November 2012 by Christine Kervina

SENTINEL CENTREVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

November 8, 2012, volume 22, issue 3

Wildcats Pump Up the Volume 2400 People, 1 Gym, and a Spirit Stick

Jason Kim

Seniors Amanda Meny, Katilyn Meara, Katie Schwindt, Amanda Rekenthaler, Michael Mckain, Nathan West, and Jen nifer Zenko cheer as loud as they can to take home the spirit stick. Lifetouch

Coach Haddock got the student body pumped up by giving his speech and doing a cheer in which the sophomores and juniors screamed “WE ARE” and the freshmen and seniors yelled “CVILLE.” Coach Haddock has made a huge impact here at Centreville since becoming the head varsity coach, leading the Wildcats to the state championships last season. Every year, teachers and class representatives play a game between each grade. This year, the SGA chose two members from each grade and two teachers to represent their class. The ultimate obstacle was the new game for this year, which consisted of carrying an egg with a spoon in your mouth, riding a bicycle, popping a balloon, and doing a three legged race. Juniors, Danny Meador and Macy Luck, got to the finish line just a few seconds before the sophomores. The princesses competed for the cheers of the audience as they performed a ten second skit. Each princess was escorted by a football player. Princesses met after school to create their skits and meet their escorts. The homecoming queen was later announced at the halftime show on Friday and Daria Baker (12) took home the crown. The pep rally finished off with the tradition of the spirit stick. The spirit stick has been a ritual here at Centreville since the school opened. This contest determined which grade had the most spirit. To avoid chaos, the winner was declared at the halftime of the homecoming game and the seniors were announced the winners of this year’s spirit stick.

Jason Kim

By: Soo Lim The annual homecoming pep rally always gets the whole student body pumped up for the upcoming game and the homecoming dance. Students cheer and many even lose their voice, showing off their spirit for the school. Preparing for the pep rally is a lot of work and the SGA puts in hours making it successful. For about three weeks, all the board members meet together to plan and tally up votes for homecoming princesses, write scripts, layout, and organize where things are going to go. “The pep rally gets to show how creative SGA is,” said Logan Wakefield (12). A great tradition of the pep rally is the senior walk out. This year, the seniors walked out to the popular song, “Gangnam Style” with people on each other’s backs and shoulders. Exciting events include games, skits, and performances by the cheerleaders, dance team, step team. Cheerleaders performed their routine for competition despite having some injured members on the team. The dance team also wowed the crowd with their new choreography and new members to the team. Step team finished off with a fun performance that included teachers who seemed a little lost in the performance. Teachers along with the step team practiced the routine on Wednesday and Thursday but some teachers learned the routine just before the pep rally. “I was very lost but it was a lot of fun. It felt like the performance lasted only five seconds because I did not know we had started,” said Ms. Miller.

The junior class erupts as their team finishes first in the ultimate obstacle Mr. Sanabria holds the famed spirit competition. stick.

Super Storm Spares South, Swamps Northeast By: Nathanael Kim

was the largest in diameter, with know what to do following the tive flooding and tragic casualdestructive winds spanning 1100 storm, and Romney worked to ties, Americans have displayed miles. In total, the damages caused make sure victims would recieve admirable valor in the wake of by the Hurricane are estimated to much needed emergency sup- this massive storm. While the tobe as a large as 20 billion dollars. plies. Although Sandy came as an tal cost of the damage remains In the heat of a presidential extreme shock to many Ameri- a daunting obstacle, the Amerielection, Hurricane Sandy has cans, our people have remained can people are supporting each shaken up things politically as well. resilient. Despite the destruc- other in theses times of hardship. Both Obama and Romney reacted swiftly to the Hurricane, working to support the victims of the storm, with the added bonus of appearing as a responsible and caring presidential candidate. Obama raised morale by making sure the people would be prepared and Bull Run Post Office Road flooded after the disaster of Hurricane Sandy.

Mary Stachyra for Centreville Patch

“Frankenstorm”, “Storm of the Century”, “Superstorm Sandy”, we’ve heard it all these past couple of weeks. Needless to say, the legendary Hurricane Sandy gained quite the reputation with the American public. Ridiculous monikers aside, this massive tropical storm has seriously impacted Northern Virginia along with the entire American east coast. From a local standpoint, Sandy has certainly done its damage to Northern Virginia. From October 28-October 30, NOVA residents were subject to winds averaging 32 mph and pouring rain. Many people experienced property damage from the storm. Fairfax County Schools were all closed from October 28_October 29, one of the rare times when school has been canceled due to rain. Sandy was extremely inopportune for teachers, placing them in a harrowing spot facing

the deadline for 1st Quarter grades. On a brighter note, the effects of Hurricane Sandy did cause colleges to postpone Early Decision and Early Action deadlines, providing some relief for stressed seniors. Thankfully, the massive storm did not do as much damage to the Northern Virginia area as many experts had anticipated. The worst people faced were flooded basements and roads and the minor damages to property. Unfortunately, while Sandy left NOVA relatively unscathed, other areas weren’t as lucky. A majority of the northeast was hit especially hard by the hurricane, New York City and Boston having fared particularly badly. Widespread flooding shut down schools, subway stations, and workplaces all along the coast. In New Jersey, many schools remain closed until November 12. Millions in the affected areas still didn’t have power. Statistically, Hurricane Sandy

