Winter 2020: Volume III, Issue II by Rock Ridge HS News

THE BLAZE ROCK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL | WINTER 2020 | VOLUME 3 ISSUE 2

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STAFF

Winter 2020

CONTENTS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Shradha Dinesh

Features

BUSINESS MANAGER Mihika Rao COPY EDITORS Virginia Breighner Megan Hayes Kimberly Herbstritt Sarah Ong

6 8 12

DESIGN EDITOR Tanya Acharya PHOTO EDITOR Lilly Khalkho

Origins of STEM’s Gender Gap Monitoring Technology with Gaggle Bhangra Dances with Culture & Style

WEBSITE EDITOR Prajna Chakravarty

Regulars

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Dominika Butler

STAFF WRITERS Sarah Baig Kaley Chinoy Angelina D’Cunha Arman Fathi Jake Harris Pandora Jafari Vihaan Jaiswal Rahul Jayaraman Harini Kannan Joey Knechtel Megan Langsam Conner McGovern Sam Mers Annabel Reynolds Madisyn Smith Bethany Walker Colin Wilkinson

ADVISER Katy Greiner

News Snow Propels Byard to Celebrity Status Arts & Entertainment Theater Makeup on Center Stage

Sports Female Coaches Debut in MLB Hayes’ Road to Recovery

Opinion/Editorial The Xenophobia of WWIII Memes “Parasite,” Privilege, and Loudoun County

COLOPHON A total of 500 copies of “The Blaze” Vol. III Issue II were published by School Papers Express. The newsmagazine is designed in the Bodoni and Function font families.

ADDRESS 43460 Loudoun Reserve Drive, Ashburn, VA 20148 Front cover designed by: Shradha Dinesh Back cover designed by: Shradha Dinesh & Lilly Khalkho

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

H Gaggle p. 8 How LCPS surveils every document, email, and photo on its network 24/7 with Gaggle, a student monitoring service.

Trust this computer? Your settings and data will be accessible from this computer when connected.

Sincerely,

Don’t Trust

Trust

igh school is society’s microcosm, with new trends and ideas washing up into the hands of every student as quickly as we can find them online. In a smaller setting, we constantly experience the consequences of real-world change, and in the same way, we find ourselves on the front lines testing its waters, learning how to adapt to the challenges that change poses. In this issue, you’ll read about how expanding technology usage in LCPS has gone hand-in-hand with student monitoring, women breaking into the worlds of STEM and coaching, displays of culture with the Bhangra club, how recent online activity has changed the way we react to the news, and a review of the truth behind the film “Parasite.” As much as we observe and report on our community, one thing we couldn’t have seen coming was the immense support for our previous issue from students, faculty, and our community. Thank you to those who have continued to support our work, and thank you to our staff, of whom I am infinitely proud, for continuing to push the boundaries of our journalism program every single day.

Shradha Dinesh Editor-in-Chief Mission Statement We, “The Blaze” news staff, are committed to providing the Rock Ridge High School community with accurate, up-to-date information, highlighting diverse events and people, and sparking conversations for underrepresented stories.

@rockridgehsnews @rockridgehsnews www.theblazerrhs.com

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BYARD MADE LCPS CELEBRITY BY SNOW

From trending hashtags to stylish merchandise, Wayde Byard has become nothing short of a celebrity in Loudoun County. COPY BY: Megan Hayes & Dominika Butler | DESIGN BY: Mihika Rao

poons underneath pillows, ice schools have sought out the new flushed down the toilet, and inside addition to the school store in large out pajamas -- when there is a quantities. “We actually have people chance for snow in the forecast, outside of Rock Ridge ordering [Wayde Loudoun County students practice these Byard sweatshirts] and buying them,” rituals and one of their own: scrolling marketing teacher Sandra Tucker said. through #prayforwayde “I was working at the school store #PRAY4WAYDE or “Wayde, pull and we had a bus driver come in and through” posts on Instagram and Twitter. buy three of them,” senior Ananya Wayde Byard, LCPS’s public information Sharma said. The inspiration for the officer, informs teachers, parents and design came from a “Fun Day Friday” students of any school delays or marketing class activity. closures, including snow days, making “The class was part of different him an official LCPS celebrity. teams that they do competitions with; “He is the best person alive, my their job was to come up with a design favorite. He gives us for ‘Call Me snow days off, and Wayde’ that would sometimes I have tests appeal to our on those snow days,” students and our freshman Nadia staff,” Tucker said. Shanneb said. To Due to his rise Shanneb, snow days to fame, Byard has are an important stress been recognized reliever. quite a lot around Byard has the county. “In become nothing short restaurants and - Public Information Officer things like that, it’s of a hero for his Wayde Byard famous snow day very hard to get an phone calls. The uninterrupted production of contests, memes, meal,” Byard said. autographs, photos -- and now Wayde Byard has also been invited to the Byard sweatshirts -- picture his legacy. 2020 senior graduation as a guest The DE Marketing class has speaker. “I’m very flattered, and I’m perfectly captured the snow day hero by already working on the speech. I’m creating merchandise that embodies his going to put all my effort into it to make likeness and Loudoun’s snow day it individual and unique,” he said. culture. The quick catchphrase, Besides communicating “#CallMeWayde,” has boomed sales, announcements with the community, so much so that people from other Byard spends his snow days working

“In restaurants and things like that, it’s very hard to get an uninterrupted meal”

and walking his dog, Rembrandt, a husky-Lab-Sharpei mix. As for the students, on snow days, “I hear there’s online assignments being given; I don’t know if you guys are doing them or not,” Byard said. “I suppose there are movies watched. I suppose there’s a lot of binging. I suppose there’s a lot of TikTok work,” Byard said. As much as students appreciate Byard, he appreciates them as well. Recognizing their intelligence and charisma, Byard loves to visit various schools. “I like interacting with students. When I go out to events, I realize how smart you guys are and how dedicated you are,” Byard said. “You guys get a bad rep with ’snowflakes’ and stuff like that, but you’re not that at all ... no pun intended.”

