TJTODAY THE MAGAZINE
6560 BRADDOCK RD. ALEXANDRIA, VA 22312
MARCH 10, 2016 || VOL 1 ISSUE 6 || www.tjtoday.org
THOMAS AS S J EF EFFE FERS FE RSON RS O HIG GH SC S HO O OL O FOR O SCI CII EN ENCE C A ND D TEC CH || ALE LEEXA XAND NDRI ND RIA, RI A, VA
T H E
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FOR THE ENVIRONMENT 8th period clubs that impact the nature
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REARRANGING THE CALENDAR Possible calendar changes in FCPS
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AFTER THE OSCARS Thoughts on the celebrated award
IN-DEPTH || 6
CLIMATE CHANGE
how long do we have until there’s nothing left?
CONTENTS IN-DEPTH 6 COVER STORY Climate change and TJ 12 Living with a disability 14 Science clubs related to the environment SCI-AND-TECH 16 National Geographic exhibits 18 Zika virus SPORTS 20 Indoor track 22 Beginning of spring sports OPINION 24 EDITORIAL Change in FCPS calendar? 26 Twitter poll debrief ENTERTAINMENT 28 Renwick Gallery WHAT I'VE LEARNED 32 Eke Wokocha
NewsMAKERS
NEWS 4 Renovation Update 5 Japanese exchange program
NEWS
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Anjali Khanna, Esther Kim TEAM LEADERS Ankit Agrawal, Kate Deng, Katherine Du, Adithi Ramakrishnan, Uzma Rentia DESIGN EDITOR Kate Deng BROADCAST EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Alexa Nguonly BUSINESS MANAGER Patrick Toulme STAFF REPORTERS Mei Baek, Neha Bhargava, Jiny Cho, Natalie Homnyom, Katherine Hughes, Albert Jang, Angel Kim, Anupama Jayaraman, Sruthi Jayaraman, Sabria Kazmi, Shehar Kachru, Minna Kuriakose, Madeline Old, Avni Singh, Nikita Sivakumar, Angie Sohn, Sammy Tavasolli, Bayliss Wagner, Millan Welman, Anna Zhang, Christine Zhao ADVISER Erinn Harris
tjTODAY is the official newsmagazine of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology published by the journalism staff. 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.
PHOTO// Ankit Agrawal
Photo courtesy of Jamie Korelitz
Photo courtesy of TJ Physics Team
NEWS
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MARCH 10, 2016 DESCRIBE YOUR FEELINGS BEFORE everybody, and everyone’s hyped up in the spirit days. THE RACE AND AFTER YOU FOUND BACKSTORY OUT YOU HAD PLACED 1ST. Jefferson diving athletes, senior Val- All throughout the race, I was really WHAT WILL YOU REMEMBER THE entina Lohr and junior Gloria Chen, nervous, but then afterwards, I was MOST ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE attended the Virginia High School DIVING FOR TJ? really shocked that I got first, beLeague (VHSL) state diving champiI think it’s going to be how close cause I did not expect it. onship on Feb. 18 at the Oak Marr everybody is, and how much support Recreation Center, placing in the top WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF everybody gets, and just the fact that two spots of girls’ diving division. TJSD is not actually more about DIVING FOR THE JEFFERSON SWIM Chen began diving at nine, when her AND DIVE TEAM (TJSD)? remembering the diving. It’s going mom decided to sign her up for divto be more about TJSD. I love TJSD, [especially] the enviing after participating in gymnastics ronment. During the meets and and swim. tjTODAY sat down with the dinners, you could just talk to Chen to discuss the event. Christine Zhao || TEAM LEADER
Sabria Kazmi || STAFF REPORTER
BACKSTORY The streak of wins for the Quiz Bowl team led to its final win at the end of the Virginia High School League (VHSL) tournament. Senior Ryan Golant is the co-captain of the team that was able to win districts, regionals, and on Feb. 27, the statewide Quiz Bowl tournament. WHY DO YOU LIKE QUIZ BOWL? I like learning. I started out liking
Patrick Toulme || STAFF REPORTER
science, and so I started studying Bowl and you’re able to get it there. that. And then I branched out. Quiz Bowl is a general academic compe- WHAT WAS THE COMPETITION tition [on] all areas of knowledge. ENVIRONMENT LIKE? There is mostly academic stuff, but People in Quizbowl are generalthere is also sports and popular ly good sports about competing. culture. I started playing in sevEverybody has the same passion enth grade at my middle school, so for learning and everybody likes I’ve been on the team at Jefferson Quiz Bowl, so it’s more fun than a since ninth grade. Quiz Bowl really competition. Sure, there are clear rewards knowledge, and it’s realwinners and losers, but everybody is ly satisfying when you’ve studied really nice about it and everybody is something on your own and then having fun. it comes up in a question in Quiz
competition. Sophmore William Sun reflects on the experience.
difficult this year and I wasn’t sure if my score qualified.
BACKSTORY HOW OFTEN DO YOU PRACTICE? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO IMEarlier this month, seniors Allen PROVE ON? Cheng, Samuel Hsiang, Christopher I usually practice 3 times a week: Morris, Bhuvanesh Murali, Nirmaan two times with WebAssign and one I would like to improve by learning time with the physics team more physics topics, since I only Shanker and Ross Dempsey and know one of the many topics that will Sophomores William Sun, Charles Wang and Franklyn Wang advanced WERE YOU NERVOUS FOR THE COM- appear on the upcoming US Physics Olympiad semifinal exam. Additionto the Semifinalist round of the U.S. PETITION? I wasn’t nervous for the first ally, I would like to slow down when I Physics Olympiad competition. The exam, since I had taken five pracsolve problems, so that I can get them competition determines twenty stutice exams. However, after the right the first time without having to dents who will represent the U.S. at exam I was nervous, as it was pretty go back and fix mistakes. the International Physics Olympiad
4 NEWS Renovation Update
Open for use: Foreign Language Hallways The New Library Four Internet Cafes Global Learning Center
LANGUAGE BEYOND THE CLASSROOM Japanese program prepares for exchange students’ arrival Angel Kim || STAFF WRITER
A
fter hosting a group of students from Fudo Oka High School a month earlier, the Jefferson Japanese program welcomed more students on March 5. The new visitors are from Chiben Gakuen High School in Wakayama, Japan.
“A couple days are set out for field trips around D.C., and also after school we’re going to be going to different places,” Riley said.
The exchange students will learn about Jefferson students’ lifestyles through attending events with their hosts.
“We finalized the hosting group back in December and received the coming student profiles in January,” Shen said. “I would say planning for the students arrival really kicked into gear in January.”
“I’m going to be bringing them to school he’s going to be eating the same meals as me,” sophomore Kai Riley said. “[He will be] coming to school and doing all the general activities that I do.” Though the students from Fudo Oka High School demonstrated research projects, the students from Chiben Gakuen High School will be presenting a performance, though its content matter has yet to be revealed.
Students in Jefferson’s Japanese program have gradually been preparing for the exchange students’ arrival since last semester.
The Jefferson hosts considered certain logistics, from housing to transportation. “Other preparations would be how to get to school in the morning, what to do about food, cleaning the house and preparing a place for the student to sleep,” Shen said.
Besides providing a learning experience for the students, the “They will be having a performance Japanese program will learn about of which details are [currently] being the visitors’ culture. kept from us. [It’s] likely a type of “We hope to practice our Japanese dance,” Shen said. with them,” said Shen. “We also want The hosts not only plan to show to create friendships that will last far the exchange students school life into the future.” at Jefferson, but also aspects of American culture outside of school.
ON THE RADAR: Door 8 (Former Main Entrance): now closed off for renovation. Students must check in with the new main office in the dome if late. New main stairwell connecting the main atrium to the upper level hallway and Franklin commons: now visible, not yet ready for use. GRAPHIC // Kate Deng
SEARCH SPORTS
Reflect on Jefferson students’ various sports accomplishments on tjTODAY’s online publication, tjtoday.org:
NEWS
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MAR 10, 2016
“MECHANICS: AN EXTENDED INTRODUCTION”
Physics book co-authored by Jefferson students gains recognition and support Katherine Du || TEAM LEADER
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powerful idea, supportive energy of students and teachers and over two years of work were what it took for the Class of 2015 graduate Shankar Balasubramanian and senior Ross Dempsey to publish their book, “Mechanics: An Extended Introduction.” On Feb. 14, “Mechanics: An Extended Introduction” was released on Amazon and has ranked number one on their “Hot New Releases in Physics of Mechanics” list. The classical mechanics book contains Advanced Placement (AP) material as well as challenging problems and topics not found in introductory mechanics courses. The book is geared toward a wide range of readers, from high school students interested in physics to research physicists. “There’s been a lot of excitement at TJ surrounding the book release, which I think contributed significantly to the early success,” Dempsey said. “It was a lot of fun to wake up the morning after we announced it and see that we had risen pretty highly in the Amazon rankings.”
Dempsey’s favorite aspect of the book was creating the approximately 300 diagrams using LamportTeX (LaTeX). Each diagram produced as a piece of code embedded in the text, rather than by clip art or with plotting software. “I had a little bit of experience with LaTeX diagrams when we started, so I decided to start doing them that way,” Dempsey said. “After two years of practice, I get to have fun making some pretty cool images.” Dempsey and Balasubramanian decided to co-author “Mechanics: An Extended Introduction” over two years ago, when both had been writing separate notes on various physics topics. “We thought it would be fun to put together a coherent set of notes covering mechanics, and so we started writing very rough versions of what became the chapters of our new book,” Dempsey said.
