December 2014

tjTODAY

THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 6560 Braddock Rd., Alexandria, VA 22312

Indoor Track P6

Are you Onboard?

DECEMBER 17, 2014

VOLUME 30, ISSUE 4

FCPS Onboard launch causes controversy among students t is

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by Ellen Kan and Lindsay Williams Print Editor-in-Chief and Online Editor-in-Chief According to the posters around the school, logging on to the new Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Wi-Fi seems simple. But the outbreak of student discontent that arose on Dec. 4 indicated there was more to the story.

The controversy began when Jefferson implemented FCPS’s Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiative. BYOD simplifies the login process and, according to Systems Lab Network Administrator Andrew Hamilton, allows FCPS to identify perpetrators of illegal activity, such as software piracy, associated with the guest network.

Most importantly, students are e g n i c ll e e t R n I e y p t i o r u r t c e a S nd Consu to Microsoft mer R now able to register their personal according epor t devices on a more secure network: FCPS Onboard.

“I appreciate the additional security that this approach provides,” junior Fox Wilson, a sysadmin, said. “Students who connected to the FCPS network in the past were sending network traffic in the clear. For example, passwords on websites not using HTTPS could be stolen.”

The initial login process to FCPS Onboard, however, set off alarm bells among students on Dec. 4. The app used to download the certificates required to get onto the system, XpressConnect, asked students for intrusive permissions and allegedly granted administrator privileges. Many students refused to download the software, and several took to Facebook to update their peers on what they discovered. Others made their voices heard by creating hotspots with names such as FCPSoverboard and FCPSwaterboard.

Senior Corwin de Boor, co-president of Computer Security Club, was one read the protect your of the students who investigated the app and recommended that students did not 3 system with 1 2 End User install it. de Boor and others acknowledged there is nothing wrong with the network License antivirus systems itself, but they found troublesome concerns relating to the third party software. watch what Agreement “The apps FCPS originally released had a lot of questionable permissions, and the Anscan your system you download droid app had another app embedded inside that looked suspicious,” de Boor said. “The OSX 4 to detect any app also installs several privileged helper tools, and we don’t know what they’re capable of.” spyware Other students maintain there is no problem with XpressConnect or the FCPS Onboard system.

“School systems have Some of the sysadmins, including sophomore Samuel Damashek, have been helping students log on to been sued for millions of While the new network. They also did not find any of the rumored problems when they looked over the decomdollars for putting FCPS piled Android application and the Windows and Linux installers.

Onboard spyware on computers “I think that it’s normal to be skeptical of changes and new technology in general, but most of what I’ve is not spythey gave to students to take home. heard so far is unsubstantiated,” Damashek said. “I know that the Android application in particular used to have ware, the inI don’t see FCPS risking those far-reaching permissions, beyond what would seem necessary for what it’s doing, but those permissions seem to fographic above kinds of lawsuits have been removed from the application.” provides some over a wireless network.” information about Junior James Woglom, another sysadmin, also believes that the move was a good decision on the part of the county. what spyware is, the – Network Administrator “FCPS Onboard is only used for setup: you connect to it, choose whether you are a student, staff member, or guest, and different kinds of spyware, Andrew enter your credentials if necessary,” Woglom said. “Then, you install the XpressConnect software, which installs digital certifistatistics regarding spyware Hamilton cates on your computer that allow you to connect to the wireless network Fairfax, which provides you with internet connection.” and tips on how to protect your Those skeptical of the system also have the option to manually download the certificates without installing XpressConnect. Sevcomputer systems from malware. eral students made guides for their peers to circumvent the need for third party software.

“XpressConnect is not developed by FCPS, does not request permissions beyond what it requires and can be removed after connecting infographic by Sandy Cho continued on p. 2

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Holiday music jazzes up winter season

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RobinWilliams releases last movie on Dec. 25

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tjTODAY looks back on Jefferson history

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news Kudos & Accomplishments

Doran wins second place at Second WorldWide Festival of Russian Langauge and Culture  Senior Joe Doran was recognized for his mastery of oral and written Russian. He was then awarded the silver medal, or second place Russian student in the world, and was selected to attend the closing ceremony at St. Petersburg.

Chen and Peterson achieve high awards at the school-wide Poetry Out Loud Competition  Senior Austin Chen received first place at Jefferson's 2014 Poetry Out Loud Competition and is now eligible to compete at the regional level on Feb. 6 at the Signature Theatre. The second place winner, junior Abby Peterson, will take Chen's place should he not be able to compete.

Jefferson students win big at school-level Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Reflections Arts program  The top award, "Outstanding Interpretation," was awarded to senior Becca Merriman-Goldring, junior Ravi Shankar, sophomore Hayun Chong and freshman Kyle Gatesman for photography, literature, visual arts and music composition, respectively. Second-place Awards of Excellence were presented to sophomores Juliana Gruver and Andrew Park and freshmen Elizabeth Sherrock and Olivia Johann, for photography, literature, music composition and visual arts. Finally, third-place Awards of Merit were given to senior Danial Hussain, junior Joanna Gerr and sophomore Vikash Kumar for literature, visual arts and and photography respectively.

McConnaughey honored with "Math Hero" award  Math teacher Laura McConnaughey was among 32 middle and high school math teachers in 18 states who were honored as "Math Heros." Raytheon recognized her abililty to make math interesting and real for her students. She was nominated for this award by either students, teachers, parents, or the school administration.

Football seniors receive All-Conference honors

 Seniors Jackson DuBro, David Lanman and Parsa Zand and junior Nick Lemanski recieved All-Conference honors. DuBro was awarded honorable mention for defensive back, Lanman received second team for defensive line and honorable mention for offensive line, Lemanski was awarded honorable mention for quarterback and Zand received second team for defensive line and honorable mention for offensive line.

Girls' cross country runners qualified for AllConference honors after a strong season

 After finishing a strong season with a secondplace finish at the conference meet, three runners of the girls' cross country team qualified for AllConference honors: seniors Katrina Junta and Haley Stumvoll and sophomore Rachel Martinka.

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december 17, 2014

FCPS Onboard RENOVATION causes controversy CORNER among students continued from p. 1 to the network,” Wilson said. “This makes it a pretty bad option for managing or ‘spying on’ student devices.

Keep in mind that you are connecting through the same infrastructure as previously -- FCPS has always had the ability to monitor traffic on the wireless networks.”

Hamilton also believes it is unlikely that FCPS is overstepping boundaries through monitoring student activity and collecting information.

“I think a lot of students got nervous because the thought of FCPS becoming Big Brother is a very compelling story, one that's very easy to get behind,” Hamilton said. “Just from a legal perspective, I don’t think FCPS would do something like this because they’ve seen what happens. School systems have been sued for millions of dollars for putting spyware on computers they gave to students to take home. I don’t see FCPS risk-

ing those kinds of lawsuits over a wireless network.”

The key concern among students is not whether FCPS will exploit the system, but that they have the capability to intrude on student privacy if there is probable cause.

“I don’t think FCPS is actually going to abuse anything, given all of their publicity statements,” de Boor said. “But the main issue is that the possibility did exist for the original apps that were used to distribute the certificates.”

Students who have trouble using the new network should speak with SchoolBased Technology Specialist Miruna Tecuci. The Student Government Association (SGA) is also creating an informative document for student distribution, in addition to recent Intranet posts. SGA will work with the administration to bring student concerns to FCPS's attention. de Boor and the sysadmins maintain that personal

• Due to unanticipated complications, the NEW FRONT DOME has been further delayed and will not be open to student access until NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

• In the coming weeks, the MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL will be demolished entirely by the construction crew to allow for new construction to begin.

• NEW HALLWAYS will be constructed to connect the auditorium, TESLA COMMONS and DA VINCI COMMONS .

• NEW FURNITURE for common spaces will have INTERLOCKING and VERSATILE capablities.

• A NEW FOOD TRUCK will be available soon, in addition to the food trucks already present. photo illustration by Stav Nachum

internet safety is important, regardless of the wireless network. Passwords can be accessed by the network operator if they are not encrypted, and hackers have a variety of techniques of accessing passwords and information.

“Probably the most important thing security-wise

that TJ students should worry about is phishing and social engineering,” Woglom said.

“Don’t tell anyone else your FCPS or TJ credentials, and be wary about emails that ask you to log in or verify your account. The TJ Tech Team and FCPS DIT will never ask you for your password.”

Superintendent places emphasis on enforcing two-hour homework policy

by Stav Nachum News Editor Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Superintendent Karen Garza has brought to the attention of principals and teachers across the county the importance of following Regulation 3205.1, which establishes guidelines for the amount of homework teachers can assign to students from kindergarten to 12th grade in order to reduce student stress. It emphasizes that homework should be used to practice, apply and elaborate on content learned in the classroom and value quality over quantity.

According to this guideline, high school students should be assigned a maximum of 10 hours of homework for a week, or two hours per school day, regardless of the level of their courses. This two-hour homework time is based on the teacher’s evaluation of how much time it would take the average student to complete an assignment and does not include extra credit or long-term projects.

“Regarding the regulation, there is some ambiguity that makes this difficult to monitor," Principal Evan Glazer said.

"It doesn't address studying for exams, doesn't account for students having academic difficulty or those who try assignments multiple times to increase their score, and only sort of addresses project work.”

