October 2018

the griffin

Our mission: to enlighten and to entertain

Dulaney High School Timonium, Maryland

Volume 58, Issue 1

November 1, 2018

Evaluating political apathy

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o maria eberhart and anna mason, editors-in-chief conomics teacher Lynda Motiram was not surprised by students’ apparent lack of political awareness.

“They don’t see their congressman, they don’t know what legislation affects their lives, or what’s up to debate,” Motiram said. “The government is not for teenagers.”

In a spot survey conducted during all lunch periods, only 21 percent of students know of a Maryland senator and just 22 percent know a congressman. According to a report published in Politico, these numbers are consistent with national levels demonstrating that only 18 percent of those aged 18 to 24 know the names of their senators.

Sophomore Emma Blair believes that politics is a difficult subject to broach in schools.

“Politics are really controversial right now and we don’t want to involve ourselves with that if we don’t have to,” Blair said.

Blair also said that friendships often suffer as a result of opposing political viewpoints.

Social studies teacher Chad Boyle attributes

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this dearth of knowledge to widespread apathy among students who do not think that any level of government, federal or local, directly affects their daily lives.

With the gubernatorial election Nov. 6, students of voting age shared their opinions on candidates and the value of civic engagement.

Senior Max Parra is planning on voting for in-

“...I urge everyone to

reach out to their local politicians.” cumbent Larry Hogan, believing that he has succeeded in avoiding identity and partisan politics and has appeased both sides of the political spectrum.

Other students, like senior Lucy Hughes, are enthused to witness the political process in action.

olivia summons, editor-in-chief and faizah saadmim, staff writer hile students kicked back and relaxed over the summer, teachers prepared for the possibility of an emergency situation with ALICE. The acronym stands for alert, lockdown, inform, counter and evacuate, and is the latest protocol and lockdown method in case of a crisis scenario.

English teacher Meekah Hopkins describes the training process as unnerving.

“The video explained the protocol for ALICE and walked us through different ‘live’ scenarios involving an active shooter or intruder in a school building,” Hopkins said. “The video made me feel scared, angry, disappointed in society, in what humans are capable of doing to each other.”

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“I’m excited to see the process first-hand, even as simple as it may be,” Hughes said. “I’ll be a part of something much bigger.”

Certain students took their involvement a step further. Senior Rebecca Allen, for example, spent part of her summer volunteering for Second District Councilwoman Vicki Almond’s campaign for county executive. Almond finished third in the closely contested Democratic primary June 26, and victor Johnny Olszewski Jr. won by just 17 votes. Allen canvassed with Almond and interacted with her constituents about their priorities and hopes for their district’s future.

“I know now more than ever that voting in our elections is extremely important and our votes do matter,” Allen said. “Having that validation from someone in public office is wildly comforting and I urge everyone to reach out to their local politicians, because they really will listen to you.”

However, fractures are becoming increasingly apparent. see EVALUATING, page 2

ALICE: new strategy unnerves

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photo by olivia summons JUNIOR Faizah Saadmim tests if a cable could effectively hold back a possible intruder, a strategy proposed by ALICE drills. The Griffin found that under sufficient force, the cable can be broken.

Science teacher Martin Stranathan reflects on a time prior to the discussion of “what if?” scenarios.

“There’s no comparison, we could walk outside and come in any door…it felt more like an open campus,” Stranathan said. “Now people feel more unsafe because they are constantly concerned, and that’s where I think the ALICE training is important, it gets you to think about what if.”

But according to senior Rob Meloni, ALICE surpasses previous method of protocol.

“The old method of duck and cover is not effective in protecting students,” Meloni said.“Educating students about how we can effectively protect ourselves in the worst possible scenario is.”

Meloni describes the first ALICE drill students participated in as surreal.

FYI:

Election Day Nov. 6 No school

End of First Quarter Nov. 9

All County Band, Choir and Orchestra Concert Nov. 19 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

Thanksgiving Break Nov. 22-25 No school

Fall Play: Shakespeare in Hollywood Nov. 29 - Dec. 1 7:00 p.m.

Auditorium

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the griffin

November 1, 2018

ALICE: new strategy unnerves

continued from page 1 “Imagining such a horrid event occurring is intimidating and scary. But it was necessary,” Meloni said.

ALICE dictates that students in grades 8 through 12 should participate in the swarm technique. Swarming is characterized by grabbing the arms, body and legs of the assailant to immobilize.

But this method of counter-strategy has been met with student hesitation. According to junior Ariana Jackson, not all students might be willing to participate in the physical method of countering the assailant.

“With every person, it’s fight or flight. Some may be totally ready to destroy the assailant while some may be too scared to move,” Jackson said.

Sophomore Joelle Szumski echoes this reservation.

“No one can predict what students are going to do, so it’s not a fair expectation to have, but it’s certainly an option. Those that are would ‘swarm’ would be willing to risk their lives, essentially,” Szumski said.

When asked if the tactics expected of students in ALICE have any mental health repercussions, guidance counselor John Komosa emphasizes

graphic by ALICE

the need for sensitivity when discussing potential school shooting scenarios.

“It can be a trigger for some students with post-traumatic stress disorder or who are prone to anxiety. That is something we need to be sensitive about,” Komosa said.

While the changes introduced by ALICE evoke varied reactions from students, school resource officers Mary Burg and Michael Lynch share the reality behind the transition to ALICE. “Most humans don’t like change. We had practiced what was commonly known as a ‘lockdown drill’ for many years,” Burg said.

“Convincing everyone that [ALICE] is the best approach to an active assailant or shooter will take some time. Doing something is better than doing nothing.”

According to assistant principal Christopher Parker, released data fully supports the implementation of ALICE. “Doing anything other than sitting quietly and hiding will give you a higher chance of survival in any given active assailant scenario,” Parker said.

According to Jackson, adopting ALICE secures a degree of safety previously absent from drill preparation scenarios.

“It’s a good step forward to helping students prepare, because you never know what may happen,” Jackson said.

Schoology: teachers adapt

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morgan pierce, staff writer hile “creative, accessible, innovative and intuitive” are the words that have been fed to teachers and students about Schoology, stakeholders have endured their fair share of qualms. Since the introduction of Schoology, which has been fully implemented in Baltimore County Public Schools since the beginning of the 2018-19 school year, Dulaney has managed to navigate the complex new learning system.

The management system continues to bring in mixed reviews from both students and teachers. For English teacher Meekah Hopkins, the program has potential, but has proven difficult to implement.

“I probably know one tenth of what Schoology can do, simply because I don’t have time to learn the rest of it,” Hopkins said. “If you came back to me in a couple of months, I might be raving about it, or I might continue to be as confused as I am now.”

BCPS’ contract with the previous learning management system, Engrade, expired at the end of 2017, leading the county to make the switch to Schoology. The new system brings interactive, fresh features—including groups, resources and apps— to the grading and learning platform.

It focuses on communication and collaboration through the use of media and the internet.

English department chair Jason Bowmanhopes to use the platform to cultivate a more engaged classroom environment for both students and teachers.

“I’m doing different things with it…I’m making my students turn in late work through Schoology. It gives me a time stamp and allows me to keep track of it,” Bowman said.

The introduction of Schoology came without much instruction or direction, leaving students like junior Emily Bogdanowicz in the dark.

“Compared to Engrade, [Schoology’s] much more complicated…I don’t think Schoology is worth the learning process and money,” Bogdanowicz said. “It is too much for students and teachers to handle at the beginning of the school year.”

After several weeks of trial and error, teachers seem to be adapting well to the new system.

From uploading documents to creating online quizzes, there are a variety of new elements.

“People are used to our old system, [so any change will] put us out of our comfort zone… now a month in, I feel pretty confident in navigating Schoology, as opposed to the uneasiness most of us experienced in the first week,” Bowman said.

Despite new features and better accessibility, the constant change of systems has led to both agitaphoto by anna masontion and confusion for students.

“I, and many other [students] would like to have a page with classes and grades all on one screen, rather than clicking on each class individually to see each grade,” junior Vivi McGroder said. “It’s not necessarily harder to use than Engrade, but there are some aspects that are not ideal.”

According to BCPS, there is a seven-year contract with Schoology, including a three-year extension. This will take students to the year 2028 before the next learning management system change.

continued from page 1 According to the Pew Research Center, Republicans and Democrats are currently more divided along ideological lines than at any other point in history. Over the past twenty years, Democrats have increasingly shifted to the left while Republicans have increasingly shifted to the right. Within each political party, the percentage of members with an unfavorable opinion of the opposing party has more than doubled since 1994.

Teachers have noticed the trend towards polarization.

“What worries me is that we retreat into our ideological goalpost,” Motiram said. “We start only thinking the news that we think is right is correct and everything else is labeled as fake news. That is a really dangerous thing for a democracy.”

