Inside The Warrior:
Sherwood High School
May 22, 2015
300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Sandy Spring, MD 20860
37th Year
The Warrior Senior Edition Local Author Set To Speak at Graduation by Meagan Barrett
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All-Senior Team
pg. 4-7
Destinations
Nicest
Smile
Class C
lown
Best D resed ouple
C Cutest
pg. 8-9
Superlatives
This year’s graduation speaker will be Mary Amato, a local children’s author and songwriter, and a strong supporter of humor, heart and grit. Amato is a versatile writer; not only does she write novels for young adults and chapter and picture books for children, she also writes plays, problems, songs and essays. However, Amato said it wasn’t her original plan to be a writer. “In high school I was seriously into ballet, modern and musical theater. That was my story. It took me a long time to discover that I had this hidden burning desire to be a writer.” Amato’s own path to achievement didn’t happen as she expected it to. Growing up, she recalls, writing never seemed like a plausible option, and her passion wasn’t realized until after she had attended college. Although the signs were there, she was unsure of the profession, so she avoided it. “When you are just graduating from high school and trying to decide what to do with your life, often there are so many conflicting voices it is hard to hear your own true voice clearly,” she explained. Amato is intrigued by what she calls “threshold moments” or moments when you pass from one experience or place to another. To her, graduating from high school is a threshold moment. “If you are a person who hasn’t pushed hard enough, now is your chance to take yourself more seriously. If you are a person who has pushed too hard, expected perfection, now is your chance to allow yourself to make mistakes. It is a chance to dig deep and find out who you really are and what you really want to do.” Amato was both surprised and flattered to be asked to give the commencement speech. “I have spoken at many events over the years … This will be my first commencement address, which makes it special.” She has decided she wants to make sure her speech applies to everyone, since she knows each student’s experience in
www.maryamato.com
Mary Amato (pictured above), who is this year’s graduation guest speaker, is the author of many children’s books and teen novels. Some of her most known works include The Word Eater (2000), The Naked Mole-Rat Letters (2005), and Get Happy (2014). high school is unique. “I am not going to say good luck to all the Sherwood students because I don’t believe that luck is what
you need,” revealed Amato. “I will wish for strength, courage, determination and humor for all of you as you go forward.”
Students Attempt To Navigate Graduation Parties by Lauren Cosca and Haley Whitt
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Dorm Decorating Tips Inside: News: 1-2 Sports: 3 Destinations: 4-7 Spotlight: 8-9 Features: 10-11 Columns: 12-16
It’s that time of year again, so break out the bean bags and prepare your stomachs for an endless amount of catered and homemade food. With graduation right around the corner comes numerous graduation parties. Seniors face scheduling their graduation party on the same dates as their peers since there are only a few weekends left to choose from. Some seniors find this convenient because they want to have a party in which guests only stop by briefly before heading on to the next party. Others struggle to find a date that is not already taken by another senior so that all of their guests can attend their party for the full time. There is also stress related to the number of guests to invite. Some senior party hosts create an invite list with upwards of 100 people. Senior Alex Hanson, whose
graduation party takes place on May 31 and has an invite list with more than 200 guests, is still able to find the entire process manageable. “The hardest part is figuring out how to entertain people for that long of a time, but most people just stop by for maybe an hour and go on their way, so it’s not that bad,” said Hanson. Along with other seniors having graduation parties, Hanson has elected to use a moon bounce as his main source of entertainment. A few seniors have made the decision to have a joint graduation party, including seniors DJ Reeves and Troy Berkheimer, whose celebration will take place on June 20. “Troy and I have been best friends since elementary school, and we wanted to celebrate the end of high school together,” explained Reeves. “When people are thinking years later about high school and last memories, we want people to remember our graduation party together as ‘DJ
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and Troy,’ like always.” Various arrangements need to be made to accommodate a large party. These include entertainment, decorations and food. Lianna Lieberman is making all of her food, which consists largely of baked desserts and various appetizers. “I decided to make all the food because cooking has always been a passion of mine, so it just made sense to make everything and save money. I’m starting preparation on May 18 and preparing throughout the week,” said Lieberman, whose party takes place on May 23. As the Facebook invites continue to pile on, students are scrambling to figure out how they can make an appearance at the very least at a couple of their friends’ graduation parties. Despite the pressures and strains placed on party hosts and their attendees alike, in the end, there are definitely worse ways to spend the beginning of summer.
The Warrior•News 2
May 22, 2015
Student Wins Cruise during Beach Week by Marie Moeller
Chase Wilson ‘17
Senior Molly Wholihan was chosen by the SGA and a panel of school staff to be this year’s graduation ceremony’s student speaker.
Speaker Focuses on Chance by Annie Feinroth This year, Sherwood’s graduation speaker panel decided to choose a senior speaker purely based on the best message, looking for something to inspire seniors and capture the next chapter. After careful consideration they chose Molly Wholihan’s speech on serendipity. Wholihan and 15 other seniors had to sign up for the competition and needed a prepared two-to-three minute speech with a clear message. The students recited their speeches in front of the panel, Kathlyn Carroll, Jodie Friedman, Katherine Jaffe and Maria Peterson, with the senior class officers. “They judged us and timed us. And they made an announcement everyone had to
meet up, they did a good job keeping everyone’s speech private for auditions,” Wholihan said. The panel picked her speech due to her definition of serendipity and how after graduation students have the choice to live that life. “I’ve tried [to have a serendipitous life]. It was definitely an act to write the speech,” she said. “I honestly didn’t think I would get this far. I didn’t really tell anyone about it because I didn’t think I would get it,” she said. “I was petrified and still am a little bit.” Wholihan decided to try the contest in an effort to further her school participation. “I haven’t been the most involved in school, but this is my opportunity to go out with a bang … I wanted to get my few words in before it ends.”
Per tradition, many seniors participate in Beach Week, a week-long trip to the beach to celebrate graduation. However, senior Nicole Lado has slightly different plans. Instead of spending the beginning of summer with her friends, she is going on a cruise in Croatia with her favorite actor, Misha Collins, who is best known for his role as Castiel on the TV show “Supernatural.” Collins is the founder of GISHWHES (gishh∙wez), which stands for Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World has Ever Seen. People from all around the world form teams of 15 people to complete as many of the listed items as possible—in the best fashion—in the span of a week. The items are “captured” in the form of a video or photo, ranging from “perform a sock puppet show at a children’s hospital” to “a fully dressed storm trooper cleaning a pool next to a sunbather.” The submissions are graded on a point-based system by a group of judges. The team with the most points was promised a three-day vacation with Collins on a pirate ship where parts of the show “Game of Thrones” were filmed. In May of 2014, Lado joined Team Impala, the runner-up team in 2013, and together they worked to submit 179 photos and videos
Lianna Lieberman ‘15
“GISHWHES has taken its toll this year. You deserve a break. Hit the hot tub with a couple of friends … wearing hats made of ice cream.” Pictured from left: Sophie Mezebish, Nicole Lado and Alex Hanson. out of 197 total items on the list that June. “I did more locational tasks because I was the only person on the East Coast,” commented Lado. “There were items like ‘do Shakespeare in the park,’ and you have to go up to … Grand Central Park at Shakespeare Gardens and perform a piece of Shakespeare. That was the coolest because I got to go up to New York with my brother.” After waiting almost a year to attend the cruise, Lado is most looking forward to meeting her fellow teammates in person. “We have kept in contact through this entire span of time between when
I first joined the team and now … I’m dying to meet these people … meeting Misha [Collins] is an added bonus,” said Lado. Lado leaves for Croatia on June 2 and will be gone for a week. Originally, Lado and her friends tried to work around the cruise, insisting that they would postpone their beach week plans so they could all go together. “Finally, I was like, ‘Don’t plan your beach week around me because I’m not going to be able to go at all,’” recalled Lado. Despite this loss, Lado is more than enthusiastic about her summer plans. “It’s a sacrifice, but I’m willing to make it.”
Common Questions about Senior Year & Graduation Answered Why Isn’t There a Valedictorian? by Brian Hughes If you were to go back to the time when you were filling out college applications, you would probably remember seeing a section asking about your class ranking. Most likely, you put “None” or “N/A” in that spot because you don’t have one. That is because Montgomery County abolished general class rankings back in 1993 once many school officials became collectively aware that they actually hurt students by giving some students an unfair advantage, and creating a sense of inadequacy or superiority amongst others. A variety of factors such as a lack of challenging coursework and an increase of straight-A students caused problems when colleges went to compare a student among his or her peers. It wasn’t fitting to have many students making decisions about which classes to take for the sake of high GPAs. “Students who are taking five AP classes may find that to be appropriately rigorous for them, while others who are not taking weighted courses are still challenging themselves as well. But what results is a large difference in their weighted GPAs,” said counselor Elizabeth Al-Atrash. “So [class
rank] is not really an appropriate indicator of who the top academic students in the class are.” Al-Atrash also explained how grading scales differ across the country, and even just within the state. Good Counsel, for instance, does not give extra points for honors and AP classes, whereas it’s a common practice in MCPS. It is the college’s responsibility to take all of these factors into consideration when looking at potential applicants. “Colleges have kids applying from all over, coming in with different kinds of indicators. It’s up to them to decipher all of that information,” said Al-Atrash. She explained that different grading systems put emphasis on different thing, making class ranking almost arbitrary. While Montgomery County has not officially placed a ban on selecting valedictorians for graduation, the widespread discontinuation of the practice has basically facilitated the end of valedictorians. That is why Sherwood, along with other high schools, holds annual speech auditions that are open to all interested seniors instead of designating a class valedictorian for the purpose of having a student speaker at graduation.
