Behind MCPS’s Decision to Distribute Condoms, p. 3
Loud and Proud: NHS Celebrates Hispanic Heritage, p. 7
Field Hockey Celebrates Senior Night, p. 10
Red and Black
Montgomery County Public Schools
Northwood High School
919 University Boulevard W.
Silver Spring, MD 20901
November 2018
Source: @NorthwoodPrin
Just a regular week at Northwood by Ana Lazo It’s that time of the year again: everyone gets to dress up as someone they’re not. Spirit Week is the time of the year where you can really show your school spirit, whether it’s getting hyped in the student section at football games or participating during spirit week. The real grand prize is winning the spirit shield, fair and square (sort of), and taking home the pride from winning that comes with it. Spirit week consists of interesting days. Take, for instance Monday’s Meme day; although it may seem like few participated, even from an objective standpoint, those who did really invested their time and effort into becoming a different persona. Sophia Salas was a real head turner and a neck breaker as Flashback Mary. “I’m part of the sister squad and it was
was funny to recreate,” replied Sophia Salas (‘19) when asked what inspired her for this meme. Tuesday was Twin Day, a day to look like twins. Many dislike this day because there was no way to take count in effort to gain points for the spirit shield. “Take it out. Put something in that will count,” said Jon Acosta (‘21). Other students love this spirit day classic. Students would rather have a day count for the spirit shield, but it’s easy to understand those who want Twin Day. Many would say Wednesday was the best day out of the week: Pajama Day. “It’s being able to come to school in convenient warm clothing that makes it so amazing,” Christian Estrada (‘21) said. Continued on page 2
Wheaton Arts Parade excites Northwood community by Gabby David On Sunday, September 23, many artists, performers, students, and people from the Northwood community gathered for the Wheaton Arts Parade, despite the rainy weather and cold temperatures. Large crowds of community members, including kids and adults of all ages, made their way to the parade. Northwood’s own cheer and Latin Dance team performed, and there were stands featuring the artwork of artists of all ages. Doudgy Charmant, a 20-yearold who goes by “Dew,” has been Hart creating art all his life, but his current focus is on painting. Many that draw the viewer’s attention of his works consist of portraits, in immediately. “My art is based which feature bright, vibrant colors on life,” Charmant says. “It’s just Charmant things that I’ve been through and things that I see. It’s like biology, the study of life.” Sofia Hart, an oil painter and photographer, Hart’s artwork features the scenery of her homeland, Brazil. Hart is also an activist who wants not only to showcase the beauty of the place she grew up, but also promote the conservation of the environment, plants, and animals. “My art is, at once just for the beauty, but is also in a sense, I’m an activist for the environment.” Hart answered. Continued on page 2
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2 Continued from page 1: Just a Regular Week at Northwood Wacky Tacky but it was also Flashback Day which can be a bit difficult for those who wanted to participate in both. As you already know, the seniors wanted to win that shield so you can say, we were the most spirited that day. “ “It’s just a fun day––you can be all crazy, different colors and
“It’s just a fun day–– you can be all crazy, different colors and everything.” everything,” Jennifer Lopez (‘19) said. Lopez also encouraged many of her friends to participate on this fulfilling day. The pep rally was the most
anticipated day of the week by far. Many would show their school spirit in participating in the challenges they had to offer. While the competition was fierce, it was ultimately the seniors who would take the shield home––and even though it may have been won under questionable circumstances, we have no doubt the seniors were deserving.
by Nicole Devitt-Tapia
Continued from page 1: Wheaton Arts Parade excites Northwood Community But art wasn’t the only thing on display at the Arts Parade. Numerous other groups came out to support, including Northwood’s own Cheerleading Squad. In addition to this, the Northwood Latin Dance Team performed. Ultimately, the pouring rain and cold weather did not stop our teams from putting on an exciting show.
The Northwood Cheer Squad and Latin Dance Team brave the rainy weather.
Editor-in-Chief Ana Lazo News Editor Nicole Devitt-Tapia News Staff Gabby David Kate Valentine William Vorosmarti Skylar Williams Woodland Crisfield
Comedian Ernie G inspires Northwood students On October 11, 2018, Northwood was fortunate to have award-winning ‘empowerment comedian’ Ernie G for an inspirational lunch assembly. Having only forty-five minutes, Ernie G gave a snippet of his life story and the comical aspect of it to give his message: “If it is to be, it is up to me.” Ernie G has performed for over 500,000 people, students at otherwise, at top schools, universities, companies and organizations ranging from Univision to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to the University of Maryland, and even to our very own Northwood High School. The well-known empowerment comedian came to our school through means of communication made with technology teacher Mr. Henrique Vissotto. It was even more fortunate to have Ernie G appear during Hispanic Heritage month. Ernie first began his performance by explaining his mixed cultural background, a background that isn’t just Latino, but one that is multi-racial. He then incorporated a comical aspect to his life story by acknowledging that it is okay to
Red and Black Staff
Features Editor Davina Whyte
make fun of each other because it shouldn’t matter what others say, as long as you take pride in yourself. He went on to explain a little bit of his adolescence and how his mother greatly affected who he has become. “That was the greatest gift my mother ever gave me, to have me respect her more than I did the streets. If I had listened to the Cholos, I would have ended up dead or in jail. I listened to my Mama and ended up being a college graduate.” In this portion, he used his comedy to say that the streets wanted him bad but that a parent’s influence is stronger than peer pressure. “Your parents are the reason you get to be who you are today! Your parents come to America with the American Dream. What is the personification of your parent’s
American dream? You being an educated American! You going to college and graduating. Not just going to college, but graduating from college. The day you graduated from college you will forever, from the rest of your life be able to say, you are a beautiful powerful educated person.” This is what he said to all of those who had parents who came to this country from another country: they are the reason their parents did it and that’s the message he wanted to convey. But even though our parents want us to succeed, Ernie G believes in the end that we are the only people who have that power is ourselves: “If it is to be, it is up to me.”
