May 2014 by tjTODAY Online

tjTODAY

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

MAY 21, 2014

Prom P10

VOLUME 29, ISSUE 6

THE FCPS BUDGET: The discussion on the FY2015 budget has got everyone asking,

“WHAT HAS TO GO? WHAT NEEDS TO STAY?” photo illustration by Sandy Cho

Budget cuts force staff Sleep deprivation targeted reductions for next year through later start times by Lindsay Williams Online Editor Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has decided to make expansive budget cuts, forcing Jefferson to cut 4.5 positions from their faculty of 130 for the upcoming school year. To make up for the losses, many classes will increase in size by at least one student. Some courses will be cut due to low enrollment, based on projections of class sizes by student request. Lower enrollments in some classes will cause a decrease in sections, whereas classes with higher enrollment will force teachers of those subjects to pick up some of the slack by taking on more students. “We look at projected class enrollment based on student requests, as well as try to make class size larger by one student, on average, across the school,” Principal Evan Glazer said. “For example, there was an increase in Economics and Computer Science, so we would need more sections. However, there were low class enrollments in chemistry and tech, so you would expect to see fewer sections.” Though classes should only grow by one person, this may affect the learning environment. “My most personal class this year has been HUM II, which is 14 students for two periods. Obviously class sizes that small aren’t possible ubiquitously, but they definitely allowed for more discussion-led, intellectually challenging classes and I was able to have a more intimate relationship with my teachers and peers in those classes and that simply isn’t as easy with larger class sizes, so to make classes larger is something I would not be a fan of,” junior Anant Das said. Participation in humanities courses, such as world languages and music programs, is projected to be lower, so these courses will be hit harder by the budget cuts. “Taking away funding for world languages would not only rob students of the chance to broaden their vocabularies, but also of the chance to expand their world views,” senior Maria Psarakis said. continued on p. 2

Debating the hype of John Green

Soccer wraps up spring season

by Ellen Kan Managing Editor If you’re the typical high school student, chances are that your mornings begin with the incessant ringing of the universally despised alarm clock as it cuts through the darkness of predawn. Parents, students and School Board members alike have recognized that there is a problem when it is just as dark outside when teenagers wake up for school as it is when they go to sleep. Fortunately, this issue may soon be resolved. The Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) School Board hopes to implement later high school start times to alleviate teen sleep deprivation, effective fall 2015. There are currently four proposals to modify the bell schedules. These plans are a result of a $143,912 study commissioned by the School Board in April 2013. “We hired a consultant, Children’s National Medical Center, to help our staff craft these plans after collecting input from the community through a stakeholder committee and community focus groups,” Ryan McElveen, an FCPS At-Large School Board member, said. “I think the consultant did a great job developing concrete plans with a reasonable cost based on community input.” This is not the first time that FCPS has considered altering the bell schedule. Policies to combat sleep deprivation have been proposed periodically since 1988. A plan implemented this year allows seniors to not have first and second period classes, as long as certain requirements are met. The results of this new study show that, after much deliberation and delay, definitive change is on the horizon. The Children’s National Medical Center assisted the School Board in creating and finalizing four new bell schedules, after discovering that 55 percent of high school seniors get less than six hours of sleep a night, a far cry from the recommended nine hours. Each of the new bell schedules outlines changes that will be made to start and end times for elementary, middle and high schools. Each scenario will also necessitate between $2 million and $7 million of additional funding and anywhere between 25 and 60 new buses. High school start times could be pushed from 7:20 a.m. to 7:50 a.m., or as late as 9:15 a.m. continued on p. 2

P12

Cryptography class ventures on field trip

P14

Privacy issues online abound

news

Kudos & Accomplishments

Students selected as National Achievement Scholarship Winners Seniors Anthony Carrington, CheyAnne Rivera and Comfort Sampong have been selected, out of more than 800 students in the nation, to receive the National Achievement Scholarship, which is awarded to African-American seniors, by the National Achievement Scholarship Program (NASP) of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). They will each receive $2,500.

Hastings and Warrington recognized in national writing competition

Senior Emma Hastings received gold medals for her short story, "Sight Without Vision, Vision Without Sight" and writing portfolio, "I Sing Of." Sophomore Sara Warrington received a silver medal for a journalism piece titled "Overcoming Intolerance."

Students honored in Junior Achievement Essay Contest

Senior Robert Young and junior Lucas Lin received first and third place, respectively, in the Junior Achievement Essay Contest for the state of Virginia. Applicants were required to answer the question, "Which will do more to improve life in the United States over the next decade, business entrepreneurs or social entrepreneurs? Why?" in an essay format.

may 21, 2014

Sleep deprivation targeted through later start times continued from p. 1 Jefferson’s bell schedule will not be altered under any of the proposed scenarios. However, according to Principal Evan Glazer, it is unclear how Jefferson will be affected if these proposals are approved. Jefferson has always operated on a different schedule than the rest of FCPS. If base school start times are shifted back, new buses may need to be provided for students. Even though Jefferson remains unaffected for the time being, many students recognize that sleep deprivation is an issue that is not given enough recognition. “A lot of kids get overwhelmed by homework, sports, and extracurriculars, so sleep rarely takes priority,” junior Callan Monette said. “Another problem might just be that students don't find getting enough sleep to be that important; they'd rather spend their limited free time on other things.” Although they acknowledge that later end times could be troublesome for afterschool activities, many students have favorable reactions regarding sleeping in. “Moving start times back would definitely play a large role in teen sleep deprivation, and students could potentially be in a more alert state during classes,” freshman Chris Cao said. Parents will also be involved in the de-

cision-making process; these proposals will be open for public discussion at seven community meetings in May and June. Sally Stumvoll, junior Haley Stumvoll’s mother, does not believe that changing the bell schedule is the right way to combat sleep deprivation. “Students will still have the same course loads and make the same choices about how much to study, the hours they spend on activities and how much down time they need,” Sally Stumvoll said. “Pushing the clock back will only rearrange their time schedule, but it won’t give them more sleep.” The School Board hopes to take action by fall 2014 after receiving input from the community. McElveen views these changes as a step in the right direction. “As a student, I always wanted schools to start earlier so I would have more time for extracurriculars in the afternoon,” McElveen, a former student of Marshall High School. “However, after learning more about the science behind sleep cycles and the importance of morning sleep for students, I have become more supportive of the movement to push back start times and believe that later start times will help student health, safety, and most important, academic achievement.”

The newly formed TJ Envirothon team advanced to Regionals, which was held at Graves Mountain Lodge in Syria, Va. on April 27. The team was created just last year, and consists of seniors Grace Chuang, Emma Gee, William Woodruff and Karen Xia, junior Teja Sathi and sophomore Virginia Pan.

A team consisting of seniors Nadege Aoki and Sid Verma and sophomore Ryan Golant won in the "It's Academic" playoffs and will advance to the semifinals, which will be aired on television later in May or June.

Seniors receive scholarships

Seniors Aditya Chaudry, Kenneth Hau, Elizabeth Huang, Rachel Iwicki, Arjun Iyer, Ryan Jian, Rena Liu, Madeline Reinsel and Adam Reiss were awarded corporate National Merit scholarships.

Computer Team wins

A team of the Jefferson Computer Team, consisting of juniors Corwin de Boor, Saroja Erabelli and Matthew Savage and sophomore Samuel Kim, received first place at the Virginia Commonwealth University's High School Programming Contest. In addition, another team of juniors Sathvik Kadaveru and Ildoo Kim and sophomores Christopher Morris and William Zhang placed second.

Sullivan receives scholarship

Senior Olivia Sullivan was awarded with a $1,000 Foreign Service scholarship for being the honorable mention winner of the 2014 American Foreign Service Association (AFSA).

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continued from p. 1 In addition, there will be less funding for technology resources and the intervention programs to help students struggling with the strict B-average policy at Jefferson. The school administration is looking at multiple avenues to make these budget cuts work. Teachers with a higher number of students may get supplements in their contracts, and many classes will get larger. In addition to supplementing the teacher workload, the administration is looking for ways to combat the reductions in FCPS funding by getting the amount cut from alternate resources, such as grants. “We are trying to obtain some additional revenue to save positions through grants and the TJ Partnership Fund, as well as supplement teachers contracts if they will have more than 150 students next year,” Glazer said. “The school’s leadership team will also discuss ways to help with teacher workload.” Unfortunately, the budget cuts may not just be limited to this year. Long-term budget cuts could force the school and the county to find other ways to save money, including canceling or reducing courses. “The system will have to explore reductions in programs or length of school day if budget cuts continue over the next few years,” Glazer said.

Jefferson named fourth best high school in nation

TJ Envirothon team compete at Regionals

Quizbowl team advances in competition

Possible staff cuts to be made next school year

photo by Sandy Cho

Currently school buses provide transport to Jefferson students living in six school districts: Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church.

