tjTODAY
THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 6560 Braddock Rd., Alexandria, VA 22312
DECEMBER 21, 2012
Remembering the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre
VOLUME 28, ISSUE 4
Partnership Fund raises money for renovation by Jenny Chen News Editor A nanometer laser. Titanium aquarium chillers. An online subscription to the American Chemical Society journal. These are just a few of the items recently purchased by the TJ Partnership Fund. Through the TJ 2.0 Capital Campaign, the Partnership Fund raises money to obtain advanced science instrumentation and enhance the technology infrastructure for “Fairfax County gives us the same amount
of money it would give any other high high school,” Development Manager Rachael Estep said. FCPS is assigning over $85 million to the renovation. This money does not cover the $2 million worth of equipment, expansion of “JCIRN would give students an opportunity to develop mentorships with professionals in highly specialized areas, connect with alumni doing research in their
interest area, inspire younger audiences who are not physically near the school and much more,” Principal Evan Glazer said.
$10,000 in memory of Vanamala’s father, a have each agreed to contribute $250,000 over “By donating a certain amount to the campaign, individuals or businesses can name a space in the new school building. ,” Estep said. “We only have naming opportunities for the spaces in the school, but eventually we will probably have naming opportunities for items
Cammer visits during hiatus by Tahmina Achekzai News Editor Students were greeted with a familiar face as former Neuroscience lab director Paul
Students combat emotional intensity in surprising ways
Cammer had visited RDFZ, a High interactive teaching. He became acquainted with RDFZ administrators, who subsequently invited him to stay with them for a year. “Everyone was excited by his ideas and instructional approach,” RDFZ English teacher Li Jing said. “He’s helping to shape Chinese education by providing a new perspective.”
sleep: 6% exercise: 58%
lecture-based class system that is so prevalent at RDFZ. “The students either listen or don’t listen;
music:
classical 25% show tunes 12% heavy metal 11%
interact much with the students,” he said. According to Cammer, one of the barriers in the way of meaningful class discussions is the tendency of teachers at RDFZ to set themselves up as experts in their classes. the answers to,” he said. “As a teacher, I could explain something to students in one minute, but then we wouldn’t spend 20 minutes discussing it. That whole process does more than get you to an answer.” At RDFZ, Cammer teaches a demo class very similar to his Neuroscience course at
professional guidance: 6.25% by Jenny Chen News Editor
is Bruce’s escape from stress.
survey submissions, 21.8 percent of students said they had consumed alcohol in Institute of Mental Health as the brain’s response to any demand. temporary stress reliever. When consumed regularly, however, alcohol contributes to increased long-term stress because more alcohol must be consumed to compensate for
who doesn’t always connect with the scijust need to get away from that and write, paint or bead,” she said. Bruce’s method is an example of a
P12
Seasonal maladies spread easily
his parents and siblings in India. He will have his name on a classroom. “The TJ parent community before us made sure that funds were available,” Nagendra moving this school ahead.”
got stress?
mind churning with jewelry designs she has concocted throughout the day. She exment her chosen design, but pauses midconstruction to pace around her room and
hallway.” Class of 2015 and 2016 parents Nagendra
The recently released report from the 2011-2012 Fairfax County Youth Survey re10th and 12th graders. Of the 31,106 valid
P13
Russian students exchange ideas
percent increase from the 2010-2011 survey. “We do not discuss causation as it relates to the data from the Fairfax County Youth Survey. However, we have found correlations for past 30-day alcohol and drug use with bullying, depressive symptoms, suicide ideation and poor grades,” youth surInstead of relying on alcohol and drugs as stress relievers, students can turn to other activities to eliminate the stress that can be caused by procrastination. continued on p. 2
P14
Students stargaze in Astronomy lab
students to communicate with each other in Chinese, even though he doesn’t understand himself. Though he hasn’t been able to learn the language, Cammer has been exposed to many other aspects of China’s culture. “People are involved with their day-to-day lives; there’s not a lot of political awareness,” he said. “The government is probably doing the best things for their people. It’s not perfect, and it does things that drive the Chinese people crazy, but they’re very happy people.” According to Cammer, the government college entrance exam. Though the test was originally created to establish equity, its focus development now serves as a sign that change may have to go beyond one high school.
P16
Science photography doubles as art
2
news
december 21, 2012
Kudos & Accomplishments
Library readies for move
Techniques honored with Crown
continued from p. 1 “All of a sudden, there just doesn’t seem
Crown. Awards will be distributed at -
said. “For some students, this can mean feeling seriously overwhelmed, anxious or even
has received this award.
Harris named CJE by JEA Techniques adviser Erinn Harris tor exam in November.
Cao receives $10,000 scholarship Senior Kevin Cao is one of the two Freedom Rings Foundation scholarship. Recipients were chosen based on academic performance, a teacher or counselor recommendation, activities, a
photo by Tahmina Achekzai
by Tahmina Achekzai News Editor Head librarian Rebecca Applin stood by the library printer, reminding students that they would need to start printing from home. antee students a morning hang-out spot, a quiet place to study or a convenient resource to print papers between classes.