Since the last publication, many revisions have been made to Regulation 3205.1, which outlines the amount of homework teachers can assign. These changes include revised roles of school employees and parents in regard to homework, altered guidelines for assignments of homework to advanced learners and additional statements concerning the homework grading policies.

One of the most troubling sections of the regulation to Jefferson teachers and students, however, is that there is no exception to this two-hour homework limit, even for advanced level courses that require more time and homework.

“At TJ, we teach university-level courses,” physics teacher Duncan Forbes said. “At a university, a typical course is going to have six to 10 hours of homework a night. If we, as teachers, cannot assign the same amount of homework as a university course, students shouldn’t get university credit.”

The administration established a teacher-student-parent Homework Expectations curriculum team. This team, led by Assistant Principal Shawn Frank, will develop recommendations on how to be conscientious of this important issue and address it within the school.

“There is a polarity that exists in our school surrounding homework because students want to achieve high standards.

I think we can address polarity, but there isn’t a simple solution," Glazer said. "We need to address conflicts among teacher, student and parent expectations. A meeting of minds from different stakeholder groups in the Homework Expectations committee, however, is the first step.”

TJTED initiates inaugural foreign ambassadors project

photo by Esther Kim

Junior Jessica Nguyen publicizes TJTED's foreign ambassadors project by posting flyers in hallways. TJTED plans to help students communicate with ambassadors through interviews.

by Esther Kim Opinion Editor Inspired by the global phenomenon of Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED), Jefferson’s TJTED club recently initiated its year-long foreign ambassadors project, in which students have the chance to interview foreign ambassadors in the United States and gain better insights on international relations.

“Some students do not get to practice professional outreach and the skills associated with career advancement and social networking because TJ is a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)oriented school,” junior Jessica Nguyen, one of the co-captains of TJTED, said.

TED, a nonprofit organization dedicated to its mission to “spread ideas,” has garnered immense attention from the public through its sharing of presentations by professionals working in a wide variety of fields, which range from education to writing and science.

After spending the majority of its meetings last year watching TED presentations, TJTED aims to further promote its goal of communication and interaction with professionals by encouraging students to contact, interview and present on the foreign ambassadors they have been working with.

“Currently, we are contacting approximately 150 embassies and requesting the ambassador to speak at TJ or interview with TJ students,” Nguyen said. “There are around 25 student participants in the project, and many of them are considering careers in international relations.”

Through the project, students will broaden their knowledge on the role of policy makers in resolving international issues and the responsibilities that these professionals face to properly represent and address global events.

By the end of the project, the club hopes to publish the transcriptions of the face-to-face interviews to its website, which is currently being developed. TJTED would also like to invite ambassadors to speak to the Jefferson community about their role as a medium between the United States and the world.

“Before the project started, we watched a talk given by Jonas Gahr Store, the foreign minister of Norway, and he reinforced the idea that diplomacy is only possible through open discussion,” junior Wendy Wang, one of the co-captains of TJTED said. “The ambassador project is an opportunity to apply what we know in a meaningful dialogue with global leaders.”

news

december 19, 2014

Band holds winter concert

NEWSMAKERS Debate teams win at WACFL 3

photo by Kate Deng

photo courtesy of Sahana Ramani

The News On Friday, Dec. 12, Jefferson’s Symphonic Band and Symphonic Wind Ensemble performed their winter concert during eighth period.

Backstory The Symphonic Band concert consisted of a variety of music including an intro song that was recycled from their fall concert, a Disney medley, and the “Pirates of the Caribbean “theme song.

The Symphonic Wind Ensemble also played many songs that were unusual of a typical winter holiday concert, such as a “Lord of the Rings” and “The Incredibles medley” and Howl’s Moving Castle.” Alongside those, there were also holiday specials such as “The Nightmare before Christmas “theme song and “Sleigh Ride.”

The auditorium was packed with students and parents all eager to listen to what the band had put together on such short notice.

“We only had five rehersals as well as a couple of eighth period rehersals to put together this concert, so we had to do a lot of practicing by ourselves at home,” junior MinJoo Kang said.

Even though the bands only had a short amount of time to prepare for the concert, the audience thought it was a complete success. The crowd enjoyed the festivities and cherished the holiday cheer.

“My favorite part of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble concert was at the end of ‘The Incredibles’ theme song when they paused before the last note and Mr. Foreman turned to thank the audience for coming,” junior Calvin Chen said. “It was a cute and surprising ending.”

- Kate Deng

The News On Dec. 13, Jefferson’s Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum and Policy debate teams and Forensics Speech and Student Congress placed third at WashingtonArlington Catholic Forensic League (WACFL) tournament.

Backstory In Policy debate, juniors Alison Li and Aneesh Susarla placed fourth with a 3-1 record, qualifying for the varsity Metrofinal tournament with juniors Christine Li, Rishab Negi, Jay Pan and Stella Yang. At the junior varsity (JV) level, junior Jeffrey Liu and sophomore Sung Joon Won qualified for the JV Metrofinal tournament by placing seventh with a 3-1 record.

“The debaters were very supportive and worked well with each other,” Li said. “It was a learning experience.”

In Public Forum debate, sophomores Shiraz Chokshi and Rohan Suri received a half-qualification in the varsity Metrofinal tournament. In JV, juniors Ghnana Madineni and Revu Pillai placed third. Lincoln-Douglas debate also brought successful records with junior Kaushik Venkatesh placing fifth in the varsity division and freshman Amitesh Kotwal receiving the highest speaker points in the entire JV division.

In Forensics Speech, sophomore Victoria Bevard placed third in Impromptu Speaking, sophomore Laura Chu placed third in Declamation and junior Milan Bharadwaj placed fifth in Impromptu Speaking. In Student Congress, junior Victoria Sun placed sixth and junior Rohini Sarkhel placed seventh.

With two more WACFL tournaments left, teams will be practicing hard to succeed in the upcoming tournaments.

“The team has had to work twice as hard this year because we got a new coach, so we’ve had to do more filewriting and self-prep at the beginning of the year,” senior Jessica Covan, the co-captain of Policy debate team, said.

“I’m very proud of how we’ve been doing thus far.”

- Esther Kim

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Dance performs at Winterfest

photo by Alexis Williams

The News Junior Cece Xiao placed first in solo dance when the Jefferson Dance Team performed at the Winterfest Invitational at Hylton High School.

Backstory The Thomas Jefferson Varsity Dance Team (TJDT) competed on Saturday, Dec. 13 in their first competition of the season with three routines: pom, a cheer-style energetic dance with poms performed to “Boom Clap” by Charlie XCX; kick, a style focused mostly on kick lines performed to “Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift; and jazz, a technical style with a focus on leaps and turns performed to “Love Runs Out” by One Republic.

TJDT received first place in the kick category, second place in the pom category and third place in the jazz category. They also received two special awards, one for “Best Leaps or Turns” and one for “Best Costumes,” which was given to the jazz dance.

Two of the captains, juniors Cece Xiao and Vivian Fang, competed in solos as well as a duo. They placed first and fourth respectively, and their duo placed second.

“The captains and experienced members really stepped up to lead the team during practices as well as on the day of the competition,” TJDT coach Melissa Weber said. “More importantly, the team had fun and it showed in the results.”

The new members of the team were excited about the solid start and look forward to the rest of the season.

“I was really happy that we won first place because we worked really hard and put in a lot of effort,” freshman Sahana Aiyer said. “I think that we will learn from what we lost points on at this competition to improve in upcoming ones.”

- Lindsay Williams

We accept: poetry, prose, music and art.

Deadline: January 16.

Submission forms available.

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opinion

december 17, 2014

FCPS homework policy is welltjTODAY intentioned but unreasonable Volume 30 Issue 4

2014 Pacemaker - NSPA 2014 Trophy Class - VHSL 2013 All-American - NSPA 2013 Gold Medalist - CSPA

Editorial Board Print Editor-in-Chief Ellen Kan

Online Editors-in-Chief Sandy Cho Lindsay Williams

Design Editor Alexis Williams

News Editor Stav Nachum

Opinion Editor Esther Kim

Features Editor Anjali Khanna

Entertainment Editor Kate Deng

Sports Editor Akhil Waghmare

Business Manager Esther Kim

Staff Reporters Mei Baek Neha Bhargava Uzma Rentia

Guest Writers Saroja Erabelli Eric McCord-Snook

Adviser Erinn Harris

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.tjtoday.org Send letters to: tjtoday.tjhsst@gmail.com

Lead Editorial

dition, some classes are impossible to succeed in without repetitive practice. For example, the typical student cannot master physics without doing practice problems.

This also calls into question how one should characterize the “typical” student. In high school, students can be anywhere on the spectrum, from efficient minimalist to procrastinating perfectionist. In addition, what exactly constitutes “homework”? Can worksheets, long-term papers, group projects and studying for tests and quizzes all be grouped under this broad umbrella?

A logistical problem also arises. How can seven teachers coordinate so that the amount of homework assigned per student does not exceed two hours? This can be done for Integrated Biology, English and Technology (IBET) and humanities (HUM) classes, but coordination is much trickier for teachers whose disciplines never cross.

Yet another conflict occurs when we look at test preparation. Some teachers assign “recommended” materials on top of mandatory homework, and doing practice problems generally contributes to higher test scores. If teachers have to give less homework, will they also lower the difficulty of their tests? If this happens, will students be less prepared for stan-

tj TODAY’s unsigned majority opinion Recently, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Superintendent Karen Garza highlighted the importance of Regulation 3205.1, which recommends that, on any given school night, the average high school student should not have to spend more than two hours on homework assignments.

