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Western Albemarle High School October 2012 - Vol. 28 Issue 1
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table of contents
October 2012 featuring... news
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opinion
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spirit week happy 11 35th feature 14 WAHS! What’s Inside? sports16 a&e 20 Life Journey Church at WAHS page 4
The Road to the White House
Mr. Lawson runs for his life in the junior v. faculty dodgeball match. Photo by: Deepa Shivaram
latitudes
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page 5
The team huddles during a timeout at the game against Fort Defiance. Photo by: Deepa Shivaram
Spirit Week in Review page 11
WAHS Fanatics -No Standing Room page 17
Photos by: Deepa Shivaram and Ryan Jones
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Lucie Taylor struggles to hold ground in freshmen v. junior Tug-ofWar. Photo by: Deepa Shivaram
volume 28 issue 1
spirit week
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news
JOURNEY TO WESTERN
Life Journey Church spreads the fame of God By LILLIAN XU
Pg 4 : Journey to Western Pg 5: A New Face in the Halls of Western & Independent Study Program Cracks Down on Paperwork Pg 6: WAHS Reaches
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photo courtesy: Deepa Shivaram
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ovial cheers resonate from the WAHS cafeteria and glowing faces shine with anticipation and excitement. Crisp black curtains encompass a large stage with rows of chairs expanding outwards. A great variety of snacks is laid upon rows of tables in the back. Kids bouncily float away from parents, heading to Journey Kids, the church’s Sunday school. The pastor, Walt Davis, hurries about, eagerly greeting all the newcomers. The grand opening of Life Journey Church was on Sept. 9. About 100 attendees flooded into the cafeteria, where the church service was held. The church service began with a broad welcome and a brief introduction of the church’s journey to Western Albemarle. Davis moved to Crozet from Lynchburg, Va., in June with his wife, April Davis, and their beautiful baby daughter, Gwyn Pearl Davis. Due to his football background, Walt Davis was given insight to Western by Ed Pierce, the former football coach, who warmed to Davis’ passion for sports and Christianity. Davis and his church team held many activities to gain support to start their church at Western Albemarle. In mid-August, Davis and his team held a car wash at the Shell gas station where people were ironically given $1 instead of paying Davis’ team. When Davis was asked the point of the car wash, he replied: “Our ultimate goal is to spread the fame of God. We desire to see community groups on every street of every block of every neighborhood in the greater Crozet area.” Davis commented on the meaning of the name of the church: “My wife and I went through a crazy journey in our lives in trying
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to have children. Through the pain of loss after loss we began to see God in a whole new light.” Though the couple had three miscarriages in three years, “God’s love and grace was greater.” Davis said, “So we moved here to Crozet last summer to share the reality that no matter the journey of life we're in, God's grace, his love and his mercy are greater, deeper, grander, than we could ever imagine.” According to Ms. Sloan, a member of Western’s clerical support staff, the school is simply used as a renting space for the church. They are not associated in any way with the church -- the church is responsible for providing all of the necessary equipment for their services. To follow up, Davis said, “Albemarle County Schools has an open policy for churches and other groups to rent the county facilities.” Davis filled out the needed paperwork and was allowed to use the building. When asked about her feelings towards the church, freshman Candice Grobler said, “The first time I went to Life Journey Church I was very excited because when I lived in South Africa I went to church with my family every Sunday. It was amazing to see the amount of people that came.” Katrina Barredo said, “A family friend told us about [the church], and so my family decided to go and see what it's like.” Katrina added, “I like the church because it's not as strict as other churches I've been to. It's not run by deacons and stuff. It has a strong sense of community.” LJC regularly holds services and Sunday school every Sunday at 10 a.m. in the WAHS cafeteria. In response to what lies ahead for LJC, Davis said, “WAHS is a temporary meeting location. Again, we’re so humbled at the ability to rent the space on Sunday mornings. We’ve begun praying about where to go next, but we don’t have any final decisions yet.” Although LJC’s journey seems to reach a conclusion, Davis and his team look forward to another journey yet to come.
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A New Face in the Halls of Western
news
by MORGAN BROADUS
photo courtesy: Morgan Broadus
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usty white chalk is smudged on the board, smeared vocabulary words and definitions are visible, but incomprehensible. Mrs. Porter sits at her sun-yellow desk stationed before the large, dark green chalkboard. She types on her laptop, preparing for the next day and grading vocab quizzes from the class before. Western Albemarle has many new teachers this year, some new to teaching entirely, some who’ve had some previous experience and some who have taught many years before joining this school’s staff. Mrs. Porter is one of the new teachers here, but she is certainly not new to teaching. Before teaching Honors English 9 and PVCC English 12, she taught at Longwood College, Tandem Friends School for nine years and several other places here and there. As she
comes to Western, it now marks her 20th year of teaching. Before ever aspiring to become a teacher, she once lived in Alaska, surviving in a tent for a total of eight months when she was in her 20s. She comments that she went out to work in a fish factory because she wanted to experience some type of adventure. When she was younger she had always known that she didn’t want to ever become an English teacher, even though her dad was one himself. Although, as the years flew by, she decided to take a job as a teacher because she would be provided free tuition at her graduate school, Purdue University, where she got her master’s degree. After taking the teaching job, she found out that she actually loved teaching English, and from then on she pursued it. In 1996 she moved to Virginia and taught at Longwood University located in Farmville. Although teaching at the university was a fun experience, she didn’t like having to wake up early, considering she had a one-and-a-half hour commute from her house to her 8:30 a.m. class. After leaving Longwood, she got a job at Tandem Friends School and
taught for nine years before coming to teach at Western. Mrs. Porter’s inspiration to pursue English came from her junior and senior high school teacher Mr. Lasser, and her father, who was a very devoted English teacher as well. She says one of the many things she loves about being a teacher is being able to have very wonderful and deep conversations with her father about English, her students, the literature and much more because they can really relate to anything. When asked why she loves English, she replies with a smile on her face, “The opportunity to be enthusiastic about being able to read and write with people is something I love.” Mrs. Porter describes her teaching style as “casual and enthusiastic.” She believes that to think clearly, you need to be able to write clearly. When not teaching or planning for her Honors classes, Mrs. Porter enjoys being with Shannie and Aldi, her eight- and six-year-old children. Being an English teacher, Mrs. Porter really loves to write and read, for she loves to dive into English literature by sitting down and reading a good book.