Since then, the co-authors added and pieced together sections of the book. “Mechanics: An Extended Introduction” “Mechanics: An Extended Introduction” covers material ranging from the AP was near-completion last summer, when Physics C curriculum to higher-level its length was doubled and chapter subjects including wave phenomena, material was finalized. Revisions took harmonic motion and special relativity. place during the last six months with the Problem sets mainly compiled by help of students and teachers providing Balasubramanian follow each chapter, feedback in the process. featuring popular questions from the “Ross gave out a couple of proof past, outcomes from relevant mechanics research and other scenarios that require copies to Physics Team officers and some experienced Physics Team members deeper analysis. Precise timekeeping before the book came out, and they pendulums for seafarers and a solvable helped edit the book,” senior Ray Liu, case of the three-body problem are two Jefferson Physics Team co-captain and examples of problems featured in the publicist, said. book. “[The problem sets are] all difficult, and in some cases can provide insights into physics that there wasn’t space to provide in the main text of the book,” junior Jasper Barnett, an editor of “Mechanics: An Extended Introduction,” said. “I also really liked the appendices. I learned more math in the couple hours I spent reading those than I did in Algebra 2 and Precalculus combined.”
Photo courtesy of Amazon “Mechanics: An Extended Introduction,” co-written by Balasubramanian and Dempsey, has received praise from the Jefferson community and positive reviews on Amazon after its release on Feb. 14.
a devout Evangelical Christian, but this book has me reconsidering my faith… Thank you Shankar Balasubramanian and Ross Dempsey for bringing this Holy Grail to me.”
The Physics Team officers redesigned and updated their website before announcing the release of “Mechanics: An Extended Introduction.” Liu collaborated with Dempsey and Balasubramanian to increase publicity of the book by gaining local newspaper coverage as well as holding online Q&A After being published on Amazon using sessions. Amazon Createspace, “Mechanics: An “Our goal at Physics Team is very Extended Introduction” was also available simple -- we want to spread passion [for from Barnes & Noble and Chegg within physics],” Liu said. “I can’t speak for a week. The book garnered over 210 likes [Dempsey and Balasubramanian], but I on Facebook from Jefferson students would think that they found beauty in alone, and reviews from readers were physics and they want to share that with supportive. other people by writing this book, so that About the book, an Amazon user named other people can enjoy it as well.” Jack B commented “Wow! I used to be DESIGN // Katherine Du
IN-DEPTH IN-DEPTH=
CLIMATE CHANGE?? || STAFF
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s the clock neared midnight on Jan. 28, Leonardo DiCaprio approached the stage at the 2016 Academy Awards for his Best Actor win--a victory that arrived after five previous nominations. Though Kate Winslet’s teary eyes and the standing ovation from the audience seemed to have stolen the show, DiCaprio’s acceptance speech proved even more powerful. “Climate change is real. It is happening right now,” DiCaprio said in his speech. “It’s the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating.” DiCaprio’s speech may appear to be old news, but for some, it is considered little more than figment of bad science and mere inference. While the worldwide rise in temperature may seem too apparent to dismiss, climate change and global warming are issues that are still hotly contested, debated and even denied. Websites such as Watts Up With That, run by a former American Meteorological Society (AMS) certified television meteorologist with 25 years of experience under his belt, are devoted to debunking the supposed climate change “myth.” The website proclaims itself “the world’s most-viewed site on global warming and climate change,” and whether or not this statement is true, it raises alarm about the
level of anti-climate change coverage over the Web. Regardless of what such websites present, the discussion on climate change is unavoidable, especially with the rising carbon dioxide emission levels on a global scale. “People who do not view climate change as a threat are ignoring evidence,” junior Emma Cuddy said. “It is a major issue and we need to start addressing it now.” Human activity such as deforestation and burning of fossil fuels has released significant amounts of greenhouses gases. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere show a positive trend overall in the last 11 years. “Carbon dioxide has already risen to an alarming rate, and international agreements to lower emissions are good, but we need to make sure that we honor those agreements,” freshman Robert Greene said. The annual increase in mid-tropospheric carbon dioxide levels indicate that global temperatures have been rising and will continue to do so. In 134-years time, nine of the ten warmest years have occurred after 2000, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
“Thirteen of the 14 hottest years occurred in the 21st century. Arctic sea ice is melting at unprecedented rates. This causes several long-term effects,” senior Ashwin Sivakumar said. “Water vapor in the air, the most potent greenhouse gas, by basic chemistry is able to increase in concentration when the temperature of the air increases. This causes oceans to evaporate more quickly, acidify, and cause increased hurricane and storm intensity.” The impacts of climate change are already displaying disastrous consequences. The continuing rise in global temperatures may result in intensified melting of glaciers as well as loss of habitats across the globe. “Our Earth is a human habitat, and within the ecosystems on the planet, we live at the tops of the biological communities that these ecosystems support,” geosystems teacher John Woodwell said. “We are setting ourselves back by degrading or destroying them.” In light of the climate change crisis, Jefferson is also taking action to combat the worsening conditions of the environment. “There are a number of things that we are doing at Jefferson in order to be environmentally friendly,” assistant principal Shawn Frank said. “We take this very seriously. We we want to make sure that as
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MAR 10, 2016
As atmospheric carbon dioxide rises to new heights, how can the Jefferson community work to cut back on its footprint?
a leader in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields, we’re also being a leader when it comes to our impact on the environment, because that ties in with a lot of our research studies.” Given the potentially disastrous effects of climate change, the advocates of the issue urge for making global efforts to combat climate change. Despite the intervention from businesses and legal issues that stand in the way of global change, students are still taking small steps at home and in their community to do their part. “Our family recycles, has two different types of compost and uses a rain barrel to conserve water,” Cuddy said. “We also try not to buy foods out of season so they don’t have to be shipped too far, minimizing our carbon footprint.” Targeting and avoiding the use of the main sources of carbon emissions are important strategies for environmental conservation, especially as many sources of these emissions are manmade. According to NASA, 97 percent of scientists agree that the global rise in temperatures is very likely due to human activities. The percentage represents the opinions of almost 200 worldwide scientific organizations. “The biggest anthropogenic source of CO2 is fossil fuel used in transportation, so that’s really where we ought to focus our efforts,” Woodwell said. The renovation process at Jefferson also elicits a host of questions regarding its eco-friendliness. Are renovations proceeding in a manner benefiting the environment?
Junior Amee Kapadia believes so. As president of Jefferson’s Environmental Impact Club, she has been working with the administration to ensure the renovated building is as beneficial to the environment as possible. “We had this committee a couple of years ago called the renovation committee
“If we are willing to coordinate our efforts on a global scale and take this issue seriously— we can fix this.” —junior Emma Cuddy
and we worked with the people in charge of the renovation to add different things to the new building,” Kapadia said. “The water fountains now tell you how much water you saved in gallons and we are going to have an energy display board that shows how much energy [Jefferson] is using.” However, the renovations have not come without a set of additional challenges to eco-friendly clubs. “Something we were not able to do was Power Down Day as effectively because the central power isn’t connected. It was up to the teachers to do it, making it hard-
er to preserve energy with the trailers and all the distance,” Kapadia said. “We have 22 solar panels. They are not visible right now, because we had to move them with the renovation, but they are working.” While climate change may seem like a daunting issue, some Jefferson students believe can still do their part. For their global studies project, seniors Jared Nirenberg, Virginia Pan, Hrishikesh Nair and Karl Keat are participating in “Grasses for the Masses,” a project spearheaded by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “The Chesapeake Bay Foundation supplies participants with a tub of water, some lamps, trays and seeds,” Nirenberg said. “[Participants] can plant the seeds and grow seagrasses for about three months on their own time and at their own location. In about May, [the Chesapeake Bay Foundation] has days where they invite participants to come to sites [in the Potomac and James Rivers] and plant the grasses.” While such actions may seem small in comparison to the worldwide climate crisis, the students believe that they have the ability to make a difference. “If we are willing to coordinate our efforts on a global scale and take this issue seriously — we can fix this,” Cuddy said. “The earth has been around much longer than humans, so it can bounce back provided we don’t let [climate change] get too far.”
DESIGN// Kate Deng PHOTOS//Esther Kim
8 IN-DEPTH
CLIMATE CHANGE IN POLITICS Katherine Hughes and Madeline Old || STAFF REPORTERS
C
limate change as a political issue has spent the past few years on the back burner of public opinion. Moderators haven’t emphasized climate change as an election issue in debates as threats from the Islamic State, the economy and guns often take up limited debate time. However, recent studies suggest that climate change is still a significant issue, for more reasons than heartbreaking stories of habitat loss. Approximately 70 percent of Americans believe climate change is real, according to a poll released by the National Surveys on Energy and the Environment. Even a greater percentage of Jefferson students believe in climate change, although their concerns about its effects vary. “I think the Republican party as a whole should do more to address climate change, but I also think a lot of people have legitimate concerns over the impact it has on businesses and I know a lot of people rely on cheap energy prices,” sophomore Brandon Kim, a member of the Teenage Republicans club, said. Although many Jefferson students agreed climate change is real and was caused by human activity, their opinions on how to deal with it varied. Some students believe in strict government regulation, while other students believe in other methods of
reigning in climate change. The more conservative students are able to reconcile their belief in climate change with their party’s laissez-faire beliefs, however. “I really like Carly Fiorina’s message where she very clearly stated
“I would say climate change is the most important economic issue because climate change has the potential to wipe out 20% of the world GDP if it goes on unimpeded. It’s also a national security issue as well because climate change will start resource wars through drought.”
