusive to WJ.That means no teachstudents but wished all of the small projects were more ing to the test, but rather learning valuable skills that connected. So, he set out to create a class focused on usually only come from real world experience. Rather one cumulative project: the sailboat. than providing step by step directions for his students, Richards was always fascinated by the sailboat and Richards will act as the customer and describe the the way it could be used to teach engineering. He kind of boat he wants. Groups of students will then dreamed of a class that focused on the sailboat for have to build the boat from limited materials. years; then in August 2013, he set out to make it hap“They’re going to create something out of nothpen. Richards knew what he wanted his class to be, ing,” said Richards, “and that’s what engineering is all but he wasn’t sure where to start. Does a class need to about.” be approved by the county? How do you start the proStudents will build every piece of a model sailboat. cess? He ended up consulting principal Jennifer Baker They have to do every calculation themselves and think of every detail. The course is inspired by a class Richards recently took on sailboat design, but has morphed into a course that is completely unique.

“As far as I can tell there’s no other class like this in the United States,” he said.

While the class is all about engineering, Richards believes the class will be beneficial to all students, even those without a future in the field. It teaches them to work together to achieve a common goal and it teaches them to apply their knowledge in a creative way.

“The idea of working in a small team… to achieve a deep project--I think that’s worthwhile for anyone,” said Richards. He then added why he thought people should take his class.

“Engineering science is perfect for students Photo by Izzy Salant who want to learn valuable engineering To get attention for his new class, Richards posted the information on skills in a real world environment,” he said. a bulletin board outside his room. Everything one would need to know For more information on the class you can about the class is on the board, as well as a way to contact Richards if see Richards in room 207. there are any questions.

What to know so you’re knot confused Engineering science is an honors-level, single period, project based STEM course that exposes students to the challenges and rewards of being an engineer.

Taught by a former aerospace engineer, this course introduces major engineering concepts such as needs assessment, design spiral, drafting, 3-D scale modeling, CAD and performance testing.

A major part of this course is the design, analysis, scale-modeling and testing of a midsized sailboat.

the

Pitch

MARCH 17, 2014

EDITORIAL

Sexism in the Curriculum

THE STAFF

5

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Chauvenism is overlooked in modern American literature Emily Cosentino, Print Co-Editor

By Audrey Marek

Photo courtesy of Wahid Ishrar

The American Approach

ByWahid Ishrar

American Apparel recently released an ad in which a Bangladeshi model named Maks posed wearing jeans, with the words “Made in Bangladesh” printed across her bare chest. The ad appears to claim that Bangladesh is a country that oppresses women and exploits their garments employees.

Bangladesh has a long way to go in terms of gender equality. However, in the brief existence of my country, we have bridged the gender gap significantly. According to the Bangladesh Ministry of Education, approximately 532,667 more females graduate with a full primary and secondary education than males. Microfinance, a concept developed by Bangladeshi economist Professor Muhammad Yunus some 35 years ago, gave women confidence in their capability to take control of their own finances and his innovation has aided millions worldwide.

There is a double standard that exists in American minds in which they judge other countries for social injustice, when they themselves practice the same. For over half of the duration of Bangladesh’s independence, the position of Prime Minister has been occupied by a woman. Yet in the U.S., a nation that has existed for over 200 years and claims to have majorly advanced in gender equality since the women’s suffrage movement in the early 20th century, there is yet to be a female president.

Hilary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign is the closest we have to a woman running for office, and she has had to battle critics and stereotypes constantly.

Another claim of the ad is that the jeans featured in the ad are “a garment manufactured by 23 skilled American workers...all of whom are paid a fair wage.” The workers are paid 14 dollars per hour, which comes out to be .03 percent of the American average annual income. Contrast this with Bangladesh, where minimum wage is 20 cents an hour, .02 percent of the Bangladesh average annual income. While there is a significant difference in both the countries’ average annual income (America has 57 times that of Bangladesh), the gap between the percentages is fairly small.

America grapples with a superiority complex. Everyone assumes that this country is a utopia for social liberty, and that any country that does not match their standard of liberty must surely be barbarians in need of rescue from their misguided ways. But, throughout history, cultures and regions have defined their own social customs, independent from those of other areas. Before accusing nations such as Bangladesh of being oppressive, Americans need to ensure that they practice what they preach.

The issue of low wages in third world countries needs to be brought to attention, but the degrading manner in which American Apparel is doing it is not the right approach.

For juniors enrolled in AP English Language and Composition, the mention of Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” or Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” brings with it traumatic memories of hours of reading accompanied by guides and quizzes. Also associated with each of these works is a tremendous historical and literary importance, as they address controversial topics in unique and game-changing ways. Finally, comes the very modern issue of racism that is discussed with each of these books. While these are all relevant and deserve to be discussed, there is an important component of both works that is often overlooked: their blatant sexism.

The works of Twain and Conrad should undoubtedly be taught. However, it seems like every issue that correlates with them is thorougly addressed, except for the shallow and stereotypical female characters found throughout Huckleberry Finn and the well accepted assumption that for an African woman to know the male character Kurtz, she must be sexually involved with him.

While this claim is “supported” by a scene where she yells at Kurtz, and another where she reaches out to him as he leaves, her only other appearance is when she walks, in a straight line, through some woods.

But before we enter this sexist “heart of darkness,” the tale of Huck Finn has a sizeable share of offenses to address.

Female characters throughout the story fail to show any intellect. Most readers pay them little to no attention, as they are fickle and gullible. Among their ranks are the Wilkes sisters, who almost exclusively hug people and cry, and Tom Sawyer’s Aunt Sally, who likes to play foolish tricks on her husband and believes all the weak lies the boys tell her.

We respond orally and in writing to the racist themes associated with

“

Jim, Huck’s companion and an escaped slave, but sideline these demeaning portrayals of females because they were standard for the time of Twain’s writing.

Historically, Twain’s portrayal of Jim was fairly progressive, which is the reason that we still read the book today.Yet critics of the book claim that the residual racist attitudes and language reflected in the character are enough to warrant the book’s removal from the curriculum, while at the same time making no reference to the childlike and waifish women that Finn encounters.

The problem with “Heart of Darkness” is more intricate.

We do make mention of the innocent and fragile persona of Kurtz’s fiancee, who is portrayed as a child-like presence who must be protected from the harsh world. However, the more sexist character in this book is the one who might actually seem to be stronger. Kurtz’s African “mistress” appears in the forest before Marlow, the protagonist of the book, as a presence of powerful, wild beauty. She is described as powerful and strong, and Marlow even hears of an incident when the woman had some control over the powerful Kurtz. This is exactly why her character is so sexist; at some point, someone made the assumption that for a woman to be powerful, that power must come from sex, and we have stuck with it. There is the very valid argument that the character is only present to juxtapose European civilization as the opposite of Kurtz’s refined, European fiancé, and therefore has the same relationship to Kurtz. While this is valid, people often make the same argument about Kurtz’s portrayal of Congo natives; that they are only present to provide contrast, but this is still commonly considered racist.

The same standard should be held to sexism as to all other controversial issues found in texts. While in many cases it was “standard for the time”, that makes it no less offensive or worthy of attention. Time is an externality, not an excuse, and should be treated as such in the classroom, whether it is in relation to race, sex or any other issue.

The same standard should be held to sexism as to all other controversial issues found in texts. ”

Claudia Nguyen, Print Co-Editor Megan Chun, Online Editor ADVISOR Sylvie Ellen, Print and Online NEWS Izzy Salant, Print Editor Anna Hovey, Assistant Editor Tenni Idler, Online Co-Editor Elizabeth Winter, Online Co-Editor EDITORIAL Wahid Ishrar, Print Editor Adriana Del Grosso, Assistant Editor Anders Norberg, Online Editor FEATURE Selma Stearns, Print Editor Michael Godfrey, Assistant Editor Marissa Nardella, Online Co-Editor Amanda Gross, Online Co-Editor ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Audrey Marek, Print Editor Annika La Vina, Assistant Editor Nico Bonetta-Misteli, Online Editor SPORTS Ben Resnick, Print Editor Jake Weinischke, Assistant Editor Zeke Green, Online Co-Editor Josh Greenberg, Online Co-Editor Sabrina Greene, Online Co-Editor COPY EDITORS Anna Hovey, Print and Online Marissa Nardella, Print and Online ART Adriana Del Grosso, Co-Editor Alex Alavi, Co-Editor PHOTOGRAPHY Sarah Schecker, Print and Online Editor Wahid Ishrar, Print Photograher PUBLIC RELATIONS Sabrina Greene, Social Media Consultant Claudia Nguyen, Business Manager

CONTRIBUTING JOURNALISTS Nick Williamson, Staff Writer Aram Dommerholt, Staff Writer Zack Shapiro, Staff Writer Joshua Lang, Staff Writer Chizobam Nwagwu, Staff Writer 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 301-803-7184.

