The Warrior May 2015

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

37th Year, Issue No.5

May 7, 2015

the

Inside: News: 1-5, Innovative Medicine: 6-7, Features: 8-9, Humor: 10-11, Spotlight: 12-13, Opinions: 14-16, Wondering Warrior: 17, Entertainment: 18-20, Sports: 21-24

Medical Innovations

Baltimore’s Social Uproar The Warrior staff presents different perspectives on police brutality, peaceful protests and the Baltimore riots.

The Warrior explores many new and upcoming advances in medicine and what this means for the future.

pg. 16

pg. 6-7

MCPS Budget Shortfall Results in Cuts to Staffing

by Maddie Peloff ‘16

Anticipating major cuts at the state and county levels, MCPS plans on reducing its budget a significant amount for the following school year.

At Sherwood, the budget cuts mainly affect staffing. Principal Bill Gregory was forced to involuntarily transfer 10 staff members, eight of which are teachers and two who are supporting staff.

Gregory, though hopeful to restore the money lost from the budget, is realistic about the possibility of budget cuts. Though no official plan has been approved, MCPS is likely to receive a large budget reduction. “[However], my hope is that we can get staffing restored … and I’d be able to bring people back,” said Gregory.

New Republican Governor Larry Hogan, who was elected in the state of Maryland during

In News Sherwood Teens Arrested After Assaulting Student Two Sherwood students were arrested for injuring a teenager outside of a local Panera Bread. Now, they will face felony charges. see pg. 2

Gallup Survey Reveals Teachers’ Dissatisfaction Annual Gallup survey shows that teachers at Sherwood have lower morale regarding their working environment. see pg. 4

the fall 2014 elections, promised in his campaign a reduction of taxes,

meaning he will cut government spending, impacting schools across the state.

Planning for these cuts, Montgomery County’s interim superintendent Larry A. Bowers plans to reduce next year’s budget 27 million dollars, calling for a reduction in schools’ staff and spending. If carried out, Bowers’ plan will require the county’s principals to cut 370 positions for the following year.

However, there is a chance that the schools could regain the money lost in budget cuts. In fact, the General Assembly allocated enough money to make up for cuts; however, Governor Hogan refuses to allow lawmakers to spend it. As of now, the chance of

restoring the funding is slim and Bowers warns schools to expect major cuts in the budget, which will be finalized no later than June 1.

T h e s t a f f mem-

bers affected by the cuts are not laid off, but rather forced to find another open position somewhere in MCPS. Gregory makes the decision on who to transfer not based on performance or skill, but rather when they joined MCPS. The staff most recently hired are first ones transferred. At Sherwood, the social studies department was hit particularly hard and lost two of its highly revered teachers, Bryan Clark and Scott Allen.

Many students were devastated to find their favorite teachers had been transferred for the following year. Some students

even started an online petition, hoping to bring Allen back next year. Allen, who already has a job lined up at Gaithersburg High School for the following year, is aware of the petition. However, “whether or not it can have an effect, I don’t know,” he said. “But I appreciate it.”

If the bud-

get is not reinstated, all Sherwood staff and students will be affected. As a result of staff reduction, class sizes across the county will increase next year. Although reduced class sizes are proven to greatly benefit students’ academic performances, the current budget plans would demand an increase in guidelines of class sizes. Unless the county can find

a way to restore the budget, class sizes in both high poverty schools and other schools would rise in all grade levels, often by one student or more.

Because Sherwood will have fewer teachers and classes next year, Resource Counselor Elizabeth Al-Atrash explained that scheduling will be much more rigid.

She urged students to s e e their counselors immediately if they decide to make changes to the schedule printout they receive in May to ensure they are placed in their desired classes. “It’s really important that students are placed appropriately …

a n d also that they’ve chosen electives that they want, because … we might not be able to change it later,” she said.

Advisory Period Set To Return Next Year

by Emily Gilburt ‘16

Plans for a possibly renovated Advisory period are in the works as the program is officially returning next school year, despite social studies teacher Aileen Woolley stepping down from her current position as head of Advisory.

Woolley will assist in the organization and programming of the Advisory period for next year.

She had a 0.4 allocation to head Advisory this year, meaning that she taught three class periods instead of the regular five. At this time, the school is awaiting a final budget in order to enhance and further run the program. The current advisory board, formed from a cross section of students representing every grade level, are reviewing suggestions, student and faculty surveys and criticisms in order to make proper changes for next year. Woolley believes new blood will increase the sustainability and popularity of the program.

Woolley explained that she

Maya Koeppen ‘17

Kara Rogers, a top communications and public relations expert, shared tips with seniors at the Warrior Talk in the Ertzman on April 21. has collected powerful anecdotal evidence that students are benefiting from Advisory. “There are a lot of reasons for Advisory but the number one reason, I would say, is to increase the chances that every student has the social and emotional support that is necessary to go through school,” said Woolley.

A second goal of Advisory is to reinforce the traits in students that lead to them becoming suc-

cessful. Advisory periods also have become an important avenue of communication, whether it be receiving report cards, student government information or tuning into dates for an upcoming school dance.

A hurdle that Advisory will face moving forward to a second year is that not all students and staff see Advisory as helpful or worthwhile. Some teachers also do not feel as though the time

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taken out of the daily schedule is being put to good use.

Woolley acknowledges the concerns of students and teachers about Advisory period, but she remains excited about possible new ideas for Advisory period. This semester, seniors received an entirely new program based on their personal requests called Warrior Talks. In this program, seniors listen to a variety of speakers who address real-life responsibilities; for example, how to be safe and make good choices at beach week. Seniors will also attend assemblies where heads of departments will share important information, like keeping literature in their lives past high school, as a sort of send-off to the seniors. The student and teaching staff will be given the opportunity at the end of year to formally submit their ideas for changes to make to Advisory.

“I am excited that an infrastructure [for Advisory] is set; even though we’re going to develop it, I feel like I’ve done my job,” said Woolley.

The Warrior•News 2

May 7, 2015

Student Member of the Board

S W E N in brief

Elected for Upcoming Year

by Christopher Sung ‘17

Eric Guerci, a rising junior at BCC, has been elected as the Student Member of the Board (SMOB), beating out rising senior Rachit Agarwal. Guerci, carrying 52 percent of the vote, was confirmed as the winner on April 29 after days of planned and aggressive campaigning. Agarwal, a student from Richard Montgomery who also made a series of closing campaign efforts, carried 48 percent of last Wednesday’s vote.

The election saw approximately 82 percent of eligible students voting in the election; however, approximately 600 students did not vote for either candidate when submitting a ballot.

At Sherwood approximately 60 percent of students cast their ballot for Eric Guerci, with about 39 percent of students for Rachit Agarwal; one percent of students casted a blank vote. As the thirty eighth Student Member of the Board, Guerci will serve next school year as the SMOB for the 2015-2016 school year.

E-Cigarettes Usage Increases Among Teens

by Madison Dymond ‘16

With new health studies showing that electronic cigarettes are less harmful than smoking tobacco, recent usage of e-cigs among teens has increased immensely. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that “e-cigarette use by high school students increased to 13.4 percent in 2014 from 4.5 percent a year earlier,” which corresponds with a drop in tobacco cigarette use from 12.7 percent to 9.2 percent.

While these e-cigs are better for health than regular cigarettes, they take away the dangers associated with tobacco, therefore encouraging teens to smoke. Public health experts have expressed their worries that “the battery-powered smokes may provide a dangerous gateway for teens and others to start smoking.” The purpose of e-cigs is to provide an alternative to smoking for those who are trying to quit or have addiction problems, which is not what they have primarily been used for.

New Shopping Center in Olney Set To Open

by Steven Witkin ‘16

As Olney continues its ongoing commercial overhaul, old stores close and new ones—often restaurants—take their places.

With most of Olney already developed, new retail space is increasingly rare. However, a new shopping center capable of housing up to four stores has been built.

The center, which consists of two buildings on Hillcrest Avenue near Rocketeria, has been in planning since 2005 but just completed construction after two years. The buildings are built up against the sidewalk, with parking in the back, so they are more accessible to pedestrians. The owners of the center, who live in the Olney area, already own three upscale salons in the county and plan to open another in one of the buildings. The second building in the center can be occupied by up to three businesses. It is yet to be announced how many businesses, or what type of stores, will move in to the other building. This nearly-completed project, along with plans for a Chik-Fil-A nearby and the replacement of Olney Toys by a restaurant, will bring new options to Olney’s constantly changing commercial scene.

SGA Extends Outside of School

by Morgan Hill ‘16

The Montgomery County Region (MCR) of the Maryland Association Student Council has been increasing in popularity among Sherwood students this school year. Sherwood hosted the first general assembly of the 2014-2015 school year on October 14. At these general assemblies, the MCR board members share their work with the students in attendance and give updates on projects that they may be working on.

Junior Ketki Chauhan is serving as the MCR secretary for this school year and is the first Sherwood student to hold a leadership position in MCR. “I have really enjoyed my position as secretary this year and I’ve learned a lot from it.” Chauhan said. “I’m ready to take on new responsibilities and continue making a difference in this county.” In accordance with her job as secretary, Chauhan oversees the special functions department, which is responsible for planning general assemblies, among other events hosted by MCR. MCR is the countywide student government for high school students in Montgomery County.

MCR holds six general assemblies each year, which are hosted by a different MCPS high school each time and are open to any students that wish to attend.

Guest speakers often make

Ketki Chauhan ‘16

Student leaders attend the last General Assembly of the school year, which was hosted by Paint Branch on April 21. appearances at the general assem- after high school. Another orgablies, including former superin- nization, called the SMOB Advitendent Joshua Starr and County sory council (SAC), works with Executive Ike Leggett. MCR also MCR but is led by SMOB Dahlia administers annual awards, in- Huh. The main goal of the SAC is cluding the Advisor of the Year to improve Montgomery County award for which Sherwood ad- schools from within. visors Catina Wist and Christine Junior Michelle Lim, who McKeldin were nominated. also serves a position in MCR as MCR is only a small por- a deputy in the legislative departtion in a hierarchy of student ment is an active member of the governments. At the bottom are SAC. “Being involved in orgathe school-wide student govern- nizations like SAC and MCR is ments, with MCR just above that, really important.” Lim said. “It’s then finally the statewide stu- an easy way to get connected and dent government, known as the involved with not only the school Maryland Association of Student but also the county.”

Councils (MASC). MASC holds Next year, Sherwood expects yearly conferences around the to send more students to the meetstate, in which students attend ings. Any student with an interest workshops that exist to direct stu- in student advocacy should condents onto the right path for life sider attending the assemblies.

Students Charged with Assaulting GC Student

by Julia Gajewski-Nemes ‘15 Two Sherwood students have been charged as adults for their involvement in the beating of a 15-year-old Good Counsel student that took place March 27 in the Olney Fair Hill Shopping Center. The Warrior does not name juveniles charged with a felony until they are convicted.

According to police charging documents, the 17-year-old student was charged with six counts, including first-degree assault, conspiracy to fight another student,conspiracy in an assault witness intimidation and telephone misuse. He allegedly “arranged for the group to surround [the victim] and told them to turn on their flashlights so that the assault could occur.” The student appeared in Montgomery County District Court in Rockville on April 16 and was represented by Maurice Moody.

The other student, who is 16 years old, was charged with four counts related to first-degree assault, conspiracy to assault, witness intimidation and telephone misuse. According to court records, he was encouraged by the 17-year-old student to attack the victim. He is scheduled to appear in front of the District Court tomorrow and will be represented

by Mallon Snyder.

After hearing of the fight, Principal Bill Gregory called a

“reportable offenses meeting” in which school administrators, school staff and staff from the central office discussed how the situation should be handled at school. “We had a meeting where we look at the safety and well-being of everybody as a result of this,” said Gregory. He could not disclose the specifics of the students’ situations, but ensures that the safety of every student was considered when deciding how to handle the situation at the school level.

The dispute began when the 17-year-old student sent photos on Snapchat to the victim’s girlfriend earlier this year. The victim told him to stop, which led both Sherwood students to call the victim several times in February threatening “to get him for disrespecting them,” according to court documents.

On March 27, the victim was at Panera Bread near Routes 108 and 97 when he saw friends of the two Sherwood students. He then left Panera to go to Greene Turtle and noticed a group of 15 to 20 people including the 17-year-old student. Some of the members of the group tried to enter the restaurant with the victim, but security escorted them out. The victim tried to leave the area, but was confronted by the group and challenged to a fight, according to police documents.

The victim “had his hands

in his pocket and did not want to fight,” detectives wrote. “The 16-year-old student] then came from the side of [the victim] and struck him in the face. [The victim] did not see [the 16-year-old student] before he hit him. This caused [the victim] to lose consciousness and fall to the ground.

[The 16-year-old] continued to strike [the victim] multiple times in the face and head.”

The victim went to the hospital the next day, where he was treated for a “severe concussion,” bone fragments in a sinus cavity and “possible permanent eye placement damage,” according to the documents. The victim’s father told the Washington Post that the victim is doing better and was released from the hospital, but that it was unclear whether his son would suffer long-term effects from the concussion. “Who knows? We’re just crossing our fingers he gets better quickly,” said his father.

Police records identified this act of violence as a gang-related activity; however, Gregory has not been presented with any evidence of gang activity at Sherwood. “Security, administration and teachers keep an eye out for the climate in the building, and what’s great about our school is that students talk when there is an issue because students want to keep our school safe,” said Gregory.

The Warrior•News May 7, 2015

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Students Use Fake IDs To Buy Alcohol Testing Blocks Computer Online sites provide means for students to purchase fake licenses that look authentic.

Labs and Media Center

by Sara Casareto ‘16 With beach week occurring this time of year and college just around the corner for many, this is a popular time for seniors and juniors to get fake IDs. Fake IDs are primarily used to buy and obtain alcohol or go to 21-and-over clubs.

“I use my fake ID to get alcohol and to have a good time,” said a female junior who wishes to remain anonymous. “It’s really convenient.”

