January Issue 2013

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

the

35th Year, Issue No.3

January 31, 2013

Inside: News: 1-4, Relationships: 5-6, Features: 7-8, Humor: 9, Spotlight: 10-11, Opinions: 12-14, Wondering Warrior: 15, Entertainment: 16-17, Sports: 18-20

55th Annual Grammys 85th Annual Oscars

Super Bowl XLVII

The Warrior analyzes the Ravens vs.

49ers match-up. Find out who has the best chance of taking home the Lombardi trophy and why.

Find out which of your favorite celebs are nominated for these prestigious awards.

pgs. 15 & 19

Rock ‘n’ Roll Takes A Toll on Students

Rock ‘n’ Roll participants find demanding rehearsals and long hours worth it in the end.

by Vicky Florian ‘14 Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival is a gem of the Sherwood Music Department, organized annually by music teachers Bill Evans and Alex Silverbook. They work in coordination with some of the most musically talented individuals at the school along with vocal assistant, Will Mills. The spectacular show is a time-honored tradition. With 40 songs in the lineup, the preparation time is extensive and requires serious dedication, but for many students it is worth the grueling schedule.

Until February 8, five songs are rehearsed each day, ending at about 4 p.m. For two weeks after February 11 rehearsals last until 5 or 6 p.m. The week before the first show there are five dress rehearsals, which run through all of the songs from start to finish.

These rehearsals start around 5 p.m. and end when the show is done, which can be around 10 or 11 p.m.

With these extensive rehearsals, students are required to jug-

Michaela O’Donnell ‘13

Rock and Roll rehearsal after school lasts until 4 p.m. until February 8. gle RnR, other after school activities and their studies, which can be a daunting task.

Senior Jordan Kramer, who is a background singer, affirmed that the three and four hour rehearsals, which become common as show time looms nearer, “[don’t] leave much time for do-

ing other things.”

However, according to junior Nish Desai, who is a guitar player and songwriter, efficient rehearsal schedules and sympathetic teachers significantly aid in the achievement of this feat.

see RNR, pg. 4

the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI). NMSI’s mission is “to [improve] the current and future math and science teachers in the K-12 system and to [raise] the achievement of American students from the first grade through college,” as stated on its website.

This push for more intense math and science courses aims to give current students the opportunities to become serious competitors in the global job market once they graduate from college.

Schools’ resources are being put towards improving these programs, meaning there is less to go around for other departments.

Art departments around the country have been getting the short end of the stick when it comes to raising budgets and teaching standards, while some programs have even been cut altogether.

Bucking the recent trend, Sherwood has not had to undergo drastic changes to the art department. “We

pgs. 10-11

ESOL Students Encounter Isolating Social Challenges

ESOL are spread throughout the school, such as science teacher When a large portion of stu- Emelia Gonzales’ room in the dents think of the ESOL program B hall and English teacher Patty at Sherwood, they do not really Jasnow’s room in the C hall. understand its enormity; 200 stu- Lower-level ESOL students dents are a part of a close-knit take classes exclusively with community within the walls of this each other, such as Gonzales’ school. eighth-peThis diriod ESOL v e r s e “Sherwood is an ESOL ‘center’ b i o l o g y group of- because any student who places class. They ten faces enefit into ESOL 1, 2, or 3 who would bfrom isolation the from the otherwise attend the Northeast more rerest of the Consortium (Paint Branch Blake laxed pace student and smaller and Springbrook) comes here number of body.

Con- instead so we can offer them kids in the trary to more sheltered classes and other classroom. popular “I can go belief, the support.” a little bit down- Laura Bernard-Sanchez slower and stairs I can exD hall, plain to the commonly known as the “ESOL students in different languages Hallway,” is not the only place in and with more details,” said Gonthe school with classes for ESOL zales. students. Senior Cesar Martinez, On the other hand, these stuwho has exited the program, dis- dents are only interacting with agrees with this term because he one another, leaving them with doesn’t think it is accurate. “The less of an opportunity to get to school has a lot of classrooms know students outside the prothat are used by ESOL students,” gram. Not many people go out Martinez commented. “They ar- of their way to talk to someone en’t all in one area.”

Several other classrooms for see ESOL, pg. 3

by Steffi Carrera ‘14

Art Department Lacks the Attention Core Subjects Receive

by Jessica Carrera ‘13

Art departments across the country are fighting for their survival as the U.S. Department of Education, school districts, private organizations and companies continue to prioritize STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) classes while de-emphasizing the arts and music.

Exxon Mobile has aired its “Let’s Solve This” commercials for the last seven months and the statistics that the ads report are intended to startle audiences. According to the commercials, the U.S. ranked seventeenth out of 31 countries on a science test and twenty-fifth in the world when math scores were compared.

The company, along with other private donors including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Michael and Susan Dell foundation, is a sponsor of

have strong administrative support at [Sherwood] who work with the department to determine what is needed to help [it] grow,” said fine arts resource teacher Angela Praisner. “It is my belief that our administration shares [our] values and encourages our young

see ART, pg. 2

www.thewarrioronline.com

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The Warrior•News January 31, 2013

S W E N in brief

Changes to MCPS’ Seven Keys

MCPS is reviewing its Seven Keys to College Readiness in order to accommodate new national and state education reforms— such as the Common Core Standards—and the changing needs and expectations of its students.

Since 2009, the Keys set the minimum requirements and benchmarks for students in order to increase their chances of being ready for and successful in college. However, MCPS has determined that the county fails to recognize other pathways after high school like joining the workforce or army.

According to The Washington Post, Superintendent Joshua P. Starr hopes to widen the Keys’ definition of student achievement to include skills not measured in standardized tests like persistence and motivation, while also assessing performance in math and reading.

Starr also seeks to create new goals that focus on skills like communication and problem solving. The decision to revamp MCPS’ Seven Keys reflects Starr’s belief that there has been too great a focus on standardized testing and overly rigid measurements of student success.

-Mary Macrae ‘14

Smart Phones Outsmart Teens It’s rare to see teens nowadays that do not stroll along with an iPhone, Android or other type of smart phone in their hands. The level of dependency of teens on their smart phones has raised privacy and safety concerns by several public interest groups.

Federal regulators are considering changing child privacy laws, such as requiring parents’ permission to collect information online, to apply to teens as well, but until then teens’ dependency on their phones may lead to exposing personal information.

Studies show that six in 10 teens own a smart phone, and this figure is rising. With the amount of time a teen spends on his or her phone, much information is given out, willingly or inadvertently.

Even Twitter has the option to post a location with every tweet, so not only do people know what teens are doing, they know where the teens are doing it as well. Many smart phone owners also are unaware that many applications have the ability to collect personal information from one’s phone.

-Taylor Fernandes ‘14

Law Makes MC Less Accessible The Maryland Dream Act, which passed in November to provide undocumented immigrants with in-state college tuition rates, has resulted in the major increase in price for certain students due to wording in the law.

According to The Washington Post, the loophole arises in the statement that immigrant students can get in-state tuition upon graduation from high school, among other requirements. This particular requirement, however, impedes an undocumented immigrant student’s ability to take classes at Montgomery College while still in high school.

Montgomery College was the only school in the state offering in-county tuition rates to undocumented students prior to the passage of the Dream Act. Now, with the wording in the law, the school is forced to increase rates severely—up to three times the cost—for students still in high school. Many students who took classes or participated in programs at the college prior to the passage of the bill are now unable to participate.

The administration at Montgomery College worries that avoiding a legislative solution could make the college susceptible to a lawsuit similar to one that challenged the school’s discounted rates before the law was passed.

-Mandy Stussman ‘14

Arts Offer Different Perspective on Learning from ART, pg. 1 artists to excel in their strengths.”

However, the possibility of modification to the art department and programs may not be too far away. “At local and state levels, we are seeing cutbacks in resources which in turn will inevitably affect us at the school level,” said Praisner. What those changes will be remains to be seen; they could range from an increase in required course fees to potential faculty cuts.

The shift in greater attention being given to math and science classes, “is warranted in terms of preparing students for trending careers; however, resources in the arts must remain in order to continue the development of visual, performing and vocal artists,” said Praisner.

She also says art classes expose students to innovative methods of communication not found

in content-based courses. They are there to break the mundane essay writing or problem solving that is a part of the curriculum in almost every other class.

“Even if you’re not good at art, taking a class helps broaden your imagination and increase your creativity. This can help you in other areas such as writing, class presentations, speeches or solving a really hard math problem that calls for [thinking] outside the box,” said senior Janet Mansaray. She is currently enrolled in Studio 1 and is an officer in the National Art Honors Society.

Fine Arts classes also offer students the opportunity to expand their horizons and display their work in shows, a chance that students who see art as a hobby would not have normally pursued. Senior Kristy Garcia had her artwork displayed last year in a show sponsored by Johns Hop-

kins University.

“I have taken art all four years of high school and am currently taking AP Studio because drawing and painting are two of my favorite hobbies. I do plan on minoring in art in college, but I mainly am trying to keep it on the side in the future,” said Garcia, who plans to pursue an anthropology major.

Instead of cuts to the department, there could potentially be reasonable grounds to increase the importance and requirement of the art credit. To graduate, students must complete one credit of art, which could be anything from Foundations of Art to Digital Art. “The arts promote a higher order thinking process that encourages students to analyze ideas in innovative ways. Another year gives you the opportunity to begin developing conceptual & analytical problem solving skills that produce masterpieces,” said Praisner.

Siblings Return Home After College

by Nick Mourtoupalas ‘13

A number of former Sherwood students started living with their parents and siblings after years of attending college away from home, reminding each other how the dynamics of their lives have changed since they first left. Current Sherwood students appreciate having their family members home once again, although there are many hurdles to overcome.

Senior Sarah Loughran lives with her older cousins at home, one of whom has graduated from college. Aside from typical arguments and fights, Loughran is glad to have her cousins at home for support. “I don’t like sharing the car, but I enjoy them at home; they’re still family,” said Loughran.

One of her cousins, TJ (‘07), left only about a year ago when he was 24 years old. “He went back and forth between living in an apartment and living at home, so that annoyed us. He finally moved out, though,” said Loughran. “In our household, you do what you want to do and you’re supported.

If any of us mess up, we strive to get them back on track.”

In senior Josh Fleming’s opinion, older siblings should adapt to an adult lifestyle as soon as possible after leaving college.

Fleming’s 21-year-old brother, Daniel, has recently returned home after rooming at UMBC. “It’s nice having help around the house and somebody to talk to, but I’ve prepped myself for living without him,” said Fleming. “I don’t think you should stay home at his age unless you, perhaps, pay rent to your parents.

You need to get used to living like an adult because you’re going to be doing that sooner than you think.”

Senior Kimmy Walsh’s relationship with her sister shows how exposure to different ele-

photo courtesy of Zac Plotkin ‘13

Senior Zac Plotkin and his sister Elana Plotkin, who is living at home after college to save money. ments in college can impact life at home after returning. “[My sister] has definitely changed a lot, so it’s harder to relate to her,” said Kimmy.

After several years in college living on her own, her sister Jenn (‘10) said, “I don’t mind being home with my family but I do have a lot less freedom than when I was in my own apartment in school. Hopefully, I will soon have a full-time job and will be saving money to live on my own.”

Students say that getting a job and saving money is a great first step to moving out and preparing to live on one’s own. “[My sister] has a job, and she’s been living

at home for two years. During her time home, she saved a ton of money and got everything together in preparation to move out,” said senior Zac Plotkin, whose older sister, Elana (Kennedy ‘06), feels well-equipped to dive into the adult world.

“Money is really the only reason I stay home. Saving $1,000 a month on rent alone and being able to put that into savings or my entertainment budget makes it worth it for me,” said Elana.

“Since being home, I’ve almost paid off all of my college loans, bought a new car, taken trips to fun places including Thailand – all things I could not do without the reduced living expenses.”

The Warrior•News

3

January 31, 2013 There are currently 167 ESOL students.

Within the last two years, 33 have exited the program.

Students can skip levels based on their progress, so they usually don’t stay in the program for their whole high school career.

5 Levels Of ESOL: The lower levels (1, 2) consist of students who are still learning English while the higher levels (3, 4, 5) are made up of those who know the language.