But teachers and students alike stressed the importance of local politics.

“It’s much easier to get your voice heard on a more local level,” senior Kate Whatley said, who is interning at a local representative’s office. “If it’s something that you care about, then I think everyone should vote.”

Social studies teacher Sean Bowmaster, however, remains skeptical about the enduring power of politics among teenagers.

“If something doesn’t directly impact their lives it comes and goes, as quick as a meme,” Bowmaster said.

Associate editor Emma Shannon contributed to this report.

Staff writers Fanglin Ding and Melody Roughani contributed to this report.

GOVERNMENT teacher Chad Boyle’s 3A freshman class. Left to right: Mia Elder, Ian Frain, Jenna Chong and Alex Shaw actively debate the ratification of the United States Constitution.

Evaluating apathy

Second language learners lack necessary support

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anna boland and ankith hiremath, staff writers ulaney students learning English as a second language find themselves caught between two less-than-ideal options: they can either attend Parkville High, an unfamiliar school with a specialized language program, or stay at Dulaney, their home school that lacks sufficient resources to support them.

While English for Speakers of Other Languages programs exist at select locations in Baltimore County, Dulaney is not one of them. ESOL students zoned for Dulaney are thus enrolled at Parkville High, the closest of the ESOL schools.

English teacher Alicia Drechsler has noticed an increasing number of students opting out of the Parkville option and choosing to attend Dulaney instead.

“It increases their travel time, and a lot of those kids are working, so that’s just out of the question for them. I have also heard from for-

mer Parkville students that there are some gang issues,” Drechsler said.

Parents of ESOL students also prefer their children to be fully immersed in an Englishspeaking environment. Sophomore and ESOL student Samantha Urena shared why her moth-

“We’re accountable to doing our best to pass whoever comes to this school...” er sent her to Dulaney.

“One of [my mom’s] friends told her that if I didn’t have ESOL anymore and tried to push myself to learn English on my own, then I would do better,” Urena said.

Without an official program to help them,

ESOL students have difficulty adapting to the coursework of their classes and often lag behind other students academically. Drechsler noted that ESOL students make up a disproportionate percentage of those who fail her class.

“I had 15 kids that failed last year. Ten of them were ESOL kids. If they made up 60 percent of my students, then that number would make sense. But they probably only make up 10 percent of my students every year,” Drechsler said.

Teachers must find a balance between catering to the needs of ESOL students while also keeping the rest of their students on track.

“We’re accountable to doing our best to pass whoever comes to this school, no matter what baggage they bring with them,” English teacher Britta Schaffmeyer said. “That’s public school.

We teach who is here. But by having students for whom this environment isn’t the right place, that puts the onus on us as teachers.”

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NEWS LINE THREAT CONTAINED Administration and a student resource officer confiscated a weapon in possession of a student Oct. 24. The student was found with a pellet gun, but authorities do not suspect it was intended for harm.

Administration emphasizes that if any students see suspicious activity to report it to hotline@bcps.org or text the Safe Schools Tip Function at 877-636-6332.

SENIORS HONORED Anna Boland, Alexandra Kallaur, Meredith Kossoff and Alan Zhang scored within the top percentile in the country on the 2017 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). As Semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship, they will be evaluated based on abilities, skills and accomplishments to potentially win up to 2,500 dollars in 2019.

Juniors at Dulaney are eligible to become Semifinalists when they take the PSAT in school. Of the 15,000 students who will advance to the group of finalists in February 2019, about half receive scholarships.

KEY CLUB HOSTS This year, Key Club International’s annual International Convention (ICON) will be hosted in Baltimore, MD, home to the Capital District and Dulaney. The convention, taking place July 3-7, attracts members from clubs in the United States, the Bahamas, Canada, Jamaica and Taiwan. Members have the opportunity to share service projects, train for leadership positions and elect Key Club’s International Board.

In previous years, the convention was held in Illinois, Texas and Georgia, in 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

TRIP ENLIGHTENS On Oct. 18, all Gifted and Talented English 10 students were invited to attend a field trip to Baltimore City to watch Shakespeare’s Macbeth, performed by the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company. This is the first year that this trip has been offered as it aligns with the timing of curriculum and class readings. The purpose of the trip was to strengthen understanding of the play in school and to provide students with an opportunity to appreciate Shakespeare’s work play out on stage.

CLEAN GREEN WINS Science teacher John Enders represnted Dulaney in the Clean Green 15 challenge and for the second time Dulaney successfully won $1,500 to fund an environmental project. Enders credits the work of teachers and students who assisted through logging in hours of picking up trash and working on gardens

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Teachers grapple with finances Words with Wynkoop

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rochelle shubinsky and madelyn essig, staff writers aculty and staff received a seven-question system and the overwhelming workload of most survey Sept. 7 regarding the sudden decline teachers. in teacher retention. The influx of teacher “Schoology… it’s so not user-friendly, it just truancy has been associated with factors such as takes so much more time. The job has always been salary and workload. hard, but I think as they keep adding more laySpanish teacher Maureen Burke expressed her ers… it is just overwhelming,” Burke said. “It is discontent with the current teacher income. hard to plan these lessons and then grade work…

“The issue is, the salary does not keep up with I would take less than my current salary in order the cost of living… I cannot keep up with what to take a class off my plate. It is just so much.” this job demands anyway,” Burke said. “To do When asked about whether or not teachers have this job, it takes an incredible amount of time and considered other careers due to their salary, Skeleffort… with the six classes, some people have ton offered a different view on the issue. over 150 students.”

“Most people Have you ever held a second job Educators across the do not get into nation are paid for the education for during the school year? hours they spend teachthe money. They ing their students in get into it for the the classroom, but the passion that they lesson planning, coach have for workclasses, parent commiing with young No nucation, after school kids and being a 28% meetings and grading is part of those kids’ Yes not accounted for. lives. I would be Over half of the 40 lying if I did not 72% teachers that submitted say there were the survey either have certainly points worked, or still hold, where it has been two jobs during the a consideration to school year. Guidance look at other prographic by maria eberhart counselor and varsity fessions and other men’s soccer coach Daniel Skelton addressed the avenues of income. This does become a very taxhardship of balancing teaching and raising a fam- ing job when you are often feeling underappreciily. ated based on the salary,” said Skelton.

“Even from my first day, 15 years ago when I While Skelton agrees that the effort teachers put taught, I had a second job as a club soccer coach into their classes is not always recognized, he acand I still continue to do that today. There has knowledges that the school day is shorter than a not been a year that I have been involved in the typical 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. workday. public education system whether as a teacher “A common argument for why salaries are the or now as a counselor, that I did not hold a second way they are is that we physically work fewer job as a soccer coach,” said Skelton. hours in the building [as opposed to other proBaltimore County schools have also implement- fessions]. But accumulating more hours outside ed a new learning management system, School- of school is the work that is underappreciated,” ogy. Burke described the issues that arise with the Skelton said.

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Q: What’s your initial outlook for this school year with the implementation of new policy and foreboding change?

A: I would definitely identify it as a year of transition. The good news is that the transitions aren’t unprecedented. For example, the establishment of the computers- they’ve been building those for a while at the elementary and middle school levels. There’s some insight to help us make our way forward.

At the same time, everybody’s unique. There are some schools that have better Wi-Fi or better facilities that may not face the struggles that we have. Thus far, I couldn’t be happier with the inception of the changes. I think time will tell how it fits in and how we get into a routine with it. I think the good is outweighing the bad. Everybody’s going to build some struggle muscles around it, but I think ultimately it’ll be good for the kids. Growing pains come with any change.

Q: How have the staff been adapting to these changes?

A: I think with Schoology itself, the format is more inviting to adults. It does appear more like Facebook and other social media. Unlike with Engrade, however, parents and guardians no longer can very quickly access student grades. The good news is that the people who have experience with it can tell me these issues. I can take that information and send it to our engineers and say, “We really need to be able to do this, so have your software people create it.”

Q: Is there any degree of communication between the school and Schoology?

A: There’s a lot of suggestions, complaints, functionality issues. I know that even if the website doesn’t say exactly what we want, a lot of people will call and say, “Hey, I’m having issues with this!” and they’ll steer it in that direction.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editors, While walking through the classes at school you’ll notice a criminal lack of device usage. Baltimore County Public Schools spent 205 million dollars to appeal the technologyobsessed youth, forgoing expenditures essential assets such as air conditioning, sports equipment, and facilities in general.

It’s ok if we’re sitting in an oven-baked classroom as long as we have our devices! But here’s the problem: classroom curriculum doesn’t integrate devices.

In the month and a half we have had school, I have used my device twice for times the teacher has been absent or when working with groups.

Classrooms across the school have continued with their normal schedule of teaching curricula. Classes that require a device and the internet already have desktops in the classroom, such as computer science or engineering. Advanced Placement courses follow a strict time schedule, making the integration of devices near impossible. Teachers have been following this monotonous routine of teaching, essentially rendering devices as useless.

