Mainstream - Issue 2, March 2024

Lights,

Letter From Le LetettterF tter om the Editors theEditors e Eddititors

Welcome to our second print edition of Mainstream for the 2023-2024 school year! As winter has turned into spring, our journalism team has continued to hone our skills in editing, writing, and design to create a second issue that properly

Our student-journalists have continued to write informative and thought-provoking journalists have produced many strong pieces that we are proud to present in this spring issue that full-year Health classes cause for students, the process that goes into creating a theater production, whether or not the violence that happened at the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory parade spells a possible end to these kinds of celebrations, and the reasons why kids should play sports.

Also, check out our reporter's visit to the Panther Paw, an informative piece on the change what can be done about the unruly behavior schools - PB included - face, and who the top 5 prospects are as we draw closer to the NFL Draft. Plus so much more!

their complete commitment to making our newspaper the best it can be. Thank you also to Mr. Woodward for his continuously invaluable help as an advisor, editor, and teacher. This issue wouldn’t have come to fruition without all of your hard work pho h to o by: : y: Biiannc anc a a B aBarkarkmeyyer

Mr. White - The Kimmel Family - Marilyn DoddThe Magid Family - Mr. Ellis - Robin IngramCoach Blackwell - Mrs. Mitchell - Dr. BangerdDiana Roberts - Christine Tang - Mr. Schrumm -

The Japanese Program at PBHilary & Joel Suddleson

If you would like to support Mainstream by becoming a PATRON: N please contact Mr. Woodward at b rian.woodward@mcpsmd.net - Patronships are $20. Patrons are recognized in each print issue and a copy of the newspaper is sent to them.

Ediiiitor-in-Chief

Sage Suddleson

News Editor

Abigail Alem

Features Editor

Sumer Elsalawi

Center Editor

Yeabsira Getachew

Opinions Editor p

Abigail Alem

Entertainment Editor

Sage Suddleson

Sports Editor p

Front/Back Page Editor g Sage Suddleson

Omar Akbari

Bianca Barkmeyer

Chaya Blount

Ryan Bobb

Raheim Briddell

Xavier Chang

Bereket Debebe

Naher Ghebru

Elizabeth Hernandez-Bustamante

Zachary Kamba

Joyce Kapangala

Betel Mekonnen

Lillian Shea

Efratha Tewodros

Editor-in-Chief

Adviser

Brian Woodward

Mainstream is a public forum that is published by the journalism students of Paint Branch High School.

to ensure that the news is accurate and free of bias. Letters to the editor are welcome and will be published as space allows. All letters are subject to laws governing obscenity, libel, privacy, and disruption of the school process, as are all contents of the paper. All letters should be submitted to advisor Brian Woodward in room 3301 or sent to Paint Branch High School, 14121 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, MD 20866

To contact the Mainstream via e-mail send correspondence to: Mr. Woodward at: brian.woodward@mcpsmd.net

3

Seal of Biliteracy Test Challenges and Rewards Am élie

Putting Themselves to the Test

The Pit Orchestra is an essential part of any musical performance put on by Perspectives. pho

Panther Paw: More Than Just a Restaurant

Here you’re guaranteed to H er r e yo u ’ r e g u ar r a nt e e d o t make tons of friends, know m a ke t o n s o f fr i ends,know e n d s , kn ow how the back of a restaurant h ow t h e b ackofaresta a c k o f a r e s t a ura u r a nt operates, and learn all about o p er r at t e s andlearnallab , a n d l e ar r n alll ll a b ou o u t food safety!” fo o d s a fe tyy!” y ! ” “

Restaurant Management students hard at work preparing meals

Seniors Reflect on Final Semester

Full Year Health: NO THANK YOU!

Students Need More Learning Opportunities, Not More of the Same

Betel Mekonnen Staff Writer

Students in Maryland, starting with the class of 2025, are required to take a full year of health classes. Not only does this new requirement feel unnecessary, it makes it harder for students to experience other classes that they feel strongly about taking and ignores other areas of study that may be more important.