Independent Study Program Cracks Down on Paperwork
by KRISTI HAGEN he independent study program is leaping forward into the age of technology and has added new requirements. Students must now create and maintain a Google website, where they will upload their work and describe their project. Every other week, students must turn in journals, which are one page, single-spaced, detailing the students’ explorations and reactions to their study. Starting this year, the requirements for the journal have also
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increased to make students reflect more deeply on their activities. Previously, the basic requirement was to fill out a chronological list of events and activities the students would do. Now they must actively process their information and interpret what it means to them, adding a deeper, cognitive element to their journals. The Gifted Resource Teacher, Ms. Ledford, who is in charge of the independent study program, said that this new requirement has been
successful, as she has seen a noticeable increase in the quality of writing being produced. Alternating with the journals are bi-weekly time cards and mentor evaluations, which are records of the student’s activities. In addition, they must also turn in a weekly annotated bibliography of the resources they have used. All of these materials -- the journals, work logs and bibliographies -- must be uploaded to the student’s website, along with a
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news proposal at the beginning of the year and a final evaluation at the end. Ms. Ledford said that all of the paperwork is necessary for students so they can “verify the fact that they have been attaining fruitful academic pursuits.” However, senior Rosalie Stoke, who is taking an independent study in Cognitive Neuroscience, notes that these could compromise the independent nature of the class because “no matter CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
the subject, the requirements stay the same.” Angela Li, a junior taking a selfguided French study, admits that it is a lot of paperwork, but is happy that she can plan her own course: “I can do what I want, so if I’m really interested in a certain book or something then I can pursue that.” Even so, she says she would prefer to use only one format, print or electronic, as the technical aspect is often time-consuming. Because the class is taken pass/fail, as long as students complete their
activities with effort put into them, they can make it through the course. Ms. Ledford cites the biggest problem as procrastination, when students get behind in the work and don’t turn in journals. Those who are enthusiastic about their study and have the motivation to pursue it, however, often succeed in the class. Said Stoke, “It’s great to be able to get school credit for studying an area of interest, practicing a hobby or gaining real-life experience in a certain field.”
Western Gets Down Under the Summer Sun: by MAYA LANGMAN
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AHS Students got to work doing some pretty unique things from misdsion work to governor’s school; spreading Western influence all across the nation and even overseas. What did you do this summer?
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an Grimshaw attended the Governor’s school for vocal performance where he spent his days from 9-5 singing and improving his vocal technique. The final performance was montage of singing in a choir, performing a solo piece, an opera piece and a broadway solo piece. “Yeah, it was a pretty long day,” said Grimshaw. Ian definitely enjoyed his time at the governor’s school but said the people were what made it so great, “The cuddle puddles on the portch were the best; being surrounded by really cool people was my favorite.”
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lthough Finely Overby generally spends his summer trapsing around Russian Hills in San Francisco this year was different, “I drove cross country with my mom, my sister and my dog [Sweetpea]- oh, and the cat, can’t forget the cat,” said Overby. He and his family moved across the country from Albequerky, New Mexico and only arrived a week before school started. He also spent time camping in the Haymez Wilderness, where he forgot to properly prepare and ended up that, “[he] kind of, almost, got hypothermia because I only had a sleeping bag- without a comforter.” said Overby.
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unior Faith Hatter was a jetsetter this summer to Costa Rica where she spent her days voluenteering for a church and playing playing games with the local kids. It was a trip she will always remember because, “It really broadened my horizons -- I had never been out of the country before and it was interesting to be immersed in another culture.”
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opinion
The Race to Pennsylvania Avenue Obama and Romney go head to head by LUCAS RHONDEAU
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Main Speakers: Elizabeth Warren John Kerry Michelle Obama Bill Clinton Rahm Emanuel Joe Biden Barack Obama
oting is a civic responsibility, but it is not enough to just fill out the ballot, take your “I Voted” sticker and walk away. Voters who know nothing of who they are voting for are not doing their country a service. Voting is to be encouraged, but only if the voter has been properly informed. The Republican and Democratic National Conventions have come to a close, and the United States prepares for what should be an exciting presidential election. As the country -- and many Western seniors -- prepares for the presidential and vice presidential debates, here is a recap of the Republican and Democratic National Conventions:
Focal Points:
Because President Obama already holds office, understandably more was said about the flaws in the Romney campaign rather than the strengths of their own campaign. There were some very good speeches by extremely respected government officials, and this resulted in a solid convention.
Final Thoughts Anytime you have two of the best public speakers of this generation, the result is usually positive. Former President Bill Clinton is always very persuasive, so Democratic or Republican, one cannot argue that the guy is good. Barack once again proved very adept at sparking up a crowd. The extreme frenzy that he creates every time he speaks shows us that this campaign does not lack adequate support. Obama spoke about how it would take more than four years to repair our struggling country that he inherited. He said that he has kept his promises as commander-inchief, and that the American people can count on him to submit four more honest years as president. While the Romney campaign took a more tactical approach to their convention, the Obama campaign used a more blunt manner of speaking, and I thought this was an interesting technique and provided good contrast. It worked well for them and resulted in a well-received convention.
Focal Points:
Main Speakers: Ann Romney Chris Christie Condoleezza Rice Paul Ryan Clint Eastwood Mitt Romney
Day 1: The inadequacies of the Obama campaign Day 2: The fact that Americans -- not the government -built this country Day 3: The ability of the Romney administration to fix the problems left to them by the Obama administration Day 4: The greatness of America and the capability of the Romney Campaign to restore that greatness
Final Thoughts New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie delivered a good speech that was toned down from his usual charismatic nature, although it could have been delivered later in the convention. Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan seemed a little nervous at the beginning of his speech, but warmed up to the audience and ended up delivering a solid speech. Actor Clint Eastwood’s speech had us questioning his senility. While Obama was set up by Clinton, Romney was introduced by Clint. An overall poor choice, but not an awful deterrent. To wrap up the convention, Romney delivered a moving and eloquent speech about the state of the country and the steps he would take to improve the fiscal and emotional state of the country. When all is said and done, the Republicans did a very good job at their convention.
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espite what people might tell you, an uneducated vote is not better than no vote at all. Learn not only about the social views of your potential president, but also his economic standpoint and his views on foreign policy. You might not have many fiscal responsibilities right now, but monetary problems get passed down through generations. Some laws can be changed during the term of one president, but economic turmoil can take decades to recover from.