So BCPS, why do we have them in the first place?

Ankith Hiremath Grade 12

Dear Editors, Why do high schools and colleges stress that students take so many Advanced Placement (AP) courses? These days it seems like all high schoolers do is complain about how difficult their AP classes are or how much homework they received or how their teacher didn’t let them turn an assignment in a day late, yet they continue to take five, six, seven APs a year. It’s almost like they want to torture themselves for no apparent reason.

Have you ever stopped to ponder why the modern student is slave to a program that was created by the College Board as a way to make money? Sure, AP classes help prepare you for college. Sure, you can receive college credit if you score well on the examination. And sure, APs boost your quality point average (QPA). But standard and honor students who aren’t yet prepared to take an overly challenging class feel like they are just falling behind in the race for college preparation and won’t get accepted into any school that they want to attend. Not to mention that if students fail to score a three or higher on the examination, they have just wasted a year of their high school lives working their butt off for no future reward.

From my own experience, I believe that hardly anyone actually enrolls in AP classes for fun or challenge— the true motive is to buff up their resume for admissions counselors to marvel at. That is a huge issue in today’s world.

Emphasis is placed on getting into the best college possible rather than truly learning and enjoying it. If this continues, education will be looked upon by students as a source of stress and punishment rather than a tool for happiness and success.

Historically, education was a privilege and an indicator of high status. People started movements just for the opportunity to receive a proper education. Now, students dread going to school because of the evolution of education into a competition to be the smartest.

However, if Advanced Placement is abolished and people decide to learn just to gain knowledge on subjects that interest them, education will be returned to its previous glorious state. Instead of emphasis on difficult classes and graded assignments, I believe that the essence of learning will carry students to a great college.

Ethan Samels Grade 10

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November 2018 month1,##, year

Crazy rich representation

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emily zhu, staff writer veryone wants to be the hero of their own story.

When Constance Wu, the heroine of “Crazy Rich Asians,” reflected on the concept of her role and how it elevates minority representation in film she said: “I mean, it kind of makes me want to cry right now…because I didn’t see that growing up.”

She continued, “I think every child should feel worthy and feel loved.”

Like most children coming from an immigrant family, I constantly felt a cultural duality growing up. Besides “Suite Life’s” iconic London Tipton, I rarely saw people on screen who looked like me. In traditional Hollywood media, Asian actors frequently portrayed the stereotypical standoffish, meek, secondary characters in the background: the piano prodigy, the math wizard, the martial arts instructor with exaggerated accents. Never have I seen an Asian person as the lead, influential role - until “Crazy Rich Asians.”

Seeing the film with my family, I was reminded that representation matters.

Seeing your culture on the big screen matters. We could relate to Rachel Chu wearing the lucky color red to impress Nick Young’s parents; we could relate to the Young family gathering around the dinner table collectively folding dumplings. My parents were elated to recognize the background music being played, to recognize some of the actors from their childhood films.

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tive politicians, have been accused by numerous women of sexual assault.

Although they are only allegations, one must wonder why they would come forward with these accusations if nothing happened. In this day and age, allegations like these are thought of as political schemes before they are considered to be actual crimes. That is

“I constantly felt a cultural duality growing up.”

It made me realize I should celebrate and be proud of my Asian heritage rather than dissociate myself.

As the first film in 25 years with an all Asian cast, and the first film in history with an Asian-American cast and director, the representation on screen was monumental. I was mesmerized to see Asians from all around

the world, with different accents, ethnicities, and backgrounds brought together by a single project. It was truly heartwarming and empowering.

According to the Internet Movie Database, or IMDb, the movie earned approximately $76.8 million domestically by just the second weekend, more than doubling the reported $30 million it cost to make the film.

Admittedly, the film is overpowered by the “glitz and glam” and falls short in the rom-com plot, but the film’s major success gives me hope for further representation of minority groups in the Hollywood industry.

Every child should grow up feeling their story matters. Seeing idols on screen that look like them inspires them, for that could be them. The authentic stories portrayed in the cinematic world are the tickets of validity for anyone who ever feels underrepresented, unappreciated or excluded in the real world. Representation is the spark of societal unity, and this is only the beginning.

Scandals permeate public discourse geoffrey dochat, staff writer ontroversy, scandal, lying, criminals. These are not the words that come to mind when discussing our nation’s government, yet these words dominate the public discourse. News lines are filled with politicians’ names and accusations of federal offenses and sexual harassment far too often. People with dark histories are allowed to run the country and citizens turn a blind eye when someone is accused of yet another misdeed. People have to realize what is going on, right? Apparently not.

Picture the government as a boat. If there are holes in it, you either fix the holes or the boat sinks. So, if President Donald Trump and the current administration is breaking holes in the boat and no one fixes them, the government goes under. It should never get to that point, but it is becoming dangerously close.

The National Broadcasting Company reported that during the 2017-18 year alone, there have been 12 political sexscandals involving the Trump administration and judiciary branch alone. If you think that is an excessive amount, during that same period, there have been 50 allegations of sexual assault against state-representatives in 27 states. More recently, Brett Kavanagh and Roy Moore, both conserva-

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not right.

Sex scandals are just the start of it. In the past two years, many of President Trump’s advisors and cabinet have been let go. Former Federal Bureau of Investigation director James Comey believes he was fired to “change the way the Russia investigation was conducted.” The fact that they are being fired due to corruption or scandal seems hypocritical seeing as President Trump has certainly had his fair share

of accusations and general unlawfulness. I thought the purpose of the government was to find these kinds of people and punish them, not to become them. Instead, we constantly see Cable News Network reports of highranking officials talking to the Russian government, lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, evading taxes, accepting illegal campaign contributions and committing sexual harassment.

Time and time again, our nation is lied to by our “trusted” leader. Claims of criminal activity are bluntly shut down regardless of ample evidence against the “amazing” people he appoints. The sources that try to inform the public of our government’s wrongdoing are dubbed fake news by prejudiced right-wing supporters, and people are buying it.

There is no denying the fact that the people who are running for positions in our government are not qualified for their positions. If we continue to allow these people to keep the power handed to them while ignoring the horrible acts they have committed, we are simply saying that it is acceptable to harass women and take bribes from foreign governments.

The only way to fix this is to fight it.

A wall can’t keep out corruption, but decent people can.

Constant change promotes growth, resilience and tenacity

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t’s that time of year again. The return to school inevitably ushers in a myriad of policy changes throughout the school, and this year is no exception: the introduction of devices (complete with bright blue Baltimore County public schools-issued cases), an extended school day (five minutes that somehow seem much longer), an enhanced lockdown drill (termed A.L.I.C.E.), teachers departing (coupled with the introduction of brand-new teachers), even a new grading software (gone are the days of Engrade).

The constant flux of policy change can be wearisome and taxing for both faculty and students.

Yet ultimately, if anything is constant in life, it is change. Change in both small and large ways can be daunting, whether if it is just the school day being longer by a few minutes or if it is seniors applying to college and determining where they will spend the next four years of their life.

However, change promotes adversity, and according to James Heckman, an economist at the University of Chicago, personality traits, not

intellectual ability, ultimately determine success. And adversity, which is commonly caused by change, has been shown to have a positive effect on character through promoting traits such as persistence, self-control, curiosity and self-confidence.

Ultimately, change is out of our control, no matter how irritating or frustrating that fact may be. It is a guaranted fact of life. But being open and adaptable to change, in whatever small or large way it may come into our lives, can lead to newfound growth and self-improvement.

Dulaney High School, 255 E. Padonia Rd. Timonium, MD 21093 editors-in-chief maria eberhart, anna mason, olivia summons The Griffin welcomes story ideas, commentaries and letters associate editors audrey houghton, emma shannon dulaneygriffin@bcps.org (410) 887-7633 to the editor. These may be brought to room 303, placed sports editors johnny carroll, giorgio gayleard

in Brittany Jackson’s mailbox in the office or emailed to adviser brittany jackson Student population: 1,806 Staff population: 107 dulaneygriffin@bcps.org. All submissions are subject to The Griffin prints 1,500 to 2,000 copies of each edition. These are disediting and must be signed. The Griffin Editorial Board makes tributed during homeroom on the third Friday of October, January, all final decisions regarding content.

March and May. Extras may be found in the library or room 303.

The staff editorial reflects the thoughts of the Griffin staff, but all other opinon pieces reflect individuals’ views, not the A Columbia Scholastic Press Association member paper’s.

The Griffin’s mission is to enlighten and entertain.

Interested in advertising in The Griffin or purchasing any November 17, 2018 Volume 58, Issue 1 http://dulaneygriffin.org photos seen in this issue? Use the same contact information.

