Issuu

A double standard in crises, pg. 4

Hall sweeps: Nuisance or necessity? pg. 6

“The Batman”: a welcome revival, pg. 7

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Montgomery County Public Schools

Northwood High School

919 University Boulevard W.

Silver Spring, MD 20901

Spring 2022

Life of a Northwood Athlete

A behind-the-scenes glimpse into Gladiator sport customs by Megan Leatherwood and Madison Riggs Sports Editor and News Staff Want to know what it’s like to be a Northwood athlete? Hear what these players have to say about being an athlete. You will find that it is challenging but the outcome is worth the hard work. Here are some Gladiator athletes giving you a glimpse of their lives as they represent Northwood.

Coach Simpson

Northwood athletes in action (NAA).

Race and ethnicity:

What’s the difference? by Jeanne Gnahoua Supervising Editor Race, ethnicity and nationality are concepts used everywhere today. From television to news broadcasts, or even the marketing for what goes on our food. But why is that? In fact, what is race, ethnicity, and nationality? These concepts need clarification. A simple Google search tells you that race is “each of the major groupings into which humankind is considered (in various theories or contexts) to be divided on the basis of physical characteristics or shared ancestry.” This definition still lacks connotations and may leave some more confused than enlightened. Race, at its roots, is really just a way to categorize humans based on varied, deeply flawed, physical and

ancestral traits. While people of certain races sometimes share physical distinctions, we all know that’s not true for every single person. Not every person of a specific race has the features society has assigned to them. But why do these categorizations exist in the first place? The concept of race was developed over hundreds of years. When explicitly done, it was often used as a means for “scientifically” justifying racism and arguing for “superior” races. In short, then, race is based on pseudoscience developed to discriminate against people. But we cannot completely ignore race because race and racism still shape our institutions. After all that, one might wonder where exactly ethnicity falls into the equation. Race and ethnicity are terms that are often conflated in our media, and nationality complicates things further. (cont’d. on page 6)

Fatphobia in pop culture How media sends harmful messages by Bennett Forville Supervising Editor Fatphobia. For being such a prevalent issue, not many people fully understand what it means. Yes, to some degree it is exactly what it sounds like: the fear of someone who is fat. But it has be-

Meet Ms. Simpson. She teaches AP Language, is the Humanities and Arts Academy Chair, and is a coach for Northwood’s Track and Field team. Specifically, she coaches athletes for the shot put events. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the sport, shot put is a part of (continued on page 3) come something with much bigger ramifications than that. It is an issue that has been built by a society that relies on social media. Society has aversions to plussize people, and these are fueled by social media. Take the popular HBO Max show “Euphoria,” for example. If you think of a body-positive character in the show, I bet your mind immediately goes to Barbie Ferreira. Ferreira, who plays Kat, is one of the only plus-size actresses who appears throughout the two seasons of the show. (continued on page 3)

Alexa Demie and Barbie Ferreira in “Euphoria” (Eddy Chen/HBO)

Local

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How to make a hard process easy: college applications by Lizzy Alspach Editor-in-Chief College application season is intimidating. As an underclassman, you’ve probably seen your twelfth grade peers scrambling around school, meeting deadlines, filling out forms, and even fighting senioritis. It wasn’t easy, let me tell you - between counting down the days for my college responses on top of the days till graduation, I found myself scrambling around school. There is, however, a way to avoid this chaos. While it might seem kind of self explanatory, here’s some advice on how to manage your college application process and hopefully not have to tear your hair out in the process. Firstly, enter into this process with the knowledge that your opinions and choices will change. The college that was your top choice as a junior might not be your same top choice in senior year, and that is okay! Your priorities will change and develop as you start to under-

Spring 2022

stand yourself not only as a student, but as a person too. To combat this, ensure that you apply to quite a few colleges. As Mrs. Bond-Lamberty and the counseling department will tell you, it’s a general rule of thumb to have 3 schools that will be challenging to get into, 3 schools that you are unsure about getting into, and 3 safety schools that you’re 100% sure you’ll get into. You might not want to apply to this many schools, or even have that many schools to apply to, but either way it’s important to have back up schools for a worst case scenario. Secondly, it’s really helpful to learn the deadlines of each of the schools you’re applying to. Create a list and write down their deadlines! I really wish I had done this, just because I constantly got confused between Early Action, Early Decision, and Regular Decision deadlines. Note: Early Action is the deadline you’ll want to meet! If one of your colleges has an Early Action deadline, do your best to meet it, since that way you’ll have your admission decision way earlier than others without being legally bound to that university. On the Common Application site, it’ll keep track of when deadlines are on your dashboard, but I wish I had kept a more readily available list of dates and

deadlines for my own convenience. The last piece of advice I can give you is to not procrastinate this process! Some universities may require you to self-report your transcript, which means that you manually put your grades into the Common Application site or the site of the university. This is a really time consuming (and frankly, boring) process that should not be put off! Not only that, but you have to report the education history of your parents or guardians as well as just your background information - where you live, your school, your family, education history, and testing history. It’s long, time consuming, and a seemingly useless process, but it’s absolutely necessary. If it’s anything you take out of this advice, stay organized and prepared. Out of everything I did, starting early was probably the most beneficial to my application process. Not only what I able to stay on top of all of my applications, but I was able to submit them before the deadline actually came. This reduced a lot of stress surrounding the college application process, and as such, I’ll always recommend starting early and getting ahead. Stay strong, Gladiators. You got this!

