A growing Northwood tradition, p. 14
Editorial: Trump and the transgender community, p.5
The road to Nationals: Eldad and Obsaa, p. 15
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Montgomery County Public Schools
Northwood High School
919 University Boulevard W.
Silver Spring, MD 20901
Winter 2018
Their Home Away from Home: Development Su hogar lejos de casa: El desarrollo amenaza el threatens the Wheaton Triangle Community Corner rincón de la comunidad de Wheaton Triangle by Nicole Devitt-Tapia Do you have a place that isn’t your house that you call home? How ¿Tienes un lugar que no sea tu casa al que llamas hogar? ¿Cómo te would you feel if that very place was taken away from you? sentirías si te quitan ese lugar? This is what is happening to some of our very own senior citizens. If Esto es lo que está sucediendo a algunos de nuestros propios ciudadayou have ever been to Wheaton you probably have passed the Wheaton nos mayores. Si alguna vez has estado en Wheaton, probablemente hayas Triangle at the corner of Grandview Ave. and Reedie Drive. Around two pasado el Triángulo de Wheaton en la esquina de Grandview Avenue y years ago you would drive or Reedie Drive. Hace aproximawalk past and see a small commudamente dos años, si tu pasabas en nity corner with tables and green tu carro o caminando por esta calle veas un pequeño rincón comunitarspace. io con mesas y espacio verde. It was “home” to part of the community. Era “el hogar” de parte de la “In the summer about [10 to comunidad. “En el verano, aproximada20] of us use to get together here,” said Rigoberto Medrano. It was a mente [10 a 20] de nosotros solemos reunirnos aquí”, dijo uno de secure place for everyone. Groups los señores, Rigoberto Medrano. of mainly Hispanic men of the age 50 and up went to the corner in Era un lugar seguro para todos. their free time after work to hang Grupos de hombres principalmente out and “de-stress” with table hispanos de 50 años a más iban a la esquina en su tiempo libre después games like checkers. Another man, Julio Tapia, Douglas García, and Rigoberto Medrano. Julio Tapia, said, “It was a place del trabajo para pasar el rato y for everyone, it’s free and apart from all of that, we have about 18 years “quitarse el estrés” con juegos de mesa como damas y ajedrez. Otro doing this.” señor, Julio Tapia, dijo: “Era un lugar para todos, es gratis y aparte de That is how long this place has meant something to these men: 18 eso, tenemos alrededor de 18 años haciendo esto”. Eso es cuanto tiempo este lugar ha significado algo a estos hombres: years! Now, this home is gone as Wheaton has modernized. The corner has ¡18 años! been taken over by the construction of a new building. They have no taAhora, esta casa ya no existe ya que Wheaton se ha modernizado. La bles or green space anymore. Despite this, they don’t want to stop doing esquina ha sido tomada por la construcción de un nuevo edificio, ya no tienen mesas ni espacio verde. A pesar de esto, no quieren dejar de hacer what makes them happy; they don’t want to stop their daily pastime. Instead, they now sit in a corner outside of a restaurant on the same avenue lo que los hace felices; ellos no quieren detener su pasatiempo diario. and play there. (cont’d. on page 3) (con’d en pagina 3)
Calor Gladiador shines at the 19th annual MCPS Latin Dance Competition
support and motivation you need in the often stressful environment of high school. From a stranger’s point of view, dancing might not seem that
hard, and the members of Calor Gladiador sometimes make performing in front of a crowd seem easy. This is wrong. Dancing takes
initiative and confidence to go onstage and give it your all. “Their commitment and dedication really shined through since the beginning. (cont’d. on page 3)
by Ana Lazo The big night has passed. On November 19, Calor Gladiador, Northwood High School’s Latin Dance Team, gave an outstanding performance that put all their hard work in the spotlight. Calor Gladiador brought home not one but three awards: first place in Bachata, first place in ChaCha, and second place overall in the junior division. Calor Gladiador means so much more than just a team to all who participate and watch them dance. It’s more than that, as coach Mr. Cristian Lemus explains. “Just to merge together have the kind of community, a form of friendship, and a family.” Calor Gladiador offers a sense of family within a group gives that
Seniors Jennifer Lopez Salguero and Daniel Parra Diaz compete in the Cha-Cha.
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“The Importance of Being Earnest”: a Northwood Production
they love: Cecily Cardew, played by junior Sophia Willis, and Gwendolen Fairfax played by junior Elaina Giaudrone.
by Gabrielle David
Who is telling the truth?
The Northwood High School theater department’s fall play production was “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde. Originally a British production that was performed first in London, the play was brought to the stage at our school by Northwood students. Northwood students performed the show on Friday and Saturday, November 16th and 17th. Anyone who came to watch got to see the wonderful cast take on various roles depicting the dramatic love crises of families living in the stuffier parts of 19th Century British society. Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” is about main character Algernon Moncrief, played by sophomore Miguel Cuesta, and John Worthing, played by junior Isaac Umanzor. Both take on the persona of Mr. “Earnest Worthing” in the attempts to marry the girls
Algernon, in love with Cecily, and Jack, in love with Algernon’s cousin Gwendolen, try to appeal to them by the name of Earnest in order seduce and ultimately marry them. This, of course, sets up a suspenseful situation when the women meet and find out they are both set to marry a man named Earnest Worthing. Who is telling the truth? From this question comes most of the play’s comedy. While the plot does not feature modern characters, it is still an timeless and thoughtful insight into life in a society obsessed with social status. What’s more, the Northwood cast put on a marvelous performance. Northwood’s stage and tech crew deserve applause for all their hard work and effort put into these
Northwood drumline’s emotional victory
third. Then, when the announcement came that Blake High School had earned second place, Northwood’s drumline, as well as their friends, family, and supporting students, broke into cheers. Northwood’s skilled drumline had received first place. All their hard work the past few months had paid off. The captain of the drum line, Khalil Abdul-Wakeel (‘19), was Northwood’s representative to obtain the trophy. In his final year at Northwood, he was glad to receive first place. “The only emotion that I felt was relief and all I could do was cry. All that hard work and being stressed to get comp together,” he began. “I did it all for my dad and my grandpa watching over me as I lead my family and drumline to our first place win.” The attendees celebrated the win for Northwood, proud of the dedicated Northwood High School drumline.
by Gabrielle David and Kate Valentine On the night of Saturday, December 8th, Northwood High School’s award-winning drumline took home a first-place winning victory at the 2018 Drumline Competition, beating out three other MCPS high schools. The coordinators of the competition announced the final results as the performances concluded, the audience waiting in anticipation. Watkins Mill High School placed fourth. Springbrook High School took
Drumline: a personal reflection by Samantha Miranda
Left to Right, counterclockwise: Kobina Orleans-Pobee (‘19), Khalil Abdul-Wakeel (‘19), Samantha Miranda (‘19), Selam Wehabe (‘20), and Harvey Vincent (‘19).
I felt a bundle of nerves but after seeing the other schools perform I become more confident. Watkins Mill, Blake and Springbrook competed as well but they did
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Juniors Dyuti Basu and Sophia Willis in the Northwood production of “The Importance of Being Earnest.” performances. Few understand how many hours of practices and rehearsals outside of school putting on a successful show takes, but for this play, Northwood did the job. not match our level of energy and difficult formations. I was so happy to see the large and spirited Northwood section, especially because normally a few Northwood fans come to the competition. This was the second time I have been apart of a first place winning drumline and I always dreamed of winning best cymbals since last year. This was an amazing way to end my last season of drumline after four years of putting my heart into this club.
Drumline: una reflexión personal de Samantha Miranda Sentí muchos nervios, pero después de ver las otras escuelas yo me senti mas confiada. Watkins Mill, Blake y Springbrook compitieron también, pero no coinciden con nuestro nivel de energía y formaciones difíciles. Yo estaba tan contenta de ver la gran y enérgica sección de Northwood, especialmente porque normalmente unos pocos fanáticos de Northwood vienen a la competencia. Esta fue la segunda vez que he estado aparte de un primer lugar ganando línea de tambor y siempre soñé con ganar los mejores platillos desde el año pasado. Esta fue una manera increíble de terminar mi última temporada de la línea de tambor después de 4 años de poner mi corazón en este club.
