Volume 35 Issue 5

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The Lion’s Tale

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Volume 35 Issue 5

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March 22, 2018

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CESJDS

the lion’s tale

Free from ap

A look at the school's Advanced placement course policy (pg 6-7) Walkout on gun-control pg. 02 Students debate walkout on gun-control pg. 05

English essay grading process, pg. 09 English teachers explain grading process, pg. 09

Student acrobat, pg. 10 Student acrobat trains, pg. 10

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News Briefs March 21, 22, 25 Middle School Musical Middle school students will perform “The Little Mermaid” on three dates. The first showing is for visiting fifth-graders, and the other two showings are open to all.

March 23 Long Fridays resume With the end of daylight savings time and the subsequent later Shabbat start-time, Friday school days will once again last until 3:45 p.m.

March 29 - April 9 Spring Break Passover begins at sundown on Friday, March 30 and lasts until Saturday, April 7. Break will last from the day before Passover until the Monday after it ends.

April 12 Yom HaShoah The sophomore class will organize the commemoration of the holiday, which will include an assembly and a day-long vigil.

April 18, 19 Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut Yom HaZikaron will be commemorated with an assembly.

The following day, CESJDS will celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut through Zimriyah and various classes focusing Israel. compiled by amelia davidson and izzy may

Follow The Lion’s Tale on Instagram @jdslionstale for exclusive content

photos courtesy of mitch bell

Students dance the night away at Ohr Kodesh Congregation. Conforming to the casino theme, the room featured snacks, beverages and traditional casino games.

Junior class presidents Max Stravitz and Ari Gershengorn and junior Ilan Gasko collect payment at the dance. The junior grade government made $1500 from the dance.

Eighth-grader Coco Becker and juniors Jordan Herling and Shoshana Scott enjoy the party.

The dance was DJ’d by junior Jordan Schneider, and some friends.

junior class dresses up tradition daphne kaplan reporter Students in grades 8-11 were found dancing, posing on the red carpet and socializing on Saturday, March 3 at the first CESJDS Semi-Formal. This dance was hosted by the junior class government at Ohr Kodesh Congregation in Silver Spring, Md. In past years, there has been an annual MORP: an informal dance open to non-seniors. This year, however, the junior class student government took it upon themselves to reinvent the night and create a casino-themed dance.

MORP has been unsuccessful in recent years, typically receiving an attendance of around 25 students per year. According to Dean of Students Roz Landy, this year’s junior class is focused and organized with specific tasks, and therefore sought change within the school’s tradition to better it for themselves and for future years to come. This year’s event had an attendance of around 175 students.

Junior Co-President Max Stravitz oversaw the planning process that started in October and resumed in January. Stravitz worked alongside junior Co-President Ari Gershengorn, juniors Jake Block and Daniel Morgan and junior Co-Vice Presidents Alexis Bell and Liam Shemesh in order to arrange the

night while still being responsible.

“All of it was based on a certain budget that we didn’t really want to go above. We didn’t want to go above $1,500ish, but ended up not going over and made 100% profit on it.

The junior class government requested that all students wear semi-formal apparel, as opposed to MORP, which had a more casual theme and attire in recent years.

It was ultimately a compromise because students were allowed to dress down if they desired.

“The presidents and chairs of the Semi-Formal came to me with a proposal for the Semi-Formal Dance.

We agreed that it could be dressy but no tuxedos and no formal dresses for the girls. The boys could wear a suit or a sweater and the girls could wear dressy dresses,” Landy said. “The class leaders took this information and ran with it and the result was an awesome evening.”

Block co-initiated the idea alongside Morgan. They pitched a spring formal-type of dance instead of MORP earlier this year to the junior class government. After learning its benefits and how it would differ from past years’ dances, the junior class government agreed on having the dance.

The venue was a deliberate decision in planning the event. In many cases, having a dance at JDS lowers the atmosphere of the theme and contributes to lower attendance at

the event, which has been evident in years past, according to Block.

In addition to choosing the venue, there were many other expenses and time-consuming tasks that were necessary in order to perfect the night.

Grade government booked a DJ and security, bought snacks, beverages and accessories and arranged tables for students to sit if they preferred to instead of dancing.

At Ohr Kodesh, the room was large enough to showcase tables, photobooth and more. While they initially wanted to find a cheaper synagogue, they still had not booked a venue in January and had to book at Ohr Kodesh or else they would be forced to hold it at JDS. The decorated room shined with a dark color scheme of shades of red, black and white that related to the casino theme. In an effort to showcase the theme as much as possible, many tables featured different casino-like games that students could play throughout the course of the night.

Grade Government incentivised pre-paying for the event by offering a pre-registration price of $15, rather than the $20 that students at the door would be required to pay.

Freshman Jonathan Morris thought that the dance was well planned, as there was a DJ, snacks and beverages.

“I thought it was organized pretty well in terms of ticketing and

the ability to pre-pay online,” Morris said. “One concern I had was that the water ran out half way through, but obviously that is more of an afterthought.”

Eighth-grader Eva Bard also thought that the dance was a fun time to socialize. She especially liked the ability to hang out with students from other grades, given that there were few eighth-graders there and that she doesn’t see older students often at school.

The junior class assembled a feedback form that was sent to students who attended the semi-formal with questions about the service, promotion and any improvements, in the hopes that this event will be an annual occasion for students to look forward to.

“This is probably going to be an annual semi-formal that the junior grade government would run,” Block said. “We thought it would be cool to start an annual dance, so that is probably going to happen if grade government decides that this is a good decision and follows through with it.”

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Spanish Department heads south

Administration confirms educational trip to Argentina for summer 2018 sophia miller reporter

This summer, nine CESJDS students will travel to Argentina for a one-week trip to Buenos Aires. This trip is meant to give students cultural exposure and teach them what Jewish life is like in a Latin American country, according to Spanish teacher and World Languages Department Chair Silvia Kurlat Ares.

On June 17, the Monday after finals, the students, along with Kurlat Ares and Spanish teacher Deby Kijak, will depart to Argentina. The trip will be conducted through a tour company which has assisted in putting together an itinerary. The trip will cost $3600 plus a visa fee.

“I think the most important thing for me and Ms. Kijak is that our students will have an opportunity to look at a Latin American country through Jewish life,” Kurlat Ares said.

Students taking Spanish have attempted to convince the administration to plan a trip to Argentina multiple times, according to Kurlat Ares.

Juniors Zoe Reichbach and Seth Eisenstein were the most recent students to suggest the trip. Beginning in the 2016-17 school year, Reichbach and Eisenstein led a group of students in an effort to create the Argentina trip, which was eventually approved.

Reichbach was approached by Eisenstein about the possibility of a trip shortly after students from Argentina visited CESJDS last year. She said that in high school, the Spanish curriculum becomes less focused on the mechanics of the language and more focused on Latin American culture, and the trip is an appropriate extension of that.

“There’s only so much you can do in a classroom,” Reichbach said.

“There’s so many benefits to being immersed in a Spanish-speaking country that you really can’t get anywhere else.”