Football seniors named to All-Liberty District team
Nov. 29, allowing time to pack books, computers and other materials before the library
sive back Rashad Laher was named to
hallway was cleared in early November to allow room for the temporary library. Students who used the library regularly are now looking for alternative locations. “I used to go to the library every morning,
Quizbowl teams vie at Maggie Walker tournament -
composed of seniors Raynor Kuang and Luke Waddell, had an overall record of 10-1 in their division. The B team of senior Sarah Eltinge, junior Sid Verma and 6-4, and the C team of freshmen Emma ing against experienced players.
tjMUN continues success
-
Stephannie Chen. “It was a nice place to sit down and all my friends were there, so it was The College Career Center is preparing for its move as well. The move is planned to be between mid-January to early February. College Career Specialist Laurie Kobick has already laid out a map of the room with the help of her parent volunteers. “They have been amazing as far as clearshe said. “I am extremely fortunate to have The College Career Center will be moved to room 243. Kobick, who has given out many of the older books to students already, doesn’t expect to make many further changes to the resources she currently supplies. The library, on the other hand, has already planned for many changes. The joined rooms in the math hallway will serve as the primary
the books put in storage. Among these resources is the expanded collection of electronic resources and databases. The librarians have been training stunew titles for research purposes, to help them in their research. “We’ve continued to evolve our skills for
and Virginia Sun. Outstanding delegate awards were given to seniors Kyle AnSahu and Keven Zhang; juniors Harleen Issar, Varun Jain and Yena Seo; sophomores Stav Nachum, Aishwarya Nugooru and Sage Teasley; and freshmen
TJ Certamen collects awards at fall competitions TJ Certamen participated in a number of competitions this fall. At Riverbend Latin I team placed fourth, the Latin II respectively, the Latin III A and B teams Boyce, the Latin I team placed sixth, the team placed third, and the upper level
“It was the perfect time to invest in the electronic databases to allow access for all students to the information they need for their studies while the books are inaccessible said. While students have shown a preference for online research, Carpenter acknowledges the move does come with its disadvantages. There are certain books that have never been cation to strict copyright laws. To accommoson, the librarians are encouraging students to take advantage of interlibrary loans. The print resources were moved upstairs ture from the previous space. Though the moving process has been going smoothly, there have been a few complications. For example, the bookshelves were placed against radiators in the new space,
into a warehouse. Applin and library media said. “Everything’s going to click into place to hold on to new releases and the classics,
Science teachers visit South Korea by Tahmina Achekzai News Editor -
Junior Anwar Omeish will lead the as president for the 2012-2013 year. She was elected to her position during the mond Convention Center from Nov. 18-19.
To see more news, visit our website at tjhsst.edu/studentlife/ publications/tjTODAY
stress is to be proactive and to approach the problem instead of avoiding it. A daunting task can become manageable by starting
out of what used to be one big, scary projschool activities and students’ long commutes home, late nights are not a rare occurrence. Sophomore Teja Sathi solves the problem of too much work at night by playing to her strengths as a morning person. “I just sleep early and wake up really early because I’m a morning person, and I ciation survey asked 1,136 8 to 17-year-olds about their favored short-term stress relief 66 percent of all 13 to 17-year-olds surveyed. “When I’m stressed, I listen to this band named Sigur Rós. It is an Icelandic band and its music is mostly instrumental, so it’s really For other students, the opposite music style is a go-to stress reliever. Sophomore volume and “dance like no one is watch“I use that method anytime I’m frustrated with homework or the amount of work release positive energy and have fun at the ning and other sports increase endorphin production in the brain when done at moderate or high intensities. Senior Rebecca Applin knits to relieve stress and has been doing so since her sopho19 scarfs to the Hurricane Sandy relief drive. “It keeps my hands occupied. It’s like painting, drawing or writing for people. said. One of the simplest stress relief methods
photo courtesy of John Woodwell
such as in journals or on blogs like Tumblr, or with other people. “I like talking it out with people and ranting about how stressed I am or how annoyed I am. It’s not just to people from TJ, but people from other schools, too, because I
Science teachers John Woodwell (L) and Mark Hannum met for-
asked them to visit KSA this year. “They really laid out the red carpet for we’re special, but they just value international
Omeish elected president of Virginia Junior Classical League
world was crumbling around me. Every-
“These strategies may create a much The addition of databases and online resources did come with a high cost. Luck-
the books’ binding. For this reason, a work ing and sawing to ventilate the shelves.
John Woodwell travelled to South Korea from Nov. 24-30 to visit the Korean Science Acadment-funded magnet school for science and technology in South Korea. Woodwell and Hannum had hosted teachers from KSA last year. To facilitate a mutual exchange and have the teachers
One student who preferred to remain anonymous recalled her negative experience with stress. “In the winter of my junior year, I had a lot on my mind, and I hit that point where I didn’t see any breaks coming and the work
“This will really promote 21st century skills
current timeline.
tjTODAY Online
Creative stress relief helps
Hannum and Woodwell met former Jefferson student Harry Na at KSA and talked to him and many of the other KSA students. Na, who had biology teacher Barbara Wood for Biology I, commented on how her science writer, something he realized through his courses at KSA. He also commented on to use more research equipment at KSA.
Woodwell said.
nique is deep breathing, in which breathing takes place from the diaphragm to optimize the amount of oxygen in the body. Sopho-
science fair, which is held every two years, with the next one in Aug. 2014. Even without overseas travel, it suggested having KSA and ing and sharing observations. “They’re not going to want to do the exact same research projects but enough to have
method that puts a twist on this technique. “Take deep breaths, but instead of just exhaling, giggle. So it’s like this, deep breath, giggle, deep breath, giggle and so on and
it would be hard to keep the timeline the same since KSA starts its school year in January. son students have previously collaborated with students in other states or countries,
November Issue Correction: Nations travels to William
and more. In addition, students are exposed to advanced research instruments in their “It all starts with establishing a good rela“Their research labs are more or less com-
said. The complete 2011-2012 Youth Survey report and results from previous surveys can be found at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/youthsurvey.
name was misspelled.