Red and Black Staff Editor-in-Chief Ana Lazo News Editor Nicole Devitt-Tapia News Staff Gabby David Kate Valentine William Vorosmarti Skylar Williams Woodland Crisfield Samantha Miranda Features Editor Davina Whyte Features Staff Anaiya Bobo Liya Tadesse Ilsa Jentsch Olivia Rosemond Melanie McGinity Jason Maharajh Jason Quinteros Chade’ Herring Ethan Chaupiz Sports Editor Adama Gueye Sports Staff Blake Silver Robert Marchessault Design Editor Alex Chartol Faculty Advisor Ryan Acosta-Fox
News Winter 2018
Latin Dance Competition (cont’d from p. 1) “Obviously there were hard times that they had to overcome,” Mr. Lemus continued. Calor Gladiador’s performance really went above and beyond expectations for a new program at Northwood, as anyone present at their performance would agree. Behind the scenes of Calor Gladiador are the team leaders, seniors Jennifer Lopez Salguero and Daniel Parra Diaz. Each one of them have different methods of encouraging their team, methods that include hyping them up constantly as Parra Diaz said. Their hard work really paid off, a fact that is proven by the award given to Lopez Salguero: The Leadership Award Recipient. Despite achieving numerous awards, members of Calor Gladiador still have a request of other Gladiator students: new male members, preferably those who are underclassmen. “It’s exciting to meet new people and new people to teach. [They]
Wheaton Community Triangle (cont’d from 1) In this corner, three of them barely fit, let alone the 20 or so who used to get together. Many of the men mentioned that when the weather was nice, people from other places like Langley Park, White Oak, D.C. and even Virginia have come just to play with them. They have also had teens join them in games, both to learn and simply to spend quality time. But now this doesn’t happen because they don’t have the space necessary to do so. This street is not just known for its community corner. This particular avenue is where multiple events used to take place before construction. One of these was the Taste of Wheaton, a food festival that would take place in the summertime. The event has been minimized due to the construction and, as time goes by, it seems likely that it will continue to dwindle.
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can stay behind to teach the others that join,” Jissel Estrada (‘21) said. Overall this team has dedication and the drive to succeed.
Latin Dance Company Competition: a Personal Reflection by Katherin Molina Being in the Latin Dance Company and experiencing the 19th Annual MCPS Latin Dance Competition was such an exciting and memorable moment for me. Being a part of a team, working together, crying together, laughing together, and performing together had to be the best part of it all. All the sweat, tears, laughter, and hard work we went through together definitely paid off with getting 2nd place in the Junior Division, 1st place in Bachata, and 1st place in Cha-Cha. Seeing all the support from families, friends, students, and staffs filled our hearts with joy. We got to see different techniques and the different levels of passion students But it’s not just the fact that they want to have a space to spend time together. For the men, not having a place where people can get together like this is a tear in the unity of the community. All these gentlemen are asking for is more than a brick bench. They know construction isn’t over yet, but they are uncertain if they will be given the space they wish for. Asked about visitors, the men welcomed the idea. One man, Douglas García wanted to make clear his invitation that youth go visit them sometime. It’s a healthy hobby, and there are no active negative activities. “Come and we will show you that life isn’t only on the computer, you will notice that it is not the same!” Recently, the county staff and developers have been in conversations with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), the organization that owns the land, about using it as public green space and making it part of the new town center. In the end, the men are hopeful this will give them the space they need. “We have mutual respect for each other. We are a family!”
The Wheaton Community Triangle, before (left) and after (right).
had for Latin Dance. I believe that being a part of a Latin dance group or class can teach you so much about the different styles, the different techniques, and the origin of Latin Dance. One lesson stuck with me throughout the entire competition: “Have fun, let go, and enjoy every moment because it goes by quickly.” When you go out on that stage and you see the audience, it’s very nerve-wracking at first but then you get ready, you
smile, and once the music hits, you’re ready to leave everything you have on that stage. You savor every moment. This competition has taught me to let go and enjoy every single moment that goes by. I encourage anyone who is curious about Latin Dance to join a class or a group. Learn the different styles. Learn about the different techniques and the different movements. Let it all go. Que viva baile Latino! #WEPA
Above: Members of the 2018-2019 Northwood Latin Dance Team, Calor Gladiador.
El Triangulo de Wheaton
(cont’d de 1)
En su lugar, ahora se sientan en una esquina fuera de un restaurante en la misma avenida y juegan allí. En esta esquina, tres de ellos apenas caben, por no hablar de los 20 que solían reunirse. Varios de los señores mencionaron que cuando el clima era agradable, personas de otros lugares como Langley Park, White Oak, DC e incluso Virginia han venido a Wheaton solamente para jugar con ellos. También han tenido adolescentes que se les unen en juegos, tanto para aprender cómo simplemente para pasar tiempo de calidad. Pero ahora esto no sucede porque no tienen el espacio necesario para hacerlo. Esta calle no solo es conocida por su esquina comunitaria. Esta avenida particular es donde se lleva a cabo múltiples eventos. Uno de esos eventos era el Taste of Wheaton, un festival gastronómico que sucedía durante el verano. El evento se ha minimizado debido a la construcción y, a medida que pasa el tiem po, parece probable que continúe disminuyendo. Pero no es solo el hecho de que quieran tener un espacio para pasar tiempo juntos. Para los señores, no tener un lugar donde las personas puedan reunirse de esta manera es un rasgón en la unidad de la comunidad.
Todo lo que piden estos caballeros es más que un asiento de ladrillos. Saben que la construcción aún no ha terminado, pero no están seguros de si se les dará el espacio que desean. Consultados sobre los visitantes, los hombres agradecieron la idea. Uno de los señores, Douglas García, quería dejar en claro su invitación de que los jóvenes los visiten en algún tiempo. Es un pasatiempo saludable y no hay actividades negativas. “Ven y te mostraremos que la vida no es solo en la computadora, ¡notarás que no es lo mismo!” Recientemente, el personal y los desarrolladores del condado han estado en conversaciones con la Autoridad de Tránsito del Área Metropolitana de Washington (WMATA, por sus siglas en inglés), la organización propietaria del terreno, sobre su uso del espacio verde público y hacerlo parte del nuevo centro de la ciudad. Al final, esto señores tienen la esperanza de que esto les dará el espacio que necesitan. “Nos respetamos mutuamente. ¡Somos una familia!”
El Triangulo de Wheaton, antes (izqueirda) y despues (derecha).
