Oakton Outlook February 2020

OAKTON OUTLOOK

WINTER 2020 | VOL. 14 ISSUE 4 | OUR STORIES

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CAPTURING ARTISTS The purpose of art, as told by Tyler Chapman (above), Oakton’s award-winning photographer.

The official newsmagazine of Oakton High School. Find more inside.

courtesy of tyler chapman rightmost picture courtesy of dereck mccleskey

CONTENTS

courtesy of demand justice

The Oakton Outlook is the official school newsmagazine of Oakton High School.

Page 4-5

IRANIANAMERICAN STUDENTS The impacts of Trump’s decision to kill Gen. Soleimnai, as told be Iranian-American students.

Page 6-7

Page 13

Page 18-19

CENSORSHIP IN SCHOOL PAPERS

DANCE TEAM GOES TO NATIONALS

SENIOR NIGHT PROMPTS NEW REFLECTIONS

Oakton’s nationally-ranked dance team won big in Florida, covered by Payton Wozny.

How Senior athletes are remembering their time on Oakton sports teams, as told by Joe Wong.

Virginia considers a new bill to curb student censorship, covered by Linsday Greenspan and Eileen Lincoln.

courtesy of anderson wozny

Page 23

CONSERVATIVE STUDENTS FACE BACKLASH Is there space for conservative political perspectives at Oakton? Jacob Rutsick investigates.

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LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Dear Oakton,

check us out online: website: oaktonoutlook.com Instagram & Twitter: @oaktonoutlook

Page 35

OAKTON’S AP CULTURE Sahithi Jammuladaka and Olivia Garrone investigate stress culture at Oakton and its impact on students and teachers.

Page 40

WHICH OAKTON SCIENCE TEACHER ARE YOU? Find your teacher alter ego in Zoe Siamon’s piece.

We can’t wait to share the latest issue of the Oakton Outlook. This month, we investigated a number of issues within the Oakton community, from self-censorship among politically-Conservative students (Page 23) to the role of AVID in helping students prepare for college (Page 33). We also zoomed out, looking at the rise of depression among Generation Z as a phenomenon (Page 38) and the fall of Japanese music in America (Page 44).

For some, February is a month for new beginnings. As we welcome the third quarter, we worked hard to highlight issues students are facing today. What is the role of stress culture in influencing students to take AP classes?

Sahithi and Olivia look for answers on pages 30-31. But for some Seniors, February is a month with one of many final endings. How are Senior athletes reacting to the end of their last Fall season? Joe investigates on pages 18 and 19.

This month, the Editorial Board chose to investigate the impacts of President Trump’s decision to kill Gen. Soleimani, a choice that, by some, was considered to be an act of war. Resultingly, we chose to highlight the perspectives of Iranian-Americans on the decision. Read their perspectives on the next two pages.

As always, we hope to create a paper that accurately and inclusively reflects the opinions of Oakton’s diverse student culture. Is there a story you think we missed? We are always accepting submissions of political cartoons, artwork, photographs, and original writing through our website, oaktonoutlook.com. Have a great February, we’ll catch you next issue.

Best, Emily Bach Sahithi Jammuladaka Ashleigh Tain

illustration by Daniela Reyes

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OAKTON NEWS

WHAT IT MEANS

T

ensions between Iran and the United States seem to have boiled to a head in recent years - if not weeks.

However, tracing the animosity between the two countries requires a plunge deep into history in the twentieth century. In 1979, Iran was on the brink of a revolution.

Decades of sociopolitical repression and human rights abuses culminated in opposition to the US-backed Reza Shah Pahlavi’s regime. The Iranian people toppled the monarchy in a popular uprising, and the Shah went down with it. Islamic leader Ayatollah Khomeini arose from the aftermath nand established the Islamic Republic. During

the Revolution, Iranian protestors seized the US embassy and held Americans hostage for 444 days, increasing tensions dramatically. Iran finally freed the hostages in 1981, the day of President Ronald Reagan’s inauguration. Most recently, President Donald Trump ordered an airstrike to assassinate Major General Qasem, citing the general’s plans to attack American diplomats. In retaliation, Iran launched a missile attack against American military bases in Iraq, to which the United States responded with increased sanctions. The two countries are engaged in a delicate balancing game - and Iranian-Americans are caught in the middle.

If I were President Trump...

‘‘

My mom and her family grew up in Iran, and she moved to the US in 1983 when she was nine. Most of her family moved with them as well, but my grandfather still has some extended family that lives in Iran.

I think that while Suleimani was not a good person and deserved consequences to his actions, assassinating him before trying to meet with him was a quick action to take, and I feel as though there were more constructive ways the Trump administration could have handled the issue.

‘‘

Freed from the Iranian government?

My parents escaped the revolution. My dad escaped the revolution just in time; my mom lived through it. Once it was over, my dad and my mom came to America as immigrants, making me a first-gen immigrant. I didn’t live there; I was born here, but I’ve only visited twice. Mostly - as I’ve gotten older - it’s because of social and political pressure that I don’t return.

As soon as [my family] heard that Iran retaliated when the missiles were sent into Iraq, my mom was freaking out; she was in shock. The phone lines [to Iran] were very busy because we kept trying to call family to see if everything was okay. Everyone was trying to call so it was difficult getting in touch with them...It’s not only dangerous to talk about it here but also in Iran, so the main pressure or difficulty or impact that this had on my family was our freedom of speech.

We have suspicions that they might be listening to us. Truly, I feel like the majority of the American public underestimates the influence and power of the Iranian government.

We automatically dislike anyone who is affiliated with the Iranian government. We do not associate with them because of the horrors that the Iranian government imposes on women, children - all the citizens of Iran. While we were implicitly glad that the general was assassinated because of the crimes that he committed and the affiliation that he has with the oppressive government, we still think that America should not have become involved in the issue. At the end of the day, even though it was kind of a benefit to the people to have one less oppressor to worry about, it just increases tensions between America and Iran, and it could cost more lives that way.

Being an Iranian-American and facing the kind of discrimination I’ve faced, especially middle school, I was just afraid that would happen in high school as well. In middle school, kids are naive, but in high school, kids are not as afraid to speak their minds. I remained quiet.

courtesy of Mohammad Hoseini Rad on Unsplash

courtesy of M.T ElGassier on Unsplash

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TO BE IRANIAN AMERICAN Perspectives on the recent tensions between the US and Iran

An isolated identity...

‘‘

I’m half Persian (Iranian) [and] half American. Despite only being half Persian and born in America, I am an active member of the Persian community. I can fluently speak, read, and write in Farsi.

My grandparents and their three daughters, including my mother, were on a oneway flight to America with only one suitcase [in fear of a revolution occurring in Iran]. Soon enough, within one year, the Islamic Revolution of Iran happened. When leaving for America, my family had left behind everything they knew in Iran...They had to start completely from scratch - leaving their whole life behind and going to a foreign country where they didn’t understand the language...It was our culture that motivated my family to immigrate to the United States and to continue living the way they believed was right. It was their morals that made them persevere and never give up, to make a name for themselves in this new place.

Even before the “World War 3 memes” came to be, I’ve always felt like somewhat of an outsider. People tend to put me into categories that I don’t see myself in, and it feels awkward. I am never fully accepted by either side (Iranian or American), as I am often treated differently and underestimated for my other half, in which I end up having to justify myself. “You don’t count because you are only half,” is a recurring phrase that surrounds my identity, creating a feeling of isolation from both sides. Based on my experience, to be accepted into a culture, you must be “all or nothing.” As a result of this, I often find myself subconsciously assuming one identity when necessary, until I find it safe enough to claim my other half. This event kind of magnified these feelings for me.

I don’t want to erase such a huge aspect of my identity for the convenience of others.

Even though in some situations it’s scary, I want to exist as I am, not defined by subpar, uninformed opinions. It is my mixed and wholehearted upbringing that has shaped me into the individual I am today.

‘‘

*As the tensions are very high between the two countries, it’s dangerous for Iranians to talk about these matters, regardless of whether they are in support of the Iranian government or against, as the government may blacklist their names and restrict them from ever coming to Iran. In order to protect the voice of the Iranian-Americans at Oakton High School, the following interviews will remain anonymous and the pictures taken aren’t of the students interviewed.

Safety amidst political turmoil

My parents are Iranian immigrants and a lot of my family lives in Iran. My family sides with the US, as they represent freedom and equality, which is clearly not a right of the Iranian people living under the current administration. I think it’s a great thing that Soleimani was killed. He was an active terrorist that was fueling the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. My family also mentioned how they actually feel safer after the assassination of the general.

by the oakton outlook editorial board

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PROPOSED VIRGINIA BILL HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CHANGE SCHOOL NEWSPAPERS How this potential legislation will affect the future of school publications lindsay greenspan | staff writer eileen lincoln | staff writer

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proposed bill by delegates Chris L. Hurst (D) and Danica A. Roem (D) of the house and David W. Marsden (D) of the Senate would limit the power school administration has in censoring school publications.

The bill states that administration would only have the power to censor articles which it deems, “libelous or slanderous, violates federal law, or is likely to spur dangerous or unlawful acts of violence.” Currently, this is not the case for student journalists. Schools may censor articles for virtually any reason, and there is little for students to do to overrule the decision of the administration. Since the 1980s, about a dozen states have passed similar laws to the proposed legislation in Virginia, and many more states are discussing the adoption of like bills in upcoming years.

The spark for this legislation goes back to the case, Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier. This case stated that students’

First Amendment rights are not violated when their writings are censored in school papers.

In 1988, students of a high school in St. Louis, Missouri wrote articles on peer experiences with divorce and teen pregnancy. The principal deleted the articles from the school-funded paper without telling the students beforehand. The students then brought their case to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri in St. Louis.

This court ruled that the school could censor the articles, as they were written for a class within the school. The students proceeded to take their case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, who reversed the initial ruling, stating that the school paper was a “public forum” where the students were free to voice their opinions.

The school took their case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where in a 5 to 3 ruling, the Justices upheld the principal’s de-

cision that deleting the articles did not violate the student’s First Amendment rights, as the paper was school-sponsored, and as such, the principal could censor any article which he or she deemed inappropriate. The Supreme Court ruled that all articles written for a school paper were subject to editing and the possibility of removal by the school.

Over the last few years, numerous laws have been created throughout the United States to extend the First Amendment freedoms of student journalists. One example of this are the “New Voices” laws, already passed in fourteen different states including Maryland and the District of Columbia. The aim of their campaign is to protect student press freedom by advocating in law, education, journalism and civics in order to evolve schools into a more welcoming place for student voices.

The Student Press Law Center predicts that many more states,

courtesy of Lindsay Greenspan

including Virginia, will begin to consider similar bills in the duration of the year.

One of the primary reasons for this newfound activism in the student journalism issue includes the current events occurring throughout the country. Various political advocates, such as Greta Thunberg, have displayed the determination and willingness of students to promote change in issues such as climate change or gun violence.

From school walkouts to marches all around the country, students are beginning to demonstrate how their voices can have an impact.

Hilary Davis, an organizer at the

Student Law Center, suggests students may also be influenced to take action by President Trump. “We’re having a larger conversation about press freedom generally,” she says, hinting towards the President’s numerous attacks upon journalists.

The proposed legislation would allow student journalists freedom to tackle more difficult and controversial topics as a part of the school paper. As teens invest more time in national and global issues, the legislation becomes a priority for student journalists in Virginia. “Students should be able to speak their mind and share their views on these topics. It leads to

a more open school community,” says Sarah Bigley, an Oakton freshman student. Lamia Rivzi, another freshman here at Oakton, suggests a similar idea. “Especially in a school environment, students should be able to talk about controversial topics openly because not talking about it makes it more difficult to reach a resolution,” she says. Allowing students the liberty to publish articles on sensitive issues gives opportunity for respectful discussion in the school community, broadening student views and leading to a more socially aware student body.