In the ESOL community, there are 36 different countries of origin.

Between the 200 students in ESOL, 23 different languages are spoken.

Interaction Needed Between Groups from ESOL, pg. 1 they have never met, resulting in a separation between students in the ESOL program and those who are not. Sophomore Audrey Zimou is a level 2 ESOL student who admitted to not having any friends outside of the ESOL program. “I don’t want to talk to them because I am scared they [will] laugh at my English,” she said when explaining why she is hesitant to start conversations with her American classmates.

ESOL resource teacher Laura Bernard-Sanchez feels this gap could be closed by kids simply reaching out to each other. “If American students extended the hand of friendship, [ESOL students] would be happy to accept it,” Sanchez commented. She works towards integration by encouraging her students to get involved in clubs and sports alike, saying, “If they’re too shy, I go with them.”

Joining in these types of extra-curricular activities is generally more difficult for ESOL students because they tend to live further from school. Since Sherwood is an ESOL center, students come from homes that are usually more than half an hour away.

This proves to be a problem when it comes to transportation; school buses are not provided to neighborhoods that are so far away, so students are forced to find other ways to get home.

Sophomore Cristian Mercado, who is a member of track and field, uses the Metro bus to get to his home in Silver Spring. Although his house is about 40 minutes away, it takes him around one and a half to two hours to arrive because of the bus route.

This deterrent naturally leads to fewer ESOL students participating in after-school activities.

Transportation aside, Mercado is glad to have joined the team. He feels he has made more friends through track, and thinks this chance to talk to other Sherwood students is improving his language skills. “I really like to talk to Americans because I want to learn English,” said Mercado.

“My goal is to learn English as fast as I can.”

Others who have chosen to join a team or club at Sherwood are also satisfied with their decision. Senior Blondel Ndjouandjouka, who has exited the program, currently plays varsity soccer. He initially encountered some obstacles, such as staying at school for a straight six hours during tryouts; he did not have the time to go back home during the two-hour break in between sessions so he stayed for the entire time.

However, Ndjouandjouka pushed past these hindrances and met new people in the process.

“My teammates are my friends,” he commented. He feels the benefits of joining the team definitely

What To Expect When Teachers Are Expecting

by Meagan Barrett ‘15 and Haley Whitt ‘15

For obvious reasons, it is hard for students not to notice when one of their teachers is pregnant.

However, students likely do not consider how much more challenging and tiring it becomes to be an effective, interactive teacher while handling all of the physical and emotional demands of being an expectant mother.

Being pregnant is hard for anyone. But being a teacher while being pregnant is undoubtedly much more difficult. Math teacher Sia Senior is an expert in this area, having recently returned from her second maternity leave.

Her daughter, Michaelah, was born this past October.

“The students are always so sweet about it. They want to know if it’s a boy or a girl, if they can feel my stomach,” Senior said. But teaching while pregnant isn’t always pleasant. “It’s easier to get winded because of the extra 30 pounds you’re carrying … I’m a physical kind of teacher.”

Science teacher Britani Greco is five months pregnant with a baby girl. “It’s harder to be on your feet all day. It’s a lot of carrying around extra weight,” Greco said. “I like to move, so it’s very hard for me to stay off my feet.”

Social studies teacher Karen Sinclair agrees that the lack of mobility is one of the hardest aspects of a pregnancy. “The problem is that you can’t be as effective, especially in the last trimester, because you can’t be an effective teacher if you can’t move around.”

Ashley Barber-Strunk, head of the Health Department and physical education teacher, said that her PE classes kept her active during her pregnancy, but it was not without challenges. “I did have to go to the bathroom pretty often,” she noted.

Once the baby is born, the mother confronts a new set of challenges. The first priority is having a long-term substitute

photo courtesy of Sia Senior

Math teacher Sia Senior embraces her two daughters, Hannah (left) and Michaelah (right). Senior left in October for maternity leave. in place. “I didn’t just pick up someone off the street. I got a math person,” said Senior. She left in October, in the middle of first quarter. Was this difficult for her? “Not for me,” she said with a chuckle.

“I left right at the end of third quarter,” Greco said. “It’s hard to leave no matter what. But I had an emergency, and my kids came in the next day to hand worksheets in, and I wasn’t here to help them.

I couldn’t wrap up loose ends.”

Greco was out all of fourth quarter.

Sinclair said leaving in April for maternity leave made it more manageable for her students. “I think it made it easier for students because they got to have me for a majority of the year, and I did a majority of the teaching before I left,” said Sinclair.

All of the teachers agree that coming back to teach while the infant stays at home is the most difficult part of post-pregnancy.

“Teaching is harder to do when you’re a working mom,” Senior said. “It’s hard to give 100

percent. I could no longer grade at home. I can’t say [to the baby], ‘Hold on, I’ll make you dinner as soon as I’m done grading.’”

“I miss [Grace] to death,” said Barber-Strunk about her daughter, born in October 2011.

“I don’t get to experience certain milestones with her, like seeing her first steps.”

Senior noted not only the challenges of having a newborn at home, but the benefits as well.

Since she cannot grade at home, she finds other means. “I grade whenever I can at school. I’m multitasking. I’ve become more efficient at school,” Senior said.

Many teachers concurred that becoming a parent made them a better teacher. Barber-Strunk added, “After being a mother, I feel more passionate about teaching kids.”

“It was a hard experience to come back to school after having Mason because it was hard to juggle being a new mom and being a teacher,” Greco said of her son, almost two. “As a teacher, I feel like I’m the mother of 170 kids.”

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

The Warrior•News

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January 31, 2013

A New Generation of Clubs

Three Sherwood students have started their own clubs to inspire others to volunteer and help those in need, locally, nationally and internationally.

Give. Love. Hope.

Knitting for Humanity

by Diana McDermott ‘13

by Maria Claudia Garcia-Rada ‘13 Give. Love. Hope., a club that promotes volunteerism, arrived at Sherwood this past November when sophomores Jamilah Silver and Julia Gajewski-Nemes established it. “The club started when [we] realized that not enough students actually go out to the community and volunteer,” said Silver.

The club was designed so that students make a difference in the community by actually volunteering in it, rather than simply arranging several fundraisers, as the majority of clubs at Sherwood do. “I really enjoy this club because I am able to get service hours, while hanging out with my friends.

It feels good to know I’m helping the community,” said sophomore Sonali Gupta.

Give. Love. Hope. has already organized and completed several activities including delivering canned goods to homeless families in the area and gift wrapping at a local mall to raise money to support National Institute of Health (NIH) research. “My favorite activity was wrapping presents at the mall because we got help raise funds … while getting in the Christmas spirit,” said Gupta.

Throughout the year, the club hopes to make trips to several different soup kitchens and homeless shelters around Montgomery County. They also intend to

Bridget Cook ‘14

Sophmores Jamilah Silver and Julia Gajewski-Nemes founded the club Give. Love. Hope.

volunteer at Manna Food Center in Gaithersburg, which is a nonprofit organization that distributes food and educates and advocates to eliminate hunger.

“Our hope is that starting this club would not only bring the students at Sherwood closer together, but bring them closer to the community,” said Gajewski-Nemes.

The club meets approximately one to two times a month in club sponsor, Xaviera Gutiérrez’s room, G242.

Knitting for Humanity, started by senior Henrietta Biayemi, is a club in which students knit scarves to send to an organization called Knit With Love. Knit With Love in return sends the scarves to needy people such as homeless people, impoverished children abroad, premature babies, and people going through cancer treatments.

The gift of a knit scarf or a beanie cap can really help brighten a hurting person’s life.

“There is a difference between simply buying a scarf and knitting one. Although our scarves are not perfect and are at times filled with holes, our scarves are filled with love and compassion,” said Biayemi.

“This is really what charity and donating is about. Knowing that people will benefit and be grateful for our scarves is what keeps us going. It is a good feeling.”

The club meets twice a month to check on progress, but other than that, it is not a huge time commitment. For an inexperienced knitter it may take about a month to knit one scarf, but for a more experienced knitter it can take a couple of days. For each scarf, a student will receive three service hours. If a student does not know how to knit, it is also helpful to donate yarn to help out with the cause. “[Knitting scarves] is something peo-

Diana McDermott ‘13

Henrietta Biayemi holds up two scarves that members of her club have knit. ple take for granted, just yarn and needles but it is really going to help improve someone’s quality of life,” said Biayemi.

For students who want to help a charity but cannot afford to contribute a lot financially, this is a great way to get involved and help others. It is also a fairly simple hobby that someone could do at any time of the day. The club meets in K170 on the first and third Thursdays of every month and is sponsored by English teacher Maureen Meushaw.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Affects Schedules from RNR, pg. 1

photo courtesy of Carla Barry

Sherwood students pose with a volunteer for the Maryland Special Olympics, who advised the students about safety precautions.

Taking the Polar Plunge

by Leah Schroeder ‘13 For the second year in a row, about 40 Sherwood students were among the hundreds to participate in the 15th annual Polar Plunge sponsored by the Maryland State Police.

The school group participated in the fourth annual Cool Schools Challenge Plunge Frigid Friday, which is exclusively for school teams and took place on January 25, the day before the actual Polar Plunge.

The Plunge asks participants to go into the Chesapeake Bay to raise money for Special Olympics Maryland, the state’s largest

year-round organization devoted to sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Sherwood’s team raised over $4600, contributing to the total amount raised of almost $1.8 million.

Senior and Best Buddies President Cooper Weinberger has participated in the event both years and made a pact this year with friends to go head under.

“It’s insane to jump in the bay in January. You know it’s going to be cold, but you have no idea how cold until you enter the water. I thought the water would freeze over my head,” said Weinberger.

“Mr. Evans and Mr. Silverbook do their best to get [students] out of practice on time because of homework and other extracurriculars,” said Desai. The understanding that participants may have a lot on their plates is well recognized by the teachers, thus after March 1, rehearsals are scheduled so that student athletes may participate in both RnR and spring sports.

In addition, many students have demanding academic schedules. Practices begin at 5 p.m., thus allotting two and a half to three hours after school to complete any assigned homework.

Desai said that even with the time between the final bell and the commencement of rehearsal, he finds himself staying up later than usual to finish schoolwork; however, he maintains that RnR is well worth the sacrifice.

RnR and his studies are his number one priorities, he emphasizes, adding that his parents require him to maintain his grades in order to participate. “I don’t see [RnR] as stressful” he said.

“Being able to play music for two hours after school with my friends is a big stress reliever and tons of fun.”

Desai and Kramer both agree that RnR is definitely worth the time and energy put forth by the participants. “The student direc-

Michaela O’Donnell ‘13

Director Bill Evans instructs singers during a break between songs. Lenny Fobe (‘14) plays the piano for certain songs during rehearsal. tors do some very important work for the show,” said junior Sara Zarny, who is one herself. “It is so rewarding to see all that work make a really amazing product that so many people enjoy and have so for years.”

The pleasant atmosphere, rewarding friendships and satisfaction of performing in front

of a large, live audience is both thrilling and gratifying for those involved.

“There are always a lot of positive remarks about the show,” said junior Rachael Fox, who is a dancer. “Everyone helps create an atmosphere that makes people want to keep coming back year after year.”

The Warrior•Relationships

5

January 31, 2013

Date Lab

by Briana Applewhite ‘13

Love is in the air, Sherwood! Here at The Warrior we thought we would try to create a love connection between the outgoing new kid, senior Cameron Chester, and straight-A varsity athlete, junior Natalie Sebeck.

Sweetheart Survey compiled by Kaleigh Homer ‘15 and Sammie Spillman ‘16

Are you in a relationship?

If yes ...

25% Yes

How long?

75% No

More than a year 31%

1-5 months 42%

Briana Applewhite ‘13

Cameron Chester ‘13

Natalie Sebeck ‘14

*About the Daters *

A little bit of background.

Cameron: I moved here from Utah about seven months ago. I am very athletic. I am a Mormon and an eagle scout. I’ve played the piano for 10 years and plan on continuing my talent.

Natalie: I play volleyball, basketball and lacrosse for Sherwood. I’m a straight A student and a great cook.