In the Sherwood community students who use fake or real IDs for illegal purposes are generally upperclassmen. One common ambassador, is still a primary another or borrows someone oldway of getting alcohol is bor- source. The site, or one assuming er sibling’s ID can result in fines rowing a sibling’s ID. “I use my its name, has now reappeared, ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. sister’s ID. She’s in college and with prices ranging from $250- The more alcohol bought using a I look just like her,” said another 500 per person depending on the fake ID, the larger the fine and the anonymous female junior. In gen- number ordered. harsher the punishment. Dependeral, however, many people buy The possibility of getting ing on how one benefited from the fake IDs through a friend who alcohol or being able to get into ID usage, the crime can be con“deals” them. This is when sidered either a misdemeanor the individual puts in orders “I got [the fake ID] from my or a felony. The punishment for other people, for a certain for misrepresenting one’s age price. The step by step pro- brother’s friend. It cost me through a fake ID can include cess is that one person pays $50.” a hefty fine as well as the posthe dealer a certain price. ~ Anonymous senior sibility of jail time. If caught With that money, the dealer trying to use a fake ID, those puts in the order for the fake convicted can also have their ID while making a profit. clubs offsets the risk for students real driver’s license revoked for Connections never hurt ei- with fake IDs. The general belief six months on the first offense or ther; if a student knows the dealer, among students is that the worst up to a year on a second offense. the ID will usually be cheaper. “I that can happen is that it is either There are also long-term efgot it from my brother’s friend,” taken away or they get a fine. fects of using a fake ID. Studies said an anonymous male senior. As a matter of fact, there on underage drinking done by the “It cost me $50.” have been many cases in which University of Maryland School Another common way to those caught with a fake ID get of Public Health show that those get a fake ID is buying it online. more than a slap on the wrist. who use fake IDs are more likely IDChief, a Chinese website that Considered identity fraud in the to participate in heavy-drinking disappeared in 2012 after U.S. state of Maryland, using a fake ID activities and to later develop alsenator complaints to the Chinese where one assumes the persona of cohol abuse disorders.

by Ketki Chauhan ‘16

Over the past few months, teachers and media center specialists have come face-to-face with the issue of the availability of the school’s media center and its computer labs as a result of PARCC and AP testing. The labs and the media center have been blocked out for 33 days between March to May, leaving teachers helpless and forcing some of them to modify their assignments.

Media Specialist Joseph Reiff believes that as a result of more assignments and lessons being done online, the media center and the computer labs have become harder to schedule. Not to mention, there is a lot of changing done in scheduling when administration schedules a date and then comes back to change it, regardless of whether a teacher is booked that day. Despite a first-come, first-serve basis, the administrators and counselors are prioritized, especially in the case of testing. PARCC testing required the use of computers and chromebooks. However, Sherwood was able to provide enough chromebooks to students so that computers in the computer lab were primarily used for students with accommodations.

“Because [administrators] had never done them before, they didn’t know what they were going to need or when they were going to need it. So, they blocked out two or three straight weeks of the library and for the computer labs,” Reiff explained. “And, what they found it is that ultimately to do the PARCC tests, it

was only Monday, Wednesday, Friday for a couple of weeks and not even every morning or afternoon; it kind of varied. So, they didn’t need the media center at all.”

Despite spaces opening up, there were still more problems. Teachers were not aware that spaces had opened, so those available times went to waste. It also interrupted Reiff’s library media program.

“The beginning of the third marking period is when I’m the busiest. I do the English 9 and 10 research projects with all the teachers. Because the labs and media center were all blocked out, teachers changed their whole research assignment to not include me,” Reiff said. Once the media center was available, Reiff was asked to be one of the PARCC test coordinators. “Ironically, I had the 9th and 10th graders in the media center but I wasn’t here to work with them.”

However, Reiff believes next school year will be more promising in solving this issue. The current process for reserving a lab is through a binder Reiff keeps with a sign-up sheet for every lab in the school. Teachers, then, come in and book a lab. Next year, the system is expected to shift online to make it easier on teachers. A daily schedule will also continue to be sent out to teachers. There is also talk of implementing a block schedule next year to minimize the impact of PARCC. Lastly, there will be more chromebooks available next year, which Reiff believes will help with PARCC and other testing.

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The Warrior•News 4

May 7, 2015

Low Survey Results Raise Concern over Staff Acknowledgment

by Emma Hierholzer ‘15 This past October, Sherwood’s students and staff were asked to take a Gallup poll concerning their overall wellbeing and how they felt they were being treated. In conjunction with MCPS, Gallup designed questions that they felt would best yield answers that demonstrated people’s attitudes on topics within the overarching theme of satisfaction. While students scored an average of 4.30 out of 5, staff scored significantly lower with an average of 3.48 out of 5, for the second to last lowest score among 25 high schools.

This low score in employee engagement and fulfillment (as compared to an MCPS employee overall mean of 3.93/5) has been an important issue this past year for both Sherwood teachers and administration alike, as they have been discussing what can be done to help staff feel more acknowledged. “I would agree that there is a problem,” said Katie Jaffe, a social studies teacher who is one of the school’s two Elected Faculty Representatives. “I feel as though a lot of different factors went into why the scores were so low. I don’t exactly know the root cause, but there have been many new changes this year.”

Principal Bill Gregory met with staff to discuss the Gallup results. “The fact that our students still scored so high with teacher’s Gallup results on the lower end is a true testament to how wonderful and committed our staff truly is,” remarked Gregory at the meeting.

Specific questions taken from

the Gallup poll that scored significantly low were brought up by Gregory and discussed, including possible solutions to them. Those questions were, “In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work,” and “In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress.”

“Administration is doing everything they can to start to address this problem,” said Gregory. “While I don’t know the exact solution now, we are working hard to get to the bottom of this and evaluate all of the valuable input that staff gave at the meeting we had to discuss the low Gallup scores.”

At a rolling staff meeting, Gregory presented possible reasons for low employee satisfaction, including the installment of Advisory, the continuation of a Student Learning Objectives (SLO) program, and changes to the administration team at the start of the school year. “While all of these new additions certainly added stressors to the work place, they are not the sole issue here,” commented Jaffe.

A number of staff said that there is inadequate communication between staff and the administration. “While we’ve experienced many alterations this year, there is also a noted problem with administration and staff relationships,” said Christine McKeldin, the resource teacher for the social studies department.

It is debated among staff as to what the relationships need to improve on but the main concerns include better recognition for jobs

Grand mean (out of 5) How satisfied are you with your organization as a place of work?

Sherwood 2014 Sherwood 2013 3.48 3.71

MCPS Overall 3.93

3.51

3.79

3.87

4.06

4.27

4.38

In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work.

2.83

3.08

3.43

My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.

3.65

4.02

4.14

There is someone at work who encourages my development.

3.37

3.71

3.90

3.05

3.31

3.62

The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important.

3.48

3.83

4.12

In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress.

3.07

3.32

3.60

I know what is expected of me at work.

At work, my opinion seems to count.

Above are eight categories that saw significant drops, according to MCPS’s Employee Engagement Survey. well-done and, “an increased level of communication between teachers and administration,” according to Shelley Jackson, the resource teacher for the English department. “Sometimes I think teachers feel like they aren’t heard by higher-up administration and as a result, feel left out,”

said Jackson. “Communication is key in any community.”

The school will continue to examine the Gallup results during the summer’s Instructional Leadership Week as they plan for the upcoming school year. McKeldin would like to see MCPS Central Office involved in the process of

how Sherwood can respond to the Gallup results. “If MCPS created this survey to measure employee’s engagement and satisfaction, then why don’t they come into the school and work with us,” she asked. “I think everyone would be more willing to talk and openly share their feelings that way.”

Sandy Spring Museum Expresses ESOL Students’ Struggles

by Ashley Nnabue ‘16 There is more to people than what one may see externally.

Their experiences, struggles, triumphs and many other factors mold them into the person they are today. Sandy Spring Museum attempted to capture this internal aspect from English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students at Sherwood. The students were encouraged to open up and share their individual stories with the community through books that they wrote, which are currently displayed at the museum until May 31.

Heidi McKinnon, the museum’s former director of exhibits and community programming, felt that the museum could take advantage of a new proposition featuring local students that recently came to America. McKinnon approached Beatriz del Omo Fiddleman, an artist in residence at the museum, to help make this concept become a reality through bookbinding.

Fiddleman, who is bilingual, took to visiting the students at Sherwood every Thursday for about two hours to begin working on the project. She tried to express her points in English to help

Jack Armstrong ‘15

ESOL students at Sherwood create artwork that depicts their past with the help of artist Beatriz del Omo Fiddleman. The Sandy Spring Museum is showcasing their artwork until May 31. the students grasp the language better, but switched to Spanish whenever necessary. However, it was not an easy task because many of the students did not want to speak to her about their experiences.

“Some were not happy with me because they thought that I was there to judge them and some

were happy and motivated to do something different. I explained to them that I was here to only teach art—self expression art with words and illustrations,” said Fiddleman.

To help break the ice, the students were taken to the museum to participate in an activity. There were flowers and rocks; the flow-

ers represented positive things in life, while the rocks represented negative things. Each student was required to place the flowers and rocks out in front of them according to displaying their obstacles and accomplishments as a visual. After everyone completed the task, they all realized that everyone has their own story and has

faced difficult times. They began, “seeing each other with new eyes.

Everyone opened up and shared great friendships,” said Fiddleman.

Although it was still difficult, the students were more willing to create these books and made the effort to enjoy the process of bookbinding. All the stress, loneliness and fear bottled up inside came spilling out into their personal books for the public to see.

“It is important for the public to see—legally here or not—that these kids have feelings … and often feel that no one cares for them. They have no support,” said Fiddleman. “People have no idea what they go through.”

Fiddleman said it is difficult for many to imagine going to a new country without family there or prior knowledge of the culture or language. Many also work fulltime jobs to continue to support their families outside of the country. Then, they come to school and may face criticism from students who simply view them as outsiders.

The museum worked to present these ESOL students’ point of view in an artistic light. Students can view the display at the Sandy Spring Museum until May 31.

The Warrior•News May 7, 2015

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The Warrior•Innovative Medicine 6

May 7, 2015

Technology Shows Promise in Blood, Cancer Testing

by Jack Armstrong ‘15

Whether tracking our steps, our sleep, our calories or other aspects of our health, our smartphones have become an essential tool for helping us live a more organized, connected and, well, healthy life. There are now more ways technology is improving our health. New medical advances such as nano blood testing and GoogleX’s cancer detecting nano particles are paving the way towards a future of smaller, cheaper and more advanced medical gadgets.

Elizabeth Holmes, the C.E.O. of Theranos, is changing the way blood tests are conducted. She has developed a new nano vial that only needs a few drops of blood.

No more long needles, large vials, long test times, or expensive tests. The technology makes testing painless and efficient. In the coming years it is likely the technology will be widely adopted by labs across the country. However, it is currently available at Theranos Centers and some Walgreens locations.

Google X, Google’s secretive research lab, has said that detecting cancer in the future could be as easy as taking a pill. Google

has said that nanoparticles could attach to cells in the body to see if a person has cancer. Then a device worn outside could detect the nanoparticles and provide useful information to doctors.

As these tests become more available, what it could mean for treatment options remains unclear. New ways to test for and treat cancer are nearing the end of trial phases. For example, chemotherapy is the main form of treatment available now to destroy cancer cells, but it also harms surrounding healthy cells. There is now a new form of treatment called antibody-drug conjugates that are designed to target cancer cells. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Drug conjugates use antibodies, the large molecules in the immune system that typically bind to the cell surface of a virus or bacteria and keep it from advancing.” The drugs attach to antibodies and use them to directly treat the cancer cells.

While detecting and treating cancer is complicated and requires professional care, a company called iHealth is creating personal accessories for the iPhone that monitor blood glucose levels, blood pressure and pulse, helping people catch early health

issues. The devices sync with the iPhone’s Health app, recording health data directly into the iPhone app rather than a separate clumsy device, proving useful for those aiming for a seamless experience while keeping track of their health information. There is even a $99 Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) tracker sold by BAC Track that connects to the iPhone.

It’s not hard to imagine a day when our smartphones could know more about our health than we do, whether tracking and storing our day-by-day health information, acting as our personal assistant or automatically sending our data to a doctor when we are sick. There is already a company specializing in personal doctor-via-Skype care: CareSimple.

Available to Washington state residents, the service promises to provide “virtual house call at a moments notice.”

The health industry is rapidly evolving as more innovators are seeking ways to improve our health with the technology we use everyday. New ways to test blood, detect and target cancer cells, and track our everyday health are just the beginning. What comes next, we’ll just have to wait and see.

4

number of drops of blood needed for a full blood test using the Theranos 0.508 inch “Nanotainer” vial technology.

$2.70

cost of a Theranos glucose blood test, compared to the Medicare price of $5.39, according to the Theranos test menu.

1/1000th the sample size of a typical blood draw Theranos needs to perform their lab tests.

19

age at which Elizabeth Holmes, C.E.O of Theranos, started the company while at Stanford University.

SOURCE: THERANOS.COM

Genome Project Leads to Genetic Tests Stem Cells Could Provide

New Ways of Reproduction

by Kira Yates ‘16 In April 2003, the human genome project was completed. The international effort sequenced and mapped all of the genes present in the human species. With this wealth of information, huge advances have occurred in the medical world.

For example, doctors are now capable of testing an individual’s DNA for diseases, which he/she inherit from their mother and/ or father. Genetic testing can be used to identify increased risks for health problems, to choose the optimal treatment or to evaluate the effectiveness of a treatment.

There are three main types of genetic testing: diagnostic, predictive and carrier testing.

Diagnostic genetic testing involves the identification of a disease that the patient currently has.

This involves newborn screening and prenatal screening, which are the most common types of genetic screening. Diagnostic testing looks for diseases in fetuses including Down’s syndrome, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis and phenylketonuria.

More people are starting to have carrier testing before having kids. Having this genetic testing done allows future parents to understand which, if any, diseases they carry. If a parent carries the trait, he/she doesn’t have the disease but has the potential to pass on the trait to their child.

After getting carrier testing, it has become more popular for people carrying debilitating or deadly disease to have embryos created in a lab, test for the

by Steven Witkin ‘16

nsf.gov

Over the past few years, the Human Genome Project has helped scientists to determine the causes of many genetic diseases, along with potential ways to treat and eventually eliminate many genetic diseases. healthiest one(s), and implant the chosen embryo(s) into the mother. By using this method, the parents can then completely eliminate a disease from their bloodline, so that none of their children or grandchildren are affected by a devastating disease.

Predictive testing analyzes a person’s DNA and pinpoints diseases he/she inherited from their parents. Predictive testing is used by people who are otherwise healthy and do not have any symptoms at the time, and is most commonly used to test for Huntington’s disease and the gene that increases the risk for breast cancer.

There are many different methods for genetic testing. Testing methods range from taking

a cheek swab, to getting a blood test, to inserting a three-inch long needle into a woman’s uterus to test an ounce of the baby’s amniotic fluid. Although there are many factors that could lead to an incorrect diagnosis, each method has about a 98-percent accuracy rate.