Features Staff Anaiya Bobo Liya Tadesse Ilsa Jentsch Olivia Rosemond Melanie McGinity Jason Maharajh Jason Quinteros Chade’ Herring Jovanny Bolanos Sports Editor Adama Gueye Sports Staff Blake Silver Robert Marchessault Design Editor Alex Chartol Faculty Advisor Ryan Acosta-Fox
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Behind MCPS’s Decision to Distribute Condoms by Skylar Williams MCPS has recently made a decision to provide condoms for their high school students starting in the 2018 school year due to a spike in Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) rates. According to Patch.com, STI rates in Montgomery County were higher in 2017 than they were in 2016. Chlamydia rates rose by 17.5 percent and gonorrhea rates rose by 15 percent. This is the highest these rates have been since 2010. MCPS’s decision has received several different reactions. Some people believe that providing condoms will encourage teens to have sex. Others say that it helps to ensure that kids are safe and responsible.
On August 30, 2018, a memo written by the Montgomery County Board of Education was released explaining why they choose to provide condoms to their high schools. The memo explained, “Studies have shown that when condoms are
provided in conjunction with education on the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, it leads to a decrease in the initiation of sexual activity and leads to positive health outcomes.” MCPS nurse administrator Sha-
ron G. Crowe provided additional information on the decision. “Montgomery County DHHS School Health Services in agreement with MCPS is distributing condoms to address the sharp increase in the rate of STIs in 15-19 year olds,” she said. She also shared what the process of getting a condom will be. Students can go to the nurse and receive information and a brief tutorial on how to properly put on and use a condom. Crowe was also willing to share her opinion on the matter. In an email she wrote, “I support the decision. The increase in STI rates among 15- to 19-yearolds is a public health concern.” As she put it, “The consistent and correct use of condoms is an important part of preventing STIs.”
An Eventful Town Hall with Congressman Raskin by Woodland Crisfield October 18th’s town hall with Congressman Jamie Raskin was undoubtedly an important one. Our congressional representative encouraged students to be involved in civic engagement as well as the politics that affect their day-to-day lives. The congressman expounded on why he got into politics but also what it means to be a public servant. While listening to the issues affecting his constituents, Northwood students also had the opportunity to question Congressman Raskin on the issues affecting their lives. Representative Raskin a former professor at American University first ran for office in 2006 as a Maryland state senator. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2016. When announcing his candidacy he stated, “My ambition is to not be in the political center, it is to be in the moral center.” This is a sentiment that most people can agree with, and it lies at the heart of what makes the congressman appealing to so many. Raskin argues that it is important to pass policies that genuinely improve the lives of the American people, to sponsor legislation that the majority of the electorate wants, and also not to get caught up with the common ideological disagreements that can distract regular people from the policies that can improve their daily lives.
Congressman Raskin responds to students’ questions. The representative has often been considered a champion of progressive issues. For example, he has sponsored bills advocating for populist issues such as the repeal of the death penalty, the legalization and sustained support for same-sex marriage, and the lowering of the voting age to sixteen years old in Maryland.
“My ambition is to not be in the political center, it is to be in the moral center.” The congressman has also been a vocal advocate for restoring the integrity of our elections at every level. At the town hall, he spoke of how he introduced the first national popular vote bill ensuring that to win an election a candidate must capture the popular vote.
The issue of the campaign finance system was brought up Representative Raskin’s attention, since money that certain candidates take from PAC’s (political action committees) has the ability to influence not only how they will govern but also how they will vote on certain crucial policies affecting their constituents. PAC’s are able to contribute a large amount of money in order to sway a representative’s votes on important issues that will benefit them, potentially at the cost of regular working Americans who are supposed to be represented in our democracy. When Red and Black asked Representative Raskin about the campaign finance system, he answered by saying that publicly financed elections by law must be funded by taxpayers in order to prevent
non-public money from interfering with the process. He went on to say that “everyone has to have the opportunity to run for office,” that “it can’t just be for certain people who have access to a lot of money.” He also talked about how he introduced a bill in the House outlawing foreign money influencing our domestic elections. Overall this townhall gave Gladiators an example for how to get involved in local politics and how we can make a difference in our community. Hopefully our school will have more events similar to this one where we can engage with our local Representatives and have the opportunity to voice our concerns to them.