What do you enjoy?

C: I enjoy playing golf, baseball, volleyball, basketball, snowboarding, four-wheeling and working. I’m always up for a challenge!

N: I love stamp collecting, TV dramas, long walks on the beach and a good joke, of course. “What’s green and has wheels? Grass. I lied about the wheels.”

What’s your type?

C: The girl has to have a solid personality and be fun to be around. I look for someone who is very nice to everyone and doesn’t have that “I’m better than you” attitude. Oh, and I’m a sucker for blonde and brunette girls.

N: Well I’m 5’10” so I guess I look for someone who’s tall.

*About the Date *

Dinner at The Greene Turtle around 7 p.m.

First impressions?

C: I definitely wasn’t expecting it to be her. She was down to earth and polite.

N: I didn’t expect him. We have mutual friends so I knew of him, I just didn’t know him. It was nice.

Did the conversation flow smoothly?

C: At times, I felt like I was asking most of the questions. Maybe it was because she was nervous, but I definitely think she would have been more comfortable if we were with a group, rather than a date.

N: It was good. It was pretty easy to talk to him.

Overall, what do you think of the date?

C: I’d give the date an eight out of 10.

First of all, she’s really cute and she has a good personality. She seems really funny. I like her. I’d definitely go on a second date.

N: I would absolutely do it again. He’s a good guy.

Could you see yourself with this person?

C: Yeah, I could see myself liking her; she’s a good girl.

N: Yeah, probably.

6-12 months 17%

If no ...

Do you want to be?

25% No answer 31% Yes 44% No

Less than a month 10%

Do you feel high school relationships generally can last after high school?

43% Yes 54% No 3% Maybe *survey of 76 students

How does being in a relationship impact your relationship with friends or family members?

“We were friends before we started dating so when we hang out with friends, we’re together. I also babysit his younger brothers because his parents don’t trust him to watch the kids, so I’m very close with his family.”

-Christina Godzuk ‘14

What are some of the challenges you face being in a relationship?

“Finding the right balance between hanging out with friends and hanging out with my girlfriend.”

-Tyler Reeves ‘14

How does being in a relationship affect your school work and grades?

“It’s harder to keep good grades when in a relationship, but we both manage.”

-Christina Godzuk ‘14

6

The Warrior•Relationships January 31, 2013 How has your view on sex changed as you’ve gotten older?

Senior Boy: Well, as a kid I only knew what my parents told me about it, but as I’ve grown older I’ve been able to see the reality of it. But I still don’t know what my opinions are on sex.

What is the general perception of people who are sexually active?

Senior Girl: Usually people are considered slutty [or] promiscuous, but I think as long as you do it with someone you actually like or someone you have a relationship with and [do] not just do with just anybody, it’s fine.

Junior Boy: I think a lot of people think it’s a really bad thing, and it doesn’t make sense to me why people think that, because it’s a natural instinct; it’s something that you’re supposed to do.

Sophomore Boy: I remember going through puberty and with all the hormones I often felt like ‘I need to have sex now!’ but as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized that it’s better to wait. I don’t want to run the risk of knocking the girl up and ruining my future.

Are opinions on sex different between your female friends and your male friends? How so?

Junior Boy: Most definitely, they are completely opposite. A lot of my friends and I are really open to it but a lot of girls are just not the same way at all. I have no idea why that is; maybe that’s just the way their brains work.

Sophomore Girl: Yes, guys are very immature.

They don’t take it seriously at all. They just want to have sex with every single girl they see and then girls just always say no.

Sherwood Talks

What percentage of students do you think are having sex?

SEX

The Warrior interviewed eight students, one boy and one girl from each grade, to find out the range of views at Sherwood on sex.

Junior Girl: 40 percent. It’s widely accompiled by Connor Martin ‘13 cepted at our school and people think it’s ok as long as they’re [using protection].

What do you think about people who Freshman Boy: 50 percent. I don’t know anyone are committed to having sex only who has done it, but I think a lot of upperclassafter marriage? men are probably having sex. *The interviewed students on average thought that Junior Girl: Those people should gain a lot of 46 percent of students at Sherwood are sexually respect because it’s really hard and it’s a good deactive, which is only one percent off from the ac- cision. Sex is always going to be there as a temptual national average of high school students who tation for teenagers but it’s good to abstain. Also, have had sex: 47 percent according to the Centers it’s in my religious background that God created for Disease Control and Prevention. marriage for sex; you should save it until marriage because it makes it more special and I feel like if you have sex with someone before you’re married, you’re kind of committing adultery.

How often do people talk about sex seriously versus talking about it as a joke?

Freshman Girl: People tend to take sex lightly; they do not treat it as a serious thing because they don’t think about the consequences sex can have.

What is your personal opinion on couples at Sherwood, including public displays of affection (PDA)?

Sophomore Girl: I think it’s ok to hold hands in the hallway or hug or kiss but I don’t want to see people making out in the hallway. That’s just gross. I don’t think that’s ok.

Senior Girl: I think it’s fine. Nothing is wrong with that, but then again, you’re only going to have it with that one person, so you’re going to miss out on different relationships, different experiences, etc.

Best Friends Seem to Share Just About Everything

by Jamie Langbein ‘13 Relationships are a tricky thing. That’s what makes them so exciting – they’re unpredictable. Over the past couple years, my long-distance best friend has been in three different relationships. When things turned south for her at the end of each of the relationships, she turned to me for support like I promised her she always could. But as this happened, her relationship troubles and pains started to become the source of my troubles and pains, too.

My friend’s ex-boyfriends cover the scale of crazy ex-boyfriends pretty well.

There is a cheater, a bitter-hold-a-grudgeforever guy, and a straight-out psychopath.

They weren’t all like that at the beginning of the relationships, but by the break-

up some of their … shall we say “uglier” truths came to light.

When she told me what was going on and how much the boyfriend at the time had hurt her, I was upset. My best friend is like my rock. I look to her for strength.

But when her strength to deal with all the pains that surrounded her started to wane, I began to feel troubled too. Of course, I tried to stay strong for her, but I can’t tell you if my attempts at comforting her were even any help. I can only tell you the pain I felt for her.

I’ve only ever been in one relationship, but I definitely can tell you that being in a romantic relationship affects relationships with other friends. As humans, we feel compassion for others. Depending on the strength of our bond with another person,

how we feel can negatively or positively affect how they feel too. Most of the time we can’t even help it. Empathy is like a virus-- it spreads quickly and easily. People catch emotions when we wish they wouldn’t. Emotions are an infectious disease, and we have no choice but to share them.

My friend’s relationships definitely affected me. The distance between us meant I was unable to comfort her except for over the phone. Our busy lives meant that we were not always on the same schedule, and sometimes we did not have time to talk to each other no matter how badly we needed to. None of this made any of the pain and happenings any easier, but we managed.

After this most recent period of our relationship, my friend is back to her beau-

tiful self. She is confident and strong. I feel better because she feels better. We’re connected to each other, and we always will be.

The Warrior•Features

7

January 31, 2013

of...

by Alex Porter ‘13

JANUARY 28 After school, senior Craig Weiss gets in his car and heads to the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab (APL).

Weiss is one of many students involved in Sherwood’s internship program, and spends his time at the lab working on writing code for a prosthetic arm that is in development.

During the drive to Laurel, Weiss describes how he became involved with the famous university’s laboratory. Unaware of APL’s existence before, he discovered it at a science convention with his dad. Although it was originally described as being for Howard County students, Weiss applied for the internship that he saw and was chosen.

Upon entering the campus building, all entrants are checked by security. While Weiss works on an unclassified medical project, many of APL’s projects are government projects for agencies like NASA and the Department of Defense that are classified as secret.

Weiss works on the Modular Prosthetic Limb, a new prosthetic arm for amputees, like those wounded in war, and paralysis victims. It can be used as either a prosthetic able to be attached wherever the arm was cut, or as an entirely separate arm mounted elsewhere to aid the paralyzed.

Weiss participates in writing code

for the eye-tracking device that identifies what the arm should grasp, while others program how the limb will interpret brain signals for how to move it. He works on virtual representations and simulations of the arm for further development at a lower cost than building new ones each time.

“Craig’s essentially writing software for some of the experimental work going on at Johns Hopkins Hospital,” said his mentor, Brock. The work he has contributed to was featured on “60 Minutes,” and has been used in other research at the University of Chicago, the University of Pittsburgh, and the California Institute of Technology. Different groups have their own ideas for what they want the Modular Prosthetic Limb to do, but Weiss and the team’s current goals are manipulating two limbs at once and more smoothly integrating the arm into moving through physical space as well as it does virtually. “In the real world, [it] is a big challenge,” said Brock.

Down the hall from Weiss and his computer rests a collection of mechanical body parts.

The “Terminator”-like appendages offer a full range of movement, lifting, rotating and bending at joints. Photography is not allowed in this lab, but the ability and detail of the limb is astounding.

Weiss sees his internship as beneficial toward his future career and studies. He has gained experience in a wide range of sci-

CRAIG WEISS

ence fields that he thinks will continue to benefit him in his eventual computer science or physics career. “The information [I learn] at APL should be applicable to many other programming positions,” Weiss attested, a career

field that he says is very flexible.

Weiss finds his internship and helping others to be rewarding in a world that could be more giving. “At the same time knowing that there are a lot of brilliant minds out there, who only wish

to propel our society in a positive direction, is truly humbling.”

Every issue, the Warrior will follow “A Day in the Life” of another Sherwood student.

Will the next one be you?

Graduate Goes around World during Gap Year

by Sydney Morrison ‘13

CJ Krauss (’12) did not go to college after high school, but somehow he still ended his first semester post-high school with a handful of college credits. Not one of those credits, however, was earned inside a classroom.

Instead of attending a fouryear college like most students, Krauss entered a program called Carpe Diem Education. It is a gap year, technically, but Krauss is receiving 36 credits to do what he loves most: travel the world.

Instead of being stuck in a room all day reading text books, Krauss spent the last few months in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, living with the locals and learning the languages and histories through firsthand experience.

Spending months abroad may seem drastic to those who have been stuck in Olney all their lives, but not to Krauss. “I moved to Italy when I was 13 for three years because my mom is in the

Photo courtesy of CJ Krauss

CJ Krauss poses for a picture with Thai students he helped learn English this past Fall.

Navy,” said Krauss. “During those three years I traveled to over 14 different countries [and many of them] multiple times.”

Deciding to apply for the program was a no-brainer for Krauss. “Honestly, who wouldn’t want to travel the world, get

college credit and help the world become a better place?” he said. “Plus, it was cheaper than actually going to college!”

Krauss said the program “really teaches you from a firsthand perspective instead of [just being shown a couple of] pictures up on the smart board.” He participated in many out-of-the classroom experiences that ranged from helping at an orphanage or an organic farm to making adobe bricks for houses. Being in the field also allowed Krauss to learn things like budgeting, safe traveling techniques and global social skills.

Krauss felt strongly that “education happens outside of the classroom, while you’re living life.

Plus, you get credits through [programs like Carpe Diem], make connections with people all over the world and have experiences that most people would die for.”

Krauss says that more than half of his friends live somewhere outside of the United States, and that if he ever feels

like traveling back to other countries he has someplace to stay.

“My favorite [part of the program so far] has to be my home stay outside of Chiang Mai. I was able to spend two weeks learning how to speak Thai with my makeshift family. I love my Thai mom and grandma to death.”

Krauss said joining the program was the best decision he ever made. Sitting in a classroom could never match the experience of seeing the historical sites of Cambodia such as Angkor Wat and The Killing Fields in person.

“It really makes you appreciate the world in a different way.”

Krauss recently departed from the States again on January 20, heading for Ghana, where he will spend his second semester developing a theatre program for the local children and teaching them English as a second language. “You could take all the classes in the world and not one would add up to actually seeing these cultures in person.”

8

The Warrior•Features January 31, 2013

The Two Ps Brighten Horizons

Students in grades 9-11 are right in the midst of learning about Sherwood’s many course offerings as they prepare to turn in their registration cards for classes next year. Two social studies electives, AP Psychology and Philosophy, challenge students to examine their assumptions about human thought, beliefs, behavior and motivation. These electives do not necessarily provide the final answers; instead, they inspire students to continue asking questions.

