Out
Official Newspaper of Oakton High School Vol.11 Issue 1 October 2017
Adventure with Past meets the Cougars present Mr. Meier shares his story
Oakton sports then vs. now
Parking on Sutton
Limited luxury of a parking space
snailmail
Contents
from the editors Dear Oakton,
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elcome back! With the start of the school year, there are many new changes. We have to take the time to adjust to more challenging course loads and rewire our sleep schedules after the summer months. Coming back to school in August this year was a first for us all, but it is sure to pay off when the last day of school will be on June 15 instead of June 23. There are many things that are shifting around with the start of school this year. From new cougar time schedules (page 5) to updated AP testing policies (page 6) to Oakton renovations and trailers (page 7), being a student at Oakton requires flexibility. We are excited to have our interim principal, Mr. Meier, still with us for the start of the year, yet the question remains over who the next permanent principal will be (page 22). Looking forward, we can all prepare for numerous exciting events. Oakton’s Homecoming dance is on October 14, and we all need extra insight for getting ready for the big night (page 27 and 28). Even farther along in the month is Halloween, and what’s really the best way to celebrate this holiday as a high schooler (page 24)? Additionally, fall sport seasons are getting even closer to postseason competitions. Several teams have already had big games, such as volleyball’s Dig Pink game, and our varsity football team celebrated its first win against Langley on September 22.
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photo courtesy of ohs website
Oakton renovations are starting up this year, expect many great changes
photo courtesy of luis acosta
Fall sports are in full swing with post season coming up
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As always, being a student at Oakton means more than just knowing what’s going photo courtesy of kira buttrey in within the 2 mile radius around the school. In the past month, communities around the United States have been impacted with events larger than us, such as Volleyball is creating thousands of planes for breast cancer awareness Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Hurricane Irma in Florida (page 3). Additionally, updates on DACA impact thousands of people across the nation, and the policy may be subject to change (page 30). Make sure to keep looking for the Oakton Outlook, both as online and print issues throughout the year. The Oakton Outlook staff is looking forward to posting more stories online this year, while still including 4 print issues in the schedule. While this issue may just be reaching you at the start of your year, many great things are sure to come.
photo courtesy of google
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EV cars are coming even more popular and advanced
Stay Rowdy, Cougs!
Jessica Marshall and Rebecca Woodhouse Editors-in-Chief
Editorial Policy: The Outlook is an open forum for student expression. Unsigned editorials reflect the collective opinion of the Outlook staff. Signed editorials represent the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Outlook or Oakton High School. Reader opinions are important to the Outlook and contributions are welcome. Make your
outlook staff editors in chief
jessica marshall rebecca woodhouse
editorial board
katerina faben ishika jain lindsey katsaros jake neuffer ashleigh tain courtney te katie thompson
adviser
elizabeth snyder
staff writers emily bach brendan bellingham abel berrocal enmanuel checo amy dai lana farkas wendy gao olivia garrone aubrey harrell riya jain sahithi jammulamadaka owen mccarty grace mouzavires
kartik mukalla juvianna mullings sally park emily richardson jacob rutzick zoe sauger zoe siamon ashley shepard clare sparling aneesh sreenivas nathan tankel payton wozny
voice heard by sending us a line about what’s on your mind. Letters to the editor may be sent via e-mail to efsnyder1@fcps.edu, or dropped off in Mrs. Snyder’s box in the main office or in room 135. The Outlook reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and content provided the meaning remains unchanged.
cover photo by student body: 2500 circulation: 600
news sahithi jammulamadaka staff writer clare sparling staff writer
The disaster that tore through Houston’s heart
How schools are responding to the impact of Harvey
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he country seems to have moved on, but the devastating effects are far from resolved; multiple cities are in need of rehabilitation. In the middle of all this chaos, schools are trying to begin the year. Justin Fuentes, the principal of R.S Sterling Aviation High School in Houston, Texas, describes the experience. His school is one of many that were affected by Hurricane Harvey. As a result, the students were out of school for full two weeks and returned back on September 11th. His school thankfully didn’t suffer any structural damages and the students were eager to get back to work. Fuentes said, “We’ve had many more students want to participate on teams and organizations then in the past. Not sure if that’s a way for them to feel more connected or just distract themselves, but it is nice regardless.” The students are trying their best to adapt to the situation and try to shed light in the negative world they live in. Ava Goodman, a sophomore in Houston, Texas, recounted her experience. Goodman said, “Usually we re-
homes and sacred belongings have been destroyed. That can affect more than just material things. Houses can be rebuilt and items bought again, but I can’t say that things will truly ever be the same.” Despite the hardship that has occurred, teachers and students are working together to stay positive. They will accept donations of any kind, as it will help them get back onto their feet. Many principals are asking for people to donate gift cards so students can pay for uniforms and supplies. It might take months for Houston to recover from this devastating hurricane and get back to their normal routines, but the students and teachers remain hopeful that the damage will subside with everyone’s help.
“You can be warned about all the bad things in the world and never truly get it until it happens to you and your surroundings.” - Goodman view and get to know our teachers at the beginning of the year, but we have jumped straight into learning. Due to this, both the stress of the teachers and my [own] stress, as well as fellow students are definitely heightened.” Goodman was lucky in that her home was not damaged, but the impact remains the same; seeing the effects of the hurricane on her peers was an eye opening experience. Goodman said, “I think this hurricane has changed my view of the world because of the ways things can change in an instant. You can be warned about all the bad things in the world and never truly get it until it happens to you and your surroundings.” Tough times can bring out the best in people, uniting them through a common event. Goodman said, “This hurricane has brought Houston together and people are working to restore [the way it] was before.” Although donations are needed and much appreciated, not everything can be restored. Goodman said, “Their
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Changing Cougar Time
Oakton’s students unhappy amid changes to their favorite period
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ow free is our free time? Recent changes to Cougar Time, and how it works, have had students asking that very question. These changes include having students fill out a form scheduling their next week, adding fifteen minutes of advisory on to Cougar Time on Mondays, and creating a “Be Bold Wednesday,” where students can do various activities to de-stress. While some students grumble about the changes, the teachers who are responsible for them have some valid reasons for making them. One of the main goals of these changes was to lighten the load for high traffic areas like the library or the gym. The computer labs could be especially problematic, as students who don’t even need computers would often clog them up. It also helps to fix internal organizational issues. “Organizing space is difficult. It’s not too uncommon for two people to book the lecture hall on the same day” said Ms. Lin, one of the teachers involved in implementing the new Cougar Time program. Having kids log where they go during Cougar Time also helps the administration track where students are going and when, an ability that may clue teachers into where students are struggling or which classrooms they find the most appealing. The new system also encourages scheduling, a skill that, they say, is very applicable in the real world. Some students haven’t been compliant with this new process, though. In the first week of logging, only two-thirds of students filled out the Google form. That number was even lower the second week. There have been more snags, though. “The administration forgot about students who don’t have advisory and students in academy classes that aren’t always able to attend” said Lindsey Kennebeck, an Oakton student. “There is no way for them to get the link to the sign-up sheet, so they can’t get into the library.” Administration has responded to this issue, and all students have access to the Google form, through the student Blackboard
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site and through QR codes posted in many teachers’ classrooms. They’ve also said that they’re open to change, and that this system will most likely not look exactly the same by the end of the year. “We’re flexible” said Ms. Lin. FCPS allocates “flexible learning time”, a time where students can work on what they choose to. To see what changes could be made to Cougar Time in the future, we can look at other schools. For example, Fairfax has a full free period every other day, something Oakton tried several years ago. South Lakes has seminar time, where students have to get passes to go to different rooms. Cougar time is meant to be for independent learning, but teachers know that many students don’t really use it for that. “We get it” said Ms. Whipp. “School is exhausting and students need to decompress, but the time should still be used for learning.” Some, however, feel as though the changes are a punishment. Ms. Whipp and Ms. Lin acknowledged that the majority of students use the time academically and responsibly, but it was becoming too much of a problem. Students would often not be able to go into the room they wanted to, so they would wander the halls. It’s important to remember, though, that the schedules students set for themselves are not set in stone, and could be changed at a moment’s notice. In case a student decides they don’t want to sit in a classroom, the Be Bold sessions give students another option. Their goal is to teach unconventional skills, like yoga. There has also been talk of having student’s
jake neuffer
editorial board
parents lead Be Bold sessions, a move that would tap into the diverse skill sets that Oakton’s parents have to offer. The Be Bold sessions aren’t held every day, however. This often leaves students without a neutral space that they can default to during Cougar Time. “Open the cafeteria” said Mary Bedwell, another Oakton student. She, as well as many others, want a neutral space where they can just sit down and get things done. And that’s what the purpose of Cougar Time really is, getting things done. The teachers want to help students do that without taking choice away. It’s for this reason that Cougar Time isn’t a return period, a “free period” where your destination is decided for you. But, in the future, teachers have said that they are considering tightening restrictions, and bringing Cougar Time closer to a return period, if things get worse and people don’t cooperate.