Predictably, the Jefferson community reacted with indignation, slamming the recommendation for its ambiguity and absurdity.

Garza had commendable intentions with her announcement; she wanted to mitigate stress caused by unreasonable amounts of homework. However, we believe the two-hour maximum cannot be properly implemented at Jefferson unless accommodations are made for our school’s unique situation.

Enforcing the two-hour homework policy is close to impossible. It’s clear that the regulations were written so they could be applied to any school in the FCPS system, but the policy’s ambiguity calls for more specificity, especially at a rigorous school like Jefferson.

According to Garza, the regulation’s twohour rule does not make exceptions for honors, advanced placement (AP), or post-AP classes. Does this mean a student in Spanish 1, a non-honors course, should be assigned the same amount of work as one in multivariable calculus, a class that gets a 5.0 weighting?

Jefferson’s demanding curriculum, which is more challenging than that of base schools, should also be taken into consideration. In ad-

dards that don’t change, such as AP exams?

Needless to say, there are some gaping holes in Regulation 3205.1. But regardless of our criticisms, we do agree with the recommendation’s overall message. Student stress levels are going up because of the heavy homework load, and this is something that needs to be addressed.

The solution lies not in enforcing a regulation that is too ambiguous to be appropriately enforced, but in taking steps to improve student-teacher communication. As a school, we should encourage more discussion between students and teachers, as well as among teachers themselves, about class expectations, accountability, course rigor and student stress levels. The student advocacy guidelines are a great first step for doing all of this, but we can do better.

cartoon by Sanjoli Agarwal

Cafeteria should provide free utensils Alexis Williams Design Editor I bring lunch to school every day. Often, I have a salad or other food that requires a fork, but if I forget to pack one, that’s fine. I can just go grab one from the food carts throughout the school. Or at least I used to.

However, recently, as I have tried to get utensils from one of the carts, I have been stopped and told that the utensils will cost $0.10. They are still complementary for those buying lunch, but not for the hundreds of students who bring lunch to school every day.

While this is not a new policy, the enforcement of it is certainly recent. The cafeteria is enforcing the policy due to the financial infeasibility of providing forks free to students. However, a 500 count of forks can be bought for $11.69.

If the Food Services Office charges $0.10 per fork, that is $50 per 500 count of forks. Surely it cannot be that expensive to provide forks to students in need each day who don’t happen to carry dimes.

In the absence of a real cafeteria, more and more Jefferson students will begin bringing lunch to school for convenience purposes. As this happens, the Food Services Office should consider the idea of returning to the old policy of allowing students to take eating utensils.

It is understandable if the Food Services Office does not want to hand out masses of forks—for example, for an event or a large group of people. But one fork here and there is financially sustainable and necessary for the convenience of students. illustration and photos by Esther Kim

My Voice: Add a little math to your life Most people don’t understand what it means to call a math problem “beautiful.” They can easily appreciate the beauty others see in art or literature, but they can’t understand how math could be aesthetically pleasing.

It might be because math seems foreign. After all, mathematicians do use Greek letters. People run away from things they don’t unSAROJA ERABELLI derstand, but understanding math is essential for a better appreciation of our surroundings. We use mathematical modeling to predict the flight of airplanes. Techniques in linear algebra are used in Google’s search algorithm to provide the best search results. Even abstract areas of math such as number theory appear in cryptography to ensure secure encryption algorithms.

We don’t necessarily need to understand the math behind these technologies, but it appears explicitly in our daily lives as well. I can see, touch, smell and taste one apple. If I buy four more apples, then I will have five. If I integrate the areas of cross sections of an apple, then I can find its volume. I can even have negative apples if I count how many apples I owe someone. Math is beautiful because it helps us understand the world around us through symbols on paper.

But what happens when math becomes so abstract that its realworld applications become even more obscure? For example, what was the purpose of creating complex numbers? What does it mean to have

the square root of negative one apples? At first, it seemed like a fictional concept mathematicians just made up for fun. After all, they’re the ones who called the numbers “imaginary.”

Yet, even complex numbers can be elegant. The real and imaginary parts of complex numbers correspond to components of fluid flow.

Plotting functions on the complex plane can give circles, lines and other familiar shapes. Complex numbers may be difficult to comprehend, but they’re a number system, just like the integers. We wouldn’t have created these number systems if they didn’t have useful properties.

It doesn’t take a genius to appreciate math. Young children enjoy using logic to solve riddles and puzzles, and people use their imagination to create universes where laws work the way they want them to. Math is analogous to such a universe. We make up the axioms and postulates to create this universe, where the laws appear as theorems and logic hides behind rigorous mathematical proofs. When a proof contradicts our logic, we can simply find a way around it and create a new system.

Math is its own art, and appreciating a mathematical proof isn’t so different from appreciating any painting, song or piece of literature. In fact, an Aug. 14 article in Scientific American demonstrated that viewing an elegant math equation, observing an aesthetic painting and hearing a beautiful song all activate the same area in the brain.

The human eye can only perceive visible light, but by no means does this mean that infrared light and ultraviolet light don’t exist. In the same way, humans can only perceive a small, concrete part of mathematics, but there are also innumerable abstract areas that can provide beautiful results – if only we can be open-minded enough to see them clearly.

Saroja Erabelli is a senior.

opinion

december 17, 2014

5

photos by Esther Kim

cartoon by Monique Mezher

Social media checks are necessary for College admissions should not focus impartial evaluation of students on students’ social media pages Connecting billions of people together in a second, social media has now become a part of global culture, especially in the young generation of teenagers who spend their days on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Whether it is through a 150-word post or a photo, it is difficult to imagine living without a constant source of notifications and news everyday.

These virtual networks of communication have become so influential that even colleges have started looking into them.

Over the past few years, students have become more aware of the increasing trend for colleges to check on applicants’ social media sites during the admissions process. According to a 2011 report from Kaplan Test Prep, 22 percent of college admissions ESTHER KIM officers have tried to find an applicant’s Facebook profile.

Allowing students’ social media pages to be considered as a part of their overall evaluation may initially seem problematic, especially because it is difficult for applicants to determine if a college will check on their Facebook profiles or not.

However, despite the current uncertainties, a more systematic and specific procedure for using applicants’ social media pages as a part of their evaluation would provide substantial benefits in the selection of accepted students.

As students become more dependent on social media for communication, it becomes easier for them to express their honest opinions in public. Of course, a student’s personal stance on a given issue should not be weighed negatively. However, if they post content that completely contradicts what they have written in the application, or if they openly criticize a college that they are interested in, colleges should consider their behavior as a negative factor.

In fact, the 2011 Kaplan survey reported that 32 percent of admissions officers in law schools and 12 percent of college admissions officers have found content that negatively affected an applicant’s standing. An applicant’s academic performance and extracurricular activities should not be the only source of evaluation; colleges should be able to recognize the discrepancies between the application and the applicant, especially when the students are outside the college admissions arena.

However, the current system of social media check-ups will only worsen the confusion.

Students should become more aware of how colleges will be checking on their social media pages, and the admissions process should describe what kinds of behavior would negatively influence the applicants’ standing. For students, it is difficult to set up a clear black-or-white line between what is considered “inappropriate,” especially in matters of expressing one’s opinion on social or political issues.

An application does not fully reveal the student’s true personality. While checking applicants’ social media pages is necessary, a more transparent system would help colleges to provide impartiality in the admissions process and select students who truly deserve to be admitted.

17 December 2014

More and more, high school students have been changing their names to prevent colleges from finding them on social media. However, colleges are able to look up students based on email, Google search and even phone numbers. But should they try?

With the rise of social media, it has become a common occurrence for potential employers and colleges to check their prospective employees’ or students’ social media accounts. If the account is private, it is difficult, but for public accounts, colleges have complete SANDY CHO & LINDSAY access.

WILLIAMS Obviously, students should be careful on social media. Making bad decisions in real life is unacceptable and documenting these bad decisions on social media is even worse.

That being said, college admissions officers shouldn’t actively look up students. Students spend hours slaving over essays to get a sense of themselves across in the best possible way. For schools that believe the essays are too polished, interviews can offer a more candid look at the student. If there’s no disciplinary record, there’s no reason for the college to believe they should find anything that reflects poorly on the student.

Social media accounts are private for a reason, and students should be allowed to have a space where they can communicate with friends for fun without worrying about if their information will be viewed by college admissions officers. Jefferson students, especially juniors and seniors, spend the majority of their time building themselves up to be the perfect candidate for colleges.

Social media allows students to be people, instead of college applicants, just while they’re online. By combing through Facebook and Twitter to find out more, admissions counselors are taking that away from the students. Suddenly, students will have to construct social media accounts to be exactly what the colleges want to see, which is an unfair request.

No one knows what exactly college counselors want to see on social media. Is it to look for troubling opinions? That is too subjective and too ambiguous. If it’s behavior that violates school rules, that should be covered by a disciplinary record. What about bad language? Could a student exercising free speech on a social forum jeopardize their own status?

Most colleges don’t have a formal process regarding social media. This means that they aren’t required to notify the applicant and can penalize them, in extreme cases, when they find a social media account for someone else with the same name, according to the New York Times.