“Winter is Coming” Wayde Byard, depicted as Jon Snow from “Game of Thrones,” relates the LCPS figure to his notoriety for calling snow days. Illustrations by Bethany Walker

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JOIN THE PTSO! The Blaze thanks the Rock Ridge PTSO for their support of student publications. To join the PTSO, email bod@rrhsptso.com. See the Rock Ridge website for more information!

Want More News? Follow our Social Media! Instagram: @RockRidgeHSNews Twitter: @RockRidgeHSNews Visit our website: theblazerrhs.com Ads

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STEM UNDER THE MICROSCOPE What students, the numbers, and video games have to say about the gender gap.

COPY BY: Pandora Jafari | DESIGN BY: Pandora Jafari & Vihaan Jaiswal

here’s a gap in science, technology, engineering, and math: a gender gap, to be exact. Women are underrepresented in the field, and young girls are subsequently underrepresented in STEM classes. Sophomore Jada Aiken, for example, is the only girl in her Aerospace Science I class. She was introduced to STEM in kindergarten, and now can’t imagine her life without it. Though this early exposure may have directed Aiken toward STEM, “I feel like I would have found [STEM] somehow, some way. Maybe I wouldn’t have chosen it as my career, but I definitely would have still been interested,” Aiken said. Her thoughts about entering a STEM-related job in a male-dominated field were mixed. “When I first decided that this is what I wanted to do, I knew that there was a small percentage of women, which is crazy, but I kind of just didn't care. Then I got to my Aerospace class and they were all male and I was like, ‘wow, this is my life now,’”Aiken said. Overall, her outlook toward the future is still positive; she regards her classmates in high esteem and finds that a male-dominated field won’t affect what she can bring to the table as an individual.

Science and Numbers According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM made up 8.6 billion jobs in 2015, and between 2017 and 2027, STEM jobs are projected to grow by 13%, 4% faster than other jobs. Women occupy approximately half of America’s general workforce, but they account for just 6.7% of STEM graduates

in higher education. It is estimated that it will take 140 years for women to achieve parity with their male counterparts with regards to invention and output in the field, according to the Microsoft blog “On the Issues.” Why is that? Why do women seem so vastly underrepresented in a growing job market? Biology teacher Madina Mamatova attributes part of the matter to the concept of spatial reasoning. She considers part of the issue to be differences between the female and male mind, and how they naturally tend to tackle problems. She explained that in STEM fields there are many spatial concepts intertwined in the work. Spatial reasoning refers to the ability to think of objects in three dimensions and draw conclusions about those objects with limited information. Boys, according to Mamatova, frequently utilize this mindset; this isn’t to say that girls don’t. Mamatova explained that common hobbies amongst males such as gaming, esports, or regular sports have helped

hone these skills. Girls, however, are becoming more involved in these historically male-dominated hobbies and can therefore involve themselves in these thinking habits, Mamatova explained. “But still, at the end of it, because of our physiology and the way that we’re made up, we’re going to think differently.” Though thinking differently doesn’t appear to be a deterrent for STEM on its own, collaborative thinking is an inherent part of some of the biggest aspects of STEM. Mamatova noted that neither gender could be completely lumped into one thought process, as the individual's brain also factors in.

Where Games Fit The inclusion of gaming as something which benefits spatial reasoning is no surprise, but where did the male association with the medium come into play, especially if gaming could help develop skills integral for

6.7% OF STEM GRADS FROM HIGHER EDUCATION ARE FEMALE, ACCORDING TO THE MICROSOFT BLOG “ON THE ISSUES”

Infographic by Vihaan Jaiswal on Paint.Net

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OF THE 6.7%... AS SHOWN IN THE INFOGRAPHIC BELOW, 6.7 % OF STEM GRADUATES WITH HIGHER EDUCATION (MASTERS DEGREE OR HIGHER) ARE FEMALE. THIS IS A RACIAL BREAKDOWN OF THOSE WOMEN IN STEM FIELDS. Infographic by Pandora Jafari on Infogram Information courtesy of ERCA