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THE WORLD AT A GLANCE written by the editorial board

Brexit (1)

On Jan. 31, 2020, the UK left the EU. The process of the British exit, nicknamed and known by many as “Brexit,” began June 23, 2016 when the UK voted to leave the EU. As a result of Brexit, it’s expected that the UK will have to pay billions of euros for it’s “divorce bill.”

Australian Wildfires(4)

Abnormally extreme wildfires raged through parts of Australia. The fires started in September of 2019 and lingered all the way to early February. The fires left devestating damage for residents and wildlife in the area. The recovery process is now beginningas flood begin to move into the country.

New Dam on the Nile (2)

A large hydroelectric dam is being built on the Nile 2,000 miles upriver, in the lowlands of Ethiopia, threatens to further constrict Egypt’s water supply and it is scheduled and it is scheduled to start filling this summer. This could hard thousands of farmer and other citzens.

Argentina Debt Crisis (5)

Argentina continues to face its devastating debt of over $300 billion.

The International Monetary Fund has begun providing aid to help resolve some of the country’s debt. If Argentina is able to secure this deal with the IMF they will be taking a good step towards repaying their debt.

Coronavirus Outbreak (3)

An outbreak of COVID-19, a strain of the respiratory coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan City, China and has since put the world into a state of international emergency.

The disease has been found to spread from person-to-person contact. There have been over 24,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths.

Sudan: Omar-al-Bashir (6) Sudan’s former president Omar-al Bashir is being tried in front of the International Criminal Court to face war crime charges. In April of 2019 there were nationwide protests and a frenzy on social media against Bashir. He will be on trial for crimes against humanity and war crimes, which allegedly occurred from 2003 to 2008.

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VIRGINIA’S RECENT WEATHER IS THIS NORMAL? Going from 29° to almost 70° the next day, this weather we’re experiencing in Virginia seems anything but the ordinary.

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aving ‘unusual’ weather seems to be the norm for many places these days, but the recent weather near our area seems to be in a frenzy of unpredictability. From being gray and windy to bright and sunny. Many believe this random is weather due to global warming, but others think otherwise. But even with all these claims, there is still no valid answer as to why this is happening.

Amrutha, a student of FCPS and resident of Virginia talked about how this year’s winter seems rather unusual.

“I mean, I wouldn’t blame the local weather forecasters for predicting anything wrong, as it’s something so unpredictable and random these days. It’s a difficult job that isn’t always 100% accurate. Instead, I’d rather try to figure out the cause of this, or why this is happening.”

There have been many reports predicting a snowy and frosty winter this year, but the weather proves these predictions to be wrong. In Virgin-

ia, it snows approximately 22 inches a year. But almost a month into winter and our area has had only two days of snow, both of which almost immediately melted away the very next day.

According to CNN, there is still hope for a promising winter. The coldest weather is supposed to arrive around the end of January and beginning of February, with an abundance of snow, sleet, and ice. This in turn, will cause a rather slow start to spring.

But even with this prediction, there’s no 100% that this prediction is correct and that winter will start to actually feel like, well, winter.

Keeping all of this in mind, it is also predicted that there will be a cool spring and warm summer filled with sunshine. Based on recent weather predictions untimatly being innacurate, does this prediction seem likely? Until spring and summer arrive, one can only hope for the weather to return to the norm.

“As someone who’s very interested in meteorology, these recent weather events seem so weird!”

shriya ramanujam | staff writer

10 BREAKING NEWS: TRUMP IS IN A PEACH An impeachment on the impeachment process

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n September the impeachment process began, with a whistleblower complaint about a phone call the president had with Ukraine. The process started with Nancy Pelosi, who is the speaker of the house. President Trump was accused of calling the Ukrainian President to start an investigation on the 2016 investigation and an investigation into Trump’s rival for the 2020 election, Joe Biden. Not only was Trump accused of the phone call about the investigation, but

Trump and the white House withheld military support in Ukraine to further the investigation process. These two actions have lead to the impeachment of the president, however, Trump claims that he did nothing wrong.

The impeachment does not mean that Trump is out of office, he still has his rights and can run for the 2020 election. The case was passed to the senate, and through three days, starting January 20th, the senate will remove Trump from office, or acquit him.

In December the house held hearings and on December 18th voted that President Trump will be impeached. However, it does not end here. The vote has to move to the senate, where the senate will determine whether Trump will be removed from office.

The senate is currently made up of majority republicans; this can give more advantage to Trump because he is a republican. This was different from the house which is mostly democratic. However, if the president committed a crime the political side should not matter.

Over the three days, the senate will decide through hearings by opposing sides, and determine the future of the president. After the two sides state their case, the senate will have a 16-hour questioning period.

The Demcratic party continues to push for new witnesses, and it was found that 70% of voters agree with the party and want to see the senate question/hear from new witnesses. Having new witnesses could offer more insight on the situation and more evidence that could be useful for the senate to make their decision.

Overall, the impeachment process of the president is being thougholy looked over and considered by the senate. If the senate determines the president guilty of the accused crimes, Trump will be removed from office and taken as a convicted criminal and vice president, Mike Pence, will take over as president for the remainder of term. However, if the senate rules that Trump is innocent, he will remain in office and can run for the 2020 election, though, he will still be impeached.

zoe sauger | editorial board courtesy of The Nation

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HARRY AND MEGHAN LEAVE ROYAL FAMILY What this means for Windsor Castle and the future of monarchy in Britain.

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n January 8, 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, made headlines when they announced to the world via Instagram that they had decided to resign from their roles as senior members of the British royal family and will be splitting their time between the UK and North America, likely Canada with their 9 month old son, Archie.

The announcement, however, did not come as much of a surprise to many fans who have witnessed the harsh treatment that Meghan Markle has fallen victim to ever since her marriage to Prince Harry in May 2018.

What was surprising, however, was the fact that the rest of the royal family allegedly had no idea about the couple’s resignation and found out the same way everyone else did — through social media. After several rumors spread about Her Majesty the Queen’s knowledge about the split with several “sources” claiming the Duke and Duchess did not consult with her regarding the announcement, the Queen finally said in a statement that she supports Prince Harry’s decision but would still love for them to keep their roles in the British royal

family. Though the Duke and Duchess’s split means they are now completely financially independent from the Sovereign Grant, the system by which the royal household is funded, they are still apart of the family in the political sense in that they still plan to serve the monarchy in order to strengthen the Commonwealth.

The loss also occurred during an extremely tumultuous time for the Windsor family with events such as the Brexit, the Prince Andrew scandal, and health concerns regarding the Duke of Edinburgh currently weighing down on the royal family.

Though the British media is notorious for scrutinizing Meghan, the first and only woman of color to be senior royal, the global icon has achieved worldwide support and popularity with #Mexit (a spoof of the popular tag #Brexit) trending on Twitter following the announcement.

There are still others, however, that have

used #Mexit to further push the narrative of painting Meghan in a negative way, arguing she is ungrateful and responsible for breaking up the royal family.

The controversy surrounding the issue has brought up the discussion of what the future holds for the royal family and the future of the monarchy in Britain. With a new modern, progressive era, a monarchy whose image is focussed majoritively on appearances and which failed to protect Meghan during a swarm of negative media coverage, it seems as if the royals are lending themselves to a diminishing power.

shevany moharir | staff writer

Courtesty of Royal Collection Trust

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SPORTS 1 DOWN, 2 TO GO

courtney te | editorial board

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akton’s Swim & Dive team has long been a source of pride for the school. Winning game after game against other competitive high schools in the area, they have yet to see a defeat this season. Due to this, it’s not surprising that they have yet again had another successful run at District competitions on Jan. 31st and Feb. 1st. Overall, girls placed 2nd while boys placed 1st. A number of individuals also qualified for the Northern Virginia Region (Regionals) meet on Feb. 15th by placing in the top 10 of an event.

In terms of specific placement in different events, the swim team notably placed 1st in the 200 medley, 2nd in 200m freestyle, and 1st in the 400 freestyle relay. Individual swimmers such as Joe Wong (12) placed 1st in 100m breaststroke, Kyle McCleskey (12) placed 2nd in 100m butterfly, and Anthony Grim (11) placed 1st for 100m backstrokes with a time of around 19 seconds. Grim’s time has qualified him for the Olympic trials (which is, impressive, to say the least). For dive, Maddie Reese (11) placed 1st and Spencer Dearman

(10) placed 3rd, qualifying for all-American.

So what is to be expected at Regionals and States? Well, swimmers and divers who have qualified are required to participate in the same events. They will be competing with some of the best opponents of high schools in the region and state. Oakton Swim & Dive has a very track record,

Swim and dive are just as much a physical sport as it is a mental one. Dearman comments that one must stay confident during the 3-hour long event. A lot of the time is spent watching others, so being calm and positive is just one of the important aspects of being a successful diver.

On the other hand, swimmers focus on speed while in the water. Focus is key, and receiving support from other members of your team is always amazing and uplifting. Oakton’s team has made a continuous effort to cheer on the sidelines. “The energy on Oakton’s swim team is awesome, winning races that come down to milliseconds is the most exciting and thrilling feeling for everyone swimming and watching,” says Brynn Curtis, 12.

Support from Oakton students is also another important factor! The meets are always exciting and action-packed. As States looms near, the excitement “increases exponentially” as Dearman puts it. Regionals occur on February 15th, and those who qualify will move on to States on February 21st and February 22nd at George Mason University. The stakes are high as it is every year, but the team is confident and prepared for what is to come.

“Oakton has always had a great swim team. Winning is what we do best.”

—Brynn Curtis, 12 but is it enough to win a place at States this year? Spencer Dearman, 11, says, “We have had a successful season so far, but states are definitely a fight for the win and nobody can walk in knowing what’s going to happen.”

To prepare for these larger meets throughout January and February, the team has kept practicing hard every day after school, and have tried to keep morale and confidence high.

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OAKTON DANCE TEAM COMPETES AT NATIONALS Cougarettes Go to Orlando for the Universal Dance Association’s National Competition

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he Oakton Dance Team has just returned from their trip to Orlando, FL where they competed at the Universal Dance Association(UDA) National Dance Team Championship(NDTC) in which dance teams from across the country go to show off the routines they have been working on all season. The dance team has competed in this competition for many years now and is nationally ranked.

After flying out on Wednesday and spending the day on Thursday, the team was ready to take the floor on Friday, January 31.

They started out with their kick routine, competing in Varsity High Kick semi-finals, followed by their pom routine, competing in Medium Pom prelims, all within the span of a couple of hours. After two nail-biting announcements, the team knew they would be moving on to both High Kick finals and Medium Pom semi-finals.

The kick routine portrayed the team’s amazing flexibility with their high kicks and a series of highlighted leg holds, including junior Melinna Guo’s needle. The pom routine was action-packed with aerials, toe touches, full-team turning combinations, headsprings, and leg-hold turns. The team learns

payton wozny|editorial board choreography over the summer and practices rigorously to prepare for this competition. Emma Rogers, junior, says “we look forward to that one moment all year when we get to take the nationals floor.”

Oakton wasn’t the only team from Northern Virginia, among those Chantilly High School Dance Team, the Bishop O’Connell Dance Team, the Herndon High School Dance Team, and Paul VI Dance Team. Chantilly dancers competed in Medium Game Day, Medium Pom, and Medium Jazz. Bishop O’Connell competed in Medium Game Day, Medium Pom, and Medium Jazz. Herndon competed in Medium Pom and Medium Jazz, and they advanced from prelims to semis in jazz. Paul VI competed in Small Pom and Small Jazz and advanced from prelims to semis in pom.