The first semester health course, Health A, is informative, helpful, and guides students to a positive and healthy path in life. Health A consists of a variety of topics including, healthy vs. toxic relationships, the dangers of drugs, healthy eating, and other important topics. But one semester is enough. Having to take another semester of health just to dig a little deeper into the same topics might be beneficial to those who need to hear the information again, but for most students it is taking time away from other classes they were looking forward to taking or completing.

If one of the reasons the state of Maryland has chosen to add a second required semester to the health curriculum is that students reject what they are being taught in Health A, then there are other methods of providing that material. Schools could make Health B an optional elective for students, develop materials that schools can distribute to students, and provide learning opportunities in classes or homeroom periods on important topics, such as vaping and mental

health awareness. Additionally, they could offer after-school activities where they could earn SSL hours to help them towards their graduation.

Health education is important; no one denies this. Yet, that is why we have health in middle school and high school. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that “health class can reduce the prevalence of health risk behaviors” and “each school day provides students the opportunity to learn the importance of behaviors and skills needed to engage in a healthy lifestyle.” While this emphasizes the importance of health class, there is no evidence that demonstrates having students repeatedly learn the same topic would affect their decision making more than it already has.

In addition to the repetitive content, students don’t see a strong connection between Health B’s course content and student behavior. In a conversation I had with PB junior, Beruktawit M., about her opinions on Health B, she told me that the class’s content doesn’t have much of an influence on students’ life choices. Beruktawit took Health B over the summer because the class felt like a waste of time. She wanted to be able to schedule and focus on other classes she feels more strongly about during the regular school year. She also notes that what they studied felt “sort of wasted” because at school she doesn’t see

much change in students’ actions and their behaviors because “they still behave the same way they did to begin with.”

Repeating content feels a lot like taking action that has limited results. For example, last year, vape detectors were installed at Paint Branch, John F. Kennedy, Northwood, Quince Orchard, Richard Montgomery, and Walt Whitman to prohibit and stop students from vaping in the bathrooms. The vape detectors must have had no real impact on students because shortly after they were installed, they were taken out. According to Dr. Mirshah, who was PB’s principal at the time, the vape detectors were removed from the school shortly after she left, though she is not certain why. To me, this shows that there isn’t much the school can do to alter the decisions students make. Whether schools try to influence student behavior by installing something in bathrooms or force them to study the same content multiple times, many students just don’t seem to respond.

If Health B is simply a reaction to the fact that students are not taking to heart the lessons being taught in the original course they took, it seems unnecessary to continue teaching the same topics taught in Health A. At the end of the day, if students don’t bother to reflect and think back upon what they learned in the class, then adding an extra semester for health certainly won’t

make any more of a difference than it already has now.

With this in mind, if the state and Montgomery County school district really wants to help students better their life choices and are determined to add one semester of class to students’ schedules, they should start with financial literacy in exchange for Health B. Financial literacy is a great topic to teach, especially to a younger, more vulnerable audience like high school students when it comes to earning and spending money. Financial literacy is rarely spoken about in school, unless a student chooses to join a club or becomes, at PB, part of the Academy of Finance program. If the district looked at “health” in a more inclusive way and expanded the definition beyond just physical and emotional health to financial health then all students would be better off.

If students at PB could learn financial literacy in place of a Health B class, they would obtain new and valuable information rather than sit through repeated topics that they most likely won’t truly take into account before making decisions. The repetition taught in Health B has no benefit towards the students decision making since there already is no change seen by Health A. This takes away from other important topics like financial literacy or any other classes students feel they want to pursue.

What do you think of having to take a full year of Health?

“Enough is covered in one semester of health...a full year is just repetition.”

-Martha Haile, 11th

“A full year of health takes away from the classes that students might be interested in but can’t take due to lack of space in schedules.”

- Beza Solomon, 11th

Vegan Options in School Cafeterias Insufficient

Betel Mekonnen Staff Writer

Finally the bell rings and 4th period is over. It’s time to go to lunch: 45 minutes to hangout with your friends, go to clubs and, of course, eat something so you can gain some energy. But after looking at the lunch options you realize there isn’t anything appealing to you because of religious reasons, health concerns, or overall options. School lunches aren’t respected by students at school for a number of reasons, including unhealthy selections and unappetizing offerings such as chicken nuggets..