STEM jobs. The issue found its roots in programmers and coders. The boys-only early video game marketing strategies. phenomenon, and marketing’s assumed Before the video game market crash of stereotypes deprived a large population 1983, gaming used to be marketed to of girls the ability to practice skills such both girls and boys. Its impact was as spatial reasoning with video games. massive and could be felt all the way overseas, dubbed “The Atari Shock” in Sky’s The Limit Japan. Nintendo revived the market with Exposure to STEM at an early age the Nintendo Entertainment System in may be the difference between women 1986. Nintendo wanted to break into choosing it as a career or regarding it as the toy market with their new system. a personal interest. Kevin King, a They sought out new marketing doctorate in educational leadership and strategies which aimed to break through Aiken’s Aerospace teacher, approaches the children's entertainment industry. solving the gap with the perspective of With the toy aisle still segregated by an educator. King emphasizes exposure gender, Nintendo had a choice to make to STEM at a young age. Aiken about their NES: would video games be commented on her early exposure as a boys or girls club? Nintendo, Atari, well, saying her kindergarten and SEGA, and other major players elementary school marketed to was STEMboys relentlessly oriented focused in the ’80s on those subjects, through TV ads. and even partly Gaming credited it to her behemoths of approaching the ’80s STEM as a career. obviously aren't However, King to blame for elaborated that lack of female exposure shouldn't representation -Sophomore Jada Aiken be where the in STEM, but movement stops; it they're an should be a vaulting point to jump off. example within the STEM industry itself, “From a district-level perspective, we as video games are made by have to make [a STEM course] more

“I got to my Aerospace class and they were all male and I was like, ‘wow, this is my life now.’”

attractive by not just making it an elective, but actually making it part of the core curriculum as another area of study.” He also expressed the need to legitimize more career-oriented STEM classes such as Aerospace by making it another science discipline like chemistry, physics, or biology. The logic is that it would expand the sciences that students of all genders would be exposed to. Looking forward, Aiken is researching space sustainability, focusing on the effects of man-made debris in space, and how it could affect humans in the future. She expressed concern about the debris, explaining how small flecks of chipped paint could cause potential catastrophes for future space ventures. She's currently researching technology that will help preserve sustainability in space by attempting to combat problems that come with space debris. “[Space] matters too. I know the Earth has more problems, but y’know, if the Earth is ruined, we're going to have to go to space, and we can't go to space if there's dead satellites everywhere,” Aiken said.

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Trust this computer? Your settings and data will be accessible from this computer when connected.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Trust

Trust

CLICK WITH CAUTION How LCPS surveils every document, email, and photo on its network 24/7 with Gaggle, a student monitoring service. BY: Shradha Dinesh

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hen students log on to their schoolissued devices and programs, the veil of surveillance murmurs softly, monitoring, flagging, and tracking students’ every document, email, and stray social media notification that passes through the network. To students, the monitoring system exists as a nameless idea, supported only by warnings to avoid connecting personal devices to Chromebooks, until one day, it makes itself tangible as a visit to counseling. Even then, students are left wondering about what triggered the elusive system, the system’s identity, and if they should alter their technology usage to avoid a repeat incident. Senior Nordina Taman had always taken steps to avoid signaling the surveillance system: never plugging her phone into her Chromebook and avoiding potentially problematic internet searches. That’s why she couldn’t have anticipated a flag on her college essay on her reality of “coming out of the worst of my severe depression.” Taman said that her counselor sat down with her and went through the essay with her without any other problems since she had discussed how she had overcome her depression, dispelling any threats. Through it all, Taman’s parents were never involved. As the dust began to settle, Taman felt left in the dark, unaware of what in particular triggered the system, and was still left clueless about the extent of surveillance she was being subjected to daily, or what it was even called. “I didn’t even know it was called Gaggle,” Taman said, learning of its name during an interview for this story, “I just knew they had a ‘something’.”

ince the integration of technologybased learning in the 20182019 school year, nearly 85 thousand students have been subjected to surveillance by content moderation technology. Monitoring activity including homework, projects, essays, emails, artwork, chats, and even social media

activity, students’ digital trails are After AI technology marks any form monitored “24/7/365,” by Gaggle, a of violation, human moderators assess student surveillance service employed by the urgency of the infraction to determine LCPS and 1,400 other schools the appropriate response. According to nationwide. Gaggle’s Safety Management Gaggle markets itself as a one-stop Procedures, Safety Managers review solution to student safety in the digital over “a million blocked student world that supports “digital citizenship” communications” each month. In the and “creates positive school event that the algorithm flags a false environments.” Promising “real-time positive that includes inappropriate content analysis,” the Bloomington, Ill. images/language for the purpose of based company claims on their website schoolwork, human moderators unflag that in the 2018-2019 school year, it tagged work on a case-by-case basis. helped “save 722 students from carrying Content marked by the “User out an act of suicide.” Violations” category could constitute Gaggle operates on a combination profanity/vulgar language or of machine-learning technology and suggestive/provocative content. human content moderation to alert Gaggle’s standard response for school districts of potential threats of “Violations,” the lowest tier of offense by violence, substance use, suicide and self- the rubric, constitutes an email to the harm, harassment, student, with sexual administration content/pornography, CC’d to the email and profanity. Gaggle following multiple scans communications offenses. against a “Blocked However, Words List,” which according to screens for documents predetermined words provided to The and phrases. Blaze, LCPS does Additionally, the service not notify students -Senior Nordina Taman reviews content with an in the event of a in-house, AI “Antistandard violation. Pornography Scanner.” Hugh McArthur, the Supervisor for Available to three major Information Security for LCPS, said that educational services, Gaggle acts as a Gaggle “doesn’t often use that function software plug-in for the Google G Suite or recommend it anymore” and “it for Education, Office 365, and Canvas. wasn’t [LCPS’s] goal when implementing In LCPS, the software monitors the the product” as its purpose was “student Google G Suite and Office 365. safety.” Gaggle files User Violations on a “Questionable Content” flags “three strikes” system and warrants warrant an email from Gaggle different responses by school representatives to “district specified administrators depending on the severity contacts.” The QCON filter flags content of the violation. According to invoices, that is serious but not an imminent threat. incident reports, and company Gaggle responds to QCON incidents documents aggregated from the county with an email to school representatives. by the Freedom of Information Act and The most critical category, “Possible documents obtained previously by Student Situation,” is reserved for content BuzzFeed News in a nationwide study of that displays an “immediate threat” to Gaggle, the response by Gaggle’s student safety, and constitutes a phone safety management team depends on call directly to school emergency whether the infraction is marked as a contacts and, in some cases, law “User Violation,” “Questionable enforcement. Content,” or “Possible Student Situation” LCPS students are not notified by by the company’s Safety Management Gaggle when their content is flagged as Rubric. a QCON or PSS violation by Gaggle

