We Believe.
THE LANCE
We Will Succeed.
The student newspaper of Linganore High School Volume XXXVIV, XXXVIV, Issue Issue 31 Volume
12013 Old Old Annapolis Annapolis Road Road Frederick, Frederick, MD MD 21701 21701 12013
March 2009 May 2019
Life in Topaz Japanese Internment Camp: Mary Murakami inspires with survival story Emily Webb Managing Editor
For most teenagers, age 14 is a time spent adjusting to the trials and newness of high school. Mary Murakami, a Japanese-American in the 1940’s, had a different experience. At just 14 years old, she and her family were transported to Topaz Internment Camp in Utah. She described how following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, fear of anything affiliated with Japan set in to Americans. By February of 1942, the government had passed Executive Order 9066, taking away the freedom and civil rights of anyone with even 1/16th Japanese blood. Over 110,000 people of Japanese ancestry were relocated to internment camps throughout the western United States. “They came to our homes and told us we could take with us what we could carry. We sold our furniture and left our valuables behind. Our new life was packed in a suitcase,” said Murakami. Murakami’s family was stripped of their freedom and their identities, reduced to identification numbers. In Murakami’s case, family of seven was stuffed in a whitewashed horse stall with only a few straw stuffed cots until the permanent camps were ready. The living conditions were the bare minimum.
There were communal bathrooms in the center of each block and a mess hall where the whole camp would eat. The bathrooms were wide open and offered no privacy for the internees. “We not only lost our freedoms, but our privacy as well,” said Murakami. In 1943, the government issued a loyalty questionnaire to the internment camps.Men feared that their willingness to serve would be considered synonymous with
"They came to our homes and told us we could take with us what we could carry. We sold our furniture and left our valuables behind. Our new life was packed in a suitcase” - Mary Murakami volunteering. Question number 28 asked if they would pledge full allegiance to the United States and revoke any allegiance to the Emperor of Japan. For some, cutting ties to Japan would mean getting rid of their only citizenship, as new immigrants were barred from obtaining U.S.
citizenship due to racial discrimination. Those who refused to answer or said no to the questions 27 were segregated to prison camp. “It always bothered me, those questions. Our loyalty was being tested, but if we were not loyal, we would have refused the camps and put up a fight. We did not riot. We just made the best of the situation we were in. For some reason, that wasn’t enough for the government,” said Murakami. By 1944, the draft had begun in the camps. Murakami’s oldest brother was drafted and sent to fight in the war. “What sticks out to me still to this day is the fact that they didn’t let my parents outside the fences to say goodbye. The image of my parents on one side of the fence and my brother on the other side is still sharp in my mind.” Murakami’s story gives a voice to thousands who were silenced amidst the distraction of World War II hysteria. Her firsthand account of what she experienced teaches our generation about a subject that does not get talked about. Read more at https://lhslance.org/ mukbv
Future leaders hone skills at leadership training workshop Emily Webb Managing Editor
On May 2, dozens of student leaders from various clubs and organizations around the school convened at the FCPS Staff Development Center in Walkersville for a leadership training seminar. The seminar was designed to teach valuable skills to the upcoming leaders for the 2019-20 school year. Student leaders from the Student Government Association, the National Honor Society, Key Club, and many other clubs were represented at the seminar. The seminar was comprised of three different workshops, each building on different aspects of leadership. The first workshop helped students to identify how self-awareness can help improve leadership. The students participated in a series of activities and had group discussion. The second session was centered around different
styles of leadership. Students took the DISC Assessment, that assessed students’ individual leadership styles. . Participants took a short break for team-building games and lunch, and then it was on to the last workshop. Workshop #3 was called “Group Me” and taught students about the effects leadership can have on group dynamic. This session was thoroughly enjoyed by the students, especially the rap battle activity about the stages of group development. Overall, the seminar was positively received. The student and staff participants all left feeling hopeful, educated, and excited for the leadership opportunities in the coming school year.
