Montgomery Blair High School SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND
A public forum for student expression since 1937
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Homeless 19
February 7, 2013
Winner of the 2012 National Pacemaker Award
VOL 75 NO 4
Edline to be discontinued next year Blair mourns death
By Michelle Chavez The use of Edline, a Learning Community Management System (LCMS), will be discontinued and replaced by MyMCPS, a similar MCPS-created system, beginning in the 2013-2014 year. MyMCPS is the system teachers currently use to communicate,
according to the MCPS website. “MyMCPS is a web-based, onestop location for accessing and sharing data and documents and for collaborating with coworkers,” it states. Student Member of the Board (SMOB) John Mannes said the future of MyMCPS will be a comprehensive medium for everyone
in the MCPS system. “My MCPS is designed to be an all-inclusive platform and will have the ability to connect teachers, parents and students,” he said. “MyMCPS is a combination of Gmail, Facebook, Turnitin.com, Edline and some kind of peer review system.”
see EDLINE page 2
Powerful Poetry
of recent graduate
By Katelin Montgomery
several times during the investigation and finally admitted to meeting up with Lee at a bus stop 18-year old Siohban Nicole before partLee, a 2012 ing ways. Blair graduBuckley then ate, was shot explained and killed that after on Jan. 25 in walking Northwest to the next D.C. She was intersection, found at the he heard the intersection gunshot and of 5th and returned to Nicholson the scene to streets NW find Lee. Acwith a guncording to a shot wound press release to the head. by MetropolLee lived itan Police in Takoma COURTESY OF ABC7.COM Department, Park and Fourth worked two GRADUATE Blair staff remembers District units jobs. AccordLee as “a very nice young lady.” found the ing to the victim unconscious and lying investigation, she met the 21-year old suspect, Alexander D. Buckley, on the ground at about 3:24 am. She was pronounced dead by a on a social media app. According to the Washington Post, Buckley changed his story see SHOOTING page 4
Blair’s smooth operators Solving the mystery of the SysOps By Langston Cotman
LEAH HAMMOND
POETRY On February 3, 2013, Blair students, along with other poetry performers, presented their poems at the National Gallery of Art in an effort to make it onto the DC Poetry Youth Slam team.
State rejects teacher evaluation policy Starr’s PGS proposal denied
By Katelin Montgomery On Dec. 26 MCPS, along with 23 other Maryland School Systems, was required to submit a Teacher and Principal Evaluation (TPE) plan to the state superintendent of schools, Lillian L. Lowery, for her consideration and approval. County superintendant Joshua Starr’s revised version of Montgomery County’s existing Professional Growth System (PGS)—the method by which the county reviews its teachers performance—was rejected by the state Department of Education. According to an email message from Starr, “our Teachers’ PGS is nationally recognized as a model because of its comprehensive assessment of teacher performance.” The teacher-led PGS has been successful because it has removed ineffective teachers without the use of standardized testing. The Mar land General Assembly’s Education Reform Act of 2012 as well as
the Maryland State Board of Education’s Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) mandated the county’s submission. The federal Race to the Top program requires specific reforms to be implemented in order to receive money. These reforms include standardized test scores within the teacher evaluation. Although Starr and Jerry Weast, former MCPS superintendent, avoided becoming a part of the Race to the Top program due to this regulation, the state of Maryland will now require these changes. Lowery responded to Starr’s proposal, notifying him that the Maryland State Department of Education had rejected MCPS’s proposal to update the PGS. In the follow up email, Starr expressed his feelings toward the rejection. “This is certainly disappointing news and we believe our Professional Growth System is far superior to the model created by the state,” he said.
NEWS 2 SOAPBOX 7 OPINIONS 8
In a somewhat concealed room in the 320s hallway sits one of Blair’s largest computer labs. Designated as the Magnet computer lab, this dimly lit room houses an array of students tinkering away at computer programs and essays. A small group of students sit in a tucked away enclave crammed with computers and other whirring, blinking machinery that look as if they were beamed down from an episode of Star Trek. At the helm of this potpourri of technological mass sit three men.
They are the system operators, also known as sysops, gatekeepers of the Blair network universe. The sysops, short for system operators, are a group of students who help maintain Blair’s computer network. Their headquarters is in this closed off sanctuary in the back of the Magnet computer lab. From there, the sysops monitor sections of the school network, ranging from the Blair website to BILL, the school’s personal social network. Sysops recognize that their mission is no less daunting than that of Captain Kirk battling
County Competition
see SYSOPS page 18
LEAH HAMMOND
DANCERS The Poms team placed fourth in their county competition and senior Kayla McCaw received a second place captain’s award on February 2.
FEATURES 15 ENTERTAINMENT 21 CHIPS CLIPS 25 LA ESQUINA LATINA 26 SPORTS 29
2 News
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FEATURES Sysops
SPECIALS Inauguration
SPORTS
JV journal
News Edline to be replaced Robotics team kicks off competition from Edline page 1
Mannes said the update is only one part of a major technology improvement project that will adjust to the new technology-based curriculum over the next decade. Edline served as a transition into the program that will be implemented next year. “Edline was kind of a temporary piece until they were able to build out MyMCPS, and now that they’ve built that out, it’s going to enable the use of that as opposed to Edline,” he said. Possible issues with the new system include cyber security and functionality, said Mannes. “You’re going to have to make sure that the chats are monitored and the social media works out and that students use it,” he said. He noted that it is essential that teachers learn to effectively use the system so that the same problems that occur with the use of Edline and Promethean Boards do not arise. When Edline and Promethean Boards were first introduced, staff members struggled with adaptation, said Mannes. He said MyMCPS, however, is only an expansion of an already existing system. Mannes said the transition could be difficult, but should bring together into one medium how students already communicate on various mediums. “Peo-
Within a few days of the FRC challenge announcement, the team started designing, assembling and testing its robot prototypes. The 80 students on the team divide into specialized groups to develop the various aspects of the robot, including its programming, mechanics, electronics and drive functions. The current model is a flat, square-shaped piece of wood with a thin, curved piece of steel that is set a certain distance away from a gray wheel. Once the piece of steel is attached to the wood, the Frisbee is placed in between the wheel and the steel piece. The robot will be able to shoot the Frisbee a distance ranging MIMI SIM from five to 10 feet. In this first week, the ROBOT The Blair Robot Project tests parts of its frisbee-throwing drive team is in charge of robot for Spring competition. building the actual robot frame. This group creates the foundation for ple discuss homework over Skype By Cindy Monge the robot. Junior Ivan Reimers is and Facebook now, so I think that part of the drive team and finds one of the biggest challenges will that it is important for the drive On Jan. 5 the First Robotics be making it efficient enough, useteam to have the frame done earCompetition (FRC) announced ful enough and easy enough for ly, since the frame is the foundathis year’s student challenge onstudents to get used to it more,” he tion upon which other teammates line to participating teams around said. the world. The Blair Robot Proj- build. “It’s a really high pressure ect, Blair’s robotics team, held a position because we are the first kick-off event to receive the rules ones to be done,” he said. Reimers also noted that the and instructions for the “Ultimate Ascent,” the name of the game in quality of their job is critical for the which each team will participate rest of the process to go smoothly. during the 2013 international ro- “Anything that can go wrong in botics competition season. The the drive team, will go wrong, and challenge is to create a robot that you have to know how to fix it, ” can throw frisbees both autono- he said. The team president, senior Samously and by remote control, as well as climb a pyramid. Fol- garika Das, said that teamwork is lowing the announcement of the essential in order to completing a challenge, Blair’s robotics team, successful ‘Build Season’—a term started its build season, which that refers to the six weeks they continues for the next six weeks spend on the actual construction and culminates in the spring with of the robot. Every group must trips to Pittsburgh and Baltimore work at the right pace in order to maximize the amount of time for for competitions.
testing the models. Freshman Karina Chang, a member of the special mechanics subteam, believes that every member is essential for the product’s potency. “We build the part of the robot that does specific actions. We are all split among other groups, because they work specialized parts of the robot,” she said. Once the team finalized the idea of the robot and tested the actions, the team started to brainstorm the design of the robot. “The first week, we are [in the] prototyping phase, just to get ideas and test them out. Starting the end of the week, we have a clear idea of what our robot will look like,” said team vice president, junior Evan Feinberg. After they have the robot design done, they start to test all the prototypes and choose the most efficient one. After drafting, testing and assembling, the team has one more week for the programmers to add in the codes and make the final touches before the competition starts. Once they reach the sixth week, the team must stop working on its robot and put it away until the actual competition day on Feb. 19. Das commented that the team has been putting in a lot of effort this season and has been consistently working. “We are working diligently,” she said. She added that the team is on a good schedule for having enough time to make the final touches and be completely ready for competition. She also commented that this year’s influx of new members has brought high expectations for freshmen as well as a lot of fresh ideas and enthusiasm to the team. “One of our expectations is that freshmen learn a lot of valuable stuff. There are very enthusiastic freshmen this year and that’s very good,” she said. Feinberg also has high expectations for the team. “We like to make it to finals or semifinals,” he said. “We will know once we have the robot built.”
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February 7, 2013
Blair sophomore runs for SMOB
News
550 Club
a multicultural school gives her Sophomore Christina McCann the opportunity announced this month that she to take into acis running for the position of the count many difMontgomery County Board of ferent perspecEducation (SMOB) . McCann tives and ideas. has been involved in school poli- “I think [diversitics since sixth grade when she ty is] a huge facwas a member of the SGA at tor in my camParkland Magnet Middle School paign. Because where expressed her passion for I have such a backadvocating for MCPS students. diverse Principal Renay Johnson said ground, I have that as SMOB, she believes McCa- a more diverse LELIA BARTHOLET nn will be able to directly interact p e r s p e c t i v e , ” with and understand the necessi- McCann said. WEIGHTS Senoir Alayna Abel trains to be a part of the 550 Club, where lady M c C a n n ties of students. Johnson added Blazers add up their squat, bench and dead lift weights to total 550 pounds. that Blair could benefit from a Blaz- wants the board er voice on the Board of Education to understand (BOE). “We can take the issues di- students’ issues rectly to [McCann],” Johnson said. and to create policies that will dent body informed about MCPS to be successful, specifically extra She also believes that McCann really work to benefit students’ policy. “If I can educate the stu- help from teachers when needed. Katie LoRe, McCann’s campaign could benefits from attending one needs and preferences. “[SMOBs] dent body on the issues that the of the largest and most diverse are supposed to be a liaison and BOE is focusing on, then there manager, said that she and McCaschools in the county. “She’s in bring the students’ perspec- will more understanding and less nn are working together to reach the best place to serve students, tive onto the board,” she added. blame going on,” said McCann. out to students and understand McCann believes that student their opinions on school issues. Not only does she want to be because Blair is so diverse ethnically,” Johnson commented. “We re- a mediator and create a posi- participation is essential to shap- “We are utilizing social media to ally are a good example of MCPS.” tive relationship with the board, ing the future of many of the communicate with the student McCann feels that being in such she also wants to keep the stu- school policies that are being de- body, specifically Facebook and bated in MCPS. Especially now Twitter. Our purpose now is to that MCPS is debat- get feedback from students so we ing a later high school know what the problems in MCPS start time in order are and how we can respond to to decrease sleep them,“ LoRe said. She also said deprivation among that she and McCann plan to visit teenagers, McCann schools and directly interact with believes it is intrinsic non-Blair students. LoRe stressed that student opin- that she wants to be accessible to ions must be heard. all students and care about knowMcCann said the ing student opinions. “We strongissue of school start ly encourage any student to get in times is sure to in- touch with us on Facebook, Twitter spire many students or email regarding anything about to participate in BOE our school system they feel needs to decisions. “What be addressed,” commented LoRe. student wouldn’t LoRe feels that McCann’s paswant to sleep in? It sion and desire to improve the has been great to see school policies make her an ideal students so passion- candidate for SMOB. “Christina ately involved with is hardworking, innovative, [and] the issue,” McCann experienced,” LoRe said. “What expressed. “I hope to sets her apart is her passion.” see students this inJohnson agrees and said she volved with other is- strongly supports McCann. “As sues that directly im- a principal, I never had a student pact our education as run [for SMOB],” she said. “For me well.” McCann added this is very exciting. As her princithat she plans to pro- pal, I’m hoping that we can all supvide students with all port our candidate who happens ZEKE WAPNER the tools necessary to be at Blair,” Johnson expressed. SMOB candidate, McCann, works on planning her election campagin.
By Cindy Monge
Breaking down the fiscal cliff and its ramifications Congress averts fiscal cliff through a reactionary bill at the end of last year By Katelin Montgomery Hours before the Jan. 1 midnight deadline, the Senate passed a deal to avert the fiscal cliff. Although the bill was not approved in the House on time, the bill was still signed into law by the President on Jan. 2. If this compromise bill had not been passed, the changes that would have taken place in the New Year were extreme, including the end of the temporary payroll tax cuts. This means that there would have been a two percent increase for workers across the board and $110 billion in defense and domestic program cuts. The bill prevents a tax hike for the middle class, at the same time raising income tax rates for the first time in over 20 years. According the Wall Street Journal, President Obama said of the law, “Thanks to the votes of Democrats and Republicans in Congress I will sign a law that raises taxes on the wealthiest two percent of Americans while preventing a middleclass tax hike that could have sent the economy back into a recession
and obviously had a severe impact on families all across America.” The bill makes the temporary tax rates of the Bush era permanent. After years of failed efforts by Congress, it permanently keeps the middle class safe from the alternative minimum tax, which was originally intended to only effect the wealthiest Americans when created in the 1960s. In spite of its merits, the bill has obvious drawbacks as well. It has deferred some of the country’s most difficult spending problems, such as the increasing cost of health care.
The bill is far from the negotiation for the $4 trillion deficit reduction deal that Congress hoped for. In actuality, some estimates project that the new bill would reduce the deficit by just $600 billion over a decade. Some of the solutions, however, will not last. In just one month, the
delayed $110 billion in spending cuts will kick in again. The country may need to increase its borrowing limit, a decision that only Congress can make, which will probably lead to a fierce debate. With regard to the effect on American citizens, according to the Tax Policy Center, a joint venture of the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, more than three-quarters of households across the country would see an increase of their taxes. Households making $500,000 to $1 million annually would owe an additional $15,000 and households making over $1 million would owe an average of $170,000. As a whole, the bill created solutions to some of the problems that plague the nation, including taxes, but the country will hit the debt ceiling again, leading to the same issue that prompted the automatic spending cuts. The bill bought Congress more time, but the issues are still at hand.
KATELIN MONTGOMERY
Newsbriefs
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Whooping cough returns This winter, the pertussis virus, commonly known as whooping cough, resurged in Montgomery County. The number of occurences rose past the state norm of 4 per 100,000 residents and the nationwide norm of 3.6 per 100,000 residents at 7.6 cases per 100,000 residents. Aware of the susceptibility of schools to airborne diseases like pertussis, MCPS staff has been taking precautions to prevent the spread of the virus among students. Bordetella Pertussis, the whooping cough virus, is a highly contagious respiratory disease, characterized by uncontrollable fits of violent coughing that make it difficult to breathe. “The coughs just keep getting worse as time goes on,” said school nurse Debra Bitonti. While only one case of whooping cough has been reported at Blair, both the administration and Bitonti have done their parts to inform students and their families about the virus and what they can do to avoid it. While the school sent out the whooping cough newsletter and automated calls to all Blair families, Bitonti went through a list of all the students who had classes with the sick person, narrowed down the list to those who hadn’t received their immunization shots and called them.
O’Mally requests funding for breakfast Governor O’Malley announced Jan. 18 that his 2014 budget proposal to Maryland’s General Assembly includes $5.2 million for the Maryland Meals for Achievement, a program that provides free breakfast to students in schools that meet the requirements. This is a $1.8 million increase from previous years and could expand the program from 33,000 students in 271 Maryland schools to 89,896 students in 407 schools. The recommended increase is a result of lobbying during December by Montgomery County and Prince Georges County officials along with 23 nonprofit organizations. Councilwoman Valerie Ervin led lobbying efforts. O’Malley has a policy goal of ending hunger in Maryland by 2015 and plans to use the increase in funding to help achieve that goal. Students participating in the program will eat breakfast in their morning class, as opposed to a cafeteria.
Bomb threats made at TPMS Bomb threats were made at Takoma Park Middle School on the morning of Jan 29. The Takoma Park Police swept the building after an eighth grade student made statements that caused alarm. A teacher reported the student’s words and the school went into a Code Blue. Bomb detection dogs were brought in but nothing suspicious was found. The student could face possible disciplinary action and either suspension or expulsion, though they claim the threats were made jokingly.
Newsbreifs compiled by Emma Rose Borzekowski and Daniel Alger
4 News Newsbriefs County to report on achievement gap On Feb. 26, Montgomery County’s Office of Legislative Oversight is set to release a report analyzing the achievement gap and how it has changed across the county since the last report in 2008. In the 2008 report, among other findings, the county determined there was a gap by race in suspension rates and classification of students as gifted. Closing the achievement gap has been a focus of Montgomery County Public Schools since 2008. For the upcoming report, the county will look at data on students’ performance on certain standardized tests, such as the Maryland School Assessment, the SAT and AP tests. The Montgomery County Board of Education will receive a briefing from the county on Feb. 12 before the results are released publicly.
New football coach announced Principal Renay Johnson and Athletic director Rita Boulé have announced that Blair’s new varsity football coach will be Dr. Andrew Fields. This follows the fall dismissal of longtime former coach Jeff Seals. Fields is an administrator at Gaithersburg and, in the 13 years he has worked for MCPS, has coached at Churchill, Poolesville and Northwest. He has also coached the 2003 Maryland All-Star Game and, with the high schools at which he has previously coached, he has won one state title, made two appearances at state championships and nine Maryland state playoff appearances. Fields played high school and collegiate football and attended George Washington, Bowie State and Towson University. He held an informational meeting on Oct. 30 to introduce himself to parents and students involved in Blair’s football program.