-Senior Sahaj Sharda we should focus on more innovation than more regulation,” senior Ria Chakrabarti, the Vice-President of Teenage Republicans, said. “I think in Obama’s last term, in his new budget plan, he’s trying to put more ten dollar taxes on crude oil and is actually bringing us into more of a deficit rather than the last seven years when he was taking us out of one.” Other students who believe in regulation cite the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, a legally binding agree-
ment between 195 countries detailing set climate goals, to support their argument. These students believe if a Republican were to become president, Obama’s plan to conform with the Paris Climate Agreement, the Clean Power Plan, wouldn’t remain in place and the Paris agreement would fall apart for countries throughout the world. “I support Hillary Clinton, and yes, her stance on climate change has affected my opinion of her,” senior Sahaj Sharda, President of Young Democrats, said. “I support Hillary Clinton because she has a better chance of being elected president [than Bernie Sanders] and that’s critical for climate change.” Although some students differ in their opinions on the best way to handle climate change, all the interviewees agreed that climate change was real and that it was caused by human activity. They also agreed politicians who don’t believe in climate change are often close-minded. “The thing about politicians who don’t accept any view on climate change other than the fact that it might not exist or that humans might not have an impact on it really just shows that they aren’t willing to consider what other people think,” Kim said.
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MARCH 10, 2016
THE SURPRISING LINK BETWEEN AVIATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE:
Will climate change delay your flights?
WASTE WITHDRAWAL What happens to Jefferson’s trash and recycling?
FOR TRASH
FOR PAPER ate
// K TO HO
g
Den
P
Angel Kim || STAFF REPORTER PORTER
W
hen you thinkk about the effects of climate change, delayed air travel probably bably doesn’t immediately come to mind. However, some may find the link surprising. Simulations in a study conducted by Paul Williams and published in Environmental Research Letters show that as jet streams accelerate, roundtrip flights across the Atlantic Ocean increase in length. Jet streams are swift, high-altitude currents, and a segment of the stream flows along the path of many trans-Atlantic flights. The rising speed of the jet stream is caused by the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which have also been a factor of growing turbulence in flights. The study mainly focused on flights between New York and London, stating that though the jet stream will make westbound flights longer, it will make eastbound flights shorter. In fact, many flight paths already use the jet stream to arrive at their destina-
tion faster. D Despite this, overall times will increase because the flights from incre London will be slowed down at a higher highe rate than flights from New York Yo will be sped up. While flight durations will only change by a few minutes, the consequences will add up. There are about 600 flights along the jet stream daily, and if planes are airborne for longer times, fuel consumption and carbon dioxide release will increase. The prolonged round trips and the extra fuel needed for them will likely cause plane ticket prices to increase. Unless people dramatically reduce carbon emissions over the next few decades, the speed of the jet stream is expected to increase by about 15 percent. Although there have been few investigations on fuel-efficient planes, it is becoming a growing field. As of now, carbon dioxide emissions from planes are adding to the pollution in the atmosphere, which, in the first place, is the cause of the jet stream problem.
FOR BOTTLES Trash is emptied daily, while bottle and paper recycling is emptied about once a week
Photo courtesy of Fairfax County Public Schools
Polystyrene objects and trash are sent to an energy resource recovery system (ERRS) facility in Lorton, Va. 96,000 Fairfax County homes receive energy via these processes Information from custodian Junpei Yuan and fcps.edu
GRAPHIC//Katherine Du DESIGN//Kate Deng
ADS
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ADS
11
MAR 10, 2016
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12 IN-DEPTH
ONE DISEASE, ONE STUDENT
A student’s empowering story of overcoming aplastic anemia Katherine Du and Uzma Rentia || TEAM LEADERS
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n January, doctors diagnosed sophomore Nathan Chen with severe aplastic anemia, a condition in which bone marrow does not produce enough blood cells because the body’s stem cells are attacked by the immune system.
trying to get me that for Chinese. WHAT HAS HELPED YOU PAST HARD TIMES? WHAT ARE YOU MOST THANKFUL FOR? PLATELETS
BONE MARROW
HOW HAS APLASTIC ANEMIA AFFECTED YOUR LIFE? It basically takes your whole world upside down. You’re not allowed to go into public places because of fear of getting infected. But, the positive side of that is there’s a lot more free time for me.
RED BLOOD CELLS
APLASTIC ANEMIA - How
HOW DO YOU PLAN ON BALANCING SCHOOLWORK AND YOUR TREATMENT? I’m getting homebound teachers [set up by the county] that come to my house. I’m Skyping into Driver’s Ed, which is always fun. Another really interesting thing that they’re trying to work out is they’re trying to use this virtual reality robot, the size of a human, but with an iPad instead of an head, and they’re
MATH? SCIENCE?
ENGLISH? HISTORY?
ARTS?
first thing they tell you is, “Don’t worry, you’re going to be okay,” and that’s what you want to hear to steer you in the right mindset.
WHITE BLOOD CELLS
does it work? Information from mayoclinic.org and consumerhealthdigest.com
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH APLASTIC ANEMIA? I gained a lot of perspective. Most of us are just sort of worried about grades and friends, and you don’t really consider your health to be an issue until it becomes one. When you get [aplastic anemia]...you don’t really think about the future, at least I don’t. I’m just worried about doing the best I can here and now. I think that’s a good perspective to maintain, because there’s a lot less stress if you do the best job you can now, and you don’t really have much to regret in the future.
My parents [have] been really supportive, because it’s hard for them WHAT WOULD YOU TELL INDIVIDUALS too. When you’re in a hospital for so WHO ARE FACING HARDSHIPS? long, you develop bonds with everyone We all have tough times, but you have there, so all the doctors and people at to figure out a way to push yourself NIH (National Institutes of Health) out. It starts with a winning attitude and that I know helped me through. The the belief that you will succeed.
MAKING TOUGH DECISIONS
Students start the course selection process Millan Welman || STAFF REPORTER
With the opening of the Course Selector, students have begun the annual tradition of course selection for the coming year. For freshmen, the experience is their first as Jefferson students, making the whole process and its implications for the rest of their high school careers seem “intimidating,” in the words of freshman Joyce Liu. “It feels as if I am planning out the rest of my academic path at TJ,” Liu said. For sophomores coming up on junior
year, decisions about workload increasing come into play, especially in relation to extracurriculars. “I do [both] debate and track,” sophomore Sean Ji said. “I can’t be taking too many hard classes.” Junior Laura Chu, however, encourages underclassmen to remain optimistic, but open-minded. “Do don’t overload yourself or not take advantage of opportunities to challenge yourself academically,” Chu said.
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MARCH 10, 2016
SHE SAYS V. SHE SAYS - ELECTION EDITION Who’s the better democratic candidate - Clinton or Sanders?
Hillary is a (Clin)ton of fun as a presidential candidate Sruthi Jayaraman || STAFF WRITER
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s the primaries finish up in the United States, everyone is waiting to find out which Democratic candidate will participate in the general elections in November. The contenders in the Democratic primaries are Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. The public is split on whether Clinton or Sanders will make a better president, but many think that Clinton is more likely to win than Sanders. Although Sanders has been in politics longer than Clinton, as Sanders has been involved for 26 years while Clinton has been involved for 23, Clinton seems to be more experienced due to her years as Secretary of State and her first presidential campaign. “Clinton is more likely to win because
she has established herself in politics while Sanders is a relatively new candidate,” senior Deepika Gudavalli said. Another problem that sets Sanders back is that he comes off as socialist due to his extremely liberal views, such as his single-payer medical insurance plan and his free college tuition for everyone. Sanders also does not appeal to all demographics, such as African Americans. As Senator of Vermont and the state’s low population of the minority group, Sanders never had the chance to build a relationship with the African American community, and it is now hurting him in the primaries. Some think that it is not that Sanders is a bad candidate, it is just that Clinton is
more realistic with her goals. “Sanders has really great ideas that I would like to see, but I do not think he will be able to execute them with as much efficacy as Clinton,” junior Pranavi Nara said.
