[Uncaged.] by [Uncaged.]

UNCAGED.

freedom high school newsmagazine | volume 2 | issue 1

the

STAFF Adviser Kathryn Steele

Editor-in-Chief Micah Natarajan Design Editor Emily Malacane Photo Editor Justin Sheehan Managing Editors Serena Thapa Mahlet Wondwosen Copy Editor Simar Kohli Joe Skinner Staff Manager Kieran O’Brien Business Editor Ashley Jain News Editor Mallory Stokker Features Editor Amanda Pena Culture Editor Jessica Scott Opinions Editors Lauryn Forbes Hunter McCluer Sports Editor Campbell Niehaus Staff Writers Meghan Adams Maryam Azeem Marissa Bell Cara Curtin Erin Janiga Arnav Kumar Sammy Omar Shravani Reddy Natalie Ring Helina Wondwossen Photographers Holly Chun Cayley Kilduff Joytsana Sangroula Uncaged is the newsmagazine of Freedom High School. The attitudes, opinions, views, and ideas expressed in Uncaged do not necessarily reflect those of this staff, the faculty adviser, Freedom High School, or the Loudoun County Public School system. Uncaged follows the county and state guidelines established for student high school publications, and disclaims any liability with respect thereto the use or reliance on any such information contained in this publication. The Uncaged staff welcomes contributions and encourages the expression of students, faculty, staff, and members of the Freedom High School community. Cover photo illustration inspired by Emma Gauthier

table of contents

“

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom. //excerpt from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou

” 12

[news] [culture] [features] [sports] [opinions] [back cover]

4 10 14 24 28 32

20 26

CONTENTS

from the editors Welcome back, free birds It’s been a while! After a brief intermission, we are back for the new school year with a new editorial board, and new year of [Uncaged.] We know you missed us, and we missed you! Our first year as a newsmagazine was an exciting one, and our first issue from last year is up for a Pacemaker award (basically the Oscars of student journalism) in Indianapolis. We made huge strides as a staff and a school over the course of one year, and we are ready to make our second year even better than the first! But we will guarantee you this; We won’t be resting on our laurels. Don’t get us wrong, we are extremely proud of what we did last year. But we will be working harder than ever to showcase the best and brightest of FHS and the South Riding community. We want to make sure that we are showcasing our own peers and classmates. We want to be able to show off the talent and creativity that FHS has to offer. Benjamin Franklin once said, “Either write something worth reading, or do something worth writing.” So, free birds, go out and do something for us! We could easily be covering those boring topics you hear about everyday, like the election, but we prefer you all. We think that your amazing talent or experience is more deserving of space on our publication. So go out there and do something worth writing about! If you can’t tell already, we can barely contain our excitement for this year. Join us as we put your lives in print and have a great year together! n

[Photo by Colby Barnes, 12]

letter from the editors

NEWS

DISASTROUS DISTRACTIONS

magine that you are on your phone, replying to a text or scrolling through Twitter. The speedometer makes its way past 30 mph as you carelessly make a sharp right turn at a busy intersection. Suddenly, you hear screaming and crying. Your eyes slowly glance up - a stroller is rolled over with a child’s tiny arms sticking out. An injured woman struggles to reach her child, sobbing as she turns her head and looks at you. This situation was a reality in Lansdowne, Virginia this past month; a distracted driver killed a child and left his mother hospitalized after hitting them while they were in a crosswalk. “There are so many things around - animals, people, vehicles, people stopping in front of you,” Sergeant for Loudoun County Sheriff’s Department Raymond Gessner said. “The amount of crashes that we respond to of people that [were] looking at their phone, and then rear end the vehicle in front of them [is] insane.” Many accidents that occur during the day relate to drivers attempting to multitask, instead of focusing on the road. “It is a combination of speed and not paying attention,” Gessner said. “Either not paying attention by utilizing cell phones, plugging in stuff on GPS’s, or even just being drowsy and tired.”

Similarly, visual distractions are when eyes are focused on anything but the road. People have crashed into multiple parked vehicles while reading emails or texts. According to Gessner, somebody even crashed into a police car while playing PokemonGo. Finally, cognitive distractions occur when the driver is not paying attention and their mind wanders off. “It’s just one of those things, it happens to everyone,” Gessner said. “ You can drive down and you can be tired, but alert enough to drive, and you’ll just be thinking...you know I don’t remember driving the last mile.’ The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that 32 percent of fatal accidents involve an intoxicated driver. People, especially young adults, often do not understand how much alcohol truly impacts their capability while driving, and do not wait until their sober to drive. “If you have several drinks it’s going to take several hours to get down,” Gessner said. “Most people just think a couple hours of a nap is going to sober them up, and it doesn’t...there is nothing else you can do other than time.”