Red and Black Editor-in-Chief Lizzy Alspach (she/her) Managing Editor Samia Abdur-Rahim (she/ he/they) Supervising Editor Jeanne Gnahoua (any pronouns) Kai Treadwell (he/they) Bennett Forville (she/her) Madison Riggs (she/her) John McLendon (he/him) Silas Myers (he/him) Zainab Coker (she/her) Shyla Rincon (she/her) Michael Marquez (he/him) Andru Orosco (he/him) Sports Editor Megan Leatherwood (she/ her) Andru Orosco (he/him) Comics & Games Editor Jeanne Gnahoua (any pronouns) Fashion Editor Malisha Gunawardena (she/ her) Special Contributors Semira Tekle (she/her) Anderson Solano Ruiz (he/ him) Barcomax Ouedraogo (he/ him) Mary Awii (she/her) Avi Berzofsky (he/him) Faculty Advisor Ryan Acosta-Fox (he/him)

News

Spring 2022

(Continued) The life of Northwood athletes track and field. The goal of the game is to throw, or put, a metal ball as far as you can with one hand. The United States competes successfully in the shot put event in the Olympics, as athletes tend to win gold at almost every men’s competition. Ms. Simpson decided to be a coach because she “did shot put and hammer throw and really wanted to help out with the track team.” Her favorite part about coaching is “to see athletes that are thing out.” Ms. Simpson also has experience coaching middle school basketball and softball, which she also greatly enjoyed.

Jacob Carter (‘25) the Gladiators baseball team. Baseball requires a lot of teamwork and cooperation. According to Jacob, “[Baseball] is my favorite sport and I’m excited to help out the team.” His favorite part of baseball really cool plays.” The sport brings

(Continued) Fatphobia in pop culture Her journey focuses on becoming comfortable in her own skin and accepting herself. In the process of discovering who she is, she ends up on a site that indulges fetishes focused on her weight. Viewers talk about Zendaya’s (Rue Bennett) hair, Alexa Demie’s (Maddy Perez) wardrobe, and Hunter Schafer’s (Jules Vaughn) makeup. But when it comes to Ferreira, social media focuses only on her body, talking about how it doesn’t belong in the clothing she wears and debating the amount of weight she has lost since she was 13 years old, which is an easy de-

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him joy, and for Jacob it is not too hard to keep up with school and sports. His favorite post-practice snacks are Hot Pockets.

Tai Huynh (‘22) Meet Tai Huynh, a member team, who competes in shot put. Tai wanted to participate in shot put because he “thought it would help [him] get stronger for other freshman year.” His favorite part about shot put is when he gets a new personal record with his shots. Tai tells us, “There weren’t tryouts, we just went to practice.” He feels he has gained from shot put “patience and the ability to understand that not every throw is gonna be good.” He feels that it isn’t hard to keep up with school and sports because “for track, you have a little bit more time, you’re allowed to choose what meets you want to go to.” Unlike Jacob, Tai doesn’t have a solid post-practice go-to snack.

Lizzie Zoz (‘22) Lizzie is on the Northwood lacrosse team, a sport original-

ly played by Native Americans. ball is thrown, caught, and carried with a long stick with netting. It’s very similar to soccer, save principally for the use of lacrosse sticks instead of kicking a ball into the goals. Lizzie’s favorite part of the sport is “being with my team, especially when we do team bonding.” Tryouts for them were “really fun, but were really long.” The lacrosse team had practice every day of the week. They feel like they gained “a passion to grow and get better aspect of it.” Lizzie believes that [balancing school and sports] is hard, you know I’m going to practice right after school until like 5:30 and then I get home and I’m exhausted.” Their post-practice snack is chicken nuggets, as they claim “it’s like the perfect snack.”

Jackson Santoro (‘25) Jackson Santoro plays for Northwood’s soccer team. Jackson wanted to participate in soccer because “as a freshman, soccer was the easiest thing to get to know people.” Tryouts for Jackson were

“hot” since “it was over ninety degrees.” Overall, Jackson feels he gained a lot of friends from being on the team. He feels that it is hard to keep up with school-work and sports especially since he’s taking AP United States History, a challenging class. Jackson, too, lacks a go-to post-practice snack.

Makaia Parsons (‘25) Meet Makaia Parsons, a member of the Northwood wrestling team. Like other full contact sports, wrestling is extremely physical, but it also requires a lot of strategy and strength. Makaia wanted to participate in wrestling because she “loved it from the moment [she] stepped on the mat.” Makaia feels she gained “such a strong and amazing community” by being part of the wrestling team. She says keeping up with school and sports is easy: “Developing these skills have made keeping up with school All in all, our Northwood athletes put their all into their chosen sports. While it is daunting, it is clear that the life of a Northwood athlete is rewarding.

piction of this double standard. The lack of inclusion in TV shows is only one of the issues associated with fatphobia. Until 2012, there was a lack of body inclusive models for well-known brands. Activewear brands like Lululemon and Nike, intimate brands like Victoria’s Secret, and most clothing brands utilized models gap guidelines of society. Not only is there a lack of model inclusivity, there is a lack of actual clothing sizes, which only emphasizes the guilt and negative associations with being plus-sized. When the body positivity movement gained momentum, there was a push for a wider range of models

“Euphoria” cast-members (from left ), Barbie Ferreira, Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, and Alexa Demie

Aerie modeling photoshoot, an example of body inclusive modeling // Forbes that would better represent the variety of shapes, sizes, and colors that exist in reality. Brands were canceled for playing into the simulation of a “perfect body type” and contributing to both the mental and physical hatred of real bodies. It is important to recognize that in a successful. Brands now include pictures of models with curves, models that have not been photoshopped to an extreme, people that actually represent society. But there is still a long way to go. Despite the body inclusivity movements that have quickly changed the image of many companies, fatphobia still exists. There is still an aversion to using plus-

size models. If there is a plus size actor in a show, their size is constantly noted by media outlets and viewers. What we have to remember is that all bodies are normal. Nobody should be shamed for the way they look because it is not always in their control. It is possible to workout, be healthy and not have abs. It is possible to have an eating disorder and have a stomach that pops over the top of jeans. Genetics are responsible for larger rib cages, broader shoulders, how you carry your weight, and so many other uncontrollable factors. Instagram, TV shows, commercials, and ads have increased inclusivity but we as humans need to increase acceptance of everyone.

