The Churchill Observer- December 2016

Montgomery County Public Schools Winston Churchill High School 11300 Gainsborough Rd. Potomac, MD 20854

thechurchillobserver.

January 9, 2017

Volume 41 - Issue 4

A National Blue Ribbon School

Racist Vandalism Disturbs CHS Community

On Nov. 10, a sign was found in a CHS boys bathroom that read “Whites Only.” This goes along with the recent trend of offensive signs and writings in schools since November.

This incident was first reported by the Washington Post on, and was not

publically announced to parents and students by CHS administration until Dec. 15. Other schools around the county immediately notified parents about similar incidents through a letter from the principal, after similar events occurred.

According to Principal

Joan Benz, the school wanted to keep the incident internal and limit the information to specific administrative staff members.

Similar racist incidents have been occurring in schools, churches and other public places around the country.

“There are already extremely closed-minded and intolerant people, but now having someone like Donald Trump as our president-elect just adds fuel to the fire,” senior Lydia Bradley said.

This type of incident alone has occurred at MCPS schools seven times since Presidentelect Donald Trump was elected, twice at Quince Orchard HS (QOHS), once at Burning Tree ES (BTES), twice at Westland MS (WMS), once at Sligo Creek ES (SCES), and once at CHS. It is not clear if all of these crimes were committed by students at that particular school.

According to an Observer poll of sophomores at CHS, about 45 percent of students polled had heard of this vandalism through friends.

This news was also circulating in CHS class of 2020, 2018 and 2017 Facebook groups.

This troubling trend of hate crimes throughout the county has ranged from swastikas to a “Whites Only” sign to a racial slur directed toward African American students at SCES. “This was bigger than just one incident,” junior Hana Mangat said. “The vast majority of students are

By Dani Miller Production Editor Megan Park Business Manager

According to CHS alumna Larisa Millman, who graduated in 2015, Trump’s presidency has already negatively affected her and her friends.

“Mount Holyoke [the school I attend] is about 25 percent international,” Millman said.

“A lot of my international friends are worried they’ll get deported [or] banned from wearing a hijab.”

Sophomore Raaga Sireesharoy echoes this belief. She believes Trump as president will harm our country rather than benefit.

“I think Trump’s presidency is going to create a lot of tension in our country

and actually set us back,” Sireesharoy said. “Because of his presidency, hate crimes are on the rise because people think it’s okay to act [hateful] if their president backs their views.”

Although Trump has already been elected, many in the CHS community are planning on consistently using their voice to stand up against rhetoric and policies with which they don’t agree.

Many protests and marches are being planned Inauguration Day weekend, most notably the “Women’s March on Washington,” which Millman and Sireesharoy both plan on attending.

affected by this.”

Several other schools in MCPS sent out a letter to parents soon after similar incidents occurred in their schools. However, at CHS, students were made aware of this incident through other media outlets as well as teachers and peers.

According to a Nov. 30 Washington Post article, QOHS, SCES and WMS all sent letters to parents soon after the incident occurred.

“I think administration wanted to fully investigate what happened before sending a letter to parents,” sophomore Ben Eisler said. “[They] should have said something to the parents though.”

No charges have been filed against the two male students who put the sign in the bathroom, but internal disciplinary actions have been taken. Some students who were disappointed that CHS did not send a letter out initially, went to administration to talk about the incident.

“Administration was under the impression that it was an isolated incident that didn’t really concern the rest of the school,” Mangat said. “All of the student representatives involved and I just wanted administration to recognize that students really are affected by this.”

A Dec. 14 Washington Post article described alleged racial tensions at CHS. This

article detailed the bathroom sign incident, an incident involving the Republican club, and a separate isolated incident where students surrounded an African American student and shouted “Black Lives Don’t Matter.” The latter incident was reported by a parent, telling school officials that her daughter was surrounded by a group of students and yelling this derogatory phrase at her.

According to the same article, an anonymous CHS staffer said that some staff members are pressing for the school to be more open about incidents and to create a plan for addressing them.

On Dec. 15, Benz sent out a letter to parents and students addressing what the school will do to improve unity after the various incidents were reported by The Washington Post.

According to the email sent out, discrimination is not and never tolerated at CHS and Sources of Strength activities and Cultural Proficiency Training will take place for both students and staff.

Some are disappointed with how these incidents will change the perception of CHS. “More than embarrassing, the incident is disappointing because the recent bathroom incident might have been a joke, but the kids were extremely insensitive and inconsiderate to everyone,” senior Thara Konduri said.

Students Take Action After Polarizing Election With Inauguration Day right around the corner, it is time for country to start thinking about the future.

Mirroring the the current political climate of our country, CHS students have different ideas for how a Trump presidency will affect our country.

For some CHS students and alumni, a Trump-led America causes them unease and is a thought that many people are not satisfied with.

News Grade Reporting

Find out what the asterix on your report card means.

Page 2

Features Interfaith

Read about how Intefaith CHS families celebrated the holidays.

Page 10

Arts

CHS Actors

Take an inside look at the lives of students who do theater outside of school.

Page 8,9

PHOTO COURTESY OF DYLAN FAN.

Protesters at #TurnOutDC event Dec. 17.

“I’m going because I did not have a say in the election but I still want a chance for my

Sports All-Mets

Read about student athletes recognized for their talent.

Page 14

voice to be heard,” Sireesharoy said. “I’m hoping that enough people will participate to get a lot of attention so many will understand the difficulties a lot of women face now that Trump will be our president.”

According to the March’s official Facebook event page, 140 thousand people have RSVP’d to the event while 229 thousand people are interested.

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News

January 9, 2017

Conflict Over East Gate Cell Tower Continues

By Jake Herman Online Opinions Editor

A zoning hearing on Jan. 9 may determine whether Verizon Wireless can build a cell phone tower at East Gate Swim and Tennis Club on the corner of Gainsborough Road and Democracy Boulevard.

After the hearing, the County Zoning Board will decide whether the land at East Gate will be re-zoned so that the cell tower can be built, which would provide the pool with supplemental revenue. Since learning about the lease that the East Gate Recreation Association (EGRA) entered into with Verizon to have a cell tower built on their property, many residents in Snug Hill and the surrounding neighborhoods have actively opposed the construction of a cell tower in a recreational area.

According to Verizon’s Nov. 2 proposal outlining the specifics of the tower, the tower would be 83 feet tall and feature 12 Verizon antennae that would improve wireless LTE speeds in Snug Hill and the surrounding community. Located in the pool’s parking lot, the tower would be surrounded by a 20’ by 35’ perimeter of barbed wire fence that would enclose the tower’s equipment, including generators and batteries.

Since the beginning of the cell tow-

PHOTO BY JAKE HERMAN.

Signs have been put up at the East Gate Swim and Tennis Club in protest of the proposed Verizon Wireless cell phone tower. er process, area residents have voiced concerns about many aspects of the tower, citing worries such as decreasing property values, inconsistency with the character of the neighborhood, and potential health risks associated with the tower’s radiation.

“We want [the EGRA’s] actions to be transparent because it doesn’t just affect the pool,” an anonymous Snug

Hill resident and CHS parent said.

“We don’t want to be blindsided [by the tower].”

Verizon and the EGRA’s pre-hearing statement released Nov. 17 outlines how they will address these concerns at the hearing Jan. 9.

According to the statement, Verizon does not believe that the tower will decrease property values, citing analysis

performed by Valbridge Property Advisors, who objectively evaluate property values. They also believe that the tower will benefit surrounding neighborhoods by improving wireless LTE speeds and reducing the need for other nearby towers.

Even though the decision to partner with Verizon has already been made by the EGRA, many residents who are members of the pool are upset that their opinions were not weighed in the pool’s decision, and are concerned for the pool’s future.

According to the anonymous Snug Hill resident, her biggest concern about the cell tower is that the pool will go out of business, either from previous membership declines or a decline as a result of the cell tower, leaving only a cell tower in a previously recreational area.

East Gate Swim and Tennis Club representatives did not respond to a request to be interviewed for this story.

After the county zoning board rules on the hearing, members of the community may have a better sense as to whether the tower will be built. However, residents opposed to the tower have already filed a lawsuit against the EGRA and will continue to fight the tower if the zoning board approves the cell tower.

New Grade Report Asterix Student Reactions to Election

By Jenna Greenzaid Circulation Manager As per the new grade system, students who receive an A first quarter and a B second quarter will receive an A on their transcript for the semester. Previously, the final exam grade students received determined if their grade rose or fell.

A new concern arose because of an asterisk that’s seen on the MCPS website, which indicates that students who received an A did so by earning an A first quarter and a B second quarter (AB).

The confusion has been revolving around students who are worried that colleges would see an asterisk beside their grades for subjects for which they went AB. “The asterisk is utilized as a means to show which calculations are differ-

ent from our previous grading system on the county website and will not appear on the transcript,” guidance counselor Makeyda Soriano said.

The asterisk seen on the website is just to differentiate between the new changes in the grading system compared to what is the same as before.

According to Principal Joan Benz, the only things that have changed is that there are Required Quarterly Assessments (RQAs) instead finals and the RQAs count for ten percent of students’ grades instead of 20 or 25 percent like finals used to.

Although there has been confusion concerning the rumors of asterisks appearing on transcripts, what’s floating around is just a rumor and should be no cause for concern.

According to registrar Kari Lantos, even though there has been confusion about the issue, the asterisks are nothing more than a clarification point.

New Parking Spots Made Available

By Lauren Roseman News Editor Recently, more parking spots in the Senior Lot became available to seniors due to a reassignment of other previously reserved parking spaces and students not meeting criteria for parking spot eligibility.

CHS senior parking lots are filled by seniors who have won the parking lottery or were selected as alternates and then later received spots.