“ ”

When you’re driving, focus on driving. Another major contributing factor to distracted driving is texting or using a mobile device when operating a vehicle. “[If ] you’re driving down the road I’m sure you can just look left and right, and you can see how many people there are that are on their phone,” Gessner said. In Virginia, it is illegal to text while driving, and if cited for this you could pay a fine of up to $250. Depending on the circumstances and the severity of the situation, you could potentially be charged with reckless driving as well. The consequences of a reckless driving charge can include a 12 month jail sentence, a $2,500 fine, or a 6 month suspension of your driver’s license. Getting people to keep their hands off their phone while driving is difficult, but not impossible. Gessner suggests a windshield mount to attach to the front windshield of your car. This device still enables phone calls and bluetooth, but makes it difficult to text because it prevents people from keeping their phone in their hand or between their legs. “When you’re driving, focus on driving,” Gessner said. “Get from point A to point B, then go have fun and do what you need to do.” It’s easy to forget that actions have consequences. That message you want to send can wait. If someone you know tries to drive drunk, you can help prevent that. It is up to you to decide what kind of driver you’ll be. n

[Story by Maryam Azeem and Natalie Ring] [Infographics by Mallory Stokker and Lauryn Forbes]

NEWS

Mrs. Hammang-Yaworsky

Hammang-Yaworsky was born and raised in Michigan. She graduated from St. Norbert College in Depere, Wisconsin with degrees in English, French and History. She teaches English and is the yearbook advisor here at Freedom. Hammang-Yaworsky also taught at Paul VI High School and Kettle Run High School before she joined the staff at FHS. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and four kids, as well as reading comic books and science fiction novels. n

Ms. Sullivan

Mr. Thornton

Thornton was born and raised in Minnesota and graduated from Winona State University with degrees in Physics and General Science Education. Before teaching at FHS, Thornton had multiple jobs at movie theaters and a job working for the campus ministry InterVarsity at WSU. He also is a beekeeper for the three beehives he owns, and is a certified scuba diver. n

Sullivan was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She graduated from West Virginia University with degrees in Math and Secondary Education. While at WVU, she was in the sorority Alpha Omicron Pi where she was Vice President of academic development. She chose to pursue math and make teaching the subject her career, due to the challenge of it. “Math wasn’t necessarily easy for me, so I liked the fact that I challenged myself to be better at it,” Sullivan said. n

Mr. Yupanqui

Yupanqui was born in Peru, raised in the Sterling area of Virginia, and graduated from Northern Virginia Community College and Liberty University with a degree in English. He now teaches Dual Enrollment English. Before FHS, he’s worked at Chipotle and taught English 101 classes at Liberty University. Yupanqui enjoys going to the gym and playing with his puppy, and does not mind ridiculing himself for the sake of a joke. “I want to start pranking other teachers once I get a little more comfortable, so watch out for that,” Yupanqui said. n

Ms. Spiers

Spiers was born in the United Kingdom and moved to France when she was five. There was no international school she could attend in France, so she had to take all her classes in French during kindergarten. Spiers graduated from Virginia Tech last spring with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in English. She had many different jobs throughout high school and college including working at the VT dining hall, Tommy Hilfiger, and lifeguarding. n

Mr. Kitchens

Kitchens was born in the Philippines, raised in Leesburg, and graduated from Christopher Newport University with a degree in History. Now, he teaches social science and global studies. Before FHS, he coached kids track and field. Outside of school, he enjoys spending time with his family. Kitchens believes he can relate with his students. “I feel like I build personal relationships that help people want to learn, [and] know that I’m available to help them,” Kitchens said. n

MEET THE NEW TEACHERS

[Photos by Cayley Kilduff]

[Stories by Marissa Bell and Helina Wondwossen]