The results from genetic testing can be difficult to understand, so genetic counselors and genetic specialists are available to explain the results of the testing to the patient and their family. Also, because DNA is shared among family members, results can impact blood relatives of the person tested by alerting them of a specific gene in their DNA sequence if that gene was found in whoever received the test.

Stem cells have made headlines recently in all sorts of medical innovations. The rare cells, which are able to develop into many types of specialized cells, have shown potential to transform into reproductive cells. Stem cells are already controversial, but the possibility of using these cells to create “manufactured” genetic combinations will have great implications, and will create much greater controversy. Future developments could open the possibility for same-sex couples or even an individual to have their own biological children.

As of right now, full use of this breakthrough is likely decades away. Labs have only been able to trigger stem cells to produce primordial germ cells (PGCs), cells normally developed in an embryo which carry genetic information and go on to form sperm and egg cells. This trigger, found by University of Cambridge scientists, is a protein called SOX17.

Although they are on their way, scientists have not been able to develop reproductive cells out of PGCs. The task of getting human stem cells is difficult, as they can only be obtained by extracting an already-fertilized embryo, or by drilling for bone marrow.

The only option for males, however, is the latter. Even after reproductive cells are produced in laboratories, there will be thorough and lengthy testing on other animals, likely rodents, to ensure

that this method is safe and reliable. The prospect of making viable reproductive cells, egg or sperm, out of any human is still remotely futuristic.

Already since the development’s publication in late 2014 there has been a wide range of excitement, criticism and hesitance about its possible ramifications. It could mark the dawning of a completely alternative way of having genetic children. Infertile people could have children without the genes of a surrogate. If sperm and egg could be made out of the stem cells of one sex, then gay and lesbian couples could theoretically create with their own biological children. Perhaps a single person could clone themselves with their own cells, something straight out of science fiction. Many people have decried these possibilities as “playing with God,” while gay communities and interested scientists have called for more indepth research in the area.

Predictions for further development of this process range from as early as 2017 to much farther in the future. Even if it were to become possible, it is not known exactly how long it would take to transform stem cells into working sperm and egg, and the cost to do so would initially be out of reach of many. The biggest foreseeable hurdle for such an artificial method is whether it would be viewed as ethically acceptable.

If predicted developments follow, this method could be the start of something that completely changes reproduction as we know it.

The Warrior•Innovative Medicine May 7, 2015

7

Technology Advances Regenerative Medicine

Scientists use stem cells to grow replacement organs.

by Chase Wilson ‘17 In recent years, the field of regenerative medicine has seen landmark advances. Scientists have been able to grow and implement organs from a lab into human patients. They have implanted blood vessels, tear ducts and windpipes, but they aren’t stopping there. The University of Texas Medical Branch is working to rebuild lung tissue. A Dr. Alex Seifalian and his team in London are trying to regrow a human heart.

The regenerative field was pioneered by Sir Roy Calne, a British surgeon who figured out how to use drugs to suppress the body’s immune system from rejecting transplanted organs in the 1950s. His work was profound.

Since then, laboratories have sprouted anywhere from basements of hospitals in Madrid to a college campus in Texas. Since the discovery, scientists have come up with ways to improve on the methods of transplanting organs.

New advances may even eliminate human donor transplantation from the profession completely by actually growing the necessary organ from the patient’s own stem cells. By using this method, scientists are able to avoid possible fatal situations in which the body rejects a transplanted organ from another person. Even if the transplant procedure is a success, the organ receiver is required to take medication that suppresses their immune system, giving them an

increased risk of disease and infection.

Many doctors researching regenerative organs envision a future where a patient will not have to be placed on an organ transplant list and wait for their potentially life saving surgery, a future that allows doctors to grow a vein needed for artery bypass procedures instead of using one from the patient’s arm or leg. The payoff could be greater than that, though; doctors expect heart repair to be a multi-billion dollar industry due to the growing demand for cardiovascular parts and the lack of donors.

A team of scientists and biologists at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston have succeeded in growing human lungs from the remnants of those of a deceased cadaver. The process they used consisted of stripping the lungs of living cells in a solution, which leaves what scientists call the “skeleton of the organ.” Scientists embed stem cells into the skeleton and place both of them into a nutritious solution.

The solution provides the cells with the right amounts of each nutrient so that the cells will grow in the right direction and in the right orientation to form the organ. After four weeks of immersion, the team had a complete human set of lungs. After their first experiment was a success they replicated it with another pair. Hopefully, in the near future, scientists may well have developed the means for humans to rebuild themselves.

New, Modern Way To Stay in Shape

by Kaleigh Homer ‘15

Like dieting, fitness goes through its share of trendy fixes.

Aerobics, Pilates, Cross fit, etc.

The list goes on and on. But the newest trend is not an exercise but a device. The Fitbit is a new 3D motion sensor that tracks one’s daily activities and one’s sleep patterns at night. The Fitbit is an all in one pedometer that has everything one needs to be a healthier, more motivated person.

When picking out the right pedometer, one should consider which stats would be most useful because there are many different types of Fitbits. The first is called a Zip, which is a small pedometer that a person can easily clip onto his or her belt. All the other pedometers are in bracelet form like the One, the Flex, the Charge, the Charge HR and the newest one called the Surge. Pedometers range from $59.99 all the way up to $249.95.

The Fitbits work like iPods so the Zip is like the first generation Nano iPod. The Zip is able to count one’s steps, calories and distance, and has a clock that can count the number of minutes he

fitbit.com

The Fitbit Surge has GPS tracking and displays text notifications. or she have been active for that day. The Surge has GPS tracking, heat rate tracking, and it also tracks all-day activities such as the number of steps taken and distance walked. The Surge also has multi-sport, which means one can track his or her cardio workouts and view the workout summaries that the device provides.

According to Entrepreneurship magazine, the total number of wearable devices with fitness and wellness applications will grow from 16.2 million in 2011 to 93 million in 2017. The magazine also predicts that revenue from sports and wellness mobile apps will rise from $123 million in 2010 to $341 million in 2016.

3-D printers build artificial organs from human cells.

by Ryan Deal ‘16

scienceprogress.org

This artificial trachea was formed by soaking a trachea-shaped polymer in human stem cells.

cosmosmagazine.com

This prototype bionic ear combines 3-D printing with electronics to create a functioning ear.

wired.com

Through 3-D printing, this nose was custom-made for a specific person as a prosthetic body part.

For years, it has taken handson experiments in laboratories for scientists to recreate blood vessels, human urine and skin tissue. The idea of producing fully-formed organs appeared to be a pipe dream. That was until the emergence of 3D-printers, which have given hope to scientists that printing organs can be possible.

For many, the evolution of printing organs cannot happen quickly enough. As the baby-boomer generation grows older and weaker, there are fewer healthy organs to be transplanted.

According to organdonor.gov, 18 people die each day waiting for a healthy transplant, a process that many doctors have deemed a “major health crisis.”

To reduce this number, scientists have turned to 3D-printers, which have been able to print bones and prosthetics, benefiting large quantities of people already.

However, the 3-D printing of organs could save millions. There are obstacles, though, as scientists have cited the biological organ material as the main hurdle in the path of achieving the full printing of organs. “[Printing organ tissue] isn’t like 3-D printing plastic or metal. Plastic doesn’t die if you leave it sitting on an open-air shelf at room temperature for too long,” said Mike Titsch, editor-in-chief of 3D Printer World, told CNN. The process of creating these organs, referred to as “bioprint-

ing,” begins with the harvesting of human cells from biopsies and stem cells. Then, after allowing the human cells to “mix” and multiply in a petri dish, scientists feed the mixture into the printer, which is designed to arrange and format the cells into a 3D figure.

While these steps have been mastered by researchers, the implantation poses the largest problem, as the body will often reject its new organ.

Among the many companies to lead the initiative for printed organs is Organovo, a California-based biotechnology firm. Organovo recently created 3D-printed liver tissue, a monumental step in the process of creating full organs. The printed tissue, which Organovo has begun selling to laboratories, grants scientists a way to further expand their research. “This gives researchers the kind of tool that they just haven’t had in the past. They can’t do the kind of experiments on a person that they can do with this tissue in a lab setting,” said Michael Renard, executive vice president at Organovo, in an article with CNN. There is plenty to look forward to in regards to printing organs. Just last year, a 2-year old girl born without a trachea was given a recreated one, based largely out of her own stem cells.

While there is still a long way to go before printing organs becomes a common practice in medicine, it has certainly advanced rapidly within the past years.

Hallucinogens May Benefit Terminally Ill

by Ankur Kayastha ‘15 Doctors and scientists increasingly believe that there is a class of drugs that can radically change a person’s outlook toward painful occurrences in life.

Drugs have a societal stigma that is even prohibitive when scientific research is involved. Class A drugs attract the most serious legal punishments and are considered to be the most harmful of all drug classes. However, when researchers are able to get a hold of these narcotics, the medicinal use of hallucinogens—most notably Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)—have been scientifically proven to provide benefits for participants in case studies, especially for terminally ill patients.

LSD was first synthesized in the 1930s by Swiss chemist Albert Hoffman, and it was classified as a psychiatric drug during the late 1940s. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) conducted research experiments with employees, agents and members of the general public to study the potential uses of the drug in the future. In popular culture at the time, mainstream figures such as writer Aldous Huxley and psychopharmacologist Al Hubbard advocated the use of LSD for psychedelic benefits. But since 1968,

possession of LSD has been illegal in the United States.

The New York Times wrote an article on March 4, 2014 about the reconsideration of use for therapeutic purposes. LSD is manufactured from ergot fungus that grows on rye and other grains. Users experience pupil dilation, reduced appetite and wakefulness. The main psychological effects it induces includes synesthesia (sensory transduction alterations), altered thinking processes, altered time perception and spirituality experiences.

For the first time in over 40 years, a controlled trial of LSD was administered to willing patients, and The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease posted the results online. LSD was given to 12 people who were near death, most of whom had terminal cancer. It was described as, “a mental adventure that appeared to have eased the existential gloom of their last days,” according to the New York Times article. Patients’ anxiety went down and consistently remained lower after taking the hallucinogen. Most of the patients at the beginning of the testing period were susceptible to periods of distress, which is virtually the only side effect from proper doses of LSD. These periods were overcome as the study

continued for weeks, as anxiety eventually decreased by a factor of 20 percent.

As psychology is considered the study of the mind, and includes the relationship between the body and its environment, the scientific community is interested in the emergence of a ‘psychedelic renaissance,’ or the controlled use of narcotic substances. In a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University, “researchers found that using small amounts of psilocybin in a controlled setting could lead to life-changing positive experiences that increased long-term psychological well-being,” according to an article in Psychology Today. These transcendent experiences may prove useful in treating conditions like addiction, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

In a scientifically controlled setting, hallucinogenic drugs have been proven to provide patients with positive life perspectives and lessen their intensity of pain. The trials are considered too small to be conclusive, but with more studies, the true benefits of hallucinogenic drugs may be confirmed. According to the New York Times article, “The participants, by and large, considered the therapy worthwhile.”

The Warrior•Features 8

May 7, 2015

Students Explain Reasons for Not Eating Meat Ella Booz

by Samantha Schwartz ‘16

I’ve been a pescatarian for about six months now. I do it because not eating meat saves resources because I am eating at a lower trophic level (thanks Mrs. Dinerman). Also, I love animals and just generally don’t like the idea of eating them.

Nikolas Krieger

I have been a pescatarian for the past year.

Q: Biggest challenge?

A: That would have to be finding other sources of protein. Usually when I am out at restaurants for dinner it’s pretty easy to find food that doesn’t have meat, but it doesn’t always have enough protein so I usually eat at home.

Q: Why? A: I didn’t eat meat much before so it was a somewhat easy transition. I feel better, and the food that I eat is a lot healthier when it comes to more vegetables and nuts and so forth.

Q: Do you see yourself staying a pescatarian your whole life?

A: I don’t really see a need to eat meat; there’s not really anything that I’m missing.

Q: Biggest challenge?

Haley Whitt ‘15

A: The first time I walked into Chick-Fil-A after giving up meat, it was really hard not to get the number one, but now I’m happy with going and just getting fries and a shake.

Sahil Patel

I am a vegetarian and have been basically since birth. This decision to not eat meat is for the good of my health and because it is a large part of the Hindu religion.

Q: Do you see yourself as a vegetarian your whole life?

A: In the long term I find myself sticking with vegetarianism because it is just a great lifestyle compared to what most people think.

Haley Whitt ‘15

Q: Biggest challenges?

A: The Outback Steakhouse commercials because they make steak look really appetizing.

Q: How do you get all your nutrients?

A: I eat mainly tofu and fish, but I only like a couple kinds of fish and don’t like eating too many soy products, so it’s hard to find other foods with complete proteins that I like. I also eat rice and beans but not very often.

Shannon Armstrong

I’m a vegetarian because I feel it is the best thing a person can do for the environment, one’s health, and the animals.

Animal agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than all transportation combined and livestock and their byproducts account for 51 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

In addition, growing feed for livestock accounts for 56 percent of water use in the U.S. which is obviously not environmentally friendly when humans could simply eat that feed themselves and feed more people. In addition, the primary cause of death in the U.S. is heart disease which is often traced back to the consumption of red meat.

On the subject of animal welfare, there is simply no huHaley Whitt ‘15 mane way to kill something that wants to live. Most people love animals and don’t want to see them hurt which is ironic because most people eat animals daily.

Q: Do you see yourself as a vegetarian your whole life?

A: I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 10 and plan to be my whole life, though I’m actually transitioning to vegan.

Q: Biggest challenges?

A: I don’t really find it that challenging because there is an abundance of other foods to eat and most restaurants have vegetarian options.

Harper Lee’s Prequel for Classic Novel Is Primed for Publication Critics question motives of attorney who represents author of “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

by Milan Polk ‘16 Every year, freshmen at Sherwood read “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, a classic in which a young woman recounts her childhood and remembers a court case that changed her hometown. In February, the media was in frenzy with the announcement that Lee is releasing a new novel called “Go Set a Watchman,” the supposed prequel of “To Kill a Mockingbird” that she wrote in 1960.

The announcement of her newly published novel is drenched in controversy. Many people question if Lee herself actually wanted the prequel to be released after five and a half decades of silence, or if it was her attorney, Tonja Carter, who is looking to make money at Lee’s expense.

