Our mission: to enlighten and to entertain
Dulaney High School Timonium, Maryland
Volume 55, Issue 6 HONOR EARNED
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TO KNOW
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the number of consecutive years Maryland has been a top AP test scoring state TRASH HEAP
christine condon and sarah feustle, deputy editors heating here has dipped from last year, according to a survey given to students in all grades and levels of English classes. The anonymous pen-andpaper survey was taken by 316 students and found that 89 percent of students here admit to cheating. This is a six percent decrease from last year’s figure, but a one percent increase from the 2012-2013 school year. Senior Anna Johnson, president of the National Honor Society, said she was skeptical of the results. “I don’t know that it really did go down,” she said. “Everyone uses a different definition of cheating.” Principal Lyn Whitlock said she has doubts, as well.
“I don’t think that 89 percent are consistently and routinely avoiding learning,” she said. “I think the number shows that the students hold themselves to a very high standard and are self-reporting in a very critical way—which actually shows honesty,” Whitlock said. World history teacher Karen Turek said she was concerned about the rate. “I am shocked at how high it was last year and this year,” she said. “But until we move to an attitude where the emphasis is on the learning instead of the grade, it is unlikely that it will change.” Surveyed students confirmed this. Only 39 percent of students reported feeling guilty after cheating, and some connected this to the motivation to earn
better grades, no matter the cost. “I don’t feel guilty at all. School and college are like survival of the fittest,” an anonymous junior said. “Colleges care about what is on the transcript and sometimes relying on yourself for every good grade is not possible.” Another anonymous junior shared this sentiment. “That’s kind of why I’m partially not morally opposed to cheating, because we’re all in this together. We have to help each other out,” the source said. The survey also found that seniors cheated the most commonly this year (81 percent), followed by sophomores (72 percent), freshmen (66 percent) and finally, juniors (64 percent). see CHEATING, page 2
HAVE YOU EVER CHEATED? VERSUS HAVE YOU CHEATED THIS YEAR? GRADE 12
GRADE 11
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GRADE 10
graphic by Avalon Bonlie
April 20, 2015
Still high, cheating dips C
see page 2
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72
GRADE 9
66
PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS
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This anonymous, pen-and-paper sur96 vey of 316 students 81 EVER was conducted in HonTHIS Standard, ors, Gifted and 84 YEAR Talented and Advanced Placement English classes for 91 each grade level. Students were asked 14 questions pertaining to their 88 experiences with cheating.
CHEATING METHODS. Students write formulas on their arms and hide them under their sleeves on tests, an anonymous student who cheats said. photo by katie nanasi
WAYS STUDENTS CHEAT •Trig: “I was wearing a low cut top and wrote my answers on the side of my cleavage,” grade 10 •Spanish: “This kid busts out his phone in the middle of the test to look up the answer,” grade 9 •Calc : “Someone in my class stole a copy of the quiz and worked on it during lunch,” grade 11 •Spanish: “Friends tell me what is on the test, and I write the answers on a piece of paper, then fold it and stick it up my jacket sleeve,” grade 10 •Chemistry: “I save notes as my screensaver on my phone,” grade 10 •Ceramics : “Twice I stole someone else’s pot and said it was mine,” grade 12 •AP World: “I wrote my answers on my shoe,” grade 10
Gaming gains 11,812 street cred the number of # TO KNOW
sheets of paper printed per day, on average, in January SWEET VICTORY
see page 6
INDEX 2-3 news 4-5 opinion 6-7 sports 8-12 features
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hannah bauer and sahana raju, staff writers tudents are Twitching. No, they’re not making short, sudden jerking or convulsive movements. They’re Twitching online. “I just turn on a Twitch stream to see what people are playing and what I could be doing when I have more free time,” senior Michael Chen said. Through the streaming site Twitch, millions of video game aficionados watch gamers playing their favorites from the streamer’s perspective or coverage of professional teams battling it out. According to ReadWrite, a technology news website, 45 million users logged on for 12 billion total minutes every month in 2013, over half of whom watched over 20 hours of gameplay per week. While no gamer here is on a professional team, sophomore Matt Walters (full disclosure: a Griffin staff writer) and junior Steve Zhou rank among the top 1 percent of North American players in League of Legends, an online multiplayer game, Zhou said. Each said they would like to compete in future college tournaments as a hobby, but neither is interested in pursuing
JUNIOR YIYI KUANG plays League of Legends in March. He called the relationship between viewers and content creators symbiotic. photo by kira stiers
gaming careers. They agreed the game’s following will likely fade in 10 years. “I don’t think it’ll ever be as big as football or soccer,” Walters said.
Posting on YouTube has become legit for professional gamers, fellow junior and gamer Chris Caudill said. see GAMING, page 2
FYI: Report cards distributed April 23
SGO Battle of the Classes April 23 6 p.m. Gym
ArtFest
April 30 4:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. Auditorium Lobby
Open Mic Night May 14 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Amphitheater
Visit us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.
Senior Prom May 15 7 p.m. - 11 p.m. Marriott Waterfront Hotel
Dulaney 5K May 17 9 a.m. Main Entrance
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news
Still high, cheating dips
59% 53%
52%
82No
75
1 2012
20132
2014 3
2015
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SOCIAL STUDIES
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Yes
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
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89
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Gaming gains street cred “A lot of people are making up to six figures these days just playing video games and putting them up on YouTube,” Caudill said. Junior Yiyi Kuang cites his recent trip to a friend’s house to watch the League of Legends World Championship, staged in South Korea, as evidence of gamers’ commitment. “The time zones were screwed up for that event so we ended up staying up until 3 a.m. to watch it,” Kuang said. “It’s really crazy that people are this dedicated to it.” His interest in Twitch, by the way, is merely peripheral. It’s a bit like watching the occasional video on YouTube, he said. He estimated that he spends about 10 hours a week gaming. Kuang described the relationship made between Twitch viewers and content creators as symbiotic. This connection is formed through a communal chat box next to each live stream in which the viewers can have direct interaction with gamers while they’re playing. “People who are live streaming on Twitch talked some people out of suicide and out of
depression,” Kuang said. “It’s a community of like-minded people who just want to be there to have fun and just to enjoy themselves.” But are video games harmful? It depends, psychology teacher and gamer Thomas Maranville said. He recommended that parents monitor what their kids play. “Some parents are oblivious to the fact that video games that are rated R are similar if not the exact same as movies that are rated R,” Maranville said. Published articles about the effects of video games report mixed and inconclusive results from recent studies. A 2013 New York Times article, for example, describes a study finding a violent game produced short-term increases in aggression among Iowa State University students. Maranville, who said studies producing positive results are about even with those with negative outcomes, said a game like Tomb Raider can help with cognitive development. “It challenges me to think,” he said. Freelance writer Sally Kim contributed to this report.
RECENT REPORTS ON VIDEO GAMES • An April 15 radio report from the BBC’s “The World” notes that Boston researchers are running a trial to see if a video game could help curb the tinnitus (ringing in the ear) among victims of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. • An October New York Times story notes that a Boston company is seeking government approval for Project:Evo, a video game that shows promise in improving memories of older people. • A November 2013 Huffington Post article shares the results of a British study that found some games of strategy can increase brain flexibility. • A February 2013 New York Times article reports that an Iowa State University researcher found a short-term increase in aggressive behavior among college students after they played violent video games.
Inspiring teacher honored by trade education group
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stephanie rountree and sumin woo, deputy editors is recent honor was no surprise to the students of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning teacher Jamie Gaskin. “He cares about the students, not just about teaching, but making that connection to the student so they really care about the class and care about him,” junior Mike Ditzel said. The Maryland Center of Construction Education and Innovation named the HVAC teacher an Everyday Hero on March 30. Gaskin was praised by the MCCEI for “working to fill Maryland’s talent development pipeline on a shoestring budget, fueled by passion.” After 17 years of service in the Army, Gaskin felt he would execute more meaningful work by teaching HVAC skills to students. “I wanted to do something that would make a difference,” Gaskin said. “I’ve always loved teaching, so I made the change, and haven’t looked back since.” The HVAC program is the only one of its kind in the county, granting students 21 college credits- the highest given by a class. “He sets up a pipeline from the work in here to an actual job,” sophomore Luke Bartholow said. “If you do the work right, you’ll get a good grade.” HVAC offers numerous job opportunities, which Gaskin credits to trade occupations’ reputations. But Gaskin says that disdain for such careers, which require applied science and math skills, is unwarranted. He cites past students’ successes as vital to his passion for teaching and eliminating HVAC’s stigma. One such student, Alex Schech, earned enough money working with heating and air conditioning to buy his own house only a year after graduating. Students say Gaskin is a father figure, addressing the needs of each
The next History Club meeting will feature a World War II veteran. John Schaffner will speak in the satellite cafeteria at 2:30 p.m. April 28, discussing his experience fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, club president and senior Isabella Parrotta said. She added that he will bring war medals and other artifacts. The club is also working to assemble and bury a time capsule here, Parrotta said. Members must determine what type and what size container to use and where to store it along with what to place inside. Among items discussed are copies of school publications.