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National monuments face challenges from Trump Administration by Woodland Crisfield President Trump and his Interior Department have recently ordered a “review” of many long-standing national monuments, many of which are found in the Western U.S. This action poses a potential threat to a reduction in the boundaries of these monuments as well as an opportunity for large corporations to excavate and exploit the area for their natural resources. This executive order will primarily target public lands that are larger than one hundred thousand acres in size. They include the habitats of endangered wildlife, Native American cultural and archeological sites, and areas rich in natural resources. They are found from the coast of Maine to the coast of California as well as in Pacific territories. This is happening while local officials continue to ignore or downplay the outcries from Southwestern native tribes, indigenous
Editorial: transgender community under siege by President Trump by Kate Valentine In the past two years, President Trump has launched numerous attacks on the LGBTQ+ community. In particular, the transgender community has been one of the most attacked groups. There are roughly 1.4 million americans who are openly transgender. Although Trump attempted to show support for the LGBTQ+ community while on the campaign trail, many have noticed that this support seems to have been temporary. As a New York Times article written by Amber Phillips stated, “If anyone in the gay community still held out hope that Trump would live up to his pro-LGBT campaign rhetoric (and not-asanti-LGBT presidency), Trump. . . eviscerated that.” There have been many instances where Trump invalidated, insulted, or outright excluded the transgender community. One plan, announced by Trump on Twitter in July 2017, would ban all transgender individuals from joining the military due to the “tremendous medical costs and disruption” that would result. Trump requested that Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis create a plan for
rights groups, and environmentalists. Nearly all of these people want the same end goal: to keep our national monuments as they are while protecting them for educational and leisure purposes, both for current generations and those that will come after. The long-term preservation of these public lands should and must be a priority for the Department of Interior as well as the land management organizations in the states where they are found. By constricting the boundaries and the natural terrain of our country’s public lands, this administration’s actions set a dangerous precedent for constricting continued use and enjoyment of our nation’s wilderness areas. We the people will no longer have the chance to fully experience the splendor of these monuments when they were first recognized as worthy of deserving everlasting protection. It would certainly be disgraceful if we as students of Northwood remain silent and allow the administration to do all it can to pollute and desecrate these public lands. Everyone should be encouraged to
put pressure on our elected officials to prevent this from happening. To reinforce legislation to protect our nation’s public lands will help prevent exploitation by materialistic corporations. In spite of all the harmful actions permitted by the Trump Administration, some locals in the surrounding areas do feel emboldened to double-down and fight against the attacks on our national
implementing the ban, and Mattis submitted the plan earlier this year. This would reverse a policy enacted during Obama’s second term, in June of 2016, which was passed after a two-year review by the Department of Defense that determined that being transgender was not a valid reason to be barred from joining the military. So far, four court cases have been filed against the proposed ban, including one by Lambda Legal, the oldest and largest LGBTQ+ rights organization in the US. Another, Doe v. Trump, is currently unresolved, but the order from Judge Kollar-Kotelly stated, “There is absolutely no support for the claim that the ongoing service of transgender people would have any negative effective on the military at all. In fact, there is considerable evidence that it is the discharge and banning of such individuals that would have such effects.” In late November, the Trump Administration asked the Supreme Court to take up the military ban. Solicitor General Noel J. Francisco argued that “Secretary Mattis and a panel of senior military leaders and other experts determined that the prior policy . . . posed too great a risk to military effectiveness and lethality.” Individuals challenging this position have contended that the military ban is unnecessary, and Jennifer Levi, the director
of GLAD’s Transgender Rights Project, has asserted that “This is simply one more attempt by a reckless Trump administration to push through a discriminatory policy.” Another example of those attempts came when the New York Times published an article revealing that the Trump Administration was considering “narrowly defining gender as a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth.” If there were any dispute over one’s sex, it would be determined through genetic testing. This would affect which locker rooms and bathrooms transgender individuals would be allowed to use, and increase the discrimination they experience, especially in the medical system. According to the Endocrine Society, “studies have indicated that 70% of transgender individuals have experienced maltreatment by medical providers, including harassment and violence. Transgender individuals who have been denied care show an increased likelihood of committing suicide and self-harm.” This new policy would be extremely harmful to not only the transgender community, but the intersex community as well. According to the Intersex Society of North America, “Intersex” is a general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit
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monuments considering their historical and natural significance. Let them inspire us and educate us about America’s natural treasures. Let’s not forget that they also provide support for local businesses in the region, and can give positive challenges to our physical and mental health. These national monuments are worthy of preservation forever.
Bear’s Ears National Monument in Utah. Bear’s Ears is one of many monuments under attack by the Trump Administration. the typical definitions of female or male.” Some identify as transgender while others do not; either way, this new policy would affect them too. More examples abound. In May 2016, guidance introduced by the Obama Administration decided that Title IX prevented the discrimination of transgender students; in February of 2017, the Trump Administration rescinded that guidance, meaning that states now decide whether Title IX protects transgender students or not. In late November, transgender guidance disappeared from the website of the Office of Personnel Management, which oversees all federal employees. The page had stated that transgender employees had the right to be referred to by their preferred name and pronouns, dress according to their gender identity, and use restrooms and locker rooms that corresponded with their gender identity. Now, that guidance is gone, and what remains in its place is a statement that outlines that discrimination based on gender identity is prohibited. The Trump Administration has attacked the transgender community multiple times in the past few years. These discriminatory actions are unacceptable in this day and age, and the administration needs to work towards protecting transgender individuals instead of endangering them even more.
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Local
Red and Black Winter 2018 that have wide appeal to Northwood’s Listening to the concerns of counIn Montgomery County, Democrats picked up five seats on the Coun- students, such as protecting the Mont- ty residents and working on solutions to problems are what can contribute to ty Council and five seats for a majority gomery county environment. Elrich improving our communities. maintains that climate change is the in the Maryland House of Delegates. In the national context of the With that, legislation submitted by the defining issue of our time. His top environmental priority for the council midterm races, our state seemed to get Republican Governor could be overby Woodland Crisfield could be gradually phasing out our little to no attention at all. There were turned by the Democratic-controlled many state governor races, house seats, dependence on fossil fuels and turnlegislature moving forward. On election day, November 6, the and Senate seats taking place in other ing our energy supply towards more spotlight was on our state’s governor’s renewable sources. states that received more attention. Listening to the concerns race. And rightfully so, with former From the viewpoints of left-leanSafe neighborhoods is another NAACP President, Ben Jealous, chalof county residents and issue for him that will appeal to many ing Democrats, winning council seats lenging longtime incumbent Larry across our state was an overall positive. residents. In his platform, Elrich also working on solutions to Hogan. That race came to an unconwants to ensure that Montgomery On top of that, a Democratic-contested conclusion, with Governor problems are what can trolled majority in both state houses County’s first responders have adeHogan easily winning reelection. could play a key role in getting legislaquate resources to respond to emercontribute to improving One key cause for the defeat of gencies and be accountable for their tion passed on issues that a majority of Ben Jealous was his lack of name recour communities. Marylanders are concerned about. actions at the same time. ognition when compared with Hogan, who is well known and liked by many Maryland Democrats also defeated in Maryland. Republican incumbents in the County Jealous presented a progressive Councils of Anne Arundel and Howplatform that would have changed ard counties and held onto the ExecuMaryland policies moving forward. tive seat in Frederick County. CapturHad he won, he would have made ing council seats in these counties have history by becoming our state’s first larger implications as well. Now, there African American Governor. could be strong checks on policies Many people considered Hogan a proposed by Governor Hogan. moderate governor, and some experts Marc Elrich, the Democratic wonder whether people voted for him candidate for Montgomery County since he was considered a “safe” canExecutive won the primary against didate. That feeling can puzzle people David Blair with 29.2% of the vote in a who are unsure and do not know who highly contested race that came down is better for Maryland. The candidate to the wire; he won handily against who will strive for real change and not Nancy Floreen and Robin Ficker in the just continue the status quo may be general election. Above: the new members of the Montgomery County Council with Senator Ben Cardin. difficult to determine. His platform supported issues
Democrats pick up critical seats across Maryland legislatures
I pledge allegiance... by William Vorosmarti You know the words. At least, you should. Seriously, you hear them every day. But have you ever stopped and asked why we recite the Pledge of Allegiance? Even in 2018? Even with the words “under God”? Even if no one ever stands up? The answer lies in the fact that the pledge ceremony is required in Maryland public schools every day by the state government, as well as in almost every other US state. Why is this? How did this happen? To find the answer one must go back over a hundred years. The pledge was originally written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a socialist and former Baptist minister. Upon being asked by the Youth’s Companion magazine to compose a patriotic function to be observed in schools, Bellamy penned a 23-word phrase: “I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the republic for which it stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all.” On paper, the reason for writing the pledge was in honor of the 400th anniversary of Columbus reaching the Americas, yet the underlying reason was much darker. In the late 1800s, America was facing an identity crisis. Massive amounts of immigrants, largely from southern and eastern Europe had arrived in America seeking a
fresh life in the “Beacon of Liberty” that was the United States. Many white Americans saw these events differently. To them, America was losing its “purity” as a white, Protestant nation in this tidal wave of Catholics and Jews. Bellamy himself complained that the United States, “cannot be the dumping ground of Europe and bloom like a flower garden”. However, he went further, explaining how the new arrivals in America belonged to “races which we can not assimilate without a lowering of our racial standard,” even if most of these immigrants would be considered “white” by today’s standards. As the years passed, the nativist fervor of the 1890s became more and more of a distant memory, yet the pledge that it spawned was only gaining in popularity. Schools across the country quickly adopted pledge as it developed into something of an American tradition. The anti-immigrant sentiment hadn’t gone away though, as evidenced by the 1923 National Flag Conference. This gathering, organized by the likes of the American Legion and the Daughters of the American Revolution decided that changes to the Pledge of Allegiance had to be made. Their main concern rested with the ambiguity, specifically with the phrase, “my flag.” After all, what was to stop immigrant children from pledging allegiance to the flag of their birth country? Thus, “my flag” was
changed to, “the flag of the United States.” Later, at the next National Flag Conference, “of America” was added on just so there would be even less confusion. The next few decades brought new laws establishing the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools throughout the country. This process only increased on the pledge’s 50th anniversary in 1942. To mark the occasion, Congress voted to include the pledge in the national flag code. Although this was largely symbolic, it illustrated the growing cultural significance of the pledge. Nonetheless, there were many Americans who disagreed with the recitation of the pledge in schools. Chief among them were Jehovah’s Witnesses, who felt as though the pledge ceremony encroached upon their belief against worshipping a graven image. In 1943, the Supreme Court agreed with them, ruling that the mandatory recitation of the pledge violated the First Amendment protection of free speech. The pledge continued undisturbed until 1954 when the most noteworthy change occurred. Conservative Catholics and Evangelical Christians had been lobbying for years to include a reference to God in the pledge. This was only heightened due to Cold War tensions with the “godless evils” of communism. These religious groups argued that Christianity was an integral part of the American way of life and thus, that the omission of God from the
pledge was anti-American. Even though the pledge was written by a Baptist minister, many in that same community now began to speak out against its secular nature. All of this came to a head when the Presbyterian Reverend George M. Docherty gave an impassioned sermon in favor of the use of God in the pledge at his church near the White House in Washington D.C. President Eisenhower was in attendance. The president was clearly moved by the oration and before long, legislation was being drawn up in Congress to add “under God” to the pledge. Only months later, on Flag Day 1954, Eisenhower signed into law a bill that augmented the pledge with the two famous words that have polarized opinions for the past 60 years. But the makeup of America is shifting. The percentage of White Christians as a percentage of the US population, currently at an all-time low, decreases every year. Yet throughout numerous lawsuits and cases, the courts have sided all but once in favor of preserving the pledge as it stands. The rationale behind this is that the pledge is a patriotic oath and not a religious one, meant to affirm one’s loyalty to their country and not to God. Today, the pledge has become an indicator of where one falls on the political spectrum. As a result, the pledge will likely remain in public schools for years to come, for better or for worse.