“I didn’t even know it was called Gaggle. I just knew they had a ’something’.”

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Process Overview

What happens when content gets flagged?

The infographic models the Gaggle company wiki’s content monitoring procedures. *LCPS does not notify students upon User Violations as shown on the chart.

guidelines. However, Gaggle maintains a record of all infractions and identifies repeat offenders on a “Top Concerns” chart on their User Dashboard. Per incident reports provided by LCPS, during the 2018-2019 school year, Gaggle flagged 3096 PSS and QCON incidents, and over half of them were flagged on the basis of selfharm/suicide; 120 of the “Violence_Self” flags were marked as “Possible Student Situations.” LCPS was unable to provide the “Blocked Words List,” saying in an email that the list was “proprietary” and not disclosed by the company. However, from incident reports disclosed by various Illinois school districts, BuzzFeed News compiled a list of words that had been flagged as QCON or PSS. In potential self-harm situations, Gaggle flagged “suicide,” “hate myself,” and various iterations of “end my life.” Gaggle also flagged LGBT terms like, “lesbian,” “queer,” and “gay” in the context of bullying and harassment. In general, profanities, specific drug and alcohol references, and language

conducive to sexual content and sexual violence were marked as QCON violations.

ccording to their Internet Safety Program outlined in 2008, LCPS follows guidelines regarding student safety outlined in the Children’s Internet Protection Act enacted by Congress in 2000 in order to combat minors’ access to “obscene or harmful content.” Per the Federal Communications Commission, in order for districts to receive discounted rates on Internet access via “E-rates,” districts must monitor minors’ online activity and teach common-sense internet safety, alongside blocking inappropriate content. Gaggle presents itself as a tantalizing option for districts that seek to minimize students’ exposure to a vast range of potentially harmful materials. However, the high-tech surveillance technology services provided by the forprofit company come at a steep cost. According to invoices for the 2018-2019 school year, LCPS paid upwards of 303 thousand dollars for

coverage on the G Suite and Office 365 platforms. For the 2019-2020 school year, the bill amounted to nearly 375 thousand dollars, an increase of nearly 71 thousand dollars due to an increase in school-issued devices and a higher enrollment. According to previous years’ invoices, LCPS has maintained contracts with Gaggle beginning in 2013 with only Office 365, and later expanding to include the Google G Suite after its implementation in 2018. In the digital age, the market for one-stop security solutions has become increasingly lucrative, as companies such as Gaggle, Securly, and Bark, among others, contend for schools’ business promising CIPA compliance as well as above-and-beyond monitoring services. However, students are being forced to acknowledge and, in some cases, actively maneuver around the loss of privacy that comes with constant digital surveillance. “It’s definitely always in the back of my head now when I look something up,” Taman said. “It’s not worth getting called in.”

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Though the LCPS Student Technology Acceptable/Responsible Use Policy does disclose that there is “no right or expectation of privacy” on schoolissued devices, Taman believes there should be greater transparency about monitoring systems that includes providing students with general guidelines as to what falls under flagged content. According to principal John Duellman, though the county does implement technology lessons that cover topics including “social media presence” and “how to effectively use devices,” and requires that students sign a memo of understanding upon receiving their devices, Duellman agrees that more training could be effective. “There’s probably some additional training that could go out there [to make students aware of Gaggle], but in that same respect, if you asked any student, ‘Have you heard of a Gaggle alert?’ I think most would say yes,” Duellman said. “But, in terms of Gaggle, they’re doing the same internal debate I’m thinking about. I want to tell you things,

but I don’t want to tell you too much,” Duellman said, “because then, the people who are bad people are going to continue to find ways around what we do.” “I think the primary thing is that it’s not a matter of surveillance; it’s a matter of trying to keep folks safe,” McArthur said. “We’re not looking for the bad kids, we’re looking for the sad kids,” McArthur said, quoting a Gaggle official. Duellman believes that the act of documenting mental health on school networks is often a “cry for help,” though he doesn’t think that Gaggle is “solely a tool just to combat mental health.” “This is just an electronic means,’ Duellman said, “But you and I know that there are a hundred different ways to see that your friend is in trouble.” Regarding student confidentiality, Duellman believes that sacrificing privacy for safety is a tradeoff worth making: “I don’t know that Gaggle is an overstep. I don’t know that surveilling what goes on the networks here and on school-owned devices is an overstep,” Duellman said. “The success of Gaggle is ‘Did it save a life?’”