News

November 8, 2012

Centreville’s Symphonic Choir Celebrates Love and Hope in ADL Concert Against Hate “On and on, walk on and on, through rain and storm, you’ll never walk alone.” Such inspiring words capture the message of the famous song, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from the musical “Carousel.” On October 15, 2012, the CVHS Symphonic Choir performed this piece along with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center for the Anti-Defamation League’s Concert Against Hate. Hosted by famed actors Jeff Daniels (“The Newsroom”) and Madeleine Stowe (“12 Monkeys”), the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Concert Against Hate celebrates numerous individuals who have stood firm and tall against persecution. The ADL is an organization that “fights AntiSemitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals, and protects civic rights for all, doing so through information, education, legislation, and advocacy.” Originally, the Concert Against Hate was held to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Holocaust. Now, the Concert has expanded to honor the heroes who

displayed courage and valor in the face of suffering. For the past three years, our Choir Department has been invited to take part at this inspirational event. Performing alongside the National Symphony Orchestra and the choirs of James Madison, Langley, and West Potomac, the Centreville Symphonic Choir sang in dedication to each of the honorees at the Concert. Along with those on stage, singers were seated in the audience, and would stand up and perform for the attendees at certain spots in the piece, “flash mob style.” Because the singers were literally face to face with the audience, they were able to directly evoke a message of hope in times of pain. Centreville honored Officer Moira Smith, one of the many brave men and women who sacrificed their lives when the World Trade Center was hit on 9/11. Officer Smith saved hundreds of people at the World Trade Center, carrying many out of the South Tower of the massive skyscraper. She rushed back into the tower in hopes of rescuing more of the injured and never made it out. Six months later, workers clearing out the wreckage discovered her

badge in the ruins of the tower. Officer Smith is survived by her husband and daughter, both of whom were in attendance at the concert to commemorate Officer Smith’s great deeds. While the Choirs and the NSO were performing the piece, Officer Smith’s husband and daughter were in tears, touched by the inspirational message of the words. Students involved with the Concert were thoroughly inspired and moved by the experience. John Dunning (12) said, “I thought it was exhilarating. We waited awhile to perform. But in the end, it was worth it.” Fellow choir member Juliana Dyck (12) shared similar sentiments, stating, “I felt very honored to be there, because it was such an amazing opportunity. I could tell I touched people’s hearts with my singing.” The Symphonic Choir left the Kennedy Center inspired by this incredible experience. The opportunity to perform for people who endured persecution elicited emotions of compassion and love. The ADL Concert Against Hate promoted respect and love by highlighting those who demonstrated such qualities.

Choir members crouch in front of John F. Kennedy during their visit to The Kennedy Center

The Cabaret Kids Are Loving the Limelight BY: BRENDA NGUONLY The CVHS theatre department led by Mike Hudson is putting on the musical Cabaret. Filled with spice and intriguing subplots, Cabaret is bound to bring out our theatre appreciation with its catchy musical numbers. “I play a Jewish fruit vendor who’s in love with Fraulein Schneider,” explained Emilio Canals (10). “This is the second show I’ve been in, I’m excited, it’s going to be a great show.” Canals (Herr Schultz), Josh Ewalt (10) (Cliff Bradshaw), Bree Verrill (10) (Fraulein Schneider), and Binta Barry (12) (Sally Bowles) have been working hard on rehearsals since the second the last week of September. Finally, all their hard work will shine when the play is put on. “We have rehearsed the entire show, except for extras, the principal actors are ready to go,”

said Ewalt. “We still have a lot of little things to get done, but it is coming together a lot quicker than I thought it would,” said Barry. Being a part of something also means discovering your favorite parts about it. “My favorite part is watching all the characters deal with the struggle of Nazis taking over. Some ignore it, some deny it, some are scared and run away.” said Canals. “My favorite part is the subplot where Herr and Schneider decide to get married.” said Ewalt. Ewalt opened up about the infamous stage fright saying, “Maybe it is stage fright, but you get not afraid, but energized.” “I love seeing all the musical aspects of the show – the big numbers with our featured assemble group,” said Barry. “I also love how the play has a clear

2012-2013 STAFF Editors-in-Chief:

Layout Editors:

Michael Bollman Soo Lim

Erin Shin, Stephanie Wiggins

Business & Advertising Manager:

Staff Writers:

Michael Bollman

Section Editors:

Brenda Nguonly (News) Stephanie Wiggins (Feature) Erin Shin (Op-Ed) Katie Blumer (Sports)

Katie Blumer, Michael Bollman, Nathanael Kim, Soo Lim, Brenda Nguonly, Erin Shin, Stephanie Wiggins Adviser: Chris Kervina Questions? CVHSnews@gmail.com

path into corruption.” The stage this year will definitely be bursting with potential from all theatre students. Ewalt has starred in shows since he was born. As an infant, he starred as baby Jesus in a nativity scene. He is toying with the idea of becoming a voice actor. Barry also plans on studying theatre in the future. Barry and Sally Bowles share things in common. “We both have a tendency to act in a vacuum, either purposefully or unintentionally ignoring our surroundings in our quest to achieve a goal. We can also be very over the top and excitable about even the smallest things.” Cabaret will be performed on November 16 at 7:30 PM and on November 17 at 3 PM and 7:30 PM. They go out with a bang on their final show at 3 PM on Sunday, November 18.