Celebrated math teacher Carol Rychlik retires from Jefferson By Sandy Cho News Editor Former and current students of Algebra 2 teacher Carol Rychlik were surprised to hear of her retirement on May 9. Teaching at Jefferson since 2003, Rychlik was a cherished teacher in the community, especially as sponsor of the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA). "She's dedicated and I really admire that about her," junior Mimi Nguyen, a member of VSA, said. "Her support boosted the club and I'll definitely miss that when she's gone and when we have a new sponsor next year." Students of Rychlik's current math classes presented her with gifts. "Our class, specifically 7th period, created a card, as well as a t-shirt that contained all the signatures of the students," freshman Suzie Bae said. "Many other classes created good-bye letters, along with hugs and tears that show their appreciation and thanks." Though junior Adrian Robertson was not one of Rychlik's former students, he appreciated seeing her in the hallways and at football games. In fact, she went out of her way to lend him lunch money when he didn't ask for it. "I'll miss just seeing her around the school," he said. "She would always say hi to me in the halls, even if I might not have noticed her." Despite all her time here, Rychlik found it difficult to name just one unforgettable memory at the school. "It’s hard to say, but there isn’t one specific day," she said. "It’s everyday working with the students. You never really realize

how impressed you are with these kids until you leave." Rychlik plans to travel, especially to Ireland and other states of the United States, as well as to pursue quilting. However, she hopes to see the students continue to excel in mathematics and chase their dreams. "I would like TJ to continue advancing in the STEM fields," she said. "I want all students to realize that they have the potential to be anyone they want to be and that they need to follow their passions." Though Rychlik's class is now headed by substitute teacher Ella-Marie Chambers, students will always miss her enthuasiam, as well as her baking skills. "She treated her students as if they were her own kids, which was what she called us on her last day," Bae said. "Whether it may have been her homemade brownies, lollipops, jokes, or hugs, she expressed her care, concern, and love for her students in all that she did."

photo by Sandy Cho

Math teacher Carol Rychlik retired on May 9 after many years of dedication at Jefferson.

by Sandy Cho News Editor From 2007 to 2010, the Jefferson community took great pride in being named the best high school in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. However, when Jefferson was named fourth again on April 22, after dropping from first since 2011, some students and parents scratched their heads in confusion. The U.S. News & World Report bases their rankings on the passing rate of Advanced Placement (AP) exams. If one graduating senior does not pass any of his or her exams, the school will fall to 16th place. In addition, the news magazine uses a ratio that compares the total number of passing scores to the total number of students passing the exams. Therefore, smaller schools requiring more AP courses would be at an advantage. However, according to Principal Evan Glazer, the rankings do not reflect factors that could distinguish Jefferson from the rest. "They don’t look at post-APs, they don’t distinguish a 3, 4 or 5 and they don’t look at the size of the schools, so all the schools ahead of us are really small-sized programs," Glazer said. In fact, placing first, School for the Talented and Gifted in Dallas, Texas requires its 240 students to take a minimum of 11 AP courses in order to graduate. “I think people don’t realize that there are different factors that go into the rankings and the schools ranked above us have smaller teacher to student ratios," junior Steven Androphy said. U.S. News & World Report also does not take into account the unique post-AP courses available at Jefferson. “There are a lot of courses offered at TJ that aren't offered anywhere else that the rankings don't account for,” senior Tiffney Kathir said. “The selection of APs that the College Board offers just doesn't cover some of the learning that goes on in these classes." It may be difficult for Jefferson to regain first place. However, students believe that the rankings are not a priority. “It would be nice to be ranked first, but I think our diverse course load at TJ is more important than loading up on APs,” Kathir said. Unlike other schools, at Jefferson, the courses present opportunities in more advanced courses that require higher-level thinking. "For us, APs are pathways to more advanced work we do, whereas at other schools, instead of going beyond AP, they’re taking more Advanced Placements,” Glazer said. “Instead of taking DNA science like us, they'd go to another AP science. We’re just different in that way."

news

may 21, 2014

NEWSMAKERS

Drama performs “Urinetown” Sophomores named runners up

MUN holds last conference

photo courtesy of Mark Strickman

photo by Sandy Cho

photo courtesy of Will Ryu

The News Senior Ben Andre portrayed Robby the Stockfish in the performance of “Urinetown” on May 4-5. Backstory From May 4-5, TJ Drama performed the final production of the year, “Urinetown.” The production starred seniors Alex Le Floch as protagonist Bobby Strong, Hannah Pho as love interest Hope Cladwell and Will Ashe as her father, villain Caldwell B. Cladwell. The play featured the impoverished clients of Public Amenity No. 9 in a town where a drought forces residents to pay to use the bathroom. Anyone who fails to pay the fee is sent to “Urinetown,” which will result in their execution. Though humorous, the musical mixed slapstick comedy with darker jokes and themes. “The issue with a number of plays and films is that they end with the scenario of utopia and everyone’s happy and there are no more problems,” senior Carl Fremlin said. “The end of ‘Urinetown,’ when it seemed like everything would end in this idyllic commune where there is no pain and then it was revealed that without control everyone dies off, portrays a much more real message about our world and how it works.” The cast spent the weeks up to the show learning the songs, practicing the dances and rehearsing lines. The actors had to explore the depths and motives of their characters. Even the smaller characters had fascinating personas and actions that their actors needed to portray. “My favorite part of the show was getting to completely immerse myself in a character as crazy as Old Man Strong,” senior Adam Friedman, who played Bobby Strong’s father, said. - Lindsay Williams

The News Sophomores Katie Pruitt and Mira Sridharan are named runners-up for the Innovation Award at the LearnServe Panels and Venture Fair, held April 24. Backstory Aiming to support hungry elementary students this summer, sophomores Katie Pruitt and Mira Sridharan presented their venture, Providing LongTerm Aid to Every Student (PLATES), at the fifth annual LearnServe Panels and Venture Fair. It was held on April 24 at the School Without Walls in Washington, D.C. “We plan to target the schools in the Fairfax area and to provide aid over the course of four weeks of the summer by delivering packages of food to centralized locations once a week,” Pruitt said. “As for now, we are relying on donations of non-perishables.” The fair promoted projects by 70 LearnServe Fellows, students selected to bring social change to their communities. Teams of these students present their projects to panels of leaders in the community and local businesses for 15 minutes, and can receive funding. Not only were Pruitt and Sridharan runners-up for the Innovation Award, but also they will receive a consulting session with ICF International, a firm located in Virginia. “Given the number of amazing ventures we saw, I hadn’t really expected us to get much attention,” Sridharan said. “At the same time, however, I’m glad that by being runner-ups, we can bring more attention to the issue we’re targeting.” Due to the acknowledgement, Pruitt and Sridharan are even more eager to continue implementing their venture. “We’ve encountered many obstacles in creating this venture and this kind of recognition makes me more confident that we’ll be able to succeed in reaching our goal of helping children since clearly someone believes that it is possible,” Pruitt said. - Sandy Cho

The News Sophomores Holly Frank, senior Sib Shewit and sophomore Sophia Martinese act as chairs at the annual TechMUN, held on April 25-26. Backstory The Jefferson Model United Nations club (TJMUN) hosted its annual conference, TechMUN, from April 25-26. Due to the renovations, TechMUN was held at Robinson Secondary School with the help of the Robinson Model United Nations club. Club members chaired and staffed 19 different committees, including seven “crisis” committees. “I chaired for a middle school committee and I thought it was great,” sophomore Rushi Shah said. “It was especially interesting when I was able to teach them about international affairs and public speaking.” The TechMUN Secretariat, consisting of a SecretaryGeneral, three Under-Secretary-Generals and a Chief of Staff, started planning the conference in January. Preparation for the conference was done by the TJMUN Officer Corps and club members. The Secretary-General’s Award for Best Large Delegation went to Langley High School, while the Secretary-General’s Award for Best Small Delegation went to School Without Walls. The Secretary-General’s Award for Best Middle School went to Rachel Carson Middle School. “I thought TechMUN was special because of the interesting committees we had, like the Illuminati committee,” Shah said. “We were able to keep everything interesting, and we even ended with a bang when our Secretary-General was asked to prom.” TechMUN was the last club-wide activity for TJMUN, and the next conference will be the William and Mary High School Model United Nations conference in November. - Yena Seo

opinion

may 21, 2014

Construction takes a toll tjTODAY on end-of-year activities Volume 29 Issue 6

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

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Shayna Hume

Managing Editor Ellen Kan

Online Editor Lindsay Williams

News Editor Sandy Cho

Opinion Editor Tommy Lunn

Sports Editor Esther Kim

Spread Editor Alexis Williams

Entertainment Editor

Lead Editorial

tj TODAY’s unsigned majority opinion Over the past year and a half, Jefferson’s campus has been turned upside down. Mounds of dirt are piled up in the old sports practice field; classes are taught in newly placed Weyanoke trailers. The school is nothing like what it used to be, and while that may be necessary for renovation, as the end of the year approaches, problems are accruing. In addition to the simple changes of construction, like the recently installed port-a-potties and umbrella receptacles, by the time the 2014-2015 school year begins the entire center of the school will be carved out for renovation. These difficulties are nothing new or unexpected, but with the end of the year approaching, it won’t be just the Jefferson student body that will have to deal with them anymore. Jefferson’s annual symposium, tjSTAR, will be taking place on May 28. During tjSTAR, Jefferson’s campus will be playing host to students, parents, faculty and additional guest speakers.

Social Media Editor Yena Seo

Features Editors

Staff Reporters Megan Ganley Tara Gupta Sophia Martinese

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

information has yet been sent out to commuting students. That, in and of itself, is the real concern. Although there is a plan for tjSTAR, the average student at Jefferson doesn’t know about it, which is the root reason why year after year students don’t understand the organization behind events like tjSTAR. Following on tjSTAR’s heels, Jefferson Day, or J-Day, is scheduled this year to take place on June 6. During 2013’s event, there were a total of 60 booths, located primarily in the gyms and behind the school. Although clubs began signing up through an online form weeks ago, little information has been distributed as to the booths’ locations and sizes this year. While many of the changes and adaptations being made are necessary for the day-to-day functioning of Jefferson, how they will affect the end-of-year events is uncertain. More clarity and openness from the administration will make the process not only smoother, but it will also calm the student body. Now that Advanced Placement (AP) tests are over, these issues should be openly addressed before graduation and the events preceding it begin in full swing. After all, we only have two weeks left.