Surprisingly from their success at Nationals, the team had a bit of a setback before they left. About two weeks before their departure, half of the team got the stomach flu, causing the coaches to cancel some of the final practices leading up to the competition. However, this did not hold them back as the team placed 12th in the nation for their kick routine. Although they will still perform at a few more basketball halftimes, this is their last major event of the dance team season.

“My favorite part was just being all together with my team and getting to do what we love.” -Emma Rogers(11) photo courtesy of Varsity TV

14 DOMINATING DISTRICTS The track team heads back from districts, ready to win big at Regionals.

sitota mesfin | staff writer

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Our sport is your sport’s punishment.” It is easy to guess which sport is being talked about. Track and Field is definitely not known for being fun or easy. Running voluntarily, why would anyone want to do that, right? However, running is so much more than moving the bottom portion of your body up and down towards an end goal. The sport may seem to be independent, but it is the team pushes people forward. Of course, it is not easy, but many say it is worth it. The Oakton Track and Field team has been working hard and hopes all of their work has not gone to waste. The top runners recently came back from their district meet and are ready to continue on fighting hard at regionals.

Districts are the running meets that the top runners go to. The top three runners in each category from all six

schools in the district compete in the District’s indoor track. Races can vary from a 55-meter sprint to a 2-mile race.

There are also field events such as pole vault and long jump. From there, the top six people in each race go on to regionals, except for relay races, where the top three teams head on to regionals. At Districts, there is a point system where each time a member of the school places in their race they earn points for their school. Their placement in the race determines how many points their school gains. The school with the most points of their districts gets a district title. The person with the most points also gets awarded athlete of the meet. After Districts are Regionals, then States, and lastly Nationals.

The Oakton team has been practicing hard with a very rigorous schedule they stick to. For distance runners, Mondays

are for long runs, meaning 6-8 miles for girls and around 10 miles for boys.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are reserved for easy runs, meaning 3-4 miles for girls and 4-5 miles for boys. After the easy run, they head to the weight room where they work on core and roll out their muscles. Lastly, on Wednesdays and Fridays, they complete workouts such as repeatedly sprinting up hills, or doing a tempo where the runners keep an almost race pace for 3-4 miles.

The sprinter schedule is completely different however, as they need to work on the more speedier aspect, unlike distance who focus on endurance.

The sprinters have workouts Monday through Friday that can vary from a hill workout to bleacher workouts.

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Oakton performed very well at the District meet, with the boy’s team getting a district title for the first time since 2001. In fact, only two years ago, the Oakton boys team had come in dead last. Along with that, Lucas Banerji won male athlete of the meet, after placing first in the 500-meter and 1000-meter race, and being on the winning 4x800 team. In addition, Coach Decker, the track and field main coach, got awarded the Concorde Coach of the Year. Many team members reached personal records, improving on their times and making it past districts

to regionals. In fact, the 4x200 team relay, Garret Woodhouse for the 2-mile, and Lucas Banerji for the 1000-meter and 500-meter races have already made state qualifications. For the girls, Katya Lebert makes it to regionals with her mile and 2-mile, along with the 4x400 relay. Abba qualified for the 55-meter and is also a part of the 4x400 girls relay. The 4x800 girls relay also made it to regionals. Regionals will be on February 10 and 12, and the athletes will continue to hone their skills as they get ready for the big race.

The Oakton Track and Field team is off to a good start. With the moves the boy’s team are making and the many improvements coming from the girl’s team, Oakton seems to be ready to take regionals on! Like Michael Jordan said, “You must expect great things from yourself before you can do them.” Even though he is not a runner, the same thing applies to Track and Field. It is because the team has believed in themself that they came this far. Way to go cougars!

Image courtesy of Sitota Mesfin Katya Lebert, 12 -Girls Track and Field Team Captain

Lucas Banerji, 12 -Boys Track and Field Team Captain

“I think our girl’s team is doing really well. We had to kind of rebuild our team this past couple of years and this year felt like things were finally coming together for us which is very exciting for the upcoming seasons. I’m definitely going to miss my team the most once I graduate. We’ve all seen each other at our worst and have all been there for our bests and that created a strong bond between us. Not seeing everyone every day next year will be sad, but it makes coming back to visit all the more special.”

“My season has been very successful so far. I have had personal bests in all my main events and I’m excited for the future. Being athlete of the meet was a very exciting experience. I was glad to see my hard work recognized. But winning districts as a team meant a lot more to me. I’m going to miss the team the most when I leave high school. Although running may not seem like a team sport, I probably would not have continued running if it were not for the team.”

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he Second Annual Student Faculty basketball game took place Friday, January 31 in the main gym. Two staff teams, burgundy and black, faced off to decide who would play the students.

The burgundy team took an early lead, finishing the half with a score of 9-6. The student section rooted for the black team to make a comeback. However, the burgundy team kept their lead and finished winning 15-12.

The students, comprised of, then made their way to their court after a quick break. After winning the jump ball, the students pulled ahead with an easy layup. They took a quick lead before the teachers began to catch up. At the end of the half, the score was 18-14 with the students in the lead. Leadership offered a game during half-time, where students would pay a dollar and try to shoot from the free throw line. The teachers started the second half with the ball and scored quickly. The game ended 28-20, with the students winning.

veronica preaskorn | staff writer wds

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18 THEIR FINAL YEAR IN SPORTS Seniors at Oakton High School reflect on their experience in their respective sports.

Grace Meshanko As a freshman on varsity I was intimidated by the older players, but as the years went on, my role as a

leader has been more prominent and I’ve tried to create a more inclusive team for the younger players.

Looking back on the years basketball had made me a better person in general, I’ve grown as a communicator through team bonding activities and I have grown as a leader by understanding how nervous a freshman can be coming to a new team. I’ve made it my top priority, as captain, to make sure everyone feels included. a teams chemistry is what makes and breaks a team. It also helps us get through the tough games and move on after a loss.

Ian Huang I’ve been on track&field since freshman year. The intensity of training we go through during practice has definitely increased a significant amount from year to year. I’ve learned how to have fun with my friends while maintaining a competitor edge with them to improve myself and my peers.

Caleb Yu

Nicholas Scott I have been on the track team for all four years for the winter season, and this year is my second year of spring track. Through out the years the team has evolved and each athlete has found which event they love out of the different option that are available. I’ve learned a lot from pole vault because a lot of it is mental: especially during competition.I have also learned to trust the effort I have to put in between the meets. This can be applied to some aspects of my life where I must work hard and then trust the preparation will lead me to results I hoped for.

I joined the swim&dive team sophomore year. The unique combination of people and grades that make up the team make it a completely new team every year. However, we always just have a fantastic time, no matter the people. It’s really helped me grow as a leader, and helped me learn how to interact with people who are completely different from me. It’s really helped me take people under my wing and feel as a part of a family at Oakton.

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Mitchel Thomas I’ve been on the hockey team all four years. As the years progressed, I found hockey less competitive and more just for fun. I don’t mean in a bad way but like there’s no stress in not winning everything. I try to look for opportunities for inclusion and make sure everyone on the team feels like they are on the team. We have a wide skill range but we all wear the same jersey

Elizabeth Upright We’ve improved as a team since freshman year, we used to not even have full line-ups but now we have a shot in districts. I used to only get 8’s but now I’m getting 9’s on some events (scale of 1-10). I’m not sure if we’ve changed since we’ve been acohesive team but we’ve definently grown in size.

Daniel Melera The wrestling team has gone through some major changes these past two years. My freshman/sophomore year we had a max of 20 people on the team. This year, we have almost 50 people on the team. I also remember the time when close to a third of the team quit within the first few weeks just because of how bad practices were. Some big changes for the better were made to the program. This season the effects of those changes were seen. We’ve gone from seasons in which we would win only a couple of duels to this season where we’ve only lost a few duels.

The sport has pushed me to my limits both mentally and physically. However, I’ve only become a stronger and better person for it. I’ve also become more confident on and off the mat. To stand with just my opponent in front of a gym that has the stands filled completely takes a lot, especially with the possibility of me losing in front of all those people. I used to be extremely nervous, but now when I reach the finals of whatever tournament I’m at, it’s just another match.

Linus Aubert I started running track sophomore year indoor, and ran all the way through outdoor, then cross country indoor and outdoor junior and senior year. The team went through multiple coaches through my time in it and with it came a different change of work ethic depending on what you were running. It changed me as a person in terms of work ethic because I developed a passion for running and it showed me that putting in work will get you results, a good mindset for life and school. I learned that it’s always worth putting in extra effort, and running that extra mile pays off.

20 THE ASTROS CHEATED. WHAT NOW? The Astros were caught stealing signs during the 2017 and 2018 playoffs. They faced harsh punishments, but now their future is uncertain.

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Carlos Beltran, one of the many players implicated in the scandal. Courtesy of Keith Allison

he Houston Astros will never be the same. What started first as a feel-good story of an underdog team losing its way into high draft picks and achieving success with home-grown talent has turned into a cheating scandal that is unprecedented in its magnitude and severity. The punishments have been hefty and it seems like the entire baseball community has weighed in with an opinion or testimony about the different ways the Astros have cheated.

First, it started with an accusation. A few players came forward and claimed that the Astros possessed a complex system to steal signs at home and that they had utilized it between the 2016 and 2019 MLB seasons. This system involved a monitor that displayed a live broadcast of the game, which allowed a personnel member in the Astros’ dugout to see the opposing team’s catcher’s hand signals, which determined what pitch the pitcher was gonna throw, and relay it by banging on a trash can and alerting the batter as to what pitch was coming. The person watching the monitor could bang the trash can and effectively allow the batter to predict what pitch was coming.

These accusations were further backed up by an interview with former White Sox pitcher Danny Farquhar, who provided the exact time and date for when he realized the Astros were stealing signs. Surely enough, baseball analyst Jomboy Media found video footage of the pitch sequence Farquhar was talking about and was able to hear trash cans banging so loud they were picked up by on-field microphones.

What followed was an incredible series of events, wherein multiple eyewitness accounts and evidence helped paint the picture of an incredibly complex cheating system that was created with the help of multiple Astros players and front office personnel. Many of the Astros’ star players were implicated, but they either denied the accusations or refrained completely from responding.

The punishments were swift and harsh.

The Astros were fined $5 million, the maximum amount allowed for a team to be fined for, and they had all of their draft picks taken away for the 2020 and 2021 season. Mets manager Carlos Beltran and Red Sox manager Alex Cora were fired from their positions after it was revealed that they masterminded the cheating

scheme in 2017 while they were playing and coaching for the Astros respectively.

Additionally, manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were suspended for a year due to their active role in the cheating scheme. Additionally, the Red Sox, who won a world series with Cora as their manager in 2018, were subject to an official investigation by the commissioner’s office on top of the cheating accusations they were already subject to.

This scandal has thrown the results of every world series from 2017 to 2019 into question. The Los Angeles Dodgers, who lost the 2017 and 2018 World Series to the Astros and Red Sox respectively, have been actively campaigning to promote harsher punishments on both teams.

Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals, who beat the Astros in the World Series in 2019, have asked for an investigation on their run.

kartik mukalla | staff writer

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WINTER SPORTS

OAKTON V. WESTFIELD 1.15.2020 courtesy of Anderson Wozny

OAKTON V. SOUTH LAKE 1.24.2020 courtesy of Sonny Nguonly

COUGAR PRIDE

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OPINION

In Order to Teach Black History, We Need to Rethink History Itself As a senior at Oakton, I’ve listened to Martin Luther King’s speech on Washington four times within my AP history courses, but I never learned that his message was truly one of economic revolution to redistribute wealth. I’ve learned about the Black Panthers as a “radical revolutionary group”, but never that the C.I.A. enlisted thousands of spies to covertly collapse the party aimed at increasing the rights for Black Americans. I learned about Jim Crow laws as a relic of our country’s past, but never about modern Jim Crow laws that uphold racism, through War on Drugs-era legislation that increased arrest rates of Black youth, modern segregation in education, and redlining.