Art museums and other Latin American institutions that showcase Argentinian culture are some of the destinations that Reichbach would love to visit in order to see how it is different and similar to what exists in the Greater Washington community. Although the exact itinerary for the trip has not yet been set, Kurlat Ares hopes to visit both common tourist attractions and neighborhoods, which were chosen for their rich historic backgrounds and prominent architecture.

One day on the trip will be dedicated to specifically exploring the Jewish community in Argentina. Students will be visiting the Museum of Jewish Life, one of the earliest built synagogues in Latin America and the tenements where Jewish immigrants

used to live.

Kurlat Ares said that she is excited to “provide the kids a chance to understand that there is a vibrant Jewish life in places that aren’t Israel and the United States.”

The students will also visit a Jewish school in Argentina, where they will interact with students and gain an understanding of the daily life of a teenage Jew in Latin America. The organizers also hope that each student will be hosted by a different family for a night, so that students will be able to immerse themselves in the community.

Sophomore Micah Gritz opted to go on the trip because he does not get to travel much and he wanted to experience a different culture.

“I’m looking forward to being able to practice my Spanish because I don’t get to practice it much outside of school, so I think that will be a great opportunity,” Gritz said.

High School Principal and Associate Head of School Dr. Marc Lindner was the main administrator involved in the creation of this trip. In mid-February, he emailed an inquiry about interest for the trip, and upon hearing from a sufficient number of students, sent out further information so that students could sign up for the trip.

Lindner believes that while the trip may improve the students’ knowledge of the Spanish language, the cultural immersion is also an important factor.

“I’m really excited for the cultural experience that the kids are going to have to see a foreign country that is Spanish speaking and to experience all that is different and unique about Argentina and the city of Buenos Aires,” Lindner said.

Lessons beyond the classroom: Faculty begins brain science workshops oren minsk reporter As a new professional development initiative, CESJDS is partnering with the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School to educate teachers about applying brain science to teaching and learning.

During the spring and summer of 2018, JDS faculty will be participating in interactive professional developmental programs lead by the CTTL, where they will learn about the brain and about how different students learn. An introductory program was held on Jan. 29; the professional day on March 2 was planned to be dedicated solely to programs with the CTTL, although due to hazardous weather it was postponed to a later date.

Tori Ball, Upper School professional development coordinator and math teacher, is in charge of finding new adult learning opportunities and played a key role in establishing this partnership. Ball had already known the director of the CTTL from previous experiences.

“Traditionally, programs in education and programs to train teach-

ers don't focus a whole lot on the brain itself. In that that scientists understand brains much better now, there is reason to believe that giving educators access to brain science could improve learning outcomes in schools,” Ball said. “Findings from brain science have the potential to help students learn more effectively and make learning a more pleasant experience.”

of interest in this among our faculty meant that it was definitely something that we should pursue,” Ball said. “Another thing the faculty were eager to have was an ongoing program — not just a one-time guest speaker, but someone who could work with us continually to help us think in new ways about our teaching.”

JDS looked at two programs to partner with: Hidden Sparks, a “I always am inspired by knowing the Jewish nonconcepts behind good teaching. I like profit dedicated to helpto learn what the research supports ing teachers and then apply that in my own classes.” understand and approach - math department chair diverse learnreuben silberman ers, and the CTTL at St. Andrew’s.

At the end of the 2016-2017 Dean of Academics Aileen Goldstein school year, faculty completed a sur- saw the CTTL’s proximity as benefivey about what they were interested cial to establishing a long-term partin learning about. Popular among nership. the faculty was an interest in learn“[The CTTL] seemed like a much ing about the science of the brain better fit for us. The geographic proxand its contribution to teaching and imity is ideal, they offer an extensive learning. extensive array of resources that we “The fact that there was a lot can use, they’re highly known in the

field, and they do great work. There is a lot of opportunity for us in partnering with them The program originally scheduled for March 2 will take place at a later date. The focus of the program is to look at and understand different types of learners.

“I always am inspired by knowing the concepts behind good teaching. I like to learn what the research supports and then apply that in my own classes,” math Department Chair and teacher Reuben Silberman said. “I like when we have the opportunity to learn about education research and psychology research that supports education practices.”

In June, once students are gone for the summer, JDS faculty will have another professional development program, with the goal of evaluating the impact of the learning and having teachers leave for the summer thinking about neuroscience and its role in the classroom.

Over the summer, four or five JDS faculty members will attend the Science of Learning and School Leadership Academy at the CTTL, where they will go deeper into the topics and ideas already discussed at the previous programs. These fac-

ulty members will become the leaders of professional development and will be able to work with and model for other members of the faculty.

High School Principal and Associate Head of School Dr. Marc Lindner said that the ideal outcome of this initiative would be for the faculty to apply what they have learned to the classroom, in order for their teaching to help students learn more effectively. Teachers will not be asked to use a new teaching method.

“This is more about applying different tools and awarenesses to the existing teaching and pedagogy that [teachers] are already engaging in, and having additional insight, and finding new openings, and taking advantage of opportunities for students in the classroom that may already exist, but teachers may not be necessarily focussing on,” Lindner said.

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editors-in-chief kate sosland, aliza rabinovitz managing editor, copy addie bard design editor jessie lehman assistant design editor caroline weinstein news editors amelia davidson, izzy may opinion editor ben robinson in-depth editor sara sporkin features editors sabrina bramson, becca weiss sports editor devira friedman style editor shira godin multimedia editor lily daroff editorial cartoonist beyla bass reporters ethan chanin, josh diewald, jesse edberg, daphne kaplan, ilana kaplan, alex landy, nate miller, sophia miller, oren minsk, matthew rabinowitz, sally rogal, lily rosenberg, irit skulnik, corrine zlotnitzky staff adviser jessica nassau adviser emerita susan zuckerman Editorial and Ethics Policy As the student newspaper of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, The Lion’s Tale is a public forum for student opinion and expression. All content is determined by students. Its purpose is to inform the CESJDS community and to express the views of its staff and readers. The staff has made every effort to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of its news.

Signed columns reflect the opinion of the writer; staff editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of The Lion’s Tale editorial board. The Lion’s Tale staff welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns, all of which must be signed. The staff reserves the right to refuse any material and may edit letters or columns for length, clarity, libel, obscenity and/or disruptiveness.

Some material courtesy of American Society of News Editors/ TNS Campus School Newspaper Service. All other contents copyright of The Lion’s Tale. All rights reserved.

Submissions may be emailed to jdslionstale@gmail.com, mailed to The Lion’s Tale or brought to room 328.

The Lion’s Tale is funded by The Simon Hirshman Endowment for the Upper School Newspaper and The Kuttner-Levenson Endowment for the Upper School Cultural Arts and Student Publications, and community advertisements. The Lion’s Tale reserves the right to refuse advertisement for any reason.

The staff will adhere to the ethics policies of The Society of Professional Journalists and the National Scholastic Press Association.

The adviser will be held to the Journalism Education Association’s Adviser Code of Ethics.