Read more at https://lhslance.org/ injwp
Every bunny needs somebunny: Pre-Vet enjoys 31 rabbits visit! Emily McNally and Ashley Baker
Bugs Bunny, Roger Rabbit, Peter Rabbit, Br’er Rabbit, Thumper the Rabbit and more. Rabbits are symbols of spring and trickster fun. Pre-Vet Small animal class had an up-close look at these furry creatures: 31 of them! Patti Hubbard, a local rabbit breeder brought in a
Zealand, a black and white dutch, a chocolate dutch, a rex rabbit, a mini rex, a mixed rabbit with seven babies, and a male lion head. That was just half of what Hubbard owns. Imagine driving down the highway with 30 rabbits in your car! Hubbard introduced each bunny to the Pre-Vet class and told the students their breed and name.
total of 13 different breeds, all in ONE classroom: one mother and nine baby American chinchillas, a male Californian, a white New Zealand, a black New Zealand, a male blue New Zealand, a red New
There were so many rabbits that every student was able to hold an adult and a baby. “Now who wants this one?” Hubbard said. “Of course everyone’s hand shot up,” Ms. Patricia
ing on if the rabbit is pureBeachy laughed. Beachy bred or mixed, or if they expected Hubbard to bring will be used for showing. in one or two rabbits. She “I bought a rabbit benever expected a classroom cause they are full of them. very cute and “I always active. I plan take animals on entering my to Catoctin bunny into the High School Frederick Fair,” because that said Palmer. was my home “It was aweschool, and some for me I’ve known to look into Beachy for Devin Wynne and Catherine Amereimy classroom years, so hn pet a Rex rabbit. and see evshe called ery single student holding me up and asked me to a rabbit with a smile on bring them in,” Hubtheir face,” Beachy said. bard said. “I like doing it The following week, and educating the kids.” on Monday, April 15, HubHubbard breeds the bard brought in a baby rabbits to sell for meat or Nigerian Dwarf goat. to keep as pets. Some stuFaline, the baby goat, dents loved the bunnies so amused lots of teachmuch that a couple were ers and students who thinking about buying one. stopped by for a hug. Two students, Jasmine Pre-Vet Small Animal Dickson and Danielle Palmclass prepares students who er both purchased a bunny. are interested in getting These rabbits range from into the veterinary industry. $20 to about $50, depend-
The class learns a variety of small animal organ systems such as the muscular system, skeletal system, and digestive system. Some small animals they study include dogs, reptiles, bunnies, etc. They also learn about Animal Welfare and Animal Rights. Students contribute in showing contests like the Frederick Fair, the Community Show.
Read more at https://lhslance.org/ bgyd3
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The Lance
Class of 2019
May 2019
Should we be allowed to decorate graduation caps? Promposal would decorate with a quote; and 33% put something crude or disrespectful Pandemonium Yes! would decorate with their future col- on their cap, would their cap be taken Ashley Martin Editor
With only 12 days until prom Kojo Benefo asked his best friend Avé Boghossian-James to prom using a pair of yellow Vans and a cute sign saying “ Avé, prom would be off the wall with you!”Benefo collaborated with Boghossian-James’s friends, Lizzie Hall and Katie Johnson in order to pick out the perfect way to ask her.
With his creative skills Matthew Gelhard asked Emily Byrnes to prom using sign shaped as a camera with a picture of Byrnes on the front side saying “Wow it’s a picture perfect prom date… So say yes to prom!”Gelhard wanted to make the promposal a little extra creative since its their last school
Bailey Bennett Reporter
Dark pants, closed-toed shoes, graduation robe–we all have to look the same. Seniors don’t get to change anything about their graduation caps– except write their names inside. At LHS and all Frederick County schools, seniors are not allowed to decorate their caps. I disagree with this rule. I think decorating a cap should not only be allowed, it should be encouraged. My opinion is among the majority. In a survey of 22 Linganore students 96% said that they would decorate their cap if given the option. “I would like to decorate my cap with a Linganore to Penn State design, to represent my next steps after graduation,” said MaKenzie Llewellyn class of 2019. One reason cap decoration is prohibited is for uniformity among the students. Despite students wearing red and black, the uniformity does not extend beyond that. Students wear cords awarded for achievements and stolls if they are members of honor societies. These colored accessories mean that not all students are uniform, and to prohibit cap decoration on that premise is inequitable. Many might think that cap decoration could create competition: Who has a brighter future? Who has achieved more? Who is more creative? Students who wear cords are already viewed as smarter or more accomplished, but this is not the case. Students without cords often excel, just in areas different than their peers. Allowing cap decoration would not create more competition. It would allow all students to showcase their best selves in a new way. In a Lancer Media survey, 24% would decorate with pictures; 33%
