ALSO IN THIS EDITION: Letter From the Staff: Selfie; The New Epidemic? - Page 3 Music To My Ears - Page 4 Say Yes to Becca’s Dress! - Page 8 Popping the Question - Page 10 Future of Tusky Lax - Page 12
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THE SELFIE GENERATION
PAGES 6&7
The in-depth look on how the camera phone has changed the way we interact with the world
THE HUSKY HEADLINE
TUSCARORA HIGH SCHOOL, LEESBURG, VA MAY 2017 VOLUME 7 EDITION 4
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M A Y 2 0 1 7
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Why Teens Should Volunteer by Lydia Stonerook
Letter from the Staff by The Husky Headline Staff
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8&9
10-12
Classroom Turned The Selfie Say Yes To Becca’s Prom: Popping the Generation Question Dress Courtroom by Katie Johnson by Emily Riley & by Abby Fletcher by Lucy Blue Sara Koochagian History Behind United by Peer Music To M arch Madness by Anya Sczerzenie My Ears by Tucker Stuntz by Tori Custer Future Of Flu Shot Struggles Blockbuster Or Bust: Boys Lax by Brady Bullington Logan
Check out staffer Nick Matta’s interview with senior Hunter Harmon on TheHuskyHeadline.com
by Sully Carr
Photos courtesy of Robert Johnson, Kevin Kostka, Hayley Peterson and Mrs. Westervelt. Photos by Anya Sczerzenie.
Editors-in-Chief Sara Koochagian
Emily Riley Online Editor Anya Sczerzenie Staff Writers Lucy Blue Brady Bullington Sully Carr Tori Custer Abby Fletcher Katie Johnson Becker Kauffman Nick Matta Lydia Stonerook Tucker Stuntz
The Husky Headline is written, edited, and designed by students from Tuscarora High School. All opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual writer. The views published in this newspaper are not necessarily those of the Tuscarora High School administration, faculty, staff, or the student body. We are committed to delivering relevant, accurate news - which means we want to hear from you! Opinions may be expressed in letters to the editor an can be sent to the staff at TheHuskyHeadline@gmail.com. Please include your name and class standing in all letters to the editor.
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Frank Dobscha James and Deborah Wishmyer Catherine DiFilippo-Perry and Thomas DiFilippo
AWARDS & ASSOCIATIONS
Our student journalists are members of VHSL Activities (Publications), the National Scholastic Press Association, and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. The Husky Headline has won various awards since its establishment in 2011.
CSPA Silver Medalist Critique 2016 2016 Second Class Virginia High School League Member of National Scholastic Press Association Tuscarora High School Chapter Quill and Scroll Society
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Pat & Wayne Dellinger Hope Stonerook Marion DiFilippo Kevin & Lisa Carr
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Letter From the Staff
OP-ED/ COMMENTARY
Selfies; the new epidemic?
Before Pope Francis was elected the head of the Catholic Church, never before had a Pope taken a selfie, let alone run a Twitter account. Artists never before had to tell audience members to put down their phones and watch the concert without the use of a lens. Our generation is addicted to taking pictures; especially of ourselves. But is this epidemic really our generation’s fault? Or would every generation before us, our teachers, our parents, our grandparents,
have fallen victim to the “selfie addiction”? Think about it, centuries ago families would sit for hours to have an artist create a portrait for them to hang above the fireplace for all to see; kinda of like a medieval Instagram. Now don’t get me wrong, posting photos of yourself can be empowering and shows the world how unique and wonderful you are, but when is it too much? If you’re not sure if you have been infected by the selfie disease, take a step back and ask yourself these
questions. Do you go to concerts to simply take pictures and videos for Snapchat? Have you ever gone back to look through the thousands of pictures on your phone? Do you frequently run into people in the hall because you’re staring at your phone? While it’s all good and fun to take pictures, the trick is finding balance. At some point, you do need to put down the phone to live. Even though you’re living in the moment, you can still take a few pictures to reminisce with later on in life.
Illustration by Lydia Stonerook
Most Infested City
Sickest Generation
12 People Died Taking Selfies in 2015
Why Teens Should Volunteer BY LYDIA STONEROOK
Not only does high school prepare us for college, but it also prepares us for the real world. A world in which an A on your APUSH test doesn’t matter but the human sitting next to you on the bus does. Since we spend so much of our time at school, shouldn’t we be taught how to help our fellow citizens? By establishing organizations such as NHS, Key Club, and Interact, Loudoun County schools have tried to do their part in creating well rounded individuals to send out into the world. However, some students don’t understand the important implications of volunteering at a young age. Service opportunities provided by schools allow students to experience new things as they build their character and better the community as a whole. While most teenagers complain that they don’t have enough opportunities to get out of the house and hang out with friends, they also complain about volunteering. What better way to spend time with friends then volunteering to
hold puppies at adoption events or make soup for the homeless? Parents can’t say no to their kids asking if they can go out to the local old folks home to call out bingo, so why not?. By participating in events such as these, you can also learn a lot about yourself while having fun. Maybe you volunteer at a local elementary school and realize your passion for teaching young children or play bingo with the elderly and discover a love for human services. Volunteering as a teen can unearth lifelong passions and possibly future career paths. Lastly, students are bettering their community one hour at a time. By tutoring peers, reading to children, and walking in the Relay for Life, Loudoun County students are making their community a better place for everyone. So take a step back and look at what you can accomplish by completing your required hours. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover something about yourself along the way.