AP PSYCHOLOGY

philosophy

Are identical twins really identical?

The debate of Nature versus Nurture rages on. Psychologists disagree on whether the environment or the actual parenting of a child plays a bigger part in a child’s mental state, personality and development. There are strong arguments for both, but a compromise between the two may be the ideal solution.

Does God exist?

From a religious standpoint, God is the overseer of the universe and everything encompassed within it. However, to skeptics, “God” is a fictional character, a construct of the human mind’s imagination which is meant to explain everything that humans do not understand or cannot bear to face head-on (for example, one’s own death).

Is there such a thing as right or leftbrained people?

This saying seems nearly as old as time itself. This phrase categorizes the way people think by attaching certain traits to diffe rent hemispheres of the brain. For exam ple, logic and “smarts” are attributed to the left hemisphere while creativity and wits go to the right hemisphere. Modern stud ies show that the designations of righ t and left hemispheres holding different traits are somewhat inaccurate because whi le the brai n is indeed portioned, this does not mea n that people do not have access to the different parts at the same time.

, phiWhat is the Self?

I am—it’s “me.” However r, right? The Self is who we t are ans tha s to y ion eas est qu be ask uld This sho premise to s seemingly self-evident thi rn ed bo niz is uti she scr or e he hav s losopher formed Self when es a person have a fully nge as a not as easy to answer. Do ly dies? Does the Self cha cal ysi ph son per a en wh Self sand what happens to the nch philosopher René De e seventeenth century Fre Th st? es? exi I enc eri ow kn exp I ed do liv w result of sophy: Ho famous question in philo st mo the s hap per ed cartes ask I am”). sum (“I think, therefore His answer: Cogito ergo

Can people really multitask?

Multitasking, what some people can seemingly do better than others, is actually a fallacy. Recent research points to the conclusion that the human brain is actually not capable of multitasking, and instead does cognitive tasks one at a time. Studies may suggest that multitasking is out of reach, but it does not mean that it is entirely impossible. One may be able to train the brain to get better at performing multiple tasks by switching between separate tasks rapidly. ledged that dreams? has not yet acknow gy lo Can people share ho yc ps n er od However, there real life. M within their sleep. s m Inception, except in ea dr e ar sh to falling or being ic and able le’s dreams such as op people are telepath pe y an m in ith t it is easy for peoprevalent w e dreams occur, bu es th are themes that are hy w to as n it is unknow also had. chased. Currently, eams that they have dr ’ rs he ot ith w e ple to empathiz

Is democracy the best form of governm ent for every country?

The poster boys for democracy are the concepts of popular sovereignty and liberty.

The government is given limited pow er by the people and in turn provides services.

Lumped in with this is liberty, the idea that the government’s power cannot infringe upon certain rights. The flip side of dem ocracy, however, is that it can lead to the oppression of minorities and the exaggera ted influence of the majority.

Are people tr apped by dest iny or autonom There are man ous in their fr y interpretation ee will? s of whether hu tions or are su bject to the co mans are in co ntrol of outsid ntrol of their destiny versus own ace entities. Thi free will. The s is the heart question of w through life or of th he e debate of th whether there er one’s own choices will pa is a set path fo topic of philos r ve the way on ophy for cent e to follow ha uries. s been a hotly debated

by Shaan Verma ‘13 and Gi Kim ‘15

The Warrior•Humor

9

January 31, 2013 Teacher Rap Group Exposed

by Cal Wilson ‘14 Students believe that after school, teachers just calmly grade papers or attend boring teachers’ meetings; however, that is just what the staff wants them to think. Once the halls are clear of students and all the hustle and bustle of the school day has died off, eight teachers get together and relieve their stress from the school day in a very creative fashion.

On January 24, at approximately 2:45 p.m., there was a faint tune echoing from the teachers’ bathroom in the lower H hallway. After some Warrior investigation, it was discovered that the noise was coming from a rap battle between Mr. Key and Mrs. Walker. The battle was performed in the presence of teachers Ms. Woolley, Ms. Dibler, Mr. Bell, Mr. Silverbook, Ms. Dinerman and Ms. Frensili. These eight teachers make up Sherwood’s very own secret, underground rap group.

The group calls themselves “Sherwood’s Elite Eight,” and enforces a strict teachers-only policy. The “Elite Eight” plans a tournament at Sherwood every month, but on a new date every time to ensure no one will discover them.

It all began last school year when Key was stressed overmid-terms and asked Bell if he would rap with him to blow off steam. Key and Bell enjoyed themselves so much they decided to let a few other teachers in on the fun.

“Each one of us was selected by Mr. Key himself to bring something special to the team,” explained Frensilli. “Mr. Silverbook provides the beats, Ms. Woolley schedules the events, Ms. Dibler helps us write our lyrics, Mrs. Dinerman brings the popcorn and Mrs. Walker and Mr. Bell bring the freshness.”

Each teacher is in charge of producing his or her own rap prior to the battles which tend to be on the subjects they teach. Some teachers rap to Silverbook’s homemade beats while others rap

Witty Humor To Expose People’s Follies and Vices Submitted by AP Lit. Students

A Thank-You Note

by Steven Palmer ‘13

Ms. Dibler poses as her rapping alter ego, “Wanita Wolf.” to the instrumentals of popular artists. Dinerman, for instance, rapped to “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis with: “I’m gonna study APES, Only got one planet we can live on AP Environmental That class is truly awesome.

Now, walk into the class like, “What up, Cupcakes”?

I’m so pumped up about some trips that APES takes Marsh and the woods are so dang frosty That people like, “Dang, that tree’s real mossy.”

Boatin’ in, waters deep, crabbin’ at the scene, Dressed in school blue, ‘cept my gators, those are green.

Draped in a dredge line, oysters are all at my feet Tested water, caught some fish, kinda muddy, it was sweet. ” Walker answered with a rap to Silverbook’s beats: “Talking dollars make ya holla Yeah Talking dollars make ya holla Yeah Well it’s 7:25 on the clock Kids rolling in off da block Candy sales flowing non-stop Talking bout hittin’ up the spot Six women to thirty crazy boys Talking bout making lots of noise Here I stand waitin for an openin’ Voices getting louder here we go again.”

Dear MCPS leaders who are against making school start later, First of all, thank you. You are the extraordinary minds that knock aside the over-caring parents and the whiny students.

You are the revolutionaries who know that an attempt to make high school start later is even more ridiculous than efforts to put healthy food in the cafeterias, or to get bad teachers fired.

You are the real thinkers.

You think with your mind, not with some cockamamie crap called “science.” I bring up this important and impressive trait of yours because the first thing these crybabies say is, “Science says that giving kids one more hour of sleep can increase their

by Maria Claudia Garcia-Rada ‘13

SAT scores, better their moods, and improve attendance!” What a ridiculous statement. They think just because it’s been tested and replicated thousands of times across the country, with the results constantly proving the exact same point, it’s like, a fact or something. It’s not a fact, it’s just science, and why should we start listening to science? We’ve never done it in the past!

We saw that science was trying to mess with our lives dozens of times before. There was “global warming,” AKA a completely normal and astoundingly fast rise in the Earth’s temperature. There was evolution, AKA a funny fairy tale about how somehow people grew out of a lizard, or something. There have even been studies that were pro-preventative

healthcare, which was science telling us that it is good to see a doctor more in order to get sick less. Why would you want to see a doctor more if you want to be sick less? Doctors are for when you are sick, so seeing one even more just means you’re getting sick more often.

The point I’m trying to make here is to keep doing what you’re doing. Keep saying “Screw sleep!” and rubbing your eyes proudly in the direction of those wimps who want school to start later. Thank you for not dreaming of solutions to problems, but simply focusing hard enough on them until they hopefully go away.

Love, A Proud to Be Sleepy Student

The Love of My Life

Dear Diary, Forget what I said in the previous pages; this time I’ve found love. It’s been two days since I started dating the love of my life.

It all started in English class when he picked up my pencil.

It was so romantic! I remember telling him “thank you.” It was just love at first sight! I will never forget that day. The next day was even better; he asked me out! It was official, we were now dating!

I don’t get how adults need dates to get to know each other. I knew it was love that instant!

What I love most about my relationship with the man of my dreams is that we text every second. So when I’m bored in class, I always have his sweet “Ok,” “cool,” “kk” texts to entertain me. Did I mention that you can

really get to know someone over text? I absolutely love how I can rant about my feelings to him and he answers me with “k.” I mean, after all, they do say “every kiss begins with k!”

Today at school was so amazing! I took around 100 pictures with him and uploaded them on Instagram and Facebook! There are pictures of us kissing, us holding hands, us looking deeply into each other’s eyes, and the classical picture of us hugging. All of them with the caption “12/14/12 (the day we started dating) love you so much, forever and always.” All this reminds me that I have to change my relationship status on Facebook to married.

I just saw him a few hours ago and I miss him so much already! Of course I just tweeted that because I want everyone at school to know that I’m taken.

Oh and I forgot to mention that I don’t even think of my ex that I

dated last week!

I’m just so happy to say that I finally found love! At lunch, he makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. He takes me to a corner (our special corner), where all the teachers can see and we just make out there. It’s so romantic when teachers tell you to stop and other students stare at you.

Did I mention that he walks me to class? It’s so great to get to walk into class late because I’m busy making out with him once again. I love seeing the looks on other girls’ faces, like they are so jealous of me!

Well, I think this journal entry is done because my boyfriend just texted me saying that we need to talk. He probably just wants to tell me how much he loves me.

Bye for now, Anna

cartoon by Michaela O’Donnell ‘13

10TonyS

Golden Globes

VMAS People’s Choice MTV Screen Actor’s Guild

Teen Choice Awards

GRAMMYS

Grammy Nomination System Flawed

by Robel Wondimu ‘13

The Grammys have come to exemplify all that’s wrong with the music industry: commercial-sellout artists thrive, while more legitimate artists are passed by. The nomination process is to blame.

Record companies and artists submit their work to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) in order to be reviewed by a panel of 150 experts who determine its eligibility for nomination. They then vote and the top five are selected in each category.

The NARAS states that votes are not based on record sales, chart performance or record company influence, but the quality of the music alone. This seems untrue, especially when 2Chainz won a Best Rap Album nomination for “Based On A T.R.U. Story” when an undoubtedly higher quality artist like Childish Gambino wasn’t nominated for his album “Camp” last year.

As The Los Angeles Times noted in their respective reviews, 2Chainz is “not a very good lyricist, his flow is a little clumsy and his phrasing is monotonous,” while Gambino has “emotional rawness ... shot through with surprisingly legitimate R&B vocals.”

As of mid-January, “Based on a T.R.U. Story” has sold nearly 500,000 copies, while “Camp” hasn’t even broken the 200,000 mark. Yet the NARAS still contends that sales are not a factor in nominations. Ultimately, the Grammys and CBS care more about the size of the audience watching the awards show and try to maximize viewers by only nominating commercially successful artists because it isn’t popular or profitable to promote the art of an unknown musician, so they don’t.

NOMINEES FOR BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE:

s”Shake It Out” – Florence and the Machine s”We Are Young” – Fun. featuring Janelle Monáe s”Somebody That I Used to Know” – Gotye featuring Kimbra s”Sexy and I Know It” – LMFAO s”Payphone” – Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa Grammy Fact: Fun. is one of six artists nominated for six Grammy Awards—the most this year.

You’re Invited!

All Grammy and Oscar facts brought to you by Evan Schwartz ‘13

NOMINEES FOR ALBUM OF THE YEAR: sEl Camino – The Black Keys sSome Nights – Fun. sBabel – Mumford & Sons sChannel Orange – Frank Ocean sBlunderbuss – Jack White Grammy Fact: None of these artists have ever been nominated for this award before.

OSCARS

Nominees for Best Actress in a Leading Role:

sJessica Chastain – “Zero Dark Thirty” sJennifer Lawrence – “Silver Linings Playbook” sEmmanuelle Riva – “Amour” sQuvenzhané Wallis – “Beasts of the Southern Wild” sNaomi Watts – “The Impossible” Oscar Fact: This group of nominees hold both the youngest and oldest nominees ever nominated for this category. Wallis is the youngest at the age of nine.