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November 1, 2018

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Don’t panic, it’s not over yet

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william chen, staff writer o all the seniors, it’s that time of year. With each school cycle means we’ve come full circle- it’s time for college applications once again.

And with that, seniors are left with more than just a pile on their plate.

Difficult Advanced Placement classes coupled with this looming task of college essays and applications makes for a stressful ordeal and many hours of lost sleep. Aspirants alike will be compiling their school achievements, transcripts and awards in hope of getting admitted into their dream college.

But for those who may not have chosen to spend their time in the school year earning coveted leadership positions or sports awards to plaster on their résumé, attaining that dream college acceptance letter may seem unattainable. And as such, those very same seniors might also have doubts on their future success.

While, yes, getting into that top 10 college very likely entails success later on, one does not exactly need undergraduate prestige to be just as, or if not more, successful.

When considering a path after high school, many high school seniors are

blinded by the folly of “brand-name” colleges. What many do not recognize is that one must also consider the big picture - long -term goals. Nobody wants to become another horror story of a college student with no idea what he/she wants to major in two years into studying.

Even more glaring is the fact that undergraduate studies may not even be as im-

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ing themselves with a platform and opportunities none have had before, have decided to waste most of their time and dull their mind with meaningless

“...one does not need undergraduate prestige to be just as, or if not more, successful.” portant as one believes in the first place.

Consider fields such as medicine, law and even business. As conducted in many studies, including one from Dataverse, employers in these fields asserted that they focus primarily on candidates’ graduate degrees and experiences.

But, the college admission process that seniors are facing currently concerns undergraduate admissions, or really only the first part of their higher education.

This poses the striking question: does undergraduate prestige really matter?

You might be able to argue that undergraduates from Stanford, Harvard, etc. are indeed overrepresented in the best graduate schools across the nation. Yes, while you would be correct, what is really shown here is the result of those students having on average more achievements and experiences than those from other schools in the same undergraduate programs. Briefly put, graduate schools are not necessarily just looking for the most prestigious degrees.

So, dear stressed high school senior, what this means for you is that your life is quite far from over. And on the other hand, to the already successful and gilded senior, let’s not fall into the trap of solely looking for prestige and brandname recognition.

Instead, we should all take a step back and decide what we really want to get out of our higher education, and consider which colleges offer the programs tailored to your aspirations.

After all, in the crunch time which is the college application season, you most definitely will not have any time for worrying.

Can we auto-correct humanity? dylan mccabe, staff writer wo years ago, I took a trip to New York City. Before I got on the subway I looked up and counted 29 passengers in my car. Every single person was on their phone. I saw blank expressions. People were glued to their “social” networks, ironically making them antisocial instead. With an overwhelming societal dependence on cell phones, one must pose the question: are long friend lists worth being friendless?

A Microsoft report in 2015 found that since the digital revolution of 2000 the average human attention span has dropped from twelve seconds to eight seconds. It may not seem significant, but the average attention span of a goldfish is nine seconds.

We continue to advance our electronic technology but forget to advance ourselves as human beings. Our sense of community, communication and compassion have diminished, and in their place, are a series of emojis meant to now encompass all facets of human emotion.

The youth of today, rather than inform-

art by audrey houghton

games and apps.

Phone usage is up today to a staggering average of 2 hours and 51 minutes. Essentially, our lives now revolve around a parasitic device that latches onto its host and poisons the mind to the extent where is becomes almost irreparable.

Although there is insurmountable evidence to make the claim that excessive

phone and social media usage is damaging to the world, a relevant and genuine argument exists for the opposition.

Cellular phones and social media has connected the world in ways we never thought possible. It has given a voice and a platform to those who were previously unable to speak.

Much of this remains a valid truth, yet a lingering sense of too much selfreliance on phones remains. Rather than actively participating in your community for change, it is now simply the click of a button that appears on your feed but often has no value. Protesting social injustice is now nothing more than just a hashtag and a prayer. Social media is hindering the human sense of drive and meaningful activism.

As a society that continues to progress, it is urgent that we come to an understanding of the implications of excessive phone and social media usage. Occasionally, put your phone down, look out the window or even let your mind wander. Life is too short to solely experience through the screen of a phone.

Studies prove students face excessive work

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morgan pierce, staff writer find myself trapped in the neverending continuum of stress and overextension. I come home from a long day of school and practice, and then I spend the rest of my night being suffocated by mountains of notes and worksheets. Like so many other high-schoolers, my typical day seems to solely consist of school, sports and homework.

According to the National Education Association, the general guidelines for homework are “ten to 20 minutes per night in the first grade, and an additional ten minutes per grade level thereafter.”

Taking this and applying it to Dulaney’s block schedule means that each teacher should only give about a half hour of work per night, leading to a total of two hours. The Journal of Experimental Education also agrees with the two-hour guideline, arguing “more than two hours of homework per night is counterproductive.”

While attending school for six hours and then going home with another two hours of homework isn’t my ideal situation, I can understand how these guidelines could be noted as reasonable.

However, these recommendations are not followed by school systems in the

slightest.

The University of Phoenix College of Education conducted a study proving that high school students are assigned about three and a half hours of homework per night. This adds up to about 21 hours per week (excluding Sundays), compared to the recommended 12 hours per week.

I decided to field-test the study myself.

“...these recommendations are not followed by school systems in the slightest...”

I found that, on average, I spend around three hours per night on homework.

While I only did this for a week, it still proved more than the recommendation.

This also means that, combined with the school day, I spend about 45 hours on school work per week. This is more or less equal to an average adult with a full-time job.

Teachers have exceeded the homework

guidelines by almost two-fold. Stanford University found that “students who spend too much time on homework experience more stress, physical health problems, a lack of balance in their life and alienation from society.”

So why are teachers continuing to up their amount of homework? Why do students have to go home with almost double the recommended amount?

I believe that homework is a necessary evil, but I don’t agree with the excessive amount. I don’t mind practicing several problems, reading a chapter, or finishing classwork, but having to do an entire packet of work, or watch an hour long video is unnecessary.

I understand the value of practicing and applying new concepts at home, as it promotes growth and shows how much of the information you’re actually retained outside of school. But 45 hours a week is unwarranted and prevents students from seeking out the balance they so desperately need in their lives.

Excessive homework needs to end, and we need to start a dialogue. This could merely mean pulling a teacher aside, or talking to the subject department chair, or just explaining the overload of homework being given.

Starting small can make a difference, and it’s always worth a try.

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

it’s debatable Four years later: lesson learned olivia summons, editor-in-chief ountless times, I have seen someone fling their head back in spontaneous indignation: “Nothing in high school prepares you for life, why do we have to learn this?” Never have I disagreed more with any commonplace statement.

High school obviously equips students with the academic basics to pursue any path in life. However, high school also teaches us lessons we never asked for, and never knew needed to be taught.

Integrity.

Freshman year taught me that blending in is only useful until you are asked “what makes you stand out?” It soon became clear that our conversant facades of middle school were futile now that individuality trumped similarities.

Effort.

Sophomore year taught me that effort doesn’t guarantee results. Those hours spent on studying for an AP Chemistry test does not automatically assure an A. Life is not a promise land of purposeful labor. There is no guarantee that every action contributes to a better society. However, just because some actions fail to reciprocate a desired reaction does not negate the importance of creating action in the first place. Sophomore year taught me that effort in itself has merit, even without immediate results.

Balance.

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“High school is not designed to teach us how to be an adult, it is designed to teach us how to be better students.”

Junior year taught me the importance of self-care.

Gray hairs sprouting from the heads of time-anxious teenagers is not unheard of. I discovered that my happy place is the middle of a mat floor, surrounded by walls dotted with rocks: some rough and chalked, other large and sloped. Rock climbing became my self-care; a therapy session sans couch. I am a firm believer in the imperativeness of maintaining a hobby. One independent from the pressures of academics and the burdens of parental eyes. Junior year I found out the hard way that balance is acquired through trial and error.

Perspective.

Senior year taught me to expand my initial scope of understanding. I was exposed to the reality that the reservations and anxieties I had kept confined within the walls of my own mind, were the clones of everyone else’s. The student whose only qualm seems to be scheduling his weekend plans, is actually living in the shadow of his older brother’s elite college acceptance. While my worries for three years seemed so personal and independent, I lacked the perspective to entertain the notion that internal conflicts are synonymous across the school.

There is no signed contract delineating the role of education to prepare us for the logistics of life beyond high school. High school is not designed to teach us how to be an adult, it is designed to teach us how to be better students. We do not know how to do our taxes, we do not know self-defense, we do not know what a 401K is and we do not know how to communicate properly in romantic relationships. But the reality is that high school is not obliged to impart life skills. Skills are inherently developed through experience. If a text book tried to tell sophomores what insurance they’ll need in 20 years, would it truly have a lasting effect?