Alexis Fowler Editor
Read more at: https://lhslance. org/55lq6
No! Gabby Llewellyn Reporter
While I’d like to say that the students graduating wouldn’t break the guidelines given, there are people who would decorate their caps in an inappropriate manner. Students even agree with this statement. In a Lancer Media survey, 72.7% said that there would be a problem with students decorating the caps inappropriately. Of those, 63.6% said these issues would be with select students, which would cause the need for everyone’s caps to be checked prior to graduation. So who would check all of the caps? Would someone volunteer to do it? The entire event is staffed by faculty volunteers who would have to take on another burden of checking everyone’s cap. And more importantly, if someone
away, or would they not be allowed to walk? Who would even decide what would be appropriate versus inappropriate? Staff members agree.“If you allow seniors to decorate their caps then who decides what’s appropriate and inappropriate? So, if you have someone from the school deciding what’s appropriate or inappropriate, where are you drawing that line? It’s a really slippery slope, and it could potentially not be fair,” said social studies teacher Jamie Hendi. Also, not every adult or person at the ceremony knows every symbol or the latest meme. It would be easy for a student to slip something inappropriate by a checkpoint if teachers were to check the caps. Everyone graduating is equal because they are getting a high school diploma. Class of 2021 member Nicole Golemboski said, “I wouldn’t want to decorate my cap because I feel like mine wouldn’t be as good as other people’s, and that would stress me out.” Most importantly, graduation is a uniform ceremony, and where while each student is individual and unique, graduation serves the purpose of celebrating the collective achievement of the class completing high school and moving on to the future. Decorating graduation caps could disrupt this uniformity of graduation. Statements saying that honors society cords disrupt the uniformity of graduation are not valid. Students decorating their caps in different manners could cause graduation to appear informal. Read more at: https://lhslance. org/sg4g5
"Enjoy the journey": Senior Destinations 2019
Graphics by Matthew Gelhard
On April 25th, 2019, Matt Schiller surprised Clare Beiter with a “Friends” themed poster that said, “The one where we go to prom.” On that morning Schiller snuck in flowers and her favorite candy, and, with the help of Mr. Jeremy Brown, turning on the Friends theme song, Schiller came out and surprised Beiter.
lege, while others would decorate with things like their completer programs. In addition, the argument that students would decorate their caps inappropriately is not fair. Yes, trusting teenagers to decorate their caps is a risk, but to think that a senior would risk walking across state and go through the effort of adding something inappropriate to their cap is not reasonable. And, checking graduation caps would not be as much of a burden as it is played out to be. Students are already being checked for contraband. While it’s nice for students to be able to express themselves, the decoration of graduation caps has many cons that far outweigh the pros. Graduation already is a hectic time of year. If students were allowed to decorate their caps, someone would need to check each individual cap.
Morgan Mathews will be attending Frostburg State University to play field hockey and run both indoor and outdoor track. This next chapter allows her to follow her dream, playing sports in college while getting an exceptional education at a great school. Mathews plans to major in Geology and Earth Science. Mathews has had several sport related injuries, including knee surgeries and a broken collar bone that resulted in missing school days and frustration. Mathews says, “Your life is merely the sum total of the choices you make.” Matthews was involved in National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Key Club, PTSA Student Representative, stage crew for theater, Assistant Soccer coach, Track Student Coach
Dylan Miller is planning to attend the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. He chose this destination because his father went to the same school and decided to follow in his footsteps. This program also offers a job placement post graduation, which is a big relief to Miller. Miller plans to be major in Business Finance. “It is actually the only school I applied to so it’s safe to say I was pretty set on going there or nowhere, “ said Miller Before the stress of an unfamiliar place Miller plans to travel to a warmer destination first, North Carolina. This will be his family’s 10th year going which makes it even more special. “There is so much stress and emphasis on how important this whole journey and process is. However, as long as you are aware of the important deadlines, it should be a fun time.”