Riva is the oldest nominee at 85.

NOMINEES FOR RECORD OF THE YEAR:

s“Lonely Boy” – The Black Keys s“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” – Kelly Clarkson s“We Are Young” – Fun. featuring Janelle Monáe s“Somebody That I Used to Know” – Gotye featuring Kimbra s“Thinkin Bout You” – Frank Ocean s“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” – Taylor Swift Grammy Fact: “Somebody That I Used to Know” was the second most viewed video on YouTube in 2012 after South Korea’s PSY’s “Gangnam Style” by 460,000,000 views, but singer Gotye beat PSY three Grammy nods to zero.

rded to r” is awa a e Y e th f ng of “Record o r of the track; “So r fo y m m riter. *The Gra e produce er and th the original songw m r fo r e p the d to is awarde the Year”

NOMINEES FOR SONG OF THE YEAR:

BAFTA Awards Critic’s Choice Awards Country Music Awards American Music Awards

55

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EMMYS

Nominees for Best Picture:

Nominees for Best Animated Feature Film:

s“Brave” – Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman s“Frankenweenie” – Tim Burton s“ParaNorman” – Sam Fell and Chris Butler s“The Pirates! Band of Misfits” – Peter Lord s“Wreck-It Ralph” – Rich Moore Oscar Fact: Out of all his films, Tim Burton’s animated films are the only ones that have ever been nominated for an Oscar.

s“Amour” s“Argo” s“Beasts of the Southern Wild” s“Django Unchained” s“Life of Pi” s“Lincoln” s“Les Misérables” s“Silver Linings Playbook” s“Zero Dark Thirty” Oscar Fact: “Les Miserables” is the only musical drama nominated for Best Picture this year.

Nominees for Best Actor in a Leading Role:

sBradley Cooper – “Silver Linings Playbook” sDaniel Day-Lewis – “Lincoln” sHugh Jackman – “Les Misérables” sJoaquin Phoenix – “The Master” sDenzel Washington – “Flight” Oscar Fact: This year’s nominees are a mix of first time nominees (Cooper and Jackman) and seasoned veterans (Day-Lewis, Phoenix and Washington).

Nominees for Best Director:

sMichael Haneke – “Amour” sAng Lee – “Life of Pi” sDavid O. Russell – “Silver Linings Playbook” sSteven Spielberg – “Lincoln” sBenh Zeitlin – “Beasts of the Southern Wild” Oscar Fact: This is Spielberg’s seventh Academy Award nomination for Best Director—Of which, he has only won one.

s“The A Team” -- Ed Sheeran, songwriter (Ed Sheeran) s“Adorn” -- Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel) s“Call Me Maybe” -- Tavish Crowe, Carly Rae Jepsen & Josh Ramsay, songwriters (Carly Rae Jepsen) s“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” -- Jörgen Elofsson, David Gamson, Greg Kurstin & Ali Tamposi, songwriters (Kelly Clarkson) s“We Are Young” -- Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost & Nate Ruess, songwriters (Fun. featuring Janelle Monáe) Grammy Fact: Three of these artists (Jepsen, Clarkson, and Fun.) are nominated for the Best Pop Performance, but Pimentel is the only nominee in this category nominated for Best R&B Performance.

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The Warrior•Opinions January 31, 2013

Staff Editorial:

afe feel s u o y Do ool? in sc h

In Our Opinion

Will ban ning as limit sc ho sault weapons ol shooti ngs?

In light of recent events, including the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School and at a Texas community college, President Obama wants new policy on gun control. As reasonable Americans, no, as reasonable human beings, we must realize the potential this policy has to make schools safer and to prevent catastrophe nationwide.

It is obvious that banning assault weapons (guns possessing certain military-type features), limiting ammo capacity and establishing a national registration for guns are the first steps in the right direction to making our country safer.

Obama has suggested banning assault weapons, which is logical because guns are generally used for the sport of hunting or protecting yourself, and assault weapons are not necessary for either. Civilians should not be trusted with weapons of this deadly magnitude, as made clear by recent events.

Their first purpose was for the military, so they should stay in trained, professional hands.

Also included in the suggested gun control policy is limiting the capacity of the magazine to 10 rounds. Logically, fewer bullets means fewer people being injured or killed at a time, and more frequent opportunities to stop the shooter as they change magazines.

Obama also promotes establishing a national registry for guns. This would let government agencies such as the FBI know who has what gun and could be useful in crime scene investigations.

It would be no different from registering your car, which you do in order to keep track of and protect it from falling in to the wrong hands. Wouldn’t

Should security guards carry guns?

gistered ns be re u g ld u o ent?

Sh governm with the you want to similarly protect your weapons? This, in conjunction with stricter background checks, would make it more difficult for those who could potentially pose a threat to obtain a gun.

All of these efforts can trickle down in the school system and protect young citizens from future attacks. Schools can consider how to strengthen security further. For example, getting armed and trained security guards in every school could prove useful in the event of an attack. They would already be in the building, as opposed to having to call in the police, which would mean they could respond immediately, potentially saving many lives. Students might feel safer knowing that there is this added protection.

The incorporation of firearms into the school day may not be the easiest choice to enact from the start, so it might be more ideal to work on better security and screening techniques. Schools should make entering the building more difficult and available to only a select few. This could be achieved by increasing the number of security guards, especially in elementary schools, where there currently aren’t any, and better incorporating the use of a buzzer system, so that all doors are locked and administrators must approve everyone who enters the building.

Obama is heading in the right direction to make communities and schools safer for everyone. And despite potential disagreements, history has proven that we sometimes have to sacrifice some of our rights for the greater good. As Americans and as people, we have to make this sacrifice to save as many lives as we can.

cartoon by Joy Zhang ‘14

Warrior

the

P

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

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

The Warrior welcomes Letters to the Editor of 250 words or less. They may be submitted to room C268 or emailed to thewarrioronline.shs@gmail.com.

Letters must be signed, and all content received by the newspaper is subject to editing.

The Warrior staff invites feedback and corrections to printed inaccuracies.

The Warrior reserves the right to refuse advertisements.

Staff Executive Editor .................................................. Leah Schroeder ‘13 Print Managing Editors ............................................ Diana McDermott ‘13 Robel Wondimu ‘13

News Editors ......................................................... Jessica Carrera ‘13 Mandy Stussman ‘14 Relationships Editor ................................................Vicky Florian ‘14 Macrae ‘14 Features Editors ...................................................... Mary

Connor Martin ‘13

Wasik ‘13 Humor Editors ...................................................... Andrew

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

Wondering Warrior Editor....................................... Jenni Kenel ‘14 O’Donnell ‘13 Entertainment Editors ................................ Michaela

Maria Claudia Garcia-Rada ‘13

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

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

Meagan Barrett ‘15, Dylan Craig ‘16

Michael Crooks ‘14, Cameron Graf ‘13

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

The Warrior•Opinions January 31, 2013 Mental Healthcare Urgently Needs Change

by Katie Mercogliano ‘14

In the months after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, numerous questions have been raised about gun control, school security and mental illness. The most alarming and particularly troubling: why do Americans have easier access to guns than they do to mental healthcare?

About one in five American adults experience mental illness during their lifetime, and nearly two million teens have suffered from a major depressive episode in the last year. Of this high rate of Americans dealing with mental illness, only 60 percent are getting treated with any type of mental healthcare.

Since 2008, the U.S. has cut $4 billion from its already ailing public mental health system. Many community mental health programs have disappeared and more than 4,000

psychiatric hospital beds have been eliminated. People can’t get help until they go into crisis.

Americans who have physical illnesses like diabetes get our full support when it comes to their treatment, as they should.

The approach taken on those with mental illness should be just as urgent as the approach that would be taken on those who have physical injuries or illness.

Along with the alterations to access to mental healthcare, the attitude towards mental illness needs to be changed. The common misconception that all who are mentally ill are also more prone to violence is not true, but there is a subgroup. Those who are predisposed to violence, who have refused mental illness treatments, and who have a history with substance abuse do violently lash out, similarly to many of the shooters in tragedies throughout history.

Currently, most people are

insured by private insurance and have to jump through several hoops to have their mental healthcare covered. By requiring prior approval before seeking mental or substance abuse treatment, private insurance companies are driving many to resort to attempting to treat themselves.

Inclusion of mental health care in the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) is a step in the right direction, but it isn’t enough.

More is needed, including consistent mental health screening, yearly evaluation, evidence-based mental health treatment and family education and support.

The solution is not to isolate the mentally ill from society, but to make seeking treatment acceptable and available to everyone in need. Mental illness must be among the top priorities in the United States until there is progress made, not just a fleeting focus after tragedies when it’s too late.

U.S. Can Get On Winning Side of Drug War

by Betselot Wondimu ‘15

From the 2012 election, Colorado and Washington emerged having legalized recreational use of marijuana. The people voted on the state referendum, and the results represent a slow shift in public opinion for legalization.

Supporters emphasize that marijuana isn’t as bad as other drugs. According to a 2006 study conducted by the UK Science and Technology Select Committee, marijuana is one of the least addictive and harmful drugs. When used in moderation, marijuana is comparable to alcohol or tobacco.

It is only when abused that marijuana has detrimental long-term effects. However, alcohol and tobacco are both legal and sold in stores around the country.

So, if the federal and local governments profit on the taxation of alcohol and tobacco, the

obvious next step would be to do the same with marijuana. If the United States government were to nationally legalize marijuana, it would reap billions of dollars in financial gains. According to Bloomsburg Businessweek, if marijuana were sold at the same price in stores as in the streets, the government could make up to $100 billion in yearly taxes.

One problem with the illegal drug system is lacing, or other drugs being put into marijuana for sale. Drug dealers do this to maximize their profits, but it adds danger to marijuana use.

Another problem is the violence associated with the illegal drug trade. Buyers can’t go to police if they are tricked in a deal, so they usually “fix” the problem themselves. This leads to a cycle of violence, which the government must ultimately intervene in.

The government’s costly but

futile Drug War on marijuana would disappear as well. Each year, $6.7 billion in taxes goes to prohibition efforts on marijuana, with $1 billion going to jailing marijuana users. This figure does not even include such costs as staffing and allocating law enforcement. With the legalization of marijuana, the government could be using that money for more important things, like education and health care.

We are crawling out of a recession, and the revenue that marijuana would gain would be plenty to push the nation back into shape. Furthermore, the people want it. About 42 percent of adults have used it once in their lifetime. If the government legalized the billion-dollar industry for good and ended this battle in the Drug War, government profits would shoot through the roof and lives could potentially be saved.

Extra Credit Much Deserved for Extra Effort

by Bridget Cook ‘14 Amid mid-term exams and report card distribution, scholastic effort had gone through the roof.

The weeks preceding exams were full of late-night cram sessions and completion of last-minute assignments to hopefully secure semester grades. Unfortunately for some, even determination and intense focus all semester did not yield the desired end result.

I know from experience that on many occasions, quarter grades are just fractions of points off from the next grade up, and while that 89.3 percent may be annoying, the B won’t kill me.

In more severe cases, a grade is a few points shy of passing, and those few points could decide how summer is spent. I admit to falling into both categories, and while both are disheartening, the latter is undoubtedly more serious. Sure homework counts for a small portion of your grade, but

it’s hard to complete homework when you don’t understand it.

Sometimes even hours of frustrated studying, searching the web for homework help and what feels like Herculean effort won’t transform a grade. But, having the chance to redeem yourself through additional work could make for a happy ending.

The MCPS Grading and Reporting Policy does not permit students to receive extra credit or extra assignments to boost grades.

This makes the students with 89 percents sigh, but is a greater disappointment for those who are desperately trying to stay afloat.

Academic apathy may be the culprit in some cases of failing, but for others, the subject simply doesn’t click and the course credit is required to graduate.

Extra credit should not be seen as handing out free points to lazy students. It should be incumbent upon students who need a boost in their grade to seek it

13

TO THE POINT Military Standards Can’t Fall

by Alex Porter ‘13

The Department of Defense announced its plans to open ground combat positions to women. After years of service practically on the frontlines in Iraq and Afghanistan, female soldiers and Marines will be able to serve in tanks, as artillery crew and in the infantry.