CULTURE

WITHIN ROOM 400... WHERE DOES IT ALL 63 1,0 d $ : ter vide prin S pro LCP

COME FROM? chairs: gray fa bric: $3 5 Target

tudent lounge. 400 hallway. Writing lab. Comfy chairs. Exercise balls. Vending machines. his year, FHS has introduced a variety of new features, such as the Xbox and the coffee bar in the media center, which all contribute to the idea of â&#x20AC;&#x153;student comfortâ&#x20AC;?. One aspect of the school that is not brand new, however, is the student lounge. Despite having recently transitioned to a quiet, writing tutoring lab of sorts, room 400 has been a common gathering point for many students who use the room for projects, collaborating with fellow students, homework, or just a place of momentary relaxation. The utilities in the room, such as the furniture, help make it a more separate environment from the other, more standard classrooms. But have you ever wondered where that furniture comes from? Many of the items in room 400 can actually be found in nearby stores and shopping outlets, such as Costco, Target, Belfort Furniture, and Demco. These resources, that range from plush chairs to high-top tables to multiple different printers give students the freedom to spend time in a more comfortable setting, while combatting schoolwork and extracurricular activities. n

ur nd fo a e l tab : $300 e s chair t Furnitur r Belfo

Yel l $12 ow ch 9 airs Bel : for t Fu rni tur e

Exe r $23 cise ba lls: Dem each co [Photo by Cayley Kilduff] [Photo Illustration by Joytsana Sangroula]

CULTURE

INSIDE NICARAGUA Over the summer, a group of FHS students, including juniors Sydney Mawyer and Kendall Malinchock, traveled to Nicaragua. While there, they helped children in an orphanage called Hogar Puente de Amistad (Bridge of Friendship Home) located in El Canyon. Orphan Network, a nonprofit organization, sponsored the trip through Dulles Community Church. The children in Hogar Puente de Amistad, as well as those in the surrounding town, live in extreme poverty. n

KENDALL

Kendall Malinchock has traveled to Nicaragua twice, specifically to visit Lujan, a boy who lived in Hogar Puente de Amistad. When he was seven years old, Lujan was orphaned when his father murdered his mother in front of him and then left. Her family sponsors Lujan; sponsoring is a process where families send money to the orphanage in order to specifically help one child. This ensures that Lujan will receive health care, schooling, and other necessities. He is now 20 years old and is able to attend college thanks to the Malinchock family who is helping him pay for tuition. Last year, Malinchock visited Nicaragua for the first time in order to attend Lujan’s high school graduation. “He really refers to my parents as his parents and me as his sister because we just built that relationship, and so I don’t see it as sponsoring...it’s building a relationship and it’s like paying for your child,” Malinchock said. Although Lujan had a traumatic childhood, he still finds happiness in the relationships he has built with the Malinchock family. “[The orphans] needed to know that other people love them,” Malinchock said. Through the relationships that they have formed, Malinchock and the other students who travel to Nicaragua have the ability to change the community of El Canyon, but also significantly impact the lives of the children in Hogar Puente de Amistad. “I know that I could do so many things down there and build so many relationships that I couldn’t otherwise do here with people who actually need it,” Malinchock said. Like Lujan, many of the children at Hogar Puente de Amistad have been through tremendous emotional trauma. As a result, the relationships that are built and the work that is done there are even more meaningful because of the impact on all parties involved. Mawyer and Malinchock would recommend for others to travel to Nicaragua or other third-world countries because of how life changing their experience was, both for themselves and the orphans. n

[Photos courtesy of Sarah Bruno]

SYDNEY

Many of the children from the orphanage and the surrounding town do not get enough to eat and have their only meal of the day at a community feeding center. Despite the children’s circumstances, their immense joy has led Sydney Mawyer to return six times since her first visit. “We don’t go there to build houses and stuff like that we just go there to make relationships with the kids,” Mawyer said. The children at Hogar Puente de Amistad do not have parental figures or many people to look up to. On her most recent visit, Mawyer formed a special bond with a five year-old orphan named Jackson, they quickly connected and felt like family. “I had to tuck him into bed on the last night and then he said ‘goodbye, Mom. ‘I cried a lot because when we leave you never know if you’ll see them again,” Mawyer said. The kids are often moved around to different orphanages and it can be difficult to keep in touch. After being in Nicaragua for only a week, Mawyer became a parental role model for this child. She often wonders about how Jackson is doing, and even if he doesn’t know it, Jackson made quite a big impact on Mawyer’s life as well. Mawyer made many other lasting friendships with the people she met while she was there, and she still keeps in touch with them through Facebook. Mawyer uses the messenger app to talk with them and stay connected. Eventually, Mawyer hopes to live in Nicaragua so she is able to help the people there on a more permanent basis. n [Story by Erin Janiga and Meghan Adams]

Art is open-ended; interpretation is the basis for this form of expression. We all perceive things differently whether that be through opinions and beliefs, emotions, experiences, or passions. However, art is the unifying force that binds and weaves every difference that is felt. Artists give a part of themselves every time they create a piece. Anyone is able to appreciate their work. At FHS, students pour themselves into different activities that allow for art to develop. We have highlighted three students who have found a passion within them and chosen to display it: A photographer, a songwriter and a painter. This is the talent that these three students have immersed themselves with. This is part of the talent that we are surrounded with. n

[Photos by Justin Sheehan]

A way to express yourself without words. A combination of things that have existed prior.