It is our generation's time to lead change As students who are too young to vote, it’s easy to feel closed off from the world of politics. Even though we can follow local and national news, form opinions and debate with peers, our voices often feel futile in a political landscape dominated by adults. The students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., however, have proven that teenagers can catalyze political change without ever filling out a ballot, and reaffirmed that need for us, as students, to involve ourselves in political events.

Since a tragic shooting at their school left 17 dead, students from Stoneman Douglas have advocated relentlessly for gun control reform, orchestrating a nationwide movement with a force that no other campaign has achieved. By debating with politicians, challenging the National Rifle Association, organizing marches, writing op-eds and galvanizing support on social media, the students are breaking through a stalemate in the gun-control debate that has plagued the nation for decades.

These students’ remarkable initiatives have already paid off, as the Florida state legislature passed a major gun control bill, and their effort is not yet complete.

The students are an inspiration to teenagers across the nation, having crushed the notion that only adults can made a tangible impact in politics. As students, we should follow their lead and search for ways in which we, too, can amplify our voices.

This is easier said than done, of course, but we don’t have to organize nationwide marches to make valuable political contributions.

The most important aspect of political activism is being engaged in current events. Following the news allows us to develop our own opinions on political matters, which in turn allows for productive debates with peers. Also, knowing the nuances of various political, social and economic issues helps us understand how to properly act on them. We must be informed in order to be involved.

There are countless ways to consume the news. Reading the newspaper, whether in print or online, gives comprehensive insight into local, national and global events, while daily news briefings on radio stations such as NPR or WTOP are convenient during morning car rides. Furthermore, many reliable news organizations such as the Washington Post, New York Times and CNN have available con-

tent on Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat.

As students, the best way to have a tangible political impact is to focus on local politics, which is far more accessible than national affairs. This could involve calling or writing letters to local politicians in order to express concern, make suggestions, learn more about what they are doing or praise their actions.

As students, we are lucky to spend every day with people of differing political opinions. That means that we have a unique opportunity to engage in tough political conversations with our friends or fellow students. Even though such conversations can seem uncomfortable, they are actually a great way to tackle serious political issues while expanding your knowledge and improving your speaking skills. This is a resource that many adults are not lucky enough to have, and we should take advantage of it.

Stereotypes dictate that teenagers are lazy, apathetic and self centered; that we not only can’t bring about political change but we don’t even want to. The students

cartoon by beyla bass

from Stoneman Douglas have proven these stereotypes to be wrong, and we must continue to prove them wrong with our actions. We should find areas that we care about and act on them, because even small actions can make a difference.

Stoneman Douglas was a wakeup call, but we cannot continue to wait for more tragedies as our only motivator to get involved. We have proved that teenagers can make a difference; now we need to show that such a difference can last.

-The Lion’s Tale

Audiobooks are worth the listen ilana kaplan reporter From the moment we wake up to the second our heads hit the pillow at night, we rely on our eyes to observe and absorb information more than any other sense. By the time we sit down to complete assigned school readings, our eyes are exhausted, worsening our visual processing and ability to physically focus on a line of text.

This can be incredibly frustrating for those of us who enjoy cuddling

up in bed and reading at night. It was for me, too, until I discovered the power of audiobooks.

Aside from resting our eyes after a long day of school, audiobooks elevate the reading experience to entirely new heights. They bring novels to life with the variety of dialects and tones available for narration. When I listen to an audiobook, I become engrossed in the story because I feel as though I am a fly on the wall, actually listening in on the characters’ conversations. Much like watching a film, hearing the underlying emotions in dialogue brings a new understanding of the book’s events.

While audiobooks are traditionally seen as just a resource for struggling students, they can benefit all readers. In an article for WETA’s reading blog, College of

William & Mary Assistant Professor of Reading Education Denise Johnson argues that listening to an audiobook while following along with the text is the most effective method of retaining information.

Visual and auditory processing are a dynamic duo because pairing them increases an individual’s processing speed significantly.

Johnson also mentions that audiobooks are great for introducing people to books that are slightly above their reading levels.

I know from experience that it can be very challenging to read books written in Old English, Shakespearean English or other highly advanced writing styles. Hearing the words of a book spoken aloud mitigates these unfamiliar dialects and accents.

Lastly, audiobooks are a

lot more convenient than paper books, for both time and accessibility purposes. Instead of spending your time traveling to and from a bookstore, you can load audiobooks directly onto your phone or computer in a matter of minutes. Not only this, but audiobooks come in handy during long car rides or unbearable workouts, whereas paper books can cause nausea or be hard to travel with.

It’s true that it’s hard to replace the feeling of holding the pages of a book between your fingers, but I challenge you to take a break from reading, sit down and listen. With the push of a button, listening to extraordinary story tellers can bring your favorite (and even your least favorite) novels to life. You have nothing to lose; audiobooks are a great move for all.

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On March 14, CESJDS allowed participation in a school walkout for gun control in response to the shooting in Parkland, Fla.

Should students be have been able to walk out without academic penalty or missing class?

Yes, they should have been allowed

Yes

No

No, they should not have been allowed

reilly lowell guest columnist Every student at CESJDS has inevitably grown up surrounded of conflict by virtue of living in the Greater Washington area, surrounding a city that is the hub of national and global politics. To say that we're used to political discourse — sometimes heated — is an understatement. Not only are we used to debating U.S. politics, but we also are accustomed to having a tense debates about Israel with our classmates, people who may be our ideological opposites, but who we also consider our close friends.

It is understandable that JDS regulates student political expression at school in order to avoid unnecessary and hurtful conflict. However, the school has been so concerned with adhering to pluralistic values that they were afraid of us voicing our opinions. I know that JDS students are able to handle political debates in an exceedingly mature fashion. We can confront polarizing issues without letting them divide our community.

The support of the March 14 walkout among students, teachers and the administration was extremely powerful, but also surprising. JDS administration allowing students to partake in any political expression, especially that of a partisan nature, was something new to all students. However, the walkout proved to be empowering for those involved and a strong display of unity

in the face of atrocities in our society. At the walkout, I delivered a speech explicitly in favor of gun control. Regardless of the students who disagreed with my statement, the ability to freely convey our emotions and concern proved to be something not only potent to the students, but unobtrusive to our learning.

Some students said that a walkout is much different than dialogue, and our parents are not paying for us to exercise our First Amendment rights, but I believe this is acutely incorrect. Our parents send us to school to learn and grow as people. Part of this process is to find what we care about and stand up for it. Students who do not support having the walkout at our school are not forced to participate, but the ability for others who want to do so is a crucial part of being equal, just, and pluralistic, three ethical principles our school values in our mission statement.

Walkouts like the one on the 14th are not about standing as one. It is about standing together, as a group of diverse, intelligent, and mature individuals against ANY form of injustice, while respecting each other and the wide spectrum of opinions. If JDS does not allow the students to publicly address current events, JDS itself is being unjust in their practice.

Freedom of speech is valuable, not dangerous, which is why the First Amendment is for all citizens. Words are immensely powerful, but they do not directly cause harm; rather, how people respond to them does.