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 193 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.

AWARDS

Illustration by Adriana Del Grosso

To see this issue’s Pitch Opinion visit wjpitch.com

Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist 2009, 2013 American Scholastic Press Association First Place 2010-2011 Columbia Scholastic Bronze Medalist 2010-2011 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Marylander Award Newspaper Division C 2011

the

6

Pitch

EDITORIAL

MARCH 17, 2014

The fickle nature of teenage relationships

Graphic by Adriana Del Grosso Photo by Sarah Schecker

By Claudia Nguyen

For nearly seven hours a day, we’re trapped in a brick building with over 2,000 other teenagers. Let’s be honest, in a microcosm filled with pubescent children and their raging hormones, it’s inevitable that peers constantly judge each other, and that there exists some form of pressure to be attractive, to be wanted. Sometimes this pressure manifests in the form of relationships, other times in casual hook-ups or in something more complicated.

Every day as I walk through the halls, there are young ladies and gentlemen holding hands, eating lunch together, gluing themselves to their partners’ faces. While I believe that the maturity levels of high school students vary greatly, most teenagers are simply incapable

of the commitment real relationships require. We’re at a stage in our lives where we’re emotionally and mentally underdeveloped. Many kids can hardly commit to a class, so how can they truly commit to another human being?

It may not be true in every case, but oftentimes the only thing that these relationships create is drama. Every single day, in class, in the locker room, on the bus, in the halls, the latest gossip is always abuzz.

“She’s dating him?” “He did what?” “I didn’t know that they even knew each other!” “She cheated on him with who?”

“Oh my god, how could he? She deserves so much better.”

The commitment. The drama. The stress. The pressure. It’s all so completely unnecessary. Youth is inherently dynamic, and unfortunately, we don’t stay young forever. And yet, kids still

early childhood and all the way through college, teenagers are exposed to a greater variety of experiences. Instead of chaining oneself down to a single individual, one’s teen years should be a time for exploration and experimentation. New experiences, new people and new friendships allow us to grow as people.

To be fair, I do know a few people whose parents or grandparents were high school sweethearts. But at the same time, their levels of commitment as adults now are much greater than they were in high school. Their relationships had to grow and flourish after several years before they could fully devote themselves to each other. However, these people certainly don’t account for the majority. Even relatively dedicated high school relationships often end after graduation. According to a 2006 Harris Poll, only two percent of high school relationships lasted past college or resulted in marriage.

Ultimately, teenagers should not expect flawless relationships in high school.

It’s unrealistic to waste time seeking rush into situations with expectations them out, especially if you let them alof static, committed relationships. Their ter or consume you. There’s plenty of expectations seem too permanent for time for committed relationships later a time when everything is constantly in life. Expecting something permachanging. Situations change, people nent, and creating a fuss when things change, and it’s not a bad thing. As our don’t go perfectly, is merely naïve. environment drastically alters from

“...most teenagers are

simply not capable of the commitment that a real relationship requires. ”

Graphic by Adriana Del Grosso Photo by Sarah Schecker

Dear Anders, In middle school I would usually have my parents give me money, however now that I go out by myself more, this has turned into quite a hindrance.

How do I convince my parents to give me more money to spend on my own?

Sincerely, Freeloader Dear Freeloader, Get a job. Sure, it’ll eat up most of your time, but you’ll make plenty of money and you won’t be such a waste to society. But that’s so much work; you could just “borrow” the money from your parents without paying them back. Just take 20 dollars from mommy when she’s not looking and go out and have fun. Just be very sneaky and do it quickly, and no one will ever know.

If you think that “borrowing” is unethical, just find things to do with friends that are free: hang out and watch TV, play videogames, go outside?

There are any number of things that could be done with friends that don’t require money.

If you actually think you can convince your parents, make a 20-point presentation about why you deserve their hard-earned cash since you have certain needs only money can fulfill.

Or hold your baby brother hostage.

Whatever floats your boat.

Love,

Anders

“Should I stay?”

“Should I go?

Consider distance when choosing a college

By Zeke Green

As a senior, a huge decision approaches me and millions of other students around the country. Many colleges have replied with acceptances and with that joy comes the tough decision of choosing where to spend the next few years of young-adult life.

Most students apply to a variety of schools- some “dream” schools that are far away and others with more economic and familial security, often closer to home. With these dream schools come huge expenses, a lack of support from family and distance from their friends.

Out-of-state schools cost approximately three to four times as much as in state school tuition. Along with the added cost also comes a challenge for parents to deliver “care packages” of money and favorite snacks or little knick knacks from home, and have personal contact with their kid. In college, kids will experience new, never before seen issues. The phone is

available, but what college kid will call for help? Very few. And as for the friends that they had for years, they are hundreds of miles away dealing with their own issues. If they manage to keep in touch, that would be wonderful, but the distance will fade most friendships.

Going away to school can be an amazing experience if a student is ready for that commitment, but many students are not, and they may encounter an ocean of trouble that they may want to avoid.

Graphic by Adriana Del Grosso

By Sabrina Greene

College is a unique, one-time-only experience. You get one shot to do it right and the way to do it right is to get away from home. To make the most of the four years of college, it is important to embrace the experience fully.

College students like to come home once in a while, but that can still be a possibility even when their college is far away from home.

And “far away”

doesn’t necessarily mean an eight-hour plane ride. Far is a relative term, especially in this situation; the driving distance could be anywhere from two to 10 hours.

Some people choose to stay in-state for the more affordable tuition. This, of course, is a logical and smart decision.

But if given an option that makes sense financially and is further away from home, the further option would allow students to grow more as a person and to develop away from their friends, family and everything they have known their whole lives. Being away from home without a nearby parental safety net will allow personal growth and independence to take hold.

Going away for college gives people the opportunity to meet diverse friends, accept new social and cultural conditions and learn how to adapt to unfamiliar situations, and is an opportunity that should be taken advantage of, not avoided.

Up Bat

Pitch

the

MARCH 17, 2014

EDITORIAL

7

at

For many students, spring break is a time to appreciate the warm weather and destress from their hectic school schedules. For administrators, it is a time to let loose and have some fun.

The Pitch asked the administrators, “What are you doing for Spring Break?”

Janan Slough

Graphic by Adriana Del Grosso

On March 6, The Pitch went to classes and asked questions about topics covered in this issue. Here are the results. * Polls conducted by The Pitch on 74 students.

Editorial

Do you think teenagers are capable of making long-term romantic commitments?

12th Grade Administrator

“I’ll be right here.”

To read an opinion on why

It depends Usually no Usually yes

45.9% teenagers are not capable of 36.5% long-term commitments, turn 17.6% to page 6 and read “Changeup”

by Claudia Nguyen.

Feature

All photos by Wahid Ishrar

Which of these music festivals would you go to?

Micah Wiggins

11th Grade Administrator “I’m going to visit my family in Texas for a while, but I’ll have to be here because Ms. Slough is making me work.”

Regina Rodriguez 10th Grade Administrator “I’m taking my daughter on college visits to explore her top two choices one last time.”

Coachella Firefly Bonnaroo Sweetlife Summerfest Lollapalooza

27.0% 23.0% 14.9% 14.9% 10.7% 9.5%

To help decide which festival is the best fit for you, visit page 9 and read “Fun in the sun” by Amanda Gross.