Telling a story.

Something you don’t tell people.

Art says what words can’t.

Self expression.

A mixture of the world’s elements to tell a story.

Whatever you want it to be.

Showing yourself. Expressing beauty and culture. A way to mask your feelings.

Expressing yourself yourself in something visual.

Life.

Squiggly lines.

Being able to express emotions.

Beautiful.

Expressing your creativity

Freedom of expression.

The power to create. A passion to show your true colors.

The universal language. 15

ome people express themselves through music, writing, or even in their athletic talents. However, for senior Arda Athman, art has become her outlet to express her inner emotions and creative ideas. Once a leisure activity of sketching and doodling in her free time, the arts have become something Athman is considering for a career and beyond. From an early age, Athman had always been interested in the arts, whether that be writing, playing music or even looking at photography; these pastimes captivated her. Not until the end of eighth grade did Athman realized her potential and true talent in her unique form of self expression. Athman’s most recent piece, titled ‘Camellia Japonica’, consists of Japanese camellias that she was inspired to create by reminiscing on her grandmother’s garden. Athman doesn’t get to see her grandmother as much as she used to, so she draws her inspiration from the little memories she has. Although Athman considers this piece to be more of a scientific construction, she tries to focus on aspects of her life that she wants to portray on paper. “I wanted to bring in a little more emotion to [my piece]. Most of the time I like to think more creatively than I do rationally,” Athman said. “I portrayed her heart being her brain, her coming to peace

without that, necessarily and the logic in the background.” ‘Anatomy of a Dreamer’ embodies many of Athman’s interests. It displays her creative thinking while integrating her fascination for science. “In my life I try to find a balance between being super creative all the time and trying to be logical,” Athman said. As an artist, Athman uses her gift as a stress reliever. This is extremely beneficial for her being in the midst of college applications and senior year. “Whenever I’m having a really bad day, I get to sit down and paint and I’m just at peace for a moment or two,” Athman said. Not only is this a way to relieve stress, but Athman believes her art expresses her emotions better than her words can. “I think if anything I’m better at expressing my emotions on paper than in real life. So I think when words can’t do the tricks, pictures, drawings, and paintings can,” Athman said. This continual interest that Athman practices around two to three hours a day has stemmed her interest in a career. “Other than [art] being comforting, it’s just a rush. Every time I finish a piece and I get to like look at it, [I just think] wow, I love it,” Athman said. n [Story by Serena Thapa]

hile most people try to live in the moment, senior Colby Barnes strives to capture it. Barnes’ love for photography began when she set out to learn a new skill. “[At the] end of my freshman year, I got on Tumblr and I really liked looking at the photos,” Barnes said. “I [thought], “Oh, I could try that and see what I can do.”” After her initial inspiration, Barnes used her grandpa’s old camera to begin photographing. Soon, she understood why she was attracted to this hobby. She realized taking pictures allowed her to document anything that makes her happy. Barnes enjoys photographing flowers, food, her friends, and everything that brings her joy, and loves photography because of its ability to show different perspectives. “I think when you’re taking a picture, it’s a small frame of a big picture,” Barnes said. “So when I take a photo, getting the details is really interesting. It makes the details look like a big picture when it’s really just like part of the [bigger] picture.”