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opinion
The Sullivan Saga A Look at Leadership by TIM DODSON photo courtesy: Malcom Andrews
Hundreds gather on the UVA Lawn with signs, picnics and laptops. For some it is a protest and for others a vigil. Most are anxiously awaiting the decision of the Board of Visitors, hoping that President Teresa Sullivan will be reinstated. For two weeks they have been in the dark, demanding answers and attending rallies, unable to lift the shroud of secrecy cast over the university. A radio buzzes and shouts of “Quiet! Quiet!” spread through the crowd. A few moments later a wave of cheers flows over the Lawn and the mood is immediately uplifted. The much missed president has been returned to office. Sullivan walks out on the marble steps of the Rotunda and greets her supporters. After giving a short speech, the “Good Old Song” starts, and the university returns to normal.
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he “Sullivan Saga,” as it has come to be called, ate a positive image. Dragas never predicted the hundreds reflected a failure of leadership at the university and of thousands of staff, students and community members (inshowcased the issue of differing visions in Thomas Jeffercluding several Western students and parents) coming out son’s Academic Village. to the Lawn on multiple occasions to stand with Sullivan. Helen Dragas, the rector of the university, offered little The second leadership issue was a direct result of Dragas’ explanation for as to why Sullivan was fired on June 7, secrecy. As Thomas Paine said, “truth never envelopes itself 2012. Over the last few months, e-mails have been released in mystery.” When she was questioned by faculty for as to showing that Dragas wanted control over the situation that why Sullivan was fired, she cited confidentiality and revealed unfolded, but was unable to attain it. One of the e-mails nothing. This hurt the highly regarded community of trust was a message sent to the student member of the Board of at the university and led the Faculty Senate to cast a vote of Visitors Hillary Hurd. Dragas contacted Hurd wondering no confidence in the Rector on June 14. whether there would be a group of students interested in The final major lack of leadership on Dragas’ part was “working with a public relations con- Dragas was in a position her attitude toward the situation. She sultant to assist with a communications was closed-minded on her decision and effort by engaging constructively in the pursued it. She blatantly lied to Sullivan blogs.” Another e-mail was directed to and told the president that she had to professor of American politics Larry board votes to give her the boot. She Sabato, asking him to write an op-ed refused to engage the UVA community in the Washington Post or New York in a dialogue and didn’t offer the critical Times to help quell the criticism. She evidence needed to justify the firing. wrote to Sabato, “I feel this needs to be done immediately.” Dragas was in a position of great influence and power and In the course of the Saga it became clear that an institution abused it to achieve something still unknown to many. of higher education requires exceptional leadership in times The main debate at the heart of this issue isn’t Dragas verof uncertainty. sus Sullivan, but corporate America versus academia. DraThe first failure of leadership in this situation came with gas thought that the university wasn’t moving fast enough, Dragas believing that the media and faculty would not take relating Sullivan’s term to decreased student funding, low notice and blow the ousting out of proportion. It is probably rankings as a research university and declining faculty comnot a coincidence that the story was released on a Sunday pensation. Dragas also wanted to expand online education. via e-mail to university faculty. The beginning of the week The style of leadership the Rector acted on was businessis often the slowest for news agencies and the media. She like and nonconformist Unfortunately, she failed to see that didn’t anticipate the blowback of her actions. In all, she corporatism doesn’t work in a scholastic setting. spent over $250,000 in public relations in attempt to gener-
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opinion Sure, the quantity of funds can go up, but the quality of education is not numbers-based; it’s human-based. Professors, such as Bill Wulf, resigned over the issue, but Dragas turned a blind eye to them. Faculty and students at UVA felt that Sullivan was doing a good job. She valued their work and they felt the connection. Things certainly could have been improved at UVA, but she The main debate at the was trying her heart of this issue isn’t best to make Dragas versus Sullivan, the changes appropriate to but corporate America maintaining the versus academia. quality of education the university strives to offer. She had been pressured to cut important programs, in the language department for example, but she felt that their presence outweighed the costs.
How does the Sullivan Saga apply to Western students? We should be able to hold our school and community leaders to the same standards the faculty saw in Sullivan and failed to find in Dragas. Honesty, effort and dedication should be at the forefront of our minds when examining those in positions of leadership. We should revere those who stand for a humanistic approach to tackling our school’s issues and not look at things solely from a numeric view. The other key takeaway is the influence of outside organizations. Corporate influence is present in our very own county and it needs to be monitored. For example, the SchoolNet debacle of last year has cost the county $2 million and has proven to be ineffective with faculty. Don’t sit back and let things unfold. Stand up for what you believe in, and community will become a much better place. In the words of Jefferson, “Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.”
The Logic of Lockers by GARRETT HATMAKER
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s many students know, lockers almost never play a part of student life at Western. “They play no role in the school and aren’t even a good color,” said Deborah Ayers-Brown. Very few students take advantage of them but they are still taking up space in the hallway. So where is the logic it keeping them? I recently moved to the area and am used to everyone using their lockers on a regular basis. At most schools, lockers are an essential tool for students and school is close to impossible without them. Then again I always had too many books to carry around. Which doesn’t seem to be the case here. Also, the
lockers are way too small and students find that it is impractical to walk out of their way when they could simply carry their things around with them. Now that I don’t use a locker, I find that I can get to class much quicker and not have to wonder about what I forgot. On the other hand, what if the school were to replace the lockers with wider, roomier ones? Would students use them then? Then again what would we gain from getting rid of them? Maybe a little extra room in the halls wouldn’t hurt. Either way, I think that it is obvious that the need for lockers is questionable. photo by Deepa Shivaram
Letters to the Editor: The Western Hemisphere welcomes letters to the editor of any topic of concern to the Western community. All letters must be signed; works submitted without the author’s name will not be published. All materials are subject to editing for libel, obscentiy, poor taste, spelling, grammar, punctuation, style and space. Submit letters to the editor to 5941 Rockfish Gap Turnpike, Crozet, VA 22932 or wahs.news@gmail.com Our Mission: The Western Hemisphere is a student run newspaper for Western Albemarle High School in Crozet, Virginia. The Hemisphere seeks to inform, educate, and entertain the student body and local community. The opinions expressed in our newspaper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any school governing body, such as the school board, school administration or faculty.