As someone joining the Army this year, I welcome this change. My brother, a Marine attack helicopter pilot, flew with a woman as his copilot in an aircraft whose role is firing guns, rockets and missiles at enemy forces. Through visits to military bases and service academies, I have seen women serving proficiently.

However, equal opportunities for women should not come at the expense of capability. Physical and training standards need to remain at their high levels and not fall to allow more women in.

Someone, male or female, who cannot keep up with the current male-only standards should not be relied on to execute our nation’s wars. But I do not care about the chromosomes of the soldiers next to me if they can perform.

Beyoncé Won’t Bring World Peace

by Joy Zhang ‘14 On January 21, the nation watched as President Barack Obama made his second inaugural address. Unfortunately, the priorities of the viewers were extremely skewed. After Beyoncé’s amazing rendition of the National Anthem, many began to speculate if she had lip-synced it. Several news outlets and blogs have covered this story endlessly. Citizens seemed to focus more on Beyoncé’s performance rather than Obama’s speech. It is disappointing that instead of watching the inauguration to gain insight on what can and should be done for our country, many chose to watch so they could see their favorite artist perform. Instead of being inspired and motivated by what the president had said during his speech, people ignored his words and chose to angrily criticize a singer for lip-syncing.

This should be wake up call for American citizens; people need to shift their distorted mindsets. Showing more concern towards entertainment than politics will do nothing to change our world for the better.

Nonsense Continues To Be Reported

by Will Van Gelder ‘16

My Take out from teachers instead of praying for a miracle. These options should be long and thorough, but compiled with material that is more manageable for struggling students than what was on previous tests and quizzes. I know I would take advantage of an opportunity like this if it meant saving my grade.

While the world goes crazy, newscasters continue to enjoy talking about nonsense. Terrorists took over a BP oil facility in Algeria and chaos ensued; people there were injured and killed. The president of the United States was about to be inaugurated for a second term. What was the headline story on NBC news? A foot-long sandwich at Subway was measured at only eleven inches! Another big story they couldn’t stop talking about on the news was the tale of the Notre Dame athlete Manti Te-o who may have fabricated a non-existent dead girlfriend in a desperate attempt to garner sympathy to win the Heisman trophy. Why do Americans care so much about irrelevant silliness and not about real news? Is it possible that people find soft, fluffy news interesting? We need to take important news more seriously. The earth is warming up, massacre continues to occur in American schools, wars rage on, American children continue to get increasingly obese and we want to hear about sandwiches and college football stars.

14

The Warrior•Opinions January 31, 2013

The Fiscal Cliff The Need To Know Fiscal Cliff: Large measures to increase taxes and reduce government spending that would have been enacted if Congress had not reached a deal on January 1, 2013.

Bush Tax Cuts: Changes to the tax code for lower rates passed during George W. Bush’s presidency, originally set to expire in 2010 but extended by Obama.

Debt Ceiling: How much money Congress authorizes the government to borrow in order to carry out its existing legal obligations. The government’s authority to spend money runs out on March 27, unless Congress passes another short-term bill to avoid a shutdown of federal agencies, as it did back in September.

Estate Tax: Called the “death tax” by opponents, it is the tax on a person’s assets when they are transferred to another by a will.

Capital Gains Tax: Tax on profits from investments.

Short-term capital gains are taxed as income in brackets. Short-term rates returned to 20 percent for income above $400,000 for individuals and $450,000 for families.

Opposing View Points The Left

The Right

At the beginning of this month, Democrats made the mistake of agreeing to the negotiated deal to prevent the fiscal cliff provisions from going into effect. When the Democrats had the chance to do something to address Congress’ overspending, they instead buckled under pressure and agreed to a compromise in the interest of bipartisanship.

To deal with the nation’s deficits, tax rates would have been restored to their levels before the Bush tax cuts went into effect and were continually renewed. If this had happened, the Democrats could have performed the same political maneuvers as the Republicans, blaming them for the fallout. The necessary high tax rates on the wealthiest could be continued, with new legislation to nullify the other positions. Opponents would be reluctant to now be the side fighting for higher taxes on the average person.

But maybe we do need higher taxes. Restoring taxes to the rate they were before the economy faltered is only responsible. Rates are at a historic low, at a time when money is needed the most. America became a superpower and remained as the only one in the 21st century with rates over 90 percent for some income, and this kind of revenue was used to make us great. But the world-beating systems that this money financed are falling apart.

Infrastructure is in disrepair; education is faltering; now is the time to revitalize our nation’s success with more programs and financing for them, not send them to the pasture.

Across the Atlantic, the economies of Europe face these same problems. The global recession hit them all, but some have handled it better than others. France has maintained taxes that would seem ridiculous to Americans, and its people have continued to enjoy their remarkably high standard of living. Germany has worked to protect workers and their livelihoods unlike the U.S., and weathered the economic downturn much better.

Even with the fall in output, the labor market was not hurt to anywhere near the same extent. On the contrary, austerity budget cuts in other countries have only increased instability and made them less viable for the future, relying on money from Germany to make it each quarter.

The government has a responsibility to the citizens to sort out its bills responsibly. While keeping taxes low to reduce the burden on families during these tough times sounds nice, it is a recipe for disaster in the long term. The government needs to handle its problems in a way that does not ruin the country for the future. Big government brought the U.S. success through the 20th century and can again in the 21st.

Living with a single mother of two children, one thing I’ve learned is that when you do not have money to spend, you get by with only spending for what you absolutely need.

If the government insists on maintaining a plethora of entitlement programs, there has to be money to afford them. If the money is not there, show the restraint to not spend any more money. With the country currently 16.4 trillion dollars in debt, the best solution is to cut back on spending for federal government entitlement programs, since just raising taxes on the rich and on payroll are not big enough steps to erase the federal debt.

During a recession that is heading toward its fifth year, it is not reasonable to expect to have all the government programs there are when the country has experienced economic booms. The obvious solution is to cut back our spending drastically. Lowering the debt ceiling will help to keep Congress from appropriating too much money to possibly wasteful causes.

The raises on payroll taxes and the taxes on the very wealthy seem like a lot but actually the revenue raised will not be enough to counteract the money being spent. Even though the currently proposed bill will decrease the debt by 500 billion dollars, this is chump change compared to the deficit of 16.4 trillion.

Increasing the tax on wages also leaves employees with less money in their hands, and it goes to a government in which people have little say about who will reap the benefits from increased tax revenue. In a free-market economy that balances itself out, it is optimal to have the money in the system and not taxed out.

In hard financial times such as now, less money for each citizen is probably going to result in a short-term recession and the Congressional Budget Office projects that unemployment will increase to 9.1 percent by the end of the first year. These changes made to our economy have a lasting effect on our gross domestic product which will decrease by four percent.

A world with lots of programs is a world with high taxes. Much of Europe is facing a crushing economic downturn, and a legacy of high taxes is largely responsible for it.

The United States should keep the taxes at the rate it was in 2012, and cut the spending drastically to efficiently counteract the debt. This will not lower the quality of life for each citizen necessarily; it will help everyone have more money and let the citizen have the say about how to spend it.

-Alex Porter ‘13

-Diana McDermott ‘13

The Warrior•Wondering Warrior 15

January 31, 2013

RAVENS

What is your favorite football snack?

31% said Chicken Wings.

29% said Pizza.

11% said Nachos.

4% said Potato Skins.

4% said Sliders.

13% said Chips and Dip. 8% said Other.

ch the t a w o t lan Do you p r Bowl?

Supe

91% s a

id yes

.

9% said no.

*127 students surveyed

Do you have any funny or unique game-time superstitions?

“I can’t watch the game because the team I want to win loses.”

-Rachael Ames ‘14

I make sure the logo of my soda can faces the TV during a kick.

-Dino Zagami ‘14

“I always expect the worst so that anything that happens is a miracle.”

-Stephen Luckey ‘15

SUPER BOWL

XLVII

What has been your favorite commerical of any Super Bowl so far?

“The commercial where the little boy slaps his mom’s date and tells him not to touch his mom or his doritos.”

-Jenai Bell ‘13 “GoDaddy.com commercials are my stuff.”

-Nish Desai ‘14 “The Acura commercial from Super Bowl XLVI with Jerry Seinfeld in it.”

-Spencer Matthews ‘16

Do you watch the game for the football or the commercials?

38% said Football.

26% said the Commercials.

36% said Both. *127 students surveyed

Compiled by Katie Mercogliano ‘14

49ERS

16

The Warrior•Entertainment January 31, 2013

Shows ‘N’ Shindigs NBC

Smash: Season 2

February 5: Tuesdays 10-11

Tosh.0: Season 5

February 5: Tuesdays 10-10:30

AMC

The Walking Dead: Season 3

February 10: Sundays 9-10

CBS

The Amazing Race: Season 22

February 17: Sundays 8-9

Comedy Central

Trouble with Hunting

by Leah Schroeder ‘13 Once upon a time, I went to see a movie, but found myself more entertained by the enthusiastic six-year-old behind me and the mysterious employee who would periodically wander the theater. There was a movie playing, but, not unlike Hansel and Gretel’s breadcrumb trail, it was going nowhere.

Tommy Wirkola’s “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters” couldn’t decide if it was a parody, horror film, action film or drama, and it failed at being any of them. It couldn’t even pick a logical time frame, with Hansel and Gretel switching off using cross-bows and machine guns.

They were devices of the duo’s own design, but they were out of place in a town reminiscent of the middle ages.

The movie portrays Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton) employing the “skills” they learned since their childhood encounter with a witch to hunt and destroy another coven threatening the town of Augsburg.

And, dare I say it, they are really bad at their job. For professional witch hunters, they seem to have no practical ability to take down a witch. Every encounter with a witch starts with Hansel and Gretel’s humiliation and usually ends with the witch escaping.

In her portrayal of Gretel, Arterton was torn between being a pansy wallowing about her lost childhood and a tough-as-nails witch hunter, and both portray-

als were fatally flawed. I’m at a loss to understand why Renner, who has had success in the action genre including “The Avengers” and “The Bourne Legacy,” signed onto this film, having read the poor script and surely knowing that he was going to look like such an incapable, unfocused jerk and goof-ball.

Everything about the movie was cliché, including the gratuitous one-liner about the porridge being not too hot or too cold, but just right. The overabundance of gore might have been the attempt to help it appeal to an older audience, but it was fake and overdramatic. It came across as a massive time-filler, like there unsurprisingly wasn’t enough content to make a movie without adding random, illogical violence to fill it out. I couldn’t have cared less about what happened, which is why I spent the last 45 minutes of “Hansel and Gretel” watching the employee and his red light rather than the action on the screen. In all honesty, my dad said it best, it was just stupid.

R E V I E W S

2 Chainz, Too Fun

by Joy Zhang ‘14

With my exams ending on Wednesday, the long weekend was beginning to feel like a second winter break. There’s no better way to enjoy this mini-vacation than to wild out at a 2 Chainz concert. On January 19, rapper 2 Chainz, formerly known as Tity Boi, performed at the Fillmore in downtown Silver Spring for his “Based on a T.R.U. Story” tour.

The concert sold out so quickly that he decided to have two separate shows in the same evening.

Hundreds of fans – including my friend and I – waited in line for hours hoping to get front row spots. When they finally let the cold and impatient fans inside the venue, the standing section and balcony became uncomfortably packed very quickly. Once everyone was settled, there were two short performances by completely forgettable rappers. The crowd indifferently clapped as the guys left the stage.

As time slowly passed between the two sets, people became extremely irritated. Some even began shouting at the DJ, demanding 2 Chainz’s appearance. Finally, the antsy fans were quelled when lights started flashing and two on-stage screens began to play clips of 2 Chainz music videos and interviews. The rapper confidently strutted on stage with a fur coat and not two, but four gold chains – the crowd went crazy.