Viewing social media accounts at an almost random basis isn’t fair to any of the applicants. Colleges should stay focused on what the applicants spend hours getting ready to submit to them.

17 December 2014

It’s time to reevaluate Generation Tech’s technology overdose With the holidays just around the corner, adults and children all across the country are thinking about what they want to give and receive for gifts.

For many, this is a simple decision — a next generation iPhone would surely please, but so would a new X-Box, PS4 or maybe ERIC MCCORD-SNOOK even a new laptop. Do people ever give non-technological gifts anymore? This certainly doesn’t seem to be the case for most of the country.

My extended family always spends a week together at the beach over the summer. As the oldest member of the youngest generation of people there, I’ve seen this tradition of family bonding change over the years. While many aspects of this change are good, some, like the overuse of technology, are not.

Two years ago, my four-year-old cousin walked up to me with his new iPod Touch and asked me if the song he was about to play was by the band “Big Time Rush.”

I was shocked. Why would his parents buy him an iPod before he could read? I didn’t get a smartphone until last

year, but the way things are going for my cousin, he’ll be on his third or fourth by the time he’s my age. While it’s great that he is enjoying himself and has found something fun to do, it is certainly not a family activity, and it has not helped our relationship grow.

Simply put, this overdependence on technology has an undeniably negative effect and makes my cousins less fun to be around. Unfortunately, this is now the norm for our lives, and this does not bode well for the future.

I don’t mean to say that all technological advances are bad. Just imagine what life would be like if an ambitious Ben Franklin had decided not to fly his kite in a thunderstorm in 1752, or if researchers had not developed modern medical techniques to save millions of lives. We do, however, need to reevaluate the extent to which we incorporate technology into our everyday lives.

In 1973, Chauncey Starr and Richard Rudman used advanced computer simulations to predict consequences of various interdependent resource growth and decay patterns. All evidence indicated that technological advances are continuing to grow in an exponential fashion, and this still holds today. At this rate, it won’t be long before family members are completely isolated from one another, enjoying their technology alone, and we don’t want that.

According to psychologist Marilyn Price-Mitchell, on average, children ages eight to 18 spend “more than 7.5

hours a day engaged in non-school-related technology.”

At this point, it is almost absurd not to call our youth “Generation Tech.” But children today are growing up in an extremely wide-open social atmosphere, and they are being forced into making unnatural choices regarding their social identities. Price-Mitchell also wrote that children who use social media too extensively can experience decreases in empathy and increases in narcissism. In general, overuse of technology has other negative impacts on the psychological health of our youth, and we are currently unable to predict what kinds of consequences could arise from it in the future – a scary thing for scientists, economists and average Joes alike to imagine.

As an avid user of technology, I don’t mean to shed technology in an entirely negative light. We need technology to function as a modern society, and I can see both the merit and enjoyment brought about by scientific advancement and invention. However, this doesn’t mean that technology is perfect. Sooner rather than later, we need to reexamine its role in our lives. Maybe then we will be able to make smarter decisions about how we should proceed into the future as a world community— with or without the continuation of modern consumer technological advancements to dictate our path for us.

Eric McCord-Snook is a senior.

6

sports

december 17, 2014

Winter Sports Highlights

By Uzma Rentia Staff Reporter

In a gym strung with purple paper streamers and glossy balloons, excited friends and family assembled to watch the purple-clad Jefferson girls’ basketball team face Fairfax High School on Dec. 12. Although the Colonials put up a strong fight, they lost 23-72, bringing the teams’ total number of losses to three.

Jefferson began strong, but eventually lost momentum, ending the first quarter 5-18.

The Colonials made a small comeback in the fourth quarter, scoring rapidly in the last three minutes of the games.

Although they were defeated, the Jefferson team played exceptionally well, managing to outscore their result played against West Springfield,

Girls Basketball during which they lost 20-69.

The team also put on a strong defense, as the Fairfax Rebels were in control of the ball for the majority of the game.

“I think we played pretty good defense,” senior Rebecca Clark-Callender, captain of the team, said. “We got a lot of shots; we just didn’t hit them all.”

Despite the wide margin of the loss, the team’s results are impressive considering the less than favorable circumstances they were playing with, including a lack of healthy players.

“We’re dealing with a lot of injuries. We had three healthy players go down with injuries in the last week, including our senior point guard, who’s one of the best players in the region,” head coach Elizabeth

Reed said.

The team has also had to work its way around another hurdle: a young team comprised of one freshman, seven sophomores, and only three seniors, two of which are currently injured.

Although they were faced with a myriad of disadvantages, the Colonials refused to be daunted by their situation, or Fairfax’s strong team. They put up a valiant fight for the length of the game, never losing their focus or drive, and will continue to do so in future games.

“It’s tough throwing them into the deep end of the pool so early into the season and having them sink or swim,” Reed said. “It’s been good for them, and I think it will pay off.” photos courtesy of Debra Dunbar

by Kate Deng Entertainment Editor

photos by Kate Deng

by Ellen Kan Print Editor-in-Chief On Dec. 12-13, the Jefferson winter track team traveled to Christopher Newport University (CNU) to compete in the CNU High School Winter Frolic.

Fifty schools were present at the overnight invitational, which opened the season for Jefferson athletes.

“It was a solid start to the season,” sophomore Will Baxley said. “Due to injuries, we didn’t have all of our athletes competing, so our performance at CNU didn’t fully encapsulate our team’s talent.”

Only a select number of students were selected to

Track

attend the varsity-only meet.

Expectations were not high, as this was the first meet of the season, but several athletes had outstanding performances despite challenging competition.

“It’s been a cold season and this meet was more for varsity to practice, but we came back exceptionally well,” senior Monique Mezher, who placed third in pole vault, said. “For the rest of the season, we expect huge personal records (PRs), winning a lot more meets and possibly a chance at a district title.”

Senior Chris Blagg and sophomore Saurav Velleleth broke 10 minutes in the

Boys Basketball

On Dec. 10, the Jefferson freshman boys’ basketball team played against the Annandale Atoms for the first home game of the season.

Before this game, Jefferson played two scrimmages against George Mason and West Potomac High Schools, as well as two games against West Springfield and Fairfax High School.

“Even though we lost, both the game on Wednesday and our first games the previous weeks went really well for us,” freshman Jack McLaughlan said.

Unfortunately, Jefferson was defeated with a final score of 30-43. Despite the defeat, Jefferson’s freshman team

played an extremely strong game. There were several nice plays during which the team managed to slow down and have the ball move around the court, moves they had perfected during practice.

“Moments when what we practiced works during a game is one of the most exciting and fulfilling parts of the game,” McLaughlan said.

Aside from that, the team’s transitions from defense to offense and rebounding the ball after the other team scored were very well executed throughout the whole game.

There were several instances where the Colonials got penalties, which allowed the Atoms a free throw. Even so, this did not keep them from playing a good game and in

3200-meter run, placing ninth and 10th. The boys’ 4x800-meter relay, composed of Velleleth, juniors Nate Foss and Alex Hoganson and senior Remy Freire missed qualifying for States, but Foss qualified in the 1000-meter run after placing 10th. Seniors David Hu and Haley Stumvoll placed eighth in the triple jump and the 3200-meter run, respectively.

“Overall, the team’s performance was strong, but everyone has a lot of potential and space to improve even further,” junior Charlie Guan said.

“My hurdling needs further work, and I hope to improve my technique.”

turn resulted in many nice shots.

“My favorite part of the game was when TJ rebounded the ball and Scott Becker made a new slam dunk,” freshman Amanda Hsu said. “I was super excited and almost jumped out of my seat.”

The freshman team realizes that one of their biggest issues during a game is staying consistent with their focus and energy on the court.

“I hope we can improve on the amount of energy we put onto the court so we don’t just have a moment of glory, but an entire game’s worth of it,” McLaughlan said. “Even though we didn’t win, we played hard and gave it our all.”

photos courtesy of Sally Stumvoll

Swim and Dive

By Mei Baek Staff Reporter Friday’s meet against James Madison HS ended with a win and a loss for the Jefferson swim and dive team at Oak Marr. The boys pulled through, winning at a wide margin with 191 -124 points, another triumph after their

previous meet against South Lakes, whom they defeated 184.5-127.5. Star athletes such as Quintin Frerichs, who finished both the 200FR and the 100FR with best times in each, and Andrew Seliskar, who obtained State Cut times in the 200IM and 100 Fly events, boosted the

score. However, despite their best efforts after their 119-195 loss against South Lakes, the girls’ team suffered a 136179 defeat. Despite the loss, the meet made a good test for swimmers early in the season, giving both squads a chance to get in a good race with challenging competiton.

Clockwise from top: Sophomore Claire Connolly blocks ball from an opponent at game on Dec. 12; Sophomores Jeena Greenwait, Dana Scheetz and Raquel Sequeira and freshman Jahnavi Prabhala celebrate the Dec. 12 game; Senior Julia Dunbar takes defensive stance at game on Dec. 12; Freshman Pranav Yanambakkam watches his teammate as he shoots the ball during the game on Dec. 10; Freshman Scott Becker steals the ball from Atoms’ player; Freshman Yadaven Saravanapavan runs towards the ball in anticipation for a rebound; Senior Vijay Chinnam sprints the third leg of the boys’ 4x200m relay; Sophomore Abby Shoemaker runs the third leg of the girls’ 4x800m relay; Junior Alex Hoganson rounds the curve in the 1000m run; the Jefferson swim team gathers at the end of the meet to celebrate a good race; the girl’s swim team competes at the 200 Free Relay; sophomore Gloria Chen dives off the board. photos by Mei Baek

sports

december 17, 2014

The role of athletics in academics: Do sports make you smarter?

by Anjali Khanna Features Editor Coming in as freshmen, students are forced to make a difficult decision: to participate in a sport or not? For most freshmen, speakers from every seminar for success at Jefferson seem to sing the same song. Most freshmen are told to get involved in as many extracurriculars, like sports, as they can and naturally their grade point average (GPA) will not suffer after proper time management skills are learned.