A school cafeteria’s main purpose is to provide students with their breakfast and lunch. Students all around the country count on getting nutritious meals from school cafeterias. According to the USDA, in 2022 the National School Lunch Program provided over 4.9 billion meals to students and over 95 percent of these were “served free or at a reduced price.” While this shows just how important school food is, it doesn’t address the lack of good food options.

And whether you think school food is good or bad, a group that truly has a reason to complain about school food are vegans. As someone who has to eat only vegan foods for religious reasons, the school food choices for me and a handful of my friends who are also following the same religious beliefs are not offered foods that we are allowed to eat most of the time. During fasting we are restricted from eating certain foods like dairy, and during some important events, fasting can last 2 months. If eating school food isn’t something we can rely on, this creates challenges for us. As a result, we are obligated to bring food from home, but this should not be the case as schools are supposed to provide students – all students – stronger forms of nutrition. There just isn’t any benefit for students when it comes to school food because we know they will offer us very few options, if any at all.

Other than religious reasons, some students aren’t able to eat the school food because of health reasons. Lunch is a major part of a

students’ school day; the time given to students to eat and get some source of energy, but if the school is not offering those students viable options, it just doesn’t work. Again, this presents a challenge, especially for students who aren’t able to bring their own food from home. They are left to finish the rest of their day with the small amount of energy they hopefully gained from their breakfast, something they may also be relying on the school to provide. The school food is also not available for students who fight for animal rights, and have ethical reasons to not eat any kind of animal meat.

All of the students who have run for SMOB throughout my school career have promised better school lunches, but there have not been any real changes for school food options as far as I have seen. Here at Paint Branch, the only vegan breakfast options that I have been able to eat were breakfast bars that they no longer serve or only bring out once in a while, raisins, and from time-to-time dried fruits. This same lack of variety carries over to lunch as my options vary from plain tortilla chips to bean tacos that weren’t very appetizing to sliced apples, oranges, pears and celery.

The school food should have more vegan options like veggie burgers, salads without any meat contact and water. Having more options for students who have restrictions on specific foods would be very beneficial for the students’ energy and health. Not only does the school food have a small variety of the same food served on schedule every week, most of the time the food isn’t appetizing for anyone to enjoy. Of course this isn’t the staff’s fault but more of a county problem that is seen around all MCPS schools.

School food options will most likely always be a topic that brings a variety of personal opinions. For me, until there are more diverse school food options, vegan students will be disappointed and left on their own.

Hall Sweeps: There’s Got to be a Better Way

Bianca Barkmeyer Staff Writer

“Hall sweeps” are surprise checks of the hallways during class time to identify and address students who are tardy or loitering in the halls instead of attending class. But are these “hall sweeps” truly effective?

We all have classes we would rather not be in during the school day. We may sit there counting down the minutes until we can leave, but we do it — we sit there. For me, sitting in a class I don’t want to be in and having students showing up late or glancing out of the door, and seeing students loitering in the halls as if they don’t have class themselves, frustrates me. I get that it can be hard to get to

class on time every day or that some don’t want to be in class, but it’s disrespectful towards the teachers to not attend class. This is especially frustrating when these same students later beg teachers about their grade.

I mean, would you show up late to a friend’s invite?

The surprise hall sweeps that occur at PB do target the problem of tardiness and result in students hurrying to classes. However, they only fix tardiness on the day the hall sweeps occur as students rush to all of that day’s classes to avoid getting caught up in one.

But what about loitering?

Hall sweeps do provide a shortterm fix for tardiness, but are

meaningless when it comes to loitering, because students who loiter are not interested in being in class at all. Tardy people go to class even if they are sometimes very late, but loiterers are full-on dedicated to not going to class. So this really presents a whole different problem that a hall sweep cannot fix.

In terms of addressing either of these issues, hall sweeps are a negative because they are a short term solution, create a tense school environment fostering an atmosphere of mistrust between students and teachers, and imply that students do not have valid reasons for being late.

