volume 53, Issue 3 november 12, 2014
Walt whitman High school
7100 whittier boulevard
Bethesda, maryland 20817
theblackandwhite.net
photo courtesy CLIVE HARRIS
Maryland labeled human trafficking ‘hot spot’ by margot dionne Every year, over 1.6 million kids run away or are kicked out of their homes in the U.S. Of those 1.6 million, about 100,000 will be sold for sex each year. These figures, from Courtney’s House, a D.C. based organization that helps sex trafficking victims, have prompted action on several fronts. These crimes occur surprisingly close to home. This January, Rodney Hubert, 38, and Charles Hufton, 25, were arrested on charges of sex trafficking. The Maryland men offered young girls money and a place to live if the girls agreed to take provocative photos, make pornographic films and engage in prostitution. The two men were later indicted for sex trafficking of a minor and conspiring to traffic minors for sexual activity. This was not an isolated incident. Although most Bethesda residents might consider human trafficking fairly uncommon or distant, Maryland prosecutes dozens of cases each year. School systems, nonprofit organizations and government agencies have responded by educating communities on prevention and victim assistance.
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photo courtesy ADAM PRILL
Senior plays for Thailand national baseball team
Above: the boys soccer team celebrates their 4-0 thrashing of Bladensburg in the state semifinals. Below: midfielder Maddie Parker struts down the field during the girls 3-1 win over Eleanor Roosevelt. The boys and girls compete for state titles at Loyola University Maryland Friday and Saturday nights.
Boys and girls soccer advance to state finals
By Josh Feder and Anna Marcus This weekend at Loyola University. the girls and boys soccer teams have a chance to make history and become the first teams from one school to win both Maryland 4A state titles in the same year. Both teams decimated their opponents in the state semifinals Friday Nov. 7. The boys struck first, beating Bladensburg 4-0, and the girls followed with a 3-1 thrashing of Eleanor Roosevelt. The boys play Friday night at 7:30 against the Chesapeake Cougars while the girls play saturday at the same time against the Howard Lions.
Boys Soccer
Spearheaded by a powerhouse offense, the boys soccer team looks to take home their first state title
since 2009. In their state semifinal matchup against Bladensburg the squad looked unbeatable. The Vikes kept the offensive pressure on for a majority of the game and played lockdown defense, even forcing an own-goal early in the first half. The team has marched through the playoffs with relative ease, falling behind for less than 20 minutes of play, and running through tough opponents like B-CC and WJ. The offense has been led by forwards Davey Mason and Aaron Tanenbaum, who have combined for 10 of the Vikes’ 16 goals this postseason, along with 5 of the team’s 13 postseason assists. The team’s offensive game plan has been built around giving their best offensive threats a chance to score by having constant ball
movement. “Moving the ball quickly and finding our dangerous players have proved to be effective thus far and we’ll keep going with what’s working,” captain Jeff Rosenberg said. Defensively the boys are anchored by goalie Ian Atkinson, who has racked up 20 saves this postseason despite missing the team’s second round game due to suspension. Defender Ryan Rush has anchored the Viking’s back four, always remaining calm in the face of danger. Playing in front of the defense, Rosenberg has been successful at controlling the midfield and keeping pressure off of the defense with key steals and smart passing. While defending, the Vikes try to play smart, minimizing needless fouls, midfielder David Voigt said.
by Arya Hodjat For most high school baseball players, having two-time World Series champion Johnny Damon in your team’s dugout and Texas Rangers star Shin-Soo Choo in the opposing outfield is something that can only be achieved in video games. For senior Alex Clark, it was a reality. This past summer, Clark, who started at third base for the Vikings last season, played for the Thailand national baseball team at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea. In his team’s three games, Clark got the opportunity to play in front of crowds of up to 40,000 people. The games are similar to the Olympics, but only Asian countries send athletes to compete. While Clark was born in the USA, he was eligible to play in the Games as his mother is from Thailand. “I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to play baseball against elite competition, and to have the opportunity to represent my mother’s home country,” Clark said. While Thailand finished 1-2 on their way to a first-round exit, Clark played well against the tough competition, picking up 2 hits and a RBI in the team’s lone win against Hong Kong. Clark’s first taste of the national team came in the summer of 2012, when he played for Thailand’s 16-and-under team while visiting family. After a few months of competition that summer, his coach recommended him to play for the adult team. Clark received his invitation to join the team in January of this year. Because of the time it took to process his addition to the team, his first practice with the team came in August, two months after the team started practicing. Clark practiced from five to nine daily for the four weeks leading up to the competition, often in harsh tropical climate.
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Inside Look
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Good Samaritan law protects 911 callers
Homework should be collected at unit’s end
Whitman’s first graduating class
Junior Mac Durston tours in band
Graham Hutchinson wins golf state championship
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