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opinion
Wemberley Worried?First thoughts on WAHS by LAUREN KEARNS
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n preschool, one of my favorite picture books was “Wemberley Worried,” the story of a little mouse who worries about everything. I’d always thought it was exaggerated, the amount she worried about school. However, as I got onto the bus on Aug. 22, I’d never been more worried before in my life, and to be honest, I could totally relate to the little cartoon mouse. Will any of my friends be on my bus? How will I be able to find any of my classes in such a huge school? Who will I sit with during lunch? Will the teachers be nice? By the time I got to school, I was a nervous wreck, and for the most part things just went downhill from there. In my first class I accidently tripped my teacher with my field hockey stick, which I later found out was supposed to be put away in the locker room. At lunch my friends and I made the mistake of sitting in the hallway and got lots of annoyed glares from the upperclassmen. During Spanish I nearly had my phone taken away because it kept buzzing since my dad was texting me. But despite all of this, when I got home I was bursting with excitement about the day. That night I sent an e-mail to my
friend and said, “I forgot my schedule and map at home today, so for me high school was like a giant scavenger hunt adventure that was full of surprises. Even though today was hard, I loved it so much and cannot wait for tomorrow.” The second day turned out to be much better than the first because I was able to learn from all of my mistakes. I got to school earlier so that I could put my stick in my locker, sat outside for lunch and learned how to silence my phone. For me, some of my favorite things about high school are being able to see my friends, getting to be a part of the field hockey team and meeting so many new people. Mitch Stamp, another freshman, voiced similar opinions, saying, “What I like about high school is being able to see my buddies every day.” Radu Serbulea, on the other hand, said, “I like how people are so much more mature.” Now that a month has passed, a lot has changed. I have real homework (not just getting syllabi signed), I finally understand how the bell system works, and I know where all of my classes are. But even though school is not like a scavenger hunt anymore, it’s still an adventure and always will be.
The Facilities are A-Changin’
Changes to academic and athletic facilities are a welcome improvement by EME MASSERELLI
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alking up to the stadium as an upcoming freshman for field hockey tryouts was daunting. Once inside the gates, I was awed by how official the track and turf appeared. That feeling of respect should be the reaction we receive from our opponents at all athletic meets. As most returning students and faculty are well aware, during the summer several changes were undertaken at various parts of Western. County funds went to purchasing new chairs, tables and computers for the library, providing students with an enhanced learning environment. In the athletics department the school has installed a new polyurethane track and brightly-colored cement tennis courts. In order for Western Albemarle to remain a top-ranked school we have to bring our facilities up to the standards of other schools in our area and maintain quality facilities for both academics and sports. New librarian Ms. Wilkins states, “Everything is new.” Walking through the library doors, the first things that you will notice are multiple computers lined up on long tables and dozens of crisp new tables and chairs that harbor scholars throughout the day. The library is a very popular location for students during study halls, lunch and Independent Study. People go there for a quiet and productive
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work environment, and it is important to have enough of the proper materials to help students thrive. Most Western students will use the track, whether during gym or for sports conditioning. “There were bubbles in it,” explains gym teacher and field hockey coach Mia Fields. The old track was worn and faded from 20 years of use and was becoming a tripping hazard. For the past two years, cracks prevented Western from having home meets. In late August, a new polyurethane track was installed to provide students with a safer, smoother running surface. The tennis teams and Western tennis court users are probably thrilled to have the new red and blue courts at their disposal. As many remember, the 15-year-old tennis courts had visible cracks and drainage problems. These new courts not only provide a higher quality playing area, but they also help the appearance of Western sports facilities. These new additions were greatly needed to bring Western up to the standards of the facilities at Albemarle and Monticello. And hopefully we can look forward to further improvements and make sure that students are provided with the best advantages that the school can offer.
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the western hemisphere WESTERN HEMISPHERE STAFF Haley Roland, co-Editor in Chief Morgan McKee, co-Editor in Chief Sarah Rainey , Executive Editor, Web Brandt Berry, Managing Editor, Sports Maya Langman, Managing Editor, Design Maggie Spindel, Business Manager Morgan McKee, Business Manager Kristi Hagen, Copy Editor Sophie Webb, Copy Editor Patrick Andrews, News Editor Tim Dodson, Commentary Editor Zach Mandell, Arts and Entertainment Editor Sarah Duska, Latitudes Editor Deepa Shivaram, Photo Editor Kamila Setaro, Assistant Sports Editor Sarah Honosky, Assistant Grant Tolber, Assistant Ian McKechnie, Assistant Kelsey McKechnie, Assistant Morgan Broadus, staff writer Isabella Fernandez, staff writer Garrett Hatmaker, staff writer Lauren Kearns, staff writer Sam Lesemann, staff writer Eme Massarelli, staff writer Lucas Rhondeau, staff writer
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What to wear? Seniors Noah Oakland and Grant Gearhart pour over their senior shirts on Class Color Day.
Spirit Week: 1
It’s always a good time
Maya Langman
Cata ChernavvskySequeira, Megan Flannagan, Bridget Sweeney, and Jessica Moskaluk relax during lunch on Tie Dye/Pajama day. Deepa Shivaram
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Students listen intently to Kinda-Karaoke on Cameo/Neon day.
(TOP LEFT)Seniors pass out senior shirts. Maya Langman (BOTTOM LEFT) Danny
Maya Langman
Twins Andy Cohen and Roi Pineda dress as Ash Ketchum from Pokemon on Superhero/Twin day.
4 Seniors pledge allegiance to a pirate flag on Theme Day to pay homage to the Pirates of the Caribbean. Deepa Shivaram
Maya Langman
Mclearnan, Ben Spencer and Andrew Periasamy strut their stuff on stage during Kinda Karaoke. Maya Langman
...and the winner is? After all six days,
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SENIORS Annie Lorenzoni shows her colors at the pep rally on Wacky Tacky/Blue and Gold Day. Deepa Shivaram
were able to cinch the win over all the other grades. Seniors, including Sarah Jane Cushing and Erin O’Connor, take Superhero/Twin Day into their own hands and pronounce it Toga Day. Maya Langman
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festivities in review
(LEFT) Devin gets a talking to for his “nervous twitch” during class skits. Maya Langman (RIGHT TOP)Competition cheer shows their stuff. Deepa Shivaram. (RIGHT BOTTOM) The football team tops CHS by one point on Homecoming. Ryan Jones
Memorable Moments (LEFT) Students enjoy the bonfire
the day before the big game. Deepa Shivaram (RIGHT)Senior boys take the fight
outside during the tug-of-war finals. Deepa Shivaram.
(TOP)Juniors scramble to finish their mural on time on class colors day. Ryan Jones (CENTER)WAHS students show their dedication to the football team on TV at the football game. Maya Langman (MID)Quinn Cross, Abby Sewell, and Kayleigh Warburton, cheer on the singers at kinda-karaoke. Maya Langman (BOTTOM) Freshmen class officers lead a celebratory
cheer in their finished hall.