CLUB HONORED
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GAMING, continued from page 1
SPEAKER COMING
Key Club members are working to reschedule the Grassroots Soccer Tournament originally set for April 8 at the Owings Mills Jewish Community Center. The event was postponed due to rain. As of press time, organizers are eyeing a date in June.
39% 33%
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EVENT POSTPONED PERCENT OF STUDENTS
CHEATING OVER TIME
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Yes 45%
CLASSES IN WHICH STUDENTS HAVE CHEATED
SCIENCE
100 95
No 55%
To see and hear students weigh in on the reasons for cheating, see technician Ruthvik Gali’s video on our website: http://dulaneygriffin.org.
39%
PERCENT OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE CHEATED HERE
ARE YOU PRESSURED TO CHEAT TO PASS A CLASS?
ing the approach to education. “It’s important to make sure that we’re providing meaningful learning and helping students understand the value of what they’re doing so the temptation isn’t there,” she said.
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Additionally, 45 percent of students admitted to feeling pressured to cheat. “I think we build up an environment of cheating. The thing that motivates people to do well is grades, but that’s not the point of learning,” junior Steve Zhou said. Whitlock echoed this opinion. “I’m sad that so much emphasis is put on letter grades and percentages, and even things like the honor roll. We need to value the learning higher than the statistic, which may or may not represent how much you know,” she said. Technology has also played a role in the high concentration of cheating here. 55 percent of students reported using the Internet to cheat, and another 35 percent reported using a cell phone. An anonymous senior said access to the Internet at school and at home makes cheating easier and more tempting, as students can translate
answers in foreign language classes and quickly find solutions to math problems, among other uses. The block schedule has also played a role in the continued high percentages of cheating, according to students. “With the block schedule, I think there’s actually an increase in cheating because, for example, if the A day people are ahead they’ll give their work to the B day kids,” junior Sunny Kim said. The block schedule’s increase in coursework for students has also contributed, students say. “Students these days are aiming for better grades and with tough classes, and eight periods, it’s hard to manage, so they resort to cheating,” an anonymous sophomore said. As for reducing cheating rates, Whitlock said teachers are now trying to create more authentic assessments that reflect an individual’s learning. She also stressed the importance of chang-
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CHEATING, continued from page 1
april 20, 2015
The school’s Key Club has been named Key Club of the Year for its district at this year’s District Convention. Junior Arshad Fakhar was elected as next year’s Capital District Governor for the club at the March 20 weekend event. He is lieutenant governor of the school’s division this year. All of the school’s Key Club officers were recognized as distinguished officers. 53 members from the school’s club attended and awards were given for essay, video and talent contests, as well as accolades for prestigious service and participation. See our website for a gallery of Key Club photos.
WRITERS WIN Three students have advanced to the state competition in this year’s Letters about Literature Contest, a competition in which writers respond to a book they have read. Junior Eva Bacas won for writing about the fantasy “The Order of Odd Fish.” Junior Olga Petrovskikh won for her essay on “Lean In,” a memoir that discusses women’s progress in leadership roles. Freshman Jack Tarantino won for writing about “The Other Wes Moore,” a nonfiction work that examines different lives of two men with the same name. All three are scheduled to be honored at a ceremony at the Enoch Pratt Free Library April 25.
SPEAKERS QUALIFY JUNIOR MIKE DITZEL welds a grill’s cross braces while HVAC teacher Jamie Gaskin supervises on April 14. Ditzel said Gaskin’s dedication to teaching is honorable. photo by lucia tarantino
student. His passion has rubbed off onto the HVAC students, who have spoken at PTA meetings, executed Live-on-5 commercials and worked on Saturday projects to improve working spaces. “Some of us, we don’t think we can do this stuff. I didn’t think I could build my shelf, and he just showed me step by step and I ended up building a few shelves,” sophomore Eythan Ferdinand said. “You just have to have the right teacher show you what to do.”
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Six members of the speech and debate team have qualified for the May 22 Catholic National Forensic League tournament in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. The competitors placed in the top six in the state for their respective events, which included duo interpretation, original oratory and public forum debate, at the state tournament March 21.
3 news
april 20, 2015
the griffin
Later start gains attention
“I
sumin woo, deputy editor get around three, three and a half hours of sleep,” junior Hojin Yoon said. “Homework takes me about two and a half hours every day, extracurriculars take up to 10 to 15 hours per week. I spend a lot of time on Facebook and watching YouTube videos, just as personal entertainment.” This session of the General Assembly explored the idea of recognizing schools that switch to a later start for high school students. That discussion died in a senate committee April 9. According to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, teens need at least nine hours of sleep per night to function at their maximum potential the next day. Yoon doesn’t even get half of that, which can partially be attributed to early school start times. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that high school classes start after 8:30 a.m., but according to the National Center for Education Statistics, the national average is 7:59 a.m. Only a fifth of students polled by the National Sleep Foundation actually get the required amount of sleep nightly, and 28 percent fall asleep in school. Senior Lyra Morina’s experience supports those findings.
“I was still half asleep taking my quiz,” she said earlier this month. The advocacy group Start Schools Later said that insufficient sleep is associated with obesity, immune system disruption and depression. Also, drowsy students who drive themselves to school are more likely to be involved in car accidents, the group said. Published reports also link improved attendance to later start times. Fairfax County Public Schools, the tenth largest district in the nation, will start 40 minutes later than their current start time of 7:20 a.m. next school year. The Washington Post reported that Fairfax initially estimated $12 million would go toward new buses to accommodate for the later times, but in reality only $5 million will go toward the 27 new buses. If schools start later, extracurriculars would end later, which could push other activities, like sleep, later. “If you took my entire schedule and pushed it back an hour, instead of going to sleep at midnight, I’d be going to sleep at 1 a.m., maybe waking up an hour later in the morning,” junior Meredith Riley said. “We still need a lot of time after school to do what we need to do,” Yoon said. “But I like the idea of not having to wake up so early in the morning.”
maya lapinski, deputy editor hen Hillary Clinton officially announced her candidacy for the 2016 presidential election, she made history. If she wins the party’s nomination, she will be the first woman ever to run for the presidency on a major party ticket. The significance of this campaign is not lost on Advanced Placement World and United States History teacher Kathleen Skelton.
Clinton’s campaign embodies the ambition that Skelton feels all women should possess. “No matter what she does, she’s criticized for it, and she still has the guts to go against all of it. We need more women like that,” she said. Republican opponents include Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio, but Skelton has high hopes for Clinton’s impact. “Even if she doesn’t win,” Skelton said, “it’s one more step.”
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Teachers react to historic announcement
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“I think it’s time. I think that she is proving something that needed to be proven a long time ago—and that is that she can act the way that men act without being labeled differently because she’s a woman,” Skelton said. AP United States History teacher John Wagner agrees. “It’s a big deal for women, just like Barack Obama was a big deal for African Americans. She’s one of, if not the, first major female candidates,” he said.
HISTORY TEACHER KATHY SKELTON talks to the Gender Equality Club about balancing careers and home lives for women last year. photo by christine condon
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FOUR WAY SPEECH COMPETITION. Junior Jason McClellan delivers his address for the Rotary Club’s 4-Way Speech Competition in room 115 March 26 before a half dozen judges. McClellan argued that people should avoid excessive use of profanity. This is the sixth year of the schoolwide competition, which begins with contests in Gifted and Talented English 10 classes. Speech and other English students are also invited to compete. This year’s winner, Senior Yusuf Mahmood, won at the club level April 1, collecting the $250 prize. At press time, Mahmood was set to compete at the district level April 18. photo by audrey fanshaw
4 opinion
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editors, Concerning the sidebar written by Stephanie Rountree, columnist, titled “Although flashy, tech advancements underwhelm”: In the paragraph about the 3D printer, she said, “You might wonder why our school spent money to install a 3D printer rather than new pipes or air conditioning, but think of all the good of which it is capable - it can make toy trains!” The 3D printer did not cost the school a cent. It was purchased on a grant given when the Project Lead the Way classes were first instituted at Dulaney. —Brian Bruneau, technology teacher Columnist Stephanie Rountree’s Response: I sincerely apologize for the discrepancies in my March column, which resulted from my reporting error. My intention was to express that, given the school’s current issues, money—whether contributed by taxpayers or a grant—should go toward directly repairing these faults. For Stephanie’s original column see our website.