Lee, now 88, is well-known as a reclusive author who said that she would never publish again after “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Lee currently resides in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama in an assisted-living home ever since a stroke in 2007 that left her almost blind and deaf. Lee’s sister, Alice Lee, had protected the author’s estate until she passed

away in 2014. Three months after Alice’s death, the manuscript was found by Carter, who now oversees all of Lee’s affairs, and states that the author is excited to see all of the enthusiasm about the long-lost manuscript. However, close friends of Lee’s worry about her recent decline in health and whether or not she is fully aware of the situation. They question Carter’s integrity and wonder if she is really looking out for Lee’s well-being.

It seems like book lovers everywhere have an opinion on the controversy. At Sherwood, some English teachers seem to have mixed emotions over the new novel. “It’s just very hard to figure out how much of this is Harper Lee pushing it, and how much is [Carter] just trying to make money,” said Beth Dibler, a ninth-grade English teacher.

Dibler also said that her students had heard about the new book and asked for her opinion about it. “A lot of them asked if I’d heard and if I was excited about it. I had to tell them it was a sort of tempered excitement.”

This is not the first time Carter has been under fire. In 2011, author Marja Mills was given permission by Harper and Alice

Haley Whitt ‘15

Lee to write a biography on Harper Lee and her book. She was even offered the chance to live next door to the two as she wrote.

Before the book was published, however, Carter supposedly stopped Mills in the parking lot of Lee’s assisted-living facility to tell her that she believed Mills was taking advantage of Lee. Alice Lee also discovered that Carter had written a letter and gotten Lee to sign it, stating that she did not want the book published. Alice Lee ended up sending a letter of apology to Mills, whose book is set to be released in May of this year.

Ninth grade English teacher Brianna Russell believes that the newly released book will make “To Kill a Mockingbird” more exciting for students to read, who might have initially found it difficult to relate to because of its 1930s setting. “The hype of the new novel has made grabbing student interest this year for ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ much easier. It’s been harder and harder as time goes by for students to have a full grasp of a time that has been so far removed from them. My students are really excited.” “Go Set a Watchman” is set for release this coming July.

Common Disorder Often Ignored

by Marie Moeller ‘15 By high school, students have been educated on the threat of eating disorders, especially anorexia and bulimia, through health class. While students are well aware of the characteristics of each disorder as well as the physical and psychological repercussions, many fail to realize that there are several other eating disorders outside of the two that are stressed in the school curriculum. Even though anorexia and bulimia are both very severe, the leading killer, with a mortality rate of 5.2 percent, and most common of the eating disorders is actually Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS).

Of the people with eating disorders, up to 70 percent have EDNOS. A person is generally diagnosed with EDNOS when he or she meets some but not all of the criteria for anorexia or bulimia.

For example, a person would have EDNOS if his or her BMI was not low enough to be considered anorexic, despite having substantial weight loss. A person may also have EDNOS if he or she does not binge and purge as regularly over a period of time as required to be diagnosed as bulimic.

EDNOS is particularly dangerous because it does seem to be a less severe version of anorexia or bulimia. As a result, many people with EDNOS feel as though they do not have an actual eating disorder. This poses a serious

problem with students in particular. With so much stigma placed around being thin, many teens go through periods of dieting and exercising in the name of getting healthy. However, when an obsession with food and a constant awareness of one’s weight begins to take root, an eating disorder can develop.

Those with eating disorders engage in various risky behaviors, fluctuating between limiting how much food they eat, to binging, to feeling self-loathing and guilt, to purging or exercising. While EDNOS results in the same thought process as anorexia or bulimia, the lack of physical indicators, such as being exceedingly underweight, in many cases, causes people to discredit their eating behaviors. Consequently, these teens will persist in their habits, which is dangerous in the long-term for their mental health and physical.

It is important to raise awareness to EDNOS, which has recently been transformed into Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED) in order to include feeding disorders. Many people remain undiagnosed and, therefore, untreated because they simply do not know enough about these disorders. If people can understand that they can still have a mental disorder without fitting perfectly into the boxes set by more well-known disorders, then more people can receive the help they need.

The Warrior•Features May 7, 2015

9

Art Show Reveals Student Talent

Sherwood’s Art Show takes place every spring in the Ertzman Lobby. This is a time when Sherwood students of all grades and levels of ability showcase their hard work at the pottery wheel, the easel or behind the camera to their peers. Each year hidden talents are displayed and the 2015 show from April 23 to 24 was no exception.

that Americans are addicted to sugar?

by Meagan Barrett ‘15 We often place the blame on food consumers for being overweight and letting their children get diabetes. Because with all the healthy food on the markets and food companies chopping the fat in half, it couldn’t possibly be anyone else’s fault.

And yet, if you take a look at any food label, you’ll notice that one of the only two nutrients that doesn’t have a listed percent recommended daily allowance (percent RDA) is sugar. The second, protein, is easy to explain, because there isn’t a general daily allowance that applies to everyone, since it isn’t based on caloric intake. But how much sugar you should have is based on how many calories you take in per day. According to the American Heart Association, the maximum amount of added sugars an adult male should eat per day is 150 calories a day, or 37.5 grams, and the maximum amount for women is 100 calories a day, or 25 grams.

It equates to roughly nine and a half teaspoons a day.

The fact that there is a daily suggested value for sugar should make anyone skeptical of the fact that it’s not listed. What American consumers aren’t aware of is that they are on average consuming about 22 teaspoons of sugar every day. Hiding it from food labels is exactly how food companies make it possible.

See, the problem for food companies is that if they did list it, you might not eat their food.

Keeping the daily suggested values in mind, imagine everyone’s favorite soft drink: a classic coke.

For each 12-oz can there are 33 grams of sugar. That alone is over 100 percent of your recommended daily value of sugar. And that was just a drink. What’s more concerning is that while you would expect sodas and cookies to have obscene amounts of sugar, sugar is added to everyday

conventional food items as well.

These include barbecue sauce, which typically has eight grams in one ounce; flavored yogurt, which typically has 14 grams in 6 oz; granola which typically has 19 grams added to one cup … the list goes on to include spaghetti sauce, fruit drinks, ketchup, oatmeal and even milk and bread. It is quite literally in everything you eat.

This is where the food industry gets sneaky. As people educated themselves on how much sugar they should be eating, the food companies changed the name.

Call it sugar, people won’t want to eat it. But call it “glucose solids,” “high fructose corn syrup,” or “maltodexterin” and consumers are none the wiser. In fact, in some products, rather than adding 15 grams of sugar companies will add 5 grams of date sugar, 5 grams of cane molasses, and 5 grams of corn syrup without being required to list all of it as “sugar.”

It may not even sound like a big deal, but that’s only because no one knows what sugar really does to you. Because on top of leading to diabetes and metabolic syndrome, sugar has also been linked to hypertension, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia, depression, headaches, fatigue, acne, skin irritation, stiffening of arteries, and also violent behavior. On top of that, sugar is just as addictive—if not more addictive—than cocaine. The only reason we don’t notice we are addicted is because it’s already in everything we eat, and it comes in the form of craving food.

If legislation was passed to require all food production companies to list the percent RDA of sugar, and required all forms of sugar to be blatantly designated as a form of sugar, then people could properly make informed decisions about the foods they were eating. Only then can the consumers be blamed for health problems in the United States.

Maya Koeppen ‘17

The Warrior•Humor 10

May 7, 2015

Teacher To Hit the Road with Comedy Routine

by Leo Corman ‘15 Many teachers like to think that they know their way around a joke or two. Some actually do, but very few actually have the talent needed to go on tour as a stand-up comedian. Math teacher Kevin Winiarz has this rare ability, and he plans to utilize it for a profit this summer. Winiarz will perform 20 shows in 17 states all over the country, with most of the shows already sold out in anticipation of this comedic sensation.

It all started earlier this school year on an average, rather mundane Monday morning in Winiarz’ Calculus with Applications class. “I thought it might be a good idea to liven things up with a little humor. I’d already done ‘Why was six afraid of seven?’ so I innocently asked, ‘Have any of you ever used an online family tree registry?’” said Winiarz, reminiscing on that fateful day. “I went on, ‘I recently found some very disturbing news about my uncle on one of those sites: he was a murderer! In the most gruesome incident, he drowned a man in a bathtub full of milk; the man’s name was Captain Crunch.

My uncle, the cereal killer.’ Of course, most of the students were asleep at that point, but of those still awake, several smiled, and a couple audibly chuckled,” recalled Winiarz nostalgically.

According to Winiarz, it

Jack Armstrong ‘15

FOR AN INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE, DOWNLAOD AURASMA IN

THE APP STORE. THEN, FOLLOW ‘THEWARRIORONLINE’ AND SCAN THIS PHOTO. Math teacher Kevin Winiarz believes that the possibilities for math humor are limitless. He stands in front of a poster for the Mandelbrot Set, which he says illustrates this point. was at that special moment that he realized he had comedic potential: “Until then, most of my jokes were pretty spontaneous and off-the-cuff, but I recognized

that, to perfect my craft, I would have to practice outside of class.”

Winiarz began to insert his prewritten, original material into lectures, much to the delight of his

iPhones Have Feelings, Too

by Haley Whitt ‘15 Apple has developed a new feature for its products called Force Touch. The smart phone responds differently to variations in pressure depending on the force of the tap. If a user clicks on an item, and then presses harder on a second click, a different function is activated. The company plans to introduce this technology into the following upcoming products: Apple Watch, MacBook and next year’s iPhone. Apple has already begun incorporating this technology into applications such as Mail and Safari.

Several hundred prototypes of iPhones with Force Touch were distributed to users who had one month to test out the new product and its features. A f t e r the experimentation period, it seems that users are ecstatic with the new feature. One claimed that “Force Touch was ground-breaking” and others said it highly enhanced their phone usage experience. Force Touch has the power to sense multiple levels of pressure, allowing the user to accomplish even more on their phone.

One user tapped on Maps, and then tapped again, slightly harder, to reveal a more zoomed-in image of the house they were trying to get to.

Though the users were thoroughly impressed with the revolutionary feature, the products

students.

“I’ll never forget, one time he told me, ‘George, remember not to drink and derive, or you’ll be in Dyer straits.’ That just got

Superintendent Brought Back for Old-Time’s Sake

by Will Van Gelder ‘16

www. somecontrast.com

themselves had a different response to how they were being handled. For the first time ever, Apple has allowed the devices themselves to provide feedback on a new technology. Apple experts explain that the company is becoming increasingly concerned with the feelings of their products. An online forum titled “Technological Abuse” was published shortly after the one-month trial period ended, and received over a hundred comments.

The comments came from a variety of iPhones equipped with the Force Touch feature. “They didn’t even inform us that they were going to be messing with our software again!” wrote a baby-blue colored iPhone. This comment acquired several likes, but perhaps the comment that

earned the most likes was the one that read, “At first, things were normal. I was gently being tapped and performing my daily functions of forming text messages and checking e-mails when all of a sudden, my user pushed down hard on me. It was painful, and I definitely felt abused.” Several iPhones replied to this touching comment with some encouraging messages.

The forum has been reported and the site has been taken down. Though no sources have confirmed this, there is speculation that Apple is responsible.

Apple devices have been spotted protesting for their rights and are refusing to endure this injustice.

Apple has yet to answer any questions having to do with the concerns of the iPhones.

me. He’s a comedic genius,” said senior George Dyer. Even if incorporating humor into lessons doesn’t always aid students’ learning, it certainly ensures that they get something out of the class. “I’m not sure I know what a derivative is, but at least I’ve had some good laughs,” said Dyer.

Winiarz’ colleagues have also greatly appreciated his witty presence in meetings and conversations, and they wish him success in this new calling. “I just thought [Winiarz] was a weird goofball,” said fellow math teacher Thomas Cohan, a good friend of Winiarz’. “But I guess some people find that funny. I’m glad, actually—now he’ll have someone else to test out his jokes on.”

While Winiarz will eventually try to expand his repertoire to include non-mathematical jokes, currently the domain of his act will still continue to include mostly math puns for the foreseeable future. When asked where he derives his incredible sense of humor from, Winiarz said that humor has always been an integral factor of his personality. “I feel like jokes help me function,” remarked Winiarz. “Some of my jokes might be irrational or hyperbolic, but I think that’s just a sine that I’m being creative.”

Winiarz believes that math presents an infinite range of humorous possibilities, of which he has only plotted a fraction.

Joshua Starr, the previous superintendent of MCPS, was recently forced out by the MCPS school board. He was rehired last week in a surprise move, because, according to Board of Education President Patricia O’Neill, “he was the best man for the job all along.”

The move has baffled many observers. The board’s spokesman admitted that they made a mistake in forcing Starr to resign and that the interim superintendent Larry Bowers and the MCPS central office has accomplished too much in the recent weeks. In order to maintain stagnancy, the board thought it best to rehire the ineffectual superintendent. Starr, who had been consulting for other school districts, was pleased yet seemingly confused by the move. “While I am happy that I am going to be reappointed to my position, I don’t know why we had to go through all this in the first place,” he stated.

The current board has been widely labeled as incompetent in the past weeks, and their failure to perform a task as simple as approving the hiring of a new superintendent has been widely lambasted in all circles. The board’s move was met with mostly no comments from inside the MCPS headquarters, but an anonymous

source did describe the board as “a group who are very idealistic about making major changes to MCPS, but not as invested in letting actual work get accomplished.” Many have questioned the board’s motives over the past few weeks, and many are wondering if the board wants MCPS to fail.

Interim Superintendent Larry Bowers was disappointed during a press conference, going so far as to ask why O’Neill “cared so little about him.” Bowers assumed that if all went smoothly until June 30, he would be retained as superintendent on a permanent basis. Bowers has instead been forced out in quite unceremonious fashion and will soon be regulated to his previous lower level job at MCPS. He was very upset by this turn of events and has started seeing a therapist for his troubles. Bowers explained, “Being in charge was so great I just don’t think I can answer to a higher authority like I used to.”

Instead of undergoing a transition period, the board decided to instead maintain the status quo in MCPS. Numerous observers expect Starr to tweak his original plans, which will likely be full of grandiose goals that sound reachable but are missing concrete steps towards achieving them.

Which is exactly what the board wants in a superintendent.

The Warrior•Humor May 7, 2015

11

Mother Suits Up for Co-ed Volleyball Senior Girl Is Positive

Guy Has Crush on Her

by Sammie Spillman ‘16

Volleyball, like all other sports, requires a lot of serious dedication; not just from players but also parents. It separates enthusiasm from the players’ parents who have pushed their children to play the sport, and sometimes, passion can lead to surprising actions.