County schools update technology According to the Montgomery County Public Schools website, starting next year, MCPS will begin a move to update technology in several elementary, middle and high schools. One focus of the proposal is to increase the amount of Promethean boards in schools. The proposal, approved by the Board of Education, will give every elementary school classroom a Promethean board by the beginning of the next school year. There are currently 34 elementary schools out of 132 in Montgomery County without any Promethean boards at all. The proposal will also give every county school wireless Internet. The Montgomery County Council has already approved the Capital Improvement Program, which is the program that will be providing the money for these purchases. Newsbriefs compiled by Issac Jiffar and Emma Rose Borzekowski
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Lee fatally shot in DC
Students mourn the loss of ‘12 grad
something like this. “You don’t know her…you just met her… Ruger 9MM semi-automatic what could she have possible done to you?” she asked, as reported by handgun. Though he never admitted to ABC 7. Blair English teacher, Christine shooting the victim, the police report found that based on the Denny, who had taught Lee exevidence; there was probable plained that Lee had come into her cause to believe that Buckley had class a few weeks after the markcommitted armed second-degree ing period had started but she was a successful student. “She just murder. ABC 7 reported that Lee’s mur- jumped in full force and was reder came as a shock to her family, ally passionate about everything... who reside in Prince George’s The saddest thing is she had so County and her friends don’t un- much potential to be amazing,” said Denny. derstand why this happened. Denny also mentioned that Lee One of Lee’s friends, Anwi Tabrey, wondered why someone faced some struggles in her life who barely knew Lee, would do and had worked hard to overcome them. “She was very independent and so she was doing a lot of stuff on her own, things that many students take for granted,” she explained. In an email announcing Lee’s death, School Principal, Renay Johnson spoke fondly of the former student. “[She was] a very nice young lady, I would often have conversations with her last year about her grades and after school employment. After every marking period, she would proudly show me her report card,” Johnson wrote. A candle light memorial service for Siohban Lee was held Thursday, Jan. 31 in Takoma Park, her viewing was Friday, Feb. 1 at Francis J. Collins Funeral Home, and her LEAH HAMMOND funeral was on Saturday, SHOOTING Blair students remem- Feb. 2 also at Francis J. Collins Funeral Home. ber their former ‘12 class-mate Students were invited to who was killed in NW DC. show their respects.
from SHOOTING page A1
Jake Scott featured in professional documentary and commercial By Michelle Chavez Los Angeles-based Producer Andrew Fuller and Director William Kirkley are creating a documentary film and commercial of Blair math teacher Jake Scott. The two independent filmmakers contacted Scott on Jan. 9, the day after National Public Radio (NPR) had aired a news segment featuring his math raps. Scott said the NPR release was a result of his videos’ growing popularity. Just this year, the Washington Post and NBC 4 covered Scott’s hobby-turned-intosuccess story. After hearing the NPR story, Kirkley was determined to create a documentary specifically about Scott rather than finding a teacher in his area who used similar methods. “The NPR story kind of shined a light on it a little bit,” he said. “We didn’t set out to find an amazing teacher story. We heard an amazing teacher story and wanted to explore that further.” NPR hinted at Scott’s difficult childhood, which Kirkley said made Scott even more compelling of a subject. When the county passed down approval for the project to Principal Renay Johnson and Scott, Fuller and Kirkley booked their tickets. They arrived Jan. 30, earlier than expected, to see Scott coach the Blair wrestling team at a match.
February 7, 2013
Local residents and board push for more security County actions and recent rally indicate safety concerns By Michelle Chavez The Board of Education (BOE) voted on a resolution to push the increase of school security sooner in light of the recent nationwide security concerns. The request was sent to the County Council who took action on it Tuesday, Feb. 5. “The Board of Education requests the Montgomery County Council move $364,000 of funding from Fiscal Year 2014 to Fiscal Year 2013 in the School Securities System Project in the Capital Improvements Program,” Board Member Patricia O’Neill said in a memorandum to the other board members. The Schools Security System Project, approved in 2008 for FY 2009-2014, provided installation of Access Control Systems (ACS) for elementary schools, Closed Caption Television for middle and high schools and Visitor Management Systems across all schools. There is a push for ACS installment to be completed in elementary schools over the next two weeks, according to the memorandum. Student Member of the Board (SMOB) John Mannes said the funding move to FY 2013 was the result of an equitability issue. “As a board, we decided that we can’t have some schools that have more security than others,” he said. In alignment with funding increases, Senior Communications Specialist Gboyinde Onijala said there has been discussion about assigning resource counselors to schools. Resource counselor Christina Splaine was assigned to Blair on
Tues. Feb. 5. She will be in the building Tuesday through Friday every week until the end of the school year. Community members have also expressed their opinions concerning safety at a DC gun rally and march on Jan 26. Senator Jamie Raskin said he organized the rally just four days before the event. Raskin said there were about 150 people who congregated in Silver Spring for the rally and travelled to DC to meet a much larger group for the march. “The Washington Post crowd report was inaccurate. They said there were 1000 people there, but there were at least 5000,” he said. Raskin said that the gun rally and march were effective, but marked only a small piece of a larger movement against progun activists. “This is going to be a long, drawn-out struggle. It will take a series of popular rallies and actions, so I thought this was a good start. We just have to maintain momentum and translate people’s outrage into action,” he said. Raskin said school security is essential, especially in light of recent significant events, but he said the increase in security will not prevent gun violence. “There were guards at Columbine HS and at Fort Hood, and it’s clear that the presence of other guns does not prevent massacres,” he said. “We need to meet all of the security demands that schools have, but we won’t stop the gun crisis with school security alone. There were mass shootings at shopping malls, in movie theaters, even in temples.”
The independent film will document Scott’s life, from his difficult childhood in a high-crime neighborhood to his transition into the mentary to various film festivals. soft, all of which he said he deScott said the NPR story resulted clined. “The higher you go, the well-reputed math teacher, wrestling coach and educational leader in numerous emails, among them greater you fall. Just stay humvarious job offers, including two ble,” he said. “There’s nothing he is today. After days of camera close-ups teaching positions and a master that someone outside of here can and frequent interviews, Scott be- teacher program funded by Micro- give me that I want.” gan to talk about his upbringing in Columbia Heights in Prince George’s County. He said he had a breakdown in one interview, remembering his sister’s experience with drug use, which also reflected that of his 16 siblings. Fuller and Kirkley left Blair for Los Angeles on Feb. 5 to begin p o s t - p ro d u c tion. Kirkley said that after the one-month editing process, he will submit ZEKE WAPNER both a commercial to a Reebok DOCUMENTARY Jake Scott’s former math teacher was interviewed for the contest about film, answering questions about Scott and his transition from student to inspiring peo- teacher. ple and a docu-
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Do you think that MCPS should strengthen security in schools?
see page 4
able to intervene after it starts, but they can’t act fast enough to stop anything.” -junior Carson Schweickhardt
Soapbox 7
Is Khan academy a helpful educational supplement?
see page 8
“Yes, I use it a lot when I miss something in class.” -sophomore Samantha Menegas
“No, Kelly already benches over 400 lbs.” -junior Raymond Burtnick
“Yes, I have used it, and for basics on small topics, it helps. But it can’t be used as an only complete learning tool.” -sophomore Pamela Katali
“Yes, anybody can get in and there’s no metal detectors.” -senior Megan Paviller
“Yes it is because they help you understand step by step. I looked it online to help me with English.” -freshman Karla Corvera-Portillo
Chips Pics:
Chips Index: 30 Robotics team has a record high of 80 members this year
69.84 percent of Blazers have gotten a schedule change this year Roughly 85
#SysOps
ELLIE MUSGRAVE
ZEKE WAPNER
LEILA BARTHOLET
#varsityball
#Inaguration
39 11 counselors at Blair
What was the worst book you have ever read? see page 23
“Goosebumps, because there were too many stories about monsters, which really creeped me out.” -freshman Diana Perez
49.6 percent of Blazers have been to parties that were busted by the police Chips Index compiled by Sabrina Bradford with assistance from Leslie Chen, Abel Chanyalew, Ronnita Freeman, Alani Fuji, Rebecca Naimon, Rohan Oprisko, Elizabeth Pham, Sam Popper, Harini Salgado, Naomi Weintraub, and William Zhu
“The Odyssey because it wasn’t in English.” -junior James Taylor “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Alex Frandsen
Should MCPS make school start later?
see page 10
“Yes, because it is hard for students to get up so early and annoying to go to bed earlier because we can’t fall asleep.” -junior Robbie Lee “Yes, because as we got older we have more to do and in such little time because of early school hours.” -junior Emanuel Ceron @itsmannyy sports to end at 8.”-sophomore Maria Novitslacaya
Want to be featured in the next Soapbox? Follow @Silver_Chips on twitter and respond to any of our #soapbox questions in full sentences. If your response is creative, intelligent or interesting your tweet could be picked for the next issue! We will credit you with your full name, your grade and your twitter handle.
Have you ever been to a party that was busted?
see page 15
“Yeah, the cops came through. A lot of people got cited.” -senior Scott Boyd “No, I do not drink.” -sophomore Danny Canary “No, when I go to parties the people there aren’t the type to attract the attention of the cops.” -senior Tori Sowell
Do you think that the boys’ varsity basketball team has gotten better since last year?
see page 29
“Absolutely, Pigrom has played a big part but credit to the players as well. Working harder and playing much better.” -junior Mattan Berner-Kadish @MatBerKad Tatiana Sindass
silverchips Montgomery Blair High School 51 University Boulevard East Silver Spring, MD 20901 Phone: (301) 649-2864 2012 National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker Finalist Winner of the 2009 and 2010 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown Editors-in-Chief: Emma Bergman and Sarah Wilson Managing Features Editors: Ruth Aitken and Hannah Weintraub Managing News Editors: Michelle Chavez and Katelin Montgomery Managing Sports Editor: Josh Schmidt Managing Op/Eds Editor: Puck Bregstone Managing Entertainment Editor: Peter McNally Production Manager: Puck Bregstone Managing Design Editor: Hannah Weintraub Outreach Coordinator: Katelin Montgomery Ombudsman: Ruth Aitken Distribution Supervisor: Peter McNally Fact Checks Supervisor: Ruth Aitken Extras Editor: Sabrina Bradford Newsbriefs Editor: Josh Schmidt Public Relations Director: Michelle Chavez Executive Business Director: Adrian Craig Executive Communications Director, Executive Advertising Director: Nick Seidell Executive Fundraising Manager, Executive Communications Director: Mac Keller Business Staff: Jared Collina Aniya Wood-Reynolds Page Editors: Daniel Alger Desiree Aleibar Emma Rose Borzekowski Sabrina Bradford Langston Cotman Kyle Desiderio Maya Habash Isaac Jiffar Jenna Kanner Cindy Monge Evan Morris Alanna Natanson Paris Parker-Loan Mallory Rappaport Dillon Sebastian Kenyetta Whitfield Spanish Page Adviser: Dora Gonzales Spanish Page Editor: Kelly Ventura Claudia Quinonez Spanish Page Writers: Hector Barrera Rolando Alvarenga Jannet Encinas Yessica Somoza Editorial Cartoonist: Julia Bates Managing Photo Editors: Leah Hammond Clare Lefebure Photographers: Leila Bartholet Ellie Musgrave Zeke Wapner Managing Arts Editors: Julia Bates XiXi Chen Artists: Katrina Golladay Tatyana Gubin Maggie McClain Eva Shen Puzzle Editors: Devin Rutan Michael Morganstein Copy Editors: Paul B. Ellis Claudia Gowen Rebecca Naimon Professional Technical Adviser: Peter Hammond Advisor: Joseph Fanning Silver Chips is a public forum for student expression. Student editors make all content decisions. Unsigned editorials represent the views of the editorial board and are not necessarily those of the school. Signed letters to the editor are encouraged. Submit your letter to Joseph Fanning’s mailbox in the main office, to room 158 or to silver.chips.print@ gmail.com. Concerns about Silver Chips’ content should be directed to the Ombudsman, the public’s representative to the paper, at silver.chips.ombudsman@gmail.com. Letters may be edited for space and clarity.
Silver Chips
February 7, 2013
Opinions
8
Sleepless in Silver Spring By Mallory Rappaport An opinion There’s nothing quite like waking up to a drowsy parent turning off your alarm for a twohour delay day. Before you get back to your beauty sleep, you take a moment to notice that the “emergency weather conditions” mentioned on the MCPS website were nothing but a myth. Those extra few hours of sleep do wonders a few times every year, but if the later school start time became a year-round fixture, the county would have bigger problems than a wimpy winter attitude. A growing coalition of concerned parents, teachers and psychologists called the Start Schools Later campaign has gathered to support a battle against sleep deprivation in high schools. Based on discoveries about the damage sleep deprivation causes for high school students, Start Schools Later proposes that high school start times be moved back from their current time of 7:25 a.m. While this modification would strike glee in the hearts of sleepy high school students everywhere, with a school system that has hardly been modified since it originated, it’s extremely unlikely that it will be initiated in Montgomery County. The Start Schools Later website is a hubbub of statistics all pointing toward the negative effects of early school start times. Not only can early-morning start times be associated with depression, migraines, stimulant abuse and
physical fighting, they also work against the biological sleep cycle of teens. Fairfax County’s effort to change public school start times, Start Later for Excellence in Education Proposal (SLEEP) found that adolescents have a different and later sleep cycle than younger kids and adults. This unique cycle makes it difficult for most teenagers to go to sleep before 11 p.m. or wake up earlier than 6 a.m., as it disrupts this cycle. The Montgomery County branch of Start Schools Later has made great strides in making the issue of school start times a priority in Montgomery County. After receiving over 10,000 signatures on its petition for the Montgomery County Board of Education (BOE) to acknowledge this issue, a team of researchers has been gathered to come up with a possible action plan to be presented to Superintendent Joshua Starr in May. Mandi Mater, head of the Start Schools Later branch in Montgomery County, claims she’s optimistic for the plan’s success. “It looks like a good group of people meeting; they seem eager to get things going,” says Mater. Still, the likelihood of an entirely satisfying solution seems fanciful. While the plethora of teenagers dozing off in the back of first period classrooms make it apparent that kids in schools need more sleep, there still remains a number of obstacles. Phyllis Payne, co-founder of SLEEP, explains that while no one is systematically opposed to later
start times, difficulties arise in what exactly to alter. “Change is really hard for people; an early start is the statusquo. It’s what for a soluwe’re tion, junior Kemari used to,” Bigbie feels says Payne. that starting The most school later compelling is not worth argument the trouble of against movfinding these ing start times small loopback is that after school holes in order to save time. “It’s activities that MAGGIE MCCLAIN only four years; already often run late into the we just have to evening would get over it,” says have to run even further into the Bigbie. And there’s truth to that. night. Student-athletes like junior While the school system basketball player Wynston Reed should do whatever it has to do feel this would seriously affect to help ensure that its students their sports practices. “It’d be aware leading healthy and not sleep ful for athletes; we’d start practice deprived lives, it’s also important around six or seven and then we to recognize that this situation is wouldn’t have time for things like extremely complicated. homework,” says Reed. Ideally, this May, some allPayne, however, claims that it’s aspect encompassing resolution all a matter of finding the right sowill be discovered and Montgomlution. She says that in some counery County teenagers will be able ties with later start times, athletes to sleep longer than we ever have start dressed for their games on before. But until then, it’s best the bus in order to save time. “It’s we all put on our big kid pants like a puzzle. A level of detail is and deal with the lumps, because required to find the way to make while sleeping in an extra hour on the puzzle fit,” says Payne. a school day would be great, we Despite Payne’s suggestions shouldn’t get our hopes up.
New semester brings back counseling conundrum Inconsistencies in the enactment of schedule policies are unfair to students By Issac Jiffar An opinion
LaSchell Wilson, met with her several times, looked up her test scores on the Magnet test, and let her sit in on one of the classes “United we stand, divided we before putting Hirsch in the class. fall.” The careful thought that WilThis motto, dating back to son put into this decision is defiAesop, has been repeated countnitely admirable, and in the long less times in the last few thousand run, measures like these to ensure years in speeches, logos and on proper placement will definitely flags. The counseling department be beneficial to students. would do well to incorporate this Wilson is not the only counprinciple. selor who has gone the extra mile The counseling department to help her students though. In needs to standardize its approach fact, a lot of the counselors really to schedule changes. Although care about the there are guidelines in students, and try place as to what reasons to do what is best are valid for schedule for them. Senior changes, such as a student Alison Goodlacking the prerequisites man notes that for a class, or missing her counselors a class necessary for in freshman and graduation, these are not sophomore year, universally followed, and Roland Hollins the ultimate decision as to and Charlain Baiwhether or not a student ley, were very uncan get a schedule change derstanding and is up to each counselor. helped her with In reality, counselors some personal can (and do) choose to problems she grant schedule changes was having at the for other reasons. Blair time. Following counselor Marcia Johnson her acceptance repeatedly stressed that to the University these changes are “not of Vermont this guaranteed,” but admitted winter, she even they can be done, dependreceived a hearting on the counselor. warming personal This system, while gesture from her allowing the counselors a counselor. “I got great degree of freedom, home from school unfairly rewards students one day and my with more lenient counselmom said I got ors and punishes students mail and it was with stricter ones. The MIMI SIM a hand-written students, of course, have PACKED The counseling department is filled with postcard conno way of controlling students waiting to meet with their counselors. gratulating me on which counselors they get, so they are at the mercy of Lady Luck. This is not to say that we should have an automated system processing all of our schedule changes. Some situations require a little flexibility, and the individualized approach only an actual person can give. Freshman Camille Kirsch had a very positive experience with the counseling department when she was trying to switch into a Magnet math class at the beginning of the school year. Her counselor,
my college acceptance,” Goodman says. The main issue, though, lies not in a lack of care, but in a lack of a common standard for counselors to follow when deciding schedule changes. While it would be silly—and diminish the purpose of the gesture—to make every counselor give all their students a congratulatory card after a college acceptance, standardizing practices that have as widespread an effect on students as scheduling procedures will help to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to succeed. The two things that Johnson stressed students are not allowed to do are change their lunches and change their teachers. “We try very hard not to change teachers unless there’s a valid reason,” Johnson says. However, in practice, this is not always the case. Junior John Anderson notes that his counselor let him change out of a teacher’s class because he “got into a verbal confrontation” with her during the first class. He told his counselor he “felt it to be prudent to make the switch for both her and my sake,” and she switched him out without any problems. Meanwhile, other Blazers are not provided this luxury. As Johnson points out, “Blair is big, so everything is big here.” Counselors have to deal with a lot of requests, and so there is no time to run each request by every counselor, but the more standard procedures are in place, the more counselors can look at requests objectively rather than subjectively, and the fairer the process will be for students.