High school does in fact prepare us for life. Not the logistical skills that accumulate through experience – those are up to us to develop. School’s social dynamics delineate moral lessons never formally taught. Yes, I now know how to work in a team, respond to deadlines and build an argument with substantiating evidence. But it is the lessons I did not ask for that bridge the gap between high school and life beyond.

the griffin

6 sports

athletes

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VARSITY

Freiert’s composure radiates with teammates

November 1, 2018

Senior guidance propels tal A

bobby o’grady and rj feerick, staff writer

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ince she was eight years old, senior Katie Freiert has always been driven to improve her golf game. Her passion for the sport stemmed from playing with her father throughout her childhood and transitioned to having personal trainer later on.

“She has a coach at Pine Ridge Golf course, and she will invite the girls to all the clinics that they ofphoto by grace hazlehurst fer. She shares her knowledge of her game to her teammates,” head FAVORITE SPORTS coach Jamie Bare said.

MOVIES: Freiert is always willing to assist the team in any capacity, includ- 1) The Blind Side ing encouraging fellow players.

“She’s great to answer questions about golf and help you succeed, 2) The Miracle Season because she’s very knowledgeable about the sport,” fellow senior 3) Remember the Titeammate Grace Federico said. tans Freiert is one of the team’s hardest workers and is determined to improve her skill.

“She is the most dedicated player in season and out of season.

Her dedication to the team motivates others. You can tell she’s been working hard all offseason,” Bare said.

Freiert and her team finished up their regular season with a record of three wins and three losses.

“The best part of my season for me has been the opportunity to improve my short game and help the new players,” Freiert said.

Freiert qualified to play in the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) state championship Oct. 22 at the University of Maryland golf course. She finished with a score of 95 in 27th place and hopes to further her golf career in college.

Leading by success and mentoring her teammates, Freiert proves to be an influential presence.

“Her knowledge of the game and her consistent work ethic not only improve her game, but the women’s team as a whole,” Federico said.

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JUNIOR VARSITY Kindness influences teammates

meghan gaumont, staff writer

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ophomore Leana Kashtelyan is a fairly new volleyball player, picking up the sport in Jan. 2016. Both her teammates and coaches say that she is not only a great player but an extremely influential person.

Teammates say they feel comfortable going up to Kashtelyan if they have a problem.

“Leana makes everyone feel really good about themselves,” sophophoto by maria eberhart more and co-captain Morgan Millon said.

FAVORITE SPORTS Fellow co-captain Janaya MOVIES: Hawkins emphasizes Kashtely1) Miracle Season an’s affection toward others and her reliability on the court.

“Leana is very kind to people. 2) Karate Kid She will always help out if you need her to, and is just a good person all around. Also, she goes for 3) Moneyball every ball. She’s always there, so I know I can rely on her,” Hawkins said.

Court-wise, junior varsity volleyball head coach Chelsea Mead says Kashtelyan is a consistent and hardworking player who continuously maintains a poised and competitive demeanor.

“She is the most consistent player on our team. You know what you are going to get out of her every day. She brings her ‘A game’ and always stays composed,” Mead said.

Her fellow teammates consistently iterate that Kashtelyan’s work ethic and determination assist her in remembering the rotations of the entire team.

Kashtelyan feels a competitive environment brings forth the girls’ best efforts. Her teammates say that it’s important that there is a leader who pushes and motivates the team to be their best.

“I motivate the girls on the court when they lose momentum. I always say ‘Believe in yourself, you got this!’” Kashtelyan said.

With her encouraging presence and consistent game, Kashtelyan doubles as both a successful teammate and player.

photos by john bowers

Top left: SENIOR Johnny Carroll follows through after a drive on the eighth hole against Towson. Carroll shot a 35. Top Right: SOPHOMORE Ryan Choi studies the slope of the green before putting. The Lions defeated Towson. Bottom Right: FRESHMAN Nick Charlow hits his ball out of the sand trap. Bottom left: SENIOR Chan Park swings at his ball in the rough. Park was the individual county champion for the second year in a row.

kyle fred m h e youth. B team’s 8 Carroll a Choi, fre Murnan team’s s and skill “They show if thing, it have bee the youn off for a Wall said Park a ers, have the und ence and tor other “The up aspects o tant. I ad out the

Above: SENIOR Noah Wilkens and sophomore Geoff Dochat check into the app during a Student Athletic Leadership Board (SALB) meeting. The app

Revamped app promotes school spirit

was also used to take attendance at the meeting.

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johnny carroll, sports editor he Lions’ Den app is making a comeback this year, after taking a year off following its development in 2016. Student Athlete Leadership Board presidents Zoe Hermann and Giorgio Gayleard have worked alongside Director of Athletics Richard Reed to create a plan that encourages widespread attendance for a multitude of school and athletic functions.

“We have received feedback from previous students that equality amongst teams is uneven, so the app was a great medium to promote unity,” Hermann said.

Students can receive points by checking in at various sporting and school events. Specific events hold unique

point values in order to entice students to attend other games.

After creating a Lions’ Den app account, athletes denote which sports they play in order to qualify for a potential reward. At the end of the school year, teams with the most collective points have the opportunity to win a prize for their participation efforts.

The first place team will get a 2,000 dollar donation to their program, while second place will receive a tour of the Under Armour headquarters. Third place gets a “Gatorade week” for their entire program, which includes access to various new Gatorade products.

“The reward program is exciting because it really encourages students to participate and maximizes participa-

tion,” Hermann said.

Hermann and Gayleard have set an agenda to increase attendance at sporting events, with hopes of improvements of unity throughout the school.

The app has undergone renovations this time around, with a much advanced user interface.

“We have implemented a leaderboard, so students can check to see how they match up against their friends,” Hermann said.

The competitive nature of the app, along with the incentivized aspect of participation, brings a refreshing level of excitement back into the athletic realm at Dulaney.

Controversial Nike ad inspires athletes what I would like focus on, although these issues are worth discussing. Instead, I want to bring attention to the true meaning behind Nike’s advertisement: inspiration.

The ad features a multitude of astonishing feats that have been deemed unachievable. It conveys that if your dream is viewed as unachievable, it’s a

from the stands

“Don’t ask if your dreams are crazy, ask if they’re crazy enough.”

giorgio gayleard, sports editor ike revealed its new, controversial advertising campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick on Sept. 3 with the slogan, “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.” This caused a stir, but my goal is not to debate that. The social injustice, the conflicting views on kneeling or standing for the anthem, the divide that Kaepernick has created is not

compliment. The ad includes groundbreaking athletes such as Serena Williams and LeBron James, magnifying their impacts beyond the sport, and their inspiration of a generation of driven athletes. The endorsement also showcases emotional testaments from paraplegic athletes, one-armed football players in the National Football League and a former refugee suc-

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Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org

ceeding in Major League Soccer. The advertisement captivates the audience and encourages athletes to push towards their own dreams. Personally, it gave me a feeling of hopefulness, confidence and promise for the future.

I would expect it to affect others similarly, as its production and style are truly enthralling.

Colin Kaepernick, who gave up football to make his voice heard and fulfill his dream of equality, iterates at the end of the ad: “Don’t ask if your dreams are crazy, ask if they’re crazy enough.” The advertisement’s goal is not to promote the conflict and controversy that shrouds Kaepernick’s name, but to inspire, impassion and motivate not only athletes, but humans to “dream crazy,” follow their dreams, and never give up. The advertisement appeals to all. It gives hope for the hopeless, motivates the undermotivated and ignites excitement in athletes across the world.

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the griffin

November 1, 2018

lented youth in program

derick, staff writer major factor in the Lions’ success has been the juxtaposition of veteran leadership and promising Behind the helm of the varsity golf 8-0 record were seniors Johnny and Chan Park. Sophomore Ryan eshmen Nick Charlow and Luke ne also played a large part in the success, displaying their passion l for the sport. y have been a great influence and you work hard and do the right pays off in the end. My captains en outstanding as far as keeping ng guys in line, and it has paid a great season,” head coach Mike d of the veteran leadership. and Carroll, both four year playe played pivotal roles in guiding derclassmen to success. Experid knowledge helped them menr athletes on the team. pperclassmen have shown me the of the game that are more impordmire their mentalities throughrounds, even the rough ones,”

Choi said.

During practice rounds, because there is so much time between shots, there is a lot of time for players to bond with one another. The team has been able to develop a special relationship that has contributed to their success.

“My captains have been outstanding as far as keeping the young guys in line...”

“The older guys set the tone early in the season by having a lot of fun but remaining focused. They’ve changed my outlook on the game and shown me what it means to be a part of the team,” Murnane said.

The Lions dominated all eight of their opponents in an undefeated season, a District VI championship and a county championship. Park was the individual

5

district champion, as well as the individual county champion.

“A big factor in our success was the amount of work we put in. We rarely saw any other team practicing the same hours we did, and all 16 guys put in the effort,” Park said.