School calendars need to be revisited

Anjali Khanna

Stav Nachum Anshula Rudhraraju

Over the years, trailers have been installed in Jefferson’s parking lot, the old tennis court and the field behind Weyanoke. These trailers will, similarly to during 2013’s tjSTAR, become host to the demonstration activities to make room for all presenters in the building. Additionally, the old College and Career Center, located next to the old Geoffrey A. Jones Library, typically hosted the guest presenters and student volunteers for the event. These, like so many other things in Jefferson in the past year, will have to be relocated, a necessary but inconvenient process. Lastly, according to the security office, there are currently 206 students with official parking passes for the dirt, gravel and church lots surrounding Jefferson. While as of now seniors have not been asked to not drive to school that day, parking spaces will be reserved for VIP guests, and a shuttle bus will be provided between the Jefferson campus and the church lot. Despite this fully expected influx of parents and guest presenters for tjSTAR, and plans being finalized for parking, no

TOMMY LUNN

With Advanced Placement (AP) exams over, the school year is quickly coming to a halt. Many classes have finished learning new material. Other, non-AP classes are similarly about to finish in preparation for late May’s Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) testing. And yet, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) will not end for over a month, highlighting the problems with Virginia’s current public school scheduling. As it currently stands, the so-called “King’s Dominion Law” forbids Virginia’s public schools from opening doors before Labor Day. The law cites tourism revenues as a reason to wait until early September for teaching to commence. Although there was a legislative effort to strike down the law earlier this year, it passed in Virginia’s House of Delegates, but failed to pass in Virginia’s Senate. Virginia’s public schools seem to be stuck with this law for at least the next few years. Perhaps the most obvious flaw with the law is its use across the commonwealth. It seems pointless to require every public school district in the commonwealth to be forced to change their school calendars for such localized measures. Further, it does not seem like the last week or two in the summer would see a boom in tourism when compared to the first week or two, should Virginia schools end earlier. This comes especially as Virginia families would probably spend Labor Day weekend out and about if they don’t have to be dealing with the hassles of starting school the next day. One of the issues with the law that can be fixed whether or not schools continue to start as late as they do is the timing of SOL tests. For many Virginian students, the SOL tests require a lot of preparation and effort. What may seem like simple, bureaucratic measures for many students are some of the most important tests of the year for many others.

As such, Virginia should take into account the time needed to prepare for SOL examinations. Should the law remain in place, Virginia should push the SOL tests back until at least early June, offering students who need it the most time to do additional preparation and review. Likely easier is simply starting the school year earlier and keeping SOL exams where they are. Teachers then would be able to give their students the extra instruction they need, without wasting almost a month of school afterwards. More poignant at Jefferson are AP exams. Administered across the country in early May, AP exams test collegereadiness. Students work strenuously throughout the year preparing for the exams. Far too often, however, AP classes finish learning the week before or even the class before the AP exam. This time

crunch would be lessened by starting school earlier, evening the playing field for Virginia students when compared with their nationwide counterparts. After the most stressful weeks of the school year, Virginian students then have to sit in school for about a month. Most of this time seems wasted, to be frank. In lower grades, those very same students who would have greatly benefitted from the extra help are instead forced to watch movies and do simple activities nonstop. In higher grades, teachers either assign their students review assignments for final exams week after week, or teach new, almost irrelevant material. Virginia’s legislators need to rethink the “King’s Dominion Law.” Instead of pandering to the corporate America companies that likely barely benefit from the law, they should think about their constituents and the state’s education department.

cartoon by Tara Gupta

opinion

may 21, 2014

The fault in John Green?

Green should end his hypocrit- Green’s personality and books offer teens a good role model ical and self-righteous ways

by Sandy Cho and Tommy Lunn

by Alexis Williams and Lindsay Williams

News Editor and Opinion Editor

Spread Editor and Online Editor

With the upcoming premiere of the movie adaptation for his novel “The Fault in Our Stars,” author John Green’s success is clear to see. His enthusiastic fanbase is large in size and emotion. And yet Green’s success is largely unwarranted and over-the-top. Green’s fans call themselves “Nerdfighters” in an effort to show pride in their status as nerds. While people should be able to pursue their passions and feel satisfied with them, such actions should only be driven by true interest. In doing so, many of these Nerdfighters shame those who are not a part of their quasi-cult. Nerdfighters relentlessly struggle to meet Green, investing time, money and energy. They follow his Tumblr, watch videos on his YouTube channel and do anything they can to meet their idol in person. Many of these teenagers follow Green around the country, spending hundreds of dollars and hours of their time to meet a 36-year-old man. On the topic of how strangely out of place Green is writing about teenagers, he is hardly in a position to be considered the sole expert of his topics. Many elements of his books that he pretends to champion, such as race, disease, mental health and sexual orientation, are experiences he has little to do with. That’s not to say that allies aren’t important. However, allies cannot be looked at as if they are the ones who need help or as if they know the struggles. At the very least, a role model for so many teenagers should be a decent person. Yet Green has made quite a lot of offensive remarks, highlighting one of the problems with the Nerdfighter movement. How can teens look up to a man who repeatedly fat shames and slut shames, without always apologizing for it? By calling the cultural connotation of attractivity “malnourished,” Green trivializes those with eating disorders. Also, Green has repeatedly supported Internet star Laci Green, who frequently makes transphobic, racist and fat-shaming comments. We all make mistakes; maybe we should forgive Green for his. Or maybe we shouldn’t. In his books, Green relies on stereotyping characters. Every character who does not fall under the “normal” stereotype is the token “insert-minority-here” character. Muslims, LGBT, black, female, depressed characters and more seem to be no more than a common formula. It’s ironic that Green is looked up to as a hero for these groups. In response to criticisms regarding his popular novel, “Paper Towns,” which features the “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” trope, Green claims that he has deconstructed the trope by portraying the elusive love interest, who is barely featured in the novel in the first place, as a woman needing to be saved. Rather than deconstructing the trope, Green has reinforced the stereotype that quirky girls, when they are not being mysterious, are actually broken and in dire need for a shy nerdy boy to heal them. When will young women be represented in his books as strong, independent and healthy - both mentally and physically? Why must the heroine of “The Fault in Our Stars” refer to herself as a “grenade” and why must the heroine of “Looking for Alaska” die and end up coveted as a goddess for the second half of the novel? Yes, both heroes of “The Fault in Our Stars” are diagnosed with cancer, but unlike Augustus Waters, Hazel Grace was depressed and saw no meaning in her life - until she met the hero of the novel. And yet this faux-liberal, fake man was named to Time Magazine’s “Time 100: The Most Influential People in the World in 2014” list. If society continues to be divided into groups that don’t support rights and those who follow fake leaders, no progress will be made. The overwhelmingly 16-year old and female group of Nerdfighters should relax, take a step back and realize whom they’re worshiping is not very respectable. Green’s books are interesting, well-written novels, but they should neither dictate lives nor ideologies and they often do.

As one of the most popular young adult writers of today with multiple bestselling books, author John Green is beloved by teenagers. And while his style may not be the most literary, it is because he, as a middle-aged man, can somehow write teenagers accurately and well. In perhaps his most famous book, “The Fault in Our Stars,” which has been adapted into a movie to be released on June 6, Green takes on an especially extraordinary challenge: to write not only about a teenage love story but also about a teenage love story with a side of cancer. Green does it masterfully. He takes a new look on cancer and how it affects its victims based on his interaction with a real cancer patient, teenager Esther Earl, and in doing so also satirizes society’s skewed view of victims of debilitating or terminal illnesses and disabilities. Green recognizes that society often dehumanizes the terminally ill and conquers that norm by making Hazel and Augustus seem incredibly normal. Of course, Green has many novels, including “Looking for Alaska” and “Paper Towns,” two of his more famous works. The common factor in all of these is that he writes teenagers as real people and treats them the same as any other author treats adult characters; this is often missing from the young adult genre. The struggles given to his teen characters are realistic and unique, rather than superficial. Although love and romantic attraction are common themes in his books and some of them are love stories, their problems often go deeper than the face value drama of relationships, which are so often the topic of young adult novels. It is this, not the writing or even the plots that make Green’s books special and the reason why they are the most popular of their kind. How did Green overcome the obstacle of writing to an audience with which he cannot identify? He has unlocked the ancient marketing secret of interacting with his audience. Green uses his multiple video blogs, Vlogbrothers Crash Course, Mental Floss and the AFC Wimbly Womblies to name a few, to get responses on YouTube; he has also taken on other social media forms including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. The best way to connect with the teenage girl audience that primarily buys his books is to talk to them and he does this almost constantly with these various methods of networking. Most authors do not do nearly this much to reach their audiences; this way, Green can write about young adults effectively and accurately. His fans, called “Nerdfighters,” are highly devoted to both his books and videos, giving both media a much wider cartoon by Megan Ganley audience than they would otherwise have. Another contributor to Green’s success is the fact that he is popularizing a different type of genre in young adult novels. Prior to Green, the success in young adult novels was primarily given to fantasy and dystopian series, like “Harry Potter,” “The Hunger Games” and “Twilight.” Although these series are well-liked and successful, Green has shown readers that there can be more to young adult than just those franchises. Green’s one-off realistic fiction novels fill a niche that had never before been popularized. Sequels make or break a series, and while Green could choose to capitalize on his more popular novels by making them a series, he chooses to keep the plot contained in one book, which does enhance the individual stories instead of dragging them out. John Green was named as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people for a reason. And that reason is quite simply that he connects to a large part of society that is often marginalized or ignored by adults. Green writes books that teenagers can imagine themselves living and feeling, which gives him considerable and justifiedpower in the literary world.