While getting involved in something other than schoolwork has even been scientifically proven to raise GPAs, could it be that the exercise aspect of a sport also positively affects academic performance?

Managing the stress of academics with the time commitment of a sport can be a challenging feat, a struggle that student-athletes at Jefferson seem to know all too well. However, some students believe that often times the latter will increase the former to an uncontrollable level. To them, the scientific evidence suggesting that increased oxygen to the brain from physical activity is not worth the risk of falling behind on schoolwork.

“I chose to play basketball in my freshman year because, as a freshman, I had a lot more time than I do now,” junior Joyce Hong said. “I stopped playing because, as a junior, I am not able to provide the same commitment to the sport as I did as a freshman, regardless of time management skills.”

The scientific conjecture that the act of physical exercise will boost brain activity has been accepted by neuroscientists Henning Budde, Claudia Voelcker-Rehange, Sascha Pietraßyk-Kendziorra, Pedro Ribeiro and Gunter Tidow, who tested the effect of physical exercise on the attention

span of adolescents aged 13-16. They hypothesized this improvement in attention span in the learning environment was caused by the neuronal connection between the frontal cortex, which is responsible for judgment, strategy and decision-making for the brain, and the cerebellum.

This link between the two parts of the human brain caused by exercise supposedly increases cerebral blood volume and volume in the hippocampus. This in turn causes an improvement in spatial memory, according to Kirk Erickson, Michelle Voss, Ruchika Prakash, Chandramallika Basak, Amanda Szabo, Laura Chaddock, Jennifer Kim, Susie Heo et. al of the National Academy of Sciences.

“At first I found it tough to adjust to the increased workloads at the beginning of the season, but I feel like the workouts did help me focus more efficiently,” sophomore Ari Reddy, a member of the Jefferson football and crew teams, said. “Sports teach you important qualities necessary in school and in life, and my focus definitely sharpened while studying and doing homework after practice.”

On the other hand, a study by Marleen De Moor of Amsterdam’s Vrije University indicates that exercise and academic performance may not go hand in hand after all, arguing that the better choice from a student’s perspective is to opt for the textbooks rather than tennis shoes. In her study, De Moor tested identical twins with symptoms of anxiety and found that exercise had no effect on bettering those symptoms of the twin who was told to exercise regularly.

Students who devote more time to academics than sports may end up with a better grade point average at the end of their high school career, but many universities are now looking for something more.

Most institutions will scan an application for evidence of

Wizards start NBA season strong

by Akhil Waghmare Sports Editor With a quarter of the National Basketball Association (NBA) season in the books, the Washington Wizards have shown themselves to be a formidable team. Compiling one of the best records in the Eastern Conference, they’ve exceeded the expectations of analysts who predicted that the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers would be ahead of them.

The rise of the Wizards can be attributed to a few reasons. First and foremost is the development of their stars in the backcourt, John Wall and Bradley Beal. Wall clinched his first all-star berth last season, showing fans around the league that he is an elite point guard. He has continued to blossom, and this year he has grown into a verbal leader on the court and in the locker room.

Wall’s backcourt mate, Beal, is the go-to scorer who can get points from virtually anywhere on the court for his team. Therefore, his health is going to be critical for the team’s continued success, as he already missed the beginning of the season due to a fractured wrist.

Although both of these players have come a long way since the beginning of the careers, they are still young athletes and hence are learning some of the finer details of playing basketball.

“Wall and Beal aren’t consistent in closing out games in the last few minutes, whether it be turnovers or bad shots,” senior Dilip Thiagarajan said.

It is scary to think how good the team’s record could be if they were able to close out close games. Come this year’s playoffs, you can bet that these two young players will have learned their lessons, and they will be ready to lead this team to victories in these tough situations.

Another major reason for the rise of the Wizards is the addition of multiple veteran players.

These include Kris Humphries, a rebounding

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machine, and Rasual Butler, a 3-point specialist.

The most stand-out addition, however, has to be Paul Pierce, and Wizards fans at Jefferson have taken notice.

“I think they did a great job signing Paul Pierce this offseason because he’s a proven champion and can help mentor all these young players,” junior Daniel Oh said.

On top of this, there are many veterans who are returning from last year, including Marcin Gortat, an excellent pick-and-roll player; Nene, a low-post presence; Andre Miller, one of the oldest players in the league and the ninth all-time leading career-assist leader; and Drew Gooden, who possesses a unique combination of outside shooting and inside scoring. Collectively, these players bring the skillsets required to be successful.

These veterans are also able to pass on knowledge by mentoring the young players on the team, who have continued to grow. Most importantly, Kevin Seraphin has become a reliably lowpost player, Otto Porter, Jr. has found his rhythm after a disappointing rookie season and Glen Rice, Jr. is building off of his superb Summer League performance. The collective growth and additions have made the team as a whole more competitive and talented than last year’s team, which reached the second round of the playoffs.

“Last year, they ended the season playing great basketball, and they’re continuing to do the same,” Oh said. “They’re playing more as a team now because they’ve developed chemistry.”

Despite the great start to the season, Jefferson fans are still not completely convinced that this is one of the best teams in the league.

“They’ve had really good showings against some of the better teams, such as the Mavericks and Cavaliers, but still have yet to prove themselves against the league’s best, including teams like the Raptors, Grizzlies and Warriors,” Thiagarajan said.

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7

participation of a sport or physical activity outside of school.

However, some schools place more of an emphasis on this than others. As a result, when choosing ways to spend their time outside of school, students must ask themselves if handling the stress that comes with a sport is worth the potential boost in concentration and time-management skills they may be able to gain while participating.

“They tell us that sports help with the development of time-management skills, but honestly we spend so much time in the specific sport that I think it offsets the benefits of the time-saving skills,” Hong said.

drawing by Anjali Khanna

SEASON SUMMARY Key Games 78-91

94-96

vs

Pacers

Nov. 5, 2014

Cavaliers

Wizards

Highlighted by the battle between Wall and Donald Sloan, the Wizards showed they could close out a close game against a competitive Pacers team.

Nov. 21, 2014

vs

Wizards

In a possible playoff series preview, the Wizards will face a team that will also be battling to be Eastern Conference champions come May.

Dec. 29, 2014

Rockets

vs

Str ing en hs: , Pass t g Ou gths s n es e e p r S i ho tsid : St ickn ctiv rsh oti e Qu ion, A eade O M ff ng, L Vis nds, Co ovem -Ball nsi Ha ste ent, ncy l a e B y John Wa dle

a

Wizards

The Wizards will play a Rockets team led by stars James Harden and Dwight Howard with aspirations of a deep playoff run in the stronger Western Conference.

Key Players

Br

Wizards

The Wizards brought their A-game against LeBron James and company in a huge home win against one of the most starstudded teams in the league.

Dec. 23, 2014

Bulls

vs

graphic by Akhil Waghmare and Alexis Williams images courtesy of the Associated Press and NBA.com statistics as of Dec. 13, 2014

ll

8

spread

december 17, 2014

Do You Want to

Holiday music is an impor

“We have this tradition of staying up until midnight on Christmas to open presents, and so at about 7 p.m., we will get the Christmas tree set up, turn off all of the lights and light candles and play holiday music while we listen and talk about our year.”

- sophomore Sveta Jagannathan

“Every Christmas, Compassion Musical, a youth orchestra made up of students, performs at a church and plays holiday and church music for poverty-stricken residents.”

- senior Susie Lee

by Sandy Cho and Alexis Williams Online Editor-in-Chief and Design Editor As the weather grows chillier and the days reach the winter season, students at Jefferson turn to holiday music as an outlet for their festive spirit.

From activities like decorating around the house to gathering with family members at reunions, most households never forget to turn up the stereo and incorporate songs into their traditions.

Senior Maddie Meyers always listens to classic Christmas songs at her annual family traditions, her favorite being “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” performed by Burl Ives. “‘You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch’ is the most quotable song,” Meyers said. “It has the best insults, like ‘you’re a double decker toadstool sandwich

with arsenic sauce.’”

Others also enjoy music that incorporate unique instruments, such as the glass armonica, an instrument that uses bowls of varying sounds to produce tones.

“Theere’s this one musician named Dean Shostak who uses a glass armonic to play Christmas carols, and it’s really cool,” sophomore Diana Zavela said.

However, students enjoy being on the giving side and perform music for others at churches and temples. Zavela also spends the time outside her home to perform at her temple’s annual Hanukkah show.

Likewise, seniors Sam Cho and Susie Lee and sophomore Tim Cho gather with friends across various high schools in Virginia to perform in a group called the “Compassion Music Volunteers.” Every Christmas,

spread

december 17, 2014

9

Build a Playlist?

rtant part of student traditions

“While we are decorating around the house, we always play different genres of Christmas music in the background.”

