April Issue 2013

Warrior Sherwood High School 300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Sandy Spring, MD 20860

the

35th Year, Issue No.5

April 25, 2013

Inside: News: 1-3, Saving the Earth: 4-5, Features: 6-8, Humor: 9, Spotlight: 10-11, Opinions: 12-14,Wondering Warrior: 15, Entertainment: 16-18 Sports: 19-20

Communication Through Technology

Bucket List Films

Warrior staffer Katie Mercogliano identifies the 40 best films to see in your lifetime.

The Warrior discusses the impact of technology on communication and relationships. pgs. 10 & 11

pg. 17

Sequester Impacts Families

by Mike Crooks ‘14

On March 1, $85 billion in automatic federal government spending cuts began. Weeks later, the full effects of these cuts, commonly referred to as either sequestration or the sequester, are beginning to be felt, particularly in areas like Montgomery County, where federal agencies are some of the largest employers.

In 2011, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (which includes the National Institutes of Health), Defense and Commerce were the largest employers in the county. Like all agencies, these have faced significant challenges in adapting to the cutbacks, such as reduced benefits, shortened work weeks and canceled programs.

Senior Vik Siberry, whose parents work for NIH, is aware of the burdens they now face at work. Siberry’s parents have seen canceled business trips and reduced grants for research, and they expect these restrictions to continue for the rest of the year.

Research and development agencies like NIH have had their budgets cut between 5.1 and 7.3 percent, with these amounts set to remain for the next eight years.

Few saw the sequester as likely to happen until immediately before it was signed into law

In coaching, there is a fine line between being motivational and being abusive. In recent weeks, it has become evident that Rutgers mens’ basketball coach Mike Rice crossed that line. ESPN released video clips of practices between 2010 and 2012 in which Rice kicks, shoves, throws balls at his players, and yells homosexual slurs at them. As a result, Rice was fired. In the past couple of years, similar cases of abusive coaches have become public. In 2009, Texas Tech football coach Mike Leach was fired for abusing a player, and in 2010, the University of South Florida football coach was fired for abuse.

If prestigious universities have abusive coaches, one can infer that such incidents are happening at the high school level as well. However, according to Dr. William G. Beattie, the director of system-wide athletics for MCPS, very few cases of abuse by coaches occur in the county, and of those cases, almost none are physical abuses. The reason for the lack of player abuse in MCPS mainly lies in the hiring and training processes of county coaches.

“Approximately 78 percent of the coaches in MCPS are teachers. All employees have to have background checks. The

High School Coaches Set The Example

by Alex Porter ‘13

Randi Arizona ‘13

Mr. Sherwood 2013 The annual Mr. Sherwood competition took place on Saturday, April 20, at 7 p.m. in the Ertzman Theatre. With a full house, the crowd awaited the opening group dance number, featuring songs like “Fergalicious” by Fergie and “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore. As the swimwear and talent events came up, the crowd favored Carroll Rachefsky and Sean Prin. Rachefsky’s talent portion consisted of an interpretive dance (below left) that later turned into the Harlem Shake (above), while Prin’s was the famous “vote for Pedro dance” from the film “Napoleon Dynamite” (below right). Ultimately, Rachefsky took home the title of Mr. Sherwood.

see SEQUESTER, pg. 2

see COACHES, pg. 3

How Can You Tell When Students Are Learning?

School administrators search for ways to define ‘student engagement’ and subsequently increase participation during classroom instruction.

by Nick Mourtoupalas ‘13 Since last year, Superintendent Joshua Starr has shifted MCPS’ instructional improvement focus toward better student engagement in the classroom. According to Starr, focusing on engaging students more actively in the classroom is the key to better teaching, yet Sherwood’s Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) has been struggling to find and use a concrete definition of the term.

“That is the million dollar

question,” said social studies teacher Christine McKeldin, who is also an elected faculty representative on ILT. “It’s very difficult to describe what engagement looks like, because the idea of student engagement is really going against the stand-and-deliver style of teaching that has become prominent because of standardized testing.”

Teachers have become increasingly mindful of the term and begun observing other teachers in an attempt to gain a better under-

standing of what gets students engaged during lessons.

In regard to identifying engagement he has observed, social studies resource teacher Joe Sangillo said, “There are often times when you enter a classroom and you can feel that energy formed by body language and tone.”

Similarly, Principal Bill Gregory says he can see the difference between engaged faces compared to gazing ones. “Identifying student engagement is difficult and it’s something that

we’re working on. As a former math teacher, I can tell by facial expression if people are engaged or not,” said Gregory. He believes in constructing lessons around bringing students in rather than the material an instructor needs to teach.

Despite the varying interpretations of student engagement across Sherwood’s different departments, members of the ILT agree that much of the engagement they have observed has been a result of good relationships be-

www.thewarrioronline.com

tween the student, teacher and content.

“Dr. Starr talks about the instructional core: the relationship between the people and the content,” said Gregory. “In order for students to learn, they have to be the people who are most connected to the instruction, not the teacher. Teachers are planning to become more of the facilitator than the deliverer of knowledge.”

At times, lack of teachers per-

see LEARNING, pg. 2

The Warrior•News 2

April 25, 2013

County Works To Engage Students

from LEARNING, pg. 1

sonal compatibility with students is an obstacle to their ability to engage them. “We’re all attracted to different types of personalities, so you’re not going to mesh with everybody,” said McKeldin. “But maybe those issues with personality wouldn’t be as much of a problem if the student found the class more engaging on their own creative level.”

“Kids aren’t robots,” said Sangillo. “When a student is nev

S W E N in brief

Sherwood Makes Challenge Index

Washington Post columnist Jay Matthews recently ranked the 50 best high schools in the DC area as part of his annual Challenge Index. Sherwood was ranked at 44, with an average SAT score (for the class of 2012) of 1622 and a challenge rating of 3.406. A challenge rating is calculated by the number of AP exams taken divided by the number of graduated seniors. Matthews asserts that the rating is an effective way to assess the level of rigor at schools.

MCPS has 11 schools on the list; Poolesville is the highest at third. Other MCPS schools included are Richard Montgomery, ranked 5th, Churchill, ranked 13th, and Wootton, ranked 14th. Also included in the index was a Meal Subsidy Percentage, the percentage of students eligible for Government Meal Subsides, used as a benchmark for poverty. Sherwood has a Meals Subsidy Percentage of 14 percent, which ranks roughly in the middle of MCPS. Churchill only has a Meals Subsidy Percentage of 5 percent, while Rockville, ranked 37th on the list, has a Meals Subsidy Percentage of 32 percent.

- Dylan Craig ‘16

Study Shows Achievement Gap in MCPS A study conducted by Montgomery County Council’s Office of Legislative Oversight found that Caucasian and Asian Americans in MCPS have much higher test scores on achievement tests than do African Americans and Latinos, with the gap widening as students enter high school. This gap distressed many educators and leaders in the county, especially since African Americans and Latinos make up 48 percent of MCPS’ student population.

Disparities between the races increased in advanced-level scores for the state math exams for third, fifth and eighth grades, according to The Washington Post. While blacks and Latinos in MCPS outperform blacks and Latinos in other counties on SATs and AP exams, they still do not perform as well as their white and Asian counterparts. “If we can’t do this in Montgomery County, where can we do it?” said Council President Nancy Navarro (D-Mid-County) in The Washington Post.

Superintendent Joshua Starr agrees with the analysis and wants to use more resources for the schools to help address these disparities. He plans to include thirty “focus” teachers to decrease class sizes in English and Math classes in middle and high schools.

- Will Van Gelder ‘16

Heintze and Awkard To Leave Sherwood Principal Bill Gregory informed staff earlier this month that Assistant Principal Terry Heintze and Assistant School Administrator George Awkard will be departing from Sherwood at the end of the school year.

Heintze has been with Sherwood for the past three years and Awkard for four. An Assistant School Administrator position is a four-year position and Awkard has completed his time commitment for the position and will take a new position next year at a different school. Heintze is being transferred to another school to continue as an assistant principal.

Both will be missed by the Sherwood community and they, in turn, will miss working at the school. “My favorite aspects of the job at Sherwood are the daily interactions I get to have with the students and the relationship that I have built with the community,” said Awkard.

Before coming to Sherwood, Heintze was an administrator at Rosa Parks Middle School. “I’ve known many of our students since middle school, and I’ve been able to watch them grow into young adults,” said Heintze. “That’s a pretty cool thing.”

- Mary Macrae ‘14

er engaged in class, teachers have to consider to what extent they are responsible. I also think that we need to ensure enough opportunities to engage the student are provided to them and a good relationship is built.”

This year’s series of classroom observations by the ILT are intended to shed some more light on the indicators of student en-

gagement.

“The leadership team is working on a process called instructional rounds where the department heads talk about the instruction in classrooms, discuss what was working in terms of engagement and where we need to grow,” said Gregory.

“Engagement means that the students are actively engaged with the material, perhaps through silent close reading, working together in a group or listening to a lecture,” said English resource teacher Shelley Jackson. “The action it takes may vary a lot, but the key is that students are thinking about and working with the material.”

Sangillo believes that “it’s problematic that some teachers interpret more engaging instruction as little to no lecturing or that students need to be in groups with construction paper and scissors in

order to be engaged.”

After surveying a group of AP Psychology students on what they believe best engages them in class, McKeldin said, “students agreed that a clean and comfortable teaching environment contributes to better engagement.

In terms of instruction, students liked that the class was predictable and understand what is expected of them.”

Instructors’ understanding of student engagement differ with their respective departments, yet their observations, between people and content slowly yield valuable information that can work toward the improved student engagement that Starr has spoken so much about.

“I think student engagement varies by subject,” said Sangillo.

“To find one definition of student engagement is something that couldn’t and shouldn’t, be done.”

Students See Stars at White House

by Evan Schwartz ‘13

“Mrs. Michelle Obama welcomes you to the White House Music Series,” announces the first page of the pamphlet with a golden White House crest. On April 9, 28 students from various social studies classes were invited to the nation’s capital to experience this installment in the Music Series, hosted by the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles.

Around 100 students from 16 schools across the country were invited to attend a workshop with artists that would perform for the first family later that evening. The theme of this year’s event, which changes with every installment, was “Soulsville, USA: The History of Memphis Soul.” It celebrated music that brought together dissenting blacks and whites during the Civil Rights era and holds strong roots in Tennessee.

The event featured a star-studded concert at night including artists from the likes of classics

photo courtesy of Joe Sangillo

Students pose outside the White House with social studies teacher Joe Sangillo before attending the music seminar inside. such as William Bell and Charlie Musselwhite to Cyndi Lauper and Queen Latifah. During the day, the students attended a separate workshop where they were able to ask questions in an intimate setting located in the East Wing Dining Room with five great soul artists: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Mavis Staples of

The Staples Sisters, Sam Moore of the Grammy winning duo Sam and Dave, Charlie Musselwhite, famous for his blues harmonica, two-time Grammy winner Ben Harper and Justin Timberlake.

Schwartz was invited by Sangillo to attend the music seminar at the White House.

Sequester Causes Problems for Families from SEQUESTER, pg. 1

by President Barack Obama. Initially scheduled for January 1, it was delayed for two months, and many expected it to be delayed further.

However, Congressional Democrats and Republicans did not reach any agreement to avoid or further postpone it, and the federal government has been forced to adapt to austerity. Even after it went into effect, the consequences were thought to be so severe that Congress would change its mind and cancel sequestration.

Siberry says his parents were among those who doubted that the sequester plan would last, thinking it would either “not happen or would only last for two weeks.”

Legislative action has al-

ready been used to reverse the effects of the sequester in the case of military tuition assistance. The Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard all planned to suspend college tuition aid for service members to manage their reduced funding. Before the end of March, Congress voted to force the Department of Defense to reinstate the assistance and make the cuts elsewhere.

Federal spending does not only affect government and its employees, but also the industries tied to them. Both of junior Asha Antoine’s parents previously worked for the federal government and are now contractors for it, and still feel the effects of budget cuts.

However, life at home seems unchanged for Antoine. “I personally don’t feel like the cuts

have been affecting me,” she said. While aware of the potential for reduced work weeks for her parents and their employees, and saying her parents “were surprised” to see it pass, Antoine has not heard serious worries from her family about their future.

Sequestration is predicted to slow employment growth at the expense of balancing the government’s budget, a strategy that many economists believe is only impeding economic recovery. While President Obama and many in Congress remain opposed to this arrangement, it has largely been accepted, with little talk of repealing it now. Government employees, families and associated industries now must endure the rest of the year with the reductions that have begun and prepare for more next year.

The Warrior•News April 25, 2013

3

Coaches Expected To Seniors Prepare for Art Show Follow Code of Ethics by Emma Hierholzer ‘15 detail.

If a player has concerns hiring process includes referenc- with his or her coach, they are es, resumes and interviews,” said encouraged to notify the athletic director, who will meet with Beattie.