Barnes has worked with multiple cameras, but she still prefers her grandpa’s old one over any newer model. “I think [the camera is] better because the quality isn’t as great, but [it gives] so much character,” Barnes said. “I think that [it] makes the photo more fun and genuine rather than a fake, edited, perfect photo.” Over the past four years, photography has had a significant impact on Barnes’s life. “It brought me closer to my grandpa because we had something in common that way,” Barnes said. “I met a lot of new people through it. On Instagram, I’ll upload [pictures] and people will come up to me [at school] and that always makes my day. I’m probably closer with so many people I would not have met if it weren’t for my camera.” And although not professionally, Barnes sees herself taking pictures for the rest of her life. “I’ll always need my camera at the end,” Barnes said. n [Story by Shravani Reddy]

unior Matt Neal, also known as Hoodie P in the hip-hop community, is an up-and-coming artist here at FHS; however, his journey in the music industry has only just begun. At first, Neal simply appreciated music, and it was not until he begun to branch out and listen to a wider variety that he started to play some instruments of his own. “The more I listened to music, the more I learned. I started out playing guitar and bass and built up from there,” Neal said. To kick off his rap career, Neal uploaded 16 bar verses accompanied by music video visuals onto his YouTube channel. In these videos, Neal wrote original rhymes and rapped over various popular beats, such as Top Ten by Logic. “[My songs are] usually about abstracts of a feeling,” Neal said. “I don’t really storytell or anything like that. I just take one thing I feel.” After successfully completing the challenge of uploading videos daily on YouTube, Neal began to focus more on producing hip-hop beats instead of just rapping. “I go through phases. I started focusing on producing and now I put together a band with some

of my friends. We are working on ideas for an album,” Neal said. Less than a year after uploading the 365th day of his rap songwriting challenge, Neal released an extended player (EP) instrumental album titled as the lights go down, which consisted of six beats. Only six months after the release, the second track on the EP, House of Cardz, generated over 1,500 plays on Soundcloud. On House of Cardz, Neal showcases his producing ability by mixing a soft, relaxed melody with aggressive snare drums and hi-hat cymbals. This mixture was solely Neal’s creation, but it was inspired by some very popular music figures. “[My biggest inspirations are] probably Thom Yorke from Radiohead and Paul Mccartney,” he said. “I like how Thom Yorke takes sounds and creates certain feelings. I also like how Paul Mccartney creates dope melodies.” In terms of reaching stardom on SoundCloud, Neal has a lot of work to do; however, with perseverance, he has the chance to improve his skills as both a rapper and producer. n [Story by Arnav Kumar]

SPORTS

SHUA

s South Korea took figure skating gold in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, Shua Jeong knew in her heart that she wanted to be an Olympian. After her countless hours of practice, tightening her focus and developing her unrelenting passion, Jeong managed to become

A HIGH SKATES ENVIRONMENT a national Korean figure skater. At age 12, when she first committed herself to professional figure skating, Jeong’s life took a full, one axle twist in a new direction. At first, Jeong was a ballet dancer. But in the fourth grade, Jeong felt that she could not push her body further; the pain

of ballet was too unbearable. Simultaneously, her parents were overwhelmed by the high cost of ballet costumes and choreography. So, as an alternative, Jeong began group figure skating lessons and immediately fell in love with the sport. n

TAKING HOME THE TROPHY I

n 2009, Jeong placed third at the South Korean National Figure Skating Championship. Unfortunately, just as she was reaching high levels of competition, the family business moved the Jeongs to the Philippines. “Since the Philippines is a third world country, [there wasn’t] a good environment for young figure skaters to develop their skills,” Jeong said. In the Philippines, Jeong had to go to school on a daily basis, leaving relatively little time to skate. Also, she could only

practice 2-3 days each week, which was a disappointment because it was a fraction of her practice time in Korea. On the flip side, Jeong’s coaches had never seen talent like hers and were amazed by her capabilities. Jeong was a freestyle nine competitor, meaning her performance consisted of tricky combinations of opposite spins, double lutz jumps, double loop jump combinations and dance step sequences. In 2011, Jeong placed first in the freestyle nine competition of Skate Asia. n

JEONG

[Photos by Joytsana Sangroula]

UNWAVERING DEDICATION

BREAKING THE ICE

hen Jeong reached sixth grade. Figure skating became the most important aspect of her life. Dae Hwa Middle School sponsored the sport, so Jeong didn’t have to attend lessons for more than a few hours each week, her practice supplemented her presence in class. “We just go and practice, practice,

hortly after the tournament, Jeong was faced with another obstacle in her path. She had broken her leg. “I was not paying attention after I did a spin,” Jeong said. “I had crutches for three to four months, from then [on], my mom doesn’t prefer [that I skate].” After this accident, the Jeongs packed up and moved one last time, coming to the United States. Living in South Riding, Jeong tried keep her grasp on the performance art which had once defined her life. “[When] I came here I tried to practice by my own, not to improve, but just to maintain my skills,” Jeong said. “Now, I