THANKS SPONSORS

LCPS Acceptable Use Policy

This computer system is the property of Loudoun County Public Schools. Unauthorized access to this computer system is forbidden. Users (authorized or unauthorized) have no explicit or implicit expectations of privacy. By accessing this computer system you voluntarily consent to having your actions, emails, or other electronic information monitored, recorded, seized and disclosed to authorized personnel as determined by LCPS. OK

The Acceptable Use Policy appears on LCPS computers prior to logging in.

The staff of “The Blaze” appreciates your support of student journalism

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A POP OF CULTURE

Rock Ridge’s first Bhangra team reflects the school’s diversity and love of dance. COPY BY: Sarah Baig & Harini Kannan |DESIGN BY: Kaley Chinoy

he Bhangra club is the first and only Indian dance club at Rock Ridge. “It really shows that this school is diverse,” senior Ishmeet Maharaj said. Bhangra is a type of dance combining Punjabi folk traditions with western pop music. The dance was originally performed by Muslims and Sikhs in Punjab for a spring harvest festival called Baisakhi. One of the most popular harvest products, “Bhang” is what gave this dance its name. In the beginning, the dance was performed to music with the Dhol (large drum) being the key instrument. As time went on, the Dhol was replaced with Dholak (smaller drum). The dance began gaining popularity in the mid-20th century and became more typical for weddings and parties over its agricultural roots. The dance can be described as a type of “fun, energetic dance that has a lot of bounces, and you can express all your emotions through it,” Ishmeet said. According to LCPS School Profiles, Rock Ridge is unique in that its population is largely made up of minorities. “[Bhangra] lets us express our culture to the school and shows where

we come from, so it’s a really big passion for all three of us,” said senior Ishar Chhabra, the president of the Bhangra club. The Bhangra club competes and performs dances for the school. During the winter pep rally on Dec. 20, 2019, the Bhangra team performed to resounding applause. Kids were surprised that this Indian dance was upbeat and fun to watch. “It helps spread awareness for our culture because it’s not very well known, so this is a way to show people,” Ishmeet said. Chhabra also said that people expected traditionally slow Indian dances and not the fast pace of Bhangra. “It’s basically the Indian version of hip hop,” Chhabra said. Most of the dancers have been doing this since they were young, and now are almost experts. “I’ve been doing [Bhangra] since I was four,” sophomore Navmeet Maharaj said. They even dress up to look even better on stage, “If we dance at a competition or more organized performances, we will have costumes,” Navmeet said. These colorful and vibrant outfits vary in different designs and patterns.

2 1. Members of the Bhangra club transition between formations during their performance at the winter pep rally. 2. Bhangra club leaders, seniors Ishmeet Maharaj and Ishar Chhabra, show off their moves while performing with other club members. 3. Sophomore Bhangra club members Prathik Pappu and Navmeet Maharaj dance while surrounded by a circle of other club members. Photos by Madisyn Smith

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BHANGRA BASICS Learn some quick steps to the popular dance:

1. The Single Dhamaal For this dance move, raise your hands to your sides like the picture demonstrates, make sure your fingers are all together. Then lift one leg and put it down. Repeat the previous step except this time add a slight bounce every time you put your foot down or lift it up. Remember -practice makes perfect!

2. Punjab For this step, take your left foot and move it towards your right, and then move it back out. Then move your right foot towards your left foot. For your hands, as you move one foot toward the other, push out with your hands and clap gracefully when you step down with your foot.

3. Single Jhoomar Take your left/right foot and take half a step forward at a 45-degree angle. Then, step back with the foot you moved forward with. Repeat these steps except this time move your other foot forward first. Raise one of your hands above your head and put one hand on your hip. For every step you move forward or backward, add a little bounce and move your shoulders slightly with every step.

Illustrations by Bethany Walker

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The purple feather piece, the neck piece, the tan base dress, and the black feathers are part of the Tiger Lily costume designed by sophomore Elle Hardesty. Tiger Lily was part of the savage ensemble in the “Peter Pan” show. The base of the dress was made to fit the earthy tones of the savage ensemble. ”She had a lot of feathers, and since she is a princess, it looked more regal,” Hardesty said.

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WHAT THEATER MAKEUP IS MADE OF BY: Prajna Chakravarty

The theater makeup class, one of the first in Loudoun County, is a new addition to the theater program.

BY: Prajna Chakravarty

The pink pants and pink corset are part of Elle Woods’ costume from the “Legally Blonde” show, designed by junior Natalia Naugle. Students pick out outfits based on the character’s personality. ”I knew Elle was very joyous,” Naugle said. When thinking of Elle Woods, Naugle said she thinks of anything pink and anything out of the ordinary.

our favorite characters are brought to life by the designers who put together the perfect outfits. The audience never sees the work that goes on behind the curtain for a perfect show. The theater makeup class is a new addition to the theater program, founded by director Rebekah Hess who took the initiative to start the class. “In our tech theater classes, there are so many subjects being taught at the same time, between scenic design, building, and painting, [that] costumes and makeup were being neglected,” Hess said. The class includes creating outfits for characters in the productions, from styling wigs to making renderings before building the costumes, Hess said. A tough part of the course is creating, as not all students come to the class with an art background. Students choose their characters or are assigned characters based on their skills. Directors Anthony Cimeno-Johnson and Hess give feedback on the costumes. To begin the class, Hess submitted the idea to admin with the help of Cimino-Johnson a year prior. “Now I have to submit a course description to get it permanently into the Program of Studies,” Hess said. Students base their costumes on the characters’ backgrounds and personalities. The class has worked closely with two productions: “Legally Blonde” and “Peter Pan.” The pictured pieces are from costumes from each of the major productions that the designers felt best visualized a couple of characters’ personalities.