Beattie notes that once hired, both people and determine if the coaches are required to adhere to coach violated the code of ethics. the coaching expectations and re- MCPS, however, does not spesponsibilities, and a specific code cifically outline the guidelines of ethics, all of which are found of what a coach is, and is not, in the MCPS High School Ath- allowed to say or do to a player. letics Handbook. In addition, all Nowhere in the Student-Parent new coaches must attend a semi- Athletic Participation Informanar that provides an overview of tion does it define this, and in the MCPS athletics prior to coaching. coaching code of ethics, it merely Ben Sanger, head coach of says, “Each child should be treatthe boys’ volleyball team, became ed with dignity, respect and care.” a coach in the county and conse- This vagueness creates inconsisquently had to attend the manda- tency in the athletic chain of command. tory seminar.

“During the class, we had dif- For example, whereas coach ferent MCPS members at various Sanger notes that he does not sites come in and speak with us swear at his players, he understands about the “Having coaches get in your that some various aspects of face or curse at you is something c o a c h e s use prosports in you just have to accept as a high fane langeneral. guage to Liability, school athlete.” health, ~Junior Ty Reeves motivate players. weight

“Any language, as long as it’s training, coaching strategies, to portrayed the right way, can be efname a few,” said Sanger. “They fective in motivating athletes.

You wanted to make sure you fully must have a good sense of your understood the coaching world inside and out and that it’s not team and know what motivational just showing up to practice and tactics work on who. Each kid is coaching games. There is a lot of different and it’s important to find which means of communication behind the scenes stuff.”

Coaches are evaluated annu- works best for them as an individally, and during the season, athlet- ual,” said Sanger. ic directors, as well as principals On the other hand, Green and assistant principals monitor condemns swearing at players. “If a coach swears at a player he or coaches frequently.

“In a pre-season coaches she would be violating the code meeting, coaches are given an of ethics,” she said. evaluation checklist so they know “Having coaches get in your what they are being evaluated face or curse at you is something on,” said Sherwood Athletic Di- you just have to accept as a high rector Kathy Green. The checklist school athlete, not just in MCPS, measures whether the coach has but everywhere,” said junior Ty adequately fulfilled administra- Reeves, who played varsity bastive duties, safety procedures, and ketball this year. “You just have practice, scrimmage and game re- to trust that your coach knows sponsibilities. At the end of the his limit and knows what you can season she meets with each coach handle and what motivates you as and goes over the evaluation in a player.”

from COACHES, pg. 1

The hallways of Sherwood see almost two thousand students every day and among those students is a wide array of talents, ranging from musical gifts to amazing athletic ability. But a talent that may not be as widely recognized is showcased for a day in Sherwood’s annual Student Art Show.

Students from all of the fine arts classes displayed their work for others to see today. Studio art, photography, digital art and ceramic pieces of work were all showcased in the downstairs art hallway with a culminating senior art display outside of the Ertzman.

Displaying senior art students’ best work from their career at Sherwood, the senior section gives people a fascinating view into how a person’s body of work has evolved over time and most importantly, how each student has used his artistic abilities to express themselves in his or her own unique way.

Senior Christine Wang has been working hard the past few weeks to gather a concentration of work from her Studio Art classes that reflect her artistic style. Her body of work focuses on emotions and moods and how they’ve affected her life.

“I think my work represents me by the way a person can feel the kind of emotion/mood [my artwork] is giving off. It really is my catharsis, where I can easily spill my emotions on a piece of paper,” said Wang.

This theme and many others on display are interesting looks into these seniors’ lives over their years in high school and what is to come. Like everyone in the show, seniors realize the importance of this particular display as it’s their last in Sherwood and in their high school lives.

“I love seeing how much everyone’s work and talent has developed over the years,” said senior Jenn Morrison. Morrison’s

This charcoal drawing serves as the concentration piece for senior Cassandra Mendez’s art display.

Senior Jenn Morrison’s impasto oil painting embodies the vibrant nightlife scenes that are carried throughout many of her works. This painting is also part of her concentration. body of artwork includes pieces made with oil paints that depict bright nightlife scenes.

As the show concludes, there is an almost tangible mix of excitement for the future and what

it might bring for each student’s art. At the same time, there is a twinge of sadness as seniors leave the Sherwood art program with which they’ve grown so much over the years.

The Warrior thanks its many wonderful patrons: Adam Family, Adkins Family, Alewynre Family, John and Sarah Arness, Audibert Family, Bina Family, Broderick Family, Carr Family, Carrera Family, Carswell Family, Craig Family, Cudd Family, D’Amato Family, Dickey Family, Dowrick Family, Fajardo Family, Farrell Family, Fernandes Family, David Ferris, Rosanne Ferris, John Fetty and Associates—Architecture and Design, Florian Family, Fricke Family, Gallagher Family, Ganey Family, Garcia-Rada Family, Greseth Family, Rob and Lynette Hall, Halprin Family, Dick and Vivian Harris, Hierholzer Family, Hong Family, Hubbell Family, Hughes Family, Keilsohn Family, Kendall Family, Kenel Family, Kimmel Family, Kirk Family, Kotzer Family, Kozlowski Family, Rachel Knight, Kyber/Loughran Family, Lampshire Family, Stuart and Lyn Langbein, Lavoie Family, Lourenco Family, Macrae Family, Paul and Pat Mangus, Martin Family, Masters Family, Melnick Family, Mezebish Family, Miller Family, Jerry and BJ Mills, Morrison Family, Mourtoupalas Family, Murphy Family, Michael and Jessica Natelli, Hao and Diep Nguyen, Nickerson Family, Nimrat Family, O’Donnell Family, Osborne Family, Paese Family, Paetro Horspall Family, Paholski Family, Pletcher—Stinehelfer Family, Porter Family, Kurt and Louise Porter, Salzwedel and Moratz Family, Sanchez Family, Scafide Family, Schroeder Family, Schwartz Family, Josey and Chris Simpson, Sousane Family, Strohmeyer Family, Stussman Family, Sutherland Family, Thorndike Family, Van Gelder Family, Verma Family, Wasik Family, Dan and Kathy Walsh, Tom and Susan Wells, Whitt Family, Todd and Renate Wilson, Witkin Family, Zhang Family If you are interested in becoming a patron, contact Peter Huck at Peter_J_Huck@mcpsmd.org

The Warrior•Saving the Earth 4

April 25, 2013

Going Green

by Vicky Florian ‘14, Tom Lee ‘14 and Mandy Stussman ‘14

As a tribute to Earth Day on Monday, April 22, The Warrior suggests easy ways to go green on a local and global scale. From everyday things teens can do to measures the government should take, here are a few tips to help move toward a healthier environment and a cleaner world.

How a Teen Can Go Green off your computer—shutting off * yourTurnmachine before bed can save an average of $90 worth of electricity a year.

bag to the grocery store— *notTakeusinga reusable a plastic bag will save you 5 cents per bag while also reducing waste.

* Eat less meat—meat takes up to 5 times *more water to produce than vegetarian

Limit your use of Styrofoam—these products take one million years to decompose and are harmful to animals.

alternatives, not to mention the various chemicals it releases into the water supply.

age by about 3.3 percent, lowering fossil fuel consumption.

off the faucet—Running the faucet *whileTurnyou’re brushing your teeth wastes two gallons of water every minute.

How the Family Can Go Green

How the World Can Go Green

Pay your bills online—not only is it *greener, it’s easier.

Reduce methane emissions—make new *waste prevention and recycling (including composting) programs.

a low-flow showerhead—they *don’tInstall cost much, and the water and energy

Make public transportation more prom*inent—by investing in new country wide

savings can quickly pay back your investment.

systems that provide buses, trains, etc. This will mean fewer cars which will reduce air pollution.

bulk—purchasing food from bulk *binsBuycanin save money and packaging.

Support local restaurants that use food *derived less than 100 miles away—it re-

Embrace solar energy—and construct *panels all over the world.

duces energy used for transportation and supports your local economy. hybrid cars—it saves you gas mon*ey;Buy they can get up to 50 miles/gallon!

Switch appliances to an energy efficient *model—look for the “Energy Star” label.

Sources: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/21/top10-green-countries-ph_n_241867.html, http://environment. nationalgeographic.com/environment/green-guide, http:// www2.epa.gov/learn-issues/green-living, http://www.worldwatch.org/resources/go_green_save_

your tire pressure—inflating tires *to Check their proper pressure can improve mile-

Major car companies should continue to *gradually shift towards producing electric

cars—this will reduce the amount of fossil fuels burned every day.

Generate electricity through hydropow*er—this process is commonly known as hydroelectricity. There are only 48 landlocked countries so it is very accessible to the world.

graphic by Steffi Carrera ‘14

The Warrior•Saving the Earth April 25, 2013

5

Green Activities Around the School Students Restore the Chesapeake Green Team Strives To Save Energy

by Joy Zhang ‘14

On May 6, a group of AP Environmental Science students will go to the Chesapeake Bay to restore the shoreline on the South River-side of Thomas Point. AP Environmental Science teacher Laura Dinerman organized the project, which has been going on for six years.

Since the beginning of the school year, Dinerman and a group of students have maintained an aqua-ecosystem in the K-wing courtyard. In this ecosystem, 10 rockfish are housed in a 250 gallon tank which is biologically filtered by the salt marsh grass.

During the May trip, students will plant the salt marsh grass and release the rockfish at Thomas Point.

The project is meant to help restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay. Plants that were previously along the South River were smothered and killed by sediment. Planting salt marsh grass will stabilize the damaged shoreline by holding soil in place, preventing erosion. The grass will also become home to a number of new organisms. Releasing the rockfish is an effort to replenish their population, which suffered greatly years ago due to overfishing. Rockfish are crucial to the Chesapeake because they are an important predator, which keeps the populations of other organisms at a sustainable size. Ultimately, this project will greatly improve the water quality and ecosystems of the Chesapeake, and help it move toward a cleaner future.

by Randi Arizona ‘13

The recent Earth Day shines a light on the Green Team, a club that has existed for many years, with the overall effort to make the school as environmentally “green” as possible.

A primary goal of the Green Team is to make Sherwood more energy efficient. “We need to use more task lamps and natural light; many rooms have access to windows that can be opened to provide enough light to work, especially in the afternoon classes,” said Assistant Principal and Administrative Sponsor Terry Heintze. Some teachers have started doing this, but many haven’t according to Heintze.

On a weekly basis, the Green Team picks up

cans and bottles around the school from recycling bins, while retrieving any that were incorrectly thrown in the trash, to bring them outside to a recycling dumpster. This not only helps the environment, but encourages students to be mindful about where they discard their trash.

The club, sponsored by ESOL teacher Ann Gallahan, meets every Thursday after school to come up with new ideas and keep on track with its recycling.

There are about 30 students involved in the program regularly, but the meetings are open to everyone interested. “We have signs around the trash cans that remind people to recycle, and people do. They don’t want to throw that bottle in the trash, they want to recycle it and do the right thing,” said Gallahan.

Updated Greenhouse Makes a Return to the Horticulture Program

by Samantha Schwartz ‘16

The new courses involved in the Certified Professional Horticulturalist (CPH) programs have gained much interest from Sherwood students. This course officially started this past year at Sherwood, as well as at Clarksburg and Damascus.

Of the three current MCPS schools committed to the CPH program, Sherwood has the best facility for horticulture. The greenhouse is a commercial, industry-standard facility equipped with a classroom and a head-house, a structure attached to the one end of a greenhouse, used for lab work.

Clarksburg and Damascus are not as fortunate and have much smaller greenhouses attached to classrooms similar to the old greenhouse facility at Sherwood that dates back to a prior school program from

1965 to 1999.

Interested students may enroll in the first new course, Foundations of Horticulture. This program requires the students to solve a different problem each quarter resulting in an interesting culminating project. “During the first quarter they build living wall prototypes to address indoor air quality issues.

In the second quarter they analyze soil samples and devise restoration plans. This past quarter students created Voice Threads to help a residential greenhouse owner use Integrated Pest Management methods to combat pest problems,” said Kristi Cameron of the MCPS Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs.

This year, Cameron and Sherwood science teacher Jill Coutts have been working to restore Sherwood’s old nursery, which was last used more than

Vicky Florian ‘14

The horticulture program is centered in the greenhouse shown above. a decade ago. Beginning on March 5, this ongoing project utilizes donated services for the removal of existing trees and many invasive species.

The current program is much broader than those

of the past, but it is just as likely to prepare students for horticulture, just as in the 1980s when numerous graduates of the program went on to own landscape businesses.

6

The Warrior•Features April 25, 2013

A DAY IN THE LIFE BELGIAN of a...

EXCHANGE

by Briana Applewhite ‘13

APRIL 8 A student’s first day at a new school can be one of the most nerve-racking experiences in a person’s life, riddled with uncertainty, but not for Belgium foreign exchange student Vincent Engelbos, who was ready to experience what it is like to be a normal American high-schooler.

“I wasn’t nervous at all. I was much more excited than anything to experience Sherwood High School,” said Engelbos.

Back home in Sint-Truiden, Belgium, Engelbos’ educational experience is completely different than it is here in America.

Each day, Engelbos wakes up at 7 a.m. in order to be on time for his technical school, Technicum Sint-Truiden, which specializes in auto mechanics, mechanical engineering, electricity and woodshop. Engelbos has been studying at the institution for 11 years to become an electrician, a career that he decided upon at the age of nine.

Most American children barely have the capacity to tie their shoes correctly, let alone choose a career path at such a young age, but not for Engelbos. It is completely normal for Belgian children to continue their educations at specialized schools and he enjoys it that way. He takes courses in biology, advanced physics and computer science to fulfill his course load requirements. En-

gelbos has also been studying the English language since the age of nine.