Tara Campbell, starting hitter for the co-ed volleyball team, is living proof. Recently in one of her travel tournaments, she sprained her ankle while going up for a block. With her school’s co-ed team’s season at a crucial juncture, her absence was a huge loss. It was not clear who could take her place.

Her mother Katherine Campbell, a former high school volleyball player, has been attending each of the games and making a scene about the lack of “good play” as she says. In one match, she received a yellow card for screaming vulgar things at the Warriors and their opponents.

“Pick up your pigtails and hit the damn ball!” She then followed with, “Don’t try too hard Sherwood, it may sprain your [bleep] brain!” Shortly after she told some Magruder students that “their volleyball is a good representation of their school, bad and grimy.” The school officials escorted her out of the game; however, she continued, “Whatever!

This game wasn’t worth my time or money anyway! It was like watching a bunch of rocks.”

The following week, the Warriors played Damascus, and Katherine Campbell attempted to play in her daughter’s place.

She walked in wearing her old,

by Catherine Jou ‘15

www.wikihow.com

worn-out volleyball gear and her daughter’s jersey. Both teams were in complete shock, and the crowd couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw a 47-yearold woman attempt to sub herself into the game. She walked on the court and started warming up with the team until Sherwood Coach, Bryan Clark intervened, “Exactly what do you think you are doing?” he asked, genuinely bewildered. “I am going to win

the game for us Coach!” Campbell eagerly responded. There was a five minute delay as multiple people tried to convince her that she wasn’t allowed to play.

“My mother has always lived vicariously through my volleyball life. I’m honestly not surprised she did that,” said Tara. “It’s kind of embarrassing that my mom takes volleyball to the extreme, but what can I say, she loves the sport.”

Many students are oblivious to the interactions that occur around them and do not grasp the true meanings behind the subtle gestures and hints given or directed towards them.

Senior Cali Reno has been an avid observer of these signs since her freshman year. “When someone has a crush on someone the signs aren’t always obvious. But I assure you, once you learn these simple steps you’ll be able to tell who likes who just by watching others’ interactions,” said Reno.

Starting with the slightly more evident clues. “When someone picks up your pencil it totally means they like you,” said Reno.

“Eye contact is another sign; this one is definitely overlooked.”

According to Reno these obvious signs are everywhere, and she suggests that next time you are bored in class just look at your surroundings. “If you notice two people wearing the same color, making similar body gestures or looking in the same direction, something is definitely up.”

When asked to give examples of some lovestruck students who were giving subtle hints, Reno exclaimed, “Girl, just look around you!” She pointed out how a fellow senior, who shall not be named for the purpose of this article, had a crush on her.

“I remember when he first said my name and asked me a question. I didn’t know that he knew who I was so I was in shock initially but then I started seeing signs that were indisputably clear.

He would always come up with excuses to talk to me; you know, like ask me for homework or if I knew what time class was over by,” said Reno.

Reno has not been asked out by the student but concludes that he is just reserved.

In addition to her own special situation Reno often sees connections between two students that they themselves do not notice.

Seniors Thomas Mirman and Sophie Kunstler’s “interaction” was a fine example of these subtle hints. To give some actual context of their interaction, Mirman walked by Kunstler without the two even trying to look at one another. Despite sounding paradoxical, this non-interaction interaction, is a huge hint in liking someone. “Do you see how they are purposely not looking at each other? This unspoken interaction just intensifies the passion. It is so clear that they are in love,” elaborated Reno.

Upon further investigation of Reno’s claims, Mirman’s relationship with Kunstler seemed distant and barely noticeable.

When initially approaching Mirman for an interview, he seemed confused about the questions but later on in the exchange he reluctantly answered them.

“We are just friends,” said Mirman. After Reno was informed about these findings, she replied that obviously Mirman is just trying to hide his connection with Kunstler.

“I don’t have a boyfriend myself, but I can tell when people are in love,” said Reno.

Loss of Learning in Summer Provides Benefits

by Brian Hughes ‘15

In Sherwood’s AP Psychology course, learning is defined as “a relatively permanent change in an organism’s behavior due to experience.” But, those who took the class last year have probably forgotten that by now, thanks to how they spent their summer break.

This is what’s known by many people as the “summer slide,” the phenomenon that students lose about a month of knowledge on material they learned in school due to a lack of academically enriching activities during the ten week break.

Combating this concerning issue could be as easy as establishing publicly funded programs during the summer for kids to sustain their knowledge, or approving reformers’ proposals for education calendar changes, but new exciting ideas have come about that take advantage of the unforeseen benefits associated with the “summer slide.”

Take, for example, Montgomery County’s fixation on closing the achievement gap between privileged and less-fortu-

www.schoolpage.me

nate students. A handful of empirical studies have already proven that, while students at all income levels suffer some type of learning loss, it is more prevalent with low-income students, as most do not have the same easy access to summer enrichment programs because of high costs. Thanks

to new found education models offered by the groundbreaking summer program UnLernt®, the achievement gap is slowly closing. The new program’s mission statement is “to harness the already-evident causes of summer learning loss and bolster them in a distracted and ineffectual envi-

ronment.”

While this is ridiculous on the surface, the underlying logic is there. Instead of more efforts to raise achievement in low-income students, simply dampen achievement in high-income students.

Program founder Geoffrey Martin asserts that his new ideology

is doing education a service, and he is quick to point out that he has most parents’ support as program registration spots fill up.

“The Board [of Education] wants the achievement gap to narrow, but they’re looking at it with just one perspective,” Martin said. “If you see no results in one direction, try the opposite. The county hasn’t realized that yet.”

Teachers are now slowly coming around as well, as some have begun to see other serious advantages in this new stance on education. English teachers have been especially grateful as more students enter the new school year with no recollection of writing skills. English teacher Beth Dibler describes it as “a blessing in disguise.”

“It really makes my job easier when students forget the writing style they learned last year. That way I don’t have to un-teach them before I introduce new writing techniques,” she explained.

So, as summer vacation approaches, parents should begin to consider how all the lounging around their kids do during the break may actually be beneficial for their education.

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Learning To Care About The World

by Gianna Bartolini ‘15

Human Geo, Sherwood’s newest AP taught by Karen Sinclair, and Global Issues, taught by Michelle Games, are a duo that not only inspire a sense of wanderlust and affection for the Earth, but also because friendships to form among like-minded students. AP Human Geo is a class that analyzes past and present human activity and examines the environmental and social consequences of those actions.

Global Issues, with its unique curriculum created by Games herself, focuses on real problems happening now in the world and creating discussions about posh ‘15

sible solutions.

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“When I heard about [the two classes],” Seis Falls, year John nior Kristin Stitzlein said, “I knew I wantthe h ead o guage i b ed to take [them]. They answer all the f l e jou the D rney,” teach epartme Foreign

‘why’s’ of humanity… and to me, that e xpl nt, Lan er Th visiti e student ained seni Sherw Aileen Co and ES is such a beautiful and important thing to ng se s o OL og oo veral arrived in r Kajal K Baux to p d studen an, took 1 talk about.” au ci De P Mars arti ts 2 eille a shal. roven ties inclu host

Senior Tatum Haberman felt simFrenc cipate in to France d f c nd sp a i e n m g Ca while h ex ilies the t Th e n n t e c ilarly, claiming that “the class descriptions n f s h s o en trip c from p e e a ulmin r meals a ending q s, Avigno ven days caught [her] eye,” but admits that what realMarc nge prog th p a r t u i n n h 13 r ci at al d 24. “ to M am talkin pated in s ed with an nighttim ity time w and Les Go ly attracted her to the Social Studies electives arch evera g in e e coun ing to n accom ith the tire d l wor real-l U.S. e tr y anoth i r m a k were the teachers, who according to both Stity i sh o v f is er becau Sherw ents and p e situatio ops with in Paris. Th dations. se y incredible zlein and Haberman, are both extremely pasn r t o s ou that stude od stude esenting p , having he French e group realiz there sionate about what they teach. n r n c s o t o t t the w ’s more e “S s presenti s gave pre jects. Tog nversatio udents, e

Although previously having been “good acorld n n s t t o th famil udents, u g in Frenc entations ther the Fr s about Olne ies an pon e h quaintances” through volleyball and general recw y, M an just n ch an arriva and vice ith, the d wit to us aryla d ognition throughout middle and high school, the It’s e h S e l n v , h o t e d u e a h rsa. . rwoo re i t th yee la famil d two girls began to discover shared interests, many and a opening y,” sai nguage an eir friends mmediate n inc d l d o l y o r F l v e w t a i a e n l i redrn ls. ac th Fr g of which were magnified by the topics discussed ench atten the experi “At first th how to fit her. They a ding e r i e n n e y in the classes. For instance, both love to travel, and c f w a e of a o schoo lmos re appreh ith their F rced l.” t two found that the interesting debates, lectures and acensiv rench week e s with but end tivities only “built upon that passion,” according to up a fam ily an Stitzlein. d

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“I have always had an interest in traveling,” Haberman said, her response echoed by Stitzlein, who added that she’d always been “in love with different cultures, and the unique lifestyles and beliefs they bring.” Having this desire to travel and see the world allowed for the pair to not only appreciate each other and form a true friendship, but also the lessons learned in these classes, along with a better understanding of the moral responsibilities bestowed upon them.

Stitzlein, when asked about what she will take away from both classes, commented on the “burden to raise awareness about the atrocities happening in the world,” and is honestly excited to become an activist for human rights and responsibilities in her own way. Likewise, Haberman supported her case by advocating for every student to take at least one of the two classes in order to become a better educated global citizen.

“I learned a lot about [my classmates] who I had known for years,” Haberman revealed, and although she might have found a ‘travel buddy’, future trips to Myanmar, Australia (Haberman’s top choices), Turkey, the Greek Isles (Stitzlein’s picks), or India (both) may have to be postponed. In the fall, Haberman will be at Seton Hall studying International Relations and Diplomacy while Stitzlein studies International Relations and International Business at the University of South Carolina.

As they part ways for college, studying in the same field, Stitzlein shared some words of wisdom that they both felt summed up the Human Geo/ Global Issues pairing: “The world is so much bigger than Olney, Maryland, and these classes really make you passionate about what is going on everywhere else. It’s [about] a broader perspective.”

The Warrior•Opinions 14

May 7, 2015

Staff Editorial:

In Our Opinion

It’s Time To Close Frat Houses Do fraternities promote immoral behavior?

What can be implemented to stop abuses from happening ag ain?

Should fraternities still exist?

Fraternities have long been a staple of college life, but have recently come under fire due to multiple scandals. University of Oklahoma’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon was videotaped singing a racist song, members of Penn State’s Kappa Delta Rho posted nude pictures of unconscious women in a Facebook group and a University of Maryland’s Kappa Sigma member wrote an email that included racial slurs and encouraged sex with women regardless of their consent. And these are just a few examples. These disgusting actions are inexcusable and the students and fraternities involved have deservedly received punishments that have included the suspension and expulsion of both individuals and fraternities.

Greek life has the potential to be a positive aspect of college life by providing a sense of togetherness for its members and helping them make friends. Some fraternities and sororities make a significant difference in their community by holding fundraisers for charity and volunteering locally. However, the benefits of Greek life have been canceled out by its negative aspects.

Fraternities are well-known for their parties, which is a major reason why students join them in the first place. Greek life has long been infused with a binge-drinking culture and being part of a close-knit group only increases the pressure to drink heavily, especially since drinking in college already is widely prevalent. This group pressure may occasionally help some students keep up their grades to stay in their fraternity, but it is also a

prominent cause of hazing, offensive behavior towards minorities and heinous crimes against young women.

Multitudes of people, from university presidents to college students, are declaring that the Greek system needs a monumental reform. They believe that harsher punishments must be handed out to show that the universities do not condone these deplorable and often illegal actions. They suggest that heavily fining the fraternities for racist acts will encourage them to stop the behavior themselves and that suspending students involved in any type of inappropriate sexual behavior will teach them to not repeat their crimes. However, many high school students look forward to being a part of Greek life and believe that colleges should only shut down the fraternities at fault.

Even though these viewpoints are moving in the right direction, they do not go far enough. Reforms may solve a few problems for a brief period of time while fraternities are under the spotlight, but would not eradicate the issues completely. The entire Greek system is a broken, outdated part of the college experience and does more harm than good. Removing fraternities on college campuses will greatly decrease the present group mentality that encourages such horrible behavior and crimes that have been apparent in recent months. With the disappearance of social fraternities, students will make more diverse friends on their own, and more importantly, will not be as pressured to participate in inappropriate acts.

Warrior P

the

ublished six times a year, The Warrior serves as Sherwood High School’s premier news source.

Over the years, it has received numerous state and national honors. With a staff of 46 students and one advisor, The Warrior keeps the Sherwood community apprised of local and national events.

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

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

The Warrior staff invites feedback and corrections to printed inaccuracies.

The Warrior reserves the right to refuse advertisements.

Staff Graduating

Jack Armstrong Meagan Barrett Gianna Bartolini Lauren Cosca Leo Corman Annie Feinroth Julia Gajewski-Nemes Emma Hierholzer Kaleigh Homer Brian Hughes Emma Izzo Tyler Jones Catherine Jou

Ankur Kayastha Connor Loughran Stephen Luckey Malkaiah Mehlek Marie Moeller Hunter Moore Allie Pino Dalton Sanchez Zach Stubblefield Stacey Wells Haley Whitt Betselot Wondimu

Print

Layout and Production Directors ................. Steven Witkin ‘16

Kira Yates ‘16 News Editors .................................................. Ketki Chauhan ‘16 Samantha Schwartz ‘16

Specials Editors ............................................ Meghan Proctor ‘16

Megan Werden ‘17 Sara Casareto ‘16 Features Editors ..............................................

Lauren MacFadden ‘17 Humor Editors ............................................. Noah Rosendorf ‘17 John Sutherland ‘16 Spotlight Editor .............................................. Amanda Allen ‘17 Opinions Editors ................................................ Ben Cooper ‘16 Chris Sung ‘17

Wondering Warrior Editor.................................Lexi Paidas ‘17 Ryan Deal ‘16 Entertainment Editors .......................................