According to Business Administrator Lisa Wellek, the lottery is conducted because “parking spaces in the lot are very limited.”

Each May, eligible seniors are able to participate in a parking lottery to potentially receive a parking spot. To be eligible for a CHS parking spot, seniors must have a valid driver's license, be academically eligible, be absent of all financial obligations and have completed all SSL hours prior to the senior parking lottery.

“Alternates are selected in the event students decide against purchasing a

parking permit or fail to meet the criteria,” Wellek said.

According to Wellek, there are also limited number of reserved parking spots available for students in the Internship or Montgomery College Dual Enrollment Programs.

To decide who would get to park in the newly available spots, administration and security recently conducted an additional parking lottery of seniors with street parking passes, and then contacted the seniors who had won that lottery. Those seniors needed to have exchanged their street parking passes to be able to park in the Lot. “I felt really happy because I didn't need to worry about coming to school so early to ‘steal’ a street parking spot,” senior Emma Jin, who recently received a parking spot, said. “But I was also slightly annoyed due to the timing of the announcement.”

According to Wellek, instead of selecting 10 alternates in the Spring Senior Lottery, there will be 20 in order to prevent this delay from occurring in future years.

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“[The Women’s March on Washington] is a March letting the Trump administration know that women will not tolerate Trump’s policies towards women and other oppressed groups.” Millman said. “I encourage everyone who is reading this to go.”

Some believe that protests add fuel to the fire and do not have a positive effect on our nation.

According to sophomore Joseph Gardemal, all that these protests and marches do is further divide us.

In fact, much of CHS is excited about the notion of a Trump presidency, believing it will positively affect our country’s future.

“Change is good every once in awhile,” Gardemal said. “We need different people running the government and expressing their views so that our country doesn’t become too one-sided.”

Although one could argue that our school is more divided than ever,

people with both political ideologies still continue to use their voice while working hard to make a change.

In the midst of all the anti-Trump events occurring on Inauguration Day, the pro-Trump organization Bikers for Trump as well as as a smaller proTrump group, who self identify as Let America Hear us Roar for Trump! is planning an event as well.

According to the Let America Hear us Roar for Trump! Facebook event page, they are expecting around 500 people for their event and “Bikers for Trump” is reportedly expecting thousands of people.

Unlike the Women’s March, no known CHS Trump supporters are planning to attend either of these two events.

With powerful rhetoric and avid disagreements on both sides, the future of our country under a Trump administration seems more unclear and potentially scary than ever to some.

“We live in Trump’s America now,” senior Autumn Cook said. “All bets are off.”

Observations

January 9, 2017

3

Orchestra’s Tango Night

Band Concert

Stories By Eugenia Cardinale Editor-in-Cheif The CHS Symphonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Ensemble Symphony held their annual winter concert Dec. 15.

The theme of the concert was “Tango Nights.” Songs performed included “Oblivion” by Asto Piazzolla, “It Takes One to Tango” by Brian Balmages and “El Tango Roxanne” by Sting.

The CHS Concert Band, Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony held their annual winter concert Dec. 13.

Some of the songs performed included “Jurassic Park” by John Williams, Music from The Incredibles

by Michael Giacchino and “Old Irish Tune” by Larry Daehn. “[My favorite song to perform was] Jurassic Park’ because I was able to relive my childhood and it was just a vibe,” senior and clarinet player Jonathan Shyy said. “The band put in the work day in and day out. ”

“My favorite to perform was ‘Oblivion’ because I had a huge solo in it and the music and harmonies in general are really pretty,” sophomore and violin player Teddi Zhao said.

“The piece is calming and soothing. I also knew the piece beforehand which made me like to perform it.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL WU.

Winter Choral Concert

Winter Jazz Coffeehouse

PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL WU.

The CHS Jazz Ensemble held its annual winter coffeehouse Dec. 7.

Songs performed included “Shiny Stockings” by Frank Foster, “Night Walk” by Victor Lopez, “Big Dipper”

by Thad Jones, “Skylark” by Hoagy Carmichael and “I Love You” by Cole Porter.

“Every coffeehouse is different as seniors graduate and new underclassmen join us, but another difference this year was that I was featured on a ballad, ‘Skylark,’” senior and tenor saxophone player Hannah Locraft said. “It was a challenge for everyone but it felt great to perform and I’m happy about how it turned out.”

Spanish Teacher Retired

By Rebekah Sklute Online News Editor

After many years of being a devoted, enthusiastic and compassionate Spanish teacher of several levels, World Language Department Chair, Sharon Kleiman retired over the summer and did not return for the 2016-2017 school year.

Kleiman made each lesson exciting and interactive. She filled each class period with several activities for students to complete and learn. Her high expectations for her students encouraged them to succeed and try their best.

To many students, she was a caring and enthusiastic teacher who was excited about learning and always offered extra help to those who needed it.

“She was always such a good listener and was willing to give up all of her lunch to help kids understand,” junior Kate Vermilyea said.

Bruce and Valerie Adelson Bob and Barbara Appelbaum Dylan Appelbaum The Bandaks Mira and Lara Bayrakter Tracy Birnbaum The Cardinale Family Sara Deychman Jennifer & Justin Dross Wendy Emery Kathleen & Steve Ervin Rosenberg Family Einhorn Family The Fletcher Family The Daniels Family The Berinstein Family The Raab Family Beth Freedman Donna & Dan Goldberg

The Choral department held its annual winter concert Dec. 15.

Showstoppers, Jazz Ambassadors, Voices of a Generation and Pitch Pipes performed a variety of songs by popular performers, including “Under the Mistletoe” by Justin Bieber, “Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars and “Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson.

“Performing with the choir at [CHS] has been enlightening,” sophomore and Jazz Ambassador Jeevan Bawa said. “This specific concert was a little different in that we performed some songs that we also showcased at the jazz and show choir festival on Friday, but other than that, it was rewarding as usual.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF VERONICA ESPINOZA.

Senior Sam Yosef, Junior Ethan Miller, Sophmores Jeevan Bawa and Tate Goldberg pictured.

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Opinions

4

The Churchill

Observer

Editors Editors-in-Chief Eugenia Cardinale Arielle Gordon Online Editor-in-Chief Nathan Deychman

Chief Production Manager Emiliana Cardinale Production Editors Camila Camp Eli Gordon Will Hyland Dani Miller Jake Herman News Editors Thomas Atkinson Lauren Roseman Opinions Editors Maya Rosenberg* Sofia Williamson* Observations Editor Sai Sreenivasan Features Editors Sara Heimlich* Emily Wang Arts Editors Sarah O’Brien Balbina Yang Sports Editors Ben Dross Kyle Emery Fact Checkers Bryan Fletcher* Ethan S. Miller Matthew Sun

Social Media Editors Julia Lescht Laura Sneller* Drew Ingall Anna Baranko Joe Raab Sophie Liss *also Production Editor

Managers

Advertising Manager Max Kandel Business Managers Eliza Asbury Megan Park

Circulation Managers Brandon Li Jenna Greenzaid* Contest Managers Vicky Gunawan Nora Holland Adviser Mary Dempsey

Our Policy The Churchill Observer is published monthly by the students of Winston Churchill High School, 11300 Gainsborough Road, Potomac, Md. 20854.

Advertising and subscription rates are available by e-mailing churchill.observer@gmail.com.

Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of staff, faculty or the student body.

Every effort has been made by the staff to ensure that the news is accurate and free of bias.

Editorial opinions are those of the Observer staff, and personal commentaries and cartoons reflect the opinions of their writers. Letters to the editor must be signed, and assertions must be documented upon request. Send letters to the editor to churchill.observer@gmail.com The Observer is a public forum for the purpose of expressing the views of and informing the CHS community.

January 9, 2017

Good Communication is Necessary We think of CHS as place where all are welcome and as a place where students have the support they need. But time and time again, this ideal has unfortunately been proven incorrect.

Over the past year, CHS has been through an extraordinary number of emotional stressors. As a community, we look towards our friends, family and administration for support in challenging times. However, when we turn towards our administration for support, it can often feel like information is being kept secret and guidance.

According to a Nov. 30 Washington Post article, two boys taped a “Whites Only” sign on a bathroom door Nov. 10, here at CHS. For some, news of this act was a shock. But for others, this event was old news.

This event was racist, horrible and above all, unacceptable. It is horrific that such an act happened at our school, but what is even more astounding is that fact that so few people were informed about the event directly after it occurred. While the Washington Post reported on the incident two weeks after it occurred, our own administration failed to address it with students and parents in a timely manner.

According to Dr. Joan Benz, a notification wasn’t immediately sent out to parents or students because such a notice would have identified the two students who put up the sign. In addition, the incident did not directly impact students emotionally or physically, so there was no need for communication with parents and students.

Yes, this occurrence involved only two students. But the number of students involved in a racist, discriminatory act does not correlate with the number of students that the action could affect. We are a community made up of many different groups.

When one group is targeted, we are all targeted.

What if there had not been a Washington Post article about the racist incidents that have occurred in MCPS since the election? Would we have even been aware of a racist occurrence within our own school?

It should not take a major media outlet to inform both students and staff about something that has happened within their very own school, especially so long after the event occurred.

A letter notifying parents was sent out Dec. 15, more than a month after the incident occurred.

According to the letter, Sources of Strength (SOS) activities were planned for before winter break, and staff and students will undergo “Cultural Proficiency Training” after break.

SOS activities are not a replacement for the support and awareness administration should have provided around the time of the incident. Training for staff and students is a good effort, but it is too little, too late. These actions should have been taken right after the incident occurred, not because there was a backlash against the way administration dealt with it.

of the majority student body, instead demonstrating that they are vested in protecting the identity of the few.