End of school year should be devoted to student interests When I take Advanced Placement (AP) exams in Gym 1, the students who leap out of their chairs when the obnoxious buzzer goes off never cease to amuse me. Their shock is quickly replaced by a sense of euphoria as ELLEN KAN the students embrace the fact that their exams are finally over. Although the community can now breathe a collective sigh of relief, there is still one more cloud looming over students’ heads before the end of the school year: final exams. Final exams can constitute up to 20 percent of a student’s final grade; clearly, they are not something to be taken lightly. Currently, Jefferson has allotted two full weeks for final exams: the week of June 9-13 as well as June 16 and 17 for seniors and the week of June 16-20 for underclassmen. However, these weeks do not serve any purpose, as the majority of classes finish covering the entire curriculum long before the end of the school year. Teachers of AP courses, in particular, finish teaching material by the first weeks of May or as early as late April in order

to allow for adequate time to review. Members of the community have already expressed the futility of having a school year that ends in June, over a month after the conclusion of AP exams. I think it’s safe to say that very few students will continue to consistently study course material between AP exams and final exams. As a result, the absurdly large gap before final exam week simply allows students to completely forget all of the information they crammed in time for APs. In the month that follows, most students will go through the expected process of wiping their brains and then relearning all information so they can regurgitate it for their finals. Instead of giving students so much time between AP exams and final exams, all teachers should administer final exams as soon as all course material is taught. This would be easier on teachers as well as students, because teachers will have more time to grade tests and finalize both fourth quarter and end-of-theyear grades. Many teachers already follow this course of action, which proves that it is a reasonable option. For example, the AP chemistry teachers administer finals in the end of May, which gives students plenty of time to take a breath after APs, but not enough time so that students forget all of what they learned. AP Calculus

AB and BC even give their final exams in April so that students can kill two birds with one stone by studying for the AP and final at the same time before teaching advanced material in May and June. The last few weeks of school should instead be devoted to allowing students to pursue activities of their interest. This year’s Flow Day was a novel idea that many students thoroughly enjoyed. Flow Day would be much more effective, however, if it were to take place in June, when students are less stressed and truly have the time and motivation to explore and experiment with new activities. Another possibility could be to allow teachers to lead field trips with the intent of supplementing material learned during the school year. Although the sophomore and junior humanities classes already embark on their annual D.C. field trip, one morning and afternoon is not enough time to capitalize on the valuable resources in our nation’s capital. If all teaching and learning is done well before the end of the school year, what is the point of prolonging time for stressing and forgetting information? The last couple weeks of school should be dedicated to encouraging student engagement in innovative activities and supporting an environment fueled by intrinsic motivation rather than stress.

sports

may 21, 2014

Girls’ tennis excels this season

Players in Jefferson girls’ tennis team competed against James Madison High School on March 21, bringing the team its first season win. The team concluded its season on May 7, leaving the season with 13 wins and one loss.

by Esther Kim Sports Editor Hands holding onto a racket swung swiftly from left to right as the neon-colored tennis ball rushed rapidly into the air. Adorned in the usual navy-blue top and skirts, the members of the Jefferson girls’ tennis team practiced vigorously before their first match of the season against James Madison High School on March 21. This victorious match was one of the many successful records that the marked this season, with an overall regular season record of 13-1. Aside from the close defeat against Stone Bridge High School, the team earned outstanding wins for Jefferson, especially the 9-0 victories against Fairfax and Mount Vernon High Schools. “The season started off to a rough start with all the rain, snow and cold weather, but once the season really started moving, it went well,” senior Victoria Xia, one of the captains of the team, said. “As for my individual performance, I am happy with how I’ve done so far.” The team concluded its regular season on May 7 after a close win against Marshall High School, ending the match with the score of 5-4. The team previously played Marshall this season, during which Jefferson also won with the score of 8-1. “Our most memorable match was the one we played against Marshall,” Xia said. “It was the second time we played them this year, so we knew they had a strong team.” Throughout the season, the construction at Jefferson provided multiple hindrances to the team’s practice environment. The members adapted to the difficulties by training at Holmes Middle School and Wakefield Park, where multiple matches were held. The training hours were relatively shorter than those of other sports due to the distance between Jefferson and the practice sites. During practice, the members polished their skills by practicing in singles and doubles. “It was different and a little scary seeing how good some of the players were,” freshman Sojung Kim said. “However, it helped me actually practice and fix my mistakes so that I could, maybe in the future, be as good as them.” The team consisted of a variety of members from all grade levels. The camaraderie among the members and the individual skills of each player provided the basis for the team’s success during its regular season. “Since it was my first time playing tennis as a team, I was a little nervous of messing up,” Kim said. “But the other players on the team were helpful and gave me advice.” Most members joined the team through their love of the sport, providing them a respite from the rigorous academic schedule the students follow during the day. The team hopes to bring multiple successes by attaining the state champion title, and for some members, to improve on their skills for their future years as a member of the team. “I have been playing on the team since my freshman year,” junior Melissa Wu said. “We learn to ‘play smart’ during every match, and everyone on the team is so supportive of one another. I can’t wait to be apart of it again next year.”

photos by Esther Kim

Crew celebrates successful records by Esther Kim Sports Editor Jefferson crew team concluded its Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association (VASRA) season after the lower and upper boats of the team competed in the season’s state championships on May 3 and 10, respectively. The lower boats of the team competed at the Ted Phoenix State Championship Regatta, which was held at Sandy Run Regional Park, in which the team recorded outstanding results, with women’s third and fourth eight placing first. Women’s third eight came to a close finish against Robinson High School, while women’s fourth eight also took the medal after a competitive match against T.C. Williams High School. Throughout the season, the women’s third eight has shown exceptional performances by gathering five first places during the past Regattas attended by the team. Since late March, the members of the crew team participated in multiple regattas, including Regional Park Regatta, Walter Mess Regatta and Al Urquia Regatta. The Ted Phoenix Regatta marked the last crew race for several lower boats this season. “The season was so fun and crew is definitely one of the best decisions I’ve made at TJ,” freshman Jamie Do said. Men’s fourth eight also took first place after finishing the race six seconds earlier than the second placed boat. Aside from the first placed teams, multiple Jefferson boats placed

high in races, with men’s third eight placing fourth and men’s freshman eight finishing third. Several lower boats, including men and women’s freshman and third eight, will be continuing its season to the Stotesbury Cup Regatta, which is planned to be taking place in Pennsylvania from May 16-17. The regatta is renowned to be one of the most prestigious crew competitions, with its legacy originating in the 1920s. “Crew reminded me how crucial teamwork is,” Do said. “All eight people on the boat have to catch and finish together; otherwise, the boat will tilt to the side.” The upper boats of Jefferson crew competed at the VASRA Championship Regatta on May 10, concluding its VASRA season that commenced on March 22 through the Polar Bear Regatta. Men’s second eight placed second following Saint Albans High School, and men’s first eight placed fourth. Women’s first eight placed sixth, with T.C. Williams High School leading the race. The upper boats of the team will also be participating with the selected lower boats in the Stotesbury Cup Regatta, hoping to bring back positive results. Throughout the year, the team diligently prepared for a successful season by participating in various practices, including the winter training before the official spring season. Beginning on Nov. 18, members of the team who wished to strengthen their skills before the official season practiced af-

ter school by engaging in conditioning, fitness activities and erg training. “I wanted to try out a sport this year, and I had some friends on the crew team who convinced me to join,” sophomore Diane Lee said. “I felt that it would be awkward joining crew on my sophomore year, but everyone is great and my boat became my family.” When the spring season kicked off, the team practiced rigorously everyday after school and on Saturdays. The members usually leave Jefferson early on Wednesdays and Fridays during eighth period B-blocks and meet at Sandy Run Boathouse to train. The members also practiced during spring break to polish their teamwork and individual skills before the regattas. With the end of the official VASRA season, the members of the team are either looking forward to next year’s season or training until the major competitions arrive in mid and late-May. Several boats will be participating in the Scholastic Rowing Association of America (SRAA) Nationals competition, which will be held from May 22-24. As this year’s season winds down, the members of the team hope to sustain the tightly-knit unity within the team onto next year’s season. “Everyone is so encouraging and motivating,” Do said. “Through many pasta parties, Saturday morning practices and bus rides, everyone’s best friends with everyone.”

Jefferson crew team competed in various regattas over the season, including their last VASRA regattas, which were Ted Phoenix State Championship Regatta and VASRA Championship Regatta. photo courtesy of Qi Yang

sports

may 21, 2014

Soccer concludes dynamic season by Anjali Khanna Entertainment Editor After spending months dribbling and passing a ball down a grassy field, the members of boys’ and girls’ soccer teams are finally saying their goodbyes to the spring season. The boys’ varsity soccer team finished their season with a total of six wins, four losses and two ties against Madison High School and South Lakes High School. “My favorite moment of the season was our win against Chantilly High School,” junior Nick Brady, a

midfielder on the boys’ varsity team, said. “Mehmet Aslan scored the winning goal during overtime.” On the other hand, the boys’ varsity team has also faced some difficult losses during the spring season. They were defeated 2-4 by Fairfax High School on May 1, when the team had worked to tie the game only to be scored upon again.

photo courtesy of Jackson Zagurski

Jeffesron boys’ soccer team concluded its season with six wins, four losses and two ties. The team’s first regular season game took place on April 1 against South Lakes High School, and the regular season ended with a game against Mount Vernon High School.