To develop better solutions, schools should involve the students in the process of how to deal with tardiness and loitering. If the students are late and they are the problem, then find the root cause of tardiness and loitering, and involve students in discussions about school policies and explore collaborative solutions. This would give students the chance to solve problems that affect them and others.

Though school and education is important, at the end of the day, we need to aim for strategies that create a positive and supportive environment, while addressing the causes of attendance issues.

What do music, movies, video games, TV shows, and social media have in common?

While there may be many answers to this question, one thing that all of these outlets have in common is that they take a break from all of their

For me, music and TV shows through TikTok, or Instagram memes, or listen to my Taking a break from school assignments, taking care of my younger siblings, and handling through my day with limited Vilde Aardahl Aas, in his article “How we use media to

entertainment

Vilde Schanke Sundet, a Journalism and Media Studies at OsloMet in Norway, who here is that with the everyday us, it is nice to be able to have quick and easy access to a break

Ashley Hudson at Ashley breaks through media can allow

at memes to laugh at or connect to my friends and talk to them

junior Lydia Onuorah, agrees that taking a break from While taking a break by scrolling through social media

“when the number of likes starts Continuing on this thread of letting social media become too much of a break is senior Goldie Palivela, who says, “I think it’s when you become lazy, and

to think about how they manage

involve the media, is not lost

that using social media to “take

“It [social media] becomes too much when it is addicting, when it’s just something that they do

can’t-they can’t set it down, and there’s research to back that

Ultimately, everyone has their own ways to de-stress and and the ways that we choose to many of us, but it is clear that we must be diligent in not letting it become too much of a distraction or a negative in our

Stop Making Sense, the 1984 Talking Heads concert

cult classic due to its intricate visual and audio techniques, has been distributed in many forms since its initial release, including but not limited to theater once again had been changed in March of 2023 when A24 obtained worldwide and soon debuted its restored

and remastered version at the 2023 Toronto International

theatrical Stop Making Sense asking for a digital release and since its introduction back into theaters and their request has version should be out soon

On January 10th, A24 an d b an d Param o r e bo th re l e a sed t e a se r s f o r a cover o f the Talking Heads song

w hi c h al so hint ed at a Stop M aking Sense t ri bu t e al bu m

Param o r e w a s an obv i ous

c h o i ce t o h e a d lin e th e tri bu t e album, as Talking Heads’

t he band , and frontwoman Hayley Williams has long been vocal about taking

b an d ’s 80 s -infl ue n ced al bu m

After Laughter. Param o r e ’s c over was released on January

31st, along with the details

t ribute album , now revealed to be c all ed Everyone ’ s Getting Involved. Arti s t s announced include Miley C yrus, Lorde, The National, The Linda Lindas , Girl in

entertainment

(2000-2007) TV-PG

it still has a large fanbase, including many of its original fans who enjoy

(2021-present) TV-MA

(2022-Present) TV-14

(2015-2020) TV-14

show centers on the lives of Lucious Lyon, who is dying of cancer and he liked the show, he said it was because he could relate to its musical

(2011-2019) TV-MA

ninth grader Makayla enjoys this show a lot, stating that “I mess with Harvey the most for sure, he’s my twin! Like, he’s just always

(2018-Present) TV-14

coach and has to balance his life with family and friends at Crenshaw

why she liked the show, she said it was because she related to it stating,

Abigail Alem

Yeabsira Getachew

Ryan Bobb Sage Suddleson

We May Have Seen the Last of Championship Parades

If your team won a championship next year would you be afraid to go to the parade?

This question is one that sports fans may need to consider after what transpired on February 14 during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl championship parade. At that parade, a mother of 2 was killed and more than 20 people were injured when two gunmen, according to David Propper of the New York Post,

with whom they were arguing.

While shootings at victory celebrations such as this are not common, a handful of incidents have occurred over the years that make one wonder whether the possibility of violence at public events such as this has just become too high. Another

example is the shooting at Highland Park, Illinois in 2022, also a parade. According to Selina Guevera of NBC News, about 15 minutes after the Independence Day parade began, Robert Eugene Crimo, killing 7 and injuring 48. This event was unrelated to any team celebration, but it does represent the same type of public event.