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STICK IT TO ’EM

Despite injuries, senior Alexandra Hayes continued to inspire her team with a positive attitude and contributions on and off the field. BY: Kimberly Herbstritt & Annabel Reynolds

enior Alex Hayes didn’t let her therapists told Hayes that it was her injuries restrict her from playing field meniscus and that it would take six hockey in her final year of high months to recover. Then she learned that school. Hayes has played field hockey it was her ACL and that it would take 9 since the seventh grade and has pushed to 12 months. her body to its limits. In her junior year, But she didn’t let the news slow her Hayes tore her ACL, which stabilizes the down. “I was off of crutches in a week knee joint. By tearing it, Hayes couldn’t or two, I was walking on my own in two walk. to three weeks, and jogging and running “I was running to the ball. I had in four months,” Hayes said. She was overstepped; my leg was extended, my determined to get better, and she was knee popped back and came back able to with the help of physical therapy, forward, and I went to the ground,” Hayes but there was still the fear of having to said. “It was so painful. It literally felt like go back to surgery if she pushed herself someone had taken some searing hot too far. metal and stabbed it right through the “I definitely had to be careful. It back of my knee.” hurt and it was sad at first, but, in the Senior end, it was the Katilyn Turner has passion and drive played with Hayes that I felt that got me for years and was through,” Hayes present for the first said. game of the Her teammates season when and coaches Hayes tore her witnessed her ACL. “I remember determination that [night] very firsthand. “She’s vividly. No one hit been set back by a her or anything. lot of injuries, but -Senior Alex Hayes She just hit the ball every single year and then fell to the she just comes ground and started screaming,” Turner back,” Turner said. said. “She struggled with it in the Turner said that there had been a lot beginning. She definitely wanted to be athletes injured throughout the years, but part of the team, but I could tell she was none were as extreme as Hayes’. There a little hesitant,” field hockey coach were times when Turner got injured but Michelle Federico said. Hayes and could keep playing because it wasn’t as Federico had been emailing before the serious as tearing her ACL, as Hayes had season started because Hayes wanted done. to see if she still could be part of the At first, Hayes and her family didn’t know what was wrong with Hayes and how serious her injury really was. Four different doctors and high school physical

“You step on that field and you think, ‘this is where I was supposed to be this whole time. This is where I’m meant to be.’”

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team. They ended up making Hayes a manager and later in the season she got to play. “Because she was so driven, I was afraid she was going to push herself before she was ready,” Federico said. Hayes would tell the girls how she wished she could play with them. “She was a really good role model because she was dedicated and did whatever she could,” Federico said. Through the experience, Hayes enjoyed being with her team and playing the game she loved. “You step on that field and you think, ‘this is where I was supposed to be this whole time. This is where I’m meant to be.’” Even though she won’t be playing in college, Hayes has committed to Duquesne University and plans to become a physical therapist and make connections with athletes and be that “light in someone’s life.” “I know what’s it like going through a major injury and told you’re not going to play, you’re not going to walk, and you’re not going to run the same,” Hayes said, “[But] you can accomplish anything, [you] just have to put [your] mind to it.”

Senior Alex Hayes lunges for the ball to get it back in her possession from the Dominion Titans on Sept. 19, 2019. Photo Courtesy of Victor O’Neill Photo Illustration by Kimberly Herbstritt

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GIRLS CAN SWING A BAT, TOO

Alyssa Nakken became the first full-time female assistant coach in Major League Baseball history in January. BY: Madisyn Smith | DESIGN BY: Annabel Reynolds

n Jan.17, the San Francisco Giants While sports are one instance of announced the hiring of Alyssa change in society, it is important to look Nakken, the first full-time female toward other school activities that can assistant coach in Major League relate to the same idea of gender Baseball history. Nakken, according to equality. CNN, has received overwhelming Senior Shukrana Shukrullah, a support from Justine Siegal, the first member of the theater department, female coach for a major league related to the issue, saying that women organization, and former Sacramento are getting more involved in theater and State head coach Kathy Strahan. music. Shukrullah noted that there have Nakken has become a symbol for been several situations where women women in sports as well as women were given opportunities when breaking boundaries in all aspects of participating in theater activities. their lives. “In ’Newsies,’” some of the girls Senior Kiran Patel, a volleyball dressed up as guys,” Shukrullah said. player, has seen more women “We should focus on making sure there participating in sports. As a female is equality between us.” athlete, Patel sees firsthand the specific Although it is not uncommon for aspects of women’s sports, as well as the males to coach female sports, Nakken’s positive effect it has on students. gender-flipping accomplishment is more “I’ve seen a lot of girls try out for unusual. However, female coaches in sports such as volleyball, cross country, female sports also have an impact on basketball, and track and field,” Patel girls’ involvement. In girls soccer, said. sophomore Sofia Difulvio is coached by However, she pointed out some of female coaches on a regular basis. the challenges with women’s sports, from Having a female coach in girls sports school attendance at makes student matches and the athletes more leniency on certain rulescomfortable and -specifically in contact easier to sports. communicate with “I feel like the most on a deeper level. “I challenging thing is that love the girls soccer people don’t show up coaching staff,” to women’s sports,” Difulvio said. “I feel Patel said. “They think like it’s easier to they’re boring since connect with them as they are ‘non-contact opposed to a male sports.’” coach.” -Senior Kiran Patel Even though there Overall, most are challenges, the women can relate to stereotype of gender superiority in sports the positive effects Nakken’s hiring will is being broken down by women getting have on changing the gender more involved and going after their stereotypes and the expansion of more goals regardless of the obstacles. roles to women. Patel and Shukrullah