Standing in the front row, I was directly in front of several blaring speakers. The few songs I could clearly decipher were the

Joy Zhang ‘14

ones I was familiar with – “Turn Up” and “Beez in the Trap.” He performed them with great energy and the crowd enthusiastically sang along. Then 2 Chainz started talking to the crowd, pointing to fans and making funny comments. He told us that he does not tolerate fighting at his shows, but there was an exception to his request: people may only behave violently when he performed his song “Riot.” As soon as the tune started playing, people began to dance, jump and throw elbows. 2 Chainz then followed that song with his radio hits “I’m Different,” “Crack,” “I Luv Dem Strippers” and “Birthday Song,” all of which were enhanced through the live performance.

When the show ended, 2 Chainz expressed his gratitude and thanked his fans for selling out the show. He walked across the stage and posed for pictures before making his departure. The bruises and hearing impairment I was left with will be a constant reminder of my awesome night for the next couple of days.

The Warrior•Entertainment January 31, 2013

17

The Voice Behind Traction Jackson

by Melissa Fajardo ‘13 Senior Khalid Moultrie has had his own bit of child stardom.

As told on his own Wikipedia page, Moultrie has been modeling since he was 18 months old and acting as young as at the age of four. One of his more notable roles was at age eight when Moultrie appeared on animated segments of “Sesame Street” as the voiceover for Traction Jackson, a disabled African American boy who enjoys basketball and the company of his dog.

Traction Jackson was introduced to “Sesame Street” as part of “Sesame’s Workshop” to teach children that everyone should be treated equally, even with physical differences. Moultrie made his debut in the 35th season in 2004 and made eight appearances on the show.

Many students have seen the widely circulated YouTube clip of Moultrie singing “Me and My Chair” on “Sesame Street;” however most do not know how he got cast for the part. Moultrie was in New York auditioning for a role in the “Lion King” on Broadway when he received an unexpected phone call from his agent.

“I got the call that Sesame Street was holding auditions nearby, so I tried out, got the part, and then recorded my first voiceover in a studio in New York,” recalled Moultrie, who currently receives a residual income for rerun episodes.

Moultrie has been cast for several roles aside from Traction Jackson. During his professional career thus far, he has been casted

Senior Khalid Moultrie, the voice of Traction Jackson. as movie extras and in lead roles.

Moultrie was an extra in the scifi thriller “The Invasion” (2007) starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. He also appeared as Young Omar on the HBO series “The Wire,” a show that centers on crime in Baltimore.

To his own surprise, a book was even published about him.

“Khalid Moultrie,” by Frederic P. Miller was published by Alphascript Publishing in 2011. Alphascript essentially reprints articles from Wikipedia and other online sources, compiles them into book form and sells the finished products for upwards of $30. This book’s 112 pages are primarily composed of Wikipedia articles about Moultrie’s professional projects. Moultrie wasn’t even aware of the book’s existence until after his agent was informed and notified him.

Moultrie wishes to continue his career in entertainment. “I’m a professional actor and I’m still in contact with my agent. Doing ‘Sesame Street’ was a mutual decision by me and my mom and I’m grateful for the opportunities it opened for me and I’m ready to do more.” Moultrie can be seen in the upcoming RnR shows as a lead singer and dancer.

Yes, There is an App for That

by Alyssa Miller ‘13

With all the different smartphones and the many games and utilities on the market today, it can be hard to figure out which apps are useful and which are a waste of time. The Warrior surveyed Sherwood students and discovered some of the best smartphone apps: •Brit+Co.: An app featuring tons of simple DIY projects, from fashion to cooking and everything in between.

Most projects can be made from items found around the house or a quick trip to the craft store.

The Brit+Co. staff also compiles lists of cool gadgets available for purchase. The app includes an option to “favorite” the best articles and share them via text, email and social networking.

Platforms: Apple, Android, Windows Phone

•Wanelo Shopping: Wanelo (Want, Need, Love), is a shopping app that lets users make a profile and save to lists what they want to buy. The app also lets users follow their friends and see what their friends save, and the prices of most items are listed along with a link to where they can be purchased. Users can follow stores such as Forever 21 and Top Shop as well, and post their own purchases for others to save.

Platforms: Apple, Android •Snapchat: Snapchat is a messaging app used for sharing photos and videos with friends for up to ten seconds before they disappear forever. Users can also draw on their pictures and add captions, allowing them to chat with friends via photos much faster than traditional MMS messaging.

Platforms: Apple, Android •Fun Run: Similar to Mario

Kart, Fun Run is a racing game where players make a profile and race against other random users or against their friends. Winning racers are awarded coins, allowing them to buy new avatars and avatar clothes.

Platforms: Apple, Android •Cracked Reader Lite: An app version of the website “Cracked.com,” which compiles lists in article form of funny and interesting facts. The articles are divided into categories like “Movies & TV” and “Sports.”

Platforms: Apple, Android, Windows Phone •Chipotle Ordering: Everyone’s favorite fast-food Mexican restaurant now has an app that lets customers place an order ahead of time. Skip the lines next time by ordering Chipotle through the app and picking it up without the wait.

Platforms: Apple, Android

The Dos and Don’ts of Winter Fashion

by Briana Applewhite ‘13

It’s that time of year again, Sherwood. Break out the riding boots and pea coats because it’s going to be a blistering cold February. Now is the time to get classier with your clothing options, so do not miss the opportunity! Here is a guide of do’s and don’ts to achieve the perfect winter style.

Dos Add a Scarf (and learn how to tie it please): Try nice knitted scarves with great textures and patterns. They can be worn with almost anything, from a sleek sweater to a fierce leather jacket. Oh, and don’t swing one end over your shoulder.

Not cool. Try the circle method instead.

Boots, Boots, Boots: Riding boots, combat boots, ankle boots … anything besides “Ugh” boots.

Layering: Learn how to do it! Pairing a simple sweater and scarf underneath a chic jacket will definitely make your outfit a look.

Try Bright Colors: Don’t let the blistering weather make you nostalgic about the fashion freedom of summer. Bright colors are still acceptable in the dead of winter. Try a neon colored coat or a bright sweater to bring some life to the frosty climate.

Don’ts Camouflage: The typical camo hat, jacket and Timberland boots combination should have never seen the light of day, but I see the style roaming the halls almost every day. We’re not “huntin’” deer in the middle of West Virginia, so please eliminate this outfit from your wardrobe.

No Flannel Pajama Pants, Please: It’s school people, not your bedroom! I get that we wake up at six in the morning to be housed in a jail cell for eight hours, but you can at least try. No one wants to see your dirty pajama pants that you probably wore to bed the night before. It’s gross.

Neon Colored Jeans: These bad boys haven’t been “in” since the seventh grade. I’m sorry, but neon jeans are just not flattering.

No North Face: Nothing says, “It’s too cold to care about what I look like” than these gaudy monstrosities that seem to be all the rage in this school. I don’t care if there is 20 feet of snow on the ground, just say “no.”

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The Warrior•Sports January 31, 2013

Poms Again Dominant Force in County

by Joey Lavoie ‘14

After not placing in the top three of MCPS County Championships last February, the Warriors look to return to prominence in their 2013 campaign. They began doing just that on January 12, placing third at the Damascus Invitational, while senior captain Dahlia Ghafir finished second for the Captain’s Award. This competition was dominated by teams in and around Olney, the top three being Blake, Magruder and Sherwood.

“We are not happy with third place, because we feel like our routine is very strong with a great deal of difficulty, creativity and technique,” said coach Jeanne Laeng. “We are drilling basics like pointed toes, body placement, strong landings and solid finishes.”

This competition season consist of only two events, the Damascus Invitational and MCPS County Finals this Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Richard Montgomery. The season was shortened from the usual three competitions after a host school canceled its competition. Also, due to scheduling conflicts with a location for county finals, they were moved up a week from the original second weekend in February.

photo courtesy of Gary Peters

The poms begin their lyrical routine at the Damascus Invitational on January 12. The team got third place, placing behind Blake and Magruder.

“I know that if we have the drive and passion to win, we will go home with that first place trophy,” said junior Alexa Levine.

“All we can do is leave everything out on the floor.”

After the graduation of captain Alexandra Stephanos (’12), Ghafir and fellow senior captain Ali Yuffee stepped up in a huge way in the first competition, choreographing the dance along with

senior officers Melissa Fajardo and Jenny Lee. “Alexandra was a great captain, but this is a new year. Each captain has to do something different every year because each

squad is different than the last,” said Ghafir. “I love this team and hopefully our hard work will pay off at counties.”

As the Warriors head to counties on Saturday, they look to knock off neighborhood rivals Magruder and Blake, both sporting equally strong squads. Sherwood returns to Richard Montgomery as a favorite to place in the top three for numerous awards, and most definitely battle for the county championship, which looks to return to Sandy Spring for the first time since 2011.

“Dance is very subjective, so, as hard as we work, as talented as we are, as much as we practice; it does not always equal a win, unlike basketball, soccer, etc.,” noted Laeng.

The Warriors have history on their side going into the competition, though, as they have won three county championships since Maryland State Public Schools Sports Association switched to a county championship format in 2005.

“Every year on poms is different, but with Mrs. Laeng’s help, we have placed, and won several times,” said Yuffee. “She knows exactly what to do and what to say to help us and give us the drive we need to succeed.”

Young Hockey Squad Looks to Get Hot

by Michael Natelli ‘14 The Warriors hockey team has gotten off to a rough start this season, currently sitting on a 3-41 record. However, every team qualifies for the playoffs, so there is still a “never say die” attitude in the locker room.

“At this point, it’s mathematically impossible for us to be the best team in the regular season,” said junior left wing Curt Warner.

“The most important thing is just to play as well as we can down the stretch so that we’re ready for the playoffs. It’s a chance for a fresh start.” Warner has been one of the surprises this season, scoring three goals, including one game-winning goal as a first-year varsity player.

Up until this year, the Warriors had not been allowed to use blue as their primary color or the “Warrior” mascot. They instead used Sherwood’s tertiary color, red, and were called the “Sherwood Arrows.” The fact that this is still fresh in the team’s history means that it is a young program, and it’s difficult to build consistent success as an independent club. The talent is certainly there on this roster, and if the growing process expedites itself in time for the playoffs, teams should be on the look-out for this Warrior team in the postseason.

Led by senior captain Dalton Thomas, who is second in the Maryland Student Hockey League (MSHL) in points per game (5) and third in goals scored

Jamie Langbein ‘13

Sherwood defends a lost face-off against Wootton. The Warriors lost to the Patriots in a heartbreaking 9-5 defeat.

(17), this roster is not a weak one on paper. Junior alternate captain Colby Clem and freshman Dylan Giorgio sit in the top 10 in the league in assists (9 and 13, respectively), so the team has been able to find success on both one-man rushes and organized attacks.

But with four players logging four or more penalties in the year, the Warriors have often found themselves killing off short-handed situations, which has hindered the offense and tired out the defense early. It’s hard to score when the unit is more concerned about watching the opposition’s extra man, so working on discipline will go a long way on both

sides of the puck. The other key will be quickly developing some chemistry. With several first-year varsity players on the roster, the team lacks experience and learning to work together may be the difference between a continuation of the current situation or some surprise playoff success.

“This team definitely has what it takes to make some noise in the post-season,” said Giorgio.

“We have to work on the fundamentals: passing, shooting and defense. We’ve had points where we’ve played great, and it’s all about making those points more of a consistent thing. If we can do that, we’re a dangerous team.”

The Warrior•Sports

19

January 31, 2013

SUPER BOWL XLVII The Warrior newspaper puts pen to paper and predicts who is going to come out on top for Super Bowl XLVII. Maybe it’s regional bias or maybe Baltimore really is the better team, but our experts are all rooting for the Ravens.

Baltimore 27-23 Baltimore 35-31 Baltimore 28-24 Cam Cameron said it himself: replacing him as offensive coordinator with Jim Caldwell was, indeed, “brilliant.” Since the firing of Cameron, the Ravens have found their stride on offense, getting running back Ray Rice more touches to loosen opposing defenses, making the Ravens’ passing game amongst the best in the league. 37-year-old linebacker Ray Lewis has led all teams in tackles this postseason, and quarterback Joe Flacco leads the league in playoff wins (8) since he was drafted in 2008. The team with momentum always finds a way, and this Sunday will be no different.