A normal practice for the team includes an hour at the driving range and an hour on the putting green.

“We spend much of our time working on our short game, because while it is an essential part of the sport, the younger guys often don’t realize it. Coach Wall emphasizes that most of our mistakes are made on the greens,” Park said.

The competitive atmosphere during practice was a major contributor to the team’s success and better prepared them for competition throughout the year.

“All 16 guys played in the County Tournament, which proves all of our players are capable of playing at a high level. Our competitive spirit during practice rounds prepares everyone for matches and tournaments,” Park said.

Moments of the

Fall Season

1. The men’s golf team took down county foes Hereford and Perry Hall at Fox Hollow on Sept. 13, winning by 21 strokes. Senior Chan Park led the team with a score of 34.

2. Senior Drew Dailey secured his second successive Barnhart victory on Sept. 29. His official time was 16:21. Dailey has won four races out of the seven he has entered.

3. Women’s soccer defeated rival Towson 2-1 at the Den on Sept. 26. Sophomore Sammy White led the Lions with a game-winning goal.

4. Junior Justin White led the men’s soccer team to a win over Perry Hall with two goals on Oct. 10. The final score was 4-2.

5. The football team shut down Catonsville away on Sept. 28, with a score of 36-0. Senior Kyrone Fox threw two touchdown passes and senior Jevon Hawkins caught two touchdowns to lead the Lions to a triumphant victory.

athletes

Family fuels Wynn’s passion

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brian ellis and rushil byatnal, staff writers ootball has run through senior Jeremiah Wynn’s family for as long as he can remember.

“My dad put me into football at a young age. I had a lot of older brothers and cousins play, and we loved to run around the house all day with a lot of energy,” Wynn said.

Wynn, a defensive back and running back or quarterback when needed, has been successful due to his athleticism photo by johnny carroll and passion for the game, according to teammates.

“He is an incredible athlete and that FAVORITE SPORTS makes him stand out in a lot of ways.

MOVIES: He’s talented and versatile,” teammate 1) Friday Night and senior Jack Reilly said.

Wynn is also known for inspiring theLights team through speeches and bringing 2) The Blind Side the team together during highs and 3) The Express lows, according to Reilly.

“We all we got, we all we need,” is Wynn’s go-to saying after practices and games.

“It’s really admirable when somebody really likes what they do and appreciates their craft, while also being good at it,” head coach Daron Reid said.

He looks up to his older cousin, Sean Chandler, who plays in the NFL for the New York Giants. Wynn currently has offers from Towson, Delaware State and Fairmont and hopes to make it to the NFL one day.

As of Oct. 12, Wynn has 30 tackles with three interceptions, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, a thrown touchdown pass and 200 total yards from scrimmage.

A lot of responsibility falls on Wynn as a captain.

“On the field, he’s the battery pack for the defense. When he gets amped up, everybody gets amped up. He’s the first guy out, and the last guy to leave,” Reid said.

Aside from football, Wynn wrestles, runs track and likes to draw. Before away games, Wynn listens to slow music to go to sleep. When he wakes up, he meditates and then listens to upbeat music to get pumped up.

athletes

Jeremiah

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JUNIOR VARSITY

Wynn and

sophomore

Fundamentals help captain ignite team

Jumar Hines

lead the Lions

andrew wang, staff writer ophomore and junior varsity soccer captain Jacob Margolis is known for making his presence on the team invaluable, and it’s not through step-overs and roulettes.

“Jacob was an incredibly important part of our team this year. He leads through setting an example, and the mature way which he carries himself is why other players look up to him,” head coach Dan Lahatte said. photo by grace hazelhurst Teammates say that Margolis communicates with the team in an engaging way, always trying to correct his FAVORITE SPORTS MOVIES: mistakes.

“His presence on the team complete- 1) Remember the ly boosts our morale. He’s one of the Titans most mentally-tough teammates I’ve ever had,” fellow teammate Malek 2) Bad News Bears DeBrabander said.

3) Cool Runnings Sophomore teammate Rowan Hughes also gives credit to Margolis’s maturity.

“Jacob always stays positive. If we just came off a tough loss and he sees someone taking it hard, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him pull them aside and offer words of encouragement,” Hughes said.

Margolis credits every aspect of his journey since second grade for shaping who he is as a player today.

“My parents were the ones who pushed me and gave me the opportunity to play the sport,” Margolis said. “My former coach stressed that even if you weren’t the best on your team, you can still make an impact on the field by giving your best effort.”

It’s these fundamentals which Lahatte believes complete Margolis as a player.

“His versatility comes from his reliance on the fundamentals, which he’s now built on. He’s added speed, pace, and muscle, but he has also developed his game sense. He knows where he needs to position himself, when to shoot and ultimately make the right play,” Lahatte said.

Margolis was recently called up to the varsity squad for playoffs, and it’s no surprise to his coach and teammates.

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out of the tunnel Sept 8. The game against Owings Mills marked the first home game for the Lions this season.

The varsity football team defeated their opponents 12-10. The JV team fell short photos by john bowers

Lions Notebook: 2018-19 fall season wrap-up BADMINTON (10-0): The team competed in the county championship Oct. 27 at Carver.

VARSITY CHEERLEADING: The team competed in the county competition Oct. 30.

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY: The team captured the county championship Oct. 20.

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY: The team was the runner-up at the county championship Oct. 20.

VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY (9-6): The team finished as the runner-up in the county championship.

JV FIELD HOCKEY(12-1): A near-undefeated season ended with a county championship title.

VARSITY FOOTBALL (2-6): The team’s season will end on Nov. 1 against Milford Mill.

JV FOOTBALL (5-1-1): As of Oct. 15, the team is in second place in the county.

MEN’S GOLF (8-0): The team captured the county and district championships, sending four golfers to the state finals.

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VARSITY

Right: SENIOR

14-16.

sports

WOMEN’S GOLF (4-2): The team finished as the runnerup in the county with one state-qualifying golfer.

ALLIED SOCCER (3-1-1): The team will be participating in the Pumpkin Bowl Oct. 29 at Franklin.

VARSITY MEN’S SOCCER (8-4-2): The team will be participating in the MPSSAA tournament with a first round bye Oct. 30.

JV MEN’S SOCCER (5-2-3): The team finished with an impressive winning record.

VARSITY WOMEN’S SOCCER (5-7): The team will participate in the MPSSAA tournament Oct. 30.

JV WOMEN’S SOCCER (3-4-3): The team finished their season on Oct.12 against Hereford.

VARSITY VOLLEYBALL (10-6): The team finished as the runner-up in the county championship against Hereford in the fifth set.

JV VOLLEYBALL (11-2): The team ended their season as a runner-up in the county championship after three sets against Hereford.

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org

November 1, 2018

the griffin

November 17, 2017 8 features

post: Lynda Motiram: drive-thru queen Senior staff writer Giacomo Cascella sat down to talk with new economics teacher Lynda Motiram to learn about her life prior to joining the Dulaney community. Motiram shares her favorite books, travel memories and the life struggles she faced along the way.

COLLEGE: I was kicked out of my house when I was twelve years old, and I stayed with my older sister and she worked the night shift so she wasn’t around. I wasn’t living with either of my parents, so my teachers became my role models. They told me I was going to college so I just believed them. I attended three different colleges, I got my bachelors in economics and history at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, I did graduate school for my masters in history and got another bachelor’s degree in education at College Park.

TRAVEL: Cuba was awesome. I went during the Bush administration and Castro was still alive. They had these propaganda billboards of George W. Bush with brass

knuckles with blood dripping from it. It was like the world was tilting on its axis, seeing things through a different lens it was really neat. Things you took for granted no longer apply here, it took me a while to realize, intellectually I knew it but to actually see every hotel, every store owned by the government was crazy.

MCDONALDS: I was the drive-thru queen, man. But since I was in high school and other high school students would go through McDonalds. Sometimes they would laugh at me because

here I’m working and they’re partying. One girl spit her gum on my counter and then they are giggling about it... so I just slipped the gum between the bills, squeezed it, and handed it back to her.

BOOKS: I don’t have any free time lately, but I read in my free time. I like the classics like Jane Eyre’s, “Pride and Prejudice”, a lot of the girl novels. I also like to read biographies like John Maynard Keynes.

DULANEY: I was feeling very nervous for a while...I was coming after Bressler and he had a great reputation. This is my third school; it is hands down the most welcoming school both with the students and teachers that any place I have ever been. They gave me a little basket it had a coffee mug, it had a thermos, it had all this stuff. The community of Dulaney has been incredibly welcoming.

Club Spotlight: New A Capella group professes inclusivity

“Singing can be really vulnerable,” Senita said, “because your voice is such a part of you, and so I know a lot of people will have a hard time feeling brave enough to sing out loud in front of other people, and one thing I really love about these students is that it really is a safe place to let your voice be heard.”