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Northwood Indians? by William Vorosmarti
We all have heard of the Washington Redskins name controversy. Some hate the name, some think it’s just fine the way it is--and Dan Snyder still refuses to even consider changing it. But what is far less known, even to Northwood students, is the fact that we used to have a very similar mascot. The Indians were the mascot of Northwood High School from the school’s opening in 1956 until its closure in 1985. When the school reopened in 2004, the school board had since banned the use of racial mascots. A change had to be made. A group of alumni from the first graduating class of 1958 and the incoming senior class settled on the Gladiators as the new mascot of Northwood and it has remained so ever since. Northwood was far from the only school with a racially tinged name, there once were thousands of schools across the country with derogatory names, and many of these names still remain. Ever since the Boston Red Stockings adopted their name in 1871, American sports teams have borne the names of Native Americans. In 1914 the Cleveland Naps changed their name to the Indians and in 1933 the Boston Redskins came into existence.The growth in these names occurred during a time in which Native culture was actively destroyed through conquest, forced migrations, and boarding schools designed to rid Native children of their more “savage” instincts. In part because of the professionals, and because of America’s longstanding fascination with “The West,” colleges and high schools soon began to catch on to the use of racially charged names. Notable examples of schools that used Indian mascots include the highly prestigious Stanford University and Dartmouth College. Despite this, the vast majority of racial mascots occured at the high school level. Montgomery County was not immune. In 1906, the Sherwood Warriors were created, followed by the Poolesville Indians in 1911. When a brand new high school opened on University Boulevard in 1956, the well-established ‘Indians’ mascot was chosen to represent them. Their yearbook was called The Arrowhead, a totem pole was set up in the school courtyard and a headdress was put on prominent display in the school. Over the next thirty years the Northwood Indians football, basketball, tennis, cross country, wrestling and football teams all won county champion-
ships in their respective sports. Yet no one seemed to mind. Montgomery County’s Native population numbers in the thousands, yet for centuries they have been dismissed and forgotten in a county that prides itself on its history of racial diversity. After the closure of Northwood High School in 1985, the Indians mascot was relegated to history. The headdress was given to the Wheaton library for display and the Northwood Indians ceased to appear in county sporting events. Around this time the controversy over racial mascots would increase dramatically. With the introduction of ESPN, Americans were more aware than ever before of names such as the Braves, Indians, Blackhawks, and Redskins––names that had more or less remained in place since the late 19th and early 20th century. Soon, debates were erupting in communities across the country over the thousands of questionable school mascots and team names. Conservatives argued that the onslaught of “Political Correctness” was destroying beloved local symbols and traditions, while liberals responded that racism should not be memorialized or celebrated. The result was the changing of over two-thirds of racial school names in the past 50 years. In August 2001, the Montgomery County board of education votedto ban the use of racial mascots in county schools. At first glance this would mean that both the Sherwood Warriors and the Poolesville Indians would be forced to change their names. This did not occur however, as Sherwood claimed that their mascot was unrelated to Native Americans and instead represented Robin Hood, the legendary English hero who lived in the Sherwood forest. This was in spite of the fact that the Sherwood marching band was known to play a war chant at sporting events. As of 2018, the name Sherwood Warriors remains. This left just Poolesville to deal with the controversy and turmoil that comes hand in hand with a mascot change. Many alumni and current students felt betrayed by the county’s decision to ban their mascot. A mascot change was rejected in an informal vote of students and the town went so far as to paint the Indian mascot on the local water tower. Eventually, the county and Native American groups won out when the mascot was changed to the Falcons, which continue to represent Poolesville High School to this day. Two years after the Poolesville Indians were finally resigned to history, the old Northwood High School opened in a newly renovat-
Features
The Northwood High School yearbook, 1982 ed building on University Boulevard. As new seniors transferred from Blair and other neighboring schools, they found that they bore the responsibility of choosing a mascot for the restored Northwood. The students worked with a group of students from the original graduating class of 1958 to agree upon a mascot: the Gladiator. The prestigious Ancient Roman slaves who were forced to combat one another for entertainment have continued to capture our imaginations thousands of years later.
Of course, many believed any name other than the previous would do. And this takes us back to the Redskins. Northwood may have moved on, but the Redskins name has stuck. Hundreds of schools still have race-related epithets, and the Blackhawks, Indians, Braves and Redskins remain professional sports teams with dedicated fan bases. Some are fine with this while others are appalled. But the next time you hear about the Redskins name, remember that the controversy can hit much closer to home.
The “Redskins” Controversy
Do you believe the Washington Redskins should change their team name?
“Yes, because it will looks bad on their behalf” - Joel Villanueva (‘20)
“I think they should change their name because it is very derogatory. I know that it may not have been their intention but they should still change it so the public can be happy”-Kenia Hernandez (‘19).
“I’m torn, there’s a fine line between being politically correct and being offensive” - Mrs.Seligman, Media Specialist
“I don’t think they should change their name, I don’t think their intention when making the name was meant to be derogatory”-Bright Kari (‘19)
Features
“You have the devil in you”: The little-known homophobic roots of prominent companies by Kate Valentine It’s well known that Chick-Fil-A, a popular fast food restaurant chain, closes on Sundays due to its religious roots. However, the company’s support of homophobic organizations is less common knowledge. In 2010, Chick-Fil-A gave nearly two million dollars to anti-LGBTQ+ groups, including $1,188,380 to the Marriage and Family Foundation, founded by Chick-Fil-A president Dan Cathy. In 2011, they gave the organization nearly twice that. The group’s supporters include Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International and a defender of conversion therapy, and Barry Sheets, a member of the organization Citizens for Community Values, which defines marriage as “the lifelong union of one man and one woman.” Chick-Fil-A is by no means the only company that doesn’t support the LGBTQ+ community. Many brands and organizations quietly maintain homophobic policies and views while the public remains unaware. This can be harmful towards the LGBTQ+ community, since a number of corporations, like Chick-Fil-A, donate their money to associations that fight for the restriction of LGBTQ+ rights, or
Invisible Pronouns You Didn’t Know Existed by Alex Chartol It’s official. There are pronouns adopted by the LGBTQ+ community to refer to someone who is either gender-fluid, genderqueer, gender-neutral, or nonbinary. This means that they alternate between genders (varying between male, female, and neither one); they don’t identify as male or female, but as a third gender; or they simply identify as genderless or agender. These words describe how I, a gender-fluid individual, choose to identify. Pronouns are how we refer to others. You can’t always know what someone’s pronouns are by looking at them. Asking and correctly using someone’s pronouns is one of the most basic ways to show your respect for their gender identity. When someone is referred to with the wrong pronouns, it can make them feel disrespected, invalidated, dismissed, alienated, or dysphoric, and often all of the above. Dysphoric is a term meaning a state of dissatisfaction, restlessness, anxiety, and fidgeting. It is the opposite of euphoric. You should always subtly or di-
5 advocate for that themselves. One example would be the Salvation Army. In 2012, the spokesperson for the organization stated that “a relationship between same-sex individuals is a personal choice that people have the right to make. But from a church viewpoint, we see that going against the will of God.” There have also been instances of the Salvation Army refusing its services to individuals purely because they were a part of the LGBTQ+ community. One journalist complained that the group had told him to break up with his boyfriend if he wanted their assistance. Though their spokesperson, Lt. Col. Ron Busroe, insisted in December of 2017 that they no longer withhold their services from members of the LGBTQ+ community, many of their actions indicate that they still hold homophobic and transphobic views. In March 2018, it was found that a charity funded by the Salvation Army was guilty of homophobic treatment and controlling behavior, even telling a gay woman staying in their safe house, “you have the devil in you.” Another guilty company is Barilla, an Italian food company well-known for its pasta and tomato sauce products. In 2013, the chairman of the brand, Guido Barilla, in an interview with an Italian radio broadcast, stated that Barilla “would never do an advert with a homosexual family…if the gays don’t like it they can go an eat another brand.” The chairman also attacked samesex couple adoption rights, saying
rectly ask someone what pronouns they use, and never assume someone’s gender. Though many prefer to use they/ them pronouns, there are new gender-neutral pronouns that have been adopted by significant portions of the community. For example, consider pronouns like ze/hir/ hir: “Tyler ate hir food because ze was hungry.” Ze is pronounced “zee” and can also be spelled zie or xe, replacing she/he/they. Hir is pronounced like “here” and can replace her/hers/him/his/them/theirs. These pronouns were adopted since they/them frequently refers to a group of multiple individuals; some feel it is similar to being referred to as ‘it.’ Many see calling someone “it” instead of “she/he” or using “he-she” an offensive slur against transgender and gender nonconforming individuals. You should never use these terms when referring to any of these individuals. There is also a gender-neutral term for Mrs/Mr/Ms spelled Mx. Mx is pronounced “mix” and is not as widespread in the United States, possibly because not enough people know it exists. It is imperative that one uses an individual’s chosen pronouns. Ultimately, everyone deserves kindness and respect.