Why Are the Graduation Gowns Only Blue? by Connor Loughran
Caps and gowns will only be blue at this year’s graduation ceremony instead of girls wearing white gowns and boys wearing blue as has been the case in previous years. The decision was made by school administration in light of recommendations from MCPS over concerns that having
two different colors based on gender would force transgender students to choose one or the other. The decision to change to one color was not a county-wide mandate, rather it was to be made by each school individually through either that school’s administration, SGA, or both. At Sherwood, the SGA was notified via an email earlier in the
school year with regard to the color of the gowns, and Principal Bill Gregory also met with SGA representatives to discuss the changes that had taken effect. According to Assistant Principal Kathlyn Carroll, the change to all blue may not be permanent, as future SGAs may be able to vote to revert back to blue and white gowns.
more errand on a packed agenda. “As we began to plan the banquet we realized we had no time,” Class of 2015 Sponsor Jodie Friedman explained. “Timing is everything with events like this.” Another issue the SGA faced was finances. Seniors would likely not be willing to shell-out twenty dollars to go bowling when so
much of their money is going towards prom and graduation. In the end, the SGA decided that seniors were too overwhelmed with functions to add a banquet. With all the time and money going towards prom, graduation and college, following through with the banquet would have been stressful for students.
Why Isn’t There Going To Be a Senior Banquet? by Dalton Sanchez
In previous years, the SGA has planned annual Senior Banquets. When planning this year’s banquet, the SGA realized it would have to choose a date between graduation rehearsal and beach week, and the banquet would seem like squeezing one
What Song Will Mr. Gregory Choose for This Year? by Malkaiah Mehlek When Principal Bill Gregory was in high school, his principal would incorporate a song into his graduation remarks that symbolized the graduating class. Decades later, Gregory has implemented that same tradition into Sherwood’s legacy. “The first year I chose a song, I selected it because I liked the message and I remembered the moment I heard it. At home-
coming there were hundreds of students singing at the top of their lungs; there was such unity. That was a part of my message about Sherwood’s sense of community,” Gregory said. By his third year of picking songs, he realized that it had become a custom–many students were curious to hear how he would weave a song into his remarks. The reasons why Gregory chooses a song is partly because it helps him remember
each class in a unique way, and it provides students with an easy and fun way to remember graduation in the future. “Alumni may not remember the speeches, and everything that occurred during graduation, but the song could be something for them to remember,” Gregory said. He added that he wanted the song to reflect how each specific graduating class was unique and special to him.
The Warrior•Sports
3
May 22, 2015
ALL-SENIOR TEAM
The Warrior considered a number of factors while compiling the All-Senior Team. The athletes below were selected on the basis of excellence/distinction in their sport(s), playing a sport in college, leadership and the recommendations of Sherwood coaches.
Jack Armstrong
Top row: Lauren Woods, Jefferson Ruiz, Zoe Kaminski, Neven Sussman, Corbin Brailsford, Geremiah Charles, Andy Miller, Xav McCants Middle row: Hunter Moore, Tiffany Woods, Christina Kolanowski, Jake Ryan, Troy Berkheimer, Chris Chiogioji, Dotun Oseni-Adegbite Front row: Stacey O’Neale, Nicole Stockinger, Alison Sarver, Kaitlyn Heo, Victoria Costa, Cassidy Deerin, Andrew Frumkin, Junior Settles TROY BERKHEIMER
Football, Wrestling, Lacrosse Leading tackler past two seasons. Placed 4th in County, 7th in Region for wrestling. Favorite memory: “Running through the tunnel on my last home game in front of my favorite crowd.”
ANDREW FRUMKIN
Wrestling, Cross Country Wrestling and cross country captain. County and Region champ in wrestling. 4th place in States, 3-time State qualifier. Favorite memory: “Watching those I helped coach and practice with succeed in wrestling.”
ANDY MILLER
Volleyball 4-year starter, 2-year captain. Named “player to look out for” past 2 years. Favorite memory: “Winning the division all four years, and making it to the finals my senior year. It’s great to watch my teammates improve and overcome challenges together.”
JAKE RYAN
Swimming Metros A finalist. Junior national qualifier. 2nd in Region in 100 free. Potomac Valley Scholar Athlete. Swimming at Florida State. Favorite memory: “Metros finals. The atmosphere was great and I got to race a bunch of my friends.”
NEVEN SUSSMAN
Football, Basketball, Baseball All-County, All-State Honorable Mention (football). 2-year starter (baseball). Playing football at Albany. Favorite memory: “Playing on Friday nights in front of the student section and being with the team.”
2015
CORBIN BRAILSFORD
Soccer Captain, 1st Team All-Gazette. Playing at Catholic University. Favorite memory: “Scoring the winning goal against Magruder when I was a sophomore on varsity. After the game one of the Magruder kids punched our teammates.”
GEREMIAH CHARLES
Football, Basketball, Track 2-year varsity basketball, 3-year varsity football, 3-year varsity track. 4th in Region for 110-meter hurdles. Favorite memory: “Crushing Gaithersburg in the first football game this year after they beat us badly the year before.”
CHRIS CHIOGIOJI
Lacrosse, Basketball Captain, leading scorer, 4-year varsity player for lacrosse. Played defense, midfield and attack. Favorite memory: “Robby Blaustein.”
VICTORIA COSTA
Lacrosse, Swimming Captain for swimming and lacrosse. Favorite memory: “The traditions each sport has, like having themes to school on game days.”
CASSIDY DEERIN
Gymnastics Captain. 2-time Division champ, County champ. 1st Team All-Met. Favorite memory: “Seeing my coach finally win the county title for the first time in his 30 years of coaching.”
KAITLYN HEO
HUNTER MOORE
ZOE KAMINSKI
Basketball captain, co-ed volleyball captain. Two-way starter for football. Playing varsity football and basketball since sophomore year. Favorite memory: “My opening intro before big games where I became the Sherwood Archer and shot an imaginary arrow into the crowd and watched them all fall.”
Tennis Undefeated record (13-0) this season. County champ, State qualifier in doubles. Ranked 9th in Maryland. Will try out for UMBC. Favorite memory: “Talking and hanging out with the girls before practices and matches.”
Field Hockey Captain, 3-year starter, leading scorer. Honorable Mention All-Gazette. Favorite memory: “Winning Regionals against Quince Orchard (first time since 1980’s)”
CHRISTINA KOLANOWSKI
Swimming Captain, MVP. Swimming club at James Madison University. Favorite memory: “This past year at Metros. Our girls finished 4th in the 400 freestyle relay and I couldn’t have been more proud. Metros is a very exciting meet, and this last one was bittersweet.”
XAV MCCANTS
Basketball, Co-ed Volleyball Basketball captain. 2nd Team All-Gazette, McDonald’s All-American nominee. Playing at Eastern Mennonite University. Favorite memory: “Going to State semifinals as a freshman and being able to play with my brother that year.”
Football, Basketball, Co-ed Volleyball
STACEY O’NEALE
Basketball, Cross Country, Lacrosse 4-year varsity cross country, 4-year varsity basketball, 2-year varsity lacrosse. Playing basketball at Wesley College. Favorite memory: “Having a winning season for basketball senior year. Along with beating teams that thought they were going to win.”
DALTON SANCHEZ
Volleyball Captain, 3-year varsity player, State champ 2013. Named “player to look out for” by the Gazette. Favorite memory: “Being able to beat Damascus my senior year, and making it to state semifinals and playing at Ritchie Coliseum.”
ALISON SARVER
Volleyball Senior All-Star team. 2-year varsity. Won MVP for co-ed. Favorite memory: “Going to State Semi-finals and playing at Ritchie Coliseum at UMD.”
JUNIOR SETTLES
Football, Track Two-way starter for football. State qualifier in indoor track for shot put. Favorite memory: “Christian Bobo’s cypher on the football bus.”
Track 3-time All-American, broke 4 school records (55m, 300m, 400m, 200m), 3-time National qualifier. Junior Olympian, 2nd Team All-Gazette. Running track for Morgan State. Favorite memory: “Breaking the 300 meter and 55 meter dash records during my senior season.”
JEFFERSON RUIZ
NICOLE STOCKINGER
DOTUN OSENI
Cross Country, Track Captain, 3-year varsity for cross country. Top-10 in Region past two seasons. Favorite memory: “When I stayed up the night before we had a race against Einstein. So I was exhausted and I went the wrong way during the race, but I still won.”
Softball, Basketball Captain for softball and basketball. 1st Team All-Gazette 2012-14, 1st Team All-Met 2013-14. 2-year varsity basketball. Playing softball at Towson. Favorite memory: “Winning the State Championship in 2012-14, and three years without losing a game.”
JULIE SWARR
Softball Captain, 4-year varsity player. Favorite memory: “The first time we won states and how it was the best feeling and how we won in the last inning, 1-0.”
KERRA TIRADO
Volleyball 1st Team All-Gazette 2014, Honorable Mention All-Gazette 2013. Playing at Rollins College. Favorite memory: “Going to States sophomore and senior years.”
LAUREN WOODS
Track, Soccer All-American in the Junior Olympics for 4x400 meter relay. Qualified for New Balance Nationals 2 years in a row. Running track at Delaware State. Favorite memory: “Being able to represent the school in a national meet, and putting the school name out there.”
TIFFANY WOODS
Track, Soccer All-Gazette and County champ in the 400-meter. Two time All-American. Running track at Delaware State. Favorite memory: “Beating Howard from the come-up and winning in penalty kicks in a playoff game.”
compiled by Jack Armstrong and Leo Corman
The Warrior•Destinations 4
May 22, 2015
Class of
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What does the future have in store for us?