both spoke in support of Nakken and saw benefits to her being hired. “It shows young girls that they can have the power to do things that people think are unordinary,” Patel said. “A lot of times, females don’t get big positions like as a coach, so I think it’s fine that they announce things like [Nakken’s hiring],” Shukrullah said. “If anything, that should make people more aware that women are capable of positions like that.”

“It shows young girls that they can have the power to do things that people think are unordinary.”

Photo Illustration by Annabel Reynolds Information from Higher Education Publications as of 2018

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FUNNY WITH A SIDE OF XENOPHOBIA WWIII memes are funny to everyone --- everyone except those who are actually affected by them. COPY BY: Sam Mers | DESIGN BY: Tanya Acharya & Sarah Ong

Jokes about WWIII and enlistment n the beginning of January, a video have become topics to joke about in was posted on the popular social school hallways and lunch tables. media platform TikTok by “Some of [the WWIII memes] are @Futureblainee, a user with thousands of too much,” sophomore Rania Alfollowers, jokingly roleplaying as a Husseinei said, “but I can’t really do soldier and an Iranian in the impending war with Iran. In the video, he is scanning anything about it, so I just go with it.” “[WWIII] is actually a big thing the “battlefield” (his bedroom) to make and everyone’s making a joke out of it,” sure that he has killed every last Iranian sophomore Saher Mohamed said. that was in “his country.” He plays the Twitter user @Yoongistaro tweeted role of one of the wounded Iranians and “ahaha islamophobia, but make it blinks. Returning to his role as an American soldier, he notices the Iranian’s socially acceptable because it’s on twitter with a reaction video.” It seems movement and proceeds to pretend to that for non-Middle Easterners, Arabs, rape “it.” and Muslims as a whole, the effects of As an Arab American, the horror I another war in the felt after Middle East won’t go watching this beyond their TV video was screens. indescribable. Some defend Thousands of the memes and argue innocent people that these memes are have died in the nothing more than Middle East jokes. Sophomore due to wars Sarah Morkos said, backed by the - Sophomore Saher Mohamed “[WWIII memes] are U.S., and here funny, it’s just the way you have a that each person expresses their opinion white, American teenage boy joking but in a funnier way.” However, with about killing and raping a civilian. His every WWIII meme that’s posted on any apology was nothing more than a social media platform, xenophobia and deleted video. Islamophobia unknowingly root That user hasn’t been the only themselves within people. We saw it person to post such insensitive jokes. happen after 9/11: the media had Since Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani was killed in Baghdad on Jan. pumped so much propaganda and 3 by American forces, countless “WWIII” negativity into people that they began to lash out at anyone who appeared to be tweets and TikToks have been posted, Muslim. Human Rights Watch, a nonmany of them ringing with xenophobia profit organization, said that the amount and Islamophobia. One tweet shows a video with a little boy singing in his living of reported Islamophobic hate crimes room until it gets blown apart by a bomb; went from 28 in 2000 to 481 in 2001. it was captioned with the words “Rihanna These numbers will increase if things escalate with Iran. performing her new album in the fallout Islamophobia aside, there are shelters while we get bombed by Iran thousands of people overseas whose during World War 3 #WWIII.”

“[WWIII] is actually a big thing and everyone’s making a joke out of it.”

lives are at stake. Civilians getting bombed in Iran or Iraq yet again is highly possible; there are countless stories I’ve heard from friends who’ve lost loved ones in previous airstrikes or bombings. “I still have all of my family [in Iraq], so if something happens, it might happen to them and it’s sad. I can’t really stand the feeling of losing someone so close to me,” Al-Husseinei said. She grew up in Iraq and is appalled by WWIII memes that talk about bombings as if they’re nothing special. “[My family and I] have been in an experience where a bomb [exploded] and we were there, but, thank God, no one got hurt. So that’s why I don’t like seeing [WWIII memes],” she said. In 2017, 15,000 civilians were killed by explosives in ISIS-held territories, as compiled by Action on Armed Violence, but bombings aren’t everything that people are at risk of. There have also been numerous reports of American soldiers killing civilians in the Middle East for sport, such as the Navy SEAL who was charged with committing war crimes in Iraq. Two of his victims were a young girl and an old man. Memes about WWIII and war in Iran are, simply put, unfunny. They’re rooted in xenophobia and Islamophobia and imply that this topic isn’t one to take seriously. WWIII memes go far beyond the internet; they have real effects on real people. So before you share that TikTok or hit the “Tweet” button, think about the people overseas who find themselves in war zones over and over again.