Black history in AP classes is often framed through a generalized, subdued lense.

Within the AP European History textbook Oakton uses, 22 out of nearly 400 pages are devoted to discussing the impacts and contributions of Black people to history. The omission, whitewashing, and shortening of Black history reflects a long-felt problem with teaching social studies classes: that history is inherently subjective in ways that rigid curriculums can’t mitigate.

Textbook publishers, like the McGraw brand that Oakton uses, have a vested interest in abstracting and obscuring Black history. As argued in Loewen’s Washington Post article, publishers like McGraw often “mystify” key events in Black history, like the Civil War, to avoid offending school districts in conservative counties, thereby decreasing sales. Similarly, Virginia’s pol-

icy of funding statewide textbooks means that school districts are unable to respond to demographic disparities, meaning that predominantly-Black schools use the same materials as predominantly-white ones.

A benchmark study by the NEA revealed that the omission of ethnic studies programs has negative impacts on both students of color and white students, namely through a lack of academic engagement, political efficacy, and more. In particular, it found that the 33-point achievement gap in geography scores between black and white students, as measured by the NAEP, can be at least partially explained by a lack of ethnic studies programs in high school.

In response, Black educators and policymakers have increasingly called for ethnic studies programs in high school, particularly African American studies. Some educators have proposed an AP African American Studies course, which has been met with pushback from College Board due to a lack of interest among colleges. Others have proposed amending the current AP U.S. History curriculum to center Black narratives, particularly as they relate to the Civil War and development of American capitalism.

However, of all the proposed remedies, reimagining history in high school courses is easily the most popular option. Educators like Michael Conway argue that students should be taught history through the lense of historiography, where they analyze primary-source documents for bias, relevance, and historical contributions, in comparison

to textbooks. “History is anything but agreeable,” he wrote in an essay for The Atlantic, explaining that dominating narratives in history are the result of deliberation among historians. Mirroring these deliberations in high school, as is often done in college courses, he argues will better prepare students for the day-to-day impacts of history.

Particularly as this relates to ethnic studies, he explains that this would help students learn the “many ‘histories’ that compose the American national story.”

College Board has attempted to respond to these types of arguments through testing formats like Document-Based Questions.

Within Oakton, teachers like Mr. Williams have similarly followed suit by assigning primary-source readings for quizzes and tests. But, education policymakers agree that despite its many proponents, this type of learning style is unlikely to be adopted into standardized curricula.

Oakton’s population is less than 5% Black, but students of all racial backgrounds have a responsibility to understand and respond to racism in today’s world. Understanding history, and in particular, the contributions of Black people to American history, is necessary to educate a generation of people prepared to combat the impacts of racism across all sectors. As explained by Loewen, “White history may be appropriate for a white nation. It is inappropriate for a great nation. The United States is not a white nation. It has never been a white nation.”

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DO OAKTON CONSERVATIVES FEEL THEY CAN SHOW THEIR POLITICAL VIEWS? jacob rutzick I staff writer What politcal views do Oakton students feel they can express with other students, and what causes students to hold their tongues.

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ost conservatives at Oakton are scared to share their opinions. They feel like others will view them different if they know they side with a certain ideology. Many students at Oakton are very confident in sharing their beliefs with other students. However, this isn’t the case for most conservatives at Oakton. Non-conservatives feel very comfortable sharing their beliefs amongst their friends and other students at Oakton. Why do Oakton conservatives feel sensored?

Well this issue is very multi-dimensional, and most have very different reasons for keeping their views to themselves. However, most other politically inclined people at Oakton don’t feel the same way.

Jack Odell, a moderate, 12, said “I feel very comfortable sharing my beliefs with anyone open to having a discussion with me.” Democrats and moderates often discuss their political beliefs openly and proudly. These people are, unknowingly, the cause of why many conservatives don’t feel comfortable sharing their views. They feel as if people will look at them differently if these moderates and democrats know they are conservative and agree with the republican party’s platform. Being a conservative and a moderate or democrat are two very different things. There are many negative stereotypes about conservatives that most political and non-political people believe.

Telling others that you’re a conservative often insights groans and eye rolls from other students. Scott Sloan, 12, said “People often ignore my opinions, and what I add to a political discussion because I am a conservative.” It seems as if much of Oakton’s student body is relatively close minded to new political opinions, and this often leaves conservatives on the outside looking in when it comes to political discussion at Oakton.

Oakton’s conservatives don’t share their views because they lack confidence in their beliefs. Ryan Sakhel, 10, said, “I have a lot of confidence in my views, but I don’t want my liberal friends to look at me any different. I know that getting into a political argument with them will do no one any good.” Sakhel brings up an interesting point.

What is the purpose of having a political discussion. It’s more likely than not that no one will be convinced of anything, and the students involved will have less friends afterwards. So conservatives side with the more inconspicuous option, and simply witness the discussion rather than participate in it. Oakton students have the opportunity to open a dialogue between all political parties. However, most students haven’t done that just yet.

24 THE BIG PROBLEM WITH THE OSCARS will locklin|staff writer

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his year’s Oscars have seen lots of the more popular films receive nominations. Movies like Joker, 1917, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood have received ten or more nominations, including the biggest categories like Best Picture and Best Director.

Notable snubs include Adam Sandler for Best Lead Actor and Jennifer Lopez for Best Supporting Actress. Over

movie but still voted for it to win Best Picture. The two members said they felt “obligated” to vote for Twelve Years a Slave because of its “social relevance”.

Even though only two members admitted it, mostly likely this is only the start of a larger issue with the very real possibility that many members vote off of social relevance rather than real cinematic quality. One explanation for this prob-

the past few decades there has been a gradual change from the best critically acclaimed movies to the more popular movies receiving nominations. These changes are more present now more than ever because of the academy’s lack of accountability and the movie industry rapidly becoming a more of a strictly blockbuster industry.

One common question regarding the Oscars is, who votes for the nominations and winners? The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has members from the media and former filmmakers that vote for the Oscar nominations and eventual winners. The big problem that the Academy faces is some voters inability to watch all the movies that are up for nomination prior to them voting on the official ballot. In 2012, Twelve Years a Slave won Best Picture. While it was certainly deserving of that honor, two members of the Academy anonymously admitted that they did not watch the

lem could be the fact that the members of the Academy tend to be on the older side. Older voters have had a tendency to favor the films with a bigger message that is relevant to the current social and political landscape.

The final aspect of this trend is the movie industry’s trend of favoring the bigger budget movies that are being created by big studios and releasing movies at a prime time date (summer blockbusters and holiday season). The trend is a slippery slope that starts before the movies are even released. Big budget movies have more money to pour into advertising and will be more likely to get theaters to show their movie all days of the week and at the prime movie watching times in the evening. From here, the big budget movies will attract a large audience leading to a big time box office gross and the attention of the Academy. The next aspect of this paradox is the national media. By nature, the na-

tional media is looking for a story so the higher grossing movies will receive lots of national media coverage. The Academy will take notice of these high grossing films and favor them over smaller movies that are still worth a watch. This year, movies like The Lighthouse and Portrait of a Lady on Fire were not voted for Best Picture despite receiving loads of praise from critics. These movies did not receive a big following as opposed to movies like Ford vs Ferrari and Joker. This is not to say that just because a movie has a larger following that means it is overrated. Rather the current focus of the Oscars soley seems to recommend the popular films over the smaller films that may be equally as good if not better.

Movies with a social message should not be favored over good storytelling. Unfortunately this seems to be the case as the Oscars has turned into a popularity contest rather than a careful process of voting for the best movies of the year.

Courtesy of Dolby Theaters

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BERNIE SANDERS How the Vermont Senator has garnered the support of Oakton students portia dai | staff writer

VT senator and presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

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he last Democratic debate occurred on January 14, the first of six debates to take place in 2020 before the presidential elections on November 3. Among the six candidates who qualified for the Iowa debate was Vermont senator, Bernie Sanders. The senator, who was a contender in the 2016 elections, accumulated wide-scale support from high school students, and four years later, students still support Sanders. Here is an interview with Oakton student, Elizabeth Sullivan. (12)

Q: What’s your opinion of Bernie Sanders?

A: I support Bernie Sanders as he is the most progressive candidate running in the 2020 election. I am a socialist myself, though I fell into the trap that Warren would be more electable and I should support her.

Q: How do you think Sanders is different from Warren?

A: His impeccable record on fighting corporations and advocating for LGBT rights convinced me to support him unequivocally. Warren has backtracked on issues such as universal healthcare and often uses LGBT support as tokens to convince people to support he as a progressive.

Q: Do you think Sanders support of the LGBT community is a major reason students support him?

A: It’s a reason I support him for sure. Young people want a candidate who fights for their right to public accommodations and self-expression. And those are issues that Sanders always pushes, especially when it comes to the LGBT community.

Q: Did you support him in 2016 as well? Possibly for the same reasons?

A: I did support him back in 2016. I actually went to a rally of his for the gubernatorial candidate Tom Perriello, an opponent of Ralph Northam’s.

Q: How did this experience affect your opinions of him?

A: He has always stood in solidarity with progressive politicians and that hasn’t changed since 2016. Being able to see the grassroots nature of the campaigning he does really showed me how closely he stands with the people of this country and of Virginia in particular.

Q: Do you think his approach to the Presidency has changed since then? (such as in debates) A:He has only become stronger on the issues that matter since his first presidential campaign. And I think that sets him apart from people like Joe Biden who hasn’t expressed support of many issues until Sanders made them mainstream Democratic politics. He “wrote the damn bill” (October debates) and all that in regard to healthcare.

Q: Do you think his ability to bring more issues to the foreground has helped him gain more supporters this year?

A: I believe so. As much as the media has attacked him for his supposed health issues and how far he is from being a moderate, people have started to see through that and recognize him as the candidate with the strongest chances of beating Trump. People are sick of the establishment, and that’s why Trump was elected back in 2016.

Q: Do you think people support Sanders because of the possibility of beating Trump or because of his beliefs?

A: Will it’s clear that the Democrats need someone who can capture that energy and beat Trump at his own game. But as opposed to more traditional choices, people are passionate about the beliefs he shares with them. And that’s why he could beat Trump.

Q: What do you think is his strongest policy that can/ will earn support and possibly help beat Trump?

A: I think that his advocacy for equity in all its forms (healthcare, wages, and in promoting more people to care about politics) is what puts him as a favorable candidate against someone as anti-equity as President Trump.

26 holland cogan | staff writer

THE MEDIA NORMALIZING BAD MENTAL HEALTH

Find out how social media can cantribute or cause issues with mental health

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hether it’s a meme page on instagram, for you page on Tik tok, or the release of the next new ‘relatable” song it seems the media is becoming increasingly more comfortable showing and releasing content that normalizes bad mental health. People think that raising awareness through the media is helpful, but can songs discussing suicide and images depicting teenage depression have a negative affect?

Meme pages on instagram have always been a fun way to poke at real life situations, but lately self deprecating humor is flooding the internet. Pictures with captions that make self medicating and disorders humorous is not so funny when children come across them and think it’s ok to think that way. The media is also promoting clothing with anxiety and depression definitions on them. A popular media star

Corinna Kopfs released merchandise with the word Anxiety in bold letters with the definition below it. This caused a huge debacle on social media because people said that anxiety wasn’t something to glamorize and use for marketing purposes to make a profit. The line of what is helping or harming people seems to be fading on media platforms as people become more comfortable posting without repercussions. The for you page on tik tok is also filled with trends that compare body types against each other, check the level of insecurities on a hand, and have sad point of views where the subjects deal with assault and death. Tik tok is an app that has a very young audience with 41% of tik tok users aged between 16 and 24. It is very easy to spend hours on it with the average time spent on the app being 52 minutes. That gives a lot of time to view 15 second videos.