I’ve always been into filmmaking. Columbia College Hollywood is definitely a good fit for what I’m going into. The school is small and focused on what I want to achieve. It puts a lot of emphasis on hands-on-learning and building internships and connections, because it’s super important for the entertainment industry to build connections when starting out. ~ Jack Armstrong
Abbott, Alex Abdi, Adam Adams II, Mario Adcock, Michael Aggrey, Derick Agnello, Maryann Ahn, Minuet Ali, Brandon Ali, Chelsey Alperin, Jessica Alter, Morgyn Anderson, Kendall Armstrong, Jack Asefa, Alexander Ashewood, Danielle Atkinson, Victoria Auerbach, Aaron Augustin, Gerson Babra, Angadjot Bacon, Calvin Banda, Danielle Barinas, Carlos Barnhard, Louise Barrett, Meagan Barry, Patrick Barth, Peter Bartolini, Gianna Bartoo, Sarah Bassford, Loren Bauer, Nathan Ben-Yosef, Maya Berger, Samantha Bergman, Conor Berkheimer, Troy Biglarbeigi, Ali Bitting, Amanda Black, Christine Black, Keegan Blaustein, Robert Bloomberg, Garrett Blum, Mitchell Bobo, Christian Bojang, Awa Boudhraa, James Bouey, Marisa Bouvier-Weinberg, Kathryn Brailsford, Corbin
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Workforce University of Maryland, College Park Virgina Tech Montgomery College Marines Montgomery College University of Maryland, Baltimore County Montgomery College University of Maryland, Baltimore County University of Pittsburgh Temple University Montgomery College Columbia College Hollywood University of Maryland, College Park Montgomery College University of Maryland, College Park University of Maryland, College Park Salisbury University Montgomery College Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Montgomery College Montgomery College Gap Year Montgomery College Pennsylvania State University Purchase College, SUNY Slippery Rock University Montgomery College Millersville University Ohio State University Fashion Institute of Technology University of Maryland, College Park Towson University St. Mary’s College of Maryland University of Maryland, College Park Arizona State University University of Alabama Towson University University of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania State University Old Dominion University University of Maryland, Eastern Shore Workforce Lincoln Memorial University University of Maryland, College Park Catholic University of America
Brault, Matthew Bray, Grant Brenner, Alexa Buckberg, Mitchell Butler, Virginia Byrd, Joseph Cannady, Danielle Carcamo-Herrera, Yasmin Carey, Ethan Carrera, Katherine Casey, Caleb Celis, Vanessa Chandlee, Magdalena Chang, Elizabeth Charles, Geremiah Charles, Sabine Chatlin, Michael Chiogioji, Christopher Christian, Christiana Claver, Karah Fave Cline-Smythe, Derek Colea, Jordan Colombowala, Fatema Corman, Leo Cosca, Lauren Costa, Victoria Crawley, Christopher Cruz Morales, Jose Cunningham, Diamond Da Silva, Jose D’Amato, Kyle Dando, Nicole Daniel, Estefanos Daniels, Ashleigh Davidson, Samantha Decederfelt, Sarah Deerin, Cassidy Deming, Ilana Demoya, Christian Denicoff, Samuel Denis, Dimitri Dickey, Erin Dixon, Sydney Don, Sobie Dorr, Travis Dosik, Jack Dowrick, Austin Doyle, Colleen Ducq, Gregory
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University of Arizona Towson University University of Maryland, College Park West Virginia University Pace University Stevenson University University of Maryland, Baltimore County Montgomery College Southeastern University Montgomery College Montgomery College Montgomery College Mount St. Mary’s University Rochester Institute of Technology Arizona State University Montgomery College Montgomery College University of Florida University of Maryland, Baltimore County Montgomery College Air Force Howard Community College University of Maryland, Baltimore County University of Pittsburgh Towson University University of Maryland, College Park Montgomery College Montgomery College Morgan State University Montgomery College York College Salisbury University Nova Southeastern University Montgomery College Salisbury University University of Maryland, College Park Virginia Tech Pennsylvania State University University of Pittsburgh Towson University George Mason University University of Denver Immaculata University Montgomery College Workforce Belmont University Pennsylvania College of Technology Mount St. Mary’s University Montgomery College
I’m going into audio engineering because I love to make music, especially with other people. So going to Belmont University would give me a chance to work with others who share the same passion. ~ Jack Dosik
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The Warrior•Destinations May 22, 2015 Dudrick, Robyn Dyer, George Eastwood, Christopher Ellis, Jason Em, Rotha Em, Chamnan Esparza, Domenica Evans, Amanda Ewing, Shannon Fader, Joshua Falcón, Kristina Farrell, Shannon Feinroth, Annie Ferro, Aidan Fess, Jonathan Flores, Lesly Fokwa Menzefo, Guilene Followell, Amanda Fotso, Edith Fowler, Joshua Frederick, Ashtyn Freibaum, Ethan Fricke, Grant Friedman, Rosalie Frumkin, Andrew Gajewski-Nemes, Julia Gallagher, Ryan Garcia, Juan Garcia, Nick Gasbara, Isabelle Gatesman, Peter Gearhart, Jenna Geary, Kayla Gelaye, Yanet Georgakopoulos, Panayiotis Gerhardt, Georgy Gerstel, Matthew Gibson, Emily Glaudemans, Ethan Godfrey, Rebecca Goniprow, William Gooch, Paul Gouin, Sarah Graves, Hannah Graves, Caroline Greulich, Brandon Griffin, Ashley Grimes, Riley Grobert, Chase Gruber, Anna Guevara, Brian Guiffre, Jake Gupta, Sonali Haberman, Tatum Habte, Kidus Hahn, Rachel Hale, Ryan Hall, Austin Halpern, Leba Hanlon, Robert Hanson, Alexander Happy, Anthony Harris, Colin Hassanin, Moaz Henry, Morgan Heo, Kaitlyn Heon, Lauralyn
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Franklin and Marshall College Towson University University of Maryland, Baltimore County Towson University Montgomery College Workforce Montgomery College Towson University Montgomery College University of Colorado, Boulder University of North Carolina, Greensboro Salisbury University James Madison University University of Maryland, College Park Full Sail University Montgomery College Montgomery College Shippensburg University Montgomery College Virginia Military Institute University of South Carolina Towson University The Ohio State University Frostburg State University University of Maryland, College Park Amherst College University of Pittsburgh Towson University Towson University Montgomery College Towson University East Carolina University Albright College Salisbury University American University Montgomery College Montgomery College Shenandoah Beauty Academy University of Maryland, College Park Towson University Pennsylvania State University Marines Mount St. Mary’s University Towson University West Virginia University University of Maryland, College Park Boston University Garrett College Montgomery College West Virginia University Montgomery College University of South Carolina Boston College Seton Hall University Montgomery College The Boston Conservatory Salisbury University Montgomery College Towson University University of Maryland, College Park University of Maryland, College Park Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Fort Lewis College University of Maryland, Baltimore County Salisbury University University of Maryland, Baltimore County East Carolina University
I decided on Boston Conservatory because out of the eight schools I got into, it had the best program. For opera [my major], it really comes down to your teacher; it’s super important to have a great teacher who can teach you proper technique, so you can have a long and successful career. ~ Rachel Hahn
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5
“Going on a [Morman] mission will help me gain independence because I will be on my own for two years. I haven’t been assigned anywhere yet, but I’m anxious to know. My parents weren’t able to go on their missions, so they are proud that I’m the first in my family to go. After my mission I plan to go to Tiffin University to double-major in forensic science and forensic psychology.” ~ Sebastian Hernandez
Hernandez, Sebastian Hierholzer, Emma Hierholzer, Molly Hipol, Cassandra Hofford, Grace Hollenbach, Shannon Homer, Kaleigh Hong, Lisa Hopkins, Ayris Horne, Samnisha Houston, Andrew Hoyt, Alexandra Hughes, Brian Hughes, Sarah Huiswoud, Marquette Hur, Na-Hyun Isaacs, Brendan Izzo, Emma Jackson, Janet Jacob, Tanner Jacques , Nel Angedrine Jagne, Alhagie Sulay Jeffrey, Jian Jenkins, Jessica Johnson, Thomas Jones, Keiora Jones, Tyler Jones, Brendan Jones-Olszewsk, Jasmine Jou, Catherine Jung, Brian Justus, Elizabeth Kaminski, Zoe Kang, Dae Karbeling, Adam Katz, Ezra Kaushal, Kajal Kayastha, Ankur Kebede, Yoseph Kendall, Ryan Kernan, Brittani Khmelniker, Masha Kim, Hannah H Kim, Jacqueline Kim, Dong Joon Kim, Gi Kleiman, Morgan Knowles, Patrick Koehler, Matthew Kolanowski, Christina Kong, Austin Kostriken, Peter Kotsiras, Andrew Kozlowski, Alexandra Kress, Timothy Krieger, Nikolas Lado, Nicole Langbein, Jenna Le, Bryan Lee, Marlo Lee, Kyle Leissa, Sophia Lemus, Rosa Levey, Sean Levy, Jacob Lieberman, Lianna
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Tiffin University Miami University University of Florida University of Maryland, College Park Montgomery College Salisbury University Salisbury University University of Maryland, Baltimore County University of Maryland, College Park Montgomery College Navy University of Virginia Montgomery College Roanoke College Workforce University of Maryland, College Park Montgomery College Montgomery College Montgomery College Salisbury University Montgomery College Montgomery College Temple University Towson University Montgomery College Montgomery College Notre Dame College Workforce Lynn University University of Maryland, Baltimore County Montgomery College Mount St. Mary’s University Salisbury University Montgomery College University of Maryland, College Park Kent State University University of Maryland, College Park University of Maryland, College Park Montgomery College Florida Institute of Technology Montgomery College University of Maryland, College Park Drexel University University of Maryland, Baltimore County University of Maryland, College Park University of Maryland, College Park University of Maryland, College Park University of Maryland, College Park Virginia Tech James Madison University Towson University Military Navy Montgomery College Merrimack College Brigham Young University Stony Brooke University Wake Forest University Army Howard University University of Maryland, Baltimore County College of William and Mary Montgomery College Omega Studios Towson University University of Vermont