The objective of The Sentinel’s Staff is to provide a student forum where information is provided and voices can be heard. Our mission is to provide the student body of Centreville High School an honest and accurate paper produced by the students, for the students. Our editorials represent the opinions of The Sentinel’s editors and always promote the opportunity for critique and response. Our opinion pieces reflect the view of the writer and the writer only, and

By: Stephanie Wiggins The first quarter is already coming to a close, both students and teachers have gotten accustomed to school days consistent of early mornings, late nights, and what seems to be a never ending amount of homework. However there are a few teachers who are viewing this year as a new beginning. Mrs. Hughes, Mrs. Childress, and Mrs. Foussekis not only have to learn new students names, but have to get accustomed to their own new names as well. Although they might get tired of hearing the daily warning bells, late bells, maybe not the dismal bells, but these three haven’t forgotten the church bells that rang this past summer. What’s a better time than the summer to prepare for such a big day? Especially for English teacher, Mrs. Hughes. Mrs. Huges had her wedding day set in her and her husband’s hometown, Buffalo, New York. They met here in Centreville and the morning after her birthday, Todd Hughes proposed to her. Two hundred guests attended the ceremony held in a historic church close by Hotel Lafayette, another historic building from the 1900s. Only two years ago was the hotel bought and workers finished renovations only a few weeks before the reception July 28. “One of my worries was if the renovations would be able to finish in time,” said Mrs. Hughes. Fortunately, the days were spent in ease (aside from a lot of planning on Pinterest). The morning of the wedding Mrs. Hughes stayed in the comfort of her home with her mother and five bridesmaids until the ceremony at 3:00 p.m. “Being with them during the day made everything less stressful. Todd tends to worry a lot and I was worried that he would be nervous. But he wasn’t and everyone seemed really happy,” she said. Both Mrs. Foussekis and Mrs. Childress decided to celebrate one of the biggest moments of their lives in their hometowns as well, both in Fairfax County. Mrs. Childress, born and raised in Centreville, went to Virginia Tech. At Tech she met Dan Childress and they dated for three years to the day they bought a house together in January. On January 23, after dinner at her parents’ house, Dan took back roads to confuse her along the way, took her to their new home,

By: Brenda Nguonly The Cabaret play flyer as it will appear on official play bills and t-shirts, designed by Christine Carneal.

Editorial Policy are not printed to offend. This is a publication that maintains high standards and proper ethical conduct, per the guidelines of professsional and scholastic journalism organizations. All letters to the editor must be typed and signed. They can be dropped off at room 116 or in the main office in Mrs. Kervina’s mailbox. We reserve the right to edit the responses for length, grammatical correctness, and spelling.

Features

Better Church Bells Than School Bells

Lexi Moles

BY: NATHANaEL KIM

november 8, 2012

Advertising Policy The Sentinel, a student written and edited publication of Centreville High School, serves the CVHS community. We accept all advertising relevant to the students, parents, and CVHS staff. We reserve the right to decline any advertising deemed in violation of the Students Rights and Responsibilities or inappropriate for a school setting. All comments or complaints should be addressed to the editorial staff. Prospective advertisers should contact the Business and Advertising Manager at cvhsnews@gmail.com for rates and deadlines.

As Thanksgiving rounds round the corner, thanks will be given across the nation. Also, Centreville students look back on what exactly they’re thankful for. “I’m thankful for my family, that my parents are financially stable, and for my electronic devices,” said Enzo Vargas (11). Vargas, like many other students, spends Thanksgiving with his family, filling up on a feast of turkey, mashed potatoes, ham, dessert, and some homemade “tres leches” (three milks cake). Vargas is one example of just how diverse we are, many of us having Thanksgivings of mixed sorts.

got out of the car, got on one knee, and popped the question. “I told him that if he proposed in public, I would say no because I didn’t like people freaking out around me,” Mrs. Childress said. Mrs. Childress got married June 30 in Centreville Methodist Church and the couple had their reception at Waterford in Fair Oaks “I thought I was going to throw up and worried that I would be nervous because there were more than 200 guests. It’s funny how things never turn out the way you had them planned,”Mrs. Childress said. The main thing she didn’t expect was El Derecho, the aggressive storm that knocked out power to more than 1 million people throughout D.C., Maryland and Virginia. “The power was knocked out the day before the wedding. Six other brides that day didn’t have power and I’m grateful that we were lucky and think God was looking out for me on that day. Some people couldn’t dry their hair that day, so everyone’s hair was all poofy, but I didn’t care,” she said. Eating with her friends at Panera and going to the salon together before the ceremony had helped her ease her nerves. “I know people say this a lot and it sounds really cliché, but I had the best day of my life and had so much fun,” she said. Mrs. Foussekis also met her husband Michael Foussekis at Virgnia Tech. They dated for 6 years until one day they came home from dinner and she found a file on the desktop labeled “Open Kate.” It opened a silly quiz about their relationship, which led her to a scavenger hunt all around the apartment to a scrapbook that Michael had put together. She sobbed as she flipped the pages until she found a letter on the second to last page about making future memories together. The last page that read “Will you marry me?” They got married September 2 at Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, with at least a hundred people attending. “I was stressed, but excited. There were more details than I ever thought. We were given the wrong wedding cake, but no one else knew about it, so I just let it go,” Foussekis said. The two of them haven’t decided their honeymoon location and have gone back and forth between the Caribbean and Spain.