Teddy Britton is excited to announce that his future journey will be spent at the University of Maryland. This next chapter in life allows Teddy to pursue his passion for law and follow his brother Johnny’s footsteps. . Britton will be majoring in Government and Politics and Law. Throughout high school Britton has been involved in numerous extracurriculars including football, wrestling, lacrosse, student government and class council. During his senior year he even traded the football pads for a painted stomach by joining Linganore’s long standing tradition of being apart of the Tribe. Britton had the honor of being a part of the 2017-2018 State Football Championship Football Team. He was a 2017 State Wrestling Qualifier and managed to earn GPA Award all four years of high school. Read more at: https://lhslance. org/r7lid
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The Lance
May 2019
#ScreenFree
Lancer Media REMOVED: Our lives #ScreenFree Matthew Gelhard and Bailey Spore
The average teen checks their phone once every 12 minutes, burying their heads in their phones roughly 80 times per day. Lancer Media decided to do their own imitation of Eric Pickersgill’s photo series REMOVED. We strive to improve the lives of people with our innovations, but often deteriorate them instead. “I find that we rely on our phones to avoid awkward interactions. It’s a second nature thing to do,” said Dominic Barbagallo. Since we are always glued to our phones, we are bad at socializing with people, so when we see someone we don’t know or might not want to talk to, our first instinct is to pull out our phone. “People care about their phones and social media more than being physically social these days. It’s so different from when I grew up,” said Principal Nancy Doll.
Putting it to the test: How much time are we really spending on our phones?
Yesenia Montenegro Editor
On average, teens use their phones for about nine hours a day. I see my friends on their phones all the time, and, even though I know better, I catch myself picking up my phone more often than I would like. I decided to monitor the time I spent on my phone for a week and challenged four of my friends to do the same. iPhones allow you to see how much time is spent on your phone using the “Screen Time” feature on Settings. For seven days, we took a screenshot of our screen time at 10:00 PM or later, so we could see how much it was used during the day. This feature also shows what apps you spend the most time on and what your weekly average time is. “Tweet Tweet” Montenegro Over the past week, I spent a total of about 27 hours and 25 minutes using my phone. I receive about 105 notifications a day. According to the data, I pick up my phone 81
times a day. My most used app is Twitter. I knew I spent a lot of time on my phone, but I was not expecting the numbers to be this high. My results surprised me because I thought I had a little more control over how often I look at my phone. Over the past week, I have become more conscious over my phone usage. I realize that I look at my phone when I’m doing homework or when I’m sitting with my friends at lunch. This has shown me that most of the time when I look at my phone, I should be doing something else. Social Media Hagy Vivien Hagy used her phone for 41 hours and 39 minutes over the past seven days. Seventeen of those hours were spent on Snapchat and eight on Instagram. “I didn’t know I used my phone that much. I’m actually really surprised. I might start setting up app limits for my social media because I don’t want this much of my time wasted on it,” said Hagy. The “Screen Time” feature allows users to set time limits for specific apps. After setting this up, the phone sends
a notification once you have reached your daily limit. The only problem with the feature is that it is easy to press ignore on the notification and continue using the app. Snapchat Queen Russo In seven days, Lindsey Russo spent 58 hours and 28 minutes on her phone. With a daily average of over 8 hours, Russo had the highest screen time of the participants. A lot of Russo’s time was spent watching movies, which contributed to such a high screen time. However, the majority of time was also spent on Snapchat. “I use Snapchat more than texting or any other app because its an easy app to use and most people have it, but I wish I didn’t spend as much time on it.” she explained. Khan Academy Curtis Bridget Curtis wins the award for the lowest screen time of the week. With a total of 24 hours, Curtis only spent a little over three hours a day using her phone. Some of this time was also spent on Khan Academy to study for tests, but mostly on social media. However, even though she has a lower screen time, she
picks up her phone an average of 146 times a day. Messaging Howard On average, Emma Howard spent about 7 hours a day on her phone. Similarly to the other participants, her most used apps include Snapchat and Instagram. Howard spent several hours of the week texting. She spent over 43 hours on her phone this week. “I didn’t know about the screen time feature before this experiment. After using it and paying more attention to it, I am going to try to spend less time on my phone. Knowing how much time we actually spend on social media is really surprising.” Howard said. This experiment was done over the course of seven days, so some were at school and some were over the weekend. “When I’m not at school I tend to pick up my phone a lot more. When I get bored I just look at my phone. I also stay up late, so my screen time is much higher.” said Curtis. Screen-Free Week is takingplace from April 29-May 5. Consider disconnecting a little and using your phone less to see how much time you are spending on your phone.