Worth the Price?
Rumor has it that Fairfax County is changing the Advanced Placement (AP) exam policy. Students may have to start paying for some of their own AP Exams. Ms. Martha Rodeheaver, an Assistant principal at Oakton High School, has provided some information on the new policy. Fairfax County is still ironing out the details, but Ms. Rodeheaver has answered questions based on what she knows so far. Below is a Q&A with Ms. Rodeheaver answering a few questions that will provide information on the new policy.
Q A &
Assistant Principal, Ms. Martha Rodeheaver confirms the rumors about the new AP exam policy.
ishika jain editorial board
Q: A: Q: A: Q: A: Q: A: Q: A:
What exactly is the new AP Exam policy? Fairfax County will pay for the first 6 AP exams that a student takes and after that point students will have to pay for any additional exams.
Why do you think Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has changed the policy? For the last several years, there have been cuts on certain things, and I think FCPS is looking to save money on AP and IB exam fees as they tend to cost several million dollars.
Do you think this policy is unfair to economically disadvantaged students as they may have a difficult time paying for their AP Exams? It’s one thing that I’m not sure about. I’m not sure whether there will be financial support. A student can pay 100 dollars for an extra AP Exam. Because the county has a deal with College Board, we can’t get discounted exams. I think part of the reason the county is implementing this policy is for more equity and giving all students the same opportunities. I certainly liked the policy of the county paying for all of the exams because I do think it let everybody sit for an exam if they wanted to.
What do you think FCPS will do with the money that they are saving? I’m not sure. We have been short on our budget for the last few years. I think this is putting us closer to what we should be spending versus really saving money.
Do you think there will be more GPA inflation as students get the 1.0 GPA boost regardless of their AP Exam score? I don’t think there will be GPA inflation. A lot of colleges wipe the 0.5 and 1.0 boost that students get for senior classes anyways. It hasn’t really impacted students in the past. If you are signing up for a class, having an AP next to it doesn’t help you look more competitive to colleges if you are getting a lower grade in the class.
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W Y EA R E N
As the new school year rolls around, the school is preparing for renovation. It is clear to everyone that the Oakton building is in need of help, especially after 50 years of operation. Assistant Principal Michelle Taylor shared her insight into the renovation process, and what we can expect from our new building. Although many think that the renovation will begin soon and cause many classes to move out into trailers, Oakton is subject to begin actual renovation and construction around June of 2018 and no structural changes have begun yet. In the past summer however, the communication lines were rewired around the school. Currently, the renovation team is finalizing its preparations, drawing up plans and timetables for construction. The long-awaited topic about who is moving into trailers is finally answered. By winter break, the school will have 44 new trailers ready. Don’t worry about having sub-par classrooms as the trailers. Oakton was supplied with brand new trailers, so some of them are arguably bigger than some classrooms in our current building. Trailers 1-13 will be moved to the other side of the school along with the other trailers to make room for a water bay filter in that area. However, not all trailers will be occupied at the same time by classes. The rooms in the inside hallway hidden behind the lecture hall around room 136 will be moving into the trailers around spring break, as the main office will move into that area around door 4. After spring break, school counseling should be moved to the trailers. The timeline for these changes is subject to change as it is tentative. The only group as of now impacted by the renovation is the tennis team. As trailers are currently placed on the tennis courts, there will be an off-site tennis court for the tennis team that they can use. The tennis team will be impacted the entire duration of renovation as the trailers will stay until the renovation is completed. The plans for the renovation include new features that make Oakton unique and different from its current state. There will be the development of a cougar hall and lounge area that will allow students to collaborate and work together outside of the classroom. This area will is a shared space of the building where all students can come and work both individually and collaboratively. We can also look forward to dedicated PBL spaces that students and teachers can utilize to expand and demonstrate their learning.
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riya jain staff writer
6 news september 2017
sports
Oakton Cougars’ long strides to the postseason
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he post season is coming up for 2017-2018 fall sports at Oakton. As teams like football and cross country enter the postseason, heat is building. Oakton High School teams are in a good place right now come the postseason. Some football players state that they are on the border right now and have to win the rest of their games in order to advance successfully to the playoffs/postseason. They had games against Lake Braddock, South Lakes, Westfield and other high schools in the area.
Homecoming game is against Westfield High School. Many sports teams here at Oakton are doing well right now preparing their fight to win in their championships. Cross Country, Football, Volleyball, and some other sports are all looking good as the playoffs/ post season comes along. Oakton High school’s cross country is looking good as the runners are vying for a state championship this year, as are other teams too.
Cross Country
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ne of the most promising sports at Oakton High School for this year’s Fall playoff season has to be the Oakton Cross Country Boys and Girls teams. They are in one of the best seasons in recent years and at their most recent meet at the Adidas XC Challenge in North Carolina, Oakton’s Varsity Girls and JV Boys performed exceptionally well with runner Joanna Moffitt to lead the pack for Oakton’s girls. Senior Runner Joanna Moffitt was
aneesh sreenivas staff writer
the front-runner for the Oakton Girls, after settling back in from an injury, which prevented her from training. However, Moffitt said, “I still ended up racing because I felt a little better and ran a great race in 19:20.” This would be her personal record and would lead the Oakton Girls for times at the event. “It gave me a really positive look for the rest of the season into playoffs,” says Moffitt. Additional outstanding performances came from two freshman boys, Bryce Buttrey and Garrett Woodhouse. Moffitt said, “they both ran really well and even bumped into our top 7 which was very exciting.” As for the returning upperclassmen runners, it collectively was not their best event but Moffitt believes that they will definitely improve for future races to come. The ultimate goal for the rest of the team seems to be perfectly mutual with one another, as they all want to win nothing less than a state title. Moffitt believes in the potential for her team to succeed in future races and aspires for the ring that has been missing from her collection from past seasons. Moffitt and her Varsity Girl’s
arthur kennington staff writer squad finished 2nd two years in a row in the state finals and all are looking to finally win it, as most of them are seniors and only have one more shot. “Our top seven is pretty much all seniors so we all have a huge goal of winning states and getting that ring to end our final season,” says Moffitt. The vision seems to be concrete for Senior Joanna Moffitt and the runners of Oakton High School; to get a state ring, and end a season as champions.
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Wizards’ season begins
The Wizards hope to build off of their promising season last year.
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Photo Courtesy of Keith Allison
he start of the 2017-2018 NBA season is approaching quickly, and the Washington Wizards must be loving their chances for at least a deep playoff run. The majority of preseason projections have them building on their success last year and also have John Wall dominating the league again. The actual season begins on October 17 and the Wizard’s first game is on the October 18 against the 76ers. It is very important that they get off to a stellar start and have a solid foundation the build
their season from. This year, their projected starting lineup boasts John Wall, Bradley Beal, Otto Porter, Markieff Morris, and Marcin Gortat. Their guard tandem is arguably one of the best in the league and towards the end of last year was virtually unguardable. Also, Porter is a budding superstar who still needs to become more consistent and settle into his role as the third option in the Wizards offense. The teams only issue and possible vulnerability is their front-court . This is because Morris is continuing to age, and last year Gortat r was very inconsistent. He had games where
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he made spectacular shots and plays and also ones where he looked awful and failed to even to make layups. In addition to their stellar starting lineup they also have an above average bench. They have players such as Kelly Oubre and Jason Smith, who have proven they can make an impact in big games and also can play lockdown defense. In the Eastern conference the Wizard’s main competitors are the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics. Both of those teams are expected to be dominant with all of the offseason moves that occurred. The Cavaliers have the best player in the league with Lebron James and the Celtics have a team full of depth and star players like Kyrie Irving. Many Oakton students are looking forward to the start of the season and specifically to watching the Wizards. Jack Hillen (12), an avid NBA fan says, “ I love watching these NBA games as a way to take a break from the stress of high school.” He also said that the
nathan tankel staff writer Photo Courtesy of Keith Allison
Wizards should be an excellent team and that if their defense shows up they will be very tough to beat. He expects them to compete with the best teams in the league this year and to hopefully even make the NBA Finals. All of Washington D.C. has their eyes on the Wizards and is hoping for a successful season. Photo Courtesy of Keith Allison
Not your typical touchdown
katie thompson editorial board
Oakton community members explore unique interests and sports outside of school Medieval Knight Fights
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encing is already considered an unusual sport, but instead of “electric tag” (as she calls modern fencing) , Elizabeth Sullivan does historical fencing. She studies the historical techniques and methods used by fencers in the Middle Ages, and competes in historical competitions. Officially, there is an organization called Historical European Martial Arts or HEMA, that coordinates historical fencing around the world.