Administration doesn’t need to, nor are they supposed to, tell us everything. However, when an discriminatory incident such as this occurs, it is administration’s duty to inform and reassure the community in a timely manner as well as condemn the event itself. Students were not only hurt by the act, but by the fact that their own administration felt that it was unnecessary to alert them properly.

This racist incident is only one reported example of racial injustice in CHS, but it reveals the pattern of secrecy and indifference that our own ad-

O O

BSERVER PINION

CHS is not the only school that has experienced a racist incident post-election. At Quince Orchard, where a similar discriminatory incident occurred Nov. 29, the administration was more timely in addressing their incident.

They sent home a letter to students and parents, and supported their community at a tense, crucial time.

CHS administration must follow similar steps as QO. Communication after events like these is imperative in order to maintain trust.

Even if students did not view the vandalism themselves, word travels quickly at CHS. Misinformation about this incident began to spread.

Rumors thrived about how the incident occurred, who found out about it, what punishment was given to those involved. All of that could have been avoided if CHS leadership had been proactive in addressing the situation.

By not alerting parents, staff and students, administration has failed to express that they care about well-being

ministration shows us. Students must be informed and supported when things like this happen. The CHS community cannot go on being excluded from crucial information.

However, things can, and should change. It is time for transparency, trust and truth, all of which can be accomplished by simply informing the CHS community when incidents occur that truly impact them. A better flow of information will strengthen the bond between our administration and our students, a bond that is crucial for CHS’ future success.

In our society, it is imperative to be informed on all types of issues, whether it be politics, pop culture or any event that impacts us. Some responsibility of being informed may fall on students themselves, but when issues such as these arise, administration must make students and staff aware of what’s going on in CHS.

Meditation Mediates School Misbehavior

By Sai Sreenivasan Observations Editor To the general public, mediation is sometimes considered an odd practice of introspection. There are misconceptions of meditation as a practice wherein one sits cross-legged repeating “ommm” in order to clear the mind.

However, with some elementary schoolers, meditation has become an effective coping mechanism. As these students struggle in class due to various problems within their own lives, they have mastered the art of meditation to help resolve the issues that plague them.

According to a Sept. 2016 Huffington Post article, the Robert W. Coleman Elementary School in Baltimore, Md., created the Mindful Moment Room to help students deal with anger, stress or anxiety. The room is open to students whenever they are feeling upset and it is also used for students who have misbehaved. Ever since the room was implemented in 2015, there has not been a single suspension in the school.

When elementary schoolers act out, the ordinary response from teachers is to scold or to punish them. But, in

no way does that treatment change the student’s behavior. In fact, being yelled at only worsens the situation instead of helping the student resolve inner conflicts that he or she may be facing.

Although young children may be more open to “spiritual” guidance, if CHS students were given the same opportunity, they may reap similar benefits.

In today’s digital age, teenagers are glued to their devices which prevent them from living in the moment. With distractions almost everywhere, teens are very rarely able to take a breath and center themselves. Meditation allows students to slow down and take a breath, reducing the stress of the situation they are facing.

Meditation also goes beyond and introspection. According to 2013 Northeastern University study, meditation improves social behavior as well making individuals more compassionate.

With the daily turmoil occurring from school to politics, friendships to family members, and projects and tests, the best thing to do is love each other a bit more and be more understanding.

According to a 2011 Harvard University study, meditation increases dark tissue in the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain important for learning and memory.

Furthermore, this increase in brain matter also leads to an increase in academic performance.

The idea of detention has a negative connotation, and students sentenced to detention are often labeled as rebels or bad students.

While detention has its benefits as an effective deterrent of poor behavior, its overuse has proved detrimental to students. Meditation should be open to every student to take the opportunity to reflect and relax during times of difficulty.

CHS could designate a room to be a silent zone for students who need time to center themselves and take a break from stress. A club could even be started to educate students about meditation techniques. Meditation could even serve as an alternate option for detention.

If CHS can dedicate a space just for meditation, it would improve the student body overall, encouraging less stressed and more compassionate students.

January 9, 2017

5

Opinions

Are Student Walkouts Effective For Change?

Yes, Walkouts Are Effective

By Dani Miller Production Editor When election day rolls around every four years, high school students are put in a tragically unique situation.

We are old enough to be directly affected by politics, yet we are too young to vote. While our voices may not be heard in the voting booth, it is more important than ever that we make sure our voices are heard in other ways.

In the last few months, MCPS students succeeded in making their voices heard. Kickstarted by a walkout at Montgomery Blair high school on Nov. 14, high schools all across MCPS, including Sherwood, Richard Montgomery (RM), Blake and Springbrook among others, came together and walked off of their respective campuses in peaceful protest against President-Elect Donald Trump and what he represents. In fact, students of MCPS amplified their voices loudly enough to make the cover of the Washington Post. If there’s one thing to say about MCPS students, it’s that we make our voices heard.

However, with a magnitude of support comes a magnitude of kickback.

Many people have written off these walkouts as unproductive, divisive or simply an excuse for high school kids to cut class. Superintendent Jack R. Smith even released a video disavowing student-led walkouts after the actions of a Trump supporter turned RM’s demonstration violent.

As America comes to terms with the results of the election, and we reflect on the eventful last few months of 2016, the question that remains is, were the walkouts productive or were the cynicists right?

Trump is still going to be our president, so the protesters didn’t accomplish their goal, right?

Wrong. The point of these walkouts was not to overthrow Trump. The point wasn’t to spark a revolution against a system that can put a person in office who may not even receive the popular vote. These walkouts were no less than a showing of solidarity. A message to marginalized groups that Trump’s administration may not see them, but MCPS students do.

And they were a message to the Trump administration, stating loud and clear that young people are vehement and will not be silenced.

To fully understand the importance and the magnitude of student led walkouts, one has to understand the history of such protests.

Student walkouts became a key tool for change in the 1960s, when thousands of students walked out of their college and high school campuses to protest injustices such as U.S. involvement in the Vietnam war, racism on campuses, and unequal education opportunities.

Although the historical significance of the most recent walkouts are clear, skeptics concerns over students motivation still stands.

One of the main criticisms against the most recent protests is the fact that many people only participated to cut class. Although there is validity behind this concern, to discredit an entire student body and question their intentions based on the motivation of a few would be misleading.

Students and young people are poised to shape the next generation.

And while we may not be able to vote, we care. We are fully aware that this is the world we will inherit, a world in which we have had no say in. We are fully aware of the repercussions that Trump’s rhetoric has already had on our country. Even if the motivations of the minority are questionable, their intentions do not invalidate our demands. We are demanding to be heard, to be seen and to have our civil liberties protected under the threat of a possibly oppressive administration.

And these demands have merit.

Another major criticism of these walkouts is that they are only further dividing students in a time when it is more important than ever to be

terview with Morris, walking out of school symbolizes that there is something so inherently undemocratic about our society that business as usual, in this case a normal school day, has to be interrupted.

Even with all this in mind, one still may not be convinced that the most recent MCPS student walkouts were effective, and that is their right, just like it is our right to participate in them.

For many students however, walking out is not only a right, but a responsibility. Many of us feel a responsibility

to the millions of revolutionaries who came before, and the millions who are going to come after us. We are holding the weight of our ancestors on our shoulders, and we are yelling with the strength and urgency of three voices: our own voices, those who have been silenced, and those who choose not to speak out.

In the words of Martin Luther King Jr, “our lives begin to end the moment we choose to stay silent about things that matter.”

By Nathan Deychman Online Editor-in-Chief

once violence becomes involved.

Fortunately, MCPS realized that the protests had gone too far, and decided to intervene.

Superintendent Jack Smith issued a video statement Nov. 16 explaining that students were no longer allowed to leave school in order to protest, and any students that did so would be subject to disciplinary action.

The video could not have come at a better time or have issued a clearer message. Every time students walk out of school and protest, it does more harm than good. Student protesters block streets and waste taxpayer money to provide police presence to watch over them and city workers to clean up after the protests.

Frankly, for all that trouble, a little media attention is not worth it. The more students that protest, the more other students are influenced to do the same to seek the attention of the media.

Fortunately, the protest efforts have been largely subdued and the superintendent has set a strong precedent of authority over the student body.

In this day and age, it is more important than ever for everyone’s voices to be heard. This includes students.

Current students are our nation’s future, and they deserve to speak their mind.

Unfortunately, MCPS students failed to grasp that if they want to change something, the way to do it is to address an audience with their message. Talking to those in charge directly is more efficient than simply walking out of schools. Nothing will ever be gained from a protest of a few hundred high school students. chanting in protest of the president.

Protesting is one of the most important tools we have as students in a free country to have our voices heard. Yet, we must learn how to utilize our voices and truly make an impact.

Next time students want to bring about change, perhaps they should seek out congressmen of lobbying groups. Stay in school and keep it peaceful.

No, Walkouts Are Ineffective

Students from high schools across MCPS have been taking to the streets since Election Day in protest of its results and the current state of our nation’s ideals.

According to the MCPS Regulation Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook, students have a right to assemble for discussions of issues of importance to them and to demonstrate peacefully.

However, the question is not whether these students have t h e right to protest, but rather if it is the correct thing to do. The short answer is no.

During school hours, students should be in school.

Skipping class to hold a sign and yell about something you cannot change is detrimental and a waste of time. If students want to exercise their right to protest, the time to do it is after school or on the weekend, not when they should be in the classroom.

A strong majority of the protesting students are not even of voting age, and their voices simply cannot be listened to in an official capacity by people in positions of power. Yes, it is incredibly important for young people to stand up for what they believe in and voice their opinions and concerns, but not like this.

These students are not protesting for equality or peace, they are directly protesting the presidentelect. Our students should know better than to take a day off and protest democracy.