“I have no respect for adoption by gay families because this concerns a person who is not able to choose.” His comments quickly received criticism, including from Aurelio Mancuso, the president of Equality Italia, who said, “We accept his invitation to not eat his pasta.” Due to the backlash, Barilla soon apologized; “I’m sorry if my comments on La Zanzara have created misunderstanding or polemic, or if I’ve offended anyone. In the interview I only wanted to underline the central role of the woman in the family.”
Homophobic and transphobic policies hurt the LGBTQ+ community, and racist practices are abhorrent and unacceptable. Additionally, Chick-Fil-A isn’t the only popular restaurant chain that has drawn criticism. Cracker Barrel has been accused of both homophobia and racism. In May 2004, the Justice Department announced the filing and settlement of a lawsuit that described racist instances taking place in approximately fifty Cracker Barrel locations. According to Snopes.com, they had segregated seating by race. They also “allowed white servers to refuse to wait on African-American customers,” “seated white customers before African-American customers who arrived earlier,” “provided inferior service to African-American customers after they were seated,” and “treated African-Americans who complained about the quality of Cracker Barrel’s
food or service less favorably than white customers who lodged similar complaints.” The chain has also been accused of homophobia. In 1991, the company introduced a hiring policy that stated they would no longer employ members of the LGBTQ+ community; this was followed by the firing of at least nine individuals. Later that year, they rescinded the policy, saying they had introduced it as a “well-intentioned over-reaction to the perceived values of our customers and their comfort levels with these individuals.” In 2011, the restaurant fired eleven employees for not displaying “normal heterosexual values.” Although founder Dan Evins called this incident a mistake, the attitude evidently remains. As of 2016, Cracker Barrel doesn’t include same-sex couples in its benefits coverage, and, according to the Human Rights Campaign, doesn’t have a policy that prevents discrimination based on “gender identity and/ or expression.” Although their racist practices seem to have ceased, the chain evidently still holds homophobic values. Many of these companies are still popular, and their products and services are frequently bought. It’s important that problematic organizations be brought to light, and are pressured to stop. Homophobic and transphobic policies hurt the LGBTQ+ community, and racist practices are abhorrent and unacceptable.
“You should always subtly or directly ask someone what pronouns they use, and never assume someone’s gender.”
goldenbeets / etsy
Features
6 A spotlight on the lesser-known clubs of Northwood by Anaiya Bobo and Gabby David A diverse, beloved high school full of athletes, writers, artists…. and more math and science nerds than you might expect. Students represent not only inside class, but outside as well – with over 25 clubs active at NHS this school year, and many more to come. Only one problem… NO ONE KNOWS THEY EXIST. So, we decided to interview the leaders of some school clubs you may not have heard of. Check it out!
Forensics and Literature Magazine Who: Run by Ms. Joyanna Priest When: Forensics - Tuesdays/ Wednesdays @ lunch in the Writing Center (A219); Literature Magazine - Thursdays @ lunch in the Writing Center (A219). Join the Literature Magazine and express your creativity through artwork and writing, or learn design
Teacher Feature: Get to know Mr. Fox by Olivia Rosemond There is a new addition to the Northwood Gladiator team, someone who teaches the true meaning of Journalism. He instructs students on how to create change by showing people their world through writing. A positive and enthusiastic new teacher, Mr. Acosta-Fox now teaches Journalism 1 and Honors English 12. He was excited to sit with me and tell me more more about himself. Before coming to Northwood, he taught at Northwest High school for three years. Before that, he taught at a high school in Kansas City, Kansas, for eight years. Mr. Fox, as most students call him, completed his college education at three different schools. He went to Kansas University and received an undergraduate degree. He also got his Master’s in teaching from Pittsburg State University and a Master’s in English Language and Literature form the University of Missouri-Kansas City. When asked what he enjoys about teaching, he said, “My absolute favorite thing about teaching is when a student shares something they’ve written that they’re proud of out loud in class.
layouts. You don’t have to be a great artist or writer — you can just be creative and contribute your ideas. A place free of judgement, the Lit Mag Team encourages you to speak your mind. Forensics is also in the Writing Center! “Forensics is the art of speech,” says junior Ilan Brick. Actors, readers, speakers, this is a wonderful place to let your skills show. Even if you’re not much of a chatty person, Forensics is still a great place to find your inner dramatic side. Be dramatic! Exciting! Read aloud! Run by Ms. Priest, the Literature Magazine and Forensics are awesome! Some words from her on the clubs: Priest’s first year leading Lit Mag was 2017-2018 school year, and it’s currently her fifth year with Forensics. Both groups are chill, easy going, and fun. You can talk about your ideas, share artwork, and have a good time. Here are some words from Ms. Priest herself, on what she would say to someone interested in the club. “Come on by! Bring a friend!”