Elizabeth has been doing fencing since the sixth grade, but didn’t get into historical fencing until a little after. She started off with epee and foil (two modern fencing disciplines) but decided to pursue her interest in history by immersing herself in the sports of the past. One of her favorite parts about the sport is her ability to learn new techniques and methods without ever stepping foot in the gym. For example, when she was unable to get to
practice, she could look at historical documents to look at new techniques. For those of you interested in picking up historical fencing (or fencing in general), Elizabeth goes to the Virginia Academy of Fencing in Springfield, where they offer several types of modern fencing with USA Fencing, as well as two different types of historical fencing. Additionally, the Oakton Fencing Club meets every Wednesday and welcomes beginners.
She went to several shows with her team and appreciated the aspect of the team, as horseback riding is usually seen as a more individual sport. In addition to taking lessons, Grace spends time working at barns. In the past, she worked for free at a barn, while leasing a horse, and she later worked for a barn for pay, mucking (e.g. cleaning) stalls and feeding horses. If you want to start riding horses, but don’t know how to start, Grace recommends working at a barn to get familiar with horses,
doing a camp, or just signing up for lessons, since rising lessons are offered for all skill levels for all ages.
Real Horsepower
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race Mead has a need for speed, not in a car, but on a horse. Said Grace Mead “I just like the fast [horses]”. This year Mead has been riding horses for a decade. Every Sunday, she drives for 40 minutes to get out to a barn in Leesburg to take riding lessons with a friend. “We’ve still been able to make progress and compete and keep up our skills” said Mead. Last year, Mead competed with the International Equestrian Association, which is an equestrian show team organization.
Mr. DePreist competing in a tournament in New York, March 2017
Just Do Jiu-Jitsu
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f you don’t have Mr. DePreist, you probably would never guess that he has a unique pastime, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Mr. DePreist has been doing jiu-jitsu since college when his best friend got him into it. He had been interested in MMA since high school, and his friend had been doing MMA clubs, and after a friendly fight ended badly for Mr. DePreist, he decided to join a club. Now, DePreist competes in both local and national tournaments (sponsored by the International Federation of Jiu-Jitsu) for jiu-jitsu. Recently, he has gone to tournaments in New York and other major cities for tournaments and is still working towards getting better every day. In fact, DePreist says that is the best part of jiu-jitsu is that “there is always another level to learn, and something to be better at”. He is also a perfect example of how you can stay active and involved in sports after school. He said that it keeps him balanced in life, and keeps him healthy. For students that would like to do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or MMA in general Mr. DePreist recommends doing a little bit of research beforehand on a local gym’s website, and just going to a class. “The biggest challenge for most people is just getting through the door,” said DePreist. Bu obviously, getting through the door pays off, and you’ll be left with a sport that you can do and have fun with for your whole life.
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Paper cranes to take over Oakton gym How Oakton volleyball is supporting breast cancer patients with two events
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ccording to an old legend, 1,000 paper cranes makes for one wish. That is why Rick Dunetz, Oakton’s freshman volleyball coach, and the Oakton volleyball team are planning an exhibition of 150,000 origami paper cranes. They are hoping to honor the 150,000 women with Stage Four Breast Cancer in Oakton’s gymnasium on October 28th. The volleyball team and the Side-Out Foundation will be fundraising a lot this month with the exhibition and Dig Pink. The Side-Out foundation, founded by Dunetz, works to fund their clinical trials for breast cancer. Oakton and other schools all around the country host annual Dig Pink volleyball matches to fundraise for the cause. This year, Dunetz and his foundation wanted to do something in addition to the annual match to support the women with stage four breast cancer. The crane exhibition is new and all of Oakton’s volleyball players, along with other volunteers, have been hard at work hand folding each of the cranes. For Dunetz, this new idea did not come out of thin air. It all started when he saw a statistic that said there were 150,000 women in the United States with Stage Four Breast Cancer. They wanted to do something to raise awareness about this high number of patients. “What could we do 150,000 of in volleyball? There was nothing realistic we could do. 150,000 push-ups in a season? They [the other coaches] were like, I don’t think we could do that without killing everybody,” Dunetz said. That is where the paper cranes come in. The idea was inspired by an IKEA picture of a kitten surrounded by origami cranes. After doing some research, he found the inspiring story. “When you take 1,000 origami cranes, you get to give a wish to somebody,” said Dunetz. The paper
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cranes will be displayed on stands, like mobiles, taking up the whole volleyball court in the Oakton gymnasium. Each Oakton volleyball player is in charge of making 100 of the cranes. Though it started as just an Oakton-Madison initiative, the Side-Out Foundation soon opened it up to the general public for help. They are still looking for more people to assist them with folding cranes to finish them in time for the exhibition. If interested, contact the volleyball coaches to get started. “I had never done origami before in my life, but once I did one I couldn’t stop doing them. I have probably made at least 200 and I’m still making more,” Alaia Solko-Breslin (12), an Oakton varsity volleyball player, said. Jenna Marshall (10), on Oakton’s JV team, explained that though folding cranes started out hard, it Paper cranes to be displayed in the gym became easier the more she did it. All of the time people have been spending on the I hope that it can show how dedicatproject will pay off when the ed we are as a program to work on a exhibition takes huge project in order to raise awareplace. With the paper ness about breast cancer. cranes coming along quickly, -Solko-Breslin it shouldn’t be too long before the exhibition itself. Make sure to come out and support the Side-Out foundation and the Oakton volleyball team at this year’s Dig Pink match and Paper Crane Exhibition!
olivia garrone staff writer
MLB Postseason race
jacob rutzick staff writer
The MLB post season race has been one of the most intense and exciting of all time. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top.
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his year postseason race has been an interesting one. In 2012 the MLB made the controversial decision to add a second wild card spot in the playoffs. This year for about a week all serious baseball fans who were against that decision were very excited. It seemed that is was possible that four teams would tie for the second wild card spot in the National league. That is just one example of the weird yet amazing season we have had in the MLB. Right now there are three main stories that have driven the season. The rise and fall of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the insane run of the Cleveland Indians, and the second wild card spot in the National league. First we need to see who’s in and who is out. The Nationals, Dodgers,and Cubs are the division champs while currently the Diamondbacks and Rockies have the wild cards in the National league. In the American league the Indians, Red Sox, and Astros are division champs, and the Yankees and Twins have the two wild cards. The first major storyline this year is the rise and fall of the Los Angeles Dodgers. There was a time in mid-July that it looked like the world series was decided and the Dodgers would have the trophy. Over the course of thirty four games the Dodgers won thirty of them. They were the best team led by rookie phe-
nom Cody Bellinger along with other stars in Yasiel Puig, Corey Seager, and Justin Turner. The Dodgers made a mid-season trade to acquire a top tier pitcher in Yu Darvish. He had struggled this year, but after his first start in which he appeared to return to his usual form everyone said give the Dodgers the trophy they’ve won. Then something happened. Maybe the Dodgers heard the chatter and took their foot of the petals for a second and they couldn’t find it again. Over the next seventeen games the Dodgers won one game. This seemed crazy, ESPN analyst were going mad with all the statistics they threw out. Everyone was in shock. The Dodgers never returned to their great form and they were eclipsed by this next team. The Cleveland Indians had a run like on we have never seen before in the past decade. The Indians won twenty two games in a row, and have won twenty eight of their last twenty nine games. The Athletics won twenty straight games in 2002, but the last time we saw a streak like this was more than fifty years ago. The Indians rocketed from a team struggling to lead their division to having a twenty seven percent chance to win the title. The Indians lead by twenty three year old star Francisco Lindor, Jay Bruce, and Jose Ramirez along with the incredible pitching of Corey
Kluber who is in Cy Young contention this year. The Indians won their twenty second game in a special way. In the bottom of the ninth with two outs and Two strikes Francisco Lindor tied the game with a double. Then in the bottom of the tenth mid-season trade acquisition Jay Bruce hit a walk off double to end the game. The National league second wild card race has been the most intense race for the second wild card spot since it was implemented in 2010. The Rockies, Brewers, and Cardinals are the teams in a heated race for this coveted playoff spot. Each team is close than two and a half games out of first place. It would be very interesting to see a three way tie for this spot. I have no idea how the MLB would settle this tie. I assume they would have a game to decide the wild card or possibly the league would use a statistic such as which team has the highest overall batting average or possible run differential, the average amount of runs the team won by. If the MLB decided to do a game to choose the winner it would be very unfair. The teams would use their ace’s in the game which would put them at a distinct disadvantage when a few days later the ace would be unable to pitch in the one and done wild card game. This MLB season has been extremely eventful and the playoffs are looking to be even more exciting.