JULIA BATES
Opinions 9
silverchips
February 7, 2013
Do video games contribute to sexism and violence in society?
YES Evan Morris In recent years, rape and assault simulation games have reached the video game market. One of these games, is “RapeLay,” a 3D computer game made in Japan by the company Illusion. In this game, the player’s only goal is to assault and rape the woman on screen until she breaks down. Though its distribution has been discontinued after facing controversy, the game can still be found on the Internet. The existence of such a game is awful. Even sadder is the number of adolescent gamers ready to jump to defend it as a form of art. One petition on the game’s website reads, “Great art challenges us to examine the very assumptions we hold dearest.” This unaffected acceptance of simulated rape normalizes sexist behavior and violence. “RapeLay” is not the only horrible game of its kind. “Stockholm: An Exploration of True Love” encourages players to kidnap and psychologically and physically attack young women. To win the game is to manipulate a woman into developing Stockholm syndrome, or an unhealthy love or sympathy for her captor and abuser. Banned by Amazon.com, this interactive DVD game claims to be a “Controversial Masterpiece.” While most games do not so explicitly promote this violence, players receive similar messages in mainstream games. In many games, women are either portrayed as weak and helpless or sexually provocative.
NO Jenna Kanner Mass shootings are both tragic and sensationalized by the media. In 2002, 15 sniper attacks took place around the Beltway area. In the past few decades, the number of mass shootings has risen. Since 1982, at least 62 mass shootings have occurred in the United States. Likewise, rates of violence against women and girls in the United States are high. One out of every six American women has been a victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. Many video games are violent and in many games women and girls are represented primarily as sex objects. The games themselves, however, are not necessarily a causal factor. Many also blame violent video games for the startling increase of gun violence and as a major factor in violence against women. In fact, the number of overall deaths from assault weapons per 100,000 people in the US, peaked in 1975, a year before the first programmable home game console was released. That statistic has been decreasing ever since. USA
Plots tend to follow stereotypical storylines, connecting reaffirmed gender biases with bloodshed and murder. Exposure to sexual violence in video games can be linked to the development of false attitudes about rape, such as the beliefs that women incite men to rape or that women secretly desire to be raped. One person is sexually assaulted in the United States every two minutes, while 97 percent of rapists never spend a day in jail, as reported by the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network. A study from the University of Central Florida assessed that 21 percent of games involved violence against women. The connection between these statistics is tragic but the video gaming industry has done nothing but capitalize on it. Violent video games contribute to growing real-world conflict, especially sexual assault and violence against women. Unhealthy game
One person is sexually assaulted in the United States every two minutes. environments foster aggression in adolescents. When paired with the sexualization of women, the prevalence of rape in the United States should not come as a surprise. The themes and content of more mature, violent video games provide poor models for teenagers. Harvard University’s 2008 study reported that 60 percent of middle school boys who played at least one Mature-rated game had initiated a fight with someone, while only 39 percent of boys who did not play fought. As players enter high school and violence is more often sexual, the importance of this statistic is highlighted. Blood in games is tied to an increase in arousal and hostility, allowing the player to connect violence with sexuality. This pairing leads to sexual aggression. Today also notes that rapes in the United States have hit a 20-year low. Youth violence in the United States declined to 40-year lows during the video game era according to Ferguson of The Chronicle. He notes that countries such as Canada, the Netherlands and South Korea, who play just as much violent video games as the United States, experience fewer incidents of violent crime. Violent video games send panic surging through the hearts of parents nationwide. Who wants their 11-year-old son playing a game where, in 15 minutes, he has shot upwards of 50 different people? Most of these games are based on unrealistic stereotypes. Men with cartoonish, bulging muscles and their sidekick women with all-too-short skirts are not the norm in society. Some commentators, such as Leah Burrows from The Boston Globe, find that video game producers still have a “locker room mentality”
Video games alone are not responsible for America’s sexism. and end up creating characters that objectify women. While this may be true, it is part of the broader problem of women being valued primarily for their beauty and sex appeal in magazines, movies and advertisements. So why draw the line at video games? Based on First Amendment principles of freedom of expression and freedom of speech, it is impossible to shut down one form of media for a society-wide transgression. According to the Entertainment Software
voicebox
pro/con Violent video games require identification with aggressive characters. The players’ constant contribution to simulated violence desensitizes them to real-world violence. According to the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, this results in reduced P300 amplitudes in the brain, a decrease associated with aggressive behavior. According to professors at the University of Toledo, only in video games, unlike in television or other media, is exposure to violence linked to lower empathy in players. Empathy is essential in moral evaluation, which is believed to inhibit aggressive behavior. Without this balance, aggression can escalate to violence. As with any habit or repeated activity or motion, video games can dictate learned behaviors, or behavioral scripts. Just as one puts on a seatbelt automatically after getting in the car, video games can teach players to respond with aggression in certain situations. A bump in the hall can end in thrown punches when these scripts are triggered in everyday life. In these video games, violent acts are usually rewarded. Researchers at Iowa State University concluded that these commendations cause increased aggressive behavior. Another study from the university found that youth who play violent video games have lower belief in the use of nonviolent strategies and are generally less forgiving than players of nonviolent video games. Games establish violence as an acceptable conflict-resolution strategy and an appropriate means of reaching goals. With rape and assault statistics out of control in the United States, the country cannot afford to ignore the problems created by video games and the rest of the media. While even the most harmful messages are protected by the first amendment, the public is not required to support them. If the video gaming industry were not profiting today’s popular games, they would not be on shelves. Until consumers stop buying demeaning games, this problem will continue to grow. It is up to everyone to recognize and reject these sexist and dangerous excuses for entertainment. Association, 60 percent of video game players are male. Typically, male game characters represent what the gamer aspires to look like, while their female counterparts are not who women want to be, but who the gamer is stereotypically attracted to. The market provides the real reason why these characters are fictionalized. In modern video games, women are still perceived as sexual objects. But today the number of women playing and producing video games is increasing, which means that gradually change will happen in how women are portrayed in video games. Currently, it makes financial sense to continue illustrating men and women as they are represented because it appeals to the most loyal consumer base, namely men sprawled across their couches hyped up on pizza and cans of Red Bull. And this is okay. Most people know the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behavior. It is the exception, not the norm, for a gamer to take violence found in video games and act upon it in reality. Barlett, Branch, Rodeheffer and Harris comment that violent video gamers may have an increase of violent thoughts and feelings, but these usually last less than four minutes. Video games are fictional and are not solely responsible for America’s sexist or violent tendencies. Sexism, unfortunately, is something that is embedded in our society. These games are outlets for play, and are not meant to influence kids to become prostitutes or snipers. They are no more harmful than “Cops and Robbers” or “Cowboys and Indians” of a different era. These childish games were never blamed for violent acts, and there is no concrete evidence that video games or video game characters today are responsible for influencing violent acts in our society.
Max Khanjari Senior If the younger generation is going to spend noticeably long times with video games they can’t pick up on bad aspects.
Ikram Abdoulwasse Freshman I guess not. There’s always so little clothing for women in every game.
Dylan Ahunhodjaev Sophomore No, I don’t think it does any damage or make them different people, but it’s not a positive image.
Ashley Fennell Junior The women in games are very strong and independent. Like in Tomb Raider.
John Anderson Junior Not a good role model or bad role model. I’m not going to shoot someone up because of Halo.
10 Opinions
silverchips
February 7, 2013
Students allowed to cheat are just being cheated When our institutions allow students to benefit from cheating, we all lose By Sabrina Bradford An opinion Academic cheating scandals have wracked the U.S. educational world throughout past decades, from students changing their grades to teachers fixing wrong answers on their students’ tests. But now a new issue arises — teachers that let their students cheat. As it is, academic dishonesty no longer carries the stigma that it used to. Students see cheating as a profitable means to get good grades, meaning that grades, not education, have become students’ primary focus. Cheating has skyrocketed as the pressure rises for high school students to take the hardest classes available to them and to get the highest grades possible. But cheating is not as advantageous to students as it may seem. Academic dishonesty does not help students learn the subject material, grade inflation has become more prevalent and cheating continues beyond the educational sphere. Academic dishonesty has risen dramatically during the past 50 years with 75 percent of students admitting to some form of cheating during high school, according to the Educational Testing Service Ad Council Campaign against Cheating. Cheating can be an easy way to get good grades, but when students do not focus on learning classroom material, they lack the foundation for higher levels of learning that could extend beyond the classroom. By copying, students receive a gen-
eral idea of how to do the work, but do not fully master it because if they can cheat on the work, there is no real pressing need to learn how to do it themselves. Students who cheat in high school receive higher grades by doing less work, but they often feel justified in doing so. Not only do higher grades give these students better chances at getting scholarships and being admitted into selec-
world. Cheating often becomes habitforming, and teachers that let their students copy work for graded assignments are doing them a disservice. Students will continue to cheat beyond the classroom and past graduation. Not only will students cheat in college, but potentially in other non-
tive institutions of higher learning, but they also benefit the schools. Public schools that have students with high GPAs typically receive more financial assistance from the government and more positive recognition in the educational
educational areas in life, such as in the workplace. In 2012, management solutions company RiseSmart found that 30 percent of all job applicants were guilty of resume fraud. Teachers who do not reprimand
cheaters promote academic dishonesty. Teachers who are not strict with testing procedures or who do not make an effort to advocate a no-cheating policy make it easier for students to copy work. In doing little to prevent cheating, these teachers only help increase the rate of academic dishonesty. Te a c h e r s that allow cheating in their classrooms even exist in the Blair educational c o m m u n i t y. Blazers have reported that a handful of their teachers allow their students to cheat or do not enforce strict academic honesty policies in their classrooms. Cheaters in these Blair classes are rarely caught, and if they are, they are not reprimanded and do not receive consequences. Students in these classrooms have grown accustomed to cheating. TATYANA GUBIN It has become almost second nature for them to copy work off their classmates, as they know it gives them an easy way to get higher grades. Junior Rebecca Hamilton-Levi says that being in such a classroom environment is not a productive
way to learn. “It’s bad…it’s easy for good grades but in the long run it’s not worth it. If you’re copying, you won’t pay attention to what you’re doing, and you won’t know what to do on the test,” she says. However, senior Sasha Kline admits that she would prefer that some teachers continue a relaxed cheating policy, rather than enforcing the rules. Working with others, she says, is a positive form of collaboration that helps everyone get good grades. “I’m a big fan of group testing. I think that you work better with others. If you know something, spread the love,” she says. The rising instances of cheating can be prevented through commitment from both teachers and students. Teachers do not fulfill their job requirements by letting their students cheat; taxpayers pay educators to teach students the material to a high enough degree so that the students feel no need to cheat. However, students also must make a conscious effort not to cheat and instead to focus on studying and learning the material and using outside resources for help if necessary. Cheating does not benefit anyone involved. When it extends beyond the classroom, academic dishonesty only helps to create a dishonest society. Teachers in individual classrooms must enforce measures put in place by school districts to prevent cheating, as well as consequences for cheaters. Otherwise, students may use an ambiguous cheating policy to take advantage of the opportunity to cheat.
Keep Khan Academy out of the classroom
A colorful video and computer screen cannot replace a teacher and a conversation
By Puck Bregstone An opinion Walk into the media center on an average day and you will find a plentitude of math students sitting in the library and staring at a computer showing colorful illustrations accompanied by the narration of a middleaged Indian man demonstrating the factoring process. These students are using Khan Academy, and the voice narrating the video is none other than the founder, Salman Khan. Khan started out by trying to help his cousin learn some basic math concepts, but when his videos started racking up views, he realized he had stumbled on something bigger. At this point, with 200 million-plus views collectively, and huge names in the tech world like Bill Gates calling him the “teacher to the world,” Khan is probably the most COURTESY OF SALMAN KHAN popular celebrity educator ever. His team of world-class engineers, with backgrounds in the most prestigious Silicon Valley companies, has built curricula for just about every subject taught in secondary school, and it is all offered online for free. But the average users of Khan Academy may not realize that behind the 10-minute YouTube videos about how to take the derivative of a binomial, or much more simply, how to add fractions, there is a furious debate over the future of education in America. Possibly eclipsing the importance of the Khan Academy website, the future of the
American classroom may be forever altered by a small group of fifth and eighth graders in the Los Altos, California school district where Khan has set up a pilot program for his education software. There are now more than 1,000 fifth and eighth graders and 50 math teachers working with Khan’s innovative curriculum. The program uses what is known as a flipped classroom. Students first watch a Khan video at home. Then, in class, students will pull up a laptop and log in to the Khan Academy site and work on quizzes and exercises concerning the subject matter they were just taught at home—they are learning the material at home and later doing their “homework” at school. The teacher’s function is to help students who may begin to fall behind and to monitor and encourage students completing Khan exercises. DILLON SEBASTIAN This whole issue is important because the success of the Los Altos program may decide the future of math education in the U.S. This sounds great, right? Kids who are good at math can excel without being held back by the rest of the class while kids who are struggling with the fundamentals receive extra attention from the teachers. It seems like a win-win situation. But evaluating this kind of education depends on your goals. Some educators point out that education should not simply cover a list of subjects in which to be competent. Math education in particular must be more than a list of formulas to memorize. “Education is a conversa-
tion, not just a video,” explains social stud- out things that “are just plain wrong.” ies teacher Kevin Moose. Sending kids off to For super-motivated students, Khan watch Khan videos is not that revolutionary. Academy videos could be helpful. But it’s It is really the same thing as assigning them hard to envision a time where a YouTube to read a textbook and hoping they will fig- video playlist can be an alternative to a dediure it out themselves. Face-to-face learning cated classroom teacher. with an actual teacher is not a privilege that students should have to give up. If the form of teaching that Khan promotes is superior to the one we operate with now, wouldn’t we have switched to written lessons years ago? Khan Academy videos are hiding under the guise of i n t ro d u c i n g COURTOSEY OF THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD new technologies to KHAN Salman Khan stands with Bill Gates at a 2011 TED the classroom conference on education. and educators have a tendency to falsely believe the newKhan certainly has good intentions. Ofest thing in education to always be the best fering a free, quality education to anyone thing in education. is a noble pursuit. But it’s hard to see why Back in July, former middle school teacher his avid supporters, including former D.C. and math coach Karim Kai Ani was featured School Chancellor Michelle Rhee, would on The Washington Post’s education blog, like to replace qualified teachers with lowThe Answer Sheet. He explained that he paid classroom monitors using his videos could not support Khan Academy because and software. the videos were not all that good. New and fancy doesn’t add up to perfect In fact, some of them contained down- and America should stop looking for a silver right inaccurate information. Ani pointed bullet to our education issues. If we think out multiple problems and linked to a video that the best solution to education system where several math professors from Grand flaws is to just scrap everything and look to Valley State University picked apart Khan’s Khan, American educators are pretty desvideo on manipulating negative numbers. perate. The best we can hope for is that this As Ani points out, they are not just disagree- will be treated as a fad and not a cure-all for ing with his teaching methods but pointing America’s schools.
silverchips
February 7, 2013
Editorials
Accidental insensitivity
11
By Ruth Aitken Several days before the December issue of Silver Chips released, a horrifying tragedy struck the nation. In the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting, the public was left reeling in shock and grieving the gross act of violence that ended defenseless children’s lives. The entire Blair community expressed its sorrow regarding the attack. Silver Chips’s lead editorial, which communicates the views of the paper, was dedicated to commemorating the teachers and children lost in the atrocity. Several pages earlier, there was a story called “Countdown to the Holidays”, with the word “Holidays” crossed out and replaced by “Apocalypse.” The winterthemed story was a lighthearted compilation of art and photos dedicated to the nearby attractions that Blazers should visit before the supposed end of the world. In the corner of the page, however, was art drawn to juxtapose apocalypse and holiday themes. Amidst a jumble of emergency preparations and holiday items was a noticeably large combat rifle. At a time when gun control and violence
are at the forefront of the collective American consciousness, the rifle art was insensitive. What exaggerated the embarrassment even further was that the weapon seemed to be aimed at a menorah. Though unintentionally so, the art was offensive across several levels. After publication, Silver Chips staffers were remorseful. Why hadn’t we caught the mistake before publication? Mistakes can slip past the revision process in the hectic production week, but this art was not on the same scale as a typo or even the occasional misspelled source name. Even in the rush to compile the paper according to schedule, it is confounding that the gun image’s distasteful quality could have escaped each staffer’s notice. We should have immediately recognized the impropriety of the drawing, especially in such a time of mourning. The art should never have been published LEAH HAMMOND in the paper; it is regrettable that it was not edited out prior to distribution. As the lead editorial professed, acts of mass violence such as the heartbreaking events that transpired at Sandy Hook Elementary deserve only the most sensitive of media coverage. The image in our newspaper was by no means intended to make any statement regarding religion, politics, or violence. Instead, it was an indiscretion that left us all cringing.