The Warrior•Destinations 6 Lieu, Duc Anh Lock, Shannon Logan, Matthew Loh, Caitlin Loughran, Connor Lovo, Jason Lowenthal, Brandon Luckey, Stephen Macedo, Augusto Macrae, Paul Mak, Pearl Mallela, Aashikaa Mangolas, Gavin Mann, Sabrina Marin, Andrew Marquez-Garner, Emmanuela Martin, Thomas Martin, Anna Martinez, Fabio Martinez Jimenez, Katherine Matute Perdomo, Obed Mazur, Hayley Mazur, Jake Mbanong, Katlyn McCallister, Jack McCants, Xavier McClellan, Drew McDaniel, Chelsea McDermott, William McDonough, Hailey McMurtray, Christopher Mehlek Dawveed, Malkaiah Mendy, Sonita Mercado Ruiz, Cristian Mezebish, Sophie Miller, Owen Miller, Andrew Miller, John Moeller, Elsa Mofor, Mageb Molina, Nicholas Monroe, Harrison Montero Garabito, Julio Moon, Seo Moore, Hunter Moreno, Judith Moss, Nina Mueck, Jacqueline Muir, James Mulligan, Chase Mundashi, Sean Murphy, Keefer Muslimov, Vladislav Mutakyawa, Macdonard Nakamura, Courtney Nalls, Natalee Naqvi, Tanzeem Newchurch, Steven Nga Tana, Karen Nguyen, Nicholas Nguyen-Paul, Jade Nichols, Emma Nimrat, Nuntana Nola, Raena Noland, Leah Nwokorie, Chinwe
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May 22, 2015 Workforce University of Cincinnati Limestone College McGill University Montgomery College Montgomery College Borough of Manhattan Community College University of Mississippi Hampton University Mount St. Mary’s University University of Maryland, College Park Montgomery College Frostburg State University University of Tennessee Towson University James Madison University Montgomery College University of Maryland, College Park Workforce Montgomery College Montgomery College College of Charleston James Madison University Mount St. Mary’s University North Carolina State University Eastern Mennonite University Marines Montgomery College Virgina Tech Fairmont State University Frostburg State University University of Maryland, Baltimore County St. Mary’s College of Maryland University of Maryland, College Park Goucher College Salisbury University University of Tennessee Navy University of Maryland, College Park Chowan University Marines Montgomery College Montgomery College University of Maryland, College Park University of Maryland, College Park Hillsdale College Hood College University of Maryland, College Park Towson University Seton Hall University Indiana University of Pennsylvania University of South Florida Montgomery College University of Maryland, Eastern Shore University of Tennessee James Madison University University of Maryland, Baltimore County Montgomery College Goucher College University of Maryland, College Park Montgomery College Vanderbilt University Montgomery College University of Maryland, College Park University of Utah University of Maryland, College Park
I will be attending the University of Utah in the fall. The school, which is in Salt Lake City, has one of the best dance programs on the West Coast because of its partnership with Ballet West in Salt Lake City. Besides that, I also want to study [physical therapy] because it’s always good to have a backup plan. ~ Leah Noland
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“I wanted to enlist in the Army because I want to get my college paid for, serve my country like most of the men in my family and to grow stronger as an individual. My grandpa, great grandpa, older brother, dad and uncle are still in the army or served for a period of time. I want to make my parents proud and make up for whatever wrong I caused them in the past and through my high school years.” ~ Andrew Presson
O’Connell, William O’Connell, Meghan O’Donnell, Tara Offord, Morgan O’Gwin, Madeline Oh, Jin-Young Omar, Naim O’Neale, Anastasia O’Neill, Matthew Opar, Parker Orenstein, Brett Ortega, Erik Oseni-Adegbite, Adedotun Ozkayan, Nicholas Paholski, Jake Palmer, Joseph
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Montgomery College Towson University George Washington University Spelman College University of Tennessee Montgomery College Allegany College of Maryland Wesley College Virginia Tech Pennsylvania State University Shenandoah Conservatory University Montgomery College Massachusetts Institute of Technology Montgomery College Montgomery College Workforce
Top 5 Schools Seniors Are Attending: Montgomery College (93 students) University of Maryland, College Park (53 students)
Towson University (34 students)
Salisbury University (16 students) University of Maryland, Baltimore County (14 students)
The Warrior•Destinations May 22, 2015 Panzer, Dylan Parikh, Urvi Pedrampour, Misha Persaud, Jr., Tony Pesach, Benjamin Phillips, Parker Phillips, Elijah Picciano, Joseph Pino, Joseph Pino, Alexandra Pittas, Michael Poe-Yamagata, Ian Popkin, Joshua Portillo, Mary Post, Rachel Presson, Andrew Prochaska, Joseph Profitt, Ashley Quiroz Pinto, Erick Rafferty, Annie Ramirez, Andrea Reams, Madison Reeves, Daniel Reintges, Spencer Richman, Devon Rinelli, Kristen Rivera Cordero, Luis Roberts, Blake Roberts, Dakontee Robinson, Matthew Robinson, Daniesha Rogers, Devin Romeo, Caitlin Romeo, Antonio Rowe, Jessica Rubinstein, Randi Ryan, Jake Saah, Kelly Sagastizado, Eric Sanchez, Dalton Santiago, Kenia Santos, William Sarecky, Gabriel Sarver, Alison Saviola, Mariella Schmitt, Helen Schmuckler, Gavin Schwartz, Allison Secka, Sheriff Settles Jr., Rufus Shaia, Jared Siberry, Vinod Silver, Jamilah Silverman, Rachel Singh, Shiffali Singleton, Helena Smart, Holly Snyder, Abigail Spann, Gabrielle St. Laurent, Thomas Starnes, Myanthony Stephanos, Katarina Steveson, Kelli Stitzlein, Kristin Stockinger, Nicole Stubblefield, Zachary Suddath, Allison Suissa, Alec Suon, Jennifer Sussman, Neven Swarr, Juliane Takiar, Chris Thompson, D’Andre Tirado, Kerra-Lei
Catholic University of America Montgomery College Montgomery College Towson University Workforce Montgomery College Trade School Montgomery College James Madison University Salisbury University Midlands Technical College University of Maryland, College Park Towson University Navy Georgetown University Army Navy West Virginia University Frostburg State University Villanova University Montgomery College Towson University University of Maryland, College Park Howard Community College University of Maryland, College Park University of Maryland, College Park ITT Technical Institute Embry Riddle Montgomery College Montgomery College Montgomery College University of South Carolina Montgomery College Montgomery College Towson University University of Wisconsin, Madison Florida State University Montgomery College Montgomery College Kowan University Tidewater Community College Liberty University University of Maryland, College Park University of Nevada, Reno University of San Diego Montgomery College Indiana University Juniata College North Carolina Wesleyan College Morgan State University Montana State University University of Maryland, College Park Northwestern University University of Delaware University of Maryland, College Park The Art Institute of Virginia Beach University of San Diego University of Pittsburgh Hofstra University Chesapeake Community College Westminster College Towson University Towson University University of South Carolina Towson University University of Miami University of Georgia Montgomery College Towson University University of Albany Towson University University of Maryland, College Park Montgomery College Rollins College
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15 students are going into the military
Todd, Natalie Tolson, Michelle Tosatto, Sebastian Tran, An Tran, Kevin Turcios Sorto, Carolina Tuttle, Jillian Uddin, Mehak Uffelman, Abegael Valenzuela, Karen Valois, Benjamin Vandenvalentyn, Eleza Waldron, Austyn Wang, Olivia Waseem, Ali Watkins, Ciara Weed, Charlotte Weir, Thomas Weiss, Jacob Weiss, Adam Weitzner, Megan Wells, Stacey Wengert, Hannah Wert, Marshall Weschler, Jennie West, Brenden Wheeler, Caitlin White, Cheyanne Whitt, Haley Wholihan, Molly Whyne, Andrew Williams, Kaleigh Willis, Isaiah Wilson, India Wischmann, Benjamin Wondimu, Betselot Wong, Kevin Woods, Lauren Woods, Tiffany Yahaya, Amina Yosef-Abebe, Egla Yun, Suh-Young Zarrelli, Michael Zavala, Amanda Zolnerowich, Nicholas
University of Central Florida Mount St. Mary’s University Coast Guard Military University of Maryland, College Park Trinity Washington University University of Maryland, College Park Towson University Temple University Montgomery College St. Mary’s College of Maryland Workforce Towson University Georgetown University University of Maryland, College Park Montgomery College Salisbury University East Carolina University Salisbury University University of Maryland, College Park Skidmore College University of Maryland, College Park Pennsylvania State University Workforce Davidson County Community College Montgomery College Montgomery College Towson University Towson University University of Mary Washington Montgomery College Saint Joseph’s University West Virginia University Hood College Johnson and Wales University University of Maryland, College Park Montgomery College Delaware State University Delaware State University Montgomery College University of Maryland, Eastern Shore University of Maryland, College Park Salisbury University Northeastern University University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Although The Warrior made an effort to include all members of the Senior Class, some students could not be contacted or did not want to be included in the Destinations Section.