practice,” Jeong said. “It’s really painful to complete one jump. To successfully get a rotation, we have to keep falling down for a month, [sometimes] even a year.” Jeong was at the rink everyday from 5a.m. to midnight. In addition to multiple hours spent on the ice, Jeong’s typical day consisted of flexibility training, gymnas-

tics, ballet and other strength exercises; she only took breaks from practice to eat meals and cool down after tough workouts. On average, Jeong slept for three hours each night. However, she never doubted whether the hard work was worth the end result. n

consider figure skating as my hobby.” Jeong has both gratefulness and regret that she moved. Jeong is glad she has the opportunity to start over. Yet, a part of Jeong still wishes she could be back in the practice rink with all her old skating friends. “Before I came to the United States, I visited Korea for one month, I miss it, I still wanna go back,” Jeong said. “But, I [also] feel like I have a different dream. I want to be a doctor. Even though I quit and my figure skating career has ended, I’m thankful that I could come here and have a new dream which is more realistic than being an Olympian.”

Although Jeong never became a gold medalist, her figure skating career is an experience she would never give up. “I think for me, it’s a turning point, it’s [a] critical point where my life really changed,” Jeong said. “I was never enthusiastic about [anything in] particular. Figure skating taught me how to get into one single [mindset]. I never had passion, but [figure skating is] the first time for me to get into it. I think my work ethic, and my passion, and all the qualities I have now came from figure skating. It made me who I am today.” n [Story by Shravani Reddy]

SPORTS

hile most sports teams strive to become a tight-knit, family-like unit, achieving that is often easier said than done. The FHS golf team serves as a successful example of this, as they have had no problem creating this family-like environment by establishing a strong bond among the team members. Led by Ashley Nguyen, Akshana Somasundar, Joe Skinner, Ryan Scanlon, and Hunter Capestany, this group of five seniors formed a close connection during their freshman year, which has lead to the team’s progressive success each and every season.

AKSHANA

“I was really excited [when I made the team] and all I wanted to do was improve from then and show the coach that he didn’t make the mistake of putting me on the team,” Somasundar said.

THE ‘TEE’ IN TEAM When the group earned spots on the golf team in 2013, they were nervous and did not know what to expect as far as practicing and meets/tournaments were concerned. Playing on a varsity sports team as freshmen proved to be quite an adjustment for all of them, as they were dealing with new coaches and people. “I was actually really nervous ‘cause I had gone to a private school and I had just come back[to public school], so it was really nerve wracking being around all the

ASHLEY

“The five of us have created a friendship that has lasted obviously all throughout high school,” Nguyen said. “They’re a group of people that I hope I remain friends with all throughout college.”

HUNTER

“Ryan taught me how [to play golf ] and brought me into it,” Capestany said. “We played in New York a lot and we were just like, ‘Hey, we’re okay, so we can try out for the golf team.’”

people I knew [from so long ago],” Nguyen said. However, 2013 was not just the students’ first year on the varsity golf team, but also the head coach’s first year at FHS. Ernest Herring and the five then freshmen navigated together through their first year being involved in a varsity sport at FHS. “As a tiny little freshman, being out there on the varsity golf team was kind of intimidating, so I kind of looked up to him,” Scanlon said.

JOE

“As we got closer, we became more mature,” Skinner said. “I think being together for four years has increased all of our confidence.”

RYAN

“Being with [Coach Herring] for four years, I got to know him a lot better,” Scanlon said. “Being more comfortable with your teammates gives you more confidence on the golf course.”

[Photos by Justin Sheehan] Herring is not just a coach, but also a mentor and role model to the golfers. In fact, he helped the nervous freshman Somasundar come out of her shell. “Coach Herring taught me to become more confident and he used to talk to me a lot and tell me to talk more,” Somasundar said. Prior to becoming freshmen, Scanlon and Capestany already had a great friendship. In fact, they started to play golf together in New York beginning in sixth grade. At first, Capestany viewed golf as just a hobby; however, after Scanlon taught him more about the game, he became intrigued. “We played in New York a lot and we were just like, ’Hey, we’re okay, so we can try out for the golf team,’ and then we did

and now we’re here and we’ve played ever since,” Capestany said. However, Scanlon was not always interested in golf. In fact, he first dreaded going to a golf camp that his grandma signed him up for. After showing up to the camp and playing, he eventually got into the sport, starting his golf journey. “I can say thank you to my grandma because I love the sport [of ] golf,” Scanlon said. As the bond among them grew, the young golfers gradually began to develop their games and began to put FHS golf on the map. In just her sophomore year, Nguyen led the Eagles at the Curly Licklider Tournament in Front Royal, placing in sixth place for individuals. “When we came in, we were all like we