Ombudsman Ruth Aitken
Comments or concerns? Email the Ombudsman at silver.chips.ombudsman@gmail.com
JULIA BATES
Corrections Last issue’s article “Blair begins OrchLab” was incorrectly titled. It should have been titled “MCPS launches OrchLab.” Video Americain was open for 17 years, not 7. On pages A5 and C4 Eva Shen’s name was misspelled. The second deck for the county budget story was incorrect and should have been placed with the story about the football coaches.
Letter to the Editor: Statistics mask truth Imagine that a siren goes off neighborhoods and in other civilwho send out suicide bombers. while you are shopping, shower- ian locations., Not exactly people who value In the last issue of Silver Chips ing or even sleeping. The siren is human life. But great propaa warning that you have fifteen the authors stated about the miliganda for the Palestinian cause. seconds to reach a bomb shelter, tary action between Israel and And we as Americans have to because a rocket is headed recognize this and to your town. No one knows not look simply at where it will hit. Maybe your statistics. school, maybe the mall, or Over the last harmlessly in an empty lot. eight years 10,000 You race for the bomb rockets have been shelter, or if you’re not close fired into southern enough, you try to find some Israel. An astoundplace less exposed. ing number! You hear an explosion not Israel chooses far away, but you’re okay. The to go after terrorall-clear is sounded. You imists with planes mediately take out your cell and helicopter gunphone to check that friends ships, because they and family are also okay. The are better suited siren may sound again and for surgical strikes again throughout the day. that limit civilian Or it may not sound for a few casualties. The audays or weeks. You never thor of the opinion know when. piece cited statisThis is an all-too common tics, incorrectly occurrence in southern Israel stating that Israel affecting one million innoused rockets to tarcent civilians. get. Certainly not What should the Israeli govwhere civilians are ernment do? What would nearby. STATISTICS The above graphic accompanied the U.S. government do if The leaders the December article on Israel and Palestine rockets are fired from Canada of Gaza (Hamas) written by Josh Schmidt and Maya Habash. to, say, Detroit? And the Cadeliberately put nadian government explicitly their own people HANNAH WEINTRAUB says their goal is to destroy in harm’s way and America and that killing Ameri- Gaza. “ Gazan Casualties (163), not use Israeli Casualties (6); Rockets cans is a sacred duty. warning sirens. Their leaders Often the Israeli army does not Launched From Gaza (1573), Rockand media continually praise respond militarily. Other times it ets Launched from Israel (1500)”. “martyrdom”. Hamas leader does. But how exactly? Often ro- These “facts” mask the real story. Farhi Hamed stated, addressing bo-calls are made to innocent Pal- Of the 163 casualties, how many Israel, “We desire death more estinian civilians warning them to were terrorists? Not disclosed. than you desire life.” One unfamiliar with the evacuate the area. Also, leaflets are Being a good world citizen dropped with the same message. background could easily conclude means to be informed; know Why would the Israel Defense that the parties are equally culwhat is behind the story. No Forces do such a thing? Because pable , or even that Israel is more cause justifies targeting innocent Israel is targeting terrorists, the culpable. Not the case! civilians. One side is aiming to purposely ones firing the rockets. They are trying to avoid harming the inno- kill civilians. The other is trying to cent Palestinian civilians (human protect its citizens by eliminating shields). This obviously loses the that very threat while at the same Submitted by Franklyn Cohen element of surprise. What exactly time trying to limit civilian casualFormer Blair math teacher and ties. In addition, no warning sirens is going on? Jewish Culture Club sponsor Unfortunately, the Gazan ter- in Gaza. These same people are rorists set up their missile sites on looking for martyrs. Remember, hospital grounds, school grounds, these terrorists are the same ones
Mismeasuring merit For years, national programs have turned students into categorical variables, quantitative measures of progress and aptitude. Students are tracked, labeled, put in boxes and evaluated according to scores and indicators. Now, teachers will be, too. Last Friday, Superintendent Joshua Starr informed his MCPS colleagues that the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) rejected MCPS’s proposal to update the system’s Professional Growth System (PGS) used to evaluate teacher performance. MCPS submitted a proposal that strayed from the new state objectives that emphasize student performance as a major assessment factor. Instead, the proposal incorporated a combination of student surveys, student learning objectives and state assessments to compound the classroom teacher evaluation processes. In light of the rejection, however, MCPS must compromise the integrity of its current PGS in order to meet qualifications that a bureaucratic MSDE tailored to be one-size-fits-all across the state. Never mind the fact that MCPS’s current PGS is nationally recognized as an upstanding model. The state now calls to alter a system whose efficacy has drawn recognition. In a press release by Starr, he called MCPS’s PGS “far superior to the model created by the state.” We have constructed a system to meet the county’s specialized standards; the state is imposing regulations that will negate the effort that MCPS has undergone to develop a system proven to work. Forget the research that suggests teacher evaluation on the basis of student merit is problematic. According to the state’s new PGE requirements, only half of any given teacher evaluation will be based on student growth measures. The system is scheduled to take effect in the 2013-2014 school year. The MSDE ignores countywide dissent for the policy among teachers and administrators alike. Follow-
ing the rejection of Dr. Starr’s proposal, it has become apparent that the MSDE will accept little deviation from its preestablished criteria— namely, standardized testing benchmarks. Recently, negotiations regarding the state-enforced criteria have dredged up the hackneyed debates on merit-based assessment and standardized testing. The MSDE’s proposal subscribes to the ideology that upholds standardized testing as the sole method by which to identify the impact of teacher performance on student grades. While standardized test results may indicate poor teacher performance, surely standardized state assessments are sufficient to identify a weak teacher. To develop a new test for the purpose of critiquing teachers would be a redundant and careless expenditure. The state says to disregard the distracting effect of additional standardized testing and the resources that would be necessary to develop and integrate a new test into a revised PGS. More testing stokes more “teaching to the test,” or instruction catered toward a narrow scope of items that will later appear on a standardized examination. Though the evaluation system is intended to discourage lackluster teaching methods, teaching to the test has a potentially detrimental impact on learning. In order to complete the incorporation of student testing into a new PGS, as Dr. Starr wrote in an email to colleagues, “a great deal of work will be required” in order to fix something that is fully intact. When the county’s PGS is among the best in the nation, it seems a waste to exhaust resources in compliance with ill-fitting criteria.
Please submit letters to the editor at silver.chips.print@gmail.com
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My Blair: Personal column
The art of bromance
Personal
THEN:1989
13
How the illustrious relationship can blossom By Langston Cotman and Kyle Desiderio If you’ve ever tuned into a prime time sitcom, then you are well aware of how the stereotypical man acts. We are a gruff, apish, slovenly bunch who have a difficult time deciding whether we love our children over our power tools. We avoid the kitchen like the plague and only partake in culinary activities if they involve using our behemoth, stainless steel grills to cook up a juicy steak, which we subsequently will devour like starved hyenas. We don’t believe in vegetables and are under the impression that beer falls into the grains section of the food pyramid because it is made from barley. And most importantly, we men rarely express our emotions, the few exceptions being when we watch Rudy, Saving Private Ryan, or The Shawshank Redemption. Normally, we men express the degree of our approval by how loudly we yell or how hard we slap each other on the back. Oh, but what do those TV execs know? We aren’t only plaid-shirt-and-steel-toedboot-wearing creatures with an emotional range similar to that of a power saw. On the contrary, we men are thoughtful and caring with feelings as deep as the ocean. And there is one special man in each of our lives with whom we share all the sentiments that spew from our tiny hearts. This man’s shoulder is sopping wet from all the times we’ve cried on it following a particularly moving episode of Sports Center or the moment you realize the football season is actually over. If you’ve ever had the urge to go to the mall and clandestinely see what you look like in skinny jeans, just this one time to see if they really do slimming wonders on your figure—and if the hipsters know something you don’t—he would be the one you’d bring along. Batman had his Robin, Quixote his Sancho, Jay-Z his Kanye, Affleck his Damon, Cheney his Bush, Walt his Jesse, Turk his JD, Tracy his Kenneth, Frodo his Sam, and you have your best friend, the man with whom you share so many things, but most important of them all is the unbreakable bond between the two of you. This wonderful social phenomenon of which we speak is surmised perfectly in the portmanteau of bromance. Everyone has one, and here is ours. Every good love story a la Forgetting Sarah Marshall begins with some negativity. In this case, it was the summer 2004 with both of us just completing third grade and spending another summer at Barrie Day Camp. Our early relationship consisted of us plotting for each other’s demise. Langston wasn’t the kindest, and Kyle, well, he just recently outgrew his baby fat stage. Neither of us was anything like we are today, but to suggest who we were back then, imagine us as the cast of The Simpsons; Kyle being the borderline obese Milhouse and Langston being the ever-so-kind Nelson. And
SILVERLOGUE ARCHIVES
OLD BLAIR FRIENDS Two Blazers hang out on the steps outside of Blair as they prepare for Valentine’s Day with a handful of freshly picked flowers.
& NOW:2013
LEILA BARTHOLET CLARE LEFEBURE
BROMANCE Langston and Kyle went from enemies to friends the summer after third grade. Then their relationship blossomed into something more: a bromance.
on that fateful June day, where we locked eyes, it was on. The trigger of this event to cause a war of monumental proportions is still debated between us today. Langston claims that Kyle took some sort of pathetic jab at him in order to make himself feel better, because, you know, fat people have feelings too. Kyle believes that Langston commented on his powerful and vast girth for such a young child. That summer was spent in an all out war against each other, at least, to the extent that nine-year olds who are heavily supervised could conduct a war. If we did talk to each other, our kindness was about as superficial as Mean Girls. Little did we know, however, we were to blossom into each other’s Spongebob and Patrick. The next summer, not surprisingly, we were put again in the same group. How-
ROSES ARE RED Twenty-four years later, juniors Caroline Nowak and Reva Resstack don’t need candy hearts or stuffed bears to show their bestfriendship as they sit outside together in the Blair courtyard. ever, instead of continuing this Mafioso-type war, we simply tolerated each other. Soon, our toleration grew as we became acquaintances. Later, it grew again. We never really talked about it. It wasn’t like we sat down and had a discussion of the logistics of being best friends. It just happened. Boom. Just like Caddyshack, it was a Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. The bromance is a special creature. Some say it arose during the time of the cavemen when the saber-toothed tigers demolished the male population and the surviving men clung to the favorite of their few remaining brethren. Others believe “guy-love” occurs when two men befriend each other at a moment when the stars are aligned perfectly into the shape of a heart. As great as it may sound, neither of us buys into this mumbo-jumbo hoohaa. We know exactly what’s behind our singular friendship: love.
Up and Coming Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day
Feb. 18: President’s Day
LORENA KOWALEWSKI
COURTESY OF NPS.GOV
Feb. 22: Early Release Day HARRISON REED
Student Awards & Honors Senior Sam Zbarsky is a finalist in the Intel Science Talent Search, an annual competition seeking the best research done by high school seniors across the country. Seniors Richard Chen, Sharon Chen, Diwakaran Ilangovan, and Jinhie Skarda are all semi finalists and have won $5000 for the Magnet program as well as $1000 for their research.
Senior Fridien Nana Tchoukoua was awarded a Posse scholarship on Jan. 3rd. Seniors Charles Pasternak and Sam Zbarsky tied for first place at the University of Maryland High School Mathematics Competition. Senior Hillary Yeboah won the Comcast Leaders and
Achievers Scholarship and will have pictures of her eyes used in the new Pedestrian Safety Commission posters. Then and Now and Student Awards & Honors were compiled by Josh Schmidt, Dillon Sebastian and Emma Rose Borzekowski.
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Features
15
Busted: police crack down on teenage partiers By Paris Parker-Loan
G AG M IE CC M I LA N
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cal emergency. “We’ve gone to houses and kids have tried to hide sick or unconscious people behind couches, because they don’t Where first names appear, names have been want the police to find them. That person changed to protect sources’ identities. could be dying,” explains Parker-Loan. Rachel was at a New Years’ Eve party when the Knock. Knock. Knock. The booming dubstep track cuts, the hordes police showed up after someone at the party of partiers stop dancing and the cheers coming called 911. “Some guy passed out and somefrom around the beer pong table fade out. The one called the cops for him because he was knocks on the front door repeat, and this time convulsing,” she says. Morrison says students they are accompanied by a booming, “Mont- at parties often call in cases like this. “Recentgomery County Police here.” Officer Bill Mor- ly, we’ve seen an increase in fellow classmates rison has been the voice on the other side of the calling because they don’t want to see tragedoor at thousands of parties throughout his 28 dies occur among their peers,” says Morrison. years in the Montgomery County Police Department’s Alcohol Enforcement Section (AIS). Crime and punishment Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, county police responded to over 20 underage Police issue several types of citations at the drinking parties, issued upwards of 300 cita- scene of an underage drinking party, dependtions and assisted 17 high school students with ing on the circumstances, says Morrison. Every alcohol poisoning. While a Monday morning person under the age of 21 at a party with alcoretelling of the weekend’s highlights is often hol can be charged as a minor in possession, a hazy at best, the officers that respond to un- civil offense. “If everybody’s in the house and derage drinking parties remember everything. there’s alcohol present, we can charge everybody, whether you’ve been drinking or not,” Ready to respond says Morrison. For first-time offenders under 18, the citation is accompanied by a court apThe MCPD created specialized task forces, pearance, a $500 fine and community service including the AIS and the Department of Liquor sentence, with additional fines, alcohol screenControl, to prevent the tragedies caused by un- ing and alcohol education added at the judge’s derage drinking. Once a task force arrives at discretion. If students receive a citation for the scene, Morrison says, the police take a pro- the second time, they can be charged $1,000. cedural approach to what they call “controlled If adults are present, they can be charged dispersal” of the party. “We first verify there is with criminal violations under the adult rea violation of the law. Once we’ve determined sponsibility law, which says that parents are that, we surround the house and then we ap- accountable for what happens in their house proach the house, notify the person in charge while they are home. “Those who host lose of the party what our intentions are and notify the most,” says Starks, citing the slogan of an them that we’re aware of a violation. We then anti-underage drinking campaign regarding educate them about the law,” Morrison says. citations issued to adult homeowners. These Even then, says Sixth District Commander charges, the most common of which are furWillie Parker-Loan, it’s not all door-kicking nishing alcohol to a minor and violating the and handcuffing. “The homeowners can re- adult responsibility law, come with a $2,500 fuse to answer the door and the police can’t fine for the first child and $5,000 surcharges do anything about that, but we work 24/7, for each additional minor present at the party. we’ll sit outside and wait. The kids have to go Police also encounter non-alcohol-related ofhome sometime. Then we’ve got you,” he says. fenses at parties. “Sometimes they find drugs, Morrison says that kids often try to avoid sometimes they find weapons, sometimes confrontation by turning off the lights, stop- there’s complaints of assault behavior, someping the music and laying low or by fleeing the times a younger girl or woman just had too property. “One of my friends was in the woods much to drink, really isn’t in control of herself, hiding for a while and one senior ran and the and has been taken advantage of sexually,” cops chased him,” says Rachel, a sophomore. says Starks. Police officers sometimes show Morrison warns students that these tactics up to a party and end up finding major crimes backfire, especially because the time spent in progress. “Just a couple weeks ago we went tracking down belligerent kids could be spent to a party and as we were watching the house, responding to another party. “If you cooperate there were shots being fired inside the party. and we can move on to the next party, there’s a Somebody got into a fight with someone durgood chance that we will let those people who ing the day and decided they were going to haven’t been drinking go,” says Morrison. shoot them during the party,” recalls Morrison. “However, if you give us a hard time about getting into the house, the law says we can charge Dying for attention everybody and that’s exactly what we’ll do.” The exception to the no-forced-entry policy While these incidents are relatively anomais when police determine that there is a medi- lous, Morrison says that binge drinking is an
insidefeatures “We’re such a minority, we’re floating somewhere in the al- phabet soup that is LGBT.” -Sophomore Stephanie Renich
16-17
alarming trend amongst teens. While a BAC of .10 is considered legally drunk and a BAC of .37 or higher can cause death, teens often drink beyond this point. Morrison cites the 2011 death of a teenager with a BAC of .70 as a prime example of the dangers of binge drinking. “Underage students are thinking, ‘I’ll drink to the point where I almost die, then I’ll be transported to a hospital, and on Monday morning everybody will be talking about me.’” This trend, which Morrison calls ‘attention drinking’, presents a host of issues for teenagers whose reaction times and decisionmaking skills are hindered. “I have one girl who has received three alcohol citations, and all three times she’s been transported to the hospital with alcohol poisoning and really should have died. The last time, she was being sexually assaulted, and she didn’t even know it was happening because she’d had so much to drink,” says Morrison. Even if the teenagers do not die or get involved in other high-risk situations, alcohol poisoning can be a scary ordeal for the students and their parents. Rachel was hospitalized with minor alcohol poisoning when the police shut down the New Years Eve party she had attended. Rachel says her friends and peers were very supportive the next day. “People were comforting, no one was like, ‘Ha, you got cited!’” However, Rachel says her parents were upset and confused. “‘You need to come meet us at the hospital because your kid is being rushed there for alcohol poisoning.’ That’s a hell of a call [for a parent] to get,” says Parker-Loan.
The aftermath Most parents will get a call, if not for alcohol poisoning, then to let them know that their child has been cited for being at a party with alcohol. “The first thing out of our mouths is we tell them their child is okay. We explain where we are and what we’ve found and when they come pick their child up, we give them a tour of the house and let them see what the party was like,” says Morrison. More often than not, the cycle repeats itself the next weekend. Morrison adds that underage drinking has not shown any signs of decreasing. “We have seen a spike in underage drinking and we’re not quite sure why,” he says. Law enforcement officials still recognize the significance of putting a stop to underage drinking because of the consequences it might cause. “A person’s life could be forever changed through a collision, becoming a father or a mother of a child, having something on their arrest record, becoming an addict,” says Starks. “Unfortunately, kids don’t realize the ramifications that can happen by making a poor choice,” adds Morrison. Commander Willie ParkerLoan is the father of Staff Writer Paris Parker-Loan.