Alison Foussekis

Lindsey Childress

Alison Hughes

Kate and Micheal Foussekis smile under the chuppah Michael made especially for the wedding.

Lindsey and Dan Childress slowdance at their well-lit reception in Waterford.

Alison and Todd Hughes leave the chapel as loved ones blow bubbles and cheer. Lindsey Childress

Mrs. Childress smiles for a photo with friends and family. Front row, from left to right: Maria Mahoney, Stephanie Hurst, Lindsey Childress, Megan Cotner, Brittany Hurst, Nicole Tucker. Back row, from left to right: Matt DiPasquale, Calvin Childress, Chia Chan, Dan Childress, Matt Hunley, Will McConnell. Alison Hughes

Kate Foussekis

Todd and Alison Childress laugh as they embrace each other during their reception in Lafayette.

Kate Foussekis(center) laughs besides Michael’s sister Jessica with her friends Kelly (left) and Sherri (right).

Time for Giving Thanks

Brothers Boaz (12) and Jacob (11) Lee let on about their KoreanAmerican traditions, “We usually get together with family and friends and have turkey, green beans, gravy, rice, kimchi, and gimbap (similar to sushi).” There’s also things a cookin’ at sophomore Maria Rivera-Morales’s house, “We make a Spanishstyle turkey.” Along with the great food, Rivera-Morales also expresses her parental appreciation, “I’m thankful to have my parents because some don’t.” “We go to my Dad’s coworker’s house, whose daughter is a culinary student that makes us the best gourmet meals,” said Alex Frigerio (12), who also explained

her “crazy hours”. “I’m thankful for my family tolerating my craziness during this stressful college time.” said Frigerio. Judy Oh (12) agrees, saying “I’m thankful for my family, friends, and the roof over my head.” Along with the people we love, we often take for granted the good cards that life deals us. “I was thankful when I found out I could play sports again after my injury,” said Madi Noel (10). Thanksgiving is one holiday filled to the brim with a rich history, tradition, and myths. Ever since past presidents Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, John Adams, and James Madison encouraged appreciation of the new, prosper-

ous country, Thanksgiving has been celebrated annually. It’s usually traced back to 1621 Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts, when Puritan settlers arranged a feast after a good harvest. The states didn’t celebrate the holiday on the same day until 1863, when Abraham Lincoln officially set the date on the last Thursday of November. In 1941, Franklin D. Roosevlet changed the date again to the fourth Thursday of November. According to History.com’s “Thanksgiving: Fact or Fiction,” because Thanksgiving is an invented holiday, there are many myths be dispelled. The eccentric Benjamin Franklin proposed in a letter to his daughter that the national

symbol should be a turkey, a “true original Native of America.” Gimbel’s, a Philly department store, was the first store to sponsor a Thanksgiving parade, not Macy’s. Turkeys are not slow, flightless birds. In fact, lighter females can half fly, half run up to 25-30 miles per hour, 50 for short distances. Domestic turkeys can manage a slow walk. Ever get drowsy at the table? Blame the gobblers. Turkey has the tryptophan amino acid that acts as a sedative. Added to the fats and carbohydrates of the rest of the meal, Thanksgiving makes for many sleepy people. Regardless of how people spend Thanksgivimg, the holiday remains a traditional staple. If not

Feature

november 8, 2012

Colors, Classes, and Characters Spirit was definitely in the air through the hallways this year when Centreville saw a huge increase in the number of people who participated compared to that of last year. The week prior to homecoming when SGA creates a daily theme that each student must match in his or her own creative way. This always gets our students ready for Homecoming and that big football game on Friday night. “Being in SGA, you are required to dress up for every spirit day, and usually that’s all we see. But this year I think everyone loved the ideas and had a great time dressing up for every day! I sure did,” said Ashley Forbes (11). Spirit days traditionally revolve around the homecoming theme, which was “A Night in the Islands.” Monday was Maui Monday, Tuesday Character Day, Wednesday Relax and Kick Back Day (check on that-pajama day), Thursday Class Color Day, and Friday Black Out. Many students noticed the turn out this year.

Lauren Jones (10) and Erin Seabrook (11) show off their Maui Monday outfits.

Madison Noel (10) and Noel Brown (10) drop it like it’s hot.