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How would you say high school tasted? “Honey Crisp Apples—they’re good, but nothing too exciting.” - Ashleigh Daniels “Sour patch candy because it’s sour at the beginning “A pickle—I enjoy it but it still makes me but sweet when you’re getting ready to graduate.” cringe sometimes.” - Katlyn Mbanong - Ian Poe-Yamagata
“Like cereal when it gets mushy.” - Jessi Alperin
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“When I dated Hunter Moore!” - Austyn Waldron
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Best Parking
“When Adam Weiss stepped on my foot and broke it.” - Hayley Mazur
“First day of freshman year some upperclassmen that I knew threw me into a trash can head first.” - Austin Dowrick “Time of My Life by Pitbull” - Sonita Mendy
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“Already Gone by The Eagles” - Nicholas Zolnerowich
“Loser by Beck” - Aaron Auerbach
x e d t s e l e s c b ribe your hi schoo d l u o gh w g “Anyson
thing Could Happen”(Ellie Goulding) describes my school experience. I came here as a foreign student with low self-esteem, but I did many things I never thought I could.” - Jefferson Mercado Ruiz
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“Do your very best and have fun doing it!” - Michael Pittas
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“ Don’t be so shy and don’t be afraid to talk to your teachers. You should never give up on yourself.” -Nel Angedrine Jacques
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The Warrior•Features 10
May 22, 2015
Media Alters Dynamics Dorm Decorating Tips! Social of Finding Potential Roomate
For all seniors going away for college, dorm life will be a huge adjustment from living at home. Not only are you really going to miss Mom’s home cooking, but you’re also going to miss by Stacey Wells would be a really good match for the expanse of space and privacy your room at home offers. Lucky for you and your roomme … so I’m sure we’ll be great mate, here are some great tips for keeping your dorm room looking just as good as it is func- Many students are now roommates!” tional! Even with this system in finding their college roommate place, some students still prefer through social media, most fre2 3 1 quently by using their univer- to just take a roommate survey sities’ Facebook group. Set up or participate in Random Roomby college upperclassmen, these mate, which is when students groups are full of incoming fresh- allow their school to randomly man who are on the search for assign them a roommate. These potential roommates. In order students often cite how one canto connect with others before not judge a potential roommate’s they even step foot on campus, compatibility over the internet and students write a short bio about how someone could appear different onthemselves, 4 5 line than which usually in person. includes their “[Searching for a roomIt is also major, extracurriculars, mate on Facebook is] super more difNetflix hab- easy, even if it is pretty awk- ficult to change a its, and how much they ward at first. It definitely feels roommate later on like to go a little like online dating.” if the stuout. Through ~Senior Kristin Stitzlein dents have compiled by Gianna Bartolini these bios, selected students are 1. Home away from home 2. Staying warm is totally 3. A rug would be nice as able to find a each othdoesn’t have to mean home worth it. That’s why you should well—getting up is going to roommate with similar interests, er through the online ‘dating’ away from your loved ones. invest in a nice comforter in- be even more of struggle if which can make their first-year groups. Some students prefer to One way of keeping those stead of buying a cheap one, your tile floor is colder than college experience that much bet- keep their options open in case who are far away a bit closer especially if you’re a brave who knows what. A fun rug (not ter. Students then message one they wish to change roommates is by hanging pictures of your soul going up north. Not only white, it’ll get dirty and gross) another to further get to know later on. friends and family on the walls will it last a long time, but it will not only brighten the room, each other and see if they would Additionally, some colleges do not allow incoming freshman be compatible roommates. of your dorm, so that you’ll al- will keep you from getting cold but also encourage you to get “Almost every university has to choose their roommate, such come November or December. up and go to class. ways be able to see them. a Facebook page for incoming as in certain programs at Brigham 4. The room is filled from wall to wall (most like- 5. Having a green thumb for this tip is totally un- freshman, so I joined the one for Young University. “I picked ranly with photos, firefly lights, DIY wall décor and necessary. Having easy-going plants, like cacti USC [University of South Car- dom because the complex [with olina] and started the search … the five other guys] only let me tapestries), but not from floor to ceiling. Loft- or succulents can be a fun way to spruce up a it’s super easy, even if it is pret- know their names, nothing else,” ing the beds and putting your desk or dresser room (ha-ha, get my tree pun?). They require ty awkward at first; it definitely said senior Nikolas Krieger. “I underneath is a great way to maximize floor very little work to maintain and come in all kinds feels a little like online dating,” don’t think it’s a big deal … it space You can also buy bed risers if you don’t of colors. Some schools even allow you to have said senior Kristin Stitzlein. “Af- will only affect one semester want to climb all the way up to a lofted bed but fish, so if that sounds more up your alley, check ter talking to a few different peo- [and] it gives more of a reach of ple, I found someone who I felt the new student body.” still want extra storage space. with the school about their pet policy.
Retiring Teachers Give Their Final Farewells Gloria Condelli
English teacher at Sherwood since 2008; has taught in MCPS for 21 years; previously taught at Montgomery Village Middle School and Takoma Park Middle School. Q: What roles did you have throughout your teaching career? A: In all schools I’ve taught, I have been the union rep, so I’ve always enjoyed my roll there helping other teachers out and representing them, especially lately because I feel that with the accountability movement and with No Child Left Behind, although its goals are laudable, it has increased pressures on teachers in ways that have had to be addressed. Q: What are your plans for the future? A: Well, initially I’m going to travel quite a bit. I will be going to Australia as soon as school gets out, and then I’ll be going to Italy this fall. I’m really excited for this first year of traveling, and I hope to do some writing myself.
Constance Lee
Counselor at Sherwood for eight years; has been teacher and counselor in MCPS for more than 20 years; previously worked as administrator for summer programs for the orthopedically handicapped in Prince Georges County. Q: What are your favorite memories of counseling? A: I think when I have students that are struggling with school and then I work with them day after day and meet with them over and over but finally they turn the corner and have a break through. They realize if they work hard and do their homework they will see a reward. Q: What are your plans for the future? A: I want to have more time for my parents. When I work many, many hours I just don’t have time, and I haven’t had the time that I think I should have for them. I also want to travel, so I do have some designated funds and plans for that. I’ve never been to Greece or New Zealand, so I will have to check then off my list of destinations.
Rosanne Ferris
Teacher in the School-Community Based Program (SCBP) and Learning for Independence (LFI) programs at Sherwood since 1993; except for one year with Special Ed staff at Gaithersburg Middle School. Q: What roles did you have throughout your teaching career? A: I was a sponsor for Best Buddies for nine years. It was gratifying to see friendships form between our students with intellectual disabilities and the General-Ed students. Because our students are largely in self-contained classrooms for academic support, they don’t have many opportunities to interact with General-Ed students. Best Buddies gave them the chance to do things together. Not only do these friendships enrich the lives of our students, it helps them feel more a part of the school social environment. Our students enjoy the same things as non-disabled students: Parties, music, “hanging out,” etc. Q: What are your plans for the future? A: I have two children now working and living in Germany and Australia … so I’ll be whipping out that passport. I’d also like to take a stab at writing high-interest books for young adult students with intellectual disabilities. At any cognitive level, reading is so important, and there is a paucity of written material for this population.
Diane Niedzialkowski
Has taught at Sherwood the past two years; has taught for a total of 18 years; also taught at Wheaton and Springbrook in past. Q: What are your favorite memories of teaching? A: Mentoring students on the Green Team in creating a video advocating for the replacement of foam trays in the cafeteria with a more sustainable option. This has happened. Q: What are your plans for the future? A: I am taking an environmental research expedition to the Amazon Rainforest this summer. I am also relocating to Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
The Warrior•Features
11
May 22, 2015
Words of Wisdom Based on their past experiences, teachers offer their advice to seniors on college and life after high school.
To shamelessly paraphrase Amy Schumer: Be your own fairy godmother. You decide if you are beautiful. You decide if you are strong. You decide your story. Beth Dibler
“Love what you do and do what you love … Imagination should be the center of Two simple words, yes, your life” (Ray Bradbury). and no, will form your Christiane Lock
future and who you are as a person. Use them wisely and well. Emilia Gonzales
Civility is the most arrow powerful in your quiver to make the world a better place. Scott Allen
Remember success is not judged or valued solely in the financial gains one has acquired. Success is measured in the miles you have traveled to experience new places, lasting friendships you hold close to your heart and the contributions you have made to ensure each day on Earth is a better world because of your own personal actions. Jodie Friedman
Keep an open mind and an open heart. Just as there is no limit to how much a mind can learn in a lifetime, there is no limit to how much a heart can love. Learn deeply, love generously and welcome Pursue a life of joy. This takes new people and new opvigilance–for you must surround portunities into your lives. with the people, work and Gloria CondelliWork,yourself waitthat andbring win. joy, Attend, adapt things and distance and yourself acquire.fromRead, receive and that which doesn’t. reason. Respect, reconcile and reSo aim to keep it simple and find solve.your Investigate, invent and inspire. joy. See as muc h of the Observe, obtain and Aileen outwit.Woolley Realworld as you can; ize, revitalize and rejoice. Standa “It’s the possibility of having it is one enormous dream come true that makes life up, support and smile. WARRIORS playground! 2015!interesting” (Paulo Coelho). John Falls Find your purpose; live authenticalAlexandria Green ly; live intensely.
Patty Jasnow
Be ready to encounter obstacles and pitfalls; these are part of life. Whether it is finances, the death of a loved one, a serious illness, an accident, you will no doubt encounter some obstacle. Rather than let it get in the way of reaching your goals and living your dreams be persistent and resilient. Cathy Cross Don’t be afraid to change or make adjustments to your “course.” Up until now, a lot of people have been telling you who and what you are. Only you know what you are. Mistakes made now are magnified by time. And “an error doesn’t become a mistake until you refuse to correct it” (O.A. Battista). Thomas Cohan
Make sure to thing durin get involved with s o g college ... it will he memeet new lp you people an d help ma lege more ke co m major and emorable. Try to fi lnd th you happy en career(s) that m a ak a want to liv nd lets you live how es e. Good lu you ck. Brendan L ee
Visit The Warrior Online to view more Words of Wisdom and Shoutouts!
Shoutouts to Our Educators … Bill Evans
“He has made such a big impact on me and my love for music. His belief in me makes me believe in myself.” – Gabby Spann
Britani Greco
“She’s a great teacher, fun person and takes a lot of stress off her students. She gives great advice and is always there to help her students.” – Nicholas Ozkayan
Katherine Jaffe
“She is always very helpful and always makes sure you are comfortable and get good grades. Always positive and always in a good mood.” – Kelly Saah
A special thank you to … “Any of the janitors because of their hard work and dedication that goes unnoticed to many.” – Grant Fricke
12
Senior Columns
Class of 2015
Thanks from a Future Author by Meagan Barrett
Maybe I’m the only one, but high school wasn’t what I would call “fun times.” It was the source of a lot of frustration, anxiety and disappointment, mostly because of the people. However, at the same time, that was the biggest learning experience of all for me, the most useful knowledge that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. I can say without a trace of doubt that the source of my disappointment was my own creation. Growing up naive and obsessed with books, I expected real people to act like the main characters I spent so much time reading about. Because why shouldn’t they? When the characters disappointed everyone, they decided to change. They were active growers, and they used that to achieve their goals. But upon starting high school, I was abruptly made aware of the sad truth: real people aren’t like that. Most real people are the annoying secondary characters that make problems for the main character. For that utterly crushing disillusionment, I’d like to thank my high school experience, and everyone reading this, but mostly those who aren’t reading this, because you have each taught me something about writing realistic characters, especially the people I haven’t exactly gotten along with. The most useful thing that I’ve learned throughout my English classes is that for characters to be likable, there has to be a part of them that no one really likes. Every second longer that I spend writing, my appreciation for the individual increases. Every person I meet is a learning experience, a potential character with goals and flaws and personality quirks. So little do you all know it, but I’ll remember you. Whether or not you’ll remember me ten years from now, you’ve been profiled in my head as a personality that I can use. And at some point in our short lives, you’ll all show up in my novel. Some of you will be presidents or princes or best friends. Others will be janitors, and talking doormats named Luther, and whiny, snotty older sisters, with names like “Candace,” or “Gertrude.” I know, it hurts. Try not to cry about it.