Dear Editors, Nationwide, counties are beginning to implement initiatives, called one-to-one programs, which aim to give every student laptops in the name of preparing them for the twenty-first century. In order to do so, an exorbitant amount of money must be dissipated on current, high quality technology. In 2014 alone, nearly ten billion dollars were spent on education technology nationwide. Even more money must be put aside for the maintenance of the machines. An evaluation of Michigan’s one-to-one program produced mixed results. Eight pairs of schools were examined; of those eight, four laptop schools had higher achievement, three had lower, and one had no difference compared to non-laptop schools. If the result of such extensive spending is little to no difference in achievement by students, these programs must be cut immediately. At Dulaney, one of the highest achieving schools in Baltimore County, thousands of students are subjugated to crumbling stairways, brown drinking water, and bursting pipes. It is clear that BCPS favors the glamour of a one-to-one laptop program over the safety and overall well-being of its students. By misusing public money on laptops, similar counties across the nation are depriving students of safety and the ability to think critically and independently. -Joey Fleuhr, junior
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the griffin Dulaney High School 255 E. Padonia Rd. Timonium, Maryland (410) 887-7633 managing editors alex goldberg, henry harsel, maya hoke, ben merenbloom, kalie paranzino deputy editors christine condon, sarah feustle, maya lapinski, stephanie rountree, sumin woo adviser maria hiaasen
the griffin
april 20, 2015
Should school start later?
Next year, Fairfax County Public Schools, one of the nation’s largest school districts, will begin its schools 40 minutes later than it does now, at 8 a.m. The Maryland General Assembly recently considered this prospect, and a bill was proposed to reward schools that met the American Academy of Pediatrics suggestion to begin at 8:30 a.m., but the legislation did not make it beyond committee.
Yes, later start time promotes better health
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alex tuerk, staff writer he farmer rises at dawn, saddles the ox with the plow and begins his day. This applied to the past, but it shouldn’t now. We are forced to wake up at dawn and sleep once the sun sets on our bodies’ clocks. Businesses adapted long ago. The 9 a.m.-to-5 p.m. work schedule adopted in the early 20th century has replaced the farmer’s schedule. But school start times haven’t caught up. Education has stubbornly held onto the old ways: many high schools these days start at 8 a.m. or earlier. There is a biological reason for starting school later. Students in elementary and mid-
“Education has stubbornly held onto the old ways.” dle school, who require only 7 to 8 hours of sleep, according to the Sleep Foundation, start school later than high school students, who require 9 to 9.5 hours of sleep. Emotions provide another reason for later start times. From personal experience, I know that when you’re alert, no issue is insurmountable. When you’re barely functioning, every small irritation is a mountain. School administrators claim they are building discipline in graduates. But a study done by the Neuroimaging Center at Harvard Medical School showed that depriving our students of crucial sleep is limiting their ability to invent, to innovate and to improve our collective future. The Baltimore County Public School Board should consider results of a 2012 Program for International Student Assessment study: America was once first in education quality. Now, we’ve slipped to 36th. And one way to fix that is a later school start time.
No, shift of schedule would create havoc Fast Facts • 87 percent of high school students in the U.S. were getting less than the recommended 8.5– 9.5 hours of sleep on school nights. -National Sleep Foundation • 28 percent high school students fall asleep in school and 22 percent fall asleep completing homework. -National Sleep Foundation • Most of the approximately $4.9 million needed to change the high school start time to 8 a.m. in Fairfax County will go toward the cost of additional buses. -Multibriefs.com • When asked if school should start later, 56 percent of students said yes and 46 percent said no. 120 students were polled in both cafeterias during all lunches in March.
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ashley forthuber, staff writer ne would think students in Fairfax County would jump for joy at plans to transition to a later bell schedule, but the reality of delayed school start times might cause more trouble than it’s worth. Junior and athlete Leigh Alferis from Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax County said she dreads the change that will result in her school starting at 8 a.m. and ending at 2:45 p.m., citing concerns about extracurricular activities lasting long into the afternoon. Currently athletes may start homework at 8 p.m. or later on game days. If school ended later, these lengthy activities could push to 9 or even 10 p.m., keeping students up far into
“But many jobs today are not traditonal.” the night with homework—or driving them to forgo it altogether. Proponents claim teenagers’ circadian rhythms naturally keep them awake late and in bed longer. Not only do later start times mesh better with biological sleep tendencies of teens, but according to House Representative Zoe Lofgren, they mirror the traditional adult work schedule that starts two hours later than the school bell. But many jobs today are not traditional. Why should all students suffer to prepare the fraction of people who go on to work 9 to 5? Students with afterschool jobs will be shortening the time they spend on schoolwork in the evening. Their parents and younger siblings will also bear the burden when elementary school students arrive home before their older siblings, forcing parents to leave work or hire babysitters to care for younger students. Schools would be wise to take Ben Franklin’s advice: “early to bed and early to rise” to avoid unnecessary stress.
staff editorial: for dramatic cheating drop, culture must change
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ome students view school as a place to gain the knowledge and experiences necessary to succeed later in life, but other students simply view it as a competition. The latter is often the rationale behind cheating. When high grades, rather than true learning, are seen as the final goal of education, students begin to do whatever it takes to achieve them. The results from the survey conducted for this edition show a 6 percent decrease in cheating from last year. This decrease deviates from the trend of previous years, in which cheating had been consistently increasing. This drop may be the product of an ever-changing definition of cheating, which has been morphed to exclude casual examples of cheating, like copying homework assignments. A more optimistic explanation may be that students are finally learning that making the grade isn’t what matters—but this is unlikely. The 6 percent decrease aside, the
percentage of students here who admit to cheating is still a whopping 89 percent, and only 45 percent admitted to feeling guilty for cheating. This may be a result of the new schedule, which allows students who take tests on one day and then discuss the questions and answers with students who take it the next.
“When high grades, rather than true learning, are seen as the final goal of education, students begin to do whatever it takes to achieve them.” Technology use in the classroom also opens up a broad selection of convenient, but unauthorized, resources for students. The prominence of cheating is cause for concern and must be taken seriously by all parties. Teachers must be more prudent in
associate editors jackie andrews, andres arbelaez, avalon bonlie, audrey fanshaw, justin fitzgerald, liz gillum, olivia golden, sophie golden, finn hasson, adam hemmeter, kristin meek, chloe messier, erin miller, katie nanasi, sierra prior, kira stiers, andrew sugarman, danielle zarachowicz photography editors jood ali, lucia tarantino web editor harrison bartlett deputy web editor natalie mozoki Visit us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.
checking the originality of assignments handed in and ensuring an honest testing environment, while students must realize the importance of the work they do in school and take the assignments more seriously. Students need to show pride in their integrity, understand the value of their assignments and recognize the importance of completing them. Administrators need to follow up with cheating reports and reprimand those who don’t follow the rules. With the pressure to perform well ever increasing, the allure of academic dishonesty is understandable. But that doesn’t make it acceptable. Honesty is essential to an active learning environment. Despite the decreasing trend, the stark reality is that cheating is still running rampant. The vast majority of students have reported to cheating, and the environment here has done little to curb this epidemic.
The Griffin welcomes story ideas, commentaries and letters to the editor. These may be brought to room 115, placed in Maria Hiaasen’s mailbox in the office or emailed to dulaneygriffin@ bcps.org. All submissions are subject to editing and must be signed. The Griffin Editorial Board makes all final decisions regarding content. Interested in advertising in The Griffin or purchasing any photos seen in this issue? Use the same contact information.
the griffin
5 opinion
april 20, 2015
Litter threatens ocean health randhika aturaliya and meera rothman, staff writers s you stroll down the street, you crumple up the empty plastic Aquafina bottle in your hand and toss it into the trashcan next to you. You miss, and the bottle topples onto the sidewalk. You roll your eyes and keep walking. Little do you know, that bottle will probably end up deep in the ocean and possibly cause the death of defenseless sea animal. According to National Geographic, there are about 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in our oceans today. While the act of throwing away a plastic bottle or chip bag seems trivial and insignificant to us, the impact it has on marine life is monumental. Tragic tales reveal that vulnerable ocean life is dying due to humans’ neglectful behavior: sea turtles mistaking plastic bags for jelly fish, whales found dead with their stomachs full of litter, birds and chicks suffocating after being entangled in plastic bags. The numbers themselves are staggering. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
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states that plastic debris causes the deaths of more than a million seabirds every year, as well as more than 100,000 marine mammals. Furthermore, ecologist Douglas McCauley said in a Jan. 15, 2015 New York Times article that we may be sitting on a “precipice of a major extinction event,” thanks to humans’ careless behavior.