Protesting comes with responsibilities, and part of those responsibilities is protesting in an organized, peaceful manner. Peaceful protest is a vital part of our society, but when students are walking miles off school grounds and getting into fights, a line has been crossed.

During a protest held by Richard Montgomery, a student was charged with assault after attacking another student who wore a hat that read “Make America Great Again.” Any so-called “peaceful protest” loses all legitimacy

FACE OFF

Walkouts

united.

These walkouts are not further dividing us.

We were divided before the walkouts, before Trump won the election, before the election even starte d and decades before that.

America is no stranger to division, and although opposing ideologies may be bubbling to the surface due to the election, they have always been there.

If anything, these walkouts are uniting us. They are uniting us in the same way that the March on Washington united America in 1963. In the midst of all this chaos, we haven’t lost sight of what makes America truly great. The freedom to voice our opinion.

Even if skeptics understand the necessity of protesting, and applaud those making their voices heard, they may not understand why the walkouts have to occur during school hours.

After all, MCPS isn’t at fault for the election results. Some also say that it is counterproductive to lose hours of education at a time just to walk out of class.

This is a valid concern from many people on both sides of the argument. However, the power of specifically staging a school walkout rather than just attending a protest can be summarized perfectly by Aldon Morris, a professor of sociology and African American studies at Northwestern University.

According to a Dec. 19, NPR in-

Opinions

6

January 9, 2017

Time for Superintendent to go Back to School

By Maya Rosenberg Opinions Editor Rebecca Jackson Online Features Editor Jack Smith: your average American name, or MCPS Superintendent? According to a poll of 29 CHS students, 100 percent wouldn’t be able to tell you the difference.

Smith, who was appointed as interim superintendent in Sept. 2015, after former superintendent Joshua Starr’s resignation, and was given tenure in July 2016, is apparently using an invisibility cloak when visiting MCPS schools.

While the job of superintendent is demanding, frequent interaction and contact with the students who they serve should be priority, not simply an opportunity to gain brownie points with the Maryland Board of Education (BOE). The more connected the student body is with not only their school’s administration, but with higher up MCPS officials, the more progress and cooperation can be achieved within the county.

By increasing the time he spends in schools with students, Smith could set an important precedent for superintendents to come: listening to students. Being a superintendent is not just paper-pushing: Smith’s decisions impact students directly. Choices that look good on paper may not always benefit students.

If Smith were to spend more time in

schools, he would be able to hear the concerns that MCPS students have about their education, and truly be able to enact change that would directly benefit students.

According to an article in the May/ June 2016 Bethesda Magazine, Smith believes that the job of the superintendent is to be a calm, steady and stable administrator while building a

”

If Smith were to spend more time in schools, he would be able to hear the concerns that MCPS students have about their education, and truly be able to enact change that would directly benefit students. ” genuine urgency around meeting the needs of all students.

Smith, while excelling in the administrative portion of his job, is not attending school every day as a student, and therefore is not seeing problems through the eyes of students. The more often Smith goes to schools and is immersed in the everchanging environmIf Smith were to spend more time in schools, he would be able to hear the concerns that MCPS students have about their education, and truly be able to enact change that would directly benefit

students. ent, the easier it will be for him to attain a better grasp on how to effectively improve student’s educational experiences.

In addition, if students become better acquainted with Smith, they may feel more comfortable voicing their opinions to him through an email, phone call, or in person, and thus feel as if their opinions can be heard and they can make a difference.

According to MCPS’ March 2016 Executive Summary and District Level report, MCPS is the nation’s 17th largest school district, and the largest in Maryland, with more than 156,000 students.

Every one of those 156,000 students is unique, and if Smith wants to achieve his goals of meeting the needs of all of them, he must increase the amount of time spent in schools, speaking directly to students and hearing their perspective.

With the multiple life altering events that occurred in 2016 both within MCPS and nationwide, such as the termination of final exams and the presidential election, we need a superintendent to help build the best school environment possible, not only for now, but for the future as well. However, if the community does not even know who their superintendent is, this task is seemingly impossible.

According to the survey, one hundred percent said that they had never met Smith and are not aware of his policies. One hundred percent also wish that MCPS had formally introduced Smith to students.

“With the multiple life

altering events that occurred in 2016 both within MCPS and nationwide, such as the termination of final exams and the presidential election, we need a superintendent to help build the best school environment possible,”

While students may not be aware of his policies, the MCPS BOE voted unanimously to hire Smith as the official superintendent. It is apparent that they are confident in his abilities and vision for MCPS. Smith is evidently capable of creating real, impactful change for students, but in order to do so, student interaction is essential.

The BOE does not provide how much time Smith spends in schools, but increasing that time could only be beneficial. Increasing time spent directly with students may be as simple as visiting one MCPS school per week, or scheduling monthly town halls for communities. These activities will allow Smith to be more integrated with his students while still leaving most of his time for consuming administrative duties.

It’s time for Smith to step out of the office and head back to school.

Potential Appointee Poses Threat to Public School System

By Sofia Williamson Opinions Editor The public school system has guaranteed educational opportunities to students since the mid 19th century.

It has made equality of opportunity a strong possibility for all Americans.

President-elect Donald Trump’s unconfirmed nominee for Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, however, is suggesting that the current system be abolished and students attend privately funded schools.

While it may appear that DeVos is advocating for school choice under the surface, she is truly suggesting that what she considers the corrupt public school system be abolished- and this decision would have disastrous consequences.

It is crucial that a different Secretary of Education be chosen for the position. While our public schools need to be reformed in order to reach the same standards across the country, they are essential to our guarantee of a government-funded education.

According to a Nov. 24 Washington Post article, DeVos is a conservative activist and philanthropist who has put millions of dollars of her own money into school choice programs to attend private schools.

Her plan sounds like it would be ideal. The achievement gap that exists in school districts in the U.S. can be correlated directly to the inconsistency of education across the country.

Allowing families to choose a better school for their children, regardless of cost, would allow students to thrive and would decrease the achievement gap.

With cost-friendly, private schools more widely available, the number of students enrolled in public schools would dwindle, and the public education system would collapse.

Funding for these private schools would come from an unreliable source, however. Currently, in the

charter school program in DeVos’ home state of Michigan, all tuitions and fees to these schools are being paid for by private philanthropies.

This funding system may work in Michigan, but when applied to 49 more states, it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to find a steady source of private funds.

In terms of reversing education inequality and bridging the achievement gap between school districts, this implementation would be catastrophic. Private schools can teach their students the way they wish, with no federal government standards to maintain consistency.

DeVos has repeatedly attacked the Common Core Curriculum, which uses standardized tests in order to measure the quality of education across the country.

While its implementation is flawed, the only way to ensure equality of opportunity is to reinvent Common Core, not eliminate it. The public school system itself is not at fault.

A problem also arises in the five freedoms that are guaranteed to students in a government- funded institution. Guarantees of freedom of religion and the press, in particular, would be at risk in a privately funded system.

For example, the Scopes Monkey Trial, formally known as The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes, established that when faced with teaching evolution versus religious creation in public schools, evolution would supercede because it is a secular idea, for example.

Private schools would be able to escape this secular requirement, however. If students and their families want a traditional religious education for their children, that is the purpose of private education. However, public schools are paid for with tax dollars, and should remain secular.

Another example of how private schools could infringe upon public school students’ five freedoms can be

Trump has tentatively appointed Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education. seen in their freedom of the press. Currently, in Maryland, students have laws in their favor that allow them to publish information according to the same standards as major newspapers like the Washington Post. As long as news is not libelous, it may be published.

Privately funded schools aren’t guaranteed this freedom. It’s a necessity for students to have an environment available where they feel protected as American citizens to express their opinions and disclose information in writing.

Trump needs to nominate a secretary of education who will preserve our public school system while tweaking the Common Core standards to effectively teach and assess students nationwide. Americans should be able to learn, while also having their guaranteed freedoms preserved.

Our public school systems should not be destroyed, it should only be reformed to make our schools even more equal in standards than they are today.

January 9, 2017

7

Features

Students Make Plans For Inaguration Week

By Sara Heimlich Features Editor

“I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

With these words, president-elect Donald J. Trump will become the 45th president of the United States. For some students, living in such close proximity to the capital will allow them to hear these words in person, whether in protest or in celebration.

The controversy over the election has led to some concerns on how safe D.C. will be on inauguration day.

“I don’t plan to march on Washington with a rainbow flag for safety reasons,” junior Wesley Warren said. “But the least I can do is spread love, something our new president lacks.”

Senior Bradford Wood, who is attending the inauguration in support of Trump, is less concerned.

“There might be some organized violence, but the Trump supporters will be prepared,” Wood said. “I’ll just go where the bikers are.”

For others, the potential risks outweigh the value of standing outside the Capitol building on Jan. 20.

“I know that some of the kids [in the Republican’s club] are planning on going to the Trump inauguration, but due to safety concerns it isn’t an official plan,” Republican club co-president and junior Brooke Weiner said. “There will be many protests, which can be dangerous, especially for a group of teens. We are worried about people getting riled up on both sides due to the controversy over the president-elect, so while it may be an interesting event, it is most likely

not a good place to be.”

Instead, Weiner and her co-president, Lelia Durand, will be staying home together and watching the inauguration on TV. “We will [be] finding points to discuss at our next meeting,” Weiner said.

“We will look at protests from different groups to discuss. We will also be look-

“Some of my friends and I are planning to volunteer at either a homeless shelter or the Manna Food Pantry,” Young Democrats club president and junior Caroline Adkins said. “Although it’s not directly related to politics, I think it would be an effective way to give back to the community and to some of the people in those groups who feel threatened by Trump and Pence.