Red and Black

Editorial: Double standards in global crises by Lizzy Alspach Editor-in-Chief On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine with the notion of “reclaiming” their territory. Ukraine, a sovereign country who became independent of Russia in August 1991, had millions of people leave the country in fear for their own safety. The global community quickly responded to Ukrainian refugees, granting them asylum and helping them recover from their turbulent situation. This energy for aid doesn’t seem to be reciprocated for other refugees, however. Millions of people are fleeing Afghanistan, Yemen, Tigray in Ethiopia, and numerous other countries in the world. But instead of accepting the refugees fleeing the crises in their countries, numerous European nations have instead turned them away - some going as far as to teargas refugee communities at their borders. This double standard in humanitarian aid is blatant, especially given the context of the Syrian refugee crisis. Millions of Syrians have fled their home country since 2011. Instead of immediately accepting Syrian refugees with open arms, politicians debated whether or not they should be “allowed” into their country. Kelly Petillo, the program coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa at the European Council of Foreign Relations, observed that “since the Syria crisis erupted more than 10 years ago, we’ve seen that there was a high level of reluctance from Europeans to share the burden amongst themselves.” Why is that? Why were Europeans so ready to accept millions of Ukrainian refugees, but not Syrian refugees? The answer is sad, yet simple: European nations are more open to accepting refugees who are white than those who are not. Reporters and politicians alike have been documented saying racist comments when placing the Ukrainian refugee crisis in the context of refugee crises of Middle Eastern and African nations. American journalist Charlie D’Agata, for example, claimed that “[Ukraine] isn’t a place, with all due respect, like Iraq or Afghanistan, that has seen conflict raging for decades. This is a relatively civilized, relatively European city where you wouldn’t expect that.” No only is this false, but it is also rooted in ideas of white exceptionalism. Consistently, Westerners have

Global Issues Spring 2022

pushed the idea that the concept of accepted. An approximate 8,580 Minister Ahmed canceled elections whiteness is equal to that of being refugees have been accepted as of over concerns for COVID-19. The civilized. This has been an idea March 4, 2022. TPLF still held elections, but then circulated since colonization began As for Yemen, their humanitar- had them declared illegal by the and persists in affecting the treatian crisis has not improved. Since remaining sectors of Ethiopia’s ment of non-white people when March 2015, the crisis has steadily government. This was later taken as faced with a crisis. There is also a worsened, with around 23.7 mila declaration of war, in which the notion of the “developed world” vs. lion people in need of assistance TPLF and the remainder of Ethiothe “third world,” which has per(UNICEF). Less than half of the pia’s government are fighting each sisted as a means for Western white country’s health facilities are funcother in and around Tigray. Due to exceptionalists to justify their own tioning, and Yemen is third on the the effects of the war, the people in imperialism, colonialism, and con- International Rescue Committee’s Tigray and surrounding areas are tinuous interference in the matters (IRC) Emergency Watchlist, bein severe need of humanitarian aid. of other countries. low Afghanistan and Ethiopia. But War crimes have been committed Presently, since the Taliban dropping from the top of the Emer- by both sides of the conflict accordregained control in Afghanistan, gency Watchlist wasn’t because of ing to a United Nations report, and only 2% of the Afghan populaimproving conditions - conditions against his public promises, Prime tion has enough food and water in other countries around the Minister Ahmed has turned back to survive. A mass famine has world only worsened. Millions of aid for Tigray. The conflict ensues spread throughout the country people are starving and unable to to this day, with thousands of peowith many crops unable to survive gain a living wage while teachers ple in Tigray fleeing their homes to the climate. Afghanistan heavily are going unpaid and schools are safety. relied on foreign aid, and since the shutting down. Not only that, but Stuck on how to help? Well, Taliban has taken control, billions many civilians are being killed by you can begin by spreading awareof dollars in aid have been rethe competing factions of governness and continuing to educate scinded. As a result, thousands of ment, as they both vie for control of yourself on these issues. Examine Afghans have fled the country to Yemen. 70 civilians were killed in your implicit bias - is there a reason Pakistan, and are working towards an airstrike on the country’s interyou only feel inclined to assist only getting to another country, since net infrastructure, and due to the Ukrainian refugees? And lastly, Pakistan does not provide the same internet shut down, there is little you can donate to the Internationsafety from the Taliban as it did in ability for civilians to contact outal Rescue Committee, the Center years past. Canada, for example, side areas for assistance. And yet, for Disaster Philanthropy, Doctors has been offering refuge to both aside from the initial burst of social Without Borders, and numerous Afghan and Ukrainian refugees. media activism in late 2021, Yemen other humanitarian aid organizaHowever, the policies in place to has again fallen into the backtions. assist them are quite different. A ground of everyone’s minds. Most In the end, it’s important to policy was put into place called the major news sites aren’t reporting on support the people of a counCanada-Ukraine Authorization for the crisis anymore, either. try that is going through a criEmergency Travel (CUATE), which Experiencing the effects of sis. Please, continue to support essentially rescinds a limit on the political turmoil, Ethiopia is also Ukraine, but do not forget that number of Ukrainian refugees in the midst of a crisis. Prime Ukraine is not the only country in coming to Canada temporarily. On Minister Abiy Ahmed attempted the world that is experiencing a crithe other hand, Afghan refugees to remove the four party system in sis. Instead of spending a week or must 1) not be in Afghanistan, 2) Ethiopia, wanting to combine the two on Instagram, reading graphics be a part of women leaders or hucoalition of four political parties and posting about so-called “thirdmanitarian groups, and 3) qualify into one party, called the Prosperity world” countries, continue to advoas refugees (UN Refugee Agency) Party. However, the Tigray People’s cate for them even when your peers to be considered eligible to come Liberation Front (TPLF) objectdo not. These countries and crises to Canada. Not only that, but only ed to this combination attempt. don’t disappear when the trends do. 40,000 Afghan refugees will be Then, in September of 2020, Prime (Below) “What You Need to Know” graphic on the crisis in Ukraine // Red and Black Staff

National Issues

Spring 2022

“Huge steps backward”: Northwood’s take on recent anti-LGBTQ+ legislation by Malisha Gunawardena Fashion Editor “It’s not something that’s appropriate for any place,” Florida governor Ron Desantis said in support of the state’s recent ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill adopted in March, “but especially not in Florida.” Other governors have followed suit. In Oklahoma, governor Kevin Stitt said of the state’s “Save Women’s Sports Act” that, “when it comes to sports and athletics: Girls should compete against girls. Boys should compete against boys.” Florida and Oklahoma aren’t alone. These bills join a wave of recent homophobic and transphobic legislation. While such legislative attacks have not yet reached Montgomery County, students at Northwood are already concerned. “It seems like these school systems don’t care about their kids,” said sophomore Samragyee Dhakal. “They just want them to be ‘normal.’” For Dhakal, there is the potential for danger. “Trans kids are in dangerous situations. Teachers outing [students] to parents is horrible.” Northwood teachers agreed. Ms.