By: Soo Lim Guilietta Whitman is not at all shy and stands out among most students. Unlike many freshmen, Whitman has already taken a huge step in her life. At the age of 14, she began her career. Whitman is a performer at Jammin’ Java, a music club, café, and bar. Jammin’ Java, located in Vienna is top 100 in ticket sales. Whitman, who performs as “TheyCallMePiano is a phenomenal singer, skilled pianist, drummer, and guitarist. “Performing on stage is the best feeling in the entire world. When I go to bed, I think about how I could do this all day,” said Whitman. When she’s not performing on stage, Whitman plays alto saxophone for the marching band at Centreville High School. “I love it so much. Even though it is a lot of hard work, I have made lots of new friends and have always wanted to be in the marching band. All the memories

Devin Kelly (11) and Kasey Martino (11) show off their class color.

Carl Ehinger (12), Rachel Orlowsky (12), Jennifer Zenko (12), and Sophia Lee (11) on character day. Students were encouraged to wear their favorite costumes.

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There’s No Place Like Home...Coming game to be announced to the student body and community attending the game. “We do all this in heels too,” said Woolf. The Homecoming princesses have always been a tradition at Centreville High School and they will continue to be for a very long time. “We have never had any problems with the beautiful young girls who represent our school and everybody seems to love the idea,” SGA Teacher Demby Banbury said.

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Brother’s Band (Nat and Alex Wolff), in February 2012. The Naked Brother’s Band previously had its own TV show on Nickelodeon in 2008-2009. On the days

she toured with Nat and Alex in Westchester, New York, Whitman had to miss school. Whitman is a hundred percent original; she writes her own music videos and makes her own lyrics. Her favorites include “True Story”, “Responsible”, and “Exit”, which can all be found on iTunes or YouTube. Whitman creates her own music videos with her dad anywhere she feels is a good spot. “Many people think I plan my music videos, but actually, we just pick a random spot and shoot. We make our music videos in public areas so people usually stare and watch,” said Whitman. Whitman began singing at the age of three and taught herself everything. She started with the piano by playing some chords and has now become very proficient at playing several instruments. After high school, Whitman plans to go to college and major in music. She also wants to pursue her singing career.

are unforgettable,” said Whitman. Whitman has opened up for a long list of bands; her favorite bands include “Fall Worth” and “Call for Fire.” Whitman regu-

larly performs at Jammin Java and continues to open up for bands and play gigs. Whitman had her first tour with a famous band, The Naked

department he relays information to the counsel department and attends foreign language meetings. “We also run groups about active Study Skills, looking at colleges and so on.” said Ms. DeHaven (counselor for students with last names starting with K. Kim – Man) They are a team of professionals and understand some students are comfortable talking with someone who isn’t their assigned counselor. “We are like the Avengers and all have our individual strengths,” said Vasquez. They have an open door policy, but respect the assigned counselor and will share information with them as a courtesy. All three agree that Centreville’s strength is in athletics and academics. “Work hard, play hard is what I like to say.” said Mr. Vasquez. “From my research, I only have positive remarks on the school. Wildcat nation is a festive group full of spirit. The day the marching band roamed around the school Friday really lifted my spirits and I was happy to see many students participate.” He said even though he previously worked for Herndon High for

seven years. Vasquez was able to an assistant coach for Centreville’s Mr. Vaquez’s office. “A lot of people apply for this make a comeback saying, “I’m Cross Country team. actually a resident of Centreville Although it’s the trio’s first position and I feel grateful to be and happy to serve the local com- time working together, they have chosen.” said Mrs. DeHaven. “We munity.” lunch together, and meet regular- are happy to be here and hope to “A lot of the students took the ly in and out of school. “It’s funny be here for a while.” initiative to say hello. Everyone that we happen to be neighbors in is very welcoming.” said Ms. De- Chesapeake Sub School and got Haven who previously worked at accustomed to stopping by each Pimmit ALC in Fairfax County. other’s rooms for anything.” said She also happens to be a 2000 Mrs. Dehaven who works beside Centreville Graduate. “I like this school because I feel the faculty communicates well with one another. It’s been a really easy transition because everyone gets along with one another.” said Dittmar. He has been in Virginia 20 FREE Ink Colors • Multi-Color Printing for only two Digital B/W & Full Color Copying/Printing years and was Business and Medical Forms • Numbered Tickets a counselor for Newsletter Specialists • Rubber Stamps Lake Braddock Directories • Booklets • Presentation Folders last year. In the beginning of Letterhead/Envelopes • Mail Preparation the year he was CD/DVD Duplication and Printing

Other than being helping hands and running various programs like the freshman orientation and the senior seminar what else do counselors do throughout the school year? During the time students have been in Centreville how many of them know, out of the nine counselors in the school, who their counselor is? Those who haven’t yet should consider visiting the miscellaneous additions to the school, Mr. Vasquez, Ms. DeHaven, and Mr. Dittmar. “We wear many hats, but ultimately we’re here to serve students” said Mr. Vasquez. (counselor for students with last names starting with Mar-No). Sometimes they’re one of the crowds and greet anyone who acknowledges them in the halls. “I try to get to know as many teachers as I can.” said Mr.Dittmar (the counselor for students with last names starting with TiZ).“My main goal is to help students be successful academically and be an outlet students can go to for personal or academic need.” He is also the World Language liaison. Whenever there are updates with the foreign language

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A Cornucopia of Counselors

Logan Ross (10) and Anna Adere (10) match for Maui Monday.