Top Ten Tips for School Stress Relief Leah Bolger and Elizabeth Rajnik
Students are racing to finish off the school year successfully. With AP tests and state-mandated testing, students are feeling stressed and need to find a way to decompress. In fact, according to a survey done by the American Psychological Association (APA), high school students report that their stress levels during the school year exceed 5.8 on a 10 point scale. Despite the never-ending schoolwork, we do need to find time to escape from the school responsibilities. Below are our ten favorite tips and tricks to deal with the end-of-school stress. We aren’t just recommending them. We tried them! Yoga: Yoga is actually an extremely beneficial activity for people of all ages. It allows your mind to relax and escape from the everyday busy lifestyle of a teenager. Go for run/ walk: Similar to yoga, going on a light run or even just a walk around the neighborhood after school can help take a calmer approach on the rest of the day. Get to sleep earlier: It’s a fact that sleep keeps your body healthy and working properly, but being wellrested also keeps your stress levels at a minimum. Pamper yourself: At least once a week you give yourself enough time in the evening to treat yourself. Try using a face mask, light a candle, take a hot bath, or simply do something fun and different with your look for the next day of school. Make your favorite snack: On a long, hard, and stressful day it’s always nice to calm down with a special meal. By making your favorite food, one can feel comforted by having a nice snack to settle down with. Write thoughts in a journal: According to an article written by the University of Rochester Medical Center, journaling can help you to manage anxiety, reduce stress, and cope with depression. Take a nap: While many might think this is an act of pure laziness, taking a quick “cat nap” can help keep your mind focused on homework. Coloring books: While you might feel slightly nostalgic doing this stress-relieving activity, the two are most definitely not the same. Instead, try coloring in an adult coloring book. Watch your favorite show after school: Although it tends to get a bad rep, watching television can distract your thoughts, allowing your mind to relax and reduce anxiety. Work outside or in a clean environment: Try taking your homework outside with you.Vitamin D is also a proven stress reducer. Read more at https://lhslance.org/ py157
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The Lance
Staff vs. students b-ball game raises money for Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society Jacob Bolger Editor-In-Chief
On April 26, 2019, members of the Linganore basketball program competed against staff members in a students vs staff basketball game. The event was held during PREP. There was a donation of $2 to enter, and proceeds were donated to the Relay for Life. The game was planned by Class of 2019 member Emily Wolfe. After losing her father to cancer in 2016, Wolfe has held events and fundraisers to raise money for cancer, primarily focusing on the Relay for Life. “I wanted an event that everyone could enjoy, and I
think it went over well because there was a lot of preparation by both Mr. Brown and I, as well as the rest of the SGA,” said Wolfe. Through this event alone Wolfe raised $400, putting
photo by Jacob Bolger
Staff members are defeated by the students in overtime. the Linganore Relay for Life team at about $3,500 of the $5,000 goal.
Class of 2019 member Christian Nolan was a member of the student team for the event. “I wanted to raise awareness and play for the cause, as well as have one more game of basketball as it’s my last year in high school,” said Nolan. Class of 2021 member Morgan Miller is currently in first place with $550 raised, followed by Ms. Paula Larson, Kenleigh Smith, and Shay Arneson. All students raising money are still accepting donations. The Relay for Life was on May 10th, 2019, at the Banner School in Frederick and began at 7:00 p.m.
Students display their work in the 29th annual art show
photo by Georgia Geisser Drawing by Colleen Avilla
May 2019
Features
photo by Emily Love View of the art show from main street doors.
photo by Georgia Geisser Ceramic vase by Grace Winpigler.