news
december 21, 2012
NEWSMAKERS Science policy speakers visit
tjMUN hosts cultural event
photo by Tahmina Achekzai
The News
Under Secretary of State for Public
3
Henry sponsors poetry event
photo by Jenny Chen
photo by Esther Kim
The News S
The News
Backstory
Backstory
Backstory
- Tahmina Achekzai
SAT Prep Exclusively for High-Achievers
- Jenny Chen
-Tahmina Achekzai
4
opinion
december 21, 2012
tjTODAY Volume 28 Issue 4
The math hallway is bare cinderblock, waiting for its mid-year transition to a temporary library and college career center. Teachers occupy additional trailers moved on campus this fall. These are the harbingers of the big renovation due to start imminently. Change is in the air so the staff of tjTODAY decided to reflect on the highs and lows of the past year as shown in a variety of changes in policy, action and physical plant. The STEMbassadors outreach program continues to reinforce our school’s mission to the community. Student involvement in the program is growing as more volunteer opportunities are advertised on the Intranet and through email. What started as a summer pilot program is now an all year experience. The TJ Admissions Office weathered another year of scrutiny. While the changes mandated by the School Board remain relatively minor for now, more revisions in the admissions exam process and the way students are encouraged to consider a STEMmandated curriculum may become more specific and concrete in the coming year. The Intranet is proving to be an increasingly important tool to disseminate updates to students and increase student involvement in school-wide programs. It has also facilitated communication on the renovation process this year. Most believe the process is going smoothly with minimal inconvenience.Though some of the changes are inconvenient for students, such as fewer available parking spaces and lockers for upperclassmen, the educational environment does not seem to have been disrupted. Many classes were moved to new trailer quads last month, but the new trailers are wellequipped with Smartboards and individual temperature controls. Thanks to some much-needed streamlining in eighth period logistics, both students and teachers find navigating the attendance process much more user friendly. Paper attendance is virtually obsolete, and standing in long lines to switch blocks
Editorial Board Editor in Chief Mallika Patkar
Managing/Online Editor Thrisha Potluri
News Editors Tahmina Achekzai Jenny Chen
Opinion Editors Michael Chao Arya Dahal
Sports Editors Sandy Cho Shayna Hume
Spread Editor Sunny Kim
Entertainment Editors Yena Seo Jennifer Walter
Features Editors Amy Ahn Alexis Williams Lindsay Williams
Staff Reporters Tara Gupta Ellen Kan
Adviser Jennifer Seavey, MJE
Printer Silver Communications TjTODAY is the official newspaper of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology published monthly by the journalism staff. It serves as a vehicle for student expression and is an open forum of issues of interest and concern to the school community. A full-year subscription can be purchased through the Thomas Jefferson Publications Package or by sending a check or money order for $20 to tjTODAY. The staff is deeply committed to a code of journalistic ethics that demands the exercise of accuracy, good judgment and impartiality. The content of tjTODAY is determined by the editorial board. Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of the staff of tjTODAY, but not necessarily the opinions of individual editors. Signed editorials and letters to the editor reflect the views of the authors. TjTODAY solicits advertising but reserves the right to reject any material deemed libelous, disruptive, obscene or otherwise inappropriate. 6560 Braddock Road Alexandria, VA 22312 Phone: (703)-750-8375 Fax: (703)-750-5010 Web site: www.tjhsst.edu/tjTODAY -
edu
Lead Editorial
rarely happens. Teachers sloughed their way through the first year of a new state-dictated evaluation process that added additional layers of SMARTR goals and assessments to the extent system. So far, students aren’t feeling any strain from extra work, but teachers are straining under the need to provide common assessment metrics that seemed to be working just fine before. A school-wide initiative that has become increasingly more successful this past year is telelearning. Student Services surveys pinpointed many of the problems with the workload last year, and the result is more timeframe-appropriate lesson plans. Telelearning is starting to become an effective replacement for often unproductive early release days.
tj TODAY’s unsigned majority opinion
2012 Pacemaker - NSPA 2012 Trophy Class - VHSL 2012 All-American - NSPA 2012 Gold Medalist - CSPA
dentlife/publications/tjtoday
Looking forward to lots of change In the past year, support for athletics has become even more prevalent than before. School-wide spirit days organized around the football games encouraged students to bring their spirit to the stands. During football season, students came out in large numbers to support the Colonials. The team had a successful season, leading to the playoffs. Communication was the key to implementing changes smoothly this year. It will no doubt be important next year as the renovation progresses and other efforts are made to improve the Jefferson experience. Seniors will eventually lose their lounge, and students buying lunch will need to go to an alternate location. More and more classrooms will disappear. If administration continues to make a concerted effort to keep everyone in the loop, we hope that life here will thrive as always.
Alternative Dickens
by Arya Dahal
America should be home to the red, white and blue G r o w ing up, I used to read all about the United States. “Killer Angels,” “Gods and Generals,” “Underneath a War Torn JOSEPH DORAN Sky,” and other historical novels were some of my favorites. The images from these novels burned into my brain ideas on how the world was supposed to work. My parents used to tell me about the greatness of the United States, and all that it had accomplished. As a young kid and even today, stories of those heroes stir up a feeling of pride deep inside. America, the brave, America the beautiful, from sea to shining sea. It does sound like an amazing, awe-inspiring place. There’s only one, small problem. The America described does not exist. Not the America that I read about as a child, not the America that millions of soldiers have died trying to protect and certainly not the America that our founding fathers envisioned. Somewhere along the road, we the people decided that we did not want a more perfect union. In fact, we the people decided we did not want a union at all. And, at that moment, we became divided: The Divided States of America. The decision
to go down this road was not made in in the homes of everyday people across the nation, and it is a decision we continue to make to this day. A house divided against itself cannot stand, so we decided to cut our losses and make two different houses entirely. We have the Red States of America and the Blue States of America. Americans seem to love options. We have options for cars, houses, meals, health care, and education. So why not have options for our country? Hey there! Welcome to America: home of the red, white, or blue. In a poll done by Fox News last year, they asked citizens of this country if, as a whole, they were proud to be American. Only 69 percent of people said yes. The U.S. population is currently estimated at 313 million people. That means that there are almost 100 million people living in our borders that don’t love this country. One third of our nation doesn’t even want to be here. Now does that sound like a winning formula? The derevealing. For citizens ages 75 and up, the people that lived through the Cold War, Korea, Vietnam and World War II, 76 percent were proud to be Americans. As for today’s generation, people below age 35, only 64 percent were proud. two generations, which comes out as 37.6 million less people. Thirty-seven and a half million. At some point in the
past 40 years, something went horribly wrong. In the words of Ronald Reagan, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected and handed on for them to do the same.” We are the generation where American ideals went extinct so we must be the generation that takes them back. It’s high time we gave those 100 million people that don’t believe in this nation a reason to. Bill Clinton said it best when he wrote, “There is never a perfect bipartisan bill in the eyes of a partisan.” According to a Gallup satisfaction poll, 80 percent of these same American people (not Democrats, not Republicans) just want the two sides to shut up and compromise. The politicians say they are working for their constituents, and then proceed to completely ignore what the constituents are telling them. That is their responsibility and their duty to this nation and its citizens. great place to start. I hope we can become united again, become great again. I hope I can tell my children stories about the greatest country in the world, the United States of America. I hope we can once again be the home of the red, white, and blue. But, until then I will keep on living, against my will, in a red house in a blue county in a blue state in the Divided States of America. Joseph Doran is a sophomore.