Unfortunately, in public settings, mass shootings are not uncommon in the U.S. According to Everytown.org, “In the eight years between 2015 and 2022, over 19,000 people were shot and killed or wounded in the United States in a mass shooting.”

Of these, the most deadly took place at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas on October 2, 2017, which killed

60 and injured more than 850. According to the Homeland Digital Security Library, “A

of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino” during this attack.

Other mass shooting incidents have occurred at a variety of places including schools, clubs, and restaurants. Whether or not this makes people afraid to attend events depends on the individual. Multiple teachers at PB say that this type of violence won’t stop them from attending events

One of these people is PB Biology teacher Mrs. Hollis. She says that these tragic

to public places or happenings such as parades because she doesn’t “expect people to

harm a big group of people.” She also believes that it isn’t good to live your life in fear

PB History teacher Mr. Julian says, “You don’t expect things like that to happen in your day-to-day life but when I go out I stay aware. I’m not gonna be afraid.”

PB Spanish teacher Mrs. Ellis notes “The shooting does won’t be able to experience life if you’re always living in fear and won’t do things.”

The Importance of Introducing Kids to Sports

There may be nothing worse than raising a kid who sits in the house and does nothing when they become a teen. On the other hand, there’s nothing worse than being a teen who sits at home and does nothing. The easiest way to avoid this problem is introducing kids to a variety of sports at a young age.

Sports keep kids active and give them something to do, help

identity

In a team sport, you have to learn how to make decisions under pressure to help your team move in the right direction. Being on a

others just as much, or even more. You learn whether you are the leader, the team player, or the supportive player with hidden value.

When kids are introduced to sports — team and individual –they should, whenever possible, become familiar with a variety of sports. Introducing young athletes to both team and individual sports as well as a variety of sports helps them establish key aspects of their personal development and values. For example, is scoring

the success of both parties? Is being recognized for team success better than scoring on their own?

As kids grow, they will learn quickly or over time what sport they like, or whether they like sports at all. When they’ve established this, parents and families can either push them forward in the sport, or allow them to pursue other interests, such as music, art, writing, or other subjects that they have been introduced to, just as they were

After asking a group of PB students their thoughts on this issue, it’s clear that they feel similar to the teachers in how they view going out to public events. In fact, one of them noted that it happened in Kansas City, not this area so he’s not worried. with sports.

You may ask, “What’s the point in putting them in sports if they don’t end up liking them?” One of the pros is that an introduction to sports provides them with knowledge of a topic millions will talk about in the future and another is that they have been shown how to try new things and deal with feeling uncomfortable at times

According to the University of Missouri Health Care, participating in sports in early years could push adolescents to do better academically, teach teamwork and problem-solving skills, maintain and build physical health, boost self-esteem, and reduce pressure and stress; Not to mention, they help kids get more experience and improve at a sport they might pursue a career in. MU Health Cares Adolescent Medicine Team encourages participation in sports as an adolescent because “Physical exercise is good for the mind, body and spirit. Team sports help teach adolescents accountability, dedication, leadership and other skills.”

NBA star Steph Curry is a good example of someone who whose father was an NBA player himself, played basketball early and all through middle and high school. Early exposure to multiple sports helped him realize and develop a passion for basketball. As an athlete, having more experience than your teammates and opponents helps you to push beyond the average level

In sports, young athletes learn many things including how to continue after reaching a goal, perseverance, focus, collaboration, social responsibility. Thousands of other practices and traits learned in sports can be applied to life in the social, mental, emotional, and economic aspects of everyday life and career paths

Smacktalk Ba c ktalk

who I feel will make an immediate impact and be at Rome Odunze, Brock Bowers, Quinyon Mitchell, Drake Maye, and Dallas Turner.