Boys/girls track swamp competition at Gator Invitational Elizabeth Rajnik Reporter
On Saturday April 27, the boys and girls track and field teams competed at the Gator Invitational held at Reservoir High School in Columbia, MD. The boys team placed second in the meet with 50 points, coming right behind Huntingtown High School with 58 points. After their second indoor state championship title this past winter, the boys team continues to prove their strength on the outdoor track, especially in the distance events. Will Cioffi placed first in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:00.53 and third in the 1600 meter run with 4:31.06. Michael Belmaggio also gained crucial points for the team by placing first in the 3200 meter run with a time of 9:47.96. The boys team also placed in two relays, the 4×400 and the 4×200. The 4×400 relay team, consisting of Cioffi, Allejah Seraton, Bryce Witmer, and Benjamin Dill, placed sixth overall. The 4×200 relay team, consisting of Carter Holsinger, Silas Nickerson, Colby Bannon, and Adam Liston, placed eighth in the meet. As expected, the boys team excelled in both the high jump and pole vault. Holsinger placed first overall in pole vault with a height of 13 feet 6 inches. Bannon also contributed many crucial points to the team by placing first in the high jump with a height of 6 feet 4 inches. While the wind was difficult for most jumpers to overcome, Bannon did not let it stop him from contributing the most amount of points
photo courtesy of Stephanie Moxley
Freshman, Mikayla Moxley, passes the baton to freshman, Gemma Davies, in the 4x400 relay. possible for his team. Bannon said, “Luckily I had my high jump coach, Mo, there to help me jump. I moved my normal steps back farther than normal and jumped as high up as I could, and I happened to clear it.” The girls team also had a successful meet, placing sixteenth out of 43 teams. Freshman, Mikayla Moxley, placed third in the 400 meter with a time of 1:00.10. The girls team also obtained many points from their vaulters. Sarah Marovansky placed second with a new personal record of 10 feet, while Myah Davies placed 7th with a height of 9 feet. The 4×200 team consisting of, Moravansky, Savannah Sitler, Payton Armeson, and Melanie Barger also contributed points by placing seventh with a time of 1:50.44. Being comprised of mostly underclassmen, the girls team continues to improve with each meet they compete in. Read more at: https://lhslance .org/6zydo
Jazz ensemble performs at the All County Festival Grace Corbitt Editor
photo by Natalie Rebetsky Portrait from the computer graphics class by Nicole Muller.
photo by Natalie Rebetsky Sculpture by Courtney Larrick.
Read more at: https://lhslance.org/ puwr5
photo by Emily Love AP art students make portraits for 2019 art show.
On April 27, the Linganore Jazz Ensemble performed at the All County Jazz Ensemble Festival. In addition to LHS, Tuscarora, Urbana and Middletown High Schools performed. There were eighteen musicians chosen for the AllCounty Ensemble. Four students were selected to perform: Alyson Zieg-Sniffen, Adam Byrd, Zach Hudson and Silas Nickerson. “I auditioned to get into the All-County ensemble which required me to play a pre-selected jazz piece, play some scales and do a sight reading,” trumpet player Alyson Zieg-Sniffen said. In the Linganore Ensemble there are twenty musicians: Luke Hackworth, Katie Brengel, Chloe Williams, Kaela Befano, Jack Christy, Justin Gambil, Si-
photo courtesy of Amelia Jansen Linganore Ensemble performs at the All County Jazz Ensemble.
las Nickerson, Zach Hudson, Adam Byrd, Harrison Field, Corey Raabe, Riley Bruce, Amelia Jansen, Nick Pare, Evan Gobien, Adam Seymour, Nick Condrasky, David Wallace, JT Lizmi and Alyson Zieg-Sniffen. Ticket proceeds support the arts in Frederick County public schools. Students have practiced together every Monday for a month in three-hour rehearsals under director Dr. Kurtis Adams. Adams is the director of jazz studies at Shepherd.
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The Lance
May 2019
Opinion
Practice safe sex: Condoms should be available in Frederick County high schools Braden Weinel Editor
I believe our school health room, supported by the Frederick County Health Department, should provide free condoms for any student who asks. This would prevent the rise of STD’s in Maryland as well as limit the potential of unplanned pregnancy. No
42% of teens in the U.S. have had sex.