PHOTO COURTSEY OF DYLAN FAN.

Protesters display dissaproval at the #TurnOutDC rally Dec . 17. ing for things Trump says because even as Republicans, we are still unbiased and will fairly examine his political strategy. We usually discuss the way that both sides react to current events and debate our opinions on policies because there is a wide range of people in the club.”

Students who don’t support Trump have thought of ways other than protesting to express their opposition.

I stand with and understand the motives of the people who are deciding to protest, but I don’t believe that my presence there would be necessarily effective or appreciated, considering my background as a privileged, white-passing teenager.”

Following the election, Maret School senior Hossein Reza created a Facebook page called “Love Will Always Trump Hate.” On the page, students from all over the county have been organizing protests

Users can find their friends on the app by allowing the app access to their contacts or by simply searching for names.

To reach out to someone to chat, users can send a “wave,” which notifies the other person someone wants them to join a chat. Users can also lock the “room” if they do not want anyone else joining.

There are some similar apps to Houseparty. Facetime allows people to video chat with one other person and is preinstalled on the iPhone, while Oovoo is an app available on the app store that allows people to friend each other and video chat up to three other people.

“I prefer Houseparty over Oovoo but I use Facetime a lot more,” sophomore Emily Hnath said. “Everyone has Facetime while not everyone has Houseparty.”

Houseparty has unique factors that sets it apart from Facetime and Oovoo. Based on who the user is friends with on the app, Houseparty presents a list of people the user may know and want to friend. Users can allow the app to send notifications to the user’s friends when the user logs onto the app so others can log on and a chat room can be initiated. “[Houseparty] is different from Facetime because you can chat with many people at once instead of just one person,” junior Talia Weaver said. “It also sends a notification each time someone gets on the app.”

There are safety precautions to prevent anyone’s privacy from being invaded.

Strangers can only join a user’s chat if they are friends with one of the people in the chat, so users who meet on Houseparty will at least share a mutual friend. the

and walk-outs.

“I wanted to do something, but I didn’t know where to go,” Reza said. “I knew this feeling was mutual among most of my classmates, friends, and generally the people around me. I then created a [Facebook] group in which people joined, and then could see tons of activity regarding protests and activism happening around them. I thought that by eliminating the confusion around how exactly young people can become active, it would allow must more of the youth to feel engaged and feel that they can do something.”

As of now, the group has not yet planned any specific protests or events on inauguration day.

“One of the trickiest parts of mobilizing the youth is that their attention spans are very, very short,” Reza said. “The majority of the activity occurred within the first week and then people seemed to lose interest and potentially even tire out. Once Inauguration day comes closer and the same problems that were on people’s’ minds several weeks ago come to the front of their minds again, we will resume the activity in the Facebook group at full force.”

Despite the many twists and turns of the 2016 election, one thing is certain: inauguration day will be full of both joy and mourning.

“Honestly I have given very little thought to plan out what I’d do that day,” Warren said. “I’ll try to do what a lot of us disappointed citizens do and that’s surround myself in a positive environment. I’ll tell my family and friends I love them and I’m grateful for their support and they accept me for who I am.”

Houseparty: Changing the Way Students Video Chat

By Nora Holland Contest Manager

Have you ever sat in your room on a Saturday night because you didn’t have a way of going out, but wished there was a way you could still hang out with your friends?

Introducing Houseparty, a new app created by the company Life on Air that lets people group video chats with up to eight people. Users can jump from group to group and talk to their friends or join random groups and meet their friends’ friends.

“I like that it’s a simple and easy way to talk to multiple people,” sophomore Dhilan Shah said.

Houseparty can seem confusing at first, but once users get the hang of it, the app is simple and easy to navigate.

app does not track or share a user’s location, and the app has a privacy policy that ensures users are safe and protected.

According to junior Jenna Prosen, she uses Houseparty because it allows eight people to video chat and “people can join in whenever they want.”

Houseparty can be used by students to make new friends and talk to people they may have seen at school but never had a conversation with.

It can also be used for study groups since it can allow many people to video chat at once, discuss study question and quiz each other.

“My friends started using Houseparty, and then they suggested I get it,” Weaver said.

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8

Arts Features

January 9, 2017

January 9, 2017

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Pictured: Freshman Heather Kirschner (bottom left) and junior Josie Weinberg (top right) pose with castmates during Ovations Theater’s December performance of Spring Awakening.

10

Features

January 9, 2017

Interfaith Families Celebrate Holidays Uniquely

By Thomas Atkinson News Editor Becky Wolfson Online Arts Editor

Christmas carols and playing dreidel.

Lighting the tree and lighting the menorah. Hanging up ornaments and blowing up a life sized menorah. For interfaith senior Victoria Hahn, this is what her Winter Break looks like.

Currently, there are an estimated 1 million interfaith families in America who celebrate both Christmas and Hannukah, including members of the Christian and Jewish faiths. Being a part of two religions, interfaith CHS students have many unique family and traditional practices to celebrate the overlapping holidays during winter break.

“For Hanukkah, my family usually celebrates the first night by lighting the menorah, saying the prayers and going to synagogue,” senior Victoria Hahn said. “For Christmas we go to church and celebrate as a family, but I’m not sure what is going to happen this year seeing as both holidays are on the same day. We might give each holiday their own part of the day.”

This year the first day of Hanukkah falls on Christmas day, lasting throughout all of winter break, the final day being January first.

“Everyone gets presents in 2016 but we will be the first ones to get them in 2017,” interfaith junior Bryn Arnold said.

Interfaith individuals feel that growing up with both religions is an enriching experience that affects them spiritually and culturally.

“Being interfaith has helped me understand both perspectives of being Jewish and Christian,” junior Ryan Schaumberg said. “I love it and it [gives me] an opportunity to choose my religion when I’m older.”

According to Schaumberg, she was able to learn about both religions through the Interfaith Families Project (IFFP) in D.C., which combines Hebrew school and Bible study.

Founded in 1995, the IFFP aims to celebrate and explore both religious

PHOTO BY BECKY WOLFSON.

Interfaith families often celebrate both Christmas and Hannukah during the winter season. traditions equally and share them with spouses, partners and children. This D.C. based project offers weekly programs on Sunday for youth and an adult group discussion.

However, children of Jewish-Christian interfaith families can sometimes feel uncomfortable because they do not conform to one religion.

“I had a Bat Mitzvah, so that gave me a stronger connection to Judaism, but overall I don’t feel that I lean towards either religion,” junior Emily Stein said.

“When I was younger, I felt that I had to conform in part to Judaism, but that has gone away as I have gotten older.”

According to Stein, being interfaith has allowed her to have freedom in discovering what she sees as her religious identity and not having to merely go along with whatever her parents grew up with. She believes religion should a personal choice, since it is about personal values and morals, and as a result, wants to let her children find their own spiritual path.

Many people believe that raising children as interfaith allows them to have a deeper understanding of other cultures and to be more tolerant of them.

According to an article from Pew Research Center, 39% of Americans marry someone who is not of their religion.

According to CHS secretary Patrice Thomas, raising her children as interfaith has given them a richer spiritual background and a broader cultural understanding of different religions and people, making them less inclined to be dogmatic.

“Too many times we see the differences of the religions and children [of interfaith marriages] are not raised as anything at all,” Thomas said. “There is much more overlap than people realize.”

Thomas founded a Jewish-Catholic group similar to the IFFP. It hosts over 500 families in Rockville and has religious school for the parents and children every two weeks. To ensure equal representation, the school is taught by

one Christian and one Jewish person in each class.

“In interfaith groups, parents are encouraged to raise children in both religions, giving them the opportunity to choose as they get older,” Thomas said. “One of the best things about being interfaith is that your family life is [culturally] richer.”

Overall, being interfaith creates strong family bonds and allows for more religious experimentation and background.

“I think it is really cool that my parents decided to keep practicing both of their religions, because it teaches [my siblings and I] so much and has brought us closer to our families,” Hahn said. “I don’t know what it would have been like if we had been only Jewish or only Catholic because then we would not have been able to celebrate with our relatives. When I grow up I am definitely going to try and keep practicing both religions the way I do now.”

made an impact.

They have already planned and executed fundraisers to benefit those in need. Their most recent event was on Dec. 17, when the club wrapped gifts for free at RIO Washingtonian Center.

In four hours of wrapping gifts, they raised $232 in donations.

“We come up with fundraiser ideas so we can raise money and then use the money to buy educational and nutritional supplements to then donate it to children in impoverished schools,” founder and freshman Robin Bali said.

Churchill 4 the Children plans to keep fundraising in creative ways to be able to reach their goal of sending supplies to students from local schools in need this year.

“We hope to also plan our 5k at the end of the year, ” Bali said. “By the end of the year we plan to achieve sending at least 15 boxes of food, literature books, and calculators to hopefully at least seven or eight different schools around the area.”

Jewish Student Union (JSU) The CHS JSU was founded by five students in 2013 and now hosts more than 100 people at each meeting. It is the largest high school JSU out of the more than 200 nationwide.

JSU meetings are open to all, regardless of religious affiliation. Co-founder and senior Jacob Glassman estimates that approximately 60 percent of members are Jewish and the remaining 40 percent are not.

“We take advantage of the oppor-

tunity to educate non- Jewish students and serve as a primary source of judaic topics,” Glassman said.

Rabbi Yudi Reisel from the National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY) attends each meeting. He, along with NCSY, brings pizza and takes part in discussions and activities relating to relevant topics such as upcoming holidays.

The club not only has discussions and lectures, but also many interactive activities such as decorating apples for the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashana.