opinion
december 21, 2012
Don’t default to ethnic profiling I
didn’t works for Diwali. I don’t dance for Namaste. I have never even eaten curry. Contrary to ARYA DAHAL popular belief that one’s skin tone dictates their nationality, I am not Indian. I was born in Nepal, and I’m proud to call myself a full-blood Nepali. between two Asian powerhouses, China and India. Because of its central geography, the people and culture of Nepal offer a blend from the north and the south of the continent. Consequently, it shares a few religious holidays and some aspects of its many languages with those of China and India. That being said, Nepal also has a culture that’s uniquely its own. With unique celebrations ranging from Dashain, Tihar and Teej to Buddha Jayanti and Lhosar, it’s a country where Buddhism and Hinduism coexist peacefully.
of course, its mountains are really what set Nepal apart from India and the rest of the world. personal experiences. It’s not uncommon to see Koreans mistaken as Chinese, or Cambodians mistaken as Vietnamese. With approximately 58.2 percent of the selves as Asian of one sort or another, it’s easy to lump groups of a certain skin color together. In fact, in a recent study detailed in one of Columbia University’s graduate school publications, Stanford and Columbia researchers seem to have found a reason for this common tendency to generalize about ethnic groups with some common characteristics. and the midbrain dopamine region as the controls for a process known as memory integration. Memory integration links memories together and causes a typical human brain to make instantaneous generalizations. Perhaps it would be fair to call what we do “human nature.” ence between Canadians and Americans,
there are also major distinctions between other seemingly like groups around the world. Assuming an individual is part of a group is naïve and unwarranted. No country that borders another can be assumed as highly similar. Although there is social and economic overlap, there’s also could be substantial hostility between bordering countries. In fact, the common ancestry of Semitic peoples could result in a casual observer mistaking an Israeli for a Palestinian. This type of enmity rings true between Nepal and India as well. Indo-Nepal relations have been strained in the last 50 years due to border disputes, Nepalese relations with China and economic issues. Though, in recent years, negotiations on hydro-electric projects and trade barriers have encouraged friendlier cooperation, a sense of distrust still lingers. It’s not necessary to stay on top of the ever-changing world geography, but it is important to realize that people may not be what they seem. What may be a meaningless label to one person could come across as a bit annoying to another. And though it may be easy to tell Hanukkah from Christmas, think twice before wishing your Nepali friend a happy Diwali.
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tjtweets:
Seniors share their college destinations on popular Twitter
Justin Hwang @bustahwang
“It’s a good day to be a HOKIE #ClassOf2017 #HalleBerry #hallelujah #gobblegobble”
Romita Mandal @romnomnom95 “best day of my life #duke”
Tara Gupt a
My Voice
Nathan Kodama
Football is more than a sport ‘I couldn’t imagine looking into one of my brothers’ eyes, knowing I quit on them.’ In 2008, my freshman year, everyone knew what the varsity football’s record was. At 0-10, no one was really surprised, and honestly, no one really even cared. We’re accepted into Jefferson based on academic merit. We come from all over the region. Half of us never played together on a team, let alone strapped on a pair of shoulder pads. Building a competitive football team with players against all these odds? Impossible. To the members in my class, all those odds just seemed like excuses. What seemed impossible translated to an opportunity to be seized. With a new head coach, we set out on a
photo by Michael Chao
mission to transform the football program. In the following year, when I was a sophomore, the varsity team went 1-9, a small step forward. After that season, my parents pressed me to quit playing football. The infamous ju-
nior year was approaching. What if I was injured? With 8 pounds worth of pads covering my body, the possibility seemed unlikely. I played my first season on varsity during my junior year. The seniors on that team brought a passion to everything they did. They simply loved the game. Through injuries and losses, they always looked forward to playing together. I remember on Thanksgiving —after our season was over—going onto the field, which was essentially frozen mud. After playing all morning, the field was still frozen except for the melted section we had played on. From that 3-7 season going forward, the football team became my second family. There is a part of every journey that has some obstacles along the way. Every individual on the team overcame some form of strife, and together we pursued our team goals relentlessly. Four years after a 0-10 season, I was sidelined by several injuries, but I never found it in me to quit. I couldn’t imagine looking into one of my brothers’ eyes, knowing I quit on them. Making the playoffs with a 6-4 season, felt pretty good. But the best memory I have is walking home from McLean, my base high school, victorious.