matter how much the FCPS curriculum teaches abstinence, teenagers are still going to be sexually active. In fact, according to Advocates for Youth, an organization that capitalizes on youth activism, 46% of high school students have had sex. The best way to ensure their safety is to provide them with condoms. There are 11 states in the U.S that do not require sex
education in schools and there are another 11 states that require abstinence to be taught in the sex education course. Based on data collected by the Center for Disease Control, Maryland, out of all 50 states, has the nineteenth highest rate for STDs. In the state of MD, 700 out of each 100,000 people have an STD. Next year, Frederick County health teachers will be required to advise students about all forms of birth control, including condoms. Health teacher, Rachel Easterday thinks that this change in curriculum is the first step in stopping STD’s and unplanned pregnancy. “Starting in the 20192020 school year, we, as teachers will be teaching students how to use condoms properly,” said Easterday. The rise of STD’s in Maryland in the past two years has been drastic. In 2017 there were over 9000 cases of chlamydia in Maryland for people ages 15-19. Since then, chlamydia cases have risen by 17%. Gonorrhea is also a dangerous STD that has increased by 29% in the last two years based on a report by the Maryland Department of Health. Currently, the num-
ber of STD cases across the nation is at an all-time high. To combat this rise in STD’s, at the start of the 2018-2019 school year, Montgomery County Public Schools began distributing condoms through their school health rooms. Howard County Public Schools, and Baltimore City
Maryland STD rates have grown by 15% in the last year.
Schools have a free condom policy as well. In the health room of MOCO schools such as Damascus High School and Northwest High School, students can ask for condoms in privacy, and the school nurse will give them a bag of five. In Howard County Public Schools, when students ask the nurse for condoms, they get handed a bag of 10 along with a fact sheet describing proper use.
“I think that it would help if the Frederick County Health Department could support a program within our health room to make condoms available,” said Principal Nancy Doll. Condoms are the safest way for students to have sexual intercourse. The National Center for Biotechnology Information reports that children who do not talk to their parents about sex are more likely to be sexually active at an earlier age. Mother of two high school students, Kelly Spore says, “If my child was not comfortable talking to me about sex, as a parent it would make me feel better knowing they have somewhere to go to get free protection and additional sex education.” Parents of high school students may not support a condom policy because they believe that it promotes sex as “okay.” There is no surefire way to stop teens from being sexually active. Allison Young, the Public Information Officer for the Frederick County Health Department also believes that condoms would be a great resource for students who are sexually active.
“FCPS should provide free condoms and education on the proper way to put them on. I think the health room nurse or assistant could be given the proper training to assist students, whether they need additional counseling, where to go for testing treatment, or how they can pay for ser-
The STD rates in America are at an all time high.
vices and provide them with other resources,” said Young. The best way to fight the spread of STD’s is to use condoms. Having condoms available for students in the health room would make it easier to prevent the possibilities of getting an STD and spreading it to someone else. In order to keep our students safe, every school district in the nation, should make condoms available in high schools.
Guarantee a good read with a Black-Eyed Susans Madeline Hull and Emily Watson Reporters
What I Leave Behind, is a short 100 chapter book narrated by sixteenyear-old named Will who is trying to deal with the death of his father. Throughout the story he shares memories from the past and present with his family and friends. The book brought out deep and darker issues that are sometimes difficult to talk discuss. The time period fluctuates, but the story is set in current day Los Angeles, California. The main character’s father committed suicide. Will’s friend Playa is raped at a party, and Will spends most of the novel blaming himself. He must learn to accept that
it isn’t his fault. Will spends most of his days the same way: working at the Dollar Only store, trying to replicate his late father’s famous cornbread recipe, and walking the streets of Los Angeles as a way to try to walk out the pain of losing his dad and Playa. As his thoughts and emotions circle his brain during his walks, he starts to understand more about himself, his dad, and the world. He learns that the best way to break out of his isolated grief is to reach out to those around him. The story is told in a series of short passages –100 one-page chapters of 100 words each — that are Will’s inner monologues as he works at the Dollar
Only store and passes different people in his neighborhood. Author Alison McGhee has written several picture books, children books and adult novels. Each book she writes reaches issues that are rarely ever put into text. What I Leave Behind isn’t the first book she has published that deals with suicide and rape. I really enjoyed the book but it was a quick read with simpler words, so when I was reading, I started to just read over the words because I didn’t have to think about what it meant. Read a second book review at https://lhslance.org/tb62u
Album Review: Billie Eilish doesn't disappoint with her first album Lindsey Russo Editor
On March 29, Billie Eilish released her debut studio album called When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Eilish’s album is a mixture of pop, electropop and trap. Each track has a different perspective, and they all tell their own story. They reveal how much Eilish has been through. Eilish is 17 years old, and she is an American singer and songwriter. In 2016 she released a debut single called “Ocean Eyes” and it had went viral. She also had a song called “Don’t Smile at Me” that was released in August of 2017. After this, Apple Music had named Billie Eilish as their “UpNext Artist”
September 2017. On, Eilish’s song “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go” rose to #2 on the Top 200 Billboard chart. The album includes 14 songs. Eilish released four singles before releasing the album including, “You Should See Me in a Crown,” “Bury a Friend,” “When the Party’s Over” and “Wish You Were Gay.” “I’ve been listening to Billie before her EP came out. I went to her first tour and I even met her. I really like the song ‘All the Good Girls go to Hell’ because it’s really catchy,” said Olivia Rice, class of 2020. “Bad Guy” is the most popular song on the album, earning Number 1 on “Billie Eilish Billboard.”