Students from Mrs. Westervelt’s environmental class and the AP US History students volunteered their time on April 1st to plant trees. The students spent almost three hours planting saplings for their “One to the World” project. Photos Courtesy of: Mrs. Westervelt
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MAY 2017
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FEATURES
Classroom Turned Courtroom
BY ABBY FLETCHER Photos courtesy of Hayley Peterson
A broken table, a heartbroken teacher, a betrayed class, and justice to be served: what was originally a marketing project became the case of the century THE PEOPLE THE COURT THE CRIME
Judge, Senior Eli Wilson (Judge) Sheriff, Mr. Wheelbarger Detectives, Sophomore Brecan Saul (Pecan), Sophomore Duncan Schenk (Slam Duncan), and Senior Tucker Stuntz (Tuck) Lawyers, Sophomore Jillian Chubbick (Miss. Chubbick), Senior Carder Saul (Carder), and Spencer Anderson (Professor)
Prime suspects Brenda Anthony and Mickey Ortega present their mugshots.
THE ASSIGNMENT
Marketing teacher Ms. Breeden assigned a project to her class to build something made out of recycled resources. Junior Brandon Meyer and Senior Tucker Stutnz paired up for the project. The pair used empty soda cans and tape to construct an IKEA worthy table.
English teacher and football coach Mr. Wheelbarger had been eyeing the table since the boys brought it to school, so he asked them if he could have it after it was graded. Wheelbarger proudly displayed the piece at the front of his classroom, placing a textbook on top to remind his students to do their reading homework.
It was just your average A Day at Tuscarora; Wheelbarger took his second block class to the auditorium to present their papers. The class was Public Speaking so the students were from all different grade levels, one of the builders of the table, Stuntz, happened to be in that class. The class was only in the auditorium from 11:15am to 12:00pm, and in those 45 minutes the table was destroyed.
Only two Public Speaking students went back into Wheelbarger’s room (403) Sophomore Mickey Ortega (Snacks), and Senior Brenda Anthony (Boots). Anthony went into the room after Ortega and supposedly the table was “already knocked over.” Table was on its side with its legs broken. of the class.
The court commenced on March 6, 2016. The Court was streamed online to almost 1,000 viewers, and had esteemed guests including the Principal herself.
THE VERDICT
Ortega was convicted guilty by a vote of 4-3, and sentenced to a 14 day class suspension. Ortega appealed his sentencing to only 14 consecutive days, and won. Anthony returned to her normal life after the case.
THE WITNESS
English teacher Ms. Staley,who’s room is right across the hall from Wheelbarger’s, “heard a commotion,” the day of the incident in the 45 minute widow of the crime.
THE SCANDAL
Saul was collaborating with detective Stuntz to help build his prosecution.
Checking the Facts Kyle Jenkins, a jury member, analyzing the data that Spencer Anderson was presenting.
On March 16, 2016 the people of Tuscarora Saul had his phone recording their conversation for the court date and recorded Stuntz proclaiming that he wanted their voices heard. 15 students banned together and dawned “#FREESNAXX” though Ortega was the culprit. t-shirts to show their support for their peer, and their distrust in the justice system. Wheelbarger heard the tape and immediately took Stuntz off the case due to a, “conflict of interest.”
Down Go The Students (and Malone...) BY ABBY FLETCHER
Swoosh…buzz… The teachers reclaim their winning title in the annual Seniors vs. Teachers Basketball Game also known as Tuscarora’s March Madness Game winning 59 to 49. The teacher’s team was stacked with seasoned March Madness veterans and former college and high school basketball stars. While the senior’s team may have lacked some basketball credibility they made up for it in enthusiasm. Only two members of Tuscarora’s Men’s Basketball team and none from the Lady Huskies Basketball team joined the effort to bring down the teachers. Donned with shooting sleeves and sweatbands the students took center court. The first whistle blew and Ben Knuff took the first opportunity he saw and sunk a three for the students. Next from downtown Nicole Apintiloaiei drained another three. Tique
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Yarbrough and Brandyn Crittenton who just wrapped up their senior varsity basketball season and gave their coaches and teachers a run for their money as the two lead scorers on the student’s team. Running on adrenaline and wanting to cross up the person who gave them a bad grade on that last worksheet the students had no idea what the teachers team had in store for them. Mrs. Stefanie Lane, an AP World History Teacher in the classroom and a beast on the boards came to play. Being the only female on the teacher’s team she held her own racking up points for her team. The fearsome five-some of Mr. Stephen McNamara, Mr. Mark Gisseman, Mr. Justin Martin, Mr. Michael Newkirk, and Mr. Brandon Wheelbarger banned together to play some tough defense and block as many of the student’s shots as they could. The star of the teacher’s
later tweeted, “100% torn ACL, torn lateral meniscus, damage to the medial femoral condyle. If you’re going to do something, do it well.” However, this is not the first time a teacher has gotten hurt during the March Madness Game. In the 2014 game Martin received a blow to the face and broke his nose. team evidently was Mr. Stephen Usually the event is put on back Shockley,Tuscarora’s Men’s of the junior class government or Assistant Varsity Coach. Shockley SCA but this year the game was dribbled circles around the students organized by DECA. Tickets were while scoring most of the teachers sold for $2 and an entertaining points and brusing the student’s ego. halftime show was performed by the But the main topic of discussion step team. Along with DECA juniors from the basketball game was Mr. Kevin Malone. The math teacher came out full throttle in the first half of the game. But after coming down from a shot incorrectly Malone dropped to the floor. In seconds the gym went from cheers to dead silence. Whisked away in a wheelchair by the school’s nurse covered in ice packs he went Photos courtesy of London Ball straight to the hospital. Malone
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FEATURES
Music to my Ears: A look at the effects of music on teens’ emotions and study habits
BY TORI CUSTER