Arts and Entertainment

Do you like the ombré (color fading from dark to light) trend for dyeing hair?

No Yes Indifferent

35.0% 32.5% 32.5%

To learn about the ombre trend, flip to page 15 and read “Trend tips: Ombré hair” by Audrey Marek.

Sports

Terry Heintze

What is your favorite spring sport?

9th Grade Administrator “I’m going to catch up on some work that I missed due to the snow days.”

Volleyball Lacrosse Track Baseball/Softball Gymnastics Tennis

27.0% 25.6% 16.2% 12.2% 12.2% 6.8%

For updates on spring sports at WJ, go to pages 18-19.

Pitch HEALTH AND POLITICS the

8

EDITORIAL

Contraception controversy

Employer opinions shouldn’t affect birth control coverage

By Adriana Del Grosso

One of the ultimate goals of The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is to make birth control available at no cost to Americans. The contraception mandate, which was passed in 2013, is a federal regulation or law that requires health insurers, or employers that provide their employees with health insurance, to cover the cost of contraception. This is a positive movement which will ultimately improve women’s overall reproductive health and make birth control more readily available.

Prior to the mandate, coverage of contraception was determined by an individual’s health insurance plan. Now contraception will be covered for all individuals under the Affordable Care Act, so long as their health insurers or employers consent to including the cost in their health insurance plans.

The major argument against this mandate is that it requires employers to cover the cost of birth control in their health insurance policies, even though they may not agree with the use of contraception due to their religious or moral views. Some groups, such as some Catholics and many Republicans, don’t agree with the control of reproduction through birth control. They believe the mandate is an infringement on the religious freedom of employers.

According to a Gallup survey, 15 percent of Catholic adults believe birth control to be morally wrong.

In addition, in another Gallup survey, 56 percent of Catholics said they sympathize with religious leaders

1965 Griswold v. Connecticut Law prohibiting married couples from using birth control is struck down Information from whitehouse.gov Timeline by Claudia Nguyen

A Religious Exemption for Coverage of Contraceptives?

PEW Research Center conducted a poll in Feb. 2012 regarding public opinion about religious such as the Pope on issues regarding birth control.

In 2013, the company Hobby Lobby, a chain of exemption for coverage of contraceptives. craft stores, objected to the mandate because the use of contraception opposed the Christian views of the company owners. They filed suit after discovering their insurance policies covered methods of birth control which could be used by their more than 13,000 employees. The outcome of the suit was the decision that Hobby Lobby is a “person” whose religious freedom trumps the freedom of employees.

When a company such as Hobby Lobby refuses to provide the same services as other companies, they infringe on the economic freedom of their employees by forcing a cost on them that would otherwise be covered. Regardless of their own views and needs, these individuals are affected by the views of their employers. This means the female employees of Hobby Lobby would have to pay out of their own pockets for contraception, without the assistance of health insurance provided to employees of the majority of other companies.

The Affordable Care Act covers birth control because it is important to individuals and would improve overall reproductive health. Because of this, it’s important that people recognize that many Americans could benefit from easy access to this resource. In most cases, the wants of an individual should trump the views of the employer because ultimately, it is the individual’s decision.

Religiously affiliated institutions that object to the use of contraceptives...

Total

8%

Should be given an exemption from this rule

48%

44%

Should be required to cover contraceptives like other employers Other/Don’t Know

Democrats

Republicans

8%

7%

19%

29% 64%

73%

Infographs by Adriana Del Grosso and Claudia Nguyen

1972

1977

Eisenstadt v. Baird Establishes that unmarried people have same contraception rights as married couples; they can engage in non-procreative intercourse

HEALTHCARE BY THE NUMBERS

MARCH 17, 2014

Present

Carey v. Population Services International Gives producers of contraceptives more freedom to distribute and sell products to teens

Affordable Care Act Private health insurance plans begin to offer birth control and other preventive services without co-pays or deductibles

Healthcare for the poor

In 2010 and 2011, over 5.1 million people Obamacare provides benefits on Medicare had saved over $3.1 billion By Izzy Salant Sickness. It’s a topic that everyone knows and comes on prescription drugs. in many forms. In order to make sure all people are covered by health insurance, the Obama administraParents of over 17.6 million children with tion passed a healthcare bill back in 2010, known as and it took effect fairly recently, propre-existing conditions no longer have to “Obamacare,” viding affordable healthcare to even the poorest of worry that their child will be denied cover- Americans so that they are able to receive treatment in a time of need. age because of their condition.

Unfortunately, healthcare is not a black and white issue; it is very complex. In simple terms, Obamacare cover every medical expense people need, from More than $154 million in grants have does prescription medicine to even a routine checkup. But gone to states to assist them in ensuring healthcare provides much more than that. The bill itthat insurance companies publicly justify self allows people to stay on their parents plan so they are insured until they are 26 years of age, which acts any rate increase of 10 percent or more. as a safety net. This is obviously beneficial, as over 2.5 million Americans now have refuge under their family’s plam, having had no insurance previously. Also, 2.5 million uninsured young adults have being insured isn’t really optional anymore. Many gained coverage by being able to stay on people don’t have insurance, but that makes even quick trips to the Mayo Clinic at CVS cost quite a bit their parents’ health plan. and makes hospital bills astronomical. If people aren’t insured, especially low income families, getting necThe health insurance companies of 76 essary help and staying healthy might be a bit out of million Americans must spend at least their price range.

The good news is: poorer families can now afford 80 cents of a patient’s premium dollar on health care. The bad news: Republicans don’t like it health care or improvements to the care. because they want the private sector in control and little government involvement. However, they aren’t All information from whitehouse.gov mad that the affordable healthcare act is in place, as Infograph by Wahid Ishrar the idea of universal healthcare was fought for origi-

to those who cannot afford it nally and proposed by Mitt Romney (R); they’re mad that the private sector isn’t in control of the situation.

As of now, the private sector is paid to provide services that the healthcare bill provides but with increased benefits and a different network. Due to the bill, people who have their healthcare installed within the private sector are afraid they will lose their benefits and doctors, and as a result are thinking this is the worst thing in America since Friends went off the air.

They are missing the big picture. With the new bill, people who can barely scrape by now don’t have to worry about huge medical expenses when their children are diagnosed with a sickness that will cost thousands to treat. If they break their leg, they don’t have to worry about paying for physical therapy and be able to get back to work to provide for their family.

In actuality, Republicans should be happy this bill has passed, even if it isn’t on their terms. A main complaint is the government is giving handouts to the poor, which doesn’t motivate them to work. If they can afford healthcare, they won’t have to worry about spending an extreme amount of money to get treatment; it becomes affordable so then they can get back to work quickly and not worry about being incapasitated and bankrupt at the same time. The bill was made to improve the lives of others, not to make their lives worse.

With all the opposition out there, it is no wonder Obamacare has suffered multiple blows and a plethora of criticism (enough to keep Rush on the air for years) but in the end, hopefully it will be seen for what it is: beneficial.

the

Pitch

MARCH 17, 2014

FEATURE

Forensics and Debate teams finish first at Finals

By Nick Williamson The Forensics and Debate teams recently competed in their respective final tournaments and placed first in both. For Forensics, Ana Petricel, Noah Marks, and Kevin Ryba won first place trophies, and six other students ranked highly. Many students from the Forensics team went to finals, and the Debate team sent 20 teams of two to the first day of finals, and ended up winning first place as a team.

At debate finals, the teams competed in an initial two debates, and those who won at least one of their matches made it to the second round. Those who finished 4-0 or 3-1 and had a good record previously in the season made it to the second night of finals or the “top 16.” Senior Eric Vistnes, captain of the debate

Photo courtesy of Rusty McCrady

(From left to right) Current Debate Junior Captains Lea Widemann, Seungyeon Jung, Kate Coughlin and Miranda Mlilo advanced from finals to the top 16 tournament the next day. Because of their placement at finals and exemplary work this year, juniors Widemann, Jung, Coughlin and Mlilo have been named next year’s captains.

9

team, said his team had an advantage due to its high seed in the competition, and he said WJ has the strongest debate team of the schools competing.