Those who are not used to such healthy and divisive conversations are the ones who tend to respond irrationally. Every JDS student deserves the ability to talk about, process, learn from, and discover political issues for themselves, and JDS should support us students in our hopes to do so.

ari gershengorn guest columnist The administration made the incorrect decision in supporting gun control in the wake of the horrific tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last month.

I would like to preface this article, however, by saying that I support gun control.

I personally believe that the best way to solve the epidemic of school violence is not through reforming mental health law or through arming teachers; I think the easiest and most effective solution would be to limit the number of people with access to dangerous and powerful weapons. I plan on attending the “March for our Lives,” a march in D.C. on March 24 supporting more restrictive gun laws.

However, while I believe that gun laws in the United States should be harsher, it is wrong for my school to take this position. Although it is not specifically written anywhere, CESJDS does not take political positions. JDS maintains that it is a pluralistic school, dedicated to allowing students to explore their political and religious beliefs as they choose. In endorsing a specific political view, JDS violates the protection those in the school with controversial opinions have come to expect.

I have heard several arguments defending the school’s choice to allow the gun control walkout; however, none of them have sufficiently defended the school. The

first argument is that the walkout is not for gun control, but rather it is for safer schools.

This is the argument that JDS has often tried to make, although the argument does not hold up under closer scrutiny. While the administation's emails do not specifically mention gun control, this does not mean the March 14 walkout is not affiliated with an anti-gun establishment. The walkout on March 14 was originally planned by the Women’s March “for ALL people who have experienced gun violence, including systemic forms of gun violence,” according to Womensmarch.com. By choosing this day to walk out, although they may not want to, JDS is aligning themselves with a pro gun-control institution.

Another argument is that JDS is not endorsing this type of speech, it is merely allowing it. This argument too, does not hold up. By allowing students to take time out of the school day and avoid the usual punishment for skipping class, JDS is placing this form of speech above the usual rules of the school, which reads very much like an endorsement.

Another argument is that were they not to allow the walkout, the school would be denying students the right to speak their minds, but that is not the case. At the memorial assembly in February, JDS encouraged students to be active in their communities and with the legislature, and, as always, if a student wants to miss a day of school to attend a protest, all they need is a letter from their parents to be marked “excused” for the whole day.

Clearly, something must be done to stop the epidemic of school violence, but it is not and should not be up to JDS to dictate what that is.

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Free from ap aliza rabinovitz and kate sosland editors-in-chief Advanced Placement (AP) courses are designed to offer indepth exploration into subjects of interest and to push forward one’s academic ideas and experiences, according to the College Board, conductor of the AP program. Since the late 1990s, however, CESJDS has decided to not offer the classes in the high school curriculum.

In the 1990s, JDS offered AP courses such as English, chemistry and calculus; yet they decided to discontinue the courses because teachers would have to follow a “rigid curriculum,” Dean of Students Roslyn Landy said. According to High School Principal and Associate Head of School Dr. Marc Lindner, while the AP curriculum taps into important content and skills for students, it is a “defined, structured curriculum.”

AP tests assess the knowledge students gain over the course of a year. In order to properly prepare students for the test, the classes must therefore follow set lessons, and Landy said JDS “prides itself on teaching students to analyze, delve deeply and ask questions and the AP curriculum does not allow for that.”

“Those classes really have to be taught based on the content of the exam,” Lindner said. “You don’t have the latitude which you might have otherwise because you’re preparing for the exam.”

The choice to not offer AP classes is primarily for flexibility and to have the “autonomy” to teach advanced classes in the way the school chooses, according to Lindner. While some class curricula may stay the same over the years, JDS still has the freedom to reshape the curriculum to better meet student needs. Under the requirements of an AP course,

however, the school would not. In addition, Director of College Guidance Susan Rexford said students at other schools tend to take the majority of their AP classes senior year, which JDS students would be unable to do because of the Irene and Daniel Simpkins Senior Capstone Israel Trip offered during the second semester.

In the eyes of prospective families, not offering APs may devalue a JDS education, though. Washington Post Education Columnist Jay Matthews ranks the top “challenging” high schools in the United States based on the strength of schools’ AP and International Baccalaureate programs. He does so in order to “identify those schools working hardest to challenge students from all backgrounds with courses such as AP and International Baccalaureate,” he said in his article “America’s Most Challenging High Schools: A 30-year project that keeps growing.”

By his requirements, JDS would automatically be at the bottom of the list: few students take AP exams, such as only 16 members of the 82-person class of 2018.

“It is one measure,” Rexford said in response to how Matthews assesses schools’ strength. “You can find a measure for almost everything you want to have.”

Rexford is not “impressed”

by Matthew’s assessment on high schools, because she says less than half of schools in the country follow the AP program. There are many curriculum options for administrators to choose from; therefore, Matthews is only exerting one measure of merit.

AP Program In recent years, more schools having been persuing independent curricula. In his Washington Post article “Millions take AP courses, but

percentage of schools offering them drops,” Matthews cites that 79 percent of U.S. public schools offered AP courses in 2008, but only 74 percent did in 2012.

For the majority of public high schools that do offer the some of College Board’s 38 courses, however, each teacher submits a syllabus for their course to the organization.

Rockville High School AP government teacher Elizabeth Seabreeze feels that the AP requirements are not restrictive, and she holds freedom while leading her classes; she creates her own course material and is able to highlight components that she chooses in the curriculum.

“I definitely feel like I have that flexibility, and [students] are not just learning for the test,” Seabreeze said.

According to Seabreeze, AP students can be more prepared for college because they experience deeper

How Does JDS stack up?

19.5

percent of the Class of 2018 took AP tests

70

percent of the Class of 2018’s tests received a score of 4 or 5

compiled by sara sporkin and aliza rabinovitz

8

different AP tests were taken by the Class of 2018

22,169

high schools offered AP tests in 2017

4.9

million AP tests were taken in total in 2017

Statistics from college guidance and College Board

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A look at the school’s AP course policy, how it has changed and how it compares with the nation learning than other course levels ofA common alternative to credit, fered. From the more in-depth text- on the other hand, is using exams for books to the rigorous writing, stu- placement purposes. For students dents are able to gain essential skills who do not have AP exams, they can to help them succeed in their future take the college’s own placement exendeavors. ams, which may be required even if “If you are studying and teach- students do have passing scores on ing yourself how to study and fig- the AP exams. uring out what works for you than For these reasons, Rexford beit will really help you for college,” lieves that it is hard to say that stuSeabreeze said. dents gain a “great deal” by taking an Despite the advantages of AP AP exam; however, she tells her stucourses in schools, due to a diverse dents that if they feel well-prepared array of curricula throughout the for the exams through prep courses photo by aliza rabinovitz country, Rexford said colleges are or their independent review and unable to judge high school students can handle the preparation without Science teacher Daniela Munteanu polls her Chemistry II students on the best time for the upcoming AP review session. The during the admissions process based sacrificing their current academics, students chose after school on Fridays. on whether or not they took an AP they can take the exams. peers had the background of an AP said. “I mostly took them because I classes using a combination of facclass in high school. Instead, stu“At the end of the day I would curriculum. wanted to learn more physics and tors, rather than just test scores. This dents are evaluated by how much rather see my students get higher Mintz felt that the study ses- math and chemistry and I wanted to includes feedback from students and they took advantage of the offerings grades second semester of junior sions provided by her teachers make myself competitive in compar- alumni and comparing JDS’ curricat their school. JDS, in its school year than I would to see them putting helped a lot, but she felt ready for ison to other students my age who ulum to other local and nationwide profile it sends to colleges, the exams because she said had taken all that material, who had schools and class assessments. For makes its course offerings she was “self-motivated.” She learned all that stuff.” example, the school can confirm how clear. bought a few review books and it compares to other schools when “Let’s say for example “Every student is judged based went through them complete- Education without AP courses students transfer to JDS. you were in a high school on where they come from.