“There are about 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in our oceans today.”
Sadly, littering is only one way our garbage ends up in the ocean. As landfills become fuller, businesses and organizations have turned to intentionally dumping trash into the oceans. Global security company Northrup Grumman has been freely dumping toxins and wastes into the oceans, according to activist organization Care2’s website. This has contributed to the formation
of what are essentially marine landfills. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a vortex of garbage swirling in the Pacific Ocean, was twice the size of Texas in 2011, according to Care2. While the state of the environment may seem grim, we can take action to protect our oceans by looking to the three R’s: reduce, reuse and recycle. Use dishcloths instead of paper towels, and work on projects online instead of on paper. Reuse things like grocery bags, and sell or donate what you don’t need. And always recycle paper, plastic, and other recyclables so they don’t end up in a heap of garbage. People think their individual choice to reduce, reuse, or recycle won’t make a significant difference. But the National Environmental Policy Act states, “Each person has a responsibility to contribute to the preservation and enhancement of the environment.” Every societal change must originate on the level of the individual. So if every person becomes more environmentally conscious, together we can prevent our oceans from turning into a global garbage dump.
School committed to saving the planet? OP-ART: sarah ruehle
Doodling: it actually benefits students
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jackie andrews, associate editor or you, doodling is probably an escape from that boring class, a way to force yourself to stay awake in said boring class, or maybe a refuge for releasing anger or frustration. But doodling isn’t just fun; it turns out, it’s productive, too. “Far from being a distraction from academic work, drawing can turn students into better writers,” Misty Adoniou, a senior lecturer in literacy and teaching English as a second language at the University of Canberra, in Australia, said. A neurological study conducted by the University of Plymouth showed that doodling can improve concentration and memory. The act of drawing concentrates your mind on the task at hand, so it can help you to retain more of that boring history lesson or process ideas in order to write a better essay. To teachers, doodling is a distraction, but daydreaming is the actual culprit. University of Plymouth psychology professor Jackie Andrade explained this difference. “Daydreaming distracts [people] from the task at hand. A simple task, like doodling, may be sufficient to stop day-
Memorizing poems strengthens brains
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hannah bewley, staff writer and sarah feustle, deputy editor ou look down at the poem. One line down, with a million to go. You probably think memorizing it is a waste of your time. Think again. If you had thought that about numbers, the ABCs and the 50 states, where would you be now? “But this is different!” you may say. Maybe, but there are still benefits. Memorization still plays an important role in learning, regardless of age or grade level. Memorizing isn’t the most exciting activity, but it’s important in training your brain. Think back to the saying “practice makes perfect.” Regularly engaging in memorization increases mental abilities. The memorization of poetry is part of a tradition that stretches back to classical antiquity, when the Greeks discovered that the rhythmic nature of words helped awaken the mind. April is National Poetry Month, which means students
dreaming without affecting the main task.” An article published by Education Week last year sums it up. “We understand things more deeply when we see them from multiple perspectives. Drawing what you have understood from a reading passage, drawing from the science experiment you have just done or drawing the detail of an autumn leaf are all examples of engaging with the same learning from a different angle,” the article said. Art teacher Joanna Waring shared her thoughts on doodling. “I think the idea that you have to be focused on one thing to be tuned in with it isn’t right. People can be most tuned in with something when or while they’re expressing themselves visually,” she said. OP-ART: alex goldberg If you fill the margins of your papers with flowers, faces, happy clouds, or anything of the sort, you’re not alone – according to NPR, Bill Gates, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Ronald Reagan all doodled too. So, next time you feel your brain shifting into “sleep” mode, pick up your pen and doodle to your heart’s content. in classrooms in parts of the nation are committing stanzas to memory. Here, English teacher Jason Bowman’s classes recited poetry out loud this fall. Their work is not in vain – activities like this give students an ability to understand and use more complex syntax. In her new book “Heart Beats: Everyday Life and the Memorized Poem,” New York University professor Catherine Robson enumerates benefits of memorizing poetry. The benefits made the practice a staple in school curriculums in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, according to a story from The New Yorker. These include instilling a life-long love of literature, boosting self-confidence through successful memorization, improving grammar and language skills and, of course, strengthening the brain. On a biological level, the strength of the signal conveyed between synapses and neurons in the brain is determined by usage. The more a particular synapse is used, the stronger the signal it sends. For example, remembering your phone number may be a lot easier than recalling your license plate number, because you recite it more often. Memorizing anything – no matter how big – can make your brain stronger. So resist the urge to complain. Visit us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.
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Just how stressed are you? Take this test NOW finn hasson, columnist
Mere weeks away from the commencement of Advanced Placement testing, Finn Hasson, M.D. has provided a free stress level exam for students. If you are diagnosed with severe AP stress, consult your regular physician for further treatment. a=1, b=2, c=3, d=4 1. On a normal weekday night, you: a.) don’t differentiate between weekends and weekdays. b.) do however much homework you feel like doing before telling yourself you’ll handle it in the morning c.) study for a short period of time, recognize resignedly your lack of knowledge, then put everything away. d.) lock yourself in a dark room studying until your eyes are permanently damaged 2. A fitting description of your social situation would be: a.) you’re the Fonz of Dulaney High b.) happy and healthy c.) a shadow of its former self d.) too heavily damaged to justify expending the requisite energy for its salvation 3. Over Spring Break, you: a.) would rather not disclose what you did in fear of self-incrimination b.) took a small mental break with a few relaxed review sessions c.) drank deep from the well of AP knowledge d.) studied with manic self-loathing as if it were a form of flagellation 4. What does May 5th mean to you? : a.) … Cinco de Mayo? b.) too far away to worry about c.) same feeling as leaning too far back in your chair d.) rapidly climbing heart rate, sweaty palms, blurred vision 5. If asked to rate anything on a 1-5 scale: a.) you do so without hesitation, excitedly handing out 5s b.) you are reminded that you’re inadequately prepared for APs c.) you get pangs of conscience d.) you need to lie down a while 6. To you, May: a.) is a warm-up for summer insouciance b.) is just another month on the calendar c.) is an obstacle to be hurdled d.) looms in the future like a root canal Diagnosis: 6-8: You may not be destined to achieve great things, but you’re enjoying yourself, so what’s the point ? 9-11: You’re the Cool Hand Luke of standardized testing. APs don’t intimidate you. You eat APs for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and still have some room for dessert. 12-14: The doctor prescribes a chill pill. You haven’t yet entered into total insanity, but are rasping at the door. 15+: If AP Relaxation were a class, you’d be guaranteed a 1 on the exam. You say APs are important for colleges and therefore your future, but do not seem to understand that extreme stress is detrimental to your long-term health.
the griffin
6 sports
athletes
month
VARSITY LACROSSE
Quickness sparks offense casey proefrock, staff writer ith 21 goals and 20 assists so far with five regular season games remaining, boys varsity lacrosse captain and senior Cameron Carter is well on his way to his goal of 80 points this season. The United States Air Force Academy recruit has used his knowledge of the game to bolster not only his play, but
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CAMERON CARTER
photo by lucia tarantino
also his leadership. “Cam brings vision unlike other kids to the field. He can read the defense and always anticipates what they are going to do next,” teammate and junior Shane Grogan said, adding that playing with Carter is like having another coach on the field. Due to the losses of senior Connor Benhoff to an ACL tear and sophomore Dawson Porter to a wrist injury, Carter said he feels that he needs to put more responsibility on himself on the offensive side of the field. He said in years past he was more focused on getting assists than goals, deferring to his teammates more often in the offensive zone. This year, Carter said he plans on taking the game into his own hands. “I consider myself an unselfish player but this year I’m trying to be more aggressive. I’ve been taking more shots and trying to dodge defenders more often,” Carter said. Teammate and junior Paul Junkin praised Carter’s hardwork in the offseason. “In BFS, every team member had to hold a really heavy bag over their head. Cameron was the only one who consistently held it over his head,” Junkin said. Boys varsity lacrosse coach Kyle Fiat said Carter is the fastest kid on the team and frequently leads through example. Fiat also said that Carter’s talent of working with his teammates to create plays is his best quality. “He shines on the field,” Fiat said. Carter scored one goal and had two assists in a 6-5 win over Hereford, the team’s first win over the Bull’s in seven years.
