February 2012 - Silver Chips Print

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PTSA starts Amazon store School fundraising now possible online By Zoërose Waldrop This past holiday season, the Blair Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) launched a new way to raise money for Blair, using the popular online merchant Amazon.com. Blazers can help the new PTSA store in several ways, either directly or indirectly.

The PTSA’s new partnership with Amazon allows for Blair to profit from community members’ purchases of items on the online “wish list”; which contains over 70 books that the Media Center specialists would like to add to the library’s collection. As another service for the Blair Community, the PTSA has created a list of test prep books and study cards for the SATs and APs, for students trying to find the best study books. The site also links to an MCPS recommended list of more than 30 “teen reads.” In addition, there is a collection of books and art created by Blair alumni, staff and parents on the site so that the community can

A magnetic host

see PTSA page 10

Four art electives to be offered at Blair next year teachers. According to Armstead, the number Four new fine arts of students taking art electives — Digital Phocourses determines tography, Digital Art 2, how many art teachers Fashion Drawing and Deare needed. “In a high sign, and World Drumschool, the amount ming — will be offered of students signed at Blair in the 2012-2013 up [for classes] deschool year. New fine termines the amount arts teacher Jacqueline of teachers working Armstead will teach two there,” she said. of the new classes. If there are more The new electives are art teachers than art being added to the course classes, the teachers list to appeal to students may be transferred to who would not normally other schools. The art take an art class, said department’s hope is Armstead. “I hope [the that with these new classes] will bring people electives, enrollment CLARE LEFEBURE into our hallway that will rise and all the would never have walked Junior Jennifer Beech fine arts teachers will down it otherwise,” she advertises art electives. be able to remain at said. Blair. The prospective students for these elecArmstead will teach Digital Art 2 which tives will allow fine arts teachers to remain see ELECTIVES page 11 at Blair by creating a greater demand for

By Katie Pohlman

Metro proposes summer fare increase By Sarah Wilson

ENOCH HSIAO

Junior Elizabeth Billings auditions to be Master of Ceremonies for the upcoming Magnet Arts Night, a talent show that showcases the artistic abilities of magnet students.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) may raise both rail and bus fares beginning in July to support its $116 million budget increase for the next fiscal year. If approved by the WMATA board, the increases will simplify fare charges and increase funds for improving the transit system and decreasing delays. The increased rates would most directly affect those using paper

fare cards. They would pay a $6 flat fare during peak hours and $4 during nonpeak hours, as opposed to the current fares which vary based on the number of stops a customer travels. SmarTrip users would see an average five percent increase in costs to ride Metro trains, and a ten cent increase for buses. Bus riders paying in cash will see their fares increased to $2 for local buses and $4 for express buses. The peak-of-the-peak system, which increased rail rates in 2010

Creating a stylish skip in their step

for busy morning and evening hours of operation, will be eliminated altogether. Riders during high-traffic periods will pay fares consistent with the regular weekday price. According to a Jan. 12 WMATA press release, the increased rates are part of the $1.6 billion budget and plan to improve WMATA infrastructure and equipment. This will be done by replacing old

see FARES page 8

Cheer champions

Shoe fans show individuality with sneakers By Sarah Wilson Senior Christian Peña, shoe size 8.5, is waiting for the release of the Yeezy 2s, not that he ever wore out the first edition. “I never actually wore my Yeezy 1s, I just need the Yeezy 2s to go with the Yeezy 1s,” he laughs. Meanwhile, freshmen Randy Layza and Victor Molina and juniors Inmar Escobar and Jeffy Martinez await new Air Jordans, Cement 4s and Lebron 9 Galaxies all to be released in the coming months. Despite having 181 pairs of shoes between them, they will still spend months anxiously anticipating new releases. Nikes, Adidas and Jordans walk the halls of Blair in kelly greens, purples and meticulously maintained whites, but there is more to the sneaker trend than “icy soles” and the

$180 it usually takes to buy a new limited release. Coverage of the national sneaker trend has at times been funny, like when lines outside a Staten Island Foot Locker this past December became violent, necessitating police intervention and the arrest of a customer who was taken into custody while yelling, “[Expletive] you! I’m getting my shoes,” according to the New York Daily News. And in other instances, such as the January 7 murder of a Washington, D.C. teen that the Washington Post reports was targeted for his $200 shoes, the severity of the trend has come under criticism. At Blair, a school of 6000 feet, the popularity of sneakers is noticeable. Peña says the sneaker trend at Blair is not a fad based around keeping up with what’s popular or

ELLIE MUSGRAVE

The cheerleaders placed first in Division II at the Panther Cheer Competition on Jan. 28. They also won the captain’s award and the spirit award at the Paint Branch High School-sponsored event.

see KICKS page 15

insideCHIPS Principal or parent: Columnist Claire Koenig makes the case for students’ rights. see page 4

OP/ED 2

SOAPBOX 7

NEWS 8

‘Intel’ligence: Blazers dominate national science competition. see page 11

FEATURES 15

Holding pattern: Disproportionate number of minority students face in-school suspension. see page 13

Moustache mania: Blazers share their beards, moustaches and facial hair fables. see page 27

ENTERTAINMENT 25 LA ESQUINA LATINA 28 CHIPS CLIPS 26 SPORTS 30


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