It’s like ly on her own in addition to JDS’ dual curriculum is what “People who transfer in to this that the highest level in math the prep work offered by the drives its classes instead of an AP school find it to be challenging and where you’re planted is where you was precalculus,” Rexford school. program, according to Lindner. As not just because they are taking the said. “You would not be pehave to be judged from.”

“If I hadn’t done anything part of an “integrated” curriculum, secular curriculum and Judaic curnalized because you didn’t on my own, I for sure would students studying in Judaic subjects riculum, but because our academics take calculus. If your school - director of college not have been prepared,” Mintz make connections to concepts that are solid,” Rexford said. didn’t offer physics you said. they are learning in their general According to Rexford, the school guidance susan rexford wouldn’t be penalized beMintz is a freshman at studies classes and vice versa. knows where it stands on the speccause you didn’t take physYale University, which does not “Part of the strength of the trum from diverse college admisics. Every student is judged accept AP credit for courses; school is that we do look at all of the sions in addition to the wide number based on where they come however, she said the extra content classes; we want them to be held to of college representatives who visit from. It’s like where you’re planted is in multiple hours for the AP exam. If she learned has been very important the same standard,” Lindner said.

JDS each year. The 2017-2018 school where you have to be judged from.” they can do both and they want to for her. In particular, studying for the When she first started counsel- profile states that 96 percent of JDS take the AP exams, then that’s fine,” BC calculus exam, rather than the AB ing at JDS, Rexford sat in on a num- students attend a four-year college Taking the tests Rexford said. one, which her calculus class in high ber of classes and thought there was or university, whereas approximateWhile JDS still offers AP tests, For the students who elect to school more closely lined up with, a clear impact of the integrated cur- ly 64 percent of total students in these exams have become less rele- take the exams, departments tend to involved a lot of extra work but was riculum on students. More than that, Maryland do the same, the National vant in the college process. Accord- offer optional AP or SAT Subject Test worth it to her in the end because Rexford feels that the depth of the Center for Higher Education Maning to a 2016 study of the U.S. News review sessions. she learned material that would learning at JDS, such as the interac- agement Systems Information Cenand World Report’s ranked top 153 Alumna Abby Mintz (‘17) took not have been covered otherwise in tion between students and teachers, ter lists. universities and colleges, 86 percent the AP tests for chemistry, calculus class. makes it an academically sound en“It’s what we offer, the level of of them restrict AP credit in some BC, and physics 1 and 2 her junior “For me, it was important to vironment. which we are able to offer the curricway, which can include limiting the year of high school. Although only 25 [study for and take AP test] just beThere are a variety of ways to ulum we offer,” Rexford said. “I think number of credits students receive out of the 85 members of the class of cause I wanted to make sure I knew assess the academic rigor of a cur- that’s what gives us the reputation from their scores and requiring 2017 took AP exams, when Mintz arall the content, because I knew it was riculum apart from APs. As such, among other day schools all over the higher scores for credit. rived at college she said most of her going to come back up later,” Mintz the school looks for ways to form its country and all over the world.”

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the lion’s tale

Student immigrants among us transition into new atmosphere sally rogal reporter Many students deal with switching schools every couple of years, but for freshman Daniel Eyal, a switch in school also meant a change in continent. Eyal, who moved this year from Israel due to her father’s work, has received assistance both socially and academically from CESJDS to ensure a smooth transition.

According to English as a Second Language (ESOL) teacher Rebecca Reiser, breaking the language barrier is one of the essential aspects of helping a new student adjust to JDS. To help integrate new students into the community, they are paired with current students with similar interests as them. Director of Upper School Admissions Miriam Stein said that the goal of the buddy program is to help the new students get accustomed to the school socially and academically.

“We hope that they will meet up

over the summer so that by the time the school year starts, the new kid will know some other kids at school,” Stein said.

Stein explained that Israeli students sometimes are paired with two buddies: one Israeli who they can easily communicate with in Hebrew, and one American who can teach them about American culture.

This system has helped Eyal whose buddy is freshman Sasha Trainor.

While the buddy system helps socially, language is still an issue for immigrant students.

“I was in shock when I came here,” Eyal said. “The classes are so different than it is in Israel. It was difficult for me to speak just English with everyone and study not in Hebrew.”

To determine new students’ proficiency in English, Reiser begins the year by giving each student a diagnostic exam. Based on their performance on the exam, she works with each student during their ESOL

study hall period to improve their English speaking skills and comfort with the language.

Along with teaching academic skills, such as translating readings into simpler language and highlighting the most important parts of a text, Reiser works with the guidance counselors to address students’ needs beyond academics.

“It can be pretty overwhelming to move to a new country, study in a second language, learn [about] a new school and new culture and try to make new friends,” Reiser said. “I try very hard to make my classroom a safe space where students can ask me questions that they might not feel comfortable asking elsewhere.”

Although much was new for Eyal, she said that she came here knowing some English, which allowed her to communicate with her peers more easily. Therefore, Reiser has helped Eyal with her academic work in English. She was thankful that fellow students, as well as her

photo by sally rogal ESOL teacher Rebecca Reiser gives instructions to her students before handing out a quiz. The goal of the quiz was to help improve the students’ English grammar skills.

teachers, were very welcoming and nice toward her.

“The students invited me to sit with them and they also text[ed] me every day. [My teachers] give me more time if I need it, and they ask me if I understand the materials after every class,” Eyal said.

Overall the transition has been smooth for Eyal with the help of the

caring and friendly students and faculty at JDS. Although school in America is different than school in Israel, she has managed to adjust to the new learning environment and looks forward to making the most out of her time here.

Embrace the rainbow

GSA club presidents learn at Keshet Leadership Project shabbaton sabrina bramson features editor

When junior Henry Sosland went to his second Keshet shabbaton, he never expected to learn so much that would end up aiding the future plans of CESJDS’ Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) club.

Sosland and junior Lily Daroff co-chaired a shabbaton for Keshet the weekend of March 3 with their friend, Lennon Cantwell, who is also a part of the organization. Keshet is “a national organization that works for full LGBTQ equality and inclusion in Jewish life,” according to their website. As co-chairs, Sosland and Daroff planned and oversaw the weekend’s activities.

At Sosland’s first Keshet shabbaton last year, he had an amazing experience and learned a lot from it, but he also thought that the shabbaton was targeted to people within the LGBT community with “complex

situations” such as those whose families are not accepting of them or those who have mental health issues. He and Daroff decided to apply to co-chair the shabbaton in order to get more involved with the organization and better identify with the program.