“The most important skill is to be confident in yourself,” said Vistnes. “If you stay confident, you always have a chance of winning.”

Vistnes also said that it is important to understand the issue being debated so well that you can understand what the other side is thinking when they defend their position.

The Forensics team members met in specified rooms at their finals, where competitors in the same category met and presented their pieces

by Chizobam Nwagwu such as an already published Sophomores David Solorio and Daniel Yang practice their debate speechesPhoto before the finals poem. They tried to utilize tournament. emotion and gestures to score and this year WJ received the most. well.

Junior Yuval Luger, a captain on Forensics, said that Junior Naina Thangada, captain of the Forensics acting at WJ helps in forensics competitions. team, said that students got into finals based on how “It helps to be on S*T*A*G*E because people are well they performed throughout the qualifying meets; less nervous when they need to get up and present in if participants scored well enough to rank highly, they front of an audience,” said Luger. competed in finals. When competing, there were Both Luger and Thangada said that they felt confifour rounds, and the competitor’s lowest score was dence was important to being successful, as well as dropped. practicing the piece.

The points are tracked by the National Forensics “We need to practice as a group more I think,” said League (NFL), which also runs the Debate team’s pro- Luger. “We usually meet once with [coach] Rusty Mcgram. People who score highly obtain points for WJ, Crady before each meet, but the rest is at home.”

Fun in the sun: Stars perform at music festivals

Photo from Sweetlife

Sweetlife posted a picture of the 2013 festival in order to advertise for this year’s event. WJ students are in the crowd.

By Amanda Gross Sweetlife – A Music + Food Festival

Sweetlife is a local festival that will take place at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md. on May 10. The sold out lineup is jam-packed with artists such as Lana Del Rey and Foster the People, along with Fitz and The Tantrums, Bombay Bicycle Club, Bastille, Chromeo, 2 Chainz, Capital Cities, St. Lucia, Hozier, Gems, Spirit Animal, ASTR, Nicky Blitz and That Work. Food from local farmers will also be available at Sweetlife.

Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival From June 12-15,thousands will attended Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee. Its diverse lineup of 150 acts includes Elton John, Kanye West, Lionel Richie, Vampire Weekend, Skrillex, Frank Ocean

and many more. Besides the musical acts, the festival also includes many different activities such as “The Silent Disco,” a late night dance party. People interested in sampling novel foods can join the “Food Truck Oasis,” featuring food trucks from all over the Southeast.

Bonnaroo allows people to camp out on sight and rent tents or RVs if desired. Ticket sales for general admission range from $234.50 to $284.50 for the whole weekend.

Summerfest In Milwaukee, Wis. on June 25-29 and July 1-6, Summerfest Music Festival will be well underway.

The festival was named the world’s largest music festival by Guinness World Records in 1999, and strives to live up to their name with an 11-day-long event with 11 stages, over 800 acts, and nearly 900,000 people in attendance. The star-packed lineup includes Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Brad Paisley, Outkast, Dave Mathews Band, Zac Brown Band and more. General admission tickets for Summerfest are not yet available, but tickets to see Zac Brown Band, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and Mötley Crüe are now available for $83.

Firefly Music Festival In Dover, Del. from June 19-22, Firefly Music Festival will take place for the third year. The lineup is chock-full of talented acts like Foo Fighters, Jack Johnson, Childish Gambino, Outkast, Imagine Dragons and many more. The festival keeps participators entertained with creative outlets such as “TOMS Style Your Sole” where festivalgoers can work with expert artists to customize a pair of TOMS shoes.

Another featured activity is “The Woodlands: The Coffee House”, a café with live musical performances. A limited general four day pass is $259. Tent camping is $149 and general RV camping is $299.

Lollapalooza On Aug. 1-3 in Grant Park, Chicago, Lollapalooza will be in high gear. The lineup includes Mumford & Sons, The Cure, The Lumineers, Kendrick Lamar, Ellie Goulding and many more. The festival will offer many cultural activities, such as “Chow Town”, a showcase of foods curated by Chef Graham Elliot. Another activity is “Green Street”, a shop where artisans can sell goods. Three-day “early bird” passes as well as oneday passes will be available in the spring.

Image from flickr, EMT

The crowd was already rocking out on day one of Lollapalooza 2010.

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival Coachella is an already sold-out festival that will take place during two different weekends in Indio, Calif. The first weekend is April 11-13 and the second weekend is April 18-20. The impressive lineup includes Outkast, Muse, Arcade Fire, HAIM, Bastille, Foster the People, Lorde and more. Coachella offers onsite camping on the polo grounds, as well as car and tent camping spots and offsite camping. There is also tent camping surrounding the redeveloped Lake El Dorado.

the

10

Pitch

FEATURE

MARCH 17, 2014 Button-down: $22.49 (American Eagle) Shorts: $42.50 (Aéropostale) Shoes: $24.88 (DSW)

1 3 2 4

Scarf: $29.50 (Aéropos Tank top: $26.50 (Aéropos Jeans: $29.95 (H& Boots: $99.95 (Steve Mad

1. Levingston before he gets his hair cut.

2. A stylist washing his hair.

3. Hair Cuttery stylist Taly snips the sides of his hair.

4. Levingston’s new haircut on display.

Scarf: $29.50 (Aéropostale) Tank top: $26.50 (Aéropostale)

Button down: $22.49 (American Eagle) Sweater: $39.95 (American Eagle) Pants: $54.00 (Urban Outfitters) Shoes: $24.88 (DSW)

Button down: $22.49 (American Eagle) Sweater: $39.95 (American Eagle)

Button-down: $22.49 (American Eagle) Shorts: $42.50 (Aéropostale) Shoes: $24.88 (DSW)

Sp

o i h s a F Mod

g n ri Ben Levin

Shannon M

Photogr

Dress: $33.00 (Pac Sun) Necklace: $19.50 (Aéropostale) Boots: $99.95 (Steve Madden)

Emily Cosentin and Sarah

Compo

Selma Stearns and

Tank top: $11.49 (Pac Sun) Skirt: $28.00 (Aéropostale) Bracelets: $14.50 (Aéropostale) Shoes: $64.98 (Ecco)

Cardigan: $18.49 (Thrifted) Bracelets: $14.50 (Aéropostale) Shorts: $24.00 (Aéropostale) Shoes: $35.00 (Vans store)

Shirt: $18.00 (Urban Outfitters) Pants: $54.00 (Urban Outfitters)

Senior Ben Levingston several new s Senior Shannon McD styled and tried ou warm-weat The two showe looks around

stale) stale) &M) dden)

the

Pitch

MARCH 17, 2014

FEATURE

11

Scarf: $29.50 (Aéropostale) Tank top: $26.50 (Aéropostale) Jeans: $29.95 (H&M) Boots: $99.95 (Steve Madden)

1 3 2

Button-down: $22.49 (American Eagle) Shorts: $42.50 (Aéropostale) Shoes: $24.88 (DSW)

on Phot

dels:

1. McDonough before her hair styling.

2. Hair Cuttery stylist Taly curls McDonough’s hair.

3. The final, styled hair.

Tank Top: $11.49 (Pac Sun) Shorts: $24.00 (Aéropostale) Bracelets: $14.50 (Aéropostale)

Shirt: $18.00 (Urban Outfitters) Pants: $54.00 (Urban Outfitters) Shoes: $24.88 (DSW)

osh

Tank top: $11.49 (Pac Sun) Skirt: $28.00 (Aéropostale) Bracelets: $14.50 (Aéropostale) Shoes: $64.98 (Ecco) Button-down: $22.49 (American Eagle) Shorts: $42.50 (Aé ropostale) Shoes: $24.88 (DSW)

oo t

ngston and McDonough

Shirt: $24.50 (Aéropostale) Shorts: $42.50 (Aéropostale) Shoes: $24.88 (DSW)

Dress: $33.00 (Pac Sun) Necklace: $19.50 (Aéropostale) Boots: $99.95 (Steve Madden)

raphers:

Scarf: $29.50 (Aéropostale) Tank top: $26.50 (Aéropostale) Jeans: $29.95 (H&M)

no, Megan Chun h Schecker

osed by:

d Emily Cosentino

received a haircut and spring outfits.