Tate Harrop ‘17

Sports Editors ............................................ Sammie Spillman ‘16 Nicole Reich ‘17

Online Online Managing Editors ............................. Ashley Nnabue ‘16

Milan Polk ‘16

Content and Copy Content and Copy Editors ....................... Madison Dymond ‘16

Morgan Hill ‘16 Maddie Peloff ‘16

Managing Photo Editor ............................... Maya Koeppen ‘17 Photographers .................................................. Kayla Cohen ‘17

Chase Wilson ‘17 Cartoonist......................................................... Sidney Brown ‘17 Pollster ............................................................. Emily Gilburt ‘16 Staff Reporters .........................................Elizabeth Kronlage ‘18

Business and Publicity Directors.................... Danielle Tobb ‘17

cartoon by Sidney Brown ‘17

Will Van Gelder ‘16 Advisor........................................................................... Peter Huck

The Warrior•Opinions May 7, 2015

15 Online, Out-OfThe-Way and Out-Of-Sight

AP Classes Sherwood currently offers 22 AP classes to its students ranging from AP Drawing to AP BC Calculus. The Warrior staff wanted to see how students enrolled in AP courses feel about these classes and their motivations for taking them.

What is the MOST rigorous AP class you have taken?

1. Biology 2. Language (Tied) 2. AB Calculus (Tied) 3. World History (Tied) 3. Chemistry (Tied) 3. BC Calculus (Tied) What is the LEAST rigorous AP class you have taken?

1. Psychology 2. U.S. Government 3. World History Results are based on a survey of 38 seniors

Based on the responses of 38 AP seniors, the average senior AP student will have taken about 6.3 AP classes in high school.

Of a surveyed 62 AP juniors, the average junior AP student is taking 2.8 AP classes this year.

Why are you taking AP classes?

“To expand my knowledge, challenge myself, and show colleges that I am a competitive applicant.”

“To help prepare me for college.”

“It looks good on apps.”

“Because I felt pressured to take them by “I wanted to be in a my friends, teachers, parents, and siblings.” room of people who

cared about school “To boost my GPA and challenge myself.” and grades.”

How are your AP classes structured?

How prepared do you feel for your AP exams this year?

“Most of my AP classes are focused on AP exams. I don’t like this because I want to learn more, not just focus on passing a test.” [Grade 11] “Structured around information but not really structured around the test too much.” [Grade 12] “AP Biology is focused on learning and memorizing the content. We don’t focus on the test just because the information is more important.” [Grade 11] “Every class time is different for each AP course. AP Language and Literature are more focused on the exam, which helps a lot. AP History courses are more focused on learning the content, which make things interesting.” [Grade 11] “I don’t feel prepared at all. The AP U.S. History curriculum was changed this year.”

[Grade 10]

“For all the APs, the classes are geared towards the exam, but I feel that some are better than others on focusing on building up your writing skills or multiple choice skills, namely AP NSL, AP World History, and AP Language.” [Grade 12] “I feel very prepared for AP Biology because Mrs. Erdman and Mrs. Baldwin are very helpful and are always available to help.” [Grade 11] “My AP classes start off by teaching the information. When AP exams are around the corner, we essentially cram.” [Grade 12] “Our class time is focused on learning the information for the AP exam. Class time is generally similar to non AP courses, but is faster paced.” [Grade 11] “I feel prepared because my teachers are setting up review schedules and are giving us a lot of practice tests.” [Grade 11]

Online Health provides convenient opportunity to earn your health credit.

by Samantha Schwartz ‘16 Most high school students’ schedules are jam-packed, and it is always difficult to fit in required courses such as an art or STEM credit. Luckily, students have the opportunity to take one required credit online, Comprehensive Health Education, like I did.

For six weeks in February and March I took MCPS’ online version of the health course taught in school. This is a paid course, $310 with tuition assistance available, offered for six weeks in spring and fall or three weeks during the summer. The course requires students to meet in person with the teacher on the first day to set up their online account, learn about the course, understand how to turn in assignments, take tests and in the end, take a final exam.

I took online health because I did not have enough room in my course schedule to take the required health credit in school.

Taking this course has been extremely convenient and easy.

There are 10 topics, ranging from wellness and stress management to family life and human sexuality. My favorite topic was wellness because it talked about balancing all aspects of your life so that you could live a healthy and harmonized life. Most of the topics were very easy to complete because they just required basic background knowledge of health and healthy living. Each topic consists of educational presentations, practices, assignments, including worksheets and projects, and final tests. The assignments only add approximately three to four hours to a normal week’s homework. Each unit takes approximately four to six days to complete. At the end of the six weeks, the students are tested on each of the topics through a final exam, and then the course is complete and the required health credit has been finished. I ended the course with an 85% on the final and a 98.1% in the class.

Online health was easy, convenient and simple. The assignments and projects did not require a lot of effort and time. On top of their simplicity, they were also interesting, relevant and informative.

I know many students have busy schedules and do not have time to take all of their required courses or classes they are interested in. By taking Comprehensive Health Education online, students can conveniently lighten their schedules, ensure graduation on time and open up more opportunities for other classes.

The Warrior•Opinions 16

May 7, 2015

Advancing Philosophy Maintaining the Paradigm

by Julia Gajewski-Nemes ‘15

In recent years, skepticism over standardized testing has grown tremendously.

While its original intent was to determine student achievement and progress in the core content areas of mathematics, reading and writing then hone in on students struggling in these areas, standardized testing has become unreasonably emphasized in American school systems and, in turn, schools have become too dependent on them to measure student academic achievement and teacher strength.

In order to bring higher-order thinking back into the classroom, all schools throughout the United States should integrate the concepts of philosophy into their curricula. Philosophy, “the love of wisdom,” is traditionally broken up into five main branches – metaphysics, the study of existence; epistemology, the study of knowledge; ethics, the study of action; logic, the study of reasoning; and aesthetics, the study of beauty. The study of philosophy focuses on the importance of asking and answering life’s big questions, leading students to become the thoughtful thinkers that school systems fixated on “teaching to the test” lack.

In elementary school, however, the focus should not be on studying the content of these five branches, but the implementation of the Socratic method in the classroom, a form of discussion based on asking and answering questions to foster critical thinking and to clarify ideas. Young children are naturally curious about the world and tend to ask many questions reflecting that curiosity; instead of simply being given the answers by a patient adult, children should be encouraged to explore these questions in school and feel comfortable raising these questions in the classroom.

Through the Socratic method, students will develop and strengthen their reasoning skills in a way that being spoon-fed information doesn’t allow. The method explains that the most effective way to challenge an opposing idea is through question – lead-

ing another student to see the flaw in his/ her view by making them contradict themselves.

This can be exemplified through the posed question, “Is it okay to kill some bugs and not others?” One student may believe that no, all bugs should be spared no matter the circumstances. Another student that believes there are cases in which it is okay to kill some bugs may challenge his/her classmate’s idea by asking the classmate, “What if you had head lice? Is it acceptable to kill them then?” in hopes that the classmate will make an exception admitting that he would get rid of his/her head lice thus contradicting his/her previous point. Practicing this method at an early age will create the foundation necessary to work through more complex issues when the students are older, creating a learning experience that is more worthwhile.

As students advance in school, the literature and philosophies of the greatest philosophers should be introduced in their English and history classes to create a deeper class discussion that expands students’ understanding of the world and takes advantage of the full potential that secondary school has to offer. Understanding the epistemology of Socrates who believed that being wise means knowing one’s ignorance, the ethical philosophy of the Hedonists who believe living a good life means seeking pleasure and avoiding pain, or the metaphysics of René Descartes who proposed that the mind and body are separate entities will urge students to shape their personal philosophies and lead more purposeful lives.

Through the study of philosophy, students will learn to be the humble, inquisitive, open-minded citizens that the United States needs to discuss contentious issues more effectively. By exposing students to philosophic dialogue as early as elementary school, we are encouraging a greater respect for diversity, a greater understanding of others experiences and the crucial understanding of how to use reason to resolve arguments.

cuts from the Economic Growth and Tax

by Betselot Wondimu ‘15 Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 and the In 2008, when Barack Obama told Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation

the country that his “whole campaign has Act of 2003—also known as Bush-era tax been premised from the start on the idea cuts—were renewed by Obama, although that we have to fundamentally change how he strenuously criticized their disproporWashington works,” people believed him, tionate impact on poorer Americans. The especially because his campaign reflected permissive use of drone strikes in the Midthat sentiment. He convinced millions of dle East, which kills an inordinate amount skeptical citizens that the American system of civilians in proportion to actual threatcould be transformed internally, and his ening people, do not fall in line with his rhetoric did not seem to be empty in any previous progressive outlook. Marijuana is still criminalized and illegal nationalsense—he meant everything he said.

It makes sense that politicians can’t ly despite his personal acknowledgment live up to everything they say or act as they and outspoken comments on the inconsesee fit because of partisan gridlock and a quential physical impact it has when used responsibility—he need for citizens’ approval, but Obama “Even if Obama were to have actually insists that has not adequately lost on every single issue he marijuana should be “way at the bottom” accomplished his goals after nearly fought for, no matter how of our list of prioriseven years in office. small, it would have been nice ties, even though the tied It is important to note to see him fail while making criminalization to its prohibition is that all of Obama’s shortcomings should an effort—to see him go down the root of an epidemic. not take away from swinging.”

It’s understandor devalue any of his giant successes that will surely go down able that there is only so much one man in history. The passage of the Affordable can do, especially while working in such Care Act in 2010 revolutionized the health- difficult circumstances. Obama is dealing care industry for the better. The removal of with one of the most inefficient and diviCuba from the United States’ list of state sive sessions of Congress in history, and sponsors of terrorism is definitely a wise modern Republicans almost seem to base step in uplifting both countries’ economic their opinions on what Obama’s opinions and political statuses. The man killed Osa- aren’t. Still, it is difficult to believe that ma bin Laden. Nonetheless, Obama has Obama made a full-blown effort to move still been able to overwhelmingly shield in the direction of justice. Although he did his broken promises and lack of progres- make some meaningful changes, he persive behavior with his powerful political formed less than adequately on too many diction and campaign enthusiasm (which urgent matters. is of great importance, because campaigns Even if Obama were to have lost on are what many apathetic citizens base their every single issue he fought for, no matter how small, it would have been nice to political opinions off of).

Obama made a plethora of promises see him fail while making an effort—to see during his original campaign that led 53 him go down swinging. It is understandable percent of the country to vote him into of- that he faced many constraints as president, fice, but he has not even come close to ful- but the effort he has put forth on these imfilling all he’s said or conducted himself as portant issues have been too minimal and the progressive candidate he made himself disrespectful to be accepted by those that out to be. Guantanamo Bay is still open due voted him into the most powerful position to his serious lack of effort to close it. Tax on earth.

To The Point

On April 12, Baltimore native Freddie Gray was arrested and soon succumbed to a spinal injury suffered while in police custody. Peaceful protests quickly became violent riots. The six officers involved in the incident are charged with numerous offenses.

Rioters Want a Voice

Protest Peacefully

Misleading the Public

by Stacey Wells ‘15

by Betselot Wondimu ‘15

We have been raised to see police as the pillars and protectors of our community. So it is pretty jarring when we see them killing unarmed people. How can one feel safe when the people who have been tasked with protecting them have been killing unarmed men? More so what should they do when their voices are not being heard?

The answer is make it louder and one way to do that is through rioting. It may not be the best way, but it gets the job done. It keeps injustices like the death of Freddie Gray at the forefront of national attention for a little bit longer before it gets forgotten by the general public. A peaceful protest may be the politically correct thing to do but it does not make a lasting impression on average people.

Seeing the unrest and destruction that police brutality caused in Baltimore undoubtedly played a role in police officers being charged with manslaughter for their involvement in Freddie Gray’s death. These riots showed not only Baltimore, but the nation, that the American people will not stand for injustices like the death of Freddie Gray any longer.

In wake of the recent Baltimore police scandal in which a 25 year old black male suffered a spinal cord injury while in police custody and died, many citizens have bypassed peaceful protests in exchange for violent riots.

They shattered store-front windows, threw rocks and bottles, pummeled police cars, and attempted to sabotage firefighters putting out fires. Police in full riot-gear were forced to subdue the crowds in an attempt to bring back peace. While the Constitution and the law allows civilized protests, these violent demonstrations erode the protesters’ arguments and only show them in a bad light. If these citizens want to make a positive difference, then they must protest peacefully—meaning signs, sit-ins and marches.

Six officers have been charged for Gray’s death, but peaceful protests would have brought the same amount of attention to the issue and the barbaric rioting could have been avoided. More peaceful demonstrations would present the protesters in a better light, and when a victory does come their way, they can rejoice that it was done through peace and not violence.

The passing of Freddie Gray marks the renewal of the mainstream media’s pseudo-analysis of a black man’s death at the hands of police. It begins by questioning the victim’s character, goes on to keep a close eye on protesters who demand police officers face appropriate consequences for their abuse of power and unnecessary violence, and finally scrutinizes any violence that emerges from the protests (seeming to forget it was police violence that initiated the protests).

This recurring pattern reveals that the mainstream media does not seek to completely explain the circumstances of a story to the American people. Rather, it strives to create the most enticing broadcast in hopes of getting higher ratings and more views. Instead of approaching police brutality and racial discrimination as the overriding problems at hand, it sees it more fit to focus on and condemn the reaction of those who are suffering from it. It is a disgrace that news media outlets don’t realize their huge role in shaping people’s ideas and take their responsibility of educating the public more seriously.

by Zach Stubblefield ‘15

The Warrior•Wondering Warrior

17

May 7, 2015

W

... have invisibility, SUPER STRENGTH, super speed or another?

o

u

56% Dunkin’ Donuts

“I would rather be invisible so no one would know if I was absent.”

-Owen Miller ‘15

ld

“Super strength To be able to get my point across.”

-Alhagie Jagne ‘15

yo

“Super speed because it would make me just that much better at soccer.”

-Alan Kristall ‘16

u

r

“Healing power because then i could heal the world.”

-Tony Persaud ‘15

at

... Eat

44%

he

r

or

22%

78%

...

Krispy Kreme ...be two times your weight

38%

or be half your height

62%

...be a Sherwood Student for Life?

...Live In

“A Sherwood student for life to acquire more and more knowledge.”

-Denzel Thompson ‘18

The City 60%

...be a Sherwood Teacher for Life?

The Country 40% Be a Dog 78%

Or

“Teacher because I would get paid and I wouldn’t look out of place.”