By: Stephanie Wiggins

by: katie blumer The beginning of October doesn’t just signal the middle of fall or the deciding weeks of the football season. This month is the time to vote for of our school’s princesses for the Homecoming court. Girls from each grade, usually three from the freshman, sophomore, and junior class, along with eight or nine from the senior class, are chosen to represent their grade at the homecoming pep rally, parade, and football game. Those chosen this year include freshmen Grace Mondloch, Laura Cho, and Lexi Littlefield; sophomores Nora Winsler, Lisa Dinshel, and Bree Verrill; juniors Madi Simons, Lena Shalaby, and Elin Woolf; seniors, Alex Myers, Brooke Peterson, Esther Yoon, Lauren Liddle, Lexi Moles, Paige Reaman, Rachel Orlowsky, Daria Baker, and Hannah Dickey. These girls aren’t chosen solely based on beauty as we have become accustomed to believe in childhood movies such as Cinderella. These girls are chosen based upon their personality, kindness, school spirit, and overall likeability. “Being a homecoming princess is a first for me but I think I will like everything about it. And I am so happy that I was chosen,” said Simons. The week of homecoming is quite an eventful one for the homecoming princesses. They must plan a skit for Friday’s pep rally, participate in the homecoming parade immediately after school, and walk onto the field during halftime of the football

5 Courtesy of Guiletta Whitman

by: katie blumer

“Every grade level participated and had a blast,” said Sahil Grover (11). The Spirit Week days help bring the school and its students together and get ready and excited for the week to come. “This year was even better than last and I now look forward to next year’s Spirit Week even more! Can’t wait!” Noelle Brown (10) said.

Feature

November 8, 2012

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Feature/OP-ED

November 8, 2012

Writing the Right Stuff: Writing Center Aids Students in Composition Michael Bollman

BY: MICHAEL BOLLMAN

Tutor Sarah Hudson (11) looks over as Hannah Underhill (10) composes her essay.

This dedication and comprehensive effort has made the Writing Center an extremely vital tool for students. Ms Hughes states, “My students are amazing, and it’s wonderful to see them take responsibility and ownership of the writing process.” Tutors also thoroughly enjoy assisting students with essay writing. Wills says, “I like tutoring in the Writing Center because you

New Library System: Choice Academics Tickets Success

time to grab a ticket and get into the library voiced their support for the program and how much more effective the new and improved library is a workspace. “Students are telling us how they enjoy the new system over the old,” said Miller. “We’re glad it’s running so smoothly. We did this for the students, what we do is always for the students, and we’re glad they’re enjoying it.

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Room 116 or 244 Questions? Melissa.Rife1@fcps.edu

Students wait tensely for Dr. Campbell to finish reading a question.

The Gloves are Off: Winter Sports Heat Up CVHS

Swim and Dive

The Centreville Swim and Dive teams have always been prestigious and have been a very successful program over the years. Not having a coach last year, the team shared one with the Westfield Swim and Dive team. The two teams collaborate on technique and strategy. “This year I don’t think we will be that great considering there aren’t that many people trying out. We really need all the people we can get to come out this year,” said junior diver McKenzie Islin. Hopefully this year the Wildcats can get the support and outcome they need. Tryouts will be held on November 6-8 4-6:30 p.m.

BY: Katie Blumer

Gymnastics

The Lady Wildcat Gymnastics Team led by Head Coach Holly Richbourg hopes to show the Concorde District their skills in this upcoming season. “Individual scores have always been excellent for our team and I hope we can have a ground breaking season this year,” said junior Katherine Zempolich. Tryouts for the Gymnastics Team will be held on November 5 at 3p.m., and the coaches hope to see you there.

Caroline Campbell (11) competes on the uneven bars.

Indoor Track

Last year’s indoor track team finished 6th in both the Girls and Boys Concorde District Meet. Qualifying for the Northern Region Meet, the 4x400 relay team including 2012 seniors Brett Martin and Texas Williams, junior Mike Wright, and sophomore Chase Heiner the boys also gained entry into the VHSL State Meet by finishing 4 in the trial and eventually 7 in the final competition. This year the team is ready for anything and is willing to work hard to reach their goals. Runner Marcel Smith (12) said, “This being my senior year, I wish to make it one to remember.” The Wildcat runners plan to be fierce competitors this season.

Wrestling

Logan Ross (10) swimming the 200m butterfly.

Ryan Sepulveda (12) takes down an opponent in the VHSL District wrestling meet.

The Wildcat Wrestling team has proven every year to be a huge competitor and have outstanding finishing records for each individual each season. “Lots of boys tried out last year and it was a great experience for me. I loved the coaches and my teammates,” said current sophomore Zach Forbes. A promising season lies ahead for the Wildcats, tryouts were held on November 3, which was the first day of tryouts for both the Varsity and Junior Varsity teams.