- senior Rollin Woodford

they perform holiday hits for those suffering from poverty at a church.

“I think I like the Compassion Music Volunteers because it’s a great way to give back to the community by playing in retirement homes,” Tim Cho said. “Every time we go, the elderly people are always really happy that we’re there, and just being able to put a smile on their faces when not a lot of people visit them is something that’s a great thing to do.”

Whether students are receiving or giving, many enjoy holiday music because it is unique to this time of year. In fact, popular musicians entered the holiday music market, producing songs that have become a staple in some student’s listening history in the winter. For example, freshman Olivia Lu enjoys English rock band Bastille’s holiday covers and songs.

“They mix multiple songs together to twist the meanings and make them more sinister,” Lu said. “They have a really nice style.”

In fact, there is psychology behind the universal love of holiday music. According to Victoria Williamson, a researcher of the psychology of music at Goldsmiths, University of London, holiday music can trigger various moods, such as stress from the relatives, a relaxed jolly state, and even a state that causes one to want to spend money.

Despite the various moods, many students are always festive and jolly when they hear bells or the clip-clop of horses.

“Holiday songs really help remind me of all the elements of the holdiy spirit that I’m not always in tune with, especially when I’m stressing about school,” junior Angela Wang said.

“Every year, my uncle compiles a new CD of Christmas music and gives it out to each family at Thanksgiving. We usually listen to it when we drive up to Pennsylvania for Christmas.”

- sophomore Kristin Meyers

tjTODAY Staff’s Holiday Playlist 1. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” – Idina Menzel & Michael Bublé 2. “Little Drummer Boy” – Pentatonix 3. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” – Mariah Carey 4. “Santa Tell Me” – Ariana Grande 5. “Carol of the Bells” – Trans Siberian Orchestra 6. “Chanukah Song” – Adam Sandler 7. “Santa Baby” – Michael Bublé

10

entertainment

december 17, 2014

J. Cole releases third album

Sequels follow popular movies

by Neha Bhargava Staff Reporter After two chart-topping albums reached the U.S Billboard Top 200, J. Cole released his third and most personal album, “2014 Forrest Hills Drive.” This album connected more to his listeners and told them the story of his struggles.

Months ago, J. Cole released “Be Free,” a tribute song to Michael Brown, a black teenager whose death led to massive protests in his hometown of Ferguson, MO and around the country. J. Cole’s lyrics provide a more real connection to his fans when he preaches his intentions for his music and relates to his fans and those who feel struggle or discrimination. He uses his influence to display the basic connection between him and his fans, emphasizing how, no matter the difference, he believes in standing next to those who feel pain in any situation.

With “2014 Forrest Hills Drive,” we are allowed a deeper look into J. Cole’s upbringing and journey to stardom. The album is named after the street he grew up on. The name also has more profound meaning, as J. Cole also bought back his childhood home once he achieved success in the entertainment industry. The songs in “2014 Forrest Hills Drive” make this album the most relatable one yet, as they show us a glimpse of J. Cole outside of the everyday celebrity life he leads.

One of the two singles on the album, “Adolescence,” is especially personal, as it tells the story of how J. Cole has made mistakes but can now overcome them with the support of those who believe in him. “2014 Forrest Hills Drive” also does not feature any other artists, making the album purely about J. Cole’s story.

Overall, J. Cole’s album is very unique in the entertainment industry. I look forward to hearing how his refreshing voice will stand out from mainstream rappers in the future.

“Finding Dory”

“Jurassic World”

With sequels appearing for almost every popular movie, fans were surprised that Pixar Animation’s “Finding Nemo,” which came out in 2003, still had not come out with a sequel. Worries were put to rest when Pixar announced the sequel to “Finding Nemo” to be released in 2016:“Finding Dory.”

No one was more excited about the news than Ellen DeGeneres, who voiced Dory in the first movie. She announced the movie’s release on the Ellen Show in April.

But after the announcement, plot information and details were hidden from the general audience until recently.

The new setting of “Finding Dory” came as a shock to many fans. Instead of holding “Finding Dory” in the ocean, which “Finding Nemo” fans expected, the majority of the movie will actually take place in the Marine Biology Institute of California, where Dory was born and raised until she was released into the wild at a young age. Her memory loss and childhood will be addressed in the new movie.

Dory and Marlin (Albert Brooks) will both be back for another thrillseeking adventure, along with the addition of exciting new characters such as Dory’s father, Charlie (Eugene Levy) and Dory’s mother, Jenny (Diane Keaton).

Since the first release of “Jurassic Park” in 1993, there have been two other spectacular installments in the franchise. Even so, “Jurassic Park fans” were still hungry for more and are pleased to find out that the forth installment, “Jurassic World,” will be coming out in 2015.

After the release of the movie’s trailer in late November, though, it was made apparent that “Jurassic World” looks strangely similar to “Jurassic Park.” Of course, after more than two decades later, the technological advances of the production seem superior. Even so, the plot looks nearly identical. Because of this, reactions to the preview was extremely mixed.

Similar to the first installment of “Jurassic Park,” “Jurassic World” is about the opening of a new island park. At first, everyone is very interested in the park and everything seems to be going smoothly. Scientists seem to have everything under control with their precious genetically modfied dinosaurs that they put on show.

In a whirlwind twist of events, Owen (Chris Pratt) finds the remains of a human along with dinosaur claws on close buildings. From this, he discovers the dangers of the park.

It will be interesting to see how “Jurassic Park” producers will turn a similar plot into a movie of its own.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”

“Pitch Perfect 2” After its debut in 2012, “Pitch Perfect” became a hit in the box office.

Along with that, Anna Kendrick’s “Cups” also achieved success on the Billboard Hot 100.

Just two years after the first movie, “Pitch Perfect” stars, including the Bardon Bellas and the Treblemakers, come back for a new aca-mazing sequel.

“The girls are now graduating seniors. They’re coming to the end of their time as Bellas and figuring out how to sort of leave the nest and the comfort of each other’s friendship and figure out what they’re going to do for the rest of their lives,” director Elizabeth Banks said in an interview with Yahoo.

It seems that there will be a shift in dynamic from the first movie. In the first movie, we saw some of the Bardon Bella’s conflicting personalities and sometimes foolish acts. In the second movie, though, there are hopes that this will become a coming-of-age movie for the group of girls. In addition to the main plot, Banks reassures that we’ll be hear lots of stunning musical numbers that actually bypass the first movie.

There will also be guest performances from well-known a capella groups Pentatonix, the Filharmonic, and Penn Masala, all of which should “Pitch Perfect 2” a sequel to remember.

Since the announcement of “Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens,” director J.J. Abrams and the cast and crew have been extremely secretive about the production.

For months, there have been rumors surrounding the content, including the main plot and setting.There are hints the setup is in a dark future 30 years after “Return of the Jedi.”

The story will start with a stromtrooper (John Boyega) who is shot down in a desert and ends up going on a quest to return a lightsaber that belongs to Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). The quest leads them to Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), who set off to find Luke.

After much speculation about the plot, fans were excited for the arrival of the trailer teaser. To their dismay, the teaser gave almost nothing of the plot that couldn’t already be inferred, and it left them even more anxious to find out.

Abrams definitely set up fans enough for this production, and fans will be eager to see the film in action in theaters December 2015. photos courtesy of movie websites reporting by Kate Deng

20th Century Fox releases Robin Williams’s last movie, Night at the Museum

by Stav Nachum News Editor On Aug. 11, the Hollywood industry suffered a horrible loss with the announcement of the death of celebrated actor and comedian Robin Williams. A man who inspired several generations through his countless roles in remarkable movies, Williams allowed his fans to laugh, cry and feel every emotion in between. Yet on Dec. 25, when fans go to the theater to see the next installment of the “Night at the Museum” series, titled “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb,” they will be witnessing the last film of Williams’ almost 40 year career.

Throughout his time as an actor, Williams starred in a myriad of inspiring and comedic films. Though almost every single one was defining to his career and his fans, the seven movies that most encompass the breadth of his entire career are “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Good Will Hunting,” “Dead Poets Society” and “Aladdin.”

A movie that almost every person in our generation has watched, “Mrs. Doubtfire” is a classic Robin Williams movie in which after divorcing his wife, Daniel Hilliard (Williams) dresses up in drag to serve as a housekeeper and interact with his children. Praised as one of the funniest movies ever made in the States and one of the best family comedies of its time, “Mrs. Doubtfire” achieved its great esteem due to Williams’ superb acting and graphic by Kate Deng funny ad lib in many scenes.

robin williams, 1951-2014

In another blockbuster, Williams acted alongside Matt Damon in “Good Will Hunting,” a film about a janitor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) named Will Hunting (Damon) who has a gift for mathematics but desperately needs a psychologist to find direction in his life.

Williams plays Sean McGuire, the psychology professor at Bunker Hill Community College who helps Hunting open up. A notable scene is when McGuire finally gets Hunting repeat, “It’s not my fault.” “Good Will Hunting” is said to be the film of Williams’ best performances of his career.

Straying further away from his comedic side, one of Williams’ all-time best movies was “Dead Poets Society,” a film featuring a private, all-boys school in the 1950s geared toward getting the young men into Ivy League schools.