Foss, an English teacher, thinks there is a relationship between anti-LGBTQ+ laws and white supremacy. For her, these laws seek to create a “‘normal’ gender’” and a “‘normal’ society” that are counterproductive and violent. Ms. Foss also believes homophobic and transphobic activists misuse religion to further their cause. Laws like these could lead to homophobia being normalized in the future and create a perilous environment for queer students, when schools are usually supposed to be the safe space for everyone. This lack of a safe space poses real concern for Northwood students - even if it is happening more prominently in other states. “What is this country coming to?” asked senior Marah Lewis. “Different states are positive and other states are negative.” What can we do to help? There are organizations such as the Trevor Project, which focuses on suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth and teens. The Trevor Project operates a Lifeline that allows LGBTQ+ youth to be connected with a crisis counselor. Those concerned with the recent wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation can inform others of efforts like the Trevor Project. If some state governments are dedicated to harming students’ core identities, it is the responsibility of those who believe in human rights to protect them.

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Students and parents protest Oklahoma’s “Save Women’s Sports Act” (above), while a student protestor responds to Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill (below) // NBC News

Sound off: Northwood responds We asked students and staff how they felt about the recent wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Here’s what they had to say.

Mr. Warrington

Samragyee Dhakal (‘24)

“Social acceptance should be open-minded. The rate of people harming themselves will increase if people aren’t allowed to talk about this open-mindedly.”

“Not being yourself, hiding your identity--these kinds of laws contribute harmful ideas to anti-LGBTQ+ people.”

he/him

she/her

Leo Brooks (‘24) he/him

Marah Lewis (‘22) she/they/he

“A lot of people are hiding “This is disappointing: we’ve behind political parties and gotten so far in acceptance religions. . . [This also pres- and we just took huge steps ents] an economic strain on backward.” parents who will relocate for new jobs.”

Features

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Editorial: Do hall sweeps help or hinder? by Silas Myers Features Staff Northwood is a fairly large school. Walking across the whole campus pushes five minutes. Many think that it does not seem fair for students to be expected to get to their next class within 5 minutes, and student tardiness is a frequent occurrence. However, it might be that some students are late to class of their own will - they might want to skip class, or are just experiencing a lack of motivation. To combat this, administrators have implemented hall sweeps, which by now every Gladiator is familiar with. But as the hall is swept day after day, the question becomes whether hall sweeps are effective. The intended purpose of hall sweeps is to prevent students from skipping class and encourage positive behavior. After all, there are many places in the school where students can wander to. Hall sweeps encourage students to go to class rather than skipping or taking a lot of time in the halls. When a hall sweep is announced, many students worry about getting in trouble with staff or teachers, so instead of skipping they go to their class. Students moving slowly through the hallways may think twice before stopping to chat. Perhaps the most unrecognized advantage of a hall sweeps is that it shrinks the number of students in the hallway to manage. Due to Northwood’s size, it seems im-

Race and ethnicity (cont’d.) Ethnicities are social groups that share a common cultural identity. The most common ethnicities in the United States today include African Americans, Hispanic/ Latine, East Asian, Middle Eastern, and many others. Ethnicity differs from race in that it is less of a social construct. Ethnicity simply describes a group of people who share a culture and cultural heritage. You can be black racially and ethnically Middle Eastern, or racially white and ethnically African American or Native American; the combinations are endless. Hispanic/Latine and Middle Eastern identities are not considered races. However, their development as a type of race is purposeful. This process these ethnicities are going through is called racial-

Spring 2022

possible to have every part of the school monitored by security, but hall sweeps have proven to catch numerous students in their lack of haste to get to class. Without this procedure, not only would hallways be filled with students skipping class, but hallway traffic would increase and could create a potential danger for students to populate the hallways for prolonged periods of time. Further, in case of an emergency, students not present cannot be accounted for since they are not in the correct places.

it takes up a small but needed amount of time in class, sometimes interrupting teachers in their beginning of class activities. More noticeably, the process of waiting in line, getting a late pass, and then going back to class can to five to ten minutes of missed class time. Teachers cannot wait for students to return to class, so students who are hall swept miss an important block of instructional time. Another hypothetical issue arises from the fact that students who get swept receive a hall pass. If

Northwood’s “F” hallway // Red and Black Staff Now, what’s wrong with them? One might think that the pros outweigh the cons, but unfortunately this isn’t necessarily the case. A big issue with hallsweeps is the amount of class time they take up. Administration tends to make around two to three announcements over the loudspeaker warning students and staff of a hall sweep, and because the announcement is recited slowly and repeated multiple times,

this student has a history of skipping, what’s stopping that student from using the power of the pass to wander the school even more? Although it can be argued the hall sweep passes are different from a normal pass, a student could easily make an excuse that they were on their way to class. Perhaps the most concerning issue is the nature of what being late to class means. If a hall sweep

ization, which is the process of ascribing racial traits to a cultural group that does not want them. In fact, what most people describe as traditional “Hispanic/Latine features’’ are just indigenious features, which is already a race. By racializing Hispanic identities, one can create perceived differences between the majority group and the minority group. In this case, that would be majority white Americans for whom the racialization of Hispanic/Latine people makes systematic oppression easier. This is similar to what Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (1752-1840) did in his establishment of “race theory,” distinguishing the features of black people in order to justify colonization and racism. Isn’t it curious how history repeats itself? Other ethnicities have also been historically victims of racialization - Middle Eastern racializa-