“That is the coolest feeling to have been a part of that.”
“My absolute favorite thing about teaching is when a student shares something they’ve written that they’re proud of out loud in class.”
Science Olympiad Who: Run by Ms. Helene McLaughlin; Co-Captains: Montserrat Gonzalez and Aviana Anderson When: First and third Wednesdays of the month during lunch in G124 Science Olympiad is the place to be if you love science and want to strengthen your skills. You can learn a lot about science and challenge yourself, while having a ton of fun with challenges and experiments. In an interview, Ms. McLaughlin said that she first started running Science Olympiad last school year, but as a student she had taken part in her school’s Science Olympiad team in middle and high school. Science Olympiad is a mainly student lead program, but McLaughlin loves supervising and helping out the students. “Science Olympiad is a great place to connect with people interested in science and to have fun.” Here are the responses of the club’s co-captains when interviewed: What has been one of your favorite experiences? “Meeting new people and ex-
Teacher Creature Feature: Get to know Ms. O’Neill and her dog Rook
ploring different science categories that I never thought I’d be interested in.” - Aviana Anderson, 12th grade How would you describe the vibe of the room/the environment? “Stress free, fun, very home-like environment.” - Montserrat Gonzalez, 10th grade
All these amazing clubs, and you didn’t even know they existed!? Both clubs are still accepting new members; come be a part of the team!
few tricks, including sitting, laying down, rolling over and shaking “paws” on command. “It’s just, it’s nice to have something that’s excited all the time,” said Ms. O’Neill.
by Anaiya Bobo, Gabby David, and Olivia Rosemond
Recently we had the opportunity to interview Ms. Kelly O’Neill about herself and her dog, Rook. Ms.O’Neill teaches AP Psychology and US History. She is currently in her seventh year of teaching and her second year at Northwood. She enjoys being around the people she works with, as well as her students. In her free time, Ms. O’Neill likes to ride bikes, nap and watch TV. She describes herself as a lifelong learner and is currently taking a class on race and how it affects school systems. Most importantly, she loves to teach! Ms. O’Neill’s dog Rook is named after an operator in Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6 Siege, a 2015 video game. (Fun fact: her students from Mr. Ryan Acosta-Fox last year actually helped her pick it out!) She rescued the dog from an animal shelter near her home in May of 2015. Rook, a boy, is a mixed (and soon-to-be determined) breed and loves being around people, little kids in particular. Rook also enjoys napping, cuddling, car rides, and going to the dog park. She’s even learned a
Rook
“It’s just, it’s nice to have something that excited all the time.”
Ms. Kelly O’Neill
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After all, these are classes taught at a college level that will hopefully earn you credit once you actually by Nicole Devitt-Tapia make it to the hallowed halls of Are you worried about your AP a particular college or university. “Don’t underestimate the difficulty class? Scared of the time-consuming work and studying? Well, let me and the amount of work that will be needed,” said one student. tell you something, taking an AP class could be one of the best deBe a good note taker cisions a student can make in high school. The higher level learning One of the most tried-and-true that one receives in these classes ways of succeeding in any class is prepares them for college and improves their critical thinking while taking good notes. In an AP class, notes are your key to passing the earning college credit. If you are nervous to take an AP class because AP exam. you think it may pose too big of a challenge, read on for some valuable tips from someone who has Improve your time survived her share of AP classes. management skills
How to survive AP!
Don’t procrastinate! The reality of many AP courses is that they’re intentionally difficult.
Loud and proud! by Nicole Devitt-Tapia September 15th marks the start of Hispanic Heritage Month. A month of celebrating all the things we love about our beautiful Hispanic culture. There are so many reasons to love being Hispanic, to love the blood that runs through your veins, but here are my top 5 reasons why I love being Hispanic.
1. Food, food, food, and more food No matter where it comes from, any type of Hispanic food is sure to satisfy. Hispanic cuisine, no matter where it’s made, is by far America’s favorite. You can go out to eat anywhere nowadays, and there is at least one Hispanic-influenced dish on their menu. Some of my favorite
If you procrastinate a lot, have a very short attention span, start small. Set a timer for 10 minutes with a 5-minute break and spend it memories involve a good Peruvian home cooked meal. Trust me, I never get tired of a delicious Arroz con Pollo or a juicy Pollo a la Brasa with an ice cold Inca Kola.
2. “La Familia” FAMILY IS ALWAYS FIRST! Blood is truly thicker than water in a Hispanic household. Ask any Hispanic and they will tell you that no matter what family always comes first. Regardless of how mad you may get at your family, when you are Hispanic, your mom, grandma, tias, tios, primas, and primos will always be your favorite people; they’re the ones that you get to spend every moment and tradition with.
with completely undivided attention to your work.
Avoid cramming
While it can work for some people, at least if they pay attention in class, it doesn’t keep the information in your head. It’s only temporary knowledge, and this is bad in AP classes where the information is often cumulative. If you cram for multiple AP classes, by the time AP exams come you’ll be rushing to learn everything all over again because you remember nothing.
Manage your stress. If your AP classes are becoming overwhelming, seek help for dealing with stress. There are many ways to reduce academic stress, so employ one of these tactics before you get too far behind or the stress becomes too much for you to handle.
Use your weekends efficiently as well The weekend is a great time to relax and actually, have a social life, but you need to use this time to get some work done if you don’t want to be rushing the whole week
3. The Culture The beautiful Hispanic culture is quickly growing, and you can’t deny the influence Hispanic culture has had on the United States. Influence rooting from but not limited to traditions, language, idioms, religious beliefs and practices, legends, arts, music, literature, cuisine, history, social and family values. The Hispanic culture is unique, authentic and unlike any other.