Here in America, Engelbos was astounded to see the different subjects offered in public schools.

With his host, senior Jessica Carrera, he sat though such classes as AP Calculus, Studio Art and Psychology, one of his favorites throughout the day. “It’s really cool to see the diversity of classes offered here. In Belgium, our classes are so specialized to our future career fields, so it was nice to see a different side of education.”

Later on in the day, Engelbos decided to break the Sherwood rules and enjoy a lunch at Chipotle, a complete opposite to the modest baguette he would normally eat back home. However, it didn’t seem like rule breaking to him because in his home country students are allowed to leave and go into the city on an hour lunch break if they so choose.

“There seem to be a lot more regulations at this school compared to my own. In Belgium, we have a 10-minute break after every other class period. The one thing that I don’t really like here is that you cannot leave during your breaks and most people are confined to eat in the hallways.”

At the end of the day, Engelbos went back to the Carrera household where he enjoyed a traditional Ecuadoran dinner made by Mrs. Carrera.

“I love my host family; they are the best. They have been great to me since the day I came here.

STUDENT

Briana Applewhite ‘13 and Jessica Carrera ‘13

I almost like them more than my own parents,” Engelbos joked.

Even though some of the practices here were different from the ones back home, Engelbos nonetheless enjoyed the experience very much. In addition to

his day at Sherwood, Engelbos visited New York, D.C. and the Amish of Pennsylvania. “I love America, and I hope to visit again very soon. I would not trade my experience for the world,” said Engelbos.

Every issue, The Warrior will follow A Day in the Life of another student.

Will the next one be you?

Computer Science Team Programmed To Succeed

by Bridget Cook ‘14

It’s 2:10 on a Tuesday afternoon, and while other students scurry to their buses, sports practices and after-school meetings, members of the Computer Science club rush to A107 to diligently work through problems and master the programming languages which they hope will lead them to future victories in competitions.

The main focus of the club is working as a team to find solutions to computer logic problems and to practice for upcoming competitions. Group members enjoy assisting each other with solving these problems in the club’s relaxed setting. “I like helping people understand things, because it helps me to see what I understand as I explain things,” said senior Jon Egeland, club president.

The group regularly works

Bridget Cook ‘14

From left, seniors Kyle McLamb, Craig Weiss, Darshan Shah and Jon Egeland celebrate their sixth place finish at the University of Maryland Programming Contest. with artificial languages created In a contest setting, partici- Though the club is small, to communicate instructions to a pants usually operate in teams of with only about eight to 10 regucomputer. Java and C++ are the four, and each team is supplied a lar members, size doesn’t restrict most commonly used, with some series of problems that may take the group’s performance, and members choosing to specialize several hours to solve. The team members regularly place well in in other languages such as Py- that can complete the most prob- contests. On February 23, memthon, Lua and Ruby.

lems in the time allotted wins. bers of the club impressed at the

prestigious University of Maryland High School Programming Contest. “We placed sixth, which is the best we’ve ever done at that competition,” commented Egeland. Another significant win was a fourth place victory by a three-person team of seniors Jon Egeland, Darshan Shah and Craig Weiss at a March 23 contest at the University of Virginia.

Many of the top programmers are seniors, who plan to continue computer programming after high school. Egeland will pursue computer science at Purdue University, and a majority of the other members plan computer science-based careers. As for the future of the club, returning members are counting on underclassmen to join and fill the gaps left by seniors. “We need the next generation to step up and continue our strong tradition,” says sponsor John Way.

The Warrior•Features April 25, 2013

7

Singers of United Lands Visit Classes

by Lucy Hurlburt ‘16 This is Sherwood’s fifth year hosting The Singers of United Lands (SOUL), a non-profit organization created in 2002. SOUL is made up of a quartet (consisting of a soprano, alto, tenor and bass) of professional singers, two males and two females, each from a different continental region of the world. The singers tour for six months from January to June, and they perform at many different venues which include private and public schools and colleges, synagogues, nursing homes, radio stations and theatres.

This year, Evgeny Sokolov is representing Russia, My-Leen Formento, the Philippines, Maria Díaz, Guatemala and John Kennedy, Ireland.

On April 15, the Singers of United Lands performed for choir classes, and The Warrior had the chance to ask these singers some questions about the tour and their personal experiences.

Warrior: Why did you decide to participate in SOUL? Maria: I think it’s a very good opportunity to show your culture and learn new things. I feel proud to be able to represent my country and share with my audiences some of my experiences.

Evgeny: My translator suggested it to me and I did not know any English, so for six months before the tour, I took English classes.

What is your job and what are your hobbies?

John: I am actually a singer in a medieval banquet in a castle and it is really cool! I enjoy singing, watching movies, kayaking, travelling and taking apart computers.

What is it like having to travel on the road for six months and what do you do to stay healthy?

My-Leen: It is obviously very tiring but we are more than halfway through our program! To stay healthy, I take a lot of vita-

photo courtesy of Bill Evans

The Sherwood Music Departement had guests from Singers of the United Lands perform and do a workshop. (From left to right) John Kennedy from Ireland, My-Leen Formento from the Philippines, Maria Diaz from Guatemala and Evgeny Sokolov from Russia. mins and I exercise every day. I go running every morning for fifteen minutes and if I can’t go outside, I run in place.

What instruments do you play?

Evgeny: I play guitar, piano, accordion, balalaika (tenor). And Balalaika, there are three: alto, tenor, bass. You play two songs on balalaika tenor but can play three on the bass. You need to use

two or three fingers to play a note.

SOUL has traveled all around the U.S. and has been to Chicago, Tennessee and Maryland recently. Their next stop is in Africa.

The Incredible Race Returns ESOL Students Bust

the Language Barrier

by Steffi Carrera ‘14

On Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21, the exciting and unpredictable “Incredible Race” returned for its second year. The annual race, founded by Incredible Race Club presidents Connor Martin and Madeline Van Cott, stayed true to its original format while adding some new unforeseen twists.

Starting with eight teams in its first year, the race expanded to include 11 pairs of contestants that spent two days competing to be the first to reach the finish line. Teams raced around Rockville, Bethesda and DC to complete various tasks, a big change from last year’s race that took place within the limits of Olney. The contestants even had to sleep over in Potomac as part of the competition. Ultimately, aqua team members Cindy Loveland and Emily Morales, who teach at Blake, won the race, followed closely by purple team members senior Emma Kennedy and Glen Elg senior Conor Burke and blue team members juniors Chris Katz and Spencer Staub.

“It was really fun; I wouldn’t trade it for anything although it was tough. I’m happy we even made it to the last leg of the race,” said Kennedy enthusiastically.

The Incredible Race raises money to support the American Cancer Society through Relay for Life, which was a component the two club presidents wanted to focus on more heavily. Martin and Van Cott decided to dedicate two tasks to cancer awareness to remind contestants what they were ultimately playing for as well as spread information about the cause. The tasks were split into two legs, one where the teams did

Teachers help ESOL students overcome the challenges of learning a new language in a new country.

by Sam Selby ‘14

photo courtesy of Zac Plotkin ‘13

Teams line up awaiting the sound of the starting gun to begin the first leg of the charity event, The Incredible Race. research on cancer and the other where they answered questions about the facts and figures of cancer in 2013. It also included the many colors that represent various types of cancer. Nearly $2000 was raised last year, and the presidents hope to surpass that number by holding a bigger race.

“We decided to branch out because it’s our senior year, so we wanted to go big or go home.

We also wanted to create a legacy to return to as juniors Michael Natelli and possibly Ashley Yen take over next year. [We want to]

come to our 10-year reunion and see that the Incredible Race club still exists, and has gotten even bigger,” explained Martin.

With 13 cameramen, over 20 task judges and 22 contestants, the race has definitely increased in size. Even the DVD will have more content, including 11 episodes accompanied by commercials from sponsors. The cost for each DVD is $15, and they will be available for sale at Relay for Life on June 8. Buyers will receive their DVDs in July once all of the footage has been edited.

Sherwood students speak 23 different languages and come from more than 47 countries all around the world. This vast variety creates some difficulties and leads to many challenges to overcome communication issues for the students and the ESOL teachers.

Teachers consider it comparable to how most students learned English during their childhoods. “It’s like learning a first language, like when you are talking to a child, you use simple word structure and vocabulary,” said Laura Bernard-Sanchez, head of the ESOL department.

Some students come to Sherwood without knowing a single English word. The five levels of ESOL classes help students to expand their knowledge of the English language in hopes of preparing them for their future in the United States. ESOL 1 starts students off with basic phrases of communication, reality and lots of pictures. It is similar to Spanish or French 1, learning real world concepts and using bilingual dictionaries. “[We use] a lot of smiling, pointing, sketching pictures, barking like a dog, crawling under a table: basically everything non-verbal you can think of, we do,” Bernard-Sanchez explained.

Although the five ESOL levels count as the students’ English credits, they must take other required courses as well. There are sheltered classes for ESOL stu-

dents in Biology, Algebra 1 and U.S. History, which only have ESOL kids to ease the pressure of a normal high school class.

“Though many of our ESOL students are very well prepared and may even be ahead of students here, others may have missed months or even years of schooling due to war, civil unrest or educational systems that lack adequate resources. These students need to be highly motivated to overcome the challenge of catching up academically in another language,” said ESOL teacher Jane Blacka.

Although the teachers are not always able to aid students in adapting to American culture, the students are usually able to acclimate themselves. Students get involved in extracurricular activities and clubs, which helps them expand their language skills and social skills with their peers.

“They observe a lot more about our culture than we do,” said Bernard-Sanchez. “It makes me really evaluate how American society works and lets me take a step back and look at our culture and why we do the things we do.”

Foreign families typically rely a lot more on their children because they are usually able to pick up the language faster than their parents would. In this case, the students grow up a lot faster and take on adult responsibilities like calling Pepco or going to the bank. ESOL students are amazingly able to conquer many language barriers in a short period of time.

The Warrior•Features 8

April 25, 2013

The Psychology of Procrastination

by Mandy Stussman ‘14 Procrastinators Unite ... Tomorrow We’ve all done it at one point in our lives: discredit the long term benefits of getting something done for the instant gratification of not doing it. Many of us are repeat offenders. Why would someone put something off until later when they know from experience it will only cause distress and unhappiness at a later time?

The answer to that question lies in the complex interactions of the brain. Psychologists have examined the causes and motivations behind procrastination for decades. Though most people put things off from time to time, for 20 percent of people procrastination is a lifestyle – a maladaptive and self-destructive one. These people suffer from chronic procrastination.

Dr. Joseph Ferrari, one of the world’s leading experts on procrastination, identifies three basic types of chronic procrastinators: the first being arousal types, or thrill-seekers, who wait until the last minute to complete an assignment for the euphoric rush.

Ferrari defines the second type as avoiders, who may be distracting themselves from a fear of failure or a fear of success. This type of procrastinator is generally very concerned with what others think of them; they would rather have others think they lack effort than ability. Lastly, decisional procrastinators are people who find themselves unable to dedicate themselves to any one method of accomplishing work. Not making a decision absolves procrastinators of responsibility for the out-

About how often do you find yourself procrastinating from doing your schoolwork?

A) B) C) D) E)

Everyday, 53% A few times a week, 28% A few times a month, 10% Rarely, 7% Almost never, 2%

Do you procrastinate more with long-term assignments, short-term assignments, both or neither?

A) B) C) D)

A) B)

Long-term, 36% Short-term, 8% Both, 52% Neither, 4%

Do you work better when you break work up across a larger span of time or work all at once?

Spread out, 46% All at once, 54%

*132 students surveyed come of events.

Procrastination can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem and the loss of respect or opportunities.

However, for those procrastinators out there, there’s still hope.

Changing one’s habits bit by bit goes a long way towards overcoming procrastination. By hav-

ing a “To-Do” list, setting reasonable goals, approaching tasks in small intervals, rewarding oneself along the way with a snack or break, not expecting perfection and just getting started, slowly but surely a person can rid themselves of the nasty habit of procrastination.

The Art of Lying Students and teachers talk about being honest in school.

by Connor Martin ‘13 I do my homework every night. I enjoy every one of my classes. I love getting up early for school in the morning. Which one of those statements is the lie?

If you guessed all of them, then ding, ding, ding! You’re right.

These days, lying is easier and simpler than ever. The art of lying is surely being perfected by today’s generation of students, and it is very difficult for adults to tell whether a student is lying or telling the truth.

Why is it so easy?

“No one ever thinks I’m lying,” said an anonymous senior.

“My caught/not caught ratio is really low.”

This student claims that he lies to teachers at least seven times per week ranging from “I left my homework at home” to “my printer’s broken,” when in fact he hadn’t done the assignment that was due. It is through these lies that he manages to get extensions and exceptions for his work.

The senior attests to how he manages to successfully lie to everyone. “If someone doesn’t believe a lie at first, I say ‘No, really!’ and if they still don’t believe me, I say it again. I just keep saying that over and over until they believe me and it actually works 99 percent of the time.” And he’s not the only student who easily gets teachers to believe lies.