Jack Brown @jack50brown
“the mit 2017 group is way hyper than any tj freshman group”
Gabi Johnson @yung_gmoney
“Ddun wit kawledge appz 5evr bcuz CORNELL UNIVERSITY CLASS OF 2017 lik dis if u cri evry tim!!!!!!!” graphics and reporting by Michael Chao and Arya Dahal
6
sports
december 21, 2012
gain control of his opponent during the West Potomac on Dec. 5. photo illustration by Shayna Hume
Wrestlers throw themselves into the winter season by Shayna Hume Sports Editor As one of the few sports you can’t join at a young age, wrestling is often one of the least-known—at least for those who haven’t done it. “I had no idea I was going to try wrestling and didn’t know much about it, either,” junior Taylor Yohe said. “Mrs. Murphy,
come just like anything else,” Yohe said. Some of the exercises they do in practice include runs, stretches, practicing the “neutral” position and working on techniques and new moves. In addition, several times every week the team does matches for three 2-minute periods. “Our conditioning is well known to be the hardest conditioning in any sport at TJ,” Basurto said. “We practice every
me so I tried it out. I’ve loved it ever since.” Yohe joined wrestling as a sophomore and made the varsity team. He’s not the only member of the team who hadn’t had
throughout.” In addition to their vigorous practices, the wrestling team
tice,” senior Giovani Basurto said. Basurto joined the team freshman year after a group of seniors suggested that he try out. He wrestled several varsity matches that year and has been on varsity since. It was by attending the practices that he learnt more about the sport. To those who haven’t ever seen wrestling, an easy assumption to make would be that the most important part of wres-
to three, beating their record from the previous season. This year so far, they have had a record of two wins and zero loss“It takes a true athlete to go out there on the mat in front of everyone and put their skills on display for everyone one to see. There is no one to hide behind or throw under the bus. It is
the weekend of the eighth where they placed twelfth overall. 24, the team had scrimmages against Annandale and Wooton high schools. “There is usually a tournament every weekend, with an occasional meet during the middle of the week,” Yohe said.
taking second, and Gupta placing third. “It takes a lot of time out of your schedule, but it is very worth it,” Basurto said.
and West Potomac high schools on Dec. 5, the varsity Arvind Gupta and sopho-
disagree that muscle is the only factor for success in the sport. “It is a muscle sport in one aspect, but you have to have a lot of stamina if you want to make it,” sophomore Vincent Billet said. early start mainly to the facts that his father used to wrestle and his uncle had been a state champion in Georgia. However, not everyone has his background. According to athletic trainer Heather Murphy, only one or two wrestlers with any prior experience come in every year. “The ideal wrestler would have whole body strength and be able to be quick thinkers and strategize well to put opponents in moves and to get out of them as well,” Murphy said. for two and a half hours per session. Their practices include a lot of what would be considered typical for others sports, including warm ups, sprints and drills. “There is a lot of technique involved in the sport so it takes time to get a hold of everything, but if you work at it, it will
Neutral Position
Loh and Basurto won their matches. “Wrestling matches are intense and while the only
Three 2-minute periods Top Position
moves intended to gain control over an opponent
opponent on the mat is the athlete, it is great to see the coaches and teammates yell techniques, moves or encouraging words when the athlete is on the mat,” Murphy said. Last year during the the team ended with a Lib-
Stop
Start There are 16 weight classes. The order in which they wrestle is randomly selected before the matches and is announced at that time.
pins, and Yohe and seniors
Single Leg
Double Leg
photo by Sandy Cho
photo by Sandy Cho
Basurto performs a single leg on O’Connor, a move meant to get control of one of your opponent’s legs.
Basurto performs a double leg on O’Connor, intending to lift him and bring him down to the mat.
Each match has periods with pauses in between. In each period the wrestlers start in one of the three major positions.
Bottom Position
photo by Sandy Cho
Basurto executes the half nelson, pinning O’Connor by locking one hand around his neck and using his other hand to keep control of O’Connor’s wrist. Infographic by Shayna Hume
7 Athletes balance winter sports with academics sports
december 21, 2012
by Shayna Hume and Thrisha Potluri Sports Editor and Managing Editor ment en
graphics by Sandy Cho
Senior Emory Ruscus balances crew, basketball and his academic load.
said.
photo by Sandy Cho
Senior Julia Arthur trains on an erg during winter training.
reasons aren’t the same as Ar
season.
photo by Sandy Cho
Junior Eric Xie makes a jump before diving.
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spread
december 21, 2012
spread
december 21, 2012
Students maximize their holiday budget spending How to save money during the holidays
Ebay 3.5%
“ “
Amazo n 21.4%
114 people responded to the Intranet poll graphics by Sunny Kim photos and reporting by Tahmina Achekzai and Sunny Kim
I make holiday cards myself because it’s less expensive that way, and it comes from the heart.
”
.5% Target 20
art M lWa 12.1%
3% . 1 1 o tc s Co
er h W
n e h W / e
“
I go to my mom, and I ask her to take me to the mall to get something for my dad, and she doesn’t tell him. Then I go to my dad and tell him to get something for my mom.
do
by Sunny Kim Spread Editor
B
lack Friday, Small-business Saturday and Cyber Monday are long over but gift shopping is still on the top of many teenagers’ to-do lists
with the upcoming holidays just a few days away. Even with the current recession, holiday expenditures for teenagers continue to be steady and even a bit better than last year. According to Junior Achievement’s Teen Holiday Spending poll, 76 percent of the teens surveyed plan to spend just as much on gifts – or more – this holiday season than last. “I am planning to spend about $40-50 per family member, which is more than last year,” senior Shweta Kumar said. “I want to do something for my family since this is the last year I’ll be living with them for the entire year.” Still, more than 90 percent of the 114 students surveyed in a recent Intranet poll opted to spend less than $40 per person. With the teenage employment rate at the all time lowest point since World War II, some are finding creative ways to stretch the dollar. Sophomore Kate Salamido decided to use her culinary skills this holiday season. “I have no money so I’ll be baking stuff for people,” Salamido said. “I am planning to attempt a cheesecake for my grandmother and to make cookie mixes for mailing to my family far away.” Baking seems to be a popular low cost gift option this holiday season. Senior Colton Sears is also planning to use homemade pastry to surprise his friends. “I’ll probably make some kind of food since it’s good and easy to distribute,” Sears said. “I have enough money to get something like a brownie mix. I might even
“
have something in my house already sitting in the pantry.” There is also no rule that says one gift has to be given from every single person in the family. “My siblings and I combine money so our family receives one gift from all of us,” sophomore Katrina Junta said. Junior Megan Ganley thinks a little sacrifice will be necessary for effective holiday gift shopping. “I’m not buying a yearbook this year, just as I have done in the years past, so I have extra money to buy gifts for my sisters and parents. It may be a small selfsacrifice, but it all works out in the long run,” Ganley said. While Ganley uses small sacrifices to save up money for holiday gifts, Kumar has been saving up for a long time. “I have some money saved up from a really long time ago, like loose change and money my parents gave me ‘in case of emergency,’” Kumar said. To a lot of teenagers, who don’t have a steady source of income to be used for holiday gift shopping, re-gifting is a plausible option. However, according to the same Intranet poll, only 41.12 percent said they re-gift. However, freshman Omar Ahmed supports the idea of re-gifting. “One person’s unwanted gift can be another person’s treasure,” Ahmed said. “Re-gifting makes for an efficient exchange of gifts – it’s a good thing.” On the other hand, some students feel, no matter how unwanted the gift may be or how desperate the situation is, re-gifting isn’t a escape from holiday gift giving. “I don’t believe in re-gifting because it doesn’t show appreciation for the person who gave you the gift in the first place,” freshman Douglas Andre said. Even the recession can’t get rid of teenagers’ holiday spirit and the desire to give gifts. No matter how much they are willing to spend on this holiday season, the real purpose of gifting is appreciating friends and family. Sears seems to have found a good balance. “I’d spend time rather than money finding something nice and thoughtful that doesn’t cost a ton of money,” he said.