19
Love’s new identity is in the air
by Alanna Natanson and Dillon Sebastian graphics by Hannah Weintraub
Asexual and pansexual students find their identity amid the LGBT-plus “alphabet soup” Where only first names appear, names have been changed to protect the identities of the sources. L
An accidental insult
“
If I don’t feel the need to sleep with people, why would [my parents] be against that? -Indigo Byrd sophomore
the pansexual flag
the asexual flag
My BFF, Tumblr
one percent of Americans identify as asexual SOURCE:
TY
IVERSI BROCK UN
Papa don’t preach
Two-way ignorance
”
Love’s new identity is in the air
by Alanna Natanson and Dillon Sebastian graphics by Hannah Weintraub
Asexual and pansexual students find their identity amid the LGBT-plus “alphabet soup” Where only first names appear, names have been changed to protect the identities of the sources. L
An accidental insult
“
If I don’t feel the need to sleep with people, why would [my parents] be against that? -Indigo Byrd sophomore
the pansexual flag
the asexual flag
My BFF, Tumblr
one percent of Americans identify as asexual SOURCE:
TY
IVERSI BROCK UN
Papa don’t preach
Two-way ignorance
”
18 Features
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Hammond, the school’s IT Specialist, run anything pertaining to the network. As the only IT specialist in a school of over 2000 students, the sysops help shoulder some of Hammond’s responsibilities. This means ensuring that students don’t use from SYSOPS page 1 up all of their allotted data or picking up computers that are no longer needed. the Horta on Other responsibilities allotted to system the planet Janus operators by MCPS include the ability to VI. “Our job is to “convert files from one format to anothkeep the web up er… set up file directories and file storage and running,” says and backup procedures,” and “maintainsysop junior Avikar ing data files for various purposes such Periwal. as registering staff in training courses; The sysops team congenerating notices, rosters, and historical sists of roughly 12 stufiles,” according to the MCPS website. dents who all help PeterMystery and misconceptions enshroud the sysops. For one thing, many Blazers don’t realize that there is a sysops program. When asked what she thought sysops meant, sophomore Andrea Brown thought it was some form of Cyclops. “Is it a monster? With, like, ten, eyes?” Brown asked. Others, like junior Giovanni Corti, LEILA BARTHOLET deduced what WIRED IN Charles Pasternak works with several sysops are but other Blair students to maintain the school’s were unaware
computer network.
February 7, 2012
They make the Net...work that a group of students helped run Blair’s computer network. Upon new knowledge of the program, most Blazers were excited that the program was in existence. “I think it’s cool that our computer system relies on students. It makes it seem like we’re more involved in what happens to us at school,” says Magnet freshman Aleksandra Dagnuts. However, there were some who had trepidations about the sysops. Senior Alex Cammen finds all the privileges granted to the sysops to be unnerving. “They have the same, if not more, access to the school network as the administrators,” says Cammen, “which means they can access other people’s accounts and other private information.” Cammen admits that he’s never heard of an issue in which sysops have maliciously used personal information, but thinking of the great power they wield scares him. As the school year winds down, the sysops selection process begins. Hammond asks members from the computer team for the names of juniors or seniors who excel at working with computers and would fit in well as a sysop. Hammond also asks students for input on who they think would make good sysops. Though students can express interest in being sysops, there is no application process. Rather, Hammond asks students to join himself. “It’s an invitation,” explains Phoe-
bus. “It [comes down to] what Mr. Hammond thinks of people,” Barg adds humorously, But, there is some air of mystery that surrounds the sysops selection process. There is a misconception throughout the school that becoming a sysop is a competitive process, but in reality, students don’t even know how the selection works. “It’s not a competitive process,” explains Magnet senior and sysop Charlie Pasternak. “Hammond selects people using some method I don’t know.” For many students, becoming a sysop just pops up out of the blue. “[Hammond] selects people, and anyone he picks who wants to be a sysop gets to be a sysop,” says Pasternak. It’s not just Magnet students. Any sophomores or juniors who consider themselves to be computer whizzes can approach Hammond about becoming a sysop and he’ll put their names into the mysterious process he uses to pick out his sysops. And if their name survives Hammond’s hush-hush process, they may find themselves in the final frontier of network managing: sysops.
TATYANA GUBIN
Country in profile: from Iran to Maryland By Emma Rose Borekowski Junior Shahin Khazaeli walks down the hallway, bright green backpack slung over his shoulder, checking his phone for texts. For many, it would be hard to guess that Khazaeli is 19 and has only lived in the United States for the past year and a half. Khazaeli lived in Iran for the first 16 years of his life. His life changed drastically when, three years ago, he and his family felt compelled to leave in response to the Iranian fundamentalist Islamic regime’s oppressive policy towards Baha’is. The Baha’i Faith was founded in the 1800s by Bahá’lulláh and believes that Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, Christ and Muhammad are all prophets of God. Baha’is believe in spreading the message that all of humanity, guided by God, is unifying to create a global society with universal equality. A message that, according to the United Nations, Iran has yet to embrace. According to the Baha’i International community, 676 Iranian Baha’is have been incarcerated since August 2004. Baha’is have routinely been denied business licenses and work opportunities and are forbidden from taking government jobs. This institutionalized discrimination is caused by the Iranian regime’s opposition to religions outside of Islam. In addition to believing in more prophets,
Baha’i faith differs from Islam in its calendar. “We have 19 months and each month has 19 days. At the end of the month, we meet and talk about our problems,” Khazaeli explains. He enjoys talking and discussing common problems with his tight-knit group of young adults in the American Baha’i community. “We talk about college and what they want to start and what they want to be in the future,” Khazaeli says. As for himself, Khazaeli has big plans. In Iran he would be forbidden from continuing his education. “We left because of my religion. They were hurting the Baha’i people and people couldn’t go to college,” Khazaeli says. His favorite thing about the U. S. is the freedom it provides. “Here, I can study what I want,” he says. Khazaeli wants to go to Montgomery College to prepare for his career. “In the future, I want to be a lawyer or a programmer,” he adds. Khazaeli first became interested in programming about two years ago. “I started my first blog and each day I learned more and
him. However, moving has still been hard. After leaving Iran, Khazaeli lived in Turkey for 21 months because it was one of the only places he could go before applying for a visa to America. After the short stint in Turkey, Khazaeli had to start school again. He laughs, with only a hint of annoyance, that this is the third time he is experiencing his junior year. “The hardest thing is new friends, new language,” Khazaeli says. Yet, everywhere he’s gone he’s made plenty of new friends, with several of whom he stays in contact. Khazaeli is used to long distance correspondence. He left his grandparents and aunt when JENNA KANNER AND DILLON SEBASTION he left Iran, but is looking forward to NEW TO THE AREA Shahin Khazaeli the summer, when moved to Maryland 18 months ago from he will be visited Iran. Along the way, he spent 21 months by family currently living in Canada and in Turkey. ZEKE WAPNER Dubai. After living in three different countries over rock. This is one of the things that he recalls. School was optional, three years, Khazaeli isn’t fazed differ from his life in Iran. “In my but Khazaeli went, although he by the bustle of the D.C. area. He country, they are singing about ev- admits with a small grin that his erything like they are talking and parents didn’t give him the choice. explains that his home in Iran, a town coincidentally called Shahin, here it’s like poems. The meaning In addition to shorter days, Khazwhich means eagle in Farsi, isn’t of the things they sing about is aeli thinks that, overall, school in too different. “It’s the same as here different,” he says. the U.S. is easier. Khazaeli likes to write, expressAfter a year in America, there is but not as big,” Khazaeli says. ing himself in Farsi and English. little that suppresses or confuses more about websites, and one day my brother asked for help and I showed him how to make a website,” he says. Now, he spends his weekends web designing, watching movies, and listening to music. “I like music and I listen to music all the time,” he says, explaining that he is mainly interested in pop and
He is working on speaking English at home with his family to get better at it. Once the weekend is over, Khazaeli mostly enjoys going to school. “The lessons [in Iran] were harder than here and it was longer. School went from 6:30 in the morning to 5:30 in the afternoon on every day but Saturday,”
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19
When foundations begin to crumble Blair students learn to cope when homelessness hits close to home
By Hannah Weintraub Where only first names appear, names have been changed to protect the identity of sources. This past fall, junior Ian McMasters’ phone began to hum. His dad’s contact popped up on the screen but this phone call wasn’t the usual father-son check-in. As McMasters explains, he was shocked by what his father told him. “I got a call that my dad had been kicked out of his house,” McMasters recounts. Several weeks after this jarring announcement, McMasters’ dad dropped yet another startling piece of news on his son: McMasters’ father was homeless. In 2011 there were an estimated 636,017 homeless people in America, down one percent from 2009, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH). While that number means that 21 out of 10,000 Americans experience homelessness, NAEH believes that the 2011 statistic still suffers from under reporting and that there are probably more, uncounted homeless Americans. An increase in federal aid for homelessness has helped lower the number of homeless Americans, according to NAEH. But even as the national economy betters and federal support grows, advocates predict that the issue will continue to plague the country. “As the economy improves, it still takes time and energy and it takes will on the part of the community [to end homelessness],” explains Diane Aten, the chief external affairs officer of the local homelessness organization, the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless (MCCH). While these numbers summarize the story of homelessness for public reports and presidential agendas, many Blazers who have experienced homelessness find their tale is more accurately told through the stress and anxiety that homelessness creates. “I was worried,” says McMasters of his father, “I thought something might happen to him when he didn’t have a home.” Without a home When freshman Olivia was a baby she lived in her grandmother’s crowded New York City home with her mother. Her mother’s siblings and childhood memories filled the house, stifling her mom’s attempts to establish her adult independence, says Olivia. With dreams of leaving this chaos behind and setting off on her own, Olivia’s mother packed her and her three-yearold daughter’s bags and set out, looking for an apartment and for a start to a new life. But real estate in the Big Apple is hard to come by, and when their search came up empty, the duo found themselves homeless and living in a shelter in New York City. Even though living in a shelter wasn’t the independence her mom had
initially been looking for, she still persevered. “Even if she had to be in a shelter, this is where it all starts,” Olivia explains. “Doings things on her own and being in the shelter.” Olivia and her 19-year-old mother were a part of the other 1.6 million youth who experience homelessness each year, explains NAEH media coordinator Andre Wade. According to MCCH, 27 percent of those homeless in Montgomery County are children. Youth become homeless for
varied reasons, says Wade. For some youth and their families, family conflict, poverty and a tailspun economy can be the catalyst that leads to homelessness. According to a New York Times article, the number of homeless 18 to 24-year-olds has risen recently as the economy continues to tank and job opportunities for young workers disappear. In addition to difficult economics, mental illness and disability are major causes for homelessness among adults. In Montgomery County, the disabled and mentally ill make up 74 percent of homeless adults, according to MCCH. McMasters’ father suffers from a medical condition that affects his memory, which McMasters believes could be a reason his step-mom asked his dad to move out and why his father ultimately became homeless.
While mental illness and poverty can lead some down the path to homelessness, Aten believes that one of the main causes is an inadequate communal response to the issue. “The main cause of course is poverty,” she explains, “but it’s also about a lack of affordable housing, a lack of a living wage, and a lack of services to help people.” Finding support In the shelter where Olivia and her mother lived, conditions were challenging, says Olivia. The shelter placed strict rules on their behavior and curfews kept the two from seeing their family. “It was hard and even though I was young, I still remember it today,” says Olivia. “We lived in it a couple months—a couple long months.” The number of available youth shelters are few yet, says Wade, there is no data specifically on the number of youth shelters in America. “There are shelters [for youth] available in most states but not in all communities or all cities,” Wade explains. However, Montgomery County is committed to keeping RUTH AITKEN youth from living on the streets, says Aten. “If shelters are full, the county will pay for a motel so kids don’t have to sleep on the streets,” she explains. Other housing options for the homeless range from shelters to subsidized, transitional housing, says Wade. At the MCCH men’s shelter, rows of bunk beds and lockers line the shelter’s main room. “Our shelter might look more like a typical shelter,” says Aten. During the day, patrons relax in the community room where the din of classical music can be heard above the quiet chatter between chess competitors. Meanwhile, MCCH employees check in on clients and work with them to find jobs and
SHELTERS Below: MCCH clients utilize the center’s back to work vocational training lab to gain employment skills, Top right: The inside of an MCCH subsidized apartment, Bottom right: A physical examination room at MCCH is just part of the health services the organization offers to its clients.
COURTESY OF THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS
permanent housing. “One of the things we strive for is dignified housing,” says Aten. Montgomery County disseminates information and volunteers to bring people off the streets and into shelters like MCCH’s. Still, according to the 2012 single day report on homelessness in Montgomery County, of the 600 homeless single adults in the county, 130 were living without shelter. When McMasters’ father first became homeless, he too found refuge on the streets, not in shelters. “Sometimes people are just not emotionally ready to come off the streets,” says Aten. After his dad took to the streets, McMasters was taken aback by his father’s appearance. “He looked miserable,” McMasters says. “I don’t want to say he was emaciated, but he had lost a lot of weight. He said he hadn’t eaten in four days.” McMasters and his mother, who divorced McMasters’ father in 2001, tried to offer him support. “I said, ‘anything I can do, I will,’” says McMasters. Even after days of not eating, McMasters’ father still refused his son’s offers to buy him food. “He said he could do it himself,” McMasters remembers.
Finding a place to call home As Olivia and her mother navigated the anxiety of homeless life, Olivia’s well-being inspired her mother to find a permanent home for her small family. “When you have a child, you can tell when she’s happy. So that motivated her to get an apartment,” Olivia explains. With Olivia in day care, her mother was able to get a job, and eventually, after a few months, she secured enough money for an apartment. While his father was homeless, McMasters’ focus turned away from school and towards his father’s safety. “School at the time wasn’t my first priority,” he explains. McMasters’ grades
dropped as he attempted to cope with his father’s situation without the support of teachers or friends. “I didn’t think it would concern my teachers,” McMasters says. “I didn’t tell my friends because it was more of a family matter.” By December, McMasters’ father had finally found a home through MCCH. “I have less of a feeling of worrying about him now,” says McMasters. Still, his father’s apartment does not have the size or comfort of his old home. “It’s smaller than a classroom,” says McMasters, “but it’s better than living on the streets.” Moving forward Today, home for Olivia and her mother is a condo in suburban Maryland. The nights of sleeping in shelters and worrying about where they would lay their heads next have been replaced with concerns over what color they should paint the walls of their home and where they should put the dining room table. Since their time in the shelter, the two have yet to find themselves homeless again. The memories of their strife continue to stand as a reminder of what the two are capable of overcoming, says Olivia. “It does motivate me,” says Olivia. “Watching my mom, I know that even if you go through struggles, I know I will get better.” Even though they had to contend with months without a permanent home, Olivia’s mother is currently the only one of her siblings to have moved out on her own; the rest still live with Olivia’s grandmother in New York City. McMasters has hope that his father will only continue to improve. Being able to see him today in good health and in a stable home has alleviated much of McMasters’ worry. Even when his father seems to digress, McMasters is comforted by his father’s personal strength and inner will. “He’s not the type of person who will give up,” he says.
COURTESY OF THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS
COURTESY OF THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS
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Anthems, aggression and America By Peter McNally January 21 gave the nation a juggernaut of history, politics and pop-culture. In a miraculous alignment of the stars, the second inauguration for the nation’s first black president fell on the birthday of the legendary Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As if that were not enough to grab our collective attention, our favorite characters from the circus that has become Washington politics as well as the biggest names in entertainment were on full parade, for better and worse.
Loud and clear Beyonce, queen of America rang in the next four years with a tear-jerking jaw dropper of a national anthem. Soon after, Beyonce Nation’s strength was tested when accusations were m a d e that the show-
stopper was pre-recorded and lip-synched. In a moment of uncharacteristic concern about dishonesty, those furthest to the political right were eager to point to the performance as deceitful and corrupt. I think we would do well to chalk the incident up to dubious weather conditions for singing and a mismanagement of public relations. After all, Aretha Franklin, the ultimate authority on soulful song, has signed off on the lipsynched performance saying, according to ABC News, “she did a beautiful job.” While Beyonce’s volubility was questionable, farther along down the mall, a man in a tree was heard loud and clear. Rives Miller Grogan climbed a tall tree on the national mall with a sign and launched an anti-abortion tirade that continued through President Obama’s speech, to the annoyance of inauguration goers. After the police failed to coax him down, a the fire department provided a ladder, which Grogan evaded by climbing higher up the tree. Grogan is a familiar angry face around Washington D.C. He has been detained and escorted out of the Supreme Court and the Senate chamber for other incidents of angry ranting. After the inauguration fiasco, he was arrested and charged with illegally climbing a tree on federal property and violating January 16 order to stay away from the U.S. capitol. According to the Washington Post, in order to prevent any further obstructive shouting and illicit tree-climbing, Superior District Judge Karen Howez banned Grogan from the District of Columbia entirely.
A colorful cast The chaos that unfolded on and around the capitol steps was largely unexpected, but certain quirks of the familiar politicians remained as constant as ever. Joe Biden was on his game, providing his usual charming smiles, eccentric expressions and extra friendly greetings for the ladies. In an act of true Bidenism, he actualized the Secret Service’s worst nightmare during the parade as he darted side to side, shaking hands with a wide variety of politicians and supporters in the stands, including a giddy Al Roker.