Cristina Garrido performs with the band during their holiday concert in November. Photo courtesy of LIfetouch According to eMedExpert, playing a musical instrument accesses the entire brain, which includes thinking, speaking, moving, and remembering. Someone playing the piano for instance will be thinking about what key they have to hit, using their voice to sing the lyrics, moving to hit the keys, and then
remembering how to play the song. There are very few activities known to access all parts of the brain at the same time. “Music is very difficult to learn, and it takes practice and time to learn certain parts. Like science or math, you have to study until you understand everything for the test,” said freshman Ali Custer who is in a guitar class. One of the most known effects of music is on mood. The main elements of a song that influence our feelings are rhythm and tone. The beats in a song affect our heartbeat depending on the speed, which helps determine our emotions. Faster beating is associated with joy, and slow rhythm indicates something sad. A mix of both most of the time indicates love. Tones affect emotion as well. A major key means happiness, and a minor key creates a more depressing tone. “I think that’s the point of music. It’s made to make people feel something. People listen to music for the lyrics. People can relate to lyrics and things like that,” said sophomore choir member Kyndall Donalson. Music has also been shown to have many health benefits, including minimizing the amount of pain someone feels. Some believe music causes the body to release endorphins, hormones that cause a person to feel happier and lessen pain. “Music has the power to change people’s lives just as much as any sort of technological innovation could,” said Garrido. Music has been proven to help students remember information
BY BRADY BULLINGTON Coughing. Sneezing, Runny nose. Body aches. High fever. Those symptoms by themselves are bad enough. Now add a history test, a geometry quiz, a Big Question essay with a Works Cited page, and a Spanish CPA. Most high school students have been in a situation where their flu symptoms collided with their workload and that’s usually all it takes to get behind in school. According to EveryDayHealth. com’s Flu Map for Loudoun County, the area is currently at a Moderate Risk for catching the flu. And as of March 3, 2017, the CDC reports that 145.9 million doses of the flu vaccine have been distributed nationwide.
Every year, students and parents have to make the decision about whether or not to get a flu shot. The issue has definite pros and cons. The CDC website states,“Recent studies show vaccine reduces the risk of flu illness by about 50% to 60% among the overall population.” Flu season traditionally arises from October to May. Flu shots, after getting the vaccination, cause antibodies to grow inside of the body. The antibodies protect the body from the viruses of the flu that are in the vaccine. Some of the benefits that many people don’t know about include that one flu shot usually protects the recipient from three flu viruses.
In a world where people are constantly divided by politics, language, and background, music provides a way to reach beyond boundaries and unite people no matter who or where they are. Music is understood by any language and has so much power over emotions and the mind. It is an outlet and an escape that expresses more than words can. Music can give people a purpose and help them find someone who is going through the same things they are. “Music is one of the most powerful ways of communication and self expression. It is truly a gift and should never be taken for granted,” said junior and trumpet player Cristina Garrido who says music is her escape.
and intensify activity such as reading, math, emotional, and visual intelligence. Listening to a melody accesses the right side of your brain, while studying uses the other half. Doing these activities at the same time stimulates brain activity and makes it easier to remember information. Songs by Baroque and Mozart have been proven to be the most effective to use while studying because they access both parts of the brain at the same time. If you are taking a test and blank out on information, try playing the song you were listening to in your head.
Try to study while listening to music without lyrics because you may find yourself remembering the lyrics and not the information for a test or quiz. Studies have shown that this can cause someone to remember what they were
Flu Season Causes Student Struggles
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According to Humana, getting the shot includes protection against the viruses for nearly a year. But some of the negatives can be side effects which may include vomiting, headaches, and nausea, or it could make current allergies worse. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Service explains, “Although there are possible side effects to vaccination, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration closely monitor the safety of seasonal flu vaccines.” According to a survey of 25 Tuscarora students, 52% believe that flu shots are not effective while 48% think it is effective. Freshman
doing while listening to that song. Students who can play music are also more capable of higher memory retention. “I definitely listen to music whenever I’m doing my homework and feel really overwhelmed because it gets me ready and refreshes my spirit,” said Kyndall. If are preparing for an important sporting event, listening to music is a good idea. Music has been shown to lessen muscle strain as well as coordination. Neuroscience of Behavior and Physiology released a study where they played rock or classical music, people had to answer a series of visual questions. Those who were listening to the music had faster responses than those who weren’t. “Music helps me feel like I belong somewhere, and that I can make an impact; it empowers me,” said sophomore Sarah Linhart who takes choir, piano and vocal lessons, and is participating in Sister Act. Whether it’s on the car radio or jamming out with your friends at a concert, everyone is together humming the same tune and have the same lyrics stuck in their head. “Composers write music to portray something. It is more than just notes written on a page, it is a story. A song is who someone loves, who broke their heart, or even a childhood memory. When we listen to music, we can feel what the composer is trying to express and I think it’s absolutely incredible that they can transform a page covered in notes into a picture in someone’s mind,” said Garrido.