Donough got her hair ut some fashionable ther clothes.

Scarf: $29.50 (Aéropostale) ed off their new Tank top: $26.50 (Aé ropostale) Jeans: $29.95 (H&M) d the school.

Boots: $99.95 (Steve Madden)

Shirt: $18.00 (Urban Outfitters) Pants: $54.00 (Urban Outfitters) Shoes: $24.88 (DSW)

Button-down: $22.49 (American Eagle) Sweater: $39.95 (American Eagle) Pants: $54.00 (Urban Outfitters) Shoes: $24.88 (DSW)

Pitch

the

12

FEATURE

MARCH 17, 2014

Green vs. orange

Historical conflict in Ireland stems from political differences “Orange,” continued from page 1

By Alex Alavi “I think a lot of people didn’t know that [conflicts in Ireland were not] Protestant versus Catholic as a major input; it was really Unionist versus Nationalist,” said Niamh Cawley, father of WJ students Brendan and Devin Cawley, who grew up in the Republic of Ireland.

In 1922, over 200 years after William of Orange, the Republic of Ireland was formed as an end to the Irish War of Independence, according to the AngloIrish Treaty. The treaty allowed for the 26 southern counties of Ireland to become independent and kept the remaining six counties, which comprise what is now Northern Ireland, to remain a part of the United Kingdom. Soon afterwards, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) was formed. The IRA, regarded by many as a terrorist organization, was bent on driving out the Irish Unionists, who favored remaining in the U.K. The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) was formed by the Unionists in retaliation to the IRA. Ulster was one of the counties in Northern Ireland. These two groups were in constant combat throughout most of the 20th century.

Cawley recalled the effects of the conflict on his childhood.

“I went up to Belfast [the capital of Northern Ireland] and stayed a few days in [a friend’s] house and I swear just walking down the street and seeing soldiers, armed policemen, and armored vehicles going down them, and then razor wire in certain areas and the Irish flags, the tricolors, it was very intimidating,” said Cawley. “You had the feel-

ing that you just really didn’t want to do anything wrong.”

According to the Royal Ulster Constabulary’s website, English soldiers had been stationed in Northern Ireland since 1922, as the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Technically the troops were called “policemen” because using the term “soldiers” implied occupation of a foreign land, and the English believed that Northern Ireland was rightfully their territory.

“The problem was that [the Unionists] became Irish,” said Cawley. “They had been settled and living there for two hundred years, so for all intents and purposes they were Irish in terms of growing up in Ireland, but they didn’t want to be ruled by the Irish because we were an infant government in an infant land. There was a lot of potential in Ireland but it hadn’t fully flourished yet.”

While southern Ireland hadn’t flourished, the people who lived in Ulster had. The economic potential of Ireland was a major benefit for England, with successful production in steel works, wool and cotton. The English didn’t want to send the money to Dublin when citizens were living such rich, well off lives.

“There was discrimination against Irish Catholics for the good jobs, so that’s why there’s continued to be embitterment,” said Cawley.

One of the most famous recent incidents of the animosity was “Bloody Sunday,” in which, according to History.com, on Jan. 30, 1972, Irish civil rights protesters were marching in the

Photo from Britannica ImageQuest

Debris is cleaned up in Aldershot England in 1972 after the IRA attacked the headquarters of the Brtish army’s 16th Parachute Brigade with a car bomb. The IRA said that the attack was in response to the “Bloody Sunday” shootings, where the British army opened fire on Irish protesters.

Bogside area of Derry in Northern Ireland when the British army opened fire on the crowd, shooting 26 people and killing a total of 14, seven of whom were teenagers. The horrific event is the source of inspiration for the U2 song “Sunday Bloody Sunday”. “[Bloody Sunday was] an awful, awful exhibit of uncontrolled violence by the British police, shooting into crowds and just killing them,” said Cawley. “When you get into mob mentality people go crazy and they just get afraid.”

British police have a different account of what happened that day. Butch Wor-

den, a Physical Education teacher at WJ, remembers the stories he heard from his family when the event was covered in the United States.

“The BBC reported it as an IRA terrorist [attack], when in reality that’s not true,” said Worden. “So having known that before, with family members reporting that that’s not what happened, then you realize that the media has a lot of control as to what people believe. So my side of it may be a whole different story compared to other people.”

WJ celebrates Custodian Appreciation Week

By Joshua Lang

Shiny floors, clean windows and empty trashcans seem like typical aspects of school life to us, but many students never really take the time to appreciate the people who are doing all the work.

From Feb. 26 to March 5, WJ celebrated Custodian Appreciation Week. On a daily basis, students walk through school, taking all of the spotless floors and well-stocked bathrooms for granted, and most do not take the time to say thank you to the building service employees who do this work. Since building service employees work behind the scenes, students rarely see them in action, and instead see them on television shows such as “Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide,” which portray building service employees goofing off and not doing their jobs.

“Last week, [the Foreign Language Department] all donated goodies [to building service employees],” said Spanish teacher Dr. Lucia Liang. “We made two big baskets, one for the night shift and one for the day shift to express our thanks.”

There are building service employees who work during the school day, at night and on the weekends. Their duties range from being a Plant Equipment

service employees who work during the day and Yunior Payano De La Rosa oversees the building service employees who work at night.

“I feel very lucky to work at a school where everyone cares for the school and staff,” said Brooks.

This support has been one of the major reasons why Brooks has loved working at WJ for over 24 years. He has also worked at Tilden Middle School and Seneca Valley High School. “[My least favorite part about working at WJ is] seeing any students and staff unhappy with the condition of the building,” said Brooks.

Building service employees work nonstop to make sure the school is a spotless environment for students to learn in every day, yet most students do not give them the proper credit they deserve. Building service employees work in a high school with teenagers who are Photo by Sarah Schecker not especially talented at cleaning up Building Service employee Marion Taylor works with the team that stays at WJ hours after the trash and messes they make. students leave in order to keep the school clean.

“Most of the time [my students are Operator, who maintains the equip“[WJ] is a big building and a lot of good about cleaning up after themment that takes care of the plants on [the] time [Building Services] does not selves],” said Liang. “I need to be very the school property, to building service have enough people, but they work re- tough about this; otherwise they would employees, who clean and maintain the ally hard to keep it clean,” said Liang. not be as responsible.” school environment.

John Brooks manages the building

Pitch

the

MARCH 17, 2014

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

13

First installment of “Divergent” trilogy to hit the big screen

By Audrey Marek

The third book in the “Divergent” trilogy, titled “Allegiant” was released this year providing a shocking conclusion to the story of Beatrice Prior, the heroine of the series. However, for those who aren’t enthused with the idea of reading, the title “Divergent” is more associated with another medium; film. The first installment of the trilogy is hitting the big screen on March 21. Leading the cast as Prior is Shailene Woodley, best known for her work on ABC Family’s TV show “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.” Second in command as the popular character Four is actor Theo James. The two have become extremely close friends off-screen over the Photo from Flickr, Robjtak course of filming the movie, James and Woodley participate in the 2013 Comic-con panel for Divergent, which will be released on which is promising for their March 21. factions based off of personality type For fans of young adult novels and on-screen dynamic with two more films and aptitude tests. In order to remain movies, this will be a good fit. The to go. true to the book, the movie is being characters of the book are interesting “Divergent” is set in post-apocalyptic filmed in Chicago, with the use of spe- and relatable, and the plot is extremely Chicago, often compared to the setting cial effects and some creation of sets in engaging. Assuming the movie carries of “The Hunger Games.” Also akin to order to create a dystopian feel.While it over these positive qualities, it will be “The Hunger Games” society is divided may sound like a “Hunger Games” copy, enjoyable, even if formulaic. The book into different sections, in this case five “Divergent” is still worth seeing. includes a fair amount of action and

Sudoku

For the answers, go to wjpitch.com!

violence, which will keep the movie moving at a brisk pace. The plot is easy to follow and contains some shocking twists to keep viewers interested. The only thing that might prove a struggle is the extensive exposition; the book lays out the ground rules of the society in a few scenes of low-key interaction. In the history of Hollywood, scenes like those tend to get cut down so as not to bore the viewer, and such tendencies could hurt the overall themes of the movie if they come to fruition.