The girls’ varsity team also faced a mix of wins and losses this season, with an overall record of three wins and nine losses. “From many the times that we lost, it was because we stopped playing as well during the second half of the game,” sophomore Maaike Blindenbach, a midfielder on the girls’ varsity soccer team, said. “I think it was because we just got tired and let the score get to our heads.” The wins did not come easily, however. Both teams met nearly daily for practices and games, where they worked on technique, soccer ball control, passing, shooting and game strategy. “Almost everyone on the team works to put in 100 percent of their effort into the game,” Brady said. “We communicate very well and this, combined with our passion, makes our defense almost unbeatable when we are playing our best.” As with the end of every season of any sport, the Jefferson soccer teams will be saying goodbye to the graduating seniors from the teams. Sophomore Meredith Lee, a member of the girls’ varsity soccer team, recalls her favorite moment of the season to be at the senior night game on May 12. “Even though it was pouring down rain throughout the game, Katie Valery, our senior team captain, told us that we were going to play through the rain,” Lee said. “She told us not to give up, no matter what.” Both teams only have a couple of games before the season comes to a close. In fact, many team members have already started working on the skills that they want to improve upon before tryouts next year. “This season I think I did well on strategy, because I had some good crosses during the games,” Blindenbach said. “I still would like to work on ball control and touches before next season.”

Dedicated seniors graduate Jefferson sports by Sandy Cho News Editor The last home game held at Jefferson is more than just a game. From announcements of favorite memories to delicious cake and from posters to nice outfits, the dedication and effort of all the departing seniors are celebrated in Senior Night, the time to celebrate the seniors. Athletes of the boys’ lacrosse team, for instance, walk out with their parents before the game, as the announcer provides names of the players, their colleges, plans for the future and cherished memories throughout the years on the team. Afterwards, athletes celebrate with cake and posters that parents have put up. Likewise, for track, the announcements are similar, as seniors are individually acknowledged. “At Penultimate, TJ’s invitational, we announce the name of each senior, their college destination, and favorite memory from their TJ running career,” senior Carrie Murton said. “Rachel Laveson, Christine Mayuga and I all put ‘our trip to Oregon’ to honor one of our inside jokes.” Senior Night does not have a formula and can even be celebrated before the game. For girls’ tennis, athletes treat it as more of a party. Underclassmen provide food, posters, Starbucks drinks and, specifically this season, sashes with the word “seniors” printed on them. “One tradition that we have had for years is gooey cake. I can’t even describe it, but it’s so good,” senior Rena Liu said. “The recipe is passed down, so that every year at Senior Night, someone makes it.” For Jefferson’s baseball team, the team mothers are even involved as they create posters for every senior on the team before the game. Though sports may not have strict senior traditions, many athletes find that the traditions done with the entire team are the most

memorable. “At the end of the spring season, we all go on a six-mile run through forests, creeks, playgrounds and tunnels around TJ,” Murton said. “It’s one of the most fun experiences I’ve had on TJ track. We do it before the spring sports banquet, so while all the other teams look nice there, we just come back muddy and soaked.” Even eating pho noodles, as does the boys’ tennis team frequently does, brings members closer and can even affect matches. “We find that the noodles really help improve our game,” senior Jason Huang said. As the season draws to a close, many of the athletes, such as senior Victoria Xia, a player on the girls’ tennis team, appreciate the time they have spent with their members. “I’m definitely going to miss the team since all the girls are so sweet and dedicated. I have no regrets, though, so I think I’ll look at it more from the perspective of being glad I had such an amazing four years, and not so much being sad that I’ll be gone,” Xia said. Though players may feel saddened, many seniors, such as Tim Zhong, continue to play in college. “I was recruited to play baseball for MIT’s baseball team as a pitcher, but I might not be able to play my freshman year because of my injury,” Zhong said. “The surgery will have a recovery period of about a year, but all freshman recruits are guaranteed a spot on the team.” No matter which sport or which season, seniors will miss the memories created with their teammates. “I’ve met some amazing people through TJ baseball, and had some amazing experiences as well,” Zhong said. “Baseball is a sport I love, so I’m lucky that I’ll be able to continue to play at the college level.”

During the Senior Night of girls’ basketball team, posters of the senior members leaving this year adorned the wall of the gym.

Photo by Esther Kim

spread

may 21, 2014

The tjTODAY staff met with College and Career Center Director Eileen Kropf to discuss how best to pick a summer activity.

you need to JUST YOUR HEDULE for t year?

I’d

to take fun stuff ! e k i l

“I’m taking summer computer science because Computer Science is cool, but I want to do publications in school.” -freshman Alvin Shi

Summer School

p e, No

Do you end to do NTORSHIP?

hedule’s fi ne! my sc

now.

“I am teaching at an academic summer camp because I love teaching and am an alum of that camp. I’ve gone there every

Summer camp

summer for nine years and don’t mind going there for one or two more.” -senior David Chae

“After completing two years of internships, I am finally going to be an official employee at my father’s company Microhealth. There, I will be working with computers and learning the ins and outs of information technology. I have always had an interest in information technology & business and I

feel that working at my father’s business is a perfect opportunity to

Ye s

s PAYMENT priority?

expand on these interests.” -sophomore Ian Tucker

Yes

Not allly... re

Not

I co uld

real

ly...

us es

Isn

’t i

om ec

Paid Internship

Unpaid internship

lw ay

“I will be working at the Naval Research Labs this summer through the SEAP program because I wanted to do an internship this summer and get a head start on my mentorship project.”

“My five best friends and I are going to an all-inclusive resort in Cancun, and when we come back I will be leaving for a 10day European trip where I will go to various places in Hungary, Switzerland and France.” -senior Christine Mayuga

“I will be working at Chick-fil-A this summer. I enjoy my job because

Something Fun!

it lets me do something completely different than what I do during the school day. My job is stressful, but in a much different way than TJ is. I have also found that since my job involves dealing with a lot of people, both customers and coworkers, my communication skills are improving greatly. I am becoming more outgoing, outspoken, and confident, all thanks to my job.” -senior Bryan Higgins

Job

-junior Heather Lukas

spread

may 21, 2014

(68) DAYS

Start here:

OFSUMMER

What grade are you in?

itely!

r i t y r ig h o i r p y m t o N

Defi n i

by Alexis Williams Spread Editor Whether in a lab or a classroom, many students are looking for ways to spend their summers. As they do, they must ask themselves how to strike a balance between what they are passionate about and what they think colleges will like. This is an important process that ends often in the perfect summer job for a student. One such important decision is whether a student decides that they are right for a certain activity at a certain time, as many students feel that it is important to choose the right time for their internships. “Sophomore and junior years are the most important,” College and Career Center Director Eileen Kropf said. “Sophomore year you are still exploring your interests nad decide which direction you want to go. In junior year you should zero in on who you are. Junior year is the most important for college applications, so look at the summer of junior year as the culmination of what you’ve done and find a way to express it.” Senior year, however, Kropf does not recommend getting a job or internship. “The summer after senior year, you can take it easy if you want,” Kropf said. “At this point, you’ve gotten into college, it’s a good time to do something that you won’t be able to do for four years when you go to college. Remem-

t el y

It should be. TRY AGAIN.

ber tha you will be working hard for four years and you may not have the chance to, for example, visit a relative or hike the Appalachian trail.” It is also important to make the distinction between summer jobs and summer internships, as internships provide different skills. “Summer jobs can be anything that’s paid,” Kropf said. “You can work in a sho, a library or anything like that. These are often things you learn a lot from, like how to get there on time and deal with a boss.” Internships, on the other hand, provide educational opportunities. “There’s a responsibility on the part of a person who brings in an intern to show them something about their career. They have to take extra time to get them involved so that they can learn about the structure of the organization,” Kropf said. Some of the most popular internships are with the government. Junior Sreya Atluri is spending her second year at the National Institutes of Health this summer. “I chose it because my mentor offered me a chance to conduct independent research, while still having the guidance and support from him,” Atluri said. Another option for students that do not want a summer job or internship is to work for or go to a summer camp. “Younger students, like those in 9th grade, often do academic camps on a college campus. Other kids go to

D inte MEN

Yes

Defin

Is it important that you do something to help you on COLLEGE APPS?

Do y ADJ SCH next

Do you have a PASSION that you seek to develop? Yes!

Not really...

camps to focus on a skill they have, like a debate camp, sports camp, or computer camp,” Kropf said. “If you are too young to work, it’s not a bad idea to learn something.” Junior Didi Chang-Park is going to a music camp at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. “They have multiple programs; I am doing the String Quartet Workshop for two weeks and then right after that the Young Artists’ Orchestra, which runs for six weeks,” Chang-Park said. “We get to go to all of the Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts while there, which is great because they are one of the best orchestras in the world.” One of the most popular summer intensive camps is Governor’s School, which has many applicants each year. “The program offers a lot of cool courses about subjects im interested in, lots of lab demos and cool equipment use, guest speakers, field trips so their are a lot of cool opportunities rolled into one,” junior Danial Hussein, who is doing the Math, Science and Engineering Governor’s School program, said. Kropf, however, warns students not to rely on Governor’s School due to the competitiveness of the program. “I think the Governor’s School programs are fabulous. If you can to that, I think that’s enough for the summer, its pretty intensive,” Kropf said. “However, I would say don’t depend on it, and its not the only thing you can do to show what you’re made out of or to shine.”