student Lydia Seekford said, “I don’t believe the flu shots are effective because every year I got one, I’d have the flu that year.” Many students had the same reasoning and belief for their answer of ‘no’ when asked if they believe the vaccines are effective. Mrs. Elizabeth Rodney, the school nurse, said, “Sometimes the flu changes and the shot is less effective. Getting it may help lessen the symptoms and I’d recommend it!” Almost half of the 25 students surveyed agreed that a flu shot is effective and helps them combat those terrible symptoms that make it difficult to keep up with academics during the winter months.
MAY 2017
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FEATURES
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THE GE 100%
thehuskyheadline.com BY EMILY RILEY AND SARA KOOCHAGIAN, CO EDITORS IN CHIEF
Millennials, generation x, the homeland generation. Whatever you call them, they are characterized as anyone who was exposed to a widespread use of the Internet from a young age. That makes all current high school students generation x, not necessarily by choice, but rather the nature at which they were predispositioned. How could they not grow up with this technology when the first camera phone, released in Japan, was produced in 2000; a time when most of today’s teens were just being born? From that moment on, technology never halted as people increasingly began enjoying the luxury of having their own camera combined with their phone. The Sanyo model introduced camera phones to the United States in
a camera inside a phone enables everyone to be a photographer, and in this age, a selfie taker. People can be seen taking pictures everywhere. Whether they are visiting a historic monument, out with friends, or even at the grocery store, selfie-takers are sure to be found. With an average of 52 million pictures uploaded to instagram daily and about 52,000 snapchats sent every second, how else are people expected to spend their time? (Statistic Brain Research Institute, 2016).
People nowadays love to take and see selfies. There are even memes and tweets still circulating the iconic selfie taken at the Oscars in 2014. Teachers ask their students to take a selfie of them at volunteering events to prove their participation, instead of requiring signatures. The world of selfie taking has rapidly grown since its entry to the dictionary in 2013. “Our generation is engulfed in technology because everyone around them is. It’s the newest best thing to them and since everyone has it they have to use it to communicate,” said freshmen Charlotte McAfee.
Students gather by the tables outside the cafeteria to pose for the perfect selfie. Sophmore Taylor Gryder holds her hand up to the Canon to give the appearance that she is taking a selfie of herself and the group. Photo by Sara Koochagian.
2002, which gained even more popularity with the production of the Nokia in 2005. (Hill, 2013). Twelve years later and the iPhone 7 plus and Samsung Galaxy S7 edge are at the top of the cell phone food chain, each with a 12 megapixel camera quality. Even though the camera quality of an average Canon far surpasses that of the leading phones (at least 50 megapixels) the convenience of having
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So why do teens get all the blame? News articles and their elders like to consider them narcissistic, and perhaps even self obsessed, but the fault doesn’t entirely lie with the teen itself. How could it, when toddlers are seen daily with an iPad in their hands? With the introduction of social media, the idea of publicizing everyday life has becomes normalized. While it is true that they spend more time looking at themselves in the camera of their iPhone than any other generation (with a whopping estimate of 26 billion selfies taken last year alone) it has been
something the average teen has grown up with. (Daily Mail, 2016). “Our generation is so involved in tech because that’s something we’ve grown up using and continue to. We were born when mobile phones and laptops were becoming a common thing.” Said sophomore Arran Ponte.
Sure, the current generation uses technology like none other before, but this generation has also had innovations that the past never had. In the twenties, the radio was all the rage, and in the fifties, television revolutionized the way people were entertained. This selfie-loving craze is no different, just the current obsession of the world. Chances are, the selfie will come and go as time progresses and new inventions are invented.
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“We live in [the moment] while taking videos when you can and then looking back months later and smiling because you remember what a lit time you had!” said senior Madelaina Matz.
SNAPCHA DICTIONARY
All the things that you to know about Sna @HUSKYHEADLINE
GENERATION ARE YOU SELFIE OBSESSED? NO
NO
YES
1 SELFIE
What you take to send to your friends. Whether it be the famous ‘egg’ selfie, or just a selfie in the mirror, the selfie comes in many variations, with many types to choose from when it comes to snapchatting your friends!
2
t you need t Snapchat
IS YOUR SNAP SCORE OVER 100,00?
DO YOU HAVE A SNAPCHAT?
DO YOU OWN A CAMERA PHONE?