Seniors Pull out thier secret weapon during skirts; the sophomore’s old mural.
Deepa Shivaram
Maya Langman
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feature
Western’s Evolution
by LAUREN KEARNS and MORGAN MCKEE
The year is 1977. You walk into the school building and note the smell of sawdust and Lysol in the air, the brand-new walls, floors, doors -- everything. You realize you forgot your lunch, so you go to the nearest pay phone and dial up your mom to bring it to you. You sit in your first period class, which is equipped with the latest technology: VHS players, slide projectors and state of the art typewriters. You look around, seeing the diverse and populous student body crammed into the new school. Back to 2012. A bit different, isn’t it? Western has seen a remarkable evolution during its 35 years of existence. Perhaps no one can retell the story of the school’s lineage better than the WAHS faculty who have experienced these changes firsthand and share the details about the evolution of the school, and how it has progressed over the years. The improvement of technology has been one of the most dramatic changes that have occurred, which is both a good and bad thing. For most math students, it’s hard to imagine that there was a time before calculators. Ms. Shuey, who has been a WAHS teacher since 1982, says, “Graphing calculators came out in the late 80’s and have changed the way I teach mathematics dramatically.” Because of these devices, learning can become easier and faster. But not all technological advances are thought to be good. Mr. Mann, who started working at Western in 1984, says, “Technology has changed the school in the same ways it has changed the world: it is most often used to satisfy our ever-decreasing span of attention, as well as our need for immediate, though temporary, gratification.”
photo from of The Odyssey, 1983
“Kim Shiflett prepares her verbal attack on the typewriter” - The Odyssey photo cred: Ryan Jones
“Gone are the typewriters, ditto machines, pay phones (big problem during lunch everybody wanting to use them). Now every room has an LCD projector, computer carts and computer labs, and cell phones the norm.” -Mr. Carter
Cas Girvin holds up a “15” after a performance at kindakaraoke during spirit week
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Spirit week is a big deal at Western. Anyone who visits the school during that week will instantaneously be overwhelmed with school spirit. This raises the question, however, when did the first spirit week start? Chuck Witt said, “I don’t think we had spirit week, but we did have a “toga day,” because animal house came out my senior year.” Skits came a bit later. “Spirit week has always been fun at WAHS, but with the class of 1987 as sophomores,” Said Ms. Shuey, “We put on the first skits as a show in the cafeteria and the other classes started doing the same once they heard about what we were doing. Now that the leadership class plans Spirit Week, it is more organized so that everyone can participate each day.”
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feature Sports have obviously been a large part of Western tradition, or else associate principal Dr. Domecq wouldn’t have written his famed “Tradition” speech to perform at the class assemblies at the start of the school year. Many cosmetic changes have occurred in Western’s world of sports. Among a few: the addition of the auxiliary gym, the new tennis courts and the installation of both the turf field and the track, among others, to name a few. Teams have also been added onto the list of the many offered by WAHS, although some have been taken away. Western used to have a little known equestrian club, as well as a…wait for it… horse. Bill Campbell, Western’s first warrior mascot would ride the horse during the home football games. Gymnastics was a sport, while cheerleading was still a club.
“In academics, standards have been lowered, rigor has been lost, and class time has been reduced. Students are learning less and less about more and more,” said Mr. Mann, commenting on the shift of focus in Western from quality to quantity-style learning. His thoughts seem to resonate also with Mr. Witt, who said, “I don’t think the Honors classes are what they used to be…I think some of these Honors courses have been watered down. When I was here, we had six classes, and now we have eight. And obviously when you do that you lose a big chunk of time, and there is no way possible to teach what we used to teach.” Nevertheless, Western has continued its tradition of being one of the most academically competitive high schools in the state, pumping out impressive SOL scores and showing that it is a force to be reckoned with.
Photo courtesy of the 1979 yearbook
Western football celbrates a victory in 1978 Photo cred: Ryan Jones
Western football celebrates a victory in 2012 Photo courtesy of the 1983 yearbook
Students hang out behind the breezeway-less school in 1983
Chuck Witt was a junior when the school opened up, and reflects on the disparity between then and now, especially in the student body. When the school opened, there were no trailers, no auxiliary gym, and no addition on BBuilding. Yet the school was overflowing with students, by far more diverse than it is now. He said, “Student body, to me, is a big difference because it is just not as diverse as it once was. It was a larger school then, and I think we were over 1200 those first couple years. When it opened, it drew from a much larger part of the county.” This is because Monticello High School hadn’t opened up yet, and students came from all over the county to go to school. Now the vast majority of the students are from around the Crozet area, making the community of the school closer-knit and not as diverse. Since the beginning, Western has been a school to behold. In 35 years, it has seen many changes, ranging from cosmetic changes to the building to the closer-knit community of the student body. Yet as the school evolves, the spirit stays the same.
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sports
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O STANDING ROO New Student Group Bolsters Fan Support
In past years, football fandom at Western Albemarle had been characterized by the student section’s raucous enthusiasm and wit rather than by staggering attendance numbers. To compensate for showings at football games that were sometimes skimpy in comparison to the likes of Louisa and Monticello, a few students -- often a rowdy group of senior boys -- would always make Western’s presence felt. But this year, due in part to the efforts of Dale Savoy, Timmy O’Shea and others in charge of WAHS Fanatics, the presence of Western football attendance has flourished in size. Senior Dale Savoy created WAHS Fanatics, originating as a Facebook group, on Aug. 2 and advertised the Aug. 24 season opener against Albemarle. On Aug. 5 Timmy O’Shea, who Savoy promoted to admin, posted, “1st big event ladies and gents 1st week of school everyone is required to be in attendance [sic],” along with a link to the Facebook event for the Western vs. Albemarle football game. Savoy and O’Shea organized a hugely popular blackout for the game and, according to athletic director Steve
1on1with Taylor Facts:
The Watchers:
The Attendees:
Most of them are freshmen who don’t pay much attention to the game but are there to show their support anyways.
They are generally uninterested in the game but feel obligated to attend as a social event.
The Crazies:
The Fanatics:
The traveling fans. They wear blue full-body spandex, have war paint on their faces and/or wear jerseys of the team. They are quite true to their name and go crazy the entire game.