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The evil alter-ego of Santa Claus: a history of the legends of Santa and Krampus by Alex Chartol Everyone knows the story of Santa Claus. We know how he watches over children and gives them presents when they’re good, and coal when they’re not. We know about his sleigh and reindeer and love of milk and cookies. But we don’t know how his story originated, or about his lesser known evil alternative: Krampus. Learning background on both stories provides an interesting insight into one unseen element of the holiday season.
Santa The basis of the legend of every child’s favorite gift-giver is the story of Saint Nicholas. He lived from 270-343 AD. He was born to wealthy parents who died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young.
Electives fair offers preview of classes by Skylar Williams It might sound impossible, but it’s already time to start thinking about 2020. Northwood High School recently held an electives fair for underclassmen to explore opportunities for the 2019-2020 school year. According to counselor Mrs. Falesia Jones, the electives fair is designed to provide students with a way to see the programs and electives of different departments. Also, the fair gives students an overview the electives offered so students will be able to ask questions. “Hopefully students will take advantage of the opportunity. Anyone who goes should have a friend walk through.” The fair is primarily for students in hopes that they will be able to find a class that really interests them. Teachers are also encouraged to come. Some of the many electives on display at this year’s fair were band, chorus, psychology, journalism, law, photography, and art. One student who attended was freshman Emily Ovalle-Valdez. She said, “I thought it was helpful because I found out how to join an academy and what specifically they were about.”
Saint Nicholas and the Krampus, in candy form. Nicholas used his entire inheritance to help the needy, the sick, and the suffering. It is said Nicholas presented three impoverished daughters with dowries, or property or money typically brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage. This way, the women would not have to become prostitutes. On three different occasions, the bags of gold providing the dowries appeared in their home. They were tossed through an open window and said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or
putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Nicholas was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man, and became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need and his love for children. Thus began the tradition of gift-giving in honor of Saint Nicholas, who died on December 6. In honor of the saint, gifts were given on this day until the Reformation movement with its opposition to the veneration of saints. The holiday shifted over time to the December 24th and 25th. Many of the modern ideas of Santa Claus have been attributed to the poem by Clement Clarke Moore, “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” better known today as “The Night Before Christmas,” written on December 23, 1823. The name Santa Claus evolved from Nicholas’s Dutch nickname, Sinter Klaas, a shortened form of Sint Nikolaas, the Dutch way of saying Saint Nicholas
Krampus On Krampus Night, or Krampusnacht, the eve of December 5th, German children took care to not
Video game review: “NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja Blazing”
Teacher Creature Feature: Ms. Joyanna Priest
by Jason Quinteros
In this column, a member of the Red and Black staff uncovers the secret lives of faculty members and the pets they call their own.
In “Naruto Blazing,” you complete missions, fight with characters you have, and farm pearls. It was my personal favorite game of 2018. In gameplay, you do missions and unlock new characters by summoning on banners. The banners require pearls, and the way to get them is to complete emergency missions or play in story mode to get five for each chapter you finish. You can also go to matches to battle players from all around and try to win to get a higher rank. It’s a fun game where you can get 5-star characters and then level them up to get them to the 6-star level. When you summon on a banner and have enough pearls, you can complete a multiplayer mission to get 12 new characters, some of whom may be rare golds and contain great characters who are good at missions or PVP mode. “Naruto Blazing” updates every Monday at 9:59 pm and the emergency missions change to other characters who you can unlock after farming pearls and completing the same requirements to get them. There are many fun things you can do in this game and I encourage you to try it out if you haven’t.
by Olivia Rosemond
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Ms. Joyanna Priest and ask about herself, her cat Navi, her dog Rocky, and her five fish. Ms. Priest is currently the Composition Assistant at Northwood for tenth and twelfth graders, as well as the sponsor for the Forensics team and the Literary Magazine. She enjoys telling and hearing exciting stories from her students. Recently, Ms. Priest has spent free time learning about new animals, such as wombats. During our interview, one fun fact I learned was that wombats have square poop. Who knew! Ms. Priest’s pets are all rescues that love to interact with each other. Ms. Priest’s cat Navi was a rescue from the pound and has lived with Ms. Priest for five years. Ms. Priest described Navi as a cat who wants to be a dog. Navi loves to sit at the window and meow when people walk up to the house. Currently, Ms. Priest is trying to teach Navi how to do some tricks
attract the attention of an intimidating beast in hopes that St. Nicholas would bring presents on Nikolaustag, December 6th. In ancient times, a dark, hairy, horned beast was said to show up at the door to beat children, and carry them off in his sharp claws. The Krampus could be heard in the night by the sound of his echoing hooves and his rattling chains. Perhaps the strangest part of this story was that he was in league with Santa Claus. Krampus, whose name is derived from the German word krampen, meaning claw, is said to be the son of Hel in Norse mythology. According to the centuries-old legends, if a child misbehaved, Saint Nicholas, in his omniscience, would know and send his associate, Krampus. It was said this dark partner with a serpentine tail would turn up at the house during the Christmas season to punish the wicked child. He would beat him with a bundle of birch sticks, whip them with horsehair, and throw him into a sack or wicker basket to take him down to Hell for a year. One thing is certain: it’s definitely a little different from our celebrations today. such as high five. Ms. Priest found her dog, Rocky, from a rescue group. She describes Rocky as always being in a good mood. Rocky has lived with Ms. Priest for 10 years. Ms. Priest also has five fish and has had them for about 8 years. She got them from a group of people that were trying to get rid of them. She does not know the gender of the fish, but has one fish that is a foot long, which she named Percival. Ms. Priest’s favorite thing about her pets is how they interact with each other and try to get her attention. “They make me laugh a lot... they’re always happy to see me,” said Ms. Priest. Navi and Rocky.
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Lesser-Known Tyrants by William Vorosmarti We have all heard of the brutal regimes in China and North Korea, the authoritarian rule of Putin in Russia, and the oppressive Islamic governments in Iran and Saudi Arabia. Yet there are many lesser-known dictators scattered throughout the world with even worse human rights records. They often do not get the attention they deserve due to their close relationship with the U.S.. With this in mind, this article will cover several infamous leaders that barely anyone in America has ever heard of.