tion has resurfaced as a result of a xenophobic response to 9/11. Meanwhile, nationality is the status of belonging to a particular nation. It’s not based on any genetics or shared ancestry, it’s simply a matter of being a citizen of a particular country. You can be a black Hispanic that just so happens to also be Irish. When people mention nationality, they often already have an idea about what that person tends to be like. They expect all Dominicans to be brown-skinned with loose hair, or all Chinese people to be ethnically Han with straight black hair. These traits come from the ethnic makeup of the region and not nationality. After all, there are plenty of non-white Irish people in Ireland; just because they’re less common doesn’t mean they exist. It’s important to know however that people have and can be discriminated against for their

is going to happen and you’re just about to get to your class door, you have to waste that time you could have had for class. A common scenario I have witnessed: a hall sweep is announced and seconds after the door locks a student is knocking on the door trying to get in. Teachers are not allowed to let students in because according to the system of hall sweeps, they must face consequences. For students seconds away from class, this can feel unfair. While some see the effectiveness of hall sweeps, others do not. One student says that “the idea of warning people before [hall sweeps] happen kinda just tells them when they can stay out late and when they can’t.” Another student makes the point that “the announcements beforehand detract from the whole purpose” since “now everyone knows there’s a hall sweep.” One student thinks “it doesn’t feel like there are real consequences [for getting caught in a hall sweep].” A teacher echoes this thinking: “It’s just an extra thing that keeps students out of class for more time, without any consequences for being late.” Where does this lead us? We must move towards being more effective and efficient moving around campus. However, this might be bigger than just hall sweeps. Perhaps the issue is with the curriculum itself--should it do a better job of encouraging students to go to class? In the end, this makes me appreciate the work of teaching more. It is a hard task to do, but with more engaging curriculum, school could potentially feel less like a job for staff and students alike. nationality. However, that sort of prejudice differs in important ways from racism. The most common sorts of discrimination of this sort would be like what you see on the news, like ethnic cleansing or racism. National origin-based discrimination often intersects with a person’s ethnicity or racial background; for example, a non-American person of darker skin and non-European features is more likely to be discriminated against for their national origin than a non-American with European features or lighter skin. Overall, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to race, ethnicity, and nationality. Identities are always intersecting, and it’s very important to understand each of these concepts - not only in how they differ, but also in how they work together in forming one’s identity.

Features

Spring 2022

Red and Black

“Turning Red”: Disney’s step in the right direction

connection between the subjects in the movie and the audience. No one looks at “Pinocchio” (1940) and reminisces of the times they’d lie and their nose would grow. Audiences have to imagine what it would be like, how it would by Michael Marquez be saving the princess, or how it Entertainment Staff would be having a knight in shining armor coming to save them. With the lack of representation But in their latest movie, “Turnin Disney’s forms of media, the ing Red” (2022), Disney gives peocompany has finally started going ple what they deserve - something in the right direction to properly to relate to. As an Asian-American address people of color and their person myself, I relate to so much cultures. that is shown in this movie. From Starting with movie hits such as trying to live up to your mother’s “The Princess and the Frog” (2009), expectations to hiding your inner “Soul” (2020), and “Raya and the insecurities, so much shown in Last Dragon” (2021), many people the movie is relatable to me and have come to appreciate the efforts so many other teens. And that’s Disney has taken to give children of what Domee Shi, the director of all identities role-models to relate “Turning Red”, was aiming for. to. In an interview with Teen Vogue, We all love Disney’s old take she stated, “I really wanted it to on movies, such as “Snow White” feel different and look different (1937) and “Cinderella” (1950). But [from other coming-of-age films]. in each movie, they are all missing I wanted to make that movie for a one thing - a relatability factor, or 13-year-old me who was struggling

and end up going to music to cope with the burden, then “Turning Red” is the movie for you. It’s fun, the music is catchy, and in the end, it’s unique. The movie has its own fictional boy band based off the likes of Backstreet Boys and BTS. It even had one of their songs, “Nobody Like U’’ sung and covered by Da-Ice, a Japanese boy band. As you venture into the mov-

A long anticipated revivial: “The Batman”

Carmine Falcone, and Alfred, all portrayed by top-tier actors. In my opinion, the best role was Paul Dano’s Riddler. Playing a maniac who seeks justice by causing havoc in Gotham, who is simultaneously a villain with a mental illness in desperate need of help, Paul Dano did not hold back to prepare for being the Riddler. Being such a complex character, the Riddler breaks down in front of Batman in denial of being a villain instead

by Andru Orosco Entertainment Staff “The Batman” (2022), directed by Matt Reeves, is fantastic in every aspect. From cinematography to action sequences, it stands out from other comic book movies made today. Other franchises such as Marvel (MCU) drive to connect all of their movies and TV shows in some way, mostly through small plot details and a lot of fan-service. The DC Universe has been continuously criticized for never being consistent with its storyline, and this is because of box office performance and audience scores. Many fans want executives to stop messing with the director’s vision, which is often faulted for ruining many movies. DC movies have failed again and again, with some most notable box office failures being “Suicide Squad” (2016) and “Batman v. Superman” (2016). However, DC is finally heading in the right direction with films such as “JOKER” (2019) and “Suicide Squad 2” (2021). DC’s newest installment, “The Batman” (2022), has proven once again that their movies have a chance to compete with the MCU. This redemption has greenlit a sequel movie and spin-offs including “Gotham City Police Department” (GCPD), a show about Gotham’s finest officers set in the same universe as “The Batman.”