“I once told my teacher I was moving to Australia so I couldn’t do my homework,” said an anon-

ymous freshman, “I had also mentioned that I was working on a farm in Australia just to make it a bit more believable.”

The teacher later called her parents and confirmed that the story was false.

Both students have tips for anyone looking to become a better liar. “I try to keep a straight face, and I try making the lie somewhat funny” said the freshman. The senior advised students not to laugh. “If you laugh, it’s over,” he said.

Lying is a concept reviewed in AP Psychology classes during multiple different units. AP Psychology teacher Christine McKeldin talked about how to tell if a student is lying.

“A lot of the signs are unfortunately ones you can’t pick up on like increased heart rate, blood pressure and respiration, but it’s similar to a tell in poker.

If someone’s fidgety or all of a sudden won’t look me in the eye or is doing something that’s unusual compared to the way they normally communicate with me, then that’s a telltale sign [that he or she is lying],” McKeldin said.

She also added that the more a student lies, the harder it becomes to pick up on those tells.

McKeldin mentioned that she suspects students of lying to her on a regular basis on a variety of different subjects, like being late for class when the student blames traffic or talking to a teacher, or missing work. Among the most common excuses are broken printers and family emergencies.

The Warrior•Humor 9

April 25, 2013

How to: Get Rid of Creepers A Survival Guide

by Maria Claudia Garcia-Rada ‘13 and Alyssa Miller ‘13

We all know that one person: he comes up to her, pokes her and says “hi” even though she’s never spoken to him. He likes all of her Facebook pictures. Here are some tips and tricks to stop the creepiness.

1. Debug. We all remember the “Debug” system, a favorite amongst elementary school teachers and counselors: Ignore, move away, talk friendly, talk firmly and get adult help. However, in the modern high school environment, some adaptations are necessary. First, ignore all texts, so they get the message that you don’t want to talk. Then, move away – block their number, unfriend them on Facebook or unfollow them on Twitter. Talking friendly and firmly is pretty basic; tell them nicely to back off, then don’t be afraid to raise your voice if they don’t get the message. Finally, get “adult” help. We’re all adults here, right?

Tell some friends that he or she is bothering you, and word will eventually get back to him that he really needs to stop.

2. Out-Creep the Creeper. Do your research. Find out what events he attends on Facebook, find out where he works, what his parents do for a living, the name of his dog, maybe even what college he hopes to attend. Anything that is just too creepy for any ordinary person to know.

When he realizes how creepy you are, he’ll do some self-reflection and start to back off.

3. The Awkward Method. You know those long paragraphs about her life that you just really don’t care about? Make your apathy clear. Respond to texts with “k” or “cool” until she realizes that you’re boring and gives up on talking to you. When you see her in the hall, don’t make eye contact. Look down and pretend to be overly shy and awkward.

4. The Taken Trick. It works (almost) every time. Simply say you’re in a relationship when they ask about you.

Talk obsessively about your significant other, regardless of whether or not the person exists, when making conversation anywhere near the creeper. Make sure to talk about how much you guys love each other and have plans on possibly getting married.

5. Be Honest. When he tells you that you would look hot in leather pants, tell him he’s creepy. If he tells you you’re the one for him, respond with “maybe when you’re older.” Make sure he gets the hint that you’re definitely not interested.

If none of these steps work, you really need to consider calling the police. Best of luck!

Are Candy Companies Ruining America?

by Cal Wilson ‘14 Marketing has always been a lucrative business: get a poor, helpless sap to purchase your useless product. A lot of thought goes into every aspect of every advertisement. Since 2010, there has been a rapid increase in companies promoting violence and acrimony, and the Parent Organization for Protecting Kids (POPKids) has launched a campaign against the “seemingly comedic commercials with underlying societal aggression like looting and smoking.”

The popular candy brand “Mike and Ike,” owned by Just Born Inc., has recently become

just “Mike and Ike.” The specific disagreements between Mike and Ike are unknown but the results are beginning to surface with alcoholism rates increasing for the younger generation as more and more kids begin to ask, “Mommy, can I have some Mikes?”

Mars Inc. is another company popularizing disagreement with their “Twix” commercials, putting the left candy bar against the right. In the commercial, there are two separate factories, one factory reportedly “cloaks” their cookies in chocolate while the other “flows chocolate on cookies.”

The hatred between the feuding factories has been rumored to have influenced the disagreement

on the federal budget.

The recent M&M commercials involving humans devouring the M&M mascots could also have a lasting effect on the youth.

Think about it. Should kids really be watching people eat other candy people? The candy being eaten resembles a real human being with arms, legs and a face, and cannibalism isn’t a value to be instilled in the feeble minds of America’s youth.

POP-Kids and various other parent advocacy groups have been pressuring a joint operation between Coke and Pepsi to sign an agreement, ending their rivalry and declaring Dr. Pepper better than them all.

An American plane drops the monthly care package containing six cans of soup, four wool blankets and 10 posters of Justin Bieber.

U.S. Unveils Non-Plans for Syria

by Alex Porter ‘13 President Obama announced on Wednesday that the United States would continue its leadership in protecting human rights by watching the Syrian Civil War unfold and seeing what happens in a few years. The advanced democracy, famous for fighting two world wars, regularly invading countries around the globe, aiding democratic nations and arming foreign fighters in the name of freedom, will carry on this legacy by sending occasional cans of soup to the Free Syrian Army.

“Frankly, we don’t want to get involved in Syria because it looks hard. We’ve kind of made a tradition of crapping on every military we choose to fight, but these guys have tough friends.

To the people striving for freedom from a brutal dictator: good luck! We’re rooting for you, just from over here on the sidelines,” said Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. The war has killed tens of thousands of Syrians, and involves the government possibly attacking rebels and civilians with

chemical weapons. An official State Department memo stated that the Syrians will “sort it out” eventually, channeling America’s typical interventionist spirit.

As the UN released a new civilian casualty estimate, Secretary of State John Kerry reminded citizens that this war looks pretty complicated and cannot be understood in terms of black and white, so screw it, we’re sitting this one out. “Oh well,” added Kerry at a later interview.

Ghassan Hitto, the provisional Syrian National Coalition prime minister, voiced mixed feelings on the bold U.S. move to not make bold moves. “I am thrilled that the western imperialists will not involve themselves in our domestic affairs. This is a Syrian issue, and we do not need the U.S. and European Union taking advantage of our crisis to gain more access to Middle Eastern resources. At the same time, I am beyond outraged that the American hypocrites will sit on the side and watch innocent people die.

There should be a full-scale invasion to protect us,” said Hitto.

cartoon by Diana McDermott ‘13

10 YouR Relationship with texting

How this phenomenon has swept the nation and changed the way we communicate with each other forever

The Average Teenager Sends 3,339 Texts Per Month 44%

Technology Tales of Sherwood Students

% 2 5

Texting was preferred over talking on the phone or in person by of you

11

of you said you don’t use proper English grammar and spelling while texting

57% of you said breaking up with someone over text isn’t cool and you’d rather do it in person

Sherwood Students

The Warrior passed out anonymous surveys to allow students to speak their mind about how technology has affected their romantic relationships.

“I met my current girlfriend on Facebook and we have been together for seven months.”

by Mike Crooks ‘14 and Hunter Moore ‘14

“My girlfriend goes to a different school and lives in Potomac. During the week, texting and other phone based communications are our only form of communication.”

“During the early stages of a relationship or in casual dating scenarios, texting is an ideal mode of communication as it helps reduce uncertainty a n d l e s s e n a n x i e t y. ” - T h e H u f f i n g t o n P o s t

Our generation is one blessed, yet cursed by technology. Text messaging, Twitter and Facebook are all available with the push of a button on our smart phones and affect every aspect of our lives, including the way we interact with the opposite sex in an effort to create, maintain or end a romantic relationship.

Two Sides of How Technology Affects Communication:

% of all 5 3 adults own smartphones C e l l o w n e r s b e t w e e n

“IT’S MUCH EASIER TO INJURE 86% of the U.S. owns FRIENDSHIPS ONLINE THAN IN aPERSON m o b iBECAUSE le p h o nOFe THE EASE OF CREATING MISUNDERSTANDINGS ELECTRONICALLY.” -PSYCHOLOGY TODAY Technological Communication Makes For More Distance

by Diana McDermott ‘13 As technology penetrates more and more interpersonal communication, the way people communicate and the relationships people have are changing. Technologically savvy people are under the delusion that because we are receiving messages from someone more frequently via text or email than in person that we are closer to them. This does not substitute for a meaningful face-to-face conversation.

With the increase of technological communication, the meaning of messages becomes more muddled. If researchers are correct that 60 percent of all communication is non-ver“... more than half of the meaning is lost in texts ...” bal, more than half of the meaning is lost in text, email and chat sites.

The very nature of technology inhibits communication. Technology isn’t meant to express feelings; it is short and instant. Face-to-face communication enables more meaning and has for thousands of years in human history.

Mary Joyce, author of the book “Digital Activism Decoded: The New Mechanics of Change,” claims that technology helps facilitate long-distance relationships but not with those who are close to us. “The internet’s effect on relationships is paradoxical,” said Joyce. “It strengthens our relationships with distant friends and relations through social networks and email, but may damage the relationships of those nearer to us as always-on technologies and applications eat into family and social time.”

Technology also changes the clarity of the messages people are trying to convey.

When something is fast and instant, it often isn’t being checked thoroughly enough.

The lazy approach of technology has led to a decrease in the amount of effort put into the reading and writing. Nicholas Carr, 2011 Pulitzer Prize nominee and New York Times Bestselling author, writes about issues of technology and the brain in his article “Is Google making us stupid?” Carr noted in the article, “what the Net seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation. My mind now expects to take in information the way the Net distributes it: in a swiftly moving stream of particles. Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a jet ski.” The ability to form messages with deep meaning and the concentration to organize clear thoughts is eroding in our writing.

Thanks to technology, non-verbal communication is absent and the written part of communication is also less complex.

It may be more beneficial to draw lines in the sand about what is appropriate via a text/email and what isn’t. For matters of importance it is worth the effort to say it in person. This will lessen convenience but will increase social benefits. A large percentage of the meaning of your words is being interpreted more accurately. Faceto-face communication leads to better understanding and clearer interpretation. The non-verbal aspect of communication is important and should not be replaced like the obsolete technologies of the past.

“I’ve broken up with someone via text. I didn’t feel bad because he asked me out via text and it was a long distance relationship so I think we were both okay with it at the time.”

the ages of 18 and 24 “More than twice as many ex c h a n g e a n av e r a g e couples who married last year o f 109.5 messages o n a met through online dating n o r m a l d a y 2 / 3 of them sleep with their phones right next to their beds

Technology Makes For Comfortable Communication

by Haley Whitt ‘15

Over the years, interpersonal technology has advanced immensely with instant messages, texting and social networks, including Twitter and Facebook. All of these methods of non-verbal communication help to connect people and cultures around the world as the messages may be sent across borders and over oceans. In the United States alone, two thirds of teenagers reportedly use instant message services regularly.

Non-verbal communication offers many benefits due to its efficiency and convenience. The messages that are sent are instantly delivered to the recipient, making for a rapid connection between the sender and the recipient. It is more convenient than a call because it is less disruptive. For example, a student can’t call her mom during class to tell her important information, but she can send her mom a quick text without interrupting the class.

Non-verbal communication has also made communication easier by helping people avoid long, unpleasant phone calls and by making a quick “Hello” much simpler. According to the Pew Research Center, 72 percent of teenagers text regularly, and one in three sends more than 100 texts per day.

Unlike verbal communication, non-verbal communication gives those involved control over response time. They can respond quickly to a message or take the time to formulate an ideal response, the latter of which is not allowed in everyday conversation. This situation is especially preferable to individuals who tend to be more introverted.

Researchers at the Pew Research Center affirm that texting and other non-verbal modes of communica“... non-verbal communication gives those involved contion have bentrol over response time. They can respond quickly to a efited many message or take the time to formulate an ideal response ...” people with shy, introverted personalities. “The delay afforded by texting means that the teen has more control over the pace and tone of the interaction,” said one of the researchers.

Extroverts benefit from non-verbal technology as well, because it allows them to maintain relationships and friendships. They are able to stay in contact, and express their ideas and emotions, with whoever they wish when they aren’t able to be faceto-face with each other.

Non-verbal communication offers a sense of emotional release, and can actually improve peoples’ moods. Israeli researchers studied instant messages exchanged by 231 American teenagers, aged 14 to 18, who were “regular IMers.” Upon analyzing the conversations, the researchers discovered that those participants who were in a negative emotional state, such as sadness or anger, experienced, on average, a 20-percent reduction of their distress after instant messaging.

“Twitter has broken up me and my different boyfriends before because they would tweet about our problems, which annoyed me.

Text messaging and Skype have made my long distance relationships easier though.”

services than at a club or social event, according to a new survey commissioned by Match.com.” -The Washington Post

Survey by Mike Crooks ‘14, Hunter Moore ‘14 and S y d n ey M o r r i s o n ‘ 1 3

t h i n k t h at t e x t i n g a n d social n e t w o r k i n g h av e m a d e i t e a s i e r to tALK TO the opposite sex

Texting statistics from www.marketingcharts.com

*

SURVEY OF

SHERWOOD STUDENTS

127

44% o f S h e r w o o d S t u d e n t s

The Warrior•Opinions 12

April 25, 2013

Staff Editorial:

efine you d ent? o d How engagem nt stude

In Our Opinion

Are you

engaged learning in your ?