Photo from Flickr, Eckhart Public Library

The movie “Divergent” is based on the book of the same name by Veronica Roth.

Alex’s Corner

MARCH 17, 2014

S*T*A*G*E costume crew sews everything into place

F u n F a v o r i t e s

the

14

Pitch

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

By Annika LaVina

All costumes modeled by Emily Roe

All photos by Annika La Vina

These are some of the S*T*A*G*E costume crew’s favorite costumes, including a bedazzled bustier and panda apron.

Students all over the school express their unique style and personality through their clothing choices, but few know how true that is for S*T*A*G*E’s costume crew. Blended together by different fabrics and long hours, student designers showcase their different twists to each costume to complement each year's plays and musicals.

“We figure out what we need, find a good pattern, buy the materials and sew it together,” said senior Roxanne Leal, the co-chief of S*T*A*G*E crew’s costume department.

The style and expression that the designer conveys is just as important as the actual script. Even though the long hours are hidden behind the scenes, the delicacy and craftsmanship of each outfit is evident as the curtain rises.

Each getup goes through many stages and fixes. Like

the actual production itself, it still requires arduous work and a lot of time to achieve the perfect ensemble. Furthermore, outfits have to be tailored and customized to each actor to ensure comfort and practicality when performing on stage.

While some costumes are easy to produce, most are complicated and require as much time as a class project or assignment.

After reading the play and getting a basic feel, S*T*A*G*E crew co-chiefs Leal and junior Mason Sapphire talk to Colleen McAdory, the director, for more information on what she wants for the characters.

Brainstorming comes next, and when the crew is finished with their design ideas, it is time to transform the idea into reality.

“From there we decide whether we are going to rent, buy or make the costumes and also look to see what we have in the closet already,” said Leal.

The crew gets their supplies from a wide range of stores, including thrift stores, department stores and Jo-Ann’s, a fabric store. The crew also has a

separate costume closet, filled with accessories and costumes from past years’ productions, including hats and shoes. Once everything is gathered, costumes are either left alone or modified, depending on the type of S*T*A*G*E production. For example, shows such as “Noises Off ” don’t require as much sewing or changing to pieces that have been bought, but more elaborate shows, like this year’s “Aida” or last year’s “Into the Woods”, need hours of attention.

When a costume is finished, the crew fits it to the cast member, makes some corrections, and moves on to the next costume. The goal is to have them all finished by dress rehearsal, but deadlines tend to vary.

“We then run it by with [McAdory]. If it’s a go, we move on to the next character, if not we take notes and try to fix what we need to,” said Leal.

As opening night nears, costumes are tweaked to perfection and fitted to comfort. The big day arrives and the show goes on.

Outrageous Outfits

Darling Dresses

Pictured above are three extreme costumes, including a caterpillar, a huge poofy skirt and a bear mask paired with a fur coat.

The S*T*A*G*E Crew costume closet features a wide variety of unique dresses, sewn together with many different kinds of fabrics.

Pitch

the

MARCH 17, 2014

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Trend tips: Ombré hair

By Audrey Marek

you’ve seen it even if you don’t know One of the most prominent trends the terminology, as many celebrities are of this year is “ombré” hair. Chances are currently modeling the trend including Oscar winner Jared Leto. An “ombré” effect refers to hair that is dark at the top of the head and is lighter at the bottom. It works best with dark hair, but can also be done on lighter shades, so long as the hair is not bright blonde. For people with extremely light hair, it would probably be easier to do a “reverse ombré” and dip dye the bottom in dark or bright color.

Most-cut-and-color salons, like Progressions salon in Rockville, have the option to ombré hair, and it is more likely to not cause damage if it is done professionally. According to Progressions daymaker (stylist) Ligia Medina, box color is unreliable, even though many women experiment with it. Using box color to dip dye hair and create an ombré effect is Photo from Flickr, Nathan Congleton very common at WJ, Jared Leto wore the ombre style at the 2014 Academy Awards.

15

but it can lead to unexpected results cheaper prices do not downgrade the and long term hair damage. The level of quality at all, and the salon still ensures damage can vary from person to person. a great final product. “[The amount of damage] depends Ombré is a fun style to experiment on the hair and what you are trying to with, especially if you don’t want to achieve,” said Progressions color and worry about constantly maintaining a chemical specialist, Julia Mateu. full dye job. Ombré fades away on its Progressions does both regular and own and can easily be cut off if you’re reverse ombré and according to Mateu, not satisfied with the result. reverse is usually better for the hair.

“Anyone can have an ombre. . . It’s Lightening hair tends to cause more something you can do once or twice and damage than darkening it, so dip dying then move on to a different trend if you the ends is safer than bleaching them. wish,” said Medina.

All employees interviewed at the saOmbré hair can be styled creatively lon warn against trying to dye hair with or just worn plain. Mateu recommends box color or bleach, both of which are curling ombré hair to diffuse the intenunreliable and bad for hair. Founder sity of the color at the bottom. and owner of Progressions, Cindy Feldman, also warns against sales in salons that might seem good.

While these may be cheaper, they offer less insurance of a good final product.

Progressions combats this with their Passports program, which offers special deals to students, teachers and military Photo courtesy of Progressions personnel. The Progressions salon in Bethesda offers both ombre and reverse ombre.

the

16

Pitch

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Photo courtesy of Matt Mackie

Occasionally George’s unnofficial logo features a sloth that is hanging from a branch.

MARCH 17, 2014

WJams: Student bands play their way to success “Bands” continued from page.1

By Josh Lang and Nick Williamson

Photo courtesy of Matt Mackie

Alex Alavi, Matt Mackie and Ben Laurenson perform at Live at WJ.

Photo courtesy of Matt Mackie

Occasionally George performs at the Wyngate All-purpose Room.

The Room performs at open mic nights whenever a chance arises and is hoping to get larger gigs during the summer once they finish writing their music.

Occasionally George is made up of seniors Matt Mackie on bass guitar, Alex Alavi on guitar, Matt Koenig on drums and Ben Laurenson on tenor saxophone.

The group is predominantly a rock and roll band, and has played at the Wyngate All-Purpose Room during a community concert, the Wyngate Neighborhood Fourth of July parade, the Kensington 8K Race and the Sandy Spring Museum’s Teen Concert Series.

They used to play at Union Jack’s, a bar in Downtown Bethesda, every few weeks over the summer.They will soon play at the Sandy Spring museum on March 28.

The band started when Mackie and Alavi were looking for a theme song for a short film they made. When “Final Countdown” didn’t work, Mackie suggested they should create their own. Alavi took up a guitar, Mackie took up a bass, and they eventually became so interested in writing the song and making their own music that they forgot about the film it was for.

In 2012, the band obtained a drum set for Koenig and started playing with Laurenson, creating the current lineup.

“Alex’s mom was reading the back of a Beatles album and on the back, on the track ‘Eight Days a Week,’ there’s a little blurb that says ‘Lead Vocals: John, Paul and occasionally George.’ And the rest is history,” said Mackie about the band’s name.

The band has had some interesting moments, including when they played so loud someone called the cops.

“It was close to 10 p.m. on a Saturday and we were blasting ‘Radar Love,’ by Golden Earring. I was jumping up and down on the couch playing the bass line when the policeman shined his flashlight through the window at me and shouted, ‘The neighbors are not happy.’ Neither were we,” said Mackie.

Incidentally, that helped the band create one of their songs, “The Neighbors Aren’t Happy (And Neither Am I).” The band plays both cover songs and their own music. For more information including photos and where the band will be playing, visit www.facebook.com/OccasionallyGeorge.

Photo courtesy of Matt Mackie

Matt Koenig, the drummer for Occasionally George, performs at the Wyngate All-purpose Room.

Photo courtesy of Matt Mackie

The band participated in WJ’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Mark Mora of The Room plays guitar.