The Batman was fantastic in every aspect. The cinematography, soundtrack, iconic action sequences, and acting with realistic tension were all outstanding. This newest installment also receives a lot of credit for being the first live-action Batman movie to get the character of Batman accurate to how he is characterized in the comic books. I admire director Matt Reeves for finally getting all aspects of this iconic hero right,

Scene from Turning Red (2022), featuring Mei Mei and her friends // The New York TImes

Robert Pattinson (left) and Zoë Kravitz (right) as Batman and Catwoman, respectively // The Hollywood Reporter

such as with Batman’s “no kill” rule, the detective side of Batman’s work, and his chemistry with numerous characters he interacts with throughout his journey as Gotham’s superhero. “The Batman” meets and introduces new characters throughout the movie for this upcoming universe DC is setting up. Some characters include my personal favorites: Catwoman, Jim Gordon,

ie, join Mei Mei as she goes on a journey to find her true inner self. Her “rebellious side” is shown as a vicious panda, and her “human side” as an A+ student. Watch her as she battles her family’s expectations, and grows from being her Mom’s perfect little girl to someone she can finally call herself. Watch “Turning Red” on Disney+ and enjoy it’s catchy soundtrack too.

of a self-proclaimed hero. Dano’s whole performance is so consistent with the complexity of the Riddler, which was very impressive. The action in this three-hour film will keep you on the edge of your seat because of how unique it is. This movie’s Batman is in his second year of being a superhero, so he doesn’t have a military grade batmobile with him just yet, or “The Bat’’ aircraft from “The Dark

Knight Rises” (2012). This time, Batman has a car he constructed himself to withstand ramming into cars and surviving explosions. All the action is grounded-there are no superpowers or CGI-induced battles. The great thing too is a lot of it was practical. The fighting is all brutal fist-to-fist combat and a bit sloppy, which makes it realistic and a bit more engaging to watch. As for cinematography, or presentation, Gotham City couldn’t have looked any better. Greig Fraser, “The Batman’s” head cinematographer, set the tone for this movie with a color palette so dark to convey the typical Batman angst, but simultaneously kept the palette colorful elegantly. The color palette consists of oranges, grays, and blues, which stays constant throughout the movie to keep the viewers’ attention, make explosions seem more impactful, and capture how strong the engine for the Batmobile truly is. Gotham is grim, dark, and ugly in a paradoxically beautiful way. The city is always raining and filled up with criminals at night, but some of the city’s appeal is leaked throughout other scenes in the movie. Batman is “the night” - he lives in the shadows and strikes fear in criminals not only with his fists but with his symbol and name. “The Batman” was an amazing experience: if you’re a DC fan like me and you can watch three hours of non-stop Batman content, I highly recommend this movie: you’ll love it from start to finish.

Features

Red and Black

Spring 2022

See Ya Seniors!

As with any good story, they all come to an end. The Red and Black Staff wishes the best to our senior editors, who will be moving on to bigger and brighter things. Here’s just a small snippet into their stories of the past, present, and future. by Red and Black Staff

Lizzy Alspach, the Red and Black’s Editor-in-Chief, has worked on the newspaper since her sophomore year. She moves on to the University of Maryland to major in Journalism and enjoyed the Red and Black being “100% student produced.” Lizzy says that “[The staff] always gets to write about what we love, and that’s beautiful.” Her advice to underclassmen would be to “enjoy what you do and don’t let anyone discourage you from doing it. Cringe culture is lame.”

Jeanne Gnahoua, one of our Supervising Editors, has enjoyed their first and last year with the Red and Black, claiming that “we get to do whatever we want, basically.” Jeanne loves getting to work on what he prefers, whether that be comics, games, or even articles. After high school, Jeanne is planning on focusing on themselves and their own art and health. Jeanne encourages underclassmen: “If you’re creative, join Journalism! We need you!”

Our Managing Editor, Samia Abdur-Rahim, just started working on the Red and Black for their senior year. Samia says that “[being 100% student run] can be a good thing and a bad thing - we might not know what we’re doing, but it’s also very hands-on.” Samia is moving on to Goucher College and they are leaning towards majoring in Sociology/Anthropology. Samia advises underclassmen to “make friends with your counselors - they WILL help you out.”

Another one of our Supervising Editors, Kai Treadwell relishes in “the freedom” of the class, especially “the fact that students run the class as much as the teacher.” Kai has worked alongside the Red and Black staff this year and they advise underclassmen to “slow down, take time to enjoy these last few years of your childhood life.” Kai is moving on to Montgomery College this fall.

Bennett Forville is our last Supervising Editor and has been on the Red and Black staff since her junior year. Bennett says she enjoys Journalism a lot about Journalism, and that “it’s hard to narrow [the good things] down.” Bennett will be attending the University of Maryland this fall as a Public Health major and advises underclassmen to “not overpack their schedule.”

Features Spring 2022

As an artistic body, Northwood has always been bright, bold, and unique. From Dance to Studio Art, Gladiators have always been powerful in their forms of expression. However, this issue we wanted to highlight a more “undercover” form of art - doodles. Whether it’s on notebook paper or whiteboards, doodling is a large part of the artistic Gladiator spirit. Here’s a glimpse of some unique doodles we spotted around Northwood.

Red and Black

Entertainment

Red and Black

The Beauty of Studio Ghibli by Shyla Rincon News & Entertainment Staff If you ever want to escape to a magical garden or a fantastical world filled with beautiful creatures, the best way to insert yourself into these different scenarios is by watching a Studio Ghibli film. Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio that is found in Koganei, Japan. The studio is best known for its distinct art style and ability to make each character and setting unique. Studio Ghibli is best known for its films, such as “Spirited Away,” “My Neighbor Totoro,” and “Ponyo.” Many of these movies maintain a level of production and animation quality that cements the creator behind Studio Ghibli’s most popular films, Hayao Miyazaki, as a living legend who has made a major impact on the industry. But what makes Ghibli so memorable? Taking a deep dive into one of the studio’s most popular films, “Spirited Away,” we can quickly find the answer to that question. “Spirited Away” (2006) is a film about a 10-year-old girl named