“My favorite part of the club is the ‘mock trials’ where we set up the room similar to a Jewish court, with three students to act as the three judges that make up a Jewish court, called the Beit Din (house of judgement), and we go through a contemporary situation

where the students decide a verdict,” co-founder and senior Ethan Dalva said. “Rabbi Riesel teaches the Jewish approach to the case using Jewish text and famous commentaries.”

Lettuce Club The Lettuce Club is not an official CHS club but that has not deterred them from their sole purpose: to enjoy lettuce.

The club will meet on Jan. 6 to have a competition to see who can eat a head of lettuce in the shortest amount of time.

“Whoever wins gets a free t-shirt and the role of next year’s president,” founder and freshman Katherine Rothstein said.

If there is a club that you would like to see featured, please contact us at churchill.observer@gmail.com.

The Observer Highlights Lesser-Known Clubs at CHS

By Arielle Gordon Editor-in-Chief

CHS has more than 95 official clubs for the 2016-2017 school year. The Observer has talked to a few of the school’s lesser-known clubs to find out what they are up to.

Action and Science Fiction Comics Club (ASC) The ASC club was founded last year as a place for students to be able to relax and talk about new action and science fiction comic books and movies.

“The goal of our club has always been to have fun,” co-founder and junior Kevin Case said. “We wanted a place that massive nerds like us could go and hang out and talk about the latest in action, adventure, sci-fi, and comics, so we started ASC.” -“We have had events celebrating the release of each major film in this category with intriguing presentations, enactments and competitions,” sponsor Adam Fugal said.

The ASC club has grown since it was founded and as the more members come, the activities will continue to develop.

“By the end of this year, my goal is to have a big two-part activity as a tribute to the Dark Knight Trilogy,” Wang said.

“I’m thinking of doing a fun detective activity since Batman is considered the greatest detective ever.”

Churchill 4 the Children The Churchill 4 the Children club is new to CHS this year but has already

PHOTO COURTESY ETHAN DALVA.

Students listen to Rabbi Yudi Reisel speak at a Dec. 14 JSU Meeting.

11

Arts

January 9, 2017

‘Hamilton Mixtape’ Builds Upon Greatness

By Drew Ingall Social Media Editor “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda “is not throwing away his shot.”

In fact, he’s taking one more. And the best part of this one is that it’s exposing his revolutionary music to those who might never be able to, or have interest in, seeing his show.

“The Hamilton Mixtape” is a collaboration of many powerhouse pop, hip-hop and R&B singers performing songs from the hit play, “Hamilton,” as well as original songs with certain “Hamilton” themes, such as the racial and xenophobic tensions in our country.

It fuses the various popular and current music styles with the booming Broadway sound of “Hamilton.”

Some of the songs from “Hamilton“are perfectly matched with the voice and style of the artist performing them.

Usher’s performance of “Wait for It,” Andra Day’s “Burn” and Jimmy Fallon and the Roots’ “You’ll Be Back” make for great alternatives to the Broadway version.

There are also many original songs on the “Mixtape” that discuss current events and important political problems such as the racial stereotyping and the fear of outsiders in the United States.

“My Shot (Rise Up Remix),” performed by the Roots featuring Busta Rhymes, Joell Ortiz and Nate Ruess, talks about growing up poor and constantly being stereotyped as an African-American.

“Wrote My Way Out,” performed by Nas, Dave East, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Aloe Blacc, and “Immigrants (We

PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS.

The Hamilton Mixtape was released Dec. 2. It features remixes of popular songs from Hamilton as well as original tunes. Cast members from the musical and other popular artists all recorded songs for the album.

Get The Job Done)” performed by K’Naan, Snow Tha Product, Ruiz MC and Residente, take two of the most

recognizable “Hamilton” lyrics and turn them into a song, both entertaining and eye-opening.

There are also some good remixes and freestyles on this mixtape that act as interludes. “An Open Letter” by Watsky featuring Shockwave, “Take a Break (Interlude)” by !llmind’s contributions and “Stay Alive” by J. Period and Stro Elliot put fun twists on some of the music from Hamilton by speeding up the pace and inserting cool beats that work well with the original song.

There are some “Hamilton” remake songs on this mixtape, however, that are not nearly as good as the Broadway versions. This could be said for “Satisfied” by Sia featuring Miguel and Queen Latifah and “History Has Its Eyes on You” by John Legend. Sia’s pop voice does not fit the Broadway style of the original “Satisfied,” and Legend’s use of R&B style simply doesn’t work with the serious, dramatic tone of the original song. These songs lack that Broadway boom and power that make the original songs such showstoppers in the first place.

Despite some shortcomings, “The Hamilton Mixtape” is a great example of a group of people coming together to successfully show their appreciation and respect for something that is truly groundbreaking, even if they have chosen to produce them in their own personal style. It is great for both “Hamilton” and non-”Hamilton” fans alike, and for people who want to hear some very big names applying their own personal touch to many of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical masterpieces.

Top Movies Entertain yet Spread Progressive Messages

By Emiliana Cardinale Production Manager 2016 was a wonderful year for movies. Here are a few of my favorite of the top rated movies of this year.

‘Zootopia’ “Zootopia” is about a rabbit who dreams of becoming a police officer which is not a job that rabbits can have within the social hierarchy of Zootopia.

Number 1 on Rotten Tomatoes for 2016, “Zootopia” covers social issues in a fun and engaging way. It simplifies an often stigmatized narrative of discrimination and makes it approach-

able for everyone, kids and adults alike. Not only does it teach a good lesson about self discovery but it allows us to determine how we live our lives.

‘Finding Dory’ “Finding Dory” is a sequel to the widely known “Finding Nemo” film.

“Finding Dory” is another fun animated movie with a wonderful lesson. It has dynamic characters that help tell the story of a kind-hearted fish, Dory, who wants to find her way back home.

This film also talks about mental illness through Dory’s short term memory loss and it is comforting to see a movie made for children that is all about accepting who you are.

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in which a princess’s whole destiny was to be saved by a prince.

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS.

‘Moana’ This more recent film also has a wonderful message for children and adults alike. It deals with a young girl who decides to chase after what she wants while also saving the world.

This Disney princess film does not involve any kind of love interest: Moana is her own hero. This is an empowering contrast to older princess movies

‘Loving’ This movie is more recent and less well-known. It is just as moving and beautiful.

“Loving” is a historical piece that deals with the first legal interracial marriage in the US that helped question the constitutionality of restricting two people from marrying each other based on race. This movie does a fantastic job of portraying the beautiful love story that changed history while also remaining accurate in the harsh realities they faced at this point in history.

12

By Balbina Yang Arts Editor Emily Wang Features Editor There are few people who are both artistically and athletically gifted. Senior, captain of the CHS varsity girls soccer team, sculptor and illustrator Francine Phillips, is one of those few people.

Currently, Phillips is in both Advanced Studio Art and Advanced Ceramics. She has been active in the arts community of CHS since her freshman year.

“Frannie is such a creative thinker and art creator,” Art Resource Teacher Brendan Roddy said. “She understands that art communicates meaning and message and she strives to speak her mind with her work. She is a positive spirit and creative risk-taker in the studio.”

Not only does Phillips spend her time creating art, she has been on the CHS girls varsity soccer team for the last four years, the Bethesda club soccer team for the last eight and was named to the Washington Post’s first team all Met and National Soccer Coaches Association of America‘s All-

Arts

January 9, 2017

Student Art Spotlight: Frannie Phillips

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRENDAN RODDY.

Senior Frannie Phillips displays some of her artwork. In addition to taking art classes at CHS, Phillips plays CHS varsity soccer.

The “Body Wild” totem pole created by Phillips and her team is currently displayed at the Grosvernor-Strathmore Metro station.

American team. Recently, she became an All-American athlete as well.

“I sacrifice a lot of my social life, but the trade off is spending my time doing the things I love and am passionate about, so I can’t complain,” Phillips said. “Napping helps keep me sane to balance all the rest.”

Last year, she entered Strathmore’s Totem Sculpture Garden competition for advanced ceramics students and

had her piece, ‘Body Wild,’ was selected to be displayed at the GrosvenorStrathmore Metro station along with 60 others by the walkway.

“It was my design, my sketch, my idea, but then I had a team of senior Garrett Jacobs, alumni Matt Longshore and Alex Conway, and it was basically what I worked on for the entire last year,” Phillips said. “I really liked working with my teammates because

we became really good friends and we would go out and celebrate after we finished. We still keep in touch, and it was just a blast working with them.”

Her interest in art stems from the influence of her mother, Melissa Phillips, who was an art teacher at Denver Academy, a private school in Denver, CO, for ten years.

“As a parent, I can offer support and encouragement and provide her with the tools she needs,” Melissa Phillips said. “Frannie has always been very artistic. I don't think she's ever been without a sketchbook.”

Another source of inspiration for Phillips is Banksy, an England-based graffiti artist. She admires how he turns simple things into statement pieces with a twist of darkness. She cites Banksy as a source of her progress in her own art.

“I love seeing how my art has changed and grown over the years,” Phillips said. “I'll clean my room and find a drawing from freshman year and know exactly why I drew it and how I felt in that moment. Art captures so much more than we realize, especially when we're the only ones to imbed our thoughts into it.”

For the future, Phillips has committed to play division one soccer for the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and plans to pursue a degree in interior design.

“Frannie is one of the most amazing people ever. She just excels at everything she does,” senior Ciro Chechile said. “Whenever I need a shoulder to lean on she is always there. One time, when I was having a really bad day, she brought me a card and a notepad with happy notes.”

“Art captures so much more than we realize, especially when we’re the only ones to imbed our thoughts into it.”

-Frannie Phillips

January 9, 2017

13

Sports

Equal Processes Needed for All Sports Tryouts

By Julia Lescht Social Media Editor

High school sports have been glorified in American culture for decades. It seems almost essential that a student plays on a high school team to live true to the American experience.