The final quarter of the 2012-2013 school year means AP exams, final exams, spring weather and thoughts of summer lingering in students’ minds.

When presented with the task of studying for finals and working on a project or going out in sunny weather for some ice cream, the choice is obvious and not always the most productive. The task of keeping students engaged and interested becomes an even greater challenge for teachers, who need their students to focus on completing their academic year successfully.

Superintendent Joshua Starr has recognized that students will not absorb or learn the material being taught to them in seven different subjects if the instruction is monotonous or rushed. As this realization came about, Starr made “student engagement” his first priority and instructed schools across MCPS that it is their ultimate goal. While the superintendent’s efforts are commendable, the most pressing issues become defining “student engagement” in the classroom and transitioning from theory to practice.

Sherwood’s own Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) has been working for months on developing a standard definition of the term, though their efforts at times have been stymied. The reality of it is that “student engagement” cannot be given one definition simply because there is no one type of student. Yes, overall students seem to agree that active participation (contributing to discussion), back and forth dialogue, and interactive teaching are a

How ca prom n adminis ote en tr gagem ators ent?

input nts offer nce? e d tu s n How ca ssroom experie cla on their part of engagement; however, that only scratches the surface. Even if “student engagement” is ever given a concrete definition, teachers cannot be expected to teach a specific way; they each have their unique style and methods, which students can appreciate because at the very least it breaks routine a bit. As teachers start incorporating (or not) newer methods to engage students, there will not be an accurate or efficient way to determine that the level of engagement in the classroom has increased or even improved because it is all subjective. Not to mention how the teachers would, or even could, adapt the changes to separate grade levels and skill levels, most of which teachers experience all in one day.

It seems that the most straightforward approach would be to ask the students, the ones who will benefit from student engagement. Though the county or even the ILT may ask for students’ opinions later, students currently are not being directly involved in coming up with some sort of definition, or at least characteristics, for student engagement.

In determining whether or not this whole initiative will work or fizzle out, students are the most important factor. The attitude that students have towards new methods put in place to engage them will dictate whether or not these approaches succeed. This is why it is so critical that students are not excluded from the school’s ongoing discussions about effective and engaging instruction in the classroom.

cartoon by Emma Hierholzer ‘15

Warrior

the

P

ublished six times a year, The Warrior serves as Sherwood High School’s premier news source. Over the years, it has received numerous state and national honors. With a staff of 60 students and one advisor, The Warrior keeps the Sherwood community apprised of local and national events.

All opinions articles represent the viewpoint of the writer. The unsigned staff editorials solely represent the opinions of the newspaper staff. These articles do not necessarily represent the views of Sherwood High School.

The Warrior welcomes Letters to the Editor of 250 words or less. They may be submitted to room C268 or emailed to thewarrioronline.shs@gmail.com. Letters must be signed, and all content received by the newspaper is subject to editing.

The Warrior staff invites feedback and corrections to printed inaccuracies.

The Warrior reserves the right to refuse advertisements.

Staff

Executive Editor .................................................. Leah Schroeder ‘13 Print Managing Editors ............................................ Diana

McDermott ‘13

Robel Wondimu ‘13 News Editors ......................................................... Jessica Carrera ‘13 Mandy Stussman ‘14 Saving the Earth Editor ..........................................Vicky Florian ‘14 Features Editors ...................................................... Mary

Macrae ‘14

Connor Martin ‘13 Humor Editors ...................................................... Andrew

‘13 Wasik

Cal Wilson ‘14 Spotlight Editor ................................................ Sydney Morrison ‘13 Opinions Editors ................................................. Melissa Fajardo ‘13

Whitney Marie Halaby ‘14 Wondering Warrior Editor....................................... Jenni Kenel ‘14 Entertainment Editors ................................ Michaela O’Donnell ‘13 Maria Claudia Garcia-Rada ‘13

Sports Editors ...................................................... Jamie Langbein ‘13 Joey Lavoie ‘14 Online Managing Content Editor .................................. Michael Natelli ‘14 Managing Technical Editor .................................... Shaan Verma ‘13 Page Editors ........................................................... Brendan Cudd ‘14 Joy Zhang ‘14 Content and Copy Managing Content Director ...................................... Alex Porter ‘13 Content and Copy Editors ............................. Briana Applewhite ‘13 Steffi Carrera ‘14 Alyssa Miller ‘13 Nick Mourtoupalas ‘13 Evan Schwartz ‘13 Managing Photographers ....................................... Bridget Cook ‘14

Taylor Fernandes ‘14 Photographers........................ Randi Arizona ‘13, Daniel Hatfield ‘13 Staff Writers ........................ Serena Arness ‘16, Annie Augustine ‘14

Meagan Barrett ‘15, Dylan Craig ‘16

Mike Crooks ‘14, Cameron Graf ‘13

Emma Hierholzer ‘15, Kaleigh Homer ‘15 Brian Hughes ‘15, Lucy Hurlbut ‘14 Tom Lee ‘14, Julianne Maxwell ‘13 William McDermott ‘15, Kyle Melnick ‘14 Marie Moeller ‘15, Hunter Moore ‘15 Alec Perez ‘14, Samantha Schwartz ‘16 Sam Selby ‘14, Sammie Spillman ‘16 Will Van Gelder ‘16, Haley Whitt ‘15 Pollster ............................................................. Katie Mercogliano ‘14 Business and Circulation Director ............................ Sean Kang ‘14 Advisor ............................................................................... Peter Huck

The Warrior•Opinions April 25, 2013

Solution to the Hectic Lunch Situation

by Michaela O’Donnell ‘13

From 10:58 to 11:34, students are expected to eat lunch, come in to retake or make-up tests and quizzes, and meet for review sessions and club meetings.

Although Sherwood’s lunch time is full of freedom and students are given the chance to choose how to spend their time, it has become an expectation that students utilize every minute. Consciously or unconsciously, the student body regards lunch as another class period. Montgomery County has even given lunch a period number.

In order to be more productive, the human mind needs to have downtime to rejuvenate and re-focus. Failure to take breaks can even result in exhaustion and anxiety. The best way to achieve this is by taking walks to clear one’s mind after sitting all day and having a snack or eating lunch. This will recharge the mind and body for the rest of the day.

Not many students have the time

to take a walk outside or even eat a nutritional lunch without worrying about when they have to go in for a teacher or a meeting.

Worrying about the rest of the day on top of having no time for the mind to rest means there is a significant change in one’s mood and motivation to finish the day.

As a solution, an allotted time separate from lunch should be set aside for teachers and students to meet. Similar to a study hall in terms of the objective, this class break, treated as a class period, will have more freedom for where students are allowed to go and put more responsibility on the student to make up anything missed. This will also cut down on the excuses from both students and teachers for why they were not able to make it in for lunch.

Although there is the issue of monitoring students during this free time, the solution would be to treat it as a class period. There would be a classroom and teacher assigned to each student. The

teacher would then sign passes to any other teacher that the student needed to see. In the hallways, similarly to lunch time, security guards would be in charge of regulating the halls. Having a study hall or meeting time of 30 minutes in between two class periods in the first half of the day would give students enough time to re-take quizzes or make-up presentations.

By shortening lunch 10 minutes, there is a separation in breaks to guarantee a proper rest time.

Teachers would also benefit from this solution the same, if not more, than students would.

Students are constantly coming in and out of their classrooms during lunch and they are at risk for the same amount of stress and exhaustion because of it. Although the school day cannot fit in another full class period, this small period will help dwindle down the number of students coming in for lunch and therefore allow both students and teachers to enjoy a proper lunch break.

they can recognize words from the start, as opposed to having a bunch of words and phrases thrown at them.

A major argument for bringing Latin back to schools is the fact that it improves SAT scores.

Data taken from the 2007 College-Bound Seniors-Total Group Profile Report indicates that students who had studied Latin (for two or more years) generally scored 140-160 points higher in the verbal section than their peers who had not studied Latin at all.

These students are able to identify the roots of various words by drawing on their knowledge of Latin and then skillfully deducing what the meaning of the word is, even if they do not know the explicit definition of the term.

For example, the word “concatenate” can be broken down into

the Latin prefix “con-” and root word “catena.” Since these mean “with/together” and “chain,” the definition must have something to do with bringing things together with or in a chain; this is very close to the actual meaning of the word: to link (things) together in a chain or series. It is unlikely that students will know every word on the SAT, but knowing Latin roots, prefixes and suffixes is a useful tool to help them pick the right answer.

Sherwood needs to add Latin to its list of language electives so that students can reap its benefits. Though classes such as SAT Prep are helpful, this is another effective step on the path toward a higher SAT score. Students can also strengthen verbal skills in both English and another language they choose to take.

Bringing Latin Back: Pro Lingua Latina

by Steffi Carrera ‘14

Latin was once part of high school curricula across the country. After controversy concerning the usefulness of spending time and resources studying a “dead language,” it was removed from the majority of schools nationwide. Some schools still offer this course but it is not very popular; in MCPS, only six high schools offer Latin as an option to their students. Sherwood, however, is not one of them.

Latin is the root language for Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan and Galician. If Latin were taught in schools, students would have a better foundation of knowledge to prepare them for learning other languages. It is easier for them to learn a new language once

More Action Must Be Done To Prevent Rape

by Whitney Marie Halaby ‘14 The total prevention of rape is impossible, but our schools can better educate women about being safe at parties, not walking alone in the dark and taking other safety measures. Sometimes, horrible things happen; however, we can help the victims.

I recently had a friend tell me that she was raped; I was shocked, scared and worried. This event, coupled with the highly publicized rape scandal at a high school in Ohio, got me wondering just how prevalent rape is.

My friend was roofied; she was drugged, beaten and raped.

She believes it is her fault and that she could have done something to prevent it.

I looked up rape statistics and discovered that approximately two-thirds of sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows. With 54 percent of sexual assaults never being reported, and

97 percent of rapists never spending a day in jail, something needs to be done. The most startling statistic is that one out of every six American woman will be or has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime.

These statistics speak for themselves and school systems should do more to protect their students.

The education system can better inform students. In the Montgomery County health curriculum, students are taught what to do if they are raped, but it is not made clear that a non-consensual sexual advance is always wrong.

The perpetrators are obviously taught that rape is okay whether it is through teen culture or media. It is important to make it clear that rape is wrong across the board and that no one is ever “asking for it.”

Education is one of the most vital parts to success in our country, and in some areas it is still lacking. Our education system

13

TO THE POINT Racism Remains in Georgia

by Robel Wondimu ‘13 On February 7, Mississippi legally ratified the Thirteenth Amendment which officially outlawed slavery in the state. It’s obvious that this was a technical oversight when filing paperwork, which makes it understandable. What I can’t wrap my head around is the fact that segregated social events still exist. In early April, it came to light that Wilcox County High School in Georgia still has a segregated prom, which isn’t school sponsored but privately funded by hateful parents.

I assumed there are some things still segregated, like Klansmen rallies, but this prom was far-fetched and sounded like the setup to a sketch-comedy act. It really is ridiculous to think that even in 21st Century America, parents selfishly and blindly guide their children towards bigotry.

What continues to add to the absurdity is that Governor Nathan Deal refused to condemn this and opted instead to remain neutral, because why would Georgia’s governor want to offend bigots? On the side of the righteous, Georgia’s Republican House Majority Whip offered vocal support for an integrated prom and refused to legitimize the segregated one. It’s unfortunate that even in 2013 ignorance and contempt still facilitate hateful things like segregation.

Media Fails To Properly Inform

by Daniel Hatfield ‘13

Media outlets pick and choose stories that they deem relevant to public interests, specifically events such as the Boston Marathon bombing. Meanwhile, in Iran and Pakistan, at least 38 people have been killed by a massive earthquake. In the weeks to come, news stations and tabloids alike will scour the tragedy at Boston, reporting every minute detail while the victims of this earthquake will remain faceless. The importance of a tragedy should not be determined by the location of victims or how much news coverage a story receives, but by lives lost and the event’s effect on humanity as a whole. The media is not entirely to blame for the lack of interest regarding international affairs; it is the responsibility of a citizen to be informed and compassionate. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) emphasizes world news rather than UK specific news.

Perhaps the U.S. should consider a news corporation similar to the BBC in an effort to educate the general public.

Dictator Softens North Korean Threat

by Evan Schwartz ‘13

My Take needs to realize that rape isn’t a rare occurrence that only happens when someone is drunk. Students all over need to be educated that rape isn’t their fault, what to do once it happens, and that there is no excuse to violate anyone.

Over the past two weeks, the democratic world has been on edge in anticipation of North Korea’s supposed missile attack.

However, the World Wide Web has taken the threats in a different direction as they poke fun at the not-so-threatening North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jung-Un.

The portly, slightly “derp”-y leader has people on the Internet unable to take his very intimidating threats seriously. It’s difficult to imagine such an unintelligent looking person could have the courage to take such strong action. Doubters have created widely circulated Internet memes and gifs commenting on Jung-Un’s weight and brainpower, lessening peoples’ fear of an attack.