Sosland and Daroff are also involved with LGBT education at JDS as they are co-presidents for the GSA club. The two noticed a lack of an active club to focusing on the LGBT community their freshman year, so they decided to revamp the GSA club in the 2016-2017 school year.

The club meets once every three weeks on Fridays during high school lunch to talk about current events targeted at the allies in the club. According to Sosland, there is not much of a need for a safe space because the school lends itself to that type of an environment.

“For maybe some schools you’d probably need more of a support

group kind of thing, but in here that’s not really necessary because it’s a pretty open and accepting school,” Sosland said.

Dean of Students Roslyn Landy said that the club originally began because there was a need of a support system for gay students many years back. However, she said that while the club was always “around,” it is not always an active presence in the school.

“In order for GSA to be active, you need students who are either gay or who are passionate allies,” Landy said. “Since it is a student run club, you need students interested in running the club for it to be successful.”

Sosland’s passion for this topic has driven him to bring what he learned from this year’s Keshet shabbaton to the GSA club. Before the shabbaton, Sosland had thought that the GSA club was limited to discussing current events during

meetings because JDS is mainly comprised of heterosexual students and faculty. After the shabbaton, Sosland realized that there was so much more the club could do, such as raising money or spreading awareness of problems the LGBT community faces.

Sosland has set a new goal for the club to raise money for homeless LGBT kids. Not only does Sosland hope to make a difference through this fundraising, but he also hopes to highlight the issues within the LBGT community along with the club’s staff advisor, history and Jewish history teacher Elizabeth Savopoulos.

“I think it’s important that the school has a place for people to either explore their own identity or to think about sort of the broader society and all sorts of different identities and groups that fit into that,” Savopoulos said. “I think it’s especially important as a Jewish day school that we are affirming of all

members of our community including gender and sexual minorities.”

Savopoulos finds it “nice” that high school students are beginning to get involved in and talking about the Jewish gay community. Additionally, Savopoulos believes that it is important for students to have a united group where they can be heard and share current issues.

Sosland believes that while the club has made progress, there are many other issues such as transgender discrimination to focus on as well.

“Even though it might like seem like in JDS that it’s not important, it’s vital to some to some people and it’s definitely important for a broader scale,” Sosland said.

What makes the grade

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English department addresses students’ concerns about bias addie bard managing editor, copy The methodology behind grading an English essay is quite different than grading a math or science test.

English teachers have no answer key; the grades they give are a reflection of their own evaluation of the paper. For some students, this loose procedure leads to questions of the subjectivity in their grades and different grading scales among different teachers.

The way that CESJDS English teachers actually grade, however, is not as loose as it may seem. They grade using a formal and informal process of grade norming including self-checks among English teachers. This standardizes the grading process, and though English teachers often norm informally, they are self-checking against other teachers.

“I norm every paper that I do within the classes that I teach all myself,” English teacher Nancy Wassner said. “I teach all of the classes of 10 ECP English; before I put any grades on them I lay them out on a table from not as good to good because I want to make sure if I graded these over the course of six or seven days that I’m giving similar grades for

similar concerns.”

To see the norming process in action, The Lion’s Tale sat down with Wassner as well as high school English teachers Melissa Fisanich, Melissa Tomanelli and English Department Chair Thomas Worden. The four teachers graded an anonymous essay written by a sophomore at the end of the year in an ECP level English class multiple years ago.

Before assigning a grade on the paper, the four teachers discussed what had gone well. Because this essay was written at the end of sophomore year by an ECP student, they were looking for strong close reading and the beginnings of a linear argument. These skills are ones worked on in freshman and sophomore year for ECP students. Worden classified the essay as “very 10 ECP” because it gained its strength in the second and third paragraphs.

The teachers agreed when giving feedback on the essay. They all saw the weak topic sentences, offset by close reading and good attempts at a linear argument. When asked what grade the teachers would give the essay, Fisanich started because she “was the least qualified to put a grade on this” since she has never taught sophomore ECP English.

“I don’t know how much time was spent in the classroom teaching the writing skills,” Fisanich said.

“Based on what I do in 11 and what I would do in 9 ADV I would be thinking that this is somewhere in the high B, B+ range. Given the context, I could possibly go as high as an A- but turning in something that cuts off and is incomplete would probably disqualify it from the A range.”

The “cut off” that Fisanich mentions is that at the end of the third paragraph, the sentence stopped in the middle and the writer did not finish writing their ideas. The incompleteness of the essay was more of a problem for Wassner, who would give the essay a “flat B.” To her, a B+ shows an exceeding of expectations, and she believes that an unfinished essay does not fall into that category.

Worden and Tomanelli largely agreed, Tomanelli thinking the essay would get a B or B+ and Worden thinking a B+. To improve the essay, all teachers agreed that the topic sentences should have been stronger, along with a clearer linear progression.

“I always think, ‘What is the highest grade I can put on this paper?’ because I am rooting for you guys,” Worden said.

Besides grading the assignment on how well the student met the written expectations, Wassner pointed out that the other side to grading is to assess how well the students met the expectations of the assignment as the teacher explained it. The four teachers agreed with Wassner, and always question if they are doing their part throughout the essay-writing process to explain directions and expectations clearly.

Though the English department had very similar thoughts and predicted grades on the paper, there is still an idea floating amongst the student body that certain teachers grade easier or harsher. Wassner’s response to that is that is it not the “style” of grading that changes, but rather the level and skills a new year in high school demands.

Junior Liam Shemesh is in an advanced English class. He believes that all English teachers are able to tell if a paper is a good paper or a bad paper, but that some subjectivity is inevitable.

“I think that English is really subjective, so it really depends on the teacher how they see my writing and also different teachers are looking for different things at different levels,” Shemesh said. “I think I do

not equate between English teachers, expecting them to be the same because they are always trying to help you improve in different ways.”

The notion that different teachers have different styles does not matter to Shemesh. To him, writing is an expressive activity and even if writing to different teachers’ styles would earn him a higher grade, he still would not write for what other people want.

“I’m going to write for what I think is best and what I want because we are always going to have different teachers and in college, too, we are going to have different professors and people are always going to have different expectations for our writing,” Shemesh said.

English teachers often hear from students that certain teachers are easier or harsher graders.

When they do, they all respond to the claims. Tomanelli wants her students to feel that she is grading them fairly and trust the process. The English department all take the grading aspect of their job very seriously, and are constantly consulting one another with a question or concern on a paper.

“Almost every time, we are on the same page,” Worden said.

Students’ Favorite Books to Read in English Class Brave New World

The Book Thief

because I really like dystopian future novels and also because I thought it taught a lot about society and what can happen.

because it really shows the deeper aspects of the Holocaust.