HAT ARY
YES
SNAPSTREAK
When you’re on snapchat, and you snapchat someone for three days in a row, then you have created a snap streak. The more you snap that person through the days the higher it gets. However, if you don’t snap them in less than 24 hours, then you lose the streak and have to start all over again. They last as long as you keep them alive.
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NO
YES CONGRATS! YOU ARE NOT SELFIE OBSESSED.
3 GEOTAG
In a fun place and want to share it with your fellow snapchatters? Take a picture and swipe to the right and see if any geotags pop up! Most towns have a few geotags designated for that particular place, even schools in Loudoun County have one for their school. You can also find the weather, time, altitude, and the speed you’re going at. You can even make your own geotag for any event that you’re at!
YUP. YOU'RE SELFIE OBSESSED.
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MY STORY
If you’re having a good time with friends, or just hanging out binge watching your favorite TV show on netflix, post it to your story! Take a snapchat, and click the blue button. Then click on my story, and it will post to your story and all of your friends can see what you’re up to! Don’t post it if you didn’t invite a friend out...could lead to the end of some snap streaks.
MAY 2017
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FEATURES
SAY YES TO BECCA’S DRESS!
BY LUCY BLUE
Do you have gently used dresses?
16 year old Rebecca Kirtman had been a successful student and a caring friend to those around her.
You can...
Then, suddenly, she lost her life during a tragic automobile accident on August 20, 2003.
Donate to Becca’s Closet
Becca had been an active and charitable member in her community, and saw a need for a certain kind of charity in high schools.
Becca didn’t want anyone to be unable to attend their prom because they couldn’t afford to go, so she began a dress drive her freshman year at Nova High School in Davie, Florida, to provide prom dresses to girls who didn’t have the money to purchase them. She donated over 250 dresses during her Sophomore year in high school, and Becca’s Closet has continued collecting and donating dresses since her passing. Becca’s parents organized Becca’s Closet in memoriam of their daughter’s efforts, and in honor of her community outreach during her brief time with them. Over the summer, Tuscarora became a chapter of Becca’s Closet.
“One thing we always try to do is have more community outreach stuff for the student body to where AVID can be more of a resource than just seen as a class,” said Mr. Barry Blair. “We beieved in [Becca’s story], and we believed in helping out people. We don’t want anybody to miss out on the whole experience [of prom]. They miss out on enough, and prom is one of those happy times of memories you don’t forget.”
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AVID accepts dresses any day. Bring in your dress to the front office or Mr. Blair in Room 603.
All Dressed Up and Ready to Go! Senior Anissa Boissiere organizes the donated dresses by size, starting at size zero and going up to size 18. Students could come pick out a dress during the first open house event on the teacher work day before spring break. Dresses will be available to students throughout the whole year for prom or homecoming. Photo by Lucy Blue.
“We’ve talked to the counselors, so if the students feel free to talk to their counselors and say ‘Oh it’s so expensive I don’t know if I can go,’ then we do have brand new dresses. We have quite a few donations from Macy’s.”
She has been an active member of the student body, having been the speaker for the Black History Month assembly last year and being the director of the assembly this year.
“I started looking for scholarships, and also looking for a dress, and I found Becca’s Closet,” said Boissiere.
AVID collects prom dresses for Becca’s Closet all throughout the year. They currently have about 170 dresses collected, and they are hoping that next year they will have enough dresses to open up Becca’s Closet to all Loudoun County high schools.
Senior Anissa Boissiere is the AVID student who had emailed Mr. Blair, making him aware of Becca’s Closet.
“[Financially pressured students] miss out on enough, and prom is one of those happy times of memories you don’t forget.” -Mr. Blair
Her favorite part of Becca’s Closet is the excitement of receiving donations and giving back to people.
“We’ve received donations from Reston and D.C., so now we’re just trying to expand it and spread the word,” said Boissiere. For more information on Becca’s Closet, visit www.Beccascloset.org
Are you in need of a prom dress? You can...