I’d spend time rather than
nice and thoughtful that doesn’t cost a ton of money.
–senior Colton Sears
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–freshman Shreya Mandava
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I usually look up stores that have sales online. I’m already subscribed to stores like Victoria’s Secret so they send me emails telling me about the sales.
bar gain ?
–freshman Eke Wokocha
Teens’ holiday expenditures remain high despite recession
y
Who funds your holiday gift budget?
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My birthday is in September so I don’t spend the money I get for my birthday, and I save it for holiday gifts.
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–freshman Gabby Huckabee
I liked doing impersonations of people so my mom wanted me to audition for some shows. I use my money from professional productions to pay for holiday gifts. I act in movies and theater shows.
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–sophomore Misha Ryjik
How much do you spend on your holiday gifts?
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In my IBET, we organized Secret Santas, and the maximum budget set by the group was $15. I am planning to get my person AMC gift cards and candy.
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”
–freshman Ally Luckett
I save and spend about $200 during the holidays. I spend a total of $75 on my parents, $75 on other family members and $50 on friends.
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–senior Bobby Ends
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I’m planning to spend about $20 for my closest friends.
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–junior Navya Kambalapally
Common gift ideas by dollar range Movie/Concert tickets: $8-100+
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–freshman Cheryl Mensah
9
Un
use
Pa i d
d
3 s: $
0 0
0 80
Books: $10-20
+ Cosmetics: $20-30 Clothes: $10-100+
photo courtesy of amazon.com
4.42%
0.00%
1.77%
3.54%
34.51%
$100+
$80-100
$60-80
$40-60
$20-40
55.76% $0-20
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entertainment
Debut novel spins magic
december 21, 2012
‘Les Miz’ leads list of holiday delights acters as a basis for their craft,” said English
by Yena Seo Entertainment Editor
photo courtesy of barnesandnoble.com
by Shayna Hume Sports Editor It is an age of terror. It is an age of devastation. The Earth slows in its rotation, and with that reality, our world ischanged forever. The premise may seem ludicrous, but in her debut novel, “The Age of Miracles,” Karen Thompson Walker spins a tale worth stopping for. While some might expect such a novel to turn into a daring adventure the trend of suburban dystopia novels, choosing her protagonist as a preteen from California named Julia. It is through Julia’s eyes that we observe not only the Earth’s shuddering halt, but the drama of a middle school bus stop, adolescent girl. “The Age of Miracles” begins on a haunting note with Julia’s reminiscence of a time when the sun came up and went down at the designated time. This sort of foreshadowing in narration continues throughout the novel, creating the dread of the inevitable disaster. begins to interweave suburban issues such as grocery shopping and extraforming a history of the era after the “slowing” began. In subsequent chapters, Julia recounts events such as her best friend’s running away to a “daylight” colony, a place where humans who believe in remaining diurnal rather than a staying on a 24-hour clock gather and the death of a man killed by the
theater, as Jean Valjean’s deep, powerful voice begins to tors join Valjean, carrying their respective melodies until student leader Enjolras, decked in his signature red vest, brings forth a mass of revolutionaries anticipating what “tomorrow” will bring. This scene from the popular musical “Les Misérables” has been witnessed by over 60 million people Miz” for short, the musical is one of many entertainment
berg and adapted from the novel by Victor Hugo, “Les Misérables” tells the story of convicted criminal Jean Valjean and his journey for redemption during the period of the June Days revolution in nineteenth-century France. This December, the musical will grace the silver screen as well the stage at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. the only one to be adapted from the popular musical and the protagonist in addition to other famous actors such “The cast for the movie is made up of very wellknown actors and actresses, regardless of singing ability,” junior Hannah Pho, who played the role of Eponine in TJ’s production of “Les Misérables” in 2011, said. “However, the movie may be able to take some liberties the limitations of the stage.” known for playing the roles of Gabe in “Next to Normal” and Fiyero in “Wicked,” will assume the role of Enjolras in the movie version. “The ads have only featured the very famous people, leaving out those who have major parts but aren’t huge stars,” junior Jordan Goodson said. “I’m going with my friends at midnight when it comes out, and I’m very excited.” The movie has an abundance of Oscar buzz surrounding it, with several critics weighing in on the awards because these actors had such powerful char-
infographic by Yena Seo
released in December is “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” the prequel to the popular trilogy, “The Lord of the Rings.” The movie features many of the same actors, includ-
vision show favorites.
go about a normal life. Walker’s research for the book isevident in the clean way she links her facts together. Though some of the changes she makes to our world are startling such as the danger of being exposed to radiation if you stay outside for very long, they all bring to light how much we take for granted. One of the few downsides of Walker’s novel is when the suburban commonplace eclipses the global changes. Despite its unending reel of common problems and breathtaking premise, “The Age of Miracles” is not a melodramatic book, and that is where it succeeds as a glowing representation of our world. The miracles that its title refers to are not only the global ones, but the ten take for granted. Though I was skeptical about how interesting such a novel could be from the vantage point of a girl who barely knows rudimentary astronomy, the ing short of miraculous. Every day, as Julia’s science teacher has to replace the sticky note for Earth on his poster of planetary rotations, the new normal is pushed back a few seconds further, making each chapter a new and thrilling experience.