-Ryan Tom ‘16

Be a Cat 22%

Live in Antarctica

50%

Or Live in the Desert

50%

*110 students surveyed compiled by Lauren Cosca ‘15 and Lexi Paidas ‘17

The Warrior•Entertainment 18

May 7, 2015 July 24 Sam Smith Merriweather Post Pavillion

May 16 Lil Wayne Echostage

June 18-21 Firefly Festival The Woodlands

Concerts

Shows N’ Shindigs

June 5

Spy

June 12 Jurassic World

July 1

Movies

Terminator: Genisys

August 7 The Fantastic Four

graphic by Ryan Deal ‘16 and Tate Harrop ‘17

New Video-Streaming App Broadens Twitter

by Milan Polk ‘16 Since Twitter’s beginning, users have enjoyed sharing clever stories, jokes and more all in 140 characters or less. With Meerkat, a new app released February 21, Twitter users can now livestream video.

Meerkat’s interface is simple and easy to use. The user logs into Twitter and is automatically linked to the livestreams of the people they follow. The app includes a main screen featuring current, ongoing livestreams. Users can click to enter into a full screen to watch their favorite accounts. Above these livestreams is a place for users to interact with their own followers. Users can also schedule a livestream to record later. They can even tweet and post straight from the app. Notifications can be activated so that users are alerted when their favorite accounts have livestreams.

Reception to Meerkat has been generally positive; its rating is four out of five stars in the iTunes Store. Users love the high-definition streaming, although it requires a fast and reliable connection most of the time to work. Meerkat has been praised for its focused community and unique interface, especially in comparison to its competitor, Periscope, which boasts a larger community and the ability to re-

play livestreams but has numerous bugs.

As of March, Twitter owns Periscope. Also in March, Twitter actually temporarily blocked Meerkat from using imported contacts, which of course hurt the app as well as the public’s perception of it. As of April, Meerkat is still cut off from importing contacts.

Many have speculated that problems with Meerkat and other video streaming devices will soon culminate. Some worry that users could end up illegally taping TV programs and movies, and livestreaming to their followers, much like bootleg movies and non-copyrighted content on YouTube.

Concerns also grow with the huge amount of data that videos may take to stream on Twitter, considering the website is used for short blurbs of text. Time will tell how these new applications will affect Twitter, as well as any other social network that pursues livestreaming.

In its purest form though, Meerkat definitely appears like a useful app for social media users to quickly and efficiently livestream to their Twitter followers.

The only obstacle the app faces is whether it will be able to sustain itself against Periscope. Meerkat is available to the general public only on iOS and is currently an invite-only beta for Android.

‘Ultron’ Is a Sequel that Succeeds

by Allie Pino ‘15

In the hugely anticipated film “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” directed by Joss Whedon, a dormant peacekeeping program goes haywire, putting Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to the Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans.

The movie begins with a huge action scene involving the main Avengers: Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). They’re in an East European country called Sokovia, closing in on the mountain compound of Baron Wolfgang von Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann), a last representative of Hydra, the organization of bad guys.

Even without knowing much about the Marvel franchise, one could predict how things would play out; like Hawkeye and Black Widow kicking a bunch of Hydra hooligan’s butts, Thor swirling into the picture shortly after, Captain America throwing a motorcycle at some bad guys while punishing Iron Man for using harsh language over the intercom system. Hulk smash. You get the picture.

The only issue with this sequel is that viewers grow familiar to seeing the same hits and stunts.

There’s no way to recapture the magic of seeing something like that for the first time. But if you’ve never seen any of the past Marvel films, such as the case for me, the intensity is real!

On the mission to clear the Hydra base, the Avengers find technology that leads Iron Man to conclude that artificial intelligence is the only way to keep the world permanently safe.

But it’s not all fun and games for the supers, who once again assemble to save the world from a threat in which the future of humanity lies in the balance.

That threat is Ultron (James Spader), an artificially intelligent super-villain. As if its intent to wipe the human race from the face of the earth wasn’t bad enough, the Avengers must also contend with two mysterious super-powered newcomers – the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson).

Mixed in with the chaotic and climatic action scenes, Black Widow and Hulk contemplate mutual romantic feelings, archer

Hawkeye shows he can shoot an arrow like Cupid, and Thor challenges all his super buddies to try to lift his hammer-of-the-gods after an evening of drinking.

Thankfully, Whedon doesn’t lose sight of the fact that a superhero movie is meant to be fun, at least most of the time. He uses his flair for dialogue to great effect, leaving plenty of touching and entertaining parts, but the banter between battles is what’s best.

Overall, “A v e n g e r s : Age of Ultron” is definitely worth seeing.

With the direction that modern blockbusters are going, it doesn’t get much better than this. It has a confident and engaging tone, and the action scenes deliver the goods, setting the bar incredibly high for future superhero movies. As Marvel Studios gears up to keep reeling out more of these superhero flicks (six movies from the company are scheduled to be released by the end of 2017), the pressure will be on the filmmakers to make each and every single one of them feel as unique and entertaining as possible.

The Warrior•Entertainment May 7, 2015

19

A Satisfying ‘Visit’ To a Sherwood Play

by Lexi Paidas ‘17

This year’s spring production, “Visit to a Small Planet”

by Gore Vidal, brilliantly showcased the talents of various performers within C.A.S.T. The play follows the antics of alien Kreton, played by senior Alex Hanson, as he attempts to start a war after he has inadvertently landed in 1958 about 100 years after the Battle of Bull Run, the intended destination of his spaceship/time traveling machine.

There is a focus on Kreton as he childishly goes against the wishes of Delton 4, played by senior Jessi Alperin, and travels to Earth, landing in the front yard of a famous television show host, Rogers Spelding, portrayed by junior Spencer Matthews, who believes U.F.O.’s are just conspiracy. Fascinated by the perplexing behaviors of the human race, Kreton begins to observe with

Chase Wilson ‘17

Roger Spelding (Matthews) interrogates Kreton (Hanson) on his presence and intentions in 1958 as Reba Spelding (Mueck), Ellen Spelding (Lizzie Boscolo) and Conrad Maberry (William Goniprow) look on. those in the Spelding’s home. per alien powers, sparks Kreton’s way to stop him in time.

However, General Powers, who is interest in starting a world war, This quirky and entertaining in charge of identifying Kreton as since he missed the Battle of the play transported viewers from either a threat or weapon usable Bull Run. With the threat of nu- the seats of the Ertzman Theatre for the U.S. military due to his su- clear warfare, they must find a straight into the late 50s. All of

5 1 0 2 n o i

h s a F g in

Spring, the season of rebirth and finding things new, is taking a step in a different direction in regards to the newest trends. Instead of fashion reinventing itself completely out of winter and fall looks that took us back to the 60’s and kept us bundled up in layers, it evolved to allow consumers to continue with the vibes they liked but still keeping it really fresh and cool and ready for warmer climates.

the actors portrayed their characters with amazing accuracy, right down to suburban homemakers and patriotic freedom-lovers of this time period. “It was weird because I don’t consider myself a housewife type, and I had a chance to get into the mind of a person who is, which was really strange and a bit of a challenge,” said Jacky Mueck, who played Reba Spelding.

The spectacular set, witty humor and classic wardrobe made the show incredibly interesting and enjoyable. Close to 40 hours were put into the production, and thanks to the many rehearsals and effort put into memorizing lines, the show was an amazing success.

For Mueck, the most enjoyable part of this production was “being able to have a final hurrah before leaving Sherwood, and one last chance to bow on the Ertzman stage.”

1

Spr

Long, Light Jackets/ Kimonos

1

These jackets, kimonos and wraps are a continuation of fall and winter’s layering trend. Obviously, spring and summer bring warm temperatures, making layering difficult unless you want to give yourself a heat stroke. Light materials and flowing fabrics are the key to keeping that funky, layered look while still staying cool. Continuing to capitalize on the military-inspired looks from the fall, popular colors and styles include olive green square jackets and khaki trench coats, while kimonos and capes are coming as something totally new this season.

Models: (1) Julia Lo ‘17, (2) Sophie Mezebish ‘15, (3) Gabrielle Bartolini ‘17 Photographer: Gianna Bartolini

2

3

1970’s Inspired 2

In the fall and into winter there was an influx of vintage-inspired mod and 1960s wear. Going into spring has inspired a move out of the 60s and into the 70s. This era is best known, fashion-wise, for being big and bold, and while not all these factors come into play this season, there are definitely subtle nods to the decade if you look. Flare jeans are back, as are gingham dresses (a take on plaid from the grunge movement this past winter), peasant blouses and chunky platform shoes.

High Necklines

3 Thanks again to the 60s for blessing us with the return of the turtleneck last season- and they’re not gone yet! Although a warm, woolen sweater isn’t becoming of warmer temperatures, crop-tops and flowing dresses with turtlenecks are very popular, as are men’s shirts with the mandarin collar. Although they’re more popular in men’s clothes, shirt-dresses with that collar are also common. compiled by Gianna Bartolini ‘15

The Warrior•Entertainment 20

May 7, 2015

Sweetlife Now a Two-day Festival

by Maya Koeppen ‘17 Sweetgreen’s annual Sweetlife Food and Music festival is back for its sixth year and its return is planned to be bigger and better than ever. The forward-thinking organic food company will be kicking off its first two-day festival on May 30-31 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD. The festival is set to feature over 22 hours of live music with headliners including Calvin Harris, Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, Pixies, Charlie XCX, and Billy Idol.

With the expansion to a twoday festival, the price of lawn tickets increased from $75 to $175.

Lawn tickets have been the most reasonable ticket option for many teens who don’t want to splurge on pavilion or VIP tickets. Recently the company released oneday lawn tickets for $97.50 along with one-day pavilion and VIP tickets. These additions came as the result of a limited availability in two-day tickets after growing sales. The overall price increase has sparked backlash across social media as being “not worth it” and has many past festival-goers refusing to return.

Despite the price increase, senior Sabrina Carrillo believes the price is well worth the lineup considering the festival’s length. “The

The ‘Professional Amateurs’ Bring Unique Sound to Olney

by Malkaiah Mehlek ‘17

asicophotoblog.com

Rapper Kendrick Lamar performing at last year’s festival.

He will be the headline performer on the first day, Saturday. price doesn’t really matter to me … I always spend a lot of money on concerts,” said Carrillo.

Sweetlife is known for its upbeat atmosphere that has locals and even headliners returning year after year. Lineups offer a wide range of genres for both the young and young at heart with past lineups consisting of everything from indie pop headliners to up-and-coming underground bands that have yet to reach Coachella or Bonnaroo popularity. Aside from its lineup Sweetlife is also known for having a variety of tasty yet healthy food options.

Last year’s eats consisted of local favorites such as Chia and Toki Underground. Other highlights included veggie tacos, lobster rolls, and pho-dogs. Through

its passion for food and music, Sweetlife aims to create an experience that is memorable.

Past festival-goer sophomore Gabrielle Bartolini, although excited by the lineup and the addition of one-day tickets, opted not to go after seeing the increase in prices. “I like bands on both days so I would be sad if I missed a band on one day,” said Bartolini.

While the expansion to a twoday festival led to price increases, the Washington Post speculates that it is a call to bring in people from outside the immediate area in hopes of becoming one of the larger mid-Atlantic festivals. All proceeds benefit the “Sweetgreen in schools” program that educates youth on the importance of healthy living.

Guitars. Plenty of them. Lining the walls of the room where Sherwood’s guitar class is taught.

Senior Debbie Moon simply grabs a chair and begins strumming as senior Sarah Decederfelt sits in the seat next to her. Then, senior Kayla Geary counts to three and sings to the matching rhythm of Moon’s strumming.

The trio are a group of close friends who have known each other since middle school, but formed their band this year. “We were at my house when Debbie saw the guitar, she started playing Ed Sheeran’s ‘The A Team’. Then Kayla and I started singing along.

We joked about making a band and then decided, why not?” Decederfelt said.

The seniors have dubbed their band ‘Professional Amateurs’. Moon plays the guitar, Geary writes the songs, and all three members sing. They have a process to creating songs and melodies. “I think of lyrics when I’m in the shower; different life experiences influence my songs.

I think about a verse, make a rhyme, and then create the song.”

Geary said.

After Geary makes the song, Moon helps Geary fit the lyrics into musical measures. “The

melodies are influenced by the last genre I listened to. If I listen to All Time Low I make the song more punk, and if I listen to Taylor Swift, I make it more soft pop.

Usually, Kayla has an idea of how she wants it to sound so I try to find a matching strum pattern.”

Moon said.

So far the Professional Amateurs have performed at venues such as the Kozy Café in Leisure World and Open Mic Night at the Olney Library. “Performing for the first time was a confidence booster. We were shy at first but once we went on stage we were more confident in ourselves.”

Geary said.

The band’s genre is mainly soft punk, with inspiration derived from bands such as AllTime Low, One Direction, 5SOS, Monsters and Men, and solo musician Taylor Swift. The group has also written and performed a few original songs such as ‘Spotlight’, and ‘Breathe’.

As for the band’s goals, they plan to continue performing at more venues and make a YouTube channel to broadcast their music on. The possibilities for the band are seemingly endless, and they intend to continue singing and strumming regardless of whether success follows or not. “We do it for fun” Moon said.

The Warrior•Sports May 7, 2015

21

The Warrior•Sports 22

May 7, 2015

Athletes Rewarded for Efforts On and Off the Field

by Tyler Jones ‘15

Two years ago, Sherwood paired up with Cafe Rio to create a Student Athlete of the Week award for Sherwood’s standout student athletes. The award is given out weekly during the school year. Sherwood coaches and school staff submit brief nominations on behalf of a deserving student athlete or a student who has worked with the athletic department.

Once all nominations are submitted, athletic director Kathy Green chooses the student-athlete who stood out the most. The winners of the award have to showcase a variety of qualities and values that demonstrate good character. “Student-athletes who have exhibited such character traits as resiliency, perseverance, humility, grace and behaviors such as leadership, or sportsmanship,” said Green.

Senior Molly Hierholzer won the award in the first week of February. Hierholzer was a sprinter on the Indoor Track and Field team. “Molly’s dedication, desire, and discipline to train has helped improve her team and teammates greatly. Molly organized morning weight lifting sessions for the team this winter,” wrote Coach Dan Reeks on the nomination.

Hierholzer is continuing to run

on the track team for the outdoor season.

The award is predominantly given to student-athletes; however, students who are deeply affiliated or involved with the athletic department also can win the award.

For example, a recent winner of the award was senior Kelly Saah, nominated for her school spirit and support for Sherwood sports. “She has organized countless student spirit events at multiple games and helped increase school spirit throughout the year.

Kelly is truly selfless in all that she does and is not only to athletics, but also all of Sherwood,” stated social studies teacher Katie Jaffe in her nomination. Although Saah does not play sports at Sherwood, she organized a huge student body fan base that comes out and supports all of Sherwood’s sports teams.