didn’t know who we are and who each other were and we were very segregated in our games,” Capestany said. “Now, we’re basically playing off of each other and you can see how we’ve grown over the years and how improved our scores are. We’ve become closer friends as a result.” However, becoming closer friends comes with tough goodbyes, especially after knowing each other for over four years. “I’m really glad it’s these five because we’ve all become so close by the time of our senior year,” Nguyen said. “They’re a group of people that I hope I remain friends with all throughout college.” n [Story by Arnav Kumar]

VIEWS FROM THE PRESS BOX A

row of eyes stare intensely at the field below. Atop the rumbling bleachers, lies the press box. Inside, there is an intense atmosphere. Its residents are in constant observation of every aspect of the game below. Alongside professional commentators and technicians, the FHS Sports Radio team, (FSR) made up of seniors Joe Skinner, Campbell Niehaus and Micah Natarajan, broadcast the game live from Eric J. Olsen Memorial Stadium. Providing play-by-play commentary, FSR broadcasts over their website fhssportsradio. wordpress.com “I was doing a football broadcast at [FHS] and my partner was out of town. So, I asked Joe if he’d like to do it, and he kind of fell in love with it,” Brian Able said. Able, a family friend of Skinner, introduced him to the world of sports broadcasting. When Skinner approached him

and proposed starting a football broadcast at Freedom, Able was more than happy to help by teaching them how to use and lending the equipment necessary for a broadcast. “I came out and hooked everything up for them so he could see how it works, and then kind of just let him go,” Able said. It did not take long for FSR to develop an understanding of the equipment and on August 29th, FSR conducted their first live broadcast. After the broadcast aired, FSR received praise from students, teachers and even the athletes over social media. “I thought it was a good idea and a great opportunity for students to pursue something they are passionate about. Plus, it promotes our athletic department,” FHS Athletic Director Brent Miller said. Miller viewed this as an opportunity for students to gain experience in a field they

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are passionate about. He saw FSR as a way to get more people involved in high school sports and to build Freedom’s athletic department. “They doubled their listeners from the first game to the second game; they are doing a really good job with it,” Miller said. Despite the fact that FSR is new, they have already gained traction by attracting over 50 regular listeners. FSR’s listenership is on a steady incline and the team is hopes to see this trend continue for the rest of the year. Going forward, FSR will continue to broadcast FHS football games and plans to broadcast throughout the basketball season as well. Make sure to tune in to catch quality commentary provided by FHS students. n [Story by Samaleh Omar] [Photo by Justin Sheehan]

@fhssportsradio

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LET’S TALK ABOUT... LET’S TALK ABOUT... O

A THIRD OPINION

n November 8, many FHS seniors are headed to the polls to cast their first votes in the 2016 election, a campaign riddled with insults, hot mics, e-mails, and lots of lies. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton had some of the lowest approval ratings of any candidates in recent history, which has led to most voters voting ‘against’ a particular candidate, instead of supporting the candidate that may best represent their political beliefs. The election of 2016 has divided the country like no other and many voters feel like they have to choose the lesser of two evils. But the campaigns of third parties, and Gary Johnson in particular, have gained traction among millennials. Johnson, the former Republican governor of New Mexico, has captivated young voters with his campaign. Johnson was polling 23 percent among voters under 30 years of age according to The Washington Post, 70 percent of Johnson’s supporters are under 50 years old, and six in ten are political independents, according to an article from the New York Times. More importantly, Johnson has a five percent total in one of the last polls leading up to Election Day, having one of the most successful Libertarian campaigns in history. Even though Johnson didn’t win, it is likely that his campaign will change the way young voters choose their candidates in the future. In this election, it seems more and more young voters are focusing on a candidate’s position on the issues, rather than partisan politics. This voting bloc needs to keep open minds when it comes to their choices, to avoid the political polarization that captivates the older voters, in order to change our political landscape in the future. These younger voters need to believe in the process and political efficacy; millennials make up 31 percent of the electorate; they are a force to be reckoned with in a campaign. If more and more young voters shy away from political polarization, the rest of the electorate will be forced to stop being bound by the ideals of their party. n [Story by Joe Skinner]