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ficient system”, an important question needs to be considered. Is assigning CATS schedules to these students really necessary? “Kids should be allowed to go where they want,” said Matthew Lee (9). Many other students agree with Matthew Lee’s statement. Students should make choices according to their needs. But, let’s be honest, not every student is going to have a fiery passion to go to the class they are failing. Some students may be failing because of just plain laziness. Failing to complete work has taken a toll on these students’ grades. Just a push could bring those grades back up without having to sit in a class that the student understands during CATS. Other students may actually be struggling with the subject itself. These are the students who should be going to that class regularly for CATS. But because the reasons students are failing are hard to differentiate, failing students may need to be assigned to CATS, regardless. However, teachers could prioritize. During CATS time, half of the period could be devoted to working with the assigned kids, and the other half with other students. Or CATS time during two days of the week could be devoted to assigned kids, and the other three to other students, and vice versa. Willing students could tutor these assigned students for volunteer hours during CATS as well There are many options that would make our school’s assigned CATS schedule system more efficient and for students. CATS can definitely help those students in need when both the teacher and student are actively working together to achieve success.

Max Steinmetz

by: erin shin CATS time is a period when students are given the opportunity to go to the classroom of their choice, the media center or cafeteria. But some students have the “privilege” of being assigned to specific classes for CATS. These students are given schedules for CATS and are required to go to the classes they are failing, which is determined by interim and quarter grades. They receive help to boost their grades up. But does this actually help students? Is this assigned CATS schedule effective? Is assigning CATS time really necessary? Classrooms fill quickly with students, both assigned and nonassigned, during CATS to get help from teachers. But the teachers can only cater to so many students at a time. “CATS is always overcrowded and teachers can’t address the specific needs of the students,” Ryan Kim (11) said. Hojin Yeo (11) agreed, “It’s stupid. Basically all you do is fool around. There are so many students in one class so the teacher can’t assist all students.” Assigned students are not always guaranteed to receive help when masses of students overwhelm the teachers every CATS period. Jesse Asare-Addo (12), who has witnessed this, said that “some kids don’t do anything at all, so they aren’t determined to do work.” Students are kept in the dark longer, because of continuous neglect casued by overcrowding. Of course, nobody is to blame for this, but it does call for a new, efficient system. Before going into this “new, ef-

in the competition was a little disappointed with how things shook out. “We left with a dull sense of dissatisfaction, it’s the third year going that we’ve gotten second place,” he said. Although things didn’t go exactly as planned, Lee says he and the team found the competition incredibly rewarding. “We learned how to think on our feet and to function smoothly under pressure. That’s what made the experience so worthwhile.”

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CATS: Counterproductive or Not?

Dr. Campbell runs students through rounds of competetive, fast-paced trivia. Students are arranged into two teams of four, teams must race to buzz in and give a correct answer.

The Centreville Wildcats varsity Basketball team gets a halftime pep talk from coach Drew Murphy.

Boys Basketball

The Boys Basketball Team hopes to come out strong in this 2012-2013 season and make a name for themselves. Last year’s team had the talent and potential but eventually finished with an overall record of 11-14 and a district record of 5-5. The Concorde District is the most competitive in the state and always has the topnotch athletes willing to do anything for a win. With a loss of five seniors last season, three of whom started, the fans should expect to see some new talent with a different mix of players. Head Coach Drew Murphy hopes to lead the team to victory and show the district that Centreville Boys Basketball is here and here to stay. JV 20112012 Record: 10-6, District: 4-6. Freshman 2011-2012 Record: 7-9, District: 4-6.

what we want,” said junior player Jenna Green. This year seems promising for the Lady Wildcats due to their loss of only two seniors last season, while many other teams in the district lost key varsity players. New Head Coach Tom Watson said, “When my girls put their minds to it they can do anything they want. They just got to have the determination.” With a new coach and a new group of athletic freshman players, the squad hopes to see the Girls Basketball Team achieve a record-breaking season. JV 20112012 Record: 14-2, District: 8-2. Freshman 2011-2012 Record: 115, District: 6-4. Celeste Linthicum

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with the writing process. Once the evaluation is filled out and filed, each tutee receives a nice piece of candy. Knowing that the writing process is draining, it’s nice to see that the Writing Center genuinely cares about helping students. Each tutor puts an enormous amount of effort working on all kinds of essay and thus is equipped to help any writer, ailing or outstanding. So, regardless of any circumstance, students should make it a

Academic program. Dr. Campbell re-founded and revitalized the club when he took over as sponsor 10 years ago, driving the club with his deep interest in a diversified field of learning. “When I was a little kid it dazzled me that my father knew so many things about so many things. All my life I have spent learning a wide base of general knowledge.” The club was renewed, but Dr. Campbell wanted to return it to its glory days: to reinstate the annual NBC trip. “I called It’s Academic and talked to their manager, Susan Altner, and said if you ever need a team, we’ll be there. Three weeks later, I got a call from her to come with a team the next morning. A team of four stand-out players is selected from the club regulars. The team plays together at club meetings for months before the competition to hone their chemistry. Seniors Joshua Lee, Ben Sando, Sabrine Ahmed Iqbal, and Junaid Rehman. The four went to battle on the NBC set on Saturday, October 13. The team fought hard, winning over Albert Einstein High School right out of the gate, but the team fell out of the running following a crushing defeat at the hands of Norman Rockwell High School, one of the foremost teams in the competition. Joshua Lee, the captain of the team and a third year participant