4. Any celebration is a reason to party There’s no milestone in life that doesn’t deserve a fiesta! Whether it be a birthday party, a wedding, a graduation, a new job, or just a simple award, you can always count on Hispanics to make any party extra fun and exciting. Hispanics know exactly how to
have a good time and make sure everyone else is having a good time as well.
5. Our Pride! There is no other heritage in the world that represents as we do. We wear our pride every day. Being Hispanic is so much more than the fun, the food, and the culture. It’s about our history, our struggles, our hard work and where we have come from. My love for being Hispanic has been in me since I was a little girl. I learned to love who I am and never hold back for anybody. I learned to fight every day for what I want, and I thank my Hispanic roots for showing me how to be proud of myself and where I come from. Happy Hispanic Heritage month, my fellow Hispanos!
Opinion
8 A Gladiator’s capitvating past by Woodland Crisfield As we all know, our school’s mascot is a vicious, red gladiator ready to take on any opponent in his or her way without backing down. Our passionate staff and students cheer on our athletes at sporting events and gatherings, but few people who are actually informed and aware of the reasons Northwood decided to have the gladiator be our mascot. While the story of a gladiator makes for riveting history, understanding how our school chose one as our mascot and how that came about should also be very important to us. To build school spirit we should cheer on our fellow students and teachers, but we should also know the historical context and reasons for choosing a mascot rather than simply accepting it as the symbol for our high school. With that in mind, let’s look at how our school’s teams came to be known as the Gladiators. First of all, we weren’t always called the Northwood Gladiators. This action was what prompted Northwood alumni from past years as well as the graduating class of 1958 to take on the tough task of renaming the School’s team mascot, hoping they would please everybody. In fact, after our high school
Northwood High School: the place to be? by Nicole Devitt-Tapia Northwood is diverse! Is that all people have to say about us? Five out of ten reviews contain those very words. After all, it is the 31st most diverse school out of 263 schools. But aren’t we much
first opened, we were known as the Northwood Indians. It was in 2001 that a vote by the Maryland Board of Education outlawed the use of racial and ethnic names for school mascots. After the Poolesville High School Indians were forced to change their name, our school’s officials decided that they should rebrand our teams as the Gladiators, with Nighthawk coming in second and that has lasted to the present day. Over the centuries, the gladiator has been considered by many to be a ferocious armed warrior who could engage in violent clashes, with wild animals or other gladiators. In earlier times, these kinds of battles were designed to entertain large audiences in the Coliseum, also called the Amphitheater in Ancient Rome. These events were common during the period of the Roman Empire. It’s easy to see why we would want our mascot to be a gladiator. Perhaps those who decided on the name wanted future students to approach their educational and life obstacles in a way that is similar to a triumphant gladiator and to act in an unyielding way to overcome the hardships that can become natural when making one’s way through high school. And if one carefully observes the approach to education that students take in our school, it is evident that at Northwood we do indeed represent the most admirable characteristics of a gladiator.
The majority of students at our school strive to create a clear vision of their ambitions and how they plan to attain their goals. Students at Northwood are risk takers in the best sense of the word,they are engaging in new subjects while striving to perform their best. Students at our school are courageous academically and physically; do not back down when confronted with adversity in the classroom or on the athletic field. What most people do not know about the Roman gladiators is that they did not always fight an opponent to the death. Contrary to how movies and television shows depict gladiators, most of the clashes that took place in an amphitheater had rules and regulations. This is most
more than diversity? Do people view us in a more academic light? Do we give them something more to look at? “My freshman and sophomore years were the most exciting and significant times of my life. Getting a hold onto the culture of high school was enticing to me and was an absolutely thrilling experience.” This is just part of what a student said of Northwood. Is this how everyone
feels? Does Northwood make you feel welcomed? Most people says it does. In a poll taken online, 79% of students feel happy at Northwood. However, you read further on the same review and you get: “As time went on, I felt as if the culture and experience was declining as the seniors left and the incoming freshmen came in. There [was] less funding which resulted in [fewer] activities. Personally, I believe that the [fewer] activities there are, the less likely students are to stay engaged and motivated in their academics. Also, the spirit and pride in the school declines… Northwood no longer feels like a home to me.”
often contrary to how movies and television shows depict Gladiators. Most matches are represented as a bloody fight to the death. Historians have noted that there was likely a referee in these matches and they would end the fight if one participant was seriously wounded. Sometimes these matches would end in a standoff with no clear winner. So as we advance in the school year let us emulate the kind of gladiator who takes on challenges in school and in life honestly and fearlessly without faltering––who becomes a hero who helps and cares for all good people who are confronted with hardships and difficulties.
Northwood High School, 1968
“The administration, staff, and students are like a large family.” Is this what is happening with Northwood, or was this just a single experience by a student who lost track at Northwood? Does Northwood reach its full potential in pep? Is the lack of spirit and pride the school’s fault? Or is it the students? Northwood High School, 2018 How can Northwood fix this?
“The administration, staff, and students are like a large family. If a student needs help, it is there. Very positive environment with a lot of community involvement... Teachers are very receptive to emails and respond promptly! Good variety of special academies for students with special interest like law enforcement, music, drama, etc,” said one parent of the school. There is no denying that Northwood does have a variety in special interest academics, but does that reach out to everyone? Do all people see that of the school? If they do, this is what Northwood can be besides just being diverse. Does everyone in Northwood feel like a family? From a personal experience from the 2015 graduation, we are a “Northwood Gladiator Family.” So who can tell exactly what Northwood’s reputation is? Not everyone has the same views; not everyone has the same experiences. Northwood can only be what those who work and go to the school make it. Do you want a school that is talked about negatively, or do you want a school people wish to attend? The decision is up to you. What do you want to make Northwood?