Michael Natelli ‘14

The fact that this game will be the last of Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis’ hall-of-fame career will give his team too much momentum and meaning for the 49ers to stop. The Ravens defense will contain 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, which will make the 49ers rely heavily on the legs of running back Frank Gore. The fire power of running back Ray Rice, quarterback Joe Flacco and wide receiver Torrey Smith is too much for even the 49ers’ stout defense, which is still waiting to see if linebacker Aldon Smith is fully recovered from his shoulder injury.

The Ravens defense is too much for rookie quarterback Colin Kaepernick to handle, especially in the Super Bowl with some 100 million TV viewers. The leadership and experience of Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed will lead the Ravens to victory. The confidence that quarterback Joe Flacco has in wide receivers Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin is one of the main reasons that the team has made it this far.

Baltimore, with its experienced and disciplined defense, will contain Kaepernick in the pocket and limit his rushing yards.

Joey Lavoie ‘14

Brendan Cudd ‘14

Maryland Trades Tradition for Money

by Kyle Melnick ‘14

Baltimore 31-28 Baltimore 24-14 Baltimore 28-24 The Super Bowl “Battle of the Brothers” between opposing coaches, the 49ers’ Jim Harbraugh and the Ravens’ John Harbraugh, is definitely going to be a close one. Although the 49ers were revived in Week 10 by rookie quarterback Colin Kaepernick and have been surpassing expectations since, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis’ swan song has created a motivational momentum in the playoffs that the Niners can’t match. The almost impenetrable Ravens’ defense is going to meet its match on Sunday against the multi-dimensional 49ers’ offense, causing the score to be pretty even throughout the whole game. The Ravens’ inspiration and sudden strength will lead them to victory.

In a pass-first league, Baltimore found success in the air with the fourth best passing attack this season. This will be a serious threat to the 49ers, who don’t even have a top-10 pass defense despite their reputation as a great defensive team. The inability to stop a strong passing attack was highlighted by Matt Ryan passing for 396 yards in the NFC Championship game. Baltimore’s running game should also find success because of the 49ers ability to commit to stopping the run being compromised by wide receiver Torrey Smith stretching the field.

Defensively, the Ravens have the fifth best run defense and should be able to contain the 49ers and their potent dual-running game.

Katie Mercogliano ‘14 Robel Wondimu ‘13

In the granddaddy of them all, we have the Ravens versus the 49ers, the first ever Super Bowl between two head coaches who are brothers. Then there also are two quarterbacks coming to the Super Bowl for the first time, and its legendary linebacker Ray Lewis’s last game ever. This game certainly has plenty of good stories and subplots. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has the most awaywins of any starting quarterback in NFL history, which should factor into his performance in the Super Bowl in New Orleans.

This game will be emotional, but Flacco will keep his cool and Lewis will lead a fiery but disciplined Ravens defense.

Hunter Moore ‘15

This is not our parents’ NCAA any longer, and soon I too will hardly recognize it. Universities have betrayed their original conferences for a grab bag of money. Conference associations have completely ignored schools’ students, alumni and athletes as the process of teams coming and going from one conference to another continues unchecked.

Colleges are following the money, while leaving behind tradition and their fan base. As more colleges decide to switch conferences, the domino effect impacts many other schools.

When I first heard about Maryland’s decision to join the Big Ten in November, it felt like a part of me as a sports fan died. I understand the stated reasons for the school to decide on this, but money cannot always surpass the excitement and tradition of Maryland in ACC play. This is especially apparent during the heart of the college basketball season. I no longer can enjoy Maryland taking down long-time rival Duke, and mock all of the “Cameron Crazies” as they leave the Comcast Center with ashamed expressions.

Now Maryland will have to travel 800 miles just to get demolished

by Michigan State and Indiana, two teams that have never had any rivalries with Maryland.

In my dream world, 18,000 fans would pack the Comcast Center in 2014, awaiting the biggest game of the season against the Blue Devils. Instead, students and other fans will take their seats to watch Maryland take on potential “rival” Penn State, a football college with a measly basketball tradition. Although some might claim that Maryland-Duke is not a real rivalry, history says otherwise. Since 2000, the Terrapins have a close 9-13 record against the Blue Devils, who are peren-

nial national championship contenders each year. It is not exciting if Maryland’s “big rivalry game” will be against a team that has little history with Maryland.

Thirty minutes away from College Park, Georgetown recently announced its departure from the Big East. Along with six other teams, the university decided to form a superior basketball conference. As much as I dislike teams parting with their conference, Georgetown’s decision was right on. The new conference has been dubbed the “Catholic 7.”

Unlike Maryland, Georgetown will continue its rivalry traditions with six teams from the Big East, as well as creating new rivalries with teams looking to branch out of their conferences.

All seven teams leaving the conference have historically strong basketball programs that easily outshine their pathetic football programs. These seven teams will have a chance to create a conference that is centralized on only basketball, and will most likely result in a new powerhouse conference in college basketball, competing with the likes of the ACC and Big Ten. As this emerging conference looks to expand, the teams will have no problem creating an outstanding conference in college basketball. This is an example of doing something that is in the interest of the fans rather than just the university.

Soon some conferences may lose all their schools and no longer exist, leaving the NCAA with a small range of conferences, all filled up with teams that are flung all across the country. Maryland and Nebraska are in the same conferences even though they are 1,410 miles apart. College sports should be for the tradition and glory, rather than the money and television contracts.

20

The Warrior•Sports January 31, 2013

Young Team Seeks Improvement

by Hunter Moore ‘15

The young girls’ varsity basketball team has thus far struggled to a 2-11 record in their first 13 games. The girls have shown strength on the defensive side of the ball, limiting opponents to about 48 points per game. The weakness comes more on the offensive side and the inability to gain momentum, which Coach Kenny Prather is trying to achieve. “We are going to have an explosive offense and do what we need to do to win,” said Prather.

The players are not using their youth as a justification for their record, but rather as inspiration to improve and be ready for playoffs. “The fact that our team is so young could never be an excuse; our goal is to work harder and play to our abilities every day,” said sophomore Christine Black.

The girls are currently looking at the lowest seed in the 4A North division, but have the ability to get a higher seed.

“I believe in our girls; we aren’t just a team, we are a family. We have the tenacity and the will to win; we are never going ti back down,” said junior Marybeth Bidwick.

Maddie Doan ‘13

Bridget Vaughn ‘14

Swim Dives into Season Head First

by Tom Lee ‘14

Daniel Hatfield ‘13

Warriors Begin Post-Season Run

by Kyle Melnick ‘14

The Warriors entered the PG Sports Center alongside 24 other schools to compete in the Montgomery County Championship on January 22. The boys’ team surprised the county with a 6th place finish overall. Senior Vik Siberry led the way for the boys’ squad, finishing 8th in both the 1600m and 3200m. Seniors Gerard Bowes and Andrew Sarver placed 6th and 7th, respectively, in the triple jump. Senior Robel Kebede clinched the upset finish for the team, placing 9th in the 800m.

“I was happy to see the team’s hard work pay off as we started to come togeth-

er for a 6th place team finish,” said Siberry.

The girls’ team placed 7th overall, despite an injury to freshman Amanda Hayes-Puttfarcken, who was unable to compete. Sophomore Lauren Woods proved her dominance in the county with a 3rd place finish in the 55m dash. She was the top underclassmen finisher in the race.

Junior Grace McDonald delivered a much needed boost for the girls’ team with a 4th place finish in the 800m.

“The girls ran hard and proved that we can be successful even when dealing with injuries. I’m confident we will perform our best at regionals, with or without [Hayes-Puttfarcken],” said McDonald.

Jackson Downs ‘15

Cal Wilson ‘14

Wrestling Moves Toward Bright Future

by Brendan Cudd ‘14 The wrestling team currently has a 5-7 record a little more than three-quarters of the way through the season. Sherwood recently wrestled in two tournaments, the Cougar Claus tournament at Quince Orchard and the Big Train Duals at Walter Johnson. At the Cougar Claus tournament, the team won 5-3. At the Big Train Duals, they won 7-1, losing to Paint Branch in the finals. During the Grapple at The Brooke tournament, junior Chris Minor placed second, and junior Michael Macheras and sophomore Andrew Frumpkin placed third.

In addition to tournaments, the wrestling team also has regular matches. They lost their last match to Blair 39-37. On January 23, the Warriors wrestled against Damascus but lost 58-13.

After the Warriors wrestled against

Randi Arizona ‘13

Wheaton this past Tuesday, the final match of the season will be against Paint Branch on February 2. If the Warriors win both of these matches, they will be at .500 for the season. After the regular season, the team will go to the counties and the best wrestlers will get invited to the State finals.

“We started out very young,” said Coach Pete Siarkas. “With a lot of new wrestlers, slowly we are getting better every day. The teams that we are beating are like us and we are competing with the teams that have experience.”

“I feel as if we have done mediocre so far,” said Minor. “There were a couple of matches that we should have won that we didn’t. Our team [is] in a rebuilding stage for the past two years, so I think we are about the same as last year’s squad but we will improve drastically in the next couple of years.”

As junior Kelly Flamand touched the wall and finished off the 400-yard freestyle relay for the girls, one could not watch without noticing the sizable difference in the finishing time between Sherwood’s relay and Poolesville’s A relay at a dual meet on January 19. Looking back at the results, Sherwood finished about five seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.

This here defines the girls’ season as of yet.

The Lady Warriors have won four of their five meets with at least 40 points separating them from their opponents.

“So far the season has been going well for us. We did lose one meet against B-CC but that was so close that either team could have ended up on top,” said Flamand.

The girls have proved this year that they are top title contenders and have a voracious appetite for winning. Senior Anna Kolanowski has won every single one of her events and the girls’ team as a whole has not lost a single relay throughout the entire season.

When the girls lost on December 8

against B-CC, just an 11-point margin separated the two teams. The girls won every relay in that meet but B-CC made up for the points in the individual events. “I think we have done well because our relays always bring in so many of our points but when you go up against a team like B-CC with more depth than we do, it’s difficult to deal with that,” said senior Kaitlyn Sheapp, who was part of one of the winning relays.

After winning their last dual meet against Blair on January 26, the girls are looking to fine-tune any problems before heading into the championship meets. In these championship meets, like Divisionals which is on February 2 and Metros which is on February 9, all teams will face off and Sherwood will have an opportunity to avenge and make amends with B-CC, the only school to have defeated them this season.

“Everything has gone well except for that loss against B-CC. We’re looking to beat them at Divisionals and Metros.

We’re ready for more and we’re hungry for more,” said senior Megan Conrad, who has committed to swim at Villanova.

Boys Look to Hold on to Top Position

by Andrew Wasik ‘13

As the season dwindles down to the end, boys’ basketball is sitting at the very top of the Montgomery County 4A East Conference with a county record of 6-1 and an overall record of 9-5.

The Warriors suffered their first conference defeat after a five-game winning streak when they lost at Paint Branch on January 22 by a score of 56-43. In the game, senior Brandon Loiacono led Sherwood with 12 points.

In high school basketball, seeding is everything in the playoffs, because conferences tend to be very top-heavy in terms of talent. With a higher seed, the Warrior team will probably end up playing a team they should be able to easily roll over in the first round rather than facing a team that has a chance to upset them and end any playoff hopes before the post-season even gets started. However, the 4A East Conference has proven to be a fairly tough conference with every team except Blake above .500 for their overall records.

The Warriors thus far this season are being led by seniors Joey DeStefano, who is averaging 11.5 points per game, and Loiacono, who is averaging 11.4 points per game. Senior transfers Alec Wheeler and Daryl Brown, and junior transfer Ellis Dozier have all also made major contributions to the Warriors.

The team next plays a non-conference Quince Orchard team, who are 10-4, on February 1. After that, the Warriors have five remaining games before the playoffs, highlighted by the final game of the season at home against arch-rival Magruder, who are currently 12-1. A win would be a huge momentum boost going into the playoffs.

Daryll Brown ‘13

Randi Arizona ‘13

Ellis Dozier ‘14 (left) and Alec Wheeler ‘13 (right)

Randi Arizona ‘13