Winning Everything, Except Basketball by Leo Corman
I want to tell you the story of one of the greatest OBGC House Basketball teams to ever don a cotton jersey. I want to tell you about a ragtag group of misfits that came together against all odds to shock the world. I want to tell you about an array of skill, athleticism and swagger that could rival any ever assembled. I want to tell you how the path of such a remarkable team was ultimately derailed by injuries and snow days. I want to tell you about the Olney Mustardseeds. At our first practice, we were truly a sight to behold: 10 ballers with no prior experience playing together, looking to achieve something special. We were like the Miami Heat in their first season with LeBron, except we had more talent, and Hall-of-Fame coach Dan Weiss, recently emerging from retirement, along with rookie coach Mark Glaudemans, faced the difficult task of making sure so much basketball ability could exist on one court at the same time. While we had never played together before, we were already all accomplished athletes. There was Owen, with a wingspan longer than a jet plane and a jaw line stronger than Tom Brady’s, who dominated the paint on offense
and defense; Adam, a.k.a. “Mr. Chill” or just “Bro,” whose post fundamentals were on par with those of Tim Duncan and whose free-throw shooting was the best in the game; Vinod, a.k.a. “Handles,” whose off-balance front-spin shots baffled defenses game after game; Brian, whose unstoppable pull-up jumper and positive attitude never failed to give the team a boost; Jared, a.k.a. “The Tank,” who set OBGC rebounding and shoulder-width records; Ethan, the defensive specialist, whose friendly disposition and cheery smile belied his tenacious on-court presence; Josh and Brendan, a.k.a. “Those Jewish kids,” whose scrappiness and hustle made them exceptional team players; Michael, the league’s top three-point shooter and ankle-breaker; and of course there was me, the point guard who orchestrated all that talent. Unfortunately, history will probably remember the Mustardseeds as the goofy team that finished last in the league and wore running shorts to a basketball game, but I’ll remember the awesome teammates that made a 3-13 season truly fun. Playing a sport I love with a great group of friends was one of my most rewarding experiences in high school, and in college I’ll look forward to using sports to build friendships and make connections with people.
Don’t Lose Your Balance
by Betselot Wondimu
One thing I’ve heard too many times from adults is the worn message that “you shouldn’t waste your time doing anything you don’t want to.” My gut instinct every time I hear that is to scold them for being so blindly naive in their mid-lives, but I end up restraining myself for my sake and theirs. If there’s one thing I’ve learned this year, it’s that you do, in fact, have to do things you don’t have an interest in if you want to move forward in your life. During my senior year, with a lot of academic expectations and requirements seemingly lifted, I really rearranged my priorities in terms of what I want to do versus what I don’t. Even though I’ve understood the importance of education from a young age, I found myself thinking, “Man, this Chemistry lab is due in two days, and I should really study for this Statistics test; but ‘Tetsuo & Youth’ and ‘B4.Da.$$’ just came out on the same day, and I want to go listen to them ten times each.” Still, I always tried to do what I knew I needed to first in order to move to-
ward my broader goal (fives on those AP exams, homie). These types of situations will probably transform themselves into more serious forms in the future. Personally, I’m going to have to put myself in more social environments if I want to make lasting connections with people, even though I’d rather chill in my dorm with an album or a book. You might have to take a certain course you don’t want to in order to fulfill a requirement for your major, and there’s nothing you’ll be able to do about it; You might have to take on an inconvenient internship or job during a summer, and you’ll have to suck it up and put your end goals before what you want at the moment. Life will always put you in situations where you have conflicting positions; where what you want to do may not be what you need to do. Don’t spoil yourself by always doing what you want, but at the same time, don’t torture yourself by always doing what you think is best for your career. You have to find the right balance that will maximize your happiness and minimize your sorrow.
What High School Really Taught Me by Brian Hughes The thought that some people have about your four years of high school being some of the best in your life is a questionable one to me. For my sake, at least, I hope it’s not so. Come graduation, I don’t want to be standing there in a cap and gown with my diploma thinking about how “the best years of my life” are already behind me, and more importantly, about how doomed I am for the rest of my life if that was the best part of it. But even with that said, I don’t think I would change a whole lot given the chance to go back and do it all over again. Dealing with the pressures and obstacles of Sherwood over the past four years has shaped my character to my satisfaction and has taught me a few life lessons. Take for instance all of the bright, colorfully confident students here who just overflow with intelligence and self-proclaimed potential, so much so that they can’t help but share with you all the things they know (especially about themselves). These types of kids can teach you a great deal, like how to restrain impulses you have to give your input and instead sit back and laugh to yourself contently. And then there are the lucky students out there who have already aligned their futures and realize school doesn’t need to be a part of it, so they do everything they can to divert their priorities from class. I can’t thank these people enough for giving me daily examples of mannerisms to avoid copying myself. Ultimately, the most important thing I have learned in high school, if anything, is how to roll with the things that I can’t change and know that what lies within the school’s walls is not everything life has to offer. The one thing I will miss, however, is the anticipation felt when I think about what my later years will bring.
To My Future Roommate: It’s The Truth 13
by Annie Feinroth
This is not going to be about my experience at Sherwood because honestly, I’m completely focused on this coming year. Yes, the devastatingly fatal disease of senioritis has hit me. I don’t think about my PsychSim or my Calculus test. I am stressing over my deposit not going through or how I am going to be able to function in a different state. (I’m going to JMU). I’m thinking about my college schedule and if I will genuinely get along with my roommate myself and not someone fake. So, I am going to take this time to address my roommate, because hopefully the rest of it will work itself out. Listen Courtney, we all advertised our best sides on that Facebook group, but here I’m going to give it to you straight. First, I burp a lot. I apologize now, but you
have got to come to terms with that quickly. People burp. I do love pizza and movies, that’s definitely true. To be truthful, I’ll probably go to just a few athletic events, not a lot. The games, plus the people and the noise, it’s too much. Sorry. I sort of sugar-coated the sleeping part. I love my sleep. If you decide to come stomping through our hall and banging on the door at 3 a.m., I will be pissed for a month. Also, life gets in the way of keeping my room clean. I will work on that—someday. In all likelihood, I will not work out with you. Running or going to the gym is my time to get away from people and socializing; why would I want to include someone? I’ll need that time to de-stress on my own. My sarcasm is a level that you probably won’t get. That’s okay. Just be prepared to question everything I say—serious or not. Also, I will correct text messages if you make a spelling
Retro Tracksuit
by Hunter Moore
I was a freshman entering a big high school, and I didn’t want to be like the rest of the freshmen. I wanted to stand out … but how? I thought about this a great deal. I ran for class VP (and won), which was a start, but it wasn’t different enough and I just ended up having an extra workload on top of sports. But it all changed when I was watching an independent film and one of the main characters was strolling around in a bright red tracksuit, and an idea kicked my head. I saved up money, compiled $200 and purchased a bright red throwback Adidas tracksuit with matching kicks and wore it to school the next Tuesday, deeming it “Tracksuit Tuesday.” I
by Haley Whitt
became known around school as the tall awkward freshman who wore a tracksuit. This got people to believe that I had a sense of humor, which led to me being awarded the title of Class Clown, and gaining enough popularity to be the SGA Secretary for two years. Without that tracksuit, I wouldn’t be the man I am today. Well, maybe that’s not true, but I just love that tracksuit, and you bet your hiney I’ll be bringing it to college. High school has been a fouryear long journey, and I’ve valued every second of it. I’ll miss coming to Sherwood everyday (although I’ll not miss waking up at 6:15). I’ll be a Warrior for as long as I live; I’ll have my tracksuit for as long as I live. I’ll always do what I can to stand out in a sea of people who do not know much about me.
Groupthink
Whether we like to admit it or not, we are concerned with our social image and how other people see us. This seems reasonable, given the fact that much of our lives are spent in groups. In addition to socializing, playing sports and working together, groups deliver us our social identity, which adds to our sense of who we are. So what happens when we find ourselves floating between different groups of people and never truly fitting into just one category? Up until about halfway through my high school career, I had thought that fitting into a group was one of the most important social aspects of high school (likely due to the cliché that says high school is where you find yourself and who your true friends are, but clearly, I wasn’t finding that). I have come to realize that it isn’t about what group you fit into; it is about being around people who bring out the best in you. Personally, I have found that the people I associate myself with are all completely different, meaning they have come from different groups themselves, but they all bring out positive sides of me that motivate and support me. It is important to focus on ourselves and how to make ourselves the best that we can be instead of concentrating on trying to fit in, because it shouldn’t require effort to feel part of a friendship or group (this includes cutting out the feelings that make us feel alone or secluded from groups). It is much better to have a few widespread friends that you can completely be yourself with than having several friends within a specific group who don’t even relate to you. Being independent is a scary part of growing up, but it gives us all a chance to truly be ourselves and not feel pressured to conform to any certain social group. As I graduate from Sherwood and move on to be a Tiger at Towson, I look forward to seeing new faces and making connections with people that I can (fingers crossed) effortlessly get along with and that can enrich my educational experience.
or grammatical mistake; it’s a habit. There are going to be times—probably a lot—when I am going to hang out with other people. We do not need to do everything together. I know I said that I wanted my roomie to be my best friend, my pal and my soulmate, but it’s hard to meet your best friend over Facebook. I completely lied on one part, so my apologies. I will not party as much as I study. Speech Pathology/ Audiology is a seriously hard major. I’m going to need to graduate, so I will be working my butt off. Just to be clear, no I will not come home with you for Thanksgiving. Because why would I take that free time to see my own family instead of spending the most family-orientated holiday with your family? Yay. Alright, try not to let these flaws cloud your awesome judgment to room with me.