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Feature
Flood of Freshmen
A focus on the impact of enlarging class sizes on students
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akton high school is a broad community, complete with students from different religions and ethical backgrounds. With schools all over the district feeding into Oakton, the class sizes seem to get bigger each year, especially the class of 2021. The class of 2021 is one of the largest currently at Oakton. The “Flood of Freshman” has impacted both students and teachers alike since the beginning of the school year, influencing the way the Oakton community is run. But how does this year look different from previous ones? Gigi Phamton, a current sophomore, shares her thoughts on the issue. In response to questions on how the increasing student population has personally affected her, she states, “Yes, actually I noticed the huge increase of freshmen on the first day of school. My bus was jam packed with new faces that I didn’t recognize and I began to realize that they were all freshman. After a week, I began to wonder why everything was so crowded (especially the hallways) and I asked my friend Ankisha if she noticed the huge shift as well. I’m not sure if this is true, but I was told that total, about 900 freshman were entering Oakton this year. This
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has made it incredibly difficult to get through the narrow hallways and finding seats at lunch I used to be able to walk freely but now I have to tread in the tracks of the new generation.” Similarly, freshman are adjusting to a change in scene as well. In response to the question, “How are you adjusting to high school”, a present freshman, Sahithi Jammulamadaka indicated that the transition was challenging at first, but has found a way to overcome the obstacles. She quotes, “Adjusting to high school has been pretty easy, I’ve met lots of great people and my teachers for the most part are pretty good. The amount of work definitely increased which has taken some time to get used to and it’s definitely harder to keep my grades up. I miss my middle school because of my old friends due to me moving from a different county to a new place, but high school is still great and there is a lot more freedom. Not just students, but teachers have been impacted by the “flood of freshman”. A current freshman history teacher, Ms. Lintott, shares a different perspective on the matter. When asked the topic of the expansion of the freshman class, she stated : “Although there are a lot of students, it allows them to share more ideas and debate on different things in the classroom. I’ve always had a large amount of students, I’d say about 30+ due to new student enrollment. There have been disadvantages due to the enlargement in population such as additional desks being added, limited ability and space, along with
grading over 155 papers. Having to grade so much, it’s harder for the students to receive their papers on time and being able to have a one on one discussion with a student has also became a task. Being that it’s the beginning of the school year, I expect the grading paper tasks to get a little more tedious while we get deeper in the semester. The school has used methods such as trailers but of course there are pros and cons to this. I only wish the trailers were more spacious so the students could engage in more activities.” Precautions have already been taken by the school, as the planned renovation will take place in 2018. The enlarging and reconfiguration of the school, as well as the addition of trailers, will ensure there is enough space for incoming students. With larger spaces and bigger classrooms, students will be able to interact with their learning, and engage in more classroom activities. Overall, the increase in students has impacted the school immensely in the past couple of months. Although the Oakton population views the “flood of freshmen in different ways, it is certain that the increase in population has changed the way the school is run. Hopefully, with the renovation in the near future, Oakton will be able to introduce new students, while making room for an educational environment for all.
katarina faben juvianna mullings editorial board staff writer
Cougar internships
owen mccarty zoe sauger staff writer staff writer
A look at the internships students had over the summer
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because she would often read things that others would overlook. Another student with an interesting opportunity this summer was senior Arthur Liao. Liao interned at the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering Lab in Virginia. The goal of this lab is to improve human health by providing leadership for development and accelerating the application of biomedical technologies. For the average person, the lab seems like it would be filled with highly educated adults or at least college students. However, Oakton’s very own 17 year old student
akton is widely renowned as one of the top academic schools in all of Virginia, filled with intelligent and hard working students. However, while most of us were enjoying our summer by relaxing and hanging out around the pool, there are some who had amazing once-in-a-lifetime internships. Theodore Roosevelt once said “Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ‘em, ‘Certainly I can!’ Then get busy and find out how to do it.” Many of Oakton’s students prove this true by following their passion and setting themselves apart from other high schoolers with hard work. These students who set themselves apart have spent their summer interning and learn vital information working with professionals for pursuing a career in the field. Senior Kira Buttrey did an internship with the National Institute of Health in the Bethesda campus, where she worked in a lab with the National Cancer Institute. She chose
“Students often dream of a particular career and cement that dream, or realize they no longer want to pursue that career through experience,” said Brandon Street, director of career and development center at Southern University in Utah
to do an internship for fun and because she was very interested in biomedical engineering and wants to major in it, but wanted to make sure she enjoyed it. She had many jobs in the lab, such as making samples and proof-reading papers. She did so well the first time she proof-read a paper, that everyone went to her when needing some editing help. Her inexperience in the field helped her
was hands-on in the most advanced biomedical labs in the country. In order to receive this internship, Liao had to apply amongst other students but due to his academic achievements and interview he was able to receive the job. “I helped my mentor in the lab with his research project by conducting experiments and analyzing the data received,” said Liao. He worked up close and personal with a professional, performing experiments and trying to help him with his project. “The project was design and development of nanoscopic delivery of camptothecin and paclitaxel for combination therapy.” The topic was very advanced and he had to catch on quickly and adapt to the environment. He greatly enjoyed the internship and it gave him loads of vital experience and credentials in a field which he wants to look into for
his future career. “In today’s economy, students have to start building their careers in high school in order to better compete in the college admissions process, for college internships and eventually full-time jobs,” said Dan Schawbel, founder of millennial branding. Getting experience in the field ahead of time is very helpful. It can help you from making a huge mistake. What if you get the job you’ve wanted your whole life only to find out that you don’t enjoy it? You can avoid this by doing an internship and getting a feel for the field. “Students often dream of a particular career and cement that dream, or realize they no longer want to pursue that career through experience,” said Brandon Street, director of career and development center at Southern University Utah. Street believes that experience is key. Gaining experience from an internship can help you decide on what you want to major in. Also, if you enjoy the internship you meet tons of new people in the field and make connections. This can make it easier for when applying to jobs after college. Internships in high school don’t just help you with getting a good job, but they also help you get into better colleges. Also, apply in the winter to raise your chances of getting the internship. Overall, interning is a great experience that is worth it in the long run. Interning is something special and is so helpful. It gives opportunities to meet new people and show off your skills. Being a cougar is something special as well. It is amazing that the students at Oakton High School are able to succeed so well by using the skills they learn in school. Even though we only touched on two people, there are many other accomplished students who did internships over the summer. We are proud to go to school with all of these impeccable, brilliant students.
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Oakton Athletics: How the past meets the present
Oakton’s current and former athletes describe what it means to be a Cougar.
young age has the same benefits as going to public school- better relationship developments from an early age and social skills in general. There’s also a sense of community among players. “You make a lot of new friends. hat does it mean to be a part Also, playing sports at Oakton really helps you grow as a person, commuof something? A group, ornicatively,” says baseball and golf ganization, or team can add player Drew Pierce. more competition and excitement to Being on a team can be just plain your life. It’s undeniable that playfun, too. Every athlete has their faing sports is healthy and comes with plenty of benefits; a study by the Uni- vorite tradition- Varsity field hockey agrees that their favorite team versity of Kansas in 2014 proves that high school students who play sports tradition is the annual team potluck. You meet a lot of lifetime friends, and tend to do better in class. There’s you’re always making lasting memoplenty to be learned from playing sports, too. Oakton’s own athletes all ries at games and in practices. So it’s been established- Oakton agree that the hardest thing about students love playing sports. In a being a student athlete is using their school with as rich of a history as small amounts of free time wisely. ours though, student opinions must “It’s hard to focus on two things at have changed over time, especialonce, your sport and schoolwork,” ly as it is the semi-centennial of says Danielle Huser, sophomore the founding of our school. Around member of the Oakton track team. 20,000 students have graduated from What about when you play sports or do activities all school year long? That Oakton since 1967. Which of those students played gives you plenty of time to practice sports? Which of them are back at and refine your time management Oakton today, teaching or coaching skills. the sports they once played? What other benefits are there, Coach Erin McGartland of Varsithough, to playing sports? Being around a group of ten, fifteen, twenty ty field hockey and Freshman girls basketball attended Oakton from or more other students all the time 2005 to 2009, playing both of those must have some underlying social sports herself. Looking back, the sinbenefits. Playing club sports from a
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gle best aspect of playing on a sports team was by far the relationships she made. So as it turns out, students and their coaches still share the same opinions and experiences about high school sports. That’s the nature of sports and activities- they’re unifying, and they’ve always been that way. Team traditions, though, are a different story. They change with the team. Constant for a few years, kept up by coaches and upperclassmen, until eventually they disappear. Occasionally, though, there’s the one tradition that players follow across many years. Both Erin McGartland and Erin Keenan, of Freshman field hockey and JV girls basketball, remember the team dinners they enjoyed. While at the same time, their own players take part in team dinners themselves. Maybe it’s a school wide tradition, though. Coach Justin Janis of Varsity baseball remembers his football dinners from high school. “I believe it still continues today… every Thursday after practice we would have a ‘red death’ dinner. It was a spaghetti dinner that we ate as a team the day before the game. Our coach would give a speech to the team about the game the next day. It was a great bonding experience for the team,” he explained, reminiscing about his days as both a baseball and football athlete at Oakton. Across generations it has been shown that playing high sports comes with endless benefits, the best of which are the lasting memories.