- Freshman Joshua Bachrach

- Sophomore Ahava Freeman

1984

The Great Gatsby

- Sophomore Jonah Abrams

- Junior Abby Elson

because I believe that it sent such a powerful message that we haven’t really received in any other books that we’ve read so far in our JDS career.

which we read this year in junior English because it was cool to step into 1920s life and it’s a very different time period than any other book we read. compiled by becca weiss

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Sports Schedule Boys Varsity Baseball April 10 - away game at 4:30 p.m. against Washington Christian April 16 - away game at 4 p.m. against Burke April 23- home game at 4:30 p.m. against Sandy Spring Friends School Girls Varsity Softball March 27 - home game at 4:30 p.m. against Hebrew Academy March 28 - away game at 4:30 p.m. against Spencerville Academy Boys Varsity Volleyball March 27- away match at 4:30 p.m. against Trinity Boys Varsity Tennis April 9 - home match at 4:15 p.m. against the Field School April 16 - home match at 4:15 p.m. against Washington International School Co-ed Varsity Track and Field April 10 - 4:15 p.m. meet at Hebrew Academy April 18 - 3:45 p.m. meet at Georgetown Prep April 25 - 4:15 p.m. meet at Hebrew Academy Co-ed Varsity Golf April 9 - 4:00 p.m. match against Washington Christian

Bend it like Berger

Freshman competes at international acrobatic competitions around the world devira friedman sports editor When not in school, freshman Lila Berger can be found lifting and tossing her teammates in the air at national and international acrobatic competitions.

Since she was nine years old, Berger has competed in competitions all over the world, most notably placing first overall at the USA Gymnastics Championships for Acrobatic Gymnastics in Rhode Island, third overall at the International Zwinger Acro Cup in Germany and, most recently, second overall at the Second Las Vegas Acro Cup in Las Vegas.

Berger first discovered her love of the sport when she and a friend signed up for a cheerleading camp at Xtreme Acro and Cheer in Rockville, Md. However, it turned out that the camp was actually geared more towards acrobatics than cheerleading, and by the end of the summer, Berger was asked to join the acrobatics team.

Berger initially liked the sport because it combined two activities that she had been doing at the time: dance and gymnastics. Since that summer, she has remained at Xtreme Acro and Cheer where she competes as part of a trio. The other members of her trio include Churchill freshman Sarah Kimel and 10-year-old Cecelia Rosenberg. The trio is coached by Juli Eicher, who

has been working with Berger ever since Berger joined the program six years ago. "[Berger] has really grown into the sport and has really set strong, high goals for herself and has really become determined to be the best that she can,” Eicher said.

According to Eicher, Berger is one of the few members at Xtreme Acro and Cheer who competes on the international track. Out of the 70 athletes in the program, only 15, including Berger, participate at this level of competition.

Berger and her teammates train over three hours a day, five times a week. Training varies day-to-day and can range from working on specific routines to improving strength and cardio. As the date of a competition approaches, however, the focus of practices shifts to perfecting the routines they plan to perform.

The competitions Berger attends one day, divided into two sessions: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The morning session is a balance routine in which competitors perform lifts, handstands and similar stances. The afternoon session is a dynamic routine in which competitors perform stunts like tosses and flips. The judges score the competitors based on difficulty, artistry and overall execution.

2nd Second Las Vegas Acro Cup compiled by devira friedman

Most of Berger’s competitions require her to travel. Sometimes Berger travels on her own, sometimes with her whole team and sometimes with her mom, Mindy Berger. According to Mindy, while traveling can be a lot of fun, the team has to remember that they are there to compete.

“It’s like having a job. So, while

lies are really supportive and play a big role in making sure that the athletes feel comfortable,” Mindy said.

Lila’s most recent competition was the week of Feb. 19 in Las Vegas.

It was an international competition that featured teams from China, Japan, Australia and many more countries around the world. Lila and her trio placed second overall, and the rest of the podium was made up of other groups from Xtreme “It was really cool to be able to Acro and Cheer. compete against other people “It was really cool to be able to compete and see the different styles in difagainst other people ferent countries." and see the different styles in different countries,” Lila said.

- freshman lila berger While Lila likes to travel for competitions, she believes that it has its downsides. it’s fun and there is funtime off, her “I miss a lot of school for it coaches really look at it as she is [competitions] and I miss hanging working and she has a lot of rules out with my friends and doing a lot she has to follow,” Mindy said. of things that a person who has less Outside of the athletes, parents intense hours would be able to do,” and families also play a major role in Lila said. the competitions. Their responsibilAccording to Eicher, so far ities include setting up for competi- working with Lila has been a great tions and raising money for the gym. experience because she works hard Most importantly, however, Mindy to achieve her goals. said the role of the families is just to “I would say her biggest be sup- strength is probably her determinaportive of tion,” Eicher said. the athletes.

“A s a whole, the fami-

1st 1st

USA Gymnastics Championship for Acrobatics Gymnastics

3rd

International Zwinger Acro Cup

sports

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photo courtesy of Linda Krimm Junior Allie Ravitz performs with her synchronized skating team, DC Edge. Ravitz and her team have competed at many national competitions including the Eastern Sectionals and the Cape Cod Classics.

skate for gold: ice dancers train Moments before junior Allie Ravitz and her team step out of the locker room, the room is full of determination to skate the best that they can. As they stand on the ice, however, the nerves begin to kick in.

They do their very short warm up and get into their starting position.

When the music starts to play the team begins their performance, exactly as they practiced.

Ravitz, who has been synchronized skating for seven years, has competed at the national level multiple times, once in Rhode Island and once in Michigan. To get to Nationals, Ravitz and her team competed in the Cape Cod Classic, Eastern Sectionals and many other competitions.

While synchronized skating is not yet included in the Olympics, if it is included in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, Ravitz said she would love to compete on the “biggest stage in the world.”

“It’s a really amazing sport and I really want to see it in the Olympics.

It’s just as hard as any other team event, like synchronized swimming,” Ravitz said.

Currently, Ravitz’s team practices twice a week, but if they were

training for the Olympics they would have more frequent and intense practices. According to Ravitz, her team would most likely increase their off-ice training, which includes conditioning, strength and cardio, but they would still spend the majority of their time on ice, training and rehearsing routines.

In addition to Ravitz, Junior Eliana Gropman has been ice dancing since the age of four, and started competing around the age of 10. Gropman attends ice dancing practice every day before and after school as well as Saturdays, where she and her partner Whitman junior Ian Somerville practice their routines. Over the years, Gropman has won the U.S. Juvenile National Championships in Michigan, U.S. Intermediate National Championships in Nebraska and many more medals in ice dancing. She loves the rush she gets from competing and winning all of these medals.

“The feeling when I’m doing my program, it’s really in the moment and I’m kinda free,” Gropman said.

“I’m not really thinking about anything I’m just focusing on the skating.”

Gropman has always dreamed of being a professional ice dancer and looks up to professional Olym-

pic American ice dancers Charlie has competed in the Ladies DisciWhite and Meryl Davis. Gropman pline and the Americans in her own and Somerville met with White and discipline.

Davis and skated with them when Gropman does not know what Gropman first began competing. the future will hold, but plans to conDavis and White did not coach tinue skating and eventually become Gropman and Somerville, but there a professional ice dancer. was a program where they got to “I just feel like generally you work with them. don’t really know what your future “They’ve been skating together is, but I want to continue with this for so long, they’ve been doing it for through college and do it professionso long and all of their hard work ally,” Gropman said. paid off,” Gropman said.