Coming Attractions
The staged musical, which will be at the National Theater from Dec. 13-30, features the cast of the 25th anniversary tour of Les Misérables. “I love Les Miz so much that I think I’m a sell said.
and has the same director. “I’m really excited for ‘The Hobbit’ because I love ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and the special efrick Ryan said. “The Hobbit” topped the $84.7 million during its opening weekend and broke December opening records in North America. It received mixed reviews from critics and scored 65 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Another addition making its presence on the silver screen this holiday season is the 3-D version of “Monsters, Inc,” which is scheduled to be released on “Monsters University,” will be released in 3-D format in the summer of 2013. friendly alternative during the holiday season. “‘Monster’s Inc’ was a classic for me and I would love to re-experience it,” freshman with the whole technology age, it’ll be popular again with and the new group of kids who have yet to experience its magic.” Television show favorites are scheduled to air Christmas and holiday-themed episodes this month in the spirit of the holiday season. The Christmas episode of “Doctor Who”, titled “The on Christmas Day at 9 p.m. on highly promoted with a poster and trailer, show, centered on a time-traveling humanoid alien called the “Doctor,” is a cult television favorite and is currently in its seventh season. “It’s an extra-long Christmasthemed episode that is still part of the regular show, but is usually more of a stand-alone episode,” junior Nadège Aoki said. photo illustration by Yena Seo
me so far in terms of the strength of the writing, so I’m looking forward to a fresh start in the second half of the season, starting with the Christmas special.” photo courtesy of lesmis.com
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entertainment opportunities.
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Pho said. “I might just bring my Eponine hat—it’s going to be awesome.”
Originial Emancipation Proclamation Display ‘Parental Guidance’
Dec. 25: Theaters everywhere
Junior Hannah Pho, who played tion of Les Miserables, wears her costume in anticipation for
‘Promised Land’
Dec. 25: Theaters everywhere
Dec. 30-Jan. 1: National Archives
People’s Choice Awards Jan. 9: CBS
Jan. 17: USA
entertainment
december 21, 2012
11
IN THE by Jennifer Walter Entertainment Editor
by Yena Seo Entertainment Editor How does one take a blathering Cockney
adventurous Took
in the book to include the scene a
photo courtesy of thehobbit.com
Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins enters the Elven domain of Rivendell.
the
evening
was
photo courtesy of arenastage.org
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12
health
Home remedies Students use natural alternatives to over-thecounter cold medicine
Ajay Iyer
december 21, 2012
Cough, Catch Cold
Preventing cold and flu transmission can be a daunting task
photot illustration by Thirsha Potluri and Lindsay Williams
Senior Saloni Chaswal grabs a tissue to cover her nose before sneezing.
by Lindsay Williams Features Editor
Ana Malhotra
Victor Shen
Stop the spread! There are simple ways to prevent disease transmission during the flu season
Adam Friedman
Get vaccinated
Get enough sleep Stay home when you are sick Rebecca Poch
graphics and reporting by Alexis Williams and Lindsay Williams
Wash your hands photo illustration by Lindsay Williams, Thrisha Potluri and infographic by Mallika Patkar and Lindsay Williams Mallika Patkar
features
december 21, 2012
13
Exchange students break barriers University students from Russia experience academics and culture at Jefferson
Foreign relations on Russo-American ties
Nastya Ibragimova, 22 “The U.S. and Russia cooperate on many science and space projects, which helps us develop a cultural relationship.”
By Ellen Kan “Who is Justin Bieber?” asked senior Alex Sands. The three students in the hot seat wore incredulous expressions on their faces as laughter erupted across the room. Finally, Anastasia “Nastya” Ibragimova’s face lit up as she exclaimed, “A singer!” Wild applause greeted her answer. Visiting Russian students Ibragimova, 22, Anatoly Torbenko, 21, and Kristina Yevdokimova, 21, concluded their 3-week stay in the U.S. on Dec. 3. American culture Jeopardy was just one part of the exciting farewell given during the eighth period The celebration served as a powerful demonstration of the American and Russian cultural exchange. The three exchange students sang Russian songs, quizzed students on their knowledge of Russian culture and demonstrated how to make in return, presented their IBET and senior research projects. Ibragimova, Torbenko, and Yevdokimova’s visit to the U.S. was made possible by the 18-year partnership between “Science and Technology without Language Barriers,” this program focuses on bringing students together through the universal language of science. “This program goes beyond language
Anatoly Torbenko, 21 “There are still some controversies between our countries, but each year, step by step, we’re going forward.”