JUNIOR VARSITY TRACK
Humor propels work ethic andrew king, staff writer alking by our school’s tent at any Baltimore County track meet, you generally won’t hear much. Usually taciturn athletes keep to themselves, paralyzed with nerves. Freshman James Green is the exception. You can hear him laughing and chanting with teammates, seemingly unaware of the tense pre-
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JAMES GREEN
photo by lucia tarantino
race atmosphere. “I know everybody, so I know how to make people laugh, and overall it’s just fun to joke around with everybody,” said Green, a self-described “team clown.” When he received an award for athlete of the week, he gave a speech that sounded something like: “Thank you so much for this award, because I honestly suck,” invoking raucous laughter from the team. But Green’s performance is nothing to laugh about. This season, he has achieved personal best times of 11.3 seconds in the 4x100 meter race, and 23.93 seconds in the 200 meter race, making him the third ranked JV runner in the county. His teammates attribute this to his work ethic during practice. “He goes hard every time,” sophomore teammate Tavon Roberts said. “He works harder than everybody else. He’s really dedicated to the sport; he just wants to get faster every day, so he works harder every day.” According to Green, his main weakness is that, while he knows all of the sprinters, he does not know the distance runners. Despite that, they can’t seem to get enough of him. “James is hilarious. He’s got such a funny attitude, he always wants to be the best,” junior teammate Eric Walz said. “Practicing with James is awesome; he’s so funny and spontaneous,” distance runner and junior teammate Sean Lim said. Green plans on running track again next season, after playing football in the fall.
april 20, 2015
Girls and boys lacrosse Double victories over Hereford end years of drought for boys and girls lax
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kristin meek, associate editor fter a double victory for the varsity lacrosse teams to rival Hereford High School, players could not contain their celebration. “After the game, in the past, people had been crying because we lost. But now people were crying out of joy,” senior captain Ali Collie said of the 10-9 win. On the boy’s side, the players on the sideline jumped up and down as the clock counted down before rushing senior goalie Burke McManus on the field to celebrate their 6-5 victory. The girls had not beaten Hereford in six years; the boys seven. Aside from being motivated by the losses, both teams attribute confidence and offseason preparation to their wins.
VARISTY GIRLS LACROSSE COACH Kristi Korrow said some players had never beaten Hereford in any sport and that the Bulls had become an insurmountable hurdle. “The confidence we have in ourselves and in each other was the difference maker,” she said. photo by lucia tarantino
Junior captain Jake Bellinger said their mentality made victory inevitable. “We came out with a bunch of confidence, and really, I don’t think anyone could have beaten us that day,” Bellinger said. “It all came together. Our offense clicked, our defense was unstoppable and we just fought for sixty minutes.” Senior captain Sarah Hampton said the win boosts the girl’s confidence. They are preparing for their next big competition, Catonsville, April 22. “Our mental game is really strong this year as well as our physical game, so there’s no team that we cannot beat,” Hampton said. Collie said the continued morning workouts proved a noticeable edge over Hereford. “Coming in in the morning, doing weight training, doing wall ball and doing BFS workouts two times a week really helped our team,” Collie said. Both the boys and girls coaches commend the confidence they saw from players. Girls varsity coach Kristi Korrow said that the team’s confidence made the difference and was the key to success while boys varsity coach Kyle Fiat said that his team’s confidence arose from all of the hard training. Bellinger said that the win kept him from sleeping that night because he was so happy but to his senior teammates it means even more. “If you think about it, it’s just one day, but it’s one day that our seniors might never forget,” Bellinger said.
Above: Senior Tim Milan midfielder and senior Pa quarter of the boys vars School April 1. The Lions
Top right: Junior Garrett M Campbell Carr in the four one goal in the team’s wi
Far right: The varsity gir win over Hereford in six with five goals and an ass
Near right: The scoreboar varsity lacrosse game aga 8-8 in the fourth quarter, and held off a late rally fr
photos from ellie mathey, jen
Early on, spring sports impress VARSITY TENNIS 5 wins, 1 loss VARSITY SOFTBALL 5 wins, 2 losses VARSITY BASEBALL 8 wins, 2 losses, 1 tie
BOYS VARSITY LACROSSE 5 wins, 3 losses GIRLS VARSITY LACROSSE 6 wins, 1 loss GIRLS AND BOYS VARSITY OUTDOOR TRACK 2 wins, 1 loss
Examining new concussion testing BCPS Baseline Testing Debuts Baseline testing, launched in February, will continue to be offered by BCPS for one week during the fall, winter and spring seasons at Eastern Technical High School, Loch Raven High School and Franklin High School. ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) concussion baseline test is a computerized test that analyzes the cognitive functioning of the brain through evaluating a person’s memory, reaction time, visual motor speed and impulse control. Ideally, student athletes will take the test once before the start of their season and then again following a head injury. Should you get tested? “I would recommend baseline testing for an athlete playing any sport as head injuries do not discriminate between sport, age, gender or level of experience,” athletic trainer Bryan Read said. Three Things to Know • The county’s test is free. • Concussion rates continue to climb. • Baseline testing includes three sections: two memory tests and a reaction test. It establishes a record to compare brain function in case of a head injury.
and he left me with their athletic trainer in a computer lab. When I walked in I was surprised to see that I was the only athlete from the county to attend even though I was told others would be there. Regardless, I got online and went to impacttesting.com where I filled out personal information accompanied by information regarding my prior concussions. I didn’t check off any current symptoms because I was “A-okay” and went on to the actual test. The first section was a memory game where I was presented with sequences of words followed by questions like “Was the word dog in the sequence?” and I had to click yes or no. The next test was the exact same but with designs. This was unfortunately very difficult because these designs were random scribbles, and if they were displayed at a different angle in the questions, they were considered not to have been in the sequence. The last section was a reaction test where I clicked P if a red dot came up and Q if a blue box came up. I finished, printed out some sort of receipt saying I took the test, thanked my gracious host and left. The test was relatively useless for someone without a concussion, and my mother concluded that she knew it would be useless in the first place but my father had forced me into it anyway. Associate editor Kira Stiers contributed to this report.
Staff writer Andrew Bank, a junior football player completed the testing this past fall. His thoughts on the process follow.
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andrew bank, staff writer ince my Dad told me to, I made the trip to Loch Raven High School to complete concussion baseline testing. I had to be let in through the locked doors, where I proceeded to wander around for a little bit before I found the office where a middle-aged woman told me to wait until 3:30 for some Mr. Something-or-Other to come pick me up. Eventually their athletic director came to fetch me and we walked down one hallway to take an elevator to the third floor. We had a brief conversation about the size of the building, Visit us at http://dulaneygriffin.org
A SCREENSHOT of the home page for the ImPACT concussion baseline testing site. photo from impacttest.com
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the griffin
sports
e edge longtime rivals
april 20, 2015
athletes
month
VARSITY LACROSSE
Passion ignites, anchors defense francesca larocca, staff writer ax is life.” That’s senior captain of the girls varsity lacrosse team Sarah Hampton’s motto. Her love for the game she’s been playing since she was 8 years old has inspired this phrase. Hampton worked during SARAH HAMPTON the offseason, training in both photo by lucia tarantino skill-related fitness and overall physical fitness to be at the peak of her performance. “I take weight training in school and I work out a lot on my own,” Hampton said. In addition to her work ethic, Hampton’s experience gives her an edge on the field. She can read the game well and anticipate her opponent’s actions accurately and efficiently. “I can tell when a girl is about to drive and I can jump and I’ll be there,” she said. “We call her ‘sassy ham,’” co-captain PD Stein, a senior, said, also noting Hampton’s high energy. “She’s great at getting everyone focused and pumped up.” Girls varsity lacrosse coach Kristi Korrow said she has watched Hampton step up as a leader both on and off the field through her three years on varsity. “She is the anchor of our defensive unit. She is not afraid to do what needs to be done and to help others get on the same page so that the team is successful,” Korrow said. Hampton’s fearless, take-charge attitude has not only been noticed by Korrow, but also by the University of Mary Washington lacrosse team. This past November Hampton committed to play lacrosse for the Eagles. “I really couldn’t imagine going to college and not playing a sport,” Hampton said. She said she looks forward to the high level of competition in the upcoming years. For her last season here, Hampton said she hopes to leave with a championship and ultimately enjoy every moment of the season.