In reality, not making the team is most definitely not the end of the world.

Some are just more athletically inclined and others are not—in no way is this bad. There are multitudes of other nonathletic extracurricular activities at CHS to get involved in.

However, the way coaches let students know whether or not they made a team can greatly impact the students’ high school experience. For, what is more degrading to an adolescent than any sort of public humiliation or rejection?

CHS coaches should use a uniform procedure to notify students of the results of tryouts. Currently, there are many different ways teams conduct this procedure. While some methods are better than others, one uniform method of conveying tryout results would be beneficial to all student athletes.

According to girls varsity basketball coach Katelyn Blanken, the way coaches convey this information depends on different factors like what sport it is and how many people tried out.

Coaches inform students in a variety of ways, and thus there is no defining what is ‘painless’ and what is painful.

Either way, getting rejected from a team will be painful for any hopeful student.

For instance, it can be incredibly humiliating and depressing when coaches publicly post a list with the names of students who make the team and those who do not. When many of their peers are celebrating, students who did not make the team are left upset.

Informing via list can be done more sensitively when accompanied by individualized communication.

According to varsity swim and dive coach Christopher Tappis, he prints out a list of the names of the students who make the team and posts it outside his classroom. To protect the feelings of the students who are cut, he emails them the night before to give the warning that they don’t need to search for their name on the list.

This is a nicer way of letting students know their fate because this prevents their eyes from frantically scanning a list searching for a name that isn’t there.

Email is private and provides a more

PHOTO BY JULIA LESCHT.

The varsity girls basketball team warms up before the second half of their home game against Wootton.

Head Coach Katelyn Blanken talks pirvately with each player to discuss the results of their tryout, whether or not she made the team. personal and less humiliating way of letting down those who did not make a team. However, their friends and the other people who tried out for the team will see the list and know who made it and thus who did not make it.

According to Blanken, she talks to each girl personally to tell them the results of the tryouts.

This method is better yet because it is more personal and intimate for the students, and they are informed of why they did or did not make the team. It also shows that the coach is fully invested in the player’s well-being, as they take the time to actually talk to them individually. Although, for teams who have a large number of students tryout, this method is extremely inconvenient and even impossible as there are too many students for the coach to talk to individually.

It is important for coaches to show students this kind of sympathy because it is difficult for teenagers to accept rejection and reach closure without a

more personal, private explanation. It’s especially crucial due to high schoolers’ pre-existing, immense academic stress.

Add on the humiliation of feeling below a student’s peers outside of the classroom, and the result is an emotional disaster.

A coach or student might argue that it doesn’t make a difference how coaches convey tryout results to students because rejection is part of life and students should get used to it.

While this is a valid argument, it’s also important to soften the blow for those who get rejected. Teenagers are highly susceptible to emotional instability and depression, and being cut from a team can easily trigger a loss of self-esteem. The best way to do this is through a privatized email or conversation between the coach and student in order to protect the student from humiliation or depression. Even a simple sort of rubric where a coach can clearly list the reasons why the student did not make the team would provide adequate

and seniors Bradley Leventhal, Michael Schultz and Jared Robinson.

Robinson, who averaged 5.5 points per game last season for CHS, is

the sky’s the limit.

[I believe that] we can win regions as we have great chemistry,” Ruben said.

Bean, who is entering his fourth season as head coach, believes CHS has the talent to compete with anybody in their region.

“I believe that we will be a very competitive team by the end of the year,” Bean said. “We are going to be a tough team to face in the playoffs.”

As of Jan. 4, CHS is 6-5 with victories over Northwood, Springbrook, Sherwood, Walter Johnson and Magruder.

One of the catalysts of their success so far has been their improved defense.

Through four games, CHS is giving up just 52 points per game after giving up 60 points per game through this point last season.

CHS next game is Jan. 10 against BCC.

closure and be effective.

According to athletics department director Jesse Smith, in his opinion, the best way to convey tryout results is by talking to the student and letting them know exactly why they were cut from the team and then explaining what they need to improve upon.

Although, according to Smith, he does not want to establish a definite policy to inform students of tryout outcomes because he trusts that each of his coaches are professional and experienced enough that they do not need him to regulate the way they conduct their tryouts. In addition, since each sport is different, all he asks is that all the coaches are respectful at all times and that they always provide an adequate explanation to the student as to why they did not make the team.

Regardless of the sport, it is still possible to devise a uniform way for coaches to convey tryout results to students—and CHS needs to do just this.

Returning Players Key to Boys Basketball Improvements

By Will Hyland Production Editor

With the majority of players returning to varsity and the addition of a few sharpshooters, the CHS boys varsity basketball team is poised for a massive improvement upon last season.

CHS finished with a 12-11 (8-4 in Maryland 4A South Division) record last season but with all but three players returning this year, they hope past experiences will help them compete for states.

“We are a more experienced team this year compared to last,” coach Robert Bean said. “If we stay humble and hungry, we should improve on last year’s performance.”

According to a Nov. 30 Washington Post article, CHS will be competitive in upcoming season due to key contributors including junior Reed Moshyedi

very confident that the t e a m w i l l take a big step forward this season.

“We have many experienced varsity players,” Robinson said. “Also, the team is more competitive in practice and wants to win more than in years past.”

Junior Jake R u ben, a new addition to this year’s team, believes if the team plays to its potential,

PHOTO COURTESY OF JARED ROBINSON.

January 9, 2017

Sports

14

From JV Manager to Varsity Player: A Journey

By Jenna Greenzaid Circulation Manager Sophie Liss Social Media Editor Junior Aidan Liquorie went from being JV basketball manager two years ago, to a JV player last year, and to varsity player this season, an almost unheard of feat.

Being a manager was not his original goal but, by going through the process, Liquorie learned the ins and outs of the basketball team at CHS. “My goal as manager was to just make JV and then go from there,” Liquorie said. “I wasn’t really thinking about varsity but it was always a goal of mine.”

Understanding the rules and concepts of the game of basketball played to Liquorie’s advantage when he was manager.

“We prefer managers who can play the game and know the game,” varsity coach Robert Bean said. “Aidan was a perfect fit to be a manager.”

Despite not making the 2014-2015 JV team in his freshman year, Liquorie was determined to stay connected to the sport.

According to Liquorie, after finding out he did not make the JV team, he talked to then JV coach Aaron Vactor.

Vactor told Liquorie that although he could not have a spot on the team, Liquorie could become the team manager and was able to participate in practices.

Liquorie worked hard in practice, trying to improve his game so he could make the team the following year. Going through tryouts for varsity would seem daunting to most, but the experience of being manager freshman year and playing on JV during his

PHOTO COURTESY OF AIDAN LIQUORIE.

Junior Aidan Liquorie was a manager on JV boys basketball his freshman year. He played on the JV team during his sophomore year and made the varsity team this year. sophomore year made tryouts feel like a natural progression for Liquorie.

“With the practices, [trying out] felt good because I knew the team and I felt confident going in,” Liquorie said.

Liquorie’s experience has not only been impactful in his own life, but in others as well. He has proven to be an inspiration to other players on the varsity team and athletes in a situation similar to his own.

According to senior and varsity

Athletes Named All-Mets

By Ben Dross Sports Editor

CHS had nine athletes named to The Washington Post AllMet fall sports teams for their outstanding athletic abilities.

Each sport has a first and second team, along with honorable mentions.

Julia Reicin placed second in the 4A regional championship with a 19:04.92 in the 5000m. According to MocoRunning.com, she is ranked second in the county amongst girls. She made first team AllMet for girls cross country thanks to her fast times.

“For years I have enjoyed looking at this section in the paper, but couldn’t imagine that I would make first team,” Reicin said. “I am extremely excited for this honor.”

Senior defender Austin Hsu also made AllMet for boys soccer. He helped guide CHS to a 9-6-1 season. Their

PHOTO COURTESY OF PHIL FABRIZIO.

Senior Jocelyn Kelly (left) and junior Faith Kean (right) were given Washington Post All-Met honors.

dominant defense, which he was a part of, held opponents to just 16 goals in 16 games.

The CHS field hockey team had a dominant season, going undefeated en route to a second place finish in the State Championship. The success led to a slew of players making the AllMet field hockey team. Senior midfielder Jocelyn Kelley led the way with second team honors, while sophomore forward Alexandra Sperling, juniors goalie Juliet Twomey and midfielder Faith Kean were given honorable mentions.

“I feel incredibly honored to be selected,” Kean said. “However, our success last year was truly a team effort. I am so proud of our team and everything we accomplished this year.”

CHS girls volleyball was also dominant this season, posting a 19-2 record.

Junior libero Michelle Tai received an honorable mention.

“I’m honored to be recognized in such a way,” Tai said. “However, I wouldn’t be able to be half the volleyball player I am today without the guidance from my coaches and the support from my teammates.”

The girls soccer team had a pair of AllMet athletes on its 10-2-2 squad. Senior goalie Danielle Katz earned second team honors as she only allowed four goals on the season. Senior defender Frannie Phillips put up big numbers on the offensive end, scoring seven goals, tied for the most on the team, and adding five assists.

captain Jared Robinson, Liquorie’s perseverance and commitment has shown the team that anything is possible.

Liquorie has shown many admirable traits on and off the court throughout his journey. He has proven to be determined and a collaborative team player.

“I love coaching Aidan,” Bean said.

“Aidan is a hard worker and a great teammate who has a great jump shot and an improving inside game.”

For Liquorie, just being a part of

something he loves was rewarding, but working hard to reach his goal was even more rewarding. Liquorie’s hard work over the course of two seasons allowed him to go from a JV manager to varsity player, something he couldn’t have been happier to achieve.