Following in the hugely infamous footsteps of his father and grandfather, Kim Jung-Un is just trying to flex his blow-up muscles in an attempt to assert his global standing. As the Internet has shown us, the man is truly just an attractively-challenged remnant of what was once a scary global force of evil.

The Warrior•Opinions 14

April 25, 2013

technology in the classroom In the Student Town Hall meeting in March, Superintendent Joshua Starr took a poll on how many students have access to technology such as laptops and iPads, as well as whether or not they should be allowed within the learning environment.

pro

con

by Shaan Verma ‘13

by Jamie Langbein ‘13

As technology advances and becomes more efficient, the older, more outdated ways of teaching become more and more obsolete. Technology is ever-evolving and becoming increasingly accessible to younger generations as they are the ones that are growing up with said technology. The younger generation, namely the students entering into secondary education, will be more likely to identify with technology such as tablets and laptops and be able to use it to its full potential within the learning environment.

Not only this, but as technology grows more advanced there is less and less of a need to use the “older methods” of learning such as written notes or binders full of worksheets. Technology proves to be quicker and more efficient than having stressed out students organize pages upon pages of notes while developing spinal problems from the amount of books that they have to carry.

The skill and knowledge to use technology in this day and age is nearly as fundamental as being able to read and write. Technology is all around us and is constantly advancing, which means that students either need to adapt or be left behind. The use of technology in classrooms enhances students’ experience and heightens learning potential through efficiency, and it will also provide students with an opportunity to be able to understand and control the technology that is at their disposal.

Technology has also been used to advance a multitude of professional fields such as medicine, finance and communication. Education should not be an exception. The use of laptops and tablets will provide for a new learning environment because it would also allow teachers to cater to different types of learners. Technology bridges the gap in learning styles. Students are all different and some learn differently than others. Laptops and tablets are completely capable of providing options for different types of learners via unique presentations of information like graphics and audio, and its ability to do so is expanding in leaps and bounds. Technology will allow students to learn better by giving them a way to relate to the material that they are learning. It is no secret that students’ lives are now digital, and as such, students will be able to learn better by making the information in textbooks and assignments available in their digital worlds.

The digital age is upon us and schools should not be excluded from utilizing the technology that is at students’ disposal to further enhance the learning environment.

Laptops and tablets in the classroom will provide a way to bridge the gap between traditional learning and the way that students gain and apply knowledge.

The best class I ever had was AP Biology, and one thing I loved about the class was the lack of a Promethean board. I don’t think I could have learned so much material so effectively without the chalkboard my teacher used, as it slowed down the pace to one students can handle. In most of my classes, I copy notes off a Promethean. The notes are taken either in terrible handwriting that I can’t read later or too slowly as I try to write legibly, which leads to missing material.

Promethean boards allow teachers to flip through information at a rate too rapid for students. They always tell us “don’t puke on the page,” but that is exactly what technology allows teachers to do. This makes note-taking even harder, because students have to sort through information even more quickly.

Don’t get me wrong. I have an iPhone sitting next to me as I type on a computer.

I use technology, and I appreciate all it has done for me. I, too, would be lost without my iPhone, but I still firmly believe in the need to keep technology out of classrooms.

So when Superintendent Joshua Starr proposes we add even more technology like iPads and laptops in class, I am apprehensive.

I see so many ways for things to go wrong. There are the obvious outlets for distraction such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. The consequences may only get worse. It would be even harder for teachers to regulate activity as students can easily switch or exit screens if a teacher approaches them.

And where do we plan to get the money from? We can barely afford to keep the heat on in the winter and the AC on in the summer. A 16 gigabyte iPad 2 with Wi-Fi costs $400. Multiply that by the 148,777 students enrolled in MCPS in the 2012-2013 school year, and it would cost the county $59,510,800. Dr. Starr, good luck finding that kind of money.

Another huge problem would be an even bigger overload of information. If in the future there are iPads in classrooms, there would be even more puking on the page than there already is. Teachers would be able to just load information onto students’ iPads. Notes would turn into teachers re-writing the textbook, which doesn’t help students to sort through information and pick out what they need to know.

Laptops and computers are fine for students in college, and they should be encouraged to use them. College students are more mature, and are trying to prepare themselves for the “real world” working scenario. Technology is incorporated in the workplace, and students should be learning in college how to utilize the privilege without abusing it, but not any sooner.

The Little Congressional Bill That Shouldn’t

by Cameron Graf ‘13 If you commonly visit, interact with, or have in any way heard of the internet then chances are that you have heard of SOPA, the failed Congressional bill which sought to effectively neuter the internet and all that it stands for in accordance with international copyright law. If such a name rings a bell, then the eerily similar name CISPA, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, should raise a few warning bells, something it wholly deserves to do.

With the intended purpose of allowing the government to investigate online cybernetic threats and ensure American computer

network security among other admirable things, CISPA holds the dubious position of being the latest security bill that protects the security of the government and large businesses, while ostracizing common citizens. On a side note, CISPA has already passed the House of Representatives in Congress, and was reintroduced to the Senate this February, though it has yet to pass there, with the most recent action being a failed vote to invoke cloture and end the debate, leaving the final decision still up in the air.

CISPA is just as, if not more, detestable than its older sibling SOPA for a number of reasons.

To begin with, CISPA is worded so vaguely that in application

it could support a wide array of actions, including but not limited to those which SOPA once sought to enact. To simplify, under the watchful eye of SOPA, if the government wished to request one’s personal information from a private company, then a process would be taken, over the course of more than ten hours, in order to successfully gain access to this information.

Meanwhile, if CISPA were to pass, this process would drop to a time relative to nothing for the following reasons: One, CISPA makes it legal for private companies to take note of any and all personal information stored upon or otherwise exposed to their online branches, and to store

it. Two, the government under CISPA is then allowed and even encouraged to request such information from companies for ‘Cybersecurity Purposes.’ The government should be restricted from using this information in other ways such as ‘National Security,” a term undefined and unspecified by the bill.

While such legislation may at first seem nice, the capability for both corruption and manipulation of the vaguely worded, unspecific bill is astounding.

While not the same thing as the equally corruptible Patriot Act, CISPA would allow the government to infringe equally upon the rights of American citizens. No warrant is needed for requesting

the information, and no span of time exists in between processes to assure that the government actually needs this information and is serious about obtaining it. All of your personal information will simply be a mouse-click away from nearly every agency in the government. While the phrase “If you’ve got nothing to hide, you’ve got nothing to fear” may stand here, the fact remains that even if I have nothing illegal to hide, I’d rather not have government workers combing through every bit of my personal information and browsing history, a practice that is just as possible beneath CISPA as is the pursuit of the malignant hackers and terrorists it was designed to stop.

The Warrior•Wondering Warrior April 25, 2013

15

From the Past

April devotes many days to honoring childhood experiences and activities, including Children’s Book Day (April 2), Kindergarten Day (April 21), Girl Scout Day (April 22) and Take Your Child to Work Day (April 25). The Warrior celebrates this month by asking students about their childhoods.

What was your favorite cartoon or show as a child? “‘Kim Possible,’ it was the best sh ow ever.”

-Annie Feinroth ‘15 “‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles;’ turtles are just awesome.”

-Loana Thorndahl ‘16 “‘Hannah Montana;’ I miss pre-cra zy Miley Cyrus.”

-Jordan Newmark ‘14

up “Any Harry Potter book. I grew

with Harry and in some ways he’s like my best friend.”

-Rachel Goodrich ‘14 “I liked ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ by Dr. Suess because my grandma read it to me everyday.”

-Charlotte Weed ‘15

t “‘Chicka Chicka Boom Boom,’ tha book had coconuts!”

-Hailey Hershey ‘13

dope. “‘Ed, Edd, n Eddy,’ that show was rs and People always wanting jawbreake such.”

-Keegan Black ‘15

What is your favorite Disney movie? vie that “‘The Lion King,’ it is the best mo ren life Disney ever made. It teaches child values.”

-Oceanna Pyles ‘14

What are your favorite Girl Scout Cookies? s

Cookie a o m a S id 9% sa

2

What was your favorite book as a child?

ts

Min in h T id a s % 38

“‘The Little Mermaid’ because I want to be a mermaid.”

-Michelle Koo ‘16

os D iS o D id a 1% s longs a g a T id a s 16% ies

ok o C r e h t O 11% said 5%

kies

he coo t f o e n o n said

*138 students surveyed

compiled by Serena Arness ‘16, Sammie Spillman ‘16

The Warrior•Entertainment 16

April 25, 2013

Concert: Album: Album:

April 23 Michael Buble: To Be Loved

Switchfoot: Fading West

Album:

June 11 Goo Goo Dolls: Magnetic

May 21 Korn: The Fillmore

Shows ‘n’ Shindigs

Concert:

May 4 Chili Cook-Off RFK Stadium

Concert:

May 18 Paramore: The Fillmore

HEADLINE FOR NIGHT OF JAZZ

Jazz Musician Performs

by William McDermott ‘15 Sherwood’s Night of Jazz, traditionally featuring the Jazz Choir, Jazz Lab Band and Jazz Big Band, was changed this year to include guest performer Mimi Jones and her trio. The performance took place April 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Ertzman Theatre.

Mimi Jones is an internationally renowned musician who has earned the title “U.S. Jazz Ambassador” from her many trips to foreign countries. “We knew Tia Fuller, a saxophonist, and she introduced us to Mimi Jones, who had come to Sherwood before,” said music teacher Alex Silverbook. “We built a relationship [between] us and Mimi Jones.”

During the performance, Jones played with Miki Hayama on piano and Shirazette Tinnin on drums, while Jones herself played the bass and sang. Their music focused on inspiring others, and even featured a piece told as a story. Her cool and original style received an enthusiastic audience response, even though her trio’s sound was unconventional, with loose rhythmic structure.

Jones herself jumped into music when she was seventeen. While she was playing her friend’s upright bass one day in the hall, the school band director approached her and asked her to join the band. Although she originally wanted to play more contemporary music and not jazz, she learned to use her talents and found that she was talented with

the bass, even though it wasn’t her first choice. “Well, being a musician, you have to be versatile … the experience is going to make you a better musician,” said Jones.

In addition to the show, Jones also came in for an assembly during school. She coached the Jazz Ensembles on their technique, advising the students to control the sound and flow of the music. “We wanted her visit to be both educational for the students and recreational for parents and families,” said Silverbook.

Jones’ wish to inspire others, especially future musicians, is

very clear both in her music and her future plans. Her new CD coming out in May, “Balance,” features all the names of her supporters—people who donated to her Kickstarter account—on the cover art.

Jones was very appreciative to have been able to come to Sherwood for her second time. “I am very inspired by the program [that Sherwood has], and I hope to one day start a program of my own,” said Jones.

McDermott is a student in Jazz choir and sang in the performance.

The Warrior•Entertainment April 25, 2013 ‘42’ as Great as Story It Tells Jackie Robinson finally gets his due on the big screen.

by Brian Hughes ‘15 Writer-director Brian Helgeland’s biopic “42” is something that most other films of its genre are not: inspirational. The Academy Award winner does a near perfect job, making history by retelling history. Helgeland creates a very realistic and believable storyline with feel-good, cinematic quality while conveying the true, historical and timeless moments that actually happened in Jackie Robinson’s (Chadwick Boseman) rookie season with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.

“42” has more of an impact on the audience than you might expect. At first you would stop and think, “Another Jackie Robinson movie?” But then you stop again and realize, “Wait. There’s never really been a Jackie Robinson movie.” Being the first film to depict such a defining moment in American cultural and sporting history (except for a 1950 film in which Robinson actually plays himself), the pressure is definitely on, and Helgeland and his cast pull though.

Every scene in the movie is moving in some way. Whether the scene is historically accurate or exaggerated, it is bound to touch the audience or spark up some intensity and anger from viewers.

Helgeland includes the memora-

ble moment when shortstop Pee Wee Reese (Lucas Black) goes over to his black teammate and puts his arm around him in the infield of Crosley Field, Cinncinati in the midst of bombardments of racial epithets from the crowd.

This is one heroic act that the film perhaps overdramatizes, but the scene allows for one of the most crucial lines in the movie to take place, when the shortstop says, “Maybe tomorrow we’ll all wear 42. That way they won’t be able to tell us apart.”

Another scene still sticks out in my mind, probably the most difficult one to deal with over the course of the whole film. Alabama native Phillies manager Ben Champman (Alan Tudyk) steps out of the dugout and starts rattling off all kinds of racist slurs at Robinson, getting under his skin and causing Robinson to pop out each time. Number 42 has a meltdown afterwards, played beautifully by Boseman, but displays his resiliency and comes back out to the field to end up scoring the winning run. It is another part of the movie done so well that it gives you chills.

For once, the whole “based on a true story” line doesn’t really need the “based” part. Helgeland creates a virtually flawless film depicting a real-life story that did all of American society a favor.

R E V I E W S

17

‘Oblivion’ Creates New World

by Daniel Hatfield ‘13 Director Joseph Kosinski’s “Oblivion” provides an excellent time at the movie theater. Jack, played by Tom Cruise, is a part of a two-man “mop-up crew” sent to post-apocalyptic Earth to maintain several energy converting towers and to perform maintenance on drones that guard the towers. However, Jack’s perception of his situation is entirely fabricated; enter Beech played by Morgan Freeman, the leader of the human resistance, who helps Jack discover the truth.