Many political speculators have attributed Biden’s ultra-friendly spunk to an undisclosed desire to make the move into Oval Office next Inaugural season. It seems pretty presumptuous but thus is the nature of the year-round election culture. John Boehner was also his usual (insert adjective here like foul) self. All day, he followed the President’s inner circle around with a glower that would lead the inattentive viewer to believe he was attending a mass burial of puppies instead of an inauguration. His attempt to veil his known contempt for the administration was weak at best. It was obvious that he was walking through the realized version of a recurring bad dream he had during the last election cycle. His fear of round 2 of the Obama administration, inferred by his facial expressions, was confirmed the following Monday when he stated his belief that the two-term president aims to “annihilate the Republican party.” Some things, however, truly transcended partisan shenanigans. Once again, the first family crossed every possible political line and charmed the entire nation. Sasha and Malia, in their dashing monochromatic outfits, proved to be the regular teenagers My Date with the President’s Daughter led us to hope they would be. They laughed, joked, and even skillfully photo bombed a picture of their parents. Still, Joe, Sasha, Malia and even Barack were all upstaged by one of the few people who can accomplish such a task: Michelle. Time and again, Michelle Obama proves to be graceful, classy, and eloquent. Watching the Obama’s float from event to event, it was easy to look around at your own family— either red-cheeked and packaged in fat winter coats on the Mall or adorned in dingy old plaid pajamas on the couch in front of the TV—and wonder what you had done wrong.
Forward With all the analysis that has gone into the hoopla of inauguration day, it was easy to become distracted from the substance. It should not be forgotten that the political focal point for the day, President Obama’s inaugural speech, was one for the books. In a move that made the blood run from the face of the right wing and the heart of the left wing flutter, Obama covered some of the more touchy topics of his administration’s
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agenda. He didn’t beat around the bush either, and cut right to chase with about climate change, saying “Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought and more powerful storms.” He was also straight-forward with marriage equality, when he proclaimed that “ if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal, as well...” In fact, earlier in his address, Mr. Obama once again made history by becoming the first president to even use the word “gay” in an inaugural speech. Republicans were quick to decry the speech as flagrantly progressive in it’s content and for allegedly politicizing what is supposed to be a celebration of democracy, not a campaign rally. Some have also contended that statements about the far right views of major social programs were clear jabs at his 2012 election opponents Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, who hit the programs hard during their campaign. Regardless of your political outlook, both the speech and its reactions were auspicious of the sort ambition, opposition and conflict we are sure to witness over the next four years. Only a few weeks after the Inauguration, the Super Bowl kicks off. The nation watches as some of the best among us, masters of their sport, fight for glory. The events are elaborate, flossy and festooned with a great deal of pomp. They make us gaze up, dreaming of the improbable and marveling at those who have achieved it. The Inauguration grabs the attention of our country for one weekend. But instead of gazing on athletes, we see politicians, not always the best us, put on a forced smile to welcome a guy who half of us hate. The television coverage is strange and redundant, the parades are tacky, the traffic is bad and weather is, at best, tolerable. Despite the frustration with our gummed-up government and historically polarized nation, people suck it all up for a day to recognize our collective victory: the survival of the great experiment that is the United States. It isn’t perfect or seamless or neat, but it is quintessentially American.
XIXI CHEN
“Starting off a conversation about snapchat with a discussion of sexting is missing the point of why snapchat 22 has become a cultural phenomenon. But I’ll do it anyway.” -Puck Bregstone
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By Puck Bregstone
The fall of Instagram (Or Not) With a “terms of service” disaster and privacy concerns abounding, it seems that Instagram is no longer the holy grail of hot social media. Back in December, Instagram changed its terms of service agreement, adding a clause that would reportedly leave any photo uploaded to Instagram open for advertisers to use. The complaints came raining down on Instagram, a startup acquired by Facebook just last year for the price tag of one billion dollars. Instagram reported a 25 percent drop in daily active users, which some news outlets saw as an indication that a fourth of all Instagram users had left because of the terms of service debacle. “Daily active users,” however, is not that useful of a statistic because it fluctuates so much each day. Instagram actually saw a 10 percent increase in active users over the month of December.
The steady decline in Facebook users Of course, a discussion of Instagram undoubtedly ends with a discussion of Facebook. Facebook lost 1.4 million monthly active users in early December. Take note that monthly active users is a statistic that has been deemed the most reliable indicator of a social network’s growth or decline. Facebook, either responding to the loss of users or just keeping its promise to continually “reinvent” itself to avoid fading into social media hell (there is no social media heaven), announced Facebook Graph Search. This service lets a user search for queries ranging from “people who like cycling in my hometown,” to “photos of my friends in New York City.” Wether it will work well, be useful, or even be used at all is yet to be seen.
Snapchat exceptional rather than banal Starting off a conversation about Snapchat with a discussion of sexting is missing the point. But I’ll do it anyway. Snapchat is an app that lets you send an image to another user that will automatically destruct after a set number of seconds. With roughly 50 million images sent every day, this service is nothing to scoff at. If we can get past the sext-ability surrounding the app, we can discuss why Snapchat is fundamentally changing the way we consume media. Looking at old photos is passé. There is such a surplus of content that can be accessed on a smartphone that looking at a photo in the traditional sense is no longer special. It’s basic economics. With a Snapchat there is a scarcity of time making it more valuable than a photo. When you send a Snapchat you are inviting the person on the receiving end into the present rather than creating a memory of a past event. Snapchat turns photography into more of a communication medium than it has ever been.
The future of content creation This Friday, Netflix will premiere House of Cards, a David Fincher-Kevin Spacey political thriller that, beyond looking like an incredible show, represents the future of content creation and distribution. House of Cards was not broadcast on any network. It was not listed in your cable guide. Instead, the only place to watch this television show is on Netflix. Last Friday, Netflix premiered not just one episode, but an entire season. This type of content distribution has been deemed ‘on-demand’ by the entertainment industry. Personally, I prefer the term ‘binge television’. Most people I know no longer consume television in the traditional method, waiting each week for a new installment in an episodic fashion. Instead, you gobble up as much content as you can in the time allotted (sometimes whole seasons can be devoured in one late night covered in Cheez-Its and gummy bears). It is entirely up to you how to experience the content Netflix delivers to you.
February 7, 2013
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Read it and weep: books that should go back on the shelf Blazers speak out about suffering through their least favorite English class reads By Ruth Aitken Our Town “Nothing happens in Our Town. They live, and then they die,” says freshman Sarah Joyce. Frankly, the main complaint about Thornton Wilder’s 1938 play is that it is boring. The most exciting part in Act One is either when Ms. Gibbs is offered $350 or when the milkman’s horse becomes distressed about taking a new route when a former customer decides to cancel his milk subscription. Granted, the plot picks up from there, but it still plods along at a horseand-buggy pace. You may think that the introduction of spirits and ghosts will shake things up a bit, but no such shaking occurs. Wilder’s point that humans don’t know what they have until it’s gone is poignant (if not overdone), but must he establish that by dragging the reader through the tedium of everyday life in Nowhere, USA? Our Town’s cheesy moral is exaggerated by dialogue that senior Thomas Loomis calls “dry and immature.” Reading the book is the literary equivalent of a Norman Rockwell painting— sure, it’s quaint at first, but it’s not something that you’d like to spend hours of your short life analyzing. The lesson that “life is short so enjoy it while you can” is one that could be better taught by a particularly existential episode of iCarly, and in only 30 minutes.
The Scarlet Letter When Nathaniel Hawthorne sat down to write The Scarlet Letter in lan-
guage that sounded vintage even by 1850s standard, he clearly wasn’t considering high school students hunched in frustration over their own desks 160 years in the future. Hawthorne’s sentences are paragraph-length, the structure of each so confusing that the book is downright unreadable. As the reader, you want to go back in time and punish the schoolteacher that never taught Hawthorne how to use periods. “The language is ridiculous, too,” junior Ruby Taylor says. “Even Shakespeare wouldn’t have been able to understand it.” In terms of plot, The Scarlet Letter is about a woman in a rigid Puritan society who unknowingly cheats on her husband, believing he is dead. The creep returns to town in disguise and forces her to wear a scarlet ‘A’ on her EVA SHEN clothing as a punishment for her adultery. If there is any moral insight in the book’s message, Hawthorne dilutes it with his melodramatic, single-dimension characters. Nothing is subtle about Hawthorne’s novel. He shoves heavy symbolism down the reader’s throat in chunks as dense and unpalatable as raw cow liver. The scarlet ‘A’s are so pervasive in the text that you start expecting them to pop up as they might on an episode of Sesame Street. The dialogue is so lame that it sounds like it was
EVA SHEN
ripped from an elementary school play.
The Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck’s Great Depression novel seems almost to be solely a vehicle for him to rant about the destructive politicalsocial repercussions of exploiting the poor. But if the book were a real vehicle, it’d be one as clunky and run-down as the Joad family’s as the clunker carries them westward for work. The book might as well be a 464-page opinion piece, if not for the thin plot devised only to keep the reader struggling through yet another chapter. Occasionally assigned as summer reading, Grapes of Wrath is the surest way to expedite that slow depression that slinks in as the final weeks of August approach. The endless descriptions of the oppressive heat and destitution so thoroughly sap all joy from summer vacation that even a metaphysics textbook might be more fun to read. Despite the slow plot and heavy subject matter, however, Steinbeck blesses us with a few gems of dialogue like “My dogs is tard” and “Christ on a pony!”
daunting at first glance, and few students are ever enthusiastic about homework reading assignments that come in 100page chunks. “To put it eloquently,” senior Jack Foster says, “It’s just too darn long.” Still, some Blazers say that The Odyssey is misunderstood, and that behind the epic poem’s lyrical language is a captivating plot. “Anyone who says they didn’t like the book probably didn’t read it,” says senior Hanan Guzman. The tenthgraders scrolling through summary sites during fifth period might be missing out.
THE CRUCIBLE QUESTION
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible may hold up on stage, but when orated by angsty and exhausted kids in your first period English class, it loses it’s magic. However, of the blazers surveyed, it was the most controversial literary work with some that love and some that hate the play. Give us your t h o u g h t s on twitter @Silver_Chips.
The Odyssey Centuries of readers and listeners made Homer’s epic The Odyssey into a legend, a ubiquitous mythological tale whose story line launched a thousand spin-offs. Nowadays, generations of high school students are making The Odyssey the most-Sparknoted text in t h e English curriculum. It is no rare occurrence to spot a sophomore furiously rifling through the thick volume on the morning bus, possibly after falling asleep across the book’s pages the night before. Blazers say that part of what turns them off to The Odyssey is the sheer length; the 500+ page book seems
EVA SHEN
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Chips Clips 25
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PRESENTS
Across
by Devin Rutan and Michael Morganstein
1- Cook in its juice 6- Parade float for Pablo 10- Pile of garbage 14- King Henry VIII procedure 15- Ancient Greek City 16- Lonely pond organism 17- Liquid present for a Corpse? 19- Classic Snack for App. Trail 20- Held on to 21- Large manor 23- Nightly disturbance for a princess 24- Tree of life? 26- Shoe gift for a paver? 28- Bargain homeless person? 32- New York Mets pitcher Dillon 33- Consumed 34- Ecological Region 37. Votes of no confidence 41- Circus structure 43- Units of wonder? 45- Voluminous spit 46- Motivation for a horse 47- Sum of parts 49- JFK. schedule info 50- European Fiscal Org. 53- Doesn’t miss a puddle 55- Cheesy gift for an shakespearean actor?
27- Egg developers 28- Faces the pitcher 29- Longhorn St. School 30- Food list 31- Treasure and spoils 35- Revolutionary Chairman 36- Newts on land 38- Planet Inhabitors 39- Siberian snow monster 40- Ugly duckling ending 42- Haircut 44- Cotton fabric 48- Open crop field Down 51- Family girl 1- Enjoy one’s glory 52- Flynt who likes to dance 2- Poker starter 54- Before battle 3- Cut 55- Maze outline 4- Clumped together 56- Home of the Portland Trail5- Will Ferrell, for example blazers 6- Rate parts 57- Papas companions 7- Used to be burning, as a candle 58- Mocking sound, variation 8- Nice government? 62- Either Mr. Pham, For ex9- Thick Paper ample 10- Witch 63- Lands a punch 11- Runaway love goal 65- Conscious whim 12- See eye to eye with 66- Abnormal lung crackle 13- Belonging to the Pope 67- ‘Chips piece 18- Supports an argument 69- Be indebted to 22- Before, poetically 71- Drink unit 25- St. with unicameral legislature
59- Drum preceder 60- Historical section 61- Faust author 64- Crepe buyer? 68- Lite, for example 70- Kitchen gift for a therapist? 72- Dog to bone activity 73- Place at the table 74-Bird of prey 75- Lighten up on 76- Strong desires 77- Sin of Ebenezer Scrooge
Sudoku
A Note To Readers
Undead Understanding
Last issue, we printed the incorrect crossword grid, which did not correspond to the published clues. We would like to apologize to our readers. This cycle, we have reprinted the same clues with the correct grid. We hope you enjoy.
XIXI CHEN
COURTESY OF WWW.WEBSUDOKU.COM
Time well spent
Evolution of an Artist
JULIA BATES
Conformity
EVA SHEN
La Esquina Latina
Silver Chips
7 de febrero de 2013
Aumentar el día de escuela: una reforma necesaria o una locura polítca Por Héctor Barrera “¿En perseguirme, Mundo, qué interesas? ¿En qué te ofendo, cuando sólo intento poner bellezas en mi entendimiento”? Aunque Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz vivió en un mundo diferente al de nosotros, un mundo donde era prohibido educar a las mujeres, aquí Sor Juana Inés expresa la importancia de la educación. Aun cuando ella habla con indignación contra los hombres que no permitían la educación de las mujeres, podemos ver que ese anhelo por buscar una buena educación existe desde hace mucho tiempo. Teniendo esto en mente, algunas personas creen que extender el día escolar puede brindar una educación más ventajosa a los estudiantes durante el año. Hace dos años, el alcalde de Chicago, Rahm Emanuel anunció que iba a comenzar una campaña para extender el día de escuela por noventa minutos. Él cree firmemente que aumentar el día puede proveer a los distritos con las her-
ramientas necesarias para ayudar a los estudiantes a tener éxito en clase. La directora ejecutiva de la organización “Stand for Children” dijo al periódico The Huffington Post que su organización estaba “muy emocionada” de ver que muchas escuelas han aceptado la propuesta. Ella piensa que un día más largo proveería la oportunidad de añadir más programas de enriquecimiento, además de largos períodos de almuerzo, tiempo de recreo y tiempo que permitirá a los profesores ayudar más a sus estudiantes que tengan dificultades en áreas académicas como las matemáticas o la lectura. “Esto es lo que los padres quieren y lo que beneficiará a los niños”, dijo Anderson. Los estudios realizados internacionalmete han concluído que Estados Unidos no se encuentra entre uno de los países líderes en educación. La Evaluación Nacional del Progreso Educativo muestra que por décadas ha habido muy poca mejoría.La diferencia entre los logros de los anglosajones y los afro-ameri-
canos sigue siendo la misma, con una disparidad muy grande en la prueba del SAT que examina los conocimientos generales que toman estos estudiantes. Muchos defensores de esta reforma educativa están convencidos de que todo esto es debido a que el día escolar es demasiado corto. Ellos creen que sin tiempo adicional, es imposible que los estudiantes con problemas de aprendizaje y con bajos recursos económicos puedan ponerse al día. Un día escolar más largo proporciona a los administradores la capacidad de asegurar que los estudiantes reciban una educación amplia. Muchas escuelas hoy están sacrificando los estudios sociales, las artes y la educación física para que los estudiantes puedan cubrir materias como las matemáticas, inglés y la ciencia. Esto perjudica a todos los estudiantes del país, privándoles de la oportunidad de encontrar la disciplina y la expresión a través del arte.
Día de San Valentín Por Karen Tituana Corazones, chocolates, poemas y serenatas. El 14 de febrero se celebra el día de San Valentín en casi toda Blair. Los enamorados aprovechan este día para demostrarse su amor de las maneras más extravagantes y originales posibles. Aquí te contaremos un poco de cómo se celebra el día de San Valentín alrededor de Blair… aprovecha y toma nota de las ideas para sorprender a tú media naranja! San Valentín es el consejero de todos los enamorados y también de los solteros que desean tener una pareja. En el “Día de San Valentín” o “Día de los enamorados”, como también se lo conoce, crece el consumo de flores, chocolates, postales, regalos y bombones. Aquí te contaremos de qué se trata esta dulce y romántica festividad. Un poco de historia: E l o r i g e n d e S a n Va l e n t í n
y de ella se enamoró. Julia era ciega pero el amor del obispo le permitió recuperar la visión. Valentín fue ejecutado el 14 de febrero, pero antes de su muerte él le dejo una carta a su enamorada con la firma “De tu Valentín”, e incluso esta carta de amor ha llegado hasta nuestros días por la expresión que se usa en inglés en las despedidas de las cartas de San Valentín que es “From your Valentine”. La Celebración en Blair Se puede interpretar que de aquella historia es que surgieron las costumbres que se utilizan hoy en Blair; las cuales incluyen intercambiar mensajes o postales de amor, es-
cribirse textos con palabras dulces, mandarse correos electrónicos con canciones románticas, e incluso algunos que otros siguen escribiéndose las clásicas cartas de amor. El estudiante del doceavo grado, Mario Rodas, comenta acerca de sus planes para esta fecha tan esperada por los enamorados, “este año planeo pasar todo el día junto a ella, quiero llevarla al cine y a comer a un restaurante, y luego darle sus regalos de San Valentín. Solo espero sorprenderla aun más de lo que la sorprendí el anterior año”. Pero los chicos solteros no se quedan atrás, Brian Roa del onceavo grado sigue buscando a la chica de sus sueños. “No tengo novia por el momento”, dice Roa. “Pero si lo tuviera la trataría con mucho respeto”. ¿Chicas se apuntan? ¡No olviden recordarles a sus medias naranjas lo importante y especial que es para ustedes en el día de San Valentín!