Another example is Billie Eilish’s song Everything I Wanted. The song touches on suicide and someone who “stepped off of the golden” (the Golden Gate Bridge.)The song shares details of how nobody cried or noticed when the person died. Many Billie Eilish fans are young adults and this song has the potential to be taken the wrong way. Matthew Foltz (10) Says that, “social media is amazing as it grants us access to lightning fast way of communicating. Though it creates the consequence of expected response, creating a feeling of anxiety and uncertainty amongst other unintended emotions.” He at times feels that feelings of anxiety stir up, and unexpected emotions hit him sometimes after listening to music or viewing images. This is certainly how many people feel, and because children are more impressionable and their emotional processing is still de-

“Social media is a powerful tool and a great way to connect with others, but you have to use it wisely and you have to learn to not let it effect you.” Amanda Jacobson(10)

“I don’t have social media because I don’t want to be depressed.” Isaac Swanson(10)

Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com

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THE LIBERAL ARTS: FACING THEIR on specialization, future students END? In an education system focused may be missing out on important skills. emily richardson | editorial board

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ince 2008, the number of bachelor’s degrees administered to Americans rose by an incredible 31%. In this same period, the number of individuals earning their degrees in some of the most essential liberal arts subjects, including English, history, and philosophy, has declined by 15%.

The fate of the liberal arts seems to be headed in a sure direction, particularly as the STEM-required, dominant industries in technology continue to grow exponentially. What does this mean for college students across the disciplines, regardless of whether or not their subject falls under the liberal arts?

A distinct cause of the decline in both liberal arts students and institutions has to do with what the students are involved in before they even walk through the doors of their choice in higher education. AP class enrollment, particularly in those humanities subjects, has a great deal to do with what students end up taking in college— testers who can swing a high score will, typically, be able to apply for credit transfers and ‘test out’ of any number of their general education requirements. This process causes a domino effect that ultimately keeps many students from broadening their horizons by taking high-level humanities cours-

es in college.

“I wouldn’t have found my passion if I hadn’t tried several core classes like I did,” said Abbey Bloom, a current junior and English major at Hood College, a small, private, liberal arts institution in Frederick, Maryland. “It’s hard to know exactly what path you

“If all you get from college is preparation to work in a single industry or a single type of job, your options will be pretty limited when you graduate.”

- Dr. Mitchell-Buck, Hood College

want to go down when you come right out of high school.”

Another key cause of the decline in liberal arts education is simply the societal perception that a degree in English leads to an unsuccessful career and economic struggles down the line, which might seem to some as defeating the purpose of going to college altogether.

Research by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences has proven that conclusively, yes, those holding

degrees in the liberal arts tend to earn less on average than those with degrees in science, engineering, or business.

However, this same research showed that liberal arts majors are far more content with their financial situations than, say, business majors.

At the end of the day, the liberal arts provide students with the writing and communication skills required for any individual hoping to sustain a career in any field.

“I do worry that we have fewer English and history majors, but that is because people have the wrong idea about what getting a degree in those fields represents,” said Dr. Heather Mitchell-Buck, a professor of English and communication at Hood. “They think it means you’ll be just qualified to teach or go to grad school, but there are about a zillion other things that those majors prepare you for … What you need to get from college is a set of broad set of skills that will prepare you for jobs that don’t even exist yet, because the workplace of the future is changing. If all you get from college is preparation to work in a single industry or a single type of job, your options will be pretty limited when you graduate.”

For students across the disciplines, this decline will not go unnoticed.

photo courtesy of unsplash

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FEATURE

Environmental Club Clothing Swap Oakton Cougars go green by recycling clothes through a clothing swap aubrey harrell |editorial board

Photos courtesy of Leilani Hyatt and Aubrey Harrell Leilani Hyatt (11), Enviornmental Club Member Are you a member of the Environmental Club?

Yes! I just joined because I’m in AP Environmental Science and right now we’re learning about how we’re basically killing the world and I just thought “Hey, I should join this club!” and then I talked to the club president about it and joined.

What do you think the benefits of recycling clothes and other resources are?

A lot of the time people just buy clothes and then don’t wear them and shove them to the back of their closet and never wear it again, so by just recycling clothes people can let others have clothes that they personally don’t like anymore and in return get clothes they actually like, which reduces our environmental impact while still getting cute clothes.

What was the process at the clothing swap?

During cougar time we had everybody bring their donations to the cafeteria and there we sorted them into like dresses, pants, t-shirts, and other random categories and then brought them back to Dr.Wang’s room and sorted them and put them all on tables with signs and people came and shopped around.

If Oakton held any events like this in the future would you attend?

Yeah I think so, It was a lot of fun seeing all of the clothes people brought and we didn’t have to pay for the clothes at all so it was fun

Carolyn Hindle (10), Environmental Club Officer What inspired the environmental club to have a clothing swap?

The basis of the exchange is to take action against fast fashion, which is the corporate system where clothes are produced cheaply and unsustainably and thrown away quickly because of trends changing or just low quality clothing.

The exchange did this in two ways, one by preventing those clothes from ending up in a landfill and instead finding them a new home or donating them, and also hopefully by just bringing awareness to the problem of fast fashion so that people make eco friendly choices next time they go shopping.

Would you say the clothing swap was a success?

Yes I would definitely say it was a success! All of Dr.Wangs tables were covered in clothes to exchange, and we had four boxes of clothes for donation left over.

Is there anything you’d like to tell or inform to students looking to get more involved with going green/saving the environment?

For anyone who’s looking for a way to save the environment, the best recommendation I can make is to just think about how your actions are going to impact the earth. Go through a day where you try to consciously think about how all the decisions you make are affecting the environment and if you see something that isn’t as sustainable as it could be, make an effort to change it. Just doing simple things like bringing a reusable bag to the grocery store is so easy, so just put in that little bit of effort to do what’s right for the earth and you’re already making a difference.

Is it still possible for students to join the environmental club as of now?

Environmental club is super low commitment, anyone can drop in to any of our meetings! They’re every other Wednesday from 3-3:45 so late buses are available after the meeting. If anyone wants to join environmental club at any point this year that would be awesome and we’d love to see some new faces!

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SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS What are the interesting topics that came out in the 2019-2020 Science Fair? grace park | staff writer

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here are many different kinds of science classes in Oakton High School such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy, Psychology, and more. Classes are divided by students’ skill levels, so students can select the course that suits them. For those people who think science is boring, the science fair project is for you! The Science Fair Project is a research project that students satisfy their own curiosity by planning and doing the actual experiment throughout the year. According to Oakton Virtual Electives Fair, all the regular, honors and AP class students can do a science fair project, but it is optional for regular and AP classes, mandatory for honors classes. Every year, students try hard to figure out what to do for the science fair project.

Fortunately, this year, a bunch of fascinating topic ideas came to students’ minds. Lauren Lee (9) made ice cream for the science fair this year. She is doing an experiment

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about the effect of salt types on freezing point. Salt is used to make ice cream and Lee was wondering if the type of salt affects the ice cream.

Lee said, “This experiment was very interesting. It changed me into a good ice cream maker. The most fun part was definitely eating ice cream!

I personally recommend this experiment more than any other project!”

Bibechana Pandey (9) got an idea while she was drinking her soda during class. She was wondering about the amount of sugar in many kinds of drinks and decided to investigate it for the science fair. As she continued the experiment, she realized that a lot of sugar is contained in the beverages. Now, she is trying not to consume too much sugar for her body. Pandey said “This project really changed my lifestyle, it made me keep thinking about the amount of sugar I saw in each beverage and it was a lot. Whenever I drink something, it feels like I’m ruining my body, so I’m trying to avoid them. Recently, I enjoy drinking water instead of soft drinks.”

Last but not least, there were stu-

dents who were curious about the plant’s will to find sunlight. Kristina Tanchanco (10) and Madisyn Moses (10) did an experiment about plants moving toward the light inside the dark box with a small hole that the light comes through. As the plant grew, it eventually found the hole.

Tanchanco said “ I didn’t know that the plant can find where the light is. I had so much fun observing the plant.” Moses said that instead of growing straight, the plant grew toward the sunlight. She also said “During the experiment, I felt like I was a scientist and I was really into it.”

Like Lee, Pandey, Tanchanco, and Moses, there are many students who found their interest and had fun with science fair projects. Science fair projects not only satisfied their curiosity but also changed many of the students’ lifestyles. Throughout the year of 2019-2020, students are expected to finish their science fair successfully. From the experiments, student’s thoughts about science changed from “boring” to “interesting”.

Courtesy of pngguru

The important thing is to never stop questioning. -Albert Einstein

30 AP CULTURE AT OAKTON

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sahithi jammulamadaka | editor-in-chief olivia garrone | editorial board

alking through the halls of Oakton High School on any day of the week, students can be heard grumbling about all of the work they have to do for their AP classes. With over 25 different AP courses offered at Oakton, many students are bound to take at least in their high school career. Though they give students the opportunity to challenge themselves, gain college credit,

*According to survery of 27 Oakton students

and get a more collegiate class experience, they also cause students an extreme amount of stress. With more and more students taking more and more AP classes, choosing classes has become a competitive process. Student comparisons, teacher expectations, counselor recommendations, and parent pressure have now become the driving force when choosing classes.

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february issue

Q: Why did you decide to take the AP classes you are taking?

Ariane Sambile (12): Calc I had to take as a next step and the rest were fun APs. I decided on gov gov because I did APUSH last year and thought it’d be good to go into gov AP. Asha Iyer (12): My parents wanted to find a way for me to get the most credit possible, to get ahead for college credit and they wanted me to be in a more rigorous schedule to get used to the type of work college takes.

Q: How would you describe the attitude toward AP classes at Oakton High School?

Sambile: I feel like sometimes people think they have to take AP classes but you should do what fits you.

Iyer: I think that a lot of people want to be in them and the people who are kind of look down on the people who aren’t.

Ageda Mara (12): It’s normalized way too much to take AP classes when it’s not meant to be like that.

Q: Is there pressure at Oakton to take AP classes?

Iyer: Yes, we have a weighted gpa just for taking AP classes and socially you need to take one or throughout HS to be considered “normal.”

Zhiqen He (11): Teachers push you to take APs that they feel like you are ready for. This leads to people taking too many APs because they were convinced by multiple teachers and could lead to more stress.

Q: What would you change about the AP class culture at Oakton?

He: To make it clear that APs don’t make or break college applications. Though counselors say it already, I feel like most people don’t beleive that at all.

32 THE ROLE OF PEERS IN COURSE SELECTION

I

haley longfellow | staff writer

Oakton students face external influence when registering for classes.

t’s no secret that external pressure plays a large role in course selection at Oakton High School. Students are not alone when choosing their classes, as they are influenced by their peers, parents, teachers, and counselors. The value of such direction is debatable; advice can certainly aid students in getting the most out of their classes, but it can also corner them with obligation.

To some extent, it can be seen as important to take on a course load that measures up to other students in terms of rigor.

Many students want to maximize their eligibility as candidates for colleges, ensuring that they are competitive within the context of Oakton High School.

It is understandable for students to worry if, say, they should take an additional AP or Honors class or not. It should be noted that a number of factors play into the balance between rigor and achievement, though; as often reiterated by counselors and teachers, it may be better to complete a program of lower difficulty in favor of

earning better grades, or in favor of leading a less stressful high school career. Plus, each student has their own complications to consider such as strengths and weaknesses, learning style, and extracurricular activities. Ultimately, students will probably not be compared solely in terms of the rigor of their academic programs.

The colorful conversation circulating around course selection at Oakton is not always healthy. It can influence students’ schedules to too great an extent. As junior Teresa Ribeiro explains, “Peer influence affects a lot of course selection because people in the grades above you will give you their opinions and input on each of the classes and teachers which can really change if you want to take a class or not.”