For those interested, the participants of Echo welcome everyone. If you are someone looking for a place to belong, you won’t regret joining the club. Don’t be afraid to stop by the chorus room on Fridays and let your voice be heard.

ethan samels, staff writer

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usic teacher Christina Senita wishes only one thing for her A cappella club Echo – that it provides a safe place for those looking to belong somewhere.

Echo is an A cappella club held at Dulaney that meets every Friday after school. Although it has been a club ever since Senita, Echo’s advisor, arrived at Dulaney five years ago. Currently comprised of around 15 members, Echo is completely student-led, meaning members choose the activities they do and songs they sing. As a result, the type of music changes from year to year, and all students have a say in what the club performs.

Echo is actively looking to grow in members, and while the club currently doesn’t participate in any competitive events, it could with the addition of new members.

“Not yet, but that would be really fun,” Senita said when asked whether Echo competes in any competitions, expressing optimism for the future of the club.

Although Echo is primarily a singing club, music is by no means its sole purpose. Members create a second home while singing together, and Senita strives to make the club

as welcoming and accepting as possible.

“I just want to give students a place to be,” Senita said, “where they know that they’re safe, where they know that they have people who are going to be there to support them and give them another opportunity for them to practice their musical skills, to build their confidence, for them to find what they’re capable of achieving. All those things make me really excited,” Senita said.

Senita understands that singing publicly can be a daunting task, but she encourages students to go outside of their comfort zone and give it a try.

Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

the griffin

November 1, 2018

scene

9 features

dulaney: New Earth Science room impresses aziza cossentino, staff writer tudents in science teacher Jenna Roberts’ 3A honors Earth Systems class engage in one of many interactive labs. The students place stars on a graph in relation to their luminosity and temperature. Both Roberts and students report that the new curriculum is beneficial due to a more personalized take on science. They have found that tackling bigger topics is easier when applied to something that is more involved.

With less pressure to memorize and perform well on standardized tests, students focus on their “culminating event,” which is the end of semester project. Each lab gives them a better visual grasp on what they are learning and in result, a greater understanding of their assigned project.

Incoming freshman students are responding

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well to the new curriculum format and also the expanded use of technology. Laptops that were previously implemented in middle schools help familiarize new students with their environment.

Online labs and research allows each student to interact one-on-one with the material, reducing the adjustment period.

However, with this new teaching style, teachers are forced to cram a lot of content into a short time frame - science teachers must cut out certain information and prioritize what will be most useful to students in the end.

“Hands-on is more fun to learn and therefore, I remember it,” said freshman Serendipity Chamberlain.

photos by aziza cossentino

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an artist among us: Photographer explores fashion in Paris

anna simoes, staff writer hotography is one of the top growing art forms of this generation, as seen on social media and other digital platforms. Senior Sasha Howard came to love photography from none other than the popular photo sharing app, Instagram.

“I would always see these amazing pictures on my explore page that I wanted to recreate. Then I started coming up with my own ideas,” Howard said.

Instagram piqued her interest, but Howard has evolved as a photographer due to her trip to Paris this summer through the photography program “Parsons Paris.”

This experience provided an outlook into a diverse array of styles, developed her artistic skills and allowed her to lear techniques for future photos.

“I was able to see a lot of different people’s works and styles. Being in an environment where everyone was passionate about their art was so inspiring,” Howard said.

While in Paris, Howard took insightful pictures illustrating the culture and riveting Parisian scenes with contrasts between the movements and still poses of people.

Howard described Paris as the Mecca of fashion and photography, and her learning experience there as a testament to the skills taught.

Howard is drawn to pictures with people in them, hence she tends to direct photoshoots with models.

She organizes and prepares the photoshoot by telling the model what to do, where to stand and how to look.

Howard wants to be able to depict a story with her pictures and with people this is easier to portray.

“I like to make my pictures and almost always set things up, they’re rarely 100% candid,” Howard said.

Howard’s interest in different art forms lends well to photography, as she is able to combine all of these together into one creative picture.

“I love painting, drawing, collage and fashion. I always try to connect them. I take pictures of fashion, collage my pictures and draw things inside of them.”

Howard said.

Howard has developed pictures that combine all of her artistic strengths, but being young, she has the ability to continue to learn and grow.

“If you don’t try different things and see what works then you never improve,” Howard said.

photos via howard

Your zodiac, your fate, your future : it’s written in the stars audrey houghton, associate editor

AIR SIGNS: LIBRAS, GEMINIS, AQUARIUSES

WATER SIGNS: PISCES, SCORPIOS, CANCERS

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ir signs are infamously known for their horrible ideas and reckless behavior. Libras are usually to blame for road-side fender benders and accidental birth swaps, and Geminis are school-yard bullies that shove nerds into lockers. Though less reckless and belligerent, Aquariuses get second place in every competition because they just aren’t good at anything.

hat separates water signs are their overly sensitive, extremely annoying nature. Pisces spend their spare time singing love songs from 2004 and crying in public restrooms. Scorpios don’t hold doors open for the elderly.

And even though Cancers also have countless unfortunate traits, it is important to note that Elon Musk is a Cancer, so they are an exception to the rule.

FIRE SIGNS: ARIES, LEOS, SAGITTARIUS

EARTH SIGNS: TAURUSES, VIRGOS, CAPRICORNS

ike actual fire, fire signs (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius) destroy everything.

50 percent of marriages end in divorce and 100 percent of divorced people are Aries. Coincidence? Doubt it. Leos are neglectful mothers that become senile in their old age and scream at babies. Sagittariuses are just sad. They thrive off unnecessary drama and are way too insecure to maintain any real relationship.

arth Signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) need constant attention to survive.

Tauruses will post pictures of themselves posing next to large rocks or ugly trees on social media and leech off the likes they get (not a lot). Virgos fake seizures and eat glue in class because they want all eyes on them. Capricorns believe they are fashion icons but are always wearing dumb looking shorts and stupid hats.

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Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

graphics by audrey houghton

the griffin

10 features

November 1, 2018

Comfort food satisfies at Poulet grace monacelli, staff writer

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f you are looking for a fast and inexpensive meal that is still delicious, then Poulet is the place for you.The location where I enjoyed a meal was Greenspring station in Lutherville, and the chain is currently working on opening another location on York Road in Timonium, MD. Poulet is open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. every day of the week.

Johnathan Soudry, Owner and Chef of the eatery, has done an excellent job creating appetizing dishes and a comfortable atmosphere within his restaurant.

When you first enter the establishment there is a small seating area off to both sides of the entry way. It should be noted that seating is limited due to a lack of space in the

reproduced with permission by yelp

building. The main space of the restaurant is dedicated to the buffet line.

When you are ready to order your food you are greeted by one of Poulet’s cheerful employees. Preparing your meal is quick and easy. All you have to do is walk down the buffet line and tell the server what you would like to eat. Poulet serves a wide variety of chicken dishes, salads, soups and sides. All the food Poulet offers is delicious, traditional, home-style cooking. In addition, they serve an abundant variety of mouthwatering, homemade ice cream.

The meal I enjoyed was buffalo chicken with mashed potatoes and mac and cheese on the side. The meal was complete with the coffee chocolate chip ice cream that I inhaled. Individually, the chicken was priced at $7.08, the ice cream was $3.06, and both of the sides were $3.30. The chicken was flavorful; however, it had an extreme kick that brought on the heat, which took away from the other spices and seasonings the chicken was prepared with.

The mashed potatoes were smooth and creamy, with the exception of a few chunks of un-mashed potatoes, but the flavor was exceptional. There was the perfect blend of butter, salt and cream that gave the mashed potatoes an allaround delicious flavor and enjoyable texture.

Although the mashed potatoes were delectable, the most enjoyable part of the meal was the mac and cheese. The dish was prepared in the oven with a breadcrumb crumble on top. The cheese sauce was creamy, and savory, which

reproduced with permission by yelp

was perfectly balanced with the sweeter breadcrumb topping. The breadcrumbs added a much needed crisp texture to the soft pasta. To complete the meal, one should always opt to end with dessert. So to finish dinner I had one scoop of coffee chocolate chip ice cream.

The ice cream had a powerful, tart coffee taste that was balanced by the sweet milk chocolate chunks. It was a refreshing end to a hardy meal. Overall, the food was exquisitely simple yet delicious.

Whether you are looking for a filling, protein packed meal, a light soup and salad, or an ice cream cone on a hot summer day, Poulet is the place to go. The restaurant is complete with a comfortable ambiance, fast service and delectable food.

OVERALL RATING: Poulet 2346 W Joppa Rd, Timonium, MD 21093 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Renowned bakery by Jason Hisley takes the cake miranda parrish, staff writer hen in a time crunch, grocery stores with prepackaged “bakery” items seem too good to be true. But are these cheap alternatives worth the stop, when you could support a local bakery while getting the most flavor for your buck?