sponsor Betsy Sandstrom said. “We’re really working towards mutual understanding and cooperation, as well as breaking down the cultural stereotypes that may be common between the two countries.” students have visited Russia every two years
to raise the money. This year is only the second year since of students to the U.S. Ibragimova, Torbenko and Yevdokimova were warmly welcomed into the U.S. by their host families on Nov. 12. Respectively, the three exchange students stayed with and Malaika Murphy. “Coming to America has always been a dream of mine,” Torbenko said. “I couldn’t believe I was here for real.” Accompanying the three Russian students was Anna Bizyaeva, a professor The
visiting
students
worked
on
here are much larger than those in Russia, and almost everyone here owns a car. In addition, many American families pray before eating dinner, and not all people in Ibragimova noticed how friendly Americans are as well. “When you walk through the streets, everyone is always smiling,” she said. “Russians don’t show their teeth when they smile. They smile with their eyes.” When they were not spending time several cities in the area, including the District, Baltimore and Alexandria. They also took a trip to the Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge, the location of several freshmen IBET projects. “The visiting students worked with TJ students at all levels. They were able to see
Ibragimova plans to major in design. She and its use of design, such as the painted ceiling tiles. Torbenko connected his study of economics with the question of how Yevdokimova, who hopes to become a foreign language teacher, spent time observing the teaching methods used in the German classroom. Ibragimova, Torbenko and Yevdokimova were delighted with student life. “I was surprised that students have so much freedom,” Yevdokimova said, pointing out how students are able to choose where to sit during lunch and how they can
the classroom,” Sandstrom said. The exchange program was also a rewarding experience for the hosts. “The Russians are awesome to learn from, connect with, share with and be around,” said Murphy, who is also the student chair and coordinator of the fundraising campaign. “Nastya is an amazing artist who helped me with my Shakespeare project. Kristina studies drama in Russia, and actors and movies.”
Torbenko also noted the enthusiasm
continues through electronic correspondence throughout the year. There are high hopes for the future of the program, especially
presentations. “Students here want to study. They are really motivated and always raise their hands to ask questions,” he said. “It’s
this spring break to create two consecutive years of face-to-face exchange. “This program helps students get to
our work.” In addition, the visiting students noted
be communication barriers between the people of education,” Bizyaeva said. “In this program, we tried to make a breakthrough. And I can say that we succeeded.”
two countries. For example, the houses
photo by Mallika Patkar
From left: Russian student Anastasia Ibragimova teaches senior Victoria Holt how to make traditional Russian yarn dolls; Russian student Anatoly Torbenko plays basketball with senior Joe Nissen; Russian student Kristina Yevdokimova sings a Russian song at the
Kristina Yevdokimova, 21 “I think the U.S. and Russia have a normal relationship, like one that the U.S. would have with any other country.” photos and reporting by Ellen Kan
photo by Ellen Kan
photo by Sandy Cho
Pandayo
photo by Ellen Kan
14 Spotlight on: alumni
features
december 21, 2012
Where are they now? by Amy Ahn Features Editor For a former editor-in-chief, being in the cross-hairs of an international crisis isn’t that far removed. And that’s exactly where Class of 2005 graduate found recently.
himself
representative of the Department of State to Congress, he spent the last several weeks supporting the department’s response to Congressional inquiries regarding the recent tragedy in Benghazi. experiences as editor-in-chief of tjTODAY and as a starting center on the varsity football team during his senior year
many people by breaking the school record for wins and
that have happened over the years in the TJ football program. them to his work. experiences and learn to play a smaller role as part of a those who make the foreign policy world a career, the dues you pay along the way might lead to the job you envisioned
Fleeter pursues environmentalism Opinion Editor his cool demeanor and his determination to follow his dreams. leadership credentials under his belt, but it was his love of environmental science that guided many of his subsequent choices. The Climate Group, The GreenLife opportunity to take a position to contribute to the growth of the environmental
of economics would be useful to me in life, as well as in a
2006 to 2009. Concurrently, Fleeter continued to pursue his interest in politics and international cooperation in
transparency, reduce risk and improve After graduating with a Bachelor as an environmental associate in 2010. As a junior on the team, he dealt with clients, helped with the use of the registry
Bureau.
Fleeter was promoted to the assistant vice president and was promoted to vice president of the environmental team within a year.
to organize the papers for the secretary, her deputies and
business, building technological infrastructure to support carbon, water and other international environmental
on to become a project analyst for improving the environment. wanted to continue learning about the
Obama traveled to Burma, Cambodia and Thailand. management skills—the same traits it takes to be a successful also awarded a $10,000 scholarship in the AAA Travel experiences with running organizations, having an impact on the community and motivating teams to meet
an instrument on the building roof that collects radio waves to Features Editor
Fleeter hopes to go to business school and to continue his work in business development to create sustainable and low-carbon solutions for the environment. company or join some other kind of alternative energy
Wishard said. Other students are also collaborating with outside
Jupiter and the galaxy. the planetarium, drinking hot chocolate and comparing work. For them, it is an important part of their projects to collaborate
Zimbelman spoke with the seniors about their projects.
asteroids. Sheaffer knew he wanted to work with
The seniors are in the midst of their projects, collecting and looking at a range of topics, such as using information from
Senior Carlisle Wishard has been working with put Wishard in contact with Zimbelman. Wishard knew she wanted to study the solar system, and Zimbelman helped her narrow down her ideas. While she has been emailing and talking on the phone with Zimbelman, Wishard was excited to meet him face to face.
Wishard joined the lab after trying out the prerequisite semester courses. She hopes to minor in astronomy in college.
for various reasons. Some students in the lab are, like Wishard, looking to continue to work in that field. One of them is senior Deanna Buttaro, who joined the lab after trying the electives. She is studying weather patterns on Saturn. Buttaro wishes to incorporate astronomy into her dream of becoming an engineer.
with the capability of travelling much farther outside of the solar system with more efficient methods than what we have today, we would learn so much more Others are exploring astronomy as a hobby. Senior Club since freshman year. human understanding, and yet the amount that we
december 21, 2012
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culture
december 21, 2012
photo by Mallika Patkar
photo by Sunny Kim
SCIENCE AS ART
photo by Shayna Hume
photo by Thrisha Potluri
Clockwise from top left: Solar model helps students in Astronomy; Microsoft Kinect measures depth to Organic Chemistry; senior Christine Xu reaches into a tank for a sea slug in the Neuroscience lab; hosts Madagascar hissing cockroaches prior to their dissection; an oscilloscope measures electronic
photo by Tahmina Achekzai
photo by Priyanka Nair
photo by Thrisha Potluri
photo by Sandy Cho layout by Amy Ahn
photo by Mallika Patkar