Odunze has all the tools to be the next big thing with wide receiver 1 potential as soon as he puts on the hat of whichever team drafts him. After having a great 2022 season with 75 catches and over 1400 yards, he could have declared for the draft and gone pretty high but he decided to bet on himself and return to a cemented himself as the clear WR1 with 92 receptions, 13 TD’s, and over 1600 yards

Harrison, Jr., Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers, and Keon Coleman.

Harrison is a junior who played at Ohio State. He’s an imposing receiver at 6’4” and 205 pounds. In his last collegiate season he went for over 1,211 yards on 67 receptions and scored 14 touchdowns. Most experts have him going fourth overall to the Arizona Cardinals,

with his ball skills if the battle heads deep.”

Bowers is up there with the most anticipated tight ends ever, and the hype is warranted as Bowers has proven since his freshman year that he will be a star. The SEC Freshman of the Year at Georgia built a strong legacy there with 2 national championships and John Mackey awards, which are given to the best tight end in the nation. He’s drawing comparisons to George Kittle, a top 5 tight end in the NFL right now.

Mitchell, a cornerback out of Toledo, has good size at 6’0 and 195 pounds and ran the third fastest 40 yard dash this year at 4.33. He has proven himself be surprised in a couple of years if Mitchell is one of those corners where quarterbacks don’t want to throw his way

Maye is one of many great quarterbacks in this draft class and has been

Maye has great accuracy and pocket awareness; he also stands 6’4”, which helps a lot when playing quarterback

Spring Word Search

FLOW RSWER WERS

GARDEN RDEN

KITE

RAINBOWS BOWOWS WS

SUNSHIN SUNSHIHINE

POLLEN OLLEN

EAST R EASASTER STE

RAINY RAINNY Y

BLOSSOM BLOSSO LO LOSOSSOM

APR A RIL

BU BUNNNNY NY

BE BEE EE

that saw him have a team-high 10 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. He is speedy is going to be very scary for quarterbacks in the future. Word

Williams is a junior from the DMV who played at Gonzaga High School in DC. A player who started his career at Oklahoma, Williams transferred to USC and had two stellar seasons that included a Heisman Trophy to Patrick Mahomes due to his similar playing style. He throws a great deep ball, can move on his feet, and has a team leader mentality. Throwing for over

Daniels threw for nearly 4,000 yards in 2023 and had 40 touchdown passes for LSU. This year’s Heisman winner, who is 6’4” and 210 pounds, has excellent burst, agility, and speed for the position as well as above-average pocket management and toughness. He’s a dangerous runner with ability to create and throw outside the pocket with very good deep-ball accuracy.

Nabers is a 6 ‘0” wide receiver who is also out of LSU. Experts compare as a route-runner, those comparisons make sense. With gliding movements and speed alterations that disguise his top-end speed and separation potential, Nabers was able to rack up over 1,500 yards and 14 TD’s this year.

has excellent size - 6’4” - ball awareness skills, and athleticism. While not the fastest, he uses his athleticism to gain advantages over cornerbacks on jump-ball wins

How has your senior year gone so far?

It has been an exciting senior year so far. I played itiifIlditvarsity basketball with my team, and I am grateful for everything,

What are your goals after graduation?

My goals are to get a summer job and make money before I go to college. I also want to attend a four-year university, study my major, and make more friends in the process.

What do you think you’ll miss most about high school?

I will miss the memories I made at PB, and some peers that I most likely won’t see again. I will also miss the teachers,

H How h has your seniior year gone so far?

What are your goals after graduation?

My goal is to have fun this summer since it’s my last one as a high school student, and I also plan to study computer science in the fall.

What do you think you’ll miss most about high school?

I will mostly miss being able to see my friends everyday, being that in the future there won’t be another chance for all of us to be in the same building learning together again.

Word in the Hall

“I’m excited to spend some time outdoors with friends, lock in for the AP exams, and spend some year.” Rida Sukhera (11) ”

What are you excited about for Spring?

you excited about for

“Spring break. It is helpful for me as a junior to actually get myself together and prepared for AP testing.” Olantu Dossa (11)

“I’m excited that graduation is approaching and to make more memories with friends as I close this chapter of my life.”

Ruth Tewodros (12)

Mohamed Barrie

Britney Bah