Williams plays the role of John Keating, an English teacher who inspires his students to love poetry and seize the day. Though he has relatively little screen time, Williams shaped the story each time he was onscreen with forceful, compelling acting.

Finally, one of the most memorable roles that Williams ever had in his career was that of the Genie in Disney’s “Aladdin.” A tale of a street urchin who vies for the love of a beautiful princess, “Aladdin” is a story of a magic lamp and Genie who grant the prince his wishes. What makes this animated feature such intense, giddy fun, however, is the eruption of uninhibited parody that Robin Williams provides as the voice of the Genie.

Whether he is Daniel Hilliard, Sean McGuire, John Keating or the Genie, Williams brought life to every role that he played. It is a pity that a man who brought sunshine into the lives of so many, suffered rain clouds within his own, but his movies and our memories of watching those films will last far longer than his unfortunately short life. Williams was a remarkable comedian and actor, one that will live on for eternity within the hearts of his fans.

Coming Attractions photos courtesy of studio websites infographic by Kate Deng

‘The Hobbit 3’

Dec. 17: Theaters everywhere

‘Night at the Museum 3’ Dec. 19: Theaters everywhere

‘Navigation Early’

Dec. 23: Bookstores everywhere

‘Pretty Little Liars’ Jan. 6: ABC Family

‘72nd Golden Globe’ Jan. 11: NBC

december 17, 2014

Holiday movies air on TV to get viewers into winter holiday spirit Wednesday, Dec. 17 The Christmas Parade (Hallmark, 8pm/7c) Michael Buble’s Christmas in New York (NBC, 8pm/7c) The Santa Clause (ABC Family, 9pm/8c) Thursday, Dec. 18 The iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2014 (CW, 8 pm/7c) Best Christmas Party Ever (Hallmark, 8pm/7c) Fred Claus (ABC Family, 8:30pm/7:30c) Friday, Dec. 19 Snow Bride (Hallmark, 6pm/5c) Naughty or Nice (Hallmark, 8pm/7c) A Home for the Holidays (CBS, 9pm/8c) Saturday, Dec. 20 The Christmas Ornament (Hallmark, 6pm/5c) Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (ABC Family, 8pm/7c) Christmas Under Wraps (Hallmark, 10pm/9c) Sunday, Dec. 21 Holiday Classics Marathon (ABC Family, All day long) A Royal Christmas (Hallmark, 6pm/5c) Help for the Holidays (Hallmark, 8pm/7c) Monday, Dec. 22 Holiday Classics Marathon (ABC Family, All day long) Christmas Magic (Hallmark, 6pm/5c) Meet the Santas (Hallmark, 10pm/9c) Tuesday, Dec. 23 Home Alone (ABC Family, 7pm/6c) One Direction: The TV Schedule (NBC, 8pm/7c) The Polar Express (ABC Family, 9pm/8c) Wednesday, Dec. 24 Eve’s Christmas (Hallmark, 12pm/11c) A Boyfriend for Christmas (Hallmark, 4pm/3c) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (ABC Family, 7pm/6c) The Christmas Shepherd (Hallmark, 10pm/9c) Thursday, Dec. 25 A Christmas Story (TBS, 6am/5c) A Cookie Cutter Christmas (Hallmark, 4:30pm/3:30c) Northpole (Hallmark, 6pm/5c) Elf (ABC Family, 7pm/6c)

11 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show entertainment

fails to promote imperfection

by Sandy Cho Online Editor-In-Chief Eating three servings of the school’s chicken tenders for lunch is always a good idea when you’re hungry— until you remember that the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is premiering later that night.

Broadcasted by CBS on Dec. 9, the 2014 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show featured 47 models dressed in expensive Victoria’s Secret lingerie and televised stunning performances by special guest singers Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande and Hozier.

As much as I enjoyed watching Sheeran croon “Thinking Out Loud,” cheering for Swift as she sang “Style” live for the first time, and watching the models strut down that long runway in their fancy garments, I couldn’t help but to feel… well, a little bad about my body.

Throughout the night, social media blew up with tweets and Facebook posts by users who poked fun at themselves and their bodies, garnering likes in the process. Top posts on Twitter included users who compared themselves to reality television star Honey Boo Boo and described the junk food they were eating as they watched the screen from the comfort of their couch. As funny as those posts are, it’s also very sad that we need to degrade ourselves to connect with others.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with the models and their body shapes either. For the 47 women who squeezed into the barely-there lingerie, it’s actually their job to maintain their weight and healthy bodies and strut confidentially down the runway—but the problem lies in the message that Victoria’s Secret is projecting.

Not only does the company create a standard that’s quite difficult, if not impossible, for most to achieve, but it also sexualizes these women. This should never be the lasting, dominating impressions of a fashion show, especially when so many young women are left feeling uncomfortable.

“Be confident,” “you’re perfect the way you are,” “everyone is beautiful.” These are phrases thrown around each day, but we all tell each other this because it’s true. Attractiveness shouldn’t depend on how long your legs are or how small your waist is, but rather, how you hold yourself with confidence. However, we shouldn’t need to be telling each other this every single time the annual Victoria’s Secret show airs. We all have our flaws, but the shapes of our bodies definitely should not be counted among them.

Luckily, the fashion industry has recognized this problem in our society and is slowly evolving to show off models of various shapes and sizes. For example, plus-sized model Denise Bidot opened the runway show for designer brand Chromat at this year’s New York Fashion Week. She absolutely killed it — not because of her size, but because of her confidence.

Likewise, it would be momentous and inspiring for Victoria’s Secret to feature actually larger women because not everyone has the same body as Karlie Kloss and Adriana

Lima. Typical women need to realize that they are beautiful, too.

As I watched the show that night, regretting eating so much lunch that day, I could see why it was so interesting and glamorous. All those models, Hollywood actors and famous musicians were jampacked in a stadium. However, unless Victoria’s Secret tries to make an effort to make their show more relatable and realistic with different shapes and sizes, ultimately, the experience may be more harmful than entertaining for the insecure viewers.

According to Nielsen TV Ratings Data, this year’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show drew in an audience of 9.29 million viewers on its T u e s d a y premiere. With so many p e o p l e training their eyes on that runway, the company could make a more meaningful impact on their viewers if they tried something new.

graphic by Kate Deng

“Exodus: Gods and Kings” brings new, invigorating take to religion genre

by Alexis Williams Design Editor The movie “Exodus: Gods and Kings” was set to be a blockbuster when it was released. Featuring amazing special effects, available in 3D, and starring Christian Bale, the movie is an epic retelling of the famous Bible story.

In many ways, “Exodus” succeeded. The nearly twoand-a-half hour movie followed Moses throughout his life. Despite being an adaptation of a biblical story, it was not overly religious and could still appeal to audiences of other beliefs. Rather than focusing on God, as some religious movies do, “Exodus” instead focused on Moses’ development as a character and his relationship with Ramses.

In fact, character development was one of the strong points of the movie. Moses (Bale) is portrayed as a skeptic who originally believes in neither the Egyptian gods nor the Hebrew one, and even after he begins believing in God, he remains irreverent and often disagrees with God. God Himself is personified through a small child and is given a personality. While some Christians may perceive this as disrespectful, I’m inclined to believe it created a more interesting storyline. photo courtesy of www.exodusgodsandkings.com

The special effects were also up to par, especially the famed parting of the Red Sea and the burning of the Hebrew villages. Especially in 3D, these special effects added a lot to the intensity of these scenes. The movie featured many beautiful terrain shots, but there were a few too many. The costuming department also succeeded in flaunting the opulence of the Egyptian pharaoh.

As long movies are prone to doing, the film dragged in some places, especially after Moses’ initial exile as he is traveling east from Egypt. However, there were also many intense scenes that made the movie go by fairly quickly.

The lack of religiosity in the film, while unexpected, was surprisingly pleasant. It added a lightness to the movie which took away from some of the possible emotion but made it more fun to watch. Where some religious movies try overly hard to add that emotion, “Exodus” was at the other end of the spectrum, which is probably for the better.

Overall, “Exodus: Gods and Kings” was interesting and entertaining, and one of the better films of its genre.

The well-done special effects and acting and the absence of overt religiosity and artificial emotion made it a fascinating reworking of the original biblical tale.

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features

december 17, 2014

how to Pull an All-Nighter (Successfully) in Easy Steps

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

5

DO: Wear slightly uncomfortable clothes, such as jeans.

Don’t: Wear sweatpants or use blankets.

DO: Listen to upbeat and fast-paced music.

Don’t: Listen to slow music, especially with no lyrics.

DO: Snack on protein and chocolate. Drink lots of water.

Don’t: Overeat or snack on fatty foods or carbs.

DO: Sit upright on a hard chair and lower computer brightness.

Don’t: Study in bed with very bright computer screens.

DO: Take a short break to stretch and wash your face every hour.

Don’t: Waste time on unnecessary websites or activities. infographic and reporting by Anjali Khanna and Stav Nachum

Keeping birthdays sweet: Students find unique ways to celebrate on their special day each year

by Lindsay Williams Online Editor-In-Chief With New Year’s Eve right around the corner, many people are considering their resolutions and goals for the next year. Some students, however, are already in a state of transition, as a result of having early birthdays. Getting older comes with a lot of privileges, and students with early birthdays get this early.Turning 18 is obviously the most dramatic change. Many seniors are now officially legal adults, while their peers are still minors. Senior Sanjoli Agarwal turned 18 at the end of October, and was able to vote in the 2014 midterm elections.