La masacre de Sandy Hook
Una tragedia que deja el país conmocionado Como todos recordarán el pasado 14 de diciembre del 2012 sucedió una de las tragedias más horribles, la cual siempre quedará marcada en la historia de los Estados Unidos. Aproximádamente a las nueve de la mañana Adam Lanza, un hombre de 20 años con problemas psicológicos, inició su masacre matando a su madre. Después se dirigió a la escuela primaria de Sandy Hook situada en Newton, Connecticut donde cometió una de las masacres más sangrientas ocurridas hasta el momento. Lo que ha causado una profunda conmoción en la nación es que entre sus veintiocho víctimas, 20 de ellas eran niños y seis adultos. En la lista de las víctimas mortales se encuentran la madre y el autor de la matanza. Entre las víctimas también se encontró la Directora de la escuela, Dawn Hochsprung, al igual que la psicóloga Mary Sherlach. Alrededor de las nueve y media, alguien de la oficina del edificio, llamó al teléfono de emergencias 911. Otros profesores, alarmados por los disparos y los gritos, trataban de proteger a los alumnos de la mejor manera posible, escondiéndolos en armarios, bajo los pupitres, entre sus propios brazos. Se vivieron en ese momento y en ese lugar acontecimientos heroícos. Algunas profesoras hicieron frente al criminal sin más armas que su valor. Uno de los docente relató que una de sus compañeras trató de contener la puerta con su propio cuerpo para impedir el avance del
“Lo que mas me gusta del Día de San Valentín es recibir flores” -Ana Portillo
“Aunque no tengo novia, me gustaría tener una para poder regalarle peluchitos, chocolatitos, y muchos besos!” -Yordi Rodas
La costumbre de celebrar el Día de San Valentín se inició en los países de habla inglesa en el siglo XVIII. Su origen aún no está muy claro y existen varias leyendas que intentan explicar la tradición. Una de estas leyendas es la del obispo enamorado. Una de las teorías es que en el año 270 el emperador romano Claudio II prohibió el matrimonio porque aparentemente los recién casados se negaban a ir a la guerra de ese tiempo. En ese momento el obispo Valentín comenzó a casar a las parejas en forma secreta. Esto pronto salió a la luz y el emperador ordenó que encarcelaran al cura. Mientras el obispo Valentín estaba encarcelado y esperando el día de su muerte, conoció a Julia, la hija del carcelero
Por Janett Encinas
“¿Qué dicen los Blazers acerca del Día de San Valentín?”
intruso, que la mató en el forcejeo disparejo. El asesino logró entrar en una clase y disparó a quemarropa contra todos los que encontró. Una escuela en la que como en todas, solo se escucha habitualmente el bullicio de los niños, ese día se escucharon gritos de terror. La confusión, los llantos, el dolor, la deses-
peración lo inundaban todo. Al final de Adam utilizó la última bala para dispararse contra sí mismo. Cuando la policía llegó lo encontró tendido en el pasillo. Según la memoria confusa de algunos testigos, todo duró alrededor de cinco minutos. Como es natural, poco se sabe de Adam Lanza. Es uno de esos personajes de los que hay poco que saber. Algunos de sus amigos o conocidos lo describen como un tipo extraño, diferente. Por supuesto, eso no explica nada.
La gente diferente no va por ahí matando niños. Ya ha pasado más de un mes de lo ocurrido y el Presidente está poniendo en marcha el plan que tiene en mente a causa de lo sucedido. El presidente Obama pidió al congreso que aprobara la prohibición sobre las armas de asalto, para así parar de una vez acontecimientos como lo que sucedió en Connecticut. La mayoría de los ciudadanos, en especial los padres de familia están de acuerdo con dicha ley pero hay otros que no. En nuestra comunidad podemos ver como el control de la policía y las reglas de las escuelas han incrementado al igual que en todos los condados del país a causa de lo sucedido. Algunos estudiantes de Blair nos expresaron que lo que había sucedido en Conneticut los había sorprendido mucho ya que las víctimas eran sólo unos niños. Nos dijeron también que ellos podían sentir el dolor de la pérdida que los padres sentían ya que muchos de ellos tienen hermanitos o sobrinitos menores. Mientras tanto algunos estudiantes se percataron que en Blair sí hay más control ahora que antes, ya que siempre hay una patrulla de policia afuera y también que ya no le abren la puerta a cualquier persona que lo solicite. Pero hay otros que dijeron que ellos no sienten la diferencia ya que siempre se sintieron seguros en el establecimiento. De cualquier manera esta tragedia sí cambió el sistema de seguridad de muchas escuelas y lo que se espera es que tragedias como la de Connecticut no vuelvan a ocurrir.
“Aun tengo en la memoria un recuerdo extraño del Día de San Valentín cuando mi ex novio me sorprendió con regalos mientras me tenía que ir de prisa a mi casa . No escogió un momento adecuado, y me sentí confundida que me estuviera dando mi regalo a último minuto” -Reina Salinas
“Lo que mas me encanta del Día de San Va-lentín es recibir chocolates y rosas de novios, pretendientes o mis amistades!” -Keren Molina
El programa “InDesign” utilizado para realizar el periódico de la escuela, está diseñado para la lengua Inglesa. Con tal propósito, Silver Chips ofrece disculpas por cualquier error gramatical que tengan las páginas de La Esquina Latina después de haber sido intensamente editadas. Gracias.
La Esquina Latina 27
silverchips
7 de febrero de 2013
Falsas Predicciones que aterrorizaron
A través de los años anunciando el fin del mundo
Por Rolando Alvarenga Un par de semanas han pasado y el escandaloso rumor maya sobre el fin del mundo (21/12/2012) solo fue otra profecía falsa o quizás un mal cálculo. Miles de personas se despertaron al día siguiente comentando en los muros de sus redes sociales frases como “Estoy vivo”, “Yo he sobrevivido” u otro comentario sarcástico. Los estudiantes comentan que con las vacaciones de invierno y el deseo de Navidad y año nuevo hicieron que ellos prestaran menos atención a la predicción que hace dos años tuvo un impacto en la preocupación de algunas personas en la sociedad. Esta no ha sido la primera vez en la historia en que alguien ha hecho una falsa predicción sobre el fin del mundo. Fuentes que critican y siguen estas predicciones dicen que ha habido entre 184-240 falsas predicciones en la historia, un alto número, lo cual indica la cantidad de cosas que las personas han sido capaces de inventar para causar temor entre las personas que creen en ideas como esas. Esta es una lista de las predicciones que más hicieron temblar a la humanidad y todavía son recordadas por algunos.
Cometa
H a l l e y,
1910
Los científicos anunciaron que la tierra se encontraría en la trayectoria de la cola
del cometa Halley. Un astrónomo propuso una teoría en la cual la cola del cometa por estar compuesta por un gas mortal llamado cianógeno, sería dispersado alrededor del mundo con la colisión del cometa en la tierra y toda la humanidad iba a morir intoxicada por el gas mortal. El cometa Halley pasa cerca de la tierra cada 76 años. Esperamos que una predicción nueva no sea añadida cada vez que el cometa se a p ro x i m e .
a las personas de la destrucción del fin del mundo. Treinta y ocho personas se suicidaron en San Diego, supuestamente para entregar su alma a los extraterrestres y salvarse.
2011
La más famosa y la última predicción del momento ha sido la predicción Maya del fin del mundo. El final del Baktun 13, es un período en el calendario maya que concluiría y sería el fin de la humanidad en nuestra época. Algunos de los desastres pronosticados fueron: gran actividad solar, destrucción de la tierra con un asteroide y la destrucción del planeta con un agujero negro. Ninguno de los desastres ocurrió, pero muchas personas alrededor del mundo cometieron suicidios. Una pareja en Colombia se suicidó con una pistola y dejaron una nota explicando su muerte. Las predicciones que influyeron la mente de muchas personas alrededor del mundo han sido muchas y el fin no ha llegado, aún. El comienzo del año 2013 tiene que ser un periodo en el cual nosotros podamos concen-
Hyoo Go, 1992
H a r o l d Camping es el presidente de la organización religiosa de radio familiar de Oakland, California. Él utilizó cálculos matemáticos para predecir por tercera vez cuando llegaría el fin del mundo, basándose en algunos números de la Biblia. Su más re ciente predicción fue que el evento ocurriría el 21 de mayo del año 2011 y que Dios destruiría completamente la Tierra y el universo cinco meses después osea el 21 de octubre. Harold también había hecho predicciones anteriores, en 1988 y en 1994, las cuales causaron que muchas personas ig-
trarnos en nuestro propio futuro. Que este año sea para nuestro propio desarrollo. Especialmente los estudiantes del doceavo grado que esperan ansiosos el día de su graduación. Las predicciones absurdas siempre serán inventadas en y algún día miraremos al pasado y las conmemoraremos con gracia.
“Hyoo Go” fue un movimiento de sectas coreanas relacionadas con el fin de los tiempos que creía firmemente que Jesús vendría de los cielos. En el año 1992, cuando los eventos profetizados no ocurrieron, se desarrolló una confusión dentro de las sectas y creó un caos. El 28 de octubre del mismo año, todas las estaciones de radio transmitieron los movimientos de las sectas “Hyoo Go” en vivo. Después de esto, las expectativas fueron reducidas, algunos creyentes se volvieron frenéticos y otros intentaron atacar a sus predicadores con cuchillos.
Heaven’s
Gate,
1997
En 1997, surgieron unos rumores de que un cometa llamado Hale-Boop iba a pasar por la tierra y traería naves alienígenas. Un grupo de sectas de California esperaban el evento porque ellos creían que las naves iban a salvar
La celebración del día de San Valentín en Blair... Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica Compra un telegrama con un caramelo para una persona especial. Los fondos recaudados serán donados a la organizacion CASA de Maryland.
El club de la conservación de la biodiversidad (ABC) Compra un peluche con dulces para tus amistades u otra mitad. Los fondos recaudados irán a los esfuerzos de la conservacíón para las especies y al zológico nacional.
In tonation (coro estudiantil) Dedica una serenata a alguien importante en tu vida en Blair a través de este coro musical formado por estudiantes de Blair.
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Mientras se acercaba el año 2000, mucha gente se comenzó a estresar pensando que las computadoras no serían capaces de diferenciar entre los años 2000 y 1900, ya que éstas eran representadas en las computadoras con los dos últimos dígitos. Muchos predijeron problemas catastróficos desde apagones masivos, hasta explosiones nucleares. El primero de enero del 2000, una nueva mañana brillante, de cielo azul le dio la bienvenida al nuevo milenio. El único problema fue la pérdida de cuentas de crédito en algunos países de Europa porque los cajeros automáticos no estaban programados para diferenciar el año 2000.
Harold
Camping,
noraran su nueva predicción pero sus seguidores estaban estresados y preocupados.
Predicción
Maya,
2012
silverchips
28 ADs
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February 2013 EVENTS Feb. 7-
Taming of the Shrew and the Tamer Tamed; 3:30 pm, $6 students, $10 Adults
Feb. 7Feb. 8-
CAP SHowcase Night, 7:00 PM
Taming of the Shrew and the tamer tamed; 7:30 pm
Feb. 9-
taming of the shrew and the tamer tamed; 2:00 PM and 7:30 pm
Feb. 9-
Reunion de los padres; 9:00 Am, Media center
FEB. 11-
DCC Registration information meeting; 7:00 pm; Auditorium
FEB. 13-
hbcu fair, Kennedy High School, 6:00- 8:00 PM
FEB. 17-
Honors Jazz Band & Jazz Lab Band present â&#x20AC;&#x153;Swinginâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sounds for Senior Citizens;" 2:00-4:00 PM; the SAC; sponsored by the Tri-M Music Honor Society
FEB. 18- Presidentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Day Feb. 22- MCPS early release day
Silver Chips
February 7, 2013
Sports
29
“Obviously me and my parents know college is important, but this is my dream. I’d go with Arsenal over college. ” -Junior Jake Rozhansky 30
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Blazing sports: teams with great legacies By Kenyetta Whitfield Walking through the halls of Blair, it’s not uncommon to hear Blazers groaning about how badly some of the sports teams are doing. With many disappointing records and losing games, some of Blair’s teams give Blazers a good reason to groan. The last time Blair’s basketball, soccer and football teams had a simultaneous winning season was in 1962, so it’s clear they could use a pointer or two. But Blair’s softball and varsity boys’ soccer team never come up short. These two teams consistently show that Blazers are great at the sports they love. Last spring, softball only lost two of its 17 games, while during its fall season, soccer had an impressive 10-3 record. The two teams have been able to show their skills each year with consistently high scores. These all-star teams have many wondering why they do so well and what it feels like to be a part of a winning family. Hitting close to home Junior Susannah Merrill plays for the softball team and believes one keys to her team’s success is the seriousness of its players and practices. “We take practice really seriously,” Merrill explains. Last year the team had a 15-2 season, showing that, as Merrill explains, working hard pays off not only during the season but off-season as well. The off-season workouts are essential, and junior Briana Villa adds that it’s nice to know the team is always prepared.
TOLU OMOKEHINDE
SUPER SPORTS Left: Sophomore Kerry Madden drives the ball, Right: 2012 graduate Evan Horne fights for the ball. Practice is not the only thing that makes these teams impeccable. Merrill says that the softball players understand one another, and that’s what propels them around the bases. The close-knit bond and willingness to listen to each other helps the team as a whole. Senior softball player Sabine Lipten attributes her team’s closeness and dedication to the fact that several of the girls, including herself, have played together on a team outside of school. “We work as a team when it comes to everything,” sophomore Luis Cruz says about the soccer team. Cruz believes that his team excels in part because everyone plays as a member of the team rather than as an individual player.
Similarly, Lipten says that her teammates play for the team. “We don’t play for ourselves, we play for each other,” said Lipten. Winning streak Many Blazers believe that, along with practice and bonding, a good coach can be what stands between teams that lose and those that ultimately have great seasons. For softball and soccer, it is no different—coaches are important. Blair softball coach Louis Hoelman III explains that the secret to keeping a team’s winning streak is the players’ own desire to win. “Once you start winning, athletes keep working hard; they want to improve,” he says.
The desire to win is a driving force that has worked well to improve softball and boys’ soccer’s records, as well as their leadership roles. “If you put your players in a position of leadership, they feel more ownership,” Hoelman III reveals. Many of the girls on the softball team have attended Hoelman III’s softball camps, and Lipten says it’s one of the reasons the team is so dedicated and close. Lipten says that Hoelman is crucial to the team’s success and the close relationships the girls have formed with him help them a lot. “He fosters an interest so you want to play,” she explains. The combination of Hoelman III’s camps and the girls’ many years of experience have given the team that special something that other teams may lack. Athletic Director Rita Boule believes that coaches’ enthusiasm about their sports is a factor that contributes to winning, but also agrees with Hoelman III, adding, “[softball and soccer] have been successful in the past, so kids want to keep that winning culture.” Words to win by
Although their winning formula may never fully be revealed, softball and soccer have a few words of advice for other teams that may be struggling . “Always keep working hard. Don’t give up,” says Villa. Junior Dylan Crosson, too, believes in dedication. “You’ve really got to dedicate yourself to your sport off-season,” says Crosson. Villa and Cruz both agree that a winning record is dependent on a whole team’s dynamic.
Boys’ varsity basketball team shoots for States By Kyle Desiderio As the final buzzer emanates throughout the building as a wave of emotion passes through the gym. Players throw their arms up in victory while the opposition walks to the sidelines in dejected defeat. The crowd rushes the floor while teammates swarm each other for the feat they have accomplished. It took ten long years of defeat and hope for next year. But that’s all over now that the Blazers are once again victorious against powerhouse Springbrook. Seven seasons of air balls One minute and thirty seconds left. Blair down by six. All eyes in the gym and on the Blazers. Power forward junior Demar Bess sinks a three to put the Blazers back just one possession. For years, boys’ varsity basketball has been underutilizing great talent when it mattered, and it showed in their record. For the past seven seasons, the team has not been better than a meager 7-16. Many of those losses were close but the team was never able to gel together in the last minutes and pull out the win. But this year the team is experiencing a shift in chemistry that is noticeable in coaches and play-
ers alike. This year, when games come down to the final play each player shows a great amount of awareness of what they need to do to help their team. “As a team we all know our roles,” says Bess. “Everyone knows what they need to do and they follow them.” This “play as a team, die as a team” mentality has allowed the team to win games when they were heavily underestimated. “People don’t get caught up in personal reward, and that’s really important,” head Coach Damon Pigrom emphasized. Racking up the points One minute left. The Blue Devils’s guard Andrew Robinson attempts to cross over senior Remi Olateru, but the ball is poked away. Junoir Raymond Burtnick scoops the ball up and is fouled going to the rim. He hits both free throws. Blazers down by one. Brought in to coach the basketball team last year, Coach Pigrom is fairly new to the basketball program at Blair. During his first season as coach, the team had a record of 7-16, not better than any of their past 7 seasons, but also not worse. However, Pigrom is known for his ability to swiftly turn things around. When he was tasked with reviving the James Blake basketball team, he had a lot
on his plate. His first season with the team churned out a dismal 0-23 record. Ever since that season, the team steadily improved, and by 2003 his team reached the state semifinal. Just two years later, the team reached states. This success wasn’t just luck, and with the transformation happening at Blair too, it’s clear that Coach Pigrom’s emphasis on practice is a huge factor. “Our practices are really focused compared to last year,” says Bess. While it may seem obvious that working on weaknesses and practicing would help, the ability for the team to mesh and blend better than any other basketball team in recent school history is what’s been intrinsic to their success. “Everyone on the team likes each other,” Bess says. “We’re like brothers.” This teamwork and unity combined with a stellar defense that only gets better after every practice is the core of the team’s success. The game Thirty-four seconds left. The tension in the air is palpable. After another defensive stop by the Blair defense one drive is the only thing standing in between a win. As senior guard Trey Wainright attempts to drive to the rim he’s fouled by two defenders. Two
shots two points. Blair up by one with 3.4 seconds left. Springbrook isn’t able to get a shot off in time and the crowd erupts and storms the court. A highlight in the season so far and a huge confidence boost for the team was the victory against a very strong Springbrook team, breaking a decadelong loosing streak. Not only was the victory historical, but the game helped prove that ZEKE WAPNER the Blazers are no DRIVING IN THE LANE Senior Trey Wainlonger an easy win. Coming back from wright attacks the paint as a key scorer. a 39-33 deficit, the team did what they team put up could have only been practiced for countless days: stopaccomplished with every player ping opposing drives and trusting at the top of their game. Not only teammates to make the shots did they validate themselves to when it counted. The apex of all other teams, but they also gave us those mornings and nights in the a glimpse of what Blair basketball gym were right there, at that mocan be in the future. “Our best ment, in the gym. All members of moment by far was our victory the team mattered in those final against Springbrook,” Bess says. minutes. Three different players “It was definitely a keystone moscored those final seven points, ment for team development.” and the brick wall defense the
30 Sports
silverchips
February 7, 2013
Blazer guns for the big leagues and a childhood dream Junior Jake Rozhansky chases down contract with Arsenal and chance at professional career
By Josh Schmidt Walking through the Arsenal training facility in Hertfordshire, England, junior Jake Rozhansky is accompanied by people from countless other countries as they meet, train alongside, and hope to eventually sign to play with, their idols. The trees guard the fields from outside eyes, and even from within, the fields where he trains have a wall of trees seperating them from the proffessionals. Having been a fan of the Arsenal football club of the Barclay’s English Premier League (BPL) since he was a kid, Rozhansky’s dreams have begun taking shape as he chases his goal from overseas to the Blair weight room in hopes of becoming a professional soccer player. Over the summer Rozhanksy went on a trip to Scotland and England where he trained with Arsenal and Fulham, both of the BPL, and St. Mirren of the Scottish Premier League where scouts from the teams invited him. Then, Rozhansky received a call from an Arsenal scout asking him to come back and train with them, which he did again from November 22 to December 2. Playing for the Olney Rangers, a travel team in the National Capital Soccer League along with playing for the Blair team for two years helped prepare Rozhanksy for the opportunity and hone the skills that he has been working on since he began playing at five years old. With the Rangers, Rozhansky trains an hour and a half a day, for four days a week and also has games every weekend. The intensity and rigor of his daily soccer schedule, though, gave Rozhansky perspective on the soccer culture in England where colleges don’t have soccer teams for players to continue their careers. “If they don’t go pro, they have to get a job. It’s unbelievable. It’s different than here. You finish high school at 16 and you’re on your own,” Rozhansky says. But when he went over to train with the
Arsenal Under-18 team, soccer became his job. Whether it was time in the gym working out, or running down one of Arsenal’s ten full size fields during practices, Rozhansky was spending entire days doing his best to prove to the club that he was worth being signed.