“I was working for something for so long and finally achieved that goal,” Liquorie said.

CHS Swimmers Commit

By Emily Wang Features Editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF OWEN HALL.

Congratulations to senior Owen Hall for committing to swim for division three Trinity College.

“I really liked the look and feel of the campus,” Hall said. “Also, I enjoyed the size of the school as I think I work better in smaller classes.”

Hall hopes to use his liberal arts education at Trinity to be a wellrounded individual who could work in many different fields. In regard to swimming, he plans to train hard, improve and become a major contributor to the team.

“I couldn’t be happier for Owen,” math teacher and swim coach Christopher Tappis said. “He has been a tremendously valuable member of the Churchill Swim and Dive Team over the past four years. I will certainly miss his versatility and competitiveness next year.”

By Ben Dross Sports Editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEB LINDSEY.

Senior Zack Einhorn has committed to swim for Middlebury College starting next year.

Einhorn is currently a captain of the CHS swim and dive team. Last year, he helped the team finish in second at both the 200m and 400m relays en route to their second-place finish at states. He was an honorable mention for the 20152016 Washington Post AllMet Swim and Dive team as well.

“I can’t wait to make new friends and represent my new school at meets,” Einhorn said. “It’s very rewarding to have my hard work pay off.”

January 9, 2017

15

Sports

Poms Fine Tune Moves for Winter Season

By Eliza Asbury Business Manager

Although fall sports have come to an end, CHS poms is just getting ready for their winter season, with their first competition Jan. 7. Before the competition, Poms performed at a Washington Wizards game on Jan 6.

Pre-competition practices for the team are no easy task. They spend time creating the perfect routine, and making sure that everyone is always on beat.

“To prepare, we do various cardio and ab workouts at the beginning of practice because we have to build up stamina and core strength to perform a six minute routine,” senior and captain Tatiana Teixeira said. “Along with that, we spend a lot of time perfecting what we teach because each girl has to hit the exact same position if we want to win.”

It takes a lot to get ready for competitions, leaving the team with about two months in between the end of football season and the beginning of competition season. Poms’ competition routines are vastly different from what fans see at football games.

“For competition, we work on one routine for the entire time so we really focus in on every detail of every move we do,” captain and senior Jackie Fasano said. “Its also a lot more serious because more is at stake. We get judged on everything we do. We focus a lot more on technique and working to look uniform.”

Additionally, competition season allows the team to perform and practice more technical dances, whereas during the football season the team has to mold their routines to fit what the audience likes to see.

“Football routines are usually two to three minutes, while competition routines are double that,” Teixeira said.

“Also, we up the difficulty, the football crowds want to see cool visuals, but the judges want to see advanced and synchronized technique.”

The choreography improves as the team expands. By having a bigger team, with two more girls than last year’s

PHOTO COURTESY OF JACKIE FASANO.

CHS poms had a busy weekend, performing at a Wizards game Jan. 6 and competing Jan 7. team, the girls are able to perform different routines.

“Our team has definitely improved,” Teixeira said. “It helps that we have more girls this year because we can have cooler formations and more intricate choreography.”

The captains and upperclassmen are aware of what it takes to do well during competition season. The responsibility of establishing a hard-working team that also performs cohesively together lies in the hands of the captains and coach.

“As captains, we always try to go all out during practice because when the leaders are working hard, the other team members follow by example,” Teixeira said. “Communication is definitely the most important thing in facilitating hard work. We try to talk to the

girls while we dance, saying things like ‘smile!’ and ‘get low!’ so we can make sure everyone is putting in her all.”

The poms team, along with a few other teams from around the county, performed a choreographed routine given to them by the officials hosting the event, the spirit organization, Cheerleaders Of America, at the Wizards game on Jan 6.

According to head coach Tiffany Carmi, the poms team performed with a variety of teams, including teams from the DC, Maryland, and Delaware area.

This exclusive opportunity gave the team additional practice and experience.

“I think that performing in such a professional and different environment is an amazing opportunity to showcase

our team’s talent, as well as see other teams in the county’s talent,” senior Samantha Akum said. “I hope this experience can help us grow as a team, and as individual dancers.”

This year the poms team will be in the second poms division in the county for the second year in a row, with six or seven teams in each division.

After working so hard to prepare for this season, the girls hope to do well in the competitions, but at the end of the day, it’s all about how well they work together to accomplish this.

“I definitely think we will do well this year,” Fasano said. “It doesn’t matter how we place as long as we know we put our hearts and souls into our dance and have a good time. This year has been an exceptionally good one since we are all so close.”

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January 9, 2017

Volume 41 - Issue 4

By Ethan C. Miller Online Sports Editor Waking up for a 5:30 am practice may seem extreme to most, but for swimmer and junior Sanjay Wijesekera, it’s merely his weekly preparation.

After the boys swim team’s undefeated regular season and second place finish at the state championships last year, Wijesekera is poised to help the team complete another successful season.

“Last season was all in all very good,” Wijesekera said. “I was able to consistently place either first or second in all dual meets in all my events.”

In last year’s state championship, Wijesekera individually placed sixth in the 100 yard butterfly and fourth in the 100 yard backstroke. In relay events, Wijesekera helped CHS place fifth in the 200 yard medley relay and second in the 400 yard freestyle relay. This

season, Wijesekera hopes to take the team to the next level.

“I hope our boys realize that we can definitely beat Richard Montgomery at states this year, due to our great depth in talent and ability,” Wijesekera

A National Blue Ribbon School contributions out of the pool should not be overlooked.

“He racks up a lot of points in meets and he cheers his team on and lots of the youngsters look up to him,” junior Neema Moayed, a teammate of Wijesekera, said.

Not only does Wijesekera possess the ability to earn a lot of points for his team, he also has the dexterity to elevate the skills of his teammates.

“He’s very talented and honestly watching him swim hard for his team is really motivating because you want to be able to swim as well as he does,” Moayed said.

Coach Christopher Tappis has a lot of faith in Wijesekera to be able to keep the team at the high competitive level it was at last year.

“Not only is Sanjay one of our best swimmers, but he is also one of our most versatile,” Tappis said. “He is capable of winning a variety of events in any given meet.”

On top of Wijesekera’s versatility, Tappis also believes that Wijesekera’s level of competitiveness gives something for the team to feed off of.

“When others see Sanjay competing hard, it inspires them to do the same,” Tappis said.

said. “Being a junior, I hope to set an example for some of the new swimmers and lead the way to a even better season than last year.”

Although Wijesekera makes a big impact in the pool, his

PHOTO COURTESY OF SANJAY WIJESEKERA.

DAWG DATA

4

Varsity (I) Hock ey’s state ranking in the Washington Post

7.46

seconds it took sophomore Karis Lee to run the 55m dash Dec. 27, placing her second among 101 runners.

14.7

points per game scored by senior guard Coco Kuchins so far this season.

18

margin by which Boys Varsity Basketball outscored Sherwood in the second half of a comeback win Dec. 19.

Junior Sanjay Wijesekera swims the backstroke in a meet. He placed fourth in the 100 yard event last year.

New Approaches Lead Girls Basketball to Strong Start

By Kyle Emery Sports Editor After coming off an 18-6 record and falling to BCC during the second round of the playoffs last year, CHS girls basketball plans to incorporate new strategies that offer a different approach in an attempt to claim the state title this year.

The bulldogs could potentially be at a disadvantage due to the average height of the team in comparison to teams around MCPS, but with new strategies, the team remains a major competitor.

“Since we aren’t going to be the biggest team, we have already started playing more aggressive and have fast ball movement,” senior and captain Coco Kuchins said.

Their new approaches help on both offense and defense.

“We have a relatively small, fast team, so we’re working on fast-paced play and highpressure defense,” senior and captain Nina Hazra said.

One of the biggest strengths for the team this year is the number of returning players

Team Records

as of 1/5

in the starting lineup from last year.

“We also get along very well with each other which is great,” Kuchins said.

In almost every sport, offense is deemed to be the most important in terms of scoring and winning against competitors, but for the bulldogs, it’s the complete opposite.

“Our defense is what’s going to set us apart from our competitors,” Kuchins said.

Although the team has a slew of returning players, six new players have been added to the varsity lineup, which may seem to be a potential deficit for the team, but has appeared to be the exact opposite.

“They started learning plays from day one, and we go over them all the time in practice, trying to simulate game situations,” Hazra said.

Unity among teammates is one of the crucial aspects to creating a successful team and the bulldogs this year have no trouble achieving it.

“In terms of team bonding, all the team dinners will definitely bring us closer [as

7-1 Boys: 5-4

Girls:

mitted to helping each other get better individually and as a team.

As far as competition goes for the team this year, teams around the county are all major competitors for the bulldogs. In particular, Whitman seems to be one of the main targets for the team this year, as they are reigning state champions.

“Whitman is the defending state champion, so they are definitely the team to beat,” Hazra said. “BCC knocked us out in

well as] talking throughout practice,” junior Abby Mazer said. “We laugh a lot at practice, which for sure brings us together and more comfortable with each other on the court.”

According to head coach Katelyn Blanken, this year’s team really enjoys working with together. Not that teams in the past haven’t been as devoted as this year, but this group especially has com-

the playoffs last year, so we’re looking forward to a rematch.”

As of Jan. 3, the girls have made an impressive season debut, with a 6-1 record, including a close 55-52 loss to Wootton on Dec. 21.

“I think we will have a really good season,” Blanken said.

“We have a very talented team, and a good combo of experience and youth.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAT CORREA.

Freshman guard Brittini Martin sets up an offensive play in the Bulldogs’ 52- 43 win Dec. 19 against Sherwood.

3-0

Next Meet

1/14

8-0-1 V2: 0-9

V1:

*MSHL games