Idriss Deby Itno, Chad
The long-time president of Chad is General Idriss Deby Itno, who came to power through a coup in 1990. He has since consolidated his power, surviving numerous coup attempts and civil wars. The multi-party democracy that he promised back in the early 90s has all but been abandoned as recent constitutional changes will allow Deby to remain in power for the next 15 years. He has also accumulated immense wealth for himself and his family in one of the world’s poorest and least developed countries. Even the discovery of oil could not overcome this gross economic mismanagement and corruption. Unfortunately, many Sub-Saharan African countries have become associated with absurd and disturbing stories, and Chad is no exception. In 2006, Deby had a falling out with his son Brahim over Brahim’s arrest in Paris. Brahim had been drunk partying at a nightclub when he got involved in a fistfight. The police inevitably showed up and discovered Brahim owned a semi-automatic pistol when it accidentally fell out of his pants pocket. Later, the French police uncovered a stash of cocaine and marijuana in Brahim’s luxury apartment and arrested him. Only a year later, the 28-year-old was found dead in Paris of asphyxiation. He was allegedly attacked as he was coming home from a nightclub, yet the motive was never fully clear. This death deprived Deby of one of his possible successors.
Hun Sen, Cambodia
Compared to the horrors of the Khmer Rouge, the current strongman of Cambodia seems like a saint at first glance. However, Hun Sen, who has been ruling Cambodia since 1985, is arguably one of the worst tyrants in the world today. He has recently taken steps
to consolidate his power by arresting political opponents, banning opposition parties, and by stacking the legislature with members of his own party. Sen has made his desire to continue to rule Cambodia for the next 10 years clear to all. When (or if) he ever steps down, he will likely be succeeded by his sons, whom international observers say he is grooming for power. The son of a peasant and former communist militant, Hun Sen tows an anti-western, pro-Chinese line, although he did endorse Donald Trump in 2016. This brings us to a common aspect of authoritarian regimes. Their sucking up to China, Russia, or even the U.S. is often a daily occurrence in the lives of strongmen across the world. This is a natural result of the competition between the superpowers for allies and strategic partners. In the case of Sen in Cambodia, this means relying on Chinese foreign aid to make up for money lost in human rights sanctions, and the selling of large swathes of public land to Chinese investors. While no one can deny that Hun Sen is a masterful politician, it is clear that he does not use his skills to benefit his country.
Winter 2018 Below: Idriss Deby Itno of Chad.
Below: Hun Sen of Cambodia.
Below: Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, pictured with US President Donald Trump.
Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan
There is one autocrat of an obscure Central Asian country that everyone seems to love. He has been photographed alongside U.S. presidents of both parties, Vladimir Putin, the President of China, and the Queen of the United Kingdom. Why is this 78-year old vote-rigging president so popular? It all has to do with geopolitics. First, Kazakhstan is a massive country, rich in oil and other natural resources. It is also a key ally of the west owing to its position near the battlefields of Afghanistan. Then there is Russia. As a former communist official in power since the days of the Soviet Union, Nazarbayev has sided with Russian president Putin in many a key dispute, although relations between the countries have recently grown frostier over the conflict in Ukraine. Yet don’t be fooled by his public image. Nursultan Nazarbayev is a brutal tyrant ruling over an almost dystopian society. His security forces hold the population in fear. Opposition leaders regularly disappear and are never heard from again, and Nazarbayev regularly wins elections with vote percentages in the high 90s. He has recently expressed a desire to step down in 2020, yet what will come of this still remains to be seen.
Putting Faces with Places Kazakhstan
Chad
Cambodia
Gladiator
Greetings
10 Opinion December Winter 20182018
Throwback Review: Excuse you, Stephanie Meyer, Vampires Don’t Sparkle by Alex Chartol “Twilight,” the first installment in the movie franchise based on the popular book series by Stephanie Meyer, came out in 2008 and garnered hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office. It has a passionate fanbase who still argue ceaselessly about things like who Bella, the protagonist, should end up with. Despite this, the film series is based on a series of failures in the first film that its fans refuse to see. First, the acting. The lead actress Kristen Stewart she shows absolutely no emotion in any part of the films. She seems half asleep the throughout the firs tmovie. At times the actors didn’t seem to know what to do and there are multiple long periods of silence and the film loses our attention. The foreshadowing in the beginning doesn’t work. When she says, “I never gave much thought to
The Advantages of Thrifting by Ilsa Jentsch Thrift stores are where I get most of my clothes and I’m obsessed. I love walking through the aisles full of different patterned, colored shirts, the jackets once worn by high school football stars, and the funky jewelry you can find. Although it might be dirty and someone might have died in the clothes, there’s a reason why washing machines exist and you can actually make some pretty cute outfits. First things first: you’d be surprised to see how cheap the clothes are and the luxury brands they have. If I could get a Louis Vuitton item for under $20 and it comes down to the price of someone hav-
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how I would die, but dying in the place of someone I love seems like a good way to go,” the later results of this hinting feel inexact. There’s also the fact that she falls for the guy who stares at (and stalks) her in Edward Cullen. Robert Patterson, who played Cullen, himself ridiculed the film when promoting it. However the biggest problem with “Twilight” is the plot. It spends the first two-thirds of the movie plodding along slowly and accomplishing nothing. High school kids do high school things, and there are barely any exciting events. It’s only after Bella finds out about vampires and plays baseball with the Cullen family that finally, MERCIFULLY, the evil vampires arrive and the movies main conflict makes its first appearance. And still Kristen Stewart is an emotionless drone.. All in all “Twilight” has issues throughout the whole film. Nothing happens for the first 88% of the film and the supposed “ideal” romance is founded on stalking. Lastly, but importantly: VAMPIRES DO NOT SPARKLE! In no vampiric folklore is there precedent for this.
Why “Death Note” was the downfall of Netflix Originals
ing worn it already, I would take it. You can also get very high quality and practical pieces for cheap. Second, you are actually helping the earth when you thrift shop! When you buy new clothes, you are supporting factory work. Would you be surprised to find that your Forever 21 jeans were made in Uzbekistan by children? Shopping second hand is protesting against unfair factory laws, whether you realize it or not. Thrift stores are all over the world, so everyone has equal access to pieces! One of my favorite activities on vacations is to check out the vintage stores. Online apps like Depop give everyone equal opportunity to the same items--you just have to pay for shipping. Overall, thrifting offers a much more sustainable and fun way to find clothing. Help the earth and help your personal style!
Mercifully, “The Big Bang Theory” Ends
Thrift store clothes awaiting a new home wardrobe.
by Liya Tadesse The high demand of entertainment creators sparked in late 2016 when people started to realize that cable was no longer the height of excitement for TV shows and movies. Media-services providers like Netflix and Hulu took advantage of this and expanded their original entertainment series. Both companies took note of what the general public liked when it came to entertainment. Netflix began to focus more attention on making their own movies and series, many of which offer exceptional entertainment value. But not all Netflix Originals are created equally. “Death Note,” the loose anime movie adaptation is one that stands out. The announcement of this movie caused a lot of tension to be built up from fans of the original adaptation of this series. As expected, fans were disappointed but not surprised when Netflix finally released the movie in July 2017.