photo courtesy of kathryn thurston
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emily richardson staff writer
International leadership conference with Oakton’s “Best Buddies” Leaders collaborate with chapters from all over the world to advocate for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities
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his past July, Oakton’s own chapter President Caylan Roy (12), Buddy Director Savanna Forrest, student with IDD (11), and Vice President Libby Edwards (11) traveled to Indiana University Bloomington to attend Best Buddies International Leadership Conference for four days. Along with other chapters in Virginia, there were also chapters from all 50 states and even chapters from other countries.
jessica marshall editor-in-chief
What is Best Buddies? Best Buddies is an international organization that promotes inclusion and offers one-on-one friendships and life-changing opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Our representatives from Oakton at this conference were able to talk with people from around the world and get their perspectives on what they are doing in their chapters. This was an essential aspect of the conference because they learned specifically how to enhance Oakton’s chapter. Roy personally was not only a leader for Oakton, but also a leader at Leadership Conference when she led discussions within the Capital Region chapters (Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia) about fundraising for the Friendship Walk in D.C. (October 21), matching buddies in one-on-one friendships, and how Oakton’s chapter runs as one of the strongest programs in the state of Virginia. Roy and Forrest especially cherished this time together when they were able to be roommates at LC. Forrest had never been away from home without her family together, so it was definitely a big step for the both of them in their friendship. “She was one of my best friends before LC, and after, our bond was just so much stronger and deeper,” said Roy. “Caylan and I snuggled and played games together. It was a lot of fun,” added Forrest.
“My favorite part of BBLC was having the opportunity to meet people from around the world who participate in Best Buddies and hearing the way they promote inclusion within their schools and communities” - Libby Edwards (12)
The highlight of the experience at BBLC for Roy was receiving an award from Anthony K. Shriver, founder of Best Buddies. Roy, Forrest, and Edwards had the unique opportunity to talk one-onone with Shriver in addition to obtaining feedback and sharing ideas for the Oakton chapter. This was an amazing moment that made our leaders eager to come back to Oakton and implement all that they learned at BBLC this year to make our chapter even more of a success.
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Oakton’s Young Teachers of 2017-2018 Meet Ms. Doshireh, Ms. Johnson, and Mr. DePriest
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he halls of Oakton High School are ever-changing; we have recently welcomed our new principal, we are in the young process of our renovations, and we are adjusting to new rhythms of cougar time. It seems that the only things we can keep up with are the same old puns that are read in the morning announcements or the repetitive chants of our teachers saying ‘no phones in class!.’ But in high school, new teachers are
different. Their debuts are quiet and marvelling. They plan the year with a surge of optimism and energy and they are inspiring with their apparent passions and vast knowledge. Oakton has welcomed many new teachers and staff this year, and here we delve exclusively into their backgrounds, including why they decided to immerse themselves in such a noble profession or how they plan to deal with us high school students.
Ms. Doshireh, from playing pretend to solving algebra
Ms. Doshireh or ‘Ms. Sheeva’, teaches Algebra 2, where her teaching experiences took root. Doshireh got her first taste of lesson planning as she served as an undergraduate teacher assistant from George Mason University, which later influenced her decision to join the NOYCE
Scholar, a program that gives potential candidates an opportunity to teach with the necessary resources. Although the essentials of this experience stems in University, Doshireh’s passion for teaching flourished in the walls of her home, “Ever since I was little, [my brother and his younger friend] we used to play school and I was always the teacher.” Doshireh says. She continues explaining how this simple hobby, of helping others grow, became a future endeavor.
Ms. Johnson, from chemistry labs to classroom biology
Ms. Johnson is teaching her second year of Biology 1, and although she isn’t exactly a new teacher here at Oakton, the energy and passion in her ‘teacher-self’ is seemingly untouched. From her past work in a hospital to her experience publishing research papers for an organic chemistry lab, Ms. Johnson’s decided that teaching was the right path, “I knew I wanted to do biology, and I didn’t like researching full time. I didn’t like the hospital/health care environment, and teaching was seemingly the most appealing option.” Johnson says. She explains the cons of teaching, especially the workload of grading, as it can be stressful
and tedious. However, it is the reward of making a difference to students that assures her she made the right choice. When asked about what inspires her to teach, Johnson answers, “In reality, my inspiration for teaching, in a way, is the students. I am excited to teach— although I hate getting up in the morning— because I know that there are students here who depend on seeing me, and that really makes a big difference.”
Mr. DePriest, from class clown to physics teacher
Mr. DePriest is a physics teacher who is currently in his second year of teaching, and first year at Oakton High School. Before teaching, he attended college and received a bachelor degree in physics, a minor in mathematics and a masters degree in education. He took an advanced accelerated program and
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began to teach one year after. He decided on teaching as a profession when he did an outreach program to teach science. DePriest enjoyed it, which sparked his decision to educate kids. DePriest describes his high school self as a class clown and reportedly slept a lot during lectures and did not pay attention during class.
sally park staff writer
ashleigh tain editorial board
An adventure with the cougars Mr. Meier shares stories about his Oakton experience
lindsey katsaros editorial board
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“Oakton is as good as there is, it’s just a very positive place” -Mr. Meier
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uring the school day, you are sure to see Oakton’s principal roaming around the hallway and the cafeteria. Since Mr. Dan Meier’s arrival at Oakton High School ,last April, he has already had an impact on many student’s school days. As an interim principal, Mr. Meier has had a variety of experiences at different middle and high schools throughout the county. After spending a few months at Oakton, Mr. Meier already has positive stories to share about his time here. Throughout the past 30 years, Mr. Meier has been working at one of the many middle and high schools in Fairfax County Public Schools, such as Robinson Secondary School, Woodson High School, Herndon High School, James Madison High School, and now Oakton High School. Although he has had many great experiences at each of these schools, there are some unique qualities that make Oakton High School stand out. “The students and the teachers take their jobs very, very seriously and the students take learning very, very seriously, but we have fun as well,” said Mr. Meier. At the end of last year, he was able to see some of the school wide projects that make Oakton unique, such as the Exhibition of Learning and the Presentation of Learning. When freshmen first enter Oakton, they are initially surrounded by a variety of students throughout the county, many of which they had not gone to elementary school or middle school with. Mr. Meier pointed this out as another unique quality of Oakton High School. In contrast, Mr. Meier spent 10 years teaching at Robinson Secondary School, where the middle schoolers were in the same building as the high schoolers. Mr. Meier said, “this school is a little more spread out, but there are advantages to that because you get to meet people that you normally wouldn’t have met otherwise because you have not been in the same elementary school with them. You haven’t been with the same kids since elementary school,so you do get to meet different kids once you get to high school.” Since the first day that Mr. Meier arrived at Oakton, he has been known to spend a lot of his school day around the students. Mr. Meier said, “you know the fun of being in this business is being around the students.” A few weeks ago, he learned what a pop socket was by talking to a student in the cafeteria. Since the drama department was selling them, he decided to buy one for his 22 year old daughter, even though she is a Robinson Ram. He could not have had all that fun sitting inside of his office. Last year, there was an incentive to try to increase school spirit throughout Oakton. Oakton has never been known for its extreme participation in spirit days, but Mr. Meier still believes that the students here seem to love their school. When comparing Oakton’s school spirit to other high schools, Mr. Meier said, “ most of the schools have great school spirit and there is a lot of school pride here.” As far as improvements for Oakton High School, Mr. Meier believes that the building is in need of renovation, which is happening as of now. Mr. Meier said, “The biggest thing is when you work in some schools that have been recently renovated you get to see what a great advantage that is so that’s the most obvious, building is kind of old and we could use some renovations and that’s going to take place pretty soon.” Mr. Meier’s future at Oakton High School is still a bit unclear. Originally, he only expected to be here until the end of the school year. Mr Meier said, “I never really know, they just kind of tell me when the new person is coming in so I just enjoy everyday that I am here.” Oakton could not have gotten a better interim principal and his presence will be missed once the next principal arrives.
“It’s just fun being around young people, the youthful enthusiasm is contagious.” -Mr. Meier september 2017 feature
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payton wozny staff writer
courtney te editorial board
Much to prepare about “Much Ado About Nothing” Oakton’s theatre department begins preparations for the new Fall play. Much Ado About Nothing
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t’s that time of year again—leaves are falling, people are bundling up, and Oakton theatre is preparing for the premiere of their new fall play. This November, hitting the stage of Oakton is the production of “Much Ado About Nothing,” a comedic play set to entertain, play with your emotions, and create a few giggles.