“Oblivion’s” story line is not particularly original or unique, but the cinematography, visuals and acting all make up for any sort of lulls in the plot. There are many “plot twists” in “Oblivion,” the only problem being most of them are reasonably predictable.

Again, the plot is not particularly fresh, so people who are interested in this movie should take all these factors into account. Along with the predictable plot, there are a few slower moments in the movie, like when Jack has the same flashback a few times. But these instances are few and far between, so they don’t really take away from the movie as a whole.

Cruise and Freeman both bring their characters to life with their top-notch acting. Supporting actresses Olga Kurylenko plays Julia, the mysterious woman Jack

rescues from a spaceship crash site, and Andrea Riseborough, who plays Victoria, Jack’s other half also in charge of keeping him safe while on various missions around the planet, perform amazingly alongside the movie’s more well-known actors. The onscreen chemistry each actor creates between their counterparts totally immerses the audience in this Sci-Fi world, allowing the viewer to feel what each character feels.

The visual artists who created the vast wasteland that Earth has become also greatly excelled in their attempt to immerse the audience. Landscapes range from deserts, to lush forests, to foggy sea sides to ancient decaying buildings. A variety of camera angles prevents the viewer from ever tiring of the wide open areas post-apocalyptic Earth has to offer.

Every set piece and costume are adorned with detail; even Jack’s coffee mug looks futuristic.

Jack and Victoria reside in a small residence, supported hundreds of feet in the air, equipped with huge computers, a landing-pad for Jack’s ship, and a swimming pool with a see-through bottom.

These components all create this very real world, and viewers suddenly find themselves forgetting that they’re watching a movie, but experiencing the story along with the characters.

Top 40 Movies To Watch in Your Lifetime

by Katie Mercogliano ‘14

This New Year, I made a resolution to watch the greatest movies of all time. The problem was that there is no official list determining which movies deserve such an honor. Therefore, I decided to create my own list, avoiding the obvious classics such as “Star Wars” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Warning: If you like romantic comedies or tales of love, this list is not for you.

Movies

Why you should watch

Black and White classics: “Yankee Doodle Dandy” (1942), “12 Angry Men”

“Psycho”: This Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece, funded by Hitchcock himself, changed what was allowed in movies because no studio would back such a controversial script. This classic proves that Hitchcock really was one of the best directors of all time.

Satires: “Dr. Strangelove” (1964), “Blazing Saddles” (1974), “Young Frankenstein”

“Young Frankenstein”: This Mel Brooks satire stars the hilarious Gene Wilder in a different tale of Frankenstein. Wilder’s impeccable timing and Brooks’ signature style create a non-stop laughter-filled movie.

Hilarious Hits: “The Nutty Professor” (1963), “Animal House” (1978), “Caddy-

“The Big Lebowski”: The Coen brothers’ comedy portrays the extreme stereotypes of America like no other movie has done before. The all-star cast includes Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Phillip Seymour-Hoffman and Julianne Moore. It really is the perfect combination of raunchy and hilarious.

(1957), “Some Like It Hot” (1959), “Psycho” (1960), “Raging Bull” (1980)

(1974), “American Psycho” (2000)

shack” (1980), “The Birdcage” (1996), “The Big Lebowski”(1998)

Suspenseful Masterpieces: “The Birds” (1963), “Taxi Driver” (1976), “The

Silence of the Lambs” (1991), “Se7en” (1995), “Fight Club” (1999), “Donnie Darko: Directors Cut” (2001)

“The Silence of the Lambs”: You usually don’t associate Oscar winning movies with cannibals and murder, unless Anthony Hopkins is playing Hannibal Lector.

Jodie Foster and Hopkins won Oscars for this brilliant film that takes suspense to a whole new level.

Mob Movies: “The Godfather series” (Parts I and II) (1972-1974), “The Sting”

“The Godfather Part I and II”: Although The Godfather is an obvious movie everyone has heard of, it truly is a work of art. Al Pacino provides a performance unparalleled by most. With a combination of amazing acting, directing, music and cinematography, the first two movies in this trilogy are a must.

Based on a True Story: “Frances” (1982), “Amadeus” (1984), “Quiz Show”

“Almost Famous”: This coming of age movie was based on true events that writer and director Cameron Crowe documented as a young boy. The up-and-coming band in the story was based off of The Who, The Eagles and The Allman Brothers Band, and depicts the behind the scenes struggles of the rock bands of that generation.

Dramatic Films: “The Graduate” (1967), “Butch Cassidy and The Sundance

“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”: This little known indie film stars Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio in their earlier years, and it showcased their talents at their finest. Depp shows such complexity in his portrayal of the title character you can’t help getting sucked into this melancholy drama about love and family.

Blood and War: “Where Eagles Dare” (1968) “Saving Pt. Ryan” (1998), “Gladia-

“Saving Private Ryan”: Steven Spielberg brilliantly directed this WWII film whichincluded a cast of Tom Hanks and many other big names. Not many films have depicted the hardships and emotional trauma in war as maturely and with as passionate performers.

(1973), “The Untouchables” (1987), “GoodFellas” (1990), “Pulp Fiction” (1994)

(1994), “Almost Famous” (2000), “A Beautiful Mind” (2001), “The Pianist” (2002)

Kid” (1969), “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975), “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” (1993), “Big Fish” (2003)

tor” (2000), “The Patriot” (2000), “Inglourious Basterds” (2009)

The Warrior•Entertainment 18

April 25, 2013

The Hip Band with the Low Profile

by Sean Kang ‘14

Most students have heard the name Hip Indian somewhere around school. Despite what it sounds like, this term does not actually describe a South Asian man with a lot of “swagger.” Rather, it is the name that four juniors, Nish Desai, Dean Emerson, Allison Behrendt and Rob Young, chose when they created their indie and electronic rock band.

Despite having a large number of supporters locally, Hip Indian doesn’t have a strong desire to gain large amounts of attention. As of yet, Hip Indian does not have an official Facebook page, Twitter account or Youtube channel. “We’re just having fun so we don’t really feel the need to utilize social networks to gain attention and get our name out there,” said Desai.

The band has only played in public three times: twice at the Oakdale Emory Coffeehouse and once at the 9:30 Club as part of the line-up for “Wicked Winterfest.” Still, every band member has been actively involved in Sherwood’s annual Rock ‘n’ Roll, this year’s being Emerson and Behrendt’s third time, Desai’s

photo courtesy of Michelle Hill

Juniors Allison Behrendt, Rob Young, Dean Emerson and Nish Desai getting ready to perform at Coffee House at Oakdale Emory Church last winter. second, and Young’s first.

The band features Desai who plays the electric guitar, Behrendt

as the lead singer and occasional keyboardist, Emerson as the bass player and singer, and Young

on the drums. While the band is influenced by a wide range of musicians, Hip Indian notes

that its music strongly resembles the works and musical styles of bands such as Bombay Bicycle Club and the Naked and Famous.

Although junior year is said to be the most strenuous year of high school, the members still find time in their busy schedules to play together, meeting up at Young’s house three to five times a month to practice and share ideas for new songs.

“I’ve known Dean and Allison since elementary school and I consider Nish to be one of my closest friends, so I think the fact that we all get along and have similar music styles allows us to enjoy the time we spend writing and playing together,” commented Young.

Currently. the band members are working on their debut EP, which they plan on releasing for free some time in the near future.

However, they are still unsure of their plans for the band after graduation. “We’ll continue to play throughout high school but who knows after that,” said Desai.

“We’re just appreciative that we have such a great creative outlet and can spend time with one another while doing something we love.”

Lights, Camera, Action … for Just One Day ‘Indicud’ is Indubitably Good

by Meagan Barrett ‘15

by Joy Zhang ‘14

Senior Anthony Justus has never considered the field of acting as a career. Yet somehow, he still found himself on the set of the television show “Veep,” an HBO satire of the vice presidency. Justus acted as a Marine, on screen for a total of maybe a few seconds, despite hours of work on the set. The opportunity came up through a friend, senior Connor Martin. “He sent in a headshot and a biography to the company,” recalled Justus. “They called him up, and he got the part, and they asked him if he had any friends 18 years or older who might be interested. He came to me, so I said sure, why not?”

Justus quickly learned that being an extra isn’t all makeup artists and lavish dressing rooms – in fact, it’s quite the opposite. “I wasn’t really sure what to expect going in,” Justus said.

The extras met hours before the official cast of the show arrived, outside the studio in a large tent. This is where costumes were distributed, and people waited for the action to begin. “Then you walk out of that tent, and there are smaller tents, and that’s your changing room,” said Justus.

“Some of the people got their hair cut right there [for the Marine look].”

Other surprises appeared between takes. Hours could pass before they were needed, and during the breaks, he had the opportunity to meet some professional actors – some of whom were normal, and some of whom were not so

On February 28, 2012, Kid Cudi released a collaboration album, “WZRD,” with record producer Dot da Genius. The album was poorly received due to Cudi’s misguided attempt at alternative rock. Cudi’s previous mixtapes and albums are known for their creative beats, captivating rhymes and relatable lyrics.

The detour to alternative rock confused his dedicated fans.

Fortunately, after the release of this lackluster album, Kid Cudi has redeemed himself. In a span of six months, Cudi has dropped multiple singles from his upcoming third studio album, “Indicud,” eliciting excitement for the April 23 release date.

There are 18 tracks on the album, some of which feature popular artists from a variety of different genres: rappers A$AP Rocky and Kendrick Lamar, soulful singer Michael Bolton and electronic rock duo Ratatat.

“Indicud” is categorized as alternative hip hop, but Cudi creates an interesting mix of genres.

Some of his songs range from alternative to indie rock. Cudi has successfully concocted a perfect blend of the styles from his old mixtape and albums – “A Kid Named Cudi,” “Man on the Moon: The End of the Day” and “Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager” – with his newer creation, “WZRD.” The five singles – “Just What I Am,” “King Wizard,” “Immortal,” “Girls” and “Solo Dolo Pt. II” – have catchy choruses with

Taylor Fernandes ‘14

Justus (pictured right) recevied a buzzed haircut (picture left) to get into character as a Marine on the HBO show “Veep.” normal. Justus said this experience has definitely verified his expectations of actors. “They were normal for the most part, but there are a few people who are really out there. It was just amazing to see all of the different kinds of people.”

He recalled one actress, who would do physical exercises in the lounge room, while they were waiting to be called out. “She just went up against one of the walls, and started doing pushups while in a hand stand. It was cool the first time, but then she did it a couple more times, in front of the whole room, and she would do all

these other weird exercises – it looked like she was doing some freaky tai chi,” Justus said.

While Justus’ experience may have been rather unusual, Justus said, “If the opportunity comes up and it looks good, I’d probably do it [again],” and opportunities such as this one are a good starting point for serious acting careers.” So should we expect to see the name of Anthony Justus in pop culture films some day? Probably not – this unusual adventure was purely an endeavor of fun. Justus’ real interest lies in teaching elementary school students.

fast tempos, yet relaxing beats.

They are unlike any of his past material, but they preserve the qualities that made the world love him in the first place.

“Just What I Am” is a hazy anthem featuring King Chip where Cudi ponders existence with droning and elongated rapping. “King Wizard” is more upbeat with a warped electronic piano in the background and a transfixing robotic voice midsong. It is innovative and futuristic. “Immortal” is a guitar-filled track that Cudi sings over. The song progresses from a wistful to euphoric mood, ultimately resulting in a melodic masterpiece.

“Girls” features Too $hort and brings forth an electro-type beat.

Just like “Immortal,” Cudi’s vocals shine throughout the song.

“Solo Dolo Pt. II” features Kendrick Lamar and is a follow up to “Solo Dolo” off Cudi’s 2009 debut album. Both artists trade hard hitting verses over a hypnotic, organ-dense track.

While the lyrical meanings behind Cudi’s songs may lack depth, especially compared to his previous work, he does incorporate a diverse range of genres, artists and unique beats into his music, appealing to an audience far bigger than ever before. “Indicud” is a solid mesh of the appealing elements of early Cudi and some of his latter rockist tendencies. He continually evolves without ever losing his identity.

In the beginning of “Immortal,” Kid Cudi claims he is “the smartest man alive,” and many will have to agree.

The Warrior•Sports 19

April 25, 2013

Volleyball Program Thrives Under Its Long Traditions

by Kyle Melnick ‘14 The girls’ volleyball team has succesfully won three state championships; winning three seasons in a row. Not only that, but the co-ed volleyball team finished undefeated in the regular season last year along with the boys’ team finishing with only two losses.

The excitement and tradition of volleyball in the Olney area is one of the best in the state. Not only is Sherwood one of the only schools in the county with a girls’, boys’ and co-ed volleyball team, but the school has demonstrated its dominance through the success of all three teams.

The legacy of Sherwood volleyball began in 1991 when physical education teacher Bonnie Gilchrist took over the boys’ varsity team.

“It was a young and upcoming program. The coaches who had been here previously had been working towards the development of the volleyball teams and had left all three programs on solid foundations to build upon,” said Gilchrist.