Yes, the movie incorporated aspects of the originally highly praised storyline, but most viewers agreed that the delivery was very weak. The writers baked so much plot into one movie, like trying to stuff an already full turkey. Critics like Alison Willmore, a BuzzFeed News reporter, have similar things to say. “Netflix’s ‘Death Note’ fails Asian-Americans in the more mundane way that most Hollywood releases continue to,” Willmore wrote at the time. Nevertheless, the movie did garner many viewers, whether or not it was simply from diehard fans ready to bash it. Overall, the filmmakers did meet a particular goal: getting people to watch it. This was a smart move. They already knew everyone would have something to say about it. To top it off, a sequel with Greg Russo is currently in the works that will almost certainly make “Death Note” fans see red. But one thing is for certain: in situations like these, the only color Netflix and other content producrs care about is green.
acters that isn’t white) is also an offensive portrayal of a large demographic, and was inflicted with the trope of being unable to talk to by Kate Valentine women unless inebriated. When drunk, he becomes extremely predAfter 12 seasons, the popular atory and sexist, making the womsitcom “The Big Bang Theory” is en around him uncomfortable. ending. Despite its large fanbase, Leonard’s relationship with the show has frequently been criti- his neighbor, Penny, is unsettling. cized for sexism and misogyny, and He is portrayed as the ‘good guy,’ many are happy to see it end. and bothers her constantly about The show frequently makes going out with him until she finally sexist jokes, and many of the charagrees. Prior to that, she is seen acters have said or done offensive with men who are stereotypical things. For example, one of the ‘jocks’: insensitive, attractive, and main characters, Sheldon Coounintelligent, hinting that the auper, frequently belittles women by dience is supposed to believe that telling them they are only upset Penny is dating the ‘wrong’ guys because of their “hormones.” In one and belongs with Leonard. episode, he says, “your ovaries are Lastly, the show just isn’t funoozing so much goofy juice into ny. Most of the jokes are either your brain that you don’t know based in sexism, or build off of which way is up.” Insinuating that the characters being nerds; in someone is only in a bad mood many instances, the laugh track is because of their hormones is offen- played after one of the characters sive, as it implies that their feelings says something considered nerdy, don’t matter and they are irrational. implying that the audience is supAnother character, Howard, posed to ridicule them for it. Many preys on women, disregards conpeople who self identify as ‘nerds’ sent, and forces traditional roles also find problems with the show, on his wife. In one episode, along due to its its negative portrayal of with his friends, he spies on and people who share that label. records videos of women without “The Big Bang Theory” depends their knowledge. When he marries, on a sense of humor that more and he has his wife take care of him more people see as offensive and and his home while he continues to outdated. The fact that the show work, although she is more success- has gone on for as long as it has is ful in her career than he is in his. astonishing; when it finally goes off Raj (one of the few main charair, it will be missed by very few.
Opinion Red Black Red and and Black
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is a transcendant addition to the superhero genre by Ethan Chaupiz The best way to describe “Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse” is simple: it is an exceptionally well-crafted, refreshing, animated superhero film that manages to balance so much in such a small amount of time. After a science experiment involving unlocking dimensions, middle school student Miles Morales gets bitten by a radioactive spider, giving him the powers of Spider-Man. The experiment opened up different dimensions, bringing in the Spider-people from other worlds. Now they must team up and stop the Kingpin and get back home before their dimensions collapse onto one another. To say this synopsis is a lot to comprehend would be understatement. However, watching this unfold and seeing where the main focus of the story is makes this semi-complicated plot incredibly watchable, cohesive and thoroughly entertaining. Out of any superhero film that has come out since the first Sam Raimi Spider-Man from 2002, this is easily the most ‘comic book’ film. The freehand style of the 3D models, unique characters designs, and vibrant color schemes, text appearing during the action scenes, and the various art styles and text boxes to show the inner thoughts of the character really bring the comic book vibe to life. What may seem like a detrac-
tion is the frame rate. Change speeds to make it feel more 2D isn’t a novel concept, as many of Netflix’s anime have done that. But unlike those, the animation team have found a way to make that jerky movement feel organic and not stressful to the eyes. The voice cast is fantastic and each actor really suits the roles they wore given. Shameik Moore does an amazing job as the voice of Miles, bringing to life the character in a near perfect way, with him truly shining in the more emotional beats. While not being on the level of Yuri Lowenthal or Josh Keaton, Jake Johnson does a good job portraying this 40-year-old, depressed, schlubby Peter Parker. Nicolas Cage and John Mulaney steal the show voicing Spider-Man Noir and Spider-Ham, both of which will definitely have the biggest toy sales for how memorable they were. Hailee Steinfeld is great as Spider-Gwen. Kimiko Glenn’s meek voice really lends herself to Peni Parker. However two of arguably the best voice performances of the cast are Mahershala Ali as Miles’ villainous uncle The Prowler and Brian Tyree Henry as Miles’ father, officer Jefferson Davis. For all the characters they packed into the story, they never forget to make the central focus be Miles. As he is the main character in this narrative, Miles acts as both the straight man and gateway for which we view everything that’s about to unfold. He’s both likeable and relatable as we see him deal with the problems a kid at his age has to go through, but compelling in that he wants to become Spider-Man. But it’s not just this that makes him the most well-rounded
character. His relationship with his father not being the best and wanting to be more like his uncle, only to find out who he is, the teacher/ student dynamic he has with Peter and his various incarnations, as well coming into his own is what makes him such a great character. Speaking of Peter Parker, this Spider-Man is a much older, broken and a semi-reluctant version that’s very different from the various on screen interpretations of the character, yet manages to preserve and retain that Parker luck and charm which has made him resonate all these years. The contrast and dynamic between Miles and Peter are so fascinating as Peter is so bummed but still manages to be Spider-Man, while Miles wants to be like Spider-Man, the two finding some middle ground and getting back up was the best way they could have done this type of story. As for the other Spider-people in the film, Spider Gwen gets more development than the other three, but not as much as Peter. This works, considering how she helps Miles and Peter get their lives straightened out while bringing that realism she can with Miles to know that everything is going to be okay. Spider-Ham, Peni Parker, and Spider-Man Noir are all great side characters in their own right. There isn’t much in their development, but they do provide some of the best bits of visual comedy in the film. Spider-Man Noir is so over the top with his monologues and the way his lines are conveyed, thanks to Cage’s performance, thatthe only way they could have made it better is if he were on screen more often. Spider-Ham is so cartoony and zany that all the visual
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Miles Morales gags really get to shine thanks to the nature of his character. All the action sequences are fantastic to watch and you can tell that a lot of care and effort was put to make sure every move was clear, with each Spider-person getting to use their special abilities. There are a ton of Easter eggs, visual references and nice callbacks to other Spider-Man properties. While fans will revel in these Easter eggs, they never distract the viewer from the overall story that’s unfolding. Despite the fact that there’s so much to love about this film, there are some minor issues that could be improved upon for the sequel. There could have been more character development given to some of the other characters––especially Kingpin. Some of the jokes don’t land and some of his story beats aren’t effectively conveyed. “Spider-Man: Into Spider-Verse” is a treat that satisfies everyone. It has a Spider-Man for every viewer and stellar animation, yet it never fails to tell a very compelling story. It’s one of those rare films that after you’re done watching it, you’ll want to watch it again: a work of art that manages to be both the best Spider-Man film and superhero film. 9/10
What was the best album of 2018? “I think the album ‘Astroworld’ by Travis Scott, because it’s a mixtape and it’s the only thing I heard this year and liked.” - Khalifae Gray (‘19)
“I think ‘Die Lit’ by Playboi Carti should have won album of the year because it was a really good album.” - Adama Gueye (‘19)
“‘Drop Harder’ by Gunna and Lil’ Baby because all of his songs were fire.” - Cesar Garcia (‘19)
“‘LM5’ by Little Mix because they have amazing vocals, they perform perfectly and demonstrate what it means to be a powerful woman in society.” - Mr. Lemus, dance teacher
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Entertainment
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Review: “Tokyo Ghoul” manga
Tokyo Ghoul consists of 14 volumes all written by Sui Ishida. He published the first volume on September 1, 2011. Shortly after he finished the 14th volume by Jason Maharajh September 2018, fans were confused and felt the series needed to continue. A manga series based on a college Luckily, the author announced more student by the name of Ken Kaneki, “To- volumes are going to be released. But kyo Ghoul” found a home this year in the instead, it would continue on as “Tokyo fantasy-horror genre. Ghoul” and include material dating back “Tokyo Ghoul” takes place in a ficto the first volume. tional version of Tokyo. The reason it’s The series even has an anime adapdifferent from our world is the existence tion. Most of the show follows the manof Ghouls. Ghouls are man-eating monga, with a few invented fillers here and sters that want to take over Tokyo enthere. Fans recommend you read the tirely. Our main character Kaneki starts manga since the anime adaptation skips off as an ordinary human until a terrible handfuls of important information. event completely changes his world. He This manga is great for readers who goes on a date with a woman named love complex stories, heavy plots, and Rize Kamishiro. After their date, he gets great character development. attacked by her. At that moment Kaneki knew he made a mistake. Rize isn’t human, she’s a Ghoul. Right: two panels from “Tokyo Ghoul.”