Behind the Red Curtains Behind the curtains of every show, whether it be at Oakton or Broadway, there are always hard working people making sure everything runs smoothly. From Drama 2 students researching about Shakespeare’s time period, to building beautiful and intricate sets, Oakton’s dedicated backstage crew strives to make “Much Ado About Nothing” another big success. “I’ll have to be in charge of not just what I do, but what everyone has to do as well,” says Kate Vietmeyer (11), stage manager. Vietmeyer explains this is her first time being a stage manager and it’s a huge passion for her, but it’s also a scary to manage how everyone else is doing. Anna Goodin, 12, was previously the lead actor of last year’s Fall show, “Once in a Lifetime”, takes on a new outlook as the director of “Much Ado About Nothing” this school year. “I’m really looking forward to being behind the scenes this fall and getting a different perspective than being onstage,” Goodin says.
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Much to Prepare Despite the play not being for a few more months, preparations are already being made. Vietmeyer says, “We have a basic design idea and we went on stage to sort of plan it out and make sure our measurements are reasonable.” The crew will soon start collecting materials to build the set while trying to recycle from previous plays. In addition to that, Tech students will be assigned a dramaturgy. A dramaturgy is when each crew member is assigned a specific topic to look for when they read through the entire play. That way, the crew and actors will gain a general idea for props and costumes.
What to Expect
“Much Ado About Nothing” is a play written by William Shakespeare, set in the 1970’s right after troops come home from the Vietnam war. “There’s a lot of drama, betrayal, and eavesdropping,” says Vietmeyer, “it’s overall a very entertaining play.” Although not much can be said in order to avoid spoilers, here is the rundown of what to expect when going to the see the play in November. The year is 1973; the Vietnam war has just ended and the prince of Aragon, Don Pedro, has won. The antagonist is the prince’s half brother, Don Jon, and he is furious that he has lost the war. Now, Don Jon wants to “wreak havoc” on the protagonist’s relationship, Hero and Claudio. While all of this is going on, Beatrice and Benedick are constantly arguing with each other, but Claudio and
Hero come up with a plan for them to fall in love. “Beatrice is a very strong, independent woman. Benedick is a charming soldier,” says Goodin, director of the play. With the drama, heartbreak, and twist and turns of the play, this production is something you don’t want to miss. Considering all the work that has already been put in, we know “Much Ado About Nothing” will be a huge success. With a great cast and a hardworking crew, we are ready to see this amazing show brought to life. Make sure you come watch the Oakton Theatre’s production of “Much Ado About Nothing” on Nov. 9th, 10th, and 11th at 7pm. You won’t want to miss it!
Halloween in high school: what is Halloween approaches, students are there to do? As wondering how to celebrate this year.
zoe siamon staff writer
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alloween. The word evokes Many kids feel as if they have Moran says, “ There are some images of pumpkins and to stop trick or treating because students who get really excited costumes, and for many people, they are told they are “too old,” about it and get engaged and a carefree holiday that is looked but according to Mrs. Moran, “If dress up...I think there’s space forward to all year. Kids run you are dressed up in a costume, for the students who are exup and down the street dressed anybody’s old enough.” This cited about it to celebrate that up as their favorite characters. should be what anybody thinks excitement. Students will come The excited thrill seems to echo about when debating whether or to school in costume and there throughout the world. But what not to go trick or treating. If you will be teachers who are dressed happens when you are considput the effort into the costume, up or tweeting about it. I think ered “too old” to enjoy it? Many nobody can judge you for doing that that’s a nice thing for the students feel pressured to stop what you enjoy. students who are excited there’s the traditions they have had This holiday is also a time for a space for them to be excited.” since childhood, such as trick family. Many people have tradiThere are door decorating comor treating, even if they still tions they do every Halloween, petitions, among many other enjoy them. If that is the case, even things as small as carving things to bring the students into what are teenagers the Halloween excitesupposed to do during “You guys are under so much presment. Halloween? is no need to sure to think about your future- think There There is so much even do anything about being a grown up, and I think during Halloween, if stress put on every one of us here at Oakwhat you want. Halloween is a rare opportunity in the that’s ton. From all of the Halloween seems to school work to social year when you can just be a kid.” be more of a mindpressures, everyone set than a holiday. - Mrs. Moran feels like they’re car- Even in mid- Seprying the world on their shoula pumpkin or making a costember, when so many people ders. Halloween is an amazing tume. Even if it’s only for a few are already talking about the time to step back and release minutes, spending time with “Halloween Season.” Once some of that stress. “You guys family could make this holiday October rolls around, spooky are under so much pressure to even more special. decorations start popping up, think about your future, to think Other teenagers enjoy exand scary movies show up on about being a grown up,” says ploring the creepy side of TV, that is where the excitement Mrs. Moran, an English 9 teach- Halloween. Investigating ghost comes from, not one measly er here at Oakton, “and I think stories and visiting haunted night. “I look forward to all the Halloween is a rare opportunity houses are popular activities for excitement in the air and horror in the year when you can just thrill-seeking teenagers. Scary themed things,” says Felicia be a kid.” Whether you choose movies, such as Scream, Saw, Gordon, a freshman at Oakton. to go trick or treating, hand out Halloween, The Exorcist, etc. Whether you enjoy watching candy, or go to a party, the only are another common way to scary movies or dressing up, important thing is celebrating experience that spooky HallowHalloween has something for the holiday the way it is meant een thrill. everyone! to be celebrated: having fun and Here at Oakton, there are a letting go of stress. few ways of celebrating. Mrs.
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Is “IT” Worth It?
The comparison between both adaptations of Stephen King’s novel, “IT” “IT”, an adaptation of Stephen King’s grotesque and critically acclaimed novel, was released recently and captivated audiences everywhere. The release of the movie was also accompanied by critical acclaim, extensive press coverage, and a large number of viral internet memes. The worldwide hit inevitably draws comparisons to the less popular 1990 miniseries that came before it. While the two adaptations share a few stylistic elements, they are vastly different in the way they deal with King’s subject matter and in how their plots progress.
IT (2017)
V.S. IT (1990)
The new movie, “IT”, directed by Andy Muschietti and based on the horrific, yet thrilling novel by Stephen King, has exploded in the world of entertainment. From memes on social media to people dressing up as Pennywise the clown, the world has become obsessed with this brand new hit film. After “IT” was released on September, 8, 2017, the film set multiple box office records and had grossed over $478 million worldwide. The movie depicted the thrilling story of a supernatural creature who manifested into the fears of young children in order to kill and take their lives. The film was shot in Bangor, Maine, and multiple buildings were transformed into multiple structures from the book. For example, the Port Hope Municipal hall was the Derry Public Library, The Port Hope Tourism Centre became the City of Derry office, Ganaraska Financial was remade as Montgomery Financial, Gould’s Shoes store front on Walton Street changed to a butcher shop, The Avanti Hair Design store front changed to Tony’s Barber Shop, and an empty storefront at 36 Walton Street changed to Reliance Cleaners. Not only that, but in the movie, the infamous sewers that Pennywise uses to travel all over Derry wasn’t actually a real sewage system. The set of the sewer system was actually built in studio, using the combination of real water and practical light helped transform fake tunnels into the terrifying home of “IT”.
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Originally aired on ABC as a two-episode miniseries directed by Tommy Lee Wallace, “IT” was considered a success, drawing in 30 million total viewers and earning modest praise from film critics. Despite the success and praise that it received, the miniseries faded into general obscurity until the new, far more successful adaptation of King’s novel released in 2017. One major reason for the miniseries’ success was Tim Curry’s magnetic performance as Pennywise the clown. Due to the 4-hour long runtime of the miniseries, It mainly stayed faithful to the book, only adding a few changes in design elements. A vast majority of It’s special effects were constructed practically without the aid of computers. While Pennywise’s makeup was originally supposed to be composed of many latex and plastic pieces, Tim Curry strongly objected to it, leading to a complete redesign of his appearance. Pennywise’s revised appearance was inspired by Lon Chaney from Phantom Of The Opera. Tommy Lee Wallace, the director of the miniseries, emphasized focusing more on an unsettling atmosphere and not relying on cheap jump scares or fake-outs that many horror films utilized in the early 90s.
lana farkas staff writer
kartik mukalla staff writer
Upcoming Shows
Stranger Things:
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round fall of last year, this Sci-Fi Horror took the world by storm, gathering an impressive number of fans. The show takes place in the 1980’s, following the adventures of a group of kids after the mysterious disappearance of their friend, Will. Frustrated with the lack of police action on the case, they decide to take matters into their own hands. In their crazy adventures, they run into a young girl named Eleven, who has some very strange powers and even venture into a distorted alternate dimension occupied by a menacing monster called the Demogorgon. The show’s first season left viewers with many questions, and ever since then fans have been anxiously awaiting the second season for their questions to be answered. For example, what happened to Eleven? Why was Will having visions of the alternate dimension, the Upside Down? Is there more than one Demogorgon? Why was Will taken in the first place? Season 2 definitely will be worth the wait, with it being confirmed by series co-producer Shawn Levy to raise the bar as far as nightmarish creatures go, and the occurrence of new unique characters. The show has been announced to return October 27th.