Feel the “Bern” with Bernie Sanders this race season Anna Zhang || STAFF WRITER
B
ursting into the public in 2015, Bernard “Bernie” Sanders was first elected mayor in 1981 and
has been involved in politics ever since. Sanders is known for his socialist ideas with his liberal views capturing the hearts of millions of voters. “I personally like Sanders as a candidate as he has supported the working class throughout his career. He has plenty of legislative and executive experience, and would be a great president,” junior Jeb Berger said. “If I could vote this March 1st or November, I would support him.” Although his views are appealing, some Jefferson students wonder if Bernie has the political influence to negotiate deals with nuanced countries such as China or Russia when compared to the contender, Hillary
Photos courtesy of orlando-politics.com and thecontributor.com
Clinton. “[Clinton] is an excellent politician with incredible foreign policy experience under the Obama administration,” Berger said. “I do, however, believe Sanders has her bested in consistency on issues and being more progressive during his career.” Overall, Bernie supporters seem to believe that his longstanding views are appealing and make up for any lack of foreign policy experience. “I think that he won’t be able to do anything due to the stubborn republican congress, but he’s the best, and he’s a sweet old man that has been fighting for everyone’s rights since the 50’s,” sophomore Masha Goykhberg said. DESIGN || ANKIT AGRAWAL
14 IN-DEPTH
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS AND ACTIVITIES
Environmental Impact Club works toward a MAKING AN IMPACT: Jefferson’s cleaner earth Lilia Qian || Staff Writer
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efferson’s variety of eighth period activities give students many opportunities to pursue interests. The Environmental Impact Club meets on Wednesday B-blocks to raise awareness about environmental concerns. One of Environmental Impact Club’s main goals is to change environmental policies by raising awareness about issues. “We want to create a healthy environment through not only scientific ways like the Environmental Science Club, but also conservation and legislative means using actual advocacy. By taking real and solid action, we hope to preserve and protect the Earth,” freshman Mithra Dhinakaran said. The club is split up into several committees, including the education committee, the paper committee, EV charging stations, and re-mineralization. Each committee serves its own purpose. “Each committee is different. Some examples of committees include the paper committee; they usually sort paper. EV charging stations is more research-based,” Kathryn Yang said. “They’re trying to get hybrid charging stations into TJ and the community.” The paper committee helps conserve Jefferson’s paper resources by sorting out paper to be reused. “The paper committee sorts all the extra paper that the school prints out. You know the cover sheets that say your name? We take those and arrange them for teachers and others to use,” Dhinakaran said. The education committee frequently prepares presentations to deliver to younger students at Weyanoke Elementary School. “The next time we go to Weyanoke, we’re going to let the kids
SOLUTIONS TO 21st CENTURY PROBLEMS Natalie Homnyom || Staff Writer
Sending letters to congressmen, making videos and debating are just a few of the actions Solutions to 21st Century Problems take to raise awareness of issues relevant to today. “We try to engage everyone in friendly discussion about what we can do to improve both on a societal level and an individual level,” co-president and junior Victoria Bevard said. Throughout the year, the club has covered a multitude of environmental issues including global warming, the ozone layer, and greenhouse emission. “[We] brainstorm solutions to combat these challenges. They can be creative; they can be wacky, but it’s supposed to get people thinking,” junior and co-president Arun Bhattasali said.
PHOTO // Lilia Qian Members of Environmental Resource Club work on a presentation for kindergartners at Weyanoke Elementary School on deforestation. They met to practice presenting during B block in eighth period on Feb. 14.
build little truffula trees from ‘The Lorax’,” Dhinakaran said. “We’re going to build a forest to show how beautiful that is, and how we need to protect the environment.” Environmental Impact will continue expanding to promote protecting many different aspects the environment. “[Environmental Impact Club is] the only [club] like this at TJ, and we’re striving towards change energy-wise, and looking at different topics. I think that’s really important, and it helps me be able to explore what I want to do,” Yang said.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE CLUB Mei Baek || Staff Writer
In Environmental Resource Club, which meets every Friday during B-block., club members find creative and interesting ways to recycle materials in order to diminish the effects of pollution on the environment. “The goal of the club is to upcycle thrown away materials to reduce waste,” senior Geetika Mahajan, the Director of Technology for the club, said. “We do this by making useful crafts and repurposing discarded items.” Each meeting, members work on projects that are planned by the officers beforehand. Whether it’s making pencil pouches from used duffel bags or filling old jars with grains and beans for donation, officers are always looking to make
the best use of things that others would rather toss in the trash. “Since we make other useful things out of recycled materials, it helps to reduce a lot of waste,” sophomore Jean Kim said. Recently, the club is working to make dog and cat toys from scrap fabric to donate them to a local shelter. “In an increasingly single use society, I think it is important for us to not only work to use less, but also work to reuse our resources whenever possible,” senior Virginia Pan, the club’s Vice President, explained. “In addition, we often try to donate our finished products as part of community service projects.”
IN-DEPTH
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MARCH 10, 2016
EXPLORING THE ENVIRONMENT JARED NIRENBERG //
KATHY JIANG //
Katherine Du || Team Leader
Lilia Qian || Staff Writer
ALGAE RESEARCH
OYSTER RESEARCH
Q: PLEASE GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT.
Q: CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR LAB?
A: Our project is looking at the biosorption capacity of heavy metals by a type of algae called Sargassum and its ability to retain that capacity over several uses. Even though that may sound complicated, the ideas behind it are pretty simple. Heavy metal ions, like copper and cobalt, are found in polluted waters, especially with industrial discharge, and they are toxic to aquatic life. Sargassum has a compound in its cell walls that heavy metal ions bind to, which takes them out of the water. In this way, Sargassum can be thought of as a sponge; it “soaks up” heavy metal ions in solution. But just as you can wring out a sponge, the heavy metal ions can be removed from the Sargassum by running dilute acid through it. What we are most interested in, and current research hasn’t looked at much, is how well Sargassum can adsorb heavy metal ions after already being used before and then having acid run through it to remove those metals.
Q: WHAT PART OF THE PROJECT IS YOUR FAVORITE?
A: My favorite part is every time that we test the concentration of heavy metals in the water after we treat it with the Sargassum and see that it is consistently lower than the initial concentration. Even though we knew from research that it would work that way, it’s still great to get confirmation that the idea that’s the basis of the whole project is correct.
Q: WHAT ARE SOME IMPACTS YOU CAN FORESEE COMING FROM THE RESEARCH THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON?
A: The ideas and results from our project could be applied with an impact in wastewater treatment, which often has high levels of heavy metals. Rather than treating the water with chemicals, putting a natural algae could potentially be just as effective.
A: Basically, oceanography is the research lab that--the way Ms. Wu describes it--encompasses all of the different disciplines, so you could do a project related to biology, chemistry, the environment, even engineering. My project is on oysters and metal toxicity, and there’s also projects on whales, and lionfish and stuff like that.
Q: HOW DOES YOUR PROJECT RELATE TO THE ENVIRONMENT?
A: My project is on oysters and metal toxicity and basically the rationale for why I’m studying this topic is because that as the human population has increased, so has the amount of pollution that we output each year, and a lot of this pollution takes the form of runoff from factories and power plants that go into our marine ecosystems and in these marine ecosystems, oysters are a filter feeder which means they filter out all the stuff that’s bad for the environment.
Q: WAS THERE AN ENVIRONMENTAL TARGET WHEN YOU JOINED THE LAB, AND HAVE YOU DEVELOPED INTEREST IN THE LAB AFTER BEING IN THE LAB?
A: The project I originally wanted to do wasn’t related to oysters, but in the beginning of the year Ms. Wu gave us a list of raw topics, suggesting potential topics, and one of the options was oysters so I just chose that. I haven’t really conducted my experiment yet, it’s still in the design stage.
Q: WHAT IS YOUR HOPE FOR THE PROJECT?
A: I just want to get some significant results for it. I also want to provide new data and a new research topic that will be there as a basis or reference for future studies on oysters and metal toxicity.
GIL OSOFSKY //
SHARK FIN SOUP RESEARCH Neha Bhargava || Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Gil Osofsky Senior Gil Osofsky presents his research project during Jefferson’s annual Science Fair.
Senior Gil Osofsky is part of the Oceanography and Geophysical Systems Research Lab. For his project, Osofsky plans to do genetic analysis on shark fin soup from different Chinese restaurants around the area to check if these restaurants actually use shark in their soup and also if the shark they use is on the list of endangered species. “I hope to understand the shark fin market in Virginia and understand whether the international regulations are being followed properly,” said Osofsky. “Because if they are not, new regulations need to be instituted and my research could possible be part of making those regulations part of the new legislation.” DESIGN // Katherine Du
SCI & TECH SPOTLIGHT ON:
SARA RAFALSON
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Katherine Du || TEAM LEADER
ara Rafalson works at Sol Systems, a company that collaborates with developers, solar installers, and investors in solar energy. Sol Systems aims to increase financing opportunities for solar. Since joining Sol Systems, Rafalson has watched the company expand from a start-up in a single conference room to hiring workers in several states, including Philadelphia and California. On Feb. 19, Rafalson spoke to tjTODAY about her personal experience working in the solar industry, Sol Systems, as well as the future of solar and her views on climate change.
ABOUT SARA: WHEN DID YOU REALIZE YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK IN THE SOLAR INDUSTRY? I didn’t get into the solar industry purposefully. I knew I wanted to have some sort of career related to climate change, and energy was a tangible way to do that. I ended up finding Sol Systems on the Internet and applied, and I’ve loved every second of being in the solar industry. You really feel like you’re part of something big, and there is a strong sense of community among industry professionals. WHAT ASPECTS OF THE RESEARCH ARE YOU SPECIFICALLY WORKING ON? One of the most rewarding things I have done is become involved in Women in Solar Energy (WISE); I serve as President of our national non-profit. It’s been a good way for me to build my network of solar women friends across the country. WISE has been valuable from my career; I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to get to know so many like-minded, smart women and count them as friends. Another memory – a really fun one – was the Solar Battle of the Bands in San Francisco last July. Five or so solar companies perform and compete, and the audience votes for the winner. I think back on experiences like that and think about
how this is such a cool industry, and this is a really great time to be in solar.