Out With the Old, In With the New
by Stephen Luckey
High school was always something I feared prior to my entrance to Sherwood. I remember my first day of freshman year and how the hallways were stuffed to the gills with students I had never seen. I remember it all felt like a blur. The thing about high school is it’s all just a game. We as students are the players, and the adversity we face will either lead us to victory or swallow us whole. Popularity in high school is what drives us adolescents to do the things we never imagined just to feel accepted and a part of something special. Admittedly, I used to care about that, and I would legitimately diminish myself just because some “posse” of kids didn’t want me in their group. I know now that all I needed was a purpose to come and get an education. I know now that my handful of friends gave me the best of times. The ones who were there with me from the start to the end are those who kept high school fun for me. If I could go back and change one thing in high school, I would’ve tried to put myself out there more, and step away from my comfort zone. I wish I hung out with people with different interests than me, in hopes of seeing different ways of life and alternative methods of dealing with things. I’ve had a lot of fun in high school, and I’ve had time for reflection. I spent two years wrestling, which was a huge time-commitment, but well worth it. I was a part of the best high school newspaper in the nation where we produced quality stuff for the eyes of the Sherwood community. I found myself intrigued by topics that would have bored me to sleep in ninth grade, and it is interesting to recognize my growth through high school. Outside of school, I had Friday night’s fishing, and Monday morning’s caffeine-filled conversations with my father. The little things in life have a way of finding a place in your memory. “The Wood” has been a great place of excitement, but it feels so good to say high school is all over now.
by Jack Armstrong
For Reel
I have always known what I wanted to do after high school: be a filmmaker. As high school comes to an end, it’s hard to explain the level of passion and dedication I have for filmmaking. Most people would probably assume I just like to sit around watching movies and TV shows (I do to some extent) and that is why I want to go into film and television, but my interest in film is so much more than that. Throughout high school, the short films and documentaries I have worked on have helped me better understand why this is definitely what I want to do. Everyone will tell you the four years of high school will go by quickly, and they are absolutely right. It may be hard “to see the point of high school” especially if you are like me and have a very specific career focus and passion. They will also tell you high school is a time for you to learn from your mistakes, which couldn’t be more true. When I joined The Warrior staff my junior
year, it quickly became a place where I could write about important issues and help inform others, but also to try new things. The new app, Aurasma, put video content in the paper this year. My sports photojournalism has helped calm my patience and need for total perfection. The first picture I take is never going to be the best, but if I keep moving around and shooting I will eventually get it right. I still remember the moment I captured one of my best sports photos: I just happened to be on the right side of the court as Xav McCants went for the dunk, and everything about the photo just came together perfectly. Looking back on these past four years, it’s hard to sum up the countless opportunities Sherwood has provided me. I am glad I learned more about myself and the direction I want my future to go in. Take any experience in high school and learn from it, figure out what you love doing and find a way to make it work. Whatever you want to do after high school, what is most important is that you never stop believing in yourself.
14 How Math Changed My Life 14
by Connor Loughran
My grades weren’t the best freshman and sophomore years. In fact, I had to go to summer school for Algebra II my sophomore year. However, I learned more than math that summer. I learned that there are consequences for not taking responsibility, and because I put in my best effort in summer school, I learned that hard work really does pay off. Sure it may seem cliché, but it’s true. Yet that wasn’t the only lesson I learned in high school. I also learned that having good friends who not only care about you, but want you to succeed, will actually help you succeed. If it weren’t for my best friend who advised me on course selection and urged me to challenge myself during my junior year, and without the help from the countless teachers who worked tirelessly to help me through high school, I may not have taken or been able to take the classes that truly interested me. Through all this, I learned to challenge myself and take risks. Without taking risks, I wouldn’t have taken Journalism my junior year and found out that I love writing news articles. Without taking risks, I probably wouldn’t have found something that I’d like to do in the future. And if I had not tried to do my best my junior and senior years, I might not have improved my overall GPA enough to get into college. Maybe I just got lucky, but I don’t think that’s the case. I honestly believe that through hard work and taking responsibility for myself, I got to where I am today.
Eat, Pray, Football
by Zach Stubblefield
Thank You
by Stacey Wells
When I entered my sophomore year, I wasn’t involved in any clubs or organizations at Sherwood. My mom and I argued about it (well, more of her making a decision and me resisting). I was to join something that year and it better be interesting. I refused to stay long hours after school and with my lack of ideas, I signed up for the school newspaper. Surprisingly, this one rash decision completely changed my high school experience. I had to take the prerequisite course ‘Journalism’ in tenth grade, so I joined the staff at the start of my junior year. My first day of newspaper consisted of some very loud and intimidating seniors, Huck saying something about InDesign (what the heck was that?) and receiving a HUGE calendar full of articles. Like almost all new experiences, it was overwhelming at first, but after a while it all started to make sense. Throughout the past two years on staff, I’ve written tons (almost too many) of rough draft articles, interviewed some pretty interesting people, and learned how to work as a team in a professional-like setting. But more importantly, I’ve learned which chairs in the newspaper office are the comfiest (the black twisty ones), how many people you can shove into one tiny office (20 students and one Huck) and the amount of time it takes for food to disappear (0.1 second). I’ve learned the exact number of people who forget to wear their staff t-shirts when they’re supposed to (myself included) and how many words you can type into a spreadsheet before your eyes go numb (somewhere between 200 and 300). I’ve learned that the newspaper office is always open and that you can usually find an awesome staff member lounging in one of the comfy chairs. So thank you mom for forcing me into a club, specifically this one. And thank you Newspaper for giving me memories I won’t forget.
I’ve done many extracurricular activities during my time at high school and they’ve all been a blast, but without a doubt football has made me grow the most as a person. As cliché as it sounds, football really is a character builder. It is a weird microcosm of life. People are forced to work together for a common goal, and they don‘t always like the people they are working with. There may be a punk rocker and a freakytoo who are next to each other, and they must learn to coexist. Coaches, much like bosses, may be difficult at times, but you learn to persevere. You may need to learn how to play through an injury or sickness, but be smart enough at the same time to say something if you cannot play through it. A football team is its own little violent company. The fun I had in football led me to try other extracurriculars. The desire to work with a wide range of people led me to try Rock ‘n’ Roll. The authoritarian nature of football coaches gave me enough thick skin to put up with Mr. Huck, The Warrior’s sponsor, when he got extra red and angry during newspaper. The resilience football taught me allowed me to run through nagging injuries during track without trepidation. Football has motivated me to try tons of new things, but I certainly cannot say that it was all a great experience. Doing homework into the wee hours of the morning because we HAD to get an hour lift in before our three-hour practice was certainly frustrating; being called “slow, fat and athletic” in front of my teammates was trying; losing my senior homecoming game because of a coaching gaffe was undoubtedly heartbreaking. Despite all this, the good times definitely made up for the bad. Whenever football knocked me down my teammates and friends were always there to pick me back up. The whirlwind of experiences football has put me through the past four years is what has had the greatest impact on my high school experience.
Your Girl From Channel 36
by Allie Pino
Before I even begin and start getting into my feelings, I want to warn you that my experience with high school didn’t turn out like any other seniors. And in no way, shape or form am I setting up a pathway for future generations to walk along. This column has been written strictly for my fans that know me from the hit television show “Warrior Wake-Up Live” and all those that want to know how I managed my days at Sherwood High. Let’s start the show! The past four years of high school have turned out to be different than what I imagined. I remember the first day I came home from school. I got off the bus, into my car and said to my mom, “High school is not for me!” My freshman and sophomore years were challenging. I mean, I was a scrawny, fourteenyear-old, in the mix of finding my identity, while attending a school where the students looked like they had already graduated college. There was one incident where I found myself lost in the hallway. Next to me was a tall guy with a fullgrown beard. I was going to ask him for help, but I stopped myself because I didn’t know if he was a teacher or student. I was really confused on how I would make
a name for myself, considering all the other “unique” characters/students I was up against, but things cleared up junior and senior year. I finally found a class I enjoyed, and as you probably guessed, it was TV Production. Along side my co-anchors Ashley Profitt and Isaiah Willis, I became one of three main hosts, “reporting live from the Sherwood TV Studio.” I learned to “talk the talk” and “walk the walk.” With this newly found talent, one would think I wouldn’t be able to handle my hectic schedule. The publicity and fame did come pretty fast, but it never put obstacles in my way. I maintained good grades, while still having time for all my fans that wanted a picture or an autograph from me. What can I say; I’m a giver! But in all seriousness, the goal all along was to find my identity by the time I graduated from high school. I found something I was really good at (being a well-known celebrity) and managed to pass a milestone at the same time. I’ll admit things were stressful, and getting to the point I’m at today wasn’t a walk in the park. To get through it all, I’ll offer you this piece of advice (and my motto): in high school, you learn that if you’re late, you might as well be hella late and go get some breakfast. Or have one of your workers bring it for you.
Speaking Words of Wisdom, Let it Be
by Emma Hierholzer For some reason, unbeknownst to me, I have trouble relating to today’s music. Call me crazy but as hard as I try, as much as I ponder their words, I cannot find humanity’s truths in, “My anaconda don’t want some unless you got buns hon”. Weird, right? So, I thought for my final piece in the Warrior I would educate those who have never ventured beyond the confines of Taylor Swift, Jason Derulo or that annoying bald guy who always yells “dalé”, and let those much wiser speak (or sing rather) for the important life lessons every young person should know – a much needed lesson in both wisdom and music history. You’re welcome. 1. “Ev’rybody knows That Baby’s got new clothes But lately I see her ribbons and her bows Have fallen from her curls,” “Just Like A Woman” (Bob Dylan) Life Lesson: People change and transform in high school. And it doesn’t stop here. People are fluctuating and moving all the time and if you want to maintain relationships, you have to learn to accept that. 2.“These days I seem to think a lot About the things that I forgot to do For you And all the times I had The chance to,” “These Days” (Jackson Browne) Life Lesson: When you want to do something, think about what you can do to achieve that goal today! Life sneaks up on you, and if you’re too slow, you could end up behind. 3.“Don’t you draw the queen of diamonds boy She’ll beat you if she’s able You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet,” “Desperado” (The Eagles) Life Lesson: Money doesn’t always show you the way to love. Pursue what you love, but don’t live your life in the pursuit of that tempting green paper. 4.“I’m a street walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm I’m a runaway son of the nuclear a-bomb I am a worlds forgotten boy The one who searches and destroys,” “Search & Destroy” (Iggy Pop) Life Lesson: Although I don’t necessarily condone all his activities, take a pointer from this particular musician and live your life like a total punk-god. If YOLO was around back in Iggy’s days, I’m sure he’d be a frequent offender of using that catchy acronym.