A busy year for BTS
part of a series of fictional notes pertaining to the concept of BTS’ albums. The note, written by BTS’ by Chade’ Herring member Jin, spoke about him finding a notebook written by his father An internationally famous boy in the story. The book discussed the group, BTS released their albums father’s failures. Three days later, “Love Yourself: Tear” on May 18, the trailer for the album, featuring 2018, and “Love Yourself: Ana new song entitled “Epiphany” was swer”on August 24th 2018. released. With 11 tracks, “Love Yourself: The solo was performed by Jin Tear” is led by the lead single, “Fake and speaks about finding selfLove. The album was released following the release of the nine-min- love. The trailer portrays multiple ute short film “Euphoria: Theme of versions of Jin in a room, telling the story of a personal journey. Love Yourself Wonder.” The tracklist includes “DNA,” “Mic On May 6 the trailer for the drop,” and Fake love. album featuring a new song called The seven members of BTS singularity was released as a solo (Bangtan Sonyeondan), also known song for one of the members Kim as the Bangtan Boys, include Jin, Tae-hyung, known to fans as V. Suga, J-hope, Rm, Jimin, V, and The song has a haunting tune and Jungkook. They debuted in 2013 haunting themes as well, includwith the song “No More Dream.” ing the inability to show your real In May 2017, they won the top self to the one you love. That same social Artist award at the Billboard month, “Fake Love” was also reMusic Awards, becoming the first leased on Big Hits YouTube chanKorean group to win a BBMA. In nel. The concept of the album speaks November 2018, BTS was chosen about situations related to the pain as a UNICEF ambassador to front the Love Myself campaign, part of and sorrows of separation. the UNICEF #ENDviolence cam“Love Yourself: Answer” conpaign. tains twenty-five tracks including BTS addressed the United Naseven new songs and the track tions at the launch of UN’s Youth “Idol” serving as the lead single. 2030 strategy, which is aimed to The new “Love Yourself ” album empower youth. The speech was was also repackaged. It debuted delivered by the leader of the at number one in South Korea, Canada, and the United States, be- group, RM, whose real name is coming BTS’ second chart-topping Kim Namjoon. He who talked about his childhood and the hardalbum in the US market. After those achievements, “Love ships he has faced as a member of BTS. Yourself: Answer” became the first He talked about how we try to Korean album to be gold-certified in the United States. The album was change ourselves to fit in and how we fear making mistakes and he designed as the final of the “Love urges us to speak our true selves. Yourself ” series, which connected “No matter who you are, just the plot of the short film to both speak yourself. Find your name albums. and find your voice by speaking Before the album was released, yourself. What is your name? Speak Big Hit entertainment released a most beautiful moment in life note, yourself.”
Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in “A Star is Born.”
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper shine in “A Star Is Born” by Melanie McGinity There is no denying that 2018 has been a wild pop culture moments, some that people love and some that they hate. One thing that I loved from this year was the remake of the movie “A Star Is Born.” This movie is about the seasoned musician Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) who meets and falls head over heels for a struggling artist named Ally (Lady Gaga). When Ally hits it big in the music industry and their relationship takes a twisted turn. One of the keys to this movie being successful was Lady Gaga’s performance as Ally. Many people are a fan of Lady Gaga’s music. Her voice is unique and each of her songs conveys a different message. Even though most people know her for her dramatic outfits and weird music videos that don’t make sense, she has really made it big with this movie, proving herself as a musi-
cian and an actress. Cooper gives a stunning performance as Jackson Maine, and his voice is appealing and heartwarming. He took lessons in order to learn how to sing just for this movie, but when hearing him, you would never believe he has never sung before. This movie is not just entertaining. It also has a lot to teach. Especially important is the idea that everyone should try to do something out of their comfort zones and see if they are successful. This lesson applies to both the movie characters and actual actors themselves. As someone who’s not a real fan of romantic movies, this one changed my perspective of them. The feeling the romance conveyed made it seem so real, thanks to the quality of the actors. They showed that while love isn’t always easy, if you truly love someone that anything can happen. “A Star Is Born” is a movie I would recommend to everyone. Remember to bring a box of tissues!
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Style Scout
Winter 2018
Name: Wengel Gemu.
by Ilsa Jentsch & Liya Tadesse
Grade: 12.
Name: Ahnyka Israel Garcia
Birthday: February 12.
Grade: 12.
Give us an #OOTD: ShirtBrother’s Closet; BeltTarget; Shoes-Air Force Pants-Thrifted.
Birthday: December 13. Give us an #OOTD: Sweater-Thrifted; Pants-Forever 21; Belt-Target; Socks-Shein; Where’s Waldo Boots-Shein.
Biggest style inspiration: PAQ-Youtube; @KinsalenuesInstagram.
Biggest style inspiration: 2 the 9’s-Youtube, Korean fashBiggest style pet peeve: Low-rise jeans. ion. Biggest style pet peeve: Beat face without cute outfit.
Favorite food: Fro-yo.
Favorite food: Sushi.
Favorite restaurant: MOD Pizza.
Favorite restaurant: Chick-fil-A.
Favorite artist: Anderson .Paak, H.E.R., Frank Ocean.
Favorite artist: BTS, Sabrina Claudio. Favorite meme: I think of myself as a meme
Favorite meme: Flavor of Love-Tiffany Pollard (New York). Favorite store: H&M.
Favorite store: Zara, Unique Thrift, UNIQLO.
Dream job: Lego master builder or Netflix producer.
Dream job: Fashion magazine.
What do you want to see more of at NHS? Better hallway music.
What do you want to see more of at NHS? Vending machines.
Debut advice column: Ask Diego In this space, senior Diego Ferreyra offers helpful answers to your questions. “Dear Diego. I am indecisive but I can’t help it. Please help. Is it because I am a Libra?” NO! What if I told you it’s not Libras who are indecisive, it’s just you. Don’t blame the giant space rocks and flaming balls of gas for your flaws. They are just floating inanimate objects minding their own business, and so should you! Astrology is not a real science; there is no evidence or link to show that the relationship between the stars, sun, and moon affect personality traits. The description of each sign is so vague that anyone can fit into the traits. For
example, some traits of Geminis include “expressive,” “curious,” and “kind.” Do you want these traits for your own character? That’s too bad--you can’t have them unless you were born between May 21 and June 20. Sorry you lost the personality lottery. But the good news is that you’re allowed to be more decisive.