Photo by Sarah Schecker

Jordan Rodriguez, Sebastien Couvreur, Mark Mora and Julian Kopelove of The Room pose for a photo with their instruments.

Photo by Sarah Schecker

The Room combines guitars, piano and vocals to create their own unique sound.

Photo by Sarah Schecker

The Room practices guitar outside. All the members play the guitar.

Photo by Sarah Schecker

The Room poses outside the house of Julian Kopelove’s with their guitars.

Photo by Sarah Schecker

Juniors Mark Mora and Sebastien Couvreur practice guitar outside a band member’s house.

Pitch

the

MARCH 17, 2014

SPORTS

17

the

18

Pitch

SPORTS

Girls lacrosse has high hopes for upcoming year

By Josh Greenberg

With seven seniors returning to the girls varsity lacrosse team this season, the team looks to start strong this season. With senior captains Lucy Andrews and Courtney Bruch along with junior captain Amy Mattingly, the team’s play is sure to be quality this year. Anna Rowthorn-Apel is coming off of a stellar season, having been named to the All Division 4A South Team as a midfielder.

Andrews has high hopes and is ready to begin her final season as a high school athlete, as she is planning on attending Randolph Macon next year to continue her lacrosse career.

“We are going to try to win the state championship,” said Andrews.

With the team’s early exit in last year’s playoffs due to a 13-8 loss against Wootton, the team is looking for payback on April 11, when they play at home against Wootton, and April 22 when they play

at home against rival Churchill.

“We need to work on our chemistry, that way we can score,” said Andrews.

The seniors on the team will play their final regular season game at home against Rockville, following a pre-game ceremony, in which the seniors will receive recognition for their contributions during their time at WJ.

Photo by Wahid Ishrar

Junior midfielder Emily Scheele participates in a drill at practice.

MARCH 17, 2014

Boys lacrosse shoots for glory become a powerhouse themselves. The will depend on key players such as The boys lacrosse team is looking team senior Keller at defense, and rely forward to this season and trying to on the Chase team’s and third midfield improve on its early exit in last year’s teams. Beforesecond starting quest for a county tournament. With big games state championship, thethe team must figagainst other Montgomery County ure out its goalie situation. With a surpowerhouses Churchill and Wootton plus of quality goalies, it’s important for approaching, the team is looking to the team to find the best goalie. make their mark on the division and “The main goal is to win a state championship,” said senior captain Jordan Cooper.

A state championship win could make WJ the first team from Montgomery County to win a state title.

This season has a lot of backstory as it is the 10-year anniversary of the death of former WJ goalie Rod Bower who died in a car accident the night before the 2004 state championship semifinal game. The team will honor Bower this Photo by Wahid Ishrar season with a sticker displaying his iniJunior Jon Ohlrich works tials on the back of their helmets. on passing skills during

By Josh Greenberg

practice.

Boys Volleyball gears up for season

By Sarah Schecker With a strong base of returning players, boys volleyball, coached by Brian Fairall, is looking forward to a great season. The boys only had two team members graduate after last season leaving 10 returning players who will be a strong base for the team.

Senior and returning player Adam Brami is extremely excited for the season. He has been on the team for four years now and he believes that this year’s team is different than those of previous years.

“We have a lot of great talent this year,” said Brami. “It should be a great season.”

Photo by Wahid Ishrar

Boys volleyball scrimmages during a practice.

Photo by Wahid Ishrar

Coach Bill Morris overlooks the coed volleyball team practice.

Coed Volleyball Brami also explained that this year there was a lot of raw talent at tryouts, develops skills which had not been the case in previous

By Sarah Schecker seasons.

After losing six players due to graduBecause the boys and co-ed teams throughout the county are divided dif- ation, co-ed volleyball has to rebuild ferently, some of the boys matches will this season. The team is still expected to perform at a high level like it did last be more difficult than others.

The boys will face off against North- year, despite losing many veteran playwood at home for their first match on ers.

Many of the boys who are on the coMarch 24 at 5:15 p.m. ed team have never played volleyball

before. Once on the team, they develop new skills such as passing, serving, setting and blocking in order to play on the boys team in future years.

At tryouts, Coach Bill Morris spends most of the time teaching the game to the players are who have never played before. Morris looks for how coachable a player is in addition to their skillset.

He wants a player who is willing to sacrifice for the wellbeing of the team.

“Co-ed is the training ground for the boys,” said Morris. “As [their skills] progress, they move on to the boys team.”

The size of the team varies greatly from year to year. This year, the team’s size has grown drastically, with 19 players: 10 girls, and nine boys, due to a large contingency at tryouts.

The team’s first home match is on March 24 against Northwood.

Athletes should be judged on Checked Swing: performances not preferences

By JakeWeinischke Sixty-seven years ago, on April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball, revolutionizing the world of sports, adding his name to a prestigious list of American pioneers and paving the way for the arduous pursuit of racial equality.

Now, over half a century later, Americans still struggle to tolerate differences, but due to the dedication and tenacity of two prominent athletes, Michael Sam and Jason Collins, additional equality seems to be on the horizon.

Sam is a highly touted NFL prospect who recently graduated from the University of Missouri in Columbia, where he played as a defensive end on the school’s football team for four years. He is projected to be a mid-round pick in the upcoming draft. Collins on the other hand, is a seasoned NBA veteran who publicized his sexual orientation on a cover story for Sports Illustrated in May of last year.

While both have received relatively warm responses from the public and their teammates, they also have a mutual desire to be recognized for their athletic achievements rather than their sexual orientation.

Sam recently declared his yearning to be known as Michael Sam, the football player, not Michael Sam,

the gay athlete. This desire demonstrates a major flaw in society; the fact that we identify people based on our impressions of them, rather than the content of their character. If you were to type ‘Michael Sam’ into the Google search bar, you wouldn’t be greeted with a stat sheet, displaying his 11.5 sacks and 19 tackles for a loss, both of which led the SEC during the 2013 season. Nor would you see his recognition as a Consensus All-American in 2013. Rather, you would be bombarded with articles on Sam’s sexuality, which brings us back to the problem, how we judge other people. The fact that a mere uncontrollable characteristic takes precedent over his accomplishments is the epitome of America’s problem with moving forward.

Why should this be a big deal?

As Dale Hansen, a sportscaster working with ABC’s Dallas affiliate WFAA, recently pointed out, we are perfectly comfortable tolerating true atrocities in society, but somehow not comfortable with accepting people for who they are. We are witnesses to crimes committed by athletes on a day-to-day basis and we automatically usher them back into the game, often commending them for their athletic ability and disregarding their wrongdoings without hesitation.We witness offenses ranging from theft to murder and have no issue welcoming these athletes back with open arms.

However, love another man and an athlete is crossing

the line.How is one of the most advanced countries in the world also the most primitive? It is inconceivable how the U.S., a world power in its innovation, armed forces and education, has reached conclusions and construed information from the most abstract situations known to man, but is somehow unable to accept a human being because he is different.

We often preach ideas such as “be yourself,” but then immediately contradict them by regarding certain characteristics, however true they might be, as unacceptable. Some will even defend this ludicrousness by claiming that being gay is a choice. This absurdity is for but one, sad reason. People are scared; scared of what is different; scared of the unknown. This is the unfortunate truth of mankind. We tend to neglect concepts that extend beyond our comprehension because if we can’t understand the anatomy of an idea, how are we supposed to accept it? That is the challenge society faces today. However, prominent figures like Collins and Sam, proudly embracing their identity have indubitably guided society in the right direction. They are pioneers for a valiant cause and are the start to ensuring wide-based acceptance particularly in the world of sports, but also in other facets of life. Everything Collins and Sam do, every tackle, every basket, is a step towards people judging others based on who they are, not what they are.

Pitch

Boys tennis looks for new source of leadership

By Zeke Green

WJ tennis has been an elite program in the county the last few years, but with former coach Mike Laukaitis stepping down, the team must look for a new source of leadership from new coach Mitchell Duque. The boys went 8-2 last year and are poised to end up with another winning record this season. The team is led by senior Guy Beven as well as juniors Leo Blumberg-Woll and Justin New. Blumberg-Woll is a returning starter and is a favorite for a top three starter spot.