On his own When Rozhanksy first got the call to head overseas to Europe, most around him were excited, but his mom had her reservations. “The first time I was gone for three weeks so my mom was nervous, me traveling on my own and stuff,” Rozhansky says. “[The second time] she was excited for me to go.” While training in Scotland, Rozhansky was able to find comfort and hospitality from a strange source: He stayed with the parents of one of his coaches. In his time living abroad, Rozhansky was able to focus fulltime on soccer and showing off his skills in every available moment.
Soccer skills Being invited to train, and possibly sign, with one of the best soccer teams in the world, is no small task and goes to show how Rozhansky’s work ethic regarding his soccer skills have paid off with this opportunity. Blair boys’ varsity soccer coach, John Haigh, who coached Rozhansky when he was a starting sophomore and for part of the year when he was a junior, believes that Jake’s skill lies in his soccer intellect. “His ability to see the field is definitely his best quality. He sees passes that other players don’t see. Real high soccer IQ,” Haigh says. Leaving coach Haigh and the Blair soccer team was difficult for Rozhansky, but he felt it was necessary. “It was hard, but I had to focus on my own development,” he says. Since leaving the Blair team, Rozhansky continues to train with the Rangers but also
COURTESY OF JAKE ROZHANSKY
SUCCESS Above, junior Jake Rozhansky sits in the Arsenal press room during his trip in November. Below, Rozhansky practices with his club team, the Olney Rangers, where he was first noticed by Arsenal. goes to the gym most days after school to workout.
Future success As of now, Rozhansky is just waiting for another invitation to either train with Arsenal again or to possibly sign. But even if that opportunity doesn’t arise, he still has a potentially bright soccer future. Having taken recruiting visits to University of Virginia and to Duke University, Rozhansky will certainly go to a Division I program if the situation with Arsenal doesn’t work out. But if it comes down to going to college or going pro in England, Rozhanksy knows which choice he’d make. “Obviously me and my parents know college is important, but this is my dream. I’d go with Arsenal over college,” Rozhanksy says with a smile. COURTESY OF JAKE ROZHANSKY
Athletes’ successes do not mean exemplary character Sport fans must consider an athlete’s image off the field before idolizing possible cheaters By Maya Habash Role model (noun): a person looked to by others as an example to be imitated; a person whose behavior or example is or can be emulated by others, especially by younger people. A role model should be someone whose actions are motivated by a genuine spirit and honest intentions, someone who works hard and is admired for his or her hard work. A role model should not be a cheat and a liar. Yet, many admire professional athletes on the basis of their athletic abilities, regardless of their characters. Someone who cheats on his wife should not be held in high esteem. Yet Tiger Woods is still praised by the golfing community for his extraordinary skills. Alex Rodriguez is another good example: a professional baseball player on the New York Yankees. Rodriguez lied about abusing steroids from 2001 to 2003, when in fact the allegations were true. Rodriguez, an apparent repeat cheat, has also recently
been accused of being injected with banned substances in his home. Nevertheless, Yankees fans can still be found screaming his name in the stands, admiring him merely as an athlete, not considering his character. While 50 percent of voters on debate.com—a website for ordinary people to discuss controversies and debatable points—do care about an athlete’s personal life and misconduct and feel as
XIXI CHEN
though sports fans should hold athletes morally responsible for their actions, the other 50 percent doesn’t care. The latter group believes that whether athletes win or lose and their contributions to the team is a more important focus than the athletes’ integrity. But when the athletes are winning because they’re cheating, considering misconduct becomes important. Let’s explore the recently unraveled tale of Lance Armstrong. Lance Armstrong: professional bicyclist and seven-time Tour De France record-holder. Armstrong was a world champion bicyclist throughout the late 90s and early 2000s. The steep Tour De France routes pass through mountain chains of the Pyrenees and the Alps and are described as extremely difficult, yet Armstrong’s heartbeat after he competed was consistently measured to be nearly of that of a man who has been walking. Extraordinary. The explanation? Blood doping. His abuse of drugs over the years has been recently exposed, and as a result Armstrong has lost many fans. He made the wrong
choices, and will live the rest of his life with a broken reputation and its corresponding consequences. This is the way things should be. Although he was a phenomenal athlete, drugs or not, the supporters he has left should question their continued backing. Lance Armstrong is only one among several well-known cases of athletes who abuse drugs. This year, the Baseball Hall of Fame has inducted… no one. Making a statement, the Baseball Hall of Fame voters inducted no new players due to the character clause. As Joe Posnanski puts it in an inte rvi ew w i t h SB Nation, “There’s a certain integrity required when it comes to baseball’s h i g h est honor, which is being in- ducted into the Hall of Fame.” Steroid-tainted professional baseball stars, such as Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa were denied entry to the
Hall of Fame. Never before has the Hall of Fame refused to induct someone on the basis of drug abuse. Many fans are upset because the character clause considering sportsmanship, character and integrity has not previously XIXI CHEN
been a focus of the induction requirements. But maybe it’s time for a new precedent. If the Hall of Fame is taking a stand for morality, the rational that we as fans shouldn’t do the same is nonsensical. The standard parental advice—“reach for the stars,” or “you can b e whoever you want t o be,” is perpetually more valuable t h a n idealizing someone who seems to internalize a generally immoral mentality. Of course, not all athletes are liars and cheats, but considering the other aspects of athletes as people other than their talent on the field wouldn’t be a bad idea.
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silverchips
March 14, 2013
31 Sports
silverchips
February 7, 2013
JV Journal: Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball B
By Desiree Aleibar Records are current as of Feb. 7.
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IRLS’ JV BASKETBALL (5-10) has focused this season on using new techniques to better their offensive skills. “We’ve found that good ball movement as well as boxing out help us to succeed in our games,” says sophomore co-captain Breanna Camp. According to head coach Kirk Simms, the girls have also worked towards bettering the basics like shooting and passing, as well as their defensive skills. Compared to last year’s winning team, the primary goal for the girls this year was working to rebuild those fundamentals. “One of our toughest competitors this season was Sherwood,” says Simms. “They managed to win because they are a team who is fundamentally sound and disciplined. They have the skills we’re still working to improve.” Despite losing to tough competitors like Sherwood 3146, Bethesda Chevy-Chase 23-53 and Paint Branch 10-57, the girls have managed to prevail past teams like Kennedy 25-14 and Springbrook-29-27 due to their strong passes and effective communication on the court. Freshman Katie Simms expressed that, “We’ve had some good games this season; however, BCC has been our toughest yet because they have really good ball movement, which made it hard for Blair defensively.” All challenges aside, freshman captain Alexis Moses believes that the team has been successful on the court due to their friendship off the court. “We’re all good friends and we truly enjoy each other’s company!” exclaims Moses. Overall, like the boys, the girls are working towards bettering themselves both mentally and physically for varsity.
Players to watch: Breanna Camp and Margaret McPherson
LEILA BARTHOLET
BASKETBALL Above: A lady Blazer charges past a Kennedy defender towards a scoring opportunity, Below: Yosef Yishak attempts to get the Blazers an immediate advantage at the opening tip.
OYS’ JV BASKETBALL (7-8) came into the new season with high hopes of bettering their technique on the court in preparation for varsity. Head Coach Emanuel Charles emphasizes the importance of preparing the players for future seasons. “Our primary goal is to prepare the boys both mentally and physically for varsity,” he says. “We want them to be able to contribute to a winning varsity team.” Despite losing their first game to Gaithersburg 40-64, the boys have managed to control the court against competitors like Kennedy 38-31, Sherwood 63-57 and Paint Branch 64-59. “We’ve played hard and outhustled some teams,” says sophomore cocaptain Landon Harris. “Especially teams like Paint Branch, who have really athletic squads.” Aside from their several wins in the season, the boys fell to Quince Orchard 34-40 and Blake 27-70 due to nerves which affected their playing ability. “The boys get nervous sometimes and that takes away from how hard they play. In the end we get demolished because we aren’t competing as hard as we should be.” says Charles. Wins and losses aside, the boys’ team maintains a great relationship off the court. They hope to improve their communication on the court in order to ultimately take away more victories. “It’s a really close-knit bunch and everyone is very supportive of each other,” Harris says. “If we could talk as much on the court as we do off, we could significantly improve the way we play.” In their season, the boys have experienced high and lows. However, they rest assured that the perfect balance of communication and focus during practices and games will further contribute to the overall success of the team in future seasons.
Players to watch: Landon Harris and Tucker Nosal
sports CHIPS
February 7, 2013
silverchips.mbhs.edu/section/sports.php
Kennedy wins close game, splits season series with Blazers Senior Kennedy guard Marcus Murray leads cavaliers to win on the road By Jack Estrin Nelson H. Kobren Memorial Gymnasium, Feb. 1 – After Blair senior Julian Smith-Jones’s made free throw with 1:48 left in the game, the Blazers (10-6) had pulled to within striking distance of the visiting Cavaliers (11-6). When Smith-Jones scored again just seconds later on a putback layup, the Blazers, who had trailed most of the game, found themselves down by just two with less than a minute left on the clock. However, due to a lack of execution in clutch time, the Blazers were not able to close the gap and beat Kennedy for the second time this year. After defeating Kennedy 52-43 earlier in the season, the Blazers came into the game with confidence. Senior guard Justin Kung came out of the gate more aggressive than usual, scoring seven of the teams first nine points. Kung’s three with 3:25 remaining in the quarter gave the Blazers an early 9-8 lead. In the early goings, Kennedy pounded the ball inside, getting most of their points in the paint. This inside presence helped propel the Cavaliers to a 11-10 lead at the end of the first quarter. Despite the Cavaliers size advantage, the Blazers were able to hold their own on the boards by boxing out their opponents, “This is something we do all year, we spend a lot of practice time on boxing out and rebounding,” Kung said. Although Kennedy had the tallest player on the floor, 6-5 junior Lonnie Feldman, Blazer big men Raymond Burtnick and Julian Smith-Jones were able to control the boards. As the second quarter opened up, Kennedy star Marcus Murray had yet to impact the game. Murray came into the game averaging a team high 18.8 points per game, but had zero when the second quarter began. Murray made his presence known on the defense, and helped Kennedy to stifle the Blazer’s offense for much of the second
quarter. Shots would not fall for Blair, and the Blazers did not score their first points of the quarter until junior guard Damar Bess made a layup to bring the Blazers within six of the visitors. The Blazers got a huge momentum boost when leading scorer Danny
first half, Murray went wild in the fourth quarter. Murray finished with a game high 20 points. The intensity heated up in the game’s final period, with both teams competing hard, and trading buckets. When Murray
JOSH SCHMIDT
LOOKING FOR A CHANCE Left, junior Damar Bess led the team with 11 points. Right, junior Raymond Burtnick had a presence in the paint all night.
Canary drilled a deep three as time expired in the half. Canary’s big bucket made the score 20-19 Kennedy going into the intermission. Canary stayed hot to open up the half, quickly scoring on a floater to give the Blazers just their second lead of the game. But the lead was short lived, and Blair did not lead again the rest of the quarter. As the numbers on the clock got smaller, dynamic Kennedy guard Marcus Murray played bigger. After being held scoreless in the first quarter, and being generally shut down throughout the
hit a three with 6:49 left in the game to put the Cavaliers up 35-27, the game felt all but over. But Blair sharpshooter Danny Canary answered right back with a three of his own to make it a five point game. After a layup in traffic by Blazer guard Damar Bess, who scored a team high 11 points, Blair was down by just three with five minutes remaining. When Blair center Raymond Burtnick putback an errant shot, Blair was down by just one. But just as Blair
seemed poised to break open and regain the lead, Murray had an answer. The 5-8 Kennedy guard converted a floater over Burtnick with 2:37 left to give Kennedy a 42-39 lead. Murray continued to dazzle the crowd, and hit a smooth jump shot with 2:14 left to keep the Kennedy lead at three. Blair captain Julian SmithJones spoke on the challenge of guarding Murray, “At first we stayed on him, but in the second half he got hot,” he said. “He’s really small but also quick.” Despite Murray’s best effort, the Blazers had a great chance to comeback and steal this one from the visitors. After Murray missed a free throw that would have all but sealed the game for the Cavaliers, Blair took the ball down the court, needing a three to tie the game. JOSH SCHMIDT Blair could not run their play, and was forced to call a timeout with 3.7 seconds left. Kung described the confusion that led to the Blazers late timeout. “Two players on our team switched positions and that confused us. But we just didn’t execute.” The Blazers got one last shot off, a deep Canary three that would have tied the game, but it fell short.
Blair swim and dive places third and sixth at Divisionals In division one championships, Blazers swim record-breaking times
By Grace Hill Kennedy Shriver Aquative Center, Feb. 2–
race,” Hukill said. Swimmers who attended saw many of their teammates break records including sophomore Brian Tsau, who broke the school’s 200 freestyle record. “This season, I’ve
The Blair swim team (1-5) placed third and sixth for the boys’ and girls’ teams, respectively, in their first post-season competition, Divisionals. They competed against the five other teams in Division I, the Richard Montgomery Rockets, the Churchill Bulldogs, the Walter Johnson Wildcats, the Whitman Vikings and the Wootton Patriots. The dive team also did well at the earlier competition, with individual divers placing second, fifth and sixth out of eighteen competitors. The team used their fastest lineup in order to achieve these victories. The top swimmers for the team were limited to four races – either one event ISABEL HENDRIX-JENKINS and three relays or two events and two relays, as SIDELINES When not competing, specified in the rules for Blair swimmers cheer on teammates the meet. from the pool’s stands. Many team members who weren’t swimming in the meet came to cheer their teammates on, including done pretty well. My times have freshman Anna Hukill. “There’s been pretty consistent,” Tsau said. maybe 15 or 20 other people here Other broken records included ju[from the team] who aren’t swim- nior co-captain Michael Thomas ming today. There are a lot of fast for 100 butterfly, senior co-captain people, so it’s fun to see everyone Jack Foster for 100 backstroke and
Thomas, Tsau, senior Noel An- Hopkins for 500 freestyle. The team is already looking tonisse and Foster for the 400 freeahead to next year’s season and style relay. Senior co-captain Brian Huang whether they will compete in Dialso broke the school’s record for vision I again. “Everyone’s been the 1 meter (6 dives) event and swimming really fast. I’m doing all placed second in the diving com- the things I need to do to go fast, petition. However, he hopes the so I think we have a good shot at diving team as a whole can do bet- staying in Division I next year,” ter in the next few competitions, Foster said. including the Metro swim & dive championship. “We need to be a little more consistent with going in the water straight. With Metros and Regionals coming up, we need to maintain that consistency,” Huang said. All of the members of the dive team and about 30 swimmers will be attending Metros this upcoming week. Since the competition has a time-based standard, some of the swimmers made the cut at Divisionals, including Huang for 100 ISABEL HENDRIX-JENKINS butterfly, junior Avikar Periwal for TIME Seniors Noel Antonisse and Jack 200 freestyle, soph- Foster, junior Michael Thomas and sophoomore Sarah Aitken more Brian Tsau all broke several Blair for 200 individual medley (IM) and records during a key match this weekend. sophomore Wesley
insideSPORTS JV Journal See page 31
While most at Blair focus on the varsity basketball teams, the junior varsity players work hard to win as well.
Jake Rozhansky See page 30 Junior Jake Rozhansky went on a trip to train and try out for one of the best soccer teams in the world.