source: Twitter
14 December Winter 20182018
A growing Northwood tradition: inside the second annual Northwood indoor soccer tournament by Ana Lazo
dóñez Molina (‘20). Ordóñez Molina has specific ways in coaching his team. While some would say it’s not the smartest, ‘play by the book’ strategy, he says otherwise. Ordóñez Molina is the one who let all of players play as they wanted and needed, even if they weren’t always the best talent on the court. He saw the potential in everyone and knew that they did too, they just needed that extra push from him. Ms. Gutierrez said of Ordóñez Molina’s team: “It’s a story of persistence. It’s a story about believing in something that you can’t necessarily see. He had faith.” One of the games played during the tournament was particularly memorable, to say the least. It was one of those heated games where you are on the edge of your seat,realizing how closely the game is
Sports
Una tradición creciente de Northwood: Segundo Torneo Intraescolar Anual de Futbol sala de Ana Lazo y Ms. Gutierrez
Durante los meses de septiembre y octubre, cientos de espectadoDuring the months of Sepres, profesores y estudiantes, vienen tember and October, hundreds of a presenciar el torneo de futbol spectators, teachers and students de salón (futsal) de Northwood. alike, come to Northwood’s newly Dentro de una calurosa tarde a annual soccer tournament. Inside la hora del almuerzo, equipos de the sweaty exterior of a lunchtime estudiantes vienen a retar a otros gym, student teams come together mientras los espectadores miran to challenge each other while onansiosamente. lookers watch eagerly. Para muchos de esos jugadores, To many of these players, soccer el futbol es parte de su día a dìa. Elis incorporated in their everyday los respiran, ven escuchan y viven life. They watch, listen to, and play por el futbol, lo que ayuda a soccer every day, with few excepexplicar por tions, which helps explain que se tuvo Below: the members of the tournament’s winning team. why eight teams entered the que limitar competition. el cupo a This isn’t just a friendly solo ocho competition. It has a deeper equipos para meaning. These students are la competenusually the ones who you cia. don’t give a second glance Este to in the hallway. But this torneo no soccer tournament is differes solo una ent. It is the one key thing at competición Northwood that ties them amistosa, together and brings their sino que lives to the forefront. tiene un This is the second annual significado soccer tournament held at más profunNorthwood, and it is the do. Aunque second time the tournament algunos de has kicked off Northwood’s nuestros celebration of Hispanic estudiantes Heritage Month. Ms. Jenny Arriba: Los membors del equipo ganador de torneo. pasan Gutierrez, founder and desapercibidos en los pasillos, el being fought, knowing that two of organizer of the event, explains torneo los convierte en autenticos the best teams are going head-tothat the soccer tournament is idolos del deporte en la escuela. Por head. meant to give students something tal motivoeste evento es la clave de The team needed penalty shots meaningful that connects them to Northwood para reunirlosy expoto determine the final result. school life. nerlos al primer plano de la actualiAs Gutierrez explains, one main Although Ordóñez Molina knew dad deportiva de nuestra escuela. goal of the soccer tournament is to how close this game was, he still Este es el segundo torneo anual coached his team the same way. He get students who “normally can’t determined to give all his players a de FUTSAL realizado en Northplay soccer for the team have an wood y es la segunda vez que este opportunity to show off their skills chance, despite the common belief evento se originó con motivo de is that you put in your best players in the gym,” and also to get them las actividades organizadas para la for penalty shots. “more involved.” The tournament celebración del “mes de la herencia Ordóñez Molina put in all his also allows the students to connect hispana.’’ Ms. Jenny Gutierrez, funplayers and prepared himself for their school goals with their perdadora y organizadora del evento, victory or defeat. “On every team, sonal athletic goals. explica que el torneo de FUTSAL there are different levels of skills,” pretende darles a los estudiantes as he said. Within those seconds “I wanted to give everyone of the penalty shot, you could see algo significativo para darles un a chance. . . I know what a wide range of emotions from the vínculo con la vida escolar y darles la oportunidad de brillar ante el crowd. But when the shot went in, they’re capable of.” resto del alumnado. they were shocked. Según las palabras de Ms. Ordóñez Molina was right to The tournament would not be Gutierrez, una meta del torneo es stick to his beliefs. possible without the help of ESOL darla oportunidad a los estudiantes “As a captain,” he said, “I wantteachers Mr. Luis Arce and Mr. que “normalmente no pueden Chris Wilhelm. Both teachers will- ed to give everyone a chance, and jugar para el equipo de futbol en la I play with a few guys and I know ingly sacrificed two lunch periods escuela” para que puedan practicar what they’re capable of.” per week for an entire month--all su deporte favorito con el resto de for no pay. sus compañeros durante el horario One team was lead by Jason Orescolar. Y también tenerlos más
Red Redand and Black Black
involucrados en las actividades educativas, conectando la escuela con sus ambiciones y sueños deportivos. El torneo no podría ser posible sin la ayuda de los profesores de ESOL Mr. Luis Arce y Mr. Christopher Wilhelm, ambos sacrificando con dedicación sus horas de almuerzo por un mes entero, ¡todo esto sin remuneración! En la última edición del Torneo el equipo campeón fue dirigido por Jason Ordòñez Molina. Ordóñez Molina tiene un estilo muy personal de entrenar su equipo. Mientras que algunos dicen que sus estrategias pueden no ser propias de las utilizadas en equipos profesionales”, Ordoñez Molina es un entrenador que deja jugar a todos los futbolistassegún sus habilidades, incluso, si ellos no fueran siempre las estrellas en la cancha tendrán una oportunidad de juego. El ve el potencial en todos y sabe que ellos también lo hacen, solo necesitan un empujón extra de confianza. Ms. Gutierrez dice que el equipo de Ordóñez Molina “es un ejemplo perseverante. Es una historia de persistencia, de creer en algo que no necesariamente pueden ver. El ha confiado en el potencial de sus jugadores. Cabe destacar que los partidos de este Campeonato están llenos de pasión, energía y emoción. Este torneo fue especialmente memorable, por no decir menos. Es uno de esos juegos tan emocionantes en el que los espectadores raramente pueden reprimir los gritos de ánimo y los lamentos de desaliento, estas en el borde de tu asiento, sabiendo lo cerca que se está haciendo el juego, sabiendo que dos de los mejores equipos están cabeza a cabeza. Mientras el marcador muestra un empate. El juego necesitó tiros de penales para decidir el resultado final. Aunque Ordoñez Molina sabia como terminar el juego, el siguió llevando a su grupo por el mismo camino. El decidió darle la oportunidad a todos, a pesar de que la creencia común seria poner a los mas destacados para cobrar los penales. Ordoñez Molina utilizóa todos sus jugadores y se preparó a si mismo para una victoria o derrota. “En todos los equipos hay diferentes niveles de talentos,” manifestó a nuestro periódico. En la tanda de penales, las emociones rondabanentre la multitud. Pero cuando el gol entra, el shock es total. Ordoñez Molinahizo bien al seguir sus instintos. “Como el capitán” -dijo- “quiero darle la oportunidad a todos, por que se de antemano que tan capaces son.”
Sports and Games Red Black Red and and Black
Eldad, Obsaa, and the road to nationals by Anaiya Bobo and Olivia Rosemond They’re not your typical student athletes. If you haven’t heard of this dynamic running duo, you’re missing out. Obsaa Feda and Eldad Mulugeta are well-known around Northwood for their star athlete status. The two cross country captains have run an exceptional season, becoming the first runners to represent Northwood at the Nike Cross Country National Championships, as well as the first to win Northwood a state title since 1983. Both team captains have remained neck-and-neck in almost every race this season. The boys proved successful at Nationals, placing 38th (Eldad) and 112th (Obsaa) out of a field of over 200 competitors. However, this season is not the end for them. Not only do they plan on competing in track and field in the winter, but they’ve already begun making plans for running professionally in college. Both have been approached with many scholarship opportunities from colleges including Yale and Georgetown. They plan to attend college in fall of 2019 but are undecided in what they will major in. For right now, their primary focus is on running.
Senior Obsaa Feda has been at Northwood High for four years. As a typical teenager, he enjoys using his free time to eat food, watch anime and spend time with friends. Also a senior, Eldad Mulugeta has been at Northwood High for four years as well. He enjoys reading articles, playing basketball and watching football. Although they might travel separate ways after graduating, the boys aren’t worried about jeopardizing their friendship. Teammates for more than two years, Obsaa and Eldad share an unbreakable bond. “We’re brothers. We always will be,” said Obsaa.
Spotlight: Obsaa Feda How long have you been running? Three years.
December Winter 2018 2018 What piece of advice would you give to future runners? Have fun, duh. Like, you made it: have fun.
Why did you start running cross country? Initially, I ran to train for soccer. But after outdoor track in freshman year, I quit to run full-time.
One word to describe the 2018 cross country season. Mag-nif-icent!
How did you feel when you found out you were going to Nationals? How did the attention feel? I felt really happy. But I hated all the attention, I had to sign a lot of autographs!
How long have you been running? Two years and some change.
What was your goal for Nationals? Did you meet it? To go to Nationals….just kidding. All American Top 21. What would you have done differently? I would have ran faster. Never mind, nothing. Except talk to more girls.
Spotlight: Eldad Mulugeta
Why did you start running cross country? I did soccer first, but when I was kicked off the team I joined Cross Country. How did you feel when you found out you were going to Nationals? How did the attention feel? I felt like... I was going to Nationals. I already knew, so it wasn’t that much of a surprise. The attention felt awesome. What was your goal for Nationals? Did you meet it? All-American Top 21. We didn’t meet our goal. What would you have done differently? I would’ve stayed one more day. What piece of advice would you give to future runners? Yeah have fun, you made it! One word to describe the 2018 Cross Country season. Smoooootttthhhhhhh!
“We’re brothers. We always will be.”
Games
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The first THREE to complete this maze and word search win a prize! See Mr. Acosta-Fox in Room A204.
From 2018. . . . . .to 2019.