Visit Mr. Blair’s classroom, Room 603. OR Talk to your counselor, and ask about Becca’s Closet. Follow Becca’s Closet: Instagram: @beccascloset
Follow the THS chapter on Instagram: @ths_beccascloset
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STUDENT LIFE
United by PEER BY ANYA SCZERZENIE
Tuscarora’s PEER organization hosted Unity Week, a school-wide spirit week, from March 27th to 31st. PEER, which stands for “Positive Experiences in Educational Relationships”, is Tuscarora’s student conflict mediation group which sponsors mental health, antibullying, and acceptance-related campaigns and activities. Unity Week is one of PEER’s traditional main events. “This week is meant to create a united school,” said senior PEER member Meghan White. “It should help people bond over shared interests and hopefully help [them] understand each other better.” The events of Unity Week started the Friday before-- with a flurry of inspiring quotes, written on multicolored, heart-shaped pieces of paper and taped to almost every locker in the hallways. Printed on the back of each heart was a list of the coming spirit days to encourage students to participate. This act may seem like a simple “random act of kindness”, but actually required a lot of preparation by PEER members. “We started the hearts last month,” said Anissa Boissiere, a senior and
member of PEER. “Everyone had to cut out fourteen pages of hearts and write their quotes by hand on every heart.” The 1,600 hearts, which could be seen scattered around the school for the next few days, signaled the beginning of Unity Week. On Monday, the spirit week began with a “Comfy Day” on Monday, in which students were encouraged to wear sweatpants and other lounge clothes to “dress comfortably around [their] peers”. This day highlighted the theme of the week-- “Express your comfort!”. The rest of the spirit days were classic days that had been used in Tuscarora spirit weeks before: Tuesday’s Decade Day, Wednesday’s Western Day, and Thursday’s USA day-- also called “Unity Day”, when students were encouraged to wear red, white, and blue. Friday March 31st was the week’s main event, “Mix It Up Day”; where in addition to encouraging students to wear tie-dye and mismatched colors, PEER held a mixed-up lunch in the cafeteria. Bunches of balloons were placed on tables, and students were given a random colored card when they entered the
A Snowy Start to Spring
BY ANYA SCZERZENIE The days are getting longer, buds are bursting on the trees, birds are singing, and… a snowstorm is coming? That was what Leesburg experienced when Winter Storm Stella rolled through on March 1314, 2017, depositing several inches of ice-crusted snow and cancelling school for the first and only time this year. LCPS students enjoyed two snow days on the 14th and 15th of March and a 2-hour delay on the 16th. It was “six more weeks of winter” when there never really was a winter in the first place. After months of fluctuating temperatures, little snow, and not a single snow day, the students of
What did you do over the snow days? Out of 20 students surveyed...
Loudoun County were yearning to get that coveted call from Wayde Byard. People were looking at everything from Jay’s Wintry Mix predictions on Facebook to the weather apps on their phones to figure out just how much snow Stella would bring. Predictions ranged from no snow at all (and plenty of rain) to a whopping 18 inches. When Stella finally came to Leesburg, it was only about 4 to 6 inches of snow, according to Inside Nova-- a milder version of the huge blizzard that blew through the Northeast. But it was a snowstorm nonetheless; the only one to hit Northern Virginia in the winter of 2016-17.
14 out of 20 watched TV, movies, or Netflix over the snow days.
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Photos by Anya Sczerzenie
cafeteria and sat at the table with the corresponding-colored balloons. This was another event that required lots of preparation- to get ready for this lunch, PEER students had to fill up 240 balloons, write “icebreaker questions” on them, and spend a whole Flex block setting up. This lunch was meant to take the students out of their usual friend groups and allow them to meet people they wouldn’t have talked to
Really, snow in March is not a rare event in the DC region. There were March snowstorms in 2014 that led to “one of the snowiest Marches in 50 years” according to WTOP. Storms also came to the southern U.S. in that month in 1993, blanketing Washington DC in snow. So the question isn’t really why there was snow in March, it’s why that was the only snow Leesburg had all year. Many people blame climate change for the warmer, less snowy winters. Earth’s temperatures are steadily rising, and this winter actually set records for high temperatures in the East Coast and Midwest. According to a CNN weather article, over 4400
9 out of 20 did homework over the snow days...
7 students spent time with friends...
9 said they did nothing productive at all.
(Top) Dance Like No One’s Watching: Students dance in the cafeteria during Mix-it-up Day’s dance contest in A Lunch, March 31st, 2017. (Bottom Left) Secret Admirers: A locker in the L300 hallway accumulated a total of seven paper hearts during the beginning of Unity Week. Originally, only one heart was attached to every locker, with an inspirational quote written on each. (Bottom Right) Balloon Wonderland: PEER students set up the cafeteria during Flex on March 31st. They wrote “conversation starters” on balloons to help students talk to each other during lunch.
otherwise, and it even included a dance contest to help students break out of their shells. “I hope they [the students] get out of their comfort zone and sit with someone new,” said PEER member Claire Smith. “It’s 30 minutes of their time, and it could mean the world to someone else.”
record highs were reported across the country in February alone, with only 29 record lows reported during the same month. Anyone who walked outside wearing shorts during a month that should have been freezing will relate to this. Warmer winters (and hotter summers) in the U.S. are part of a larger global trend towards higher temperatures all over the world. Considering how much heat Virginia got over the winter, Winter Storm Stella was unusual, but many LCPS students feel that the snow days were the break they needed.
5 helped shovel snow... And 5 built a snowman.
MAY 2017
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STUDENT LIFE
Prom Day: Boys VS Girls Infographic by Katie Johnson
BOY,
ere a If you w do you think g t n lo u to ge how take yo it would what would nd ready a get ready? to o d you Guys 9am - sleeping 10am - sleeping 11am - still sleeping 12pm - almost time 1pm - now it’s time to wake up 2pm - go pick up tux and other accessories 3:30pm - fix hair, put on tux and nice shoes 4pm - meet up with friends or pick up date 5pm - Pictures with friends! 7pm - arrive at prom and have fun!
Girls 9am - wake up and eat a healthy breakfast 10am - go get manicure and pedicure done 11am - go get hair done 12:30pm - lunch time 2:30pm - do own makeup and friends makeup 3:30pm - put dress and heels on 4pm- meet with friends/date 5pm - go take pictures with friends! 7pm - go to prom and have fun!