Opinion Does Northwood really deserve a negative reputation? by Alex Chartol
Most of the time, when one tells a student from a different school that you go to Northwood, you normally get the response “Ew! Northwood?!” or something similar. Our school has been labeled “trash,” “gross,” and even “ghetto.” But perhaps the reputation our school has isn’t very accurate. During lunch, students shared what they like most about this school. Aaccording to a teacher here at Northwood, we have students who all together, come from 29 different countries and speak Multiple languages at home. Moreover, after speaking with a student at Albert Einstein High School, one can definitely assume that our school
Spooky Season: A review of Halloween 2018 by Ethan Chaupiz 1978 brought us the release of Halloween, and this year brought us the sequel titled, Halloween. 40 years later with a new director, new cast, and the return of some familiar faces, the iconic horror franchise is brought back to its roots, ignoring all previous entries. except for the first, and attempting to reinvigorate some life back into the series. With this new continuity there’s a chance for a great chapter and companion piece to the original, yet the ending result is anything but that. Comparisons have been made between this and The Force Awakens and it is not hard to see why. Both are sequels attempting to continue the story in a interesting way yet play it safe far too much and any new elements aren’t enough to keep the viewer engaged, coming off more like cash grabs that exist to milk a completed franchise dead to its core til there’s nothing left. A0 number of scenes, items, and shots are there. However they aren’t distracting enough to take you out of the movie, though at times it seems like they could have integrated those fan-service elements in a more clever fashion. The story doesn’t have much to chew on. Slasher movies tend to be light on narrative and more focused on giving kills, blood, guts, naked women, a couple of teenagers and a memorable killer to boot. On a few occasions the story is interesting enough to make you question what’s going to happen next. But a majority have flashy stuff takes center stage while the story becomes second fiddle. Halloween does have an interesting idea at first. Since Laurie was the survivor of Michael’s attack, the film tries to at least grasp onto how she dealt with the trauma, and how her personality, character, perception of
9 has one of the lowest bullying rates in the DCC. Everyone is respected and one student when asked what they thought stated, “One of the best things about this school is the lack of discrimination. My trans friend was given a locker in the boys locker room even though he’s biologically a girl, and even got his name changed in the system to suit him better.” Another student answered “The people here are great. They make you feel like you are a part of something. Everyone fits in here in some way.” Another recounted, “No one really cares about your gender-identity, or your sexuality or about the color of your skin or religion. And we can easily be open about who we are here because of that. It’s actually very liberating.” One student stated that they came to Northwood for “the GTLD, it’s a program to help me with my learning disability.” Our school offers programs that help students to stay on top of their work, “I decided I
wanted to go to Northwood because of this program.” And this is not the only program here at NWHS, Northwood offers many programs that aren’t found at multiple schools in the DCC. The list includes the Middle College program or MC squared, the Academy of Music, Theatre and Dance (AMTAD), Academy of Politics, Advocacy and Law (PAL), along with many other programs. Our school also offers a variety of clubs such as the Literary magazine, the Green team and even Archery. Not to mention all the school performances such as the Fall Play, the spring musical, Billboard, One-Acts and the showcases for all of the musical and performing arts classes.
the world and mentality changed, as well how her family and the people around her reacted to her choices. An attempt is made to flesh out Laurie and make her an assertive protagonist, which works mostly. But she still comes off as one-dimensional with no real sign she’s truly taken the time to really evaluate her actions. There’s a dinner scene which tries to show she still has baggage she carries with her but the film never really takes the time to show her grief and loss. Credit where is credit is due, she’s easily the best character of the entire cast and the only one who has some driving factor to her. Add on Jamie Lee Curtis’s solid performance and you’ve got the only interesting character. For the rest of the characters, well there’s not much too them. They are the barebone slasher archetypes we’ve come to know and they’re are so forgettable. Besides Laurie the only one who admittedly has some agency to her is Allyson, but that’s only because she’s the final girl we’ve come to expect from these kinds of movies. Besides Laurie, Allyson and the two podcast investigators, we have a cast consisting of a blond babysitter who’s there for purposes, a boyfriend who’s bland as hell, a Dr. Loomis-like psychiatrist who’s there only to spout exposition on the nature of Michael Myers, some cops who are terrible at their job and Allyson’s parents. Her mother who was raised by Laurie is supposed to be this lady who has had a lot going through her childhood, trying to move yet on comes off as a bit whiny and snobbish. Finally there’s the killer himself: Michael Myers. Since the original Halloween, Michael has gone from a scary killer who could kill you at any point to an icon, with the William Shatner mask becoming a staple to the franchise. Now Michael is more brutal this time around with many of the kills not being all that creative and going straight to the throat. Even though he’s more unrelenting with his victims, that
doesn’t make him scary. Due to how much pop culture has imitated and
“We can easily be open about who we are.” Other students have expressed that they like the schedule, the school store, and the teachers. One
of these teachers, when asked what she likes about the school gave two answers. “For the staff side things, I love how supportive they are. I had a lot of questions as the new teacher and easily got answers and encouragement from my co-workers. But when it comes to the students, I love having the ability to show students something they haven’t seen before and the admiration for the subject that I love.” It can be difficult to believe that teachers actually enjoy teaching! But here at Northwood it’s more believable. Another student even mentioned that they like having security walk around the halls, that they feel safer here than other schools.So overall, some might be label us the worst school, and we might have awful air conditioning and wifi, questionable cafeteria food, and a football team that has struggled at times, but Northwood has many amazing things that sets us apart, things that, in the end, are the most important.