Chris Steuble

organized enough to get a pass the day before, rather than those who in the morning remember about a homework assignment due that day. The ticket system also rids the library of the people who simply found the library a decent place to hang out in. This tones the volume down and promotes good productivity for students legitimately working on assignments. “With a comfortable place to work, you get more work done,” said librarian Noel Miller. Also, with the removal of distracting, unruly people Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Pevner spend less time on crowd control and more time helping students with academics and checking books out. The new system improves the quality of the library as a work space, actually returning the library to operation toward its intended purpose. Many students were concerned that the new system would be awkward and inconvenient. However, students who have taken the

get to work one on one with students, and meet new people in an academic setting. For me, helping tutees with their writing is a very welcoming process. It’s a very personal process in that I get to hear their voice.” At the end of each tutoring session, the tutees fill out a PostConference Evaluation, giving even more feedback to the Writing Center. This allows the Writing Center to always make improvements in aiding students

If you’ve ever been to the language hallway after school on a Friday, it’s hard to miss them. Kids yelling loudly; random places, names and facts flying through the air; a smorgasbord of general information. All of it comes from The It’s Academic Club, a group of fact-hungry students led by teacher and club sponsor Dr. David Campbell. Campbell sits two teams across from each other and moderates them through lightning-fast rounds of general information questions. Architecture, Greek mythology, classical literature, last year’s baseball stats, anything goes. The kids are doing something spectacular each and every Friday. You might’ve known that It’s Academic competes at the school every week, but did you know they compete on a set in the Washington NBC complex every year? Every October the It’s Academic nationwide organization invites Centerville to send four representatives to play live on the set of It’s Academic in the NBC studio in Washington D.C. When the school was founded in 1988 the It’s Academic program forged a relationship with Centreville that every year a team would be assembled from the school’s club participants and sent to compete, but after several years the club at Centreville faded, as did their agreement with the It’s

Nicole Trifone

by: michael bollman Have you been turned away from the Library during cats recently? Maybe it’s because you weren’t exclusive enough to be on the guest list. Or it’s because of the new CATS Library ticket system. Students are required to pick up one of a limited number of tickets the day before to gain access to the library during CATS. Centreville High School librarians Noel Miller and Sarah Pevner pushed for this procedure over the old system of open access. Many Centreville students complain that the new system is unfair to students who suddenly need to use the library for work the day of. The new system prevents the hundreds of students running in to finish last-minute assignments, and keeps the vibe a little calmer and less manic. Maybe of those students have a right to have a nice place to work, but perhaps it is best that the library system caters first to those

We’re Not Just Playing Around; It’s Academic.

Michael Bollman

toring process proves to be extremely extensive. Sarah Wills (12), one of the many dedicated tutors, describes the process stating, “We have ‘tutees’ get a cover sheet, where they fill out basic information, including the strengths of their work and what areas they feel they need to improve on. Once the sheet is filled, we have the tutee read the paper out loud. Reading the paper out loud lets the tutee hear what may be wrong with their paper, such as using a certain word one too many times. In short, we’re not really correcting the tutee’s paper, but we are rather working with him or her to improve the paper and their writing in general.” However, the Writing Center is much more than the simple tutoring session. All tutors are enrolled in the Advanced Composition class. As Writing Center facilitator Ms. Hughes puts it, “Advanced Composition covers a wide variety of essays, from narratives to research papers to argument papers. We often work on one essay per quarter, revising, conferencing, editing, and rewriting the paper, to polish it.” Because Writing Center tutors study various essays, they are able to help tutees with different needs in different types of essays.

November 8, 2012

Michael Bollman

by: nathanael kim Writing, oh writing. Just the mention of the word brings feelings of pain and anxiety. Many students can relate to the discomfort that comes with the grueling process of essay composition. Brainstorming, first-draft writing, and final editing can all be a bit too much for anyone to handle. However, Centreville Students don’t have to deal with such stress alone. Our very own Writing Center is the remedy to the sickly writing process. With dedicated tutors and a dedicated supervisor, the Writing Center is one of the best ways for students to receive assistance in composition. Open since October 9, the Writing Center is located in Room 220 in Mrs. Hughes’s room across the Commonwealth and Chesapeake subschools. It’s available for CATS each week from Tuesday through Friday, all lunches from Wednesday to Friday, and after school on Wednesdays. The Writing Center is open to all students, from struggling to excellent writers, freshmen to seniors, and regular to Honors and AP English classes. Students shouldn’t expect to have Writing Center tutors compose their whole essay for them. Rather, the tutors aid students in the writing process and give them feedback on their essays. The tu-

News/OP-ED

Girls Basketball With a finish of 12-12 overall and 3-7 in the Concorde District, the Centreville Girls Basketball Team did well, but didn’t accomplish what they were striving for. “We wanted to win Districts so bad and in the beginning of the season had a perfect record. With these losses and last season’s outcome we have learned to work harder and practice harder for

Jenna Green crossing it over against the Herndon Hornets.

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