SOL SYSTEMS: WHAT SKILLS OR ABILITIES ARE IMPORTANT TO HAVE FOR WORKING IN THE SOLAR INDUSTRY? I would say that having a passion for environmental causes is important. Even if we are hiring someone right out of college or an intern, we want to see that they are part of a club and they’re actively involved in a leadership role. That’s one reason I really enjoyed speaking TWIST (Today’s Women in Science and Technology). WHAT TYPES OF JOBS DO SOLAR ENERGY COMPANIES OFFER? Anything and everything. You can be a solar installer or work in marketing and computer programming. You don’t have to worry about having all the skills when just starting out. A company will train you and help you to grow professionally.
SOLAR ENERGY: WHY CHOOSE SOLAR ENERGY OVER OTHER RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES? I really like solar [energy] because of its potential; you can really do it anywhere. You can do solar on a rooftop, and if you think about how many rooftops there are
in the United States, or globally, there is a lot of potential.the health of their babies. WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO TO SUPPORT SOLAR ENERGY CAMPAIGNS? I would encourage everybody at your high school and your parents to keep an eye out and see what happens to the special subcommittee. The solar energy bills [put forth in early February] should be heard in the summer, but we’ve also heard it could be earlier. Hopefully something will come out of it, and all the different parties will work together and openly to find a solution that will work for everybody. It’s going to be interesting. The improvement of state policy conditions is critical for growing the local solar economy. If you want to support solar, you could put it on your roof in Virginia. You can also volunteer. There’s a nonprofit called GRID Alternatives that allows volunteers to install solar for the day. WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON CLIMATE CHANGE -- YOUR VIEWS? I work in solar because I feel passionate about climate change. Although I’m an environmentalist, solar has so many other benefits. Solar creates jobs – over 200,000 of them nationwide. There are benefits to the electric grid, an opportunity to save people money on their electricity bills, and it allows for us to be energy independent.
SCI & TECH
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MARCH 10, 2016
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
MUSEUM OFFERS EYE-OPENING EXHIBITS ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND US Natalie Homnyom || STAFF REPORTER
GORONGOSA REBORN: THE CAMERAMAN’S JOURNALS
PRISTINE SEAS: THE OCEAN’S LAST WILD PLACES
Documenting the majesty of Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique, documentarian, filmmaker and Emmy Awardwinning cinematographer Bob Poole hopes that with this Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)/National Geographic series, he will raise awareness about this war-torn reserve. The show focuses on rebuilding the sanctuary and features scientists including Poole’s sister. Poole will speak at National Geographic museums across the country and Canada until March 29.
As he traveled across the planet, Enric Sala documented his search for the untouched wonders of the ocean. The National Geographic exhibit based on his journeys in Washington, D.C. will be open until March 27. The free exhibit features photographs from his book, behind-the-scenes images and an underwater video wall. Sala and his team hope this exhibit will inspire people to protect the natural marvel.
BETTER LATTE THAN NEVER: A closer look on coffee’s effects on the body
GRAPHIC // Avni Singh DESIGN // Uzma Rentia
Distraught during an all-nighter, you reach for the coffee pot. Just what are you actually doing to your body?
Can make you dehydrated
Increases blood sugar levels
Increases Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)
Can disrupt sleep patterns
BY THE NUMBERS FACT 1: The average
size of a cup of coffee is nine ounces Information from CNN, Huffington Post and AARP
FACT 2: The total num-
ber of daily coffee drinkers in the US is 100 million
FACT 3: The average price of an espress-based drink is $2.45
18
SCI & TECH
A Closer Look: THE ZIKA VIRUS SYMPTOMS
Joint Pain
TREATMENT
AFFECTED AREAS
No Vaccine Yet
Fatigue/Fever
Origin of Outbreak:
Brazil Rash
Red Eyes
Stay Hydrated
Rest
SPREAD
DEFECTS Passed on through sexual intercourse and blood transfusion
Transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes
Can be transmitted to a fetus during pregnancy
Microcephaly Causes babies to have abnormally small heads, leading to developmental issues that vary in severity
Information from The Washington Post, CDC
GRAPHIC// Uzma Rentia
VEGETABLE OIL UNTANGLES THE JUMBLED MYSTERY OF PLASTICS Angie Sohn || STAFF WRITER
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ho knew that olive oil could be related to the creation of plastics? Scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich stumbled upon a more environmentally-friendly method of creating a polymer named polyethylene (PE) using oil. Often used in many household appliances and garbage bags, polyethylene is a more durable type of polymer than others.
harm to both the environment and health of factory workers. Then, the use of oil on plastic was discovered serendipitously when scientists in Sweden, led by Theo Tervoot, were experimenting with wax on skis. Wanting to create a better wax that that could make skis glide easier, they added PE strands to hopefully create a film of wax. What they ended up finding was that the PE strands have untangled themselves without the use of solvent.
Since wax is an oil, the scientists continued their tests to peanut oil, olive oil and stearic acid, a chemical found in animal fats. All of the “It’s very intriguing how something like vegetable or olive oil can tested oil proved to be successful, and they even ended up creating become a groundbreaking method for creating polymers,” freshman longer strands that were twice as durable as the strands created with June Ok said. solvent. Not only did the method using vegetable oil achieve better Despite their durability, the traditional process of making PE results, it was also a safer strategy in the production of PE strands. strands poses a serious problem. The strands can often tangle with “It’s [the oil method] safer and makes better fibers, so even if one another, so solvents are applied to spread them apart. The it was discovered by accident, it’s a huge step to having a more solvent evaporates once the strands are separated, but it leaves environmentally friendly future in the [polymer] industry,” freshman behind hazardous fumes that can contribute to smog that poses Elena Zhang said. DESIGN || Uzma Rentia
ADS
19
MARCH 10, 2016
Expect more than a job. Expect to make a difference that empowers you to contribute to the energy industry and America.
www.novec.com/careers
SPORTS In the first baton pass-off of the 400-meter relay, senior Sydney Miller stands to reach one of her team members, sophomore Alynne Cutler.
RACING FOR A STATE OF SUCCESS ATHLETES STRIVE FOR A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP VICTORY
Photo courtesy of Sammy Tavassoli
Sammy Tavassoli || STAFF REPORTER
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n the morning of February 26, while most students dashed to reach their second class on time, the members of the Jefferson Track and Field team bustled into vehicles departing for a very different race. After weeks on end of diligent preparation, these runners and field athletes eagerly strode into the Boo William’s Sportsplex, prepared to earn their marks in the Virginia High School League’s Indoor Track Championship. The athletes each qualified for their events through skill demonstrations from previous track meets’ times and distances, improving throughout the season in an effort to make the state team. Following semi-finalist elimination, of these participants, six individual athletes and five relay teams reigned as eligible for a final round of competition, set to occur on the
morning of the following day. Once the final races subsided, the team achieved many victories, including junior Saurav Velleleth securing first place in the two mile run, senior Hongyi (Charlie) Guan obtaining second place in the 55-meter hurdles and senior Nathan Foss achieving third place in the mile run. While most would’ve considered the meet assertive of more pressure on athletes to perform at their best, runners actually took the occasion as rather an exhibition of their talents. “I didn’t feel much pressure [and] just wanted to have fun racing with some of the best hurdlers in the state. That’s the mentality I always have when I compete, and that’s why I enjoy racing,” second place winner Guan said.
PHOTO || Bayliss Wagner
SPORTS
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MAR 10, 2016
The team notably prided the state championship Though most athletes remained confident amidst the participants, considering their scores to be the culmination pressure presented by the meet, fumbles still occurred of their seasonal efforts. The preparation that these feats amongst the team’s opponents and members. entailed were nothing short of “If you fumble or mess up in middle strenuous, forcing the athletes to of the event, then just suck it up. I’ve settle for practicing six days a week fallen at meets couple of times when for two hours each. The practices I first started hurdling but that didn’t “I didn’t feel much pressure led to advances in stamina and detract me [into] quitting my race,” [and] just wanted to have fun speed during the months prior to Guan said. racing with some of the best the competition. Athletes, however, However, the key to smooth success soon developed other strategies for hurdlers in the state. That’s in the field remained to be the time improvement depending on their the mentality I always have and energy athletes allotted to bringing particular needs. when I compete, and that’s about improvements. By budgeting “I’ve tried to improve my core why I enjoy racing” their time to allow for steady practices, strength a lot, which helps to give they more efficiently brought about you explosive starts to sprints and -Senior Charlie Guan their athletic progressions. endurance,” fourteenth place winner “The biggest thing [for prospective sophomore Alynne Cutler said. “To competitors] is putting the time and improve times, just focus on one effort into practicing,” third place thing at a time,[until] you get that, and winner Foss said. “I’m satisfied about how it got me third soon you’ll see progress.” place, and as well as a new best for indoor track.”