If yo u long were a d take o you th , ho in y what ou to get k it wou w ld read wou y read ld yo y? u do and to ge t
GIRL
Popping the Question
Your heart starts to race and you proceed to get down on one knee.You take a breath and ask, “Will you go to prom with me?” BY KATIE JOHNSON Just a week until prom, and the past month has been full of ‘Promposals’. With the selfie generation and social media taking over our lives, students have gone out of their way to ask other students to prom. Looking back at when our parents went to prom all they did was make a phone call or ask in between their classes, but now, the selfie generation is taking it one step further. Everyone has seen the “you have to be this tall
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to say no”, the cop that pulls over a student just to fake a ticket that asks “prom?”, and red solo cups in the side of the fence, but what started all this? What started the kids embarrassing themselves, taking risks, and overcoming fears? Not knowing when promposals first started, the first newspaper story about a promposal stated by the Washington Post, was in 2001, in the Dallas Morning News and now, ever since then, this event has
become even more popular. Some students believe that the reason for promposals is due to girls wanting to be shown off, making it spontaneous and to make that special someone happy, and others believe that it’s all due to social media. “Everyone wants the cute pictures and wants to be noticed,” said junior Portia Gusciora. Another way of looking at why prom proposals are such a big deal is that students are always told through their lives that prom creates
Emma Smit h (11th grade) 30 mins
Hailey King (12th grade) uld wo I r, Maybe an hou a need to definitley take to m mo my get and r showe iron my clothes.
Miller - 15 Mr. Robert cause I minutes, be to slap on ed ne would dress and I a shoes and ishes, so I Chris Broad have no blem akeup. m ed ne (11the grade)- wouldnt 4 hours
some of the best memories, so some may feel that asking that person should be special too. Prom is a special occasion for many juniors and seniors, and whether it be that you want a picture for your next post, or just to make someone feel special, every reason leads to one outcome, a big promposal. So give thanks where they are due, because those people went out of their way to make that event happen, and if you didn’t ask in a big way or chose not to ask anyone that’s okay too. Proms for everyone, it’s the last dance for seniors, an excuse to get on high heels or a tux, and a time to make memories that will last a lifetime. Photos courtesy of LifeTouch
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Getting Your Head In The Game
SPORTS
BY TUCKER STUNTZ
Senior Ben Knuff Getting ready for a game in any sport, can be a difficult practice. Resting, practicing, and preparing yourself mentally are just a few things that athletes do before a game. But many of them also have individual things they do before games to get them ready. These pre-game rituals are significant and many of these athletes won’t forget to do this because it can act as a psychological tick. It can be anything from listening to your favorite song right before or a game or eating a banana the night before. Superstitions in sports have been around since they originated. If it makes you win, they’ll keep doing it. There are a variety of Tuscarora athletes who have their own
Senior Brenda Anthony little things they do before games and here is a peek into what they are. Four of them were interviewed recently, and here is what they had to say.
Do you have any sort of pregame ritual or routine that you do before every game? “Yes, before every game I wrap my wrists and write the number 12 on each. Before I step on the field for a game, I kiss both wrists” said senior Boys Soccer player Carder Saul. Varsity Softball player Ana Gonzalez said that she always listens to a playlist on the bus by herself, and always make sure the last song she listens to is “Black Skinhead” by Kanye West
Junior Ana Gonzalez
Senior Carder Saul
She also has a lucky softball bow that she always wears and if they lose, will switch it up. Varsity Baseball senior Ben Knuff said “Before every game when I’m putting on my uniform, I will always put my left pant leg on first and my left cleat on first as well. I also look up to the sky during the national anthem”. Girls Varsity Soccer player Brenda Anthony said “Before every game I braid my hair. I know it sounds simple but it means a lot to me.”
name was Mathias and he wore the number 12 when he played soccer. Gonzalez said “I am a superstitious person to begin with, so it works for me. It makes me feel confident and prepared every time I step on the field.” Anthony said “I do it because I really think it brings me good luck and I think it helps me relax and play better. I know it’s odd but I guarantee there are some more weird ones out there that people do”. Knuff says that he started doing this because he did it one time and played really well that game, so now he does it before every game for good luck.
Why do you do this?
Saul explained that he does this because of a friend of his who passed away from pediatric cancer a few years ago. His
Photos Courtesy of Lifetouch
The History Behind The Madness
BY TUCKER STUNTZ
Every March, millions of people do one thing; fill out their NCAA March Madness brackets. For years this has been a stressful process where people research for months to make their picks, while others just pick randomly for fun. This year, 18.8 million brackets were submitted just to ESPN. Millions more were submitted to other organizations like CBS. Filling out a perfect bracket is something that nobody has ever done. You are more likely to win the lottery than fill out a perfect bracket. But when did filling out brackets become a common thing for the American people? It is said that the first ever NCAA bracket pool took place in
1977 at a pub in Staten Island, New York. 88 people took part in the contest and all pitched in ten dollars for a winner-takes-all system. Back in 2006, the same bar had 150,000 brackets filled out and the prize money was over 1.5 million dollars. Who knows how much is at stake in 2017. There was so much prize money on the tournament from that bar, that the federal government had to take notice to make sure there was no illegal betting taking place. These days it is harder and harder to predict who will win the tournament, let alone advance from round to round. Seeding is so unreliable because of “Cinderella” teams and
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upsets of all kinds. Cinderellas are the teams with odds completely against them, who somehow defy those odds. Who would have thought eighth seed Wisconsin would upset defending champs Villanova in the second round? Or thought that the seven seed Gamecocks of South Carolina would bring down Duke, Baylor and Florida to make it to the final four. The craziest thing about them is that until this year, they hadn’t won a tournament game since 1973. This years final featured two number one seeds, Gonzaga and North Carolina. There hasn’t been two number one seeds in the national championship for quite some time now. It is so
hard to predict these outcomes, and that is the magic of the tournament. It’s what has driven people crazy for so many years and will continue to do so in the future. Better start studying, who knows who will upset a five seed next year.