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Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” sends a message of classism to the wealthy, and it’s becoming important to understand it. COPY BY: Tanya Acharya | DESIGN BY: Tanya Acharya & Sarah Ong

ong Joon-ho is a movie director thoroughly obsessed with being as concise as possible, and his latest film, “Parasite,” is a brilliant display of this obsession. With scenes packed with layers of information, Joon-ho ensures that all elements, from the witty dialogue to the perfectly timed background music, add to the story --- a skill that few directors can accomplish. The tightlypacked, detailed shots make it hard to not lose interest: you laugh, you end up awestruck, you shake with nervousness, and you probably question your sanity for a second or two. As a whole, “Parasite” is a gut-twisting, unpredictable, and masterfully satirical Korean thriller. The film is currently accumulating rightfully earned recognition, as it won four different Oscars including best picture, and has received a Palme d’Or, a SAG award, and a Golden Globe. Centering around the lives of two drastically different families, “Parasite” serves as a commentary on the class structures between the wealthy and the impoverished. Although the film’s story is an exaggeration, there isn’t a doubt that the characteristics it portrays can be reflected in virtually any country, any society; Loudoun County is no exception. At the start of the film, we are first introduced to the cunning Kim family, who live in a cramped semi-basement and struggle to make ends meet. Next, the Kims meet the well-off Park family, who by contrast live in a lavish house and are incredibly unsuspecting. When the Kim family’s son obtains a profitable job as an English tutor for the Parks through deceit, the rest of the Kim family follows along one-by-one, appearing innocent and highly qualified despite really being the opposite. However, this is only the very tip of

the iceberg; around two-thirds of the way in, the film’s more comical beginning begins to take a turn towards a thriller and delivers a disturbing plottwist that leaves the audience as unnerved and horrified as the Kims. “There is always more than what meets the eye” could be a catchphrase for this film, as there is certainly an element lurking underneath (literally). At the end, you’re left with a feeling of enlightenment yet unfulfillment as it circles right back to where it started. What makes the film an unforgettable experience is the way it sparks a conversation, a conversation that needs to be had with our county. Over the course of the story, the nature of societal structures is fleshed out. At the top, you have the richer families who can afford not only luxury but also peaceful obliviousness. There is less concern for actual issues and/or people and more concern for superficial appearances, money, and social statuses, as demonstrated by the Parks. Meanwhile, at the bottom, there are the more unfortunate families, who end up participating in morally questionable actions just to survive the next day, like the Kims. One might argue that the “parasites” of the story were the members of the Kim family leeching off of the Parks, but why did the Kims have to struggle so much in the first place? When the Kims are denied any sustainable jobs due to their status, they can only resort to deceiving the Parks. There is a discrepancy between the rich and the poor, and the real “parasite” here is only the most wicked byproduct of society: classism. The families in the film represent the two extremes of the class scale, and it is fair to say the majority of families in

Loudoun are within the middle-to-upperclass range, closer to the Parks’ side. In Loudoun County, the median household income is $136,268 dollars, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Compared to other counties, Loudoun is an affluent location. As LCPS students, we’re fortunate enough to come to a school full of modern resources and opportunities. It’s funny to joke about the number of AirPods spotted around our school, but there is a privilege that must be recognized. “Parasite” is a warning claiming that those from the bottom who try to beat capitalism at its own game will only end up losing due to a class structure that favors the wealthy. Outside of our Loudoun County “bubble,” there is a world full of struggle similar to the Kims’. Of course, that’s not to say that there aren’t any hardships in Loudoun County, but looking at the bigger picture, it’s true that there are fewer. As people from a relatively wealthier county, we must understand that although we have the power to continue these inconsistencies, we also have the power to slowly stop them. It can be easy to get caught up in issues like making sure to get the brand pair of shoes or figuring out what to wear to a social event; however, sometimes taking a step back is necessary in order to consider the position we’re in. An endless cycle caused by the differences in classes makes up the overall plot of “Parasite.” If that cycle is dependent on the indifference of the wealthy, what we can take away from “Parasite” is that it’s time to be more aware and look beyond our bubble.

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NEWS Math Students + Formulas = The Coloring Book Project BY: Lilly Khalkho

How Students And Teachers Alike Have Been Using Diverse Classroom Libraries BY: Sarah Ong

OPINION The Effects of Grades On Students BY: Megan Langsam

“Ford v Ferrari:” A Friendship Made on the Track BY: Kimberly Herbstritt

“Fine Line” Walks on a Fine Line Between Repetition & Originality

SPORTS

BY: Sam Mers

Teaming Up With the Enemy BY: Sarah Baig

Crew’s Winter Conditioning Is No Lazy River BY: Megan Langsam

Phoenix Wrestlers Grapple With States BY: Harini Kannan & Sarah Baig

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT “Omigod You Guys” Rock Ridge Performing Arts Presents Legally Blonde

OPINION BY: Prajna Chakravarty, Kaley Chinoy & Lilly Khalkho survive Plucking AwayHow The to New Yeara three BY: Arman Fathi month holiday season before it survives you BY: Shradha Dinesh

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