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n advances past Hereford defensiveatrick Meadowcroft during the second sity lacrosse game at Hereford High s won 6-5, breaking a seven-year rut.
Michel dodges Hereford’s sophomore rth quarter of the game. Michel scored in.
rls lacrosse team celebrates their first years. Junior Annie Sachs led the way sist. The Lions won 10-9.
rd displays the final score of the girls ainst Hereford April 1. After being tied , the Lions scored two goals in a row rom the Bulls.
nnifer milan and cristina reitmeyer
Sophomore swims to win
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patrick fitzgerald, staff writer ophomore Connor Gioffreda only began swimming last year, but he is already making a big splash in the pool. Gioffreda has dwarfism, so he competes in the S6 class of Paralympic swimming with others who have the condition. At the Can-Am Para-Swimming Championships from March 20-22, Gioffreda won two gold medals in the 400 meter freestyle and 200 meter individual medley. He also broke the 22 year old American record for his class in the 400. Gioffreda was a part of an American team that broke 28 American records over the meet’s three days. “My coach said that I won by less
than a second and then he told me that I broke the record,” Gioffreda said. “I’m like, ‘I can’t believe I just did that.’” He practices for two hours six days a week at the Towson Merritt Athletic Club. He even practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays before school, all in preparation towards his ultimate goal. That goal is to compete in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil or in the 2020 games in Tokyo, Japan. Teammate and sophomore Becca Sulpar spoke about what Gioffreda has taught her. “If you have a disadvantage, don’t let it slow you down,” she said. Gioffreda continues to embody this message, focused on fulfilling his athletic dreams, starting with swimming in college.
Concussion victims face tough comeback NO AVERAGE JOE
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justin fitzgerald, associate editor dds are, everyone knows somebody who has suffered a concussion. But less people know what it is like to keep going after the concussion occurs. “It’s like having a helmet inside your head with loud noises inside,” sophomore Alli Hill said. Hill has suffered four concussions since eighth grade, and each one has been progressively worse. Her last concussion occurred during the soccer season when she collided with another player during practice, and if she suffers another concussion she will not be allowed to play contact sports. Sophomore Cody Davis has also suffered four concussions and had to miss three weeks of school after suffering a
concussion Dec. 9. The side effects of his concussions have gotten progressively worse, and Davis couldn’t remember anything immediately after he suffered them. “What happens then and a few days before isn’t there anymore,” he said. Davis remembers not being able to do anything after suffering a concus-
“There was just the fear that anything could go wrong at any time,” Davis said.
sion, and was restricted from using his phone and watching television, as well as anything that could potentially cause headaches. He said the only thing that aids recovery is sleeping, but he had to be prescribed Melatonin to help with trouble sleeping, a symptom from his last concussion. The hardest thing for Davis has been going back to school and performing at the same academic level, best shown through his forgoing of his Advanced Placement Psychology and World History exams. The workload has been tough for Da-
vis, who, he is still doing makeup work from his absence. After his second concussion in seventh grade, Davis tried to play lacrosse in eighth grade but was too scared. “There was just the fear that anything could go wrong at any time,” he said. With students still struggling from concussions that happened over a year ago, it amazes me that athletes miss minimal time because of concussions. These players must be drugged with painkillers, which is a problem that could take up a whole other column. If we continue to ignore these signs that are telling us to take more precautions, we will end up in situations similar to the ones the National Football League is going through now. All-pro linebacker Patrick Willis of the San Francisco 49ers retired unexpectedly after eight seasons and six days later his teammate Chris Borland retired as well due to their concern over head trauma. These players are choosing to emphasize health in the future over their current value as an athlete. Concussions are the NFL’s Achilles’ heel, and the NFL can’t do anything to stop them. The survival of the sport depends on the athletes motives. What’s worth more, millions of dollars now or a long, happy life?
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JUNIOR VARSITY TRACK Attitude bolsters performance
kristin meek, associate editor reshman Grace Jung has been dubbed ‘most positive’ by her teammates on the junior varsity outdoor track team. “She always has a positive attitude on and off the track. Her attitude bolsters her performance because she is GRACE JUNG always motivated to succeed photo by lucia tarantino in her events,” teammate and junior Molly Turlington said. Jung said she joined the team during the indoor track season to improve her speed while staying involved with a team. She said she hopes to continue this trend during spring track. “What motivates me is the thought of becoming a better athlete, but my favorite part about the team is the fact that we’re all working together to get better as a whole,” Jung said, adding that running gives her a more positive outlook. “It makes me feel good about myself if I know I’m working to get better.” In addition to commonly running middle distance events such as the 400-meter run, Jung began pole vaulting at the beginning of the outdoor season. Her impact on the team’s overall performance at meets after just a few practices with pole vault was immediate. Jung placed fourth in the pole vault at the March 28 Baltimore Metro Junior Varsity Challenge while facing snow flurries and 15 mile-per-hour winds. At the Pikesville Track Classic on April 11, Jung finished eighth with a height of 7 feet, 6 inches. Teammate and junior Maura Pezzulla said that Grace is on par with the rest of the upperclassmen even though she is younger. “Grace is very mature. She can keep up and has a lot of potential that will be important to the track program in the next three years,” Pezzulla said. Outdoor track coach Sherrelle Ivey said Jung’s versatility in multiple events is extremely valuable. “Grace does them all like she’s been mastering them for years,” Ivey said.
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8 features
april 20, 2015
the griffin
Saturday school pleases
START COLLEGE in HIGH SCHOOL EARLY COLLEGE
ACCESS
PROGRAMS
SENIOR VINEET PANDE attends Saturday school at Loch Raven High School in February to complete a half-credit health class, a graduation requirement here. photo by kalie paranzino
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alex tuerk, staff writer ver since the option to take the mandated half credit of health during summer break was removed last year, students with packed and finalized schedules have been pursuing alternatives. Saturday and night school have started to replace the summer option. Summer school is offered primarily for students who have previously failed the course, but a waiting list for original credit courses will be established, according to guidance counselor John Komosa. Senior Kristin Newman, who said she didn’t want to change her tight schedule, learned about the Saturday option from Emanda Lenet, her guidance counselor. “I didn’t want to take it this year because when my schedule worked out, I didn’t have room for half a credit, so it was easier for me to just do it on Saturdays instead,” Newman said.
More than 80 percent of this term’s Saturday health class, held at Loch Raven High School, are students from here. Students praise the ease of the course, which allows for self-paced instruction. “It lets you get those graduation requirements out of the way instead of taking them at school,” senior Vineet Pande said. Junior Lisa McCullough agrees. “This health class is convenient because it is self-paced,” she said. “I really took advantage of that. According to my teacher, Mr. Whitby, I finished the course faster than anyone he’s ever seen.”
CCBC offers high school students THREE early college access options. 1. College 4 Free Program* 2. Parallel Enrollment Program (PEP) 3. Career and Technology Education (CTE) Pathways
Start college NOW in high school at CCBC! For more information visit www.ccbcmd.edu/admissions/Early_College_Access.html
THE LOWDOWN ON SATURDAY SCHOOL
Fees: Saturday and night classes cost $275 per full credit class and $150 per half credit.
*Baltimore County Public School juniors and seniors eligible for CCBC’s College 4 Free program can take up to four classes TUITION FREE! Eligible students pay only the required fees, books and supplies.
Registration: Students will need to see their counselor in September for registration materials.