The avid supporters who follow the dress code of that particular game (black out, blue out, etc.), and their eyes are
The Fan Section:
graphic by: Maya Langman
A: “I’m at a pretty high mileage. I ran about 73 miles in singles and 20 in morning runs last week. I’ll step that down later in the season when things have gotten well under way, but my workouts will increase in intensity.”
Fun Fact: Defending State Champion in the 1 mile
Q: “What are your team and individual goals for this season?” photo by: Ryan Jones
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port for all Western Sports. In the Facebook group description, Savoy says he envisions “a big groups [sic] for all sports... so people can post big games they’re playing in and also organize fan groups.” WAHS Fanatics hopes to synthesize Basketball’s “Crozet Crazies,” Soccer’s “Hooligans” and the entire student body into one mass of fiercely fanatic supporters of WAHS athletics for years to come. A: “We want to rebuild the team
by GRANT TOLBER and be competitive in the state. We
Q: “On average about how many miles would you say you run a week?”
Grade: 12
Dissected
to cheer on the team.
Heon, the attendance at the home opener approached 2500 -- making it the best attended event in his nine-year tenure at Western. Coupled with the spike in attencance, the team hasstarted their year with a 5-0 record, their best in recent memory. Some of the credit for the enthusiasm of the crowd and the subsequent success of the football team must go to Savoy and WAHS Fanatics. Though the focus so far this fall seems to be on football, Savoy seeks to bolster sup-
: David Taylor
Nickname: “Dave”
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by ZACH MANDELL
want to perform well in the regional meet and win the district title as well. Another goal of mine is to make the podium at the state tournament.” Q: “What schools might pose a threat to Western’s history of district dominance this season?” A: “In the past we’ve been dominant in the district, but we’d like to beat up on Albemarle, and we have to look out for Monticello and Fluvanna.”
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In Sync
sports Emmeli and part of her Flamingo team
WAHS senior Emmeli Gordon makes a splash
by EMILY WILLIAMS When synchronized swimming comes to mind, the common thought is of girls in brightly colored floral swimsuits and caps cheerfully diving into the water in perfect unison. In reality, there is much more to the port then just splashing around in a pool. Just ask Emmeli Gordon, a senior at Western, who has been competitively synchronized swimming since she was in the sixth grade. Emmeli was introduced to the sport by two of her friends in the fifth grade and quickly became a member of the team, which typically consists of four people for competition. “I started out egg beatering, which is a water treading technique, and then I moved on to the more difficult moves”, said Emmeli. The name of her team, the Charlottesville Flamingos, may seem comical to an outsider of the sport, but is actually the name of a move in Q: “What times do you hope to improve and which event is most important to you?” A: “My cross country times are my number one priority. I want to beat Kyle Satterwhite’s 15:10 minute school record time, averaging about 4:53 per mile.” Q: “Who are the runners for this season to look out for, and are there any youngsters that have the potential to be running varsity this year?”
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photo courtesy: Emmeli Gordon
synchronized swimming. The Flamingos, who practice in Charlottesville, started out at the local level and have qualified for Nationals the past two years. “We got first place in all of the local competitions but I guess I never thought we were that good until we qualified for Nationals”, said Emmeli. The first year, Nationals was located in Washington state, so the team could not attend, but last year luck struck when the location of Nationals was announced to be in Ohio. The competition was stretched over a week, but the team attended for just two days, and placed 25th overall. Emmeli is very passionate about the sport as a whole, but particularly loves competitions. She especially enjoys how
A: “Junior Alex De Jong has been looking good for the last trainings and races. Freshman Trevor Stutzman, brother of Western star Tyler Stutzman that now runs at Stanford, has been looking good as well. Other racers that look like they could be running varsity at some point this season are Mac Outlaw, Will Rogers, Cy Webb (also know as Miley), Henry Cohen, Kyle Mahoney, Nathaniel Hashisaki and Ethan Cole.”
all the work and presentation come together. “The teams with more money have sparkly suits and things like that, but we just order patterned suits”, said Emmeli. Besides suits, the standard look for synchronized swimming included a stiff high bun created with gelatin and, of course, nose clips. Competitions consist of two parts: the routine, which is three minutes long, and figures, in which everyone competes. Generally, Emmeli performs in duets and trios in competitions, which are usually located in Virginia Beach. Synchronized swimming is based on a 100-point scale with teams at the Olympic level usually scoring in the nineties. “I watched the Olympic synchronized swimming this summer and I was amazed by how good they were”, said Emmeli. Local teams like the Flamingos score in the 60s and 70s. The only aspect of synchronized swimming that she dislikes is the extreme precision and perfection required. Emmeli plans to continue synchronized swimming in college and is looking at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts.
XC alum Dallas Pugh and coach Cass Girvin shooting the breeze with Dave photo by: Deepa Shivaram
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sports
Know Your
by KAMILA SETARO
Teammate: FieldHockey
photo by: Maya Langman
The varsity field hockey team has had a triumphant season thus far. With five straight shutouts, the team is set to close out their regular season and begin the Jefferson District Tournament on Oct. 22. Their clear success as a team has shown that they have chemistry on the field and seem to know each other well.
But how well do they know one another off the field? We interviewed senior team leaders Becca Moriconi, Tess Lohr and Morgan Schuler to see how well they know each other. Moriconi answered several questions and we asked the others to answer what they think she would say.
Self titled “best friends” and teammates (L-R) Morgan Schuler, Becca Moriconi, and Tess Lohr
Becca Moriconi, FWD
Who is your favorite musical artist?
Train or Bob Marley
Michael Phelps or Ryan Lochte?
Maple Syrup or Cheese?
What is your favorite movie?
If you could marry any celebrity, who would it be?