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This Seasons’
SPORTS
2017 MLB Season Preview BY SULLY CARR The 2015-2016 Major League Baseball (MLB) season was full of action packed storylines and this year should be no different. The Chicago Cubs ended a 108 year championship drought, when the Cleveland Indians blew a three game to one lead. The 2016-2017 season should come down to the wire for who is going to make the playoffs with the new additions joining contending teams, and the players coming back from injuries and down years. Will the Cubs Repeat? The Chicago Cubs were the best team in baseball last season and earned the hardware they won. The team had a 103-58 record last season and they are looking to play even better this year. The Cubs’ star third baseman, Kris Bryant, won Most Valuable Player last season and hit 39 home runs. The Cubs lost center fielder, Dexter Fowler, in free agency, but even with his lost presence the team should play as well as they did last season. The Cubs are a top tier team this year and are the favorites to repeat, so do not be surprised if they are still around in October. Major Trades and Free Agency Signings from this Offseason: Every offseason there are free
Sports Tweets
The Baltimore Orioles lost to the New York Yankees on April 7. The final score was 7 - 3. Photo by: Sully Carr
Awards Predictions: NL MVP: Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs AL MVP: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels NL Cy Young: Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals AL Cy Young: Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians World Series Champions: Chicago Cubs
agents that sign with new teams who should help the team contend to win the championship. A top free agent who signed with a new team is, Edwin Encarnacion, who signed with the Cleveland Indians during the offseason. Encarnacion hit 42 home runs and 127 runs batted in last season. The biggest blockbuster trade this offseason was for Chicago White Sox all-star pitcher Chris Sale
in exchange for the Boston Red Sox’s number one prospect Yoan Moncada, and three other prospects. These two moves should help all three teams for this season and more to come. Players coming back from injury and down seasons: There are always players who suffer injuries during the baseball season and there are players who have disappointing seasons. Bryce Harper was the 2015 Most Valuable Player, but in 2016 he had one of his worst years. A player who is coming back from injury this year is Chicago Cubs’ left fielder, Kyle Schwarber. Schwarber was on track to be baseball’s best young player, but due to an ACL tear he was sidelined for most of the year. Harper and Schwarber are two of the best sluggers in baseball and should be on track to have great seasons.
Future of Boys Lacrosse BY SULLY CARR
Jack Maschler (left), Caleb Hertel (center), and Justin Wyker (right) have all played great this season and hopefully years to come. Photos courtesy of Lifetouch The Huskies Boy’s Lacrosse team lost 12 seniors going into this year, eight of which were starters, so who will be with the team for a few more years and make an impact on the field as well. Sophomores; Caleb Hertel, Jack Maschler, and Justin Wyker are three players who will be with the Huskies for two more years and will all make impacts on their side of the field. The Husky Headline had a chance of interviewing these three players and this is what they all had to say. Caleb Hertel, a midfielder, has been playing lacrosse for only three years. Hertel is quick and agile on the field and a strong presence on defense. He told us, “I believe we have a good chance at winning states our senior year.” His goal is to hold a few lacrosse records for the school. Most people believe since Hertel has only
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been playing lacrosse for a few years he will not make an impact on the game, but because of his speed he is able to get to the ball quickly and help the team on defense. Jack Maschler, an offensive midfielder and face offer, told us, “My goal to achieve before I graduate is to leave a legacy for Tuscarora Lacrosse and to break as many records as possible.” Maschler has been playing lacrosse for six years and his strengths are winning face offs and scoring the ball. Maschler also stated, “Winning states will be hard but we might have a chance to win my senior year.” Maschler says he hopes to break as many records as possible and we all hope he will. Finally, Justin Wyker, one of the Huskies attackers, has scored multiple goals while starting and should become one of the top
scorers before he graduates in 2019. Wyker has been playing lacrosse for around eight years. He says some of his strengths on the field involve being an asset on offense and a team player. We also asked him what some of his goals before he graduates were and this is what he said, “My goal is to make myself better as well as the people around me and the help the team get better every year.” Wyker is one of the school’s young threats so do not be surprised when you hear his name in a few years. All three of these sophomores players have different experience on the field, and will be with on the team for a few more years. Hopefully the three can all help the Huskies make it to states in a few years and achieve a goal of theirs including putting Boy’s Lacrosse back on the map.
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