Is a

spread

may 21, 2014

The tjTODAY staff met with College and Career Center Director Eileen Kropf to discuss how best to pick a summer activity.

you need to JUST YOUR HEDULE for t year?

I’d

to take fun stuff ! e k i l

“I’m taking summer computer science because Computer Science is cool, but I want to do publications in school.” -freshman Alvin Shi

Summer School

p e, No

Do you end to do NTORSHIP?

hedule’s fi ne! my sc

now.

“I am teaching at an academic summer camp because I love teaching and am an alum of that camp. I’ve gone there every

Summer camp

summer for nine years and don’t mind going there for one or two more.” -senior David Chae

feel that working at my father’s business is a perfect opportunity to

Ye s

s PAYMENT priority?

expand on these interests.” -sophomore Ian Tucker

Yes

Not allly... re

Not

I co uld

real

ly...

us es

Isn

’t i

om ec

Paid Internship

Unpaid internship

lw ay

“I will be working at the Naval Research Labs this summer through the SEAP program because I wanted to do an internship this summer and get a head start on my mentorship project.”

“I will be working at Chick-fil-A this summer. I enjoy my job because

Something Fun!

Job

-junior Heather Lukas

entertainment

“Spider-Man” director spins a tangled Webb

may 21, 2014

How to make your prom night...

t c e f r e P Picture

There’s a lot that makes a prom night memorable: the gown, the corsages, the limousines and the restaurant. But when reflecting back on the magical night, most want to have a great photograph to accompany the memory of a great experience. Year after year, Jefferson upperclassmen spend hours of their day primping for the sole purpose of the photographs, only to let loose during the actual dance. Given the right lighting and location, an experienced photographer can make anyone look like a rock star. This year, choosing the best location for your prom pictures will be a snap, as long as you consider the following steps.

Step 1: Choose a memorable picturetaking location relevant to you personally.

photo courtesy of www.theamazingspiderman.com

by Stav Nachum Features Editor The beloved web-spinning superhero returned to theaters on May 2 with the new installment to “The Amazing Spider-Man” trilogy with the second film. Filled with incredible special effects, light humor in all the right moments and all of the superhero stunts you could possibly ask for, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” is sure to please audiences worldwide with its incredible plot line and actors. Picking up where the first film ended– Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) is dead, Aunt May (Sally Field) is still attempting to raise Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) on her own and Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) is still getting over her father’s untimely death by the giant “Lizard”– this new installment adds more incredible, fast-paced plot with just the right amount of romance and humor. Peter soon learns the truth about his father that he has been searching for since his parents abandoned him with his aunt and uncle. Meanwhile, his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane Dehaan), takes over Oscorp, his father’s company, after he dies from a mysterious genetic illness. Knowing that his death is approaching too, Harry is forced to find a way to stop his illness through the top secret research in his father’s genetics company. Along the way, however, his father’s old colleagues attempt to cut him out of the company by framing him with a scandal regarding the villian of the story, Electro. Spider-Man must come to the rescue when things, as they always do, get out of hand. Of course, just like in any great superhero movie, Peter’s search for the truth about his parents progresses exponentially in this film as he is able to answer some of the questions raised in the previous film. As a huge fan of pretty much any superhero movie or comic, whether it is Marvel or Detective Comics (DC), I loved this new version of Spider-Man. Every detail from the gritty backdrop and the emotional story line to the wonderfully choreographed, on-the-edge-ofyour-seat action, was perfect throughout the film. Yes, obviously there are incredible visual effects and a plethora of action necessary for any superhero movie, but the Spider-Man action sequences thus far are the best yet by a wide margin. The entire film is exciting and visually captivating all while you have Peter Parker cracking jokes and captivating fans. Director Marc Webb definitely handles the action and effects spectacularly but also manages to handle the emotional character moments and relationships deftly. Just like in the previous film of the trilogy, Webb does not use several quick-cuts or hard-to-follow editing leading to visual overloads; instead he allows the action to make sense so that you can see everything clearly while the bright colors serve to enhance the experience. Overall, after the thrilling “Captain America” release a few weeks ago that captured the hearts of many Marvel fans and raised the bar impossibly high, it seems that “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” has reached that same bar, if not surpassed it with the excellent action, humor, suspense and effects. A film that I would recommend to anyone, the new Spider-Man is definitely a must see for comic and movie fans alike.

Coming Attractions photos courtesy of studio websites infographic by Anjali Khanna

‘Godzilla’

May 16: Theaters everywhere

Jefferson Memorial Step 2:

Next, find an area with an open

background to shoot your photos. Focus on a background that does not distract from the subject, but adds detail to the photographs.

National Harbor Step 3: Once you have chosen a background for your location, find a spot for photos shot up close. The best spots for shots like these are gardens with a variety of foliage or flowers.

Tidal Basin

Step 4: Gather your group together and take your perfect prom photo!

Lake Fairfax Park

photo courtesy of Arya Dahal photos, graphics and reporting by Anjali Khanna

‘Million Dollar Arm’

May 16: Theaters everywhere

‘Ghost Stories’ May 19: iTunes

‘Sorry I’m Late’ May 27: iTunes

‘City of Heavenly Fire’

May 27: Bookstores Everywhere

entertainment

may 21, 2014

J-DAY PREPARATIONS BEGIN SGA announces “Avatar, the Last Airbender”as theme

Juniors

Seniors Jefferson Bhangra team preps for J-Day and Bhangra Bash “I’m most excited for the crowd during J-Day, and using Bhangra saaps from India for the first time.”

-senior Aparajita Sur

“Bhangra is really fun by itself, but the people on the team are fantastic and it just makes the whole experience even better.”

-senior Brad Rosenblum

“Performing is always the best part, especially immediately after when you have so much adrenaline and everyone’s a sweaty mess but so happy.”

-senior Soumya Mishra photos and reporting by Anjali Khanna

Freshmen photos courtesy of www.nicktoons.nick.com infographic by Anjali Khanna

Sophomores

by Anjali Khanna Entertainment Editor The end of the year at Jefferson means many different things. Between the stress of finals and Advanced Placement (AP) exams, students can always find time to have some fun at tjSTAR, prom, end-of-the-year field trips and perhaps the most popular, Jefferson Day (J-Day) on June 6. Every year at J-Day, a celebration arranged by the Student Government Association (SGA) for Jefferson students, clubs and sports organize booths to sell food and drinks around the school, the Bhangra team performs during the day, a moon bounce and water slide are set up on the field and students go head-to-head in a basketball tournament in the gym. However, with all these activities comes a great deal of planning. For the celebration on June 6, preparations have already begun during the month of May, as performers practice their J-Day routines and booth forms for clubs have already been filled out and turned in. “The most challenging event to plan is the basketball tournament because of all the forms and fund transfers this year,” sophomore Andrew Howard, the treasurer of SGA, said. “I’m most excited for May Madness because we will be buying some great prizes for the winners and the competition is fun for the whole school.” Howard and the rest of the SGA team organizing the event also announced the theme for this year’s J-Day celebration, based off the popular Nickelodeon cartoon, “Avatar, the Last Airbender” at the annual SGA elections on April 28. For the day, the freshmen will become Earthbenders, the sophomores will become Airbenders and the juniors and seniors will become Water

and Firebenders, respectively. The SGA team plans for the faculty and staff to be the other characters from the television show. In addition to the other festivities, the Jefferson Bhangra team is already hard at work in preparation for the celebration, as well as the annual Bhangra Bash competition on June 7. From a full team of 20 members, only 12 who are chosen by the senior team captains, Kunal Khurana and Aparajita Sur, will perform at J-Day and at the Bhangra Bash, . “As a Sikh-American with ties to Punjab, I’ve definitely felt like doing Bhangra at TJ has helped me reconnect with my roots and develop a new appreciation for my own heritage,” Khurana said. “It’s become a great outlet for me, allowing me to have fun and release stress while also getting an amazing workout.” At the J-Day celebration, the team will perform a routine prepared for the Relay for Life event on May 17, and only add small changes and fix technique between J-Day and the Bhangra Bash. The team will also be using props for the first time, wooden instruments called saaps which are held with the hands and collapsed to produce a sound. The 12 performing members of the team have been meeting for practice once a week to prepare. Students are already beginning to look forward to the week before the J-Day celebration, in which the first round of May Madness basketball games take place. Games will take place during lunch the week before. “J-Day has always been comprised of the same events for as long as I can remember,” junior Jenny Kim, the coordinator of May Madness, said. “The day is supposed to be like a field day, where students can spend time relaxing with their friends since it’s nearing the end of the year.”