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The incredible value of education
www.ccbcmd.edu
9 features
the griffin
Cultural dish becomes lunch time envy
april 20, 2015
REVIEW:
sections • half of a white onion, sliced • a few slices of red bell peppers • 1 Tbsp oyster sauce • 1 Tbsp soy sauce • ½ tsp granulated sugar • ½ tsp granulated mushroom bouillon • ¼ tsp ground white pepper • ¼ tsp garlic powder VEGETABLE GYOZA, $5, are an appetizer at Ejji Ramen in Belvedere Square. Along with ramen options, Ejji offers coconut rice bowls and chicken and pork satay. photo by alexis mejia
Apps outshine entree
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julie chotivatanapong, staff writer here’s always that one person who ends up sharing their entire lunch with everyone. You know, the one who has a half-decent-looking lunch but that still looks better than most people’s? Well fortunately (and sometimes unfortunately), I get to uphold that honor. Throughout the years, I’ve received a fair share of comments on my lunches: “That looks so good!” “Can I have some?” “Why don’t I ever have fancy lunches?” Most of the time, out of generosity, I will not refuse —that is, until my entire lunch suddenly goes POOF! And of course, we have the parties. Family dinners, sleepovers, you name it; I always have to bring some type of gourmet dish. In particular, the dish most requested by my friends and family, shrimp chow mein. So today, to save us all from headache, I’m sharing this crowd-pleasing recipe with you. It’s actually very easy to make, delicious and I share it in hopes that one day, I will not have to stare into the great void of darkness known as an empty lunchbox. Ingredients: • 1 pack of chow mein, pre-cooked and frozen • 2-3 oz of small shrimp, peeled, deveined • 2 thinly sliced mushrooms • 2-3 stalks of spring onions, cut into 2-inch
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Directions: 1. Thaw the frozen chow mein in the microwave for two minutes. 2. In a small bowl, season the shrimp with a pinch of salt and garlic powder. 3. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium-sized skillet. 4. Stir-fry the noodles in the skillet for three minutes. 5. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, granulated mushroom bouillon, white pepper powder and garlic powder to the noodles. Stir and cook for two minutes. 6. Set the noodles aside in a bowl. 7. In the same skillet, heat 1/2 teaspoon of oil and stir-fry the shrimp and vegetables. 8. Put the noodles back in the skillet to thoroughly combine all the ingredients. 9. Grab some chopsticks and be prepared to fight off hungry friends. See our website for more of the “A Day in my Lunchbox” blog.
alexis mejia, staff writer hen you walk into Belvedere Square Market at 7 p.m. on a Monday, you’re met with flocks of people milling around. Some are there for the food, others for the atmosphere. Toward the back of the market, there’s a ramen restaurant, Ejji. There’re seats available at the bar as well as a few long tables that are a little ways in front of the shop. I chose to sit at the bar. A waitress approached me immediately and asked for my drink order, while a man simultaneously set up utensils in front of me: chopsticks and a ladle-like wooden spoon. The service was great—everyone was polite and I enjoyed some small talk with a few of the servers. Now, let’s talk about the food. For appetizers, I ordered the $6 roti canai, which is a Malaysian-style flat round bread served with curried lentil sauce, and vegetable gyoza, Japanese dumplings for $5. I loved the roti! I wasn’t a big fan of the sauce, but the roti by itself was perfect— crispy and flaky on the outside, but fluffy on the inside. The vegetable gyozas had a nice flavor, but were a little oily. For the ramen, Ejji offers a create-your-
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own option. You choose a broth that determines the price, like miso corn or tonkotsu (pork broth); a type of noodle, like thin ramen or rice noodles; two toppings, such as pork belly or potato; and a sauce, like sesame garlic or scallion ginger. I chose the miso corn broth for $9, thin ramen noodles, tempura shrimp and fried tofu, with the sesame garlic sauce. The first bite was actually pretty good. But the broth was too salty for me and after a few more bites the taste started to get old. I wasn’t a big fan of the tofu either. Usually when I’ve had fried tofu, it has a crisp outside and a soft inside, whereas this was all crunch. Imagine a Cheeto-textured tofu crisp. I did like the tempura shrimp, though, as well as the sesame garlic sauce. I’d go back to Ejji for the appetizers alone, but I think I might skip out on the ramen next time.
OVERALL RATING: Ejji Ramen 529 E. Belvedere Ave., Baltimore Hours of operation: Monday - Thursday: 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Friday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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10 features
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among us:
april 20, 2015 REVIEW:
Feminine style stands out
JUNIOR JARRIN JACOBS completes a project in her period 2B digital arts class April 14. Jacobs also works with oil painting and ink.
style, Vandervest said. “Jarrin’s art is beautiful feminine illustration. If you look through her sketchbook, you’ll find the most adorable characters and sketches all with a very distinctive illustrative quality,” Vandervest said. For inspiration, Jacobs looks to Tumblr and other artists. “You can find a bunch of amazing digital artists, classical artists, anything on Tumblr. I’m on Tumblr like eight hours a day,” Jacobs said. One of her favorite artists is Rebecca Sugar, the creator of the hit Cartoon Network show “Steven Universe,” and a former writer and storyboard artist for the popular Cartoon Network show “Adventure Time.” Jacobs said she hopes to study art in college. “Ideally, this is like a dream job. I would love to have my own show on Cartoon Network, kind of like Rebecca Sugar with Steven Universe. Ideally yes, storyboard artist slash animator slash show creator slash painter in my own time,” she said. As for the near future, Jacobs has an ambitious plan. “Maybe I’ll move to California.There are a bunch of opportunities and you’re so close to the industry itself that it’s easier to get connections.”
photo by alissandra seelaus
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jackie andrews, associate editor er sketchbooks just scream ‘Jarrin,’” junior Tori Vandervest said about fellow artist and friend Jarrin Jacobs’ work. Vandervest said that Jacobs’ bubbly personality shows through in all of her work. Jacobs utilizes multiple mediums to express her creative personality. Watercolor is a perennial favorite, Jacobs said, but recently she’s been honing her skills with oil paint and experimenting with high-contrast ink. She admits that the characteristics of the mediums she uses definitely influence her work. “When I work with watercolor, I want things to be more girly, more flowy. With oil painting, I try to emulate the classical artists, with everything smooth, pink, fluffy and with digital art, I like to sketch it, block stuff in, that kind of thing,” Jacobs said. But the mediums’ limitations don’t conceal her unique
Junior Leslie Contreras was the subject for one of Jacobs’ ink portraits, which was part of a series she completed this past fall.
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ALEX GASKARTH AND JACK BARAKAT of All Time Low perform “Weightless” in The Sound Garden parking lot April 3. photo by natalie mozoki
Hometown band wows
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natalie mozoki, deputy web editor fter five hours of standing in line in the rain, hundreds of fans were ushered into the parking lot of The Sound Garden in Fells Point. When All Time Low took the stage (or rather a truck bed), fans screamed in anticipation. The band includes lead singer Alex Gaskarth, lead guitarist Jack Barakat, bassist Zack Merrick and drummer Rian Dawson. The acoustic performance began with “Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don’t)” and concluded with their most famous song “Dear Maria, Count Me In.” Yes, they played some of their old hits like “Weightless,”one of my personal favorites. But we also heard songs from their new album, “Future Hearts,” which, according to the Baltimore Sun, debuted at number 2 on the Billboard charts last week. Among the new songs were “Something’s Gotta Give” and “Kids in the Dark.” Based on what I heard, let me just say that die-hard fans will definitely not be disappointed. My friend and I held up a sign scribbled on the back of a pizza box that read, “We go to Dulaney” in hopes of catching the band’s eyes. (Gaskarth and Barakat graduated from here in 2006.) Gaskarth seemed to glance our way, but I can’t be sure. After the concert, I was within inches of them when they were ushered back to their van. It was incredible to see them in their home city, even if they didn’t sing “For Baltimore.”
OVERALL RATING:
11 features
april 20, 2015
the griffin
post
SOPHOMORE EMMA WALZ is an avid reader, anime lover and Spotify playlist aficionado. She sat for the Post with staff writer Bill Kinara. Reading? Because of school, I mostly read in the summer. My favorite series is probably the “Redwall” series and I read them every single summer. I read “The Hunger Games.” I really don’t like “Fifty Shades of Grey,” even though I haven’t read it. I have read textual excerpts and I think it’s a really bad message. I love Barnes and Noble and how they have their own edition of everything. I have the complete “Sherlock Holmes” series and the binding of the book is so pretty. Yeah, pretty much the place to go.
Listening?
Following?
I am very proud of my Spotify playlist. When you say what genre I listen to, it’s really everything, save gospel and country. My Spotify playlist has 1,700 songs. I like to listen to a lot of foreign music. Stromae, he’s French, and actually I introduced my French teacher to him and then we had a three month unit on Stromae because of how awesome he is. There are a lot of guilty pleasures on my Spotify playlist. My most-
I don’t have a Twitter or Instagram. I have a Facebook and Tumblr and that’s about it. On my Facebook I follow Stromae and Koharu Sugawara, who is a female dancer in Japan. I found her because I was looking at an Urban Dance Camp international collection of dance choreographers and I listen to all their stuff. There are a bunch of videos all over the world, but my favorite is Koharu.