Riverdale: Riverdale is another show that had a recent surge of popularity this year. Riverdale is a teen drama mystery that puts a modern spin on the 1940’s Archie comic series. This show follows four teens as they work together to solve the mystery of town local Jason Blossom’s murder, and unravel other town secrets in the process. Riverdale left off with a large cliffhanger in its final moments. Riverdale is returning with more character development for some of its more bland characters like Archie, who has had little to none in the series despite being a main character. Riverdale’s cast is expected to grow exponentially as the show gets the chance to introduce more characters from the comics, and also delve more into the relationships of the show. Riverdale will air on CW on Wednesday’s starting October 11th, and each episode will air on Netflix the Friday that same week.
aubrey harrell staff writer
Coming and going from Netflix this fall The best new and expiring shows in the month of October
Malcolm in the Middle: Malcolm in the Middle is a comedy sitcom about a quirky dysfunctional family. The main character is Malcolm, a certified eleven year old genius and a middle child in his family made up of his parents and three other brothers. The show is about what he deals with in everyday life; from girls, to his family, to his stingy neighbors. Having watched the show myself, I can definitely vouch for its hilarity. Even though it could be considered slightly out of date (It was released in 2000 and ended in 2006), its jokes are still entertaining to this day. Chances are if you like shows like “Modern Family” and “The Middle”, you’ll also enjoy this show. Malcolm in the Middle is definitely binge worthy, and has 7 seasons worth of content; so sit back and enjoy it before it’s gone from Netflix forever on October 1st.
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Leaving Shows
How I Met Your Mother: How I Met Your Mother is another widely popular show that will be taking its leave on Netflix sometime this fall, although the exact date it’s leaving hasn’t been announced. The show is about character Ted Mosby, a caring and somewhat nerdy man, in the year 2030 recapping to his children about how he met their mother. The show then goes back in time to show Ted and his friends, Robin, Marshall, Lily, and Barney in Manhattan, and from there the episodes storylines all lead up to how he met their mother, hence the show’s title. Information about the mother was slowly revealed throughout several years, leading much to speculation before the actual reveal. The show is renowned by many for its very unique structure for storytelling. Additionally, this show is known to have mixed reviews about how the show ended, with some loving it and some despising it. What’s the ending, you may ask? Well, you’ll just have to watch and find out! How I Met Your Mother has a total of 9 seasons. If you enjoy the humor from other hit shows like “Friends” and “Parks and Recreation”, then you’ll also enjoy How I Met Your Mother. Be sure to catch it before it’s gone!
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How will the night glow?
Homecoming dresses of 2017, what will you be wearing?
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ou can’t glow wrong with a simple homecoming dress! This year’s theme for homecoming is glow in the dark, and many people are excited. Some girls get the inspiration for their dress from the theme of homecoming, although others may just search for what is the popular dress at the moment. Over the years style has changed a lot, and there’s always a new trend each year. Homecoming has been a tradition since the 1800’s,and the style has been changing ever since. There are so many different places you can find dresses and now with the internet there are even more. Every year there is a new trend that you will find. In 2017 the most popular dresses were two pieced. While shopping for a dress, you will see a lot of off the shoulder dresses and dresses with decorative designs along the top. Plenty of stores carry dresses like this such as Macy’s and Nordstrom. It doesn’t matter where you buy your dress. What matters the most is that you feel beautiful. Each year there is a distinct style of dress displayed on online shopping sites, letting us know what’s “in” at the moment. Many girls that shopped online noticed a distinct pattern in the style of dress, “I noticed a lot of two pieced and floral dresses, I expect to see a lot of those at homecoming” , says Gilly Jarrard (9). Many girls, especially freshman, are buying decorative dresses with elaborate designs, because they want to look their absolute best for their first formal dance. Sophomores tend to look for elegant, yet simple dresses, “I plan to wear a red off-the-shoulder suede dress, which is much more simple than the dress I wore last year which had intricate detail and was a lot more flashy” says Shanza Ali (10). Likewise, upperclassmen tend to look for more simple dresses. Nika Sauger
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I think most girls express their personality with their dress, so if the theme of hoco doesn’t fit that, they wear whatever they feel best suits their character - Shanza Ali
(11) stated, “my freshman year I wore a more ‘fancy’ dress, where is now, I get dresses that are a little more simple and plain, this year I’ll be wearing a black dress with intricate detail on the back”. We can clearly see that after freshman year, simple dresses tend to overthrow fancy dresses. This could be because as we grow older we gain a sense of who we are and we represent ourselves depending on that view. Last year, previous years students did not notice an impact of the homecoming theme on the type of dress that they would buy. “I think most girls express their personality
with their dress, so if the theme of hoco doesn’t fit that, they wear whatever they feel best suits their character” says Ali. Girls tend to choose whatever they like regardless of the theme. However, many groups of girls choose to coordinate their outfits to a certain color or some sort of detail in the type of dress. Homecoming dresses mostly reflect one’s personality, not a set theme. In Freshman year most people choose bold dresses that are very popular. As you get older and you find your sense of style the dresses seem to become more mellow. In Sophomore and Junior year as people have found their sense of style, the dresses are much more simple. With time, you realize that following the trend isn’t the most important thing. What matters most is that you feel beautiful in what you wear.
kalina boshkovska staff writer grace mouzavires staff writer
emily bach staff writer
Loco For GloCo:
amy daicourtney te staffeditorial writer board
Make Your Special Night Go Right
Answer the questions, add up your points, and see your results at the bottom!
Dress To Impress 1. What best describes your style? Hip (+1) Grunge (+2) Vintage (+3) Bohemian (+4) Old school (90’s) (+5) 2. If you opened your closet, what color palette would you mostly see? Basics (white, gray, brown, black, khakis) (+5) Black and neutral (+2) Earth tones (+1) Bold (red, pink, yellow, neon) (+4) Assortment of colors (+3)
Do It For The ‘Gram
What is your dream vacation? California (+1) Alaska (+2) Hawaii (+3) New York (+4) Bahamas (+5) What best describes your personality? Relaxed (+1) Spontaneous (+4) Bold (+2) Artistic (+3) Independent (+5)
Good Eats
1. What’s the most annoying thing/your biggest pet peeve about restaurants? Slow service (+1) Annoying kids (+2) Long queues (+3) Customers not tipping (+4) Small variety of menu items (+5)
2. Where would you like to live when you grow up? New York (+1) Malibu (+2) Tokyo (+3) Italy (+4) When walking into a crowded Hawaii (+5) room, what would you prefer to do? 3. What is your favorite holiBlend in (+4) 3. Who is your fashion inspiraday? Be the center of attention (+3) tion? Christmas (+4) Remain in the outskirts of the Kendall Jenner (+3) Thanksgiving (+5) crowd, talk to a few people (+5) Ariana Grande (+5) Seem natural and easygoing (+1) Valentine’s Day (+2) Taylor Swift (+1) Make a statement (+2) Selena Gomez (+4) Halloween (+3) Gigi Hadid (+2) 4. If you could guest star on a TV show, what would it be? Pretty Little Liars (+4) Gossip Girl (+1) Riverdale (+5) The Office (+3) (3-6): Sleek and simple (6-10): Boho and floral (10-14): Colorful and Hip
(3-6): Burke Lake Park, Reston Town Center (6-10): Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Mosaic District, CityCenter DC, Blind Whino DC (10-16): Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Tidal Basin, Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center (National Harbor), Friendship Arch (Chinatown DC), Union Station
(4-6): Zoe’s Kitchen, Yoko Sushi, Jinya Ramen Bar, Bartaco (6-9): Matchbox Bistro, Ted’s Bulletin, True Food Kitchen, Uncle Julio’s (9-15): Iron Chef House, Cheesecake Factory, Maggiano’s, Sakura
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Electric Vehicles take over the world The electric vehicle overload is quickly changing the world brendan bellingham staff writer
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his past week was National Drive Electric week, an annual celebration of electric vehicles, all they do for the environment and the drivers they serve. The event is sponsored by big brands like Nissan and Lyft and has events all across America. The events are electric vehicle owner run and offer a place to gather and educate gas car owners on the logistics of owning an electric vehicle in their area. I attended a smaller event in Arlington that gathered 13 electric vehicles of all kinds including Teslas, Chevys, Nissans, Mercedes, and Volkswagens. The electric vehicle owners that attended were happy to share their experiences with anyone who came by so I asked some questions for the Oakton Outlook while I was there. A driver that preferred to remain unnamed purchased a Nissan Leaf from a dealership in Arlington. He purchased his vehicle with the environment in mind but also made the decision based on a friend’s electric vehicle experience. His friend used his EV for the same tasks he used his gas car for at the time and had not experienced range anxiety just using his vehicle as a commuter car. Soon after purchasing, this Leaf owner found his EV to be the perfect commuter for getting to and from work during the week and staying local during the weekend. Problems with his electric vehicle arose when taking long-range trips with his car. The Leaf owner explained to me what many non-Tesla EV owners have said before. He spoke about the charger infrastructure needed to make an EV purchase truly foolproof. Tesla superchargers are high speed Tesla only chargers found in parking