In addition to be“The feeling when I'm doing my ing inspired by Davis and White, Gropman program, it's really just in the mohas always been moment and I'm kind of free.” tivated by her coaches especially in hard - junior eliana gropman times.

“They push me to do my best and they always believe in me,” Gropman said. “Even when I don’t, Throughout his time at JDS, they always believe in me.”

Athletic Director Mike Riley has seen Gropman is not specifically many student athletes succeed and training for the Olympics, but one go on to compete in college. Many day wishes to do so. She currently years ago, he did see an athlete of his competes in the advanced level, a go on to compete in the Olympics for level below the one in which athletes Jujitsu, a Japanese martial art form. are eligible to be selected to compete Riley has not seen any JDS students in the Olympics, but she knows ath- compete in the Olympics, but feels letes who have gotten the opportu- that the school’s athletics program is nity to compete like her friend who very supportive of students with any

VARSITY BASEBALL

irit skulnik reporter

athletic goals and dreams.

“I think by offering an athletic program for our students we are supporting athletes that have higher expectations, this is like a proving ground to see if you would be interested in doing something better,” Riley said. “Like an athlete we had last year, our basketball player Bryan Knapp. He wanted to go on and play Division 1 basketball and he played basketball here [JDS], had outside training, but this gave him a platform to show a unique set of skills, so he was able to do that through our athletic program.”

Riley recognizes it takes a lot of hard work to be a serious and competitive athlete, whether for Division 1 sports in college or for the Olympics.

“Any athlete that aspires to be a Division 1 athlete or any type of college athlete has to put in the work and it’s not always easy but if you're going to play collegiately you're going to have to be dedicated to your sport, you're going to have to put in the work to get better at your sport,” Riley said.

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Wait for the Wharf nate miller reporter Washington D.C.’s newest destination, the District Wharf, feels a bit like a work in progress, but with its waterfront views, eclectic shops, concert venues and restaurants, it has a lot of potential. This will be especially true once the weather gets warmer, the boating concessions are open for business and construction is complete.

Located off of Maine Avenue along D.C.’s southwest waterfront, the District Wharf offers both dining and shopping destinations. Its location is a bit difficult to reach. During the week, there is heavy traffic on the surrounding streets and parking is pricey. There is a metro station five minutes away, but it is a Green Line stop, which is not convenient for most CESJDS students. In the spring, there will be a water taxi to and from Georgetown, which will be a more pleasant, but not a very practical transportation option.

The stores and restaurants that have already opened are a bit of an odd mix. There are some women’s clothing stores, a store that sells sailing apparel, a CVS, a few furniture and art galleries and a small branch of the independent bookstore Politics and Prose. There's also a hardware and biking store called District Hardware with a café inside,

the Velo Café, which sells lemonade, pastries and sandwiches.

Mostly, what the Wharf has right now are restaurants. These include: Requin, an upscale French restaurant; Del Mar de Fabio Trabocchi, a pricey tapas restaurant; Kirwin’s Irish Pub; and Hank’s Oyster Bar. There are also two places for dessert: Ben & Jerry’s, which inconveniently does not provide seating options, and Milk, an upscale dessert boutique that sells various cookies including a compost cookie with various ingredients like potato chips. Several new dining options, including an Italian restaurant, are scheduled to open later in the spring.

There is also a concert venue called The Anthem that features many well-known artists from punk rock to rap, which will appeal to high-school students, and a smaller music venue called Pearl Street Warehouse, but it has a minimum age requirement of 21.

On the Sunday afternoon when I visited, the weather was a bit chilly and rainy. As a result, the restaurants were not busy and there were very few people walking around. The area was charming with a beautiful, foggy view of the Potomac River. The Wharf also has a lobster stand and a sailing school, which contributed to the nautical atmosphere.

I decided to eat lunch at the Velo Café. I ordered a hot Caprese sandwich which was tasty. At this time, since several restaurants are not yet open, the Velo Café is the best dining option if you observe kashrut, are a vegetarian or are dining on a limited budget.

Since I love bookstores, I was really looking forward to visiting Politics and Prose. The bookstore has an industrial feel, with unfinished floors and exposed pipes.

There was a decent selection of books and many novelty gifts, including edgy socks and political paraphernalia. There was also a nice-sized section of teen books.

I would strongly recommend waiting until summer to visit the Wharf, when there will be more activities such as kayaking or paddle boarding. But even then, with few stores, an out-of-the-way location and not many choices for affordable meals, most teens will probably prefer walking around Georgetown or downtown Bethesda, unless they are looking for somewhere to hang out before an exciting concert at the Anthem.

Cold weather limits appeal of D.C.’s newest attraction

photos by nate miller Top photo: The District Wharf provides a variety of entertainment option including a concert venue, The Anthem. Bottom right: When the weather gets warmer, the Wharf will open its water activities to the public. These include kayaking, entertainment cruises and sailing. Bottom left: A book lover stops to browse the selection at the newest branch of Politics and Prose, an independent bookstore.

Bibibop hits the spot corinne zlotnitsky reporter

photo by shira godin Bibibop serves tasty Korean-style food at low prices. Its diverse menu gives customers multiple ways to build their bowls, including purple rice and kimchee.

Bibibop, located in D.C. and Maryland, opened in May and serves original Korean food with fast and friendly service. It is a great place to take your family and friends, as it offers many different eating options for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets.

Soon after entering Bibibop, I was greeted with welcoming smiles as I walked to the open-bar-style menu, where you can choose what to add into your bowl from a variety of options. The menu consists of a regular or small sized bowl that comes with one protein, a choice of three warm toppings and eight cold toppings. The protein options include chicken, spicy chicken, tofu

and steak. The cost for a bowl varies from $6.49 to $8.49 without tax.

In addition, this fast food restaurant offers free miso soup to all guests.

I ordered a bowl with purple rice, noodles, lettuce, spicy chicken, corn, carrots, black beans and yum yum sauce. At first I was unsure if this combination would taste good, but to my surprise, it was delicious.

The purple rice brought in a salty flavor, unlike the regular white rice, and was a great addition to my Bibibop bowl. Likewise, the yum yum sauce, a Japanese steak sauce made in America, added a sweet taste that mixed well with all the other toppings and proteins. The chicken was cooked well and wasn’t too spicy, which I enjoyed. All the toppings were fresh, a key characteristic for a restaurant that wants

to be known for their “bold flavors and healthy ingredients,” which is one of their slogans.

The atmosphere of the restaurant was well organized and had a modern feel due to its seating options and upstairs level. Bibibop provided many different arrangements options including high-bar dining room tables.

I recommend Bibibop to all students looking for healthy, inexpensive and tasty food choices.

Their Rockville location is only seven minutes away from the CESJDS Upper School, and has free parking.

I can’t wait to return and try more of their proteins and toppings.

Bibibop is located at 11580 Old Georgetown Rd. in Rockville. Hours are Monday-Sunday 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.