Watching? I have to admit, I do watch a lot of anime and my favorite movies are from Studio Ghibli. It’s a Japanese animation studio with director Hayao Miyazaki and all of the movies they crank out are my favorite movies. “Big Hero 6” is probably my second favorite after “Howls Moving Castle.”
played artist is Miley Cyrus. I just downloaded a classical playlist, but I’m not going to pretend I’m sophisticated. I do listen to a lot of Japanese music, but also Chinese music and K-Pop.
First thing’s first: I have a major sweet tooth. I eat way too much sugar all the time. I like to bake everything, all the time. My favorite thing to bake is chocolate chip cookies. My favorite thing to eat is chocolate tofu pie. It is the best thing I have ever eaten and it’s the easiest thing, too. It tastes like chocolate pudding, it’s delicious and it doesn’t require any cooking. I really like Asian food, too. Changing?
photo by lucia tarantino
Juxtaposition,
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photo by chloe messier
Eating?
My academic schedule isn’t changing that much. I’m trying to motivate myself to do better about exercising, but to be honest I have zero motivation. Yeah, I don’t know, I’m a pretty stagnant person, constant.
a conversation between differing individuals
enior Aishu Jayapal is taking five Advanced Placement classes this year, and sophomore Brett Sproul is taking two. They both have experience with stress, but they handle it in different ways. As senior year winds down, so does Jayapal’s stress. “I’ve pretty much stopped being stressed about tests in general,” Jayapal said. For Sproul, on the other hand, test anxiety occurs before major tests. To combat nerves, Sproul suggests positive self-talk and relaxing techniques. “I usually take a deep breath to calm down and start saying in my mind that I know the answers,” Sproul said. Both he and Jayapal agree that being prepared helps take the edge off significantly. “If you pay attention in class and study while you’re learning, there’s not really a reason to be stressed about tests,” Jayapal
said. They both agree that studying over time is the best technique for success. For Jayapal, the amount of studying required depends on the severity of the test. “For a quiz, I’d study one night’s worth. For a unit test, I’d study two or three days,” she said. Sproul likes to space out his studying in order to best retain the information. Jayapal uses online resources and educational videos like Crash Course, whereas Sproul prefers more traditional review. “Looking over my notes is the best way to study,” Sproul said. Deputy editor Maya Lapinski and associate editors Katie Nanasi and Sophie Golden transformed this conversation into the Juxtaposition blog.
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12 features
the griffin
april 20, 2015
Evaluating school’s creativity quotient Left: Art teacher Alissandra Seelaus helps freshman Malek Shedid with a class project that involved sewing a mini basketball March 31. photo by christine mckinnie
Right: Engineering teacher Stanley Buckler examines sophomores Matt Levis’s and Michael Zimmerman’s robot built in Buckler’s 1A Gifted and Talented Engineering Design class. Levis and Zimmerman constructed the robot to participate in a competition in which two robots go head-to-head attempting to maintain control of a tennis ball for the longest period of time. photo by henry harsel
jackie andrews, associate editor and stephenie rountree, deputy editor don’t think we incorporate creativity at all,” senior Audrea Wah said. “The only classes in which you can be creative are art classes, which you take independently. If you’re not searching for creativity, you’re probably not going to get it.” While Wah said she sees limits in the ways students can be creative here, her view is just one side of the creativity story. Anecdotal evidence suggests she is in the minority. Special education teacher Donna Regester, who uses art to help students connect concept ideas, said she sees an abundance of creative opportunities here. The same clubs and classes that Wah mentioned are the ways creativity is promoted here, Regester said. Students are offered creative opportunities. Such an opportunity can be seen as students and teachers here find ways to explore their passions and introduce creativity into their lives. For the fall play, “The Good Times are Killing Me,” junior Sarah Stockdale used technological creativity to design video clips that accompanied each scene. What’s more, Stockdale wrote a research paper on creativity. In it she noted that a lack of creativity plays a role in the SARAH STOCKDALE, a junior, completes an inequality faced by assignment in Yearbook class. Stockdale penned a research paper about the ef- students with Atfects of creativity and being in higher tention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorlevel classes. der (ADHD). Such photo by stephanie rountree students comprise
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the largest group absent from advanced classes. Less than two percent are present in Advanced Placement and Gifted and Talented programs, she said in her research paper. “This is because of the lack of creative curricula, between testing and the basic class material. ADHD kids can’t handle concentrating on that,” Stockdale said. Engineering teacher David Schein said that he has altered his curriculum to foster experiential learning. He took away restrictions involved with a hot air balloon lab and allowed students to do just about anything they wanted, he said. And while rigid county and state curriculum requirements provided some challenges, he said, being able
“The way we do our labs is that we have to do it ourselves and design it ourselves. The teacher doesn’t tell us how to do it. ” to provide students more opportunities is the goal. “We need to let them know that this is a safe place to experiment and learn,” he said. Honors English teacher Thea Thomas said she experienced a moment of symbiotic learning through autorap, an app shared by her students. “They made a rap about transcendentalism and played it for the class, and then I made one about the difference between transcendentalism and romanticism,” she said. Though few changes have been made to the structure of his class, engineering teacher Stanley Buckler said he still marvels at the ability for new learning to occur.
SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS’ ARTWORK, displayed in the office, was made during several class periods and will be submitted to an art event this spring. photo by lucia tarantino
“When we do projects, they’ve been done by hundreds of students in hundreds of schools, but sometimes there’s an experience where you see something so clever and different you think ‘Wow, I wouldn’t have thought of that myself,’” he said. Sequel editor and senior Charlotte Slaughter said she has actually been able to employ creativity in her AP Physics labs. “The way we do our labs is that we have to do it ourselves and design it ourselves. The teacher doesn’t tell us how to do it,” she said. Social studies teacher Thomas Maranville said that adding a few inventive flourishes to curriculum-mandated lessons promotes the coverage of fundamental concepts. Science teacher Steve Shaw said that students need to solve problems by working through them on their own. “I’ll come back and help refine it for you, but try it. Don’t be afraid. Be wrong,” he said.
Inspired by various styles, The Side Project thrives
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anastasia stroboulis, staff writer hile most students spend their Tuesday nights chipping away at homework, taking orders from customers or enjoying some free time, The Side Project practices in the basement of Music Go Round, a Cockeysville music store. Vintage rock records and neon green paint decorate the room. Amps blast at full volume. Juniors Brady Sack, drummer, Tony Sheaffer, bass guitarist, and Towson High School juniors Andrew Rothschild, lead guitarist, and Peter Demasthias, lead singer, practice their new album “Fellas.” On the last day of eighth grade, the friends decided to pool their musical abilities and form a band. But The Side Project didn’t generate until the end of ninth grade. Now, they’re booking gigs at local venues. During a Jan. 17 performance at Padonia Ale House, The Side Project played their original songs “Just Friends,” “Therapy” and “Our Table,” each of which gave listeners a glimpse into the band’s experiences in the past couple years. “We are inspired by the experiences that everyone relates to as humans, including relationships, people and pop culture,” Sheaffer said. But their most popular song, “Therapy,” noted for its catchy tune, is about the difficulty of songwriting. Influenced by classic rock artists and alternative bands, The Side Project’s biggest inspirations are Led Zeppelin, Green Day and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. “The first time I heard The Side Project, I recognized a few rock songs and classic melodies. You don’t always hear about a young band covering such big names, so I was really surprised and happy about that risk,” junior and fan Colin Miller said after the band performed Jan. 17. While each band member confesses to pre-show jitters, they cope in their own ways. Nervousness does not plague each group member’s excitement during performances. “I do get nervous about an hour or so before hand, but after dipping my hands in rub-
Left to right: Jniors Andrew Rothschild, Peter Demesthias, Brady Sack and Tony Sheaffer, rehearse a set of songs in the basement of Music Go Round, a Cockeysville music store.
photo by kira stiers
bing alcohol, a bass guitar ritual, I’m ready to get up on the stage,” Sheaffer said. “Performing in front of people is always a lot of fun for me. Especially when you’re there with your friends who are having just as much fun,” he said. In anticipation of their album “Fellas,” which will be released later this year, The Side Project has been practicing and recording for two hours every week. The album will feature songs such as “Dazed and Confused,” “Paradise” and “1955.” The band’s next gig will be June 6 at Padonia Ale House. Staff writer Bradley Stansbury contributed to this report.
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