MARCH CALENDAR 6:30 pm vs. Eastern HS
MAR. 11 Girls 4:00 pm vs. West Springfield HS @ Jefferson District Park Boys 4:00 pm vs. West Springfield HS @ Wakefield Park JV Girls 6:00 pm @ South Lakes HS V Boys V Girls
HOME
MAR. 12
MAR. 10 JV Boys
AWAY
6:00 pm vs. Trinity Christian 7:30 pm @ South Lakes HS
JV Boys
10:00 am vs. Synder Baseball Academy
MAR. 14 Boys
4:00 pm @ Lake Braddock Secondary School
V Boys
6:30 vs. West Potomac HS
MAR. 15 JV Boys
6:30 pm vs. Dominion HS
BASEBALL
TENNIS
LACROSSE GRAPHIC//Alexa Nguonly DESIGN// Uzma Rentia
22 SPORTS
A PREVIEW OF THE SPRING SPORTS TO COME
Jefferson athletes prepare for the upcoming sports season Hyun Jin Cho and Lilia Qian || STAFF REPORTERS
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he winter season has just ended, but spring sports are already getting ready to begin. Whether it’s the students’ first or last season in the sport, the spring season never fails to bring new determination to Jefferson athletes. “I started [crew] as a freshman,” senior William Randolph said. “It’s a lot of fun. I really love this sport. Close group of guys, sometimes you’re goofing around, but I really think it’s a unique experience rowing on a boat that’s rowing well. It’s a good feeling, it’s kind of special. Next year I should be rowing in college, so that’s exciting for me.” As a sport that co continues yearround, many track athletes will also continue the sport through the sp spring. “In freshman year I joined winter track, and then that led to spring track and winter track this year, and spring track [this spring],” sophomore Ashley Lin said. “This spring, I’m trying to qualify for regionals and maybe states.” Soccer teams, which consist of boys’ and girls’ junior varsity (JV) and varsity teams, welcomed both new and returning players to the team at tryouts, which began on Feb. 22. “Every day, we would warm up,” freshman Charlotte Wickert said. “We would do some drills, passing or keepaway, and at the end we would scrimmage. The gym would be split in two sides, and there would be a game going on at each side.” Returning athletes reminisced about their tryout experiences in the previous years. “I did enjoy tryouts though as I made a lot of new friends with people trying
out and the people already on the team,” sophomore Rishit Roy said. “It was also fun playing with all my friends.” Many spring sports, including girls’ lacrosse, had trouble getting proper tryouts due to the bad weather conditions during the week. Luckily, the coaches were able to create makeshift plans to assess the players. “The field was unusable so we had to practice passing inside, and towards the end, we did three on three’s, which was funny because we were scrimmaging and instead of goals we used empty trash cans,” freshman Emmalyn Kim, the team’s attacker forward, said. “Although that was different, it also taught us to drive to the goal instead of just shooting.” New players are also setting goals for themselves and learning how to achieve them. “I hope I can improve my game and learn how to bat in the new manner, ‘slapping,’” freshman Grace Stewart, the third base player for the softball team,
said. Jefferson athletes are aiming to lead their individual teams into victory this season and working hard together. The mix of experience in players allows students to learn from each other and play as one. “We have the potential to be a very good team this season led by a strong core of seniors,” junior Ankush Joshi, a pitcher and infielder for the baseball team, said. “I think we can become a strong team in our conference and win regular season and playoff games.”
PHOTO// Hyun Jin Cho
Lacrosse is one of the sports available for students to play at school during the spring season this year. Jefferson girls’ varsity and JV teams spend thier time after school practicing by scrimmaging against each other.
SPORTS
23
MARCH 10, 2016 The crew team spends their time after school in order to prepare for future regattas. Jefferson’s women crew members work to perfect and synchronize their strokes during practice at the Occoquan River.
ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT
Photo courtesy of Christine Zhao
Stroke by stroke, crew team propels itself into season Bayliss Wagner || STAFF WRITER
E
very afternoon, members of Jefferson’s crew team rush to get changed and board the bus for the thirty-minute ride to the scenic Occoquan River. The team arrives at their boathouse at Sandy Run Regional Park and practices until sunset—each practice gets longer as the daylight hours increase, eventually lasting from around 4:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. On red days, practices are even longer; the team practices during every B-block until the season ends in late May or early June. Before spring sports began on Monday, Feb. 22, most of the team participated in indoor crew conditioning throughout the winter months. “Winter conditioning is an important part [of training] because it keeps us fit for the season,” junior Ari Anugu said. Though there are no official tryouts for crew, the coaches place each of the sixteen boys’ and girls’ team members with the fastest 2000 meter erg times, or “2K” times, in the top two boats after only a few weeks of the spring season. “No one wants to be lagging behind,” Anugu said. “If you don’t do winter conditioning, it’s kind of hard to keep up with the pace.” While returning members compete for spots on the upper boats, freshman and
novices begin their training by watching them. “The first two weeks of practice are mixed boats because we have to teach the novices how to row,” junior Roma Chitko said. Freshmen in particular have to accustom themselves to listening to their coxswains
people in the boat to see what works better, so not everything is dependent on your [2K] times,”Anugu said. The team continues to row 2K’s on ergometer machines often throughout the spring season. Though rowing 2000 meters at once is strenuous and stressful, 2K’s are an important marker of improvement “No one wants to for crew team members, according to sophomore Artemis Veizi. be lagging behind. If “I don’t like doing them, but the you don’t do winter feeling afterwards is great because you accomplished something that’s really hard conditioning, it’s to get through,” Veizi said. “If you PR kind of hard to keep [make a personal record] it feels amazing. up with the pace.” I improved over a minute from my first to last 2K.” From Veizi’s perspective, members must -Junior Ari Anugu carefully pick a pace to ensure that they have rowed as hard as they possibly can directing them, rowing in synchronization while testing, but not so fast that they and enduring long hours of practice. overexert themselves and are unable Everyone makes a boat, and training for to maintain their speed. “It’s really the freshmen continues without the more stressful,” Veizi said. experienced members rowing beside All in all, crew team members are them after boat placements. confident that their hard work and time Members of the crew team have room commitment will benefit them this for change and improvement even after season. the coaches have made initial lineups, “It’s going to be a really competitive though. season and it’s going to push everyone to “As the season goes on they try different be better,” Anugu said. DESIGN// Ankit Agrawal
OPINION
4
First Day of School
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CHANGING THE CALENDAR FCPS’ consideration of a pre-labor day start in 2017 is depriving students of their opportunity for summer growth
F
or Fairfax County Public that FCPS has legal authority to Schools (FCPS) students, Labor Day traditionally Though not marks the end of summer. As one last ‘hurrah’ before the academic passed for the year begins, it is a chance to spend 2016-17 year, FCPS time with family before the annual workload of homework and will consider a extracurricular activities. However, start date that falls this could soon change. According to before Labor Day a press release on Feb. 9, FCPS will consider start date that falls before for the 2017-2018 Labor Day for the 2017-18 calendar. Though Virginia has a law that dictates a post-labor day start, FCPS qualifies for a waiver due to an average of 8.4 snow days during five of the past ten years. The Virginia law, known as the King’s Dominion Law, mandates that school start after Labor Day in order ensure teen seasonal employment in venues such as amusement parks and pools, which traditionally stay open until Labor Day weekend. Though the recent snow days mean
calendar.
begin school earlier, it is not in the best interest of students. The King’s Dominion Law helps students gain summer employment by ensuring their employers that they will be able to work through the end of the summer. Overriding this law would be extremely problematic for students who need to work over the summer in order to save money for
college or other expenses. This earlier start date would disproportionally affect poorer students for this reason. The new start date would also mean that TJ students who pursue internships over the summer could be deprived of time to relax before the start of the school year. Labor Day weekend is a time for families to connect and enjoy; students should not be burdened with homework and the pressures of a new school year during this time. It is not in the interest of student’s mental health or emotional wellbeing to start school before Labor Day. When developing the 2017-18 academic calendar, FCPS should take the best interest of all students in mind. In this case, it is not in students’ best interest to make up missed school days due to snow, but instead to have time to rest, relax or work if need be – through Labor Day weekend.
DESIGN // KATHERINE DU
OPINION
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MAR 10, 2016
SNOW NOW OR NO SNOW?
A closer look at the pros and cons of snow days
M
any can sympathize with the feeling of total relief after refreshing their Twitter feed ten times every five minutes to finally find Ryan McElveen’s tweet on school closing. This feeling doesn’t come from just not attending classes the following day, but from the wide array of activities available during that free time. First is homework, whether it’s catching up on school work or just plainly not doing it. With the heavy workload from many teachers at Jefferson, students are constantly fighting against time in order to finish their list of assigned tasks from classes. The extra day is a lifesaver for those who have yet to complete their lists. If all the assignments on the list have been checked off, the day then serves as the one day when students do not have to worry about school. If we are to enjoy a “no homework” day, Fairfax County Public Schools’ (FCPS) closing is the ideal time to balance out Christine Zhao || STAFF WRITER
different aspects of a Jefferson student’s life: clubs and sports, family and friends, school and sleep. At a school like Jefferson, I would call it ambition to want to maintain all of these aspects well through all four years, and many choose to give up one to manage another. One of these aspects is sleep, a current county-wide issue. Although FCPS implemented changes to the school schedules (elementary, middle, and high) to accommodate for this problem, a snow day is sleep time for many of us. If a student has chosen to focus on the extracurricular portion, the day can be spent to refine and advance skills for a certain activity. Finally, it’s a catch-up day to make up for the time we lost with friends and family as our busy schedules may interfere with relationships with loved ones. Reasons such as homework and balancing life come to mind as students let out a sigh of relief for FCPS’s infamous snow days.