“We had a very good team last year and this year’s team should continue that [trend],” said Blumberg-Woll.

The team has some huge matches this year, including an away match at Churchill on April 2 and a home

the

MARCH 17, 2014

SPORTS

Track and Field sprints for glory

By JakeWeinschcke As March rolls around once again, so does the start of track and field season.

As usual, the hurdles are abundant, and the standards are high. Those consistently high standards must be met with a strong work ethic; no excuses.

“You have to be willing to sacrifice time, endure pain and do everything you can to get better every day,” said senior Michael Spak.

Track and field is comprised of diverse Photo by Sarah Schecker events that include distance, sprints, Arif Hafiz warms up before a scrimmage hurdles, jumps and throws, making early in the season. versatility another crucial factor to the match against Wootton on the April 14. team’s success. The team hopes to demChurchill and Wootton were the only onstrate this versatility right off the bat, two teams to defeat WJ last year, both as they take on Wootton and Whitman sweeping the Wildcats 7-0. on March 25 in their first meet of the Blumberg-Woll knows this year’s season. The arduous pursuit will hopeteam is younger and has less experience fully culminate in a victory at Morgan than past years’ teams, but he knows State University in the Maryland State that if they pull together and work hard Championship. Led by coaches Tom they can have another successful year.

Martin, Beth Muehl, Maggie McSorley, “One thing we’ve always had is resil- Tom Rogers and Ashley St. Denis, track iency. The team doesn’t give up; ever,” said Blumberg-Woll.

and field is one of WJ’s most consistent and successful programs, so it won’t be a surprise if they replicate their past accomplishments once again.

By Sabrina Greene

By Ben Resnick The gymnastics team had an exceptional season last year after placing second at the MCPS Championships, leaving the 2014 team hungry to build off its previous success.

Last year’s team saw Grace Leslau, who finished second at the MCPS Championships, graduate, but coach Ursula Bright said she knows younger girls will come up and fill the gap Leslau left. “[Junior] Monique Mendez and [senior] Hopie Flieger, our veterans, are our top all-around gymnasts,” said Bright. “[I’m] hoping they will bring out new and harder skill to their routines [and] break out performances.”

Junior captain Mendez knows her team can attain greatness. She holds herself responsible to lead her team to the great season she is hoping for.

“As a team, I hope to become county champs,” said Mendez. “Personally, I hope to place top three [at the county championships].”

Bright believes if her team continues to work and train hard in practice, an undefeated season is a tangible goal.

Mendez echoed her coach while reiterating that to be great, the girls will need to show up every day and work their absolute hardest.

The team kicks off its season on March 25 against rival BCC, last year’s county champion. The girls will look to start off the season with a statement win against such a formidable opponent.

The girls will conclude their season with the MCPS Championship at Gaithersburg on May 5, hoping to cap off an amazing season.

Photo by Wahid Ishrar

Photo by Wahid Ishrar

Senior captain Irina Bukharin takes her strides during practice.

Baseball embraces hefty goals

Gymnastics looks for a county championship

Senior Hopie Flieger works on her beam routine during practice.

19

Photo by Sarah Schecker

Senior captain Kristen Scott fields a ground ball in practice.

Softball is ready to play hard ball

By JakeWeinschcke Softball kicks off its season at Gaithersburg on March 22 with the goal of making a run deep into the playoffs. The strong core of returning players has the team buzzing with high expectations. Proceeding several seasons in which the girls were able to develop cohesion and skill, the prospect of improvement is a significant motivator. This cohesion will inevitably prove critical, as softball is not a one-man sport.

“Softball is a team sport, so I have team goals for my last season- those being winning the division and making a good run in the playoffs,” said senior and team captain, Kristen Scott.

Led by head coach Jamie Ahearn, the team not only has high expectations, but also high confidence, a factor that will surely prove to be critical over the course of the season.

“We have a lot of talented returning players plus some new ones that will be a great addition to the team,” said Scott.

If the team is able to match these expectations, a deep playoff run may be on the horizon.

After losing to Wootton 1-2 in the first round of playoffs of the 2013 season, the Varsity Baseball team is back at it and looking to make great strides.

The team is excited to welcome back three returning pitchers, seniors Zeke Green, Josh Greenberg and junior Ryan Manning, who are expected to make huge contributions to the team’s success. “[The team] will have a core of returning players that will all compete to try and build on our offensive scoring,” said coach Christopher Murray. “Many of our players became stronger hitters, which will be crucial if we are realistically going to shoot for our three goals.”

According to Murray, the team’s goals are to compete to have one of the top three records in the region, to win the division and to have a successful playoff run.

The team fell short of these three goals last season, but hopes to make a comeback this year.

“The key take away from last year was [that] we have to score more runs. We were 14 runs away from being a 13-6 team rather than a 6-13 team,” said Murray.

Senior Kyle Lopez agreed.

“We need to win one-run games,” said Lopez. “We are always focused on the fundamentals and on making adjustments to improve every aspect of our game.”

The team is very forward-looking.

“We’re looking good so far and everyone is really excited about the season,” said senior Quentin Auster.

“It’s always fun to get back into it and Photo by Sarah Schecker it should be a great Senior Alex Horick pitches for WJ year.” in a scrimmage.

Sports

What’s Inside

18 +19

The Pitch writers take a look at the spring sports teams.

MARCH 17, 2014

20

Wildcat wardrobes

By Ben Resnick

Photos by Sarah Schecker, Emily Cosentino and Megan Chun

In order to achieve peak performance and stay protected, athletes need specific equipment to play their sports. The Pitch takes a closer look at the similarities and differences of the gear players wear.

Baseball

Track

Baseball hats: These are

worn to keep the sun out of a player’s eyes during a game.

They also, in the past, have helped prevent injury should a ball hit a fielder in the head.

Baseball

Headbands

Headbands: These are used in several

sports and can expand to fit the athlete’s head and helps keep sweat out of the athlete’s eyes during competition.

Girls Lacrosse goggles: These help pro-

tect athletes’ eyes while still allowing them to play fast as the goggles do not interfere with athletes’ movement.

Lacrosse

Lacrosse Basketball

Baseball Uniforms: This “camo” uni-

form, while providing support for members of the military, are tight fitting in order to not interfere when a player throws the ball.

Track uniforms: The outfits are light and tight on the runners’ bodies in order to eliminate air resistance. They are also moisture wicking.

Speedo swimsuits: Speedos are made Swimming of material with less drag; this helps swimmers as they are more aerodynamic and can move through the water faster.

Running shorts: These shorts are lightweight and moisture wicking. They minimize chafing and have built-in liners.

Baseball pants: They help protect players’ legs when sliding to the base.

They are often white because the color keeps the players cooler on hot summer days.

Basketball shorts: Players used to rock the “short shorts look” but the trend has changed and long shorts are the new “baller look.” These longer shorts are said to be more comfortable for the players.

Track

Boys Lacrosse elbow pads: These protect the player’s elbows while still allowing the athlete to scoop, cradle, catch and shoot.

Shooting sleeves: These sleeves, aside from making a player look like a “baller,” help to prevent injuries. The padding protects the elbow and arm from potential injury due to impact. The new sleeves also have moisture wicking abilities.

Batting gloves: Leather Baseball palms provide comfort and improve the batter’s grip, while absorbing the shock once contact with the ball is made.

Boys Lacrosse gloves: The primary purpose is to pro- Lacrosse tect the athlete.They cover the player’s hands and protect them from stick checks.

Metal baseball cleats: Cleats are durable and give the players the ability to grip, especially

when the condition of the playing field is not ideal.

Volleyball shoes: These shoes are light so when players jump up to spike or block, there is less resistance. They also point forward a bit which helps players stay on their toes. The most important feature is a good grip, which allows the players to make quick movements on hazardous gym floors.

Running spikes: These are exceptionally light weight; they have pins on the sole of the shoe to help the athlete grip the track better and run quickly.

Basketball

Baseball Baseball

Volleyball

Track