My favorite song from the album is “I love you.” It is mainly based on a relationship that was hard for Eilish. She fell in love with him but he didn’t feel the same. The relationship became very toxic and he played the victim. The second verse says, “Maybe we should just try to tell ourselves a good lie,” meaning they are better off lying to each other. Another one of my favorites of the album is “Bad Guy.” The song is happiness with a mix of disturbing or horrifying involvement with death or injury. “‘I’m the bad guy,’ followed by a slight pause and Eilish’s playful “duh.” This is a strong signal that Eilish doesn’t intend for the song to be taken to seriously, which is a good thing, considering how disturbing some of the confessions her character makes are,” Arielle Anderson said, a blogger from Pop Song Professor. “Listen before I go” is very unique in Eilish’s album but, I really enjoy
listening to it. It has a deep meaning because it talks about someone on the verge of committing suicide. “Sorry can’t save me now.” She is begging those who need something from her since she is “leaving soon.” It describes how she isn’t open to apologizes from anyone, as she has already reasoned to take her life. “Don’t you know I’m no good for you. I’ve learned to lose you can’t afford to,” Eilish says in the saddest song on her album “When The Party’s Over.” It describes how she is not good enough for her lover. All of the effort she has put in for them, they still leave her. “I really enjoy listening to ‘When The Party’s Over’ because it’s really calming and it’s different from the rest of the songs on the album.” Read more at https://lhslance.org/a48o3
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The Watermark
The Lance
May 2019
Class of 2019 word search. Test your senior knowledge! Clues:
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
Senior class advisor (a teacher) Mr. Linganore 2019 Fastest Distance runner Working towards a pilot’s license This team won a 2019 state championship 3x Wrestling state champ Served as a page in Annapolis Ryan Mondenado served as: Playing basketball at Shippensburg Attending an Ivy League school Editor of the yearbook Name of a hallway Class of 2019 president
Watermark Submissions
Heart of the Storm Emily Seth
She was a hurricane A flurry of formidable rage Against cowering foes Drawing strength from the heat of the battle And the last breaths of those she left in her wake Barricades can only do so much And one can only run so far She will peter out eventually When there is no heat left in her body When the only last breath left is her own Until then We can only wait For a mother’s fury To take its course
Poem
Olivia Geisler Sun, sleet, rain and snow, There's many places to go. Mountains reaching the sky, While airplanes are passing by. Forests full of green and lush, And big puddles full of mush. The Deserts light brown with no sound, And no one to see for miles around. Oceans beautiful and crystal clear, With large bays just near. Large algae filled lakes, Make sure to Beware of the snakes. In the jungle monkeys swing from the trees Be careful and don't get their fleas. Get out into the world… Sooooooo You can give it a go!
We fall before we rise Matthew Gelhard We fall before we rise We fail before we succeed We have long days so we can admire the short ones We have bad days so we can cherish the good ones For every cry there is a laugh For every frown there is a smile For every low there is a high There are the times we breathe heavy so there can be times we breathe easy There are those sleepless nights
so we can have those lively evenings With the dim clouds come the vivid rainbows With the truth clear the lies fade Your head needs to hang before it floats amongst the clouds Your heart needs to feel empty before you can find the someone who makes it feel full To find what is good in life we must experience the beautiful struggle We fall before we rise
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