Snow days: no room for much else
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Snow days: stress relievers
MiJin Cho || STAFF WRITER
hile snow days hand us a seemingly endless amount of free time to catch up on social media or work on that next internship application, students with a heavy courseload might uncover the other side to this double edged sword-- especially those who pack their schedules with AP courses. As all my AP teachers reiterate, the AP date is never going to change the full weight of the days that were lost comes back to smack you in the face after the snow days are over. I find myself taking three math BC calculus quizzes, one math test, an AP Biology quiz and test, and turning in two AP Bio labs in the following week (after a long period of snow days); however, we are still behind schedule for the test date in May.
example, within a week after returning from a week of snow days, I found myself taking my speaking PALS, a math test, and an AP Bio test all on the same day. Especially with my speaking PALS, I found myself unable to recall a large portion of the information that I usually have on hand while taking these tests, even though I utilized much of my extra time to study for each test.
In addition, after a long break, teachers are more apt to immediately make up all the tests that had to be rescheduled. This is frequently unfortunate for the student, because he/she has had a week of little exposure to any of those subjects. For
But if students break through the norm and use their snow days productively, completing homework and studying for the next test, the extra time might not be so bad after all.
The last reason that snow days can be harmful to students, is the tendency for students to develop bad habits and adopt a more sluggish lifestyle, decreasing students’ ability to be more productive in the future. After 11 days of no school, it’s easy to grow used to the lack of an organized day and waste time procrastinating, watching Netflix, or playing video games.
DESIGN // KATHERINE DU PHOTOS // FRANK DING
26 OPINION Creative Commons photos courtesy of marvelousroland on Flickr
WHAT YOU THOUGHT
This month’s Twitter Poll Debrief
Feb 15: Should POTUS nominate a new supreme court justice before the end of his term? 78 Votes
YES
90%
NO 10%
Feb 22: What do YOU think about Daniel’s style?
50 Votes
84% DAMN, Daniel!
10% Who’s Daniel? 6% Really, Daniel?
Feb 29: Voting in the Democratic Primary tomorrow? Who will you choose? 35% #ImWithHer Hillary Rodham Clinton
All polls conducted via tjtoday_news on twitter and run for 24 hours.
65% Feel the Bern’ Bernie Sanders
57 Votes
? AVENGERS... ASSEMBLE?
Comic book portrayals of female characters leave much to be desired Anna Zhang || STAFF WRITER
Everyone’s heard of characters like Superman and Batman, but how many of us know about strong female characters not based off of these popular men? Why are there no movies about Scarlet Witch or Electra? Unfairnesses like these have long plagued the comic book industry. Since 1930, comic books have added women into the plot to play a miniscule but immensely important role: the damsel in distress. With few speaking lines, these women would simply be captured by the villain and rescued by the hero, passing from “evil” and “just” male owners much like a stuffed toy. And as toys, they were beautiful, helpless little things that could only beg for saviour by the powerful male protagonist. With the onset of World War II, female roles in comic books changed with patriotic characters such as Wonder Woman. With her superhu-
man strength, it seemed that women were finally being respected as equals in comic books. However instead of damsel dolls, these new characters are objects of desire, with high heels and scanty skirts. Although men’s outfits are also skin tight, female heroes’ costumes seemed to unnecessarily emphasize the chest and butt, showing that these women are powerful, but first and foremost desirable and sexy. Lately, however, there has been a huge shift for the better. New TV shows like Arrow and Supergirl are showing female comic book heros in a nuanced and equal light. The rise of independent comic books and webcomics have created a new niche for comics created by women, for women. Perhaps these superwomen will be able to defeat sexism in the comic book industry and save the day.
OPINION
27
MAR 10, 2016
JEFFERSON’S ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT Despite ongoing construction, we can reduce our carbon emissions
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Angie Sohn || STAFF WRITER
s construction proceeds at Jefferson, not only has the building undergone major changes, but the surroundings of the school as well. As old parts of the school are torn down, what remains are stacks of wood, chunks of asphalt, and rocks strewn across the grounds. At first glance, some may assume that there is no concern for nature at this school. However, what goes on inside of the building is what truly reveals Jefferson’s impact on the environment.As a science and technology school, Jefferson prides itself on its access to resources that give way to extraordinary student innovation. Even so, as a school, it seems like Jefferson has lost its focus on the environment closest to us, and that apathy for environmental concerns can show not only in students and staff, but in our school grounds as well. Although a significant amount of the debris on school property is inevitably caused by the ongoing construction, there are still places throughout the school grounds, such as the trailer areas, where students should be more mindful of properly disposing of trash. In order to make a bigger impact in protecting the environment, Jefferson should start small, with each person doing
Paper products were placed in the “Trash Only” can in Jefferson’s Auditorium Lobby (AudLob), despite empty “Paper Only” recycling bins close by.
PHOTO || Angie Sohn
Ongoing construction makes the Jefferson surroundings a hazard to safety as well as to the eye. Debris, asphalt, and construction parts litter the ground behind the school.
his or her part. Some signs of these efforts can already be seen around the school. Jefferson makes use of eco-friendly paper brands and has conveniently placed recycling bins, emphasizing the importance of conserving resources and recycling. In particular, there are recycling bins in major commons areas where many students have lunch. In addition, teachers may design more projects that integrate the environment. For example, Integrated Biology, English, and Technology (IBET) may benefit from projects that have actual use for freshmen to apply in hands-on environmental scenarios for the school in which they may see the products of their work, rather than observing fruitless efforts with little real impact. Products like these may encourage students to pursue protecting their surroundings throughout their four years at the school. With greater conscience of our impact on the environment, Jefferson takes one more step to reduce its carbon footprint. Although the school may not appear to be concerned with the environment in its current state, if each person does their part to recycle and participate in activities that support the surroundings, Jefferson can change its school building as well as its image.
DESIGN// ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN
ENTERTAINMENT RENWICK GALLERY: BENEATH THE FILTER Kate Deng || DESIGN EDITOR
The idea of art in different forms of textiles and materials was one for the books. But stepping into the gallery with everyone around me snapping pictures on their phones, I felt a disconnect from the art that I usually didn’t when stepping into a museum.
Although the exhibit was named the “Most Instagrammable Location of 2015” by the Washington Post, it was disappointing that browsing through Renwick pictures on Instagram was equivalent to first hand seeing the art itself.
PHOTOS // Kate Deng
Before warm weather entices us to participate in outdoor activities, we can look to our neighbor, Washington, D.C., for some of the most and innovative museums in the nation. In late 2015, a new Renwick Gallery exhibit emerged -- WONDER.
Gabriel Dawe’s “Plexus A1” uses woven thread to mimic fleeting days of rainbow lights.
Janet Echleman uses a netted material to represent the energy released in the Pacific Ocean during the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in her exhibit “1.8”.
SPRING INTO TELEVISION
Leo Villareal shows off a visual manifestation of lights in “Volume” through his written algorithm using binary system of 0 and 1s.
a sneak peek into premieres and analysis of finales for the season Bayliss Wagner || STAFF WRITER
After having watched the 120-minute premiere of “The Voice” for the first time, I’m hooked. The popular American singing competition premiered its tenth season on Feb. 29, keeping mentor-judges Blake Shelton, Pharrell Williams, and Adam Levine from the previous season and adding back original judge Christina Aguilera. The celebrity judges interspersed comedic digs at each other while they competed to put the most talented singers on their teams. Contestants’ families’ overjoyed reactions added a level of emotional interest to the show and the level of singing blew audience members away—each audition was original and extraordinary. If you’re looking for a show to pull at your heartstrings and give you new, diverse musical experiences, “The Voice” is the show to follow this season.
The Voice
The Family Patrick Toulme || STAFF WRITER
“The Family” is the multi-layered story of the Warren family as they face the return of their son, Danny, who was abducted ten years earlier.. The members of the family have carried with them their own personal guilt as to what they were doing when young Danny was abducted. As one would expect, the family dynamics were forever changed upon Danny’s disappearance, but his return changes the family once again, and brings forth secrets – some of which have long since been buried. ABC promises many twists and turns to this family drama. From plot alone, the series seems worth watching. The new primetime drama ”The Family” takes the stage with a double-header showing on March 3 at 9 p.m. and then again on March 6 at 9 p.m. on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC).