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Nicki Minaj
Morgan Schuler, DEF
No Idea
Michael Phelps
Ryan Lochte
Ryan Lochte
Maple Syrup
Maple Syrup
Maple Syrup
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Matty from Awkward
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Tess Lohr, FWD
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Channing Tatum
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Ryan Reynolds
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sports
Mid-Calf Rises
by BRANDT BERRY
Socks playing an important role among Western athletes
photo by: Maya Langman
Football players sport their pink breast cancer awareness socks
Every athlete has been there, no matter what level you are playing at or how long you have played. Professionals, first timers and everyone in between all have one thing in common, the socks. Regardless of your sport (OK swimming, not you), socks are an absolute necessity to any athlete both in sports and in everyday life. It may seem unimportant but the sock has much more to do with sports than anyone would believe. However, senior football player Isiah Cowan insists that sock choice is essential on and off the field.: “Your socks play an important role in your performance. If your sock game isn’t up to par, then your natural game isn’t up to par. If you don’t look good, you don’t play good.” As Cowan explains, it is evident in the way we dress, but most photo by: Deepa Shivaram
Freshman Carter Elliot loves to rep his Nike mid-calfs
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importantly, our socks express our swagger. Think back a few years -- scratch that -- think back a whole eight to ten years; you are in elementary school, ready to go play some Pokemon and have fun at recess for the whole day! You are sitting on the edge of your bed when pondering what socks to put on, but we all know what the answer will be. The overwhelming consensus in the sports world and real world during the early 2000s was that ankle socks were the pair to wear. From NBA stars such as Tim Duncan to an aspiring NBA player like myself, you had to be wearing ankle socks to be cool. But where have those times gone? You know you’re at a crossroads when the only semi-famous ankle sock wearer is American tennis player Mardy Fish. And the sad thing about that is, is that at least 70 percent of the people reading this have no idea who Fish is. On the other end of the spectrum, the number of mid-calf athletes is endless. From new Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III to well-known YouTube sensation Branford Winstonworth, mid-calfs are everywhere you look in the sports world. One theory to the meteoric popularity spike of the mid-calf has been the appar-
ent desire to start and join in on a hip new trend. Junior runner Will Romness was, as he told me, one of the first to blaze the trail for the new footwear. “Ankles socks went away as people realized that they weren’t that swag,” says Romness. “I was the first to notice, the same way I was the first to start the trend of polar fleeces or sunglasses.” So what is the piece de resistance of the mid-calf genre? Cowan notes that, when choosing the cotton creation with the most swagger and athletic functionality, the choice is easy: “It has to be Nike Elites. The cushion, the style, the fit, it all makes you feel kinda’ personal with your sock.” While not every mid-calf wearer will feel a connection to their socks like Cowan does, they will no doubt sense the swagger that the socks bring to their everyday life. There is no denying that the sensational sock style has found a home at Western for years to come.
Will Romness proudly runs in mid-calfs photo courtesy: Will Romness
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Summer of the Superhero Which movie was your favorite? by KELSEY MCKECHNIE
Recently, the movies that have been generating the most buzz at the box office have been the ones that involve men donning tights and mysterious masks. The three top-grossing movies of the summer were “The Avengers,” “The Dark Knight Rises” and “The Amazing Spider-Man.” For many Western students, a popular way to beat the heat this year was to kick back and enjoy these action-packed flicks. “The Amazing SpiderMan” turned out to be a surprise hit. Many felt the movie was unnecessary and wouldn’t do well because it was released so close to the previous Spider-Man series, which ended in 2007. Many thought that another attempt at the Spider-Man series was redundant and that this time around, they would not be successful since it has only been five years since the latest installment concluded. “They probably should have waited a little while before they made the movie because the two series were so close together,” said junior Christian Cullinan. Still, Cullinan enjoyed the latest movie, which featured newcomer Andrew Garfield, more than the others. “I thought that the new
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Spider-Man was better. The SpiderMan movies with Tobey Maguire were good, but this new movie was much truer to the actual comics,” said Cullinan.
out of the movies this summer because it was just a really great way end the Batman trilogy. ‘Spider-Man’ and ‘The Avengers’ were both really good too though,” said Cullinan. Sophomore Kyle Benson also saw the three films. “Yeah, they were all awesome, but ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ was my favorite,” said Benson. “The Avengers” raked in an impressive $1.5 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing movie of the summer. It was also senior Which super hero movie Andrew Periasamy’s favorite did you like best? of the three films. “It was interesting. All of the Marvel superheroes came together to join in a battle between good and evil,” said Periasamy. The movie featured popular characters from other recent “The Dark Knight Rises” was arguDisney Marvel Studios movies like ably the most highly anticipated film “Thor,” “The Incredible Hulk,” of the summer due to the fact that it “Ironman” and “Captain America” in was the final installment in the popua showdown against an alien army in lar Batman series. The movie was order to save the Earth. centered around Batman’s return as Across the board, the responses to the protector of Gotham after a villain the superhero films of the summer named Baine began to terrorize the were enthusiastic, and there is already city. There were many loose ends to progress being made on sequels to tie up, but several fans raved that the “The Amazing Spider-Man” and “The last few minutes of the film were what Avengers.” Only time will tell if our made it so great. “I thought that ‘The fascination with these caped vigilantes Dark Knight Rises’ was by far the best will hold.
?
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The Phenomenon of Fangirling by SARAH HONOSKY
A Profile of the (Sometimes) Closeted Celebrity Crush
My friends are always asking me to get a Facebook. They want to be able to talk to me in the summer, tag me in unflattering photos and compete with me for amount of “friends.” And I ask my friends to get a Twitter or a Gmail or maybe even a blog because I want to know what is going on in their lives without having to make an unavoidably awkward phone call. I don’t ask my friends to get a Tumblr, however, for no other reason than I don’t want them to get in the way of my hardcore all-out-passionate fangirling. In this world we live in, it is way too easy to be overly invested in the lives of celebrities. The Internet allows us photo by: Kevin Aranito keep up with their every movement, bar/CrazyInSane/Crewhether we are freaking out over some ativeCommons newly released pictures or squealing over a tweet. We are so reliant on these many of us fangirls call home if only forms of media. You can take away my because we are surrounded by people just as obsessed as we are. One of the more noticeably obsessive fangirls at Western is Langlee King. She can tell me the exact date of every tweet from her obsession, Australian teenage heartthrob Cody Simpson. Any mention of his name causes her to blurt out a string of “ohmygods” followed by lots of manic giggling. She will also pull out her phone and regale you with thousands of pictures of Cody in various poses. Trust me, I would rather be eaten by a lion than go through that again. However, not all fangirls are girls. Tim Dodson’s obsession with food, and you can take away my water, Ron Paul is borderline terrifying. He describes his love for Ron Paul as “not but you can’t take away my WiFi. It’s great to read your celebrity crush’s just a hobby, but a lifestyle.” When newest tweets or buy tons of merchan- he gets home from school, he checks Google News for any new mentions dise with his or her face plastered all over it, but honestly, there is no better of Ron Paul. Tim participates in variretreat for fangirls than Tumblr, a place ous message boards that discuss Ron
“The thing about fangirling is that everyone does it...try to deny it, there is always something that gets you talking.”