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lots near shopping centers, restaurants, or hotels. The idea of them is that on longer trips in your Tesla you can stop at these superchargers and get lunch, go shopping, or just hang out in your car while you wait for your car to charge enough to get you to your destination. There are already 6,550 superchargers on mainland America and even more around the world meaning you can drive your Tesla just about anywhere a gas car can without fear of being stranded without a charge. My interviewee was not a Tesla owner. However, he was the owner of a Nissan Leaf, a car without the vast charging infrastructure of the Tesla. This is by far the largest problem with electric driving right now and it’s the thing many people find is a problem after truly looking into purchasing one. The charging infrastructure problem has really only been solved by Tesla while other companies like Mercedes and Nissan just have rough plans for chargers in the distant future. Most of an EV’s life will be driving between work and home and charging at night but to truly push the envelope for driving electric, big companies don’t just have to make electric cars but also need a charging network comparable to the gas station. Towards the end of my interview, I asked my interviewee about where he sees electric vehicles in the next
5 to 10 years, and he said, “I believe we will see more established car companies move into the EV market and sales of electric vehicles will rise exponentially.” This statement is quite agreeable as established car companies such as Toyota are currently being pressed for answers on their involvement in electric vehicles in coming years. Toyota and other automotive companies are sticking with gas as of now and just dipping their toe in the pool by focusing on hybrid cars. Large companies will be forced by the industry and consumer demand to produce fully electric vehicles in the future. When asked about how electric vehicles will shape the industry in my lifetime, the Leaf owner said strongly that electric vehicles will surpass the amount of gas cars on the road in my lifetime. Electric vehicles are our future, I firmly believe the first car I will purchase will be an EV not just because I like electric cars but because that will be the only type of car available at the dealership. The future of driving is exciting because the industry will be changing very soon for the better and we will look back at this time and think why we didn’t stop the pollution sooner.
Keep dreaming The DACA decision that shook America and its immigrants
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n early September, President Donald Trump declared the termination of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). DACA is a federal government program that protects people who were brought to America as children, otherwise known as “Dreamers”. Abolishing this system plunges 800,0000 people into turmoil and distress. Not to mention the US economy won’t be left unscathed, either. The rescinding of DACA is a step backward for America and here’s why. DACA was first implemented during the Barack Obama presidency in 2012. The purpose of DACA is to allow Dreamers to legally study, work and make a living in America. Since the Obama administration, 787,580 people have been accepted into the program and integrated into the “American dream.” Now, that’s all about to be taken from them. The rescission of DACA means that hundreds of thousands of recipients are made eligible to be deported. Not only will these lives be overturned and utterly devastated, these people are living, breathing, contributors to society. Trump’s administration justifies this loss by claiming that those protected by DACA hurt economy welfare by taking jobs and depleting stipends. On the contrary, the US economy could take a massive hit with the absence of DACA. A recent study conducted by FWD.us, an immigration reform group, reveals that 91% of Dreamers are employed. As work permits begin to expire, this means that 30,000 jobs could
be lost every single month. If this doesn’t sound significant enough, on a grand scale of 10 years, the Center for American Progress states that US GDP would drop by a monumental $433 billion without the DACA workforce. GDP stands for gross domestic product, the value of a country’s goods and products. Trump further vindicates his decision by professing the unfair system that DACA presents to other citizens. He argues that these illegal aliens are purloining jobs from native-born Americans. A key detail that Trump is overlooking is that Dreamers are not equivalent to illegal immigrants. DACA beneficiaries were children who
“Virginia is for lovers, and DACA is for dreamers.”
entered the US at a young age. Ultimately, they had no voice in being brought to America. Furthermore, DACA does not simply accept everyone that applies. FWD.us points out that applicants are required to undergo an extensive background check, pay a fee, and must be enrolled in a current institution or active duty or workforce. Applicants must also satisfy a set of conditions regarding age of entry into America. DACA is certainly not an easy process to apply for and not any immigrant is accepted. So how does this relate to the Oakton community? Many of our very own Oakton students are
impacted by DACA. While Fairfax County is not permitted to directly inquire about the legal or immigration status of a student, many Oakton and Fairfax County students are protected by DACA. ESOL teacher Mrs. Jones says that the recent DACA decision has manifested an obvious impact on her students. “When kids are stressed out, they’re not available to be doing reading, writing, and math,” said Mrs. Jones. To help her students cope with strain during this difficult time, Mrs. Jones provides legal resources in her Strategies class. She aids her students in contacting parent liaisons, social workers, and organizations that can support their immigration or legal issues. Mrs. Jones has also engaged in individual discussions about DACA with most of her students to comfort and support them. When asked to describe her students’ feelings after the decision was enacted, Mrs. Jones said, “Terrifying... These are not illegal immigrants. They were brought here, by other people as children. And as children in this country, basically you have no legal standing. Sending them back to what is essentially a foreign country at this point doesn’t seem to make much sense, not to them and not to a lot of us.” Now more than ever, we must rise and stand together. America has never been defined by one person. It is our differences that makes America who we are. In an era where being silent is being cool, we have to speak up. It starts with us. Virginia is for lovers, and DACA is for Dreamers.
ashley shepard staff writer
wendy gao staff writer
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A long walk to Oakton
rebecca woodhouse editor-in-chief
Students have an extra commute due to lack of parking spots at Oakton
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ot all of us are fortunate enough to have a coveted Oakton parking spot. The construction has cut back drastically on available spots to park, and so this year only select seniors have the official “parking pass” to leave in their car while parking on the Oakton campus. The challenge for everyone else is, where to park? Many students have turned to parking on Sutton as their default parking location. While this may seem like a good idea, all the other desperate high school students have also considered this, as well as the more thrifty metro riders. And with spots on Sutton filling up as early as 40 minutes before school starts, many students have had to find even farther places to park. Those not fortunate enough to snag a spot on Sutton have turned to other options, going as far as spending money for a spot at the Vienna metro stop in order to make it to school. The local neighborhoods may appear to be a safe location to park, but doing so puts drivers at a risk from complaints by an annoyed neighbor. Technically, parking is allowed on public roads unless otherwise restricted, but the fact that high school students continually park in front of someone’s house could cause annoyance. However, all is not lost in a situation such as this. For example, think of how much exercise these fortunate students can have. It is no longer a matter of
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deciding to dedicate 30 minutes of the day to spending time to reflect by going on a walk, it is now an essential part of life for the students who park farther away from school. An added bonus is included for all the students with special watches to count their steps, because the simple act of attending school can help them achieve 20% of their daily step goal. Many juniors fall under this category of fortunate parkers who don’t get to park at the most convenient, local place at Oakton. This problem will continue to gow with more sophomores getting their licenses as the year progresses as well. Last year, it was difficult but this year the issue is even more severe. When the weather starts getting colder, the people who have to walk farther are sure to enjoy having to bring gloves and a scarf, just for the walk into school. It will no longer be a casual occurrence to head out to the car, but instead a strategic event that requires planning and mental strength in the cold, icy winter months. These lucky drivers on Sutton will be able to experience the best and worst of winter weather firsthand. While not all the non-Oakton parkers recognize the great opportunity to build character that parking farther away gives them, maybe by the end
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It’s a really big problem, especially for people who have sports and other things after school. I either have to wake up really early to get a spot or park really far away. -Julia Lopreski, Junior who faces the parking problem daily
of the year they will recognize what a true highlight this can be. From the chance to get extra exercise to enjoying the best and worst of the weather throughout the year, there are many benefits to the inconvenient spots. So for now, coming from a senior with a lovely parking spot, best of luck to the rest of you.
“I have grown to be a more accepting, compassionate, and positive person through witnessing the magic of putting others before yourself.� - Caylan Roy, Best Buddies Chapter President 2017-18