Anarchy Club, My Sole Regret What I Learned in High School 15 by Gianna Bartolini I’ve heard theories about what high school should be. One is that it’s where you’re supposed to find where, and with whom, you fit in. The school community emphasizes belonging, whether it is a club, a team or a friend group. Students are often pressured into these activities, then into embodying the ideals and values of whatever they decide to become a part of. Crazy thought: what if that’s totally wrong? During my early years at Sherwood, I surrendered to the indoctrination the school was dishing out. I tried to personify my interests and assimilate to my friends. At this point, though, I’ve realized that high school is really where you’re supposed to figure out who you are. If you make friends who can always support you along the way, that’s an added bonus, but otherwise, you’re not gonna figure yourself out; you’ll only learn to fake it convincingly. This brings me to Anarchy Club. It seems like the only thing better than joining a club is starting one. If I felt the urge to conform to the model student, I would, characteristically, do it in the most ironic way possible. My pitch would be as follows: The Anarchy Club is a club where people of all
by Catherine Jou
ages, races, genders, religions, etc. can find a place to do whatever they want. The first rule of the club is that there are no rules, no officers, and absolutely no organized activities. Members are free to express themselves however and may engage in debates/discussions at their own discretion. They’re welcome to explore free-thinking, do whatever and be natural. Anyways, while you’re shoving pamphlets at the poor freshmen at orientation, scaring them and enticing them at once, consider this: society’s expectation for us is that we know who we are by the time we’re eighteen. If you accept that challenge, knowing yourself ASAP is imperative. Before joining twenty clubs, four varsity sports and approximately fourteen group chats, think about what it is doing to your individuality. Then see the Anarchy Club’s booth in the back corner. Maybe there’s someone representing … but then again, nothing’s mandatory, so maybe not.
by Marie Moeller After several drafts, I finally decided that the easiest way to express my thoughts toward high school is through a list of 40 things I learned. So, I learned 1. I would rather have two close friends than a friend group, 2. Durkheim’s theory of social integration, 3. sleep deprivation is the norm, 4. a B will not kill me, 5. how to fake a smile around people I don’t like, 6. how to apply the therapies from AP Psychology, 7. communication is key, 8. how to drive a car, 9. friends are allies, 10. pints of ice cream were made to be split, 11. I want to explore the world 12. National Honor Society is a joke, 13. nice is different than good, 14. the fundamental theorem of calculus (parts one and two), 15. writing is a form of release, 16. you can’t always go to your dream college, 17. what it feels like to be betrayed, 18. naps are not just for old men, 19. I aspire to be bohemian, 20. not to expect much of the future, 21. your friends will not always be there for you, 22. my intelligence cannot and should not be identified by a test score, 23. how to operate behind the scenes, 24. I’m a feminist, 25. the best way to learn is through experience, 26. pineapple’s mean “you are perfect,” 27. New Year’s is a pointless holiday, 28. that I let people walk all over me, 29. what veganism means, 30. I’m an introvert, 31. I have no tolerance for superficial people, 32. labels were made for conformity and self-acceptance, 33. you can maintain long distance friendships, 34. drinking coffee at 10 p.m. will keep me awake until 3 a.m., 35. no one prepares you for when the reality of graduation hits, 36. people make naïve promises because we want to live in the moment, 37. summer brings life, 38. people will lie, 39. these people will not change, and 40. everything changes.
Random is Calling
I don’t know who I am, what I will be like in the future and how I was perceived through this purgatory we call high school. In the eyes of my friends I’ll probably be remembered for being notoriously random and abstract. To most of my teachers, I was more likely than not your typical, quiet and average-performing student. Lastly, and perhaps most relevant to those reading this, are my peers but who knows what they think of me. I’m pretty sure my friends make fun of me for some of my quirky sayings like “cry cry,” but at the same time they’ve started using these sayings in conversations with others. So I can’t help but feel content for starting a weird trend of using action/emotion metonymies within my group. I’ve also noticed that after I first dyed half of my hair my junior year I began subsequently noticing others with similar styles. Now I’m not trying to sound pretentious, but I feel like I was the first to do it at our school (and even if I wasn’t, that doesn’t matter because it’s the thought that counts). So yes, I guess you could call me a trendsetter, but if that sounds too egotistical for your liking I guess inspirer is good alternative. I mean it makes me cry cry when people can’t take a joke. I never actively sought to be different or weird or random. I just did what I wanted to do and whether you know me by my twotoned hair or my bewildered persona, can you really say you know me? While reading this you are probably thinking I seem pretty extroverted, but I’m actually only that way around my friends. Most of my high school days have been bland and uneventful. I haven’t really learned much and still don’t know what I’m going to do in life, but everyone should have fun, be weird, talk to random people and be themselves.
by Ankur Kayastha
Patience is a Virtue
Adolescence is a confusing time in everyone’s life. You have the expectations of an adult, but the freedom of a child. You are guaranteed to make mistakes, yet no one seems to understand when you do. This is the life of many teens going through high school, especially if you don’t hang around the right people. The people around you singlehandedly become the most important aspect you can control. They can make you the happiest, and they can mess you up. The first two years of high school are easily the most boring. You have to be concerned about school because freshman and sophomore year are the foundation of your academic life. You have to care, and if you don’t, good luck to you in the future. It’s repetitive and slow, but you get through it. Attempting to fit in with friend groups becomes cumbersome, and you really don’t know yourself yet. Then comes junior year. It will arguably be the worst year of your life thus far, in terms of rigor and workload. That’s when you go hardcore and show colleges what you’ve got – filled transcript, standardized testing and added lines to the résumé. You will lose
sleep and it will be a long year. But school isn’t the hard part. It’s choosing the right people to be around. In the midst of junior year, everyone changes, whether they acknowledge it or not. This is the year everyone is able to drive on his or her own and become virtually independent, or at least elusive. Exposure to drugs and alcohol become a reality and friend groups change. Radically. Curiosity really kicks in when you’re 16 or 17, but some people go off the rails with it. What you longed for so much—freedom and a limitless atmosphere—may be more overwhelming than you would like to believe. It isn’t easy making decisions that could offset your future. I walked in wanting to make all the friends in the world. It’s my senior year now and I’m most proud of the select few friends I’ve found. I’ve only got like, five, but I’d let each and every one of them live in my basement if it comes down to it. Whether they’re minutes away at Maryland, or more than 4 hours away at Pitt, Amherst or BYU, I know I’ll always have people to count on. You’ll know who your real friends are by the end. If you’ve got a nickname, you made the cut. I can count mine on one hand because I took my time finding them. That’s what I call adulthood.
Don’t Wait for Friday
by Julia Gajewski-Nemes
Through the majority of my high school career I felt as though I was Sisyphus, a king in Greek mythology that was punished for chronic deceitfulness by being compelled to roll a massive bolder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down, repeating this action forever. Now, I don’t think that I struggled with chronic deceitfulness, but I definitely did feel as though I got caught in a perpetual cycle of working unnaturally hard for five days and spending my two days of “rest” dreading the five days that were to come. Many would blame my angst on school itself, but reflecting back, I am ultimately the one at fault. At the time, I didn’t realize that there is a fine line between hard work and overwork and that I had well overstepped that line. I would turn down exciting, conceivably memorable opportunities Sunday through Thursday because I had this preconceived notion that those days were strictly for work. Mid-junior year, however, I finally understood the importance of balance and taking advantage of the experiences adolescence has to offer. It is a time when I am tied down by relatively nothing–a time when I should be experimenting and experiencing because, at this point, I have very little to lose. I don’t remember how I came to this realization, but I do remember my mom’s interminable lectures about “finishing strong” and how “this [wasn’t] the time to stop caring about [my] future.” While I see where she was coming from, what she didn’t understand was that my change in approach toward school was not a result of laziness but of a newly found awareness. I hadn’t decided that it was okay to fail out of school; I had just realized that there are priorities more important than being the seemingly perfect student. As I move on to college, it is my mission to make my weekdays more enjoyable. There is no reason why the name of a day should dictate the amount of joy I find in it, so everyday I am going to give myself something to look forward to. Whether it be catching a mid-week movie, going for a hike every Monday after my classes or having a spontaneous lunch date with my best friend, there will always be something to smile about that will make each day pleasantly memorable.
16
An Open Letter …
Dear Underclassmen, We’ve roamed these halls for four years, and by this point, I think we can say that we know a thing or two about high school. We’ve dealt with drama, struggled to balance school work with our social lives, and created fond memories of bathroom parties, hanging out with friends and, of course, Newspaper. So now we want to pass on our knowledge to you: 1. Make quality friends early on, so they can be there to support you throughout the years. 2. Don’t be too serious about your school work, but don’t blow it off either. Everyone needs time to relax. Know when to make school or your social life a
priority to minimize stress. 3. Join clubs or sports. Get involved in the Sherwood community so you can make friends and have fun while finding a passion. 4. Appreciate the teachers who care. They are not always easy to come by so don’t take them for granted. We, as The Warrior Senior Staff, are so thankful for the opportunity we have had through Newspaper to learn each of these things. So, as our final sign off: have some grit and have fun with high school— you deserve it. ~ The Warrior Senior Staff
Warrior Senior Staff Managing Editors: Marie Moeller Betselot Wondimu
Content Directors: Meagan Barrett Leo Corman Ankur Kayastha Photographers: Jack Armstrong Haley Whitt Advisor: Peter Huck
Section Editors: News Connor Loughran Sports Jack Armstrong Destinations Allie Pino Spotlight Emma Hierholzer Features Annie Feinroth Columns Julia Gajewski-Nemes
Staff Writers: Gianna Bartolini Kaleigh Homer Brian Hughes Emma Izzo Tyler Jones Catherine Jou Stephen Luckey Malkaiah Mehlek Dalton Sanchez Zach Stubblefield Pollsters: Lauren Cosca Stacey Wells