THE KNOWLEDGE BARRIER O

ver the past couple of weeks, the ‘death’ of The Great Barrier Reef has been trending all over social media, particularly Twitter. It’s great that young people, the main demographic of Twitter, are aware of environmental issues. This, however, comes with a catch. Social media is a machine that is never turned off; topics pop up and fall off at insane speeds, some disappearing as quickly as a day or two after rising to prominence. This causes people to fail to look deeper into issues and actually make a difference. This everchanging cycle of information that is present in the context of social media waters down the significance of important issues. This is true with The Great Barrier Reef. Over the last couple of weeks, loads of clickbait posts have filled Twitter feeds with titles that draw in even the most uninterested reader. For example, titles like ‘Great Barrier Reef pronounced dead by scientists!’ have led to many misconceptions. If not fact checked, the average reader would not know that The Great Barrier Reef park authority reports that only 22 percent of the reef has been pronounced dead. Without this knowledge, many are led to believe that there is no longer hope and only room for mourning. This not only affects the environment for the absolute worst, losing lots of public support, but it also leaves false information in the reader’s mind. It is important for all readers to follow up and fact check with reliable sources.n [Story by Justin Sheehan]

FREE SPEECH FREE SPEECH

or those who need it, here is a refresher of Amendment One to the Constitution of the United States of America:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Constitution of the United States of America. Amend I.” Free speech is a touchy subject in America, for some reason. “Safe spaces” on colleges, the banned books list, and now the NFL and it’s pretty clear that people just can’t seem to put up with each other’s ideas. Recently, Colin Kaepernick’s protesting police brutality by refusing to stand during the national anthem has touched off responses from voices across the nation. Many are outraged by what they deem “un-American” behavior and disrespect to American servicemen and women, and are calling for him to be “disciplined” by his team, the San Francisco 49ers. But he’s perfectly within his rights, outlined by the amendment stated above. Freedom of speech, peaceable assembly, petition for a redress of grievances, Kaepernick is breaking zero laws. He’s not being violent, either, and has acknowledged his opposition with grace: “I realize that men and women of the military go out and sacrifice their lives and put themselves in harm’s way for my freedom of speech...so I have the utmost respect for them,” Kaepernick told USA Today. He even plans to donate over $1 million to communities affected by the problems he’s addressing in his protests. Even if you don’t support him, you can’t deny that he’s trying to affect change instead of resting on his laurels. And yet, people still criticize. They refuse to watch his games. The Santa Clara Police Union threatened to stop policing 49ers stadium unless the “[NFL]…[took] action against Kaepernick.” But they’re missing the point. The protest isn’t “un-American”; protest is almost by definition American. From the Civil Right’s movement to women’s suffrage to the colonists telling George III to choke on his crumpets, America was built on “direct action,” as Martin Luther King, Jr. would call it. The Good Old U.S. of A that will soon be passed down to us has been molded and marred by groups and individuals who had the courage and the means to stand up and say, “enough”, and that’s a tradition we should all appreciate. n [Story by Hunter McCluer]

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VIRTUAL REALITY P

ublic Service Announcement: people everywhere are dropping their ray bans for virtual reality goggles. Well not yet, but in a time of technology and development, the world sees changes in one very big way: virtual reality. There has been a distinct transformation as realities from A Brave New World, to paradigms found in Ready Player One. How awesome is that? Technology growing in unique ways such as virtual reality influences the growth in popularity similar to that of a fad, but creates exciting and permanent societal effects that are very long term. Not only can users now experience virtual reality, it has gotten to the point where they cannot even differentiate between the two. This opens a whole new avenue for research, video games, film, and even art. With practically endless applications there’s sure to be an exponential rise in the usage of virtual reality. The rise in this technology can be connected to one underlying factor: teenagers. Virtual reality is heavily influenced by teenagers because they represent the future of technology. It may come as a surprise, but virtual reality is not that new. The first real success was its development in video games like Oculus rift and Metamorphorus, to more welcoming applications such as PokemonGo. To put this success in perspective, PokemonGo was the number one app download for a consecutive 74 days, making the application officially a “giant leap for mankind” (a virtual leap that is). The true obstacle for virtual reality is not users at all, as there is a huge demand for a new outlet in the entertainment industry. The real problem is money. Once the equipment becomes cheap enough to fast track production, the world will be one step closer to having virtual reality at home. It only seems to be able to expand in one direction: up. n [Story by Natalie Ring]

[Infographic by Lauryn Forbes]

“outlook” | Justin Sheehan | 12