Spring 2022

Chihiro whose parents find themselves exploring an abandoned amusement park. They’re turned into giant pigs due to a magical mishap; Chihiro meets Haku, who tells her that the park is a resort for the supernatural. In order to free herself and break her parents free from the curse, she must work at the resort for an undisclosed amount of time. Like many movies made by Studio Ghibli, “Spirited Away” has themes of the evils of greed and overconsumption as well as the power and beauty of nature. These themes are best shown in the movie’s visual cinematography where nature is shown beautifully and positively, while No-Face, the character who represents greed, is seen as a restless and evil spirit that causes the protagonist many inconveniences. “Spirited Away” is the most successful film in Studio Ghibli’s history, as it has won many awards including the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. For me, the best Studio Ghibli film is “Ocean Waves” (1993), a film that has less of the typical Ghibli tendencies and instead focuses on themes of adolescence. It’s about a boy named Taku Morisaki who travels back to Tokyo for his high school reunion, remembering

high school love triangle between him, the new girl Rikako Muto and his best friend Yutaka Matsuno. The film takes a different turn than a standard Ghibli film, as it was the first movie directed by someone other than Hayao Miyazaki or Isao Takahata. While some declare “Ocean Waves” boring, if you decide to listen to its messages, the movie can show much more than initially anticipated. Many of the Studio Ghibli movies have their own unique design to them. Whether it’s color palette, soundtrack, characters, or setting, every film is special. The genius behind most Ghibli movies is Joe Hisaishi, who created a lot of the most iconic and most recognizable soundtracks in the company’s films. If you ever visit Japan or California, there are actually two Ghibli Museums you can go to! There Scene from “Ocean Waves” (1993), // The Playlist

Spring has sprung! And with the blooming cherry blossoms comes new outfits. This next edition, we chose two new Gladiators with a “passion for fashion,” as the Bratz would say. True to their fashion spirit, these Gladiators aren’t letting the indecisive Maryland weather prevent them from showing up and showing out. Dynamic in not only their adjustments to the weather but also their own style, these students continue to use the Northwood hallways as their runway. Here’s who they are: Amy describes her style as Dressed to impress, Shania stupid, ratty, and embodying an describes her style as heavy on “I just go with it” attitude. He pastels. She finds a lot of inspitake a lot of inspiration from ration from rainbows and other Visual Kei, a movement among colorful pieces, fitting right into Japanese artists that encourages the cheeriness of Spring. androgynous aesthetics using That being said, Shania’s bigflamboyant outfits and heavy gest pet peeve is mismatching makeup. clothing, colors, or anything that Amy finds itchy clothing as their doesn’t fit together. Her biggest biggest fashion pet peeve. Their secret: Shania lied about her biggest secret: Amy is a huge middle name when she was little. Chucky fanatic.

are multiple, with one located in Inokashira, Japan, and another in Los Angeles, California. Filled with behind the scenes information on the geniuses behind Ghibli films, these museums are worth the visit. Besides watching them in your own home, Fathom tends to host an annual Studio Ghibli Fest where select theaters play an assortment of Ghibli movies. Further, during the months of May through July, the AFI Silver in downtown Silver Spring is featuring a retrospective of every Studio Ghibli feature film. In the end, anybody can watch a Ghibli film, whether it’s kids, teenagers, adults, or even the elderly: these films are targeted for all audiences. And for me, that’s what makes these films special - they’re enjoyable for anyone and everyone.

Fashion

Spring 2022

Red and Black

A Throwback to the 2000s

Malisha Gunawardena Fashion Editor

The 2000s are back! And with the resurgence of “Twilightcore” comes the nostalgia that we all feel when we think of the early 2000s. While some of us may have poor memories of times we pined after Edward Cullen, it’s always good to revisit the iconic fashion trends of that time with confidence. 2022 Prom Predictions by Janice Anisal Special Contributer Prom season is just around the corner with throwbacks and modern adaptations of timeless classics. I’m here to guide you through some must haves for prom so you can have people head-over-heels in love with your ensemble. Y2K has made a huge comeback! We see numerous celebs like Rihanna, Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa, and Olivia Rodrigo embracing fashion from the early 2000s. Because of the throwback trend, my prom predictions for this year are beaded evening gowns with lace-up backs or halter dresses, and slip evening dresses with small appliques. Any timeless 2000’s dress has

to have a fabulous shoe to match. Kitten heels or pumps are an effortless throwback to pair with any statement dress. This year’s theme is enchanted forest, which is all about pastels and iridescent blues, pinks, purples, greens alongside bronze, silver, and gold tones. If you’re having an exhausting time looking for last-minute 2000s inspired dresses, a few online platforms to shop on are Depop and Etsy. That’s all the wisdom I have to share with you, best of luck shopping for an outfit and I hope you have an enchanting evening at prom!

(Above) Rihanna (via Backgrid)

xoxo, a Fellow Fashion Fan

Olivia Rodrigo shot by Karwai Tang

(Above) Bella Hadid by Marc Piasecki

Video Games

Red and Black

Animal Crossing: New Horizons, two years later by Samia Abdur-Rahim Managing Editor As a self-proclaimed Animal Crossing super fan, I feel it’s only absolutely necessary for me to have some sort of opinion on the latest game of the series: Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH). Despite my undying passion for the series, the latest game has been a particular point of conflict within the Animal Crossing community and myself. Released March 20th, 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ hype was unmatched. When the game finally released reviews were mainly positive. However, many players complained about the length of the game tutorial, claiming it was unnecessarily long and convoluted. But the new game’s shine overpowered criticisms. It was only when players really settled into the game where problems began to arise. Main complaints insisted that the game was unfinished since it lacked necessary characters and content that previous Animal Cross-

“The Quarry”: an exciting preview

Spring 2022

ing games had. The absence of core non-playable characters (NPCS) such as the silent barista Brewster was the main source of strife among fans worldwide. Yet as we pass the two-year anniversary of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, it’s best to reflect on how far the game has come. Since its release, the game has undergone a series of updates which improved the quality of gameplay, ranging from bug fixes to new content most notably, the addition of Brewster the barista. One of the most notable changes made was the addition of the newest downloadable content Animal Crossing: New Horizons Happy Home Designer. This DLC is an expansion on decoration, giving way to more design options for the interior and exterior of homes. Animal Crossing has and will continue to have my metaphorical heart. The game has gone through its ups and downs, but is a great addition to the Animal Crossing franchise. The same homey feeling that has become a staple of Animal Crossing games is still present, and for any players here for a chill and relaxing experience, Animal Crossing: New Horizons may be the game for you.