“I take pride in supporting all sports and making sure everyone is aware of the sporting events of the week. I’m very glad to see the student section increased in school spirit as well as attendance in the games,” said Saah.

Award winners not only receive a certificate, but are also given a coupon for one free meal at Cafe Rio. As more student athletes exemplify good character, more nominations are submitted.

Cafe Rio Student Athletes of the Month

August

Shimoy Morrison ‘16 - Department Support

Andrew Frumkin ‘15 - Wrestling

September

January Christina Kolanowski ‘15 - Swim & Dive Duncan Graf ‘16 - Bocce Ball Gretta Leissa ‘17 - Indoor Track & Field Bobby Hanlon ‘15 - Indoor Track & Field

Ariella Amaguana ‘16 - Soccer Neven Sussman ‘15 - Football Kaitlyn Heo ‘15 - Tennis Emma Nichols ‘15 - Poms

February

October

Chase Mulligan ‘15 - Handball Amanda Evans ‘15 - Cheerleading Lea Owens ‘16 - Tennis Zoe Sweeney ‘16 - Field Hockey

November

Alex Le ‘17 - Basketball Anthony Tavarez ‘17 - Basketball Shoshana Rybeck ‘16 - Poms Hunter Moore ‘15 - Basketball Molly Hierholzer ‘15 - Indoor Track & Field

March

Travis Levy ‘17 - Football Michael Mbony ‘18 - Football Alison Sarver ‘15 - Volleyball Christian DeMoya ‘15 - Soccer

Kelly Saah ‘15 - SHS Student Section Morgan Hill ‘16 - Swimming Andrew Frumkin ‘15 - Wrestling Shimoy Morrison ‘16 - Department Support

December Stacey O’Neale ‘15 - Basketball Alexandra Paidas ‘17 - Poms Courtney Nakamura ‘15 - Track & Field Xavier McCants ‘15 - Basketball Jefferson Mercado ‘15 - Cross Country Rosalind Elles ‘17 - Department Support Talanna Golden ‘16 - Department Support

April Hayley Mazur ‘15 - Track & Field/Volleyball Colin Loiacono ‘16 - Coed Volleyball Nicole Stockinger ‘15 - Softball

May

Tim Homon ‘17 - Baseball

Redesigned Gym Floor Coming over Summer

by John Sutherland ‘16

the decision to get a new floor.

“Being a volleyball coach, we uti Students will be pleased to lize the court the most of any fall find a redone gym floor with a and spring sport. It’s imperative shiny new design at the center of that the lines are bright and easy the gym when they return to Sher- to see; this helps with positioning wood in the fall. The new gym on the court. Having a new floor court will feature a large royal can also prevent injuries ... a new blue “S” in the center of the floor gym floor will have the same efand will have “Sherwood” on the fect as it does at the beginning of sideline at one end of the court the season when it’s just waxed. and then have “Warriors” on the You are able to make better cuts sideline at the other end of the and move quicker to the ball,” said court.

Sanger.

T h e Multicolor of the “It is imperative that the lines ple coachnew “S” are bright and easy to see ... [to es, physical will more education c l o s e l y help] with positioning ... pre- t e a c h e r s r e s e m b l e vent injury ... [and] make bet- and War“warrior rior Club ter cuts.” blue” than members the current ~Volleyball Coach Ben Sanger p r o v i d e d design. input on MCPS will the new pay for the design. cost of the floor but Sherwood Athletic director Kathy Green will be charged for any extra emailed them the design choicwork done on the gym. es and asked them to voice their The gym remodeling pro- opinion on which one they wantcess will start on June 10 with the ed for the new design. The prewalls being painted. The week ferred design choice was decided immediately following, the con- in March by a majority vote. “I struction on the actual gym floor believe my input was heard,” said will begin. The floor will take Sanger. around six weeks to remake and The construction of the court finish. will not significantly affect sports Sherwood’s current gym floor teams that plan to use the gym needed to be replaced as it has be- for summer workouts and tryouts come old and worn. Volleyball since the floor will be ready by Coach Ben Sanger agrees with August.

The Warrior•Sports May 7, 2015

23

Warriors Battle-Tested for the Playoffs

by Dalton Sanchez ‘15

The boys’ lacrosse team finished the regular season with a record of 9-5. The Warriors started their season off with win after win against teams such as Blake, Watkins Mill and Paint Branch.

The Warriors then faced a streak of powerhouses in late March and early April. Sherwood lost to rival Quince Orchard on March 31 by a final score of 197. Following the Quince Orchard match was a game against Walter Johnson. The Warriors lost 13-8.

It was a back and forth match until the third quarter when Walter Johnson took the lead for good.

The Warriors had 10 penalties during the game, which really hurt their chances of winning.

The Warriors came back with a well-deserved win against Wootton on April 14. “Wootton has always been a good team,” said senior Grant Fricke. “We expected them to show up and they did, but we were fired up and came out with everything we had.”

Senior Jackson Downs had a huge impact on the offense against Wootton, scoring a total of four goals. It was senior Luke Logan’s first game in goal. Logan had been switched to goalie recently and saved crucial attacks on goal. The score was tied up 1111 during the fourth quarter; both teams continuously attacked on goal, but no one was successful.

But with seconds left senior Chris Chiogioji scored, giving Sherwood the win.

After a great result against Wootton, the boys faced Churchill, which has an all-American player ranked sixteenth in the nation for points. Churchill

The Bench Is Not a Death Sentence

by Ben Cooper ‘16

Chase Wilson ‘17

Senior Jackson Downs makes a run towards the goal in the April 21 game against Whitman, which the Warriors won by a score of 9-7. dominated, ultimately beating the Warriors 19-4.

“We came out flat. We had no energy or enthusiasm,” senior Jake Guiffre recalled. “They were a really good team, but I think we could have played better.”

The Warriors did not let a couple of losses get to them.

After the defeat from Churchill, the team faced Whitman and the boys came out on top, winning 9-7. Following that, they defeated BCC on April 23 and Seneca Valley on April 27, both by a score of

18-0.

The team ended their regular season with a game against Good Counsel on May 1. The game was a big test for the Warriors because Good Counsel is a private school that recruits students to play for their team. In a very evenly matched game, the two teams fought hard until the end but Good Counsel executed to get the 6-5 win.

Sherwood played Paint Branch in the first round of playoffs at home on May 6.

Audrey Dimitrew, a 16-year old volleyball player from Virginia, recently made headlines because she and her parents were fed up with her being benched from her club-level team. So they did the most illogical thing possible: they sued.

They claimed that the team promised playing time, and instead told Dimitrew that she would not be playing for most of the year.

The organization also barred Dimitrew from switching to another team, restricting her opportunity to play elsewhere after she had signed a contract with the team.

The league declined the request because they didn’t want to set a bad precedent that would allow any player to transfer to another team at any time.

Those who have the desire to become great at a sport should know that they can’t be in the spotlight 24/7. In professional sports, top-tier rookies often sit on the bench for their entire first year to gain knowledge and understanding from the veterans. Parents and their athletic kids alike should understand that patience goes a long way, and sitting on the bench is part of a longer process in becoming a better athlete.

At a young age, it is understandable that each kid gets an equal amount of playing time in a sport. But in the teenage years for competitive and varsity teams, each moment should be taken positively, whether it be sitting on the bench or hitting a winning spike.

Everyone is chasing the same goal, so it’s hard to give an equal

chance to all. Yet, in a case like Dimitrew’s, it shouldn’t be about how many chances or how much playing time you get; it should be about what is made of an opportunity when it comes.

Every athlete should use their opportunity on the bench as a learning experience. The fact that there are people who are better at the sport needs to be realized. Patience is often lost in many teenagers, and sitting on the bench will teach them to wait for their moment to shine while rooting on their teammates.

Missing out on a year may seem devastating to a promising athlete’s career, but if someone truly wants to be great at their sport, then a year on the bench only serves to strengthen their understanding of the game. By suing, Dimitrew’s parents have sent the wrong message that legal action is a viable option to get a kid more playing time. The case ended up going in the favor of the volleyball organization, and rightfully so. Just because a kid is benched does not mean that he or she is barred from practicing, or playing non-competitively. The love of a sport comes at a cost; sitting on the bench is a vital part of what makes a great athlete.

Sherwood Baseball Preparing for Playoff Run

by Tyler Jones ‘15

Despite finishing the regular season with a record of 10-5, the Warriors have struggled to win against some of the tough teams.

Top-tier teams such as Good Counsel, Paint Branch, Bethesda Chevy-Chase and Gaithersburg have dominated the Warriors this season, outscoring them by a total of 26-8. Against these teams, the Warriors have struggled to get on base, missed clutch hits when the game was close, and given up too many runs to opposing hitters.

“In order to beat teams like that you have to do the small things. We have not done that,” said Coach Sean Davis.

For the Warriors to be successful in the playoffs their key players must step-up. Senior infielder Jake Paholski has been on fire this season, posting the highest batting average on the team with .526 and leading the team in hits with 20. Senior first baseman Thomas St. Laurent has also stood out this season. Offensively, he has helped the Warriors and is second in the 4A East region in runs batted in (RBI). The War-

Maya Koepper ‘17

Junior first baseman Michael Metro makes the tag on the lead runner on April 21 in the Kennedy game. riors’ pitching staff also will determine how deep a run the team makes in the playoffs. Throughout the season, senior pitcher Brian Hughes and sophomore Brendan Collins have been very

efficient for the Warriors, both leading the 4A East region in at least one particular pitching category (Hughes in wins and Collins in strikeouts). The Warriors pitching rotation also features St.

Laurent and junior Matt Ervin.

Although there are a great number of obstacles the Warriors must overcome to make a playoff run, they still remain very positive and optimistic about their

potential. “We’ve been losing close games on silly things so if we just keep improving our focus and playing our game the little things will go our way and we will be fine,” said senior outfielder Neven Sussman.

The Warriors hold the 17th seed in the 4A class playoffs, and are projected to face 10th seed Howard in the second round of the playoffs after a bye. Howard has a very good batting line-up, with a team batting averaging of .354. However, for the Warriors to win they must play well offensively because Howard’s pitching rotation is not strong. Most of their pitchers have given up at least two runs per game. The winner of this game is anticipated to play the fifth-seed Paint Branch Panthers who are the 4A East Division Champions. Sherwood previously faced Paint Branch in the eleventh game of the regular season, resulting in 8-1 loss to the Panthers.

“We are good enough to compete with those teams. We are a team that will be dangerous if we do the things we are capable of doing,” said Davis.

The Warrior•Sports 24

May 7, 2015

As Playoffs Approach, Sherwood Remains Dominant

by Ryan Deal ‘16 Another year, another dominant season for the softball squad, as they have conquered all of their opponents in their path, surging to a 16-0 regular season record. On the back of stellar pitching from junior Jamie Schmier and a superb offense led by senior Nicole Stockinger, the team has managed to keep its Maryland-state record seventy-eight game winning streak alive throughout the season.

Along the way, the team has recorded some rather absurd victories including a 22-0 victory over Wootton, an 18-0 win over Einstein and a 20-0 win over Springbrook. Collectively, Sherwood has outscored their opponents 231-10 this season. It is victories such as these that illustrate why Sherwood was ranked by The Washington Post to be the top overall team in the state and by Xcellent 25 as the thirteenth-best team in the country.

On the field, the team has received a boost from their new starting pitcher, Jamie Schmier.

Schmier, who replaced All-Met Maggie Dejter this season, has proven to be an ace on the diamond, hurling multiple shutouts.

Her pitching will be needed for the postseason, as well. To best replicate her regular season success in the postseason, Schmier said that she just needs to, “stay focused, not freak out and throw my game.”

Offensively, the team will need production from all through-

out the lineup. Towson commit Nicole Stockinger has been a major contributor this season, breaking the Maryland state record for home runs in a career with thirty-eight. Additional contributors will be junior first baseman Kelly Bouma, who has solidified the position, and infielder Julie Swarr, who is batting north of .500 this season.

Despite Sherwood’s relatively easy march through their regular season schedule, scoring wins in the postseason will provide a larger challenge for the threetime defending Maryland 4A State champions. For Coach Ashley Barber-Strunk, the best way for her team to remain focused through the postseason is to stay calm and play smart. “On any given day, anyone can beat anyone. We take one game at a time, and always play to the best of our ability,” said Barber-Strunk.

Among the strongest opponents Sherwood may face in the postseason, Severna Park may prove to be the toughest. Severna Park is currently ranked ninth in the state and is buoyed with an explosive offense. Eleanor Roosevelt, who has emerged undefeated through their first twelve games, could pose a significant threat as well. Other programs, such as C.H. Flowers and Clarksburg, have also made noise this season. Despite the presence of these worthy opponents however, there is no denying that when Barber-Strunk’s team plays to the best of their ability, there is virtually no stopping them.

Kayla Cohen ‘17

Senior Nicole Stockinger hits a pitch against Gaithersburg in an April 27 game that the Warriors won 6-1.

Junior Finds Success in Second Sport

by Stephen Luckey ‘15

Junior Danielle Rohrman has played soccer nearly her entire life, but she has recently picked up lacrosse and made the varsity team last year as a sophomore.

Aside from the school team, she plays on a club lacrosse team called the Rebels. Rohrman says that lacrosse is more fun and less pressure than soccer, allowing her to enjoy playing with friends on the lacrosse team.

“Both of my parents have played high levels of soccer, and I felt a lot of pressure to play,” said Rohrman. “I just want to fulfill my potential and help the lacrosse team,” said Rohrman.

Rohrman had already experienced a great deal of success in soccer and has played varsity since her freshman year. However, Rohrman quit her club soccer team after her freshman year and began to consider lacrosse instead. During the club lacrosse season her skills have developed to prepare for upcoming competition.

The support from her friends helps her continue to enjoy the game. Junior teammates Kristin Russell, Taylor Andrews and Jessica Hamlin help her practice and motivate her to get better.

Kayla Cohen ‘17

Junior defender Danielle Rohrman goes against a Churchill attacker.

Rohrman helped the Warriors to a 12-7 victory in the game.

Rohrman was not a starter in her sophomore year for varsity lacrosse, but she improved her game over the offseason and now is a starting defensive player. “I need to improve on being more comfortable using both of my hands,” said Rohrman, regarding

her continuing development.

Rohrman will continue to play varsity soccer and varsity lacrosse in her senior year. Lacrosse came like second nature for this junior, so she is determined to strive to succeed in every aspect of the game.