As seen on television shows, “Cake Boss,” “Cupcake Wars” and “Cutthroat Kitchen” former baker and owner of La Cakerie, Jason Hisley, decided he wanted to take a step back, launching his own bakery, Cake. Located in the Padonia Village Shopping Center, Cake is a flavor-filled shop with an abundance of new cupcakes, cakes, doughnuts and their innovative cake and cookie dough jars that do more than satisfy cravings.

“I wanted to create something that can be fun and good.

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reproduced with permission by jason hisley

We can ship cake jars now, so everybody can have them, plus they’re easy to eat. We create our own labels, so they have some of us in them,” co-owner and head baker Jason Hisley says.

But cake jars are not the only desserts that have “some of us” in them. Their flavorful, yet fluffy cupcakes are packed with deliciousness too. From fan favorites, like Classic Vanilla, Triple Chocolate and Strawberries & Cream, to Jason’s favorites like Chocolate Peanut Butter, customers have ample choices to choose from.

“My favorite to eat is a tie between the Chocolate Peanut Butter, or the Black Bottom. Like, who doesn’t like chocolate and peanut butter? But I love making the fresh fruit filled ones; the ones filled with strawberries like in our Strawberries and Cream cupcake and the fruity doughnut ones,” Hisley said.

An aesthetically appealing monochrome landscape guarantees these desserts as insta-worthy. As soon as you walk in, a modern black and white open setting lends a welcoming vibe as friendly faces meet you right at the counter. A to-go order comes in a simple yet elegant plastic container or paper box, while a dining-in order comes on a matte black plate, which brings out the detail and sleekness of the treats.

There are even delicacies for those without a sweet tooth.

Hisley’s creativity blooms in dishes like his pistachio cream filled croissants, and savory pastries, which offers something for everyone.

Some of these treats, like cupcakes, also come in vegan, and gluten free options, so people with allergies can enjoy them too.

reproduced with permission by janine dowdle

Whether you are seeking an addition to an Instagram food blog, a chance to meet the man behind the cake jar, or simply craving a sweet treat, swing by Cake to satisfy all of your tastebuds.

OVERALL RATING:

Cake by Jason 47 E Padonia Rd, Lutherville-Timonium, MD 21093 Monday - Saturday: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.

“The Hate U Give” illustrates the reality behind police brutality

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giacomo cascella, staff writer est-selling novel “The Hate U Give,” authored by Angie Thomas, projects African-American teenager Starr Carter’s insightful experience with police brutality onto the big screen.

“The Hate U Give” is a bold look at institutionalized racism, from the perspective of America’s black youth. The movie comments on a broader American conversation about race including: police shootings of young, unarmed black men, an asymmetrical justice system and organized gang violence.

The film follows Starr, played by Amandla Stenberg, who defines herself as a native of the projects in Garden Heights, but finds herself spending time disguising her true identity among white students at Williamson Prep School. She must confront the bitter reality of police brutality head on when her friend is murdered.

Immediately, the audience is able to relate with the film’s modern soundtrack. The soundtrack features certified ‘bangers’ like DNA, Ghost Face Killers and Goosebumps from popular artists such as Kendrick Lamar, 21 Savage and Travis Scott, that the younger target audience can relate with. The soundtrack also includes methodical ‘vibes’ like Only God Can Judge me and Keep Ya Head Up from late hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur. The song selection is able to host a bundle of emotions, while striking the perfect balance between a coming-of-age plot, and a social justice message.

The film’s impressive ensemble cast earnestly captures the moments of love and hate, levity and dread that emerge

from its complicated storyline. Stenberg carries the film on her shoulders, and her transformation is potent and impressive. Russell Hornsby and Regina Hall deliver striking performances as her parents, who emphasize the vitality of respect. Their performances contribute to deliver the message of the dichotomy between white and black America.

Breaks in the action allow the audience to relax and focus on the other important aspect of the movie—humor.

The movie skillfully weaves a number of genuinely laughout-loud scenes into its serious plot line—Chris trying to discern whether mac and cheese is a side dish or main entrée—reminding the audience to laugh.

It is easy for one to roll their eyes at earnest mo- reproduced with permission by IMDB tion pictures with clearly Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

reproduced with permission by slate.com

labeled messages. And sometimes these types of films overplay their hands, and fall into the realm of camp.

But “The Hate U Give” is certainly not one of those films.

These conversations often make us squirm – after all, when is it easy to talk about racial prejudice and biases? But this film’s message is too crucial to overlook –we must start thinking about how to confront one of America’s most controversial issues, the pursuit of racial justice.

OVERALL RATING:

November 1, 2018

the griffin

*THE DULANEY GRIFFIN HAS NO POLITICAL AFFILIATION*

11 features

the griffin

12 features “You, the teacher”

“Pathless Wood”

by Audrey Bartholomew

by Lily Davison

Do as you must, and go far.

Let us walk hand in hand

Show us that in the end,

Coupled and inseparable, looking forever

Really, that it is not so bad

onward to pathless wood

Down here.

Spry and eager saplings, yearning

I stumbled on a wink,

For the warm and loving kiss of the Sun

A gentle inkling, the other day

I pity those who know not of

To be blindly hopeful.

Your sun-soaked embrace

I happen upon them everywhere –

Here, you are happy

Though, in the event that I grow weary,

Stand in awe of her gold-dipped edges

Fraught with worry

Her outstretched limbs

Over our present condition

Reaching for your hand

Remind me that this,

The one that’s holding mine

This is the greatest thing that ever was,

So I let you go

Has been, and will be.

Here you are happy.

CHOIR teacher Christy Senita watches on as sophomore Emma Freiert and senior James Hayden perform their designated pieces at the Rob Hiaasen memorial cocnert Oct. 25.

maria eberhart and anna mason, editorsin-chief onning green ribbons in memory of Rob Hiaasen, members of Dulaney’s choir and orchestra interspersed poetry with music at a tribute concert Oct. 25. Hiaasen was English teacher Maria Hiaasen’s husband and a victim of the Capital Gazette shooting June 28.

Attendees were encouraged to donate $3. upon entry. This money will be used for a memorial scholarship and will be attached to the English award presented at senior awards in May. English department chair Jason Bowman explained that the award will be presented to the student who contributed the most to the English classroom throughout their Dulaney career, whether that be through writing or appreciation of literature.

“Those were things that Rob cared

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November 1, 2018

photos by olivia summons SENIOR Kyra Mahoney recites “ ‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers” at Rob Hiaasen’s tribute concert Oct 25. Mahoney chose the poem because she had read it in English teacher Maria Hiaasen’s AP English 11 class. “I was really devastated when I heard about Mr. Hiaasen’s death. Reading a poem that he loved was a heartwarming experience for me,” Mahoney said.

Concert in memorium: Rob Hiaasen about,” Bowman said. “He was a lover of poetry and he loved words.”

The idea of altering the traditional fall orchestra and choral concert to a tribute concert was coordinated by choir teacher Christy Senita.

“I know that when we lose people that we love one of the most comforting things is when we keep those memories alive,” Senita said.

Senita described the thought process behind the poetry and music selection as being one entirely centered around Rob Hiaasen’s life.

“Listening and learning about who he was as a person and the things he loved helped me choose the text from some of the music that we’re singing,” Senita said.

“We’ll be reading poetry that were some of his favorite poems.”

Senita cited poetry that represented Hiaasen’s love of travel and oceans, as well as poems that celebrated friendship and connection.

English teacher Meekah Hopkins’s advanced creative writing class was recruited

by Senita to write poetry for the event.

“I encouraged them to write in their own way, in their own voice,” Hopkins said.

“The poems are beautiful, so heartfelt.”

At the close of the tribute, members of the choir held candles while singing a Celtic blessing.

“Obviously, we all love Mrs. Hiaasen,” Senita said. “I was just thinking, how can we show her how much we love her?”

Snowboarding enthusiast, world traveler joins staff

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9 8 7 Match new faculty member to the factoid about them Answer Key:

a. teaches at two schools during the day b. used to be in a rock band and have a Mohawk c. has swam with sharks d. has visited eight countries other than the U.S: Bermuda, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Romania, Trinidad e. is an avid snowboarder and rides motorcycles f. owned a charter fishing company g. avid reader and love of literature h. teaches students from Beijing and Canada basic English i. has two bachelor of arts degree Find us at http://dulaneygriffin.org.

1. d 2. f 3. i 4. b 5. g 6. e 7. a 8. h 9. c

1. Lynda Motiram 2. Chris Karwacki 3. Elizabeth Thomas 4. Tim Guest 5. Latonya Wallace 6. Chris Parker 7. Kelsey Ratley-Diaz 8. Karla Jackson 9. Karen Wilson