“Voting this year was actually a quicker process than I thought it would be,” Agarwal said. “The officials who run the polls seemed interested that a young adult was voting, as young voters generally do not have a high turnout rate. When I submitted the ballot, the lady monitoring ballot submission showed me how to place my ballot into the secrecy folder and run it through the machine that collects the votes.”

Agarwal cites that the benefits of turning 18 early include getting to be an adult while still having guidance.

“It’s helpful being 18 for a while before I go off to college so I can learn how to use my new privileges well while I still have my parents right here to ask questions to,” Agarwal said.

Some students aren’t in a hurry to grow up. Sophomore Laura Chu has an early birthday and would have had the potential to be the first one of her friends to drive, but she chose not to get her permit when she could.

“I haven’t gotten my permit yet, even though I could technically be getting my license in a couple months,” Chu said. “Even though I’m older, I’m not in a rush to drive, so some of my younger friends are probably going to get their licenses before me.”

Imitating a duck face that senior Mona Bugaighis made for her senior homecoming photo, Bugaighis and seniors Lily Chaw and Rhea Sharma hang out for Bugaighis’ 18th birthday party.

Photo courtesy of A. Johns

features

december 17, 2014

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14 Seniors break new ground with research projects features

december 17, 2014

Neuroscience Lab takes innovative approach Computer Systems students explore CAD in medicinal research with new equipment through virtual reality and gesture control

by Ellen Kan Print Editor-In-Chief Many Jefferson students spend their eighth periods honing their extracurricular interests, whether it is through language honor societies or lectures hosted by visiting speakers. However, a small group of students sacrifice this free time, opting instead to pursue their scientific passions in the Neuroscience Senior Research Laboratory.

This year, Neuroscience seniors are able to take advantage of new equipment that was added to the newly renovated lab space. Senior Anugya Mittal’s project examines the effect of lithium on the action potentials produced in rat neuronal cells. Tau proteins are expressed in these cells after nucleic acids are introduced through a process known as transfection.

Mittal will investigate the interaction between lithium and the tau proteins, as previous studies indicate that the main problem in Alzheimer’s disease is hyperphosphorylation – when a biochemical’s phosphorylation sites are fully saturated – of tau proteins.

“My long-term goal is to support previous studies that show lithium is a possible treatment for Alzheimer’s,” Mittal said. “Other studies have not examined lithium and the action potentials produced, so this would be a novel experiment.”

Mittal’s project incorporates an electrophysiology system known as the multielectrode array (MEA). The MEA allows users to track differences in electrical activity between multiple neuron cell cultures. Mittal will use the MEA to measure the magnitude and frequency of produced action potentials after the addition of lithium chloride to her samples. Former students were unable to pursue projects similar to Mittal’s because the lab lacked appropriate analytical equipment at the time.

Another student who took advantage of the MEA is senior Matt Park. His work involves looking at physiological changes in dissociated rat hippocampal cells and neuroblastoma cell lines. Park hopes to gain a better understanding of epilepsy by examining the effect of certain drugs on seizure activation.

“I’m exploring the cellular effects of opioid receptor antagonists, like acetaminophen, on the ion exchange in neuron cell cultures,” Park said. “I’m paying particular attention to potassium ions, because based on past literature, there seems to be a correlation between the backlog of these ions and discharge of irregular electrical impulses among neuron clusters.”

If Mittal and Park can produce fruitful results with the MEA, future Neuroscience students will be able to use their work as a springboard for advanced projects of their own.

“Anugya’s and Matt’s projects are really blazing new trails into a new area of research for the Neuroscience Lab by using new technology and equipment purchased during the renovation process,” Neuroscience Lab Director Mark Hannum said. “If they’re successful, it can open the door to other students as an avenue of research.”

by Ellen Kan Print Editor-In-Chief In a world filled with ever more advanced technology, it’s easy to see the exciting possibilities that virtual reality (VR) holds. The rise of VR in video games and movies alike is a source of inspiration for amateurs and professionals alike.

In the Computer Systems Senior Research Laboratory, seniors Thai Le, Austin Ly, Ellis Tsung and Jonathon Vogel are collaborating on a project that will create a VR environment conducive to experimentation in computer-aided design (CAD).

“This project is the type of thing we see in movies, where we can construct something more quickly in a virtual reality setting,” Peter Gabor, a Computer Systems Lab director, said.

Le, Ly, Tsung and Vogel’s work involves the integration of the Oculus Rift, a head-mounted display designed for a VR experience, and the Leap Motion 3D Controller, a device that uses optical sensors and infrared light to detect hand gestures and motions.

“We’re creating a system that uses gesture control and virtual reality to facilitate building 3D objects in an intuitive way without the learning curve inherent to traditional CAD systems,” Ly said. “The idea is to program something that will not only let you design a concept, but explore it as if you were there as well.”

This is the first time Jefferson seniors have pursued a project that involves both the Oculus Rift and the Leap Motion Controller. However, Le notes there are also amateurs and professionals experimenting with similar goals in mind.

“We want to able to provide a more natural modeling alternative to traditional CAD programs,” Le said. “Hence, in theory, our project has real-world applications. However, given the number of similar programs to ours already out there, we can only hope that our finished product will be competitive.”

A clear division of labor and responsibilities was necessary for this ambitious project. Tsung is in charge of Leap motion input detection, which includes writing code for the Leap Motion Controller to recognize hand motions and transmit the information to the Oculus Rift. Le uses this extracted data to update how the user can interact with objects in the VR world.

Vogel’s job is to render geometric objects for the user to see when wearing the Oculus Rift headset, including background images and objects the user will interact with. Finally, Ly handles the bulk of the CAD portion of the project, a task that encompasses importing and exporting user creations into and out of CAD software, such as Autodesk Inventor.

“Our goal for the end of the year is to have a workable product that can be used to construct usable 3D environments,” Vogel said. “I think it has real potential for applications like game level design, especially for virtual reality games where the designers need to be focused on how the surroundings look throughout all of development.”

A how-to guide for seniors: Handling college acceptances on social media

photo by Ellen Kan

Senior Anugya Mittal carefully adjusts a micropipette before injecting solution into her samples. Mittal hopes her project will facilitate a better understanding of Alzheimer’s disease.

photo by Ellen Kan

Senior Jonathon Vogel (right) wears his team’s Oculus Rift virtual reality headset while senior Thai Le (left) updates the code for how the user can interact with their virtual reality world.

infographic by Lindsay Williams

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december 17, 2014

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16

weather

december 17, 2014

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Weather experts predict another possible cold winter “Hats ands gloves are great because they come in all different styles, colors, lengths and materials. You never know what you’re gonna find. “ - senior Sanjoli Agarwal

“If you’re not learning, you’re forgetting. You have to stay on the ball.”

- Geosystems teacher John Woodwell Review school materials

Inv hat est in s a wa nd rm glo ves

ot h r u cipe o y e ect late r f r Pe oco ch

by Sandy Cho and Lindsay Williams Online Editors in Chief Last winter, more often than not, students spent days in January and February anxiously scrolling through Twitter and Facebook and looking for reports of a snow day. The weather was so extreme that Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) added more snow days to the calendar for the 2014-2015 school year so that there would be enough built-in snow days to last through another harsh winter.

This year, meteorologists predict that these snow days will be needed as America, specifically the East Coast, looks forward to another rough winter.

What led to last year’s extreme dips in temperatures was a polar vortex. A polar vortex is a cell of cold air that sits above the poles. Problems arose last year when disruptions pushed this cell of cold air from the North Pole down to the United States, bringing much more extreme temperatures than normal. The Great Lakes experienced the greatest ice coverage since 1979, and FCPS even cancelled school on one of the coldest days.

According to several major weather outlets, including the Weather Channel

and Accuweather, these trends could continue. Washington Post believes that accumulation will be above average, meaning more snow than 75 percent of winters, and cold temperatures will be slightly less extreme but more persistent.

Geosystems teacher John Woodwell believes that global climate change is a possible cause of the extreme winters last year, and it may continue this year.

“As we warm up the earth, the high latitudes near the poles warm faster than the lower latitudes near the equator,” Woodwell said. “What that does is reduce the pressure gradient, which reduces the speed of the jet streams. The jet streams are the boundaries of the polar vortices and as the jet streams move more slowly, they meander more, which means that high latitude arctic air can come farther south.”

Woodwell believes it will be increasingly difficult to predict the extreme weather.

“We can’t say that any particular cold snap or any particular anomalous event was caused by global climate change, but we can say that the frequency of those events is going to go up as we warm the earth on the whole,” Woodwell said.

Practice your snowball throw

“Snowball fights are super fun because you can hit your friends and it’s a perfect time for laughs and craziness.“ - freshman Sahana Aiyer

up k bac tor a ve nera a H ge

Wa Mc tch f Elv or R een ya ’s t n we ets

“When I saw on Ryan McElveen’s Twitter that there was going to be a snow day, all that came to my mind was all the time I had to study and catch up on sleep.”

- junior Cheryl Mensah

What is a polar vortex?

Polar vortices are pockets of cold air above the poles. They are constantly there, and scientists have known about them for decades. Last winter, the coldest days were caused by the air from the northern vortex slipping down as a result of a weak jet stream air current, which may have been a result of global climate change. graphics and reporting by Sandy Cho and Lindsay Williams