Michael Myers’ thousand-yard stare
replicated the original movie, there’s not a whole lot they could do to make him a legitimate terrifying killer. All the same musical notes to indicate his presence, the decoys he hides to get the jump on someone, his constant teleporting to any location without being seen and his reliance on characters being dumb so he can make his next killing all have been done before and there isn’t much creativity when it comes to Michael. You know who he’s going to kill and you know how he’s going to do it. This is a real shame as making Michael scary again would have made me care for what was going on. Unfortunately that never happens and Michael pulls his standard shtick. David Gordon Green, whose work consists of doing comedies now branches out to a horror movie, which shows. It’s competent enough to get by but nothing to make it stand out. There’s no real style or director’s trademark to Halloween which is baffling considering the entire franchise rests on Carpenter giving his stamp on a horror movie and using that to really heighten various scenes in the film. Green at one point does replicate Carpenter’s style but the directing and blocking are average at best and awful at worst. The pacing, while slow and purposeful doesn’t do much to make an impact thanks to the mediocre editing style. The cinematography does make it bearable as Michael
Simmonds manages to frame 75% of the shots with great composition and each shot reflects Dean Cundey’s signature lighting techniques. Easily the best component and a definite highlight is the score. Carpenter returned to score the movie along with his son Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davis. The result is arguably one of the best movie soundtracks of the year. The iconic theme that’s synonymous with the franchise is played, a little too many times but there’s a nice variation in the score. A great usage of synth, keyboard and various electronic instruments implemented into the score make one of the best scores of the series. There’s a nice old remastered vibe to the entire soundtrack while something new being implemented at the same time. Daniel’s rock contribution really heightens the atmosphere and mood in a number of scenes, particularly during a chase as the helpless victim tries to get inside. If it hadn’t been for this element of the film, then the movie would have turned out much worse. Halloween 2018 should have been a breath of fresh for this series and in terms of box office it did just that. However as a stand-alone film, it suffers from bad writing, a weak script, fine directing, acting that ranges from meh to bad and an awful ending that of course sets up a sequel. What else could have we expected? Rating: 4/10
Sports
10
Fall Sports Captains: Questions and Answers by Blake Silver, Robert Marchessault, Jason Maharajh, Melanie McGinity, and Jason Quinteros “My brother played soccer and it “To have a 7-5 record and to What expectations did you What are your individual seemed fun. Its built so much charmake it past second round of the have for your team coming expectations for the season? acter for me and has always been playoffs.” Julian Chippereno (‘19) there for me.” Stephanie Urrutia into the season? Soccer “To become a better player and to (‘19) work on my overall stick skills.” “My expectations were to come Natalia Figueroa (‘19) Field Hockey “Field hockey is important to me out stronger than last year and because i can connect with all types play to our best abilities.” Jonathan of people and it’s a family like comMcpherson (‘19) Football munity.” Malika Buscaino (‘19)
“Win a bunch of games.” Libby Isaacson (‘19) Girls Volleyball
“To improve my setups for my teammates so they can get spikes.” Libby Isaacson (‘19) Girls Volleyball
“To win more games than we did last year and have a different dynamic which we have now.” Brighid Kowal (‘19) Field Hockey
Why is your sport important to you? “It let me grow so many friendships and it’s become a lifestyle for me.” Sebastian Boyer (‘20) Football
A night full of memories: Field Hockey Senior Night by Blake Silver Field Hockey Senior Night was exciting but also a very emotional time as the girls varsity field hockey seniors took the field for the last time at Northwood. Before the game began the seven seniors took the traditional walk out with family or close friends while their teammates cheered them on from the sidelines. There were a few highlights during the ceremony, including jokes made by the players. Natalia Figueroa said she wants to join the military was soon followed by “sike boi” to bother her mother. As for the game, it was a very even matchup between Northwood and Damascus where defense ruled throughout. The Gladiators shut Damascus out in the first half, leaving the score 0-0 at halftime. Senior Sophia Salas put Northwood on the board with an amazing shot in front of the goal. Rallied by their leader the strong defense only let 2 goals in the whole game, but unfortunately they came up short by one
Northwood Field Hockey Seniors
point but having played so hard against a really good team our lady gladiators held their heads high in defeat. The student section, which is the most packed part of the stands, acts as the cheerleaders for the game. They were full of good friends of the seniors playing in the game and constantly led chants like “ You wish you were a GLADIATOR” and “ You can’t guard her” when someone from our team scored or made a big play.
Powderpuff game recap To end an eventful Spirit Week, Northwood held the annual powderpuff game, where the roles are switched up with the girls playing football and the boys cheerleading. With the game raging on our fearless ‘18-’19 Lady Glads battled courageously. Both the senior and junior teams came out with their best stuff trying to excite the crowd, doing dances, flips, stunts, and chants to help their fellow Gladiators play. When asked about who had the best cheer team between the juniors and seniors most had the
What excites you to compete? “There’s a rush you get from cheer that you can’t get anywhere else it’s kinda hard to explain.” Nayeli Mendez (‘19) “Doing contemporary because it’s the most different thing we do that separates us from other poms.” Olamide Oladiran (‘19)
same response as junior Kenia Hernandez: “The junior class had the best cheer team because they had more people, which looked better.” On the seniors’ side, the powderpuff cheer team was very spirited, doing backflips and shouting at the stands to get up and get loud, firing up their Lady Glads who were playing in the game. Cheer captains Molly Kramer and Melissa Kane coached up the boys and did an amazing job getting them coordinated, even drawing compliments from the juniors for their hard work. Senior Alvin Huynh said, “Cheer was very unique this year and i still enjoyed it very much.” Sadly after all the stunts came to an end and both cheer squads were getting ready for their halftime performances the game was cut short due to the JV game later that day. Junior Stephanie Urrutia was disappointed when the game was cut short: “I feel like we were saving most of our stuff for the halftime show and that got really messed up because there wasn’t one.” In the end, the powderpuff game was a success despite minor issues, and both classes showed phenomenal school spirit and ended Spirit Week with a bang.
Games
11 MAZE
SPOOKY WORD SEARCH
SUDOKU
RULES OF SUDOKU: 1. Each row should have the number1 through 9 (no repeats). 2. Each column should have the number 1 through 9 (no repeats). 3. Each of the 9 3x3 squares should have the number 1 through 9 (no repeats).
The first THREE students to bring all three of the games above completed correctly to Mr. Fox in Room A204 win a prize!
Northwood Impressions a photo collage of Northwood’s fall flair for creativity