Students talk quite freely about classes, and their advice and insight can be very helpful, but it should also be taken with a grain of salt and not immediately accepted as fact. Students need to consider their own complications.

When some upperclassmen boast that, for instance, a certain AP class is a breeze, other students may get the wrong idea. Perhaps, their abilities best lend themselves to other subjects, or maybe they end up finding that they wholeheartedly disagree with the other students’ statements.

courtesy of good free photos

On the other hand, students are notoriously vocal about the great workload and strict teaching style associated with certain classes, discouraging others from exploring topics. Certain stigmas have developed around certain courses, and this can be misleading.

Of course, there is a wide spectrum of opinions on each class at Oakton. Being informed in a one-sided manner is not helpful. It is easy for a student to hear opinions about a course from few sources, neglecting to truly examine all merits and potential hurdles associated with that course before impulsively ruling it out or checking a box to take it. As students trying to set ourselves up for success and satisfaction, we should not be afraid to question if a notion about a class is too good to be true, or if a course will truly fulfill us in some way. Insight from others can be taken in stride, but it should not single-handedly drive our decisions.

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february issue

ALL ABOUT AVID

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Learn more about AVID at Oakton and what it does.

t’s course selection time! Students are asking their teachers what they recommend for next year and are learning about the classes and electives available. One of the electives at Oakton is AVID. AVID, which stands for “Advancement via Individual Determination,” according to its official website.

AVID is a program in schools that focuses on helping students succeed in high school and prepare for college by cultivating an environment of collaboration and organization.

According to Ms. Kline, a history and AVID teacher at Oakton who has been teaching AVID for 6 years, in the first two years of high school, students focus on succeeding in school. They improve note-taking, organization, and study skills. Additionally, the upperclassmen years are dedicated to specific areas in preparing for graduation. In junior year, for example, students prepare to apply to colleges and study for the SAT. Sarah says that on a normal day, students have their tutorial groups and get help from their tutors and peers. She

believes that AVID has helped her with commutation.

Once the long awaited senior year arrives, AVID students work on writing their essays, filling out college applications, and applying for scholarships. At Oakton, there are about a hundred students in the program.

“Grades are calculated just like a regular core class but without tests.

Students complete work in all of our WICOR categories; writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading,” says Ms. Kline.

Those skills are the focus of the course. Students may have seen the bulletin boards talking about AVID field trips. They go on field trips to colleges to learn about that school and what the experience might look like. Sarah said that the field trips have helped her become more aware about the surrounding colleges. AVID can be great progam for students who want to succeded in high dchool and beyond. While Ms. Byrd, the AVID coordinator, is on leave, be sure to contact Ms. Kline with further questions.

“I would recommend AVID to anyone who wants to learn how to manage their time better or just get help from fellow peers and tutors.”

- Sarah Pham, 11

isabel knipping | staff writer

courtesy of sincerely media

34 sameeha khan | staff writer

S

What’s the cause of an illness plaguing our senior class?

THE SOURCE OF SENIORITIS

enioritis: a loss of motivation that is typically felt during the second semester of senior year.

As Oakton seniors approach the end of the school year, their sighs of relief are almost audible, their shoulders no longer weighed down by obligations or expectations of success. At every corner, seniors laugh just a bit more freely, carrying themselves with an infectious excitement for the years to come. But, for some, senioritis is regarded more as an illness than a representation of freedom. With these differing opinions, how should one truly go about senioritis?

Many Oakton students opt to apply for college using early decision or early action timelines, allowing them to receive an admissions decision 3-5 months earlier than the if they used regular timeline.

Early admission often only calls for first quarter grades, and if accepted through this timeline, senioritis may hit earlier than expected. As for the regular decision timeline, first semester grades are sent to prospective colleges, resulting in the usual senioritis occuring after the 2nd grading period.

Senioritis occuring only after college admission indicates that students find college admission to be the main motivator for success. After college is no longer a worry, seniors no longer find themselves working as hard, and caring as much. Time and time again, students hear that the motivator to achieveacademic success is learning and growth,

but the pressure placed on high school students to pursue higher education interferes with that expectation. On the other hand, college admission can also be seen as a motivator to avoid senioritis, as the fear of rescinded acceptance drives students to mirror their previous academic performance and secure their spot in the school of

cou rtesy

s ew n e of headlin

their dreams.

Pursuing a non-traditional path, Tenzin Phugshondol [12] believes senioritis hit her much earlier than expected. Hoping to graduate early, Phugshondol took a rigorous course load her Junior year, but felt burnt out from the overload.

Coming into senior year, she is determined not to end badly, admitting that “senioritis is really just a waste of effort-

especially when you work hard all four years of high school and then suddenly put no effort into your assignments.”

Tenzin ensured that she would not struggle with senioritis when planning her senior year. “ I knew I needed to pace myself with a less demanding workload, and make time for friends,” she reveals.

Many argue that senioritis allows for a necessary break. Overworked students are able learn without the pressure of success, and able to attend school with a much healthier mindset. While this may be true for some students, the prevalence of the term senioritis at Oakton makes it a group phenomenon. Even when students may not actually feel burned out, they may use the senioritis as an excuse for poor attendance and work habits. “I think the senior internship also makes it easier for Oakton students to find a reason to skip,” Phugshondol confesses.

Students who are not pursuing an internship at the end of their senior year often find no reason to attend school, especially when many of their peers are no longer doing so.

Regardless of burn out and senioritis, classes and assessments continue and teachers often find themselves exasperated by the effects of senioritis.

When signing up for senior classes, it is important to remember that Oakton classes are a year long courses, and teachers expect continued effort regardless of college acceptance.

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february issue

WHAT HAPPENED TO SADIES? How Did it Start? Why is it Gone? And How Have Dances Changed?

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fter homecoming, many people, girls specifically, mentally prepare themselves to complete the task of asking a boy to the Sadie Hawkins dance.

How Did it Start?

Sadie Hawkins comes from an old comic strip, usually described as offensive, called Li’l Abner. This comic was created by author-illustrator Al Capp sometime in the late 1940s and the early 1950s. In one specific issue titled Sadie Hawkins Day, Al Capp gave rise to the idea of a woman asking a man to dance, instead of the other way around.

Although in this day and age it isn’t unusual for a girl to ask a boy, it was a big deal back then and the joke of it all is what started the real tradition. Sadie Hawkins’s day was set to fall sometime in November, but depending on what school you go to the date of the dance usually ranges from November to February.

At Oakton, many refrain from considering it a Sadie Hawkins dance and refer to it as a winter dance in order to avoid gender discrimi-

nation. However, this year Oakton is not having a winter or Sadie Hawkins dance.

Why is it Gone?

Part of the reason Oakton isn’t having a Sadies dance this year is that “the timing and it didn’t flow so well last year,” reports Maddi Kriz (senior) from leadership. But luckily, Kriz also stated that there may possibly be another winter dance sometime next year. Dances are meant to evoke a sense of school spirit and community between students. They are supposed to be regarded as a fun way to spend time with friends. But over the years, the stimulus and tradition of school dances has been lost.

How Have Dances Changed?

Ask anyone from previous generations and many will say that they had school dances two to three times a month, compared to the three dances that Oakton has a year. Watch as they can recall the fun times they had with their friends at those dances and listen when they explain the exciting build-up to each one. It is completely different from the school dances that are seen now. Although dances today still require a lot of planning, preparation, and hype, they also cause a lot of unnecessary stress. Whether it be the underlying competition in our area to have the best time out of everyone you know or the seriousness of school; school dances just aren’t seen to be as fun as they were in the past. As

Kriz puts it,

“School dances have become less about the dances”, which as it’s been observed, is true and students try to have a fun night far away from school, whether it be an after-party, pictures, or a fancy dinner. Due to the lack of actual school participation of dances, such as showing up to the dance, schools are less inclined to have as many dances because at that point it is just wasting their money. Why spend money on a school spirit event when you can spend it on new technology?

Overall, over the years dances have become increasingly stressful and more of a burden for the school to have. Unfortunately, Oakton leadership doesn’t plan to have many other dances than Homecoming and Prom in the future, but Oakton students always find a way of making the best out of those two nights.

claudia messina | staff writer

36 STUDENT ACTIVISM AT OAKTON A Feature on Oakton High School’s Students Demand Action Chapter

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s of January 27th, 2020, 7th to 12th grade students in Fairfax County Public Schools are allowed one excused absence per school year to participate in protests, and engage in other civic engagement activities. However, even before this excused absence was granted to Oakton students, many students have and continue to engage in acts of student activism, from club meetings to protests in DC. One such example of student activism is the Students Demand Action club here at Oakton. Students Demand Action is an organization with many chapters in schools across the

nation, and is an initiative of Everytown for Gun Safety. Students Demand Action demands for common sense gun laws, such as stronger background checks before owning a gun.

Sydney Chen (11), the founder of Oakton’s chapter, states that she founded the chapter two years ago after being outraged by the Parkland Shooting.

The average Students Demand Action consists of either planning or doing an event. Some events that this Students Demand Action club has carried out include canvassing for common sense gun law supporter, state legislator Dan Helmer, raising awareness through school events such as Student Teacher Trivia Night, and “Advocacy Day”, where students of the club talked to state legislators about common sense gun laws.

Student activism is an important way that students can have their voices heard on important issues, especially considering

Students Demand Action members meet with Kamala Harris during Advocacy Day, courtesy of Kim Perks

most high school students are too young to be able to vote in elections. Whether it be events planned through student clubs, or just showing up to protests in Washington DC. If there are issues important to you, then engage in some student activism!

maxwell pfeifle | staff writer

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february issue

BECOMING AN ACTIVIST AT OAKTON How you can change the world from home

nour al-kaaby|staff writer

I

n 2018, Greta Thunberg, fifteen at the time, skipped school and sat on the steps of the Swedish Parliament in protest of the lack of response to climate change. Since then, Greta Thunberg has created a movement among youth and adults, given a speech in one of the world’s most important organizations, and inspired1.4 million students to skip class and fight for the climate emergency.

Another example, Malala Yousafzi, at 10 years old, became an activist against the Taliban giving speeches that changed government policies and winning the Nobel peace prize at seventeen. How could they accomplish such big things from their small towns? Malala won a Nobel Peace Prize, although she lived in a town with no such thing as the internet, a town occupied by the Taliban.

We often have a perception that being an activist means you have to give up your life to this one movement and you have to travel around the globe to make a significant difference. Being an activist has so

many definitions, and you never have to sacrifice your life for a movement. There are so many ways to spread a message that requires minimal effort. So minimal that you could do it from the comfort of your own home.

We see artists, authors, songwriters as creative, the most creative of them all is an activist. Erinne Paisley, a Canadian senior at the time, tailored her old math homework into her prom dress and gave the money intended for her prom dress to the Malala Fund. The dress went viral on Instagram and gained the attention of many.

Soon, Paisley and Yousafzi’s movements were all across Instagram and donations were flooding in. Elizabeth Paul (12) is on the state board for March For Our Lives Virginia (MFOLVA). She is a passionate advocate for gun control and decided to do something about it after the Parkland shootings in 2018. She attended her first school walkout that year. Since then she has lobbied members of Congress and became a board member of MFOLVA.

Donya Brooks (12) values education, believing that educating yourself or others is a key component of activism.

Brooks advocates for inclusion and equality through social media, internships, and organized protests. Education and awareness are commonly agreed upon aspects of activism as activists should know what they are talking about. Activism comes in all forms, through social media, clubs (like the environmental club, anti-bullying club, and students demand action), organized drives and protests, and movements or political statements. Paul Agrees that educating oneself as a teen activist is important, especially when working with adults.