JUNIORS – Let your senior year be relaxed! “Crafting your College Application” Summer Camp

Monday – Friday, 10 am – 4pm

Brought to you by Lives Under Construction

Choose from: August 4th – 8th August 11th – 15th August 18th – 22nd August 25th – 29th

For rising seniors:

For more information: Website: www.nancylevonian.com Email: nancy.a.levonian@gmail.com Call: (703) 426-1962

The objective of this class is to finish the main part of your applications and your school-specific supplements by the end of the week. We will cover: the character traits colleges are most interested in; how to refine your “message” about who you are; how to showcase your extracurricular activities; and writing essays that will intrigue the reader. “Crafting Your College Application” costs $695. The class size is limited to 8 students, with 2 instructors.

feature

may 21, 2014

CHANGE THE SUBJECT Several Advanced Placement exams are changing to enhance their alignment with current standards of college level courses by Stav Nachum Features Editor Sitting nervously as the proctor gives directions on the test packet lying on the table, you eagerly await the start of the test and the stress finally to be over. After weeks of cramming, memorization and practice tests, you desperately just want it to end. This year, however, many students took tests that were completely new to the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exams, leaving them unsure as to what to expect when they opened their packets and began their test. This year the College Board changed the AP Chemistry and AP Spanish Language and Culture exams in order to have them better reflect a college education and standards. With these new tests, the College Board hopes that the APs will require less memorization of basic facts and a better understanding of overall concepts that allow you to apply what you have learned rather than mindlessly spout out the facts you know. “I know that the new test requires more than a basic understanding of the facts and a requirement to apply these facts to real world problems,” chemistry teacher Hadan Kauffman said. “I tried to change my teaching styles to suit what I thought the exam would expect them to know and I think they are well prepared for anything that came their way.” This year, however, is not the first year that exams have changed for students studying AP courses. Last year, the College Board changed both the AP Biology exam and AP Latin exam similarly. The course curriculum and exam were changed substantially last year as the content was re-organized around four central themes. The College Board also overhauled the labs to reflect a more inquiry-based approach, included a math grid in portion similar to that of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) on the AP exam and, most importantly, changed the exam’s essay section to require a more thorough analysis of complex data sets, synthesis of multiple system details, and correlation of microprocesses with corresponding macro effects. In other words, the test changed to better showcase what students have learned in a worldly sense, rather than simple memorization. “Our curriculum has changed substantially and as a result the AP teachers met for several days last summer to re-vamp everything,” biology teacher Barbara Wood said. “We re-wrote an entire test bank, correlated current professional literature to content and content to the new framework, and integrated the new labs and the newly required math skills into a comprehensive year-long plan.” With many tests to change in future years, such as AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2 and AP United States History exams changing next year and AP Art History and AP European History changing the following year, teachers are racing to change their curriculums to show students how to better prepare for exams and changing

their own exams to showcase AP skills necessary for the tests rather than simple memorization of facts. These changes were made by the College Board in recent years in order to ensure that students are better prepared for their college classes and the in depth analysis and understanding that they require. However, although this change is definitely beneficial to students who will be entering a college soon that requires more in depth understanding, knowledge and application rather than simple memorization skills they have been using until now for AP exams,

Science: 893 students

teachers and students are extremely unsure as to what to expect when test day arrives and are therefore unprepared for their AP tests. “I was a bit unsure of what to expect on the AP Chemistry exam, since CollegeBoard had only released one official set of the new-style questions,” sophomore Kevin Xu said. “I had looked at previous exams to practice, but I didn’t know how similar they would be to the questions I would encounter on test day. My teacher, Dr. Jones, gave us a practice exam to simulate the AP, which I think helped me familiarize myself with some possible exam topics, but it still wasn’t enough.”

Other: 506 students

HOW MANY

ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS Math: 744 students

ARE WE TAKING?

Languages: 269 students

Humanities: 1354 students

graphics and reporting by Stav Nachum

A total of 1,296 students took at least one AP exam this year according to the Department of Student Services. The most popular exam taken this year was the Government exam, taken by 45 students, followed by the United States History, the BC Calculus and the English Language exams.

New cryptography course plans to take field trip to the National Cryptologic Museum in late May by Stav Nachum Features Editor As Advanced Placement (AP) exams and Standards of Learning (SOL) tests come to a close in mid-May, students from across many grade levels at Jefferson will start taking part in field trips for their courses. One of these is a new field trip for a brand new course entitled Cryptography. Hoping that a visit to the National Cryptologic Museum will show the students what they have learned this year in historical and modern applications, cryptography teacher Hana Rhee can’t wait to take her students on this field trip on May 23. The National Cryptologic Museum is the National Security Agency’s (NSA) main gateway to the public and it shares the nation’s cryptologic legacy and place in world history with the public. This museum is home to thousands of artifacts that collectively serve to showcase the history of the cryptologic profession within the nation. With sections dedicated to people devoting their lives to the cryptology and national defense, the

machines used to develop cryptography and the techniques they used, the National Cryptologic Museum is sure to enhance what the students have learned throughout the semester in the course. “We live so close to NSA but not many people have been to the national cryptologic museum, so I wanted to take my students,” Rhee said. “We are actually going to tour once we get there and someone who is very knowledgeable about what they display will show us around and they will not only talk about the historical aspects of cryptology but also how they are being used today.” Though it is the first year that the cryptography course is available at Jefferson, and consequentially the first year that students will be able to go on this field trip, both Rhee and her students are sure that the trip will be educational and enjoyable. “I have enjoyed studying cryptography throughout this semester and I know that this trip will allow me to use what

I have learned and see how it affects the world today and in the past better,” junior Shirley Burt said. “I can’t wait until our trip and I know it will be an incredibly interesting experience.” Learning both various encryptions and decryptions and when these codes were used in history as well as several technological aspects of cryptography throughout the semester, cryptography students acknowledge that this field trip will definitely enhance their learning. In addition, Rhee hopes that the event will encourage many of her students to continue their studies in cryptography and urge them to better understand what they have learned this year in a modern mindset. “I know my students to see a little bit of what they know in class being displayed throughout the museum in the various exhibits, and this will allow them to connect their studies with both historical and modern uses of cryptology,” Rhee said. “I hope that they’ll see what they can take from what they learned into the future.”

graphics by Esther Kim

features

may 21, 2014

CHAMPIONS OF THE MIND Odyssey of the Mind goes to Worlds competition

Science Olympiad preps for national competition

by Yena Seo Social Media Editor Every Friday during eighth period, several Jefferson students meet as part of the Odyssey of the Mind team. This year, the team has qualified for the 35th World Competition held at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa from May 28-31. The competition will host 800 teams from dozens of countries all around the world. “For our team to get to Worlds, it required a lot of dedication, hard work and time from all the team members—we would meet every week to work on the structure and presentation,” sophomore Anuraag Yachamaneni said. “Overall, we needed to work cohesively as a team to make our presentation and structure good, and the spirit of Odyssey of the Mind is teamwork.” During meetings, the team works on the three main aspects of the competition: the presentation, the skit and the structure. For the skit and presentation, members needed to write a script, create props and practice the presentation. Team members had to create a structure out of balsa wood which could only be 18 grams maximum, and could hold as much weight as possible—the structure ended up holding 257 lbs. The students who are attending the competition are sophomores Saaketh Anjutgi, Shrey Gupta, Shubham Gupta, Harsha Jonnavithula, Aneesh Susarla, Kaushik Venkatesh

by Anshula Rudhraraju Features Editor After meeting after school every Thursday and preparing for regional and statewide competitions, Jefferson’s Science Olympiad team will be competing in the National Science Olympiad competition on May 16 and 17. Science Olympiad is an academic competition showcasing a myriad of scientific disciplines. The competition relies on excessive teamwork due to the broad-range of events covered. Last year, the Jefferson’s Science Olympiad team set a Virginia record by placing twenty-fifth out of the sixty teams competing at Nationals. This year, the team hopes to place within the top ten teams. Although the goal seems too high and unreachable as many of the teams placed in the top ten have consistently done so and come from states with strong Science Olympiad programs, senior and captain Sparsh Gupta hopes that through this goal, the team will at least noticeably improve their performance. “This team has magnitudes of potential, evidenced by our tournament record thus far,” Gupta said. “Hopefully, we continue our streak into Nationals.” The Nationals competition is held mid-May, and with practices starting in September of last year, the team had plenty of time to prepare. At this point, the main focus of the team is to prepare for events that were not present at the state-wide tournament, such as

and Anuraag Yachamaneni, and the club sponsor is English teacher Jill Burdick-Zupancic. Many of the team members have participated in Odyssey of the Mind throughout elementary and middle school in addition to their participation in Jefferson’ team. “I’ve been doing Odyssey of the Mind since sixth grade,” Venkatesh said. “I originally joined in order to stretch my creative thinking skills and to work alongside many of my friends in a long-term project.” A unique aspect of the World Finals is the trading of pins, wwwhich teams trade at the competition, with each area and region having a unique pin. “I’m looking forward to pin trading,” Venkatesh said. “It’s a great pastime to talk and practice our mercantile skills while bartering for pins.” The team hopes to place in the top five teams at World Finals and to do well in every aspect of the competition, and several team members are particularly excited to be able to perform and to watch the opening and closing ceremonies. “I am looking forward to almost everything at Worlds,” Yachamaneni said. “Our goal is to place near the top of the competition and have as much as we can on the way.”

the Bungee Drop. According to Gupta, students are working on bettering their performance individually as well. “We are trying to inspire members to acknowledge the value of studying for events rather than closely monitor their progress,” Gupta said. “The idea actually comes from the One Book: autonomy and mastery over incentives.” Team meetings follow a consistent model. There are often specific team meetings so that there isn’t a hoard of fifty students crammed in one room, attempting to study. Students have been reviewing their information from study events, renewing their technique for lab events, and improving designs for building event devices. “I think the most beneficial aspect of Science Olympiad is the fact that you learn so much through studying event,” Gupta said. “And studying from Science Olympiad is so much different than studying for a chemistry test or a physics test. Team members enjoy the studying and the competition.” Most of the team will be flying as a group the day before the competition, accompanied by several parent chaperones. The team expects the competition to be difficult, as most competitors have also won at state-level. “The team hopes to see Science Olympiad from a new perspective gained after competing at the national level,” said junior John Park. “I think the team will learn new, more optimal ways to approach their events after competing at such a high caliber.”

photo courtesy of Praveen Venkatesh

photo courtesy of Shrey Gupta

Left: Jefferson’s Odyssey of the Mind Team, consisting of students Harsha Jonnavithula, Shubham Gupta, Kaushik Venkatesh, Saaketh Anjutgi, Aneesh Susarla, Shrey Gupta and Anuraag Yachamenini, performed a skit from a script that they had written themselves; Right, Seniors Philip Yu, Sparsh Gupta, and Emma Puranen hold their trophy and medal at a regional science olympiad competition.