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Paul and politics. Tim has met many fellow Ron Paul supporters at rallies and protests. His final comment regarding his feelings for Ron Paul’s campaign is: “It’s something you take to heart, not just send out a tweet about.” In general, Twitter is for the more superficial fangirls. The ones that want you to be aware of everything they are doing and everything they are feeling. Tumblr is a more anonymous way to express fangirling tendencies, a perfect blend of all different forms of media to get the full celebrity experience. The thing about fangirling is that everyone does it. You can try to deny it, but there is always something that gets you talking. Adults are always complaining that our generation is too technologyfocused, that we spend too much time in front of a screen and not enough time paying attention to what they have to say. But the truth is, what they are saying is old news. I would much rather be focusing on the fact that Naya Rivera just tweeted a picture of herself on set and “OHMYGOD I CAN’T EVEN WITH THESE FEELS.” This is something I care about, and isn’t passion the hub of our culture? There wouldn’t be any bands or artwork or TV shows without us fangirls to fuel them. Fangirling is a time consuming commitment. I have to make time in my schedule to not only do homework, go to soccer practice, eat dinner and maintain some form of hygiene, but to also spend a couple hours a day admiring Naya Rivera’s bone structure and interpreting everything she has ever said in her life. It’s a little embarrassing, and a lot pathetic, but I don’t need your respect or your approval. Every inch of my being is too busy being consumed by my irrational, infinite, unstoppable need to fangirl.
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A&E
Looking Forward : CONCERTS
by SAM LESEMANN
Couting Crows: Sunday October 28, 6:00 P.M., nTelos Wireless Pavilion Singer/guitarist Adam Duritz was one of the founding members of the Counting Crows
The Pavilion is blessed, and sometimes cursed, with a variety of acts every spring, summer and fall. From Pretty Lights to Jack White, all manners of music play on the outdoor stage. On October 28, Counting Crows, on their tour of their new album, “Underwater Sunshine (Or What We Did On Our Summer Vacation).”, will stop by the Charlottesville nTelos Wireless Pavilion. Combining hard, guitar-driven sounds of the ‘90s
P H O T O
with softer, vocal-based, acoustic sounds more associated with the ‘70s, Counting Crows has managed to appeal to both fans of alternative and classic rock. They have a wide variety of influences, taking their lighter, more upbeat approach from bands such as Van Morrison and their much darker, downbeat songs with harder guitars and angrier lyrics from bands such as Nirvana. Their entire career, the Counting Crows have combined these two unique styles. Often splitting an album between the two, Counting Crows have created their own fusion of alternative grunge and light ‘70s sound. Formed in San Francisco in 1991 by singer Adam Duritz and guitarist David Bryson, the band quickly became a staple on the local music scene. Their breakout performance, filling in for Van Morrison at the band’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, was directly followed by the release of their first album, “August
E S S AY
by DEEPA SHIVARAM
and Everything After.” The album was massively successful, with several hit songs like “Mr. Jones,” which climbed to the number one spot on the Billboard 40. They quickly followed this up with two albums in four years: “Recovering The Satellites” in 1995 and “This Desert Life” in 1999. Both included several hit songs, such as “A Long December” and “Hanginaround.” After “This Desert Life,” the band released another two original albums, “Saturday Evenings and Sunday Mornings” and “Underwater Sunshine.” The band also released two live recordings, and a Grammywinning single “Accidentally in Love”. Whether singing along to “Mr. Jones” or holding up a lighter for “A Long December,” the Counting Crows concert promises a diverse mix of music with an incredible atmosphere.
Looking Back
(L-R) Mr. Martin opens Debate by displaying his beloved teddy bear; 9th grader Phoebe DeVito double checks to see if the Freshman mural can exceed last years debacle; Katherine Donnaly signs in for the Senior Seminar. Seniors attended three sessions on PSAT day
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october 2012
latitudes
Get the 411 New and old members of WAHS faculty revealed through Keirsey test.
photo by: Deepa Shivaram
Things You Never Knew about Mr. Driver Even though Mr. Driver is a long time veteran at Western, there are still a lot of things we don’t know about our assistant principal: 1. Mr. Driver is getting his doctorate at the University of Virginia. 2. He wrestled and played rugby in college. 3. This man might have the record of number of broken noses... seven times! Psychological Profile ESTJ -naturally steps into leadership roles -values order and rule adherence -takes their commitments seriously “The most important thing to me is making sure this years seniors get into college,” Driver says.
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photo by: Deepa Shivaram
What Everyone Wants to Know about Ms. Voreas Western Albemarle High School’s new study hall teacher, Ms. Voreas, has to compete with the beloved reputation of Mr. Crickenberger who served our school a great honor by being one of the greatest study hall teachers of his generation. It is the consensus that she will fit the bill quite nicely though. Here are some cool things to know about her: 1. Ms. Voreas attended the University of Virginia where she swam and played water polo. 2. Her favorite color is turquoise. 3. She has the same kind of dog as President Obama! His name is Mikey. Psychological Profile ENFJ -excellent people skills -intuitive awareness of other people -loyal and trustworthy
photo by: Deepa Shivaram
Cool things about Mr. D Everyone who has Mr. DelDotto knows he originates from the home of the New York Giants (NJ), his absolute favorite football team. Mr. D is the government teacher for the first semester. What you don’t know about this new teacher is that: 1. He went to George Washington University and is getting his graduate degree in teaching at UVA. 2. He has no pets, but he loves dogs, especially BIG ones. 3. Queen and Jackson Browne are his favorite bands. Psychological Profile ENFP -very excited and passionate about things -works best in environment with lots of different people and ideas -very consistent in their values
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latitudes
photo by: Ryan Jones
The Best Car in the Lot Vintage convertible has heads turning By SOPHIE WEBB Most teenagers would probably be happy with whatever beat up, piece of junk, it-has-character car their parents wanted to give them. However, some just get a little bit luckier. “It’s a 1976 MG Midget,” says grinning junior Ryan Jones, of the sporty red convertible he drives. The six-cylinder, manual transmission, two-seater was bought by his father, nine years ago, in New Hampshire. Jones concedes that learning to drive stick was a challenge, especially because he began driving in an automatic. In the beginning he would “kill it, every single time,” but he
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adds that after a month it became second nature, and he never forgot. Jones says the Midget “drives like a racecar, it’s really great, but it doesn’t go as fast as a race car, cause it’s got this tiny engine, but because it’s small... any road makes it feel fun.” Ryan’s father shares his love of the brand; the older Jones has a 1961 MGA, which he bought about a year ago.
photo by: Ryan Jones
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