Being a teen activist is challenging. All activists have to face the difficulties with adults not taking their work seriously. This is to be expected. Educating yourself can put an end to these prejudices. This happens a lot on social media due to people caring less about their words. When Paul spoke to Florida congressmen, she knew right off the bat he didn’t take them or their hard work seriously. After speaking to Paul for a little longer, the congressman knew

Photo courtsey of The Blue Dimond Gallery

that they knew what they were doing and that she was not someone to mess with.

The difference between the activists in this article and any other teenager is they used their fear and instilled it into others: congressmen, delegates, teachers, parents, the world. Everyone has the power to use what terrifies them most and hand those in charge of their anxieties, worries, even burdens. You may be wondering why this article did not write out a direct path for you. It is because you need to fight in your own way. You need to fight the way you feel comfortable to efficiently fight. Clubs and organizations may not be for everyone, but it may be for you, or maybe it is not that clubs and organizations are not for you but that you have not found the one you like so you create one.

It could be an online foundation or an organization that knocks door to door until everyone knows their name. You may just want to go solo, start a blog, talk to the government personally, write a book for crying out loud. Just do something, do not wait for someone else to because they will do it their way, or worse they will not do it at all.

38 N ON O I GE S S N Z DEPRE THE R IS E

Depression among this generation has increased and doctors are trying to figure out why. kinsey clements | staff writer

S

Statistically, teens, more specifically Gen Z, are becoming more and more depressed despite the decrease in alcohol and drug consumption. This is causing teens to have less motivation for activities such as sports, extracurriculars, and school work. This has parents and other adults, like doctors and psychologists, more confused than ever because that has been the assumed cause. Thus leading to the difficult question, why are teens more depressed than ever? Here is a possible explanation.

Doctors don’t have a definite explanation as to why this is happening but they believe it is because teens are faced with more pressure from school and home, and worry about their family’s financial situation. Although teens in the past might have had this pressure, it has become more of a stressor for Gen Z as school is becoming more challenging. Furthermore, social pressures have caused more stress because of the increasing popularity of social media platforms affecting teens identities. In addition to depression, ever since 1990, the rate of suicide with teens has been increasing every year, most likely due to the causes listed above. What is even more disturbing about this statistic is that only about 30% of teens are being treated for depression. That may also be one of the reasons why teens are becoming more depressed because they think that their problems are not big enough for their parent’s acknowledgment, so they neglect being treated. This also plays into the belief that teens have stressed about their families financial situation, so they do not want to concern parents with their mental struggles.

Furthermore, there are other statistics, besides the stress that Gen Z encounters, that can lead to some people having an increased chance of developing depression. Some

of these include having a chronic illness, having a family history of depression, and if one has experienced trauma.

This epidemic is something that needs to be solved, either by addressing Gen Z’s depression and trying to prevent genetic depression, in the near future because by looking at the current trends, it will keep on increasing. Teens and young adolescents are the people of the future but depression looks like it could slow down the success of this population.

Photo courtesy of Ceril

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february issue

Capturing an Artist

What is the purpose of art, or does it have one? The first piece in a series about artists at Oakton.

When a sculpture of a banana taped to a wall sold for $120,000, journalists and pundits on social media exploded with outrage. At face value, their anger makes sense: charging thousands of dollars for a banana and duct tape inarguably ridiculous. But, the piece was intended to ask a larger question about the role of the artist in an age dominated by art with “meaning”. It questioned whether art needs to carry meaning, and as a result, whether artists should be considering the intention of their pieces beyond simply creating. Can blocks of orange simply be squares? Can faces simply be faces? Can artists simply create without a larger purpose? That question might just be worth $120,000.

This series attempts to understand why artists create and the implications of their work. It features artists within the Oakton community and a number of interviews about their perspectives on art in the 21st century.

When first looking at Tyler Chapman’s Instagram feed, the black and white pictures of pedestrians stand out against the platform’s typical cute selfies and dog pictures. An award-winning photographer, he’s crafted an early style of high contrast, urban-inspired pictures. Below is an interview with him.

What inspires you to create your work?

The artist that inspires me the most is the filmmaker and painter Harmony Korine, his abrasive and dark yet comedic quality to his work inspire a desire to constantly disregard boundaries set by society.

What is the goal of your artwork?

To break down any barrier usually felt in our society; I want my work to confront the emotions of my audience before they have an idea or thought of what they are viewing. I enjoy the idea of targeting emotions because it is how I provoke thoughts that one could relate to the ideas explored in my work.

What do you view as the purpose of art?

The purpose of my art is to give a voice to those who can’t or won’t speak, this includes myself because there are certain ideas I can’t express in my written work. But those who are silenced by the rest of society usually have the most interesting, important and thought provoking stories to tell; so why not attempt to put the pieces together and create a visual story What is the piece you’re most proud of?

My photography series, which I started last year, that explores the mindset of someone who is suffering from mental illness and suicidal thoughts.

It is not only a very personal project that is very dark in its visual aesthetic but a project that I chose to keep uncensored and confrontational in its visuals. I am still not proud of it (due to various elements that aren’t perfectly thought out), but that just means it’s unfinished and I suppose all of my projects composed of still images are unfinished for the reason that my ideas are always changing.

40

A&E

INSIDE JULIA COLET’S FASHION MIND Julia’s outfits give you a little taste of Tokyo, but where does all this inspiration come from?

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verybody has their own fashion styles, inspirations, and specific likes/dislikes that influence them as they shop for new outfits. From preppy to minimalist, glam to basic, the only thing that’s constant in the fashion world is change. Julia Colet (11), talks about her style, motivations, hopes for the future, and more. Inspired by designers such as Yohji Yamamoto, she puts together unique and edgy outfits every day, which inspire other students at Oakton to attempt to do so as well.

To avoid this industry that “is extremely toxic for the environment, [Julia chooses to] thrift, repurpose old clothing, and use Depop.” Depop is an app where you can sell your old or unused clothes, and also buy clothes from other people on the app. Julia uses Depop often because it is a great way to keep away from adding popularity to the “destructive industry of fast fashion.”Fast fashion is a new term that describes the inexpensive designs created by department stores who desires to meet the latest trends wanted by the youth.

From cheap materials to horrendous labor systems, fast fashion has become the second most polluting industry on Earth after oil.

All these amazing outfits probably make you wonder where Julia gets her ideas from. Fashion designers, Kim Jones and Yohji Yamamoto inspire her everyday

look, as well as her hopes for the future.

Each designer has taught her something new about fashion and the industry.

Kim Jones reinvented the Louis Vuitton’s Menswear, became the creative director of Dior Homme’s, his pieces keeps the fashion industry on their feet with their intricate, unique designs. Yohji Yamamoto began designing with a goal to create men’s clothes for women, although overtime, he developed his own style, which is typically modern based clothing with a drapy effect, varying in texture. He grew popularity as he began collaborating with other fashion brands including Adidas and New Era Cap Company; and artists with different genres, such as Daniel Barenboim and Tina Turner.

Noticeably, all of Julia’s favorite designers are Japanese. She says that “the impact on the fashion community that Japan has had throughout the years is insane,” including extreme care for hygiene, always looking presentable, and not being afraid to express themselves. She is inspired by how people dress in Tokyo including styles with long jackets, baggier clothing, and flair pants.

On a more personal note, Julia says that her style gradually changed throughout high school, and will continue to change throughout her life. She is not afraid to dress however she wants to and try new things, although her experience with insecurities sometimes gets in the way of that. However, she “tries not to care what other people think about [her] clothes be-

Julia’s Yamamoto inspired outfit cause everyone has their own opinions.”

Julia doesn’t like to plan and predict her future because she knows that her likes and dislikes will change and things will turn out differently, but she is hoping to go to a city school and see where she goes from there. As of now, Parsons School of Design is her top pick. Located in New York City, GrabCAE ranked it second for best design schools in the world, as it offers numerous graduate and undergraduate degrees.

Julia Colet makes statements through her outfits, and her views about the fashion industry are admirable. Not only does she choose not to buy clothes from fast fashion businesses, she chooses to repurpose clothing and respect the environmental impact that those fast fashion stores fail to acknowledge. Her influencers like Kim Jones and Yohji Yamamoto continues to inspire her everyday, changing her views on fashion, but also offering her more knowledge about the industry. Julia expresses herself through fashion, even when it’s hard, and her style will continue to change throughout her life. She isn’t afraid to show off her style and her ability to not care about what other people think is exemplary. As she gets older and her interests change, she still hopes that she will go to a design school and continue to study fashion.

sara boddie|staff writer katie le|staff writer

41 Ms. Hart

Coffee Tea or Coffee?

Teaches: Physics One thing you may not know about her: “My favorite sports teams are all from Pennsylvania.”

Mr. Buczyna

Tea Physics

Teaches: Astronomy, AP Physics C, Physics One thing you may not know about him: “I once did 2,500 pushups in a day when I was in high school

Books

Books, Movies, or TV Shows?

Earth Sciences

START What feild of science is your favorite?

Your friends would describe you as...

Biology

Work Ethic

Hard Working Fun

Mrs. Komiss

Chemistry

Teaches: Biology, Anatomy One thing you may not know about her: “I was on my high school dance team.”

Introvert or Extrovert?

Mrs. Boyer

You take pride in your...

Extrovert

Intelligence

Movies

Ms. Giordano

Teaches: Chemistry 1 HN, AP Chemistry One thing you may not know about her: “I love to paint!”

Introvert

Teaches: Biology, Anatomy One thing you may not know about her: “I have never had a soda in my life.”

Ms. Bingham

Teaches: Chemistry 1 HN, AP Chemistry One thing you may not know about her: “I have two dogs - a beagle (Lucy) and a dachshund (Schotzie)”

42

february issue

Dr. Wang

WHICH OAKTON SCIENCE TEACHER ARE YOU?

Teaches: Biology, AP Environmental Science One thing you may not know about her: “I can can speak three languages.”

zoe siamon | editorial board

TV Shows

Ms. May

Cats

Teaches: Biology, Geosystems One thing you may not know about her: “I like to try new foods and recipes.”

Passionate

Cats or Dogs?

Ice Cream

Your favorite guilty pleasure food Pizza

Chocolste

Ms. Sabino Teaches: Biology 1, Biology 1 HN One thing you may not know about her: “I really am funny!”

Dogs

Favorite non-science subject

English

Social Studies

Math

Dr. Fernandez Teaches: AP Biology, ESOL Biology One thing you may not know about her: “I’m very sensitive but I try not to show it.”

43 CULTURE FESTIVAL

alexandra martschenko|staff writer

Oaktons Exhibition of Student Heritage and Talent

C

ulture festival is still months away, falling on April 2nd and 3rd of this year, but preparations are already underway to choose the acts and practice for the performance. Auditions fell January 22nd but those who made the cut are not entirely sure when they will be notified.

Being at a predominantly white school can hinder the flow of different cultures and traditions among the general student body, but Oakton’s Annual Cultural Festival is a great opportunity to witness your fellow classmates’ lives outside of the dreaded school day. Usually held near the beginning of spring break, CultFest is divided into two separate events, one for the parents and other willing attendees in the evening and one during the school day for everyone to see. Participants go through an auditioning process to receive a spot in the show and rehearse tirelessly to make sure they deliver their best performance. Groups like MESA (Middle-Eastern South-Asian) Bollywood Dance began preparing their pieces as early as September and based on previous performances it will be a show to watch. Oakton Senior and three-time CultFest participant Bhadra Nair discussed the behind the scene preparations that ringleaders Mr. Larson and Ms. Husman are doing in order to ensure the perfect show stating that “the main program had encountered various obstacles in the years before” including cutting certain acts due to lack of time. To prevent a similar debacle from occurring, appropriate measures are being taken by the organizers such as organizing the final itinerary months

ahead of time and discussing with the performers what works best for them.