DIDN’T PRE-ORDER A YEARBOOK? NO PROBLEM.

There will be 72 copies left for sale on J-Day. Just bring $100 cash or check made out to TJHSST Publications to the auditorium during distribution on J-Day.

WANT TO CHECK IF YOU BOUGHT A YEARBOOK? Email Ms. Harris (EHARRIS1@FCPS.EDU)

features

may 21, 2014

A Taste Of Television

Jefferson students and teachers binge-watch television to escape from the stress of the homework and exams

graphic by Sophia Martinese

by Sophia Martinese Staff Writer Netflix unleashed the entire second season of its political thriller “House of Cards” on February 14, encouraging fans of all ages to abandon any real weekend plans for hours with the main characters of the show, Frank and Claire Underwood. This is one of many shows that people, even Jefferson teens, will go home and watch at night - not only one or two episodes, but several in one sitting. The main question that has to be asked is: when does sitting down to watch a TV show or series become a “binge-watching” session? The act of “binge-watching,” or mainlining episode after episode in one sitting, reached a new level of recognition in 2013 as Netflix and other video services experimented with original content, such as “Orange Is the New Black,” and offered numerous catch-up opportunities for critics’ favorites, like “Breaking Bad.” It is especially popular at Jefferson for both students and teachers, as they often don’t have time on a regular schedule to watch a show one episode at a time. They take advantage when there is a free night to watch 10 episodes in a row. Despite binge-watching’s increased prominence, though, there’s never really been a good, single working definition of what binge-watching actually is. However, for 2013’s Word of the Year award —which ultimately went to “selfie”—the Oxford Dictionary defined binge-watching as “watch[ing] multiple episodes of a television program in rapid succession, typically by means of DVDs or digital streaming.” Dictionary.com takes a much broader stance on what types of entertainment can be bingewatched and suggests that it happens without ever getting up: “To watch (multiple videos, episodes of a TV show, etc.) in one sitting or over a short period of time.” The most detailed definition of binge-watching comes from Netflix itself. In December, a Harris Interactive poll conducted on behalf of the company quantified what constituted a binge. Working with cultural anthropologist Grant McCracken, who went into living rooms across the U.S. and Canada to talk to viewers about their habits, the survey concluded that binge-watching meant consuming a minimum of two episodes in one sitting, and reported that, across demographics, the session average was 2.3 episodes—”moderate behavior,” according to the release. This definition has problems. For starters, it seems inherently contradictory: the whole point of calling it “binge-watching” is that it shouldn’t be moderate behavior, in the same way that bingedrinking or binge-shopping are not activities done in moderation. Second, the minimum number of episodes did not distinguish between hour-long

dramas and shorter sitcoms. By this definition, a person could watch two episodes of 30 Rock in a row and call that a binge—even though that’s less than half the time it takes to watch a typical movie. The study did, however, touch on attitudes toward binge-watching—73 percent of binge-watchers feel positive about the experience. To come up with a better definition, I consulted the finest binge-watchers I know: my fellow Jefferson students. “Four episodes is a binge, if you’re watching dramas. If you walk away before the fourth episode, people I’ve spoken with generally agreed, all you did was have a little TV time. But start the fourth episode—sometime between two and three hours, depending on if you’re watching really long Netflix originals—you are binge-watching,” sophomore John Nguyen said of the true binge-watching definition. For many Jefferson students, the definition for binge-watching actually comes down to watching any TV at all. With all of the after school activities and homework load, watching one episode of a show, let alone three or four in a row, is considered a binge and luxury that only comes every once in a while. Teachers, however, have also enjoyed this new style of watching television. In between grading papers and exams and planning their lessons, teachers have found it relaxing to simply watch television, sometimes watching for several hours on end without even realizing it. “For me, binge-watching is watching at least three episodes of a T.V. show,” English teacher Erinn Harris said. “Even that isn’t enough; you have to get totally sucked into the story or else bingewatching doesn’t happen. Sometimes, if the show is too emotional, like “Friday Night Lights” I can only watch three or four episodes and then I have to take a break, sometimes for weeks or months, before the next binge.” No matter what your definition of binge-watching is, it seems that students and teachers across Jefferson all agree that after the stress of a school day and additional obligations, the act of mindlessly binge-watching a show allows them to relax and forget their stresses momentarily. “Whenever I have a lot of homework or projects or tests, I find that binge-watching a television show in order to clear my head or simply take a mental deep breath is incredibly helpful,” junior Shirley Burt said. “Just the action of watching a show over and over again and not worrying about anything else momentarily, allows me to simply relax and calm down after a week of school. Binge-watching has definitley helped me throughout this stressful year.”

What does Jefferson binge-watch? Other

Parks and Rec.

Binge-watching records 3-4 hours 18 percent

13+ hours 20 percent

Sherlock

5-6 hours 28 percent

9-10 hours 9 percent

30%

7-8 hours 20 percent

Supernatural 7%

1% Scandal

Community

11-12 hours 5 percent

18%

How I Met Your Mother

Doctor Who 8%

Game of Thrones 7%

Orange is the New Black

Most binged T.V. shows

This information is based on an anonymous social media survey that 201 students answered. graphics and reporting by Stav Nachum

may 21, 2014

education

may 21, 2014

Are you cyber secure? Heartbleed makes websites vulnerable

“I didn’t change my password because I assumed that if the hole has been there since the initial implementation of SSL, then I would’ve already been hacked.” - sophomore Dhruv Gupta

by Ellen Kan Managing Editor On April 7, pandemonium broke out in the online community when researchers discovered the existence of what Joseph Steinberg, a Forbes Magazine contributor, deemed “the worst vulnerability found since commercial traffic began to flow on the Internet.” The vulnerability, colloquially known as Heartbleed, is officially called CVE-2014-0160, where CVE stands for Common Vulnerabilities. The informal name was adopted because the bug is in OpenSSL’s implementation of the transport layer security protocols heartbeat extension (RFC6520). Heartbleed is dangerous because it impacts OpenSSL, a version of the standard Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) technology used by 66 percent of websites according to Netcraft, and English internet services company. OpenSSL is often used to encrypt login credentials on websites. The Heartbleed bug can allow hackers to access any information that a user sends on affected websites, including passwords, instant messages and emails. Most websites that utilize OpenSSL quickly fixed the promblem on their sites. Some also prompted users to change passwords. However, while researchers first sounded the alarm bells on April 7, the bug has existed undetected for nearly two years. “For almost two years, a program much of the world trusted in providing secure communications had a bug that compromised the security of those secure communications,” student system administrator sophomore James Woglom said. “The mere fact that such a security bug existed is very worrisome.” When the news of the serious vulnerability broke on the morning of April 7, Jefferson systems administrators immediately set out to update Jefferson’s systems, nearly all of which use OpenSSL. The systems administrators patched the affected systems and regenerated SSL certificates and keys for additional security. tjTODAY also con-

"When I heard about Heartbleed, I wasn't very surprised or scared because I figured that something like this had to happen eventually in our ever-advancing world."

ducted a poll of 124 Jefferson students through social media. The results of the poll show that, in general, Jefferson students do not feel very particularly at risk on the web. Only 14 respondents indicated they feel “unsafe” or “very unsafe” on the Internet. “I acknowledge that there are real risks on the internet, but right now I personally don’t feel very at risk,” sophomore Ravi Shankar said. “I don’t perform any monetary transactions online, and I don’t have an email or phone number attached to a public account.” However, according to Andrew Hamilton, Jefferson’s network and systems administrator, this common confidence is sometimes merely a façade. “A large part of this perception is due to the fact that most people believe that as long as they are smart and don’t click on the ‘Free iPod nano’ links or open random emails, they are safe,” Hamilton said. “Even if you do everything right, you are still at the mercy of every website you use to do the right thing and keep your data safe.” Hamilton recommends that students used unique passwords for email, bank, social media and school- or work-related accounts, because a hacker’s access to one account could affect the rest if all the accounts are controlled by one password. Furthermore, he encourages use of Two-factor authentication, which can add another layer of protection for accounts. “I think TJ should definitely place more emphasis on Cyber Security and being safe on the web; I also think that education needs to start earlier,” Hamilton said. “When kids as young as Elementary School have their own devices, they need to know how to keep themselves safe.” Junior Edi Danalache also supports supplementing cyber security education through computer science (CS) classes. “I think TJ could try to add a section to CS classes briefly covering how to protect yourself from scammers, but it would not be possible to explore the broad field of security without dedicating at least a semester class to the topic.”

“I don’t feel safe on the Internet; there are so many connections that you have to go through, so information is easily distributed in the process.” - senior Jay Hebert

- freshman Varun Iyengar

“I choose to think that whenever I put something out there, I can’t take it back and I can’t control who sees it. I tend not to put important information about myself out there.” - junior Adrian Robertson

“I hope that making people more aware of cyber security will result in a safer population of Internet citizens.” - sophomore Ravi Shankar statistics from a poll to which 124 Jefferson students responded graphics and reporting by Ellen Kan and Lindsay Williams