ENTERTAINMENT
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Creative Commons photo courtesy of Deutsches Filmmuseum on YouTube
MAR 10, 2016
A “SPOTLIGHT” ON THE OSCARS Nikita Sivakumar and Jiny Cho || STAFF WRITERS
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fter rather uneventful Oscar ceremonies in years past, the 2016 Oscars hosted by Chris Rock will definitely be remembered for years. Apart from just featuring films, the show touched on pressing societal issues. For example, the host Chris Rock made satirical jokes about the under-representation of the African American population in Hollywood. “Chris Rock did a nice job hosting,” sophomore Anonto Zaman said. “I thought that his jokes were great, and he managed to address the controversy surrounding black nominees very well.” In addition, Lady Gaga performed her latest work “Till it Happens to You,” on the Oscar stage, sending a message to the nation about the hardships of sexual assault. “It was a powerful moment and it brought to light
a big problem in today’s society,” Zaman said. Though the 2016 Oscars reached multiple milestones, there was one film that seemingly dominated all the awards. This year, “Mad Max: Fury Road” fit that description, winning six Oscars. “[Mad Max: Fury Road] was definitely a great thriller with a lot of action and unique theme, but I didn’t enjoy the plot very much. The movie had really great cinematography and special effects, and an interesting desert metal theme,” freshman SJ Kachru said. Perhaps for what may be regarded as the most memorable of all, viewers rejoiced when Leonardo DiCaprio accepted his first Oscar, as well as when “Spotlight” won for Best Picture. The 2016 Oscars definitely set an act hard-to-follow for years to come. DESIGN// ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN
Nikita Sivakumar || STAFF WRITER
Photos courtesy of ABC, NBC, and the CW
Jane the Virgin
There aren’t many shows that contrast crazy, druglord stepmothers and romantic telenovela actors with an ordinary, realistic mother trying to raise a newborn baby. “Jane the Virgin,” which returned to ABC on Feb. 16, definitely breaks television norms. After the pleasant conclusion to the Christmas episode in December, the episodes this month have left viewers’ hearts beating and wanting for more. The episodes this spring feature Jane (Gina Rodriguez) recovering from her break-up with Michael (Brett Dier) and trying to find another boyfriend to take her mind off things. As usual, the entire fan-base has been left with even more cliff-hangers and is left even more eager for the next episode each week.
Bayliss Wagner || STAFF WRITER
ABC has ordered an extra nine episodes for the second season of its new comedy “Fresh off the Boat,” one of the first American TV shows to feature an Asian family. This September, tjTODAY staff reviewed the show’s premiere, and this season has continued to attract audiences all over the US. Critics have compared the sitcom to one of my favorite shows, “Everybody Hates Chris,” as both sitcoms are based on true stories of minority kids growing up in ‘80s and ‘90s America. While not as side-splittingly funny as Chris Rock’s biopic, this season’s appeal comes from adorable moments that would remind anyone of his or her favorite childhood memories. Eddie, Emery, and Evan’s endearing antics will continue to charm FOTB fans for seasons to come.
Fresh off the Boat
30 ENTERTAINMENT FULL-FLEDGED OR TOO PLAIN FOR THE HOUSEHOLD? THE SUCCESS OF THE 90’S SPINOFF, “FULLER HOUSE” Sammy Tavassoli || STAFF WRITER
I
n a grand thirteen episode release, Netflix caught the eyes of millenials around the world with its February 26 premiere of Photo courtesy of Youtube.com “Fuller House” debuted from Netflix on Feb. 26. the new show, “Fuller House.” A spinoff of the original family classic, “Full House,” garnered audiences with a stream of nostalgia, rebirthing the unnervingly saccharine nature of its predecessor. The producers sought to parallel the original in a complete role reversal of protagonists, however. While the majority of the original cast members starred in the show’s pilot, DJ Tanner, Kimmie Gibbler and Stephanie Tanner, were cast into the role of primary protagonists, while the original central trio of Danny Tanner, Jesse Katsopolis, and Joey Gladstone were set aside as characters in cameo appearances.
Yet, the unconventionality of the family situation maintained itself, still resulting from a widowing of the main personality, and arranged as a trio of the same gender fostering children who were all the opposite gender. Ramona, the daughter of Kimmie Gibbler, the only exception to the arrangement, served, predicted by several tabloid magazines, as a demonstration of the progression of gender and cultural norms from the nineteen nineties, due to her being biracial. Though a definite gender role reversal occurred, the show seemingly made no other efforts for originality, overemploying catch phrases and spoofs directly from the original. The fact that the entire Fuller House universe revolved around the Tanners also made for numerous unrealistic events, and rendered the show as entirely predictable. Overall, the new show received varying audience and critic reviews, with some deeming it heartwarming, and others dismissing it as all too familiar television. Even fanatics of the original predicted a longrun of the show wouldn’t capture the original show’s success. “I don’t think Fuller House will do as well [because] it is basically the same show with different characters,” sophomore Ashmita Gadwalker, an avid Full House watcher said. “[Fuller House] might be enjoyable, but it might not be as creative.”
You and I // PVRIS Angel Kim || STAFF
tjTODAY STAFF PICK SONGS FROM THEIR FAVORITE NEW ARTISTS
A late-night television debut on Jimmy Kimmel, an Alternative Press feature and five music videos are only a few of the feats PVRIS has accomplished in 2016. Pronounced “Paris”, the band released their first LP, “White Noise”, in 2014. They announced the deluxe edition of the album and released single “You and I” on Feb. 22. The potent track is trending on charts worldwide, and its Photo courtesy of Alternative accompanying video receives praise Press from fans as well. PVRIS will be touring with Fall Out Boy this spring, securing a big year for the band.
ENTERTAINMENT
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MAR 10, 2016
“Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” successfully merges comedy and journalism Uzma Rentia || TEAM LEADER
Photo courtesy of imdb.com
Tina Fey’s new comedy “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” features the story of a young war journalist finding herself in Afghanistan duirng the War on Terror.
T
he idea of “war zone comedy” may seem like a flippant oxymoron, however, the Tina Fey produced film “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” can only be characterized as that. Even more surprising, is the film’s ability to successfully pull off such a concept. Based on Kim Barker’s memoir, “The Taliban Shuffle,” “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” chronicles journalist Kim Baker’s decision to leave her mundane work and love life to cover the war-ravaged Afghanistan during the early days of the War on Terror. Baker arrives with no training, knowledge of local customs and common sense, but quickly settles into the comparatively electrifying Kabul life. She finds herself into the deep end-and the expat party sceneleading to a daily dose of danger, violence, and vices. Flitting on and offscreen is the somewhat over-bearing, tradition “fixer,” Fahim, colleague Tanya, journalist Iain and government official Sadiq. While throwing yourself into a battlefield for footage may seem excessive, it’s a risk Baker’s willing to take. Through the film’s
Hide Away // DAYA Avni Singh || STAFF
Daya, born Grace Tandon, is best known for her single “Hide Away” from her selftitled EP, Daya. “Hide Away”, which features infectious pop beats, peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, building momentum for her first full-length album, which will be released this year. The Photo courtesy of itunes.com song has been well-received with its catchy, but meaningful, lyrics that tell girls to look for guys who “supply all of [their] heart’s demands”. Daya is currently on tour and will be performing at the House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio on Feb. 21.
slightly dark, comedic edge, it effectively conveys an undercurrent of caution. As Baker creates a home away from home in Kabul and grows more at peace in a land that is anything but, the audience sees just how easily one can be sucked into the addictive, adrenaline fueled pursuit of war journalism. However, as Baker struggles to find her place in the world, the film struggles finding solid footing. It changes directions almost as much as Baker’s personality evolves. What could have been an excellent cautionary film war-reporting instead was reduced to a 111 minutes of the filmmakers grasping at various topics-ranging from the complex relationships between journalists to the state of women in Afghan society-without providing a satisfying amount of depth. That’s not to say the film was bad. It may have bit off more than it could chew and the characters occasionally seemed like caricatures, but it does manage to explain two not easily understood worlds: war and journalism in a refreshing, albeit unconventional, way.
River // BISHOP Anupama Jayaraman || STAFF
After releasing her debut single, “Wild Horses,” the new artist BISHOP is back with her second track, “River,” released on Jan. 22. From beginning to end, the song encompasses a steady synthesized beat— a beat which contrasts with her previous song, in which the Photo courtesy of itunes.com pop style is less apparent. The evident use of various music genres contributes to its indie-pop and EDM style. Much of the lyrics depict how we should not dwell too much on what does not work out for us. Listeners can easily relate to this occurring theme throughout “River”.
PHOTO // Alexa Nguonly REPORTING // Alexa Nguonly
“
All the girls [on dance team] were experienced. You don’t always have to be the best. IF YOU
JUST LIKE DOING IT, IT’S OK TO KEEP DOING IT, even if everyone
is better than you. I learned that it’s okay to fail DQG JHW EHWWHU DQG EH VLJQLͤFDQWO\ ZRUVH WKDQ everyone else if you like doing it.
DON’T WORK HARD, WORK EFFICIENTLY.
Studying three hours when you’re tired is the same as studying one hour when you’re awake. When applying to reach schools, you’re mostly thinking that you’re not going to get in. And most likely, if you think that, then you probably won’t get in. Imagine that you have already been accepted, take that energy, put it into your application and use it to PUT
YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD.
To be honest, freshman year, I avoided Black Student Union because I thought it was basically putting all the black people into one room and kind of isolating them, and I wanted to be part of the TJ community. DON’T
LET WHERE YOU’RE FROM DEFINE YOU, BUT DON’T IGNORE IT. I joined BSU [in order] to not forget who I am and where I came from. I’m still able to be part of the TJ community while still recognizing my black culture.
”
SENIOR
EKE WOKOCHA || WHAT I VE LEARNED