The remaining diversity we have here at Oakton should be celebrated and showcased. Our differences are what ultimately unites us as individuals with exceptional skill sets and talents. The Cultural Festival presents a unique chance for students to share their heritage through song, dance, clothing, etc and has been a well loved event in Oakton history.

Memorable performances and well anticipated acts such as the Oakton Breakers and KCF (Korean Culture Festival) have not only put on a good show but opened Oakton students eyes to the diverse community that exists within their school. The performance may be a ways off but excitement is already brewing.

Courtesy of Middle- Eastern South-Asian Club

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february issue

THE RISE AND FALL OF JAPANESE MUSIC IN AMERICA

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Why the lack of popularity?

ith the sudden rise of popularity with Mariya Takeuchi’s “Plastic Love” in 2018 and it’s fade back into obscurity, it begs the question - what happened? Even if the 80’s Japanese music gained more avid fans, why hasn’t Japanese music had the same sensational rise in the U.S?

The answer may lie in the marketing. Currently, the korean pop industry as well as other branches of korean music has become a sensation in the U.S. due to the way the way they build a relationship with their fans and the way boybands/girlbands are produced. While some modern japanese music definitely also has the same elements, Japanese idols lead a much different and relaxed lifestyle than many Korean idols. For example, while K-idols tend to have a lot less privacy, constantly go to events and reality shows to increase their popularity and try to personalize or remain a beacon of perfection for their fans, J-idols have much more privacy and don’t tend to be featured as much because of the stigma associated with their style of music.

These vast differences in lifestyle help fans feel closer to K-idols since they know a lot about them, even to the point of obsession. In fact, while the K-idols themselves don’t necessarily encourage this obsessive tendency in fans, the company marketing them definitely encourages such addictions so they can globalize their idols and reap a greater profit. J-idols meanwhile tend to more strictly follow privacy regulations and aren’t afraid to shun those who go out of line, and their higher level of privacy means that fans can’t connect with them in the same way.

Another key difference which contributes to the contrast in their popularity throughout the United States is the way the groups are produced. K-Idols will receive much more rigorous training which can last years on end before actually debuting or even being chosen as a part of the group. This process is done to ensure that the ‘product’ of the boyband is perfection from the start and specifically catered to appeal to the audience through a combination of high quality music videos and skill - a combination which creates a lasting impression on any new fans. In comparison, while certain J-Idols from bigger companies may also undergo a few years training, most begin their training after auditioning since the focus is more on how their development throughout their career, rather than a specifically tailored musical presence. With this considerable gap in production style, it’s easy to see why K-idols and music tend to circulate more widely on a global scale or throughout Korea, while most J-Idols tend to retain their popularity throughout Japan.

Eloise Garnier, a casual fan of the Japanese music genre for several years, describes the difference between the two as a matter of a “lifestyle and a job”. She says “it’s no surprise really because with K-Idols there’s so much content that it’s easy to get obsessed” compared to J-idols. “To me it’s always felt like K-Idols have way more pressure to be perfect” she states, recalling the backlash she’s seen many K-Idols face for being less than the ideal in public. She believes many of the criticisms K-Idols deal with are “ridiculous” compared to what she sees with J-Idols, but recognizes that “that’s probably what helps them be so popular”.

While the gaps between the lifestyles of K-Idols and J-idols are immense, fans of both genres continue to enjoy their respective preferences. Even if K-idols and music currently has a hold on the U.S, talented artists in both genres undeniably attract new fans and continue to positively contribute to the lives of thousands.

elene lipartiani | staff writer

45

DARK NEW

ERA Will Marvel’s entrance into horror movies impact younger audience turnout?

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pril 26, 2019 — audiences flocked by the millions to view the conclusion to “Phase 3” of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Avengers: Endgame became the highest grossing film of all time, an incredible feat for any movie, but especially a superhero film. This might have been due, in large part, to the scope of their audience. Moviegoers of all ages attended Endgame, a pointer to just what makes these kind of movies tick, the key to their success; regardless of age, most Marvel movies promise a good time. Teens have seen the last decade of their lives packed with the likes of Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, and Phase 3 of the MCU ended right around when those same teens are about to enter college adulthood. So, what does Marvel have in store for the next generation of moviegoers?

Of all the answers to that question, horror seemed the least likely. And yet, here we are. On Monday, Sony released the trailer to Morbius, and, well, it’s not for everyone. This isn’t a movie about men in flying suits or overweight Norse gods — Morbius tells the story of Dr. Michael Morbius, a genius trapped by his rare and lethal blood disease. Being a genius and all, he decides to search for a cure using vampire bats. Something goes horribly wrong, and now Jared Leto is jumping off walls and attacking people with six-inch-long fangs. Yes, the studio that gave audiences a movie where Tom Hardy bonds with a hungry alien and starts biting off peoples’ heads has now given us the first glimpse at Marvel’s first vampire movie. Fan responses have been overwhelmingly positive, but there’s an issue here that people aren’t

considering.

Who in their right mind is going to take their child or younger sibling to see a vampire movie?

Last week, 20th Century Fox released The New Mutants trailer, which is also a horror movie from Marvel entertainment. Months before, Marvel announced their continued plans for Phase 4 of their cinematic universe. One of these scheduled released was Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which has since been confirmed to be the MCU’s first horror movie. It all begs the same question — is this darker side of Marvel going to negatively impact their box office numbers? “I think Marvel should at least try making more horror movies,” says Marvel fan Frank Smoot-Canty (11). “Since Morbius is a new character to the MCU, this is very much an experiment to see what audiences will like. I don’t think, however, that movie turnout will be that great though, with Morbius not being a mainstream character and horror being a topic younger audiences would shy away from.”

It remains to be seen if Frank’s words will prove true, but there’s a logic to his statement. Marvel is dipping its toe in an area previously alien to it, and there really is no way of knowing for sure what that entails. One thing’s for sure; when the day comes when Jared Leto’s Morbius tries to take a bite out of Tom Holland’s Spider Man, we’ll all tune in to see who wins.

Image courtesy of Looper

charlie williams|staff writer

46

february issue

HOW STUDENTS ARE EXPRESSING THEMSELVES THROUGH TIKTOK How TikTok is positively affecting the Teenage Mind

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ikTok is an app that has been growing in popularity since June of 2019. The revamped version of Musical.ly has brought a new enthusiasm for teenagers to share parts of their lives. This could include them talking about crazy stories that have happened to them or situations that they are dealing with. One popular topic of TikTok is mental health. TikTok has given a platform to students and teenagers to open up and have a discussion about illnesses they are struggling with. This includes depression, anxiety, and other disor-

ders. This is creating a new discussion and a further openness towards these topics that might have been more uncomfortable to discuss before. This platform also allows a coping opportunity through humor. Ilana Reed, a sophomore, said “I talk about a lot of stuff that I am dealing with through TikTok but it’s not as serious as I might talk about it in real life. And I think that makes it an easier topic of discussion for me and maybe for other people. I know when I see people that are posting about their issues, it helps me feel like it’s normal or that I’m not alone”. This sense of not being alone that TikTok provides allows for students to open up and feel better about themselves making this form of content a type of coping mechanism for many people struggling with these types of mental health issues.

TikTok is also facilitating a place for students to feel safe to express their opinions or complaints about things that they wouldn’t say out loud or even to anybody else. Though this could be viewed negatively due to the fact that allowing students to complain openly can lead to rudeness and an inability to put up with minuscule things that

annoy them, it allows for connection between students. Lastly, TikTok has opened up stylistic ideas for students who might have not chosen to express themselves through their clothes or artistically previously to do so. This has allowed students who might have ordinarily felt uninspired or motivated to try new things to actively look for things that inspire them. Genevieve Bavisoto, a Sophmore, said, “Since I started watching TikTok I have definitely tried a little harder with my outfits and now it’s like a new hobby for me to pick out clothes every morning and have them reflect how I feel.”

This ability to allow teenagers to express themselves in invaluable in our time of depression and lack of self-confidence among students.

These new platforms have connected students throughout the TikTok app and possibly the world. The sharing of new ideas, complaints, and struggles has created a new way of how one might view our society. This newly formed view can allow for an overall happier generation that is open to having plain discussions about previously avoided topics. This openness is crucial for young students when they approach asking for help. Overall, this new facilitator for student expression could lead to a healthier generation, which is much needed in a time like this.

lizzie thompson|staff wroter

47 MAC MILLER’S CIRCLES: REVIEW The posthumous album release from rapper Mac Miller is a satisfying coda on his illustrious career. max dolinh|staff writer

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ince his tragic death in September 2018, fans of the Pittsburgh native Mac Miller had been left in the dark surrounding the situation regarding any music being released posthumously by the artist. So when the release of a posthumous album was announced through Miller’s Instagram on January 8th, fans were understandably surprised and excited. Circles, released on January 17th, was an album that, according to his group, Miller was in the process of recording when he died and was intended to complement his album Swimming, released a month before his death. Producer Jon Brion took the responsibility of putting the unfinished album together during the last one and a half years, which will likely be the last addition to Miller’s discography.

Miller performing at one of his shows

Despite its tracklist only consisting of 12 songs, Circles features a runtime of almost 49 minutes. It is clear to see how the album acts complementary to his last release, with the sound being very melodic in comparison to the more groovy and soulful Swimming. The sole single, Good News, provides a strong example of what the album does best. The track, which runs almost six minutes long, features a catchy string instrumental with great, polished vocals intertwined perfectly. And for how long the track is, it keeps you invested for its entire length, as do many of the others. There can’t be said enough about lead producer Jon Brion and the way he executed and utilized the recordings Mac left behind to create 12 songs where nothing feels missing. Brion obviously didn’t have the most to work with, shown by the long stretches of instrumental on tracks such as Woods and I Can See. And although there are many pauses in the lyrics, Brion’s impeccable production seems to tie everything together to create an album that feels complete. It’s not clear whether Mac intended to include features on Circles, but it can be applauded that Brion and the producers did not employ features from other artists to fill the empty space, but rather just let their production do the talking.

Additionally, each song seems to flow into the next as if the album actually does have a beginning and end, rather than it just feeling like a compilation of songs that Mac left behind. As for flaws within the album, there isn’t much to be said that can’t be attributed to the tragedy that occurred when it was originally in production. Every song does indeed sound pretty similar without a wide range of sounds, but that likely coincides with what Mac envisioned for the album, and it honestly works. And the argument can be made that the solely instrumental areas stretch the album out unnecessarily, but the basically flawless mixing and production doesn’t make it feel that way.

The cover of Circles courtesy of wikipedia With Circles, Mac Miller delivers an album that, while doesn’t have the most diverse tracklist, excels in exactly it is trying to do. Serving as a second half to Miller’s last album, Swimming, Circles is characterized by its distinct smooth sound which can be heard on every track. Led by Jon Brion, the production on the album is the backbone which holds all 12 tracks together. Brion’s effort to finish what Mac started certainly cemented Miller’s legacy within the hip-hop genre. Considering the fact that its lead visionary tragically passed away before he could complete it, it’s amazing to hear how genuine the album sounds, and it is truly one of the best posthumous musical tributes we’ve seen in recent memory.

“My secret valentine is myself, *chef’s kiss*” - Brandon Nguyen, 12

“What if I fall asleep right now?”

- Catherine Lim, 10

“I’ve realized that people can see me when I walk down the hallway and that I exist outside of my own perception.”

- Emily Livingston, 12

“I don’t know... look it up.”

- Lyric Kier, 9

memorable moments:

“‘I fell into a hole while walking this morning.”

- Madeline Flickinger, 11 “What if making a wish at 11:11 actually works but there’s one person who’s making a wsh for everyone’s wishes to not come true...”

- Ankisha Singh, 12

“The only building you leave but never enter is the hospital you are born in.”

- Ian McDuffie, 12

“When I looked up one day and saw that we don’t have a roof...”

- Aneesh Reddy, 11