(Above) A player relaxes in The Roost, Brewster’s coffee shop // ShackNews (Below) Happy Home Designer // Nintendo

hopes that they can make it to the “The Quarry” characters // TWM.news morning. Similar to “Until Dawn”, “The Quarry” revolves around the choicby John McLendon es made throughout the story to determine the fate of the characters. And through various options, you Summer camp is a place where won’t be stuck with two choices. children go away as part of their However, in The Quarry, you school break. And their counselors have the option to turn off what opare typically there for money or tions don’t work for you. Is choosfor fun. But when the last day of ing a button quickly stressful, or just summer camp rolls around and the not doable? You can turn it off. You counselors are forced to stay anoth- can adjust your options to the point er night, everything goes wrong and where it would be as if you’re just their fates are in your hands. watching a movie play out. “The Quarry” is the spiritual As for the dangers your characsuccessor to “Until Dawn” that is ters face, the only consequence to releasing June 10th, 2022. Your their death is them not surviving. Quarry is like a circular story and Arquette as Chris, Grace Zabriskie job as the player is to guide the 9 Director Will Byles said “The each one of those characters is a as Eliza and Brenda Song as Kaitcounselors to their survival in the spoke heading towards the middle,” lyn. which means any one of the spokes Preordering “The Quarry” can be broken without affecting the grants you access to 3 different rest of the narrative. Each character things - filters to change how the has 10-12 potential deaths to suffer. game looks and gorefest and death The time to play the story changrewind. Gorefest shows off the es based on how many characters brutal deaths of the game, while survive, and can range from 7-10 death rewind allows you to reverse hours of gameplay. Furthermore, someone’s death. But you can only each character has 3 ending states do so three times in a play through, - alive, dead, and another state that so choose wisely. hasn’t been confirmed. The last night of summer camp By the end, there are collectible can be deadly, and you’re the force cards to receive depending on a intervening in the potential survivcharacters fate. There are 187 cards al - or end - of the counselors. The in total, and the ones you receive Quarry drops June 10th for PC, depend on the ending to the story. Xbox and PlayStation. You can also The cast is made up of recogvisit @/thequarry on Tiktok and Laura, a character in “The Quarry” // prologue screencap nizable horror actors such as David Instagram for teasers and trailers.

Sports

Spring 2022

Red and Black

Pro Wrestling Column: WrestleMania Special by Megan Leatherwood Sports Editor Welcome back to another edition of the PWC! This edition is a WRESTLEMANIA SPECIAL. But before we get into the good

(Below) Rey Mysterio (left) and Dominik Mysterio (right) against Logan Paul (middle) in tag team match // YouTube

(Below) WWE 2K22 cover art featuring Rey Mysterio // Steam

released their newest game, WWE 2k22. The deluxe and nWO edition was released on March 8, 2022, and the standard edition was released on March 11, 2022. It’s available on platforms such as PS4, PS5, Xbox series X & S, and Microsoft Windows. The game comes with more ent control buttons than the previous games, and the ability to make your own general manager. The game’s front cover star, Rey Mysterio, also gets his part of the game called “Showcase,” which revisits his extravagant career. An improved version of career mode now called “MyRise” starts your wrestling career from the Performance Center (PC) to the main roster of Raw or Smackdown. WrestleMania is the biggest event that WWE has held every year since 1985. WrestleMania used to last only for one day, but in 2020 WWE did the unthinkable by making it a two day long event. Also, since this change began during tleMania or any live event had no live audiences. Since then, WrestleMania has been a two-day special. WrestleMania 35 in 2019 for the event match between Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Ronda Rousey

for both the Smackdown and Raw women’s title, which was won by Becky. Another special thing about WrestleMania is that the newly inducted Hall of Famer, the Undertaker, lost his 21-0 winning streak for WrestleMania wins to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 30 in 2014. This year’s WrestleMania was held in Dallas, Texas from April 2-3 and it’s the most stupendous WrestleMania in history. It had huge matches like Roman Reigns (WWE Universal Champion) vs. Brock Lesnar (WWE World Champion) in a well as a tag match with Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio against Miz and YouTuber Logan Paul. Not only that, but Dallas, Texas’s very own “Stone Cold” Steve Austin had a match against Kevin Owens after he was called out publicly. WrestleMania was full of big matches and lots of surprises. We saw shocking returns and debuts, the formation of a team, and epic betrayal. The odds were endless. NXT, the developmental stage for WWE Superstars also got some spotlight since they were in Dallas the same days WrestleMania took place. Starting at 12:30 on April 2nd, Stand and Deliver, a new PayPer-View (PPV), debuted. The new NXT champion Dolph Zigger, who was originally on Raw, will defend his title against Bron Breakker who lost his title to Zigger in a rematch. The North American Champion Carmelo Hayes defended his title in a fatal 5-way ladder match against Santos Escober, Solo Sikoa, Grayson Waller, and Cameron Grimes. NXT Tag Team Champions Imperium also defended their title against MSK and The Creed Brothers.

Scan the QR Code below with your phone camera to fill out a Google Form for your attendance! This MUST be done as soon as possible, so the SGA leaders can get a headcount of performances.

Comics

December 2018 Red and Black

Red and Black Spring 2022

“The Rapture”

“The Drawing Process” By Samia Abdur-Rahim

by Samia Abdur-Rahim

“A Welcomed Visitor” by Samia Abdur-Rahim

“The Breakfast Inquisition” By Avi Berzofsky

Games

Red and2022 Black Spring

December 2018 Red and Black

25th Annual Putnam County Word Search

In honor of Northwood’s production of the “25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee,” this issue’s word search will highlight key characters, terms, and themes from the play. Can you find them all?

An Ultra Complicated and Completely Confusing End of Year Maze START

FINISH

it’s only fair to show off our how they strut their stuff. From iators once again show their passion for fashion. This is: In The Hallway Prom?