Gilchrist was not a stranger to volleyball when hired by Sherwood either. The University of Maryland volleyball captain played four years as a Terrapin, winning three conference championships during that span. Gilchrist has been honored as coach of the year three times and has won five county championships during her coaching career.

Each summer, Gilchrist and coach Scott Zanni from Magruder hold a volleyball camp to stimulate interest in volleyball in the Olney area. Both coaches use this camp to help younger players gain interest in the sport and take up playing on in-house and travel clubs; in addition, more experienced players are able to mature their game and play competitively.

Boys’ Lacrosse

The camp has played a vital role in raising popularity of the sport in Olney.

After Gilchrist coached the current girls’ team coach Brian McCarty and boys’ coach Ben Sanger during the 2001-2003 championship seasons, Gilchrist transitioned these two from players to coaches taking over the program. After winning their last championship as players in 2003, the two decided the Sherwood volleyball mantra would become “the faces may change, but the tradition remains.” This certainly became known to be true after the Sherwood pipeline continued to grow and change, but the success of the program continued to thrive. Coach Joe Moyer, who is now the assistant coach of the girls’ team, spent his career coaching volleyball at the collegiate level at the University of Maryland before taking the job at Sherwood. The co-ed coach, Pete Siarkas, has held a winning tradition since taking the job in 2006.

“I’ve been very lucky to have such an awesome coach like Mrs. Gilchrist to teach me the game and instill many strong values into the Sherwood volleyball program,” said McCarty. “I feel our player skill development and scouting reports for opponents are top notch, and really important to getting an edge on the court.”

“The volleyball teams here at Sherwood have each won numerous championships and this has really been the driving force behind the continued growth and success in all of the volleyball programs,” said Gilchrist. “It’s really all about the student athletes; the girls, the guys and their desire to excel which is contagious to those who watch them play with such precision.”

The boys’ team is currently 5-1, while the co-ed team is undefeated with a 6-0 record behind seniors Megan Brady and Maddie Moyer.

Boxing Pushed to Extinction

by Tom Lee ‘14

Throughout the 20th century, boxing was considered to be one of the biggest attractions in American sports. Millions of people tuned in to witness two warriors clobbering one another in a somewhat barbaric and even inhumane fashion. Only those that could combine both an indomitable spirit and superior skill could partake in “the sweet science.” Nowadays, the best boxers are still excelling in the skill department but are lacking the heart of boxers from the last century. As a result of this and other factors, the sport of boxing is on the verge of disappearing into obscurity.

Muhammad Ali was technically one of the best but, more importantly, every time he stepped into the ring, he wore his heart on his sleeve. Mike Tyson may not be known as the nicest person but when he fought, he sparred as if his very life depended on it. They not only were boxing technicians but also had the hearts of champions. Along with Ali and Tyson, fighters like Sugar Ray Leonard, Rocky Marciano, Sonny Liston and on and on would elevate pre-fight hype to soaring levels and always live up it.

In the new millennium, however, the

RECAPS

Girls’ Lacrosse

sport lacks fighters like those mentioned above. Today’s boxers now seem to care about earning a lot of money, remaining undefeated, and cherry-picking lesser opponents. The fans—the ones that sill remain—want to see excitement, entertainment, passion and desire. The fans want to see boxers going toe-to-toe and showing exactly why they do what they do.

Boxing also suffers under a broken system. Promoters dominate the sport and have almost all the say in picking opponents for their fighters. Instead of the fighting in the ring, more energy is expended on self-defeating controversies over how much money each boxer receives. Making matters worse, the scoring system of boxing is flawed. Adding on to that, there are numerous sanctioning organizations like the World Boxing Organization, World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association that have their own respective champions. Simply put, there is always more than one heavyweight, lightweight and welterweight champion of the world.

This only contributes to the broken system by causing more confusion and mixing up desired match-ups.

With the almost exponential rise in popularity of the mixed martial arts-based Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), boxing has lost even more viewers and fans who have flocked to the more gritty, barbaric, yet simple and feasible system of the UFC. Boxing has simply killed itself over the past decade as fighters, promoters and organizers do not address urgent problems. Boxing is facing extinction as an American sport unless it drastically changes course. It may even be too late.

last updated on April 22

Boys’ Tennis

Track & Field

covered by Alec Perez ‘14

covered by Kaleigh Homer ‘15

covered by Sammie Spillman ‘16

covered by Samantha Schwartz ‘16

Record: 3-3 What’s Happened: Senior Chris Voorhees is the top scorer so far in the season. After the rather slow start, the Warriors have found their stride and are coming together as a team. They are on a three-game win streak with wins against Kennedy, Poolesville and Springbrook.

What’s next: The Warriors are expecting to get third place or better in their conference. The two teams that are their toughest opponents are Churchill and Wootton. The team lost to both earlier in the season.

Record: 8-0 What’s Happened: Undefeated so far this season, the Warriors have had a strong performance behind senior Maddie Doan and junior Emily Kenul. After a heartbreaking loss to Anne Arundel County team Southern High School last year, the Warriors got revenge with a 14-11 win.

What’s next: The Warriors face Magruder on Friday. As they prepare for playoffs, they hope to maintain an undefeated season and land themselves a good seed and a bye week for the first round of playoffs.

Record: 3-6 What’s Happened: The boys’ tennis team started off the season with a 1-4 record. The team has a lot of competition and is working to win half the divisional matches and build to be at or near the top of Division II in the 2014 season.

What’s next: The top five players from last spring graduated, so the 2013 team is very young but has a lot of potential. A few of the new freshmen that are making significant contributions to the season are Ryan Gilroy, Ryan Tom, Chris Nguyen, Jared Lampshire and Blake Munshell.

Record: Girls: 3-0 Boys: 1-2 What’s Happened: Sherwood has participated in three invitationals thus far, where the girls have repeatedly torn it up while the boys follow close behind. Following the Magruder and Blake meet were the Woodward relays, with girls and boys placing ninth and tenth, respectively, of 26 teams.

What’s next: The team this season is strong and excited to advance as the season progresses. Upcoming invitational to look forward to include Penn Relays and the Katie Jenkins Invitational.

Baseball

covered by Michael Natelli ‘14 Record: 10-1 What’s Happened: The Warriors currently boast a 10-1 record, and have gone a perfect 6-0 in conference play. The offense has averaged an outstanding 8.9 runs per game, while the pitching staff, led by seniors Grant Dickey and Patrick Kemper, has held five of six conference opponents to under five runs.

What’s next: The Warriors will now enter the tougher half of their schedule, which should serve as a nice primer for the playoffs.

Softball

covered by Hunter Moore ‘15 Record: 11-0 What’s Happened: The Warriors have started their season 11-0 and have only allowed eight runs through their first half of the season. Behind strong performances from Villanova commit junior Meggie Dejter and sophomore star Nicole Stockinger, the Warriors seem unstoppable heading into state playoffs where they have been the clear favorite since day one.

What’s Next: Key leadership will be provided by the six juniors, while senior captains Amelia Naik and Kelsey Lineberger will need to step up in the big games.

Boy’s Volleyball

covered by Mike Crooks ‘14 Record: 6-2 What’s Happened: The boys’ volleyball team is 5-1 with their only loss coming to Richard Montgomery by a score of 1-3.

The team has been hitting well with good sets coming from senior Kyle Wisor.

What’s next: Their next game is Friday, April 19 at BCC, and after that comes Wootton Monday April 22. Wootton knocked them out of the playoffs last year and are arguably the best team in the county, so it should be a good test. The team is preparing to make a run deep into the playoffs.

Co-Ed Volleyball

covered by Kyle Melnick ‘14 Record: 10-0 What’s Happened: The co-ed volleyball team has started the season strong, winning six games in a row. The Warriors finished the regular season last spring with a perfect 11-0 record entering the playoffs.

Unfortunately, the team fell to Damascus in the state semi-finals in a close match of 3-2.

What’s next: The Warriors will get a shot at revenge against Damascus on April 26. They will look to return to counties and finish what they couldn’t last year.

The Warrior•Sports 20

April 25, 2013

Juniors Stepping Up to the Plate From left to right, juniors Matt Chanin, Brady Adam, Meggie Dejter and Cameron Aud celebrate after both teams defeated Blair; softball won 6-4 and baseball won 4-3.

Back to Take Care of Unfinished Business

Dejter Seeks Repeated Perfection for Warriors

Meggie Dejter ‘14

by Michael Natelli ‘14

While most Major League Baseball teams have the luxury of throwing around large salaries in order to find talented players, public high school teams don’t have that same recruiting tool.

Public high schools are given the students in their district and have to hope there are a few gems in the community that can help them put together a competitive team. The hope for contending teams is that players can make the team as underclassmen, ideally freshmen, so they can contribute for the next three or four years.

Sherwood has had the fortune of finding three of these players in this year’s junior class. Juniors Brady Adam, Cameron Aud and Matt Chanin compose two thirds of the team’s starting outfield and a third of the team’s “Big Three” in their starting rotation.

Aud joined the varsity squad as a sophomore and played catcher, backing up then starter Colin McMahon (’12). While he didn’t see much playing time, Aud had the opportunity to get coaching from the varsity staff as well as the chance to be part of a playoff run.

“Both Colin and the coaches taught me a lot,” Aud said. “It was great to have the experience before I started because I got a little preview of what would be expected of me.”

Aud has since moved to left field, but has also emerged as a force at the plate. “The transition’s gone well,” he said. “Being a former catcher, I have a pretty good outfield arm.” Aud has driven in six runs on the year. Adam also joined the team as a sophomore, but was instantly named the team’s starting center fielder.

“He’s very well-rounded,” said coach Sean Davis.

“He does everything well; good defensive player, good offensive player, he’s having a great year.” While Adam boasts great range and a strong throwing arm, his biggest asset is arguably his bat. Adam has hit .483 through the first six games of the season.

The third big piece of Sherwood’s young core is pitcher and first basemen Matt Chanin, who is a force at the plate and on the mound. Chanin, like Adam, was instantly thrown into the fire after joining the team as a sophomore. Chanin’s time and commitment to the team helped him to progress into a middle-of-the-order threat for the Warriors, as well as the team’s number-one starter.

“After I set a goal to play in college I realized what it was going to take. I did something baseball-related every day over the offseason and usually come home and work out after Sherwood practices,” said Chanin.

While Chanin started off the season with an injury, he came back as good as ever, carrying the Warriors to a win with a walk-off home run against Blair on April 11.

Many teams are forced to completely overhaul their starting lineups after seniors graduate, but the Warriors have been lucky to have three players that they can rely on. “When you have guys that are veterans as juniors, that’s one less thing to worry about. They learned the ropes last year so they’re ready for the next two,” said Davis.

by Andrew Wasik ‘13

Brendan Cudd ‘14

Brady Adam ‘14

Brendan Cudd ‘14

Cameron Aud ‘14

Brendan Cudd ‘14

Matt Chanin ‘14

Brendan Cudd ‘14

Since her freshmen year, junior Meggie Dejter has wanted to win a state championship for Sherwood. Last year, her dream came true when she pitched a 1-0 shutout in the championship game against Chesapeake to complete the team’s perfect season and win the first softball state championship in school history. “I was really nervous before the game, and then I walked the first batter.

But then I managed to calm myself, and when we won I was overjoyed,” Dejter recalled.

Now as a junior, Dejter has already committed to play Division I softball at Villanova. “I started getting college looks my sophomore year, but they were all D3 looks. This year was when I started getting D1 looks.”

Dejter, who has been pitching since she was eight years old, comes from a friendly and athletic environment at home. “My brother plays baseball [at Salisbury], and my dad is the main reason I am playing in college,” said Dejter. “He’s the one who pushes me in sports and softball and helps me out.” She has had to make many sacrifices throughout high school because of her Division 1 aspirations, including seeing a pitching coach every single week during the winter. “On weekends, I have curfews because I have practice or tournaments pretty much every weekend. I also have to be super safe on social media because during the recruiting process, schools look at that type of stuff.”

Since freshmen year junior catcher Rachael Harrison has been behind the plate when Dejter pitches. “She’s a really hard worker, she’s a perfectionist,” said Harrison of Dejter. “At practice she goes through all of her pitches and if they aren’t perfect she does them again. If she doesn’t think we get a good workout in at practice she goes home to work out with her dad.”

Dejter uses four main pitches on the mound: a curveball, a screwball, a drop curve and a changeup. The fastball is not used as often in softball as it is in baseball.

“It’s really hard to catch the drop curve,” said Harrison.

“On the pitch there is a curving motion but the ball is dropping at the same time. A lot of the time it hits the dirt which is hard to stop.”

The team hopes to win their second state championship in a row, and are the favorites to do so. But this year, there are some added incentives to do well. “We just found out our travel coach, who has been my coach for seven years, was diagnosed with cancer,” said Dejter, “So this year we are trying to have a great season. He comes to every game.”

After the first five games, Dejter is 5-0 with a total of 40 strikeouts on the season. She has only allowed a total of five runs and is averaging eight strikeouts a game. On April 13, she pitched a season-high 11 strikeouts against Magruder. In addition, Dejter has a strong offense behind her as the Warriors have scored over 10 runs in every game but the one against Blair. Dejter looks to keep pitching well as the Warriors try and keep their perfect season alive. The Warriors have their next game today at home at 3:30 against Clarksburg.